A Few Thoughts on Marvel's Solicitations

They really are giving Gambit another ongoing series? I thought the chatter to that effect I saw online was just the Internet having some fun with me. Apparently not.

While I do appreciate the solicitation assuring readers Bella Donna won't be appearing in issue 1 - that's one of those relationships I could go the rest of my life without seeing more pages wasted on* - but I must disagree with its description of Gambit as the premier** thief of the Marvel Universe. Hello, the Black Cat? Wouldn't have been enough to refer to him as 'the X-Men's resident thief'?

I am left wondering why now? Has there been something big going on with Gambit recently that might prompt giving him another shot as a solo star? I know he was in X-23 regularly, but given that got canceled recently, I can't imagine it would serve as a springboard for him.

Maybe getting your butt whupped by Captain America is a good career move?

If you were wondering, I'm not actually planning on buying it. Maybe in trade, if it gets a lot of superb reviews that describe it as having strong points I find appealing. I find I don't want people to tell me why they think I'd like something or should buy it; rather I just want to know what they like about it, and I'll decide if it sounds good to me from that. It goes along with my enjoyment of other peoples' enthusiasm for things, and my dislike of the hard sell.

I am going to try Hawkeye, because I like Hawkeye, and it has David Aja. For how long, I don't know. I hope he's had sufficient lead time to get at least six issues done by August, but I doubt it. Admittedly, Hawkeye doesn't have the best track record when it comes to maintaining his own series, but what the hey. If I enjoy it, it won't be the first series I liked Marvel canceled, and if I don't, then I won't care if it gets canceled, will I?

I'm trying to be more accepting of the inevitability of such things these days.

By the by, what's the deal with all the Point 1 (or Point 2) issues of Spider-Man titles that were canceled years ago? Are they planning to pick up where those series left off, because I think Web of Spider-Man ended on a Clone Saga tie-in*** , and nobody needs to rush to pick up threads from that.

* Also on that list: Scott Summers/Jean Grey, which always seemed a waste of space that could be devoted to characters I was actually interested in, and Hank Pym/Janet van Dyne. I don't need to see any more writers tease the possibility of them getting back together only for it not to happen because of, well, you know. Just leave them as two people who care for each other, who could maybe be friends, but don't work as a couple. Such things do happen in this world.


** They spelled it "premiere" though, which means what, he's the first thief? That's not what they meant, right? Unless they meant "first among equals" or something to that effect.


*** Something to do with the Jackal programming Peter to kill MJ, and Ben Reilly and the New Warriors trying to stop him. Yeesh, even as someone who liked the Scarlet Spider, there were some terrible stories in that stretch.