Sunday, June 26, 2005

A few random thoughts on the Marvel solicitations

I don't believe I've made it a secret that, in general, Marvel's not really doing it for me these days. I don't really see them doing much different than they've done the past few years. I think they're coasting. They can spin House of M any way they like but, to me, it's the same old Marvel heroes and villains doing the same old Marvel heroic and villainous things. (For what it's worth, I kind of feel the same way about DC proper, but they also have Wildstorm, Vertigo, Johnny DC, CMX, Mad; and they had Humanoids and 2000 A.D. So, they're trying, at least.) As a qualifier, I'm verbalizing my gut reactions to these books sight unseen. I won't pass final judgment until I actually see the books.

First off, Maximum Fantastic Four. I dunno. This might be interesting, but not $49.99 interesting. Seems like they could do the exact same thing in an issue of Jack Kirby Collector and just charge $9.95 for it. Was the decision to do this based strictly on the upcoming movie? Will that movie really generate much interest in the classic FF? Seems tenuous to me, but I'm not in publishing and not a comics retailer, so what do I know?

Chris Bachalo is doing the X-Men (Uncanny X-Men #464) again. My impression is that he's hit or miss with a comics fandom in general. I love his work although he definitely benefits from the right colorist. His work has a tendency to be colored too darkly, I think. As much as I like his work, it's unlikely that I'll pick this up in serial format. If I read this at all, it'll be in the trade.

Exiles #69 and 70. People are still reading this?

Black Panther #8 has a Frank Cho cover. It's a semi-nude Storm. I like Frank Cho. And semi-nude Storm. I pick Amazing Spider-Man #524 is the Marvel cover of the month, though. It's by Tony Harris and I like the green. Plus, if you look more closely. Those purple things are skulls. Cool.

To borrow a joke from David Spade, Sentry was better when he was called Superman.

If there is one Marvel book that I'm actually looking forward to this month, it might be The Fantastic Four Presents Franklin Richards: Son of a Genius. I love humor comics if they're done well. I didn't read Power Pack, so I might check this out.

The other book I might look forward to is Defenders #3. Giffen. DeMatteis. Maguire. 'Nuff said.

Paco Medina has joined Robert Kirkman on Marvel Team-Up. Medina is a very underrated artist with a style reminiscent of Mike Wieringo. In fact, when he filled in for Wieringo on an issue of the Fantastic Four, that's one of the most consistent artistic choices Marvel editorial could've made.

Jim Cheung provides the cover to Young Avengers #8. Why is he doing covers? Put that man on a regular book! Or maybe he is and this is just a month off?

Since they have Giffen, DeMatteis, and Maguire on Defenders, I guess Marvel decided that they could swipe the "team looking up slightly into the 'camera'" covers that were made famous on this artistic team's run on Justice League. There's such a cover on The Pulse #11 by Michael Gaydos although Gaydos cleverly re-works it.

The Imperfects makes me long for an inter-company crossover with DC's Inferior 5. Nothing would sum up the state of superhero comics better.

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3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sentry was even funnier the first time, when it was called Miracleman. and Planetary.

6/27/2005 12:27:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Jim Cheung is the regular artist on Young Avengers. Which is a nice little book indeed.

Ah, that makes sense then that he's doing the cover. I'm having increasing difficulty keeping track of who's doing what. I've heard favorable things about this series. I thought Cheung's work on Scion was fantastic, so I may check it out the YA trade.

6/27/2005 06:49:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"to me, it's the same old Marvel heroes and villains doing the same old Marvel heroic and villainous things."

What does that even mean? That just smacks of S-H slam without any meat to it. genre doesn't fail in doing genre does it?

6/28/2005 11:36:00 AM  

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