Cover: Sam Kieth

Marvel Comics Presents #103

Apr 1992 · Marvel · 1.50 USD; 1.80 CAD; 1.00 GBP

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★ 1st appearance — Jutta

About this Issue

Marvel Comics Presents #103 (1992) is a dense anthology chapter that simultaneously advances three serialized arcs at a pivotal point in the early-'90s Marvel landscape. Most significantly, it contains the third installment of Scott Lobdell's 'Male Bonding,' a story that marked the first direct face-to-face interaction between Wolverine and Nightcrawler since Nightcrawler left the X-Men following the Morlock Massacre to co-found Excalibur — a long-delayed reunion with real emotional weight for readers who had followed both characters. The issue also continues Howard Mackie and Rick Leonardi's 'Doorway to Darkness,' which uses the unusual pairing of Ghost Rider (Dan Ketch) and Doctor Strange to explore supernatural Brooklyn, and carries the Young Gods' 'Against a Rogue God' arc into Northern Ireland, giving the long-dormant cosmic team meaningful page time in a monthly format.

In "Male Bonding Part III: Whatever We Do...", Kurt confronts a monstrous adversary whose revelation ties directly to the mysterious death of his stepbrother, uncovering a painful past and a history of persecution that reshapes his understanding of the creature he's been fighting. Written by Scott Lobdell and brought to life with moody precision by Gene Colan, Al Williamson, and Kelly Corvese, this 1992 issue delivers a powerful, character-driven moment in the series. The cover by Sam Kieth captures the tension with striking, shadowed intensity.

Contains 4 stories

Male Bonding Part III: Whatever We Do...

8 pp · Superhero

Helmut (death, also in flashback)

In "Male Bonding Part III: Whatever We Do...", Kurt faces a monster who claims to have witnessed the death of his stepbrother—and reveals the deeper, painful truth behind his own people's persecution. Written by an unnamed creator and illustrated by the artist behind the series, this 1992 tale explores the weight of memory and the unexpected connections that form in the shadow of loss.

Against a Rogue God Part 3: Killers in the Rain

8 pp · Superhero

unnamed terroristsunnamed monster

Stage Fright

8 pp · Superhero

Doorway to Darkness Chapter 3: Pain

8 pp · Horror-Suspense, Superhero

Slick (villain)Spike (villain)

ComicBooks.com Value

Our Model is In Beta

Raw (NM) $2

CGC 9.8 · 8 in census $50

CGC 9.6 · 2 in census $23*

CGC 9.4 · 2 in census $20*

CGC 9.2 · 2 in census $20*

CGC 9.0 none in existence

CGC 8.5 · 1 in census $20*

* estimate — limited direct-sales data at this grade

Our model’s value — refined as new sales data arrives · CGC census counts shown where available

More listings for this title

VG $2.49 FN $2.6 FN · Newsstand $2.99 VF/NM $2.99 VG $3 NM- $3 NM $3.49 VF+ $4

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History

The issue sits firmly within a creative and commercial structure that Marvel's sales department had institutionalized: from issue #38 onward, a Wolverine story appeared in every issue of the anthology due to a standing mandate driven by measurably higher sales whenever Logan was featured, and from #90 onward Ghost Rider was added as a co-lead, prompting a flip-book format that gave both characters their own cover face. Issue #103 was edited by Terry Kavanagh under editor-in-chief Tom DeFalco, with Sam Kieth providing the flip covers across the run. The 'Male Bonding' Wolverine/Nightcrawler serial was written by Scott Lobdell — who had himself broken into the industry through Marvel Comics Presents' tradition of publishing previously unpublished creators — with Gene Colan on pencils and Al Williamson on inks, a notably veteran artistic pairing for what was essentially a back-of-the-flipbook serial.

Trivia · 8 facts

The issue contains four serialized stories in the bi-weekly anthology's flip-book format: 'Male Bonding' Part 3 (Wolverine/Nightcrawler), 'Against a Rogue God' Part 3 (Young Gods), 'Doorway to Darkness' Part 3 (Ghost Rider/Doctor Strange), and the standalone 'Stage Fright' (Rintrah).
'Male Bonding' (MCP #101–108), written by Scott Lobdell with pencils by Gene Colan and inks by Al Williamson, represents the first direct in-person reunion between Wolverine and Nightcrawler since Nightcrawler departed the X-Men after the Mutant Massacre to help found Excalibur.
The 'Against a Rogue God' installment, plotted by Gerry Conway (with Eric Fein scripting) and drawn by Tom Sutton, sends a quartet of Young Gods — Sea Witch (Bridget O'Hare), Highnote (Raoul Hernandez), Caduceus (Mark Cadmon), and Moonstalker (Kiana) — into Northern Ireland to battle terrorists and recover a mystical stone.
The 'Doorway to Darkness' chapter, scripted by Howard Mackie with art by Rick Leonardi (pencils) and Jimmy Palmiotti (inks), pairs Ghost Rider (Danny Ketch) with Doctor Strange in Brooklyn and features the demon Gorn alongside supporting characters Kevin Moran and Eugene Stone, with the demon character Pain appearing in the story.
The standalone fourth story, 'Stage Fright,' written by James Felder with art by Larry Alexander, features Rintrah — Doctor Strange's Minotaur-like disciple — attending a Shakespearean play in Central Park alongside Sara Wolfe, giving the character a rare solo spotlight.
Cover art for both sides of the flip-book format was provided by Sam Kieth, who served as the visual anchor for the MCP run across issues #101–108.
The Ghost Rider/Doctor Strange 'Doorway to Darkness' segment from this issue was reprinted in the Italian anthology Marvel Comics Presenta: Zona M (Play Press, 1993 series) #2.
The 'Male Bonding' arc in which this issue appears was later cross-referenced by a footnote in X-Men #7, tying it into the main X-Men continuity of the period.