Today we wrap up our look at solicits with what’s coming from Marvel in September, and boy oh boy do I have some thoughts to share with you today. Come with me now on a journey through time and space.
10. That $4.99 Drum that Keeps Beating
This has been covered pretty extensively at the site already, but given the nature of this column it felt odd not to open up with a note reminding everyone about the flirtation that Marvel is doing with a higher price/page count for their books, moving from 6 books in August to 15 books in September:
- Marvel’s “Death of Wolverine” event will release every week that month, with the first issue coming in at 48 pages and each subsequent issue at 40 — $4.99 each
- “Superior Spider-Man” is back for a special event with #33, 48 pages
- “Avengers” and “New Avengers” are now 40 pages, $4.99 each, as well as “Avengers” #34.1, also 40 pages
- A “Fantastic Four” Annual, a “Hulk” Annual, a “Deadpol” Bi-Annual are all $4.99 40-page comics
- “Thor, God of Thunder’s” #25 is a 40-page special issue
- “Miracleman” #10 is $4.99, though it always has been
- “Hawkeye vs Deadpool” #0 will be $4.99 at 40 pages, and “Deadpool” #34 is now bumped up as well
We’ll certainly be watching to see how much this comes to represent the new normal, especially as “Axis” rears its head and launches later this year, but it’s certainly becoming pricey t0 be a Marvel fan.
9. Deadpool Deadpool Deadpool. Tacos. Is this working?
Random comedians writing random comics sometimes don’t sound like a great pairing, but let me argue this: Brian Posehn with Gerry Duggan has been writing “Deadpool” for quite a while now — and while it began with a rocky, awkward start it’s turned the book into one of Marvel’s must reads. Now Paul Scheer is going to play in the Marvel arena, with writing partner Nick Giovannetti? Honestly, I have hopes for this one.
Though the Bi-Annual thing is a bit weird. At what point do we all collectively shrug our shoulders and say “We get it, Marvel, you like publishing Deadpool books!” … Oh, this month? When there’s five Deadpool comics, two of them minis, as well as Deadpool “Party” Variants on covers to books about characters dying? Touche, Marvel.
I’m still interested in Paul Scheer making jokes, though.
DEADPOOL BI-ANNUAL #1
PAUL SCHEER & NICK GIOVANNETTI (W)
SALVA ESPIN (A)
Cover by DAVID NAKAYAMA
• When Deadpool is hired by WaterWorld to protect their theme park from activists, he has no idea he’s going to wind up face to snout with Brute Force—protectors of the environment! Look ‘em up! That’s right—they’re real!
• Written by star of The League and NTSF:SD:SUV Paul Scheer and Nick Giovannetti, this is one issue sure to make a splash*!
*This joke was not written by them.
40 PGS./Parental Advisory …$4.99
8. MODOK SUPREME EXTRAVAGANZA
Well, if there’s ever a set of three words that’ll sell a book at Marvel, it might as well be those three, right?
Kot and Walsh have been doing an absolutely tremendous job with this book, completely rebuilding it from the ground up. I compared it to “Hawkeye” a while back in how it allowed for comedic tones to match against really serious and grave elements and that remains true so far. Now Kot and Walsh are going to re-tell MODOK’s origin story? Look, I’m not a fan of retcons as much as the next guy, but I’ll happily buy into something like this — especially with a cover like that (psst — this is me pointing at the Tradd Moore cover above; marvel at it’s wonder).
Continued belowSECRET AVENGERS #8
ALES KOT (W)
MICHAEL WALSH (A)
Cover by TRADD MOORE
“M.O.D.O.K. SUPREME EXTRAVAGANZA”
• M.O.D.O.K.’S ORIGIN STORY. YOU HEARD RIGHT.
• How do you know what we tell you here is true? You don’t. But you’re into it. Why? Because we love you. And it shows.
• Disco? Yes. Abandonment issues? Definitely. Was that a pun? Maybe. Is that a romance brewing? Are we still lying to you? CLAP FOR M.O.D.O.K.!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
7. Gwen Stacy to the Rescue
“Spider-Verse” sounds like a hit or miss concept to me, truth be told. Every Spider-Man ever mixing it up in the world’s worst bar mitzvah ceremony? I don’t know.
But the prelude to “Spider-Verse” does offer up some exciting little one-shots into alternate universes, and the Latour/Rodriguez joint sounds like the best of the bunch. Gwen Stacy certainly has a higher profile these days thanks to that movie series in which she told Andrew Garfield to stop behaving like an idiot for two hours, and I for one am glad that Marvel found a way to exploit the resurgence of Gwen Stacy fandom without bringing her back from the dead.
Well, that — and the fact that they got Robbi Rodriguez to illustrate a one-shot at Marvel starring Gwen Stacy: Spider-Woman. Because that, my friends, is the best.
EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE #2 (Of 5)
JASON LATOUR (W)
ROBBI RODRIGUEZ (A/C)
VARIANT COVER BY Greg Land
GWEN STACY: SPIDER-WOMAN!
• In one universe, it wasn’t Peter Parker bitten by the radioactive Spider, but Gwen Stacy!
• She’s smart, charming and can lift a car– Just don’t tell her Police Chief father!
• How is she involved in Spider-Verse? Seeds of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #9 are planted here!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
6. “Avengers Undercover” Cancelled
Oh, woe is me! I guess that’s why the book jumped three months ahead into its storyline.
It is disappointing to me to see this book go. I realize that this and it’s sister title “Arena” have been controversial amongst fans of the characters, but I’ll admit upfront that I am absolutely unapologetic in my love of this series. Hopeless has brought a clear and new direction to the characters, and even with all the changes he’s offered up he still managed to take an idea that seemed wildly gimmicky (at least in its response to the Teens Fight Each Other For Reasons zeitgeist we’ve seen in storytelling recently) and give it a sense of urgency. With Kev Walker illustrating the majority of the books (not the finale, I’ll point out), the two played very well off of each other in order to dig out a nice little corner in the Young Marvel realm.
Hopeless had teased in the past that there are three acts to his story, so it’s quite possible that there’s another ongoing on the way. I’d imagine that we’ll be seeing more of Hopeless at Marvel regardless, but I am still rather disappointed to see that this book is coming to an end.
AVENGERS UNDERCOVER #10
DENNIS HOPELESS (W)
TIGH WALKER (A)
Cover by FRANCESCO MATTINA
IT’S ZEMO VS. THE WORLD IN THE SERIES FINALE!
• The Avengers & S.H.I.E.L.D. attack as Baron Zemo’s true plan is revealed!
• Which Murder World survivor becomes a Master of Evil?
• Be there as the character journeys that began in AVENGERS ACADEMY & AVENGERS ARENA end here!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
5. But “Superior Foes” is STILL NOT CANCELLED!
Well, thank sales for small favors.
The release schedule of this book has been pretty inconsistent so far, with two issues randomly featuring fill-in anthologies while other issues have just started coming out late. “Superior Foes” is worth the wait, don’t get me wrong, but the “Still not Cancelled” joke does seem to be like someone ostensibly standing on a frozen lake by a “Danger! Thin Ice!” sign and teasing the tension by putting down some pressure.
What I’m saying is: I’m glad this book isn’t cancelled, because that has been looming over the book for a while now. As long as it gets back to a consistent release, it’ll be easy to remind people why this book is worthwhile. Perhaps this ‘Gang War’ arc is the key?
Continued belowTHE SUPERIOR FOES OF SPIDER-MAN #15
NICK SPENCER (w) • STEVE LIEBER (A/c)
Still not CANCELLED!
• GANG WAR begins here. You know it’s a big deal because we put it in caps!
• Everyone gets in a big fight over the head of Silvio Silvermane. Lives are lost, feelings are hurt, and car keys get misplaced!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
4. Please Don’t Kill Miles Morales!
It’s a dubious solicit that’s obviously meant to tease and infuriate fans, but come on. Come on!
MILES MORALES: THE ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #5
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • DAVE MARQUEZ (A/C)
REVIVAL!
• One of the most defining stories in the ULTIMATE UNIVERSE explodes in a way no one saw coming!
• Only one of the two ULTIMATE SPIDER-MANS shall rise!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
3. Feel Free to Take Miles out of the Ultimate Universe, Though!
That said, if Marvel just finds a reason for Miles to forever leave the Ultimate Marvel U, I will be MORE THAN FINE WITH THAT. In fact, I think most people will; Miles is the sole reason to read the Ultimate Universe at this point, so if this is an opportunity to salvage a sinking ship then I’ll accept it.
Of course, there have been signs that the Ultimate Marvel U was going away before and we were all wrong with our predictions. Even with “Ultimate FF” cancelled already, I don’t imagine that Marvel is letting the Ultimate U go without a fight. Well, another one, anyway.
Oh, and Mahmud Asrar is jumping over. That’s a definite plus, though it does make me curious what’s going to happen “Wolverine and the X-Men” — especially with, y’know, Wolverine dying soon.
ALL-NEW X-MEN #32
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • MAHMUD ASRAR (A)
Cover by SARA PICHELLI
• Dimension-hopping is something of an X-Men rite of passage and it’s about time the All-New X-Men took the plunge!
• I guess you don’t always have to travel Miles away to visit a new place…
• But will the web they find themselves tangled in Ultimately bring about their end?
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
2. Valeria Takes Center Stage
I’ve been a big fan of James Robinson’s run on “Fantastic Four” so far, and a big part of that has been with his handling of Franklin and Valeria. I loved what Hickman did with the kids during his run, but it seemed quickly undone when Fraction took over. Robinson hit the reset button, sent Val off to hang out with Uncle Doom and it has worked.
And now, Val is taking center stage when Sue comes to get her daughter back from Doctor Doom. But how exactly do you convince your runaway child to come home from living with your arch enemy when she left because of you in the first place? That’s a question I can’t wait for Robinson to answer.
FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL #1
JAMES ROBINSON (W) • TOM GRUMMETT (A)
Cover by GREG LAND
ATTACK ON CASTLE DOOM!
• SUE RICHARDS goes to Latveria to confront DR. DOOM for the safety and welfare of her daughter VALERIA.
• See the majesty of Dr. Doom’s sovereign country blown apart as he and the Invisible Woman turn Latveria into a battlefield in one of the most savage battles in FF history!
• And when it’s over and the smoke has cleared whose side will Valeria be on?
40 PGS./Rated T …$4.99
1. The Strange Inconsistency of Marvel’s Publishing Line
We sort of touched on this in the last iteration of Soliciting Multiversity, but one thing that is entirely strange about Marvel’s solicits lately is how wildly inconsistent it is. Looking at Marvel for the past couple months, “Original Sin” seems solely responsible for throwing so many things out of whack, and I find it hard to justify why.
At least 8 missing books in July, 4 in August, and now 3 in September by my count: “Iron Man,” “Iron Patriot” and “Hawkeye.” “Hawkeye” missing I guess we all sort of get at this point. That book has been critically acclaimed but equally delayed to hell and back. But, and maybe it’s just me, when things like “Iron Man” are just tucked aside and no longer featured as a recurring ongoing, it seems a bit odd — especially since this is the character that launched their films. I mean, it’s not like he’s going to die in “Original Sin”… right?
Continued belowAnd, ok, sure: titles like “Loki” and “Thor” went on a break and were replaced by the month-long mini-series, but this seems like a very strange publishing pattern for Marvel. Add that into our next talking point, and you can’t help but notice some strange moves. And whatever happened to “Iron Patriot,” eh?
Now, look, up front: the reason I write this particular column in this series here at the site is because I’m a Marvel fan. I want to see them succeed and put out good books, even if they do things that seem contrary to that. Right now, from everything that I can see when I sit back and analyze the solicits, one thing becomes more clear than ever: it doesn’t seem like stories are the driving factor at Marvel right now.
Everything I’m seeing seems to revolve around something else, whether it’s creative team shifts, the upcoming “Axis” event or a general march towards something next year. Marvel has been very coy about what they’ve got going on behind the scenes, though it all seems quite dire, but one thing is for sure: despite all the rumors of what books will be cancelled or what characters will be shifted towards the sidelines, Marvel has never seemed more like a company that seems ready to have everything toe a company line — even when so many of their books are getting some much needed indiefication.
And while, sure, that may always have been the case with a company that is currently running high on the success of outside media, things are certainly looking odd as we head towards “Time Runs Out” — which, conveniently, just happens to climax in May 2015 alongside the release of Age of Ultron. Hmm.
I can be prone to pessimism, though. It’s not good to hang your hat on rumors, but something is going on behind the scenes; a long-con, if you will. I’m very curious to see what that ends up resulting in next year.
For the full solicits from Marvel, head over to CBR.
