Best Selling Books by Bob Layton

Iron Man faces his most untouchable foe in criminal industrialist Justin Hammer and his literal army of super-villains! But can the Armored Avenger overcome an even more implacable personal demon, invulnerable to technology or wealth? Collects Iron Man (1968) #120-128.

I principali eroi Marvel sono stati rapiti da una misteriosa quanto potentissima entità aliena e sono stati trasportati su un mondo-patchwork, dove dovranno sfidare i più forti tra i loro nemici. La posta in palio: vedere realizzato ogni proprio desiderio. Chi avrà la meglio? Chi riuscirà a fare ritorno a casa? E, soprattutto, quanto e come cambieranno le esistenze dei personaggi coinvolti? Domande a cui Jim Shooter (The Avengers), Mike Zeck (Spider-Man: Kraven’s Last Hunt) e Bob Layton (Iron Man) danno risposta nel primo vero crossover fra super eroi della storia dei comics statunitensi. Un’avventura semplicemente epocale. [CONTIENE MARVEL SUPER HEROES SECRET WARS (1984) 1-12]

Collecting Marvel Adventures Iron Man (2007) #1, 7; IRON MAN (1968) #234; IRON MAN (1998) #1. Iron Man is one of the greatest heroes in the Marvel-Verse - and these are some of his most action-packed adventures! When the genius Tony Stark is held captive and forced to make weapons, his best chance of escape lies in building the greatest weapon of all - the very fi rst version of the Iron Man armor! Then, Shellhead meets Webhead as Iron Man and Spider-Man team up to take down the deadly Radioactive Man! And when Tony Stark makes a dramatic public return to start the next chapter of his business life, a newly-souped up Iron Man finds himself targeted for death! Finally, does Iron Man stand a ghost of a chance battling the Marvel-Verse''s most fearsome armored foe - the dastardly Doctor Doom?!

Collects Avengers (1963) #195-196, 223; Marvel Team-Up (1972) #103, 146; Thing (1983) 26; Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #308; Iron Man (1968) #254; Daredevil (1964) #292-293; Deadpool (1997) #2; Hawkeye: Earth’s Mightiest Marksman (1998) #1; Avengers (1998) #26; Captain America (1998) #44; material from Captain America Annual (1971) #11. He’s the skull-faced villain who can copy any action he sees — whether it’s Spider-Man’s agility, Daredevil’s fighting moves or Captain America’s skills with a shield! That makes Taskmaster more than a match for anyone — even the Avengers! And to make matters worse, Taskmaster runs a training school for villainous henchmen! With the sweetest moves around and an army of thugs eager for extra credit, watch as Taskmaster clashes with a who’s who of the Marvel Universe — including Spidey, Cap, Daredevil, Iron Man, Falcon, Hawkeye, Ant-Man, the Thing and Deadpool! Can any of them take him to task?

Collects Iron Man (1968) #113-128; Marvel Premiere (1972) #44. Many have lent their talents to IRON MAN, but few — if any — have had a greater impact than the creative trio of David Michelinie, Bob Layton and John Romita Jr. has! They remade IRON MAN with new co-stars — including Jim Rhodes, the future War Machine — and new armors, but more important than anything else, a new and character-defining take on the man inside the armor. Their Tony Stark is a hero not because of the extent of his technological wizardry, but because of his perseverance in the face of his own personal failings. This beautifully restored Marvel Masterworks edition presents the beginning of the reinvention of a Marvel icon, culminating in the classic “Demon in a Bottle”!

Collects Iron Man (1968) #245-257, Annual #10-11 and material from Captain America Annual #9. Iron Man and Doctor Doom face off in the future! The armored foes renew their rivalry in a future version of Camelot, where they must join a reborn Arthur and Merlin in battle against some very familiar faces! Then, Loki cultivates chaos as his Acts of Vengeance pit shell-head against the Wrecker and Chemistro! Inside the armor, Tony Stark continues to come to terms with his paralysis, and the Maggia makes its move u0097 but what is its involvement with Hydra and A.I.M.? Plus: Iron Man and Crimson Dynamo see the world through each otheru0092s eyes! Tony defends the surface when Atlantis attacks! Iron Man and Captain America join forces to deal with the return of Terminus! And donu0092t forget the Dreadnoughts, Madame Masque, the Hulk and Santa Claus?!

YOU DON''T NEED A PAST TO HAVE A FUTURE? Rediscover the series that defined a generation of comic book fans in this first volume of the smash-hit series behind the blockbuster BLOODSHOT movie! From his very first appearance, Bloodshot comes armed to the teeth with bullets, nanites ? and questions. Featuring appearances by Ninjak, the Eternal Warrior, Rai, the H.A.R.D. Corps, and more, this collected edition presents the classic adventures of Valiant?s nanite enhanced commando from the very beginning! Join Valiant icons Kevin VanHook and Don Perlin ? along with an all-star cast of comics creators including Bob Layton, David Lapham, David Michelinie, and more ? as they dive headlong into the very first adventures of the original man from Rising Spirit! Collecting BLOODSHOT (1993) #0?7, ETERNAL WARRIOR #5, H.A.R.D. CORPS #5, and RAI (1992) #0.

Maniac, Hammerhead, Shakespeare, Superstar and Gunslinger -- brought back to life from a comatose state by Omen Enterprises with bleeding-edge technology neural implants that allow them to mimic Harbinger abilities one at a time. Their mission: to oppose the machinations of Toyo Harada and the Harbinger Foundation. Together they make up the elite of the Harbinger Active Resistance Division -- the H.A.R.D. Corps!

As one of the greatest X-Men of all makes her triumphant return, one of mutantkind''s deadliest threats debuts! When Jean Grey is found alive -- with a little help from the Avengers and the Fantastic Four -- she reunites with the rest of Xavier''s original class to form X-Factor! But as Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Beast, Angel and Iceman face new enemies Tower and Frenzy, little do they know the villains are part of an Alliance of Evil led by ... Apocalypse! Collecting: AVENGERS (1963) #263; FANTASTIC FOUR (1961) #286; X-FACTOR (1986) #1-9; X-FACTOR ANNUAL #1; Material from CLASSIC X-MEN #8, 43.

Collects Uncanny X-Men (1981) #194-200, Annual (1970) #9; New Mutants Special Edition (1985) #1; Nightcrawler (1985) #1-4; material from Bizarre Adventures (1981) #27. Chris Claremont, together with an absolute dream team of art talent — John Romita Jr., Arthur Adams, Barry Windsor-Smith and Dave Cockrum — brings you an indisputable Marvel masterwork! Beginning with the earthshaking return of the Juggernaut, tensions rise as Professor X’s health fails, a crisis of faith strikes Nightcrawler and Storm ranges across the African savannah in the second “Lifedeath” masterpiece! Meanwhile, the X-Men and New Mutants are whisked away to Asgard to battle Loki and his minions in the all-time great “Asgardian Wars,” illustrated by the incomparable Arthur Adams! Finally, the day of reckoning arrives as an international tribunal tries Magneto for crimes against humanity. Also featuring a swashbuckling saga starring Nightcrawler by X-Men icon Dave Cockrum!

SQUARE PEGS IN A ROUND WORLD Archer is the world?s greatest hand-to-hand ?ghter, an expert marksman, and a seeker of truth and righteousness. Armstrong is an immortal warrior who has reluctantly brawled his way from pre-history to modern times only to realize that the best way to face life?s many challenges is to grab a drink. But Armstrong counts as his worst day the one when Archer turned up and decided that they were partners ? a team chosen by fate to save the world! From the minds of legendary creators Barry Windsor-Smith (Weapon X), Jim Shooter (Secret Wars), Bob Layton (Iron Man), and more comes the first Valiant Classic Collection of the groundbreaking series CBR calls a ""comic book masterpiece""! Collecting ARCHER & ARMSTRONG (1992) #0?12.

Collects Iron Man: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. #33-35 and Iron Man #144. The Skrulls have stricken Iron Man with an alien virus that renders his armor and technology useless! But Tony Stark plans for every possibility...so it''s time to say hello to Tony''s not-so-little friend - War Machine, weapon of S.H.I.E.L.D.! But can one man, even one as well-armed as James Rhodes, stand alone against a worldwide invasion? Witness an exciting new chapter in both Tony and Rhodey''s history!

In Elseworlds, heroes are taken from their usual settings and put into strange times and places—some that have existed, or might have existed, and others that can’t, couldn’t or shouldn’t exist. The result: stories that make characters who are as familiar as yesterday seem as fresh as tomorrow. Featuring tales of Batman and Eliot Ness taking on Al Capone, a future league of Batmen protecting the night with an iron fist, a mysterious knight defending Camelot as an armor-clad Bat and a 19th-century Batman entwined in an operatic tale of love, horror and obsession. Now, for the first time, Batman’s Elseworlds tales are featured in a new graphic novel collection. Collects Batman: Brotherhood of the Bat, Batman: Dark Knight of the Round Table #1-2, Batman: KnightGallery, Batman: Masque and Batman: Scar of the Bat!

THE SEED OF DESTRUCTION? Aric dons the armor of Shanhara for the first time since his return from the past, only to find it changed. The armor''s new form, together with sinister dreams of a golden seed and an alien arena, promise to reveal the true origin of the X-O armor! Comic book legend Bob Layton (Iron Man) is joined by Valiant all-stars Bart Sears (BLOODSHOT AND H.A.R.D. CORPS), Jorge Gonz?lez (NINJAK), Mike Leeke (H.A.R.D. CORPS), Jim Calafiore (ARMORINES) and more for the story that redefined the legend of X-O Manowar! Collecting X-O MANOWAR (1992) #10?20.

Follows the adventures of Iron Man as he faces criminal industrialist Justin Hammer and his army of super-villains.

That Dirty Yellow Mustard: Part 1 of 4. An eight issue series consisting of two four part stories. ""Dinophobia"" - Panaam, the aged mentor of Ript and Claude, is being challenged to a death duel in the sky by a younger Pteradon who intends to replace him as the high, exalted wise one. The dueling part doesn''t scare him, but the flying part does. So it''s up to Ript and Claude to help Panaam overcome his fear of flying. After all, who better to teach him about being scared than a couple of spineless cowards? Beginning a brand new arc of stories, Bad Eggs mastermind Bob Layton explores the darker side of phobias and the laughs they can cause to the serious comic reader.

Collected for the very first time – the debut adventures of the H.A.R.D. Corps in the original Valiant Universe by legendary creators Jim Shooter (Secret Wars), David Lapham (Stray Bullets), David Michelinie (Amazing Spider-Man), Bernard Chang (Green Lantern Corps) and more! The most important technological breakthrough of the century might also be its most dangerous. After years of trial and error, multinational conglomerate Omen Enterprises has finally perfected a cybernetic brain implant that will change the face of modern warfare forever. With a legion of ex-soldiers at their disposal, Omen is building the private army of the future – a squadron of enhanced commandos that calls itself the H.A.R.D. Corps! But even with the powers of flight, telekinesis, and mind control at their command, not everyone is willing to volunteer for service…but Omen has ways of making you fight for a paycheck. Collecting HARBINGER (1992) #10-11 and H.A.R.D. CORPS (1993) #1-6 for the first time anywhere, VALIANT MASTERS: H.A.R.D. CORPS VOL. 1 – SEARCH AND DESTROY also comes complete with process art, sketches and more rarely seen back-up material from the depths of the Valiant vault!

Collects Bizarre Adventures (1981) #25; Marvel Fanfare (1982) #10-13; Solo Avengers (1987) #7; Black Widow: Coldest War (1990); Punisher/Black Widow: Spinning Doomsday''s Web (1992); Daredevil/Black Widow: Abattoir (1993); Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #135; Daredevil Annual (1967) #10; Fury/Black Widow: Death Duty (1995); Journey Into Mystery (1951) 517-519. The Black Widow goes solo in adventures that defined her as one of Marvel’s greatest heroes! In one of the most beloved Black Widow stories of all time, enter a web of intrigue as Natasha navigates a complex maze of international espionage orchestrated by an old foe! Then, a revelation regarding the Red Guardian draws Black Widow back into a Russian spymaster’s crosshairs. Plus: Natasha teams with the Punisher to take down a rogue former government agent, reunites with Daredevil to investigate the murder of S.H.I.E.L.D. psychics and returns to post-Soviet Russia with Nick Fury!

Carmen pays a visit to an old friend, soap opera star and stand-up comedian Walt Willey. Little does she realize a Gaelic astrological cult has targeted Willey as the perfect ritual sacrifice. Can Dr. Mirage overcome his collegiate rivalry with Walt in time to thwart the druidical menace before he winds up a Welsh-worshipped write-off in T?r na n?g?

Iron Man faces his most untouchable foe in criminal industrialist Justin Hammer and his literal army of super villians! But can the armoured avenger overcome an even more implacable personal demon, invulnerable to technology or wealth?

The secret origin of Toyo Harada, revealed at last! Witness the rise of the Valiant Universe''s most powerful man as he undergoes the journey from a frightened young boy to a deadly global superpower. What molded Toyo into a would-be conqueror and what actions from his youth will return to haunt the Harbinger Foundation''s future? This is the side of Toyo Harada you''ve never seen before!

""Much Do-Do About Nothing"" - Because you demanded it! It''s the last issue of The Bad Eggs! Acclaim gives the comic retailers what they''ve been asking for -- one less book to clutter up their shelves! Who says we don''t care? In this issue, Bob, Don and Gonzalo planned a spectacular finale and were going to reveal the identity of the Mad Dookie Bomber! But after learning of the book''s cancellation, they...well...er...let''s face it, the heart went out of them. They''re acting like cry babies. (We don''t even know what Gonzalo''s upset about, since no one in marketing speaks Spanish!) Anyway, after we promised them free copies of the N64 Turok Dinosaur Hunter video game, they agreed to complete the issue. So, thanks to bribes and marketing ingenuity, you''ll find out who''s been slinging the mustard at Ript and Claude and why he''s been making their lives miserable. (The tremendously fabulous ending will mildly shock you!)

After a near-death experience, Claude swears off meat-eating forever. To Ript''s disgust, he joins a cult of simple-minded herbivores and becomes what he eats! Poking fun at life, its foibles and the comic industry all in one fell swoop in this latest installment of Ript and Claude''s black-humored adventures set in Jurassic times.

Out of the pages of history and into one extremely sick comic book! Prepare to meet Ript and Claude, the Dinosaur Bad Boys of the Jurassic, as they thumb their noses at T. Rex, Brontosaurs, Pterodons...basically anything bigger than they are. They''re rude, crude, and have vile personal habits. You''ve never met anything quite as bad as the Bad Eggs!

Aric returns his space to find danger on the home front?Orb Industries scientists are breeding dinosaurs! When Aric learns that the tissue samples they''ve cloned are only weeks, and not millions of years, old, he''ll set out on a hunt for the time-lost monsters that must be leaving them behind. But he''ll need help if he wants to track down these cretaceous killers!

“TO SERVE AND PROTECT.” As the exciting miniseries nears its conclusion, Blue Beetle manages to shake the ghosts of his past-specifically the ghost of original Blue Beetle Dan Garrett-to help the other “living assault weapons” engineer nothing less than the riotous rescue of the JLA!

Shakespeare''s AWOL and the H.A.R.D. Corps team is faced with a perilous decision -- rescue their colleague from the nest of alien spiders in Oregon, or stop Harada from buying his own country?

The Elseworlds miniseries continues! Suffering a serious injury to the head, actor Byron Wyatt is now convinced he has always been his most famous role...Batman. Now ÒBatmanÓ is set on getting revenge against studio mogul Jack Òthe JokerÓ Napier for WyattÕs Òmurder.Ó

The team travels to the Oregon wilderness to infiltrate a nest of alien arachnids and their strange machines. Meanwhile, Hotshot is inducted into the corps.

That Dirty Yellow Mustard: Part 3 of 4. An eight issue series consisting of two four part stories. ""When You Whiz Upon A Star..."" Guess who''s coming to dinner! When Earth is visited by travelers from beyond the stars, those bad boys of the Jurassic, Ript and Claude, step up to the plate...as goodwill ambassadors. But will the raunchy raptors wind up as specimens in an interplanetary zoo, or will E.T. be added to Ript and Claude''s menu? Comics'' ""galactic sacred cows"" are about to be milked for all they''re worth!