Marvel Preview Review for December

Lee: Secret Invasion should be over but I have no idea what happened and there are twenty some odd books that no solicitation is available because Marvel doesn’t want to give the details away. So, let’s talk about books we can talk about… oh, and as a change of pace, I’ll try to be nice. Jim: Why try and be nice, no one would recognize you. Besides isn’t Marvel where I’m the mean one?

X MEN NOIR #1 (of 4)Written by FRED VAN LENTE Pencils & Cover by DENNIS CALERO"The coroner's men flipped the redheaded corpse over so Dukes and Magnus from Homicide could get a better look at her. 'Better' being a relative term in this case, with the claw marks that slashed her face into a featureless, bloody mask and turned her guts into a butcher shop explosion. "But the tattoo -- the simple, encircled 'X' above the left shoulder blade -- remained intact, and Dukes pointed it out with the toe of his wingtip once Peter the rookie was done heaving up lunch. "'See this ink?' he said. 'Means she did time at this reform school upstate, run by this shrink, Xavier...'" 32 PGS./Parental Advisory ...$3.99

SPIDER-MAN NOIR #1 (of 4)Written by DAVID HINE & FABRICE SAPOLSKYArt by CARMINE DI GIANDOMENICOCover by PATRICK ZIRCHERWith great power, there must also come great responsibility -- and when those in power abuse it, it's the people's responsibility to remove them. The year is 1933, and New York City is not-so-secretly run by corrupt politicians, crooked cops, big businesses...and suave gangland bosses like New York's worst, the Goblin. But when a fateful spider-bite gives the young rabble-rouser Peter Parker the power to fight the mobster who killed his Uncle Ben, will even that be enough? It's a tangled web of Great Depression pulp, with familiar faces like you've never seen them before! By "Hardboiled" David Hine, Fabrice "The Spider" Sapolsky and Carmine "Carbine" Di Giandomenico! 32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$2.99

Lee: I bundled these because they are the same basic premise, Marvel heroes done in a noir style. I find it interesting that Marvel is now doing Elseworlds material that DC has been doing for the past decade. It sounds interesting enough and Van Lente and Hine are solid writers so there’s a good chance this will work.

Jim: This has some potential. I will point out that the best super hero noir book out there is from our friends at Catastrophic Comics and it is called Sparks!

THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ #1 (of 8)Written by ERIC SHANOWERPencils & Cover by SKOTTIE YOUNGVariant Cover by ERIC SHANOWERVillian Variant by J. SCOTT CAMPBELLThe premiere American fantasy adventure gets the Merry Marvel treatment! Eisner Award-winning writer/artist Eric Shanower (Age of Bronze) teams up with fan-favorite artist Skottie Young (New X-Men) to bring L. Frank Baum's beloved classic to life! When Kansas farm girl Dorothy flies away to the magical Land of Oz, she fatally flattens a Wicked Witch, liberates a living Scarecrow and is hailed by the Munchkin people as a great sorceress...but all she really wants to know is: how does she get home? 32 PGS./All Ages ...$3.99

Lee: Isn’t this the third or fourth WoOz in the past three months? I seem to remember one being solicited in the Indies a couple of moths back. Maybe that was Alice in Wonderland? I can’t remember. Either way, this seems repetitive to what’s already out there. BUT, Shanower is doing great stuff on “Age of Bronze” and I like Young’s distorted figures so I’ll probably try it.

Jim: Now I will never get those damn songs out of my head. I’m so done with the Wizard of Oz, yet one day I should read the source material.

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #129Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDISPencils & Cover by STUART IMMONENUltimatum is upon us!! Big changes are afoot and with them comes the much anticipated return of ULTIMATE SPIDER-WOMAN! But is she friend or foe?? Guest- starring the Human Torch and Kitty Pryde!32 PGS./Rated A ...$2.99

Lee: This is sooooo close to jumping the shark it’s ridiculous. It took 15 years before Marvel invented the original Spiderwoman but Bendis did it in under five years. I read this in trades so I’ll see how it reads later but

Jim: Was the Ultimate Spider-Woman the female clone of Peter Parker? I’ll hang onto this title because it is the only Spidey book I buy anymore.

AVENGERS/INVADERS #7 (of 12)Written by JIM KRUEGER & ALEX ROSSPenciled by STEVE SADOWSKICover by ALEX ROSSMarvel's biggest self-contained story of the year continues! Featuring Earth's Mightiest Heroes and spanning the generations from 2008 to the war-torn days of World War II! Surrounded by a trio of enemies they thought long-vanquished, The Avengers are victims of one of the most powerful pieces of technology in the Marvel Universe. Meanwhile, the Invaders find themselves trapped in an alternate reality that promises to destroy its most powerful member as the countdown to Armageddon begins.32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$2.99

Lee: Talk about dropping off the face of the earth. Is anyone still reading this? And I noticed artists changed again. At this rate, I’ll even pass on the trade.

Jim: What change in artist are you talking about, Sadowski has been on this from the jump. As to whether anyone is reading this I don’t know, I know I got tired of it.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THEATER OF WAR: AMERICA FIRST! Written Art & Cover by HOWARD CHAYKINIn this second installment of a series exploring the storied history of America's greatest champion, Howard Chaykin pulls back the Iron Curtain on one of Captain America's wiliest nemeses -- Soviet Russia and her never-ending parade of spies, saboteurs, fifth columnists...so many we had to make this story double-sized! Before his role in "The Death of Captain America," no one was more patriotic than the Cap of the Fifties, even if he does have Steve Rogers' shoes to fill. Unfortunately, Nick Fury, a newly minted operative of the CIA, isn't about to let him off the hook that easily. But Cap and Fury better start working together, or they'll find themselves buried in Reds! PLUS: a bonus reprinting of a classic Cap tale from the fabulous fifties!64 PGS./One-Shot/Rated A ...$4.99

Lee: These days, I think Chaykin works better outside, or on the edges of, continuity. I’m not sure why we need more 1950’s Cap stories but it should be good.

Jim: My big problem with it is Chaykin is drawing it and I do not picture Steve Rogers as looking like one of Chaykin’s five characters he can draw.

GHOST RIDER: DANNY KETCH #3 (of 5)Written by SIMON SPURRIERPenciled by JAVIER SALTARESCover by CLINT LANGLEYRats! Rampages! Revelations! With the mystery and madcappery ratcheting up a spike-encrusted notch, Danny Ketch finally receives some of the answers he's beenhunting. What's the true origin of the Spirit of Vengeance? What's its true history? What pointy-toothed terror is back from death to gnaw at his soul? And what the hell is he doing one mile beneath the Antarctic icecap with only a talking magpie for company? Saltares and Spurrier serve-up a history lesson that'll shake the way you see the Ghost Rider mythos forever. Vvvveeeengeaaance!32 PGS./Parental Advisory ...$3.99

Lee: INTERESTING Cover.

Jim: That’s it, you pick this just for the cover. How about the $4 price tag for a regular Marvel mini-series, can’t we complain about that. My retirement is tanking and Marvel is jacking up prices almost willy-nilly.

HULK #9Written by JEPH LOEBArt & 50/50 Covers by ART ADAMS & FRANK CHO Do ya like ladies? (don't answer that) How 'bout monsters?(hang on) BIG BOMBASTIC BATTLES built by superstar Jeph Loeb? (not yet) And does the idea of seeing JUMUNGOUSLY AMAZING ART ADAMS and FREAKIN' FRANK CHO pages twitter your twutter? (you can answer YES now) IN THIS ISSUE! The LADY LIBERATORS are dead-set on capturing RULK and finding out who he really is...even if he kills 'em! AND...can HULK, SENTRY, MS. MARVEL, and MOON KNIGHT stop the WENDIGO ARMY from killing everyone in Vegas? What about the WENDIHULK!? (or is it HULKDIGO!?)32 PGS./Rated A ...$2.99

Lee: Is it me or does it look like Invisible Woman is getting ready to take a poop… ooops family blog. I mean “do a number two”

Jim: When did we become a family blog? I’m not going to raise you and Thomm, I already raised Gwen and Jamie, that was plenty.

HULK FAMILY #1Written by GREG PAK, PAUL TOBIN, FRED VAN LENTE, & TBDPenciled by JHEREMY RAAPACK, BENTON JEW, JONBOY MEYERS, & SCOTT CLARKCover by MARKO DJURDJEVICWhen Bruce Banner was caught in the blast of an experimental Gamma Bomb, the radiation did not just spawn the incredible beast we know as the Hulk! No indeed, for from that moment grew an entire Hulk Family! From Bruce's cousin She-Hulk to those who've inherited his irradiated genes, Hulk's family tree is looking a little more green all the time. Featuring: the Senstational She-Hulk! Skaar, Son of Hulk! The Daughter of Hulk and Thundra! And the Spectacular Scorpion, who suspects that she, too, might be part of the fam'. Four incredible stories, four tales of Gamma-fueled action, all in one great one-shot! Be there!104 PGS./Rated A ...$4.99

Lee: Talk about not knowing what’s going on! Hulk family? Didn’t Superman try this in the 70’s with the Superman Family magazine. I’m just not sure I want the Hulk to have lots of minor hulk characters around. Waters down the brand if you ask me.

Jim: She-Hulk, Dr. Samson, Skarr, Abomination, Leader, Green Lantern, err okay but he is green. Rick Jones, Thunderbolt Ross, Betty Ross, plenty of Hulk people to have stories about.

MARVELS: EYE OF THE CAMERA #1 & 2 (of 6)Written by KURT BUSIEK Pencils & Covers by JAY ANACLETO The long-awaited sequel to the award-winning publishing sensation that made Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross into stars begins here! News photographer Phil Sheldon's back, with the man-on-the-street's perspective on the big events of the Marvel Universe, from the Avengers, the all-new X-Men and the Secret Wars to Dracula and the Werewolf By Night. But this time, Phil's world is going to be rocked not just by superheroes and super-villains -- but by something far more personal, as well. Featuring the Marvel debut of artist Jay Anacleto, whose gorgeous, photorealistic pencil renderings give a new look at the Marvel Universe, and what it would be like to actually be there.32 PGS.(eaach)/Rated A ...$3.99 (each)

Lee: What made Marvel’s so good was the fact that it was so different from anything else on the stands at the time. I’m glad to see Busiek going back to the storyline but I wonder if it will be any good. And, I feel bad for Anacleto trying to fill Ross’s shoe’s. As they say, you never want to be the man that follows the man.

Jim: Also this was written a long time ago. Someone recently told me that read Marvels and why it was excellent for its time, they said it did not hold up as that great of a story.

THUNDERBOLTS #127 Written by ANDY DIGGLEPenciled by ROBERTO DE LA TORRECover by FRANCESCO "MATT" MATTINAVillain Variant by TBAIt's Bullseye & Venom unleashed - and the T-Bolts will never be the same! All-out war erupts in Thunderbolts Mountain, as Songbird fights for her life against the team's most psychotic and bloodthirsty members -- and this time, they're taking no prisoners! Old scores are settled and long-standing enmities explode into violence as Norman Osborn clears the deck to make way for his all-new, all-different Thunderbolts! And it ain't over 'til the Songbird sings in part two of "Burning Down the House" by Andy Diggle (Losers) and Roberto De La Torre (Iron Man: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.)! 32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$2.99

Lee: I tried to hold back but this is a really creepy cover. And, slightly disturbing with all the implied “events”. I really, really don’t like it.

Jim: What I like is the variant cover by TBA. TBA is one of the better cover artists in the business because you never know what to expect from him. On a more serious note I have a problem with this cover also.

PUNISHER: WAR ZONE #1-4 (of 6)Written by GARTH ENNISPencils & Cover by STEVE DILLONVariant Cover by JOHN ROMITA JR.The latest offering from the red-hot Marvel Knights line reunites the seminal creative team of Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon for a special, weekly-shipping 6-part limited sequel to their legendary story arc, "Welcome Back, Frank."It all starts when two mobsters take a trip to the zoo and piss off the wrong monkey. Limbs are lost (the kind you can'teasily replace), vultures are fed (with said appendages), and then things get, like, really crazy. Like back-from-the-dead crazy. That's right -- she's back and she wants payback. Ma Gnucci. Eighty-five pounds of hairless, armless, legless evil.32 PGS.(each)/Parental Advisory ...$3.99(each)

Lee: WOW. Weekly and $4 each. YOUCH! That’s going to hurt the bank account.

Jim: Not mine. I enjoyed Ennis Max Punisher, but this version was not the seminal run he did under the Max line.

SHE-HULK: COSMIC COLLISIONWritten by PETER DAVIDPenciled by MAHMUD A. ASRARCover by STJEPAN SEJICIt's a double-sized sci-fi spectacular, guest-starring the Lady Liberators (fresh from the pages of The Hulk) and the female heroes from the Guardians of the Galaxy! When She-Hulk finds herself suddenly transported off-world, it's up to her and a collection of the universe's most powerful heroines including Storm, Thundra, Valkyre and the Invisible Woman - to figure out what's going on...before a brand-new foe annihilates them! Craving more cosmic? 48 PGS./Rated T+ ...$3.99

Lee: I don’t understand this. Why isn’t this story in the regular book? Is She-Hulk selling so well that it needs spin-offs and one shots?

Jim: I’m guessing this is out of continuity and they line in continuity books for her regular title. Just a guess on my part.

WHAT IF? HOUSE OF MWritten by BRIAN REED, JIM MCCANN & C.B. CEBULSKIPenciled by PAOLO PANTALENA & PATRICK SPAZIANTECover by JIM CHEUNG & MARKO DJURDJEVIC WHAT IF? SPIDER-MAN: BACK IN BLACKWritten by STEVEN GRANT & C.B. CEBULSKIPenciled by GUS VASQUEZ & PATRICK SPAZIANTECover by RON GARNEY & MARKO DJURDJEVICWHAT IF? NEWER FANTASTIC FOURWritten by PAUL TOBINPencils & Cover by PATRICK SCHERBERGERWHAT IF? CAPTAIN AMERICA: FALLEN SONWritten by MARC SUMERAKArt by TREVOR GORINGCover by ED MCGUINNESSWHAT IF? SECRET WARSWritten by KARL BOLLERS & C.B. CEBULSKIPenciled by JORGE MOLINA & PATRICK SPAZIANTECover by GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI & MARKO DJURDJEVIC

Lee: I’ve always liked the What If? series, but it’s always been a stinker in the long run. The fifth week mini-event is a great way to publish this concept. I just wish there were bigger names associated with the project.

Jim: Do you mean font size or famous wise. Marvel’s What If stuff has never been as strong as DC’s Elseworld stuff as a general rule.

X-MEN: KINGBREAKER #1 Written by CHRISTOPHER YOSTPenciled by DUSTIN WEAVERCover by BRANDON PETERSONWAR OF KINGS lead-in!The X-Men have been defeated. Havok , Polaris and the Starjammers are being held and tortured in the most secure prison in the universe. Marvel Girl, Korvus and Lilandra are being hunted by the Imperial Guard. Vulcan is Emperor of the Shi'Ar Empire and his expansion has begun. No King will stand when Vulcan and his armies are done. Join Christopher Yost (X-FORCE) and Dustin Weaver (Star Wars:KOTR) as they spin the story of a fight against insurmountable odds. Do not miss this mini-series that will change the shape of the Universe and pave the way for the War of Kings.32 PGS./One-Shot/Rated T+ ...$3.99

Lee: Wheeee, here comes the next mega X-event. I, and many others, were burned out on events years ago but Marvel doesn’t seem to care. I’ll be passing on this too.

Jim: BUT, but this is the War of Kings lead in! How can you pass up on this ultimate, final, secret, super duper colossal stupendous, jaw dropping, status quo shaking, unlike anything ever before event! Yeah I’ll pass.

WOLVERINE: FLIES TO A SPIDER Written by GREGG HURWITZ Penciled by JEROME OPENACover by TIM BRADSTREETIt's New Year's Eve, and tonight, like every night, they've gathered at the road stop saloon called the "Rat Trap." The Road Dawgs. The meanest, nastiest, most jacked-up biker gang you ever could meet. But tonight there's a stranger sitting on the stool at the end of the bar. Someone who's come here to pick a fight. Someone who's hunting far bigger game than these roughnecks, and knows exactly how to get its attention. Before the stroke of midnight, he'll get his wish. It's Wolverine at his fiercest, courtesy of Gregg Hurwitz (PUNISHER) and future star Jerome Opena (Fear Agent).48 PGS./Parental Advisory ...$3.99

Lee: I don’t care about Wolverine but I’m glad to see Opena make it to the big leagues. I’ve always liked his art so it’s nice to see him moving up.

Jim: I want this for the art. Opena deserves big league status. Shame he seems to be a six book a year type speed.

INCOGNITO #1 Written by ED BRUBAKERArt & Cover by SEAN PHILLIPSFrom the creators of Criminal and Sleeper comes the most insane and evil super-villain comic you've ever read! What if you were an ex-super villain hiding out in Witness Protection... but all you could think about were the days when the rules didn't apply to you? Could you stand the toil of an average life after years of leaving destruction in your wake? And what if you couldn't stand it? What would you do then? INCOGNITO - a twisted mash-up of noir and super-heroics - by best-selling creators Ed Brubaker (The Death of Captain America) and Sean Phillips(Marvel Zombies) with Val Staples on colors. And continuing Criminal's single issue tradition, each issue of Incognito has more pages of story content, as well as articles on pulp and noir and behind the scenes looks! 32 PGS./Mature Content/No Ads ...$3.50

Lee: Brubaker and Phillips at it again. There isn’t anything to say about this title because it will obviously be very, very good. BUT, I can use this space to complain that “Sleeper” is out of print and not in a shiney HC.

Jim: I agree, I have been looking to see Sleeper in a hard cover also. These two guys name on a project is an automatic sold for me.


SECRET WARS II OMNIBUS HCWritten by JIM SHOOTER, CHRIS CLAREMONT, MARK GRUENWALD, DENNY O'NEIL, JOHN BYRNE, STEVE ENGLEHART, DANNY FINGEROTH, TOM DEFALCO, BILL MANTLO, ROGER STERN, ARCHIE GOODWIN, MIKE CARLIN, PETER GILLIS, LOUISE SIMONSON, WALT SIMONSON, JIM OWLSEY, PETER DAVID & JAMES FELDERPenciled by AL MILGROM, MARY WILSHIRE, BILL SIENKIEWICZ, PAUL NEARY, JOHN ROMITA, JR., DAN GREEN, RICH BUCKLER, JOHN BYRNE, KEITH POLLARD, JOE SINNOTT, MIKE HARRIS, RON FRENZ, JACK FURY, TOM MORGAN, JAMES FRY, DAVID MAZZUCCHELLI, MIKE MIGNOLA, JOHN BUSCEMA, PAUL CHADWICK, RON WILSON, MARK BADGER, RICK LEONARD, BRENT ANDERSON, SCOTT WILLIAMS, WALT SIMONSON, MARK BRIGHT, RICH BUCKLER, DON PERLIN, PETE WOODS & MIKE MANLEY Cover by JOHN BYRNECollecting SECRET WARS II #1-9; NEW MUTANTS #30 and #36-37; CAPTAIN AMERICA #308; UNCANNY X-MEN #196 AND #202-203; IRON MAN #197; FANTASTIC FOUR #282, #285, #288 and #316-319; WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #6; AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #268 AND #273-274; DAREDEVIL #223; INCREDIBLE HULK #312; AVENGERS #260-261 AND #265-266; DAZZLER #40; ALPHA FLIGHT #28; THING #30; DOCTOR STRANGE #74; CLOAK AND DAGGER #4; POWER PACK #18; THOR #363; POWER MAN AND IRON FIST #121; PETER PARKER, SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #111; DEFENDERS #152; DEADPOOL TEAM-UP #1 and QUASAR #8. 1168 PGS./ All Ages ...$99.99

Lee: Seriously, SWII???? Seriously?

Jim: FINALLY! Kidding. Good luck on selling this one.

AVENGERS: FIRST TO LAST PREMIERE HCWritten by PETER DAVID, STAN LEE, DWAYNE MCDUFFIE,MACON BLAIR, TOM BELAND & BOB BURDENPenciled by ARIEL OLIVETTI, KEVIN MAGUIRE, MICHAEL AVON OEMING, JORGE LUCAS, NICK DRAGOTTA, JUAN DOE & KANOCover by ARTHUR ADAMS & ARIEL OLIVETTICollecting THE LAST AVENGERS STORY #1-2 and material from AVENGERS CLASSIC #1-12.288 PGS./Rated T+ ...$34.99

Lee: EXCELLENT material here. If you’ve never read The Last Avengers Story by Peter David and Ariel Olivetti then you are missing out. This is an excellent mini-series that is impossibly hard to find. It was a low print run and high price point but it was good. This is well worth the money.

Jim: $35 for a two issue mini-series? I’m not sold.

WHAT IF? CLASSIC VOL. 5 TPBWritten by MARY JO DUFFY, MICHAEL FLEISHER, FRANK MILLER, MIKE W. BARR, STEVEN GRANT, BILLFLANAGAN, RICH MARGOPOULOS, BILL MANTLO, ROGER STERN, MARK GRUENWALD & PETER GILLISPenciled by JERRY BINGHAM, TOM SUTTON, FRANK MILLER, ALANKUPPERBERG, AL GORDON, RICH BUCKLER, JIM MOONEY, PABLO MARCOS, BOB BUDIANSKY, MARK GRUENWALD, GREG LAROCQUE,RON WILSON, BRUCE PATTERSON, JOE SINNOTT, BOB LAYTON & MORECover by BOB BUDIANSKYWHAT IF? #27-32.248 PGS./All Ages ...$29.99

Lee: WARNING WARNING WARNING faithful readers this is some bbbbbaaaaddddd material. And not the “bad” as in cool “bad”. “Bad” as in Michael Jackson “Bad”. I’ve been collecting for… longer than Gwen, less than Jim. Let’s leave it at that. But even I skipped this the first time around.

Jim: At a panel for I love comics I came in second place for longest in reading comics and I clocked in at 46 years, which is longer then Lee has been alive.

Lee: Since I ignored the covers I’m not nearly as angry at Marvel as I tend to be. But, I wonder about the publishing schedule when Secret Wars II gets an omnibus. Overall, it’s the same mixed bag that I’ve come to expect.

Jim: Actually there are a couple projects I like and I think Marvel has been successful in expanding their line with Classic Illustrated, the Soiel material and other stuff.