Some months it’s hard to find enough interesting solicits for the top ten list. This is not one of those months. Between all the comics following the fallout of “War of the Realms” – both new series featuring heroic debuts and new directions for old ones – and the new events or arcs kicking off here, there are more comics worth looking out for than this list can hold. But after much consideration (and the occasional coin flip) here’s the top ten comics from Marvel we can look forward to in July.
10. Speed Weasel Don’t Care
“Secret Warps” is back this month, so if anyone thought we’d seen the last of Soldier Supreme, Arachknight and so on once “Secret Wars” ended, I hope you’re pleasantly surprised. We’ll get to see how several of the amalgamated heroes are doing in their own pocket dimension, but what makes Weapon Hex the one most worth reading? Two words: Speed Weasel. Yes, the combination of Quicksilver and Honey Badger means that this comic is not to be missed. You heard it here first.
Secret Warps: Weapon Hex Annual #1
Written by Al Ewing and Tim Seeley
Illustrated by Carlos Villa and Bob Quinn
Cover by Carlos Gomez
Variant cover by Carlos Pacheco• “SECRET WARPS,” PART 2
• INFERNO ATTACKS!
• Weapon Hex and Speed Weasel join the fight for Warp World as the forces of Hell invade the streets of New York City!
• PLUS: A bonus tale of the spellbound sisters taking down a ferocious furry femme!
• 40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99
9. Talk About Death Metal
At first, the idea of a comic about Death’s Head seemed ridiculous. The mechanical mercenary has nearly always taken an antagonistic role while still being quickly overcome by the heroes. What’s there to be gained from a character like Death Head? Well, Tini Howard has an idea: throw him in a punk show and have him team up with Hulkling and Wiccan. It’s just crazy enough to work, so let’s see where this concept takes it.
Death’s Head #1
Written by Tini Howard
Illustrated by Kei Zama
Cover by Nick Roche
Variant covers by Mike McKone and Liam Sharp• Rising stars Tini Howard & Kei Zama take on Marvel UK’s hottest character,
• Death’s Head, in a new miniseries!
• When a job goes wrong, intergalactic mech merc Death’s Head wakes up half-assembled at a punk show! And if the crowd full of deodorant-eschewing youths wasn’t enough, the Young Avengers show up! Well, half of them anyway. Hulkling and Wiccan face down the best freelance peacekeeping agent in this universe!
• 32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99
8. Nova’s Return?
Sam Alexander had his Nova helmet taken from him back in the prelude to “Infinity Wars,” and the character has been all-too underutilized since then. His presence on the Champions team was more symbolic than anything else, to the annoyance of both the character and readers. Fortunately, Jim Zub is more than aware of this, and recently took him back into space to amend this mistake. So will our favorite young Nova get his powers back? Most likely. But I’m looking forward to seeing how it plays out.
Champions #7
Written by Jim Sub
Illustrated by Steven Cummings
Cover by Kim Jacinto• The WAR OF THE REALMS is over, but its effect on the Champions has shaken the team to its very core.
• Meanwhile, Sam Alexander’s mission in space takes an unexpected turn.
• Will he find redemption, or is this the last ride for the human rocket?
• 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
7. Onwards, Ignoble Steed!
Yes, the War of the Realms still has a tie-in or two left to finish. Most importantly: it has Squirrel Girl’s tie-in. We get to see the team-up between Doreen and Ratatoskr come to its thrilling conclusion, complete with all the wit and joy we’ve come to expect from the series. Plus, look at that cover. That is an amazing cover.
Continued belowThe Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #46
Written by Ryan North
Illustrated by Derek Charm
Cover by Erica Henderson• A WAR OF THE REALMS TIE-IN!
• The MOST squirrel-centric WAR OF THE REALMS tie-in reaches its conclusion! Only one woman stands between the invading army of the Frost Giants and utter disaster on Earth, and that woman is SQUIRREL GI— hold on… hold on, sorry. I’m getting word that not one but TWO women actually stand between the Giants and utter disaster on Earth, and one of them is…RATATOSKR?? It seems unlikely that the Norse god of gossip would be on Team Doreen, let alone a valuable member of it — but hey, stranger things have happened, right?
• I can’t think of any off the top of my head, but they’ve probably happened. Can SQUIRREL GIRL team up with her SMACK-TALKING ENEMY? Can two people who couldn’t be more different find a common ground in time to save everyone? And will BRAIN DRAIN make it back from the Negative Zone??
• You may THINK you know the answers to these questions, but only by purchasing and then reading this illustrated picto-narrative will your suspicions be confirmed or denied!
6. Can’t Keep a Trickster Down
Let’s be honest, does anyone think Loki will ever stay dead? Every time he bites the dust, a countdown clock begins for his inevitable revival. So now Daniel Kibblesmith takes over, with a new journey to explore, and his past experience makes me think it’s going to be a fun ride. Will the new team be able to balance the wit, humor and drama of being Loki? I look forward to finding out.
Loki #1
Written by Daniel Kibblesmith
Illustrated by Oscar Bazaldua
Cover by Ozgur Yildrim
Variant covers by Rafael Albuquerque, Will Sliney, and Ema Lupacchino• After dying a grisly death in THE WAR OF THE REALMS, Loki learned a valuable lesson in warmongering: Don’t get caught. But now he has a whole new set of responsibilities — and his brother Thor is not about to let him walk away from them this time. Late Show and BLACK PANTHER VS. DEADPOOL writer Daniel Kibblesmith takes the god of mischief in a thrilling new direction!
• 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
5. She’s Back!
Jane’s journey is far from over. She was a fantastic Thor, but just like so many hammer-wielders have taken their own identities once the Odinson returned, Jane is taking on a new mantle. In this case, she’s picking up the role of Valkyrie, so Jason Aaron and Al Ewing can continue writing fantastic adventures with her. It’ll be good to see Jane back in an action-filled comic, and knowing what’s in store for her makes “War of the Realms” even more exciting for her character.
Valkyrie #1
Written by Jason Aaron & Al Ewing
Illustrated by Cafu
Cover by Mahmud Asrar
Variant covers by Russell Dauterman and Terry Dodson• JANE FOSTER STARS IN AN ALL-NEW NEW ONGOING SERIES!
• A new hero emerges straight from the pages of THE WAR OF THE REALMS! For years, you knew her as Dr. Jane Foster, one of Thor’s most steadfast companions. Then you knew her as Thor, the Goddess of Thunder, who took up the mantle when no other hero – god or human – was worthy. Now Jane takes on a new role as Valkyrie, guide and ferrywoman to the dead! But her days of punching are far from over. WAR OF THE REALMS master architect Jason Aaron and superstar Al Ewing (IMMORTAL HULK) join forces with rising star artist CAFU for the book that’ll have everyone talking!
• 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
4. Red Hot Marvel Comics Summer
Summertime, the glorious season of vacations, beach trips, and trying not to melt in the scorching heat! There’s nothing like a good “beach episode” to lighten the mood, which is just what the Summer Special is giving us. Am I expecting intense, introspective character work or changes that will upend the status quo? Of course not. Am I expecting gratuitous comic book violence featuring my favorite characters in swimsuits? Absolutely. And sometimes that’s all we really need.
Continued belowMarvel Summer Special #1
Written by various writers
Illustrated by various artists
Cover by Adam Hughes
Variant Cover by Ron Lim• A classic Marvel tradition gets a spin in a sun-splashed Marvel summer special!
• To honor Marvel’s 80th anniversary, it’s a throwback to the knockout 90s! Today’s writers and artists take Marvel’s biggest characters to the beach and back for a romp even your mother will love. Even heroes deserve a day off in this summertime extravaganza. Whether you’re trying to beat the heat or beat up Sandman, this book is the only beach read you’ll need the summer.
• 40 PGS./one-shot/Rated T+ …$4.99
3. And So It Ends
After every big comic event, we need to take a look at everything that’s gone down and see how it all wraps up. Characters are left to pick up the pieces, and we can take a moment to see how much as changed for everyone. The Omega issue will show us that, but it’s clear that the end of the “War of the Realms” will lead into new story arcs for plenty of characters. Let’s see where it goes.
War of the Realms Omega #1
Written by Jason Aaron, Al Ewing, Gerry Duggan, and Daniel Kibblesmith
Illustrated by Juan Ferreyra and more
Cover by Phil Noto• THE WAR IS OVER – AND THE MARVEL UNIVERSE MUST PICK UP THE PIECES!
• Midgard is broken, and as heroes of Asgard and Earth alike start to sift through the pieces, new heroes — and villains — emerge. What’s next for Jane Foster, now free of the hammer she was willing to die to hold? Thor’s brother Loki faced a terrible fate in the War of the Realms — and now the god of mischief must make himself anew. For the Punisher, the war isn’t even close to finished — but this time, he’s got his own army. And for Thor himself, destiny has finally arrived. The God of Thunder strikes out for a whole new adventure!
• 40 PGS./one-shot/Rated T+ …$4.99
2. X, X, Baby
Is there any team that goes through quite as much as the X-Men? Maybe, but there’s no denying there seems to be something new impacting them with surprising frequency. So what does ”Powers of X” have in store for us? New directions for classic characters, yes, but also a new shift to their status quo. I look forward to seeing what Jonathan Hickman has planned for them.
Powers of X #1
Written by Jonathan Hickman
Illustrated by R.B. Silva
Cover by R.B. Silva
Variant covers by Mark Brooks, John Tyler Christopher, Mike Huddleston, Dustin Weaver, Dave Cockrum, and Scottie Young• FEAR THE FUTURE
• Superstar writer Jonathan Hickman (INFINTY, NEW AVENGERS, FF) continues his revolutionary new direction for the X-Men. Intertwining with HOUSE OF X, POWERS OF X reveals the secret past, present and future of mutantkind, changing the way you look at every X-Men story before and after. You do not want to miss the next seminal moment in the history of the X-Men!
• 40 PGS./Rated T+ …$5.99
1. History of the World: Part 1
To say the Marvel Universe has a lengthy history would be putting it mildly. With decades of content, spin-offs, multiple universes, soft reboots, hard reboots, retcons to the reboots and more, it can be hard for new readers to jump in and old readers to keep track of everything. So Mark Waid is undertaking the monumental task of chronicling everything that ever was – quite a task, to be certain, but if there’s anyone I’d trust to do it, it’s Mark Waid. With six issues to summarize the entire history of Marvel, it may be a bit abridged, but it should still make a great reference for new and old readers alike.
History of the Marvel Universe #1
Written by Mark Waid
Illustrated by Javier Rodriguez
Cover by Steve McNiven
Variant covers by Javier Rodriguez, Nick Bradshaw, John Buscema, David Marquez, and Steve McNiven• Everything you ever wanted to know about the Marvel Universe — in one lavishly illustrated series!
• From the Big Bang to the twilight of existence, HISTORY OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE chronicles completely, for the first time, everything that was, is or will be!
• Lushly illustrated text tells the complete story of the Marvel Universe, revealing previously unknown secrets and serving as the ultimate reference book for Marvel fans! Witness the greatest tale ever told — and be prepared for some shocking revelations!
• 32 PGS./Rated T …$4.99
Check out the full solicitations over at CBR.com.
