If Marvel Comics is known for anything, it certainly isn’t for maintaining a status quo. The comic book publisher recently launched All-New Marvel NOW!, the second wave of the company’s line-wide Marvel NOW! re-launch from 2012. While not as extensive as DC Comics’ universe-erasing New 52 reboot from 2011, the goal of Marvel NOW! And All-New Marvel NOW!, respectively, is to introduce the billions of film goers who love Marvel movies to the world of comics without alienating long time readers. Below is a quick round-up of the biggest titles All-New Marvel NOW! has to offer, and whether they are worth your time and money.
Black Widow
Writer: Nathan Henry Edmondson
Artist: Phil Noto
While everyone’s favorite Avenger/master assassin won’t be getting her own movie anytime soon sadly, she has at least finally gotten a comic series of her own again, and it is certainly worth your attention. While Edmonson’s writing isn’t as strong as it is on his other Marvel book; The Punisher, the villain-of-the-week format suits Black Widow well and at worst feels like an NBC procedural. Noto’s artwork however is the real star here. His loose style is both beautiful and rough around the edges. Fitting, considering the title character.
The Punisher
(W) Nathan Henry Edmonson
(A) Mitch Gerads
For a character whose only discernable powers are being real angry and having lots of guns, Marvel has gotten plenty of mileage out of The Punisher as of late. Greg Rucka’s recent run is one of the best in the character’s history; meaning that whoever follows him has some tough combat boots to fill. Edmonson however has, in just one issue, done enough to differentiate his take on Frank Castle without trailing too far away from what made the original character. New and old readers alike will find something to love as Edmonson takes the brutal vigilante from the concrete jungles of New York City to sun soaked Los Angeles, where The Punisher looks to tear down a massive drug ring that trails all the way back to NYC. If the first issues neo-noir aesthetic and pitch-black one-liners are anything to go by, we’re all in for a real treat.
Loki: Agent of Asgard
(W) Al Ewing
(A) Lee Garbett
If you’re one of the thousands of women out there in love with Tom Hiddleston and his film portrayal of the God of Mischief, you’ll probably want to check this book out regardless of what this review says. Which is fine, because you are exactly who this comic was written for. Ewing tries a little too hard to pander to casual fans of the Marvel Studios movies to the point that this comics ends up feeling like a “greatest hits of The Avengers”. Direct lines from the movie are used, and when Loki attempts to break into Avengers Tower he of course, bumps into the Avengers line-up from the movie. There’s nothing wrong with appealing to new fans who may have never picked a comic book up before, the problem comes when these new fans are treated like all they want is a rehash of what they’ve already seen. The concept of Loki becoming Asgard’s secret agent in retribution for his crimes is appealing to fans on both sides of the spectrum, it’s too bad they skewed too far to one side and ignored the other.
Ms. Marvel
(W) G. Willow Wilson
(A) Adrian Alphona
The most daring of the All-New Marvel NOW! releases, Ms. Marvel follows American-Muslim teenager Kamala Khan as she takes over the mantle of Ms. Marvel. Not much happens in this first issue. We are introduced to Kamala’s world and her struggles between an ordinary teenager and her family’s faith. This series is without a doubt a welcome breath of fresh air in the white-male dominated world of superheroes, however, as stated before the book spins its wheels quite a bit, even more so than is usual for a first issue. Alphona’s art works is the realm of slice of life web comics, but is too rough and skewed in brief glimpses of action we do see. Ms. Marvel is certainly worth a read, but maybe only once it is collected if you really don’t like slow starts. It is still without a doubt much better at appealing to all readers than Loki is, and is also a better written comic to boot.