I am Uatu, known to some on your world as The Watcher. For countless eons I have observed the planet you call Earth from my home on its solitary moon. Over the millennia I have witnessed innumerable events that have shaped the course of history, for better or worse. Of late I have taken interest in the comics publisher DC and the audacious relaunch of its entire line of comics which they have called ‘The New 52’. But ours is not the only reality I am able to view. There exists an infinite number of alternate Earths where history has diverged at a crucial juncture to create a new timeline, one similar but entirely different than our own. On one of these alternate Earths exclusive contracts as we know them may not be in place; long running disagreements between creators and publishers may not have manifested themselves at all. On such a world, perhaps we could dare to find the answer to the question:
What if Marvel launched the New 52?
Behold! I can now reveal to you the 52 titles that the House of Ideas of another reality would choose to unleash upon their expectant audience this September:
1. AVENGERS #1 by Joss Whedon and Jim Cheung
2. FANTASTIC FOUR #1 by Alan Moore and Chris Sprouse
3. UNCANNY X-MEN #1 by Geoff Johns and Olivier Coipel
4. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1 by Kurt Busiek and John Romita Jr
5. INCREDIBLE HULK #1 by Mark Waid and Ivan Reis
6. CAPTAIN AMERICA #1 Greg Rucka and Andy Kubert
7. THOR #1 by Brian Wood and Salvador Larroca
8. IRON MAN #1 by Warren Ellis and John Cassaday
9. DAREDEVIL #1 by Scott Snyder and Gabriel Ba
10. WOLVERINE #1 by Mike Carey and David Finch
11. NICK FURY: AGENT OF S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 by Jason Aaron and Sean Phillips
12. DOCTOR STRANGE #1 by Neil Gaiman and J H Williams III
13. NAMOR, THE SUB-MARINER #1 by Matt Fraction and Steve Epting
14. SILVER SURFER #1 by Dave Gibbons and Boo Cook
15. PUNISHER #1 by Kody Chamberlain
16. SGT FURY & THE HOWLING COMMANDOS #1 by Darwyn Cooke
17. X-FORCE #1 by Rick Remender and Lenil Francis Yu
18. GHOST RIDER #1 by Victor Gischler and Steve McNiven
19. MARVEL TEAM-UP #1 by Fred Van Lente and Cliff Chiang
20. MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE #1 by Dan Slott and Marcos Martin
21. CAPTAIN MARVEL #1 by Jonathan Hickman and Dustin Weaver
22. WINTER SOLDIER #1 by Ed Brubaker and Eduardo Risso
23. SHANG-CHI: MASTER OF KUNG FU #1 by Jason Aaron and Mike Deodato Jr
24. ALPHA FLIGHT #1 by Jeff Lemire and Paco Medina
25. BLACK PANTHER #1 by Gregg Hurwitz and Jerome Opena
26. TOMB OF DRACULA #1 by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith
27. WEREWOLF BY NIGHT #1 by Mike Mignola
28. INVADERS #1 by Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark
29. NEW MUTANTS #1 by Nick Spencer and Frank Quitely
30. EXCALIBUR #1 by Kieron Gillen and Alan Davis
31. DEFENDERS #1 by Brian Michael Bendis and Lee Garbett
32. MAN-THING #1 by Grant Morrison and Alex Maleev
33. KA-ZAR THE UNTAMED #1 by Joe Casey and Ryan Sook
34. HOWARD THE DUCK #1 by Roger Langridge and Brian Hurtt
35. WARLOCK #1 by Jonathan Hickman and David Aja
36. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #1 by Greg Pak and Chris Bachalo
37. THE MAN CALLED NOVA #1 by Paul Levitz and Jock
38. POWER PACK #1 by Allan Heinberg and Skottie Young
39. DAZZLER #1 by Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Grey and Amanda Connor
40. INHUMANS #1 by Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning and Jae Lee
41. THUNDERBOLTS #1 by Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason
42. ETERNALS #1 by Grant Morrison and J G Jones
43. DOCTOR DOOM #1 by Jonathan Hickman and Alex Ross
44. ELEKTRA #1 by Ed Brubaker and Phil Noto
45. SENSATIONAL SHE-HULK #1 by Gail Simone and Rebekah Isaacs
46. DEATHLOK #1 by Nathan Edmondson and Stuart Immonen
47. TASKMASTER & PALADIN #1 by Fred Van Lente and Jefte Palo
48. DAMAGE CONTROL #1 by Greg Rucka and Gene Ha
49. POWER MAN & IRON FIST #1 by Ben McCool and Mark Bagley
50. DAKOTA NORTH #1 by Brian Michael Bendis and Francesco Francavilla
51. TALES OF ASGARD #1 by Walt Simonson and Cary Nord
52. MARVEL WESTERN GUNFIGHTERS #1 by Brian Azzarello and R.M. Guera
Sadly, you will never see any of these books on the shelves of your local comic store. In another reality, perhaps. Here and now, it remains but a fantasy, it remains the stuff of dreams, but if there’s one thing that has impressed me throughout the ages, it is man’s capacity to dream.
Alas, while it is in within my power to bend reality I am forbidden to interfere. I must only observe… for I am The Watcher.
Uatu would like to thank Matt C, Stewart R, James R and – joining the team for the first time in written form – Andrew B for their assistance with this article.
4 comments:
I'd be buying a lot more comics in that alternate world than I will be in this one!
It does seem that some of the Marvel properties lend themselves better than DC to this type of stripped down reboot.
Maybe that's why there have been more successful Marvel movies than DC ones?
Can't believe I've just noticed the glaring error in this list... Where's Peter David? Oh the humanity!
DC teased me with a Brian Wood penned Supergirl and now you've put the idea of a Brian Wood penned Thor in my head. Something that will probably never happen. Although, with Wood working with Marvel maybe some of his Northlanders ideas will find there way into another Thor themed title.
I'd easily be buying at least half of those titles!
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