Monday, December 21, 2009

Marvel Preview Review for February Part 1 of 3

Lee: Another month, another wonderful selection of books by Marvel. Actually, quite a lot of cool reprint books.
Jim: It is said somehow that we both seem to look forward more to reprints then the new stuff. Somehow that seems wrong or we are just old.

DARK AVENGERS #14
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils & Cover by MIKE DEODATO JR.
SIEGE BLOCKBUSTER TIE-IN!! The secrets of the Sentry are revealed but is it too late? Is this a hero reborn or a eulogy? The most pivotal moment in this controversial character’s life yet is here, and how it affects the siege on Asgard will leave you breathless. 32 PGS./$3.99
Lee: Seriously, does anyone care about the Sentry anymore? Somehow, in his short existence, Marvel has managed to make his origin even more convoluted and complicated than 90% of the heroes that first appeared in the 1960’s.
Jim: I enjoyed Paul Jenkins mini-series about the Sentry. It was a cool exploration about a Superman type character, but it was good as a one shot. Marvel started using him for real when Thor was gone and now it is a hot mess.

TALES OF THE DRAGON GUARD #1 (of 3)
Written by ANGE Adapted by PAUL BENJAMIN
Art and Covers by ALBERTO VARANDA
No one knows why dragons have appeared in this word of heroes, but their very presence is re-shaping reality. Their influence destroys everything, transforming men and beasts into monsters: a curse known as the Veill. Only virgin women are free of this curse and can get close enough to these terrors to kill them. And so, the Order of the Dragon Knights was created. Trained from childhood, they fight against all odds, including a world that refuses to accept them as women of power, the very same society they swore to protect. They fight to the death, because if they don't, their entire world is doomed. 48 PGS./Mature - $5.99
Lee: When it comes to costume design no one can beat the Europeans. Why bother with extra metal protecting your parts when you can just have them hanging out. So, the plot is half naked women must battle dragons. This is awesome!
Jim: Half naked women fighting dragon is an awesome concept. Of course if they are half naked won't they lose their virginity faster and then they can't fight the terrors.

HITMAN MONKEY #1
Written by DANIEL WAY
Penciled by DALIBOR TALIJIC Cover by FRANK CHO
“The Legend of Hitman Monkey”You’re digging him in this month’s issue of DEADPOOL and you want to know more about him? How about his origin story? A troubled soul, set upon a path of vengeance he does not understand. An assassin without equal, trained in the most secret of killing techniques. A flesh and blood specter, haunting the killers of the world. A monkey…with a gun. Bear witness as the legend is born. Hitman Monkey.32 PGS./$3.99
Jim: Even for a big monkey fan like myself this just seems too absurd to be real. Plus Deadpool as great comedy has never clicked for me.
Lee: This is definitely targeting towards one very narrow market segment. I don't see the humor either but I'm not a regular reader of Deadpool.

ULTIMATE COMICS X #1
Written by JEPH LOEB
Pencils & Cover by ART ADAMS
Who—or what—is Ultimate X? The answers and even more secrets arrive in the all new ULTIMATE X ongoing bi-monthly series from the superstar dream team of JEPH LOEB and ART ADAMS. Wolverine is dead. Captain America is a fugitive. The Fantastic Four disbanded. Lives have been destroyed and nothing can ever be the same—is there any hope left? It all begins with a search for a brand new character whose identity will leave jaws on the floor and change the Ultimate Universe forever. 32 PGS./$3.99
Lee: I’m not in high school anymore but aren’t the kids with the hoodies pulled all the way up and all dressed in black the ones that blow up schools???? This doesn’t make Wolverine(?) look cool. It makes him down right creepy.
Jim: Hoodie fever still seems to have some families in its grasp. Why I went to a Thanksgiving dinner (a day late) this year and everyone but me had a hoodie on.

DOOMWAR #1 (of 5)
Written by JONATHAN MABERRY
Penciled by SCOT EATON, WILL CONRAD & TBD
Cover by JOHN ROMITA JR.
Wakanda has been conquered, its Vibranium reserves plundered. Storm faces execution in the next 48 hours. And Dr. Doom stands triumphant. It will take the combined forces of the X-Men, the Fantastic Four and the two Black Panthers to stand against him. A war has begun that will pit the world's most relentless super-villain against a collection of the world's most powerful super heroes -- one that will span the globe, offering twists and turns and surprise players (hello, Deadpool!) that neither side will see coming.40 PGS./$3.99
Lee: And so begins the next generation of events. Marvel is not doing ‘mega-events’ anymore, instead they are doing ‘family events.’ Potato, Potatoe if you ask me. You are still being forced to buy more than one title to get a single story.
Jim: Is this a mini-event or just a mini-series. It maybe just a mini-series.

MARVEL HEARTBREAKERS
Written by KATHRYN IMMONEN, RICK SPEARS, KARL BOLLERS & JIM MCCANN
Penciled by LARA WEST, JAMES CALLAHAN, HARVEY TOLIBAO & DAVID LOPEZ
Cover by MIKE DEL MUNDO
This Valentine’s Day, drop that box of chocolates and satisfy the inner romantic with an oversized helping of heartache! In these four spandex-ripping tales, the fabulous femmes of Marvel discover that there’s no such thing as love without tears…and that super powers won’t protect them from Cupid’s arrow! Will it be MJ Watson or Gwen Stacy that charges Peter Parker’s electrons? Can the girls of Nextwave survive a visit from the ghosts of boyfriends past? Is Snowbird in danger of letting her animal passions get the best of her? And must Dazzler choose between the stage and a certain fuzzy mutant hunk? Find out in this special filled with passion, power, and pain!40 PGS./Rated T+…$3.99
Jim: Okay I know comics have gotten a larger female fanbase then they used to have, but will this type of book be successful?
Lee: I think you need to redefine 'successful' for this type of book. It's not being produced to sell a 100k copies. It's definitely to attract readers. Or better yet, to get the fanboys to buy a book for their girlfriends who might then be converted to regular readers.

TAILS OF THE PET AVENGERS
Written by CHRIS ELIOPOULOS, SCOTT GRAY, COLLEEN COOVER & JOE CARAMAGNA
Pencils by IG GUARA, COLLEEN COOVER, GURIHIRU & CHRIS ELIOPOULOS
Cover by HUMBERTO RAMOS
They saved the world in LOCKJAW & THE PET AVENGERS…what’ve they been doing since? Find out in this super-sized special featuring Lockjaw, Redwing, and the rest of your favorite Pet Avengers take center-stage in their own spotlight adventures! Featuring an all-new, NEVER before seen savage tale of ZABU and a FROG THOR prequel leading into the team's triumphant return in PET AVENGERS, onsale next month!40 PGS./$3.99
Lee: I don’t mind these stories in one shots. In fact, they’re quite fun. But the solicitation implies there’s going to be an ongoing series starting next month. Are you kidding me? And who does Marvel think is going to support that?
Jim: I would hope it is just another mini-series. Marvel is the king of if it sold once, let's do it again and again and again and again. Remember the Marvel Zombie series?

MORE TOMORROW!

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