Marvel Solicits for August 2013

Nope, not even Art Adams can save that
Cap costume!

Marvel is getting all my money these days, and August seems likely to keep the streak alive. Here is what caught my eye! 

INFINITY #1 (of 6)
JONATHAN HICKMAN (W) • JIM CHEUNG (A)
Cover by ADAM KUBERT
Blank Variant Also Available
Design Variant by JEROME OPEÑA
Generals Variant by IN-HYUK LEE
Hero Variant by ARTHUR ADAMS
Hero Sketch Variant by ARTHUR ADAMS
Variant by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
Variant by SKOTTIE YOUNG
The oversized kickoff to the year’s most anticipate Blockbuster summer event, changing the way you view the Marvel Universe!
• The outbreak of war on two fronts: Earth and Space, with our heroes torn between them.
• The world-shattering return of Thanos!
• Includes material from FREE COMIC BOOK DAY: INFINITY
56 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99
Retailers: Check the Marvel Mailer for news on Infinity Launch Parties!

Geez, I want to like this, but Hickman’s work is almost always too complicated for me. Hearing that this will be a huge, sprawling crossover like Fear Itself doesn’t make me think this concept will be any simpler. 

AVENGERS #17
JONATHAN HICKMAN (W) • STEFANO CASELLI (A)
Cover by LEINIL YU
“ALL QUIET”
The Avengers recruit more members to deal with the soon-arriving threat to Earth.
The Builders enter the Marvel Universe.
The Finale of the Prelude to INFINITY: Part Four.
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

17 issues in, and we’re just finishing the PRELUDE? Seriously? That’s insane, right? And the worst part is, I have no idea what the current story is even about!  

AVENGERS ARENA #13 & 14
CHRISTOS GAGE & DENNIS HOPELESS (W)
KARL MOLINE & KEV WALKER (A)
#13 COVER BY KALMAN ANDRASOFSZKY
#14 COVER BY MIKE DEODATO JR.
#14 8-bit Variant by MATTHEW WAITE
TWO KEY ISSUES: THE HUNT FOR THE MISSING TEENS! PLUS: THE START OF OUR NEXT BIG ARC “BOSS LEVEL!”
• Issue #13: Hank Pym searches for the kidnapped Avengers Academy students…by the special guest creative team of AVENGERS ACADEMY’s Christos Gage and Karl Moline!
• Issue #14: It begins here, the last story arc of Season One! The contestants have fought one another, now can they put aside their feuds and battle Arcade?
32 PGS. (EACH)/Rated T+ …$2.99 (EACH)

Sold! Christos Gage gets to come in and clean up after Avengers Academy, plus it stars Hank Pym! This has me even more certain that Avengers Arena is going to end up being a virtual reality deal. No way would they kill off all these characters. 

AVENGERS A.I. #2
SAM HUMPHRIES (W) • ANDRE LIMA ARAUJO (A)
Cover by DAVE MARQUEZ
ARTIST VARIANT BY ED MCGUINNESS
• The return of the Sentient Iron Man armor!
• Dimitrios -- a powerful super-intelligence with an axe to grind against humanity -- strikes...!
• What secrets does the powerful Alexis hold for the Marvel Universe? Is it your bank account balance, your email password, your secret journal entries?
• There’s nothing about your life that artificial intelligence cannot use against you! BEWARE!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99

I like the concept and the team, but I’m not sold on Sam Humphries yet. Is his stuff any good? Too bad that sweet Sean Chen-designed Iron Man armor is evil now! And why the heck is Jocasta not on this team? 

HUNGER #2 (of 4)
JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV (W) • LEONARD KIRK (A)
Cover by ADI GRANOV
• The fallout from AGE OF ULTRON rips open a dangerous rift in the universe!
• Prepare for a hunger so strong, that no universe is safe.
• Is this the beginning of the end?
• All the details will be revealed when Age of Ultron #10 hits stands everywhere!
• PREVIOUSLY SOLICITED UNDER THE CLASSIFIED NAME OF AGE OF ULTRON #10 UC
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Galactus, is that you? I mean, “Hunger” in purple, who else could it be? Is Fialkov a big enough name to get a Galactus story this soon, though? 

SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN TEAM UP #2
CHRISTOPHER YOST (W) • MARCO CHECCETTO (A)
Cover by PAOLO RIVERA
SIBLING RIVALRY BEGINS HERE!
• Because you demanded it! Parker versus Parker! The Superior Spider-Man Versus Scarlet Spider!
• Kaine has come to New York to check on Peter’s ‘superior’ behavior, not realizing Doc Ock has taken over Peter’s life. But Ock sure knows who Kaine is...Kaine, the man who once KILLED Doctor Octopus. And now it’s payback time.
32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$3.99

I’ve said it many times; this book is Marvel Team-Up. I’m legally obligated to support team-up books. Plus, look at that cover! I’m not happy I have to follow the story over to Scarlet Spider, though. I don't think I'm going to do it. I’ve been ignoring Kaine for a long time; I’m not going to stop now!

ROCKET RACCOON: TALES FROM HALF-WORLD
BILL MANTLO (W) • MIKE MIGNOLA (A)
Cover by Steve McNiven
• Relive the early adventures of the furry, feisty breakout star of GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY!
• Captain of the starship Rack ’n’ Ruin, chief ranger of Halfworld, Rocket protects the Keystone Quadrant!
• When the Toy War erupts, Rocket and his first mate Wal Russ must team with Bucky O’Hare!
• Can they triumph over killer clowns, defeat Lord Dyvyne and Judson Jakes, and cure Halfworld’s insane population, the Loonies?
• Oh, and Rocket’s a talking raccoon from outer space. We mentioned that, right?
• Collecting ROCKET RACCOON #1-4.
104 PGS./Rated T …$7.99

Just make sure Bill Mantlo makes money off this, OK Marvel?

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #6
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS & NEIL GAIMAN (W) • SARA PICHELLI (A/C)
VARIANT Cover by PAOLO RIVERA
• The blockbuster new series hits hard as Marvel’s newest superstar Angela comes right for the Guardians!
• Round one is Gamora versus Angela…with an entire universe at stake!
• All that and comics legend Neil Gaiman joins the award-winning Ultimate Spider-Man team of Bendis and Pichelli in this one-of-a-kind comic book event!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

I like the design, and I’m intrigued by Angela joining the Marvel U. But aren’t her powers pretty close to Gamorra? Two sword-gals on the same team seems to be above quota, doesn’t it?

IRON MAN #14
KIERON GILLEN (W) • GREG LAND (A/C)
MORE MIND-BLOWING REVELATIONS AS “THE SECRET ORIGIN OF TONY STARK” CONTINUES!
• Free at last, all IRON MAN has to do is fight a robot who can take over his armor at any time and avoid one of the universe’s greatest bounty-hunters...DEATH’S HEAD.
• An impossible choice at the edge of space will decide the fate of two worlds. Who lives? Who dies?
• And can TONY STARK somehow find a way to avoid his destiny...
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

What is it about Iron Man? I absolutely love any cover where he’s in a tight spot. Even Greg Land can knock it out of the park! 

FEARLESS DEFENDERS #8
CULLEN BUNN (W)
WILLIAM SLINEY (A)
Cover by MARK BROOKS
• New costume! New arc! New status quo I still won’t tell you about!
• Misty kicked ass in Valkyrie’s world, now it’s time to see how Valkyrie fairs in Misty’s.
• Guest staring Elsa Bloodstone!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

This book has not been as good as I’d hoped, but man, the covers are wonderful. Love the new costume for Valkyrie too.

 DAREDEVIL #30

MARK WAID (W) • CHRIS SAMNEE (A/C)
• When soars the Silver Surfer!
• What weird menace unites Daredevil with the Cosmic Rider of the Spaceways?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99

If that cover doesn’t get you excited about comic books, we can’t be friends anymore. 

WOLVERINE #8
PAUL CORNELL (W) • ALAN DAVIS (A/C)
Artist Variant by TBD
8-bit VARIANT Cover by MATTHEW WAITE
PART ONE OF KILLABLE!
• It all starts here, the biggest Wolverine event in years!
• Wolverine thinks a cure has been found…but it’s in Wakanda, where he’s not exactly a welcome guest!
• Meanwhile, Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. are working on even bigger problems that Wolverine might have caused.
• Guest-starring Storm and Black Panther!
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99

Same as above. This is what comic books are all about!  Black Panther fighting Wolverine drawn by Alan Davis is a gift to the world! That’s a lot of pressure for Paul Cornell!

AVENGERS: ENDLESS WARTIME OGN-HC
Written by WARREN ELLIS
Penciled by MIKE MCKONE
Cover by MIKE MCKONE
The first in a series of all-new original graphic novels! An abomination, long thought buried, has resurfaced in a war-torn land. But now it wears an American flag. Faced with another nightmare reborn, Captain America will not stand for yet more death at the hands of a ghost from his past. Haunted by his greatest shame, Thor must renew the hunt for a familiar beast. At their side, an assemblage of allies united to end the threats no one of them could face alone. They are soldiers. Warriors. Comrades-in-arms. Mighty heroes led by a living legend, stronger together than apart. They are the Avengers.
120 PGS./Rated T+ …$24.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-8467-6
Trim size: oversized

I’m tempted to pick this up in hardcover, but Ellis is a real love-or-hate writer for me. I might need to see how snarky the tone is before I buy this one.

Obviously, I’m much more interested in Marvel’s books than DC these days. They seem to be leveraging their characters in a much more effective manner. (Seriously, Two Gun Kid and Iron Man’s sentient armor in the same month? The Impossible Man in FF?) Most of their artists are longtime favorites, and while the core Infinity story hasn’t intrigued me so far, the X-universe and the 2nd tier titles are rocking. I will be buying a ton of Marvel books in August. Clearly, these solicitations are GOOD.

(But let me leave you with one word of advice. DO NOT BUY THE AGE OF ULTRON COLLECTION. You will regret it!)

DC Solicits for August 2013

Is Pandora breaking the nu52?

With the New 52 chugging right along, I’m down to collecting just a handful of DC books. I buy Batman Inc. on Comixology, and I have a subscription to Batman and Green Lantern. (I’m not doing so well keeping up with GL, though.)

I am trying to keep up with DC books through my local library. The price is right, and if I can’t finish a collection, I can pop it right back on the shelf.

Now let’s look at the August 2013 Solicits and see if there is anything I need to put a hold on…

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #7
Written by GEOFF JOHNS and JEFF LEMIRE
Art by DOUG MAHNKE and CHRISTIAN ALAMY
Cover by DOUG MAHNKE
1:25 Variant cover by MIKEL JANIN
1:00 B&W Variant cover by DOUG MAHNKE
“We Can Be Heroes” Blank variant cover available
On sale AUGUST 14 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
Retailers: This issue will ship with five covers. Please see the order form for more information.
TRINITY WAR CHAPTER 4! The hunt for a murder suspect leads Superman and his new teammates to the secret behind the Secret Society, while Batman finds the key to the crime—and one of the Leaguers will be forever changed by it. Plus, who is the Secret Society of Super-Villains and what are their plans for Pandora?
This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #23
Written by JEFF LEMIRE
Art by MIKEL JANIN
Cover by DOUG MANHKE
1:25 Variant cover by MIKAL JANIN
1:100 B&W Variant cover by DOUG MAHNKE
On sale AUGUST 21 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with three covers. Please see the order form for more information.
TRINITY WAR CHAPTER 5! The Justice Leagues continues to fracture as the murder of a hero is solved—and the line between justice and vengeance blurs as they head off to find those responsible! TRINITY WAR CHAPTER 5! The Justice Leagues continues to fracture as the murder of a hero is solved—and the line between justice and vengeance blurs as they head off to find those responsible!

JUSTICE LEAGUE #23
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
Cover by DOUG MAHNKE
1:25 Variant cover by MIKAL JANIN
1:00 B&W Variant cover by DOUG MAHNKE
On sale AUGUST 28 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
Retailers: This issue will ship with four covers. Please see the order form for more information.
TRINITY WAR CHAPTER 6! Trinity War concludes! But that doesn’t mean all ends well for our heroes. The secret behind Pandora’s Box is revealed and it means the end of the Justice Leagues!
This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

There was a time I would have been all wound up about the phrase “murder of a hero” as I worried about my B-tier favorites in the DCU. Now I’m just curious. Even killing Martian Manhunter would be enough to get me riled up now! 

CONSTANTINE #6
Written by RAY FAWKES
Art by RENATO GUEDES
Cover by EDDY BARROWS and EBER FERREIRA
On sale AUGUST 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
On the verge of death, John Constantine fights for his very soul against his own former protégé!

Hellblazer is one of those books that I always meant to read, but never got around to picking up. But I feel like I have a pretty good feel for the character from a litany of covers over the years. This just doesn’t look like Constantine, does it? 

THE FLASH #23
Written by FRANCIS MANAPUL and BRIAN BUCCELLATO
Art and cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
1:25 B&W Variant cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
On sale AUGUST 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.
The Flash makes a desperate play to save Iris from Reverse-Flash—and you can’t be sure who will be left standing by this issue’s end!

Wow! That is not what I picture when I think of the Reverse Flash. Weird! 

EARTH 2 #15
Written by JAMES ROBINSON
Art by NICOLA SCOTT and TREVOR SCOTT
Cover by JUAN DOE
1:25 B&W Variant cover by JUAN DOE
On sale AUGUST 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.
Dr. Fate, Red Arrow, The Flash, Green Lantern and The Atom all fall victim to the Hunger Dogs of Apokolips as the war against the forces of Steppenwolf continues!

All this Kirby talk has me interested. Does this book really stand-alone in the new 52? Does it have that Kirby flair? Which James Robinson writes the book these days?

BATMAN, INCORPORATED SPECIAL #1
Written by CHRIS BURNHAM, JOE KEATINGE, DAN DIDIO and others
Art by CHRIS BURNHAM, ETHAN VAN SCIVER, JASON MASTERS and others
Cover by CHRIS BURNHAM
1:25 Variant cover by ETHAN VAN SCIVER
On sale AUGUST 28 • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.
An all-star special featuring the various members of Batman Incorporated—Man-of-Bats, Red Raven, El Gaucho, Dark Ranger, Knight, Batman himself and more! In the wake of their epic struggle with Talia al Ghul, the Heretic and Leviathan see what’s next for the members of Batman’s army. Featuring stories written and drawn by a collection of industry greats! Plus: Bat-Cow makes her solo debut in a tale by writer Dan DiDio and artist Ethan Van Sciver!

Hey, I love what Chris Burnham has brought to this title. But I can’t help but notice that one big name is missing. Can anyone figure out who it is? 

BATMAN #23
Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Art by GREG CAPULLO and DANNY MIKI
Backup story art by RAFAEL ALBUQUERQUE
Cover by GREG CAPULLO
1:25 Variant cover by GARY FRANK
1:100 B&W Variant cover by GREG CAPULLO
On sale AUGUST 14 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
Retailers: This issue will ship with four covers. Please see the order form for more information.
Witness the moment Bruce Wayne becomes Batman as “Zero Year” makes history! And in the backup story, a young Bruce Wayne fights for his life in a death match in Russia!
This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

As long as Snyder stays clear of the Year One content, I don’t see a problem with the Year Zero concept. It sure looks like it will read pretty close to Batman Begins’ origin. Synergy! 

TALON #11
Written by JAMES TYNION IV
Art and cover by MIGUEL SEPULVEDA
On sale AUGUST 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
The clash between Talon and Bane’s forces comes to an epic finale on Santa Prisca as Casey Washington desperately seeks Batman to help him eliminate the Court of Owls once and for all.

Please tell me that’s not Bane. I don't think I'll be able to sleep if this is an "improved" redesign. 

BATWING #23
Written by JUSTIN GRAY and JIMMY PALMIOTTI
Art by EDUARDO PANSICA and JULIO FERREIRA
Cover by KEN LASHLEY
On sale AUGUST 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Luke Fox’s personal life is already in turmoil, but as Batwing he must confront a dangerous new threat in the form of assassin for hire Lady Vic as she makes her first appearance in The New 52!

I like the look of the new Batwing suit, and… wait! I actually still recognize Lady Vic! Cool!

GREEN LANTERN #23
Written by ROBERT VENDITTI
Art and cover by BILLY TAN and RICHARD FRIEND
1:25 Variant cover by RAGS MORALES
On sale AUGUST 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $3.99 US
Retailers: This issue will ship with three covers. Please see the order form for more information.
Hal struggles with his new role as leader of the Green Lantern Corps while he tries to solve the mystery of why the universe is atrophying! And an escaped prisoner has gotten hold of a power that makes her nearly unstoppable! The stage is set for the ultimate test against Relic!
This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

Have we ever seen Hal as the big boss of the whole Corps? I can’t remember seeing it. A neat idea. 

THRESHOLD #8

DIAL H #15

DEMON KNIGHTS #23

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #23

Demon Knights was the only one of these books that I had planned on checking out from the library. Is the 23 issue run worth looking in to? And the big question, can I hold out hope that some of these vacancies in the “52” could be filled by Multiversity books set outside the nu52?

STORMWATCH #23
Written by JIM STARLIN
Art by YVEL GUICHET and LeBEAU UNDERWOOD
Cover by JIM STARLIN and ROB HUNTER
On sale AUGUST 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
The true nature of the Kollective is revealed, and the mystery surrounding past Stormwatch teams grows!

C’mon, doesn’t this look like a solicit from 1998?

SUICIDE SQUAD #23
Written by ALES KOT
Art by PATRICK ZIRCHER
Cover by JASON PEARSON
On sale AUGUST 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
Suicide Squad is sent on a mission to take down a dictator who is planning to create his own metahuman army. But what the Squad doesn’t know is that he already has a batch of super-powered soldiers ready to defend him—cue the mayhem! Plus, the true nature of Waller’s new deal with the team is revealed!

Ooh! Fantastic Jason Pearson cover, and Patrick Zircher on interiors. Is this book worth checking out? Does it feel like Ostrander’s old Squad? Who is this Ales Kot?

DC UNIVERSE VS. THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE #1
Written by KEITH GIFFEN
Art by DEXTER SOY
Covers by ED BENES
On sale AUGUST 28 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 6, $2.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.
After narrowly escaping his last battle with He-Man, Skeletor has fled to the most unexpected realm to recover: EARTH! Once there, he sets a plan in motion to siphon off Earth’s core magic. Forging an unlikely hunting party, He-Man and company go in search of Skeletor. Finding themselves at odds with the heroes of the DC Universe, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe must find a way to stop Skeletor and his mysterious new master!
This debut issue features two covers by Ed Benes, both available for ordering: one featuring the heroes of the DC Universe, and the other featuring The Masters of the Universe!

Oh man. As a fan of the G.I. Joe and Transformer comics, I shouldn’t laugh… but c’mon! He-Man in the DCU???? The only problem with mocking this book is that I'm a tad intrigued!

ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #4
Written by DAN ABNETT, ANDY LANNING, TOM DeFALCO and ROB WILLIAMS
Art by WES CRAIG, PETE WOODS and CHRIS WESTON
Cover by BRUCE TIMM
On sale AUGUST 28 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T • DIGITAL FIRST
Join comics’ finest talents as they celebrate The Man of Steel himself: Superman! This issue features The Last Son of Krypton in timeless tales of truth and justice, featuring appearances by Lex Luthor and Brainiac! Plus: A meteor that’s headed straight for Earth!

This is a pretty great creative line-up. This is the book that still has Superman Classic, right? Is it cheaper to buy these online?

BATMAN ‘66 #2
Written by JEFF PARKER
Art by RUBEN PROCOPIO and DEAN HASPIEL
Cover by MICHAEL ALLRED
1:25 Variant cover by CULLY HAMNER
On sale AUGUST 21 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T • DIGITAL FIRST
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.
From the sands of time and halls of higher learning comes one of Batman’s deadliest foes: King Tut! Tut returns to assert his royal status and challenge the Dynamic Duo with his most far-reaching plan yet to rule the modern Thebes, Gotham City! Also in this issue, doors smash in and jaws crack from the fists of the newest tough in town: introducing the 1966 incarnation of that reptilian rogue Killer Croc! How can Batman battle this brawny brute?

As a stand-alone title, I’m mighty tempted by this book. The creative team is strong, and as far as I can tell, everyone looks recognizable. I might subscribe to this one!

All in all, I think there are probably four or five books I'm tempted to pick up. That's actually an upswing for the DCU!  

That said, with so many awful costumes and my lack of interest in any of the event storylines like Superman and Justice League, I'm afraid the Energy Analyzer has declared these solicits: EVIL

NYCC News and Notes

Here's some random news that struck my fancy from Day 1:

• In a fantastic turn of events, DC is rolling back the price point of their books to $3.99. I'm adding Batman INC., Emerald Warriors, and not dropping JLA as I planned. Great move, DC!
  
• DnA are kicking off some sort of zombie invasion of the IDW universe. This will affect the Ghostbusters, GI Joe, and Transformers. I'm sure I don't see how this will work, but I trust DnA to make it work. I'm curious to see how they trade this.
• Astonishing Captain America launches next summer from Andy Diggle and Adi Granov. That is going to be a good comic.
• The X-Men are going to Monster Island in Astonishing X-Men. Could be fun, but I'm iffy on Daniel Way, although Jason Pearson on art will be awesome.
• Wolverine and Jubliee are getting a new mini from Kathryn Immonen and Phil Noto. I can predict now that it will be pretty with unique dialogue.
• Wolverine & Hercules are getting a mini about bar-hopping. Frank Tieri is hit or miss with me, but this could be fun.
• Nick Spencer and Bernard Chang are taking over Supergirl. I'm so far behind on this title, I haven't even read any of Sterling Gates' stuff yet!
  

C2E2 News and Announcements (part 2)

The full Secret Avengers lineup is Steve Rogers, Sharon Carter, Black Widow, Nova, Valkyrie, Moon Knight, Beast, War Machine, and the Irredeemable Ant-Man. Wow, that is one hell of a lineup. Can't wait!

Whilce Portacio will be the new Uncanny X-Men penciller starting in July. Leonard Kirk will be the new artist for New Mutants.

Larry Hama is kickstaring the old GI Joe continuity with GI Joe #156, picking up the storylines from the old Marvel continuity! Great news! I do worry that it might render the new IDW stuff obsolete.

Serpentor is coming back in GI Joe: Cobra II! I love that guy!

Grant Morrison is staying on Batman & Robin at least issue 16, and he'll have some role after that.

X-Force is getting cancelled and re-launched as New X-Force by Rick Remender and Jerome Opena. They're going up against Apocalypse! This is going to be a "morally conflicted" team, so maybe my fave Colossus can be there agonizing about killing villains.

X-23 is getting a montly series by Marjorie Liu and an unnamed artist.

The three main Avengers teams will have SHIELD liasons in Sharon Carter, Victoria Hand, and Maria Hill.

Conan the Cimmerian is ending at issue #25, to be replaced by Conan the King by Roy Thomas.

Tim Truman and Tomas Giorello will stay involved with mini-series, the first being King Conan: The Scarlet Citadel."

Victor Gischler and Paco Medina are relaunching X-Men #1. This is the new "big action" title that will lead off with the X-Men vs. Dracula. The best news in regards to this is that Mike Carey will be continuing his stellar X-Men: Legacy title. Thank goodness!

Wolverine Weapon X is getting cancelled and replaced by a new Wolverine title by Jason Aaron and Renato Guedes. I'm pleased, and I'll definitely buy this, but I was really digging Ron Garney's take on Wolvie. Aaron does promise an Alpha Flight appearance though, so that's good.

Daniel Way, Marjorie Liu, and Giueseppe Camuncoli are launching Daken: Dark Wolverine, a new book picking up after the current Dark Wolverine series. I've been impressed with their work so far, this will probably be worth checking out.

C2E2 News and Announcements

Super Soldier a four-issue Steve Rogers series by Ed Brubaker and Dale Eaglesham. Can't wait. I'm annoyed Brubaker keeps coming up with new books I have to buy.

Shadowland, a five-issue series by Andy Diggle and Billy Tan featuring the street-level Marvel heroes. This is going to be great, I'm sure, but I'm probably switching to trades for "Marvel Street."

Avengers Academy instructors will include Hank Pym, Tigra, Justice, Speedball, and Quicksilver. Must buy, for me, especially considering that I think the real Wasp would fit nicely up in that right corner.

The Avengers will operate out of Avengers Tower, while the New Avengers will operate out of the mansion. I can get behind that.

James Robinson has promised to "make justice league a big, exciting, epic adventure" to make up for Justice League: Cry for Justice. I hope so, Cry was terrible.

Avengers, The Children's Crusade will be an eight-issue Young Avengers limited by Allan Heinberg and Jimmy Cheung. Scarlet Witch is one of the most famous Marvel ladies, they really need to get her back into action.

Emerald Warriors will feature Guy Gardner, Kilowog, and Arisia. Green Lantern Corps will be for Kyle Rayner, John Stewart, and GL Ganthet. Emerald Warriors will be written by Peter Tomasi with art by Fernado Pasarin.

Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert are working on Flashpoint for 2011.

Secret Warriors will be ending around issue 27 or 28. I still haven't read the first trade!

Ultimate Comics Mystery by Brian Michael Bendis and Rafa Sandoval is a follow-up to Ultimatum. That's funny, I'm pretty much done with the Ultimate U after Ultimatum.

The Mighty Crusaders will get a new limited series, uniting the Red Circle characters under one title. Depending on the writer, this could be really good.

Amazing Spider-Man: One Moment in Time is a four-issue Spider-Man storyby Joe Quesada and Paolo Rivera that should fill in some marriage gaps. I may dodge this just because it is still a sore spot for me.

SPIDER-MAN/FANTASTIC FOUR a four-issue limited by Christos Gage & Mario Alberti should be good. I'll grab the trade.

Hitmonkey is coming back in a three issue limited by Daniel Way & Dalibor Talijic with covers by Dave Johnson. I don't care, but maybe you do!

Avengers and the Infinity Gauntlet is a re-telling of the classic story, four issues by Atomic Robo's Brian Clevinger & Brian Churilla

Captain America: Patriot gets four issues by Karl Kesel & Mitch Breitweiser, this looks really promising.

Thor: The Mighty Avenger by Roger Langridge & Chris Samnee gives me hope that Marvel's kid output is increasing.

Dan Jurgens is writing a Time Masters: Vanishing Point, a six-issue limited series tying in to the Return of Bruce Wayne. Even though Jurgens' most recent work was only average, I'll probably still get this.

Looks like a new Invaders project with Christos Gage and Alex Ross involved. If Gage is writing, I'm sold on the eventual trade.

Punisher vs. some kind of infected Marvel Universe project. A Marvel zombies crossover? Looks like Goran Parlov art, excellent!

Supergirl and Jade are joining the Justice League. James Robinson says there will soon be more ladies than guys on the team. My daughter will be pleased.


Osiris' return supposedly means good things for the Shazam family of characters.

Ok, working on the next post now, there's a TON of news!

Marvel's Solicits for June 2010

Are you ready to buy a whole lotta Avengers comics in June? You'd better be, because the line is exploding. Check out my write-up at ComicsPlusBlog.

I'm getting really worried about Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova... have they been soft-cancelled?

Solicit Time! DC Comics in June 2010

Who's excited about DC Comics in June? There's a lot here, but I'll be honest, I think Marvel wins this month for me. Too many Avengers books! But DC has a lot of good stuff and they are finally putting JMS to work on some titles that should grab mainstream attention. Plus, Grant Morrison is back on Batman!

Click over to my solicit round-up at ComicsPlusBlog.

Solicits Preview: Marvel in May 2010

The Heroic Age has arrived for Marvel comics. You know what else has arrived? The $3.99 book as the standard. I'm going to be cutting some titles and switching to even more Marvel trades because these are getting too expensive for a single issue.

That said, I'm excited enough about all these new Avengers books to pay $3.99 for them!

Check out my write-up at ComicsPlusBlog.

Solicits Preview: DC in May 2010

There is a ton of new stuff in here, gang. DC is really stepping up and putting out some awesome books in May, so many that I think I'm actually more excited about DC than Marvel this month.

Let's all cross our fingers that Martian Manhunter appears in either the JLI reunion book or in Brightest Day.

My complete preview is up at ComicsPlusBlog, as always.

Recapping Comic News

Fallen behind on comic news? Understandable, there is a ton of it out there right now. Here's a recap for ya!

Ed Brubaker and Mike Deodato are launching Secret Avengers. Marvel has released shadowed images of some of the team.

Brian Michael Bendis and John Romita Jr. are launching a new Avengers title. Marvel has released 5 team members, Winter Cap, Spider-Woman, Hawkeye, Thor, and Iron Man.

Jeff Parker is sticking with the Thunderbolts. Luke Cage is leading the new team consisting of Moonstone, Juggernaut, Ghost, and Crossbones. It sounds like the rest of the lineup will be filled by ex-Tbolts and random villains for specific arcs.

Baron Zemo is going back to his villainous ways in Ed Brubaker's Captain America, starring Winter Cap.

Amadeus Cho is becoming the Prince of Power in a new limited series by Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente.

Jeff Parker is getting another chance at an Agents of Atlas ongoing with the new title Atlas. I think 3-D Man is joining!

Marvel is putting out an Age of Heroes limited taking a peek at heroes in the brigher era (including Doctor Voodoo!)

Bruce Wayne/Batman is returning as a time-lost vigilante in Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert's Return of Bruce Wayne. Too bad, I rather like NightBats.

Peter Tomasi is launching a new Green Lantern: Warriors title, starring Guy Gardner (and sometimes Kilowog).

Tony Bedard is taking over as regular writer for Green Lantern Corps, starring Kyle Rayner, John Stewart, and GL Ganthet.

DC has confirmed that Aquaman will appear in the new Brightest Day series (by Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi) along with other heroes getting "second chances. Johns promises that not every second chance will work out.

Have I forgotten any big ones?

DC's April 2010 Solicits

I'm pleased to announce that Starfire is continuing in her quest to join every team in the DCU. She's got the Titans and Justice League covered already, and if you want to find out where she's headed next, head over to ComicsPlusBlog to read my thoughts about the DC solicits for April 2010.

Things are looking up in the ol' DCU, I haven't been this excited about their output in quite some time!

DC in 2010: Brightest Day!

According to their Source blog, DC will be brightening up their universe in 2010, just like Marvel is doing. I'm very intrigued at the possibility of a streamlined DCU boasting a brighter, more positive tone.

There will be a new bi-weekly series called "Brightest Day" that is essentially DC Universe: Rebirth, from what I have read. The series will be written by Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi, with covers by David Finch. The creative team will be rotating.

A number of DC titles will carry the Brightest Day banner too, I guess representing low-bummer content? The announced titles so far include The Flash by Geoff Johns, a Deathstroke-led Titans book by Eric Wallace and Fabrizio Fiorentino, and Justice League of America with a new lineup.

I'm very intrigued. I had planned on waiting for trade for all this, but I'm not sure I'll be able to hold off on all of these. At the least, I'm hopeful that Brightest Day might feature Martian Manhunter, Blue Beetle, or Aquaman and Mera.

Merry Christmas!

It looks like Deathlok got you a Wolverine!

My present to you all is a preview of Marvel's March solicits on ComicsPlusBlog!

I may be a bit slow over the next week or so, but then again, maybe not. I'll still be reading a ton of comics, the question is, will I have time to review them?

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season and that you all get a few of those trade paperbacks you've been asking for!

A Peek at DC's March 2010 Solicits!

SPOILERS away!

Here we go again! There's a lot of interesting stuff from the big two this month. DC is up first, as always. I'm getting very worried about Green Arrow. It looks like he's getting some spotlight in the upcoming months, which is usually a bad sign for both the spotlighted character and his or her supporting cast. I'll go on record now that I'm worried Black Canary might not survive February.

With Blackest Night wrapping up in March, we don't know much about the "post-" status of the DCU, but it certainly seems very similar to what has been happening for the last few months. (That is, no announcement about my dream book: Peter Tomasi writing a Martian Manhunter ongoing.)

Here's a link to my full write up at ComicsPlusBlog.

Marvel's February 2010 Solicits

Marvel's February solicits preview is now up over at Comicsplusblog. This is a really shallow month, it seems. Not a whole lot of new launches or even storylines wrapping up.

DC Solicits for February 2010

Here is my normal feature on Comicsplusblog where I preview the new solicits. February actually looks kind of low key from DC this month, but I am excited about all my regulars at least. The classified bit for all the big Blackest Night books certainly doesn't help give us anything to be excited about.

Marvel's January 2010 Solicits Preview

Here's my write-up of January's Marvel books. Newsarama has the full solicits as they always do.

Lots of Avenger-y goodness this month, I'm excited!

DC's January 2010 Solicits Previewed

Here's my normal feature over at ComicsPlusBlog where I rant and rave about DC's new month of comics. We're up to 2010 already. Yowza!

As always, Newsarama has the full solicits... because no one offered to send them to me! ;)

Marvel's December 2009 Solicits

And here we go with Marvel's offerings for December. There are a TON of trades shipping, so get your wallets ready. Comicsplusblog has my write-up.

Complete solicits are up at Newsarama.

Captain Britain & MI 13 Cancelled

This is a real bummer. Series writer Paul Cornell confirms over on his blog that the awesome series will be ending. This was a fantastic series that I will miss greatly. I picked it up in floppy rather than trade hoping against hope that the series would make it. Alas, it's dead meat.

I've read on some other blogs that Nova, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Secret Six are at similar sales levels, so I'm probably about to lose a slew of my favorite titles. Ugh.