Marvel December 2012 Solicitations

-Marvel thinks Cable has enough draw power to warrant a $3.99 book (though the cover for issue #1 says $2.99). They're probably going to be disappointed.
-Avengers Arena might be cool, or it might be a cash-in on The Hunger Games and Battle Royale. It's a toss-up.
-Deadpool is another toss-up. I'm not sure if it'll be stupid or great.
-Amazing Spider-Man #699.1. Weren't the .1 issues supposed to be jump-on points?
-It's a shame Cullen Bunn will only end up getting two arcs on Wolverine (provided he doesn't write the inevitable Marvel Now relaunch).
-I'm bummed to see Remender's Uncanny X-Force end, though at least it won't have gone on too long.

 

I'm only getting 5 titles for certain (Wolverine & the X-Men, Uncanny X-Force, X-Men Legacy, All New X-Men, and Uncanny Avengers) and one of those are double shipping, so 6 issues total. I'm debating on Cable & X-Force, and Avengers Arena. I'm likely to skip out on C&XF, as it's $4 and I don't care enough about it. Colossus and Bishop are a draw though so I'll at least thumb through the first issue and make a decision.

 

I'm still on the fence about Thunderbolts. Other than that, the new stuff I'm getting are:

Avengers
Uncanny Avengers
Captain America
Iron Man
Hulk
Thor

The rest of the new books all seem like garbage, especially Avengers Arena. So I'm really taking on 3 new books, 4 if you want to count Thor but I'm already back on it with the JiM crossover....

I still plan on keeping:

Journey into Mystery (to see how it holds up post Gillen)
Dark Avengers
ASM
Avenging Spider-Man
Venom
Scarlet Spider
DD
WATXM
Secret Avengers (ending soon)
Uncanny X-Force (ending)
WolverineMAX (limited series)
FuryMAX (limited series)
Marvel Universe vs the Avengers (min series)
Punisher War Zone (mini series)

I'm probably going to drop Captain Marvel, Cap/Black Widow, Gambit before December anyway. So those 3 plus the 2 books ending and the 4 minis and limited series that will never double ship, that makes 9 titles I'll have off my hands at some point heading into the new year. If I drop JiM that's 10 and I've been debating about dropping Scarlet Spider that would make 11. Those more than make up for the 4 (or 5 counting Thunderbolts) that I'll be taking on with NOW.

 

I can't even remember everything I've dropped. Defenders, New Avengers, and soon Uncanny X-Force are ending. I don't really see myself picking up either X-Force book so I'll likely be down to 4 titles, maybe 5.

 

There's 3 other books I may get down the road......the New Avenger book (depending on what it's all about), the 2nd X-Force book in London and Morbius. I've got a lot of wiggle room before I end up to where I'm at now.

 

FuryMAX #7 comes out in December? That means a whole two months without it! Ah well, I'll live. It beats having fill-in artists. Parlov's been killing it on this book.

I wanna check out Uncanny Avengers, aside from Indestructible Hulk and Thor, but I don't think I can swing it. Add to the fact that FuryMAX is also 4 bucks, and I'm also buying Daredevil and Punisher: War Zone, I think Uncanny Avengers may get skipped.

I also find it weird that Marvel isn't double shipping Punisher: War Zone since you figure that the first issue of Thunderbolts would spoil the ending of War Zone, mid-way through it's story.

And there's something enticing about a WolverineMAX book. But Jason Starr is just a crappy writer.

 

I'm waiting to see what New Avengers is myself. Mostly, I just want to see what becomes of Luke, Jessica, Danny, and the rest. I just don't see myself buying either X-Force. I'm leaving myself open to them but I just don't see it happening.

 

I'm in the same boat as you. I'll be down to six titles and it looks two of them are ending -- Uncanny X-Force and one of the Wolverine books. It'll be only four after that... saving me some big bucks now. None of the new X books interest me at all. Maybe I've just been reading comics too long...

 

More solicitations/rants ahoy!

- AVENGERS ARENA genuinely infuriated me when I read about it. Now I am a little cooler but it still galls me. It essentially boils down to the ONLY thing that Marvel seems to do with any "new/young characters" - and by that I mean "characters under 30 years old". I mean for heaven's sakes, Darkhawk is older than a lot of posters at this site and he's STILL lumped into the "new character massacre" pile. All Marvel seems to see their newer characters as is canon fodder for some aimless, plot lacking crossover or rip-off story. This is an obvious riff/inspiration to Hunger Games and Battle Royale (whose manga adaptation is well known) and as usual it's going to be a slasher story. X-23 and the RUNAWAYS are a decade old but that's "new" in the eyes of this aged, gasping industry. Mettle and Hazmat are barely a couple of years old and they're already on a killing fields story. Reptil and X-23 could be safe since both have been on TV and/or sold some toys - plus X-23's creators write for Marvel films now - but even that's iffy. The bottom line is this is not a story I not in favor of and I don't plan to get. I am tired of seeing new characters used for body bags for shock value gore stories. Tired of that in CIVIL WAR or AVENGERS: THE CHILDREN'S CRUSADE or WOLVERINE: ENEMY OF THE STATE and especially NEW X-MEN (where Craig Kyle and Chris Yost had no qualms slaughtering other people's characters so long as X-23 was safe). I see new characters as new opportunities to appeal to new audiences or genres.

Marvel wonders why nobody gives new characters a chance. THIS is why, this chicken/egg style dilemma. Fans and retailers know that Marvel will abandon new characters at the first sign of adversity and will either ignore them or kill them off, do they don't bother when Marvel tries. And when Marvel tries and doesn't get their result, they either ignore those characters or kills them off. And while I am aware this series technically bridges from AVENGERS ACADEMY GIANT SIZE #1 - where Arcade sought to re-establish his rep by killing teenage superheroes - but I don't think anyone envisioned this. Plus, how long can such a crude rip off plot endure as an ongoing series? I think Marvel cynically knows this will die in 6-12 issues and I doubt it will endure beyond that. I assume the Braddock Academy is tied into the Braddock family from England, and I wouldn't mind if they were the designated corpses - Hopeless killing off his own characters and now other people's - but launches like this easily set off my bitterness alarm.

- Overall the Marvel NOW! launches are leaving me cold. I liked Hickman on FANTASTIC FOUR but I also had my problems with him and I am partisan on his AVENGERS. I like Mark Waid but I am also 50/50 on his HULK, although I likely will get it. I'll get UNCANNY AVENGERS but I may just abandon books that are relaunched by new teams.

- I honestly doubt anyone believes that AMAZING SPIDER-MAN is ending with issue #700. Of course it will be back with a fresh #1 a month or so later. Technically the last ASM #1 hit shelves in 1999, before Joe Q's tenure so this spectacle isn't entirely his creation. However, under his and Alonso's watch relaunches have become a parody of themselves.

- Will FF acknowledge that Scott Lang is or should be mourning the loss of his daughter, who was essentially murdered in a battle with Dr. Doom, the Avengers and the X-Men?

- While I do like Rick Remender, I am not certain I am giving his CAPTAIN AMERICA a try. I may just leave it with Brubaker. After all, Brubaker is why I bothered in the first place.

- Marvel not only thinks Cable can sell books, but Legion can too! Man, they really do think it's 1996 again. They need to stop drinking from that DC Comics Kool-Aid.

- SECRET AVENGERS still looks cool.

- While I doubt ASM #699-700 will end the franchise forever, it does look like a rollicking good story to me.

- I want to continue on DARK AVENGERS, but I am gradually becoming apathetic to it so I hope Jeff Parker successfully consolidates his cast again for the better and soon.

- Cullen Bunn's first solo arc on VENOM was so/so, but I will likely give him another. It is worth noting that despite sales being not too far above the cancellation bubble that the series should be resting easy, Venom will be appearing in 2 team books. Promotion or overkill?

- SCARLET SPIDER still looks great and is one of those criminally underrated ongoing series.

- When ULTIMATE series have higher issue numbers than 616 titles, that is a sign a strategy has gone too far.

- Odd time to reprint a 12 year old SPACEKNIGHTS story. Is that because they'll appear in "GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY" in 2014?

- Waid's DAREDEVIL looks to continue to be worthy of that much deserved Eisner award.

 

In Dan Slott's own words:

So it is a Jumping on point, for Morbius.

 

I brought that up in the Spider-Man thread and Dan Slott replied by with one word - "no". So take that as you will.

 

Whoa, that kid Cap's on the run with is Arnim Zola's son? Interesting...

Oh, awesome, Thor's loincloth is monogrammed now. His new costume just keeps getting worse somehow.

Yay, Sif and Heimdall get to interact as brother and sister for once. They may have the least explored familial relationship in comics.

Haha, US Agent back in the classic costume with the Dark Avengers. I love it. Glad Skaar is sticking around too.

I'm both excited to see what Rucka does in Punisher: War Zone and dreading how Thor will be humiliated this time.

Goddamnit, you mean I skipped Captain America and Black Widow and now it turns out some version of the Black Knight will be involved? Great, now I have to hope I can track down the issue that's already come out.

God-double-damnit, MI-13 is gonna be in Gambit? So now I have to get that s***, too.

 

I would classify myself as being "infuriated" and still so about this book.

First, I agree with all your points. Second, The Avengers moniker is largely a hoodwink here...as none of these characters are actual Avengers.

My main, personal beef here is Darkhawk .


"War of Kings" Darkhawk sold in the mid 20s for 2 months..with only a slight drop in sales between the issues putting it in the 70 ish top 100 range..keep in mind this was 2009..a crap year and it was a 3.99 book which was ridiculous to expect folks to swallow that.

War of Kings "ascension"..Darkhawk heavy follow up sold in the High 20s and was the same deal/range. Decent sales for a new fringe character feature book from a spin off from a 2nd rate event.

Not to mention a lot of hard work went into that vision of Darkhawk. He fit in that new role and would..with some work ..have developed into an excellent character with an uppd sense of ante on what he was and who his equals were.

I'm not gonna go all out just yet till i read the book (in the store for this one)

But it appears he has been degraded..for no reason to "Loners" status..a book that debuted at 17k sales for issue #1 in June of 2007...

 

I wouldn't worry about that.

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/marvel-now-matt-fraction-fantastic-four-ff.html

 

That sounds pretty cool but I don't trust Fraction to execute it properly.

 

Jesus, that's a bit extreme. But that's coming to be Fraction's MO, I suppose. Subtlety = stupid.

 

I was actually going to pass on FF, after reading that premise I'm a little more interested.

 

Marvel certainly is feeling ambitious after VENOM and SCARLET SPIDER to believe MORBIUS can sell again.

I imagine technically he will be right. Whatever replaces ASM won't be titled AMAZING SPIDER-MAN. But it will essentially be the same book with the same creative team on it, unless this is really the end of the Slott/BIG TIME era. Because if so, I'd likely jump off honestly. I hope it isn't. I mean if a comic crops up a month or so later called AWESOME SPIDER-MAN, Marvel and Slott can still say that ASM was canceled for real. Until the next year when they return to triple digit numbering as another excuse for a random $4.99 priced issue. Hey, a chimp on PCP could make up Marvel editorial strategy these days. These sorts of things, for the record, aren't Slott's fault; these relaunch decisions are made above his pay grade. Same as people who grumble at him because he didn't "stop OMD" are a bit misguided.

Technically Dawkhawk was a member of the West Coast Avengers (despite living on the east coast- don't ask) in the 90's. If prior comics are any indicator, so long as a cast in a comic feature at least one current or former Avenger, you can stick AVENGERS on the cover. X-Men books often work the same way with X-characters. Plus, Reptil Mettle, Hazmat, Juston, and X-23 were part of Avengers Academy, which may be akin to "cooties" and count enough as Avengers-ish. My question is, does Speedball now count as an Avenger because he taught at the Academy for a while? Or would he just be an associate of the team?

I am with you that Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning and C.B. Cebulski had done a good job of elevating Darkhawk into a more interesting character in NOVA and related ASCENSION material. It was a good gimmick having him work for Project PEGASUS and become affiliated with space heroes. The problem is that great era really did end with THANOS IMPERATIVE and it looks like Marvel's editors are taking bits and pieces from it and leaving the rest. I mean since THANOS IMPERATIVE, Richard Rider is pretty much literally the only character from that battle who is still MIA and presumed dead. Thanos is back, Star-Lord is back, Black Bolt is back, even the Nova Corps are somehow back since Sam Washington somehow is a Corpsman.

I do agree that after existing for some 20 years Darkhawk is still treated as a nobody ripe for a designated corpse moment. But my issue is Marvel seems to rely on "new/young" characters to fill these roles in stories far too often. Any good ideas or potential is ignored, forgotten, or written out in exchange for cliches and shock value gore. I continue to genuinely believe that Marvel's younger characters desperately need an event revolving around them akin to "World Without Adults" at DC, but it would be very risky and I know very well Marvel would never do it. But without doing it, there seems to be no place for new potential characters besides limbo or death unless they immediately sell like Wolverine. Even though Marvel forgets even Wolverine needed over a decade to start building steam; same with Punisher, or Ghost Rider, or Deadpool.

Interesting. That's good at least, although by this stage I am very wary of Matt Fraction. DEFENDERS has been the best I've read of him in a while, and even that is hit or miss from issue to issue.

 

Man, I loved that Darkawk stuff that DnA were doing. The idea of the Fraternity of Raptors really appealed to me and I'm hoping that that's eventually touched on again. It was probably my favorite storyline from their entire Cosmic run.

 

My prediction: Darkhawk's one of the first to die in Avengers Arena.

 

Sadly, mine too

But hopefully he'll return later in the series as the wildcard that Arcade didn't see coming, having switched bodies with another Darkhawk

 

Here's an uncharacteristically optimistic thought for me: What if Avengers Arena is intended as a short-term series that ultimately leads into a new New Warriors team? Like, Darkhawk and some of the more heroic adolescent characters refuse to kill the others and instead band together and find a way to put a stop to the 'game' altogether, then decide they worked well together and should keep at it. I'd really have to eat some crow if that happened because, honestly, that sounds like a pretty damn good idea for forging a new New Warriors team that brings them back to something at least close to the original conceit, as opposed to the myriad reinterpretations we've seen.

 

Darkhawk should be an Avenger, end of story.

 

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Whoa. WHOA.

I agree.