Here's Oracular Wisdom a-plenty. Note the increasing politeness of supplicants. While we do include as many Oracle responses as possible, it has become clear that the Mighty One showers his Sapient Favours more freely on those whose missives contain due deference to his Superior Status.
If you wish to see your response printed, or wish the Oracle to answer more difficult questions in great detail, you would be well advised to begin your request with a sufficiently submissive introduction. "O Mighty Oracle" is a good starting point, but don't feel limited in your entreatments.
How many alternate covers are there for New Avengers #1, and are they going to have any for #2?
Marvel (and DC as well) are in love with variant covers right now. The current plan is that the first 6 issues (at least) of NEW AVENGERS will all have 1 (at least) variant cover. I believe the current tally on #1 is a regular cover, a variant cover by McNiven, a variant cover by Quesada, and a "Director's Cut".
Do you know how many copies of The Amazing Spider-Man #96-98 were sold?
Those, of course, were the three controverisal "drug issues" that Marvel published without the Comics Code Authority seal of approval. Sure, nowadays Marvel doesn't even bother to use the CCA, but in those days, it was a very risky move. Stan Lee thought it worth the risk to publish those issues to show the dangers of using drugs. While I don't have figures to tell how many copies actually sold, I can tell you that there was no decline in sales. In fact, the success of those issues led to a loosening of the Code's restricions. Anyone wanting to read the three issues in question can find them cheaply in MARVEL TALES #191 or in the Death Of Gwen Stacy TPB.
Where can I get the Cosmic Spider-Man TPB?
SPIDER-MAN: THE COSMIC ADVENTURES (ISBN: 0871359634) was published 12 years ago in 1993, so finding one might be a bit tricky. You should ask the local comic shops in your area if they can find one for you. Failing that, your best bet is to wait for one to show up on eBay. It might almost be easier to just buy the nine individual issues that it reprints. In case you want to go that route, they're SPECTACULAR #158-160, WEB #59-61 and ASM #327-329.
Did Gwen Stacy's hair color change (darken)from platinum to blond, or was it always a little dark?
The Gwen from the Ditko-era seemed to have more platinum hair compared to her later Romita/Kane days, when it was very blond.
I've been trying to catch up on Spider-Man after some years away from my beloved comics and I'm having trouble with the whole missing baby thing. After all these years what happened to Peter and MJ's baby, do we know if it's alive or what?
It's very complicated, Jaiello, but it boils down to this: It appeared to the Parkers that the baby was miscarried, it appeared to the readers that Norman Osborn played a sick shell-game and actually had her kidnapped, later to be snatched from him by Kaine. In this Spider-Oracle's opinion, however, baby May is alive and is currently being cared for by Kaine.
I have heard countless rumors of a Venom III, is threre any truth to this rumor? And is it also true that Carnage has been killed by the Sentry?
Yes. there is a Venom III, it is Mac Gargan, who used to be the Scorpion. And it does seem like Carnage was killed. But don't be too surprised if he should somehow show up alive.
Could you tell me exactly what the deal is with Mysterio? Back when Spidey was dealing with his first clone problems in the seventies, I read a story where it stated Quentin Beck died in prison and Danny Berkhart took over. But, Beck's been around since then. Then, I heard he commited suicide over in Daredevil some years back. And Mysterio has appeared since then in Spider-Man. Is there anyway to pinpoint which Mysterio was which in which storylines? Specifically, who is the Mysterio in Marvel Knights Spidey and who was the Mysterio in "Media Blizzard", the first Sensational Spidey arc.
Basically, it goes like this, Mike. Any Mysterio appearance BEOFRE Beck killed himself in DAREDEVIL #7 is him, EXCEPT for ASM #142-143. Any Mysterio appearance AFTER his suicide is Berkhart.
I'm from Turkey and I have a Spider-Man tattoo on my arm. I had it done last week. Can I send it to you?
Er, that's very kind of you, Civan, but I don't think US customs would approve of an arm being sent through the mail.
In the recent New Avengers story, the Purple Man was one of the escaping villains. Wasn't he supposed to have died?
Nope. You only *thought* that because he told you to think it.
In MK: Spider-Man, Venom and Eddie got seperated, and now Mac Gargan is Venom. In Venom 18 however, not only did Eddie stay with the symbiote but there was also this chick with him in there. How does that comes into the continuity?
MARVEL KNIGHTS: SPIDER-MAN #1-12 takes place after VENOM #1-18.