TOP PUBLISHERS
NO. 1: MARVEL COMICS
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #13 ($4.99) is by Joe Kelly and Pepe Larazz. If I'm reading the PR correctly, the twice-monthly Amazing Spider-Man will split its focus, with one issue per month focusing on Home Spidey, and the other on Away Spidey. From what I can tell, neither are Peter Parker. But that's one of the the mysteries as to how we got from Hellgate to here, and I suppose all will be answered by or in Amazing Spider-Man #1000. This is legacy issue #977, so at twice-monthly. all these plotlines should wrap up 11 months from now.
This issue features Space Spidey, and I see Rocket Raccoon is along for the ride. Glad to see he's getting work.
IMPERIAL WAR: IMPERIAL GUARDIANS #1 ($4.99) is by Dan Abnett, Jonathan Hickman and Cory Smith. I'm getting all these, but I'm waiting until I have all four issues of Imperial before I dive in. (No. 3 was delayed, and I don't know about No. 4 yet.) I have confidence in Hickman, and now Abnett's in the house. I'm cautiously hopeful this will be good.
“It’s great to be back telling cosmic stories as part of the Imperial event,” Abnett said. “My time spent with Nova and the Guardians back in the day was some of the most fun I’ve ever had in comics, and Jonathan’s orchestrating exactly the kind of epic-SF-scale, character-driven and drama-packed epic I love to sink my teeth into. This is quite some ride, and the Galaxy — and the Guardians — won’t be the same again! I’d say it’s the best jumping-on point for Marvel Cosmic since the original Annihilation.”
MARVEL/DC: SPIDER-BOY #1 FACSIMILE EDITION ($4.99) is by Karl Kesel and the late Mike Wieringo. I think the most amazing thing about this book is that the original price 30 years ago was $1.99. Which, at the time, I thought was expensive!
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE MAN-THING VOL. 2 HC ($75.00): As long as they're coming, I'll get them. Don't ask me why.
SPIDER-MAN NOIR #1 (OF 5, $4.99) is by Erik Larsen and Simone Di Meo. Why is Erik Larsen working for Marvel again? I have no idea. It's not like he needs the work or the money. Maybe he just likes this character, who is a film noir private eye by day, and a pulp-era mystery man by night. It's two, two, two genres in one!
In this story, a dame named Gwen Stacy wants him to solve her father’s murder. I’m guessing she’ll end up dead. Call it a hunch.
SPIRITS OF VIOLENCE #1 (OF 5, $4.99) is by Sabir Pirzada (Spirits of Vengeance) and Paul Davidson (Namor, X-Force). Johnny Blaze, Danny Ketch, Kushala, Hellverine, newcomer Fantasma, Robbie Reyes and more are targeted by something called the Spirit of Violence.
"Those who read our previous series, Spirits of Vengeance, already know that the host for the Spirit of Violence is none other than Barbara Ketch," Pirzada said. "That's right! Danny's sister has returned from the dead, and she's already killed Linda Littletrees. That was always intended to be the kickoff to what I'm referring to as the ‘Violent Era’ of Ghost Rider, where all bets are off. The end of issue #2 in particular will prove that we are not playing it safe."
Hey, I liked Linda Littletrees! She's way more interesting than Danny or Barbara Ketch.
VENOM #250 ($7.99) is by Al Ewing, Charles Soule, Terry Dodson, Carlos Gomez and more. Despite being dead, Knull returns to battle Venom (currently hosted by Mary Jane Watson). Nothing would interest me less. But it's an anniversary issue, so heads up.
"When Donny and Ryan brought Knull into being," Ewing said, "they created the first new villain in a while with what I'd call 'big villain juice.' He's visually arresting, you know what he wants in one sentence, you can't talk him out of it, he's powerful enough to hold down a crossover ... and he was given the wonderful luxury of going away for a while. When a big bad is allowed to lay fallow and drift into memory, what's remembered is all the things readers liked about them — and that's when it's time for a comeback. The final ingredient in a good villain — they may be down, but they're never out."
WHITE TIGER: REBORN #1 ($4.99) is by Daniel Jose Older, Cynthia Pelayo, Bruno Abdias and Moises Hidalgo. Stories feature Hector Ayala (who's dead) and Ava Ayala, the current White Tiger (who's not). Hey, I just realized ... he's dead on TV, too!
"While it's always a deep honor to carry on the legacy that Bill Mantlo and George Pérez began so many years ago, this story feels particularly special, as it marks a major turning point in the decades-long saga of the White Tiger," Older said.
“As a Puerto Rican author, it is an honor to make my Marvel Comics debut with White Tiger,” Pelayo said. “I’m grateful to be a part of the experience of new audiences, and old, learning about the legacy of the first Latin American, and Puerto Rican, superhero in the history of American comic books.”
X-MEN: THE UNDERTOW #1 ($5.99) collects the online X-Men: From the Ashes #19-25 for the first time in print. There are two stories, starring … wait a minute, this can’t be right. Lifeguard and Beak! Why would anyone pay money to read about them?
AGE OF REVELATION
X-MEN: AGE OF REVELATION — OVERTURE #1 ($5.99) is by Jed McKay and Ryan Stedman. Here's an event launch I'm not going to try to summarize. For one thing, it's complicated. For another, I'm not interested. (Feels like I've been there, done that.) At the center is Doug Ramsey, recently named Revelation, heir to Apocalypse. Here's the latest press release:
"AGE OF REVELATION OVERTURE #1 ... serves as a foundational alpha issue for this new era, which overtakes the current X-Men line for the foreseeable future with series evolutions like Amazing X-Men, Unbreakable X-Men, and Expatriate X-Men, and also impacts the wider Marvel Universe with launches such as Radioactive Spider-Man, X-Vengers, and Iron and Frost.
"AGE OF REVELATION takes current X-Men storytelling 10 years into the future. After being welcomed onto Cyclops’ X-Men with open arms, Revelation set out on the impossible task that Apocalypse entrusted him with: creating a world where only the fittest survived. With his linguistic mutant power amplified to an astonishing new level, Doug commands Earth itself with his voice, reshaping it as a utopian haven for mutantkind. It’s a mutant homeland built on an insidious lie, spreading across the planet and wiping out humanity until it becomes a mutant homeworld!"
"THE HEIR RISES — THE RESISTANCE IGNITES!
"X YEARS FROM TODAY the Revelation Territories stretch from the Atlantic to the Mississippi — a mutant utopia ruled by the heir of Apocalypse. But beneath the surface, rebellion brews. As a ragtag X-Men team strikes from the shadows, Revelation faces threats from within. It all begins here — the dawn of the AGE OF REVELATION!
"On being the architect behind the latest X-Men milestone, MacKay said, 'Enter ... the Age of Revelation! I'm extremely excited to be at the center of this event — we're traveling to the alien future of the Age of Revelation, where the stories unfolding in the Revelation Territories and beyond will decide whether this is the dawn of a new world, or the end of one. We've been exploring a whole world, and it's been really exciting to see other creators make corners of it their own!'
'ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM'
RED HULK #9 ($3.99): Just one more issue to go. Can't say I've really enjoyed any of it.
ULTIMATES
ULTIMATE WOLVERINE #10 ($4.99) is by Chris Condon and Alessandro Cappuccio. Ultimate Wolverine vs. Ultimate Omega Red. The Eurasion Republic learns their "Winter Soldier" has joined the Opposition, as I predicted he would. In fact, I think everybody predicted he would, except the people in the story, who clearly have not read the the thousands of Wolverine stories we have.
ULTIMATE X-MEN #20 ($4.99) is by Peach Momoko. Evidently, last issue Ultimate Armor chased Ultimate Shadow King into the Ultimate astral plane. And now we find out what ultimately happens.
NO. 2: DC COMICS
DC'S ZATANNIC PANIC #1 (ONE-SHOT, $9.99): A horror anthology for Halloween, by Daniel Warren Johnson, Roberto Recchioni, Andrew MacLean, Lyndon Radchenka, Callie C. Miller, Rowan MacColl, Cavan Scott Art by Riley Rossmo, Gigi Cavenago, Andrew MacLean, John McCrea, Rowan MacColl and Don Aguillo Spooky, featuring Batman, Ambush Bug, Raven, The Demon, Plastic Man, Swamp Thing, and Zatanna,
DETECTIVE COMICS #40 FACSIMILE EDITION ($6.99) features the origin of the first Clayface, Boris Karlo. We just talked about this on the Massive, Extravagant, Over-the-Top JSA Re-read thread!
GOTHAM ACADEMY: FIRST YEAR #1 (of 6, $4.99) is by Brenden Fletcher, Karl Kerschl, Becky Cloonan and Marco Ferrari. I really wanted to like the last Gotham Academy series, but it was so YA I couldn't finish it. I understand that aspect may the primary appeal for others.
“I’m so excited to return to the world of Gotham Academy with Becky and Karl,” says Fletcher. “It’s a joy to be back with the original team, and to welcome the incredibly talented Marco Ferrari to the fold. His work brings such life to these characters and to the halls of the Academy itself.”
“We went back to where it all began,” says Fletcher. “Gotham Academy: First Year takes us into Olive Silverlock’s pivotal first year — the mysterious summer before it all started — and introduces one of Batman’s most iconic villains to the series for the very first time. We can’t wait for readers old and new to join us this October, exactly 11 years to the day since the original series debuted!”
JSA #12 ($3.99): I spend about half my waking life thinking, reading or writing about the Golden Age JSA these days. How could I NOT be reading this book?
JUSTICE LEAGUE THE OMEGA ACT SPECIAL #1 (ONE-SHOT, $5.99) is by Joshua Williamson and Jasmine Putri. This one-shot is the prologue for the "DC K.O." event that starts next week. It's another event I'm not interested in, so I'm going to save some money this fall!
ABSOLUTES
ABSOLUTE EVIL #1 (ONE-SHOT, $5.99) is by Al Ewing ,Giuseppe Camuncoli and Stefano Nesi. Absolute Ra’s al Ghul, Veronica Cale, Elenore Thawne, Hector Hammond, and the Joker get the spotlight on the one-year anniversary of the Absolute Universe. The solicitations promises "the introduction of not one but two major Absolute characters who will change the course of the Absolute Universe in its second year."
Tagline: “Evil has found a home in the Absolute Universe.”
ABSOLUTE GREEN LANTERN #7 ($4.99) features Absolute Tomar Re, Absolute Blackstars and Absolute Oa. I'll be honest, anything that gives me a break from the joyless, boring puzzle box on Earth is a relief.
Tagline: “The truth of Absolute Oa.”
ABSOLUTE SUPERMAN #12 ($4.99): Ra's al Ghul's Lazarus invades Kansas, because he wants Kal-El to be the Son of the Demon. Hey, what about Bruce? So fickle, that Ra's al Ghul.
Tagline: “In the crosshairs of Ra’s al Ghul!”
NO. 3: IMAGE COMICS
AUTHOR IMMORTAL #1 (40 pages, $4.99) is by Frank J. Barbiere (Five Ghosts, Violent Love) and Morgan Beem (Swamp Thing: Twin Branches, You Belong Here). Apparently this Barbiere fellow is known for his work in video games. "As lead writer at Skydance Interactive, [he] contributed to the Destiny franchise, and wrote for the titles Darksiders Genesis and Ruined King: A League of Legends Story at Airship Syndicate."
I don't know about this one. Whenever writers write about writers, it always feels so self-indulgent and self-congratulatory. It's like when musicians assume in interviews that music is the most important thing in the world to everybody, or when chefs talk about food like it's the path to world peace. Anyway, here's what it's about:
"The Author Immortal follows Hector Ramirez, a failed writer who gets the opportunity of a lifetime: to help reboot the fantasy book series that defined his childhood. But when he discovers the original author has mysteriously vanished into his fictional world, Hector is pulled into a realm where stories are alive, and some are willing to kill to stay in control."
"The Author Immortal is my return to monthly comics, and I’m thrilled to be collaborating with Morgan Beem. Morgan’s art has been a constant inspiration, and she’s brought these characters and world to life in ways I never could have imagined. Together, we’re telling a story about identity, legacy, and what happens when we lose trust in the stories that define us," said Barbiere. "In recent years, many of us have felt that trust breaking down: authors falling from grace, stories treated as disposable content, and the threat of AI hollowing out what makes storytelling human. The Author Immortal is our attempt to explore what happens when we try to reclaim control and what it costs to believe in stories again. I hope this book inspires and intrigues our readers, and that you’ll join us on our journey."
Beem added: "Growing up with movies like Labyrinth and Return to Oz, I have always been fascinated by the fantastic journey to another world type of stories. Frank manages to breathe new life to the genre by bringing in characters that feel SO real in their struggles and their flaws. On my end, I get to experiment and put my own spin on the visual elements that we have come to expect from these narratives. Hopefully we get to surprise you and pull you in like those old stories did for me!"
THE DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH #0 ($4.99) is by James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds. I'm not following this title, which I sometimes regret. Here's a heads up for those who are reading it.
“Martin and I are bowled over by the support The Department of Truth continues to receive from readers and retailers," said Tynion IV. "Five years feels like a lifetime in comics, so we knew we needed to do something BIG to celebrate this milestone and reward everyone who helped us get here. That means a brand-new cast of characters moving fast and breaking things within the Department, a dangerous new era for Cole Turner and the rest of our regular crew, and welcoming our first-ever guest creative team for a very special back-up story. Scott and Josh are going to have everyone all shook up when they reveal what REALLY happened to Elvis Presley — and what the Department of Truth had to do with it …”
G.I. JOE: COLD SLITHER #1 (ONE-SHOT, $3.99) is by Tim Seeley (Rogue, Local Man) and Juann Cabal (Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man). It's the supposedly true story of "the greatest band ever," which I assume is fictional.
"The catchiest song ever to grace a military-themed toy line has lived in my head rent-free for 40 years, so I'm happy to drag it out, and write the true story of the scrappy band of miscreants who recorded it,” said Tim Seeley.
"My parents met at a Cold Slither gig back in the '80s, so getting to draw this one-shot has been really special for me,” said Juann Cabal.
“To say this face-melting issue was a labor of love is an understatement,” shouted Ben Abernathy, Executive Editor. “Getting this motley crew of creators together for this incisive and heartfelt look at the rise and fall of the legendary Cold Slither was a heavy metal dream come true!”
GOOD DEVILS DON'T PLAY FAIR WITH EVIL #1 (ONE-SHOT, 64 pages, $5.99) is by David Brothers (Time Waits) and Nick Dragotta (Absolute Batman, East of West).
“If you like fight comics, blood and honor, you’ll like this collection of short stories," said Dragotta. "I’m so happy Image is collecting them all together for the first time in floppy form. We crafted these comics from 2021 to 2023 for the Cry Punch anthology, ShortBox Comics Fair and Image’s own Newburn. I hope you like them as much as we did making them.”
Brothers added: "Nick and I have spent years studying works like Fist of the North Star and artists like Gil Scott-Heron and George Morikawa, and Good Devils is the result. These three tales capture our love, packed full of all the action and tension our readers can handle!"
HYDE STREET VOL. 1 TP ($14.99) is by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis (Blackest Night, Green Lantern, Aquaman). I have enjoyed this title so far, although that's probably because of the best-of-his-career work by Ivan Reis. But the premise is pretty good, too. Which is that if you've done something terrible, you might make a wrong turn one day in your city or small town or on a dirt road and find yourself on a street you don't recognize. You can't find your way off it, and while you're there, you'll get what you deserve. There's a signpost up ahead — your next stop, Hyde Street.
Yes, it has a very Twilight Zone vibe. But there are major differences. For one, all the people who suffer bad ends on Hyde Street deserve it. No matter how innocent they may appear, they are harboring an awful secret. The revelation of those secrets is sometimes both surprising and shocking. And we find out because Hyde Street always produces a guide from its colorful cast of characters, all condemned souls themselves, which is another difference. The two major guides, seen below, are the guy who invented the X-Ray Specs (supposedly) and other ways to separate children from their money and a cheeful Boy Scout who is the most sadistic and demented character on the street.
I don't know where this is going, if anywhere. But I've enjoyed the ride so far.
ROOK: EXODUS #7 ($3.99): I thought this was a six-issue miniseries! I guess what I thought was the end of the series was just the end of the first story. Did I enjoy it? Well, the art was great. But the story didn't feel relevant. It's about people who can bond with animals who are fighting for the dwindling resources of a dying planet. In space. In the future. I was like, "This is vaguely interesting, but I don't really have skin in this game." And theoretically everbody's going to die, so the fight seems kinda pointless. It probably affected my opinion that the lead character himself didn't want to help anybody, even his love interest — he just wanted to get off the planet and save himself. If he doesn't care, why should I? Maybe he will get off-planet, and given the name of the book, maybe everybody will. But then I'll be stuck with a protagonist who's just a self-centered coward.
NO. 4: IDW PUBLISHING
STAR TREK: RED SHIRTS #3 ($4.99): If you're enjoying IDW's revamped Star Trek line, as I am, and want more Trek, this week offers some previous efforts: STAR TREK VOL. 5 WHEN THE WALLS FELL TP ($19.99) and STAR TREK: VOYAGER OMNIBUS TP ($15.99). I'm not generally tempted by franchise comics where the underlying status quo is written in stone. But they would work, I imagine, as something to read on a rainy afternoon.
STARSHIP GODZILLA #1 ($4.99): IDW is also bringing it on the revamped Godzilla franchise. This third Kai-Sei book takes a "crew of misfits" into space in Mechagodzilla to the home planets of the various aliens that have visited Earth in various Toho movies. I don't know why all crews must be "misfits" or "ragtag." Maybe Star Trek has the "professional crew" niche of the storytelling food chain sewed up. Anyway, if you're a Godzilla movie fan, this might be a book you didn't know you've been waiting for.
“We couldn’t be more excited to present to you the new home of Godzilla — The Kai-Sei Era,” said GODZILLA line editor Jake Williams. “The Kai-Sei Era is the only ongoing Godzilla story of its kind — crafted for comics readers who have never bought a Godzilla book, and Godzilla fans who have never read a comic. We aim to bring you the absolute best stories possible — whether those stories contain super powered G-Force members trying to kill Godzilla, mutants in a wasteland trying to survive in its wake, or mercenaries flying around space in Mechagodzilla. Every month readers will be able to take a peek inside a brand new universe composed of unimaginable horrors, kaiju old and new, and heroes to keep it all at bay. We’re telling the best Godzilla stories in the world, inside the best comics on the shelves.”
NO. 5: DARK HORSE COMICS
BEHEMOTH TP ($19.99) collects the four-issue miniseries by Grant Sputore (I Am Mother), Ryan Engle (Beast, Rampage) and Jay Martin (Lost Boy, Yellow). This TP answers the musical question, "What happens to all those people swallowed in kaiju battles?" Actually, I never wondered about that, because I assumed they were very dead. And digested. And eventually pooped out. Honestly, I tried not to think about it very hard. In this book, however, they survive long enough to try to find a way out. I read and enjoyed the first issue, and have been meaning to get back to it. Here's a PREVIEW.
FANTASTIC ART OF ROY G. KRENKEL HC ($39.99): Craig Yoe strikes again! The solicitation promises "nearly 500 pieces of art, including 16 generous foldouts, this is the definitive collection for fans and newcomers to the virtuoso fantasy artist Roy G. Krenkel." I was literally unaware of the guy until adulthood, I guess because a lot of his work was in fanzines, mainly Amra, which is the source for this book. Here's a PREVIEW.
Editor Yoe said, “This lavish, thick tome at last collects Krenkel's complete Amra art which the master fantasy delineator, Roy G. Krenkel, considered his zenith work. If the legend Frazetta himself found camaraderie and inspiration from his friend, surely other artists and fans will thrill to this must-have unprecedented collection of RGK’s finest!”
KILL ALL IMMORTALS II #1 (OF 5, $4.99): Dang it! I haven't read the first one yet! And it's about immortal Vikings, my favorite genre! Well, OK, it's not a full-fledged genre. It's just this one book, and maybe Thor. But it ought to be. Anyway, Zack Kaplan is writing this series and Masterminds, which launched in August. He wrote an essay that ties together the themes of both:
"Two stories about power.
"For some, they are born into it. For others, they must pay to get it. Some grow up with it as a privileged way of life, an inheritance to frivolously wield over others. Others spend their burdensome life idolizing it, desperate to harness control over their tumultuous future by any means possible.
"I was not born into power and I’ve never really had it. Not in the way titans of business or notorious names of celebrity do. But as a kid from Midwestern cornfields, raised on Spielberg and Lucas, from a young age I grew up to believe that hard work and morality, cleverness and determination, could vault you to the highest station you might imagine.
"I don’t believe that anymore.
"That kind of impressive power, the kind held by powerhouse billionaires and visionary masterminds, you are either born into or you fight your way into. And regardless of how you achieve such monumental influence, I’m convinced that to get it, you must sell your soul in the process.
"The noir thriller Masterminds tells the modern and Fincher-esque story of Edward Hale, a troubled young man with dreams of success in the gaming industry. But after failed attempts and a dead-end coding job, he stumbles upon the world’s smartest circle of masterminds. This secret society is devoted to the obscene success of its members by any means possible, but to join its ranks, you must survive their genius and sadistic audition of real-life challenges and puzzles. And despite his skillful quick thinking and fearless determination, the price for failure or withdrawal from the group’s mysterious game is death.
"Kill All Immortals returns to continue our now-ongoing saga of immortal Vikings living in the present day as members of a billionaire empire. Our bold heroine Frey Asvald has managed to extract her and her siblings from her family’s influence and briefly indulge in the mortal experience, but they are about to discover you can’t run from your family’s name. And Frey must reconcile with the reality that she will always come from a barbaric Viking family, unless she dares to take control of her own legacy.
"One story is a who-can-you-trust thriller, while the other is a John Wick–style action drama. One is soaked in neo-noir visuals of moody urban landscapes and death-defying Squid Game–style challenges in real life. The other is a breathtaking luxury tour through the elite class lifestyle, until weapons emerge and bodies fall.
"But both issue a warning — to play the game of power, you must be ready. Ready to kill your morality for the choices that must be made. Ready to surrender those you love in the face of battle. And ready to accept a prison of infamy and ruthlessness, as you now serve the legacy of winning. It is what the world has revealed to us in recent times and times forgotten. The truth is this.
'For power, you must sacrifice your identity, your ideals, and everything else." — Zack Kaplan
Here's a PREVIEW.
MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: ANDRA #1 (ONE-SHOT, $6.99): She's the new Man-at-Arms. Here's a PREVIEW.
MINOR THREATS: THE LAST DEVIL LEFT ALIVE #1 (OF 5, $4.99) is by by Patton Oswalt (DC Horror Presents, Black Hammer: Visions), Jordan Blum (Edge of Spider-Verse, DC Horror Presents) and Scott Hepburn (M.O.D.O.K.: Head Games). Frankie "Playtime" Follis apparently made some mistakes in her last Minor Threats appearance, and is hated by everybody. But she reappears to recruit for an unnamed threat facing Twilight City. Here's a PREVIEW.
“Frankie Follis’ rags-to-riches-to-ruin-to-vengeance saga comes to its explosive, jaw-dropping conclusion and we can’t wait to see how you react to it,” said Oswalt. “It’s a DOOZY.”
"This series feels like the culmination of everything we've been building since the first Minor Threats, as well as all subsequent sequels and spin-offs,” added Blum. “Frankie has had a rise and fall in the super-crime underworld of Twilight City but her luck may have finally run out. Somehow this is the biggest story we've ever told while also being a back to basics. It's Frankie underground, assembling a group of new and old C-list villains to pull off an impossible mission. The Minor Threats work best as underdogs and this is them with their backs against the wall. Not only will Frankie have to come to terms with her supervillain career, she'll also have to face all her broken relationships with Maggie, Scalpel, Pigeon Pete, the Searcher and more. This is the end of the road for a lot of our costumed crooks — so put on your domino masks and suit up for one last job. It's gonna get bloody!"
RIPPERLAND TP (136 pages, $19.99) is by Steve Orlando (Midnighter, Scarlet Witch), John Harris Dunning (Summer Shadows, Wiper). I've been meaning to read this one, too, for the big swing on the premise. Which is: It's 2188, and all of England is an enormous Victorian-era theme park. From the description the country is more or less a vassal state the U.S., kept for entertainment purposes, like Florida. The actual plot involves an important American being killed in London, and an American and a British agent who must team up to solve the case (which is probably political, and bigger than it seems). Here's a PREVIEW.
NO. 6: BOOM! STUDIOS
LAST DAY OF H.P. LOVECRAFT #1 (44.99): HPL's (fictional) last day, in ink wash and watercolor. Here's a PREVIEW.
SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN #44 (#4.99): There are some omnibuses coming soon, and I think I’m finally going to get on board with this title.
NO. 7: DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT
HARLEY QUINN X ELVIRA #1 ($4.99) is by Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti and Juan Samu. Evlira and Harley Quinn team up to save the Mistress of the Dark's TV show. It's by famed creative couple Conner and Palmiotti. Here's an interview:
Jimmy and Amanda, Dynamite fans are going to be thrilled to see you writing another book following your epic Invincible Red Sonja (available now in a beautiful single-volume hardcover!). And you’re returning for one of the most exciting crossover projects we’ve ever been involved with.
Let’s start with Elvira: What history do you have with her shows, movies, and character (created and portrayed by the wondrous Cassandra Peterson)?
JIMMY: I first discovered Elvira many years ago; my buddy Joey Delfini had a poster of her on the wall, and he explained who she was and then we watched her movie and I was hooked on her look and great sense of humor. Since then she has become an icon, and as I read more about who Cassandra really is as a person, I became a bigger fan of her and her story and her perspective on the world around her.
AMANDA: What I remember about first discovering Elvira is wanting to be like her. She’s got that sense of humor, that love of horror and comedy, and that hair and boobs and gorgeousness, all dialed up to eleven. I think she was (and still is) a great role model for all us weird girls.
I was lucky enough to be on a panel with Cassandra at San Diego Comic-Con yeeeeaaarrs ago, and she was such a smart, kind, and funny person. If I remember correctly, she may have mentioned something about giving up the Elvira mantle (NOOOOO!!!), but I am so glad she chose to keep being her!
Turning to our other key cast member: Harley Quinn is one of the characters in comics on whom you both left an indelible impact across a tenure of multiple years and countless contributions. You’ve reunited with her a few times after the conclusion of your core run, but what is it like to pick her back up again?
JIMMY: I think everyone got the wrong idea about why we stopped writing the Harley books. We eventually were writing the equivalent of three issues a month for many years, and we needed a break and time to have a life. It wasn’t that we never wanted to write her again, we just needed an overall mental break from the amount of work we were doing. Since then, every offer we have had to write Harley — and those have been few and far between — we have taken.
We see Harley’s story as ongoing and write her in her own continuity; this includes her supporting cast and where she lives and so on. When we were offered this crossover with Elvira, it was the easiest thing in the world to make it work for us. Diehard fans of our work will feel like we never left Harley, while at the same time we can take her on a new adventure with her new friend Elvira. This series is so much fun.
AMANDA: What Jimmy said. We began the Harley Quinn series as a monthly title, and we were told that it might not do so well and could end by issue six. Nobody realized that the series would take off the way it did, and when a comic becomes that beloved, the powers that be understandably want more of it. We tried to accommodate that, but towards the end of our run we were on two issues per month, plus specials… I was running on three hours of sleep a night, and Jimmy was grumpy. That said, we LOVE working with that character, and whenever we get an opportunity to do that, we grab it.
She is one of my favorite characters to work with, because I love a story and character with humor (even if it is dark humor). I’ve worked with characters who are dark, or who are angst-ridden, and I’ve found that the characters who fit me best are the ones with lots of humor, and lots of human foibles. That might explain my relationship with Jimmy.
In many ways, though perhaps not initially obvious, these two wisecracking women have some personality and attitudes in common (though they also certainly have their differences). How do the two of you see their dynamics, and how does that come through when you’re writing their joint adventures?
JIMMY: Their goals are different, but how they reach them is the fun part. They each have a very instinctive way of creating chaos for those around them and themselves. They have two very distinctive voices, and it’s so much fun watching them process each other.
AMANDA: It is so much fun putting these two characters together. We’re almost approaching it as a buddy flick. It’s much easier to write and draw Harley, because we’ve been doing that for so many years. Even though we have loved the Elvira character for years, we are not as familiar with writing her, and are still getting a feel for how to approach her. Cassandra has been majorly helpful with that, and we are definitely getting a better feel for writing Elvira. Nobody knows Elvira like Cassandra does!
We’re hearing the central story for the series is a big, riotous Halloween party like no other. From either side of the equation, can fans expect any surprise guests to show up?
JIMMY: We are very loyal to Harley’s established supporting cast and friends, and we will be dropping them in and out of the series in a way that makes sense to the story and characters. You can expect some super-people and other regulars along the way, but in the end it’s up to the two main characters to deliver the goods. Why Harley worked so well during our run was about keeping the focus on her and her world, and with Elvira in the mix, we will continue that and bring Elvira’s world into it as the series goes on.
AMANDA: Yeah, a giant Halloween bash seemed like a really excellent way to introduce Elvira into the world of Harley. And nothing Harley does is ever small and restrained, so it made sense for her to laser-focus on Elvira to make the Halloween party the most fantabulous event of the year. And yes, we’ll definitely be seeing some characters who we love working with, because that’s what we do!
Artist Juan Samu is joining the party too, as the primary illustrator for the series, following his work on Elvira Meets Vincent Price. But in addition to illustrating covers for the series, Amanda, you are also providing select interiors on this book, which is incredibly exciting. As you’re both artists as well as writers, how is it working with a collaborator like Juan, and additionally working your own pages into the mix?
JIMMY: Honestly, we are having a blast, and having both Juan and Amanda drawing it just makes it better. We are trying to give the people what they want from these two characters, and I feel that both artists are doing the same. It’s really shaping up as it goes on, and Juan and Amanda are making a great team.
AMANDA: We’ve seen the first batch of pages, and I’m loving what Juan is doing! His work is really fun, and it has so much life in it. It lends itself really well to Elvira and Harley.
Admittedly, I was also a little bit envious of him being able to draw this book, so I figured out a way to get to be able to do a bit of drawing in it myself. I’m really hoping that Juan doesn’t mind too much!
KARMA VOL. 2 GN, $19.99: This series has somehow made soft-core porn bloodless and boring.
NO. 9: ONI PRESS
CRUEL UNIVERSE 2 #3 (OF 12, $4.99) is by writers Cecil Castellucci (Shade the Changing Girl), Sarah Gailey (Eat the Rich, Buffy the Vampire Slayer), and, Rian Hughes (Batman: Black and White), with art by Kano (Cruel Universe), Anna Readman (2000 AD) and Claire Roe (Epitaphs from the Abyss)!
MORE PUBLISHERS
ABRAMS COMICARTS
HISTORY OF WORLD WAR II: A GRAPHIC NOVEL RETELLING OF THE 20TH CENTURY’S DEFINING WAR HC ($29.99): Somehow I think one graphic novel isn't going to cover it.
KENT STATE: FOUR DEAD IN OHIO GN ($19.99): This is a re-release. We talked about it when it came out the first time.
AHOY COMICS
ARCHAIC TP ($17.99)
TOXIE TEAM-UP #4 (OF 5, $3.99)
ARCHIE COMICS
ARCHIE FACSIMILE #7 BETTY AND VERONICA #75 ($4.99) is by Frank Doyle, Dan DeCarlo and Joe Edwards. From back when Archie Comics were actually good. (In this case, 1962.)
ARCHIE'S HALLOWEEN SPECTACULAR #1 (ONE-SHOT, 30 pages, $4.99) is by Dan Parent, Bob Smith, Glenn Whitmore and Jack Morelli. Too much Dan Parent for my blood, but who can resist a Halloween special?
Here's a full story:
DRAWN AND QUARTERLY
DO ADMIT: THE MITFORD SISTERS AND ME HC ($29.95): A quasi-historical graphic novel about six British sisters from an aristocratic family in the 1920s and '30s that was broke, so they married into money and alarming politics. Here's a PREVIEW.
OVER EASY GN ($24.95) is "a fast-paced semi-memoir about diners, drugs, and California in the 1970s." Sadly, no preview.
FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS
ATLAS COMICS LIBRARY VOL. 6: SHIVER AS YOU READ HC ($44.99) collects Amazing Detective Cases #11-14 and Men’s Adventures #21-26. Those don't sound like horror titles, do they? I guess I'll find out!
COMPLETE MEGATON MAN UNIVERSE VOL. 1 :THE 1980S TP ($60.00): I tired of this gag pretty quickly.
DISNEY MASTERS VOL. 26: WALT DISNEY'S DONALD DUCK — TALES OF ANDOLD WILD DUCK HC ($34.99): Here's a PREVIEW.
SPAWN OF VENUS AND OTHER STORIES HC ($39.99): Collected Wally Wood EC stories. Here's a PREVIEW.
TITAN COMICS
KRAKEN TP (112 pages, $17.99) is by Shannon Eric Denton and David Hartman.
"Set in a supernatural take of the 1930s, courageous adventurer Kraken returns from a three-year journey in a different dimension in order to stop a mystical Nazi invasion."
Replies
SPAWN OF VENUS AND OTHER STORIES HC: Collected Wally Wood EC stories.
Finally! This collection was originally solicited to come out in April. When that didn't happen, I checked with my LCS, and at that time it was slotted to come out in August. At that point I checked on Amazon and saw the Oct. 1 release date. I have been gearing up for this since March! Don't believe me? Check out "What Comic Books Have You Read Today?" p.722 (Atom Bomb and Other Stories, March 5), p.724 (Came the Dawn and Other Stories, April 4) and p.726 (Spawn of Mars and Other Stories, May 10). Now I'm going to have to get myself back in the mood again. (You wouldn't think that would be too hard, but I've got a lot of other "projects" on my plate right now. *SIGH*
Don't believe me?
Oh, I believe you! I believe you!
With the Diamond debacle still ongoing, I'm not surprised by any distribution snafus. I wonder how many publishers we have patronized for decades are on the edge of bankruptcy themselves.
VENOM #250 -Despite being dead, Knull returns to battle Venom (currently hosted by Mary Jane Watson). Nothing would interest me less. - Throw in Carnage and I could be!
AUTHOR IMMORTAL #1 - to help reboot the fantasy book series that defined his childhood. But when he discovers the original author has mysteriously vanished into his fictional world, Hector is pulled into a realm where stories are alive, and some are willing to kill to stay in control." - This might be great, but it seems like very well tread territory.
ROOK: EXODUS #7 - I liked this series, myself. When it came out it did seem to end at issue 6, but it wasn't solicited as a mini-series. Guess now I know why.
In another discussion, Travis said...
"As I told a lot of my friends, [all of the $4.99+ comics] have finally started pricing me out."
I almost bought the new Batman #2 today when I heard these words in my head. Issue #1 was okay, but do I honestly think I'm ever going to read it more than once... especially with all of the other Batman product I've bought over the years and have not yet got around to reading? Plus I recently sank a load of dough into the "Absolute" universe and wish I hadn't. Instead I picked up the replica edition of Detective Comics #40. I love reprint comics. But I very seldom ever buy the facsimile editions simply because I already own whatever is being reprinted, sometimes in multiple formats, sometimes in multiple high quality formats. But, inspired by Cap's JSA discussion, I decided to buy this one just for the back-up features, none of which I have ever read, and all of which I expect to enjoy more than the new Batman #2.
When I was younger, I'd get reprint books and facsimiles for the main feature, and then slog through (or ignore) backups, text pieces, etc. Now, in my dotage, I get the reprints FOR the backups, text pieces, etc. I've already read the main features in a couple of formats. I know what Batman did in Detective Comics #40. But what did Slam Bradley do? What will Crimson Avenger be wearing this time? Have I ever read a Cliff Crosby story before? And what about Naomi?
Exactly.