FIVE BOOKS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT
CAVE CARSON HAS A CYBERNETIC EYE #1
Publisher: DC COMICS
Writers: GERARD WAY, JON RIVERA
Art/Cover: MICHAEL AVON OEMING
Variant cover: MATT WAGNER
Variant cover: BILL SIENKIEWIC
40 pg • FC • $3.99 U.S. • MATURE READERS
Cave Carson has done it all: survived countless adventures below the Earth’s surface, met the love of his life, and gotten a cybernetic eye...somehow. After he and his wife, Eileen, sent their only daughter Chloe off to college, Cave was ready to become just another mundane member of the surface world. That is, until Eileen got sick. Newly widowed, Cave tries to piece his life back together when a knock on the door of his secret underground lab pulls him back into a past that he and Eileen thought they had left buried deep within the Earth.
Adding to his troubles, Cave must determine if his recent hallucinations and visions are the work of his mind or his mysterious cybernetic eye. (Spoiler: It’s the eye.)
Written by Gerard Way (DOOM PATROL, Umbrella Academy) and Jon Rivera (Heartbreak), and illustrated by Michael Avon Oeming (Powers), this is an absurdist action-adventure story unlike any other!
OK, this is so weird I can't wait to read it. Seriously, we need some totally weird comics! And it's not like Cave Carson has some fans to be offended, and his existence was a head-scratcher even back in the day. (Seriously, who fantasizes about being a spelunker?) So, let's go, Young Animal! I'm game!
DIE KITTY DIE # 1
Publisher: CHAPTERHOUSE COMICS
Writers/Art: FERNANDO RUIZ, DAN PARENT
Cover A: DAN PARENT ($3.99)
Cover B: FERNANDO RUIZ ($4.99)
Cover C: Blank Sketch variant ($4.99)
Cover D: DARWYN COOKE ($4.99, 1 in 25 retailer variant)
Cover E: FERNANDO RUIZ, DAN PARENT ($4.99, Halloween variant)
32 pages, 6.25/10.18 | Full Color
Kitty Ravencraft, a beautiful and magical young witch, is the star of her own popular comic book. When her greedy, publicity-starved publisher wants to increase interest in her comic book, he does what many comic book publishers do nowadays... he sets out to kill his main character, Kitty! Even worse, he decides to REALLY spike sales by killing the REAL Kitty in REAL life! The question is though ... how do you kill a witch?
Chapterhouse Comics and worldwide fan favorites, Dan Parent & Fernando Ruiz present: "DIE KITTY DIE!" -- a funny, exciting and often sexy story about a girl caught in both the supernatural world of witches, and the super-crazy world of comics!
What happens when a longtime comic book character has come to the end of her run? You kill her! But how? That’s where the fun begins…..
“Die Kitty Die! is a very special project for Fernando and I” says Parent, “It was an honour to see the outpouring of support from our community of fans!”
"And now, we’re excited to give Kitty a home" says Ruiz, "and Chapterhouse Comics seemed like just the spot!"
Finding a place in Chapterhouse’s ever-growing roster is an exciting prospect for Publisher Fadi Hakim. "All of us at Chapterhouse grew up reading and still read Dan and Fernando’s work" says Hakim. "Having Kitty on board is a dream come true!"
Die Kitty Die! releases to comic book stores throughout North America and Europe on October, 2016. In celebration, Chapterhouse has commissioned Parent and Ruiz to do Halloween variants for all of its titles that month, including Captain Canuck, Northguard, All-New Classic Captain Canuck and The Pitiful Human-Lizard.
Dan Parent and Fernando Ruiz are both graduates of The Kubert School with decades of experience in creating comics. Both have spent most of that time at Archie Comics writing and drawing many of their award-winning titles including the Betty & Veronica Spectacular, Archie’s Weird Mysteries, Archie Meets Kiss, Archie vs. Predator and Archie vs. Sharknado!, as well as introducing Archie Comics’ first openly gay character, Kevin Keller.
Chapterhouse Comics, launched May 2015, is Canada’s largest comic book publisher with 16 monthly- quarterly titles to date in comic and book format, including Captain Canuck, Northguard, Johnny Canuck, The Pitiful Human Lizard, Spirit Leaves, The Fourth Planet and Life, Death & Sorcery.
If this looks a bit familiar, it's because Ruiz and (especially) Parent have been Archie artists for a while, working in the Dan DeCarlo house style (long after Archie shafted the actual DeCarlo). Parent does a good copy, but like Ron Frenz's Jack Kirby pastiche, every once in a while he does something so un-DeCarlo-like that it yanks you out of the story and reminds you he's a Xerox. Which is a thing that might evaporate when he's not drawing familiar teenagers and doing his own thing. I'm curious to find out.
INFAMOUS IRON MAN #1
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
Writer: BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Art/Cover: ALEX MALEEV
Variant: ESAD RIBIC
Young Variant by SKOTTIE YOUNG
Action Figure Variant by JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
Teaser Variant by MIKE DEODATO
Champions Variant by MIKE MCKONE
Hip-Hop Variant by ANTHONY PIPER
32 PGS. • Rated T+ • $3.99
Victor Von Doom has ascended to greater heights than ever before, as … IRON MAN?! Your eyes do not deceive you! There’s a new Iron Man in town, and he’s coming your way in INFAMOUS IRON MAN #1 – the all-new ongoing series from the blockbuster, Eisner Award-winning creative team of Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev! It’s time for the greatest villain in the Marvel Universe to try something … new. Where Tony Stark failed, Victor Von Doom will succeed! Only, how will the rest of the world’s heroes take to their deadliest foe masquerading as their greatest champion? The question remains – has the one-time Doctor Doom truly turned over a new leaf, or is this just the next step in his master plan? The answers begin as Bendis and Maleev bring you their next can’t-miss collaboration in INFAMOUS IRON MAN #1!
Here's the book we've discussed in other threads. Frankly, Doom has been removed from Marvel continuity so often in the last 10-15 years, I've forgotten what it's like when his lurking menace is a part of the MU's fabric. Again, curious to see where this will go.
KISS #1
Publisher: DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT
Writer: AMY CHU
Art: KEWBAR BAAL
Cover A: GONI MONTES "Demon"
Cover B: GONI MONTES "Starchild"
Cover C: GONI MONTES "Spaceman"
Cover D: GONI MONTES "Catman"
Cover E: FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA
Cover F: KEWBAR BAAL
Cover G: SHOURI "Demon Emoji Cover"
Cover H: Photo Variant
Cover I: FERNANDO RUIZ Coloring Book Cover
32 Pages Teen + $3.99
The origins of KISS comic books date almost as far back as the inception as the band itself, having been an integral part of comics culture since their 1977 appearance in Howard the Duck #12 and 1978's Marvel Comics Super Special: Kiss. Today, nearly 40 years later, Dynamite Entertainment is pleased to announce the next chapter in the band's legacy, with all-new stories coming to one of the world's leading publishers of licensed comics!
"KISS has had a four decade-long, proud history in comic books, starting with Marvel Comics in the 1970s, and now with Dynamite's KISS comics," says KISS co-founder Gene Simmons. "KISS is America's number one gold record award-winning group of all time, and we are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as well as having our own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Having our own comic book, I have to say, rekindles the thrill I first had as a young teenager, as I followed the adventures of my favorite superheroes. This is going to be fun."
"In our rich and lengthy tradition of championing KISS in the comic/panel graphic realm, we are proud to announce this partnership and look forward to breaking new ground," says KISS co-founder, Paul Stanley.
"Gene and Paul are rock stars in every sense and are incredible storytellers and showmen. They are living icons. Their genuine love and knowledge of comics is incredible. I couldn't be more pleased to be working with Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, and KISS on a new line of comics," says Nick Barrucci, CEO and publisher of Dynamite Entertainment. "Over the years, the band has produced so many stories which stand on their own, with characters that belong right alongside even the most well known in the medium. Publishing KISS comics is a dream come true, and we couldn't be more excited to have someone of Amy Chu's caliber to tell the new tales."
"I am beyond thrilled to be working so closely with the icon that is KISS," says Executive Editor Joseph Rybrandt. "Rock solid storytelling and art are going to rock and roll you all night long. You wanted the best? You're going to get the best!"
KISS returns to comics with KISS #1 in October, a futuristic, dark sci-fi adventure written by Amy Chu (Poison Ivy) and illustrated by Kewber Baal (Army of Darkness: Furious Road). In a world without sun and a world without heroes, four young friends embark on a dangerous mission - to uncover the truth about the mysterious Council of Elders and their underground home, the city of Blackwell. But first they need some help from the past…
"What is the power of KISS? I was having breakfast recently with the fabulous writer Kelly Sue DeConnick. When she found out I was writing this series, it was like firecrackers had been set off in the restaurant, she was so excited. So I'm doing this not just for the hardcore fans (like Kelly Sue) but also the new ones, like her children," says Amy Chu. "It's a huge challenge. KISS is iconic. Legendary. It's global and cross-generational. So much has been done before with KISS in comics, a LOT of fun and crazy stuff, so for this series, I thought, why not go more serious? For research, I hunkered down and listened to the 1981 album Music from The Elder several times. Like the movie Blade Runner which came out around the same time, people didn't know what to make of it. If that album came out now, I think it would be entirely different reception. So this storyline is more focused on mythology, heroism, and legend, and inspired by themes, lyrics, and song titles from that album."
Artist Kewber Baal says, "When I received Dynamite's proposal to draw the new KISS series, I immediately got to work with researching each persona: their clothing details, stage performances, their music ... and it was only then that it suddenly dawned on me: My actual job is getting paid to listen and draw KISS! How incredible is that? How many hardcore fans, how many KISS Army members will read the series? Oh my, can you see this is a huge responsibility, and what an amazing opportunity? I hope that all the fans will love the story, will love each page, and feel assured that I will do my best. That's a promise from one KISS fan to all other fans in world!"
"For KISS, it's not just the music, but the visual imagery," says Chu. "It's Kabuki theater. I've been working hard with the artist, Kewber Baal, to craft a fantastic new world that pays homage to the band and the Elder album."
The debut issue features a whopping 10 covers! Four covers, each highlighting a different member of the band, are illustrated by acclaimed Mighty Morphin Power Rangers cover artist, Goni Montes. Francesco Francavilla (Afterlife with Archie) and series artist Kewber Baal contribute additional covers, while other cover editions include a photo variant, a "Demon" Emoji variant (the first in a series of four, spread across issues #1-4), a special Coloring Book cover by Fernando Ruiz, and a Blank Authentix Edition that aspiring and professional artists can illustrate. Finally, a special cardstock variant edition, autographed by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, will be available as an incentive to qualifying retailers for their strong support of the series launch.
If you're a KISS fan, this should be a must-have. I'm not a KISS fan, but I'm glad this exists.
LOVE & ROCKETS MAGAZINE #1
Publisher: FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS
Writers/Art: JAIME HERNANDEZ, GILBERT HERNANDEZ
Mature • $4.99
Fantagraphics Books is proud to announce that Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez’s beloved Love and Rockets will return this fall in the same magazine format that fans fell in love with during its original 50-issue run from 1982-1996. Love and Rockets has been Fantagraphics’ flagship publication since its initial magazine debut in 1982, and the new series (Vol. IV, for those keeping track) will launch near the title’s 35th anniversary and continue every four months thereafter. The new format and schedule comes after a decade of the Love and Rockets: New Stories annual.
The Love and Rockets stories by brothers Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez continue to hold a firm grasp on the imaginations of several generations of comic book fans, garnering multiple Eisner and Ignatz Awards in recent years for their work on New Stories. Meanwhile, the collected Love and Rockets trade paperbacks continue to be perennial best sellers for Fantagraphics, with 11 volumes to date.
The new Love and Rockets marks Gilbert and Jaime’s return to the “floppy” format for the first time in a decade and will measure 8 ½” x 10 ¾”, with at least 32 pages per issue, retailing at $4.99.
“Over the past few years, Gilbert and Jaime had each casually mentioned more than once that it might be fun to try their hand at a regular comic book series again after a decade of creating the new annual every year,” said Fantagraphics Associate Publisher Eric Reynolds. “Gilbert joked at one point that he would simply love to be able to draw more covers — with he and Jaime trading covers, he was only creating one new L&R cover every two years! We agreed that something needed to be done about this, and we’re very excited to return L&R to its comic book roots.”
The new format will play to the strengths of master cartoonists Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez, focusing on their diverse cast of characters and the rich milieus they have established over the past three-and-a-half decades.
On Jaime's side: What do you do when none of your old punk friends want to be punk any more? And just who does the evil Princess Animus think she is? (Hint: She doesn't know, she has amnesia.)
On Gilbert's side: Family drama takes center stage when a Fritz discovers a grandchild she didn't know existed!
Old fans and new fans are sure to enjoy the most diverse cast of characters in comics, including Maggie, Hopey, Pipo, Fritz, Tonta, Baby, and many more! Plus other surprises! Grrrowl!
Gilbert Hernandez shared “This decision to return to the magazine format is the logical step, I think. For some, it’ll be a nostalgic experience to read it that way again and for newer readers it’ll be a new way to enjoy our comics. And enjoy it I hope they do!”
It's '80s week here in the Comics Cave, re-living the character sensations of yesteryear! OK, OK, they've not been gone entirely. But an annual is not exactly an ongoing series, so L&R fans must be in (Seventh) Heaven to see a regular series again.
I confess I'm not one of those. I was fascinated, like everyone else, when Love & Rockets debuted. But as time has passed I find Hopey and Maggie and the Paloma folks to have overstayed their welcome. There is always promise, but the promise is never realized, as nothing actually ever happens. We just go 'round and 'round the merry-go-round, with characters locked in the same pointless patterns (regardless of how old they are). So I've grown frustrated and bored.
But don't let me rain on your parade! Go read the thing!
CIVIL WAR II
Four more books this week. Will this agony never end?
A-FORCE #10
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
Writer: KELLY THOMPSON
Art: PAULO SIQUEIRA
Cover by STEPHANIE HANS
Cosplay Variant by CORINNE VITEK
32 PGS. • Rated T+ • $3.99
The lives of A-FORCE, a mysterious woman named Alice and an entire town lie in the hands of NICO MINORU.
What Nico chooses to do next can save the day but can also make her a murderer — the very thing she’s been running from since CAPTAIN MARVEL first tried to arrest her.
And if A-Force manages to survive the day, can the team stay together? Or will this be the end of A-Force as we know it?
CIVIL WAR II: KINGPIN #4 (OF 4)
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
Writer: MATTHEW ROSENBERG
Art: RICARDO LÓPEZ-ORTIZ
Cover by AARON KUDER
Variant: KYLE BAKER
32 PGS. • Rated T+ • $3.99
He may be a criminal, but Wilson Fisk is a self-made man. He’s worked hard to secure his empire. He built it from the ground up.
And now that Fisk knows one of his men has betrayed him in an attempt to take away his life’s work, he’s prepared to give his all to put an end to the mutiny.
After all, you don’t become the KINGPIN of crime without breaking a few rules and a lot of blood, sweat and tears …
MOCKINGBIRD #8
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
Writer: CHELSEA CAIN
Art: KATE NIEMCZYK
Cover by JOËLLE JONES
COSPLAY VARIANT ALSO AVAILABLE
32 PGS. • Rated T+ • $3.99
Stranded on a sinking ship adrift in the Bermuda Triangle, MOCKINGBIRD must catch a killer intent on using her past to drive her mad…
… if the sea monsters, pirate zombies and Nazi sailor ghosts don’t get her first.
Giant whirlpools! Time vortexes! Ex-boyfriends!
Worst. Cruise. Ever.
UNCANNY INHUMANS #14
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
Writer: CHARLES SOULE
Art: CARLOS PACHECO
Cover by RYAN STEGMAN
Defenders Variant by ELIZABETH TORQUE
32 PGS. • Rated T+ • $3.99
Iron Man has taken the fight back to New Attilan!
When the War is over, will the Royal Family ever be the same again?
MORE PRESS RELEASES
ART OF FIRE EMBLEM AWAKENING (HC)
Publisher: DARK HORSE
Writer/Art: Nintendo
FC • 320 pages • $39.99 • HC • 9″ x 12″
After its amazing success with the release of the collectors’ book The Legend of Zelda™: Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse turns its attention to another Nintendo® franchise Fire Emblem™.
The Art of Fire Emblem: Awakening is an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at the smash-hit game for Nintendo 3DS. This book offers beautifully illustrated renditions of your favorite characters, storyboards for in-game events, character designs, weapon designs, character profiles and the entirety of the script with every possible branch of dialogue!
Fire Emblem is a tactical role-playing video game franchise published by Nintendo. The series currently consists of six games available in the United States. Fire Emblem: Awakening is the latest Fire Emblem game to be released in the U.S. Fire Emblem: Fates, the follow-up to Awakening, was released in Japan in June 2015 and will come to the U.S. in February 2016.
Relive some of the most poignant moments of the game -- or see what might have been if you had made different in-game decisions with The Art of Fire Emblem: Awakening.
BARBIE VOL 1 (GN)
Publisher: PAPERCUTZ
Writers: SARAH KUHN, ALITHA MARTINEZ
Art: SARAH KUHN, ALITHA MARTINEZ
TPB, $7.99 • HC, $12.99
Barbie is facing the same problems every young person is facing today -- figuring out how to choose a career, in an economic environment that is becoming increasingly difficult for anyone to find a job. But Barbie is nothing, if not optimistic and determined. Her interest in clothes leads her to seek employment in the highly competitive world of fashion. But as what? A model? A designer? Or something she never even dreamed of? As Barbie pursues her dream, she meets a diverse bunch of all-new friends that can help her ... and some that may actually try to end her fashion career before it even starts!
Global toy leader Mattel has announced a new partnership with Papercutz, “the #1 Kids’ Graphic Novel Publisher." The agreement gives Papercutz rights to create comics based on the company’s BARBIE character, the best-selling fashion doll that has become a cultural icon.
The new partnership will let Papercutz create new material based on the hit BARBIE media properties and on the core franchise. The goal is to provide a range of graphic novels that complement the many ways that children interact with Barbie -- from animated movies to interactive media to traditional toys—and to reflect the modern sensibilities and focus on diversity that Mattel has brought to the franchise.
The first three titles slated for launch as graphic novels are an eponymous BARBIE series and individual volumes based on the BARBIE STARLIGHT and BARBIE PUPPY ADVENTURE DVD movies. All three series will be available in both paperback and hardcover. These three properties are just the start of the ambitious Mattel/Papercutz publishing program. Plans call for more series to debut in the first half of 2017, with new installments and new series appearing each season.
"BARBIE is one of the great kids’ properties, and I couldn’t imagine a better addition to our publishing lineup," explained Papercutz Publisher Terry Nantier. "There’s never been a more exciting time to be a BARBIE fan, and we can’t wait to be a part of her new adventures. As Mattel guides the character in to new situations and life experiences, these new graphic novels will play a pivotal role in telling her story. Together, we’re going to create a series of publications that will delight and thrill a whole new generation of BARBIE fans.”
BATMAN #9
Publisher: DC COMICS
Written by TOM KING
Art and cover by MIKEL JANIN
Variant cover by TIM SALE
32 pg • FC • $2.99 U.S. • RATED T
"I Am Suicide" begins in BATMAN #9!
The next great Batman story, “I Am Suicide,” begins in BATMAN #9 by Tom King and Mikel Janin! In order to save Gotham Girl Batman recruits a team to break into the most impenetrable prison in the world and steal from one of the Dark Knight’s greatest foes … Bane.
“She’s been infected by the Psycho Pirate’s fear,” says King about Gotham Girl. "She needs to get that out of her head and the only one who can do that is the Psycho Pirate himself. So to save Claire—to save this one last remnant of this hope he has in issue #1—Batman has to find Psycho Pirate, and that mission leads him directly into Bane.”
"It’s Batman forming his own Suicide Squad,” says King about the new story arc I Am Suicide. "It’s Batman working with Amanda Waller, going into Arkham Asylum and picking out a special team to accomplish a mission that he can’t do on his own or with the Justice League. If you’ve read the end of BATMAN #6, you know that Bane has the Psycho Pirate, who can cure Gotham Girl. Batman needs to get him, but Bane lives in his own country. On top of that, he lives in a prison that’s the worst prison in the history of humankind. So Batman can’t just go in there because it’s illegal and impossible. So he needs a team who can do something illegal and impossible, and that’s the mission of the Suicide Squad. That’s where we start, with Batman making his own Suicide Squad to invade Santa Prisca and try to get Psycho Pirate back from Bane.”
"I don’t think of him as a fringe character,” says King about Psycho Pirate. "He plays a huge part in CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS. That’s where I was first introduced to him. He’s the guy who kills Barry Allen! So he’s played a role in the DCU for years. And then Grant Morrison took him into ANIMAL MAN and made him the one character in all of DC continuity who can remember the Multiverse. He remembers what happened beforehand. So he has both those aspects of him -- he’s played a key role in this huge crossover and he also has this bizarre memory. He’s this huge character … and he’s a wimp. He’s a nobody! He’s terrible. He’s always manipulated by other people.”
THE BLACK HOOD: SEASON 2 #1
Publisher: ARCHIE COMICS
Script: DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI
Art: GREG SCOTT, KELLY FITZPATRICK, RACHEL DEERING
Cover: GREG SMALLWOOD
Variant Cover: MICHAEL WALSH
32-page • full color comic • $3.99 U.S.
The Black Hood is no more. Long live The Black Hood.
After the game-changing events of the first season of the genre-defying Dark Circle Comic series, former police officer Gregory Hettinger has given up the mantle of The Black Hood for good. With his absence comes the arrival of a deadly assassin known as The Nobody, who's willing to slaughter dozens in his quest to draw out The Black Hood. How far is Hettinger willing to go before he finally steps forward to face an unbeatable opponent?
THE BLACK HOOD #1: SEASON 2 launches from the creative team of writer Duane Swierczynski, artist Greg Scott, colorist Kelly Fitzpatrick and letterer Rachel Deering.
Picking up where the previous series left off but also serving as the perfect jumping on point for new readers, THE BLACK HOOD #1: SEASON 2 continues the creator-driven approach to Dark Circle Comics' reimagining of the classic Red Circle superheroes. Season 2 also promises to take The Black Hood out of his familiar surroundings of Philadelphia and into new, uncharted territories for the former cop-turned-vigilante.
"The exciting thing about this next season is that we’ll be taking the Hood on the road. The one thing he’s always had in his corner is his knowledge of the City of Philadelphia. But that won’t do him much good this time around," says series writer Duane Swierczynski. "I’m seriously excited about the Hood’s new antagonist, who is smart, focused, aggressive and relentless — pretty much the worst kind of person to have on your ass.”
Dark Circle Comics Editor Alex Segura spoke on the series returning this fall with a new season and new #1, "When we reached the end of the latest storyline, "The Lost Crusade," it made sense to take a break and return with a new #1. It also gives fans a great opportunity to step into the series. We'd love for them to go back and read the first 11 issues, but this new #1 comes in with zero baggage. If you've heard about this book and were curious to try it out, now's the time."
"Duane and Greg are at the top of their game and this book is just a pleasure to watch come together. I have to give a hat tip to the killer colorist Kelly Fitzpatrick and letterer Rachel Deering, too, who are an essential part of what makes this book hum. Dark, gritty, unflinchingly hardboiled storytelling in the same vein as CRIMINAL or 100 BULLETS," said Segura.
If you missed the first 11 issues, I recommend you read them immediamente. Honestly, I didn't know anyone could surprise me with an urban vigilante story, but Swierczynski did issue after issue.
BUFFY: THE HIGH SCHOOL YEARS -- GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT (TPB)
Publisher: DARK HORSE
Writer: KEL MCDONALD
Art: YISHAN LI
Cover: SCOTT FISCHER
FC • 80 pages • $10.99 • TPB • 6” x 9”
With anticipation building for Eisner Award–winning author Faith Erin Hicks’s Buffy: The High School Years -- Freaks & Geeks, Dark Horse Comics announces the next installment in the young adult series this fall with Kel McDonald and Yishan Li’s Buffy: The High School Years -- Glutton for Punishment.
Set during Season 1 of the television series and executive produced by Joss Whedon, Glutton for Punishment continues the humor and excitement as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and her friends navigate the tumultuous balance of being both high schoolers and monster fighters.
“McDonald has a real affection for magical-world building,” says io9 of author Kel McDonald (Misfits of Avalon), who is returning to the Whedonverse to bring more monsters and high school high jinks into the life of teenage Buffy!
When Buffy and Xander sign up for home economics, assuming it will be an extra-credit cakewalk, they aren’t aware that the teacher is a ravenous tiger demon in disguise. The demon’s unquenchable appetite has him kidnapping his top students and forcing them to cook for him, and when Xander claims some store-bought treats are his own creations, he becomes the demon’s next victim! It’s not enough that Buffy has to keep her grades up, but she also has to rescue her friends and fellow students -- and give the tiger demon his just desserts!
CAPTAIN AMERICA: SAM WILSON #14
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
Written by NICK SPENCER
Art by PAUL RENAUD
Cover by MARCOS MARTIN
Champions Variant by MIKE DEODATO
Classic Variant by PAT BRODERICK
Story Thus Far Variant by PAUL RENAUD
32 PGS. • Rated T • $3.99
Steve Rogers has returned. Then why won’t Sam Wilson give up the shield? Today, Marvel is pleased to present your first look inside CAPTAIN AMERICA: SAM WILSON #14, the first chapter in the new story arc “Take Back the Shield”! Sam Wilson stands at the crossroads of a divided nation. When the terrorist organization Ultimatum and their leader the Flag-Smasher begin to wreak havoc, Sam Wilson is the first to dive headlong into the fray. Yet as cries of #TakeBacktheShield trend worldwide, can Sam continue to uphold the ideals of Captain America? As he teams with Steve Rogers to take down Ultimatum, is there room in the Marvel Universe for two Captain Americas? Only … Steve has a secret.
CRAZY IS NEW NORMAL TOM TOMORROW (TPB)
Publisher: IDW PUBLISHING
Writer/Art/Cover: TOM TOMORROW
TPB • FC • 128 pages • 8” x 8”
Just in time for a crazy election year, celebrated American political cartoonist Tom Tomorrow has teamed with IDW to release Crazy Is The New Normal -- a brand new collection featuring the best "This Modern World" strips from the past three years!
The gang’s all here as the war drum of doom signals the encroaching apocalypse that is the 2016 American Presidential race -- with special guest The Incredible Trump! Serious, elevated discourse and political correctness need not apply. One thing’s for sure, in 2016 Crazy Is The New Normal, and Tom Tomorrow is the only guiding light fit to lead us into that darkness!
Speaking of prior years, "This Modern World" had a huge 2015, drawing in over $310,000 through Kickstarter for a two-volume, hardcover set called 25 Years of Tomorrow. Of course it didn’t hurt to have Eddie Vedder himself offering up a signed guitar as a stretch goal! Building on that success, this November IDW will offer a new printing of this edition for mass market audiences.
Both of these collections are a tribute to Tom Tomorrow’s longevity as not only one of today’s greatest American cartoonists but also one of its most relevant political satirists. Tom’s unique voice is more relevant to making sense of today’s political climate than ever before and these collections showcase the Pulitzer finalist in his prime, making them an essential snapshot of modern American politics for generations to come.
“I’m genuinely excited to finally be able to announce this partnership,” says Tom. “I'm so grateful for the enthusiasm and support of my Kickstarter backers, which made it possible for me to publish my dream project in the first place — but if I hadn’t been approached by IDW, that’s where it would have ended. Now those books will have an extended life, with further printings and bookstore distribution, making them available to an even wider audience, and I couldn’t be happier about that. And with the new trade paperback, we’ll also have something for readers who prefer their satirical compilations in more easily digestible packages (though I do advise against literally eating the book).”
I've seen this strip in our local "alternative" newspaper, the Memphis Flyer. The best part of it, really, as I've enjoyed the wry satire, especially since it mirrors my own political beliefs. But if you like sharply done comics -- and who doesn't -- I think you could find yourself admiring this work.
PATSY WALKER, A.K.A. HELLCAT! #11
Written by KATE LETH
Art & Cover by BRITTNEY WILLIAMS
Variant Cover by SANDY JARRELL
Champions Variant by TODD NAUCK
Cosplay Variant by DJ SPIDER
32 PGS. • Rated T • $3.99
Sharpen your claws, True Believers, because Patsy Walker is exploding into Marvel NOW! with a brand-new story arc! Are you ready for a no-holds-barred, knock down drag out CAT FIGHT! Literally! That’s right, Black Cat is coming to town and she’s got her sights set on Hellcat in PATSY WALKER, A.K.A. HELLCAT! #11! Kate Leth and Brittney Williams bring the fan-favorite series into Marvel NOW! with a CLAW-some new arc full of ferocious feline action! Felicia Hardy wants to use Patsy Walker as her own personal scratching post, but that ain’t gonna happen! Not while everyone’s favorite teenaged vampire Jubilee is around. But who’s side is she on? Let the fur fly when PATSY WALKER, A.K.A. HELLCAT! #11 comes to comic shops and digital devices!
SPELL ON WHEELS #1 (OF 5)
Publisher: DARK HORSE
Writer: KATE LETH
Art: MEGAN LEVENS
Colors: MARISSA LOUISE
Cover: MING DOYLE
FC • 32 pages • $3.99 • Miniseries
Dark Horse is proud to announce a new original comic series, Spell on Wheels, written by Kate Leth (Adventure Time: Seeing Red, Patsy Walker, a.k.a. Hellcat!) with illustrations by Megan Levens (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 10, Madame Frankenstein) and a beautiful cover created by Ming Doyle (Girl Over Paris, Constantine: The Hellblazer).
Spell on Wheels: Night of the Wand follows the adventure of three talented witches -- Andy, Claire and Jolene -- as they embark on a road trip to retrieve their stolen magical objects. The three witches must work together to retrieve their possessions, but are they strong enough to defeat the dark magical force behind the thievery?
STAR TREK: BOLDLY GO #1
Publisher: IDW PUBLISHING
Writer: MIKE JOHNSON
Art: TONY SHASTEEN
Cover: GEORGE CALTSOUDAS
Subscription Variant: TONY SHASTEEN
Variant cover by MARC LAMING
Blank Sketch Variant
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
The 50th anniversary of STAR TREK is upon us and to further celebrate, IDW Publishing, under license by CBS Consumer Products, will introduce a new Star Trek series in October.
Star Trek: Boldly Go will reunite the fan-favorite Trek team of Mike Johnson and Tony Shasteen on writing and art duties, respectively, and will succeed the currently running Star Trek series which concluded after 60 universe-expanding issues, penned primarily under Johnson’s watch. Boldly Go will follow the events of Star Trek Beyond, the latest major motion picture in the ongoing cinematic saga.
“What better way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of STAR TREK?” asks Star Trek editor Sarah Gaydos. “And what better team to do it with? Mike and Tony are poised to take the series in such an exciting direction. I can't wait to introduce the world to these new characters ... as well as some interesting friends and foes from the past.”
Chronicling the adventures of Captain Kirk and his iconic crew, a danger unlike anything the Federation has faced before threatens our heroes as they explore new worlds and encounter new species. All that plus brand-new uniforms for the crew!
Star Trek: Boldly Go will beam into comic shops this October and will feature character-focused connecting subscription variant covers by series artist Tony Shasteen. A bold new era of STAR TREK begins here!
™ & ©2016 CBS Studios Inc. STAR TREK and related marks and logos are trademarks of CBS Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.
MORE FIRST ISSUES
CAVEWOMAN: TROUBLE FOR TWO #1
Publisher: AMRYL ENTERTAINMENT
Writer/Art/Cover: DEVON MASSEY
Devon Massey's special edition all-audiences cover is limited to just 400 copies! Each book is bagged and boarded and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity!
Strange how this character has so many Number Ones when, clearly, "two" is the most important number.
COWBOYS AND INSECTS #1 (ONE-SHOT)
Publisher: ALTERNATIVE COMICS
Writer: DAVID HINE
Art/Cover: SHAKY KANE
Mature • $4.99
Kane and Hine follow up their cult hit The Bulletproof Coffin with this paranoid tale of troubled romance in an alternative 1950s, where the Bikini Atoll nuclear tests have had an unexpected effect on North America's insects. This one-shot is an epic story of Big Bugs and the men who wrangle them. A Floating World production.
Well, of course.
DEADPOOL TOO SOON #1 (OF 4)
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
Writer: JOSHUA CORIN
Art: TODD NAUCK
Cover by PEPE LARRAZ
Variant by TBA
40 PGS. • Parental Advisory • $4.99
SOMEONE HAS MURDERED FORBUSH MAN! Could someone be targeting all of Marvel’s funniest characters for death?
That’s what Deadpool thinks, and now he’s gotta act before someone bumps off SQUIRREL GIRL, ROCKET RACCOON, GROOT, ANT-MAN, HOWARD THE DUCK and THE PUNISHER! (Like we said, the funny characters.)
Good thing Deadpool is renowned for his investigative skills!
DOMINION LAST SACRIFICE #1 (OF 4)
Publisher: JET CITY COMICS
Writers: JOE HART, STUART MOORE
Art/Cover: MICHAEL MONTENAT
$2.99
Written by acclaimed scribe Stuart Moore, this thriller tells a brand-new tale within bestselling author Joe Hart's Dominion series. A mysterious worldwide epidemic reduces the birthrate of female infants from 50 percent to less than 1 percent. As medical science and governments around the world scramble to solve the problem, teenager Janie Tenner finds herself in a dystopian world where women face constant capture, abuse and experimentation. Searching for her older sister, Janie struggles to escape the clutches of both the N.O.A. (The National Obstetric Alliance) and a fanatical cult.
ETERNAL DESCENT: LYRA #1 (ONE-SHOT)
Publisher: SPACE GOAT PUBLISHING
Writers: ADAM HAMDY, LLEXI LEON
Art: PERICLES JUNIOR
Cover: THOMAS FLEMING
$3.99
Eternal Descent returns with Lyra #1, the first in a series of all-new one-shot origin stories exploring the major players in this heavy metal fantasy. Discover Lyra's unconventional upbringing, the mystery surrounding her parent's death, and a strange connection to the supernatural that has haunted her since childhood. If that's not enough, you'll see the titular rock star succubus tear it up on stage and get exclusive backstage access!
EVIL DEAD 2: DARK ONES RISING #1 (OF 3)
Publisher: SPACE GOAT PUBLISHING
Writer: FRANK HANNAH
Art: OSCAR BAZALDUA, CARLOS EDUARDO
Cover: YVEL GUICHET, TREVOR DENHAM
Mature • $3.99
Ash and Annie are back, and the Evil Dead have never been more Evil or more Dead! Back in the world of the living, Annie has suffered an aneurysm. While she recovers from this, we discover that the ritual opened a part of her psyche that was then infiltrated by the dark ones. She's unwittingly unleashed them onto the world and their first stop is the Red Knob Civil War Cemetery. Yee-hah!
EVIL DEAD 2: REVENGE OF DRACULA #1 (ONE-SHOT)
Publisher: SPACE GOAT PUBLISHING
Writer: SCOTT PETERSON
Art: HORACIO DOMINGUES
Cover: JOE RUBINSTEIN, KELLEY JONES
Art/Cover: YVEL GUICHET
Mature • $3.99
Dracula, the Prince of Darkness becomes the Prince of the Evil Dead Universe when his undead path crosses with Ash. When the stolen Ex-Mortis is used to revive Dracula, Ash must be the wooden stake that sends him back to the grave. But when Drac reveals the Ex-Mortis has also revived an even greater monster, Ash and the vampire must team up to stop it with the help of the Kandarian dagger.
EVIL DEAD 2: REVENGE OF THE MARTIANS #1 (ONE-SHOT)
Publisher: SPACE GOAT PUBLISHING
Writer: TY TEMPLETON
Art: EDUARDO VIENNA
Cover: MICHAEL MONTENAT, VERONICA GANDINI
Art/Cover: TY TEMPLETON
Mature • $3.99
First the Evil Dead came for Hitler, then Dracula, and now they're after H.G. Wells' infamous Martians in this destined-to-be-classic mash-up of Ash and War of the Worlds! The Evil Dead 2 Universe continues to expand with this all-new "Revenge Of" title by Ty Templeton (best known for his work on Batman '66). In a world where War of the Worlds actually happened and Ash is now an Uber driver, he gets in over his head when a Deadite invasion revives the long-dormant Martians. Kick some Martian, Ash! Ulla!
FAITH #4
Publisher: VALIANT COMICS
Written by JODY HOUSER
Art by PERE PEREZ and MARGUERITE SAUVAGE
Cover A by KEVIN WADA
Cover B by CLAYTON HENRY
Cover C by JASON MUHR
Variant Cover by KHARI EVANS
$3.99 • 32 pgs. • T+
Comics! Cosplay! Crime! This comic book convention isn’t what it appears to be …
From all across the world, fans have flocked to California’s biggest comics convention … but they never expected to see real-life superheroes duking it out! When fandom’s most important event becomes an all-out super-powered melee, can Faith “Zephyr” Herbert and her crossbow-wielding boyfriend, Obadiah Archer, prevent a gang of diabolical con-crashers from turning thousands of spectators into victims of the most brazen caper in comic book history?
If Faith has her way, these back-issue bandits will be going behind bars when breakout writer Jody Houser (Mother Panic) and acclaimed artists Pere Perez (ARCHER & ARMSTRONG) and Marguerite Sauvage (DC Comics Bombshells) deliver an all-access pass to the high-stakes super-showdown of the fall!
GRIMM FAIRY TALES 2016 PHOTO SHOOT
Publisher: ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT INC
Writer: DAVE FRANCHINI
Cover A: MARIA SANAPO
Cover B: MIRKA ANDOLFO
Cover C: SABINE RICH
Cover D: MIKE KROME
$5.99
For the first time ever, get your hands on the Grimm Fairy Tales Photo Shoot Edition! All of your favorite Grimm Universe heroines and villainesses are here wearing the season's hottest fashions. Some of the industry's top artists contribute gorgeous photo shoot pinups of the most popular female characters in the Grimm Universe. Also includes a never-before-published short story.
I see they've gotten rid of all the extraneous stuff, like words and plots and stuff, and stripped all these characters down to their raison d'etre: cheesecake.
HEROBEAR AND THE KID 2016 FALL SPECIAL #1
Publisher: BOOM! STUDIOS
Writer/Art/Cover: MIKE KUNKEL
32 pp • $5.99
Creator Mike Kunkel returns with an all-new, oversized installment of his Eisner Award-winning all-ages adventure.
Tyler and Herobear are able to stop the dinosaurs that are attacking the parade, but at what cost? With the help of Elmo (oh yeah, Elmo totally knows that Tyler and his stuffed animal are Herobear and the Kid!), they soon discover that Von Klon has kidnapped Henry!
32 pages of story and art with no ads!
I seem to remember a number of Legionnaires really enjoying this book.
IMAGE GIANT SIZED ARTISTS PROOF EDITION: HUCK #1
Publisher: IMAGE COMICS
Writer: MARK MILLAR
Art/Cover: RAFAEL ALBUQUERQUE
Mature • $19.99
Everyone's favorite neighborhood superhero, Huck, is now available in a new IMAGE GIANT SIZED ARTIST'S PROOF EDITION, presenting special artist achievements in their raw form in an over-sized format. RAFAEL ALBUQUERQUE's line work from HUCK #1 and a selection of his covers from the entire HUCK series are presented in glorious black and white inks, free of grey tones. An instant fan favorite and collector's item!
It's by Millar, so it's probably pretty good, but moreover, you'll probably see this guy again.
LADY DEATH: EXTINCTION EXPRESS #1
Publisher: COFFIN COMICS
Writers: BRIAN PULIDO, MIKE MACLEAN
Art: DHEERAJ VERMA
Cover: PAOLO PANTALENA
Cover (Foil Premium Edition): MIKE KROME ($25.00)
Cover (Hellbomber): ANT LUCIA ($7.99)
Cover (Naughty): SABINE RICH ($40.00)
Mature • $7.99
In Extinction Express, the Hellbourne Elders dispatch Atrocitas, an insane angel/demon hybrid assassin to destroy Lady Death for once and for all. But their epic confrontation proves tragic for a beloved character and sets in motion events that will change Lady Death's undead life forever! Is this the road to extinction? Featuring the diabolical return of Hellwitch and the first appearance of CHAOTICA, a major new character in the Lady Death Universe.
$40 for a variant cover? They're not even disguising the greed.
LORD OF GORE #1
Publisher: DEVILS DUE /1FIRST COMICS, LLC
Writer: D.B. STANLEY
Art/Cover: DANIEL LEISTER
Decades ago scandal propelled the Lord of Gore B-movie franchise to mainstream success. In 1989 the film's costumed slasher actor murdered a young actress in ways worse than his on-screen character, creating a media frenzy. Now on the cusp of a modern reboot, a struggling screenwriter learns that the deranged star wasn't the only guilty party that night, but before he can share the information, the film's slasher seems to have stepped from the screen into real life to stop him.
NINJAK #20
Publisher: VALIANT COMICS
Written by MATT KINDT
Art by KHARI EVANS and ANDRES GUINALDO
Cover A by MIKE CHOI
Cover B by RYAN BODENHEIM
Cover C by MARC LAMING
Variant Cover by MICHEL FIFFE
$3.99 | 40 pgs. | T+
“THE FIST & THE STEEL”…strangled by Silk!
His body consumed by a preternatural cancer in the present, Colin King’s mind has grasped a prophetic vision of the future – one that just might hold the key to a cure! But years from today, that quest will bring him face-to-face yet again with one of the world’s most perverse criminal and scientific minds: the devious Dr. Silk! Hoping to exploit the mysteries of the Deadside in his quest for immortal life, Silk has left rot and ruin in his polluted wake – until the newly allied team of Ninjak and the Eternal Warrior come crashing down on his plot to conquer not just the future…but all of eternity itself!
Walk the dark path toward tomorrow with New York Times best-selling writer Matt Kindt (4001 A.D.) and explosive artists Khari Evans (ARCHER & ARMSTRONG) and Andres Guinaldo (Justice League Dark) as “THE FIST & THE STEEL” continues!
PATHFINDER: WORLDSCAPE #1 (OF 6)
Writer: ERIK MONA
Art: JONATHAN LAU
Cover A: REILLY BROWN
Cover B: BEN CALDWELL
Cover C Subscription: SEAN IZAAKSE
32 Pages Teen + $4.99
Into the Worldscape -- Dynamite's fantasy adventure crossover event kicks off as the Pathfinders are drawn into the mysterious Worldscape, where the greatest warriors of Hyboria, Barsoom, Golarion and Earth clash in an ancient battle of life and death! Magic, monsters and mystery co-starring Red Sonja! The Worldscape beckons in a tale written by Pathfinder publisher Erik Mona (Pathfinder: Hollow Mountain) with art from Jonathan Lau (Red Sonja and Cub). Contains a Pathfinder RPG rules appendix and a bonus pull-out poster map!
I thought Pathfinder was some sort of D&D book. How is that Red Sonja, John Carter and a Thark are here? And what's a "Glorion"?
PINK PANTHER TRICK OR PINK #1
Publishers: AMERICAN MYTHOLOGY PRODUCTIONS
Writers: S.A. CHECK, MARK ARNOLD, ADRIAN ROPP
Art: ADRIAN ROPP, S. L. GALLANT
Art/Cover: BILL GALVAN
$3.99
Halloween is here and the Pink Panther is treating us all to a special new comic filled with spooky seasonal tales! These are no ordinary scary stories...these are campfire "tails" from the cool cat himself and all of his Pink pals are joining in on the fun. Get your costume and treat bag ready for the pinkest Halloween ever and be sure to say the magic words, "trick or pink!"
SOUTHERN NIGHTGOWN #1
Publisher: ROTHIC
Writer: J.P. ROTH
Art: MIKE KROME
Art/Cover: DAWN MCTEIGUE
$3.99
Southern Nightgown takes you back to the beginning and tells of the Legend of Alyeria. The 12 realms of the Elvonds, the god of time, doors through dimensions, dynasties and goddesses, hidden enchantments stitched into gowns and hidden deep in the earth, are all just part of this amazing world of mythology and mysticism. Under the blushed light of a blood-red moon the sisters called to the remaining powers of the Elvonds and beseeched a creature with incomparable strength to be the guardian of their artifact. He heard their call and acquiesced until a time when they would awake in human flesh and come to claim their treasure.
A YEAR OF MARVELS UNBEATABLE #1
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
Writers: CHAD BOWERS, CHRIS SIMS, NILAH MAGRUDER
Art: BRIAN LEVEL & SIYA OUM
Cover by JAMAL CAMPBELL
40 PGS. • Rated T+ • $4.99
It’s August, and Nick Fury is just in time to attend Japan’s Bon Festival … but he’s not here to celebrate. Not when an illegal weapons auction is about to begin! From Chad Bowers & Chris Sims (X-MEN ’92) and Brian Level!
And in September, TIPPY-TOE is flying SOLO (until Squirrel Girl is done studying)! But when a villain threatens Central Park, she’s gotta call in the big guns. Enormous guns, relatively speaking (because Tippy and ROCKET RACCOON are small)! It’s the team-up — written by Nilah Magruder (M.F.K.) — you would have demanded if you knew your worth! You’re wonderful, and you deserve beautiful things!
MORE BOOKS OF INTEREST
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #20
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
Writers: DAN SLOTT & CHRISTOS GAGE
Art: GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI
Cover by ALEX ROSS
Variant by TBA
32 PGS. • Rated T • $3 .99
“CLONE CONSPIRACY” TIE-IN!
Death is no more, and DOCTOR OCTOPUS HAS RETURNED!!!
How is he back? And what does he have to do with The Jackal?
Well, Doc Ock clearly knows more about Spider-Man -- and how to make his life hell -- than the Green Goblin ever dreamed of. Maybe he's reclaimed his title as Spidey's arch-foe!
AQUAMAN: A CELEBRATION OF 75 YEARS (HC)
Publisher: DC COMICS
Written by JACK MILLER, STEVE SKEATES, GEOFF JOHNS and others
Art by PAUL NORRIS, NICK CARDY, JIM APARO, RAMONA FRADON, IVAN REIS and others
Cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
400 pg • FC • $39.99 U.S.
Celebrate more than seven decades of the ruler of the seas, king of Atlantis and Justice League team member: Aquaman!
Since his debut in 1941, Aquaman has defeated villains and saved the world on land and in the ocean, and this anthology collects his brightest and darkest moments in the definitive look at his history as a DC Comics Super Hero. Whether it’s Orin or Arthur Curry, Aquaman is a beloved and timeless hero, and we’re pleased to present this collection in honor of his 75th Anniversary.
Oh, c'mon, you know you want it.
ARCHIE #13
Publisher: ARCHIE COMICS
Script: MARK WAID
Art: VERONICA FISH, ANDRE SZYMANOWICZ, JEN VAUGHN, JACK MORELLI
Cover A: VERONICA FISH
Cover B: AUDREY MOK
Cover C: CAMERON STEWART
32-page, full color comic $3.99 U.S.
Veronica’s out … and Cheryl Blossom is in! Veronica has to adjust to her new settings at Pembrooke Academy, a private school. That shouldn’t be a problem for the rich, affable teen, except for one thing: Pembrooke’s reigning queen, Cheryl, isn’t looking to make any friends. Can Veronica establish her place at the haughty high school? And just how is Archie going to adjust back home in Riverdale? Find out in this can’t-miss issue!
And Cheryl Blossom too? Waid is re-creating the whole Archieverse!
ASTRO CITY #40
Written by KURT BUSIEK
Art by CARMEN CARNERO
Cover by ALEX ROSS
32 pg • FC • $3.99 U.S. • RATED T
Life on Shadow Hill gets a bit more complicated when Marta has to handle a contract matter between the Silver Adept and an extradimensional demigod! On the other hand, she gets to watch baseball with ghosts. Also featuring the Hanged Man.
Astro City alert!
Replies
DARK KNIGHT III MASTER RACE #6 (OF 8)
Written by FRANK MILLER and BRIAN AZZARELLO
Art by ANDY KUBERT and KLAUS JANSON
Minicomic art by TBD
Cover by ANDY KUBERT
1:10 Robin variant cover by GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI
1:25 variant cover by KLAUS JANSON
1:50 variant cover by GREG TOCCHINI
1:100 variant cover by FRANK MILLER
1:500 variant cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
32-page comic • 6.375” x 10.1875” • 16-page minicomic – 5.5” x 8.5” • FC • 6 of 8 • $5.99 U.S.
Is Gotham City ready for a new Batgirl?!
GIRL POWER: AMANDA CONNER GALLERY EDITION (HC)
Written by JUSTIN GRAY, JIMMY PALMIOTTI, DARWYN COOKE and AMANDA CONNER
Art and cover by AMANDA CONNER
248 pg • FC • 12” x 17” • $125.00 U.S.
Amanda Conner’s amazing artwork showcasing some of DC’s most iconic female characters is collected together for the first time in the large, deluxe-format GIRL POWER: AMANDA CONNER GALLERY EDITION. Sourced from the original art, this collection reflects the incredible diversity and power of Conner’s style. Contained between the oversized covers of this Smythe-sewn edition are high-resolution scans of Amanda’s art boards for POWER GIRL #1, 7, 8 and 9, DC’S WEDNESDAY COMICS Supergirl feature and the complete BEFORE WATCHMAN: SILK SPECTRE saga, as well as an assortment of cover art from these series.
Graphitti Designs’ Gallery Editions strive to replicate the look, feel and attitude of the artwork. Every page is reproduced at original size on heavy paper stock to provide the fan and collector with museum-quality reproductions that are unobtainable from any other source.
See for yourself why Conner’s fan-favorite work continues to grow in popularity with this larger-than-life presentation!
Conner's work has always been one of my favorites: Sexy, exuberant, fun.
JINGLE BELLE: THE WHOLE PACKAGE
Art: JOSE GARIBALDI, J. BONE, STEPHEN DESTEFANO, STEPHANIE GLADDEN
Cover: STEPHANIE BUSCEMA
TPB • FC • $29.99 • 340 pages
Christmas comes early with IDW’s release of Paul Dini’s Jingle Belle: The Whole Package! From the writer that brought you Harley Quinn comes another madcap creation, a saucy sprite bearing a sleigh-load of mirthful mischief!
This super-sized 340-page omnibus features a new cover by Stephanie Buscema and reprints all of Jingle’s funniest adventures written by animation legend Paul Dini (Batman: The Animated Series, Duck Dodgers, JLA) and also includes stories and artwork by a galaxy of comics superstars including Stephen DeStefano, Stephanie Gladden, Jose Garibaldi, Kyle Baker, J. Bone, Bill Morrison, Mark Evanier, Sergio Aragones, Jeff Smith and many others!
Jingle Belle is Paul Dini's first creator-owned work, after his successful run alongside Bruce Timm on the BATMAN/SUPERMAN ADVENTURES animated series for television.
I always liked the idea of this character better than its execution. I wanted it to be more Archie and less, uh, sexy. I mean, it's Santa Claus and all.
METABARON BOOK 1: TECHNO ADMIRAL ANTI BARON (HC)
Writers: ALEJANDRO JODOROWSKY, JERRY FRISSEN
Art/Cover: VALENTIN SECHER
Mature • $29.95
The Metabaron once single-handedly brought the Techno-Techno Empire to its knees. But in the chaos that followed, a new regime within the Techno-Techno civilization has rebuilt by seizing control of the galaxy's most precious fuel, the Epiphyte. When this tyrannical new force learns that the Metabaron is back and headed toward Marmola, the only known source of Epiphyte, the Empire dispatches its most trusted servant: the notoriously invulnerable and cruel Wilhem-100, the Techno-Admiral. Can the Metabaron save the universe once more, or has he finally met his match?
NIGHT TRAP (TPB)
Writer: CULLEN BUNN
Art: J.B. BASTOS
Cover: PHIL NOTO
$12.99
When a group of college kids rent a lake house for the weekend, they're hoping for some relaxation and fun. Instead, they find an inescapable death trap! From one of the most critically acclaimed horror writers in comics comes a chilling tribute to the genre's most memorable slasher classics!
This sounded dopey until I saw Cullen Bunn's name in the credits. Now I'm curious.
OBLIVION (TPB)
Writer: TIM SEELEY
Art/Cover: ROMINA MORANELLI
$11.99
A sequel to the acclaimed Full Moon space western that introduced the world to "cowboys and aliens!" The backwater planet Oblivion has fallen on hard times, but everything's about to get harder for Marshall Zack Stone with the arrival of Lyz Azorr, the daughter of notorious outlaw, RED EYE!
REALM OF THE DAMNED (GN)
Writer: ALEC WORLEY
Art/Cover: SIMON PARR
Mature • $19.99
There's no one left to protect us from what lurks in the dark. The monsters have won. Our world now belongs to them. The Vatican's last line of paranormal defence -- The Congregation -- has finally been overrun by the supernatural forces of darkness. Our heroes are all dead; only the damned remain. Among them is Alberic Van Helsing -- addict, murderer, survivor -- and the creatures that were once his prey now hunt him across America. But when an apocalyptic evil is resurrected in the forests of Norway, it falls to Van Helsing to become the hunter once again if mankind and monster alike are to see the dawn.
I would think that being a junkie would mean you're already in the "realm of the damned." I guess there's always a layer lower than where you are.
SHIRLEY JACKSON'S THE LOTTERY (GN)
Writers: SHIRLEY JACKSON, MILES HYMAN
Art/Cover: MILES HYMAN
TPB, $16.00 • HC, $30.00
Shirley Jackson's The Lottery continues to thrill and unsettle readers nearly seven decades after it was first published. By turns puzzling and harrowing, it raises troubling questions about conformity, tradition, and the specter of ritualized violence that haunts even the most bucolic, peaceful village. This graphic adaptation, published in time for Jackson's centennial, allows readers to experience "The Lottery" as never before, or discover it anew. The visual artist -- and Jackson's grandson -- Miles Hyman has crafted an eerie vision of the hamlet where the tale unfolds, its inhabitants, and the unforgettable ritual they set into motion. His four-color, meticulously detailed panels create a noirish atmosphere that adds a new dimension of dread to the original tale. Available in Softcover and Hardcover editions.
Am I supposed to be familiar with this? Sounds like it. Anybody have any background?
SUCH A LOVELY LITTLE WAR SAIGON 1961-63 (GN)
Writers: MARCELINO TRUONG, DAVID HOMEL
Art/Cover: MARCELINO TRUONG
$26.95
This graphic memoir tells the story of the early years of the Vietnam war as seen through the eyes of a young boy named Marco, the son of a Vietnamese diplomat and his French wife. The boy's father works for the South Vietnam embassy in the United States, then the family is called back to Saigon in 1961, where the father becomes Prime Minister Ngo Dinh Diem's personal interpreter; as the growing conflict between North and South intensifies, so does turmoil within Marco's family, as his mother struggles to grapple with bipolar disorder. Visually powerful and emotionally potent, Such a Lovely Little War is both a large-scale and intimate study of the Vietnam war as seen through the eyes of the Vietnamese: a turbulent national history interwined with an equally traumatic familial one.
I usually like historical GNs, especially those in wars I'm familiar with, but any story set in the Vietnam War makes my stomach hurt.
TOKYO UNDEAD (GN)
Writer/Art/Cover: TSUKASA SAIMURA
$18.99
Tokyo Undead is a story of zombie survival taking place in one of the most densely populated cities in the world -- Tokyo, Japan! This omnibus edition tells the complete story of an organization putting its last hopes on one man to find the antidote they need to save the world. After a man-made pathogen known as the K virus is accidentally released from Fieldwar Labs in the heart of Tokyo, the city is overrun by flesh-eating zombies. In the hopes of saving the last remaining survivors of this apocalypse, an organization known as Madara sends out its rookie member in a last-ditch effort to find a cure. Young Itachi must survive the zombie-ravaged streets of Tokyo while searching for the missing key that's integral to Japan's survival!
Yeah, any major city would be a terrible place to be in a zombie apocalypse. The more I think about it, the more I think Rick Grimes and the Walking Dead cast were really lucky to be in the rural South during the outbreak. It's a place that has more guns than people.
SHIRLEY JACKSON'S THE LOTTERY (GN)
Am I supposed to be familiar with this? Sounds like it. Anybody have any background?
I personally haven't heard of it before, but I found this:
http://mentalfloss.com/article/57503/11-facts-about-shirley-jackson...
Pathfinder is technically a set of RPG of rules, created by Paizo to fulfill the demand that Wizards of the Coast created when it launched a Fourth Edition of D&D that was too big of a departure from D&D 3.5.
Weird to see the idea of Flag Smasher as the leader of a terrorist group of all things survive into 2016.
You've never read "The Lottery"? Skipper, I am genuinely astonished. You should sue your high school! I'm just mind-boggled.
Read it now!
I give my junior high and high school credit for making sure I read a lot of stuff that I needed to read to be a literate adult in 20th century Western civilization. (Although making me read The Great Gatsby twice seemed excessive. Then college tried to do it two more times.) But there's a limit, and I guess "The Lottery" wasn't high on the list. Perhaps that's one of the things I should have discovered on my own, like the Nerd Canon (ERB, Heinlein, Bradbury, Asimov, E.E. "Doc" Smith, Poe, Sherlock Holmes, etc.) and Norse mythology.
I credit Stan Lee with familiarizing me with useful quotes from Shakespeare and the Bible, and making me curious enough about their provenance to look 'em up.
The Baron said:
I, on the other hand, have never read any Doc Smith. I've never even seen any anywhere.
You're not missing much. The Lensmen series was doubtless really imaginative and ambitious for its time, but it didn't age well.