Marvel Previews Picks: April 2012
“Avengers vs. X-Men” kicks off this month and as it’s the next major X-event, I’m committed to picking it up in hardcover. That said, I’m having a disconnect between the fact that this twelve-issue series requires five different writers (Bendis, Brubaker, Aaron, Hickman, and Fraction) in order to see it to completion. Theoretically this shouldn’t be a problem for me since it’s basically the same format as “Messiah Complex” and “Second Coming” and countless other crossoves, only told in a single mini-series as opposed to over several different titles. It could be because all five writers involved have very different styles of writing and are coming to this from very different areas of the Marvel Universe so I’m bracing myself for a style clash between issues the likes of which have never been seen! I’ll see how it turns out… unless the word is bad enough to make me wait to pick it up in softcover at Comic-Con (see also: “Fear Itself”).
Avengers vs. X-Men: It’s Coming: While we’re on the subject, this is apparently intended as some kind of lead-in to the event featuring stories that are supposedly of particular relevance to it. What the reader is actually getting is a grab-bag of issues including “Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #7,” “House of M #8,” “X-Men: Schism #5,” and more. It’s hard to imagine anyone feeling enthusiastic after reading all of these issues out of context and the whole thing looks more like an attempt to squeeze a few more dollars out of the existing readership. Avoid like the plague.
Astonishing X-Men: Exiled HC: I didn’t really have any interest in picking up Greg Pak and Mike McKone’s story about Cyclops leading a team made up of alternate reality X-Men, until I saw Warrent Ellis and Adi Granov listed as contributors to the collection. Apparently this volume will also reprint the 8-page short they did for the horribly overpriced “Ghost Boxes” mini a few years back. Though Elllis wrote all four shorts, Granov illustrated the adventures of the steampunk team. It certainly makes me curious to see how the short is supposed to tie in here, but I also realize that’s probably the Ellis completist in me talking.
Wolverine and the X-Men by Jason Aaron vol. 1 HC: I realize that I use some variation on the phrase, “I’ll wait and buy it at Comic-Con (for half-price of course)” but it’s $20 for four issues! I wouldn’t even have bought “Nextwave” if it had been packaged as cheaply as that!
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man vol. 4: Death of Spider-Man: All I can hope is that it brings enough closure to Peter Parker’s story that I can enjoy the adventures of Miles Morales without reservation.
Wolverine: Wolverine’s Revenge, Punisher MAX: Frank, X-Factor vol. 13: Hard Labor, X-Men: Legacy — Lost Legions: All of these are on the “to get” list. There’s not really anything else to say beyond that.