Marvel Comics General

Blueprint for Hulkverine[1].

I was reading the X-Men villains character page to see if it listed everyone Ahab was red herring'd to be and I kept reading down to the Genegineer.

There seems to be an undue amount of sympathy for Genosha pre-X-Tinction Agenda

Astonishing X-Men: A different artist for each issue can work. Warren Ellis did it for a 6-issue run on Secret Avengers, and Kieron Gillen did it for an arc of Wic Div. The thing is, both books were already established when they did the different artists. Also, Ellis and Gillen both have pretty dedicated fan bases. But launching a book with this idea? With a writer who's still in the process of establishing his name in the industry? It's a huge risk.

Also, Secret Avengers and Wic Div didn't have to put up with Greg fucking Land.

...why would anyone try to give Hulk Wolverine's powers? Like, do you want him to be even more indestructible than he already is, give him claws, and make his healing factor even better?

Apparently they do.

Logan's powers would be pretty bad on a lot of dudes just because of how OP they'd make some dudes.

Hulk already has something of a healing factor if I recall. Stack Logan's on top of it, along with the claws and he'd be something to imagine.

Oh god. Combine their respective berserker rages. We'd all die.

Yes. Even us people in the real world.

...dear God, imagine giving Hulk Logan's anger issues.

Gamma adamantium can slice through the fourth wall

That Gray Hulk from Secret Wars: Civil War turned out in the last issue to be Wolverine.

Marvel have held a retailer summit

Today!

Captain Marvel #3 is pretty good. I like Carol's reaction to the Tony Stark AI. Her relief to see him, even if it's not him, and how much she misses him.

Ghost Rider #5 . . . I still can't figure out why this was the opening arc. Who thought it was a good idea? And why? Bleh.

Occupy Avengers #5 was good, but the new member is a real deep cut. Wheels Wolinski. Who's he? Well, he was in a series called Wolfpack, which came out in '87-'88. It was not a great comic, nor was it a memorable one, and there wasn't even anything indicating it took place in the 616 universe. And Walker went back to that for a member of this book. Deep cut.

X-Men Prime. I'm forced to admit that Guggenheim writes Kitty well. It's a strong take on the character. I'm actually more optimistic that Gold will at least be done well, even if I still think it was a mistake to rely so heavily on the past. On the flip side, I'm more sceptical of Blue. Because Bunn's section of Prime put kind of a lot of focus on a Jean/Scott/Warren triangle, with Scott and Warren both clearly having feelings for Jean. And, like . . . no? Can we not do that? Can we not rehash that old plot? Especially when Warren's already dating Laura? Like, I'd prefer Jean be left out of love triangles for a long, long time. But it sure seems like Bunn's going to be going that route, and dude, no thank you, that's a shitty idea.

Not Marvel, but: Insexts #10 has some great commentary on the arts trying to keep women out, so that men can define women and femininity, and the importance of women saying "yeah no fuck that," and taking control of their own narratives. Also, a character introduced in this arc, a black woman artist, is also revealed as trans. Plus, an insect woman has sex with her female lover, because this is a very special series. Awesome, too.

Animosity #6 is great, too. Screwed-up and heartbreaking and monstrous and just fantastic.

Jem & the Holograms #24 is more fun stuff. This comic is so good. And this issue has a huge thing at the end! A game-changer! But yeah, if you haven't been reading the Jem comics, you totally should.

The whole "Scott and Jean" shipping seems very peculiar when you consider All-New X-Men's finale sort of took a look at it and was like, "yeah, no thanks."

By the way, anyone read the newest issue of Thunderbolts? Because massive crud hit the fan over there...

I just look at what happened in ANXM as Jean being surprised they still gravitate to each other like that and Scott now sees a chance for it again. Plus Jean picked out Scott to dance with her during the rave at the climax. If a writer 'ships Scott and Jean hard enough, it doesn't matter what the prior run says about where they presently stand. People change their minds, old feelings can be rekindled, connections can be made, and these sort of iconic relationships are a big part of why fans invest in the book...I'd like to think Marvel are steadily learning that (after all, they put 'Bolt and Medusa back together)

edited 30th Mar '17 7:56:29 AM by Zarius

I suspect Bunn didn't really have a chance to read the ANXM #19 script before he turned in his Prime script.

Marvel are still the same. Deadpool Kills The Marvel Universe Again

Oh fuck off, Marvel. Why do you suck?

Again, really, are you fucking kidding me?!?!

Now I fucking love me some Deadpool but this is ridiculous.

House of ideas my ass.

edited 30th Mar '17 1:22:53 PM by slimcoder

The House of Ideas is running out of ideas. Hell, I'd say it started running out since Civil War, and the well's only been getting drier and drier since.

Marvel finally admits DC's returnability isn't the sole problem wrong with the industry. They also blame all their non-white/under thirty customers for not keeping books alive like their core group kees Renew Your Vows, Venom and Thanos alive.

Bringing back digital copies.

edited 31st Mar '17 1:32:14 PM by LordofLore

Yes, that's gotta be it. Of course, it's the children who are wrong.

edited 31st Mar '17 3:19:02 PM by InAnOdderWay

Wow, that was extremely douchey.

Meanwhile DC:

- Has success with Rucka's Wonder Woman (and making her demonstrably queer at that)

- Has Apollo and Midnighter.

- Launched cartoons about Vixen and The Ray.

- Brought back Ryan Choi and Jaime Reyes due to fan demand.

- Made the main Green Lantern book about a Muslim man and a Hispanic woman.

- Launched a new Batwoman comic.

- Has Aqualad in Teen Titans.

I'll freely admit that some books are so pleased with their big progressive stiffies but if an entire medium can only exist by walling itself off maybe it doesn't deserve to last too much longer.

He's not entirely wrong, though. Marvel's audience has pretty well proven they don't want to take a chance on diverse titles. They want events, they want a handful of major titles, and that's it.

Of course, Marvel also did a shit job marketing these books, and of trying to sell outside of the direct market.

I think it would be a huge mistake if Marvel moves away from diversity, though. Diversity has to be a long-term effort. Not something they give up on after just a couple years. If they just end up going back to a bunch of Straight White Dudes writing about a bunch of Straight White Dudes? That's just lame.

They're also downplaying the constant events and it leading to fatigue. For Civil War II, only the main book sold well in comic shops whereas the tie-ins crashed.

Diversity is nothing without good stories. What's the point of representation if its all crap in the end?

edited 31st Mar '17 4:23:04 PM by slimcoder

https://www.bleedingcool.com/2017/03/31/marvel-tells-retailers-cant-put-cheaper-collections-will-compete-expensive-ones/

Marvel cant sell cheap trades because then no one will buy the more expensive ones.

I guess marvel never heard of pre release video games