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Soliciting "Burpee": Marvel’s August 2011 Solicitations

By | May 24th, 2011
Posted in Columns | % Comments

Some of you may remember that last month, I helped out Brandon Burpee with one of his articles here at MC. This month, I am once again returning to help Burpee out, this time covering Marvel’s offerings for August 2011 (with Walt doing DC’s solicits).

So, what comics are worth talking about? How is Marvel’s August looking? Take a look after the cut for some thoughts on what you may or may not want come August.

Holy Fear Itself!

22 tie-ins for Fear Itself this month, including the main title. So is this the biggest Marvel has ever had or what?

Also, the cover to Fear Itself #5 is pretty excellent. And I love the solicit: “Thor.  Hulk. Thing. The fight to end all fights. And while it rages, the Serpent’s forces deal Captain America a blow not even he can withstand.” Given the verboseness of the other tie-ins, it’s nice that Marvel is attempting to spoil as little about the title as possible (although I guess now we know that the Hulk de-Worthy’s). Either way, that is an EXCELLENT cover. I hope it bodes well for the inner contents.

Also: Squirrel Girl! (See: New Avengers #15)

The Ultimate Universe Goes Big Time

So it was announced that the Ultimate Universe would be taken over by Bendis, Hickman, and Spencer – a creative team that is just bursting at the seams with creative talent in the Marvel pen. August sees the beginning of two of Hickman’s books and the finale to Fallout, which will apparently wrap up everything that Loeb was doing in Ultimate X under the pen of Nick Spencer. Don’t believe me? Look:

I can’t honestly say I did not see that coming. I had presumed that most of the threads that Loeb began would be left unfinished as the Ultimate Universe moves in a different direction. However, as Spencer addresses the whole “mutants are actually genetically engineered humans” thing from Ultimate Origins, it looks like he’s also bringing Ultimate X to it’s long awaited close. I wonder how that’s going to turn out?

Although, one unfortunate spoiler? On the cover to Ultimates #1 (not pictured here, for your sake), a certain character stands front and center, thus proving the rumors of his death were a tad bit exaggerated.

Spider-Island: Because ONE Marvel Summer Event Wasn’t Enough!

Spider-Island begins in August with Amaing Spider-Man #667, and August sees the event get 5 tie-ins, all of which look pretty damn good. Paul Tobin’s Spider-Girl gets a brief reprieve, Venom looks excellent, and Antony Johnston – the man who made Shadowland bearable – writes a Shang-Chi tie-in. Plus: Nick and Spencer’s Cloak and Dagger! While I won’t be getting every Fear Itself tie-in, I’m tempted to do the exact opposite with Spider-Island.

Secret Avengers Goes Solo

This isn’t specifically new information, I’m just excited that Warren Ellis’ run on Secret Avengers is beginning in August,. The book will be telling one-and-done stories starring the characters that we’ve come to know and love in the title, presumably in some interlocking way that we just can’t see yet because Ellis is nothing if not a mad genius. And each issue contains different art, with the first issue featuring Jamie McKelvie on art duties, who previously worked with Ellis in the back-up of Osborn #1.

Are you somehow not excited for this book? Then here, let me help you:

Look at that cover! As if this book wasn’t in my top 10 enough as is.

Oh… So Maybe Bucky Did Die?

Ok, so this is a “potential spoiler” based on “assumptions”, but here’s what we know: someone dies in Fear Itself #3 (supposedly), which leads to Steve Rogers donning his old costume and attending a funeral in his relaunched title. Some sites supposed that this was Bucky’s death, because why else would Steve become Cap again? We in the Multiversity office just shrugged it off, because why would they kill Bucky when Bucky has his own title coming out from Brubaker, Marc Andreyko, and Chris Samnee? I mean, Bucky is on the cover of the first issue! That means he can’t be dead, right? He’s just briefly quitting!

Continued below

…Well, maybe not so much. Captain America and Bucky #621 seems to imply that the entire story is just a flashback, and not so much Bucky reflecting on his past. Although, I could be reading it wrong.

How about this: read the solicit, and tell me if you think this means that Bucky is dead and not the narrator of the title or not. Deal? Thanks:

Captain America and Bucky #620: Think you know the story of Cap and Bucky’s origins? Well, think again. The secret story of the early days of Captain America, told from Bucky Barnes’s point of view. From co-writers Ed Brubaker and Marc Andreyko with artist Chris Samnee (Thor: The Mighty Avenger).

Captain America and Bucky #621: The acclaimed team of Ed Brubaker, Marc Andreyko, and Chris Samnee bring you the next chapter in the definitive history of Cap and Bucky’s early days. What was Cap and Bucky’s first mission together? And what was the tragedy that happened on it that changed everything about who Bucky was?

So. Dead? Alive?

The End Of The Incredible Hulks

Greg Pak’s run ends with the conclusion of “Heart of the Monster.” It’s extra-sized, and promises to be a memorable event.

Don’t worry: Jeff Parker’s Hulk will continue on. However, that stars Big Red. Who knows what’s going to happen to the Jolly Green Giant.

The Punisher #1 Hits!

Greg Rucka returns to comics! And he’s bringing Marco Checchetto! Oh, and he’s writing a crime based comic with bad ass vigilante justice! With TWO ISSUES dropping it’s initial month! What more do you want? Are you not entertained?!

…The Return of Bullseye?

The cover to Moon Knight #4 reveals a wonderfully illustrated cover from Alex Maleev, featuring a character that Maleev and writer Brian Bendis have certainly used before – Bullseye! But wait… this isn’t a Daredevil title… and Bullseye is dead!

What’s going on?

Oh Right, There Are THREE Marvel Events!

How could I forget about Schism? While Spider-Man has his event, and the whole Marvel Universe has their event, the X-Men are going to have their own world rocked once again in Jason Aaron’s Schism, which promises great things.

This is also the first time we’ve had some major clues as to what’s going to be happening in the story, because before all we knew was that Wolverine and Cyclops would throw down. Now we can see that the returned Hellfire club are involved as well. That only means good things, right?

Hey, where exactly did we last see Sebastian Shaw again? (I’m not legitimately asking, I’m hinting at something.)

I Can’t Even Think Of Anything Clever To Say About SHIELD #2

The battle between Leonardo Da Vinci and Issac Newton for the Immortal City comes to a climactic conclusion! Leonid makes his choice between his two fathers, Michelangelo and Tesla kick their plan into high gear and Howard Stark lays the foundation for the organization you know as S.H.I.E.L.D.

That is all.

X-Statix And John Byrne’s Fantastic Four Runs Get Omnibi

I haven’t read Byrne’s run on Fantastic Four, but Walt tells me it’s amazing. IThe hardcover is also 1084 pages, $125 bucks, and looks gorgeous. Meanwhile, there is the X-Statix omnibus, which I know is fantastic, with 1200 pages at the same price.

Wow.

If you’re a hard cover collecting fiend, I would put away $350 bucks away now (or get your pre-order on over at Amazon).


//TAGS | Soliciting Multiversity

Matthew Meylikhov

Once upon a time, Matthew Meylikhov became the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Multiversity Comics, where he was known for his beard and fondness for cats. Then he became only one of those things. Now, if you listen really carefully at night, you may still hear from whispers on the wind a faint voice saying, "X-Men Origins: Wolverine is not as bad as everyone says it issss."

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