April 2017 Solicitations With JH Commentary

Here comes April 2017 and with it – okay guys, I’m gonna level with you, I forgot about the solicits. So sorry about that and let’s get on with what Spider-stuff Marvel is shoveling out in April!

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #26
DAN SLOTT (w) • STUART IMMONEN (a)
COVER BY ALEX ROSS
RESURRXION VARIANT COVER BY KRIS ANKA
“THE OSBORN IDENTITY” CONTINUES!
• Silver Sable comes back into Spider-Man’s life — but isn’t she DEAD?!
• Norman Osborn has worked his way into a position of power in Symkaria, and any incursion by Spider-Man will be seen as an act of war.
• Will Spider-Man risk international infamy to take down his most dangerous foe?
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Comments: A character from Spider-Man’s past coming back from the dead – just where does Slott get these original ideas from?

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: RENEW YOUR VOWS #6

GERRY CONWAY (w) • RYAN STEGMAN (a/C)
RESURRXION VARIANT COVER BY ED McGUINNESS
• And now…the X-Men!
• Annie just received an invitation to attend Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters.
• Guest-Starring Wolverine, Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Professor X!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Comments: It’ll be cool to see the rest of the VowsVerse, not just the Spidey characters, and as the X-Men are some of my favourite characters I think this is a great place to start. I’m curious to see if this’ll mean some more retconning on the events of the Secret Wars mini-series. 

BEN REILLY: THE SCARLET SPIDER #1
PETER DAVID (W) • MARK BAGLEY (A/C)
VARIANT COVER BY GREG LAND VARIANT COVER BY TOM LYLE
VARIANT COVER BY J. SCOTT CAMPBELL
ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
One of the most controversial characters in comics has returned — and the controversy has only BEGUN! In the aftermath of THE CLONE CONSPIRACY, Ben has a new take on life…and he’s not the same Scarlet Spider he was before. Come witness what will be the most talked about comic of the year!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Comments: Okay, I think enough has been said about Ben Reilly’s new suit, but I’d like to provide my two cents. So, here we go – hahahahahahahahahahahahahahah, look at that hood, hahahahahahahahahahahahaha, and that smile, hahahahahahahahahahahahahah. Ahem. You get nothing but professional observations on this site.

CHAMPIONS #7
MARK WAID (W) • HUMBERTO RAMOS (A/C)
RESURRXION VARIANT COVER BY MARCO CHECCHETTO
• THROWDOWN WITH THE FREELANCERS!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Comments: Not much new stuff to say here, other than I’m surprised this series has made it to issue 7 without a filler artist. Well done Ramos!

AVENGERS #6
MARK WAID (W) • MIKE DEL MUNDO (A)
Cover by ALEX ROSS
“Kang War VI” concludes!
• The rules of time are fluid — and when reality re-forms around the Avengers, not everything (or everyone) will necessarily be in the same place it was left!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Comments: Mark Waid Presents: Flashpoint! Erm,  I mean Kang War VI! 

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #6
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • STEFANO CASELLI (A/C)
RESURRXION VARIANT COVER BY LEINIL YU
• Riri’s adventures go very viral. Everyone wants a piece of the newest Iron Man…Ironheart. But not everyone is thrilled with how she is representing herself to the public.
• All this, a new potential boyfriend AND the latest new addition to the Iron Man rogues’ gallery!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Comments: If you haven’t already, I’d recommend checking this series out. Riri is a good hero for you to get behind and Bendis proves, once again, that his talent lies in relatable teenage heroes (someone just needs to tell him that).

SPIDER-GWEN #19
JASON LATOUR (w) • ROBBI RODRIGUEZ (a/C)
RESURRXION VARIANT COVER BY CLAYTON CRAIN
A NEW STORY ARC BEGINS!
• Matt Murdock, crime kingpin of NY and leader of The Hand, sends Spider-Gwen on a mission that hits WAY too close to home.
• This mission will introduce one of the biggest new characters in the Gweniverse and set Gwen on the path to her scariest villain yet!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Comments: Okay, I love evil Matt Murdock but I’m starting to feel like he’s the only villain they’ve got in the tank here. Spice it up a bit guys, come on! 

SPIDER-MAN #15

BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (w) • SARA PICHELLI (a)
COVER BY PATRICK BROWN
RESURRXION VARIANT COVER BY ELIZABETH TORQUE
• Coming out of the crossover with SPIDER-GWEN, Miles’ life is turned upside down.
• Rio Morales, Miles’s mother, is faced with a world she doesn’t know or understand. WHAT WILL SHE DO NOW?!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Comments: Does Rio get stranded on Earth-65? Just a thought. It might be talking more metaphorical, I dunno. It’s my job to guess, not know. 

SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING PRELUDE #2 (of 2)
WILL CORONA PILGRIM (w) • TODD NAUCK (a)
SPIDEY VS. THE AVENGERS!
• SPIDER-MAN finds himself in over his head with his first super hero battle with IRON MAN…against CAPTAIN AMERICA and his team!
• But will the outcome unite the AVENGERS…or tear them apart for good?
• Get your spider-senses tingling for SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING with the epic conclusion to this two-part adaptation of the wall-crawler’s first foray into the Marvel Cinematic Universe!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Comments: I never tend to read this prequels because they don’t really do that much to enhance the movie viewing. But if this is just a recap of CA:CW, then you can definitely count me out. I do love the movie but I’m not too thrilled about having it resold to me in a less exciting way. 

VENOM #6
MIKE COSTA (w) • GERARDO SANDOVAL (a/C)
CLASSIC VARIANT COVER BY TODD MCFARLANE
RESURRXION VARIANT COVER BY DAN MORA
‘NUFF SAID!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Comments: Eddie’s back. Wow, they really held that one off for long.

KINGPIN #3
MATTHEW ROSENBERG (W) • BEN TORRES (A)
Cover by JEFF DEKAL
VARIANT COVER BY MIKE PERKINS
BETTER THE DEVIL YOU KNOW!
• WILSON FISK. People love him. Kids look up to him. His generosity and kindness make him a model citizen.
• This is the spin…but DAREDEVIL doesn’t buy it.
• As SARAH DEWEY tries to separate fact from fiction while on assignment to pen Fisk’s biography, will an OLD ENEMY’S plan to snuff out Fisk change the narrative?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Comments: Ooh, Daredevil vs good Kingpin. Count me in.

SPIDER-MAN 2099 #22
PETER DAVID (w) • WILL SLINEY (a)
Cover by FRANCESCO MATTINA
• With the help of Sonny Frisco, the Iron Man of 2099, Miguel’s developed a plan to prevent the disaster that leaves the future in ruins.
• If all goes well, Spidey’s crusade against The Fist will finally come to an end.
• Unfortunately, the entire plan hinges on Electro’s cooperation…and Miguel and Sonny are in for a shock!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Comments: I really despised Secret Wars 2099, but hopefully the execution of an interesting character like Sonny Frisco could be done better here.

SILK #19
ROBBIE THOMPSON (w) • TANA FORD (a)
Cover by HELEN CHEN
• Cindy Moon’s been saving New York for the better part of a year now, and the rest of the superhuman community has taken notice.
• Including Bobbi Morse, a.k.a. Mockingbird, who’s arrived at Cindy Moon’s doorstep with an interesting proposition: SILK…AGENT OF S.H.I.E.L.D.?!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Comments: Who hasn’t been an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D at this point? 

SPIDER-MAN/DEADPOOL #16
JOSHUA CORIN (W)
SCOTT KOBLISH (A)
Cover by REILLY BROWN
POSTER VARIANT BY ROD REIS
RESURRXION VARIANT COVER BY MIKE ALLRED
’TIL DEATH DO US… Part 4 (of 6)
• Spidey and Deadpool look for help in the least likely of places.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

DEADPOOL & THE MERCS FOR MONEY #10
Christopher Hastings (W)
IBAN COELLO (A)
Cover by REILLY BROWN
POSTER VARIANT BY FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA
’TIL DEATH DO US… Part 5 (of 6)
• The Mercs struggle to stop Shiklah’s plans.
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99

DEADPOOL #29
GERRY DUGGAN (W)
Salva Espin (A)
Cover by Reilly Brown
POSTER VARIANT BY Rafael Albequerque
RESURRXION VARIANT COVER BY MIKE DEODATO
’TIL DEATH DO US… Part 6 (of 6)
• Is this the end of Deadpool’s marriage?
32 PGS./Parental Advisory…$3.99

Comments: Sounds interesting if you’re a Deadpool fan – I’m not too fussed as a Spidey fan.

GWENPOOL, THE UNBELIEVABLE #14
CHRIS HASTINGS (W) • MYISHA HAYNES (A)
Cover by PAULINA GANUCHEAU
RESURRXION VARIANT COVER BY FRANCESCO MATTINA
• Gwen Poole is L.A.-bound — and boy, is she LOVING it!
• The mission? Help Cecil regain some of his more human qualities.
• Guest-starring Kate Bishop (the REAL Hawkeye), Ghost Rider and…dwarves?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

THE TOTALLY AWESOME HULK #18
GREG PAK (W) • MAHMUD ASRAR (A)
Cover by STONEHOUSE
“BIG APPLE SHOWDOWN” CONTINUES!
• When a new alien race comes to Earth…
• …HULK, MS. MARVEL, SILK, SHANG-CHI and JIMMY WOO are her last defenders…
• Plus: A hostile takeover of THE OLYMPUS GROUP!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

GHOST RIDER #6
FELIPE SMITH (W) • DANILO BEYRUTH (A)
Cover by FELIPE SMITH
ENTER THE ROAD DEMON!
• Robbie’s powers are evolving in unimaginable ways!
• The Spirit of Eli Morrow is getting stronger and more vicious every day!
• The LAPD can’t ignore the demonic monster in their backyard anymore…
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Comments: They’re really pushing the guest stars in these lesser known titles. I hope it works, as I think all of these series have something good to offer.

COVER OF THE MONTH: KINGPIN #3! For the second month of the run, Jeff Dekal wowed me with his brilliant illustration of the Kingpin of Crime, managing to show that the villain has changed, but all is not as it seems. I’d make a joke about how the winner of this section wins nothing, but I kinda think I’ve got the point across by now. Well done Dekal! See you all next month!