Marvel Penguin Picks: March 2024
Above-the-Board Recommendation:
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra vol. 7 – Dark Droids
I wondered if something was up when I saw that this volume was collecting issues #32-40. That’s nine whole issues, which means that we’d be getting the post-”Spark Eternal” issues in addition to the ones that tie into the “Dark Droids” event. That seemed odd when you consider that Marvel would normally want to split up these kinds of things and sell a collection this big as two volumes rather than one. A little digging and I found out the most likely reason why we’re getting all these issues together: This volume of “Doctor Aphra” is ending with issue #40.
It’s a little disappointing, to be sure. While “Doctor Aphra vol. 2” didn’t get off to the strongest start, things quickly improved with subsequent volumes. Better still was the fact that while I was unsure about dedicating fifteen issues to the story of an ancient Ascendant artifact known as the Spark Eternal, it actually wound up being the high point of the series (review forthcoming). Now we’re getting the wrap-up as writer Alyssa Wong gets the chance to tie up all of her lingering plot and character threads, while hopefully having some fun with this latest event. I have no doubt the good Doctor will be back again, and whoever takes over chronicling her adventures is going to have even more to live up to now.
Ultimate X-Men #1: I’ve seen a lot of creator Peach Momoko’s covers over the years, but I haven’t actually experienced any of her actual comics. That’s because they’ve mainly been alternate-universe affairs which haven’t indicated that they’ve got more to recommend them beyond her admittedly appealing art. That’s going to change with this series as I’m all for this relaunch of the Ultimate Universe, spearheaded as it is by Jonathan Hickman. To Momoko’s credit, she looks to be taking this title in a direction that it hasn’t gone before, with a focus on Hisako “Armor” Ichiki as her powers activate while she’s attending school in Japan. At just the right moment too as urban legends are springing to life around the country. The solicitation text also implies that we’re getting a lot of new mutants (not “New Mutants”) as well which is a gutsy move that I hope will prove to be an exciting experience for everyone involved and reading.
The Spectacular Spider-Men #1: What sells better than having Peter Parker and Miles Morales headlining their own solo titles? Putting them both together in one! I imagine that’s the kind of thinking which has led us to this new ongoing series, but the expectation is that the stories within it are going to be better than that. That’s because we’ve got Greg Weisman writing it and Humberto Ramos illustrating it. You can always expect solid writing from Weisman and energetic art from Ramos, so this should be a fun team-up series based on the concept and creative team alone. Which is all we have to go on according to the solicitation text.
Ghost Rider #1 & Ms. Marvel: Mutant Menace #1 (of 4): Hailing from the realm of Clearly They’re Doing Something Right come these two follow-up titles. “Ghost Rider” is effectively a relaunch of current writer Benjamin Percy’s run with the writer still at the helm alongside new artist Danny Kim while Iman Vellani and Sabir Pirzada return to “Ms. Marvel” alongside new artist Scott Godlewski. I haven’t read either title before now, which is a bigger problem with the latter since it’s a) “X-Men” related and b) was only four issues. Yet the existence of these titles gives a good reason for me to look them up on Marvel Unlimited sometime when I’m running low on copies of physical comics to read and review.
Weapon X-Men #1 (of 4): This is apparently following on from the “Original X-Men” miniseries which saw the Phoenix recruit a group of young mutants to fix a crisis in time. Now there’s a bigger crisis to be fixed and the Phoenix needs a better team. One that’s the best there is at what they do. Which is why it’s a mystery that old, fat Wolverine from “Earth X” is on this team alongside “Age of Apocalypse” Weapon X Wolverine, “Old Man Logan,” Jane Howlett of Earth-1281, and Zombie Wolverine. I’m sure all will be revealed by writer Christos Gage and artist Yildray Cinar in due course as their presence implies both competency and quality art.
X-Men: Forever #1 (of 4): Essentially issues #19-22 of “Immortal X-Men” according to writer Kieron Gillen. Which would be the issues that tie into “Fall of the House of X/Rise of the Powers of X” much in the same way that the “Death to the Mutants” miniseries tied into “Judgment Day” for “Eternals.” So if you’re like me and are following this event, this miniseries is going to be required reading. Fortunately, the solicitation text makes a good case for following along as it promises answers for questions that have haunted “Immortal X-Men” both recently and since the start of its run. There’s also the hope that, with Gillen departing Marvel again after his work here is done, he’ll give us one more good spotlight issue for Mister Sinister.
Miles Morales: Spider-Man #18: When is issue #18 of an ongoing series not actually issue #18 of an ongoing series? When it’s issue #300 of “Miles Morales.” …only not really. The numbering is also counting the 160 issues of “Ultimate Spider-Man” which featured Peter Parker before Miles became the main character of that title. That said, you know Marvel – any excuse for an anniversary. Also, 140 issues featuring a new character like Miles is no small achievement. Current writer Cody Ziglar marks the occasion with “Miles” artists past and present including Federico Vicentini, Sara Pichelli, David Marquez, and more!
Aliens: What If…? #1: I like the idea of Marvel expanding the “What If…?” concept to the other Intellectual Properties that Disney owns. I also think that they’ve got an interesting idea for this first one that springs directly from the “Aliens” movie: What if slimy company man Carter Burke, played by Paul Reiser, had lived? I’m hoping that this also means, “What if his plan to turn Ripley and Newt into hosts for the Xenomorphs had succeeded?” because what’s the point in doing these things if you can’t go in some really dark, unexpected, or crazy directions.
What I’m not crazy about is the army of writers it appears to have taken in order to bring this story to life. Not only is Reiser himself credited here, but so is his son Leon, and producers Adam F. Goldberg and Brian Volk-Weiss, and actual screenwriter Hans Rodionoff. Of the people mentioned here, I’m only aware of Rodionoff having any significant comics-writing experience. So my guess is that everyone else here took a crack at writing a comic, couldn’t pull it off, and then called in Hans to tie it all together. So I hope that this doesn’t turn out to be an unreadable mess. If it doesn’t, then credit will also be due to the ONE artist this issue has: Guiu Vilanova who also turned in quality work on the above-mentioned “Death to Mutants” miniseries.
Avengers Inc.: Action, Mystery, Adventure: It was supposed to be an ongoing “Avengers” series featuring Janet Van Dyne and Victor “Not the Black Vision” Shade and borrow more from the 60’s “Avengers” series from England rather than the one home to “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.” That didn’t turn out to be the case as, like many series before it (but what feels like less these days), it was canned after its first arc. Given that it came from writer Al Ewing and artist Leonard Kirk I’d say that’s due to it Not Being What Anybody Wanted rather than serious misfire in terms of its quality. I’ll certainly have more to say when I read this, because how could I not when it comes from a solid creative team like this.
Miracleman by Gaiman and Buckingham: The Silver Age: Didn’t I already feature this as an Above-the-Board Recommendation back in the August 2023 edition of this column? Yes. Yes I did. Proving that you really can’t rush greatness, the hardcover collection of the miniseries has been pushed into next year. Which is no problem because we know it’s still coming. The real question now is when Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham are going to start in on the concluding volume of “Miracleman” – “The Dark Age.” That… you really shouldn’t expect anytime soon (at least not until Gaiman is done working on the third season of “Good Omens”).