MAJOR PUBLISHERS
MARVEL COMICS
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #254 FACSIMILE EDITION is another early black costume appearance.
BEWARE THE PLANET OF THE APES #3 (OF 4)
Story: Marc Guggenheim | Art: Alvaro Lopez | Cover: Taurin Clarke | Teen+ | $3.99
Marvel Comics’ new era of Planet of the Apes storytelling takes a dramatic turn this January when writer Marc Guggenheim and artist Álvaro López take readers back to the time of the groundbreaking original film series in BEWARE THE PLANET OF THE APES! The four-issue limited comic series will deliver a thrilling prequel story to 1968’s cinematic masterpiece, Planet of the Apes, the influential movie that kicked off the ape domination of science fiction throughout the ‘70s and beyond! Fans will discover a never-before-told adventure starring some of the franchise’s most iconic characters including Cornelius, Zira and Nova. Today, learn about what’s to come in March’s BEWARE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES #3 and see Taurin Clarke’s all-new cover!
A NEW APE EMPIRE REVEALS ITSELF! Chimpanzee scientists Cornelius and Zira believed their city of apes was the only form of civilization on the planet. They were wrong. Has their journey to the Forbidden Zone brought war to their own borders?!
"I’ve been entertained and intrigued by Planet of the Apes ever since I got a Mego Doctor Zaius doll as a birthday present, and my local television station ran the original pentalogy every afternoon for a week in the summertime," Guggenheim shared. "In many ways, Apes is one of the OG franchises, filled with mystery, fascinating characters, and some truly off-the-wall surprises. That’s the spirit I’m working to evoke with BEWARE THE PLANET OF THE APES.”
I'm not sure why Marvel felt the need to send this press release, but I haven't mentioned PotA lately, so fine. Diamond has a PREVIEW.
CAPTAIN MARVEL #6 guest stars Genis-Vell, Hulkling and (presumably) Wiccan.
SCARLET WITCH AND QUICKSILVER 2 #2 features Vision and The Wizard. The wingless Wizard, you remember. Big helmet, nasty personality? Frightful Four? Gravity discs? Power Gloves? Wears a lot of purple? Don't worry, it'll come back to you. It did for me, after I thought for a minute.
SPIDER-WOMAN #5 guest stars Spider-Boy.
STAR WARS: JANGO FETT #1
Story: Ethan Sacks | Art: Luke Ross | Cover: Leinil Yu | Teen | $4.99
Ethan Sacks continues to deliver action-packed storytelling set in Star Wars’ criminal underworld in STAR WARS: JANGO FETT. Alongside Star Wars veteran artist Luke Ross, Sacks continues the legacy of one of the greatest bounty hunters: JANGO FETT! A bounty to find! A mystery to solve! A treaty at risk! All this plus Aurra Sing in the mix! Be there for Jango Fett’s brand-new mission!
“I’m very proud of Marvel’s Star Wars lineup in 2024 and grateful for the positive reaction the announcements got at the con,” Senior Editor Mark Paniccia said. “This isn’t the half of it though. I really wish I could tease more of what’s coming but Vader would have my throat!”
It's beginning to look like every Star Wars character whose name you've heard is going to get his or her own miniseries. When's Jar Jar Binks going to get a book? Meesa can't wait! Diamond has a PREVIEW.
STAR WARS: VISIONS — TAKASHI OKAZAKI #1
Story/Art: Takashi Okazaki | Teen | $5.99
Some of the most inventive creators in the world are bringing their unique comic book artistry to the galaxy far, far away in Marvel’s STAR WARS: VISIONS! Inspired by the animated anthology series of the same name, this new line of one-shots gives artists the chance to infuse Star Wars storytelling with their individual styles as well as elements from their cultures and backgrounds. After Marvel superstar Peach Momoko kicks things off in November, masterful manga artist Takashi Okazaki will unleash his imagination on the Star Wars mythos once again in STAR WARS: VISIONS — TAKASHI OKAZAKI #1!
The creator of Afro Samurai and frequent Marvel cover artist will return with another tale of the mysterious Ronin, a character he introduced in Kamikaze Douga studios’ acclaimed episode of the Star Wars: Visions animated series, “The Duel” and previously revisited in last year’s Star Wars: Visions #1 comic one-shot. Set in a world inspired by feudal Japan, the Ronin’s adventures are influenced by samurai films and told mostly in bold black and white, all resulting in a transcendent Star Wars experience. With this new Ronin story, it’s time to shed light on the enigmatic warrior’s dark past and further explore his powerful connection to the Force!
Fans have seen the Ronin as a Sith slayer ... but who was the Ronin before? See the early history of the Ronin and his Sith origins in this extraordinary prequel!
"The Ronin is such a unique character, but one that still feels at home in the Star Wars galaxy,” Editor Danny Khazem said. “He was one of the most fan-favorite introductions from the Disney+ series and now, Takashi gets the chance to expand upon the history of the Ronin here. We're all blown away with the work he has been doing and this issue is no exception: the action and intrigue all packed into this one-shot is stunning!"
The Ronin episode was head-and-shoulders above the best episode of Star Wars: Visions. As I've said before, Star Wars lends itself to samurai mythology, because it stole so much from samurai mythology! Diamond has a PREVIEW.
VENGEANCE OF THE MOON KNIGHT #3 guest stars Tigra, and two characters I'm not familiar with (Hunter's Moon, Soldier).
WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #1
Story: Steve Foxe | Art: Greg Land | Cover: Greg Capullo | Teen | $7.99
The next era of Spider-Man storytelling takes off this March in WEB OF SPIDER-MAN! This first of its kind, giant-sized one-shot invites hardcore Spidey fans and new readers into the world of Spider-Man comics with special stories that lay out all that’s to come for Marvel’s web-swinging icons! Current and future Spidey scribes and artists team up to kickstart their most impactful storylines, spotlight the villains and Spider-heroes who everyone will be talking about, and introduce the threads that will shake up the Spider-Verse in 2024!
Packed to the brim with exciting entry points into the current runs of Amazing Spider-Man, Miles Morales: Spider-Man, and Spectacular Spider-Men, here’s what fans can look forward to:
Zeb Wells spins two tales of future amazingness, one for each of his colossal collaborators! Zeb and Ed McGuinness tell a tale of two Goblins. … Meanwhile, Zeb and John Romita Jr. show the effects of GANG WAR and set up their next titanic tale!
Greg Weisman lays the groundwork for the second arc of SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MEN!
Steve Foxe and Greg Land catch up with Chasm and Kaine! Both clones who bore the moniker of The Scarlet-Spider will be back with a vengeance next year but will they be allies or enemies?! And you will not guess who is lurking in the shadows. Truly. You will not guess.
The new EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE volume sets up the SPIDER-SOCIETY! Get your first taste of that series here from series writer Alex Segura and the legendary Salvador Larocca!
And more!
2024 is primed to be one of the biggest years in Spider-History and you’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg! WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #1 promises to lay out some of the biggest upcoming Spider-Stories and characters in the Spider-Verse through the beginning of 2025, and you won’t want to miss a single one!
"Web of Spider-Man." What a great name for a Spider-Man comic book! Why didn't anyone think of that before?
This is an oversize anthology, but we don't know how many extra pages it has, or if next month's issue will continue the extra pages and anthology content. For a press release, it sure doesn't tell us much. Diamond has a PREVIEW.
"Fall of X"
X-MEN: FOREVER #1
Story: Kieron Gillen | Art: Luca Maresca | Cover: Mark Brooks | Teen+ | $4.99
Since it began in 2019, the Krakoa era has been full of hope, transformation, and MYSTERY. As the final stories of this bold age arrive in FALL OF THE HOUSE OF X and RISE OF THE POWERS OF X, one of Krakoa’s chief storytellers, Kieron Gillen, will team up with superstar artist Luca Maresca to deliver long-awaited answers behind Krakoa’s darkest truths and set the stage for mutantkind’s spectacular rebirth in X-MEN: FOREVER.
Announced earlier today by Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski at the Lucca Comics & Games festival in Italy, X-MEN: FOREVER will be a four-issue limited series launching in March where Gillen will build upon the dramatic developments currently unfolding in pages of Immortal X-Men, including the quest for Dominion, the interpersonal conflicts of the Quiet Council, the escape from the White Hot Room, and of course, the divine intervention of the Phoenix! The series will provide pivotal insight into the shocking events of FALL OF THE HOUSE OF X and RISE OF THE POWERS OF X as a new omnipotent threat to mutantkind is introduced and the final secrets of Krakoa burn to ashes!
HAUNTED HOUSE OF X! How can you kill a digital god? What do you do when the Phoenix is bleeding out into nothing? There's been questions that have haunted you since the end of Immortal X-Men. Finally, some answers. There's also been some questions that have haunted you since the START of immortal X-men. Finally, some answers, too. But not the ones you’re expecting…
"X-MEN FOREVER is Luca and myself doing a coda to Immortal X-Men, a requiem for the Krakoan age and generally setting fire to all time and space,” Gillen explained. “It's the manipulative hand in the steel glove that is Rise of the Powers of X. By the time it drops, you'll be wondering what on earth is going on with certain characters, and X-MEN FOREVER will give you all the answers."
As the X-Men continue to fall month after month, and I continue to trade-wait, I'm beginning to think it's going to take two omnibuses to collect this one. Diamond has a PREVIEW.
"Fall of X" continues this week in INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #16 and RESURRECTION OF MAGNETO #3.
DC COMICS
APE-RIL SPECIAL #1 (ONE-SHOT)
Story: John Layman, Joshua Hale Fialkov, Gene Yang | Art: Karl Mostert, Phil Hester, Bernard Chang | Cover: Dan Mora | Variants: Hayden Sherman, Bernard Chang | $5.99
GET READY TO GO BANANAS IN THIS APE-IC ADVENTURE!
*CAUTION: An ape-surd amount of bad ape puns are incoming. Please be ape-vised.
Get ready to go bananas as we honor DC’s storied history with mankind’s closest relatives in this ape-ic adventure, DC’s Ape-ril Special, timed to publish just ahead of Ape-ril Fools Day 2024! It’s gonna be orangu-tastic, so heat up a capuchin-o, prepare a batch of chocolate chimp cookies, and get ready to r(ee-ee)d the one comic b(oo-oo)k this year that’s guaranteed to make you go...APE! DC’s Ape-ril Special hits shelves on March 19!
Gorilla Grodd's recent incarcer-ape-tion in the pages of The Flash has left a void that Monsieur Mallah is more than happy to fill. Ape-sembling a group of the DCU's most sinister simians, Mallah forms the Legion of D(oo-oo-ah-ah)m, with an eye toward world domin-ape-tion. But the world won't be conquered that easily! Enter the all-ape JUNGLE L(ee-ee)gue. Can this team of hero-eek anthropoids be the salv-ape-tion we need, or will Mallah's team of maniacal monkeys bring forth the ape-pocalypse? Get ready to go bananas as we honor DC's storied history with mankind's closest relatives in this ape-ic adventure! It's gonna be orangu-tastic, so heat up a capuchin-o, prepare a batch of chocolate chimp cookies, and get ready to r(ee-ee)d the one comic b(oo-oo)k this year that's guaranteed to make you go ... APE!
DC’s Ape-ril Special #1 will feature stories by John Layman, Joshua Hale Fialkov and Gene Yang with art by Karl Mostert, Phil Hester and Bernard Chang. The main cover by Dan Mora will be accompanied by a variant cover by Bernard Chang and a “Banana Scent” variant cover by Hayden Sherman. The 48-page comic book goes on sale March 19, 2024.
Didn't DC already do a JLApe? And isn't the Justice League currently fighting King Kong? I guess they really do believe apes on a cover sell comic books. But why aren't all the backgrounds purple?
BATMAN/SUPERMAN: WORLD’S FINEST #25 is an oversize issue featuring the first meeting between Lex Luthor and The Joker. Yes, I know you thought you read that story in World's Finest Comics #129 back in 1962. But that was pre-Crisis, and we all know that pre-Crisis doesn't count!
Shades of "For the Man Who Has Everything!" Superman and the Amazing Amazon make a trip into space for Batman's birthday present in WONDER WOMAN #7.
IMAGE COMICS
I feel required to mention that the events of Spawn #350 spill over into this week's SPAWN #351 and THE SCORCHED #27.
DARK HORSE
DAWNRUNNER #1 (OF 5)
Story: Ram V. | Art/Cover: Evan Cagle | $4.99
Hop aboard massive mechs and battle giant monsters in Dark Horse Comics’ newest sci-fi epic, Dawnrunner! Comics superstars, Ram V (The Many Deaths of Laila Starr) and Evan Cagle (The Witcher) helm the series with story by V and interior and cover art by Cagle. V and Cagle join forces with colorist Dave Stewart (B.P.R.D.) and letterer Aditya Bidikar (Blue Book). Fans should also keep an eye out for five different variant cover versions of Issue #1 by various artists, including Matias Bergara (John Constantine: Hellblazer), Dike Raun (Shang-Chi), and Tula Lotay (Barnstormers).
A century ago, a portal opened over Central America and giant monsters known as the Tetza came through, changing our world. Now, the world puts all its effort into making the Iron Kings — giant mechs that are forever battling the Tetza for humanity's continued survival in gladiatorial combat.
Anita Marr is the greatest of the Iron King pilots, chosen to work with a new secret prototype named Dawnrunner. An Iron King that could change the tide in humanity's favor.
Praise for Ram V and Evan Cagle:
“The Many Deaths of Laila Starr #1 does something that too few comics do. It presents an elegant, richly human story told in a steady, poetic voice with equally elegant and poetic art that speaks to a larger sense of the living experience.” — Comicbook.com
“If futuristic adventure stories are your forte, then Paradiso #1 may be your new book to check out this December. Full of action, great backstory, and a cliffhanger ending, Ram V and his team of artists crafted a wonderful book.” — Outright Geekery
Giant robots vs. kaiju is always going to be a thing, isn't it? I don't mind, as it's still cool. Dark Horse has a PREVIEW.
EDGEWORLD VOL 2: A REASON TO LIVE TP
Story: Chuck Austen | Art: Patrick Olliffe | 144 pages | $22.99/$29.99
An edgy, potent adventure series that’s part science fiction, part detective series, part western, Edgeworld is a unique blend of energy, comedy and darkness like nothing you’ve ever read.
On the edge of known space, on the backwater, frontier planet of Pala, magistrate Killian Jess and native Palan Cheela fight to protect a planet, and people, the rest of the galaxy has forgotten. Battling military occupation, alien invasions, otherworldly infestations, drug running, gang violence, black market traders and the disastrous, ecological aftermath of a brutal, planet-wide war, they must learn to work together and collect any allies they can from the castoffs, misfits and aliens occupying Pala, in order to save the place they love.
I don't know anything about this series, but DH sent me this PR, and I do like the cover. Very Weird Western Tales. Dark Horse has a PREVIEW.
HELLSING DELUXE EDITION VOLUME 5 TP (2ND PTG)
Dark Horse | 208 pages | $14.99
The manga that spawned the worldwide hit anime, Kohta Hirano’s Hellsing returns in new editions with revised translations and new graphic design. Hellsing bonds gothic horror, violent action, and dark humor in a hotbed of homicidal hysteria!
The world has become a bloody fever dream with humanity on the brink of annihilation as the Millennium Project’s army of Nazi undead prepare for the final assault on England aboard the captured aircraft carrier Eagle. Only the Hellsing Organization’s vampire lord, Alucard, can hope to blunt the unholy onslaught.
I've never seen the anime, but it sounds like I might like it. I'm a sucker for anything with "Nazi undead." Dark Horse has a PREVIEW.
IDW PUBLISHING
MY LITTLE PONY: MANE EVENT #1 is another MLP first issue.
TMNT: UNTOLD DESTINY OF FOOT CLAN #1
Story: Erik Burnham | Art/Cover: Mateus Santolouco | $3.99
Oroku Karai has spent her life in the shadow of lesser men: first her father, then her grandfather, Oruku Saki, the so-called "Shredder." But no more. Now the Foot Clan is hers to command, and she has grand designs on seeing her clan reach its full potential. Karai has learned that Saki shared mystical secrets with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles-secrets meant only for those loyal to The Foot. As she and those loyal to her set out to master the ancient way of the ninja, she'll discover that she's not the only one who lays claim to the Foot Clan's destiny ...
TMNT has been going on for so long, and has become its own thing so much, that it's almost hard to remember that "The Foot Clan" started out as a parody of Frank Miller's "The Hand" in Daredevil.
BOOM! STUDIOS
DUNE: HOUSE CORRINO #1 (OF 8)
Story: Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson | Art: Simone Ragazzoni | Cover: Raymond Swanland | $5.99
House Corrino, once the deadliest house in the Dune universe as the Imperial family, plays a key role in the developments leading into the events of the first novel.
While conflicts escalate between the Fremen and House Harkonnon on Arrakis, the Bene Gesserit keep a close eye on Jessica's fateful pregnancy, and House Atreides takes part in the plan to seal Ix's fate ...
Legendary authors Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson are joined by artist Simone Ragazzoni (Power Rangers Universe) for the third and final prequel to one of the most celebrated science fiction novels of all time!
I assume this is based on the 2001 novel of the same name by Brian Herbert (Frank's son) and Kevin J. Anderson. It's a prequel to Dune proper. Boom has a PREVIEW.
MAN’S BEST #1 (OF 5)
Story: Pornsak Pichetshote | Art/Cover: Jesse Lonergan | $4.99
Homeward bound on an alien planet, Man's Best follows three emotional support pets living on the Starship Horizon — a spacecraft searching for a new planet to house a humanity compromised by bad decisions and corporate corruption.
But after the ship crashes and their crew is captured, these loyal pets are their owners' only hope. Outfitted in outrageous mech suits, these three best friends must traverse a hostile world to rescue their owners — leaving them the only hope for a humanity that might not be worth saving, in an adventure threatening to tear their friendship apart.
Pornsak Pichetshote, writer of the Eisner and Harvey Award-winning The Good Asian, soon to be adapted by director James Wan, in his first collaboration with Eisner Award-nominated rising star artist Jesse Lonergan (Hedra, Miss Truesdale and the Fall of Hyperborea) provide an action-packed sci-fi romp with something to say in a tale that spans the furthest reaches of space to tug at readers' hearts.
So ... cats and dogs in mech suits. Hrm. I will allow it. Boom has a FIRST LOOK.
MORE COMICS
Black Rose's A PLACE OF OUR OWN (ONE-SHOT) stars Chad, a boy with mental illness, who creates a world where the mentally ill can hang and work out their problems. This is made possible by a "mysterious being," which doesn't sound shady at all. Here's the KICKSTARTER.
ARMY OF ONE VOL 1 TP
Story: Tony Lee | Art: Yishan Lee | Oni Press | $17.99
Could one girl be the key to uniting a world split by an ages-old prophecy spurred by Brother Havoc and Sister Fortune?
A thousand years ago, a mighty battle pitched two of the greatest sorcerers against each other, Brother Havoc and Sister Fortune. In the end Brother Havoc won, shattering his rival into a thousand shards. Now, a millennia later, teenager Carrie Taylor not only learns that she is one of these shards, but that each shard created an alternate universe, with multiple versions of her out there — and a great evil is bent on destroying them all. Carrie must team with a handful of "alternate" Carries from across the universes to fulfill a prophecy that will bring Sister Fortune back from limbo to defeat this evil, but the more Carrie travels from broken universe to broken universe, she realizes she might not be working for the "good guys"-nor, perhaps, is she one of these shards after all. If that is indeed the case, then who is she?
The multiverse is everywhere, is it not? Oni is usually high quality, and Army of One does sound like an interesting story. But I'd never want to meet an army of alternate versions of myself. They'd probably all be criminals, or worse, filthy rich with full heads of hair. Amazon has a PREVIEW.
ASSASSIN’S CREED: SHINOBI UNCIVIL WAR
Story: Bray Dornback, Chuck Austen | Art: Patrick Olliffe | Art/Cover: Ryan Benjamin | Massive | Mature | $4.99
Ryan Benjamin, known for his work with Image Comics, Marvel, DC Comics, Dark Horse, Valiant, and more, contributes this epic image for Shinobi, the first story in this installment of Assassin's Creed: Visionaries!
We're back with a brand new edition of ASSASSIN'S CREED® VISIONARIES, where top industry talents bring you new, original visions that expand the vast universe of ASSASSIN'S CREED®!
In our first tale "SHINOBI," writer BRAY DORNBACK and artist RYAN BENJAMIN bring us to the Shogunate age of Feudal Japan. The target is a rival clan member and the kill has to be perfect. Failure means certain death and instant dishonor. A true Shinobi must protect his clan, even at the cost of his own life, pride, and honor. If his actions reveal his clan's involvement, Hamato's life will be forfeited to keep the peace...
Then in "UNCIVIL WAR," writer CHUCK AUSTEN and artist PATRICK OLLIFFE take us to the American Civil War, where a newly liberated slave, William Jones, uncovers a plot to assassinate leaders of the Union, including the President. Best course of action would be to assassinate the would-be assassins, but a freed slave killing a white man is treacherous business... even when it's meant to protect the fate of a fractured nation.
So this is where Chuck Austen ended up. And how many publishers does this make for Assassin's Creed? Diamond has a PREVIEW.
BLOODSHOT UNLEASHED RELOADED #1 (OF 4)
Story: Deniz Camp, Mauro Mantella | Art: Alejandro Barrionuevo | Cover: Agustin Alessio | Valiant | Mature | $4.99
Bloodshot is back and bloodier than ever. Hit the street with Bloodshot as he tries to hang onto his sanity and humanity while monsters from his past hunt him down. Get ready for chaos and the return of Bloodsquirt!
Looks like the reports of Valiant's death have been greatly exaggerated.
BOOTSIES BIG '50S GN
Story/Art: Ollie Harrington | About Comics | Mature | $20.00
African American newspapers of the 20th century had their own comics, and Ollie Harrington was widely known as the best of the Black cartoonists. Here are years worth of his weekly cartoon panel "Dark Laughter," featuring the beloved ne'er-do-well Bootsie, highlighting Black life and issues of the day.
Whoa, this sounds fascinating! I don't think this corner of comics history has ever been explored. And how on earth was a 1950s newspaper comic strip dirty and/or violent enough to rate a "Mature" label in the 21st century? Amazon has a PREVIEW under "Read Sample."
CHILLING ADVENTURES PRESENTS ... POP’S CHOCK’LIT SHOPPE OF HORRORS: FRESH MEAT (ONE-SHOT)
Script: Amy Chase, Jordan Morris, Ryan Cady | Art: Federico Sabbatini, Liana Kangas, Chris Panda | Colors: Ellie Wright | Letters: Jack Morelli| Cover: Adam Gorham | Variant Cover: Aaron Lea | $3.99
Pop Tate, the small-town restaurateur of Archie Comics lore, has some sinister secrets that were revealed in a chilling Archie Horror one-shot anthology earlier this year. The not-so wholesome food-themed horror continues in CHILLING ADVENTURES PRESENTS ... POP’S CHOCK’LIT SHOPPE OF HORRORS: FRESH MEAT!
While the first CHOCK’LIT SHOPPE OF HORRORS comic revealed the nefarious goings on at the famous Riverdale diner after hours, FRESH MEAT will explore how Pop and his dark establishment came to be in three new stories by the original creative team. The collection includes "Lord of the Fries" by Amy Chase (Escape From Bitch Mountain) and Federico Sabbatini (Moon Knight), "Feed Me, Jughead" by Eisner nominee Jordan Morris (Jordan, Jesse, Go!) and Liana Kangas (Star Wars), and "Free Market, Free Range" by Ryan Cady (Infinite Dark) and Chris Panda (Transformers).
"We're incredibly excited to return to the dark world of POP'S CHOCK'LIT SHOPPE OF HORRORS for another serving of scares! And we're even more excited because the full creative team from last year's issue is returning." said Archie Comics Senior Director of Editorial Jamie L. Rotante. "What I love about POP'S is that it deftly blends some of the most absurd, gruesome and gory slasher and sci-fi horror with the funniest lines and moments I've ever read in an Archie comic. It's the perfect schlockfest and anyone who enjoys the brazen, dark humor of horror is sure to enjoy this anthology!"
Chase added, “I can't even begin to express how thrilled I am that the whole gang is back for seconds. It's been an interesting challenge to craft a POP'S prequel while keeping track of all our culinary carnage from the first issue. Readers are definitely in for some new scares with the same great taste!”
As a new entry in the "Chilling Adventures" anthology series and a follow-up to a fan-favorite installment, FRESH MEAT is a warm welcome for genre fans who may be new to the Archie Horror-verse and a second helping for longtime readers who wanted more after the first bite.
“Sometimes there’s nothing more terrifying than a sequel," Cady said, "but fear not — this one’s all killer, no filler. It’s been so rad getting the team back together and cooking up more horrors.”
Morris agreed and offered some insight into the culinary terrors to come: “I'm so glad to be returning to the Evil Pop-averse! It's such a blast combining food and horror in a way that will make readers oscillate between ‘I could go for a burger right now!’ and ‘Holy crud I feel like I'm going to hurl!' Do these depraved minds hold nothing sacred?"
I love Archie horror. Especially since everybody who dies horribly this month will be right as rain next month. To die again!
Rebellion / 2000AD's CLASSIC GUMS TP is from the UK's Monster Fun comics, a collection of the "Gums" strip, about a Great White Shark with false teeth. Yes, it's a Jaws parody. There are two more Monster Fun books this week: MONSTER FUN CHRISTMAS SPECIAL 2023 and MONSTER FUN SPOOKY SPACE SPECIAL.
COMICS REBUBBLED GN
Story: Kim Fuller, Paul Alexander | Art: Bill Everett, Jim Aparo, Pat Boyette, Al Williamson, Mike Sekowsky, Joe Sinnott | Book Palace | $18.99
The first ever edition of a new genre of comics. The authors have taken public domain comics from the 1940s, 50s and 60s, rewritten the captions and dialogue to create completely new stories with a comedic twist. The result is a hilarious and unique collection of re-purposed comic tales illustrated by the great names of the Golden and Silver Age. Root for superhero Scott Gigawatt who defeats the forces of evil by singing uncool country & western songs which cause his adversaries to explode. Thrill to the adventures of Captain Covid, the world's first socially distanced detective, as he tries saving the world from a more lethal strain of COVID-19 by punching a lot of people in the face. Worry for Laverne, the good blonde gone bad as she ditches her sleazy-rider boyfriend Brandon and kickstarts a new relationship with a handsome shaman in a polo-neck sweater. And shiver in fear as Frank and Gina find themselves dragged back to the 18th century and discover, to their horror, that there is no 5G phone coverage. Comics Rebubbled takes stories of raw human emotion and peril — and treats them with disdain and disrespect. It's new, it's different, it's irreverent — and it's funny.
A little of this goes a long way with me. But what I like about this sort of thing isn't the "hilarious" rewrite — which I think we could all do equally well — but seeing comics art from the Long Before Time that otherwise would never get reprinted. For instance, that cover looks like a Mike Sekowsky romance comics effort — and who knew Sekowsky even did romance comics? The original romance book certainly isn't going to get reprinted in my lifetime, but now I can see part of it. Comedy Plaza has some SAMPLE PAGES.
Book Palace-Fleetway's COMPLETE DON LAWRENCE BILLY THE KID collects the 1950s newspaper strip from UK's The Sun, plus adventures elsewhere. You might know Don Lawrence's name from Trigan Empire. Illustration Art Gallery has a PREVIEW.
CRITTER #1
Antarctic's CRITTER #1 features a Midwestern superhero gal who moves out West "to discover her true place in the world of heroes and villains," thanks to the advice of another mysterious being. They're a lot of them, aren't there?
From her costume, I assume she has feline-related powers. The covers are nice, but the interiors are by different people who probably aren't as slick. And why would I read off-brand superheroes when there are dozens already from the Big Two?
DELICATES DELUXE ED HC
Story/Art: Brenna Thummler | Oni Press | $24.99
The second installment of Brenna Thummler's bestselling "Sheets" trilogy now available in a deluxe hardcover featuring never-before-seen content!
Marjorie Glatt's life hasn't been the same ever since she discovered a ghost hiding in her family's laundromat. Wendell the ghost soon became one of Marjorie's only friends, but with Marjorie's insistence on keeping Wendell a secret from her new friends, he begins to feel even more invisible than he already is.
Eliza Duncan feels invisible, too. Her zealous interest in finding and photographing ghosts gets her labeled as different by all the other kids in school. Constantly on the outside, Eliza begins to feel like a ghost herself. It's not long before Marjorie must confront the price she pays to be accepted by the popular kids — is it worth losing her friend Wendell? Is she partially to blame for the bullying Eliza endures?
Following the events of Sheets, Delicates is a powerful story about what it means to fit in, and those who are left on the outside. It shows what it's like to feel invisible, and the importance of feeling seen.
Sheets and its sequels are apparently not related to Blankets. Sheets is more interesting than Blankets, because it has ghosts. Amazon has a PREVIEW.
Dead Sky's DEPROG #1 (OF 4) is a lesbian detective noir, which it calls "John Constantine meets Jessica Jones with a kinky Midsommar twist." Which is ... a lot to take in. None of those things are remotely alike. Lotusland Comics has a PREVIEW.
THE DUST PIRATES #1
Story: Bob Frantz, Kevin Cuffe | Art/Cover: Tony Gregori | Keenspot | $5.99
Ysennia, a revolutionary water mage, transports two dashing pirates-the quick-witted and charming Blackheart Sam Bellemy and the tough and thoughtful Quinitor-from 1790s Earth to a desert world known as Atlantis in a desperate attempt to save its people from Xsicor, the tyrannical emperor of Atlantis. The Dust Pirates is a swashbuckling, high-adventure epic from the creative team of writers Kevin Cuffe and Bob Frantz (Metalshark Bro, Skeeters, Spirit of 666), artist Tony Gregori (The Worst Dudes, TMNT, Ancient Noise), colorist Josh Jensen (Ninja Nuns), and editor/letterer Chas! Pangburn (Spider Kind, Metalshark Bro).
Lookit all them covers! Four or 'em, so it must be important! Keenspot sure has a lot of faith in a pirate comic. It's set in the future, sure, but it's still a pirate comic. Pirate comics usually don't sell, but OK. I sez fair winds to ye, matey. Here's the KICKSTARTER.
Arr.
It's apparently Aspen's 20th anniversary, although you really couldn't prove it by any actual comic books being published lately. But to once again spin money out of promises and reprints, Aspen is re-releasing their original preview books from the 2004 Comic Con, including EKOS PREVIEW 20TH ANNIVERSARY CONVENTION EXCLUSIVE EDITION, FATHOM PREVIEW 25TH ANNIVERSARY CONVENTION EXCLUSIVE EDITION and SOULFIRE PREVIEW 20TH ANNIVERSARY CONVENTION EXCLUSIVE EDITION. Nothing like 20-year-old previews to get the blood racing.
Legendary's GODZILLA X KONG: THE HUNTED GN is a prequel to the upcoming Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. Wikizilla has a GALLERY.
Rebellion / 2000AD's THE HELLTREKKERS TP collects a Judge Dredd spin-off about disgruntled Mega-City One residents who attempt to cross The Cursed Earth in convoys to the New Territories. I assume it's very much a Wagon Train type of story. 2000AD.com has a PREVIEW.
Zenescope's HORROR & FANTASY ILLUSTRATED: CRADLE OF SHADOWS is about an eccentric millionaire going to The Moon to mine its riches only to find himself in a horror story. I'm sure no one was thinking "Elon Musk" when they wrote this. And only the "C" cover has a scantily-clad girl, which is very off-brand for Zenescope.
Oni's I FEEL AWFUL THANKS GN is a coming-of-age story about a teen witch who gets therapy. No, I am NOT making that up, thank you very much. GoCollect has a FIRST LOOK.
MISFORTUNES EYES #1 (OF 3)
Story: Brooklynn Prince, Aliz Fernandez | Art/Cover: Aliz Fernandez | Massive | Mature | $4.99
Double-Sized debut issue from Critics' Choice Award Winning Actress, Brooklynn Prince (The Florida Project, Cocaine Bear, The Marsh King's Daughter) comes this limited series full of excitement!
A teen girl wakes up to discover she can see human auras. While embarking on a journey to find what her future may hold, she uncovers a hidden Psychic Town. There, she will soon learn about her mother's troubled past, her own curse of predicting death, and unearth the immense darkness coming for the town, and her own family.
Evidently an actor person is involved in this, with the unlikely name Brooklynn, whom I assume is hoping this will be optioned for a movie in which she can star. But it has four covers, so it must be important! Diamond has a PREVIEW.
NACELLEVERSE #0
Story: Melissa Flores | Art: Diogenes Neves, Francis Portela, Rahmat Handoka, Rhoald Marcellius | Cover: Marco D'Alfonso | Oni Press | 48 pages | $5.99
ROBOFORCE! BIKER FROM MICE FROM MARS! SECTAURS! POWER LORDS! AND MANY MORE! THE NACELLEVERSE STARTS NOW-IN A DOUBLE-SIZED, 48-PAGE ZERO ISSUE SPECTACULAR!
In the aftermath of the seismic news that Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia and Seven Bucks Productions are boarding Nacelle’s RoboForce: The Animated Series, Oni Press – in partnership with global entertainment powerhouse The Nacelle Company – is proud to present your first look at NACELLEVERSE #0, the giant-sized, 48-page spectacular that will launch ROBOFORCE, BIKER FROM MICE FROM MARS, SECTAURS, POWER LORDS, THE GREAT GARLOO and many more in advance of their animated debuts in 2024!
“I’m very excited that we’ll be launching the NacelleVerse with comic books that will set up all the characters, worlds and plot lines that will be unfolding over the next 5 years as our series come to life,” said Nacelle Founder and CEO, Brian Volk-Weiss.
On March 20, RoboForce, the Biker Mice from Mars, and dozens of beloved icons from the worlds of toys and animation all mark their modern first appearance with the debut of one of the New Year’s most anticipated, must-read events in NACELLEVERSE #0 – a double-sized, 48-page zero-issue behemoth from red-hot writer Melissa Flores (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, The Dead Lucky) and an all-star cast of artistic talents, including superstar-in-the-making Diogenes Neves (Realm of X, Suicide Squad), Eisner Award nominee Francis Portela (Green Lantern, Faith), and more!
Tying directly into The Nacelle Company’s ambitious and interconnected slate of animated series that will begin with ROBOFORCE, produced in partnership with executive producers Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, Brian Gewirtz, Hiram Garcia and Seven Bucks Productions, and BIKER MICE FROM MARS, produced in partnership with executive producer Ryan Reynolds, NACELLEVERSE #0 will lay the foundation for Oni Press’ first year of comic series chronicling the rise of the NacelleVerse’s biggest icons:
ROBOFORCE #1 (of 3) | COMING IN APRIL!
BIKER MICE FROM MARS #1 (OF 3) | COMING IN JULY!
SECTAURS #1 (OF 3) | COMING SOON!
POWER LORDS #1 (OF 3) | COMING SOON!
When his planet is annihilated by a cosmic disaster, the alien Great Garloo must begin a galaxy-spanning search for a new home . . . only to discover a bold new universe of champions waiting amongst the stars! From the genetically modified Sectaur warriors of the planet Symbion to the rabble-rousing Biker Mice from Mars, Garloo's quest for safe haven will hurdle him on a one-way collision course toward 22nd Century Earth ... where the obsolete robotic work crew called RoboForce is about to forge a new destiny.
“We're introduced to a series of diverse worlds through the adventures of Garloo, our gentle-hearted nomad without a home," said writer Melissa Flores. "As Garloo travels the NacelleVerse, we encounter wonderfully complicated characters and circumstances, from smugglers to civil wars to robots, just trying to get some respect. And together we discover a true home consists of the people that welcome you within it. I can’t believe I get to relive my childhood with these amazing properties! Getting the opportunity to work with the wonderful team at Oni Press and Nacelle and bring these characters to life in comics is an incredible honor. I can’t wait for readers to fall in love with these characters again like I have!"
After the MCU, everyone wants to create a universe. After Barbie, everybody wants to make a multi-media franchise out of toys. Here's the latest, featuring five toy groups, only one of which I've actually seen. But hey, four covers. Here's a PREVIEW and a trailer.
PROJECT RIESE VOL 1 TP
Story: Zac Thompson | Art/Cover: Jeff McComsey | Mad Cave Studios | $17.99
Sam Safdie and his intrepid group of treasure hunters set out to uncover the secrets that lie within the massive Nazi complex built underneath the Owl Mountains ... Project Riese. Though they're hoping to find a fortune in missing gold, but the truth of the complex is much more complex. At their backs is an awful German srcheologist known only as The Baron who will stop at nothing to steal the secrets of Project Riese for himself. But little do either of them know — the complex houses strange secrets that skirt the edges of known science. Secrets that are dying to escape the abandoned facility ....
More Nazi undead! Weirdly, Project Riese seems to actually exist. Riese is the German word for "giant," and it's pronounced REE-sa. Mad Cave has a PREVIEW.
PS ARTBOOKS: CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT VOL 1 SOFTEE: Captain Midnight ran for 67 issues, which would take 12 or so volumes for PS to reprint at its usual rate, so it will be interesting to see how far it goes with this series. Bonus! Captain Marvel appears on the cover, as he did on the first issue of Captain Midnight, 82 years ago. Yes, 82 years. I feel old. Bud Plant has a PREVIEW.
Antarctic's PUNCHLINE SWIMSUIT SPECIAL WINTER EDITION is a crossover with characters from Punchline, Rags, Kamen America, Nexus and more, whom I can only assume end up in swimsuits somehow.
First Second's REPLAY: MEMOIR OF AN UPROOTED FAMILY GN is a memoir set in three time periods in author Jordan Mechner's family: his grandather fighting in World War I, his father running from Nazis in World War II and himself in the present, weighing a move to France that might end his marriage. The part set in the present is the sort of First-World-Problem navel-gazing I don't care for, but the historical parts sound fascinating. MacMillan has a PREVIEW (click on "Take a Look Inside!").
Getty Publications' RUTH ASAWA: AN ARTIST TAKES SHAPE GN is a graphic biography of the Japanese-American artist, "known primarily for her abstract looped-wire sculptures," according to Wikipedia. Getty has a PREVIEW.
I don't have anything to say about TokyoPop's SENGOKU YOUKO VOL 6 GN, except that Diamond has a PREVIEW, which they don't usually include for manga.
PS Arbooks has two more books this month. SILVER AGE CLASSICS: MIDNIGHT MYSTERY VOL 1 HC won't include the entirety of ACG's Midnight Mystery (1961) since it ran seven issues and the Softees usually only include five. SILVER AGE CLASSICS: SPACE WAR VOL 5 HC continues collecting Charlton's Space War (1959-79), which ran for 34 issues. After issue #27 in 1964, the title went on hiatus before coming back in 1978 for seven issues, albeit mostly reprint. This book brings us to Space War #25, so I'm curious to see what PS will do in the next volume -- whether it'll be full-issue reprints, or just the new material. Bud Plant has a PREVIEW.
Humanoids' STAR-CROSSED HC features a human linguist and his alien counterpart, who fall in love as they engage in first contact. Here's MORE from Humanoids.
Magnetic's TEZUCOMI VOL 1 (OF 2) GN is a 300-page anthology with nine new stories illustrated by "a collection of some of the greatest comic creators in Europe." I think I'd rather have 300 pages of Tezuka art, as he's the godfather of manga and creator of Astro Boy. But I admit this is a pretty appropriate celebration of his work, if you don't have the rights to his work. Here's the KICKSTARTER.
Berserker's UNDER THE FLOORBOARDS GN is an anthology of 11 horror short stories "in the style of old pre-Code EC books." Easy to say, harder to do.
THE WRONG EARTH: DEAD RINGERS #1 (OF 5)
Story: Tom Peyer | Art: Juan Castro | Art/Cover: Jamal Igle | Ahoy Comics | $3.99
You fell in love with campy superhero Dragonfly and his gritty counterpart Dragonflyman in THE WRONG EARTH — and again in DRAGONFLY VS. DRAGONFLYMAN — and yet again in THE WRONG EARTH: NIGHT & DAY and THE WRONG EARTH one-shots — and once more with feeling in THE WRONG EARTH: WE COULD BE HEROES. Now indie Syracuse-based company AHOY Comics’ acclaimed tentpole series from co-creators Tom Peyer and Jamal Igle is back for a new five-issue run by the original creative team in THE WRONG EARTH: DEAD RINGERS.
Featuring words by Peyer and art by Igle with inks by Juan Castro and colors by Lee Loughridge, each issue of the latest installment in the superhero parody series that launched AHOY will also feature covers by Igle that pay tribute to classic band photos from rock and hip-hop history, starting with issue #1’s homage to Public Enemy’s iconic 1990 publicity photo. Issue #1 will also feature a variant cover from Felipe Sobreiro.
“This one’s a bit different from previous installments, though we’re still playing with superhero tropes through the ages,” said Peyer. “But now we get to do it with fistfights in space, secret identity crises, and the whole rich history of lame attempts by middle-aged comics creators to come off as youthful. Come for the action, stay for the cringe!”
"It's really amazing to me that we've come so far with this series," said Igle from his underground bunker. "When I was invited by Tom to join the series, I had no idea what to expect but we've built a rich, complex story over the last six years. I'm on for the ride as long as people want to see these guys mix it up."
Dragonflyman and Stinger are finally back where they belong, on campy Earth-Alpha — but Earth-Omega’s gritty Dragonfly and Stinger II are now trapped there too. Will their vigilante violence infect the planet’s innocent, code-approved culture? And what happens when two heroes want to share Dragonflyman’s civilian identity, billionaire Richard Fame? The agonizing answers will shake Fortune City to its foundations in THE WRONG EARTH: DEAD RINGERS!
The Wrong Earth is back, Ahoy fans! PROJECT CRYPTID #7 also ships this week.
MORE PREVIEWS
ARCHIE MILESTONES JUMBO DIGEST #23 JUGHEAD SPRING TIME BASH
BLADE RUNNER 2039 #11 (OF 12)
COBRA COMMANDER #3 (OF 5)
ELVIRA MEETS H.P. LOVECRAFT #2
GI JOE A REAL AMERICAN HERO #305
LILO & STITCH #2
REBEL MOON: HOUSE BLOODAXE #3 (OF 4)
VAMPIRELLA #667
THE WALKING DEAD DELUXE EDITION #58-64 connecting covers
Replies
It's beginning to look like every Star Wars character whose name you've heard is going to get his or her own miniseries. When's Jar Jar Binks going to get a book? Meesa can't wait!- That may be true, but I'd say Jango Fett was pretty significant to the Star Wars universe, plus that is a pretty good creative team IMO.
BATMAN/SUPERMAN: WORLD’S FINEST #25 - This has been an underrated, good series.
So this is where Chuck Austen ended up. I thought the same thing when I saw "EDGEWORLD VOL 2: A REASON TO LIVE TP Story: Chuck Austen" in the Dark Horse section
Sheets is more interesting than Blankets - Well that isn't hard to do.
BATMAN/SUPERMAN: WORLD’S FINEST #25 - This has been an underrated, good series.
Its the only DC series I currently buy.
WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #1
They should have numbered it #130. Or perhaps #142 because there was a 12-issue series in 2009. Or perhaps #147 because there was a five-issue series in 2021. (Marvel really annoys me with their constant string of "new number ones.")
But that was pre-Crisis, and we all know that pre-Crisis doesn't count!
...or pre-Zero Hour:
...or pre-Flashpoint:
I feel required to mention that the events of Spawn #350 spill over into this week's SPAWN #351 and THE SCORCHED #27.
Why?
I assume this is based on the 2001 novel of the same name by Brian Herbert (Frank's son) and Kevin J. Anderson.
I am so far behind reading Dune sequels I will probably never catch up. I remember when the series could be properly referresd to as "the Dune trilogy."
So ... cats and dogs in mech suits. Hrm. I will allow it.
Cats... and dogs... together!? It'll be anarchy! Seriously, why read this when there's Tom King's Animal Pound?
BOOTSIES BIG '50S GN
I do not remember seeing this solicited in Previews (Maybe it wasn't.) Looks like a good companion to Ken Quattro's Invisible Men (The Trailblazing Black Artists of Comic Books). I'll keep an eye out for it.
COMICS REBUBBLED GN
You put the word "hilarious" in scare quotes, but you might just as well put them around the word "unique." Sometimes I actually prefer the re-dialogued ones to the originals. the recent Peacemake/Pacemaker parody comes to mind. The plot follows is the same, giving the flavor of the original, and it is actually entertaining. It will do until an actual reprint comes along.
"Rebubbled" makes me think of when they did an MST3K comic a while back, and it was OK, but not earth-shattering. Certain concepts seem to work better in certain media than in others.
TMNT: UNTOLD DESTINY OF FOOT CLAN #1
Nobody remembers that these characters were created because everything popular at the time had teenagers, mutants or ninjas. A satire that made them rich.
Females on Howard the Duck's planet shouldn't have any boobs, not being mammals. Females who are were-cats should probably have six.
Antarctic's CRITTER #1 features a Midwestern superhero gal who moves out West "to discover her true place in the world of heroes and villains," thanks to the advice of another mysterious being. They're a lot of them, aren't there?
From her costume, I assume she has feline-related powers. The covers are nice, but the interiors are by different people who probably aren't as slick. And why would I read off-brand superheroes when there are dozens already from the Big Two?
I'll raise your cats and dogs and with cat, dog and rabbit. It will have to have some emotional punch to beat this series.
(Marvel really annoys me with their constant string of "new number ones.")
Same here. And it's DC, too. It killed my Completist Urge, and now I'm buying reprints and little else. As you say, Jeff, each new #1 is basically a new timeline, which means the character I used to read is no longer being published, and this doppelganger is being published instead. Are some of them good? Probably! And I buy some of those in omnibus, if the reviews are good. But once the publishers cut the string on "legacy" numbers, it gave me a jumping-off point on everything. That was in 2006 (the post-Crisis universe ending with Infinite Crisis) for DC and 1997 for Marvel, and I made it to 2010 before I quit buying comprehensively. (New 52 in 2011 helped considerably with my decision.) So I was no quitter! Until I quit.
Nobody remembers that these characters were created because everything popular at the time had teenagers, mutants or ninjas. A satire that made them rich.
There were so many parodies back then, I didn't really distinguish Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from Adolescent Radioactive Black Belt Hamsters, Pre-Teen Dirty Gene Kung Fu Kangaroos, Aristocratic Xtraterrestrial Time-Traveling Thieves, Geriatric Gangrene Jujitsu Gerbils and the rest. And I didn't buy any of them (after the first few issues of TMNT). In retrospect, though, I guess TMNT was the first successful parody of the day's comic book trends, and all the others were parodying them.
Females who are were-cats should probably have six.
Well, thanks a lot for that image, which I will never be able to scrub from my mind.
Seriously, why read this when there's Tom King's Animal Pound?
I haven't got that yet. I expect I will do so when there's an HC. I do occasionally pick up intelligent animal stories, as my wife enjoys them. I got Stray and that Animal Farm remake I'm still wading through, and that series where dogs have magic powers and team up with humans to fight bad magic (I have two trades, so I'm missing some). Going back, I read We 3, Blacksad, Stargazing Dog, Laika and some others.
Obviously, we're suckers for dog stories, even when they make us cry.
That may be true, but I'd say Jango Fett was pretty significant to the Star Wars universe, plus that is a pretty good creative team IMO.
Granted. But there some weeks where Marvel will five or so Star Wars books. They're really saturating the market.
And I hope you'll review Jango Fett for us!
BATMAN/SUPERMAN: WORLD’S FINEST #25 - This has been an underrated, good series.
It's by Mark Waid, so I'm sure it has a Silver Age flavor. I want to get it in omnibus, but I don't think I've seen one yet. I got some Batman/Superman series omnibus -- or Superman/Batman series omnibus -- by mistake, thinking it was this series. Is there one yet?
Sheets is more interesting than Blankets - Well that isn't hard to do.
Oh, thank God. I thought I was the only one who thought Blankets was seriously overrated.
I'll raise your cats and dogs and with cat, dog and rabbit [We 3]. It will have to have some emotional punch to beat this series.
That one made us cry, too.
BATMAN/SUPERMAN: WORLD’S FINEST #25 - This has been an underrated, good series.
It's by Mark Waid, so I'm sure it has a Silver Age flavor. I want to get it in omnibus, but I don't think I've seen one yet. I got some Batman/Superman series omnibus -- or Superman/Batman series omnibus -- by mistake, thinking it was this series. Is there one yet?
I’ve been buying all the monthlies (including the Teen Titans miniseries). I now see that it’s been collected in three volumes so far, with a fourth coming out in September. These are all HC books of partial runs. I suspect that an omnibus will be coming.