Tag Archives: marte gracia

Tony Stark armors up for a new era in these The Invincible Iron Man #1 covers

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Just in time for the character’s 60th anniversary, writer Gerry Duggan and artist Juan Frigeri will launch a brand-new ongoing Iron Man comic series in December! Invincible Iron Man will put the armored Avenger’s high-flying abilities, genius intellect, and business savvy to the ultimate test when he experiences a devastating defeat at the hands of a villain that’s been making big waves throughout the Marvel Universe. While his identity is being kept under wraps for now, readers can be assured that Tony Stark has met his match! Tony will need to think fast and make some surprising moves in the months ahead to get back on his feet, including new bonds with surprising allies that will redefine the way Iron Man operates as a hero.

To mark this new era, some of Marvel’s top artists have turned out stunning variant covers for the debut issue! In addition to depicting Tony at his very best in stunning pinups, fans can also check out covers that celebrate his legacy including Ivan Tao’s cover starring Ironheart, the breakout young hero who’s set to play a major role throughout the new run! And feast your eyes on legendary Iron Man artist Bob Layton and Paul Mount’s epic connecting covers! The showstopping piece by one of the character’s most definitive creator’s showcases the various armors Tony has donned throughout his 60-year history!

Other covers are by Kael Ngu, Marco Checchetto and Marcio Menyz, Pepe Larraz and Marte Gracia, John Romita Jr. and Frank D’Armata, Declan Shalvey, and Luciano Vecchio.

Check out the covers now, including the full Layton connecting cover that will grace the first eight issues of the series! 

Review: A.X.E.: Judgement Day #2

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A.X.E.: Judgement Day #2

Marvel’s events in recent years have been interesting. Many started strong and quickly fizzled out. Others never lived up to the hype. And others had about as much depth as a piece of paper. Recently, Marvel has shifted things around with more focused events like Devil’s Reign which have matched the hype and vision. A.X.E.: Judgement Day #2 is an ambitious issue and delivers in both action and depth delivering an event that might be far more than just a long drawn out battle.

Written by Kieron Gillen, A.X.E.: Judgement Day has the Eternals seeing mutants as the ultimate deviation and thus needing to be wiped out. Caught in the middle of the two groups’ battle is not just the Avengers but the world as a whole. A.X.E.: Judgement Day #2 delivers a second chapter that is both grand in its vision and scope but also narrows things down as well.

Gillen does an impressive job with the issue which is broken down into three main stories. We’re introduced to six individuals who will play a role in what’s to come. One is obvious by the issue’s end but the other five is intriguing. There’s the battles that rage between the X-Men and the forces of the Eternals. Then there’s the attempt by the Avengers and some of the Eternals to reawaken the Celestial that currently is the base for the Avengers. Their goal is to create a god that the Eternals will listen to. It’s that last bit that’s rather interesting. The series is very much about extremism. There’s the religious extremists that currently rule the Eternals. There’s also some extremist elements within the mutant community and their ability to be reborn after death. That too has religious implications and reverberates not just through the mutant community but that of the human population too which some now see mutants as “gods” withholding “fire”.

The art by Valerio Schiti is pretty solid. Color is provided by Marte Gracia with lettering by Clayton Cowles. Overall, there’s a lot to cover with so many different locations, events, and characters to juggle. While it’s generally really good two issues arise. There’s some action that’s too muddled to figure out everything going on. I can’t quite make out the specifics and only general events. Also, Mr. Sinister looks rather odd at times. The face structure looks like he’s almost wearing the Jigsaw mask from Saw. When everything else looks good, these small things stand out.

A.X.E.: Judgement Day #2 is a solid second issue with an ending that really shakes up the event. It sends it in an unexpected direction but one that makes sense based on the title. Where it takes things overall, who knows, but so far, this might be Marvel’s best major event in years.

Story: Kieron Gillen Art: Valerio Schiti
Color: Marte Gracia Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.4 Recommendation: Buy

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – comiXology/Kindle

SDCC 2022: Marvel dives into Judgement Day as A.X.E.: Judgement Day Omega is announced as well as Blade: Vampire Nation!

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Announced at the Marvel Comics: Judgment Day Panel at San Diego Comic-Con, A.X.E.: Judgement Day will receive a special one-shot that showcases just how this monumental saga will impact the Avengers, X-Men, Eternals, and the rest of the Marvel Universe! Hitting stands in November, A.X.E.: Judgement Day Omega will be naturally written by event architect Kieron Gillen and his collaborator on the upcoming A.X.E.: Death to the Mutants limited series, artist Guiu Vilanova.

Last week’s A.X.E.: Judgement Day #1 showed fans just how high the stakes were as they paid witness to the destruction of the mutant planet Arakko, the vicious invasion of Krakoa, and Iron Man, Ajak, Makkari, and Mister Sinister joining forces to build a brand-new Celestial. Strap in as this thrilling and emotionally charged Marvel Comics epic escalates tremendously in the coming weeks and be there when for the dawn of a new Eternals era in A.X.E.: JUDGMENT DAY OMEGA #1. After events, there are promises. “Nothing will ever be the same again.” For the Eternals, it’s a lie. It’s always the same and always will be. However, in the wake of Judgment Day, they discover what is truly Eternal…

Check out all of the comics announced below as well as art from what’s to come in A.X.E.: Judgement Day!

A.X.E.: Judgment Day Omega #1

Written by KIERON GILLEN  
Art by GUIU VILANOVA  
Cover by PASQUAL FERRY
THE FALLOUT OF JUDGMENT DAY IS FELT! 
After events, we make promises. “Nothing will ever be the same again.” For the Eternals, it’s a lie. It’s always the same and always will be. However, in the wake of Judgment Day, they discover what is truly Eternal… 

On Sale 11/2

A.X.E.: Judgment Day Omega #1

Interior Artwork from A.X.E.: Judgment Day #2

Written by Kieron Gillen
Art by Valerio Schiti and Marte Gracia

On Sale 8/10

All-Out Avengers #3 Cover

Written by Derek Landy
Art by Greg Land
Cover by Greg Land

On Sale 11/23

All-Out Avengers #3

Interior Artwork from A.X.E.: Death to the Mutants #1

Written by Kieron Gillen
Art by Guiu Villanova

On Sale 8/17

Blade: Vampire Nation #1

Written by Mark Russell
Art by Mico Suayan
Cover by Valerio Giangiordano

A deep dive into Dracula’s new kingdom as established in AVENGERS. Starring BLADE, the sheriff of Vampire Nation! An assassination threatens to unravel the fledgling country and spread chaos throughout the world. But is getting rid of a nation full of bloodsuckers really all that bad of an idea? Blade himself isn’t too sure…

One-shot/On Sale 11/16

Blade: Vampire Nation #1

Interior Artwork from Avengers #60, an A.X.E.: Judgment Day Tie-In

Written by Mark Russell
Art by Greg Land

On Sale 8/22

Interior Artwork from Fantastic Four #47, an A.X.E.: Judgment Day Tie-In*

Written by David Pepose
Art by Juann Cabal

On Sale 9/21

Interior Artwork form Immortal X-Men #5, an A.X.E.: Judgment Day Tie-In *

Written by Kieron Gillen
Art by Michele Bandini
On Sale 8/3

Immortal X-Men #5

Review: A.X.E.: Judgement Day #1

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A.X.E.: Judgement Day #1

When it comes to big events, things can be hit and miss. They sometimes start huge and fizzle out. They may feel derivative of something we’ve seen so many times before. Going into A.X.E.: Judgement Day #1, the latter was definitely on my mind. The comic has echoes of when the Avengers and X-Men clashed but in this case we have a third group involved, the Eternals. And, while some of that might linger, the debut issue has thrown out concerns setting course for an event that’s sure to shake up the Marvel Universe.

Written by Kieron Gillen, A.X.E.: Judgement Day #1 has some unexpected twists to the event. Kicking things off, it’s the Avengers on the offense and by the end it’s the X-Men on defense. Gillen muddies the waters as to who is in the right and who is in the wrong.

Leading up to this event, Eternals entered the Avengers compound for unknown reasons (to the Avengers) while dealing with Thanos. The Avengers of course have questions leading them to take an extreme measure. The Eternals’ new leader sees their mission to stop extreme deviancy to mean they need to deal with mutants and their new immortality. The mutants see the Eternals as the new gods replacing the old gods and this being the throws of the old gods attempting to hold power.

There’s a lot to take in with this debut issue. A lot. Some of which is how mutants see themselves in the greater picture. There’s also the rigidity of the Eternals’ mission and those attempting to break free from it. It all creates a much more complicated story and event than just two groups clashing.

The art by Valerio Schiti is solid. With color by Marte Gracia and lettering by Clayton Cowles, the comic looks fantastic. The worlds of the three groups blend together nicely so it’s all one cohesive world. There’s a lot of characters to pack into the issue and everyone looks great. The moments that are meant to hit visually do so. There’s also some fantastic pacing in the panels and pages playing off Gillen’s script. Panels are used to emphasize the chaos of what’s going on and it does it so well. There’s an epic feel multiple times when it comes to what Schiti puts down on the page.

A.X.E.: Judgement Day #1 is a solid debut delivering more than just groups clashing before fighting the greater threat. There’s a lot to chew on as Gillen lays out varying motivations and resulting in actions that are questionable for many. There’s also shocks, lots of shocks as the Eternals make a hell of a move that is sure to anger many. Many events in the past have started with a bang and fizzled. This is a nuke drop and here’s hoping it can keep it up.

Story: Kieron Gillen Art: Valerio Schiti
Color: Marte Gracia Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – TFAW – comiXology/Kindle

Uranos the Undying rises in A.X.E.: Judgement Day #1

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The Marvel Universe braces itself for Judgement Day! Written by Kieron Gillen and featuring the artwork of Valerio Schiti, color artist Marte Gracia, and letterer Clayton Cowles, A.X.E.: Judgement Day is an upcoming Marvel Comics event that kicks off when the Eternals start a vicious war with their new immortal rivals—the X-Men! The Eternals’ plan for mutant annihilation will include unleashing the most brutal members of their species starting with URANOS THE UNDYING! Imprisoned for millions of years, the grand-uncle of Thanos will be instrumental in the conflict, leading the attack against the new mutant planet of Arakko.

And Uranos won’t be the only new Eternals threat that the X-Men will have to face. They’ll deal with The Hex, mega-powerful Eternals that have awakened from a millennia-long slumber to stomp out mutantkind. 

Check out a new teaser below and experience the start of Marvel Comics’ latest crossover epic when A.X.E.: Judgement Day #1 arrives on July 20.

A.X.E.: Judgement Day #1

The Avengers, X-Men, and Eternals Make their Opening Moves in the A.X.E.: Judgement Day Trailer!

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Years of tension and secrets between the heroes of the Marvel Universe will erupt into an emotional and apocalyptic war in A.X.E.: Judgement Day, the latest Marvel crossover event coming this summer. Written by mastermind talent Kieron Gillen and featuring the grand-scale artwork of Valerio Schiti and color artist Marte Gracia, A.X.E.: Judgement Day will be a six-issue series that will spin out into multiple limited series, one-shots, and tie-in issues of your favorite ongoing series. The extraordinary odyssey will tie together radical plot developments that have been brewing in the pages of Avengers, Eternals, and X-Men titles and leave a monumental impact on these three factions and their relationships with each other moving forward.

The Avengers have become a more powerful global force than ever from their base inside a long-dead Celestial. The X-Men have achieved a form of immortality on their utopian island nation of Krakoa. And the Eternals have begun a new cycle of life as they continue their sworn mission to eliminate the Deviants. But when the Eternals learn that mutantkind itself is a form of excess deviation, a vicious assault on Krakoa ensues – with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes trapped in the middle. Get your glimpse at the opening battles in the all-new A.X.E.: Judgement Day #1 trailer, featuring never-before-seen artwork.

A.X.E.: Judgement Day #1 arrives on July 20.

The Avengers, X-Men, and Eternals Face Judgement Day

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The next Marvel epic is here! From the brilliant mind of superstar writer Kieron Gillen and the incredible talents of acclaimed artist Valerio Schiti comes Judgement Day, a Marvel Universe spanning event launching in July.

Already redefining the Eternals mythos in Eternals, and soon to be shepherding in the next age of mutantkind in Immortal X-Men, Gillen will take his work on both titles as well as recent storylines in Jason Aaron and Javier Garron’s Avengers run for an odyssey that will usher in dramatic developments for these three core Marvel teams. And Schiti, already proven to be a masterful event storyteller in books like Empyre and Inferno, will deliver the breathtaking action and high-stakes thrills that transpire when Super Hero titans clash. Together, these iconic creators have crafted an intense saga that’s destined to take its place among the most impactful events in Marvel Comics history.

The X-Men have achieved immortality and mutants have taken their place as the dominant species on the planet. The Eternals have discovered long hidden knowledge about their species, including a devastating truth about mutantkind. The Avengers have come into direct conflict with the Celestials and are currently using a fallen Celestial as their base of operations, slowly unlocking its secrets… When the Eternals brazenly target the mutant nation of Krakoa, the Avengers try desperately to de-escalate a potentially apocalyptic war. But this is no simple conflict. The Eternals’ purpose cannot be denied and mutantkind’s future will not be threatened. And after the opening battles, new players and revelations for both sides will emerge as the inhabitants of the Marvel Universe are JUDGED by the greatest power they’ve ever come into contact with.

Be sure to pick up Free Comic Book Day: Avengers/X-Men #1 on May 7 for your first taste of the action. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more information, including cover reveals, and witness the buildup to Judgement in upcoming issues of Eternals, Immortal X-Men, X-Men, and Avengers.

Judgement Day

Review: Timeless #1

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Timeless #1

It’s the end of the year and last week of new comic releases and that means Marvel is releasing their one-shot teasing out what we can expect in the next year. Timeless #1 revolves around Kang the Conqueror who is becoming square and center of the Marvel Universe in what’s to come.

Jed MacKay handles the teases as Kang is out to prove that he’s a greater villain than Doctor Doom. He’s recruited a sidekick who will eventually write a pro-Doom book that becomes a hit. Kang wants him to bear witness to see how wrong he is when it comes to that. It’s a trip through time as we get to witness ourselves as to what makes Kang so great but more importantly, what makes Kang tick. But, there’s a threat in a “pirate timeline” that threatens existence as it attempts to survive its destruction.

Timeless #1 is an interesting issue that stands on its own as a one-shot to teach us who Kang is. As a character study, the issue is great and provides an interesting take on the character. This isn’t just a villain looking to conquer different time periods or just cause chaos. There’s some motivation and an underling pinning of a reason behind the actions. We’re given teases that what motivates Kang might actually work out for humanity and protect it in some ways. There’s an interesting depth here.

The comic is also about teases which are kept to a surprising minimum. Many of these past comics have felt like a series of short vignettes creating a choppy reading experience and a read that feels like a lot of prologues mashed together. Here, it feels like narrative has come first continuing Marvel’s focus on its villain of the year(s). The fact this rising profile coincides with a higher profile in the Marvel Cinematic Universe isn’t lost on me but if it’s a good read, that doesn’t really matter. And, this is a solid read.

Timeless #1 features quite a few artists, Kev Walker, Greg Land, Jay Leisten, Mark Bagley, and Andrew Hennessy. Despite the five different artists, the art does feel consistent and is really solid to watch. This doesn’t have a feel that a certain artist took one particular time period and that’s it, there’s an actual flow in visuals that the different creators isn’t as noticeable and definitely doesn’t feel out of place which can happen. Marte Gracia provides the colors with Ariana Maher on lettering. What’s interesting about the art is that while it looks good, there’s also a missing visual moment with long impact. There isn’t that iconic panel or spread that’ll stick throughout the year. But, the art looks really good.

Timeless #1 is a solid read that focuses more on one character than teasing out what’s to come. There’s only about 3 pages total that does that and some of the teases we generally have answers to. But, it’s that end page that’ll have readers in the know lingering and excited for what’s to come. In an age of leaks and spoilers it’s a reveal that has been kept impressively quiet. It also teases what might be one of the biggest shakeups to come to Marvel in quite a while.

Story: Jed MacKay Art: Kev Walker, Greg Land, Jay Leisten, Mark Bagley, Andrew Hennessy
Color: Marte Gracia Letterer: Ariana Maher
Story: 8.75 Art: 8.75 Overall: 8.75 Recommendation: Buy

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: comiXology – Kindle – Zeus Comics

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