After reading the solicits from the big two, it seems like February is going to be a relatively quiet month. Marvel isn’t launching a lot of series this month, but there are a lot of nice guest-appearances in quite a few titles. As always, Newsarama has the full solicits. Now let’s dive in!
SIEGE #2 (of 4)
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils & Cover by OLIVIER COIPEL
Variant Cover by GABRIELE DELL’OTTO
The blockbuster Marvel event of the year goes full-blown carnage and madness as the biggest and most brutal battle in Marvel’s history brings together heroes from all sides. Lines have been drawn, and an unlikely hero will save one Avenger, but they can’t save them all.
The Siege has begun and it claims its first victim as AN AVENGER WILL DIE!!
40 PGS./Cardstock Cover/Rated T+ …$3.99
Ugh. When will Bendis understand that it is not necessary to kill characters to make a story “more important.” I’m sure the death will be someone like Wonder Man, Photon, or someone else Bendis isn’t interested in. I’m sure the 70s throwback crew will be safe.
THUNDERBOLTS #141
Written by JEFF PARKER
Penciled by MIGUEL SEPULVEDA
Cover by ADI GRANOV
SIEGE BLOCKBUSTER TIE-IN!!
Norman Osborn has unleashed his team of psycho killers and ordered them to the site of the biggest battle they will ever face: Asgard! Standing in their way are the Mighty Avengers. An epic clash begins here with no-holds-barred action. There will be blood!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
Good guest-shot here with the Mighty Avengers. I’m very interested to see how it goes with the Avengers guest-starring in the Thunderbolts own title.
DEADPOOL #20
Written by DANIEL WAY
Penciled by CARLO BARBERI
Cover by JASON PEARSON
“WHATEVER A SPIDER CAN,” PART 2
Deadpool and Spider-Man team up (yes, team up) to combat the unstoppable killing machine known as Hitman Monkey!
Yes, Hitman Monkey.
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$2.99
Wow. Hitman Monkey. This looks like a storyline that should be safe to skip. I’ve read way too many Deadpool comics recently anyway.
HITMAN MONKEY #1
Written by DANIEL WAY
Penciled by DALIBOR TALIJIC
Cover by FRANK CHO
“The Legend of Hitman Monkey”
You’re digging him in this month’s issue of DEADPOOL and you want to know more about him? How about his origin story? A troubled soul, set upon a path of vengeance he does not understand. An assassin without equal, trained in the most secret of killing techniques. A flesh and blood specter, haunting the killers of the world. A monkey…with a gun. Bear witness as the legend is born. Hitman Monkey.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Wow. Hitman Monkey. They really are pushing this guy, huh? I might have preferred to see a special starring a real character like She-Hulk or the Young Avengers or something. But I suppose there is an audience who wants more monkeys with guns!
ULTIMATE COMICS X #1
Written by JEPH LOEB
Pencils & Cover by ART ADAMS
Villain Variant Cover by ART ADAMS
Special Variant by ART ADAMS
Special Variant by TBA
Spoiler Line-up Variant by ART ADAMS
Who—or what—is Ultimate X? The answers and even more secrets arrive in the all new ULTIMATE X ongoing bi-monthly series from the superstar dream team of JEPH LOEB and ART ADAMS. Wolverine is dead. Captain America is a fugitive. The Fantastic Four disbanded. Lives have been destroyed and nothing can ever be the same—is there any hope left? It all begins with a search for a brand new character whose identity will leave jaws on the floor and change the Ultimate Universe forever.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
I’m torn on this. I can’t figure out what the book is going to be about, but it is awfully hard to pass up Art Adams’ artwork. I wish he were drawing mainstream Marvel characters rather than the Ultimate analogues. There is potential in this Ultimate U revamp, but right now I’m worried.
DOOMWAR #1 (of 5)
Written by JONATHAN MABERRY
Penciled by SCOT EATON, WILL CONRAD & TBD
Cover by JOHN ROMITA JR.
Marvel Women Variant by JELENA KEVIC-DJURDJEVIC
Wakanda has been conquered, its Vibranium reserves plundered. Storm faces execution in the next 48 hours. And Dr. Doom stands triumphant. It will take the combined forces of the X-Men, the Fantastic Four and the two Black Panthers to stand against him. A war has begun that will pit the world’s most relentless super-villain against a collection of the world’s most powerful super heroes — one that will span the globe, offering twists and turns and surprise players (hello, Deadpool!) that neither side will see coming.
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
I’ve been skipping the current Black Panther series, and this seems to be a direct spin-off from that. I generally like Scot Eaton’s work, but at this point I’m so far behind that I probably will pass on this. I also have pretty much no interest in any other Black Panther than T’Challa. And I’m done with Deadpool for awhile. But it does look like an expansive Marvel U story, so you may like it!
INDOMITABLE IRON MAN BLACK & WHITE
Written by PAUL CORNELL, HOWARD CHAYKIN & MORE!
Penciled by WILLIAM ROSADO, HOWARD CHAYKIN & MORE!
Cover by LUCIO PARRILO
Iron Man does battle with a hyper-intelligent space probe bent on terraforming the planet! And Tony battles Titanium Man while fielding calls for Stark International! All this and more in this all-new, all-action, all-black-and-white one-shot in the spirit of the Mighty Marvel Magazines of yore, but ALL-NOW in style! The Iron Mania never lets up for a moment over these four stories by some of Marvel’s hottest writers!
48 PGS./One-Shot/Parental Advisory…$3.99
Paul Cornell writing Iron Man? Sold. I’m not confident that these magazine style books are going to be reprinted, so pick it up if you want to be sure you get it.
MARVEL HEARTBREAKERS
Written by KATHRYN IMMONEN, RICK SPEARS, KARL BOLLERS & JIM MCCANN
Penciled by LARA WEST, JAMES CALLAHAN, HARVEY TOLIBAO & DAVID LOPEZ
Cover by MIKE DEL MUNDO
This Valentine’s Day, drop that box of chocolates and satisfy the inner romantic with an oversized helping of heartache! In these four spandex-ripping tales, the fabulous femmes of Marvel discover that there’s no such thing as love without tears…and that super powers won’t protect them from Cupid’s arrow! Will it be MJ Watson or Gwen Stacy that charges Peter Parker’s electrons? Can the girls of Nextwave survive a visit from the ghosts of boyfriends past? Is Snowbird in danger of letting her animal passions get the best of her? And must Dazzler choose between the stage and a certain fuzzy mutant hunk? Find out in this special filled with passion, power, and pain!
40 PGS./Rated T+…$3.99
I’m learning my lesson from the recent Model’s Inc. solicits. This clearly isn’t targeted for me, but maybe you’ll dig it!
HULK #20
Written by JEPH LOEB
Pencils & Cover by ED MCGUINNESS
Variant Cover by ED MCGUINNESS & KAI SPANNUTH
Special Variant by TBA
FALL OF THE HULKS continues!
He’s smashing his way through the heroes of the Marvel Universe with a rage unstoppable. Next up? THE RED HULK vs. THE UNCANNY X-MEN. And what do RED GHOST AND THE SUPER-APES want with Beast and The Black Panther? Superstars JEPH LOEB and ED McGUINNESS keep bringing the pain in the event of the century.
32 PGS./Rated T+…$3.99
Red Hulk is making his way through the Marvel U, and I’m excited to see him take on the X-Men. Hulk is a trade title for me, but this might be one random issue that is worth picking up. Can I hope the Black Panther in this story is T’Challa?
MIGHTY AVENGERS #34
Written by DAN SLOTT
Penciled by NEIL EDWARDS
Cover by KHOI PHAM
Special Variant by TBA
The Mighty Avengers are poised to join the Siege on Asgard, but first they have some pretty huge issues to resolve. THOR vs. the MIGHTY AVENGERS! LOKI revealed! Someone’s off the team?! The most insane thing HANK PYM will ever do (and for Hank Pym, that’s saying a LOT)! All this and more!
32 PGS./Rated A …$2.99
Talk about a great guest-star. Thor takes on the Mighty Avengers! Judging from the cover and the solicits, it seems Quicksilver may run off once he realizes Loki has been impersonating his sister. Too bad, I’ve loved having the jerk on the team.
PUNISHER #14
Written by RICK REMENDER
Penciled by DAN BRERETON & TONY MOORE
Cover by MIKE McKONE
“FRANKENCASTLE,” PART 4
Broken, savage and at his lowest, Frank Castle lurks in dark places, hunted by pitiless assassins and their mysterious leader Hellsgaard. Who is this giant skull-faced behemoth and why does he relentlessly slaughter the grotesque? Find out in this haunting tale of pulp dread painted in ghoulish detail by Eisner award winner Dan Brereton. In order to protect those who kept him alive, The Punisher is in for the bloodiest, down and dirty, gutter fight of his life — get your tickets now.
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$2.99
This is so crazy, it just might work. I’m really amused by all of this, even though I think the storyline will be reviled in the future. That said, getting Dan Brereton to work on this book is a real coup.
TAILS OF THE PET AVENGERS
Written by CHRIS ELIOPOULOS, SCOTT GRAY, COLLEEN COOVER & JOE CARAMAGNA
Pencils by IG GUARA, COLLEEN COOVER, GURIHIRU & CHRIS ELIOPOULOS
Cover by HUMBERTO RAMOS
Special Variant by TBA
They saved the world in LOCKJAW & THE PET AVENGERS…what’ve they been doing since? Find out in this super-sized special featuring Lockjaw, Redwing, and the rest of your favorite Pet Avengers take center-stage in their own spotlight adventures! Featuring an all-new, NEVER before seen savage tale of ZABU and a FROG THOR prequel leading into the team’s triumphant return in PET AVENGERS, onsale next month!
40 PGS./All Ages …$3.99
My daughter loves the Pet Avengers, so I’ll have to let her know there are more adventures on the way. This is a fun all-ages title that actually fits into the Marvel U if you squint just right.
REALM OF KINGS: SON OF HULK #1 (of 4)
Written by SCOTT REED
Penciled by MIGUEL MUNERA
Cover by ALEX GARNER
Variant Cover by MICHAEL GOLDEN
Meet a new monster for a new age, and a challenger to the warring Kings of the Cosmos…he is Hiro-Kala, SON OF HULK, and this young apocalyptic visionary has a destructive destiny: obliterate the Universe! This monsterous Son of Hulk has been abducted to Jarella’s sub-atomic world deep in the Microverse, where his father once found love and acceptance. Now he must battle an invasion force of murderous aliens…even if it means unlocking a new, horrifying power within him that can never be controlled. Book one of “THE CONQUEST OF JARELLA’S WORLD”, a mind-breaking adventure from critically acclaimed writer, Scott Reed.
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99
I’m not familiar with Scott Reed at all, so that’s a pretty big unknown for this one-shot. Factor in that I hate Hiro-Kala and couldn’t be less interested in him, and there is almost no reason for me to pick this up. But! That is the great 70s villain Psyklop on the cover, so the book does have one thing going for it.
X-MEN: PIXIE STRIKES BACK #1 (of 4)
Written by KATHRYN IMMONEN
Penciled by SARA PICHELLI
Cover by STUART IMMONEN
Pixie, X-23, Armor, Mercury and Blindfold face a new kind of hell: high school! Things get even worse when Pixie’s mother shows up on Utopia demanding to see her daughter. Discover the truth about Pixie, inculding the answer to something even SHE doesn’t know: the identity of her father- one of the most dangerous X-Villains ever!
32 PGS./Rated A …$3.99
Ok, we’re back to cute Pixie here. I’m getting whiplash from seeing the character portrayed so many different ways! Kathryn Immonen had some neat ideas and fun dialogue in her Hellcat series, but it was presented in such a bonkers fashion I couldn’t discern what was happening. I’m curious to see how she does stepping into the X-Men universe.
Trades:
- Ghost Rider: Heaven’s on Fire
- Hulk 3: Hulk No More
- House of M: Masters of Evil
- Spider-Man: 24/7
- Spider-Man: American Son
