Marvel Madness

Paul and I aren’t at C2E2 this weekend but we’ve been paying close attention to the announcements coming down the pipe and so far I’m surprised to learn that very soon we will be adding a few of Marvel comics to our subscription box.  Greg Rucka, Mark Waid, and Brian Michael Bendis are all attached to new Marvel comics and revamps and all three sound really appealing. 

First and foremost, Greg Rucka’s work is very near and dear to us, so we will absolutely be picking up his new run on Punisher.  I’m curious to see what he does with it, since Garth Ennis did such a wonderful job on it before.  How many origin stories does Frank really need?  I’m sure Rucka’s love of the espionage though will add a new twist and with any series when the torch is passed the tone changes.  Rucka writing for Marvel caused me genuine shock.  After leaving DC, and I’ve heard him talk about why and I think his reasons were very valid, I didn’t expect him to go back to a non-creator-owned publisher.  True, Punisher is published through MAX, which is directly owned by Marvel but not part of the Marvel superhero world, and honestly if Rucka was connected to something like the Fantastic Four I might shed a tear or two but I would still read it.

I have never read Daredevil, but there’s a first time for everything.  Mark Waid is taking over and as I will have nothing to compare it to, I’m excited for something new.

Brian Michael Bendis is writing a new series for Icon called Brilliant.  I swear that man must never sleep.  The premise as described by Bendis is: “This is the real world. This is happening today. It happens at a fictional Seattle nouveau Ivy League school where the geniuses of the next generation have gathered and a couple of them have decided and challenged each other to turn the science fiction of superheroes into science fact. That doesn't mean this is a superhero book because it is not. It is about what the world would really be like if a couple of kids cracked the code.”

So the real question is, where are the big announcements from DC?  The most exciting thing I’ve heard so far is that Cassandra Cain is coming back.  She will be in Batman: Gates of Gotham and the word on the street is that’s she will play a big role.  We’ve missed Cassandra but as I like to say, Stephanie Brown forever.