Marvel Preview Review For June Part 2 of 2

Continued from yesterday...

DEADPOOL #11
Written by DANIEL WAY Penciled by PACO MEDINA
Cover by JASON PEARSON
DARK REIGN TIE-IN
Okay, that was...unexpected. Bullseye has learned some new tricks since the last time they met! But now it's Deadpool's turn to go on the offensive...and there's nobody more offensive than Deadpool! 32 PGS./$2.99
Lee: This is how you start a new day! Another Dark Reign tie in! This makes it 23 books… and counting because apparently the pain will never end. And, lots do the math, add the 2, carry the 47… adds up to aproximately $82.77 so far for Dark Reign books only.
Jim: And another Dark Reign book I can totally pass on after reading the last couple of Deadpool books this is a pass.

AGENTS OF ATLAS #6
Disturbing visions plucked from the malignant mind of Norman Osborn lead the intrepid Agents to the darkest depths of the Atlantic Ocean, where Namora must have words with her infamous cousin - The Sub-Mariner! What happens next shocks her team, who must prepare to say goodbye to their aquatic avenger! 32 PGS./$2.99
Lee: Now this is an odd duck. It talks about Norman Osborn so it must be Dark Reign. But it’s really stretching to include it. I leave the total to Jim. In/out? You’re call.
Jim: In. It is a Dark Reign book, but it has enough of its own stuff to survive long after Dark Reign is over.

AVENGERS/INVADERS #12 (of 12)
Lee: Look! It’s the only book NOT tied into Dark Reign. Then again, it’s so bad no one is reading it.
Jim: At least this book finished, what the hell happened to The Twelve. I have to assume it is JMS as I have seen very little work from him.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #600
Written by ED BRUBAKER with MARK WAID, ROGER STERN & OTHERS
Pencils by BUTCH GUICE, LUKE ROSS, DALE EAGLESHAM & OTHERS
Cover by STEVE EPTING
50/50 Cover by ALEX ROSS
Where were you when Captain America died? It's the anniversary of the day Steve Rogers was killed, a day of reflection and mourning in the Marvel U...a time to look back on the things Steve did and what he stood for... or is this issue actually the beginning of the most wicked plot twist since issue 25? Yeah, actually it's both. Plus, contributions from Cap creators past and present, including a very special essay by Joe Simon, a classic story from Cap's Golden Age, a full gallery of 600 Cap covers, and more anniversary shenanigans than you can shake a shield at!
104 PGS./New and Reprints/$4.99
Lee: Where was I? Seriously? Where was I when Cap died? Actually, I took the afternoon off from work, went to the comic store, bought all the copies of Cap’s death, loaded them on ebay and made a million dollars from foolish speculators. This is worse than the Superman “memorial” issue. Blah!
Jim: I also get tired of Marvel pulling numbering out of their a** so they can get a big number on the book. If the series was not continuously published I don’t think it really counts. It smells a lot like Steve Rogers I so coming back and he will be the person to take down Norman Osborne. Then Marvel will miss Dark Reign because it is easy to write bad people then good.

MARVEL SPOTLIGHT: CAPTAIN AMERICA
Written by JOHN RHETT THOMAS
Cover by LUKE ROSS
A milestone 600th issue is worthy of a special issue of SPOTLIGHT no matter what the title. But when it's CAPTAIN AMERICA? We're gonna rock and roll with a SPOTLIGHT that's full of as much red, white and blue shield-slingin' surprises as we can! First up is an exclusive interview with the creative team ushering in this august occasion: Ed Brubaker, Butch Guice and Luke Ross -- three luminaries who have been letting their Cap flags fly! On top of that, we'll have coverage of some of the great Cap artists of all time, including 600th-issue cover artists Steve Epting and Alex Ross. We promise you'll be just as thrilled to read this as we will be to put it together! Remember: Cap's history is America's history! So join the SPOTLIGHT team as we take a look back and to the future with America's most patriotic hero!
32 PGS./$2.99
Jim: These spotlight books are just Marvel trying to rape their fans.
Lee: Ya know… it’s hard to come up with a response to that. I’m.. ummm.. yeah. What you said. Mostly what you said at least.

MARVEL ADVENTURES SUPER HEROES #12
Written by SCOTT GRAY & ROGER LANGRIDGE
Penciled by MATTEO LOLLI & CRAIG ROUSSEAU
Cover by CLAYTON HENRY
Featuring CAPTAIN AMERICA, the Sentinel of Liberty, in the then & now! In the Now, he faces the hyper-technological might of Hydra! In the then, he battles the disgusting (and frankly, ugly) menace of P.R.O.D.O.K.! 32 PGS./$2.99
Lee: Prodok? Seriously? Prodok? Marvel has scrapped the ideas barrel so dry that the best they can come up with is Prodok?
Jim: All I hear when Lee keeps saying Prodok is “playoffs”, “Playoffs” from the Coors Light commercial with Jim Mora that will leave in infamy forever now.

SKAAR: SON OF HULK #12
Written by GREG PAK
Penciled by RON LIM & DAN PANOSIAN
50/50 Covers by ED MCGUINNESS
We know what you've been waiting for. And it's finally come. Get ready for the Marvel Universe's most monumental clash this side of WORLD WAR HULK as the savage son meets his father's fists, Green Goliaths smash, and the puny humans of Planet Earth learn the meaning of HULK! VERSUS! SKAAR! 40 PGS./$3.99
Lee: Does Bendis know that Marvel is making plans for OTHER world shattering events behind his back? I’m sure Bendis’s ego was damaged by World War Hulk the first time. I wonder how he’ll like WWHulk II?
Jim: I still feel like Greg Pak got screwed because he had (I read somewhere) a triology in mind with the Hulk and after WW Hulk Marvel gave the character to Loeb and he has ruined the book unless you are a five year old child and like comics with huge panels of people smashing each other.

WAR OF KINGS #4 (of 6) - 32 PGS./$3.99
WAR OF KINGS: ASCENSION #3 (of 4) - 32 PGS./$3.99
WAR OF KINGS: SAVAGE WORLD OF SKAAR - 40 PGS./$3.99
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #15, A WAR OF KINGS TIE-IN! - 32 PGS./$2.99
NOVA #26
80s DECADE VARIANT BY TBA
A WAR OF KINGS TIE-IN!
32 PGS./$2.99
Lee: See, this is how you run a simple crossover. Only five titles, fairly self contained, and a ‘spine’ title to tie it all together. So now, we can expect crossovers in the Marvel Universe titles every year too! Why let me, the consumer, buy one title and enjoy that when you, Mr. Big Corporation, can force me to buy six titles to get the same story. Thank you. Thank you very much.
Jim: With the bulk of this “event” being written by Abnett and Lanning it is a very strong story so far. It has flaws here and there, but Abnett and Lanning always entertain and produce solid comics.

UNCANNY X-MEN #511
Written by MATT FRACTION Pencils & Cover by GREG LAND
"Sisterhood" We will let this image speak for itself! Part 4 (of 4).
32 PGS./$2.99
Lee: Thank goodness Marvel let the cover speak for itself. Otherwise they might have to say something like “HEY KIDS! Look, it’s another Greg Land cover full of nip shots, and chicks without underwear! First person to send us a letter that correctly identifies the stripper Greg used as a model wins a free social disease!” Yeah, I’m glad they let the cover speak for itself.
Jim: Maybe it is like the new greeting cards that have a sound chip in it and when Marvel said the cover speaks for itself it will really talk when you pick it up. It will say “Oh look Phoenix is back because we ran out of any new ideas 20 years ago, so buy this book you sad pathetic loser.”

UNCANNY X-MEN #512
80s DECADE VARIANT BY TBA
"The Origins of the Species" As the X-Men reel from the return of one of the greatest X-Ladies, Beast and Angel take the X-Club back to 1906 to investigate the origins of the mutant species as we know it. See the earliest stages of the Hellfire Club and the very first Sentinel ever! This story is not to be missed! 48 PGS./$3.99
X-MEN: LEGACY #225
90s DECADE VARIANT BY TBA 32 PGS./$2.99
Lee: WTH is a 80s variant cover? For that matter wth is a 90s variant cover? Is it any different from all the other variant covers?
Jim: It is just another way to do variant covers. I had my comic store that last time variants were in vogue and I’m sad to see how successful variants have become again, it is really a sad thing.

CABLE #15
"MESSIAH WAR, PART 6" 32 PGS./$2.99
X-FORCE #16
Written by CHRISTOPHER YOST & CRAIG KYLE
Pencils & 50/50 Variant Cover by CLAYTON CRAIN
50/50 Cover by KAARE ANDREWS
"MESSIAH WAR" Part 7 (of 7)
32 PGS./$2.99
Lee: I just casually mention this because there are no less then three crossover currently going on in the Marvel U. There’s Dark Reign, 23 books, for the Avengers U. There’s War of Kings, 5 books, for the Cosmic heroes. And Messiah War, 2 books, for the X-people. What? Only 2 books in the crossover? Someone f**ked that up. In fact, I bet that someone got laid off because of this snafu. Only 2 books in a crossover. That’s lost revenue!
Jim: Heads will roll – a cross-over event with only two titles! Lee is right someone has to go.

NEW MUTANTS #2
"RETURN OF LEGION" One of the most dangerous X-Villains of all time is back and he's targeted the New Mutants. Last time Legion reared his head, he created the Age of Apocalypse. Do Cannonball, Karma, Magma, Moonstar and Magik have much hope of stopping him now? Part 2 (of 4)
32 PGS./$2.99
Lee: Because the Age of Apocalypse was such a good story, let’s revisit it. Maybe, with a little luck, Rob Liefeld will come back to help the reboot.
Jim: Again with the whole theme of we are the House of Old Ideas, come inside and we will also give you re-treads instead of new tires at the Marvel Tire Shop.

UNCANNY X-MEN: FIRST CLASS GIANT-SIZE SPECIAL #1
Written by JEFF PARKER, SCOTT GRAY & ROGER LANGRIGDE
Art by CRAIG ROUSSEAU, CAMERON STEWART, DENNIS CALERO, SEAN GALLOWAY, DAVID WILLIAMS,
JEFF PARKER & JOE INFURNARI
Cover by SKOTTIE YOUNG
The original X-Men have left the building, and their replacements have arrived! How will Cyclops cope with the next generation of mutants, far more powerful and far less careful? Find out in this giant-sized special, featuring untold tales from the X-Men's pasts! The 8-year-old Storm enters the deadly Museum of Set! Banshee clashes with the hordes of Irish myth! Nightcrawler fights alongside his circus family! Colossus battles to save his friends in Siberia! And at long last, Wolverine reveals his slice-your-heart-and-hope-to-die true origin in 'The Man from S.N.I.K.T.'!
40 PGS./One-Shot/$3.99
Lee: WHEEE More pointless history for Wolverine. Wait, it’s pointless history for all the characters. Can’t anyone tell a story that’s *GASP* set in today??? Apparently not.
Jim: I was enjoying the X-Men First Class, but now they have taken what was a cute idea and sort of a stand alone book and trying to milk it until the teats on the cow run dry.

THE IRREDEEMABLE ANT-MAN TPB
Written by ROBERT KIRKMAN
Penciled by PHIL HESTER & CORY WALKER
Cover by PHIL HESTER
When a low-level S.H.I.E.L.D. agent gets a hold of Hank Pym's new Ant-Man suit, you know the Marvel Universe is in trouble. He's not concerned with saving the world or helping others. He's concerned with getting through the day and getting a leg up on life. He's not going to use his powers responsibly, he's going to use them for the betterment of himself. He's Ant-Man, a new "hero" for the modern world. But it also costs money to be on the run from the law. Luckily, Damage Control is on the lookout for someone who can safely sift through rubble for survivors. Don't worry, though - he'll still have plenty of time to spy on the ladies like the despicable human-being that he is. Collecting IRREDEEMABLE ANT-MAN #1-12.
272 PGS./$34.99
Lee: This is a trade that I wonder about. The series is 3-4 yrs old and only lasted 12 issues. How good can it be if it was cancelled after 12 issues? But, I seem to remember it getting better
Jim: Not worth $35, that is for damn sure.

POWER PACK CLASSIC VOL. 1 TPB
Written by LOUISE SIMONSON
Penciled by JUNE BRIGMAN, MARY WILSHIRE, MARK BADGER & BRENT ANDERSON
Cover by JUNE BRIGMAN
Teen teams are nothing new, but only one super-group got started at age twelve and under! Alex, Julie, Jack and Katie Power prove you're never too young to save the universe when they use the powers they received from one alien race to foil the schemes of another, the dreaded Snarks! Back on Earth, they meet another new archenemy, General Carmody, a mutantphobe so confused he even targets heroes who AREN'T mutants! Guest-starring Spider-Man, Cloak and Dagger, and Henry Peter Gyrich of Initiative infamy! Collecting POWER PACK #1-10.
256 PGS./$29.99
Lee: This is another book that really piques my interest. Mostly because I have younger children and I think this would be appropriate. I remember the original series being pretty good, and the fact that it’s about a family of superheroes doesn’t hurt either. I just might get this if only for something to give to my kids.
Jim: The original series would be a great book for your kids and if memory serves it was a well done book and highly entertaining.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: FIGHTING CHANCE VOL. 1 TPB
Written by MARK GRUENWALD
Penciled/Cover by DAVE HOOVER
Old soldiers never die -- they just wear themselves out! To Super-Patriot, Cap's a rival. To Americop, he's a relic. But newcomer vigilantes are the least of the Sentinel of Liberty's concerns when Cap learns his enhanced physique is shutting down on him! His choice: retire from action or die in it. But while masterminds devise and dead villains rise, that's no choice at all for the Living Legend! Can Cap's friends dissuade him from setting the world's safety above his own? Featuring Giant-Man, the Falcon and the Black Widow! Collecting CAPTAIN AMERICA #425-430. 160 PGS./$19.99
Jim: Why is this being published? Was their some reason?
Lee: This .. THIS is being published as an example of how NOT to do comics. That’s the only explanation I have. Because there were truly awful comic books. I believe this was when Cap got his Iron Man armor. Bad bad bad comics.

HERCULES: PRINCE OF POWER PREMIERE HC
Written by BOB LAYTON
Penciled/Covers by BOB LAYTON
Collecting HERCULES: PRINCE OF POWER (1982) #1-4 and HERCULES: PRINCE OF POWER (1984) #1-4. 200 PGS./$ 29.99
Lee: Just a simple comment, I believe I can buy the original issues for $1 each and my local store would be glad to get rid of them. But, why do that when I can spend $30 on the hc? I have both series, and I remember liking them but I’m not sure I need a $30 hc.
Jim: Not for $30. I remember these are fun series, but not worthy of a hard cover and not worth $30, when I could get the actual books somewhere for a song.

DARK REIGN: ACCEPT CHANGE TPB
Collecting DARK REIGN: NEW NATION, SECRET INVASION: DARK REIGN, DARK AVENGERS #1, UNCANNY X-MEN ANNUAL #2, DARK REIGN FILES and MARVEL SPOTLIGHT: DARK REIGN.
256 PGS./$24.99
Lee: To wrap up the month, the FIRST Dark Reign tpb! This is 256 pages of Dark Reign goodness. In case you weren’t keep track, this is ABOVE and BEYOND the 23 books this month alone. So, add $25 to the approximate $80 spent and with tax… Dark Reign cost $100 this month. Not bad considering you haven’t read ANY OTHER BOOK! In conclusion.. wow. All I can say is wow.
Jim: Dark Reign actually is called Bendis rules the Marvel Universe as this guy has influenced more Marvel books then any other writer in a long time. If Joe Q. steps down, Bendis might us well take over the rest of the line and be in charge.

Lee: I can't believe how many books Marvel is releasing every month. And, even worse, I can't believe how interconnected they all are. It's almost impossible to buy a single issue and get a complete story. It's just as impossible to find a book that stands on it's own. Well, there was Iron Fist but that's now canceled.
Jim: Marvel is putting out so many products that it is all DC or any other company can do to just maintain their market share. As an ex-auditor (my first career) one of the things you would look for in a business to make sure it is a going concern is to make sure that they are not dependent on one provider for too much of their income. Marvel owns every comic store in America and they are aggressively trying to move their audience to digital delivery. I’m glad I’m out of the comic business.