Looking Forward to February: Marvel Comics

Here we are once again! It’s the start of a brand new cycle of Looking Forward, our thrice monthly look at the comics scheduled to come out a couple months down the road. As usual, we’ll start things off with a little Marvel Comics action. (Next week, DC. The week after, Everything Else.)

WINTER SOLDIER #1

Written by Ed Brubaker
Art by Butch Guice

• Winter Soldier and Black Widow are the super-spies of the Marvel U!
• Ex-Russian Sleeper Agents awaken, but under who’s control?
• Is that Dr. Doom? Uh oh.

Yes, the rumors of Bucky Barnes’ death have been greatly exaggerated! If you’ll recall, in Fear Itself #7.1 it was revealed that Bucky didn’t actually die. I’ll hand it over to Rusty, who said in a column a few weeks ago:

"Seriously? You didn’t actually think Bucky was dead, Did you? Really? Never crossed my mind once. Which made me even more curious! And the explanation for Bucky not being dead was great. No need to dwell on a forgone conclusion. Very quick and efficient. He was only mostly dead. Princess Bride style. Nick Fury spirited him away. They inject him with the last of Nick’s Infinity Formula. He lives! Really all we needed."

Awesome, glad he’s back. And this series sounds cool. A hint of James Bond, a dash of Splinter Cell.

PUNISHERMAX #22

Written by Jason Aaron
Art by Steve Dillon

Jason Aaron’s and Steve Dillon’s seminal run on Punishermax comes to an end! Do not miss the Punisher story you’d never thought you’d read!

It’s consistently one of our favorite reads, month in and month out. It finds its way into the upper echelons of the Top Twenty virtually every month and we’ve recommended it since its beginning. A Punisher even darker than the one Garth Ennis cooked up, not for the faint of heart. And with this issue the ride comes to an end. A sad, sad end. And I imagine a very bloody end.

SECRET AVENGERS #22 & 23

Written by Rick Remender
Art by Gabriel Hardman

The all-new era of Secret Avengers begins here! Enter Captain Britain and Giant-Man as Hawkeye becomes the new leader! Sentinels hunt mutants, Adaptoids hunt Avengers! 

With issue #22, Warren Ellis’ run comes to an end and Uncanny X-Force scribe Rick Remender takes the reins. Can’t say we know what to expect (especially with Captain Britain and Giant-Man) but Remender will definitely have a tough act to follow.

TWELVE #9 & 10 (OF 12)

Written by J. Michael Straczynski
Art by Chris Weston

The time-stranded heroes of World War II are back! One member of The Twelve will fall! Who’s behind the myterious killings? The answer is electrifying! The killer uncovered! What does this mean for the future of the twelve?

This was certainly a pleasant surprise! J. Michael Straczynski and Chris Weston’s tale of old heroes caught in the wrong time comes back! I stole from Rusty earlier in the column, I’ll steal from Shawn now:

"Marvel’s The Twelve by J. Michael Straczynski and Chris Weston will get a trade of the first six issues in January, and then there will be a reprint of issues #7 and 8 in February. Also in February will the first new issues, #9 and 10, before #11 and #12 are released in March and then April respectively. That’s right kids, The Twelve is done and coming to you soon! Maybe this is what the Mayans were talking about. Their calendar ends with completed trades of the entire 12 issue run! They must have been Babylon 5 fans."

VENOM #13, 13.1 – 13.4

Written by Rick Remender
Art by Lan Medina

• Hell is spreading across the Earth from out of Las Vegas.
• Ghost Rider is responsible but what price is she willing to pay to save mankind?!
• X-23, Venom & Hulk must defeat their worst enemies, buying Ghost Rider time to stop Hell’s march across the globe!
• As a clone, X-23 has often wondered if she has a soul. This is where she gets her answer!
• Who is Ichor and why has he targeted Venom for Death?!

Looks like Venom has not one, not two, not three, but FIVE issues in the month of February! And also he’s going to Vegas and hanging out with quite the motley crew.