For the entire month of October, I'll be running reading orders from the darker side of the Marvel Universe! Yep, in the build-up to Halloween, I'll be focusing on the supernatural side of things. Not just monsters, but monster hunters! Take Elsa Bloodstone, for example. The gun-toting. invulnerable potty mouth has become one of my absolute favourite characters over the years. Picking up her father's monster-hunting mantle, Elsa has found herself kicking monster-sized arse over the last two decades.
I remember being pretty nonplussed about the Bloodstone mini-series. I kinda liked the idea, but the story didn't really bring anything new other than the star being a female version of Ulysses Bloodstone (Elsa's father) with a dab of Lara Croft. It wasn't until Warren Ellis included her in his and Stuart Immonen's 12-issue Nextwave series that she become a standout character. If you only read one Elsa Bloodstone story, make it Nextwave. It might be the least supernatural part of her history, but it's easily the best!
As always, I'd like to thank the Marvel Chronology Project whose work I use as a basis and then figure out my own Marvel chronology based on the vast back catalogue of comics I've read over the last several decades.
MCG Notes:
- Issue listings in blue & black: The must-read Elsa Bloodstone stories from this time period, along with any often-forgotten tales that are worth a read.
- issue listings in grey: Part of Elsa's chronology, cameo appearances or stories of note that non-essential or no longer considered 'required reading'.
- Chronology: Every Elsa Bloodstone appearance from this period is included in chronological order - mapping out the timeline rather than just the order the issues were released.
- Spoilers: The are some spoilers in the story overviews, though I've tried to keep them to a minimum - just be warned!
For more on Elsa Bloodstone's father, see his reading order:
- 1960-1978: Ulysses Bloodstone
Bloodstone #1-4 (2001-2002)
First appearance of Elsa Bloodstone, Elise Bloodstone and the Nosferati; first appearance of Frankenstein's Monster as Adam; Adam gives the Bloodstone to Ulysses Bloodstone's daughter, Elsa, sending her on adventures where she tackles Dracula, the Living Mummy and the Noserati.
Nextwave #1-12 (2006-2007)
First appearance of Nextwave, Dirk Anger, the Beyond Corporation, the Captain and HATE (Highest Anti-Terrorism Effort); Elsa Bloodstone joins Nextwave, a team of superhumans that include the Captain, Monica Rambeau (formerly Captain Marvel), Tabitha Smith (Boom Boom) and Aaron Stack (Machine Man) who carry out missions for the Beyond Corporation; when they learn Beyond are producing unusual weapons of mass destruction, Nextwave turn against them and their handler, Dirk Anger, and start ruining their operations.
Marvel Assistant-Sized Spectacular #2[4/4] (2009)
Marvel Heartbreakers #1[2/4] (2010)
Elsa Bloodstone and Boom Boom take on Franken's Teen.
MCG Note: Originally presented digitally in Astonishing Tales: Boom Boom & Elsa #1.
MCG Note: Originally presented digitally in Astonishing Tales: Boom Boom & Elsa #1.
Girl Comics #2[4/6] (2010)
Elsa Bloodstone and Boom Boom talk about what they'd do if they used their powers for evil.
Franken-Castle #21 (2010)
The Legion of Night give the Bloodstone to the Punisher (Frank Castle) to help heal him and restore his humanity after he becomes 'Franken-Castle'; Elsa Bloodstone travels to Monster Isle to retrieve the Bloodstone from the Punisher and join forces with him to stop Dracula.
Having become the leader of the Legion of Monsters, Elsa Bloodstone leads the Living Mummy, Manphibian, Morbius and Werewolf by Night against the Dimensional Man.
Wolverine #314-317 (2012-2013)
Wolverine and Elsa Bloodstone investigate the existence of the Covenant (a secret group her father, Ulysses Bloodstone, was a member of); the duo clash with the Murderous Lion and the Twelve Horrors before facing the remaining members of the Covenant themselves; Elsa Bloodstone takes on a new role during COVENANT.
Fearless Defenders #8-9, 11-12 (2013-2014)
First appearance of Echidna; Elsa Bloodstone becomes a member of the all-female Defenders; Elsa Bloodstone joins the fight against the all-female villain team, the Doom Maidens, formed by Caroline le Fay.
Thunderbolts Annual #1 (2014)
Red Hulk's Thunderbolts receive some surprise assistance from Elsa Bloodstone when they're tasked with taking down Doctor Strange when he appears to go mad.
Avengers Undercover #4 (2014)
Elsa Bloodstone cameo; Elsa berates her brother, Cullen Bloodstone, when SHIELD bring him in for his apparent connection to the Masters of Evil during ALL-NEW MARVEL NOW!
Avengers World #15-16 (2015)
Elsa Bloodstone becomes a member of Doctor Doom's Avengers which he forms to take on the Scarlet Witch after her personality is inverted during AXIS.
A handful of key appearances of Elsa Bloodstone following 2015's SECRET WARS. I don't currently have plans to cover stories that take place after 2015. This isn't an era I'm familiar with and I don't know how much of it's actually worth picking up, so these entries are in grey.
A-Force #8-10 (2016)
Elsa Bloodstone unofficially joins A-Force in time for them to take on Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers) when one of A-Force is predicted to commit a crime in the future during CIVIL WAR II.
Monsters Unleashed #1-5 (2017)
First full appearance of Kid Kaiju (Kei Kawade); Elsa Bloodstone and the Inhumans train Kid Kaiju in preparation for the arrival of the Leviathon Mother on Earth during MONSTERS UNLEASHED.
Monsters Unleashed #1-6 (2017)
First appearance of the New Intelligencia; Kid Kaiju and Elsa Bloodstone take down monsters sent by the New Intelligencia to test Kid Kaiju's powers; Elsa and Kid Kaiju battle Poison Fin Fang Foom.
Monsters Unleashed #7-12 (2017-2018)
Elsa Bloodstone and Kid Kaiju battle the Hive, Pym-Particle-enhanced bees, the Happyology, Uluath, a technarch and the Super Squad during MARVEL LEGACY.
Doctor Strange: Damnation #1-4 (2018)
Doctor Strange accidentally summons Hotel Inferno in his efforts to 'heal' Las Vegas after the war against Hydra; Elsa Bloodstone is among the heroes Strange summons to tackle the supernatural threats sent by Mephisto during DAMNATION.
Jessica Jones #1-3 (2018)
Jessica Jones and Elsa Bloodstone hunt a kidnapper.
Deadpool #1-6 (2020)
Elsa Bloodstone is among the heroes opposing Deadpool when he names himself the King of Monsters.
Notable versions of Elsa Bloodstone from the multiverse:
Elsa Bloodstone of Earth-80734 comes to Iron Man's aid when he finds himself faced with Fin Fang Foom in Las Vegas; this out-of-continuity series written by 'Iron Man' director Jon Favreau was due to last four issues but only two were ever released; I've included it more to mark its place outside of continuity rather than as a recommendation.
Marvel Zombies #1-4 (2015)
Commander Elsa Bloodstone of Earth-15513 is one of the Hel-Rangers who guard the Shield which acts as a barrier that protects the rest of Battleworld from the most dangerous domains; Elsa is teleported into the Deadlands on a mission to save a young girl called Shuttup during SECRET WARS.
Nextwave: Agents of HATE - The Complete Collection
Nextwave: Agents of HATE - The Ultimate Collection
Collect Nextwave #1-12.
Bloodstone and the Legion of Monsters
Includes Astonishing Tales: Boom Boom & Elsa #1, Girl Comics #2, Legion of Monsters #1-4 and Marvel Assistant-Sized Spectacular #2.
Punisher by Rick Remender Omnibus
Punisher: Franken-Castle
Include Franken-Castle #21.
Wolverine: Covenant
Collects Wolverine #314-317.
Fearless Defenders vol.2: The Most Fabulous Fighting Team of All
Includes Fearless Defenders #8-9, 11-12.
Thunderbolts vol.5: Punisher vs the Thunderbolts
Includes Thunderbolts Annual #1.
Avengers World vol.3: Next World
Avengers World - The Complete Collection
Includes Avengers World #15-16.
Nextwave: Agents of HATE vol.1: This is What They Want
Nextwave: Agents of HATE vol.2: I Kick Your Face
Collect Nextwave #1-12.
Girl Comics
Includes Girl Comics #2.
Legion of Monsters
Collects Legion of Monsters #1-4.
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