Say, why didn't any of you tell me that I was doing the links wrong to the Facebook page? I'm doing them correctly now, but geez, there are a lot of bad links in previous Guides! Anyway, on to this week's funnybooks!
DARK HORSE COMICS
ADAM.3 #4 (OF 5)
Writer/Art/Cover: SCOTT KOLINS
FC, 32 pages, $3.99, Miniseries
Scott Kolins (The Flash, The Avengers) continues his career highlight with “Death”—part four of S.E.E.D.S. How can Adam survive when his paradise has transformed into a haunting nightmare? Family and friends all seem lost as the infectious monster JRMM reveals a new, dark secret! DO. NOT. MISS.
Heads up, those following this series (like me). This issue has been delayed a bit, but here it is.
Kolins is still doing the best work of his career. As to the story, things seem to have taken the worst turn yet, as you'd expect in the penultimate issue. However, Kolins has left a lot of explanations for the final issue, so we still don't know much about who or what these people are.
CONAN THE AVENGER #20
Writer: FRED VAN LENTE
Art: BRIAN CHING
Colors: MICHAEL ATIYEH
Cover: PAUL RENAUD
FC, 32 pages, $3.50, Ongoing
An evil witch secretly takes the place of her twin sister, the beloved queen of Khauran, and seizes control of the kingdom. But Conan, captain of the royal guard, sees through the witch’s ruse—can the Cimmerian stand against her villainous ally Constantius and the might of his mercenary army?
The beginning of a new story arc—a great jumping-on point!
This issue begins the a new adaptation of "A Witch Shall Be Born," which contains the scene where Conan is cruicified. I've been enjoying Ching's art, in that he doesn't try to ape any previous artist. I love Brian Windsor-Smith, John Buscema and Cary Nord, but I'd rather see each artist offer his own view of Conan, rather than regurgitating someone else's.
EMPOWERED SPECIAL: PEW! PEW! PEW!
Writer/Art/Cover: ADAM WARREN
Cover: ROB PORTER
FC, 32 pages, $3.99, One-shot
Over 150,000 Empowered graphic novels in sold!
The laser blasts fly as costumed crime fighter Empowered battles a series of puzzlingly rage-fueled supervillains, each one armed with a bigger and more destructive “supergun” than the last. Ah, but might our long-suffering heroine’s own buried resentments and repressed bitterness prove to be her deadliest foes? (SPOILER: Yes, pretty much.)
All story and art by series creator Adam Warren!
I found myself actually enjoying the last Empowered GN, or maybe it was the one before. I may have misjudged this series. I thought the title was ironic, but it appears the lead character can take care of herself now and then. (She still tends to lose her clothes and get tied up a lot, though.)
FRANKENSTEIN UNDERGROUND (TPB)
Writer/Cover: MIKE MIGNOLA
Art: BEN STENBECK
Colors: DAVE STEWART
FC, 144 pages, $19.99, TPB, 7" x 10"
After a fight with Hellboy, Frankenstein’s monster escapes the terrible Mexican laboratory where he was imprisoned and discovers strange creatures beneath the desert, where he’ll learn some of the greatest secrets of the mystical world in the strangest Hellboy spinoff yet! Collects Frankenstein Underground #1–#5.
The sequel to Hellboy: House of the Living Dead!
“Compelling from cover to cover, and manages to exceed expectations with haunting art on almost every page.”—Bloody Disgusting
"Its dark and Lovecraftian tone jells perfectly with the character of Frankenstein's monster. With such an all-star creative team behind the project, I eagerly await what darkness our Franken-friend is poised to plumb.” —The Fandom Post
“Gorgeous.”—io9
MMMMmmmmm good.
MIgnola has grown so much as a writer that this story is confident and sure-footed that it creates its own world while moving the story forward so smoothly that it never misses a beat. Stenbeck's art is equally smooth, clean and easy to follow. I miss Mignola's art, but he can be eccentric, something Stenbeck avoids.
HELLBOY AND THE B.P.R.D.: 1953—THE WITCH TREE & RAWHEAD REX AND BLOODY BONES
Writer/Cover: MIKE MIGNOLA
Art: BEN STENBECK
Colors: DAVE STEWART
FC, 32 pages, $3.50, One-shot
As Hellboy continues his journey across England with his mentor, he confronts some of the most horrible figures of British folklore—Rawhead Rex and Bloody Bones.
This is how we're going to find out about Hellboy's adventures in 1953 -- twice-monthly standalone issues with two stories each in them. Not that I care what format I get Hellboy in, just as long as I keep getting Hellboy!
Incidentally, note that the credits for this book are identical to those of Frankenstein Underground.
ITTY BITTY HELLBOY: THE SEARCH FOR THE WERE-JAGUAR #1 (OF 4)
Writer/Art: ART BALTAZAR
Writer: FRANCO
FC, 32 pages, $2.99, Miniseries
He’s Itty Bitty and he’s back!
Aw yeah! Art Baltazar and Franco return to Itty Bitty Hellboy! This time, Hellboy, Abe, Liz, and friends are on a very special quest . . . to deliver underwear to the Island of Rogers! But their mission is suddenly interrupted by the discovery of the strange, mysterious beast known as the were-jaguar!
“Itty Bitty Hellboy is bite-sized, adorable Hellboy fun for all ages.”—Comic Vine
This is the only place I find Baltazar/Franco tolerable.
KABUKI LIBRARY EDITION VOL 2 (HC)
Writer/Art/Cover: DAVID MACK
FC, 400 pages, $39.99, HC, 9" x 12"
“Genius.”—Chuck Palahniuk
Celebrating twenty years of Kabuki, this second volume in a complete set of large, oversized library editions of the entire critically acclaimed Kabuki series collects the Kabuki volumes Skin Deep and Metamorphosis.
Isolated and psychologically tormented, Kabuki finds her only friend in a mystery woman who sends her handwritten notes folded into origami animals. Featuring a total of twelve separate issues and collected with loads of extras, this is the next great edition that fans of Mack and Kabuki have been waiting for.
“You’re going to be blown away by the amazing work in this collection!”—Brian Michael Bendis
“One of the true geniuses of the medium.”—Entertainment Weekly
Somebody jump in here and tell me if all the superlatives I read about this book are true, and if so, why. I read a few random issues back in the long-before time and found it incomprehensible and a little bit of a vanity project.
THE USAGI YOJIMBO SAGA VOL 5 (TPB & LTD. ED. HC)
Writer/Art/Cover: STAN SAKAI
B&W, 552 pages, 7" x 10"
TPB: $24.99
Ltd. Ed. HC: $79.99
In this fifth definitive Usagi Yojimbo compilation, the rabbit ronin’s friendship with retainer Tomoe Ame is spotlighted in the epic-length “Mother of Mountains,” her origin “Tomoe’s Story,” and the poignant tea-ceremony tale “Chanoyu.” Collects Usagi Yojimbo Volume 3 #76–93, Usagi Yojimbo Color Special #1–3, and more!
• Full-color cover gallery!
• Also available in a signed and numbered hardcover edition, limited to 1,500 copies!
Heads up for Usagi Yojimbo fans.
DC COMICS
LOONEY TUNES COVERS
This week's variant covers, featuring Looney Tunes characters, include Aquaman #46, Deathstroke #12, Flash #46, Grayson #14, Robin, Son of Batman #6, Sinestro #17, Superman #46 and Superman/Wonder Woman #23. Note that the Grayson cover is an homage to Detective Comics #38 (first appearance of Dick Grayson) and the Superman cover is an homage to Superman vs. Muhammad Ali. The Deathstroke cover looks familiar, but I can't put my finger on it. And the Wonder Woman cover, of course, is a play on the famous animated short, "What's Opera, Doc?"
BATMAN ’66 MEETS THE GREEN HORNET (TPB)
Written by KEVIN SMITH and RALPH GARMAN
Art by TY TEMPLETON
Cover by ALEX ROSS
144 pg, FC, $14.99 US
Superstar filmmaker Kevin Smith and actor/comedian Ralph Garman reunite Batman, The Green Hornet, Robin and Kato! But what could force these rivals to join forces? How about the deadly team of General Gumm and The Joker! Don’t miss this title collecting the 6-issue miniseries. Co-published with Dynamite.
Not having Mike Allred on the art of this Batman '66 mini would normally be keenly felt, but Ty Templeton is a more-than-adequate replacement. I wouldn't mind seeing him do more Batman '66.
DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE #1
Written by FRANK MILLER and BRIAN AZZARELLO
Art by ANDY KUBERT and KLAUS JANSON
Mini comic art by TBA
Cover by ANDY KUBERT and KLAUS JANSON
1:10 variant cover by KLAUS JANSON
1:25 variant cover by ANDY KUBERT and KLAUS JANSON
1:50 variant cover by TBA
1:100 variant cover by FRANK MILLER
1:500 variant cover by JIM LEE
1:5000 original sketch variant by JIM LEE
Blank variant cover
On sale NOVEMBER 25
32 pg comic: 6.375” x 10.1875”
16 page minicomic: 5.5” x 8.5”
FC, 1 of 8, $5.99 US • RATED T+
The epic ending you never saw coming is here because you demanded it! The Dark Knight rises again to face the dawn of the master race!
DC Comics is proud to present the debut issue of DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE, one of the most ambitious projects ever from a major American comics publisher. Here are the details...
Each issue of DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE will include:
• A 32-page standard format comic book that will measure 6.625” x 10.1875”
• A 16-page minicomic with no interior ads that will measure 5.5” x 8.375”
The minicomic will be tipped on to an insert and bound into the main comic.
After the release of each issue of DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE, DC Entertainment will release a volume of the DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE COLLECTOR’S EDITION that will collect the both the main story and mini-comic from latest issue of DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE as a single 7.0625” x 10.875” title, with both stories presented at the same trim size.
After the first seven DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE COLLECTOR’S EDITION have been published, DC Entertainment will ship a special slipcase designed to hold the entire set with the eighth COLLECTOR’S EDITION.
DKIII also will feature a dazzling array of variant covers by some of the biggest names in comics today. And, for the first time ever, DC will offer custom store variant editions to qualifying retailers.
Well, here we go.
I confess my enthusiasm is nearly non-existent for this book. Not only was Dark Knight II a disappointment, but Frank Miller has since taken a ride on the right-wing crazy train and I worry how much of that will feed into his stories (not that he was ever a bleeding heart). Fortunately, the "master race" aren't Nazis or anything else political, but are Kryptonians -- probably written as Nazis, but still.
DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS #5
Written by MARGUERITE BENNETT
Art by BILQUIS EVELY, LAURA BRAGA and MIRKA ANDOLFO
Cover by ANT LUCIA
On sale NOVEMBER 25 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T • DIGITAL FIRST
Shipping twice in November! While Wonder Woman leads an American infantry division in an attack on an Axis battalion, Harley makes a none-too-graceful landing in France, where she encounters a woman with a strange affinity for plants. Plus, Supergirl and Stargirl fly home to protect their parents, only to be attacked by a fearsome forest spirit known as the Swamp Thing.
I still like this outfit better than WW's current ensemble.
Also, if Swamp Thing appears in this book, will it be a female version? I don't recall any male heroes appearing in this series.
JACKED #1
Written by ERIC KRIPKE
Art by JOHN HIGGINS
Cover by GLENN FABRY
32 pg, FC, 1 of 6, $3.99 US • MATURE READERS
Eric Kripke (creator of Supernatural) teams up with Vertigo veterans John Higgins (HELLBLAZER) and Glenn Fabry (PREACHER) to bring you a very Vertigo take on the modern superhero in this six-issue miniseries. Josh Jaffe, a neurotic family man mid-midlife crisis, buys an online “smart pill” to increase his focus and jolt him out of his slump. But to Josh’s surprise, the pill gives him incredible strength and power—but its cost is that it’s extremely addictive. This irreverent and brutally realistic story examines both the mighty highs and humiliating lows of being a real-life superhero.
Another interesting Vertigo debut. They're really on a roll.
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #5
Written by BRYAN HITCH
Art by BRYAN HITCH and DANIEL HENRIQUES
Cover by BRYAN HITCH
Monsters Variant cover by WHILCE PORTACIO
32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
With the League utterly defeated by Rao, only the failsafes devised by Batman can possibly save them now!
This book has been delayed so long, it's got a pre-Halloween variant cover.
Speaking of which, you've got Super-Frankenstein, Batman as a vampire, Wonder Woman as Bride of Frankenstein, Flash as a werewolf, Aquaman as the Gill-Man and Cyborg as ... a horse? What's scary about a horse?
SUPERMAN: LOIS AND CLARK #2
Written by DAN JURGENS
Art and cover by LEE WEEKS
32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
While we learn what exactly this strange new Superman has been up to during his time on this Earth, Lois is targeted by a deadly organization that calls itself … Intergang! Plus: Jon, the son of Lois and Clark, is starting to wonder about his parents’ true origins.
As someone pointed out last month, a Nazi Superman would be diametrically opposed to the Earth-Golden Age Superman, a New Dealer. Should be a clash of ideologies as well as super-powers.
IDW PUBLISHING
GIL KANE'S UNDERSEA AGENT
Writer: STEVE SKEATES, GARDNER FOX
Art: GIL KANE
Cover: GIL KANE, RYAN BROWN
HC • FC • $17.99 • 72 pages • 7" x 11"
After the job was done for the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, a new force was revealed in UNDERSEA AGENT! Helmed by comics master Gil Kane, this special hardcover collection includes all of his work from the short-lived series. A must-have for Kane fans, and Tower Comics collectors.
• Fully re-mastered story pages!
• Perfect companion to T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS: THE BEST OF WALLY WOOD.
Is this a comprehensive series collection? I only have about two issues of Undersea Agent, and don't remember them at all. Surely other artists contributed as well, since Kane was also doing Green Lantern and probably Atom at the same time. I'd rather have the whole shebang than just what one artist did.
STAR TREK #51
Writer: MIKE JOHNSON
Art/Cover: TONY SHASTEEN
Subscription Variant: LORELEI BUNJES
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
The Mirror Universe epic continues here as the evil counterparts of the Enterprise crew gain the upper hand! Captain Kirk finds himself allied with the mysterious man known only as Singh, while Spock comes face to face with his deceased mother... now alive and well in the Mirror Universe! Don't miss this all-new original STAR TREK adventure!
Khan is back, in part two of this epic arc based on the classic episode “Mirror, Mirror!”
It's really hard to go wrong with a Mirror, Mirror story.
T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS CLASSICS, VOL. 6
Writers: STEVE SKEATES, BILL PEARSON, WALLY WOOD
Art: WALLY WOOD, CHIC STONE, OGDEN WHITNEY, JOHN GIUNTA, DAN ADKINS, GEORGE TUSKA, STEVE DITKO, GIL KANE, JACK ABEL, RALPH REESE, REED CRANDALL, PAUL REINMAN
Cover: WALLY WOOD
TPB • FC • $29.99 • 236 pages
The original adventures of Dynamo, NoMan, Menthor and more from T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents issues #15–19. Features the artwork of Wally Wood, Steve Ditko, Gil Kane, Chic Stone, and more!
Just look at that cover! Look at the murderer's row of creators! Now try to imagine how excited the Li'l Capn was when he saw a Tower comic book on the stands in the 1960s. It wasn't anyone's best work (except possibly Wood), and some of the filler stories were just awful, but when T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents was good, it was awesomely good.
TRANSFORMERS: SINS OF THE WRECKERS #1 (OF 5)
Writer/Art/Cover: NICK ROCHE
Subscription Variant: DECLAN SHALVEY
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
THE WRECKERS RETURN! Somebody’s kidnapped PROWL … but does anybody want him back? A lifetime of messing with everybody’s lives comes around to haunt him. Fortunately, he’s always got a plan. In this case… the one team of brutal, broken heroes… the WRECKERS!
• The sequel to LAST STAND OF THE WRECKERS—one of the most acclaimed comics in TRANSFORMERS history!
• PROWL gets his comeuppance!
• Features ARCEE and KUP… and the WRECKERS!
• The secret history of PROWL revealed, leaving everybody hurt.
• Variant cover by Alex Milne!
I don't read any Transformers stuff, but if you're a fan, here's a heads up about a new miniseries.
DISNEY BOOKS
UNCLE SCROOGE #8
Writers: ARNO BUITINK, DAAN JIPPES
Art: BAS HEYMANS, DAAN JIPPES
Cover: MICHEL NADORP
Subscription Variant: SILVIO CAMBONI
FC • 40 pages • $3.99
“Peril of Pandora’s Box”: When sorceress Magica De Spell gets her hands on the original surprise package, it’s a race to threaten Scrooge with the evils inside!
• Saucy sorceress Magica De Spell is one of Scrooge’s most popular foes—now enjoy her mystic mayhem in a new-to-USA long adventure!
• Continues this popular series’ legacy numbering at #413!
• 40 action-packed pages for only $3.99!
• “Disney Legacy” ToonTown cover by Derek Charm!
WALT DISNEY’S COMICS & STORIES #725
Writers: BRUNO SARDA, JONATHAN GRAY
Art: MASSIMO DE VITA, HARVEY EISENBERG
Cover: JOHN LOTER
Subscription Variant: GIADA PERISSINOTTO
FC • 40 pages • $3.99
“The Search For the Zodiac Stone—Chapter 5!” Donald and Scrooge seek the next powerful Zodiac pendant in the stratosphere! Then Chip ‘n’ Dale wreak havoc in a never-before-reprinted classic!
• Go nuts this issue with Chip ‘n’ Dale—part-time Rescue Rangers and eternal Donald Duck foes!
• Disney’s most long-lived, celebrated monthly title is back! Discover Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories again for the first time!
• 40 action-packed pages for only $3.99!
• “Disney Legacy” ToonTown cover by Derek Charm!
Still good stuff.
WEIRD LOVE #10
Writer/Art/Cover: UNKNOWN
FC • 32 pages • $4.99
If you LOVE your comics WEIRD, then Weird Love is for YOU! We find the kinkiest and kookiest ROTFL romance comics of the 1950s and assemble them into a lurid Good Girl Art package! This issue features a deplorable comic about a plus-size woman titled “My Heavy Heart” that will make you glad we’ve come a long way, baby! “Innocence Was My Angle” is anything but innocent! Finally, we just have to share with you the so-bad-it's good “I Suffered For Love”—it’s as if Ed Wood created comics, and trust us, you’ll suffer—from fits of laughter!
I, for one, encourage foreign men in headdresses to come to the U.S. and marry what are obviously our stupidest women.
IMAGE COMICS
DEAD@17 THE COMPLETE COLLECTION (TPB)
Writer/Art/Cover: JOSH HOWARD
768 PAGES / FC / T+ / $49.99
This is it! The entire cult-favorite DEAD@17 series collected together in one massive volume! Rediscover, or experience for the first time, Nara Kilday's incredible journey from life to death to rebirth and her epic struggle with the evils of man and demons.
Bonus content includes sketches, art gallery, and creator commentary.
Collects DEAD@17 Volumes 1-7.
I've never read word one of this. Anybody know if it's any good?
JUPITER'S CIRCLE, VOL. 2 #1
Writer: MARK MILLAR
Art: WILFREDO TORRES
Cover A: BILL SIENKIEWICZ
Cover B: FRANK QUITELY
32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.50
Legendary MARK MILLAR reunites with the superlative WILFREDO TORRES in this epic prequel to the smash-hit JUPITER'S LEGACY series! In midcentury America, the world's greatest superheroes triumph in their public battles, while struggling with private ones. Mad Men-style period drama meets Justice League-inspired team action in a brand new volume. Introducing new regular cover artist BILL SIENKIEWICZ. Also features a character design cover by FRANK QUITELY.
Skyfox was right -- that is a stupid mustache (see Cover B). Anyway, new Jupiter's Circle alert!
RINGSIDE #1
Writer: JOE KEATINGE
Art: NICK BARBER & SIMON GOUGH
40 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99
THE PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING EPIC BEGINS WITH AN OVER-SIZED FIRST ISSUE!
RINGSIDE is an ongoing drama written by Joe Keatinge (SHUTTER, TECH JACKET), with art by Nick Barber, colors by Simon Gough, and letters by Ariana Maher set around the world of professional wrestling and coming from Image Comics this November. The series explores the artistry of performers rotating as cogs in the corporate machinery of an industry built to sell myth to the masses.
“Ever since I was a kid I've been caught up in the mythology professional wrestling sells us, that these larger-than-life men and women are unstoppable titans locked in a never-ending, action-packed drama,” said Keatinge. “However, in time you learn that they're just as human as anyone else, that they're very much putting their lives on the line to entertain us, that they're just as much part of a corporate machine built for profit as anyone else. Ringside's a book about taking apart that machine and seeing how the industry functions and the lives it affects from a rotating set of angles including the wrestlers themselves, the creatives they work with, the suits in charge and the fans cheering them all on."
RINGSIDE starts with three perspectives: a retired veteran forced to fight his greatest battle in the real world, a rookie struggling to get his first shot and a writer frustrated over lack of control.
But they're just the beginning.
The real violence is outside the ring.
Another new Image title. We need to organize volunteers to sample all these new titles!
WITCHBLADE #185
Writers: RON MARZ, MATT HAWKINS, MARC SILVESTRI
Art: KEU CHA, STJEPAN SEJIC, & ABHISHEK MALSUNI, BRIAN CHING, RANDY GREEN, MICHAEL TURNER, ISAAC GOODHART, NELSON BLAKE II, LINDA SEJIC, & MARC SILVESTRI
Cover A (Memorial): MICHAEL TURNER
Cover B: KEU CHA
48 PAGES / FC / T+ / $5.99
SERIES FINALE!
An era comes to a close with the double-sized final issue of Sara Pezzini's twenty-year run. Several previous Witchblade artists return to the title to send her off in style. The story resolves Sara's return to New York and her relationship with Gleason and her attempt to find a suitable bearer to give the Artifact to.
I'll be darned. They really are retiring Sara Pezzini. Well, she was never a big seller, and the story of the witchblade continues in the new title Switch, by Stjepan Sejic.
MARVEL COMICS
GUIDEBOOK TO THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE – MARVEL’S INCREDIBLE HULK/MARVEL’S IRON MAN 2
Written by MIKE O’SULLIVAN & THE OHOTMU TEAM
Covers by MIKE DEL MUNDO & PASCAL CAMPION
32 PGS / Rated T+ / $3.99
Our comprehensive coverage of the fan-favorite Marvel Studios films and Marvel Television series rolls on! This second issue, in fantastic flipbook format, shines a spotlight on the Hulk’s gamma-charged feature film and Iron Man’s return to the silver screen! With fact sheets, movie-to-comic comparisons, behind-the-scenes art and production stills, this issue features profiles of the ever-incredible Hulk and a comprehensive Iron Man update — plus these future Avengers’ friends and family including Betty Ross, Samuel Sterns, War Machine, Black Widow and Howard Stark; enemies including Abomination, Thunderbolt Ross, Whiplash and Justin Hammer; high-tech devices like Iron Man’s new RT and the Hammer Drones; and updates on Nick Fury, Phil Coulson and more! Relive the big-screen thrills of 2008’s The Incredible Hulk and 2010’s Iron Man 2, and continue building your indispensable library of Cinematic Universe reference books!
I won't point out every one of these, but if you're into the Marvel movies, this is #2 in a series -- collect 'em all!
JESSICA JONES: ALIAS VOL. 3 (TPB)
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Penciled by MICHAEL GAYDOS
Cover by DAVID MACK
160 PGS / Explicit Content / $19.99
As a costumed adventurer, Jessica Jones was plagued by a lack of self-esteem and an inability to master her superhuman powers. Eventually she realized that she would forever be considered a second-rate super hero, and hung up her cape and tights. Now a tough-as-nails private investigator, Jessica returns home to find a mysterious girl in a costume hiding in her apartment, but the girl flies away before Jessica can find out who she is. Through sources, Jessica discovers that her intruder is Mattie Franklin, A.K.A. Spider-Woman, a teenage super hero with a connection to Daily Bugle publisher J. Jonah Jameson. Now, with Mattie in danger, Jessica Jones must seek help from an unlikely source — Jessica Drew, the original Spider-Woman — to bring her home alive! Collecting ALIAS #10 and #16-21.
The TV show has already debuted (all episodes became available Nov. 20). But if you haven't seen the show yet, there's still time to bone up on the original coic book -- which, as this glowing Salon article points out, is both well-done and important.
MOON GIRL & DEVIL DINOSAUR #1
Written by AMY REEDER & BRANDON MONTCLARE
Art by NATACHA BUSTOS
Cover by AMY REEDER
Variant Cover by TREVOR VON EEDEN
Hip-Hop Variant by JEFFREY VEREGGE
32 PGS / Rated T / $3.99
Experience a friendship 65 million years in the making and a Marvel team-up that has to be seen to be believed. Today, Marvel is pleased to announce MOON GIRL & DEVIL DINOSAUR #1, a brand-new ongoing series launching as part of All-New, All-Different Marvel. From writers Amy Reeder & Brandon Montclare (Rocket Girl) and artist Natacha Bustos (Spider-Woman) comes a story of unlikely friendship in the Mighty Marvel Manner!
Meet Lunella Lafayette, pre-teen super genius who wants to change the world. But when she uncovers ancient Kree technology, things are about to get a whole lot stranger. Opening a doorway to the prehistoric past, her life is turned upside down when she comes face-to-face with the towering Jurassic giant known only as DEVIL DINOSUAR! But he is not alone. Out of the portal an in to the Marvel Universe are transported the Killer-Folk, an ancient tribe of beings who will stop at nothing to acquire the Kree technology!
“Something that’s the hallmark of a Marvel Hero is that they’re gifted with a power they may see as a curse. Their hero’s journey is to discover how to use it to help others,” says series Editor Mark Paniccia. “Lunella is a little genius with grand plans on going to big schools, but she’s got an Inhuman gene, unpredictable alien DNA inside that – once triggered – could take her life in a wildly different direction. She’s determined to control that change. She’s going to need to grow up really fast to survive in the new Marvel Universe…luckily she will have Devil Dinosaur at her side.”
Lunella’s about to learn the hard way that it’ll take more than just big brains to save the world. This unlikely duo are many things, but together, they’re the unstoppable Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur! Be there for their first adventure and a Marvel series unlike any you’ve seen before as Reeder, Montclare and Bustos bring you MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR #1!
A smart, black, female, teen, non-sexualized protagonist? Good lord, what is Marvel thinking? 
SILK #1
Written by ROBBIE THOMPSON
Art by STACEY LEE
Cover by HELEN CHEN
Variant Cover by W. SCOTT FORBES
Hip-Hop Variant by WOO DAE SHIM
32 PGS / Rated T / $3.99
SILK IS BACK AND BADDER THAN EVER!
Meet the Sinister Silk. That’s right True Believer, Cindy Moon is back – and she’s running with the Black Cat and her gang?! Today Marvel is pleased to present your first look at SILK #1 – the new ongoing series from writer Robbie Thompson and artist Stacey Lee! Since she escaped the bunker and returned from the universe-hopping Spider-Verse her one mission has been to track down the missing members of her family. But her quest has taken her down a darker path than she ever expected, and now she’s found herself on the wrong side of the law, and in league with Marvel’s most ferocious feline, the Black Cat. What could have happened in the eight months since Secret Wars to get under her skin? Is there any redeeming her, or is she already lost? Find out this November in the all-new SILK #1!
I haven't read any of the Black Cat stories since her conversion to a bad guy -- has it been convincing, Legionnaires? (I assume it was done to differentiate her from Catwoman.) Anyway, I haven't read any Cindy Moon stories either, so I'm looking forward to sampling the Silk story, whatever it is.
VENOM: SPACE KNIGHT #1
Written by ROBBIE THOMPSON
Art & Cover by ARIEL OLIVETTI
Variant Covers by MIKE DEODATO and RON LIM
Action Figure Variant by JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
Hip-Hop Variant by MIKE CHOI
32 PGS / Rated T+ / $3.99
IN SPACE, NO ONE CAN HEAR YOU SCREAM…WITH EXCITEMENT!
Flash Thompson is a lot of things. Soldier. Veteran. Double amputee. Host to a powerful alien symbiote. Guardians of the galaxy. Spider-Man’s biggest fan. But now, apart from his fellow guardians, he’s going solo for a brand new ongoing series in VENOM: SPACE KNIGHT #1! From creators Robbie Thompson and Ariel Olivetti comes a tale of action, adventure and alien intrigue. Now an ambassador of Earth and an Agent of the Cosmos – Flash Thompson is getting to be the one thing he always wanted. A BIG. DAMN. HERO. Strap in, hold on and blast off – you won’t want to miss the start of a brand-new adventure as Venom swashbuckles across the universe in VENOM: SPACE KNIGHT #1!
And here I didn't think they could make Venom any more of a conceptual mess than he was already! Is there any reason to keep this character going besides trademark concerns?
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OTHER PUBLISHERS
ARCHIE #4
Art: ANNIE WU, ANDRE SZYMANOWICZ, JEN VAUGHN, JACK MORELLI
Cover: ANNIE WU
Variant Covers: MAHMUD ASRAR, FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA, JAIME HERNANDEZ WITH ROSARIO “TITO” PEÑA, JOE QUINONES, PAUL RENAUD
32-page, full color comic, $3.99 U.S.
The Lipstick Incident revealed! Get a first look at Annie Wu's amazing ARCHIE #4 artwork!
What is the #LipstickIncident?
Buzzing around the halls of Riverdale High since the best-selling launch of ARCHIE #1, fans will finally learn the true story of just what broke up Archie and Betty in the pages of Mark Waid and Annie Wu’s ARCHIE #4. How can you miss this issue?
Writer Mark Waid has been tight-lipped about the Lipstick Incident since the start of the relaunched series but promises a pay-off in issue #4, "Finally, the details of the #LipstickIncident are revealed as we see what exactly broke up the power couple of Archie Andrews and Betty Cooper -- and you'll never guess!"
Waid teams with superstar artist Annie Wu, colorists Andre Szymanowicz and Jen Vaughn and letterer Jack Morelli to provide the answers that everyone has been clamoring for.
"My partner in crime this issue is the fabulous artist Annie Wu and, man, she tore the cover off the ball!"
Wu, known for her stellar work on hit series Hawkeye and Black Canary, will handle the art for #4 while Veronica Fish will take on issues #5 and #6.
“Annie has the perfect handle on these characters and we’re lucky to have her come in for a special, one-issue story,” said Archie Comics President Mike Pellerito. “Annie’s a unique and versatile talent and really the perfect person to step in and showcase these characters in a new way, while still holding true to the foundation Fiona put in place.”
Fans got their first glimpse at Veronica Fish’s vibrant take on the Archie gang with her promotional image for the new ‘RIVERDALE’ series in development at The CW.
“Veronica’s a real hidden gem,” Pellerito said. “Mark my words – she’ll be a star before she’s done working on these two issues.”
Fiona Staples, with colorists Andrew Szymanowicz and Jen Vaughn, will continue her character defining run on ARCHIE through September’s issue #3, introducing new faces and fan favorites to the town of Riverdale.
“She not only nailed the style, but also got to the core of each character,” said Pellerito. “Archie, Jughead, Betty, Kevin, Reggie, Midge, Veronica, and so on. Just perfect. Fiona was, hands down, the perfect artist to launch this series, and it shows.”
I think we're midway through Waid's announced run (six issues, right?), so the #lipstickincident needs to be explained. I'm sure Waid will arrange it so that no one's at fault, but a necessary wedge will be left so that the Betty-Archie-Veronica love triangle is as plausible as it is foreordained. I can't wait to see how he does it.
THE ART OF JOSE GONZALEZ (HC)
Art/Cover: JOSE GONZALEZ
$39.99 / Mature / 248 pages
ON SALE DATE: September 30
Dynamite Entertainment is proud to announce that acclaimed artist Jose "Pepe" Gonzalez will be the subject of a career retrospective in the upcoming September release of The Art of Jose Gonzalez, a 250-page hardcover collection of his illustrations from fantasy and horror comic books, commercial advertising, personal commissions, and more. Narrated by author, artist, and historian David Roach (The Warren Companion), the massive tome also features an introduction by fan-favorite painter Joe Jusko.
Writer David Roach says, "Jose Gonzalez is widely regarded as the definitive Vampirella artist, and his run on the strip from 1971 to 1983 is, for many fans, one of the high points in the character's long and illustrious history. He is justly famed for his exquisite and provocative drawings of beautiful women, including not just Vampirella, but the glamorous movie stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, particularly Marilyn Monroe. Gonzalez was far more than just a comic book artist; he was an inspired and prodigiously gifted illustrator whose work was printed around the world, although very little has been seen by his fans up until now. The Art of Jose Gonzalez is the culmination of more than 30 years collecting on my part, and I have scoured the world for rare book covers, illustrations, and unpublished artwork to compile what I hope will be seen as a comprehensive tribute to a great but enigmatic artist, much of whose life and art has been hidden until now."
For nearly two decades, Jose Gonzalez was hailed as the premier Vampirella artist, drawing the fiery vixen for Warren Publishing in the 'Seventies and 'Eighties. Renowned for bringing to life the most beautiful women the art world has ever seen, Gonzalez's career spans from drawing British romance comics to movie stars, book covers to commercial advertising. For the first time ever, author David Roach covers Gonzalez's entire career, transcending his vast body of Vampirella work to explore the full breadth of the master's creations.
"The book features artwork from all periods of Jose Gonzalez' life and career, from his prodigious childhood drawings to the private commissions of his later years with artwork sourced from some of the world's leading collections," says Roach. "His work on Vampirella is celebrated by chapters covering his legendary Frontis drawings and the best of his private commissions, most taken from the original artwork. It will also include three of his finest Vampi strips: 'Return Trip' and 'Spawn of the Star Beast' (both printed from the original art), along with the legendary lost Vampirella strip, 'The Wrathmore Curse', never-before-printed in America. But before finding acclaim in the United States, Gonzalez had spent the previous decade as one of the leading romance artists in Britain and the book collects together the very finest pages from this little-known and hard-to-find period. Later on, the artist turned towards illustration, creating a series of astonishing movie star portraits, book covers and personal drawings for his native Spain and across Europe. These illustrations -- much of them featuring his trademarked beautiful women -- reveal him to be among the very finest illustrators of his generation, ranking him alongside such American greats as Robert McGinnis, Gil Elvgren, and Coby Whitmore... and will come as a revelation to even his most devoted fans. The final chapter is a lengthy gallery section featuring the unpublished artwork I was lucky enough to find from private collections across Europe and America; it includes many of the best commissions he drew for collectors and the cream of his astonishing fine art drawings taken from his three solo exhibitions.
"I have been a Gonzalez obsessive for almost 40 years and had built up what I thought was a truly comprehensive collection of his work, but the process of compiling the book has been a revelation to me, and I feel will be for his fans, as well. I simply had no idea of the sheer breadth and quality of his artwork and hopefully the book will spark a major reassessment of the artist's work. While compiling the visual elements of the project, I have also spoken to many of his friends and colleagues from the Golden Age of Spanish comics and the legendary Warren magazines, resulting in a comprehensive biography of a truly extraordinary man. Gonzalez was almost universally regarded by his peers as a genius, seemingly able to draw with any materials he picked up and with the ability to create incredibly realistic portraits entirely from memory. He was also a talented performer, singer, and lover of nightlife with scant regard for convention … or deadlines! In life and art, Jose Gonzalez was truly unique. As a fan, as well as a comic book artist myself, I have been determined to put together a fitting tribute to a great talent and in many ways the book is the culmination of a lifelong obsession which I hope will thrill long-time Vampirella fans along with lovers of great drawing and pin-up art.
I only knew Gonzalez from his Vampirella work. He sure was terrific on other stuff, if the samples below are any indication.
THE BLACK HOOD #7
Art: MICHAEL GAYDOS, JESUS ABURTO, RACHEL DEERING
Cover: FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA
Variant Cover: DAVID MACK
32-page, full color comic, $3.99 U.S.
“The Lonely Crusade, Part 1” Greg Hettinger returns to Philadelphia and promises his closest friend, Jessie Dupree, that his hood-wearing vigilante days are over. But it’s a promise he’s going to struggle to keep—especially when a gang calling themselves “The Crusaders” are prowling the City of Brotherly Love, scooping up “undesirables” and asking if they want to be saved... The second action-packed arc of The Black Hood begins here!
This book is so good that last month's one-issue diversion to California, drawn by Howard Chaykin, was almost irritating -- I want to see where Swiercynski is going, nay, can go, with this series. Hettinger's options are now so narrow I have no idea how Swiercynski can keep him in the hood. He surely will, so the "how" will be fascinating.
CAGE OF EDEN VOL 19 (GN)
Writer/Art/Cover: YOSHINOBU YAMADA
$10.99
Akira and his classmates are on a plane heading back home after a field trip abroad. Suddenly the plane crashes on a mysterious island. Akira is somehow still alive despite the crash, but soon discovers that he's not exactly safe and sound when enromous supposedly extinct beasts begin chasing him. Akira begins to find other classmates who have also survived the crash. Some work together and some work against each other in an effort to survive on the strange island.
This sounds like Land that Time Forgot meets Lord of the Flies, with Japanese schoolgirls -- how's that for a genre-blender! Also, I'd like to point out that these girls have obviously been on the island long enough to, um, mature a little. /DirtyOldMan
CAPTAIN CANUCK
Publisher: CHAPTER HOUSE PUBLISHING, INC
Writers: KALMAN ANDRASOFSZKY, ED BRISSON
Art: LEONARD KIRK, SIMON ROY
Cover: KALMAN ANDRASOFSZKY & Various
$3.99
Captain Canuck is in the clutches of Mr. Gold, Michael Evans is still missing, and the Equilibrium forces have been decimated. Lucky for them they have Kebec, the most notorious sharpshooter of the Afghanistan War, on their side and she believes revenge is a dish best served fast.
CAPTAIN CANUCK: UNHOLY WAR (TPB)
Publisher: CHAPTER HOUSE PUBLISHING, INC
Writer: RIEL LANGLOIS
Art: DRUE LANGLOIS
Cover: KAARE ANDREWS
$15.95
No one killed his partner; he's not part of a top secret government project: what if a man became a super-hero just because he knew he could? RCMP constable David Semple dons the guise of Captain Canuck to take on the Unholy Avengers, an outlaw biker gang menacing the Canadian west coast. Chapterhouse reprints the Unholy War of the West Coast Captain Canuck by Riel and Drue Langlois. Originally released in a 4-part limited series in October 2004 under Comely Comix, this 120-page Trade Paperback includes exclusive interviews and pre-viously unseen extras.
What gorgeous covers! And one of these books has Leonard Kirk insides, which is always welcome. Who knew Canada could make great comics? Chapter House Publishing also publishes Beyond and The Pitiful Human-Lizard.
CRYPT OF HORROR #27
Writer: WILLIAM WOOLFOLK & Various
Art: GEORGE EVANS & Various
Cover: Unknown
$29.95
Spotlight on weird Ajax-Farrel and Avon horror this issue with stories from Haunted Thrills and the original Eerie, like "Wheel of Terror," "Dying Is Contagious," "The Devil Collects." "Monster Of The Moors," "Freak," "The Last Man," and 17 more! Art by Kirby, Powell, Meskin, Ayers, Ditko, Fawcette, Mastroserio, and other greats.
AC Comics has been reprinting pre-Code public domain comics for a long time, but I have to wonder how long that business model will continue to work with Craig Yoe raiding the same material for Haunted Horror and Weird Love at IDW. Can both survive?
DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES VOL 1 (TPB)
Writer: MICHAEL MORECI
Art: DAN MCDAID
Cover: JAY SHAW
$19.99
What's to Love: Officially set in continuity of the new films, writer Michael Moreci (Burning Fields) and artist Dan McDaid (Mind the Gap) effectively bridge together events between Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Rise of the Planet of the Apes, offering additional details and insight into the mindsets of ape Caesar and human Malcolm.
What It Is: Two years following the events of Rise of the Planet of the Apes, humanity has fallen, giving way to the dawn of Caesar's civilization. While the apes of the world find themselves unable to advance as a species, Caesar and Koba work tirelessly to find a way to unify them to join their cause. On the other side of the country, Malcolm must venture into the decaying Americas with his family to find a cure for the plague slowly killing his wife while world powers shift and civilizations simultaneously collapse and rise. Collects the entire six-issue miniseries.
Everything's more fun with monkeys!
I have a confession to make: I have not watched the recent Planet of the Apes movie remakes. I have gotten my fill of the concept from the first run of movies and the many, many, many PotA comic books filling longboxes in the Comics Cave. I can, and will, go the rest of my life without seeing another political argument between an orangutan and a gorilla.
That being said, you may have great enthusiasm for the newest round of PotA. Or perhaps you are (gasp!) not as old and jaded as the Captain. In which case, here's a barrel of monkeys for you!
ETERNAUT (HC)
Publisher: FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS
Art/Cover: FRANCISCO SOLANO LOPEZ
$39.99
Now published for the first time in English, this seminal 1950s Latin-American science-fiction graphic novel has it all- Cold War tensions, aliens, and time-travel. Illustrated in a gritty, realistic style and rich with historical and political commentary, The Eternaut is an allegory based upon contemporary global events. The lasting power of the story of Juan Salvo's fight to save Argentina has proved a potent symbol of the endless struggle against oppression.
Another mysterious, ancient comic book resurrected in this Golden Age of Reprints. What is it? Do the characters hold their cigarettes between thumb and forefinger? Are there monkeys? There's no way to know without reading it!
FUBAR: MOTHER RUSSIA (TPB)
Writer/Art: JEFF MCCOMSEY
Cover: DREW MOSS
Mature/$11.99
Stalingrad, 1943. In the middle of a zombie apocalypse, a Soviet sniper risks her life to protect something she hasn't seen in a long time: a perfectly healthy baby boy. Featuring previously unreleased content, Jeff McComsey's thrilling hit miniseries is collected here. Also available this month is a special Blank Sketch edition of issue #1.
Russians! Zombies! World War II! Man, the only way this could be better is if it had Vikings! But I don't want to start another series! I don't have the time! I don't have the money! Why are there so many comics out there I want to read? Waaaaaahhhh!
CLICK HERE FOR PREVIEW
A GLANCE BACKWARD (HC)
Writer: PIERRE PAQUET
Art/Cover: TONY SANDOVAL
Foreword by SKOTTIE YOUNG (Wizard of Oz, Rocket Racoon)
Mature/$19.99
Eleven-year-old Joey’s world turns inside-out when he finds himself pulled inside the walls of his own home, seemingly trapped in a strange and surreal place. As he searches for a way out, he discovers a myriad of strange, intriguing, and frightening characters, who ultimately lead him to complete the greatest journey of them all: GROWING UP.
Magnetic Press is pleased to present the trailer for this beautiful graphic novel coming this Fall, a fantastical trip through a strange landscape that explores the changing perspective of a young boy facing adulthood. As surreal as Alice in Wonderland, with a powerful truth underneath it all. This beautifully illustrated, watercolored tale will make readers long for the simplicity of youth while embracing the wonderful complexities of adulthood: RESPONSIBILITY, LOVE, CONSEQUENCE, and ultimately the shocking, inevitable realities of LIFE and DEATH. Written by Pierre Paquet, this honest portrayal of a moment from his own life will take readers to a land of contemplation and adventure.
"Sandoval’s lush visuals, in sumptuous colors that shift with the mood of each otherworldly location, capture the bizarre tone of the story… a profound glimpse into the depths of grief and too-soon coming-of-age.” -- ALA Booklist: Starred Review
“… a gorgeous, warm watercolour style -- classically romantic in a sense, gothic romantic almost, amalgamated with his distinctive stylistic choices …” -- Zainab Akhtar, AV Club/Comics & Cola
Magnetic Press asked me if I wanted a review copy, and if I did, provided me an email link to ask for it. I am so buried in unread material that the extra step -- and the unspoken promise to review the thing -- was one step too far. But here's a nice trailer to make up for it.
CLICK HERE FOR PREVIEW
HOPELESS SAVAGES: BREAK
Writer: JEN VAN METER
Art: MEREDITH MCCLAREN, CHRISTINE NORRIE
Cover: MEREDITH MCCLAREN
$17/99
Oni Press, Portland’s premier independent comic book publisher, presents Hopeless Savages: Break, a new chapter in the Hopeless Savages story, by original series creator Jen Van Meter and artist Meredith McClaren (Hinges), featuring art by original series artist Christine Norrie.
Hopeless Savages: Break continues the story of fan favorite protagonist Zero and her punk rock family. Zero finds herself in college and thoroughly hating it, though an upcoming tour with her band The Dusted Bunnies promises to rejuvenate her spirits. A rival band threatens to end the tour early, and without her family, Zero is in no position to fight back. Meanwhile, the rest of the Hopeless Savages are dealing with their own problems, including babies, contracts and drug addictions. If there’s one family who can pull it all off, it’s this one.
“The first Hopeless Savages story came out in 2000,” Jen Van Meter notes. “Fifteen years! And for every one of them, I've been so grateful for the support of Oni Press and the work of every one of the many amazing artists who've helped me bring this family to life. It took a really, really long time to write Break--largely for personal reasons; I was growing up along with the characters, and I felt a disconnect I couldn't articulate. When James Lucas Jones--doing what a great editor does--suggested I run toward that, I finally found the emotional center for this story; then Meredith McClaren came aboard and brought beautiful storytelling, great instincts about the characters, and a wonderful sense of humor, making everything I wrote a thousand times better. The icing on the cake, for me, was when Christine Norrie was able to make time to do the flashback sequences; she's been with me, Zero, Twitch and the rest of the family since the beginning, and I'm thrilled she was able to continue on this strange road trip with us.”
“Nobody is more eager to have the Hopeless Savages back on bookshelves than me,” commented Oni Press editor in chief James Lucas Jones. “While this delay is unfortunate, it’s allowed us to bring fans the best book possible, and in the end that’s the most important thing.”
Anticipation for this title has been high, with a string of luminary creators coming out to praise it as an influence. Kieron Gillen (The Wicked + The Divine) named Hopeless Savages “one of those big early '00s influences on team Phonogram.” Rachel Edidin of Wired implores comic fans, “You should read everything Jen Van Meter writes always … but you should especially read Hopeless Savages.”
“I’m so excited to get Break out there and into the hands of everyone who’s been looking forward to it,” adds creator Jen Van Meter. “I’m also thrilled to be working with a team that is deeply committed to it getting out there with everything about the book just right. I’m so pleased with this book, and I know we’ll all be happily rewarded for a little more patience.”
Here's another book I know nothing about, but the publisher sent me so many press releases I felt obliged to post them.
CLICK HERE FOR PREVIEW
IF. ANTHOLOGY 2015 (GN)
Writer: ALEX ECKMAN-LAWN & Various
Art: DAN LAUER & Various
$14.99
"IF." The word itself has helped to turn science fiction into science fact; making the impossible become possible. Celebrating a new theme with every annual release, IF boasts 36 creators coming together to tell 15 thrillingly original stories of time, space, technology, and other tales from beyond.
DC has had some success with its Vertigo horror/SF anthologies, so maybe this is now a trend.
CLICK HERE FOR PREVIEW
IVAR, TIMEWALKER #11
Art by PERE PÉREZ
Cover A by RAÚL ALLÉN
Cover B by CAROLINA BONITA SOLER
Variant Cover by TOM FOWLER
$3.99 | 32 pgs. | T+
Who dares survive the Space-Loop?!
Trapped as the planet Earth whips through history at lightning speed, Ivar and Neela must confront their feelings for one another – and Neela finds herself about to make a fateful decision that may save history forever – but cost her own life! New York Times best-selling writer Fred Van Lente (ARCHER & ARMSTRONG) and Harvey Award-nominated artist Pere Pérez (UNITY) bring you one step closer to “ENDING HISTORY”!
CLICK HERE FOR PREVIEW
JAMES BOND OMNIBUS (TPB) VOL 2, 4-6
Writers:IAN FLEMING, JIM LAWRENCE & Various
Art/Cover: YAROSLAV HORAK & Various
$19.95 each
The daring James Bond is back in definitive bumper editions collecting the earliest literary adventures by Ian Fleming and Jim Lawrence in comic strip form!
Volume 2: Seven of Bond's most thrilling and dangerous missions appear in a single volume: On Her Majesty's Secret Service, You Only Live Twice, The Man With the Golden Gun, The Living Daylights, Octopussy, The Hildebrand Rarity, and The Spy Who Loved Me!
Volume 4: Includes nine of Bond's most thrilling and dangerous missions: Trouble Spot, Isle of Condors, The League of Vampires, Die With My Boots On, The Girl Machine, Beware of Butterflies, The Nevsky Nude, The Phoenix Project, and The Black Ruby Caper.
Volume 5: Includes nine of Bond's most thrilling and dangerous missions: Till Death Do Us Part, The Torch-Time Affair, Hot-Shot Nightbird, Ape of Diamonds, When The Wizard Awakes, Sea Dragon, Death Wing, and The Xanadu Connection!
Volume 6: Includes nine of Bond's most thrilling and dangerous missions: Shark Bait, Doomcrack, The Paradise Plot, Deathmask, Flittermouse, Polestar, The Scent of Danger, Snake Goddess, and Double Eagle!
I mentioned on the VARGR thread that more collections of Bond strips were coming this week, and here they are. No, I don't know why they skipped volume 3.
WARLORD OF MARS #13
Writer: Ron Marz, Ian Edgington
Art: Ariel Medel
Cover A Main: Fritz Casas
Cover B Variant: Abhishek Malsuni
Cover C Variant: Emanuela Lupacchino
Cover D Subscription: Jonathan Lau
$3.99 / Mature / 32 pages
Experience Mars in all its barbaric glory, as John Carter and Dejah Thoris continue their search for a way to preserve their dying world. But their journey may lead to certain death, as a mysterious foe stalks their every move! Co-writers Ron Marz and Ian Edginton continue their run, joined by rising artistic star Ariel Medel.
JUGHEAD #2
Art/Cover: ERICA HENDERSON
Variant Covers: VERONICA FISH, FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA, ROBERT HACK WITH STEVE DOWNER, LES MCCLAINE WITH STEVE DOWNER
32-page, full color comic
$3.99 U.S.
Zdarsky and Henderson return with the next issue of the all-new Jughead! Things continue to be amiss at Riverdale High as Coach Clayton gets replaced by a tough-as-nails, take-no-prisoner Phys-Ed teacher! Can he be stopped or will Jughead have to become … physically active? The answer lies in the far future …
Strangely, the weakest cover is the one drawn by the book's regular artist! Still, I enjoyed the first issue, so I'm on board for more.
KRAMPUS: SHADOW OF SAINT NICHOLAS (GN)
Writers: MICHAEL DOUGHERTY & Various
Art: MICHAEL MONTENAT & Various
Cover; FIONA STAPLES
$14.99
You better watch out ... If you want to survive the holidays, stay off the naughty list! Legendary Comics presents Krampus, the official graphic novel based on the upcoming horror comedy from writer/director Michael Dougherty (creator of Trick 'r Treat). Unleashing the ancient Christmas demon Krampus and his maniacal holiday-themed henchmen, Krampus mixes fear, fun and festive thrills for an adventure that will change the way you see the holidays forever.
Not only do I love Krampus in general -- Jesus, what kind of culture comes up with a Christmas demon? -- but it gives me an excuse to post the video below, which has become a holiday staple in the Comics Cave.
LEGENDERRY: RED SONJA (TPB)
Art: ANEKE
Cover: JOE BENITEZ
$17.99 / Teen+ / 128 pages
From the pages of Bill Willingham's Legenderry: A Steampunk Adventure ... it's Red Sonja, the crimson-tressed rogue and ruffian, facing off against science run amok in a tale by writer Marc Andreyko and artist Aneke. Against a Neo-Victorian backdrop of clockworks and Tesla coils, fantasy's most fearless heroine sets sail through a whole new world of adventure and intrigue!
After a year on the run under the assumed identity of Magna Spadarossa, Red Sonja returns to fiery form as an ale-swilling, rapier-swinging ship captain... but it's only a matter of time until she's called to action, drawn into a madman's plot to conquer the world! Befriending Elizabeth, the undead bride of Victor Frankenstein, Sonja discovers that the evil scientist has been kidnapping inventors and professors to steal their secrets and raise an unstoppable monster army. Will the She-Devil with a Sword unravel the plot in time, or will she fall victim to the mad doctor and his ally, the dreaded Captain Nemo?
"Another rip-roaring adventure ... Undeniably fun." -- Geeks With Wives
"Steampunk may be an abnormal setting for characters, but it proves to be one which is easily pliable to being one in which strong female characters can thrive, and if that is the case then Dynamite has a winning formula for its female leads." -- Graphic Policy
"With the success of Penny Dreadful, Once Upon a Time, and Grimm, seeing Andreyko and Aneke take Red Sonja and put her in this setting is an interesting one." -- Major Spoilers
"Fun adventure with a classic character in a Steampunk setting." -- SciFi Pulse
"Writer Marc Andreyko and artist Aneke deliver a truly fascinating tale, with the cross in genre's being fabulously handled." -- Unleash the Fanboy
Of all the Legenderry books, this is the one that sparked my interest. Sonja's a pretty adaptable character and can work well in other times and places.
THE MAGICIAN'S WIFE (GN)
Writer: JEROME CHARYN
Art/Cover: FRANCOIS BOUCQ
Mature/$14.95
Spanning multiple decades and continents, this phantasmagorical epic is the result of a unique collaboration between a multiple award-winning American author and the famous French illustrator of Alexandro Jodorowsky's Bouncer. Writer Jerome Charyn and artist François Boucq combine their talents to recount a surrealistic tale about the wife of a philandering magician and her struggles with terrifying demons, both real and imaginary. Originally published as La Femme du magicien, The Magician's Wife was awarded the 1986 Prix Alfred (Angoulême) and the Grand Prix (Sierre). The English-language version has been out of print for three decades, during which time the graphic novel has developed a cult following.
"Philandering magician." As if there's any other kind.
Say, is anyone else getting a Classics Illustrated vibe from that cover, or is it just me?
PROVIDENCE #6
Writer: ALAN MOORE
Art/Cover: JACEN BURROWS
Mature/$4.99
Fans and critics alike are hailing Alan Moore's Providence as the horror event of the year! Mild mannered newsman Robert Black is uncovering a mysterious undercurrent of fear as the pieces of the Lovecraftian puzzle slowly begin to make a coherent picture. The dramatic tension is building with each incredible ad-free 40 page issue and this issue begins the big unveils. The work has been researched and developed by Moore and Burrows over the course of several years. And the end result is an amazing tome of Lovecraftian influenced nightmares where Moore has written every cover, 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! I'm trade-waiting this, and am itching for it to be released.
PROJECT SUPERPOWERS: BLACKCROSS #6
Writer: WARREN ELLIS
Art: COLTON WORLEY
Cover A Main: TULA LOTAY
Cover B Variant: DECLAN SHALVEY
$3.99 / Teen+ / 32 pages
The American Spirit is in Blackcross. Six haunted people are in his murderous path. This is where it ends.
The first Project Superpowers was pretty abysmal, even with Alex Ross covers. I'm trade-waiting this one, too, but I expect Warren Ellis won't disappoint.
THE VALIANT DELUXE EDITION HC
Art & Cover by PAOLO RIVERA
OVERSIZED HARDCOVER | $24.99 | 160 pgs. | T+ | On sale NOVEMBER 11
From New York Times best-selling writers Jeff Lemire (BLOODSHOT REBORN, Green Arrow) and Matt Kindt (NINJAK, Mind MGMT), and Eisner award-winning artist Paolo Rivera (Daredevil) comes an epic ten millennia in the making – now in deluxe oversized hardcover format!
The Eternal Warrior has protected the Earth for more than 10,000 years. A master of countless weapons and long forgotten martial arts, he is guided by the Geomancers — those who speak for the Earth. During his long watch, the Eternal Warrior has failed three times. Each time, the Geomancer was killed…and a new dark age for humanity began. Each time, he was unable to stop The Immortal Enemy – a monstrous force of nature. A civilization killer. A horror that appears differently each time it arrives…and whose seemingly only purpose is to bring disorder and darkness to the world. Now, the time has come for The Immortal Enemy to return once more. But, this time, the Eternal Warrior will be ready. This time, he has a force greater than any single warrior. This time, he has…THE VALIANT.
Collecting THE VALIANT #1–4 – the sold-out limited series event nominated Best Continuing or Limited Series by the 2015 Harvey Awards – THE VALIANT DELUXE EDITION HC comes packed with 20+ pages of rarely seen extras including designs, process art, sketches, commentary and more!
I've forgotten why I picked this to post. "Something something really good something." There.
WALT DISNEY UNCLE SCROOGE: ONLY A POOR, OLD MAN & 7 CITIES OF GOLD (HC BOX SET)
Writer/Art/Cover: CARL BARKS
$49.99
A double dose of the world's most adventurous duck and his hapless nephew! Walt Disney's Uncle Scrooge: "Only a Poor Old Man" and Walt Disney's Uncle Scrooge: "The Seven Cities of Gold" make up this special boxed set of two of our most popular Donald Duck albums to date, exquisitely re-presenting the Duck stories of Carl Barks, one of the most brilliant cartoonists of the 20th century. Handsomely presented in an attractive box set at a special price that Uncle Scrooge himself would approve.
If I'd known this sort of packaging was in the pipeline, I wouldn't have bought the separates. Oh, well, I'm stuck now.
WEBWITCH #1 (of 6, COSTUME CHANGE SIX-COVER SET)
Writer/Art: MATT MARTIN
Cover: CHRISTIAN ZANIER
Mature/$36.99
Ten Years in the making, Matt Martin's Webwitch launches with an enormous 64 page first issue! Written and drawn by the cover maestro, Matt Martin, Webwitch is the story of a sultry secret agent, with skills far beyond her peers. She never suspects those heightened reflexes and amazing agility are due to alien DNA, locked away in her system. All seems to be perfect for Nina as she falls in love with her handler and together they go on exotic missions... until her world crumbles. The Webwitch alien race comes to Earth, bringing carnage and death, and activates her as a sleeper agent. Now with her true nature revealed, and new abilities to change form, Nina is torn between worlds. Webwitch is a thrill ride of everything from monster carnage and alien melting death rays to sexy women, and even sexier aliens!
This monstrous launch issue has the first chapter of the story as well as the first chapter of the Tim Vigil's Webwitch story ,which acts as a lead-in to this new series, in full-color for the first time. But that's not all, a huge gallery of Matt Martin art is also included with over a dozen of his amazing Webwitch covers from years past! This issue has an amazing array of variant covers including Regular, Wraparound, Honey Trap, and a Retailer Incentive Pure Art by Martin and Alien Seduction cover by Juan Jose Ryp. Christian Zanier illustrates the Vintage Vixen (a homage to sexy spies of the past) and the ultra-collectable Costume Change 6 cover set (with sexy topless and nude covers included!) that is limited to just 250 sets.
I wonder what the selling point of this series is. Hmmm. I'll have to stare at the cover and think on it a bit.
X-O MANOWAR #42
Art by RAFA SANDOVAL
Cover A by RAFA SANDOVAL
Cover B by STEVE LIEBER
Variant Cover by AL BARRIONUEVO
$3.99 | 32 pgs. | T+ | On sale NOVEMBER 25
“EXODUS” … excised!
As the Vine make a desperate, final stand against G.A.T.E. for a rightful home, only Aric of Dacia can bring peace. But X-O Manowar’s fed up with being manipulated… and makes a decision that will change Earth forever. New York Times best-selling writer Robert Venditti (BOOK OF DEATH) and red-hot artist Rafa Sandoval ( X-Men: Legacy) bring you the heartbreaking finale of “EXODUS”!
CLICK HERE FOR PREVIEW
“Say, why didn't any of you tell me that I was doing the links wrong to the Facebook page?”
I've never followed the links. I honestly read the comics guide just for your comments.
I notice one of the Jughead covers is an homage to an old William Shatner Twilgiht Zone episode.
Surprising that you haven't noticed Hopeless Savages before, Cap. It's a series about a punk rock family that has been published intermittently since 2002, and contains some of writer Jen Van Meter's earliest work. Can't say I've read it myself, but it always seemed to be highly regarded in the indie world.
So that's where Brian Ching ended up. I loved his work on Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.
That was my impression too.
Let's just go with "it was a really great mini-series" and "you'll be glad you read it."
That was my impression too.
I've tried to defend Kabuki before, but I guess if I don't jump in again no one will. Random issues would not work to get an impression of the series, other than a sense of the visual style. Even that changed a lot over the life of the series, so it would depend on which issues you saw. At its best it represented the best marriage of fine art visuals--Mack painted more and more as he went--with true sequential storytelling. The only thing I can compare it with is Bill Sienkiewicz at his most abstract. So if you don't like that, you're not going to like Mack either. But even for me it became almost incomprehensible by the end (the Icon series The Alchemy).
For Bombshells, the only male hero I recall appearing in the series has been John Constantine...who immediately got turned into a bunny. He's hanging out with Zatanna in a Berlin cabaret.
I really like the series -- it's the first book I've ever subscribed to on Comixology. The plot's a little herky-jerky, but it's the closest thing I'll get to All-Star Squadron in this day and age.
There's a page on El Eternauta at Wikipedia, which has a plot summary. From what I can gather the story is told the author by the Eternaut of the title. His tale starts with a deadly snowfall in Buenos Ares. He his friends escaped harm as they were playing cards in a house sealed against the cold. They made costumes so they could travel outside. From there the story develops into an alien invasion tale with (apparently) a political subtext.
The work seems to be a highly regarded in Argentina. Sequels have been published, beginning in the 70s. The original author was Héctor G. Oesterheld, who in the 70s joined an extreme left movement and was among those who disappeared in the Dirty War. The original artist, Francisco Solano López, also worked in British comics.
According to the GCD Kane did 4 "Undersea Agent" stories (adding up to 63 pages) and 2 covers. Ray Bailey was the title's main artist. Mike Sekowsky, John Giunta, Frank Bolle and Manny Stallman also contributed stories.
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