It’s the 8th new comic book day of the new year! This post covers Marvel Comics February 21 2024 releases. Missed last week’s releases? Check out last week’s post covering Marvel Comics February 14 2024 new releases.
This week in Marvel Comics: Fall of X collections, an Alien anthology, an unexpected Sentry, a major Spider-Woman cliffhanger, and more!
This list includes every comic and digital comic out from Marvel this week, plus collected editions in omnibus, hardcover, paperback, and digest-sized formats. For each new release, I’ll point you to the right guide within my Crushing Comics Guide to Marvel Comics to find out how to collect each character in full – and, if a guide is linked from this post, that means it is updated through the present day!
Marvel Comics February 21 2024 Collected Editions
Black Panther by Christopher Priest Omnibus Vol. 2
(2024 oversize hardcover, ISBN 978-1302953683 / digital)
See Guide to Black Panther. This was one of the most-requested Marvel Omnibuses for a long while, so it’s amazing to see it finally completed with a second volume! This run has the distinction of establishing tons of familiar modern Black Panther lore (including Okoye and the the Dora Milaje) but also being batshit crazy, as all Christopher Priest comics are. If you’ve never read it before, Fariha and I covered the first half of this run (the entire first omnibus) in our Black Panther Reading Club six years ago this month back in 2018!
Blade Vol. 1: Mother of Evil
Vol. 1: Mother of Evil (2024 paperback, ISBN 978-1302952105 / digital)
See Guide to Blade. I just caught up on this Bryan E. Hill series this week. This first arc is about Blade coming up against an ancient evil much bigger than anything he is used to fighting. That sounds mega-fun, but it’s told through Bryan E. Hill’s authorial filter – which is all about expository two-person dialog. Y’all remember Fallen Angels (2019), right? While this book isn’t the catastrophe that one was, this arc is a lot more about talking about what might happen than it is about character moments or coherent action. I think that made this arc slightly unsatisfying, but the book does pick up afterward with some shorter, tighter stories.
Children of the Vault
(2024 paperback, ISBN 978-1302952464 / digital)
See Guide to X-Men – The Age of Krakoa. First things first: This Fall of X book should be titled “Cable & Bishop.” While the Children of the Vault are the featured foe, if you go in expecting to spend quality time getting to understand them in a way that pays off what Carey and Hickman created you’ll be sorely disappointed. Instead, go in assuming you’re in for some guerrilla warfare from a pair of X-Men who traveled through centuries as sworn enemies. I think this sputters at the end, but Deniz Camp shows a flair for terse sci-fi that makes me excited to read more from him at Marvel.
Daredevil Epic Collection: A Woman Called Widow
(2024 paperback, ISBN 978-1302957933 / digital)
See Guide to Daredevil. Despite the title, this reprint of an existing Epic actually collects the period just prior to Black Widow taking over as the titled co-star of Daredevil (1964).
Jean Grey: Flames of Fear
(2024 paperback, ISBN 978-1302952501 / digital)
See Guide to X-Men – The Age of Krakoa. Again, with this Fall of X series by X-Hall-of-Famer Louise Simonson, it’s important to set your expectations. This isn’t a big Jean Grey adventure. It picks up a moment after the 2023 Hellfire Gala, and it’s a book that’s all about the idea of your life flashing before your eyes. That leads to some introspection and some imagined alternate history, but this is for Jean Grey superfans only. There’s no story here that will help you better appreciate the Fall of X.
Marvel Masterworks: The Invincible Iron Man Vol. 17
(2024 hardcover, ISBN 978-1302955076 / digital)
See Guide to Iron Man.
Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – The Art of the Movie
(2024 hardcover, ISBN 978-1302949150)
See Guide to Black Panther.
Marvel Studios’ Ms. Marvel: The Art of the Series
(2024 hardcover, ISBN 978-1302949143)
See Guide to Ms. Marvel
Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider Modern Era Epic Collection: Weapon of Choice
(2024 paperback, ISBN 978-1302956356 / digital)
See Guide to Spider-Gwen – Ghost-Spider. This collects a second hunk of the LaTour / Rodriguez / Renzi series from All-New All Different Marvel. For me, this was the last strong bit of this run. Even here, it felt like LaTour & Co were in a rush to cram in story beats matching Peter Parker’s history all the way through the 90s rather than just giving Spider-Gwen time to breathe as her own distinct character. That caused the wheels to fly off this run in the following 10 issues, but I still loved almost everything in this collection aside from a weak pair of holiday issues.
Read on for a summary of all of the Marvel Comics February 21 2024 single issue and digital releases!
Marvel Comics February 21 2024 Physical Comic Releases
Alien: Black, White & Blood (2024) #1 – See Guide to Aliens comic books. Alien comics are effective a series of anthology stories, so anthologizing it in Marvel’s continuity-lite bloody two-color format makes perfect sense. This issue features stories from Kelly & Lanzing with Michael Dowling and Stephanie Phillips with Marcelo Ferreira.
Captain Marvel (2023) #5 – See Guide to Captain Marvel. I’m on the fence about this Alyssa Wong Carol Danvers ongoing. At first I was a bit put-off that it tied in so specifically to the concepts of The Marvels film. On the other hand, I enjoy Wong’s facility for introducing new heroes and villains and making good use of Marvel Universe guest stars.
After their runs on Deadpool (2022) and Doctor Aphra (2020), Wong is really turning into a go-to writer to expanding the standing cast of a series (and making it a bit more queer). New villains for Carol always excite me, plus I appreciate Jan Bazaldua’s clean-faced characters.
Daredevil (2023) #6 – See Guide to Daredevil. I just caught up on this new Saladin Ahmed run on Daredevil, and I am hooked! I don’t want to spoil it for you at all, so I’ll just say this: it 100% follows up on the ending of Chip Zdarsky & Marco Checchetto’s run. Also, there’s a reason it has had so many artists in this first arc. Every issue has looked consistently great, and issue #5 was my favorite so far! This is definitely going to be at the top of my pull pile this week.
Edge of Spider-Verse (2024) #1 – See Guide to Spider-Man – Peter Parker (2018 – Present). This alternate reality Spider-Anthology is becoming an annual tradition! This issue will introduce a Weapon X Spidey and bring back Spider-Byte. However, I’m curious to see if it ties into some upcoming major Spider-Event, as each of the past series have. The solicits give nary a hint, so only time will tell!
G.O.D.S. (2023) #5 – See Guide to Doctor Strange. Hickman & Schiti press into the back half of this series meant to expand the lore of Marvel’s larger-than-life Powers That Be. I had to tap out of keeping up with this one for the moment because I viscerally hate how Marte Gracia is coloring it, but that’s a personal pet peeve about someone who is the favorite colorist of many Marvel fans. I just cannot deal with all of the needless reflections on every non-reflective surface. It drives me fucking crazy.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2023) Annual 1/2024 – See Guide to Guardians of the Galaxy. Kelly & Lanzing conclude their 11-issue run on Guardians with this issue with no new series yet to be announced.
The Incredible Hulk (2023) #9 – See Guide to Hulk – Bruce Banner.
Luke Cage: Gang War (2023) #4 – See Guide to Luke Cage. Based on where writer Rodney Barnes left things last issue, this is going to be a massive super-mecha smackdown… which is not something you might expect from a Luke Cage comic! I hope Barnes gets to return for another crack at Cage after this mini-series concludes, because I want see him take the historical and sociological approach to the character that he brings to bear on Killadelphia, a book I love.
Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars: Battleworld (2023) #4 – See Guide to Marvel Universe Events. This is a continuity-lite Spider-Man side-quest spinning out of the original Secret Wars.
Predator: The Last Hunt (2024) #1 – I’m still not quite up-to-speed with a Predator Guide, but it’s definitely coming this year! Ed Brisson steps into the driver’s seat of Marvel’s Predator comics.
Rise of the Powers of X (2024) #2 – See Guide to X-Men – The Age of Krakoa. The first issue of this Kieron Gillen climax to the Age of Krakoa was absolutely wild. Gillen is paired with RB Silva, the original artist of Powers of X with Hickman back in 2019, and they seem intent on providing a perfect closing parenthesis on the puzzle that Hickman built five years ago – completely with future flashes, Moira shenanigans, and visions of approaching Dominions.
If there’s anyone in comics who can craft a satisfying conclusion to all of that Hickman fuckery it is absolutely Gillen, but be ready for some big-brained sci-fi that expects you to have paid close attention to all of the Age of Krakoa along the way.
The Sentry (2023) #3 – See Guide to Sentry. I wasn’t planning on catching up on this series until it was all on Marvel Unlimited, but when I saw Jason Loo was writing it my curiosity got the better of me. I’m so glad it did!
First, this (so far) does not feature Bob Reynolds as Sentry, so don’t get your hopes up. Second, this could’ve easily been a Jessica Jones series with just a page or two more to focus on her and less on the main story. Third, the thing I love about this book is that despite featuring Jones (and Misty Knight!) and the concept of Sentry, it doesn’t feel like a typical Marvel title.
Loo is using Marvel’s NYC as a backdrop, but he’s going to great lengths to avoid writing a Marvel house style superhero story. Instead, this feels like an indie book about what happens when unlikely people suddenly find themselves with ultimate power. It’s probably second in my pull list this week behind Daredevil.
Spider-Boy (2023) #4 – See Guide to Spider-Man – Peter Parker (2018 – Present). Dan Slott is having a blast writing an all-ages Spidey title. It’s truly an all-ages, in-continuity book that you can hand directly to the kids in your life who love Enter the Spider-Verse. Maybe that leaves it a little light on ongoing plot and gravitas for grown-up readers, but I’m always in favor of anything reminiscent of classic Power Pack.
Spider-Woman (2023) #4 – See Guide to Spider-Woman. This appears to have been upgraded to an ongoing series… or, at least, Marvel is squeaking in a handful more issues after the tie-in to Gang War is over. Writer Steve Foxe is playing things quick and action-packed while staying connected to Jess’s history. Movie tie-in aside, I loved him bringing in Madame Web as a supporting cast member last issue. She should always be part of Spider-Woman’s extended cast!
However, issue #3 ended on a cliffhanger that has the potential to turn this into one of the most-hated Spider-Woman stories of all time… and, the cryptic solicits to the next few issues make it seem like that development might stick. This issue will have me immediately turning to the final page to see if Foxe has written himself out of that corner.
Star Wars (2020) #43 – See Guide to Star Wars Expanded Universe comics. I’m still an arc behind on this Charles Soule series, but it is consistently pleasing. He alternates between giving us marquee team-up of the movie cast we love (Luke, Leia, Lando, & Chewie) and introducing supporting players that help to broaden the scope of the Empire-vs-Alliance conflict as it escalates between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.
Sometimes a retcon series like this one can stretch our suspension of disbelief a little too thin with all of the adventures it crams into continuity. However, Soule has done a good job so far at making sure each one is rooted into at least one firm plot point from the films (including some future plot points from the sequel trilogy). I’m excited to catch the rest of the way up to this title so I can read it monthly!
Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) #2 – See Guide to Ultimate Marvel. Ooooh, boy. Hickman and Checchetto are cooking up something really intriguing with this book. If you saw the art of an older Peter Parker married to Mary Jane and with a pair of kids and thought, “Hey, I know just what to expect from this book” I am here to tell you that you have no idea what you’re in for. Hickman is giving us a completely different Spider-Man story than we’ve had before that has a lot of intriguing mysteries built in to it. You absolutely can dive right in with #1 – you don’t need to read last year’s Ultimate Invasion (2023) to understand what’s happening.
X-Force (2019) #49 – See Guide to X-Force. Ben Percy continues to tie up the dangling plot thread of Beast. I think this title has gotten progressively stronger through the 40s as Percy finally ties up all of his long-running plot threads. Even if I don’t always enjoy his writing, there’s something charming and nostalgic about a book about to his issue #50 paying off stories that started back in issue #1.
Marvel Comics February 21 2024 Digital-First Comic Releases
This is a list of projected Marvel Comics February 21 2024 Digital-First releases based on the recent digital release schedule. Actual releases are not confirmed until they show up on the Marvel Unlimited app.
These releases have not been quick to be released in print, though we’ve now see print versions of a few of these series trickle out a year or more after they were released.
- Avengers United Infinity Comic (2023) #20 – See Guide to Avengers (2010-Present). This is part of one mega initial arc (which isn’t quite so mega when you realize each of these digital issues is only a quarter of a print issue)
- It’s Jeff! Infinity Comic (2021) #31
- Marvel’s Voices Infinity Comic (2022) #91 – Starring Clea
- Spider-Man Unlimited Infinity Comic (2023) #25 – Guide to Spider-Man – Peter Parker (2018-Present)
- X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic (2021) #127 – See Guide to X-Men, The Age of Krakoa