BEST BETS
100TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL -- X-MEN #1 (Marvel, $3.99): Another in a series of books depicting various Marvel heroes as they might exist in 2061. With a cover depicting Cyclops marrying Emma Frost, one has to wonder if both of them have a second mutant power: not aging.
ARMY OF DARKNESS: ASH GETS HITCHED #1 (of 4, Dynamite, $3.99): If you're an Army of Darkness fan, the unthinkable has happened: Ash gets married! (Don't worry, I'm sure it's not all sunshine and rainbows.)
BATMAN: A CELEBRATION OF 75 YEARS (HC, DC Comics, $39.99): This book celebrates Batman's 75th years with a collection of important stories in the order they were printed. It's a great Cliff's Notes for new Bat-readers, and a warm nostalgia bath for the rest of us.
BLACK WIDOW VOL. 1: THE FINELY WOVEN THREAD (TPB. Marvel, $17.99): Here's the first trade to this excellent new series, mixing espionage, noir and heaping helpings of atmosphere.
DARK ENGINE #1 (Image, $3.50): A dark fantasy, which I always find more compelling the ones with smiles and rainbows.
THE DEVILERS #1 (of 7, Dynamite, $3.99): Joshua Hale Fialkov, who has impressed me with Tumor, I, Vampire and sundry other books, tries his hand at a team of exorcists battling "Satan's army." No lie, that's what the solicitation says. I suspect it will be awesome.
HARLEY QUINN INVADES COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO #1 (DC Comics, $4.99): It was bound to happen. If you go, see if you can figure which of the Harley Quinn cosplayers ain't playin'!
INFINITE CRISIS: FIGHT FOR THE MULTIVERSE #1 (DC Comics, $3.99): Based on the video game. "Our" Batman leads a horde of alternate time, alternate dimension and Elseworlds versions of DC heroes and villains -- which could be fun, or really stupid. Given how well "Injustice" has been done, though, the chances are it'll be good.
THE JOKER: A CELEBRATION OF 75 YEARS (HC, DC Comics, $39.99): See the description of Batman: A Celebration above.
LADY ZORRO #1 (of 4, Dynamite, $3.99): I confess a Lady Zorro is even less plausible than a male Zorro, if for no other reason that figuring out who she is in a time and place where women were scarce and had donas watching them all the time should be the work of seconds. But once you get past that it should be just as fun -- if not more fun -- than regular Zorro comics.
LIFE WITH ARCHIE #36 (Archie, $4.99): The death of Archie Andrews! Well, in the future, when he's an adult. And, no doubt, it's only a possible future, so nothing permanent is being established here. But it's the climax -- and end -- of the Life with Archie series, showing two possible futures for Riverdale's favorite redhead, one married to Betty and one married to Veronica. I've quite enjoyed it, and I'm looking forward to the final trade.
MURDER ME DEAD (TPB, Image, $19.99): This trade began life as a nine-issue maxiseries in the "Stray Bullets" universe by its creator/writer/artist, David Lapham. Uncharacteristically, I was able to guess the ending of this book before I got there, so I can't give it my highest recommendation -- but it's still Lapham noir, which means it's pretty good.
ORIGINAL SIN #6 (Marvel, $3.99). According to Marvel, this is the issue where we learned who killed The Watcher, which set off this huge summer crossover. Other tie-ins this week include Original Sin #3.2 and Nova #19, $3.99 each.
THE SQUIDDER #1 (IDW, $3.99): Written and drawn by Ben Templesmith, this new series is in the Cthulhu mythos vein, and promises to be pretty scary.
THE SHADOW #0 (one-shot, Dynamite, $3.99): Cullen Bunn (The Sixth Gun) weaves a tale of The Shadow's early days, where he meets -- and no doubt learns a trick or two from -- Houdini.
STAR TREK SPECIAL: FLESH AND STONE (IDW, $3.99): If you've ever wondered what would happen if all the medical officers of the various Trek series ever met, and even if haven't, here they are.
TARZAN: THE COMPLETE RUSS MANNING NEWSPAPER STRIPS VOL 3: 1971-1974 (IDW, $49.99): Russ Manning's Tarzan inspired generations of artists. Here's more of it to drool over.
THE X-FILES: YEAR ZERO #1 (of 5, IDW, $3.99): This five-issue miniseries will recount the origin not of Mully and Sculder, but of the X-Files themselves. It is curious that they pre-existed Mulder, isn't it?
THIS WEEK'S COMICS
The Comics Guide is assembled using the Diamond Comic Distributors Inc. website, as a guide, and is subject to change. Clicking on most images results in a larger image. All information is from Diamond and/or publisher solicitations and press releases, except for random comments by Captain Comics (in blue).
ARCHIE COMICS
ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #252
Script: FRANK DOYLE
Art: HARRY LUCEY
Cover: DAN PARENT, BOB SMITH, TITO PENA
On Sale Date: 7/2
160-page, full color comic, $4.99 U.S.
Grab your surfboard and hang ten with Archie and the gang! Well, at very least watch Archie try to hang ten! But he’s not the only Riverdale teen who’s having some tough luck on sand and in surf! See what happens in “The Usual Crowd,” the hilarious lead story to another great fun-filled double digest.
LIFE WITH ARCHIE #36
Script: PAUL KUPPERBERG
Art: PAT & TIM KENNEDY, JIM AMASH, JACK MORELLI, GLENN WHITMORE
Variant Cover: ADAM HUGHES
Variant Cover: FIONA STAPLES
Variant Cover: MIKE ALLRED
Variant Cover: RAMON PEREZ
Variant Cover: FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA
On Sale Date: 7/16
48-page, full color comic, $4.99 U.S.
6 5/8 x 10 3/16”
History is in the making in this epic finale to the acclaimed series LIFE WITH ARCHIE, as America’s most beloved character makes the ultimate sacrifice to save a friend. The unthinkable happens: Archie Andrews dies! Fans will experience an epic tale of Archie’s future sure to make headlines, generate discussion and stand as one of the most-talked about Archie stories of all time. Do not miss this game-changing tale of love, friendship and true heroism.
Man, some of these covers really choke me up. Well done, Archie Comics.
MEGA MAN #39
Script: IAN FLYNN
Art: JAMAL PEPPERS, GARY MARTIN, JOHN WORKMAN, MATT HERMS
Cover: PATRICK "SPAZ" SPAZIANTE
Cut Scene Variant Cover: RYAN JAMPOLE
On Sale Date: 7/16
32-page, full color comic, $2.99 U.S.
The epic DAWN OF X crossover reaches its penultimate chapter, and things are heating up in both PAST and FUTURE! "A Hint of Things to Come" Part Three: Mega Man, Pharaoh Man and Bright Man—trapped and at the mercy of a long lost Wily Weapon! Can Dr. Light find a way to stop it, or is this the end of Mega Man’s story? And what will robot-hating Xander do in a future filled with reploids? Featuring all-new cover art from the legendary PATRICK “SPAZ” SPAZIANTE and a 32-Bit-style cut scene variant from mega-artist RYAN JAMPOLE!
SONIC SAGA SERIES 5: ENERJAK REBORN TPB
Script & Art: IAN FLYNN
Cover: TRACY YARDLEY, JIM AMASH, JASON JENSEN
$11.99/$13.99 CAN
6 5/8 x 10 3/16” Trade Paperback, 112 pp
Sonic’s epic adventures aren’t just stories—they’re SAGAS! Blast into the action at Sonic speed with the continuation of the all-new Sonic Saga graphic novel series! This volume collects one of the hardest and most dangerous trials Sonic has ever faced. An all-powerful demi-god has returned and reshaped the face of Angel Island in his chaos-fueled fury! It's all-out war as Shadow the Hedgehog, the Chaotix, Dr. Eggman's Egg Fleet, the Destructix and more pile on in the fray tosave the world! Knuckles's life hangs in the balance, and not everyone will walk away from this one! SONIC SAGA VOL. 5 collects selected stories from Sonic the Hedgehog #181-184.
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #262
Script: IAN FLYNN, ALEAH BAKER
Art: JENNIFER HERNANDEZ, EVAN STANLEY, TERRY AUSTIN, JOHN WORKMAN, ALLEN PASSALAQUA
Cover by BEN BATES
Monster Movie Variant Cover by T.REX
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: 7/9
32-page, full color comic, $2.99 U.S.
Catch some sun and ride the wave as the aquatic adventure continues in "Waves of Change" Part Three! Sonic faces a city invasion by the ominous Dark Gaia Monsters! To make it even worse, the invasion is underwater -- and Sonic can’t swim! As the struggle turns desperate, will it be Amy’s mission to find the key to saving them all, or will Sonic be left to drown? Then, in “The Light in the Dark” Part Two, the Freedom Fighters find what they’re looking for -- but will their own divisions bring them down? Featuring new cover art from Ben Bates and an extra-special “monster movie” variant from artist T.REX!
SONIC UNIVERSE 7: THE SILVER SAGA (TPB)
Writer:: IAN FLYNN
Art: TRACY YARDLEY, JIM AMASH, PHIL FELIX, RAY DILLON, STEVE DOWNER
Cover: PATRICK "SPAZ" SPAZIANTE
$11.99/$13.99CAN
6 5/8 x 10 3/16”
Trade Paperback
104 pp, Full Color
Direct Market On-sale: 3/19
Journey to a dark and twisted future with SILVER THE HEDGEHOG! The popular Sonic Graphic Novel series returns with SONIC UNIVERSE 7: SILVER SAGA. Silver the Hedgehog lives in a world of ruin, and he's been traveling to the past, trying to change the fate of his time. But he's not prepared when a strange new force travels both space and time to attack him! Silver must journey to a twisted version of his world, join the last handful of rebels, and overthrow the most powerful foe he's ever encountered. Silver's psychic power is pushed to its limit against the chaos-fueled fury of a demi-god! The Silver Saga collects Sonic Universe #25-28.
DARK HORSE
B.P.R.D. HELL ON EARTH #121
Writers: MIKE MIGNOLA, JOHN ARCUDI
Art/Cover: LAURENCE CAMPBELL
Colors: DAVE STEWART
FC, 32 pages, $3.50
Ongoing
After a massive blackout shuts down B.P.R.D. headquarters, our heroes are faced with having to exorcise Kate Corrigan and the dead vet who’s with her.
From the pages of Hellboy!
“Absolute must-read reading. Scary, exciting, and riveting storytelling. Highest possible recommendation.” -- SciFi Pulse
BRAIN BOY: THE MEN FROM G.E.S.T.A.L.T. #3 (of 4)
Writer: FRED VEN LENTE
Art/Cover: FREDDIE WILLAIMS II
Colors: JEREMY COLWELL
Cover: DAN SCOTT
FC, 32 pages, $2.99
Miniseries
Fred Van Lente and Freddie Williams II!
It’s the end of the world … and Brain Boy’s at ground zero! Faraday confronts a legion of zombie bikers, while Brain Boy tries to escape a psychic cage that’s driving him insane as he’s forced to watch the apocalypse over and over again. Is the psychic cult that’s tormenting him also out to get the president?
“It will make your brain happy.” -- Bloody Disgusting
“Five out of five.” -- Unleash the Fanboy
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: SPIKE -- INTO THE LIGHT (HC)
Writer: JAMES MARSTERS
Penciller: DERLIS SANTACRUZ
Inker: ANDY OWENS
Colors: DAN JACKSON
Cover: STEVE MORRIS
On sale July 16
FC, 72 pages, $14.99
HC, 7” x 10”
Written by James Marsters!
He played Spike on the show, and now James Marsters writes a poignant but action-packed story of the vampire who chose to have a soul, and now has to deal with his past while being compelled to play the hero.
• Get into Spike’s head as only James Marsters can!
• An original graphic novel set in Buffy Season 7!
EYE OF NEWT #2 (of 4)
Writer/Art/Cover: MICHAEL HAGUE
FC, 32 pages, $3.99
Miniseries
Inimitable illustrator Michael Hague creates a marvelous tale of high fantasy! Newt, a young wizard’s apprentice, begins the trials to become a full-fledged wizard! His adventure leads him through the Netherworld, a magical realm filled with creatures both wondrous and frightful!
• From legendary illustrator Michael Hague!
• For fans of The Hobbit!
GHOST #6
Writer: CHRIS SEBELA
Pencils: JAN DUURSEMA
Inks: DAN PARSONS
Colors: DAN JACKSON
Cover: JENNY FRISON
On sale July 2
FC, 32 pages, $2.99
Ongoing
Jan Duursema joins the team!
Von Ghastly’s not just a corny TV host -- he’s an obsessive cult leader with a brainwashed fan club of obedient minions. What’s worse, he’s tapped into a power that allows him to physically touch Ghost! Will she be able to cancel his program before he takes her permanently off the air?
“Loaded with mystery and drama, set against a fantastically large supernatural backdrop.” -- Comic Vine
“Everything you could hope for.” -- Multiversity
GRINDHOUSE: DOORS OPEN AT MIDNIGHT DOUBLE FEATURE (TPB)
Writer: ALEX DE CAMPI
Art: CHRIS PETERSON, SIMON FRASER
Colors: NOLAN WOODARD
Cover: DAN PANOSIAN
FC, 112 pages, $17.99
TP, 7’’ x 10’’
USA Today’s Most Insane Read of 2013!
Literature: overrated. Morality: expendable. Midnight is right for some over-the-top sex and violence, and this Grindhouse double feature is packing the aisles with blood ’n’ guts and T ’n’ A! Gasp as insatiable alien insects overtake a Southern town with only a one-eyed deputy to stop them in “Bee Vixens from Mars”! Shudder as the sexy lady convicts of Block E revolt against an insane warden in “Prison Ship Antares”! Tremble in anticipation at the gallery of shocking “coming attractions”! Collects issues #1-4 of the miniseries in a filthy flipbook.
• Alex de Campi (Smoke, Ashes), Chris Peterson (Grim Leaper), and Simon Fraser (Doctor Who)!
• Cover by superstar artist Dan Panosian!
No matter how many times I see that cover, it creeps me out! Girl, that bee will sting your tongue! *shudders*
PICTURES THAT TICK VOL 2 (TPB & LTD ED HC)
Writer/Art/Cover: DAVE MCKEAN
FC, 272 pages, 9” x 12”
TPB $29.99, Ltd. Ed. HC $100.00
New material from Dave McKean!
McKean uses mixed media to take readers on a journey unlike any other: “The Coast Road” follows a desperate wife trying to find her missing husband, whose ghostly image appears in unexpected ways. “Black Holes,” written by an anonymous journalist, concerns the politically sensitive true story of Chinese villagers induced by the government to sell their blood, only to be infected with AIDS through poor medical practice. A myriad of personal tales fill the pages of McKean’s latest achievement.
• Special edition is limited to 500 copies and signed by multiple-award-winning artist Dave McKean!
• Winner of the Victoria and Albert Museum Illustrated Book of the Year award!
Praise for Pictures That Tick Volume 1:
“Impressive are the wordless stories, rendered in sparse line drawings, that evoke a sustained, dreamlike state and often invoke McKean’s favored motif of flight.” -- Booklist
STAR WARS: DARTH MAUL – SON OF DATHOMIRE #3 (of 4)
Writer: JEREMY BARLOW
Art: JUAN FRIGERI
Inks: MAURO VARGAS
Colors: WES DZIOBA
Cover: CHRIS SCALF
FC, 40 pages, $3.50
Miniseries
Darth Maul has captured Darth Sidious’s new apprentice! Mother Talzin and Maul attempt to sway Count Dooku to their cause, revealing surprising facts about Maul’s past. But an attack by an elite Jedi strike force throws everyone’s plans into chaos!
Based on unaired episodes of the television series The Clone Wars!
USAGI YOJIMBO VOL 28: RED SCORPION (LTD HC)
Writer/Art/Cover: Stan Sakai
The Red Scorpion Gang has been terrorizing the countryside for months, with evidence of their ill deeds appearing everywhere the rabbit ronin turns! Usagi first crosses swords with the Scorpions as the gang extorts protection money from poor farmers, then must defend a temple from their attacks. But when Usagi is accused of being a member of the gang, he has no choice but to take the fight to the Red Scorpion himself! This volume also features the return of wily thief Kitsune and the mysterious Lord of Owls! Collects Usagi Yojimbo #132-138!
THE WITCHER #5 (of 5)
Writer: PAUL TOBIN
Art/Cover: JOE QUERIO
Colors: CARLOS BADILLA
FC, 32 pages, $3.99
Miniseries
Geralt uncovers a bitter betrayal, leading to the release of a legion of cursed souls! As he endures their onslaught, he must also seek escape from the torture of the House of Glass!
• Based on the hit game by CD Projekt RED!
• From the Eisner-winning writer of Bandette, Prometheus and Colder!
WITCHFINDER: THE MYSTERIES OF UNLAND #2 (of 5)
Writers: KIM NWEMAN, MAURA MCHUGH
Art: TYLER CROOK
Colors: DAVE STEWART
Cover: JULIAN TOTINO TEDESCO
FC, 32 pages, $3.50
Miniseries
Horror fiction legend Kim Newman!
After a dangerous clash with giant eel monsters, Sir Edward Grey determines that all signs of the secrets of Hallam point to Poole’s Elixir factory.
• Featuring art by Tyler Crook (Bad Blood, B.P.R.D.)!
• Created by Mike Mignola!
Replies
DC COMICS
BATMAN: A CELEBRATION OF 75 YEARS (HC)
Art: BOB KANE, DICK SPRANG, CARMINE INFANTINO, NEAL ADAMS, ALEX TOTH, MARSHALL ROGERS, FRANK MILLER, MICHAEL GOLDEN, ALAN DAVIS, JIM APARO, J.H. WILLIAMS III, GREG CAPULLO and others
Cover: JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
Retrosolicit • 384 pg, FC, $39.99 US
This amazing Batman best-of collection includes stories from DETECTIVE COMICS #27, 83, 211, 216, 327, 359, 395, 442, 474, 574, 633, 711, 757 and 821, BATMAN #1, 49, 181, 497, BATMAN #2 (THE NEW 52), WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #94, DC SPECIAL SERIES #21 and BATMAN SPECIAL #1!
"Retrosolicit"? What does that even mean?
Art by DUSTIN NGUYEN and DEREK FRIDOLFS
Cover by DUSTIN NGUYEN
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Who is behind the hell beneath Arkham Asylum? Can Batwing and Jim Corrigan hope to stop it before it breaks out and consumes all of Gotham City?
Art by JEREMY HAUN
Cover by RAFAEL ALBUQUERQUE
BATMAN 75 variant cover
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
This issue will ship with two covers.
Nocturna is out of Arkham, but is she really fit to return to society? Batwoman’s investigations will send her spinning into the deadly clutches of Night-Thief!
Art: ROMANO MOLENAAR, VICENTE CIFUENTES, JONATHAN GLAPION and MIGUEL SEPULVEDA
Cover: EMANUELA LUPACCHINO
200 pg, FC, $16.99 US
The traitor in the Birds of Prey shows her face in these stories from issues #18-24 and 26 and TALON #9. And both Basilisk and the Court of Owls come back from team members’ pasts to haunt the Birds!
Art/Cover: ANDY KUBERT
176 pg, FC, 7.0625” x 10.875”, $24.99 US
Damian Wayne, the son of Batman, has adopted the cape and cowl as his own ... but what horrific events set this troubled hero on the path of his dark destiny? It’s a possible future that may never be in this epic written and drawn by Andy Kubert! Plus, in a tale written by Grant Morrison, Damian Wayne is the Batman of Tomorrow in a story set 15 years from now in a nightmarish future Gotham City! Collecting DAMIAN: SON OF BATMAN #1-4 and BATMAN #666.
Adaptation by REGINALD HUDLIN
Art by R.M. GUERA, JASON LaTOUR, DENYS COWAN and DANIJEL ZEZELJ
Movie poster cover
256 pg, FC, $16.99 US • MATURE READERS
The 7-issue comics adaptation of the Oscar-winning movie by Quentin Tarantino is now in trade paperback! Don’t miss this blood-soaked tale of a bounty-hunting dentist and his partner Django, a recently freed slave, as they search the post-Civil War South for Django’s wife!
Worth reading, especially if you like the art of Denys Cowan or Danijel Zezelj.
Art by MARK BUCKINGHAM and STEVE LEIALOHA
Backup story art by ERIC SHANOWER
Cover by NIMIT MALAVIA
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • MATURE READERS
As the denizens of Fabletown choose sides, Snow White and Rose Red prepare for the battle of their lives. Part two of the epic “Happily Ever After” storyline continues here, featuring a backup story of Sinbad: The Last Story Ever Told, by Oz artist extraordinaire Eric Shanower.
I don't remember Rose Red at all from childhood, but apparently she existed in variations of the Snow White story.
Art by BRAD WALKER and ANDREW HENNESS
Cover by JEREMY ROBERTS
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
The Psions have done the unthinkable: captured and incapacitated the Guardians themselves! Can Carol and Kyle get to them in time? Or will the Psions discover the secret of ultimate power locked inside the Guardians’ very DNA?
I guess it was inevitable that Carol and Kyle would become an item, and she would essentially co-star in the book. That relationship still creeps me out, because Carol has been around since 1959, and Kyle was created in 1994. Mysubconscious keeps screaming that Carol is old enough to be Kyle's grandmother! I'm trying to get over it, but it ain't easy.
Art by AMANDA CONNER and others
Wraparound cover by AMANDA CONNER
One-shot • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T
The title says it all! Our favorite little troublemaker, Harley Quinn, takes on Comic-Con International: San Diego in this over the top issue! She’ll have to battle long lines, crazy crowds and the dread con crud, all in the quest to get her own comic book published!
It would be a bummer if she killed everyone at Comic-Con.
Art by CARL POTTS, SZYMON KUDRANSKI and others
Cover by GENE HA
1:25 Variant cover by TERRY DODSON and RACHEL DODSON
40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
DIGITAL FIRST
This issue will ship with two covers.
In the tradition of INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US, a new videogame sensation makes its comics debut. Developed by Turbine and WBIE Games, INFINITE CRISIS brings together unique versions of DC Universe heroes from across the multiverse to head off a crisis that threatens to destroy all of their worlds! Heroes and villains from Gaslight, Atomic, Arcane, Mecha and other worlds battle and join forces with Prime Earth Batman in this rapidly escalating conflict!
Art: BOB KANE, JERRY ROBINSON, JACK BURNLEY, DICK SPRANG, NEAL ADAMS, MARSHALL ROGERS, JOHN BYRNE, JIM APARO, JOE STATON, BRIAN STELFREEZE, TONY S. DANIEL, GREG CAPULLO and others
Cover: BRIAN BOLLAND
Retrosolicit • 384 pg, FC, $39.99 US
It’s the best of the Clown Prince of Crime in this new title featuring stories from BATMAN #1, 5, 25, 32, 85, 163, 251, 427, BATMAN #15 (THE NEW 52), DETECTIVE COMICS #64, 168, 180, 475, 476, 726, 741, 826, DETECTIVE COMICS #1 (THE NEW 52), WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #61, SUPERMAN #9 and BATMAN: LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #66.
Art by GEORGES JEANTY and ART THIBERT
Cover by RYAN SOOK
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
The Justice League demands Firestorm answer for Green Arrow’s death.
Art by R.B. SILVA
Cover by ED BENES
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
As more of Starfire’s life after her captivity as a slave is revealed, Red Hood and Arsenal stand between their alien teammate and one of the most wanted men in the galaxy.
Art by ANDY KUBERT and JONATHAN GLAPION
Cover by ANDY KUBERT
1:50 Variant cover by CLIFF CHIANG
One-shot • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T
This issue will ship with two covers.
The hunt for Robin is over, and the battle joined! But Batman’s family feud with Ra’s al Ghul is about to erupt into something bigger when it’s interrupted by the forces of Apokolips! This epic story continues in this month’s BATMAN AND ROBIN #33!
In retrospect, I guess Damian's resurrection was inevitable -- his grandfather is master of the Lazarus Pits, after all -- but DC keeps hinting that he won't be all there. So expect some curveballs.
Art and cover by ADAM ARCHER
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED E • DIGITAL FIRST
The Anti-Monitor enters the fight, armed with a secret weapon: Doppelganger! But has Maxwell’s nemesis really returned to his evil ways? Or is there a greater plan in motion?
Art by EMANUELA LUPACCHINO
Cover by JEFF JOHNSON and CAM SMITH
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
“Red Daughter of Krypton” – the finale! Faced with a threat from Worldkiller-1 and staggering allegations about her past, Supergirl is forced to question her role as a Red Lantern – and as a hero! Don’t miss the thrilling conclusion to this epic adventure – and its shocking final pages!
Ho hum, Supergirl acting badly. Next!
Art: DIOGENES NEVES, YILDIRAY CINAR and others
Cover: MAHMUD ASRAR
144 pg, FC, $14.99 US
Supergirl’s world has been shattered! Kara searches the stars for a new home, only to encounter one of Superman’s deadliest enemies in his
New 52 debut: Cyborg Superman! Collects SUPERGIRL #21-26, ACTION COMICS #23.1: CYBORG SUPERMAN and SUPERMAN #25!
Art: J.H. WILLIAMS III, MICK GRAY, KELLEY JONES and JOHN BEATTY
Cover: J.H. WILLIAMS III
448 pg, FC, $49.99 US
Don’t miss these stories featuring the art of J.H. Williams III from BATMAN #526, 550 and 667-669, BATMAN ANNUAL #21, LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #86-88 and 192-196, CHASE #7-8 and DETECTIVE COMICS #821!
Art and cover by KENNETH ROCAFORT
BATMAN 75 variant cover
1:25 Variant cover by CLIFF CHIANG
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
This issue will ship with three covers.
Red Robin, Wonder Girl, Raven, Bunker and Beast Boy step out of the shadows of the adult heroes of the DC Universe to offer bold, exciting and sometime dangerous ideas on how to protect a world full of superpowered teenagers – any one of whom could be the next heroic figure or major villain!
You'd think a girl as well endowed as Wonder Girl would shy away from strapless tops when going into combat. Of course, nothing about this character is plausible, so why should I question her fashion choices?
Art: EDDY BARROWS, PATRICK ZIRCHER, ROBSON ROCHA and others
Cover: EDDY BARROWS and
EBER FERREIRA • 144 pg, FC, $14.99 US
The demon Trigon triumphs over the Teen Titans in these tales from issues #18-23! As he begins to turn Manhattan into a staging ground for a demonic takeover of the planet, the Titans must mend their own alliance if they’re going to stand a chance against this demonic villain!
DYNAMITE COMICS
ARMY OF DARKNESS: ASH GETS HITCHED #1 (of 4)
Art: Nacho Tenorio
Main Covers: Jae Lee
Variant cover A: Lucio Parrillo
Variant cover B: Francesco Francavilla
Variant cover C: Nick Bradshaw
Variant cover D: Arthur Suydam
Teen +/32 pages/$3.99
Dynamite is proud to announce that Ash is going to tie the knot in Army of Darkness: Ash Gets Hitched #1. Written by the best-selling comic writer, Steve Niles, and interiors by Nacho Tenorio, this monumental event comes with covers by the who's who of comic artists today: Jae Lee, Lucio Parrillo, Francesco Francavilla, Nick Bradshaw, Arthur Suydam and Stephanie Buscema!
In Army of Darkness: Ash Gets Hitched #1, Ash and Sheila are reunited and Ash vows they will never be separated again. Can evil stop evil? This will be the question Ash has to answer, now that he has unleashed the Faceless Man on the land.
"I think fans of the films will really enjoy what we're doing in Ash & the Army of Darkness," says Army of Darkness: Ash Gets Hitched writer Steve Niles. "It was a dream come true for me to create the sequel we never got and I hope fans enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Now we head into the next chapter, the marriage of Ash and Sheila. This is pretty huge for the AoD universe because it means Ash is going to stay in the Dark Ages and be a father and husband. It's going to be a very strange and fun trip."
"Ash has always been a very important character at Dynamite, given Army of Darkness was our first book launched back in July of 2004," says Dynamite CEO / Publisher Nick Barrucci. "We've had a great relationship with MGM over the last 10 years and are grateful for their support and our ability to continue with such an iconic character and a great license. As we continue to celebrate our 10th Anniversary in July, it was very important to us that Steve Niles, someone who is an incredible talent, would be the writer of this milestone story continuing his stellar work from Ash and the Army of Darkness, and be the person to write such a defining moment in the life of Ash!"
Steve Niles is an American comic book writer and novelist, known for works such as 30 Days of Night, Criminal Macabre, Simon Dark, Mystery Society and Batman: Gotham County Line. He is credited among other contemporary writers as bringing horror comics back to prominence, authoring such works as 30 Days of Night, its sequel, Dark Days, and Criminal Macabre. Steve currently writes Ash and the Army of Darkness for Dynamite Entertainment.
Art/Cover: ART BALTAZAR
Page Count: 32 pages /All Ages/$3.99
HA! The Timestream CATastrophe continues. What happens when our heroes, Captain Action Cat, Golden Age Action Cat, Ghost and X, wind-up in a SAVAGE Land and come face-to-face with a SAVAGE Beauty? RIGHT! A CATastrophe! I hope that boiling pot of water doesn’t have anything to do with their visit. WATCH OUT for those throwing spears! Our heroes are in serious trouble! Make sure to keep an eye on the evil Dr. Evil Cat! AAAHH!! I think MAGIC may be the only thing that can save the good guys this time! Meanwhile…in Beautiful Downtown Skokie, Action Cat battles EVIL CAT as they meet some strangely transformed travelers. Guest starring Captain Midnight! Sky-Man! The Occultist! And the Phantom Lemur! It’s true.
Highly recommended by Franco’s mom. Aw Yeah! She says to buy 2. :-D
If it's a Baltazer book, doesn't someone have to shout "Aw, yeah!"?
Art: JONATHAN LAU
160+ pages/Teen +/$19.99
During the height of the Cold War, unknown forces scheme to heat up a global conflict. As key officials on both sides of the Iron Curtain are replaced with doppelgangers, the infiltration threatens to disrupt the precarious state of world affairs. The security of the Free World depends on a young secret agent, one assigned to shape the world's masked heroes into a force with singular purpose and unyielding resolve! Witness Operative 1001's transformation into the international secret agent and master of disguise, Captain Action ... and his alliance with Green Hornet, Kato, Operator 5, Black Venus, American Crusader, Death Defying Devil, Fighting Yank and The Spider!
Features a complete cover gallery, the script to issue #1 and much more!
Art: STEVE UY
Covers: REBEKIE BENNINGTON
All Ages/32 pages/$3.99
Our hero Doodler and his new pal Triple find themselves in a shadowy ninja world. They're in for a few unwelcome surprises - unless they can pull together as a team! Come aboard for this brand new, all-ages accessible, original comic book series from Dynamite! Doodle Jump is the #3 all-time top paid app, and has been a top 25 app title for over three years, with hundreds of millions of downloads and updates.
Art: REY VILLEGAS
Cover: JOSEPH MICHAEL LINSNER
Steampunk Variant: SERGIO FERNANDEZ DAVILA
Variant: JOSEPH COOPER
Teen +/32 pages/$3.99
Originally introduced from Matt Wagner's epic Zorro Rides Again epic series, comes Lady Zorro #1 from Dynamite Entertainment! The series is written by Alex De Campi, working with Dynamite for the first time. Lady Zorro #1 is drawn by Rey Villegas and has a beautiful cover by Joseph Michael Linsner. Other cover incentives include a Steampunk cover by Sergio Fernandez Davila and a special retailer shared exclusive variant cover by Joseph Cooper!
"I'm thrilled to be able to take on Lady Zorro," says writer Alex De Campi. "She's such a clean slate, having only appeared in three issues of the main Zorro book, and as a kid who grew up devouring swashbuckling adventure stories, being able to have my own lady heroine with a sword is like a dream come true. For those that don't know much about her, she's a Spanish gal whose family was killed by soldiers and, burning with vengeance, she decides she will become ... a fox (Zorro means "fox" in Spanish). Unlike the noble, never-kills-if-he-can-help-it Zorro, Lady Zorro is a bit more bloodthirsty. We're joining her in exile up the coast of California, where she is cultivating roses ... and forgiveness."
In the new series, Lady Zorro is called back to Alta California to recover a sacred Indian war axe, stolen by mercenary soldiers. Only she can stop an all-out war across the ranchos, and more deaths like the one that consumed her family … if she can stay on the mission. When an opportunity for ultimate vengeance presents itself, can she ignore it? Will the raging fire that drives Lady Zorro consume her ... and all of Alta California with it? What follows is a violent, sexy tale of intrigue and swashbuckling as the female Fox must use all her wits and skills to get herself out of trouble.
De Campi expands upon the premise, "A wicked Spanish countess is buying up the local ranchos and has hired German mercenaries to wipe out indigenous peoples so she can have a vast cattle ranch. The evil countess has even tried to get her hands on Zorro's estates, so he must go back to Spain to try to stop her. But before he leaves, he recruits Lady Zorro to pick up her sword and mask once more, and steal back the important Indian artifact that would hopefully avert war between the Spanish settlers and the Indians."
"I've wanted to work with Alex De Campi for quite a while," adds Dynamite CEO / Publisher Nick Barrucci. "Lady Zorro is a new character with endless possibilities, and there's no better writer than Alex to spearhead Lady Zorro into the future!"
Alex De Campi is an acclaimed comic book writer, known for such titles as her 2006 Eisner Award-nominated miniseries Smoke, her manga series Kat & Mouse, and her celebrated, most recent work, Grindhouse: Doors Open at Midnight. She adds, "I'm going to bring to the Lady Zorro story many of the elements that fans love in my Grindhouse books -- sexiness, violence and impressively gory deaths -- as well as my penchant for very original, exciting set-piece action sequences. Swords, corsets, cleavage, dismemberment. What's not to like? I always feel a lot of books on the shelves tease with sexy covers, and then the insides are a bit of a letdown. This book, we will deliver. I give you my word!"
Linsner's women all have exactly the same build, which is a fault a lot of artists have. But at least it's not the rail-thin-with-giant-boobs Michael Turner look, nor do they all stand around in the "brokeback" pose. They actually look a bit more like real women, substantial and affected by gravity. And they're usually the protagonists in their own stories, not hostages or helpless girlfriends, which also gets him points from me.
Art: SERGIO FERNANDEZ DAVILA
Covers: JOE BENITEZ
Teen +/32 pages/$3.99
Magna finally makes it to Landing, the proverbial city of tomorrow founded and governed by none other than Flash Gordon. There, she finds herself assisting Flash in his experiments and research; as he hopes to one day make it back to the stars. But there are strange and improbable side-effects to his projects occurring not too far off on the mysterious Island ruled by the a man called Moreau ...
Original solicitation date: May 21. This book is always months late, which can't be good for sales.
THE DEVILERS #1 (of 7)
Art: Matt Triano
Covers: Jock
Teen +/32 pages/$3.99
Dynamite is proud to present the first book in a series of creator driven comics, featuring all new characters from the industry's best and brightest! The Devilers is written by the acclaimed author Joshua Hale Fialkov, working with us for the first time, and accompanied by the incredible art of Matt Triano! Single issues in this line will be priced at $2.99, allowing fans the opportunity to affordably try all of the new series! And to help retailers stock up with confidence, each launch issue will be completely returnable! To sweeten the deal for fans and retailers alike, The Devilers #1 will feature covers by Eisner Award Nominee Jock and a beautiful retailer incentive by the masterful Marc Silvestri! Be sure to look for The Devilers, coming this July to retailers and digital platforms!
When the world is under siege from the pits of hell, it's up to The Devilers to set things right. The world's greatest exorcists pit themselves against Satan's army, while all of creation hangs in the balance. From the writer of The Bunker, The Ultimates and I, VAMPIRE comes a horror-fueled adventure through hell itself.
"Fans of the work I did on I, VAMPIRE will find a continuation of a lot of the themes and ideas I started over there, but in a completely new package," says best-selling comic book writer Joshua Hale Fialkov, "It's been a blast to tell a big ol' supernatural horror adventure story again."
"There's a great tradition of team books in comics and we've worked hard to continue that tradition here." -- Joseph Rybandt, Dynamite Senior Editor
"This series is the 'Magnificent Seven' of different religious figures banding together to fight off an evil that will take all of their powers. Joshua is an incredibly gifted writer who has proven that he can tackle any genre. He has an impressive track record from Elk's Run and Tumor to his I, Vampire, Ultimates, Bunker comic series and more, and I will be biased in stating that The Devilers is his best work to date. His writing is crisp and smart. Add to that the incredible artwork that Matt Triano is delivering, and the unbelievably captivating covers by Jock, and you have an incredible series. This is the first in an incredible line of creator driven books and we're launching off our creator-driven the line up with an incredible group of creators bring incredible passion for the launch series to help celebrate and usher in for the next chapter at Dynamite."
Joshua Hale Fialkov is the Eisner, Harvey and Emmy award nominated creator of The Bunker, Tumor, Punks and Echoes. He was the writer of the critically acclaimed I, VAMPIRE for DC's New 52, and is an architect of the ULTIMATE UNIVERSE at Marvel Comics. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, daughter, two dogs and a disgruntled cat.
THE SHADOW #0
Art: Colton Worley
Covers: Gabriel Hardman
Teen +/32 pages/$3.99
In The Shadow #0, secrets of The Shadow's past are revealed as he meets Houdini! The Shadow infiltrates the sanctum of an esoteric society of murderous magicians, who are hell-bent on escaping the ultimate trap-death itself! In order to thwart their plans, he must evade twisted traps and solve spellbinding puzzles. A good-or evil-magician never reveals his secrets ... but The Shadow knows.
Dynamite Entertainment is proud to announce the signing of Cullen Bunn, who will pen a Shadow tale where he meets the elusive magician Houdini! And you can expect more to come from Dynamite and Cullen Bunn in the future!
"I've long been a fan of pulp heroes, and the Shadow was my introduction into that world," says The Shadow #0 writer Cullen Bunn. "I remember my dad recounting adventures of The Shadow he had heard on the radio as a boy. And my dad could do the best imitation of the Shadow's laugh! I like to think that he'd get a real kick out of me contributing to the legacy of the character. I know I couldn't be more thrilled. In this tale, we see the Shadow infiltrating a secret society of magicians who are willing to do anything to lay claim to what might be the most forbidden of secrets. As the Shadow evades devious deathtraps, we learn that he has a connection to the greatest magician of all time."
"We've wanted to work with Cullen for years, but knew it had to be something special," says Dynamite CEO / Publisher Nick Barrucci. The Shadow #0 is that book, and fans will be amazed at the story that Cullen is telling. Happy to say that while this is our first project with Cullen, there are more to come."
"Cullen is a fantastic writer and this should be the start of many projects with him here at Dynamite" - Joseph Rybandt, Senior Editor
Cullen Bunn is a freelance writer known for the comic books he has written comics for Marvel, including the popular Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe series, and has become increasingly popular with his Oni Press series The Damned and The Sixth Gun. Cullen is currently writing the acclaimed series Magneto. He is also a short story writer and novelist, his major publications outside of the comic book sphere include Crooked Hills and Creeping Stones & Other Stories. He has been nominated for the Bram Stoker Award (2012), the Eisner Award (2012) and the Ghastly Awards (2011), and winner of Broken Frontier's ‘Best Writer Independent' Award (2011).
Dynamite is celebrating its 10th anniversary in style this year by releasing four #0 one-shot special issues having important story tie-ins within each series! To unify the event, each issue features gorgeous covers by Gabriel Hardman!
Art: Ivan Rodriguez, Igor Vitorino
Cover: Colton Worley
TEEN +/176 pages/$19.99
Richard Wentworth has been brought low, but his costumed alter-ego, The Spider, must still protect New York! As a terrible new wave of violence sweeps across the city, the Spider faces a ring of crooked cops, a deadly uptown gang, and a terrible new enemy who will stop at nothing. But when an honest cop comes along for the ride, the brutal vigilante has to protect the life of an innocent amidst the chaos. With the odds stacked up so high, The Spider has never been more desperate - or more dangerous!
Collecting issues #13-18 plus the 2013 annual and a complete cover gallery!
IDW PUBLICATIONS
24 #4
Art by MICHAEL GAYDOS
Cover by DAVIDE FURNO
Subscription Variant: Photo
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
Now that you've seen Jack Bauer's return to television in LIVE ANOTHER DAY, read the story that sent the heroic agent spiraling into his darkest days as an international fugitive. In Odessa, Ukraine, Jack has found himself stuck between the CIA and a Russian mobster from his past. How will he get out of this one?
• Written by Ed Brisson (Comeback, Secret Avengers)!
• Art by Eisner Award nominee Michael Gaydos (Alias)!
Art & Cover by AGUSTIN PADILLA
Subscription Variant: DAN SCHOENING
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
The critically acclaimed videogame series Borderlands, begins an epic new canonical chapter this July in the original comic mini-series The Fall of Fyrestone, from IDW Publishing. Returning to the strange and deadly world of Pandora are Roland, Mordecai, Lilith, and Brick, who embark on an adventure as bizarre as the planet itself!
Following the footsteps of IDW’s hit mini-series Borderlands: Origins, The Fall of Fyrestone hits the ground running as The Vault Hunters step off of Marcus’s bus to find a city in turmoil and a threat that will take everything they have to overcome.
“Working on Borderlands: Origins was, without a doubt, one of my most fun experiences as an editor at IDW,” said editor Tom Waltz. “All the insane excitement of the mega-popular video game—not to mention its patented snarky humor—were brought to bear in that series, and with our same dynamic creative team on board for The Fall of Fyrestone, I guarantee you we’ll be turning up the dial way past eleven this time around!”
The new series welcomes back the creative team of the smash-hit Borderlands: Origins. Writer Mikey Neumann returns to Borderlands, having written not only Origins but also the original game. Agustin Padilla’s dynamic and eye-catching art will usher the hapless heroes through the new adventure.
"Since we finished up Origins, I've been waiting for the opportunity to continue onward in the story now that the Vault Hunters have met up on the bus,” says Neuman. “No, seriously. I've been waiting outside of Tom Waltz's house since we shipped the last issue. My hair has birds in it and I've been forced to eat them for nourishment. Tom doesn't look at me the same way anymore, but I know he's just as excited to be back (and also chuffed that I'm off his lawn)."
Adored by fans, the over-the-top franchise made waves with two highly successful videogames, and as a comic in the 2012 series Borderlands Origins. Return to Pandora with The Vault Hunters this July and discover the secrets of The Fall Of Fyrestone!
• Borderlands: The Fall of Fyrestone features other fan-favorite characters like Claptrap, Dr. Ned and TK Baha!
• Written by original game writer, Mikey Neumann, with art by the fantastic Agustin Padilla -- the very same creative team behind the smash-hit Borderlands: Origins!
Art/Cover: Derek Charm
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
The devious demon Aku has called together a League of Extraordinary Villains -- composed of malevolent miscreants from different cartoon universes. When their evil robots show up in the worlds of The Powerpuff Girls, Ben 10, Samurai Jack, Dexter's Laboratory and (even) Ed, Edd and Eddy, it's up to all these fearless heroes to band together and put an end to the League's nefarious plot of interdimensional conquest!
Art &by BRANDON McKINNEY
Cover by BERNARD CHANG
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
Frank Doberman was the greatest detective of his era with the fastest car, biggest gun, and longest ... um ... arrest record. But after a drug bust went horribly wrong, Doberman disappeared, seeking solace in Mother Nature. Now lured back to the Force by the promise of vengeance, and an ice-cold six-pack, Doberman has to deal with a new age of computers, regulations and an uber-villain whom the world seems to believe has changed his ways.
Don't miss this new action comedy from the writers of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia!
Art & Cover by JUANFRANCISCO MOYANO
TPB • FC • $17.99 • 104 pages
In a surreal setting where a red sky burns bright and the blanket of night brings a terror known only as the Dark Souls, ex-cop Jake Ryan struggles to make sense of his surroundings. Gate-Way is a story that weaves a rich tapestry of loyalty, lust, intrigue, and betrayal as beggars, thieves, priests, and murderers all vie for power in a world that rewards the bold and enslaves the weak.
Collects issues #1-4.
Art by SHANE PIERCE
Cover by DAVID STOUPAKIS
Subscription Variant: JAMES BIGGIE
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
"To Live and Die in Deadworld" -- Judge Anderson is presumed dead, her body hopelessly transformed into the most mysterious of the new Dark Judges -- JUDGE BLANK. But don't count Anderson out yet. Her consciousness is loose in the vast, cold expanse of Deadworld, and she's desperately trying to find her way back to Mega-City One. But where she ends up just might be the most frightening place of al l...
Special standalone story with art by Shane Pierce!
Art by NICO PENA & ANTONIO CAMPO
Cover by NICO PENA
Subscription Variant: AGNES GARBOWSKA
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
Blythe's spotless academic record is in jeopardy when she's placed on a project with chronic under-achievers Whittany and Brittany Biskit. Meanwhile, the pets' plan to help her out turns into a desperate search for Sunil when he's trapped with a ball python! Everyone must find a way to work together or face dire consequences.
• Brand-new stories featuring characters from the hit television series and toy line!
• Written by Georgia Ball (Strawberry Shortcake, My Little Pony)!
Art/Cover: BEN TEMPLESMITH, MENTON3
TPB • FC • $19.99 • 72 pages • 8.5" x 12"
LUST is a prose book, a comic book, and an art book all in one. The creative team explores the nature of the virtues and vices, specifically Chastity and Lust, as well as considers what it is that one may teach us about the other, concluding this exploration by meeting at the book's middle.
The VICE Series from 44FLOOD, of which LUST is the first book, will have seven books focusing on each of the seven vices and their corresponding virtue, as well as an eighth and final book with vice herself personified.
First time Niles and Templesmith are collaborating together since their critically-acclaimed book 30 Days of Night.
Art by AGNES GARBOWSKA
Covers by AGNES GARBOWSKA, BILL FORSTER
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
Some of our favorite Ponyville residents, including Applejack, Rarity and Fluttershy, visit Manehattan to see Trixie's biggest magic trick yet: making the famous Ostlerheimer Diamond disappear! Only one thing goes wrong: the diamond disappears for real! All hoofs point to Trixie as the culprit, but not everything is as it seems in this magical Manehattan mystery!
Start of a new two-part story arc!
Variant cover by Mary Bellamy!
POWERPUFF GIRLS CLASSICS VOL 4: PICTURE PERFECT
Art by PHIL MOY, STEFANIE GLADDEN, CHRISTOPHER COOK, BILL ALGER, RICARDO GARCIA FUENTES
Covers by PHIL MOY
TPB • FC • $19.99 • 140 pages
They're cute. They're fun. And they're powerful! The Cartoon Network classic Powerpuff Girls returns to comics in this collection of comic-book adventures. This fourth volume collects issues #17-22 of the DC series.
Great for kids!
Subscription Variant: SHANE PIERCE
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
IDW Publishing and 44FLOOD come together again to release an all-new four-issue series, The Squidder, from famed comic artist Ben Templesmith. Templesmith returns to IDW as a triple threat with a series in which he writes and provides story, art, and lettering, as well as the primary covers. The Squidder mixes action, horror, science fiction, and fantasy elements with a touch of “Squidly” destruction.
Templesmith first gained renown as the artist responsible for the singular style of 30 Days of Night, which he co-created with noted horror-master, Steve Niles, and that went on to well documented success as a major motion picture. Templesmith has previously written and drawn the series Singularity 7 and multiple Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse miniseries.
“Ben was there at the start of IDW’s first comic publishing, so it’s great that his return with The Squidder coincides with our 15th anniversary,” said Chris Ryall, IDW’s Chief Creative Officer/Editor-in-Chief. “Although, don’t get me wrong, a new series from Ben is welcome at any time. And thanks to our partnership with Ben’s new venture, 44FLOOD, this just may become a very nice regular occurrence.”
The Squidder, which was the focus of a wildly successful Kickstarter campaign for a limited graphic-novel edition of the story, centers on an old soldier, one of the last of the legendary Squidder Legions, from a forgotten war. The post-apocalyptic world seems to have left him behind, but it remains to be seen if a discarded relic with a death wish and a rebellious Squid priestess can overthrow humanity’s tentacled alien overlords.
“The Squidder is equal parts Mad Max, Cthulhu creatures, and everything I love about early '90s Dolph Lungren action films,” said Ben Templesmith. “All of us at 44FLOOD are excited to be working with IDW to bring our projects into comic book shops and book stores. IDW has some of the best and most dedicated people in all of comics.”
Templesmith has returned to his roots to do the tentacle/Cthulhu-orientated book he's always promised, and IDW is proud to release another stunning and original project with an artist so important to the foundations of the company.
• Variant greyscale cover by Ben Templesmith!
• First new series written and illustrated by Ben Templesmith in years!
Art & Cover by SHARP BROS.
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
When a Starfleet medical conference is crashed by a deadly metamorphic virus, Doctors Beverly Crusher, Julian Bashir and Katherine Pulaski have to race against time ... to find a cure. The answers lie in the distant past, deep within the files of Dr. Leonard McCoy! All of Star Trek's medical officers team up for the first time ever!
IDW Publishing, CBS Consumer Products, and XPRIZE join forces to present Star Trek Special: Flesh and Stone, available this July. The story, inspired by the real-world $10 million Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE, will bring together all six Star Trek doctors for the first time.
The Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE is a global competition in which 30 teams are competing to develop a consumer-friendly, mobile device capable of diagnosing and interpreting a set of health conditions and vital health metrics, inspired by the Star Trek Tricorder.
“While XPRIZE is currently catalyzing a future where a Tricorder-like device is a common household item, we are thrilled to have inspired this parallel Star Trek story centered around the use of the Tricorder, further blurring the line between science fiction and reality,” said Rob Hollander, Vice President of Brand & Content for XPRIZE.
Star Trek Special: Flesh and Stone, written by longtime Star Trek scribes Scott and David Tipton, takes place at a Starfleet medical conference, which is crashed by a deadly metamorphic virus. The EMH and Doctors Beverly Crusher, Julian Bashir and Katherine Pulaski (with some help from Leonard McCoy and Phlox) join forces in a race against time to find a cure -- only to discover that the answers lie in another place and time! The clock is ticking and only the medical officers of Starfleet can save the day.
“There aren’t very many ‘firsts’ left in the world of Star Trek,” said Scott Tipton. “So when IDW and XPRIZE came to us with the opportunity to team up all six of Trek’s doctors for the first time, how could we say no?”
“The tricky part is how to get them together, since some of them are separated by about two hundred years,” added David Tipton. “How does it happen? You’ll just have to wait and see …”
THE STERANKO NICK FURY AGENT OF S.H.I.E.L.D. ARTIST EDITION VOL 1
In the mid-1960s, Jim Steranko burst into the Marvel Age of comics in a BIG way, and the innovative, cinematic techniques he introduced in his brief tenure at The House of Ideas stand to this day as a high-water mark in the history of graphic storytelling.
More than any other series, Steranko is most associated with Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. This Artist's Edition collects the first 12 stories of Steranko's run, from Strange Tales #151 - #162, as well as all his covers from these issues. Additionally, there will be a select number of extras presented. And, as usual, nearly all the pages have been scanned from the original art, from Steranko's private archives.
Legendary comics artist Jim Steranko will be the subject of not one but two Artist's Editions from IDW Publishing, with nearly all pages shot from the artist's personal art collection. Steranko, one of the great innovators in comics history, produced a comparatively small body of work for the House of Ideas from the mid-1960s to the early '70s, most notably his runs on Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Captain America.
The first volume, The Steranko Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Artist's Edition, will feature the initial twelve stories by Steranko that appeared in Strange Tales #151 through #162. All of these stories were drawn in the "twice up" format, meaning the original art is rendered at twice the size of the printed comic. The final book will measure 15 x 22 inches and is currently scheduled for release in May of 2014.
"I believe that I changed Nick Fury's life as much as he changed mine," Steranko says, "and looking over the original art again celebrates a flood of memories evincing the kind of rampant, seismic creativity that went into their creation. I can see my artistic evolution expand by the story, even by the page, and revisiting that experience can be simultaneously reassuring and shocking -- a kind of microcosm of comic book history. As one of the architects of the Marvel Age, I'm pleased to share the sweep and nuance of the S.H.I.E.L.D. epic with all my fans and friends."
The second volume, The Steranko Nick Fury and Captain America Artist's Edition, will collect the remaining Nick Fury stories from Strange Tales 163-168, as well as issues 1, 3 and 5 of the Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. comic series. As icing on the cake, Steranko's three stellar issues of Captain America will also be included. This volume will measure 12 x 17 inches, and the release date is still to be determined.
"Jim Steranko's impact on comics as an art form cannot be understated," said editor Scott Dunbier. "He is an artist and trailblazer of the highest order."
HC • B&W • $49.99 • 296 pages • 11" x 8.5"
The third volume of a four-book series collecting the entire run of the Tarzan newspaper strip by Russ Manning presents the final two complete daily storylines, plus four extended Sunday adventures. In the dailies from August 2, 1971 through July 29, 1972, Tarzan returns to the Earth's core, while Korak plays guide on the dangerous white water river. In the Sundays from January 24, 1971 through March 17, 1974, Tarzan travels to Pal-ul-don and Korak enters the City of Xuja.
"There's no denying Manning's capability, not just as an artist but also as a storyteller. His crisp, dynamic art excels in the best Alex Raymond/Burne Hogarth tradition." -- The Comics Journal
Art & Cover by CASEY MALONEY
Subscription Variant: KEVIN EASTMAN
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
Marcus Fall is a battle-hardened soldier in a long-running inter-planetary war. After multiple combat tours, Fall is finally able to leave the military and return to his beloved wife and son. But his happy homecoming comes to a tragic end when a suicide bomber murders his family. Devastated, Fall returns to the war with one bloody mission in mind: revenge against the enemy ... every last one of them.
An all-new original sci-fi/military drama from the creative team behind the critically acclaimed Children of the Grave -- fan-favorite writer Tom Waltz (TMNT) and artist Casey Maloney (Star Trek).
TPB • FC • $7.99 • 120 pages • 5" x 7"
Re-live the action of the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon with Leo, Don, Mikey, Raph, April, and Shredder in the newest volume of this popular young reader screengrab series. This volume adapts the Season 2 opener "The Mutation Situation" plus "Mutagen Man Unleashed", which introduces Casey Jones!
Great for kids!
Art by MATEUS SANTOLOUCO
Covers by MATEUS SANTOLOUCO, KEVIN EASTMAN
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
Leonardo and Splinter plan for the coming war with Shredder. As they meditate on what their true path must be, they are engulfed by darkness. And from that darkness emerges... the Rat King! Will his meddling with their minds lead to salvation or madness?
• The fan-favorite character that everyone has been asking for is here!
• Variant cover by Mark Torres!
Art: Alan Robinson
Cover: Ryan Brown
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
With the Vampire Wars burning hotter and bloodier with each new day, reporter Yuki Nitobe is abducted and brought into the vampire underground. When Yuki is shown the world of these new species of vampires, she realizes no one has been telling the truth! Does she risk everything by exposing both sides or file the report that she knows gives her the biggest ratings?
Art by VIC MALHOTRA & GREG SCOTT
Cover by CARLOS VALENZUELA
Subscription Variant: ROBERT HACK
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
In its first year at IDW, The X-Files Season 10 has pitted FBI special agents Mulder and Scully against monsters, cults, conspiracies and more, and now the duo will unravel a mystery that dates back to the very beginning of The X-Files. The brand-new five-issue miniseries, The X-Files: Year Zero, debuts this July with an original tale suited for both X-Files diehards and mystery fans alike!
In the 1940s, a shadowy informant known as “Mr. Xero” directed the FBI to a number of paranormal cases that would soon be classified as “X-Files,” which were reserved for the improbable and unexplainable. When faced with an eerily similar “Mr. Zero” in the present, Agent Mulder resolves to uncover the truth about who this mystery person is and their connection to these cases.
The multi-talented veteran Karl Kesel (FF, Superboy) makes his debut at IDW as the writer on the series. Vic Malhotra (The X-Files: Conspiracy: The Crow) and Greg Scott (The X-Files: Season 10) will be splitting art duties with Malhotra providing the art for the 1940s sequences and Scott drawing the present day storyline. Covers will be provided by Season 10’s Carlos Valenzuela, with pulp-novel-inspired subscription variants by Robert Hack (Doctor Who) and a retailer incentive cover by Eisner Award-winner Francesco Francavilla for the first installment.
“The origins of the X-Files unit of the FBI were only hinted at in the TV show, and we’re proud to present the story of how the precursors of our favorite paranormal agents established the division in the late 1940s,” says editor Denton J. Tipton. “I think Bing and Millie will become fan-favorites alongside Mulder, Scully, Reyes and Doggett.”
“I’ve always thought the 40s would be a wonderful setting for X-Files, with the Russian red menace, atomic mutations and flying saucers all lurking in the shadows -- what I like to think of as ‘UFO Noir.’” said Kesel from an undisclosed location. “Of course, iconic characters like Mulder and Scully are a joy to write, and being given the opportunity to introduce their predecessors -- Bing Ellinson and Millie Ohio -- well, the truth is it’s all a little unbelievable to me. But the unbelievable is what X-Files is all about, isn’t it?”
With an upcoming board game from IDW Games, the ongoing Season 10 series, and now this new adventure into the past, IDW is the essential stop for fans of The X-Files! Stay up to date at facebook.com/idwpublishing!
• At last, the true origin of "The X-Files"!
• Written by Karl Kesel (Fantastic Four, Superboy)!
• Ask your retailer about the Francesco Francavilla variant cover!
Art: ALEX SAVIUK
Cover: SAM SHEARON
Mulder and Scully continue to chase down leads in the most bizarre and unexplained cases the FBI has ever seen! Collecting issues #30-41 of the Topps series, Volume 4 features stories such as "Surrounded," "Crop Duster," "Skybuster," "N.D.E.," "Devil's Advocate," and more.
IMAGE COMICS
ALEX + ADA, VOL. 1 (TPB)
Art / Cover: JONATHAN LUNA
JULY 16 / 128 PAGES / FC / T+ / $12.99
Collects ALEX + ADA #1-5
Ada is an X5, the very latest in Tanaka android technology. Alex is her reluctant owner. Ada may look and sound just like a person, but she’s still a robot in a society that is growing increasingly suspicious of her kind. In ALEX + ADA, a new graphic novel series by Jonathan Luna (GIRLS, THE SWORD, ULTRA) and Sarah Vaughn (Sparkshooter) from Image Comics, Alex and Ada try to find out if artificial intelligence can make the leap to human awareness -- and whether the world is ready for it.
“I’ve wanted to tell a futuristic story for a long time,” said co-writer and artist Luna in an interview at Comic Vine. “I’ve been fascinated with androids and how we’d interact with them. And since I have leanings toward drama and romance, all of it just meshed together into ALEX + ADA.”
“The book isn’t necessarily a stance on sentience and whether or not it’s possible,” co-writer Vaughn commented on ALEX + ADA’s science fiction elements, “but more a social and emotional exploration of what happens if it does.”
Appropriate to this exploration is Luna’s clean, distinctive art, which conveys the rich inner lives of characters with subtle facial expressions and gestures, as well creates a world that is technologically advanced yet still recognizably a possible future version of our world.
“Dialogue, speed, silence and stillness; it’s all very deliberate,” said Vaughn of their storytelling style in an interview at Multiversity Comics. “Sometimes dialogue and exposition are necessary, especially when quiet people are living within a dramatic world, but hopefully we keep the balance by also showing how dramatic quiet life can be.”
With a momentous decision that could shake the very foundation of the society he lives in, Alex’s quiet life is about to get very dramatic indeed -- and he’s going to bring Ada along with him.
A unique story that will appeal equally to fans of science fiction, drama, and romance, ALEX + ADA VOLUME 1 will be in comic book stores on July 16 and in bookstores on July 29.
Praise for ALEX + ADA:
“Vaughn and Luna have found a way to depict a future and a story filled with familiar elements, but still make it feel like something that’s simultaneously very lived in and completely unique. It’s impossible not to connect with it thanks to the strangely relatable stories, and the awakening that’s taking place at the center of the story for both Alex and Ada. Luna’s art is the perfect fit for the book, as the very pristine future the book takes place in is completely simpatico with Luna’s clean lines and restrained character work. This book is one that I didn’t even expect to buy at first, but it has become not just my favorite Image title of 2014, but my favorite comic of 2014 period.” –David Harper, Multiversity Comics
“... a quiet but enthralling series.” -- Greg McElhatton, Comic Book Resources
“ the just-ahead-of-now future is almost palpable, and the story is incredibly easy to invest in.” -- Jen Aprahamian, Comic Vine
“... a heart-pounding exploration of morals, technology and emotions. From subtle jokes to belly laughing moments, smiles to tears, gasps to page flicking, Alex + Ada is a must for anyone wanting a new obsession.” -- Sophie, Panels and Pixels
Art / Cover A / cover B: STJEPAN SEJIC
Cover C: MARC SILVESTRI
JULY 2 / 48 PAGES / FC / T+ / $5.99
Top Cow is pleased to announce a double-sized crossover event unlike any before! Coming July 2, APHRODITE IX/CYBER FORCE #1, written by Matt Hawkins and with art by Stjepan Šejić, will begin a crossover spin-off series that fans won’t want to miss.
Two teams, seven centuries apart, united by one woman’s diabolical plan. The Chairwoman from CYBER FORCE and APHRODITE IX had a plan to recreate the world in her children’s image. Things didn’t go as planned. Featuring the present day team of Cyber Force and the 28th century Aphrodite IX, this story lays the origins of the new comic series IXTH GENERATION, launching in 2015.
"When Marc Silvestri and I sat down to talk Cyber Force two years ago we were building up to this eventual connection between Aphrodite IX and Cyber Force," said Hawkins. "This book is a self-contained oversized one shot that will explain who all these characters are and their importance to each other and to the Artifacts side of the universe as well. We're not looking to overburden it with continuity, just show tangentially how they relate."
Art/Cover: STJEPAN SEJIC
APRIL 30 / 160 PAGES / FC / T+ / $16.99
Collects APHRODITE IX # 6-10 and APHRODITE IX: HIDDEN FILES #1
Determined to never be controlled by outside forces again, Aphrodite IX seeks revenge against those who manipulated her. Plus the secrets behind the generational models revealed by Aphrodite XV and Artemis IX.
Art / Cover: DIEGO GRECO
JULY 9 / 184 PAGES / FC / M / $19.99
Collects BAD DOG #1-6
Lou and Wendell are bounty hunters in the blazing waste of the American Southwest. Pretty typical tough guys ... except for a couple of things. Lou is a werewolf who's so disgusted by humanity that he never changes back to his human form. His partner, Wendell, is a former man of the cloth who's turned his back on the church to pursue his true calling of sexual deviancy, drugs, and alcohol.
Together, they are perhaps the worst bounty hunters in the Four Corners -- but this July, they’ll have a great time making a mess of things in the Image Comics graphic novel BAD DOG: IN THE LAND OF MILK AND MONEY, a dark adult comedy by Joe Kelly (I KILL GIANTS) and Diego Greco. Whether taking down white supremacists, wallowing in ennui, spouting holy blasphemy, or out for the biggest bust yet in Las Vegas, Lou and Wendell are all about the search for the next buzz, bad guys, and the meaning of life.
No less of a team than their debauchery-seeking creations, Kelly and Greco combine filthy wit with gorgeous, painted artwork to create a bounty-hunting bender so vivid you can practically smell it.
“I love comedy. I especially love dark comedy and got to exercise those chops on Deadpool for a long time,” said writer Kelly. “For me, Bad Dog is a logical extension of that work -- unrated, raunchier, nastier, hopefully funnier too -- but with the same attention I gave to my previous flawed heroes. Without real themes and soul, the book would just be gags and blood. Lou is questioning his place in the universe, asking for answers, and getting one or two. Plus, there's a lot of inappropriate talk in the workplace. And sex toys. And drugs. And drugs mixed with other drugs. It's a hot mess really ... but it has heart!”
"Basically speaking, this is the equation: Working on Bad Dog = Laughing my head off,” said artist Greco. “This story is so, so… mmm… how can I put it… so nastily crazy and its characters are so dynamic that their combination turn the whole project into the most interesting one I have ever been part of. When I read the script I tend to laugh so hard that I spit all over my tablet. I just cannot get enough of all these people. In a few words, I love drawing Bad Dog, I love working with Joe and I really love spitting on my tablet!”Readers who love the subversive and irreverent will want to go along for the ride in BAD DOG, the most twisted buddy comedy this side of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. The graphic novel will be in comic book stores on July 9 and in bookstores on July 22 and is available for pre-order now.
Praise for BAD DOG:
“For the absolutely crazy humor, and outstanding character work we have Joe Kelly to thank; for the equally entertaining art I commend Diego Greco. The words may sell Bad Dog, but they wouldn't have half the effect they do if it weren't for the pacing, framing, and overall landscape provided by Greco. His depiction of Lou and Wendell is so amusing and strangely lifelike that it makes us instantly forget the impossibility of each scenario, allowing us to enjoy the comic for what it is.” -- Dan Iverson, IGN
Art / Cover A: SINA GRACE & S. STEVEN STRUBLEY
Cover B: MALACHI WARD & MATT SHEEAN
JULY 2 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.50
When in doubt: Call topless stripper ninjas for back-up.
Art / Cover: SHAKY KANE
JULY 16 / 32 PAGES / FC / T / $3.99
COMPLETE, ALL NEW CAP'N DINOSAUR TALE IN THIS ISSUE!
Writer Kek-W (2000 AD, Rudy Rucker’s FLURB) and artist Shaky Kane (THE BULLETPROOF COFFIN) take the law into their own hands and bring readers a complete, all-new, CAP’N DINOSAUR tale in this one-shot issue.
An homage to the classic comics, CAP’N DINOSAUR pulls inspiration from mail-order-advertisements found in comic series of the 1950s and 1960s. When a mysterious drowned man falls out of the clear blue sky, The Cap’n and Honey Moon follow a trail which leads them to a deserted amusement park, but what they find will take readers’ breath away.
“Half the fun of old comic books were the mail order adverts,” said Kane. “So I figured that if the mail order adverts were to somehow feature in the story itself, well then you'd get the full fun!”
"Shaky and I are trying to channel a free-wheeling old school spirit—harness the strangeness that used to infect comics back in the late 50s and early 60s,” elaborated Kek-W. “We want to inject some fun back into things. Reality is overrated!"
That central cover image is a pretty standard Joe Kubert pose, rendered in a Jack Kirby style. Is it an homage? I bet it is, but I haven't the slightest idea how to find the source. I looked through Sgt. Fury covers, and a few DC war covers, but didn't find a match. Any Legionnaires have any ideas?
Art / Cover: ROB GUILLORY
JULY 16 / 272 PAGES / FC / M / $34.99
Collects CHEW #31-40
Anthony and Antonelle Chu are fraternal twins. Tony and Toni. Each with their an extraordinary, albeit diametrically opposed, ability. Tony is Cibopathic, able to get psychic sensations of the past of anything he bites into or ingests. Toni is Cibovoyant, able to flash onto a vision of the future of any living thing she bit into or ingested. Tony is alive. Toni is dead. Toni has been murdered. Tony has vowed to catch her killer. Toni is going to help.
Art / Cover: JOHN BIVENS
JULY 16 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.50
Ryan Burton teams up with John Bivens for an all-new ongoing series that blends elements of dark fantasy and action with mystery.
With ribsword in hand, with gore in her curling locks, Sym has been sent to the distant past to murder her creators’ enemies. But the twisted alchemists who made Sym do not know that the engine that powers her is sentient, that it is the seed of their destruction. By blood and by fury, Sym will carve out her destiny in this new ongoing series.
DARK ENGINE is about the evil things that lurk inside us all. “Some drive us, some are alive and thinking. And Sym will learn just exactly what drives her, and why she was sent back in time to essentially murder anything standing,” explained Burton. “Of course, John [Bivens] does a brilliant job of capturing the enormous scope of the story, whether it's showing the stygian machinations of Sym's creators or the harrowing vistas that are littered with the husks of old Lovecraftian monsters, it's all there.
Ryan Burton and John Bivens, debut creators who caught the eye of comics veteran J.H. Williams III (Sandman, Promethea, Batwoman) early on, bring to fruition an all-new ongoing series that blends elements of dark fantasy and action with mystery in DARK ENGINE
The project first came to Image Comics’ publisher, Eric Stephenson, with high praise from bestselling artist Williams III, who went into detail about how he discovered DARK ENGINE and why he fell in love with it.
“Dark Engine narratively is many things; an otherworldly horrific poetic movement that is immediately immersive,” said Williams III. “It does not flinch in creating questions, bold in that it doesn't feel it must answer them in one chapter. Where would the fun be in that?
“Hooking deeply with high concept, strong visuals, and unusual characters is how I always feel reading something from Ryan Burton. And when I saw this concept by him featuring the very charged art from the talented John Bivens I knew that I was seeing something intriguingly unique. I wanted more. So I showed it to Eric Stephenson at Image.
“Image too does not flinch, giving us great comics with profound perspectives, daring to ask there be no limitations. Dark Engine has found the right home. Buy it, read it, I know I will.”
In DARK ENGINE the world is in ruin. Infectious beasts called SporeDevils roam the country, the air is full of dead men's ashes, and fallen colossi smother the ground with their decayed husks. A cult of madmen have created a killer named Sym from alchemy, outfitting her with an engine that will allow her to travel back in time to stop whatever it was that made their world so. But these Alchemists have no idea that this engine is sentient, it is thinking. The seed of their destruction is powering an unstoppable killer. Their world is paradise compared to what's to come when Sym is unleashed.
“This book is unsafe and it is insane,” said Burton. “John and I are building a very different type of dark fantasy, one where the lead character has a sword made from a thunder lizard's rib. One where a walking dragon lives inside a dead colossus's mouth. I can't believe Image is letting us do this.”
DEADLY CLASS, VOL. 1: REAGAN YOUTH (TPB)
Art / Cover: WESLEY CRAIG & LEE LOUGHRIDGE
JULY 16 / 160 PAGES / FC / M / $9.99
Collects DEADLY CLASS #1-6
SPECIAL LOW INTRODUCTORY PRICE!
It’s 1987. Marcus Lopez hates school. His grades suck. The jocks are hassling his friends. He can’t focus in class. But the jocks are the children of Joseph Stalin’s top assassin, the teachers are members of an ancient league of assassins, the class he's failing is “Dismemberment 101,” and his crush has a double-digit body count.
Welcome to the most brutal high school on earth, where the world’s top crime families send the next generation of assassins to be trained. Murder is an art. Killing is a craft. At Kings Dominion School for the Deadly Arts, the dagger in your back isn’t always metaphorical. Collecting the first arc of the most critically acclaimed new series of 2014, by writer RICK REMENDER (BLACK SCIENCE, Fear Agent) and rising star artist WESLEY CRAIG (Batman). Experience the 1980s underground through the eyes of the world’s most damaged and dangerous teenagers.
“The school is almost how you would imagine: it’s cult-ish and diverse because the cast is culled from all of the major criminal organizations and government spook installations around the globe,” said writer Remender in an interview at Newsarama. “It’s a strange, clandestine place where the kids have no idea what they’re really up against. But the students coming in see that the senior class is a lot smaller than the freshman class, so they begin to get an idea.”
Artist Craig finds universal experiences in DEADLY CLASS’s extraordinary premise. “What I enjoy the most about this story is the stuff we can all relate to from our teen years: trying to fit in, getting dumped, etc,” he said. “So much drama and comedy and craziness go down in those few short years, there's a lot of creative juice in there. So I'm hoping that's what readers will get hooked on as the story progresses. And hey, if a ninja happens to attack in the middle of all that stuff, all the better!”
Coincidentally, just after I had a conversation with someone on this board on how little interest I had in this book, I went to my LCS and -- unsolicited -- the owner was kvetching about how some ideas have been beaten to death, and the first one he mentioned was "a high school for assassins or spies."
Art / Cover: MATTHEW ROBERTS & OWEN GIENI
JULY 16 / 32 PAGES / FC / T+ / $2.99
Neither land nor water is safe from this new breed of river monster ...
Art / Cover: ROC UPCHURCH
JUNE 25 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.50
“THE FAR REACHING TENTACLES OF N’RYGOTH,” Part Two You didn’t see that coming, did you? Neither did the Queens but now they have an ally on their side with an innate knowledge of N’Rygoth, which is good because they’re going to need every bit of help they can get. Palisade is overrun with tentacle monsters.
I found the first trade fresh and funny. It felt like a comic book written by a female D&D enthusiast. I'm guessing Kurtis is male, but he avoided the cliche of having a team of men who line up with typical D&D characters categories.
Art/Cover: Leila Del
The second and third issues of the action-and-mystery-packed hit Image Comics fantasy adventure series SHUTTER, written by Joe Keatinge (GLORY, TECH JACKET) and drawn by Leila del Duca, have sold out completely at the distributor level and are being fast-tracked for new printings to meet customer demand.
“Shutter has been such a wonderful revelation,” said Eric Stephenson, Publisher at Image Comics. “I thought it was a great idea when Joe first pitched the series, but it wasn’t until I saw the amazing work Leila was doing that it had its fullest impact on me. What she’s doing with Joe’s scripts makes each issue such a rewarding read -- one of those books you want to go back to again and again to make sure you catch every little thing -- and based on what I’ve seen so far, this is a series that’s just going to get better and better as it moves along.”
“The best comics bring something NEW to the table,” added Robert Kirkman, Image Comics partner and creator of THE WALKING DEAD. “Shutter by Joe Keatinge and Leila Del Duca is so completely and utterly new that it reminds you of the potential of this medium.”
Kate Kristopher, the star of SHUTTER, left behind the life of adventure her father left to her in favor of something approaching normalcy. Now, however, her secret siblings are crawling out of the woodwork, she's being hassled by rat kids in cute outfits, and must face down assassins of all stripes, themes, and species before finally discovering what other secrets her father kept from her. Beautifully drawn and full of old-school adventure, SHUTTER’s adventure is just beginning and there’s no better time than now for readers to join her Indiana-Jones-style action-packed journey.
Praise for SHUTTER:
“I fell into this world and didn't want to come out. I'm hooked.” -- Sci-Fi Pulse
“It's a credit to Keatinge, Del Duca, Gieni, and Brisson as storytellers that I am already this vested in both the character and setting.” -- Newsarama
“Del Duca can tell a story in a look, whether it's a half-opened, sleepy eye or angry glare. … Beautiful work, all the way through. … Add this one to your pull list.” -- IGN
“Del Duca's imaginative art plays incredibly well with Keatinge's whimsical story, and both creators excel at keeping readers guessing and eagerly anticipating next issue.” -- Comic Book Resources
“Shutter has definitely piqued my curiosity; it's a completely different world from anything else in comics right now, and there's so much to unpack. It's also fantastic to look at; I'm truly fascinated by Leila Del Duca's imaginative pages. They're bold, they're high-energy, and they're just so full of amazing details that I want to see what's next.” -- ComicVine
SHUTTER #2 and #3 have completely sold out at the distributor level, but may still be available in comic stores. They are currently available digitally on the Image Comics website (imagecomics.com) and the official Image Comics iOS app, as well as on Comixology on the web (comixology.com), iOS, Android, and Google Play.
STRAY BULLETS: KILLERS #5
JULY 16 / 32 PAGES / BW / M / $3.50
AMY RACECAR IS BACK!
The first kill is always the worst—the most traumatic, the most gut-wrenching. It’s the one that sticks with you. Except if you’re Amy Racecar. The most dangerous woman in the world doesn’t even remember her first kill. The next 112 kills that came after were buckets of fun, but Amy’s always felt that void of not remembering number one... All that’s about to change, that sickening “first kill” horror is about to come with kill number 114. After she’s been reborn into a new life of hope and love. After she’s found her one true love. After she’s changed her ways, renounced violence and put down her gun ... lost it ... then found it ... then picked it up again...
Art / Cover: CHRISTOPHER MITTEN
JULY 16 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.50
"KILLING THE SUNRISE" BOOK TWO STARTS HERE!
Rascal has escaped the Umbral in the city (uh, spoilers?) and now she heads for the mountainous Sunrise homestead. But even here not everyone is who they seem, and before the dawn a blade will flash in the dark ...
Art / Cover: JAMIE MCKELVIE & MATT WILSON
JULY 18 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.50
Diabolically divine pop-god Lucifer is in trouble. She offers superfan Laura an unprecedented deal if she helps. It's a bargain. A Faustian bargain, and they always turn out so well. Who knows who Laura will turn to fulfill it? We do. Clearly. It's our comic. You can know too if you buy this fine pictorial narrative with your human money coins.
I still find the title clunky, but I'll probably get the first trade.
Art / Cover A: LINDA SEJIC
Cover B: STJEPAN SEJIC
JULY 16 / 32 PAGES / FC / T+ / $3.99
Fire sweeps through the west side of Los Angeles killing thousands, but the real disaster is about to begin! Dr. Dan Miller tries to stuff Pandora back in the box, but once genetically engineered plants are released in the wild, it has permanent, long-lasting effects with LA paying the price!
MARVEL COMICS
100TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL -- X-MEN #1
Art by JASON MASTERS
Cover by JASON LATOUR
Have the X-Men of 2061 achieved Xavier's dream of mutants and humans living in harmony? Or will there always be a need for the X-Men?
$3.99
How old would Cyclops and Emma Frost be in 2061? I'm guessing no one wants to see Emma in that White Queen get-up any more!
Art: CARMINE DI GIANDOMENICO
Cover by KRIS ANKA & JARED FLETCHER
• X-Factor brings big trouble to Serval Industries ... heavily-armed trouble.
• Gambit's indiscretion is found out.
• Nobody is happy.
32 PGS./Rated T+/$3.99
Gambit's indiscretion is found out.
Gambit had an indiscretion? I'm shocked -- shocked! Seriously, who would want that guy on their team, with his track record?
Art: STEFANO CASSELI
Cover by RYAN STEGMAN
32 PGS./Rated T+/$3.99
• Cannonball and Sunspot have twenty-four hours in the future to find the help the Avengers need.
• They’re just gonna stop for a drink first.
Art/Cover: PHIL NOTO
Iron Man, Captain America and Wolverine haven't been able to help ... the U.S. government is somehow involved ... and the web of intrigue and danger surrounding Natasha has tightened into a noose! Will the Black Widow discover who's out to destroy her before it's too late ...?
$3.99
Art/Cover: PHIL NOTO
Black Widow gets answers! The villain revealed! The mystery plot on Natasha's life comes to deadly light as the Black Widow uncovers who's conspiring to destroy her ... and gets some payback for the attempt on her life!
$3.99
Art/Cover: PHIL NOTO
The entity behind the attacks sits alone and mysterious on the dark water -- can Natasha infiltrate the floating lair? Black Widow's strength and cunning will be put to the test as she follows the trail of blood and destruction to the beginning. ... This is a mission too dangerous even for S.H.I.E.L.D. Read the thrilling conclusion of the first arc of the book that critics are calling "an example of just how good a comic book can be." (Bag&Bored)
$3.99
Art/Cover: PHIL NOTO
144 PGS./Rated T+/$17.99
Black Widow is an Avenger and an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. But on her own time, she searches for atonement for her past as a KGB assassin -- in ways those teams just wouldn’t approve of. The Widow goes undercover in Russia -- but from its cold streets, the Hand of God reaches out to crush her … and it is as merciless as its name. Outmatched by the brute force of this powerful new villain, Natasha discovers a deadly plot that spans the entire globe. Paris, London, Montenegro -- Natasha is in a race against time, with nowhere to turn for answers. Black Widow’s strength and cunning will be put to the test as she follows the trail of blood and destruction to the beginning, but can she locate the entity behind the attacks? Collecting BLACK WIDOW (2014) #1-6 and material from ALL-NEW MARVEL NOW! POINT ONE #1.
Can't wait!
Art/Cover: REILLY BROWN
• You saw Deadpool's marriage to the succubus queen Shiklah, now see their first meeting and romance!
• The hit series originally presented as a Marvel Infinite Comic makes the leap to the paper medium for the first time!
• When Dracula hires Deadpool to transport a highly-valuable delivery for him, he has no idea what kind of trouble he's in for. Guest-starring Blade, M.O.D.O.K., Hydra Bob, Werewolf by Night, and more-hop on with Deadpool for a crazy journey across the world...and into the heart of the Merc with the Mouth!
• Note: part of issue #1 contains content from the free DEADPOOL: THE GAUNTLET #1
$3.99
Art/Cover: MICHAEL DEL MUNDO
32 PGS./Rated T+/$3.99
• After escaping the ruins of Shicheng, Elektra corners the elusive Cape Crow at the edge of the world where she must finally decide his fate.
• Will the deadliest assassin in the Marvel Universe defeat Cape Crow and collect the biggest bounty of her career, or help the hardened killer and his son escape the psychotic assassin Bloody Lips?
I can't think of a reason to root for an assassin-for-hire. I guess I'm old-fashioned that way.
Art: NICK BRADSHAW & Various
Cover NICK BRADSHAW
A War of Kings Tie-In! Caught between the Shi'Ar and the Inhumans, how can our heroes pretend to be the Guardians of anything if they can't even defend their own headquarters Knowhere? With nothing less than the entire future of everything at stake, it's the defining moment for the book Ain't It Cool News calls "an overdose of cool"!
$3.99
Art/Cover: JOE MADUREIRA
The newest super heroes of the Marvel Universe are born! A cloud of Terrigen mist is moving around the world turning regular people into Inhumans with amazing powers. But not everyone thinks this is a good thing. Discover the secret history of the Marvel Universe and get in at the ground floor of the next big Marvel franchise!
$3.99
Art: LEE GARBETT
Cover: JENNY FRISON
Ancient hero Sigurd wants his magic sword back from Loki ... the All-Mother wants Sigurd back from Midgard ... and Loki wants to put a crew together for a caper that'll rock the nine realms. Somebody's going to get what they want.
$2.99
Ancient viking hero Sigurd is black? How'd that go over in Valhalla, you think?
Art: LEE GARBETT
Cover: JENNY FRISON
Nobody else would have done it -- because nobody else would have the nerve! Loki's crew comes together to crack the deepest dungeons of Asgardia itself! It's the ultimate caper -- but is there one plot twist too many for even the God of Trickery to handle? This movie rated :( for tears before bedtime.
$2.99
Art: GABRIEL HERNANDEZ
Cover: PAOLO RIVERA
Once the deadliest, most feared mutant mastermind on the planet, Magneto is no longer the man he once was. After falling in with Cyclops and the X-Men, Erik Lehnsherr became just one more pawn in another man's war. But now, determined to fight the war for mutantkind's survival on his own terms, Magneto sets out to regain what he's lost ... and show the world exactly why it should tremble at the sound of his name. Magneto will safeguard the future of the mutant race by hunting down each and every threat that would see his kind extinguished -- and bloody his hands that they may never be a threat again.
$3.99
Art: GABRIEL HERNANDEZ
Cover: CHRIS SAMNEE
Horrors from Magneto's past inform his decisions in the present as he hunts down the source of the newest threat to mutantkind. Meanwhile, S.H.I.E.L.D. catches a glimpse of Magneto's new band of followers ...
$3.99
Art: JAVI FERNANDEZ
Cover: DECLAN SHALVEY
"Profile of a Supremacist" -- In the most brutal issue yet of this new noir/horror series, Magneto ruthlessly dismantles the latest threat to mutantkind ... and we gain a greater understanding of why his mission is so important to him.
$3.99
If you're keeping count, that's 10 -- TEN! -- second or third printings so far this week, and we're only to "Magneto"!
That's absurd. Absurd! Obviously, the largest comics publisher in North America can anticipate demand better than that, or they'd never have become the largest comics publisher in North America. And, just as obviously, it's more costly for Marvel to pay for small press runs separate from the initial run (instead of including them in the initial run), and more expensive for Marvel to ship small press runs two or three times after the initial shipment (instead of including them in the initial shipment). Plus, they're paying top artists for variant covers, instead of using the covers they've already paid for. IOW, they probably don't make a lick of money on these additional runs, and may even lose money -- they're paying overhead costs again and again, for tinier and tinier press runs.
And how much demand can there actually be? What kind of reader, having come to the conclusion that he or she wants to start reading Black Widow, thinks it's better to scrape together second and third printings of the first five issues of Black Widow, instead of just buying the TPB, which is not only cheaper, but is also shipping this week?
So all I can assume is that these extra runs are some sort of PR, a coy "Ooh, look at us, we're so popular we keep selling out!" Except that nobody believes that. Nobody.
So, honestly, why are they doing this? Anybody have any ideas? It's absurd!
Art: JAVI FERNANDEZ BARRANCO, GABRIEL HERNANDEZ WALTA
Cover by DECLAN SHALVEY
32 PGS./Rated T+/$3.99
• Magneto is on a one-man mission to safeguard the future of mutantkind by any means necessary. So far, he's done so by eliminating human threats ...
• But what happens when it's MUTANTS who pose a threat to their own species?
• Will Magneto cross a line and raise his hand to his own kind? And if so, just how far will he go?
Art/Cover: DAVID MARQUEZ
Part Two of the biggest Spider-Man story of the year "Revival"! After the mind-blowing reveal at the end of the first issue, Miles's life will never be the same again. With SHIELD gone, the biggest villain in Spider-Man history is out and nothing can stop him. Miles has made a huge choice about the woman he loves. Will he live to regret it?
$3.99
No. 11.
Penciled by SAL BUSCEMA & DAVE COCKRUM with GEORGE TUSKA & DON HECK
Cover by RON WILSON
264 PGS./Rated T /$69.99
Prepare yourself for one of the greatest sagas in Avengers history: the Celestial Madonna! Throughout his AVENGERS run, writer Steve Englehart slowly built the mysterious Mantis into one of the ’70s most intriguing characters. Here, her tale reaches its cosmic climax in a series of adventures spanning space and time! The action begins when Kang the Conqueror arrives on the scene — and before it’s over Hawkeye will return; an Avenger will die; the Legion of the Unliving shall rise; and Kang, Rama-Tut and Immortus will have time-twisted you in two! And that’s just for starters, as this volume presents the origin of the Vision and the android Avenger’s wedding to the Scarlet Witch! They’re Marvel Masterworks, one and all! Collecting AVENGERS (1963) #129-135, GIANT-SIZE AVENGERS #2-4 and FOOM #12.
264 PGS./Rated T/$69.99
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE AVENGERS VOL. 14 HC — VARIANT EDITION VOL. 208 (DM ONLY)
This is an excellent run of Avengers.
Art/Cover: DECLAN SHALVEY
Moon Knight goes somewhere even more messed up than his own mind. Something is happening to the subjects of a sleep experiment that's driving them all insane. Go with Moon Knight to the Mushroom graveyard planet for the most troubling and disturbing issue yet!
$3.99
No. 12. *Sigh*
Art: JACOB WYATT
Cover by JAMIE MCKELVIE
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY ARTIST VARIANT ALSO AVAILABLE
On the run from the Inventor, Kamala needs all the help she can get. Did someone say Wolverine?
32 PGS./Rated T+/$2.99
That is a very Plastic Man-esque cover.
Art/Cover: PACO MEDINA
ORIGINAL SIN tie-in!
• Original Sin presents a pair of mysteries:
• Was Nova’s father a murderer? What is the secret origin of the Black Novas?
• As Sam grieves for The Watcher, he turns to a friend for help -- Rocket Raccoon!
32 PGS/Rated T/$3.99
ORIGINAL SIN #3.2/HULK VS. IRON MAN #2
Art by LUKE ROSS
Cover by J.G. JONES
32 PGS./Rated T+/$3.99
This July, the fight of the century continues in HULK VS. IRON MAN #2 – the next senses shattering issue spinning out of Original Sin! Superstar writers Mark Waid & Kieron Gillen join artist Luke Ross for a showdown that pits the Flashiest Avenger against the Smashiest Avenger. After the explosive events of last issue, ask yourself: was Tony Stark responsible for creating the Hulk? The truth behind the fateful day the Gamma Bomb exploded will at last be revealed. And the truth is going to make Hulk angry. You wouldn’t like him when he’s angry. But what secret is Hulk keeping? A secret that could give him the edge in his fight against the Invincible Iron Man? Not everyone is coming out the other side. Find out who when these two titanic Avengers clash in HULK VS. IRON MAN #2!
Art by MIKE DEODATO
Cover by JULIAN TOTINO TEDESCO
Variant Cover by GABRIELLE DELL’OTTO
Teaser Variant by PAUL RENAUD
Interlocking Battle Variant by ART ADAMS
$3.99
The lingering question will be answered in ORIGINAL SIN #6 -- who shot the Watcher? From the very beginning, fans have waited, wondered and speculated who was responsible for Uatu’s untimely death. Now, Jason Aaron and Mike Deodato peel back the curtain on the person pulling the strings as Original Sin races toward it’s heart-stopping conclusion.
Though the Watcher’s killer stands revealed, the knowledge Uatu kept cannot be put back in its bottle. The heroes’ most closely guarded secrets are now weapons in the hands of a terrifying enemy.
“It’s time for the shooter to come clean and to stand revealed -- though this revelation will only lead to greater conflict for Marvel’s heroes,” says Marvel SVP Executive Editor Tom Brevoort. “It’s difficult to imagine a more dangerous opponent than the person who stands before them now.”
How can the heroes of the Marvel Universe cope with a threat that knows their each and every weakness? And who has been manipulating the actions of hero and villain alike? Prepare yourselves as Original Sin kicks into high gear and builds to a game-changing finale that will have everyone talking! No fan can afford to miss the twists and turns of ORIGINAL SIN #6 when it explodes into comic shops!
Everybody has one. This is Marvel’s ORIGINAL SIN!
Every issue of ORIGINAL SIN includes a code for a free digital copy of that same comic on the Marvel Comics app for iOS and Android devices. Additionally, each issue of ORIGINAL SIN features special augmented reality content available exclusive through the Marvel AR app – including cover recaps, behind the scenes features and more that add value to your reading experience at no additional cost.
Variant by RYAN STEGMAN
AN ALL-NEW SERIES BY SUPERSTAR ALAN DAVIS!!!
• While HULK and ABOMINATION have the clash of the century…
• … the X-MEN do the Monster Mash!
• And PROFESSOR X plans to … terminate the Hulk?!?
32 PGS./Rated T+/$3.99
Art: JOE QUINONES
Cover by KEVIN NOWLAN
MAN OF WAR – Part One!
• In the midst of World War I, Logan leads a daring mission … and discovers he isn’t the only mutant at war!
• B.P.R.D.’s John Arcudi returns to Marvel with Joe Quinones (FF) for an epic that uncovers more of Logan’s tortured past!
32 PGS./Rated T+/$3.99
"In the midst of World War I, Logan leads a daring mission … and discovers he isn’t the only mutant at war!"
It's probably somebody new. But if not, what are the possibilities? What Marvel characters do we know fought in World War I? There's Baron Blood, Phantom Eagle, the original Union Jack, "Happy" Sam Sawyer, Jack Fury (Nick's dad), Sir Steel, Crimson Cavalier, Silver Squire ... hmmm, I'm running dry. I suppose Thor was alive, but I don't recall any WWI stories with the Thunder God. Ditto the Eternals and other immortal characters ...
Anyone remember any other WWI Marvel characters? Did any of the Howlers refer to parents in the Big One?
Art: MICHAEL WALSH
Cover by TRADD MOORE
32 PGS./Rated T+/$3.99
“THE DROP”
• Death on the Helicarrier. The killer is at large. Hill leads the investigation.
• Another incident on board. No-one expects a proper acid bath.
• Coulson goes rogue. Hawkeye wonders. Spider-Woman talks with a new friend.
Art: JAVIER PULIDO
Cover: KEVIN WADA
Jen's new client Kristoff Vernard has been kidnapped by his dad, Doctor Doom! What does fellow lawyer (and recently outted Man Without Fear) Matt Murdock know about it? It's an international jailbreak, She-Hulk Style, as Charles Soule (Inhumanity) and Javier Pulido (Hawkeye) take us to Latverian soil!
$2.99
Here's lucky No. 13!
Art: RON WEMBERLY
Cover by KEVIN P. WADA
• Last issue, someone important to She-Hulk was killed – and she won’t let it stand.
• But the mysterious blue file turns friend into foe, who can she trust?
• Charles Soule and Ron Wemberly continue the All New Marvel Now hit everyone’s talking about!
32 PGS./Rated T+/$2.99
Art & Cover by MIKE ALLRED
$3.99
The smash hit series of All-New Marvel NOW! continues in SILVER SURFER #4 – from the chart-topping creative team of Dan Slott and Mike Allred! They’ve journeyed the cosmos together, but now it is time to return Dawn Greenwood home. Only to do so, the Silver Surfer must travel to the one place in the galaxy he dreads the most -- the planet Earth! Only he gets a little more than he bargained for on the way. And what should be a quick drop-off turns into a very strange adventure when the Guardians of the Galaxy get involved! Plus, don’t miss a guest appearance from two of the Surfer’s Defenders teammates -- Doctor Strange and the Incredible Hulk! Don’t miss the book everyone is talking about!
Art: CARLO BARBERI
Cover by DAVID YARDIN
• THE PUNISHER vs. THE THUNDERBOLTS, PART TWO
• As Frank moves in to take out his former allies…
• Another former Thunderbolt closes in on them both!
32 PGS./Parental Advisory/$2.99
Art: ANDRÉ ARAÚJO
Cover by CHRIS STEVENS
SUE STORM. IRON MAN. FALCON. TOGETHER WITH XXXXXXXX
MAKE THE STRANGEST TEAM OF ALL!
• Trapped outside the Universe, an old friend returns to help.
• The Secret Origin of XXXXXXXXX REVEALED!
• Something unimaginable comes through the rift.
32 PGS./Rated T+/$3.99
UNCANNY X-MEN #23
Art by KRIS ANKA
Cover by CHRIS BACHALO
Guardians of the Galaxy Variant Also Available
$3.99
The X-Men crash headlong into Original Sin in Uncanny X-Men #23 – from New York Times bestselling writer Brian Michael Bendis and rising star artist Kris Anka! Thanks to the events of Original Sin, Charles Xavier’s last will and testament has been discovered. The final wishes of a man who fought all his life for peaceful coexistence between man and mutant -- until the very day it got him killed. The rift between the two X-Men squads grows with each passing day. Do the secrets contained in Xavier’s will have the power to finally reunite them? Or doom them forever? Don’t miss the story that will have everyone talking and sets the stage for huge X-Men stories on the horizon when "The Last Will and Testament of Charles Xavier" stands revealed in Uncanny X-Men #23!
What could he possibly bequeath them that Wolverine hasn't already taken over?
Art: MATTEO BUFFAGNI
Cover by TERRY DODSON
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY ARTIST VARIANT ALSO AVAILABLE
32 PGS./Rated T+$3.99
• The Future has come calling … and he wants his son Shogo back!
• But will Jubilee and the X-Men let their bouncing baby boy go without a fight?
• Spoiler alert: HELL NO!
VALIANT COMICS
ARMOR HUNTERS #2 (MASK COVER)
Art: Doug Braithwaite
Cover: Rian Hughes
$3.99 | 32 pages | T+
SURRENDER THE ARMOR OR EARTH WILL DIE!
Following the shocking final moments of the previous issue, the Armor Hunters have made their intentions clear, and unless X-O Manowar is turned over to them immediately, thousands of innocents will become additional casualties of this already brutal war. Valiant's most formidable heroes are about to go on the offensive, but the Armor Hunters have another trick up their sleeve, and this one will change the battle forever. Who will live? Who will die? The world will know what it feels like to be POWERLESS as Valiant's big summer blockbuster continues!
Art by CLAYTON HENRY & KHARI EVANS
Cover by MICO SUAYAN (MAY148125)
$3.99 | 32 pages | T+
On sale JULY 16
Valiant is also proud to announce that HARBINGER #23 – the second shocking chapter of "Death of a Renegade," featuring the fall of one of the Renegades' own – has sold out at the distributor level and will soon return with a new printing in July. Look for the HARBINGER #23 SECOND PRINTING on store shelves on July 16th – right alongside the 48-page HARBINGER #25 anniversary spectacular, featuring Joshua Dysart, Khari Evans, Vivek J. Tiwary, Lewis LaRosa, Dan Goldman, Clayton Henry, and more!
Art by KHARI EVANS with JANET LEE, DAN GOLDMAN, RAFER ROBERTS, BARRY KITSON, RILEY ROSSMO, LUCY KNISLEY, and LEWIS LAROSA
Cover A by MICO SUAYAN
Cover B by JENNY FRISON
Variant Cover by LUCY KNISLEY
Throwback Variant by SEAN CHEN
Variant Cover by BARRY KITSON
$4.99 | 48 pages, full color | T+ | On sale JULY 16
Toyo Harada’s last stand! The future of Harbinger starts here with a star-studded, 48-page anniversary milestone -- packed with brand new contributions from an all-star cast of creators and shocking new revelations about the fate of Valiant’s teenage superteam!
A Renegade has fallen and, now, there is no turning back. Stripped of his allies and all sense of self-preservation, the world’s most powerful “harbinger,” super-powered billionaire Toyo Harada, is about to inflict a terrible reckoning on a world he thought he could control … and everything we thought we knew will be forever changed in its wake.
Original series creators Joshua Dysart and Khari Evans reunite to deliver a devastating climax to the second year of the series that The Onion/A.V. Club calls “the crown jewel of Valiant’s lineup” – and officiates the “Death of a Renegade” with all-new artwork and stories from an incredible roster of award-winning talents, including Dan Goldman (Red Light Properties), Justin Jordan (The Strange Talent of Luther Strode), Barry Kitson (Empire), Lucy Knisley (Relish: My Life in the Kitchen), Andrew Pepoy (Fables), Rafer Roberts (Carpool Buddies of Doom), Riley Rossmo (Drumhellar), Ron Wimberly (Prince of Cats), and more!
"I've always tried to remind readers that these are kids and they're in over their heads and they've never been very good at what they do. There's just repercussions to this kind of behavior even if you have superpowers," writer Joshua Dysart told Comic Book Resources. "That's what we're moving toward, we're moving toward that final statement – really saying that strongly for the reader, 'This is what the story was always about.' It was about inexperience in the face of great danger."
Then, in August – out of the ashes of HARBINGER #25's devastating climax -- find out what happens next to the most powerful players in the Harbinger universe as Joshua Dysart and heat-seeking artist Rafa Sandoval (Red Hood and the Outlaws) pick up of the pieces with an all-new, three-issue mini-series -- HARBINGER: OMEGAS #1 (of 3) -- that closes the door on one generation of Harbinger Renegades … and prepares the foundation for another.
"[HARBINGER: OMEGAS is] about both the surviving members of Harbinger and how they move on from the loss and the finality of the event at the end of the Harbinger book; and it's also about Harada rebranding, changing his empire, dismantling Harada Global HTC and refashioning himself as really, for lack of a better term, what we would see as a more traditional super villain in comics, because he hasn't been given a choice," said Dysart. "It's a bridge story about the change in these environments and how we're going to get to the next chapter of the Valiant Universe."
Art by STEPHEN SEGOVIA
Cover by MICO SUAYAN
Variant Cover by STEPHEN SEGOVIA
$3.99 | 32 pages, full color | T+ | On sale JULY 16
Time to bring in … Bloodshot!
The unrelenting forces of the Armor Hunters have wreaked havoc on planet Earth, leaving terror and destruction in their wake. Now, our last, best chance at standing against the calculating wrath of the Hunters comes in the form of Unity -- Livewire, Ninjak, Eternal Warrior and their latest recruit … BLOODSHOT?! But can they stop these galactic intruders before they capture X-O Manowar and destroy the Earth?
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