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Speaking of Marvel, they seem to be cornering the market on former writers as well as former artists. If you can believe it, Scott Lobdell, long time X-Men writer returns to Marvel to write Alpha Flight.
The book begins with Sasquatch and a new team on a mission that has gone badly. Lobdell says that his goal is basically to find the original members of the team who have gone missing. One of the new characters takes on the mantel of 'Major Mapleleaf' {sigh}.
The style and tone for the series is described as a blending of serious action with a good dose of humour and pop culture references thrown in for good measure. The title of the first arc 'You've Gotta Be Kiddin' Me' certainly seems to capture that high-energy spirit that Lobdell has been known to display.
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Speaking of Marvel, how many X-Men titles will you purchase monthly? In what is unofficially dubbed "reload" by fans, Marvel will be putting out six X-Men titles a month. They are X-MEN, ASTONISHING X-Men (John Cassidy), UNCANNY X-MEN (Alan Davis), NEW X-MEN, EXCALIBUR, and DISTRICT X.
Chris Claremont will be writing UNCANNY X-MEN and EXCALIBUR and Joss Whedon will be writing ASTONISHING X-MEN. The NEW X-MEN will be a graduation for the New Mutants characters. DISTRICT X will feature Bishop in more of a "Men in Black" type role with a few other mutants. Get your scorecard ready, because I can barely keep track of this stuff myself.
For a more in-depth story check out the Marvel website at http://www.marvelcomics.com/news/index.h...
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MARVEL GIVES AWAY TWO MILLION COMIC BOOKS TO SCHOOLS
In support of the Marvel Summer Reading Challenge, Marvel has announced a two million comic book giveaway!
As announced previously, Marvel Comics is including a promotion of Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) in its Summer Reading Challenge, using a summer reading calendar to reach out to a nationwide audience of two million elementary school children through the Cover Concepts network of more than 5,000 authorized schools and libraries.