TOP RECOMMENDATIONS
AVENGERS #1
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
Written by MARK WAID
Art by MIKE DEL MUNDO
Cover by ALEX ROSS
Variant Covers by ADAM KUBERT, LORENZO PASTROVICCHIO
Hip-Hop Variant by DANIEL ACUNA
Action Figure Variant by JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
Divided We Stand Variant by BUTCH GUICE
Captain America 75th Anniversary Variant by ALEX MALEEV
Blank Variant Also Available
48 PGS. • Rated T+ • $4.99
Their ranks shattered by war, their spirits weighed down by tolls both personal and spiritual, what’s left of the Avengers must find the resolve to stand together once more.
Marvel is pleased to present a new beginning for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in the highly-anticipated AVENGERS #1! Eisner Award-winning writer Mark Waid joins rising comics superstar Mike Del Mundo to bring Marvel’s mightiest into Marvel NOW! and face-to-face with their greatest villain! Now, Captain America, Thor, The Vision, The Wasp, Hercules and the Amazing Spider-Man leap into the timestream to confront Kang the Conqueror! But when the dust settles, not a one of these valiant heroes will make it to the final page alive. Welcome to … KANG WAR ONE! It all kicks off on Nov. 2 when Earth’s Mightiest Heroes charge forward into Marvel NOW! in AVENGERS #1 – coming to comic shops and digital devices everywhere!
I will never lose my love of the Avengers, no matter how badly they're written or screwed up. (Not that they have been lately, just sayin') So yay for a new Avengers series!
Sadly, this one says on the front end that everybody's going to die, which kind of lets the air out. Since it's a time-travel story, we know the Reset Button is pretty handy, so that's not the issue. It just means they're destined to fail, which sucks all the drama (and fun) out.
THE FLINTSTONES #5
Publisher: DC COMICS
Written by MARK RUSSELL
Art by STEVE PUGH
Cover by LEE WEEKS
Variant cover by BENGAL
32 pg • FC • $3.99 U.S. • RATED T
It’s time to “Bedrock the vote!” With the Bedrock mayoral race heating up, the local middle school decides to join in on the fun by holding their own election for class president. Will Ralph the Bully punch his way to victory? Or is there a new kind of candidate waiting in the wings to start a revolution? Meanwhile, Fred and Barney reminisce about their days fighting for their city as part of the Water Buffalo army.
If there's anything that can make the presidential election less painful, it's this book!
JOSIE & THE PUSSYCATS #2
Publisher: ARCHIE COMICS
Script: MARGUERITE BENNETT, CAMERON DEORDIO
Art: AUDREY MOK
Cover A: AUDREY MOK
Cover B: REBECCA ISAACS, KELLY FITZPATRICK
Cover C: TULA LOTAY
Cover D: DAVID MACK
Cover E: ALLISON SOH
Cover F: CHRISSIE ZULLO
32-page • FC • $3.99 U.S.
As the girls look to play their first gig outside Riverdale, they run into some unexpected complications. Can they bust up a crime ring, help the criminals see the error of their ways, and jump-start the band's music career -- all through the power of rock, friendship, and, Melody assures us, entirely legitimate comic book science? You'll have to read to find out!
I'd actually rather read a Josie series based on the characters as they were presented in Afterlife with Archie, but this is a close second. It's Archie for grown-ups, and the first issue was great fun.
TREASURY OF 20TH CENTURY MURDER VOL 3: BLACK DAHLIA (HC)
Publisher: NBM PUBLISHING
Writer/Art/Cover: RICK GEARY
6x9 • 80pp. • B&W jacketed hardcover • $15.99
On January 15, 1947, a woman was walking with her daughter in a Los Angeles neighborhood. She passed what looked to be a discarded manikin. It turned out to be the body of Elizabeth Short: posed, drained of blood, meticulously scrubbed, and cut in two. From this point, Geary reconstitutes and reveals for us the life of this 22-year-old woman who had become known as "Black Dahlia" because of her striking appearance. She had moved to LA to make it in show business. How could her life have ended in such a ghastly fashion? Was it a jealous boyfriend, a rejected suitor, or one of LA's notorious mafia connections whom she had apparently been dabbling with? The case gets more complex when, days later, a local newspaper receives a cut-out letter from an anonymous "Black Dahlia Avenger" admitting to the crime. More letters follow toying with the LAPD. Eisner Award winner Geary takes us through all the twists and turns in one of the most captivating unsolved mysteries of the 20th century in this latest installment of his Treasury of XXth Century Murder.
"I'm a huge fan of Rick Geary's "Treasury of Murder" series, so I'm thrilled to see that there's a new volume due later this year." -- Johanna Draper Carlson, Comics Worth Reading
Every single one of these Treasury books is a gem. If nothing else, you learn a lot of objective information about famous crimes -- and therefore U.S. history.
REVOLUTION
I really meant to keep up with this, despite my lack of any real interest in the Hasbro properties. (The only one I ever played with was G.I. Joe -- and that was back when he was a foot tall.) But, alas, time has flown and here we are almost at the end. Has anybody else kept up with it?
REVOLUTION #4 (OF 5)
Publisher: IDW PUBLISHING
Writers: CULLEN BUNN & JOHN BARBER
Art: FICO OSSIO
Cover: TRADD MOORE
Variant: BRANDON PETERSON
“Official Handbook” Variant: JOHN BYRNE
Propaganda Variant: JAMES BIGGIE
Imaginary 2-Pack Toy Variant: ADAM RICHES
FC • 40 pages • $3.99
SILENT INTERLUDE! One human has the skill to break into AUTOBOT CITY—but what is SNAKE EYES going to do when he finds himself face-to-knee with OPTIMUS PRIME? And outside, MILES MAYHEM and the M.A.S.K. team wait to see who walks out alive …
Variant cover by KEN CHRISTIANSEN, part of a 13-part connected cover!
ROM #4
Writers: CHRIS RYALL & CHRISTOS GAGE
Art: DAVID MESSINA
Cover: CHRISTIAN WARD
Variant: AL MILGROM
Variant: LOSTON WALLACE
Variant: JEFFREY VEREGGE
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
As the road leading to Revolution nears its end, meet the SORCERER-WRAITHS, who bring their special brand of alien evil to bear against a helpless ROM and his human partners, who suddenly have otherworldly problems of their own to contend with, too!
• The Road to REVOLUTION continues!
• Variant cover by POP MHAN!
Hey! Cover B is an homage to Iron Man (first series) #80!
TRANSFORMERS TILL ALL ARE ONE REVOLUTION #1
Writer: MAIRGHREAD SCOTT
Art: NAOTO TSUSHIMA
Cover: SARA PITRE-DUROCHER
FC • $3.99
WINDBLADE ON EARTH! The mysterious link between METROTITAN and MICROSPACE threatens to tear two universes apart, and only WINDBLADE has a chance to heal the Titan... and there she learns a terrifying secret that changes the stakes of the REVOLUTION.
Featuring OPTIMUS PRIME, ROM, and much, much more!
MORE PRESS RELEASES
ALEISTER & ADOLF (HC)
Publisher: DARK HORSE
Writer: DOUGLAS RUSHKOFF
Art/Cover: MICHAEL AVON OEMING
B&W • 96 pages • 6'' x 9'' • $19.99 • Mature
This fall, Dark Horse Books is set to publish a perception-altering narrative from media maverick Douglas Rushkoff: Aleister & Adolf!
In Aleister & Adolf, media theorist and documentarian Douglas Rushkoff weaves a mind-bending tale of iconography and mysticism, set against the backdrop of a battle-torn Europe.
This all-new original graphic novel, beautifully rendered by Michael Avon Oeming (The Victories, Powers), views real-world history through a psychedelic occult lens.
In a story spanning generations and featuring some of the most notable and notorious idealists of the twentieth century, legendary occultist Aleister Crowley develops a powerful and dangerous new weapon to defend the world against Adolf Hitler’s own war machine -- spawning an unconventional new form of warfare that is fought not with steel but with symbols and ideas. But these intangible arsenals are much more insidious -- and perhaps much more dangerous -- than their creators could have ever conceived.
Warren Ellis, author of Gun Machine, Red, Trees and Transmetropolitan, says Rushkoff is “a cultural treasure and an eccentric author of big, strange ideas, never less than fascinating and always entertaining.”
No amount of re-visiting and re-purposing Adolf Hitler in fiction can ever equal or surpass his actual monstrousness. On the flip side, re-visiting and re-purposing Aleister Crowley is unwarranted -- he was an irrelevant, self-aggrandizing con man whose mythology was largely self-invented. In short, using Hitler diminishes his actual crimes by normalizing him, while using Crowley elevates him beyond his historical station.
But, hey, it could be fun.
CENTURION & EMPERADOR (HC)
Publisher: MAGNETIC PRESS
Writers:ROB & PATRICIA SCHNEIDER
Art: FRANCISCO HERRERA
32 pages • 9″ x 9″ • $16.99
CENTURION & EMPERADOR, written by world-famous actor & comedian Rob Schneider (Grown Ups, 50 First Dates, The Animal) and his wife Patricia Schneider, and illustrated by world-famous Disney & Dream Works concept designer, Marvel comics artist, Francisco Herrera (Megamind, Spider-Man, Venom).
CENTURION & EMPERADOR marks Magnetic Press' first foray children's book. Written by famous actor-comedian Rob Schneider and his wife Patricia Schneider, and illustrated by star Disney & Marvel illustrator, Francisco Herrera, CENTURION & EMPERADOR is an adorable story about finding your passion and based on the real-life dancing horses of Gamble Ranch.
At the Gamble Ranch, all of the animals have a special talent. All of them for Centurion and Emperor, two baby horses delivered by a couple of confused storks lost in a storm. When the ranch owners decide they’ll grow up to be race horses, Centurion and Emperor do their best to be the best. But what they prove to be best at is quite different from racing …
CHAMPIONS #2
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
Written by MARK WAID
Art & Cover by HUMBERTO RAMOS
Variant Cover by MICHAEL CHOI
Steam Variant by PASCAL CAMPION
Classic Action Figure Variant by JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
Marvel NOW! Action Figure Variant by JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
Divided We Stand Variant by MIKE MCKONE
32 PGS. • Rated T • $3.99
It’s the series that’s been called “a breath of fresh air” (Newsarama), “a revolution” (ComicBook.com) and “a diverse and empowering team for a new generation of readers” (ComicsVerse) – and they’re about to get a new member! Today, Marvel is pleased to present your first look inside CHAMPIONS #2 – the thrilling next issue from Eisner Award-winning writer Mark Waid and Eisner Award-nominated artist Humberto Ramos! The Champions’ mission to “change the world” has reached the ears of a prospective new member – Cyclops! Looking to escape the shadow of what he may become, Scott Summers seeks to become a full-fledged member of the Champions. Only not all of his would-be teammates feel the same way! Welcome to the Champions, Cyclops – hope you survive the experience! Don’t miss CHAMPIONS #2 – coming Nov. 2!
Did you miss the first issue of Champions? Look for a new printing of Champions #1 also hitting stores on Nov. 2!
Cover A could be an homage to Teen Titans (first series) #28, although there's an itch in the back of my brain that suggests there's another book I can't quite put my finger on that's a better choice. (By Neal Adams, maybe?) Cover B is an homage to every super-team face-off cover, of which there have been many. I'd nominate Justice League of America (first series) #56 as the Ur cover of this type, unless someone can find an earlier one.
FAITH #5
Publisher: VALIANT COMICS
Written by JODY HOUSER with LOUISE SIMONSON and RAFER ROBERTS
Art by MEGHAN HETRICK with PERE PÉREZ and COLLEEN DORAN
Cover A by PAOLO RIVERA
Cover B by MEGHAN HETRICK
Cover C by CARMEN CARNERO
Variant Cover by MICHAEL WALSH
Variant Cover by RAFA SANDOVAL
Coloring Book Variant Also Available
$3.99 • 48 pgs. • T+
ELECTION SPECIAL!
Valiant is proud to announce that Hillary Clinton, the Democratic Party's nominee for president of the United States, will join forces with Faith "Zephyr" Herbert on Nov. 2 in FAITH #5 – a history-making, 48-page election special teaming the leading female hero in comics today with the first female nominee from a major political party for a special tale written by comics legend Louise Simonson with art by FAITH's own Pere Perez!
On Nov. 2, just days before Election Day, legendary writer Louise Simonson and Harvey Award-nominated artist Pere Perez present history in the making with a presidential milestone like no other! Faith Herbert, star of the highest-selling independent superhero debut of 2016, is a shining beacon of optimism in a challenging world. Her day job as a blogger and journalist is about to bring Faith face to face with Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton … but it's her daring alter ego as Los Angeles' leading superhero that will have to save the day when a new threat emerges to imperil a pivotal moment that has all of America watching!
“[Faith] is so positive and she’s very much what I think a hero should be,” writer Louise Simonson told The Washington Post. “I wrote Superman for a while and — she’s almost in her soul, she is like the female Superman. (Writer Jody Houser)’s work is wonderful on this book, but I was glad they would let me play just a little bit in this particular sandbox.”
"There is no other character in comics quite like Faith, and it's no surprise that she has captured imaginations worldwide to become the leading superhero of 2016," said Valiant Publisher Fred Pierce. "Valiant's mission has always been to reflect the reality around us through the lens of comic book storytelling. Faith is the perfect embodiment of a comic book character that dares to defy the traditional norms of who or what a hero can be. That's a message that can resonate with anyone, anywhere, at any time and has taken on even greater significance as America prepares for a historic election this November."
“Faith is a great character,” writer Louise Simonson told Paste Magazine. “She’s a light in the Valiant universe. ... She manages to look at things in a positive, and to my own sense, very heroic kind of way, in that she’s willing to sacrifice her own best interest to try to make the world a better place.”
Plus, also coming in the oversized, 48-page FAITH #5 election special: Faith's adventures continue with an all-new lead story by the ongoing creative team of writer Jody Houser (Orphan Black) and new series artists Meghan Hetrick (Red Thorn) and Marguerite Sauvage (DC Comics Bombshells), as well an exclusive prelude to HARBINGER RENEGADES #1 – featuring the long-awaited return of Faith's beloved super-team – by writer Rafer Roberts (A&A: THE ADVENTURES OF ARCHER & ARMSTRONG) and Eisner Award-winning artist Colleen Doran (The Sandman)!
With covers by Eisner Award-winning superstar Paolo Rivera (THE VALIANT, Daredevil), Harvey Award nominee Clayton Henry (SAVAGE), new ongoing FAITH interior artist Meghan Hetrick (Uncanny Avengers), and more, join an all-star cast of Valiant's greatest talents on Nov. 2 in FAITH #5 as the leading heroine in comics today joins forces with Hillary Clinton for a landmark comics event!
Created by former Marvel Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter (Secret Wars) and Eisner Award-winning writer and artist David Lapham (Stray Bullets) in Valiant’s acclaimed HARBINGER series in 1992, Faith has long been a central icon of Valiant’s award-winning publishing line. Then, in January 2016, Faith took her long-awaited, much-demanded first step toward solo stardom with FAITH #1 (of 4) – a groundbreaking debut that quickly became the first and biggest breakout hit of the New Year from any major comics publisher. In the months since, Faith’s first solo adventure has garnered near-universal critical acclaim; generated attention from a host of international media outlets, including The Atlantic, The A.V. Club, Cosmopolitan, The Guardian, The Hollywood Reporter, The Huffington Post, The Independent, MTV, The New York Times, NPR, PBS Newshour, People, Seventeen, Today, Vox, The Washington Post, and dozens more; and become the first series of 2016 to reach a much-vaunted fifth printing – making it one of only a handful of hit series in the past decade to achieve that pivotal benchmark of fan and commercial demand.
Faith's unprecedented streak of history-making achievements continues this Wednesday, July 20th with the release of her first ongoing series in the all-new FAITH #1 – a first issue that has already rocketed onward to become the highest selling superhero debut of the year from any independent publisher in the industry today.
An award-winning writer and editor with more than 40 years of experience, Louise Simonson is one of the most respected and tenured female creators in comics history. With lengthy and acclaimed runs on some of comics' most influential series, including New Mutants, Superman: The Man of Steel, and X-Factor, Simonson has co-created a host of enduring characters, including Apocalypse, Cable, and Power Pack for Marvel Entertainment and Doomsday and Steel for DC Entertainment. FAITH #5 will be her first work for Valiant Entertainment.
In a way, I'm a kinda impressed that Valiant felt no need to give equal time for Donald Trump, who would certainly never get Faith's vote. Faith, as written, would be a huge Hillary booster, so this is appropriate, story-wise.
FOOLKILLER #1
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
Written by MAX BEMIS
Art by DALIBOR TALAJIC
Cover by DAVE JOHNSON
Variant Covers by ROB LIEFELD
And RON LIM
Hip-Hop Variant by JEFFREY VEREGGE
Divided We Stand Variant by DALE KEOWN
Liefeld Sketch Variant Available
32 PGS. • Parental Advisory • $3.99
Greg Salinger was your typical merc for hire – the Foolkiller – putting an end to those he deemed “foolish”. But that life is behind him now. It’s time to turn over a new leaf this November in FOOLKILLER #1 – the new ongoing series from writer/musician Max Bemis (X-Men: Worst X-Man Ever) and artist Dalibor Talajic (Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe)!
Yes, Greg Salinger’s days of killing fools are over. Today, he’s a psychiatrist, using his skills to help people instead of killing them for pay. But when he’s drafted by S.H.I.E.L.D. with a very special mission, it might be time for a return to his mercenary ways. Time for the once and future Foolkiller to put his psychiatric skills to the test … rehabilitating supervillains! The catch? If these “patients” don’t make enough progress, the Foolkiller might just have to kill them!
Speaking with Comic Book Resources, Bemis said, “You have an antihero who's a vigilante, who enjoys getting into the minds of these people that, on face value, he would just shoot in the face. That's the basic plot set-up. It's really a fun set-up, and I get to do a lot with it.”
The saying goes that therapists become therapists because they are the ones who need the most help and that adage holds true for Greg Salinger, a.k.a. Foolkiller, “For Greg, he's kind of an outsider in the normal person community, because he was a friggin' vigilante and he's actually a lunatic,” continued Bemis. “I think all of my work will probably have that theme…there's always some kind of fish out of water-ish scenario, because that's my neurotic thing.”
Lay back and prepare for some of the most demented villains of the Marvel Universe to unload all of their problems on the mental health merc ready to help their minds. And if not, then he may have to prescribe a more violent solution. How does that make you feel?
MAYDAY #1 (of 5)
Publisher: IMAGE COMICS
Writer: ALEX DE CAMPI
Art: TONY PARKER & BLOND
Covers: TONY PARKER
32 PAGES • FC • M • $3.99
Critically-acclaimed writer Alex de Campi (NO MERCY, Grindhouse) teams up with artist Tony Parker (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, This Damned Band) and colorist Blond (Red Hood and the Outlaws, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?) for the Cold War thriller MAYDAY, an all-new series launching this November from Image Comics.
It's 1971, and two young Soviet operatives are sent to California to kill a defector and recover top-secret information. As the mission dissolves into a mess of good sex, bad drugs, and ugly violence, the young Russians face a new problem: they’ll need to rely on each other to escape America, but to survive Russia they’ll have to betray each other.
“MAYDAY is a very fast-paced, violent, 5-issue miniseries with a lot of sex and drug use (hey, they always say "write what you know"). But it's also got that early-1970s thriller thing going,” said de Campi in an interview in Image+. “You can tell a lot about an era by its criminals.”
“It's not the ‘70s that most people envision,” said Parker in the same interview. “Most people picture the late ‘70s and the Disco era. This was a disillusioned, dark, distrusting, dirty, and angry time.”
Blond aptly summarized: “the band is back."
MAYDAY is a Cold-War action-thriller unlike any other. Get ready.
Another Image #1. It's amazing.
MUHAMMAD ALI (HC)
Publisher: DARK HORSE
Writer: SYBILLE TITEUX
Art/Cover: AMAZING AMEZIANE
FC • 128 pages • $19.99 • 6” x 9”
Dark Horse Comics is set to release Muhammad Ali, the story of an icon in a graphic novel from writer Sybille Titeux and artist Amazing Ameziane.
Published for the first time in English, this critically acclaimed French graphic novel celebrates the life of the glorious athlete who metamorphosed from the young boxer Cassius Clay to the legendary three-time heavyweight champion, activist, and provocateur Muhammad Ali, and focuses on key figures in the civil rights movement.
Cassius Clay is a kid who rushes into boxing by chance after his bike is stolen. His talent for the sport is proven when he wins an Olympic gold medal. The world heavyweight champion never takes a hit without fighting back. Clay becomes Muhammad Ali, a Civil rights activist, contemporary of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, and one of the greatest icons of the twentieth century.
Not only a titan in the world of sports but in the world itself, he dared to be different and to challenge and defy through his refusal to be drafted to fight in Vietnam, his rejection of his “slave” name, and ultimately his final fight with his body itself through a thirty-year battle with Parkinson’s disease. Witness what made Ali different, what made him cool, what made him the Greatest.
Are there no Muhammad Ali GNs in English? That's sad.
OCCUPY AVENGERS #1
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
Written by DAVID F. WALKER
Art by CARLOS PACHECO
Cover by AGUSTIN ALESSIO
Variant Cover by MICHAEL CHO
Hip-Hop Variant by MARCO D’ALFONSO
Action Figure Variant by JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
Divided We Stand Variant by KEVIN NOWLAN
32 PGS. • Rated T+ • $3.99
Superheroes – they’re a privileged class. Doing what they want, when they want and suffering none of the consequences. They have no regard for the ordinary people who are left behind to suffer in their wake. Something has to change. Today, Marvel is pleased to present your first look at OCCUPY AVENGERS #1 – the brand-new series launching this November from critically acclaimed creators David F. Walker (Power Man and Iron Fist, Nighthawk) and Carlos Pacheco (Captain America, Uncanny Inhumans)! The question remains – who will stand up for the little guy? There is a man. If you can find him, and if he believes in your cause – he and his friends will put things right. Some call them outlaws, rebels, vigilantes. To others, they’re heroes, through and through.
No powers to speak of – just skills, smarts and a burning desire to do what’s right. His name is Clint Barton, Hawkeye. And it’s time to take back justice!
RENDEZ-VOUS IN PHOENIX (GN)
Publisher: MAGNETIC PRESSS
Writer/Art/Cover: RANDY SANDOVAL
80 pages •Teen + • 8.5″ x 11″ • $19.99
Three-time Eisner Award nominee Tony Sandoval returns with a brand new autobiographical graphic novel, RENDEZ-VOUS IN PHOENIX, which recounts his experience smuggling himself across the U.S.-Mexican border to reunite with his girlfriend and "make it" in the American comic book industry.
An autobiographical account by the three-time Eisner-nominated writer/artist Tony Sandoval (Doomboy, A Glance Backward), RENDEZ-VOUS IN PHOENIX recounts his nerve wracking experience smuggling himself across the US-Mexico border as a young man.
Born and raised in Northwestern Mexico, Tony was desperate to come to America in order to be reunited with his American girlfriend, and try to "make it" in the American comic book industry. When multiple lengthy and unfruitful attempts to acquire a Visa began to threaten both his relationship and his artistic career, Tony decided to smuggle himself across the border. Wrought with desperation and longing, Tony embarks faces the heat, dangerous coyotes, barbed wire, and – most daunting – the US border patrol, all in the name of love.
Includes a forward by Frederick Luis Aldama Distinguished Professor of Arts & Humanities at Ohio State University, and author of Graphic Borders: Latino Comic Books Past, Present, and Future, and the Encyclopedia of World Comics: Manga, Anime, Tintin, and More from Around the Globe.
“Sandoval creates one of the most captivating and transcendent of graphic border stories yet. This is sequential art at its best!” -- Hector Rodriguez III, author of El Peso Hero
“Hand in hand with a tense narrative of coyotes and border crossings, Sandoval’s muscular yet fluid images will blow your mind! One of our century’s most spectacular talents.” -- Lila Quintero Weaver, author-illustrator of Darkroom: A Memoir in Black and White
“The most compelling testament to the indomitable human spirit that I’ve read, Rendez-vous in Phoenix places the reader squarely in the footsteps of a young Mexican’s perilous journey across the border. Sandoval’s evocative graphic storytelling style calls out to all of us who risk it all in our quest to explore. Sandoval reaches deep into hearts and souls” -- Javier Hernandez, co-founder of Latino Comics Expo and author of El Muerto
“If Kal-El’s journey from Krypton to Kansas had been as arduous as Sandoval’s he never would have made it. Sandoval’s extraordinary artwork brings beauty, grace, and calm to this harrowing journey in the quest to realize his comic book dreams. Sublime!” -- Raul the Third, award-winning artist of the Lowriders in Space series from Chronicle Books
“A riveting tale of border crossings, smelly feet, and the extreme challenges a comic book creator will overcome for love and art. The story of the one and the many . . . it’ll take your breath away!” -- Jorge Aguirre, author of Chronicles of Claudette and Dragons Beware
“Sandoval’s unique artistic voice and whimsical style lend added poignancy to this quixotic quest. He masterfully interweaves the narratives of artist and immigrant and the frustrations and helplessness that each endures in their search for liberty and opportunity” -- J. Gonzo, author of La Mano del Destino
THE UNWORTHY THOR #1 (of 5)
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
Written by JASON AARON
Art & Cover by OLIVIER COIPEL
Variant Covers by BRYAN HITCH & JOHN CASSADAY
Hip-Hop Variant by STONEHOUSE
Action Figure Variant by JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
Divided We Stand Variant by PASQUAL FERRY
Blank Variant Also Available
32 PGS. • Rated T+ • $3.99
This November, superstar creators Jason Aaron and Olivier Coipel bring the thunder and the lightning to Marvel NOW!. Marvel is pleased to present THE UNWORTHY THOR #1 – the first issue in the highly anticipated new series!
Once, he wielded the mighty hammer Mjolnir, but has since been deemed unworthy. Now, his desperate quest for redemption will take him to the far reaches of space, where whispers tell of a mysterious other Mjolnir – another weapon of unimaginable power. Perhaps this relic of a dead universe holds the key to the Odinson’s return to glory. Yet he is not the only one who would seek such a prize. Some of the greatest villains in the Marvel Universe are anxious to get their hands on it as well. Can the Odinson regain his honor or will the power of the thunder be wielded for evil? The explosive quest for the hammer begins here when THE UNWORTHY THOR #1 crashes into comic shops on Nov. 2!
Well, maybe we'll finally find out why he can't use Mjolnir any more. How long has that mystery been stretched out?
MORE COMICS OF INTEREST
ALSO KNOWN AS (GN)
Publisher: ARCANA STUDIO
Writer: TONY LEE
Art: CHRISTOPHER JONES, CHARLIE KIRCHOFF
Cover: ANDREW NICHOLAOU
$17.99
For the last century, Lucas Wilson has gathered souls for Charon the Ferryman. But when he meets Faith, the reincarnation of his dead wife, he realizes that everything he's been told is a lie. Now in a race to save Faith' soul, Lucas must stop an inter-dimensional war that has been fought since the fall of Lucifer.
Interesting.
BATMAN: THE SILVER AGE NEWSPAPER COMICS VOL 3: 1969-1972
Publisher: IDW PUBLISHING
Writers: WHITNEY ELLSWORTH, E. NELSON BRIDWELL
Art: AL PLASTINO, NICK CARDY
Cover: PETE POPLASKI
HC • PC • $49.99 • 256 pages • 11” x 8.5”
The final volume of the Silver Age Batman Newspaper Comics features a veritable Who’s Who of Gotham City and beyond: Superman, Green Arrow, The Penguin, Joker, Mad Hatter, Riddler, Scarecrow, Tweedledum and Tweedledee, Two-Face, Catwoman, Batgirl, Killer Moth, Poison Ivy, and Black Canary, plus the introduction of the mysterious Man-Bat! And if that wasn’t enough, included are the four months of rare 1972 strips that were created by the Ledger Syndicate, without DC’s input, in which Batman was no longer featured, although Bruce Wayne continued as a character. Batman expert Joe Desris explains it all in an insightful introduction. This book includes all strips from June 1, 1969 through April 29, 1972.
• This three volume series collects all the strips for the first time!
• “Evocative of the time and a particular approach to comics – namely, they’re fun.” -- 13thDimension.com
So fun to see Silver Age Batman art I've never seen before!
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: GODS & MONSTERS #1
Publisher: DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT
Writer: KARL KESEL
Art: ALEC MORGAN
Cover A: ALEC MORGAN
Cover B: PETE WOODS
Cover C: BRENT SCHOONOVER
32 Pages • Teen + • $3.99
All new stories from the ground-breaking re-imagined series! Baltar believes he was chosen by god -- and now moves closer to being one himself when he constructs a living Cylon Centurion! Is it his greatest achievement or biggest mistake? Truly obedient or waiting for the perfect time to strike? Is it the protector of Sharon's unborn baby or its greatest threat? Will the Cylon's bloody history repeat itself?
Since the new series has ended (with some characters being very dead), does that hurt these "fill-in" series for fans? I'm asking out of genuine curiosity.
CATWOMAN: ELECTION NIGHT #1 (ONE-SHOT)
Publisher: DC COMICS
Written by MEREDITH FINCH and MARK RUSSELL
Art and cover by SHANE DAVIS and BEN CALDWELL
Variant cover by DAVID FINCH
48 pg • FC • $4.99 U.S. • RATED T
It’s mayoral election time in Gotham City, and while the city is up in arms, Catwoman couldn’t care less! But when the candidates get personal, the Feline Fatale decides to get involved—much to the detriment of...well, everyone! This issue contains a special bonus story featuring the return of President Beth Ross from the critically acclaimed PREZ miniseries.
Good to see Prez back!
CBLDF LIBERTY ANNUAL 2016
Publisher: IMAGE COMICS
Writers: ANDREW AYDIN, ANINA BENNETT, JOE KEATINGE, LARRY MARDER, PAUL POPE, M. K. REED, DAN SCHKADE, MARY M. TALBOT, PAUL GUINAN
Art: TIM FIELDER, JM KEN NIIMURA, PAUL POPE, DAN SCHKADE, BRYAN TALBOT, SHANNON WHEELER, PAUL GUINAN, LISA ROSALIE EISENBERG
Cover: NATE POWELL
Mature • $4.99
"GREAT HEROES"
Be the change!
Image Comics and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund are proud to present LIBERTY ANNUAL 2016, coming this November. Shipping on the eve of the U.S. election, this year’s installment of CBLDF LIBERTY ANNUAL is a call to optimism that celebrates real people whose efforts changed the world.
“Our mission was to create a comic that is an honest tonic to the overwhelming negativity that defines our current cultural climate,” said CBLDF Executive Director and LIBERTY ANNUAL 2016 co-editor Charles Brownstein. “With the creators in this book, we worked to inspire readers by telling true stories of people who made a difference in the world and who celebrate how each of us can be the change we want to make.”
From suffragettes to sports legends, creative visionaries to courageous citizens who took a stand, the subjects of CBLDF LIBERTY ANNUAL 2016 are brought to life by extraordinary creators. Subjects include:
• Muhammad Ali by Paul Pope (Battling Boy)
• Louise Michel by Bryan and Mary Talbot (The Red Virgin)
• Gene Roddenberry by Dan Schkade (The Spirit)
• Jim Haynes by Joe Keatinge (SHUTTER) and Ken Niimura (I KILL GIANTS)
• Leo Burnett by Larry Marder (Beanworld) and Shannon Wheeler (God Is Disappointed in You)
• Ida Wells by Paul Guinan and Anina Bennett (Boilerplate)
• Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges by Ron Wimberly (PRINCE OF CATS)
• Elizabeth Woodhull by Andrew Aydin (March) and Tim Fielder (Matty's Rocket)
• Jane Addams by M.K. Reed (Americus) and Lisa Rosalie Eisenberg
“The first step to changing the culture is to change the narrative,” said SHUTTER creator and co-editor Joe Keatinge. “Each comic profiles one person who positively influenced humanity in some way -- some big, some small -- and in doing so reminds us we're not separated from the world at large. We're part of it. And we can change it.
All proceeds from this benefit anthology support Comic Book Legal Defense Fund's important work protecting the freedom to read, including current efforts to challenge and clarify legislation affecting retailers in Louisiana and California, as well as First Amendment emergencies affecting creators, readers, librarians, and educators throughout the United States.
Those are some pretty big names, and it's a very good cause.
CEREBUS IN HELL #0
Publisher: AARDVARK VANAHEIM
Writer: DAVE SIM
Art: SANDEEP ATWAL, GUSTAVE DORE
Art/Cover: DAVE SIM, HIERONYMUS BOSCH
$4.00
The first new Cerebus comic since 2004! Where has Cerebus been since he died 12 years ago? Is he in hell? Purgatory? Limbo? Some strange 1980 disco with links to Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Henry Kissinger? Some ancient Greek disco with links to Plato, Socrates, Aristotle? Some 1990s disco with links to The Stone Roses, the Happy Mondays and Oasis? Is he stuck inside his own Cerebus Online Disco Twitter-feed? Well, wherever he is, he deserves it, so feel free to laugh at his misfortune! This one shot leads into the Cerebus In Hell? 4-issue mini-series in 2017 celebrating Cerebus' 40th-anniversary!
I think I've mentioned before that I had grown bored with Cerberus and dropped it long before Dave Sim started braying his caveman opinions in the comics press, which cemented my opinion that I'd read all the Cerberus I needed to. But some Legionnaires might still love Cerberus, or be completists, so here's a heads up.
CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED: CHRISTMAS CAROL (TPB)
Publisher: CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED
Writer: CHARLES DICKENS
Art: HENRY C. KIEFER
$9.95
Dickens's classic tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come! Classics Illustrated tells this wonderful tale of Scrooge's redemption in colorful comic strip form, providing an excellent introduction for younger readers. Also includes theme discussions and study questions.
If you only have room for one Classics Illustrated, this might be the one.
A DISTANT NEIGHBORHOOD COMPLETE (HC)
Publisher: FANFARE presents PONENT MON
Writer/Art/Cover: JIRO TANIGUCHI
$28.00
Who hasn't dreamed of going back to childhood? Hiroshi is a fortysomething salaryman returning to his family in Tokyo from an intense business trip when he is catapulted back into his fourteen year-old life and body while retaining all the character and experience of his adult self. Will he change his past or be forever condemned to relive each painful moment? That fateful day his father disappeared without explanation, the death of his mother, would he marry his childhood sweetheart so never see his wife and daughters again? Previously released in two volumes, this celebratory edition brings the entire fascinating story together under one beautiful hardcover with some additional full color pages.
What would you say to your younger self? I think I would say something like "Don't become a journalist" or "Invest in Apple" or "buy that copy of Fantastic Four #1 even if it does cost $250."
FLASH GORDON: KINGS CROSS #1 (OF 5)
Publisher: DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT
Cover A: ROGER LANGRIDGE
Cover B: MARC LAMING & GRACE ALLISON
Cover C: JESSE HAMM & GRACE ALLISON
Cover D Subscription: ROBERTO CASTRO
Writer: JEFF PARKER & JESSE HAMM
Art: JESSE HAMM & GRACE ALLISON
32 Pages • Teen + • $3.99
Superstar JEFF PARKER (Future Quest) returns to FLASH GORDON, alongside the astounding team of JESSE HAMM & GRACE ALLISON! Flash, Mandrake The Magician & The Phantoms struggle to bring peace to a broken Earth ... but a FAR-too-familiar foe from beyond threatens to destroy everything they hold dear!
Another new Flash series which, in general, is pretty cool. But I realized in the last series at some point that every woman in the strip -- including Dale Arden -- is a lesbian, which is a trend that seems to be taking over comics. I don't have any problems with homosexuality, but must EVERY woman in comics be gay (or bisexual)? It's getting a bit tedious, as every fad eventually does.
GHOST & LADY VOL 1 (of 2) (GN)
Publisher: KODANSHA COMICS
Writer/Art/Cover: KAZUHIRO FUJITA
$19.99
A blend of historical fiction and Gothic ghost story featuring a fictionalized version of Florence Nightingale from a renowned creator. A twisting, twisted mystery plot will keep readers engaged in the fashion of mature manga hits like Monster and Uzumaki. Deep in Scotland Yard in London sits an evidence room, where artifacts of the greatest mysteries in London history are kept. In this "Black Museum" sits two bullets, fused together after a head-on collision. This was the key piece of evidence in a case that brought together a supernatural Man in Gray and the famous nurse and activist Florence Nightingale, the only person who can see him. Surrounded by war and suffering, the lady enters into a desperate pact with this ghostlike man.
I guess they've run out of ways to re-invent Alice in Wonderland and Joan of Arc, because they've moved on to Florence Nightingale! (She'll probably be a lesbian.)
HELLCHILD THE UNHOLY #1
Publisher: ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT INC
Writer: PATRICK SHAND
Cover A: SHELDON GOH
Cover B: LARRY WATTS
Cover C: MIKE KROME (not pictured)
Cover D: SEAN HILL
Mature • $3.99
Hellchild is back in a brand new series!
Angelica Blackstone is half-vampire, half-god, and she has a hell of a lot of aggression to work out. Hellchild: The Unholy is a roller coaster ride through the horror that dwells under society. From human sacrifice to reptilian gods to the dark and demonic powers hiding within seemingly everyday people, join the team that brought you Robyn Hood and Van Helsing for the darkest hero in the Grimm Universe!
If you're a Zenescope reader, here's a heads up for another new series. (Lesbian? Probably!)
JANE EYRE MANGA CLASSICS (GN)
Publisher: UDON ENTERTAINMENT INC
$19.99
Writer: CHARLOTTE BRONTE
Art: TBD
GN $19.99 / HC $24.99
As an orphaned child, Jane Eyre is first cruelly abused by her aunt, then cast out and sent to a charity school. Though she meets with further abuse, she receives an education, and eventually takes a job as a governess at the estate of Edward Rochester. Jane and Rochester begin to bond, but his dark moods trouble her. When Jane uncovers the terrible secret Rochester has been hiding, she flees and finds temporary refuge at the home of St. John Rivers.
We had to go back to the 19th century to find a heterosexual heroine!
I do find these cultural appropriations fascinating.
LAID WASTE (GN)
Publisher: FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS
Writer/Art/Cover: JULIA GFRERER
$14.99
Laid Waste is a graphic novella about love and kindness among vermin in the putrid miasma of a plague-ravaged medieval city. Julia Gfrörer's delicate, gothic drawing style perfectly complements the period era of the book's setting, bringing the lyricism and romanticism of her prose to the fore.
There's always something new to learn about the plague era.
MERCY SPARX YEAR ONE #1 (of 3)
Publisher: DEVILS DUE /1FIRST COMICS, LLC
Writer: JOSH BLAYLOCK
Art/Cover: MATT MERHOFF
$4.99
For years we've known Mercy Sparx as Heaven's secret weapon. A devil working for the good guys, tasked with hunting down and capturing rogue angels hiding on Earth. This is the never-told story of her first year on Earth, and even more mysterious beginnings in the forgotten divine realm of SHEOL. Supported by a story in last May's FCBD special Mix Tape 2016 and a nationwide signing tour!
Is anybody a Mercy Sparx reader? Is this worth following?
MOTOR GIRL #1
Publisher: ABSTRACT STUDIOS
Writer/Art/Cover: TERRY MOORE
$3.99
First Issue! When Samantha's junkyard is visited by a UFO looking for spare parts, she is only too happy to oblige. But when word gets out she is a reliable source, Sam's booming alien business catches the attention of an Area 51 investigator determined to shut her down! Don't miss the premier issue of Terry Moore's fantastic new series!
Heads up, Strangers in Paradise and Rachel Rising fans! (Although she'll probably be a lesbian.)
MOTRO #1 (OF 10)
Publisher: ONI PRESS INC.
Writer/Art/Cover: ULISES FARINAS
Mature • $3.99
A reclusive young boy with superhuman strength follows a prophecy from his dead father on a mission to save people, but when he finds the area villagers are less than thrilled by his noble intentions and he faces adversaries both human and magical-mechanical, what will it take to fulfill his destiny? Can his miniature talking motorcycle help? From illustrator and intricate world-builder Ulises Fariñas (IDW's Judge Dredd), comes the first story in the life and legend of a fantasy hero for the ages.
Farinas is getting some work at the Big Two, so this might be worth a look.
MYOPIA SPECIAL #1
Publisher: DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT
Writer: RICHARD DENT
Art: PATRICK BERKENKOTTER
Cover: CEZAR RAZEK
32 Pages Teen + $3.99
Based on an award-winning story by writer Rich Dent, Myopia merges speculative fiction and steampunk into a thrilling alternative reality. Armed with a special set of lenses that make him almost invisible inside the Central Lens Network, James Chase sets out on a mission to stop the new world order's violation of the Magnetic Energy Agreement. At first sold as a device to make life more convenient, the lens now works as a tool for the government to hide the devastation unleashed from excessive mining of the earth's core.
Myopia migrated over from a successful Kickstarter supported by George R.R. Martin, Neil Gaiman, Margaret Atwood, Dean Koontz and Jim Butcher. Don't miss this debut issue!
According to an interview with the Dynamite CEO at ICv2.com, the company is changing directions. The first step was winnowing down the number of titles it published, and a second step seemed to go in the direction of more books aimed at younger readers, treading into IDW territory. Now this -- so I don't know what to think.
TRIAL OF ROGER CASEMENT (GN)
Publisher: SELFMADEHERO
Writer/Art/Cover: FIONNUALA DORAN
$19.95
In 1911, Roger Casement was knighted by King George V for his humanitarian work. Five years later, he was hanged for treason. The Trial of Roger Casement traces the astonishing downfall of an Irishman once feted for his humanitarianism but later condemned both as a revolutionary and as a homosexual. Fionnuala Doran follows Casement's efforts to gain German support for an independent Ireland, his drive to recruit volunteers, and his subsequent arrest in County Kerry.
It really didn't pay to be famous and be a homosexual before the late 20th century.
RED BARRY: UNDERCOVER MAN, VOL. 1 (of 2)
Publisher: IDW PUBLISHING
Writer/Art/Cover: WILL GOULD
HC • PC • $49.99 • 284 pages • 11” x 8.5”
"Red Barry" was one of the most visually innovative adventure strips of the mid-1930s, combining fluid brushwork and noir shadows (in bold blues and purples) with figures that were constantly in motion, plus a level of violence that brought cries of protest from its syndicate. "Red Barry" and "Secret Agent X-9" were King Features’ answers to the Tribune Syndicate’s popular "Dick Tracy" by Chester Gould. While "X-9" continued for decades under hands of various quality, "Red Barry" by Will Gould (no relation to Chester) was an auteur’s vision that lasted less than four years (primarily because Gould couldn’t meet his deadlines). Regardless, it is today considered one of comics history’s great unsung masterpieces, one which famed mystery writer Anthony Boucher said was “the only detectives strip … worthy of any consideration from my scholarly viewpoint.” This two-volume series will reprint the complete dailies and color Sundays.
“Will Gould was the artist who had the most impact on me.” – Hugo Pratt
Sounds interesting, but I already have stacks of unread comic strip "masterpieces." Someone else will have to read it and pass judgment.
SUPERMAN #10
Written by PETER J. TOMASI and PATRICK GLEASON
Art and cover by PATRICK GLEASON and MICK GRAY
Variant cover by KENNETH ROCAFORT
32 pg • FC • $2.99 U.S. • RATED T
“IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER” part one! For the first time, the Man of Tomorrow and the Boy of Steel team up with the Caped Crusader and the Boy Wonder in a father-son adventure you won’t want to miss! Damian Wayne has been hearing a lot about this mysterious new Superboy, and now’s his chance to find out who he is ...
It's the origin of the Super-Sons! No, not really. But could be interesting and/or fun, especially since these versions of Superman and Batman don't really see eye to eye.
WALT DISNEY'S TREASURY OF CLASSIC TALES VOL 1 (HC)
Publisher: IDW PUBLISHING
Writer: FRANK REILLY
Art: JESSE MARSH, MANUEL GONZALES
Art/Cover: DICK MOORES
$49.99
From the early 1950s through the late '80s, the Disney studio created Sunday comics adaptations of more than 120 of their animated and live-action films that were currently in movie theaters. The chronological all-star line-up in this first volume is an almost embarrassment of riches: the animated Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Peter and the Wolf and two pre-cursers to the series, Cinderella and Alice in Wonderland! The live-action adaptations are: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Robin Hood, The Sword and the Rose, Ben and Me, and Rob Roy. Disney stalwarts Manuel Gonzales and Dick Moores drew the cartoon adaptations, while the live-action stories were illustrated by legendary Tarzan artist Jesse Marsh!
Probably important from a historical perspective.
WALTZ (HC)
Publisher: KINGPIN BOOKS
Writer: NUNO DUARTE
Art/Cover: JOANA AFONSO
$12.99
A State Police Inspector is sent to investigate a set of bizarre occurrences, surrounding dead fishermen returning from the sea, in a terrified small coastal village full of twisted beliefs, dark secrets and compromising secrets. One of the most critically-acclaimed Portuguese graphic novels of all time and winner of six Professional Awards and two National Awards in 2013. Finally published in English in a deluxe edition full of extras revealing the book's creative process.
More and more Portuguese books are finding their way here. There must be a vibrant comics community there that doesn't get much press. (Probably overshadowed by the Franco-Belgians.)
WONDER WOMAN 75 BOX SET
Publisher: DC COMICS
Written by BRIAN AZZARELLO, GEORGE PEREZ, GREG POTTER, LEN WEIN, GREG RUCKA and GAIL SIMONE
Art by CLIFF CHIANG, GEORGE PEREZ, TERRY DODSON, BERNARD CHANG, DREW JOHNSON and others
FC • $49.99 • U.S.
In the WONDER WOMAN 75TH ANNIVERSARY BOX SET, DC Comics packages graphic novels from four monumental creators—Gail Simone, Brian Azzarello, George Pérez and Greg Rucka—in a beautiful new slipcase set perfect for collectors. Includes the WONDER WOMAN VOL. 1: GODS AND MORTALS TP, the WONDER WOMAN: DOWN TO EARTH TP, the WONDER WOMAN: THE CIRCLE TP and the WONDER WOMAN VOL. 1: BLOOD TPB,
If I didn't already have all these in floppy form, I'd probably spring for this.
Replies
MUHAMMAD ALI (HC)
Are there no Muhammad Ali GNs in English? That's sad.
I think they mean that this particular GN hasn't previously been available in English. I believe there are several others.
I've been looking forward to Mayday for months! De Campi is one of my favorite current writers.
I like that DC is reprinting more Wonder Woman material with the movie coming along. But I think I've read every Wonder Woman story except those Wonder Woman and Sensation stories that were printed between those we saw in the last Golden Age Archives and the first Showcase reprints. That period -- the early and middle 1950s -- has never been reprinted that I know of, and I certainly can't afford the originals. Get crackin', DC!
I'll probably buy that Catwoman Election Special, because I really love Prez. But it's the Prez feature alone that's making the sale, as I can take or leave Catwoman and I've never read anything by Finch.
Dick Moores succeeded Frank King on the Gasoline Alley dailies. He's not the cover artist, but one of the artists who worked on the cartoon adaptations. (The contents pages in the preview at Amazon credit the cartoon adaptations as by Manuel Gonzales and Moores, implying they worked together, but I don't know in what way. The preview has pages from Cinderella.)
Musings:
1) If you buy only one Classics Illustrated, mine would be, "War of the Worlds." I bought it as a kid and the reprint as an adult. Great artwork for a great classic.
2) I am impressed with Valiant's Faith cover also; BUT, Trump (or his minions) may not
given permission to use his name/likeness. I was reading a major online medical journal which gave each candidate an opportunity to discuss their recommendations for
the future of healthcare and only the Democrats responded. Besides Faith would not
meet Trumps "standards" for women.
3) Maybe Dave Sim could have had Trump (as a caveman) on a Cerebus cover.
More musings:
4)I enjoyed the first issue of "The Unworthy Thor" which implies that we will learn what made him unworthy.
5)Mercy Sparx is/has been fun; but, her word balloons are red lettering on a black
backbround, which this old fart finds difficult to read despite having normal color
vision.
Best,
Glenn (AKA Doctor Stranger)