Hello friends, and welcome back to The Sunday Post. Marvel Animation released the long-awaited Marvel Zombies event series last week on Disney+, and Friends From Work was there to cover it from all angles. Kyle and Robby had you covered with their spoiler-filled thoughts on the podcast, and I published a spoiler-free written review that you can read if you are on the fence about checking out the series (my opinion: it is worth your time).

This week starts with a much-asked-for FFW+ commentary episode as Robby and Kyle rewatch 2012’s The Avengers. Feel free to watch the movie alongside the podcast, or just listen as the guys reminisce. On Thursday, a new main feed episode will cover all the news that Kyle and Robby haven’t had a chance to discuss during their recent time away.

Before we swing by The Watercooler for more news, I wanted to mention a huge sale taking place right now from our oldest sponsor, Panel Bound Comics (formerly Organic Priced Books). Their PHR Fall Sale features over 400 books at 50% off, with more than half of them being Marvel books. Don’t miss this opportunity, and use code “FRIENDSFROMWORK” for an additional discount. Looking for a recommendation? Stick around until the end of this newsletter for Robby’s picks!

Now…

THE WATERCOOLER

THIS WEEK IN THE MCU

• Spider-Man: Brand New Day resumes filming tomorrow in the UK, after pausing for a week after Tom Holland suffered a concussion while performing a stunt on set.

• While it wasn’t filming last week, Brand New Day did find the time to add another actor to its growing cast list. According to Deadline, Marvin Jones III has been cast as the villainous Tombstone in the movie. Interestingly, Jones also voices the character in the animated Sony Spider-Verse franchise.

• Paul Bettany (alongside Elizabeth Olsen) participated in a panel discussion at L.A. Comic Con on Saturday night and talked a little about next year’s Vision series.

• Actor Ross Marquand, who voices Professor X and Apocalypse (among other characters) in X-Men ‘97, provided an update on the show’s sophomore outing exclusively to Collider last week. Marquand said he was “amazed Disney greenlit it because it’s so dark. It’s very, very dark. A lot of people die, and so many people don’t talk about it. Just being honest.”

• Marvel’s Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation, Brad Winderbaum, confirmed while doing press for Marvel Zombies that both X-Men ‘97 and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man would be producing new seasons annually starting in 2026.

BEYOND THE MULTIVERSE

• Marvel’s Wolverine, a game that many fans were convinced might have been shelved due to the lack of news, released its first gameplay trailer last week. Developed by Insomniac Games (the same developers behind the ultra-successful Spider-Man game franchise) in conjunction with Marvel Games, it is now scheduled to release in Fall 2026.

TRUE BELIEVERS RUMOR OF THE WEEK

• The fictional island of Madripoor, introduced in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier but not seen since, is rumored to be a significant location in next year’s Vision series, according to insider Daniel Richtman.

• Richtman has also heard that Marvel’s next saga will focus on two primary X-Men villains- Mr. Sinister and Apocalypse.

PANEL BOUND COMICS PICK(S) OF THE WEEK

As Greg mentioned up top, our buds at Panel Bound Comics are running another mega-sale, and the sheer scope of the thing is a bit overwhelming. So I thought I’d round up a few of my favorites for your consideration. And because buying nice comics doesn’t have to put you in crippling debt, I’ve included a range of price points. Read on for the recs!

$20- Batman: The Black Mirror (The Deluxe Edition)

If you’ve read any Batman comics published in the last twenty years, there’s a good chance you’ve read Scott Snyder. From Court of Owls to Absolute Batman, Scott has given us some of the boldest Bat-takes in a generation. And it all started here. Originally published during Grant Morrison’s tenure on the main Batman book, The Black Mirror collects Snyder’s early work on Detective Comics along with two of my favorite artists in the biz — Jock and Francesco Francavilla. It’s dark and creepy and kind of messed up, which makes Dick Grayson’s lighthearted Batman shine all the more. Clocking in at 10 oversized issues, this deluxe hardcover is a perfect middle ground between a 5-6 issue trade paperback and a 25+ issue omni. And if you like what you read here, there’s a whole lot more where that came from.

$50- Hawkeye Omnibus 

Look, if you’ve listened to this podcast at all, you know how I feel about Fraction and Aja’s Hawkeye. It’s accessible and hilarious and just effortlessly cool. And it’s an easy inclusion on a “Marvel 101 reading list” (hint, hint FFW+ subscribers). This one volume collects the entire series — including issues drawn and colored by the aforementioned Francesco Francavilla. Get it now for your holiday reading pleasure.

$63 ($138 for both volumes)- Thor by Jason Aaron Omnibus Vols. 1 & 2

If you see something, say something. I can’t see Jason Aaron’s entire Thor run 50% off and not say something. Though Aaron is known primarily (and rightly) for introducing Gorr the God Butcher and Jane Foster’s Mighty Thor, his run is so much more than that. It’s the kind of epic, sprawling saga the God of Thunder deserves -- thanks in no small part to the talents of superstar artists like Esad Ribić, Russell Dauterman, and Mike del Mundo. Start with the first volume or buy both for the price of one!

That's it for this week! See you back here soon. In the meantime, you can find me in the #comics channel on the FFW Discord!

RE

Thanks for that, Robby! And don’t forget to use code “FRIENDSFROMWORK”.

Before signing off, I have one more quick plug. The FFW Rewatch page of our website is now UPDATED with the new Multiverse Saga Watch Order. From WandaVision to Thunderbolts*, you can watch Marvel’s latest Saga in a brand-new (and more cohesive?) way. Check it out and let us know what you think.

Thanks for reading,

-Greg