The Marvel Thread

[HarryTrotter]

Well,big characters.Spiderman was dead for a half a issue before hes back to life.It will take some time before somebody remembers to revive Jack Flag.
Which reminds me of Spiderman/Deadpool

Spoiler

Mephisto

was behind everything?Or at least Mysterio was working for him.

[Silver Shocker]

So yeah, I just finished Spider-Man/Deadpool. Really liked it, I've been quite pleased with the book.

Spoiler

I've enjoyed the use of Mysterio in the book. It really feels like Joe Kelly is trying to reconcile the current Quentin Beck with the take Peter David wrote in Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (which Slott ignored entirely; while it was never explicitly said in the book, Peter David confirmed in a Q&A on his website that Beck was in fact working for Mephisto, and the bio for Mysterio in the video game Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, which Slott was the head writer on, listed him as a "demonic minion".

Mephisto cameo was awesome. I feel like this is the true Spider-Man book all Spidey fans frustrated about One More Day need to check out (someone needs to tell Linkara about it   .) I'm just gonna say it: get Slott the frack off Amazing Spidey, replace him with Kelly, and have him do a follow up for One More Day, because he was awesome at it here, and this was just fanservice. I always thought Kelly was one of the better writers on Brand New Day anyway. I didn't realize how much I've missed him on Spidey.

I'm not entirely convinced Mephisto was who Beck was working for in the story. In the final scene, we see Patient Zero and there's an evil face in the windshield of the limo. I was wondering if that was supposed to represent Beck and he was working for Zero?

[edit] Here's a detail I had forgotten. Earlier in the series we saw Zero put some magic orb on the nightstand next to the bed Beck was comatose in. Then later on we see Beck's empty bed and the orb's still there. So I'm pretty sure Beck's in with Zero, but is Mephiso in with one or both of them?

The Madame Web cameo was neat. The Doc Ock cameo, less so. It fit in with the tone and the other cameos in that sequence, but it just reminds me how bullcrap it is that the creators and some fans consider SpOck a hero. There's also the fact that he's shown alongside Ben and Gwen, implying Peter's responsible for his death? Oh please.

While the first issue of this book had a lot of crude humor, this issue really seemed to double down on the pitch black humor (mind you, both are staples of Deadpool). We had Peter shot dead, resurrected, shot dead again, resurrected again, and Deadpool's kinky demon wife wanted to have an orgy with his dead body. I've got nothing against dark humor, especially in Deadpool, but when Peter's the butt of all the jokes it seems especially morbid. Still funny though.

And perhaps best of all, Deadpool calls Peter a philistine for only seeing the Harry Potter movies and not reading the books. The books are superior though.

[HarryTrotter]

Actually,is this related to Dead No More?

Spoiler

Is Patient Zero somehow related to Jackal?Assuming its Jackal,under the jackal mask.

Also,from the creators of "Is Wolverine still dead" and "Has DC done something stupid today" comes- Captain America Grammar Nazi:
http://captainamericagrammarnazi.com/

[Silver Shocker]

^ Slott only knows, and he's laughing like the troll he is.

Spoiler

Joe Kelly lays on the "Peter is unfulfilled without his One True Pairing" thick, though that was what Mephisto said back in One More Day.

I choose to believe Kelly's a member of the OMD/BND "fan-haters" working on the inside. VIVA LA REVOLUTION!

As for the grammer Nazi thing: This is my favorite

Too later.  Every source I've seen mentioning this ties it to the current Presidential election.  Even though it has nothing to do with said election.  I really don't see the parallels.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but you haven't seen the Red Skull's speech from Spencer's run have you?
Here's a hint: He's Not Bernie Sanders.

[HarryTrotter]

The one about immigration?Wasn't that more of a jab at Europe situation?

[Silver Shocker]

From what I've read people have differing interpretations on it but I just read the scene and I got a very deliberate Trump vibe. There's also a scene with the Sons of the Serpent where Falcon debates immigration policy with them instead of, you know, just beating them up and arresting them. Can't remember if it came out here but the Sons of the Serpents in his run ruffled a lot of feathers, despite them being well established villains and (from what I've seen) pretty in-character.

It's worth noting Bru's run also had a pretty infamous dig at the right wing, which actually got edited in the reprints.

I'm actually a bit torn on Spencer's Cap. On the one hand, from what I'm reading/hearing, it's very heavy handed on the political digs, and even when I agree with such references they can be a bit distracting in a superhero comic, but on the other hand, I'm of the opinion that his issues of Standoff were the best part of the storyline, and I've sworn by his Superior Foes and Ant-Man many times (mind you, they're both heist comedies and are pretty apolitical). Mind you, I still gotta read the rest of Bru's run, and Remender's....

[Edit]

Addendum 1. Tom "I Can't believe this man was the editor on Busiek's Avengers and Thunderbolts" Brevoort addressed the Cap controversy in this friday's CBR column. Spoiler desu: he blames the audience for getting their panties in a bunch and having a knee-jerk reaction, and then dredges up two other "kerfluffles" from years ago  both of which I felt Marvel handled poorly.

Addendum 2: Actually this is just as good a time as any to ask: does anyone else want to start a separate thread for the Cap thing? It might keep other topics like the Spidey/Deadpool discussion from getting lost in the wake.

[HarryTrotter]

Oh yeah,Fox News were ticked off about the Sons of the Serpent thing.Because,Fox News.Anyway,problem with political commentaries is that they dont age well.Just look at Futurama episode where they spoof 2012 elections.True,some thing became even more relevant with time,but not everything is American Flagg.

-Superior Spiderman isnt the best example for Brevoorts case.Seeing it was Marvels own promotional artwork that "confused" people.

IDK how they got the wrong idea. 
So in his opinion,people haven't read the comic,they complain just because?By sending chain emails?
If people are cynical because they think this isnt going to last,who made them cynics in the first place?You reboot every six months. 

[Silver Shocker]

I know rite? I don't even have a problem with the constant reboots. Spencer's Ant Man is still Spencer's Ant-Man, it just has "Astonishing" on the front. And guess what, IMO it deserves it. The book rules.

Well, that was post-cancellation Futurama. In my opinion, it wasn't as good as the originals. On the other hand? The Simpsons episode where Sideshow Bob runs for mayor? That's still funny and a lot of it resonates as well if not better today.

That's the thing that pisses me off to no end. Brevoort, Wacker and Slott to this day claim people didn't read the books. Yet they bicker online publicly with Rich Johnston, who posts all the juicy scans week after week. Not to mention scans_daily, CBR and Newsarama, Marvel's own site, and over 9000 blogs. We don't need to read the whole book to know what's in it, guys. I'm not currently buying or reading Amazing and I can tell you what the current arc is about. Welcome to the internet. You just posted a cover to the book. But as far as they're concerned it didn't happen. 2 + 2 = 5. There are FIVE lights. And there is no Kaiser Soyse.

Can you imagine if these guys were the ones who made Game of Thrones? "Oh they don't even watch the show! That battle with Stannis' army totally happened on screen you guys!"

On an unrelated note:

Here's a few more topics I've been meaning to post about:

1. Thunderbolts.

Spoiler

Preview pages from Thunderbolts #2. Moonstone confirmed. Jim Zub, you've earned +1 point. And after issue one, you could probably use it.

2. Uncanny Avengers.

So I've been meaning to post my thoughts on UA for a few months actually. The book IMO got a heck of a lot better at the end of the first arc, and has kept that momentum since, even if the plots took a break for Standoff.

Spoiler

The Avengers declared a mission statement to catch Red Skull and get Xavier's brain back, though with Skull back in Cap's book I'm guessing failure is the only option for now. The art got better, with Stegman, who I don't really care for, replaced with Pacheco doing some of the best art I've seen from him in years.

But all of that is trumped by a big plot development that's been prominently shown in covers, solicits, previews and interviews by now: HANK PYM IS BACK! And he's not an a-hole anymore! Well, he's got a bit of a rough side, but he's also fun, and adventurous and acting like a superhero. I'm loving this. Suck it Remender!

3. Ant-Man

Only one thing need be said.

Spoiler

Cassie Lang is Stinger now! Hoo woo! 

[HarryTrotter]

Funny that Brevoort only count the mails as fan reactions.I mean open Marvels facebook page or something.Like your own tumblr you so like.
Problem with Thunderbolts is with John Malin.Thou the story was pretty generic itself.I will give it 1-2 more issues and see if anything improves.
Noticed that Mercs for Money have a bit of MAX theme.If they ever change lineup,I think Destroyer would fit in.Or Fantomex,that would be cooler.If hes still alive.

[Silver Shocker]

The thing I find funny is that Marvel loves to reference and pander to internet culture and trends, but have failed to accept that message boards and social media have undeniably usurped letters pages as the place for fan feedback (even though some books, like ANAD Avengers and Ant-Man, still have them). It doesn't count. They once went to so far as to plaster pull quotes from various reviews on a Spider-Island ad, despite nearly every one of those reviews criticizing Carlie Cooper in the same reviews, something Marvel liked to dismiss as just negative fan haters who don't read the books. Years ago the message board on Marvel's own site banned people from posting about Quesada, OMD or even Mephisto himself. You weren't allowed to critisize the villain of the story, and no not his role in the story, the character himself. Isn't that just silly? See, their own site and the letters page are two much of an echo chamber (ironic, considering "Echo chamber" is one of Slott and Wacker's favorite go-to strawman arguments against the fan haters), though in fairness, it didn't used to be this way. The much derided Byrne and Mackie era of Spidey in the late 90s, considered one of the absolute low points, had letters saying they're too hard on poor Peter (who at the time was actually living on the street, though being Peter it was because he was too ashamed to crash at Aunt May's or a friend's) I remember a letter from Dan Jurgen's Thor: Lord of Asgard story line that absolutely bashed it, and even ANAD Avengers has letters deriding the "diverse" cast.

re: Thunderbolts: the solicits make it clear they'll still be battling newly hatched Inhumans by then, so I wouldn't bet on it improving by then unless Baron Zemo crashes the party again (or failing that, another character dressed as Zemo as a test, as seen in Parker's run).

Speaking of Mercs for Money, I saw in the August solicits that Negasonic Teenage Warhead, as in the girl sidekick from the movie, will be in the book. Since she's dead, and barely resembles the movie version, it might be a brand new one. Solicits tend to take a few months to actually reflect what's been in the book (see Uncanny Avengers) so I'm gonna have to keep my eye on that book to see exactly when she's gonna pop up. I'd love it if she turned up in Spider-Man/Deadpool, which wouldn't surprise me considering the Mercs for Money showed up in issue #2.

[edit] heh, according to Marvel Wikia: "Ellie's codename was so poorly received, that many fan sites put her name on the Worst Superhero Names category." So of course DP loved it. The creators for the movie flat out admitted they chose her because of the name (and no doubt because Fox would let them use her)

[HarryTrotter]

Im pretty sure movie NTW was meant to be Cannonball.Speaking of that-characters from Grant Morrisons New X-men.Why is Glob of all people still in X-men?Hes not that interesting.Outside of his crush on teen/Jean he has no characteristics what so ever.And Xorn resurfaced in Uncanny,I think.At least Quentin isnt around anymore.Small mercy.

[Silver Shocker]

Yeah, I read that about Cannonball. Quite a few characters were supposed to be characters who actually have a history with Deadpool but got changed. That's why we got the super-obscure mutant Angel Dust (Gina Carano's character). I actually really like Quentin Quire. He was one of my favorite parts of Aaron's Wolverine and the X-Men run which I really liked. I know it was an acquired taste though. The guy who runs my local comic shop hated it.
Now, Jason Latour's run, before I dropped the book? That was crap. And Quinton was not great in it.

[HarryTrotter]

Well,Quentin and Wolverines relationship was a highpoint.But it was pretty much the only thing in the book.So okay,he had some personality,but Glob?Why is he interesting?
Another thing i was sorta brainstorming recently,was POD meant to be Marvels answer to Rom?Now that they dont own Rom.

[kkhohoho]

Heads up everybody. If you thought that Captain Hydra was bad enough, well, good for you, but Marvel obviously didn't think so. Marvel's put up a new poster for their upcoming second round of 'Marvel Now', but the curious thing is that the 'Now' is cracked, as if something has caused the MU to shatter. And as for what that would be, the poster apparently comes with the headline, 'You Thought You Knew the Whole Story.' All of which suggests that some sort of big fancy revelation coming up that might make Captain Hydra just the frosting on the cake, depending on just what exactly this all means. Mind you, it's a bit too early to really jump to conclusions, but I wouldn't past anything past Marvel these days.

Here's the link: http://www.bleedingcool.com/2016/06/01/everything-you-knew-about-the-marvel-universe-was-wrong/

[spydermann93]

Little did we all know, Red Onslaught created this new universe and it had nothing to do with Secret Wars!

It was all a ploy! Now, witness the crumbling of all your childhood heroes for the pleasure of the RED SKULL!!!

MUAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

The proof is all there! Take "Marvel NOW", change some of the letters and BOOM! You have "Red Skull!"

[kkhohoho]

Also, I guess that Marvel really didn't think that Captain Hydra was bad enough because the first issue of Civil War II's out, and according to people who've read it...

Spoiler

...both She-Hulk and War Machine/Rhodey are dead. With She-Hulk dying thanks to a missile to the boob. Something you would think that a Hulk could not only survive but also eat for breakfast. Classy Marvel.

[spydermann93]

MUAHAHAHA!!!

The Red Skull strikes again!!!

[daglob]

I think it will be revealed that Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Larry Lieber, and Don Heck had nothing to do with creating the Marvel Universe. They have been retconned out of existence. So quit complaining that "comics aren't as good as they used to be" because those comics never existed.

Only NFL Superpro can save us now...

... from The Red Skull.

[HarryTrotter]

-Civil War thing- didnt that happen in FCBD prelude?The one that got leaked?

-I think your all reading a bit too much into Marvel Now teaser.Its just a photoshop template with an effect.And they reboot every 6 months,what could possibly be new this time?

-X-men '92 No More Vampires.So V-day?Nice that they use X-statix characters,anyway.

[daglob]

Maybe...

Wolverine isn't dead anymore!

[HarryTrotter]

Like that would suprise anyone. 

[daglob]

No, of course not. I should have said "Wolverine isn't dead anymore... again!"

[HarryTrotter]

My theory is that Magneto will pull him out of the statue just in time for Wolverine 3.
http://www.iswolverinestilldead.com/
Yup,85 weeks now.

Anyway,its hard to get worked up over a reboot/relaunch/renumbering/something,when we barely started this reboot.Series that ship twice a month are at their,what, 13-14 issue?

[HarryTrotter]

Thunderbolts #2 Blood is brown.Even the colorist is phoning this one in.And the team had an encounter with Inhuman pods in Cage-bolts IIRC.Somewhat different line up,but somebody should remember( also hashtag bring Ghost back)?So my second point,similar to Ext X-men,everyone here has at least 5 in-universe years of experience.They should be a bit better at this.Actually,they spent a good deal of their career as a team.They should be bit better at whole team work thing.And speaking of Inhumans,guess who comes to dinner?
New Avengers #12 Looks like the CW2 here will be AIM vs Shield.With Maker having his own plans.Which would actually happen anyway.So I have to admit,Ewing can write around events.
Deadpool and Mercs #5 Interesting ending.Poor Highwayman.

Spoiler

He only had 666 payments left for that truck.

From a story perspective,I dont see why this just couldnt continue with #6,instead of starting a new series.

[Silver Shocker]

Thunderbolts:

But doood, brown blood matches the nineties aesthetic. They're just being authentic! [devil horns]  Can't remember about the Cage-bolts run. Not saying you're wrong, I just don't remember; it's been a few years. I've realized the art looks like Marc Silvestri or Whilce Portacio. I hate the way he draws Kobik.

Spoiler

I've had time to contextualize my thoughts on the writing too. I find the writer has condensed Atlas down to his least desirable qualities. I.E. he's brash, headstrong and kinda a jock/tool. None of these are out of character-per-se, but the better writers such as Busiek and Fabian imbued him with a little more depth. Moonstone's in line with her characterization since Ellisbolts, that is to see she's opportunist diva whose past character development is largely undone. And of course there's Fixer. Here's he still the jokey wisea$$ of the group, but he's neither the crude pervert of Fabian's run or the more "heroic" take Parker inexplicably wrote him as. Now you could say that it depends on what part of the timeline this Fixer is from since his death in Parkerbolts involved a time-loop, but if the writers aren't going to ever factor that in, why should I? Did Kobik will him back to life too? Because that's not the vibe Standoff gave off.

Speaking of which, why the crap were the T-Bolts in Pleasant Hill anyway? The recap says their "criminal pasts caught up with them" which is bullcrap since they worked for the government. Atlas, sure, since he helped Wonder Man attack the Avengers, but the others really shouldn't.

I also really dislike the way Kobik is written here compared to Standoff. There I found her a really neat clever idea with a lot of potential. Here she's an impulsive, staggeringly stupid brat. I can't imagine people warming up to her after what she did to Moonstone, unless they've got a really twisted sense of humor (and I don't mind dark humor, but I still thought that was stupid and kind of a lazy forced cliffhanger, as if the monster pods couldn't have filled the bill. 

New Avengers: All I've really got to say is that the art by Paco Madina is servicable, but not great. Characters in the background look a bit rough in the face area, making me think he didn't do his best work. I didn't think to check if his habit of upping the female character's bust sizes was present and accounted for though. 

re: Deadpool and Mercs: I dunno about story wise, but it's very rare for a Marvel mini to continue as a ongoing instead of having a followup ongoing starting at #1. Just about the only example I can think of is the Marvel Transformers series, and maybe the original Marvel Star Wars run. You could say with a mini they just focus on making a finite storyarc, whereas with an ongoing they might wanna get more ambitious and tell a longer, more elaborate yearn. But then it's Deadpool, he's had multiple books since 2009 or so and with the success of the movie I doubt that'll change.

The Highwayman from US.1 eh? Crazy. I always thought it was weird that U.S.1/U.S. 1 ended up getting the resurgence he did.

[HarryTrotter]

I know hes been an enemy of Ghost Rider during Jason Aarons run and thats pretty much all I know about Highwayman.
I didnt notice so much similarity with Silvestri or Portacio,but Im sure its not a coincidence,seeing Malin learned the trade at Image.
On the other hand,I would really like to know how Marvel higher up assign writing and art duties.Is there a dartboard involved?
And I dint really get how they ended up at Pleasant hill either.Fixer was working there,I think.Abe also,I guess.Thou I have no idea how Moonstone got there.I lost track of her after Dark Avengers/Thunderbolts.But universe got rebooted so who knows what changed.
And something I sorta touched in a different thread-Steve Dillon on Punisher.Judging by #2,it looks to be a serious story about super drugs.And Dillon isnt really a great man for the job.It worked with Garth Ennis,but doesnt really function here.

[HarryTrotter]

So all previous adds were a lie?The adds got rebooted?
Also,notice the same font as Clone Saga era Spider books.And its the 20'th anniversary.

[daglob]

The Red Skull brainwashed Peter Parker into thinking he is the clone, and now it will be revealed that the whole Clone Saga was a fake. "Ben Reilly" is actually Peter and "Peter" is actually Ben (again). Tony Stark is an LMD and has been for years. The Skull has replaced most of the super heroes with brainwashed clones. We'll figure it out when all the Marvel big guns start saying "Hail Hydra". The Avengers will sit around for a few issues and discuss how cool it is to work for The Boys in Green. The FF comes back and we discover that Reed is actually a clone of Victor Von Doom, who isn't really Dr. Doom. Doom is actually Mephisto. Magneto is actually Lucifer. Dr. Druid is actually an Asian (or at least he looks like one). Pepper Potts and Mary Jane are actually sisters of Medusa. The Mandarin is actually a character Marvel no longer has the right to, and Shang Chi moves to the attack. All the X-Men who are dead aren't really dead again. Woodgod never happened.

It's up to NFL Superpro and Squirrel Girl to save the Marvel Universe, with an able assist from U.S. 1, Chuck Norris and his Karate Commandos, Planet Terry, and Wally the Wizard.

Okay, okay, I'll try not to do this again.

I've been told (not by anyone here), that I can't complain because I don't read mainstream comics anymore, but, I ask you, why should I when stuff like this keeps happening?

[HarryTrotter]

Actually.Peter being outed as a clone all along,is pretty much everyone's theory.
Marvel universe will never be the same again.Or at least you know,for the next 3-6 months.

[kkhohoho]

I've been told (not by anyone here), that I can't complain because I don't read mainstream comics anymore, but, I ask you, why should I when stuff like this keeps happening?

Exactly. Maybe we'd read more modern comics if they didn't keep pulling crap like this, but they do. As far as I'm concerned, if they're going to frick up the place, then I'm not even going to bother with it.