Marvel July Previews Show A Much Different Universe
Marvel has released previews of many of their upcoming books after Secret Wars, and things will certainly look very different once that comes to its end. All in all, there are some surprises, some true moments of "seriously?", and a lot of interesting directions to be had.
The first thing that caught my eye was All New Wolverine #1. The costume is a perfect homage to Logan, and truthfully it's about time X-23 took over the family business. When legacy characters are done right they can be spectacular, so I have high hopes for this. From the cover of All New X-Men #1, we can see that she is a member of that team as well. She fits in well, as her youth meshes with the rest of the team, but her vast experience in covert ops should aid their cause. That said, not sure if her time on X-Force still counts after Secret Wars, but oh well.
Logan will still be around the Marvel U in some form however, just a bit older and with a little more grey. Old Man Logan #1 will deal with that version acclimating to his new environment, while also maintaining a presence as a part of the Extraordinary X-Men squad. That team is pretty stacked actually, with a roster including White Queen, Colossus, Iceman, Storm, Jean Grey, and what looks like AoA Nightcrawler, but I could be wrong on that.
Another unexpected direction for Marvel is Spider-Woman #1. I've been a huge fan of the book since its launch, and her new role as a mother alongside her superhero duties just ups the ante. This kind of storyline could be easily mistaken for a gimmick, but I have a certain amount of faith in the creative team that this will not be treated as something to just grab headlines, but rather an intriguing and well-developed addition to Jessica Drew's life.
While we're all aboard the happiness train, Web Warriors could be fantastic, and help to fill that void that New Warriors left oh so long ago. The fact that Anya, Spider-Gwen, and Spider-Ham are going to be in a monthly book together speaks for itself. Same with Venom: Spaceknight. I have no idea what that book is going to be, but Olivetti's art and the fun premise just speak to me for some reason. I'm also happy to see Hulkling and Wiccan (I think it's him, anyway) back in use on New Avengers #1, and truly want to see what kind of feel the creative team goes for on Scarlet Witch. It should also be said that the Marvel U is a much better place when there is a Nova in it.
Sam Wilson, Captain America could be a standout, and I hope for great things from A-Force as well. The tagline of Earth's Most Dedicated Heroes is hopefully indicative of the overall direction of the book, and there are some nice switch ups for the myriad of X-Teams. Not sure what to expect from Angela: Queen of Hel #1, and the same goes for Howling Commandos Of SHIELD, but I'm at least willing to give both of them a solid shot. I'm honestly a bit surprised they are shaking up the Guardians of the Galaxy lineup, but having Thing and Groot on the same team could develop into some worthwhile moments. I was a bit surprised that Carnage is getting his own book, and the same goes for Contest of Champions, but I do like that Marvel is at least trying out some different ideas.
These are just my viewpoints, and there wasn't a way to cover everything here in one post, but I would love to hear what you've got to say! Let us know in the comments.