Marvel Heroes Exclusive Collector's Edition (UK Promo)

Background

This is a promotional pamphlet which I presume was offered to newsagents as a giveaway to promote interest in the Marvel Heroes (UK Magazine) title. The back cover of the promo includes a coupon that offers a massive 50 pence discount off the cover price of Marvel Heroes (UK Magazine) #19. That would slash the price from £2.50 all the way down to £2. What a mad reduction. The generosity of the publishers clearly knows no bounds.

Story 'Enemy, My Ally'

The promo itself is 16 pages including front and back covers. It is a rather unusual size, being a short magazine format, 8.25" x 10".

Inside is an exclusive 6-page mini-story by the regular Marvel Heroes creative team. The tale is entitled "Enemy, My Ally" and features the X-Men. Spider-Man doesn't appear in the story, but there are various references to Spidey in the surrounding material (puzzles, fact files, etc.) which fill out the page count exactly as if this was a regular issue. So what of the story?

The X-Men are investigating an extreme magnetic disturbance which threatens to disrupt the earth's protective magnetic field. Arriving at the centre of the effect, they encounter Apocalypse, a mad villain with the goal of destroying most of humanity in order that only the strong will survive. Apocalypse is holding Magneto hostage and forcing him to project the magnetic field.

As most of the X-Men battle Apocalypse, Jean Grey and Professor X persuade Magneto to trust them and lower his mental defences. He does so, and together the three of them shatter the bonds which hold him in place.

Realising that his plans are destroyed, Apocalypse teleports away from the battle. Magento then turns his powers on his would-be rescuers. But Professor X had prepared for such treachery with... well, treachery of his own. While in Magneto's mind he had planted a sleep blast which now activates and leaves Magneto to flop unconscious to the floor.

Meanwhile, Apocalypse observes from his secret space station base and prepares his next plan.

General Comments

Let's run through the literary/artistic value check list.

Moral lesson or other form of educator or enlightenment? Not really. Character development? Nope. Humor or significant diversionary value? Nope.

Spandex characters beating each other up? Ah, yes. Plenty of that.

Overall Rating

Well, it's free. So that almost makes it good value.

One web.