The watchful, completely objective and correct gaze of Soliciting Multiversity now falls upon Marvel’s crop of titles for March 2016! Check out our picks below and let us know what stuck out to you in the comics.
If you want to follow along here’s Marvel’s November 2015 solicitations courtesy of CBR.
10. Infinity In The Palm Of Your Gauntlet
I find it super weird that Jim Starlin and Alan Davis have spent the past twelve years or so creating followups to “Infinity Gauntlet” with relatively little fanfare. Jim Starlin has been writing pseudo-sequels to the “Infinity Gauntlet”, a book that is considered one of Marvel’s best stories among people never read it. This is kind of like if DC were producing “Dark Knight Returns III” and just not giving any sense of push towards it. Ah well. I read the first issue of “Thanos vs. Hulk” which I think(???) is part of this whole storyline and enjoyed it so how bad could “Infinity Entity” be? It even rhymes!
THE INFINITY ENTITY #1 (of 4)
JIM STARLIN (W) • ALAN DAVIS (A/C)
VARIANT COVER BY RON LIM
VARIANT COVER BY TBA
FROM THE PAGES OF THE THANOS: THE INFINITY RELATIVITY OGN!
When last we saw Adam Warlock, he was a captive of Annihilus of the Negative Zone. So where does THE INFINITY ENTITY #1 find him? Hanging with the original Avengers? Then things start getting weird. But what else would you expect from the cosmic team of Jim Starlin and Alan Davis? Guest starring the Guardians of the Galaxy.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
9. The Avengers Play Fallout 3
I’m not entirely sure what “Avengers Standoff” is going to be since we’re still elbow deep in “Secret Wars”, but I sincerely hope that it’s just that Tranquility Lane level from Fallout 3 but with a really confused Sam Wilson. Just have an issue where a Vault-Tec HYDRA scientist disguised as a little girl reveals that she turned Liam Neeson Steve Rogers into a dog. Then have the Hulk show up in Fawkes cosplay. Please.
AVENGERS STANDOFF: ASSAULT ON PLEASANT HILL ALPHA #1
NICK SPENCER (W) • JESUS SAIZ (A/C)
CONNECTED VARIANT COVER BY ART ADAMS
PARTY VARIANT COVER BY TBA
PARTY SKETCH VARIANT COVER BY TBA
Pleasant Hill looks like the perfect small-town community — but uTnderneath the surface, a deadly secret lurks. One so explosive it will draw estranged allies Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson back together to save a friend in danger and put things right. But when the combined might of the Captain Americas isn’t enough, whom do they call? In the face of unspeakable evil, it’s time for the Avengers to Assemble like never before! The blockbuster spring AVENGERS event starts right here!
40 PGS./ One-shot/Rated T+ …$4.99
8. Silk and Spider-Man Reenact An Ashton Kutcher Movie(?)
I feel like “The Spider(Fly) Effect” would have had a different title if we hadn’t spend a year doing nothing but “Spider-Verse” for the past two years of Spider-Man books, thus taking up all the good time travel spider puns. That is literally the only opinion I have on this book at this time, except that the latest “Silk” series is pretty dope.
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN & SILK: THE SPIDER(FLY) EFFECT #1
Robbie Thompson (W) • TODD NAUCK (A)
Cover by Scott Forbes
Spider-Man and Silk aren’t necessarily pals right now, but they’ve got no choice but to work together when they accidentally travel back in time to just BEFORE they got their spider-powers! Now, they have to get along while stopping a threat to the timeline…WITHOUT accidentally wiping out their own powers! Writer Robbie Thompson (Silk, Venom: Spaceknight) teams with artist Todd Nauck (Nightcrawler, Amazing Spider-Man) to bring us a tale of Amazing Anachronistic Arachnids! Collecting the first two chapters of the Infinite Comic series.
40 PGS./Rated T …$4.99
7. Spooky Scary House
I am all in on a “Haunted Mansion” book from Joshua Williamson if it’s just an extended “Nailbiter” retread with Eddie Murphy. Also, considering how trippy the art on “John Flood” can get, I think it’s safe to say that Jorge Coelho’s position on this book means it’ll be one hell of a trip. Expect this to be a quiet sleeper hit when March rolls around.
Continued belowHAUNTED MANSION #1 (of 5)
JOSHUA WILLIAMSON (W) • JORGE COELHO (A)
COVER BY E.M. GIST
VARIANT COVER BY BRIAN CROSBY
YOUNG VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
WELCOME, FOOLISH MORTALS, TO THE HAUNTED MANSION!
It seems that no one lives in the elegant mansion on the hill…but then where’s that creepy organ music coming from? Are the iron gates meant to keep people out…or some things in? Get ready to meet the 999 ghosts of the Haunted Mansion…but be warned, they’re looking for the 1000th! The delightfully chilling Disney attraction comes to (after)life in an all-new story, penned by JOSHUA WILLAMSON with art by JORGE COELHO! Don’t miss the next great Disney Kingdoms adventure, and the most spine-tingling experience you’ll find this side of a Doom Buggy!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
Elements based on Haunted Mansion © Disney
6. International Man of Iron
Honest question: Has the latest “Iron Man” series been a big enough hit to warrant a spin-off? I know that Bendis isn’t legally allowed to touch anything without it turning it a franchise around him (Guardians of the Galaxy, All-New X-Men, etc.)? “International Iron Man” seems to be doing something unique by delving into the adoption mystery that Kieron Gillen introduced during his run and we’ve even got Alex Maleev here to shake things up but isn’t this the kind of story that could just be done in the main “Iron Man” book? Because I’m caught up with that series and it really feels like it’s stalling for time. Hopefully “International Iron Man” can change that and get everything firing on all gears.
IINTERNATIONAL IRON MAN #1
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • ALEX MALEEV (A/C)
Variant by Gabriele Dell’Otto
YOUNG VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
HIP-HOP VARIANT BY MARCO D’ALFONSO
Who is Tony Stark, really? Since learning that he was adopted as a baby, this question has cast a shadow over Stark’s life. Now, it is time to uncover what his legacy truly is, a journey that will carry Tony into new directions as a man and as a super hero. Alongside his strange new quasi-ally Doctor Doom, Iron Man will discover new things about the Marvel Universe he didn’t know existed before! A character deconstruction from Bendis and Maleev along the lines of their award-winning DAREDEVIL run!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
5. The Dream of The 90’s Is Alive In Marvel
Hey look, we called this last month when the trade of the “Secret Wars” tie-in for “X-Men ’92” was listed as volume zero. Believe in the solicitation tealeaves.
Even though I wasn’t completley sold on “’92” during its “Secret Wars” run, I’m glad Marvel’s sticking through with letting weirder concepts like this, “Spider-Gwen” and “Weirdworld” spicen up the Marvel multiverse. Hopefully it kind of follows the last series’s idea of placing modernish X-Men characters in the “’92” universe like they did with Cassandra Nova. I want a retread of “The Apocalypse Solution” with Gambit skateboarding over Kid Apocalypse’s corpse.
X-MEN ’92 #1
CHRIS SIMS & CHAD BOWERS (W) • ALTI FIRMANSYAH (A)
Cover by DAVID NAKAYAMA
HIP-HOP VARIANT BY AFUA RICHARDSON
ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
VARIANT COVER BY TBA
The X-Men of the 90s are back! Continuing from the hit Secret Wars series starring the X-Men of a more EXTREME decade. With Cassandra Nova defeated, the X-Men have taken in all the young mutants she had rounded up and are officially reopening the Xavier School for Gifted Children…but being responsible won’t stop them from having crazy adventures! Especially when Omega Red shows up with the (Formerly) Soviet Super Soldiers!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
4. Acting As Your Own Hyperion Man
Hyperion, at least the current version of the character, debuted three years ago and really hasn’t done anything besides that awesome origin story where he was the last survivor of a world destroyed by the incursions. Now that the incursions have been dealt with, where does that leave him besides that “Squadron Supreme” comic where he’s helping to kill Namor and other characters I love? Apparently, it’s by throwing him into that “Grounded” storyline they had in Superman where Clark Kent walked across America to discover it. “Hyperion” seems to be a little more self-aware than that, promising trailers getting swung around like baseball bats. I just hope that Wendig and Virella can find a suitable spot for Hyperion in Marvel.
Continued belowHYPERION #1
Chuck Wendig (W) • Nik Virella (A)
Cover by Emanuela Lupacchino
Variant cover by Emanuela Lupacchino
HIP-HOP VARIANT BY SHAWNA MILLS
ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
BLACK PANTHER 50TH ANNIVERSARY VARIANT COVER BY KERON GRANT
HYPERION IS BACK!
Or is he? The high-powered hero is hiding in plain sight, driving a truck across the U.S. to learn about the country he has adopted. Along the way, he picks up a lone runaway named Doll, who has more baggage than he anticipated. Doll is in danger, chased by a pack of freaks and lunatics known as THE CARNIES. Will Hyperion reveal himself to save her? Maybe! Will he use a tractor trailer as a baseball bat? Probably!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
3. Finally
A brief history of Miracleman: Miracleman started off as a Captain Marvel rip-off written by some British guy in the 60’s. In the 80’s, another British guy picked up the character and reinvented comic books. Then, in the 90’s, some more British guys tried to work on the character before Todd MacFarlane spent four years insisting that Miracleman belonged in Spawn. Marvel bought the rights to Miracleman like twenty years ago, and they’ve slowly been re-releasing the 60’s stuff before slowly releasing the 80’s stuff. Now we’ve reached the point where we’re just releasing the 90’s stuff that did come out before any actual new “Miracleman” material will be released.
Comics exhaust me.
MIRACLEMAN BY GAIMAN & BUCKINGHAM: THE SILVER AGE #1
NEIL GAIMAN (W) • MARK BUCKINGHAM (A/C)
Variant cover by CHRIS SPROUSE
Variant cover by PHIL NOTO
• Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham’s unfinished storyline “The Silver Age” begins!
• Young Miracleman — the lost member of the Miracleman Family — is back!
• His last memories were of a 1963 world of joy and innocence. Now, he’s been thrust into the 21st century, where his best friends have become gods and monsters.
• Remastered with stunning new artwork by Mark Buckingham!
• Including material originally presented in MIRACLEMAN (1985) #23, plus bonus content.
48 PGS./Mature …$4.99
2. Catching Fire
Hey, Marvel just remembered that Mockingbird is one of the most underrated characters and not that bad Jennifer Lawrence movie. Yay!
I haven’t read Chelsea Cain’s book but her work on thrillers will certainly preparer for Bobbi Morse. I’m just curious to see how she and Kate Niemczyk will differentiate Bobbi from the other female spies trawling around Marvel like Peggy Carter (who is not currently in a book) and Black Widow (who absolutely is). Bonus: you should really check out Niemczyk’s DeviantArt if you’re a Bioware fan. She has a couple great fan comics up on her page.
MOCKINGBIRD #1
CHELSEA CAIN (W) • KATE NIEMCZYK (A)
Cover by JOELLE JONES
VARIANT COVER BY AFU CHAN
Women of Power Variant COVER BY TBA
Hip-Hop variant COVER by Jeff Dekal
YOUNG VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
BECAUSE YOU DEMANDED IT! Now in her own ongoing series!
Bobbi Morse is Mockingbird, S.H.I.E.L.D.’s most versatile, most in-demand agent!
But a string of missions gone wrong indicate that something strange is lurking within S.H.I.E.L.D.’s own medical and recovery network. How far will Mockingbird have to go in order to solve this puzzle box and get to the truth? Bestselling author Chelsea Cain teams with newcomer Kate Niemczyk.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
1. World’s Most Wanted
The boys behind “Daredevil” are back in town. Considering they radically changed the game for Matt Murdock, it goes without saying that their take on Natasha Romanoff is going to turn heads. Metaphorically speaking and literally when Black Widow breaks some guy’s neck.
BLACK WIDOW #1
Chris Samnee & Mark Waid (w) • CHRIS SAMNEE (a/C)
Hip-Hop variant COVER by Phil Noto
variant COVER by Tula Lotay
YOUNG VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
WOMEN OF POWER VARIANT COVER BY TBA
S.H.I.E.L.D.’S MOST WANTED!
The Eisner Award-winning team of Mark Waid and Chris Samnee are taking Black Widow on the lam! Natasha has spent years gathering secrets, and when some of the darkest ones begin mysteriously going public, no one is safe. With her betrayed former confederates at S.H.I.E.L.D. on her heels and a lifetime of training and ingenuity at her disposal, Natasha’s out for answers in a knock-down-drag-out tale of action and espionage! Hidden enemies, old friends and unusual allies collide, and all eyes are on Black Widow. The chase is on!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
