May is shaping up to be a big month for Marvel. The month will mark the end of the Krakoa Age for the X-Men franchise. It will also see the full kick off of the Avengers-led Blood Hunt summer blockbuster event. That along with plans for Spider-Man, Wolverine, Deadpool and others fill out a packed month leading into summer 2024. Let’s take a look at the biggest takeaways from Marvel’s May 2024 comic book solicitations.
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE TAKEOVER BEGINS
Unless something changes, 2024 will be the first year since 2010 where we will be getting only one Marvel Cinematic Universe movie. The lone 2024 MCU movie will be Deadpool & Wolverine. So if Deadpool and Wolverine’s individual popularity enough they are set-up to have big years.
As is normal with the comic book side of things Marvel is going to slowly take that momentum before fully blowing up with Deadpool and Wolverine comic books. We see that with May seeing the launch of a new Deadpool & Wolverine mini-series by Joe Kelly and Adam Kubert. Marvel has certainly lined up the best creative team they could to get the ball rolling for Deadpool & Wolverine.
This should buy Marvel time as they are also sorting out the relaunch of the X-Men franchise. Wolverine will most certainly be a key character as part of the relaunch. We can expect a new solo series and Wolverine featured in multiple X-Men teams. With the MCU movie coming up don’t be surprise if Deadpool is further integrated into the X-Men franchise. He’s been a staple in the X-Force team and that is likely to continue if that series returns.
MARVEL GOING ALL IN ON BLOOD HUNT
The least surprising thing about Marvel’s May 2024 solicitations was seeing all of the tie-ins to Blood Hunt. The Blood Hunt event is all over the solicitations. It’s to the point just about every title ties in somehow except the Spider-Man and X-Men franchises. Even then we do see Spider-Man is getting his own mini-series as part of Blood Hunt.
With all of these tie-ins it is clear Marvel is placing a bigger focus on building up Blade to the next level. His series has been jumping back and forth in terms of its sales rankings in the Top 100 since launch. It is not due to quality as both the writing and art have been great for the series. Marvel needs to do better about promotion. Which is where Blood Hunt becomes a key for Blade’s character. This should be his launching vehicle on the comic book side of things to get to the next level.
All of the tie-ins will also speak to how invested Marvel fans are into this event. This isn’t an event that has been years in the making. It is something that is sort of blowing up and making the Avengers and others focus on the event. What that results for the sales of all the titles involved will show if this gamble, like other events, was worth dedicating so much into the latest Marvel summer blockbuster event.
MYSTIQUE AND DESTINY TIE THE KNOT
One of the main relationships in the Krakoa Age has been Mystique and Destiny. These two have always been connected to each other. Though Mystique’s popularity has had her doing her own thing for a while before the Krakoa Age.
With them being a key relationship during the last few years Marvel is finally pulling the trigger. The wedding of Mystique and Destiny will certainly help this Marvel: Voices one of their more successful one-shots in this line. Which Marvel: Voices needs as the anthology one-shots hasn’t sold as well as when Marvel first started the series. Especially as it is retitled X-Men: The Wedding Special. Tying the X-Men brand is a big help for it.
The importance of Mystique and Destiny’s wedding hits because of the build their relationship has had. We’ve seen in the X-Men comics how important they are to each other. There are many notable moments throughout the last few years, especially since Inferno, that have led to this wedding. With all of that build the X-Men: The Wedding Special hopefully focus on why Mystique and Destiny are important together and individually and not go down the drama route.
ULTIMATE UNIVERSE CONNECTIONS
The new Ultimate Universe started off much more connected than the previous iteration. Ultimate Invasion made it clear that all the comic books in the franchise would be happening in the same timeline. Though Ultimate Spider-Man, Black Panther, and X-Men start off by doing their own thing rather than directly connecting with each other.
That said, in this week’s Ultimate Spider-Man #2 we started to see some greater universe integration. Captain Britain’s appearance spoke to how the Maker’s secret cabal will still be manipulating many things going on in the Ultimate Universe.
Now with May’s Ultimate X-Men #3 we see the series will relate to Black Panther. This is thanks to Storm’s inclusion as part of Ultimate Black Panther. Storm’s role leads to an immediate connection with Ultimate X-Men. This connection will be more spiritual as the new character Maystorm is teased to be inspired by Storm. Having these types of connections will help show how all the Ultimate Universe titles are happening at the same time while still doing their own thing.
END OF THE KRAKOA AGE
May marks the conclusion of the Fall of the House of X and Rise of the Powers of X crossover. Based on the solicitation the ending for both these comic books will be a violent one as the X-Men will be battling right until the end. Given how the war with Orchis has gone there was no peaceful way to end things.
Interestingly enough the focus for the cover of both Fall of the House of X #5 and Rise of the Powers of X #5 are Cyclops and Jean Grey. Both these characters were taken out of the equation to kick off Fall of X. Given their importance in the Krakoa Age this was a notable thing that happened during Hellfire Gala 2023. Cyclops and Jean Grey were clearly set up for big roles in how the Krakoa Age will end.
The role Jean has will be connected to the Phoenix. One of the results of this crossover does indicate that the Phoenix Force will play a massive role in what will shape the next era in the X-Men. What that era will be is still not clear. We will just have to wait and see.
PETER PARKER AND GWEN STACY BACK TOGETHER?
Peter Parker wasn’t going to be single for too long after breaking up with Black Cat. The question was whether he would get back with MJ, Felicia, or a new love interest? Well, Marvel is teasing the answer in The Spectacular Spider-Man #3 as Peter with Gwen Stacy joining Miles Morales and Kamala Khan on their first date.
Marvel is not likely to bring back the 616-Gwen Stacy to life. Instead, this version of the character is likely Spider-Gwen, who recently permanently moved to Earth-616. Given that Peter and Spider-Gwen have had an awkward dynamic since the latter debuted them dating shouldn’t be in the cards. Though we can’t put anything past Marvel given their creative choices with Amazing Spider-Man.
That said, the solicitation for The Spectacular Spider-Man #3 also doesn’t confirm that it will feature a double date. Rather Peter and Gwen are joining Miles and Kamala on their first date. This could play into the fact Miles and Kamala have had a platonic friendship for a long time. They may need Peter and Gwen to act help if things get awkward as Miles and Kamala try to figure out going how to go from long-time friends to romantic relationship. I at least want to trust Greg Weisman has a plan.
JONATHAN HICKMAN AND VALERIO SCHITI G.O.D.S CONCLUDES
When Marvel announced the G.O.D.S series by Jonathan Hickman and Valerio Schiti it was one of the more exciting comic books in 2023. That excitement died down quickly as Marvel never pushed the mini-series. That is even with Hickman and Schiti being the creative team.
Though G.O.D.S hasn’t gotten the attention it wanted it still does not take away that it can be an important part of Marvel’s future. Hickman and Schiti have delivered impactful comic books together in the past. Hickman’s work in particular is something Marvel builds off from for years afterwards.
With G.O.D.S it could shape Doctor Strange’s greater role in the Marvel Universe. Which would not be surprising since Doctor Strange is a key character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. What other characters from the G.O.D.S series appear in other Marvel comic books will be interesting to see. We may get a hint of where this story goes next as Hickman is moving on to write a Doctor Doom series. Hickman usually connects all his Marvel work together so Doom may be the next step into his big narrative.
NICK FURY AND FRANK CASTLE RETURN
Well it did not take long for the “Punisher being a legacy character” experiment to end. On a similar note the Nick Fury Jr experiment also appears to be over. That is thanks to both Frank Castle and the classic Nick Fury will be co-starring in a new miniseries titled Get Fury.
Now this new comic book will be a period piece rather than taking place in the modern day. Though it does say a lot that Marvel is going back to the classic Nick Fury. We haven’t seen the character around in a while. Brining in Garth Ennis to write this series does show Marvel is starting to get committed to the classic Nick Fury returning again.
This is something they’ve avoided doing while trying to make the Samuel L. Jackson-inspired Nick Fury Jr. part of the main Marvel Universe. All those attempts have not worked out. We see that with the fact that Nick Fury Jr. has zero presence in any comic book. Maybe with the Ultimate Universe back this version of the character will be part of that direction.
SPIDER-MAN VS GREEN GOBLIN RIVALRY REVIVED
From the beginning of Zeb Wells’ Amazing Spider-Man run one thing that was known is Norman Osborn returning as Green Goblin. Given how irredeemable Norman’s actions as Green Goblin have been it was clear the character would return to his villainous ways. It is why Wells dedicated a large portion of his run to Peter Parker, gaining a father-son dynamic with Norman. He wanted to try to make the return of Green Goblin hit. Though “try” is the key thing since no one believed Norman was going to stay a “good guy.” Green Goblin is his destiny that Peter and everyone is naive for thinking otherwise.
Amazing Spider-Man #50 shows this as we are officially getting Green Goblin back for the milestone issue in Wells run. The brutal fight between Spider-Man and Green Goblin are teased to have should be the start of Wells endgame. The run has certainly felt that way post-Amazing Spider-Man #25.
Wells is pulling all the stops as he is bringing in the iconic Marv Wolfman to help him out. Though this is for a back-up story. Still anytime we get Wolfman on a Spider-Man comic book it is one to be excited for. Even if it’s part of Wells’ Amazing Spider-Man run.