http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=31441
Here's the actual solicitations with covers and info and all that jazz
C2E2 is over, and now Marvel releases their solicits. Shocking. Rants/thoughts ahoy.
- At the very least, we can say that events at Marvel are actually about facing off against villains for the most part. SIEGE was about taking on Norman Osborn, his league of baddies and the Void. FEAR ITSELF, at the very least, seems to distinctly involve Sin and the Serpent taking on the heroes. Hard to get any more evil than the Nazi daughter of Red Skull. That said, I suppose it is unintentionally hilarious that roughly a year ago around this time, Marvel made a big deal about Loki's demise, and now Loki is back and appearing in solicits for the next event. Gods never stay dead, but it just proves the criticism that events are all about "shocks" that rarely last. That said, it would be cool if Serpent united a lot of the "fear" villains as underlings.
- The same cover by Alan David of the AVENGERS ACADEMY is used for both AVENGERS #14 and AVENGERS ACADEMY #14.1. That is Marvel's way of saying, "I am error" (or, as David Gabriel often says, "You must have misheard us.")
- GHOST RIDER #0.1 is priceless. Marvel is beyond parody at times.
- FEAR ITSELF: HOME FRONT #3 is interesting; is that REALLY one of the Bastards Of Evil from YOUNG ALLIES teamed up with Whirlwind? It is good to see some newer villains cycling through, so poor Rhino or the Wrecking Crew or Absorbing Man don't always have to be jobbers.
- FEAR ITSELF: YOUTH IN REVOLT looks to be a solid series for fans of AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE, since it uses characters who haven't popped up much since that ended (Cloud 9 was in a one page story in AGE OF HEROES, but that's been it). It does look to be the first major use of Thor-Girl in years.
- AVENGERS ACADEMY #15, as always, looks cool. #14.1 also looks great as well. More months of double doses of AA, the better.
- Fred Van Lente is alone on HERC, and he is teamed with Greg Pak again on their ALPHA FLIGHT mini series. Interesting. Both look great. I guess HERC will launch two issues or something, as it launches in April and by June it is already at a 4th issue.
- You can tell that Nick Spencer is the new writer on SECRET AVENGERS when a solicit claims that Valkyrie, and not Steve Rogers. Who'd imagine a SECRET AVENGERS book that focused on one of them who wasn't Rogers, right?
- Two issues of THUNDERBOLTS, and it has the Juggernaut, circa FEAR ITSELF. I guess he's becoming a villain again. I am curious how Jeff Parker is dealing with it, since he was the closest to noble of his line up (aside for Man-Thing, of course). Matt Fraction has decided Juggy will be a bad guy again, and it doesn't matter that he was a major character in Parker's book; In terms of rep, Fraction > Parker, and that's how things roll. It never lasts, which is usually why I never like seeing those stories start in the first place.
- It looks like Brubaker will write a Steve Rogers back up strip in CAPTAIN AMERICA to keep the page count at 30 so the price can remain at $3.99. Interesting.
- The premise behind CAPTAIN AMERICA CORPS is almost intended to be a comedy, but there have really been so many characters with that name or similar that it is possible. I do wonder if this "cosmic entity" realizes that U.S. Agent is currently without an arm and a leg, or will this be some "time plucked" version from the past.
- I love how THE MIGHTY THOR #3 can't even show an image that is a cover or a barely drawn sketch of one random page, likely because Oliver Coipel on a monthly schedule is almost grounds for failure. He can have 56 months of lead in time, if you get more than 4 timely issues out of him, its a miracle.
- Two comics from the Marvel Vault; a Human Torch/Hulk comic, and 15 LOVE, which was first commissioned back in 2002 by Bill Jemas. At least the latter tries for a different audience.
- This ASM arc with Mr. Negative and Anti-Venom will actually be the first time I have paid to read a story about either. It should be interesting. New Wraith, too!
- SPIDER-GIRL is canceled with issue 8. That's admittedly two issues longer than YOUNG ALLIES, which also featured her. Arana 2.0 didn't find an audience. The struggles of any Spidey spin off continue. I am curious how VENOM will be selling by #4.
- ANNIHILATORS looks cool.
- It looks like FF will continue along the subplots started in FANTASTIC FOUR, just the title changed.
- The Marvel Universe seems unable to beat either Wolverine or Punisher. It always is funny how in said stories, the Marvel Universe suffers from a disease that saps their intelligence. Otherwise, well...Hawkeye could probably beat Wolverine if he had the right trick arrow.
- MYSTERY MEN, as the premise goes, is about the masked vigilantes of the 1920's and pre-WWII 1930's. I did some research, and naturally virtually all of Marvel's heroes debuted in the late 30's or after 1940. This seems to want to portray the group of heroes between the end of the Western era in the 1880's and the WWII period. Doesn't this mean that we'll have to change who the first heroes of Marvel were? Eh, retcons are odd beats. Why not go back further? Give us the superheroes of 1910? 1900? 1367?
- I won't be bothering with MOON KNIGHT. I have no interest Bendis making him more of a psychopath, only one beyond parody. He's Two-Face now, only with more personalities. Rather than flip a coin, he rolls a 6 sided die.
- I will be curious if HEROES FOR HIRE will reach issue 12. The first arc has had a strong premise, and it will be interesting seeing how Abnett & Lanning match it.
- IRON AGE looks iffy. Gage being on it is a plus, but I am not sure about it. It may depend on whim.
