Favorite Marvel Hidden Gems

[mi27ke85]

So, curious as to see what everyone thinks are some good, not too well-known Marvel titles. What is it about and why do you like it?

I'll start: Strikeforce Morituri. The premise is: The "Horde", a savage technologically advanced alien race, invade earth in the 21st century. Fortunately, a scientist develops a weapon to fight back; he develops a genetic process that will give humans super-powers. Inevitably, the human body will reject the process, which is always fatal. Still, the Horde is so savage (nuclear attacks, wanton killing, etc.) that many people volunteer to go through the process. They become the StrikeForce:Morituri.

I love it because the Strikeforce:Morituri get more savage and desperate over time. They don't know when their body is going to reject the process but they know it's going to happen. The fact that they know they are going to die in the short-term gives them a realistic reason to be reckless and bad-ass. I also think the comic has some weight because you know there's no coming back for these guys like other superheroes.

[Byakko]

I have that miniseries! It was pretty grim and dire with everyone on a confirmed death-clock, still as sad as each one began to drop.

One miniseries I have is Spell Force (I think). It's about a girl who finds this magic golden band things that giver her magic powers. Turns out they belonged to a serpent/dragon-like sorcerer, who keeps trying to get them back. The twist is that the antagonist dragon guy used to be a good guy, like her, who defeated an evil sorcerer before him with those same bands. But the power corrupts you the longer you use them, and he tells her he's too fargone, and that she's next. And she was starting to exhibit more and more negative behavior traits as the series went on. I never got the last few issues though, don't think I ever knew how it ended, or I just forgot.

[mi27ke85]

That does sound intriguing but I can't find it under the name Spell Force. Let me know if you find a link to it or it has a different title. It sounds like something I would like!

[Tigereyes]

Agents of Atlas is just incredible. I miss it so much, great and strange characters MAKE this series.

Also, Not really Marvel, but under the Marvel/Crossgen umbrella... Ruse. It is fantastically written and beautifully drawn. It's actually the only comic that my mother would look forward to on a monthly basis.

[mi27ke85]

I think I've seen Agents of Atlas but never read it. Never heard of Ruse, though. Pretty good endorsement that your mom and you both enjoyed it.

[Some Guy]

I really liked Tom Taylor's Secret Wars Agents of Atlas one-shot and would love to see more.

Being relatively new to comics, I haven't read anything that isn't fairly recent so I have nothing new to add.

[Thirteen]

I have that miniseries! It was pretty grim and dire with everyone on a confirmed death-clock, still as sad as each one began to drop.

One miniseries I have is Spell Force (I think). It's about a girl who finds this magic golden band things that giver her magic powers. Turns out they belonged to a serpent/dragon-like sorcerer, who keeps trying to get them back. The twist is that the antagonist dragon guy used to be a good guy, like her, who defeated an evil sorcerer before him with those same bands. But the power corrupts you the longer you use them, and he tells her he's too fargone, and that she's next. And she was starting to exhibit more and more negative behavior traits as the series went on. I never got the last few issues though, don't think I ever knew how it ended, or I just forgot.

Sounds like SPELLBOUND (vol 2) from 1988 starring Erica Fortune as "The Spellbinder" alongside her siblings who helped her struggle to remain sane while wielding the powers.
Its was pretty standalone in the Marvel Universe, crossing over only with New Mutants and maybe Power Pack briefly IIRC.
http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Spellbound_Vol_2
http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Erica_F...28Earth-616%29

[Byakko]

Sounds like SPELLBOUND (vol 2) from 1988 starring Erica Fortune as "The Spellbinder" alongside her siblings who helped her struggle to remain sane while wielding the powers.
Its was pretty standalone in the Marvel Universe, crossing over only with New Mutants and maybe Power Pack briefly IIRC.
http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Spellbound_Vol_2
http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Erica_F...28Earth-616%29

Yup that's the one! Knew it was Spell-something, couldn't remember it properly. Even when reading it back then, I did notice how it basically never really did anything that actually set it in the Marvel universe. With all the magic powers being unleashed you'd think Strange or some other hero would get involved, but never happens. I kind of felt it was a little odd, like this was a small pet project but instead of having it independently published, they inserted the whole thing into the Marvel universe

[Kuwagaton]

Omega The Unknown - literally, I guess. The 10 issue remake series by Lethem and Dalrymple is probably my favorite project ever. Weird, sweet, and a breath of fresh air where superheroes go.

Punisher: Blood on the Moors - nothing mind blowing, just a stellar example of why the Punisher is such an easy character to read.

All New Doop - pretty brilliant considering I wanted nothing to do with that era of X-Men. Brings back a lot of what made X-Statix so fun, with an incredible leap made by Lafuente.

Saga of the Sub-Mariner/The Depths/Revolution - all quite good showcases of the many things that make Namor compelling.

Daredevil: Yellow - honestly, I think this the best origin for the character and it's not even close.

Adventures of Captain America - this was THE story for Bucky before the Winter Soldier. Very awesome Rocketeer kinda feel, even if Maguire didn't stick around.

Cable and Deadpool vs. X-Force - Duane Swiercynski is such an underrated writer imo. Nathan was an awesome dad, Hope was ultra sweet, the Lone Wolf went far with me. Second favorite Cable writer after Tischmann. DP and XF was a gorgeous, fun romp with a lot of cool throwback stuff.

And tons more I'd bring up later.

[Jody Garland]

A bit back I read the entirety of the New Universe. Nightmask and Marc Hazzard, Merc, were outstanding titles that don't get enough love. The latter particularly has some great PAD writing.

[yojimbo]

Cable and Deadpool vs. X-Force - Duane Swiercynski is such an underrated writer imo. Nathan was an awesome dad, Hope was ultra sweet, the Lone Wolf went far with me. Second favorite Cable writer after Tischmann. DP and XF was a gorgeous, fun romp with a lot of cool throwback stuff.

Is this the series drawn by Olivetti? If that's it, I agree it was very well written and had an interesting concept. But I couldn't stand the drawings.