AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #634Written by JOE KELLY, STAN LEE & J.M. DEMATTEIS
Pencilled by MICHAEL LARK, MARCOS MARTIN & MAX FIUMARA
50/50 Covers by LEINIL FRANCIS YU & MIKE FYLES
Villain Variant by JOE QUINONES
GRIM HUNT PART 1: A SPIDER-MAN EPIC TWO DECADES IN THE MAKING BEGINS!
Several years ago, one of Spider-Man’s greatest enemies, Kraven the Hunter, stalked his last prey, dying with a violent, misbegotten honor. Now, two women claiming to be his wife and daughter have tracked Spider-Man, through the urban jungle, weakening him through the Gauntlet while they prepare to attempt an unholy resurrection. They’re hunting Spiders…and Spider-Man’s friends and namesakes are in their sights. Written by Joe Kelly and drawn by Michael Lark (DAREDEVIL) this is only the beginning of a Spider-summer that will be talked about for years to come. ALSO BEGINNING THIS ISSUE: TWO EXCLUSIVE FEATURES!
Original Spidey creator Stan Lee returns with Marcos Martin for a 2-page Spidey Sunday Feature that brings the real world into Spidey’s world! PLUS: J.M. DeMatteis, author of the classic “Kraven’s Last Hunt” returns to the Amazing Spider-Man with Max Fiumara to explore an unknown confrontation between Kraven and Spidey's violent doppelganger KAINE…a battle which promises ramifications on the Grim Hunt itself. 40 PGS./ $3.99
Lee: Come on now! This is getting ridiculous even by comic book standards. Doesn’t Kraven already have a son? What happened to that character? At this rate with all the wives, sons, daughters, end everything else just bring the original Kraven back. Heck, if you can bring back Norman Osborne, Gwen Stacy, & Electra, surely you can bring back Kraven.
Jim: Funny how in comics we accept that anyone can be brought back from the dead and then when they don’t it makes no comic book sense.
Lee: And, “two exclusive features?” Isn’t that a bunch of fancy words for back-up story? Didn’t DC just try this stunt?
Jim: They did to a lack of success.
SPIDER-HAM 25TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL #1Written by TOM DEFALCO & TOM PEYER
Pencilled by JACOB CHABOT, AGNES GARBOWSKA & ADAM DEKRAKER
Cover by JOE JUSKO
THE TIME FOR NOT WAITING IS OVER – THE ORIGINAL SPIDER-PIG TURNS 25!
When J. Jonah Jackal, Mary Crane and Pete’s beloved Aunt May are kidnapped on his 25th birthday, Spider-Ham must battle Doctor Octopuss and the Swinester Six! Six-to-one odds? Don't get your tail in a bunch -- when the slop's on, this pig throws down -- and Tom DeFalco & Jacob Chabot are there to bring it to you.Then, take a look into the many possible fates of Spider-Ham as the Assistant Watcher answer the questions you never really thought about in MARVEL: WHY NOT? – a six page Spider-Ham Extravaganza by Tom Peyer and Agnes Garbowska. Finally, in the not too distant future, Swiney-Girl, the daughter of Spider-Ham, returns to face down “Crayfin’s Last Bunt!” by Tom D. and Adam DeKraker 48 PGS./One-Shot/$3.99
Jim: This looks like fun for fans of this material.
Lee: Now, that is a well written hidden slam. If you’re a fan of “that material”, read: you’re under 12 and have the IQ of a piece of slate, you’ll like this. That’s nice of you to insult our readers in new and subtle ways. Sheesh.
Jim: I think Lee over analyzed my remark just a tad. It meant what it said, nothing else.
AVENGERS ACADEMY #1Written by CHRISTOS GAGE
Pencils & Cover by MIKE MCKONE
Variant Cover by MIKE MCKONE
Variant Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
THE HEROIC AGE IS HERE! A BRAND NEW ONGOING AVENGERS TITLE BEGINS HERE! Determined to keep the tradition alive, founding Avenger Hank Pym leads a core team of veteran heroes in creating a place where the next generation of Earth's Mightiest can be trained by the greatest of those who preceded them. An institution where everyone who has ever been an Avenger can share their skill, knowledge and experience. The future is in their hands...and in the hands of the six young superhumans chosen to make up the inaugural class. But who are they? And what dark secret will turn their world--and potentially the entire Marvel Universe--upside down by the end of the issue? If you think this is just another teen hero book...the last page shocker will prove you wrong! Writer Christos Gage and superstar artist Mike McKone unite to bring you a bold new era of greatness! 40 PGS./$3.99
Jim: Marvel has a serious problem in that they have never been able to truly develop any second generation super heroes. DC has Dick Grayson, Donna Troy, Wally West and more plus another generation after that with Tim Drake, Cassie, Connor, Bart and others. Marvel has no one behind their big guns and only recently managed to develop Bucky into a second generation character. I know you can point out some people like the New Warriors, but no one has really caught on except maybe you could count Nova. I tried the Initiative for a few issues, but it was not working, I will give them another chance to develop that next generation of heroes with this book.
Lee: Your argument makes no sense! Dick Grayson has been around since the 40’s. Donna Troy and Wally West since the 50’s! That’s not development, that’s digging into the archives. And those three characters were “developed” by Wolfman and Perez in the early 80’s. The problem isn’t limited to just Marvel.
Jim: It is more limited to Marvel then DC, but the Silver Age of DC started with a new generation and Marvel just started in the Silver Age. Donna Troy and Wally have been around since the sixties, but Wally actually was the only Flash for many years, nothing like that has happened with Marvel.
NEW AVENGERS #1Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils & Cover by STUART IMMONEN
Variant Covers by MARKO DJURDJEVIC & STUART IMMONEN
Heroic Age Blank Variant also available
Find out who the New Avengers are, where they call home (gotta see it to believe it!), which Dark Avenger has joined their ranks, and just who the interdimensional demonic threat to our existence is! These heroes have gathered to take on the threats too dark, too dangerous, and too bizarre for any other team of heroes. The New Avengers are back!! And Bendis & Immonen are back with the Siege & Secret Invasion colorista Laura Martin!! You didn't really think Marvel was going to cancel their number one ongoing title did you? Heck no!! Backup feature: Another brand new oral history of the Avengers chapter by Bendis! 32 PGS./$3.99
Jim: I’m confused as the need for another group of Avengers beyond the books they have going. Also why are Spider-Man and Wolverine in both books? Oh I know to try and boost sales.
Lee: What’s a “Heroic Age Blank Variant” cover??? They want me to pay for a white sheet of paper cover? I wonder about the kids who buy those.
AVENGERS PRIME #1 (of 5)Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils & Cover by ALAN DAVIS
Variant Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
THE HEROIC AGE IS HERE! They were friends, brothers and teammates through all of Marvel's greatest adventures, but recent events turned them into the bitterest of enemies. In the wake of the Siege of Asgard Thor, Iron Man and Steve Rogers are brought together on the same side once more, but these great heroes can’t truly trust each other yet. They better start soon because something only the Big Three can handle is tearing their world apart. This all-new, grand and dangerous adventure will catapult our heroes into the explosive Heroic Age and will unite comics legend Alan Davis with Avengers scribe Brian Bendis for the very first time.
40 PGS./Bi-Monthly/$3.99
Jim: The draw for me, pun intended, is Alan Davis. I did laugh when I saw it was being solicited as a bi-monthly. That must mean it will be a quarterly at best book. I would wait for the trade, but the way the pricing is now days the trade will be $30 and the floppy version will only cost $20.
Lee: At least one of us is interested because this is a waste. I’m with you, I’m waiting for the trade because there’s no way I’ll be able to follow this in floppies.
CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE 1940S NEWSPAPER STRIP #1 (of 3)Written & Pencilled by KARL KESEL
Cover by BUTCH GUICE
Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Uncovered at last: The 1940’s daily newspaper comic strip starring Captain America that you never knew about! Travel with us through the mists of time to the tumultuous days of World War II, when skinny Steve Rogers was transformed into the star-spangled, shield-slinging Super Soldier! And what is a classic Cap adventure without the two-fisted might of his wise-cracking, jaw-jacking sidekick Bucky? Plus: Rampaging robots! Secret underground cities! Dangerous dames and femme fatales! No-good Nazis that deserve a sock to the kisser! All brought to you by acclaimed writer/artist Karl Kesel! Buy U.S. war bonds…and this! 32 PGS./$3.99
Jim: I love this idea of making up a daily Cap newspaper strip, I only hope that it works as cool as it sounds.
Lee: Either really, really good or really, really bad. There’s no middle ground on this one.
FANTASTIC FOUR IN…¡ATAQUE DEL M.O.D.O.K.! #1Written by TOM BELAND
Pencils & Cover by JUAN DOE
Variante Española También Disponible
M.O.D.O.K.! Monkeys! Mayhem! Marvel’s First Family returns to Puerto Rico!
There’s no such thing as a relaxing vacation for Reed Richards and Sue Storm. They thought they were getting off easy with just having to fight an out-of-control Dragon Man in an exploding oil refinery…but when the monstrous evil genius M.O.D.O.K. hatches a plan involving genetically enhanced monkeys, our heroes will be up to their ears in it! And will they be helped or hindered by the mysterious Puerto Rican figure known only as…El Vejigante?
48 PGS./One-Shot/$3.99
Jim: In a WTF moment from Marvel, I have to ask WTF?????
Lee: Actually this sounds great! There have been more Modok one shots in the last two years than… well ever. Modok Dark Rain was funny. I bet this will be too. Not to mention, Juan Doe has done a bunch of these FF one shots and I really like his art.
FRANKEN-CASTLE #18Written by RICK REMENDER
Pencilled by JAMES HARREN
Cover by MIKE McKONE
“PAYBACK,” PART 1 Lady Gorgon, a high-ranking Hand operative, lost her stature after she failed to kill Frank Castle. Now that the Punisher has made his way to Tokyo to hunt her, she’d be lucky if her stature is all she looses. Frank’s made a list of every scumbag dumb enough to take a shot at him. If you’re on his list, you’re already dead. Let the festivities begin. 32 PGS./$2.99
Jim: I guess Franken-Castle is selling better then when he was the Punisher so they renamed the book or Frank will now be an undead monster for awhile. In some ways it is funny in others disrespecting the character.
Lee: This appears to be the only way to make the Punisher work in the current Marvel U so why not. People seem to be buying it.
HERCULES: TWILIGHT OF A GOD #1 (of 4)Written by BOB LAYTON
Art & Cover by RON LIM & BOB LAYTON
THE PRINCE OF POWER IS BACK WITH ONE, FINAL ADVENTURE AS ONLY BOB LAYTON CAN TELL IT!
Hercules has been the champion of the Andromeda galaxy for over 75 years! But when an attempt to save the capitol city of Port Anteris goes awry, the Lion of Olympus is left incapacitated and needing to be looked after by his Olympic offspring. However, with a sinister plot brewing against his son's government and the threat of Galactus looming, Hercules—even in his brain-addled state— is the galaxy's only hope! VERILY, 'TIS THE MIGHTIEST HERO EVER, IN A SPECTACULAR TALE SET IN THE FAR FLUNG FUTURE, THAT THOU SHAN’T WANT TO MISS! The long awaited follow-up to Bob Layton's classic Hercules run!
32 PGS./$3.99
Jim: I can’t see this stuff having a huge audience, especially as a $4 book.
Lee: I’m sold… on the trade. I loved Layton’s Herc when I was a kid.
Jim: You won’t be as high on the trade when it sells for $20.
PART 3 Tomorrow
Not that I've read much Marvel of late, but wouldn't the X-Men part of that world have a lot of second and third generation characters? Wolverine, Storm and Nightcrawler are all second generation, and then there's the New Mutants for another generation. If anything, Marvel's had problems going overboard with new mutant characters, so far as I recall.
ReplyDeleteThe fact of the matter is that DC and Marvel will take whatever course sells more comics, so sometimes they'll bring out new characters and other times they'll revivie the old ones. Neither company is creator driven, so end point resolutions are highly unlikely and recycling the norm.