Ever since the first Avengers film came out and was more successful than anyone could have imagined, the comic books have been trying their best to catch up. So, every couple of years Marvel "relaunches" most of their comics back to #1. They do this so that they can catch a new reader's attention. The thinking is that you're more likely to pick up a new comic book if it starts at #1 rather than #523. I don't really buy that though. My first issue of Batman was #608.
And so my obsession began . . .
Either way, it is exciting when the comics are relaunched, retooled, rebooted, whatever you want to call it. The new comics get me excited. It's a chance for writers and artists I like to tackle new characters or maybe characters that they haven't worked on in a long time. Since it's writers that I like, it's a chance for me to check out new characters that I may not have been interested in before. Also, when Marvel relaunches their comics they give their best writers characters that are about to star in the movies. It's a great way to get new and current fans excited for their upcoming films.
I'd like to share with you the comics that I'm definitely looking forward to reading this fall. I'll be the first to admit that it's all pretty much mainstream stuff but hey . . . I like that stuff! So here we go!
ALL NEW ALL DIFFERENT AVENGERS
It's strange to think that before Brian Michael Bendis came along in the early 2000s, the Avengers were not considered to be Marvel's flagship title. He realized it and helped make the Avengers a great book again. After he left, Jonathan Hickman made the book . . . well it was a Hickman book. You either love it or hate it (I was the latter). Now, Marvel is relaunching the Avengers under the guidance of Mark Waid. Waid is one of my all time favorite writers. He's written the Flash, Kingdom Come, and the most recent run on Daredevil. What is most exciting about the newest roster of Avengers is that they are the most diverse. Thor is a woman, Captain America and Spider-Man are black, Ms. Marvel is Pakistani, the Vision is a robot (and British I guess if you think of him as Paul Bettany), Nova is Latino, and Iron Man is white. For the first time in Avengers history, only one of the characters is a white male. That's pretty interesting. What's also interesting is that three of the Avengers are teenagers. It gives the book a legacy type of feel to it. The older generation training the younger one. I'm excited to see what crazy adventures they will have.
DR. STRANGE
Here is a good example of a great writer, Jason Aaron, on an underused character. Aaron was the inspired choice to launch Thor: God of Thunder back in 2012. He took the book to new and interesting places. I loved it a lot. Then he brought on the new, female Thor last year. Also he's writing the Star Wars comic. And it's amazing! I have no doubt that his Dr. Strange book is going to be exciting and unpredictable. I won't lie to you though, I'm not a huge fan of Chris Bachalo's art. In some cases I can grow to like an artist on a title. Sometimes it just takes the right character or the right take to bring out the best in them. That might be the case here (after all that image above is awesome). Still, I'm sure that I will enjoy this book. I've never gotten a Dr. Strange comic before . . .
EXTRAORDINARY X-MEN
I have a love/hate relationship with the X-Men comic books. Every now and then I find one that I like. More often than not though, the books fall into the trap of introducing too many new characters and reintroducing older characters and it's just . . . too . . . much! I love the X-Men movies and the cartoons. This comic looks to be in the same vein in the sense that it will only follow a core group of characters. That appeals to me. The other major appeal is the writer - Jeff Lemire. He's become one of my favorite writers in recent years. He wrote a great Green Arrow run not too long ago (I've mentioned it on my wish lists for Arrow season four). Plus the cast is really intriguing to me - Storm, Jean, Nightcrawler, Magik, Colossus, Iceman, and Old Man Logan (more on him later). That's a bad ass cast! I can't wait to see it. Plus Humberto Ramos on art is cool. His art is very kinetic and fun to look at it. I'm sure this book will be awesome and X-citing. Haha!
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
This is like the 30th time that Dan Slott has relaunched Amazing Spider-Man. Ok so that's an exaggeration. But not by much! Any way. The appeal here is that this is going to be Peter Parker like we've never seen him before. He's taking Spider-Man global! I think . . . I'm not sure actually. All I know is that Parker Industries is taking over the Baxter Building (cuz fuck the Fantastic Four) and Peter is super rich now. He looks to be taking Spider-Man around the world Iron Man-style. I'm curious. Slott has written some of the best Spider-Man stories in recent years including the Superior Spider-Man. That was one of my favorite Spidey stories. I'm interested to see what new direction Slott will take Parker on this time.
DAREDEVIL
Given the success of the Netflix series, it makes sense that Marvel would want to give Murdock a new series. The Mark Waid series, which is about to end, has Matt relocated to San Francisco. When this new series starts Murdock will be back in Hell's Kitchen. Cuz let's face it. Daredevil and Hell's Kitchen go together like peas and carrots!
Just like these hicks!
Looks like the new series will see him training a new apprentice. We don't know much else other than Murdock's identity is now back to being a secret. This is probably to line it up with the Netflix series. Also, the series is being written by Charles Soule. He took over Swamp Thing after Scott Snyder left and I think he did a good job of keeping it interesting and exciting. Fun fact - in real life Soule is a lawyer. He'll be able to bring that knowledge to Daredevil and hopefully craft a really exciting story. Most everything he's written that I've read I've really enjoyed. It helps that Daredevil is one of my favorite characters. I'm excited to see him back in New York and still kicking ass.
THE MIGHTY THOR
Another Jason Aaron book on the list! And this one should be really interesting! I mentioned before how he introduced a female Thor last year. Turns out that it was Jane Foster. She found herself worthy of Mjolnir. It helped to put her cancer in remission (while she's Thor at least). That's an interesting hook. She's dying of cancer but the power of Mjolnir halts it. I'm curious to see what Aaron will do with her story. Is she going to be Thor on a permanent basis? Will the cancer eventually kill her even when she's Thor? Not much is known about the new series but her introduction was very well done. It will be interesting to see her evolve as a hero and a starring character as opposed to love interest/supporting character. And what about the real Thor? How will he factor into the new series? I have no doubt that Aaron will answer all of these questions slowly but surely while crafting an awesome new take on the Thor legend.
OLD MAN LOGAN
The biggest shock for me while learning of the new Marvel comics was this addition. The original Old Man Logan was written by Mark Millar and drawn by Steve McNiven. It took place in a dark future where the villains ruled the world. Few heroes were left. One hero was the original Wolverine, now just an old man named Logan. When he is called back to action, he does so reluctantly given the horrific part he played in the villains' rise to power. By the end, he had decided to be a hero again and save the world from the bad guys. This new series is going to be brought to us by Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino on art. They were the team that gave us that awesome Green Arrow run I mentioned earlier.
THERE it is! Couldn't find it earlier . . .
They crafted a really exciting, world building run on Green Arrow. I'm excited to see what the hell is going to happen in Old Man Logan. First of all, Logan will be on a world that he recognizes but is still different. Second, he'll still have the traumatic memories of his world. Third, is he going to go home? Will he want to? Since Wolverine was killed off not long ago in the comic books (more on that later) he's going to be the only Logan in this world. I'm excited to see what role he's going to play. And if Sorrentino is on art then it will look gorgeous!
SPIDER-MAN
This is another shocking addition to the All New, All Different Marvel. Miles Morales is apparently the only survivor of the Ultimate Universe. Now he's in the regular Marvel Universe. Luckily this series will continue to be written by Brian Michael Bendis and drawn by Sara Pichelli, both were the creators of Miles Morales back in 2011. He's been a fan favorite character and one of my favorites as well. He's a great character, younger than Peter Parker but still has a hero's heart. The only thing known about this series is that it will have a Batman Beyond type feel to it. Miles will be Spider-Man in the city doing all the work getting guidance from Peter Parker. It will definitely be exciting to see Miles in the regular Marvel world, battling classic Spider-Man rogues and teaming up with the other heroes. As to how he exists in the Marvel world is a mystery. Does he remember the Ultimate Universe? Where does he live? Did any other supporting characters survive the Ultimate U's destruction? Gahnke? Gwen? Miles's father? I'm sure we'll get the answers. And I'm also sure it's going to be . . . Wait for it . . . AMAZING! Haha! Get it? . . . Ok . . .
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN
Another Bendis title! And it's Iron Man! That's just so cool! I was a huge fan of Bendis's run on Avengers and I thought that he made Tony Stark really fun to read. I always hoped that he would write a Captain America comic but this is just as good! I said before how I had a love/hate relationship with the X-Men comics. Well with Iron Man . . . I've liked his stuff but I've never fallen in love with it. I think this will be the time that I really fall in love. Bendis has a knack for telling larger than life stories with a very human, emotional center. I'm curious to see where Bendis takes Stark and his crew. Given that the last Iron Man title was Superior Iron Man, it will be interesting to see what happens next. In Superior, Stark was pretty much the bad guy. He was doing his best to use technology to better mankind, as he always does, but he was so selfish and almost evil about it. He was his own worst enemy in that story. I thought it was very well done, but how does one come back from that? Now, it's totally possible that that story has been erased from history, but that's not Marvel's style. I think Tony will remember what happened and the bad things he did. He'll have to do his best to make amends, also while protecting the world from some terrible technological threat. Cuz ya know . . . Technology is always dangerous in the wrong hands! Dun dun dun!!!
ALL NEW WOLVERINE
Believe it or not, this is the one title I'm looking forward to above all else. I like the idea of supporting characters stepping up when their mentors are gone. Dick Grayson did it, Jane Foster is doing it, and now Laura, X-23 is doing it. The main reason I'm excited for this title is that it's being written by Tom Taylor. He wrote the absolutely wonderful Injustice: Gods Among Us tie in comic book. Well, technically he only wrote the first two and a half years, but they were PERFECT! He instantly became a favorite writer for me. Anything he did, I would jump on. He even did the aforementioned Superior Iron Man and he also did a great run on Earth 2. I'm very curious to see how he handles this new take on Wolverine. X-23 is a very interesting character. She's one of the few characters that is distinct in that she was actually created on the TV series X-Men: Evolution. She was so popular that Marvel brought her into the comics. She had her own series for a while and was recently featured as a major player in Bendis's All New X-Men run. Now she'll be taking on her "father's" mantle as Wolverine. And we all know that the name Wolverine comes with a lot of enemies. But I'm sure she can handle it. Also, I don't half wonder if bringing her into a high profile book will be a clue as to what happens to the Wolverine character on film after Hugh Jackman retires . . .
Passing the torch?
These are the books that I will definitely be checking out when they are released in October. I'm excited for all of them and the possibilities of crossovers and maybe even new comics coming out after these are released. It's an all new, all different pull list for the Comic Junkie!
Till Next Time!
JJ - The Comic Junkie!
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