We’re back, with two month’s worth of comics to look forward to! Yes, Multiversity took the holidays off, but the comics keep coming, so we’ve got multiple months to cover. That’s why this list is going to cover six comics for each month, with 12-7 for March, and 6-1 for April. Fortunately, there’s no shortage of awesome new comics, one-shots, and series to look forward to, so let’s take a look at what’s to come.
12. Feeling Lucky?
Mary Jane and Black Cat are more than just Spider-Man’s exes. Felicia has been a hero and anti-hero in her own right since her debut, and Mary Jane has made her heroic debut as Jackpot. Now they’re getting another team-up, and this time the story isn’t an event tie-in, it’s all about them. It’s got blackmail, crime sprees, and a clash with a classic Spidey villain, which sounds like a recipe for a great story. So what better way to start the list than with some of the best gal pals on this side of New York?
Jackpot and Black Cat #1 (of 4)
Written by Celeste Bronfman
Illustrated by Emilio Laiso
Cover by Adam Hughes
Variant covers by Emilio Laiso, Elizabeth Torque, Ariel Diaz, Greg & Tim Hildebrandt, Pablo Villalonos, Sean Galloway, and Joey Vazquez• LUCK BE THE LADIES!
• The most exciting new hero in the Marvel U, JACKPOT, A.K.A. Mary Jane Watson, gets her first action-packed limited series as a superhero alongside the other best female character in comics, BLACK CAT! When someone blackmails Black Cat into a public and blatant crime spree, Jackpot comes to her aid! What classic Spider-Villain is behind the blackmail?! Someone with history with at least one of our titular heroines!
11. Double the Spiders
With that said, what’s Spider-Man up to while MJ and Black Cat are out? Well, he’s got a team-up of his own, with his fellow Spider-Man. Yes, Peter and Miles have worked together a little in the past, but they don’t typically get their own ongoing team book. But we’re getting that now, with Greg Weisman and Humberto Ramos bringing their well-documented talents to the table. Whether you prefer Peter Parker or Miles Morales, it’s always fun getting to see them work together, so a proper ongoing with the two of them is more than welcome.
The Spectacular Spider-Men #1
Written by Greg Weisman
Illustrated by Humberto Ramos
Cover by Humberto Ramos
Variant covers by David Marquez, David Nakayama, Sean Galloway, and Dike Ruan• The stars of two of Marvel’s biggest series come together in their first ongoing series ever!
• That’s right, Peter Parker and Miles Morales are going to team up on the regular, comparing notes and using said notes to take on some of their most dangerous bad guys. This duo is better than dynamic, amazing, sensational, superior…they’re SPECTACULAR! And with GREG WEISMAN, writer of the fan-favorite animated Spectacular Spider-Man series, returning to Spidey along with Spider-Legend HUMBERTO RAMOS, you know it’s going to be epic.
10. On the Run
Thought the team ups ended there? Oh no, we’re not done yet. Black Widow and Hawkeye go back a long way, often but not always romantically, and there’s a lot to be said for a pair of heroes who are (for the most part) normal people with exceptional training and skills. (Of course, Natasha currently has a symbiote, but that’s neither here nor there.) Now Stephanie Phillips and Paolo Villanelli are teaming them back up for a mini-series that will explore both their past and current threats, which sounds like a lot of fun for fans of either. As such, it’s certainly deserving of a place on this list.
Continued belowBlack Widow & Hawkeye #1 (of 4)
Written by Stephanie Phillips
Illustrated by Paolo Villanelli
Cover by Stephen Segovia
Variant covers by Stanley “Artgerm” Lau, Mark Brooks, Adam Hughes, and George Pérez• THE EYES OF A HAWK AND THE VENOM OF A WIDOW!
• Even when Black Widow and Hawkeye had no one to trust, they still had each other – even though their paths sometimes diverged. So when Clint Barton is accused of a rogue assassination attempt that puts the U.S. and Madripoor at odds, a symbiote-equipped Natasha Romanoff thinks nothing of coming to his aid. But as echoes of their past ripple into the present, it will take all their faith in each other – and the lessons learned along the way – to protect their futures. Join fan-favorite creators Stephanie Phillips (ROGUE & GAMBIT, CAPWOLF & THE HOWLING COMMANDOS) and Paolo Villanelli (CAPTAIN MARVEL: DARK TEMPEST, STAR WARS: BOUNTY HUNTERS) as they celebrate sixty years of Black Widow and Hawkeye with this new chapter IN the pair’s storied legacy!
9. Let’s Ride
There have been a few Ghost Riders over the years, so a new one isn’t unheard of (especially as we’re waiting for Robbie Reyes to make his return). But what makes this change in the Ghost Rider status quo so interesting is who the new Rider is. After all, most Ghost Riders try to use the powers of the Spirit of Vengeance for good, but what happens when someone a bit less morally upright gets a hold of it? Perhaps someone who has a history of using magical weapons for criminal purposes? We’ll get to see in March when the Hood becomes the new Ghost Rider, and I’m excited to see where it goes.
Ghost Rider #1
Written by Benjamin Percy
Illustrated by Danny Kim
Cover by Juan Ferreyra
Variant covers by Benjamin Su, Greg Capullo, Mark Texeira, Mateus Manhanini, and Chad Hardin• WHO IS THE NEW SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE?
• Johnny Blaze was bonded with the Spirit of Vengeance. Unwilling to be a monster, Johnny used this demon from Hell to do good as the Ghost Rider. But heroism isn’t what the Rider was meant for. So who will be the new Spirit of Vengeance? And what will it mean for the Marvel Universe? Find out in this extra-sized first issue by writer Benjamin Percy and hot new art sensation Danny Kim!
8. X Means Forever
It’s an understatement to say things are a bit busy for the X-Men these days, between their currently awful PR and everything that Orchis did to them. The mutants are fighting back, but there’s a lot of questions and plot points still in need of resolution. Kieron Gillen is prepared to give us answers, and given his track record of absolutely fantastic stories (including many X-Men comics) there’s no way we can miss this one. It’s another step in the “Fall of the House of X” and “Rise of the Powers of X” stories, while still connecting with Gillen’s own “Immortal X-Men’ run, and all of that sounds absolutely amazing.
X-Men: Forever #1 (of 4)
Written by Kieron Gillen
Illustrated by Luca Maresca
Cover by Mark Brooks
Variant covers by Phil Noto and Leirix• HAUNTED HOUSE OF X!
• How can you kill a digital god? What do you do when the Phoenix is bleeding out into nothing? There’s been questions that have haunted you since the end of IMMORTAL X-MEN. Finally, some answers. There’s also been some questions that have haunted you since the START of IMMORTAL X-MEN. Finally, some answers too. Tying directly into the pages of the epic FALL OF THE HOUSE OF X and RISE OF THE POWERS OF X comes this story of revelation from Kieron Gillen (IMMORTAL X-MEN) and Luca Maresca (CHILDREN OF THE VAULT)!
7. X Means Ultimate
While the X-Men may have their hands full in the Marvel 616 universe, what about the newly reborn Ultimate universe? For that, we can turn to Peach Momoko, who’s kicking things off with the new “Ultimate X-Men” series. This time, we’re starting in Japan, with the Ultimate version of Armor and a new team and take on the merry band of mutants. Peach Momoko has proven herself as an insanely talented writer and artist with a very unique style, and it will be great to see how she handles the “Ultimate X-Men.”
Continued belowUltimate X-Men #1
Written by Peach Momoko
Illustrated by Peach Momoko
Cover by Peach Momoko
Variant covers by InHyuk Lee, Peach Momoko, Betsy Cola, Dike Ruan, and Mark Brooks• Visionary creator PEACH MOMOKO (DEMON DAYS, STAR WARS) creates a new generation of X-Men for an all-new universe!
• Hisako Ichiki is a teenage girl who just wants to live a normal life – go to school, hang out with her friends, ignore the political strife broiling over after the events of ULTIMATE INVASION – but life has other plans for her. In Japan, urban legends have sprung to life and brought some unusual new powers with them…Meet Armor, Maystorm and a group of new Ultimate X-Men the likes of which you’ve never seen before!
6. Film Noir Four?
Of course we can’t let a month go by without recommending this run on “Fantastic Four.” The very solicitation is delivered in the style of a detective film noir monologue, that alone should tell you what we’re getting into, and it’s all great. Ryan North’s run on the FF has been consistently entertaining and engaging, and issue #19 has every indication of being the same. Of course, it also means we get to enjoy more illustrations by Carlos Gómez, and I will take any opportunity to praise the cover art of Alex Ross; there’s always so much to look forward to from this comic.
Fantastic Four #19
Written by Ryan North
Illustrated by Carlos Gómez
Cover by Alex Ross
Variant covers by Todd Nauck and Greg & Time Hildebrandt• She came in trouble, all five feet, six inches of it. Even her name was a warning that things were about to get bad for me, real quick: “Storm.” Miss Susie Storm, standing there in a blue gown custom-made to take years off the life of anyone who saw her, big as life in my crummy office.
• The doll needed a private eye to find her boyfriend. Seems he’d pulled a disappearing act: one “Professor Richards,” a hard-luck egghead who’d somehow scored way out of his league. I didn’t want to take her case, but my bank account said otherwise, and besides: There was something about her.
• A sense of danger maybe, but also, a vulnerability. Call me a sap, but the world’s a rough place – and me, I didn’t want to make it any rougher on her.
• ‘Course, it wasn’t long before I wished I’d had the good sense to keep my distance…
5. Gwen is Back in Town
Things have been a bit hectic for Spider-Gwen/Ghost Spider. Her home universe hasn’t been the most welcoming lately, she’s dealt with more than a few multiversal duplicates lately, and it seems like there’s a Spider-Verse event every other week. So what’s next for Gwen? It looks like she’s moving to the 616 universe full time, but needs to stay on the down-low about it. Why? We’ll have to read and find out. But one thing is for certain: fans of Spider-Gwen are going to have a good time reading it and seeing what writer Stephanie Phillips has in store.
Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider #1
Written by Stephanie Phillips
Illustrated by Chris Campana
Cover by Mark Brooks
Variant covers by Jenny Frison, Pablo Villalobos, David López, and Ernanda Souza• TRAPPED IN THE 616…FOR GOOD!
• Welcome to New York! Gwen truly becomes a Ghost-Spider when she moves full time to the universe where Gwen Stacy died years ago. But why did she leave Earth-65? Why aren’t the other spiders supposed to know she’s here? Why isn’t she supposed to suit up? And who will get hurt when she does?
4. Bigger and Angrier Than Ever
Let’s start off by acknowledging one thing: “Giant-Size Hulk” is a bit of a redundancy, because a hulk is giant-sized by definition. But that’s not important right now. What is important is that we’re getting a huge Hulk story, with new threats, new things to smash, and an old story being reprinted for readers to enjoy anew. “Giant-Size” comics give us a chance for longer one-shot stories with characters we know and love, and what better way to fit a character as epic as the Incredible Hulk than with one?
Continued belowGiant-Size Hulk #1
Written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson
Illustrated by Andrea Broccardo
Cover by Bryan Hitch
Variant covers by Chris Allen, Dave Bardin, and Mahmud Asrar• THE ONLY WAY TO CONTAIN THE HULK…IS IN A GIANT-SIZE STORY!
• Riding the rails is no walk in the park – especially for the INCREDIBLE HULK! And particularly when something – no, someONE – has been stolen from him by a gruesome new threat with evil machinations in mind. Clear the tracks – the HULK is coming through!!!
• PLUS: Includes a reprinting of INCREDIBLE HULK #372 by Peter David and Dale Keown, featuring high-speed action and heartrending drama in a Hulk tale for the ages!
3. Corporate Sponsorship Strikes Again
Roxxon has its place as the evil corporation Marvel writers can turn to whenever they need a big business to do unethical things and somehow get away with it. Now Roxxon is moving into the superhero game with its own corporate heroes, including their own Thor. So who is this new god of thunder, and how will he protect Roxxon’s corporate interests? We’re about to find out, as Al Ewing sets us up for a new mega-event, so there’s even more excitement to look forward to.
Roxxon Presents: Thor #1
Written by Al Ewing
Illustrated by Greg Land
Cover by Greg Land
Variant covers by Adi Granov and Nick Bradshaw• From the pages of IMMORTAL THOR – the ROXXON AGE OF COMIXX BEGINS!
• In his secret identity as A.I. spokesguru CHAD HAMMER, the son of Odin knows Mama Gaea is a TOP PRIORITY for heroes AND for business!
• But when a group of insane environmental activists take “saving the Earth” TOO FAR, it’s time to show them the wisdom on BOTH sides – AS THOR!
• But WHICH God of Evil is prompting the kids to rebel? Could it be…LOKI, GOD OF EVIL???
• Featuring an all-star cast of heroes! MINOTAUR! EXECUTIONER! ENCHANTRESS! And the THOR-TRUCK!
• This is the story of THE ROXXIN’ THOR… and it’s a VITAL part of the “ABSOLUTE ABSOLUTION” MEGA-EVENT!
2. The Hunt is On
Marvel has a bit of a vampire problem. Sure, they’ve mostly been chilling in Chernobyl, and Blade has done his best to keep things in line, but that was never going to last for long. Now it’s time for a vampire-centric event, with the children of the night on the attack. There will absolutely be blood, with everyone from the magic and monster-hunting sides of Marvel needing to step in, including Bloodline (Blade’s daughter) getting her first event. So if you want to see heroes fighting vampires across the Marvel Universe, this will be the event for you.
Blood Hunt #1 (of 5)
Written by Jed MacKay
Illustrated by Pepe Larraz
Cover by Pepe Larraz
Variant covers by Stanley “Artgerm” Lau, John Tyler Christopher, Kael Ngu, Leinil Franciz Yu, and Javi Fernández• THE BLOODIEST MARVEL EVENT EVER!
• The skies have gone dark, the sun hiding its face from the carnage to come. The children of the night, the vampires, have risen from the dark and hidden places of the world as one to drown the Marvel Universe in blood. Earth’s final night has fallen – can even the heroes of this doomed world stem the tide of blood that is to come? Join the AVENGERS, BLADE, BLOODLINE, SPIDER-MAN, HUNTER’S MOON, TIGRA, DOCTOR STRANGE and CLEA as the dance of death begins in BLOOD HUNT #1! On-Sale in May!
1. Dive In
Deadpool has had a few runs over the past several years, each of which have their own charm and humor. Now he’s back again, with a new ongoing from Cody Ziglar and Rogê Antônio. Ziglar’s past work has demonstrated his ability to write engaging, entertaining, and clever comics with just the right amount of heart, all of which can make for a great “Deadpool” run. Now we get to see that in action, with new villains on the way and no small amount of quipping to come. That’s why this is the comic we can look forward to most not just in one month, but out of two.
Deadpool #1
Written by Cody Ziglar
Illustrated by Rogê Antônio
Cover by Taurin Clarke
Variant covers by Miguel Mercado, Sean Galloway, Ryan Stegman, Rob Liefeld, Jan Bazaldua, and InHyuk Lee• A NEW ERA FOR THE MERC WITH A MOUTH, AND A GUN, AND A SWORD…
• CODY ZIGLAR (Futurama, Miles Morales: Spider-Man) has a wild ride planned for the Merc with the mouth! Introducing a terrifying new villain who won’t stop until he catches Wade in his DEATH GRIP. But all work and no play makes Deadpool a very dead boy!
Check out the full solicitations over at CBR.com for March and April.
