What are your plans for July? If you’re anything like me, you might be cautiously optimistic about your chances of being able to actually see people again. But then again, if you’re anything like me, you’re probably more looking forward to being able to read comics while the weather is nice. With that in mind, let’s take a look at what comics Marvel has coming down the pipeline for us to enjoy in July 2021.
10. Mysterious as the Dark Side of the Moon
Moon Knight. For many, he’s that character from the comic panel that keeps getting shared about Dracula owing him some money. For others, he’s a complex character with a long history and an upcoming live action series on Disney+. However you know the character, now’s as good time for a new Moon Knight series, and that’s what we’re getting. Moon Knight’s status quo has changed a bit after a recent “Avengers” arc, wherein he more or less stole all the Avengers’ powers and took over the world for a bit, but that’s in the past, so let’s see what’s ahead for Moon Knight’s future.
Moon Knight #1
Written by Jed Mackay
Illustrated by Alessandro Cappuccio
Cover by Steve McNiven
Variant covers by John Romita Jr., E.M. Gist, Kyle Hotz, Gerardo Zaffino, Skottie Young, Elizabeth Torque, Bill Sienkiewicz, Todd Nauck, and Jeffrey veregge• I AM MOON KNIGHT!
• The mysterious Mr. Knight has opened his Midnight Mission, his people petitioning for protection from the weird and horrible. The Moon Knight stalks the rooftops and alleys marked with his crescent moon tag, bringing violence to any who would harm his people. Marc Spector, in whichever guise he dons, is back on the streets, a renegade priest of an unworthy god. But while Khonshu languishes in a prison that Moon Knight put him in, Moon Knight must still observe his duty: protecting those who travel at night.
• Let it be known – Moon Knight will keep the faith.
9. So Ends Another Clone Saga
Were you worried that the Miles Morales Clone Saga would be another overly-lengthy event where no one is quite sure who’s supposed to be the clone? Well, worry not, because what we’re getting instead is a more personal, character-driven Clone Saga. Saladin Ahmed promises it to be “the most heart-wrenching comic of the year,” so we’ll have to see if he can deliver on that promise, but this may be the comic that makes the words “Clone Saga” have a more positive connotation. The only question is: will we be crying for Miles, or his clone?
Miles Morales: Spider-Man #28
Written by Saladin Ahmed
Illustrated by Carmen Carnero
Cover by Taurin Clarke• THE CLONE SAGA REACHES ITS CATACLYSMIC CONCLUSION!
• Selim was cloned and raised to be the perfect super-soldier for hire. Miles has trouble just getting to class on time.
• Selim’s scruples are also vastly different than Miles’… so Miles’ family is in horrific danger.
• YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THE MOST HEART-WRENCHING COMIC OF THE YEAR!
8. Divine Party Foul
There’s nothing quite like a hero fighting an evil alternate version of themself, is there? It looks like that’s what we’re getting in “Thor Annual,” although of course, there are any number of ways this could actually go. Perhaps more importantly, what’s Hawkeye doing here? Is he representing Midgard? Or does Aaron Kuder have plans for him? One way or another, this is looking like a fun Thor story for us to enjoy, in addition to what it adds to the “Infinite Fury” story.
Continued belowThor Annual #1
Written by Aaron Kuder
Illustrated by Aaron Kuder
Cover by Aaron Kuder
Variant covers by Ron Lim and Travis Charest• THOR VS. THOR!
• Thor and the other leaders of the Ten Realms (and, uh, Hawkeye?) have gathered for a World Tree celebration! But the festivities come to an abrupt halt when a mysterious guest — and his otherworldly powers — crashes the party. And his “plus-one” is a dark, twisted version of Thor who is determined to become the iron-fisted ruler of all the realms!
• ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: Part 5 (of 8) of “Infinite Fury”!
7. What Does the Future Hold?
Kelly Thompson has been having a lot of fun with Captain Marvel. She’s had her stuck on a radioactive island where the flow of time is changed, deal with previously unknown family matters, flung into the far future, and now trying to study magic. So what’s next? It looks like issue #30 is going to bring so much of it all together, and we’ll get a shake-up for the status quo. But Thompson’s run has been entertaining every step of the way, so it’s bound to be exciting. Not to mention Jamie McKelvie is stepping in to add a story as well, so there’s even more to look forward to.
Captain Marvel #30
Written by Kelly Thompson and Jamie McKelvie
Illustrated by Jacopo Camagni and Jamie McKelvie
Cover by Marco Checchetto
Variant covers by Terry Dodson, Rob Liefeld, and Peach Momoko• SPECIAL OVERSIZED ISSUE!
• Carol Danvers thinks she’s seen it all, including a terrifying future that only she can prevent. Convinced that magic is the answer to her problem, she’s about to face a hard truth: No magic in the universe can save her from herself. Captain Marvel holds the lives of billions in her hands — and the decision she makes here will change her forever. Past, present and future are about to collide! Don’t miss the oversized 30th issue of CAPTAIN MARVEL, including a special story written and drawn by Jamie McKelvie, the original designer of the Captain’s now-iconic red, blue and yellow suit!
6. More Annihilation
Annihilation is at hand… again. But this time it’s the LAST Annihilation (at least until the next one). Anyways, the galaxy is under attack again, so once more, it’s time for the Guardians to step up. What new threat awaits, and is it not actually Annihilus again? The question is no longer if a Guardian will give their life to stop the threat, but which one.
Though let’s be real, it’s probably not going to be Dr. Doom, he’s still got plenty of antagonizing left to do for the Fantastic Four.
Guardians of the Galaxy #16
Written by Al Ewing
Illustrated by Juan Frigeri
Cover by Brett Booth
Variant covers by Peach Momoko and Phil Jimenez• THE LAST ANNIHILATION STARTS HERE!
• The entire galaxy is under attack, the likes of which haven’t been seen since Annihilus first waged war. Now, five different planets are simultaneously under threat from a mysterious foe. This is what the new Guardians were built to do. But will it be too much? This summer… the war to end all wars begins. And not everyone’s going to come home.
5. Fist vs Claw
There’s so much to look forward to for Gene Luen Yang’s “Shang-Chi” comics. Great characterization, a fun and engaging storyline, well-crafted dialogue, and of course, awesome fight scenes. Now Shang-Chi is going to go up against Wolverine for the mandatory hero pre-team-up fight. How will he manage going up against adamantium claws with nothing but his martial arts skills? I can’t wait to see. Whoever this mysterious new sister is, hopefully we’ll get to see more of her on Krakoa as well.
Shang-Chi #3
Written by Gene Luen Yang
Illustrated by Bike Ruan
Cover by Leinil Francis Yu
Variant covers by Michael Cho, Peach Momoko, and David Lafuente• SHANG-CHI VS WOLVERINE!
• Shang-Chi discovers yet another sibling he never knew he had!
• Even more surprising…she’s a mutant!
• You know what that means…Shang-Chi won’t be the only one looking for her.
• Enter: Wolverine!
4. Under Lockdown
Have you been reading Chip Zdarsky’s run on “Daredevil?” If not, you need to get on that right now. I’ll even help you by including a link to it on Comixology right here, because it’s that good. Elektra has already had her share of struggles as the new Daredevil, but it’s about to get a lot worse with Bullseye back and the body count rising. Plus, Matt is still in jail, with all the challenges that come from that. There’s nothing about this run that hasn’t been compelling, engaging, and so dang good, so you have until July to catch up for this new story arc.
Continued belowDaredevil #32
Written by Chip Zdarsky
Illustrated by Mike Hawthorne
Cover by Marco Checchetto
Variant cover by Peach Momoko• “LOCKDOWN” STARTS HERE!
• The Angel of Death has come to Hell’s Kitchen and New York City. A series of grisly murders tests Elektra’s mettle and commitment to her role as the new DAREDEVIL, as the city spirals in a state of near panic.
• Meanwhile, Matt Murdock faces tests and challenges of his own, as the inmates he’s serving time alongside aren’t the ones in the prison targeting him…
3. Marvelous? No, Fantastic!
This might come as a shock to anyone who hasn’t ever read a single review I’ve written, but I like fantasy stories. I really do. Give me the swords, the sorcery, the dungeons, the dragons, and I’ll be a happy man. That’s exactly what Kaare Andrews is giving us, taking Marvel heroes from key points in their lifetimes and throwing them into a fantasy-themed world, so of course I am all for this. Let’s get WW2-era Captain America fighting mythical beasts while Spider-Man quips at orcs and goblins, and it’s bound to be a good time.
Amazing Fantasy #1
Written by Kaare Andrews
Illustrated by Kaare Andrews
Cover by Kaare Andrews
Variant covers by Alex Horley, Kaare Andrews, and Simone Bianchi• EXPERIENCE THESE HEROES LIKE NEVER BEFORE!
• Red Room Black Widow, teenage Spider-Man, World War II Captain America — the most iconic versions of your favorite Marvel characters from across time and space all wake up on an island of intrigue, darkness and…Amazing Fantasy. Are they dead? Are they dreaming? Or have they truly been transported to another fantastical realm? And is there any way for them to return home?
• This isn’t just a love letter to your favorite Marvel eras, it’s a reinvestment in the seminal characters you’ve always loved, plucked from their quintessential timelines. Brought to you by KAARE ANDREWS, this is the one you’ve been waiting for, True Believers… It’s one Amazing Fantasy for the ages!
2. How Many Villains Now?
Spider-Man has quite the rogues gallery, and sometimes they like to team up. Most famously, we have the Sinister Six, and their various permutations throughout the years. Well, they’re back, in one form or another, as is the Vulture’s own team of six villains. So rather than team up and form the, I dunno, Terrible Twelve, they’re going to fight each other and Spider-Man at the same time. Is this going to be chaotic, exciting, and otherwise insane? Oh, I sure hope so. Don’t let us down, Nick Spencer!
Sinister War #1
Written by Nick Spencer
Illustrated by Mark Bagley
Cover by Bryan Hitch
Variant covers by Mark Bagley, Steve Ditko, Todd Nauck, Gary Frank, Jeffrey Veregge, Skottie Young, Marcelo Ferreira, Gary Frank, David Nakayama, and Federico Vicentini• DOCTOR OCTOPUS IS BACK! AND THE SINISTER WAR HAS BEGUN!
• Ock’s got a new Sinister Six and if you think he’s thought big in the past, think again. What Ock DOESN’T know is that the VULTURE has a sextet of his own: THE SAVAGE SIX! It’s an all-out WAR between two of the greatest villains in the Marvel Universe, and the only person they hate more than each other is SPIDER-MAN! Spidey’s in deep trouble with the toughest battle that he’s ever faced. Nick Spencer and Mark Bagley team up for this epic Spider-Man story guaranteed to shock readers everywhere!
1. To Us, Our X-Men
At last, Krakoa’s first official team of X-Men is here. The people have spoken, and they voted for Polaris to join the team, along with a mix of beloved and lesser-utilized mutants. It’s a team with a lot of potential, so there’s a lot to look forward to. Now take that team and have them written by Gerry Duggan, who has already proven himself as an excellent writer of X-stories on “Marauders,” and bring in Pepe Larraz as the artist, and we’ve got a comic that can’t be missed.
X-Men #1
Written by Gerry Duggan
Illustrated by Pepe Larraz
Cover by Pepe Larraz
Variant covers by Juan Cabal, Carmen Carnero, Pech Momoko, Iban Coello, RB Silva, Natacha Bustos, Patrick Gleason, Joshua Cassara, Larry Houston, Rob Liefeld, Tom Muller, and Skottie Young• THESE X-MEN ARE… FEARLESS!
• The heroes of Krakoa are here to save the planet! Things might be complicated between the nation of Krakoa and the rest of the world, but to the X-MEN, things are simple — you do what’s right, you protect those who need protecting and you save the world we all share. Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Sunfire, Rogue, Wolverine, Synch and Polaris are the chosen champions of mutantkind, and they will not shrink from any battle for their home planet. Writer Gerry Duggan (MARAUDERS, DEADPOOL, UNCANNY AVENGERS) reteams with superstar artist Pepe Larraz (HOUSE OF X, X OF SWORDS, UNCANNY AVENGERS) to chart the course of the X-Men in a world of the Reign of X!
Check out the full solicitations over at CBR.com.
