opinion: Marvel Comics Solicitations for 09/07

I was paroozing the list of what Marvel's upcoming offerings and a few things stuck out to me. Stuck as in, a rock stuck in your shoe, irritating you.

X-FACTOR #23
Written by Peter David
Pencils & Cover by Pablo Raimondi
"The Isolationist" Part 3 of 4.
Layla Miller is in over her head, and her survival hinges on the one man who wants to see her dead. The plan of Josef Huber, the Isolationist, is revealed, but X-Factor may not be around to stop it. And Monet and Siryn take an elevator. FEATURING ENDANGERED SPECIES Chapter 11 - Guest starring FORGE, Beast examines the effect that M-Day had on alternate futures via Forge’s technology. And the future looks bleak!

Monet and Siryn take an elevator. Right. This is supposed to excite the reader why? Looks like more filler for the poor buggers following the Endangered Species storyline. Also, let's kill some pages and see yet another bleak, lifeless future. Good plan Beast. Way to kill time & pages.

NEW X-MEN #42 Written by CHRISTOPHER YOST & CRAIG KYLE Pencils & Cover by SKOTTIE YOUNG "CHILDREN OF X-MEN" Mutants are now an endangered species, and the New X-Men realize that they may well be the LAST X-Men! After the events of "Quest for Magik," several of the kids have been changed forever, and the Astonishing X-Men are finally taking some time to get to know their students. But after everything the team has been through… who even wants to be an X-Man? New powers, new relationships, new team members, all on the road to the X-event of the decade! Part 1 (of 2) FEATURING ENDANGERED SPECIES Chapter 12 Tired of dead ends with current mutants, Beast turns to the family that has sired the most mutants on Earth—the Guthries. The family that produced two X-MEN and may hold the key to save the mutant race.

Translation: Let's jump from one massive crossover to another! At this point, I'm wondering if Endangered Species is just a tack on to the end of each books. Wouldn't that be irritating? Also, the Guthries? *sigh* I should be happy it's not the Summers clan anymore. (a family that also produced 2 Xmen- Cyclops & Havok, not to mention useless ol Vulcan.)

SUB-MARINER #4 (of 6)
Written by MATT CHERNISS & PETER JOHNSON
Penciled by PHIL BRIONES
The U.S. government is after Namor–public enemy #1! A terrorist attack perpetrated by an Atlantean sleeper cell has killed 800 innocent civilians…but who gave the order? While the Sub-Mariner scours the surface for answers, Tony Stark, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., tries to prevent a seemingly inevitable war between Atlantis and the surface world…but even Iron Man can’t stop the government from unleashing their secret weapon on Namor–the Thunderbolts! With extreme prejudice!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99

The Thunderbolts! Because we didn't want to throw anyone useful at him! Was the term 'with extreme prejudice' really necessary? Really?

The only interesting/ non painful bits coming up are:

MYSTIC ARCANA: SISTER GRIMM Written by C. B. CEBULSKI & DAVID SEXTON Penciled by PHIL NOTO & ERIC NGUYEN Bestowed with powers she barely understands, how does one of Marvel's youngest magic users, Sister Grimm from Runaways, deal with her newfound mystic abilities... when all she wants to do is be a normal teenager?! As her parents' past comes back to haunt her, Nico Minoru learns that there may be more to her magical lineage than even she could have imagined. One look in the sacred Black Mirror sends Nico looking for answers she may not like discovering. PLUS: The final chapter of Ian McNee’s quest. Will he possess the four cornerstones of the magic? What shocking revelation does he learn about his past and what does this mean to the Marvel Universe?

I don't rightly give a gamn about ol Ian, but any Runaways extras are good to me.
and also X-Men 203 - if only for the cover (click image to enlarge) - we see you, Mystique!