Marvel's July previews reviewed

Michael Cho is the actual best.

Well, there doesn't seem to be much of interest in this month's Marvel solicitations, at least, not unless you find Civil War II particularly interesting, because that seems to be eating, like, the entire line. The thing that really caught my attention this time around was what appears to be a new format to collect comics featuring certain breakout characters like Ms. Marvel, Mockingbird, X-23/The All-New Wolverine and Squirrel Girl in fairly gigantic collections that include several trades worth of comics, as well as short stories and one-shots and team-ups from here and there. Of course, I already have all those featuring the characters I like--Ms. Marvel and Squirrel Girl--but those are pretty cool volumes for those that want them, and should be pretty perfect for library shelves.

Alright, let's see what Marvel is offering us this July, shall we...?


BLACK PANTHER
BY CHRISTOPHER PRIEST:
THE COMPLETE
COLLECTION VOL. 4 TPB
Written by CHRISTOPHER PRIEST
Penciled by DAN FRAGA, JORGE LUCAS,
JIM CALAFIORE, PATRICK ZIRCHER & JOE BENNETT
Cover by PATRICK ZIRCHER
Christopher Priest takes the Black Panther in a whole different direction! With T’Challa gone, who will inherit the mantle? Could it be…the guy with the trench coat and guns? Kevin “Kasper” Cole is out for revenge against the people who hurt his family, and his quest will bring him into conflict with corrupt cops and a brutal hunter. It’s the all-new Black Panther vs. the White Wolf as a crime novel in comic form begins — but nothing in a Priest tale is ever black and white. This gritty, street-level Panther saga will conclude with revelations about the fate of T’Challa — and set up Cole to join a whole new Crew! But can Cole, War Machine, Junta and Josiah X handle Big Trouble in Little Mogadishu? Collecting BLACK PANTHER (1998) #50-56 and #59-62, and THE CREW #1-7.
416 PGS./Rated T+ …$34.99

Wow, there's going to be four volumes of this? I'm already one volume behind, as I understand the second one has been released. I'm a little surprised to see The Crew included, as I didn't really think it was considered part of Prist's Black Panther run, but I'm glad to see it's in here. That means I can get the single issues out of my comics midden once I get this trade. I remember liking that series okay, and being disappointed when it was canceled, but also had little idea who several of the characters were, so perhaps reading them after the Black Panther comics it apparently followed will clear all that up for me.

CIVIL WAR II #3 (OF 7)
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • DAVID MARQUEZ (A)
Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
...
This is the one everyone will be talking about! One of the biggest heroes in the Marvel Universe will fall! Who it is and how and why will divide fans for years to come. Will the heroes of the Marvel Universe survive the unthinkable happening? The fallout to this issue is enormous!
40 PGS./RATED T+ ...$4.99

Alright, death! Awesome! For a while there I wasn't sure if this was going to be impotant or not, but if one of the biggest heroes in the Marvel Universe is going to fall, then it must be!

Based on that cover, it looks like Iron Man, as he appears to be ripped in half, but maybe that's just empty armor.

It's weird that they've done so many of these temporary deaths as part of Marvel event series at this point that, when I was trying to puzzle out who it might be, I found myself trying to figure out who hasn't died and come back to life lately.

I think Bruce Banner, presumably the Hulk on the cover above, is the most likely suspect, given that they did refer to him as one of the biggest heroes in the Marvel Universe (which would seem to excuse the likes of, I don't know, Nova, Captain Marvel, the new Thor, Captain Falcmerica, etc.) He's also not starring/buttressing his own title at the moment (Amadeus Cho is currently the main Hulk in the pages of The Totally Awesome Hulk), and the Banner version of Hulk hasn't really had much to do in the Marvel Universe in...years, really.

In other words, he's the biggest character that is also the most expendable at the moment, but I don't know; the premise of the series is so goofy I'm having a hard time even getting my head around it, let alone trying to understand how it might play out.

I think The Wasp is a potential possibility too, if only because word on the street is that there's going to be a new Wasp soon and she too has been MIA for a long time, only sort of appearing around the fringes of recent Avengers titles (In the pages of Uncanny Avengers, for a while).

We'll see.


DARTH VADER #23
KIERON GILLEN (W) • SALVADOR LARROCA (A/C)
...
• Vader vs. Morit on the shell of the Executor!
• DO YOU NEED MORE THAN THAT???
• Fine: Cylo's secret revealed!
32 PGS./Rated T ...$3.99
Star Wars © Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All rights reserved. Used under authorization. Text and illustrations for Star Wars are © 2016 Lucasfilm Ltd.

Yes, I will need more than that. Because I have no idea who Morit is. Or what the Executor is. Or who Cylo is, actually.

Huh. I've read the first two trades of this series; are all those these things I should know from having done so? maybe I'm just having trouble retaining information from the new Star Wars Expanded Universe...


HOWARD THE DUCK #9
CHIP ZDARSKY (W) • JOE QUINONES (A/C)
• Howard is back in NEW YORK CITY! And on his strangest case yet: A missing person! His client? The missing person! WHAAA—?
• Join us as Howard encounters aliens, Brooklyn and network television with a SPECIAL GUEST STAR so SHOCKING that I am STILL SHOCKED that we're ALLOWED TO DO THIS.
• SERIOUSLY.
32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$3.99

Hmmm...Is it The Shocker...?

I like this cover. That is all.


SCARLET BOOK 2 PREMIERE HC
WRITTEN BY BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
PENCILED BY ALEX MALEEV
COVER BY ALEX MALEEV
The most controversial and best-reviewed comic book on the stands today is back! From the Eisner Award-winning team of Bendis and Maleev (DAREDEVIL, SPIDER-WOMAN, MOON KNIGHT) comes the next chapter in Scarlet's one-woman American Revolution. Scarlet has declared war on a city strangled from within by corruption! Her call to arms has been heard all over the world -- but now Scarlet makes her boldest move yet, taking City Hall hostage while the entire country watches. How will the public react to her list of demands? Can a modern revolution gain traction? And what will the government do to shut her down? The answers will surprise you, as Scarlet finds herself forced to make a dangerous and desperate move: letting them capture her! The creator-owned hit is back -- and bolder than ever! Collecting SCARLET #6-10.
176 PGS./Mature ...$24.99

Not to be a jerk or anything, but I don't believe for a second that this is "the most controversial" and/or "best reviewed comic book on the stands today." In fact, I don't remember hearing anyone say anything about it anywhere since it first launched, and those comments were more like, "Wait, what is this? Why does this thing even exist?"


SPIDEY VOL. 1: FIRST DAY TPB
Written by ROBBIE THOMPSON
Penciled by NICK BRADSHAW & ANDRÉ LIMA ARAÚJO
Cover by NICK BRADSHAW
Think you know everything about Peter Parker? Think again! Expect action, adventure and hilarity in equal measure as we head back to high school to explore Pete’s early days! Modern talent combines with the classic Marvel flavor to present the web-slinger’s wonder years in truly amazing, spectacular, sensational style. It’s a return to the hassles of overdue homework, not knowing how to talk to girls and a never-ending merry-go-round of madness courtesy of the best rogues’ gallery in comics! We’re talking Doctor Octopus, Sandman, the Vulture and…Doctor Doom! But could our young hero ever be ready for an arch-nemesis like the Green Goblin? With these and more faces from Peter’s past — both familiar and surprising — you’ll remember what made Spider-Man the world’s greatest hero in the first place! Collecting SPIDEY #1-6.
136 PGS./Rated T …$17.99

I think Nick Bradshaw is just the best, I like the idea of this book, but I haven't read a single issue of it, choosing to instead wait for the trade. Which I guess will be out in July. So, have any of you read any issues of it yet? What's the verdict? Is this one to definitely have on one's book shelves, or more of a borrow-from-the-library kind of thing...?


STAR WARS: DARTH VADER VOL. 3 - THE SHU-TORUN WAR TPB
Written by KIERON GILLEN
Penciled by LEINIL FRANCIS YU & SALVADOR LARROCA
Cover by KAARE ANDREWS
The Dark Lord of the Sith's unstoppable march continues! The natives of Shu-Torun are revolting, and there's no way the Empire will stand for that. When Darth Vader is tasked with leading a military assault against the planet, could it be that his rise to glory has begun? But who will follow Vader into war? Would you? Then again, it's better to fight alongside Vader than against him. That's a lesson that the ore barons are about to learn. Collecting DARTH VADER #16-19 and ANNUAL #1.
120 PGS./Rated T ...$16.99
...
Star Wars © Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All rights reserved. Used under authorization. Text and illustrations for Star Wars are © 2016 Lucasfilm Ltd.

The thing I like least about this book is Larroca's art. I mean, it's okay, and it is honestly better on this book than on other books he's worked on before, but it's just not a style I really appreciate it. I do like Yu though, so I'm pretty curious about this volume, not only to see someone other than Larroca drawing it, but to see someone so different from Larroca drawing it.


STAR WARS: HEROES FOR A NEW HOPE HC
Written by MARK WAID, CHARLES SOULE & GERRY DUGGAN
Penciled by TERRY DODSON, ALEX MALEEV & PHIL NOTO
Cover by TERRY DODSON, ALEX MALEEV & PHIL NOTO
Three of the most beloved characters in the entire Star Wars saga in their own solo adventures! After Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, Leia Organa is a princess without a world! But she still feels a duty to her people. Can she save the remaining Alderaanians from the might of the Galactic Empire? Before master of charm Lando Calrissian joined the Rebellion, or even ran Cloud City, he and faithful ally Lobot got by with the odd swindle and plenty of swagger. But this time, has Lando bitten off more than he can chew? Speaking of things getting Chewy, everybody’s favorite Wookiee warrior also faces some alone time after the battle of Yavin. Stranded on an Imperial-occupied planet, far away from Han Solo, will he make a new best friend? Collecting PRINCESS LEIA #1-5, LANDO #1-5 and CHEWBACCA #1-5.
344 PGS./Rated T …$50.00
...
Star Wars © Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All rights reserved. Used under authorization. Text and illustrations for Star Wars are © 2016 Lucasfilm Ltd.

Huh, that's interesting. All three of these series have previously been collected in trade format, so it's odd to see them re-collected into a massive hardcover. But not that odd, obviously, as it's Star Wars, and that is a particular iron that is still particularly hot,

Of these three series, Chewbacca is the only one I've read, but I really rather liked that one.

THE UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL #10
RYAN NORTH (W) • ERICA HENDERSON (A/C)
• Mole Man has fallen in love with Squirrel Girl, and he's holding the world hostage until she goes on a date with him!
• MOLE MEN, am I right??
• Watch as Squirrel Girl gains the help of an unlikely ally! Thrill as two people kiss! BUT WHICH TWO??
• You'll have to buy the issue to find out, so all I'll say right now is this:
• IN THIS ISSUE THERE IS A NON-ZERO CHANCE FOR EVERY MARVEL SHIP TO BECOME CANON!!
• "Ship" is short for "relationship," in case you thought I was talking about, like, Galactus' "Star Sphere" or Mr. Fantastic's "Fantasticship" or whatever.
• Anyway, enjoy!!
32 PGS./Rated T ...$3.99

This solicit reminded me of the story of Thumbelina.

VOTE LOKI #2
CHRISTOPHER HASTINGS (W) • LANGDON FOSS (A)
Cover by TRADD MOORE
VARIANT COVER BY DAVE JOHNSON
• Presidential candidate Loki Laufeyson is finding it hard to roll with the punches of the campaign trail. As if proving his eligibility isn't hard enough, the media has started the HORRIBLE rumor that his Super P.A.C. is actually a cult under Loki's control!
• Plus, the Marvel heroes finally figured out how to successfully fight Loki in his new role: attack ads. God bless (Captain) America, eh?
32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$3.99

You know, if Loki really wanted to cause maximum mischief, he really should have just sat this election season out. I think we Midgardians are providing all mischief all by ourselves this time around, and Loki couldn't possibly hope to increase it even an iota.