Between Marvel hitting the reset button and Bruce Wayne giving up on donning his Batman suit, 2015 set the stage for several new twists and turns in the comics of 2016. Another civil war looms and the original Captain America returns this March so throw on your best pair of reading glasses and expect to lie in bed until 2 a.m. reading the most anticipated comics of the season.
1. Godzilla: Oblivion
The last Godzilla series saw the big gorilla whale trapped in hell. What else besides the pits of hell could possibly stand up against a 400-foot tall, radiation-breathing lizard? “Oblivion” gives us that answer, transporting us to a scene where a scientist creates a portal to a monster-ruled dimension. The scientist journeys into this new dimension, accidentally bringing back with him a baby monster called a kaiju. Godzilla must intervene, thus sparking the plot of “Oblivion.” After 20 Godzilla comics series released since 1998, the King of the Monsters makes his monstrous return to comics this March.
2. Green Lantern Corps: Edge of Oblivion
In “Green Lantern: The Lost Army,” we saw a group of Emerald knights drop on a random spot in space with no power source or any explanation as to why or who put them there. “Edge of Oblivion” picks up where that series left off as the group struggles to find their way home. The solicitations promise to show us worlds destroyed, gods dying and the team-up of arguably the most two popular Green Lanterns, John Stewart and Guy Gardner. With a cover that showcases lanterns that look like giant fish, a Wookie, a lava creature and several other bizarre aliens, contain your excitement while this event unfolds and pick up a copy today.
3. Black Widow
“Black Widow” showed the heroine atoning for her sins as a former assassin. Fellow comic lovers alike hope Mark Waid will deliver yet another great series. The story centers around the reveal of Black Widow’s , causing her to go on the run. Since the Marvel films incorporated her into The Avengers, her popularity rose. Now, when handled by Mark Waid, the great “Kingdom Come” writer, her popularity will soar even higher.
4. Spider-Man
We watched Miles Morales grow up from his introduction in the Ultimate Universe. This past year, the “Secret Wars” took place, where the regular Marvel Universe collided with the Ultimate Universe, killing millions but sparing a few heroes. Thankfully Miles made the cut, surviving the war that followed. At the end of the “Secret Wars,” we see Peter Parker training Miles to be the main Spider-Man protecting New York City. “I think it really says a lot to have Miles starring as just ‘Spider-Man,’ not ‘Ultimate Spider-Man’ from a different universe, or something else calling attention to being not the original. He is the Spider-Man,” Florida State University Junior Vidal Chavez said. With his infectious enthusiasm for fighting crime, this spider-man has his hands full protecting a new universe rather than his own. This book will highlight Marvel’s “All new, All Different” campaign.
5. Old Man Logan
Old Man Logan takes a completely different spin on the Wolverine and a damn good one at that. The original story sees a defeated, even more grizzled Wolverine taking a Mad Max-style trip across a villain-ridden version of America to save his family from a gang of Hulks. Vowing to never extend his adamantium claws, Logan returned from his trip to find his family already dead. Now, he sees an opportunity to change history. His first act? Kill the new Hulk and prevent his family from murder. “Give me a venom infected t-rex chasing Logan again, and I’m sold,” University of Central Florida junior Jose Perez said.
6. Street Fighter X GI Joe
Two gigantic franchises from many of our childhoods collide. The story centers on M. Bison and Destro working together to make a secret tournament, requiring Ryu, Snake Eyes, Chun-Li, Scarlett, Guile and Duke to fight amongst each other. This series opens up a world of possibilities to other crossovers down the road. “Bring on a Chun Li and Black Widow miniseries next,” UCF senior Ezequiel Perez said.
7. Batman (Post #50)
Ever since the first issue of this series, people praised Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s creepy, horror themed take on the Dark Knight. This issue, set with a whole new creative team will bring fresh Batman ideas to the table. Bruce Wayne finally takes up the mantle of Batman again after a year of amnesia, and “Batman (Post #50)” solves the awaited mystery of what’s next. “I want to see if his methods have changed when being Batman. I hope to see him break a few more criminal bones than normal,” Gulf Coast State College sophomore Brandon Popham said.
8. Swamp Thing
In 1972, the writer Len Wein created “Swamp Thing.” Years later, the character retains its major cult following. Writers such as Alan Moore, Grant Morrison and Mark Millar made their own stamps on the tragic character that desperately searches for his wife’s murderers and a way to transform himself back into human form. This new miniseries shows Swamp Thing helping a university defeat a resurrected student lurking around the grounds. With Kelley Jones penciling the art, this book makes a huge return to the DC forefront. I mean, the character even made Batman surrender before; how awesome is that?
9. Poison Ivy: Cycle of Life and Death
Finally—a villain mini-series that isn’t about the Joker. Another villain enters the spotlight as Poison Ivy finds one of her colleagues murdered and it looks like she’s the prime culprit. Is she being set up or did she revert back to her old criminal ways? This six-issue miniseries has a great team behind it in the form of writer Amy Chu and artist Clay Mann. If you’re a Batman fan, take this chance to expand on one of the collection of villains in comic book history.
10. Spider-Man/Deadpool
Read the trademark humor of “Deadpool” and absorb yourself in all of the quips we’re used to with Spider-Man. A serious scene involving the two adds an extra layer to Deadpool and provides a welcome change of pace. The series presents the duo taking on several of Spider-Man’s most famous villains, with Peter Parker teaching Deadpool what it means to be a hero. “Let Spider-man tell the jokes, and Deadpool pile up the bodies,” said Gulf Coast State College sophomore Brandon Popham.
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