It was a big week for Marvel’s Secret Invasion crossover, with the story bleeding into five different comics in significant ways. Here’s a rundown of what happened to whom, where, and how. After the jump, expect spoilers and analysis of Avengers Initiative #14, Mighty Avengers #15, Ms. Marvel #28, New Avengers #42, and Secret Invasion: Runaways / Young Avengers #1.
Marvel Entertainment previously announced that their upcoming Captain America film is slated for a May 2011 release, in anticipation of the Avengers movie that’s coming soon thereafter. Now it looks like there could be a different sort of superhero battle in theaters, as Spider-Man producer Laura Ziskin has announced that she’s also looking to May 2011 for releasing the fourth installment in the Spidey franchise. Neither Toby Maguire nor Sam Raimi has signed onto Spider-Man 4 yet, so its future is still a bit uncertain. If both Spider-Man and Cap drop into theaters at the same time, though, who will reign supreme?
Source: LA Times
Two new Stephen King based series have been solicited from Marvel Comics in the July issue of Diamond Comics’ Previews catalog. The first is the adaptation of the classic novel, The Stand, which I wrote about previously. The comic adaptation is called The Stand: Captain Trips. Here’s the official blurb:
It begins here: the apocalyptic epic battle between good and evil based on the classic bestseller by master of horror Stephen King! On a secret army base in the Californian desert, something has gone horribly, terribly wrong. Something that will send Charlie Campion and his wife and daughter fleeing in the middle of the night. Unfortunately for the Campion family–and the rest of America–they are unaware that all three of them are carrying a deadly cargo: A virus that will spread from person to person like wildfire, triggering a massive wave of disease and death, prefacing humanity’s last stand! Be there as writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four) teams with artist Mike Perkins (Captain America) for the first arc in the next great Stephen King event!
The second new series is the third miniseries in the ongoing Dark Tower spinoff. The Dark Tower is Stephen King’s central work, a series of seven novels spanning his whole career and touching nearly all of his other books. The comics series have been prequels to the main action of the novels, and that continues with this newest series, Dark Tower: Treachery. Marvel’s description of the first issue follows:
The ka-tet of Roland, Alain and Cuthbert have returned safely to their home in Gilead. But all is not well. Roland has kept the evil Maerlyn’s Grapefruit and has become obsessed with peering into its pinkish depths despite the deadly toll it’s taken on his health. And what the young gunslinger sees brings him the darkest of nightmares. Meanwhile, Roland’s father has led a posse in search of those who threatened his son’s life in Hambry-John Farson and the Big Coffin Hunters. And in this encounter, Stephen Deschain’s life may be forfeit.
You can preorder the first issue of each series here: Link
Every week the Skrulls infiltrate more of the Marvel Universe, and last week the epic tale poured into Incredible Hercules #118 and Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four #2. Here’s a look at what we learned from each of these and how they affected the overall plot.
Matt Murdock is back in legal action, having taken on a new case. Here’s a review of the latest issue (with spoilers), in stores this Wednesday.
Modern comic book legend Peter David’s fantastic run on X-Factor continues this week with issue #32. The comic hits stores on Wednesday, but here’s an advance review. Beware of spoilers!
Wolverine and Warpath get the spotlight in this one-shot spinoff from the new ongoing X-Force comic series. The review with spoilers is after the jump.
Punisher: War Zone, the sequel to the previous Punisher film starring Thomas Jane, is set to hit theaters on December 5. Along with a new Punisher (Ray Stevenson), the movie carries a new villain as well with the menace of Jigsaw. Here’s the new teaser trailer, courtesy of ComingSoon.net:
Ray Stevenson does have the look of the Punisher in the comics, but based on the trailer he seems to lack some of the (with apologies to Keifer Sutherland) gravitas Thomas Jane brought to the role. I’m still looking forward to the film, though. Julie Benz being in it sells the movie for me.
Source: ComingSoon
The Skrull invasion of the Marvel universe continues this week with the releases of Captain Britain & MI 13 #2 and Secret Invasion: Who Do You Trust? Here’s a look at each and a rundown of how they progress the plot and fill in the gaps.
The Incredible Hulk is hitting theaters this weekend, and Marvel has chosen an opportune time to unleash several new Hulk spinoff and one-shot comics. Here’s a review (with spoilers) of Hulk: Raging Thunder, a new one-shot featuring the long awaited (really?) return of Thundra.
