Welcome back to Soliciting Multiversity, as today we peel back the curtain to look at the wizard and challenge him to a dual. Or, something of that variety. I’m actually not sure how writing introductions works — am I supposed to make a joke?
Either way, we’ll be looking at what Marvel has to offer this coming November as “AXIS” reaches its halfway point, three books debut (by which I mean they relaunch) and a whole lot of other things get ready to go as we barrel towards the end of everything in April of next year. And of course, we have to start with:
10. Your Monthly “AXIS” Tie-In Count: 17
As I tend to like to do, I’m going to kick off this Soliciting piece with a look at just how widespread “AXIS” is going to be with it’s 17 total tie-in issues for the month. You’ve got your three main issues by Remender, Leinil Francis Yu and Terry Dodson, plus three other books with the word “AXIS” on the cover (“Revolutions,” “Hobgoblin,” and “Carnage”), followed by seven books that tie into the whole ordeal: “Wolverein and the X-Men,” two issues of “Nova,” “Avengers World,” “Deadpool,” “All-New X-Factor,” “Magneto” and “Loki: Agent of Asgard.” On top of that, you’ve got two books spinning out of “AXIS” with “Captain America and the Mighty Avengers” (double-shipping its first month) and “Superior Iron Man” (also double-shipping, but only one issue is listed as a tie-in).
I hope you guys like topsy turvy events that will leave the Marvel Universe different than it was last month, because boy howdy are you going to get it good in November! And that’s just Act II — just wait until we get all the solicits for Act III before we’ve had the chance to even read a single issue of the book yet!
AVENGERS & X-MEN: AXIS #4 (OF 9)
RICK REMENDER (W) • LEINIL FRANCIS YU (A)
Cover by JIM CHEUNG
INVERSION VARIANT BY CLAY MANN
YOUNG GUNS VARIANT BY DAVID MARQUEZ
ACT II: INVERSION
• The fate of the Red Skull decided.
• A founding Avenger quits.
• The birth of KLUH, the strongest one there is.
• Doom tears down Latveria.
• The X-Men join their greatest foe.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99AVENGERS & X-MEN: AXIS #5 (OF 9)
RICK REMENDER (W) • TERRY DODSON (A)
Cover by JIM CHEUNG
INVERSION VARIANT BY TBA
YOUNG GUNS VARIANT BY SARA PICHELLI
ACT II: INVERSION
• Steve Rogers enlists Spider-Man and Nova for an impossible fight.
• The new Sorceress Supreme comes for revenge on Doom.
• Iron Man vs Daredevil for the fate of an infected San Francisco.
• The X-Men claim a new home.
• The Axis of Evil strikes down the heroes of the Marvel Universe!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99AVENGERS & X-MEN: AXIS #6 (OF 9)
RICK REMENDER (W) • TERRY DODSON (A)
Cover by JIM CHEUNG
INVERSION VARIANT BY TBA
YOUNG GUNS VARIANT BY VALERIO SCHITI
ACT II: INVERSION
• The Axis of Evil have won, who is left to stop them?
• Rogue and Nightcrawler vs Mystique!
• Thor vs Loki!
• Magneto and Quicksilver vs The Scarlet Witch!
• This is it, the face of the new world disorder–The Astonishing Avengers are formed!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
9. Back in the Blues
As revealed in the solicits for November, the Fantastic Four are going to hop out of those red suits that they decided to put on because of reasons and put on the classic blues. Of course, while this is treated in the solicits as something to be proud of, I am casually reminded of those rumors that Marvel was going to tank the “Fantastic Four” franchise in the comics — and, while I love what Robinson and Kirk are doing in the series, bringing things back to basics after trying to push the Fantastic Four away from that does seem like a potential sign of caution.
Continued belowThat, or we’ve reached the end of what would be the book’s first year at issue #12, and it’s time for the next big thing to happen in the series between this and “All-New Invaders.” That’s also a distinct possibility. I’m an optimist!
FANTASTIC FOUR #13
JAMES ROBINSON (W) • LEONARD KIRK (A/C)
THE BLUE IS BACK, BABY!
• The rebuilding of the FF starts here, with the return of the BLUE UNIFORMS!
• Can THE THING and SANDMAN escape from super villain prison?
• Camp Hammond attacked and the FUTURE FOUNDATION kids kidnapped…by THOR?
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
8. Ground Control to Major Danvers
After setting the stage in the first arc and then apparently appealing to the meme crowd with a follow-up arc involving cats Flerkin (that sounds like a riff on “The Trouble with Tribbles” if I’ve ever seen), we finally get into the next big thing for Carol: a David Bowie tribute issue!
And by that I mean Lila Cheney, a character I honestly can’t recall seeing much of since the 80s. But, hey, all the better as far as I’m concerned. Never a bad time to bring back past favorites for a brand new future. Plus, the cover to this issue is awesome; it’ll be a shame to see parts of it blocked with copy and text.
CAPTAIN MARVEL #9
KELLY SUE DECONNICK (W)
DAVID LOPEZ (A/C)
• Face front, Carol Corps after the adventures with the Flerkin, Carol’s got her hands full again – this time with a special guest star from the X-Universe: the Marvel Universe’s rock and roll maven, Lila Cheney!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
7. Your Casual Reminder That Time Runs Out in Six Months
There’s not a lot of insightful commentary that can be given towards the “New Avengers” and “Avengers” solicitations, but I do want to note that a) the above cover to “New Avengers” #27 is incredible and magnificently foreboding based on events that happened in the past arc, and b) after this week’s “Avengers” and last week’s “New Avengers,” the hype for what is to come could not be at a higher point. Honestly — it has been a damn slow burn, but it is paying off, and Marvel’s surprising amount of restraint in revealing much of what’s to come in this upcoming arc makes it that much more exciting.
NEW AVENGERS #26
JONATHAN HICKMAN (W) • KEV WALKER (A)
Cover by SALVADOR LARROCA
ROCKET RACCOON & GROOT VARIANT BY TBA
IN 6 MONTHS…TIME RUNS OUT!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99NEW AVENGERS #27
JONATHAN HICKMAN (W) • KEV WALKER (A)
Cover by SALVADOR LARROCA
IN 6 MONTHS…TIME RUNS OUT!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99AVENGERS #38
JONATHAN HICKMAN (W) • STEFANO CASELLI (A)
Cover by BRANDON PETERSON
ROCKET RACCOON & GROOT VARIANT BY TBA
IN 6 MONTHS…TIME RUNS OUT!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
6. Lets Talk About Spider-Woman Aside From That Variant Cover For Just a Minute
I know that people have distaste towards both the regular Greg Land cover that features Spider-Woman as an amputee and the Milo Manara cover that probably wasn’t the best idea when Marvel is trying to cater to an audience that doesn’t want their heroines in images that accentuate figure over character. Despite that, though, I actually have hopes for this series. I think Dennis Hopeless is a really great choice to write the series, and while Spider-Woman has always been one of those characters to hop between writers who all treat her differently, a steady voice in an ongoing series from a talented writer seems like a good way to bring Spider-Woman to the forefront of our cultural dialogue about female superheroes. Jessica Drew was a huge part of comics when Bendis championed her in “New Avengers” and two minis; I think there’s a staggering amount of potential for her and I’d love to see this harnessed well.
That the book isn’t out yet and the internet is already damning it is a bit par for course in terms of knee jerk reactions (not that I disagree; Land and Manara don’t seem like great leading choices), but I’d still cross my fingers on this one.
Continued belowSPIDER-WOMAN #1
DENNIS HOPELESS (W) • GREG LAND (A/C)
VARIANT Cover by MILO MANARA
VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
VARIANT COVER BY SIYA OYUM
ROCKET RACCOON & GROOT VARIANT BY TBA
Blank variant ALSO AVAILABLE
New Ongoing Series/Spider-Verse Tie-In! Jessica Drew has been an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., and agent of S.W.O.R.D., an Avenger and so much more. But nothing could prepare her for the multidimensional insanity that is Spider-Verse! A war is brewing, and every spider-character in the multiverse is a target! But being a target is something Jessica Drew just won’t abide. She’s a woman with a mission and with Silk, the newest spider-character on the block at her side, she’ll have to put all her training to the test if she wants to make it out of Spider-Verse alive!
SPIDER-VERSE KICKS OFF A NEW ONGOING SERIES!
• Dennis Hopeless (CABLE & X-FORCE, AVENGERS: ARENA) and Greg Land (UNCANNY X-MEN) bring you a universe spanning adventure starring Jessica Drew Spider-Woman and the newest spider-hero, SILK!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
5. Spider-Verse Kicks Off
Speaking of Spiders, Dan Slott’s latest epic storyline involving Spider-Man arrive sin November with two issues, both with Olivier Coipel on art and one issue featuring Miles Morales! Dan Slott is one of those writers that has such an abundant love for the character he works with that even when he does something you may disagree with (like, say, killing the character off and having his brain taken over by a supervillain), it actually ends up being a quite endearing storyline that really shows off what makes the character so great in the first place. And now Slott wants to challenge himself by working with every iteration of the character ever?
I’m game. Fire it up.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #9
DAN SLOTT (W) • OLIVIER COIPEL (A/C)
VARIANT by Gabriele DELL’OTTO
INTERLOCKING VARIANT B BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
Marvel Animation Spider-Verse variant by Jeff Wamester
ROCKET RACCOON & GROOT VARIANT BY RYAN STEGMAN
SPIDER-VERSE BEGINS HERE!
• Superstar artist OLIVIER COIPEL (THOR, SIEGE, HOUSE OF M) joins DAN SLOTT to bring you the biggest spider-event ever!
• When a force of evil threatens spider-characters throughout the multiverse, EVERY SPIDER-MAN EVER is needed to save the day!
40 PGS./Rated T …$4.99AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #10
DAN SLOTT (W) • OLIVIER COIPEL (A/C)
VARIANT by Gabriele DELL’OTTO
SPIDER-VERSE PART 2!
• A spider-army is gathering to fight Morlun and his deadly family, but who will lead them?
• Why, only the greatest spider-hero of all, THE SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN.
• Our universe’s AMAZING SPIDER-MAN has an issue with that.
• GUEST STARRING- MILES MORALES!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
4. What Could Easily Be The Best Book or the Worst Book
I’m immensely torn on “Superior Iron Man.” In the same way that I had no initial interest in reading about Spider-Man as a villain, I have next to no interest in reading about Iron Man as a villain after years worth of stories that exemplify what makes him a hero. Add that up to the fact that this is a book written by Tom Taylor that sounds pretty much exactly what “Injustice” is over at DC, and you’d find me hard pressed not to join the chorus of people rolling their eyes and making snide remarks. Again. Like we did with “Superior Spider-Man.”
But! “Superior Spider-Man” ended up being amazing, pun fully intended, and while this book sort of reeks of editorial direction (given Hickman’s “Avengers” and the way that the past run of “Iron Man” by Kieron Gillen was abruptly cut short with no real definitive ending — let alone that Tom Taylor, who has never had an ongoing at Marvel, is now up in the big leagues with a star franchise player), there’s potential hidden there in the cracks. It’s a shiny, glossy and superficial exterior, but I’d be willing to give it at least an initial look to see the substance within.
Continued belowSUPERIOR IRON MAN #1
TOM TAYLOR (W) • YILDIRAY ÇINAR (A)
Cover by MIKE CHOI
VARIANT Cover by YILDIRAY ÇINAR
VARIANT COVER BY SARA PICHELLI
VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
75th ANNIVERSARY VARIANT BY ALEX ROSS
75th ANNIVERSARY SKETCH VARIANT BY ALEX ROSS
ROCKET RACCOON & GROOT VARIANT BY TBA
Blank VARIANT ALSO AVAILABLE
Be Superior! How much would you pay for perfection? Beauty? Immortality? Tony Stark knows, and he’s ready to give it to you in SUPERIOR IRON MAN #1! But at a terrible price. Spinning out of Avengers & X-Men: AXIS, the old Tony Stark is back, only this time he’s SUPERIOR! More stylish, more confident, and more cunning than ever before. And he’s ready to lead you into the future! San Francisco is about to become the prototype for his new world concept. The first step? Release Extremis upon the entire city! Only Daredevil isn’t down with Stark’s new vision of the future. Does the Man Without Fear have a place in the city of tomorrow? A bold new direction for the Armored Avenger begins this November from the all-new creative team of Tom Taylor (Injustice: Gods Among Us, Earth 2) and Yildray Cinar (Supergirl)!
BE SUPERIOR!
NEW CREATIVE TEAM TOM (INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US/EARTH 2) Taylor AND YILDIRAY (SUPERGIRL) ÇINAR START AN ALL-NEW SERIES SPINNING OUT OF AXIS!
• How much would you pay for perfection, beauty…immortality? TONY STARK is going to find out.
• The AXIS EFFECT has changed IRON MAN
• Now HE’S going to change the WORLD…at a terrible cost.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99SUPERIOR IRON MAN #2
TOM TAYLOR (W) • YILDIRAY ÇINAR (A)
Cover by MIKE CHOI
VARIANT COVER BY PHIL NOTO
THE SUPERIORITY COMPLEX!
• TONY STARK has transformed SAN FRANCISCO…into the prototype for his NEW WORLD concept
• But MATT MURDOCK isn’t down with Tony’s new vision
• Can DAREDEVIL lead the rebellion against THE SUPERIOR IRON MAN?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
3. Lets Try This Again: Mighty Avengers by Al Ewing, And This Time You Better Read It
You know what is a really great book that nobody talks about? “Mighty Avengers” by Al Ewing and, yes, Greg Land. People avoid it because of the internet’s adamant distaste for Land’s photorealistic style, but I’ll be damned if that initial “Infinity” tie-in arc wasn’t a great deal of fun. Since then the book has evolved and spun-out in different directions, highlighting different underused minority characters from Marvel’s catalogue in a way that keeps true to all their various starting points (Blue Marvel in particular) and updates it for a modern audience.
But now it’s re-launching, not because it was surreptitiously cancelled or anything but rather because there’s a new direction to take on it and Marvel thinks people love #1s. With Falcon taking over as Captain America (more on that in a bit) it’s as good a time as any to boost sales on this book, and I would highly encourage you to take a look now — especially with Luke Ross on art. Ewing and Ross make for a great pairing, and when you have a line like “They’re the Avengers for the people, of the people – helping whoever needs it, however they need it” in your solicit you know you’re off to a good start.
CAPTAIN AMERICA & THE MIGHTY AVENGERS #1 & 2
AL EWING (W) • LUKE ROSS (A/C)
Issue #1 – Variant cover by RYAN BENJAMIN
VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
ROCKET RACCOON & GROOT VARIANT BY TBA
Issue #2 – Variant cover by SANFORD GREENE
Spinning directly out of AVENGERS & X-MEN: AXIS! Sam Wilson has become Captain America, and when he assembles the Mighty Avengers, he has a whole new mission statement in mind for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. But how do the events of AXIS already spell doom for the team’s new direction? And what is Luke Cage doing meeting with the head of the notorious Cortex corporation? And why is Spider-Man trying to rejoin the team–doesn’t he know Luke and Jessica have been itching for payback ever since he tried to take their daughter to Child Services back when he was “Superior”?!
AXIS TIE-INS!
Issue #1 –
• They’re the Avengers for the people, of the people – helping whoever needs it, however they need it.
• And together with Sam Wilson – the all-new Captain America – they are Mighty.
• But in the wake of the earth-shattering events of AXIS, are they truly together? Or about to fall apart?
• Guest-starring the apologetic arachnid – Spider-Man!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Issue #2 –
• Once, Luke Cage was a man of the people… a champion of the community… a hero for everyone who needed help.
• But there’s a new Luke Cage in town… and the only one he’s helping is himself!
• Plus: Captain America declares war – on the Mighty Avengers!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
2. Speaking of FalCap
I don’t know why, but not a lot of people are talking about Rick Remender’s run on “Captain America.” Well, not the positives, anyway; there was that whole non-troversy a month or so ago when someone misread the book, but I’m not seeing a lot of dialogue about how good this series actually has been. A remarkable change of pace from the Brubaker run preceding it, this is a book that’s been wild and imaginative and fun, a bit all over the place in terms of focus but never the less celebrating what Cap could do when he’s taken outside of his grounded constraints.
Of course, with this relaunch we’ll get Falcon in the lead and Stuart Immonen on the page so I imagine people will start getting excited about Captain America gain. That’s my hope/assumption, anyway; I’ve been a big fan of this run so far, so I’m interested to see what Remender has planned for Falcon. If it’s anything like what he did to Steve, we should be able to see the markings of a grand, bold new direction with the character.
Continued belowAnd then Anthony Mackie can play Captain America in the film, so really, everyone wins.
ALL-NEW CAPTAIN AMERICA #1
RICK REMENDER(W) • STUART IMMONEN (A/C)
VARIANT by SARA PICHELLI
VARIANT COVER BY ALEX ROSS
VARIANT COVER BY CARLOS PACHECO
VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
VARIANT COVER BY KRIS ANKA
ROCKET RACCOON & GROOT VARIANT BY TBA
Blank VARIANT ALSO AVAILABLE
• This is it! The all-new, Spy-Fi, highflying adventures of Sam Wilson Captain America and Nomad begin here!
• Hydra is growing, the terrorist band have has infiltrated the Marvel Universe completely! But what is their ultimate goal?
• United by Hydra, Cap’s rogue’s gallery gathers to take down the new untested Captain America and Nomad!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
1. A Great Book Comes to a Close
And in the end, the love you take
Is equal to the love you make
Good night, you princes of thieves, you kings of our pull lists.
Good night.
THE SUPERIOR FOES OF SPIDER-MAN #17
NICK SPENCER (W) • STEVE LIEBER (A/C)
• This is it! The end! The finale! The big wrapuperoo!!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
For the full Marvel Comics November 2014 solicitations, head on over to the Resource of Comic Books.
