Perennials Preview - October 2015

Age of Apocalypse #5 (of 5)

(W) Fabian Nicieza (A) Iban Coello (CA) Gerardo Sandoval

The philosophy of Apocalypse has always been "let the fittest survive," but by its ultimate extension, that would only leave one person standing! As mutants fall from the shocking release of a devastating plague, who will live and who will die? And if Apocalypse falls, who will rule in his place...?

Note: This Secret Wars mini was chosen as the Uncanny X-Men replacement (even though Uncanny X-Men has technically not yet ended).

Amazing Spider-Man #1

(W) Dan Slott (A) Giuseppe Camuncoli, Various (CA) Alex Ross

Spider-Man has gone global! Parker Industries is more successful than ever, with offices in New York, Shanghai, London and San Francisco and Peter Parker is racking up the frequent flyer miles with his "bodyguard" Spider-Man in tow, of course. But success breeds enemies and a reinvigorated Zodiac have also widened their scope to threaten the whole world. Join Dan Slott and Giuseppe Camuncoli as they take Spider-Man to the next level! This huge first issue also includes stories featuring Silk, Spidey 2099, Spider-Woman and much more!

Amazing Spider-Man #2

(W) Dan Slott (A) Giuseppe Camuncoli, Various (CA) Alex Ross

Captain America: Sam Wilson #1

(W) Nick Spencer (A/CA) Daniel Acuña

When Steve Rogers was restored to his natural age, he chose one of his closest and most trusted allies to take up his shield. Now Sam Wilson, formerly the Avenger known as Falcon, carries on the fight for liberty and justice as the all-new, all-different Captain America!

Note: This is a variant cover for issue #1

Captain America: Sam Wilson #2

(W) Nick Spencer (A/CA) Daniel Acuña

Civil War #5 (of 5)

(W) Charles Soule (A/CA) Leinil Francis Yu

• The final battle of the Civil War. Heroes and Villains from both sides of the Divide clash in an epic confrontation to determine the future of the Warzone once and for all!

Note: This Secret Wars mini was chosen as the Avengers replacement.

Extraordinary X-Men #1

(W) Jeff Lemire (A/CA) Humberto Ramos

The fate of mutantkind is decided here! Staring down the threat of extinction once more, veteran X-Man Storm pulls together the team she'll need to ensure her race's survival. Together, these EXTRAORDINARY X-MEN will struggle with the familiar burden of being hated and feared, while facing threats the likes of which they've never seen. Here's hoping they survive the experience!

Extraordinary X-Men #2

(W) Jeff Lemire (A/CA) Humberto Ramos

Invincible Iron Man #1 & 2

(W) Brian Michael Bendis (A/CA) David Marquez

Exploding out of the pages of SECRET WARS, one of the most popular super heroes in the world gets a gigantic new series. From the creators that brought you ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN comes new armor, new supporting cast, new villains and a new purpose that is going to tear itself across the entire Marvel Universe and beyond. With a shocker of a last page that will have everyone talking and the return of one of Tony's biggest nemeses, you will not want to miss this!! Also, who are Tony's biological parents? The quest begins here!

Secret Wars #6 & 7 (of 9)

(W) Jonathan Hickman (A) Esad Ribic (CA) Alex Ross

THE FINAL WAR!

Thors #4 (of 4)

(W) Jason Aaron (A/CA) Chris Sprouse

• The shocking conclusion.
• The murderer revealed.
• The last stand of the Thors!

Note: This Secret Wars mini was chosen to replace Thor.

The Perennials are Changing

For the past 4 years, I have been collecting DC's New 52 Perennials:

• Justice League
• Superman
• Action Comics
• Batman
• Detective Comics
• Wonder Woman
• Green Lantern
• Flash
• Aquaman

Recently, I have had the desire to do other things, so I had to figure out a way to reduce my pull list. I looked over the 4 years of stories that DC has produced in the New 52 and I can safely say only Justice League was compelling. Greg Pak did some enjoyable things with Action Comics, but it played second-fiddle to Superman. Batman has had a nice run, but it hasn't spilled over into any grand ideas that influenced anything else. Some titles have not yet found their footing. For those reasons, I have to abandon my DC pull. I just don't enjoy their stories anymore.

An additional casualty is Daredevil. The idea of Perennials has two components: big characters and big stories. Daredevil has been around a long time, but his stories are always so insular and have almost zero impact in the Marvel Universe at large. He could disappear tomorrow and would create no ripple effect.

Thus, what I am left with are 8 solid Marvel Perennials, which will now be referred to as simple The Perennials. They include:

• All-New, All-Different Avengers by Mark Waid
• Extraordinary X-Men by Jeff Lemire
• Secret Wars by Jonathan Hickman (My Fantastic Four book)
• Amazing Spider-Man by Dan Slott
• Totally Awesome Hulk by Greg Pak
• Captain America: Sam Wilson by Nick Spencer
• Invincible Iron Man by Brian Michael Bendis
• Mighty Thor by Jason Aaron

It has always been my intention to write reviews and explore the Perennials in further depth, but given the scope of the Perennials in the past, I couldn't realistic accomplish that goal. Now, with the scope of the Perennials being 8 series (plus future crossovers or event minis). I should be able to start working on that kind of coverage. No guarantees.

Perennials Preview - September 16th, 2015

Superman/Wonder Woman #21

(W) Peter J. Tomasi (A) Doug Mahnke, Jaime Mendoza (CA) Paulo Siqueira

The epic "Truth" arc hits close to the heart as dark secrets come to light, forcing Superman and Wonder Woman to question whether their relationship can work in this new world of identities revealed and questionable actions.

Wonder Woman #44

(W) Meredith Finch (A/CA) David Finch, Jonathan Glapion

Wonder Woman is on the trail of Donna Troy, who seeks refuge in London from both Diana and her past. But a new friend may be more trouble than help for the fleeing Amazon outcast!

Age of Apocalypse #4 (of 5)

(W) Fabian Nicieza (A) Iban Coello (CA) Gerardo Sandoval

The philosophy of Apocalypse has always been "let the fittest survive," but by its ultimate extension, that would only leave one person standing! As mutants fall from the shocking release of a devastating plague, who will live and who will die? And if Apocalypse falls, who will rule in his place...?

Armor Wars #5 (of 5)

(W) James Robinson (A) Marcio Takara (CA) Paul Rivoche

ATTACK OF THE FIFTY FOOT MECHA!
• With the STARK FAMILY secret revealed...
• One the STARK BROTHERS must pay the price...
• Plus: Justice for SPYDER-MAN

Guardians of Knowhere #4 (of 4)

(W) Brian Michael Bendis (A/CA) Mike Deodato

• Who is this mysterious woman and how could she have taken out Gamora?
• Knowhere is in turmoil and, some would say, easy-pickings. Who's going to take it all?

House of M #3 (of 4)

(W) Dennis Hopeless, Cullen Bunn (A) Ario Anindito (CA) Kris Anka

• In order to retake everything he has lost, MAGNETO, the rightful patriarch of the House of Magnus, must ally himself with those he has sworn to rule-LUKE CAGE and the rest of the human resistance!

The Risk of J. J. Abrams Directing Star Wars: The Force Awakens

If there is one element which ties all of J. J. Abrams work together is the idea of the great reveal. Secrets and reveals were the cornerstone of LOST, the ABC serialized drama which put his name on the pop culture map. His subsequent films including Super 8, hinged on a reveal that once known allowed the film to be seen on its own merits, which usually didn't amount to much. The only time where one of J. J. Abram's films was able to stand on its own, his only enduring work, is Star Trek. The film is as watchable now as it was when it was first released. It doesn't rely as heavily on the reveal and Abrams would be wise to follow that framework for Star Wars.

People will discover the secrets of Star Wars: The Force Awakens before it is released. The film will be leaked. Secrets will be spilled. Abrams needs to make sure that the work isn't diminished by the inevitable reveals. The greatness of the current Star Wars is that they are enjoyable and watchable even after you learn that Darth Vader is Luke's father. That's what Abrams should be aiming for. Have secrets and reveals in the film, sure, but also make sure the work is able to stand as a shining example of cinema even after fans memorize every scene of the film.

DC/Marvel Perennials Preview - September 9th, 2015

Perennials is the word I use to describe the most popular and enduring characters from the DC/Marvel canon. I try to limit my comics purchases somehow, lest I go broke. So I settled on the Perennials.

Action Comics #44 (#948)

(W) Greg Pak, Aaron Kuder (A/CA) Aaron Kuder

The epic "Truth" arc reaches its finale as Superman makes some brutal choices and discovers the source of the Shadow Warriors.

Batman #44 (#757)

(W) Scott Snyder (A/CA) Jock

It's the origin of new villain Mr. Bloom! In a tale from Bruce Wayne's past, Batman must investigate a vicious crime in the shadowy area of Gotham City known as the Narrows. Don't miss this special issue illustrated by superstar artist Jock (Wytches, GREEN ARROW YEAR ONE)!

Batman/Superman #24

(W) Greg Pak (A/CA) Ardian Syaf, Vicente Cifuentes

The epic "Truth" arc reaches its finale as Superman discovers the true fate of Batman and makes a fateful decision.

Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows #5 (of 5)

(W) Dan Slott (A/CA) Adam Kubert

• The Parkers vs. Regent.

Civil War #4 (of 5)

(W) Charles Soule (A/CA) Leinil Francis Yu

• Tony Stark comes face-to-face with his true enemy, while General Rogers commences a massive military effort to end the Civil War once and for all.

Planet Hulk #5 (of 5)

(W) Sam Humphries (A) Marc Laming (CA) Mike Del Mundo

BRANDED BY BATTLE! ABSOLVED BY BLOOD!
• For STEVE ROGERS and DEVIL DINOSAUR...there is no end to HULK, no promise of salvation.
• Crawl in the mud and the blood, until the claws of death reach your throat!
• THERE IS NO ESCAPE...PLANET HULK IS INSIDE US ALL!

Marvel Studios Thriftiness Hurts Film Quality

By many measures Marvel Studios has been a major success story. What began as an experiment to see if Iron Man could make it on the big screen has turned into a whole tapestry of films which tie into each other. This success was not guaranteed and I argue it Marvel Studios has been damn lucky so far. Currently they risk their luck running out and imploding upon their own lofty expectations. But how? By not investing in the tools of the trade - good writers and directors.

Recall that the first Marvel Studio film in the Cinematic Universe was Iron Man. Who directed that film? Happy Hogan himself, Jon Favreau. Not a fantastic director by any means, but cheap and pliable. Marvel got lucky in that the film was successful with those parts, taking a risk on a recovering Robert Downey Jr. who was past his prime.

Years later and we have a history of films directors and actors, which all point to the same conclusion - hire cheap and hope for the best. Marvel again got lucky with James Gunn and the Russo Brothers as their filmography was no guarantee of a good film, but they were cheap and pliable.

Recently, Marvel Studios has gotten competition from Warner Bros who owns DC Comics and is crafting their own comic book-based super-hero cinematic universe led by Superman and Batman. Who do they hire to make their films? Zach Snyder, David Ayer, James Wan, the writers/directors of The Lego Movie and Ben Affleck as writer/director/actor. Warner is investing heavily in actual established talent. Just look at the cast of Suicide Squad which casts former tent-pole actor Will Smith as just one of many popular actors in an ensemble cast.

Today comes word that Marvel Studios is breaking away from Marvel because of limits on costs and creativity. So Disney is not stupid and has seen what Warner Bros. is doing and realizes that Marvel needs to actually invest in their films to guarantee quality. This is a good development for the studio, but the damage has already been done. Doctor Strange and Spider-Man have already had directors with spotty (or non-existent) track records attached to them. If those film bomb, Marvel has no one to blame but themselves. I still mourn the Edgar Wright Ant-Man film I never got to see and will continue to for the rest of my life.