DARK HORSE COMICS
RAINBOW CHILDREN: THE ART OF CAMILLA D’ERRICO VOL 3 (HC)
Writer/Art/Cover: CAMILLA D’ERRICO
FC, 112 pages, $24.99, HC, 8 1/2" x 11"
AN ART-BOOK EXPERIENCE LIKE NO OTHER!
Camilla d’Errico is a world-renowned painter, illustrator, comic artist, and toy and clothing designer. This gorgeous hardcover compilation of her artwork is the perfect addition to the collection of anyone that appreciates her fine art and manga-inspired style! Both beautiful and haunting, her paintings will mesmerize and enthrall all who look upon them!
• An art-book collection of one of the most popular pop artists of a generation!
“Camilla’s artwork brings a smile to the observer’s face and her merchandise helps transport the consumer to a magical odyssey, coloring their world and inspiring their life.”—Examiner
I don't know anything about this artist, but the preview is very nice.
BARB WIRE #8
Writer: CHRIS WARNER
Pencils: PATRICK OLLIFFE
Inks: TOM NGUYEN
Colors: WES DZIOBA
Cover: ADAM HUGHES
FC, 32 pages, $3.99, Ongoing
Badass bounty hunter Barb Wire has found her target—a former confederate wanted by federal authorities—and a battalion of armed-to-the-teeth agents has found them both. But Avram Roman has become something every bit as dangerous as advertised—less the man, more the Machine!
“Barb Wire is bold and fast-paced.”—Comic Book Resources
“Not a series you should sleep on.”—Geeked Out Nation
I confess that the covers continue to sucker me on this series, even though I don't enjoy it as I'd like.
GIGANTO MAXIA (TPB)
Writer/Art/Cover: KENTARO MIURA
B&W, 232 pages, $13.99, TP, 5" x 7"
FROM THE CREATOR OF BERSERK!
From Berserk creator Kentaro Miura comes Giganto Maxia, a science-fiction/fantasy manga of titanic proportions! One hundred million years in the future, the Empire of Olympus uses colossal mutant beasts to crush its adversaries. Only the gladiator Delos, the mystic Prome, and the titan Gohra can hope to prevent genocide!
• Miura’s Berserk is an international sensation, inspiring wildly popular TV and film anime.
Once again, Dark Horse has found a property I know nothing about. Is this one of the wacky things those kids today are crazy about?
SHERLOCK HOLMES: CRIME ALLEYS (HC)
Writer: SYLVAIN CORDURIÉ,
Art: ALESSANDRO NESPOLINO
Colors: AXEL GONZALBO
Cover: RONAN TOULHOAT
FC, 104 pages, $17.99, HC, 7" x 10"
When members of England’s literati begin disappearing without ransom or a trace, Sherlock Holmes springs into action! But the mastermind behind the abductions may prove too cunning even for the great detective!
• The second follow-up to the thrilling Sherlock Holmes and the Vampires of London!
Doggonit, I forgot to order the Vampires book, which I had intended to try. Now I don't know if I like this series or not. Anybody else read it?
DC COMICS
VARIANT COVERS
This month's variant covers are all by Neal Adams. This week's include Action Comics #49, Detective Comics #49, Green Arrow #49, Green Lantern #49 and Telos #5.
BIZARRO (TPB)
Written by HEATH CORSON
Art and cover by GUSTAVO DUARTE
144 pg, FC, $14.99 US
Superman’s mirror-opposite enemy is back in his own solo series collecting the 6-issue miniseries and the Sneak Peek story from CONVERGENCE: SUPERMAN: MAN OF STEEL #2! But let’s describe this in a way that makes sense:
“Hate HARLEY QUINN? Then you will super hate BIZARRO! Bizarro star of worstest comic ever! Go ahead and miss it! If there’s one thing this graphic novel not have, it these two things: Jimmy Olsen and Chupacabras!”
This was a fun series, for the most part.
The part that wasn't was Jimmy Olsen; despite being drawn in a cartoon fashion that made him funny to see, he wasn't very funny. In fact, he was both humorless and calculating. It wasn't a good look for any character, much less J.O.
However, I doubt I'm spoiling much when I say his story arc is one of learning a life lesson and becoming a better person. And the reason is the good part of the story: Bizarro.
This isn't the moron of previous appearances, although he isn't very bright. And he isn't the villain or pawn-of-villain of recent vintage, although he does often cause a lot of property damage. And while he maintains the backwards-talking to an extent, it isn't so consistent as to become incomprehensible.
He is instead an innocent abroad -- not stupid, but childlike. And like all children, he learns. But despite learning how awful people can be, his relentless optimism and good-heartedness changes those he meets for the better. Not everyone shifts to Lawful Good -- I think we saw the origin of Bizarro's first nemesis -- but most folks come around to a more positive view of the world.
And that makes for a very pleasant read, as well as a funny one. Look for the homage to Victor Buono!
JUSTICE LEAGUE: GODS AND MONSTERS (HC)
Written by J.M. DeMATTEIS and BRUCE TIMM
Art by THONY SILAS and others
Cover by DARICK ROBERTSON
200 pg, FC, $22.99 US
Prequel to the DC Universe movie Justice League: Gods & Monsters! In this alternate universe where Superman is Zod’s son, Batman is a vampire and Wonder Woman is a descendant of New Genesis, these powerful and dangerous loners are drawn together by a man who claims he can bring humanity to the next level of evolution. But are Jackson Alpert and his immortal Forever People what they claim to be? Will they save the earth—or conquer it? Collects JUSTICE LEAGUE: GODS AND MONSTERS – BATMAN #1, JUSTICE LEAGUE: GODS AND MONSTERS – SUPERMAN #1, JUSTICE LEAGUE: GODS AND MONSTERS – WONDER WOMAN #1 and JUSTICE LEAGUE: GODS AND MONSTERS #1-3.
This was an interesting twist on the DC Trinity, with none of the three even genetically who they are in the DCU. Superman is the son of Zod, and raised in Latin America; Wonder Woman is Bekka, the granddaughter of Highfather; and Batman is Kirk Langstrom, whose search for a cure for cancer turned him into, essentially, Morbius.
The downside is that I've so many versions of these three characters that I've almost got doppelganger fatigue. No matter how inventive these versions are, at time I found myself skimming, because I've run through this rat maze a jillion times before. You can almost guess when Luthor's going to show up. (And he does.)
On the other hand, there's no denying that these are inventive versions of DC's big three, especially Wonder Woman (I think I actually prefer this origin to her real one). And the execution was also inventive, again especially with Wonder Woman (who became a warrior for peace via the hippie movement of the 1960s). I'm not terribly crazy about the arrogant Superman, but Batman pulls his weight better in this troika by having actual super-powers.
All in all, more good than bad -- and I suspect we'll see them again in the next Crisis/Flashpoint/Convergence.
PREZ VOL. 1: CORNDOG IN CHIEF (TPB)
Written by MARK RUSSELL
Art by BEN CALDWELL, MARK MORALES, SEAN PARSONS and DOMONIKE STANTON
Cover by BEN CALDWELL
160 pg, FC, $14.99 US
Meet Beth Ross, the first teenaged President of the United States. In a nation where corporations can run for office, the poor are used as human billboards, and tacos are delivered by drone, our only hope is this nineteen-year-old Twitter sensation. But the real question isn’t whether she’s ready for politics—it’s whether politics is ready for her.
Writer Mark Russell (God Is Disappointed in You) and artist Ben Caldwell (Star Wars: Clone Wars) take on a very unusual hero in these stories from PREZ #1-6, along with the Sneak Peek story from CONVERGENCE: BATGIRL #2.
Life is too short to read everything, even though I had a review copy of this. Did I miss something good, Legionnaires?
IDW PUBLISHING
AMAZING FOREST #2
Writers: ULISES FARINAS & ERICK FREITAS
Art: CAITLIN ROSE BOYLE, ANGELICA BLEVINS, BUSTER MOODY, JACK FORBES
Cover: ULISES FARINAS
Subscription Variant: MATT HORAK
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
Tales for the bold. Ideas for the strange. Ulises Farinas, Erick Freitas, and a cavalcade of new talents bring to life amazing fantastical tales: a detective hunts down a cannibal cult! A villain fed up with the evil business! A king tries to protect his people from turning into giraffes! And a tale of creation run amok!
• A collection of the greatest stories ever told, from the minds of Ulises Farinas & Erick Freitas (Judge Dredd: Mega-City Zero)!
• 32 pages of pure allegorical madness!
That's some cover!
DEVIL TALES (HC)
Writers/Art: Various
HC • FC • 8.5” x 11” • 148 Pages • $24.99
Beware puny mortals, the gates of Hell have opened wide, as The Chilling Archives of Horror Comics serves up another diabolical dish of Golden Age horror hits--and this time direct from the burning bowels of Hades itself! Edited by Steve Banes, aka Mr. Karswell, Devil Tales stars Satan himself (and in one story, herself!) in over two dozen scorching stories of demonic power, and features artwork from top fan favorites like Don Heck, Gene Colan, Dick Ayers, Lou Cameron, Bob Powell, Howard Nostrand and more! An infernal introduction, plus a cursed cover gallery guaranteed to swallow your soul. The hottest book of 2015 already has you under it's Satanic spell!
This is probably one story after another where some idiot signs a contract with Satan thinking he can outsmart Ol' Scratch. If horror comics have taught us anything, never sign a contract with Satan! Also, never visit that castle in Europe you inherited from relatives you didn't know you had. Also, never steal from headhunting natives or search for the Yeti. Actually, horror comics were pretty educational.
HAUNTED HORROR PRE-CODE COVER COLORING BOOK (TPB)
Art: Various
Cover: FRANK FRAZETTA
TPB • BW • $9.99 • 64 Pages • 8.5” x 11”
Beware horror fan, for the blood(-red marker) is on your hands in this brand-new coloring book for adults! Featuring Pre-Code comic book cover frights from Frank Frazetta, Wally Wood, L.B. Cole, Dick Briefer, Don Heck, Lee Elias, Bob Powell, Howard Nostrand and many more! This do-it-yourself deluge of dark delights is sure to send goosebumps of tittilation and stand hairs straight on end for fans of the gruesome, gross, and macabre! Nearly 60 full page scare-filled classic horror covers for you to color from the creepiest, most sordid publishers of the time!
• Add your touch to classic horror stories by the masters!
• Frazetta, Wood, Briefer, Cole, Heck, Powell and more!
I don't understand the appeal of adult coloring books. Wouldn't it be more fun -- and more challenging -- to have these online, and use Photoshop or Illustrator to color them? But I am a bear of very little imagination. The popularity of these things -- there are plenty more in the pipeline -- show that many people who are not me do find them appealing.
IMAGE COMICS
BLACK SCIENCE PREMIERE HC: BEGINNERS GUIDE TO ENTROPY
Publisher: IMAGE COMICS
Writer: RICK REMENDER
Art/Cover: MATTEO SCALERA
$49.99
Collecting the first three arcs of the seminal pulp sci-fi smash hit by jive-ass, super powered, disco dancers RICK REMENDER and MATTEO SCALERA. Crammed with sketches, concept art and other rare goodies in a glorious oversized 8"x12" hardcover, truly the most incredible edition of BLACK SCIENCE in all the Eververse.
Collects BLACK SCIENCE #1-16.
I don't know why anyone who reads Black Science wouldn't already have the first 16 issues in one form or another. But here's a deluxe version if you want to trade up.
MIRROR #1
Writer: EMMA RÍOS
Art/Cover: HWEI LI
32 PAGES / FC / M / $2.99
EMMA RÍOS (PRETTY DEADLY, ISLAND) and HWEI LIM (Lalage, Hero) team up for a new ongoing series, following a terrorist talking dog, an idealist mage and a heroic lab rat on their quest for acceptance.
Here's another entry in the First Issue Sweepstakes, and one of the few that hasn't made me want to read it immediately. Not my cup of tea, I guess.
SHUTTER #18
Story: JOE KEATINGE
ART / COVER: LEILA DEL DUCA & OWEN GIENI
32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99
NEW STORY ARC
"All Roads" Part One
Kate knows everything—and we don't! The first issue in a new chapter, “All Roads,” that sheds light on the past Kate (and company) tried to leave behind, and where they’re going next.
All roads converge. Not everyone survives the trip.
Previously in SHUTTER, Kate Kristopher, once the most famous explorer of an Earth far more fantastic than the one we know, was forced to return to the adventurous life she left behind when a family secret threatened to destroy everything she spent her life protecting.
“Shutter has operated at a breakneck pace of raising questions and expanding the mystery around Kate Kristopher's family, but with ‘All Roads,’ Kate knows the truth behind everything and we take the time to see its dire consequence,” said Keatinge.
“This arc features some never-seen-before backstories involving romance, imaginary friends, and forbidden origami toys, all set in incredible locations around the world!” said Del Duca. “Owen and I have a blast experimenting with new art styles, as per usual, in between our typical textured style, and look forward to having you join the Shutter characters in the next leg of their journey.”
Writer Joe Keatinge (RINGSIDE, GLORY, TECH JACKET), artist extraordinaire Leila Del Duca, and colorist Owen Gieni (MANIFEST DESTINY) will launch a new story arc in their ongoing globe-trotting urban fantasy series SHUTTER this February.
Praise for SHUTTER:
“As in the best fantasy, all the wildly imaginative elements come together to create a story that makes you care.”—“The Best Graphic Novels of 2015” Barnes & Noble Sci-Fi & Fantasy blog
“Keatinge and Del Duca have created a contemporary world that teems with casual miracles and feels all the more real and lived in for it."—Booklist (Starred)
"Fun and vibrant, Shutter is a wild ride of a comic"—Entertainment Weekly
Image is so excited about this new story arc in Shutter that they sent me this gigantic press release. Enjoy!
THE WALKING DEAD #151
Story: ROBERT KIRKMAN
Art: CHARLIE ADLARD, STEFANO GAUDIANO, & CLIFF RATHBURN
Cover: CHARLIE ADLARD & DAVE STEWART
32 PAGES / BW / M / $2.99
NEW STORY ARC
New York Times bestselling writer/creator Robert Kirkman (OUTCAST BY KIRKMAN & AZACETA, INVINCIBLE), Eisner award nominated artist and co-conspirator Charlie Adlard, inker Stefano Gaudiano, and greyscalist Cliff Rathburn will launch a new story arc in the bestselling Skybound series THE WALKING DEAD.
Previously in THE WALKING DEAD, Rick Grimes was betrayed.
In THE WALKING DEAD #151, a call to arms is issued.
Once again, a new story arc, a press release. Not much information in it, I must say. I guess they figure Walking Dead doesn't need much help.
MARVEL COMICS
CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY VIBRANIUM COLLECTION (HC)
Written by JOE SIMON, JACK KIRBY, STAN LEE, STEVE ENGLEHART, MIKE FRIEDRICH, ROGER STERN, MARK GRUENWALD, KIERON DWYER, MARK WAID, ED BRUBAKER & RICK REMENDER
Penciled by JACK KIRBY, JOE SIMON, AL AVISON, JOHN ROMITA SR., SAL BUSCEMA, JOHN BYRNE, KIERON DWYER,
RON GARNEY, STEVE EPTING, MICHAEL LARK & STUART IMMONEN
Cover by ALEX ROSS
824 PGS / Rated T+ / $200.00
Celebrate 75 years of the Sentinel of Liberty with this Vibranium-sized, slipcased collection of Captain America’s greatest adventures from each decade — from the Golden Age, to Cap’s 1950s revival, to his return after years on ice! Cap battles the Red Skull and his Sleepers, socks Hitler in the jaw, faces M.O.D.O.K. and the Secret Empire, and races against time in Baron Zemo’s Bloodstone Hunt! Bucky Barnes returns as the Winter Soldier, and the Falcon steps up to wield the shield for an all-new era! Iconic tales of suspense from a score of industry legends! Collecting CAPTAIN AMERICA (1968) #169-175, #255 and #445-448; CAPTAIN AMERICA (2005) #8-9 and #11-14; and ALL-NEW CAPTAIN AMERICA #1-6 — plus material from CAPTAIN AMERICA COMICS #1-2, #7 and #10; CAPTAIN AMERICA (1954) #76-78; TALES OF SUSPENSE #72-74 and #92-94; and CAPTAIN AMERICA (1968) #357-362.
This sure is an eclectic group of Cap stories. What do y'all think of them? Are they really the best of each decade?
DAREDEVIL BY MARK WAID VOL. 4 (HC)
Written by MARK WAID
Penciled by CHRIS SAMNEE, JAVIER RODRIGUEZ & PETER KRAUSE
Cover by CHRIS SAMNEE
312 PGS / Rated T+ / $34.99 / Trim size: oversized
Marvel’s fearless hero begins an awe-inspiring adventure in sunny San Francisco! Daredevil has headed West, and he now protects the Golden City’s streets from evil — both as a costumed hero and as blind lawyer Matt Murdock! But big changes are in store for Matt as old haunts and familiar faces rise to give the devil his due, and one of DD’s oldest enemies is permanently redefined, deadlier than ever. The Owl is back, and he isn’t working alone. The Shroud makes DD’s new life tough — but the Purple Children may destroy it completely! Plus: Kirsten and Matt find themselves sharing a volatile secret, the truth about Matt’s mother is revealed — and what killed Foggy Nelson?! And if that’s not enough, celebrate Daredevil’s fiftieth anniversary with a look into the future! Collecting DAREDEVIL (2014) #1-10, #1.50 and #0.1.
This is where I stopped buying Daredevil and decided to trade-wait. And now that DD is no longer in San Francisco and has re-launched AGAIN, should I even bother to read these? Sound off, Legionnaires!
DEADPOOL AND THE MERCS FOR MONEY #1
Written by CULLEN BUNN
Art by SALVA ESPIN
Cover by DECLAN SHALVEY
Action Figure Variant by JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
Design Variant by MIKE HAWTHORNE
Variant Cover by RON LIM
Hip-Hop Variant by RAHZZAH
32 PGS / Parental Advisory / $3.99
Deadpool, Deadpool and more Deadpool! That’s right – he may be an Avenger now, but he’s also got his own team of private mercenaries. And they’re all coming at you in DEADPOOL AND THE MERCS FOR MONEY #1 – a brand new limited series from fan-favorite Deadpool creators Cullen Bunn and Salva Espin!
“With Mercs for Money, chaos and mayhem take center stage,” say series writer Cullen Bunn in an interview with Marvel.com. “This is an action/adventure story that gets more and more wild with every issue.”
Even Deadpool can’t be everywhere at once, so if you’ve got a problem and a pile of money you’d like to be rid of – the legally-cleared-to-be-called Mercs for Money can help! You know Deadpool, but now it’s time to get acquainted with Stingray, Massacre, Solo, Foolkiller, Terror and Slapstick! Point them at the problem and watch as it’s shot, stabbed, pulverized and generally made bloody!
But when the Mercs are hired to retrieve a strange artifact from the Beyond Corporation – they’ll soon find themselves in over their heads and up to their eyeballs in all manner of deadly assassins! Don’t miss the kickoff to the pandemonium this February in DEADPOOL AND THE MERCS FOR MONEY #1!
I came to enjoy Deadpool later than most fans, and still have a pretty low tolerance. This just looks really stupid. But I've been surprised by Deadpool before ...
GIANT-SIZE LITTLE MARVEL: AVX (HC)
Writer/Art/Cover: SKOTTIE YOUNG
120 PGS / Rated T / $24.99 / Trim size: oversized
Skottie Young brings out the big guns … and the little Marvels … in the series fans have been waiting for! In the Battleworld zone known as Marville, playtime is serious business — and Marville’s pint-sized heroes are working overtime to prove to their new neighbors which crew is toughest! With super-powered dodgeball, high-tech hideouts and eye-puns aplenty, Marvel’s most adorable heroes aren’t pulling any punches in this larger-than-life, fun-sized adventure. Featuring all your favorites (just, you know, shorter) including Cyclops, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Wolverine and more as the toughest, funniest, craziest and most adorable Marvel heroes throw down in a battle of the fittest! The smaller they are, the harder they brawl — this is Battleworld, after all! Collecting GIANT-SIZE LITTLE MARVEL: AVX #1-4, A-BABIES VS. X-BABIES #1.
Wow, I was completely unaware that this book -- which I studiously avoided when it was coming out -- was Secret Wars related. Did any of our Secret Wars readers read it and like it?
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #6
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Art & Cover by MIKE DEODATO
Variant Cover by MICHAEL CHO
Classic Variant by NEAL ADAMS
Young Variant by SKOTTIE YOUNG
Story Thus Far Variant by JULIAN TOTINO TEDESCO
32 PGS / Rated T+ / $3.99
Strap in, suit up and hold on, because the second arc of the flagship Marvel title starts here! Today, Marvel is please to present your first look inside INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #6 – the explosive first chapter of “The War Machines”! Blockbuster creators Brian Michael Bendis and Mike Deodato unite to bring you the next chapter in Tony Stark’s life. All is not right within the house of Stark as he uncovers threats from within and threats from without. Now, he must delve into the nooks and crannies of his international organization to discover the truth. And he’s bringing a friend: James “Rhodey” Rhodes – the War Machine! Plus, the first big clues to 2016’s CIVIL WAR II begin here! Don’t miss the kickoff to the exciting new storyline and a perfect jumping on point this February in INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #6!
Hey, check it out! Marvel's doing the "new story arc press release" thing now! Monkey see, monkey do, I guess.
MARVEL UNIVERSE DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE DIGEST
Written by PAUL TOBIN, FRED VAN LENTE & JOE CARAMAGNA
Penciled by RONAN CLIQUET, GURIHIRU & MATTEO LOLLI
Featuring screen-capture images from MARVEL’S ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN: WEB-WARRIORS
Cover by ED MCGUINNESS
96 PGS / All Ages / $9.99
Feisty fun for the whole family with two of Marvel’s most popular superstars!
• Everybody loves Deadpool, right? Somebody ought to tell the Avengers! Can the Merc with a Mouth fast-talk his way out of a confrontation with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes?
• At least Spider-Man can see Wade Wilson’s appeal — until a day in the life of Deadpool shows him a little something about power and irresponsibility.
• Wolverine’s keen to teach Spidey a lesson, too, when he finds out the web-head is following him — and he is one tutor who makes sure you get the point!
• And what was Wolvie up to just before he first tangled with the Hulk? Find out here!
Collecting MARVEL ADVENTURES SUPER HEROES (2010) #4, MARVEL UNIVERSE ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN: WEB-WARRIORS #8, FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2009: WOLVERINE and MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN (2010) #3.
Aaaaand, more Deadpool. Is he really appropriate for "all ages"?
SCARLET WITCH #3
Writer: JAMES ROBINSON
Art: STEVE DILLON
Cover BY DAVID AJA
VARIANT COVER BY MICHAEL CHO
VARIANT COVER BY TBA
32 PGS / Rated T+ / $3.99
• A magical curse has befallen the Irish countryside and only the SCARLET WITCH has the cure!
• A powerful new magician by the name of the EMERALD WARLOCK has his eye on Wanda…but is he friend or foe?
• Wanda discovers that there is much more to her family history than meets the eye…
I'm not trying to be snarky, but "Wanda discovers that there is much more to her family history than meets the eye" goes without saying, because at this point I'm not even sure what her family history is. Who are her parents again?
SPIDER-MAN #1
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Art & Cover by SARA PICHELLI
Hip-Hop Variant by ADI GRANOV
Variant Covers by MICHAEL CHO, SKOTTIE YOUNG and MARK BAGLEY
Blank Variant Also Available
32 PGS / Rated T / $3.99
He’s the wallcrawler that made pop culture history and took the Ultimate Universe by storm. Now he’s ready to make history again, as he finds a new home in a completely new universe. Welcome to the Marvel Universe Miles Morales – hope you survive the experience! Today, Marvel is pleased to announce SPIDER-MAN #1 – a brand-new ongoing series starring Miles Morales coming later this year. Comic superstars and Miles Morales co-creators Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli begin the story that will have the whole world talking!
“Four years ago, we peeled back Spider-Man’s iconic mask to reveal a new and different face, and readers of all stripes have embraced him,” says Marvel Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso. “I’m excited to announce that Miles Morales is here to stay – and this Fall, he’s going to be swinging through the heart of the Marvel Universe. Can new friends and enemies be far behind?”
A stranger in a strange land, Miles patrols the rooftops of a New York City that is very different from the one he knew. A world where countless heroes guard it’s skies and streets. A world where Miles is counted among the ranks of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, the Avengers. A world where Peter Parker is still alive. Though their paths have crossed before the landmark series Spider-Men, with Miles now living in Peter’s universe – is this town big enough for two Spider-Men? More importantly – how did Miles come to be here in the first place?!
“This is a very big deal to [Sarah and I],” says Brian Michael Bendis in an interview with Marvel.com. “For [Miles] to have grown up and flat-out earned his place in the Marvel Universe, as Spider-Man, is frankly so much more than we could have hoped for when we first sat down to design him and his life. When it became clear that I was going to follow Miles into this new adventure I was really hoping that Sara would see the value in it being both of us that do this together. I was thrilled that she agreed immediately.”
Critically lauded for his resonant and relevant introduction, Miles Morales made headlines the world over with his explosive introduction in 2011. Now, the chart-topping team of Bendis & Pichelli begin the epic next chapter of Miles Morales’ life is about to begin. Where will you be when he makes his thunderous arrival into our universe?
Swing into action with Miles Morales, the Marvel Universe’s newest amazing, spectacular, sensational, friendly neighborhood wallcrawler later this year with SPIDER-MAN #1!
So, if I'm interpreting this right, Peter Parker is going to be a grown-up Spider-Man, while Miles Morales takes his place as the goofy, immature, hard-luck Spider-Man. Right?
THE SUPERIOR FOES OF SPIDER-MAN OMNIBUS (HC)
Written by NICK SPENCER, JAMES ASMUS, TOM PEYER & ELLIOT KALAN
Penciled by STEVE LIEBER, RICHARD ELLIS, CARMEN CARNERO, NUNO PLATI & MORE
Cover by MARCOS MARTIN
376 PGS / Rated T+ / $49.99 / Trim size: oversized
The spidery sleeper-hit series is collected in one stylish, superior volume! Boomerang and his “team” of villains have a plan and the means to pull it off, but they’re about to learn the hard way that you can’t steal the head of cyborg mob boss Silvermane without severe repercussions! Now, Boomerang has been targeted for death — but what does the Beetle know about it? Is Overdrive a rat? Can Shocker and Boomerang repair their relationship? And if Speed Demon can’t do the time, then he shouldn’t have done the crime! Now the Foes are up against the world’s most dangerous thing: the truth! Manhattan descends into chaos as the gang war begins! Lives are lost, feelings are hurt, and car keys get misplaced as the Foes take on all comers! Collecting THE SUPERIOR FOES OF SPIDER-MAN #1-17.
Two thumbs up. I had no idea this book was so much fun until one of you Legionnaires recommended it, and from that point on my only complaint was how irregularly it came out! Now here's the story all in one place, so even that complaint is moot.
OTHER PUBLISHERS
ANYA'S GHOST (GN)
Publisher: :01 FIRST SECOND
Writer/Art/Cover: VERA BROSGOL
$15.99
Anya would give almost anything if she could have a real friend. So she takes the first offer of friendship she gets - from a ghost! But things don't quite go the way she'd expected.
This is a re-issue. Anya's Ghost first appeared in 2011, and won an Eisner Award for "Best Publication for Young Adults" and a Harvey Award for "Best Original Graphic Publication for Younger Readers."
DEJAH THORIS #1
Publisher: DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT
Writer: FRANK J. BARBIERE
Art: FRANCESCO MANNA
Cover B: JAY ANACLETO "Connecting"
Cover C: TULA LOTAY
32 page / Teen + / $3.99Cover A: NEN
Prepare yourself for Dejah Thoris as you've never seen her before! A shocking conspiracy unravels in Helium as Dejah's father has gone missing. In the wake of assuming the throne, Dejah learns secret information from her past that will have resounding effects on the kingdom -- and her life! Join Frank J. Barbiere (The Howling Commandos of SHIELD, The Precinct) and Francesco Manna (Vampirella #100) as Dejah discovers a secret past that will have her leaving Helium for an all-new adventure on her own!
This new series launches from a concept by Gail Simone, who has re-imagined all of Dynamite's leading ladies (mostly with more clothing). But I've been surprised by how much I've enjoyed the other Barsoom books, and I'll probably enjoy this series as well.
FUTURE SHOCK ZERO (GN)
Publisher: BIG PLANET/ RETROFIT COMICS
Writer/Art: Various
Cover: JORDAN SPEER
Mature / $18.00 / 136 color pages, 7.5 inches by 10.5 inches
Future Shock Zero is a monumental comix anthology focusing loosely around the watchwords of Sci Fi Astro Plus. It is packed to the gills with talent from the razor's edge of the thunderground. Your eyes will be bathed in the soothing glow of all the spectacle contained within.
I'm always suspicious when a publisher promises hot talent, but doesn't throw us any big names. So I looked up who the contributors are: LALA ALBERT, WILLIAM CARDINI, MARINE BLANDIN, JASON MURPHY, VICTOR KERLOW, ALEX DEGEN, VINCENT GIARD, PAT AULISIO, KEREN KATZ, ALEKS SENNWALD, PETE TOMS, SUNGYOON CHOI, TORY SICA, SOPHIA FOSTER-DIMINO, BEN URKOWITZ, ANUJ SHRESTHA and JOSH BURGGRAF.
I don't recognize any of those names, but maybe you do.
GRIMM FAIRY TALES: ESCAPE FROM MONSTER ISLAND #1
Publisher: ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT INC
Writers: RALPH TEDESCO, JOE BRUSHA
Cover A: ORTIZ
Cover B: MYCHAELS
Cover C: KROME
Cover D: REYES
Mature / $3.99
Years ago, unbeknownst to the public, the U.S. government began to capture more and more various creatures, building a walled city and setting up an experimental testing facility on an abandoned island in the Pacific Ocean.
Within a few years the island was filled with hundreds of different creatures, and government scientists worked to understand them.
But in 2012 disaster struck and the island was evacuated. Now the inmates have taken over and gangs of different species fight for control within the city walls.
But something was left behind on Monster Island, something the government desperately needs. And the only way to recover it is to send an elite unit into the most dangerous place in the world: Monster Island.
This doesn't seem terribly original, and I'm not impressed with the cover art. But it's a first issue with variant covers, so here they are.
I, MAGE #1
Publisher: ACTION LAB ENTERTAINMENT
Writer: GARY TURNER
Art: CARLOS E. GÓMEZ
Colors: EDDY-SWAN
Cover Main: CARLOS E. GÓMEZ & ÉTIENNE ST. LAURENT
Cover Artist Variant A: JASON PEARSON
Cover Artist Variant B: JONBOY MEYERS & EDDY-SWAN
32 pgs./ A / FC / $3.99 (reg.) $4.99 (var.)
Into a realm of magic and savagery comes a mysterious boy washed ashore. His is a lone survivor. Befriended by an apprentice magi, her quirky mentor, and a metal golem, together they are Kai’s only hope to stay alive long enough for rescue. Prepare yourself for a d20 RPG adventure with an all new twist. Two variant covers limited to 1,500 copies each!
If this looks familiar, it's because we had a zero issue a few weeks ago -- so, presumably, you already know if you like this series or not. I think the punctuation in the title is new, though.
KENNEL BLOCK BLUES #1
Publisher: BOOM! STUDIOS
Writer: RYAN FERRIER
Art/Cover: DANIEL BAYLISS
$3.99
What's to Love: From Oz to Shawshank Redemption, we just love great prison dramas. But what if the prison in question ... is an animal shelter? Ryan Ferrier (Curb Stomp) and Daniel Bayliss (Translucid) combine the tradition of great anthropomorphic stories like Wild's End and Blacksad with the madcap twists of Six-Gun Gorilla and The Spire in their new series Kennel Block Blues.
What It Is: Oliver is a good dog. A family dog. But without warning, he's sentenced to Jackson Kennel, where he's instantly placed on Death Row with the rest of his fellow inmates, awaiting a lethal appointment on The Table if salvation doesn't come. He'll need help escaping the Kennel, but when the stress of prison life builds, he starts escaping reality instead, imagining a fantasy world of cartoon friends. It's time to break out ... into a musical number?
If I'm going to read anthropomorphic-animal crime noir, I'll go with Blacksad. I read the preview, and it looked a little silly to me. But, hey, YMMV.
LAIKA (SC NEW PTG)
Publisher: :01 FIRST SECOND
Writer/Art: NICK ABADZIS
208 pages / FC / $18.99
Laika was an abandoned puppy destined to become Earth's first space traveler. Nick Abadzis masterfully blends fiction and fact in the intertwined stories of three compelling lives. Along with Laika, there is Korolev, the driven engineer at the top of the Soviet space program, and Yelena, the lab technician responsible for Laika's health and life. Abadzis gives life to a pivotal moment in modern history, casting light on the hidden moments of deep humanity behind history.
If this book doesn't bring you to tears, you're not human.
MIKE WOLFER'S GALLERY OF TERROR #1
Publisher: MIKE WOLFER ENTERTAINMENT
Writer/Art/Cover: MIKE WOLFER
Mature / $5.99
Alluring creatures of legend come to horrifying life in this collection of full-color works of art by cult indy comic artist Mike Wolfer and colorist Ceci de la Cruz! For the first time in his 29-year career, Wolfer has a pin-up book devoted solely to his work, and dedicated to his unique brand of supernatural heroines and villainesses from the pages of Daughters of the Dark Oracle, Widow, and beyond! Also available with a nude cover.
The words "also available with a nude cover" do not fill me with confidence that the book's appeal is based on quality writing and art.
PROVIDENCE #7
Publisher: AVATAR PRESS INC
Writer: ALAN MOORE
Art/Cover: JACEN BURROWS
Mature / $4.99
Robert Black came looking for a story but what he found is a world of misery and woe. He's become a broken man only beginning to accept the horrors of the Lovecraftian world are real and hiding in plain sight. Alan Moore and artist Jacen Burrows have delivered a slow burn tale of fear and underlying dread that has delighted fans and scholars alike. Moore has written every cover detail, every single page, and every nuance of this work to create his most fully-realized vision to date. Fans of Moore's immersive style and meticulous grasp of storytelling will be thrilled to add this essential piece of comics history to their collections! Available with Regular, Pantheon, Portrait, Dreamscape Wraparound, Women of HPL, and a special Ancient Tome Incentive cover, all by collaborator Jacen Burrows.
Alan Moore alert!
QUEEN OF VAMPIRES #1
Publisher: ARH COMIX
Writers: ABRAHAM KAWA, ARAHOM RADJAH
Art: MANOS LAGOUVARDOS
Cover: CHRISTOS MARTINIZ
Mature / $3.99
Arkhalla, a powerful and cruel queen, has ruled over her realm of vampires and humans with an iron fist. Her fascinating beauty and power have brought even the most powerful men to their knees until the day she finds herself falling in forbidden love.!
I think when you apply for "Queen of Vampires," you have to have "cruel, powerful and beautiful" on your resume. Aren't all these vampire queens lucky that they get bit at the precise peak of their beauty? I've already passed the point where I'd want to get bit. Imagine being bald and paunchy for eternity!
SCHOOL JUDGMENT GAKKYU HOTEI VOL 1 (GN)
Publisher: VIZ MEDIA LLC
Writer/Art: TAKESHI OBATA
Teen / $9.99
At Tenbin Elementary, there is only one way to settle a dispute-in a court of law! All disputes bypass the teachers and are settled by some of the best lawyers in the country...who also happen to be elementary school students. The accused this time is a boy named Tento. His crime? Murder of the beloved class fish Suzuki! Luckily for him, the state has sent him a defense attorney, Abaku Inugami. But is this wild young lawyer skilled enough to argue his client off the hook?
For teen audiences.
Pre-Teen, Pacific-Scene, Rated-Teen Attorneys. Because why not?
SKYDOLL DECADE (GN)
Publisher: TITAN COMICS
Writers: ALESSANDRO BARBUCCI, BARBARA CANEPA
Art: BARBARA CANEPA, ALESSANDRO BARBUCCI
Mature / $34.99
When Noa the Sky Doll is liberated from her life of drudgery by missionaries, it turns out that she is more than just a pretty android built for pleasure. With religion, sensuality and what it means to be human all at stake, Noa must find her true purpose in life.
I don't think there's an original thought anywhere in this concept. I think Alex & Ada, Aphrodite IX, Blade Runner and dozens of other stories have covered the sex-robot-gains-free-will idea pretty well. Even without the sex part, robots wanting to be human is so common it has a name in genre fiction (Pinocchio Syndrome). But maybe the execution will lift this book above the cliche.
TIPPING POINT (HC)
Publisher: HUMANOIDS INC
Writer/Art: BOULET & VARIOUS
Cover: ENKI BILAl
$29.95 / Ultra Deluxe, $499.00
An all-new collection featuring the work of some of the greatest sequential art creators in the world. Each of these visionaries, from the worlds of manga, bande dessinée, and comics, has written and drawn an original story for this unique anthology, which explores the key moment when a clear-cut split occurs, a mutation, a personal revolt or a large-scale revolution that tips us from one world into another, from one life to an entirely new one: The Tipping Point. From slice-of-life tales to science-fiction and fantastical fables, witness these major changes and evolution through the eyes of artists such as Eddie Campbell, John Cassaday, Bob Fingerman, Paul Pope, Naoki Urasawa, Taiyo Matsumoto and Enki Bilal. Available in a regular edition and an Ultra Deluxe Slipcase Edition limited to 100 copies, each with 14 individually signed bookplates.
Now, see, this is an anthology with an impressive array of contributors -- and you can tell right away because they aren't the slightest bit reluctant to put those names in the solicitation!
VAMPBLADE #1
Writer: JASON MARTIN
Art: WINSTON YOUNG
Cover Artists: Winston Young (regular and “goo” variant), TMChu (artist variant),
Dan Mendoza (“Booty” variant), Jerry Gaylord (“Homage” variant), Andrew Mangum (“90s Cheesecake” variant)
“Goo” Incentive Variant (can order 1 for every 5 regular copies ordered): WINSTON YOUNG
Artist Variant (limited to 2000): TMCHU
“Booty” Variant (limited to 2000): DAN MENDOZA
“Homage” variant cover (limited to 2000): JERRY GAYLORD
“ '90s Cheesecake” Risque Variant (limited to 2500): ANDREW MANGUM
“ '90s Cheesecake” Risque Black and White Variant (can order 1 for every 50 regular copies ordered) ANDREW MANGUM
32 pgs./ Mature Readers/ FC $3.99 (reg.) / $4.99 (Var.)
Debuting at Halloween ComicFest and in the pages of Zombie Tramp, the co-writer and artist of Zombie Tramp unleash breakout character Vampblade in her own all-new ongoing series!
When a young comic shop employee is transformed by mystical blades into a walking talking (and slicing & dicing) '90s comic book bad girl, she must quickly learn how to survive the new grotesque world the blades reveal.
Now, other-dimensional parasites hidden all around us resembling the “space vampires” from the 90s comic, Vampblade, are all too real, and out for her blood!
I predicted that Action Lab was trying to launch this character in her own book, and lo, here she is.
VORACIOUS #1
Publisher: ACTION LAB
Writer: MARKISAN NASO
Art/Covers: JASON MUHR
$4.99
JURASSIC WORLD MEETS TOP CHEF! Haunted by the death of his sister, Chef Nate Willner has lost his desire to cook. Forced to move back to his hometown in Utah and work at a coffee shop, Nate's life is quickly becoming a dead end. But when he unexpectedly inherits a time travel suit that takes him to the age of dinosaurs, Nate's passion for cooking is reignited! Extra-Sized Debut Issue! 64 Delicious Pages!
Featuring a wraparound variant cover by Thrillbent at SDCC 2015 Contest Winner and VORACIOUS series artist Jason Muhr! Limited to 1,500 copies.
I still find food-oriented entertainment a bit baffling. (You can't taste it! What's the point? Sorry.) But this looks kinda funny. Although I bet dinosaur steak would be pretty tough -- like alligator, only bigger.
X-O MANOWAR #44
Written by ROBERT VENDITTI
Art by ROBERT GILL
Cover A by PHIL JIMENEZ
Cover B by STEPHEN MOONEY
Variant Cover by STEPHEN SEGOVIA
$3.99 | 32 pgs | T+
X-O Manowar and Ninjak cut deep into "THE KILL LIST"!
Dispatched by MI-6 to dismantle a Vine terror cell before its next deadly attack, the Valiant Universe's fiercest warrior and most elite master assassin have reunited to locate their target…and they might already be too late! But as Commander Trill’s master plan comes to fruition, he may discover that his greatest enemy is within!
Epic storytellers Robert Venditti (WRATH OF THE ETERNAL WARRIOR) and Robert Gill (BOOK OF DEATH) plunge into the world of espionage and intrigue as X-O Manowar's latest page-turner hunts the heroes of the Valiant Universe!
And here is this week's contribution from Valiant.
Replies
DAREDEVIL BY MARK WAID VOL. 4 (HC)
This is where I stopped buying Daredevil and decided to trade-wait. And now that DD is no longer in San Francisco and has re-launched AGAIN, should I even bother to read these? Sound off, Legionnaires!
After being confused by all the reused numbering, I realized that this hardcover is pretty much the first two Waid softcovers, which happen to be the ones I've read so far. They are very good. I already have the other nine TPBs covering the rest of the Waid Daredevil run and have no doubt I will enjoy them. I guess they will be re-reprinted in the next three or four hardcovers.
I second the recommendation of that Daredevil volume. It might not be necessary to keep up with the current Marvel Universe -- but it's an excellent comic, one of the only Marvel books I was buying at the time.
Same with Prez. It's a lot of fun -- Ben Caldwell's art is terrific, and Mark Russell stirs in the satire a lot thicker than expected. I'm looking forward to the promised Volume 2, and hope we get it. (He'll be writing the new Flintstones book, too, which is why I'm looking forward to that in spite of myself.)
And as for adult coloring books, I'm not sure if I get the appeal either... but one of my friends loves them. She finds it really relaxing. (A little ironic, since her husband is a pro colorist; it's not relaxing for him, it's a job!) The Pre-Code Horror Cover book looks like an excellent way for me to dip my toe in -- I've seen Craig Yoe deliver a slideshow of those covers, and they're appalingly gruesome! Should be great fun.
Good info, fellas!