Marvel is launching several new titles, over the course 5-6 weeks starting in October and is renumbering some titles back at #1 as jumping on points with what a lot of people are referring to as a soft reboot much like DC's but on a smaller scale. Marvel of course denies this comparison, even though Joe Q himself said in an interview that it will be a reboot to some degree.
For months, Marvel Comics executives have been promising a major shake-up for their stories in the wake of the current "Avengers Vs. X-Men" event, though they've also promised the moves won't be a reboot of the Marvel U's long-running stories a la DC's New 52 initiative. Today, the scope of Marvel's plans came into light with the announcement of October's "Marvel NOW" initiative via Entertainment Weekly's Comic-Con themed issue.
"Uncanny Avengers" by Rick Remender and John Cassaday starring a team composed of Captain America, Wolverine and others from the company's two powerhouse franchises battling the mutant-hating Red Skull.
"All New X-Men" by Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen realigning the mutant team in the wake of "AvX" as the original five X-Men are mysteriously brought to the present day. This title will launch in November.
"Avengers" by Jonathan Hickman and Jerome Opena, which is light on specific details aside from a roster of 18 heroes in a bi-weekly comic that seems to be Hickman-esque rethinking of the Avengers core mission in the vein of the writer's "Fantastic Four" run.
Some of the titles look interesting but not financially feasable; bi-monthly comics? Eh...Bendis on X-Men sounds fun. I don't think he's ever done a full on roster of x-characters before.
Might possibly be grabbing Gambit and Hawkeye, but other than that I'll only stick with Iron Man as long as Fraction is on it, Fury MAX and possibly Winter Soldier and Wolverine and the X-Men.
Fraction is leaving Iron Man, taking over Fantastic Four with Larroca when Hickman leaves. If I recall correctly, Gillen will take over Iron Man. With Greg Land on art.
Also, when you want to drop books, having Loeb on Wolverine is reason enough.
And finally, Bendis used to write Ultimate X-Men, it was bad. Bendis can't write team books. He's proven that with his run on Avengers which was mostly useless, rehashing the same stories over and over.
I might follow Hickman to Avengers depending on scheduling, team members.
Nothing jumps out at me, and the re-numbering makes it very easy for me to drop books.
Hickman on Avengers interests me. The majority of marvels go-to writers right now, I find to be very very lacking. Bendis, Remender have been very bad lately. The time travelling X-Men is an awful idea.
If Jean Grey is back, I may take a look at whatever book she is in, since I really like Jean Grey.
"French is like anal, exotic but oh so unnecessary."
Fraction and Larocca on FF might be something that interests me. Gillen's not so bad, but lately he's not been great either, so I'll leave Iron Man with taht. When are Fraction and Larocca leaving, BTW?
jedispyder wrote:Jean Grey's not alive again, it's just taking teenage Jean Grey into the present. That's their big answer to the fan's request of, "we want her back."
I thought as much as well, but I'll wait until the end of AvX before I believe it.
"French is like anal, exotic but oh so unnecessary."
It just seems like a lot more of the same old stuff. True DC, did that as well with their DCnU, but at least they gave a wide berth for new titles & characters like OMAC, Voodoo, Mr.T, Blackhawks, and a lot of other lesser tier characters. Marvel's approach seems to be play mash-up with X-Men and Avengers.
If Jean doesn't return I'll be mighty impressed by Marvel for keeping such a popular character off the radar for so many years.
MGM wrote:Fraction and Larocca on FF might be something that interests me. Gillen's not so bad, but lately he's not been great either, so I'll leave Iron Man with taht. When are Fraction and Larocca leaving, BTW?
The current rumor is Frank Cho on Wolverine with Jeph Loeb only being on for this arc with Sabretooth Reborn.
And I'd love for them to bring Jean back to life, but don't think they will. Bendis stated in an interviewer something to the effect of, "The fans were asking for Jean Grey to be brought back. We brought back the original Jean Grey instead using time travel. It's a different way but they still have Jean Grey back."
Newsarama confirmed on their website that Uncanny X-Men is ending and will be replaced or suceeded by Bendis New X-Men for however long it lasts. Marvel isn't so stupid as to cancel its top selling title permanently so I imagine it'll only be a matter of time before UXM is relaunched yet again.
It's a very strange move because now the main X-Titles are Wolverine and the X-Men & X-Men Legacy; both are essentially Wolverine's X-Men told from different points of view. It would've made more sense to cancel X-Men Legacy as that is the redundant title & leave UXM. I understand Legacy was Rogue-centric but, again, based on cryptic solits, its implied that Rogue will be the central character of another team book.
