MARVEL COMICS FOR MAY

Following are Marvel Comics' solicitations for May, with information coming from the company:

X-MEN TITLES

ASTONISHING X-MEN #1

Written by Joss Whedon, pencils and cover by John Cassaday.

"Gifted" pt. 1 (of 6). Dream-team creators Joss Whedon (creator of TV's Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and John Cassady bring readers the explosive #1 issue of the all-new flagship X-Men series. As part of X-Men: Reload, this issue marks a return to classic greatness and the beginning of a brand-new era for the X-Men.

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 26.

UNCANNY X-MEN #444

Written by Chris Claremont, pencils and cover by Alan Davis.

"The End of History" part 1 of 4. Beloved X-Men creators Chris Claremont and Alan Davis return to the series that started it all. New alliances are forged as old friendships are rekindled, but one thing is certain: The X-Men will never be the same.

32 pages, $2.25, in stores on May 5.

X-MEN #157

Written by Chuck Austen, pencils and cover by Salvador Larroca.

"Day of the Atom," part 1 of 4. Uncanny X-Men scribe Chuck Austen moves to X-Men (formerly New X-Men) to team up with new regular artist Salvador Larroca as part of X-Men: Reload.

32 pages, $2.25, in stores on May 19.

NEW X-MEN: ACADEMY X #1

Written by Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir, pencils and covers by Randy Green.

"Choosing Sides," part 1 (of 5). For the young mutants at the Xavier Institute, life will never be the same. The children at the X-Mansion thought they had it tough when Professor X was running things -- but now that X-Men Cyclops and Emma Frost have taken over the reins of the school, they're wishing for the simpler times of yesterday. Codenames, school-issued uniforms and mandatory training sessions in the Danger Room are just a few of the changes being implemented around the Institute -- but when the entire student body is forced to divide itself up into small squads and "choose sides," Xavier's will never be the same again.

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 19.

EXCALIBUR #1 & #2

Written by Chris Claremont, penciled by Igor Kordey, covers by Andy Park.

"Forging The Sword" parts 1 and 2. The island of Genosha was once a thriving nation of mutants, built from the ground up by Magneto, the mutant Master of Magnetism. Then, one day, an apocalyptic attack killed every man, woman and child, and reduced an entire society to rubble within hours. Now, Professor Charles Xavier -- legendary founder of the X-Men, and the man who dreams of peaceful coexistence between humans and mutants -- has come to Genosha with one intention: to rebuild a nation from its ashes. This brand-new X-Men: Reload series features stories and art from the creative team that brought you X-Treme X-Men.

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 12 and May 26.

THE OFFICIAL HANDBOOK OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE: X-MEN 2004

Featuring extensive diagrams and maps of the new X-Men Mansion, profiles on your favorite heroes, and exclusive behind-the-scenes X-Men: Reload material that can only be seen here, The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: X-Men 2004 is a must-have for any true Marvel fan.

48 pages, $3.99, in stores on May 5..

DISTRICT X #1

Written by David Hine, penciled by David Yardin, cover by Steve McNiven.

"Mr. M," part 1 of 6. A new Marvel series! Welcome to Mutant Town, the dark corner of New York City where the long arm of the law has been severed clean. Here, the mutant population doesn't sport GQ style or champagne dreams. They eke out each day in squalid tenement rows and filthy streets where only one man and one law can be trusted: the X-Man Bishop.

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 12.

EXILES #46 & #47

Written by Tony Bedard Pencils & Covers by Mizuki Sakakibara

"Earn Your Wings" parts 1 and 2 of 3. There's no rest for the weary when there are realities to save. After the devastating events of their last mission, the Exiles hope for a little downtime, only to find themselves 'ported directly into a none-too-friendly reception from the regular Marvel Universe. This X-Men: Reload issue is a perfect jumping-on point, featuring the debut of new writer Tony Bedard and the promotion of Exiles cover artist Mizuki Sakakibara to regular artist. Guest-starring the Fantastic Four and Beak from New-X-Men.

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 5 and May 19.

WEAPON X #23 & #24

Written by Frank Tieri, penciled by Tom Mandrake, covers by Andy Park.

"War of the Programs" part. 1 and 2 of 3. Featuring Wolverine and Fantomex. Writer Frank Tieri and new regular artist Tom Mandrake take Weapon X in an exciting new direction. What is the Weapon X Program? What is its relationship to the shadowy past of the most famous X-Man, Wolverine? And what did Wolverine recently learn about himself that threatens to destroy everything he believes in? Guest-starring Fantomex, these X-Men: Reload issues serve as a great jumping-on point! Featuring covers by Tomb Raider artist Andy Park.

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 12 and May 26.

MYSTIQUE #14 & #15

Written by Sean McKeever, penciled by Manuel Garcia, covers by Mike Mayhew.

"Unnatural," parts 1 and 2 of 5. When Mystique is sent to Europe to investigate a biotech company rumored to be using mutants as guinea pigs, she discovers a mystery far greater than anything she'd imagined. Join the new X-Men: Reload creative team of Sean McKeever and Manuel Garcia for this bold new adventure featuring everyone's favorite shape-shifting secret agent.

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 12 and May 16.

ALPHA FLIGHT #3

Written by Scott Lobdell, pencils and cover by Clayton Henry.

"You Gotta Be Kiddin' Me," part 3 of 6. The All-New, All-Different Alpha Flight -- led by everyone's favorite Chewbacca look-alike, Sasquatch -- unites to tackle the menace of the Plodex. But will Canada's newest, hippest fighting force be able to save their maple-leaf-clad forefathers in time? Could this be -- gasp! -- the end of Puck, the Killer Canuck?

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 5.

EMMA FROST #11

Written by Karl Bollers, penciled by Carlo Pagulayan, cover by Greg Horn.

"Mind Games" part. 5 of 6. Emma Frost has freed herself from her overbearing father, but now she's on her own and in over her head with the Boston mob! Her developing mutant powers have barely saved her so far, but how will she escape mob custody with nowhere to run?

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 12.

CABLE/DEADPOOL #3

Written by Fabian Nicieza, penciled by Mark Brooks, cover by Rob Liefeld.

"If Looks Could Kill," part 3 of 6. The One World Church has a lovely message of eliminating all that divides us to bring about a glorious global unity. All they want is to love you till you're blue in the face -- literally! Will Cable and Deadpool allow themselves to be recruited, or will they go ballistic?

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 19.

ULTIMATE X-MEN #45

Written by Brian Michael Bendis, pencils and cover by David Finch.

The last part of "New Mutants" sees a final battle between the X-Men and the Sentinels in the heart of Washington, D.C. How will the not-so-merry mutants deal with the awful aftermath?

32 pages, $2.25, in stores on May 5.

ULTIMATE X-MEN #46

Written by Brian K. Vaughan, pencils and cover by Brandon Peterson.

New storyline! New creative team! An Ultimatized version of one of the X-Men's greatest adversaries rears his scary head.

32 pages, $2.25, in stores on May 19.

SPIDER-MAN TITLES

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #58 & #59

Written by Brian Michael Bendis, pencils and covers by Mark Bagley.

"Hollywood" parts 5 and 6 of 6. As the cameras roll, the real web-slinger is beaten by Doc Ock and hijacked by plane to Brazil. And what is the public reaction as the flick has its premiere? Plus: Something strange happens while Doc Ock is in S.H.I.E.L.D. custody.

32 pages, $2.25, in stores on May 5 and May 19.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #508

Written by J. Michael Straczynski, pencils and cover by John Romita Jr.

The enigmatic Ezekiel returns to Peter's life. But is he the same man who stood by Spider-Man's side in his hour of need, or will he prove to be something much deadlier?

32 pages, $2.25, in stores on May 26.

VENOM #14 & #15

Written by Daniel Way, penciled by Skottie Young, covers by Clayton Crain.

"Twist" parts 1 and 2 of 5. It's symbiote vs. symbiote as two bloodthirsty Venom creatures go head-to-head -- with Spider-Man caught in the middle of it all.

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 12 and May 26.

SPIDER-MAN UNLIMITED #3

Written by Tom McLaughlin and Brandon Thomas, penciled by Scott Kolins and Ale Garza, cover by Steve McNiven.

It's another pair of stories set in the world of the web-slinger! A young man must grapple with a life-altering choice in "Preventative Medicine" by Tom McLaughlin and Scott Kolins. Then, in "6th" by Brandon Thomas and Ale Garza, Spidey must cope with both the Vulture and his own spider-sense.

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 5.

SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #14

Written by Paul Jenkins, art and cover by Paolo Rivera.

A special fully painted stand-alone story. On a rooftop in the Bronx sits a sad handicapped man. A prisoner of his own crippled body, how will a battle between the wall-crawler and Morbius, the Living Vampire, change his life?

32 pages, $2.25, in stores on May 12.

SPIDER-MAN #2

Written by Mark Millar, pencils and cover by Terry Dodson.

With his secret identity exposed, a madman threatening to destroy his family and enemies at every turn, Spider-Man pays a visit to Earth's Mightiest Heroes -- the Avengers -- for some assistance. But things don't turn out quite like he expects...

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 12.

MARVEL HEROES TITLES

THE PULSE #3

Written by Brian Michael Bendis, penciled by Mark Bagley, cover by Mike Mayhew.

"Thin Air" part 3 of 5. Spider-Man joins forces with Jessica Jones, Ben Urich and Kat Farrell to bring the Green Goblin to justice.

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 12.

SECRET WAR: BOOK TWO

Written by Brian Michael Bendis, painted art cover by Gabriele Dell'Otto.

The heroes assemble! Brian Michael Bendis and Gabriele Dell'Otto continue the Super Hero event of the year.

48 pages, $3.99, in stores on May 26.

FANTASTIC FOUR #513

Written by Mark Waid, pencils and cover by Mike Wieringo.

"Spider Sense" part 2 of 2. It's a sad day to be the Human Torch, when your popularity has sunk so low even the web-slinger is more beloved by the people of New York City! Plus: Who is the woman from Reed Richards' past?

32 pages, $2.25, in stores on May 12.

AVENGERS #82 & #83

Written by Chuck Austen, penciled by Scott Kolins, covers by Kolins and Jimmy Cheung.

"Once An Invader..." parts 1 and 2 of 3. Beginning a storyline that will spin off into an all-new Invaders series. Who is the mysterious figure that claims to be Captain America, and what mission is he recruiting the super-soldiers of past wars to accomplish? As the new Invaders hit the battlefield, Namor the Sub-Mariner marshals his forces against a crucial island nation! But whose side will the Avengers come down on?

32 pages, $2.25, in stores on May 12 and May 26.

AVENGERS/THUNDERBOLTS #4

Written by Fabian Nicieza and Kurt Busiek, penciled by Tom Grummett, cover by Barry Kitson.

Secrets revealed! Schemes undone! Loyalties betrayed! And the way one character deals with the emotional maelstrom could very well lead to the destruction of both teams.

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 26.

CAPTAIN AMERICA & THE FALCON #3

Written by Christopher Priest, pencils and cover by Bart Sears.

"Two Americas" part 3 of 4. Ordered to find and capture the Falcon, Captain America follows in his closest friend's footsteps as he seeks to uncover the true reason why the authorities want the Falcon in custody. Did the Falcon violate National Security? Or is there more to these charges than meet the eye?

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 5.

SHE-HULK #3

Written by Dan Slott, penciled by Juan Bobillo, cover by Adi Granov.

"Dead Certain." Can a ghost testify at his own murder trial? It's another bizarre case of Superhuman Law for the lawyers at She-Hulk's new firm. Special guest-appearance by the recently-back-from-the-dead, ever-lovin', blue-eyed Thing.

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 12.

THOR #78 & #79

Written by Dan Jurgens, pencils and covers by Scott Eaton.

Will the devastating attack of Desak, Destroyer of Gods, on the empire Thor has built unite the Odinson and his son, Magni? Who will wield the unstoppable hammer, Mjolnir?

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 5 and May 19.

THOR: SON OF ASGARD #4

Written by Akira Yoshida, penciled by Greg Tocchini, cover by Adi Granov.

"The Warriors Teen," part 4 of 6. As Thor, Sif and Balder continue their quest, emotions run high between the troubled teens, and the cracks in their friendship continue to widen. Now, they must make their way across the desert plains of Jennia, in search of one of the land's magic jewels, but little do they know what terrors await them beneath the shifting sands...

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 12.

SILVER SURFER #9

Written by Dan Chariton and Stacy Weiss, penciled by Lan Medina, cover by Paolo Rivera.

"Revelation" part 3. The Silver Surfer begins to doubt his own mission, just as Gabe Acheron finally accepts the harsh necessity of the Surfer's plans for Earth. Meanwhile, a trusted friend betrays Denise, with Ellie's life at stake.

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 26.

THANOS #10

Written by Keith Giffen, penciled by Ron Lim, cover by Giffen.

It's Thanos vs. the Maker (a.k.a. Cosmos, a.k.a. the Beyonder, a.k.a. Skippy the Wonder Weasel) in a no-holds-barred, cosmic brawl that answers the oft-asked question: Quisp or Quake?

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 5.

CAPTAIN MARVEL #23

Written by Peter David, penciled by Aaron Lopresti, cover by ChrisCross.

"Odyssey" part 5 of 6. The Earth is destroyed! Humanity is gone! There is only one question: How will we be remembered? You may not like the answer. Guest-starring the Magus, Moondragon and Doctor Doom.

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 19.

IRON MAN #81, #82 & #83

Written by John Jackson Miller, penciled by Philip Tan and Jorge Lucas, covers by Adi Granov.

Issue #81 and #82: "The Deep End" pts. 3 & 4 (of 4); #83: Stand-alone story. The lady's name is Vitriol. She's a bombshell -- literally. Her touch is acid, and her temper is worse. Only Iron Man can stop her from killing millions, but he's got no defense against her. As Vitriol's threats escalate to their terrifying potential, a face from Iron Man's past arrives on the scene. Not to help -- but to rip Tony Stark's head off. And in #83: the Titanium Man.

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 12, May 19 and May 26.

HAWKEYE #8

Written by Fabian Nicieza, penciled by Joe Bennett, cover by Salvador Larroca.

"A Little Murder" part 2 of 2. For the Avenging Archer, "A Little Murder" means a lot of trouble! How do you say "WMD" in Russian? Clint better learn fast, because while he's hunting down a long-lost secret of the Afghani/Russian war, a KGB assassin with a rocket in his pocket is hunting him down. An old acquaintance is neck-deep in the mess, as well...but will she turn out to be friend or foe?

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 19.

IRON FIST #3

Written by Jim Mullaney, pencils and cover by Kevin Lau.

"Breathless" part 3. With Iron Fist gone, it's Danny Rand who finds himself thrust to the front lines in a centuries-old conflict. His hope of a peaceful life shattered, his home attacked by an unstoppable enemy, Danny is forced to desert his mountain retreat -- but the shadows of night give chase. On the run now, protecting Mary Blue Cloud, the Lakota Indian girl who tried to warn him of the coming storm, Danny must stay one step ahead of the grim specter of death -- and an unknown foe whose forces are massing.

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 12.

SUPREME POWER #10

Written by J. Michael Straczynski, pencils and cover by Gary Frank.

"Ladies' Night." Introducing Power Princess! Who is this mysterious woman? And what does her appearance mean for Hyperion?

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 5.

PUNISHER #6

Written by Garth Ennis, penciled by Lewis Larosa, cover by Tim Bradstreet.

Everyone gets just what they deserve in the bloody climax to the 6-part "In The Beginning."

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 26.

ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #6

Written by Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Millar, penciled by Adam Kubert, cover by Dale Keown.

"The Fantastic" part 6 of 6. It was too big to fit in five issues, so we're concluding the Ultimate FF's first story line in six! The Mole Man and his army of ani-men confront the only four people in the world who can stop his plan of global conquest. Guess who they are?

32 pages, $2.25, in stores on May 26.

MARVEL KNIGHTS TITLES

4 #6

Written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, pencils and cover by Steve McNiven.

"The Pine Barrens," part 2 of 3. A family camping trip to the pristine Pine Barrens takes a terrifying twist when a group of extraterrestrial terrors turn their hungry eyes on the most powerful family on the planet.

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 12.

WOLVERINE #15

Written by Greg Rucka, pencils and cover by Darick Robertson.

The deadly Sabretooth continues his hunt for the mysterious feral creature through the pristine backwoods of the Pacific Northwest, and nothing will stand in his way -- including Logan. Featuring part of Logan's life we've never seen before...

32 pages, $2.25, in stores on May 19.

WOLVERINE/PUNISHER #3

Written by Peter Milligan, penciled by Lee Weeks, cover by Chris Brunner.

In the bowels of the South American jungle, the Punisher and Wolverine must fight for their lives against a town full of nasties with just the firepower to bring them down.

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 26.

DAREDEVIL #60

Written by Brian Michael Bendis, pencils and cover by Alex Maleev.

"The King of Hell's Kitchen," part 5 of 5. Daredevil returns, ready to rid the city of Yakuza crime lords once and for all. And this time, he's brought some backup.

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 19.

DAREDEVIL: FATHER #2

Written, pencils and cardstock cover by Joe Quesada.

Daredevil has his work cut out for him: New York's crippling heat wave shows no signs of release -- and neither does a serial killer with a stranglehold on the city. Meanwhile, a new vigilante group enters the fray.

32 pages, $3.50, in stores on May 26.

X-STATIX #23

Written by Peter Milligan, pencils and cover by Mike Allred.

Who's stronger? Well, friends, you're about to find out, as America's favorite mutants go toe-to-toe with Earth's Mightiest Heroes: the Avengers. In part three, Vivisector squares off against Hawkeye, while Venus puts the squeeze on Ant-Man.

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 26.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #26

Written by Robert Morales, penciled by Chris Bachalo, cover by Dave Johnson.

The "Bucky Issue" resurfaces, as Cap must answer for his World War II history with young Bucky Barnes fighting by his side.

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 12.

INCREDIBLE HULK #72

Written by Bruce Jones, pencils and cover by Mike Deodato Jr.

Round two of "Big Things": "Trust Me," as the Hulk squares off against the invincible Iron Man.

32 pages, $2.25, in stores on May 12.

MARVEL AGE TITLES

MARVEL AGE SPIDER-MAN #3

Plot by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, written by Daniel Quantz, penciled by Jonboy Meyers, cover by Mark Brooks.

Can't be harmed, can't be punched, how can he be caught? The Sandman oozes through the web of Spider-Man. Marvel Age kicks into overdrive as Spidey is unmasked by his most dangerous foe yet.

32 pages, $2.25, in stores on May 5.

MARVEL AGE SPIDER-MAN #4

Plot by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, written by Daniel Quantz, pencils and cover by Mark Brooks.

How do Spider-Man and Flash Thompson figure into Doctor Doom's plot for world domination and revenge against Reed Richards? It's a tale of mistaken identity, ill-advised pranks and more Doombots than you can shake a stick at as the Marvel Age rolls on. Plus: the Fantastic Four.

32 pages, $2.25, in stores on May 19.

MARVEL AGE FANTASTIC FOUR #2

Plot by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, written by Sean McKeever, cover and pencils by Makoto Nakatsuka.

The Fantastic Four have gone mad, leaving nothing but destruction and mayhem in their wake; the only ones who can stop them are...the Fantastic Four? Discover the devious plan of the Skrulls from outer space in this modern retelling of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's classic.

32 pages, $2.25, in stores on May 5.

RUNAWAYS #15

Written by Brian K. Vaughan, penciled by Adrian Alphona, cover by Jo Chen.

"The Good Die Young," part 3. The Runaways' biggest adventure continues. The young heroes are finally ready to take on their evil parents, and the future of the Marvel Universe hangs in the balance.

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 19.

SPIDER-GIRL #73 & #74

Written by Tom DeFalco, pencils and covers by Ron Frenz and Pat Olliffe.

Spider-Girl's hunt for the new Doctor Octopus is sidetracked by Claw, the Cat, a high-tech villain who's faster, stronger, and more agile than our girl! Plus: an unexpected cliffhanger.

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 5 and May 19.

MARVEL AGE: SPIDER-MAN/DOCTOR OCTOPUS -- OUT OF REACH DIGEST

Written by Colin Mitchell, pencils by Keron Grant and Derec Aucoin, cover by Grant.

Whiz kid Brigham Fontaine was once Peter Parker's brightest student. But his new mentor -- Doctor Octopus -- is teaching him a lesson in crime. Can Spider-Man outsmart this brainy duo and get Brigham back on the side of the good guys? Collects Spider-Man/Doctor Octopus: Out of Reach #1-5.

120 pages, $7.99.