Marvel News round-up from NYCC at my Marvel NOW! Fanpage

There's been a slew of announcements throughout the weekend from Marvel over at New York Comic Con - from new series for X-Factor and the Silver Surfer to what's coming up for my main man Deadpool and his team the Thunderbolts.

If you haven't checked out my Marvel NOW! Facebook Fanpage yet, you can find links to all the big News, Interviews and Previews there!

Marvel NOW! Facebook Fanpage!

My Marvel NOW! Fanpage has been building nicely, linking to the latest MN! news at Marvel.com, Newsarama, Comic Book Resources and more - and tying in with it having smashed through the 5,000 fans mark, I'm producing my first exclusive feature for it here!

*CONTAINS HUGE SPIDER-MAN NEWS! STOP READING NOW IF YOU WANT TO AVOID SPIDER-SPOILERS!!!*

There are some big changes coming to the Spider-verse; a new Marvel Knights: Spider-Man series starts next month, Venom's series is ending...Scarlet Spider's series is reaching its climax with Scarlet Spider #25...

Doctor Octopus appears to be back from the dead in October in 'The Arms of The Octopus' - a story running through All-New X-Men Special #1, Indestructible Hulk Special #1 and Superior Spider-Man Team-Up #1 - something which naturally gets the attention of the Superior Spider-Man!

Meanwhile, in his own books, Superior Spider-Man reforms the Sinister Six - in a story arc beginning in next month's Superior Spider-Man Team-Up #5 - but to what end!? Then November kicks off major Spider-Event 'The Darkest Hour' in Superior Spider-Man #22 - which will see Venom taking on the Superior Spider-Man, and will introduce the Superior Venom!

So with all that going on for Ock-in-Spidey's-body, it doesn't look as though Peter Parker is gonna be back any time soon, right - ?

WRONG. In December, Peter Parker the Amazing Spider-Man returns with five special issues - Amazing Spider-Man #700.1-#700.5 - from a ton of writers and artists! A blizzard's crippling NY, Aunt May is in danger, Peter and Johnny Storm take on the Fantastic Four!? And what is The Black Lodge?

That's enough Spidey for now though, Poindexter, this wouldn't be a Sam Johnson Mighty Marvel Missive without mentioning my main man the Merc with a Mouth!

On the other side of 'The Good, The Bad and The Ugly' arc: in December's Deadpool #20, we're treated to another Deadpool flashback tale, as Wade Wilson goes all Kirby-style cosmic and teams with Devil Dinosaur and Moon Boy; and then in Deadpool #21, artist Mike Hawthorne returns as Deadpool sets out to finally get his revenge on Gorman--the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who stiffed him on the bill for taking out the resurrected dead presidents.

If you never caught my interview with Mike, offering some intriguing insights into the Merc with a Mouth, you can find it here - and you can find tons more MN! News & Previews at my Marvel NOW! Facebook Fanpage here!

Marvel NOW! Facebook Fanpage

For those of you who aren't already aware, when I'm not writing funnybooks and developing my machinations to work on Deadpool, I also run this.

And a Marvel NOW! Deadpool one, to boot!

Deadpool #10 Preview - plus Wade teams with Hawkeye in A+X #8!

Deadpool makes a return to team-ups next week, with the Superior Spider-Man guest-starring in Deadpool #10...

(Right-click on images and 'Open in New Tab' to enlarge)

As you can see, the issue also features a cameo from 'Batroc ze Leapair'--bringing back fond memories of the classic Deadpool vol.1 #20, in which--after tying Batroc's legs together and shoving him out of a window--Deadpool gets to deliver an immortal line...

"...LEAP!"

...Wade Wilson also teams with Hawkeye in A+X #8, in a story that reunites the Merc with a Mouth with Fear Itself: Deadpool writer Christopher Hastings and Cable & Deadpool artist Reilly Brown. The issue also features a Spider-Woman/Kitty Pryde team-up written by Marvel NOW! Deadpool co-writer Gerry Duggan!

(Right-click on images and 'Open in New Tab' to enlarge)

Look for my interview with current Deadpool artist Mike Hawthorne here soon!

X-Men #1 Deadpool Variant

Here's Arthur Suydam's Beatles-homaging Deadpool Variant cover to the first issue of the forthcoming all-female Marvel NOW! X-Men book.

This one's a doozy...

Deadpool #8 Exclusive first Review

For me, Marvel NOW! Deadpool writers Brian Posehn & Gerry Duggan started to find their 'Pool voice with Deadpool #7--a 'previously unseen' tale from Wade Wilson's past, in which he made a deal with a demon and then reneged on it--and that voice is strengthened in Deadpool #8, the first part of the new story arc...

Here, to save one of his new friends, the Merc with a Mouth is tasked with reclaiming the souls of four guys who've sold theirs to the Devil...

(Right-click on images and 'Open in New Tab' to enlarge)

We begin the issue by joining dead S.H.I.E.L.D Agent Preston inside Deadpool's mind; a result of one of his other new buddies, Necromancer Michael, magicking her consciousness into Wade's for storage when she was killed.

Deadpool's set up a 'welcome party' for Preston--with pizza, music, mini Deadpools running around, and floating guns. Yeah. We're through the looking glass here, and from previews I've seen, this is just gonna be our first visit to the inside of Wade Wilson's brain, and I'm looking forward to more.

Preston isn't. She wants out. But while she's here, Deadpool does her a solid and goes and pays her kid a visit in his bedroom, to let him know she's actually still alive--enabling Preston to speak through Deadpool's mouth--before her husband barges in and shoots him in the ass.

This being 'the regeneratin' degenerate,' it's gonna take more than that to floor him, though, and it's not long before he's back in the ice cream van he's just stolen, about to head on his merry way--until he's interrupted by the return of Vetis--the demon from last issue--looking somewhat worse for wear.

Now sporting face wounds that will never heal as a punishment for fudging the deal he made with Deadpool (Wade was supposed to get alcoholic Iron Man drunk and ruin him--but instead, put Tony Stark's armor on and went on a bender himself), Vetis has been let out of Hell for bad behaviour as a result of another deal he made--with Necromancer Michael. This deal led to the previous story arc's undead Presidents' onslaught on the Earth; Vetis is prepared to let the soul-claiming parts of his deals with both Michael and Wade slide if Deadpool takes down the four other people on the list they collectively make up.

Wade puts his head together with the rest of his new crew, Michael, Preston, and the ghost of Benjamin Franklin(!), and they resolve to play along with Vetis's game for now--but to also use one of the people on the list (once dead) as a new host body for Agent Preston (Franklin believes he knows where he can find a spell that Michael could utilize to make the switch).

From here, Deadpool swings into action singing a pastiche of the old Spider-Man TV show theme tune as he takes on Corrado Coloruno, the first guy on Vetis's hit list--a punk who sold his soul for invulnerablity; and for the first time in awhile, the Merc with a Mouth is back doing what he does best: rocking his unhinged, edgy, kick-ass merc skillz--rather than playing the 'Bugs Bunny' version of Deadpool who inhabited most of this series' previous arc. And it's a pleasure to behold; one that climaxes with Wade's inventive 'solution' to Coloruno's invulnerability.

But that's not all, the appearance of a hot redhead signals another development that taps into previously unrevealed Deadpool history, and a novel use for Wade's super-charged healing abilities is brought (back) into play.

There's a lot going on here, but it's well paced and much of it is a pleasant surprise... Agent Preston was a character I didn't care for in the previous arc, but grounding her with the introduction of her family is a development harboring emotional potential; and tying her and the rest of the 'out there' friends Deadpool made in the last arc together is done in a pleasing way and establishes a supporting cast that the Merc with a Mouth has been missing.

New artist Mike Hawthorne makes a relatively unflashy, but solid, debut--appealingly colored by Val Staples--with a less cartoony style than predecessor Tony Moore; one that suits the edgier direction the book's now heading in--and he renders the action scenes well, providing a nice sense of motion in his storytelling.

...I'm looking forward to what's to come in this arc--and I'll hopefully be gleaning insights when I do an interview with Hawthorne this weekend.

Look for it here soon! ;)

Marvel NOW! #1 Digital Editions and Actuality Press #0 FREE!

Until Tuesday, March 12th, you can get a bunch of digital Marvel NOW! #1's (as well as a ton of other Marvel #1's)--including Superior Spider-Man, Deadpool and Thunderbolts--FREE at Comixology here!

And you can also get the brand new Actuality Press #0--featuring Previews of my comics Geek-Girl #0, Mr. Mash-Up #0 and The Almighties #1--FREE here!

Thunderbolts #5 Preview

And the award for the weirdest Marvel NOW! cover yet goes to...

Next week's Thunderbolts #5...

...In which the Red Leader appears to have recovered from being shot in the head by the Punisher and superimposed himself onto the new issue's cover after stopping by the 'hood to pick up a new wardrobe.

Anyways, here's a Preview of the issue...where we can see the beginnings of Frank Castle and Elektra's 'perceived romance' (which, apparently, my boy Wade Wilson isn't gonna be too happy about)...

(Right-click on images and Open in New Tab to enlarge)

Superior Spider-Man Preview

[UPDATED 3/28/13: Superior Spider-Man #7 Preview added to the bottom of the post]

Superior Spider-Man has fast become my favorite comic of the moment; I've been reviewing every issue over at geeksmash.com and despite a ropey Superior Spider-Man #2, it's the book I'm most excited about in anticipation of what's coming up. So let's take a look at what that is, in both Superior Spider-Man, written by Supe's-Spidey-mastermind Dan Slott and sister book Avenging Spider-Man, written by Christos Gage--with a gaggle of talented artists including Ryan Stegman, Giuseppi Camuncoli, Humberto Ramos and Paco Medina...

Here're some excerpts from interviews with Gage and editor Steve Wacker at marvel.com, along with info, covers and Preview pages for upcoming issues of both books, as well as sneak peeks at where else Supe's might be popping up!...

Marvel.com: One of the most exciting things about SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN is that it provides a new context for familiar old villains. Can you give us an idea which bad guys we should expect to see?

Steve Wacker: In the first issue we saw a reinvented Sinister Six—-who will play an elevated role as the year goes on—-and the Vulture is right behind too. Plus we’ll be seeing the return of Massacre and the Jackal as well as many others.

Marvel.com: What about new foes?

Chris Yost: Well, in the sense that they're new to Otto [Octavius, a.k.a. Doctor Octopus, whose mind is now in Peter Parker's body, along with Peter's memories and, to some degree, sense of responsibility]--yes. While Peter may have faced villains like the Jackal and such before, it's a first for Otto. It gets interesting when Otto has to face villains he's worked with before.

Superior Spider-Man #12

Marvel.com: Will we see Ock settling some old scores?

Chris Yost: I think Otto really is trying to move forward, but in at least one case he may not be able to help himself.

Avenging Spider-Man #22

Steve Wacker: Ock has a lot of hate for Kaine [a.k.a. Peter's clone, the Scarlet Spider] considering their past. That will surface over in Yost’s SCARLET SPIDER book in the coming months.

Marvel.com: Is Ock's relationship with his former allies going to be purely adversarial, or does he still feel some loyalty to some of them?

Chris Yost: You'll see this in both SUPERIOR and AVENGING; Ock has a very interesting approach to his old friends.

Marvel.com: Could any of the villains tempt Otto back to the dark side? Could he convince any of them to become good guys?

Chris Yost: Check out AVENGING in the coming months for the answer to that. You may be surprised.

Avenging Spider-Man #21

Marvel.com: Is there any chance some of these villains might recognize Otto?

Chris Yost: There's always a chance. People are focused on the danger of the heroes figuring it out—-but what happens if a villain does?

Marvel.com: One of the hallmarks of Peter Parker is the endless banter when he fights the baddies. Will we see an Otto Octavius version of this?

Steve Wacker: The Superior Spider-Man is slowly trying to fit into the personality of Peter Parker’s Amazing Spider-Man with mixed results as we’ve [already] seen in DAREDEVIL #22. But Otto is aware he needs to fit in better and that is a subplot of the book over the first few months.

The rest of Yost's interview can be found at Marvel.com here.

Journey Into Mystery #649

So here's what coming up in Superior Spider-Man:

In issue #7, it's the return of villain Cardiac, Supe's membership of the Avengers is in jeopardy, and the issue begins the lead up to this Summer's Spider-event!

Superior Spider-Man #7

Superior Spider-Man #8 promises a moment that will break hearts! #9 is then billed as "Superior No More"! But whatever that means, the book's still going with issue #10--which features the long-awaited return of the Green Goblin!

Superior Spider-Man #10

Meanwhile, over in Avenging... Sleepwalker shows up for issue #19 and then #20-#21 feature a 2-parter co-starring the Secret Avengers in which the Chameleon is loose aboard the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, along with the Hulk!

Avenging Spider-Man #20

The whole Superior Spider-Man thing has caused a lot of controversy, but that's partly down to some people deciding what it is without reading it. Superior Spider-Man #3 was my favorite comic since I don't know when, and if you're still not sold, you can check out my Review of it for geeksmash.com here, and a Preview of Superior Spider-Man #7--in which Peter fights for control of his body--below!

(Right-click on images and Open in New Tab to enlarge)

Deadpool gives it to 'im straight.

In the next issue of Daniel Way & Steve Dillon's Thunderbolts, Deadpool and The Punisher confront the gamma-powered Madman... (Right-click on image and Open in New Tab to enlarge)

Thunderbolts #4 is out on Wednesday, Feb 6th.

Marvel NOW! Fanpage - What's New?

You can find a ton of new stuff at my Marvel NOW! Fanpage on Facebook, including some Previews of this week's MN! books, one of which, Superior Spider-Man #2, I was really looking forward to, but... well... check out my Review for GeekSmash.com

Superior Spider-Man is currently doing well in my 'What's your Fav. MN! Book so far?' poll at the Fanpage; whether issue #2 will change that remains to be seen, but meanwhile there's also plenty more new shiz at the page to check out, including a sneak peak at what's coming up for the Avengers. You can find it all on Facebook here.

Guardians of the Galaxy #1 Texts From Deadpool Variant

[UPDATED 1.16.13:]

Following successful gatecrashes of Marvel NOW! covers for Avengers #1, Uncanny Avengers #1 and All New X-Men #1, with his DC-lampooning '53 State Birds' Uncanny X-Men #1 Variant (below) about to come out, the Merc with a Mouth is doing it again with Guardians of the Galaxy #1's 'Texts from Deadpool' Variant, riffing on the Texts from Hillary meme. This is shipping to retailers at a rate of one copy for every twenty-five of the regular edition of Guardians of the Galaxy #1 ordered, and is out in March.

Meanwhile you can check out Guardians of the Galaxy #1 Preview art and a link to writer Brian Michael Bendis talking about his plans for the book at my Marvel NOW! Facebook Fanpage; where you'll also find links to my review of Superior Spider-Man #1 and tons of other new MN! stuff, including writer Brian Wood talking the new all-female X-Men team, and writer Jason Aaron & artist Simon Bianchi on the upcoming Thanos Rising mini-series.

And if you'd like to know what's coming up for Deadpool in his own books, you can find out here!

Sam Johnson Comics: 2013

So what's coming from me in the New Year? Well, on Jan 23rd we have a new Variant Edition of Geek-Girl #0 coming out, as well as Geek-Girl spin-off book Mr. Mash-Up #0; collecting all of Mash-Up's appearances outside of Geek-Girl #0 and featuring Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman, Pete the Pimp and Delfi Matrix.

Delfi and Mash-Up have a powerful connection and will both feature in the Geek-Girl mini-series I'm currently trying-out artists for. You can Preview and Pre-Order the Geek-Girl #0 Variant Edn and Mr. Mash-Up #0 at www.geekgirlcomics.com - where the Regular and Digital/Kindle edns of Geek-Girl #0 are available now!

I'm also expanding on my popular Marvel NOW! Facebook Fanpage by reviewing Marvel NOW! books for GeekSmash.com. Right now, you can check out my reviews of FF #1 & #2--which in the space of two issues has already become one of my favorites of the current Marvel line; and Avenging Spider-Man #15--which is effectively Superior Spider-Man #0. I'm more excited for what's coming in the Spidey books than I have been for any comic since Deadpool: DEAD, and I'll also be covering Superior Spider-Man #1 for GeekSmash.com when it hits next week!

Speaking of Deadpool, none of the above means I'll be neglecting my old buddy Wade Wilson--whom I'm gunning to work on--and I'll be keeping a close eye on what Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan will be doing with the Merc with a Mouth. The co-writers have said things will be getting darker once the 'Dead Presidents' story wraps in Deadpool #6; and that we can also look forward to the return of some of Deadpool's old friends...

You can find more Deadpool at my Marvel NOW! Deadpool FB Fanpage...

And all of that's just the beginning. Stay tuned! ;)