Marvel 2021 Solicitations Analysis

Marvel Comics March 2021 Solicitation Analysis

Marvel 2021 Solicitations Analysis

Marvel will be wrapping up a busy first quarter of 2021 with several major developments. First we will see what state the King In Black will leave the Marvel Universe as that event comes to an end in March. That ending will likely only make things even busier for Marvel’s heroes as the Avengers will be in the middle of dealing with the Phoenix Force and X-Men are in the middle of Reign Of X. That’s not even speaking of the things solo heroes like Spider-Man and Daredevil have going on. Let’s take a look at Marvel’s plan going into March 2021 with there most recent solicitations.

KING IN BLACK ENDING WITH VENOM NO MORE

King In Black has not let up in how it has challenged the Marvel Universe’s heroes with Knull’s relentless assault. Knull has already established himself as an unstoppable force, especially after he absorbed Sentry’s Void powers. Having become a God-like being as Knull Void it is tough to see how the remaining heroes on Earth can fight back.

That looks to be answered as King In Black comes to end with what may be the end of Venom. That is at least what is teased in March’s King In Black #5 and Venom #34. Given that the most recent King In Black #2 ended with it appearing that Eddie Brock has passed away. With the Symbiotes having a life to their own that may not be the end of Eddie, at least for now. The question is if Eddie and Venom will have to make the ultimate sacrifice. If so, there is a bigger question of where the Symbiotes, who have become even more popular thanks to Cates’ Venom run, will go after King In Black.

ALIEN MAKES ITS MARVEL DEBUT

Alien #1 Cover
Click for full cover view of Alien #1.

It was only a matter of time before Marvel started writing comics based on some of the Fox Studios properties after Disney acquired all their rights. Now in March we will get a look at just that with Marvel publishing a new Alien comic book. The solicitation for Alien #1 is what you would expect to hear from the story. The comic book definitely looks to have a strong creative team with Phillip Johnson and Salvador Larroca. What I’ll be interested to see is if this new Alien comic is just the first of many that we’ll get in the future and if the franchise will crossover to the Marvel Universe at some point.

BETA RAY BILL GOING SOLO AGAIN

While Donny Cates is doing big things with Venom he is also developing as big, if not bigger, things over on Thor. One of the big moves that Cates has done as Thor grows into his new role as All-Father of Asgard is bring in Beta Ray Bill as his right hand. Adding to Beta Ray Bill’s new status quo in Asgard we are going to be getting a new mini-series spinning out of the events of Thor. Adding in how Beta Ray Bill’s mini-series will be one of the first titles to deal with the fallout from King In Black does indicate that Cates’ Venom work is going to factor into the vision of the future that Thor saw.

Having Daniel Warren Johnson on this new Beta Ray Bill title is a good choice by Marvel. Johnson showed he has a solid understanding of how to write God-like characters with his work on Wonder Woman: Dead Earth. It’s also just good to see Marvel bringing in more new names to get fans used to them as it does look like 2021 will be a year where both Marvel and DC Comics will be tapping new creators for their titles.

SILK NEW SOLO ADVENTURES

Spider-Man has always the most popular character Marvel has. That popularity has only grown over the last decade as the franchise has reached a new level with the Spider-Man Family getting expanded on. Miles Morales and Spider-Gwen have definitely been the breakout characters as the Spider-Man Family has grown. Not to far behind them is Cindy Moon’s Silk. Silk has quietly grown to be more part of the Marvel Universe and has taken part in many Spider-Man Family stories over the years.

Now she is getting another chance at a new solo series by Maurene Goo and Takeshi Miyazawa. While I’m not familiar with Maurene Goos’ work having Takeshi Miyazawa handling the artwork does make Silk’s new series something I want to get. And with Silk having taken part in the whole ‘Last Remains’ story I’m interested to see how those events possibly impact Silk moving forward. We at least know that Cindy will be working for the controversial TNM news organization that J. Jonah Jameson has been running with Norah Winters.

CAPTAIN AMERICA AND DEADPOOL CELEBRATE BIG ANNIVERSARIES

If there is an anniversary for a character or franchise to celebrate there is no doubt Marvel will not miss that opportunity. We see that with March 2021 beginning the celebration of Captain America’s 80th anniversary and Deadpool’s 30th anniversary. Given both Captain America and Deadpool’s popularity both anniversary issues we are getting in March 2021 there is no doubt that this won’t be the only form Marvel will celebrate both characters. With both characters having so many great creators that have worked on their respective comic books we could be in store for a lot of fun comic books and variant covers.

DAREDEVIL AND SPIDER-MAN BUILDING KINGPIN EVENT

Amazing Spider-Man #61 Cover
Click for full cover view of Amazing Spider-Man #61.

Things aren’t going to be getting any easier for Spider-Man in the aftermath of ‘Last Remains.’ It looks like that due to all the events that have happened Peter Parker is going to be deciding on having some change in his life. Amazing Spider-Man #61 teases us with Peter upgrading his current Spider-Man costume. Which could come at a good time as Mayor Wilson Fisk looks to be tapping further into his past Kingpin persona against Spider-Man.

The good thing for Spider-Man is that he won’t be the only target of Mayor Fisk’s wrath as the new Daredevil, Elektra Natchios, is also in view. Based on both the Amazing Spider-Man and Daredevil solicitations it does look as though there is a bigger storyline that is being built around Wilson Fisk’s current status quo as Mayor of New York City. We know that Fisk has used his administrations resources to push an anti-vigilante agenda. Both Spider-Man and Daredevil look to be in the middle of what Fisk is planning, which looks to also involve Norman Osborn, Typhoid Mary, The Owl and others helping him. This could all culminate in what could be the next big Marvel event, one based more on the street-level Marvel heroes like Spider-Man and Daredevil.

X-MEN: LEGENDS FINALLY REVEALING THE TRUTH ABOUT ADAM-X

While the Third Summers Brother mystery has been long since revealed to be Gabriel Summers, aka Vulcan, there is still the question if Adam X is also a Summers Brother. Over the years Fabian Nicieza has confirmed that he intended Adam X to be the Third Summers Brother, being a half-brother to Scott and Alex Summers. Now with X-Men Legends #2 Nicieza is getting the chance to revisit to complete that storyline he always intended to tell.

What’ll be interesting is with X-Men Legends being said to take place in the current Marvel continuity is how much of Nicieza’s original vision for Adam X will be true. Because it has been established that Gabriel Summers is the illegitimate child of D’Ken and Kate Summers. With that there will a different avenue that Nicieza will take with Adam X’s lineage. Though how that avenue could still take Adam X to turn out to be part of the Summers family will be interesting to see play out.


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