My Thoughts On The All-New, All-Different Marvel Books

So, I went ahead and got the free preview book for the All-New, All-Different Marvel, which begins in October. As such, I’d like to give my thoughts on a few specific ones, general looks at the rest, and just talk about a few things I feel might be missing from the new Marvel Universe as a whole, as it’s being shown here. Also, not gonna bother talking about the ones already revealed that I talked about before, so if you notice some rather notable books missing from this article, click here to see if I mentioned them already. Let’s start off with probably the obvious…

Additional Avengers Books

I told ya. ^_^ So, in addition to the All-New, All-Different Avengers, AKA Earth’s Mightiest Most Dedicated Heroes, and the all-superheroines A-Force, we’ve got a couple other Avengers teams. The first is the Uncanny Avengers which, as shown above, will star Rogue, Steve Rogers, Human Torch, Doctor Voodoo, Quicksilver…um, some woman I don’t recognize, the Amazing Spider-Man, and the back-from-the-dead Deadpool…because, let’s be honest, we knew he would be. lol The other team is the New Avengers, which will star Songbird, Hulkling, Wiccan, Hawkeye, Squirrel Girl, and Sunspot as part of the new Avengers Idea Mechanics. On top of that, there’s a new Illuminati book, which apparently is now about a team of villains, and a new Ultimates book, which features Black Panther, Blue Marvel, Miss America, Captain Marvel, and Spectrum going up against Galactus. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is getting written by one of the show runners for Arrow, of all people. Howling Commandos of S.H.I.E.L.D. will apparently have Dum-Dum Dugan teaming with Elsa Bloodstone and the monsters of the Secret Wars Howling Commandos. And lastly, there’s gonna be a Contest of Champions book, which may or may not tie into the game, and has Maestro pitting heroes against one another in an arena. And that’s not even the end of the team books, because guess who?

The X-Men Titles

Yup, you can put down the riot helmets and posters, they’re still around, folks. We have three books with the name X-Men in them: Extraordinary X-Men (Storm, Iceman, Colossus, time-displaced Jean Grey, Old Man Logan, Nightcrawler, and Magik), All-New X-Men (time-displaced Beast, Iceman, Cyclops, and Angel, along with the All-New Wolverine), and Uncanny X-Men (Magneto, Mystique, Sabertooth, Psylocke, and Fantomex). There’re also three other X-Men related books: Old Man Logan, which features the aged Logan existing in this new world, All-New Wolverine, which has X-23 stepping into the role, and Deadpool…’nuff said there. XD Supposedly, in the eight month gap between Secret Wars and the new books (which I’m guessing they’ll fill us in on later), there was some sort of incident between Mutants and Inhumans, which will help explain this new status quo for the two sides, as present day Beast will be joining the Uncanny Inhumans as a result of that.

Spider-Man Incorporated?

In addition to the Spider-Man book I mentioned starring Miles Morales, as well as the relaunched Spider-Gwen, there are several other Spider-related books coming out. Amazing Spider-Man will have Peter launching a new and improved Parker Industries worldwide, bringing back the Spider-Mobile, and pulling the old Tony Stark trick by having his superhero identity be his ‘bodyguard’. Also, for those wondering, he’s not still married from Secret Wars, and the book will probably never even mention what happened in One More Day, so don’t expect to see me buying this…which is sad, because otherwise, this looks like it’ll be nice, crazy fun. Web Warriors will feature Spider-Gwen teaming up with Spider-Girl, Spider-Ham, and a few other Spider-Men from various realities as some sort of Spider-Man Incorporated-like team…because why not at this point? Silk is ‘apparently’ turning heel, although I don’t know if I buy it just yet. Carnage is coming back after sacrificing himself during AXIS, so it’ll be interesting to see if he’s still a hero or not. Spider-Man 2099 is sticking around, with a new costume to boot. Then there’s Venom: Spaceknight… … …If Rom doesn’t show up, I’ll be so sad. lol Before I continue, though, there’s something specific I need to discuss…

Spider-Woman PREGNANT?!?!

…Yeah, Spider-Woman’s a mom now. And, as I understand it, the new books pick up approximately 8 months after the end of Secret Wars, so I think the implication is that Jessica is about a month or two away from delivering the baby… … …Okay, first off, I will admit to having to stop myself from squeeing at the idea of Jess having a baby. lol Also, I DO kinda find the whole single-mom-being-a-superheroine schtick kinda awesome. However, if I’m correct and the implication is that she’s still active as a heroine while carrying the baby, can I just ask one question: WHY?!?! That is super dangerous, not only to Spider-Woman, but to the baby! Now, maybe I’m way off, and the series actually picks up with her either finding out she’s pregnant or as she’s having the baby, but I REALLY hope she’s not putting on the costume and gliding through the night skies while carrying the kid. Also, who is the father? Is she even dating anyone currently? Oh, PLEASE don’t let this be another ‘mystical pregnancy’ storyline. I learned of Avengers #200 just last year, and I still haven’t gotten the bad taste outta my mouth. Otherwise, though, as I said, kinda excited to see the kid. lol

Uchuu KITAAAAAAAAAA!!!

500 geek points to the first person who gets that reference. ^_^ Also, a million geek points says that’s Kitty Pryde posing as Star-Lord in the new Guardians of the Galaxy book. With that said, two questions come to mind: Where is her fiancé (the new Star-Lord book SUGGESTS time travel, but I have no idea), and what’s with all the dudes on the team besides her? It’s Thing, Drax, Venom, Rocket, and Groot, with Rocket as the only one who isn’t some buffed up powerhouse. I know Gamora left (and I’ll get back to that later), but where’s Captain Marvel? Mantis? ANY of the other space-faring superheroes that aren’t bulky dudes? Other than that, as I said, Star-Lord looks like he might be travelling through time, the Uncanny Inhumans are gonna be kicking ass as the next big superhero team, Drax is entering the interstellar octagon, Angela might be running Hel, Karnak is getting a solo title, and Nova has Sam teaming up with either his dad or Richard Rider, I can’t tell. And Howard the Duck is getting a relaunched solo where even the creative team are openly acknowledging how silly it is to relaunch it so soon.

SO MANY SOLOS! XD

Getting back to the Avengers, there are a lot of them getting their own solo books, so let’s do a quick rundown of each. Sam Wilson and Steve Rogers will apparently be in the middle of a schism of some sort in ‘Sam Wilson, Captain America’, which could get more than a little awkward for the foreseeable future. Ms. Marvel is gonna be fangirling like a crazy person over the fact that she’s an Avenger (and in record time), which I can’t wait to read. The Totally Awesome Hulk is more than likely gonna turn out to be Amadeus Cho, all things considered, especially given that both Greg Pak and Frank Cho LOVE the guy. Daredevil is supposedly gonna be teaming up with Gambit… … …’kay. Doctor Strange, Invincible Iron Man, and Captain Marvel, already said my piece on them. All-New Hawkeye might be All-OLD Hawkeye, as Clint Barton may be joining in the old heroes club for some reason and having a clash of some sort with Kate Bishop…not sure what’s going on there. Scarlet Witch is finally getting a solo book that will last longer than 4 issues. Vision is starting a new robotic family…in which family sitcom hijinx are almost certain to follow. lol Astonishing Ant-Man is apparently going back to his villainous ways, although he’s got his fingers crossed on the cover, so probably a ruse. And then there’s the last book I wanna talk about…

The Mighty Thor

Okay, I had a big talk about this on Deviant Art recently, and I gotta be honest with you guys about this. While I like the idea of Jane Foster in the role, there exists many problems with it and this book in general. Now, her getting the name Thor doesn’t bother me as much as a lot of people, since it’s not like she’s a usurper or anything, Odinson GAVE the name to her. What bothers me is that this is the only time someone else has taken up the hammer and kept the name Thor, unlike in the cases of Beta Ray Bill and Thunderstrike. Also, the mystery behind what Fury said to Odinson probably won’t pay off in the long run, Odin is being a colossally sexist douchebag for reasons that are out of character for even him, and Jane’s voice and mannerisms just feel off for the character, although her inner monologue makes up for it a little bit. And how the hell did the inscription on the hammer change anyway (which should probably have had the inscription instead say ‘if THEY be worthy’ from the beginning, as opposed to the former ‘he’ or current ‘she’. More gender neutral, and let’s face it, women have held the hammer before now anyway)? Don’t get me wrong, I’m still very excited to see her as a member of the Avengers post-Secret Wars, and seeing Odinson still be active and badass is good, but it feels kinda tainted by, I’m sorry, bad writing. So, what would I have done differently? I would’ve had Jane gain Mjölnir for a short time, then do what they did with Thunderstrike by having her gain a new hammer of her own with her own badass identity while Thor regains Mjölnir and have the two running at the same time as God and Goddess of Thunder. And before you think it wouldn’t sell well, I would just like to remind that, back in the day, Thunderstrike at one point was vastly out-selling Thor.

So, that’s all well and good, but what’s missing from this equation? Well, looking at the books present and the characters on the banners, I notice that Black Panther only shows up in the Ultimates book so far, Inferno isn’t appearing on the cover for Uncanny Inhumans and may have been swapped out for Reader, and Citizen V and Red Wolf have yet to show up at all. Other than those present on the banners, though, the most notable absentee from the new books is probably Black Widow, which is odd since her solo title was doing really well. Further compounding her absence, however, is a rumour on Twitter I’ve been trying to track back to its source regarding her possible DEATH. I don’t know where this rumour started, but if it’s true, I can tell you for a fact that a lot of people are gonna be ticked off. Other absentees are Gamora, who is supposed to be getting her own book soon, the Fantastic 4, although I already assumed that would be happening, Loki, who has been on a huge roll since the first Avengers movie came out, All-New Ghost Rider, who just got started last year, and while they’re on team books, it’s odd that Rocket Raccoon, Storm, Squirrel Girl, and She-Hulk’s solo titles are apparently not being renewed. As such, I get the feeling this isn’t all there is planned.

Anyway, that’s all I gotta say about the new books so far. Lemme know what you think in the comments section, and we’ll see if any more books get announced between now and October. Ja né!

Who I Think Of When I Think Of The Avengers

So, I’ve had a few days to think about it, and I think I’m just about ready to answer my own question: Who do you think of when you think of the Avengers? Just as a side note, these aren’t necessarily my FAVOURITE Avengers, and there’s even one guy on here that I actually kinda/sorta loathe a little bit. Nonetheless, these are the people I think of when I think of the Avengers, in no particular order…Although, before that, I should put on appropriate music.

Muuuuch better. ^_^ Now then, here are eight heroes I think of when I think of the Avengers, starting with probably the most thought of member of all…

Steve Rogers, AKA Captain America

‘MERICA!!! XD Seriously, though, even as a proud Canadian, how could I not love Captain America? To me, he stands for more than just American patriotism and idealism, but rather, he represents what we all hope to be, and I don’t just mean his physique, but his sense of honour and conviction. And while it IS a bit odd that he’s probably the first person most people think of when it comes to the Avengers, given that he wasn’t one of the five founding members, he’s been on so many different versions of the team that it’s hard not to think of him as one of the group’s most iconic members.

Jennifer Walters, AKA She-Hulk

I can’t help it, okay? I think of She-Hulk before the Hulk. Call it the feminist in me, or I just sooner gravitate to her than Hulk for…less noble reasons. ^^” Also, I constantly use her in Avengers Alliance, which, one of these days, I’m gonna post an article about, but regardless of why, I think of her first. And frankly, while the Hulk is clearly has the superior raw strength and power, She-Hulk is the more well-rounded in action. She has better self-control, she’s had formal self-defense training from Captain America and Gamora from the Guardians of the Galaxy, and while their overall speed might be similar, I’d imagine Jen’s agility trumps her cousin’s.

Tony Stark, AKA Iron Man

Yyyeah, not gonna lie, Tony Stark in the comics (and a little bit in the movies, for that matter) has become rather deplorable to me. However, it appears as though that after Secret Wars, he’s either been replaced as Iron Man, reverted to an earlier state of mind, or switched with an alternate universe version of himself. Frankly, I’m good with any of those scenarios at this point, because dammit, Iron Man at his best was one of Marvel’s best heroes EVER, and a founding member of the Avengers. Still, he’s not exactly the hero I most have a problem with. Wanna know who that is? It’s none other than the next person on this list…

Hank Pym, AKA Ant-Man

I hate Hank Pym. I REALLY do. I’m sorry, but his likability is EXTREMELY minimal, and none of that has to do with his powers as Ant-Man. With that said, I NEVER need to see him shrink down and go under the bed covers to give Wasp her jollies ever again, I’ll wake up throwing up every night until I die. No, it’s his personality that I can’t stand, even without his severe inferiority complex that makes him do half the shit he’s REALLY infamous for doing. And for the record, I don’t care if hitting Janet was a mistake or not, it happened, and why she ever went back to him, I’ll never know. Nevertheless, he IS a founding member of the Avengers, and one with a really useful power-set. I think it was Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes that really opened my eyes to that. Speaking of which, if you want a GOOD take on the character, watch that show. It does a FAR better job putting him over as a character and a hero than the comics did.

Carol Danvers, AKA Captain Marvel

Captain Marvel, she’s our hero! Gonna take the villains down to zero!………..Wait. XD Anyway, Carol’s been a pretty high-profile member of the Avengers for a long time, and has proven herself relatively early as one of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Having said that, she might be the focus of one of the more infamously icky stories I’ve personally ever seen in the Avengers line-up: Avengers #200. I don’t wanna go into too much length about it, but if you wanna know the whole story, go watch Linkara’s review of it. Suffice to say, it’s most certainly for the best to never go back down that avenue with Carol, and instead see her fly ‘higher, further, faster, more’.

James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes, AKA War Machine

Again, this kinda goes back to Avengers Alliance. Specifically, dear GOD, that Minigun Barrage (or, as it’s called when he’s the Iron Patriot, the ’21-Gun Salute’, lol). But yeah, be he War Machine, Iron Patriot, or just good ol’ Rhodey, he is always ready to kick your ass. Sadly, he didn’t really have all that stellar a start with the Avengers, as Tony’s stand-in as Iron Man in the West Coast Avengers, which ended when the suit started giving him severe headaches that caused him to become increasingly irrational, and has since gone through some pretty harsh ordeals, like having himself converted into a cyborg (although he’s since ‘gotten better’, so to speak), but he’s also proven himself a loyal and heroic friend to many of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, and has even now joined the team in the movies.

Prince Odinson of Asgard, AKA Thor

How can you NOT think of the God of Thunder when it comes to the Avengers? The new female Thor may be freaking awesome, but this man, this Norse God, is the originator of everything that makes her so awesome. And y’know, something I’m sure that others have realized by now and I’m late to the party about, Prince Odinson nowadays is kinda like Aquaman in the 90’s when they decided to make him look frakking BEASTLY. Think about it: Long hair, beard, prosthetic left hand (or, in this case, his whole forearm), and mostly topless. Hell, for those worried that he might get phased out in the new Marvel universe in favour of the new Thor, think about this for a second: He still has a lot of his old powers, and he’s got that giant axe and a prosthetic arm made out of the same metal that was used in the construction of Mjölnir. If anything, becoming unworthy just made him more badass! O_O

Natalia Romanova, AKA Black Widow

Agent. Avenger. Assassin. Subject to horribly controversial scene in the movie… … …Erm, that is, I figured I should probably give my two cents on the situation involving the infamous “Black Widow calls herself a monster” scene from Age of Ultron, seeing as how I didn’t talk about it in my official review. I won’t talk about it in THIS post, mind you, but I thought I should make it clear that, yes, I AM going to discuss it, as well as explain why I didn’t originally. For now, let’s talk about Natasha, or Natalia, whichever of her names is more canonically correct. lol Despite being experimented on in Development X’s Red Room to make her essentially superhuman, she’s one of the less powered heroes among the Avengers, lacking any kind of high tech suits, not being able to fly, and only having peak human strength. In fact, I think even Captain America has got her beat when it comes to being considered superhuman. As such, though, it really makes what she does as an Avenger all the more impressive. It’s not just that she doesn’t have those things, it’s that she doesn’t NEED them to be relevant, no matter what kind of threat the Avengers are up against. Mind you, there are others that I’d put in the same boat, like Hawkeye, but she’s the one that stands out most to me.

Anyway, those are the eight Avengers I think of primarily when it comes to the group. Lemme know what you think of this group, and… … …hoo boy, I just know I’m jumping into the fire with this next post, but check back in when I give my thoughts on the Black Widow/Age of Ultron situation. Ja né!