Initial thoughts:
- As underwhelming as Alex Ross' costume design is, Steve Epting makes it look much, much, MUCH better than it has any right to. Further confirming my belief that Marvel really should have had more faith in Epting for the Cap redesign, not Ross. But, buzz always wins over substance at editorial meetings. Naturally, CA always looks cool.
- Marvel is now beyond parody; they have cancelled EXILES, only to immediately relaunch it a month later as NEW EXILES. This is the sort of approach to relaunches that fans used to joke about. Granted, it is a Claremont book and he helped cement this farcical practice.
- Wolverine: First Class? Why? Because apparently Wolverine was in too few books, that's why.
Woe be the day when a kid can stroll into a comic shop one week and NOT be able to find something, anything, with Wolverine in it.
- Marvel is solicting the second issue of the Millar/Hitch run for 3/2008. When does the first issue come out? Eh, as cynical as I am, Millar & Hitch usually were on time for Ultimates runs for at least the first 2-3 issues most times. It was just AFTER that where things got sticky. Enjoy it while you can.
- X-MEN is going to be re-titled as X-MEN: LEGACY?
- CABLE gets his upteenth relaunch. The only title where he was in it, at least moderately, that has had any staying power was CABLE & DEADPOOL, which dies with issue #50 (and which has had Cable off panel for many stretches). They have tried to jolt some life into this flat, cliche of a character from the 90's maybe 2-3 times since Joe Q took over, and it never takes. If Cable last needed to be carried by Deadpool to last over 4 years (a great run by today's standards) in a buddy comic that usually starred Deadpool solo for maybe at least 12+ issues worth of material, does anyone expect another solo ongoing effort to last half that?
- John Romita Jr. doing a cover for X-MEN: FIRST CLASS of all places? That's...unexpected. Pretty looking, but very random.
- BKV's LOGAN begins, which means in March 2008, Wolverine will appear in 4 books a month. Who is still saying the 90's aren't back? I'd still have rathered another DR. STRANGE ongoing or mini from Vaughan. But, he likely has a solid Logan story to tell, and because it is WOLVERINE, it will automatically sell well regardless.