Marvel October '08 Solicitations

[CaptainCanada]

Voila:

- Herc looks awesome, as usual (I'm glad they seem to have dropped Suydam from doing the covers; I didn't like the one he did for #121).

Meanwhile, an infatuated Amadeus Cho dances on the edge of doom with a deadly Amazonian princess -- and loves it, baby!

t: I'm amazed how much the writers have managed to turn me around on Cho; when this book started I hated him.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Full solicitations are up. Take your pick.

 

[THANOSRULES]

-Secret Invasion just doesn't generate the level of energy it should.

-Cool to See Thor with Beta Ray Bill
-GOTG looks awesome, maybe Vance is a Skrull after all and Starhawk is the good guy.
-No mention of the last issue in New Warriors solicit..boy they are giving this comic some leeway, out of the top 100 yet again.
-Initiative, well from the cover it doesnt lend much doubt as to who the skrull is.
-Captain America:white looks interesting, I am not to high on Loeb Lately though.
-Spiderman:Brand New Day #1? Is this a compendium?, its a bit much spiderman to buy these days.

Finally Avengers/Invaders--Looks like now Ross is halfassing the covers. Thats probably one of his worst covers ever. Its so boring, looks like any old panel in a comic. Not the kick and oompf an event cover should have.

 

[Darthphere]

Nothing really jumps out at me and really excites me. Solid stuff though.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

Mavel Zombies 3?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Jesus, they're launching a new series to reprint the Brand New Day stuff like 6 months after Brand New Day started?

Captain America: Theater of War looks and sounds awesome.

Okay, so according to that Hulk #7 cover, whichever Valkyrie is on the Lady Liberators actually has Dragonfang. That's odd, given that Brunnhilde had it and it passed to Sif after Brunnhilde died in Ragnarok. I guess it might've found its way back to Earth after Ragnarok, just like Mjolnir, and Samantha Parrington could've got ahold of it again. Or maybe that's really Brunnhilde. I'm so confused.

Hahahahaha, Herc vs. Namor, probably over Namora. Such an obvious story given the seeds planted in WWH, but still so much fun to see. Can't wait.

"A battle of unity and spirit" in Secret Invasion, eh? Maybe Bendis will surprise us and actually have the heroes fight the Skrulls more than each other.

Yay, does that Mighty Avengers cover mean Captain Skrull-Vell is gonna die? After the Sentry, he's probably the character I'd most love to see just go away.

That's a surprisingly male Loki on the cover of New Avengers. Between that and the prospect of learning more about the Hood's demon, I may just pick that issue up.

If Slott and Gage know Tarene's history, the one who's "more than she appears" should be her. She's the Designate, after all, even though everyone on Earth only knows her as Thor Girl. But it could just as easily be that there's something we don't know about Ultra Girl. Still, I'm hoping Ultra Girl is the Skrull. It'd be a shame for Tarene to be after she just got that cool new costume.

While I'm excited about SI: Thor, I'm a little uneasy about all the god-killing stuff and how they tortured Bill. I hope the mini doesn't wind up making Thor look like too much of a *****. But Fraction seems to know what he's doing, so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

I'm still debating whether to get SI: X-Men. Carey and Nord are a great team, and Beast appears to play a prominent role. I do so love Beast. Even if he is kind of boring now.

Awesome cover for Guardians of the Galaxy. The Secret Invasion tie-in seems a bit gratuitous if the Skrulls are supposed to be concentrating on Earth, but as long as DnA keep advancing their own plots around the tie-in stuff (like Incredible Herc has done, basically), it should be okay. Judging from the cover, it looks like that's just what they're going to do.

Curious about who Nova's allies are. I doubt the issue is actually as important to Rich's future as the solicitation implies, but it should be fun nonetheless. The SI tie-in seems more organic in Rich's case, given that he's human and would logically prioritize helping Earth out against the Skrull invasion over responding to random distress calls.

War Machine looks awesome on that Iron Man: DoS cover. The story sounds cool, too. Have the Winter Guard always been Russia's super-team, though? I thought their main team went by a different name...

I think the Thunderbolts-as-saviors scenario might've worked better if all of the heroes weren't already killing Skrulls left and right. I mean, really, if they're in the midst of a war and the heroes aren't stopping themselves from using lethal force like they would've done ten or twenty years ago, what really differentiates the T-bolts from any "good" super-team?

Is the wording of that New Warriors solicitation confusing to anyone else?

On the one hand, I wish the Sentry would just die or go back to being forgotten or do anything other than continue to insult me with his presence. On the other hand, if anyone can make him interesting again, it's the massively underrated Jeff Parker. I almost want to get Age of the Sentry, but I'm sure that when the time comes to decide, I won't.

Hey, an X-Men Legacy/Wolverine Origins crossover? Neat-o, I get to save money by skipping X-Men Legacy for a couple months. Thanks, Marvel.

I'm tempted to get Magneto Testament because I've always wanted to see the bits and pieces of Magneto's history I've picked up from various places put together in one coherent story. But I don't know, I'm usually kind of bored with origin minis as a general rule. I'll probably just forget about it and then make a split-second decision on it whenever the first issue comes out.

Ha, there's a TPB coming out for the Weapon Omega story from Marvel Comics Presents. Just the Weapon Omega story. Oh, and there was no MCP issue solicitation, either. Gee, I guess we know pretty much the sole reason why MCP is still being published.

 

[Red]

Penis

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Thanks, that was constructive.

 

[Primal Slayer]

why do we have 3 X-men books focusing on Wolverine? Plus all the other books he is in for the month. Seriously Marvel, talk about overkill. I think I will skip X-men that month.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

There are so many Wolverine books because they all sell well. Believe it or not, people will buy comics solely for Wolverine.

 

[Midnyte_Sun]

I got a friend who's suffering from Wolverinitis so I agree with Corpulent. I mean he went as far as growing the Wolverine hair cut, buying his jacket from X-Men 1, and collecting all his trades. To his credit, he has slightly recovered and gotten rid of that ridiculous haircut.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Wow, that's worse than I've heard of before. I mean, really, the haircut? Who does that?

 

[kguillou]

Is it just me or is Secret Invasion losing steam? i'm just not really interested in any of its many tie-ins, besides new and mighty avengers and maybe thor. When Civil War was out, it actually made me want to read more obscure titles like new warriors or thunderbolts, this time i really dont care. The ultimate universe is looking alot more interesting during october than SI. Anyone else feel the same way?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I feel the same about Secret Invasion itself losing steam, but the Skrull war backdrop is proving interesting for many tie-ins, especially Incredible Herc and Captain Britain and MI-13. I'm still very excited about several upcoming tie-ins as well--Thor, Guardians of the Galaxy, Nova, etc.

As for the Ultimate universe, it'd take a major blow to the head and near-complete amnesia to make me interested in anything going on over there.

 

[kguillou]

^ True, but you gotta admit at least ultimate spiderman sounds like its going to rock. The venom arc and the annual have me more interested than "New ways to die", although that looks pretty good too....

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I'm not interested in Ultimate Spider-Man or New Ways to Die. Spider-Man is, for all intents and purposes, dead to me except in 616 flashbacks.

 

[venom892]

New ways to die has me interested because of Romita.Also Goddamn Mike Carey.Now I have to read Crappy Wolverine Origins to read Excellent X-men Legacy.

 

[Sawyer]

I take it I'm the onky one thats moderately excited about The Stand: Captain Trips?

 

[Dread]

Given that she's showing up in a new arc of She-Hulk, I doubt it (there are always some time discrepancies, of course); also, frankly, if they were going to kill Sue I imagine there'd be more hype for this story.

Now, this could be a "temporary death" thing, like Waid did with the Thing.

Yeah, that is why I am not exactly "hyperventilating" with fanboy-rage at this solict as I do for, basically, any Bendis one. I know darn well that throughout the history of the FF, nearly all of them have been believed dead for short or long periods of time. Just a few years ago, Marvel breathlessly solicted a one-shot that all but promised Sue's death, and it was basically an overglorified Annual that was pretty meaningless. I agree that considering Joe Q's usual glee when his company destroys something that was created by a prior EIC tenure ("Marvel will never be the same!"), I am not exactly swallowing that the death is permanent. Of course, in the back of my mind, I always have to consider that Mark Millar would probably write a story where he kills his own mother if he thought it would shock someone. He's about as subtle as a jackhammer through jello. I wonder if the idea of a Skrull Invasion event was hatched up just to explain why Millar wrote so many characters off in CW (including Hank, who, surprise, was a Skrull. But if he was, then wouldn't have Hulkling revealed him when he TKO'd Skrullowjacket to infiltrate the N-Zone prison? HUSH!).

Oh. Maybe it's Parrington on that cover and Brunnhilde is still dead. I'm fairly certain it was Brunnhilde who died in Ragnarok, so that would leave Parrington still about on Earth this whole time.

That'd be cool, actually. PAD can use Parrington for his Fantastic Females team and JMS can resurrect the real Brunnhilde and integrate her more into Asgard than she has been in the past. I swear, Brunnhilde was off with the Defenders so much that I didn't even realize she was meant to be an Asgardian when I first saw her all those years ago.

We could have the best of both Valkyrie worlds.

More thoughts on more solicts:

- I wanted to try BIG HERO 6, but usually Claremont has been a dud for ages now. I'm not too thrilled with the idea of BH6 coming to NY. Isn't NY cluttered with heroes? And hero teams? BH6 has an entire country to defend and they can't stay there? Manga are the only comics anyone under 19 reads these days and Claremont can't do enough research to keep the team in Japan for a bit? Sheesh. That's like writing a mini about a team in Ireland, and they come to NY in issue #2. Redundant. "Is NY ready for BH6?" Please. GRAVITY made brilliant light of how NYC is SO full of superheroes that a new one could emerge, be competent in his job and even thrash some named villains like Rhino, Shocker, and Whirlwind and STILL be almost unnoticed.

If Claremont wanted to shock me, BH6 would be dispatched somewhere else. How about Chicago? Maine? Somewhere that doesn't have a dozen heroes for every city block (registered or not)?

- SECRET INVASION #7's solict is actually vague, but that isn't bad since this is supposed to be an event full of shocks. I am just curious if "battle of unity and spirit the likes of which the Earth has never seen" comes from the Skrulls. Seriously. Writing superheroes who put aside their differences for the greater good and, GASP, act like, wait for this....HEROES, is pretty much the opposite of every single Bendis story he has ever written. In Bendis' world, everyone is petty and every superhero would rather watch a million innocents die than put aside whatever minor soap opera drama they have with their closest mate. Everyone who is a hero is a *****ebag and every villain is misunderstood. The worst threats to mankind always come from superheroes who make mistakes, because no one is genuinely cruel and can't be reasoned with. Like Mark Millar, only not quite as political.

Now, I'm not saying it would be impossible for Bendis to write a rollicking superhero action story in which superheroes, despite registration and past squabbles form a band of brothers to save the planet from nasty aliens who execute people on live TV. It simply would be a first from him.

- I am vaguely interested at what demon Bendis will say is behind The Hood.

- MA apparently has to use Marvel Boy because we need to be consistently reminded how much he matters even though he does almost nothing. Marvel Boy once had a niche as a young turk with powers who was ruthless, inhuman, and a *****e. After CW, that's about a dime a dozen.

- A:TI #18 looks really sweet, and Thor Girl's new costume looks a lot cooler when Mark Brooks draws it. Granted, that could be said of anything Steve Uy draws on this title. And I agree with Corp that I hope she isn't a Skrull. Even if that would mean eliminating Ultra-Girl, who I kind of liked too. A shame when characters with potential have to be sacrificed for an event.

- I love how SI: THOR promises to have more eventful things happen than a trade full of THOR issues. Don't get me wrong, I like JMS' Thor, but one can only take so many issues of "Asgardians talk with hicks, some monster gets thrashed, and Thor barely appears in his own book". Here we have Beta Ray Bill, Thor fighting something that isn't Norse for five seconds, and a story coming together in half the length of JMS' usual arcs.

- History shows that the SI tie-in minis for X-MEN and SPIDER-MAN will be fun but worthless to the rest of the event, as WWH: X-MEN was. Granted, SI: THOR likely could fit into that, and I actually am getting that.

- GOTG #6 is only tying into SI to boost sales, and frankly I have no clue why the Skrulls would go to the edge of the universe to fight the Guardians when they are focusing on Earth. But, DnA will likely make the best of it. It could be something as simple as the Skrulls going after some space heroes who have a history with Earth to prevent them from "being Earth's cavalry" for their invasion.

- NOVA, at the very least, has a better reason to get involved in SI; one would think the Earth being invaded by Skrulls who are blasting cities apart and slaughtering heroes on Live TV would get the lone Centurian's notice. Part of me was bemused that Nova actually left Earth about an hour before Hulk and his Earthbound aliens invaded it the last time around. Nova's actions won't matter one whit to the core mini, but I expect DnA to make a solid story out of it. Especially since as they have basically had Nova fight the same psychic alien within 12 issues, a change of venue and a sloppy event tie-in may help keep things fresh.

- I still like NEW WARRIORS #17, but I get the feeling it is becoming like MOON KNIGHT and is involved with some storylines about a year after they were relevant. The sales are horrible and I doubt it will see past issue #18. It isn't even selling in the Top 100 in June.

- X-MEN: ORIGINAL SIN made me roll my eyes, and y'know why? Because it is yet more evidence of what has been killing the X-Men for so long. It is the retcons. They are so frequent that they often contradict each other after barely a half decade's time. Can't any storyline from any era be taken at face value? Does every hack have to insert new things into it? From GIANT SIZE #1 to whatever, the X-Men Mythology contradicts itself more than the friggin' Bible. Wolverine doesn't need yet more tacked on garbage to his origin (Danny Way on WOLVERINE ORIGINS is already producing years worth of garbage), but no matter. Morrison was once brought into the fold to try to insert new ideas so X-Writers wouldn't have to resort to digging through more Silver Age basements, and is is amazing to see the complete 180 after barely 5 years. The X-Universe appears to be more afraid of new ideas than Mark Millar is of Republicans.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Maybe Ultra Girl will be another one of the kinder, gentler Skrulls who go against her own people for love of the hyoomahns. Like Captain Skrull-Vell. Or Jazinda. Or Kl'rt. Or Xavin. I mean, I know there aren't really that many of them who have the balls to go against their own people, but maybe Skrulltra Girl could be one of the few.

Oh, or Crusader. Or John the Skrull.

Okay, that was the last of them.

Or Lyja.

And I think SI: Thor might turn out to be the impetus for Thor to come a-calling in the Secret Invasion mini itself, so it might tie in more than you think.

 

[Dread]

Maybe Ultra Girl will be another one of the kinder, gentler Skrulls who go against her own people for love of the hyoomahns. Like Captain Skrull-Vell. Or Jazinda. Or Kl'rt. Or Xavin. I mean, I know there aren't really that many of them who have the balls to go against their own people, but maybe Skrulltra Girl could be one of the few.

Oh, or Crusader. Or John the Skrull.

Okay, that was the last of them.

Or Lyja.

And I think SI: Thor might turn out to be the impetus for Thor to come a-calling in the Secret Invasion mini itself, so it might tie in more than you think.

But Thor showed up in SI before his mini shipped. Unless it is set as a prequel.

As for Ultra-Girl, I thought her origin as, basically, a Kree Supergirl from PAD was simple enough and didn't need Skrull complications. Oh well.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Yeah, well, I thought Genis-Vell was a better Captain Marvel than his dad and didn't need to die in obscurity, be replaced by his "father," and then have his "father" turn out to be a Skrull but, you know, s*** happens.

I figured SI: Thor had to be a prequel. The Skrull attack on Asgard/Broxton seems to begin with Beta Ray Bill crashing to Earth while Don Blake is doing mundane, everyday work. It wouldn't really make sense for Thor to pop up in New York, fry a few Skrulls, and then head home before SI is over and just go back to his daily routine until Bill appears.

 

[Dread]

Yeah, well, I thought Genis-Vell was a better Captain Marvel than his dad and didn't need to die in obscurity, be replaced by his "father," and then have his "father" turn out to be a Skrull but, you know, s*** happens.

Tell me how you REALLY feel.

Ironically, you also were telling me to begin to dismiss the idea of New Cap because, "Steve will be back eventually" in another topic. Yeah, I know that, but I still could do with New Cap for a few more years.

I figured SI: Thor had to be a prequel. The Skrull attack on Asgard/Broxton seems to begin with Beta Ray Bill crashing to Earth while Don Blake is doing mundane, everyday work. It wouldn't really make sense for Thor to pop up in New York, fry a few Skrulls, and then head home before SI is over and just go back to his daily routine until Bill appears.

Frankly, I no longer assume Marvel makes cohesive sense with a lot of their comics and treat continuity as a fluke rather than an editorially driven rule.

But, yeah, that makes sense. I just hope Bendis' anticipated bad writing of Thor in SI doesn't clash too much with the prequel mini. After all, JMS & Millar clashed with Iron Man in ASM and CW, respectively, despite them both writing THE SAME SCENE basically.

 

[yenaled]

Elitist.

I'm trying! I'm however not quite Photojones ... yet.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Tell me how you REALLY feel.

Ironically, you also were telling me to begin to dismiss the idea of New Cap because, "Steve will be back eventually" in another topic. Yeah, I know that, but I still could do with New Cap for a few more years.



Frankly, I no longer assume Marvel makes cohesive sense with a lot of their comics and treat continuity as a fluke rather than an editorially driven rule.

But, yeah, that makes sense. I just hope Bendis' anticipated bad writing of Thor in SI doesn't clash too much with the prequel mini. After all, JMS & Millar clashed with Iron Man in ASM and CW, respectively, despite them both writing THE SAME SCENE basically.

Well, Steve will be back eventually. Plus, Genis' whole deal happened long before I was this jaded.

Bendis wrote a pretty good Hawkeye in spite of f***ing him up left and right earlier. I have some hope for Thor in SI. Not much, but some.