Avengers #1.MU
(W) Jim Zub (A) Sean Izaakse (CA) David Nakayama
Rated T+
In Shops: Jan 25, 2017
SRP: $4.99
A MONSTERS UNLEASHED TIE-IN!
A seemingly straightforward mission for Spider-Man takes an unexpected turn when Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are caught off-guard by a monstrous invasion from the sky. An all-star lineup of Avengers battling behemoths in this over-sized spectacular that’s a perfect jumping-on point for new readers and old.
It’s a new week and we’ve got some fun stuff lined up, especially some actions you can take to make the world a little better.
While you wait for that, here’s some comic news and reviews from around the web in our morning roundup.
Around the Tubes
AV Club – NBC developing a new Witchblade TV series – How many liked the original?
NPR – ‘Soviet Daughter’: How A Great-Grandmother’s Diary Became A Graphic Novel – This is a fantastic graphic novel. Go get it!
The Creators Project – An Artist Is Sharing His Mysterious Graphic Novel One Panel at a Time – This is really cool.
Kotaku – Sean Spicer Is A Fan Of Katsucon – I guess that’s one more con we’ll need to go to.
ICv2 – 2017: The Year Fan Cons Spread Their Wings – What conventions are your musts this year?
Newsarama – What Price Is Too High? Comics Retailers Talk Pricing & 2017 State of the Business – What price do you think is too high?
DC Comics – Breaking News: The Flash Musical Episode Gets an Airdate – Can’t wait for this!!!
The Beat – A year of free comics: Astro City #1 and more – Go read this.
The Beat – A year of free comics: Paradox by Phillip Sevy – Go read this too.
The Beat – A year of free comics EXCLUSIVE: read the complete issue Another Castle #1 – And read this.
Around the Tubes Reviews
Talking Comics – Black Hammer Giant Sized Annual
Talking Comics – Monsters Unleashed #1
Talking Comics – WWE #1
It was new comic book day yesterday. What’d folks get? What’d you enjoy? What didn’t you enjoy? Sound off in the comments!
While you decide on that, here’s some comic news and reviews from around the web in our morning roundup.
Around the Tubes
The Beat – A year of free comics: Letters To An Absent Father by Maré Odomo – it’s not what you think! – Free comics, go read it!
ICv2 – Upper Deck Launching OP Kits for ‘Marvel: Legendary’ – This is pretty cool.
The Beat – Editor Ellie Pyle ankles Vertigo for Riot Games – An interesting change. Congrats!
The Comichron – Average comic book ordered in 2016 cost $3.85, down 11 cents – Savings!
Around the Tubes Reviews
Newsarama – The Clone Conspiracy #4
Newsarama – Green Arrow #15
The Beat – It’s Me
Comic Vine – Monsters Unleashed #1
It’s all hands on deck with the Avengers, Champions, Guardians, X-Men and the Inhumans as they clash with monstrous threats that threaten to destroy every corner of the Marvel Universe. Who are the Leviathons? Who controls them? How can they be stopped before Earth becomes another tragic, barren world in their wake?
Marvel has a great history with monsters in their comics with some classics gracing the comics page. Recently though, the attempt to reboot, relaunch, rework, some of these classic characters into the modern Marvel Universe has resulted in mixed results, but mostly negative.
Enter, Monsters Unleashed #1, a comic that feels like it’d have been more at home being launched during Halloween.
Written by Cullen Bunn, the first issue feels like a modern tail of kaiju as comets come crashing from the sky bringing with it giant monsters for the worlds’ heroes to battle. While there’s something generally fun watching folks fight giant monsters, this issue feels like it misses exactly what. It’s not Pacific Rim where we saw giant robots grappling giant behemoths. Instead, we’re given quick cuts as teams around the world deal with the monster invasion each part given just a few pages and mostly consisting of “What’s going on? Who knows, just punch it.” This is a big, turn your brain off, monster budget monster movie, on the comic page.
There’s a bigger mystery going on as it’s hinted someone is controlling, and maybe creating, the monsters that are attacking. It’s a twist I feel like I’ve seen before in a comic/tv/movie though can’t remember exactly where and when. The comic is also hampered by the fact that Inhumans vs. X-Men is currently going on and last we’ve seen the X-Men were threatened with not being able to step on Earth and they’re at war with the Inhumans, but everything is hunky dory here.
But, there’s a lot going for the comic too with Steve McNiven on art rendering the battles in the masterful way he does. For as thin as the story is to start, the art is superb. The monsters look huge and even though there’s tons going on the battles are fairly easy to follow and the art doesn’t look jumbled at all. This is big action that’s easy to follow.
Monsters Unleashed #1 is a big summer popcorn film. Visually amazing and only paper thin when it comes to the actual story. I realize this is just the first issue, but it’s also supposed to be what hooks us to read the rest. The first issue teases a lot, but doesn’t deliver quite enough. While the first issue was turn your brain off fun, it didn’t deliver enough story to justify the price and investment. Like a summer blockbuster, it might be best on a big screen but after it’s over you wonder why you spent the money. This is one to wait and read down the road.
Story: Cullen Bunn Art: Steve McNiven
Story: 5 Art: 8.15 Overall: 5.45 Recommendation: Read
Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
It’s new comic book day! What’s everyone getting? What are you excited for? Sound off in the comments.
While you wait for shops to open, here’s some comic news and reviews from around the web in our morning roundup.
Around the Tubes
The Beat – A year of free comics: Scott Gilbert’s Mysterioso is inky 90s goodness – More free comics to check out!
Newsarama – Fox’s 24 Reboot Legacy Gets Comic Book Prequel – Nice!
The Beat – 12 Million Graphic Novels Were Sold in Bookstores in 2016 – That’s a lot of graphic novels.
Around the Tubes Reviews
The Outhousers – Birthright #21
Newsarama – All Time Comics – Crime Destroyer #1
Talking Comics – Detective Comics #948
Talking Comics – Loose Ends #1
Newsarama – Monsters Unleashed #1
Talking Comics – Wonder Woman #14
Wednesdays are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in!
We’re bringing back something we haven’t done for a while, what the team thinks. Our contributors are choosing up to five books each week and why they’re choosing the books.
Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.
Joe
Top Pick: Kill or Be Killed #5 (Image) – Ed Brubaker, Elizabeth Breitweiser, and Sean Phillips are back and I cannot be more excited. They have done a tremendous job on this book and have proven once again, they hold the crown for pulp crime comics. This comic has me nervous and excited each time a new issue comes out!
U.S.Avengers #2 (Marvel) – The first issue was such a blast, and Al Ewing is on a roll lately, and one of the best things Marvel has going for it. We will see more of the Gold $kull by the looks of it, and probably go a bit deeper on this whacky team. More Red Hulk, he’s great.
The Clone Conspiracy #4 (Marvel) – I am a massive Spider-Man fan, I won’t apologize for that, so therefore I am excited for this issue, and actually enjoy the event. Now obviously if you’re not enjoying what they are doing, don’t listen to me here, but I want to see how this wraps up, and we are almost there. We also get a double Spidey dose with Amazing Spider-Man this week!
Superman #15 (DC Comics) – You get a Superman! And you get a Superman! I’ve loved this run by Tomasi and Gleason and the last issue was so much fun and just crazy. This is one of DC’s most consistent comics and I want to see where they are going after the last wild issue. Also, Red Son Superman, Captain Carrot, and more!
Trinity #5 (DC Comics) – Francis Manapul should be reason enough for anyone to read and drool at this comic. His art is just completely on another level to me, and this book rivals The Mighty Thor for the “prettiest” comic. Also, I actually am enjoying the story of our legendary trinity quite a bit.
Alex
Top Pick: Divinity III Stalinverse: Aric Son Of The Revolution #1 (Valiant) – There’s a sense of something awesome about Valiant’s Divinity III, and while the first tie-in was good, it’s this one that has me most excited. Getting a chance to read some more about Aric of Dacia in this setting has me chomping at the bit to get my hands on the comic.
Harbinger Renegade #3 (Valiant) – What can I say? I’m a fan of Harbinger, and with Peter returning to Earth I’m looking forward to seeing how Rafer Roberts reunites the Renegades.
Deadpool the Duck #2 (Marvel) – When the first issue didn’t make me want to claw my eyes out, I kinda got curious to read the next issue. I mean… now that Deadpool The Duck is finally in the comic, I want to see what we get.
Brett
Motor Girl #3 (Abstract Studios) – Sam has problems. UFO’s are keeping her up every night, dropping in for parts and coffee, and a suspicious Area 51 fanatic is determined to catch it all on video. To make matters worse, the bank wants to repossess the junkyard and build a casino. But Sam is determined to stop them, especially when she learns the junkyard is sacred ground. This new series by Terry Moore is fun, funny, cute, and the first two issues are some of my recent favorites from anyone.
Curse Words #1 (Image) – A wizard comes to Earth to… conquer it? It’s a bit nebulous in this first issue that introduces is to Wizord, a hipster-ish wizard bringing realy magic to Earth. The first issue is entertaining and launches a stylish new series.
The Mighty Captain Marvel #1 (Marvel) – I think Carol Danvers really came off poorly in Civil War II, but I’m still interested in seeing where Marvel takes her and this series.
Monsters Unleashed #1 (Marvel) – Marvel heroes versus kaiju. Nuff said.
Revolutionaries #1 (IDW Publishing) – IDW and Hasbro’s “Revolution” is over and this series looks to bring together some of the characters from the now shared universe into a team book.
Shay
Harley Quinn #12 (DC Comics) – Joker + Harley = War of the Roses style mayhem.
Raven #5 (DC Comics) – Raven calls for familial back up to save San Francisco from the orb.
Gamora #2 (Marvel) – Gamora is on a collision course with revenge and things might not be what they seem or go as she planned.
SLAM! #3 (BOOM! Studios) – derby drama and love in comic book form, what more could you want?
Monsters Unleashed #1
(W) Cullen Bunn (A/CA) Steve McNiven
Rated T+
In Shops: Jan 18, 2017
SRP: $4.99
THE EPIC BATTLE MARVEL FANS HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR, DRAWN BY TODAY’S GREATEST ARTISTS!!!
It’s all hands on deck with the AVENGERS, CHAMPIONS, GUARDIANS, X-MEN and the INHUMANS as they clash with monstrous threats that threaten to destroy every corner of the Marvel Universe. Who are the LEVIATHONS? Who controls them? How can they be stopped before Earth becomes another tragic, barren world in their wake? Written by powerhouse writer CULLEN BUNN and drawn by Marvel legend STEVE McNIVEN, this issue is the beginning of something big that you just can’t miss!
Next week…monsters invade the Marvel Universe! And they’re bringing one of the hottest artists in the comic book industry with them! Eisner Award-winning artist Francesco Francavilla lends his pen to a series of upcoming variant covers! Coming to each issue of the upcoming Monsters Unleashed series, the fan-favorite illustrator brings mighty Marvel monsters to life in the vein of classic monster movie posters! Marvel has revealed all five Francavilla 50s Movie Poster Variants – coming to comic shops beginning next week!
Raining down from the skies, rising from the depths of the oceans and emerging from beneath the very Earth itself – monsters are invading and destroying everything in their path! The only thing that stands in their way is an army of the strongest super heroes in the Marvel Universe! But even they may not be enough to stop these towering titans! It’s all happening in Monsters Unleashed as the Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy, the Champions, the X-Men, the Inhumans and more band together to stop complete and total annihilation!
Monsters Unleashed #1 is set to rampage across your nearest comic shop on January 18th but fans eager to get the inside scoop on Marvel’s next blockbuster epic won’t have to wait that long! Head to your nearest retailer on January 4th to get your hands on the FREE Monsters Unleashed Sampler. An oversized 40-page standalone book, inside you’ll be treated to creator interviews, character designs, previews of the main series plus select tie-in issues and much more! Try out all the monster madness before it hits stores throughout the first few months of 2017!
And to celebrate, Marvel has released a look inside with the first six pages from Monsters Unleashed #1! From superstar creators Cullen Bunn and Steve McNiven comes massive monster mayhem that has to be seen to be believed! The heroes of the Marvel Universe unite as the Avengers, Champions, Guardians of the Galaxy, X-Men, Inhumans and more band together to fight off wave after wave of towering beasts! But do they stand a chance?
Run if you can! Hide if you must! Monsters have invaded the Marvel Universe! As skyscraper-sized behemoths rampage across the globe – it’s all hands on deck in the highly-anticipated Monsters Unleashed event! Kicking off on January 18th in comic stores everywhere, series writer Cullen Bunn and five superstar artists bring you a blockbuster epic that has to be seen to be believed. But before heroes everywhere go toe-to-toe with these gargantuan beasts, hear from the minds behind the massive monster mayhem with a special Monsters Unleashed Behind the Scenes Featurette.
Featuring interviews with Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso, Senior Editor Mark Paniccia and Assistant Editor Christina Harrington – get the inside scoop on all the wall-to-wall action fans can expect inside Monsters Unleashed #1! Plus, fans will get an opportunity to meet Kid Kaiju, a brand-new character who’ll have some MONSTROUS repercussions for the entire Marvel Universe!
