Lee: Ok, last month was a little more extreme than usual with the negativity. As such, I shall try to be positive… ok more positive than usual. Although, there is a certain appeal to the crotchety old fan v. young whipper snapper format we have been employing.
Greg: Come on, Lee. There's plenty to be excited about this month. There's like 20 number 1 issues and a couple crossovers. You can polybag them and put your kids through college with them. That's exciting, right?
Greg: Come on, Lee. There's plenty to be excited about this month. There's like 20 number 1 issues and a couple crossovers. You can polybag them and put your kids through college with them. That's exciting, right?
FEAR ITSELF: THE DEEP #4 (of 4)Written by Cullen Bunn
Pencils & Cover by Lee Garbett
Namor, Doctor Strange, She-Hulk & The Silver Surfer giant have battled barbarian hordes, giant monsters, and demonically-possessed sea creatures. They’ve faced Tyrak the Terrible, Aradnea the Sorceress, and the hideously-mutated Tiger Shark. But their greatest threat still awaits—the Worthy who has already beaten the Sub-Mariner and single-handedly ravaged New Atlantis. Would-be conqueror Attuma has become Nerkkod, Breaker of Oceans, and he intends to drown the entire world in a wave of fear! Even if Namor’s courage and resolve return to him, he’s no match for the fury of the Serpent’s chosen! 32 PGS./$2.99
Lee: Ok. It’s the first book and I have no idea how to be nice. This is gonna be a llloooonnnngggg post at this rate.
Greg: I haven't read this, but Cullen Bunn's Sixth Gun is one of the best indy books on the market! Go read that!
ANNIHILATORS: EARTHFALL #1 (of 4)Written by Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Penciled by Tan Eng Huat & Timothy Green Ii
Cover by John Tyler Christopher
Marvel’s Cosmic Heavy Hitters Come To Earth—And Fight The Avengers! What has brought Gladiator, Quasar, Ronan, Ikon and Beta-Ray Bill to our planet…and why are they at odds with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes? All this, plus each issue will feature a five-page chapter of an all-new, all-hilarious Rocket Raccoon & Groot story! 40 PGS./ $3.99
Lee: I keep wanting to avoid these series but I keep getting sucked in. The chance to see Marvel’s space heroes battling it out on Earth is just too good to pass up. Not to mention that the art team of Huat & Green sounds awesome.
Greg: Its cosmic Abnett and Lanning. The first issue is at least worth a look, particularly with a great art team like that.
SECRET AVENGERS #17Written by Warren Ellis
Pencils by Kev Walker
Cover by John Cassaday
MI:13 receives intelligence that people are being abducted from villages in the former Yugoslavian region -- but the British government refuses to act on it. Secret dangers summon Secret Avengers, but even the added strength of War Machine and Valkyrie are not going to prepare them for the next level in bioterror... 32 PGS./ $3.99
Lee: Ellis back in the Marvel U? How did I miss this last month? No matter, we shall talk about it this month. If anyone can make this exciting it’s Ellis. I love his writing to much to skip it.
Greg: I think Marvel is hoping that Ellis can really define this book in a way Brubaker couldn't. Whether he can or can't do that, Ellis' superhero stuff is always better with a espionage tinge. Looking forward to this.
THUNDERBOLTS #163Written by Jeff Parker
Penciled by Kev Walker
Cover by Pasqual Ferry
Your Eyes Do Not Deceive You! The Thunderbolts have pulled off The Greatest Escape In History – and joining the powerful ex-cons are Captain America and Namor the Sub-Mariner! This new era takes the kings of supercrime to a whole new level- at light speed!! By Jeff Parker (Incredible Hulks) and Kev Walker (Secret Avengers)
Lee: I have to say that Parker did a pretty good job on the Hulks. His entire run on the Hulk wasn’t great but it was consistently entertaining. It seems like the T-bolts change creative teams and directions about once a year, but for the most part it works. I’ll check out the first couple of issues.
Greg: I love that the radical changes in direction are built into the DNA of this book. This has been nothing short of fantastic since Parker took over. Wait, is Lee going to have a smile on his face by the end of this review?!?!!
NEW AVENGERS #16Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Pencils & Cover by Mike Deodato
Fear Itself Tie-In. Fear Itself has ripped through New York and now the New Avengers must reinvent themselves. And who better to help them then the guardian devil himself? It's finally happening...Daredevil: Avenger! 32 PGS./ $3.99
Lee: So, Daredevil is joining the Avengers. It’s finally official, every single Marvel hero (including Squirrel Girl) has now been an Avenger. I am interested to see how this will work because DD has always been better at… well, less cosmic adventures. It will be good to see how he matches up against Thanos.
Greg: Sigh. I guess not. I mean this could be cool. Watching DD fight the Absorbing Man and Ultron was cool. Oh who am I kidding. This is such a stupid idea.
ASTONISHING X-MEN #42Written by Christos Gage
Penciled by Juan Bobillo
Cover by Salvador Larroca
“Meanwhile…” Storm, Beast, Colossus and Agent Brand have all been implanted with Broodlings and it’s only a matter of time until they are full-on Brood themselves. Only Kitty and Lockheed are left, but is there anything they can even do to help their teammates? This story comes to its amazing conclusion. 32 PGS./ $3.99
Lee: I loves me Juan Bobillo. Ever since I saw his art on Howard the Duck, I have liked it. Gage is a strong writer, and now a really strong artist make me want this.
Greg: That's a great creative team, so why is it being wasted on an X-Men in space story. There hasn't been a good one of those since Claremont's early years on the book. Please stop trying this crap guys.
BLACK PANTHER: THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR #523Written by David Liss
Penciled by Francesco Francavilla
Cover by Patrick Zircher
Fear Itself Tie-In! With Manhattan—and the world—overrun by chaos, a brutal battle for the soul of the city is waged by the reborn Hate-Monger and the American Panther! 32 PGS./$2.99
Lee: Back to the good bad format. The good: I think Hate Monger is a perfect foil for the BP. That alone makes the book interesting. The bad: at the risk of offending someone, I don’t see the need for the BP to have guns. Isn’t that counter to the “skills” or “powers” that he is supposed to have? I don’t see the need for a ‘hero’ to have guns. I think it speaks to a bigger, more pervasive gun culture in America. But, I will leave that rant to Jim and Thomm.
Greg: Well, in the story that's being presented as a bad thing, so no worries. But the problem here is that while this book is alright, it hasn't really clicked like Mystery Men has. Hopefully this book gets more on track by this issue.
FEAR ITSELF: THE MONKEY KING #1 Written by Joshua Hale Fialkov
Art & Cover by Juan Doe
Meet Marvel’s newest star! Spinning out of IRON MAN 2.0 and FEAR ITSELF! Discover the history of Sun Wukong – Thief! Trickster! Hero! Great Sage, Equal of Heaven! – and witness as he takes his place at the forefront of Marvel’s ranks, the legendary Handsome Monkey King 32 PGS./One-Shot/$2.99
Lee: First there was Hit Monkey (which was actually pretty good) and now there is Monkey King. I can’t wait to see what Marvel turns into monkeys next. Maybe the entire universe? Don’t laugh, DC did it!
Greg: Monkey Queen!
More tomorrow... and for the record I think Greg called more books and plot points stupid than I did! Go figure.
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