July 2017 Spider-Solicitations with JH Commentary

Here comes July 2017 and with it a new Miles, a new Octopus and… Deadpool killing the Marvel Universe? Didn’t we already do that?

SECRET EMPIRE #6 (of 9)
NICK SPENCER (W) • LEINIL FRANCIS  YU (A)
Cover by MARK BROOKS
Variant Cover by J. SCOTT CAMPBELL
Variant Cover by LEINIL FRANCIS YU
Hydra Hero Variant Cover by ANDREA SORRENTINO
Villain Variant Cover by DAN MORA
Action Figure Variant Cover by JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
• The unworthy, the untrusted, the unstable — this is their day! BEWARE THE SECRET EMPIRE!
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

SECRET EMPIRE #7 (of 9)
NICK SPENCER (W) • ANDREA SORRENTINO (A)
Cover by MARK BROOKS
Variant Cover by J. SCOTT CAMPBELL
Hydra Hero Variant Cover by ANDREA SORRENTINO
Villain Variant Cover by DAN MORA
Action Figure Variant Cover by JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
• It was foretold by Ulysses, it’s haunted Spider-Man’s nightmares for months, and now the moment has arrived: It’s time for Miles Morales to kill Captain America! Unless Natasha…
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Comments: So it looks like Miles still has a huge part to play in the Marvel Universe? Will he be the one to topple the Secret Empire? And what will it mean for our young Wall-Crawler? I can’t wait to find out. 

SECRET EMPIRE: BRAVE NEW WORLD #3 (of 5)
PAUL ALLOR, ETHAN SACKS, MAGDALENE VISAGGIO (W)
BRIAN LEVEL, SEAN IZAAKSE (A)
COVER BY PAULO SIQUEIRA
• Estranged from the planet he’s duty bound to protect, Kevin Conner, A.K.A. STARBRAND wrestles with the weight of his destiny…
• Meanwhile on Earth, the citizens of New York City find themselves trapped and a traitor in Atlantis could bring an end to Namor’s truce with Hydra!
• Starring J. JONAH JAMESON, STARBRAND and THE INVADERS.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Comments: Because when Secret Empire was announced, I thought: ‘Hey, that’s cool but how does it affect J Jonah Jameson?’

AVENGERS #9
MARK WAID (W) • MIKE DEL MUNDO (A)
Cover by ALEX ROSS
X-MEN TRADING CARD VARIANT COVER BY JIM LEE
SECRET EMPIRE TIE-IN!
• The most loved Avenger of all has now shown his true colors — and the Avengers will have to put their allegiances to Steve Rogers aside and fight the good fight!
• But for one Avenger, that fight is very far away indeed! Trapped in a nameless land, a timeless time, can Thor find her way back to the here and now in order to return to the struggle?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Comments: I always find that Avengers comics are at their weakest when they focus on an individual character. I read these stories to see how the ensemble interact and that element seems to be lacking this issue. 

CHAMPIONS #10
MARK WAID (W) • HUMBERTO RAMOS (A/C)
X-MEN TRADING CARD VARIANT COVER BY JIM LEE
SECRET EMPIRE TIE-IN!
• The Champions are put to the ultimate test. This is no small-town problem they’re facing — it’s up to them to help right an entire world turned upside down!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Comments: It looks like the Champions will be having some help from some other teen heroes – I’m looking forward to seeing how they interact with Ironheart and I really hope she becomes a permanent addition. 

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #30
DAN SLOTT  (W) • STUART IMMONEN (A)
Cover by ALEX ROSS
X-MEN TRADING CARD VARIANT COVER BY JIM LEE
SECRET EMPIRE TIE-IN!
• Otto Octavius is back, but he’s not returning to his old ways…
• No, this time, he’s THE SUPERIOR OCTOPUS! And he’s allied himself with Steve Rogers and Hydra!
• What does Ock have planned for Peter and Parker Industries? Nothing good for Spider-Man, that’s for sure!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Comments: Seriously Ock, we’re all on your side here! Burn down Parker Industries, burn it down!

DOCTOR STRANGE #23
DENNIS HOPELESS (W) • NIKO HENRICHON (A/C)
X-MEN TRADING CARD VARIANT COVER BY JIM LEE
SECRET EMPIRE TIE-IN!
• Strange, Fisk and company take the fight to the person running New York City…BARON MORDO!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Comments: This could be my most anticipated Secret Empire tie-in, it’s great to see Kingpin getting the coverage he deserves. 

SPIDER-MEN II #1 (of 5)
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • SARA PICHELLI (A)
Cover by Sara Pichelli and Justin Ponsor
Variant Cover by Daniel Acuña
Connecting Variant Cover by Jesüs Saiz
VARIANT COVER BY KADIR NELSON
VARIANT COVER BY JULIAN TOTINO TEDESCO
VARIANT COVER BY TBA
THIS IS IT, TRUE BELIEVERS!
The moment five years in the making is finally here! The first time Peter Parker and Miles Morales met ended with a question — WHO IS THE MILES MORALES OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE?! Now that the Miles you know and love is with Peter in the Marvel Universe, you’re finally going to get that answer to who the OTHER Miles Morales is! And that’s just the tip of the iceberg as Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli bring you the next heart-stopping adventure for both Peter Parker and Miles Morales!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Comments: Finally! We’ve been waiting for five whole years for an answer to the last-page twist of Spider-Men #5 – do not disappoint Bendis!

DEADPOOL KILLS THE MARVEL UNIVERSE AGAIN #1 & 2 (of 5)
CULLEN BUNN (W) • DALIBOR TALAJIC (A)
Covers by DAVE JOHNSON
ISSUE #1 – Variant Cover by MICHAEL WALSH
ISSUE #1 – Variant Cover by PEPE LARRAZ
ISSUE #1 – VOLUME 1 VARIANT COVER BY TBA
ISSUE #2 – Variant Cover by SALVA ESPIN
Remember the time Deadpool went a little TOO crazy and killed the entire Marvel Universe? Well, this isn’t that. This is a DIFFERENT time. Writer Cullen Bunn and artist Dalibor Talajic (A.K.A. the creators behind DEADPOOL KILLS THE MARVEL UNIVERSE) have reunited for ANOTHER tale of Deadpool taking out all of your faves in the most horrific ways possible! It’s gonna hurt him more than it hurts you…and you’re gonna love it!
32 PGS. (EACH)/Parental Advisory …$3.99 (EACH)

Comments: Because we demanded it…? Oh well, I’m going to read it anyway and love every gory page!

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #9
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • STEFANO CASELLI (A)
COVER BY DANIEL ACUÑA
X-MEN TRADING CARD VARIANT COVER BY JIM LEE
• Riri Williams strikes out on her own as her idealism is put to the test by a world she does not understand yet.
• How far is Ironheart prepared to go to do what she knows is right?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Comments: Not much to cover in this solicit other than the usual – read this book, it’s pretty good. Other than that…well the cover is kind of nice, I guess. 

SPIDER-MAN: MASTER PLAN #1
ROBBIE THOMPSON (w) • NATHAN STOCKMAN (a/C)
Variant Cover by RON LIM
Variant Cover by GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI
CRIME DOES PAY!
• Everything’s going perfectly for PETER PARKER…he’s got some time off and landed tickets to the hottest Broadway show in town…
• …which means there’s another shoe ready to drop somewhere…
• Join everyone’s favorite web-slinger in an all-new story against his classic foe THE CRIME MASTER!
• Also including a special reprinting of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #2, featuring the first appearance of THE VULTURE!
40 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ …$3.99

Comments: Let’s face facts, the only reason this exists is because a Spider-Man film is coming out at the same time (I know, the shock!). I won’t read it, and you probably won’t too. 

PETER PARKER: THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #2
CHIP ZDARSKY (w) • ADAM KUBERT (a/C)
X-MEN TRADING CARD VARIANT COVER BY JIM LEE
Variant Cover by ARTHUR ADAMS
• A tech-crime ring is tightening around Spider-Man.
• If Ironheart will stop beating him up, she may be able to help him zero in on the source.
• And who is the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent showing up at Peter’s door with more info on Spidey than anyone should have?
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Comments: Is this just going to be Spider-Man Team-Up? Please don’t be, this is practically all us Spider-fans have now.

EDGE OF VENOMVERSE #2 (of 5)
CHRISTOPHER HASTINGS (w) • IRENE STRYCHALSKI (a)
Cover by FRANCESCO MATTINA
Variant Cover by RON LIM
A PINK NIGHTMARE!
• The wall-breaking wunderkind we call Gwenpool gets ahold of the VENOM SYMBIOTE and turns into a sword-slinging, web-swinging master of disaster!
• But it won’t all be fun and games when Gwenpool comes across something huge… something that will directly lead to the Venom event of 2017!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

EDGE OF VENOMVERSE #3 (of 5)
SIMON SPURRIER (w) • TIGH WALKER (a)
Cover by FRANCESCO MATTINA
Variant Cover by RON LIM
THE SYMBIOTIC SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE!
• Robbie Reyes was just an average, ordinary super hero with a flaming skull…
• …right up until he found himself bonded with a dangerous extraterrestrial symbiote!
• Don’t miss the first daring drive of the HOST RIDER!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Comments: X-23? Gwenpool? Ghost Rider? These are some weird choices for Venomised heroes, but it sure has piqued my attention. 

VENOM #152
MIKE COSTA (W) • GERARDO SANDOVAL (A)
COVER BY Francisco Herrera
X-MEN TRADING CARD VARIANT COVER BY JIM LEE
“THE LAND BEFORE CRIME” CONTINUES!
• Eddie Brock and the Venom symbiote are reunited, but something’s wrong!
• The symbiote can’t contain itself within Eddie’s veins and has started seeping out of his pores as he sleeps.
• To make matters worse, Stegron is aiming to turn all of New York into dinosaurs by sunrise…and Venom is DINNER!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Comments: This hasn’t been a great series so far and, however much I hope, I don’t think the addition of Stegron is going to help matters. 

BEN REILLY: SCARLET SPIDER #5
PETER DAVID (w) • MARK BAGLEY (a/C)
• Ben Reilly is back in the blue, and right on time for his big showdown with Cassandra Mercury and her strongman, Slate!
• But Mercury and her minions aren’t the only people who have it in for Ben. Kaine does, too, and he won’t stop until he brings Ben in…dead or alive!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Comments: At least the smiley-face costume is gone…?

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: RENEW YOUR VOWS #9
GERRY CONWAY & RYAN STEGMAN (W) • RYAN STEGMAN (a/C)
• MJ’s Regent-tech suit has been acting up and sapping spidey-powers from Peter, so she went and got herself a biological upgrade.
• Something black and white and terrible all over…
• With MJ bonded to the Venom symbiote, will she give in to its villainous urges?
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Comments: This comic is brilliant. If you can overlook at 10-year old super-villain, get on this book and prove to Slott and Marvel that Spider-Man can be married and still our hero!

SPIDER-MAN/DEADPOOL #19
JOSHUA CORIN (w) • WILL ROBSON (a/C)
• The adventures of your favorite duo in comic books continue, and this time Spider-Man and Deadpool have decided NOT TO BE FUNNY ANYMORE?!
• What could have possibly driven our two heroes to take the funny outta their own funny book?
• And just what the heck has SLAPSTICK got to do with it?!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Comments: So apparently this comic isn’t cancelled? Cool.

SPIDER-GWEN #22
JASON LATOUR (W) • ROBBI RODRIGUEZ (A/C)
“Predators” Part 4!
• Gwen’s relationship with Matt Murder-dock is coming to its natural end…
• …but is that end also Gwen’s not-natural death?
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Comments: I’m starting to get worried that this book might be overdoing the Matt Murdock plot – we’ll just have to see where this goes. 

SPIDER-MAN #18
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (w) • OSCAR BAZALDUA (a)
Cover by PATRICK BROWN
X-MEN TRADING CARD VARIANT COVER BY JIM LEE
• Spider-Man finds out that Hammerhead isn’t so funny after all.
• The NYC crime-land gang war is heating up, and Miles is getting a little too involved.
• This won’t end well.
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Comments: Bit weird that this book is dealing with such a normal plot while Miles might be murdering the Star-Spangled Avenger over in Secret Empire. 

SPIDER-MAN 2099 #25
PETER DAVID (w) • WILL SLINEY (a)
Cover by FRANCESCO MATTINA
• Spidey and his allies have pinpointed the precise date and time of the event that stranded Miguel O’Hara in the past — and left 2099 in shambles!
• Once THE FIST is defeated, the timeline will be set right.
• But is this new Spider-Man here to help or do harm?
• Miguel’s fight for the fate of the future comes to a climactic end!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Comments: It looks like this book is wrapping up and I’m not quite sure how I feel about that. Whilst I’ve never really bought into it as a brilliant book, I don’t think it’s bad enough to get cancelled. 

GWENPOOL, THE UNBELIEVABLE #18
CHRIS HASTINGS (W) • GURIHIRU (A/C)
X-MEN TRADING CARD VARIANT COVER BY JIM LEE
• Gwenpool is no stranger to trouble in the Marvel Universe.
• But now, it seems the Marvel Universe is after her.
• Whose secret identity did she blurt out this time?!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Comments: More Howard the Duck. I’m buying it. 

MARVEL UNIVERSE ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN VS. THE SINISTER SIX #11
Adapted by Joe Caramagna
THE NEW SINISTER SIX – PART TWO!
• SPIDER-MAN must protect those dearest to him from DOC OCK and his new SINISTER SIX when they attempt to retrieve the dreaded HYDRA ISLAND!!
32 PGS./All Ages …$2.99

Comments: The last reminder that this TV show existed. Gone but not forgotten, no matter how hard I try.