As we enter the last quarter of 2023, Marvel continues to throw new comics, annuals, and surprises at us. This is the month we get the long-advertised Frost-Stark wedding, Nightcrawler becomes a Spider-Man, and more. So without further ado, let’s see what’s in store.
10. A Most Brutal of Crossovers
This one’s inclusion isn’t exactly deep. Marvel is publishing “Predator” comics, and Benjamin Percy thought it would be awesome to have Wolverine fight one. Frankly, I’m inclined to agree; Wolverine is just as deadly a hunter and fighter as any Predator, not to mention both are exceedingly hard to kill, so putting the two together in a fight to the death is just going to be nonstop bloody action. Is it going to be a meaningful, philosophical character study? Of course not, it’s going to be a series of extended action scenes, and sometimes that’s just fine.
Predator vs Wolverine #1 (of 4)
Written by Benjamin Percy
Illustrated by Greg Land, Andrea Di Vito, and more
Cover by Marco Checchetto
Variant covers by Skottie Young, Mike McKome, Peach Momoko, InHyuk Lee, Steve McNiven, John Romita Jr., and Alex Maleev• THE THRILL IS THE KILL!
• The bloodthirsty saga you’ve been waiting for! Wolverine has lived one of the longest and most storied lives in Marvel Comics history. Now witness the untold greatest battles of Logan’s life – against a Predator! One Yautja seeks the greatest prey in existence – and finds it in Weapon X. From the blood-ridden snows of the Canadian wilderness to the sword-slinging streets of Madripor, Wolverine and a Predator break everything in their paths on their way to the ultimate victory…or glorious death. Superstar writer Benjamin Percy brings the bloodiest hunters in all pop culture to their knees!
9. Oh Snap!
There was one undeniable runaway star of the Loki series on Disney+. I am, of course, talking about Alligator Loki, who stole every scene by virtue of being an alligator with a Loki helm. So it only made sense for him to get a series of Infinity Comics, giving quick and comedic snapshots of Alligator Loki’s life, and now it’s coming to print with a special one-shot. If you’re looking for a cute, quick comic featuring an animal character (a very specific but common need), this will undoubtedly scratch that itch.
Alligator Loki #1
Written by Alyssa Wong
Illustrated by Bob Quinn
Cover by Bob Quinn
Variant covers by Skottie Young and Doaly• ALLIGATOR LOKI MAKES A SPLASH IN HIS PRINT COMIC DEBUT!
• Bow down to the reptile in a helm who has enraptured the Ten Realms…with his cuteness! First Alligator Loki chomped down on Mjolnir, and then he chomped his way into our hearts. Now, the beloved Alligator of Mischief finds – and makes – trouble all across the Marvel Universe in his very own comic!
• Collecting the hit Infinity Comics series from the Marvel Unlimited app, this one-shot includes a never-before-seen adventure in the life of everyone’s favorite swamp-dwelling scamp!
8. Avengers Are In Business
There are plenty of “Avengers” adjacent comics out there, but some of the most interesting and memorable ones are the ones that break the mold and exist as something different. This is what “Avengers Inc.” promises to be, focusing on a few characters solving mysteries with their powers, rather than just fighting bigger and badder threats. This brings Janet Van Dyne back into the spotlight, but putting her in a new role with a new cast, and Al Ewing’s track record makes it clear that this is going to be a must-read comic.
Continued belowAvengers Inc. #1
Written by Al Ewing
Illustrated by Leonard Kirk
Cover by Daniel Acuña
Variant covers by Alex Ross, Leinil Francis Yu, Sean Galloway, Leonardo Romero, and Erica D’urso• ACTION! MYSTERY! ADVENTURE!
• Her name is Janet Van Dyne. She’s a hero. She’s a celebrity. She’s hunting a killer.
• His name is Victor Shade. He’s a villain. He’s an enigma. He just got killed.
• And together, they’re out to solve every mystery in the Marvel Universe…starting with their own.
• AL EWING and LEONARD KIRK bring you a whole new style of Avenging – from a whole new style of Avengers…
7. Agatha’s Endgame
This year, nearly all Annual issues are a connected story wherein Agatha Harkness is setting up characters to fight each other, for reasons unknown. Well, it all comes to a close here, and the reasons will be made clear. Does it also involve Agatha getting younger, and possible looking more like Kathryn Hahn, just in time for Agatha: Coven of Chaos on Disney+? Most likely. But will we get a good story out of it? We’re about to find out, and with all the Annual issues leading up to this, it’s going to be one worth keeping an eye on.
Avengers Annual #1
Written by Stephanie Phillips
Illustrated by Alberto Foche
Cover by Paco Medina
Variant covers by Bryan Hitch• CONTEST OF CHAOS FINALE!
• When Agatha pits the Avengers against the winners of the previous chaos battles, they realize they must choose between saving their friends and stopping the creation of the new Darkhold. But their choice may have consequences that no one – not even Agatha – could have imagined.
6. Devil Out of Hell
What do you do after a critically-acclaimed run on “Daredevil” comes to an end? Bring in a new creative team and see what’s next for the man without fear. Saladin Ahmed and Aaron Kuder are taking over a new “Daredevil” run, picking up where Chip Zdarsky’s run ends and bringing readers new adventures and questions alike. Saladin has an excellent track record, so it will be exciting to see his take on Daredevil and what he has planned for the character.
Daredevil #1
Written by Saladin Ahmed
Illustrated by Aaron Kuder
Cover by John Romita Jr.
Variant covers by Stanley “Artgerm” Lau, Alexander Lozano, Pepe Larraz, Aaron Kuder, Whilce Portacio, and Frank Miller• BORN AGAIN!
• The new era of Daredevil starts here! Industry stars SALADIN AHMED and AARON KUDER have laced up and entered the ring, ready to take Matt Murdock on a knockout of an adventure! Where does Elektra fit into all of this? What is the future of Hell’s Kitchen? Romance! Intrigue! And, of course, ACTION! All delivered in the Mighty Marvel Manner!
5. From Nightcrawler to Wall-Crawler
The “Fall of X” hits each mutant differently, and for Nightcrawler, it means it’s time to take on a new role for a bit… as Spider-Man. Yes, Kurt certainly has the wall-crawling and acrobatics to take on the role, even if he’s less of a web-slinger and more of a teleporter, so the next step in his journey takes him in a new direction, and it will be very interesting to see where it all goes. Of course, no Spider-person is complete without a major sense of guilt and responsibility weighing them down, and it will almost assuredly be the same for Nightcrawler. So let’s see what comes next for him after the Hellfire Gala goes wrong.
Uncanny Spider-man #1 (of 5)
Written by Si Spurrier
Illustrated by Lee Garbett
Cover by Tony Daniel
Variant covers by Skottie Young, Lee Garbett, and Dave Wachter• THE NIGHTCRAWLING WALL-CRAWLER!
• On the darkest of days, he is the spark in the shadows! After the devastating events of the Hellfire Gala, Kurt Wagner is on the run – and having the time of his life?! Swashbuckling about NYC in disguise, the Uncanny Wallcrawler sets aside his mutant angst and dedicates himself to the hero’s life: saving civilians, hanging with fellow wallcrawlers, battling baddies, and hunting down the best pizza on the planet. But he can’t ignore the mutant plight forever… Si Spurrier and Lee Garbett launch a joyful, sexy series that will shake Nightcrawler to his foundations – and have a hell of a good time doing it!
4. A Long Way Down
At this point, it’ll be more surprising to have a month where “Fantastic Four” doesn’t make the top ten picks. Few other comics can claim to be so consistently good, both in writing and artwork. This issue focuses on a personal favorite character, Ben Grimm/the Thing, as he’s stuck in a situation he can’t clobber his way out of. Who and what are causing Ben and his house to plummet to the center of the Earth? How will he get out of it? I have no idea, but it’ll be great to find out. (And of equal importance: there will evidently be an adorable dog in this issue, which counts for a lot too.)
Continued belowFantastic Four #11
Written by Ryan North
Illustrated by Iban Coello
Cover by Alex Ross
Variant cover by Alexander Lozano• Ben Grimm wakes up to find himself in an impossible situation – and facing certain doom!
• He – alongside the house he was sleeping in and everything in it – are in freefall through a colossal metal hole…falling all the way to the Earth’s core, where he’ll be cooked, crushed and destroyed!
• And as Ben tries desperately to save himself, a mysterious villain from the past is revealed! The Thing, working alone, must now save the Fantastic Four, the town – and a little dog too.
• At least he won’t die alone…
3. Invasion’s Over
“Ultimate Invasion” is bringing the Ultimate universe back… or is it? Yes, this solicitation does like its questions, but they are questions I can’t wait to see answered. Jonathan Hickman is crafting stories with unexpected twists and turns all over the place, so we can’t begin to imagine how things will play out and end, but if the first issue was any indication, it’s going to be quite the ride. So let’s see how things end for “Ultimate Invasion,” and what’s next for the Maker, Miles Morales, and the Ultimate universe as a whole.
Ultimate Invasion #4 (of 4)
Written by Jonathan Hickman
Illustrated by Bryan Hitch
Cover by Bryan Hitch
Variant covers by Francis Manapul and Leinil Francis Yu• THE END…OR THE BEGINNING?
• War breaks out as timelines and universes collide! Iron Man must choose between the lesser of two evils – the Maker or Kang. But what secret does Iron Man know about the men behind the masks?
• And at the end of it all, the world outside your window will be forever changed!
• Don’t miss this giant-sized, action-packed conclusion – or is it only the beginning…?
2. What’s Next for Cap?
Here’s another comic starting anew after a great run: “Captain America” is kicking off a new story with a new team, with J. Michael Straczynski and Jesús Saiz taking the wheel. This is a creative team with some excellent comics under their collective belts, so it’ll be exciting to see what they do with Steven Rogers, especially in the wake of “Cold War.” And for a character like Captain America, for whom history is so important, the promise to bring his past, present, and future together for this new run sounds like a good start to me.
Captain America #1
Written by J. Michael Straczynski
Illustrated by Jesús Saiz
Cover by Jesús Saiz
Variant covers by Frank Miller, George Pérez, John Romita Jr., Michael Cho, Olivier Coipel, Humberto Ramos, Gary Frank, and Dike Ruan• WHAT FUTURE AWAITS THE MAN OUT OF TIME?
• Decades ago, Steve Rogers changed the world forever. Now powerful and insidious forces are assembling to ensure he never does it again. Past, present and future collide as the man out of time reckons with an existential threat determined to set the world on a darker path at any cost…
• Esteemed creators J. Michael Straczynski (THOR, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN) and Jesús Saiz (PUNISHER, DOCTOR STRANGE) embark on an exhilarating new journey for CAPTAIN AMERICA!
1. Wedding of the Century?
Let’s be real: this isn’t just a comic book marriage. Tony and Emma don’t exactly have a lengthy romantic history, and the announcement of their marriage came completely out of the blue for everyone. So, what’s actually at play here? There’s a number of possibilities, ranging from the two of them setting a trap for their mutual enemies to Emma Frost needing protection after the Hellfire Gala to twists we can’t even begin to anticipate. But one thing we do know is that Gerry Duggan is a talented comic book writer, and whatever he has planned for the two, it’s going to be fun to read. So while I don’t think anyone should be buying anything from the Frost-Stark wedding registry or sending their congratulations yet, I do think that this will be a comic worth getting regardless.
Continued belowInvincible Iron Man #10
Written by Gerry Duggan
Illustrated by Juan Frigeri
Cover by Lucas Werneck
Variant covers by Megham Hetrick, Cafu, George Pérex, and Lucas Wreneck• You are cordially invited to the wedding of Anthony Edward Stark and Emma Grace Frost…Come join the lucky couple as they exchange vows. Attire is Hellfire formal. Orchis raid to follow. Plus some exclusive wedding extras!
Check out the full solicitations over at CBR.com.
