Comics Guide for June 29, 2016

Here's what I found interesting this week:

FIRST ISSUE ALERT

ANIMA DRUUNA #0 (HC)

Publisher: LO SCARABEO

Writer/Art/Cover: PAOLO ELEUTERI SERPIERI

Mature • $19.00

About 30 years after Morbus Gravis, Paolo Eleuteri Serpieri, one of the masters of erotic graphic novels, reveals a new chapter of Druuna's Saga. This exciting prequel is set in a still pristine world, immersed in a dreamlike silence, where you can better perceive sounds, tastes, tactile sensations. This graphic novel, wordless to envelop you in its artistry, features a short introduction in English, German, Italian and Spanish.

I thought I was familiar with the major European artists who like drawing nekkid ladeez, but this is a new one. He kinda looks like he's working in the usual Mobius/Manara style, so I'd probably like it.

THE BEST OF DC WAR ARTIST'S EDITION (HC)

Publisher: DC COMICS

HC • BW • 160 Pages • 12″ x 17″ • $100.00

DC Comics produced some of the very finest war comics ever, and by some of the best artists in the field. This spectacular Artist’s Edition will include an amazing selection of stories by the best of the best: Heath, Kirby, Kubert, Severin, and Toth—a veritable pantheon of classic war artists doing what they do best. As with all Artist’s Editions, these complete stories are scanned from the original art work and reproduced to the exacting standards that has garnered IDW five consecutive Eisner Awards for the Artist’s Edition series. If you are a fan of Classic DC war comics you cannot afford to miss this incredible book!

Honestly, sometimes when the Li'l Capn would look at a Joe Kubert story in the '60s or '70s, he'd think, "this guy is too good to work in comics." I'm glad Kubert did, though. And he sure deserves the big-book treatment, if anybody does!

THE BLACK HOOD #11

Publisher: ARCHIE COMICS

Writer: DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI

Art: RICK BURCHETT, KELLY FITZPATRICK, RACHEL DEERING

Cover A: GREG SMALLWOOD

Cover B: DAVID MACK

32-page • full color comic • $3.99 U.S.

Before the cataclysmic events of “Bullet’s Kiss” and “The Lonely Crusade,” there was another Black Hood—Kip Burland, a former police officer who vowed to fight the crimes that he couldn’t while wearing a badge. But what was he doing in Philadelphia the day he was accidentally shot and killed by Highway Patrolman Greg Hettinger? You’ll find out in this special flashback issue starring the Original Hood … and learn the shocking truth about what really happened that day. This is an essential one-shot you don’t want to miss, featuring art from classic Black Hood artist Rick Burchett!

Hey, a Kip Burland story! You won't see many of those any more ...

Incidentally, what kind of a name is "Kip"? Is it short for something? (Kipper? Kiptonite? Kippi Longstocking?) Or is it one of those Northeastern, prep-school, blueblood nicknames that nobody uses any more, like "Mitt"? Or what? I sure never met anyone named Kip in the South. Down here it's "Bubba" or "Trey."

BLACK JACK KETCHUM VOL 1

Publisher: IMAGE COMICS

Writer: BRIAN SCHIRMER

Art: CLAUDIA BALBONI

128 pages • FC • $14.99

"It is righteous good, man. Schirmer has serious chops. Definitely pick this up!!"

—Greg Rucka

From the creative team of writer Brian Schirmer and artist Claudia Balboni comes the weird western tale of BLACK JACK KETCHUM, collecting issues #1-4 in trade paperback this June.

In a dreamlike version of the Old West, Tom Ketchum struggles to clear his name—and stay alive—when he’s mistaken for wanton outlaw “Black Jack” Ketchum. With the aid of his talking sidearm, a secretive gambler, and a mute girl with a Winchester, Tom evades the mysterious Union and its supernatural enforcers, the faceless Dusters.

Praise for BLACK JACK KETCHUM:

Black Jack Ketchum is an exciting spin on the Weird Western, an explosion of iconography from a major new talent!”—Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Wolverine)

“It’s the Weird Western turned Lynchian.”—Kieron Gillen (THE WICKED + THE DIVINE)

"9 out of 10. A completely unexpected and wholly welcome addition to a revived genre, and like East of West, it opens a doorway to the weird through the shopfront of the familiar."—Newsarama

“An odd but compelling read, Black Jack Ketchum presents a supernatural mystery in the last wild place of the American frontier; a place where anything can happen and it does.”—Fangoria

“A mind-bending supernatural thriller.”—Big Comic Page

Black Jack Ketchum is a gun-toting whirlwind, a ‘wilder’ west if you will. I’m excited to see where it goes.”—Jim Zub (WAYWARD, Samurai Jack)

"If David Lynch did a Western, it might be a lot like Black Jack Ketchum."—Newsarama

I generally enjoy Weird Westerns, so I'll try to give this a read/review after the embargo. Meanwhile, here's the press release.

BLOODSHOT REBORN #14

Publisher: VALIANT COMICS

Written by JEFF LEMIRE

Art by MICO SUAYAN

Cover A by TOMAS GIORELLO

Cover B by BEN OLIVER

Cover C by KANO

Cover D by STEPHEN SEGOVIA

Valiant x CGC Variant by CLAYTON HENRY

Interlocking Variant by RYAN BODENHEIM

Variant Cover by DARICK ROBERTSON

B&W Sketch Variant by TOMAS GIORELLO

Valiant Linewide Variant by JEFF LEMIRE

$3.99 • 32 pgs. • T+

ALL-NEW ARC! "BLOODSHOT ISLAND" – PART 1

Valiant is proud to announce "BLOODSHOT ISLAND" – an all-new, four-part trial by fire beginning in BLOODSHOT REBORN #14! Jump on board one of the most acclaimed series in comics here as New York Times best-selling writer Jeff Lemire (Old Man Logan, Descender) and blockbuster artist Mico Suayan (BLOODSHOT REBORN) reunite for a relentless run through the jungle that will bring Project Rising Spirit's nanite-infused soldier head-to-head with fellow Bloodshots from decades past and the secretive killing machine driven to eliminate them each one by one – a calculating engine of destruction simply known as DEATHMATE!

Stranded on a mysterious desert island with no recollection of how he got there, Bloodshot is running for his life! But as he tries to make sense of his surroundings, he’s quickly discovering that this is no ordinary tropical paradise. … Surrounded by decommissioned relics of the same bloodstained project that created him – World War II Bloodshot, Cold War Bloodshot, Vietnam Bloodshot and other antiquated experiments – Bloodshot is about to find out where Project Rising Spirit sends it old soldiers to die … and then rejuvenate and die again! Can this seasoned band of killers trust each other long enough to survive the threats that lie in the jungle around them … and unlock the secret at the heart of the island’s existence before they’re each permanently retired? And just what is the sinister force called DEATHMATE that now hunts them at every turn…and what is its untold connection to the life Ray Garrison left behind?

"DEATHMATE isn't an event or a crossover – she's much, much more. This is an all-new character, created by Jeff Lemire for BLOODSHOT ISLAND and brought to life with a brilliant design by Jeff, Mico Suayan, and David Baron," said Valiant Editor-in-Chief Warren Simons. "The secret of her creation and purpose is a central mystery  to BLOODSHOT ISLAND – and, in the very first issue alone, she cements herself as Valiant's newest A-level threat. Moreso than anything that's come before, BLOODSHOT ISLAND is Jeff and Mico firing on all cylinders for what is sure to be BLOODSHOT REBORN's biggest, most action-packed storyline to date. But it's not just bullets and Bloodshots… By the time the smoke clears, the mythology behind one of Valiant's most popular and enduring heroes – and his importance to the broader Valiant Universe – will be forever changed by the revelations that lurk within the jungle of BLOODSHOT ISLAND."

Featuring the return of blockbuster artist Mico Suayan to the pages of BLOODSHOT REBORN for the first time since the series' sold-out launch in 2015, BLOODSHOT ISLAND is the next epic culmination of writer Jeff Lemire's long-term plans for Valiant's most indestructible man-at-arms. Picking up in the direct aftermath of BLOODSHOT REBORN's current story arc, "THE ANALOG MAN," "BLOODSHOT ISLAND" represents many months of work for Suayan, whose hyper-detailed interior artwork for the series' best-selling debut became an instant sensation and spurred widespread critical acclaim.

Superstar creators Jeff Lemire and Mico Suayan send Bloodshot screaming into the biggest, most suspenseful jumping-on point of 2016 when “BLOODSHOT ISLAND” takes on DEATHMATE in June! Featuring covers by a battalion of comics' biggest talents – including Tomas Giorello (Superman/Batman), Ben Oliver (The Multiversity), Kano (Swamp Thing), Stephen Segovia (Ultimate Comics Avengers), Clayton Henry (HARBINGER), Ryan Bodenheim (The Dying & The Dead), Darick Robertson (The Boys) and Eisner Award winner Jeff Lemire (Essex County), the showdown of the summer begins right here in BLOODSHOT REBORN #14!

Valiant sure doesn't skimp on the press releases!

FIRST ISSUE ALERT

BREAKING THE TEN (TPB)

By SEAN MICHAEL WILSON & MICHIRU MORIKAWA

6x9 • 112pp. • B&W trade pb. • $11.99 • ebook $7.99

When David loses his wife and child in a tragic car accident he decides, in anger at the cruelty of the event, to turn against God. He sets out to systematically break each of the Ten Commandments in order to both spite God and to get his attention! But will he go all the way, and break the commandment 'Thou shalt not kill'?

Two mysterious figures, Mr White and Mr Black, try to win David over to their side: the religious or the humanistic. Deeply sad in parts and comical in others, this modern story explores age old questions: Is there a God? And if there is, does that God care about us? By the author of The Story of Lee.

I liked The Story of Lee, an unprepossessing tale that was small-bore didn't try to do too much. I have a review copy of this -- an actual hard copy! -- so I'll try to do a review later in the week.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS #2

Writer: NICK SPENCER

Art/Cover: JESUS SAIZ

Variant cover by MARK BAGLEY

32 PGS. • Rated T+ • $3.99

As Steve battles a resurgent Hydra more dangerous than ever before, he must confront a ghost from his past!

Say, does anybody still read Captain America?

Just kidding. This may be one of the most anticipated second issues of my lifetime.

COLORING DC: WONDER WOMAN (TPB)

Publisher: DC COMICS

Art by GEORGE PEREZ, PHIL JIMENEZ, DAVID FINCH and others

Cover by EMANUELA LUPACCHINO

96 pg • B&W • $15.99 U.S.

DC’s Amazon princess stars in a new coloring book focusing on her greatest covers, splash pages and more by some of comics’ top artists!

I would have killed for this when I was 8! Well, not "killed," as 8-year-olds aren't very accomplished at homicide. But I would have wanted it very badly.

COLOR YOUR OWN JAMES PATTERSON (TPB)

COLOR YOUR OWN JAMES PATTERSON

Publisher: MARVEL COMICS

Penciled by ALEX SANCHEZ

Cover by ALEX SANCHEZ

120 PGS. • All Ages • $9.99

MAXIMUM RIDE, minimum color!

You’ve read his groundbreaking stories. Now it’s time to experience Marvel and James Patterson’s adventures of the "flock" – Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman and Angel like you never have before – as a coloring book!

Today, Marvel and James Patterson, are pleased to present the most recent expansion to Marvel’s line of Adult Coloring Books with COLOR YOUR OWN JAMES PATTERSON! One of comics’ mightiest team-ups, Marvel Comics and James Patterson, have produced action, excitement and adventure with Max Ride and now all they need is YOU!

Max Ride was always intended to capture the imagination of its worldwide fans and now with Marvel’s COLOR YOUR OWN JAMES PATTERSON, fans of the series, both those familiar and those unaccustomed, now have the chance to truly make this adventure their own by adding their own personal touch to Maximum and the flock,” says Maximum Ride author, James Patterson.

“Over the past couple of years, Adult Coloring Books have soared in popularity across various genres,” says David Gabriel, Marvel’s SVP Sales and Marketing.  “Fans of James Patterson’s Max Ride can add their own style to this brand new comic series with this latest addition to Marvel’s line of Adult Coloring Books. This truly is a way for fans of Marvel and ‘Max Ride’ to be a part of the creative process and bring their personal artistic style to this high-flying adventure."

COLOR YOUR OWN JAMES PATTERSON follows the soaring adventures of the "flock" – Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman and Angel – a group of ordinary teenage kids – only they are the product of genetic tampering that has given them extraordinary abilities, but their lives quickly morph into a living nightmare as they try to escape their creators and defend themselves from half-human, half-wolf "Erasers". Along the way Max discovers her purpose – saving the world – but can she?

So dig out those crayons, markers and colored pencils and prepare to let your creativity take flight. But don’t forget your imagination – you’re going to need it! Channel your creative energies, unwind after a hard day’s work, or just relive your childhood memories!

This one, not so much, since I didn't read Maximum Ride and don't know any of the characters. Still, Marvel sent me this press release like six months ago, and I've held onto it ever since, so by God I'm going to run it.

THE COMPLETE EMILY THE STRANGE: ALL THINGS STRANGE (HC)

Publisher: DARK HORSE

Writer: ROB REGER, JESSICA GRUNER

Artist: BUZZ PARKER

Colorist: RYAN HILL

Cover Artist: BUZZ PARKER         

 FC • 432 pages • HC • 6'' x 9'' • $19.99 • Age range: 12

Emily the Strange is not your ordinary 13-year-old girl—she’s got a razor-sharp wit as dark as her jet-black hair, a posse of moody black cats, and famous friends in very odd places! The Complete Emily the Strange: All Things Strange collects the first three volumes of Emily the Strange in one beautiful hardcover. It’s a perfect time to be strange.

Chris Fluit said his daughters really liked this book/character, and that's good enough for me. I'll try to review it later in the week.

CRYPTOCRACY #1

Publisher: DARK HORSE

Writer: VAN JENSEN

Art/Cover: PETE WOODS

FC • 32 pages • $3.99 • Ongoing

For time beyond memory, the Nine Families watched from the shadows, believing themselves shepherds and manipulating whole societies as they saw fit. Nothing happened that they didn’t observe or control. Outsiders knew naught of the Families, much less threatened them. Until now.

• A blend of The X-Files and Marvel’s A.I.M.!

* Featuring art by Pete Woods (Deadpool, Catwoman, Superman, Action Comics).

Here's another "here's how the world really works" magic stories, which is a genre I generally enjoy (despite what I said in my Mythic review last week). Review to come.

DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE #5

Publisher: DC COMICS

Written by FRANK MILLER and BRIAN AZZARELLO

Art by ANDY KUBERT and KLAUS JANSON

Minicomic art by TBD

Cover by ANDY KUBERT

1:10 Robin variant cover by KARL KERSCHL

1:25 variant cover by KLAUS JANSON

1:50 variant cover by TBD

1:100 variant cover by FRANK MILLER

1:500 variant cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS

32-pg comic: 6.375” x 10.1875”

16-page minicomic: 5.5” x 8.5”

FC • 5 of 8 • $5.99 U.S.

This issue will ship with six covers.

Batman and Robin prepare for war with the Master Race, and an ally returns from an unlikely place.

This book is a little late -- it was originally scheduled for April 20! Well, I doubt those who are reading this really cares about the wait. Since I'm trade-waiting, I don't either. As long as it doesn't suck!

DC SUPER HERO GIRLS VOL. 1: FINALS CRISIS (TPB)

Publisher: DC COMICS

Written by SHEA FONTANA

Art and cover by YANCEY LABAT

128 pg • FC • 6” x 9” • $9.99 U.S.

Preparing for high school exams is hard enough, but at Super Hero High, even the tests are super-tough! Principal Waller keeps an eagle eye on her students, drilling them in math, science, literature—and other subjects like flying and powers! And no one wants to fail, because Principal Waller hands out detention faster than a speeding bullet.

In the first-ever all ages DC Super Hero Girls original graphic novel, Supergirl, Wonder Woman, Bumblebee, Batgirl, Harley Quinn, Katana and Poison Ivy are studying hard—well, maybe not Harley Quinn— when they are each abducted by a mysterious villain! Will the students outsmart their captor, save Gotham City, and still pass their finals?

The more I see of material like this, the more I wonder if DC shouldn't shift the bulk of their resources to it. The DC heroes really lend themselves to younger readers, and everybody knows them. Why compete with Marvel's grim superhero universe, when Marvel has the advantage of more complex characters?

I'm not suggesting that DC not have a Teen+ superhero universe, but maybe limit that to a dozen titles or so, and put out tons more Kmart-friendly kids books, cartoons and merchandise. Just a thought. (Possible review after embargo.)

FIRST ISSUE ALERT

EINSTEIN (HC)

Publisher: NOBROW PRESS

Writer: CORINNE MAIER

Art/Cover: ANNE SIMON

$19.95

2016 is the 100th anniversary of Albert Einstein's Theory of Relativity; isn't it about time he was the subject of a graphic biography? In Corinne Maier and Anne Simon's wry graphic novel, the German-born physicist comes to life, alongside his influential work in physics, his personal struggles at home and the delight he found in friendship. Learning isn't always fun, but with Albert under the spotlight, it will be!

Einstein wasn't just one of the smartest men in history, he was also quite a character. I wouldn't mind having this sort of shorthand bio on my bookshelf.

THE FUN FAMILY (TPB)

Publisher: IDW PUBLISHING

Writer/Art/Cover: BENJAMIN FRISCH

FC • Mature • 240 pages • 6.5″ x 9.25″  

“Simply wrenching ... Benjamin Frisch subverts the iconography of family cartooning, exposing the seedy underbelly of America’s obsession with the perfect family.” — Jessica Abel, author of La Perdida and Drawing Words & Writing Pictures

“Required reading for the coming sanity wars, this story is the stuff of my nightmares... Cute-ify this monstrosity any way you like, Mr. Frisch, I will be in the fetal position weeping, giving you a thumbs up for a job brutally done.” — Paul Hornschemeier, author of Life With Mr. Dangerous and Mother, Come Home

“Best Emerging Graphic Novelist” — The Austin Chronicle

Beloved cartoonist Robert Fun has earned a devoted following for his circle-shaped newspaper comic strip, celebrating the wholesome American family by drawing inspiration from his real home life ... but the Fun Family bears some dark secrets. As their idyllic world collapses and the kids are forced to pick up the pieces, can they escape the cycle of art imitating life imitating art?

In his debut graphic novel, Benjamin Frisch presents a surreal deconstruction of childhood, adulthood, and good old American obsession.

This looks really depressing, but I've held this press release for months, so here it is.

GREEN ARROW: A CELEBRATION OF 75 YEARS

Publisher: DC COMICS

Written by MORT WEISINGER, JACK KIRBY, DENNIS O’NEIL, MIKE GRELL and others

Art by GEORGE PAPP, JACK KIRBY, NEAL ADAMS and others

Cover by GARY FRANK

On sale JUNE 29 • 400 pg • FC • $39.99 U.S.

Celebrate over seven decades of Green Arrow’s crimefighting career, including appearances by his allies Green Lantern, Black Canary and more!

Who would have guessed in 1941 that Batman clone Green Arrow would be around 75 years later? It took a lot of heavy lifting by some great artists and writers to build him beyond his simplistic concept, but here he is.

FIRST ISSUE ALERT

HILLBILLY #1

Publisher: ALBATROSS FUNNYBOOKS

Writer/Art/Cover: ERIC POWELL

$3.99

An Appalachian Mountain fantasy epic that tells the story of Rondel. A lonely figure who wanders the wooded hills among witches and magical creatures as a folktale hero to those who dwell in this gritty dream world.

If there's magic in the Appalachians, you'd think someone would use it to whistle up some jobs, health care and education.

Jokes aside, I enjoy The Goon, and this is another Powell effort in the same vein, so I would probably enjoy this, if I ever see it. ("Albatross Funnybooks"? I don't think my LCS carries that!)

IMAGE GIANT-SIZED ARTIST'S PROOF EDITION: INJECTION #1

Publisher: IMAGE COMICS

Writer: WARREN ELLIS

Art/Cover: DECLAN SHALVEY

Mature • $24.99

The all-new IMAGE GIANT-SIZED ARTIST'S PROOF EDITION series presents special artistic achievements in their raw form in an oversized format. DECLAN SHALVEY's atmospheric line art from INJECTION #1 is presented in glorious black-and-white inks with ink-washes at 11" X 17". Also includes a full size cover gallery.

A number of Legionnaires, especially Randy Jackson, have exhibited enthusiasm for this title. It's on my to-read list, but for those already in the thumbs-up camp, here's a celebratory book.

FIRST ISSUE ALERT

INDOCTRINATION #1

Publisher: Z2 COMICS

Writer: MICHAEL MORECI

Art/Cover: MATT BATTAGLIA

$3.99

How do you kill an idea? Across the dusty plains of America's southwest, a deadly storm is brewing. A string of murders portend the sinister designs of an infamous terrorist to bring about the end times. Two FBI agents have heeded the signs, and only their rogue actions, aided by a potentially untrustworthy expatriate with deep ties to the terrorist, can push this darkness back. Indoctrination explores America's terrifying underbelly-of death cults and sleeper cells, serial killers and apocalyptic nightmares.

Hrrm. Seems like an espionage-cum-Southern Gothic sort of thing. I'd need to see a preview of the interior art before I commit, though. Anybody familiar with Matt Battaglia?

FIRST ISSUE ALERT

ITTY BITTY BUNNIES: FRIENDGASM (TPB)

Publisher: ACTION LAB ENTERTAINMENT

Writer/Art/Cover: DEAN RANKINE

96 pgs. • M • FC • $11.99

ITTY BITTY BUNNIES: FRIENDGASM TPB collects the very MATURE tales of two foul mouthed, drug using, butt-naked bunnies that go on adorably offensive, insultingly hilarious adventures!!!

This trade paperback collects three ITTY BITTY BUNNIES one-shots: “Tales from the Crib,” “Bong Genie” and “Pop Tarts.” The Itty Bitty Bunnies (Phil and Tyrone) make a deal with the Devil, awaken the magical Bong Genie, start a food fight that turns homicidal, and do lots and LOTS of drugs. It’s just another day in Rainbow Pixie Candy Land!

“There is no reason that, if this ever fell into your lap or you found it scanning the internet or shop racks, you should not give the Itty Bitty Bunnies their due,” said Brian Corliss of 'A Place to Hang Your Cape.' Graphic Policy also heaped on the praise. “In regards to the art work, it’s mischievously charming, freakishly cute and a little psychedelic.”

The latest collection of Australian cartoonist extraordinaire Dean Rankine’s naked drug using bunnies irreverent adventures blazes new off-color paths to hilarity! Enjoy the references and insanity for yourself.

This concept looks like a second-hand Ren & Stimpy to me, and I have no interest. But they sent me a press release, so here you go.

FIRST ISSUE ALERT

JADE STREET PROTECTION SERVICES #1

Publisher: BLACK MASK COMICS

Writer: KATY REX

Art: FABIAN LELAY

Cover: ANNIE WU, KIKI JENKINS

$3.99

In this new series that mashes The Breakfast Club with Sailor Moon, Kai, Saba, Noemi, Divya and Emma are (bad) students at Matsdotter Academy, an elite private school for magical girls. When they all meet for the first time in a totally unfair detention, these punk rock witch delinquents cut class and discover the fates Matsdotter has in store for them are even more sinister than they suspected. With JSPS, the creative team of writer Katy Rex, penciler/inker Fabian Lelay, colorist Mara Jayne Carpenter, and series cover artists Annie Wu and Kiki Jenkins channel Black Mask's edgy, subversive sensibility into a whip-smart adventure for delinquents young and old.

"Magical girl" delinquents? I'd love to see a crossover with Rat Queens.

FIRST ISSUE ALERT

JUGHEAD VOL 1 (TPB)

Writer: CHIP ZDARSKY

Art: ERICA HENDERSON, JACK MORELLI

Cover: ERICA HENDERSON

6 5/8 x 10 3/16” • $19.99/$21.99 CAN • 176 pp • Full Color

Everyone's favorite burger-binging best friend is back in his own book at last!

Following in the footsteps of the ultra-popular ARCHIE VOL. 1 comes JUGHEAD VOL. 1 from the hilarious duo of writer Chip Zdarsky (Marvel's Howard the Duck) and Eisner-award nominee Erica Henderson (Marvel's Unbeatable Squirrel Girl).

Riverdale High provides a quality education and quality hot lunches, but when one of those is tampered with, JUGHEAD JONES swears vengeance! Well, I mean, he doesn’t “swear.” This is still Archie Comics after all.

What happens when Riverdale's resident slacker gets motivated enough to fight for what he believes in? Six issues of hilarious day dreams and adventures including an encounter with fire-breathing dragons, a trip to the robot-plagued 29th century, a swashbuckling treasure hunt, and the return of the SuperTeens!

Don't wait, pre-order the first collection of the laugh-out-loud series that proves it's not the size of the man in the fight but the size of the burgers in his stomach. Or something. We lost the analogy.

JUGHEAD VOL. 1 collects JUGHEAD issues #1-6.

Zdarsky's take on Juggie and the gang is good enough that I enjoyed this series despite not really caring for the art. It's a good re-launch for a beloved character. Well, beloved by me, anyway.

JUPITER'S LEGACY 2 #1

Publisher: IMAGE COMICS

Writer: MARK MILLAR

Art/Cover A: FRANK QUITELY

Cover B: JAE LEE

Cover C: MIKE MAYHEW

Cover D: Blank

Cover E: FRANK QUITELY sketch

Cover F: MIKE MAYHEW

Cover G: ROB LIEFELD

The sequel to the industry sales-beast JUPITER'S LEGACY is back and it boasts monthly jaw-dropping, eye-popping story from bestselling creators Mark Millar (CHRONONAUTS, HUCK, Kingsman: The Secret Service) and Frank Quitely.

In JUPITER’S LEGACY, VOL. 2 #1, superhero offspring Hutch and Chloe have come out of hiding with son Jason to assemble a team of super-crooks from around the globe.

In celebration of the launch of JUPITER'S LEGACY, VOL. 2 #1, Image Comics is pleased to announce that Wednesday, June 29, 2016 will be Millar Day.

Comics retailers are encouraged to tweet and Instagram #MillarDayContest photos of their Millarworld displays honoring this year's Millar Day, for a chance to win an exclusive Skype signing for their store with both Mark Millar and Frank Quitely tuning in to greet and chat with fans. Contest ends on Tuesday, June 28. The winner will be announced on Millar Day.

Select praise for JUPITER’S LEGACY:

“Millar and Quitely have constructed a world as rich and vibrant as our own, peopled with individuals who are neither heroes nor villains.” —IGN

“It definitely lives up to the hype.” —Bloody Disgusting

“What Millar and Quitely do here, and do so well, is show us a world where superheroes exist, yet nothing is better, then invite us to consider what that says about the way we have chosen to abdicate responsibility in favor of comfort. I wish more creators were willing to push the boundaries of the genre in such a compelling way.” —Newsarama

“Elegantly written and drawn … this is a book to be proud of.” —Comic Book Resources 

“Mark Millar and Frank Quitely have successfully created a new superhero universe.” —Comic Vine

I've found this series of miniseries pretty interesting. It's like a second-tier Astro City, which is still pretty high praise. (Post-embargo review possible.)

FIRST ISSUE ALERT

KODOJA VOL 1: TERROR MOUNTAIN SHOWDOWN (TPB)

Publisher: 215 INK

Writer: KEITH FOSTER

Art: RORY SMITH

Cover: ELROY JENKINS

$14.99

Three years ago, Special Weapons Division deactivated a highly advanced Superweapon: a 200-foot tall DNA Droid called X66-7 or "Kodoja", it was shut down because it performed too well in testing to the point of being unstoppable. Today, Kodoja was reactivated without warning and cut a swath of destruction across America and leveled every outpost of Special Weapons Division, save one. That one surviving outpost is headed by demoted chief designer of Kodoja, Jennifer Cruz. With all of Special Weapons Division gone, she and her team must stop the weapon they themselves designed too well. 

Would this fall into the giant kaiju category? Looks like it.

LIVING WITH THE DEAD: A ZOMBIE BROMANCE (SECOND EDITION TPB)

Publisher: DARK HORSE

Writer: MIKE RICHARDSON

Artist: BEN STENBECK

Cover Artist: RICHARD CORBEN

FC • 88 pages • TPB • 6'' x 9'' • $9.99 • Age range: 14

Life in the big city has its problems: traffic, overpopulation, and crime, not to mention the brain-hungry living dead. But for hard rockers Straw and Whip, life among the flesh-eating populace is easy ... until they meet a gun-crazy vixen named Betty. Collects Living with the Dead #1–3.

Written by Dark Horse founder Mike Richardson!

I enjoyed the preview well enough, and who doesn't enjoy a heart-warming zombie apocalypse story? (Possible review to come.)

FIRST ISSUE ALERT

MARIA HOLIC OMNIBUS VOL 1 (TPB)

Publisher: ONE PEACE BOOKS

Writer/Art/Cover: MARIA ENDOU

$16.95

Kanako is excited to be transferring into a new all-girl mission school. She's looking for her ideal yuri partner. When she meets Mariya Shidou she thinks she's found the one. But wait! Mariya is a cross-dressing sadistic boy and now Kanako is forced to keep his secret! But that's not all. To complicate things she's drawing the attention of the most popular girl in school and, at the same time, catching the wrath of all the other girls. Will Kanako ever find the cute girl of her dreams? Or will she die of sexual-frustration nosebleeds? Love is a complicated affair for Kanako and the girls of Maria Holic. This omnibus contains previously released volumes 1-3. 

We've seen a lot of yaoi lately (boy/boy), so here's a little yuri (girl/girl) to even out. I assume that, like the yaoi stuff, this will be fairly benign, more fully-dressed romance and teen drama than porn-y.

FIRST ISSUE ALERT

MONSTER ELEMENTARY VOL 1 (TPB)

Publisher: SPACE GOAT PUBLISHING

Writer: NICK DOAN

Art: CAANAN GRALL & VARIOUS

Cover: CAANAN GRALL

$22.99

The award-winning full-color graphic novel by Nicholas Doan is re-mastered in this new direct market square bound edition! Monsters are real and they're in public school! These monster children (a vampire, a werewolf, a "Frankenstein" monster, a mummy and a creature-from-the-black-lagoon) find themselves on a special mission to get an education with the "normals," and make friends, while avoiding wooden stakes, angry mobs with torches, and a monster hunter in P.E. class. The Monster Elementary: First Semester one-shot also serves a great introduction to the Winner of the 2015 Gold Medal for Best Humor Graphic Novel at the Independent Publisher Book Awards. 

I haven't read this, but I feel like I already have.

FIRST ISSUE ALERT

RAVENING #1

Writer: JAI NITZ

Art: JACK JADSON

Cover: CHRISTIAN ZANIER (Nude, $7.99)

Goth Deco Variant: GABRIEL ANDRADE

Succubi Variant: RENATO CAMILO (Nude, $7.99)

Wrap Variant: RAULO CACERES (Nude, $7.99)

Temptation Variant: RAULO CACERES (Nude, $7.99)

Mature • Color • 64 pages • $5.99

The queens of the night return in a monster sized 64 page debut issue of vampire love and loss! The Ravening have been spoken of in hushed whispers for twenty years and are now reborn with an all-new tale of darkness from seasoned writer Jai Nitz and illustrator Jack Jadson! In Hellina #1, she flexed her power as the adjudicator of Hell and swept through the underworld, ending many dynasties. The vampire lords of House Morcego and House Volmaan were lost to Hellina's wrath and their daughters Izzy and Corrie are struggling with how to keep them from collapsing in the chaos. Merging with another house seems the only option, so these two lovers defy all the rules and marry each other to unite their clans. But can their young blood survive the many threats now closing in around them as a horde of Satyrs target their weakness? It's a seductively sexy look at a new kind of underworld now living in the shadows. To top it off, we include two of the very first Ravening stories from 1997, in color for the first time, as well as a cover gallery of some of the classic covers of the past!

Boundless delivers a host of sexy stunning covers with this issue including a Regular Cover by Christian Zanier, Wraparound and Temptation Covers by Raulo Caceres, Goth Deco Cover by Gabriel Andrade, and a Succubi Cover by Renato Camilo. Plus an array of super limited covers for the collector including an Alluring Century Set (limited to 100 sets) by Matt Martin and Costume Change Set (limited to 250 sets) by Christian Zanier. And for the erotic art collectors, there is an Adult, Adult Extreme, & Nude Cover by Christian Zanier, Wraparound Nude Cover by Raulo Caceres, and Succubi Nude Cover by Renato Camilo!

If some of the cover poses look a little odd, it's because (sigh) there are nude versions.

SEMIAUTOMAGIC (TPB)

Publisher: DARK HORSE

Writer: ALEX DE CAMPI

Artist: JERRY ORDWAY

Colorist: MARISSA LOUISE

Cover Artist: JERRY ORDWAY     

FC • 104 pages • TPB • 7'' x 10'' • $12.99 • Age range: 16

Professor Alice Creed doesn’t have tenure. And she never will, as long as she keeps ditching her lectures to kill monsters. But when a dark force from between universes begins seducing young souls through an innocent computer game, she packs her occult relics, holy water and iPad to kick eldritch ass!

* Collecting two complete arcs from Dark Horse Presents!

* A modern monster slayer from Alex de Campi and Jerry Ordway!

I can't escape the suspicion that somebody thought of the punny title and then wrote a story around it. But given the creative roster, I'm going to read it anyway. (Possible review to come.)

FIRST ISSUE ALERT

SPECTRUM #1

Publisher: BOOM! STUDIOS

Writer: NICK CRON-DEVICO

Art: MATTHEW SMIGIEL, MEG OMAC

Cover A: VERONICA FISH

Cover B: COLLEEN DORAN

Cover C: PHIL NOTO

$3.99

What's to Love: Well into its second season on Cartoon Network, the award-nominated and popular Clarence animated series is the perfect blend of optimism and the celebration of childhood. Our comics are the perfect extension for fans seeking even more content!

There was a FCBD issue, for those who read it. I did, but don't remember anything about it, which is not encouraging.

FIRST ISSUE ALERT

THE SWEETNESS #1

Publisher: Z2 COMICS

Writer: MISS LASKO-GROSS

Art/Cover: KEVIN COLDEN

Mature • $3.99

Set in the future, the first collaboration from the husband and wife creative team of Miss Lasko-Gross (HENNI) and Kevin Colden (FISHTOWN) follows two badass female intergalactic smugglers of a mysterious controlled substance who cater to the unique tastes of Alien drug addicts. 

Miss Lasko-Gross is the author and illustrator of the YALSA nominated Henni from Z2 Comics, Fantagraphics Books: A Mess Of Everything (named one of Booklist's  top 10 graphic novels of the year) and the YALSA nominated Escape From "Special."  Her artwork is currently featured in the traveling exhibit Graphic Details: Confessional Comics By Jewish Women.

Kevin Colden is the author of the Eisner Award-nominated, XERIC award-winning graphic novel FISHTOWN. He is a veteran of the ACT-I-VATE and Chemstry Set webcomics collective, and his client list includes Discovery Channel Networks, Random House, DC Comics, Vertigo, Zuda, IDW Publishing, Image Comics and Archaia Studios Press.

Wow, that's really gross! But I've been holding this press release a while, so here you go.

FIRST ISSUE ALERT

THOUSAND FACES (HC)

Publisher: HUMANOIDS INC

Writer: PHILIPPE THIRAULT

Art: MARC MALES, MARIO JANNI

Cover: PAUL POPE

Mature • $29.95

"Take nothing with you, but two mules, a rifle, and ten bullets." Those words echo in ex-surgeon Frank Quinn's head as he flees across mid-19th century America to escape the demon known as Thousand Faces, an evil entity that uses blood to enslave others and will stop at nothing to conquer the world.

My rule of thumb for Humanoids is "I'll probably enjoy the art, but not understand the story." If I was richer, I'd get these books just for the art, but as it is, they fall just below the level where I'll spend money.

FIRST ISSUE ALERT

THREADBARE (TPB)

Publisher: MICROCOSM PUBLISHING

Writer: ANNE ELIZABETH MOORE

Art: LEELA CORMAN & VARIOUS

Cover: MEGGYN POMERLEAU

Mature • $13.95

Threadbare takes the reader from the sweatshops of Cambodia to the traditional ateliers of Vienna, from the life of a globetrotting supermodel to the warehouses of large clothing retailers, from the secondhand clothing markets to the politics of the sex industry, drawing connections between human trafficking, garment manufacturing, and sex workers in a beautifully illustrated comic series.

This looks interesting. Also depressing. I don't know if my intellectual curiosity is enough to overcome my revulsion with the subject matter.

FIRST ISSUE ALERT

THREE STOOGES STOOGEAPALOOZA

Publisher: AMERICAN MYTHOLOGY PRODUCTIONS

Writers: S.A. CHECK, J. C. VAUGHN

Art: BRENDON FRAIM & VARIOUS

Cover A: CHRIS SCALF

$4.99

We're throwing a party -- a Stooge-A-Palooza -- for all the fans of the original Three Stooges! In this oversized issue we have brand new comic laughs, classic tales from the golden age, and a Stooge-ton of original content! We're bringing you all the chuckles and guffaws you love from The Boys and paying homage to the comedy legends with behind the scenes interviews with Stooge family members, candid pictures, and fans from all over the world. This issue has no ads -- it is 100% stuffed with Stooges! The Stooges influenced generations of comic book creators and now lifelong fans have a chance to contribute to their legacy with these new slapstick adventures. If you are tired of the same old humdrum comics week-in and week-out, try out The Three Stooges and enjoy laughing at their timeless antics!

I am a male, so I should love the Stooges, right? That's what girls tell me, anyway. But I never did care for them -- not so much because I'm too snooty to enjoy lowbrow humor, but because it was so unimaginative and repetitive. And can manic slapstick really work on the static comics page? Well, here's our chance to find out!

FIRST ISSUE ALERT

THUNDERBIRDS VAULT (HC)          

Publisher: VIRGIN BOOKS

Writer: MARCUS HEARN

$39.95

On September 30th, 1965, International Rescue successfully completed their first assignment, and the Tracy brothers imprinted themselves on a generation of captivated children. Five decades later, Thunderbirds are still saving the world from the brink of peril. Thunderbirds: The Vault is the first ever lavishly illustrated, definitive, beautifully packaged, presentation hardback telling the story of this enduring cult phenomenon. Packed with previously unpublished material, including prop photos, design sketches, production memos and other collectible memorabilia, plus specially commissioned photography of original 1960s merchandise and new interviews with cast and crew, it's going to be a collectors' dream and a fantastic piece of cult TV history.

For you Thunderbirds fans out there. Yes, I know you're there. No use hiding.

UNCANNY INHUMANS #11

Publisher: MARVEL COMICS

Written by CHARLES SOULE

Art & Cover by CARLOS PACHECO

Variant Cover by YASMINE PUTRI

Civil War Reenactment Variant by KHOI PHAM

32 PGS. • Rated T+ • $3.99

With one of their own at the center of the conflict, Medusa leads her people into battle this June in UNCANNY INHUMANS #11 – a Civil War II tie-in! Superstar creators Charles Soule and Carlos Pacheco bring the fireworks as the Inhumans wage war against…Tony Stark? Fueled by the can’t miss events of Civil War II #2 – Medusa cannot stay neutral any longer. And she’s bringing her armies to the Stark’s doorstep…literally! Plus – this issue features the dazzling debut of the much-anticipated Mosaic? But who is this new Inhuman? And are they friend or foe? Find out as the drums of war beat in New Attilan this June in UNCANNY INHUMANS #11!

This is the only Civil War II book this week (and there are NO Rebirth books). That's what a five-Wednesday month will do for you.

 

THE VISION VOL 1: LITTLE WORSE THAN MAN (TPB)

Publisher: MARVEL COMICS

Written by TOM KING

Penciled by GABRIEL HERNANDEZ WALTA

Cover by MIKE DEL MUNDO

136 PGS. • Rated T+ • $17.99

The Vision wants to be human, and what’s more human than family? So he heads back to the beginning, to the laboratory where Ultron created him and molded him into a weapon. The place where he first rebelled against his given destiny, and imagined he could be more — that he could be a man. There, he builds them. A wife, Virginia. Two teenage twins, Viv and Vin. They look like him. They have his powers. They share his grandest ambition (or is that obsession?): the unrelenting need to be ordinary. Behold the Visions! They’re the family next door, and they have the power to kill us all. What could possibly go wrong? Artificial hearts will be broken, bodies will not stay buried, the truth will not remain hidden, and the Vision will never be the same. Collecting VISION (2015) #1-6.

Everybody who has been reading this seems to love it. Nobody schedules anything important for a fifth-Wednesday week.

WILL EISNER'S THE SPIRIT #12

Publisher: DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

Writer: MATT WAGNER

Art: DAN SCHKADE

Colorist: BRENNAN WAGNER

Cover: ERIC POWELL

$4.99 • Teen + • 40 pages

This exciting and action-packed climactic issue of Dynamite's critically acclaimed series, finally finds The Sprit in the merciless clutches of the criminal warlord, Mikado Vaas! At last, this mysterious villain has stepped forward to save his daughter, Sachet Spice, and to wreck his ultimate vengeance on one of Comicdom's most famous and iconic heroes. Beaten and bloody, The Spirit fights on with the help of his beloved and familiar supporting cast... but will this finally prove to be the time that our hero can't escape death? With thirty pages of inspired story by Wagner and dynamic visuals from the art team of Dan Schkade and colorist Brennan Wagner, this highly acclaimed series that was launched to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Will Eisner's influential character at last reaches its dramatic conclusion.

"The team here continues to utterly delight in what they do, again making me wish I had a couple dozen issues to read instead of waiting monthly for more." --- TheFandomPost.com

This read like a last issue. It was good enough that I'd happily read more, but I won't be broken-hearted if it never returns. As good as Wagner and Powell are, they're just not Will Eisner.

X-O MANOWAR #47

Written by ROBERT VENDITTI

Art by JOE BENNETT and ROBERTO DE LA TORRE

Cover A by KANO

Cover B by PHIL JIMENEZ

Cover C by KHOI PHAM

Valiant x CGC Replica Variant by CLAYTON HENRY

Variant Cover by RAFA SANDOVAL

Variant Cover by DAVID LAFUENTE

Variant Cover by JEFF LEMIRE

$3.99 • 32 pgs. • T+

NEW ARC! “LONG LIVE THE KING” – PART 1

Valiant is proud to present X-O MANOWAR #47 – the FIRST ISSUE of "LONG LIVE THE KING," a striking cosmic showdown beginning on June 29 from New York Times best-selling writer Robert Venditti (BOOK OF DEATH) and explosive artists Joe Bennett (52) and Roberto de la Torre (Daredevil)! Before September's massive X-O MANOWAR #50 milestone shakes the foundations of the Valiant Universe, jump on board one of the most acclaimed superhero sagas of the modern era here as X-O MANOWAR #47 begins the march towards 2016's world-shaking finale … and marks the beginning of an all-new era for the future of Valiant's most powerful hero!

Plus: In celebration of X-O Manowar’s landmark 56-issue run, Valiant is proud to present the X-O MANOWAR #50 COUNTDOWN GIVEAWAY – also beginning in X-O MANOWAR #47! For no extra cost, each issue of the massive “LONG LIVE THE KING” epic will be bagged with one of 50 exclusive, 4-by-6 inch “micro-prints” featuring the one and only X-O Manowar as realized by a sensational cast of comics’ biggest talents – or original, hand-drawn original artwork randomly inserted in each issue! The X-O MANOWAR #50 COUNTDOWN GIVEAWAY will continue all summer long across all issues of “LONG LIVE THE KING” – including September's oversized, blockbuster issue #50 finale!

“Robert Venditti's run on X-O MANOWAR is one of the finest in Valiant’s storied history,” said Valiant Editor-in-Chief Warren Simons. “From his very first issue with artist Cary Nord through PLANET DEATH, UNITY, ARMOR HUNTERS and beyond, Rob’s work on X-O MANOWAR helped cement Valiant as one of the leading publishers in comics today and his contributions to the fabric of the Valiant Universe will continue to resonate for decades to come. But he won’t be leaving X-O MANOWAR quietly. What we have in store for X-O MANOWAR’s grand finale as we head toward issue #50 might just be Valiant’s most audacious turn to date. As Valiant prepares to celebrate X-O Manowar’s 25th anniversary in 2017, 'LONG THE LIVE THE KING' will be a colossal turning point for the character…and foreshadow even bigger changes yet to come in the future.”

Born into battle, Aric of Dacia – heir to the throne of the Visigoth Empire – never knew peace. Raised under the oppressive thumb of the Roman Empire in fifth-century Europe, Aric’s entire existence was spent fighting a never-ending insurgency against history’s most brutal empire…until a far more terrifying enemy revealed itself and changed his destiny forever.

Abducted by a brutal race of extraterrestrials known as the Vine, Aric was forced into slavery on an alien world. Torn from family, his people, and his nation, he spent years plotting his escape…until the day came that he was able to seize a weapon of incalculable destruction – a sentient suit of alien armor – and become X-O Manowar!

Returning to Earth only to find that 1,600 years have passed during his journey across the stars, the world’s most primitive man now wields the universe’s most powerful weapon. Working in concert with Earth’s governments and other super-powered heroes like himself, Aric has defended the planet, brokered peace amongst the powerful, and even rebuilt his kingdom from the ashes of history.

But now he faces a unthinkable new foe far more terrible than any that have come before… They are The Torment – and their name means death. Thought to be a legend by the Vine, they have now become Earth’s violent reality. As old as the universe itself, they have traveled for eons to reach us…in search of Aric of Dacia and the unstoppable X-O Manowar armor. Can Aric challenge a seemingly omnipotent threat with motives beyond the comprehension of mortal men? Will the armor truly be our world’s salvation, just as the Vine’s myths foretold? And is this the beginning of the end for X-O Manowar – or the beginning of something even bigger?

The road to the greatest Valiant milestone of all time starts here as Robert Venditti, Joe Bennett, and Roberto de la Torre begin “LONG LIVE THE KING” in X-O MANOWAR #47 – featuring an awe-spring slate of covers from Kano (Swamp Thing), Phil Jimenez (Amazing Spider-Man), Khoi Pham (Mighty Avengers), Clayton Henry (ARCHER & ARMSTRONG), Rafa Sandoval (X-O MANOWAR), David Lafuente (Ultimate Spider-Man), and Jeff Lemire (Trillium)!

The countdown to X-O MANOWAR #50 represents the epic culmination of Robert Venditti’s unmatched, 56-issue tenure on Valiant’s leading character. Since the release of X-O MANOWAR #1 in 2012, Venditti’s work on the series – alongside a star-studded line-up of artists including Cary Nord, Lee Garbett, Trevor Hairsine, Diego Bernard, Robert Gill, and many more – has gone on to the become the single longest consecutive run from any creator in Valiant’s history, as well as one of the longest consecutive runs on a single series from any creator in the industry today.

Plus: In celebration of X-O Manowar’s landmark issue #50 finale, Valiant is proud to reveal the X-O MANOWAR #50 COUNTDOWN GIVEAWAY – also beginning in June’s X-O MANOWAR #47! For no extra cost, each issue of “LONG LIVE THE KING” will come bagged with one of 50 exclusive, 4-by-6 inch “micro-prints” featuring the one and only X-O Manowar as realized by a sensational cast of comics’ biggest talents – or full-blown, beautifully rendered original artwork randomly inserted in each issue! The X-O MANOWAR #50 COUNTDOWN GIVEAWAY will continue all summer long across all issues of “LONG LIVE THE KING” – including the oversized, blockbuster issue #50 finale!

“X-O MANOWAR isn’t just the story of Aric of Dacia’s odyssey across time and space. It’s also the story of Valiant’s reemergence as the premier storytelling company in comics today, and Robert Venditti has been an integral member of the creative vanguard behind that success since day one,” said Valiant CEO & Chief Creative Officer Dinesh Shamdasani. “Over the course of 56 issues, we’ve cemented X-O MANOWAR to his rightful place in the pantheon of comics' greatest heroes and X-O MANOWAR #50 is the ultimate celebration of that achievement. To officiate it, we’ve set out to invest an unrivaled amount of energy and attention into X-O MANOWAR’s final four issues and to formally recognize this as the culmination of one of the greatest, most nuanced character arcs in the history of modern comics. Now, as we march toward issue #50, we're preparing even greater surprises for X-O MANOWAR's future – including the anniversary cover to end all anniversary covers. X-O MANOWAR #50 will be a milestone accomplishment in every sense of the term."

In the wake of the series’ final issue in X–O MANOWAR #50, Venditti will continue to contribute to Valiant’s award-winning publishing line with WRATH OF THE ETERNAL WARRIOR and other as-yet undisclosed projects.

Boy howdy, Valiant loves its press releases!

FIRST ISSUE ALERT

ZOE DARE VERSUS THE DISASTEROID #1

Publisher: ACTION LAB ENTERTAINMENT

Writer: BROCKTON MCKINNEY

Art/Cover: ANDREW HERMAN

32 pgs. • T • FC • $3.99 (reg.)/$4.99 (var.)

When the Earth itself is in danger from an approaching asteroid, a professional stuntwoman is our only chance to save humanity! But is Zoe Dare up to the task? With the help of her punk rock, I.T. savvy sister and two A.I. enabled robots, ready-or-not the unlikely team is about to be thrust into an adventure of disastrous proportions!

Variant cover limited to 1,500 copies.

This doesn't look like something I'd enjoy, but it has a nice preview. (Possible review post-embargo.)

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  • I actually pre-ordered Hillbilly, so with a 75% chance my LCS actually ordered it, I will let you know how it is.

    Vision is one of those titles I like, but I don't know if I would actually buy it. I read it on those rare occasions I work at my LCS.

  • I'm not suggesting that DC not have a Teen+ superhero universe, but maybe limit that to a dozen titles or so, and put out tons more Kmart-friendly kids books, cartoons and merchandise.

    But can they get the material to the target audience, and does the target audience want it? DC has done quite a few kids' superhero titles over the last quarter-century - (The) Batman Adventures, Superman Adventures, Justice League Adventures, The Brave and the Bold, The Power of Shazam!, Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the Eighth Grade - and they apparently haven't sold as well as their comics for older readers.



  • Luke Blanchard said:

    I'm not suggesting that DC not have a Teen+ superhero universe, but maybe limit that to a dozen titles or so, and put out tons more Kmart-friendly kids books, cartoons and merchandise.

    But can they get the material to the target audience, and does the target audience want it? DC has done quite a few kids' superhero titles over the last quarter-century - (The) Batman Adventures, Superman Adventures, Justice League Adventures, The Brave and the Bold, The Power of Shazam!, Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the Eighth Grade - and they apparently haven't sold as well as their comics for older readers.

    I think this is mainly because they have to have a local comic book store and actually go there. The kid-friendly books need to be displayed in popular stores to have a chance. Comic shop owners are seldom rich enough to afford a lot of non-returnable books that historically haven't sold.

  • Yeah, I was thinking books aimed at Target and Kmart, coloring books and GNs and such, as much or more than serialized adventure titles. An entirely different business model than the direct market.

    Of course, I suppose they could do both. And should!

  • The Fun Family: YIKES. I have a bad feeling about that one. Reminds me a little of Rich Koslowski's Three Fingers, exploring the seamy underbelly of animated cartoon stars...that was a pretty depressing read, too.

    Semiautomagic is a load of creepy fun. I read the stories in Dark Horse Presents, and they were good enough that I backed the kickstarter for more.

    I'm really curious about The Vision, but I'm letting the issues build up on Marvel Unlimited before I start.

    As for the DC/Young Readers conversation, I think there's certainly room for growth there. Maybe not to the point where it could replace the monthly publishing of 50+ comics, though. But certainly there's space there for more than what's being produced, even with new product like DC Superhero Girls.

  • Today when I was in the store, I saw the title Hillbilly on the stands. I immediately thought, "I've never heard of that, but it has to be from Eric Powell."

    Sure enough.

    Let's face it, if a book called Hillbilly was done by anyone other than Eric Powell, there would be a very high chance that it wouldn't be any good.

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