Salvador Larroca is one of my favorite creators. The Spanish artist’s style has evolved over several X-Men titles, Invincible Iron Man and does any recall the short lived but beautiful New Universal?
Marvel gave Comic Book Resources several AVX preview covers. This is one of my favorites. Spidey faced a Cyttorak powered foe before in the classic Nothing Can Stop the Juggernaut. Looks like Peter Parker will have to fight Colossal Juggernaut now that the X-Man can summon the power of the Cyttorak.
Captain America and Gambit are clashing on the cover too. It’s tough to root for one over the other: the boy scout against the bad boy. Gambit’s luck may have run out on this fight.
AVX: VS. #2 is by Kieron Gillen with art by Larroca and Steve McNiven.
Kids of the Marvel Universe will be forced to choose sides in the upcoming Avengers Vs. X-Men. The war comes to Avengers Academy in issues 29 and 30. Today Marvel revealed preview art and a new interview with writer Christos Gage. The writer recently brought X-23 to the Academy with more mutants on the way and don’t expect the bonds of friendship to build.
“Avengers Academy is where the Avengers want to put the young mutants of Utopia when hostilities break out,” explains Gage. “They take them into custody and house them at the one facility they know that can handle an infusion of super-powered kids. It’s a bit like Child Protective Services: ‘You’re not under arrest, you haven’t done anything wrong, this if for your own good—but you can’t leave.’
“Needless to say, there are plenty of folks who are none too happy with this turn of events. And if bringing them to Avengers Academy is intended to keep them out of trouble, it doesn’t quite work out that way.”
Expect Wolverine’s “daughter” to be in the spotlight. “She has a foot in each camp, so the war between the Avengers and the X-Men is naturally going to affect her more than anyone. She joined Avengers Academy in part because she wanted [nothing] of the Wolverine/Cyclops Schism. Now she’s caught directly in the middle of another war, and there is no avoiding making the choice this time around.”
Gage adds the members of the X-Club, Sebastian Shaw and Hercules will be visiting Avengers Academy. You may have already seen the preview art of the Olympian naked on campus – seriously.
Zanadu Comics Seattle First Round Table Group 1/11/12
A diverse group of comic book fans with different tastes came together to share our love of the medium, discuss books and trends. The second monthly Comic Book Discussion Group at Seattle’s Zanadu Comics saw new fans join the long table.
The gang regrouped to discuss Prophet #21 – our book of the month chosen at the previous gathering. Opinions from around the table included “no redeeming social value” to “didn’t live up to expectations” to “cool concept but not a succesful execution.” One of my favorite quotes was “it was like you’re on a British safari.”
The Prophet #21 opinions lead to a discussion about how in U.S. mainstream comics characters and action dominate panels. This issue was an excellent example of a creator giving the reader a sense of atmosphere, a sense of place. Fans offered the original Solaris film and Akira and European comics as examples of creative work that give you a sense of the world the characters are experiencing.
“Alright, Watchmen prequels, are we gonna go there?” Jason said to the group. Alan Moore’s Watchmen is the holy grail to some comics readers. The 1980’s series was groundbreaking and influential masterpiece to many fans and should not be touched. DC fired up fanboys on both sides by announcing a new series of prequels starring characters from the Watchmen.
I think the consensus was that DC’s Before Watchmen was commercially driven but they have such great writers on the titles, it would be hard to resist trying a first issue. Darwyn Cooke and Brian Azzerello will get some of us to give the prequels a try. One fan said it best: “at least they didn’t try to do a sequel.”
Two big discoveries for me courtesy of Howard our host:
courtesy Fantagraphics
Young Romance by Fantagraphics.Joe Simon and Jack Kirby created Captain America but they literally created the romance comic genre. The pages were packed with dialogue and dramatic art as women fought for love.
Berlin by Jason Lutes. A former Seattle resident tells the story of life in Germany before the rise of the Nazi party. This graphic novel actually started in Seattle’s alternative newspaper, The Stranger.
Our moderator and Zanadu staffer Casey picked some of this week’s new releases to spur on more discussion.
Dicks by Garth Ennis is one of the most offensive and funny books you’ll read according to Casey. My response after one particularly shocking panel, “oh this is very dirty.” It’s shocking to think Ennis is about to release a children’s book.
Conan the Barbarian #1 sparked excitement given this new series is based on a favorite Robert E. Howard tale featuring Conan as a pirate on the high seas.
courtesy Marvel.com
Wolverine and the X-Men #5 I’m biased I love Kitty Pryde and I’m crazy for Jason Aaron’s take on Wolverine as Headmaster of this new mutant school. Broo is a big hit and any book that has little Nightcrawlers stealing Logan’s whisky has to be checked out.
Murky World by the legendary Richard Corben of Heavy Metal and Creepy fame. The black and white art was stark and beautiful. This is sci-fi fantasy horror with monsters, necromancers and a warrior on a quest.
Susan chose our book to read for next month. Rachel Rising by Terry Moore featuring a girl haunted by what she can’t remember after waking up in a riverbed.
Teen Titans #3 from DC Comics. Art by Brett Booth.
One last thing that I want to mention – Sidekicks that never get to grow up. As we discussed the latest version of Teen Titans, return of The Winter Soldier and Nightwing, a theme emerged: why is there never a succession in comic books?
DC Comics has done a better job having their sidekicks evolve and grow up to be new heroes. Dick Grayson graduated from Robin to Nightwing to even serving as Batman for a time.
The Captain America mantle had been succesfully passed to Bucky. Fans had embraced a new role for Steve Rogers and Bucky as Cap but the role went back to Steve for the sake of marketing with the new Captain America and Avengers movies.
The latest gathering proved that no matter how different we are, no matter how varied our tastes, fans can find a mutual connection in our love for comics. See you next month!
And someone – I will protect his name for his own safety – said Dick Grayson under Grant Morrison was a better Batman than Bruce Wayne. That’s a BOLD statement!
What I enjoy about our gatherings is diversity. Fans from very different backgrounds finding common ground in our love for comic books and learning from a fellow fan and from their comic book experience.
Two new possible roles for leading men of the comic book/sci-fi genres:
The new Superman is working on his next big role – it’s with one of my favorite directors. Henry Cavill (The Man of Steel) is in talks to join The Great Wall for Edward Zwick according to Variety. The film explores a mystery behind the building of China’s mighty icon. Cavill wrapping his final works of production on The Man of Steel.
Michael Fassbender in Prometheus courtesy 20th Century Fox
Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class, Prometheus) may re-team with Director Ridley Scott for The Counselor based on a script by Cormac McCarthy. according to Deadline. The article reports that insiders are calling the script “like No Country for Old Men on steroids.”
I was psyched for a Rogue/Ms. Marvel clash given their tragic history together. Marvel delivered a new green vs green matchup!
This X-Men Legacy #266 cover features Rogue fighting She-Hulk! I earlier predicted a Carol Danvers win against Rogue but after seeing Rogue’s fighting and tactical thinking lately I think she can tackle Jennifer.
News Avengers #21 preview art courtesy Marvel, a Comics Newsarama exclusive
How can you not love Wolverine? I’m loving the slightly vulnerable, funny headmaster Logan take James Aaron is portraying in Wolverine and the X-Men but I never forget this guy is a fearless, bad ass killing machine.
I had to share this New Avengers #21 image of Wolverine Vs Thor (actually there’s more to this story but I don’t want spoil it in case you’re not reading the title.) Marvel gave Comics Newsarama an exclusive first look at 2 covers and interior art. This was my favorite.
Mike Deodato brings the pain as the New Avengers battle Norman Osborn’s Dark Avengers and his secret weapon.
My heart sank when I saw this Avengers Vs X-Men #3 cover Marvel shared today. Hope Summers appears to have a devil inside. The mutant messiah was born in tragedy, chased across time and endured pain and loss. Hope Summers was the start of a new beginning for the mutant race but will she be the end of life on Earth?
