In October, Marvel begins a turnover from the All-New, All-Different lineup into a new Marvel Now. Therefore, we at Critical Writ began a process of deciding which of the released series were the best. We ended up deciding on a Top 10, and we'll start revealing it in two weeks' time. First, though, we decided it's a good idea to honor comics that were voted upon, but didn't end up among the best of the best.
Agents of SHIELD - Marc Guggenheim, German Peralta
Agents of SHIELD is a comic that is, no surprise, inexorably tied to the popular TV show of the same name. While the universes may be different, much of the characterization and interpersonal relationships in the comic are based directly on the show, which frees it from having to spend time on establishing these things. In addition to this, it hasn’t got the same budgetary or copyright restrictions as its on-screen counterpart, allowing for far more more ambitious plots and insane action, while still staying true to the spirit of the show and the characters. (Aranwe)
Marvel NOW! 2.0 status: not in the lineup, possibly cancelled
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Angela: Queen of Hel - Marguerite Bennett, Kim Jacinto, Stephanie Hans
I’ve already written a piece following the title’s cancellation, so I’ll keep it short and sweet. Continuing from the pre-Secret Wars title Asgard's Assassin, Angela wages war on Hel to save the love of her life, Sera–Marvel's first major trans character. What follows is a humorous and fun tale of love, war and found family, cut criminally and sneakily short. It nonetheless managed to do what it intended while teasing what we could have had, had we got a longer run. It can be occasionally too straining on the fourth wall, but it's genuinely fun, with Kim Jacinto's enjoyable art – and Stephanie Hans's simply gorgeous covers and guest art. (Dominik)
Marvel NOW! 2.0 status: cancelled in April
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Astonishing Ant-Man - Nick Spencer, Ramon Rosanas
As shown from his exemplary work in Superior Foes Of Spider-Man, Nick Spencer can write criminals with heart and humor. That makes him perfect for Astonishing Ant-Man, the story of a former criminal, current superhero, and mysteriously incarcerated man. The comic feels like an extension of the wonderful Ant-Man film and when you add in characters from the comics, it just gets better and better. I enjoyed the unique concept of using phone applications to hire supervillains, as well as the almost instantaneous competition that develops between them. Finally, you can’t have an Ant-Man story without heists, and the cast performing those will make long time fans of Mr. Spencer’s work very happy. (Zachary)
Marvel NOW! 2.0 status: ends in October
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Black Panther - Ta-Nehisi Coates, Brian Steelfreeze, Chris Sprouse
After his incredible cinematic debut in Captain America: Civil War, Black Panther is more popular than ever before, and the sales of his latest comic series prove that. Coates delves not only into what defines T’Challa, but what defines the very nation of Wakanda itself, and does this by telling the story through a variety of fascinating characters, old and new. (Aranwe)
Marvel NOW! 2.0 status: ongoing
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Black Widow - Mark Waid, Chris Samnee
While Mark Waid's ANAD Avengers is considered to be fairly lacking and disappointing, the same can't be said about his Black Widow run, co-written with Chris Samnee, his companion from the second half of his run on Daredevil (and the artist on both books). It's a gorgeous and dynamically-rendered spy thriller, as Natasha is on the run from both SHIELD and her own past. While the art is the biggest draw, it's also the primary means of telling the story: unlike the vast majority of mainstream superhero comics, we don't get to see Natasha's inner monologue and have to rely primarily on her actions – which helps keep her motivations and plans mysterious and inscrutable until such a time the plot deems necessary. It's a terrific, action-packed read that'll make you all the more anxious for a Black Widow movie. (Dominik)
Marvel NOW! 2.0 status: ongoing
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Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur - Amy Reeder, Brandon Montclare, Natacha Bustos
It's no mystery that Marvel's recent decisions lead to the decline of the X-Men and the related rise to the of the Inhumans (which has its share of unfortunate implications, as this article points out). But there are some positive effects of this move – one of them is this comic. It also introduces us to a new, amazing Marvel character – Lunella LaFayette, a brilliant 10 years old Black girl who discovers she has Inhuman DNA, which will lead to her becoming an Inhuman if she has contact with Terrigen mist. Unwilling to just roll over and take it, Lunella starts working on a cure – and her research brings Devil Dinosaur into the modern-day Marvel universe. The misadventures the unlikely pair gets into are amazing, in the style of saturday-morning cartoon stories, fittingly and dynamically rendered by Natacha Bustos's art. It's a joyous romp that'll leave you wanting more as soon as possible. (Dominik)
Marvel NOW! 2.0 status: ongoing
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Moon Knight - Jeff Lemire, Greg Smallwood
Moon Knight is one of Marvel's more insane characters, recently reintroduced to the public by Warren Ellis and Declan Shalvey in a stellar but short run. Part of his appeal (other than being an Ancient Egypt-themed Batman counterpart) is never being able to tell the extent of his mental illness, and how much of what he sees is real. Jeff Lemire's new series takes it up to eleven, with Marc Spector seemingly locked in a mental institution – except all the other patients are people he seems to remember. As he tries to escape, he takes us deeper into his past and his psyche, with us never able to really tell what, if anything, is really happening to him. It’s an insane, mind-blowing ride, rendered beautifully by Greg Smallwood, with Jordie Bellaire's masterful coloring. (Dominik)
Marvel NOW! 2.0 status: ongoing
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Old Man Logan - Jeff Lemire, Andrea Sorrentino
Whether you cared for the original dystopian graphic novel or not, there’s no denying that Old Man Logan was something of an iconic character. The decision to integrate him into the main canon was a very strange one that still somehow works. While the comic uses flashbacks to appease those who enjoyed the post-apocalyptic setting of the original, it’s far more interesting to see Logan’s developing relationships with characters in the present. It’s a comic with a surprising amount of heart, and with a lead character more interesting than our regular Wolverine ever was. (Aranwe)
Marvel NOW! 2.0 status: ongoing
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And that's it for this week! Next time, we'll finish our honorable mentions. We'll see you then!
Aranwe Quirke is a totally real, definitely not made up name. No, you may not see the birth certificate.
Dominik Zine is a nerdy lad from northeastern Poland and is generally found in a comfy chair with a book in hand.
Zachary Krishef is an evil genius. Do not question his knowledge of Saturday Night Live trivia or Harry Potter books.
