This is what it's like when worlds COLLIIIIIIIIIDE
*Powerman 5000 continues*
By now you'll have heard the news that Marvel Comics are -
...oh, you didn't hear it because you don't pay attention to comics because you, quite rightly, have better things to do with your time? Fair enough.
Uh, so you may or may not have heard that from this coming May onwards, Marvel Comics are once again hosting a Secret Wars event series, taking the same name from a decades-old multi-title crossover that threw an abundance of heroes and villains from all walks of life onto an unfamiliar world, and left them to wreck each others' shit for the amusement of a cosmic jackass. It was pretty good fun, Spider-Man got his black suit out of it, there was a whole mess of toys released, and if you're a reader of a certain age you probably remember it fondly.
Secret Wars 2015 has almost nothing to do with that, and given that it's unavoidable, it's high time I sorted out my thoughts on its ideas and parts.
First of all, the set-up: for some time now, universes have been dying ahead of schedule, caused by 'incursions', spacial events where one version of Earth barges into the universe of another and the two collide. The chain reaction caused by this destroys both universes utterly. So far, certain heroes of Earth-616 - the 'main' Marvel Comics universe where the majority of stories are set - have been stalling with delaying tactics to keep their Earth safe, but by the time Secret Wars starts, time has run out and Earth-616 collides with Earth-1610 (home to all comics published under the Ultimate line), annihilating both...
...but of course that's not the end. Instead the surviving heroes will find themselves - and a landmass made from both universes' Manhattans stuck together - part of the new Battleworld, a patchwork planet made of the flotsam of many universes, most inspired by famous stories from the past. Who made Battleworld? How does it function? What happens next? All will be revealed...uh, presumably. I mean, I haven't read the damn book yet, have I?
Pretty much every currently-published series from Marvel is either tying into Secret Wars, or being quietly cancelled and remade into something that ties into Secret Wars. That's a lot of books to get through, but luckily, I have no life, and since these things are invariably announced ahead of time, here are my quick thoughts on each book in advance. (this post will be updated in future as more are announced) (UPDATE 4.0 - added final books as of 21/5/15, see The Red Skull entry and below)
The Core Book
Written by Jonathan Hickman, art by Esad Ribic
What's it about?
The end of 3 years-plus of storytelling. The whole 'incursions' business that causes Secret Wars started in the first issue of Hickman's New Avengers and he's been the one shaping it ever since, with every other writer either giving it a wide berth or marching to the beat of Hickman's drum. Secret Wars was always the endpoint, and in these 12 issues, every outstanding mystery should be solved. And trust me, there's no shortage of those right now.
Buy or pass?
I've been collecting Hickman's run across Avengers and New Avengers since the start, and while the more recent issues where everyone's picking sides and throwing down with each other haven't been very much fun, I'm pretty firmly invested in seeing how he wraps it all up. There's a chance it'll feel anticlimactic, but Hickman's generally smart and seems to know what he's doing. Getting Ribic on art - whose previous work on Silver Surfer Requiem honestly moves me to tears - is just icing on the cake. Definite buy.
Last Days of Loki: Agent of Asgard
Written by Al Ewing, art by Lee Garbett
What's it about?
One of many books focusing on what a given character was doing before the final incursion; in this case it's Loki, former god of mischief and supervillain, who's more recently become a sort of chaotic-good hero figure, interfering in earthly affairs under order from Odin and Frigga. He's been in a spot of bad luck lately, though, and King Loki - an evil future version of himself - has usurped his position ahead of Secret Wars. Whatever plot the King has in mind, it's doubtful the soon-to-be Battleworld will be better for it...
Buy or pass?
Pass, probably. Al Ewing is a great writer and I'm delighted Marvel haven't been shy in letting him play with their bigger-name toys, but the rationale behind Agent of Asgard - embrace the tumblr-led fandom by turning Loki into a youthful, dashingly handsome mostly-hero - is just off-putting to me, and I don't see Secret Wars changing that on any level.
Last Days of Magneto
Written by Cullen Bunn, art by Javi Fernandez
What's it about?
Magneto, mutant terrorist and longtime enemy of the X-Men (also sometimes an X-Man himself - comics!), finally gets clued in about the upcoming end of days. How does a man who committed sin upon sin, and painted himself as one of history's greatest villains, in the name of making a better future for his own people cope with the reality that there may be NO future? At a guess, I'd say 'poorly and with a lot of spoon-bending'.
Buy or pass?
Maybe a buy. Haven't really gotten into the Magneto series before now - just never really clicked with the character's sympathetic side - but I've heard nice things about it, and this is probably the best-sounding pitch of all the 'Last Days' books. I'm legitimately curious to see what will happen to Magneto when his dreams come crashing down in flames.
Last Days of Captain America and the Mighty Avengers
Written by Al Ewing, art by Luke Ross
What's it about?
The street-level, community-focused Avengers squad currently led by Sam Wilson - previously the Falcon, currently Captain America - has been doing everything in its power to put a more friendly face on superheroics. But now they're facing a tidal wave of destruction that none of them can stop, one that can and likely will render all their good work pointless...
Buy or pass?
Ehhh, pass. Dammit. That's two 'passes' for Ewing. Really don't like saying that, but, again, Captain America and the Mighty Avengers is just a book I didn't care about enough to try. I may go back and read some of the earlier issues some time, or at least the ones after Greg Land (the worst living professionally-employed comic artist bar none) left. That said, giving this bunch a 'Last Days' arc sounds like a major bummer, and while there's probably some good drama to be mined from it - Luke Cage being a married father will no doubt factor in - it all seems a bit too depressing for me.
Ultimate End
Written by Brian Bendis, art by Mark Bagley
What's it about?
The younger (albeit not so young anymore) Marvel universe is due to collide with the 'original', and this book is the one that shows the build-up and the reaction from their side. Given how brash and violent the Ultimate books have typically been, it's unlikely any of their heroes are prepared to disappear without a fight.
Buy or pass?
Pass. There's a reason why this is the one and only book focusing on the Ultimate universe characters for Secret Wars - those books have been basically mince for years, and if it weren't for Miles Morales, the second Ultimate Spider-Man, catching on in a big way, the whole universe would've been consigned to memory by now. Getting Bendis and Bagley, the O.G. Ultimate Spidey creative team, back in to finish it off is a nice touch, but as someone who's never much cared for Bendis that's not really going to make me any more interested in this proposition.
A-Force
Written by G. Willow Wilson and Marguerite Bennet, art by Jorge Molina
What's it about?
And there came a day, unlike any other, when Earth's mightiest heroines were united against a common threat! On that day A-Force was born - to fight the foes no single heroine could defeat!...yeah, it's basically the Avengers in classic form except there's no blokes and it's got a different name.
Buy or pass?
Very buy. Starting from the top, there've been more than enough awesome ladies in the Avengers over the years for a totally-female team to thrive, and given that the creators seem to have free reign to add in ANY heroine from any corner of the Marvel universe on top of that, well, that's just gravy. We've had an all-ladies X-Men team for a while now, it was overdue for an Avengers squad to follow suit. Added to that is one of the strongest creative teams thus far announced. Wilson, as previously mentioned, has made Ms. Marvel into one of the best books going today; Bennet hasn't had quite as good a showcase but I really liked the Lois Lane one-shot she did for DC a year or two back; and Molina has been the 'fill-in guy' on an ungodly number of Marvel books before this, stepping in whenever the main artist falls behind, and his bright, clean, expressive style deserved to be pushed as a star attraction, which this title hopefully will do. Can't wait for this one. My only niggle is the title - it sounds weird said aloud, and I can't help feel calling it 'Insert-Adjective-Here Avengers' would've been better. Still, buy.
A-Force
What's it about?
And there came a day, unlike any other, when Earth's mightiest heroines were united against a common threat! On that day A-Force was born - to fight the foes no single heroine could defeat!...yeah, it's basically the Avengers in classic form except there's no blokes and it's got a different name.
Buy or pass?
Very buy. Starting from the top, there've been more than enough awesome ladies in the Avengers over the years for a totally-female team to thrive, and given that the creators seem to have free reign to add in ANY heroine from any corner of the Marvel universe on top of that, well, that's just gravy. We've had an all-ladies X-Men team for a while now, it was overdue for an Avengers squad to follow suit. Added to that is one of the strongest creative teams thus far announced. Wilson, as previously mentioned, has made Ms. Marvel into one of the best books going today; Bennet hasn't had quite as good a showcase but I really liked the Lois Lane one-shot she did for DC a year or two back; and Molina has been the 'fill-in guy' on an ungodly number of Marvel books before this, stepping in whenever the main artist falls behind, and his bright, clean, expressive style deserved to be pushed as a star attraction, which this title hopefully will do. Can't wait for this one. My only niggle is the title - it sounds weird said aloud, and I can't help feel calling it 'Insert-Adjective-Here Avengers' would've been better. Still, buy.
Inhumans: Attilan Rising
Written by Charles Soule, art by John Timms
What's it about?
The Inhumans - a secretive evolutionary offshoot created by alien DNA-meddling - have already had their world turned upside-down since their king, Black Bolt, detonated a massive bomb that flooded the world with terrigen mists, turning what was a closed kingdom into an internationally-scattered minority group with superpowers. And now they've been thrown into Battleworld, only the combined efforts of Bolt and his estranged queen Medusa can hope to unite their species and guide them through this world gone mad.
Buy or pass?
Absolute maybe. The Inhumans are of course set to be future movie stars, and the comics have been increasing their influence very drastically in recent years, but I personally still haven't been tempted to join the party, and this doesn't intrigue me much beyond what the previous series did. Plus the whole terrigen bomb thing moved the Inhumans a little too close to the mutant status quo, and if I wanna read about that there are decades worth of X-Men books that'll scratch the itch. Mind you, I would much rather read something by Charles Soule than Chris Claremont...
Battleworld
Various creative teams involved
What's it about?
Anthology series pitting characters from different Battleworld 'continents' (read: universes) against each other for...reasons? Not much more to it than that.
Buy or pass?
Selective buy. Like it says, there's no single creative team behind this, so if I see a story handled by a writer or artist I'm very attached to, I'll buy the relevant issue. Ditto for if the story involves some sort of character who I think is cool. It's pretty unlikely I'll end up with all of the issues, but I'm cautiously excited for some of the possibilities here.
Master of Kung Fu
Written by Haden Blackman, art by Dalibor Talaji
What's it about?
In the nation of K'un-Lun, if you want to be somebody, you had better know how to fight. Every self-described 'hero' here is a martial arts master of some kind, and there's soon to be a tournament to crown the greatest fighter of them all. Enter Shang-Chi, a drunken failure cast out by his mentors, now determined to sober up and prove himself on the grandest stage possible...
Buy or pass?
Buy, probably. Not a huge fan of Shang-Chi, but the idea of revisiting the '70s martial arts boom that he originally sprang from is appealing, as is the concept of a world full of Kung Fu and Wushu-influenced takes on classic Marvel heroes. Plus, perhaps just for being a fighting game player, the tournament concept never gets old for me (seriously, given how often Marvel plays the 'hero vs hero' card, they should've just made Contest of Champions an annual thing). Haden Blackman being attached to the series troubles me a little, as his rather bland scripting on the recent Elektra only served to drag down Mike Del Mundo's amazing artwork, but I'll give this one a shot anyway.
Secret Wars Journal
Edited by Jake Thomas, various contributors
What's it about?
Another anthology, albeit with a less singleminded focus. Journal will tell tales of the smaller Battleworld regions that may go unheralded or untouched by the main storylines, with confirmed plots involving characters such as Millie the Model, Night Nurse and others.
Buy or pass?
Again, it'll come and go based purely on the exact content of each issue. Millie the Model is a random character to mention up front, so I'm kinda interested to see what the deal is with her. Beyond that, who knows?
Secret Wars 2099
Written by Peter David, art by William Sliney
What's it about?
In the future of 2099, massive corporations rule the world and get to freely define what it means to be a 'superhero'. Into that world come a new group of Avengers, recruited and empowered by Alchemax inc., ready to make sure their bosses' will is carried out at all costs. But what happens when they start to question the laws they've been hired to uphold?
Buy or pass?
Well, I've been following David and Sliney's Spider-Man 2099 since it relaunched, and this is apparently replacing that, so it's a buy. Not too keen on losing Miguel O'Hara to some new mooks, but I like the look of Captain America 2099 and I have faith that the creators know what they're doing.
Deadpool's Secret Secret Wars
Written by Cullen Bunn, art by Matteo Lolli
What's it about?
While everyone else frets over the new Secret Wars, Deadpool - ever the idiot - somehow inserts himself into the earlier Secret Wars story, and proceeds to make an arse of everything, like he always does.
Buy or pass?
Maybe. Bunn's a solid writer, and the concept appeals to me, but I've kind of gone off Deadpool in more recent years; his increasing popularity has made his jokes get lazier, turning him from a satirical court jester poking fun at the dumber aspects of the Marvel universe to a gibbering idiot who won't stop talking about Mexican food. This series might get him more on track, but it's nowhere near a must-have. Might pick it up if there's money in the budget.
Where Monsters Dwell
Written by Garth Ennis, art by Russ Braun
What's it about?
Taking its title from one of Marvel's very old anthology books, this follows WWI pilot the Phantom Ace as he takes a mysterious woman on a journey through one of Battleworld's most perilous regions, home to dinosaurs, dragons and bloodthirsty Amazons.
Buy or pass.
Definite buy. This is just the kind of out-of-left-field idea I'd like to see more of from Marvel, and in case you didn't see the name, GARTH GODDAMN ENNIS. It's been a long time since he held court on a Marvel title - even longer if you don't count the mature MAX imprint - and I've missed him. Plus, this is Ennis doing what he openly admits is a shockingly lighthearted book by his standards, and while it is always fun to see Ennis doing cynicism and mass violence, his best works drip with a real sense of warm sincerity which I've no doubt will really lift up this one.
M.O.D.O.K Assassin
Written by Chris Yost, art by Amilcar Pinna
What's it about?
Welcome to Killville, where the laws operate...just a little differently, and almost all disagreements can be fairly ended with some creative murder. In such a town, assassins are in high demand, and there's no finer assassin than the Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing! Unfortunately, there's still laws to be upheld, and now someone's framed M.O.D.O.K, causing all manner of other hitmen to come for the price on his overly large head. Yeah, 'unfortunately'...for them.
Buy or pass?
Oh, definite buy. I love M.O.D.O.K. Love love love him in all his stupid shouty bigheadedness. And, as writer Yost has noted, despite his name he's never actually done much in the way of killing, so it's high past time we addressed that. Yost's books are usually good fun, though he sometimes has difficulty striking a balance between keeping things light-hearted and being incredibly, callously violent...which actually sounds perfect for this title, so he's clearly in the right place. Not sure about Pinna as an artist but if the interiors look anything like that cover, I can dig it.
Inferno
Written by Dennis Hopeless, art by Javier Garron
What's it about?
A kind of 'what if?' version of the old 'Inferno' tale from the late-80s X-Men comics, wherein Jean Grey's clone sought to sacrifice the child she had with Cyclops in order to open a portal to Hell out of spite. In this series, she succeeded, and 5 years later Manhattan in a no-go zone populated only by demons and the damned. The X-Men have given up...except Colossus, who now leads a ragtag team of the few heroes he can trust in a last-ditch effort to rescue his sister, Magik, long since overcome by her sinister Darkchylde persona.
Buy or pass?
I've never read the original 'Inferno', and can't say I have much fondness for either Madelyne Prior or Magik. Someone I do have fondness for is Neena Thurman, a.k.a Domino, who's apparently part of the main cast here, presumably continuing to support Colossus as the two have been romantically engaged since Hopeless' last X-Men book, Cable & X-Force. That series proved Hopeless could do fun X-Men yarns as well as anyone, so his presence here puts this near the top of my buy list. Nice to see Boom Boom getting some love, too.
Spider-Verse
Written by Mike Costa, art by Andre Aruajo
What's it about?
If one reality-colliding event wasn't enough, how about two? The Spider-People of many different universes only just got done fighting off their own extinction at the hands of space-jumping vampires, and now several of their number including Spider-Gwen, Spider-Man India and the Spectacular Spider-Ham have come crashing onto Battleworld without warning. Even united, can they survive alone in such a mixed-up world?
Buy or pass?
Pretty easy pass. I do like Mike Costa - the guy's worked miracles on various G.I. Joe books for IDW - but the Spider-Verse crossover kinda passed me by without hooking me, despite the tie-in issues of Spider-Man 2099 being quite good. Sadly, Lady Spider - Miguel's partner in those issues, who I'd dearly love to see again - doesn't seem to be involved here, and my slight fondness for Spidey Noir isn't enough to make this one desirable.
Planet Hulk
Written by Sam Humphries, art by Marc Laming
What's it about?
In a land populated exclusively by Hulks, one man stands apart, a lone gladiator on a path of vengeance. His name is Steve Rogers, and with his faithful steed Devil Dinosaur, his journey will take him from one side of 'Greenland' to the other, in search of the one they call the Red King...
Buy or pass?
Buy, probably. I'm cautiously excited about this. I mean, adding Devil Dinosaur to ANY story immediately makes it better, and embittered gladiator Steve Rogers sounds like a really fun concept, even before you factor in the simple joy of hundreds of Hulks all out for blood. My only point of worry is Sam Humphries, who's forged a pretty successful Marvel career out of books that never quite live up to their own promise. He's not outright bad but rarely does he push things far enough conceptually to let them shine. I'm willing to give him a chance on this one, though.
Old Man Logan
Written by Brian Bendis, art by Andrea Sorrentino
What's it about?
It's far in the future, and all the heroes are dead, killed by their arch-enemies or a pack of increasingly feral Hulks. While their progeny and successors eke out a tough living in the wastelands, there is one man who watched it all happen and lived to tell. One man whose deeds have passed into legend or faded altogether. They call him...old man Logan.
Buy or pass?
Pass. Maximum possible pass. The original Old Man Logan was the typical Mark Millar joint, full of needless gross-outs and genuine unpleasantness deployed as crude shock tactics to get attention, wrapped up in better art than it deserved, and wildly overpraised by critics and fans who really need their collective heads examined. Needless to say I'm in no hurry to revisit that crap sandwich, and while Bendis isn't nearly as awful as Millar (he at least seems a pretty decent guy IRL) I still don't care for 90% of his work, and certainly don't expect him to eke out something worthwhile from this mess. A waste of the promising Andrea Sorrentino.
The Infinity Gauntlet
Written by Gerry Duggan, art by Dustin Weaver
What's it about?
A young girl, forced to grow up fast taking care of her two younger siblings in a land overrun with giant insectoid monsters, finds a mysterious stone buried in the apocalyptic sand - a stone which, unknown to her, contains staggering power. This attracts the attention of none other than Thanos, the Mad Titan - whom no-one in this realm has ever heard of. But I'm sure they'll learn soon enough.
Buy or pass?
Probably a pass. Though this isn't a direct continuation of the Nova book Duggan's been writing for about a year now, it looks like it'll be dealing with similar concepts and characters, and frankly they never interested me much. I am vaguely curious about the specifics of the 'New Xandar' region the series takes place in - when it says giant bugs, does it mean the Annihilation Wave? That would be cool. And a little part of me is curious about what will happen with the titular gauntlet, since it was last seen being thoroughly wrecked in New Avengers.
Buy or pass?
Probably a pass. Though this isn't a direct continuation of the Nova book Duggan's been writing for about a year now, it looks like it'll be dealing with similar concepts and characters, and frankly they never interested me much. I am vaguely curious about the specifics of the 'New Xandar' region the series takes place in - when it says giant bugs, does it mean the Annihilation Wave? That would be cool. And a little part of me is curious about what will happen with the titular gauntlet, since it was last seen being thoroughly wrecked in New Avengers.
Last Days of Silver Surfer
Written by Dan Slott, art by Mike Allred
What's it about?
The Silver Surfer, former herald to the world-devouring Galactus, has been travelling the cosmos for months with his human companion/conscience Dawn Greenwood, so it's unsurprising that he hasn't heard much about the whole incursions business. But he can only go ignorant for so long, and now that his whole universe is in peril, the Surfer is off to have a chat with Eternity - the living embodiment of all that is and ever will be - to get to the root of the problem...providing Eternity doesn't die first.
Buy or pass?
I really want to say 'buy', because on the face of it this sounds like a book that's right up my alley - a pitch that very clearly mimics Doctor Who, a lead character that's quite fascinating, Allred artwork, cosmic weirdness...and yet I've never bought into the series before now. Don't know why not. I mean, I'm not the biggest fan of Slott but I don't think he's bad either...I don't know, I'll probably skip the individual issues, than maybe come back for the trade later.
Last Days of Ms. Marvel
Written by G. Willow Wilson, art by Adrian Alphona
What's it about?
Kamala Khan has barely started her new life as Ms. Marvel, defending the oft-overlooked population of New Jersey from the villains that bigger heroes tend to forget about, and now everything's going to hell. She's been lured to big, scary Manhattan by a particularly crafty criminal, her friends are in danger back home, and oh yeah, the world is ending around her. Sounds like a good time to get some back-up from a very special guest.
Buy or pass?
Oh, this one's a buy. Of course it's a buy. I gushed about this series back when it was new and it's remained a joy since then, even when Alphona dropped out to get some rest and we were left with replacement artists. And not that said replacements were poor by any means, but I'm delighted to see Alphona back for this arc. Wilson has been killing it consistently, 12 issues in, and I doubt she's going to let up now. Plus we're finally seeing Kamala meet Captain Marvel! Squee!
Last Days of Black Widow
Written by Nathan Edmondson, art by Phil Noto
What's it about?
Natasha Romanova has been a hero for years, but her life before that is a dangerous cocktail of international espionage, high-profile murder and forbidden liaisons. And now some of her earliest sins are returning from the grave to strike her down. With the end of everything on the horizon, does the Black Widow even bother to bite back?
Buy or pass?
Pass. Again, I've covered this title before during its early issues, and expressed my problems with it then; namely that while Noto's artwork is beautiful, Edmondson's scripting is average and bland. There's been a little more intrigue after #6 as an actual ongoing plot has emerged, with Natasha tracking down a shadowy organisation called CHAOS, but it's developed at a treacle-slow pace that's just put me right off again. And honestly, however good I'm making it sound in that last paragraph, there's not really anything new being touted for her 'last days' that we haven't seen before. It's more old business referencing a throwaway exchange in the Avengers movie that no-one's been able to let go. Bleh.
Last Days of the Punisher
Written by Nathan Edmondson, art by Mitch Gerads
What's it about?
...I don't really know. It's the Punisher, though, so probably a lot of criminals being shot.
Buy or pass?
Pass again. Edmondson just doesn't seem to be a writer I can fully get behind. Plus, the Punisher is one of those characters that's had some very big names take a turn at him over the years, with the Garth Ennis works especially casting a long shadow over all subsequent runs, a shadow which Edmondson unfortunately can't escape. His Frank Castle just doesn't have much of a personality, nor any of the blackhearted wit I tend to enjoy from him, and too much time has been devoted to the new Howling Commandos who've been hunting him down, who likely won't factor into the Last Days arc.
Ghost Racers
Written by Felipe Smith, art by Juan Gedeon
What's it about?
Robbie Reyes had his life turned upside down when a demonic spirit trapped within a Dodge Charger saved him from death and transformed him into a flame-haired demon, raging through downtown LA by night, punishing the wicked. A chance encounter with one Johnny Blaze led Robbie to realize he's hardly the first to wear the Ghost Rider mantle - and now he's locked in competition with a horde of Riders from the past, the future, and other worlds altogether. The great race begins - don't get left behind.
Buy or pass?
Maybe a buy. All-New Ghost Rider was a book with a lot of promise, which I dropped more by accident than design; I picked up the first trade collection later and, yup, it's still pretty sweet. I'll probably check out the rest of it before this series starts, which still has the same writer attached, and has the very fan-friendly promise of 'every Rider ever'. I'm probably more a Danny Ketch fan than a Johnny Blaze one so it's nice to have him back, and I'm a sucker for amusing variants of old design (just look at the cover - COWBOY CENTAUR GHOST RIDER?!), so this will likely wind up in the collection at some point.
Thors
Written by Jason Aaron, art by Chris Sprouse
What's it about?
The uniting of many Earths has brought together many Gods of Thunder - and surprisingly, they aren't going to just beat each other up. Instead, the Thors - including the current female Thor, Ultimate Thor, Beta Ray Bill and Thor Frog - have appointed themselves Battleworld's police force, and have a roving commission to intervene in any inter-region battles, delivering justice like lightning! (wait, no, that's something else)
Buy or pass?
Pass, most likely, though I don't mind the idea. I mean, as I said, I love different takes on the familiar, and Beta Ray Bill holds a special place in my heart, but for one reason or another I never got into Aaron's Thor run and this feels like a direct continuation of something that's been running for years now, making it one of the less-accessible titles under the Secret Wars umbrella.
Age of Ultron vs. Marvel Zombies
Written by James Robinson, art by Steve Pugh
What's it about?
The southern regions of Battleworld, sealed off from the rest of the planet, are home to two of the most virulent and dangerous threats imaginable: the all-machine society built by the anarchic android Ultron, and the realm of the dead populated solely by zombie heroes and villains. When Jim Hammond - the original, android Human Torch - is thrown in among them, robots and undead come to blows, and only one side will remain...er, not alive.
Buy or pass?
Given that it's a revamp of an overhyped event that didn't make much of an impact the first time (Age of Ultron) clashed with one of Marvel's less imaginative cash-grabs (Marvel Zombies), I can't say I'm enthusiastic. The creative team isn't doing much for me either. Pass.
Star-Lord and Kitty Pryde
Written by Sam Humphries, art by Alti Firmansyah
What's it about?
Peter Quill, self-proclaimed legendary outlaw and leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy, has been making steady progress in his romancing of X-Men member/teacher Kitty Pryde recently, but the dealings with the Black Vortex drove them apart just in time for the last incursion. Lucky for Star-Lord, he's found Kitty again on Battleworld...except it's not the Kitty he knew, and she's not quite so keen on kissytimes.
Buy or pass?
Pass. Haven't been following Legendary Star-Lord before now, same reservations about Humphries as before, and to be honest, Kitty Pryde just sort of annoys me. She always comes off very Mary Sue-ish, forever making herself the moral compass in every appearance and causing everyone around her to become gooey-eyed with affection.
Marvel Zombies
Written by Si Spurrier, art by Kev Walker
What's it about?
Elsa Bloodstone, monster hunter, has been on Battleworld for years, manning 'the Shield' - a massive wall that keeps the civilized regions in the North separate from the less-so regions in the South. It's a tough job...and it only gets tougher when Elsa sees an uninfected girl inside the Deadlands, and heads in to save her. Against an entire nation of superpowered undead, what good can one woman hope to accomplish?
Buy or pass?
As I said, I never cared much for Marvel Zombies as a concept, and trying to get 2 different series out of it at once feels like overkill. On the other hand, it's Si Spurrier doing the writing, and he is still my favourite writer in the business. I have absolute faith in his ability to pull something inventive, ingenious and unexpected out of the bag. Plus he's been paired with Kev Walker, another old 2000AD hand, who can absolutely match the madness of Spurrier's scripting, and bring the necessary gruesomeness to keep the public happy. Absolute must-buy.
Runaways
Written by Noelle Stevenson, art by Sanford Greene
What's it about?
Within the mysterious capital city of Battleworld, a special school trains the promising young to be the leaders of tomorrow - fierce, ruthless, competitive...immoral. A small group among them have grown sick of these lessons and choose to leave, but of course Battleworld is not the safest haven to flee into. Surrounded by potential threats and adversaries, this thrown-together group will have to learn trust and teamwork very quickly if they want to stay alive.
Buy or pass?
Kinda on the fence. I skipped the original Runaways and often find myself dealing with people who treat it like it's the second coming, which would be enough to get me to give it a shot, except I really don't like kiddy superheroes, even when treated with respect. The creative team here is promising, and the Battleworld environment gives the story a bit more meat, but it's gonna be an uphill battle for this to wind up on the pull list.
Korvac Saga
Written by Dan Abnett, art by Otto Schmidt
What's it about?
Michael Korvac was an enormously powerful godling who once sought to bring order to a universe left to chaos by its makers, then killed himself after clashing with Earth's heroes over his methods. Now he's back, elected leader of the Forest Hills region of Battleworld, with the future Guardians of the Galaxy aiding him. Alas, his rule is now threatened on two fronts; from within, a conceptual virus twisting the minds of his citizens, and from without, the ongoing cold war with neighbouring region Holy Wood, led by Wonder Man and his loyal Avengers...
Buy or pass?
This is meant to be the 'fill-in' or replacement book for Guardians 3000, which I haven't given a look yet, despite my fondness for Abnett and his previous Marvel Cosmic work especially. That said, this one might sway me; the original 'Korvac Saga' storyline resonated strongly with me when I read it, so going back to that well certainly catches my eye. Plus it's an intriguing supporting cast, Wonder Man's actually getting to do something for a change, and the plot outline sounds legitimately interesting. Probably a buy, then.
X-Tinction Agenda
Written by Mark Guggenheim, art by Carmine Di Giandomenico
What's it about?
It's been ten years since Cameron Hodge and his paramilitary force were defeated, but the mutant nation of Genosha has yet to recover. Havok and Wolfsbane have been doing what they can to get the country running again, but now their people are being victimized by a plague, and their former allies in the X-Men are actively working to sabotage their efforts.
Buy or pass?
Probably a pass. This doesn't sound awful or anything, but it feels very beholden to the original crossover series of the same name, which I have no knowledge of or attachment to. Guggenheim isn't a terrible writer but he's rarely exciting, and, yes, he is prone to beating you over the head with continuity references. Plus it stars Havok, and he is just the worst, isn't he?
1872
Written by Gerry Duggan, art by Evan 'Doc' Shaner
What's it about?
The frontier town of Timely has enough problems with bandits and outlaws to keep Sheriff Steve Rogers busy - and that's before a stranger with a dark secret comes in from the desert, bringing with him enough fury to level Timely and bury everyone inside.
Buy or pass?
Very on the fence. A Wild West AU take on the more noteworthy heroes certainly has an appeal and the preview art looks nice, with Shaner's character designs nicely understated. That said, there are only so many alternate Captains America and Iron Men I can keep up with, and since Duggan isn't one of my patron writers this one might be left by the wayside.
Weirdworld
Written by Jason Aaron, art by Mike Del Mundo
What's it about?
'Weirdworld' is the given name for the oddest, most mixed-up region of Battleworld - a melting pot of relics and abominations from a thousand or more inexplicable realities. Alone in this place is Arkon, interdimensional tyrant turned journeyman, whose only goal is to find his way home...if there even is one to go back to.
Buy or pass?
More than likely buy. I've got no knowledge of the old Weirdworld books and Jason Aaron is only an occasional presence on my pull list, but Del Mundo changes everything. His work on the soon-to-conclude Elektra has been some next-level shit, and if he continues that here, this will be if nothing else hands-down the most beautiful of all the Secret Wars titles.
Future Imperfect
Written by Peter David, art by Greg Land
What's it about?
In (surprise) the future, heroes and villains alike have fallen, and the remnants of mankind cower beneath the shadow of their tyrant king, the Maestro - none other than Bruce Banner's alter ego, the Hulk, but older, wiser and twisted to evil. Even on as fiercely contested a domain as Battleworld, who can stand against such a force?
Buy or pass?
*sigh* Pass. I didn't want to skip this one - David's a solid writer and he's been teasing this series in recent Spider-Man 2099 issues, but, dammit. Greg Land. Greg. Fucking. Land. He is absolutely the worst professionally-employed artist in comics today and it baffles me why Marvel are still paying him for stuff. I suffered through the first 4 issues of Spider-Woman with his 'art' on display to support that fledgling series, but that's as far as my patience goes. No more.
E is for Extinction
Written by Chris Burnham, art by Ramon Villalobos
What's it about?
For decades, mutants have been oppressed by normal human society - but now the world accepts them as their betters, their idealized role-models of the future. In such a world, what is the point of the X-Men? And why is Magneto left running the Xavier Institute?
Buy or pass?
Middling. This series is essentially paying tribute to Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely's New X-Men, which I haven't read but is one of the more stand-out runs in X-Men history, so going back to that makes me curious. Plus this is such a delightfully weird bunch of mutants to focus on, with the cloned Stepford Cuckoos, Angel Salvadore, Beak and so on. Might buy it.
Captain Marvel and the Carol Corps
Written by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Kelly Thompson, art by David Lopez
What's it about?
Carol Danvers is a pilot, leader of an all-female fighter squadron operating from Hala Field. Their lives were simple enough...until they found themselves part of Battleworld. Now they've got enemies encroaching on all sides, an unfamiliar sky above their heads, and Carol's suddenly developed superpowers for reasons beyond her understanding. How can the girls deal with all of that? Well, 'headfirst without a parachute' would be a good guess.
Buy or pass?
Definite buy. Captain Marvel has been on my pull list since DeConnick started and that's not about to change; while this is a big change of tack from what the series currently is - and not at all what I figured Secret Wars would turn the book into - it still sounds like it's gonna play with the same ideas that've been fuelling the book from the beginning. Plus Kelly Thompson is a reliable hand to have on board now that KSD seems to be putting more time into her creator-owned stuff (not really a complaint, Bitch Planet rocks 'til the wheels come off), and Lopez gets to flex his keen eye for character design by reworking Helen Cobb and the Banshee Squadron from those early Dexter Soy issues. YES PLEASE.
Squadron Sinister
Giant-Size Little Marvel: AvX
Guardians of Knowhere
Mrs. Deadpool and the Howling Commandos
Armor Wars
Years of Future Past
Written by Chris Sims and Chad Bowers, art by Scott Koblish
What's it about?
Almost exactly what it says on the tin - the X-Men at the peak of their popularity, preserved as you remember them, thrown out of their native time and onto Battleworld. Heroes of the '90s facing a threat very much of the 2010s.
Buy or pass?
Likely a buy. Despite being a '90s kid I didn't read much in the way of comics back then (well, apart from The Beano I suppose), but the X-Men animated series, itself very much inspired by the comics of the time, held me in its sway for a good couple years. My toy Blackbird jet is no doubt still in my aunt's loft, with Gambit trapped in the back seat. I'm not altogether familiar with this team as comics creators, though as a comics critic Sims has brought me no little joy over the past few years, and given his previous scholarly analysis of the cartoon I'm curious to see what happens when he's put in charge of these characters.
1602: Witch Hunter Angela
Written by Marguerite Bennett and Kieron Gillen, art by Stephanie Hans
What's it about?
A return to the dark ages-inspired '1602' Marvel timeline, where recognizable faces get 17th-century redesigns. Added to that world is recent Marvel arrival Angela, here altered from an angelic warrior to a, yes, witch hunter, tracking the Faustians - an order of dark mages who offer sorcerous and miraculous powers to others at a terrible price.
Buy or pass?
Ergh...not sure. I haven't been tempted to dip into Angela: Asgard's Assassin as yet, despite the killer creative team, and I don't have a lot of foreknowledge of the 1602 universe. Even so, the marriage of those two ideas sounds interesting, and Stephanie Hans doing all the art solo rather than sharing with someone else is great to see. So, it's a possibility.
Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows
Written by Dan Slott, art by Adam Kubert
What's it about?
Years ago, a terrible accident left Peter Parker's aunt May dying in her own home, and in desperation Peter turned to the greater demon Mephisto to rewrite time...but the deal cost him his marriage to Mary-Jane Watson. However, that's not how it went for every Peter Parker. Welcome to The Regency, a Battleworld domain that's home to Your Friendly Betrothed Spider-Man!
Buy or pass?
A pass, methinks. Now, don't get me wrong, I didn't like One More Day any more than most, but if I'm honest, I'd already lost most of my interest in Spider-Man as a concept by that time, and nothing that's been done under Dan Slott's tenure has particularly encouraged me to come back. While it's nice to see such an oft-requested idea being turned into a real book, it's not one I'm inclined to part with money over, even with a dependable hand like Kubert on the art duties.
Age of Apocalypse
Written by Fabian Nicieza, art by Gerardo Sandoval
What's it about?
Once, a well-intentioned bit of time-travel assassination left Charles Xavier dead before his time, and in his absence, En Sabah Nur - the immortal Egyptian mutant overlord named Apocalypse - rose to power unassailed. Now, that day has come again. The X-Men still stand, leaderless and without a dream, against the rule of a seemingly invincible madman, while under Apocalypse's thumb his Horsemen and allies jockey for power, and the lowest of the low - the non-mutant humans used as a slave race - secretly plot for their own freedom.
Buy or pass?
AoA is another big '90s series I missed, but I do love a dystopia, and the creative team here is just about perfect for the material: Nicieza was one of the masterminds of '90s X-lore, and Sandoval has a deformed, exaggerated, energetic style that calls to mind Joe Madueira and other icons of that time, albeit with the useful ability to actually make a deadline. Plus the story ideas being thrown around here sound really promising, too, and we're promised a new take on Carol Danvers AND Dr. Nemesis in the same book. This is just made of win.
Civil War
~+~
What's it about?
Elsa Bloodstone, monster hunter, has been on Battleworld for years, manning 'the Shield' - a massive wall that keeps the civilized regions in the North separate from the less-so regions in the South. It's a tough job...and it only gets tougher when Elsa sees an uninfected girl inside the Deadlands, and heads in to save her. Against an entire nation of superpowered undead, what good can one woman hope to accomplish?
Buy or pass?
As I said, I never cared much for Marvel Zombies as a concept, and trying to get 2 different series out of it at once feels like overkill. On the other hand, it's Si Spurrier doing the writing, and he is still my favourite writer in the business. I have absolute faith in his ability to pull something inventive, ingenious and unexpected out of the bag. Plus he's been paired with Kev Walker, another old 2000AD hand, who can absolutely match the madness of Spurrier's scripting, and bring the necessary gruesomeness to keep the public happy. Absolute must-buy.
Runaways
What's it about?
Within the mysterious capital city of Battleworld, a special school trains the promising young to be the leaders of tomorrow - fierce, ruthless, competitive...immoral. A small group among them have grown sick of these lessons and choose to leave, but of course Battleworld is not the safest haven to flee into. Surrounded by potential threats and adversaries, this thrown-together group will have to learn trust and teamwork very quickly if they want to stay alive.
Buy or pass?
Kinda on the fence. I skipped the original Runaways and often find myself dealing with people who treat it like it's the second coming, which would be enough to get me to give it a shot, except I really don't like kiddy superheroes, even when treated with respect. The creative team here is promising, and the Battleworld environment gives the story a bit more meat, but it's gonna be an uphill battle for this to wind up on the pull list.
Korvac Saga
What's it about?
Michael Korvac was an enormously powerful godling who once sought to bring order to a universe left to chaos by its makers, then killed himself after clashing with Earth's heroes over his methods. Now he's back, elected leader of the Forest Hills region of Battleworld, with the future Guardians of the Galaxy aiding him. Alas, his rule is now threatened on two fronts; from within, a conceptual virus twisting the minds of his citizens, and from without, the ongoing cold war with neighbouring region Holy Wood, led by Wonder Man and his loyal Avengers...
Buy or pass?
This is meant to be the 'fill-in' or replacement book for Guardians 3000, which I haven't given a look yet, despite my fondness for Abnett and his previous Marvel Cosmic work especially. That said, this one might sway me; the original 'Korvac Saga' storyline resonated strongly with me when I read it, so going back to that well certainly catches my eye. Plus it's an intriguing supporting cast, Wonder Man's actually getting to do something for a change, and the plot outline sounds legitimately interesting. Probably a buy, then.
X-Tinction Agenda
What's it about?
It's been ten years since Cameron Hodge and his paramilitary force were defeated, but the mutant nation of Genosha has yet to recover. Havok and Wolfsbane have been doing what they can to get the country running again, but now their people are being victimized by a plague, and their former allies in the X-Men are actively working to sabotage their efforts.
Buy or pass?
Probably a pass. This doesn't sound awful or anything, but it feels very beholden to the original crossover series of the same name, which I have no knowledge of or attachment to. Guggenheim isn't a terrible writer but he's rarely exciting, and, yes, he is prone to beating you over the head with continuity references. Plus it stars Havok, and he is just the worst, isn't he?
1872
What's it about?
The frontier town of Timely has enough problems with bandits and outlaws to keep Sheriff Steve Rogers busy - and that's before a stranger with a dark secret comes in from the desert, bringing with him enough fury to level Timely and bury everyone inside.
Buy or pass?
Very on the fence. A Wild West AU take on the more noteworthy heroes certainly has an appeal and the preview art looks nice, with Shaner's character designs nicely understated. That said, there are only so many alternate Captains America and Iron Men I can keep up with, and since Duggan isn't one of my patron writers this one might be left by the wayside.
Weirdworld
What's it about?
'Weirdworld' is the given name for the oddest, most mixed-up region of Battleworld - a melting pot of relics and abominations from a thousand or more inexplicable realities. Alone in this place is Arkon, interdimensional tyrant turned journeyman, whose only goal is to find his way home...if there even is one to go back to.
Buy or pass?
More than likely buy. I've got no knowledge of the old Weirdworld books and Jason Aaron is only an occasional presence on my pull list, but Del Mundo changes everything. His work on the soon-to-conclude Elektra has been some next-level shit, and if he continues that here, this will be if nothing else hands-down the most beautiful of all the Secret Wars titles.
Future Imperfect
What's it about?
In (surprise) the future, heroes and villains alike have fallen, and the remnants of mankind cower beneath the shadow of their tyrant king, the Maestro - none other than Bruce Banner's alter ego, the Hulk, but older, wiser and twisted to evil. Even on as fiercely contested a domain as Battleworld, who can stand against such a force?
Buy or pass?
*sigh* Pass. I didn't want to skip this one - David's a solid writer and he's been teasing this series in recent Spider-Man 2099 issues, but, dammit. Greg Land. Greg. Fucking. Land. He is absolutely the worst professionally-employed artist in comics today and it baffles me why Marvel are still paying him for stuff. I suffered through the first 4 issues of Spider-Woman with his 'art' on display to support that fledgling series, but that's as far as my patience goes. No more.
E is for Extinction
What's it about?
For decades, mutants have been oppressed by normal human society - but now the world accepts them as their betters, their idealized role-models of the future. In such a world, what is the point of the X-Men? And why is Magneto left running the Xavier Institute?
Buy or pass?
Middling. This series is essentially paying tribute to Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely's New X-Men, which I haven't read but is one of the more stand-out runs in X-Men history, so going back to that makes me curious. Plus this is such a delightfully weird bunch of mutants to focus on, with the cloned Stepford Cuckoos, Angel Salvadore, Beak and so on. Might buy it.
Captain Marvel and the Carol Corps
What's it about?
Carol Danvers is a pilot, leader of an all-female fighter squadron operating from Hala Field. Their lives were simple enough...until they found themselves part of Battleworld. Now they've got enemies encroaching on all sides, an unfamiliar sky above their heads, and Carol's suddenly developed superpowers for reasons beyond her understanding. How can the girls deal with all of that? Well, 'headfirst without a parachute' would be a good guess.
Buy or pass?
Definite buy. Captain Marvel has been on my pull list since DeConnick started and that's not about to change; while this is a big change of tack from what the series currently is - and not at all what I figured Secret Wars would turn the book into - it still sounds like it's gonna play with the same ideas that've been fuelling the book from the beginning. Plus Kelly Thompson is a reliable hand to have on board now that KSD seems to be putting more time into her creator-owned stuff (not really a complaint, Bitch Planet rocks 'til the wheels come off), and Lopez gets to flex his keen eye for character design by reworking Helen Cobb and the Banshee Squadron from those early Dexter Soy issues. YES PLEASE.
Squadron Sinister
Written by Marc Guggenheim, art by Carlos Pacheco
What's it about?
The region known as Utopolis is home to Warrior Woman, the Whizzer, Nighthawk, Dr. Spectrum and Hyperion - the Squadron Sinister! But while Hyperion may be the most powerful villain in existence, his rule hangs by a thread, at risk as much from internal strife as from neighbouring domains...
Buy or pass?
Probably a pass, though I hope to be surprised. The Squadron - basically evil analogues of the Justice League with enough recognizable parts filed off to not be lawsuit-worthy - are interesting enough and I certainly wasn't expecting them to have their own book, but what details I've heard about the series don't make it seem immediately must-have, and it's a creative team that's solid without being exciting. Maybe a trade-wait option.
Written and art-ed by Skottie Young
What's it about?
It's the Avengers fighting the X-Men again, except now they're all babies. Just roll with it.
Buy or pass?
Young's ongoing collection of 'Little Marvel' covers have been an absolute delight, and he's proven himself a reliable comedic hand on Rocket Raccoon. Not to mention the original AvX was such a mess it's still ripe for parody. So yeah, this'll probably be a hoot.
Written by Brian Bendis, art by Mike Deodato
What's it about?
The Guardians of the Galaxy have lost their leader, Star-Lord, and their fondness for each other...and now the incursions have robbed them of a galaxy to guard. Gamora, Drax, Rocket and Angela instead find themselves mysteriously transported to Knowhere, the dead Celestial skull used as a spaceport, which now orbits Battleworld like a moon, and is home to thousands of intergalactic refugees, all with their own agendas and grudges to bear.
Buy or pass?
Still a pass. I loved the GOTG movie as much as anyone, but the comics under Bendis' watch have done nothing but regurgitate movie elements with diminishing returns, and reduced the main cast to one-note jokes at best. Deodato's a capable artist but he's never been an exciting one; put him on a book and you'll get solid work but nothing particularly imaginative or beautiful. Can't imagine this will amount to anything useful.
Written by Gerry Duggan, art by Salvador Espin
What's it about?
Shiklah, vampire queen, was meant to be Dracula's betrothed - but instead she married the Merc with a Mouth, Deadpool. And now that Wade's out of the picture, she alone has to carry the burden of keeping law in Monster Metropolis. To that end she's recruited her own team: the Werewolf By Night, the Living Mummy, Frankenstein, and Marcus the Unbeatable Centaur - the Howling Commandos!
Buy or pass?
Leaning towards buy on this one. Again, I haven't been keeping up with Deadpool, and was only dimly aware of his marriage, but I have a sneaking fondness for the old '70s Marvel monster stable, so shoving them all into the one book is a tempting prospect. I can only hope Man-Thing's presence on the cover means he's part of it too.
Written by James Robinson, art by Marcio Takara
What's it about?
The region of Technopolis - where a long-lasting virus forces all its inhabitants to wear powered armour - is under the command of two Stark brothers, Tony and Arno. But when an armoured hero falls, the resulting investigation will pit the Starks against one another, and possibly send Technopolis falling back to the stone age.
Buy or pass?
Maybe a buy. Robinson isn't someone I rate highly, but the ideas behind this title interest me, I still do quite like Iron Man in general (and of course the old 'Armor Wars' is one of his best stories), and Takara won my favour with a couple of really great Captain Marvel issues. It's worth a shot.
Written by Marguerite Bennett, art by Mike Norton
What's it about?
It is the X-Men's darkest days: a time when the most close-minded and hateful of humanity 'won' and rose to power, instigating a lawful subjugation of all mutant peoples. Now mutants are identified at birth, branded and sequestered in ghettos, under watch of the lethal Sentinels. Kate Pryde - formerly Kitty - is on the run, protecting her child, the last mutant born before mandatory sterilization, from a world that simply does not want her kind to exist.
Buy or pass?
Oh man, so much mixed feelings. On the one hand, Bennett is really growing into a strong writer, Norton's art looks solid, and the descriptions of the series make it sound like a great slice of dystopia. On the other, I'm not much of a fan of Claremont-era X-Men (which I guess means I'm not much of an X-Men fan in general?) and I really really really don't like Kitty Pryde, who is the one Mary Sue to rule them all. Of course, she's 'different' in this, so maybe that'll help...I dunno. I'll give it a whirl.
X-Men '92
What's it about?
Almost exactly what it says on the tin - the X-Men at the peak of their popularity, preserved as you remember them, thrown out of their native time and onto Battleworld. Heroes of the '90s facing a threat very much of the 2010s.
Buy or pass?
Likely a buy. Despite being a '90s kid I didn't read much in the way of comics back then (well, apart from The Beano I suppose), but the X-Men animated series, itself very much inspired by the comics of the time, held me in its sway for a good couple years. My toy Blackbird jet is no doubt still in my aunt's loft, with Gambit trapped in the back seat. I'm not altogether familiar with this team as comics creators, though as a comics critic Sims has brought me no little joy over the past few years, and given his previous scholarly analysis of the cartoon I'm curious to see what happens when he's put in charge of these characters.
1602: Witch Hunter Angela
What's it about?
A return to the dark ages-inspired '1602' Marvel timeline, where recognizable faces get 17th-century redesigns. Added to that world is recent Marvel arrival Angela, here altered from an angelic warrior to a, yes, witch hunter, tracking the Faustians - an order of dark mages who offer sorcerous and miraculous powers to others at a terrible price.
Buy or pass?
Ergh...not sure. I haven't been tempted to dip into Angela: Asgard's Assassin as yet, despite the killer creative team, and I don't have a lot of foreknowledge of the 1602 universe. Even so, the marriage of those two ideas sounds interesting, and Stephanie Hans doing all the art solo rather than sharing with someone else is great to see. So, it's a possibility.
Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows
What's it about?
Years ago, a terrible accident left Peter Parker's aunt May dying in her own home, and in desperation Peter turned to the greater demon Mephisto to rewrite time...but the deal cost him his marriage to Mary-Jane Watson. However, that's not how it went for every Peter Parker. Welcome to The Regency, a Battleworld domain that's home to Your Friendly Betrothed Spider-Man!
Buy or pass?
A pass, methinks. Now, don't get me wrong, I didn't like One More Day any more than most, but if I'm honest, I'd already lost most of my interest in Spider-Man as a concept by that time, and nothing that's been done under Dan Slott's tenure has particularly encouraged me to come back. While it's nice to see such an oft-requested idea being turned into a real book, it's not one I'm inclined to part with money over, even with a dependable hand like Kubert on the art duties.
Age of Apocalypse
What's it about?
Once, a well-intentioned bit of time-travel assassination left Charles Xavier dead before his time, and in his absence, En Sabah Nur - the immortal Egyptian mutant overlord named Apocalypse - rose to power unassailed. Now, that day has come again. The X-Men still stand, leaderless and without a dream, against the rule of a seemingly invincible madman, while under Apocalypse's thumb his Horsemen and allies jockey for power, and the lowest of the low - the non-mutant humans used as a slave race - secretly plot for their own freedom.
Buy or pass?
AoA is another big '90s series I missed, but I do love a dystopia, and the creative team here is just about perfect for the material: Nicieza was one of the masterminds of '90s X-lore, and Sandoval has a deformed, exaggerated, energetic style that calls to mind Joe Madueira and other icons of that time, albeit with the useful ability to actually make a deadline. Plus the story ideas being thrown around here sound really promising, too, and we're promised a new take on Carol Danvers AND Dr. Nemesis in the same book. This is just made of win.
Civil War
Written by Charles Soule, art by Leinil Yu
What's it about?
After some young heroes caused the destruction of a school while battling villains, the US government came down hard on the hero community, demanding they put their real identities on record for the sake of accountability. Response to that ruling was mixed, and led to a period of strife where the Avengers were split down the middle, one side backing Captain America and his opposition to the law, the other supporting Iron Man and his desire to meet the government halfway. While that situation has since been resolved, in one universe the strife never ended, and now, years later, the Civil War has officially outlived the planet it began on...
Buy or pass?
Oh boy. This is another very polarizing one for me. Charles Soule has quickly established himself as one of Marvel's top guns, writing-wise, and I'd trust his skill with just about anything. Leinil Yu, meanwhile, has been around for years, and he's never been less than great no matter the series he works on. But...but it's Civil War. It was atrocious the first time around, a mess of noise and gross stupidity and everyone acting OOC because the plot was so thin it could've been easily resolved by everyone just sitting down and talking for a second...ugh. Granted, this is a new take and doesn't have to make the same mistakes, but I can't look at a cover with that mostly-white split-title motif now and not feel very uneasy.
The Red Skull
Written by Joshua Williamson, art by Luca Pizzari
What's it about?
The Red Skull (or a Red Skull anyway) is dead...long live the Red Skull? Rumours of the Nazi tyrant's resurrection somewhere amid the Deadlands has a lot of people on Battleworld nervous, and so a ramshackle team of villains and anti-heroes - Magneto, Winter Solider, Lady Deathstrike, Electro, Moonstone and Jack O' Lantern - are tasked with finding out the truth, and putting him back down if needed. But the Skull may have found more power beyond death than he ever had in life...
Buy or pass?
Leaning towards buy. I've got no experience with the creative team - I don't even recognize the names - but the premise is interesting. Skull is one of the best Marvel villains, probably the best if you're talking guys who never once made the effort to play hero, and the idea of his very existence being a major threat to Battleworld is believable enough. The main cast is delightfully odd, too, with Magneto and Winter Soldier clearly big enough names that the creators could afford to round off the pack with weirdoes. Hopefully Moonstone will spend the entire series mocking everyone else's neuroses and psychological hang-ups.
Siege
Written by Kieron Gillen, art by Filipe Andrade and others
What's it about?
The Shield, a.k.a the Wall (see also Marvel Zombies entry), is manned by the oddballs of Battleworld's various regions - not so much criminals as people who simply don't fit into their regions. Tasked with keeping this crew together - and a constant, unceasing horde of insect monsters out of the north - is former SWORD commander Abigail Brand...
Buy or pass?
Ehhhh. It's not a bad outline, Gillen's a good enough writer, and I really loved Andrade's Captain Marvel issues, but overall this book just feels kinda frivolous. Ignoring that we've already got Marvel Zombies dealing with the Wall's mechanics, this title still doesn't feel like it's got any goal, and so lacks the impression of forward momentum. It's also quite alarming that they've already got other artists set to fill in for Andrade...plus, I quite liked the original Siege event and would've dug a reprisal/tribute series, and instead this new Siege is an entirely different thing.
Hail HYDRA
Written by Rick Remender, art by Roland Boschi
What's it about?
The HYDRA Empire is born from the remains of a world where HYDRA won. Its enemies were vanquished, and historical chronicles rewritten to paint them in as negative a light as HYDRA wish. Now the population is made of people born, weaned and educated under HYDRA's watch, with firm belief that the oppressor is their friend...so that makes this land a very dangerous place for the freshly-arrived Nomad, aka Ian Rogers, extradimensional son of Captain America.
Buy or pass?
Generally speaking, I tend to pass on Remender's works; he has occasional good ideas, but drags them out too long or takes them in directions that feel deliberately inert, not to mention his handling of characterisation is...suspect. Worse, Ian Rogers is an existing character from Remender's Captain America series, which I haven't read, so this doesn't feel like a particularly newb-friendly book. A shame, since Boschi's a good artist and I like this kind of villainous dystopia.
Captain Britain and the Mighty Defenders
Written by Al Ewing, art by Alan Davis
What's it about?
In the remains of Mondo-City One, Boss Cage rules the streets by fear. And now he's muscling in on neighbouring Yinsen City, a sweet little place whose ruler only wants peace in our time. Who can stand up for Ho Yinsen's pacifist ideals? Who else but Captain Britain, She-Hulk, Rescue, White Tiger and the Prowler - the Mighty Defenders!
Buy or pass?
At last! An Al Ewing book I can recommend without reservation! While the title of this one references Mighty Avengers, it's a very different cast, centered around Dr. Faiza Hussain, the Pakistani-English mutant wielder of Excalibur, who briefly held the Captain Britain title during a Ewing-penned Age of Ultron tie-in issue which I really dug. Anyway, Faiza's great, as are She-Hulk, White Tiger and Rescue (Prowler, by comparison, is kind of a loser, but you can't have everything), and the set-up sounds kinda crazy, with rival cities headed by Evil Luke Cage and the scientist who helped Tony Stark build his first Iron Man suit, and Alan Davis remains one of the greatest 'classic' comic artists of all time. Plus, it's only going to be 2 issues long, so it's not like it's gonna break the bank or anything.
Spider-Island
Written by Christos Gage, art by Paco Diaz
Back-up story by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz
What's it about?
Once, a plague spread across Manhattan that mutated the city's population with arachnid superpowers. That crisis was resolved - but on another Earth, it continued to run rampant, and this Spider-Island has survived. With Peter Parker a prisoner of the Spider-Queen and many other superheroes her mutated, insane followers, it's up to Flash Thompson, a.k.a Agent Venom to unite the few remaining uninfected and put a stop to the madness! Also featuring a back-up story set on Battleworld's MC2 region, starring Mayday Parker a.k.a Spider-Girl.
Buy or pass?
Again, not overly interested in Spider-things these days, but this one does sound quite neat, especially since we're shelving regular boring Spidey in favour of symbiote-powered jimmy-no-legs Agent Venom. Gage is generally reliable too. The MC2 stuff I'm completely unfamiliar with, though I've seen enough angry message board posts to know that there's a very devoted following for Mayday, so it's nice they're getting a bone thrown their way. Could be a sleeper for me.
House of M
Written by Dennis Hopeless, art by Kris Anka
What's it about?
The day has come. Homo Superior has won the battle for its survival, regular mankind is on its way out, and all the world looks to Erik Magnus, Magneto, and his family for leadership. Once it may have been a dream - now it's reality. But for all their appearance of perfection, there may be cracks behind the wallpaper of the House of M...
Buy or pass?
Probably a buy. House of M was one of the better 'event' stories of recent years, and journeying back to its alternate world - without the stigma of 'No More Mutants' attached - should be interesting. Plus Hopeless and Anka make for a pretty damn solid team at the helm. I'm still a little vague on what the actual story is going to be, since the narrative last time was entirely based around disproving this world's existence, but I'm confident it'll be worth a purchase.
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