All New Marvel Collected Editions

[Balakin]

Haven't some of these been liquidated before? The Captain America, Ultimate Avengers, Crossing, Byrne FF vol 2?

some of these like the crossing or X-force are like mould. You just can't get rid of them.
Can't help but think these 90's books that no one asked for and some of the early stuff that got wwaaaay overprinted are responsible for recent underprintings that sold out within a couple of months like UXF and Annihilation.

[TomSlick]

some of these like the crossing or X-force are like mould. You just can't get rid of them.
Can't help but think these 90's books that no one asked for and some of the early stuff that got wwaaaay overprinted are responsible for recent underprintings that sold out within a couple of months like UXF and Annihilation.

Yes, I've thought the same thing. I also wonder if the Star Wars "tax" did those books in as well. I hope so. Maybe they'll learn . . . . naw.

[OldManBrian]

Is the Busiek Iron Man any good? I might consider that if I come across a super cheap copy.

[UltimateTy]

Is the Busiek Iron Man any good? I might consider that if I come across a super cheap copy.

Yup. It's my second favorite Iron Man run

[TomSlick]

Is the Busiek Iron Man any good? I might consider that if I come across a super cheap copy.

Yes.
(10 char)

[The Lucky One]

Has anyone read--and does anyone really like--Thunderbolts? Specifically the original Thunderbolts stuff that Marvel recently reprinted as Thunderbolts Classic 1-3 and Hawkeye and the Thunderbolts 1-2. I guess that covers the first 50 issues under the original concept, which ran up to #75 before it was rebooted?

It's strange: no one ever talks about Thunderbolts (except for the brief Warren Ellis run), but it seems Marvel has published a book with that title in one form or another almost consistently since it started so it must be getting readers. Is any of the non-Ellis stuff any good?

Yes, it's quite good... with the caveat that it depends on what you're looking for. Ellis wrote a much more cynical, "No, really, these guys are bastards" take on the Thunderbolts than anyone before him. Kurt Busiek's run was, in essence, an extremely well-done superhero book. It's very comparable to his Avengers run from the same time period, with the added element of begging the question "Can bad people really change?" And the answer was "Yes, mostly, with some back-sliding along the way." They defeat villains and run from the law and (in the first year) try to keep their ruse going, but you know that no one is ever going to get hooked on smack or molest a corpse or wrap his sister's skin around his sword or anything.

After Busiek left, Fabian Nicieza took over and did similar stories, though with a heavier emphasis on mystery. Who is the new Citizen V? Who's the new Scourge? Etc. The title basically ended with issue 75 (issues 76-81 featured totally different characters and concept, a supervillain fight club), then came back with a 6-issue Avengers/Thunderbolts mini a couple years later. Then it relaunched as New Thunderbolts, again by FabNic, with some of the same characters and, again, a superheroing/mystery scope. (Who's financing Mach III? Is Zemo really reformed?) Eventually it reached what would have been issue 100 had the title not rebooted (you can either count the 6 unrelated issues or the Avengers/T-bolts mini, whichever you prefer), retook the old numbering and dropped the "New," and continued along until Civil War. Eventually it ended with Zemo mostly reformed (he even restored the foot locker of Cap's that he'd destroyed all the way back in the classic Avengers "Under Siege" storyline) and the team having saved the universe. A 4-issue "Zemo: Born Better" mini followed, also by FabNic, further exploring Zemo's new anti-hero personality.

Then Warren Ellis happened. Much like Grant Morrison on New X-Men years earlier, he was basically told "here's the basic concept, here's a few guys who need to be on the team, other than that, go wild." The focus shifts from villains trying to be better people to Marvel's Suicide Squad. Swordsman loses the character growth of having shed his white supremacist upbringing and embraced heroism to being an entitled douche again; Moonstone goes from mostly amoral but learning to care about others to manipulative sociopath instantly; etc. It's jarring, to say the least, but sales WERE reinvigorated, and obviously it's a very highly-regarded run. It's just that (also like NXM) it probably reads a lot better to someone coming to it fresh, rather than those who'd been reading and enjoying the book beforehand.

After Secret Invasion, the focus shifted again to being Norman Osborn's black ops squad, written mostly by Andy Diggle. I haven't read most of this run yet, but I think it was... reasonably well regarded? Maybe? Then Jeff Parker took over and guided the book through Siege, and the only thing I remember is a truly awesome fight/monologue by Quicksilver, taking apart the greatest fighter in the world: "You have supreme fighting skill. I'm actually not that great of a fighter. You have the weapon of Odin the All-Father. I have some piece of iron debris I found lying nearby. You're a mutant, too. You can read minds enough to predict any attack your opponent will make. So you will be able to -- *HIT* -- anticipate every move I make -- *HIT* -- and do absolutely -- *HIT* -- nothing about it -- *HIT* -- because I -- *HIT* -- am -- *HIT* -- the -- *HIT* -- fastest -- *HIT* -- man -- *HIT* -- on -- *KO!* -- Earth. And you are the least dangerous man on the planet."

That led to yet another concept reboot; this time the Thunderbolts were again basically the Suicide Squad, with Luke Cage filling the Amanda Waller role and U.S. Agent, Mach V, Fixer, and Songbird serving as his lieutenants, riding herd over guys like Crossbones, Juggernaut, Moonstone, Shocker, Satana, etc. I haven't read most of this run either, but I know they went back in time and fought the original Thunderbolts (and Fixer accidentally killed his younger self), and eventually it turned into a Dark Avengers ongoing, with the T-bolts bowing out and being replaced by a bunch of randos (Clor, Skaar, and some no-names). I don't think that title lasted long.

After that the title was revived with yet another new concept, but I know next-to-nothing about this run except who was in it (Venom, Punisher, Red Hulk, Elektra, Deadpool, Ghost Rider). No clue beyond that.

And then finally it was revived again a few months ago, with Winter Soldier leading most of the original T-bolts (Mach VI or whatever number he's up to, Atlas, Fixer, Moonstone), along with a sentient cosmic cube.

Soooo... yeah. Way more than you wanted to know, probably. In essence, the Thunderbolts are always a team of villains (or anti-heroes), but the concept frequently shifts. The Busiek run is indeed very good if you like his Avengers or other comparable books. If not, it may not be to your taste.

[Mormegil]

The thunderbolts stint with Norman Osborne is worth reading just to see Bullseye get his ass handed to him by American Eagle.

[FlashingSabre]

The thunderbolts stint with Norman Osborne is worth reading just to see Bullseye get his ass handed to him by American Eagle.

That was pretty damn satisfying.

[Sean Whitmore]

Don't know if this one was already known about, but it's new to me: Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme Omni, collecting the first 40 issues plus Ghost Rider #12:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/13...550_em_1p_1_ti

[Sean Whitmore]

The thunderbolts stint with Norman Osborne is worth reading just to see Bullseye get his ass handed to him by American Eagle.

That's probably the best part of the run, and the third best is what Bullseye does in the followup story arc.

The second is Norman Osborn (who is pretending to be a good guy at this point) being driven full-on insane by some telepaths, so he throws on his Goblin suit and starts murdering his way through his own base, while delivering some of the craziest dialogue ever.

"Good old Norman Osborn. He’ll bail us out. He’ll save the day. He’ll be the hero. Norman will make the hard choices. Norman has no feelings. Norman will make the girl pregnant and then snap her neck in public. Norman won’t mind. Norman’ll do what it takes."

Doc Samson and Speedball/Penance had some great moments as well.

[TomSlick]

Don't know if this one was already known about, but it's new to me: Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme Omni, collecting the first 40 issues plus Ghost Rider #12:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/13...550_em_1p_1_ti

It was discussed awhile back although I don't know if the release date was set. I was tempted but I think the price is a turnoff and I suspect it's not that good of a series although maybe it's a 90s gem.

[The Flicker Fade]

Soooo... yeah. Way more than you wanted to know, probably.

Not at all! That's awesome, thanks.

I think I'll pick up the Busiek/Nicieza stuff to read alongside his Avengers. The rest of it doesn't grab my interest so much, at least not at this time. Seems too much like Marvel was throwing anything they could at the wall to see what sticks so as to keep the Thunderbolts name in circulation after the Ellis run (who's a great writer and who also had a good opportunity with Civil War for a story featuring them) was so popular and talked about.

Much appreciated!

[Brewman]

Just finished flipping through the SA DD Omni and have to say WOW on the art of this volume. The Romita and Colan stuff is fantastic. Colan's work especially is unbelievably dynamic. Worth it for the art alone IMO.

[Squall Leonhart]

some of these like the crossing or X-force are like mould. You just can't get rid of them.
Can't help but think these 90's books that no one asked for and some of the early stuff that got wwaaaay overprinted are responsible for recent underprintings that sold out within a couple of months like UXF and Annihilation.

Some of the 90's omnis like Infinity Gauntlet and Claremont/Lee X-men Volume 2 sold very, very well.

[Balakin]

Some of the 90's omnis like Infinity Gauntlet and Claremont/Lee X-men Volume 2 sold very, very well.

IG was quite highly anticipated and obviously a Lee X-men book sells but who asked for X-force, 90's firsts or even New Warriors (which I have and quite like)?