The Games Villains Play

Last updated
The Games Villains Play
DateDecember 2003 – April 2004
No. of issues6
Main characters Mayday Parker / Spider-Girl
J.J. Jameson / The Buzz
Page count146 pages
Publisher Marvel Comics
Creative team
Writers Tom DeFalco [1]
Artists Ron Frenz [2]
Pat Olliffe
Inkers Sal Buscema
Letterers Dave Sharpe
Colorists Udon Studios
Editors Andy Schmidt
Original publication
Published in Spider-Girl
ISBN 978-0-7851-4482-3
Chronology
Preceded by Marked for Death
Followed by When Destiny Calls!

The Games Villains Play is a graphic novel written by Tom DeFalco, drawn by Ron Frenz and Pat Olliffe, and published by Marvel Comics 2 as the twelth volume of the American comic book series Spider-Girl , following Mayday Parker / Spider-Girl, the daughter of Peter Parker / Spider-Man and Mary Jane Watson, as she faces her mutant classmate Nancy Lu becoming the superhero Push, teaming up with the Buzz, battling old enemies and new, alongside the New Warriors, while Carolyn Trainer / Doctor Octopus plots a web of intrigue around her. [3] [4] [5]

Contents

Part One, Monsters!, was released December 3, 2003; Part Two, The Rules!, was released January 7, 2004; Part Three, Those Who Hunt Monsters!, was released January 21, 2004; Part Four, When the Abyss Looks Back!, was released February 4, 2004; Part Five, Eye of the Beholder, was released March 3, 2004; and Part Six, The Games Villains Play!, was released April 7, 2004. Preceded by Marked for Death , it is followed by the story arc When Destiny Calls! . [6]

The series received a positive critical reception. [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18]

Premise

The series follows Mayday Parker / Spider-Girl, sworn to follow in her father's web-tracks, as she teams up with fellow classmate and superhero the Buzz (the son of Ashley Kafka and John Jameson) and the modern-day incarnation of the New Warriors, facing her mutant classmate Nancy Lu becoming the superhero Push, battling old enemies and new as a mysterious figure – Carolyn Trainer / Doctor Octopus – plans a web of intrigue around her. [17] [18] [19] [20]

Reception

The Games Villains Play received generally good reviews. [6] [7] [8] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18]

Prints

Issues

IssueTitlePublication dateEstimated sales (first month)
#67"Monsters!"December 3, 200321,398, ranked 97th in North America [21]
#68"The Rules!"January 7, 200420,550, ranked 88th in North America [22]
#69"Those Who Hunt Monsters!"January 21, 200420,390, ranked 91st in North America [22]
#70"When the Abyss Looks Back!"February 4, 200420,535, ranked 89th in North America [23]
#71"Eye of the Beholder"March 3, 200420,709, ranked 105tn in North America [24]
#72"The Games Villains Play!"April 7, 200420,534, ranked 105th in North America [25]

Collected editions

TitleMaterial collectedPublished dateISBN
Spider-Girl: The Games Villains Play Spider-Girl (vol. 1) #67–72March 10, 2010 [26] 978-0-7851-4482-3
Spider-Girl: The Complete Collection Volume 4Spider-Girl (vol. 1) #51–67 ( Betrayed , Season of the Serpent , Marked for Death , and The Games Villains Play)April 12, 2022 978-1-3029-3479-8
Spider-Girl: The Complete Collection Volume 5: Keeping the Faith Spider-Girl (vol. 1) #68–84 (The Games Villains Play, When Destiny Calls! , and Inside the Beast )November 19, 2024 [27] 978-1-3029-5982-1

References

  1. ↑ Rich, Jesse, & Iverson (March 9, 2010). "Weekly Buyer's Guide – March 9, 2010". IGN . Retrieved June 14, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ↑ Grand, Alex (April 1, 2020). "Ron Frenz Interview, Marvelous Comic Artist by Alex Grand & Jim Thompson". Comic Book Historians. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  3. ↑ IGN Staff (July 12, 2006). "Spider-Girl Continues to Amaze". IGN . Retrieved July 12, 2006.
  4. ↑ Carole (September 13, 2025). "May "Mayday" Parker Reading Order (Spider-Girl/Spider-Woman from Earth-982)". Comic Book Treasury. Retrieved September 13, 2025.
  5. ↑ DeArmitt, Grant (July 22, 2024). "Marvel had a comic book "that would not die" for more than a decade thanks to its loyal fanbase, according to the editor who ran it". The PopVerse. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 Reed, Lee (March 7, 2023). "Spider-Girl & MC2 – Collected Editions Reviews". Omniverse Comics. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
  7. 1 2 Rea, Keigen (December 4, 2024). "'Spider-Girl Modern Era Epic Collection: Keeping the Faith' is another classic Spider-comic". AIPT Comics. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
  8. 1 2 George, Richard (December 22, 2009). "Marvel's March 2010 Plans". IGN . Retrieved June 30, 2012.
  9. ↑ Schingle, Adam (March 13, 2020). "Panel of the Day #755". Spider-Fan. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
  10. 1 2 George, Richard (October 21, 2008). "Marvel in January 2009". IGN . Retrieved June 14, 2012.
  11. 1 2 Wildman, Zachary (March 14, 2004). "Review: Spider-Girl (Vol. 1) #67". Spider-Fan. Retrieved March 14, 2004.
  12. 1 2 Wildman, Zachary (March 14, 2004). "Review: Spider-Girl (Vol. 1) #68". Spider-Fan. Retrieved March 14, 2004.
  13. 1 2 Hartnett, Tim (January 25, 2004). "Review: Spider-Girl (Vol. 1) #56". Comics Bulletin. Retrieved January 25, 2004.
  14. 1 2 Wildman, Zachary (March 14, 2004). "Review: Spider-Girl (Vol. 1) #70". Spider-Fan. Retrieved March 14, 2004.
  15. 1 2 AIC Staff (January 25, 2008). "Spider-Man: One More Day/Brand New Day: Crappy... Get Spider-Girl or Ultimate instead". Ain't It Cool!. Retrieved January 25, 2008.
  16. 1 2 George, Richard (January 11, 2007). "Comic Book Reviews for January 10, 2007". IGN . Retrieved June 16, 2012.
  17. 1 2 3 Wildman, Zachary (March 14, 2004). "Review: Spider-Girl (Vol. 1) #70". Spider-Fan. Retrieved March 14, 2004.
  18. 1 2 3 Wildman, Zachary (March 14, 2004). "Review: Spider-Girl (Vol. 1) #72". Spider-Fan. Retrieved March 14, 2004.
  19. ↑ Herman, Ben (July 4, 2015). "Shannon Carter is living the American Dream". In My Not So Humble Opinion. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
  20. ↑ DeFalco, Tom; Frenz, Ron; Olliffe, Pat Spider-Girl #67–72 (October 2002–April 2003). Marvel Comics.
  21. ↑ "December 2003 Comic Book Sales Figures". comichron.com. Estimated Comics Sold to North American Comics Shops as Reported by Diamond Comic Distributors. The Comics Chronicles . Retrieved 2018-01-03.
  22. 1 2 "January 2004 Comic Book Sales Figures". comichron.com. Estimated Comics Sold to North American Comics Shops as Reported by Diamond Comic Distributors. The Comics Chronicles . Retrieved 2018-01-03.
  23. ↑ "February 2004 Comic Book Sales Figures". comichron.com. Estimated Comics Sold to North American Comics Shops as Reported by Diamond Comic Distributors. The Comics Chronicles . Retrieved 2018-01-03.
  24. ↑ "March 2004 Comic Book Sales Figures". comichron.com. Estimated Comics Sold to North American Comics Shops as Reported by Diamond Comic Distributors. The Comics Chronicles . Retrieved 2018-01-03.
  25. ↑ "April 2004 Comic Book Sales Figures". comichron.com. Estimated Comics Sold to North American Comics Shops as Reported by Diamond Comic Distributors. The Comics Chronicles . Retrieved 2018-01-03.
  26. ↑ DeFalco, Tom; Frenz, Ron (March 10, 2010). "Spider-Girl Volume 12: The Games Villains Play". Previews World . Retrieved March 10, 2010.
  27. ↑ Robot Overlord (July 25, 2024). "Marvel Comics for October 2024". Major Spoilers. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
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