Disney Villains: Gaston is written by Greg Pack and Fred Van Lente, the duo behind Incredible Hercules, who have captured both the comical and vile aspects of Gaston.

While the title of this issue is a bit misleading – it is distinctly not a true facsimile edition – it’s nonetheless fantastic to see this wonderful story back in print. The volume of Marvel Team-Up began in 2005 had a number of really inviting issues, Marvel Team-Up #14 was and remains the cream of the crop for that 25-issue run.

Unlike the standard comic book size hardcover Nexus Archives or the 9” x 6” softcover Nexus Omnibus collections from Dark Horse, this new 888-page omnibus is presented in the oversized, 11” x 8” hardcover format familiar to fans of Marvel’s and DC’s omnibus editions.

In Batman: The Killing Joke (1988), Alan Moore and Brian Bolland explored Joker’s origin, suggesting that he was a failed comedian who became Red Hood. Having escaped from Arkham, he shows up at Commissioner Gordon’s home and when Barbara, his daughter, answers the door Joker shoots her. What follows is sadistic madness that illustrates the depths of Joker’s depravity and twisted sense of humor.

Unlike their science fiction- and horror-themed anthologies, Alien Worlds and Twisted Tales, which were produced by Bruce Jones, Vanguard Illustrated was produced in-house at Pacific Comics. Edited by David Scroggy, who would later become very well known at Dark Horse Comics, this anthology was about upcoming creators, and often mixing that new talent with established professionals.

This one, subtitled Secret Origins: Super-Villains, is a treasure trove of vintage origin stories and key appearances of such villains as Lex Luthor, the Joker, Captain Cold, and Dr. Sivana, among others. For longtime DC fans, this is a welcome trip down memory lane. For those of us who in our youth skewed more toward Marvel, it’s a change to the characters in their best Golden Age and Silver Age incarnations.

Often adapted, Beowulf is probably the best-known epic Old English poem. The subject of multiple translations and frequent scholarly discussion, its true origins are unknown, although there is a manuscript which dates to between the years 975 and 1025.

Dilton has built a rocket and Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead are going to be the first teenagers in space. When the voyage doesn’t go as smoothly as planned, the quartet get some help from Cosmo the Merry Martian.

The Gotham City Sirens – aka Catwoman, Harley Quinn, and Poison Ivy – are back together. It starts when Catwoman plans to steal a valuable artifact called “the conduit” and needs Harley and Ivy to create a big distraction so that she can pull off the heist. The item Catwoman wants is located in Gotham’s hot new intergalactic themed club, which is filled with people and security.

Long before Ursula the sea witch met young mermaid Ariel, she ruled over the ocean kingdom Atlantica as a member of the Seven Sea Witches. Ursula is prospering and enjoying the banquet she will consume on tithing day when she learns that one of her sisters has been attacked and has lost her power.

Morgan Le Fay has gone to the year 1776 to help British forces defeat the Continental Army and quash the American revolution. Spider-Man, Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, and Clea have traveled back in time to stop her and set history back on course.

The Doctor came to the floating prison Panoptopolis with one goal: to save his traveling companion Belinda Chandra from the lunatic warden that is holding her against her will. The Doctor embarked on a Dante’s Inferno style odyssey through the prison, alongside four prisoners who were just transferred to the facility.