New year, new comics! 2024 starts off with a bang, bringing us the next stage in the ongoing “X-Men” saga, deaths and rebirths, and a continuing gang war. So what better way to start the first month of the year than with a selection of #1 issues and one-shots? That’s right, January’s top ten picks are all new series and mini-series, so let’s see what Marvel will be starting the year with…
10. But No Sparkly Vampires
What happens when superheroes save the day once and for all? When evil is defeated and all is well forever? Do heroes still have a place in a world like that? Well, obviously we’d need a new conflict than good guys vs bad guys to read about, but aside from that, there are plenty of questions to consider. And it looks like Chip Zdarsky has been considering just that, with Captain America and a post-Avengers world. Chip’s writing and DAniel Acuña’s art have both been hitting every mark as of late, so let’s see if our first pick for 2024 can keep that streak alive.
Avengers: Twilight
Written by Chip Zdarsky
Illustrated by Daniel Acuña
Cover by Alex Ross
Variant covers by Daniel Acuña, Felipe Massafera, Simone Bianchi, Skottie Young, and Leinil Francis YuIn a gleaming new world of prosperity, Captain America is no more. But Steve Rogers still exists, floating through an America where freedom is an illusion, where THE AVENGERS are strangers and his friends are long dead. But is the Dream? How do you assemble Avengers in a world that doesn’t want them? PLUS: A behind-the-scenes look at the making of this issue!
9. What’s New?
As much as I enjoy comics about larger-than-life heroes and villains battling it out… I also like cats. So when the Infinity Comic all about the cats of Marvel comes to print, of course I’ll have to get that (and yes, actual cats, not just cat-themed heroes). Marvel has some of the most adorable pets in comics, even without counting Jeff (who has his own Infinity Comic), so an issue letting us enjoy cute cats being adorable is all right by me.
Marvel Meow
Written by Nao Fuji
Illustrated by Nao Fuji
Cover by Nao Fuji
Variant covers by Doaly and Chrissie ZulloMARVEL MEOW MAKES ITS PAWESOME PRINT DEBUT!
Marvel’s most fearsome – and furriest – heroes are here to save the day and beg for treats in the process! Follow Chewie, Liho, Alpine and the rest of the Avengers’ feline friends as they cause a few cat-tastrophes…and maybe vanquish some villains in the process! Whether it’s crashing Captain Marvel’s apartment or defeating Doc Ock, you can always count on these cats for some cute chaos! Collecting the hit Infinity Comic series from Marvel Unlimited and featuring a brand-new cover and exclusive new story!
8. Face it, Tiger, You – Oh, Nevermind.
Out of all the developments in “Amazing Spider-Man,” one of the positive ones has been Mary Jane Watson getting her own set of superpowers, where she can actually hit the jackpot in the super-powered lottery… or go bust and lose it all. While this hasn’t gotten too much use outside of her team up with Black Cat, she’s getting a solo story to tie-in to the “Gang War” event. How will Mary Jane do on her first solo outing? Will her powers pay off or backfire big-time? And will she be able to get to a better place than the “Amazing Spider-Man” comic left her in? It’ll be fun to find out.
Continued belowJackpot #1
Written by Celeste Bronfman
Illustrated by Joey Vazquez
Cover by Pablo Villalobos
Variant covers by Elizabeth Torque, Nicoletta Baldari, and EjikureALWAYS BET ON RED!
• A GANG WAR TIE-IN!
• Mary Jane Watson, A.K.A. JACKPOT, gets her first solo super story since her debut in ASM #31!
• New York City is in chaos as the super-powered criminal gangs are at war, and it’s all hands on deck!
• It’s a baptism by fire, but, come on, this is Mary Jane. What CAN’T she handle?!
7. The Pack is Back
The Power Pack is a team that is often overlooked, but has provided plenty of fun, family-focused stories. The characters have actually grown up and developed a fair bit over the years to heroes in their own right, rather than pre-teen powerhouses, and it’s neat to see where they are and how they’re doing today. But there’s always room for another story from their youth, and who better for it than the original creators? Yep, the team that brought us the Power Pack are back, so let’s see what adventures remain.
Power Pack: Into the Storm #1
Written by Louise Simonson
Illustrated by June Brigman
Cover by June Brigman
Variant covers by Nicoletta Baldari and Elizabeth TorqueAlex, Julie, Jack and Katie Power are super-hero siblings determined to do their part to protect the world despite their young age. The problem is that their parents don’t want them to have powers – and can’t know that they do. But when their friend Franklin Richards has a premonition of a galactic threat hurtling their way, the Power siblings will have to decide what kind of heroes they want to be – and what they’re willing to give up along the way.
Original creators Louise Simonson and June Brigman return to explore an exciting new adventure from the early days of the POWER PACK!
6. They Are Legend
“Marvel’s Voices” is at its best when it’s giving marginalized voices a chance to speak up and take the spotlight. We’re back to that with “Legends,” giving Black creators a chance to tell stories with the heroes they love, and there’s a great selection there – including the long overdue return of Eli Bradley, AKA Patriot. The “Voices” comics are always a must-read, and this one is no exception.
Marvel’s Voices: Legends #1
Written by David F. Walker, Justine Ireland, and more
Illustrated by TBA
Cover by Caanan White
Variant covers by Sean Damien Hill and Mateus ManhaniniCornerstones of the Marvel Universe unite in this jam-packed special! Captain America graces the city skies – and dives headlong into the dangers of its alleyways. Misty Knight gets the anniversary treatment as she approaches fifty years of publication history! And – in a bold tale of corruption, abuse and the hope that springs eternal – Elijah Bradley makes an explosive return to the spotlight! All this and more from the program that brings you the world outside your window in real time – MARVEL’S VOICES kicks off a triumphant new year of stories!
5. They Didn’t Survive the Experience
While the Krakoan Era had mutantkind overcome death, of course that wasn’t going to last forever. Now there’s a lot of dead mutants, and it’s uncertain how many of them will be able to come back (outside of the normal comic book revolving door of life and death). At least a few of them seem to have decided that death isn’t enough to stop them, as they’re getting their own book, and I doubt any of them are happy about being killed so soon after being made part of the team. So let’s see what’s next for the X-Men after death.
Dead X-Men #1
Written by Steve Foxe
Illustrated by Vincenzo Carratù, Bernard Chang, and Jonas Scharf
Cover by Pere Pérez
Variant covers by Lucas Werneck and Kevin EastmanDEATH WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING!
When the world turned against Krakoa, these five mutants lost their lives…but their mission as X-Men is just getting started. To preserve Xavier’s dream, they must accomplish the impossible – or die again trying! Spinning out from RISE OF THE POWERS OF X, discover…who are the DEAD X-MEN?!
4. Yep, He’s Back Too
Speaking of dead mutants not staying dead: Magneto.
I’ll be honest: after Magneto’s heroic and utterly awesome death in the pages of “X-Men: Red” and “A.X.E.: Judgment Day,” where he asked to not be brought back, it almost doesn’t feel right to revive him. But Krakoa has fallen, so mutantkind needs Magneto now more than ever, and it’s clear that Magneto might also have some feelings about being revived. Al Ewing has been on a roll, so I trust him to bring us an awesome story, and to make Magneto’s revival just as impactful as his latest death.
Continued belowResurrection of Magneto #1
Written by Al Ewing
Illustrated by Luciano Vecchio
Cover by Stefano Caselli
Variant covers by Arthur Adams, John Tyler Christopher, Stefano Caselli, Nic Klein, and David BaldeoónLIFEDEATH!
On Krakoa, resurrection from the dead was as easy as completing a circuit – but Krakoa fell. The time of easy miracles is over, and only the hard roads are left. Now it falls to Storm – as the epic conclusion to the Krakoan age looms – to bring their oldest enemy home to fight against the FALL OF THE HOUSE OF X…but after all he did, and all that was done to him, can Magneto bear to return?
3. In the Name of the Moon… Revenge!
On a similar death-related note: Moon Knight. His story concludes in December, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing left to say, because the Midnight Mission still stands, and there are loose threads left to tie up. Plus, seeing how a character’s team and loved ones react and carry on after the end is often compelling storytelling, and “Moon Knight” has more than a few supporting characters with a lot of baggage to unpack. Jed MacKay’s “Moon Knight” run has been great, so getting more out of the supporting cast and story even after the death of Moon Knight is absolutely a good thing.
Vengeance of the Moon Knight #1
Written by Jed MacKay
Illustrated by Alessandro Capuccio
Cover by David Finch
Variant covers by Alessandro Capuccio, Greg Capullo, Frank Miller, Gene Colan, E.M. Gist, and Leinil Francis YuClad in the black of mourning, the Midnight Mission remains!
But who is left to keep the faith? And how have they been changed by the Black Spectre’s master stroke? The next chapter of MOON KNIGHT starts here as the congregants of the Midnight Mission pick up the pieces and carry on the mission…and find themselves faced with a mysterious new enemy in eerily familiar vestments.
2. Begin Again
The Ultimate Universe is back, but it’s going to be different. So what better way to reintroduce us to the new Ultimate Marvel than with the character that started it all? Jonathan Hickman is taking the reigns of Spider-Man, continuing his revival of the Ultimate Universe, and after everything that changed in “Ultimate Invasion” at the hands of The Maker, it’ll be interesting to see the new state of that side of Marvel. But one thing will remain the same: the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is a hero worth keeping up with.
Ultimate Spider-Man #1
Written by Jonathan Hickman
Illustrated by Marco Checchetto
Cover by Marco Checchetto
Variant covers by Merco Checchetto, David Marquez, Mateus Manhanini, Nic Klein, and Tony DanielTHE NEW ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN FOR A NEW ULTIMATE UNIVERSE!
• Visionary writer Jonathan Hickman (HOUSE OF X/POWERS OF X) and acclaimed artist Marco Checchetto (DAREDEVIL) bring you a bold new take on Spider-Man, with this, the debut title of the new line of Ultimate Comics!
• After the events of ULTIMATE INVASION, the world needs a hero…who will rise up to take on that responsibility?
• Prepare to be entangled in a web of mystery and excitement as the all-new ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN comic redefines the wall-crawler for the 21st Century!
1. After the Fall…
That’s right, we’ve got another X-Men comic for this list. Things have been busy for Marvel’s mutants, between the collapse of Krakoa, another mass-death event, and everything else that followed the Fall of X. So is this their triumphant return? Well, going by the solicit, not quite. “Rise of the Powers of X” is half of a story, told alongside “Fall of the House of X,” which will also be releasing this month (and would have also had a spot on this list if that wouldn’t have been redundant), and it’s clear that things aren’t going to be tidied up so easily for the X-Men. But Kieron Gillen is a writer who’s created some incredible comics, and R.B. Silva’s artwork has been stellar (not to mention Gerry Duggan and Lucas Werneck on “Fall of the House of X”), so no matter how things go, this is going to be a must-read for any X-Men fan.
Continued belowRise of the Powers of X #1
Written by Kieron Gillen
Illustrated by R.B. Silva
Cover by R.B. Silva
Variant covers by Alexander Lozano, Ben Harvey, and Skottie YoungTHE FIGHT FOR KRAKOA HAS BEEN LOST!
Ten years ago, the mutants returned from their exile to try and reclaim the Earth from the forces of Orchis. They failed. Now, within the victorious Orchis with their gauntlet choking the world, Nimrod and Omega Sentinel put their plan within a plan into action. They are to summon their binary god to consume everything in their accession. All that stands between them is the X-Men. What can they do? They’re the X-Men. They’ll find a way. That’s their power. So begins a story beyond time and space, with the rise of powers beyond our petty human intelligence. From writer Kieron Gillen (IMMORTAL X-MEN, UNCANNY X-MEN) and artist R.B. Silva (POWERS OF X, CAPTAIN AMERICA: SYMBOL OF TRUTH) comes half of the story that will bring the Krakoa Age to its conclusion!
Check out the full solicitations over at CBR.com.
