For the full Marvel solicits for June, click here.
Age of Ultron and Ego
The solicit for the final issue of “Age of Ultron” #10 reads:
AGE OF ULTRON #10 (OF 10)
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W)
BRANDON PETERSON, CARLOS PACHECO& JOE QUESADA (A/C)
Cover by BRANDON PETERSON
Variant cover by MARK BROOKS
Ultron Variant by ROCK-HE KIM
Spoiler Variant also available
Spoiler Sketch Variant Also Available
THE FINALE!
The biggest secret in comics will be revealed to you! An ending so confidential…even the artists of this book don’t know what lies on the final pages…! A surprise so big that comic book legend Joe Quesada himself returns to the pages of Marvel Comics to draw a sequence that people will be talking about for years.
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
*All covers of Age Of Ultron #10 will be polybagged
A while ago, Bryan Hitch stated in an interview that the “Age of Ultron” as we would be receiving it was nothing like the “Age of Ultron” that he and Bendis had originally sat down to do. It was supposed to just be an “Avengers” story, but has since turned into a big event, a swan song to Bendis’ decade at the helm of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Looking at these colic its though, one sort of has to wonder – is the story the impetus of this? Or is Marvel just trying to pull something with a polybagged comic that the artists of the book aren’t allowed to know? After all, the ending is so secret that only a few people know what it is at all.
And wouldn’t you know it, over at Bleeding Cool, Rich is stirring up the usual mill by mentioning that an unexpected guest will be joining the Marvel Universe. Rich claims he knows what is happening, that one of his little birds whispered in his ear like comic’s very own Varys, but he won’t say too much beyond an unexpected guest.
An unexpected guest, eh? Hmm.
Picture this, if you will: ULTRON stands triumphant over the bodies of the Avengers in a grand atrium. “VICTORIOUS!” he cries, his words echoing around the halls. “NOW, A NEW AGE IS BORN! AN AGE… OF ULTRON!” “Not so fast!!” a voice in the distance cries, as a cloaked figure bursts in through a window and lands on the floor. “WHO DARES?!” shouts Ultron in between frustrated zeroes and ones. The figure pulls his hand out of the cloak and extends it outward, and a blade begins to manifest in his hand… a blade that looks like a key. And as he removes his hood with his other hands, we see Marvel’s newest and greatest addition to the pantheon: Mickey Mouse.
That’s right. “Age of Ultron” is a gateway to Kingdom Hearts III.
Preparing for Infinity
It’s tucked quietly away in the solicits and is something we’ve stopped talking about, but some of you may remember that Marvel teased a Hickman-written event called “Infinity”, the first glimpse of which we should see in May. And wouldn’t you know it, “Avengers” #14 is listed as a prelude to “Infinity.” It’s co-written by Nick Spencer and illustrated by Stefano Caselli, featuring a cover by Lenil Yu that shows four downed Avengers almost in a pattern.
What’s it all mean? Oh, I don’t know. But I’m sure it’ll all connect.
That said, it is worth noting that “New Avengers” – now featuring Mike Deodato on art – does not make any mention of Infinity anything, which is interesting.
Also, is it weird to anyone else we’re already at issue #14 of “Avengers” even though the book hasn’t even been running a year? Double shipping, man.
Wells and Madureira Finally Return
When “Savage Wolverine” first launched from Frank Cho, I’ll admit that I thought the concept was intensely limited. Wolverine in the Savage Land? This does not an ongoing make. And it turns out I was right, because at issue #6 of the series the book will be changing entirely, now featuring Zeb Wells and Joe Madureira returning to their long lost Spider-Man/Wolverine/Elektra story we were supposed to see in “Avenging Spider-Man.” And not a moment too soon!
Continued belowIs this the Superior Spider-Man though? Only time will tell. Either way, after how good Wells’ short run on “Avenging” was, this is definitely a can’t miss return.
Jeez, Jamie McKelvie, Save Some Talent For The Rest Of Marvel!
The above image is the cover to “Young Avengers” #6 that features a) guest art by Kate Brown, b) the return of Speed and b) the return of Prodigy. It does not feature series regular Jamie McKelvie (perhaps because he is off working on “Phonogram” 3?), but it does feature a fantastic cover for him that makes up for the fact that he’s not doing interiors this month. Because, seriously, that’s a damn great cover. And if the solicit is any indication – “Ever wonder what the super hero equivalent of a terrible soul-sucking talent-wasting temp job is? You haven’t? Oh go on. Actually, don’t. We’ve done it for you and written a story about it. This one.” – this issue is going to be a fun one.
Oh, and Speaking of Covers
This pulp-tastic variant cover by Francisco Francavilla for “Secret Avengers” #5 belongs in every home. Every. Home.
The Council of Dooms
In Jonathan Hickman’s “Fantastic Four,” he introduced the Council of Reeds, which was a collective of alternate universe versions of Reed Richards who had banded together to solve everything.
Now Matt Fraction and Mark Bagley are introducing the Council of Dooms. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Also, Pool Party, Baby!
Because we can’t just highlight one Fantastic book, “FF” #9 features a pool party, baby! It was a cool party. Cool pool party! La-la-la-la. Popcorn, hot dog buns and hamburger patties – all the food you need to feed the many hungry. Millions of people want into FF’s party, but it’s invite only (and you’re on the list, baby).
Insert more Aquabats song lyrics here
Many Happy Returns
“Age of Ultron” is promising some sort of big unexpected guest, and that sounds fun, but “Captain America” #8 promises in the solicit “a character you never expected reemerges” for the “main event.” Now who could that be? Brubaker got the Bucky steal, so what other big Captain America related character is big enough to be worth mention like this?
Or maybe it’s just the Green Skull or something.
Avengers Arena Becomes a DMZ
In June, “Avengers Arena” – a book I literally just bought all six issues of at the time of writing this based on overwhelming recommendations from other MC staff – will feature a guest artist filling in for Kev Walker: Riccardo Burchielli of “DMZ”! If there ever was a time where I feel good about catching up on a series, it’s now. And if you haven’t, maybe now is the time to?
Because, seriously, folks – Riccardo Burchielli. This is going to be awesome.
Who is Illustrating the Uncanny X-Force?
Sam Humphries’ “Uncanny X-Force” run continues after a successful launch with Ron Garney and featuring Adrian Alphona as a guest for issue #5. But now, with #6 and that interesting Fantomex family portrait for a cover, the artist is TBA. The cover itself is by Kris Anka, but who is doing the interiors? This is a book Marvel clearly is throwing some weight behind, with Garney and Alphona being considerable talents, so it’ll be interesting to see who steps in to carry the mantel.
Adam Warren Returns to Marvel
When you say the name Adam Warren, what do you think of? That’s right: “Empowered,” which focuses on – among other things – its sexual content. And he’s been doing quite well with that series! But now he’s going to be doing half of a story in “A+X” (that book still exists?) in an issue that has Kitty Pryde and Spider-Woman on the cover.
You don’t think… ?
No. Haha, no.
But, seriously, no. That’s an illustration by Salvador Larroca in reference to the story he is doing with Gerry Duggan.
…But Marvel also won’t reveal what Adam Warren is doing in this T+ related issue. Hmm.
Continued belowIs Waid Teasing the Return of Bullseye?
Bullseye is dead. He has been dead since “Shadowland,” when Daredevil stabbed him and kicked off that whole event. But now, with the latest news for “Daredevil” #27, it looks like dead only lasts so long as a) the cover features a variation of his iconic costume, b) the solicit reads “RED. DEAD. REDEMPTION.” which could refer to his return and c) we don’t actually have any idea where dead Bullseye is, after Lady Bullseye mounted his corpse and absconded with it in “Vengeance.”
If this really is what Waid’s Daredevil run has been building to, it would be a pretty big moment to run off of – and having Chris Samnee on board for interiors isn’t too shabby either.
THE WORST SOLICIT OF THE MONTH
No one has been talking about this. No one probably wants to cry doom and gloom. I don’t blame them.
But the solicit for “X-Factor” #257 reads “The end begins here,” and the arc is titled ‘THE END OF X-FACTOR.’
*Deep breath* NOOOOOOOOO!!!
Marvel Reprints Uncanny X-Men and Amazing Spider-Man Omnibi
Good news for folks like me who wanted to grab these but didn’t – in June, Marvel will be re-releasing the “Amazing Spider-Man” Omnibus volume 1 (written by Stan Lee, illustrated by Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby) and the “Uncanny X-Men” Omnibus volume 1 (written by Chris Claremont, Len Wein and Bill Mantlo, illustrated by John Byrne, Dave Cockrum, Bob Brown, Tony Dezuniga and George Perez) after a few years of it being only available from sellers who were over-pricing it on eBay. These are two pretty good deals when it comes to the sheer value of out of print comics you’re getting, the kind of comics that inform the books you read today, and if you’ve never read early Spider-Man or the beginning of Claremont’s run, now is definitely the time.
