4001 A.D. #4 (of 4)
Publisher: VALIANT COMICS
Written by MATT KINDT
Art by CLAYTON CRAIN
Cover A by CLAYTON CRAIN
Cover B by TULA LOTAY
Cover C by RYAN BODENHEIM
Cover D by PHILIP TAN
Character Design Variant by CLAYTON CRAIN
Interlocking Mega-Cover Variant by RYAN LEE
Interlocking Artist Variant by RYAN SOOK
B&W Interlocking Artist Variant by RYAN SOOK
$3.99 • 32 pgs. • T+
This August, Valiant’s most ambitious event yet goes out in a blaze of fury and steel … and the heroes of the 41st century take the first step toward a monumental new era!
Valiant is proud to present an advance preview of 4001 A.D. #4 (of 4) – the white-hot finale to the year’s most acclaimed crossover event from New York Times best-selling writer Matt Kindt (DIVINITY II, Dept. H) and superstar artist Clayton Crain (RAI, Carnage)! Rai’s tech-augmented insurgency against Father and the forces of New Japan ends in a world-shaking climax that will recast the fate of Earth, humanity and the new era that lies ahead! As the tyrannical ruler of New Japan deploys his final gambit to save his despotic regime, the future itself will be rewritten in a final battle that will collide father against son for a cosmic showdown two millennia in the making …
As 4001 A.D. prepares to enter full-metal overdrive, now is the time to find out why Valiant’s widescreen sci-fi superhero epic is sweeping the summer as the year’s best reviewed comics event:
“✮✮✮✮✮ A gripping storyline and fluid art make 4001 A.D. a sure-fire hit. – All-Comic
“✮✮✮✮ 4001 A.D. is turning out to be a poetic masterpiece.” – AiPT!
“✮✮✮✮ ½ Huge-scale action … [4001 A.D.] establishes the series as arguably the summer’s biggest and best event.” – Newsarama
“✮✮✮✮ ½ Ripe with action … Writer Matt Kindt [has] dialed the story up to a ten real quick…” – Fanboy Nation
“✮✮✮✮ [4001 A.D.] is certainly one of the best looking comics out there today.” –The Broken Infinite
“✮✮✮✮ 4001 A.D. is big, in every way possible. … The slick writing and incredible visuals make this a tasty treat for one and all. You lucky, lucky people.” – Big Comic Page
“✮✮✮✮ Superbly written…[4001 A.D.] is an excellent book. – Pop Culture Uncovered
Bear witness to history in the making as Matt Kindt and Clayton Crain usher in a bold new stage for the future yet to come! The ultimate fate of Rai, Father and Earth itself will soon be revealed, only in 4001 A.D. #4 (of 4) – featuring covers from Clayton Crain (RAI), Tula Lotay (The Wicked + The Divine) Ryan Bodenheim (The Dying & The Dead), Philip Tan (Batman & Robin), Ryan Lee (Inhuman), and Ryan Sook (Wednesday Comics)!
I've never been much of a Rai fan, but maybe I would be if more of his stories were like this!
AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE #10
Publisher: ARCHIE COMICS
Script: ROBERTO AGUIRRE-SACASA
Art: FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA, JACK MORELLI
Cover A: FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA
Cover B: JIM BALENT
32 pages • FC • TEEN+ • $3.99
BETTY: RIP Part 5, “Interlude with the Pussycats”
Before the end of the world began, a female pop trio was setting charts on fire. But in a world of TMZ and paparazzi-driven media, somehow these women kept their private lives a secret from everyone -- until now. A full-access interview promises to show the tragic and terrifying origin story of Josie and the Pussycats.
Ohhhh, yeah ... you want to read this one.
FIRST ISSUE ALERT
ATTACK ON TITAN: LOST GIRLS VOL 1 (GN)
Publisher: KODANSHA COMICS
Writer: HIROSHI SEKO
$10.99
This new story of two of Titan's most beloved characters -- Annie Leonhart and Mikasa Ackerman -- is a prequel series to the number one bestselling Attack on Titan series. Beloved cast members Mikasa and Annie are given a side story of their own set within the original Attack on Titan world. By expanding on both the comics and the animated TV series, Lost Girls gives a more complete look at the women of Attack on Titan.
Arcane and abstruse forces are clearly aligning to force me to read Attack on Titan. Or maybe it's just real popular, and there are lots of spin-offs, movies and the like in the pipeline, and I'm just being stubborn in not reading it.
So, I give up. Baron, where do I begin reading the Attack on Titan saga so as to be informed about the story in general, and the upcoming movie in particular?
BLOODSHOT REBORN #16
Publisher: VALIANT COMICS
Written by JEFF LEMIRE
Art by MICO SUAYAN
Cover A by TOMÁS GIORELLO
Cover B by BEN OLIVER
Cover C by STEPHEN SEGOVIA
Interlocking Variant Cover by RYAN BODENHEIM
Variant Cover by DARICK ROBERTSON
Variant Cover by SEAN CHEN
$3.99 • 32 pgs. • T+
("BLOODSHOT ISLAND" – PART 3)
Die and die again on … BLOODSHOT ISLAND!
As the endless process of life, death, and rebirth plagues Bloodshot and his fellow prisoners of Bloodshot Island, the being that hunts them – the ruthlessly efficient killer called Deathmate – grows stronger with each agonizing day. But as Bloodshot momentarily gains the upper hand on the shadowy organization that created him and its enigmatic instrument of destruction, he may stumble upon the greatest secrets of the island … and his own haunted past!
New York Times best-selling writer Jeff Lemire (Old Man Logan) and superstar artist Mico Suayan (BLOODSHOT REBORN) open fire on the most controversial chapter of BLOODSHOT ISLAND yet, sending shockwaves through the Valiant Universe that will be felt for years to come!
This particular iteration of Bloodshot has been more like a horror movie than a superhero book. I read somewhere that Lemire tries to set each Bloodshot story in a different genre, so maybe I'm closer to the mark than I know.
FIRST ISSUE ALERT
BROKEN MOON: LEGENDS OF THE DEEP #1 (OF 6)
Publisher: AMERICAN GOTHIC PRESS
Writer: PHILIP KIM
Art/Cover: NAT JONES
$3.99
AGP's hit post-apocalyptic horror thrill ride is back! Original series creator Philip Kim takes the reins on a new story arc revolving around a village of fishermen on the newly-created Nebraska coastline whose lifestyle is about to be threatened by creatures from the deep. Nat Jones returns on art duties for this new tale of mythical monsters turned reality.
"Nebraska coastline"? That's kind of interesting. Anyone been following this well enough to recommend?
CHILDREN OF LOVECRAFT (TPB)
Publisher: DARK HORSE
Writers: Various
Cover Artist: MIKE MIGNOLA
368 pages • TPB • 5 1/4'' x 8'' • $19.99 • Age range: 14
Howard Phillips Lovecraft’s stories shaped modern horror more than any other author’s in the last two centuries: Cthulhu, the Old Ones, Herbert West: Reanimator and more terrifying nightmares emerged from the mythos of this legendary writer.
Dark Horse teams up with Hugo and Bram Stoker Award–winning editor Ellen Datlow to bring you this anthology of original prose stories that are inspired by Lovecraft’s mythos. Features work by Richard Kadrey, Brian Hodge, A. C. Wise, Siobhan Carroll, Orrin Grey and many more, with a stunning cover by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola.
My impression of HPL when I first read him back in junior high was that he had brilliant ideas, terrific command of atmosphere ... but wasn't very good at plotting. His stories weren't especially well written, and often had fuzzy endings where I wasn't really sure what happened.
That's probably heresy. And I was 12, so ...
Anyway, other people using Lovecraft ideas could be the best of both worlds for me.
CIVIL WAR II TIE-INS
Eight more CWII books this week, and it's a fifth Wednesday! You can't stop CWII, you can't even hope to contain it!
THE ASTONISHING ANT-MAN #11
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
Writer: NICK SPENCER
Art: RAMON ROSANAS
Cover by JULIAN TOTINO TEDESCO
Black Panther Variant: TONCI ZONJIC
32 PGS. • Rated T+ • $3.99
Scott’s in jail, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be asked to choose a side.*
*Whichever side puts the most money in his commissary account wins.CIVIL WAR II: CHOOSING SIDES #5 (of 6)
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
Writers: DECLAN SHALVEY, CHIP ZDARSKY, ENRIQUE CARRION
Art: DECLAN SHALVEY, RAMON PEREZ, ANNAPAOLA MARTELLO
Cover: CAMERON STEWART, DECLAN SHALVEY
Variant: RAMON PEREZ
32 PGS. • Rated T+ • $3.99
• As the body count rises, no one expected the biggest casualty of them all: Friendship. Will these Avengers betray their closest confidants to stay true to themselves?
• Featuring Nick Fury, Colleen Wing and Alpha Flight!
Wait, why is the prime minister of Canada on the variant cover? IS CANADA PICKING A SIDE?
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #11
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
Writer: BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Art: VALERIO SCHITI
Cover by ARTHUR ADAMS
Marvel Tsum Tsum Takeover Variant: TBA
32 PGS. • Rated T • $3.99
• When things get rough for CAPTAIN MARVEL she calls in some friends from out of town.
• WAY out of town…
• Iron Man doesn’t stand a chance!MS. MARVEL #10
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
Writer: G. WILLOW WILSON
Art: TAKESHI MIYAZAWA
Variant: CAMERON STEWART
Marvel Tsum Tsum Takeover Variant: TRADD MOORE
32 PGS.• Rated T+ • $3.99
• Ms. Marvel fights for the right to protect her home turf, but this time failure might be the only option.
• Friends become foes in an event that will test Kamala like never before.
Hello, what's this? Cover A is an homage to Amazing Spider-Man #75!
ROCKET RACCOON & GROOT #8
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
Writer: NICK KOCHER
Art: MICHAEL WALSH
Cover by DAVID LOPEZ
Marvel Tsum Tsum Takeover Variant by BRIAN KESINGER
32 PGS. • Rated T • $3.99
• CAPTAIN MARVEL has called for backup, and ROCKET and GROOT are here to turn the tide!
• But as CIVIL WAR pits PARTNER against PARTNER, can Rocket and Groot’s friendship survive a TRENCHANT DISCUSSION OF THE ISSUES AT HAND?!?!
• Probably! But can THEY survive a confrontation with GWENPOOL?!?!
SPIDER-MAN #7
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
Writer: BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Art: NICO LEON
Cover by SARA PICHELLI
Black Panther Variant: DECLAN SHALVEY
32 PGS. • Rated T • $3.99
• Heritage is not always easy!
• Miles Morales and his friends Nova and Ms. Marvel struggle with the biggest conflict in the Marvel U since they took up their mantles.
SPIDER-MAN 2099 #14
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
Writer: PETER DAVID
Art: WILL SLINEY
Cover by FRANCESCO MATTINA
32 PGS. • Rated T • $3.99
• 2099 is in peril and Roberta Mendez. A.K.A. Captain America, has returned to the future to find her family.
• Little does she know that the heroes of the future are being hunted.
• Could this be the end of 2099 as Miguel knows it?
UNCANNY AVENGERS #13
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
Writer: GERRY DUGGAN
Art/Cover: RYAN STEGMAN
Captain America 75th Anniversary Variant: ADAM HUGHES
32 PGS. • Rated T • $3.99
• Deadpool risks his Avengers status on a secret mission to rescue another Avenger!
• The aftermath of an explosive CIVIL WAR II event reverberates through the Avengers.
• Plus, Cable and Steve Rogers face off, with the future of the Unity Squad at stake.
FIRST ISSUE ALERT
EDEN’S FALL #1
Publisher IMAGE COMICS/TOP COW
Art: ATILIO ROJO
Cover A: RAHSAN EKEDAL
Cover B: LINDA SEJIC
32 PAGES • FC • T+ • $3.99
SERIES PREMIERE
Top Cow combines three of its most provocative titles (THINK TANK, THE TITHE, POSTAL) in an unflinching fable of revenge and consequence. FBI Agent James Miller (THE TITHE) follows a sociopath into the off-the-grid town of Eden, Wyoming, on a personal mission of vengeance. The price of this vigilante justice will be paid in blood, and both Eden and James Miller will never be the same.
Evidently this is a crossover of formerly unrelated titles, not a replacement for Think Tank, The Tithe and Postal. Interesting idea.
EDWARD SCISSORHANDS: THE FINAL CUT OVERSIZED HARDCOVER
Publisher: IDW PUBLISHING
Writer: KATE LETH
Art/Cover: DREW RAUSCH
HC • FC • $49.99 • 280 pages • 7” x 11”
All 10 issues of the critically acclaimed series by writer Kate Leth and artist Drew Rausch are collected in this deluxe, oversized hardcover. Once adored by the Boggs family and the neighborhood that welcomed his arrival, Edward Scissorhands’ intervening years of reclusion have not been kind to him. But now, decades later, his lost-love Kim has her own family, and her granddaughter is about to discover the wonder her mother wishes she could forget.
“Beautiful, sad, hopeful, and scary. Everything you could want and more. The highest possible recommendation.” -- SciFi Pulse
I remember really liking the movie, so maybe I'd enjoy this. Or maybe you would.
FIRST ISSUE ALERT
EQUILIBRIUM #1
Publisher: AMERICAN MYTHOLOGY PRODUCTIONS
Writer: PATRICK SHAND
Art: JASON CRAIG
Cover: MATT SLAY
$3.99
In the first years of the 21st century, a third World War broke out. Those of us who survived knew mankind could never survive a fourth ... that our own volatile natures could simply no longer be risked. Now, the government has risen up to eradicate the true source of man's inhumanity to man. The ability to feel. But in this brave new world, where logic rules and emotion is punished, a rebellion breaks out that will shake this totalitarian government to its core. Spinning out of the cult classic film Equilibrium comes this brand new action-packed sequel to the movie from Pat Shand (Angel) and Jason Craig (Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash).
Another first issue about a dystopic sci-fi future. There's been a slew of them lately, most of them pretty good.
FUTURE QUEST #4
Publisher: DC COMICS
Written by JEFF PARKER
Art by STEVE RUDE and AARON LOPRESTI
Cover by EVAN “DOC” SHANER
Variant cover by PAUL RENAUD
32 pg • FC • $3.99 U.S. • RATED T
An earth-shattering power has come to life in the jungles of South America, and Team Quest and Birdman race the forces of F.E.A.R. to reach it first! There they find time ripped apart in a lost valley where dinosaurs and cavemen run wild once more as the ancient legend of Mightor is revealed! Only the shipwrecked aliens Jan and Jace hold the secrets of what fate awaits our world, but as a force led by Jezebel Jade attacks, what new hero will rise?
Yes, Mightor. There's another surprise character, but I won't spoil it for you. This book continues to be several flavors of awesome.
FIRST ISSUE ALERT
GRIMM FAIRY TALES PRESENTS: APOCALYPSE #1
Publisher: ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT INC
Writer: PATRICK SHAND
Art: JG MIRANDA
Cover A: SEAN CHEN
Cover B: ROGER BONET MARTINEZ
Cover C: ANDREA ERRICO
Cover D: TONY BRESCINI
$3.99
THE FOUR HORSEMEN! NEW SERIES! FEATURES: Robyn Hood, Hellchild, Cinderella, Marian Quin! The casts of Zenescope's flagship series -- Grimm Fairy Tales, Robyn Hood and Hellchild -- unite for an event to end all comic book events ... the apocalypse. One year ago, Robyn Hood and Marian Quin united to imprison the Four Horsemen underneath New York City, preventing the apocalypse. Now, faced with the return of these unstoppable, immortal demons, Robyn had a choice: Sacrifice the world ... or her soul.
Another crossover, but these characters were already in the same universe (although I'm not sure who had met whom at this point).
FIRST ISSUE ALERT
JIM THOMPSON’S THE KILLER INSIDE ME #1 (OF 5)
Publisher: IDW PUBLISHING
Writer: DEVIN FARACI
Art/Cover: VIC MALHOTRA
Subscription Variant: ROBERT HACK
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
Jim Thompson’s sinewy, brutal, and beloved novel comes to life as a five-part graphic noir! Adapted by writer Devin Faraci (The Fade-In) and illustrated with gut-punchingly vivid art by Vic Malhotra (Murder Book).
In THE KILLER INSIDE ME, Thompson went where few have dared, giving us a pitch-black glimpse into the mind of the American serial killer years before Charles Manson, John Wayne Gacy and Brett Easton Ellis’s American Psycho, in the novel that will forever be known as the master performance of one of the greatest crime novelists of all time.
Lou Ford is the deputy sheriff of a small town in Texas. The worst thing most people can say against him is that he's a little slow and a little boring. But, then, most people don't know about the sickness -- the sickness that almost got Lou put away when he was younger. The sickness that is about to surface again.
• Foreword by Stephen King!
• Variant covers by Robert Hack (Mean Streets).
• “Probably the most chilling and believable first-person story of a criminally-warped mind I have ever encountered.” -- Stanley Kubrick
• Part of IDW’s five-week Creator Visions event! Five creator-driven books, launched in five straight weeks!
This looks super-creepy. Count me in!
JUPITER'S LEGACY VOL. 2 #3 (OF 5)
Publisher: IMAGE COMICS
Writer: MARK MILLAR
Art/Cover A: FRANK QUITELY
Cover B: PHIL NOTO
Cover C: FRANK QUITELY SKETCH VARIANT
32 PAGES • FC • M • $3.99
The world's greatest superhuman is back. Hutch and the gang have tracked him down to a secret hideout in northern Russia where the aging supervillain has become a bitter loner. With Walter Sampson's league of supervillains taking over the planet, can a world crisis haul this legend out of retirement, or must the gang face the bad guys alone?
Heads up, Jupiter's Legacy fans! I think the 1960s Skywolf story is going to have a tremendous payoff in the present.
LONGEST DAY OF THE FUTURE (HC)
Publisher: FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS
Writer/Art/Cover: LUCAS VARELA
$24.99
Argentinian cartoonist Lucas Varela has crafted a wordless thriller reminiscent of the work of Jason (I Killed Adolf Hitler). In a futuristic city, two mega-companies engage in a battle to eliminate the other. Will the crash of an extraterrestrial flying saucer change that? Under the guise of a science fiction fable, Varela has spun a searing indictment against consumerism and unfettered capitalism.
I like to read political stories from other countries, where the debate about economics hasn't been locked in the same arguments for decades.
MIKE MIGNOLA'S AMAZING SCREW-ON HEAD ARTIST'S EDITION (HC)
Pubisher: IDW PUBLISHING
Writer/Art/Cover: MIKE MIGNOLA
HC • BW • 160 Pages • 12″ x 17″ • $100.00
IDW Publishing welcomes Mike Mignola back to its publishing slate with an all-new Artist’s Edition featuring the legendary creator’s Eisner Award-winning story, The Amazing Screw-On Head. This second Artist’s Edition featuring Mignola’s iconic work will collect the entire one-shot story by Mignola, as well as additional tales from the Screw-On Head collection. The hefty tome will be rounded out by a rich gallery of beautiful Mignola illustrations.
"I consider the stories collected in the Amazing Screw-On Head and Other Curious Objects to be the best work I’ve done in comics -- certainly they are my favorite -- so I’m thrilled to see them getting the IDW Artist's Edition treatment," said Mignola.
Squaring off against the likes of Emperor Zombie and Dr. Snap, The Amazing Screw-On Head is a quintessential Mignola tale. Fans of Mignola’s Hellboy can eagerly add this essential masterpiece to their collection which was a natural choice to receive its own Artist’s Edition.
As with all of IDW’s pioneering Artist’s Editions, Mike Mignola’s Amazing Screw-On Head Artist’s Edition showcases the original art scanned in full color at the size it was originally drawn at. Mignola’s rich, layered ink work is truly a sight to behold, as anyone who has read the Hellboy in Hell Artist’s Edition can attest.
Screw-on Head is the story that made my wife a Mignola fan, which made it easier for me to drag her to Hellboy movies. It's pure Mignola, which is to say absolute lunacy delivered with a straight face.
REAL DEAL COMIX (HC)
Publisher: FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS
By LAWRENCE HUBBARD & H.P. MCELWEE
Hardcover • 176 pages • 8.5” x 11” • $29.99
A vital collection of sociopolitical comics history, Real Deal Comix was inspired by a shared frustration with racial tensions in south central Los Angeles. Creators Lawrence Hubbard (a.k.a. RawDog) and H.P. McElwee (a.k.a. R.D. Bone) created Real Deal Comix in their spare time as an incendiary yet satirical response to the brutality and inequality witnessed firsthand in their community. Dubbing the genre “Urban Chaos,” Hubbard and McElwee tell stories of inner city lives on the precipice, where everyday tasks like filling up a gas tank requires stand-or-back-down survival skills.
With stories depicting life in the hood, Real Deal blends melodrama, Blaxploitation, satire, and legitimate howling rage. Self-published sporadically from 1989 to the present and primarily sold at the annual Comic-Con International in San Diego, Real Deal has achieved cult status over the years (and even inspired a line of Stüssy T-shirts), especially in California’s underground comix scene.
"A Real Deal collection has been a dream of mine for quite some time, and I'm thrilled to work with Fantagraphics to make this happen!” says Real Deal creator Lawrence “Rawdog” Hubbard, who continues to create new Real Deal stories in the wake of co-creator H.P. McElwee’s untimely passing in 1998 from a heart attack.
“I first discovered Real Deal at a San Diego Comic-Con many years ago,” said Fantagraphics Associate Publisher Eric Reynolds. “A new Real Deal became one of the best things to look forward to at SDCC every year. I’m excited to bring the work to a broader audience.”
Hubbard added, “And always remember the Real Deal motto: 'MORE RAGE PER PAGE, MORE SLAUGHTER FOR YOUR DOLLAR!'"
This has a real subversive, underground comix vibe, and we probably need more of that.
FIRST ISSUE ALERT
REINCARNATE #1
Publisher: HEAVY METAL MAGAZINE
Writer: MICHAEL MORECI
Art/Cover: KEITH BURNS
$3.50
Nate McCoy isn't your ordinary private detective. Sure, he's a bit of a slacker who doesn't follow orders and loves to rattle the status quo's cages, but that's not what really sets him apart. After rattling the wrong cage, Nate took a bullet to his head that, somehow, didn't kill him. Instead, it gave him an unusual ability: He can see and interact with past versions of himself. The people he reincarnated from. With the help of Jameson (a Wild West lawman) and Alan (a Mad Men-era hitman), Nate sets his sights on taking down his city's crime kingpin and find out who he has to "thank" for the bullet that gave him this strange, and helpful, new power.
This could be a really interesting story, but the onus is on the writer to take this clever idea and make it sing.
SAGA #37
Publisher: IMAGE COMICS
Writer: BRIAN K. VAUGHAN
Art/Cover: FIONA STAPLES
32 PAGES • FC • M • $2.99
NEW STORY ARC
“THE WAR FOR PHANG,” PART ONE
Award-winning creative team of Brian K. Vaughan (PAPER GIRLS, WE STAND ON GUARD) and Fiona Staples (Archie, North 40) will launch the eagerly anticipated seventh chapter in the multiple Eisner Award-winning series SAGA this August.
Previously in SAGA, Hazel tackled kindergarten -- her biggest adventure yet -- while her family went up against some difficult lessons of their own.
In SAGA #37, finally reunited with her ever-expanding family, Hazel travels to a war-torn comet that Wreath and Landfall have been battling over for ages. To celebrate the arrival of the most epic arc yet, Fiona Staples graces this issue with a gorgeous wraparound cover!
“There’s a flood of new #1 issues out right now, but with this self-contained SAGA ‘event,' Fiona and I hope to tell the kind of deeply emotional epic that you can only get from an ongoing series at the ripe old age of 37,” said Vaughan. “The War for Phang has huge stakes and will create permanent, real changes for Hazel and her family. Get ready."
I suspect most of you are reading Saga already. Here's a press release touting a new storyline.
FIRST ISSUE ALERT
SKIP TO THE END #1 (OF 4)
Publisher: HEAVY METAL MAGAZINE
Writer: JEREMY HOLT
Art/Cover: ALEX DIOTTO
$3.99
Jonny Wells desperately wants to relive his grunge rock royalty past. As bassist of Samsara, he craved the Rock'n'Roll lifestyle that eventually claimed the life of the band's visionary lead singer and his best friend. Now a VH1 cautionary tale of drug addiction and self-loathing, Wells trades his smack for an old battered guitar, and discovers that returning to his former glory days are only a few chords away. Literally.
Heavy Metal is entering the arena rather aggressively, isn't it? I'm glad to see it.
FIRST ISSUE ALERT
SUICIDE SQUAD: WAR CRIMES SPECIAL #1 (One-Shot)
Publisher: DC COMICS
Written by JOHN OSTRANDER
Art by GUS VAZQUEZ
Cover by JUAN FERREYRA
One-shot • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T+
When a retired American politician is taken to Europe and tried for alleged war crimes, the USA must recover him from an allied nation before terrible truths are revealed. Enter the Suicide Squad, who storm the Hague itself to save America from her own dark secrets. The writer who started a revolution, John Ostrander returns to the Suicide Squad for the first time in a decade to tell one of his boldest and bloodiest stories ever.
Love me some John Ostrander. My only regret is that it's only one issue.
FIRST ISSUE ALERT
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES UNIVERSE #1
Publisher: IDW PUBLISHING
Writers: PAUL ALLOR, KEVIN EASTMAN, TOM WALTZ
Art: DAMIAN COUCEIRO, KEVIN EASTMAN, BILL SIENKIEWICZ
Cover: FREDDIE WILLIAMS
Subscription Variant: KEVIN EASTMAN & PETER LAIRD
Blank Sketch Variant available
FC • 40 pages • $4.99
IDW Publishing will launch a second ongoing comic series based on Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. IDW has been home to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics since 2011 and the high demand for this iconic brand has now paved the way for a sister series titled Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe this August.
When a mysterious new mutant targets Baxter Stockman, it will be up to the TMNT to reluctantly save him. Little does everyone know that a larger trap is being laid by a new arch-foe! Plus a back-up story from TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman and comics legend Bill Sienkiewicz!
The creative team for the first arc will include writer Paul Allor (Tet, G.I. Joe) joined by artist Damian Couceiro (Sons of Anarchy) on a story centered around a dangerous new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles foe -- the U.S. government! A back-up story will run alongside it from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles co-creator Kevin Eastman and comics legend Bill Sienkiewicz. Freddie E Williams II, fresh off the bestselling Batman/TMNT crossover mini-series with DC Comics, will supply regular cover art, with guest artists providing sought-after variants.
This new spin-off sets itself apart from the ongoing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series by spotlighting characters and storylines that are pivotal to the vast IDW TMNT universe, while also showcasing fan-favorite creators alongside emerging talent.
“The story of IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is now too large to confine to just one ongoing series!” says TMNT editor Bobby Curnow. “With Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe, we’ll be able to fully explore all of the exciting characters and plots that the world of the Turtles has to offer. This series will also be the perfect venue for some of the best creators in the industry to tell Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles stories in their own unique voice.”
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe will explore tales along the entire continuity of the current ongoing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, which recently hit 56 issues and counting. This will mark the first time two ongoing Turtles comics will run in tandem since IDW got involved with the property.
• Because YOU demanded it! An ALL-NEW ONGOING series set in the IDW TMNT universe!
• Incredible talent, bringing their unique style to the Turtles!
• A must read for any TMNT fan!
• Variant covers by Damian Couceiro and Kevin Eastman!
I'm not a TMNT reader, but there are apparenly a lot of them, to support a second ongoing book. And here it is!
FIRST ISSUE ALERT
WITCHFINDER: CITY OF THE DEAD #1 (of 5)
Publisher: DARK HORSE
Writers: MIKE MIGNOLA, CHRIS ROBERSON
Artist: BEN STENBECK
Colorist: MICHELLE MADSEN
Cover Artist: JULIAN TOTINO TEDESCO
FC • 32 pages • Miniseries • $3.50
This August, legendary Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, iZOMBIE co-creator Chris Roberson, original WITCHFINDER series artist Ben Stenbeck and colorist Michelle Madsen will unite for WITCHFINDER: CITY OF THE DEAD. In this five part miniseries from Dark Horse Comics, Sir Edward Grey, occult adviser to the queen, must defeat scores of flesh-eating corpses on the loose in London and explore a temple beneath London full of ancient secrets. Artist Julián Totino Tedesco will provide covers for the series.
“One of the great things about the monster tropes in horror fiction is that they don't have to be limited to any specific setting,” said Chris Roberson. “Werewolf stories aren't all set in Eastern Europe, vampire stories don't have to take place in Victorian London, and zombies needn't be relegated to the post-apocalyptic scenario. There's a lot of fun to be had from taking these types of characters and transposing them into different historical periods and cultural milieus."
Mignola and Roberson are currently co-writing the acclaimed HELLBOY & THE BPRD adventures. “Chris's pitch for WITCHFINDER: CITY OF THE DEAD is what made us all realize he was a perfect writer to add to our little world,” said Mike Mignola. “Chris and Ben Stenbeck have outdone themselves on this book. I’m super excited about it!”
Stenbeck returns to WITCHFINDER, the title he helped launched in 2009, before working on BALTIMORE and the acclaimed FRANKENSTEIN UNDERGROUND. “It’s fantastic to return to the world of WITCHFINDER,” said Ben Stenbeck. “I get to go back to Edward Grey’s London and help to flesh it out a bit more. Hopefully I've gotten better at it in the 7 years since I last drew WITCHFINDER.”
“I've always been an enormous fan of Victorian-era occult detectives, and of Mignola's Sir Edward Grey in particular,” said Roberson. “One of the greatest things about Hellboy's world is the richness of its backstory, and it's been a real thrill to get to explore some of the uncharted territory and fill in some of the gaps in the map."
I like virtually all books Mignola has a claw in, and this one's no exception. But what makes it a must-read is the presence of Ben Stenbeck, whose work I really enjoy.
FIRST ISSUE ALERT
WORLD OF TANKS #1 (of 5)
Publisher: DARK HORSE
Writer: GARTH ENNIS
Art: CARLOS EZQUERRA
Colors: MICHAEL ATIYEH
Cover: ISAAC HANNAFORD
FC • 32 pages • $3.99 • Miniseries
Wargaming and Dark Horse Comics announced today that the highly anticipated first issue of the World of Tanks: Roll Out comic series will hit comic book stores and digital distribution on August 31.
The first ever comic book based on the “Wargaming Battle Universe” brings all of the thrills, tension and armored conflict World of Tanks players demand. Inspired by Wargaming’s massively multiplayer online game World of Tanks, the hard-hitting story written by Garth Ennis (Preacher, War Stories, The Punisher), is a historically based war tale, skillfully illustrated by the renowned Carlos Ezquerra (Judge Dredd, Strontium Dog, War Stories Vol. 2). Each issue is wrapped in the epic cover art of Isaac Hannaford (HALO: Reach, The Punisher) and bursts with the explosive action found in the panels of World of Tanks: Roll Out.
The premier issue of armored combat debuts alongside the first in a series of in-game Premium Tank bundles based on the iconic, “hero” tanks of the comic book’s storyline. Now tankers can read the adventures of the valiant tanks in the comic book and continue the adventure by playing the ‘hero’ tanks in the Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 4 versions of World of Tanks.
Set during the epic tank battles of 1944, which proved to be pivotal on the outcome of the war, World of Tanks: Roll Out follows a crew of young British tankers as they push deeper into post D-Day Normandy toward a battalion of seasoned German armored units. Flanked and tracked by the Germans at almost every turn, the inexperienced British tankers traverse a battle-scarred France while the danger around them escalates and the outcome of the war hangs in the balance.
“As we explored the idea of a World of Tanks comic book, the first priority was ensuring that we told an authentic and historically based tale of combat that was in line with Warming’s commitment to military authenticity,” stated Erik Whiteford, Wargaming’s Director of Marketing. “Having the leading writer in the war comic genre, Garth Ennis, and legendary illustrator, Carlos Ezquerra, as the creative team behind World of Tanks: Roll Out guaranteed the execution of a story in true Wargaming fashion; gritty and packed with realistic and pulse-pounding tank combat.”
As a part of the release of World of Tanks: Roll Out, the World of Tanks premium shop for console will be offering limited time bundles featuring the British tanker’s Cromwell, known as “Snakebite." Pulled directly from the pages of the comic, the signature Tier VI British Cromwell light tank offers tankers the Snakebite Crew Skill, which improves overall accuracy. Nimble and highly maneuverable, this tank darts across the map trading armor for speed while still packing a powerful punch. Three individual Snakebite themed bundles will be available on August 31.
Wow, Garth Ennis writing a comic book adaptation of a MMOG! The world, she is a-changing, my friend.
FIRST ISSUE ALERT
THE X-FILES: ORIGINS #1 (OF 4)
Publisher: IDW PUBLISHING
Writers: JODY HOUSER & MATTHEW DOW SMITH
Art/Cover: CHRIS FENOGLIO, CORIN HOWELL
Subscription cover: CAT STAGGS (C)
FC • 40 pages • $4.99
Before the FBI, before the X-Files, they were just two teenagers in search of the truth. On Martha’s Vineyard, a young Fox Mulder investigates something strange happening on the island, while in San Diego, 13-year-old Dana Scully looks into the shocking murder of her teacher. Two kids, two mysteries, one conspiracy that threatens the future of humanity.
• Mulder and Scully star in separate tales depicting their teen years!
• See what made them into the characters we’ve come to love!
• Especially crafted for young adult readers!
• Mystery novel variant covers by Cat Staggs (Orphan Black)!
Encyclopedia Brown meets Nancy Drew?
X-O MANOWAR #49
Written by ROBERT VENDITTI
Art by JOE BENNETT
Cover A by KANO
Cover B by PHIL JIMENEZ
Cover C by KHOI PHAM
Variant Cover by FRANCIS PORTELA
Variant Cover by JUAN JOSE RYP
Variant Cover by ADAM GORHAM
“LONG LIVE THE KING” – PART 3
$3.99 • 32 pgs. • T+
Long live the king! The march to X-O MANOWAR #50 soldiers onward!
Witness the last stand of Earth’s greatest champion, X-O Manowar! With the world besieged by the Torment, Aric of Dacia has united his bravest allies and fiercest enemies for a last ditch effort to avert Armageddon. But will even their combined strength be enough against the seemingly infinite powers of this this unfathomable comic race? It’s the beginning of the end as the greatest battle in Valiant history starts here!
“LONG LIVE THE KING” reaches its most thrilling chapter yet as New York Times best-selling writer Robert Venditti (WRATH OF THE ETERNAL WARRIOR) and acclaimed artists Joe Bennett (52) and Roberto de la Torre (Daredevil) deliver the penultimate chapter of Valiant’s flagship series!
Plus: The X-O MANOWAR #50 COUNTDOWN GIVEAWAY continues right here! Each issue of “LONG LIVE THE KING” comes bagged with one of 50 micro-prints – featuring artwork from a who’s who of comic superstars – or even one-of-a-kind original art!
The penultimate issue. I'm really curious to see what replaces this book as Valiant's flagship.
Replies
So, I give up. Baron, where do I begin reading the Attack on Titan saga so as to be informed about the story in general, and the upcoming movie in particular?
Yeah, good question. I never really got into AoT. I read the first volume of the original manga, and while it was interesting, it wasn't quite interesting enough for me to want to seek out the dozen-odd volumes that already exist, not to mention the many side-stories and "Elseworlds" that exist.
That said, I would recommend you seek out the first volume of the original manga and see whether it grabs you better than it did me.
Like I don't have enough to read already. Oh, universe, why do you test me so!
MIKE MIGNOLA'S AMAZING SCREW-ON HEAD ARTIST'S EDITION (HC)
This sounds like a gem I missed, so I'm getting the regular hardcover cheap from Amazon (not the artist's edition).