Legacy heroes are running rampant at Marvel these days, something we've had the opportunity to discuss on more than one occasion lately. The beauty of it all is that it's not necessarily always men stepping up to fill the shoes of their predecessors. From Jennifer Walters becoming the new Hulk to Jane Foster claiming the mantle of Thor, the A-list crop isn't as much of a boys' club as it once was. Such is also the case with All-New Wolverine.
It goes without saying that major crossover events are all the rage when it comes to DC and Marvel these days. Some argue that readers are suffering from event fatigue, which we won't dispute has some validity to it. But, if so, why are books such as Justice League vs. Suicide Squad and Civil War II flying off shelves?
Yesterday, the comic book world was left reeling when Marvel announced the upcoming mini-series Deadpool vs. The Punisher. Set to span five issues, it will not only pit Wade Wilson against Frank Castle, but will also see them having to confront a mysterious new threat known as “The Bank.”
In the past five years, Cat Staggs has emerged as arguably one of the best cover artists around. Capturing celebrity likenesses in the most uncanny of ways, her stellar work has adorned the covers of various TV tie-in books published by DC, chief among them Smallville Season 11, The Vampire Diaries, Adventures of Supergirl and, more recently, Wonder Woman ’77.
Without a doubt, Marvel made what was possibly the most controversial move in all of comics in 2016 when the incorruptible was corrupted in the pages of Captain America: Steve Rogers. After all, an American icon was revealed to be an agent of Hydra, albeit due to the convoluted machinations of the Red Skull. Still, it touched a nerve with many True Believers.
Anyone following comic books these days is well familiar with publishing juggernauts Marvel, DC, and Image, but it's important that we not forget the contributions of IDW, who sits firmly at the number four spot in the industry. Creating new franchises such as Locke & Key and 30 Days of Night have assuredly been instrumental in their success, but their mainstream titles based on properties such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Star Trek, and Transformers have sold like hotcakes.
With Tom King currently topping Diamond's sales charts with his work on Batman, it's only expected that DC Entertainment offer him more work. And, should you be a fan of his writing, there appears to be much to look forward to as 2017 progresses.
Crossovers seem to be all the rage these days. Some are successful and some unfortunately are not. One that we suspect will resonate with fans will be a momentous meeting of two of Marvel's most popular anti-heroes in the form of Deadpool vs. The Punisher, which is set to kick off this spring.
Although physical copies will (hopefully) always be an industry standard, digital comics have found a sizable audience in recent years. Comixology has certainly become the go to for many a reader out there, but True Believers always have the option of going straight to the source with Marvel Unlimited.
With Riverdale set to debut on The CW in just over three weeks, it comes as no surprise that one of comics’ oldest publishers is putting its best foot forward in an attempt to keep new and old fans alike engaged. As such, Archie 75th Anniversary Digest #5 aims to continue celebrating the legacy of the titular character in style.
