Marvel Comics: All-New, All-Different

[starri]

As Secret Wars winds to a close, we're beginning to see hints of what's to come.

 

What's up, what are you looking forward to, what are you going to avoid?

 

Can the Marvel Universe handle becoming less meat and potatoes and a little more arty?

 

Definitely on my list:

A-Force

New Avengers

Ultimates

Ms Marvel

All-New Hawkeye

Spider-Gwen

Web Warriors

Uncanny Inhumans

Angela - Queen of Hel

Extraordinary X-Men

 

Strong Possibilities:

All-New All-Different Avengers

Captain Marvel

Scarlet Witch

Astonishing Ant-Man

Spider-Woman

All-New X-Men

 

After seeing good reviews, I picked up Dr. Strange #1.  It's fabulous.

Edited October 11, 2015 by starri

[bmoore4026]

The Spider-Titles look nice.  Web Warriors look especially fun.

[Lantern7]

I picked up three titles at Midtown Comics for 20 percent off. They have blank covers, so I could get them sketched at New York Comic Con.

 

Amazing Spider-Man #1: New status quo! Peter Parker is now a player on the global stage, and Spider-Man is his "bodyguard." Fun stuff with the new Spider-Mobile and an "over it" Mockingbird. And there's a wedding! We also check in with previews of books from Spider-Man 2099, Silk, Spider-Woman, and the Web Warriors (with Spider-Gwen) screw around in 1602. As for spoilers . . .

Doc Ock has implanted his mind in the Living Brain, and Regent has life beyond "Renew Your Vows."

 

Doctor Strange #1: It's a "day in the life" deal with Doc, as he deals with stuff from beyond this realm. Chris Bacchalo's artwork is surreal as always.

 

Invincible Iron Man #1: Is Tony no longer "Superior"? He seems to be less of a jackass these days. He creates his latest end-all/be-all armor, and he goes on a date with a woman who has

created a "cure" for mutants out of boredom.

And the last page:

Doctor Doom, unmasked, with a small cut. I guess he makes it past Secret Wars in one piece.

 

I don't think I'll be collecting any runs. At least there's an air of fun with Marvel, as opposed to the doubling down of insanity over at DC.

[starri]

Doctor Strange #1: It's a "day in the life" deal with Doc, as he deals with stuff from beyond this realm. Chris Bacchalo's artwork is surreal as always.

I have adored Chris Bachalo's art since Death: The High Cost of Living some twenty-odd years ago.  He's a good fit for Strange.  I do think it's a little odd that, given that they're making Strange a bit younger, they didn't go whole-hog and make him look more like Benedict Cumberbatch, like how Peter Quill suddenly looked like Chris Pratt.

[Dandesun]

Chris Bachalo's work has fascinated me since my introduction to him in Generation X. His artwork on Doctor Strange is a great fit. It's so bizarre and creepy and freaky... I mean, the lady who had those things nesting in her head? Pure Bachalo. He worked so well on GenX because of characters like Chamber, Skin, Penance and Husk... they could all be strange and bizarre and not the norm of what you saw in various books but this really lets him open up and get weird.

[starri]

New Avengers.  I love almost all of these characters.  Unfortunately, I hate Squirrel Girl as much as the rest of the Internet loves her.  Also, the art is awful, like a very stylized version of the worst 90s excess.  But the idea is fun, where Sunspot has bought out AIM, and is trying to use it as a force for good, which makes SHIELD very nervous.  And they insist on planting Hawkeye (Sunspot opines that he'd rather have had the other one) on the team.  And the bad guy is 

the Maker, so he obviously comes out the other side of Secret Wars.

 

Spider-Gwen.  Basically picks up where the first volume left off.  Good stuff.

[bmoore4026]

Lantern7, on 11 Oct 2015 - 9:01 PM, said:

Invincible Iron Man #1: Is Tony no longer "Superior"? He seems to be less of a jackass these days. He creates his latest end-all/be-all armor, and he goes on a date with a woman who has

created a "cure" for mutants out of boredom.

And the last page:

Doctor Doom, unmasked, with a small cut. I guess he makes it past Secret Wars in one piece.

Are you fucking kidding me!? Way to spoil shit, Marvel!

 

[Joe]

I feel like All New All Different is more sarcastic than anything else. I realise we've only seen a few titles so far, but it just seems like 616 again. However, GOTG was fun. A bit of confusion involving the Thing, which oddly, Rachel & Miles played with a few weeks ago. Speaking of the Thing, he raises an interesting point here, about the Infinity Gauntlet. Drax too. And an odd reference to the Phantom Menace. Good stuff. I'll keep reading until it gets dragged into the next crossover.

[bmoore4026]

Yeah, saying "All-New All Different" but using the same characters and keeping the status quo feels disingenuous and like those in charge are flipping off long time readers.

[starri]

Uncanny Inhumans:  The Chitauri have crossed over into 616, and after way, way too long, Beast is an ape and not a cat.

[starri]

I picked up Extraordinary X-Men because I really like Jeff Lemire, even though I am (charitably) not a fan of Humberto Ramos' art, especially as the gay Iceman thing has finally been dealt with in the much-delayed UXM #600.  

 

I can't decide if the X-Men's new status quo is more or less depressing than the Decimation.  

[Dandesun]

I'd say just as depressing but in a different way. Right about now, I'm really thinking 'Fuck you, Hope and Wanda with your 'no more phoenix' shit!'

 

And I see the raging mobs haven't disappeared from the pages involving Marvel's mutants. I guess that they weren't wielding actual torches for a change is a step up.

[starri]

And I see the raging mobs haven't disappeared from the pages involving Marvel's mutants. I guess that they weren't wielding actual torches for a change is a step up.

No, just firearms.

 

I swear, their mobs are worse than the Simpsons.

[Joe]

Sigh. They just can't leave it alone, can they? Several titles all played the something is coming card, to one degree or another. We all know that means another megacrossover is on the way. I hear that crossovers sell well, maybe this is just a UO, but I prefer standalone stories. Even when I'm reading all the titles to start with, something about the interconnectedness puts me off. It feels like all the various titles are having their plots hijacked, shoved together. But at the same time, I know that even the standalone issues are written with the crossover in mind. But I just don't like it.

[starri]

I don't necessarily think they're going to jump directly into another crossover.  The way the new set-up has been described, the books are structured to be more like TV seasons--get twelve issues, and if sales are good enough, they get a second season.  If they can pull it off, I might even prefer it, because seeing multi-year stories set up and then not paid off because creative teams leave, or because cancellation forces the story to wrap up immediately gets boring after a while.

[Joe]

Huh. I hadn't heard that, but it sounds like a good idea. However, several titles all playing the something is coming card makes me think crossover.

 

But let me be positive for a moment. I really like the new Dr Strange. He's a character I'm not that familiar with, and has the Bendis problem of being a little too quippy. But there's something about that bizzare art that I find really appealing.

[benteen]

If Marvel thinks they can replace the X-Men with the Inhumans on the pages of their comics, they're even dumber than I thought.  But I have no doubt this is another one of those stupid decisions coming down from the top because of their little pissing battle with Fox.

 

The hatred of mutants in the Marvel Universe continues to remain stupid in a world of superheroes.

[starri]

Why do people keep insisting that there's some vast conspiracy there? There may only be three books carrying the "X-Men" name, but there are at least a half-dozen others with mutants as either team members or stars.

[starri]

Web-Warriors opens with the exact same goofy charm of the original Spider-Verse event, with the Spiders on a training mission in the universe of the 60s Spider-Man cartoon with a callback to a Spider-Meme from a few years ago.  The team involves all of the characters from the Secret Wars Spider-Verse mini with the surprise addition of Mayday Parker.  There's also a backup story featuring the steampunk Lady Spider, and if they continue to do that, this is going to be a great book.

 

The Ultimates does not hurt for ambition.  It ends with the Marvels (Blue and Captain) aboard 

Galactus' Worldship

preparing to offer a solution to a long-standing problem.  Black Panther gives Ban Ki Moon (no, really) a tour of the 616's new Triskelion, a joint think-tank between Wakanda and the United States.  Also, Spectrum and Ms America Chavez kick a lot of ass on an alien planet.

 

Spider-Gwen continues to fill out Gwen's world, with her coming face-to-face with her universe's Captain America, Samantha Wilson who took Steve Rogers' place when he was killed trying to protect Professor Erskine.  Also, her side-kick/clone Falcon, and Director of SHIELD Peggy Carter.

 

All-New Hawkeye trades the flipping back and forth between the present and Clint's past for the present and Kate and Clint's future.  The Hawkeyes are really not getting along.  I kind of wish the present day stuff wasn't drawn to look like David Aja's work, because while it's good, it also pales in comparison to the former.  The future stuff, where Clint has apparently been taking grooming tips from Old Man Logan, is really kind of not my taste.

[starri]

Patsy Walker AKA Hellcat is a delight to read.

[Morrigan2575]

I'm loving All New Hawkeye, not surprising I loved Lemire's run on Green Arrow.

However, I had to give up Extraordinary X-Men, I hate Jean Grey and just can't read anything with her in it.

I also dropped Uncanny X-Men because no Cyclops/Scott Summers (he's one of my favorites, yeah I know...)

Edited December 27, 2015 by Morrigan2575

[starri]

A-Force #1 - Singularity appears over Earth-616 and goes looking for her friends from Arcadia.  She doesn't understand why they don't remember her.

 

It's honestly kind of heartbreaking.

[Advance35]

Uncanny X-Men.  It's only been two issues but I'm already loving this title.   Magneto is written in shades of grey and is certainly the steadying and overlord force over a collection of mercurial characters.   It's interesting to see Sabertooth presented as a creature of restrained savagery as opposed to his usual outwardly bloodthirsty behavior.    Mystique is clearly up to no good as usual.   Monet is still flawless in every way that DOESN'T really matter, while being damaged and broken in the way's that do.

 

Extrodinary X-Men.  I joined this title for Jean Grey.  The resurgence of the character has been a welcome suprise as I really didn't think I would like this teen version.   An understandably selfish young girl, that by hook or by crook is trying to change her life.   Old Man Logan is not a character I'm familiar with  but I'm willing to see him explored.  I like the friendship he and Jean are developing.   Nothing ever came of it but I'm more convinced then ever that Wolverine is the only guy that's ever truly loved her, so to see the relationship evolve in it's  new incarnation is exciting.   The only other two characters I'm excited to see are Iceman and Magik.   Open to being won over by the others.

 

Invincible Ironman.   Was surprised to see Mary Jane Watson added to the canvas.   I've never been a big fan, I've always preferred Felicia Hardy (even as a civilian) as a supporting character so I'm curious to see what Bendis will do with her here.

[starri]

Angela: Queen of Hel #4 is all about Angela and Sera's relationship.  I mean, it's through the prism of them trying to survive the onslaught of everything Hel has to throw at them, but the climax of the story is when both have to confront what their lives would have been like if they'd never met.  Sera would have gone on to be amazing no matter what, but without her, Angela would have been an amoral death machine.  And they're much stronger together than they would have been apart.  They're going up against Hela for the throne of Hel in the next issue.  Hela doesn't stand a chance.

 

I'm reading this book pretty much entirely because I picked up the Angela Secret Wars series on a whim.  And I'm SO glad I did.

[Bruinsfan]

Uncanny X-Men.  It's only been two issues but I'm already loving this title.   Magneto is written in shades of grey and is certainly the steadying and overlord force over a collection of mercurial characters.

I really liked his characterization in the latest issue. I also liked that rather than making Magneto vulnerable and ineffective as a member of a larger group, the writer remembered that entire teams of X-Men used to just barely beat him by the skins of their teeth. When Betsy gave him the all-clear that she had the info they needed, he promptly handed the whole "Dark Riders" death squad their asses without breaking a sweat.

[starri]

I can't recommend Patsy Walker AKA Hellcat enough.  For an All-Ages comic, the storytelling is surprisingly mature, the cartoony art is really enjoyable, and the humor is actually funny.

[benteen]

Has anyone been reading the Vision comic?  I finally started reading it over the weekend and found it to be really good and really off-beat.

[starri]

I'm trade-waiting that one, but excitedly.

[Bruinsfan]

I find that most of the lighthearted cartoony comics (like the new Ms. Marvel) just don't appeal to me. I think they're a great idea, they're the sort of thing that will attract new and more diverse readers to the hobby. Just not my cup of tea.

 

I ran into the same thing with Young Avengers, which dismayed me because Jamie McKelvie is an old friend that I've been thrilled to see enjoying success in the field. But comic books mimicking the experience of social media as enjoyed by teenagers and college age kids just leave me cold.

[starri]

I still can't quite decide how I feel about Civil War II.  They've said that it's going to touch the entire MU, and the last time they did a story like that, it almost bankrupted me.  I will say that I'm happy they're not going to suddenly interrupt the flow of the ongoing series by forcing tie-in issues.

 

Once they start announce more details I guess I'll have a better idea.  I just get skittish that they feel the overwhelming need to revisit what was a pretty good story in the name of corporate synergy.

 

A new volume of Civil War: Frontline is probably too much to hope for.

[benteen]

Civil War Frontline...so long as we don't get the return of the awful Sally Floyd.  Her "American Idol" speech to Captain America is truly a low point for the entire Civil War storyline.

[starri]

Yeah, that moment was godawful, but it wasn't bad enough to ruin the rest of it.  I think the way they basically told Paul Jenkins "We want you to do this book, write what you want" made the overall story a lot richer.  I mean, you could read the main story and come away fairly sympathetic to Tony and the pro-reg people.  Then you discover that Tony, Reed Richards, and Hank Pym are awarding themselves no-bid contracts.  Then it upends that again.

 

Anyway, here's more information about Lee Daniels' Civil War II, Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire.

[Bruinsfan]

Weird, I just don't see

Steve Rogers siding with people who want to stop/punish crime before it happens. Nor Jen Walters. Conversely, I could see T'challa and possibly Tony Stark on the predict future crime side, and don't imagine Deadpool as being very concerned with the rights of people that puts behind the eightball.

[Perfect Xero]

Yeah, that moment was godawful, but it wasn't bad enough to ruin the rest of it.  I think the way they basically told Paul Jenkins "We want you to do this book, write what you want" made the overall story a lot richer.  I mean, you could read the main story and come away fairly sympathetic to Tony and the pro-reg people.  Then you discover that Tony, Reed Richards, and Hank Pym are awarding themselves no-bid contracts.  Then it upends that again.

 

Anyway, here's more information about Lee Daniels' Civil War II, Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire.

 

So ... Civil War II is just Minority Report?

 

Personally I think that the biggest problem with Civil War is that everyone just wrote whatever the hell they wanted without worrying about continuity or established characterization, even within the Civil War storyline. So we got things like the Negative Zone prison being depicted as a sleek, ultra modern facility in every book, except Frontline, where it had literal dirt floors. Why? Because it's Gitmo!!!

[starri]

I'm glad Marvel is letting Marguerite Bennett end Angela - Queen of Hel the way she wants to.  The penultimate issue has Angela meeting up with the Thor that is not her brother, a lot of fourth-wall breaks (all of the editors notes are by Sera), and the Big Bad being Witch Hunter Angela.  They even worked in a reference to the box-office success of Deadpool, and I truly have no idea how they managed that so quickly.  I'm going to miss it.

[starri]

Apparently we're not supposed to assume the teams that we saw in the promotional art are the actual sides.

 

Although I still think that it's on odd tack to take with Tony and Carol.

[starri]

Dazzler-Thor, a refugee from Battleworld, showed up in the most recent A-Force.  The new creative team also gave Original Recipe Dazzler's new look a much-needed refinement.

[starri]

Ulysses, the Inhuman maguffin at the center of Civil War II Beyond Thunderdome has a manbun because of course he does.

[Demented Daisy]

http://time.com/4347224/captain-america-hydra-agent-marvel-tom-brevoort/?xid=fbshare

Did we get April Fools Day twice this year?  

[regularlyleaded]

19 minutes ago, Demented Daisy said:

http://time.com/4347224/captain-america-hydra-agent-marvel-tom-brevoort/?xid=fbshare

Did we get April Fools Day twice this year?  

Steve Rogers is what now?!? W.T.F.

Edited May 25, 2016 by regularlyleaded

[starri]

I'm sure this is going to be a permanent change, and I'm even more sure that wide swaths of the internet will not accuse this as a way of building up Sam as Cap.

[benteen]

I think it will be retconned but I don't like this storyline at all.  I'm glad I hear about it early as it saved me some money by not buying it.  I have no interest in reading a comic where a leftist writer gets to live out his secret fantasy.

[Joe]

I doubt this is the regular 616 Cap. Probably another one who got ended up in the new Marvelverse, like Miles Morales did.

[Spartan Girl]

I am so glad I don't read the comics anymore.  First the fuckery with Mary Jane Watson and now Captain America being Hydra?  Nope.  Done.

[DollEyes]

Delurking to say that making Steve Rogers Hydra is about as believable as making Kim Kardashian the next Queen of England. Why not have Black Panther join the Klu Klux Klan, while they're at it?

Edited May 28, 2016 by DollEyes
To add stuff.

[readster]

I agree, I know it will part of a story arc, but I'm not picking up the series to find out. Maybe in trade, but that's not enough to make me want to pick it up on a regular basis. 

[tennisgurl]

So, I just read about this new "plot twist", and can I just say I am SO GLAD that I gave up on keeping track of what is going on in the world of Marvel. I never liked the Battle World stuff, and I have become increasingly annoyed with all the ret cons as of late, but this? This is just some of the worst writing I have ever seen, if they actually intend to keep this twist cannon. Congrats Marvel, you have given the audience something that no one ever wants, that contradicts 75 years of characterization. Way to go Marvel. I assume this will be written away pretty soon, and I am also pretty convinced this all some big stupid publicity stunt, but this is truly awful. 

[starri]

I would say there is about a 0% chance this is going to become canon.

[Lantern7]

Ever read Captain America: Red, White & Blue? There's a short story from Dean Haspiel where Red Skull and Nightshade brainwash Cap, and he winds up dressing like a pimp, complete with golden "FORT" and "KNOX" knuckles. Turns out it was a movie proposal that horrified Steve and Sam, but that's where my mind went.

[bmoore4026]

Here is one Jewish fan's thoughts on the Steve Rogers: Captain America 1 (with a little twist at the end):

http://www.theouthousers.com/index.php/features/135434-ru-s-views-why-as-a-jew-i-am-pissed-off-about-captain-america-steve-rogers-1.html

And someone, also from The Outhousers, has dissected CBR's interview with Tom "Punchable Face" Brevoort over Steve Rogers: Captain America 1:

http://www.theouthousers.com/index.php/news/135446-the-top-ten-things-wrong-with-cbrs-captain-america-interview-with-tom-brevoort.html

My, he has such a punchable face.

Edited May 28, 2016 by bmoore4026