This week's Comics Guide features a special treat, Legionnaires: Our own Baron has stopped by the Cave to offer his comments on some of this week's manga! Not only are we guaranteed wise and witty words from the Table's resident Japanophile, but it's far more efficient than usual, where the Captain makes idiotic assertions about manga, and then The Baron has to correct them! The Baron's comments will be in dark orange, whereas the Captain's, as usual, will be in dark blue.
Also this week, the Captain separated all of Diamond's offerings into publisher (in alphabetical order, natch), instead of just the Big Five followed by "Other Publishers." Let the ol' Captain know if that's better or worse; we're always striving for improvement in the Comics Cave. (Which, I admit, is a pretty low bar.)
Meanwhile, here's our weekly infusion of solicits, press releases, previews and covers. Onward!
Comics Guide for Oct. 30, 2013
ACTION LAB ENTERTAINMENT
FINAL PLAGUE #3
(W) J. D. Arnold (A/CA) Tony Guaraldi-Brown
$2.99
Iowa, New Jersey, and now the world! The scope of The Final Plague begins to take shape, and no one, nowhere, is safe. Will Robert Michaels be the first to survive a bite from the infected? Can Drs. Stohr and Friedman find a cure before it's too late? Is this really humanity's final hours? The critically-acclaimed series continues!
In most zombie tales, the threat is from the ravenous hordes of brain-eating walking dead; but what if the threat came from reanimated members of the animal kingdom, not from other people? This is the question ACTION LAB DANGER ZONE’S THE FINAL PLAGUE asks, as a small rural family in Iowa, and people across the country, are attacked by increasingly feral and bloodthirsty animals and forced to fight for their lives.
J.D. ARNOLD and TONY GUARALDI-BROWN’S THE FINAL PLAGUE, the first and original animal zombie comic, combines the raw terror and suspense of THE WALKING DEAD with classic horror films featuring killer animals like RABID or CUJO by combining the two in a new and original premise that predates its imitators. Beyond the blood and gore of most other zombie books THE FINAL PLAGUE concentrates more on psychological scares and chilling suspense, and readers who enjoy books and films like THE STAND or THE ROAD will find a lot to like here.
THE FINAL PLAGUE kicks into high gear with issue number 3 as the infection affecting the animal kingdom spreads and the humans are increasingly under threat not only from the undead fauna but from each other. In the words of artist TONY GUARALDI-BROWN, ”In the first five issues, the reader will start to see the broad scope of this plague and how the animals destroy the order of the food chain as well as how humans deal with the fact that life as they know it will never be the same.”
The Final Plague has begun, as a mutated rabies virus spreads across the planet, infecting, killing, and reanimating animals, both great and small. Can mankind survive? And what will happen when the first humans are infected? Will they fall, only to rise again? Are these really humanity’s final hours?!?
CAPTAIN'S COMMENTS: Action Lab started about three years ago, with Princeless its first big hit. It's expanding rapidly, especially digitally, as this press release indicates.
I have yet to see a single issue of any of their books, but I thought that info was interesting enough to pass on. Also, is it me, or do they seem awfully concerned about "imitators"? They're doing a a variation of The Walking Dead and 100 other books, and they're concerned about copycats? Sheesh!
SKYWARD #1 2ND PTG
Publisher: ACTION LAB ENTERTAINMENT
(W/A/CA) Jeremy Dale
From Action Lab Entertainment. Second printing of the sold-out hit new series with a new cover by Jeremy Dale! Your second chance to enjoy the fantastic storybook adventure from the beginning! The creator-owned series from Jeremy Dale follows the thrilling tale of Quinn, left orphaned by an invasion of his homeland. He and other lost villagers run headfirst into a conflict and world that is much bigger and fantastic than they could possibly imagine.
$2.99
The first issue of Skyward, the breakaway sold-out hit from Action Lab Entertainment, returnS to stores with a second printing.
“All of us were blown away with the immediate success of Skyward,” says Action Lab President Kevin Freeman. “The book got some fantastic early press and flew off the shelves as a result. We know there are a number of readers who are anxious to get their hands on this book, and our re-release of the title gives them that chance.”
Skyward was recently announced as the first ongoing series for Action Lab, which has published limited series, one-shots, and original graphic novels to date.
CC: As you you can see, Action Lab isn't shy about press releases! (This was one, as is the Final Plague description above and the Zombie Tramp preview below). I can't vouch for the quality of their comics yet, but they have excellent PR!
SKYWARD #4
Publisher: ACTION LAB ENTERTAINMENT
(W/A/CA) Jeremy Dale
Captured by the Rabites! But are they friend or foe? Also: Skerrigan hunts young Quinn - but not if Garrick has anything to do about it! From creator Jeremy Dale (GI Joe, NFL Rush Zone, Marvel's KAPOW!), find out why Talking Comics says "Action Lab has a hit on its hands with Skyward!" Alternate cover by Mike Norton!
$2.99
ZOMBIE TRAMP VOL. 2 #1
Publisher: ACTION LAB ENTERTAINMENT
(W/A/CA) Dan Mendoza
We're back for volume two, and picking up right where we left off, where does Janey, our former Hollywood call girl turned undead heroine, go from here? What fetish fashion will she wear?? And more importantly, why is it called the Taint Train of Terror? All aboard to find out!
$2.99
CC: A corpse is a corpse, of course of course, unless it's the corpse of a beautiful Hollywood hooker.
No, wait, it's still a corpse. And since most of us aren't into necrophilia, this is probably a very bad idea.
AMIGO COMICS
ARCANE SECRETS #2
(W/A/CA) Angel A Svoboda
Join the fun and adventure fighting the Xulu mythos! Doctor Ment, Harry and Elvis the Airpuff must free the world of the Curse of the Mottled Tentacle, but they can't do it alone! They'll travel from the Florida swamps to the Himalayas to get some help from Selma the Witch and her servant, Otis the Zombie!
$3.99
CC: Amigo Comics is a Spanish publisher specializing in creator-owned comics. It publishes exclusively in the United States, however, presumably because -- as Willie Sutton famously said -- "that's where the money is."
That aside, I have never seen this particular comic, so I have no comment.
ANTARCTIC PRESS
GOLD DIGGER #205
(W/A/CA) Fred Perry
Ayane is invited to join Gina's class on a field trip to one of Gina's earliest expedition sites, the Tomb of Tyranthraxus in the Iranian wilderness. When the class reach the "Historian", a device that reveals elements of the distant past, they're confronted by dangerous ancient guardians who ignore everyone except Ayane! There's mystery, action, and revealed clues to Ayane's hidden past and true identity!
$3.99
WILDWORK #1
Publisher: ANTARCTIC PRESS
(W) Eric Red (A/CA) Ben Dunn
In 1888, Professor Abraham Van Helsing pursues Count Dracula into the American West. Wooden stakes and spurs, silver bullets and six-guns, side by side. Bullets fly, there's Hell on Earth around every hitching post, and enough blood is spilled to turn the western desert into a crimson sea. It's going to be one Hellsing of a ride!
This epic vampire action horror western is created and written by film director/screenwriter Eric Red (The Hitcher, Near Dark, Body Parts, 100 Feet) and drawn by the Godfather of American Manga, Ben Dunn (Ninjia High School, Warrior Nun Areala), with covers by John Gallagher (Once Upon a Time, Falling Skies, Eureka, Apollo 18). So saddle up, oil your six-shooter and sharpen your stakes...there's WILD WORK to be done!
$3.99
CC: DC's Weird Western in the 1970s was my introduction to the idea of supernatural Western comics, and in the purity of my youth I thought it a dumb idea. Now in my dotage, however, I kinda like it. (I've read enough Western comics now to find them boring without the occasional vampire or werewolf.) If I hear good things, I might pick this up in trade.
ARCHIE COMICS
ARCHIE #649
Archie in “Magic Mayhem” – Archie tells the tale of his pal Jughead in this magical story! Things are getting very strange in the halls of Riverdale High School—or should we call it, Riverdale: The School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? With the UGAJ (United Girls Against Jughead) back in action, can Archie’s crowned compadre manage to avoid having to take a date to the Fall Gala? When the usual suspects up their antics with some supernatural help, it’s going to take some wizardry to make it out alive!
Script: Tom DeFalco
Art: Bill Galvan, Rich Koslowski, Jack Morelli, Digikore Studios
Cover: Bill Galvan, Bob Smith, Rosario ‘Tito’ Peña
Nighthawks Variant Cover: Jeff Shultz, Rosario ‘Tito’ Peña
32-page, full color comic, $2.99
CC: I love the parody of Edward Hopper's "Nighthawks" painting, complete with Hot Dog!
ARCHIE COMICS SPECTACULAR ITS A DATE TP
Script: Various
Art: Various
Cover: Fernando Ruiz, Rich Koslowski, Rosario ‘Tito’ Peña
$5.99/$6.99 CAN
4 7/8 x 6 9/16”
Trade Paperback
128pp, Full Color
CC: I'm guessing this a collection of stories about dates. Should we be disturbed that Jughead's date is a hamburger?
THE FOX #1
NEW RED CIRCLE SERIES!
From the world of the New Crusaders, comes the FANTASTIC debut of the high-flying FOX! Emmy Award winning writer/artist Dean Haspiel (Billy Dogma, HBO's Bored to Death) and Eisner Award winning writer Mark Waid (Daredevil, Thrillbent) bring the legendary, pulp-style hero The Fox to life in “Freak Magnet, Part One: The True Face of MyFace”!
When photojournalist Paul Patton, Jr. donned a super hero costume, he thought it would be a quick way to make some news—now the strange and unusual just can't help but be drawn to the freak-magnetism of the fabulous fighting FOX! While working on a puff-piece at the Red Circle Gazette, an evil truth about social media mogul Lucy Fur is discovered, bringing Paul face-to-face with a criminal kingpin! Get in on the ground floor with the hottest new fall series featuring art and story from the biggest names in comics today! Including variant cover art from Darwyn Cooke and Fiona Staples! Get freaky!
Plot/Script: Dean Haspiel, Mark Waid
Art: Dean Haspiel, Allen Passalaqua, John Workman
Cover: Dean Haspiel
FREAK MAGNET Variant: Dean Haspiel
Running with the Foxes Variant Cover: Darwyn Cooke
High-Flying Variant Cover: Fiona Staples
32-page, full color comic, $2.99 US.
Let us know what you think of the trailer and which #1 collectors cover you’re planning on buying on our social media: ‘Like’ the Red Circle Comics Facebook page and follow @RedCircleComics on Twitter.
CC: Judging by the cascade of press releases, previews and videos Archie sent me, the publisher is very excited about this book.
And it should be! I've never been a big fan of Dean Haspiel's work, but mainly because it always seemed so self-involved. (Dean Haspiel's favorite subject seems to be Dean Haspiel.) The style itself is OK -- cartoony, a little awkward, but clear. And I have a soft spot for the Red Circle characters, because their track record of failure makes them seem like scrappy underdogs to me, and I have a soft spot for underdogs. But what puts this over the top for me are two magic words: "Mark Waid." With an impressive career already behind him, Waid seems to have upped his game to a whole 'nother level lately, where he's doing his best work ever -- in fact, some of the best work anywhere. (See: Daredevil, Indestructible Hulk).
This one's a must for me, although I'll wait (impatiently) for the trade.
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #254
"Countdown to Chaos" Part Two: The long-awaited debut of the NEW Freedom Fighters CONTINUES! The mysteries deepen as Sonic and Tails find their long lost pal Antoine! But what is the state of our formerly fallen fellow freedom fighter? What has Uncle Chuck's research uncovered about the nature of the dark power they’ve found seeping from the earth? And an unlikely return of a character you won’t expect alongside Uncle Chuck! PLUS—Eggman versus G.U.N.! The prize: Eggman’s life! The action rolls on, featuring new cover art from Sonic art superstar Ben Bates, which connects with the other “Countdown to Chaos” covers to form one giant image of awesomeness!
SCRIPT: Ian Flynn
ART: Tracy Yardley, Lamar Wells, Terry Austin, John Workman, and Matt Herms.
Cover: Ben Bates
SEGA Variant Cover, with Vincent Lovallo
32-page, full color comic, $2.99 US.
THE BARON'S COMMENTS: It boggles my mind that this title has reached so high a number. I've never even seen an issue of it!
ASPEN MLT INC
ALL NEW FATHOM #3 ASPEN
(W) David Wohl (A) Alex Konat (CA) Eric Basaldua
A new direction in the FATHOM Universe begins!
Aspen Matthews attempts to return to a normal life with her fellow humans after turning down the Blue's pleas for help. However, the ice queen Vana and her deadly minions step up their machinations with a devastating attack on the surface world. Yet, the biggest surprise may be the return of one of Fathom's most instrumental characters--and someone that shares a painful past with Aspen!
Writer David Wohl, artist Alex Konat and colorist Beth Sotelo team up once again to bring you the latest adventures of Michael Turner's most beloved creation!
$3.99
CC: Shouldn't Fathom have ended with its creator's death? It seems wrong to me that it's continuing. Maybe that's what Michael Turner would have wanted though, so what do I know?
SOULFIRE VOL 4 #8
Publisher: ASPEN MLT INC
(W) J. T. Krul (A/CA) Mike Debalfo
Michael Turner's epic fantasy adventure ends here!
Grace sacrificed her life saving Malikai from the darkness, and now he is determined to return the favor. But if he's going to have any chance of bringing Grace back from beyond the grave, he'll have to venture into the unknown and confront the very essence of Chaos! Don't miss the stunning climax to the latest chapter of the SOULFIRE saga!
$3.99
AVATAR PRESS INC.
CROSSED BADLANDS #40
(W) David Hine (A/CA) German Erramouspe
Horror master DAVID HINE returns to Crossed: Badlands to tell a story set on day one of the outbreak - in Japan! Three college students abroad in Japan are visiting a sacred temple for very different reasons. But they soon find that on C-Day, enlightenment only comes in the form of homicidal misery from the fast spreading disease. And an introverted female manga artist discovers that the nightmares she draws on paper are nothing compared to the vile misery of the Crossed. There is no hope. There is no help. There is only the Crossed. Available with a Regular, Torture, Wraparound, and special Red Crossed Incentive covers by Erramouspe.
$3.99
CC: OK, the cover at bottom left is reallllly creepy. Are the insides as good? Anybody know?
FERALS #17
Publisher: AVATAR PRESS INC
(W) David Lapham (A/CA) Gabriel Andrade
Writer: David Lapham
DAVID LAPHAM unleashes the full threat of the Ferals in this unbelievable issue. The wicked Dr. Cherry thought he was in control of everything. But no man can control a she-wolf, and now eight hundred soldiers have been infected with the blood virus. The war of the Ferals is coming and no one can stop it. But thrust into the center of the conflict, Dale Chesnutt turns the very Feral bloodline against the Fathers and desperately tries to halt the inevitable conflict. Don't miss out on the violent drama unfolding in the pages of Ferals! Available with a Regular, Wraparound, Gore, and special Slashed Incentive cover by series artist Gabriel Andrade.
$3.99
CC: I loved David Lapham's Stray Bullets, so ... well, "loved" isn't the word. "Confused" would be more accurate, but it was a pleasant confusion and I think I was entertained. So I might like this. Is anyone else reading it?
LEGEND OF OZ: THE WICKED WEST ONGOING #12
Publisher: BIG DOG INK
(W) Tom Hutchison (A) Alisson Borges (CA) Alisson Borges, Nei Ruffino
Part One of look back at the history of the Flying Monkeys of Oz, and how they came to be controlled by the Wicked Witch of the West, past and present!
$3.50
KNIGHTINGAIL: SHADOW DIVISIONS #4
(W) Wayne Gardiner (A) Mell Joy San (CA) Mell Joy San, Val Hochberg
Having barely survived her battle with the Shadow Raven Warrior, Knightingail seeks aid from her fellow Centurions to help her track down this mysterious creature. But are her friends willing to help, or have they gotten used to their tribal life? And what new creatures threaten her life now that she is all alone? Does she have any true friends left to help her?
REX ZOMBIE KILLER #1
(W) Rob Anderson (A/CA) Dafu Yu
This Halloween, three dogs, a cat, and a gorilla with a baseball bat continue their battle against the walking dead in the new four-issue miniseries REX, ZOMBIE KILLER from publisher Big Dog Ink.
And if the zombies weren't bad enough, Rex and his pack are now also being pursued by an aggressive group of primates from a zoo!
"It's going to be dogs versus apes versus zombies in the first issue...and then things are going to get REALLY crazy from there," said writer Rob Anderson.
REX, ZOMBIE KILLER tells the story of a hyper-intelligent Golden Retriever named Rex, a sign language-speaking gorilla, and a small pack of animals making a perilous cross-country journey to find safety ... and a home.
Rex is trying to reach the doctor who raised him, but the doctor's been relocated to an underground military bunker in Nevada," Anderson said. "So even if they make it across a zombie-infested California, there's not necessarily a cozy fireplace waiting for them."
Issue #1 picks up right from the end of the one-shot from 2012, and will make a great jumping-on point for new readers.
"We're extremely pleased to have REX, ZOMBIE KILLER back on the stands," said Big Dog Ink Publisher Tom Hutchinson. "The double-sized one-shot received acclaim from both horror and comics outlets, and fans have been asking for more, so here it comes!"
REX, ZOMBIE KILLER #1 is written by Rob Anderson (MY LITTLE PONY: SPIKE MICRO, GREAT ZOMBIES IN HISTORY) with interior and cover art by DaFu Yu (GRIMM FAIRY TALES, WONDERLAND ANNUAL), interior colors by Juan Romera, cover colors by Kevin Volo, letters and design by E.T. Dollman, and edited by Paul Allor (TMNT: FUGITOID MICRO, ORC GIRL).
Issue #1 of the bi-monthly four-issue miniseries ships on October 30, 2013, just in time for Halloween! Each issue will be a full-color, 28-page, standard trim comic book, priced at $3.50, and may be pre-ordered at your local comic shop. (Diamond Previews Order Code: AUG131097) It is rated TEEN+ (13 & up) for mature themes and zombie violence.
About Big Dog Ink: Founded in 2009, Big Dog Ink (http://www.BigDogInk.com) is the publisher of comic book properties such as the acclaimed monthly ongoing series, THE LEGEND OF OZ: THE WICKED WEST, along with diverse titles like PENNY FOR YOUR SOUL, CRITTER, URSA MINOR, and the all-ages title SERUSIS.
For more information on REX, ZOMBIE KILLER, visit: http://www.RexZombieKiller.com
CC: If Action Lab is upset by other publishers doing comics about animals turning into zombies, how do they feel about animals fighting zombies? Not that it matters, because I think the Rex one-shot preceded Final Plague. Anyway, Big Dog Ink is pushing this book pretty hard, as evidenced by many press releases (edited together above) and the following interview with Rex artist DaFu Yu. Enjoy!
The comic book REX, ZOMBIE KILLER follows a pack of animals -- including a gorilla with a baseball bat -- as they try to survive the zombie apocalypse. Below, artist DaFu Yu, the co-creator of REX, ZOMBIE KILLER, talks about his art process on the new miniseries from publisher Big Dog Ink, hitting stores in October.
Your art style in REX, ZOMBIE KILLER is very detailed, particularly the backgrounds. How long does it take you to produce a finished page?
DAFU: For REX, I'm both penciling and inking so it usually takes me between two to three days to complete a page. I put in about 12 hours of drawing per day, give or take. To keep things fresh and interesting for me, I work on several consecutive pages at once. I never draw a page from start to finish, I bounce around pages.
Can you talk about your approach to producing the art for REX, ZOMBIE KILLER? Are you working digitally or with old-school pencil and ink?
DAFU: Once I receive the script from writer Rob Anderson, I read it through once to see if I have any questions. Then, as I read through it a second time, I start laying out the panels in stick figures onto the script itself. Next, I take the stick figure layouts and flesh them out into thumbnails for Rob to approve. Although for the REX miniseries I decided to skip the thumbnail stage and do a loose pencil layout onto the actual 11x17 bristol board for Rob. This saves me some precious time.
As far as tools, I use 2H or HB lead pencils and I ink with Sakura micron pens and brush pens to fill in dark areas. So I am old-school when it comes to pencils and inks.
You've changed up your style slightly from the REX, ZOMBIE KILLER ONE-SHOT from last year, especially on the gorillas. How did you approach drawing the animals in the new miniseries? Are you drawing from your head? Or from some sort of reference?
When the REX ONE-SHOT debuted last year, we received favorable reviews but I also received a lot of constructive criticism. One common criticism was my rendering of the gorillas appeared a bit too human-like. Here’s something you might not notice in the book from last year -- Kenji the gorilla was standing and running sometimes like a human. It wasn’t until Rob pointed it out to me that I remembered that gorillas are normally on all fours! That’s why toward the end of the ONE-SHOT they were more gorilla-like, and why they are even more accurate in the new miniseries.
Honestly, it was my first time drawing gorillas and I didn’t understand their anatomical structure or mannerisms last year. So for the REX miniseries I actually did some more research and even bought some to-scale animal figures to help me. The gorillas are now more naturalistic looking in the miniseries.
Who do you consider your artistic influences?
DAFU: Wow, there’s so many, where do I begin? I grew up reading and collecting comics in the late 80s and early 90s, so I was heavily influenced by the Image artists, especially Jim Lee. Then in the mid-90s with the influx of Manga into American comics, I was influenced by Joe Madureira which led me to Masamune Shirow’s GHOST IN THE SHELL. Manga, in general, just helped me add energy into my comics and improved my facial expressions. And there’s so many more, such as David Finch, Art Adams, Frank Cho, Alex Ross...the list just continues to grow.
Who is your favorite character to draw and why?
DAFU: It’s definitely Kenji. What artist wouldn’t want to draw a gorilla with a baseball bat smashing zombies!? Or two big gorillas going to war?
But as I get deeper into the world of REX, ZOMBIE KILLER, I also have become fond of drawing Buttercup the Corgi mix dog. She’s just so bubbly and optimistic in a zombie-infested world. She gives everyone hope when there seems to be none, and she's part of why I'm happy to return to the world of Rex and his pack!
DAFU YU's artwork has appeared in titles such as GRIMM FAIRY TALES, and the WONDERLAND ANNUAL from Zenescope, GREAT ZOMBIES IN HISTORY from McFarland Press, and SHATTERED: THE ASIAN AMERICAN COMICS ANTHOLOGY (SECRET IDENTITIES) collection, available in bookstores from The New Press.
REX, ZOMBIE KILLER #1 is available for pre-order right now at your Local Comic Shop. It's listed in the August Diamond PREVIEWS catalog (Order number AUG131097) under publisher Big Dog Ink.
For more information on REX, ZOMBIE KILLER, visit: http://www.RexZombieKiller.com
BONGO COMICS
SIMPSONS ILLUSTRATED #8
(W/A) Matt Groening (CA) Jason Ho, Mike Rote
Open wide and say "Ha!" Popular with patients and able to dispense medical advice with perfect timing, Springfield's newest doctor will keep you in stitches and deliver big laughs. But Dr. the Clown may soon discover that when matters get stickier than a banana crème pie in the kisser, laughter is the worst medicine. Then, Stretch Dude, Clobber Girl, and Battle Baby find themselves on the wrong side of the law when the local League of Women Voters outlaws superheroes. And watch out Springfield, there's a new detective duo in town when Maggie and Moe join to together to solve a crime. (You heard us right?)
$3.99
BC: I'm a big Simpsons fan, but they've never worked well for me in comics form for some reason.
CC: I understand completely, Baron. I stopped buying the Simpsons line some time ago with the same vague dissatisfaction. I feel the same way about Star Trek; some concepts just don't work as well on the printed page as they do on screen.
BOOM! COMICS
ADVENTURE TIME 2013 SPOOOKTACULAR #1
(W) Bryce Carlson & Various (A) Frazer Irving & Various (CA) Becky Dreistadt
WHY WE LOVE IT: The surreal, post-world of Ooo is already a little bit spooky, which makes it perfect for a collection of funnily scary stories.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE IT: This time of year, everyone loves a good scare! Why not get in the spirit with all of your favorite characters from Cartoon Network's top-series?
WHAT IT'S ABOUT: Reading the ADVENTURE TIME SpOooktacular is like all your friends daring you to trick-at the scariest house on the block, and the guy at the door is wearing an insanely scary mask BUT THEN he just dumps a bucket of candy in your bag. You are the king of the block, you have won the candy jackpot. Reading this collection of ghostly short stories feels like that. Don't miss it.
$49.99
CC: Does Mark waid have anything to do with BOOM! any more? Just curious.
CLIVE BARKER NEXT TESTAMENT #5
(W) Clive Barker, Mark L. Miller (A) Haemi Jang (CA) Goni Montes
Author(s): Clive Barker, Mark Miller
Wick's flock continues to grow, but this brings him no pleasure - what he asks of Julian next may bring his closest disciple to the breaking point. Meanwhile, Tristan & Elspeth meet a pastor who knows plenty about both of them...and Julian.
$3.99
CC: My introduction to Clive Barker's work -- having never read his books or seen the Hellraiser movies -- was his short-lived "Razorline" line of comics for Marvel in the '90s. And almost without exception, I found those books poorly conceived, poorly executed and flat-out boring. I shouldn't blame all that on Barker, but his name was at the top and I'm not interested in pursuing his work further. That may be unfair, but it is nonetheless true.HELLRAISER ANNUAL 2013 #1
(W) Brandon Seifert & Various (A) Jesus Hervas, Janusz Ordon (CA) Menton3
WHY WE LOVE IT: A big part of what makes HELLRAISER a horror classic is its expansive world and deep mythology, and annuals give us an opportunity to dive deeper!
WHY YOU WILL LOVE IT: Brandon Seifert created and writes one of our favorite horror procedurals, WITCH DOCTOR, and truly understands what makes the Cenobites tick.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT: In this extra-special issue, Brandon Seifert and Ben Meares go even deeper into the mysteries of Leviathan and his plans for Harry D'Amour, Kirsty Cotton, and Elliott Spencer.
$4.99
HEROBEAR & THE KID 2013 ANNUAL #1
(W/A/CA) Mike Kunkel
WHY WE LOVE IT: Herobear and the Kid was a selfpublished, allages hit before allages comics were en vogue. It's a beautifully drawn, endearing story that connects both with kids and the kid in all of us who dreamed of having a hero best friend.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE IT: Mike Kunkel's charming art will remind you of classic animation techniques and his stories will inspire and warm your heart. It's a perfect comic to hand to the young dreamer in your life or share with your family.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT: It's Halloween...one of Tyler's favorite times of the year. Everyone loves to dress up, hang out with friends, and of course, the free candy. Tyler tries his best to do what all kids aim to do on Halloween and that's getting all the candy possible. Good thing he has Herobear to help him this year!
$3.99
BROADSWORD COMICS
CC: For those of you who are unfamiliar with Jim Balent, he gained fame -- or infamy -- as the artist on DC's Catwoman in the 1990s. (This was the third Catwoman series, before Ed Brubaker updated the character -- and her wardrobe -- in her fourth series. It is Brubaker's version we see today.) I really disliked Balent's art at the time, which was entirely too boob-centric and otherwise conventional. Not only did he always put Catwoman's ta-tas front and center as often as possible, they kept getting bigger and bigger, and unnaturally rounder and rounder, until it looked like she had two bowling balls Super-Glued to her chest. It wasn't sexy, it was silly-looking. And seriously, seriously pathetic, in an adolescent drooly sort of way.
Evidently I was not alone in my opinion, as others -- especially women -- objected to the obvious objectification. Eventually Balent left Catwoman, and I got the impression at the time that it wasn't voluntary, and I believe I even read an online screed by the man himself somewhere complaining about it. I don't recall the details, though, and can't find anything about the controversy on the Interwebs (after wasting a whole 20 seconds looking), so consider that hearsay.
Anyway, Balent left mainstream comics after Catwoman and started his own company, Broadsword. But, despite the name, Broadsword comics do not emphasize, long, straight phallic objects. Guess what Broadsword comics DO emphasize? Hint: They are associated with women, often found in bras, and travel in pairs.
Virtually all of Balent's comics star women, mostly fighting other women, or teaming up with other women, or guest-starring with other women. And all of them, all of them, have breasts the size of watermelons. Can you say "fixation," boys and girls? I knew that you could.
In addition, these are often free-range mammaries, unclothed often enough that I usually can't run the Broadsword solicitations or press releases on this site. I mean, we have standards here. Not many, mind you! But gigantic, unnaturally spherical, objectified naked breasts are definitely a deal-breaker.
Anyway, here are some family-friendly solicits. Barely.
TAROT SHADES OF MAGICK S&N DELUXE BUNDLE
(W/A/CA) Jim Balent
Make your Halloween more magickal with this four book, signed and numbered print bundle!
You'll receive either an A or B cover (maybe even a photocover!) for each book in the magical four-part story arc, "The Shades of Magick." Featuring Tarot's search for a missing Raven Hex!
The accompanying pencil print is a brand new Jim Balent portrait of Tarot and her favorite pumpkin!
$24.99
TAROT WITCH OF THE BLACK ROSE #82 DLX ED
(W/A/CA) Jim Balent
This deluxe litho plate edition comes bagged and boarded with a copy of Tarot #82 (either cover) and a black and white 6 1/2" x 10" litho of Raven Hex titled "The Witch is Back." This limited collector's litho is penciled by the artist himself, Jim Balent. Signed and limited to a printing of 500 copies.
$19.99
CINEBOOK
LARGO WINCH AND DIE VOL. 6 GN
(W) Jean Van Hamme (A/CA) Phillipe Franq
Two of Largo's employees have been killed in his headquarters in New York. His friend Charity has been kidnapped in the middle of the Piazza San Marco. His only lead is a mysterious message: Beware of the Doge. As the bodies start piling up, Largo, aided by the beautiful Domenica, turns the Serenissima upside down to find the young woman and unravel the truth before it is too late. Balls, duels, boat chases, revenge. Ah, Venice!
$11.95
I'm told Cinebook, a British publisher, specializes in translating French comics into English. I guess that's what these two are.
LUCKY LUKE VOL 38 DOC DOXEYS ELIXIR TP
(W/A/CA) Morris
In the Old West, fake doctors may have to answer to the Lonesome Cowboy. In this early adventure of the famous cowboy, Lucky Luke is dealing with one of the plagues of the Old West: quacks. "Doctor" Doxey is a con man, a charlatan who brews up useless elixirs and sells them as miracle cures for every ailment known to man. But he doesn't stop at that and occasionally causes illnesses himself, the better to cure them, a behavior that does not sit well with Luke.
$11.95
DARK HORSE
$1 FOR #1: BALTIMORE: THE PLAGUE SHIPS
Mike Mignola (W/Cover), Christopher Golden (W), Ben Stenbeck (A) and Dave Stewart (C)
FC, 32 pages, $1.00
One-shot
In time for the third hardcover collection, the very first issue of Baltimore is back in print—for $1! Months after a devastating plague ends World War I, Europe is suddenly flooded with deadly vampires. Lord Henry Baltimore, a soldier determined to wipe out the monsters, is on the hunt for the creature responsible for this chaos—and his own personal tragedy.
• First issue. value priced at $1!
CC: Baltimore is a person (Lord Baltimore), not the city, and this is an alternate history of the world, with World War I the divergent point. That's when all the horrible, exaggerated blood-letting of that war aroused the evil things in the world, making Earth-Baltimore a pretty lousy place to be. Baltimore himself is a sort of one-man clean-up crew, roaming the world and purging infestations of Evil Things. But he isn't terribly heroic; despite seeming to have some sort of divine powers he is motivated by revenge against the vampire that killed his family, and most Baltimore stories are serious downers. There is a pall of hopelessness and drudgery pervading Baltimore's "mission," and innocents who get caught up in it almost invariably come to a bad end. There is no joy, except for the grim kind Baltimore enjoys when he kills something really bad.
Needless to say, I love it. Depression? Despair? Death? Doom? I'm there, baby!
So if you're like me, you might like Baltimore. Sample this issue -- it's only a buck, come on! -- and see.
ASTOUNDING VILLAIN HOUSE ONE-SHOT
WITH GREAT IGNORANCE COMES GREAT CONFIDENCE!
Shannon Wheeler (W/A/Cover)
FC, 32 pages, $3.50
One-shot
From the mind of Best Humor Publication Eisner winner Shannon Wheeler come four hysterical tales of failed bank robberies, bad dates, doomed team-ups, and ruined empires! Introducing a new cast of lovable loser supervillains, Wheeler reveals what evil—and laugh-out-loud pathos—lurks within the walls of the Villain House! Collecting all four hilarious stories from Dark Horse Presents!
• Too Much Coffee Man creator Shannon Wheeler!
• The funniest superhero comic on the stands!
• For fans of Milk and Cheese, The Goon, and Marvel’s Strange Tales!
CC: Evidently, if you like Milk & Cheese, this is for you.
AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER—THE SEARCH PART THREE TP
The fate of Zuko’s mom revealed!
Gene Luen Yang (W), Michael Dante DiMartino (W), Bryan Konietzko (W), Gurihiru (A/Cover)
FC, 80 pages, $10.99
TP, 6” x 9”
Avatar Aang travels to the spirit world to parley with an ancient power, bringing Fire Lord Zuko ever closer to discovering the truth about his mother’s fate—and his own past.
Yet Zuko’s sister Azula is becoming increasingly dangerous, threatening to ruin everything that Zuko, Aang, Katara, and Sokka have struggled to achieve on their search!
• The official continuation of Airbender from its creators, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko!
• Avatar: The Last Airbender—The Promise has sold almost two hundred thousand copies!
BAD HOUSES TP
Sara Ryan (W) and Carla Speed McNeil (A/Cover)
b&w, 152 pages, $19.99
TP, 6” x 9”
Lives intersect in the most unexpected ways when teenagers Anne and Lewis cross paths at an estate sale in sleepy Failin, Oregon. Failin was once a thriving logging community. Now the town’s businesses are crumbling, its citizens bitter and disaffected. Anne and Lewis refuse to succumb to the fate of the older generation as they discover—together—the secrets of their hometown and their own families.
• From award-winning creators Sara Ryan Carla Speed McNeil (Finder)!
CC: I have a category in my head called "Self-Important Slackers Who MistakeTheir First-World Ennui for Genuine Problems comics," and this seems to fall into that category.
But If I were in my twenties I might enjoy it, so if you're younger than me -- and who isn't? -- this might be for you.
BLOOD BROTHERS #3 (of 3)
Mike Gagerman (W), Andrew Waller (W), Evan Shaner (A), Dan Jackson (C), and Juan Doe (Cover)
FC, 32 pages, $3.99
Miniseries
As the vernal equinox approaches, a ritual begins which could give one vampire dominion over an army of immortal warriors. Still butting heads because Nick wants to forsake his immortality for the woman he loves, can our two blood-drinking heroes quit bickering long enough to save the world?
• Covers by Juan Doe (Legion of Monsters, Iron Man Legacy)!
• Interiors by Evan Shaner (Buddy Cops, Eerie, Green Hornet Year One)!
BRIDE OF THE WATER GOD VOLUME 14 TP
Celebrating 25 years of Manga!
Mi-Kyung Yun (W/A) and Haebek Enthroned Symetrically (Cover)
b&w, 164 pages, $9.99
TP, 5 7/8” X 8 1/4”
A bitter goddess tempts Mui to abandon his godhood and spend a short but happy life with Soah as a human! But a goddess’s gift is never without conditions! Mi-Kyung Yun delivers another sumptuous installment of the hit manhwa series, filled with romance and intrigue and steeped in Korean mythology.
• Bestselling series in the US and Korea!
• Each volume includes four pages of lavish color artwork!
“Dark Horse’s production is as visually beautiful as Yun’s art.” –School Library Journal
CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT #4
"It's a kind of hero readers haven't seen in a while." - Comic Book Resources
Joshua Williamson (W), Eduardo Francisco (A), Stefani Rennee (C), and Felipe Massafera (Cover)
FC, 32 pages, $2.99
Ongoing
Playing catch-up on the last eighty years, Captain Midnight heads for Manhattan to get a firsthand look at how far humanity has advanced in his absence. But when our hero hears about a mysterious high-rise heist artist who appears to be using Cap’s antigravity technology, his recon mission turns into an investigation of this strange sky man . . .
• A brand-new artist! Eduardo Francisco (Mass Effect: Homeworlds)!
• Introducing Skyman!
CC: What's the deal with ripping off Captain America's story? Captain Midnight, The Twelve, Airboy & Valkyrie -- the list of WWII heroes who are somehow held in stasis until the present just keeps getting longer. I plan on getting the Captain Midnight reprints, but I'm on the fence about the modern adventures.
THE CHRONICLES OF CONAN VOL. 25: EXODUS AND OTHER STORIES TP
Jim Owsley (W), Val Semeiks (P), John Buscema (P), Geof Isherwood (I), Ernie Chan (I), George Roussos (C), and Andy Kubert (Cover)
FC, 224 pages, $19.99
TP, 7" x 10"
Conan may be the only man with enough power to stem the tide of chaos in Koth after the king’s death but for one small detail—Conan killed the king! But Conan may have a bigger problem than restoring peace. The Devourer of Souls has returned, and he plans to take Conan’s! Collects Marvel’s Conan the Barbarian #190–#199.
• Conan is a fantasy icon, inspiring novels, comics, games, three feature films, and a television series.
CRIMINAL MACABRE: EYES OF FRANKENSTEIN #2
Steve Niles (W), Christopher Mitten (A), Michelle Madsen (C), and Justin Erickson (Cover)
FC, 32 pages, $3.99
Miniseries
At Mo’Lock’s suggestion, Cal visits Jason Hemlock, a flashy, rich entertainer who claims to be the world’s foremost authority on the supernatural. Cal thinks he’s a fake, but Hemlock can help them. He’s a surgeon who can fix the Frankenstein monster’s eyes and possibly solve the exodus of the ghoul population.
• A perfect starting point for new readers!
• Directly picks up from the Criminal Macabre/30 Days of Night crossover!
• Cal has to save the life of Frankenstein’s monster!
“If you like horror stories that don’t just rely on gross-outs and shock value, pick up any of the Dark Horse horror comics. Criminal Macabre is, I think, the most easily accessible and the most immediately rewarding of the pack.”—Comics Bulletin
EC ARCHIVES: TALES FROM THE CRYPT VOL. 4 HC
(W/A/CA) Various
Dark Horse Comics brings you the legendary Tales from the Crypt in all its gory glory! This grisly grimoire has been digitally recolored-using Marie Severin's original colors as a guide-and features stories drawn by all-star comic artists Jack Davis, Joe Orlando, Jack Kamen, Graham Ingels, George Evans, Reed Crandall, Bill Elder, and Bernie Krigstein! Collects Tales from the Crypt issues #35-#40 in full color!
• Foreword by industry legend Russ Cochran!
• Includes all the original ads, text pieces, and letters!
• Look for more additions to the EC line! Two-Fisted Tales, Weird Fantasy, and more!
"Possibly, the greatest line of comics ever produced." -Mike Richardson
CC: HALLELUAH! God bless you, Mike Richardson, for continuing this series, and scratching my completist itch.
EDGAR ALLAN POE'S THE RAVEN & RED DEATH ONE-SHOT
Richard Corben adapts Poe!
Richard Corben (W/A/Cover)
FC, 32 pages, $3.99
One-shot
Unwelcome and bloodthirsty guests are on the move in these two terrifying Poe stories presented by Eisner Hall of Fame inductee Richard Corben.
• Adaptations of “The Raven” and “The Masque of the Red Death” by horror comics legend Richard Corben.
CC: Corben and Poe. You really can't go wrong with that combo.
GANTZ VOL. 29 TP
Celebrating 25 years of manga!
Hiroya Oku (W/A)
b&w, 216 pages, $13.99
TP, 5 1/8” x 7 1/16”
As the alien war machine continues its systematic slaughter of humanity, Gantz teams are assembled for a desperate assault. But will a fight within the heart of the immense alien mothership be the moment that turns the tide of war or a final, futile gesture before mankind’s extinction?
• Gantz has sold over fifteen million copies in Japan!
• Popular anime series and live-action feature.
“Gantz is the nastiest manga in the North American market.” — Ain’t It Cool News
“Bold, shocking, and entertaining.” — About.com
ITTY BITTY HELLBOY #3
AW YEAH!!!! HELLBOY! NOW A FIVE ISSUE SERIES!
Art Baltazar (W/A/Cover) and Franco (W)
FC, 32 pages, $2.99
Miniseries
It had to happen! Because you demanded it! Hellboy and the gang go to the fiery pits of HELL! How did they get there anyway? ALSO, our B.P.R.D. heroes’ search for Sasquatch continues! But what does Rasputin have to do with all this? OOOOH! Is he just trying to scare us? You WILL find out in this exciting issue!!!
• Highly recommended by Franco’s mom.
• AW YEAH!!!! HELLBOY!
CC: Eventually, this will appear in the Hellboy Library editions, and I will read it then. Provided I am still alive.*
* Not as funny as it used to be.
KING CONAN: HOUR OF THE DRAGON #6
Timothy Truman (W), Tomás Giorello (P), José Villarrubia (C), and Gerald Parel (Cover)
FC, 32 pages, $3.50
Ongoing
Conan’s only hope to defeat the vile wizard Xaltotun and reclaim his throne is to find and recover the Heart of Ahriman, but he isn’t the only one seeking this magical jewel! Conniving thieves stay a step ahead—and in dark forests, beings fouler still stand in the barbarian’s way!
• Howard’s only Conan novel—adapted by the creators who know the barbarian best!
• Concluding the first half of the massive Hour of the Dragon adaptation!
Replies
THE LAST OF US: AMERICAN DREAMS TP
Faith Erin Hicks (W/A), Neil Druckmann (W), Rachelle Rosenberg (C), and Julian Totino Tedesco (Cover)
FC, 112 pages, $16.99
TP, 7” x 10”
Nineteen years ago, a parasitic fungal outbreak killed the majority of the world’s population, forcing survivors into a handful of quarantine zones. Thirteen-year-old Ellie has grown up in this violent, postpandemic world, and her disrespect for the military authority running her boarding school earns her new enemies, a new friend in fellow rebel Riley, and her first trip into the outside world.
• The official lead-in to the game from Faith Erin Hicks (The Adventures of Superhero Girl) and Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann!
CC: I'm really beginning to wonder what our fascination is with apocalypses (apocalie? apocalypseaux?). Is everyone just trying to tap into the same market as The Walking Dead, or is there some mental itch in our society that needs to be scratched? I used to think the former, but now I'm thinking the latter. But I'm not sociologist or psychologist enough to explain it.
FC, 32 pages, $3.50
Miniseries
Darth Vader is on the trail of one Jedi—little does he know that even more Jedi are aware of his search and his impending arrival on their planet. The Jedi and their friends are waiting with a trap to end Vader for good. But this is a dark lord of the Sith they will be battling—and nothing is certain!
Darth Vader is on the trail of one Jedi—little does he know that even more Jedi are aware of his search and his impending arrival on their planet. The Jedi and their friends are waiting with a trap to end Vader for good. But this is a dark lord of the Sith they will be battling—and nothing is certain!
A few of the last surviving Jedi plant a trap for Darth Vader!
“This Star Wars series puts me through the wringer like no other, and it never disappoints. May the Dark Times never end!” — SciFi Pulse
FC, 32 pages, $3.99
Miniseries
“To put it as clearly as possible . . . there is something wrong with you and we are going to fix it.”
Better Living Industries works to reeducate Korse and is met with deadly consequences just as the Girl learns lessons from her forgotten past. The big battle is brewing in the sands of the desert as the Killjoys march on Battery City!
• From Gerard Way, creator of The Umbrella Academy!
• One of Wired magazine’s and IGN’s Most Anticipated Comics of 2013!
“Buy into the hype. Killjoys . . . is killin’ it.”— Newsarama
ACTION COMICS ANNUAL #2
Art by KENNETH ROCAFORT, DAN JURGENS and NORM RAPMUND
Cover by KENNETH ROCAFORT
48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T
Part 1 of “KRYPTON RETURNS,” continuing next month! What does this mean to the Universe? Superman, Supergirl and Superboy are enlisted by the Oracle to go back to their homeworld and correct what the villainous H’El has done! This epic adventure spans eons, from Krypton’s savage past of Clones to the very minutes before Kal-El’s ship is sent into space! You only think you know what happened in the last days of Krypton!
CC: Krypton returns ... again? Didn't that just happen for the umpteenth time just before The New 52? And didn't new-guy villain H'el just try to do that in the last Super-crossover? Man, some planets just won't stay dead.
Art by GERALDO BORGES and RUY JOSE
Cover by PAUL PELLETIER and DANNY MIKI
48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T
Aquaman must reunite with The Others to investigate whether or not their recently deceased member Vostok has returned from the dead. If he has, he is definitely not the same Vostok they remember…
CC: I just want to note for the record that this one of the few villains who wears primary colors, and I'd bet money it's because Aquaman is one of the few heroes who wears secondary colors. Color theory at work!
BATGIRL VOL. 2: KNIGHTFALL DESCENDS TP
In these tales from issues #0 and 7-13, Barbara Gordon faces the gentleman killer Grotesque. Plus: The Court of Owls sets its sights on Commissioner Gordon; and a woman sentenced to Arkham Asylum emerges more dangerous than the inmates she was locked up with.
$16.99
CC: I haven't yet read the books in question, weren't Batgirl's "Death of the Family" issues reprinted last month? Since "Death" happened after these issues, trade-waiters will be reading Batgirl out of order. I hope I'm wrong.
After having his face sliced off, The Joker makes his horrifying return to Gotham City in this epic from issues #13-17 that shook Batman to his core! But even for a man who's committed a lifetime of murder, he's more dangerous than ever before. How can Batman protect his city and those he's closest to?
This new hardcover features an acetate dust jacket showcasing the face of The Joker as it appeared on the die-cut covers of the "Death of the Family" comics - and under that dust jacket lies the horror that is The Joker's skinless skull!
$24.99
CC: It's true. Under the acetate dust jacket is, in fact, a skinless Joker face. Which is kinda cool, in an EWWWW sort of way, because I don't believe any of the comics did that, so we trade-waiters get a small bonus. Weirdly, the back cover -- which has the right side of the Joker mask, as it's a wraparound cover -- has Batman underneath. Make of that what you will.
Art and cover by ANDY KUBERT
1:25 Variant cover by TONY S. DANIEL
1:100 B&W Variant cover by ANDY KUBERT
32 pg, FC, 1 of 4, $3.99 US • RATED T
Damian Wayne, the son of Batman, has adopted the cape and cowl as his own…but what horrific events set this troubled hero on the path of his dark destiny? It’s a possible future that may never be in this epic miniseries written and drawn by one of Damian’s co-creators, Andy Kubert!
CC: If Grant Morrison is sorry to see this character continue in some way, he shouldn't have made him so compelling!
Art by VAL SEMEIKS, PHIL JIMENEZ, CULLY HAMNER, MARK BUCKINGHAM, J.H. WILLIAMS III, BRYAN HITCH, KEITH GIFFEN, SEAN PHILLIPS, DAN JURGENS and others
Cover by RYAN SOOK
1,080 pg, FC, $99.99 US
The 1999 event masterminded by Grant Morrison is collected in its entirety in one massive hardcover! In the 853rd century, Earth remains safe thanks to the descendants of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash and others—but they’ve never met anything like the sentient super-computer Solaris. This incredible collection includes DC ONE MILLION #1-4, plus the #1,000,000 issues of ACTION COMICS, ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN, AQUAMAN, AZRAEL, BATMAN, BATMAN: SHADOW OF THE BAT, BOOSTER GOLD, CATWOMAN, CHASE, CHRONOS, THE CREEPER, DETECTIVE COMICS, THE FLASH, GREEN ARROW, GREEN LANTERN, HITMAN, IMPULSE, JLA, LEGION OF SUPER HEROES, LEGIONNAIRES, LOBO, MARTIAN MANHUNTER, NIGHTWING, POWER OF SHAZAM, RESURRECTION MAN, ROBIN, STARMAN, SUPERBOY, SUPERGIRL, SUPERMAN, SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL, SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF TOMORROW, WONDER WOMAN, YOUNG JUSTICE, as well as DC ONE MILLION 80-PAGE GIANT #1 and SUPERMAN/BATMAN #79-80.
DEADSHOT BEGINNINGS TP $14.99
CC: If you're on the fence on this one, go read Legionnaire Figserello's lengthy treatise on the subject!
Art by MANUEL GARCIA
Cover by BRETT BOOTH and MARK IRWIN
1:25 B&W Variant cover by BRETT BOOTH and MARK IRWIN
32 pg, FC, 1 of 6, $2.99 US • RATED T
The villains have killed the Justice League and decimated A.R.G.U.S.’s headquarters. Only Steve Trevor and the surviving A.R.G.U.S. agents can pick up the pieces and save the civilian populace from unthinkable evil!
CC: The major flaw I see in all of the Forever Evil stuff is that there should be no heroes left whatsoever. Ultraman and Johnny Quick could kill them all in an afternoon -- and it would be their first order of business. But if I compartmentalize that complaint, I find I'm enjoying this "event" so far.
Art and cover by SEAN CHEN
48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T
Don’t miss the stunning conclusion of “Lights Out!” Can Relic be defeated? Who lives? Who dies? The new status quo for the Lanterns is revealed here!
CC: This can't be over soon enough for my money. Relic, I knew Galactus. Galactus was a friend of mine. And you, sir, are no Galactus.
The acclaimed 6-issue miniseries is collected in this new trade paperback! In 1940s Europe, the Nazi war machine is on the move...but crimes are still committed in even the smallest hamlets. One heroic duo must solve the most bizarre mystery of all, but as the Whistling Skull learns to rely on the memories of the Whistling Skulls that came before to uncover the truth in the midst of chaos!
$14.99
CC: I only read the first issue of this, and it was interesting, in a quirky sort of way. And I have no idea who "The Whistling Skull" was or is supposed to be. Was he a short-lived Golden Age character? Or maybe a UK character? Or is he a new character retconned into this ersatz Justice Society's history? I may have to get this and find out more, unless someone just, you know, tells me.
Art by JASON MASTERS
Cover by TONY S. DANIEL
48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T
Robin and Batgirl grew up fighting side by side…but with Dick Grayson about to embark on a new crimefighting quest and Barbara Gordon no longer fighting under the Bat, is there anything left between them? Following the “Batgirl: Wanted” epic, this is the story of a twosome with nothing left to lose, fighting for the only thing they can: each other!
CC: The will-they-get-back-together-or-won't-they bit between these two has worn out its welcome with me. Because, duh, they're NOT going to get back together. Let's move on, please.
Art by J.H. WILLIAMS III
Cover A by J.H. WILLIAMS III
Cover B by DAVE McKEAN
1:100 B&W Variant cover by J.H. WILLIAMS III
1:200 B&W Variant cover by DAVE McKEAN
36 pg, FC, 1 of 6, $4.99 US MATURE READERS
Combo pack edition: $5.99 US
Twenty-five years since THE SANDMAN changed the landscape of modern comics, Neil Gaiman’s legendary series is back!
THE SANDMAN: OVERTURE heralds New York Times best-selling writer Neil Gaiman’s return to the art form that made him famous, ably abetted by artistic luminary JH Williams III (BATWOMAN, PROMETHEA), whose lush, widescreen images provide an epic scope to The Sandman’s origin story. From the birth of a galaxy to the moment that Morpheus is captured, THE SANDMAN: OVERTURE will feature cameo appearances by
fan-favorite characters such as The Corinthian, Merv Pumpkinhead and, of course, the Dream King’s siblings: Death, Desire, Despair, Delirium, Destruction and Destiny.
“People have often asked me what happened to Morpheus to make it possible for him to be captured in THE SANDMAN #1,” Gaiman said. “And now they get to find out. And finding out, they get to learn secrets of the Endless that I’ve kept to myself for 25 years. Family secrets. And I should warn you: one of the Endless dies on page five.”
The first issue of this 6-issue, bimonthly miniseries features a stunning double-page interior foldout.
This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.
CC: MMMMMmmmm. Filled with creamy, gooey Gaiman-y goodness.
Art by BENI LOBEL
Cover by CAT STAGGS
On sale OCTOBER 30 • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T • DIGITAL FIRST
In the one-shot tale “Hollow,” newly digitized Tess Mercer is faced with the ultimate question: Can she set aside her obsession with getting revenge on her brother, Lex Luthor, to become the hero Metropolis’s protectors know she’s destined to become?
It's a special all-ages Man of Steel collection, with stories from SUPERMAN ADVENTURES #17, 18, 40 and 41, and SUPERMAN/BATMAN MAGAZINE #1, 3, 5 and 7!
$9.99
CC: I should support the all-ages, red-panties Superman. My head says I should. My heart says I should. My wallet says "enough, already." And the wallet always wins.
This all-ages Superman collection includes ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN DIGITAL CHAPTER 1, ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #623, ACTION COMICS #810 and 0, SUPERMAN #185, the 2-page origin story from SUPERMAN: FOR TOMORROW and SUPERMAN 80-PAGE GIANT #1 and 2.
$9.99
Art by JAVI PINA
Cover by TRAVEL FOREMAN
48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T+
Tying directly into the current storyline with The Seeder—witness the next evolution of Swamp Thing! Alec’s going to need to take his powers to another level to take Seeder down...with help from the stranger coaches imaginable! Plus: an appearance from a Swamp Thing you never thought you’d see!
CC: The perils of trade-waiting: I still haven't gotten to the end of the war with The Rot!
Art by ANGEL UNZUETA and ART THIBERT
Cover by EDDY BARROWS and • EBER FERREIRA
48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T
Leading into next month’s landmark issue #25, the Teen Titans continue their trip through time as the team must confront Jon Lane Kent, the Superboy of the future, who could one day wipe out the most powerful heroes on Earth. Can the Titan's Superboy defeat the man he was cloned from by Harvest?
CC: Of all the iterations of the Teen Titans, this is the one I'm second-least-interested in. (Farther down the scale was the version that wrapped up the first iteration of the title, the team that had Hawklad Golden Eagle, Bumblebee, Joker's Daughter and Jack Abel inks.)
Art and cover by DAVID LLOYD
On sale OCTOBER 30 • 64 pg, FC, $1.00 US • MATURE READERS
In a dystopian future London, young Evey Hammond is rescued from officers of the law called Fingerman by a mysterious, Guy Fawkes mask-wearing man called V. And while the government tightens its grip on the people of London, V wages a one-man war against its reign. Reprinting a chapter of the groundbreaking first issue.
Art by TED McKEEVER
On sale OCTOBER 30 • 96 pg, FC, $7.99 US • MATURE READERS
Don’t miss this new printing of the miniseries took super heroics to their most risqué. Murder, sex, amorality—anything is permissible with the suit on. THE EXTREMIST follows three ordinary people who succumb to the allure of a mask and all the power that comes with it, creating a shocking exploration of the nature of freedom and sexuality.
CC: The Extremist wasn't nearly as shocking as the blurb above seems to think it was. Or maybe I'm just too old to shock.
DRAWN & QUARTERLY
MOOMIN COMPLETE LARS JANSSON COMIC STRIP VOL 8 HC
Lars Jansson returns with the eighth volume of the classic Moomin hardcover comic series, and the whole gang is back in action. Sniff is causing trouble with another of his get-rich-quick schemes, Moominmaiden falls in love with the inspector's bad boy nephew, and Moominmamma is offering up plum cake to whosoever should need it. As always, the experiences of the Moomin family are poignant, melancholy, and strangely wise, with just a dash of drolly funny and a pinch of slapstick. Without a doubt, Lars Jansson's Moomin Volume Eight is a treat for the whole family.
$19.95
CC: This is a genre of European comics -- mostly from the Franco-Belgian school -- that I honestly, genuinely, can't stand. But I'm delighted it exists in Europe, because it should exist somewhere. And it sure as heck wouldn't exist in the U.S. And I wish it did.
ASH & THE ARMY OF DARKNESS #1
The battle has been fought and won. Ash battled and defeated the Deadite image of himself and save the world. Now all he wants to do is get home a have a normal life. Too bad he messed up the Book of Dead incantation. New series. New start. Will Ash ever escape the land of the Deadites? Will he ever find his girl? Will he ever remember the last part of the incantation? Now an army of unbelievable horrors rules the land and only Ash can annoy them.
$3.99
CC: I don't know anything about the movies on which this book is based, but I respect Steve Niles' work. Anybody want to give me the Cliffs Notes version of Ash-slash-Army of Darkness, and tell me if I ought to be reading this stuff?
BIONIC MAN #25
The last thing that Steve Austin needs is a spy within OSI... but that's exactly what he gets! Relationships are tested to the breaking point as suspicion and blame run rampant. When the double agent's identity is finally revealed, it will shake the Bionic Man to the core.
$3.99
BC: Is there anyone much under the age of 40 who's going to see the name "Steve Austin" and not think of Stone Cold?
CC: Heck, Baron, I'm over 50 and *I* think of Stone Cold when I hear Steve Austin!
News of Eddard Stark's arrest for treason has spread to Castle Black, where Jon Snow, now a member of the Night's Watch, finds that the onus of bastardy is nothing compared to being the son of an accused traitor. But that is the least of his problems. For the frozen corpses of two rangers, brought back for examination, prove lively enough to commit murder. Meanwhile, in Winterfell, Robb Stark calls his bannermen and marches south . . . though the wildling woman Osha argues that the real fight lies to the north, against the mysterious Others. But with Eddard and Sansa held hostage, Robb knows that only victory on the battlefield can save them. And so, together with his mother, Lady Catelyn, Robb prepares an audacious roll of the dice.
$3.99
CC: It's embarrassing to admit, but I don't watch Game of Thrones. I did until Ned Stark was killed -- do I need a Spoiler for that? -- but I find I don't have time for immersion in any more TV series. I have a few that I watch, but don't really have time to add any more, especially ones that require careful watching. So I'm missing out on GoT and Mad Men, and missed Breaking Bad and The Wire, and never saw a minute of Lost, and so forth. And I have no one to blame but myself.
But the point is, if I don't have time to watch the TV show, why on Earth would I devote time to the comic book?
MOCKING DEAD #1: ZOMBIE LAUGHTER 3RD PTG
From the New York Times bestselling writer of the Marvel Zombies series comes a gut-splitting (then eating) comedy! A small outbreak can turn into a worldwide apocalypse... but only through a long string of screw-ups. Once actual zombies begin popping up in our world, a lone intelligence analyst realizes real-life events are beginning to mimic the events of a long-lost, Grade-Z, drive-in horror flick. As he races to save humanity with this knowledge, he quickly learns the only thing more dangerous than ravenous walking corpses is the ineptitude of the living!
$3.99
CC: That's it. The zombie genre has jumped the shark.
In the aftermath of a daring armored-car hijacking, Police Inspector Cardona first hears rumors of a mysterious, black clad vigilante whose merciless vendetta is accompanied by a spine-chilling laugh. Despite his most ferocious attempts, The Shadow is frustrated by his continual inability to locate mob boss, Big Gun Massaretti. Equally aggravated by his arrogant inability to value her input, The Shadow's fledgling agent, Margo Lane, endeavors to locate her former paramour on her own. This hit series continues, for the first time ever, to unveil The Shadow's deepest secrets as imagined by Eisner Award-winning author, Matt Wagner.
$3.99
I swear, these covers are so compelling I want, want, want to read this series. But should I? Someone who's reading this give me a clear go/no go recommendation!
For as long as she can remember, Vampirella has hunted her own kind - driven by the same bloodthirsty compulsions, but directed at her fanged siblings instead of the innocent. She harnesses all the same supernatural strengths, but suffers none of their weaknesses. Why does she stand apart? What is the horrific truth behind her relationship with Lilith, the mother of all vampires? Left shattered by these revelations, Vampirella must survive the machinations of the demon Belial and the Blood Red Queen! Featuring the writing talent of Mike Carey (Hellblazer, X-Men, Ultimate Fantastic Four) and Joshua Hale Fialkov (I, Vampire), with artwork by Mike Lilly (Nightwing) and Stephen Segovia (Wolverine)!
$19.99
CC: I'm buying the Vampirella Archives series, so I'm reluctant to buy current trades, because I'm hoping the hardbacks will eventually get around to them. Fingers crossed. Meanwhile, anyone know if the current Vampi material is any good?
WARLORD OF MARS DEJAH THORIS #31
Recently discovered ancient Martian technology accidentally hurls Dejah Thoris forward in time to a dark future. As invaders plunder her homeworld, Dejah becomes embroiled in a civil war that could alter not only her past, but the history of Mars itself!
$3.99
CC: BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOBS!
Moving on.
LEGEND OF THE SCARLET BLADES DLX HC
Follow the journey of the amnesic ronin Raido in a medieval Japan, where spirits still exert their magic on the land. Due to popular demand, this is a new edition of the masterpiece by Italian creator Saverio Tenuta, offered here in its original European edition size, and presented in a limited and numbered printing of 500 copies. This deluxe edition also features an artist sketchbook section.
$49.95
BC: An Italian's take on old Japan? I may have to keep an eye out for this one!
An ambitious book presented in a unique accordion-style format from the winner of the 2012 Lynd Ward Graphic Novel prize. Imagine you are Poseidon at the dawn of the twenty-first century. The oceans are dying and sailors have long since stopped paying tribute. They just don't need you anymore. What do you do? Perhaps, seeking answers, you go exploring. Maybe you end up in Wisconsin and discover the pleasures of the iced latte. And then everything goes wrong. Using beautifully hewn silhouettes and an accordion-style layout that unfolds to more than forty feet in length, Anders Nilsen updates Greek myth and Christian allegory with insightful and devastating wit.
$29.95
IDW PUBLISHING
DANGER GIRL THE CHASE #2
The chase is on, and at an ever-increasing breakneck pace! Continuing their frantic (and we do mean FRANTIC) quest to capture a mysterious briefcase, Abbey, Sydney and Sonya use any and all means available as they pursue this mysterious package to the four corners of the Earth-and back!
$3.99
Earth continues to take a savage beating from the ever-materializing flesh-hungry dinosaurs! Reporter Bob Gowen fearlessly defends his Ohio broadcasting station, even as psychiatrist Ambrose Woolly and scientist Helen Chambers combat the devil within Elias Thorne's soul-or is this preternatural threat much more than that, and much worse? Terror reigns as time begins to run out for the besieged, dino-imperiled human race... !
$3.99
From IDW Publishing. Feldstein: The Mad Life and Fantastic Art of Al Feldstein! is a beautiful in-depth look into the prolific career of the legendary Al Feldstein. Part coffee table book and part biography, this slipcased hardcover contains more than thirty years of material from Feldstein's career at EC Comics and MAD Magazine, including rare and previously unpublished photographs plus more than 400 pages of art and stories on one of the seminal names in comic history. This special edition is limited to 500 copies, signed by Al Feldstein and Grant Geissman, ships in a hand-built slipcase designed specially for this release, and bears an exclusive gold-stamped, leatherette cover painted by Al Feldstein featuring EC & MAD magazine publisher, Bill Gaines.
$125.00
IDW Limited announced today the release of a signed, limited-edition version of FELDSTEIN: The MAD Life and Fantastic Art of Al Feldstein, signed by artist Al Feldstein and author Grant Geissman. Al Feldstein is best known for his work as an artist/writer/ editor in the 1950s at the legendary EC Comics group, and for his nearly three decades of work as the editor of MAD magazine. Feldstein was inducted to the Will Eisner Hall of Fame in 2003, and was awarded the Bram Stoker Lifetime Achievement award in 2011. Limited to 500 signed and numbered copies, this deluxe book features an exclusive cover and custom slipcase created especially for this edition (http://idwlimited.com/books.html).
“Feldstein provided me with unprecedented access to his personal archives for this project,” says Grant Geissman. “His is quite a remarkable tale, and I am honored to have been able to present it.”
FELDSTEIN: The MAD Life and Fantastic Art of Al Feldstein is both a full biography and a coffee-table art book, spanning his entire life and career. Along with rare and previously unpublished photographs, this full-color book pictures every one of Feldstein’s EC comic book covers (many placed alongside the original artwork), several complete EC stories, plus nearly every splash page and house ad Feldstein did for EC. It traces his nearly thirty-year career as the editor of MAD, and presents his post-retirement work as a “fine” artist, including his prize-winning Western canvases and his many commissioned paintings “revisiting” his classic cover images from the 1950s. Author Grant Geissman pulls from all aspects of Feldstein’s life, not all of it sweetness and light. The exclusive IDW Limited cover features a beautiful Feldstein painting featuring EC’s horror hosts the Three GhouLunatics, various creatures, and a Svengali-like image of EC and MAD magazine publisher Bill Gaines. It’s a perfect homage and finishing touch to this remarkable edition.
“Feldstein is a living legend,” says IDW Limited director Jerry Bennington. “From the artists he helped discover to the stories he’s written, illustrated and edited, Al Feldstein’s influence has cast a long shadow on comic culture. We were overjoyed when he agreed to sign copies of this limited edition. It’s a very special book and we’re honored to deliver it to his fans.”
The book is now available and in stock on http://idwlimited.com/books.html and you’d be MAD not to order a copy immediately!
CC: I want this, but do I $125 want this?
THREAT MATRIX! Below the streets and above the high rises of the New York City, the G.I. Joe team is strained to the brink fighting back THE MAD MONK's all-out assault on the Big Apple! But... is that playing right into his hands to ultimately destroy DUKE?
$3.99
On her first assignment, Lucy and her team witness the destruction caused as two foes collide. Plus, the mysterious alien alliance unleashes a new set of monsters, bent on the annihilation of our world.
$3.99
I don't read this, but I'm glad it exists. The King of Monsters should always have a title!
Legendary creator Joe Kubert was responsible for an amazing stream of great works, for more than a sixty year period. Kubert was also the subject of the acclaimed Joe Kubert's Tarzan: Artist's Edition that came out last year. Now, in his second IDW Artist's Edition, we present Joe Kubert's Tor: Artist's Edition, collecting four oversized issues and covers, along with the rarely seen Newspaper strip of Tor by Kubert, all in the award-winning Artist's Edition format.
KISS KIDS #3
(W) Chris Ryall, Tom Waltz (A/CA) Jose Holder
It's Halloween, the KISS KIDS' favorite time of the year, so expect ghost stories involving Phantoms of the Park, Creatures of the Night, Flaming Youths and much more.
$3.99
CC: All my life I've heard glowing stuff about Tor, one of Joe Kubert's earliest works. Then DC finally reprinted it, and Kubert did a new version as well, and it got a big ol' shrug from me. I see the influence of early adventure-strip greats that influenced all of Kubert's generation -- Alex Raymond, Hal Foster, et al -- so, yeah, nice artwork (and simple story). But we've all been there and done that, even Kubert with his Tarzan work. So I just can't get worked up about this. (Your mileage may vary.)
The world of My Little Pony expands in this special oversized Annual. Straight from the new, hit movie Equestria Girls comes all your favorite Ponies like you've never seen them before! New Looks, New Friendships, and New Dangers! Join IDW in exploring this brand new tale that ties in closer to Canterlot than you may think!
$7.99
CC: Evidently, this sells like gangbusters. That pleases me, although I would gouge out my own eyes before reading a My Little Pony anything.
The courting of Princess Cadence continues, as Shining Armor must find a way to win her hoof. But with the school dance quickly approaching, Shining Armor will have to call upon some familiar faces to catch the eye of his one true love.
$3.99
What's this? Mojo Jojo volunteers to take "Antidote X" to revert back to his former simple simian state? And what's more, he's moving in with the Powerpuff Girls? Shirley, you've GOT to be kidding me! The next thing you're going to tell me is that HIM's got his tutu in a knot, and is starting trouble! Oh wait, it looks like he has... just what the heck is going on in Townsville?!
$3.99
Collects the Samurai Jack Special plus up to CN Action Pack #20.
$19.99
CC: What makes Jack work on screen is the clever Genndy Tartakovsky direction. I don't know if that will translate so well to static images.
"City Fall: Part Six" In this breathtaking penultimate issue to City Fall, Shredder asserts his dominance over the criminal underworld of NYC through a show of force. But what happens when the Turtles crash the party? With allegiances shifting no one is safe from all-out war!
$3.99
The IDW debut of these powerful villains has arrived! The routine life of a street-level goon can get dull, so when opportunity presents itself these two won't let it pass them by, but as they are about to learn the hard way, there's more to being a successful mutant menace than just strength. Don't miss this bone shattering issue that sets the stage for the final showdown in City Fall!
$3.99
With Cybertron reformed, the underground tunnels and caves have become unstable. It's up to the DINOBOTS to lead the underground survivors to safety on the surface. But with the waters rising and the walls collapsing, making it out alive may be tougher than it sounds...
$3.99
SOUNDWAVES! The origin of SOUNDWAVE concludes as the master of sound confronts SHOCKWAVE in the ruins of Cybertron! Will they be friend-or foe? Will the DECEPTICONS stand with SHOCKWAVE-or will they join the AUTOBOTS? It's the moment of ultimate choice
$3.99
Before he can become a full member of the Dawn, Tug will have to pass one last test... getting past Scram. Plus, the crew of The Dawn will be put to the test when an unexpected attack comes from irradiated Sky-Pirates.
$3.99
CC: Even after all these years, there is really nothing cooler than a character in a WWII bomber jacket.
High-impact tales from the frontlines of the global zombie/robot conflict. ZVR: This Means War! takes IDW's splatterific Zombie vs Robots comic book series-created by writer Chris Ryall and artist Ashley Wood-and expands it in ways that will redefine both zombie and robot fiction. A shambling cohort of top horror and fantasy writers from across the globe (okay, Canada, England, Australia, and Bakersfield) have devoted themselves to making evocative word-pictures in your brain of this delicious cult series.
$9.99
CC: I usually delete the publisher's notes at the end of titles (indicating mature readers, or what crossover the book is part of, that sort of thing). But I left MMPB on there because I don't know what it means -- and it could even be part of the title for all I know. Can anyone help me out?
FANTAGRAPHICS
COMPLETE CRUMB COMICS VOL. 6 CREST WAVE TP (NEW PTG)
(W/A/CA) R. Crumb
Robert Crumb enters the '70s "On the Crest of a Wave" with the sixth volume in Fantagraphics Books' reprint series. This includes a couple of genuine rarities, as well as all of Crumb's work from Big Ass #1, Zap #4 (including the legendary, much-busted "Joe Blow"), the remarkably offensive Snatch #3 and Jiz #1, the classic Despair - classics all."
$19.99
CC: Crumb was such a revelation to my adolescent self that I'm almost afraid to get these books, lest I discover that it wasn't his work but my age that made it so eye-opening. I'd hate to ruin those memories.
(W/A/CA) R. Crumb
From Fantagraphics Books. A Critical Crumb Classic, Back in Print! Continuing our ongoing commitment to keep this perennial, canonic series in print, we represent one of most often-demanded volumes in The Complete Crumb Comics. Volume 8, "Starring Fritz the Cat", features one of Crumb's most notorious comics, "The Death of Fritz the Cat," as well as "Whiteman Meets Bigfoot," the complete Big Ass #2 and Mr. Natural #2, wild jams and loads of photos! This volume covers the years 1971-1972. Scheduled to ship 10/30/13. (96)
$19.99
CC: And yet, despite Crumb being a revelation to me, I was never really into Fritz the Cat. I was more of Mr. Natural guy. Keep on truckin', y'all.
(W/A/CA) Floyd Gottfredson
Published concurrently with Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse Color Sundays Vol. 2 will be an attractive, budget priced boxed set that collects the first two volumes in this acclaimed series!
$49.99
CC: These aren't just good comics, they're a love note to posterity.
(W/A) Floyd Gottfredson & Various (CA) Floyd Gottfredson
2012 EISNER AWARD WINNER: BEST ARCHIVAL COLLECTION/PROJECT-COMIC STRIPS
He's faster than a speeding arrow... more powerful than the Sheriff of Nottingham... able to leap high taxes in a single bound! He's Mickey Mouse! He's back in color - and traveling back in time: battling evil medievals in our second book of Floyd Gottfredson's Sunday classics. Donald Duck, Goofy, and mischievous Morty and Ferdie are invited along too... if they dare!
Standout stories in this volume include "The Robin Hood Adventure," in which Mickey joins the Merry Men: swordfighting, jousting, and risking his life to rob the rich! Then Mickey faces Gold Rush gunslingers as the "Sheriff of Nugget Gulch"- and outwits the ever-sneaky Mortimer Mouse in "Mickey's Rival!"
Restored from Studio art sources and enhanced with a meticulous recreation of the strips' original color, Robin Hood Rides Again also includes more than 30 pages of swashbuckling extra features. You'll enjoy coveted non-Mouse Disney comics by Gottfredson; rare behind-the-scenes art; and commentary by a Round Table of Mickey scholars.
$29.99
(W/A/CA) Steve Ditko
This fourth volume in Fantagraphics' on-going Steve Ditko Archives series features over 200 meticulously restored full-color pages by Spider-Man co-creator Steve Ditko in his early prime - stories that have never seen a proper reprinting until now. Thrilling stories of suspense, mystery, haunted houses, and unsuspecting victims all delineated in Ditko's wildly idiosyncratic, masterful style.
$3.99
CC: I'm delighted to see so much Ditko material I never saw before. It's like a second Silver Age!
(W/A/CA) Carl Barks
For those who are looking for something special to give this holiday season, we present this handsome box set which contains two of the best Christmas comics stories you'll ever read, "Christmas on Bear Mountain" and "A Christmas For Shacktown," along with an assortment of Donald's other adventures. These twin volumes feature page after page of intrepid quests, clever humor and heartwarming themes. A can't-miss special Christmas item at a very special price that will delight readers of any age.
$49.99
CC: Oh, thanks, Fantagraphics: Release these books in a box set AFTER I've bought them individually. So you reward the people who DIDN'T support you at the outset? Classy.
CC: At first I thought Hachette was just another name for or an imprint of Viz or some other U.S. manga publisher, but that just shows what an idiot I am. Hatchette is the biggest comics publisher in France, and the second biggest in the world (according to Wikipedia), and these books are just part of their American arm, which includes the entirety of what used to be Time Warner Books and Little, Brown and Co., among others. Anyway, they specialize in manga, manhwa and manhua, about which I know next to nothing, so take it away, Baron!
ANOTHER TP
In the spring of 1998, Kouichi Sakakibara transfers into Class 3-3 at Yomiyama North Junior High. But little does he know his new class has a horrible secret. When he takes his seat in class for the first day of school, Kouichi is unsettled by his fearful classmates. Despite this atmosphere and warnings from fellow students, Kouichi is drawn to the beautiful, distant Mei Misaki, another classmate. But the closer he tries to get to her, the more mysterious she and their class become. And when a fellow student dies a disturbing death, Kouichi seeks to learn the truth behind the curse of Class 3-3, but can he get to it before it kills him?
$29.99
BC: I'm not sure, but this looks like another "Haunted High School" high school type manga, which seems to be a popular genre.
When several students refuse to return from an English boarding school that numbers elite bloodlines among its student body, Earl Ciel Phantomhive and his indomitable butler, Sebastian, infiltrate the lush grounds and stately halls of this distinguished house of learning at Her Majesty's behest. But this cannot be accomplished without some masterful artifice. The butler takes on the role of housemaster, his master that of student-parts to which both are more than just a little accustomed. As their dorm lives of deceit begin, they turn their eyes upon the conspicuous and colourful waistcoats of the four school prefects, from whose attention nothing at the school escapes.
$11.99
BC: For some reason "butlers" -- particularly British butlers -- seem to hold a fascination for the Japanese. Not sure why.
In this hilarious new comedy, a high school student realizes that her dreams of popularity may be out of reach - and it can't possibly be her own fault, can it? As a middle schooler, Tomoko Kuroki dreamed of making her high school debut as the most popular girl in school. But all of her experience playing video game dating simulations may have backfired. Instead of preparing her for the real world, her gaming has kept her from it for so long that even the most mundane human interactions have become a stumbling block! How can she impress her classmates when she can't even speak to them?
$11.99
BC: Videogame-dating sims seem to be something which has not caught on in the U.S. that I'm aware of, but they've turned up in some things I've seen. From the way they're represented, they seem fairly bizarre.
The elite and beautiful Ririchiyo Shirakiin has a bad habit - she can't help but lash out at people with her vicious tongue, all while hiding behind a mask of haughty cool. In search of independence and solitude, she moves to the Maison de Ayakashi, an apartment building full of wealthy tenants and with its own Secret Service. Ririchiyo is eager to be alone, but upon her arrival, she is greeted by Soushi, an SS agent arranged for her by her parents. Ririchiyo tries to turn Soushi away, but Soushi's dogged devotion to his new mistress will not be deterred. The threat against the residents of the Maison de Ayakashi are not to be taken lightly, after all. And despite his puppy-like demeanor, Soushi is not to be trifled with either!
$11.99
BC: The bizarre/wacky apartment building is another common setting. Not one I'm going to be following.
Confronted by Chris, a super-powerful denizen of the magical realm who is intent on getting revenge on Ariel-sensei, Ayumu and the girls are pushed so far into a corner that they have to rely on Eu's forbidden power of the word to get this new villain off their backs! But they aren't able to do that before Chris steals Haruna's newly restored magikewl girl powers! So now Ayumu must seek help in the bosom of Nene, an older babe from the Underworld, who wants a little something in return for her wisdom!
$12.00
BC: Without having seen it, I suspect that this is another one of them ones you would find disturbing, Skipper. If you want to try a Japanese take on the "living dead" genre, I'd recommend Tokyo Zombie.
CC: The cover and blurb indicates some girl-on-girl action mixed into the adventure story, which is certainly nothing that would disturb me -- unless the girls were underage. Is that the case?
As the only members of the pop music club not to graduate, the responsibility of recruiting new members falls to Azusa. Ui and Jun have agreed to help out their friend, but they might be more interested in having actual after school tea time than making music. Even when Azusa secures the necessary four members to keep the pop music club alive, the lack of musical experience (and musical instruments) is going to be a challenge! Will the high school pop music club survive to take the stage once more?
$11.99
When a classmate notices her dog is acting strangely on their daily walks, she asks the SOS Brigade to take on the case - a request Haruhi is more than happy to oblige! After all, any number of supernatural phenomena could be deterring local dogs from a particular area along the riverbank!
$11.99
BC: This is one I've actually been following. it's quite interesting and the plot's fairly intricate. A headstrong girl starts a club devoted to finding aliens, ESPers and time travelers -- and they actually start arriving! a lot OF weirdness in this, but not too much of the disturbing kind.
A horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow - impossible though it seems - they may still be alive.
$20.00
CC: This one actually sounds interesting to me, and the cover artwork looks like the style of manga I most enjoy (think Lone Wolf and Cub and Mai the Psychic Girl). I may check it out.
Oriko is determined to use any means available to her in order to prevent the destruction she has glimpsed in the future. Her companion, Kirika, has been useful in creating a distraction by murdering other Magical Girls, but Oriko recognizes that the time for diversionary tactics has passed - she must target the source directly and eliminate the threat. Little does she realize that her quarry, one Madoka Kamame, has a protector who is as passionate about keeping Madoka alive as Oriko is about seeing her dead. What future ultimately waits in the eye-opening conclusion of Oriko Magica?
$11.99
BC: Don't really know too much about the Magical Girl genre. I've read some Sailor Moon, more for academic interest than anything else. Interestingly enough, the whole genre seems to have evolved out of the Japanese reaction to seeing Bewitched!
When Mikoto is crippled during an operation, she is saved at the last moment by the sudden appearance of a masked vigilante. But rescue isn't on this black-clad beauty's mind - she looking for revenge. In her injured state, Mikoto can do little to protect the toadies who just moments ago were her assailants, and not every crime fighter shares Black Label's scruples. But more than her methods, this vigilante's identity proves to be a terrible shock to Mikoto.
$14.00
BC: I suspect this is another one for your "disturbing" pile.
CC: Really? Once again it looks like girl-on-girl porn (which is almost redundant in America), and these girls are obviously adults! Is there something else going on here I should avoid?
I'm fairly certain that the "MMPB" after "Zombies vs Robots" means "Mass Market Paperback". Probably somewhat like the Marvel Essentials or DC Showcase volumes. IDW lists it as having 342 pages, so it makes sense to me.
I know that on Amazon.com, "paperback" novels these days are 5 1/4" by 8 1/4" while "mass market paperback" novels are the old 4 1/4" by 6 3/4" size. It may mean it's that small.
ADVENTURE TIME 2013 SPOOOKTACULAR #1 (C: 1-0-0) Not sure if my LCS will put this on my list or not, as I'm only subscribed to the normal series, but I'm going to make sure I get this one.
AVENGERS #22 INF
AVENGERS AI #5
DAMIAN SON OF BATMAN #1 (OF 4) It's not like me to buy a DC comic these days, but seeing as how this clearly isn't a part of the DCNu (yes, I'm going to hold them to that), I may grab this just to check it out.
DEADSHOT BEGINNINGS TP An Amazon or Instock Trades purchase for sure.
FOX #1 FREAK MAGNET VAR CVR So glad to see this didn't come out already. I'd been looking for it for a few weeks now.
GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #8 INF I'm really liking this series. Popcorn for sure. But good.
INFINITY #5 (OF 6)
SAGA #15 (MR)
SANDMAN OVERTURE #1 (OF 6) COMBO PACK (MR) Definitely tradewaiting this one.
SEX #8 (MR) Maybe. Haven't read the previous two, but given my reading habits, that's not saying anything.
SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #20
SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN TEAM UP SPECIAL #1
X-MEN BATTLE OF ATOM #2 (OF 2) BOA
IMAGE COMICS
A DISTANT SOIL #42
THE FINAL CHAPTER OF A DISTANT SOIL CONTINUES
The resistance dissolves into warring factions intent on seizing power. And the on that gets hold of Liana is determined to destroy the tradition of Avatar rule.
$3.50
CC: This story has been going on for most of my adult life, and that's saying something. In fact, I have some of the original WaRP and Starblaze issues from the early '80s, I believe.
It was never my thing, so I stopped buying it long ago. But I'm delighted that Colleen Doran has had the guts and fortitude to see her brainchild through to fruition, against all odds and many unscrupulous publishers. That's quite an accomplishment, and I'm mighty impressed.
VAMPIRES IN FEUDAL JAPAN!
Kichiro is an outsider in feudal Japan. Lacking the Japanese blood that would allow him to become a samurai, Kichiro must fulfill his dreams of serving the shogun in a less traditional manner... by eliminating every foreign supernatural threat that rears its fangs!
This Halloween month, treat yourself to an issue of BUSHIDO each Wednesday! All FIVE issues of Top Cow's and Heroes and Villains Entertainment's latest series will be released in October. Order now ... if you dare!
$2.99
CC: If you think that cover is familiar, it is. Diamond has used the same one in the solicitations for all five weekly issues. I guess it was too much trouble to load all the new ones.
Inspired by the Mexican Day of the Dead, artist extraordinaire RILEY ROSSMO (DEBRIS, GREEN WAKE, COWBOY NINJA VIKING, REBEL BLOOD) joins forces with nine different writers to tell tall tales from beyond the grave!/p>
"Highly recommended. DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS is a terrific compilation of great storytelling and engaging artwork. The decorative spirit of Day of the Dead is celebrated in these pages." - BLOODY DISGUSTING
CC: I wasn't interested in this in individual issues, but now that it's in TP I've suddenly grown interested. Can anyone recommend it?
Art / cover GARRY BROWN
40 PAGES / FC / T+ / $3.50
NOW AN ONGOING SERIES!
Fabian travels to Japan to aid an old ally in the search for a mythical weapon: the legendary sword known as MASAMUNE!
A special stand-alone tale featuring artist GARRY BROWN (The Massive, Mass Effect)!
The FIVE GHOSTS team returns to Image Comics for another arc, following the unmissable September release of the first trade paperback collecting the original FIVE GHOSTS five-issue miniseries. The fan-revered debut by burgeoning creators Frank J. Barbiere and Chris Mooneyham has readers primed for even more eye-popping adventure as the book is made into an ongoing series, starting in October.
FIVE GHOSTS: THE HAUNTING OF FABIAN GRAY follows the story of infamous treasure hunter Fabian Gray, who, after being bewitched by the mysterious power of "The Dreamstone," must battle the unwieldy power of five archetypal ghosts that both possess and guide him. Lost in forgotten cities, Fabian faces enemy shadows in a mesmerizing series riddled with literary allusions.
“Both Chris and I, as well as the whole Five Ghosts team, were amazed by the fantastic reception to our first few issues.” said writer Barbiere, who hopes to excavate more of the world of FIVE GHOSTS as the series continues, “We certainly have a lot of stories to tell in this universe and are very excited to have the opportunity to tell them in an ongoing series.”
The sixth issue of the self-declared "literary pulp adventure" series will borrow the talents of guest artist Garry Brown (The Massive, Mass Effect) to reveal the next chapter of Fabian's story. Barbiere says, “We're also excited to have our good friend Garry Brown contributing some amazing art to the series for issue six; Garry's a fantastic artist and we think our readers will enjoy his take on the Five Ghosts universe!”
CC: Now that this is an ongoing, I guess I'll have to sample it!
Art / cover MING DOYLE
136 PAGES / FC / T / $12.99
Acclaimed creator BRIAN WOOD (The Massive, DMZ, X-Men) and brilliant newcomer MING DOYLE (Guardians of the Galaxy, Fantastic Four, Girl Comics) bring you MARA, the story of an especially gifted woman in a sports- and war-obsessed future. When she starts manifesting strange superpowers, the world that once embraced her turns against her, and for this young woman who once had it all, it’s almost too much to bear. Both an intimate coming-of-age story and an epic superhero drama, MARA takes the genre to new places. Young adult friendly. Perfect for readers of WOOD's Demo, Local, and X-Men work.
Collects MARA #1-6
"ICARUS THE GOD"
The true madness of King Icarus is revealed as he launches his war against the heavens, forcing the owls of Wotan to defend the Great Ash Tree from the rat horde. But as the sacred Fields of Gold burn, former High Priest Micah unleashes true justice against the corruption of the priestly order!
Art SIMON ROY & GIANNIS MILONOGIANNIS
Cover EMMA RIOS
32 PAGES / FC / T+ / $3.99
The Prophets learn more of the mysterious creatures that threaten them while Troll bonds with one of the greatest forces in the universe.
Art MIKE NORTON
Cover by JENNY FRISON
300 PAGES / FC / MR / $34.99
For one day in rural central Wisconsin, the dead came back to life. Now it's up to Officer Dana Cypress to deal with the media scrutiny, religious zealots, and government quarantine that has come with them. In a town where the living have to learn to deal with those who are supposed to be dead, Officer Cypress must solve a brutal murder, and everyone, alive or undead, is a suspect. The sell-out hit series created by New York Times Bestselling author TIM SEELEY and Eisner-winning artist MIKE NORTON is collected in this oversized hardcover.
Collects REVIVAL #1-11 and the FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2012 short story, plus many behind-the-scenes bonuses and other features.
CC: I enjoyed the first trade enough that I've ordered the second. But it's not as engaging as I'd hoped.
ART / COVER: FIONA STAPLES
32 PAGES / FC / M / $2.99
Everything starts coming together.
CC: Yep, still good.
Art / cover PIOTR KOWALSKI
32 PAGES / FC / M / $2.99
THIS IS IT!
Simon Cooke finally comes face to face with the psycho-social phenomenon known as… the Saturnalia! What surprises await him? More importantly: Who's gonna get naked? It's all been building to this climax so, whatever you do, don't you dare miss it!
CC: Joe Casey being hip and daring. Dude, it's getting old, and so are you.
Art ADI GRANOV, RAFAEL ALBUQUERQUE, RAMON PEREZ, BOO COOK, RUFUS DAYGLO, BRANDON GRAHAM, MING DOYLE, ADAM CALDWELL
Cover ALICE DUKE
32 PAGES / FC / T+ / $3.99
TABLOID FORMAT
A collection of new short stories by some of the best in the business, including the first ever team-up of Elephantmen and Judge Dredd! Plus many more names to be announced. This anthology is part of the United Kingdom's Thought Bubble Festival which takes place in Leeds, Northern England from November 17-24. All profits from this comic go to Barnardo’s, one of the largest children’s charities in the UK.
Art LAURA BRAGA
Cover MARC SILVESTRI
32 PAGES / FC / T+ / $2.99
RON MARZ RETURNS TO WITCHBLADE!
Sara Pezzini has been a cop, a mother, a girlfriend, and a private investigator. She is none of those things anymore. The only thing tying Sara to her past and preventing her from forging a new chapter in life is the Witchblade. But with everything else gone, who will Sara Pezzini be if she gives up the Witchblade?
CC: A reprise of the Savage Sword of Conan cover by Boris Vallejo years ago. Not sure how I feel about that. Is it an homage? A tribute? A swipe? Or is it just hard to draw this scene any other way?
"ABSOLUTE CORRUPTION"
After sealing off the main artery of an interdimensional black market trade in the supernatural, Witchblade-bearer Sara Pezzini wears a target on her back. Between Chicago's corrupt elite and common criminals, everyone wants a piece of the Witchblade-but who will get to her first?
Collects WITCHBLADE #166-169 and more!
$16.99
CC: I seem to have gotten some publishers out of order. Hrrrm. Never mind, let's press on:
INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER GROUP
BITES GN
In the tradition of The Munsters and The Addams Family, José Fonollosa creates a dysfunctional vampire family while parodying some of the most popular vampire sagas in recent times. Fans of Twilight, True Blood, The Vampire Diaries, and other works in the genre will laugh at this humorous look at vampires. Created with a contemporary aesthetic, Bites is set in a world inhabited by other monsters such as werewolves, vampire hunters, ghosts, and other outlandish beings, as they go about their daily lives.
$13.95
CC: This looks like fun. But it's also unlikely I'll ever see it. Heck, I didn't even know Diamond carried IPG until this week!
(W/A/CA) Francois Launet
The macabre delight of François Launet's web comic, The Unspeakable Vault (of Doom), returns with this second collection of strips inspired by the Cthulhu Mythos of H. P. Lovecraft. A parody of the horror genre, this collection invokes laughter instead of terror while exploring the beastly characters of Lovecraft in humorous detail, including Cthulhu, Nyarlathotep, and Yog-Sothoth. The bold, modern styling of Launet's comics give the literary favorites a light and fanciful treatment to be enjoyed by fans of comics and H. P. Lovecraft alike.
$19.95
CC: This could be funny, for people who love to read Lovecraft, but also have the capacity to laugh at Lovecraft. That's a pretty small subset of humanity.
MARVEL COMICS
AVENGERS #22
AVENGERS 50TH ANNIVERSARY VARIANT BY Daniel Acuna
INFINITY TIE-IN – “AVENGERS UNIVERSE: V”
• The Avengers return to our Solar System.
• The battle for Earth starts in the heavens.
• The Black Order makes their move.
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
Wait, wait -- wasn't it "Age of Ultron" that was going to change everything? Now it's "Infinity" that's going to change everything? I'm so confused!
VALERIO SCHITI (A)
Cover by DAVE MARQUEZ
Issue #5 - ARTIST VARIANT BY PAUL DUFFIELD
• What does the newest member of the Avengers A.I. have to do with Dimitrios?
• Learn the mind-bending origin of Alexis!
• Will Vision bend to the will of S.H.I.E.L.D.?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
CC: As far as I can tell (without having read a single issue) that the only real A.I. in this book is The Vision. Is this just an excuse to slap another book out there with "Avengers" in the title? Naw, of course not. That would be cynical.
Penciled by SALVADOR LARROCA
Cover by SALVADOR LARROCA
The most explosive new X-book of Marvel NOW! begins its second smash storyline! Cable’s outlaw team loses a member as Colossus goes to jail, but the armored giant doesn’t fare well in the big house! Meanwhile, Cable comes face-to-face with his father: the fallen revolutionary known as Cyclops! And when Cable and his X-Force rocket into space to face down an alien armada, will they be forced to clash with the Uncanny Avengers, who are still in hot pursuit? Plus: Hope goes on the run, determined to help Cable whether he wants it or not — but the Uncanny Avengers have been keeping tabs on Hope, as well, and they’re not about to let her get tangled up with Cable’s band of fugitives! Collecting CABLE AND X-FORCE #6-9.
96 PGS./Parental Advisory …$12.99
CC: Never cared a whit for Cable. If someone can convince me otherwise, I'm all ears.
Cover by ADI GRANOV
Variant COVER by TBA
VINTAGE VARIANT COVER ALSO AVAILABLE
• As the Russian army mobilizes to lock down a crash site in the remote Siberian wastes, Captain America’s mission is to find the survivors and bring them back alive – or silence them forever.
• Impossible odds in hostile territory are all in a day’s work for a super-soldier like Steve Rogers, but even he is unprepared for the horror that awaits them all in the icy wilderness.
• Because something has survived. Something alien. And it is awake...
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Art by MICO SUAYAN, LEONARD KIRK, & MIRCO PIERFEDERICI
In the wake of the Hunger, the Ultimates make their last stand!
This October, the Ultimates make their last stand against the Devourer of Worlds in CATACLYSM 0.1, from blockbuster writer Joshua Hale Fialkov and Mico Suayan – and the Ultimate Universe will never be the same!
From the fringes of space and time comes the dreaded Galactus, prepared to feast on the Ultimate Universe! With an entire universe full of new planets to devour, it’s up to the Ultimates to stop him from the catastrophic destruction of their entire universe!
Plus, don’t miss the return of fan-favorite Ultimate Vision as she makes a desperate, last-ditch attempt to stop Galactus and the Gah Lak Tus swarm! But is she enough to stop the coming of the dreaded Devourer of Worlds? Witness the beginning of the end in Cataclysm 0.1!
$3.99
CC: Oh, no! Something terrible is happening in the fake Marvel Universe! Will something terrible happen to fake Marvel characters we don't care about? Again? I'm on the edge of my seat!
Cover by MICHAEL DEL MUNDO
• Dude.
• Serious.
• It ends here.
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$2.99
CC: Well, you have to give Wade points for trying. Outside of Thunderbolts, he's been trying to kill himself for years!
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #8
Art & Cover by FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA
THOR BATTLE VARIANT ALSO AVAILABLE
RIVERA VARIANT ALSO AVAILABLE
INFINITY TIE-IN
• What will it take for Peter Quill to betray the entire Marvel Universe?
• And if you don’t know Eisner award winning artist Francesco Francavilla yet, you will after this comic!
This October, the Guardians of the Galaxy face the overwhelming might of Thanos and Infinity! As the Mad Titan and his sinister armies lay siege to Earth, it’s up to Peter Quill and his rag-tag band of heroes to rise up and meet him! The Peak, orbital headquarters of intergalactic peacekeeping force S.W.O.R.D. has been hijacked – and it’s weapons pointed right at Earth! The galaxies most mismatched heroes must give it their all as they attempt a daring rescue mission! But at what cost? Don’t miss Guardians of the Galaxy #8 for the answer!
The Guardians of the Galaxy, which I first read about (and forgot about) in Marvel Super-Heroes #18 (Jan 69), have finally become a viable -- and an important -- franchise. I have lived too long. But I'm glad I did.
INFINITY #5 (of 6)
Art by JEROME OPENA & DUSTIN WEAVER
Cover by ADAM KUBERT
Design Variant by JEROME OPENA
Generals Variant by IN-HYUK LEE
Hero Variant by SARA PICHELLI
Young Variant by SKOTTIE YOUNG
• The Avengers Universe.
• The Heroes of Earth rally to defeat Thanos.
• The war for Earth begins.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
This October, the Marvel Universe prepares to turn the tide against Thanos and the Builders – but first, Marvel is proud to present your first look at Infinity #5! From the star-studded creative team of Jonathan Hickman, Jerome Opena & Dustin Weaver comes another thrilling chapter of the blockbuster comic event of the year!
With our heroes fighting the Builders at other end of the universe, Black Bolt and Maximus have done the unthinkable – detonated a Terrigen Bomb over New York City! Thousands of dormant Inhumans living amongst us have begun to awaken, possessing new and fearsome powers. Earth’s last hope may be in the hands of these new super beings! But will they be enough to stand against Thanos and his sinister Black Order? Or will they join him?
Every issue of Infinity includes a code for a free digital copy of that same comic on the Marvel Comics app for iOS and Android devices. Additionally, each issue of Infinity features special augmented reality content available exclusive through the Marvel AR app – including cover recaps, behind the scenes features and more that add value to your reading experience at no additional cost.
The Biggest Heroes. The Biggest Threats. The Biggest Sacrifices. This is Marvel’s INFINITY.
For more on Marvel’s Infinity, please visit www.marvel.com. Join the conversation on Twitter with hashtag #MarvelINFINITY and don’t forget to follow us at @Marvel [www.twitter.com/Marvel]!
CC: I can't change who I am, and who I am thinks The Builders look stupid and are badly conceived. My apologies to Jonathan Hickman, whose work I have otherwise enjoyed. But I do not enjoy this, and the sooner The Builders go away the sooner I can enjoy Marvel Comics again.
Penciled by BRET BLEVINS & RICHARD HOWELL
Cover by BRET BLEVINS
Witness the secret tragedies of Marvel’s most secretive society: the Inhumans! Hidden from the eyes of the ancient Inhuman leaders, Queen Medusa gives secret birth to King Black Bolt’s son, Ahura — but will the newborn heir apparent be a blessing or a curse? Then: Experience the revolt of the Inhumans’ genetically bred servitors, the Alpha Primitives, and the creation of the god-like Trikon in the untold story that led to the Fantastic Four’s discovery of the Inhuman race! How was Medusa lost to the world of man, and how did Black Bolt’s insane brother Maximus the Mad usurp the throne? If you’ve read the Inhumans’ classic Silver Age debut, you only know half the story! Guest starring Quicksilver and the Fantastic Four! Collecting MARVEL GRAPHIC NOVEL: THE INHUMANS and INHUMANS: THE UNTOLD SAGA.
144 PGS./Rated T+ …$24.99
Sketch Variant by JOHN ROMITA JR.
At long last, the earth-shattering event destined to tear apart the Kick-Ass universe forever: Dave gets a girlfriend! Also, a new vigilante team known only by their Skull and Bones masks makes its presence known.
32 PGS./Mature …$2.99
CC: Am I the only one who doesn't care a lick about Kick-Ass, and thinks this series ought to be about Hit-Girl?
Penciled by RONAN CLIQUET, SCOTT KOBLISH, KEVIN SHARPE & JACK KIRBY
Cover by STEPHEN SEGOVIA
All-ages adventures spotlighting Marvel’s mightiest movie star!
• The Executioner, Asgard’s most merciless warrior, is one of Thor’s deadliest foes — but perhaps their strangest battle took place…on a pirate ship!?
• When Thor is called home, Nova the Human Rocket hitches a ride — only to find Asgard in danger with an imposter on the throne!
• When Thor and Valkyrie plunge into the Asgardian underworld on a dreadful mission, why do they bring Nova along?
• Odin decides switches his sons’ weapons to see whether Loki is worthy of Thor’s hammer!
• All this, and Thor’s classic Silver Age debut!
Collecting MARVEL ADVENTURES SUPER HEROES (2010) #6, #8 and #13; and material from MARVEL ADVENTURES SUPER HEROES (2010) #19 and JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY (1952) #83.
96 PGS./All Ages …$9.99
MICO SUAYAN (A)
Cover by LEINIL YU
• The PUNISHER faces justice for his crimes!
• Prosecution witness: MATT MURDOCK
• Why did the Punisher murder a district attorney?
32 PGS./PARENTAL ADVISORY …$3.99
CARLO BARBERI (A)
Cover by RYAN STEGMAN
INTO THE GRAVE PART 2 (of 3)
• Kaine’s life is being ripped apart piece by piece.
• His body broken, his soul is next.
• Enter the Hunter.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
Penciled by KHOI PHAM, CARLO BARBERI & MARCO CHECCETTO
Cover by RYAN STEGMAN
The Scarlet Spider takes on Wolverine! Kaine owes a fatal favor to the Assassins Guild, and they want Logan! But as a thousand assassins descend upon both men, learn what even the world’s greatest killers fear! Who is the Red Death? Then, because you demanded it: The Superior Spider-Man vs. the Scarlet Spider! Kaine travels to New York to check on Peter’s behavior, not realizing Doc Ock has taken over Peter’s life. But Ock knows who Kaine is — since he once killed Dr. Octopus! Can Spider-Man and Kaine put aside their differences to deal with the Jackal? Plus: In the wake of the Superior Spider-Man’s dubious public actions, the world fears the Spiders. And when terrorists attack one of Houston’s most famous landmarks, Kaine’s ready to put that fear to use! Collecting SCARLET SPIDER (2012) #16-20 and SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN TEAM-UP #2.
136 PGS./Rated T+ …$15.99
VARIANT COVER BY Milo Manara
• From the fallout of NECESSARY EVIL, comes new beginnings and new twists that will be felt in the pages of Spider-Man for years to come! SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #20 is where it all starts! Do NOT miss this one!
• It’s the first ever adventure for the Superior Spider-Man and the Black Cat. Felicia Hardy always cared for the Spider more than the man. But what happens when that man is Otto Octavius?
• Plus: A day Otto has been waiting for is finally here. Is the world ready for “Dr. Peter Parker”... and what he plans to do next?
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
CC: I generally like Slott's cool idea here, except when it ventures into the sexual arena ... and then there's no getting around this: If "Peter Parker" has sex with anyone, it's under false pretenses, and it is rape. Rape. I can't enjoy that.
Cover by ALEXANDER LOZANO
Interlocking Variant Cover by J. SCOTT CAMPBELL
PART THREE OF “THE ARMS OF THE OCTOPUS!”
• Who is in league with Doc Ock and the Abomination and how can our heroes defeat them?
• Can the Superior Spider-Man (who we all know is the mind of Otto Octavius in the body of Spider-Man) hold onto his sanity while facing his doppelganger?
40 PGS./One-Shot/Rated T+ …$4.99
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