Whenever comic companies go into crossover feeding frenzies, I'm turned right off. I'm not interested in continuity, or universes, or wider mega-fictions. I'm interested in individual creators or creative teams producing signature work. So, yeah, I've been avoiding the DCU and Marvel recently, with a few notable exceptions (NEXTWAVE only, I s'pose). But this months Marvel solicitations are out, and there's some interesting items. And a couple of great covers. Such as...
I've got zero interest in buying this comic, but that's a great cover by the lesser spotted Michael Golden - imagine a world where that guy could stick out 22 pages a month.
Another great cover, this time from a series I could countenance buying (or at least ordering from the library) - Adam Warren's Iron Man miniseries, HYPERVELOCITY. Note the Millar-baiting graffiti upon Captain America's mask. Everything Warren writes tends to be a hoot, with a dark technopunk edge that sets him apart in American comicbooks. He'd make a good fit on 2000AD, probably. If they could afford him.
Now, I keep hearing good things about the writer Jeff Parker, but the only thing of his I've read was a Free Comic Book Day copy of MARVEL ADVENTURES AVENGERS #1. I keep seeing his AGENTS OF ATLAS getting great reviews online - I'll have to order the trade for the library. However, I'll definitely splash out on this: "X-MEN: FIRST CLASS SPECIAL Written by JEFF PARKER Art by KEVIN NOWLAN, PAUL SMITH, MIKE ALLRED & NICK DRAGOTTA Cover by KEVIN NOWLAN From investigating haunted museums to dealing with lovesick dragon men, no mission is off limits for the original mutant heroes. See some of comics' top cartoonists take on Xavier's five!" That's a helluva line-up of artists. I'd show yer Nowlan's cover, too, only it's not that hot.
Okay, you twisted my arm.
That sure is a freaky-skinny Cyclops and Marvel Girl. Cyclops doesn't seem to have any package, either. Great Hank McCoy, though.