What are you looking forward to this July? Independence Day? Enjoying the Summer weather? Well, how about a big pile of comics to enjoy? Because July brings us the conclusion to “Blood Hunt,” the next step for the X-Men and mutantkind, and plenty of new mini-series to boot. So let’s see what Marvel has in store this month…
10. Ponder the Question…
Disney is keeping the corporate synergy going with more Marvel mashups. Now we’ve got a “What If…?” story with Donald Duck taking on the role of Old Man Logan. A peculiar combination, to be sure (although both Donald and Wolverine are prone to fits of uncontrollable rage), but it still sounds like a fun concept that will likely entertain Disney fans and be filled with references and Easter eggs to Wolverine’s history. So this seems like a good way to kick off July’s list.
Marvel & Disney: What If…? Donald Duck Became Wolverine #1
Written by Luca Barbieri
Illustrated by Giada Perissinotto
Cover by Giada Perissinotto
Variant covers by Ron lim, Peach Momoko, and Giada Perissonotto• CELEBRATING THE 90th ANNIVERSARY OF DONALD DUCK AND THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF…WOLVERINE?
• In the most unexpected mashup of our time, we travel to the near future where chaos rules as PETE-SKULL has turned DUCKBURG into a super-hero-less WASTELAND. Only OLD DUCK DONALD can turn the tide but he’s given up his battling’ days and prefers naps and GRANDMA’s apple pie over fighting villains. But when MICKEY-HAWKEYE comes knocking at the door with GOOFY-HULK at his side, WOLVERINE-DONALD has to make a choice! Will a trip down memory lane change his mind to save the world or will the lure of the backyard hammock and a long nap keep him from popping his claws one last time? Featuring some of DONALD-WOLVERINE’S greatest moments!
9. More Wolverine, Less Duck
Now let’s move away from Donald Duck as Wolverine and back to, well, Wolverine. Chris Claremont’s run on “Uncanny X-Men” is iconic, but it seems there’s still some stories left to tell, as he’s giving us a look back at one of Logan’s untold stories. In this case, we’ve got Wolverine in Australia, carrying out a mission of his own, which inevitably involves a conflict with Sabertooth. So if you want more out of the Claremont era of “X-Men,” or just like seeing Wolverine being the best there is at what he does, this will be one to read.
Wolverine: Deep Cut
Written by Chris Claremont
Illustrated by Edgar Salazar
Cover by Philip Tan
Variant covers by C.F. Villa, David Yardin, Declan Shalvey, and Phil Jimenez• OUT OF THE OUTBACK ON A LIFE-AND-DEATH MISSION!
• At last – LOGAN’s secret adventure revealed! Featuring a sinister revelation and claw-to-claw confrontations with SABRETOOTH, this is a must-have WOLVERINE story for new and long-standing fans alike that simply cannot be missed!
• Back in UNCANNY X-MEN #246, Logan set off from the Australian outback, leaving behind what was left of the X-MEN, for a personal mission. Now, after decades of mystery, Chris Claremont reveals just what Wolverine got up to before his classic battle with the REAVERS!
• The next Chris Claremont-penned mutant saga begins, with the untold story of Wolverine’s most personal mission!
8. More Vampires? Fantastic.
With “Blood Hunt” coming to an end, the tie-in comics will be wrapping up as well. For the “Fantastic Four,” this means concluding a two-issue mini-arc where Reed and Alicia are in dire straits and need to protect both themselves and the survivors they’re watching over. Now, I’ve praised Ryan North’s run on “Fantastic Four” plenty (not to mention the glorious Alex Ross covers) that its inclusion should be a given, but this also promises to be an issue filled with terror and tension, so anyone enjoying “Blood Hunt” will also want to see what’s going on here.
Continued belowFantastic Four #22
Written by Ryan North
Illustrated by Ivan Fiorelli
Cover by Alex Ross
Variant covers by Sergio Dávila, Ethan Young, and Steve McNiven• BLOOD HUNT TIE-IN: ONE LAST HOPE!
• Alicia Masters and Reed Richards – and the survivors of New York – are lost, alone against the vampire menace, and Reed’s exhausted.
• But they still need to survive – and avoid being turned into undead blood parasites.
• Reed has one last desperate hope, and it’s not guaranteed to work – but there is at least a chance…if he can survive long enough to test it!
• This conclusion to our BLOOD HUNT tie-in ends in a twist that you will NOT want to miss!
• PLUS: PART 3 OF DEADPOOL/WOLVERINE: WEAPON X-TRACTION!
7. The Crossover We’ve Been Waiting For
When Marvel got their hands on the “Alien” comics, it was only a matter of time before they ended up fighting some of Marvel’s biggest heroes… so why not set the Avengers against them? Not only are they doing that, they’re giving it to Jonathan “Reshapes the Marvel Universe on a Whim” Hickman to write, and Esad “Every Page Looks Freaking Awesome” Ribíc, which means it’s going to be damn good. With a team like this, even readers who don’t care for the Alien movies or comics will want to read it.
Aliens vs Avengers #1
Written by Jonathan Hickman
Illustrated by Esad Ribić
Cover by Esad Ribić
Variant covers by Skottie Young, Mark Brooks, Zu Orzu, Tony Daniel, and John Tyler Christopher• ALIENS AND AVENGERS FACE OFF!
• It’s all led to this: Xenomorphs reach Earth! The perfect organism meets a planet of superhumans. Who will be first to fall? Legendary collaborators Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribić cut loose in this four-part epic unmissable for Marvel and Alien fans alike!
6. The Future is Annihilated
“Annihilation” was a massive event for the cosmic side of Marvel, and now it’s getting a 2099 event. Not only that, but the whole five issues will come out in a single month, so readers won’t have to wait to see it play out. “Annihilation 2099” kicks off with a new Nova, but each issue promises new future versions of iconic characters, or even certain characters lasting into the future (oh hi, Dracula). Anyone who’s been enjoying the futuristic dystopia of Marvel 2099 will want to read this and see what heroes rise to the occasion, or if utter annihilation is assured.
Annihilation 2099
Written by Steve Orlando
Illustrated by Ibraim Roberson
Cover by Nick Bradshaw
Variant covers by Ken Lashley and Pete Woods• WHO IS THE LAST NOVA?!
• A remote town on a remote world is devastated by the ravenous, unforgiving KNULL SET, a gang of raiders and thieves obsessed with offering all life up to the darkness.
• But that all changes when a stranger comes to town, a stranger from the stars who answers to his own code. THE LAST SURVIVOR OF XANDAR…the LAST NOVA.
• Who is the Last Nova, and what great tragedy does he carry on his back? Is he the inheritor of the NOVA CORPS or its destroyer?
5. Dive in
Namor the Sub-Mariner is one of those characters who bounces between the hero, anti-hero, and villain roles frequently. Well, he recently had another villain era, and now it’s time to see what’s next for him. So who better for it than Jason Aaron? This story promises to change the status quo for Atlantis and delve into its history, and if it comes even close to its promise of redefining Namor like Jason Aaron did the Punisher, it’ll be a must-read.
Namor #1 (of 8)
Written by Jason Aaron
Illustrated by Paul Davidson and Alex Lins
Cover by Alexander Lozano
Variant covers by Joshua Cassara and Alex Maleev• “LAST KING OF ATLANTIS”
• War rages beneath the waves, from the lost cities of the Secret Seas to the fathomless depths where the Elder Whales reign. Seven kings, old and new, fight to rule the watery realm. But where is Namor, the once mighty Sub-Mariner? He’s sitting behind bars on the surface, with no intention of ever setting foot in the seas again. So begins an oversized Atlantean event that will forever reshape the landscape of the undersea world while at last laying bare the dark history of Atlantis and its fiercest, most infamous defender.
• An epic that will redefine the King of the Seas in the manner of Jason Aaron’s PUNISHER series!
4. Still in Black
When Black Widow first got her symbiote, many (myself included) assumed it would be a flash-in-the-pan change, come and gone within a few issues. Well, she’s still got it, and now we’re getting a comic delving into what it means for her. We’ll get to see Natasha not only utilize the symbiote’s powers, but struggle with what it means to be connected to an alien entity as a source of power. Oh, and it’s also building up to a new Venom-centric storyline, so we’ll be able to enjoy that as well.
Continued belowBlack Widow: Venomous #1
Written by Erica Schultz
Illustrated by Luciano Vecchio
Cover by Leirix
Variant covers by Derrick Chew, InHyuk Lee, and Luciano Vecchio• THE WIDOW’S BITE IS VENOMOUS!
• Natasha Romanoff, the infamous spy known as the Black Widow, didn’t go looking to bond with an alien symbiote. But a good spy works with all the tools available to her, and when one of the most powerful and versatile weapons in the universe lands in your lap…you take it. Now she just needs to figure out how to work with a weapon with its own drives and desires. Redefining Widow’s relationship with her symbiote, and setting the stage for her appearance in Venom War!
3. The Hunt is Over
“Blood Hunt” promises to be one of Marvel’s most violent and, well, bloody events in a while. Now it comes to an end, and it promises big changes for the Marvel Universe. Jed MacKay has written some excellent comics, so I have faith that whatever he has planned for “Blood Hunt” will be thrilling and engaging, and I look forward to seeing how it ends. However it plays out, and whatever comes next, we’ve got a lot to get excited for.
Blood Hunt #5 (of 5)
Written by Jed MacKay
Illustrated by Pepe Larraz
Cover by Pepe Larraz
Variant covers by Gabriele Dell’otto, Kael Ngu, Peach Momoko, Mahmud Asrar, and David Baldeón• Doctor Strange is presented with a dread bargain to gain a chance to save the world. The Avengers ride into a battle they cannot win. The dead battle the undead across the globe. Will it be enough? Will the world be saved, and how will it be changed if it is? Featuring a dramatic shift for the future of the Marvel Universe!
2. Unique NYX
Mutantkind has just undergone another huge shift with the end of the Krakoan Era, and now it’s time to settle into a new status quo. We’re getting more than a few new X-titles out of it, and while all of them are worth looking forward to, two of them are topping this list.
“NYX” promises to be a book focusing on mutants as they go through their daily struggles in a post-Krakoa world. It’s not just about the teams, but the characters as individuals. For all the mutants there are in the various X-Men teams and stories, it’s nice to take some time to focus on the individuals and get to see their personal stories, and it sounds like that’s just what we’re getting from “NYX”
NYX #1
Written by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing
Illustrated by Francesco Mortarino
Cover by Sara Pichelli
Variant covers by Stanley “Artgerm” Lau, Pablo Villalobos, Rogê Antônio, Rickie Yagawa, and Todd Nauck• THIS IS NYX!
• This isn’t a book about X-Men. This is a book about mutants living past the end of their world and into a new beginning.
• This is MS. MARVEL embracing her mutant life in the neon streets of the Lower East Side. This is ANOLE trying to keep his head above water. This is WOLVERINE in the shadows of Bushwick, protecting her own. This is PRODIGY writing history as it happens – and SOPHIE CUCKOO finding her own way.
• The news reports are bleak. The streets feel dangerous. There’s something lurking underground. Evil coming from every direction. But they’re determined to make it. This is mutant community. This is mutant pride. This is NYX.
1. The Next in X
But of course, there’s also a classic X-Men team book to enjoy. I just praised Jed MacKay’s writing two blurbs ago, and now we’re getting his take on a new team of X-Men, featuring an excellent assortment of characters who are sure to bring new character dynamics and chemistry into the mix. Plus, we’ve got Ryan Stegman on the art, which is always a plus.
This is one of several new X-titles to come out after the fall of Krakoa and ORCHIS, but any of them are deserving of a spot on this list. For fans of the X-Men, July can’t come soon enough.
Continued belowX-Men #1
Written by Jed MacKay
Illustrated by Ryan Stegman
Cover by Ryan Stegman
Variant covers by John Tyler Christopher, Mr. Garcin, Skottie Young, J. Scott Campbell, George Pérez, Tony Daniel, and Scott Koblish• FROM THE ASHES!
• Krakoa is gone, ORCHIS has fallen…but the X-Men remain, always. Cyclops leads, because that is what he does. Beast builds, because that is what he does. And from their new home in Alaska, the X-Men raise a flag of defiance. Mutant business is their business. Join CYCLOPS, BEAST, MAGNETO, PSYLOCKE, KID OMEGA, TEMPER, MAGIK and JUGGERNAUT as new forces in the world move into position, battling for the destiny and philosophy of the mutant species.
Check out the full solicitations over at CBR.com.
