Marvel January 2010 Solicits

[stingerman]

Here are some of the more "cosmic" titles shipping in Jan 2010:

http://www.cosmicbooknews.com/solicits/marvjcs

 

[JewishHobbit]

Okay, that list of characters in SWORD really interests me. If some of them stick around in the book that would be amazing. I already love the idea of Beast, Brand, and Lockheed... but if Beta Ray Bill, Karolina Dean, Jazinda, or Marvel Boy stayed, I'd love it!

 

[CantThinkOfAName]

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/091020-marvel-january-2010-solicitations.html

General previews

 

[CantThinkOfAName]

Nomad backup feature ARGHH!

Man is this cover sweet. I'm enjoying Ribic's covers so much more than that Marko Djduebjdsj's.

 

[Tron Bonne]

Ultimate (all two of them): http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=23354

X-Men: http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=23357

 

[Dread]

It seems Marvel is still serious about amping AGENTS OF ATLAS, with a mini fighting the Avengers (or rather a rematch as they fought the New Avengers once in their own series) along with a Uranian one-shot.

The cosmic stuff looks good.

Not sure how well SWORD will gell with AGENTS OF ATLAS, but I likely won't be reading that anyway. Although to be fair, after SECRET INVASION, Gyrich's in character about a "NO MORE ALIENS" dynamic. Beast could probably relate to that, since mutants have been victims of such zero tolerance policies before.

Considering there are too few mutants for them to fit as a "community" alone in terms of bigotry style stories, it could make sense if they started allowing other "minorities" onto their island, such as aliens. It makes so much sense, in fact, that there is zero chance of that happening.

Although I could say that SWORD trying to utilize a story-line that deals with the aftermath of SECRET INVASION is nearly a year too late. Does anyone care?

 

[hippie_hunter]

I never thought I'd see the day where Lockheed is packing

 

[kguillou]

They just HAD to prolong Cap:Reborn didnt they? Sigh, oh well, it better be worth it.

 

[Dread]

They just HAD to prolong Cap:Reborn didnt they? Sigh, oh well, it better be worth it.

Considering each issue has sold over 120k so far at $4 a pop, you bet Marvel wanted another issue if Brubaker & Hitch had it in them.

 

[kguillou]

Hey Dread, bet you 10 bucks its delayed another two months because of Hitch.

 

[JewishHobbit]

Although I could say that SWORD trying to utilize a story-line that deals with the aftermath of SECRET INVASION is nearly a year too late. Does anyone care?

I care. It really sounds like a good story and they're dealing with actual characters (Beta Ray Bill, Jazinda, etc.) that make it interesting.

Now, Spider-Woman is he real 'who cares' story here. While it was good, he idea of Brand assigning her to take out the Skrulls on earth is much too late. It would have been better shortly after the Invasion... but I will still admit, it was better than expected and I'll be getting the next issue for certain.

And I'm really excited for SWORD.

 

[kguillou]

I like Spider-woman but i think they're wasting Alex Maleev's marvelous artwork on it, he'd be better elsewhere.

 

[Drz]

Ultimate (all two of them): http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=23354

Oh christ there better not be a delay for my Ultimate Avengers!

 

[Mr. Green]

Nice, there's tons of AoA minis coming out!

 

[Kahoot]

http://cosmicbooknews.com/solicits/enlarge/59_MARVEL_ADVENTURES_SUPER_HEROES_19
That's a kickass cover.

 

[dennisv]

So is this the Dark Reign aftermath?

 

[Tron Bonne]

Is what the Dark Reign Aftermath? If you mean Siege, then yes.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I care. It really sounds like a good story and they're dealing with actual characters (Beta Ray Bill, Jazinda, etc.) that make it interesting.

Now, Spider-Woman is he real 'who cares' story here. While it was good, he idea of Brand assigning her to take out the Skrulls on earth is much too late. It would have been better shortly after the Invasion... but I will still admit, it was better than expected and I'll be getting the next issue for certain.

And I'm really excited for SWORD.

Well said. SWORD's looking pretty damned good so far.

 

[Dread]

Hey Dread, bet you 10 bucks its delayed another two months because of Hitch.

If issue six is shipping in Jan. 2010, that means, if we are lucky, issue #5 ships in December and thus issue #4 in November. It's a quiet way of saying that REBORN will "skip" October. In Hitch's defense, he drew about 16-17 issues of Millar's 18 issue run of Fantastic Four without more than one or two delays.

Think that'll be bad? The solicit claims that Oliver Coipel is drawing Bendis' SIEGE mini. The same guy who can't draw more than two issues of THOR without a 1-3 month delay or a fill in.

I care. It really sounds like a good story and they're dealing with actual characters (Beta Ray Bill, Jazinda, etc.) that make it interesting.

Now, Spider-Woman is he real 'who cares' story here. While it was good, he idea of Brand assigning her to take out the Skrulls on earth is much too late. It would have been better shortly after the Invasion... but I will still admit, it was better than expected and I'll be getting the next issue for certain.

And I'm really excited for SWORD.

I'm not. I know it's scandal around here, but I don't actually like Beta Ray Bill. I mean I have nothing against the character and I don't hate him or anything. I just don't like him enough to go out of my way to read any story about him. I read SECRET INVASION: THOR for Thor and Fraction; Bill was just there. Therefore, the fact that Gillion wrote some decent mini's or one shots with Bill has absolutely no baring on me. He's an unknown factor.

Were it not for a $4 debut issue, I might give it a try. But for $4, reading it solely for one character (Beast) is against my bottom line. It's only chance is if the first issue debuts in a slow week. If not for that, I'd have not bothered trying THE TORCH #1.

Anyway, now that more solicits are up, more general thoughts:

- I am always bemused by what ridiculous "cover gimmick" Marvel comes up with for their events and event tie-ins. For CIVIL WAR it was the lower half of the cover being some bland color. For SECRET INVASION (and most, like DARK REIGN or THE INITIATIVE) it is a banner at the top of the cover. Now for SIEGE, it is the right half of the cover being covered with blue and something else. Y'know what I'd prefer? A dollar symbol, right at the center of a lolly-pop symbol. Y'know, a sucker.

- I love that Marvel has a "Women Event", considering much like DC, most of their female characters strut around in swim suits, are twice as likely to be violated and killed than male counterparts, and Marvel's closest match to Wonder Woman is Ms. Marvel (heroines who serve on teams don't count).

- Why is SIEGE: EMBEDDED written by Brian Reed and not someone who has written Thor stuff before?

- I gave up on NEW AVENGERS and Bendis books in general last year, and I haven't regretted it once. The problem, though, is by not getting the event mini SIEGE, I'll be lost for every tie in, so I may have to finally return to Bendis suckitude. My fan-ulcer is fizzing already. I am not awaiting having to once again read the drivel of, without any doubt, the most overrated writer in American comic book history, bar none. I'd take John Bryne at his worst. Give me SPIDER-MAN: CHAPTER ONE all over again. Anything but Bendis declaring all fans suck his organ for, gasp, the originality of reuniting the Avengers Big Three. You were the jerk who destroyed them in the first place! No writer has done more to encourage the use of decompression (why write a 2 issue story when you can make it 4, 6, 8, 200?), of rewarding no-brainer, mediocre writing with sales and universal praise, than Bendis. At least Joss Whedon, who is also criminally overrated, actually usually is decent at worst (and writes far better dialogue).

- AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #32 will have Taskmaster and the Initiative taking on Thor and Asgard, which is I guess the crux of the event; things hitting a fever pitch over at Latveria and Thor and everyone else getting involved. Christos Gage will make the issue rock, as he has with every one of A:TI since he came aboard. Just a shame Bendis will be the one who ends it, and outsells it.

- CAPTAIN AMERICA REBORN #6 supposedly ends. An extra issue, and a month later than it should at any rate (even 6 issues should end in December, since issue #3 shipped after Labor Day). At any rate, the conclusion that everyone knows is coming, that everyone has called for two bloody years, finally happens. Steve Rogers returns. What a shock. And he fights the Red Skull for the 8 trillionth time. Again, no shock. The challenge will be on Brubaker to make it worthwhile with sheer execution of, without a doubt, the most played out storyline since a western train robbery. Personally, I am more looking forward to the end of THE MARVELS PROJECT, which is actually more of a personal story rather than a sloppy event, and the return of the regular CAPTAIN AMERICA ongoing. The only good news is that as well as MARVELS PROJECT is selling (for a mini about characters with no fan base, it debuted at nearly 90k and should probably finish within the Top 45 at least) convinces me that so long as Brubaker is writing and paired with a good artist, perhaps Bucky Barnes could have his own title and it would sell...at least for a year (which is about all you can expect from any launch these days).

- Spider-Man is back to 5 titles a month, and that includes the thrice monthly ASM. Deadpool is up to 3 titles a month, as is Wolverine and the Hulk. Iron Man and Black Widow have 2 titles this month. Welcome back Spidey, Marvel's most ****ed out character historically! Iron Man, Wolverine, and Deadpool will give you a run for your money, but the web-slinger is still the king, baby!

- Looking forward to the end of Jason Aaron's run on GHOST RIDERS, and the big showdown with the evil angel Zadkiel. I still find it bemusing that whenever something happens to the pagan gods from Norway or Greece, every superhero cares, but whenever something happens to the actual God who is still actually worshiped, the only ones who care are Ghost Rider and maybe Hellstorm, a Defenders B-Lister. Poor Yahweh. Zeus and Odin are laughing at him at the Council of Godhead meetings.

- Hickman's run continues on FANTASTIC FOUR #575, which engages in the mighty task of making anyone give two spits about Mole Man. It's an uphill battle, but possible. Godspeed.

- It seems in INVINCIBLE IRON MAN, Stark is in a coma and both Thor and Dr. Strange are involved in saving him. It's interesting that despite Brother...sorry, DOCTOR Voodoo being the new sorcerer supreme, everyone still rushes to Stephan when they have a problem in the superhero community. It's kind of like having a girlfriend who always calls you by her ex's name, "out of habit". At any rate, looks cool, and it seems that all Stark needed to do to get other superheroes to flock around him again is to have someone worse take over his job and inflict brain damage upon himself.

- Somehow, despite low sales and virtual no popularity, MS. MARVEL is on the cusp of issue 50, which is usually the longest many titles last before relaunch.

- Osborn takes over Red Skull's gimmick in MIGHTY AVENGERS #33, and it looks interesting. Oddly, not a SIEGE tie-in. It also seems Gage isn't needed to help co-write for a few issues.

- To give credit to Marvel, they are not letting the AGENTS OF ATLAS franchise fade and die, and I commend them for that. They've given it a mini against the X-Men. It'll be a back-up strip in INCREDIBLE HERCULES (another great book that needed a boost), an arc in THUNDERBOLTS, and not only are they getting an AVENGERS VS. AGENTS OF ATLAS mini (this time 4 issues instead of two against the X-MEN), but a 3 issue MARVEL BOY: THE URANIAN mini, all by Jeff Parker. I wish every brilliant but low selling Marvel franchise got this level of care from them, but I am more than happy that AGENTS is getting it. Bravo!

- Screw SIEGE; "Assault on New Olympus" in INCREDIBLE HERCULES is the earth-based event I am ticking down the weeks to see!

- My best taste of Gillion will be during his measly six issue run of THOR. Not keen on the Bill Tan art, but Tan's improved, I hear, since five years ago. Lo and behold, moving the Asgardians to Latveria and Dr. Doom's kingdom resulted in something nefarious happening. What. A. Shock. Asgardians = dumbest gods EVAR. At any rate, it is looking like JMS will pass on a climax and dump it in the lap of Gillion or someone else to handle, which is typical JMS fashion.

- Onto REALM OF KINGS/SPACE STUFF. I will probably try the INHUMANS mini, but not keen on IMPERIAL GUARD, even if the Starjammers are in it. NOVA, as usual, looks awesome, as does GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY. Abnett & Walker are masters of Marvel space, and need no one else to interfere with their universe.

- SWORD, though, seeks to interfere. I imagine for editorial this looks like a no-brainer sort of deal. WAR OF KINGS, which included some spare X-Men like Havok, Polaris, and Marvel Girl, and involved some X-storylines like the Shi'ar and Vulcan, sold rather well for a space book; more than double what GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY or NOVA sell monthly, even at the end. The Whedon/Cassaday run on ASTONISHING X-MEN was also high selling. The world, it seems, cannot get enough X-spin-off's (even if sales have not supported them for years). The problem is that Gillion is not a name, Beast is not popular, and a series that dealt with SECRET INVASION's aftermath is about eight months too late; the SKRULL KILL KREW mini sunk like a stone down the Top 300 only last month. I am not interested and I don't see this working, not if even WOLVERINE: WEAPON X can't maintain sales (they continue to skid monthly).

- UNCANNY X-MEN FIRST CLASS #7 looks cool. The Knights of Hykon seem like generic uber tough aliens, but since this series works with the status quo of about 1976, it works out. The cover rocks.

- Despite the fact that the last X-Men status quo lasted barely a year, they expect NATION X to fool everyone into thinking it will stick. No franchise has done the, "destruction of the lair/time to move" schtick more than the X-Men. It also seems as if the best bit of NEW WARRIORS, Jubilee becoming Wondra, is for nothing in NATION X #2. Oh, well. If not even Jubilee can remain without powers, is there any hope for M-Day to be taken seriously? Someone needs to sit Joe Q in a chair and tell him that M-Day has NOT, I REPEAT, NOT IN NO WAY ANY SHAPE OR FORM limited the number of X-Men in X-Books. If anything, it has forced writers to go through every handbook and checklist for named ones and feature them, because you can't have a "nameless crowd" of mutants anymore. It has also sucked the life out of the franchise for any growth potential beyond doing the same exact stories (destruction of the mansion, fighting Magneto/Apocalypse/Mr. Sinister, or Oh Noes, ____ & _____'s romance is not going well) until we all die. Under Joe Q's tenure, the X-Men has become more set in spin cycle than at the end of the 90's. And that's a F'ing travesty.

 

[Upset Spideyfan]

That cover to Thor is awesome.

 

[Dread]

It's cool, although Thor seems to get stomped a lot.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

It's the Destroyer. There are two characters who can stomp Thor that I will never complain about: the Destroyer and Mangog. One's literally indestructible, the other possesses the strength of "a billion, billion beings." Those are the names that you pull out whenever someone complains about how Thor is boring because he's too powerful and no one can beat him.

 

[Dread]

It's the Destroyer. There are two characters who can stomp Thor that I will never complain about: the Destroyer and Mangog. One's literally indestructible, the other possesses the strength of "a billion, billion beings." Those are the names that you pull out whenever someone complains about how Thor is boring because he's too powerful and no one can beat him.

I can't imagine anyone claiming Thor is too powerful when Hulk literally never loses a fight (and neither does Rulk). Thor frankly loses too often for someone of his strength class. Not as much as Colossus, thankfully (no 85+ ton tanker gets his ass handed to him as often as poor Colossus), but it always seems as if Wolverine can fight Hulk to a draw, but Thor gets his brains punched in, and that makes no flipping sense.

Maybe Dr. Doom gets access to the Destroyer? Or Loki?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Probably Doom.

I'm still basking in the glory of early Thor/Hulk fights right now, when they usually ended in a stalemate rather than Hulk completely dominating Thor because Hulk got more popular over the years while Thor got less popular. Hell, Thor didn't even use his hammer in Journey into Mystery #112 and he stalemated the Hulk.

 

[daderade]

..for the record, Thor came back and WOMPED Rulk. And Thor is usually trying to control the fights with Hulk so that nobody (including either one of them) gets hurt....most of the time.