Tuesday, April 04, 2006

Marvel Comic Book Catch Up

On the other side of the fence we have the upcoming Civil War in the Marvel comics universe. They've been running The Road to Civil War lately in Amazing Spider-Man and Fantastic Four. So far I'm not super hot on it with the prelude, but the overall story sounds intriguing and The New Avengers: Illuminati that came out last week really helps set the stage for what is going on.

Tony Stark gets together a group of the most powerful and smart people in the world: Reed Richards, Dr. Strange, Namor, Black Bolt and Charles Xavier after the original Kree-Skrull war. They decide that this group will meet whenever anything serious comes up so they can become a combined effort instead of groups here and there (like the Avengers and the X-Men). For years it seems this group doesn't get together, then the Hulk attacks Las Vegas and they meet and decide to throw the Hulk to another world (which is of course being spelled out in the Planet Hulk arc). They also explain how Nick Fury was there at that point in time and not underground...S.H.I.E.L.D. created Life Model Decoys of Fury to keep up the illusion he was still around.

Tony then assembles the group again, this time to talk about the upcoming Superhero Registration Act that is going to pass through Congress. Tony wants the group to stand behind the bill to show solidarity and not be against it so they can bend the legislation to their liking. Some people don't like the idea of civil liberties being destroyed by every superhero having to give up their identity. The Congressional hearings are being spelled out in the Amazing Spider-Man arc. This will of course all build up to the Civil War in May where heroes choose sides (supposedly Tony is on one side and Captain America is on the other) and Spider-Man is the dead center focus of the whole thing as he decides which side he should be on, especially given how much Tony Stark has given to him since The Other travesty (a new costume that is growing on me for instance).

At this point I'm more excited about Civil War than the fallout from Infinite Crisis. Chances are just like House of M many people will feel disappointed by Civil War, but it seems Marvel has been planning this almost as long as DC had been planning Infinite Crisis.

Also of note with Marvel: please do Dan Slott a favor and put The Thing on your monthly pull list. Dan Slott is a gifted writer who has great ideas, but neither this book nor She-Hulk are really lighting up the sales charts. I can tell you both books are good, but Dan himself has put the future of The Thing in comic reader's hands and I hope enough people go out and buy it and keep that fantastic book going.