This is it! The last day of solicit annotating! I am here to peek under the hood of Marvel’s September and point out a few things you may (or may not) have missed, and also my favorite things that Marvel has got going for it as well. What will they be? Who will they feature? What beautiful covers do we have to show off?
Lets find out!
And, no: nothing about “Infinity.” Nothing wrong with it, this isn’t me taking a stand against it, but there are more interesting things to talk about than how many tie-ins you’re going to have to buy in September, right?
You can find the full solicits from Marvel at Comic Book Resources.
10. The Return of Ellis and Dodson’s “Storm
Here’s a fun thing to kick off with — remember the time Warren Ellis wrote and Terry Dodson drew a “Storm” mini-series for Marvel? Ha! Yeah! Me neither.
But now you’re aware of it. And now you probably want it. This isn’t an Ellis deep-cut or anything, having been published within the last two decades, but it’s a winning combination — Ellis and Dodson? Those are two amazing creators. Storm? What an amazing character. While I never read the series and have no idea what it’s about (outside of what the solicit says), it’s probably worth checking out to see the two creators in their early days.
That $19.99 price tag, though? For four issues? Oof.
X-MEN: STORM BY WARREN ELLIS & TERRY DODSON TPB
Written by WARREN ELLIS
Penciled by TERRY DODSON
Cover by TERRY DODSON
Long ago, Storm won leadership of the underground mutant community known as the Morlocks. But her reign was a distant one, and Storm’s neglected subjects grew increasingly embittered. Ultimately, the mad Mikhail Rasputin swept the Morlocks away into another dimension — a harsh realm where time ran much faster than normal. There, the next generation of Morlock children came of age, hard and cold and bitter. They returned as a terrorist unit called Gene Nation, and Storm nearly had to slay their leader Storm seeks a new balance in her life. But when she is abducted to Mikhail’s brutal dimension, can Storm prevail against the living reminders of her failure? Or will the sins of her past drag her down? Collecting STORM (1996) #1-4.
112 PGS./Rated T …$19.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-8501-7
9. Curtain Call for Morbius
One of a few titles ending in September, Marvel’s “Morbius” is laid to rest and everyone on the internet is making puns about coffins about it.
Keatinge and Elson had an unenviable task in trying to make a “Morbius” ongoing for a modern day audience that perhaps had no interest in a vampire book starring a C-List Spider-Man villain (C-List is probably generous, too), but they gave it their all and put together a solid story from beginning to end. I assume, anyway; Keatinge’s work on “Glory” got him “Morbius,” and there are a lot of similarities in the writing between the two. You can probably expect a big finale, Morbius fans.
MORBIUS: THE LIVING VAMPIRE #9
JOE KEATINGE (W)
RICHARD ELSON (A)
Cover by MARCO CHECCHETTO
The Final Issue of Morbius is here!
• “The World Breaks Everyone,” part two of two.
• The Death of Michael Morbius is finally here!
• With Morbius’ humanity destroyed, will the monster within be enough to save all he once held dear?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
8. Jock Gets All Spaced Out
I can’t express my excitement for this enough — Jock writing and arting a sci-fi future tale of Wolverine on some distant barren planet just sounds awesome. It’s like Logan’s version of the Road Warrior, and while it’s only three issues it may just be the best damn three issues of this series.
“Savage Wolverine” seems relatively unsustainable as a title, just bouncing between different creative teams all with different and unrelated stories to tell. That doesn’t mean its not good, though, and giving Jock his own run is definitely a way to ensure a good deal of money headed towards the title. I’d assume, anyway.
Continued belowSAVAGE WOLVERINE #9
JOCK (W) • JOCK (A/C)
Variant Cover by TBD ARTIST
• A new arc begins here as New York Times Best-Selling artist JOCK spins a tale of science fiction intrigue in a far-flung future!
• When Wolverine crash-lands on an alien planet, he’ll need more than just his healing factor to survive!
• But even if he adapts to this strange environment and its stranger denizens, will Logan be able to handle the secrets the planet hides?
• Extraterrestrial excitement hits close to home in a Wolverine tale like none you’ve seen before!
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99
7. Venom-Mania
“Venom” is a tricky book — I’ve always wanted to love it but I’ve never been able to fully dive in for some reason. Not emotionally, anyway. Remender’s run was solid and Bunn’s is too, but there always feels like there is something missing… something that would make this book go from a solid read to a must buy.
Maybe that’s a new symbiote?
It’s probably Jorge Coelho, though. Have you been reading “Polarity”? The guy is just a champ. His Venom is going to look absolutely solid, I have no doubts, and I can’t wait to see it.
VENOM #40 & 41
CULLEN BUNN (W) • JORGE COELHO (A)
Cover by DECLAN SHALVEY
Issue #40 –
• Marvel’s newest symbiote-powered character – MANIA – is on the loose!
• But is she a hero or villain?
• And who killed Daimon Hellstrom?
Issue #41 –
• Venom and Mania tackle Lord Ogre… and Crossbones and the DOA!
• Flash and the symbiote have a heart-to-heart.
• And how can Hellstrom be in so many places at once?
32 PGS. (EACH)/Rated T+ …$2.99 (EACH)
6. Butch Guice Joins the Secret Avengers
You know who is pretty awesome? Besides you, I mean. Butch Guice. Butch Guice is pretty awesome. Doesn’t matter what he’s drawing; if he’s drawing it, you’re going to want to read it — from his “Aquaman” with Kurt Busiek to the recent “Winter Soldier” with Ed Brubaker.
Guice on “Secret Avengers” makes a lot of sense, and with an issue starring Quake and Maria Hill? Be still my beating heart.
Secret Avengers #9
NICK SPENCER (W) • BUTCH GUICE (A)
Cover by ALEX MALEEV
“Lexington”
• An old friend is laid to rest, while a new one joins the fray.
• Quake versus Maria Hill, for everything.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
5. Miles Morales and the Mighty Avengers
I don’t know how many times I have to say this: the “mysterious figure in an ill-fitting Spider-Man Halloween costume” is Miles Morales.
Come on. Didn’t you read the end of “Age of Ultron”? It’s all happening!
MIGHTY AVENGERS #1
AL EWING (W) • GREG LAND (A/C)
Variant by BRYAN HITCH
Variant Cover by SKOTTIE YOUNG
LEGO variant by CHRISTOPHER JONES
SKETCH Lego Variant Also Available
BLANK COVER VARIANT
INFINITY TIE-IN! new ongoing series!
FROM THE BATTLEFIELDS OF INFINITY COMES THE MIGHTY AVENGERS!
• The Avengers are light-years away in space, contending with the Builders! Thanos’ marauders ransack the Earth, doing as they please! Who will stand in defense of mankind?
• Luke Cage! The Superior Spider-Man! Spectrum! The White Tiger! Power Man! And a mysterious figure in an ill-fitting Spider-Man Halloween costume! These unlikely heroes must assemble when no one else can—against the unrelenting attack of Proxima Midnight!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
4. The End of Journey into Mystery
As was revealed when no solicit popped up for the series in September, “Journey into Mystery” has come to an end. It’s not a welcome end, mind you; this was a series that was just getting its legs, one that was establishing a unique voice within the Marvel comics line and starring a character who was apart from the regular habits and situations of the universe. It was a book clearly infused with a lot of love and a lot of room to grow, and the latest arc featuring the return of Beta Ray Bill was off to a fantastic start.
Continued belowAnd now it’s gone apparently. Shit.
This is the second biggest loss of September, without a doubt. The book was following a tough act which assuredly made its survival pretty difficult, but it never the less stands above and beyond as a great
3. The Return of Gaarneyon!
You know what was awesome? Jason Aaron and Ron Garney’s run on “Wolverine: Weapon X” and “Ultimate Captain America.” Two of my favorite creators working together to make something awesome, brutal and a good deal bad ass — and now they’re reuniting for “Thor.”
So, to recap: we’ve gone from bikers on fire to brutal savage men with claws into Norse gods with hammers smashing shit up. Can I get some devil horns in the air for this, or what?
Oh: And, yes, this is very clearly setting up to “tie-in” to the movie, where Christopher Eccleston plays Malekith. Funny how these things work out, eh?
THOR: GOD OF THUNDER #13
JASON AARON (W) • RON GARNEY (A/C)
Variant Cover by WALTER SIMONSON
Movie Variant Also Available
• Beginning a new arc featuring the bloody return of one of Thor’s greatest enemies: Malekith the Accursed!
• Once the former lord of the Dark Elves is freed from his otherworldly prison, the chase is on across the Nine Realms to capture him and end his vengeful reign of terror!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
2. The Next Big X-Thing Begins
I’ve noted this somewhere else, but X-Events are surprisingly awesome. You’d think that in the day of gratuitous events with little to no feeling or impact that this wouldn’t be the case, and yet Marvel has realized that since the X-Men are so often very insular characters that only exist within their own world, giving them events that tie directly into themselves while other events rage on elsewhere is the way to go. It has been proven with “Messiah CompleX” and “Second Coming,” and I have a feeling this will prove it again.
And, sure, “Infinity” and “Battle of the Atom”? It’s all a bit much at once. But with a creative team like Bendis, Wood and Aaron, I’d say that this series is looking damn good.
X-MEN: BATTLE OF THE ATOM #1
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • FRANK CHO (A)
Cover by ARTHUR ADAMS
Wraparound Variant by FRANK CHO
Variant Cover by Joe Madureira
Deadpool Variant by TBA
BLANK COVER ALSO AVAILABLE
• The past, present and future of the X-Men collide in this 50th Anniversary event crossover! When investigating a new mutant, something truly horrible happens to the All-New X-Men that shakes time and space to its core. This is so dire that X-Men come from THE FUTURE with a message: THE ALL-NEW X-MEN MUST RETURN TO THE PAST!
• The ten-part crossover starts here with superstars BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS and FRANK CHO!
*CHO VARIANT SHOWN – NOT FINAL
40 PGS./ONE SHOT/Rated T+ …$3.99
1. Goodnight, Sweet Prince
Well, this is going to be a sad day indeed. Peter David’s long run on “X-Factor” is coming to an end, and it couldn’t be more bittersweet. The guy has been writing the series for a decade, but the book has continuously evolved and been one of Marvel’s most consistent titles, never falling into the trap of crossovers (well, ok, maybe a couple times) and doing what almost no other comics are actively seeking to do: balancing the serious storytelling with enough bwa-ha-ha to just make reading the comic damn good fun. It is with a heavy heart that we see “X-Factor” come to an end, but if there was anyone who got to tell the stories he wanted to tell, it was Peter David in this book.
Congrats on the tremendous run, Peter David. Can’t wait to see what you do next.
X-FACTOR #262
PETER DAVID (W) • NEIL EDWARDS (A)
Cover by DAVID YARDIN
The end of X-Factor!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
