UPDATE 4/21/2015 11:20 AM PT: Evan Shaner has commented on his departure as artist of "1872":
The short answer is I over-booked myself and just wasn't able to make it work, as much I wanted to.
The longer answer is that I wanted to do this book so bad that I didn't consider what my schedule actually looked like and whether I could do it. I committed to 1872 a while ago even though I knew I had other things to take care of, both professionally and personally. Everybody at Marvel was very supportive of me and gave me every chance to try and get things going, and in retrospect I should've acknowledged sooner that I was beat.
Read Shaner's comments in full on his Tumblr.
Marvel's freshly released July 2015 solicitation, showcasing its publishing offerings for that month, are highlighted by new previously announced "Secret Wars"-related series -- including "Civil War," "Siege," "Red Skull," "Hail Hydra," "Age of Apocalypse" and "Spider-Island."
But if you look just a little bit beneath the surface, there is plenty of information to be gleaned not previously known before the latest solicitation text and covers were revealed. Here's a look at what's worth knowing from Marvel's July 2015 solicitations.
- "Secret Wars" was solicited as double-shipping in both May (#1 and #2) and June (#3 and #4), but it looks like that pace is going to transition to monthly -- at least for July, with one issue, #5, solicited for that month. CBR confirmed with Marvel that the shipping schedule for the remainder of the eight-issue event series is still to be determined.
- "1872" has been one of Marvel's most anticipated "Secret Wars"-related books since being announced last month, but the creative team has seen a major change. Nik Virella is now on board as series artist, replacing the originally announced Evan Shaner. Virella is solicited for July's issue #2, and CBR has confirmed with Marvel that she will also illustrate #1. Gerry Duggan remains as "1872" writer.
- Also in July, Marvel aims to help fans get a detailed picture of the main "Secret Wars" players with "Secret Wars: Official Guide to the Marvel Multiverse," written by the "Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe" team, and spotlighting important characters like "Old Man Logan" and locations like Battleworld domain "Weirdworld."
- The solicitation text for "Punisher" #20 certainly makes it sound like a last issue, with the words "THE LAST DAY" and "With a bang, not with a whimper." When reached by CBR News, Marvel declined to confirm that it is the book's final issue.
- It's been known that Mark Waid and Chris Samnee were set to end their acclaimed "Daredevil" run in the near future, and now it looks like an endpoint is clear: July's "Daredevil" #17 is listed as the "penultimate chapter," presumably with a finale following in August. What's next for "Daredevil" -- the character and the series -- isn't yet known.
- In the midst of "Secret Wars" chaos, a long-awaited team-up is set to take place: Captain Marvel guest stars in "Ms. Marvel" #17 to join forces with Kamala Khan, who takes heroic inspiration from Carol Danvers.
- The solicitation text for "Infinity Gauntlet" #3 uses the terminology "Infinity Stones" -- from the Marvel Cinematic Universe -- rather than "Infinity Gems," as the objects have been traditionally referred to over the years in Marvel Comics.
- With all of the "Secret Wars" material on the way this summer, it appears that quite a few newer series still don't have obvious ties to the event as of July, including "Silk," "Spider-Woman," "Howard the Duck," "Squirrel Girl," "S.H.I.E.L.D.," "Deathlok," "Moon Knight" and "Bucky Barnes: The Winter Soldier."
- One newer Marvel title isn't on the schedule for July: "Spider-Gwen," which is taking the month off.
- Original Ant-Man Hank Pym and current Ant-Man Scott Lang are scheduled to team-up in July's "Ant-Man Annual" #1, the same month the Marvel Studios "Ant-Man" film, featuring both characters, is slated for release. Hank Pym's current status raises some questions as the nature of the team-up -- or where it may take place in Marvel's timeline.
- There's plenty of Star Wars comics coming from Marvel in July, with two issues of new series "Lando" solicited, and two of the main "Star Wars" book -- #7, featuring guest illustrator Simone Bianchi, and #8, with the arrival of new series artist Stuart Immonen.
- The comedy world and the comic book world continue to collide at Marvel in July, with "Comedy Bang Bang" host Scott Aukerman -- who made his comic book-writing debut with the recently released "Deadpool" #250 -- returning to the publisher for a story in July's "Secret Wars Journal" #, illustrated by R.B. Silva. Here's the description: " follow psychologist Doc Samson as he tries to bring personal growth and inner peace to a land of RAGE-A-HOLIC HULKS!"Over in "Guardians Team-Up," the latest work from "The League" co-star Paul Scheer and his frequent collaborator Nick Giovannetti arrives with July's issue #7, illustrated by Shawn Crystal: "When a murderous alien ends up in Miami, it's up to an unlikely duo of Ant-Man and Drax to stop him, that is of course if they can stop bickering with each other long enough. They're Lethal Weapons who are Running Scared and they have 48 Hours to save the day before the Hot Fuzz come and replace them with The Other Guys."