A Critical Look at Marvel's November 2015 Solicits

With assistance by Mike Maillaro

Check out Newsarama for a complete list of Marvel books shipping in November.

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ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT AVENGERS #1 & 2 by MARK WAID, ADAM KUBERT & MAHMUD

The Avengers are dead--long live the Avengers! Earth’s Mightiest Heroes--Captain America, Thor, Vision, and Iron Man--are living separate lives, not tied to any team--but when a threat from beyond the stars targets our world, fate draws them together once more, alongside Nova, Ms. Marvel, and Miles Morales a.k.a. Spider-Man!

Mike: I really like this team!  Definitely one of the books I am most looking forward to post-SECRET WARS.  

Grey: I really hope I can buy non-Ross covers, otherwise there might be a dealbreaker here. My only real problem with the book, aside from Ross, is that I really REALLY don’t like the idea of tossing Ms. Marvel and Nova onto the Avengers yet. They’re still new, they’re still kids, and I don’t want to see either have their growth hindered by being plot devices here. I have no such problem with Miles, if they build off of him coming from a dead Ultimate Universe, he gets super veteran points despite being a youngin.

Mike: To be fair, Nova has been around since Avengers Vs X-Men.  I was surprised to see he’ll have been around 4 years when he appears in Avengers.  And besides, the Avengers has had young heroes before.  Darkhawk.  Rage.  Firestar.  Justice.  Granted, the Avengers did throw out Rage when they realized he was 14 years old...I swear I went into this comment with a point, but I lost it…

Grey: Firestar and Justice were early twenties and engaged. Darkhawk was eighteen or nineteen. And, like you said, Rage was thrown out when they realized his age. Now we’ve got three high school kids on the team.

Mike: Yeah, like I said, I thought I was making a good point, but even I realized that it didn’t make a lot of sense by the time I got to the end.  

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NOVA #1 by SEAN RYAN & CORY SMITH

TWO NOVAS?!?! Sam Alexander’s missing father is finally back and the two are making adventure a family business. With their Nova helmets that enable them to fly and shoot energy beams, they’re policing the Milky Way with their Nova Corps of two. But is everything what it seems? And if that weren’t enough, Sam is also now an Avenger!

Mike: Two Novas...and still no Richard Rider.  To be honest, I’ve actually liked the new Nova quite a bit.  As much as I like old school Nova, I am glad that Sam is sticking around a little longer.  Bringing Jesse back should really change the dynamic up here. Definitely a customer on this one.

Grey: Well, Rich is dead.

Mike: For now.  Eventually someone like me will get a position of power in Marvel and get the chance to bring him back.  

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ALL-NEW X-MEN #1 & 2 by DENNIS HOPELESS & MARK BAGLEY

Hated and feared more than ever, the world is a dangerous place for mutants. As the few remaining X-MEN retreat into seclusion, a handful of mutant teenagers refuse to allow their destiny to be decided for them. CYCLOPS. BEAST. ICEMAN. ANGEL. THE ALL-NEW WOLVERINE. KID APOCALYPSE. OYA. Stepping out of the shadows of their predecessors, the ALL-NEW X-MEN are striking out on their own, determined to write their own futures!

Mike: Hopeless has done a great job on SPIDER-WOMAN, so I am looking forward to seeing him on this title.  I didn’t know Kid Apocalypse was going to be in this book. That should be a weird fit, but I’m in!

Grey: Hopeless is awesome. Avengers Arena, Avengers Undercover, Spider-Woman, all of his Secret Wars stuff. Dude is a sure hit every time for me.

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SPIDER-WOMAN #1 by DENNIS HOPELESS & JAVIER RODRIGUEZ

Jessica Drew is a private investigator, a super hero and… a mom to be? Since we last saw her, Spider-Woman’s got a whole NEW responsibility -- she’s super heroing for two now, after all! Ben Urich and Porcupine are still along for the adventure, too, and aren’t making Jess’ life any easier – half the time they won’t even let her leave the car! How’s a gal supposed to save innocent people and keep herself out of harm’s way? See how in the mother of all Spider-Stories!

Mike: WHAT???  Everytime I see that cover I go google-eyed.  Uhm...congrats to Jessica Drew?  I will say this, Jessica Drew has become a much more interesting character in recent years.  Hopeless was a great choice to write her solo title, and it’s now one of my favorite Marvel books.  I can’t wait to see what he has in store for us in volume 2.  

Grey: I’m excited to see how this book goes, and to see what happens...but I also wonder how long until the baby never happened.

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WEB WARRIORS #1 by MIKE COSTA AND DAVID BALDEON

All of your favorite web-slinging wonders from SPIDER-VERSE, together in one place! It’s high-stakes action when ELECTRO threatens all of reality! From their base on Earth-001, it’s up to SPIDER-GWEN, SPIDER-MAN NOIR, SPIDER-MAN INDIA, SPIDER-UK, SPIDER-HAM and a TON of other surprise spider-guest stars to stop him!

Mike: Exiles meets Spider-Verse.  Why not!  I’ve been asking for this series since the first issue of SECRET WARS: Spider-Verse.  Mike Costa did a great job balancing these characters.  Should be a lot of fun as an ongoing.

Grey: Needs more May, but I’m still on board.

Mike: Maybe they will give May a back up.  That worked surprisingly well with SECRET WARS: SPIDER-ISLAND.

Grey: I’ve got a great idea for Marvel, “ONGOING SERIES”.

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DRAX #1 by CM PUNK, CULLEN BUNN, & SCOTT HEPBURN

Drax the Destroyer is the muscle for the Guardians of the Galaxy, but what does he do when he’s not adventuring through space with the Guardians? He lets his bloodthirsty quest for revenge take the pilot seat, of course! Determined to find and kill Thanos once and for all, Drax is ready to take on the universe. But when you’re tooling around the universe in a ship aptly named “The Space Sucker”, an unwavering desire for bloodshed isn’t enough to keep a mission from derailing. Drax crash lands into his wildest adventures ever, encountering foes no one will ever expect! The depths of space may not be big enough to contain this much grit, vengeance and all-out action!

Mike: Does Drax need his own series?  Probably not.  But I do like Cullen Bunn’s work quite a bit.  CM Punk doesn’t really sell me on this book.  Kind of a silly marketing ploy. I really doubt any wrestling fan is going to come looking for a Drax book just because CM Punk is writing it.

Grey: ….I’m kinda buying the book because Punk is writing it. I mean, the pitch and regular team all look good, but Punk is icing.

Mike: Bah!  You’re the reason people like us can’t get comic writing gigs and Marvel keeps hiring celebrities to write their books.  Damn you!

Grey: Hey! I know Cullen! I can support him too! Remember The Remains?

Mike: I buy a lot of books for Cullen Bunn.  Never disappointed there!

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ILLUMINATI #1 by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON & SHAWN CRYSTAL

How do the villains of the Marvel Universe live in a world where the sky is constantly filled with heroes? What do they do when they want out of that life? There is no escape. No future. Who saves the villains? The Hood believes he might be that savior. He wants everyone to have a place at the table. Now all he needs to do is build his army… Featuring Titania, Mad Thinker, Thunderball, Black Ant and Enchantress, Illuminati is a tale of villains just trying to survive in the All-New All-Different Marvel Universe.

Mike: Why didn’t they just call this book Thunderbolts?  I would have been a lot more interested…

Grey: Over the past few years I’ve stumbled onto a few books in one way or another, and each has found its way into being a favorite of mine. Voodoo after Ron Marz left and the book found a new personality, Masks and Mobsters which I picked up because it was a dollar an issue with an interesting pitch, and Nailbiter which sounded awesome and was awesome. What do these books have in common? Joshua Williamson. And that I didn’t buy a single one because of his name on the cover. This book? I’m buying it because his name is on the cover.

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DEADPOOL #1 & 2 by GERRY DUGGAN & MIKE HAWTHORNE

He’s annoying. He’s dangerous. He smells terrible. But the public love him. That’s right—the Merc with the Mouth may make money for missions of murky morality...but he’s become the most popular hero in the world for it. Eat that, Spidey! The world belongs to...DEADPOOL. The fan favorite team of Gerry Duggan and Mike Hawthorne return to bring Deadpool in to his most successful adventures yet!

Grey: Fuck it.

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ALL-NEW WOLVERINE #1& 2 by TOM TAYLOR,  DAVID LOPEZ & DAVID NAVARROT

X-23 was created to be a weapon and for a time, that’s all she was. But with the help of her mentor, LOGAN—the original WOLVERINE—she escaped that dark past. Tragically, Logan has fallen, but Laura will continue in his footsteps as a hero. Recent events have her doing everything in her power to keep those around her alive, as violent forces are hell-bent on mutual destruction. If anyone can stop them, it’s Laura. She is the best there is at what she does. She is THE ALL-NEW WOLVERINE.

Mike: X-23 really became big while I was out of comics, so I don’t have a real strong connection to her.  Kind of odd since she debuted in NYX, which I really enjoyed. But, she’s definitely popular, and the right choice to take over for Wolverine.  I don’t know if I would buy this series, but it does go along nicely with Marvel’s attempts to diversify. Though it would be nice if there was a female writer and/or artist on this one.

Grey: I’ve been a fan of hers since New X-Men and the Kyle/Yost minis. Laura can be a very fun character if handled correctly. I read the entire Marjorie Liu ongoing a few years back, and then ranted against Marvel when they cancelled it leaving the company with ZERO female solo titles for a good few months. Plus, Tom Taylor is awesome, and David Lopez is a hell of an artist. This book will be so much fun.

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MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR #1 by AMY REEDER, BRANDON MONTCLARE, NATACHA BUSTOS

LUNELLA LAFAYETTE is a preteen super genius who wants to change the world—but learned the hard way that it takes MORE than just big brains. Fearful of the monstrous INHUMAN genes inside her, life is turned upside down when a savage, red-scaled tyrant is teleported from prehistoric past to a far-flung future we call TODAY. The pair are many things, and together the most amazing Marvel Team-Up. MARVEL PRESENTS… MOON GIRL & DEVIL DINOSAUR!

Mike: Now see that is what I am talking about.  Female writer. Female artist.  I never really liked Devil Dinosaur.  And I always complain about Marvel trying to do so much with the Inhumans.  But, I do like seeing a new female, black hero!

Grey: I respect Marvel for trying something new here, but I can’t make myself care. Planet Hulk from Secret Wars is pretty much the only time I’ve ever dealt with Devil Dinosaur as more than an easter egg.

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AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1.1 by JOSE MOLINA & SIMONE BIANCHI

The dead are walking in Harlem and Spider-Man’s going to do something about it. But when the trail leads straight to THE SANTERIANS, Spidey’s finds out he bit off more than he can chew. Television’s AGENT CARTER writer JOSE MOLINA and superstar artist SIMONE BIANCHI bring the heroes hidden since DAREDEVIL: FATHER back into the spotlight!

Mike: WTF?  More .1’s?  This is such a waste of space.  I really hated Spiral, so I will definitely learn my lesson and not buy these.  

Grey: I told the guys at my new LCS about Marvel bringing them back, and every last one of them let out a groan or a curse. Retailers hate these books more than readers, at least we can skip them, they always wind up ordering a stack for pull customers who didn’t realize they’d be getting this drek.

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AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #3 by DAN SLOTT & GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI

• More of Spider-Man’s post-Secret Wars world revealed!

• Visit Parker Industries New York Headquarters, the building formerly known as the Baxter Building! The Human Torch is going to have something to say about that!

Mike: That is a brilliant plot!  One of my favorite things Dan Slott has ever done was the mini-series: Spider-Man/Human Torch: I’m With Stupid.  So this should be awesome.

Grey: So happy that Slott is still on Spidey and still bringing the big crazy fun.

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CARNAGE #1 & #2 by GERRY CONWAY & MIKE PERKINS

Get ready to scream! Carnage, the homicidal symbiote is back, and he’s leaving a trail of bodies behind him. The FBI is hot on his trail, with a different playbook since their serial killer is a super villain. They’re equipped with the latest sonic tech and a team including military hero/astronaut John Jameson and a reformed Eddie Brock/Toxin! But when Carnage escapes into an abandoned coal mine, the FBI’s plan is starting to look like a trap... for THEM!

Grey: This sound like so much fun if handled right.

Mike: I just have some concerns about Gerry Conway.  He’s been out of the business for a while, and Spiral kind of stunk...Also, I was kind of digging “heroic” Carnage from Axis, so I am bummed they got rid of that.

Grey: Could be worse, wait til we get to Uncanny X-Men.

Mike: We may never get Uncanny X-Men.  They still haven’t finished the last run.  Cyclops is now dead about two months, and we still have no idea how he got the Phoenix Force in the first place.  

Grey: Point, Skitch.

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SILK #1 by ROBBIE THOMPSON & STACEY LEE

• Cindy Moon has been working to find the missing members of her family since she escaped the bunker that was her home prior to the events of SPIDER-VERSE. But her quest has taken her down a darker path than she expected, and she’s now in cahoots with none other than the most ferocious feline in the Marvel Universe – BLACK CAT!

• What’s gotten under her skin, and is there any redeeming the SINISTER SILK? !

Grey: Screw Ms. Marvel and Spider-Gwen, Silk has been the best new Marvel female lead of the last few years. Same creative team as before? Yep, I’m still there. If I was still reviewing books, I’d be covering this book like I used to cover GL.

Mike: Definitely Silk over Spider-Gwen, but I give Ms Marvel the edge.  It’s  Jersey City thing.  I never had a hero from my home town who goes to my old high school before.

Grey: Synch was from St. Louis. Don’t remember where in STL, but he was from here. So of course Marvel killed him with a grenade.

Mike: I miss Synch.  At least Skin and Chamber showed up in Secret Wars...though it was the crappy X-Men ‘92 book, so you take the good with the god awful.  

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BLACK KNIGHT #1 by FRANK TIERI & LUCA PIZZARI

What do you do when it’s your destiny to be damned? For centuries, that is the question that has plagued each wielder of the Ebony Blade... with all of them eventually meeting untimely ends due to the sword’s curse. And it is the question the current Black Knight, Dane Whitman, must ask himself as his addiction to the blade grows ever stronger and he finds himself in the aptly named Weirdworld. What are the circumstances that brought him to leave Earth and enter this strange and dangerous realm? And what do the Uncanny Avengers have to do with it? Find out here in this new ongoing tale of sword, sorcery and one man’s struggle to not lose his soul.

Grey: I have never in my life cared about the Black Knight, but here I am waiting to throw my money at someone for this book.

Mike: This is the first indication that some part of Battleworld survived.  Weirdworld has been a hell of an intriguing setting.  I would buy this book for more Weirdworld. And it sort of sounds like Warlord, so bonus points.

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THE VISION #1 by TOM KING & GABRIEL HERNANDEZ WALTA

The Vision wants to be human, and what’s more human than family? He goes to the laboratory where he was created, where Ultron molded him into a weapon, where he first rebelled against his given destiny, where he first imagined that he could be more, that he could be good, that he could be a man, a normal, ordinary man. And he builds them. A wife, Virginia. Two teenage twins, Viv and Vin. They look like him. They have his powers. They share his grandest ambition or perhaps obsession: the unrelenting need to be ordinary. Behold The Visions! They’re the family next door, and they have the power to kill us all. What could possibly go wrong?

Grey: ………

Mike: LOL!  My thoughts exactly!

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THE ULTIMATES #1 by AL EWING & KENNETH ROCAFORT

The ultimate superteam comes together to find and fix problems beyond the limits of the infinite! From cosmic forces lurking on Earth to what waits on the outside of the omniverse – the impossible is where they start! And what’s more impossible than ending the threat of Galactus, the devourer of worlds... forever?

Mike: I was much more interested in this series when I thought Galactus was part of the team.  I liked Mighty Avengers...but it took a huge dip in quality when it was retitled Captain America and the Mighty Avengers.  Hoping that another relaunch doesn’t make it even worse.  

Grey: I’m with you on Galactus. I’m hoping for the best with this book, and hopefully the slimmed down roster will help, but you can only relaunch a book so many times in two years.

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ALL-NEW HAWKEYE #1 by JEFF LEMIRE & RAMON PEREZ

Hawkeye and Hawkeye take aim at another season. But it’s not all straight as an arrow for Clint and Kate. A deep-seated rift that stretches across time, brings old man Clint and a wiser Kate back together as they chase down mistakes from their past. The star-studded team of Jeff Lemire and Ramon Perez return, bringing you another inspired look at the world of Hawkeye.

Grey: Time traveling Hawkeyes? Alright, let’s see what you’ve got up your sleeve, Lemire.

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HOWARD THE DUCK #1 by CHIP ZDARSKY & JOE QUINONES

A great jumping on point! Sure to go up in value! Don’t miss out on the series everyone is calling “Howard the Duck”! The last page will shock you! Nothing will EVER be the same again! Hey! Where are you going? Come back! Waugh!

Mike: Howard the Duck has been so fun to read.  Glad that it’s coming back after Secret Wars.  Chip Zdarsky is a very weird dude, and he is perfect for this title.

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THE MIGHTY THOR #1 by JASON AARON & RUSSELL DAUTERMAN

When DR. JANE FOSTER lifts the mystic hammer Mjolnir, she is transformed into the Goddess of Thunder, THE MIGHTY THOR! Her enemies are many, as Asgard descends further into chaos and war threatens to spread throughout the Ten Realms. Yet her greatest battle will be against a far more personal foe: the cancer that is killing her mortal form.

Mike: Now that the mystery of “Who is Thor?” is out of the way, I am real curious what is next for this Thor.  I really enjoy Jason Aaron’s work on Thor.  Male or female.

Grey: Same here, he’s quickly climbing the rungs of my “favorite Thor writer” ladder.

Mike: That would be a real small ladder for me.  Thor has never been a favorite for me.

Grey: The ladder for me isn’t huge; Jurgens on top, then you’ve got (in no certain order) Ellis, JMS, Fraction, Gillen, and some other names that escape me and I’m too lazy to research. Jason Aaron is probably at number three right now.

Mike: I have just never really gotten into Thor.  I will admit freely that I only started being interested in Thor after the movies.  Comic book movies may not bring in new readers, but they always convince me to try new books.  

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NEW AVENGERS #3 by AL EWING & GERARDO SANDOVAL

• Avengers Island -- under attack from outer space!

• Who are the Knights Of The Infinite? What do they want with Wiccan and Hulkling? And how far will the New Avengers go to stop them?

• Meanwhile, Songbird uncovers evidence of a traitor on the team...

Grey: I’m here for Songbird.

Mike: I will second that!  I was so hyped to see her in this book!  And Sunspot!

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CAPTAIN AMERICA: SAM WILSON #3 by NICKSPENCER & DANIEL ACUNA

• Because you demanded it-- the return of Cap-Wolf (er, Fal-Cap-Wolf)!

•What horrors await-- IN THE DUNGEON OF DOCTOR MALUS?

Grey: I would like to support Sam as Cap in a solo series, but then Marvel went and put Daniel Acuna on art. I’d sooner buy a Greg Land book, at least those are clear.

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THE ASTONISHING ANT-MAN #2 by NICK SPENCER & RAMON ROSANAS

• The Astonishing Ant-Man versus... his ex-girlfriend?! It’s the return of Darla Deering, aka Ms. Thing!

• Also... who is behind that stupid Hench app? Man, is that thing annoying!

Mike: MS THING!!  I kind of assumed we would never see her again once Fraction left FF.  I am glad I was wrong about that.  She amused me for some reason.

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SECRET WARS TOO #1 by VARIOUS

• We are Beyond. Dreamers. Destroyers. All of reality our whim. And frankly… we get bored.

• These tales from across the multifarious domains of Battleworld – not of heroism or consequence, but of humor – provide a brief respite from millennia of omnipotence.

• We cannot be comprehended by the miniscule human mind. Turn your attention to this book instead of trying.

• You are welcome.

Mike: It’s not over yet??  Honestly, the only reason I would buy this book is because I love Sergio Aragones..but I suspect his story will only be a page or two, so it’s probably not worth it..

Grey: Never again am I buying one of these humor books based on an event. They always make me regret paying the always outrageous pricetag.

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EXTRAORDINARY X-MEN #3 by JEFF LEMIRE & HUMBERTO RAMOS

• Mutantkind is teetering on the brink of extinction and the X-MEN are in dire straits!

• STORM and ICEMAN defend the last remaining mutants from a demonic attack!

• The world’s newest mutant discovers she has a terrifying power!

• And OLD MAN LOGAN and JEAN GREY meet for the first time…

Grey: So is it safe to say by now that one of the dozen or so mutant killing plagues of Battleworld is hanging around post Secret Wars?

Mike: Yep, looks like you totally called this one.  Though I am just here to see creepy Old Wolverine to flirt with creepy young Jean.

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DOCTOR STRANGE #2 by JASON AARON & CHRIS BACHALO

• Take a tour of Doctor Strange’s home-- the Sancto Sanctorum. It’s the weirdest and most dangerous place in the Marvel Universe! A place where opening the wrong door can unleash hell on Earth.

• Unfortunately for you and your fellow visitor, Zelma, Strange’s house is infested with something far worse than bed bugs!

Grey: Chris Bachalo drawing a weird and unusual setting? Seems legit. This book is an instant pull for me with the creative team.

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GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #2 by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS & VALERIO SCHITI

• Meet Emperor Quill and his Imperial Guard.

• What brings the Guardians into their crosshairs?

Grey: Kitty Pryde...in SPACE! Come on, man, you know you want it.

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SPIDER-MAN 2099 #3 by PETER DAVID & WILLIAM SLINEY

• The dangerous DOCTOR CRONOS continues to put innocent people in harm’s way, and Miguel O’Hara AKA SPIDER-MAN 2099 is the only one who can stop him.

• Even in his new duds, though, Miguel’s still in for the fight of his life!

• What strange connection does Doctor Cronos have to the year 2099 – and will he put a stop to Miguel’s attempts to right the timeline once and for all?!

Grey: Hate the new look, but I’m not abandoning the book. The recent run was fun, the Secret Wars mini is good, and Miguel is definitely in the top five Spiders deserving of a book.

Mike: It’s Peter David.  Even an average Peter David book is far better than most things on the market.  The solicit could have read virtually anything and I would buy it.

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S.H.I.E.L.D. #12 by MARK WAID & MIKE PERKINS

• Thanks to an all-out battle between gods and Earthlings, our planet has been wiped clean by the Scarlet Centurion! Coulson and his team have one chance to leap back in time and save the world--but to do so, they’ll have to wage war on Asgard!

Mike: Somehow this book escaped the massive reboot.  Kind of odd...is it running late or something because I am positive I saw an AGENTS OF SHIELD book in the previews Marvel released.  It had Coulson doing something creepy with some massive symbolic HYDRA thing...

Grey: I think it’s running late, because they were hyping Gugenheim as the new writer for the relaunch in the preview book.

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CHEWBACCA #3 & 4 (of 5) by GERRY DUGGAN & PHIL NOTO

• RRRRrrrRAAAAHHHGHGGGG!

• Errf errrf errff AAAAANNNNG!

• GGGGGNNNNNaAaAaAaAaA!

Grey: Best. Solicit. Ever.