The intention of these weekly ANAD updates was to maintain a little bit of objectivity on a weekly basis. Provide a list of the new titles, feature some of the better continuing books, and basically set the table for Idle Time’s focus group ranking project.

We chose the 26-week/half-year stopping point for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, it was clear that Marvel was going to keep churning out new titles indefinitely, so we can’t simply wait for them to finish debuting all the new books. That won’t happen. Plus, it seems like some of those floppy turds are already scheduled for cancellation. We’d at least like the opportunity to chastise Marvel for publishing certain comics while they’re still on the New Releases rack.

Secondly, next week Marvel is publishing this guide to the All New All Different Universe. Clearly, they thought it was a good point to regroup and review as well. So when you’re thumbing through that little guidebook, you can also browse through our rankings and get a slightly more subjective take on “better and brighter than ever before.”

Thirdly, the first collected editions of ANAD titles – Invincible Iron Man and Amazing Spider-Man to be specific – release the following week. So, obviously, before you fork over twenty-five bucks for a hardcover funnybook, you’re going to want to know how it stacks up.

Lastly, it’s getting harder and harder to get some of these folks to read shitty comics. I can’t wait to hear the complaints about this week’s new book. I mean, look at that cover. Ugh. I can’t be objective all the time…

New Titles:
Hyperion #1

Continuing and related titles
All-New Hawkeye #5
All New All Different Avengers #7
Angela, Queen of Hel #6
Carnage #6
Contest of Champions #6
Howling Commandos of S.H.I.E.L.D. #6
Illuminati #5
New Avengers #8
Patsy Walker AKA Hellcat #4
Totally Awesome Hulk #4
Ultimates #5
Uncanny X-Men #5
Venom: Space Knight #5
X-Men: Worst X-Man Ever #2 (of 5)

I’ve wasted some time watching CW super hero shows, and though this is aimed at the same audience, I like it a bit more. Far from the typical male-fantasy oriented super-hero book, this comic looks at the average moments of life (losing a job, hunting for an apartment, copyright lawsuits) as experienced by someone who is of the super world, but not embedded in all the super conflicts. Writer Kate Leth is from the Adventure Time comic, and Hellcat shares the same frenetic pace of that show, quickly establishing facts that you don’t have time to digest, but will play into the story down the line. The jokes are just as quick, goofy and charming, but Leth’s comedy helps move the plot forward instead of stalling it. For all the comparisons it will draw to YA fiction and cartoons, I think Leth and WIlliams have a serious plan for Patsy Walker, especially with how she fits in to the Netflix Jessica Jones series, and it may be as compelling as story as it is entertaining. – RF

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