August 2013 Marvel Comics Diamond Previews Review
Time to look at the items coming to your local comic shop starting in October of 2013 and listed in the August 2013 issue of Previews. Marvel is once again aiming their marketing machine at the sadly lacking youth market with their new “Share Your Universe” initiative, and with the initiative comes the launch of the comic book adaption of the current Disney series Avengers Assemble. Marvel Universe Avengers Assemble adapts stories from the lackluster follow up to Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
Hulk: Agents of S.M.A.S.H. #1 is the first in a four issue mini-series adapting the next animated release from Marvel. These titles are sure to appeal to a younger audience but it’s a shame that Marvel has seen fit to alienate their adult fans that do enjoy animation.
Infinity is close to running it’s course and will undoubtedly change the Marvel Universe forever, as every cross-over claims to do. The Jonathan Hickman penned story brings the war front to Earth with the solicitation for issue #5 promising that “The War for Earth Begins.” I hope that the New Universe characters are involved, if the Infinity #5 Heroes Variant is any indication, because that would be the one possible aspect that would intrigue me.
Infinity also spills into the pages of Avengers #21, and #22, New Avengers #11, Secret Avengers #10, Mighty Avengers #2, Nova #9, Guardians of the Galaxy #8, The Fearless Defenders #10, Avengers Assemble #20, Thunderbolts #16, and #17, Infinity: Heist #2, and #3, Infinity: The Hunt #2, and #3. It is the constant building towards the next big event that finally turned me off of monthlies. The one thing I look forward to with these events are the titles that they sometimes spawn, and with the promise of a Marvel Now Phase 2 there should be some intriguing books released.
Avengers A.I. #4, and #5 continues to unfold and the first issue was very intriguing and sheds light on the robotic side of the Marvel Universe. This squad helps S.H.I.E.L.D. and Vision may not like dancing to their tune. Sam Humphries (W) is a capable writer and proved with issue one that even though it is a roster of robots, character development is still absolutely possible.
The Ultimate Universe seems to be heading towards another rough stretch of highway when Hunger #4, the last issue of the Galactus visit to their Earth, hits the stands. My prediction is the complete destruction of the Ultimate Universe or a New 52 style reset. Cataclysm #0.1, also arriving in October, will give us hints as to the goal of the story, or I hope it does. The Ultimate Universe lost me as a fan when they did the Ultimatum hack job. Let’s hope that Cataclysm is more than a wholesale murder of the remaining characters.
Matt Kindt (W) and Marco Rudy (A) help rejuvenate the Marvel Knights line with Marvel Knights: Spider-Man #1 (of 5). The premise sounds like fun, and a whole heap of danger for the webslinger as he has to face down 99 of the Marvel Universes toughest villains, ones that will have no problem killing innocents if he doesn’t.
The recent cross-over with Avengers Assemble, and the rapidly spreading good word of mouth seems to have helped Captain Marvel stave off cancellation for the time being. Kelly Sue DeConnick (W) and Filipe Andrade (A) bring us issue #17, billed as the Carol Corps Issue! This is one of the most under appreciated books put out by the House of Ideas, and deserves a stronger showing. There are very few titles that have managed to star a female lead and exhibit the quality and relatability of it’s lead.
The fanboy conversations online about Iron Man and the current running “The Secret Origin of Tony Stark” will no doubt reach a crescendo in October with the release of the concluding chapter in Iron Man #17 by Kieron Gillen (W) and Mahmud Asrar (A). Yet another promise that “Nothing Will Ever Be The Same!” I won’t lie, I am interested, and intend on reading the story as a whole in trade form. Iron Man has become such a stronger character over the years, in no small part to his movies, and a change in his history compels me to read it. With what looks like possible green blood on the broken picture of the Iron Man headed Stark family, it is sure to be a change that might very well break the internet in half…..again.
With a Thor movie out in November the product of the Thunder God starts to roll out. Both Thor: The Crown of Fools #1 by Bryan J.L. Glass (W), and Andrea Di Vito (A), and Thor & The Mighty Avengers by Roger Langridge (W) and Chris Samnee (A) bit shelves, presenting a chance to do a little catch up on the history of this son of Asgard.
Rarely does a Max series catch my attention but Fantomex Max by Andrew Hope (W) and Shawn Crystal (A) has done just that. Fantomex has been an interesting character from the start, and with the exception of the current arc in Uncanny X-Force, he has consistently made me want to know more. This four issue mini-series brings Fantomex back to his international super-thief routes. Some might argue that that role is handled quite capably by Gambit, but as I am not a fan of the Cajun thief, I am more than willing to give Fantomex a shot.
Once we hit the collected edition portion of Marvel’s Previews we see a couple of pages of Thor trades. One of the more interesting ones is Thor Vs. Thanos. At 256 pages and a creative roster including: Dan Jurgens (W), John Romita Jr. (A), Michael Ryan (A), Jerry Ordway (A), and Jose Ladronn (A) this is well worth the $24.99 price tag. With Thanos figuring quite prominently in the ever expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe this is an exciting way to witness the God of Thunder facing off against a villain that wants nothing more than Death.
Another trade worth looking at is Journey Into Mystery featuring Sif Vol. 2: Seeds of Destruction. Journey Into Mystery by Kathryn Immonen (W), Matteo Scalera (A), and Valerio Schiti (A) made Sif a leading lady and it is a shame that this title was so drastically over looked. Get this trade and Volume 1 if you haven’t yet. You are in for a treat. Plus in Volume 2 you get Beta Ray Bill, and that can be nothing but entertaining.
That is our look at Marvel for product shipping starting in October of 2013.