Jim Lemoine
Apr 12, 2004, 04:58 pm
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/logos/dittol_logo.gif" align=left border=0 alt="Did I Think That Out Loud?!? logo">By Jim Lemoine, jimlemoine@comixfan.cjb.net
Chuck Austen Is Not In This Column
At Marvel Comics, stagnation is dead and the future is now: The times, they are a'changin'.
There's a big X relaunch going on, complete with realigned team rosters, new costumes, and a new status quo going forward for all things related to the X. Excitement is high about the upcoming new ongoing X-Men title by a superstar creative dream team, one that has the comics press all aflutter and internet X-Men fans salivating heavily (even though we know the creative team is only together for a limited run). This new "core" X-Men title will naturally be headlined by X-stalwarts Cyclops and Wolverine, but Jean Grey will be conspicuously absent. Word has it that this team will be a more active one, and less like the reactive, hidden-behind-the-curtain team we've seen for the last few years. Rumor says that it'll also have a solid, core membership, as opposed to what's seemed to be an ever-changing and growing roster for the last few years.
That most popular of all mutants, Wolverine will be returning to his classic yellow costume and we'll be seeing him wearing it in several upcoming guest appearances and crossovers. The Wolverine series itself is getting a major push in publicity, but despite the new costume, we can probably expect the title to retain the same feel that it's had for the past year or so. Rumor has it that we'll see yet another Wolverine/Punisher crossover.
The word "Excalibur" will once again have meaning for X-fans after this creative revamp: a retooled Excalibur series is getting a lot of press. The series will ignore some of the substandard writing that plagued Excalibur in the past, and will focus on popular characters acting separately from the X-Men in more of a global setting. The cover of the series' first issue with this new direction has been circulated throughout the comics press, and it's easy to see what the focus and feel of the series will be based on that artwork.
Over the past few years, a lot of characters have left the X-Men, joined the X-Men, and switched from team to team; this revamp promises to bring the characters back where they belong. Rogue, for instance, who's been on and off the X-Men a bit for the past couple of years running around with her paramour, will be affirmed in a solid spot in a core team roster. Shadowcat, similarly, will hold onto her position in the spotlight after her own absence from the mutant titles. Havok and Polaris, who have been in and out of the spotlight recently, will be the cornerstones of one of the new X-teams, and fan-favorites Rogue and Gambit will also be placed together in one book. Rachel Summers is going to see some time in the spotlight again, and yes, we'll be seeing tons of Wolverine.
A lot of people are also excited about Rob Liefeld's new X-Force series, one that promises to unite the team from the series that preceded it, including Cable, Domino, and Shatterstar. There's little word so far on what exactly the plot will be for the series, but it seems safe to guess that Cable will head an operation completely separate from Xavier's core teams, one that won't be afraid to use slightly different methods to accomplish their goals. Fans are sharply divided over this upcoming title by Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld.
Although details are still a bit sketchy, fans of one of Marvel's best non-X books (y'know, the one with Rick Jones?) are stoked about word that Peter David (currently writing one of the company's most critically acclaimed titles) will be on some kind of X-project in the near future.
You can expect to see an enhanced focus on the Weapon X project in the coming months, with Wolverine investigating and learning secrets about his past that he's never known before. What is the Weapon X Program? What is its relationship to the shadowy past of Wolverine? And what did Wolverine recently learn about himself that threatens to destroy everything he believes in? Big changes are in store, and this is a great chance to jump onboard!
So whether you're looking for a classic X-Men team that reunites some of your favorite mutant characters, or a brand new series that spotlights the adventures of the younger mutants, there seems to be something in this brand new mutant relaunch for everybody. And to help you get adjusted to the new X-status-quo, Marvel is releasing several handbooks, guides, and reference books to make the transition to the new X-world easier (and to make a few quick bucks, of course!).
But lest you think that all this change is limited to just the X books, think again! Thanks to a certain gentleman who's extremely well known and respected in comic circles (here's a hint: his name starts with a "B"), Avengers is certainly going where it's never gone before. Most critics agree that the title has floundered a bit for the past couple of years (despite the high-profile writer and vast plethora of artists handling the book), but the future, with the aforementioned new writer, really promises to turn things around. An upcoming story arc will solidify a new core team for the Avengers, one that might surprise most fans! Characters without any current connection to the team will join some of the more popular "classic" Avengers in a brand-new line-up, one that may change what the Avengers are and what the team stands for, introducing a darker, more realistic feel for the title.
Nobody's really sure quite what's coming up for Tony Stark and Iron Man. Recently, a lot of buzz has been generated by that title's second look at the repercussions from the old Armor Wars story, but the book is sadly being lost in the wave of publicity from other, higher profile titles.
Our longtime Thor writer (can we just call him D?) has been showing us a very different type of Thor story lately... one that Thor, himself, certainly isn't the star of. Rather, we have a new scion of Thor wielding Mjolnir, and nobody's quite sure what the future holds. One of the big points of speculation is to how (and perhaps even if!) the original Thor will reclaim his spot as the book's featured character. There's also a rumor that Thor will finally be rejoining the Avengers soon... but who knows which Thor it will be?
You could easily argue that the main theme of the Daredevil title, the one that's made the book into what it is now (which is completely different from what the book used to be!), is the rise and fall of the Kingpin. These days, Matt Murdock seems to have mostly abandoned his secret identity, but some readers are speculating that he'll return to his old status quo soon enough. There've been a lot of guest appearances in this book lately, and a few fans believe that the emphasis on so many other characters is what's keeping Matt himself from really having a turn in the spotlight.
Everybody's hoping that the critically acclaimed writer of Fantastic Four (let's just call him W) will stay on the title for a long time to come, but there are, as ever, rumors of a creative change. He's wowed us recently with several very well-received storylines firmly entrenching the FF as the scientific explorers of the Marvel Universe. Add to that his recent reintroduction of Doctor Doom - a highly dramatic story that really resolidified Doom as the key villain of comics - and it's not hard to see why so many people want good old W to stay on the title. Ben Grimm and Reed Richards have been the focus of Fantastic Four lately, but rumor has it that the next arcs will deal more with Johnny and Sue.
Oh, and She-Hulk (it's not by Byrne anymore) is still a very fun title.
There hasn't been a lot of change lately in the Spider-Man franchise: mostly the same creative teams, and most fans still love the current direction. Marvel's been hyping an upcoming limited series focusing on teaming up some of Spidey's greatest villains with a few other surprising names. A new Spider-Man title launched last year with one of the industry's hottest stars attached to it, but the sales of the title haven't quite exhibited the staying power that Marvel hoped for. The Green Goblin (Osborn) is probably Spidey's greatest villain now (what with the demise of the original Hobgoblin a few years back), but Venom still has a lot of popularity with the fans... popularity that may increase since, rumor has it, another evil symbiote will be rearing his ugly head in Spidey's direction sometime within the next year.
One of the surprise hits of last year is a book that launched as part of a whole new line - a push of brand new titles (most of which were totally new concepts, with the exception of the new Spider-oriented book). This breakout hit is a book by a hot writer that follows the adventures of a group of empowered teenagers as they seek to learn about their powers and discover the truth about certain sinister parental types. One of the neat things about this title is that it doesn't fall easily into the established Marvel genres - it's got some mutant characters, it's got some non-powered characters, and even some more alien-ish heroes. It's all about kids trying to find their place in the world, trying to figure out the right thing to do. Very good stuff. The kids' leader (a new African-American character, one who gets things done without the benefit of superpowers) seems to be the most popular character on the team so far.
And I know this is off topic, but wow... hasn't Mark Bagley been drawing just about everything lately?
**
This has been a retrospective look back at the state of Marvel Comics, circa 1991. That year marked the beginning of a completely new era for comics, and this columnist felt the need to revisit some of the realities of the comics world of 13 years ago. Any resemblance to current events or company releases is purely coincidental.
<center><hr width=75%></center>
A few months ago, Jim Lemoine (ComiX-Fan's Columns Editor) completed the manuscript for his first book, an examination of business leadership. Oddly enough, his second book is being published this summer, while his first book is still delayed by guys in expensive suits. He's wondering if maybe he should have annotated this column.
<center><hr width=75%></center>
The opinions expressed in this column (if you can find them) are solely those of the writer, and are not reflective of ComiX-Fan or its other staff in general.
Chuck Austen Is Not In This Column
At Marvel Comics, stagnation is dead and the future is now: The times, they are a'changin'.
There's a big X relaunch going on, complete with realigned team rosters, new costumes, and a new status quo going forward for all things related to the X. Excitement is high about the upcoming new ongoing X-Men title by a superstar creative dream team, one that has the comics press all aflutter and internet X-Men fans salivating heavily (even though we know the creative team is only together for a limited run). This new "core" X-Men title will naturally be headlined by X-stalwarts Cyclops and Wolverine, but Jean Grey will be conspicuously absent. Word has it that this team will be a more active one, and less like the reactive, hidden-behind-the-curtain team we've seen for the last few years. Rumor says that it'll also have a solid, core membership, as opposed to what's seemed to be an ever-changing and growing roster for the last few years.
That most popular of all mutants, Wolverine will be returning to his classic yellow costume and we'll be seeing him wearing it in several upcoming guest appearances and crossovers. The Wolverine series itself is getting a major push in publicity, but despite the new costume, we can probably expect the title to retain the same feel that it's had for the past year or so. Rumor has it that we'll see yet another Wolverine/Punisher crossover.
The word "Excalibur" will once again have meaning for X-fans after this creative revamp: a retooled Excalibur series is getting a lot of press. The series will ignore some of the substandard writing that plagued Excalibur in the past, and will focus on popular characters acting separately from the X-Men in more of a global setting. The cover of the series' first issue with this new direction has been circulated throughout the comics press, and it's easy to see what the focus and feel of the series will be based on that artwork.
Over the past few years, a lot of characters have left the X-Men, joined the X-Men, and switched from team to team; this revamp promises to bring the characters back where they belong. Rogue, for instance, who's been on and off the X-Men a bit for the past couple of years running around with her paramour, will be affirmed in a solid spot in a core team roster. Shadowcat, similarly, will hold onto her position in the spotlight after her own absence from the mutant titles. Havok and Polaris, who have been in and out of the spotlight recently, will be the cornerstones of one of the new X-teams, and fan-favorites Rogue and Gambit will also be placed together in one book. Rachel Summers is going to see some time in the spotlight again, and yes, we'll be seeing tons of Wolverine.
A lot of people are also excited about Rob Liefeld's new X-Force series, one that promises to unite the team from the series that preceded it, including Cable, Domino, and Shatterstar. There's little word so far on what exactly the plot will be for the series, but it seems safe to guess that Cable will head an operation completely separate from Xavier's core teams, one that won't be afraid to use slightly different methods to accomplish their goals. Fans are sharply divided over this upcoming title by Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld.
Although details are still a bit sketchy, fans of one of Marvel's best non-X books (y'know, the one with Rick Jones?) are stoked about word that Peter David (currently writing one of the company's most critically acclaimed titles) will be on some kind of X-project in the near future.
You can expect to see an enhanced focus on the Weapon X project in the coming months, with Wolverine investigating and learning secrets about his past that he's never known before. What is the Weapon X Program? What is its relationship to the shadowy past of Wolverine? And what did Wolverine recently learn about himself that threatens to destroy everything he believes in? Big changes are in store, and this is a great chance to jump onboard!
So whether you're looking for a classic X-Men team that reunites some of your favorite mutant characters, or a brand new series that spotlights the adventures of the younger mutants, there seems to be something in this brand new mutant relaunch for everybody. And to help you get adjusted to the new X-status-quo, Marvel is releasing several handbooks, guides, and reference books to make the transition to the new X-world easier (and to make a few quick bucks, of course!).
But lest you think that all this change is limited to just the X books, think again! Thanks to a certain gentleman who's extremely well known and respected in comic circles (here's a hint: his name starts with a "B"), Avengers is certainly going where it's never gone before. Most critics agree that the title has floundered a bit for the past couple of years (despite the high-profile writer and vast plethora of artists handling the book), but the future, with the aforementioned new writer, really promises to turn things around. An upcoming story arc will solidify a new core team for the Avengers, one that might surprise most fans! Characters without any current connection to the team will join some of the more popular "classic" Avengers in a brand-new line-up, one that may change what the Avengers are and what the team stands for, introducing a darker, more realistic feel for the title.
Nobody's really sure quite what's coming up for Tony Stark and Iron Man. Recently, a lot of buzz has been generated by that title's second look at the repercussions from the old Armor Wars story, but the book is sadly being lost in the wave of publicity from other, higher profile titles.
Our longtime Thor writer (can we just call him D?) has been showing us a very different type of Thor story lately... one that Thor, himself, certainly isn't the star of. Rather, we have a new scion of Thor wielding Mjolnir, and nobody's quite sure what the future holds. One of the big points of speculation is to how (and perhaps even if!) the original Thor will reclaim his spot as the book's featured character. There's also a rumor that Thor will finally be rejoining the Avengers soon... but who knows which Thor it will be?
You could easily argue that the main theme of the Daredevil title, the one that's made the book into what it is now (which is completely different from what the book used to be!), is the rise and fall of the Kingpin. These days, Matt Murdock seems to have mostly abandoned his secret identity, but some readers are speculating that he'll return to his old status quo soon enough. There've been a lot of guest appearances in this book lately, and a few fans believe that the emphasis on so many other characters is what's keeping Matt himself from really having a turn in the spotlight.
Everybody's hoping that the critically acclaimed writer of Fantastic Four (let's just call him W) will stay on the title for a long time to come, but there are, as ever, rumors of a creative change. He's wowed us recently with several very well-received storylines firmly entrenching the FF as the scientific explorers of the Marvel Universe. Add to that his recent reintroduction of Doctor Doom - a highly dramatic story that really resolidified Doom as the key villain of comics - and it's not hard to see why so many people want good old W to stay on the title. Ben Grimm and Reed Richards have been the focus of Fantastic Four lately, but rumor has it that the next arcs will deal more with Johnny and Sue.
Oh, and She-Hulk (it's not by Byrne anymore) is still a very fun title.
There hasn't been a lot of change lately in the Spider-Man franchise: mostly the same creative teams, and most fans still love the current direction. Marvel's been hyping an upcoming limited series focusing on teaming up some of Spidey's greatest villains with a few other surprising names. A new Spider-Man title launched last year with one of the industry's hottest stars attached to it, but the sales of the title haven't quite exhibited the staying power that Marvel hoped for. The Green Goblin (Osborn) is probably Spidey's greatest villain now (what with the demise of the original Hobgoblin a few years back), but Venom still has a lot of popularity with the fans... popularity that may increase since, rumor has it, another evil symbiote will be rearing his ugly head in Spidey's direction sometime within the next year.
One of the surprise hits of last year is a book that launched as part of a whole new line - a push of brand new titles (most of which were totally new concepts, with the exception of the new Spider-oriented book). This breakout hit is a book by a hot writer that follows the adventures of a group of empowered teenagers as they seek to learn about their powers and discover the truth about certain sinister parental types. One of the neat things about this title is that it doesn't fall easily into the established Marvel genres - it's got some mutant characters, it's got some non-powered characters, and even some more alien-ish heroes. It's all about kids trying to find their place in the world, trying to figure out the right thing to do. Very good stuff. The kids' leader (a new African-American character, one who gets things done without the benefit of superpowers) seems to be the most popular character on the team so far.
And I know this is off topic, but wow... hasn't Mark Bagley been drawing just about everything lately?
**
This has been a retrospective look back at the state of Marvel Comics, circa 1991. That year marked the beginning of a completely new era for comics, and this columnist felt the need to revisit some of the realities of the comics world of 13 years ago. Any resemblance to current events or company releases is purely coincidental.
<center><hr width=75%></center>
A few months ago, Jim Lemoine (ComiX-Fan's Columns Editor) completed the manuscript for his first book, an examination of business leadership. Oddly enough, his second book is being published this summer, while his first book is still delayed by guys in expensive suits. He's wondering if maybe he should have annotated this column.
<center><hr width=75%></center>
The opinions expressed in this column (if you can find them) are solely those of the writer, and are not reflective of ComiX-Fan or its other staff in general.