I've never followed either the movie series of the comics series, but this is one of Dynamite's most tenacious franchises, so there must be a sizable fan base. And with Steve Niles writing and Jae Lee doing the covers, I can see why!
ARMY OF DARKNESS: ASH GETS HITCHED
Publisher: DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT
Writer: STEVE NILES
Art: DENNIS CALERO, NACHO TENORIO
Cover: JAE LEE
FC • 120 pages • $15.99 • Teen+
Is there anything more romantic than the sound of wedding bells and a revving chainsaw? The happy union of time-lost bad-ass Ashley J. Williams and lovely maiden Sheila is threatened by an Army-No-Longer-Limited-To-Darkness and their unstoppable leader, The Faceless Man. Will our hero overcome the Deadite hordes and get some sugar? Or will the undead armies force the bride and groom to hail The Faceless One as the king, baby? The ultimate experience in matrimonial horror is here!
This volume collects the entire four-issue series by STEVE NILES (30 Days of Night) and NACHO TENORIO. Also included are the original script to issue #1, and a complete cover gallery featuring the art Eisner-award winning artists JAE LEE (Batman/Superman) and FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA (Afterlife of Archie) as well as LUCIO PARRILLO (Red Sonja), NICK BRADSHAW (Wolverine and the X-Men), and more!I'm not sure exactly what this is -- One-shot? Ongoing? Sampler? -- but it says it's free. So hie thee to thine local comics merchant with a quickness, and mayhap thou shalt achieve one!
AVENGERS MAGAZINE #1
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
Writers/Art: Various
Cover: JACK KIRBY
96 PGS / All Ages / FREE
With AVENGERS 2: AGE OF ULTRON right around the corner, Marvel celebrates the greatest super-team the world has ever known with a FREE magazine-sized extravaganza! Meet the creative legend who helped start it all, Jack Kirby, as we look back at his first year of AVENGERS artistry! Relive the history of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes with a series of probing character profiles! Explore the Avengers’ creative history with “Earth’s Mightiest Interview,” a roundtable with some of the greatest writers in the team’s history, and have your mind blown by a gallery of all-time great Avengers artist John Buscema’s finest work! All this and more -- including a countdown of the greatest Avengers stories of all time! Earth’s Mightiest Magazine is distributed free in April!
OK, this one is definitely a one-shot, and definitely out in support of the movie. *Shrug* If I see it, I'll probably buy it.
AVENGERS OPERATION HYDRA #1
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
Writer: WILL CORONA PILGRIM
Art: ANDREA DIVITO
Cover by MICHAEL RYAN
Classic Variant by JACK KIRBY
48 PGS / One-Shot / Rated T+ / $3.99
Before next summer’s blockbuster film, join the Avengers – Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hawkeye, Black Widow and the Hulk -- as they set off on an all-new adventure against a secret Hydra splinter cell!
Black Widow’s discovered a startling development, but what exactly is Hydra up to?
It’ll take teamwork to topple Hydra’s latest plot … but only one Avenger has the skill needed to save the day!
PLUS: Reprinting Avengers #16, presenting the story that brought Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch onto the team for the first time!
PLUS PLUS: This cover will be featured as an AVENGERS COLORING POSTER.
As I've said before, I've never actually seen a Magnetic Press book, but they may have the best PR department in the business!
ADVENTURES OF BASIL AND MOEBIUS VOL 1 (HC)
Publisher: MAGNETIC PRESS
Writers: RYAN SCHIFRIN, LARRY HAMA
Art: ADAM ARCHER & VARIOUS
Cover: DAVE DORMAN
Mature / $19.99
Magnetic Press announced today the publishing lineup for the original graphic novel series “ THE ADVENTURES OF BASIL AND MOEBIUS,” created by award-winning writer/director Ryan Schifrin. Schifrin was dubbed the “Future of Horror” by ABC’s Nightline following the release of his independent film “ Abominable,” which ranked as the SyFy Channel’s #1 rated show the week of its debut. THE ADVENTURES OF BASIL AND MOEBIUS marks the launch of his newest project, which will be released as four quarterly hardcover graphic novels, digital short stories, and a star-studded short film in 2015.
Produced by Schifrin’s Red Circle Productions, the series chronicles the pulp-style adventures of Basil Fox and Alaric Moebius, two scoundrel thieves who find themselves caught up in the machinations of “The Collector,” a mysterious patron who recruits them (not often willingly) to find rare and rumored artifacts that may or may not have fabled supernatural powers. Created by Ryan Schifrin, the series is adapted and co-written by legendary comic writer Larry Hama ( G.I.Joe, Wolverine, The ‘Nam), and illustrated by a collection of established and up-and-coming artists.
The graphic novel series will be supplemented online between releases by a series of prose short stories written by some of sci-fi’s most recognized and respected award-winning authors, including Timothy Zahn ( Star Wars: Heir to the Empire), Richard Lee Byers ( Forgotten Realms), and Greg Bear ( Blood Music, Halo). Zahn also provides the foreword in the first graphic novel volume.
In addition to the short stories, the series will see the release of the award-winning short film “ NO REST FOR THE WICKED”, starring fan favorite actors Zachary Levi (Chuck), Ray Park (Star Wars, GIJoe), and Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange). Written and directed by Schifrin, this live-action short introduces audiences to the tongue-in-cheek, madcap hijinks the titular duo find themselves amidst on a regular basis. While the film has won numerous festival awards nationwide, it will see its public debut online with the release of the first graphic novel volume.
Watch the trailer:
The first volume of the hardcover graphic novel series is due to hit shelves in March, followed by volumes 2-4 quarterly thereafter, with short stories released digitally monthly in between. Each hardcover volume will run 120-160 pages with a retail price of $17.99-$19.99.
I'm collecting EC via the Dark Horse collections, but if you're getting them some other way (like IDW's artist collections), you could do worse than to get these!
BEST OF EC ARTIST EDITION VOL 2 (HC)
Publisher: IDW PUBLISHING
Writers: AL FELDSTEIN, HARVEY KURTZMAN & MORE
Art: JOHNNY CRAIG, GEORGE EVANS, BERNIE KRIGSTEIN, HARVEY KURTZMAN, JOE ORLANDO, AL WILLIAMSON
Cover: WILLIAMSON & FRANK FRAZETTA
HC • BW • $95.00 net discount item • 176 Pages • 15” x 22”
The second volume of Best of EC Artist’s Edition is -- remarkably -- just as good as volume one! Includes what can arguably called the best stories by Harvey Kurtzman (Airburst), Al Williamson (Food for Thought, Lost in Space), Bernie Krigstein (Master Race, In the Bag) and more! As with all EC Comics Artist’s Editions, this book will be a massive 15 x 22 inches! The best stories and art from the best comics imprint of all time! Plus a fantastic selection of covers!This seems to be part of a series, as there's already a Thrilling Adventure Hour Presents: Sparks Nevada, Marshal on Mars. I guess we'll have to see if how connected the content is, if it is.
THRILLING ADVENTURE HOUR PRESENTS: BEYOND BELIEF #1
Publisher: IMAGE COMICS
Story: BEN ACKER & BEN BLACKER
Art / Cover A: PHIL HESTER
Cover B: ANNIE WU
Cover C: CAST PHOTO VARIANT
40 PAGES / FC / T / $3.50
Based on the hit Nerdist podcast! It’s time to send the little ones to dream land, and set your radio’s dial to “SPOOKY.” Steel yourself for mysterious suspense in ... BEYOND BELIEF! Meet Frank and Sadie Doyle, toast of the upper crust! Headliners on the society pages. And oh yes ... THEY SEE GHOSTS! Who cares what evil lurks in the hearts of men ... unless evil’s carrying the martini tray!
I've really been enjoying this series, which hasn't made a false step yet. I have no idea where it's going, which is a rare thing!
THE BLACK HOOD #3
Publisher: ARCHIE COMICS
Script: DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI
Art: MICHAEL GAYDOS, RACHEL DEERING, KELLY FITZPATRICK
Cover: FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA
Variant Cover: DAVID MACK
Variant Cover: HOWARD CHAYKIN
Dark Circle Movie Throwback Variant Cover: ROBERT HACK
32-page, full color comic, $3.99 U.S.
NEW ONGOING SERIES FROM DARK CIRCLE! “The Bullet’s Kiss, Part 3” The Black Hood is supposed to be dead. Shot, de-masked, autopsied, buried. So who’s running around town in a ratty black hood, declaring war on the underworld? The City of Philadelphia is electrified by the fleeting glimpses they see on social media -- but both the cops and the drug gangs want him stopped at all costs. However, the new Black Hood may not have to be stopped. He’s coming unglued all on his own …
I haven't had time to sample any of the Chaos books yet, but if I were to begin, I'd probably start here.
CHASTITY VOL. 1: LIFE/DEATH
Publisher: DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT
Writer: MARC ANDREYKO
Art: DAVE ACOSTA
Cover: EMANUELA LUPACCHINO
FC • 176 pages • $19.99 • Teen+
Chastity, the classic Chaos! Comics character, returns ... reimagined and ready for blood! After a career-ending injury shatters her Olympic dreams, seventeen year-old Chastity Marks finds an escape in Alyce Stonecliff's popular series of vampire novels. Little does she know, however, that the books conceal a secret underworld of blood, agony, and death... one that she will be dragged into, kicking and screaming! Falling victim to the author's seductive charm, drawing the attention of the enigmatic Council, and discovering a tragedy at her own doorstep, will Chastity survive the coming darkness? And even if she does, will she remain human, become a vampire, or evolve into something new and even more fearsome?
Oooh, a Back to the Future homage cover! How apropos!
CHRONONAUTS #1 (2ND PTG)
Publisher: IMAGE COMICS
Writer: MARK MILLAR
Art: SEAN GORDON MURPHY
Mature / $3.50
Bestselling writer Mark Millar (WANTED, Kingsman: Secret Service, Kick-Ass) and artist Sean Gordon Murphy (PUNK ROCK JESUS, The Wake) put a high-energy, thrilling new spin on the time-travel adventure story with CHRONONAUTS -- a breakneck-paced new series about two adventurers making history with the world’s first steps back in time. Issue #1 is fast-tracked for a second printing to keep up with customer demand.
Following early praise and immediate critical acclaim for CHRONONAUTS, Universal Pictures has optioned the eons-spanning caper from Mark Millar and Sean Gordon Murphy. Chris Morgan (known for such films as Fast & Furious 6 and 47 Ronin) will produce under his Chris Morgan Productions banner. Millar and Murphy will be executive producers on the film.
Comic Book Resources calls CHRONONAUTS “a gorgeous-looking, fast-paced and fun team effort,” while Comic Vine raves, “This is a book you have to read. It's a book you're going to want to read. As soon as I read it, I had to stop everything to write up this review.”
In CHRONONAUTS, Corbin Quinn and Danny Reilly are two buddies who love to have fun. They’re also scientific geniuses. When their research leads them to a time-traveling adventure, will they use their knowledge for the good of all mankind? Or use the space-time continuum for their own ends? CHRONONAUTS is the story of man’s first, televised steps through the time-stream and and everything going wrong in the process.
I'm not buying this series -- I can't buy everything -- but I wish I was!
COMPLETE LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE VOL 11 (HC)
Publisher: IDW PUBLICATIONS
Writer/Art/Cover: HAROLD GRAY
HC • PC • $49.99 • 288 pages • 11" x 8.5"
In the depths of the Second World War, Harold Gray paints a dark vision of stateside America when Annie's most loyal friends turn out to be a boarding house full of thieves, forgers, and mind readers. The red-garbed orphan sees how petty politicians and their underworld companions can deprive a small town of freedom just as easily as foreign spies, and that a big city can be home to a larger and even more dangerous threat to national security.
Reprints all daily and Sunday strips from August 8, 1943 to April 14, 1945.
It's Week 3 of DC's "Convergence" event, which we'll discuss HERE. But I'll go ahead and list them:
CONVERGENCE #3
CONVERGENCE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #1
CONVERGENCE BATMAN & THE OUTSIDERS #1
CONVERGENCE FLASH #1
CONVERGENCE GREEN LANTERN CORPS #1
CONVERGENCE HAWKMAN #1
CONVERGENCE JUSTICE LEAGUE AMERICA #1
CONVERGENCE NEW TEEN TITANS #1
CONVERGENCE SUPERBOY & THE LEGION #1
CONVERGENCE SWAMP THING #1
CONVERGENCE WONDER WOMAN #1
If you like crime noir and haven't read these stories, do so immediately. Then start reading The Fade-Out.
CRIMINAL VOL 4: BAD NIGHT (TPB)
Publisher: IMAGE COMICS
Story: ED BRUBAKER
Art / Cover: SEAN PHILLIPS
128 PAGES / FC / M / $14.99
The best-selling crime series gets weird in this strikingly-designed new edition from Image. It's the strangest story yet in the CRIMINAL series, as an insomniac cartoonist gets caught in a winding tale of self-destruction, sex and deadly deceptions. This is where Brubaker and Phillips showed how far they could push the boundaries between art, experimentation and pulp.Here's a new book by IDW that looks like it should be published by Image. I may have to check it out!
DRONES #1 (of 5)
Publisher: IDW PUBLISHING
Writer: CHRIS LEWIS
Art: BRUNO OLIVEIRA
Cover: RAMON VILLALOBOS
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
Two former predator drone operators face insurgency and insanity on the Las Vegas Strip in the surreal surroundings of the world’s first terrorism-themed hotel!
• Check out the five special Oliveira subscription variant covers across the series and collect them all!
• “I love, love, love finding really good and worthwhile comics … I vouch for (DRONES) -- check it out!” -- Mark Waid (Kingdom Come, Daredevil)
I am genuinely excited to see this return. Mark Waid anticipated Game of Thrones and Wanted and such by years and years -- and with any luck, we'll see Empire on TV or on the big screen some day.
EMPIRE UPRISING #1
Publisher: IDW PUBLISHING
Writer: MARK WAID
Art/Cover: BARRY KITSON
Subscription Variant: BARRY KITSON
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
The IDW Publishing / Thrillbent partnership kicks off with Empire, the fan-favorite series by Mark Waid and Barry Kitson. In April, IDW will be releasing a print edition of the original Empire graphic novel as well as the first issue of its monthly sequel, Empire: Uprising, that continues the story of Golgoth, the most marked man in the universe.
Empire: Uprising, which is being serialized in weekly digital installments at the Thrillbent website, picks up a year after the events of the original Empire, and much has changed for Golgoth, the first super-villain to conquer the world. The question becomes, can he hold onto his reign -- and does he even want to? This exciting debut issue will feature two new covers by series artist Kitson.
“Empire exploded out of the gates years ago as a breath of fresh air with its exploration of what happens when the villain actually wins,” said Chris Ryall, IDW’s Chief Creative Officer/Editor-in-Chief. “Waid and Kitson proved then to be masters of exceeding peoples’ expectations, and both are even stronger storytellers now, as Empire: Uprising will show. Add to that our admiration for what Waid has accomplished at Thrillbent with a wide array of talented creators and I couldn’t be happier to see Thrillbent here as part of the IDW team.”
The new trade paperback edition of the original, out-of-print Empire storyline will also contain exclusive, never-before seen material from Barry Kitson. This is the story that Golgoth, a remorseless villain whose plans for world domination have won him the planet Earth … and made him the target of every inhabitant.
“Barry and I couldn’t be more excited to team with IDW,” said Mark Waid. “Several publishers approached us about continuing Empire with them, but no one courted us with Chris Ryall’s enthusiasm and IDW’s proven excellence in producing great-looking comics and graphic novels. With this arrangement, everybody wins--not just Golgoth.”
And Empire is only the beginning! The IDW/Thrillbent team-up kicks into high gear in May with the print debut of Mark Waid and Peter Krause’s Insufferable.
“I love print comics,” said Waid, whose own personal collection is legendary. “While we have always proudly been digital-first, print was always in Thrillbent’s business plan- -- but for a start-up company like ours, it was cost-prohibitive. Once we proved our commitment to ongoing content --Thrillbent currently hosts literally hundreds of new comics, with more added every week -- we were courted by several print publishers looking to partner. IDW was the clear choice -- its track record for innovation is unbeatable and undeniable.”
Over the past two years, Thrillbent has worked with more than 60 creators to publish nearly 20 ongoing digital-only series (and counting) that span all genres, from horror to humor to high adventure. The first series slated for print release under this partnership will be Empire Volume Two and Insufferable, both written by Waid.
Empire Volume Two is a sequel to the Eisner-nominated series co-created by Waid and artist Barry Kitson from 2000, which Waid describes as “the single most-asked about project in my career--‘When’s Empire coming back?’ is the one question I know I’ll hear at every convention or store signing”. Waid and Kitson have joined forces once again in 2014 to deliver new installments that continue the saga of Golgoth, a remorseless villain whose plans for world domination have won him the planet Earth … and made him the target of every inhabitant. As a kickoff to the larger Thrillbent partnership, IDW will produce an all-new edition of the long-sold-out Empire Volume One and launch it just ahead of Empire v2.
Also by Waid, with co-creator Peter Krause, Insufferable is a series that explores what happens when a crime fighter’s sidekick grows up to be less a hero constantly at war with his mentor -- and what it would take to draw the two back together again for one last adventure. Krause, also Waid’s partner in crime on the 2007 series Irredemable, provides the artwork on this unique look at the superhero genre.
“In addition to being one of the best comic-book writers in modern times, Mark Waid has also proven himself with Thrillbent to be one of the smarter forward-thinkers in comics,” said Chris Ryall, IDW’s Chief Creative Officer/Editor-in-Chief. “We’re very happy to be partnered with Mark, John Rogers and all the other great Thrillbent creators to help bring their work to comic fans in this way.”
For more information on Empire, please visit Thrillbent.com.
One of these days I'm going to do a column on just how many girl-friendly/girl-starring books Action Lab does. It seems like a lot, and that's a good thing.
FIGHT LIKE A GIRL: LEARNING CURVE (TPB)
Writer: DAVID PINCKNEY
Art/Cover: SOO LEE
128 pgs/ FC / All ages / $14.99 USD
128 pgs/ FC / All ages / $14.99 USD
Standing before a jury of nine gods, Amarosa pleads for a chance to risk her life and gain entry to the Wishing Well where she will fight her way through nine trials to claim her prize: a single wish that will save her terminally ill brother. Though she has some help, what she learns about herself here in the first four trials may be her only chance of survival. Collects the first four issues of this critically acclaimed series.
I was never partial to Thorne's work. In fact, the young Captain Comics would sometimes mix him up with Tom Sutton for some reason, another guy whose work I didn't care for. But it appears I'm in the minority, since this expensive series is at Volume 3!
FRANK THORNE’S RED SONJA: ART EDITION VOL. 3
Publisher: DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT
Writer: ROY THOMAS, CLARA NOTO
Art/Cover: FRANK THORNE
FC • 104 pages • $150.00 • Teen+
Signed Edition: $300.00
The third and final volume in Dynamite Entertainment's Red Sonja Art Edition line dedicated to fantasy illustration's shining star, Frank Thorne! The defining She-Devil artist shares his original storyboards from the issue #7 through #11 of the acclaimed 1970’s Red Sonja comic book series. Scanned in high-resolution color and printed at original size, this gorgeous hardcover collection preserves every detail of the artist's meticulous skill and hard work, while simultaneously presenting a complete storyline for all to enjoy. Limited to initial orders ONLY.
This collection has probably my two favorite Hulk stories. Given that I've never been much of a Hulk fan that's probably not saying much. But they are good stories. Especially the ones with the gamma roaches. Ewwwwww!
HULK: FUTURE IMPERFECT (TPB NEW PRINTING)
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
Written by PETER DAVID
Penciled by GEORGE PEREZ & DALE KEOWN
Cover by DALE KEOWN
160 PGS / Rated T+ / $19.99
The hulk has seen the future … and it is murder. Beloved Hulk writer Peter David brings readers two classic dystopian tales of earth-shaking impact. Both stories find the Hulk at the end of the Earth — and at the end of his rope! In “Future Imperfect,” the Hulk is the last super power in a post-apocalyptic Earth, ruling with an iron fist as the wicked Maestro. But summoned from the past by a small band of rebels is perhaps the only being who can stand against him! And in “The End,” the green-skinned titan walks alone through a wasted and barren land — and must confront the one who is easily his ultimate nemesis! These two tales of the end times surely rank among the classics in Marvel history! Collecting HULK: FUTURE IMPERFECT #1-2 and INCREDIBLE HULK: THE END.
Here's another new book by IDW that looks like it should be published by Image!
INFINITE LOOP #1 (of 6)
Publisher: IDW PUBLISHING
Writer: PIERRICK COLINET
Art/Cover: ELSA CHARRETIER
Subscription Cover: STEPHANIE HANS
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
A dynamically graphic, science-fictiony, poetical, paradoxical wunderkind of a sexy, time-traveling, adventure-packed comic series begins here!
• The crowdfunded sci-fi phenom!
• Art by Elsa Charretier (George R.R. Martin's Windhaven)
They certainly are going all out to make Inhumans a fan favorite. Is it working, Inhumans readers?
INHUMAN SPECIAL #1
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
Writer: JEFF LOVENESS
Art: RYAN LEE
Cover by JAMAL CAMPBELL
Connecting Variant B Cover by: ADAM KUBERT
40 PGS / One-Shot / Rated T+ / $4.99
INHUMAN ERROR CONTINUES!
• The story linking AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, INHUMAN and ALL-NEW CAPTAIN AMERICA hits a fever pitch as a character who’s been around for more than 75 years returns to threaten the Marvel Universe.
• You haven’t seen all the effects of the Terrigen Cloud yet and this one is about to destroy New York City!
Another new Image series. They sure are bustin' out all over!
KAPTARA #1
Publisher: IMAGE COMICS
Story: CHIP ZDARSKY
Art / Cover: KAGAN McLEOD
32 PAGES / FC / T+ / $3.50
A space expedition goes horribly wrong because if it didn't there would be no story! Reluctant explorer Keith Kanga and his crew crash land on KAPTARA, a world filled with danger and weird danger and dangerous weirdos! And if he can't survive, then Earth, the place where YOU live, is doomed!
Join CHIP ZDARSKY (Sex Criminals the Duck) and KAGAN McLEOD (Infinite Kung Fu) as they put the "fi" back into "sci-fi" and pretty much disregard the "sci" part in this epic story of punching and love!
Wow! This cover isn't exactly subtle about what it's selling, is it?
LADY RAWHIDE / LADY ZORRO #2
Publisher: DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT
Writer: SHANNON ERIC DENTON
Art: REY VILLEGAS
Cover: JOYCE CHIN
B/W Retailer Incentive Cover: JOYCE CHIN
FC • 32 pages • $3.99 • Teen+
Lady Rawhide and Lady Zorro set out to find the men responsible for the abduction of the village girls but their trail leads them into a remote mining camp! Death is at every turn in a town full of men with nothing to lose but none of it is as dangerous as the women running the brothel! Have Lady Zorro and Lady Rawhide finally met their match?
So last month I was introduced to the idea that some of you have fond memories of Miami Vice, and that my own experience wasn't universal. Fancy that! So for you, um, Vicers (?), here's this month's installment:
MIAMI VICE REMIX #2
Publisher: IDW PUBLISHING
Writer: JOE CASEY
Art/Cover: JIM MAHFOOD
32 PGS / FC / $3.99
Someone from Crockett's past is back and promises that Detective Sonny Crockett will pay for his crimes!
Last month, the TV classic Miami Vice came back in a whole new way with the neo-noir, ultraviolet, action-packed Miami Vice: Remix. The first issue left readers cliff-hanging but never fear -- the next installment of car chases, palm trees, and mutation-inducing designer drugs is here!
When we last left Crockett and Tubbs (still Miami’s coolest cops) they were in a sticky situation with some South Florida zombies high on Miami Bath Salts. Now they're in hot pursuit of the dealer of this horrific nose candy, which leads them to punching cracked-out monsters in the face while zooming through Florida Turnpike traffic. Just another day at the office! But while one situation explodes, another simmers; someone who’s got serious beef with our $600-suit-wearing-heroes claims that Crockett’s got a serious debt to pay -- and they’re here to collect!
Writer Joe Casey (Godland, Wildcats, Adventures of Superman) and artist Jim Mahfood (Tank Girl, Ultimate Spider-Man, Grrl Scouts) take their off-the-wall trip to South Beach to the next level with another high-energy, neon-soaked installment, in-stores next Wednesday.
Is it a good idea to name a series after a nickname for a common adolescent illness? Maybe "mono" doesn't have the same meaning in UK that it does in the U.S.
MONO PACIFIC #2.1
Publisher: TITAN COMICS/MADEFIRE
Writer: BRIAN WOOD
Art/Cover: SERGIO SANDOVAL & DIEGO RODRIGUEZ
32 PGS / FC / $3.99
Mono undertakes a deadly mission at the behest of Britain’s American allies...but what secrets will he find deep in the heart of the Pacific ...?
Best-selling writer Brian Wood (The Massive, Rebels) teams with acclaimed artist Sergio Sandoval (Batman, Uncharted) to tell a white-knuckled two-part tale that takes Mono across the world for a hair-raising adventure!
For more details visit:
http://titan-comics.com/c/252-mono-pacific/
More Millarworld material, which I suspect won't be stand-alone for long.
MPH (TPB)
Publisher: IMAGE COMICS
Story: MARK MILLAR
Art / Cover: DUNCAN FEGREDO
APRIL 22 / 136 PAGES / FC / T+ / $14.99
Collects MPH #1-4
Roscoe, Rosa and their friends and family know what it’s like for the world to give up on you. They’re from Detroit, a city mired in debt, despair and crime. But in MPH, the April graphic novel by comics juggernaut Mark Millar (JUPITER’S LEGACY, STARLIGHT, Kick Ass, Kingsman: The Secret Service) and acclaimed artist Duncan Fegredo (Hellboy), their fate changes, thanks to a mysterious new drug, the eponymous MPH.
Endowed with super-human speed, four young Detroiters zoom across the country, taking back ill-gained funds from banks -- and then giving it back to the people (keeping a little for themselves, of course). But the supply of MPH is finite, and the “Runners,” as the media have dubbed them, are finding that power has its downsides. What will happen when their time runs out?
Millar, who hails from Scotland and grew up inspired by American superheroes, was moved to write MPH after visiting Detroit and seeing the city’s plight first-hand. When the first issue of MPH debuted in May 2014, Millar sent a copy to President Barack Obama and every United States Senator. He wrote about this decision in The Spectator.
“Driving through the middle of Brightmoor was like being on the set of I Am Legend or The Walking Dead,” he wrote. “How could the richest country in the world allow so many of its people to live in such abject poverty? Where were all those superheroes now?
“The idea of empowering the powerless is a superhero trope,” Millar continued, “but what if we took the safety catch off and had these guys using their powers to take down the bankers and the corporations and all the crooked politicians who had sold Detroit down the river for three successive generations?”
A superhero story with a social conscience and contemporary edge, MPH will be in comic book stores on April 22 and in bookstores on May 5. It is available for pre-order now.
Replies
This title continues to be a strong entry from Valiant -- not only with top-notch story and art, but also eight additional pages for free!
NINJAK #2
Written by MATT KINDT
Art by CLAY MANN with BUTCH GUICE
Cover A by LEWIS LAROSA
Cover B by DAVE JOHNSON
Cover C by PIA GUERRA
Variant Cover by RAUL ALLEN
Variant Cover by DAS PASTORAS
$3.99 | 40 pgs. | T+
HUNTED BY THE SHADOW SEVEN!
Valiant is proud to present a look inside NINJAK #2 – the second 40-page chapter of the blockbuster VALIANT NEXT ongoing series from New York Times best-selling writer Matt Kindt (THE VALIANT, RAI) and superstar artists Clay Mann (Gambit) and Butch Guice (Captain America)! On April 22nd, Ninjak descends deeper into the underside of the Weaponeer terror network as his hunt for the Shadow Seven continues ... and the dark secrets of his classified MI-6 training come full circle in the modern day!
International financier Colin King hasn’t just come to Tokyo to take the Rippongi club scene by storm. As the covert MI-6 operative codenamed Ninjak, he’s also tracking down the men who trained him to be a lethal weapon…the very same men whose movements have now aligned with the latest terror plot by the cybernetic crime cartel called Weaponeer! But how do you detect killers who specialize in the undetectable? And how does he know that the Shadow Seven haven’t caught up with him first? It’s all-out ninja-versus-ninja warfare as the deadliest men and women of five continents converge on the Tokyo underworld for a blood-spattered blowout!
Then: don't miss an all-new installment of NINJAK: THE LOST FILES – an essential second feature chronicling Ninjak's never-before-revealed training and origin by Matt Kindt and Butch Guice, continuing in NINAK #2! More than just a typical back-up feature, each chapter of NINJAK: THE LOST FILES will be integral to the lead narrative of Ninjak‘s ongoing series, clocking at 40 pages monthly for the standard cover price of $3.99!
The globe-spanning adventures of MI-6's deadliest master spy get fast, frenzied and fatal on April 22nd, only in NINJAK #2 – featuring covers by Lewis LaRosa (BLOODSHOT, Punisher MAX), Dave Johnson (100 Bullets), Pia Guerra (Y: The Last Man), Raul Allen (RAI, Hawkeye), and Das Pastoras (Thor: God of Thunder)!
There are some pretty big names involved here, which should appeal to casual readers, and it's a must-have for completists.
RED SONJA TRAVELS VOL. 2
Writers: MICHAEL AVON OEMING, CHRISTOS GAGE, DAN BRERETON, NANCY A. COLLINS, JIM ZUB, JEN VAN METER, MARC MASON, SCOTT BEATTY
Art: DAN BRERETON, RON ADRIAN, ADRIANO BATISTA, EDGAR SALAZAR, CRIS BOLSON, LUI ANTONIO, NOAH SALONGA, JONATHAN LAU, FRITZ CASAS, STEPHEN SADOWSKI, PABLO MARCOS, EDU MENNA
Cover: JOSEPH MICHAEL LINSNER
312 pages • $29.99 • Teen+
Have sword, will travel! Red Sonja, the She-Devil with a Sword, journeys throughout the kingdoms and wilds of the Hyborian Age in search of riches and pleasure, food and ale... but more often than not, finds bloody violence and supernatural mayhem instead! From the Asiatic lands of Khitai to the snow-capped mountains where dragons dwell, from cave dwellings of carnivorous ghosts to gladiator arenas of rampaging beasts, the crimson-haired warrior faces every adversary with grim resolve and weapon drawn. The second volume of RED SONJA: TRAVELS collects a dozen heart-pounding adventures from the Dynamite library, including BREAK THE SKIN, DELUGE, RAVEN, SANCTUARY, RED SONJA AND CUB, BERSERKER, and every RED SONJA ANNUAL and GIANT-SIZE edition. Written and illustrated by some of the comic book industry's greatest talents, including Michael Avon Oeming, Christos Gage, Dan Brereton, Nancy A. Collins, Jim Zub, Jonathan Lau, and many more!
ROOM FOR LOVE (HC)
Writer/Art/Cover: ILYA
Mature / FC / $22.95
"Romance is dead." Or so says Pamela Green, a middle-aged romance novelist suffering from writer's block. Then, as she crosses a bridge over the Thames in London, her unsettled life collides with that of a ragged young man who has survived for months on London's streets, getting by on his wits - and his looks. Under extraordinary circumstances, Pamela invites him into her comfortable suburban home. There, in spite of their obvious differences, they soon form an unlikely partnership, their once-separate lives revived and sent off in stark new directions.
SIXTH GUN VOL 2: GUNSLINGER (HC)
Artist: BRIAN HURTT, TYLER CROOK AND BILL CRABTREE
$80.00
Traveling by secret railroad, Becky and Drake accompany an order of mysterious monks on a quest to bury General Hume's body on holy ground. But during a terrifying attack on the train, Drake vanishes without a trace. Alone, Becky sets out to find and rescue Drake -- a journey that takes her to secluded mountain fortresses, decaying towns, and underground strongholds. Along the way, she discovers how deeply her fate... and Drake's own existence ... is entwined with that of The Sixth Gun. This deluxe edition collects issues 12 through 23 of the smash hit series, The Sixth Gun, in a massive, new, oversized format jammed with extras and bonus features.
THE STRAIN BOOK TWO: THE FALL (HC)
Artist: MIKE HUDDLESTON
Colorist: DAN JACKSON
Cover Artist: E. M. GIST
April 22, 2015
FC / 272 pages / 7 1/4'' x 10 7/8''/ $29.99
A vast conspiracy prevents the truth about the vampire epidemic from coming to light. A small force is humanity’s only chance: an alcoholic, a doctor, a pawnbroker, an exterminator, and a criminal. Can they prevent the Master from covering the world in darkness? This collection includes issues #1–#9 of the acclaimed series and a short story featured in Dark Horse Presents that follows the travails of an aged luchador, the Silver Angel, written and illustrated by Lapham.
I don't read Archie's Sonic or Mega Man books, so I have nothing clever or insightful to say. But I am running this solicitation due to all the variant covers.
SONIC UNIVERSE #75
Script: IAN FLYNN
Art: TRACY YARDLEY, JIM AMASH, JACK MORELLI, MATT HERMS
Cover: PATRICK "SPAZ" SPAZIENTE
Variant Cover 1: TRACY YARDLEY
Variant Cover 2: BEN BATES
Variant Cover 3: TYSON HESSE
Variant Cover 4: EGA Studios
Variant Cover 5: PATRICK THOMAS PARNELL
Variant Cover 6: LAMAR WELLS, GARY MARTIN, GABRIEL CASSATA
Variant Cover 7: EVAN STANLEY, JIM AMASH, MATT HERMS
Variant Cover 7.5: JONATHAN H. GRAY, GARY MARTIN, MATT HERMS
32-page, full color comic, $3.99 U.S.
Sonic Universe has reached 75 thrilling issues—and we're celebrating in style! "Fury": The race is on as Sonic chases down Metal Sonic for one of the sought–after Chaos Emeralds! But when their chase takes them to a very unexpected place, Sonic’s worth as a hero may be put to the test! Can Sonic win the day, secure the emerald and retain his sense of self by the end? As our journey to WORLDS UNITE crashes to a close, join us in celebrating the longest-running Sonic the Hedgehog spin-off comic in history with 7.5 variant covers from your favorite Sonic artists! Featuring cover art from Patrick "SPAZ" Spaziante, Tracy Yardley, Ben Bates, Tyson Hesse, EGA Studios, Patrick Thomas Parnell, Lamar Wells, Evan Stanley and Jonathan H. Gray! To name a few!
UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL #4
Writer: RYAN NORTH
Art/Cover: ERICA HENDERSON
32 PGS / Rated T+ / $3.99
• The final showdown between Galactus and Squirrel Girl is here!
• It’s the Power Cosmic versus the Power Chestnut: WHO WILL WIN?
• Also, Squirrel Girl is late for class. So there’s TWO disasters coming!!
UNCLE SCROOGE #1
Writers: JONATHAN GRAY, RODOLFO CIMINO
Art: ROMANO SCARPA
Cover: GIORGIO CAVAZZANO
Subscription Variant: DEREK CHARM
Blank Sketch Variant available.
FC • 48 pages • $3.99
Wak! Disney's richest epic hero returns! In "The Wrath of Gigabeagle," the McDuck Money Bin meets a monster-sized Beagle Boy mech!
• Monthly Disney Comics are back, from IDW!
• Fan-favorite creators: Romano Scarpa (legendary Italian Uncle Scrooge master), Jonathan Gray (Sonic the Hedgehog) and more!
• Capcom's recent DuckTales: Remastered video game has brought Scrooge McDuck back to Disney stardom. See what all the quacking is about!
• 48 action-packed Pages for only $3.99!
• Variant "Disney Legacy" Adventureland cover by Andrew Pepoy!
IDW Debuts Collection of Disney Comics Starting This April
Multi-tiered Publishing Plan Brings Classic Characters To New Audiences
IDW Publishing is proud to announce that they will debut a new collection of Disney Comics beginning in March 2015 with the publication of Don Rosa’s Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck Artist’s Edition, followed by four extra-length comic series launches in April, May, June, and July.
April sees the debut of Uncle Scrooge #1, which will feature the best tales from creators around the world starring the iconic tycoon adventurer. Donald Duck #1 launches in May, Mickey Mouse #1 in June, and in July, Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories will maintain the original numbering and launch with #721 as the first IDW issue.
“The chance to bring Disney comics to fans, both old and new, is a fantastic opportunity,” said IDW editor Sarah Gaydos. “We cannot wait to get these into the hands of readers!”
All four premiere issues will offer 48 pages of content for $3.99, with subsequent issues offering 40 pages per issue for that same cover price.
“It’s the best bargain in the business,” said IDW archival editor David Gerstein. “No wonder it’s attracted Scrooge McDuck! And we’ll be attracting a big following, too -- with stories by epic talents like Romano Scarpa, Daan Jippes, Casty, Giorgio Cavazzano and Al Taliaferro.”
Each issue will feature two regular covers, as well as a unique cover that places the characters in different environments that feature theme park attractions -- including April’s Adventureland-themed cover -- and other very familiar settings and costumes. If you aren’t already an avid collector, you will be! Some examples of what fans can expect to see are:
April 2015 - Adventureland
• Uncle Scrooge #1 (48p)
May 2015 - Tomorrowland
• Uncle Scrooge #2 (40p)
• Donald Duck #1 (48p)
June 2015 - So special we cannot tell you yet!
• Uncle Scrooge #3 (40p)
• Donald Duck #2 (40p)
• Mickey Mouse #1 (48p)
July 2015 - Fantasyland
• Uncle Scrooge #4 (40p)
• Donald Duck #3 (40p)
• Mickey Mouse #2 (40p)
• Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories #721 (48p)
August 2015 – EPCOT Center
• Uncle Scrooge #5 (40p)
• Donald Duck #4 (40p)
• Mickey Mouse #3 (40p)
• Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories #722 (40p)
• Uncle Scrooge TPB, Vol. 1
September 2015 - Frontierland
• Uncle Scrooge #6 (40p)
• Donald Duck #5 (40p)
• Mickey Mouse #4 (40p)
• Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories #723 (40p)
• Mickey Mouse TPB, Vol. 1
October 2015 - Haunted Mansion
• Uncle Scrooge #7 (40p)
• Donald Duck #6 (40p)
• Mickey Mouse #5 (40p)
• Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories #724 (40p)
• Donald Duck TPB, Vol. 1
November 2015 - Toontown
• Uncle Scrooge #8 (40p)
• Donald Duck #7 (40p)
• Mickey Mouse #6 (40p)
• Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories #725 (40p)
• Uncle Scrooge TPB, Vol. 2
• Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories TPB, Vol. 1
December 2015 – Top Secret!
• Uncle Scrooge #9 (40p)
• Donald Duck #8 (40p)
• Mickey Mouse #7 (40p)
• Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories #726 (40p)
• Mickey Mouse TPB Vol 2
The new IDW titles including Donald, Mickey, and Scrooge will be #1s, but will continue their classic legacy number inside the issues.
In addition to the monthly comics released in print, IDW will also be bringing Disney Comics into new territories with Micro Comic Fun Packs, and subsequent Artist’s Editions, too. Details on titles and release schedules will follow.
I have forgotten why I pulled this book for comment. So, uh ... here's a book that's coming out this week.
VISION: YESTERDAY AND TOMORROW (TPB NEW PRINTING)
Written by GEOFF JOHNS & ROY THOMAS
Penciled by IVAN REIS & JOHN BUSCEMA
Cover by BRIAN HABERLIN
120 PGS / Rated T+ / $19.99
The android Avenger goes solo! His memories downloaded and stolen, a partially amnesiac Vision must seek help from the reluctant granddaughter of his creator, Professor Phineas T. Horton, to defeat a technological terror programmed by the Nazis during World War II to cause fear and death from the skies! Created using technology stolen from Professor Horton, the newly escaped Gremlin will not be denied its mission in the present day — even if it must reprogram and erase the Vision’s very humanity in the process! Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis team up to bring you a terrifying tale of technology run amuck! Plus: the spooky synthezoid’s fantastic first appearance, as Ultron sends him to destroy the Avengers! Collecting VISION (2002) #1-4 and AVENGERS (1963) #57.
WITCHFINDER VOL 3: MYSTERIES OF UNLAND (TPB)
Art: TYLER CROOK
Colors: DAVE STEWART
Cover: MIKE MIGNOLA
FC / 144 pages / TPB / 7" x 10" / $19.99
Sir Edward Grey is sent to Hallam to investigate the death of a Crown-appointed official, but once he is there he hears rumors of the mysterious Unland -- the wetlands around the town -- and the creatures that inhabit it. Grey’s skepticism vanishes when he encounters the monsters of Unland, and he realizes that Hallam is a place of secrets. Collects Witchfinder: The Mysteries of Unland #1-5.
From Anno Dracula novelist Kim Newman!
“Witchfinder: The Mysteries of Unland is exactly the kind of story that Lovecraft would have told.” -- Newsarama
I'm glad to see the return of "Comics Guide." Even though I don't comment every week, I have come to rely upon it and I miss it when it's gone. I know it's time-consuming to prepare, but your effort is appreciated.
Good to see Tyler Crook on another Mignolaverse title. He's a great artist!