New Avengers #43
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Pencils: Billy Tan; Inks: Danny Miki

Nine pages of actual story.

That’s the most we’ve received from ‘New Avengers’ (or ‘Mighty Avengers’ for that matter) in over three months.

Sure, we had 14 pages of Skrull flashback (including a pre-X-Men Wolverine asking, “Anyone else all kinds of pissed off?”), but we also managed nine pages of things actually happening.

And guess what we learned.

Remember the Captain America who emerged from the Skrull ship with all the other heroes who turned out to be Skrulls?

Well, it turns out he’s a Skrull, too.

Shocking, I know.

From Marvel (preview): “SPIDER-MAN VERSUS CAPTAIN AMERICA IN THE JUNGLES OF THE SAVAGE LAND! But who is who and what is what?? At least one of these people isn’t who they say they are. Plus a huge chapter in the Secret Invasion story as more information as to how the Skrulls set their major plans in motion is revealed…” On sale July 23, 2008.

Wolverine: First Class #5
Writer: Fred Van Lente
Artist: Clayton Henry

Another really strong issue.

A little bizarre in that it’s all flashback, but pretty good at chronicling Wolverine’s days with Alpha Flight. The screen of Alpha Flight candidates is especially well done (what with Stitch and Smart Alec).

Unfortunately, Van Lente seems to mix up a Colonel Kinney with Major Chasen — the guy whose tie Wolverine cut off when he resigned his Canadian commission prior to joining the X-Men.

And the goat.

I have no idea what’s up with the goat.

From Marvel (preview): “TO ME, MY X-MEN! You must immediately pursue Wolverine into Canada! He has defected back to ALPHA FLIGHT…and taken Kitty Pryde with him!” On sale July 23, 2008.

Ultimate X-Men #96
‘Absolute Power, Part 3’
Writer: Aron E. Coleite
Penciler: Clay Mann; Inker: Carlos Cuevas
Artist: Brandon Peterson

This story arc has been throwing me for a loop since it began.

It’s really quite good (especially with this issue’s Wolverine revelation), but for some reason, it hasn’t clicked for me.

And then it hit me.

This isn’t the Ultimate Universe.

Take the overwhelming self-righteousness prevalent on both sides of the Banshee drug controversy. Indignation that came out of nowhere and has turned this series into more of an Elseworlds version of ‘Ultimate X-Men.’ Ironic for ‘Ultimate X-Men’ itself is an Elseworlds version of the original Marvel mutants.

Good thing we’re only a few months away from the ‘Ultimatum’ and the end of the Ultimate Universe as we know it.

From Marvel (preview): “X-Men vs. X-Men! After their attack on Alpha Flight, Colossus and his team are wanted fugitives! Worse, they’ve become addicted to the insidious drug known as Banshee! Now it’s up to the other X-Men to take them down. Yes, it’s mutant vs. mutant! When the X-Men go to war with each other, who wins? Plus, the startling revelation of Jean Grey! Where did she go after defeating Apocalypse? Find out here!” On sale July 23, 2008.

Uncanny X-Men #500
“SFX, Part One”
Writer: Ed Brubaker and Matt Fraction
Artists: Greg Land and Terry Dodson

The week I’m in New York City on vacation is the same week the X-Men head west for San Francisco.

It figures.

But it also feels somewhat incongruous.

The Marvel version of San Francisco (a lovely city, by the way) is just a little too happy and a little too shiny for my tastes.

And the alternating art by Greg Land (happy smiles, shiny white teeth) and Terry Dodson (big-breasted women) is equally incongruous and jarring, especially for mutants who purport to protect “a world that hates and fears them.”

So paint me apprehensive when it comes to this new mutant world order.

And don’t forget the stunning Alex Ross variant cover…

From Marvel (preview): “Sentinels? What? And Magneto? And is that the Master Mold? What the hell is going on in San Francisco now that the Uncanny X-Men have relocated there? They’ve got a new Headquarters and a new status quo as the gauntlet is thrown for a new era of mutantkind. It’s all here in the double-sized anniversary issue that sets up the plotlines that will be developed over the next year in UNCANNY. And it’s all brought to you by the hot writing team of Ed Brubaker & Matt Fraction (Immortal Iron Fist) and fan favorite artists Greg Land and Terry Dodson. New creators, new home. The future begins now.” On sale July 23, 2008.

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Sales of the original ‘Uncanny X-Men’ series have held fairly consistently for the past six years. I wish I could go back further than the eight years shown here to see how these numbers compare to the heyday of the 1980s. And yes, ‘Uncanny X-Men’ has averaged almost 15 issues per year (and managed 19 issues in 2003!).

While there have been many spikes in sales since 2000, the letters on the chart above correspond to the most pronounced jumps:

– A: Issue 395 (sales of 130,299) featured the ‘relaunch’ by Joe Casey at the same time as the Grant Morrison relaunch of ‘New X-Men’
– B: Issue 400 (sales of 125,044) was the landmark 400th issue by Joe Casey
– C: Issue 444 (sales of 112,500) boasted the return of Chris Claremont to the flagship X-Men title
– D: Issue 475 (sales of 103,993) started Ed Brubaker’s run on the series
– E: Issue 494 (sales of 105,520) marked a three-issue spike around the ‘Messiah CompleX’ crossover

Actual data comes from the monthly top 300 charts generated by ICv2.com.

Previous sales overview include
–Adjectiveless X-Men Sales #103-211
–New Avengers #1-41 Sales
–Ultimate X-Men #1-94 Sales Analysis
–Sales Overview for ‘Astonishing X-Men’ #1-24 (and Giant-Size)
–Sales Overview for ‘Wolverine’ Vol. 2, uh… Vol. 3?
–‘Wolverine: Origins’ Sales Freefall

You may have noticed a new graphic on the left rail of the ‘Wolverine Files’ website.

Yup, we just won the Project Fanboy Award for Website Excellence for June!

And we will be one of the nominees for the Best Fansite of the Year award.

“Project Fanboy is host to the coveted Project Fanboy Awards. The Awards began as a monthly honor, bestowing fansites with the ‘Project Fanboy Award For Website Excellence’ but soon grew into accolades on a much broader scale.In May of 2008 the Project Fanboy Award was restructured and reslated as an annual event and now boast twenty-five different annual categories.

The Awards are nominated and voted on by fans spanning the globe and nominations in all categories are now being accepted. Nominations will end November 1st, followed by two months of voting with the winners announced on the 1st of January, 2009. ONLY THE TOP FIVE NOMINEES WILL BE VOTED ON IN EACH CATEGORY.

Click here to submit your nominations for the Project Fanboy Awards. All categories are not mandatory, but your nominations are important to us so please cast nominations in every category possible.”

Categories include:
1. Best Writer
2. Best Artist
3. Best Title
4. Best Indy Writer
5. Best Indy Artist
6. Best Indy Title
7. Best Comic Book to Movie Adaption
8. Best Comic Book to Movie Adaption: Actor
9. Best Comic Book to Movie Adaption: Actress
10. Best Character
11. Best Hero
12. Best Indy Villain
13. Best Indy Character
14. Best Indy Hero
15. Best Villain
16. Best Storyline
17. Best Publisher
18. Best Comic Book Related Novel
19. Best Graphic Novel
20. Best Black & White Title
21. Best Rookie Title
22. Best Comic Book News Source
23. Best Webcomic
24. Best Comic Book Website
25. Best Fansite

Sales over the past eight years of the ‘adjectiveless’ X-Men series have declined some 20%, but considering the collapse of other titles over the same period, these numbers are quite resilient, especially for the junior X-Men series in the Marvel universe.

And while there have been many jumps in sales since 2000, the letters on the chart above correspond to the most pronounced spikes:

– A: Issue 114 (sales of 135,394) featured the debut of Grant Morrison as series writer
– B: Issue 151 (sales of 124,012) was Grant Morrison’s final arc, the future of the X-Men with Marc Silvestri as artist
– C: Issue 188 (sales of 95,487) kicked off the Mike Carey/Chris Bachalo run
– D: Issue 200 (sales of 136,672) started the ‘Endangered Species’ backup series
– E: Issue 207 (sales of 104,793) concluded the ‘Messiah CompleX’ crossover event

Actual data comes from the monthly top 300 charts generated by ICv2.com.

Previous sales overview include
–New Avengers #1-41 Sales
–Ultimate X-Men #1-94 Sales Analysis
–Sales Overview for ‘Astonishing X-Men’ #1-24 (and Giant-Size)
–Sales Overview for ‘Wolverine’ Vol. 2, uh… Vol. 3?
–‘Wolverine: Origins’ Sales Freefall

Marvel Adventures The Avengers #26
Cover: Leonard Kirk

You can barely make him out, but Wolverine is standing in the corner of the dugout. That’s as close as he gets to the latest issue of ‘Marvel Adventures the Avengers’.

And we can all thank God for small favors as this story is especially dreadful, even by Marvel Adventures’ standards.

From Marvel (preview): “It’s the bottom of the ninth, the Avengers are down by two, two strikes down and bases loaded. The stakes for the Cosmic Pennant have never been higher. How will Galactus call this one? Okay… we admit. We have no idea what’s going on in this story. Kirk drew the cover, and now Parker has to come up with something. THAT’S GOOD COMICS!!!” On sale July 16, 2008.

Mighty Avengers #16
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Pencils: Khoi Pham; Inks: Danny Miki

Presenting… How Elektra came to be a Skrull!

Starring… Wolverine-Skrull! He stretches! He says things like, “Finish her fast!” And he dies when you stick a sai in his eye!

Please make it stop.

‘Secret Invasion’ is a truly dreadful comic book event. The world has stopped for four months while Brian Michael David Thomas Bendis shares every single freakin’ detail about the Skrull Invasion.

TMI, Brian. TMI.

Wake me up when the invasion is over.

From Marvel (preview): “ELEKTRA IS A SKRULL!! Words that have echoed through Marvel Comics for the last two years. But how did this happen and for how long has this been true? THE ANSWER IS HERE! Hint! She went down swinging. Plus the answer to the biggest question in modern Avengers history…” On sale July 16, 2008.

X-Force (Vol. 2) #5
‘Angels & Demons, Part 5’
Writer: Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost
Artist: Clayton Clay

This issue makes a lot more sense if you read the voiceover separately from the rest of the issue. Not the cleanest of storytelling methods, but it is the only way I could make heads or tails of the story.

Wolverine, alas, is very much a passenger this month, both literally and figuratively. And this being a blog about Wolverine, you can probably see why this issue left me wanting. Wanting Wolverine to do something. Something other than riding shotgun. Like shooting a shotgun.

From Marvel (preview): “It began with one simple mission: Kill the Purifier leader Matthew Risman before he kills any more mutants. But everything went to hell…and now it gets worse. Wolfsbane’s decent continues. War rages between Risman and Bastion. The Choir rises. And if that weren’t enough… it’s X-FORCE VERSUS ARCHANGEL.” On sale July 16, 2008.