Comics Guide for comics shipping week of Dec. 18, 2023

MARVEL COMICS

SIGIL OMNIBUS HC: This collects CrossGen’s Sigil (2000) #1-42, Crossgen Chronicles #4, Saurians: Unnatural Selection #1-2 and material from Crossgen Chronicles #1. Reprinted to maintain the rights, I presume.

SPIDER-BOY #2 guest stars Captain America, to give Spider-Man "a lesson in sidekicks," according to the solicitation. I assume his advice would be "Don't endanger children," but what do I know?

I can think of no reason why I'd want WONDER MAN: EARLY YEARS OMNIBUS HC. But then, I read all this stuff when it first came out, beginning with Avengers #9 in 1964, and I know, to paraphrase Steve Martin, how dull, boring and omnipresent it is. Wonder Man was created to be killed off, was brought back for shock value, and Marvel's been trying to pound that square peg of a character into the round hole of the Marvel Universe ever since. But maybe you're Wonder-curious! This collects Avengers (first series) #9, #52, #131-132, #151-153, #157-160, #164-166, #181, #192-194, #197, #203, #207-208, #211 And #239; Giant-Size Avengers #3; Marvel Team-Up (first series) #78 and #136; Marvel Premiere #55; Marvel Two-In-One (first series) #78; Vision and The Scarlet Witch (first series) #3; Vision and The Scarlet Witch (second series) #2; West Coast Avengers (first series) #2; West Coast Avengers (first series) #1-2 and #25; Avengers West Coast #66-68 And Wonder Man (first series) #1. Plus material from Avengers (first series) #201 and Annual #6, Solo Avengers #13, Marvel Comics Presents (first series) #38-45, Avengers Spotlight #28, Marvel Super-Heroes (second series) #4, Avengers West Coast #65 and Avengers Classic #9.

"Gang War"

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #40

Story: Zeb Wells | Art/Cover: John Romita Jr. | Teen | $4.99

GANG WAR CONTINUES!

Battle lines are drawn, with Spidey and his crew being the only ones who can save all of New York City from the worst super-criminals to ever super criminal! But is Tombstone on THEIR SIDE?! And you won't believe your eyes reading the last page of this issue!

I think two other "Gang War" books were originally scheduled for this week, but apparently got delayed.
Here's a PREVIEW.

"Fall of X"

ORIGINAL X-MEN #1 (ONE-SHOT)

Story: Christos Gage | Art: Greg Land | Cover: Ryan Stegman | Teen+ | $5.99

The original X-Men are back for the franchise’s milestone 60th anniversary! ORIGINAL X-MEN #1 is a super-sized one-shot spotlighting the X-Men’s founding five members and will be crafted by two X-Men titans, writer Christos Gage and artist Greg Land.

In 1963’s monumental X-Men #1, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby introduced Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Beast, Iceman and Angel to the world and transformed pop culture as we know it! Six decades later, the original roster is regarded as one of the most legendary superhero lineups in comic book history. This group of young mutant icons were chosen by Professor X to be the foundation of his mutant dream and now, they’ve been plucked from time for a sacred mission across the multiverse by none other than the Phoenix Force! After the cosmic entity restores the team’s lost memories, this bold epic will explore themes that were introduced when Brian Michael Bendis brought the O5 to present day in 2012’s blockbuster hit, All-New X-Men, and will set up a brand-new X-Men series launching next year!

The first and greatest heroes to bear the X-Men name once traveled into their own futures and reset the course of history. Now another multiversal mystery calls them forth. When the dust settles, one hero will remain, trapped in the world as we know it. With shocking surprise guests and heart-pounding twists and turns, Gage and Land kick off a story that will shake the whole MU!

“It’s up to them to find a way to either convince their older selves that they’re making a horrible mistake, or somehow defeat these far more powerful versions of them,” Gage shared with AiPT Comics. “Basically, it’s about your younger, idealistic self coming into conflict with your older, jaded self who’s made compromises and given up dreams in order to survive and do what they think is best, even if that means making hard choices along the way.”

I don't think this SPOILER will surprise anybody, but the original X-Man who will be left in the present is Hank McCoy, who will replace the current version, who has basically become Dark Beast (and we've already got one of those).
This would almost have to be part of "Fall of X," wouldn't it? But the trade dress isn't there.
Note the The X-Men #1 homage. You know, I always wondered where The Beast got that handy trapeze from on a missile base.
"Fall of X" continues this week in ASTONISHING ICEMAN #5, UNCANNY SPIDER-MAN #5, WOLVERINE #30 and UNCANNY AVENGERS #5 (with Captain Krakoa revealed to be exactly who you thought he'd be).

"Dark Droids"

STAR WARS: DARTH VADER #41

Story: Greg Pak | Art: Raffaele Ienco | Cover: Leinil Yu | Teen | $4.99

MORE MACHINE THAN MAN!

DARTH VADER has been taken over by THE SCOURGE! Or has THE SCOURGE been taken over by DARTH VADER? The Dark Lord's journey in the DARK DROIDS saga reaches its climax with a shocking twist that digs deep into Vader's very identity and future!

"Dark Droids" continues this week in STAR WARS: DOCTOR APHRA #39.

ROM AND THE X-MEN: MARVEL TALES #1

Thanks to an exciting new collaboration between Marvel and Hasbro, a leading toy and game company, fans can enjoy the beloved adventures of this popular toy turned Marvel superhero in the form of long-awaited collections, including Rom Omnibus Vol. 1 and ROM #1 Facisimile Edition. Then, in December, see rare mutant moments reprinted for the very first time in ROM AND THE X-MEN: MARVEL TALES #1.

Over the course of his hit solo series by industry legends Bill Mantlo and Sal Buscema, Rom the Spaceknight proved to be a pivotal figure in the Marvel Universe and fought alongside its greatest superhero teams including the Avengers, the Fantastic Four and the X-Men.

During his classic adventures hunting the vile Dire Wraiths on Earth, Rom became embroiled in the affairs of mutantdom as he teamed up with the Uncanny X-Men, fought against the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and even inspired Rogue in a startling turning point towards her journey towards heroism!

In ROM (1979) #17-18, Rom and the X-Men are searching for the offspring of a Dire Wraith and a human, a creature known as Hybrid – which Cerebro has detected as a mutant! But as they clash over their target, Rom gets a taste of his own medicine courtesy of Kitty Pryde! Then, in ROM (1979) #31-32, the Galadorian hero battles Mystique’s villainous mutant team — including future X-Men stalwart, Rogue — before teaming up with them for a rematch against Hybrid!

This, like ROM Omnibus Vol. 1 and ROM #1 Facsimile Edtion, is the result of a deal between Marvel and Hasbro. No telling how long it will last, so get 'em while they're hot.
Collects ROM (1979) #17-18 and ROM (1979) #31-32.

STAR WARS: REVELATIONS #1 (2023)

Story: Marc Guggenheim, Charles Soule, Grek Pak, Marc Bernardin, Alyssa Wong, Ethan Sacks, Cavan Scott | Art: Salvador Larroca, Will Sliney, Marika Cresta, Ibraim Roberson, more | Cover: Rod Reis | Teen | $6.99

Announced earlier this week at StarWars.com, STAR WARS: REVELATIONS, the can’t miss issue that offers readers a startling glimpse at what’s to come next year in Star Wars comics, is back with more surprises than ever!

Last year’s Star Wars: Revelations prepared fans for a dramatic year of Star Wars sagas including putting the pieces in place for the current crossover event, "Star Wars: Dark Droids." This year will be no different, with a giant-sized installment packed with the first appearances of major players, and new twists and turns across all of Marvel’s STAR WARS line!

Looks like this is now an annual event.

DC COMICS

JOKER/HARLEY QUINN: UNCOVERED (ONE-SHOT)

Art: Stanley “Artgerm” Lau, Warren Louw, Derrick Chew, others | Cover: Alex Ross | $5.99

Reprinting the best of the sold-out Joker and Harley Quinn Uncovered editions ... and some secret surprises!

So, wait — this is a reprint of a collection of covers that were already reprinted once? I'm pretty sure I can find a better use for six bucks.

SUPERMAN #9

I don't care what planet you're from, that thar is funny.

TITANS: BEAST WORLD TOUR — CENTRAL CITY (ONE-SHOT)

Story: Si Spurrier, A.L. Kaplan, Alex Paknadel, Jarrett Williams | Art: A.L. Kaplan, George Kambadais, Serg Acuna | Cover: Mikel Janin | $5.99

SPEEDSTERS INFECTED!

The home of the Flash is not immune from the Starro spores, and as a member of the Flash Family is infected, it's all hands on deck across both Central and Keystone City. Irey West has a plan that requires the help of her BFF Maxine Baker, while Avery Ho, Wallace West, and fan-favorite Circuit Breaker will all be working together with the entire clan to contain the infected speedsters causing chaos across the city. Oh, and the recent issues within the Speed Force haven't gone away. ... This key chapter of the Beast World saga also contains important revelations for the Scarlet Speedster's next steps as The Flash writer Si Spurrier is joined by Speed Force writer Jarrett WIlliams, Circuit Breaker scribe A.L. Kaplan, and Knight Terrors: The Flash writer Alex Paknadel!

IMAGE COMICS

CURSE WORDS: THE HOLE DAMN COMPENDIUM TP collects the 28-issue series, plus extras.

FEAR AGENT 20TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION VOLS 1-2 HC collects the entirety of the series.

GEIGER: GROUND ZERO #2 (OF 2) is the last lead-in title to the new Geoff Johns imprint.

KILLADELPHIA #32 introduces Vampire Spawn, another character I feel free to ignore.

CREEPSHOW VOL 2 #4

Attention, shoppers! Naughty Nick Dragotta tells the gruesome story of a deadly wraith who punishes bad customers in “Killer Cart Corral.” Then, the abominable Alisa Kwitney teams up with the monstrous Mauricet to explore an aging witch’s desperate attempt to hold on to her power in “The Amulet."

Praise for Creepshow Volume 1:

"The amount of fun that these two different creative teams have had with this book comes through like an axe to the forehead." — Comic-Watch

"As we ease into Autumn, with the night's drawing in, what could be a more perfect comic to enjoy?" — Nerdly

I'm hoping for an omnibus for all the Creepshow books at some point.

GI JOE A REAL AMERICAN HERO #302

Story: Larry Hama | Art: Chris Mooneyham, Francesco Segala | Cover: Andy Kubert, Brad Anderson | Variants: Joe Kubert, Brad Walker | $3.99

As the Joes mourn their fallen brother, dangerous new forces are mounting against them. Cobra Commander returns to Springfield and the now mutant Serpentor Khan turns to a deadly new ally you won’t see coming!

SHIFT (ONE-SHOT)

Story: Kyle Higgins | Art: Daniele Di Nicuolo, Francesco Manna, Danilo Beyruth, Geraldo Borges, Chris Evanhuis | Cover: Igor Montiv | Variant: Daniele Di Nicuolo | $5.99

Image Comics is pleased to present an extra-length one-shot containing the four, five-page Shift stories — originally released in IMAGE! 30th Anniversary Anthology — alongside a brand-new, five-page story by Shift creators Kyle Higgins and Daniele Di Nicuolo. This exciting one-shot out of the Massive-Verse is set to prime readers for Shift's upcoming appearance in Radiant Black's THE CATALYST WAR.

He's tangled with Radiant Black and fought alongside The Dead Lucky — but who's the man in the suit, and how did he assemble his team of contractors?

“The mercenary bad boy antihero of the Massive-Verse, SHIFT, is a character who Daniele and I both have a blast creating stories for," said Higgins. "With his continuing emergence in Radiant Black and across the Massive-Verse, we’ve been thrilled to be able to come back with one more story to cap off the 'building a business' arc of Guy’s career.”

Di Nicuolo added: "Kyle and I had so much creating the best as@“&@! in town … you’re gonna love him as we do!”

THE WALKING DEAD DELUXE #79

Today Skybound revealed a stunning set of all-new The Walking Dead Deluxe connecting variant covers from comics superstar Mateus Santolouco (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and colorist Marcelo Maiolo (Jean Grey). Covering the “No Way Out” arc of the landmark comic series, Santolouco’s covers showcase fan-favorite characters fighting a gruesome battle against walkers.

These all-new covers will appear as variants to The Walking Dead Deluxe #79-84, with each issue presenting the series in full color format for the first time from writer/creator Robert Kirkman, with art by Charlie Adlard and colors by Dave McCaig. Fans will also receive a new look at the worldwide pop culture phenomenon with pinups and exclusive “Cutting Room Floor” commentary by Kirkman, celebrating the secret history of the series.

WHERE THE BODY WAS HC

Story: Ed Brubaker | Art/Cover: Jacob Phillips | Color: Jacob Phillips | $3.99

Where The Body Was is a tour de force from grandmasters Brubaker and Phillips. Starting with a map of the crime scene, this murder mystery follows the ripples that echo through decades of love and loss and passion and violence after one fateful killing. Like a true-crime podcast crossed with a long-lost diary, Where The Body Was is unlike anything Brubaker and Phillips have ever done, and a must-have for all avid fans!

"This is a story I've been trying to find a way to tell for half my life," said Brubaker. "Inspired by a bunch of wild things that happened when I was a teenager in Southern California — from small-time crimes to a murder plot — this book is kind of a diorama of a crime scene, with all the action confined to one small neighborhood. ... And it even comes with a map. I can't wait for our readers to get their hands on this one, just in time for the holidays."

A boarding house full of druggies. A neglected housewife. A young girl who thinks she's a superhero. A cop who wants to be left alone. And a private detective looking for a runaway girl. These stories all collide one deadly summer in Where The Body Was — a tale of love and murder in the suburbs — told from a dozen different points of view. All the neighbors on the block have an opinion about the murder and how it happened, but which of them is telling the truth?

Brubaker and Phillips can do no wrong.

DARK HORSE

SHELTER FOR LOST DREAMS HC is a middle grade graphic novel by Spanish comic creator Alfonso Font. "It features a story centered around themes of wealth, environmentalism, racism, and religion."

BLACK SOLSTICE HC

Story: Martin Desmond Roe, Travon Free | Art: Aremo Massa | 88 pages | $19.99

From the minds of Desmond Roe and Travon Free, the Academy Award winning writing duo behind the film TWO DISTANT STRANGERS, comes a brand-new graphic novel!  On the night of winter solstice in 2020, the world was caught by surprise as every black person suddenly gained a set of superpowers, they did not have the day before. As the next winter solstice approaches everyone anxiously awaits whether their superpowers will come back. Meanwhile, a group of siblings have conceived the ultimate plan to use their powers—which they’re sure will come back—for the greater good even as everyone else tries to stop them.

MILWAUKIE, Ore., (November 30, 2023)—From writers Travon Free and Martin Desmond Roe, the creative team behind the Academy Award-winning short film Two Distant Strangers, joined by artist Aremo Massa, comes a brand-new graphic novel: Black Solstice. This title is set to arrive right on time for the Winter Solstice this December.

Last winter solstice, the world was transformed when every Black person in America gained superpowers—powers that gave an unthinkable amount of hope, but then disappeared the following morning. Now, with only three days before the next winter solstice, the entire nation is holding its breath, waiting to see if the powers will return.

But not everyone’s been just waiting. Kesa, Quentin, and Deja—the Wallace siblings—have been planning the biggest heist in history, something that would change everything for Black people. And they are ready. All they need are those powers to kick in for 24 more hours.

"This journey began on December 21, 2020, when practically every Black person on Twitter started declaring, almost spontaneously, what superpower they were gonna get on the winter solstice,” said Travon Free. “It was an amazing day, one of those moments that reminds you why you love the Internet, where each post was cleverer than the last and every emotional beat you can think of got hit, from hilarious to disturbing to profound.”

“It felt like magic, and it kinda was, because in putting together this book we traced the idea back to its origin and after a lot of digging it turned out...there really wasn't just one,” Travon Free continued. “Instead it kinda formed piece by piece, bouncing from tweet to tweet, and from sincerity to irony in the weeks leading up to the solstice when it just dumped joy all over the timeline for everyone and proved, once again, that Black Twitter is the most creative place in the known universe.”

Ultimately, the goal of this book is to honor the joy and fun of that Twitter conversation and flesh it out into a complete story that everyone can enjoy.

The Black Solstice original graphic novel will be available December 19, 2023 in bookstores and December 20, 2023 in comic shops. It is available for pre-order now on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and at your local comic shop and bookstore. The Black Solstice hardcover graphic novel will retail for $19.99.

BOREALIS #1

Story: Mark Verheiden, Aaron Douglas | Art/Cover: Cliff Richards | $3.99

Dark Horse Comics invites readers to the icy, dark winters of wild Alaska where the temperatures can drop to 70 below zero, and somewhere in the frozen wilderness, unearthly horrors are emerging. Screen and comics writer Mark Verheiden (The Mask movie, Daredevil TV series, Aliens and Predator comics) and writer/actor Aaron Douglas (Battlestar Galactica, The Bridge) join forces with artist Cliff Richards (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Wonder Woman) and colorist Guy Major (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Blue Beetle) to face the haunting legends of Alaska and tell the bloodcurdling tale of Borealis.

“Aaron and I have wanted to collaborate for years, and when he suggested the idea for Borealis, we had a blast combining a gritty crime story and supernatural horror with the emotional journey of a woman confronting the figurative and literal monsters haunting her. We can’t wait for readers to see how Cliff Richards and Guy Major have brought our madness to life!” — Mark Verheiden

Welcome to remote Qinu, Alaska, home to 4,000 isolated residents and a world of bad memories for Alaska State Trooper Silaluk Osha, aka Sil. A series of horrific murders has pulled her back to Qinu after 13 years to face her dark past and discover her own frightening connections to mysterious and deadly legends.

“I am so excited to bring this story to the world with one of the best writers out there who just happens to be a Battlestar Galactica alum and one of my closest friends. From the moment I pitched my idea of Borealis to Mark the fuse was lit, and bringing on Guy and Cliff to draw and color added fuel to the fire.” — Aaron Douglas

"When Aaron and Mark came to me with Borealis, the idea felt like a real gift for me. I love the supernatural /horror / crime story they bring, and then Guy joined to make it an exciting experience to work on. Hope readers have as much fun as I had working on the pages.” — Cliff Richards

FOUR GATHERED ON CHRISTMAS EVE HC

Story/Art: Eric Powell, Mike Mignola, Becky Cloonan, James Harren | 72 pages, 6.25 x 9.25” | $24.99

Four beloved comics storytellers come together to continue the Victorian tradition of sharing ghost stories on Christmas Eve. They will spin tales of the bizarre and terrifying to keep readers company on a cold Yule night. This is a unique approach to the ghost story format where the creators themselves become part of the story, presented in a deluxe hardcover designed by the award-winning Phil Balsman.

This December, Dark Horse Books presents Four Gathered on Christmas Eve, four stories from four renowned comics creators: Eric Powell (The Goon, Did you Hear What Eddie Gein Done?), Mike Mignola (Hellboy), Becky Cloonan (The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, By Chance or Providence), and James Harren (B.P.R.D., Ultramega). Powell will be illustrating his story and James Harren’s with the rest of the writers also illustrating their own stories. Eric Powell and Dave Stewart will be coloring the anthology with letters by Richard Starkings.

“As someone who unapologetically loves Christmas and spooky stories, I’ve always been intrigued that telling ghost stories used to be a regular part of the tradition,” said Eric Powell. “I’ve been kicking around the idea of doing a Victorian Christmas ghost book for a while and was thrilled when three of my favorite comic creators agreed to join me.”

Praise for Eric Powell, Mike Mignola, Becky Cloonan and James Harren:

“As extensively researched as the Alan Moore/Eddie Campbell Jack the Ripper graphic novel From Hell, Did You Hear What Eddie Gein Done? is a masterpiece of the form, standing as the best possible dramatization of Ed Gein's tale in any medium.” ― Bloody Disgusting

“Mike Mignola, Ben Stenbeck and Dave Stewart's Koshchei in Hell defies the expectations of the reader, giving us a profound story of transformation. Even among the Hellboy Universe's best stories, this is exceptional.” — Multiversity Comics

“By Chance or Providence is an emotional goliath of a book for anyone who wants comic book stories that stay with you for life.” — Comics Beat

“This comic [Ultramega] will blow you away and leave nothing but rubble and ashes in its wake.” — Comicbook.com

This looks awesome. I hope they do a volume every year.

MONSTER BORN GN

Dark Horse Books presents Monster Born, a new supernatural graphic novel by Steve Niles (A Town Called Terror, Criminal Macabre), and Shannon Eric Denton (Monster Forge Productions, Army of the Dead) with art by Tom Mandrake (Batman, The Spectre) and colors by Michael Atiyeh.

Amanda Lam always finds herself fighting. Humans or monsters — it’s what she knows best. Kidnapped by an undead creature as a child, she had to fight to survive and eventually fight for her freedom. Since then she has vowed to eradicate the world of the kinds of monsters that caused her so much pain. But when the mother and father she never knew die, her life becomes entangled with her family in ways more complicated than she could imagine.

Praise for Steve Niles:

“A top tier monster book with a heavy, near-perfect ending.” — Comicbook.com (Criminal Macabre/Count Crowley: From the Pit They Came)

“With a tight turn of phrase and tongue often in cheek (though sometimes ripped out in a nasty and bloody way) Niles clearly is having as much as we are.” — Tripwire Magazine (Criminal Macabre: The Complete Cal McDonald Stories)

“If it’s been too long since a horror comic raised your gooseflesh or bestowed a case of jimjams, you owe yourself a look at A Town Called Terror #1.” — Comics Bookcase

Steve Niles (30 Days of Night) strikes again. Also: Tom Mandrake!

IDW PUBLISHING

Brony alert: MY LITTLE PONY: BEST OF FLUTTERSHY #1.

GODZILLA RIVALS JET JAGUAR VS MEGALON #1 (ONE-SHOT)

Story: Nola Pfau | Art: Megan Huang | Cover: Andrew Griffith | Variant: Robert Shehan | $7.99

Jen Onça is not excited to start her new, fast-paced fast-food career at Minilla Burger, but she'd much prefer a mundane day to the sudden return of Megalon! The monster brings destruction, trapping Jen in a forgotten lab deep beneath the restaurant with only the half-built form of Jet Jaguar to help her get out! She must repair the robotic defender to save herself and the city, but first she needs to escape the rubble trapping her in this tense adventure!

For kids, but I though Big G fans would want to know.
GODZILLA WAR FOR HUMANITY #3 ships this week also.

OTHER PUBLISHERS

Ahoy Comics alert: PROJECT CRYPTID #4 (OF 6) ships this week.

Comic strip collectors' alert: COMPLETE DICK TRACY VOL 3 1935-1936 HC and COMPLETE DICK TRACY VOL 4 1936-1937 HC ship from Clover Press this week.

Comic strip collectors' alert Part 2: FROM THE PAGES OF DOCTOR WHO MAGAZINE: CYBERMEN — THE ULTIMATE COMIC STRIP COLLECTION TP ships from Panini UK LTD this week.

Comic strip collectors alert Part 3: NEXUS NEWSPAPER STRIPS COMING OF GOURMANDO DLX HC, NEXUS NEWSPAPER STRIPS COMING OF GOURMANDO LTD SGN DLX ED and NEXUS NEWSPAPER STRIPS TP OVERSIZED ED COMING OF GOURMANDO ship from Rude Dude Productions this week.

Comic strip collectors alert Part 4: POPEYE VOL 3: SEA HAG & ALICE THE GOON HC ships from Fantagraphics this week. Here's a PREVIEW.

BETTY & VERONICA JUMBO COMICS DIGEST #320 has two new stories, one of them guest starring Young Doctor Masters.

21ST CENTURY SANTA STORIES #1

Story: G.O. Parsons, S.A. Check, Konstantine Paradias, James Kuhoric | Art: Fernando Sosa, Horacio Domingues, Jorge Pacheco (| Cover: Roy Allen Martinez | American Mythology | $4.99

What do kids dream about on Christmas Eve? It sure ain't "Sugar Plumbs" dancing in their heads. Today's kids need new stories about the magic of Santa Claus and we're delivering it like the fat man himself! These are awesome stories full of humor and modern silliness that kids can enjoy and understand. What happens if Santa loses his job? Or if the ornaments come to life at night? Enjoy the season with funny modern tales of Santa that you can share with your kids. The magic of the holidays is here and every kid can relate to them with 21st Century Santa Stories!

To paraphrase ClarkKent_DC: If you update Santa, you take all the fun out of him. I don't want to see elves on an assembly line, or Santa doing inventory on an iPad, or Rudolph using a cell phone GPS to fly through the fog. He's Santa Claus, and he's magic. That's it. Don't overthink it.

ANIMAL POUND #1 (OF 4)

Story: Tom King | Art/Cover: Peter Gross | BOOM | Mature | $4.99

Animal Pound is a reimagining of Animal Farm by Tom King in a modern setting (a 21st century animal pound, instead of a 20th century farm). That sounds interesting. I don't know if a book as well done and timeless as Animal Farm needs a reimagining, but if anybody can come up with an interesting new angle, it's probably Tom King. Here is BOOM's ANNOUNCEMENT and a trailer, below.

HOLIDAY SPIRITS GN

Story: Jonathan Hedrick, Travis Gibb, Colleen Douglas, Nathan Chio, various | Art: Michael Yakutis, Jesus C. Gan, Gabriel Elias Ibarra Niez, Kurt Belcher, Jerome Gagnon, various | Cover: Shane Connery Volk $19.99

Collecting 10 original stories of Christmas Past, Present and Future, this anthology is filled with suspense and thrills! Brought to you by 22 super-talented indie creators, each story is introduced by the three ghosts of Christmas made famous by A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

It's not rated Mature, so it's probably not all that terrifying. But scary Christmas seems to be having a moment.

INTERSTELLAR DUST #1 (OF 4)

Story: C.J. Hudson | Art: Igor Wolski | Antarctic Press | $4.99

Interstellar Dust is back for a new arc, and the stakes have never been higher! Fresh off their escape from the Afterglow, Commander Lake is poised to complete her mission and transport Cael and the other prisoners to their destination, but is her commitment to duty clouding her judgment?

LIFE IS STRANGE: FORGET-ME-NOT #1

EISNER-WINNING CREATOR ZOE THOROGOOD JOINS LIFE IS STRANGE.

Titan Comics and Square Enix are thrilled to reveal the next chapter in the LIFE IS STRANGE comics: LIFE IS STRANGE: FORGET-ME-NOT — from Winner of the Russ Manning Newcomer Award at the 2023 Eisner Awards, creator Zoe Thorogood (It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth, The Impending Blindness of Billie Scott).

FORGET-ME-NOT introduces two fan-favorite characters from LIFE IS STRANGE: TRUE COLORS to the unique Titan Comics timeline.

Psychic empath guitarist Alex Chen and drummer, DJ, and super-nerd Steph Gingrich are now touring their band across small-town America; a tour of crusty venues, distracted audiences and cold nights huddled in their camper van.

As the days blur together, Alex and Steph begin to doubt their choices — until they find another lost soul on the side of the road, a mysterious teenager named Lily.

Alex and Steph take Lily under their wing, to uncover the truth of what she's running from. But there's more to Lily than meets the eye, as she struggles under the weight of heartache and memories from lives she hasn't lived. An all-too-familiar story for Alex, who’s lived her life buffeted by the emotions of others. Is there time to save Lily from a similar lonely fate?

Since its launch in 2018, Titan’s LIFE IS STRANGE comic has featured the unforgettable creative team of artist Claudia Leonardi and colorist Andrea Izzo, who return for this new series — with Zoe Thorogood joining the team as writer, taking over from Emma Vieceli, who wrote the comic for a staggering four-year run from 2018 until 2022.

“It’s difficult to emphasize how formative the original LIFE IS STRANGE was for my teen years, I played it when I was 16 and remember falling in love with it instantly,” says writer Zoe Thorogood. “I downloaded each episode on the day they came out. Even now, episode 2 is one of the most powerful game experiences I’ve ever had. Personally, LIFE IS STRANGE has always been a series about misfits trying to find themselves and their crowd, with the superpowers being stand-ins for real life divergences we may have. Tonally, it has the perfect balance of whimsical and dark what-the-heck-ery that I adore in stories. I’m hoping LIFE IS STRANGE: FORGET-ME-NOT will appeal to new and old fans alike, and have all the charm and heartbreak as the rest of the series.”

“As a franchise, LIFE IS STRANGE is always asking ‘what if?’ and encouraging players to explore the road less traveled,” said Titan Comics editor Phoebe Hedges, “LIFE IS STRANGE: FORGET-ME-NOT places familiar characters in unfamiliar places, and under Zoe’s pen will take readers on an unforgettable emotional journey. Claudia Leonardi and Andrea Izzo have gone from strength to strength in developing the wider LIFE IS STRANGE world and bringing Alex Chen to the page. As a book, LIFE IS STRANGE: FORGET-ME-NOT is going to push Alex and her abilities, and explore the power of our memories and the hold they can have over us — for better or worse.”

For some reason, I thought this franchise was at Oni Press. Maybe it used to be.
Here's a PREVIEW.

MAZE AGENCY #1

Story: Mike W. Barr | Art/Cover: Silvano Beltramo | Variant: Alan Davis | Scout Comics | $4.99

The Maze Agency is back! The Eisner- and Harvey-Award nominated series by creator Mike W. Barr (writer/creator of Camelot 3000 and writer of Batman: Son of the Demon) joins forces with artist Silvano Beltramo to return to the world of everyone's favorite comic book detective team. Jennifer Mays, sophisticated New York private eye and owner of the Maze Agency and her paramour, Gabriel Webb, somewhat scruffy true-crime writer and amateur sleuth, romance, solve crimes and catch killers in fair-play detective stories that the reader is challenged to solve before they do! In their latest adventure, someone is stalking the set of a slasher movie series. Jen and Gabe have to figure out the killer's identity and true motive — before they become the killer's next victims!

"I grew up reading THE MAZE AGENCY back in the 1980s when I was in high school," said Scout Comics CEO Brendan Deneen. "I loved the world that Mike created, a kind of comic book version of Moonlighting. And the art was always spectacular. I never would have thought that I would be publishing the latest incarnation of this legendary comic all these years later. It's an honor and a privilege to work with Mike on this. He wrote some of the most iconic comics of my childhood, particularly CAMELOT 3000, which had a huge impact on me as a kid. This new MAZE AGENCY is going to thrill old fans and create a bunch of new ones, too!"

I remember this from its 1980s indie-comics debut, and I think a few other Legionnaires do, too. It started at Comico, moved to Innovation, then Caliber, then IDW — all with the same creative team, IIRC. I preferred Crossfire in the fair-play-mystery category (you can't go wrong with Mark Evanier and Dan Spiegle), but I'll take what I can get.

SPELLWEAVER #1

Story/Art: Robert Ahmad | Keenspot Entertainment | $5.99

A magical new fantasy series from the artist of Rebel Grrrls! Strange phenomena have befallen the once mighty town of Wolfguard, with reports of monstrous creatures prowling the surrounding woods and entire families disappearing from their homes. It's all the work of a dark curse from a sinister witch that the townsfolk simply call ... the Witch of Wolfguard! Now it's up to a young sorceress named Cecile and her band of stragglers to find and take down this evil force, but they'll soon find that's no easy task!

The cover art tells me "this is for kids," but who knows? Some serious artists just have a cartoony style (like Lee Marrs).

A SPLATTER WESTERN ONE SHOT #3 (OF 4): THREE DAYS TO DEATH (ONE-SHOT)

A hated gunman named True Crime Goodnight walks the west killing everything in sight. His buddy, Jesus Christ Brown, is imprisoned by Tina the Trigger in a town called Death Is Here. There are three days and a hundred trigger-happy goons standing between True Crime and his friend. He has the will to kill and plenty of guns... but he's almost out of the magic liquor that makes him bulletproof. Scott Bryan Wilson (Pennyworth, Trve Kvlt) writes and Rob Gaughran makes his violent, bombastic debut as they concoct an insane, bloody, drunken tale of Western mayhem.

I may have mentioned this before, but if you name your town something like "Death Is Here," it's probably not going to turn out to be a little piece of heaven.

THE AGENT #1

Story: Mathieu Gabella | Art/Cover: Fernando Dagnino | Ablaze Publishing | Mature | $3.99

What if witchcraft really existed? If our beliefs, superstitions and legends were material? This is what Rhym, a young narcotics lieutenant, must question when she finds herself confronted with the impossible. While staking out a subway deal, a suspect magically kills his informant and drives the entire station into madness with just a handful of weed. Rhym miraculously escapes unscathed. She's unaware, but she is a witch, and that fact arouses the interest of a very particular unit of the French secret services. A group of special agents who, like the criminals they hunt, have mastered the art of sorcery.

Welcome to a world where it is better to wear an amulet than a bulletproof vest and where a simple curse by email can destroy you more surely than a bomb. Between thriller, espionage and fantasy, Mathieu Gabella and DC Comics artist Fernando Dagnino (Suicide Squad, Supergirl, Wonder Woman, Teen Titans, Justice League) present a powerful adventure!

This makes me think of Black Magick, by Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott. It was both well written and gorgeous. This book may be pretty good; I don't know. But I'd rather have Black Magick back.
Note the Steranko homage.

THIRTEEN ORIGINS: PYROCLAST #1

Story: Frederick Luis Aldama | Art/Cover: Guillermo Villarreal | Scout | $4.99

The Thirteen Origins is a series of one-shot origin stories for the members of The Thirteen, a group of Mexicans and Mexican Americans who discover they are chispas, able to wield impossible powers. When high school quarterback Pete Lumeras turns 18, he discovers he can now transform into a being of molten rock. His first attempts at using his new chispa powers against bullies go awry until his uncle George and his abuelita reveal dark family secrets that may either help him to become a warrior for justice-Pyroclast-or lead him down the same road to self-destruction that his mother once tread.

This seems like a publishing plan destined to fail. Even if you're reader dedicated to following this, are you really going to chase down 13 consecutive one-shots that come out erratically? Or be that alert on your order form for more than a year? And I imagine the print run is low, so if you miss one, lots of luck.

TOTAL PARTY KILLER #1

Story/Art: David Yu | Scout | $7.99

Underappreciated and unpaid, Verity’s internship with Captain Bastion’s company has pushed her to the mental breaking point. After accidentally (or perhaps not-so accidentally) causing the death of a teammate, Verity steps up to fill the now-open spot. Without her, the party stands no chance of slaying Gridda the Grinning Death, one of the last dragons in the world. While elated to join their ranks, Verity’s inexperience becomes painfully apparent when she can't even stomach killing a Dracolyte — one of Gridda’s half-breed children. Captain Bastion's bull-headed determination to finish their quest results in the party’s gruesome demise at the jaws of Gridda. Verity can do nothing but watch powerlessly, and in the end, only Verity and the Captain are left. Bastion finally gains the advantage on an injured and tired Gridda, but just as he's about to land the killing blow, in a shock twist, Verity stabs him in the neck! As he lays dying, bewildered at the sudden turn of events, Bastion comes to a disastrous realisation; this entire time … from the very beginning … Verity was a Dracolyte.

“Scout tells some of the most vibrant and original stories in comics and to have Total Party Killer debut alongside their roster of books is exhilarating. What began as a personal project has become a story that I proudly can’t wait for Scout to share with the world.” — David Yu

REVIEWS/TESTIMONIALS

“Total Party Killer is a fabulous and original take on the fantasy adventure genre. Dark, funny, and beautifully told!” — Andrew Wheeler, author of Sins of the Black Flamingo and Dungeons & Dragons: A Young Adventurer’s Guide

"Such a fun read! Expertly drawn and written, with passion leaping out of every panel." — Danny Zabbal, author of Life, Death & Sorcery