NEW COMICS 4 THIS WEEK (08/09/23)
*All comics will be rated on a scale from 1 to 10*
Amazing Spider-Man # 31 
Avengers # 4 
Batman Incorporated # 11
Ghost Rider/Wolverine: Weapons of Vengence- Alpha # 1
Knight Terrors: Green Lantern # 2
Knight Terrors: Shazam! # 2
Miles Morales: Spider-Man # 9
Spider-Man Annual # 1
Superman 2023 Annual 
World’s Finest: Teen Titans # 2
Amazing Spider-Man # 31– The overstuffed issue of ASM celebrates a wedding in honor of the title’s 925th issue as Randy Robertson and Janice Lincoln (aka The Beetle and Tombstone’s daughter) tie the knot with every crime boss in NYC are in attendance (Thanks to Tombstone); If anyone thinks this wedding will go off the rails, you would be right! What was really great about this issue is how the havoc within the wedding shows us a how strong ASM is after all of these years while setting up the next big arc in the title (Hammerhead, in particular, comes off as being a visible threat); The issue also features some great backup stories such as Peter Parker’s reunion with Kamala Khan (Yes, she died but quickly came back possibly because Kevin Feige gave the higher-ups at Marvel the stink eye since “The Marvels” is hitting theaters in November), a new beginning for Doctor Octopus, the mystery of Spider-Boy deepens and Spidey making friends with a goose while dealing with a fanboy who’s obsessed with being saved from any villain he comes across. The page count and price may draw the ire of fans (Really, Marvel- $9.99?!); With the hits and misses that this title endures, ASM will always be known as Marvel’s flagship title.
Ghost Rider/Wolverine: Weapons of Vengence- Alpha # 1– I felt like I was back in the 90s by reading this but seeing as how these two iconic characters share a moral compass. It’s the perfect excuse to put Ghost Rider and Wolverine together for a crossover that puts the focus on a string of murders to draw their attention. I love how Benjamin Percey crafted this story to where he forgoes the usual heroes fighting each other but gives them a threat that only they can defeat. I can not forget that he has a great handle on both characters as he builds on their respective history but does not lose a step in doing so which is a credit to his massive creativity.
This special kicked off a crossover that takes readers on a story that leans heavily on the horror aspect while making 90s babies very happy with the paring of Ghost Rider and Wolverine….now get out that can of “Surge” can enjoy.
Spider-Man Annual # 1– This annual kicks off the “Contest of Chaos” event where Agatha Harkness is working to build a new Darkhold, but she pits every hero in the Marvel Universe against each other. The first bout?- Spider-Man vs Wolverine! Now what’s the worst factor of this annual? – it takes the focus off Spidey himself (It is his Annual); His battle with Wolverine never comes off as exciting once Spidey and Logan unite, it falls flat. I should add that Stephanie Phillps never finds Spidey’s voice as it feels like she watched a few reruns of “Mad TV” for inspiration but to the surprise of no one, it doesn’t land. This annual is just okay. Too bad it just crashed big time!
Superman 2023 Annual – This is an annual that I would recommend to anyone now getting into “Superman” as one of the cool things about this is how it’s basically a love letter for fans who have been with the title since it launched. Joshua Willaimson once again brings style and grace to his writing as he continues to flesh out the characters we’ve grown accustomed to while forging new paths for them to take (The Parasite is by far the biggest shocker). Seeing Superman fend off a giant Toyman robot and Lois Lane conducting an interview with Livewire only for her to be in battle with The Red Cloud (A forgotten villain from Brian Michael Bendis’ run. Fortunately, Willaimson handles her better than Bendis did); The city of Metropolis truly comes alive thanks to the sharp writing which in turn made this annual an absolute classic and another reason why fans old AND new should invest their time on the Superman titles if they need a series that puts the “super” in superheroes.
Well, that’s it for me this week. Thanks for sticking around. I will see you all next time,
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