Chaos War

[SouLeSS]

"No more big reality changing events they're all gonna be small and self contained"

****ing Marvel.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Well, it doesn't seem too big, really. At least not in the sense that it'll affect other titles immensely. This is definitely more of an Annihilation than a Civil War. It's hugely important to Herc's little corner of the world but not much else.

 

[Dread]

That's a problem, though, as Marvel is releasing a lot of side mini's and one-shots for CHAOS WAR. If it isn't seen as important, all they're doing is clogging up retailer racks.

Oh, wait, that's right, Marvel's left retailers for dead with crossovers since 2006. What was I thinking?

SHADOWLAND is doing alright for a Daredevil spin off event, but still nothing close to FINAL CRISIS numbers. And INCREDIBLE HERCULES was selling worse than NOVA when it ended. Hopefully this doesn't become a case where no one can find any of the side mini's, because your shop won't risk more than 2 copies each of 'em.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Well, Thor and The Thanos Imperative are both healthy, and Chaos War features characters from both. So maybe that'll help.

 

[Dread]

Indeed. PRINCE OF POWER was selling about 15k-19k as an average. If CHAOS WAR proper can't debut at, say, about 38k-40k even including a reprint, it may be a long fall/winter for it.

As you argued once, sales don't matter in a way, as this is the finale of the Pak/Van Lente era on Hercules & Cho. But the better it does, the better the odds of it's effect being allowed to linger in the mythos proper.

Marvel's insistence on only events in top sellers lasting has been so great, I am truly amazed that Firestar's status quo from MARVEL DIVAS has become canonized, as that mini sold very, very poorly.

 

[NightBeetle]

Marvel First Look - CHAOS WAR #2

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Yayzer beams! Just a couple more weeks 'til it starts.

 

[Dread]

Silver Surfer sure is irritable anywhere that isn't THANOS IMPERATIVE these days. Returning to his old job as "janitor to the apocalypse" hasn't mellowed him any.

Looks great. Not long before we see issue one.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Eh, at least cranky is better than boring and zen.

 

[Dread]

At least he isn't being incapacitated by T'Challa doing a wrestling hold.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

We don't talk about that.

 

[Lucien]

It's kinda weird seeing Herc fly, that's going to take some getting used to.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I like it. I hope his personality isn't lost now that he's all cosmically aware and responsible, though.

 

[NightBeetle]

NYCC LIVE: Marvel's Next Big Thing

"Will Hercules be able to stop the Chaos King in "Chaos War"?" was a theoretical question Singh threw out to the panel. "Maybe the last issue will be the last comic ever," VanLente joked as Pak described the stakes of the series were the Chaos King will try to return the universe to the state of total absence and non-existence with the combined magic characters of Marvel standing in the way. The pair said the "God Squad" of heroes would reunite in issue #2 in a few weeks.

 

[SouLeSS]

I like how they basically took the flesh of the story of Blackest Night with this.

Some anchient evil being that hasn't really ever been mentioned ever in the comics who was everything before there was anything wants it to go back that way.

Herc's still a badass though. And what's with Cho looking like hes 30 now? I didn't read the PoP mini so.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Mikaboshi's been mentioned a lot. Ares, Thor: Blood Oath, all over Incredible Hercules...

Cho's age hasn't changed. He's just dressing more stylishly now since he owns the Olympus Group and is thus filthy rich.

 

[NightBeetle]

ADVANCE PREVIEW: "Chaos War" #3

Chaos War #1 Sells Out And Will Return With Second Printing

Marvel is pleased to announce that CHAOS WAR #1, from the New York Times Best-selling creative team of Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente, and Khoi Pham, has sold out at Diamond! Due to overwhelming demand, exceeding even a generous overprint, Marvel is rushing the epic beginning of CHAOS WAR to fans with CHAOS WAR #1 Second Printing Variant!Fans and critics agree: CHAOS WAR is a hit!
"Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente continue to deliver sharp dialogue, pitch-perfect characterization and impressive film-like pacing, all with the humor that we've grown used to with Herc and Cho." - Dan Iverson, IGN.com
"And whoever got the idea to pair Pham art with Gho's art is absolutely brilliant, because the messy, water color-style finished product gives this title a charming storybook quality that really sets it apart from most books on the shelves, right now." - Zack Freeman, ComicVine.com
An event like no other, CHAOS WAR puts Marvel's finest heroes to the test against the dreaded Chaos King, a malevolent force of nature that seeks to destroy the entire Marvel Universe! Do not miss CHAOS WAR!

 

[THANOSRULES]

Mikaboshi's been mentioned a lot. Ares, Thor: Blood Oath, all over Incredible Hercules...

Cho's age hasn't changed. He's just dressing more stylishly now since he owns the Olympus Group and is thus filthy rich.

Dude Mikaboshi came from nowhere a few years ago , so what if he's been a major part of a few books recently. Nobody but us read those books, and they are pretty recent.

Artists always draw Cho at different apparent ages. It gets kinda weird when he looks like a pre-teen in one book then is trying to tap some demigoddess in another.

 

[Tron Bonne]

Dude Mikaboshi came from nowhere a few years ago , so what if he's been a major part of a few books recently. Nobody but us read those books, and they are pretty recent.

Did you just try to void his point by proving it

 

[Dread]

Good to hear CHAOS WAR #1 is getting a second printing. My LCS just re-ordered a few due to underestimated demand.

 

[Optikal]

I can't find it anywhere! None of the four stores in my city here in the UK are stocking it! two of them didn't even know what I was talking about when I requested it

 

[NightBeetle]

CHAOS WAR #2 (of 5) Preview

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Always a fan of stuff that shows the gods are slightly different from the norm.

 

[Dread]

That is a good preview.

Now, if Marvel is SERIOUS about CHAOS WAR being "important", they will force some of their Avengers writers like Bendis, Brubaker, and/or Gage, or hell even Fraction or whoever is writing X-MEN to have their characters at some point mention, "Man, it sucked when we all flew into the sky to help Hercules fight in space and got zapped into comas last week, right?" when it is over or near over or something. Otherwise, it will simply be like when Kang blew up Washington D.C. and the U.N. during the end of the Busiek/Perez run on AVENGERS, and literally no other title noticed then, or after, or since. Yes, in 1998, 1999, or 2000 or so, Kang performed a worse act of domestic terror on American soil in Marvel's fictional universe than perhaps a handful of 9/11's (which was so bad even Dr. Doom shed a tear about it), and the entire Marvel Universe didn't even hiccup. Nitro and the New Warriors blow up a school? It sparks FOUR YEARS of angst and misery. That there was some brilliant editing.

I agree that it is good when gods are treated as something special and not just alien metahumans with magic science like whatever the hell Bendis thinks they are, or something. It does explain why the army of heroes failed and why Hercules has to re-assemble the God Squad. Apparently, though, Silver Surfer's Power Cosmic protects him, and I guess Sersi, being an Eternal, is close enough to a god that she is immune too.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

The Eternals have always been treated as comparable to the gods. They're basically like science gods created by the Celestials.

The Surfer's Power Cosmic is questionable, though. I guess you could call Galactus something of a space god, but his heralds? They've got the power for it but the association with divinity is totally new. I'm looking forward to what kind of justification, if any, Pak and Van Lente give in the series when Herc picks the Surfer up.