Bad news, everyone. The Matt Awards you all loved last month have been canceled indefinitely, to be replaced by the likely more subpar and far more serious David Awards, at least for the foreseeable future. I’ll be taking over Soliciting Multiversity for Marvel at least for this month, and maybe going forward, but I’ll do what I can to bring my own thang to this column in a satisfying way. Well, in a way that satisfies me at least, and you’ll have to let me know if you like it in the comments.
So the first monthly David Awards kick off today in the penultimate chapter of Soliciting Multiversity for the month. Share your personal awards in the comments, and let’s get this Marvel Party started, shall we?
10. The David Award for the Comic David’s Been Anticipating Since He Was a Little
Back when I was a kid, one of my favorite things to read was Wizard Magazine. When I look back on it, I think I might have enjoyed reading Wizard as much as I did many comics of the time (this was in the 90’s), as I loved the features they came up with and how they introduced me to many comics I’d never heard of. Because of Wizard, one comic achieved mythic status for me as a reader, although it was destined to never to be read because of its rare nature. That comic?
“Miracleman” #15.
You know, the one where Kid Miracleman kills cities and Miracleman has to fight him to the death? That one? I remember reading about it and how it was one of the greatest fights of all time in comics, and ever since then, it has been one of my most hotly desired comics. And this month, it finally arrives in Marvel’s reprint series, as The Original Writer (aka Alan Moore) and John Toleben’s original story comes to life and David Harper finally gets to read one of his dream comics. I can’t wait.
MIRACLEMAN #15
THE ORIGINAL WRITER (W) • JOHN TOTLEBEN (A)
Cover by JOHN TOTLEBEN
VARIANT cover by TIM SALE
VARIANT Cover by BILL SIENKIEWICZ
• The utterance of a single word has unleashed hell on earth.
• Johnny Bates has let the Nemesis out. Kid Miracleman is loose.
• Smokes rises over London. And nothing will ever be the same.
• Miracleman faces Kid Miracleman in the genre-redefining climax of Book Three!
• Including material originally presented in MIRACLEMAN (1985) #15, plus bonus content.
48 PGS./Mature …$4.99
9. The David Award for Marvel Comic He’d Most Want to Live In
I love me some “Ms. Marvel”. That book is straight up one of the most enjoyable comics around since it launched, and one of the sneaky reasons why for me is that this is one of the very few Marvel comics I could see myself living in. While it wouldn’t be great to always live in fear of Thomas Edison’s spirit living on in a villain with a bird head, Kamala Khan just seems like someone who would be totally great to hang out with. She’s fun, she has sweet embiggening powers, and her pet is the absolute best…who wouldn’t want to be friends with her?
Throw that in with a dance with Loki as a special guest and hot damn, what better time than now? Plus, bonus points because then I could live in a comic drawn by Takeshi Miyazawa, an awesome artist I haven’t seen work from in years who also used to work on “Runaways” like the regular artist of “Ms. Marvel”, Adrian Alphona.
Continued belowMS. MARVEL #12
G. WILLOW WILSON (W) • Takeshi Miyazawa (A)
Cover by KRIS ANKA
• Love is in Jersey City as Valentine’s Day arrives!
• Kamala Khan may not be allowed to go to the dance, but Ms. Marvel is!
• Well sort of – by crashing it attempting to capture Asgard’s most annoying trickster!
• Yup, it’s a special Valentine’s Day issue featuring Marvel’s favorite charlatan, Loki!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
8. The David Award for Least and Most Surprising Finales
I wrote about both of these already, but February brings the ending of one book…
ELEKTRA #11
HADEN BLACKMAN (w)
MICHAEL DEL MUNDO (A/C)
SERIES FINALE!
• Bullseye.
• Elektra.
• Final round. You ready?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
And the beginning of the end of another…
DAREDEVIL #13
MARK WAID (W) • CHRIS SAMNEE (A/C)
VARIANT COVER BY PHIL NOTO
THE END BEGINS HERE!
• Mark Waid and Chis Samnee begin the climactic final chapter of their beloved, Eisner Award Winning run with the return of one of Matt Murdock’s oldest and (now) scariest enemies.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Or at least in one form for the latter, as “Daredevil” may continue on with a new creative team (solid money on a relaunch, though). Either way, “Elektra” hasn’t been the best book, but it has been a very interesting and innovative one, and it’s always sad to see books that try new things going away. Waid and Samnee’s “Daredevil” beginning its final descent is obviously sad because it’s the cat’s pajamas, but a book like it will be greatly missed in the grand scheme of what Marvel has to offer. Maybe whoever comes next, or whatever comes next, for both characters and books will be even better. All I know is we’ll all be a little worse off without books like these in Marvel’s lineup.
7. The David Award for Best and Most Literal Solicit
Look at that cover. Read the solicit below.
OPERATION: S.I.N. #2 (of 5)
Kathryn Immonen (W)
Rich Ellis (A)
Cover by Michael Komarck
• When a UFO fires on Moscow because Howard can’t keep his finger off the button, Peggy and the team go underground but which one of them is already undercover?
• Woodrow McCord fights a bear!
• Peggy punches Howard in the face!
• The firecracker team of Kathryn Immonen and Rich Ellis turn up the heat and tear up the joint in the continuing adventures of AGENT CARTER!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
How amazing is that solicit? That is literally all I need to know to buy the book, and Woodrow McCord fighting a bear and Peggy punching Howard in the face is confirmed on the cover. I am all in on “Operation S.I.N.”, as it seems like a hell of a lot of fun and Immonen/Ellis are a great team, but this type of no hype, pure fun solicitation writing is my cup of tea. More of this please.
Now bring on the bear!
6. The David Award for Most Fitting Pairing
I don’t know what it is about the idea of Kieron Gillen writing a Darth Vader book that fits so well, but it does, doesn’t it? While some might think, “how is Gillen going to make a bevy of a music references when writing in the Star Wars universe?” you should be thinking about how Darth Vader is kind of a perfect Gillen creation. Dark, mysterious and overconfident? Featuring a power set that few wield and even fewer understand, all tempered by a broken former relationship? Are we talking about a “Phonogram” character right now or a Sith Lord? I don’t even know any more.
All I know is Gillen will crush this, like in a Force Crush sort of way, and that Salvador Larocca has historically been at his best when dealing with slick, high tech characters like Iron Man or the ones in the Ender’s Game universe. In short, you have two creators paired very well with a subject, and I for one can’t see what they come up with.
But come on Kieron, we still need a soundtrack for this, and we can all agree that Vader would go metal before he’d go Morrissey.
Continued belowDARTH VADER #1 & 2
KIERON GILLEN (w) • SALVADOR LARROCA (A)
CoverS by ADI GRANOV
ISSUE #1 – Teaser Variant by JOHN CASSADAY
CONNECTING VARIANT COVER B BY J. SCOTT CAMPBELL
VARIANT COVER BY ALEX ROSS
SKETCH VARIANT COVER BY ALEX ROSS
VARIANT COVER BY MICHAEL GOLDEN
VARIANT COVER BY MIKE DEL MUNDO
YOUNG VARIANT BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
ACTION FIGURE VARIANT BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
MOVIE VARIANT COVER ALSO AVAILABLE
BLANK VARIANT COVER ALSO AVAILABLE
ISSUE #2 – VARIANT COVER BY WHILCE PORTACIO
VARIANT COVER BY TBA
The original Dark Lord of the Sith stars in his first ongoing series!
Ever since Darth Vader made his first on-screen appearance, he became the one of the most popular villains to ever haunt an audience’s dreams! Now, follow Vader straight from the ending of A NEW HOPE (and the pages of the new STAR WARS comic book) into his own series, showing the Empire’s war with the Rebel Alliance from the other side! Writer Kieron Gillen (Uncanny X-Men, Journey Into Mystery, Iron Man) and artist Salvador Larroca (Invincible Iron Man, X-Men: No More Humans) bring us a peek behind the mask of evil!
ISSUE #1 – 48 PGS./Rated T …$4.99
ISSUE #2 – 32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
5. The David Award for Most Welcome Addition to Marvel’s Publishing Lineup
Kids love the Marvel movies. Sure, they may not understand every single reference and story beat, but they understand that what they are seeing is AWESOME. And who could blame them, as I basically turn into a gleeful child when I watch them myself.
One of the bummers though is that Marvel so rarely offers all-ages alternatives for the kids that want to follow their Marvel movie experience up with a comic one, and for “Guardians of the Galaxy”, they’ll be doing that with this book from Joe Caramagna that fits in the upcoming Disney XD cartoon universe for the Guardians. Sure, they aren’t all original stories, but primarily adaptations of the animated series with screen grabs for art. But they’re…you know, for kids, and that’s a big win in my book.
MARVEL UNIVERSE GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #1 (of 4)
Adapted by Joe Caramagna
• Based on the highly anticipated new series coming to Disney XD in 2015, follow the further adventures of the Guardians of the Galaxy!
• With a galaxy full of danger, only the Guardians stand between us and the destruction of everything!
• Featuring adaptations of the upcoming animated series with a mix of screen grab and brand new stories for everyone to enjoy!
32 PGS./All Ages …$2.99
4. The David Award For Most Welcome Additions to Marvel’s Creator Lineup
I’m always pulling for exciting, newer creators to join the fray on Marvel and DC books. I feel like too often, the bigger publishers don’t take a shot with those creators because of a perceived lack of appeal, but good writers and artists are good writers and artists. And you guys, Noelle Stevenson, Rob Guillory and Marguerite Sauvage are awesome creators. Bringing them onboard for this Thor Annual isn’t just welcome, it’s exciting as all hell, and I think they’ll all do excellent work.
CM Punk I have no idea on, but if Marvel thinks he can do it, I’m sure he can. It’s not like they’d just hire someone for their name, and folks like Tom Brevoort have been pretty open about the fact that Punk has got chops.
Either way, Punk and Guillory working on a story about Young Thor in a drinking competition and Stevenson and Sauvage exploring the new Goddess of Thunder seem like a perfect pairing, and we still have some rad Jason Aaron action as he and Timothy Truman telling a King Thor story. I hope to see more newer creators featured in annuals going forward. It’s an awesome usage of the extra story space.
THOR ANNUAL #1
JASON AARON, CM PUNK, NOELLE STEVENSON (w)
ROB GUILLORY, MARGUERITE SAUVAGE (A)
Cover by RAFAEL ALBUQUERQUE
VARIANT Cover by ROB GUILLORY
VARIANT COVER BY MARGUERITE SAUVAGE
• Three stories featuring three Thors!
• Wrestling superstar CM Punk and Rob Guillory (Chew) on Young Thor’s idea for how to prove himself worthy of Mjolnir: a drinking competition!
• Noelle Stevenson (Lumberjanes) and Marguerite Sauvage tell a tale of the new Thor!
• And Jason Aaron on the Girls of Thunder’s quest to find the perfect birthday present for their grandfather, King Thor! How about a new Garden of Eden?
40 PGS./ONE SHOT/Rated T+ …$4.99
3. The David Award for Most Welcome Interior Artist
You know who is pretty good at this whole art thing?
Arthur Adams.
Dude’s an absolute beast, and he could draw damn near anything and I’d be interested. But a book that pairs up the Guardians and the Avengers in fighting a massive cosmic threat? Oh, hell yes. While I’m probably out after the first two issues (depending on the artist), Adams is a must buy, all day, erry day. When he’s on the interiors of a book, that’s an occasion worth celebrating.
Continued belowGUARDIANS TEAM-UP #1 & 2
BRIAN BENDIS (W) • ISSUE #1 – ART ADAMS (A/C)
ISSUE #2 – TBA (A)
ISSUE #1 – VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
ISSUE #1 – Variant by PASQUAL FERRY
ISSUE #1 – INHUMANS 50TH ANNIVERSARY VARIANT COVER BY LADRÖNN
ISSUE #1 – GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY and THE AVENGERS!
• Launching directly out of Guardians of the Galaxy comes the new ongoing series bringing the Guardians to the Marvel Universe’s grandest stage for an opening arc of out-of-this-world adventures with some of the biggest hitters Marvel has to offer.
• Kicking off with a cosmic threat so massive, it’ll take more than just the Guardians of the Galaxy to stop it! Assembled side by side with the mighty Avengers, prepare for two titanic teams to unite like you’ve never seen before!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
ISSUE #2 – GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY and THE AVENGERS!
• Follow part two of this story as the Guardians of the Galaxy slam their way into the world of the Avengers – and only working together as a team will help them save the galaxy!
• Tension runs high when survival is at stake, and when the likes of Gamora, Black Widow, Hawkeye and Rocket are forced to problem solve together, it can mean only one thing is guaranteed – destruction!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
2. The David Award for the Team Supreme Doing Their Thing
Rick Remender and Jerome Opena are one of the best modern partnerships of comic creation. You might disagree, but to that I give you:
Exhibit A: “Fear Agent”
Exhibit B: “Uncanny X-Force”
Exhibit C: “The Punisher”
While I should be able to rest my case there, I won’t. Even if they weren’t a great team, this book sounds freaking awesome regardless of the fact that this whole “Rage of Ultron” hardcover thing reeks of movie tie-in. But if it was a movie tie-in, would they make Ultron a planet? And not just any planet, but Titan, the birth planet of Thanos? No! They’d just make it some generic punch fest. Instead, this story goes to 11 on the Remender Scale of Weirdness, and with Opena on art, it’s going to be a beautiful beast of ridiculousness.
I’ve been out mostly on these hardcovers because I don’t support the length versus cost imbalance, but hell, it’s Remender and Opena telling a story about an Ultron Planet. Are you not entertained?
AVENGERS: RAGE OF ULTRON OGN-HC
Written by RICK REMENDER
Penciled by JEROME OPEÑA
Cover by JEROME OPEÑA
It was another glorious victory for the Mighty Avengers. Good triumphed over evil and Ultron was shot into space, never to be seen again. Or so they thought. Now, years later, the homicidal artificial intelligence — so long devoted to ending life on Earth — has found a new world to conquer…one with its own horrific legacy. When Titan, birthplace of Thanos, falls, Planet Ultron rises in its place! Thanos’ brother Starfox must seek the aid of his former allies — but the Avengers he finds are radically different from the ones he once knew. Among them is Ultron’s creator Giant-Man — and when Hank Pym confronts his now planet-sized “son,” the responsibilities of fatherhood have never loomed so large. Rick Remender (UNCANNY AVENGERS) and Jerome Opeña (AVENGERS) unleash the full robotic rage of Ultron on Earth’s Mightiest Heroes!
120 PGS./Rated T+ …$24.99
1. The David Award for Marvel’s Most Exciting New Leading Ladies
No, but seriously. Hey…ladies…and ridiculously awesome ones at that. This month brings the much anticipated arrival of the “Spider-Gwen” ongoing – have I commented on how amazing it is that the book is actually called “Spider-Gwen”? – and the new series starring Silk, the character who was also bit by the spider that bit Peter Parker (and somehow managed to avoid becoming famous in 52 years of the character’s existence), and damn do they both look awesome. Why do they look so awesome? Well, let’s break it down:
1. Amazing creative teams, including Jason Latour, Robbi Rodriguez, Robbie Thompson and the incredibly gifted Stacey Lee
2. Super fun characters, with Spider-Gwen and Silk and hopefully the Mary Janes
3. Killer covers from Rodriguez, Lee, Dave Johnson, Adam Hughes, Kris Anka AND Skottie Young
4. Books that sound like a Spider book should, but with awesome young women taking the lead
I could be surprised and these books might not be great. But with Marvel taking a chance on atypical leads and atypical creative teams, these books are filled with nothing but promise, and I for one can’t wait to find out if they fulfill that promise. I think they will. Let’s find out in February, shall we?
Continued belowSPIDER-GWEN #1
JASON LATOUR (W) • ROBBI RODRIGUEZ (A/C)
VARIANT COVER BY KRIS ANKA
YOUNG VARIANT BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
VARIANT COVER BY ADAM HUGHES
BLANK VARIANT ALSO AVAILABLE
SPIDER-GWEN SPINS INTO HER OWN SERIES!
• BECAUSE YOU DEMANDED IT! The breakout hit of the biggest Spider-Event of the century is taking comic shops by storm this winter with her own new ongoing series – SPIDER-GWEN!
• Gwen Stacy is Spider-Woman, but you knew that already. What you DON’T know is what friends and foes are waiting for her in the aftermath of Spider-Verse!
• From the fan-favorite creative team that brought you Spider-Gwen’s origin story in EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE, Jason Latour and Robbie Rodriguez!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
SILK #1
Robbie Thompson (W) • STACEY LEE (A)
Cover by DAVE JOHNSON
VARIANT cover by Stacey Lee
YOUNG VARIANT BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
Cindy Moon exploded out of her bunker and into the Marvel Universe when we first learned that she had been bitten by that same radioactive spider in the first arc of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN. She then went on to save Peter Parker’s life (more than once!) and traverse the Spider-verse alongside Spider-Woman. Now, as SILK, Cindy is on her own in New York City, searching for her past, defining her own future, and webbing up wrong-doers along the way! Robbie Thompson (writer from TV’s Supernatural) fills this new ongoing series with his unique blend of antics and feels. Featuring stunning covers by Eisner Award winner Dave Johnson and interiors by future superstar Stacey Lee.
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
That’s it for my look at Marvel’s February solicits. Take a look at Comic Book Resources for the full list, and please, share your favorite releases in the comments.
