Marvel Preview Review for June Part 2 of 3

Continued from yesterday...

MARVEL UNIVERSE VS. WOLVERINE #1 (of 4)

Written by Jonathan Maberry Penciled by Laurence Campbell

Cover by Michael kaluta

Last year The Marvel Universe vs the Punisher showed you the ruins of our world. Now witness the fall. NY Times bestseller Jonathan Maberry reveals the dark and terrible events that take us from the outbreak of a deadly plague to the beginning of the last war for planet earth. A dreadful disease begins transforming everyone –human and superhuman—into savage, nearly mindless cannibal predators. Who will protect humanity? Who will make a stand against the endless slaughter? Who has the courage to make the hardest of hard choices? One word: SNIKT! 32 PGS./$3.99

Lee: Isn’t this the exact same story as last year? Why yes it is, in fact they hype so much as says so in the first line. So, if I understand this, I can read pretty much the same story with Wolverine killing people with his claws instead of Punisher shooting them. Whee fun.

Greg: Once again, we have Marvel taking a moderately successful idea and utterly and completely beating it to death.

Lee: Oh yeah, and this is absolutely the worst cover of the month. Kaluta, who apparently drew every single Marvel cover this month, mailed this atrocity in. I love Kaluta but everything about this image is wrong, faces, perspective in several places, arms that look like legs, and legs that look like arms. Kaluta is sooo much better than this.

Greg: I just can't get over the fact that Kaluta is drawing Wolverine at all.

S.H.I.E.L.D. #1

Written by Jonathan Hickman

Penciled by Dustin Weaver Cover by Gerald Parel

Historical Variant Cover by Dustin Weaver

The most acclaimed book of 2010 is back in 2011! The second volume of S.H.I.E.L.D. has arrived and Jonathan Hickman and Dustin Weaver are making the second volume of S.H.I.E.L.D. even better than the first! In this issue, the secret history of Michelangelo. He has been pulling the strings for years and is now becoming the prime mover. Can he keep Da Vinci and Newton from killing each other and destroying the Brotherhood of the Shield? Don’t miss this new start of the book that everyone is talking about! 40 PGS./$3.99

Lee: Last line, “new start of the book that everyone is talking about”? Seriously? That’s your selling point? Everyone I heard talk about this said it was a muddled mess of good ideas with poor execution. I’m sure it will get much better now that we have… wait for it… the exact same creative team. How stupid does Marvel think we are?

Greg: Man, why do you listen to Jim talk about any book that doesn't have a third generation superhero in it. This book is crazy and completely awesome. It has Issac Newton, Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, Nikoli Tesla, and like 20 other old scientists fighting for the future of the world with crazy science. This is exactly what I want from my comics!

Lee: WTH is a historical variant cover? Lincoln dressed like Wolverine? Anyone?

Greg: Actually, I think that's exactly what that is. Hey, don't knock it till you've seen it. Thor Hollywood month gave us Thor flying straight at Jaws.

UNCANNY X-FORCE #11

Written by Rick Remender Penciled by Mark Brooks

Cover by Esad Ribic

Apocalypse is dead. His heir, Archangel, has picked up where his predecessor left off, amassing an army of En Sabah Nur’s greatest servants! The only hope X-Force have of saving Warren Worthington from the dark entity that inhabits his soul, rests in a dimension where Apocalypse, and his technology, took over the world, the solution lies in—The Age of Apocalypse! However, before X-Force can obtain the thing capable of saving their friend, they must defeat The Amazing X-Men! 32 PGS./ $3.99

Lee: I think I am going to start every single comment out with “Seriously?”. I have too. Apparently Marvel has completely run out of ideas because they have started recycling Age of Apocalypse characters and plots. I know time twists are the X-titles bread and butter but come on people. You can do better than this. Can’t you?

Greg: Lee, this book is called X-Force. I think you're going to have to get past that before you complain about the rest of the recycling 90's concepts stuff in this book. Besides, you ignore that Age of Apocalypse was completely rad and for the first time ever we'll have a half decent writer handling it. I give this book 4 out of 5 FrankenCastles.

SUPREME POWER #1 (of 4)

Written by Kyle Higgins Penciled by Manuel Garcia

Cover by Sebastian Fiumara

The groundbreaking, controversial Supreme Power is back! A new era begins for the deadliest super heroes of all time! The man known as Hyperion has disappeared, hiding from the government and finally living the life he always wanted. Dr. Spectrum has taken his place as America’s greatest hero…and the US Military’s greatest asset. But when the balance of super-power threatens the world, and Dr. Spectrum becomes a deadly liability, Hyperion’s solitude may be short-lived. Will these two former allies find themselves at the center of a conflict that could engulf the planet? 32 PGS./ $3.99

Lee: I really enjoyed Straczynski’s run on Supreme Power, it was an excellent comic. But like all of his work it was left unfinished. I don’t know who Kyle Higgins is but I hope he does this right. This is something for me to look forward to.

Greg: Everytime I see Marvel try to resurrect this book, I just get mad about how Straczynski got bored with it and walked away from one of the best books of his comics career and couldn't even be bothered to finish it. Ugh. Just let this book die Marvel.

CRIMINAL: The Last of the Innocent #1

By Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips with Val Staples on colors

Riley Richards got it all… The hottest girl in school and a ticket to the big time… so why isn’t he happy now? Why is he getting involved in gambling and drugs and shady characters in the city? Why can’t he forget the life he left behind in small town Brookview? And why is he suddenly plotting murder? And as always, each issue of Criminal contains unique back-up features, articles and artwork, which are only available in the single issues. 32 PGS/ $3.50

Lee: This has been one of the best series in years. I love it! I also like the idea that the single issues have material that isn't reprinted in the hc's. If you haven't read Criminal, then you really should start here. Great, great stuff and I am soooo looking forward to this.

Greg: Incredible book. I just heard Brubaker interviewed about it and it sounds like it is going to be an amazing storyarc, particularly for fans of comics history. Definitely check this out.

DARK TOWER OMNIBUS HC SLIPCASE - COMPANION HC

Written by Robin Furthc & Anthony Flamini Art by Jae Lee & Richard Isanove Cover by Jae Lee

Collecting Dark Tower: Gunslinger’s Guidebook, End-World Almanac And Guide To Gilead; Marvel Spotlight: Dark Tower; And Material From Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born #1-7, The Long Road Home #1-5, Treachery #1-6, Sorcerer #1, The Fall Of Gilead #1-6 And The Battle Of Jericho Hill #1-5. 600 PGS.

Lee: OUCH! $150 for an omnibus? Are they kidding? I know King’s DT stuff commands a premium but this is ridiculous. It’s a good deal if you can get past the price.

Greg: Woof.