It hasn’t come as a surprise to any Marvel readers, new or old, that much of this All New All Different relaunch has been informed and influenced by the greater Marvel media incarnations of its properties. Contest of Champions supports their mobile video game. The latest volume of Avengers features a run-in with the Chitauri. Every other comic has Deadpool. So if you’re at all curious as to why a minor B-list character like Mockingbird is getting her first solo series, then you clearly haven’t been watching ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

In the 80’s, Bobbi Morse might have been Clint Barton’s better half, but she was significantly less well known. And let’s face it – hardly anyone even knew who Hawkeye was. Worse yet, she was a founding member of the West Coast Avengers. So she was a supporting cast member for a minor league offshoot of the super-team that already played second fiddle to the X-Men. But in 2016, a live-action Mockingbird is a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent on the hit network series, and she’s portrayed by the made-for-superhero-flicks Adrianne Palicki. Hell yes she’s getting a comic.

This new Mockingbird is written by bestselling novelist Chelsea Cain, with art by newcomer Kate Niemczyk and colorist Rachelle Rosenberg. Kudos to Marvel for publishing another book by a female creative team, and congratulations to Cain, Niemczyk, and all involved for kicking off this series with one of the best superhero psychoanalysis sessions since Peter David’s X-Factor. Cain, in the afterword, admits that this first issue doesn’t make “any sense at all.” But, after multiple visits to the S.H.I.E.L.D. medical clinic, and a heavy sprinkling of puzzle pieces designed to set up an intriguing first arc, I have to agree with another Cain sentiment: many things that don’t make any sense at all are still awesome.

New Titles:
Mockingbird #1

Continuing and related titles
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. #3
All New Wolverine #6
Amazing Spider-Man #9
Black Knight #5
Dr. Strange #6
Guardians of the Galaxy #6
Howard the Duck #5
The Mighty Thor #5
Ms. Marvel #5
Red Wolf #4
Rocket Raccoon and Groot #3
Spider-Gwen #6
Spider-Man 2099 #8
Spider-Man/Deadpool #3
Uncanny Avengers #7
Vision #5
Weirdworld #4

This one was creepy. This is a very different sort of book. It left me wanting more but also left me wanting to read Squirrel Girl or something to rinse away the creep factor. The idea of a robot man creating a “normal” robot family is as terrifying as it is potentially hilarious. I don’t really know what to say about this one other than it came as a pleasant surprise and I am intrigued to see where it goes. – IP

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