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Soliciting Multiversity: Marvel’s Top 10 for July 2018

By | April 26th, 2018
Posted in Columns | % Comments

Another month and even more new series or #1 issues to look at! Not all of them can make the cut, but there are plenty of issues worth looking forward to, so let’s take a look at the top ten.

10. Unbeatable Team-Up

It’s no secret that Ms. Marvel and Squirrel Girl are two of my favorite characters in the Marvel universe, so seeing them team-up is always a treat. The recent “Marvel Rising” comic with the two of them was a fun little AIM-beating romp, and now we get to see that story continue, with video game-themed superpowers. There’s no way that won’t be fun, especially with both Ryan North and G. Willow Wilson giving voices to the characters they’ve perfected.

MARVEL RISING: SQUIRREL GIRL/MS. MARVEL #1
Written by Devin Grayson, Ryan North and G. Willow Wilson
Illustrated by Irene Strychalski and Ramon Bachs
Cover by Gurihiru
Variant Cover by Rian Gonzales

• DOUBLE THE ADVENTURE. DOUBLE THE DANGER. DOUBLE THE FUN!
• UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL author Ryan North and MS. MARVEL writer G. Willow Wilson join MARVEL RISING mastermind Devin Grayson in an all-star escapade! Gamer girl Ember Quade has a secret — a power that lets her bring video games to life! But when her creations attract the attention of super heroes SQUIRREL GIRL and MS. MARVEL, the stakes hit a whole new level. Just what is Ember after? And can Squirrel Girl and Ms. Marvel prevent her pixelated projects from wreaking epic destruction? The next generation of heroes take the universe by storm in the third installment of MARVEL RISING!
• 56 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ …$5.99

9. Space Ghost Rider

Frank Castle, The Punisher, has been a lot of things, from War Machine to a Frankensteinian monster, but the recent “Thanos” series went a few steps farther and made him a Ghost Rider with the Power Cosmic who hangs out with an old Thanos while cracking wise.

Yet it all made perfect sense within the context of the series.

So rather than let a good idea stagnate, Donny Cates and Dylan Burnett are doing something with it, and sending him on strange and wild space adventures. This can only be a crazy ride, and I look forward to seeing it.

Cosmic Ghost Rider #1
Written by Donny Cates
Illustrated by Dylan Burnett
Cover by Geoff Shaw
Variant Covers by Mike Deodato Jr, Stephanie Hans, and Mark Brooks

• EXPLODING FROM THE PAGES OF THANOS!
• Frank Castle was the Punisher. A deal with the devil made him Ghost Rider. A deal with Galactus made him cosmic. A deal with Thanos made him…DEAD?!? Not to worry, he’s coming back, and he’s got a plan to make the universe a better place that’s going to lead him into an even CRAZIER adventure than he’s ever been in! Join hot new comic (and cosmic?) writer Donny Cates (THANOS, DOCTOR STRANGE) as he pushes his wildest creation past the breaking point!
• 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

8. Squirrel Behind Bars

Now that Erica Henderson is no longer doing the art for “The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl,” artist Derek Charm is picking up where she left off. While Ryan North’s writing style had great synergy with Erica’s art, no doubt Derek will bring something new and equally good to the table.

And in that time, we get Doreen and Kraven the Hunter teaming up, getting arrested, and having She-Hulk as their lawyer. I never thought we’d see Squirrel Girl get arrested for any reason, but there’s bound to be a great story behind it.

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #34
Written by Ryan North
Illustrated by Derek Charm
Cover by Erica Henderson

• Squirrel Girl and Kraven have had a nice day out as civilians, instead of their usual costumed identities! It was really straightforward and uneventful…
• …is what we’d be saying if this was a way more boring comic, WHICH IT ISN’T! Instead we can say that Squirrel Girl and Kraven battled Mojo’s evil clone and saved the city from his deadly machinations. Then they all got arrested!
• When Doreen Green and Sergei Kravenoff end up BEHIND BARS, can they be saved? Will they even make it to trial? And who will be their lawyer?
• We can answer that last one: It’s obviously going to be none other than JENNIFER WALTERS, the incredible SHE-HULK!
• Doreen behind bars! Kraven on the stand! And a conclusion to the trial that nobody will see coming! It’s all this and more in this particular Marvel comic!
• 32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Continued below

7. War of the Machines

Let’s get back to Frank Castle for a second, and not the cosmic-powered Ghost Rider version. It’s been a lot of fun seeing him fly around in the War Machine armor, exacting his brand of justice, but now that Tony Stark is back, that probably won’t last. We’ll get to see them cross paths and cross fists, pitting Castle’s merciless combat style against Stark’s experience in the armor. Who will win? We, the readers, no doubt.

The Punisher #228
Written by Matthew Rosenberg
Illustrated by Guiu Vilanova
Cover by Clayton Crain

• ARMOR WARS!
• It’s all come down to this. Frank’s used the War Machine armor to cross lines from which he can never come back.
• Some people have taken Frank’s actions personally. One of those people is Tony Stark.
• SUIT UP! It’s the fight you’ve been waiting to see!
• 32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99

6. Wakanda Still

The X-Men have often had a strong connection to Black Panther, due to the time he and Storm were married. That kind of ended when Namor dropped a tidal wave on Wakanda, but that’s how it goes in comics.

So with the Dora Milaje making their Marvel world tour, it only makes sense that they meet up with the X-Men. As they’re already familiar with Storm, it will be great to see them fighting side-by-side, utilizing their familiarity to defeat Malice (who is definitely different than Nakia was in the movie, that’s for sure). Mostly, I just want to see the Milaje interact with more and more of the Marvel universe.

Wakanda Forever: X-Men #1
Written by Nnedi Okorafor
Illustrated by Ray-Anthony Height
Cover by Terry Dodson
Variant Covers by Yasmine Putri and SKottie Young

• Former Dora Milaje member and eternal troublemaker Nakia, A.K.A. Malice, has set a trap to lure the Black Panther into her obsessive clutches! Step One: Take out the Panther’s one true love, Storm of the X-Men! But Nakia didn’t count on the interference of her former warriors-in-arms, the fierce Dora Milaje — and they’re hot on her trail. Can Okoye, Ayo and Aneka capture Malice before she wreaks havoc on their king’s life — again? The talented Ray-Anthony Height joins best-selling author Nnedi Okorafor for the second installment of
• WAKANDA FOREVER!
• 40 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T …$4.99

5. Cap Continues

And here’s another #1 issue for the list, with “Captain America” getting a new first issue. The fallout from “Secret Empire” isn’t over yet, and we’re getting a new set of foes for Steve Rogers to face.

Though I’m sure the aforementioned “Secret Empire” will make the promised co-opting and corrupting of his symbol a little easier. We might even have Stevil running around somewhere in this as well. But I look forward to seeing where Ta-Nehisi Coates takes the character and the story.

Captain America #1
Written by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Illustrated by Leinil Francis Yu
Wraparound Cover by Alex Ross
Variant Covers by Jim Steranko, David Mack, Adam HUghes, and Alex Ross

• IT IS WINTER IN AMERICA.
• For over 70 years, he has stood in stalwart defense of our country and its people. But in the aftermath of Hydra’s takeover of the nation, Captain America is a figure of controversy, carrying a tarnished shield…and a new enemy is rising!
• Who are the Power Elite? And how do they intend to co-opt and corrupt the symbol that is Captain America?
• 40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

4. You Can’t Run From Yourself

When Rainbow Rowell kicked off her run on “Runaways” by bringing Gert back from the dead, she was sure to make the absolute most of all the effects that being brought ahead in time would have. Gert’s adjustment to the new time she found herself in has been one of the more interesting parts of the new run, averting the usual comic trope of quickly adapting to a revival/time jump. Now we’re getting an issue exploring her identity and how things have changed in the years since she died, in addition to the other characters working to find themselves, which will make for a great character-driven issue.

Continued below

Runaways #11
Written by Rainbow Rowell
Illustrated by Kris Anka

• Having purple hair used to be an act of rebellion, but now Gert is just one of many. Which doesn’t sit well with Ms. Yorkes.
• And she’s not the only one wrestling with who they are and what they want as Nico, Chase, Karolina and Victor all wrestle with their own identity crises…
• 40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

3. For SCIENCE!

It’s great that Kamala and Bruno are working on repairing their friendship, right? Let’s put aside the love triangles and relationship drama and just focus on strong character bonds, driven by a long and well-written history.

Oh, and we also get a scientific study of how Kamala’s powers work, which sounds like a fun exploration of the mechanics of her Inhuman powers. So whether you like the super heroics and the powers or the character aspects of “Ms. Marvel,” this issue will have something worth looking forward to.

Ms. Marvel #32
Written by G. Willow Wilson
Illustrated by Nico Leon
Cover by Valerio Schiti

• KAMALA and BRUNO are learning how to be friends again, and what better a bonding experience than geeking out over a little science?
• And what better scientific pursuit than trying to discover how MS. MARVEL’s powers work?
• And what better time for absolute calamity to break out in Jersey City and upend the whole thing?!
• A brand-new jumping-on point for the super-heroics of MS. MARVEL starts here!
• 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

2. Doing Whatever a Spider Can

And so a new run on “Amazing Spider-Man” begins, with a new first issue to kick things off. Illustrator Ryan Ottley has a strong record from his work on “Invincible,” so his art will bring a new light and life to the characters, and Nick Spencer, well, not all his ideas have been great, but I don’t expect to see Peter suddenly deciding he’s on the Sinister Six’s side or anything. Plus, we get an alien invasion and some new characters, those are always fun.

Amazing Spider-Man #1
Written by Nick Spencer
Illustrated by Ryan Ottley
Cover by Ryan Ottley
Variant Covers by Jim Cheung, Jerome Opena, Shane Davis, John Romita Sr., and Ryan Ottley

• An alien invasion hits New York City and the only one who can stop it is…Spider-Man?! But that’s far from all you’ll find here –  a revelation from the past puts Peter Parker’s job, relationships, and whole life in jeopardy! And if even that’s not enough, you’ll see a new roommate, new love interests – and a new villain! Spider-Man goes back to basics courtesy of Nick Spencer (SECRET EMPIRE, SUPERIOR FOES OF SPIDER-MAN) and the Marvel debut of RYAN OTTLEY (Invincible)!
• 356 PGS. /Rated T …$5.99

1. Ancient Avengers

It wasn’t too long ago that Jason Aaron introduced the concept of the prehistoric precursors to the Avengers, featuring Odin, Phoenix, and the very first of several legacy heroes. Yet little has been done with it since then, until Jason Aaron’s “Avengers” run begins. Now we get the Avengers having to face the Dark Celestial, and Odin’s history will play an important role, no doubt giving us some nice new lore and information.

Besides, as I’ve stated many times before, I’ll read anything Jason Aaron writes, he’s just that good.

Avengers #4
Written by Jason Aaron
Illustrated by Ed McGuinness
Cover by Ed McGuinnness
Variant Cover by Kate Niemczyk

• How do the Avengers possibly defeat a crew of 2,000-foot-tall, nearly omnipotent Dark Celestials bent on annihilating the human race? While Thor and Hulk search for answers deep within the bowels of Old Asgard, we learn more about the untold history of Odin and his Prehistoric Avengers!
• 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Check out the full solicitations over at CBR.com.


//TAGS | Soliciting Multiversity

Robbie Pleasant

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