Marvel Previews Picks: May 2020
Above-the-Board Recommendation:
Doctor Strange: Surgeon Supreme vol. 1 — Under the Knife
When I heard that Mark Waid’s run on “Doctor Strange” was getting a relaunch, I was just glad to hear that he’d still be writing this series. Sure the “Surgeon Supreme” subtitle sounded a little goofy, but he was a surgeon at one point, so I didn’t think much of it. Then I read the most recent volume of the series and found out that there’s a very good reason for this subtitle. Waid has gone and undone one of the title character’s defining traits, and done it in a way that actually creates more complications for him rather than less. I’m definitely curious to see how the writer handles a character who is confident and arrogant enough to think that he can handle commitments from two different callings at once and not have either of them suffer. “Under the Knife” is likely going to present a rude awakening for the doctor, but one that should look fantastic with “Doctor Aphra,” “Black Panther,” and “Spider-Man” artist Kev Walker providing the art.
Empyre: X-Men #’s 1&2 (of 4): The galactic conflagration has reached Marvel’s Merry Mutants, and the means by which they’ll be participating will surprise you. By which I mean that this tie-in miniseries looks to be in an anthology format as we’ve got a number of different writers contributing to each issue. X-Mastermind Jonathan Hickman and “Excalibur’s” Tini Howard are on the first issue while “Marauders’” Gerry Duggan, “X-Force’s” Benjamin Percy, and “X-Factor’s” Leah Williams are on the second. Each issue does only have one credited artist, with Matteo Buffagni doing issue #1 and Lucas Werneck handling #2. Given how all of the writers are doing at least one X-Men title, it appears that they’ve found a way to have them tie into the crossover without actually tying into it. A clever move, if that’s what’s happening.
Empyre: Squadron Supreme #1 (of 2): Mark Waid writes and artist Dio Neves draws the Squadron’s fight against the invaders. However, the current version of the Squadron is one that’s completely unaware of how they’ve been brainwashed and micromanaged to fight for the interests of the United States’. Waid isn’t one to ignore current continuity and I hope that we’ll get to see him display his dark and disturbing side as he has the Squadron likely do the right thing for all the wrong reasons.
The Union #1 (of 5): “Kane” and “Jack Staff” creator Paul Grist writes this series about five heroes from the U.K. coming together to fight against the forces of “Empyre.” While I’ve really liked Grist’s creator-owned work, his quirky, low-key sensibilities strike me as being at odds with the “house style” of storytelling at Marvel. Maybe he’ll deliver an offbeat delight with this miniseries, or it’ll remind everyone why it’s been over a decade(s?) since Grist last stopped by the House of Ideas. Andrea Divito handles the art, so don’t expect any issues there.
X-Men #11: From the solicitation text, “THE TREES ARE KILLING THE CHILDREN!”
…You know, if they’re bad children then I don’t really see a problem with this.
Giant-Size X-Men: Fantomex #1: The latest of these specials spotlights the faux-French scoundrel who has hung around the “X-Men” books a lot longer than I would’ve expected after he debuted during Grant Morrison’s run. I guess morally duplicitous Frenchman is an archetype that appeals to a lot of writers. Hickman will look to put his stamp on the character, along with artist Rod Reis, by having him return to the artificial environment known as The World where he was created. Again. And again. And again… Look, the way this is said in the solicitation text makes me think that some kind of time loop is involved. Anyone with me on this?
The Marvels #1: Writer Kurt Busiek makes his proper return to Marvel with what is billed as the “biggest, wildest, most sprawling series ever to hit the Marvel Universe.” I like the “Marvels” and “Astro City” writer well enough, but there are only a few writers you could attach that level of hype to and have me believe it, and he’s not one of them. Still, Busiek does have a reputation for quality and he’s working with a talented artist in Yildray Cinar. So I’m willing to believe that this series may wind up being good, just not the best thing ever. Especially since it’s coming to us as an ongoing series and not a mini-or-maxi-series. Which means unless this thing sells well, the “biggest, wildest, most sprawling series ever to hit the Marvel Universe” may be hit with the dreaded “We gotta wrap this up NOW!” ending to really deflate its lofty ambitions.
War of the Realms Omnibus HC: For the low, low price of $125, this collection of the crossover event series and ALL of its tie-ins can be yours. Assuming you’ve got the time to read through all 1,576 pages of it.
X-Men/Fantastic Four: 4X: Franklin Richards is a mutant. All mutants are meant to live on Krakoa. Why isn’t Franklin Richards living there? The easy answer to this question is because he’s the son of Reed and Sue Richards and they, along with his uncles Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm, aren’t about to give up custody of their son. Not without a fight, that is. Fighting against the Fantastic Four is likely to be a nightmare of bad optics that the X-Men would like to avoid, and that’s even before Doctor Doom comes knocking at their door. Chip Zdarsky writes and Terry Dodson illustrates this story that looks to mine some some quality drama from these questions. As well as trick us into believing that the conflict in this story actually matters because it can’t interfere with what regular “Fantastic Four” writer Dan Slott has in mind for Franklin.
King Deadpool vol. 1: Hail to the King: The Merc With a Mouth embarks on a job that sees him becoming the King of All Monsters. Under Staten Island. It sounds like a sweet gig, until the likes of Captain America and professional monster hunter Elsa Bloodstone come looking for him. Writer Kelly Thompson and artist Chris Bachalo, with Gerardo Sandoval pitching in, show us how Wade Wilson adjusts to the responsibilities of royalty while also giving me a reason to start reading an ongoing “Deadpool” comic again.
Punisher: Soviet: Garth Ennis returns to write the story of the time Frank Castle found himself among the corpses of a dozen Russian mobsters that he didn’t kill. As for who did the deed, the answers to that will be hashed out in the streets of New York, despite their decades-old origins in Moscow and Afghanistan. Better to do it here than in the latter country. The last time Frank went there, NOBODY had a good time. Ennis wrote that story, “Man of Stone,” in case you were wondering. Here he’s teaming up with artist Jacen Burrows for what is likely to be one more reminder of why he’s the best “Punisher” writer there is.
Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: The Empire vol. 6: Collecting, among other things, the two “Agent of the Empire” miniseries written by John Ostrander. These miniseries put the spotlight on one Jahan Cross — the Empire’s answer to James Bond. That was such a great idea and the two miniseries were so good that I’m still disappointed that we never saw more of Cross after this. It’s probably because Marvel would rather create or resuscitate their own “Star Wars” characters than revive ones created under Dark Horse while they had the license. After reading “Target Vader,” however, I’m not convinced that ornery cyborg bounty hunter Beilert Valance is more worthy of a second life in comics than Jahan Cross.