MCU Comics Corner: Backordered #6

A lot has changed since the last edition of Backordered.

• First, Organic Priced Books is now Panel Bound Comics! Have no fear - it is still the same great team, same great books, same great customer service and packaging, and the same great discount code: FRIENDSFROMWORK.

• The MCU released two excellent movies (Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps) and one pleasantly surprising television show (Ironheart).

• Robby and I finalized the FFW Multiverse Saga Watch Order.

• Kyle and Robby started a new “Marvel Comics 101” series for FFW+ subscribers.

All the while, I’ve been reading comics whenever I have a chance. For this installment of Backordered, I want to switch things up and focus mostly on new books, resisting the urge to check in on the books I have been regularly reading for the last two years and writing about here. Yes- the Ultimate universe still rules; I have fallen off the DC Absolute books (not due to quality and with one notable exception that you’ll read about in a minute); Jason Aaron’s TMNT continues to excel; and Batman remains my all-time favorite comic book character with several great books ongoing at the moment (Absolute, B&R: Year One, The Last Halloween).

I also wrapped up a few miniseries that I talked about last time— TMNT’s The Last Ronin II: Re-Evolution was good (but not as good as the original or The Lost Years; Tom King’s Black Canary was ok, but not among my TK favorites; the Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man prequel series was harmless but forgettable; and Marvel’s TVA miniseries was easily my favorite of everything I just mentioned. I would love to see that turn into an ongoing series.

Let’s move into some books that I am excited to recommend with my…

WEEKLY PULL LIST

• Assorted Crisis Events #1-5 by Deniz Camp, Eric Zawadzki, Jordie Bellaire, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

• Absolute Martian Manhunter by Deniz Camp and Javier Rodriguez

  • Deniz Camp is my 2025 writer of the year, and in my opinion, it’s not particularly close. Not only is he writing the main Ultimates title that has reinvigorated the Marvel Universe over the last 12 months, but he is also authoring a book for DC and has launched his own creator-owned passion project.

  • Assorted Crisis Events is a series of single-issue stories depicting different crises, and every issue is mesmerizing. Issue #3, “Crisis on Hearth Two!”, is my single favorite issue of any book this year.

  • Absolute Martian Manhunter is a DC book that I would not have given a second thought about if it were written by anyone else. But Camp is weaving a compelling story through the first arc, backed by Javier Rodriguez’s incredible artwork. The colors in every issue used to depict the alien side of the Martian are vibrant and beautiful. Both of these are must-reads for any comic fan. The final issue of the first arc is out tomorrow.

• The Amazing Spider-Man #1-10 by Joe Kelly and Pepe Larraz

• Captain America #1-2 by Chip Zdarsky and Valerio Schiti

• Giant Size X-Men #1-2 by Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, and Adam Kubert

  • All of these books are from friends of the podcast! If you missed any of Robby’s interviews with Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, Joe Kelly, or Chip Zdarsky, click on those hyperlinks.

  • I have written previously about Joe Kelly’s work (Deadpool: The Complete Collection and his “8 Deaths of Spider-Man” arc in the pages of TASM), but none of that grabbed me the way his new ongoing work on The Amazing Spider-Man has. How do you tell a fresh story about a character approaching 1000 total issues since this book’s inception in 1963? Kelly has figured it out, digging deep into Peter Parker’s past to pull out some new characters and new situations.

  • Because I only started reading Marvel comics this decade, there are some massive blind spots in my reading history. One of the biggest is X-Men. I have never read any of their iconic stories in full. So, when I saw that two writers whom I always enjoy reading were taking Kamala Khan on a journey through the biggest moments in X-history, I knew I needed to read it. Told over 5 issues (including Giant Size Dark Phoenix Saga, Apocalypse, and House of M) and using Legion to pull Kamala through time, I loved the opportunity to get a taste of these legendary storylines.

  • Only the first two issues are out as of right now, but I think Chip Zdarsky is working on something special with his take on Captain America. Zdarsky introduces a new character into the mix, David Colton, who becomes a post-9/11 version of Cap. I am excited to see where this series goes and how the dynamic between Steve and David develops over the course of the book. Schiti’s pencilwork is some of my favorite, too.

• Exquisite Corpses #1-4 by James Tynion IV and Michael Walsh

  • James Tynion IV is back with another twisted new series that assembles a group of serial killers (each hired by one of the wealthiest families in America) to take over a small town and compete to see who the last killer standing will be. It is dark, bloody, and Tynion through and through.

• Imperial #1-3 by Jonathan Hickman, Federico Vicentini, and Iban Coello

• Marvel Knights: The World to Come #1-2 by Christopher Priest and Joe Quesada

  • Imperial is the latest from the mind of Jonathan Hickman and serves as something of a reset for the cosmic side of the Marvel Universe. A four-issue limited series, it is designed to serve as a jumping-off point for several additional one-shots (the first two of which debut tomorrow) and hopefully set the stage for other collaborators to take the story in new and interesting directions.

  • The World to Come is another big swing for the Marvel Universe. The original creators of the Marvel Knights imprint have returned to tell a shocking (and controversial?) story about the death of T’Challa and the surprising candidate who attempts to ascend the throne.

TRADE PAPERBACKS

• Doom: Treasury Edition by Jonathan Hickman and Sanford Greene (LINK)

  • Doom: Treasury Edition was first recommended by Robby in The Sunday Post a few months ago. Shortly after Robby’s recommendation, the book appeared on Robert Downey Jr.’s Instagram (coincidence? I think not!), and I can see why. Sanford Greene’s artwork is gorgeous, and along with Hickman, the pair tell a defining Doom story that could offer hints about what is to come in Avengers: Doomsday next year.

• Children of the Vault by Deniz Camp and Luca Maresca

  • When Deniz Camp burst onto my radar last year, I checked to see if he had written for Marvel previously and found one other story for Marvel before taking over on Ultimates. Children of the Vault is that book, a quick 4-issue miniseries starring Bishop and Cable in the post-Krakoa era. Backed by stellar art from Luca Maresca, it is a breezy read, and you can see the hints of Camp’s breakout coming in its plot and themes.

• Fantastic Four: Solve Everything by Jonathan Hickman and Dale Eaglesham (LINK)

  • The “Marvel Premier Collection” is Marvel’s answer to DC’s “Compact Comics.” Smaller prints of classic stories, all in the size of a standard novel, making it easy to take with you when you travel. Solve Everything is the first of these for Marvel, and contains the essential arc of Jonathan Hickman’s run on Fantastic Four. As a bonus, it also includes a foreword by The Fantastic Four: First Steps director Matt Shakman and a new introduction from Jonathan Hickman. If you’ve been looking for a better way to read on the go, this is worth a look.

• Marvels by Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross (LINK)

  • As I mentioned up top, Robby and Kyle recently started a new series on FFW+ called “Marvel Comics 101,” where Robby plans to guide Kyle (and fellow readers and listeners) through ten essential and accessible Marvel comics for new readers. Marvels is the first book in that series. This was my second time reading this story, and it was no less impactful. Order the remastered edition from PBC and enjoy Alex Ross’s hand-painted art the way it was meant. If you are not a member of FFW+, consider signing up for a 7-day free trial!

OMNIBUS

• New Avengers Vol. 1 by Brian Michael Bendis

  • As I worked my way through this Bendis omnibus, I came to a realization- I really enjoy reading Brian Michael Bendis. I can see why his Avengers work is so acclaimed. Beginning with the famous “Avengers: Disassembled” arc, this omnibus also contains the Sentry arc that brought that character to prominence (and inspired his role in Thunderbolts*). The second half of Bendis’s run comes out November 4th and is available for pre-order now.

• Secret Warriors by Jonathan Hickman and Stefano Caselli (LINK)

  • Ever since Robby first set me on a course to read through Jonathan Hickman’s essential Marvel works (FF, Avengers/New Avengers, etc), I have wanted to go back to the beginning of his Marvel journey with Secret Warriors. This is a Nick Fury story, a well-told spy tale presented in typical Hickman fashion, complete with dossiers, data pages, and chapter-breaking chryons. Stefano Caselli is also one of my favorite modern artists, so this was a delight. If you’ve enjoyed Hickman’s other tomes, I recommend this one as well.

The bottom line? It is a really good time to be reading comic books. There is great work coming out every week, and if you can’t keep up with weekly pull lists, then Panel Bound Comics is your one-stop shop for all the best trades and omnis, packaged carefully so they arrive on your doorstep in mint condition.

What are you reading right now that I should be? Jump over to our Discord server and let me know. Until next time…

Happy reading,

-Greg