Marvel Preview Review for August

Lee: While I may be late on Indies I’m right on top of the new Marvel picks. After a light couple months things seem to be heading in the right direction. There’s lots of new offerings to talk about.

Jim: Right direction, if you consider a wrong turn a right direction. Secret Invasion is the source of my ire, which we will talk of later.

DARK TOWER: THE LONG ROAD HOME HC Written by PETER DAVID & ROBIN FURTHPenciled by JAE LEE & RICHARD ISANOVECollecting DARK TOWER: THE LONG ROAD HOME #1-5.
The second collection of the best-selling comic-book series, inspired by Stephen King's epic The Dark Tower! Gunslinger Roland Deschain has seen the death of his lover Susan Delgado. And the Big Coffin Hunters who burned her at the stake are now in pursuit of Roland and his ka-tet Cuthbert and Alain. The friends are forced to flee into the desert with the deadly posse in hot pursuit….and Roland is in a coma! Don't miss the next chapter in the saga of the Gunslinger whose quest for the Dark Tower will shake the foundation of reality itself! Collecting DARK TOWER: THE LONG ROAD HOME #1-5.120 PGS./Parental Advisory …$24.99

Lee: Jim didn’t like the first arc but I loved it. I got the HC for Christmas and I loved the whole book. Now, I’m hooked and I can’t wait to read more. This has been very, very good so far.

Jim: So since I did not like the first two issues of the first arc, I will not be buying the second arc, but the art work is great looking.

VENOM: DARK ORIGIN #1 (of 5) Written by ZEB WELLSPencils & Cover by ANGEL MEDINAOn the unlikely day when an embittered, washed-up journalist met a spurned symbiotic organism from an alien planet, one of Spider-Man's greatest enemies was born - a force of evil and vengeance like no other in the Marvel Universe - VENOM! But is it as simple as that? Discover the true, twisted roots that gave rise to a lifetime of malevolence for Eddie Brock…AND the symbiote! Writer Zeb Wells (AMAZING SPIDER-MAN) and artist Angel Medina (SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN) shed a little light on one of Marvel's darkest monsters!32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
Lee: Honestly, I really don’t care to learn more about the origin of Venom. I think he’s over exposed and I’m sick of him. BUT, Zeb Wells is a great writer who has yet to disappoint me and Angel Medina is a heck of an artist. If anyone can make me enjoy a Venom story it’ll be this pair.

Jim: DC and Marvel have both over done all the origin stuff and it has to be something super-special to make me buy in and this is not it.

SPIDER-MAN LOVES MARY JANE #1 (of 5) Written by TERRY MOORE Penciled by CRAIG ROUSSEAU Cover by TERRY MOOREAt long, long, long, looooooooooooooooong last, SHE'S BACK! Mary Jane Watson, in her very own adventures! Superstar writer Terry Moore (Strangers in Paradise, upcoming RUNAWAYS) supplies story (and covers!) and artist Craig Rousseau (The Perhapanauts) brings his best for this all-new mini.It's the beginning of a new high school year. MJ finally feels like she's got her life in order. Good friends, good classes, good relationship with a certain Wall-Crawler…but is there someone behind the scenes that's got it in for our rambunctious redhead?32 PGS./All Ages …$2.99
Lee: It’s nice to see this back in print. I’ve never read it but those that did loved it. And, I will support anything that Marvel directs towards female readers because we could use more female readers!

Jim: Terry Moore as writer has to be a plus, but didn’t Mephisto destroy this love? I know, I know, but I’m still ticked off over that whole thing.

GHOST RIDER ANNUAL #2: MERCY Written by SIMON SPURRIER Pencils by MARK ROBINSON Cover by MARK TEXEIRAMercy, Idaho: A small town in the hills with more than its fair share of secrets. A winged-terror that haunts the woods; an irresistible pull on the desperate and the suicidal; and now a stranger on a low-slung chopper, with fire in his eyes. For Johnny Blaze - searching for a way to wage war against heaven itself - the frozen forests of Mercy might just provide a path through the Pearly Gates…48 PGS./Parental Advisory…$3.99

Lee: Ghost Rider seems to be on an upswing with Jason Aaron on the main title these days. And, while I don’t always agree with annuals, Simon Spurrier is a very good writer. I bet this will be worth the money.

Jim: For me this is an easy pass. I have grown so tired of Ghost Rider, but Jason Aaron changed that, Jason Aaron, not Simon Spurrier.

RUNAWAYS #1 Written by TERRY MOOREPencils & Cover by HUMBERTO RAMOSComics legend Terry Moore (Strangers in Paradise, Echo) and super-star artist Humberto Ramos (X-MEN, WOLVERINE, SPIDER-MAN) run back to Los Angeles with your favorite teen heroes. But it's not the same city they left so long ago. The Runaways try to stay off the radar, but the sins of their parents won't make that possible… 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
Lee: And, Runaway’s get’s another first issue. Sheesh this series is like Spidergirl or Manhunter from DC, it just won’t die. Terry Moore is a great writer so I’m sure it will be good but I don’t understand why it gets another #1.

Jim: Terry Moore is not all over the place at Marvel, which is great as long as he continues to get Echo out on time.

Secret Invasion – August
SECRET INVASION #5 (of 8)
MIGHTY AVENGERS #17
NEW AVENGERS #44
AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #16
SECRET INVASION: INHUMANS #1 (of 4)
SECRET INVASION: THOR #1 (of 3)
SECRET INVASION: X-MEN #1 (of 4)
SECRET INVASION: SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY #1 (of 3)
SECRET INVASION: RUNAWAYS/YOUNG AVENGERS #3 (of 3)
SECRET INVASION: FRONT LINE #2 (of 5)
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #4
NOVA #16
INCREDIBLE HERCULES #120
MS. MARVEL #30
CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI:13 #4
X-FACTOR #34
SHE-HULK #32
THUNDERBOLTS #123
NEW WARRIORS #15
BLACK PANTHER #40
Jim: Count them with me – 20- 19 tie-ins and/or spin-offs. This is Secret Wars II and maybe even worse. I can not tell you how many different comics have suffered through some of the worse stretches by being hammered into some event. The spin-off mini-series is a way to try and avoid that, but if you are telling me that I have to buy 20 books to enjoy one chapter in this sage, that I say f*** you Marvel. That is ridiculous and out and out insane. I’m getting the main event and the New and Mighty Avengers and will probably get the regular issues of series that I normally buy, but screw the rest of this crap. This is “jumping the shark” boys and girls.
Lee: Yeah, I noticed this. Since I only get a couple of these titles I hoping for pointless fight scenes between the characters and some silly super skrull. But, Jim’s right. There’s no real excuse for this.

PUNISHER KILLS THE MARVEL UNIVERSE Written by GARTH ENNISPencis & Cover by DOUGIE BRAITHWAITE Reprinting Garth Ennis' first shot at writing the Punisher! What happens when Frank Castle's wife and kids are caught in the crossfire of a super-hero battle instead of a gangland slaying? Find out in this alternate-reality tale from 1995, as Castle vows vengeance on a world full of Marvel heroes as the Punisher!48 PGS./Rated T+…$4.99

Lee: Overall, it’s an ok story and the art really isn’t my cup of tea so I won’t be buying this. But, I’m surprised Marvel didn’t issue this as a HC to suck ever last dime out of the Punisher fans.

Jim: Didn’t you sell your copy of this a year or so ago Lee? If yes, I bet your happy as reprints kill the prices on hard to find back issues.

PUNISHER #60 Written by GARTH ENNISPenciled by GORAN PARLOVCover by TIM BRADSTREETGarth Ennis concludes his epic run - in style! They threw up a wall of good men to shield themselves from the Punisher's wrath. Now these men of influence and privilege are going to pay. Frank Castle is about to bring his personal war to their doorstep in what might be the bloodiest chapter yet of the Punisher saga. Also featuring an 8-page preview of PUNISHER #61, "Girls in White Dresses," written by best-selling crime novelist Gregg Hurwitz (The Crime Writer) and illustrated by Laurence Campbell (PUNISHER ANNUAL: THE HUNTED).40 PGS./Explicit Content …$2.99

Lee: And so a great run comes to an end. Whether you liked Ennis’s Punisher or not he has defined the character for a very long time. I’m sad to see him go but at least he’s going out on top. And, it’s nice to have a preview of what’s coming next month with the new writer.

Jim: This was the seminal run on this character. Ennis 60 issues under the Max banner will go down as the Punisher. Good Luck to who ever follows as I’m quitting the hard covers after Ennis’ run.

PUNISHER #61 Written by GREGG HURWITZPenciled by LAURENCE CAMPBELLCover by DAVE JOHNSON"GIRLS IN WHITE DRESSES," PART 1The first of three story arcs written by three of the hottest writers in crime fictions starts here! Best-selling crime novelist Gregg Hurwitz (The Kill Clause, The Crime Writer) and Laurence Campbell (PUNISHER ANNUAL: THE HUNTED) bring you a tale of death, depravity and revenge south of the border. In black vans and under cover of night, they descend on the little Mexican town of Tierra Rota, abducting its women and returning them days later like broken dolls. And no one can stop them. That is, until one brave soul approaches Frank Castle with his heart in one hand and a bag full of money in the other. Now Frank's no bounty hunter, and definitely no hero, but there are some things the Punisher just can't abide.32 PGS./Explicit Content …$2.99

Lee: What the?!?! Ummmm why is this out now? Isn’t this supposed to be out next month? Half the time books can’t be published on schedule and the other time they come out in clusters. This is dumb and should have been held a month.

Jim: This is Marvel trying to make sure you continue on this book quickly as they have to know Ennis has set a very, very high bar.

MARVEL MASTERWORKS: GOLDEN AGE MARVEL COMICS VOL. 3 Written by JOHN COMPTON, STOCKBRIDGE WINSLOW, RAY GILL & VARIOUSPenciled by CARL BURGOS, BILL EVERETT, PAUL GUSTAVSON, STEVE DAHLMAN, BEN THOMPSON, AL ANDERS, IRWIN HASEN & BOB OSKNERCover by ALEX SCHOMBURGCollecting MARVEL MYSTERY COMICS #9-12.
The wait is over, and the stage is set. It's fire vs. water in the most famous battle of comics' Golden Age! Breaking new ground like none other, MARVEL MYSTERY COMICS, the flagship title of Marvel's earliest days, started a craze that defines super-hero comic books to this day. With hero pitted against hero in a fight to the finish, you'd better place those bets and settle into your seats. 'Cause it's the final round of the Human Torch vs. the Sub-Mariner!272 PGS./Rated A …$59.99

Lee: What can I say I love Marvel comics in all their incarnations. From the Golden Age, thru Atlas, to today, I love it all. Actually, once you get into the 40’s the artists and writers started maturing and it all got better. These are starting to reprint some great material.

Jim: I’m getting it for the Human Torch vs Sub-Mariner battle, I loved that material.

MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN VOL. 10 HC Written by STAN LEEPenciled by JOHN ROMITA & GIL KANECover by GIL KANEBlah blah blah… “And it all leads into one of the landmark moments of Marvel history, the Comics Code defying "drug" issues.”…blah blah blah. Collecting THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #88-99.256 PGS./All Ages …$54.99
Lee: This is one of the masterworks that I have really, really been looking forward to! I’ve always thought Gil Kane was at his peak with his run on Spiderman. These are great stories and great art. I am really looking forward to this.

Jim: And this is a Masterworks that I am passing on. We hit #100, and I do not need to get stuff that was not critical. While it has some “big” issues, it really was not the best material of all time in my mind and no more free rides for Masterworks for me.

ELEKTRA BY FRANK MILLER OMNIBUS HC Written by FRANK MILLERPenciled by FRANK MILLER & BILL SIENKIEWICZ
Good ninjas never die, let alone the baddest one of all! Fan-favorite Frank Miller ushers his awesome assassin through good and evil and life and death and rebirth and more! Who is the otherworldly entity in pursuit of the presidency? When has Elektra met her greatest triumphs and tragedies? Why did she die, and how did she return? Where do smarmy cyborgs and killer dwarves come from? And What If all this had never happened at all? Guest-starring Daredevil! Collecting ELEKTRA: ASSASSIN #1-8, ELEKTRA LIVES AGAIN, BIZARRE ADVENTURES #28 and WHAT IF? #35.384 PGS./Explicit Content …$74.99

Lee: Wow, the Frank Miller Daredevil stuff was certainly fast tracked into the Omnibus world. But, 400 pages is still awfully big. I wish they would slim some of this down.

Jim: I love Frank Miller, but this is too much of it and it was all Electra. The Electra Lives Again story was an over the top type story that Frank often enjoys doing, but $75 for this material is a no.

TOMB OF DRACULA OMNIBUS VOL. 1 HC Written by GERRY CONWAY, ARCHIE GOODWIN, GARDNER F. FOX, MARV WOLFMAN, CHRIS CLAREMONT & DAVID KRAFTPenciled by GENE COLAN, MIKE PLOOG & DON HECKCollecting TOMB OF DRACULA #1-31, WEREWOLF BY NIGHT #15, GIANT-SIZE CHILLERS #1 and GIANT-SIZE DRACULA #2-4.768 PGS./Rated T+ …$99.99

Lee: Why? Why? Why is this a jillion pages long, 10,000 lbs for $100. Seriously, why? Don’t get me wrong I love this material and already have the Essentials reprints this but I am not going to pay $100 for it. I like the Omnibus format but not that much. Marvel has gone crazy with these things. The ironic part, I WOULD pay the money for three shorter masterworks of the same material, which would actually cost me more.
Jim: I agree with Lee on this one, I would get a Masterwork, but not a hernia creating book of this material.

HULK: HEART OF THE ATOM PREMIERE HC Written by HARLAN ELLISON, ROY THOMAS, CHRIS CLAREMONT, ARCHIE GOODWIN, LEN WEIN, HERB TRIMPE, BILL MANTLO & PETER GILLISPenciled by HERB TRIMPE, SAL BUSCEMA & JOE STATONCover by HERB TRIMPE & DAVE COCKRUMIn the sub-atomic kingdom of K'ai, the Hulk gained Bruce Banner's brain, but lost his heart to the gorgeous green Grace: Jarella! After the sinister Psyklop gets their world in his hands, the atom-crossed couple seeks happiness on Earth, but the odds seem stacked against them in both dimensions! Will the Hulk save his emerald angel and her war-torn world? Can green hearts be broken? Find out in this saga that spans time, space, and [non]human emotion! Guest-starring Captain Marvel and the Avengers! Collecting INCREDIBLE HULK #140, #148, #156, #202-203, #205-207 and #246-248; and WHAT IF? #23.240 PGS./All Ages …$29.99

Lee: Can someone explain to me why this HC which is 240 pages long is $30 while the Spiderman Masterwork is $55, or the Golden Age Mastwork is $60? This makes no sense. That aside, this is classic Hulk at his best with outstanding art and stories. I will, without a doubt, be getting this.

Jim: The Golden Age is because of the restoration process, the Spider-Man because that is the Masterwork price. I’m getting this book also.

LOGAN PREMIERE HC Written by BRIAN K. VAUGHNPenciled by EDUARDO RISSOCollecting LOGAN #1-3, plus extras.LOGAN BLACK & WHITE PREMIERE HCCollecting LOGAN #1-3 BLACK AND WHITE VARIANTS, plus extras.BOTH: 104 PGS./Parental Advisory …$19.99

Lee: I have to give credit to Marvel for continually thinking of new and novel ways to screw to fanboy! I like it!!!! If I understand this, it’s the exact same story in color or B&W for the same price. I wonder which will sell better.

Jim: If you know Risso’s work you should buy the B&W. An okay series, not worth a hard cover.

THE TWELVE VOL. 1 PREMIERE HC Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI, Penciled by CHRIS WESTONYesterday's Men of Tomorrow - today! Thought lost to the pages of time, a dozen Mystery Men from the "greatest generation" of World War II find themselves thrust into the morally-gray world of the 21st century! Now, Captain Wonder, Dynamic Man, Mastermind Excello, Mister E, the Laughing Mask, the Witness, the Black Widow, the Phantom Reporter, the Fiery Mask, Rockman, the Blue Blade and Electro the Marvel of the Age must seek a place for themselves in the modern Marvel Universe - while a silent killer seeks to eliminate them, one by one! Collecting THE TWELVE #1-6.144 PGS./ Rated T+ …$24.99
Lee: The first real decision of the month. Get the HC that only has issues 1-6 or wait for the HC that collects issues 1-12. Ooooohhhh tough call.

Jim: WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I assume Lee was kidding and we just wait for the 12 issue volume.

THUNDERBOLTS BY WARREN ELLIS VOL. 2: CAGED ANGELS PREMIERE HC Written by WARREN ELLIS, Penciled by MIKE DEODATOCollecting THUNDERBOLTS #116-121.144 PGS./Rated T+ …$19.99CLANDESTINE: BLOOD RELATIVE PREMIERE HCWritten, Penciled, Cover by ALAN DAVISCollecting CLANDESTINE #1-5.120 PGS./Rated T+ …$19.99
Lee: OK. Can someone please explain the current Marvel hardcover pricing structure to me? Please? Because it shouldn’t be that hard, right? Let’s see “The Twelve” is 144 pgs for $25, BUT “Thunderbolts” is 144 pgs for $20? What???? Better yet, “Clandestine” is a bargin at 120 for $20 compared to Wolverine at 104 pgs for $20. I love standardized pricing! I love it! I love it! I love it!

Jim: The only think I can think of is the page rate and deals that each writer and artist have with the company and JMS gets paid more for reprints then others. Or it is random.

YOUNG INHUMANS TPB Written by SEAN MCKEEVERPenciled by MATTHEW CLARK, ROB TERANISHI, DAVE ROSS & DOUGIE BRAITHWAITECover by ADI GRANOVThey're just ordinary exchange students from a far-off land, here to learn about our culture - except their home is a mysterious city on the moon, and they each possess fabulous, exotic abilities and appearances. The product of experiments on humanity by an alien culture millennia ago, the Inhumans are a race governed by the laws of genetics. Here as nowhere else, diversity and individuality are prized beyond compare. The Inhumans have flourished in isolation from humanity within their kingdom of Attilan on the surface of the moon, but what happens when their king decides to send some of his subjects to Earth to learn about humans? Will they be able to integrate into human culture? More important, will they even try? Collecting INHUMANS #1-12.288 PGS./Rated A …$24.99
Lee: Sean McKeever is somewhat of a top name these days and this is a reprint of his early work. It’s a simple story about a group of Inhumans going to a human college as part of an exchange program. It’s very well done and entertaining. I have the originals and really enjoyed the series. This is a nice way to read it in case you missed it.
Jim: And I will still be missing it.

PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL CLASSIC VOL. 1 TPB Written by CARL POTTS & JOHN WELLINGTONPenciled by CARL POTTS & JIM LEECover by CARL POTTS & JIM LEECollecting PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL #1-8.208 PGS./All Ages …$24.99

Lee: Ooooohhhh, another tough call. This is early Punisher just as he was starting to get over exposed. I remember these being good stories with some excellent art by a young artist by the name of Jim Lee. I might have to get this.

Jim: Another pass.

Lee: I have to say that this is a good month. Even with the crazy pricing structure of the hc’s I’m looking forward to a lot of these books. Marvel is doing a good job of offering plenty of supplementary material not related to Invasion which is clogging up all the regular titles.

Jim: I have to say that this was not a good month in my book. Nothing new in the way of regular series, a glut of reprint projects and little else of real excitement.