It’s that time again, where I tell you what’s really grinding my gears for the week of February 27th, 2019.
Some weeks it’s mostly likes, other weeks it’s dislikes.
So what’s grinding my gears this week?
Sketch for CHU Giveaway
So the last contest/giveaway involved me doing an Amazing Spider-Man sketch as one of the prizes (which was also a choice by the winner).
The winner wanted the sketch so I found the time to sit down and come up with a sketch, which I think turned out pretty good.
I really wanna try and set aside more time to start sketching more. So mark this one as a like, since I didn’t ruin a perfectly good ASM Blank Variant comic in the process.
Marvel’s War of the Realms is Upon Us
You know, I like title events but they’re so overwhelming with the amount of side issues and tie-ins across the other titles, making it very difficult for some to get the entire story.
So let’s review them.
War of Realms #1The main title book of the event. The one I’ll likely stick with as one can go broke buying every single issue and tie-in.
So what is War of the Realms?
“War of the Realms is this big, big Marvel universe story involving all the heroes from the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, Wolverine, the whole line. It spins out of Jason Aaron’s run on THOR but it’s still very much a Marvel universe event. Malekith, the King of the Dark Elves, has been out there conquering the Ten Realms, and Earth, aka Midgard, is the last one. So War of the Realms is about Malekith and the Dark Elves, Frost Giants, Fire Goblins coming to Earth, and the heroes having to try to fight them off.”
Malekith’s first appearance was in Thor #344 for you first appearance junkies. Might not be a bad pickup as this book is still super cheap. Being the main antagonist in a title event could boost his villain popularity. Despite already making an appearance in MCU’s Thor The Dark World and dying in the same movie, we all know death means nothing when it comes to future movies.
Another fact is that writer Aaron made a mention of the War of the Realms way back in his Thor: God of Thunder in issue #25 conclusion before it was rebooted again. They recommend that one should read pretty much all of Aaron’s run of Thor from God of Thunder as this title event has been slowly building up since that run. I’ve recommended this series for quite some time as I think the first two arcs are some of the best writing ever. I was never a Thor fan until I read God of Thunder.
If you don’t have time to read the entire Thor run, Marvel has put together a nice War of Realms Prelude TPB that collects all the important issues leading up to the build up.
The next books that hit shelves around the same time of the main title are:
War of Realms Journey Into Mystery #1 (of 5)
The creators of the blockbuster podcast The Adventure Zone bring their talents to Marvel for a wild romp through THE WAR OF THE REALMS! Earth is at war, besieged by an army of Frost Giants, Trolls and Fire Goblins — and the mighty Thor is nowhere to be found! But could it be that the key to turning the tide is…Thor’s baby sister? Journey into Mystery with Spider-Man (Miles Morales), Hawkeye (Kate Bishop), Wonder Man, and Balder the Brave as they go on an epic quest to save Earth’s only hope! (And, yes, deal with diaper duty.)
War of Realms War Scrolls #1 (of 3)
Gifted the sight of the Bifrost, Daredevil watches all Midgard burn under Malekith’s invasion. How will the Guardian of Hell’s Kitchen…guard an entire Earth turned to Hell? Find out in a story by Jason Aaron & Andrea Sorrentino! All this and more (including a new Howard the Duck story by Chip Zdarsky & Joe Quinones!), straight from the battlefield of WAR OF THE REALMS!
War of Realms Punisher #1 (of 3)
The War of The Realms has brought monsters to the streets of New York City, but New York has a monster all its own…Frank Castle, A.K.A. THE PUNISHER! And he’ll be damned to Hel if he’s going to let a bunch of Ten Realms tin-pot tyrants terrorize his town. But given he’s one man against an army of monsters, Hel might soon have him! The War of Realms is about to meet Marvel’s One Man Army. Expect Punishment!
War of Realms Uncanny X-Men #1 (of 3)
The War of the Realms has come to Midgard…and Westchester! Malekith’s forces are invading Earth, and the heroes of Earth are joining with the heroes of Asgard to fight them back! Who better to lead the X-Men into that war than their very own Valkyrie, Dani Moonstar?
Are you overwhelmed yet? I know I am but that’s not everything one should read.
There is also a few more War of Realms titles outside of the individual tie-ins of other Marvel books which include: War of the Realms: Strikeforce which includes The Dark Elf Realms, The War Avengers and The Land of the Giants. We must also include War of Realms: New Agents of Atlas, War of the Realms: The Protectors, War of the Realms: Amazing Spider-Man/Daredevil, War of the Realms: Spider-Man & League of Realms and War of the Realms: Omega. I might of missed some, there’s a lot.
I could go on but I’m overwhelmed just investigating and writing up the list for this huge event. Nevertheless, I’m looking forward to the event but I’m going to stick primarily to the main title for the most part but certainly keep a close eye on the others.
Big events like this can certainly bring forth back issues, new characters, deaths and other twists that make a speculators dream come true of all the possibilities.
That’s all I got this week for my likes and dislikes.
Nice Spidey sketch!
Thanks for the effort on that write-up. It wears me out thinking of these events. I know companies have to find ways to sell books, but yes, it is a bit overwhelming to keep up with. But most of you can thank me for Dark Knights Metal heating up. I swore off big cross over events and wasn’t going to get sucked into Metal and then boom! Metal exploded. I’ll probably be skipping War of the Realms as well which means for sure, there will be some spec goodies along the way.
The one thing this one has going for it for me is it’s Aaron writing it. But like I said, I’ll probably stick with the main title and not give into all the tie-ins and such.
I will read the main book and thor.aron’s thor has been epic. plus #25 leads into jane become thor love you all blind adam out
Like the sketch, Poyo. Good stuff.
Also, I have sat Marvel events out since Secret Wars and have not regretted it one bit. I am fine with waiting and picking up the trade if it is any good, as virtually no spec ever comes from them (not individual book events like No Surrender, but likewise ones).
Linewide ones*
I guess my biggest issue is the way they force books into the storyline that just don’t really belong (in my opinion). I realize it has always been this way, but with the amount/price of books…ouch.
Squirrel girl? Devil Dinosaur? A Punisher mini series? Frustrating. If the book truly fits/makes some sense..cool. Don’t inflate lackluster books by forcing it in.
Well said.
decided to pick up a Thor #344. Malekith was under utilised in Thor 2…
Has there been a marvel story arc with super-villains like Annihilus, Malekith etc teaming up to wipe out heroes of the marvel universe?
Nope. Not reading War of the Realms as it is Marvel BS. I dropped Thor after issue 7 as Mike Del Mundo’s art is all wrong for the title and makes it hard to read.
Lastly, nice sketch, Poyo.
I think I’m pretty much done with all Marvel, and DC is not to far behind.
If I ever get my comic book going, I will have you Poyo be a guest artist and do some Variants. ???
Also just wanted to see if you are ok and this weather hasn’t effected you. Since for the first time in a long time you are backing a Marvel book. And on top of that an event book which makes Marvel waste your money making you buy all these books so that you can know what’s going on in the story. I don’t know man. I think your feeling sick or something lol ??
I’m down for some guest artist or variants. I’m trying to fit time in to keep on sketching, I’m rusty.
As for backing Marvel, well, it is Aaron who I like and I’m hoping this event is better than the last few. At least it’s not a part II of something they’re regurgitating from the past. I’m not buying all of the Realms books though, no way. That’s my dislike, I’m sticking with just the main title.
The events at both Marvel and DC can get tiring. Especially when they overlap (i.e. Spider-Man titles doing one, while Avengers and/or X-Men titles involved in another) making the continuity in the entire line even more difficult to follow. Unlike Spider-geddon (where I tried picking up almost everything) I think I’m limiting the War of the Realms to the main title.
So here’s what’s grinding my gears this week…I finally read Wonder Twins #1 the other night and was dismayed at some of the content. Zan was talking about the Exxorians on his home planet and what happens when a thunderstorm hits. Specifically, “thunderlust” occurs and…”adults will drop whatever they’re doing and start tearing off their clothes…writhe together…men become women, women become animals and the night throbs with pleasure…many body fluids are involved”. Really? Is this appropriate for a Wonder Twins comic? Do we need to be reading about body fluids in comics at all?
Then when Zan experiences thunderlust (so he apparently becomes horny) for the first time ever, Superman says “he (Zan) became a man today”. So that’s what it takes to become a man? Uugghh! DC wants to censor Batman Damned (part of their new, more adult line of books), but Wonder Twins (which I had suspected is geared more towards kids?) can show Exxorians writhing in their underwear and refer to body fluids. I’m no prude, but something is out of whack here. I wouldn’t have anticipated (nor do I want) this content in this particular book. IMO, the folks at DC dropped the ball on this one. I will not be sharing this book with my kids, and if the current creative team doesn’t cleanup their act, I will be dropping it altogether. Plus, almost as bad, Gleek was nowhere to be seen in the first issue (except on the cover).
I’m not familiar with the Wonder Twins but that does sound like an awful read.