Aaron Reese

Black superheroes have undergone a necessary evolution over the last 50 years. Luke Cage was originally a jive-talking hero-for-hire, but he's become an altruistic mainstay of the Marvel heroes. Storm leads the X-Men, while Black Panther makes decisions that gravely affect the state of the universe. The growth and variation of black superheroes has brought them out of the shadows. But we're still lacking the same sort of evolution and diversification for great black supervillains. Off the top of your head how many can you name? And of those, how many are iconic?

While holiday cheer can take different forms for everyone, is there anything more in keeping with the season than plopping on the couch and cozying up to the "Have Yourself a Morlock Little Christmas" episode from the '90s X-Men animated series? I think not my friends. Gift giving isn't the easiest task, but if you have a hardcore X-Men fan in your life, we have some suggestions that might help.

The Image Comics series The Wicked And The Divine, from creators Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie, is no stranger to high fashion; the supernatural pop star drama features a pantheon of celebrity gods living the lush life, destined to burn brightly and briefly. The series' stylish cast have created a cult following among cosplayers and comic fans, so when it was announced that issue #23 would take the form of a fashion magazine from within the WicDiv world, it was no surprise that the impossibly fashion conscious artist Kevin Wada was tapped to provide interiors. ComicsAlliance spoke to Wada about his work on the book and his approach to fashion.

James Robinson's anthology-style Scarlet Witch series has taken the often maligned mutant witch and spun her into the center of a spellbinding occult detective narrative. ComicsAlliance caught up with Robinson to talk about what makes Wanda's adventures so different this time around, and how this story separates her from her traditional Marvel settings. We also have an exclusive first look at Jonathan Marks' art for Scarlet Witch #13, featuring breathtaking colors by Rachelle Rosenberg.

The X-Men could claim to be the best comic ensemble group of all time. Created by writer and titan Stan Lee and artist and visionary Jack Kirby in 1963, the misfit team has offered some charged commentary about race, class, and otherness, and has most other teams beat when it comes to women, persons of color, and characters on the LGBTQ spectrum --- though it also has room to grow, of course. There are of fan favorites and memorable characters in both the cinematic and comic lineup, so when it comes to X-Men apparel and collectibles, the options are vast; there's a fandom for every almost every individual X-Men member. Whichever character is your mutant of choice, you're bound to find some gems in out latest Hero Mode collection.

Queer characters in comics have had a slow burn. There are more LGBTQ characters appearing in comics narratives than ever before, but there’s still room for improvement, and rather than being content just to see queer characters represented at all, readers want to see series that explore a range of LGBTQ identities and stories. The Wicked and The Divine by Jamie McKelvie, Kieron Gillen, Matthew Wilson, and Clayton Cowles is one of the best representations of the queer community in comics. The characters are complex, multi-tiered, sexual --- and even permitted to be strange and disturbing. Near half of the WicDiv casts falls under the LGBTQ umbrella, yet they're all fiercely differentiated from each other. (Note: This article contains spoilers for the series.)

The verdict is officially in. Captain America: Civil War has dazzled viewers and critics while establishing itself as one of the best superheroes films ever made. The scope of the MCU seems to have doubled overnight, and the superhero throwdown at the heart of the movie has become an instant classic. The movie offers a great range of stylistic touchstones, from the stealth and sleek of the Black Panther to those iconic Spider-Man underoos. Whatever your personal style, we think we have something in our latest Hero Mode collection that you might like.

Created by psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston, in collaboration with his wife and fellow psychologist Elizabeth Holloway Marston and artist H.G. Peter, Wonder Woman first appeared in All Star Comics #8 in December 1941. An instant feminist icon, she's known for fighting for truth, justice and gender equality --- and for her arsenal of weaponized accessories. Is there anything more fabulous than bulletproof bracelets? You're not going to find anything quite that awesome in our collection of Wonder Woman-themed apparel, but we have unearthed a collection of Amazonian inspired goods that are the equal of any treasures of Themyscira. With these fresh looks, you'll be more fly than Diana's Invisible Jet.

2016 has been a magical year for the Scarlet Witch. Wanda stars in her own solo comic series by writer James Robinson and illustrated by a whole host of amazing artists, following the witch on her quest to heal what's left of magic in the Marvel Universe. In addition, Wanda makes her second appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe next month, standing alongside #TeamCap in Captain America: Civil War, with Elizabeth Olsen reprising the role. Now fans of the much maligned and misunderstood character get a chance to show off their loyalty in style thanks to a new line of apparel and closet cosplay pieces from WeLoveFine.

As X-Men:Apocalypse approaches, fans have been treated to a surplus of film stills and promotional images, including several posters showing the film’s opposing teams of X-Men and Horsemen. While Apocalypse and his mutant flunkies are dressed in armor, which we’ll accept, because it's Apocalypse, the X-Men are wearing black ops-style uniforms that look so much like the costumes from a Hunger Games sequel that you could be looking at a “Katniss and the Districts” band poster. There has been plenty of fanboy outcry about Jennifer Lawrence’s non-indigo appearance in the film’s promo materials, and righly so; Mystique’s sense of mutant pride has been a plot vehicle in both the past and current X-Men movies. While Mystique’s missing scales are a problem, what's even more worrisome is the lack of originality or care in the X-team’s looks.