New book in June

It's certainly been a long time since I posted in the "my comics" category:

WAR OF KINGS TPB (NEW PRINTING)

Written by DAN ABNETT & ANDY LANNING Penciled by PAUL PELLETIER & BONG DAZO Cover by BRANDON PETERSON

The Inhumans have taken flight to outer space! Their destiny as rulers written in the ancient fates, Black Bolt and the royal family have taken command of the Kree Empire! Meanwhile, Vulcan, power-mad brother of the X-Men’s Cyclops and Havok, has become the newest emperor of the Shi’ar, the most advanced military civilization in the galaxy! What happens when these mighty powers turn their rage upon one another? And what happens to those caught in the crossfire? When two mighty powers wage war, who will rule? Featuring the Guardians of the Galaxy, Darkhawk, the Starjammers and more cosmic favorites, the War of Kings is a battle that may rip the universe asunder! Collecting SECRET INVASION: WAR OF KINGS, WAR OF KINGS #1-6, WAR OF KINGS: WHO WILL RULE, ROAD TO WAR OF KINGS and MARVEL SPOTLIGHT: WAR OF KINGS. 256 PGS./Rated T+ …$24.99 ISBN: 978-0-7851-9066-0

I assume "Road to War of Kings" refers to my book, War of Kings Saga, which was previously published in the Road to War of Kings trade paperback. Actually, "Saga" isn't nearly as good a title as "Road to." Featuring Dorothy Lamour in a hopeless intergalactic conflict! Anyway, it's nice to see the Guardians of the Galaxy movie has finally placed this material back in-print.

Road to War of Kings out tomorrow...

Tomorrow sees the release of War of Kings: Road to War of Kings TPB tomorrow, which I blogged about here. It's of interest because it reprints War of Kings Saga, my well-received giveaway from a few months ago. It also collects a few other stories which led up to War of Kings, but...let's be honest. War of Kings Saga is what you really want.

Michael's books in May

OFFICIAL HANDBOOK OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE A TO Z VOL. 8 PREMIERE HC Written by JEFF CHRISTIANSEN, SEAN MCQUAID, MICHAEL HOSKIN, STUART VANDAL, RONALD BYRD, DAVID WILTFONG, MADISON CARTER, MIKE FICHERA, CHAD ANDERSON, CHRIS BIGGS, ERIC J. MOREELS, MARK O'ENGLISH, AL SJOERDSMA, JACOB ROUGEMONT, GABRIEL SHECHTER, ANTHONY FLAMINI, JEPH YORK, RICH GREEN, MARKUS ETTLINGER, ANDREW GOLETZ, ROB LONDON & MICHEL GARIEPY Penciled by VARIOUS Cover by TOM GRUMMETT Let's assume you know your mutants: Multiple Man, the MLF, Mystique, New Mutants, Nightcrawler, Northstar, Cassandra Nova, Omega Red, Onslaught, Phoenix -- no surprises for you there. Safe to assume you know Aunt May from Uncle Ben, but do you need a flow chart to tell Namor apart from Namora apart from Namorita? When it comes to heroes, how are you on the New Warriors, Night Raven, Night Thrasher, Nightmask, Nomad, Nova, Omega the Unknown, the Order, Paladin, Patriot, Penance, Phantom Rider or Pip the Troll? Villains, you say? How about Mysterio, Nebula, Nightmare, Nitro, Ord, Orka, Norman Osborn, the Owl or the Phalanx? Places like the Negative Zone and New Universe? Wrap it together with more than a hundred entries in all! Yes, you do need the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe. You're welcome! 240 PGS./Rated T+ ...$24.99 ISBN: 978-0-7851-3105-2

OFFICIAL INDEX TO THE MARVEL UNIVERSE #5 Written by VARIOUS Continuing the chronicle of the Marvel Universe, starting with Spider-Man (from AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #215 on), Iron Man (from IRON MAN #134) and the X-Men (from X-MEN #219 on). Follow the history of the Marvel universe as it unfolds month by month with the All-New Official Index to the Marvel Universe. Each issue provides synopses for dozens of individual comics, including back-up strips, introducing you to the characters, teams, places and equipment that appeared within, providing vital information about first appearances, where they last showed up and where they appeared next! 64 PGS./Rated A ...$3.99

WAR OF KINGS: ROAD TO WAR OF KINGS TPBWritten by CHRISTOPHER YOST, DAN ABNETT & ANDY LANNING Penciled by DUSTIN WEAVER, PAUL PELLETIER & BONG DAZO Cover by BRANDON PETERSON The X-Men have been defeated. Havok , Polaris and the Starjammers are being held and tortured in the most secure prison in the universe. Marvel Girl, Korvus and Lilandra are being hunted by the Imperial Guard. Vulcan is Emperor of the Shi’Ar Empire and his expansion has begun. No King will stand when Vulcan and his armies are done. Do not miss the book that will change the shape of the Universe and pave the way for the War of Kings. Also, The Secret Invasion may be over, but the Inhumans are still reeling from the terrible wounds inflicted on them by the Skrulls. And this time, the Royal Family and their massively powered people have been pushed too far! You have never seen the Inhumans like this – and it’s only the beginning! Plus: How will the empire-expanding Vulcan react to these recent universe-shaking developments? Collecting X-MEN: KINGBREAKER #1-4, SECRET INVASION: WAR OF KINGS, WAR OF KINGS SAGA and “THE HOLE” from X-MEN: DIVIDED WE STAND #2. 176 PGS./Rated T+ ...$19.99 ISBN: 978-0-7851-3967-6

This is great news for those who thought War of Kings Saga cost too much at the price of free! Now you can have it for about $20! Wotta deal!

War of Kings Saga - online!

Too much trouble for you to walk in to your friendly local comic book shop to get a free copy of War of Kings Saga? Well, why not go online to Marvel.com's digital library and read it there?

Already in stores: War of Kings Saga

This came out last week, but I missed getting a copy. I had no idea it was out!

War of Kings Saga is a rundown of all the stories leading into the War of Kings mini-event. It also has a spectacular wraparound cover by David Yardin! War of Kings officially kicked off last week with the one-shot Secret Invasion: War of Kings. In coming months it'll be running through X-Men: Kingbreaker, Nova, Guardians of the Galaxy, War of Kings: Darkhawk and the main War of Kings mini-series.

So far I'm digging the reactions online; why, just look at this comment from Comic Book Resources:

It was kind of interesting though how the freebie War of Kings Saga out today made that latter story actually seem good and interesting. If I hadn't already read it and know what crap it was I'd have been intrigued.

I made a Marvel comic seem as though it wasn't crap? YES! My job here is done.

Overall, the reactions are much more positive than my earlier Annihilation Saga. Perhaps because Annihilation Saga cost $2 but War of Kings Saga is free? Oh yeah, that reminds me...IT'S FREE!!! You have no excuse to be without one.