Posted by Richard Pulfer on Sep 18th, 2007
And one that’s on time no less!
I can’t believe the new Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis has been around for 56 issues. The comic - now written by fantasy author Tad Williams - not only reveals the new Aquaman’s origins, and promises “he’ll be around for a long time in the DCU!” Kinda odd - that’s the first time I’ve heard anything like that promised in a solicitation!
Birds of Prey #110 also features the second issue done by Gail Simone’s replacement - Tony Bedard, Nicole Scott and Doug Hazlewood. I’m going to pick this book up this weekend - I’m really curious to see how the new creative team is filling those big shoes.
Countdown to Mystery #1 looks interesting, as it focuses on the return of Doctor Fate - a casualty of the Spectre’s war on magic - to the DCU. It also promises to depict Eclipso as “the temptress of the DCU.” Seeing as how she’s already brought Mary Marvel to the dark side, this sounds really creepy . . . and kinda hot.
The Green Arrow/Black Canary Wedding Special looks hot, if only for the art by Amanda Connor (Gatecrasher), who also supplies the cover. Is this thing really going to happen? With the wedding crashes the Injustice League, I’m starting to have serious doubts.
Garth Ennis returns to Hitman with a two-part JLA/Hitman crossover. This is kind of a surprise - I thought Ennis was done with Hitman, and the two-issue length has me really skeptical the last page isn’t going to be all a dream or something . . . only one way to tell though - pick it up!
Tales of the Sinestro Corps Presents Parallax is the one that started it all. Pictures from this comic months ago first showed Kyle Rayner as the new host of the Embodiment of Fear. But Kyle just appeared in Countdown seemingly de-Parralaxed. The solicitation of this comic is tells us nothing about the comic itself, and the main figure of the comic is whited out. Is there a new host for Parallax already?
Captain America #30 is the conclusion to the first story arc after Cap’s death, focusing on his supporting cast picking up the pieces. It seems best described as “Winter Soldier vs. Everyone” and it looks bloody brillant.
There’s a new Daily Bugle out - this is one tradition I’m really glad they’re continuing. The best thing about the House of M and Civil War WAS the actual newspapers. Plus it only costs 25 cents, so its not another attempt at pocketbook picking from the House of Ideas (One More Day sketchbook, Civil War Chronicles, I’m looking at you!).
New X-Men #42 just has an awesome cover first of all. The story focuses on just how the Astonishing X-Men get to know their pupils (just one more reason why Scott and Emma suck at this headmaster thing), and just why these New X-Men may have to change their name to Last X-Men giving all the heavy crap that’s about to go down in the X-Books.
Penance: Relentless #1 showcases what’s probably the most depressing story ever - as the Thunderbolt formerly known as Speedball spirals into madness after causing Civil War and worse, ending up on Norman Osborn’s team to atone for it.
World War Hulk #4 has, and I quote, “Everyone GOES! TOO! FAR!” Its the battle between a conquerer Hulk and a Faustian Dr. Strange. Need I say more? I’m really wondering where this series will leave the Hulk - and everyone else - for that matter.
I’m going to finally go to the comic store this week, so I’ll let you all know what I recommend from the stacks next week.
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Devin de Gruyl
September 18, 2007 at 10:29 am
Where does it leave the Hulk? Still on the back burner of Marvel’s marketing. Seriously. Has any other recent crossover event - from either company - gone from flagship to afterthought quite so quickly as WWH? (Probably, but it’s not coming to me right now.)
Where does it leave everyone else? If they’re readers, probably wondering WTF ever happened to the House That Jack (and Stan) Built…
(Still, there are occasional encouraging signs. The “Rockwell” cover of New X-Men #42 made me fall off my chair. Makes me wonder why someone didn’t think of that gag before this.)
[Reply]
Richard
September 18, 2007 at 10:44 am
I gotta agree Devin.
I wondered how someone could devote an entire mini-series - much less an entire crossover - to smashing the Hulk, and I guess the answer was “Not very well.” Worst of all, its all a really boring depature from the earlier Planet Hulk.
I think all of these events are an attempt to get back to the house that Jack Kirby and Stan Lee built, but making things a little edgier and a little less cousier. The problem is they’ve gone to the extreme of that. Cap’s dead. Everyone hates Iron Man. Jessica Jones may be a Skrull. And the New Avengers we came to love is totally wrecked.
Wait to go, Joe.
[Reply]
Shawn M.
September 18, 2007 at 10:41 pm
From my viewpoint, I’m burnt out on the Mega-Events in the Marvel Universe. Let’s see… there was the whole depowering of the mutant population save for 198, Civil War — which was just a damn chore to get through. Then Cap’s death. Then the Skrull business, and then “alternate universe” events like both Marvel Zombies events. Now we’re getting WWH thrown in on top of that.
I just got back into comics, and the only way I’m really able to keep up is because of my past knowledge of these characters. I don’t see how all of this is good for somebody just breaking in to the Marvel scene.
[Reply]
Richard
September 18, 2007 at 11:39 pm
Well, it seems like this upcoming Skrull event might hopefully be “it”, as it includes elements dating all the way to House of M and the beginning of New Avengers. With DC brewing something called “Final Crisis”, and even Grant Morrison calling it the Lord of the Rings of crossovers, I can’t see Marvel trying to keep up the crossovers for much longer. Honestly, it almost seems like Marvel has fallen in the pre-Infinite Crisis rift of ineffectual “Our Worlds At War”-type stories.
I decided against going to the comic shop tomorrow - partially because I have a stack of paperbacks waiting for me and also because - you’re right - at least on the Marvel side, there’s not a lot of cause for optimism.
[Reply]