Marvel Re-Launch

The amount of time and money that I spend on reading and buying comic books from Marvel is down. It was already low, with my buying only 4 monthly books and one title when it's out in tradepaperback. With this relaunch it might just be one. And the only reason is that I trust the writer to not ruin the character too much before he dies again in some overhyped event.

I could start by bashing Brian Michael Bendis for his bad influence on the Marvel Universe. You know what, I think I will start on second thought. The guy finally leaves the Avengers franchise after years of boring plots, bad characterization and cliche story arcs. Who was he fouling when Avengers versus X-Men was happening that Hope wouldn't get the Phoenix Force? Now he'll try to ruin Guardians of the Galaxy after Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning made them relevant but had to leave the book after some silly event. And he'll also try to ruin All-New X-Men by using the original X-Men. It's bad enough that the Ultimate Marvel Universe has to stoop to making Captain America President but that lines decline started after that terrible Ultimatum storyline which he co-wrote.

Now Marvel has a status quo where the X-Men, Avengers, Fantastic Four, Spider-Man and Wolverine have so many books you don't know where to start. Superior Spider-Man, no more Amazing Spider-Man, OK. Avengers, New Avengers, Secret Avengers, Dark Avengers, Uncanny Avengers, Young Avengers, Avengers Assemble, Avenger Arena, how many can they make before next year? I'll say there'll be Amazing, Superior, Savage, Extreme, Fabulous, Super Smash, Incredulous, Manic Depressive, Elderly, Space Avengers by the time next New York Comic Con rolls around. One of course one Daredevil book because he's blind so who cares. Its been a long time since the X-Men mattered and this relaunch won't change that. There will be one X-Factor book, two X-Force books and the usual pointless number of X-Men books. And of course X-Factor will be good but in it's own world. The X-Force books will be the best X-Men books not called X-Men and the others won't matter. Don't forget Wolverine will be in all of these teams, somehow.

If you watch pro wrestling for as long as I have you get use to gimmicks. Especially those bad pointless gimmicks, where the guy is an unstoppable monster. Except when he talks, than he sounds ridiculous. But you know that in a year his lack of wrestling ability will catch up with him and he'll fall into mid card status. That's Marvel comic right now to me. The gimmicks have been redone so much that I can't bring myself to care. It's the, "million dollar body, but a ten cent brain" argument.

Mind you DC Comics is barely doing better. I can admit that after one year of the New 52, the New has lost its luster. The quality of the line overall is much better than Marvel though. Books like Justice League, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Supergirl, and Nightwing are constantly good, quality story telling since the relaunch. The gimmicks take a back seat to story and artwork, with solid characterization. There's no need for crossover after crossover, or guest appearance by whomever this month. Are there bad books, yes, but those are either cancelled or new talent is brought in to make them work.

I know Marvel has realigned the creative teams and some look promising. I may stick with Jason Aaron on Thor before that gets a title and number change. I tried Uncanny Avengers, because of the John Cassadys artwork. The last page killed that idea. Really mad scientist, super villain, planning to use a dead mutants brain to take over the world. Yeah, I'll check the trade for that when it's out. Uncanny X-Force, versus Cable and the X-Force with no Savage Wolverine in sight, soon this will change. It's a sad comics day when the baby X versus baby A book is something I would rather buy than the Punisher.

I am looking at picking up the X-Force trades started by Chris Yost and finished by Rick Remender in another volume. I just checked out the Wiki on the Apocalypse storyline from the last volume. There are some gems down the line coming, I hope. Matt Fractions, Iron Man run was solid, his Thor, not so much.
With Ed Brubaker leaving Captain America and Winter Soldier, I'll leave with him. I'll go back and see what all the hoopla was about Johnathan Hickmans Fantastic Four was. There's no way that I'll touch All-New X-Men from Bendis. And I'll worry about Guardians of the Galaxy until the movie comes out. The Ultimate Universe won't matter to me unless the name Mark Millar or Warren Ellis is attached to it. I will give Axel Alsono credit for being a better Editor-in-Chief than Joe Quesada in the short time he's been in charge. The success of the Avengers movie from Joss Whedon will hamper somethings down the I think.

Eventually I think Marvel will have to stream line it's lines. This means one title for the team books and characters that matter. When Daredevil is considered one of the best comics in their entire line that proves something. It's that good story telling doesn't need gimmicks and hype to sell. When Marvel remembers this they will get back to making quality books that make sense to their larger universe. Until than don't make mine Marvel and screw, 'nuff said.