Since the end of the summer, the comic book news world has done nothing but revolve around DC’s New 52, DC’s New 52, DC’s New 52 – the publishing company’s reboot of their characters in order to make them more accessible to new (and old) readers.
Believe me – that news, ongoing for many months now, has not been boring. Anything but, actually.
Still, the other guy (of the big two comic book publishers), Marvel Comics, has been pretty quiet, hanging out in the reeds, watching, planning, waiting for a day to share an earth-shaking news opportunity of their own. Today, Wednesday, November 9th, might be that day.
Marvel Point One
Written by: Various
Illustrated by: Various
Marvel Comics
Marvel Point One, retailing for $5.99, is a 64-page one-shot containing seven different stories by some of the biggest creative teams Marvel Comics has to offer. Boldly, it promises to set the stage for the future of the Marvel universe. This comic is basically the answer that the “House of Ideas” have come up with to the question posed by their biggest competitor – a question that has seen DC Comics steal both market share and mind share away from Marvel since the summer.
Inside Marvel Point One, you’ll find top writers such as Brian Michael Bendis, Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction and Jeph Loeb, mixing their words with images from top artists such as Bryan Hitch, Ed Mcguinness, Terry Dodson and Javier Pulido.
The story? Well, this is “Point One” after all – the beginning of something grand, something universal, something larger than life itself! Under the auspices of the interstellar character known as The Watcher, superhero team The Defenders looks to get a reboot here while both Nova and the Scarlet Spider get a share of the spotlight. All the while, a new, overwhelming threat to the entire Marvel Universe rises…of course!
Although this all seems more than a little reactionary to the apparent success of DC’s New 52, DC’s New 52, DC’s New 52, who could resist a standalone Doctor Strange story, also found within these pages? (If I could editorialize for a moment – is there any comic book character that has been more maligned than the good (but strange) Doctor in his Marvel Comics Editorial-imposed obscurity? I can’t think of one.)
So make the run this Wednesday and pick up Marvel Point One. You’ll be able to say you were there, at the starting line, when the entire Marvel universe changed. “Point One” indeed!
Every Wednesday, JP makes the after-work run to his local downtown comic book shop. Comics arrive on Wednesdays you see and JP, fearful that the latest issue will sell out, rushes out to purchase his copy. This regular, weekly column will highlight a particularly interesting release, written in short order, of course, because JP has to get his – before someone else does!
