Comics All-New Marvel Now [Archive] - Giant in the Playground Forums

Man on Fire

2013-11-03, 04:12 PM

Wave of new Marve Titles starts in January. What are you going to try?
The list of new series that have been confirmed:

All-New Doop by Peter Milligan (X-Statix, Shade The Changing Man) [miniseries]
All-New Ghost Rider Felipe Smith (PeePo Choo) & Tradd Moore (The Strange Talent of Luther Strode)
All-New Invaders by James Robinson (Starman, Earth 2)
All-New Ultimates by Michael Fiffe (COPRA)
All-New X-Factor by Peter David (X-Factor, Incredibe Hulk)
Amazing Spider-Man by Dan Slott (Superior Spider-Man, She-Hulk) and humberto Ramos (New X-Men)
Avengers Undercover by Dennis Hopeless (Avengers Arena) and Kev Walker (Magic:The Gathering artist)
Avengers World by Jonathan Hickman (Avengers, Fantastic Four, FF) and Nick Spencer (Morning Glories, Superior Foes of Spider-Man)
Black Widow by Nathan Edmondson (Who is Jake Ellis?)
Captain Marvel (restart) by Kelly Sue DeConnick (Pretty Deadly)
Cyclops by Greg Rucka (Queen & Country, Wonder Woman, Gotham Central, the Punisher) [miniseries]
Daredevil [restart] by Mark Waid (Kingdom Come, Captain America, Fantastic Four, Irredeemable, Incorruptible)
Deadly Hands of Kung Fu by Luke Benson (Deadpool: Game$ of Death) [miniseries]
Elektra by Haden Blackman (Batwoman)
Fantastic Four by James Robinson
Hulk [restart] by Mark Waid and Mark Bagley (Ultimate Spider-Man)
Inhuman by Charles Soule (27, Superman/Wonder Woman, Thunderbolts)
Iron Fist by Kaare Andrews (Spider-Man: Reign)
Iron Patriot by Ales Kot (ZERO)
Loki: Agent of Asgard by Al Ewing (Judge Dredd, Mighty Avengers, Pax Britannia novels)
Magneto by Cullen Bunn (Venom, Fearless Defenders)
Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man by Brian Michael Bendis (Ultimate Spider-Man, Daredevil, Alias)
Moon Knight by Warren Ellis (Planetary, the Authority, Transmetropolitan, Black Summer, Secret Avengers)
Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson (Air, Alif the Unseen) and Adrian Alphona (Runaways)
New Warriors by Christopher Yost (New X-Men, Scarlet Spider)
Nightcrawler by Chris Claremont (Uncanny X-Men, Excalibur, Wolverine vol.1)
The Punisher by Nathan Edmondson
Rocket Racoon by Skottie Young (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and sequels, New X-Men)
Savage Hulk by various
Secret Avengers by Ales Kot
She-Hulk by Charles Soule
Silver Surfer by Dan Slott
Spider-Man 2099 by Peter David
Spider-Man: Year One by Dan Slott [miniseries]
Ultimate FF by Joshua Fialkov (Ultimate Comcis the Ultimates, Cataclysm: The Ultimates Last Stand)
Wolverine And the X-Men by Jason Latour (Winter Soldier)
Winter Soldier by Rick Reemender (Frankencastle, Uncanny X-Force, Uncanny Avengers)
X-Force by Simon Spurrier(X-Men: Legacy vol.2)

And there is a min-event, Revolutionary War, that bring many characters from Marvel UK scene and seems to be written in style of Anihillation (short number of independent limited series followed by main miniseies binding them together).

So, what are your picks?
Me, I wil ldefinetely give a try to New Warriors, - one of my favorite writers of teenagers writing teens again AND my new love, Scarlet Spider, make soild combination for me. I also want to give a try to Loki and Ghost Rider because of their importance on the grounds of sexual and racial minorities - Loki's new series potrays him as bisexual and capable of changing genders, consequences of writer promises to explore, and new Ghost Rider is a Latno-American (EDIT: an now I will also add Ms. marvel to this, as new Ms. Marvel is a muslim girl).
[S]While I'm happy about new series about female characters, out of those I will probably follow only Elektra - Zeb Wells is a good writer, I hardly een bad comics from him, and he slaved his butt for years to get a chance to write Elektra, he deserves the series to last at least a year. Maybe I will give Black Widow a chance to see, if writer is good, but unlikely - I'll probably rather just buy trade of "Who is Jake Ellis?". ame with Elektra - I'll rather buy so much praised Batwoman by the writer, unless reviews are good.
All-new X-Factor by Peter David is another must have for me, because, well, it's Peter David, one of best writers at Marvel. I will also try Revolutionary War, to suppower lover level characters, plus it has few names I like (Gillen, Lanning) attached. EDIT: And of course I will buy Moon Knight by Warren Ellis.
And I might give Silver Surfer a chance, if my budged survives it.

I knwo for one hundred precent I am not going to buy Avengrs Undercover - Dennis Hopeless proved he is incompetent fanfiction-level writer, enamored with his pet characters, using cheap, amateur tricks to make them look better at the expense of estabilished fan-favorites, who are killed or turned into horrible and stupid people to make his favorites look better.
I also won't pick Avengers World - Infinity made me sick of Jonathan Hickman's style of writing, I despise his levels of Avengers fanwa...you know what and I hate what he did to cosmic Marvel. And I hate Avengers. Nick Spencer is not enough to make me buy the book.

Adwhat are your picks?

Kitten Champion

2013-11-03, 06:37 PM

I'll try Avenger's World. I'm sick of Avengers everything, but I'm willing to see what they're offering. I'll be sure to pick up Elektra, Black Widow, and Silver Surfer, I like the characters and appreciate they're getting their own titles.

...and I'm going to keep reading Captain Marvel. I'm concerned but optimistic with where they're taking the character, I was happy to see her progress to somewhere good both as a character within her own comics and as a comic itself. DeConnick claims she's going to do something for which the Ms Marvel/Captain Marvel character has always needed, which is create a legitimate villain for her. It's something all the female superheroes, aside from maybe very few Wonder Woman rogues, don't seem to get. I suppose it's because they don't run long enough or separate themselves sufficiently from their male counterparts to warrant one, so they get one-note characters or borrow from others.

I never read New Warriors, but if I don't have to know the back-material to get what's going on I'm certainly willing to put down for an issue or two.

Ravens_cry

2013-11-03, 08:39 PM

Any thoughts on whether this iteration of Shulkie will be any good?:smallbiggrin:

Man on Fire

2013-11-03, 09:49 PM

I'll try Avenger's World. I'm sick of Avengers everything, but I'm willing to see what they're offering.

To be honest, if I HAD to pick up an Avengers title, I would rather try Al Ewing's Mighty Avengers, because it's a team made of mostly pocs - Luke Cage, Monica Rembeau, teenage Power Man, Blue Marvel and new Ronin (Spoiler:Blade) are black, while White tiger is Latino-American, with ony two members, She-Hulk and Superior Spider-Man, being white. Ewing wanted to create a team late Dwayne McDuffie would be proud of. Or I would try Kelly Sue DeConnick's Avengers Assemble, with more female characters (soon to be joiend by Spider-Girl) and soon to be co-written by Warren Ellis.

...and I'm going to keep reading Captain Marvel. I'm concerned but optimistic with where they're taking the character, I was happy to see her progress to somewhere good both as a character within her own comics and as a comic itself. DeConnick claims she's going to do something for which the Ms Marvel/Captain Marvel character has always needed, which is create a legitimate villain for her. It's something all the female superheroes, aside from maybe very few Wonder Woman rogues, don't seem to get. I suppose it's because they don't run long enough or separate themselves sufficiently from their male counterparts to warrant one, so they get one-note characters or borrow from others.

Well, to be quite honest, a lot of less popular characters hardly have decent set of antagonists, mosty also because they don't run ong enough to get estabilish really good ones. And really good ones tend to be moved to fight more iconic heroes anyway - all of Dr. Strange's enemies save Baron Mordo are now up for grabs for anybody. Carol had Deathbird and Mystique as her enemies, but they were moved to fight X-Men.

Borrowing really isn't that much of an isssue, a lot of decent villains started fighting other people than their arch enemies (Sabretooth was an Iron Gist enemy). It's a problem when character doesn't have decent orginal villains alongside borrowed ones.

I never read New Warriors, but if I don't have to know the back-material to get what's going on I'm certainly willing to put down for an issue or two.

While I'm pretty sure Chris Yost is gonna tie some loose ends from Scarlet Spider series he's writing right now, as main character and his sidekick are in the team (and said series ends on next issue), he's quite good at making comics understable for new audience, so it shouldn't be a problem.

Kitten Champion

2013-11-04, 12:34 AM

To be honest, if I HAD to pick up an Avengers title, I would rather try Al Ewing's Mighty Avengers, because it's a team made of mostly pocs - Luke Cage, Monica Rembeau, teenage Power Man, Blue Marvel and new Ronin (Spoiler:Blade) are black, while White tiger is Latino-American, with ony two members, She-Hulk and Superior Spider-Man, being white. Ewing wanted to create a team late Dwayne McDuffie would be proud of. Or I would try Kelly Sue DeConnick's Avengers Assemble, with more female characters (soon to be joiend by Spider-Girl) and soon to be co-written by Warren Ellis.

Assemble is in my opinion the best of the titles, but I'm biased because Carol's a pretty significant part of the series. It has a good mix of fun and character development, it's how I like comics generally speaking. Adjectiveless Avengers is trying too hard to push for mythic grandeur and largely feels impersonal and rushed. What it does have going for it is a couple of characters I sincerely enjoy and would like to see fleshed out in a more discrete setting. If Avengers World can provide that I'd be fine with it, if they don't I'll probably find myself losing interest.

I'm hesitant with Mighty Avengers because I don't like the portrayal of Otto Octavius as Spider-Man. I don't mind the concept personally, but the way they tend to write him when he pops up is too predictable and hyperbolic. Like I would forget he's not actually Peter Parker if he wasn't a total condescending self-congratulating jerk to everyone at all times. I hear better things about his own comic series, but I can't muster up the desire to spend money on it right now.

I'm glad they're doing something with Spider-Girl, her character was one of the strong points of Ms Marvel vol. 2 and Avengers Academy, and I'm equally glad she got left out of Arena.

Well, to be quite honest, a lot of less popular characters hardly have decent set of antagonists, mosty also because they don't run ong enough to get estabilish really good ones. And really good ones tend to be moved to fight more iconic heroes anyway - all of Dr. Strange's enemies save Baron Mordo are now up for grabs for anybody. Carol had Deathbird and Mystique as her enemies, but they were moved to fight X-Men.

Borrowing really isn't that much of an isssue, a lot of decent villains started fighting other people than their arch enemies (Sabretooth was an Iron Gist enemy). It's a problem when character doesn't have decent orginal villains alongside borrowed ones.

Yeah, that's why it's encouraging that she's developing a few for Carol. I won't say Captain/Ms Marvel is popular as such, but as a titular hero she's had more opportunity to establish a niche with her own rogues' gallery than most, and they haven't really capitalized on it. Her biggest antagonist in the 00's was her lack of self-esteem and focus on her goals, not AIM, the Puppetmaster, or Brood. That works to a degree, but I think you need both internal and external conflict to have longevity.

While I'm pretty sure Chris Yost is gonna tie some loose ends from Scarlet Spider series he's writing right now, as main character and his sidekick are in the team (and said series ends on next issue), he's quite good at making comics understable for new audience, so it shouldn't be a problem.

I guess I'll try it. I only really know the New Warriors title through the characters carrying over into Avengers Academy and while I enjoyed that series I didn't want to go back through the archives to see where they were coming from. I think I read and enjoyed New X-Men, although I'm not sure. I seem to recall being upset that they killed off a bunch of characters late in the series. X-Men titles blur together for me.

Avilan the Grey

2013-11-04, 02:38 AM

Hopeless

2013-11-04, 05:50 AM

Not doing Marvel Comics until One More Day AND Superior Spiderman is erased from continuity.

Never read either but heard enough to understand why.

Not doing DC until New 52 is stopped and erased from continuity.
It took a you tube video of the first book of the new JLA to get me interested, the fact they swapped out Aquaman for Captain Marvel (or whatever they're calling him now) for the movie makes me wonder if they know what they're doing... fortunately the clip they released shows at least they're trying to make a good animated movie out of it even if it suffers from a lack of a hero that represents 70% of the Earth's surface!:smallwink:

Won't touch Forever Evil with a barge pole, had enough problems with what they've been doing since Identity Crisis anyway!

In other words I don't read much Superhero comics these days.

I've stuck with Star Wars this year, the new Legacy version is actually quite good especially as it has an imperial knight accompanying a non-force sensitive descendant of a certain pair from the original trilogy whose saved his a**e quite a few times so far and heck she does fire first!!!

Sorry you struck a nerve!:smallredface:

Man on Fire

2013-11-04, 04:59 PM

Not doing Marvel Comics until One More Day AND Superior Spiderman is erased from continuity.

Not doing DC until New 52 is stopped and erased from continuity.

In other words I don't read much Superhero comics these days.

Firrst, I would like to point out how much you are accomplishing by giving up the products of two companies completely:
Big.
Fat.
Zero.
The moment you stop buying theirr products completely, you cease being target audience. What they are left with are people who still buy their products and that means people who still buy the new Spidey and like it. When company will look at sales they won't think "Oh boy, our sales decreased, we need to undo every controversial change and hope our old audience will come back". No, they will think "oh boy, our sales decreased, we need to focus more on people who stayed, to ensure they won't go away too". And people who stayed, guess what? They buy and enjoy Superior Spider-Man.
If you want them to change you cannot just give it up altogether, company wi just keeep going without you. What you need to do is support comcis that do things the way you like. if there aren't any on Marvel or DC, support independent market, there is probaby something good from Image (invincible maybe? Or kind-aimed Superdinosaur?), IDW (How about Powerpuff Girls or Samurai Jack comics?), Dark Horse (Hellboy and B.P.R.D., Star Wars comics), Boom! Studios (Adventure Time! comics) etc - you need to show the company what you want. Othertwise they will keep publishing what you dislike.

Soras Teva Gee

2013-11-04, 06:40 PM

Well a sales slump can spur a change in policy since what you are doing is by definition not working.

Of course that presumes sales are down... and apparently they are up 10% (http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2013.html) versus last year and have shown slow but appreciable growth for several years.

One can examine the individual bestsellers and they are a pretty consistent pattern. They'll stop pulling stunts when stunts stop selling.

If one wished to engineer a change one should probably buy only different titles not no titles.

Aotrs Commander

2013-11-04, 07:40 PM

That assumes that the company releases ANTHING you want to read, of course...

I'm down to Astonishing X-Men and adjectiveless X-Men With Jubilee In It... Likely, when they fold or get screwed up (is it sad that I veiw that as not a possibilty, but an inevitablility?), that'll be my last comics from Marvel. (None of those new titles interest me at all. Come back to me when Jubilee gets a proper shot at her own title - or maybe a Jubilee and the X-Men or Avengers or something, and we'll talk Marvel...)

DC lost me with the reboot, though I was at best only reading Teen Titans anyway.

Currently, my only other comics are the MLP ones (which are extremely good - I got more enjoyment out of them handful of issues of that I'd read than the last two or three year's worth of X-Men titles, sadly...) and Regeneration One (which is continuation of the One True Transformers continuity, (ironically) Marvel's run).

When they all end/fold, if things stay much the same as they are, I suspect I'll spend my money on something else entirely (Paizo's Golarion sourcebooks - I could nearly afford one of those a month in PDF for the price I pay for four comics plus postage and they take longer to read!)

Honestly, I think both DC and Marvel have got to the point where their animated and live-action stuff is now by-and-large better then their comics, in my opinion.

Soras Teva Gee

2013-11-04, 09:18 PM

That assumes that the company releases ANTHING you want to read, of course...

Quite.

I stopped years ago now and don't miss comics. I poke at them from time to time but the only one I've found personally worth a damn in recent years is Saga (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saga_%28comic_book%29). And that I collect by trade.

Honestly, I think both DC and Marvel have got to the point where their animated and live-action stuff is now by-and-large better then their comics, in my opinion.

I tend to lean towards the pessimistic conclusion that the traditional superhero comic format is just waiting for the bottom to fall out and getting every last bit it can before that sets in.

Perhaps particularly creatively.

Man on Fire

2013-11-04, 09:27 PM

And I can prove you wrong simply by the fact I've read X-men legacy vol.2 today. And it was fantastic.

The fact that company doesn't produce good comics in areas you care about doesn't mean they don't produce good titles at all.

Personally I think that 2013 was worst year at Marvel I've seen for long time. Infinity made my favorite cosmic heroes like Ronan and Gladiator look like incompetent losers so Avengers (whom I HATE WITH PASSION) and bunch of mary sues could look better and gave me potrayao f Thanos so bad I lost all respect to what was once one of my favorite supervillains. Avengers Arena killed some of my favorite characters and others derailed in a way I fear may never be fixed, so bunch of writer's pet characters can look better. And every single X-Men related character I give a damn about is a wallpaper for anoying little ****, Quentin Quire, and worst character ever, Wolverine.

But that doesn't change the fact there is good stuff out there. Like I said, Scarlet Spider was fun, Young Avengers was fun, Superior Foes of Spider-man was fun and X-men Legacy was fun.

And don't get me the crap that Jubilee isn't getting proper push. At least she is featured in comcis at all. My favorite character is now anonymous face in the crowd. My secodn favorite character has been dead since Siege and editors stepped in hen somebody wanted to bring him back. My third favorite character was written so horribly this year I fear she will never recover. That doesn't stop me from enjoying David, Kaine and YA kids.

And animated material from marvel sucks. Last good thing they produced was Earth Mightiest Heroes and even that was faaar from perfect.

BRC

2013-11-04, 09:45 PM

Quite.

I stopped years ago now and don't miss comics. I poke at them from time to time but the only one I've found personally worth a damn in recent years is Saga (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saga_%28comic_book%29). And that I collect by trade.

I tend to lean towards the pessimistic conclusion that the traditional superhero comic format is just waiting for the bottom to fall out and getting every last bit it can before that sets in.

Perhaps particularly creatively.

Define "Traditional Superhero Comic Format", because there are some very good superhero comics out on the market right now.

It just so happens that many of them are not good for exclusively Superhero-Comics reasons, in that their best moments are not in their ability to tell a good "Superhero Story" (Superhero Story defined here is of the form Villain Has Dastardly Plot, Superhero works to stop them).

Although that definition is kind of stupid. There are lots of stories focused on character exploration and interpersonal relationships rather than "Watch how awesome batman is" that you couldn't really tell outside of the somewhat absurd setting of Superheros.
Really, what is a Superhero? Is James Bond a superhero? After all, he has larger than life adventures foiling the plots of dastardly villains. Is Harry Potter a superhero? after all he has powers beyond that of an ordinary human, and he does heroic things with them.

I think Superheros as the Go-To Comic Book Genre are on their way out, and I applaud it. Comics are too versatile a genre to be limited to people in spandex punching each other, but I don't think they're going away anytime soon.

I think we'll start getting far more comics like Saga or The Walking Dead in the near future.

jedipotter

2013-11-04, 10:08 PM

X-Factor by Peter David? Wow I loved his first run with X-Factor in the long ago before time. I might have to buy this.

I'm way too burned out on the 'Avengers' with 'everyone is an Avenger' now or whatever.

If the new Ghost Rider was more like a ''dark hero violently slaughtering evil fiends and monsters much like the 2nd Ghost Rider(Dan Ketch) before he got popular and they had to nerf him as they were worried about the kids, I might give it a chance. But if it is just another lame rated G super hero...meh.

Silver Surfer...I've always been a fan. And if they make it Super Cosmic I'd buy it in a second. But even a hint of the lame 'for the people crappy angel' Surfer from a couple years ago and I'll never buy it again.

BRC

2013-11-04, 10:14 PM

I think I read something somewhere that Marvel editorial tried to capitalize on the success of The Avengers film by adding "Avengers" to a bunch of titles. Secret Avengers was supposed to be Agents of SHIELD (or something), Avengers Arena was supposed to be called Murder World, Mighty Avengers was supposed to be Heroes for Hire. But they looked at the metrics and found that things with "Avengers" in the title sold better, regardless if the book actually featured any avenging, or featured the superhero organization known as The Avengers in any way.

Soras Teva Gee

2013-11-04, 11:46 PM

And I can prove you wrong simply by the fact I've read X-men legacy vol.2 today. And it was fantastic.

The fact that company doesn't produce good comics in areas you care about doesn't mean they don't produce good titles at all.

Personally I think that 2013 was worst year at Marvel I've seen for long time.

You call me wrong... and then testify to my exact point for me.

Thanks!

Really, what is a Superhero? Is James Bond a superhero? After all, he has larger than life adventures foiling the plots of dastardly villains. Is Harry Potter a superhero? after all he has powers beyond that of an ordinary human, and he does heroic things with them.

Bond played by Craig, no. Early Connery ones no. Somewhere in the along the ways to that damn invisible car... well I do see where your coming from. However point blank on Bond my answer is no.

Just apply the KISS principle and don't worry about every case. Otherwise you just end up with every hero being a superhero because they do the implausible. When everyone is super, no one is.

Harry Potter is a wizard. While some wizards are superheros, its not really what they are known for. Unless Potter has some particular reason (being a noble and heoric wizard is not one) then he's simply not one.

On the other side Swamp Thing, John Constantine, and Dream are not superheroes (least in their classic heyday) despite actually living in the DC universe. Its just an artifact of their publishing and medium.

I think Superheros as the Go-To Comic Book Genre are on their way out, and I applaud it. Comics are too versatile a genre to be limited to people in spandex punching each other, but I don't think they're going away anytime soon.

I think we'll start getting far more comics like Saga or The Walking Dead in the near future.

I think most people are generally talking about the superhero genre when they are talking about "comics" yes?

However I think we are mostly in agreement here. I add that I suspect the catalyst will be closely related to the ongoing shift in publishing from the single issue format to the trade-paperback format.

BRC

2013-11-05, 12:12 AM

You call me wrong... and then testify to my exact point for me.

Thanks!

Bond played by Craig, no. Early Connery ones no. Somewhere in the along the ways to that damn invisible car... well I do see where your coming from. However point blank on Bond my answer is no.

Just apply the KISS principle and don't worry about every case. Otherwise you just end up with every hero being a superhero because they do the implausible. When everyone is super, no one is.

Harry Potter is a wizard. While some wizards are superheros, its not really what they are known for. Unless Potter has some particular reason (being a noble and heoric wizard is not one) then he's simply not one.

On the other side Swamp Thing, John Constantine, and Dream are not superheroes (least in their classic heyday) despite actually living in the DC universe. Its just an artifact of their publishing and medium.

I think most people are generally talking about the superhero genre when they are talking about "comics" yes?

However I think we are mostly in agreement here. I add that I suspect the catalyst will be closely related to the ongoing shift in publishing from the single issue format to the trade-paperback format.

My point was that "Superheros" as a genre are defined more by their trappings (Capes, Costumes, code names), than by the actual mechanics (Powers, Adventure, evil schemes). The current Hawkeye comics star a Superhero, but I have some trouble calling them "Superhero Stories", and yet you couldn't remove the Superhero from them.

Avilan the Grey

2013-11-05, 02:32 AM

Firrst, I would like to point out how much you are accomplishing by giving up the products of two companies completely:
Big.
Fat.
Zero.
The moment you stop buying theirr products completely, you cease being target audience. What they are left with are people who still buy their products and that means people who still buy the new Spidey and like it.

I love this kind of argument, as faulty as it is.

First of all, I am not out to "hurt" them. They failed to meet my expections, so I am not buying their product. It's that simple. Your argument makes it sound like I somehow could change their mind by continuing to buy a product I don't like. It doesn't make sense; there is no "obligation" for me to continue to read their product and hope and pray for a change?

Second, how would they know my standpoint from those who like the direction? They can't determine that "Oh, those 5 people LIKE it, but this guy over here is buying the stuff despite not approving, because he is hoping we'll change our ways". No, they will say "Oh, 6 people like our product!".

Marvel, for me, is now a movie commpany. I love the movies (except the snore-fest known as Thor). I won't start reading their comics any day soon, though.

That assumes that the company releases ANTHING you want to read, of course...

When I returned to comics about 10 years ago, I found DC more interesting than Marvel. I loved WW, and the Powergirl series, as well as Birds Of Prey and a few others. (Their Reboot-itis (which Marvel doesn't suffer from) is highly annoying though; the last 10 years they have had what? 3 reboots?)

Then New 52 rolls around and ruins or cancels EVERY. SINGLE. TITLE. I liked.
So... here we go.

I am moderately interested in the new Harley Quinn series, since it will be written by the same team that did the wonderful Powergirl series. But I don't have any high hopes. I will try an issue or two, though.

Aotrs Commander

2013-11-05, 05:39 AM

And I can prove you wrong simply by the fact I've read X-men legacy vol.2 today. And it was fantastic.

I think that given that we have established before that given that things that you liked in the past have been things I hated so much it fundementally changed my view on character death forever (New X-Men run post-M-Day) that our tastes are sufficiently diverse that what you like and what I like are vastly seperate and possibly even mutally exclusive.

The fact that company doesn't produce good comics in areas you care about doesn't mean they don't produce good titles at all.

No, but it does mean that if a company is not producing something I care about, be comic, game or telly, I'm not going to spend time or money on it; I'll either find another company that does or spend my money on something completely different.

No company gets any loyalty from me in revenue except what it generates in material I'm interested in. If it stops producing that, then I won't buy anything from them, it's that simple.

This holds just as true for companies I have some time for, like Telltale or Stardock in the gaming industry. But the former haven't released anything I want since the last Sam and Max game, so while I wish them well, I'm not going to buy a game I don't care for just to support a company.

Same as I refuse to buy those ridiculous compilation DVDs with odd episodes they release for cartoon shows because the companies have the policy that they release such things and when they get sales for that they might deign to release the season sets (seriously, according to Shout Factory, this is actually the way is works). I'm not paying for something I want twice and I'm not paying for something I don't want at all.

At the end of the day, I'd rather not have something I want than buy something I don't want in order to fund something I do: I'll just go without, thanks. I vote with my wallet. Maybe it doesn't make any difference, but I'm going to do it anyway.

So when Marvel and DC release something that I want to read, they can have some more of my money (as Marvel are still doing with those last two X-Men titles). If they decide that never again will they do anything I want to read, then good luck to them and we'll go our seperate ways.

MLai

2013-11-05, 05:56 AM

So currently Marvel and I guess superhero comics in general are being buoyed by the Hollywood superhero fad. When this fad finally dies horribly (IIRC we are all forecasting 2014, the year of horrible blockbuster mass die-offs), does that mean we will witness the death of the superhero genre in comics as well?

comicshorse

2013-11-05, 06:57 AM

I think Superheros as the Go-To Comic Book Genre are on their way out, and I applaud it. Comics are too versatile a genre to be limited to people in spandex punching each other, but I don't think they're going away anytime soon.

I think we'll start getting far more comics like Saga or The Walking Dead in the near future.

I hope your right. I've been moving away from superhero comics for years, to the point where the last comic I'd define as 'superhero' I got I cancelled last month. I'm still getting about 15 comics a month though, its just none of them involve superhero's

Avilan the Grey

2013-11-05, 09:03 AM

I hope your right. I've been moving away from superhero comics for years, to the point where the last comic I'd define as 'superhero' I got I cancelled last month. I'm still getting about 15 comics a month though, its just none of them involve superhero's

I, on the other hand, basically only enjoy superhero and "funnies" (Calvin and Hobbes, Bloom County, Get Fuzzy, Pondus, Nemi (not that most of you have heard of the last two) etc.

I have virtually zero interest in any other kind of comic.

Man on Fire

2013-11-05, 10:20 AM

X-Factor by Peter David? Wow I loved his first run with X-Factor in the long ago before time. I might have to buy this.

Em, buddy....You DO realize Peter David has been writing X-Factor since 2005? From issue #1 to issue #50 and, after changed numeration, from issue #200 to issue #261? It ended this year and All-New is a direct sequel sprung from idea that appeared in one of last isues.

I think I read something somewhere that Marvel editorial tried to capitalize on the success of The Avengers film by adding "Avengers" to a bunch of titles. Secret Avengers was supposed to be Agents of SHIELD (or something), Avengers Arena was supposed to be called Murder World, Mighty Avengers was supposed to be Heroes for Hire. But they looked at the metrics and found that things with "Avengers" in the title sold better, regardless if the book actually featured any avenging, or featured the superhero organization known as The Avengers in any way.

Which is funny in that none of those books sells - Mighty isn't doing particurally well, Secret is selling horribly, and Arena had only one issue that didn't lost in sales. Hell, I think that this might have killed Arena - they expected it to sell like Avengers book and it's second-worst selling series with the word in the title, outselling only Secret. Series wasn't up to tenth issue when they anounced it's ending on 18 and will have second season. At issue 15 they scrapped second season completely. Which is good, this book deserve to burn and be retconned.

You call me wrong... and then testify to my exact point for me.

READ REST OF MY @#$%ING POST! Do not, EVER, nitpick what you like from my post and then twist my words to serve your bidings. Yes, I said 2013 is the worst year from marvel in long time, but THEN I said "But that doesn't change the fact there is good stuff out there.". Stop being manipulative jerk who thinks people forgot what they said five minutes after.

I think that given that we have established before that given that things that you liked in the past have been things I hated so much it fundementally changed my view on character death forever (New X-Men run post-M-Day) that our tastes are sufficiently diverse that what you like and what I like are vastly seperate and possibly even mutally exclusive.

Just a sample of what you're missing

http://marvelcomic.pl/comics/x-men_legacy_vol._2/pages/large/x-men_legacy_vol._2_10@3_fl.jpg
https://dcomixologyssl.sslcs.cdngc.net/i/9011/34546/889f029ff7894d2720d2d18fa292d5c8.jpg?h=622ba514aa5 e87053e440bb1936f8833
https://dcomixologyssl.sslcs.cdngc.net/i/9011/39605/d55eae83c26d1fe12124f91780f2dbaa.jpg?h=84ca10b459d a3abff42ab1a26ff1b7f6
http://8th-circuit.com/sites/default/files/x-men_legacy_009-004.jpg
https://dcomixologyssl.sslcs.cdngc.net/i/9011/34546/3b63bf628bb1da4c95dfee5258d1375c.jpg?h=48ad9ea0015 a51240882779faaefea20

No, but it does mean that if a company is not producing something I care about, be comic, game or telly, I'm not going to spend time or money on it; I'll either find another company that does or spend my money on something completely different.

And that's fair. But by doing so you give up right to complain they don't produce things you want. Unless that other company is their direct competitor, like Image or Boom! studios, for example. And that's only if you support superhero titles from those competitors.

So currently Marvel and I guess superhero comics in general are being buoyed by the Hollywood superhero fad. When this fad finally dies horribly (IIRC we are all forecasting 2014, the year of horrible blockbuster mass die-offs), does that mean we will witness the death of the superhero genre in comics as well?

No. At worst we will see another crisis, like one Marvel facet at begining of 00s. Which paradoxally is good, as it made them take risk and put out some of the best books of that decade, that includes my favorite Runaways.

First of all, I am not out to "hurt" them. They failed to meet my expections, so I am not buying their product.

That's understable and respectable.
That's also not what you said.
You said that you won't buy their producs unti lthey undo things you don't like. Tht is a protester stance, a boycouting stanca. A stance of somebody who proceeds to do something until he is given what he wants. And I point out that this accomplishes nothing.

Your argument makes it sound like I somehow could change their mind by continuing to buy a product I don't like.

No, I want you to vote with your wallet not by giving up comics but by supporting lesser-known characters and independent market titles that compete with Marvel. Buying nothing accomplishes nothing. Buying Scarlet Spider and X-men Legacy and Young Avengers and Invincible and other comics shows marvel what you want instad of Superior.
And for the @#$% sake Marvel is right now publishing Marvel Knights Spider-man miniseries and bunch of one-shots in December, all with Peter. If you want at least to have superior undone, buy at least those.

Second, how would they know my standpoint from those who like the direction? They can't determine that "Oh, those 5 people LIKE it, but this guy over here is buying the stuff despite not approving, because he is hoping we'll change our ways". No, they will say "Oh, 6 people like our product!".

Again, I don't want you tu buy the same book, I want you to buy other books, reach in market and find something that does things right. How about this:
http://ifanboy.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Scarlet-Spider_16_Panel.jpg
?

Giving up completely accomplihes nothing. Supporting what does things right makes comics market better place.

BRC

2013-11-05, 10:45 AM

Which is funny in that none of those books sells - Mighty isn't doing particurally well, Secret is selling horribly, and Arena had only one issue that didn't lost in sales. Hell, I think that this might have killed Arena - they expected it to sell like Avengers book and it's second-worst selling series with the word in the title, outselling only Secret. Series wasn't up to tenth issue when they anounced it's ending on 18 and will have second season. At issue 15 they scrapped second season completely. Which is good, this book deserve to burn and be retconned.
.

I didn't say it was working, I just heard somwhere that it was a concious effort on their part. When everybody is Avengers, no one will be.

Arena is a terrible idea that got turned into a merely very bad comic. I don't think it should exist, but it could have been far worse.

As for DC, I have recently gotten into binge-reading the pre-new 52 stuff and then crying because all the New 52 stuff is terrible. Its like DC wants to turn every character in their stable into Batman.
Exhibit A: Blue Beetle.
Pre- New 52: A series bristling with heart, featuring a large and likable supporting cast both with and without superpowers, lots of great character focus, characters are all relatable, sympathetic, and entertaining.
New52: Angry Loner fighting bad guys.

I tried reading new Birds of Prey, and it just broke my heart.

Back on topic, of those the only one I know I'll be picking up is Captain Marvel. I might look at the others and see if they catch my eye.

comicshorse

2013-11-05, 10:48 AM

I, on the other hand, basically only enjoy superhero and "funnies" (Calvin and Hobbes, Bloom County, Get Fuzzy, Pondus, Nemi (not that most of you have heard of the last two) etc.

I have virtually zero interest in any other kind of comic.

Well it would be a very dull world if everybody liked the same things (though that said I love Calvin and Hobbes and Bloom County)

MLai

2013-11-05, 10:49 AM

LOL that was the ugliest variation of Wolverine I've ever seen. :smallyuk::smallbiggrin:
Where his chin go? Maybe he accidentally hacked it off while trying to finally shave using his claws.

Aotrs Commander

2013-11-05, 12:10 PM

Just a sample of what you're missing

http://marvelcomic.pl/comics/x-men_legacy_vol._2/pages/large/x-men_legacy_vol._2_10@3_fl.jpg
https://dcomixologyssl.sslcs.cdngc.net/i/9011/34546/889f029ff7894d2720d2d18fa292d5c8.jpg?h=622ba514aa5 e87053e440bb1936f8833
https://dcomixologyssl.sslcs.cdngc.net/i/9011/39605/d55eae83c26d1fe12124f91780f2dbaa.jpg?h=84ca10b459d a3abff42ab1a26ff1b7f6
http://8th-circuit.com/sites/default/files/x-men_legacy_009-004.jpg
https://dcomixologyssl.sslcs.cdngc.net/i/9011/34546/3b63bf628bb1da4c95dfee5258d1375c.jpg?h=48ad9ea0015 a51240882779faaefea20

Sorry, nothing there doing it for me.

Avilan the Grey

2013-11-05, 04:50 PM

And that's fair. But by doing so you give up right to complain they don't produce things you want..

Um no. That's not how it works.

CarpeGuitarrem

2013-11-05, 04:58 PM

Man on Fire

2013-11-05, 06:12 PM

@Man on Fire: Not everyone is a crusader trying to change the face of comics, and not everyone should be. :smallsmile: Some people follow the simple rule of "well, I don't like this series or the direction it took, so I'm not following it any longer unless they change it in this way". It really is that simple.

That works only for popular A-list characters. it doesn't work for less know B and C-List ones. If A-Lister series doesn't sell, writer is taken away from it and replaced by somebody else. If B or C-lister series doesn't sell, it's cancelled and writer is sent to ruin something else.

MLai

2013-11-05, 06:30 PM

BRC

2013-11-05, 07:07 PM

You guys shouldn't drag Man On Fire into yet another "Marvel sucks." "No it doesn't!" derail. I believe his point for this thread is to let potentially like-minded ppl know about a new start in many titles. If you hate superhero comics on principle, just leave it alone. We've heard this line of argument already, and it seems to always be somebody vs Man On Fire.

Yeah I was guilty of it too. But I don't think he started this particular thread to revisit that. :smalltongue:

This particular topic isn't about Marvel, only tangentially, it's about whether or not Avilan (who is currently not buying comics, but would be willing to if things changed) has a right to complain about the current state of comics. We're jumping on Man on Fire because 1) They're on fire, and we should put them out, and 2) they said that Avilian (Who currently is not buying comics) has no right to complain about the state of comics.

I would say yes. Avilan's decision to not buy comics is a drop in the bucket, but that's all any individual consumer can contribute one way or another, so he has as much a right to complain as anybody else. I guess you could write letters or become an influential comics blogger, but as a consumer all we have is our ability to buy or not buy things we want or don't want. This has the added benefit of giving us comics we like, and having us not spend money on comics we don't like.

If Avilan wanted to, for example, tell DC to get rid of the stinking mess of the New 52, not buying New52 comics is a good way to do it. The other way to do it is to buy things that you DO like in order to send the message that they should publish more stuff like that. Of course, this is a drop-in-the-bucket, its only going to actually do anything if lots of people do the same thing, but that's how things work, and if everybody mindlessly buys New 52 comics, not because they enjoy them, but because they don't think there is any chance of their decision NOT to buy the comics bringing about change, then nothing changes.

If Avilan wanted to tell DC to drop the New 52, so he bought a bunch of Pre-New52 Batman comics, they could just as easily get the message that what he wants is More Batman comics, so they make a few more New 52 Bat-Spinoffs. If Avilan bought non-batman comics that had the things he liked about pre-new 52 batman comics, then they're likely to think "Oh, he's just not interested in Batman".

Man on Fire

2013-11-05, 07:11 PM

BRC

2013-11-05, 07:22 PM

Thanks MLai.
Going back on topic, there is going to be new Ms. Marvel series.
While Carol Danverns is still Captain Marvel, her old title will be taken by Khamala Khan, a teenage muslip hape-shifter.
Series is written by G. Willow Wilson (Air, Alif the Unseen) and illustrated by Adrian Alphona (Runaways).
I will add this to op list.
Marvel seems to have made a definite effort to appeal to the Social Justice crowd, which is a good thing in my book, but hopefully the comics in question are done right (high on representation, low on preaching), but it's increasing diversity (which I like) and generating marketing buzz (Which they like), so go them. Marvel may be trying to set itself up as the "Cool" alternative to DC's "What is it that Kids like these days? Is it Animes? Is it Batmens? Is it Lobos?", and general editorial floundering.

I'll probably check out the new Ms Marvel, but I'm automatically putting it in my "Buy Every Month" column. This sort of stuff is enough to get people buying the first issues, but if the comics themselves don't hold up sales will plummet.

jedipotter

2013-11-05, 07:56 PM

Em, buddy....You DO realize Peter David has been writing X-Factor since 2005? From issue #1 to issue #50 and, after changed numeration, from issue #200 to issue #261? It ended this year and All-New is a direct sequel sprung from idea that appeared in one of last isues.

Nope. Had no idea. Only read the Original Peter David X-Factor years and years ago. But looking over the preview online, I can see it won't be worth getting. I like Peter as a writer, but can't stand the five year old anime scribbles that most comics do today. Worse with the X-stuff it is impossible to follow the huge meta story.

I checked Ghost Rider...sigh...a Hispanic high school kid that drives a car. Well that sure sounds like it will be all Disney safe, with like Ghost Rider ''knocking the bad guy down'' and then running off to school for like 15 pages of Marvel 90210.

And Sliver Surfer? My hopes were crushed. Surfer has a new sidekick, a teen girl. Ugh. So looks worthless.

Man on Fire

2013-11-05, 09:09 PM

But looking over the preview online, I can see it won't be worth getting. I like Peter as a writer, but can't stand the five year old anime scribbles that most comics do today. Worse with the X-stuff it is impossible to follow the huge meta story.

I don't get what you mean by that. Are you taking bow about All-New X-Factor or 2005 X-Factor? Because 2005 series definietely was worth getting. More, it almost completely avoided doing crossovers with rest of X-titles. It had a part in Messiah CompleX, but that was it. Okay, it had tie-in to another X-men event, Second Coming, but quite frankly, it had name plastered on the covers and that was it, no real connection to that.
X-Factor existed in their own, separate part of the world, rarerly interacting with rest of X-Books and Peter David did everything to keep his story as self-contined as possible.

EDIT:
Also, about that new Ghost Ride - it's drew by guy who illustrated Luther Strode. Also known as Book So Gory I Would Get Banned If I Posted A Picture Here. Just for your consideration, maybe they didn't hired him without a reason, you know?

And what's wrong with Surfer having teen sidekick? It did wonders to Drax the Destroyer and Cammi was great addition to Cosmci Marvel.

Until Hopeles turned her into annoying mary sue.

Man on Fire

2013-11-07, 04:10 PM

More news.
There will be new X-Force series, written by Simon Spurrier )X-men: Legacy vol.2), which will replace two current series, Cable And X-Force and Uncanny X-Force.
I'm very happy about this for two reasons. First, that Cable & X-Force is cancelled, which doesn't look good for the scriptwriter Dennis Hopeless, who is now left with one series. It seems like rumors that this is his last chance to avoid getting fired might hold some truth to them. And because Avengers Undercover has "feels more like a begining wairing to happen" written all over it, good riddance to bad rubbish.
Second, Simon Spurrier is writing currently the best X-title. With this and new X-Factor we might actually have good year for X-books, at least compared to what Brian Bendis and Jason aron are doing.

jedipotter

2013-11-07, 11:35 PM

I don't get what you mean by that.

The mutant stuff is just so much wasted paper. It is the worst of Marvel. Now, granted if your a current fan then you think the stuff is the greatest stuff in the world. It is bad enough that they change things and reinvent the wheel every couple of pages. It is worse when you have clueless writes that just write whatever and don't read the comic. And worse is the new wave of young arrogant writers that change and out right ruin things as that is their plan.

EDIT:
Also, about that new Ghost Ride - it's drew by guy who illustrated Luther Strode. Also known as Book So Gory I Would Get Banned If I Posted A Picture Here. Just for your consideration, maybe they didn't hired him without a reason, you know?

Yea, but a Marvel title with a teen star....it will be Rated Y kiddy stuff. Ghost Rider will have teen problems like ''how to ask Sally to the dance so they can hold hands''. And the bad guys will do things like jaywalking. And that is if every single issue is not a very special issue with a moral after school special plot.

Just think for half a second how great this would be: Hispanic Ghost Rider...that is an illegal alien. So he lives every second of his life as a criminal, yet he wants to be good. But he has to keep his head down, so he does not get arrested. And he can deal with stuff like he can't get things as he is not a citizen(in an awesome extreme fictional country).

And what's wrong with Surfer having teen sidekick? It did wonders to Drax the Destroyer and Cammi was great addition to Cosmci Marvel.

A cabbagehead side kick is bad enough. But a teen girl is worse. Even worse as she looks like she will be a hip hop urban type, not like something interesting like an astronomy nerd. So again you will get Kiddy Surfer, as he stops evil monsters from looking scary and saves the girl.

Ravens_cry

2013-11-08, 02:57 AM

Given how immaturely 'dark' comics can be, maybe a little 'kiddy stuff" might be good. Not every comic has to be end of Ultimatum #2.

Hawriel

2013-11-08, 04:42 AM

I lost almost all interest in Marvel when in the Ultimate line Captain America declared himself President of the United States out of no ware at the end of an issue.

The Ultimate line was the only think with Marvel on the cover that I liked. Unfortunately is was ruined with Ultimates Vol. 3. Then gotten repeatedly worse.

I read both volumes of Hawkeye. I found the art style interesting, and saw the potential of character stories involving Clint, and Kate. However it just did not make sense. It came off as a guy who used to be poor, became rich, then went to slum it to "keep it real". That and vol 2's plot, and reasoning behind it was just utterly stupid.

Right now the only thing I find worth reading that is published by Marvel is Powers. I am just waiting for vol 15 to come out.

While I want my stores in comics to be inclusive and divers, its utterly insulting when it's trying to be impressed with themselves, and being good little PC drones.

For example, the all female X-Men book is stupid. Not because they wanted a book with all, or mostely woman. It is because Marvel trying so hard to prove they are good little white men who are not pigs honest! A comic claiming to be divers that shuts out male characters is hypocritical to say the least. The sad thing is people are eating it up.

Looking at Marvel, and what they do with their IP is like watching the Star Wars prequel movies having a 12 movie run.

PS
I have read the Ultimates books for years. They repeatedly gotten worse. To the point were I felt that the authors and editors were willfully insulting me as a reader. Continuing to buy the books never made it better. So I stopped. See how that works? Some thing bad, you dont buy it.

old school man

2013-11-09, 06:38 PM

My pull list:

1. Justice League
2. Aquaman
3. Wonder Woman
4. The Flash
5. Superman
6. Supergirl
7. Batman
8. Batgirl
9. Birds of Prey
10. Green Lantern
11. Justice League Dark
12. Worlds Finest
13. Justice League of America
14. The Superior Spider-Man
15. All New X-Men
16. Thor God of Thunder

John

Ranxerox

2013-11-09, 11:52 PM

I will be buying Captain Marvel which I am already buying and enjoying, Loki: Agent of Asgard and Ms. Marvel. I liked really liked Air and am curious to see what G. Willow Wilson will do with a superhero title.

Man on Fire

2013-11-22, 04:46 PM

New series has been announced:
Moon Knight by mother@#$%ing Warren Ellis.
I cannot belive how hyped I am right now.

SaintRidley

2013-11-22, 07:23 PM

Will continue reading Thor: God of Thunder and Mighty Avengers. Both are quite enjoyable, and Mighty Avengers has the benefit of having everyone complain at least once about how idiotic Superior Spider-Man is (also: Splendiferous Spider Hero).

Will probably pick up: She-Hulk

Will definitely pick up: Ms. Marvel.

Zach J.

2013-11-22, 08:37 PM

I'll be picking up the X-Factor reboot and Ellis' Moon Knight series.

My pull list:
All-New X-Factor
Moon Knight by Warren Ellis
Pretty Deadly
The Royals: Masters of War
Southern Bastards
Three
Undertow
The White Suits

Avilan the Grey

2013-11-23, 12:10 PM

New series has been announced:
Moon Knight by mother@#$%ing Warren Ellis.
I cannot belive how hyped I am right now.

Haven't read Moon Knight since 1985(?). Loooong time ago... It was very very briefly translated to Swedish back then.

Felhammer

2013-11-23, 11:07 PM

Man on Fire

2013-11-24, 06:03 AM

I've never understood why people hope for the Superhero Genre to go bust. Lots of people will loose their livelihoods, I won't get to read my favorite stories AND, worst of all, my local comic shop would likely go out of business. Image, Dark Horse and the rest of the Indy market cannot sustain the medium in the way Superheroes have. Why can't we have Superheroes AND Indy stuff?

I've never understood why people treat the two as if they are mutually exclusive. I can go out and buy a Superman comic AND Saga. I am not forced to choose between the two.

At any rate, back on topic.

I am really looking forward to Robinson's All-New Invaders and Fantastic Four. Dan Slott's Silver Surfer looks like it could be amazing as well. I wish I were rich so I could buy all of these titles.

Me too man, me too. I'm already in pain, knowing I will have to give up something from my pull list.

Haven't read Moon Knight since 1985(?). Loooong time ago... It was very very briefly translated to Swedish back then.

Hey, nice to see you found something you're interestedin.

The mutant stuff is just so much wasted paper. It is the worst of Marvel. Now, granted if your a current fan then you think the stuff is the greatest stuff in the world. It is bad enough that they change things and reinvent the wheel every couple of pages. It is worse when you have clueless writes that just write whatever and don't read the comic. And worse is the new wave of young arrogant writers that change and out right ruin things as that is their plan.

I don't think aybody in Marvel plans for ruining anything, that's one thing.

Yea, but a Marvel title with a teen star....it will be Rated Y kiddy stuff. Ghost Rider will have teen problems like ''how to ask Sally to the dance so they can hold hands''. And the bad guys will do things like jaywalking. And that is if every single issue is not a very special issue with a moral after school special plot.

Dude, you haven't read much teen titles marvel released over the years, right? I mean, and I don't belive I'm using this @#$% as positive example here, but right now they have book about teens murdering each other in Battle Royale ripoff(don't bother, it's a bad Battle Royale ripoff). before that there was Vengeance, pretty dark teen book, and even book like Runaways Young Avengers (epecially original run by Alan Heindberg) and Avengers Academy have their darker moments. Especially tie-ins to bgi events like CivilWar: Young Avengers/Runaways or Avengers Academy tie in to Fear Itself.

A cabbagehead side kick is bad enough. But a teen girl is worse. Even worse as she looks like she will be a hip hop urban type, not like something interesting like an astronomy nerd. So again you will get Kiddy Surfer, as he stops evil monsters from looking scary and saves the girl.

surfer was for me always one of the more lighter heroes, or rather the ne that doesn't work with dark themes. Sure, you can mae him work with serious ones(Parable, Requiem), but dark is odd to him. I think more adventurous series for Surfer is worth giving a try.

comicshorse

2013-11-24, 09:51 AM

New series has been announced:
Moon Knight by mother@#$%ing Warren Ellis.
I cannot belive how hyped I am right now.

I take it back, apparently I am going to be buying a Marvel title again :smallsmile:

Felhammer

2013-11-26, 10:47 PM

I've never really understood why Moon Knight is so popular. He isn't my brand of hero either, so that's never helped. What do you guys see in him that's so cool? :smallconfused:

Avilan the Grey

2013-11-26, 11:54 PM

I've never really understood why Moon Knight is so popular. He isn't my brand of hero either, so that's never helped. What do you guys see in him that's so cool? :smallconfused:

He started as a Batman ripoff, didn't he?

comicshorse

2013-11-27, 07:32 PM

I've never really understood why Moon Knight is so popular. He isn't my brand of hero either, so that's never helped. What do you guys see in him that's so cool? :smallconfused:

I like the character but its more that Warren Ellis is writing it, at least for me

Man on Fire

2013-12-05, 12:14 PM

okay, new series have been announced - Wolveine & The X-men by Jason Latour (Winter Soldier). And while it's not confirmed, Cuen Bunn is going to cooperate with Gabriel hernandez on soem series about "infamous" character. nd Hernandez posted desings of character who is getting solo title. Said character wa Magneto.

Zach J.

2013-12-06, 06:31 AM

Yeah, it's going to be Magneto: http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?477323-Magneto-is-quot-Infamous-quot-in-New-Ongoing-Solo

Which means I'll probably be pulling All-New X-Factor, Magneto, Moon Knight and Silver Surfer. Add in Three and Undertow from Image and Southern Bastards whenever it starts coming out and there goes my monthly comic book budget. :D

Man on Fire

2013-12-17, 05:42 AM

Some changes - Matt Fraction has been replaced by Charles Soule (Thunderbolt) as writer of Inhuman, and Haden Blackman (Batwoman) will replace Zeb Wells as the writer of Elektra.

Man on Fire

2014-01-08, 10:43 AM

New series have been announced. Iron Fist by Kaare Andrews (Spider-Man: Reign) and Indestructible Hulk restart as Hulk by Mark Waid (Daredevil, Irredeemable, Kingdom Come) and Mark Bagley (ultimate Spider-Man)

Avilan the Grey

2014-01-09, 02:44 AM

Damn I'm old and disconnected.
I don't recognize any names these days.

Vanitas

2014-01-11, 11:38 PM

So, what are your picks?

X-Factor, New Warriors, Miss Marvel, Avengers World, Avengers Undercover, Captain Marvel, Daredevil and Iron Fist.
Might pick up Ghost Rider and Silver Surfer later if the reviews are good.

Me, I wil ldefinetely give a try to New Warriors, - one of my favorite writers of teenagers writing teens again AND my new love, Scarlet Spider, make soild combination for me.
Finally another fan of the New Warriors! Yay!

Also, you should add All-New Ultimate comics to the list.

Man on Fire

2014-01-15, 07:45 PM

Damn I'm old and disconnected.
I don't recognize any names these days.

Try this one
X-Men: Legacy by Chris Claremont (Uncanny X-Men) featuring Nightcrawler as star of his own solo book.
The only problem is that I don't know if they'll either go with this from issue #1(so it will be legacy vol.3) or continue from #301, as march issue of Legacy vol.2 will change nuemration to #300.

As for ultimate - okay, I'll add it later, need to check who are the writers first. We're getting three series there, right? All-New Ultimates, Ultimate Spider-Man and Ultimate FF, yes?

Vanitas

2014-01-16, 03:22 AM

As for ultimate - okay, I'll add it later, need to check who are the writers first. We're getting three series there, right? All-New Ultimates, Ultimate Spider-Man and Ultimate FF, yes?

It's actually called Miles Morales: Spider-Man, but yeah.

Zrak

2014-01-16, 03:41 AM

Oh, huh, I didn't realize there was going to be a Milligan miniseries. Glad I clicked the thread. Somehow missed Warren Ellis was doing Moon Knight, too, though I don't even know if Ellis can get me to care about Moon Knight. Then again, I probably could've said something similar about Matt Fraction and Hawkeye eighteen months ago (longer?) and been totally wrong, so I might give that a shot.

Regardless, I hope the Doop miniseries actually ends up reading like Milligan. The DC comic he was on (Dark Justice League? It had a terrible title.) seemed like a comic somebody else wrote that they put his name on.

I was excited for All New Invaders, what with the Invaders and James Robinson and all, but the sample pages I saw were really bad.

Man on Fire

2014-01-20, 06:52 PM

A little disclaimer - apparently Claremont's Nightcrawler series is going to be called Nightcrawler, not X-Men: Legacy.

Vanitas

2014-01-21, 04:22 AM

A little disclaimer - apparently Claremont's Nightcrawler series is going to be called Nightcrawler, not X-Men: Legacy.

You know, I think that was a horrible decision. Then again, that's how they handled Gambit's solo series, right?

Man on Fire

2014-01-21, 07:55 AM

I don't think if I get you right. But Gambit solo series was published when there were Legacy books around - first was vol.1 with Rogue and then vol.2 with Legion. But yeah, I think they should give Kurt X-Men: Legacy, that title always sells better than whatever solo title X-Man gets (case in point - Rogue solo lasted 12 issue, her solo adventures in X-Men: Legacy - 75).

Anyway, I heard Gambit solo had problems with editors, apparently they didn't allowed James Asmus to use Black Cat as Remy's partner and he had to make new character.

Also, I think I'll make an update on which books I'm gonna follow:
All-New Ghost Rider
All-New Ultimates
Elektra or She-Hulk if elektra won't be good
Iron Fist
Loki: Agent of Asgard
Moon Knight
Ms. Marvel
New Warriors
X-Force
I'm also getting Superior Foes of Spider-Man, as long as it's going to last.

Vanitas

2014-01-25, 06:42 AM

I've heard a lot of hype for Superior Foes of Spider-Man. Is it any good?

Man on Fire

2014-01-25, 03:10 PM

I've heard a lot of hype for Superior Foes of Spider-Man. Is it any good?

It's one of the best books of 2013. It's a story of disfunctional group of five lame supervillains, calling themselves Sinister Six (despite there being only five members). Boomerang, Beetle, Shocker, Speed Demon and Overdrive are aiming to be big names in the crime scene, but they aren't exactly good at it. And Boomerang is selfish jerk who tries to manipulate whole group. It also has a lot of cameos by other supervillains, all of them pretty funny - Daredevil's enemy, the Owl, tells a story of how his buddy man-Bull had them botch a job, Tombstone is trying to convince his daughter to not follow his footsteps, Fixer sues Baron Zemo and Doctor Doom tells somebody to draw him "like one of your french girls". This book is operating on a lot of black humor, but, despite being all evil, characters are likeable. For me it's the best thing that came out of entire Superior Spider-Man thing.

SeeDarkly_X

2014-01-26, 01:37 PM

Of Marvel's new titles, I'm glad to see the return of X-Factor, and I'm pretty excited to see what David will do with Cypher and Warlock!

Also... though not this month, I'm looking forward to the new New Warriors title.
Because... SPEEDBALL! ;)

Vanitas

2014-02-10, 09:52 PM

Kitten Champion

2014-02-11, 04:15 AM

So, Miss Marvel #1 is currently the best-selling digital comic on the Marvel app and the #2 best-selling comic at comiXology. Pretty cool, uh?
I've yet to read it, but all the reviews are gushing with praise.

I really enjoyed it. The art style is adorable, it's got a good sense of humour, and I'm genuinely curious to see how a naive teenage Avenger's fangirl from a middle-class Pakistani family in New Jersey goes about becoming a Superhero.

It reminds me of the early Miles Morales Ultimate Spider-Man comics... but brighter.

Vanitas

2014-02-11, 09:27 AM

I really enjoyed it. The art style is adorable, it's got a good sense of humour, and I'm genuinely curious to see how a naive teenage Avenger's fangirl from a middle-class Pakistani family in New Jersey goes about becoming a Superhero.

It reminds me of the early Miles Morales Ultimate Spider-Man comics... but brighter.

Yeah, I got it from the MarvelApp right after I posted that. I loved it.
Just found it kinda weird that I'm sure I saw a preview that included her throwing some cars around but that wasn't in the comic. Maybe it was a preview for #2 and I'm confusing things.

BRC

2014-02-11, 10:24 AM

Yeah, I got it from the MarvelApp right after I posted that. I loved it.
Just found it kinda weird that I'm sure I saw a preview that included her throwing some cars around but that wasn't in the comic. Maybe it was a preview for #2 and I'm confusing things.

That was the All New Marvel Now Preview. It's a pretty good book that contains original miniissues of the new books Marvel is putting out.

Man on Fire

2014-02-12, 11:51 AM

I seem to have missed news about another series and only caught it thanks to rumors about yet other one.
Brace yourselves people, this is something many of you waited for

Amazing Spider-Man by Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos

Yup, starting in April, Peter Parker is back. Superior Spider-Man will end at issue #31. I ignore Spider-Man corner so I missed it. It is confirmed we'll get another spider series too.

Also, there will be Shang-Chi miniseries Deadly Hands of King Fu by Mike Benson (Deadpool: Game$ of Death) and Tan Eng Huat (X-Men: Legacy)

Avilan the Grey

2014-02-12, 05:23 PM

Amazing Spider-Man by Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos

Yup, starting in April, Peter Parker is back. Superior Spider-Man will end at issue #31. I ignore Spid

*ROFLMAO*
So much for the "It's permanent" crap. Of course EVERYONE knew it was crap. The fact that all readers automatically started guessing the date for it to revert from day one is telling of how idiotic plot decisions by comic book writers the last 20 years have ruined the suspense and the surprise.

comicshorse

2014-02-12, 05:52 PM

Hey it lasted 31 issues that's a good deal more than I thought it would and I think an argument could be made that it is sufficient time to explore the idea without it getting stale

Vanitas

2014-02-12, 07:40 PM

Hey it lasted 31 issues that's a good deal more than I thought it would and I think an argument could be made that it is sufficient time to explore the idea without it getting stale

It's also a very good story. It was clear it was going to be reverted from issue #1, though. I even got the timing right. :smallamused:

Avilan the Grey

2014-02-13, 05:04 AM

It's also a very good story. It was clear it was going to be reverted from issue #1, though. I even got the timing right. :smallamused:

Well yes, which is why the writer in question had to go out on twitter, and in official interviews, and INSIST that it was 100% PERMANENT and would NEVER be retconned.

Seriously. I feel sorry for him, because either he actually thought it was true, and his employer lied to him (and made him the epicenter of a humongous ****-storm on Twitter and on fan pages) OR he KNEW he was lying, but he was FORCED by his employer to go out and lie, taking his reputation with him down the drain.

Either way, Marvel treated him like ****.
Plus, other writers who defended him (like Gail Simone) on twitter got a fair amount of crap as well.

Remind me again why I stopped reading comics?

Man on Fire

2014-02-13, 05:39 AM

Avilan the Grey

2014-02-13, 09:00 AM

You do realize you weren't exactly nice for Slott whenever topic of Superior was brought up? And besides - what were they supposed to say? "Yeah, it's temporary, it will be all reversed in a year"? Nobody would buy the book then. Sometimes you have lie to sell your story. Also, people suspect Spock might survive in some form and we might have Amazing AND Superior Spider-Man running around at the same time.

Oh yes I am fully aware that I loathed his decision, and arguing that it was a good thing and that it was permanent only inreased my loathing. I also, cynically, started counting down the days to reversal, but that doesn't change my opinion that it was a truly frakked idea to write to begin with.

Now if only they could get around to remove One More Day from canon and I might buy an issue of Spider-Man again.

And yes, that is what they should have said. Seriously. EVERY other response only comes off as deliberate lies or like pushing a writer under the bus.

But I guess I have outgrown comic books, I just don't have the patience with the idiotic and obvious market trolling reboots and rewrites that happens every 6-24 months these days. Especially at DC, but Marvel is also bad. Maybe it's time to realize that the traditional superhero comic book is in fact dying, if they truly can't make them live longer than a year without some sensationalist stunt.

comicshorse

2014-02-13, 10:37 AM

But I guess I have outgrown comic books, I just don't have the patience with the idiotic and obvious market trolling reboots and rewrites that happens every 6-24 months these days. Especially at DC, but Marvel is also bad. Maybe it's time to realize that the traditional superhero comic book is in fact dying, if they truly can't make them live longer than a year without some sensationalist stunt.

Just to point out that comics exist outside Marvel and DC and don't always include superhero's or re-writes every couple of years

Avilan the Grey

2014-02-13, 10:47 AM

Just to point out that comics exist outside Marvel and DC and don't always include superhero's or re-writes every couple of years

Oh I am aware :smallsmile:.

Still thinks it's a **** move to make a writer lie to little kids (read Slott's interview where he admits "something died inside him" when telling kids at conventions that Peter was dead, literally making them cry).

comicshorse

2014-02-13, 10:56 AM

Oh I am aware :smallsmile:.

Still thinks it's a **** move to make a writer lie to little kids (read Slott's interview where he admits "something died inside him" when telling kids at conventions that Peter was dead, literally making them cry).

I wasn't aware of that at all. Yeah that's pretty horrible :smalleek:

Vanitas

2014-02-13, 03:48 PM

Well yes, which is why the writer in question had to go out on twitter, and in official interviews, and INSIST that it was 100% PERMANENT and would NEVER be retconned.
It wasn't retconned, you know.

Clertar

2014-02-13, 04:32 PM

Still better than the clone cycle, and that's good enough in my book.

Avilan the Grey

2014-02-13, 05:21 PM

It wasn't retconned, you know.

Well true. It's like a retcon without the actual retcon.

Still better than the clone cycle, and that's good enough in my book.

Yeah, it's even better than One More Day. That's not saying much, though.

Of course all these things are still better than DC getting a 90ies revival including sexing up several female characters to be sure to appear as sexist (or something, I can't find any other reason for it).

Man on Fire

2014-02-13, 05:26 PM

Still better than the clone cycle, and that's good enough in my book.

It's better because it didn't overstayed it's welcome. Clone saga's main problem was they keept dragging it on forever, to milk every last cent possible. Ending Spock now is sad, but it will keep him on rather good level.
And still, it wasn't retconned. In fact, I feel that consequences might haunt Parker for quite some time.

Vanitas

2014-02-13, 06:14 PM

Well true. It's like a retcon without the actual retcon.

What? No. Did you even read any of it?

And still, it wasn't retconned. In fact, I feel that consequences might haunt Parker for quite some time.
That's going to be so delicious to read. The last time Peter was really really screwed in his books was in 2007. That's Spider-Man we are talking about. He is going to be up to his neck with crap when he comes back. It's going to be awesome! I'm really looking forward to Goblin Nation as well.

Avilan the Grey

2014-02-14, 03:08 AM

What? No. Did you even read any of it?

Of course not. I have boycotted Spider Man since One More Day.

My point is that it had all the EXTERNAL trappings of a reboot, but yes, it wasn't, since it instead was a basic marketing ploy* thought up by Marvel that forced one of their employees to lie to little kids and soak up the rage of thousands of fans on the 'net, because apparently Superhero comics cannot survive without a marketing ploy every 6 months now. :smallsigh::smallmad:

*Admittedly, ALL comic book deaths since Phoneix has been marketing ploys. The fact that people still bother to even notice hero deaths anymore is perplexing to me.
And yes, that includes me. Logically, I shouldn't have reacted as stongly as I did (especially since I didn't buy the story that it was permanent) but at least my anger was directed at the idea as such, I did not believe they truly killed off Peter Parker.
A hero death in Marvel SHOULD be as surprising to the comic book reading community as your best friend suddenly ordering extra olives on his pizza. It should warrant that amount of attention. It deserves no more.

Vanitas

2014-02-14, 10:58 PM

Of course not. I have boycotted Spider Man since One More Day.
*shrugs* Your loss.

Man on Fire

2014-02-15, 04:57 AM

We'll be getting Spider-Man: Year One miniseries by Dan Slott.

Avilan the Grey

2014-02-15, 07:15 AM

*shrugs* Your loss.

We've been through this before... Not paying for products I don't like.

SeeDarkly_X

2014-02-15, 08:04 AM

...- first was vol.1 with Rogue and then vol.2 with Legion. But yeah, I think they should give Kurt X-Men: Legacy, that title always sells better than whatever solo title X-Man gets (case in point - Rogue solo lasted 12 issue, her solo adventures in X-Men: Legacy - 75)...

Point of clarification/correction: "X-Men Legacy" vol. 1 was a continuation of "X-Men vol 2" having changed the name of the title to include "Legacy" at issue #208. And it featured Charles Xavier prominently for a year and a half before passing the title to focus on Rogue with a story that led to Prof. X "curing" her of her inability to control her power.
The title (as Legacy) only ran 70 issues; Rogue's "solo" run on it: only 52 (or 57 depending on if you include the hand-off storyline)
Still significant in regards to Man on Fire's point... just not 75.

Legacy with Legion has been a weird experiment. I collected it (along with the previous volume) but I never really felt satisfied with what they were attempting to do with the character or the presentation of his "inner-dialog."
And the art just got worse and worse. :yuk:

I don't know that Nightcrawler would do any better under the Legacy title. Much as he is my single favorite character, Marvel has never had great success giving him a solo book. I mean, I'll get it, but I don't have high expectations of it sticking around for long. He, like Gambit to some extent, is just a more interesting and fun character in a team book format IMO. I am pretty glad he has such a huge role in Amazing X-men. (And so far I'm enjoying Gambit in the hands of Peter David in X-Factor.)

Man on Fire

2014-02-15, 03:00 PM

SeeDarkly_X

2014-02-15, 04:45 PM

Well, right, I was wrong about Legacy numbering, forgot about Xavier run.
Which now makes me realize that if Rogue's arc lasted 52 issues, then Xavier's lasted 23. Which means Legion's story was an issue longer than his father's.

I get Legion's story may not be everybody's cup of tea, but I'll be honest - it was my favorite book of 2013. Very experimental, very creative, it took me seriously, it make me like characters I couldn't care about before and made me feel strong emotions and look at certain things from new perspective. I'm nwo buying X-Force only because it's the same writer.

But yeah, Spurrier has bad luck for artists. Huat was weak and guy at X-Force is pretty bad too.

Well, you can't really judge it in "score-card" terms either... they are "Apples/Oranges" against each other.
Xavier has a huge catalog of history in various X-Titles. Legacy, while it focused on Xavier, was very much a presentation of that history from different angles than we'd seen before and a way to wrap up a handful of dangling storylines while setting the stage for other upcoming ones unrelated to the Professor.
Legion's run with the Legacy title simply wasn't the same kind of exercise in any respect. It was more of a study into a little known character we'd only started seeing more of recently because he'd been used as the prime plot device in Age of X. It also honestly felt a little like a forced attempt to build him up as a major player because of him being the only known child of the recently deceased Xavier... like some kind of false expectation had to be met?
Don't get me wrong, I do like the character and did enjoy the premise of him being tired of the "Spandex-Wars" and trying to be proactive in various imaginative ways... but they just didn't achieve the right mix of "Creative" & "Relate-able." It's entirely possible that falls on the failings of the art more than the writing. I couldn't say for sure in any objective sense... but I CAN say I was much more interested in that story than I was... say... any recent Teen Titans issues of which I feel I'd wasted time collecting the same number of issues. (But again that's a comparison of oranges vs. really rotten apples on that point :smallmad:)

Man on Fire

2014-02-27, 10:08 AM

Avilan the Grey

2014-02-28, 02:24 AM

Another new book has been announced
Skottie Young, best known for his works on adaptaing Oz series to comics, will launch new title, starring Guardians of the Galaxy character, Rocket Racoon.
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=51147

I knew they were going to focus on him because RACCOON WITH GUNS, though I find all other characters in the movie more interesting.

Vanitas

2014-02-28, 07:06 AM

I knew they were going to focus on him because RACCOON WITH GUNS, though I find all other characters in the movie more interesting.

I just want Starlord's helmet back.

Shinken

2014-03-08, 09:14 PM

Do you guys know when Ms. Marvel #2 is coming out?

Kitten Champion

2014-03-08, 09:26 PM

Do you guys know when Ms. Marvel #2 is coming out?

March 19th, with the third issue scheduled for April 16th.

Man on Fire

2014-03-08, 09:27 PM

I knew they were going to focus on him because RACCOON WITH GUNS, though I find all other characters in the movie more interesting.

My problem with movie is they cut large cast to bare minimum and left out most of female characters and most of the best characters. Quasar/Martyr, Moondragon, Mantis, Cosmo, Bug, Adam Warlock - t just don't feel the team without them.

And yet I sitll have to go to the movie if I ever want to see something other than Worst Team Marvel Has being made to the big screen.

Do you guys know when Ms. Marvel #2 is coming out?

March 19.

Shinken

2014-03-08, 09:45 PM

My problem with movie is they cut large cast to bare minimum and left out most of female characters and most of the best characters. Quasar/Martyr, Moondragon, Mantis, Cosmo, Bug, Adam Warlock - t just don't feel the team without them.
Aside from Cosmo and Bug (and while I like Bug very much, he's fairly generic), I can understand leaving those characters behind. They have long and complicated backstories (specially Mantis), lacking Draxx recent in-continuity semi-reboot to make up for it.
They could be saving some of them for the sequel, though. Specially if the sequel includes Carol Danvers, as that could get some gravitas towards the Quasar/Martyr thing. Also, while I'd love to see a lesbian romance in a Marvel movie, I doubt they would take that chance in a movie so risky as GotG.

March 19.
Thanks. Man, I haven't been so anxious for a new comic in years.

Shinken

2014-03-11, 12:24 AM

Man on Fire

2014-03-13, 06:55 PM

Wait, wait, wait, wait!!

So Wolverine is a goon in the Wolverine title. Good. Changing the status quo, I guess. Could be interesting. Liked the two issues I read.

How can we have Wolverine & the X-men along at the same time, though?

Nobody really knows, seems like writers disagreed over the direction and no editor felt like forcing them to cooperate. Cornell might explain it later, through.

Shinken

2014-03-14, 02:34 PM

Nobody really knows, seems like writers disagreed over the direction and no editor felt like forcing them to cooperate. Cornell might explain it later, through.

Man, chronology is such a mess right now. There is this Wolverine issue, the Uncanny Avengers "we blew up the Earth and there is no reset button (yeah, right)" issue, I have no idea who is in the main Avengers team...

Man on Fire

2014-03-15, 03:28 AM

Man, chronology is such a mess right now. There is this Wolverine issue, the Uncanny Avengers "we blew up the Earth and there is no reset button (yeah, right)" issue, I have no idea who is in the main Avengers team...

There is a bit of problem here, as my friends have noticed. Basically, since last year we have Uncanny Avengers, which was supposed to bethe main book of Marvel Now, but got pretty quickly overshadowed by Jonathan Hickman's Avengers and New Avengers. It's kind of like if we have two continuities because Hickman and Reemender so far are completely ignoring each other.
Besides, I think all Avenger book suck anyway.

SaintRidley

2014-03-15, 11:22 AM

Mighty Avengers is the only one I'm following of the Avengers titles. It's a good book.

And I have to say, I'm loving the way She-Hulk and Loki: Agent of Asgard have started.

Zrak

2014-03-15, 01:05 PM

I actually like this New Avengers book. Mostly because I can be sold on pretty much anything where Namor is a jackass, so, really, anything with Namor in it. Doctor Strange with a moustache is an added bonus.

Any book where Doctor Strange "updates" to a goatee is garbage.

Shinken

2014-03-15, 01:35 PM

There is a bit of problem here, as my friends have noticed. Basically, since last year we have Uncanny Avengers, which was supposed to bethe main book of Marvel Now, but got pretty quickly overshadowed by Jonathan Hickman's Avengers and New Avengers. It's kind of like if we have two continuities because Hickman and Reemender so far are completely ignoring each other.
Besides, I think all Avenger book suck anyway.

I've heard good things about New Avengers.
I'm reading Avengers World and Mighty Avengers, liking both of them (despite some art issues in Mighty Avengers).

BRC

2014-03-18, 09:36 AM

There are a ton of "Avengers" titles out there, a few of which cover the actual Avengers.

Speaking of which: Secret Avengers.

The first issue was good, but it seemed too eager to co-opt the Hawkeye Aesthetic. While I don't object to the nose-bandage and "This looks bad" becoming a part of Hawkeye's character design, I'm nervous about any book that seems eager to copy another book, no matter how good. Plus, I don't think you can take an intensely character-focused book like Hawkeye, and make it apply to a team book.

That said, anybody who is not reading Black Widow is missing out. I cannot recommend that book enough. The art alone is like nothing I have ever seen. Each panel looks like something I would want hung on my wall as a poster.

Man on Fire

2014-03-18, 10:44 AM

I'm nervous about any book that seems eager to copy another book, no matter how good

Don't read Avengers Undercover then, it's supposed to be copying the Sleeper.
Not that it matters, the book is really awful anyway. And quite frankly, anybody else finds the premise "PTSD makes you more likely to turn evil" to be incredibly offensive?

BRC

2014-03-18, 01:53 PM

Don't read Avengers Undercover then, it's supposed to be copying the Sleeper.
Not that it matters, the book is really awful anyway. And quite frankly, anybody else finds the premise "PTSD makes you more likely to turn evil" to be incredibly offensive?

Avengers Arena made a lot more sense when I learned that it was supposed to be a three or four issue arc that the editors wanted turned into an entire series. That said, I think it did pretty well considering how terrible the basic concept was. Not a good comic, but a better comic then it could have been.

I did give in and read the first Avengers Undercover, I doubt I will be continuing the series. Like with Arena they seem to be trying to build an entire series on a single point of tension (WILL THESE CHARACTERS BECOME EVIL!). With arena it was the ever-popular WHICH OF THESE CHARACTERS WILL DIE!
Which loses some of the punch when you go on and on about how THESE CHARACTERS WILL DIE!
While watching a character struggle with morality is fertile ground for storytelling, building a series around "WILL ONE OR MORE OF THESE CHARACTERS TURN EVIL" is a really stupid idea for a few reasons. First of all, it treats Good and Evil like some sort of switch you can flip. One day they're a Hero, a champion of all that is good, the next day they're robbing banks and kicking babies.
A Descent into Evil isn't about flipping a switch, it's about maintaining a character's general goals and motivations, while changing what ends they are willing to go to to achieve those goals. It's not a matter of "I was on Team good, NOW I'M ON TEAM EVIL!"

They could go with the "Undercover person becomes tempted by the lifestyle they live as a criminal" arc, but I don't see that working for a variety of reasons.

Really the only reason I got into Arena was because I'm desperately hoping for a Runaways revival, but at this point I'm aware that's not happening. The Runaways no longer need to "Run away" from anything, they've been taking care of themselves for years, and the various supergroups have more or less realized that the best thing to do is just to leave them alone.

Plus, you know, it's hard to make the "For your own safety" argument when people keep giving Superteens to Wolverine.

But back to Undercover/Arena, yeah no. There are some interesting characters there, but I don't see this going anywhere interesting.

That said

Loki Agent of Asgard has been a ton of fun so far.

The new Captain Marvel series started up last week. It was good, but I'm not sure how I feel about Carol going Cosmic. The supporting cast was one of the best parts of the old books. I'm sure I'll fall in love with it again.

Man on Fire

2014-03-18, 02:31 PM

Really the only reason I got into Arena was because I'm desperately hoping for a Runaways revival, but at this point I'm aware that's not happening. The Runaways no longer need to "Run away" from anything, they've been taking care of themselves for years, and the various supergroups have more or less realized that the best thing to do is just to leave them alone.

That kinda ignores the fact that Runaways reached top of their popularity when they really didn't need to run away anymore - in vol.2. Hell, once they started running away again, this time from Iron Man in his Doom-Hitler-Register-Now mode, the series got cancelled. Runaways, for me, is about family and this is a theme they could explore more. Instead we have crap like Undercover, after which I hve to question if Runaways can still exist at all. I mean, after complete ###holery Chase pulled in the first issue, I cannot see Nico being on speaking terms with him ever again and they kinda are both fundamental for this team to exist.

I hate Marvel for ruining my favorite team. Hell, for ruining my favorite book, because stupidity Hopeless is pulling out taints my view of old Runaways comics - I cannot look at Chase with any respect anymore. I even wish Brian K. Vaughan wouldn't pitch them to Marvel, but to Image.

This mistreatment (and mistreatment suffered by New X-Men and Avengers Academy) is making it kinda hard to get excited about new books. Through I have to admit, I really enjoy many of their current books - Moon Knight #1 was all kinds of awesome, Loki is fun, Mighty Avengers are fun, Ms. Marvel is adorable and Superior Foes of Spider-Man never fail to deliver. I'm trying to enjoy them why it last.

BRC

2014-03-19, 05:15 PM

That kinda ignores the fact that Runaways reached top of their popularity when they really didn't need to run away anymore - in vol.2. Hell, once they started running away again, this time from Iron Man in his Doom-Hitler-Register-Now mode, the series got cancelled. Runaways, for me, is about family and this is a theme they could explore more. Instead we have crap like Undercover, after which I hve to question if Runaways can still exist at all. I mean, after complete ###holery Chase pulled in the first issue, I cannot see Nico being on speaking terms with him ever again and they kinda are both fundamental for this team to exist.

I hate Marvel for ruining my favorite team. Hell, for ruining my favorite book, because stupidity Hopeless is pulling out taints my view of old Runaways comics - I cannot look at Chase with any respect anymore. I even wish Brian K. Vaughan wouldn't pitch them to Marvel, but to Image.

This mistreatment (and mistreatment suffered by New X-Men and Avengers Academy) is making it kinda hard to get excited about new books. Through I have to admit, I really enjoy many of their current books - Moon Knight #1 was all kinds of awesome, Loki is fun, Mighty Avengers are fun, Ms. Marvel is adorable and Superior Foes of Spider-Man never fail to deliver. I'm trying to enjoy them why it last.
Even in Volume II they were still on the run. There was the idea that if they showed their faces too much The Avengers would swoop down and put them in foster care or whatever. The defining feature of the series was that they were family, and that there was always something threatening to break them apart.

At this point they've reached stability. They're no longer living out of old supervillain lairs, various X-types and Avengers know who, what, and where they are.

So, Let's talk Ms Marvel

Out-of-Spoiler, can I just say I'm a huge fan of how they're visually showing Kamala's powers. It's kind of weird (Are her clothes part of her now so she's shapeshifting them as well), Normally Shapeshifting characters seem to give the impression of cycling through forms, or growing/abandoning various features as need (Example, Hulkling from the Young Avengers. He's got standard Skrull Shapeshifting, but uses a big, green muscular/armored winged form as his default).

Visually, Kamala's Shapeshifting is a lot more amorphous. Her various limbs get all out of proportion, stretching and growing or shrinking as need be. It works really well here to give the "Getting used to their powers" impression, as various parts of her body elongate into ribbons or shift colors. At the same time it never really crosses over into grotesque body horror. It's a really cool effect.

We're dealing with an Origin story, so Issue 2 is going through the paces.

First of all, Kamala seems to come to grips with the whole "Having superpowers" thing a lot faster than one would imagine, but it makes sense. She lives in a world where jumping into toxic waste has a decent chance of giving you superpowers, and she's an Avengers fangirl. "I guess I'm a superhero now" works as well as anything. Besides, we've all seen the "I HAVE POWERS NOW! WHAT THE HELL!" Arc a thousand times, so I'm glad they didn't dwell on it.

I like the whole CarolMala form thing as a metaphor (becoming the "Normal" that she thought she wanted to be, and instantly being uncomfortable), but I hope it dosn't stick around. It and the Party both did a great job of Cementing Kamala's personal struggle: She wants to fit in and be accepted, but she still wants to be herself.

That said, I think Kamala represents one of the best fusions of Powers and Character Struggle I've ever seen. (Excluding characters like The Hulk whose personal struggles are largely a result of their powers).

I guess its similar to Peter Parker, the nerd who is suddenly stronger and more athletic then any Jock could dream of being, but Kamala's powers seem a little bit better suited to exploring her character.

Kitten Champion

2014-03-20, 12:01 AM

I love the art in Ms. Marvel, it's light on details but captures the feeling of the writing perfectly.

We're dealing with an Origin story, so Issue 2 is going through the paces.

First of all, Kamala seems to come to grips with the whole "Having superpowers" thing a lot faster than one would imagine, but it makes sense. She lives in a world where jumping into toxic waste has a decent chance of giving you superpowers, and she's an Avengers fangirl. "I guess I'm a superhero now" works as well as anything. Besides, we've all seen the "I HAVE POWERS NOW! WHAT THE HELL!" Arc a thousand times, so I'm glad they didn't dwell on it.

I love how they used the idea of becoming a Superhero more as a means of her creating an identity of her own rather than seeing it as isolating her further.

I like that her first effort at Superheroism was saving the stuck-up popular girl from intoxicated shenanigans. Partly because it flowed with the narrative, rather than inventing a mugger or some such, and partly because it showed she's not at all spiteful. There was no moment where she stopped to condescend or gave the stereotypical "but what if this reveals me to the world" inner monologue that I hate.

I like the whole CarolMala form thing as a metaphor (becoming the "Normal" that she thought she wanted to be, and instantly being uncomfortable), but I hope it dosn't stick around. It and the Party both did a great job of Cementing Kamala's personal struggle: She wants to fit in and be accepted, but she still wants to be herself.

I was kind of afraid that it was going to be "she's a fangirl roleplaying hero"-type deal when they introduced Kamala.

Ya'know, the character that has always idolized heroes but only understands the superficial qualities absent any of the conviction or responsibility and has an arc where they get in over their head only to be saved by the person they admire who teaches them the true meaning of heroism. That whole thing is kind of a condescending means of saying fans are moon-eyed idiots, but mostly it's just predictable.

They seem to be going the better route, where she's inspired by Carol for who she is rather than the image she projects, and wants to be a hero in her own right.

On another note, the fact that she was captured on video which is going to be uploaded on the net is a good way to introduce her to Captain Marvel, given that I'd be curious why my doppelganger was saving people in Jersey City.

That said, I think Kamala represents one of the best fusions of Powers and Character Struggle I've ever seen. (Excluding characters like The Hulk whose personal struggles are largely a result of their powers).

I guess its similar to Peter Parker, the nerd who is suddenly stronger and more athletic then any Jock could dream of being, but Kamala's powers seem a little bit better suited to exploring her character.

I didn't know where they were going with her powers when they previewed the character, since she has none of the traditional Captain/Ms Marvel abilities. After seeing them used I have to say they've got a real cool Silver Age feel to them, where they feel more whimsical than pressed into realism. I really like how they respond to her feelings more than her intentions. Which makes her kind of like a walking mood-ring when she's not focusing.

It's certainly a lot more interesting than flying around and zapping people. So I'm glad they thought about having her superpowers represent her story rather than the other way around.

That boxing-glove hedgehog seems to be a thing.

BRC

2014-03-20, 12:24 AM

The Marvel Now Point One has a great preview of her abilities once she's more comfortable with them. Here's a Link (http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=preview&id=19715), they say it's a preview for #1, but it's for her bit in the Point One thingy.

Man on Fire

2014-03-20, 10:13 AM

Even in Volume II they were still on the run. There was the idea that if they showed their faces too much The Avengers would swoop down and put them in foster care or whatever. The defining feature of the series was that they were family, and that there was always something threatening to break them apart.

At this point they've reached stability. They're no longer living out of old supervillain lairs, various X-types and Avengers know who, what, and where they are.

Not really - they are on good terms with other teenage groups, namely New X-Men, Young Avengers and Avengers Academy, but only very few adults. Cloak and Dagger namely. Okay, Spider-Man likes them, but they don't like him. Okay, X-Men gave them a break...but when Summers was in charge. With situation X-men are right now, where Wolverine leads them and Scott is the most hated terrorist on the planet, I could see both sides trying to take Molly away from them. Avengers could always try to take them off the street, SHIELD could. Quite frankly, they don't have that big of a rep to justify various villains not going after them. I don't see a reason why you couldn't put them o nthe run again, Marvel Universe has it's own share of jerks who could serve that purpose. Hydra, Maggia, AIM, WESPE, Inteligentia, Child Services, police, solo villains from Purple Man to Count Nefaria to Hate Monger to the Hood (he would be fun, because he is BKV's creation too) to Tombstone to Mr. Negative to Gravitron trying to start criminal empire in Los Angeles (case in point, this is apparently why Mr. Hyde is going to be first enemy of new Ghost Rider). Hell, with them even well-placed Henry Peter Gyrich could be a threat.
But noo, Marvel would rather @#$% upon them all the way they can. Or you could always create new antagonist. I mean, Young Avengers are much better connected than Runaways and they spent entire last year on the run from new villain. Besides, after how badly fact how Arena could have happened in Marvel Universe without superheroes stopping it ASAP , I think it's clear to say everyone, at least of adults, they could turn for help is either incompetent (Pym and Tigra) or uncaring jerk (Wolverine).

On another note, the fact that she was captured on video which is going to be uploaded on the net is a good way to introduce her to Captain Marvel, given that I'd be curious why my doppelganger was saving people in Jersey City.

There is also the fact that doppelganger with shapeshifting powers screams "Skrull" and Carol don't have good history with them.
I think they might do a crossover between their series, so we might have to wait until Carol gets back from space.

BRC

2014-03-20, 10:44 AM

Not really - they are on good terms with other teenage groups, namely New X-Men, Young Avengers and Avengers Academy, but only very few adults. Cloak and Dagger namely. Okay, Spider-Man likes them, but they don't like him. Okay, X-Men gave them a break...but when Summers was in charge. With situation X-men are right now, where Wolverine leads them and Scott is the most hated terrorist on the planet, I could see both sides trying to take Molly away from them. Avengers could always try to take them off the street, SHIELD could. Quite frankly, they don't have that big of a rep to justify various villains not going after them. I don't see a reason why you couldn't put them o nthe run again, Marvel Universe has it's own share of jerks who could serve that purpose. Hydra, Maggia, AIM, WESPE, Inteligentia, Child Services, police, solo villains from Purple Man to Count Nefaria to Hate Monger to the Hood (he would be fun, because he is BKV's creation too) to Tombstone to Mr. Negative to Gravitron trying to start criminal empire in Los Angeles (case in point, this is apparently why Mr. Hyde is going to be first enemy of new Ghost Rider). Hell, with them even well-placed Henry Peter Gyrich could be a threat.
But noo, Marvel would rather @#$% upon them all the way they can. Or you could always create new antagonist. I mean, Young Avengers are much better connected than Runaways and they spent entire last year on the run from new villain. Besides, after how badly fact how Arena could have happened in Marvel Universe without superheroes stopping it ASAP , I think it's clear to say everyone, at least of adults, they could turn for help is either incompetent (Pym and Tigra) or uncaring jerk (Wolverine).

There is also the fact that doppelganger with shapeshifting powers screams "Skrull" and Carol don't have good history with them.
I think they might do a crossover between their series, so we might have to wait until Carol gets back from space.

Well, now that Chase and Nico are celebrities, it will be hard for them to go to ground again.

Of course, there are a few options. Chase and Nico's work in Avengers Undercover could get them branded as Villains, forcing the group underground again.
Alternatively

Future!Molly was a member of the Brotherhood. She looked REALLY badass but didn't get to do very much. I think the Future Brotherhood ended that arc still in the present. If Future Molly shows up and smashes something important somewhere, you could get people deciding that they need to give her a proper upbringing to prevent her from turning into Future!Molly, sending the Runaways back on the run.

Except Carolmala wasn't very convincing. The footage showed her with a giant hand, and had her run away instead of flying. Nobody familiar with Carol's powers would think that was actually her, or even somebody doing a good job of trying to be her.

I think they're much more likely to assume a new Inhuman than a Skrull.

Still, it will attract attention.

Man on Fire

2014-03-20, 11:06 AM

Well, now that Chase and Nico are celebrities, it will be hard for them to go to ground again.

Of course, there are a few options. Chase and Nico's work in Avengers Undercover could get them branded as Villains, forcing the group underground again.

The iidea of making survivors of Arena celebrities is really @#$%ing dumb and sick on so many levels. One would think people have some sort of decency, but no, here we are them making fun of dying children. It just shows how rotten inside Dennis Hopeless is. Seriously, remember that time Sally Floyd told Captain America nobody needs him because people care only about NASCAR and Youtube? As my friend said, it's like this, taken to a whole new level, where instead of compassion and understanding we have only likes and hejts. Dammit, Brian Bendis and Al Ewing did better job potraying realistically consequences of Arena than Hopeless, because he is to full of himself to realize somebody could think of it as anything but god's gift to mankind.

What I wish to happen is to see this either ignored or retconned or just generally be in no efect. Say these jerks moved on and forgotten, whatever. It will be enough of a problem to explain why Nico is still on speaking terms with Chase as it is now

And I sure as hell don't want any of Runaways turn villain. Or even regarded as villains. Entire idea is appaling to me.

Quite frankly, so is this entire comics and it's writer. I don't think I ever hated any other writer more. Okay, maybe Jeph Loeb or Daniel Way wrote worse things (through I would argue Ultimatum was better than Arena) but at least they are decent people, Hopeless, in his writing and whenever he opens his mouth, shows that he is morally bankrupt.

Shinken

2014-03-20, 03:48 PM

Kamala is so ADORABLE. :smallredface:
I think it will take a while before we see a Captain Marvel/Ms. Marvel crossover and I think that's a good thing. This means it will be something planned and controlled that will affect both characters, instead of just Carol showing up for half a page before flying into space.

You know, I really wish the New Warriors series was something else entirely. If I was writing it, it would be Speedball and Justice keeping an eye on the Academy kids after Arena. Cast would be Speedball, Justice, Hazmat, Finesse, Striker and Reptile. Maybe Lightspeed as well. Power Man and White Tiger would cameo frequently. First arc would be looking after Nico and Chase, who would have disappeared after Arena.
Instead, we got Scarlet Spider vol. 2, which is still cool because Scarlet Spider is awesome. I just think it's such a missed opportunity.

Man on Fire

2014-03-31, 09:52 AM

New series have been announced. Savage Hulk, Hulk-centered team-up series by various writers and artist, and Spider-Man 2099 by Peter David.

comicshorse

2014-03-31, 10:27 AM

New series have been announced. Savage Hulk, Hulk-centered team-up series by various writers and artist, and Spider-Man 2099 by Peter David.

What, again !

Man on Fire

2014-03-31, 01:05 PM

Peter David was also suprised when they approached him with the project. I think you have to thank Spock for that. If it wasn't for fan uproar after rumors spread by Dan Slott that Superior Spider-Man is going to be Miguel (before we found out it's gonna be Otto), Spider-Man 2099 wouldn't have showed up in Superior Spider-Man. Reaction to that was positive so here comes new series. At least that's how I see it.

Shinken

2014-04-01, 08:37 AM

This is excellent nws.

bmosley45

2014-04-05, 01:16 PM

Just picked up Allred's Silver Surfer #1. While reading Surfer, I did something I haven't done reading comics in years; my eyes bugged out and my jaw dropped.

Huge fan of his work. I'm slowly piecing together his FF run and looking to buy his Madman title, too.

With the movies, the revamped Marvel Heroes Action MMO, and these comic titles, Marvel really has been kicking it up a notch. Very pleased.

Clertar

2014-05-06, 07:27 AM

The All-New Ultimate titles look pretty good, so far.

Also post-superior Spider-Man, I think, although I'm a little bit weary about the spider-men thing they're building up to.

Kitten Champion

2014-05-06, 09:20 AM

The All-New Ultimate titles look pretty good, so far.

I like it.

I have to say, Cloak and Dagger are tragically underutilized in the main continuity. Their powersets are cool, they've got the appealing contrast in their visuals, they've got a mission statement of helping young homeless kids that's good material for a series, their romance could make for compelling drama, and even if they couldn't last in their own series they could easily have fit in any of the numerous team book that they've released.

I guess no one really wanted to write them, which is a shame.

BRC

2014-05-07, 03:26 PM

Is anybody else reading Loki: Agent of Asgard

Because if not you should be. It's a very fun comic.

Am I the only one suspecting some sort of connection between Verity and Gram?

They've made a very big point about how Gram is the sword of Truth, how it reveals Lies, forces people to confront their own nature. An odd weapon for a trickster, especially considering Loki is old-loki pretending to be young loki. They're constantly going on about the Truth Magic built into the blade, ect ect.

And then there's Verity, who seems to have similarly powerful Truth magic of some sort. She's described as the "Human lie detector", but it's more than that. She can see through magical illusions and invisibility technology.

The sword is all Truthy because it was used to kill the asgardian-turned-dragon Fafnir, who slept for years on the pile of truth-cursed gold. Verity shares the hair Fafnir had when he was human, and her green tattoos seem to be roughly the same shade as Dragon!Fafnir.
Either that, or the fact that there have been two issues centered around the truth-sword, one issue in which the truth-sword was crucial, and an issue where we met the girl who cannot be lied to, is all a total coincidence.

I say Verity takes Gram, then teams up with Lying Cat.