Marvel Solicitations for August, 2011

[stillanerd]

Courtesy of Comic Book Resources:

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=32360

 

[Dread]

Thanks for the topic and the link!

Full thoughts/rants ahoy!

DISCLAIMER: It always seems like I hate Marvel whenever I do one of these solicit comment posts, but I don't. At least 90% of all the comics I buy are Marvel. I am deeply invested and passionate about their universe, and I acknowledge that they have many dedicated writers and even editors. It just sometimes frustrates me when I seem obvious chips in their armor that remain unfixed, and I like to make cynical jokes. I suppose I get harsh because I care so much and I expect better. Man, this sounds like a speech my mom gave me once.

- Is it just me or the fact that even the solicitation to FEAR ITSELF #5 is so brief stand to symbolize how simple a story it is? Bad guy throws hammers to earth that possess people, some of them heroes. Possessed people smash **** up until the third act comes and the heroes have to end it. That is a perfectly find plot to a 22 minute animated cartoon from 1983; but stretched across 7 months at a cost of $28 to read seems a bit much. FEAR ITSELF #1 had a debut of 128k, which is fine for 2011 but lower than SIEGE #1 sold. Marvel will be embarrassed if FLASHPOINT #1 scores higher. Throw in the fact that Fraction is throwing in random social commentary to make the story seem more important and this is already looking like a misfire. But maybe this is deliberate; get people to stop whining about Bendis events by having Fraction write a poorer one.

- FEAR ITSELF: FEARSOME FOUR has yet another reunion of the unofficial "New FF" from the 90's. While covers rarely depict things inside 100%, I will be irked if Johnny Blaze has not only stolen Dan Ketch's jacket, chains, spikes, and powers, but his signature bike, too. Of course, the Hulk is also gray, so it could be a spell or time travel or just a cover. Still, why can't Marvel figure out a way to have two Ghost Riders with their own similarities and key differences in look and power? DC manages to have 4 earthling Green Lanterns and about 14,000 alien versions and keep most of them distinct. Could it be that DC has these things called "editors"?

- Given that Wolverine can barely support two books, much less two spin off titles for his kids, a FEAR ITSELF mini seems dumb. Why couldn't it just crossover with his own book?

- Hawkeye and Spider-Woman hooking up in AVENGERS? Is there an unwritten rule that all archer heroes have to be man-****es?

- While I will be reading ALPHA FLIGHT, it is a shame that their Canadian government will start acting as stupid as the U.S. government usually does towards heroes. On the whole, though, this looks good. The cover a play on Aurora's mental instability? If there was one "newer" AF character I'd like to see more, it's Persuasion/Purple Girl, especially since her dad is hot **** thanks to Bendis. Oh, and hopefully someone told Talisman that her dad's not dead anymore.

- FEAR ITSELF: YOUTH IN REVOLT promises a moment that'll shake Gravity to his core. Given that this is done by the creative team that made him in 2006, I suppose this is the best place to see something like that. I enjoyed the first issue, although I imagine Marvel would have sold more copies if they'd titled it FEAR ITSELF: AVENGERS THE INITIATIVE. They make things so hard for themselves sometimes.

- FEAR ITSELF: THE HOME FRONT #5 looks better, now that the awkward Jimmy Woo story is over, with a focus on younger blood. The Howard Chaykin page stories are always so obvious. It will be interesting seeing someone who isn't Tom DeFalco write the new Thunderstrike, and Fred Van Lente will get in some more Power-Man. As for the main Gage/Speedball story, it is probably the most bleak and depressing thing I have read since CIVIL WAR. Thus far, the citizens of Stamford don't deserve super heroes. Speedball's error wasn't in being reckless, it was trying to rid them of super-villains at all; they sound like they would have loved being ruled by Nitro and Speed-Freak. Stamford is supposed to be a parallel to 9/11, but I can tell you; if a Muslim super hero arrived and tried to save some pedestrians at Ground Zero from some escaped super-villains, and was beaten into the ground for his trouble, New Yorkers would NOT have tried to suffocate him to death and finish him off for the baddies. Maybe Connecticut is different.

- Apparently, every Marvel comic is a FEAR ITSELF tie in

- AVENGERS ACADEMY double-ships again; Marvel are keen on this, and I enjoy it. Given how the kids reacted to Korvac, being self aware to know that they're expendable in the Marvel Universe compared to the "big guns" like Wolverine or Thor, I am curious how they'll react to being in the middle of things themselves.

- Is it just me, or does Mike Deodato make Squirrel-Girl look kind of...generic?

- HERC #6 looks great, although Greg Horn's cover giving Kyknos an unintentional lazy eye is pretty funny.

- HEROES FOR HIRE #10 seems to feature a battle between Elektra and the Shroud, likely with one controlled by Purple Man. I did prefer Shroud as an "undercover vigilante pretending to be a villain" rather than a straight up generic vigilante, but it should be good. Interesting that Killgrave'd be the second mind control villain in the series, after Puppet Master.

- I feel bad for Jeff Parker in THUNDERBOLTS, which also double-ships. He's having Juggernaut and Man-Thing yanked from him. However, he's started to turn that to his advantage, utilizing that to have the T-Bolts tap new recruits in story. The Raft is finished, though, so whoever is on the squad now will be the last ones for a while. Ghost, Songbird, Moonstone, and Mach-V are on the cover, and Satana and Mr. Hyde seem to be there to replace the two obvious members who are gone. I will be watching if Shocker actually does something useful. He could always stand to be amped. He's got the potential to be a Captain Cold figure, but Marvel's stupidly never capitalized.

- FEAR ITSELF: FELLOWSHIP OF FEAR looks to be a cool Handbook, and I'll naturally nab it. Love those things. One of the few things Marvel prices at $3.99 (and up) that is always worth every penny.

- That cover to UNCANNY X-MEN #542 makes me laugh, because it looks like poor Colossus is gritting his teeth because his metal junk is being crushed by that giant hand. Hilarious!

- I do have to say, a cover where Deadpool loses to the Walrus is pretty funny. To be fair, he gave the Defenders a fair challenge in his debut, 'till his powers faded (and Frog-Man beat him by luck and took the credit for it).

- That...whatever it is that is holding Wolverine on the cover of FEAR ITSELF: UNCANNY X-FORCE has to be the stupidest looking thing I have seen in ages. Yes, even the Walrus looks better, because he's not trying so hard to be "kewl". Seriously, it has a CYBERNETIC 'NAD GUARD! He has CYBERNETIC SHOULDER PADS! I wonder if he can join whatever club Onslaught is in! 1995 called, they want their design back!

- SPIDER-ISLAND kicks off with ASM as well as a slew of mini's; CLOAK & DAGGER and SPIDER-GIRL, which will likely seem like issues #9-11 of her canceled series. The overall story seems interesting, although mass duplication of things have ruined the Hulk, and Wolverine, and soon to be Thor. Do Marvel really want to toy with ASM after it's finally doing okay for a long period again? The flip-flipping on SPIDER-GIRL is crazy. Okay, get this; Marvel created Arana in AMAZING FANTASY, and then gave her an ongoing series, that ran a year. She floated around MS. MARVEL for a bit before Marvel decided the best way to relaunch her was to strip away all her unique elements. She lost the "magic armor", and then her totem powers OFF PANEL (editors notes say it happened in GRIM HUNT, but at no point on panel did this happen). Then they stick her in Julia Carpenter's old costume and give her the codename of the MC2 character Mayday Parker. Paul Tobin then has SPIDER-GIRL retcon in an attachment to the Fantastic Four that in no way existed before (while still being a title that features ASM villains like Screwball, Ana Kravenoff and Hobgoblin). Surprisingly, sales weren't there. So now Marvel is doing a 180 and using SPIDER-ISLAND to give Sofia spider-powers again (and having her fight the magic Wasp sisterhood again). Wouldn't it be awesome if editors had half a ****ing brain and could plan anything beyond a year in advance? I saw more long term planning out of the former half of PINKY AND THE BRAIN. Maybe nobody flocks to Sofia because, like DC does to WONDER WOMAN, Marvel changes her set up every other year? The best way to ruin a new character, who Marvel once beat their chest about because she was a Latina starring in her own series, is to keep changing her every season. Bye, bye, Ruby Tuesday...

- Much like many a good thing, Marvel believes you can't have too much of it. Thus, SPIDER-ISLAND. It is compared to MAXIMUM CARNAGE by Tom Brevoort, although the hilarious irony is that was only 14 comics spread out over 3-4 titles. So far, SPIDER-ISLAND is at 12 installments and likely move beyond that. SPIDER-ISLAND: EMERGENCE OF EVIL looks to be a shameless recoloring of reprints for $5. I'll get ASM of course, and I'm on VENOM. I'll get AMAZING SPIDER-GIRL, and likely DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG FU. I am curious about CLOAK & DAGGER but by then my wallet will be stretched, and that's not even getting to SPIDER-ISLAND: DEADLY FOES by Slott & Van Lente too! Jeez, flood the market much?

- This is the start of the Warren Ellis era of SECRET AVENGERS. I gotta be honest...I wanted to give Spencer and he a chance, but Spencer's only going to have 3 issues and Ellis will only have 6...and this is a $3.99 that I probably won't cry my eyes out if I missed. Could it be dropped?

- AVENGERS: THE CHILDREN'S CRUSADE reminds us that under it's present format, it will still have four months to go. If on time, it will end in November.

- God, the last thing I want to see in a CAPTAIN AMERICA solicit from Brubaker is about something secret from WWII. How many ****ing flashbacks to that war must I sit through!? From Brubaker!? EVERY INSTANT OF STEVE ROGERS' SERVICE IN THAT WAR HAS BEEN SHOWN, AND SHOWN AGAIN, AND RETCONNED, AND THEN SHOWN TWICE MORE! AARRRAAAGGHHHHH!!

- These could be the second to last issues of IRON MAN 2.0 if sales don't improve.

- "CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER" will still be in theaters, and thus some more carpet bombs of spare Cap & Thor material. I cringe at how Marvel will go bat-**** crazy with Avengers spam next year.

- Why is INCREDIBLE HULKS ending? Sales have fallen below THE WALKING DEAD. Pak will leave, and it will be relaunched as INCREDIBLE HULK #1, or #100,000.1A.

- Greg Rucka relaunches THE PUNISHER, a character far from his prime and could benefit from promotion and attention. Sadly, with FEAR ITSELF and SPIDER-ISLAND, it will get buried in the shuffle. Rucka has left DC for Marvel, which probably has to feel like leaving a moron for an idiot.

- I wasn't initially planning on getting Mark Waid's DAREDEVIL, but it looks interesting. Having DD fight Klaw, a sonic wave villain? Brilliant! Even more brilliant? Making or amping DD villains who aren't Kingpin.

- Love how the "all ages" cover to SUPER HEROES has to feature Black Widow doing a broke-back pose in mid-air. This is why girls don't read comics, kids!

- Is it just me, or is that Kree soldier aiming himself right for Sue's crotch in that cover to FF #8?

- Marvel's ripping off DC's idea to sell half-trades as extra-large reprints.

- GAMBIT: FROM THE MARVEL VAULT sounds ancient. Marvel literally stumbled upon some comics behind boxes during office moves and are deciding to sell it because, hey, it's better than collecting dust. 15-LOVE is pretty much the same thing. They usually sell like rubbish, but better than nothing.

- I do have to say, HERC #6.1 looks cool, and his new costume is growing on me already.

- MYSTERY MEN and VENGEANCE both look interesting, but with so much spam I haven't a clue how I'll afford it all. And then Marvel wonder why small books sell poorly. Maybe because you bury the **** out of it? If I was the EIC of Marvel, I would order all my VP's and whatevers of editing to spend a week, one week, stationed to a comic shop to talk to real fans and real retailers, and make notes. Anyone who didn't come up with at least one realistic strategy afterward would be fired. I know, I'm a madman. But comics have been late for worse reasons ("I just couldn't resist Final Fantasy" being Joe Mad's best). But I can already predict, with 99% accuracy, that both these mini's will sell like garbage and then Tom Brevoort will give some holier-than-thou reply to someone criticizing Marvel's treatment of smaller books or unique ideas as, "well, when we sell 'em, nobody buys them."

- Could Jason Pearson, on the cover of X-MEN #15.1, find a way to draw Colossus where it looked like he was trying to force out a steel turd any LESS? Poor Colossus is the victim of so many bad covers it seems.

- This is a sign of the times when the FF have to guest star in X-MEN to boost X-MEN's sales.

- I don't want to see Daken lose to Taskmaster, yet all he does in that series is smugly prove how awesome he is. Why can't Taskmaster ever defeat a credible, named opponent? His reputation must be worse than Arcade's at this rate. The best thing he can claim is fighting James Barnes to a draw, a hero who gets captured about as often as Penny Gadget.

- Wolverine can barely support two titles? Given him 2 extra mini's! Brilliance!

- I imagine Brian Bendis and Mark Millar chatted over dinner or AIM or something, and made secret bets to each other as to who could create an Icon book with the most obnoxious title. With BRILLIANT, Bendis has upped the ante. Expect MY **** IS BIGGER THAN YOURS by Mark Millar and [INSERT FORMER HOT 90'S ARTIST HERE] this winter (which is the prequel to I ****ED YOUR MOM AND SHE WAS CRAP, which Millar will launch with Dynamite).

I'd be more bemused if either had the balls to call an Icon launch, "MY SHAMELESS MOVIE PITCH". I'm not even kidding, I'd buy it just for the honesty.

- Marvel continue to reprint classic Marvelman, only not the REALLY classic run by Alan Moore. So what was the point again?

 

[CrimsonMist]

I'm not sure if Rucka really cares. It's a book that won't get interrupted by events and I'm pretty sure that's why he jumped from DC to Marvel. I'm not sure about that, though. Even though Ennis and Aaron have been done, and are doing, great things with the character in the MAX universe, no one's been able to do The Punisher justice in the 616 for a while. Fraction's run sucked, and Remender's arc started off promising and just as quickly crashed and burned, burned and kept burning. I think, if anything, having Rucka on the character will bring the character's 616 counterpart back to some level of prominence. The man can write, and I think getting big names on these characters(Daredevil and Punisher atleast. I don't give a **** about Bendis' Moon Knight book).

The one thing I find amusing though,and this is one reason I'm not buying it, is that Moon Knight remains a 4 dollar book. I find it stupid that Marvel is gouging buyers the extra buck for the first issues of The Punisher and Daredevil, and then dropping the price down to 3 bucks, but atleast it drops down to 3 bucks with a standard page count. Moon Knight, four issues in, is still 4 dollars at standard page count. Maybe they're trying to reap the extra benefits from Bendis or something. I don't know. It's just a strange move. Regardless, Punisher and Daredevil look fantastic.

I've noticed that June, July and August solicits show that Neal Adams is doing variant covers for some books. He's apparently doing some sort of Wolverine book for them soon. I wonder if it'll suck just as hard as Batman: Odyssey.

 

[CrimsonMist]

double post

 

[Max J Power]

-I'm not looking to add any ongoings to my subscriptions, but Daredevil and Punisher are tempting.
-Marvel shows it has way too much faith in Bendis by selling Moon Knight at $4 while the other two Big Shots books (which feature much more popular characters) are only $3.
-I'm glad to see G. Willow Wilson on another series. I really liked Cairo and Air.
-Good to see the Waid/Wieringo FF run getting the ultimate collection treatment.
-The number of .1 issues is downright silly, especially for books with fewer than 12 issues.
-Ellis on Secret Avengers sounds interesting, but if it's going to be late all the time, I'd be OK with another writer.

 

[JewishHobbit]

Huh, I assumed Moon Knight was dropping to $3. If I'd have known it was staying at $4 I'd have skipped the first issue. Well, that's an easy drop for me!

 

[Tron Bonne]

I'm not sure if Rucka really cares. It's a book that won't get interrupted by events and I'm pretty sure that's why he jumped from DC to Marvel. I'm not sure about that, though.

It's part of the reason. Just in general, he had a lot of frustrations with DC editorial that ran him off like a lot of other writers recently.

Huh, I assumed Moon Knight was dropping to $3. If I'd have known it was staying at $4 I'd have skipped the first issue. Well, that's an easy drop for me!

Well, I'm pretty sure originally they said that it would drop, but since that's not reflected in the solicitations that changed, I guess.

 

[The Morningstar]

Not a fan of 616 Punisher, but I might give it a whirl because of Rucka.

Deadpool MAX sounds awesome.

Might try out Ellis' Secret Avengers.

 

[kguillou]

I'm...just not interested in Fear Itself. I'm trying to but i'm just not. I think i've finally tired of events. Out of all these solicits the only books i'm looking forward to are the "creative team" books like Daredevil, Thor, Punisher, FF, Moon Knight and...even Captain America, despite the fact that for the millionth time Brubaker is pulling this same rabbit trick out of his hat. I tell you, Brubaker must spend literally all of his time watching the history channel because he loves loves loves his WWII flashbacks. Can't we give Cap a problem in the present?!?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

The Mighty Marvel Age of Tennis Manga

Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!

I mean, I think it's admirable that Marvel's trying to take a page from manga and branch out beyond just stories about men in tights punching each other, but... hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

 

[kguillou]

Hey dont laugh Corp, you know someone out there's buyin it.

 

[Specter313]

- While I will be reading ALPHA FLIGHT, it is a shame that their Canadian government will start acting as stupid as the U.S. government usually does towards heroes. On the whole, though, this looks good. The cover a play on Aurora's mental instability? If there was one "newer" AF character I'd like to see more, it's Persuasion/Purple Girl, especially since her dad is hot **** thanks to Bendis. Oh, and hopefully someone told Talisman that her dad's not dead anymore.

Heh, well you got your wish, sooner than you thought in this weeks .1 issue.

 

[JewishHobbit]

And I don't know if I'd consider Purple Man that big of a deal anymore. He was interesting for a few years thanks to Alias but that's faded. He had a quick cameo in the first arc of New Avengers forever ago and had a good story in New Thunderbolts before it was renumbered. Has he done anything since then or am I forgetting something?

 

[Specter313]

I think he popped up in Vegas in something, but last I saw him he was back in the Raft in Avengers Academy.

 

[Dread]

I'm not sure if Rucka really cares. It's a book that won't get interrupted by events and I'm pretty sure that's why he jumped from DC to Marvel. I'm not sure about that, though. Even though Ennis and Aaron have been done, and are doing, great things with the character in the MAX universe, no one's been able to do The Punisher justice in the 616 for a while. Fraction's run sucked, and Remender's arc started off promising and just as quickly crashed and burned, burned and kept burning. I think, if anything, having Rucka on the character will bring the character's 616 counterpart back to some level of prominence. The man can write, and I think getting big names on these characters(Daredevil and Punisher atleast. I don't give a **** about Bendis' Moon Knight book).

The one thing I find amusing though,and this is one reason I'm not buying it, is that Moon Knight remains a 4 dollar book. I find it stupid that Marvel is gouging buyers the extra buck for the first issues of The Punisher and Daredevil, and then dropping the price down to 3 bucks, but atleast it drops down to 3 bucks with a standard page count. Moon Knight, four issues in, is still 4 dollars at standard page count. Maybe they're trying to reap the extra benefits from Bendis or something. I don't know. It's just a strange move. Regardless, Punisher and Daredevil look fantastic.

I've noticed that June, July and August solicits show that Neal Adams is doing variant covers for some books. He's apparently doing some sort of Wolverine book for them soon. I wonder if it'll suck just as hard as Batman: Odyssey.

Neal Adams is a legendary talent so no matter what, he'll get some work if he wants it, besides convention of course. He's been a regular at may Wizard ones. The comic medium, like many businesses I guess, often can be fooled by the luster of old stars. Pro-sports are like that as well. Marvel kept giving work to Chris Claremont and Tom DeFalco, of course. Covers should be fine. I've heard horror stories about BATMAM: ODYSSEY, but Marvel has kept Adams on rotation before. He did a short X-Men story some years back.

Rucka may not be "interrupted" on THE PUNISHER immediately, although I will be surprised if some of those BIG SHOTS books don't tie into something FEAR related before it is finished. However, if Rucka's PUNISHER fails to sell well, he won't have very long to do what he wants on it. Hence why it is a bad idea to bury new launches or relaunches of books. Greg Rucka is a known talent, but the question is HOW known. He certainly didn't get WONDER WOMAN to sell epically for long, and Marvel has a shorter rope for cancellation than DC does - even if the Punisher often gets more leeway than some titles. It just seems silly to make a somewhat big deal about BIG SHOTS and then to make sure when some of them debut, there is a HEAP of other Marvel product to distract retailers and readers with. Sometimes they are their own worst enemy. One of the few good ideas from Bill Jemas, who basically helped run Marvel alongside Joe Q from 2000-2004, was to not crowd new releases next to each other so that each one got proper attention. The irony is since Jemas has left Marvel, the company have kept a few of his bland ideas (such as stock poster covers for most books) and abandoned virtually all of his GOOD ideas (like keeping some comics, at least Ultimate, cheap as long as possible).

I didn't know MOON KNIGHT was staying at $4 an issue, but since the creative team is Bendis/Maleev, it isn't surprising. It's a bad idea, but not surprising. Despite being hot on DAREDEVIL, they've struggled to produce an equal hit together (beyond some collaborations on Avengers material). SCARLET has done fine for an Icon book, but won't be making anyone forget Mark Millar's success anytime soon. SPIDER-WOMAN was a sales embarrassment to Marvel, to the point they couldn't even properly say they canceled it. I have little interest in Bendis' direction with the character, which he has been quite vocal about online. I have in no way missed Bendis comics in my pull list since I dropped all his ongoing titles at the end of SECRET INVASION.

Huh, I assumed Moon Knight was dropping to $3. If I'd have known it was staying at $4 I'd have skipped the first issue. Well, that's an easy drop for me!

It's an easier non-purchase to me! It is kind of a shame to me what Bendis will do to the character that other, better writers will have to ultimately undo, work around or try to worth through, but that's standard. Some characters have come back from that eventually.

I'm...just not interested in Fear Itself. I'm trying to but i'm just not. I think i've finally tired of events. Out of all these solicits the only books i'm looking forward to are the "creative team" books like Daredevil, Thor, Punisher, FF, Moon Knight and...even Captain America, despite the fact that for the millionth time Brubaker is pulling this same rabbit trick out of his hat. I tell you, Brubaker must spend literally all of his time watching the history channel because he loves loves loves his WWII flashbacks. Can't we give Cap a problem in the present?!?

To be fair, you could have more interest in FEAR ITSELF if it were a better story. As it is, Marvel has promoted it as a story it may not end up becoming. They promoted it with scenes in which heroes literally face their fears (Cyclops becomes Magneto) which may or may not happen. The dilemma is the story is very simple, but Fraction keeps throwing in the social allegory angles to try to shove in more relevance onto a plot that is right out of a Saturday Morning Cartoon...from 1984. SIEGE was crudely simple but even with a prelude one-shot, it was only 5-6 issues. Stretching such a story to seven can be a disaster narrative wise, like SECRET INVASION. Atop of that you have Matt Fraction succumbing to his flaw of having ideas that he can't execute properly. In interviews, the rumor has circulated that he has an almost ADHD demeanor in that he can never shut up, even when an interviewer wants to agree or just move on to another question.

I like Brubaker overall, but his reliance on WWII flashback stories has become one of his most irritating tics. I started despising Bendis' work for his inability to ever improve or even cover up his story flaws and it would be a shame if Brubaker suffered that fate, since I do think he is a stronger writer overall (he can certainly pace a fight better). The fact that Cap's film will be set in WWII has likely resulted in editorial at the very least encouraging it this summer.

Heh, well you got your wish, sooner than you thought in this weeks .1 issue.

I certainly noticed.

And I don't know if I'd consider Purple Man that big of a deal anymore. He was interesting for a few years thanks to Alias but that's faded. He had a quick cameo in the first arc of New Avengers forever ago and had a good story in New Thunderbolts before it was renumbered. Has he done anything since then or am I forgetting something?

I think he popped up in Vegas in something, but last I saw him he was back in the Raft in Avengers Academy.

Purple Man was shown as escaping the Raft in a one page Howard Chaykin story in FEAR ITSELF: THE HOME FRONT #2. As this month's solicits show, he is also set to appear in HEROES FOR HIRE.

While Purple Man is nowhere near the league and stature of, say, Norman Osborn or Red Skull, Bendis has still successfully taken a Z-List, "nobody heard of 'em" villain and has turned him into at least a more recognizable 2nd or 3rd string villain. To be blunt, I'd like to see other writers do such things more often.

In that regard, I do like that Paul Tobin took a newer Spidey villain like Screwball, who really shouldn't be a challenge for him, and made her an arch enemy of the depowered Spider-Girl. That's worked out well.

 

[Roose Bolton]

I see that Incredible Hulk(s) is ending. Here's hoping Marvel retires the character for a while like they did Thor. He's just not a viable character at the moment.

 

[Dread]

I see that Incredible Hulk(s) is ending. Here's hoping Marvel retires the character for a while like they did Thor. He's just not a viable character at the moment.

They don't have the courage to do that. It may get a rest of a few months until they figure out who will replace Greg Pak and then relaunch it with a new #1, or some extra digits. Marvel have proven in their numbering that they're willing to ignore basic math and slap anything on a comic (WOLVERINE #1000, SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #1000), so it's inevitable.

There's still Jeff Parker and Gabe Hardman on HULK.

 

[Roose Bolton]

They don't have the courage to do that. It may get a rest of a few months until they figure out who will replace Greg Pak and then relaunch it with a new #1, or some extra digits. Marvel have proven in their numbering that they're willing to ignore basic math and slap anything on a comic (WOLVERINE #1000, SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #1000), so it's inevitable.

There's still Jeff Parker and Gabe Hardman on HULK.

It's damn shame too, because this type of marketing decision really does more harm than good to the characters, and at this point Marvel need's to something to make the character work again.

but your right, there's always Parker and Hardman's Hulk series.

 

[kguillou]

If Marvel slaps a new #1 for Hulk...I mean what they should do is just have Hulk take over the Red Hulk's book and continue from there. It's a better selling book anyway.

Speaking of renumbering, I'm really really curious as to what Marvel's marketing plan is for the Avengers books when the movie hits. Are they going to renumber Avengers yet again?

 

[Dread]

If Marvel slaps a new #1 for Hulk...I mean what they should do is just have Hulk take over the Red Hulk's book and continue from there. It's a better selling book anyway.

Speaking of renumbering, I'm really really curious as to what Marvel's marketing plan is for the Avengers books when the movie hits. Are they going to renumber Avengers yet again?

The only problem is making HULK the main book again makes sense and doesn't flood the market. Thus, unlikely.

In terms of sales, the Bendis Avenger titles may probably need the short term bump of a relaunch by next year, or later this year. NEW AVENGERS is at historic lows and only variant covers stem the bleeding for AVENGERS. GREEN LANTERN has left both in the dust, and FF may too.

 

[kguillou]

I dunno, you really think FF is going to sustain this momentum though? I think by the end of this year FF will be right back where Fantastic Four was sales wise.

 

[CrimsonMist]

Neal Adams is a legendary talent so no matter what, he'll get some work if he wants it, besides convention of course. He's been a regular at may Wizard ones. The comic medium, like many businesses I guess, often can be fooled by the luster of old stars. Pro-sports are like that as well. Marvel kept giving work to Chris Claremont and Tom DeFalco, of course. Covers should be fine. I've heard horror stories about BATMAM: ODYSSEY, but Marvel has kept Adams on rotation before. He did a short X-Men story some years back.

Batman: Odyssey is the single worst comic I've ever read since I've been collecting comics. It is terribly written. I've read somewhere that the almost surreal ****** insanity(i.e. terrible writing) may be intentional and will be paid off at the end of the story. But I doubt it, considering Adams has a story running in Dark Horse Presents at the moment that is just as poorly written. The difference between the DHP book, Odyssey and presumably Wolverine, is that it's padded out by actual talent. His Wolverine book will probably of the same quality, and it will probably be a 4 dollar book, and while I'm sure Marvel will initially promote the hell out of it, I imagine they'll just as quickly avoid it's existence, much like DC has done.

While I haven't read any of Claremont's newer stuff, I like to imagine Claremont can still craft a story. Unlike Adams, Claremont is a writer. Therefore, he has an understanding of what it goes into telling a story. I'm still trying to figure out what the hell Neal Adams is getting at. Much like with Bendis, no one wants to tell Mr. Adams that what he's churning out isn't good, and no one wants to try tell him how to fix it.

Rucka may not be "interrupted" on THE PUNISHER immediately, although I will be surprised if some of those BIG SHOTS books don't tie into something FEAR related before it is finished. However, if Rucka's PUNISHER fails to sell well, he won't have very long to do what he wants on it. Hence why it is a bad idea to bury new launches or relaunches of books. Greg Rucka is a known talent, but the question is HOW known. He certainly didn't get WONDER WOMAN to sell epically for long, and Marvel has a shorter rope for cancellation than DC does - even if the Punisher often gets more leeway than some titles. It just seems silly to make a somewhat big deal about BIG SHOTS and then to make sure when some of them debut, there is a HEAP of other Marvel product to distract retailers and readers with. Sometimes they are their own worst enemy. One of the few good ideas from Bill Jemas, who basically helped run Marvel alongside Joe Q from 2000-2004, was to not crowd new releases next to each other so that each one got proper attention. The irony is since Jemas has left Marvel, the company have kept a few of his bland ideas (such as stock poster covers for most books) and abandoned virtually all of his GOOD ideas (like keeping some comics, at least Ultimate, cheap as long as possible).

If I recall correctly, Rucka said in an interview that he'd be dealing with Fear Itelf, but in a way that doesn't insist upon knowing what the hell is going on in Fear Itself, kinda like how some of the Batman titles handle Batman, Inc. Which is fine, as I don't think the Punisher really needs to be near Fear Itself. I do, however, agree with you about releasing The Big Shots stuff so closely to Fear Itself. But i'm not sure what Marvel is anticipating with it. Good sales, I imagine. But since DC and Marvel seem to be insistent on mega events almost every other week, and there IS a section of buyers who are fed up with that, perhaps this is Marvel's attempt to cater to that group? "Here's 2 important books that you can read that aren't event books! Now shut up!" or perhaps I'm just being naive. But i'd say that these books will be event-free for a while. Shadowland failed, and that whole Franken-Castle thing was a joke. I guess because it's summer, Marvel wants to release as much of their good stuff as possible. Only time will tell, but I do know that i'll be buying both Punisher and Daredevil. The only Bendis books I own are Torso, and the three Daredevil Ultimate Collection book. It'll probably stay that way.

 

[moraldeficiency]

Liking the JiM solicits here. I like the idea of a character having to outwit the devil or devils as the case may be. Also Fraction's thor 5 looks rather promising.

For Spider-Island, because thored out heroes aren't enough at one time, I think Kung Fu looks cool as it'll incorporate iron fist and bride of nine spiders which I always loved. Also can't go wrong with venom. Pass on the rest.

So I think I'll just read the solicits for Fear Itself. Pretty sure I'll get the whole story months before anyone that's actually reading it. They really left little to chance with those solicits.

Hawkeye, you man****e, I think I may hate you. Is there any super powered chick you haven't been with? Hey Dread, doesn't these shenanigans go against your rule of a hero being with a chick more powerful than him? Almost every chick hawkeye nails is way more powerful.

 

[runawayboulder]

I think it's a giant waste of time. I thumbed through the new issue of Avengers which was supposed to be the 1st Fear Itself tie in. Instead it was background high school romance crap. Good ol' Bendis....ignoring all the great stuff McCann did with Hawkeye and Mockingbird.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Liking the JiM solicits here. I like the idea of a character having to outwit the devil or devils as the case may be. Also Fraction's thor 5 looks rather promising.

Yeah, I may end up changing my opinion of Fraction on Thor. Maybe his first arc was just a fluke. This Galactus arc is shaping up to be pretty good...