There are plenty of exciting new works Marvel Entertainment plans on releasing this fall. Some take place in strange alternate universes while others take us to galaxies that, despite being far, far away, are actually quite familiar to us. Here is a list of some of the most highly anticipated comics this week of September 13th!

VENOMVERSE #2

After Eddie Brock is transported to an alternate universe, the notorious Venom finds himself in an unexpected battle. In alliance with symbiote-bonded Captain America and Spider-Man, Venom assists in the fight against the mysterious, and villainous, species known as Poisons. Unfortunately, Spider-Man is lost in the battle, only to return as a corrupted version of himself!

So, VENOMVERSE #2 immediately begins with the continuation of the face-off between this altered Spider-Man and Venom himself. The battle that the preview below showcases exhibits some truly engaging artwork. With this, it appears as though the series will be full of action and unexpected alliances. It will be interesting to see what is in store for Eddie Brock in this issue as well as what is in store for this brand new universe.

X-MEN BLUE #11

X-MEN BLUE has been a knock out series in Marvel’s ResurrXion launch. By exploring the dynamics of a young X-Men team as well as the complex role Jean Grey plays in leading this team, each and every issue has been an entertaining work. The most recent entries in the series have spent time focusing on conflicts surrounding individual characters rather than the team as a whole. Specifically, the issues have explored the relationship between Jean and Cyclops as well as Beast’s fascination with the Dark Arts. Unfortunately, Beast’s narrative ultimately culminates in his transformation into a monstrous entity that begins a rampage against his former teammates.

X-MEN BLUE #11 picks up right where Beast’s frenzy left off. In this issue, the remaining young X-Men will be forced to fight their former, loyal X-Man and friend Hank McCoy aka Beast. In addition, the X-Men must face off against Madelyn Pryor, aka The Goblin Queen, if they truly want to reform their friend. Who is going to win this epic battle for the heart and soul of Beast? You’ll have to wait until Wednesday to find out! In the meantime, check out the preview for the issue below!

STAR WARS #36

Jason Aaron has been responsible for Marvel’s new generation of STAR WARS comics. His two year run on STAR WARS now nears its end with two issues to go. Next week’s STAR WARS #36 is the penultimate adventure that I never knew I wanted. After the Imperial’s Scar Squadron captured C3-PO, R2-D2 bailed on the Rebels to attempt a solo mission to rescue him from an Imperial Star Destroyer. In this comic, we actually get to see R2 become the hero of his own story and break into a heavily guarded enemy ship!

With characters like Yoda or the Ewoks, bad guys have always had a tradition of underestimating small, cute characters in STAR WARS. In this preview, we see that guards think nothing of a little astromech droid like R2. Little do they know that R2 is one of the most heroic, competent, and loyal characters in the whole saga! While C3-P0 often acts like a complete moron and is extremely annoying, he is R2’s oldest friend. R2 shows that he will do anything for his best and this resolve is why he is able to take down swarms of Stormtroopers. I believe STAR WARS #36 could be a tribute to underdogs everywhere.

GENERATIONS: CAPTAIN MARVEL & CAPTAIN MAR-VELL #1

Marvel’s GENERATIONS series has been a great success as fans have loved these great team-ups between classic and contemporary characters. In this issue, Carol Danvers teleports to some distant alien planet where she meets Mar-Vell, an enhanced alien Kree who initially wielded the Captain Marvel title. Mar-Vell had feelings for Carol Danvers back when both of them were first introduced characters were introduced in 1968. However, in the Marvel Graphic Novel, DEATH OF CAPTAIN MARVEL, Jim Starlin killed off the character of Mar-Vell. Besides a few short resurrections, Mar-Vell is one of the few Marvel characters who has remained consistently dead for decades.Of course, now Carol Danvers will reunite with Mar-Vell in a location out of time. I expect for this reunion to be especially emotional due to Mar-Vell’s untimely death. Carol is unique to other “legacy” characters in that she wasn’t a sidekick or a younger companion of the original Captain Marvel. Instead, she was a colleague and lover of Mar-Vell. Will Carol feel like she has honored her friend’s legacy? Or does she feel guilty about taking up the mantle of the late Kree? We will get all the answers in the newest issue of GENERATIONS, CAPTAIN MARVEL & CAPTAIN MAR-VELL #1.

THE DEFENDERS #5

When Brian Michael Bendis announced he would be writing THE DEFENDERS for Marvel, I don’t think there was a comic book fan alive that didn’t swoon. And for good reason! Based on the team from the Netflix original series, Bendis has brought Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist and Daredevil together in the main Marvel Universe. As Luke Cage villain Diamondback vies for power in New York, the team has been forced into explosive battles with the Punisher, Hammerhead, and other major crime figures. All of this has been illustrated by David Marquez’s fun, gritty, and realistic style. In all, it has been a fabulous run, and THE DEFENDERS #5 looks to continue this trend.

In the previous issue, Iron Fist and Jessica Jones finally defeated Diamondback. Taken into custody, Diamondback is forced into a van with the Punisher to save prison transportation costs. Because that was a good idea. During the battle, Iron Fist nearly had his back broken, and as the preview opens, we see him receiving treatment from Night Nurse. Though the opening of this issue seems highly expositional, with Daredevil summarizing the events of the last issue, these few pages really highlight the camaraderie that defines this version of the team. None of these heroes have any form of “holier-than-thou” ego, and they open the issue by lobbing jokes and sarcasm at each other. If nothing else, the covers for this issue, one featuring a Venomized Diamondback, are stunning and are surely worth the price of admission!

RUNAWAYS #1

Coming out ahead of a new Hulu adaptation, RUNAWAYS #1 officially brings the series back to the pages of Marvel. RUNAWAYS fans have seen the series go through several incarnations. First, there was the original (2003-2007) by writer Brian K. Vaughan (Y: THE LAST MAN) and artist Adrian Alphona (MS. MARVEL). After that, came Joss Whedon (yes, that Joss Whedon) from 2007 to 2008 and Terry Moore from 2008-2009 (STRANGERS IN PARADISE). Finally, in 2009, Kathryn Immonen (WOLVERINE AND JUBILEE) followed Christopher Yost’s (NEW X-MEN) guest issue.

Eight years later, the latest incarnation by writer Rainbow Rowell and artist Kris Anka (CAPTAIN MARVEL) doesn’t disappoint. The realism of the teenage characters piqued many readers’ interest in the original series. Sure, they have super-villains as parents and superpowers of their own. However, characters such as Nico and Chase still appear like average people (who just happen to have cool abilities and evil parents). In this issue, Rowell and Anka keep true to that realism. For example, we first see Nico as she struggles to ignite the pilot light to make ramen. As she sits frustrated on the floor of her painfully bare apartment, an arrow points to her head, reading, “Nico Minoru is a very powerful magician.” The irony there is a nice touch and immediately sets the tone (wry, sad) for the entire issue. And there’s that cliffhanger — Need I say more?

Final Thoughts on Marvel’s New Comics This Week

If you’re just as excited as we are for the works Marvel is releasing this week, share your thoughts with us in the comments below! Don’t forget to check back in with us on Wednesday for our reviews on some of these awesome comics!