What will be waiting for you come October? We here at The Weekly Crisis know everything through the magic called Solicitations, and we do the yeoman-like job of combing through the whole catalog to tell you what you should be on the look out for, what you should avoid, and what you definitely can't miss. Hit the jump to see all of our thoughts.
Ryan L's Thoughts
The Best Things in October
Why am I keen for this series? Because it has Morbius, Werewolf By Night (which is the stupidest name to have to call a character, wasn't that the title of the book not his name? "Hey, Werewolf By Night." "Hey, Rog." Dumb.), the Living Mummy, Manphibian, and Elsa Bloodstone rounding out the undead sausagefest. It's like someone saw I liked Franken-Castle and so decided to give me more of what I wanted. I haven't read much of Dennis Hopeless but he seems to be making a name for himself at Marvel so I'll trust they've picked someone very good. As for Juan Doe, I have seen his art and that makes me very keen to see what he does with these characters. This will be a good book. It won't sell for crap but it will be a hell of a lot of fun while it lasts.
Robert E. Howard's Savage Sword #3
The best anthology shipping currently gets into its third issue. A definite book you should be reading. 'Nuff said.
The Worst Things In October
Wolverine and the X-Men #1 @ $4.99
People don't always care if you're getting something extra, all they see is the sales point. $3.99 is turning some customers away and $4.99 is just ludicrous. I'd rather they drop the extra stuff and make it $1.99 for that debut issue. I know Vertigo tried the whole $1 debut and I don't think it set the world alight but those are untried properties. You do that with an X-book and it would go gangbusters. Maybe not break the bank as it's not yielding stuff but I think the publishers need to sometimes think more about the readership than they do their wallets. Not all the time, but if they want to expand the X-line a great jumping on point would have been preferred instead of half a trade. But what do I know, I bet it still ranks Top 10. It won't crack 100k of sales but it'll be high.
Oh, and I say this periodically but why do they constantly price Jason Aaron at the top of the bracket. Usually it's just everything he writes being $3.99 that makes him an expensive creator to follow but now a $4.99 intro. I guess that means Wolverine and the X-Men will be $3.99 regularly, right? Just like PunisherMAX and Wolverine is. His Incredible Hulk is launching this month, too, and it's $3.99 but surely that's only for the oversized debut, right?
Pilot Season
I don't have anything against Pilot Season, and some of the books are even halfway decent, but why oh why do they continue to price the whole experiment out of the stands at $3.99 an issue. Put each issue, which works to pump up new properties from new creative teams, at $1-2 each. Surely that would work better, no?
Fear Itself Solicits On Time
Don't Marvel know fanboys love something to gripe about. What's the deal with shipping (or at least, at this stage, planning to) an event book on time. Ludicrous!
The Coolest Things In October
The Strange Talent of Luther Strode #1
A book about a kid who orders one of those bodybuilding programs from a comic and actually gets results. This looks like a whole barrel of fun. Sign me up.
Doc Bizarre M.D.H.C.
Image, or rather Skybound, just released Witch Doctor (which is actually a hell of a lot of fun, check it out) but I'm sure this is different enough to not step on toes. Joe Casey writing a little done-in-one HC of horror comedy sounds like something up my alley.
PunisherMAX Introduces Elektra
Is Jason Aaron rewriting Frank Miller's Elektra Saga as a Punisher book? In the Max universe? If so, hell yeah! He's done the Kingpin origin, and he's used Bullseye, and now he casts his eye at a Max Elektra (which in itself is just a brilliant move). This series just continues to hold strong.
The Worst Things In October
People don't always care if you're getting something extra, all they see is the sales point. $3.99 is turning some customers away and $4.99 is just ludicrous. I'd rather they drop the extra stuff and make it $1.99 for that debut issue. I know Vertigo tried the whole $1 debut and I don't think it set the world alight but those are untried properties. You do that with an X-book and it would go gangbusters. Maybe not break the bank as it's not yielding stuff but I think the publishers need to sometimes think more about the readership than they do their wallets. Not all the time, but if they want to expand the X-line a great jumping on point would have been preferred instead of half a trade. But what do I know, I bet it still ranks Top 10. It won't crack 100k of sales but it'll be high.
Oh, and I say this periodically but why do they constantly price Jason Aaron at the top of the bracket. Usually it's just everything he writes being $3.99 that makes him an expensive creator to follow but now a $4.99 intro. I guess that means Wolverine and the X-Men will be $3.99 regularly, right? Just like PunisherMAX and Wolverine is. His Incredible Hulk is launching this month, too, and it's $3.99 but surely that's only for the oversized debut, right?
Pilot Season
I don't have anything against Pilot Season, and some of the books are even halfway decent, but why oh why do they continue to price the whole experiment out of the stands at $3.99 an issue. Put each issue, which works to pump up new properties from new creative teams, at $1-2 each. Surely that would work better, no?
Fear Itself Solicits On Time
Don't Marvel know fanboys love something to gripe about. What's the deal with shipping (or at least, at this stage, planning to) an event book on time. Ludicrous!
The Coolest Things In October
A book about a kid who orders one of those bodybuilding programs from a comic and actually gets results. This looks like a whole barrel of fun. Sign me up.
Doc Bizarre M.D.H.C.
Image, or rather Skybound, just released Witch Doctor (which is actually a hell of a lot of fun, check it out) but I'm sure this is different enough to not step on toes. Joe Casey writing a little done-in-one HC of horror comedy sounds like something up my alley.
PunisherMAX Introduces Elektra
Is Jason Aaron rewriting Frank Miller's Elektra Saga as a Punisher book? In the Max universe? If so, hell yeah! He's done the Kingpin origin, and he's used Bullseye, and now he casts his eye at a Max Elektra (which in itself is just a brilliant move). This series just continues to hold strong.
Ken's Thoughts
The Best Things in October
Astonishing X-Men #43
You may be asking "why?" on this one, and it boils down to James Asmus as the writer of this stand alone issue. His Negative Zone story that ran through the various annuals this Spring was one of the brighter spots in the Marvel universe, so he gets a lot of points in trying to make me pick up an issue dealing with something Emma Frost said to Danger nearly three years ago.
The Worst Things in October
DCnU = 90's = Apathy
We've had a lot of information now about the new DC Universe, but the solicits this month just give off too much of a 90's vibe. On the Nightwing cover you've got a guy imitating Wolverine, Deathstroke is fighting someone named Road Rage, and Batwing is fighting someone named Massacre. There are a few instances where I am genuinely excited for some of the new books, like Frankenstein, but it just feels like a little too much of 90's Wildstorm got mixed into the DCU.
Uncanny X-Men Ending
So the book is ending this month with #544, only to be relaunched in November. Everyone knows this but the solicit itself, as it tries to make us feel like the series is never coming back. At least acknowledge the silliness of cancelling the book only to relaunch it.
The Coolest Things In October
Reprinting Superman: Secret Identity
This is one of the three best Superman stories ever, up there with Superman: Birthright and All-Star Superman. A story about a kid in our world who is named Clark Kent, after Superman, and finds out he has the same powers. A brilliant story that shows what someone would have to go through to hide their identity in the modern world, and the art by Stuart Immonen is fantastic. It is not only one of the best Superman books I've ever read, it is one of the best comics I've ever read.
Flashpoint HC Zooms in Early
It's worthwhile to note that DC got this hardcover out almost a month after Flashpoint ended in periodical form. This was done in order to sync up with the new universe relaunch, no doubt, but anytime DC can get something collected that is less that 4-6 months behind the floppy is pretty cool, and hopefully they continue this in the future.
The Best Things in October
Feel Better Now
I have to say, I am kind of surprised that my fellow blogger Ryan did not pick up on this, as he is by far the bigger Hickman fanboy. That being said, I think this should be a very interesting experiment, as Hickman will be writing and drawing again his own creator owned book. The concept, of a psychologist messing with his patients sounds pretty good, and it will be nice to see what Hickman can do with it in only 40 pages. He's always accused of too much decompression (not that I agree completely, by the way), so this new format means that it will be fast paced and hopefully lots of fun.
The Fearless
So yeah, this sounds a whole lot like what DC pulled off after Blackest Night (which in itself was based off 52), but with that creative team, this sounds like it will be all kinds of fun. I want to know if Paul Pelletier and Mark Bagley will be doing different pages or if they will be working together (one doing layouts and the other finishes, that kind of thing). Besides, it's only 12 issues at a twice-monthly schedule, so six months is not that big of a commitment. And, for the thrifty shoppers, you should note that this series is going to be $2.99. One odd thing though, the solicitation doesn't actually say anything about what the series will be about.
The Worst Things in October
Aaron on Incredible Hulk...with Silvestri
Faithful readers will know that I am a big Jason Aaron fan, and that I read anything the man writes. In October, my faith in the church of Aaron will be tested for the first time, as he is writing the Incredible Hulk alongside artist Marc Silvestri. I don't particularly like Silvestri, and the cover that goes with this solicit does not win me over in any way. What will I do? Find out in October.
The Sophomore Slump
There sure isn't a lot to be said about DC in October. The #1's haven't come out yet, so every one of these solicits is pretty careful not to reveal anything too spoilery. Because of this, there isn't a whole lot to be excited about in the DCU, other than some assorted minis here and there. I'm thinking that this will be a really difficult month to order for retailers, as they don't have anything to gauge it against yet.
The Coolest Thing in October
Spaceman
A new Vertigo mini series by the creative team of Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso (of 100 Bullets fame), and only for $1.00? You would have to be stupid not to buy this thing.
Milk and Cheese HC
This is one of those classic indie comics that I see quite a lot of praise for thrown around, and I never bothered to check out. It is supposed to be really, really funny. Created by Evan Dorkin, Milk and Cheese is about... a carton of milk and a slice of cheese. I don't know what else it is about, to be honest, but I'm interested to check it out.
You may be asking "why?" on this one, and it boils down to James Asmus as the writer of this stand alone issue. His Negative Zone story that ran through the various annuals this Spring was one of the brighter spots in the Marvel universe, so he gets a lot of points in trying to make me pick up an issue dealing with something Emma Frost said to Danger nearly three years ago.
The Worst Things in October
DCnU = 90's = ApathyWe've had a lot of information now about the new DC Universe, but the solicits this month just give off too much of a 90's vibe. On the Nightwing cover you've got a guy imitating Wolverine, Deathstroke is fighting someone named Road Rage, and Batwing is fighting someone named Massacre. There are a few instances where I am genuinely excited for some of the new books, like Frankenstein, but it just feels like a little too much of 90's Wildstorm got mixed into the DCU.
Uncanny X-Men Ending
So the book is ending this month with #544, only to be relaunched in November. Everyone knows this but the solicit itself, as it tries to make us feel like the series is never coming back. At least acknowledge the silliness of cancelling the book only to relaunch it.
The Coolest Things In October
Reprinting Superman: Secret IdentityThis is one of the three best Superman stories ever, up there with Superman: Birthright and All-Star Superman. A story about a kid in our world who is named Clark Kent, after Superman, and finds out he has the same powers. A brilliant story that shows what someone would have to go through to hide their identity in the modern world, and the art by Stuart Immonen is fantastic. It is not only one of the best Superman books I've ever read, it is one of the best comics I've ever read.
Flashpoint HC Zooms in Early
It's worthwhile to note that DC got this hardcover out almost a month after Flashpoint ended in periodical form. This was done in order to sync up with the new universe relaunch, no doubt, but anytime DC can get something collected that is less that 4-6 months behind the floppy is pretty cool, and hopefully they continue this in the future.
Matt's Thoughts
The Best Things in October
I have to say, I am kind of surprised that my fellow blogger Ryan did not pick up on this, as he is by far the bigger Hickman fanboy. That being said, I think this should be a very interesting experiment, as Hickman will be writing and drawing again his own creator owned book. The concept, of a psychologist messing with his patients sounds pretty good, and it will be nice to see what Hickman can do with it in only 40 pages. He's always accused of too much decompression (not that I agree completely, by the way), so this new format means that it will be fast paced and hopefully lots of fun.
The Fearless
So yeah, this sounds a whole lot like what DC pulled off after Blackest Night (which in itself was based off 52), but with that creative team, this sounds like it will be all kinds of fun. I want to know if Paul Pelletier and Mark Bagley will be doing different pages or if they will be working together (one doing layouts and the other finishes, that kind of thing). Besides, it's only 12 issues at a twice-monthly schedule, so six months is not that big of a commitment. And, for the thrifty shoppers, you should note that this series is going to be $2.99. One odd thing though, the solicitation doesn't actually say anything about what the series will be about.
The Worst Things in October
Faithful readers will know that I am a big Jason Aaron fan, and that I read anything the man writes. In October, my faith in the church of Aaron will be tested for the first time, as he is writing the Incredible Hulk alongside artist Marc Silvestri. I don't particularly like Silvestri, and the cover that goes with this solicit does not win me over in any way. What will I do? Find out in October.
The Sophomore Slump
There sure isn't a lot to be said about DC in October. The #1's haven't come out yet, so every one of these solicits is pretty careful not to reveal anything too spoilery. Because of this, there isn't a whole lot to be excited about in the DCU, other than some assorted minis here and there. I'm thinking that this will be a really difficult month to order for retailers, as they don't have anything to gauge it against yet.
The Coolest Thing in October
A new Vertigo mini series by the creative team of Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso (of 100 Bullets fame), and only for $1.00? You would have to be stupid not to buy this thing.
Milk and Cheese HC
This is one of those classic indie comics that I see quite a lot of praise for thrown around, and I never bothered to check out. It is supposed to be really, really funny. Created by Evan Dorkin, Milk and Cheese is about... a carton of milk and a slice of cheese. I don't know what else it is about, to be honest, but I'm interested to check it out.
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3 comments:
I'm a sucker for Hickman created work lol. That's a must. Elektra in Punisher Max, this sounds promising.
Perhaps by suggesting "this is a totally new way of doing comics," DC sets the bar too high for themselves, but none of the new covers so far scream "will absolutely grab new readers" to me. Can comics reinvent themselves to appeal to new readers? Do they have the internal language for it? I'm watching the solicits, and so far I haven't seen evidence of it.
I have to disagree with the comment about the cover of hulk I think it looks really good
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