#29. “Doctor Octopus: Negative Exposure”

A Daily Bugle photographer, jealous of Peter Parker’s photographs, may hinder Spider-Man as he faces off with Doctor Octopus.

Writer: Brian K. Vaughan
Penciler: Staz Johnson
Inker: Danny Miki
Colors: Avalon Studios
Letterer: Virtual Calligraphy’s Rus Wooton

The focus is on an embittered Daily Bugle photographer and his quest to best rival Peter Parker while Dr. Octopus’s presence serves as mere plot device. No insights are offered into his character and, in the end, the story could have swapped out Doc Ock for any Spider-Man villain and it would have amounted to the same thing.

#30. “Riddle Me That” (Legends of the Dark Knight #185-189)

The Riddler returns to Gotham, a whole new villain with a whole new deadly plan.

Writer: Shane McCarthy
Penciler: Tommy Castillo
Inker: Rodney Ramos
Collorist: Tony Avina
Letterers: Todd Klein, Pat Brosseau

Historically, the Riddler’s portrayal has vacillated between ruthless criminal mastermind and nuisance buffoon but “Riddle Me That” reinvents him as a cold-blooded pretty boy with Edwardian flair (complete with neck tat). As a result, he seems more like a character at home in an early CW production, gorgeous and showy, but lacking any of the villainous appeal that made even his more clownish outings compelling. The most interesting aspect of “Riddle Me That” is the exploration of Nigma’s backstory but, in the end, that too ends up feeling underbaked.

#31. “Taskmaster: Unthinkable” (Taskmaster #1-4, 2010)

An amnesiac Taskmaster has a billion-dollar bounty on his head, and every cadre of costumed fanatic is looking to collect. Now he fight his way through hordes of his psychopathic students in order to regain his memories and find out who framed him.

Writer: Fred Van Lente
Artist: Jefte Palo
Colorist: Jean-Francois Beaulieu
Letterer: Dave Lanphear

A terrific exploration of one of Marvel’s lesser-known baddies, this story hits the ground running, offering a mix of action, humor, and a surprisingly relatable character in Taskmaster, a villain rendered suddenly vulnerable by the loss his memories. It can get a little annoyingly over-the-top at times, veering into tonal territory akin to Deadpool, but the personal quest at its heart keeps it grounded and the various narrative twists keep us guessing.