Marvel's June previews...reviewed!

And now, it's Marvel's turn. The full solicits are available in a couple of different places, but I like them on Newsarama best, as you can peruse immediate fan reaction in the comments section below, and, while you're there, check out the latest "Best Shots" offerings.




AMAZING SPIDER-GIRL #9 Written by TOM DEFALCO. Pencils and Cover by RON FRENZ. “Spider-Girl, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.” Part 1 (of 4) When Spider-Girl stumbles on to a S.H.I.E.L.D. mission that’s about to go bad, she inadvertently sets free the deadliest (and most requested) foe that Spider-Man ever faced—Carnage!

At one point or another, every Marvel hero is an “Agent of SHIELD,” huh?






AVENGERS CLASSIC #1 Written by STAN LEE & DWAYNE MCDUFFIE. Penciled by JACK KIRBY, MIKE OEMING & KEVIN MAGUIRE. Cover by ARTHUR ADAMS. In the tradition of CLASSIC X-MEN, we’re re-presenting the original AVENGERS #1 digitally re-mastered with THX ™ surround sound and a brand spankin’ new cover by ARTHUR ADAMS! But that’s not all!!! We have not one, but TWO brand new short stories as well! DWAYNE McDUFFIE and painter MICHAEL AVON OEMING bring you a tale of the Avengers first tumultuous meeting and STAN “THE MAN” LEE (who started it all!) and artist extraordinaire KEVIN MAGUIRE bring you a compelling tale about how the Avengers REALLY formed! Face it, this book is HOT!

It’s been said that the Avengers are the new X-Men in terms of popularity, but should they be the new X-Men in terms of publishing strategy, as well?

Marvel seems to think so, but something strikes me as somewhat…um, insane about having four ongoing Avengers titles. I was all-set to skip this one, seeing as how these lead stories are collected elsewhere and the back-ups all almost certainly will be collected on their own later, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to resist new Kevin Maguire work. Maybe I’ll try the first issue. But just the first!






FANTASTIC FOUR #547 Written by DWAYNE MCDUFFIE. Penciled by PAUL PELLETIER. Cover by MICHAEL TURNER. The Wizard has come all the way to Saturn's moon, Titan, to get revenge on his greatest enemy, but Reed Richards is more concerned with the message encoded in a strange artifact from 700 light years away. Meanwhile, the current FF deal with the aftermath of their battle with the Marvel Zombies.

The text sure sounds more interesting than the cover, which seems to say, “In this issue! The Human Torch and Invisible Woman just sort of mill around a burning building!” Having seen Turner’s JLoA covers, we know he can do much, much, much worse, but this cover really strikes me as a wasted opportunity.

If you’ve got the Marvel Zombies inside the book, why not have Arthur Suydam do one of zombified versions of a classic Marvel cover for this issue? Everything with a Suydam zombie cover on it seems to sell out—repeatedly—so why not take advantage of that here, and give Turner some time off to practice drawing poses, feet and backgrounds?





WORLD WAR HULK #1 (of 5)Written by GREG PAK_Penciled by JOHN ROMITA JR. Cover by DAVID FINCH. Variant Cover by JOHN ROMITA JR. Marvel's massive summer smashfest begins! Exiled by a group of Marvel "heroes" to the savage alien planet of Sakaar, the Hulk raged, bled and conquered through the pages of last year's "Planet Hulk" epic, rising from slave to gladiator to king. Now the Hulk returns to Earth to wreak his terrible vengeance on Iron Man, Reed Richards, Dr. Strange and Black Bolt—and anyone else who gets in his way. Stronger than ever, accompanied by his monstrous Warbound gladiator allies, and possessed by the fiercest and purest rage imaginable, the Hulk may just tear this stupid planet in half. The epic story of anger unbound begins with this special double-sized issue written by "Planet Hulk" scribe Greg Pak and penciled by the legendary John Romita, Jr.


I’ve been pretty pumped about this story since it was announced, as Hulk beating up the world is generally a good idea for a story, and that was before Marvel went ahead and made Iron Man and Reed Richards into such hiss-able heels.

Plus, JRJr is as fast as he is good, so this series shouldn’t be hampered by any of those Civil War-like delays.

But then I read some previews. It seems like this Hulk is Smart Hulk, whom is nowhere near as awesome as Dumb Hulk, and his armor drives me nuts.

First, does Hulk need armor? No. So it’s obviously just a fashion thing.

And second, wouldn’t Hulk’s armor just dissolve under attacks like this one? (Scroll down to see Blackbolt raise his voice to Ol’ Jadejaws).

I haven’t read “Planet Hulk” yet (waiting for the nice, cheap, affordable soft-cover trades, baby!), so maybe it’s all explained there that it’s Admantium super-armor that Hulk wears as a sort of uniform to convince his alien allies he’s one of them or something.

Either way, I’ve gone from pumped to cautiously pumped.





WORLD WAR HULK: FRONT LINE #1 (of 6) Written by PAUL JENKINS. Penciled by RAMON BACHS. Cover by JOHN WATSON. Your street-level view of the Hulk’s invasion! The Green Goliath has returned to Earth on a collision course with some of Marvel’s mightiest heroes…so what does that mean for the ordinary people caught in the crossfire? Ben Urich and Sally Floyd—fresh from their appearance in CIVIL WAR: FRONT LINE —pound the pavement to uncover the story behind the story! Plus: Who wants our tireless reporters to take down J. Jonah Jameson, and how do they want them to do it? Grab your press pass and join the CIVIL WAR: FRONT LINE team of writer Paul Jenkins and penciler Ramon Bachs as they take you to the middle of this summer’s blockbuster!

Wow, really?

Marvel must be banking on everyone who read Civil War: Frontline, particularly the risible #10 and #11, completely forgetting about it by the time June rolls around..






IRON MAN #19 Written by CHRISTOS GAGE. Penciled by BUTCH GUICE. Cover by GERALD PAREL. A WORLD WAR HULK TIE-IN! Something's coming to Earth from deep space...and he's very angry. The Hulk wants revenge, and Iron Man's on his list. Can Tony Stark's space defenses even slow down the green giant? What special armor will Iron Man don against the ultimate opponent? One thing's for sure -- when these titans clash, the shockwaves will rock the Marvel Universe.


If this were a DC book, you just know there woulda been a head in that helmet.





MARVEL ADVENTURES THE AVENGERS #14 Written by JEFF PARKER. Pencils and Cover by LEONARD KIRK. Remember your history — The Avengers didn't thaw out Captain America, and Kang the Conqueror became Master of the World throughout all time. To make a brighter future, our heroes have to go to the 1950's and enlist the help of The Agents of Atlas!

Woohoo! More Agents of Atlas…by Jeff Parker! And he’s even brought AoA penciller Leonard Kirk along for the ride!






LEGION OF MONSTERS: SATANA Written by ROBIN FURTH & JONATHAN HICKMAN. Penciled by Kalman Andrasofszky & Jonathan Hickman. Cover by GREG LAND. Because you demanded it—more monsters! Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born’s Robin Furth spins a frightening yarn starring the devilish Satana! Meanwhile, Jonathan Hickman (The Nightly News) brings his edgy graphic storytelling to the Living Mummy! Two tales of terror you dare not miss!

Huh. This is a tough one. Greg Land’s cover and art on the Legion of Monsters: Werewolf By Night special issue me from buying a book I would have otherwise been all over. This one just features an ugly Land cover, however, which I guess I can always cut off. I’ll have to think about his one.

Interesting to see Furth in the Marvel Universe proper, and to see Hickman on a Marvel book so quick, too. Also, I thought Satana was dead? At least, she died at the end of Essential Marvel Horror Vol. 1, the last Satana story I read.






MARVEL ZOMBIES/ARMY OF DARKNESS #4 (of 5) Written by JOHN LAYMAN. Penciled by FABIANO SILVA NEVES. Cover by ARTHUR SUYDAM. The quest for the one thing that can save Ash and his crew of survivors takes them to Latveria, home of—Doctor Doom! Who will live, who will die, and who will get their sorry butt tossed into a dungeon after one too many smart-alecky comments to a certain metal-plated monarch? Think fast, ’cause a legion of hungry zombies is on the way!

Forget it. The first issue was only so-so, and it looks like it’s selling out and getting better variant covers on second printings anyway. Like the original Marvel Zombies seires, this a wait-for-the-trader then.

After all, why bother reading the singles if the best part—like covers featuring a zombie Hitler and Ash dressed as Bucky—are only available if you buy the same book twice or wait for the trade?






NEW AVENGERS #31 Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS. Pencils and Cover by LEINIL FRANCIS YU. No hype! No BS! The most important last page of any Marvel comic this year! Do not miss it!

Wait, more important than Captain America #25? Cause that was this year too, right? Hmm, we’ll see. I’m gonna hold you to that “No Hype! No BS!” comment come June though, Anonymous Marvel Preview Copy Writer!






PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL #8 Written by MATT FRACTION.
Pencils and Cover by ARIEL OLIVETTI. It's part 3 of “Blood and Sand,” with the heart of the American dream at stake. Somewhere in the heart of the Sonoran desert, halfway between the United States and Mexico, the Hate-Monger and his infamous hostage go one-on-one. Meanwhile, G.W. Bridge goes rogue… Stuart Clarke investigates how the National Force gets its information and who's helping them get it… and Frank Castle unveils his astonishing plan.

This looks like an interesting issue of What If?, finally telling the story of “What If Frank Castle Spilled Wine on his Costume at Cable’s Dinner Party and Had to Borrow Something From Cable’s Closet To Wear Home? “

Oh wait, this is PWJ huh? Hm. Not so sure about this Capunisher thing (or even if it should be pronounced “Kuh-punisher” or “Cap-uhn-isher”), but if he’s not wearing Cap’s mask, which he walked off with at the end of Civil War #7, what’s the point?






RUNAWAYS #27 Written by JOSS WHEDON. Penciled by MICHAEL RYAN. Cover by JO CHEN.“DEAD END KIDS” Has there always been a “Runaways?” No. Then what does the above cover mean? You’re going to have to read it to find out, True Believers. Joss Whedon and Michael Ryan (NEW EXCALIBUR) bring you more twists and turns as the Runaways go somewhere they’ve never been before.

I would like that cover a thousand times better if Old Lace were wearing a hat too.