Marvel Preview Review For September Part 3 of 3

WOLVERINE #1
Written by JASON AARON
Penciled by RENATO GUEDES Cover by JAE LEE
Variant Covers by STEVE MCNIVEN, PAUL SMITH, MARKO DJURDJEVIC, JAE LEE
Acclaimed author JASON AARON (ASTONISHING SPIDER-MAN AND WOLVERINE, WEAPON X) and superstar artist RENATO GUEDES (Action Comics, Adventures of Superman) launch an all-new ongoing Wolverine series as Wolverine goes to hell…literally! Someone’s out to destroy Wolverine—permanently—and they may have succeeded. But if Wolverine’s soul is in hell, how is his body terrorizing those closest to him? 40 PGS./ $3.99
Jim: I’ll try this because Jason Aaron is writing, but boy does it seem like he is another Vertigo writer who is not working out doing super hero stuff so far. Also I’m not buying off on Marvel’s Wolverine sub line of books which this is trying to launch. Of course when the Wolverhound makes its debut I will have to get it.
Lee: This is most assuredly not for you or I. This is aimed directly at Greg so that he can buy a Wolverine #1 in his lifetime. Maybe Aaron will make it over-the-top bloody and it will be good.
Greg: Jim, are we reading different books? Aaron knocked it out of the park on Ghost Rider, is doing a great job on Astonishing Spidey/Wolverine, and was writing a great Wolverine book on Weapon X (go check out his second storyarc, its the best Wolverine story in YEARS). Tragically, the glut of Wolverine books meant his got lost in the shuffle. Hopefully, this gives his run the attention it deserves.

X-23 #1
Written by MARJORIE LIU
Penciled by WILL CONRAD Cover by DANNI SHINYA LUO
Variant Covesr by MARKO DJURDJEVIC, GABRIELE DELL'OTTO
After the events of Second Coming and the stunning conclusion to X-Force, X-23 strikes out on her own in this all-new ongoing series, written by best-selling author MARJORIE LIU, spinning out of the events of Wolverine #1! X-23 has never had an easy relationship with the rest of the X-Men, but when she learns someone has taken down Wolverine, she must step up to fill his shoes. 40 PGS./ $3.99
DAKEN: DARK WOLVERINE #1
Written by DANIEL WAY & MARJORIE LIU Art & Cover by GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI
Variant Covers by MARKO DJURDJEVIC, GABRIELE DELL’OTTO
For decades, Daken, the son of Wolverine, remained hidden in the shadows of the Marvel Universe, methodically plotting how he would one day dominate the world around him. And now, with his father’s soul hanging in the balance, that day has come. This is the beginning.40 PGS./ $3.99
Lee: Another Wolverine is one thing but these books just look like crap. I think this is the second or third time Marvel has tried to get X-23 to support a series and Daken’s new costume is junk. I just don’t think these will be any good.
Jim: This is just Marvel making a separate line of books under the Wolverine banner, the Wolverine family.
Greg: The funny thing is the previous books published about these characters have been much better than they have any right to be, but let's be real. These characters don't need ongoing books.

INCOGNITO: Bad Influences #1
By the award-winning team of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips.
LAST YEAR’S BREAKOUT HIT FINALLY RETURNS!It’s been over a year since Zack Overkill came out of Witness Protection to build a new life. But working for the government isn’t that different from being controlled by them, and his new secret identity is becoming more trouble than it’s worth… So what will Zack do when tasked with a mission that sends him on a hunt into darkest corners of the super-criminal underworld where he was raised? Also returning with Incognito are the exclusive Pulp magazine essays by Jess Nevins, Professor of pulp history, only available in the single issues of Incognito. 32 PGS./ $3.50
Jim: A no-brainer, I’m buying this. Brubaker and Phillips always deliver value for the fans.
Lee: I know Marvel won’t follow suit with other but I think it’s a great idea to have material in the floppies that is ONLY for the floppies. Even though I’m predominantly trades these days, bonus material like this could actually lure back into a store on a more regular basis.
Greg: Oh thank god. This will be so good. The only bad thing about this book will be that it makes me wait longer for the next arc of Criminal.

LOCKJAW & THE PET AVENGERS UNLEASHED HC
Written by CHRIS ELIOPOULOS
Pencils, Cover by IG GUARA & CHRIS SOTOMAYOR
Collecting LOCKJAW & THE PET AVENGERS UNLEASHED #1-4 and TAILS OF THE PET AVENGERS: THE DOGS OF SUMMER. 128 PGS./ $19.99
Lee: Of all of Marvels offerings, this one really interests me. First, Eliopoulos is a great writer and captures the inherent humor of these characters perfectly. Second, this is probably the only book I can give to my kids so they learn some Marvel characters.
Jim: Fun stuff for sure, but also something I don't need personally.
Greg: Lee, bring your kids up right. Give them Franken Castle. Its what Jesus and Wilt Chamberlain would do.

ACTS OF VENGEANCE OMNIBUS HC
Written by MARK GRUENWALD, JOHN BYRNE, DWAYNE MCDUFFIE, HOWARD MACKIE, RON FRENZ, TOM DEFALCO, TERRY AUSTIN, DAVID MICHELINIE & GERRY CONWAY
Penciled by PAUL RYAN, JOHN BYRNE, VINCE MIELCAREK, DWAYNE TURNER, AL MILGROM, KIERON DWYER, RON LIM, HERB TRIMPE, RON FRENZ, MIKE VOSBURG, COLLEEN DORAN, ERIK LARSEN, TODD MCFARLANE, SAL BUSCEMA, MIKE ESPOSITO & ALEX SAVIUK
Covers by ALAN DAVIS & JOHN BYRNE
Collecting AVENGERS #311-313, AVENGERS ANNUAL #19; AVENGERS SPOTLIGHT #26-29; AVENGERS WEST COAST #53-55; CAPTAIN AMERICA #365-367; IRON MAN #251-252; QUASAR #5-7; Thor #411-413; CLOAK & DAGGER #9; AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #326-329; SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #158-160; WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #59-61.744 PGS./ $99.99
Jim: If my memory serves this was total drek. I think Marvel is running out of stuff to reprint from days of yore and is now reaching.
Lee: I don’t think that Marvel is running out of material, I think it’s actually a shrewd marketing tool. For you and I, this is drek but for Greg it’s prime material from his diaper days. Or, better, this is to Greg, what the Silverage is to me, and the Golden Age is to you. Basically, the masterworks are for you and me while these Omnibus are for Greg. Marvel is squeezing the max amount of money that it can.
Jim: Dude I was not alive for the Golden Age and you were not around for the Silver Age.
Greg: Hey old people! Shut up! Maybe one day you can come to grips with the fact that YOUR childhood's comic books had Superman tricking Lois Lane into thinking he had a hernia or something and MY childhood's comic books had this:



SUCK IT, GRANDPAS.


CAPTAIN AMERICA: WAR & REMEMBRANCE PREMIERE HC
Written by ROGER STERN
Penciled by JOHN BYRNE
Covers by FRANK MILLER & JOHN BYRNE
Collecting CAPTAIN AMERICA #247-255.224 PGS./$29.99
Jim: I re-read the trade I had of this and passed it on, it was a good run on the book.
Lee: This sucks, I just bought the trade a couple of months ago. It’s classic Byrne and Cap material. I can’t wait to get it.
Greg: I got that trade too, but if you have the remotest interests in superheroes, you should pick this up. Its one of the best Captain America runs ever. Its just a shame it didn't last longer. Stern and Byrne's entire run is collected in this book.

SPIDER-MAN: THE GAUNTLET VOL. 5 - LIZARD PREMIERE HC
Written by ZEB WELLS with FRED VAN LENTE
Penciled by CHRIS BACHALO with JEFTE PALO & XURXO PENALTA
Cover by CHRIS BACHALO
Collecting AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #630-633 and material from AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #629 & WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #5.128 PGS./$19.99
Lee: Dammit Greg, this pick is all your fault. Your endless posts and drivel of “it’s good read it read it” has worn me down. Doesn’t hurt that I saw the art and it looks awesome. I might have to cave and get this.
Jim: Spider-Man is still dead to me.
Greg: Dude, you are missing some damn fine Spider-Man comics.


Jim: I keep thinking if Marvel reigned in all the excess books they publish and put their best talent against a smaller line I might like there material more, but it maybe that they have burned my love of these characters out of me forever at this point and I will live mainly with the reprints.
Lee: I’ve been living off Marvel reprints for years. Welcome to my world.
Greg: I still think Marvel's core books are really strong right now, but that is a lot of stuff. A lot of stuff without Franken Castle! WE'RE NOT DONE YET.


FRANKEN-CASTLE #21
Written by RICK REMENDER
Pencils & Cover by DAN BRERETON
The shocking conclusion of the FrankenCastle era! After his brutal struggle to kill Daken in Tokyo, the Punisher is in rough shape. In order to restore his health, hacker comrade Henry Russo sends Frank to the nearest remote place he can find -- Monster Island. However, as his body heals, Frank’s mind begins to fade into madness. Someone needs to take him down. Someone named Elsa Bloodstone. 40 PGS./$3.99
Greg: Dan Brereton drawing Franken-Castle rampaging on Monster Island while being hunted by Elsa Bloodstone? Oh, this IS Christmas!
Jim: Well if you are going to do this kind of book do it right and this is right. But Greg can you live without Franken-Castle?
Lee: Sadly, I agree MERRY CHRISTMAS! Brereton drawing monsters is always a must buy.