Marvel is entering the summer with a lot of big things going on. Specifically, it looks like Marvel is not wasting any time in having War of the Realms conclude with the final two issues releasing in June. Along with that we are getting several major creative returns as Chris Claremont is writing Wolverine: Exit Wounds and Peter David is writing Incredible Hulk: Last Call. What else does Marvel have planned for June? Let’s find out by taking a look at Marvel’s June 2019 solicitations.
WAR OF REALMS FULL SPEED TO ENDING
In a very un-Marvel move, War Of The Realms is releasing the final two issues in June. That is a quick turn around for how long Marvel events normally go on for eight months. This shows, at least from a solicitation level, that War Of The Realms isn’t being stretched out and that six issues were the plan all along.
This is a good sign since War Of The Realms is just about to start. From everything that has been released it does look like War of the Realms has a high chance of being Marvel’s best blockbuster event in the modern era. With the story being based around Jason Aaron’s epic run on Thor it’ll be interesting how it leads to his final plans for the series.
BLACK CAT GETS HER FIRST ONGOING SERIES
It’s crazy to think that for how long Black Cat has been around she has never had an ongoing series. Over the years Marvel has released various Black Cat mini-series but they have been few and far in-between. Because of that, I am glad that they are finally giving her a chance to star in her own ongoing series.
Having at least the first story arc be based around the Thieves Guild, which Nick Spencer introduced recently in Amazing Spider-Man, is a smart call. This will open the opportunity to delve deeper into Black Cat’s backstory while also pushing forward with who she is. For how great Black Cat is I hope that Jed Mackay and Travel Foreman create a series that shows the world Felicia Hardy is ready to be a major solo hero.
SILVER SURFER RETURNS WITH NEW MINI-SERIES
Silver Surfer is one of those characters that has always felt like one of Marvel’s underground characters. He’s been cool and popular enough to have several ongoings and mini-series over the years but hasn’t had a break-out moment in a long time. With that said, hopefully Donny Cates’ Silver Surfer: Black series is able to establish what role the character will have in the Marvel Universe moving forward. Because it does seem like a waste that Silver Surfer hasn’t played a bigger role in the events that have occurred over the years throughout the Marvel Universe.
PETER DAVID’S LAST CALL WITH INCREDIBLE HULK
Peter David returning to write a new Incredible Hulk comic is more than enough to draw in a lot of older fans. David’s run on Incredible Hulk has defined who the character is for many, many fans. Personally, I’m glad that Incredible Hulk: Last Call will be its own thing that is not tied to the current continuity. This gives David and Dale Keown a greater opportunity to explore the Hulk and Bruce Banner in the way they want. And from the solicitation from Incredible Hulk: Last Call #1 it will definitely be a comic Marvel fans should be checking out.
STEVE ROGERS IS CAPTAIN AMERICA OR CAPTAIN OF NOTHING
The “Captain Of Nothing” story arc has delivered thus far. Ta-Nehisi Coates has done a very good job in questioning Steve Rogers place in the current world and what that means for him as Captain America. With the June issue, Captain America #12, it looks like Steve and the reader will get that answer. From the solicitation it does look like there won’t be a Captain America for the time being. That would be a big move for Coates and Marvel to make. But if they do it could very well clue us into what the next big story at Marvel will be if one of their iconic characters isn’t in the role everyone knows him from.
DOES SPIDER-MAN SURVIVE BEING HUNTED
There is no question that Spider-Man will survive “Hunted.” What is questionable is which characters around Peter Parker and Spider-Man survive this major storyline. The first issue teased that something will happen with MJ. But that just may be a red-herring as there are a lot of Spider-Man related characters involved in the hunt Kraven has created in New York City.
On Spider-Man’s side it will be very interesting what condition he will be in after all this. Afterall, he is surrounded by villains who want nothing more to make him suffer and hunters looking to kill him. On top of that he is not close to 100% as he is dealing with a severe fever. Taking all that into account “Hunted” could leave Spider-Man in a very vulnerable spot just as the mysterious villain Spencer has been building up makes his presence known to Peter.
WHAT HAPPENED TO MOST POWERFUL GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
With the Guardians of the Galaxy Annual #1 we will finally learn why exactly Nova, Quasar, Adam Warlock and Darkhawk were taken off the table. Given that these are four of the most powerful characters in the Marvel Universe there has to be a major reason this happened. That reason could tie into a bigger story Cates has in mind for the cosmic corner of the Marvel Universe.
Given that the solicitation for Guardians of the Galaxy #6 teases Thanos returning from the dead that next big thing could very well not be a good thing. Hopefully what we learn in both Guardians of the Galaxy issues shows us that these characters aren’t off the table. Especially Nova and Adam Warlock, who just came back into the spotlight.
CHRIS CLAREMONT RETURNS WITH WOLVERINE: EXIT WOUNDS
Whenever Chris Claremont returns to Marvel, and the X-Men franchise in particular, it is a major deal. Claremont afterall defined who Wolverine was with his run on X-Men and the solo Wolverine series. This time around Claremont is being joined by Larry Hama and Sam Keith as co-writers. What having co-writers means for the story in Wolverine: Exit Wounds could define how this story is told.
This new mini-series is also yet another Wolverine comic that is not an ongoing. Since his return almost a year ago Marvel has stayed away from giving Wolverine an ongoing series. Instead the character has been given major appearances or starring roles in various mini-series. That is an odd move considering how Marvel normally handles major returns like Wolverine. It puts into question how much longer they will go without having an ongoing Wolverine series on the market.
X-MEN LAST STAND TO STOP ELIMINATION OF MUTANT RACE
Speaking of Wolverine, it looks like he will have his hands full along with the rest of the X-Men in June. Things were already looking bleak for mutants as Cyclops and Wolverine have been doing their best to keep the X-Men afloat. Things only seem to be getting worse with Uncanny X-Men #19 and #20 teasing the mutant race facing extinction, again.
The timing is also interesting because June will mark the end of most of the Age of X-Man comics. With those comics coming to an end we may finally get the X-Men back at full strength. That is something that is definitely needed if the X-Men franchise is going to take the next step. Having a team around Cyclops, Jean Grey, Wolverine, Storm and Kitty Pryde will certainly hype a lot of X-Men fans. Especially with how Marvel is teasing Jonathan Hickman possibly writing an X-Men comic or two in the near future. If that does happen the X-Men will definitely go to the next level.
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