5 Thoughts on the September 2024 Solicitations
Martín Cóccolo gets a new gig, Alex Ross is MIA and several books are coming to an end in Marvel and DC's solicitations for September 2024.
With SDCC right around the corner, we are diving into the September solicitations for DC and Marvel Comics before the deluge of news kicks in. Also, I’m back! I know it’s been a while, but hoping to get this newsletter going again. We’ll see how it goes!
NOTE: This article contains spoilers for Blood Hunt #4 by Jed Mackay and Pepe Larraz.
Martín Cóccolo Jumps to Wolverine: One of the most sought-after illustrators of the comics world, Martín Cóccolo is a rising star who has the potential to go down as one of the greats. His latest gig is Marvel’s relaunch of Wolverine with writer Saladin Ahmed, where he will be doing interior art and main covers. While the preview art looks amazing as expected, this will be Cóccolo’s third run as the initial artist in 18 months, having done interiors for most of Alyssa Wong’s Deadpool and the first arc of Al Ewing’s Immortal Thor. The fact that he left the latter is more disappointing, as Ewing’s Immortal Hulk really benefited from having a consistent artist on duty (although that artist was later fired for controversial art and allegations of antisemitism, bigotry and homophobia). My personal opinion is that most books should have the same artist for nearly all issues, with the occasional sub for one-offs when artists need a break. An example that comes to mind is Batman/Superman: World’s Finest, which has Dan Mora on the main issues while Travis Moore and Emanuela Lupacchino fill in when necessary. However, those types of books are more of the exception to the rule these days. Either way, it’s great to see Cóccolo’s career continue to grow and I’m sure Wolverine fans will eat well for at least five issues — hopefully more.
Wolverine #1 Main Cover by Martín Cóccolo Alex Ross Off Fantastic Four?: Speaking of consistent art, legendary comic artist Alex Ross has been gracing all the issues of the current Fantastic Four run with his timeless painted covers. That is, up until Fantastic Four #25, which will be the first issue in the run to not feature a cover by Ross. (Joshua Cassara, an excellent artist in his own right, is handling main cover duty for this one.) Issues #25 generally get special treatment as milestone issues — for better or worse — so this could just be a one-off. But it could also be an omen of what is to come, whether it is Ross leaving the book entirely or the book coming to a close. With SDCC coming up, could the Fantastic Four be due for a creative change?
Fantastic Four #25 Main Cover by Joshua Cassara The Sun Is Setting on “Dawn of DC”: Come September, many long-running and popular series will be coming to a close. Perhaps the most high profile is writer Tom Taylor and artist Bruno Redondo’s Eisner-winning Nightwing, which will wrap up with Issue #118. Writer Tini Howard’s long-running Catwoman as well as Harley Quinn will conclude with Issue #68 and Issue #43, respectively. Not to be outdone, writer Joshua Williamson will also end his time on Green Arrow and Batman and Robin with Issue #17 and an annual for the former and Issue #13 for the latter. Williamson did state that the books will continue, though, just under a new creative team. Finally, Ram V’s two-year Detective Comics operatic epic will celebrate its curtain call this September as well, putting an end to one of the best Batman runs in a long time. Nearly all of these books were under the “Dawn of DC” line, and with Absolute Power likely to shake up the DC Universe, it looks like we are approaching the final sunset for this line of DC books.
From Top Left: Batman and Robin #13 (Cover by Simone Di Meo) , Detective Comics #1089 (Cover by Evan Cagle), Harley Quinn #43 (Cover by Sweeny Boo), Green Arrow #16 (Cover by Phil Hester) and Catwoman #68 (Cover by David Nakayama) Zeb Wells and John Romita Jr.’s Final “THWIP”: After many ups and downs, writer Zeb Wells and illustrator John Romita Jr.’s The Amazing Spider-Man is coming to an end. While the book will most likely end with Issue #60 in October, Issue #58 in the September solicitations hints that the finale is near. Between the breakup between Peter and Mary Jane to start the run and the death of Ms. Marvel, this book has been quite controversial with Spider-Man readers. However, it has also been white hot in the marketplace, taking the number one spot in the sales charts multiple times. Marvel already has the next creative team lined up, with Joe Kelly and Justina Ireland sharing writing duties, while Ed McGuiness (who drew some of the Wells’ run when Romita Jr. was off) and Gleb Melnikov take over on art. Expect to hear more at SDCC.
Joe Kelly, Justina Ireland, Ed McGuiness and Gleb Melnikov will take over The Amazing Spider-Man later this year. The Mystery of Vengeance of the Moon Knight #9: The solicitation for Vengeance of the Moon Knight #9 is listed as “CLASSFIED,” which raised some eyebrows. But while the official description has not been listed yet, we can assume that Marvel was keeping it hidden to hide the resurrections of Marc Spector, who returned from the dead in Blood Hunt #4. Spector will star in Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu coming this October, so we can safely add Vengeance of the Moon Knight to the list of series also ending in September. (And while we are at it, Rainbow Rowell’s Sensational She-Hulk looks like it is ending in August, although it’s unclear if the book will continue under a different name. Marvel pulled a similar gimmick back in July 2023, when it ended Rowell’s She-Hulk and renamed it to the current Sensational She-Hulk with a new #1.)
One Comic I Read This Week
The Avengers #10
Written by Jed Mackay and Illustrated by C.F. Villa
I fell off Mackay and Villa’s The Avengers run after their first arc “The Impossible City” concluded in Issue #6. But when I found a few of the following issues on sale, I decided to give it another try, a decision I don’t regret. The second arc “Twilight Dreaming” is a vast improvement on “The Impossible City” — the issues feel tighter, the villainous Twilight Court are far more intriguing than the Ashen Combine and the book feels like it has real momentum.
Issue #10 is split into two parts. The first half finds Myrddin and Kang the Conqueror discussing their race against one another to find the Missing Moment, a Holy Grail of time that hides a great prize. Mackay’s writing here is a masterclass of building intrigue, while Villa’s art adds a thrilling pace to a conversation that is almost entirely set in a hospital room.
The second half of the issue sends Thor and Scarlet Witch to the Dream Realm of Nightmare to confront him about his actions back in Issue #7 — where he attacked the Avengers by trapping them in recurring nightmares. Once again, Mackay builds intrigue by having Nightmare reveal that his attack was more of a cry for help to the Avengers: that the destruction he saw is his nightmare, one he fears will impact all beings— including himself. Is this hinting at another Tribulation Event? Blood Hunt? Guess I will have to pick up the next issue to find out.
Kind of sad that Geoff Johns JSA ending doesn't even merit a mention of death-of-the-Dawn of DC. But fair :/