Marvel's August previews reviewed

This summer, there is no Marvel Comics–there is only Civil War II! That's the cover of the fifth issue of the series, while I believe every single thing Marvel has planned for release this August is a tie-in.

Okay, I exaggerate, but only by a little. To count the actual tie-ins, you can click here. To hang out with me for a little longer, well, just stay where you are.


ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT AVENGERS ANNUAL #1
G. WILLOW WILSON, MARK WAID, FAITH ERIN HICKS & MORE (W)
MAHMUD ASRAR, VERONICA FISH, FAITH ERIN HICKS & MORE (A)
...
• You've dreamed of it, you've asked for it, you've longed for it -- and now, you're going to GET it! No Avenger is safe from -- the fan fiction of Kamala Khan! Featuring a bevy of special guest creators!
40 PGS./Rated T+ ...$4.99

Hey, I did want this, but I didn't know Marvel knew I wanted it, or were prepared to give it to me! I'm a little surprised that it's showing up in an Avengers book, particularly Too Many Words Avengers book, instead of in a Ms. Marvel annual or special, but I'll take it wherever I can get it. Those are five very talented comics creators listed above; I look forward to finding out who the "& More" are...

CAPTAIN AMERICA: SAM WILSON #12
NICK SPENCER (W) • DANIEL ACUÑA (A/C)
BLACK PANTHER VARIANT COVER BY TULA LOTAY
CIVIL WAR II TIE-IN!
• Who are The Americops?
• #givebacktheshield is trending.
32 PGS./Rated T ...$3.99

Who are The Americops? Well, based on that image, I'm going to guess that they are an elite squad of cosplayers doing some sort of hybrid Cobra Commander/police officer thing.

...

Say, The Cobra Command-cops sounds cooler than The Americops, now that I stop and think about it...

DEADPOOL #17
GERRY DUGGAN (W) • MIKE HAWTHORNE (A)
Cover by RAFAEL ALBUQUERQUE
...
CIVIL WAR II TIE-IN!
• Remember when Deadpool's inner monologues were at war?
• Now, one of those voices is out and about...revealed as MADCAP!
• And he's got a mad-on for REVENGE!
32 PGS./Parental Advisory ...$3.99

One of the first Marvel comics I ever read–this would have been back when I was a teenager and didn't have money to buy comics indiscriminately–was an issue of Ghost Rider featuring Madcap. I liked the character, his powers, his costume and, especially, his hat.

He looks...different here, but I think that's simply the difference between Aburquerque's portrayal of him for a comedy book and 1993 Bret Blevins' portrayal of the character for a "serious" superhero book, rather than any sort of dramatic redesign.

There aren't enough hats in the superhero genre in general, if you ask me.

THE FALLEN #1
CLASSIFIED
40 PGS./Rated T+ ...$4.99

THE ACCUSED #1
CLASSIFIED
40 PGS./Rated T+ ...$4.99

These are always fun! These comics, presumably tied to Civil War II in some manner, are so classified, that Marvel can't even tell anyone who is making them! I bet it's super-fun to be a comic shop owner, look at that "CLASSIFIED", and then try to order the right number of non-returnable stock for your store...!

Hmm...I wonder if shop owners could try filing Freedom of Information Act requests with Marvel Entertainment and see how far that gets them...?

I like it any time Arthur Adams draws something. Like this cover for a Guardians of The Galaxy comic with a suspiciously low issue number, for example.

MARVEL TSUM TSUM #1 (of 4)
Jacob Chabot (W) • DAVID BALDEON (A)
COVER BY CHRIS SAMNEE
VARIANT Cover by GURIHIRU
PHOTO VARIANT AVAILABLE
MARVEL TSUM TSUM 1 CLASSIFIED CONNECTING VARIANT A AVAILABLE
JAPANESE GAME VARIANT ALSO AVAILABLE
In case you've been living under a rock, Tsum Tsums are HUGE! Well, not LITERALLY (they're actually pretty tiny) but these seemingly cute and cuddly creatures are sweeping the globe! So what happens when these pint-sized piles of fur find their way into the Marvel Universe? After a crate of them falls to Earth en route to THE COLLECTOR, one small group of Brooklyn teenagers will find out! Featuring all of your favorite Marvel heroes and villains, this is sure to be TSUM-thing you won't want to miss!
32 PGS./All Ages ...$3.99

Apparently, I've been living under a rock, as I had never heard of Tsum Tsums until it was announced Marvel would be doing some dumb variant cover thing with them. I guess they're doing more than just some dumb variant cover thing though, they're also doing an entire four-issue miniseries, that talented adults have to try and take seriously enough to get it made.

Props to writer Jacob Chabot for involving The Collector, which seems like the natural way to go if you're forced into a Marvel Universe comic featuring real world collectibles of any kinds.

I left the variants in the solicit just because I'm intrigued by "MARVEL TSUM TSUM 1 CLASSIFIED CONNECTING VARIANT A AVAILABLE." What could it be? Is that tied into Civil War II as well, and it will reveal which Tsum Tsum is accused of murdering which other Tsum Tsum? I guess we'll have to wait until August to find out!

PATSY WALKER, A.K.A. HELLCAT! #9
KATE LETH (W) • BRITTNEY L. WILLIAMS (A/C)
• Out of time, money and options, Hedy Wolfe calls up the two people Patsy most hoped to leave behind -- her (literally) Evil Ex-Boyfriends.
• How will Hellcat and friends contend with this dynamic dude-o?
• See what I did there?! Come on, you loved it!!!
32 PGS./Rated T ...$3.99

I'm pretty sure I mentioned that it was my intention to wait for the trade on this book, but my friend loved it so much she literally forced me to read the first two issues (granted, she had to force me to read the second one a lot less hard, given how great the first one was). Based on the admittedly small sampling I've read while awaiting the trade collection, I think it's fantastic, and probably one of the better Marvel comics of the moment.

That said, while I'm really looking forward to seeing The Son of Satan, one of my favorite Marvel characters based pretty much entirely on his 1970s appearances, I do not care for his design as it appears on the cover. I think Nick Dragotta's nice suit version of S.O.S. from Vengeance (which, remember, was pretty much the best thing ever) is probably the best design the character's had.

SPIDER-WOMAN #10
DENNIS HOPELESS (W)
JAVIER RODRIGUEZ (A/C)
CIVIL WAR II TIE-IN!
• Jessica Drew is a hard-boiled private eye who's got a newborn baby, so she's trying to steer clear of this whole "CIVIL WAR" thing.
• But when a startling new case lands in her lap, keeping herself out of the conflict becomes impossible...
• ...and so does taking Carol's side of things.
32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$3.99

Trying to steer clear of this whole "Civil War" thing...? I know exactly what you're going through Jessica.

THE ULTIMATES #10
AL EWING (W) • KENNETH ROCAFORT (A/C)
CIVIL WAR II TIE-IN!
• The one thing that could tear the Ultimates apart forever is inside that briefcase...
• ...and someone just opened it.
• Meanwhile, Thanos is ready to strike. And he has an ally...
32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$3.99

What?! Tear the Ultimates apart...forever?! That...might be a bit more dramatic were they together longer than, um, ten months in August.

THE UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL BEATS UP THE MARVEL UNIVERSE OGN-HC
Written by RYAN NORTH
Penciled by ERICA HENDERSON
Cover by ERICA HENDERSON
Proof that we're living in the best of all possible worlds: Marvel is publishing a Squirrel Girl graphic novel! It's a standalone adventure that's great for both old fans and new readers! It's a story so huge it demanded an original graphic novel! It's a story so nuts it incorporates both senses of that word (insanity and squirrel food)! And it's the best! Squirrel Girl kicks butts, eats nuts, talks to squirrels and also punches really well. She has defeated Thanos, Galactus and Doctor Doom (twice!). But now she'll encounter her most dangerous, most powerful, most unbeatable enemy yet: herself! Specifically, an evil duplicate made possible through mad science (both computer and regular) as well as some bad decisions. In other words, Squirrel Girl beats up the Marvel Universe! YES!
120 PGS./Rated T ...$24.99
ISBN: 978-1-302-90303-9
Trim size: standard

I am really excited about this, although $25 is an awfully high price point for just 120 pages of comics. Maybe I'll wait for the paperback...? If Patsy Walker isn't Marvel's best comic at the moment, then Squirrel Girl is. Like I said, I haven't read enough of Patsy Walker to know for sure, and it's hard to make that kind of judgement because Squirrel Girl started so much earlier that there's so much more of it, you know?

Michael Del Mundo, ladies and gentlemen. I don't always want to read the comics he draws covers for–although word on the Street is that this one, The Vision, is great–but I always want to see what that guy draws. Del Mundo, that is, not The Vision.