David Michelinie is Returning For a Venom Mini-Series With a Familiar Title

Lately, Marvel has been doing this thing where they tell generally in-continuity stories about their heroes at earlier points in time. They've done it with the, "Symbiote Spider-Man," minis, the, "X-Men Legends," ongoing series, and so forth. Now, one of the co-creators of Venom, David Michelinie (Todd McFarlane being the other main creator, but he's not involved this time), is returning to Marvel to write a mini-series about Venom's early days causing a ruckus. It has a familiar title as it is the same as the first Venom solo book--"Lethal Protector."

I'm intrigued about this series but have to admit it is a little confusing that Marvel wants to use, "Lethal Protector," again as the title, making this basically have to be noted as, "Lethal Protector (Volume 2)," even though it ostensibly takes place before even the first, "Lethal Protector," mini-series as its a prequel (before Venom even started sporting his infamous big tongue) and oh dear my brain hurts now. Anyways, as long as we don't think about the naming logistics too hard this should be fun as Michelinie revisits his co-creation with increasingly-popular artist Ivan Fiorelli as the illustrator (Paulo Siqueira is doing the cover). I'll be checking this out in late March when it hits the stands.

Marvel is Really Going Hard on All This Knull Stuff

Donny Cates introduced the character Knull in his current, "Venom," run. He is a God of symbiotes, evil, and has a somewhat interesting character design. He's...fine. Since then there has been a slow build-up to present him as some huge evil that is terrifying and threatens the World at a cosmic-level. I don't hate Knull, but I'm not sure he is interesting enough to keep dedicating more and more comics too as well as an upcoming mega-event titled, "King in Black." Almost every Marvel book seems like it will directly tie-in with, "King in Black," or have an extra one-shot issue that does relate to it while sparing the regular series a tie-in. 

It feels like not a day goes by without a new Knull-related book and today another one, "Planet of the Symbiotes," #1 was announced. It ties in past symbiotes and that, "Ravencroft," series that had Carnage's grandfather or such involved in it. Basically, if you have a Marvel comic it will somehow integrate Knull. I'm not upset or ecstatic. I will probably read the main, "King in Black," event comic because Donny Cates run on, "Venom," has been solid even with its at times heavy focus on Knull and it'll have Ryan Stegman on the art (who has been great illustrating, "Venom," as well). I will also read the, "King in Black," comics and one-shots that directly relate to series I'm already enjoying such as, "Immortal Hulk." 

I ain't gonna be trying to pick-up all these random tie-ins however because the days of me being a completionist for event comics are long gone. The only Marvel titles I'm picking up basically every issue of are the current X-Men titles because the reboot has been pretty rad, and even this big multi-issue, "X of Swords," thing is a bit much. I don't need that and a metric ton of Knull comics when I am so indifferent to the character. That's how I feel about all this, at least.

The Hot Comics Revue 10: Comic-Book Speculation Gets Wonky

Spec Going Crazy

Time for a special edition of the Hot Comics Revue where instead of my usual format I examine how the market is a little crazy lately. The past couple of weeks it is has been really random what comics are getting lots of love in the secondary market (they are all Marvel-related, interestingly too), so let's examine it.

Random Speculation Hit #1

A second-printing variant to, "Symbiote Spider-Man," with Mysterio on the cover went from being worth its standard price to selling for $50 or so due to it being printed in low quantities. Then it was sometimes found inside the Marvel Comic Walmart packs so people are selling those on Facebook in comic groups I frequent for $20 each with the promise of a, "Chance," you might get the good cover in some weird kind of game of chance that just seems stupid. Plus, many say the comic variant isn't even that rare. Still, it is quite popular, so the market wants what it wants.

Random Speculation Hit #2

"Marvel Action Avengers," is an all-ages comic featuring Marvel heroes in out-of-continuity adventures which is randomly published by IDW through a deal with Marvel/Disney. Issue #10 features the first cover appearance and full appearance of a Yellow Hulk. We've had Green Hulks, Red Hulks, and apparently even Blue Hulks, but this is the first yellow, with a cameo appearance in issue #9 also getting some after-market love with this book hitting $40-$60 in sales. It was an underordered title and it suddenly got hot.

Random Speculation Hit #3

"Venom #25," has a Previews exclusive variant (which rarely get attention), that has a physical Funko Pop to go with it as well, with the Pop and the comic being Funko-ized homages to, "Amazing Spider-Man #316," which was the first cover appearance of Venom. For some reason that no one seems to grasp the comic has been going for $75-$100. Speculation is a wild thing, as this book and the other two show. If these prices will stick, go higher, or all stay at the same level, time will only tell. Comic-book spec is a wild thing, after all.

A Comic Was Solicited With a Writer I Adore...and an Artist I Loathe

I am a big fan of the comic-books by Peter David. His run on, "X-Factor" from the early 2000's to the 2010's was among my favorite comic-runs ever. Even if he has at times said some tone-deaf things, he apologizes for them and grows as a person who I enjoy reading his thoughts online along with his stellar comic-work. Therefore, in latest Marvel solicitations in this month's edition of, "Previews," I was ecstatic to see he was going to be writing a Spider-Man mini-series set during the time Peter Parker had the black suit (which turned-out to be a Symbiote, and once he cast it off turned into fan-favorite character, Venom). Titled, "Symbiote Spider-Man," I was ready to tell my comic-shop to put me down for all the issues...and then I saw who the artist was. The artist is (insert a big sigh sound effect here) Greg Land.

Greg Land is of course notable for how instead of doing much actual artwork he just traces a lot of stuff and the finished product looks like a crappy pin-up as opposed to telling a story. He'll use other's art as well as pictures to create his supposed work. Perhaps he will trace a photo from a magazine, a sporting event, or (quite often it seems) porn, as all of his women are posed suggestively and usually have faces shaped as if they are in pure ecstasy even if they're supposed to be yelling or angry. Greg Land is just terrible and the last time I suffered through his artwork for a comic it was when Al Ewing was absolutely killing it on, "Mighty Avengers," and Greg Land was killing...almost all of my enjoyment of the book. I  honestly don't think I can take any more of Land's atrocious excuse for art and for that reason I'm going to sit-out, "Symbiote Spider-Man," just so I can keep my eyes from burning in pain upon glimpsing Land's work.