July 2012 Marvel Comics Diamond Previews Review
Marvel in September brings the end to the event monster known as Avengers Vs. X-Men. While there have been some interesting moments sprinkled throughout this storyline, for the most part I am happy it is finally over. The only downside is I know that this will lead into the much hyped Marvel Now! Initiative. I am sure many of the books in this relaunch will be of exceptional quality, but I can’t help shake the feeling that Marvel has seemed to be in a state of constant flux, without any clear direction ever since the opening pages of House of M, and this Now stuff is not helping that perception. It seems like Marvel is throwing everything at the wall and seeing what sticks and what doesn’t. That being said, I will be dropping several Marvel titles but will be trying out some of the new or relaunched titles as their roll out starts later in the year.
Back to the business at hand, and that business is Marvel in September. The big issue of the month is the final issue of the Avengers Vs. X-Men saga. From the cover solicitation it looks like the entity settles on one of our merry mutants to be it’s host. I am hoping that they do not go with Hope nor Rachel and instead, the Phoenix bonds with someone completely unexpected. If Marvel wants to shake things up and make the Marvel Universe more interesting in their new landscape, go with something different, and let it stick for awhile.
Uncanny X-Men has long been a title I have been wanting to potentially drop, but with the series ending (again) in October I am going to stick it out, plus I have a feeling that the relationship between Scott and Emma is heading into rocky territory and I want to see where this particular soap opera lands.
New Avengers is one of titles I am dropping. With so many Avengers titles out there, this one seems like the most redundant – great characters, no direction. Plus in the solicitation it mentions that New York is burning. Just a note to Marvel, saying New York is burning in the Marvel Universe is like saying that the sky is blue, it happens all the time, I don’t know how people still live there at this point. There are only so many times that a city can be destroyed before I would want to move, seriously, quit destroying New York.
For my Avengers fix I turn to Secret Avengers. This is my Marvel Pick of the Month. This title provides me with an exciting dose of the unexpected each and every month, and has really made an interesting team dynamic that is like nothing out there. This is the hidden gem of the Avengers line and I enjoy this more than the main title. This is a title that highlights B-Listers, both heroes, and villains, and gives them a unique personality that you rarely see in other appearances, and handled by a different creative team. Top this title with an Arthur Adams cover and you have a winner.
I tried the first couple of issues of Dark Avengers, and while it is solid, I have to let it fall off my list. There are just too many books with the word Avengers in it, and as a fan of the franchise that actually makes me sad. In this day and age some people can’t afford to read all the titles, and they are not all that self contained. I think that’s what appeals to me about Secret Avengers, it is more into singular storytelling, on very much a shared stage, but can operate independently, without any other title. I do seem to have a lot of love for that title.
Avengers Academy is another title that I am sad to see go, but what could have been a great concept, has become almost directionless. Unfortunately, the seemingly shoehorning of Avengers Vs. X-Men did not help matters. The kids seem to have stayed in the roles of the defensive victims. If there is any title I might hop back onto, it would be this one, but time will tell if it starts telling stories that expands the characters lives instead of making them more and more emo.
Both Thanos and Jim Starlin fans will be happy with September. Two of the writers tales make their collected appearances. Thanos: The Final Threat, collecting Avengers Annual (1967) #7 and Marvel Two-In-One Annual #2. The added perk of this one is that Jim Starlin provided the artwork for the story.
The Thanos Quest brings us the two issues of the 1990 mini-series Thanos Quest. This paired Jim Starlin with artist Ron Lim. Both of these series brought to light the disturbing love that he had for death, and how that love backfired. If you are a Jim Starlin fan, or a Thanos fan, or both, get these books, you will not be disappointed.
After hearing about the animated feature that Disney is planning to make, I am not surprised to see this reprinted. Back in Volume 2 of Alpha Flight, a team of Japan’s superheroes made their appearance. They had enough of a positive response that they were granted two mini-series dedicated to them, including the first one, Big Hero 6 – Brave New Heroes, penned by Chris Claremont. This collects all 5 issues of that miniseries and if you haven’t read it, it is worth picking up.
Another Rick Remember book I love is Uncanny X-Force. This book does for the X Family, what Secret Avengers does for that book group. Provides us with singular storytelling while acknowledging all of the comic book continuity all around them. Issue #31 promises to be more of the same high octane, unpredictable action in the X books. The Final Execution storyline continues here and we meet the new Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. I look forward to whatever Rick is writing in the Marvel Now relaunch.
I was happy to hear that Peter David’s X-Factor is going to remain virtually untouched during the upcoming relaunch. One notable exception is Havoc. As the supposed leader of the upcoming Uncanny Avengers I can’t see him sharing time between the two. Besides Marvel needs to get out of the habit of everyone being on 2-3 teams at any given time. Why not bring some under-utilized characters together, just a sprinkling Marvel. Peter David makes this cast of characters sing. This looks like the story line that is going to be the wedge that drives him away from X-Factor, and possible Polaris.
MY MARVEL PULL LIST
MINI-SERIES
Avengers Vs. X-Men
AVX Vs.
Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe
Space Punisher
ONGOING
Avengers
Captain Marvel
Gambit
Hawkeye
Hulk (Mayan Rule Storyline – up to and including #57)
Secret Avengers
Uncanny X-Force
Uncanny X-Men
Wolverine and the X-Men
X-Factor
X-Treme X-Men
SPECIAL ORDER
Dark Tower: The Gunslinger – The Journey Begins TPB
Marvel Zombies Destroy HC
Zombies Christmas Carol TPB
DROPPED AS OF SEPTEMBER
Astonishing X-Men
Avengers Academy
Dark Avengers
Fury Max
New Avengers