So far, the Ruins of Ravencroft series has been interesting. Each one-shot has revealed the history of the classic Marvel location. Ruins of Ravencroft: Sabretooth adds in some more history folding in three high-profile mutants, Wolverine, Sabretooth, and Mr. Sinister.
Taking place in 1909, Nathaniel Essex is a doctor at the facility and Victor Creed an orderly. The two are running experiments on individuals, one of which is Logan who’s lobotomized.
Writer Frank Tieri has been doing an interesting job folding in different corners of the Marvel Universe into this location. There’s clearly bigger plans for it with so much attention being focused on currently. What those plans are, are a bit unclear. Much like the previous issue, this one feels like it’ll be a bit more vital and important once the big picture is revealed.
Tieri does a good job weaving together the two time periods. The modern day exploration of the building allows us to learn more of its past. There’s a layering of new information and Marvel fans should enjoy the winks and nods to Marvel history. There’s a lot briefly touched upon that can be expanded elsewhere. There are some issues in that history in that it looks like Logan as his metal claws which should came at a later time. So, not everything is perfect but that could be an art issue.
Angel Unzueta and Guillermo Sanna handle those duties with one handling the past and the other the present. Along with Rachelle Rosenberg on color and Travis Lanham on lettering, the art is fun with this one. Even with the small Logan claws issue, there’s a lot presented in brief panels that capture Marvel history. The art delivers the hints as to what happened to expand on Tieri’s plot and dialogue. Skrull invasion, the American Revolution, and an early Ghost Rider are all shown. The art for each creates excitement to see more. The modern art delivers a creepy ambiance that fits the story creating a horror unease.
The comic is an interesting one much like the previous Ruins of Ravencroft issue. Ruins of Ravencroft: Sabretooth brings in mutants to the story creating an even more intriguing history of the institute. There’s a lot going on here and we probably won’t know what that is until the end but right now, the exploration of Ravencroft’s history is delivering a mystery that has me intrigued.
(W) Frank Tieri (A) Guillermo Sanna, Angel Unzueta (CA) Gerardo Sandoval Rated T+ In Shops: Jan 15, 2020 SRP: $4.99
The history of the Ravencroft Institute for the Criminally Insane has been shrouded in mystery for years. NO LONGER! In the wake of ABSOLUTE CARNAGE, the facility’s past has started to unravel, and in doing so has revealed hidden chapters in the lives of some of the Marvel Universe’s most recognizable heroes and villains!
Marvel has released its special edition of The Pull List, unveiling exclusive information for titles coming to comic shops this January! The episode recapped all the exciting news from New York Comic Con 2019 like Iron Man 2020 and Ravencroft as well as the new launches of Thor, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Star Wars! In addition, The Pull List revealed never-before-seen titles: Hawkeye: Freefall, a brand new solo series by Matthew Rosenberg, and Tarot #1, an all-new adventure featuring the Avengers and Defenders by comic legends Alan Davis and Paul Renaud.
HAWKEYE: FREEFALL #1
Written by MATTHEW ROSENBERG Art by OTTO SCHMIDT Cover by KIM JACINTO
HAWKEYE RETURNS IN A BRAND NEW SERIES!
When a mysterious and ruthless new Ronin starts tearing a destructive path through the city, suspicion immediately falls on Hawkeye, but Clint has more to worry about than who’s wearing his old costume. After a clash with the Hood ends badly, Hawkeye gives himself a new mission that will place him in the crosshairs of one of New York’s most dangerous villains.
Hawkeye’s mission and Ronin’s secret plans will set them on a collision course that only one of them will walk away from.
TAROT #1
Written by ALAN DAVIS Art and Cover by PAUL RENAUD
An all-new epic adventure teaming the classic Earth’s Mightiest Heroes with Marvel’s premiere Non-Team by Alan Davis and Paul Renaud!
A strange and impossible lost memory from his days in World War II draws Namor the Sub-Mariner to his one-time compatriot Captain America—but the two heroes and their respective allies find themselves pulled into a labyrinth of pain, destruction and madness courtesy of the Infernal Ichor of Ish’lzog!
IRON MAN 2020 #1
Written by DAN SLOTT & CHRISTOS GAGE Art and Cover by PETE WOODS
In IRON MAN 2020, the future has arrived, and Artificial Intelligences present a clear and present danger to humanity and must be brought to heel! As the Robot Rebellion battles for the establishment of robot rights, someone new will don the Iron Man suit: Arno Stark, the long-lost brother of Tony Stark.
But Arno Stark won’t be alone: War Machine, Rescue, Ironheart will all have roles to play in the new series. The Robot Rebellion will also feature some familiar robots from the Marvel Universe including Machine Man AKA Aaron Stack, Jocasta, the Vision, Albert (the robotic Wolverine character), Elsie-Dee, Machinesmith, Nick Fury LMDs, Death’s Head, the Mad Thinker and his Awesome Android, Quasimodo, H.E.R.B.I.E., the Dreadnaughts, Brynocki, Alkhema, and M-11.
RAVENCROFT #1
Written by FRANK TIERI Art by ANGEL UNZUETA Cover by KYLE HOTZ
RAVENCROFT REOPENED!
After the hellish horrors of ABSOLUTE CARNAGE, the Ravencroft Institute has received a much-needed facelift and is open for business with a new staff, including JOHN JAMESON, looking to atone for the part he played in ABSOLUTE CARNAGE. But will Ravencroft return the mentally unstable villains of the Marvel Universe to upstanding citizens and give John the redemption he’s looking for, or will they fall prey to the hospital’s seemingly sinister nature?
RUINS OF RAVENCROFT: CARNAGE #1
Written by FRANK TIERI Art by GUIU VILLANOVA Cover by GERARDO SANDOVAL
CARNAGE, USA!
In the aftermath of ABSOLUTE CARNAGE, the Marvel Universe still needs a place to treat and rehabilitate the criminally insane, and efforts to reconstruct RAVENCROFT are well underway. But Ravencroft is no ordinary facility, and untold secrets may yet be waiting to be unearthed in the destruction Carnage left after his attack on the facility.
RUINS OF RAVENCROFT: SABRETOOTH #1
Written by FRANK TIERI Art by GUILLERMO SANNA Cover by GERARDO SANDOVAL
The history of the Ravencroft Institute for the Criminally Insane has been shrouded in mystery for years. NO LONGER! In the wake of ABSOLUTE CARNAGE, the facility’s past has started to unravel, and in doing so has revealed hidden chapters in the lives of some of the Marvel Universe’s most recognizable heroes and villains!
RUINS OF RAVENCROFT: DRACULA #1
Written by FRANK TIERI Art by STEFANO LANDINI Cover by GERARDO SANDOVAL
To the men and women of the Marvel Universe, Ravencroft Institute for the Criminally Insane appeared to be a hospital devoted to the rehabilitation of society’s most violent offenders. But appearances can be deceptive, and—as Captain America learned the hard way—some secrets have teeth.
THOR #1
Written by DONNY CATES Art by NIC KLEIN Cover by OLIVIER COIPEL
The prince is now a king. All Asgard lies before Thor, the God of Thunder. And after many months of war, the Ten Realms are finally at peace. But the skies above the Realm Eternal are never clear for long… The Black Winter is coming. And the God of the Storm will be powerless before it.
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #1
Written by AL EWING Art and Cover by JUANN CABAL
Once, the Guardians of the Galaxy were a team of misfits. Now they’re a family, and they’ve earned their peace. But the universe is not a peaceful place — and it’s only getting worse. The Great Empires are in turmoil. The rule of law is dead. And amidst the chaos, the Gods of Olympus have returned — harbingers of a new age of war, reborn to burn their mark on the stars themselves. Someone has to guard the galaxy — but who will accept the mission? And will they survive it?
STAR WARS #1
Written by CHARLES SOULE Art by JESÚS SAIZ Cover by R.B. SILVA
In the wake of The Empire Strikes Back, it is a dark time for the heroes of the Rebellion. The Rebel fleet…scattered following a disastrous defeat at the Battle of Hoth. Han Solo…lost to the bounty hunter, Boba Fett, after being frozen in carbonite. And after being lured into a trap on Cloud City and bested in a vicious lightsaber duel against the evil Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker…learned the horrible truth about his noble Jedi lineage.
Now, after narrowly escaping the Dark Lord’s clutches, wounded and reeling from the revelation, Luke joins Princess Leia, Lando Calrissian, Chewbacca, and the droids C-3PO and R2-D2 to fight their way back to the Rebel Alliance. But what Leia, Luke, and their ragtag band of freedom fighters don’t realize…is that they have only traded one Imperial trap for another! Enter the cunning and vengeful Imperial Commander Zahra, at the helm of the Tarkin’s Will!
The greatest space adventure of all time continues this January!
