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April 2013 Marvel Comics Diamond Previews Review

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April 2013 Marvel Comics Diamond Previews Review

 

Age of Ultron #9          Age of Ultron #10We now turn our attention to Marvel Comics and their items shipping in June of 2013. The big story is of course the finale of the first crossover event of the Marvel Now era. The last two issues of Age of Ultron, #9 and #10, hit the shelves. We have already heard about the insertion of the hotly contested, one time Spawn character, Angela, into the Marvel Universe, including involvement from Neil Gaiman, the characters creator, but there is apparently another surprise even bigger, in the works. One of my guesses is the appearance, finally, of Marvelman/Miracleman in the Marvel Universe. June will be an exciting month at the House of Ideas.

 

Age of Ultron #10AI          A title that has garnered alot of recent attention, since it’s announcement, is an Avengers title. I know that another Avengers title is not normally a reason to get excited since there are plenty to choose from, but Avengers A.I.  returns robots to the forefront of the Marvel Universe. The line up of this team has me curious with Ultron’s son from the Runaways, a Doombot, Vision, and more making up this Pym led squad of Avengers. Age of Ultron #10 A.I. will redefine the role of Pym in the Marvel Universe and it is virtually guaranteed that this will be the kick off to the new Avengers series.

 

Avengers #14 Now        Over in the Avengers we begin the road to Infinity. Issue #14 of the series by Jonathan Hickman (W), Nick Spencer (W), and Stefano Caselli (A) brings us the official prelude. A.I.M. continues  to be a thorn in the side of the Avengers and go even further with the unveiling of the S7 program, while the Earth begins to communicate with something much older than us. After several issues the team is starting to gel and while the cast is immense the creative team is definitely giving each member a moment to shine. If you pick up only one Avengers book this is the one that should be coming home with you.

 

Superior Spider-Man #12       While I appreciate the writing of Dan Slott, issue #12 of Superior Spider-Man relies on something we have seen multiple times and that is the hero locked in a super-villain prison with those the hero placed there. Again it’s the Raft (how is that place still operational?), this time the cast of trapped civilians includes Jonah, Glory, and Norah.

 

Iron Man #11 Now       Dale Eaglesham is providing some top notch art on Iron Man and the preview pages in #11, written by Kieron Gillen, might be enough for me to check out this book, for the “Secret Origin of Tony Stark” storyline.

 

Uncanny X-Force #6 Now       Sam Humphries writes Uncanny X-Force #6 & 7, with a TBA artist (I get worried when creative teams are TBA this close to release), and brings us a Fantomex centric story. Since the character has been split into three I have been wanting a story that details their relationship with Betsy’s, and it looks like this will be that story. We still have Bishop running around but my interest in him as a character is miniscule to begin with. For me Fantomex is the draw!

 

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #24       I may pick up Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #24 for three reasons, Cloak, Dagger, and the Ultimate take on Power Pack. Brian Michael Bendis (W) has a great knack not just for finding a natural voice for the characters but also reintroducing characters, and concepts, in a fresh way, and not an expected way.

 

Wolverine and X-Men #31       I left Wolverine and the X-Men shortly after the first year of stories but issue #31 by Jason Aaron (W) and Nick Bradshaw (A) begins a storyline that may pull me back in. The Hellfire Club, the current lineup introduced during the first year, makes their move, and starts their own school, The Hellfire Academy. With a faculty composed of some of the deadliest mutants on Earth, and a student body taken from the Jean Grey School, this story promises conflicts galore, especially when Wolverine is on the hunt to get the kidnapped students back before they cross the line and enter a life of villainy.

 

X-Factor #257       June also sees the first two parts of a six part storyline in X-Factor #257 & 258. “The End of X-Factor” promises big changes for the team of mutant detectives. If this truly is the end of the team it is appropriate that Peter David writes the closing chapter. With the small but loyal fan following of this book has I would be surprised to see it disappear entirely, instead I could see it getting a late Marvel Now relaunch with Peter David still helming, one would hope.

 

Fury Max #13       One of comics best kept secrets ends in June with the 13th issue of Fury Max – Garth Ennis (W) and Goran Parlov (A) . This book is one of the best war comics I have read, and that says alot since the war genre is one that never interests me. Garth finds a voice for Fury that is believable from the beginning and this is a Fury I would love to see in the mainstream Marvel Universe. If you haven’t been picking this up it is worth getting the back issues for, or even waiting for the trade, which I am hoping is oversized.

 

These are the highlights from Marvel in June. See you soon when we look at the back of the book for all of the other publishers offerings.

April 2013 DC Comics Diamond Previews Review

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April 2013 DC Comics Diamond Previews Review

 

It is time to turn our eyes to merchandise and books coming out starting in June of 2013. Up first will be DC Comics who has solicitations that are already not applicable anymore. Two titles affected were ones I was excited to try, more on that later.

 

Superman Unchained #1         Let’s talk about the biggest DC release for June, perhaps the year, and maybe in the top ten for the end of the year, namely the Scott Snyder (W), Jim Lee (A+C), and Scott Williams (A+C) created Superman Unchained #1. Other than the odd title, I am really excited for this book. I have not had the joy of having a Superman book that feels like mine, and is a definitive Superman for me.

 

Batman #21         Scott Snyder did that with his recently completed run on Swamp Thing. Scott Snyder has moved directly onto my radar (I know I’m a late convert to all things Snyder) and anything he writes I will read. June also has his definitive New 52 origin for the Dark Knight starting in Batman #21. Year Zero is the origin in a way that Bat-fans have never seen before and with the strength of Scott Snyder behind the keyboard, this may be my definitive Batman. I may now be able to join in discussions talking about the best Supes and Bats runs.

 

Larfleeze #1         A book that could easily be the biggest hit, or a huge flop, is Larfleeze #1. With the strong team of Keith Giffen (W), Scott Kolins (A), and Howard Porter (Cov.) powering the ring of creativity this could inject some much needed levity into a rather serious Green Lantern imprint. On the flip side, was there a demand for a Larfleeze ongoing? I may be in the minority but I didn’t think so.

 

Trinity of Sin the Phantom Stranger #9Trinity Sin of Pandora #1         Ray Fawkes, quickly becoming one of my favorite writers at DC, is the writer behind Trinity of Sin: Pandora #1. Art is being provided by Daniel Sampere and Jonathan Glapion. I am excited for this title because of the mystery surrounding her, and her appearances, limited as they are, in the first issues of all of the New 52 series. This title also ties into the long discussed Trinity War. With this book launching and Phantom Stranger being re-branded to Trinity of Sin: Phantom Stranger, one can’t help but assume that the Question will make up the third title in that triumvirate.

 

Justice League of America #5Justice League #21         Justice League of America has quickly earned the spot of my favorite DC team. It may be the nature of the characters and not having direct ties to the bigger franchises that the creative team is able to really dig down and explore these characters and the interactions they have. There seems to be more creative freedom and a feeling that anything can truly happen. Every character has different motivations for being part of the team, and most of those motivations don’t have a single drop of altruism to them. Geoff Johns writing and David Finch on art has propelled this to the top five of my reading pile. Speaking of Justice League, over in #21 by Geoff Johns (W) and Gary Frank (A), we finally get to see where Shazam fits in the New 52. This book will surely be a key book for the Trinity War so completists look out for this one.

 

Green Lantern #21 Green Lantern Corps #21 Green Lantern New Guardians #21 Red Lanterns #21

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

         DC has recently been up and down for me, but they hit a definite down point for me following the quick arrival and then departure of writer Joshua Hale Fialkov on and then off Green Lantern Corps as of issue #21 and Red Lanterns, also in issue #21. This was the moment I had been waiting for, a chance to hop onto Green Lantern without the books being absorbed into some line wide epic event, and it was Mr. Fialkov that was bringing me. I wish nothing but the best for the new creative teams for both books, but I really think that what Joshua would have brought to the titles would have been something special, especially with the floundering direction of Red Lanterns. I will say that this is the perfect jumping on point for anyone wanting to try out this line. Green Lantern: New Guardians #21, and Green Lantern #21 also bring out new creative teams. These with Larfleeze added shows a nice diversification, even if all of the books don’t survive.

 

Justice League Dark TP vol 02 Books of Magic         Trade waiters should rush out and get Justice League Dark Vol. 2: The Books of Magic TP. This is the volume where we see the hand off between writers Peter Milligan and Jeff Lemire. While I appreciate the stage Peter Milligan set I found that Jeff Lemire is really where the title took off for me. He has done an amazing job of keeping the characters fresh and the unexpected is the norm in the book. With the recent announcement that Zatanna will be joining Geoff John’s Justice League later this year, I am a bit saddened at the prospect of her leaving the cast. The relationship between herself and Constantine and the past they shared adds an intense layer of characterization. With the recent cancellations of Frankenstein, and Sword and Sorcery I hope that both Amethyst and Frankenstein himself get added to the regular roster of the team. This is a good size trade, collecting issues #1-7, 0, and Annual #1. That is the equivalent of a little over 9 issues. Amazing value for a $16.99 price tag.

 

Astro City #1         Astro City #1 is launching as part of Vertigo, which is good because that line has lost quite a bit of its pedigree lately so it’s good that the original creative team of Kurt Busiek (W), Brent Anderson (A), and Alex Ross (Cov.) reunite for the launch of a new ongoing. Featuring a blend of new and old characters. Samaritan and Honor Guard are back and I am excited to see who else has joined the ranks.

 

100 Bullets Brother Lono #1         Another return to the past happens in the pages of a new mini-series by Brian Azzarello (W), Eduardo Risso (A), and Dave Johnson (Cov). 100 Bullets: Brother Lono #1 tells the story of what happened to Lono after he was shot in the chest, and presumed dead at the end of the 100 Bullets series.

 

 

 

Justice League of Americas Vibe #5 Wonder Woman #21 Animal Man #21Constantine #4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All in all a very nice month at DC Comics. You toss in the regulars on my pull list, Vibe, Wonder Woman, Animal Man, Constantine, just to name my favorites, and I will have allot of DC to read in June.

March 2013 Alternate Comics Diamond Previews Review

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March 2013 Alternate Comics Diamond Previews Review

In between work, prepping to move, and trying to channel my creative muse I have gotten behind on this article, but here it is, our look at the back of the Previews for comics coming out in May of 2013.

 

X #1         We begin our look at some of the publishers from the front of the book, beginning with Dark Horse. When Ghost was reintroduced in the pages of Dark Horse Presents and then a mini-series (which became an ongoing) I had no idea it was a precursor to the reappearance of a re-imagined superhero universe. X, another character recently brought back to the pages of Dark Horse Presents, and is now getting a 4 issue mini-series. Duane Swierczynski is writing and if his work on Bloodshot over at Valiant is any indication, this book will be one to jump on. I predict this series will graduate to an ongoing. Eric Nguyen is the artist on this relaunch, and his style fits well with the dark story of a man combating a corrupt police department teamed up with an extensive criminal establishment.

 

Michael Avon Oemings Victories #1 TranshumanDark Horse Presents #24         Michael Avon Oemings The Victories begins it ongoing series in May, and joins X and Ghost as part of the larger superhero universe they are re-launching. Also joining the superhero fray over at Dark Horse is Blackout, premiering in Dark Horse Presents # 24. This is a new character created by Frank Barbiere (W), and Micah Kaneshiro (A). This is another example of what makes Dark Horse Presents an amazing anthology. Not only do they bring us stories that matter about fan favorite characters, with an amazing creative team, but also introducing us to brand new creations. I am unsure why other anthologies don’t look at what works, but until then Dark Horse Presents has a niche all of its own.

 

Angel & Faith #22 Isaacs cover Angel & Faith #22 Morris coverBTVS Season #9 Freefall #21 Noto cover BTVS Season #9 Freefall #21 Jeanty cover         

 

 

 

 

 

 

         Angel & Faith #22, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer #21 are the first issues for each titles respective last story arcs. Over in Buffy we get a little bit of an old school feel when Xander, Willow, and Buffy are back as the beloved Scooby Gang, on a mission to protect something very special to them. The three of them back together makes me miss the television show even more. I think it’s almost time to re-watch the series from the beginning again.

 

Doomsday.1 #1         IDW brings a new series by John Byrne who handles not only the writing but the art as well. Byrne is hit or miss with me, and sadly, mostly a miss. I know that there are allot of Byrne fans out there and while his work isn’t bad, it never resonated with me. He has my attention with Doomsday.1 for two reasons. First it is a four issue mini-series, so the commitment isn’t that long (I hate dropping titles before a story has ran its length) and the subject matter intrigues me. I am a fan of stories involving the apocalypse and natural disasters. The premise of the series sees the crew of the International Space Station, including a Canadian (go home team), witness a massive solar flare ravage the Earth. They venture planet-side and see what is left of the civilization they once knew. As long as this is more captivating than Lab Rats or his Doom Patrol I can’t wait.

 

My Little Pony Friendship is Magic #7My Little Pony micro series #4 Fluttershy         Anyone who knows me knows I love My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and if you have been on the fence, then May is the time to try it, as the first trade paperback is released and collects the first four issues of this wonderfully delightful series. Bronies, and all Pony fans take note, the creative team of Katie Cook (W) and Andy Price (A) have done an amazing job of capturing the voices of the Mane 6 and this is one of the strongest licensed comics on the market.

 

Ten Grand #1         Image Comics is bringing Joe’s Comics back with a J. Michael Straczynski penned series called Ten Grand. I have never been a big fan of Straczynski but I know many that are. Ben Templesmith brings his gritty, beautifully rendered characters and settings to what is sure to be a dark and moody tale, that is also a little bit of a love story. Based on Ben Templesmith I may have to take a look at this on the stands.

 

All New Secret Skullkickers #1         Dear Skull-Kickers, your little comics in joke with the relaunches and the retitling isn’t all that funny anymore. At this point anyone wanting to pick up your books may be turned off. Numbers could tell me otherwise and that is fine, but my interest in this one, note joke is pretty done.

 

Archies 1000 pg Comics Digest TP         Archie fans are being given an amazing deal in May with the release of the Archies 1000-page Comics Digest TP. The kicker is the price, $14.99. For a whopping $15.00 you get an amazing collection that tells classic stories from Riverdale. Archie Comics may not deliver universe shattering battles with monsters, heroes, demons, or villains, but they tell solid stories that can bring a smile to your face, and take you to a place that is a nice break from the world around us today.

 

Uber #1 Propaganda poster cover Uber #1 wrap coverUber #1          Avatar Press is bringing out the first issue of a new ongoing I am extremely excited about, Uber. This is written by Kieron Gillen who has proven his mettle with Journey Into Mystery (Loki is now a favorite of mine thanks to Kieron), and drawn by Caanan White. This series shows us a World War II that went differently when the Nazi’s bring super soldiers onto the battlefield. This book has been automatically added to my pull list, and I highly recommend anyone else who has or has not experienced the writing of Kieron Gillen because he is a master at character building and the world that Kieron and Caanan builds will be compelling to say the least.

 

Occupy Comics #1         I want to take a quick moment, not to necessarily discuss books but actually a new publisher, Black Mask Studios. This is a new indie start-up and the brain child of Steve Niles, Brett Gurewitz, and Matt Pizzolo. With the talent involved this is going to be a publisher to watch. Well I think I may discuss books after all because they do have an impressive mini-series coming out that includes an astounding roster: Alan Moore, David Lloyd, Mike Allred, Ben Templesmith, Art Spiegelman, Charlie Adlard, JM DeMatteis. The book is Occupy Comics, and as you can easily tell from the title, it is directly related to the Occupy movement and will help raising funds for said movement. The series documents, and discusses what is behind the Occupy movement and why it is important. Three issues with over 50 comic book creators makes this worth looking at.

 

Suicide Risk #1         Boom Studios is releasing a new series that seems to have a new take on the superhero genre. Mike Carey creates and writes while Elena Casagrande provides the pictures for this story of a world where heroes don’t exist, well very few of them anyway. Some heroes don’t need powers and that is a good thing because on this planet only the villains have the numbers. Leo Winters is a cop who has seen several of his comrades fall to the villains and he decides that he needs to make more of a difference. Can he do so, and who will help them. With the world described and the storyline, how can anyone not at least try Suicide Risk #1?

 

Archer & Armstrong #1 one dollar debut edBloodshot #1 one dollar debut edHarbinger #1 one dollar debut ed         For those that have not jumped onto the Valiant bandwagon, as most comic fans SHOULD, May is providing all five of the first issues from there current monthlies for only a dollar each. For five dollars you can get the number one issues of Shadowman, Harbinger, Bloodshot, Archer & Armstrong, and X-O Manowar.

X-O Manowar #1 one dollar debut edShadowman #1 one dollar debut ed          Get addicted then pick up the trades to catch up because once you start reading any of these, depending on your genre tastes, you will become hooked. My personal favorites are Harbinger, and Bloodshot, which are both involved in the Harbinger Wars which enters it’s second month in May.

 

Well that is the back of the book for the May releases, see you soon when we look at June.

March 2013 DC Comics Diamond Previews Review

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March 2013 DC Comics Diamond Previews Review

With Marvel done we can now turn our attention to DC Comics.

 

Green Team #1          May sees some series ending while others are beginning. It is towards two new debuts that we turn our attention to first. First up is a complete revamp of a concept that appeared once, years ago, The Green Team. This time around the creative team is Art Baltazar (W), Franco (W), and Ig Guara (A). This looks like a story about characters with too much money, wanting to buy their way into the big leagues, and that has an immense amount of story potential. I will be checking this out, if for no other reason than to quell my curiosity.

 

Movement #1         The flip-side of The Green Team looks to be the new series, The Movement. Gail Simone brings the words and Freddie Williams III brings the pictures. That creative team alone should put this on allot of peoples pull list and adds a wonderful pedigree to this launch. Where The Green Team seems to represent the 1%, The Movement would represent the 99%, and they want to be heard! This will also be on my pull list, at least for the first arc. One other treat about these books are the covers by Amanda Conner. I love the propaganda-ish design to them.

 

Green Arrow #20         Issue #17 of Green Arrow cemented this books position on my pull list. Lemire has hit it out of the park for me and I cannot wait to delve further into his run. Andrea Sorrentino rocked my world when I picked up I, Vampire #1 and I am thrilled that her art fills another monthly since I, Vampire is not long for this world. The deconstruction of Ollie continues in issue #20. If you are a trade waiter I would recommend doing the monthly thing with this book, I would have a hard time staying away from this team on this book for longer than a month.

 

Justice League of Americas Vibe #4         Perhaps the biggest surprise for me was Justice League of America’s Vibe #1. That book by Geoff Johns and Pete Woods blew me away. Vibe has shrugged off his cheesy history and maligned origin to become a character who, in one issue, managed to become a key figure in the tapestry of the New 52. That first issue had the spark of what made the initial launch of the New 52 so exciting, a newness, a freshness. Granted the creative team is changing and as of May’s 4th issue Sterling Gates is the writer and art is from both Pete Woods and Sean Parsons. I will gladly pick this book up and hope that Sterling Gates can retain the energy from this wonderful start.

 

World's Finest #12          Power Girl’s original costume is back in World’s Finest #12. And the chorus sang HALLELUJAH!

 

Green Lantern New Guardians #20Green Lantern Corps #20 Green Lantern #20         May also marks the end of an era as the creative teams of all of the Green Lantern books give us their final issues before the June creative teams are put in place. These issues also bring to a close the Wrath of the First Lantern crossover. I am excited for the creative change and this will be a perfect jumping on point for readers who had found the Green Lantern family to be pretty inaccessible to new readers. I will try at least one issue each title.

 

Sword of Sorcery #8         With new series launching and several launches known for the next few months there has to be cancellations. Sword of Sorcery #8 is the last issue of that series. There were two main reasons this book failed. First is the price point. $3.99 is a high price to pay for a slightly obscure character. Let’s face it, as good as the backups were, most readers of this title read the lead feature, and not the backup, myself included, and that price is high for so little story. The second was the immediate immersion into the Dark corner of the New 52. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Dark titles and I still collect a few of them, but why not get exposure through some of the more mainstream titles, the books that aren’t niche and sell much higher. I am thankful that, at least at this time, that there is hope that Amethyst will still appear in Justice League Dark in the future, depending on how climactic the ending of the series is.

 

Justice League Dark #20         Speaking of mainstream crossing over, Justice League Dark #20 features the Flash, in addition to the Swamp Thing, perhaps helping Constantine recover the House of Mystery from Dr. Destiny.

 

Team 7 #8Deathstroke #20 Ravagers #12       Team 7 #8, and Deathstroke #20 are both the swan songs for these books. I am not overly surprised about Team 7 as it seemed very derivative compared to the other books on the stands. Another book ending is The Ravagers #12. This book was way too 90’s for its own good.

 

Suicide Squad #20          Suicide Squad #20 sees a new team, a new direction, and a new creative team in Ales Kot (W), and Timothy Green II (A). I have been waiting for a jumping on point for this book because I lost interest during the first arc and I love the concept and have been waiting for something to draw me back in for another try at my pull list.

 

Adventures of Superman #1         I was thrilled that Adventures of Superman #1 is being released without the Orson Scott Card story after Chris Sprouse quit the book. DC says they are going to still publish it and are actively seeking another artist but I think they will just ignore this ever happened and move on and never publish the story. They should realize that any attempt to publish the story will result in a similar reaction. Because of the change, Jeff Lemire will be joining the creative roster of this anthology, in addition to Justin Jordan, and Riley Rossmo.

 

Wake #1         Vertigo reminds us of its relevancy in May with the release of the much anticipated 10 issue series, The Wake. The creative team is phenomenal, Scott Snyder (Batman wunderkind) writes and Sean Murphy (Punk Rock Jesus creator) provides the art. This underwater horror tale will be a huge hit, and will definitely bring back some of the spark to the Vertigo line.

 

Well that’s our look at DC Comics shipping in May. See you soon for the Back of the Book.

March 2013 Marvel Comics Diamond Previews Review

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March 2013 Marvel Comics Diamond Previews Review

The March issue of Previews is out now and it lists everything shipping in May. This means it is time to dive in and see what comic book related merchandise will be making a dent in our bank accounts. We will start with Marvel.

 

Age of Ultron #7         Marvel Now is no longer the big news. Ultron has become the word of the day, or really the word of a three month period, as Age of Ultron continues on. I am excited to see Carlos Pacheco providing art on this title. I have been a fan of his since his JLA run with Grant Morrison, then his Avengers Forever work blew me away. I cannot wait to see him loose in the Marvel Universe again.

 

Age of Ultron #8         Issue #7 (of 10) of the Age of Ultron shows yet another Marvel Universe, this time created by two Marvel heroes. I am not sure what the goal of this second Earth is, but I look forward to finding out. I do have a slight concern that they are attempting to pack too much into this storyline. Issue #8 is also coming out in May.

 

Fearless Defenders #4AUAvengers Assemble #15AUUncanny Avengers #8AU         There are a couple of Age of Ultron tie ins coming our way in May. Fearless Defenders is taking advantage of the crossover to boost sales no doubt as Fearless Defenders #4AU comes our way, joining Avengers Assemble #15AU, and Uncanny Avengers #8AU. Avengers Assemble finds Ms. Marvel teaming up with Captain Britain trying to save whats left of London, while in Uncanny the Apocalypse Twins lets their presence be known. I am a fan of this type of tie in numbering. It allows the individual series to continue on without being paused because of a crossover, which has always irked many comic book fans.

 

Avengers #11         I admit that I was wavering after issue #2 of the Avengers, would I keep it or remove it from my pull list. I decided to try a couple of more issues. I am a fan of Hickman but have to remember it is all about the build up and the intertwined story layers, and then came issue #6, the issue spotlighting the origin, or parts of the origin, for the new Captain Universe. I am hooked. I want to explore this Captain Universe more, and find out more about who she was before, and why she was running, and was the accident really an accident? So many questions and I intend to stay a reader until I have all my answers. I hope I have even more questions by then. Avengers #11 focuses on Shang Chi. Captain Marvel, Black Widow, Spider-Woman, Cannonball, and Sunspot join in the adventure at one of the fanciest casino’s in Hong Kong.

 

Avengers #12         Avengers #12 brings Hyperion and Captain Universe to the Savage Land, along with Spider-Man, Thor and Hawkeye. Hong Kong, the Savage Land and at least 11 Avengers, in one month? Yes please. Hickman tried his best at the team coming together type of story but it was uneven at best. He seems to have his groove on finally.

 

All-New X-Men #11         If there is any star that shines brighter than all others out of all of the Marvel Now titles it is Bendis’s All-New X-Men, and issue #11 is a game changer as one of the original X-Men joins Cyclops and his crew.

 

We get an opportunity to revisit Iron Man during Armor Wars II from the creative team that helped define Tony Stark and his suited alter ego. Issues 258.1 – 258.4 bring us an untold story and if the art is correct we get to see Stingray, a character that I think is horribly under used. Fans of Armor Wars II should check this out, I will be.

 

Iron Man #258.1 Iron Man #258.2 Iron Man #258.3 Iron Man #258.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Avengers - The Enemy Within #1         Avengers: The Enemy Within (a.k.a. BUY CAPTAIN MARVEL) begins with a #1 issue. DeConnick is a wonderful writer Captain Marvel is a book that more people should be reading. Captain Marvel cannot do the one thing she loves the most, fly. With her ego at it’s lowest point she has to join the Avengers in confronting remnants of the teams past which are popping up all over Manhattan. This is worth taking a look at for fans of the characters, the writer, or fun superhero comics in general.

 

Dark Avengers #190         The book that seemed to have no direction, or impact, and a false numbering pedigree, comes to an end in Dark Avengers #190. The relevance of that title ended when Dark Reign came to a close. Jeff Parker is a very competent writer but that never was apparent in this title. Hopefully he can find his voice on his next Marvel project.

 

A couple of collections of note are coming our way in May. The first is the 10th Anniversary Edition HC of the Neil Gaiman (W) and Andy Kubert (A) masterpiece Marvel 1602. This collects the eight issues of the original series that tells the tale of our favorite Marvel heroes during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, over 400 years ago. It is impressive when a book stands up to time as well as this one has. I am excited to add this to my collection.

 

Spider-Man 2099 TP vol 01         Spider-Man 2099 Vol. 1 TPB is back in print, which means his character should be impacting the main marvel universe very soon. Peter David has many runs of note but this is one of my favorites. The art team of Rick Leonardi and Kelley Jones brings Peter’s words to life with this collection of the first 10 issues of the book. This is a deep and multi layered look at corrupt governments which are in turn controlled by mega-corporations. This will be living on bookshelf in May.

 

Now that the dust has settled for the most part I am not sure if Marvel Now delivered. I am collecting less Marvel now then prior to the change. At the end of the day the important things are the numbers. If it has boosted sales for the line, that is good for the whole industry, as the New 52 launch proved, regardless of my feelings. I may not like everything that is published but it would be a pretty boring industry if everything was the same, and everyone liked the same thing, our hobby would be a pretty boring one.

 

See you soon when we take a look at DC Comics and their May offerings.