The month of May will kick off with the theatrical premiere of "Avengers: Age of Ultron," an event that should keep fans buzzing well into the summer. Some months, Marvel's second "Avengers" film would be enough to satiate fans, but not this May. This May, the new "Avengers" is just the tip of a buzzworthy iceberg with the big five publishers stepping up to deliver some books that will have fans running from the cinemas after seeing "Age of Ultron" and right into the comic stores.
Marvel, DC, Image, Dark Horse & IDW Solicitations for May 2015
One event begins at Marvel while another ends at DC. A sequel to a beloved film and novel comes to comics from Dark Horse while Image keeps its revolution rolling with some very exciting new titles. In the meantime, IDW will revive one of the most classic characters in pop culture history. So join us as we present our picks for the books that will make May a month to remember.
"Convergence" #5-8
#5 Written by Jeff King
Art by Andy Kubert and Sandra Hope
Cover by Andy Kubert
6 Written by Jeff King and Scott Lobdell
Art by Ed Benes
Cover by Carlo Pagulayan
#7 Written by Jeff King and Scott Lobdell
Art by Aaron Lopresti and Mark Morales
Cover by Carlo Pagulayan
#8 Written by Jeff King and Scott Lobdell
Art by Carlo Pagulayan and Stephen Segovia
Cover By Carlo Pagulayan
At the end of "Convergence," DC is promising a single reality following the largest battle in the history of the Multiverse. Fans have already seen the list of post-"Convergence" titles, but what will the cosmic makeup of the DCU be? Jeff King has been doing tremendous work on SyFy's "Continuum," so it will be interesting to see how he, along with co-writer and comics veteran Scott Lobdell, handles a project and an ending this huge. Whatever happens, DC fans should have plenty to talk about when the smoke clears from the epic battle between the heroes of Earth 2, Kingdom Come, Parallax (!) and the champions of the New 52.
"Mad Max: Fury Road: Nux & Immortan Joe" #1
Written By George Miller, Nico Lathouris and Mark Sexton
Art By Riccardo Burchielli and Leandro Fernandez
Cover By Tommy Lee Edwards
"Avengers: Age of Ultron" isn't the only blockbuster hitting theaters in May. "Mad Max: Fury Road" arrives in the middle of the month, and Vertigo will provide a deeper look at the world of the "Mad Max" reboot. What makes this particular film tie in so exciting is that director and Mad Max creator George Miller is penning the comic to flesh out the world of his movie. This summer, fans who have been starved for more "Mad Max" for decades have a chance to revisit this dystopian, fuel and water starved savage future, both in comics and in film.
"Secret Wars" #1-2
Written by Jonathan Hickman
Art by Esad Ribic
Covers by Alex Ross
Is this the beginning of the end, or the end of the beginning? The nature of "Secret Wars" and the consequences of the event have been shrouded in rumors and secrecy, but all the answers begin here, in the conclusion of Jonathan Hickman's current Marvel blueprint. For years, Hickman has been crafting a magnum opus in across his Marvel work, and all his set up culminates as "Secret Wars" begins. The Marvel Universe will collide with the Ultimate Universe, resulting in the formation of Battleworld. Between the talent involved and the promise of a very different Marvel Universe, "Secret Wars" is a must read for any fan who wants a glimpse at what the future of all of Marvel's realties could look like after the final shots of "Secret Wars" are fired.
"Ultimate End" #1
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Art and Cover by Mark Bagley
It's not every day a long-standing comic universe reaches its finale, but that's exactly what seems to be happening with "Ultimate End." It is entirely possible that fans will witness the deaths of many long standing characters, as Marvel is promising "sacrifices" in the wake of "Secret Wars" and Battleworld. What is the final fate of Miles Morales, the members of the Ultimates and the Ultimate X-Men? The two creators that brought fans the very first Ultimate comic, "Ultimate Spider-Man" #1, Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley, will provide the answers in May.
"Old Man Logan" #1
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Art by Andrea Sorrentino
One of the most infamous Wolverine stories of all time is revisited in "Old Man Logan," a return to the bleak future where most of the Marvel heroes are dead and only one tired, old warrior is left to fight legions of villains. What role will Old Man Logan play on Battleworld and in "Secret Wars?" With the 616 Wolverine dead, could the next chapter of Wolverine history begin here, with the return this grizzled version of the classic character? This is Brian Michael Bendis' first major "Wolverine" solo project -- will it lead to an all-new status for Wolverine in the post-"Secret Wars" Marvel U?
"A-Force" #1
Written by G. Willow Wilson and Marguerite Bennett
Art by Jorge Molina
Cover by Jim Cheung
In "Ms. Marvel," G. Willow Wilson has crafted one of the most complex, human and fun characters the Marvel Universe has seen in many years. Now, Wilson and co-writer Marguerite Bennett, two of the freshest voices in comics, work their storytelling magic on virtually all of the female heroes of the Marvel Universe in "A-Force." It seems that on Battleworld, one section of the new landscape will be held by Marvel's female champions who will do anything to defend their own section of reality. Just take a look at that cover featuring Elektra, Jean Grey, Captain Marvel, She-Hulk, Karolina Dean and Nico Minoru from the Runaways, Medusa, the classic Dazzler, Pixie, Storm and more -- this is a book not to be skipped!
"Injection" #1
Story by Warren Ellis
Art and Covers A & B by Declan Shalvey and Jordie Bellaire
Last year, the team of writer Warren Ellis and artist Declan Shalvey joined together for "Moon Knight," a fresh and compelling take on a classic Marvel character. Now, they're bringing their talents to their own creator-owned project, "Injection," a book about five people who poisoned the world and are now trying to save reality from growing out of control and becoming too strange to support human life. Any fan of Warren Ellis knows that when the writer promises strange, he delivers, and with a description calling the series "science fiction, tales of horror, strange crime fiction, techno-thriller, and ghost story all at the same time," this sounds like a blast. "Injection" sounds ambitious, a worthy follow-up to Ellis and Shalvey's genre-bending "Moon Knight."
"Mythic" #1
Story by Phil Hester
Art and Cover A by John Mccrea
Cover B by Sean Gordon Murphy
Phil Hester and John McCrea bring their talent to Image for "Mythic," a tale of a world where science is a lie and magic is the truth that binds reality together. Hester and McCrea promise to deliver a world where magic is real and the laws of physics and nature are the illusion. While the characters are all new, their names and descriptions alone have our curiosity piqued, wondering how Apache shaman Waterson, Greek immortal Cassandra, and cell phone salesman Nate Jayadarma will come together and interact with one another. Plus, this debut issue is being released for a special price of $1.99, so there's no excuse not to try it out!
"Material" #1
Story by Ales Kot
Art by Will Tempest
Cover by Tom Muller
With "Zero," Ales Kot is producing one of the most compelling and surprising books on the market, and his books for Marvel, "Secret Avengers" and "Bucky Barnes: the Winter Soldier" are compelling reads that stretch the boundaries of the medium. Not much is known about "Material" other than the cast -- a recently released Guantanamo Bay prisoner, a failed actress, a young survivor of a riot and a philosopher -- but when a book comes from the mind of Kot, it brings with it the promise of experimentation and innovation that comics thrive on.
"Fight Club 2" #1
Written by Chuck Palahniuk
Art and Variant Cover by Cameron Stewart
Color by Dave Stewart
Cover by David Mack
Variant Cover by Lee Bermejo
"Fight Club" was one of the most popular and culturally relevant films and novels of the '90s, and now author Chuck Palahniuk brings the next chapter in the story of Tyler Durden to comics. One of the most anticipated projects of the year, "Fight Club 2" is the direct continuation of Palahniuk's world, visually interpreted by Eisner-winner Cameron Stewart. This one should bring in eyes beyond the usual comic faithful and could very well be the most talked about hit of the year. With Palahniuk at the typewriter, "Fight Club 2" promises to be every inch the satirically intense experience that the original novel and film were. Just make sure not to tell anyone about it, because the first rule of Fight Club is...
"Harrow County" #1
Written by Cullen Bunn
Art and Cover by Tyler Crook
From the writer of "Sixth Gun" and "Wolf Moon" and the artist of "B.P.R.D.," comes "Harrow County," described as a "southern gothic fairy tale" featuring a young girl who realizes she is connected to the creatures in the deep woods that surrounds her home. Original gothic horror is always welcome in the world of comics, and both the writer and artist of this project have proven that they know their way around a frightening tale. In a Spring filled with galactic superhero crossover events, it'll be a welcome respite to experience a spooky little tale of things that go bump in the night from two skilled practitioners of the genre. Plus, the issues will give fans more bang for their buck as each issue will feature tales exclusive to print.
"Donald Duck" #1
Written by Romano Scarpa, Dick Kinney and Jonathan Gray
Art by Romano Scarpa, Mau Heymans and Al Hubbard
Colors by Jan-Roman Pikula
There's something comforting in the knowledge that the world's most beloved duck is returning to comics. IDW has proven that the company knows its way around kids' comics, and the adventures of Donald should be right at home with the company that has been producing the beloved "My Little Pony" comics. This new title promises all the old favorite classic Donald supporting cast and could be a delight of older fans of the angry duck and young fans looking for their first comic experience. So between this new book, IDW's "Uncle Scrooge" and Marvel's "Howard the Duck", there are now three duck books on the market? Truly, it is a new Golden Age.
"You Don't Say"
Writing, art and color by Nate Powell
Nate Powell's previous works, including the #1 New York Times Bestseller "March: Book One" and Eisner Award-Winning "Swallow Me Whole," have earned both critical acclaim and scores of fans. In May, Powell presents "You Don't Say," a collection of shorter works from 2013-2014. The collection showcases his unique sequential perspective with thought provoking essays, short fiction and collaborations, resulting in a book that is likely to receive its share of nominations come Eisner time.
UPDATE 2/21/15 4:15 PM PT: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated Jeff King was the co-writer of "Grayson."