MAJOR PUBLISHERS
MARVEL COMICS
BLACK WIDOW AND HAWKEYE #1
Story: Stephanie Phillips | Art: Paolo Villanelli | Cover: Stephen Segovia | Variant: Artgerm | Teen+ | $4.99
THE EYES OF A HAWK AND THE VENOM OF A WIDOW!
Even when Black Widow and Hawkeye had no one to trust, they still had each other — even though their paths sometimes diverged. So when Clint Barton is accused of a rogue assassination attempt that puts the U.S. and Madripoor at odds, a symbiote-equipped Natasha Romanoff thinks nothing of coming to his aid. But as echoes of their past ripple into the present, it will take all their faith in each other — and the lessons learned along the way — to protect their futures.
Celebrating 60 action-packed years of Black Widow and Hawkeye, this new chapter in the pair’s storied legacy will be told by rising Marvel stars, writer Stephanie Phillips, known for her acclaimed work on Contest of Chaos and Cosmic Ghost Rider, and Paolo Villanelli, who delivered cosmic brilliance in Captain Marvel: Dark Tempest. The four-issue limited series will both dive into the duo’s history of secrets and espionage while playing off recent developments including Natasha Romanoff’s recent bonding with a symbiote!
"I love getting the chance to dig deep with Natasha Romanov and Clint Barton to tell a fast-paced spy story that celebrates their 60th anniversary,” Phillips shared. “Nothing is as it seems, and I'm having a ton of fun writing these characters. Not to mention they both look great for 60."
Strangely, Hawkeye has gotten sillier over six decades, while Black Widow has gotten more serious. It's hard to believe they were ever a couple. Of course, it's hard to believe Natasha ever wore a veil and opera gloves! But times, they change.
BLOOD HUNT DIARIES is the primary order form for "Blood Hunt." And it needs one, because it runs across 59 issues, including eight limited series and six one-shots.
“Symbiosis Necrosis” continues this week in CARNAGE #5. More books I will never read! Here's a PREVIEW.
FALL OF THE HOUSE OF X #3 (OF 5)
Story: Gerry Duggan | Art: Lucas Werneck, Jethro Morales | Cover: Pepe Larraz | Teen+ | $4.99
In FALL OF THE HOUSE OF X #3, the end has truly begun! The X-Men have taken all they’re willing to take from Orchis… Now it’s time for them to do the dishing out. Unfortunately, just when it seems like one threat is over…another rises to take its place. The final battle of the Krakoan age rages as two series that are one move toward a crash that will echo across the universe …
Gerry Duggan and Lucas Werneck’s FALL OF THE HOUSE OF X sees a classic lineup of X-Men embark on a daring mission to bring down Orchis for good and restore hope to mutantkind. Meanwhile Kieron Gillen and R.B. Silva’s RISE OF THE POWERS OF X takes readers on a sense-shattering journey beyond space and time as an ambitious plan is put in action to prevent the darkest of futures from coming to pass. It’s a who’s who of current mutant mastermind storytellers, and they’re holding nothing back as they close out Krakoa down in epic style and position the X-Men for their all-new era launching later!
Yay, Cyclops is back in his Giant-Size X-Men #1 outfit! (Well, it's the 1967 costume with an upgraded visor.) I sure have missed it. I hated the pouches-and-straps look.
"Fall of the House of X" continues this week in DEAD X-MEN #3, where it looks from the cover that Kwannon/Psylocke is joining the team. Here's a PREVIEW.
GHOST RIDER: FINAL VENGEANCE #1
Story: Ben Percy | Art: Danny Kim | Cover: Juan Ferreyra | Variants: Benjamin Su, Greg Capullo | Teen+ | $4.99
Johnny Blaze was bonded with the Spirit of Vengeance. Unwilling to be a monster, Johnny used this demon from Hell to do good as the Ghost Rider. But heroism isn't what the Rider was meant for.
Over the years, the Spirit of Vengeance has burned its way through various hosts, and this March, it’ll abandon Johnny Blaze for a new rider in GHOST RIDER: FINAL VENGEANCE! An evolution of Benjamin Percy’s acclaimed Ghost Rider run, this new series will see an iconic supervillain unleash hellfire as the new Ghost Rider — the criminal mastermind known as the Hood!
Armed with a demonic cloak and dark mystical abilities, Parker Robbins’ undying lust for more power and fortune has made one of the Marvel Universe’s dangerous threats. Now with the Spirit of Vengeance claiming what’s left of his soul, there’s no stopping his bloody takeover of the criminal underworld. By the time Johnny Blaze is able to claw his way back from the abyss to reclaim the Spirit of Vengeance, it’ll be far too late!
Joining Percy will be artist Danny Kim, who delivered a terrifying showdown between Ghost Rider and the Hood in last year’s Ghost Rider Annual #1. The rising star has designed a brand-new look for the Hood/Ghost Rider that is sure to strike fear into reader’s hearts!
“Some villains you know all too well. Doctor Doom. Thanos. Mephisto. But I find it especially fun to bring the lesser known baddies out of the shadows and give them a shot at a starring role. That's what I did with Omega Red during X Lives of Wolverine/X Deaths of Wolverine — and that's what I'm doing now with Ghost Rider,” Percy explained. “The Hood wants a taste of the big-time. And he's made a deal with the devil to help him on his way. This is what happens when the Spirit of Vengeance is stripped from Johnny Blaze and grafted on to a character who has no moral compass. An epic crime saga — flavored with horror — awaits readers in GHOST RIDER: FINAL VENGEANCE.”
I don't mind Johnny Blaze being replaced, even if it's only temporary. His story is pretty played out.
MSH SECRET WARS #3 gets the facsimile treatment this week.
Storm (and the Brood) guest star in POWER PACK: INTO THE STORM #3. Here's a PREVIEW.
SPIDER-GWEN: SMASH #4 Venomizes one of its characters. Because of course. Here's a PREVIEW.
SYMBIOTE SPIDER-MAN 2099 #1 (OF 5)
Story: Peter David | Art: Roge Antonio | Cover: Leinil Yu | Variants: Ken Lashley, Greg Land | Teen+ | $4.99
THERE WILL BE A NEW SYMBIOTE ON THE LOOSE!
Fresh off his breakout role in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Miguel O’Hara will star in all-new comic book adventures, including a series by his legendary co-creator, writer Peter David. Launching in March, SYMBIOTE SPIDER-MAN 2099 is the long-awaited next epic chapter in David’s hit Symbiote Spider-Man saga, which helped usher in Marvel Comics’ wave of retro series revisiting milestone runs and series. Joining him on his triumphant return will be artist Rogê Antônio, known for his recent gut-wrenching work on Carnage. The five-issue series will take fans back to the iconic world of Marvel 2099 where Miguel O’Hara becomes the host of a terrifying new symbiote.
Set your time circuits ahead to the techno-dystopian future of 2099! Miguel O’Hara, A.K.A. Spider-Man 2099, is facing a hostile takeover – of his own body! Kron Stone, the Venom of 2099, wages an all-out assault on Alchemax, and the only hope of stopping him lies with the power awakened by a top-secret project gone terribly wrong. What must Miguel sacrifice to seal the bond with his new symbiote – his body? His mind? His very soul?!
Here's a whole miniseries about a character getting Venomized. Because of course. Here's a PREVIEW.
Wolverine gets Vemomized in WHAT IF VENOM #2. Because of course. Here's a PREVIEW.
"Sabretooth War" continues in WOLVERINE #45. Here's a PREVIEW.
DC COMICS
Flatline (Damian's crush) returns in BATMAN AND ROBIN #7.
BATMAN AND ROBIN AND HOWARD #1 (OF 4) is a reprint of a recent YA graphic novel, obviously cut up into four bits.
BATMAN/DYLAN DOG #1 (OF 3)
Story: Roberto Recchioni | Art: Gigi Cavenago, Werther Dell Edera | Cover: Gigi Cavenago | $4.99
See how the fates of Batman and Dylan Dog intertwined in the past through their lethal nemeses: The Joker, the Clown Prince of Crime of Gotham City, and Professor Xabaras, a mad genius with a taste for bringing the dead back to life! Joker is in London to seal a hellish pact with Dylan Dog’s nemesis, the Mephistophelian Xabaras! The doorbell of Craven Road No. 7 screams, and beyond the doorway Bruce Wayne appears. For the Nightmare Investigator, an incredible adventure begins side by side with the Dark Knight. They'll have to forge an uneasy alliance, putting aside their differences in order to successfully confront and defeat an evil that comes from the past...
I have three Dylan Dog reprint digests that came out in 1999, 2002 and 2009. They were published by Dark Horse, so this is a pretty odd team-up. Maybe DC has picked up the U.S. license for Dylan Dog in the interim.
FABLES #162 (OF 162): Given writer/creator Bill Willingham's very public feud with DC Comics, this really will be the last issue — at least in its present form.
SUICIDE SQUAD: DREAM TEAM #1 (OF 4)
Story: Nicole Maines | Art/Cover: Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira | $6.99
When Amanda Waller makes her move to seize ultimate power in the DCU, nothing will stand in her way — not even the future. Spinning out of the events of Titans: Beast World comes the story of Dreamer — the precog dream-walker who has run afoul of the most power-hungry villain in DCU history. With a super-powered hero who can see the future on her side, is Waller's Suicide Squad finally unstoppable? Join Harley Quinn, Bizarro, Clock King, Black Alice, and Deadeye for the fight for DC's future ... and the next big step toward the cataclysmic event of 2024!
I didn't know when Dreamer (who was created on the Supergirl TV show) had debuted in comics, so I looked it up. It was back in 2021, in that year's DC Pride. She next appeared in Superman: Son of Kal-El #13 (2022). Now she's getting the spotlight.
At last! The long wait is over! SUPERMAN: THE SILVER AGE OMNIBUS VOL 1 HC is on its way!
IMAGE COMICS
LAST MERMAID #1
Story/Art: Derek Kirk Kim | $3.99
Series Premiere. After a decade, the multiple Eisner, Harvey and Ignatz Award-winning, writer/artist Derek Kirk Kim will dive back into the world of comics with the upcoming The Last Mermaid. This epic, ongoing science fiction series is set to make a splash in March.
A literal fish-out-of-water story, The Last Mermaid is a post-apocalyptic adventure that is perhaps best described as 'mermaids meets Dune' and is perfect for fans of lush, animation-style artwork like that of Isola, Low, and classic Miyazaki.
"I’m so excited to be back making comics after a decade of experience in TV and animation," said Kim. "The Last Mermaid is a culmination of everything I’ve learned and love in storytelling, and I couldn’t be prouder to present it through Image Comics. Returning to comics feels like coming home and I hope everyone will join the titular mermaid on her epic quest to find her own home in The Last Mermaid."
In The Last Mermaid, a lone mermaid roams an endless wasteland on a quest beyond reason. To press ever onward, she must survive the interminable stretches between tiny pockets of water, roaming bands of cybernetic cannibals, and fearsome mutant beasts. What propels her forward to take such a risk?
“The Last Mermaid is an absolute treasure. Derek Kirk Kim creates a world you’ll want to get lost in. Epic. Heart-breaking. Utterly gorgeous. You’ll love every panel of this sprawling saga.” — Gene Luen Yang
"Mermaids meet Dune" sounds kinda fatal for the mermaids.
Here's a PREVIEW.
LASTMAN BOOK FOUR
The fourth fantastic installment of the Lastman series contains volumes 7-8 of the original French series.
Skybound’s editions of Lastman will collect the action-packed series as a complete set in English for the first time, featuring full color pages to open each volume that will be followed by striking black-and-white pages. Each of the six Lastman books will feature all-new remastered translations and backmatter including additional series art.
"Lastman Book Four kicks off an all-new story arc in this action-packed series,” said Amanda LaFranco, Editor at Skybound. “After the dramatic and unexpected turn at the end of the last volume, readers will be anxiously waiting for the story to continue here! We’re beyond thrilled to be able to continue telling Adrian and Richard’s story for both new and longtime fans and bring this new story arc to English-language readers for the first time.”
More than 10 years have passed since Adrian, Marianne and Richard made their fatal return to the Valley of the Kings. Young Adrian is presumed dead after his fall back into the rift, and Richard has been a fugitive ever since. When a friend from Richard’s past shows him proof that Adrian is alive and continuing his fighting legacy, worlds will collide as the passageway between realms is opened. But who has Adrian become in all this time, and will he see Richard as an old friend or a new enemy?
Skybound pushed this book pretty hard in the beginning. Tons of PR and previews. Less so now. I guess sales don't warrant it.
NAPALM LULLABY #1
Story: Rick Remender | Art/Cover: Bengal | Variants: JG Jones, Yanick Paquette, Eric Powell, Jeff Dekal, Andrew Robinson, Davi Go, James Harren, Daniel Warren Johnson | $4.99
The bestselling creative duo behind fan-favorite series Death or Glory — Rick Remender and Bengal — reteam for an all-new dystopian epic.
What if a child with unimaginable power was discovered and raised to believe he was God by a cult built upon hatred and populated by zealots utterly confident in the purity and absolute moral authority of their religion? Enter a world ruled by The Magnificent Leader, where just such a cult imposed their will on an entire world to create the ultimate theocracy. Join up and buy in — or be cast out to suffer in the toxic slums with the masses of humanity.
The story of Napalm Lullaby begins 50 years after the cult’s subjugation of Earth, when two of the messiah’s bastard children — each with powers that are strange and difficult to control — set out to escape the slums of their birth. Determined to infiltrate the Magnificent Leader’s domed fortress of adulation, they’ll stop at nothing to kill the man responsible for the nightmare they were raised in.
“Napalm Lullaby and The Holy Roller are my first forays into superheroes since I left Marvel a decade ago,” said Remender. “At one point in time, I promised myself never to return to this genre — but when this idea [for Napalm Lullaby] hit, it was too exciting not to make it real. Fortunately, my longtime collaborator and friend Bengal agreed, and we set out to make an apocalyptic superhero story unlike anything you've seen or read. We’ve been developing this story for years and it couldn't have more love dumped into it. Ben has made sure every single page is a work of art.”
Bengal added: “It was hard keeping Napalm Lullaby a secret for so many years. This is a dream project that I’ve been so eager to show off. I'm ecstatic that soon we’ll take readers into this world, part Road Warrior and part Superman. I love working on strange, superpowered beings and I took great care to create, with Rick, characters we REALLY care for.”
Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice. I say it will end in religion.
Here's a PREVIEW.
DARK HORSE
HELEN OF WYNDHORN #1 (OF 6)
Story: Tom King | Art/Cover: Bilquis Evely | Variants: Tula Lotay, Elsa Charretier, Massimo Carnevale, Clay Mann, Walt Simonson | $4.99
From the Eisner award-winning and bestselling creative team of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow comes this Gothic sword and sorcery epic that's Conan the Barbarian meets The Wizard of Oz.
Following the tragic death of her late father C.K. Cole, the esteemed pulp writer and creator of the popular warrior character Othan, Helen Cole, is called back to her grandfather's enormous and elustrious estate: Wyndhorn House. Scarred by Cole's untimely passing and lost in a new, strange world, Helen wreaks drunken havoc upon her arrival.
However, her chaotic ways begin to soften as she discovers a lifetime of secrets hiding within the myriad rooms and hallways of the expansive manor. For outside its walls, within the woods, dwell the legendary adventures that once were locked away within her father's stories.
What if Robert E. Howard had a daughter, she's a drunk, and the Hyborian Age is real? Here's a PREVIEW.
JOHN CARPENTER’S TOXIC COMMANDO: RISE OF THE SLUDGE GOD #1
Story: Michael Moreci | Art/Cover: Alberto Jimenez Alburquerque | $3.99
A normal day for Obsidian CEO Leon Dorsey becomes horrific when his search for clean energy accidentally awakens an ancient, Sludgey evil. Humanity's last hope against a toxic future rests with a private group of commandos.
Dark Horse Comics partners with Saber Interactive to present John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando: Rise of the Sludge God, a comic prequel to the upcoming game developed by Saber Interactive and published by Focus Entertainment, John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando. Written by Michael Moreci (Stranger Things: Kamchatka, Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories) and featuring artwork by Alberto J. Albuquerque (Mystery Girl, Robert E. Howard’s Savage Sword) with letterer Nate Piekos (Stranger Things, Black Hammer: Visions), Rise of the Sludge God is set to begin in March 2024.
The comic miniseries presents the terror of a professional crew up against an unstoppable force in Alien combined with a healthy dose of the suspense-filled action of The Thing, peppered with zombified monsters and one gruesome god. Interior artist Albuquerque also creates the wild cover art.
Does this have anything to do with Toxic Avenger? I can't tell from the blurb. Here's a PREVIEW.
MONSTER CRUSH TP
Dark Horse | 272 pages | $19.99
Family, romance, monsters? Growing up is rough.
Discover a new coming-of-age fantasy with LGBTQIA+ themes that speak to those who have ever felt like an outsider. Dark Horse Books presents an unforgettable story of self-discovery and teenage romance with a monstrous twist in Monster Crush. The entire whirlwind adventure of love, gender and big emotions is written, drawn and colored by Twitch streamer and cat mom extraordinaire Ellie Franey (Gender Turbulence).
Ruby Reid has struggled with life at Crestwood High since her parents split up. However, when Ella Mooney moved to town, everything changed. Ella isn’t like most teens: She’s never been on a Ferris wheel, never had an ice cream cone and sometimes she grows fangs and a tail!
It’s not just Ruby who is interested in the new girl; The pair find themselves on the run from a mysterious group that wants to capture Ella and her whole family!
“It has always been my personal and professional goal to create content that features and represents LGBTQIA+ characters.” says artist and author Ellie Franey. “Being in the [LGBTQIA+] community myself, it has been a dream come true to create and bring Monster Crush to life. It is my sincerest hope that young adults of any background can enjoy this heartfelt tale.”
I guess this is the week's gay-coming-of-age story. Here's a PREVIEW.
IDW PUBLISHING
CAT FIGHT TP
Story: Andrew Wheeler | Art: Ilias Kyriazis | $17.99
Felix lives a life of high fashion and indulgence. Sure, he steals to get it, but he gets it on his own, nonetheless. When a mysterious character by the name of Schrodinger threatens Felix's only surviving family member in an attempt to recruit him into a crime syndicate, Felix is sent on a globetrotting game of cat and mouse in a heightened world of colorful criminal masterminds. Tune into IDW's glamorous neo-noir action series from the pen of Andrew Wheeler with art by Ilias Kyriazis and finishes by Auguste & Dennis Yatras!
I don't know what this has to do with cats, except there's a character named Schroedinger — named for a guy who was concerned mostly about quantum physics, not cats.
STAR TREK: SONS OF STAR TREK #1
Story: Morgan Hampton | Art: Angel Hernandez | Cover: Jake Bartok | $4.99
From the pen of acclaimed Cyborg writer Morgan Hampton comes a new four-part miniseries spinning out of IDW's Eisner-nominated Star Trek series and fan favorite Star Trek: Defiant series! In the aftermath of Kahless' harrowing Day of Blood, Jake Sisko struggles to find his place in the universe now that his family has been reunited and his father, Benjamin Sisko, has once again saved the galaxy. Meanwhile, Alexander Rozhenko is recovering mentally and emotionally from his time as one of Kahless' devout followers. Though his father, Worf, was able to break him away from the Red Path cult, Alexander is haunted by his actions during the bloody coup and is unsure of his ability to atone for the devastation he caused. Jake and Alexander find their stories intertwined as they're thrust into an alternate universe where they followed their father's footsteps into Starfleet stardom. As officers aboard the U.S.S. Avery, Jake and Alexander encounter alternate versions of other children of Starfleet legends who show them they all may have a bit more in common than it would seem.
Amazing. IDW has managed to assemble all of my least-liked Star Trek characters and put them in a single book. Is it too much to hope they all die in the end?
BOOM
I HEART SKULL-CRUSHER! #1
Story: Josie Campbell | Art/Cover: Alessio Zonno | $4.99
18-year-old Trini will do anything to compete in her favorite sport, Screaming Pain Ball, alongside her longtime hero Skull-Crusher! But she can't do it alone, and a gaggle of misfits is just what she needs to cross the American wastes and battle in Queen Mob's deadly tournament.
With Trini's dreams of being just like Skull-Crusher on the line, do she and her friends have what it takes to win a coveted spot on their team?
Breakout writer of DC's "Amazons Attack" event and screenwriter Josie Campbell (Wonder Woman, She-Ra And The Princesses Of Power, My Adventures With Superman) along with rising star artist Alessio Zonno (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) bring sports action to post-apocalyptic America with comic relief and brevity at its brutal heart, perfect for fans of Do A Powerbomb and Fence!
Looks manga-y. Here's a FIRST LOOK.
MORE COMICS
Silver Sprocket's ADVERSARY GN is another gay-coming-of-age story, but the blurb implies violence at some point. Hard to say with the information given. Here's a PREVIEW.
SQ Mag Pty LTD's BRISTLEMOUTH COVE HORROR #1 (OF 4) is a horror story, but I can't tell much more about it, and I sure don't know much about SQ Mag Pty LTD! The blurb says "This story for fans of Children of the Woods plays like an introspective take on Evil Dead," if that helps.
First Second's CALL ME IGGY GN is a heterosexual-coming-of-age story with a guy who gets bad romantic advice from the ghost of his dead grandfather. Go to the Macmillan Publishers website and click on "Take a Look Inside" for a PREVIEW.
DEGAS & CASSATT: A SOLITARY DANCE
Story: Salva Rubio | Art: Efa | NBM | 104 pages | $24.99
One of the founders of the Impressionist movement while also one of its most ruthless critics, too bohemian for the bourgeois and too bourgeois for the artists, Edgar Degas was a man of paradoxes. A loner, he only loved one woman without ever courting her, the American painter Mary Cassatt whom we follow closely as well. And it is in the company of the latter that at the twilight of his life, Efa and Rubio open the pages of Degas's notebooks to try to unravel the mystery of this genius steeped in contradictions.
I don't know much about either of these people, so it would certainly be educational for me. (You may know all about it already.) Here's a PREVIEW.
First Second's FIREHOSE OF FALSEHOOD: THE STORY OF DISINFORMATION GN sounds educational. Go to the Macmillan Publishers website and click "Take a Look Inside" for a PREVIEW.
Silverline's KAYLESS #1 is one of those stories where people come back after decades missing without having aged, strangely changed. (This one's an astronaut with super-powers.)
LITTLE BLACK BOOK #1 (OF 4)
Story: Jeff McComsey (A) Chris Ferguson (CA) Francesco Francavilla | AWA | Mature | $3.99
Don't miss the start of this hard-boiled neo-Western thriller!
In this explosive new thriller by writer Jeff McComsey (Grendel, Kentucky) and artist Felipe Cunha (Gatsby), Cole, a straight-arrow handyman, finds himself in the crosshairs of a ruthless crime syndicate — along with his pregnant wife.
But what is the meaning of the "little black book" of underworld contacts Cole's deceased father had hidden in his home? Cole's deceased father believed the best thing he could do for his son was to stay out of his life, but does the apple fall far from the tree ...?
Here's a PREVIEW.
MASTERS OF THE NEFARIOUS: MOLLUSK RAMPAGE GN
Story/Art: Pierre La Police | New York Review of Books | $24.95
A tsunami slams into the Maluku islands. Giant mollusks wreak havoc. An ominous, quadrilateral UFO appears in the night sky. And a mysterious villain watches and waits in the shadows. ... Twin paranormal investigators, Félicien and Chris, and their best friend, Fongor, are on the case, delving into this unduly complicated and possibly nefarious plot. They're the only ones who can unravel the mystery, but they might not — especially if they can't stay on task. Between journeys to Uganda, primordial Earth, and the pants store, and confrontations with ghosts frozen in ice cubes, baby turtles, and an army of small, sinister men, the trio will be tested like never before as they search for clues, answers, and a good all-you-can-eat buffet spot.
I couldn't summarize this if I tried. Here's a PREVIEW.
Germstone's MAUI MIGHTY COMICS #1 is benefit comic, with proceeds going to Maui relief after the catastrophic wildfires. "Roger McKenzie, Steven Butler and Mort Todd deliver two Mr. Mixit tales, Rene King Thompson and Sandy Carruthers introduce Ms. Molecule, the hero who shrinks from danger(!), and McKenzie and Ben Torres revive Charlton's martial arts legend, Yang! Also included is a remastered classic Charlton tale of Captain Mercury by Joe Gill and Rocke Mastroserio!"
This looks to be one strange book. Here's a PREVIEW.
Graphix's RAINBOW VOL 1 GN is another gay-coming-of-age story about a teenage girl who daydreams a lot but has to focus on reality when she crushes on a new girl. Go to Amazon for a PREVIEW.
Oni Press trots another R&M special: RICK AND MORTY SUPER SPRING BREAK SPECIAL #1.
RUINS GN
Story/Art: Peter Kuper | SelfMadeHero | $22.99
Samantha and George are about to launch into a sabbatical year in the quaint Mexican town of Oaxaca. For Samantha, their journey to this historic town is about fulfilling a lifelong dream; for George, it is an unsettling step into the unknown. As the couple embark on their adventure, a monarch butterfly begins its arduous migration south from the United States to Mexico It is a challenging journey — a flight that requires remarkable endurance and a will to survive. Beneath Oaxaca's picturesque and serene veneer — the 16th-century architecture, the nearby ruins — it is a town shaken to the core by political unrest. As the monarch butterfly makes its challenging journey south, political events threaten to change the town forever. What's more, personal events look like they will alter the paths of Samantha and George for good. Ruins masterfully captures the shadows and light of a troubled country steeped in history and culture, weaving together personal, political and natural dramas into a thrilling portrait of life south of the Rio Grande.
I have a bad feeling about that butterfly's chances.
You probably know what Peter Kuper's art looks like, but here's an interview and a PREVIEW.
First Second's SCIENCE COMICS: ELEPHANTS LIVING LARGE GN sounds educational. Amazon has a PREVIEW.
Aloha Comics/Para Books' SCP COMICS WE WHO POKE WITH STICKS (ONE SHOT): "Step into an unassuming home, where ordinary objects surround you-furniture, teacups, toothbrushes. But you're not here by chance. Your mission: identify the one item that could spell your doom, transform you into a nightmare, or whisk the room into another realm. Time is of the essence. Unravel the mystery or face dire consequences." Here's a PREVIEW that might explain what that means.
SUPERHUMANITY VOL. 1 #1 (OF 4): SUPERAUSTRALIANS: SQ Mag Pty LTD, whoever they are, strike again with a jam comic that takes place in Australia, presumably by Australian artists.
TENDER HC
Story/Art: Beth Hetland | Fantagraphics | 162 pages | $19.99
A psychological thriller about a woman obsessed with her vision for a picture-perfect, curated life.
Carolanne wanted a perfect wedding, a perfect husband, a perfect family. She carefully performs her own roles (gal pal, bestie, girlfriend, wife and expectant mother) and in trying to enact agency over her life, sacrifices it completely. Her desire to control the uncontrollable ultimately becomes her undoing. When things don't go her way, she exerts dominance over the one thing she does have total control over: her body; until that "betrays" her. After suffering a horrible loss, Carolanne spirals into a literal, all-consuming delusion that will engross comics readers and horror aficionados alike.
Chicago cartoonist and educator Beth Hetland's graphic novel debut is a brilliant psychological thriller that tears down the wall of a genre — body horror — so often identified with male creators. Heady and visceral, Tender uses horrific tropes to confront women's societal expectations of self-sacrifice despite those traditional roles often coming at the expense of female sexuality and empowerment.
"Hetland gets under the skin in her nimble and unsettling graphic novel debut. ... [Her] ability to maintain a sinister atmosphere in scenes both mundane and monstrous will keep horror fans turning the pages." — Publishers Weekly
"A strong debut with powerful visual storytelling, Tender digs into the existential dread of getting everything that you thought you wanted and still not being satisfied." — Diabolique Magazine
"A brutal critique of gender roles, social media, cultural pressures & expectations, Tender is a triumph." — Rob Clough, High Low Comics
I couldn't find a preview, so the one page above will have to do.
TENGEN HERO WARS VOL. 1 SC
Story: Yasu Hiromoto | Art: Kubaru Sakanoichi | Titan Manga | 192 pages | B&W | $12.99
When history obsessed high schooler Oda Nobunaga and his sister step into a mysterious world, where all the heroes of the Warring Period come to battle, the resultant clash will see one crowned the greatest hero of them all! Perfect for fans of alternate history and historical fiction!
After receiving a mysterious invitation to ‘come play in Heaven’ Oda Nobunaga and his sister are transported to a mysterious new world where the mightiest warriors from history will meet to do battle! Here the pair will meet legendary figures such as Napoleon, Julius Caesar, Zhuge Liang and plenty of others, to see who will be crowned the greatest of all time!
More manga from Titan. They must be doing well.
TRUE HORROR MYSTERIES: BABYSITTER KILLER
Story/Art: Leonardo Colapietro | Zenescope | $6.99
Nearly 50 years ago, the youth of Oakland County, Michigan, fell prey to the twisted whims of The Babysitter Killer, who abducted and murdered at least four children between 1976 and 1977. To this day, the killer has never been brought to justice. True Horror Mysteries pulls back the curtain on this and other crimes, taking a closer look at the victims' stories along with those of the suspects linked to their stories.
The Oakland County Child Killer case is for real, so I guess I'd file this next to Rick Geary's Treasuries of Murder.
I was about to congratulate Zenescope for breaking out of the soft-core porn business with a cover that didn't feature a scantily-clad woman, until I saw the variants. The third variant cover below has a variant, where the girl is topless. (The first girl might as well be.)
VENGEANCE IS FOR THE LIVING #1 (OF 4)
Story: Keenan Marshall Keller | Art: Alex Delaney | Cover: Keenan Marshall Keller | Floating World Comics | Mature | $8.00
Shelia Knox awakes from a two week coma to find her life torn apart. Her children have been savagely murdered. Her husband is missing. Her hand completely mangled and her throat slit to within inches of her jugular ... leaving her with nothing left to live for. A four-issue miniseries overflowing with gritty exploitation action about the power of anger/loss and the clarity of vision that vengeance can provide.
Well, this sounds like a downer. Here's a PREVIEW.
WASHED IN THE BLOOD #1 (OF 3)
Story: Kevin Roditeli | Art: Rob Cannon, Kostas Pantoulas | Cover: Jorge Corona | Massive | $4.99
Jorge Corona is a Venezuelan artist and the winner of the 2015 Russ Manning Award. A writer and illustrator, his works include Batgirls, We are ... Robin, Nightwing and The Flash for DC Comics, plus numerous titles from BOOM! Studios. Corona is also the co-creator of Goners and No. 1 With A Bullet (Nominated for the 2018 Eisner Awards for Best Cover Artist) alongside Jacob Semahn for Image Comics, the illustrator and co-creator of Image Comic's Middlewest, and The Me You Love In The Dark with writer Skottie Young.
What if you were called upon by the WORST god of all time? In a frozen post-apocalyptic wasteland, a young cult survivor hears the voice of the self-proclaimed god of guns. Like any human would be, he is hypnotized by the prospect of power by listening to this divine freak. A path to salvation paved with love, turmoil and mostly death.
Explore the world of Kevin Roditeli in Massive's take on "Black Mirror" with a post-apocalyptic twist!
A tale inspired by Mad Max, Hellraiser, Fallout and the filmography of David Cronenberg.
"Washed In The Blood takes you on a trippy thrill ride through visceral illustrations and an intensely cold, savage, post-apocalyptic tale." — Jason Bennett, Popculthq.com
"The best storytelling (both textually and artistically) that I HAVE EVER SEEN." — Comicbookposer.com
"If you give yourself to Roditeli's narrative, it will take you somewhere, and you'll arrive at the end smarter than whence you started." — Blake Morgan, Blakebuzz.com
Are there any good gods? Here's a PREVIEW.
MORE PREVIEWS
DARK RIDE #11
THUNDERCATS #2
TRANSFORMERS #6
WORLD OF ARCHIE JUMBO COMICS DIGEST #138
Replies
Strangely, Hawkeye has gotten sillier over six decades...
The 2012 series by Matt Fraction was pretty good. (Just sayin'.)
At last! The long wait is over! SUPERMAN: THE SILVER AGE OMNIBUS VOL 1 HC is on its way!
This is roughly equivalent to the Man of Tomorrow Archives v1-3. I won't be buying the omnibus because I already have the archives, but if you do there's already a disscussion waiting for you.
HELEN OF WYNDHORN
I have been waiting for this ever since I finished the "Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow" discussion. Already my "Pick of the Week."
The 2012 series by Matt Fraction was pretty good. (Just sayin'.)
Very much agreed! I have it HC and TP. That's really what I was thinking of with my own comment.
Before Fraction, Hawkeye was a pretty standard superhero, with a bit of Captain America hero worship as his only distinguishing trait. He formed teams, he didn't cuss, didn't kill and seemed to have no vices to the point of divorcing his wife for killing the man who kidnapped and raped her. Just a standard, cut-out, square-jawed superhero.
Then Fraction turned him into a character. A guy who lives on pizza and beer, a guy is sloppy in every aspect of his life, a guy who lives off the largesse of his more successful friends. He's a guy who keeps bumbling into trouble, and God knows how he gets out of it (usually injured). He's impulsive, doesn't think anything through and has questionable intelligence. He's got a good heart, though, and even his ex-girlfriends feel sorry for him.
Later writers have continued this characterization, and it's enormously more fun than his pre-Fraction incarnation, or the taciturn movie version. But it makes him a little ridiculous -- which is fun, I emphasize it's fun -- which doesn't jibe with his '60s incarnation, where he was a halfway-to-gangster guy who didn't care about legal boundaries and was really macho, a guy who gave Captain America headaches with his aggressive competitiveness, a guy that the lethal, damaged Black Widow could find attractive.
There may have been a drift toward making Hawkeye more of a comedy relief character before Fraction -- I seem to have vague memories of some stabs at that -- but it was Fraction who came up with a multi-layer, fully-established Clint Barton that bore almost no resemblance to his '60s introduction and early Avengers days.
I like this new Hawkeye much better, and have read Fraction's stories twice (as you may have noticed, I almost never re-read anything). But it's really hard to believe this guy ever dated the Black Widow.