ALL-NEW MARVEL NOW! Lineup Made Easy (February 2014 Edition)
In case you are not up to speed on Marvel’s latest comic book offerings, you should know that they are knee deep in phase two of their new and improved campaign to gain new readers and maintain current loyalists. Phase one was called MARVEL NOW! and saw not so much a reboot, but rather a refresh for all current titles and franchises.
Phase two of their MARVEL NOW! initiative is called ALL-NEW MARVEL NOW! (creative right!?) and it started in January 2014 with the release of a number of great new books as well as some fresh new stories for the regular on-going titles.
Fast forward to February (Now!) and we have a brand new month to look forward to full of new and exciting projects! I took the liberty of extracting all the brand new books starting at #1 as well as showing you good “jumping on” points for currently running books (signified by the “.NOW” after the comic’s issue #). First take a look at what will be available this week:
CAPTAIN AMERICA 16.NOW
Writer Rick Remender and artist John Romita Jr. are still kicking ass with Steve Rogers 16 issues deep. The first 10 issues of this book were brilliant and fans should expect the same amount of quality moving forward. While tonally this book has been more science fiction, fans should expect a more adventurous tone moving forward in the vein of Indiana Jones and the like.
LOKI: AGENT OF ASGARD #1
Those looking for more grown-up Loki action need look any further. This new on-going series may just be the thing Loki ans are looking for. It will be interesting to see if the success of the character on screen can be duplicated in comic book form.
MRS. MARVEL #1
History is in the making here with the all-new Mrs. Marvel book. Enter Kamala Khan a 16 year old American Muslim girl from Jersey with strange and unusual morphing powers. The Mrs. Marvel mantle has passed to this high schooler and it will be very interesting to see how audiences respond to this new hero!
THE PUNISHER #1
Ah Frank Castle, welcome back. Sure you’ve been around here and there but having a brand new on-going series is cause for rejoice. I’m a long-time Punisher fan and have been looking forward to this book for some time. Frank heads West to the slums of Los Angeles California for a change. Sure the dude is usually blowing shit up New York style, but I simply can’t wait to see what kind of havoc the man is going to get himself into in LA.
WOLVERINE #1
Zzzzzzzz. Bah, what’s going on! I had a nightmare that there was yet another on-going Wolverine book hitting shelves. What? I’m awake! Dammit. While this man is spread more thin than aerosol cheese on a Triscuit, I will admit him rubbing shoulders with some lesser known villains could prove interesting. Worth a genetically enhanced sniff at the least.
X-MEN #10.NOW
I still this this book should be called XX-MEN. Hopefully they can get back on track with the quality the first 3 issues gave us in this all-girl X-Men team-up. Meoooooow!
If these book aren’t enough to get your gears going, check out what the rest of February has to offer:
FANTASTIC FOUR #1
Writer James Robinson is tackling this new on-going series that promises to chronicle the fall and rise of the Fantastic Four we all know and love. There are also hints that Johnny Storm AKA The Human Torch will have a lot of face time in the initial story arc. Fans looking for a way to jump into the Fantastic Four may have just found their book.
NEW WARRIORS #1
This book will mostly feature unheard of heroes in the form of Speedball, Justice, Nova and more! While details are thin on exactly where this book is headed, the traditionally young cast of characters should prove interesting to those looking for something fresh.
NOVA #13.NOW
Beta Ray Bill. Need I say more. Those who have not read up to this point should be reassured that this looks like a prime “jumping on” point for new readers. There is a lot of action in this book and the worst of it has seemingly just begun.
SHE-HULK #1
Writer Charles Soule is bringing us an on-going She Hulk book in the vein of the currently popular HAWKEYE series that focuses more on “everyday life” instead of the epic battles our heroes routinely go through day in and day out. This is one to look out for. And be honest, you always wanted to see how She-Hulk unwinds…No? Well, Ok.
SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #27.NOW
I admittedly jumped ship on this series before my head exploded. I only got about 10 issues deep but I hear it has gone in some interesting directions. So if you are anything like me, and maybe want to jump back into this messfest, now’s as good a time as any.
THOR: GOD OF THUNDER #19.NOW
Join writer Jason Aaron as he begins a new 5-part arc featuring present day Thor and Future King Thor battling epically huge villains (hint hint). Aaron has been doing an amazing job with this franchise and you really have no excuse to not read this book.
THUNDERBOLTS #20.NOW
Just when you may have been getting bored with what THUNDERBOLTS has to offer they go and add Ghost Rider into the mix. And be honest, doesn’t that make any book better?
X-FORCE #1
I go where Cable goes. And Cable is heading his team of black-ops heroes straight into an new on-going book. Fans of previous X-FORCE books have a good idea what the tone of this series will be, and I for one can’t wait to see who’s ass Cable has to kick this time around. Definitely worth a look.
So there you have it Marvel fans. There is a whole hell of a lot to look for on store shelves this month. So if you have been looking for an excuse to get back into comics, now’s your chance! Happy reading ya nerds and be sure to check back in soon for the “March 2014 Edition” to see what’s next in the Marvel comic book universe.
Words By Jason Furie
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