It’s a special comic book entry today, so let’s get started! One of the main selling points of Marvel comics has always been that their heroes always existed in the real world and encountered real-world problems. Tony Stark battled alcoholism; Peter Parker was constantly struggling with money and relationship problems; the X-Men encountered bigotry as often as super villains. Marvel continues to keep things relevant with the announcement that Peter Parker (aka The Amazing Spider-Man) is going to join the ranks of the unemployed starting this Wednesday with issue #623. Hey, I’ve spent three years unemployed, but of course I don’t have a hero costume to keep up. Good luck, Peter!
According to the official Marvel press release:
New York, NY (March 1, 2010) – Marvel Comics has two words to say to Spider-Man’s alter ego Peter Parker — You’re Fired! Beginning in Amazing Spider-Man #623, on-sale March 3rd, everyone’s favorite friendly neighborhood hero has to not only survive key arch nemesis Vulture’s reign of terror…but also losing his job at the Mayor’s office! Peter Parker lays it all on the line to protect J. Jonah Jameson and keep the city from ripping itself apart, but Peter’s sacrifice winds up costing his career as a photographer.
But when you can’t pay the bills, how’s a Super Hero supposed to buy web-fluid and fix his costume? Spider-Man’s about to learn that with great power and great responsibility comes the great need to be employed — which isn’t so easy when you’re blacklisted in New York City!
“Peter Parker’s been through some rough times lately, with all of his deadliest foes returning, and he couldn’t lose his job at a worse time” said Senior Editor Steve Wacker. “He’s going to struggle with unemployment and trying to save the city while he can barely afford to keep a roof over his head.”
The intrigue starts in Amazing Spider-Man #623 with the shocking next installment, Amazing Spider-Man #624, spinning into stores just one week later – March 10!
Avatar Press has announced that Crossed #9, the 40-page final issue in Garth Ennis’ and Jacen Burrows’ post-apocalyptic comic will be released at the beginning of March. For the uninitiated, Crossed takes place after the world has succumbed to a virus that transforms its victims into rampaging, homicidal monsters, torturing and killing everyone in their path. This is one of the bleakest end-of-the-world stories I’ve read in a long time (although I haven’t read Cormac McCarthy’s The Road yet). Ennis and Burrows have reached down deep to bring us images of brutal, no-holds-barred violence as the infected rampage across the world, but they also balance the mayhem with quieter moments of character growth and development. The dwindling group of survivors are pushed to their physical and psychological limits as they try to cope with the violence all around them. Survival means just making it to the next day.
Crossed doesn’t end with issue nine. The trade, collecting all nine issues, will be released in April. A new series, Crossed: Family Values is coming soon with writer David Lapham and artist Javier Barreno taking over for Ennis and Burrows. Crossed #0 is available to read for free over at Rich Johnston’s Bleeding Cool web site.
UPDATE: Crossed 9 hit stores today and you can catch a quick preview over at Bleeding Cool. Be warned: it is pretty graphic.
