Foraging For Comics: The August Marvel Solicits

What will be hotter, the fires from Civil War or a car roof in Brooklyn?

ULTIMATES ANNUAL #2
Written by CHARLIE HUSTON
Penciled by MIKE DEODATO and RYAN SOOK
Cover by MIKE DEODATO
As the Ultimates clear the wreckage from the recent attack on the U.S., a monstrous evil from the past rises from the ashes to launch an attack when America is at her weakest. Featuring the return of the long-thought-dead bio-fanatic: Arnim Zola! And with the ranks of the Ultimates severely depleted, all that stands in Zola's path is the indomitable sentinel of liberty-Captain America and Sam Wilson, the high-flying Falcon! Cover to cover action!

Well, I guess that “not gonna do annuals just for the sake of doing them” phase is over.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #535
Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Pencils & Cover by RON GARNEY
CIVIL WAR Tie-in
"THE WAR AT HOME"
Caught in the throes of the Civil War that's ripping apart the super hero community, Spider-Man contemplates a move that will mean new friends and new foes. In a conflict of this magnitude, three is no middle ground -- Peter Parker's move will cast him as either George Washington...or Benedict Arnold. Part 3 (of 6).

Mixing their war metaphors, aren’t they?

AGENTS OF ATLAS #1 (of 6)
Written by JEFF PARKER
Penciled by LEONARD KIRK
Cover by TOMM COKER
THE SPY, THE SPACEMAN. THE GODDESS. THE ROBOT. THE GORILLA. In the late 1950's, The U.S. Government let FBI Special Agent Jimmy Woo forge a team of unlikely heroes: Together they stormed the fortress of a criminal mastermind to rescue President Eisenhower, and the group disbanded soon after. Now almost 50 years later, an unauthorized S.H.I.E.L.D. mission goes down in flames--and from the ashes arise forces from the GOLDEN AGE OF MARVEL!

Well, not literally the Golden Age. But then again, what comes between Gold and Silver?

BEYOND! #2 (of 6)
Written by DWAYNE MCDUFFIE
Pencils & Cover by SCOTT KOLINS
Still reeling from the shocking death of one of their number, eight of Marvel's most mismatched super beings struggle to survive both a brutal battle between Medusa and Venom and the impending crash of their damaged starship.

Hm… guess it won’t be a very good year to be Gravity or the Hood.

MARVEL TEAM-UP #23
Written by ROBERT KIRKMAN
Penciled by ANDY KUHN
Cover by PHIL HESTER
FREEDOM RING
UNSUNG SUPERHERO SPOTLIGHT! Lesser known characters WOLVERINE and SPIDER-MAN take center stage as IRON MANIAC is let loose in the Marvel Universe! Can he be stopped? And how does Marvel's hottest new hero -- FREEDOM RING fit in with all of this?! Part 4 (of 5).

So, I think we’re all agreed that this book won’t reach issue 25?

SHE-HULK #11
Written by DAN SLOTT
Penciled by
Cover by GREG HORN
"Creature Comforts"
The honeymoon's over for Marvel's latest power couple, She-Hulk and Man-Wolf. She refuses to be his "little woman", and he refuses to shave. What's a married green female to do?
This is the issue you've been waiting for gamma-fans! Awesome Andy takes a stand! Pug's finally makes his move! And you'll NEVER see this ending coming!

Hunh. Finally, a cover for this series I won’t be embarrassed to read in public.

MS. MARVEL #6
Written by BRIAN REED
Penciled by ROBERTO DE LA TORRE
Cover by DAVID MACK
CIVIL WAR Tie-in
Ms. Marvel enlists in the CIVIL WAR! With the Super Hero Registration Act in full effect, Carol Danvers joins forces with Simon "Wonder Man" Williams and Julia "Arachne" Carpenter to police and train heroes. But there is a traitor in their midst--someone who is undermining the registration movement and endangering everyone!

Her whole body should not be shiny like that. Also, I think I called the “Arachne” thing a few months ago on CBR.

INCREDIBLE HULK #97
Written by GREG PAK
Penciled by AARON LOPRESTI
Cover by LADRÖNN
PLANET HULK, ANARCHY PART 2
Leading his army of gladiators and refugees, the Hulk smashes his way towards the Steppes - and freedom. But what of the millions still enslaved by the Red King? What of the rebels and slaves dying in the streets and fields? Who is the Sakaarson, and when will he come? The answers threaten to rip the Hulk and his allies apart-and precipitate a shocking transformation that could shake Planet Hulk to the core!

So, we’re all pretty clear by now that this is “Spartacus?” Just checking.

MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN #18
Written by PETER DAVID
Penciled by MIKE NORTON
Cover by CAMERON STEWART
Those with fear in their heart burn at the touch of MAN-THING! Knowing that the Thingster's lurking about, will Spidey be able to summon the courage to save people trapped in a Florida swamp? We ain't tellin' ya here! Pick up the issue!

“Thingster?”

ASTONISHING X-MEN #16
Written by JOSS WHEDON
Pencils & Cover by JOHN CASSADAY
"TORN"
The X-Men have been ripped apart and mentally destroyed. Only one remains standing. But with the combined power of the Hellfire Club standing in their way, what chance do they have?! Part 4 (of 6)!

Okay, given the cover, I think we can dispense with being coy.

EXILES #85
Written by TONY BEDARD
Pencils & Cover by PAUL PELLETIER
"THE NEW EXILES" Part 1 (of 2)!
Snikt, to the sixth power! With the Exiles fired, it's time for a new group of dimension jumping heroes. Wolverine has always been known as the best there is at what he does, so six Wolverines must be really really REALLY good at what they do! Can the Exiles get their jobs back from these scene-stealing Canucks? Don't bet on it!

*AWESOME.*

SPIDER-MAN: KRAVEN'S LAST HUNT PREMIERE HC
Written by J.M. DEMATTEIS
Penciled by MIKE ZECK
Cover by MIKE ZECK
Writer J.M. DeMatteis and artist Mike Zeck craft the ultimate tale of revenge in this groundbreaking and legendary collection! Kraven the Hunter has stalked and killed every animal known to man. But there is one beast that has eluded him. One quarry that has mocked him at every turn: the wall-crawling web-slinger known as Spider-Man. And to prove that he is the hero's master, he will pull on his costume and become him...after he shoots and buries him six feet under! Collects WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #32-33, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #393-394 and SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #131-132.
160 PGS./Rated T+ ...$19.99

Oooh, neat.

SPIDER-MAN VISIONARIES: KURT BUSIEK VOL. 1 TPB
Written by KURT BUSIEK
Penciled by PAT OLLIFFE
Cover by PAT OLLIFFE
The wall-crawler's back in Midtown High's hallowed halls when award-winning creator Kurt Busiek reveals lost lessons of Spider-Man's early career! Return to the first starts of our hero's circle of friends and foes, and meet the ones Lee and Ditko forgot to feature the first time around! Plus: the secret start of Spider-Man's deadliest enemy! Guest-starring the Human Torch, Captain Stacy and more! Collects UNTOLD TALES OF SPIDER-MAN #1-8.

About bloody time.

That’s all this month. Full solicits are here. Happy Hunting.