MARVEL COMICS in JANUARY

MARVEL COMICS FOR JANUARY

HIGHLIGHTS:

- The Ultimates #2.

- Spectacular Spider-Man #23-24. Paul Jenkins is mysteriously absent.

- Amazing Fantasy gets a less ambiguous title, Arana: The Heart of the Spider.

- X-23, featuring the (popular?!) "X-Men: Evolution" character, debuts.

- Spider-Girl isn't cancelled yet.

- Stormbreaker: The Saga of Beta Ray Bill debuts.

- Peter David's back on The Incredible Hulk

- Marvel's trend of saturating the market with multiple books featuring the same property in preparation for an upcoming movie continues with Fantastic Four: Foes, debuting this month by Robert Kirkman and Cliff Rathburn.

- The conclusion to Thor: Son of Asgard by Akira Yoshida and Greg Tocchini.

- The first two issues of X-Men: Phoenix: Endsong debut, by Greg Pak, Greg Land, and possibly Greg Rucka.

- X-Men #166: Peter Milligan's debut issue.

- Combat Zone: True Tales of G.I.'s in Iraq by journalist Karl Zinsmeister (Boots on the Ground: A Month with the 82nd Airborne in the Battle for Iraq) and Dan Jurgens (whom, unfortunately, last I heard of him, was the go-to guy for placeholding work on a book until Marvel gets someone that will sell more to work on it [See: Captain America, Thor])

HEY.

DOUCHEBAGS.

I MADE A POST HERE.

Where?

SHUT UP YOU BLOODY SELL OUT!

Gawd, I am so close to quitting.

I read this thread in reverse.

Do you mean The Ultimates tpb #2?

No, the 2nd issue of The Ultimates Volume 2.

And Milligan is writing X-men? Cor blimey guv.

For real. Peter Milligan is one of my favorite writers, after Grant Morrison. I really hope he's working to his full potential (i.e., Shade, X-Force) and not just paying the bills like some of the other things he's been doing for Marvel (Wolverine/Punisher, Venom/Carnage).

Highlights:

Uncanny X-Men Masterworks featuring the Dark Phoenix storyline. Extra cool that it includes Phoenix: The Untold Story as well.

Hulk Legends: Peter David TPB.

I forgot to highlight the TPBs. Thanks for doing it for me!

What IS Phoenix: The Untold Story?

My problem with the Hulk: Legends is that it's only a handful of issues from a 100 issue run. Why not do an "Essential Peter David Hulk?"

Quote:

Disco Steve said:
What IS Phoenix: The Untold Story?

It's a reprint of a one-shot they printed years ago. It gives some background behind the editorial decision to kill off Jean Grey (back when her death actually meant something), along with some interviews (methinks, if my memory isn't completely beer-soaked), and then the actual "alternate ending" of the Dark Phoenix Saga (where Jean is "lobotomized" rather than killed) is printed, plus the first page or two of what would have been the next issue. I've seen the original in dollar bins, but I've also seen it sold for a big mark-up. But it's an interesting book to have.

That sounds very awesome.

Does anyone remember the backup stories in the early issues of Classic X-Men?. They were mostly additional scenes that could have been in the original story, like Moira MacTaggart removing life support from her son and watching the body decompose rapidly, or the initial death of Jean Grey from her own perspective in the cockpit of the ship. That was some freaky stuff.

I remember a lot of them involved Dazzler in fairly mundane situations for some odd reason.

'Cuz she was a very mundane character?

Quote:

Disco Steve said:
Does anyone remember the backup stories in the early issues of Classic X-Men?. They were mostly additional scenes that could have been in the original story, like Moira MacTaggart removing life support from her son and watching the body decompose rapidly, or the initial death of Jean Grey from her own perspective in the cockpit of the ship. That was some freaky stuff.

There's a TPB called X-Men: Vignettes which reprints the stories from those early issues.

Awesome! I'm gonna have to get this one day.

Quote:

Disco Steve said:
HEY.

DOUCHEBAGS.

I MADE A POST HERE.

Whut???

I'm a whore for attention. Do keep up, Grimm.

whut???

I agree.

I thought you might.

Tell me of this Peter David back on the Hulk item. I thought Hulk was going on hiatus.

Nope. Peter David resumes writing the Hulk. That's all I remember.

Very curious. I may give it a read.

Newsarama had a story about it a couple weeks ago. He was supposed to write a 12 miniseries but marvel decided to put him on the main series. The rumor back then was that if it sold well he will become the permanent writer again.

That's interesting. I'm surprised they're not relaunching the series again, knowing Marvel.

Quote:

Disco Steve said:
I personally wanted to volunteer my services as a mod because, as I mentioned before, I have a good understanding of fair play, I know how to listen to both sides of a liberal/conservative argument, I wouldn't abuse my mod powers, and I've been offered the position before (although the offer was retracted because the argument was made that no mods were needed). That's not to detract from anyone else's suitability to mod this forum at all. I just think I would be a good choice - not the only good choice, but a good choice nonetheless. I simply want to help and I think this is a good way for me to contribute to, if nothing else, maintaining a peaceable atmosphere to the best of my ability, which several of you can probably vouch for.

That's all lies!

Quote:

Franta said:
Quote:

Disco Steve said:
I personally wanted to volunteer my services as a mod because, as I mentioned before, I have a good understanding of fair play, I know how to listen to both sides of a liberal/conservative argument, I wouldn't abuse my mod powers, and I've been offered the position before (although the offer was retracted because the argument was made that no mods were needed). That's not to detract from anyone else's suitability to mod this forum at all. I just think I would be a good choice - not the only good choice, but a good choice nonetheless. I simply want to help and I think this is a good way for me to contribute to, if nothing else, maintaining a peaceable atmosphere to the best of my ability, which several of you can probably vouch for.

STOP IT!

STOP THE WORLD I WANNA GET OFF!

So what is everyone else looking forward to from Marvel in January?

Oh, the usual: Daredevil, Punisher, Ultimates, Ellis, David returning to Hulk. . .

I really liked Phoenix The Untold Story. Made for a better ending, IMHO.

Did you read the interview in the back where Byrne and Claremont were already talking about bringing her back? Byrne: "I never felt like Phoenix was really Jean. . ." hahaha. Some insight into where the original X-Factor book began to take shape.

I think having her die was, at the time, a more logical and satisfying end to the story. It makes no sense that Jean could wipe out a whole solar system, killing millions, and get a proverbial slap on the wrist from galactic empires. Had I been reading the title at the time, this would have been a let-down and I wouldn't have wanted to read about a powerless, child-like Jean Grey. Her "sacrifice" was one of the most poignant moments in comics and made for some great reading during and after the storyline - every X-character was affected on some level.

Of course, the countless "rebirths" have rendered the power and poignancy of that issue almost meaningless. No matter how many times Jean, or any Marvel character for that matter, dies, we know in the back of our minds that she (they) will come back. So, with hindsight being 20/20, maybe the powerless/child-like Jean Grey was the better call. At least her return or her powers returning would have made more sense and not have cheapened other deaths with the "wait for the return" stigma.

What sticks out in my mind from the Dark Phoenix saga is when Cyclops delivered a long soliloquy when Jean is killed. Having just read Hamlet, I believe, this struck me as very Shakespearian.