Mr. Comic Book Issue #5

Event Fatigue

Anyone who reads comics knows how much fun events can be. Even the books that keep to themselves are taken into the event, bringing a sense of unity amongst the books of a publisher. But can this be a bad thing? Some think that having events go back to back will cause readers to feel event fatigue and get sick of comic events. Well this is the stance that Marvel is taking.

Marvel has talked about how they are going to stay away from big events for a year or two. While this is a very ambitious thing to do, will it blow up in their faces? Events bring in the cash better than anything else in comics. Look at DC’s recent event, the epic “Blackest Night.” It was a huge money maker, and a little of a phenomenon, which is something an event hasn’t seen since “Civil War.” And with DC’s company wide event “Brightest Day” to start up in the next couple of weeks, what is Marvel thinking?

Joe Quesada, editor and chief of Marvel, has said they are trying mini-events for the time being. Things like “The Gauntlet” for the Spider-Man books or “Second Coming” for the X-books. He also explained that it’s a lot of pressure to force writers to write about something instead of letting them go off in a direction they want with the character(s).

One example that I personally can think of that would have benefited from less events was the recently cancelled “Ms. Marvel” ongoing. What started out as a great series slowly got bogged down in “Civil War,” “The Initiative” branding, “Secret Invasion,” and the “Dark Reign” branding. Brian Reed, the writer of “Ms. Marvel,” was forced to put the character in directions he might have not wanted too.

While Quesada has a point, I personally hope Marvel doesn’t stay with the mini-events too long. A year or two off is fine, but anything longer than that is a little much. The recent string of mini-events has made the Marvel U seem a little fractured.

“World War Hulks” is running at some point in continuity and it’s impossible to tell when. While “The Gauntlet” is going good for the Spider-Man books, how bad can things get for Spidey with the Heroic Age is coming up? “Second Coming” is basically alienating anyone that isn’t involved with mutants, making the X-Men seem more unconnected than they were before the “Utopia” crossover.

What also boggles my mind is that Quesada says they’ll be no big events when “The Thanos Imperative” is coming up for the cosmic Marvel books. If any part of the Marvel Universe needs to calm down, it’s the cosmic part. From all the “Annihilation” storylines, to “War of the Kings,” then “Realm of the Kings,” now “Thanos,” our cosmic friends can’t take a breath. Plus “Nova” and “Guardians of the Galaxy,” two of Marvels biggest overlooked ongoings, are being put on hiatus.

Movie Time

The news about “The First Avenger: Captain America” keeps coming and coming. With Chris Evans recently cast as the Star Spangled Avenger, it was only a matter of time before Bucky, Cap's sidekick, was cast.

Relative unknown Sebastian Stan, who recently starred in “Hot Tub Time Machine” as the lead of ski patrol, has won the role. While only a minor role, Stan surely fits the look of Bucky. Keira Knightly has been rumored to be the love interest for Steve Rogers, but nothing conclusive has come up.

Hasn’t been much in the way of movie news. There should be more with the recent string of Comic Cons coming up.

Trade/Series For Newcomers

It just ended but I’m recommending it anyways, read “Blackest Night.” It was epic and is going to be remembered as one hell of an event. An event in comics hasn’t captured an audience like this since “Civil War.” Geoff Johns will be the next Brian Michael Bendis when it comes to events.

Highlights for 4/7

DC
-Batman & Robin #11. I recommended #10 last month, and I’m doing the same this month. Still a great series and the best of the Batman books.

Marvel
-Deadpool & Cable #25. It’s the end of the “Cable” ongoing. Even with Deadpool replacing Wolverine as the most overexposed character, he plays well off of Cable and it will be fun to watch them together again.

-S.H.I.E.L.D. #1- A new ongoing that is somehow tying Leonardo Di Vinci and other visionaries into the Marvel Universe. Plus Jonathan Hickman is writing it, so it’s bound to be good.

-Uncanny X-Men #523. “Second Coming” begins in the monthly books here. Terry Dodson is on art, and whenever he is penciling “Uncanny X-Men,” it’s hard to find a reason to NOT recommend that issue.

-Vengeance of the Moon Knight #8. A C-list character that should get more publicity than he does. Deadpool is joining up, and his craziness plus Moon Knight’s craziness should make the two part arc interesting.

-Wolverine: Weapon X #12. Jason Aaron is THE best Wolverine writer to come along in a very long time. I recommended the series as a great jumping on book for newcomers back in issue #3, so I’ll keep recommending the series till you people read it.