Book picks similar to
The Villain's Sidekick by Stephen T. Brophy
superheroes
superhero
fantasy
fiction
Almost Infamous: A Supervillain Novel
Matt Carter - 2016
With his powerful (and unpredictable) telekinetic abilities he could be one if he wanted to, but he doesn’t. He’s unambitious, selfish, and cowardly, and he doesn’t want to have to deal with all the paperwork required to become a professional superhero. But since the money, fame, and women that come with wearing the cape are appealing, he decides to become the first supervillain the world has seen in more than twenty years: Apex Strike.However, he soon finds villainy in a world where the heroes have long since defeated all the supervillains. While half the world’s heroes seem to want him dead, the other half want to hire him as their own personal villain to keep them relevant. Choosing the latter course, Aidan enters a world of fame, fortune, and staged superhero fights that is seemingly everything he ever dreamed of . . . at least until he sees what truly hides behind the cape-and-mask lifestyle.
Prepare to Die!
Paul Tobin - 2012
Then a freak chemical spill transformed him into Reaver, the man whose super-powerful fists can literally take a year off a bad guy's life. Days ago, he found himself at the mercy of his arch-nemesis Octagon and a whole crew of fiendish super-villains, who gave him two weeks to settle his affairs--and prepare to die. Now, after years of extraordinary adventures and crushing tragedies, the world's greatest hero is returning to where it all began in search of the boy he once was . . . and the girl he never forgot. Exciting, scandalous, and ultimately moving, Prepare to Die! is a unique new look at the last days of a legend.
Black Widow: The Name of the Rose
Marjorie M. Liu - 2010
And yet as the Black Widow, she manages to hold her own against a world of incredibly powerful enemies and allies. But now someone has tried to kill Natasha and almost succeeded. Now she sets out to find her attacker with no suspects and no leads. Who could be deadly enough to get the drop on Natasha?Collecting: Black Widow 1-5 & material from Enter the Heroic Age
The Unstoppable Wasp, Vol. 1: Unstoppable!
Jeremy Whitley - 2017
With Jarvis at her side, she's on a mission to bring together the brightest girl geniuses of the Marvel Universe - starting with Lunella Lafayette, the miraculous Moon Girl! But Nadia didn't count on evil scientists, man-eating giant rats or Devil Dinosaur - or the lethal lady wrestlers known as the Grapplers! And even as Nadia's recruiting drive continues, the Red Room is on her trail - and they'll pull out all the stops to get her back! Can the geniuses of G.I.R.L. find a way to save Nadia from being dragged back to the bunker?COLLECTING: THE UNSTOPPABLE WASP (2017) 1-4; ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT AVENGERS 14
Breakout
Rick Wayne - 2014
But after one of them uncovers a plot to hack the human race, they're not sure which side they're on -- just that not all of them will survive."The Minus Faction" is a super-powered speculative thriller in seven novella-length episodes. In Episode One . . .Beaten. Burned. Broken.Capt. John Regent returns a paraplegic after escaping months of captivity and torture -- except no one knows who took him or what he disclosed.When a government agent comes for answers, she discovers John's fantastical secret and sets him at war with his own country. But the veteran in the wheelchair has one last mission, and he'll fight off the powers-that-be long enough to save the life of a troubled soldier -- even if it costs John his own.
Runaways, Vol. 1: Find Your Way Home
Rainbow Rowell - 2018
GET READY TO RUN!The "IT" book of the early 2000s with the original cast is back--Nico! Karolina! Molly! Chase! Old Lace! And, could it be...GERT?! The heart of the Runaways died years ago, but you won't believe how she returns! Superstar author Rainbow Rowell (Eleanor & Park, Carry On) makes her Marvel debut with fan-favorite artist Kris Anka (ALL-NEW X-MEN, CAPTAIN MARVEL) in the series that will shock you and break your heart! Did Chase and Gert's love survive their time apart? Have Karolina and Nico's feelings made their friendship impossible? What emotional landmines lie in wait to DESTROY the Runaways?!COLLECTING: RUNAWAYS 1-6
Batman: Noël
Lee Bermejo - 2011
Members of Batman's supporting cast enact roles analogous to those from A Christmas Carol, with Robin, Catwoman, Superman, The Joker and more playing roles that will be familiar to anyone who knows Dickens' original holiday tale.
Flashpoint: The World of Flashpoint Featuring Batman
Brian AzzarelloJoe Bennett - 2011
Now, Batman is Thomas Wayne, driven by the death of his son Bruce to punish criminals... and in pursuit of a Joker whose twisted crimes will bring him to the brink madness himself! "Batman: Knight of Vengeance" reunites Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso, the acclaimed creative team from 100 BULLETS. Dick Grayson travels with his parents and the death-defying Deadman across war-torn Europe, performing in the their circus... until an Amazon attack leads them to their true fate, in "Deadman and the Flying Graysons" by JT Krul (CAPTAIN ATOM) and Fabrizio Fiorentino (TITANS).In this world, Deathstroke is a pirate on the world's most dangerous waters, questing for the only treasure that really matters, in "Deathstroke and the Curse of the Ravager" by Jimmy Palmiotti and artist Joe Bennett.And in "Secret Seven" by Peter Milligan (RED LANTERNS), Shade the Changing Man leads a secret team of bizarre heroes—but will he lead them to their deaths?Collecting BATMAN: KNIGHT OF VENGEANCE #1-3, DEADMAN AND THE FLYING GRAYSONS #1-3, DEATHSTROKE AND THE CURSE OF THE RAVAGER #1-3 and SECRET SEVEN #1-3.
Hawkeye vs. Deadpool
Gerry Duggan - 2015
They fought for all that was good in the world. They were kind, generous and self-sacrificing. They were heroes. These are not those heroes. Meet Hawkeye: ladies man ("ladies man" because the ladies love to hate this man), mighty marksman and, most importantly, Avenger. He's the only guy on the team without any powers, though. Then there's Deadpool (Mr. Deadpool to you), the regeneratin' degenerate. You can shoot him, stab him, and punch him right in his face, but nothing can keep the Merc with a Mouth down. What do they have in common? Halloween in Brooklyn, and a S.H.I.E.L.D. espionage mystery that has both heroes racing the clock! But will Deadpool and Hawkeye kill each other before they figure it out?Collecting: Hawkeye vs. Deadpool 0-4
Critical Failures
Robert Bevan - 2012
The next minute, they're in a horse-drawn cart surrounded by soldiers pointing crossbows at them. Tim now has the voice and physique of a prepubescent girl. Dave finds that while he lost a foot or two in height, he somehow acquired a suit of armor and a badass beard. Julian's ears have grown ridiculously long and pointy. And Cooper... well Cooper has gotten himself a set of tusks, a pair of clawed hands, and a bad case of the shits. He also finds that he's carrying a bag with a human head in it - a head that he had chopped off when they were still just playing a game.Shit just got real, and if they want to survive, these four friends are going to have to tap into some baser instincts they didn't even know existed in their fast-food and pizza delivery world.It's fight, flight, or try to convince the people who are trying to kill them that they don't really exist.Meanwhile, a sadistic game master sits back in the real world eating their fried chicken.
Spider-Gwen, Vol. 0: Most Wanted?
Jason Latour - 2015
What you DON'T know is what friends and foes are waiting for her in the aftermath of Spider-Verse! From the fan-favorite creative team that brought you Spider-Gwen's origin story in EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE, Jason Latour and Robbie Rodriguez!COLLECTING: EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE #2, SPIDER-GWEN 1-5
Wolverine: Tales of Weapon X
Fred Van Lente - 2009
This omnibus collects six action-packed tales from Wolverine's mysterious past! Join Charles Xavier as he journeys deep into Wolverine's mind on a quest for answers that will shed new light on one of the darkest periods of Logan's life - his days in the Weapon X program!
New Suicide Squad, Volume 1: Pure Insanity
Sean RyanMark Irwin - 2015
It’s perfect…on paper.But the real world rarely goes according to plan. Threats evolve. Teammates turn on each other. Blood and betrayals flow like rivers. And that’s why Task Force X is better known as the Suicide Squad.Vic Sage aims to change the equation. Replacing Amanda Waller as the puppet-master of Suicide Squad’s motley crew, he’s introducing wild cards like Deathstroke and the Joker’s Daughter to whip the existing team-Deadshot, Harley Quinn, and Black Manta-into shape. But the world’s deadliest assassin and the Clown Princess of Crime have ideas of their own…and no explosive implants to keep them in line.Can this new Suicide Squad survive-or will it implode before it even begins?Collecting: New Suicide Squad #1-8.
Batman: Knightfall, Vol. 3: KnightsEnd
Chuck DixonMike Manley - 2012
But Jean Paul Valley, the man who now patrols the night as a vicious and violent Batman, is not willing to give up his new identity. Driven to the brink of madness by inner demons, the new Batman seeks to destroy Bruce as they meet in mortal combat. But in the end, Bruce defeats Jean Paul both mentally and physically and reclaims his legendary cape and cowl. This new edition includes many chapters of KNIGHTFALL never before collected.Collects Batman #509-510, #512-514, Batman: Shadow of the Bat #29-30, 32-34, Detective Comics #676-677, #679-681, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #62-63, Robin #8-9, #11-13 and Catwoman #12-13.
Fire & Ice
Patty Jansen - 2011
Most citizens are immune to it, but a few, always born with physical disabilities, can bend it to their will. For fifty years, the ruling Eagle Knights, who fly on the back of giant birds, have killed these Imperfects, fearing the return of the old royal family, who used icefire to cut out people's hearts, turning them into ghostly servitors. The old king's grandson Tandor only sees the good things icefire brought: power and technology now forgotten while the people of the south live in dire poverty. He's had enough of seeing his fellow kinsfolk slaughtered by ignorant Knights, of Imperfect babies being abandoned on the ice floes to be eaten by wild animals. His grandfather's diary tells him how to increase the beat of the Heart the first step to making the land glorious once more. Arrogant as he is, he sets the machine in motion. All he needs is an army of Imperfect servitors to control the resulting power.Isandor is Imperfect, an ex-Knight apprentice, betrayed by his best friend and running for his life. The queen Jevaithi is Imperfect, living like a prisoner amidst leering Knights, surviving only because the common people would rebel if their beloved queen were harmed. Both are young and desperate and should be grateful that Tandor wants to rescue them from their hopeless situations. Or so he thinks. The youngsters, however, have no inclination to become heartless ghosts, but while they defy Tandor, the Heart beats, and he alone cannot control its power.