MARVEL COMICS
This week in "Vampire Variants"
Here are this week's Vampire Variant homage covers, in anticipation of May's "Blood Hunt." Can you guess the original covers? Answers below.
THE ANSWERS
- Black Widow & Hawkeye #2, by Carmen Carnero, homages Giant-Size Chillers #1.
- Ghost Rider: Final Vengeance #2, by Geoff Shaw, homages Tomb of Dracula #9.
- Miles Morales: Spider-Man #19, by Luciano Vecchio, homages Tomb of Dracula #55.
- Spectacular Spider-Men #2, by Mike McKone, homages Amazing Spider-Man #101.
- Spider-Boy #6, by Benjamin Su, homages Tomb of Dracula #3.
- Spider-Woman #6 by Belén Ortega, homages Adventure into Fear #23.
This week in "Fall of X"
DEAD X-MEN #4 (OF 4)
By Steve Foxe and Vincenzo Carratu.
"EVERYTHING ENDS!" Well, yeah, because it's the last issue of this miniseries. OTOH, a lot does come to a head, as both the Dead X-Men (they're actually resurrected, so don't let the title fool you) and a Moira MacTaggert from a different timeline race through various Moira lives to reset the timeline to suit their agendas. For Prodigy, Dazzler, Frenzy, Cannonball and Jubilee — I must say, not the most exciting team I've ever seen — it's to prevent the current state of affairs. For Moira, it's a bit more evil. Here's Marvel's summary of the series.
FALL OF THE HOUSE OF X #4 (OF 5)
By Gerry Duggan and Lucas Werneckv.
"As the Krakoan Age barrels toward its conclusion, the two storylines converge in an act that will live in infamy!" That's really all that Marvel has to say, so now you know as much as I do. (The act of infamy, I believe, is a betrayal that will occur in Rise of the Powers of X #4, on sale April 24.)
LOVE that Cyclops cover. I had no idea I had such nostalgia for the era when he wore that costume. Even the buccaneer boots, which I think were lifted from 1930s pirate movies in the Golden Age, and have become a sort of archaic artifact in the present. He'll have a new (ugly) costume when the next storyline ("Rising from the Ashes") begins, so I have to enjoy it while I can.
This week in Spider-Man:
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #255 FACSIMILE EDITION is an early black costume book.
MILES MORALES SPIDER-MAN #19 features an homage to Incredible Hulk #181, by Will Sliney.
Elsewhere at Marvel:
GIANT-SIZE HULK #1
By Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Andrea Broccardo
Johnson has been writing Incredible Hulk as a horror book, and Marvel says that will continue in this book, also written by Johnson. In Giant-Size, the Hulk battles a new foe named Patchwork Jack, apparently on a train. Shades of Ian Fleming!
There's also a reprint of Incredible Hulk #372, by Peter David and Dale Keown. Here are some creator quotes:
“The North Star I’ve been following on Incredible Hulk is to make EVERY ISSUE a horror and action showcase for the rock-star artists I've been so fortunate to work with,” Johnson explained. “I’ve pulled out all the stops to ensure readers don’t miss out on a single page of this book’s potential: new lore, new monsters, fan-favorite guest appearances from across the Marvel U, the most jaw-dropping fights imaginable, the gnarliest transformations Hulk has ever experienced. … I want this to be a run that readers never forget. And when my editors asked for a GIANT-SIZE INCREDIBLE HULK one-shot, I knew we had to ramp all that up even more.
“The story we’re telling in GIANT-SIZE HULK #1 has been in the back of my mind since I started writing the series, just waiting for the right moment to be told,” he continued. “It sums up the horror-driven direction of the book, and features some of the most haunting and explosive visuals we’ve seen so far. It also features the first-ever appearance of a horrifying new character: Patchwork Jack, who I can't wait for readers to meet. I promise you: no Hulk fan will want to miss this issue.”
MICRONAUTS: THE ORIGINAL MARVEL YEARS OMNIBUS VOL. 1 HC
By Bill Mantlo and Diverse Hands
Reprints Micronauts (1979) #1-29 & Annual (1979) #1-2 and material from Micronauts Special Edition #1-5 for the first time, and due to contractual constraints, possibly the last. Some of these stories involve mainstream Marvel characters like the Fantastic Four, Doctor Doom, S.H.I.E.L.D., Captain Universe and Man-Thing, and presumably this is the only place those stories can be reprinted as well.
For my part, I read the series when it came out, and have no urge to re-read it. The Michael Golden art is worth seeing, but there's not enough of it to justify the money and shelf space this book would require for me. But your mileage will almost certainly vary. Legionnaire Feargal Galllagher, for example, loved it. He focused his Inklings column almost exclusively on Micronauts, lining up Arcturus Rann with various literary philosopher-king forebears.
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: CAPTAIN AMERICA VOL 16 HC brings us up to Captain America #280.
ROXXON PRESENTS: THOR #1 (ONE-SHOT)
By Al Ewing and Greg Land
Jeff's probably going to call the second cover above an "Over-the-Shoulder, Stink-Eye pose."
So here's the deal: In-story Roxxon has bought the the Marvel Universe's Marvel Comics. Their version of Thor is here "to defend big business and the sanctity of shareholder value!" In this issue Chad Hammer turns into Thor to take on environmentalists protesting Roxxon's rape of the Earth, who are stirred up by Loki. Because to fossil-fuel executives, there's nothing more evil than denying them obscene profits! Here's a cute bit supposedly from Al Ewing on writing this issue:
“Roxxon's hostile takeover of Marvel Comics is the worst thing to happen to the industry in decades just what comic books needed! I was horrified jazzed beyond words when I saw how the so-called Roxxon Entertainment Standards Committee had gutted improved my work, methodically stripping away every iota of poetry, symbolism and metaphor junk no one cares about. The result is a comic that can best be described as an act of unforgivable violence against the medium I love a rollicking good time for the whole family! May God forgive Roxxon, for I never shall! Make Mine Roxxon!”
ULTIMATE BLACK PANTHER #3
By Bryan Edward Hill and Stefano Caselli
Why a press release for the third issue of a series? Because it contains the first appearances of Ultimate Storm and Ultimate Killmonger, that's why. They'll join with Ultimate T'Challa to battle Ultimate Moon Khight, Ultimate Ra and their presumably Ultimate army, currently invading Ultimate Wakanda.
“I’ve always loved looking at outfits of tribes from all over the world,” Peach Momoko explained about her character designs. “And combining the modern and tribal, the beauty and strong, is something I always love thinking about. And getting to design for Storm and Killmonger, I wanted to respect the characters and also put in my soul and unique vision into them.”
WHAT IF …? VENOM #3: What if Venom was Doctor Strange.
DC COMICS
This week in Batman:
BATMAN/SUPERMAN: WORLD’S FINEST #26
By Mark Waid and Dan Mora
In this follow-up to Batman/Superman: World's Finest 2024 Annual and Batman/Superman: World's Finest #25, Bat-Mite and Mr. Mxyzptlk team up to warn Superman and Batman about the Doom-Mite. Or something like that. Hard to say with those two. But it's by Waid, so it's probably good.
More Bat-books this week: BATMAN: OFF-WORLD #4 (OF 6), BATMAN: WHITE KNIGHT PRESENTS GENERATION JOKER HC, CATWOMAN #64, NIGHTWING #113, THE BAT-MAN: FIRST KNIGHT #1 2ND PTG and TIM DRAKE: ROBIN VOL 2: A CASE OF CHAOS TP.
This week in "House of Brainiac"
SUPERMAN #13
By Joshua Williamson and Rafa Sandoval
Superman and Lobo team up against Brainiac's Czarnian army. Apparently Lobo is the last Czarnian in the way that Superman is the last Kryptonian.
Elsewhere at DC:
CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS #1 (OF 12) FACSIMILE EDITION: Looks like DC is going to ape Marvel's Secret Wars idea of publishing facsimiles of an entire series.
IMAGE COMICS
7174AD #1
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By Ashley Wood and T.P. Louise
Collects "bits and bobs from Ash's storied career," including full stories. According to Wikipedia, Ashley Wood is an Australian artist, illustrator and art director who has worked for UK publishers, Marvel, DC, Image and IDW. I don't know how those stories will make it into this series, since they're undoubtedly under copyright. Maybe they won't, and this is just material he self-published. This first issue is 48 pages of whatever it is, so it should be a good yardstick.
I do like the art below. I'll take a look and see.
COBRA COMMANDER #4
DARK HORSE
DUDLEY DATSON #1 (OF 3)
By Scott Snyder and Jamal Igle
Originally a ComiXology series collected here in print for the first time, Dudley Datson is a 15-year-old genius who invents, essentially, the Tardis, and goes on adventures with his dog. From Encyclopedia Brown to Barry Ween, the boy genius trope has a long history, and this seems right in line with its antecedents. Plus, there's a dog.
I don't know why the dog is a German Shepherd on one cover, and a Corgi on the rest.
Praise for Dudley Datson and the Forever Machine:
“[Dudley Datson and the Forever Machine is] an original sci-fi/superhero pastiche that would feel perfectly at home in the world of Astro City or the works of Jack Kirby. ... The story has a fun, light and very human tone that makes it instantly engaging.” — GeekDad (Rating 9/10)
“Spinning a story that spans generations and weaves in dimensional travel and alien lifeforms, though perhaps most impressive is that Dudley never moves from the story’s center… artist Jamal Igle, colorist Chris Sotomayor, inker Juan Castro, and letterer Tom Napolitano bring those scenes to life and keep the reader engaged, and when the action does pick up it pops off the page.” — Comicbook.com
“Mixing sci-fi and the magic of invention, Dudley Datson is a younger character who is relatable to teenagers across the country. It’s also a story about invention and how there’s a secret society running things you’ll definitely want to learn more about.” — AIPT
“Dudley Datson and the Forever Machine truly feels like it’s made for everyone and embodies the pure creative spirit of comics.” — But Why Tho?
STAR WARS: THE HIGH REPUBLIC ADVENTURES — SABER FOR HIRE #1 (OF 4)
By Cavan Scott and Rachael Stott
The (light) saber for hire of the title is Ty Yorrick, a former Padawan turned freelance monster hunter. She has taken an apprentice, and forced to return to the fray. Here are some creator quotes:
"We're thrilled that Cavan and Rachael are reuniting to continue Ty Yorrick's story, and what a story it is," said Michael Siglain, Creative Director, Lucasfilm Publishing. "Saber for Hire is filled with adventure, horror and heart. Ty has left the Jedi Order far behind and has fully embraced her role as a monster-hunting saber-for-hire — or has she? As we'll see, Ty is key to the larger battle between the marauding Nihil and the monstrous Nameless — she just doesn't know it yet."
"I am really excited to be teaming up with Rachael Stott once again for more Ty Yorrick adventures." Said Cavan Scott. "Saber For Hire takes place in The High Republic's dramatic third phase when the anarchic Nihil have annexed a vast area of Republic space. Former Jedi-turned-monster hunter Ty and her apprentice Drewen are trapped behind enemy lines and having the time of their lives hunting beasts and making a small fortune. Well, Ty is having the time of her life. Drewen is feeling sidelined and wants more from their partnership. As Ty faces a nightmare from her past, Drewen steps out on his own. What could go wrong, right?"
IDW PUBLISHING
IN PERPETUITY GN
By Peter Hoey
It turns out the afterlife is just like this one, only more boring and eternal. A shade named Jim works endless shifts at a gas station, smoking and doing crossword puzzles. My God, hell is real! Anyway, two criminal shades show up to tell him he has the rare power to cross back to the land of the living, and they have plans for him. I know that he's already dead, but I worry this won't turn out well for Jim.
BOOM! STUDIOS
BLOW AWAY #1
By Zac Thompson and Nicola Izzo (Buffy the Vampire Slayer).
Wildlife videographer Brynne Brautigan thinks she may have witnessed a murder on the remote (and cold) Baffin Island, which leads to noir adventure where she is almost certain to be targeted by whomever commited the murder (if it is a murder).
There seem to be a lot of st0ries set in really cold places these days, or maybe it's just that I notice them more. Because cold places are becoming rare. I wonder if this some sort of subconscious reaction by writers wanting to un-heat the world.
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT
GARGOYLES: QUEST #1: More Disney from Dynamite.
JAMES BOND: 007 #4
By Garth Ennis and Rapha Lobosco
Dynamite didn't send me a DRC of the first issue, so I didn't read issues #2-3 — I'm tradewaiting. Upshot is, I don't know any more about it than anyone else who isn't reading it concurrent with publication. Here's an interview with Garth Ennis:
GARTH ENNIS TAKES ON BOND, JAMES BOND!
Garth, you’ve chronicled the stories of soldiers and spies many a time, but you’ve never taken on one of the most famous fictional secret agents of all time. Is James Bond a figure you’ve ever thought about writing in the past, and what drew you to him now?
Not really until recently. I’ve been offered Bond before and saw no real appeal — in fact, I found the character ripe for parody, something I indulged fully in my Jimmy’s Bastards series. But when I took a look at the Bond of the Fleming novels, as opposed to the larger-than-life figure from the movies, I saw a great deal more potential — a much darker character in a more interesting world.
As a native of the Isles, likewise the home of Bond both on and off the page, did he have much of an impact on you growing up or in your life, either through Fleming’s writing or the film adaptations? What do you think makes the character so timeless, to be continually featured in media for 70 years running?
Not much. I’d go and see each new movie every few years the way I would Indiana Jones or things from similar franchises, and a few days after seeing them I’d have forgotten much of what I’d seen. There were a few exceptions — I recently found that The Spy Who Loved Me held up pretty well, and I enjoyed Skyfall, just because for the first time I thought the character was actually fighting for something he cared about. It went beyond the usual mixture of gadgets, glamour and exotic locales.
As to the character’s appeal, I imagine what’s gotten him this far down the road continues to propel him forward — to cite the old cliche, men want to be him and women want to **** him.
Followers of your work know you as a history buff who often brings that expertise and passion into your writing. The threads that lead into this story reach back into the Cold War, and even further. Did any particular readings, reflections, or current events inspire some of these connections?
I mention a few things here and there, like the relationship between MI6 and the CIA, and the philosophy adopted by the Soviet Union in opposing the West. But the story is largely fictional; any historical references are largely window dressing.
Which is not to say that the (fictional) past doesn’t bear heavily on the storyline as it develops.
What inspired me more than anything else was Bond himself; the notion of a guy alternating casual charm with utter ruthlessness as necessary. Ultimately, he’s the British establishment’s killing machine, and as such extremely interesting.
Bond is not always solo on his missions, surrounded as he is by allies like M, Moneypenny and others, as well as some memorable enemies. Who can readers expect to see in this story, and are there any new faces you’re awaiting to introduce to everyone?
M, Q, Moneypenny and Felix Leiter all have roles to play. I particularly enjoyed writing Moneypenny — the comic seems to have drawn on the Naomie Harris incarnation of the character, which suits me fine. There are numerous others, but the question when someone new encounters Bond is generally how long the poor bastard’s likely to last. There is one guy, a former MI6 agent called Archie Tryon, whose presence in the story is fairly key.
One aspect that James Bond tales are famous for is how they can differ dramatically in tone, ranging from action sequences featuring jetpacks, shootouts on skis, space walks and all manner of colorful gadgets to no-nonsense spycraft and brutal assassinations. How would you describe the way this tale falls in that spectrum?
I’m tending to veer towards the latter. However, there is a bit of malarkey in orbit round about Part Three, and the Stalvoda compound itself has a nicely outrageous feel to it.
Artist Rapha Lobosco is joining you for this project, having previously taken on James Bond: Black Box with writer Benjamin Percy, as well as an issue of The Body. What does his style bring to the work, and how has the collaboration been so far?
He’s very much my sort of artist — nice sense of character and great storyteller.
VALIANT COMICS
This week in "Resurgence"
BLOODSHOT UNLEASHED: RELOADED #2 (OF 4): Valiant has announced a "resurgence" in September, with Resurgence of the Valiant Universe an actual four-issue miniseries beginning that month. But it has also retroactively made everything it has published since February's A Very Valiantine's Special one-shot the prologue to the Resurgence. That would include the Valentine's Day special; Bloodshot Unleashed: Reloaded #1 (of 4) in March; Brittania: The Great Fire of Rome one-shot, Livewire & The Secret Weapons one-shot, Punk Mambo: The Punk Witch Project one-shot and Bloodshot Unleashed: Reloaded #2 (of 4) in April; and 24 books in May, June, July, August and September. I will do my best to alert everyone to them.
MORE COMICS
ADVOCATE HC
By Eddie Ahn and Celeste Mountjoy, published by Ten Speed Press. Ahn, a second-generation Korean American, defies his parents to use his law degree for nonprofits instead of a lucrative legal career in this graphic-novel memoir. I'm sure it's heartwarming, or educational, or something, but it doesn't sound interesting to me. Perhaps it does to you.
ALMOST DEAD #2
ASSASSIN’S CREED: THE FALL
ATLAS COMICS LIBRARY VOL 2: VENUS HC
It's here! It's here! I'll finally have a full set of Venus reprints! That might not excite you, but it's very exciting to me! And Jeff of Earth-J can finish his Venus discussion! My one worry is that it won't be the same size as Marvel Masterworks: Venus Vol. 1, which would distress me. But if it doesn't match I'll recover, thanks for the concern.
BIDEN’S TITANS VS. TRUMP'S TITANS #1: No matter who does it, no matter the politics, these kinds of books always suck.
BLADE RUNNER 2039 #12 (OF 12)
COVENANT VOL 1 (OF 3)
By LySandra Vuong
This coLlects a Webtoon "with more than 21 million reads and over 630,000 followers." Is that a lot? I don't have a yardstick for that sort of thing. It sounds like a lot. But it's the Internet and views/follows could be bots, Russians or the creator's family clicking away.
One thing I want to mention: The lead character's name is Erza. Why not just Ezra? If it's to make the name sound more futuristic, it's no more convincing than Thom, Dirk and Gim in Legion of Super-Heroes.
Covenant takes place in a world plagued by actual demons, so the Catholic Church is a bit more on the aggessive side. Here's the actual blurb:
"In a world where priests are decked out in holy tattoos and brandish machine guns in the face of demons, a powerful exorcist and a mysterious boy cross paths ... in a college classroom. Erza’s faith is waning when God intervenes and sends him on a mission to protect Sunny, an outwardly normal human, from demonic forces. Looks can be deceiving, however, as Sunny proves to have hidden secrets and a bloody past nipping at his heels. Between Erza’s sunny sarcasm, and Sunny’s closed-off distant demeanor, the two struggle to find any common ground to bridge the gap. Yet, as much as the two bicker and retain distance, neither can help but be drawn to the other. With his church under scrutiny and the threat of war on the horizon, will Erza find his conviction in time to keep Sunny safe? Will Sunny even accept his help? Or will they both suffer the consequences?"
Here are some creator quotes:
“COVENANT combines classic shounen manga tropes with fantasy Catholicism to tell an action-packed story in which angels talk to us and demons walk among us,” said Vuong. “Covenant is an unconventional comic. It's supernatural, a little blasphemous, a little sexy and unapologetically queer.”
“A few years ago, in a time where many publishers still frowned upon manga-inspired art styles, I thought the only place for my story would be the wild west of webcomics, where all sorts of wacky and weird comics live,” said Vuong. “To see Covenant coming to print, to bookstores, to a physical format, with such an amazing publisher as Oni Press is beyond my wildest dreams.
“COVENANT takes the exorcist sub-genre that has made stories like Constantine so beloved into a refreshing and modern direction with action sequences that recall the flare of shounen manga like Blue Exorcist and the slow burn romance of a Kaori Yuki or CLAMP series,” said Oni Press Editor-in-Chief Sierra Hahn. “We can’t wait to introduce a brand new audience to the powerful and unique storytelling of debut creator LySandra Vuong.”
Here are some critics' quotes:
“COVENANT should scratch an itch you maybe didn’t know you had — even if that itch is some hot monsters from hell.” — AV Club
“We dare anyone to start this series and not find themselves immediately pulled into the mystery and suspense." — Geek Girl Authority
"Wildly enjoyable." — Women Write About Comics
"Sometimes a new webcomic kinda just falls in your lap and you’re wondering how I did not know of this before?" — Multiversity Comics
DOOMSDAY WITH MY DOG VOL 4 GN by Yu Ishihara (Yen Press): The last girl on Earth and her dog have adventures in a post-apocalyptic world. You know, being the last person on Earth wouldn't be so bad if I could have my dogs with me.
EC JACK KAMEN KALAMITY & OTHER STORIES HC by Jack Kamen (Fantagraphics): EC-collector alert!
GLEEM GN by Freddy Carrasco (Drawn & Quarterly): The description is just word salad: "Imbued with cyberpunk attitude and in the rebellious tradition of afrofuturism, GLEEM is drawn with a fierce momentum hurtling towards a future world. Carrasco's distinct cinematic style layers detailed panels and spreads, creating a multiplicity of perspectives, at once dizzying and hypnotic. Vignettes unspool in proximity to our own social realities and expand into the outer layers of possibility." Since that's of no use, here's a preview to help you decide if you'll like it or not:
GRACE ROSA VOL 1 GN by Himuro (Titan Manga): Grace is a hired assassin, whose one drive is to find out why her adopted father disappeared. If she doesn't find out that her employers had something to do with it, it means six decades of similar stories has taught me nothing.
HARLEM GN by Mikaël (NBM): Stéphanie St. Clair, known as Queenie, is a West Indian immigrant who creates a numbers racket in Harlem, 1931. It's lucrative, and gangster Dutch Schultz wants it. A mostly true story!
LOVE ME: A ROMANCE STORY #1 by Francesca Perillo and Stefano Cardoselli (Mad Cave): Jojo is a taxi driver, and a robot, like all those doing work actual people don't want to do in this dystopic future. He and Gilda, a human being, fall in love, but Gilda's mobbed up and that will cause complications. I kinda like the art, which is that junky, kitchen-sink Euro-style you see in books like Nemesis the Warlock, Tank Girl and sometimes Judge Dredd. Does that style have a name? Anyway, I do have to wonder what's wrong with Gilda that she fancies a machine. Yes, it's sci-fi. Still weird.
OZ: FALL OF EMERALD CITY #1 (OF 3) by David Wohl and Igor Vitorino (Zenescope): This is published by Zenescope, so you can just imagine how much Dorothy has grown up and filled out her gingham dress.
RICK AND MORTY DELUXE DOUBLE FEATURE VOL 3 HC and RICK AND MORTY PRESENTS: FINALS WEEK — BRAWLHER #1 (Oni Press): Raking in that cheddar.
ROCK & ROLL BIOGRAPHIES #2: IRON MAIDEN IN COLOR by Paul H. Birch and Geof Isherwood (10 Ton Press): Another rock and roll graphic biography,
SHOUT KILL REVEL GN by Jarrett Hartnell (Renegade Arts Press): This book appears to mix the Civil War and Lovecraft's cosmic horror. Now that's a Weird Western!
SOMETHING EPIC #9
An homage to Dark Knight Returns #1
THE AGENT #5
An homage to Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #7.
THE PRISM #7
An homage to Fleetwood Mac's Rumours album cover.
THREE EXORCISM SIBLINGS VOL 1 GN by Shinta Harekawa (Titan Manga): Mamoru Yamaemori fights Tengu, monsters who eat human flesh, to protect his younger brothers, until he dies. That's pretty bad, but there are worse jobs. Like being a gas station attendant for eternity.
THREE STOOGES: CENTENNIAL #1 by Diverse Hands (American Mythology): Has it really been 100 years? It feels like 200! Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk!
VAMPIRESS CARMILLA MAGAZINE #21
Here's Frank Frazetta's "Egyptian Queen" on the cover of Vampiress, the shameless rip-off of Warren Publishing's Vampirella. "Egyptian Queen" also appeared as the cover of Warren's Eerie #23 and Creepy #92 back in the Long-Before Time. One wonders how much Warrant Publishing (yes, that is their name) had to shell out to use this.
As to the painting itself, as a boy I thought her pose was just vamping, and the leopard was the typical pet leopard of the typical jungle queen. Recently, though, I read an interpretation that she is shrinking away from the animal in fear. But if so, why is the guy on the right not doing anything? Presumably he is a bodyguard.
What do y'all think?
WORLD OF ARCHIE JUMBO COMICS DIGEST #139
ZURIEL #1: By Konkret Comics, a small publisher specializing in superheroes of color. From what little I could find, Zuriel is a demon-hunter in Philadelphia.
Replies
[Cyclops will] have a new (ugly) costume when the next storyline begins
Ooh, I hope it has belts around his legs with lots and lots of pockets!
MICRONAUTS: THE ORIGINAL MARVEL YEARS OMNIBUS VOL. 1 HC
For the record, those variant covers are: the original #1, Annual #1 by Steve Ditko, unused Michael Golden cover for #1, and Jackson Guice for Micronauts Special Edition (reprint series) #1. And, FYI, Micronauts: The Original Marvel Years Omnibus v2 has already been solicited.
Jeff's probably going to call the second cover above an "Over-the-Shoulder, Stink-Eye pose."
Ooh, yeah... close enough, I think. It's certainly "stink eye adjacent." This could be really bad or really good. But I like Al Ewiing, and I like that solicitation copy, so I think I'll give it a try (and I haven't read Thor regularly since Dan Jurgens left). Oh, just noticed it's a one-shot. I'll definitely give it a try. What's the relation to Immortal Thor? (What issue is that diptych cover?) Do you know?
ULTIMATE BLACK PANTHER #3
I bought a second print of #1. It was okay, but it's like no Black Panther I have ever read before. that's not necessarily a bad thing, but it might as well be called Coal Tiger or Black Leopard or something. I'll keep my ears open and my buy the trade if I hear good things about it. I imagine this is intended to appeal to fans of the movie (which I have not seen).
ATLAS COMICS LIBRARY VOL 2: VENUS HC
I honestly cannot remember the last time I was this excited about an upcoming release.
And Jeff of Earth-J can finish his Venus discussion!
I will probably put all of my other current discussions on hold for the duration.
My one worry is that it won't be the same size as Marvel Masterworks: Venus Vol. 1
I can guarantee you that it won't be. The actual title of this release is "Atlas Comics Library No.2 - Venus Vol. 1," and it will certaibnly match "Atlas Comics Library No.1 - Adventures into Terror Vol. 1." [Note, too, that "Atlas Comics Library No.1 - Adventures into Terror Vol. 1" is a different size than "Atlas Artist Edition No. 1 Featuring Joe Maneely."]
But if it doesn't match I'll recover, thanks for the concern.
I'm okay with it. The Fantagraphics volume is larger, plus it is printed on more appropriate (i.e., non-glossy) paper stock.
BIDEN’S TITANS VS. TRUMP'S TITANS #1: No matter who does it, no matter the politics, these kinds of books always suck.
Agreed.
EC KAMEN'S KALAMITY & OTHER STORIES HC
This is the 20th volume alphabetically (and the 36th overall) if you're scoring at home.
THREE STOOGES: CENTENNIAL #1 Has it really been 100 years?
Only if you count from their vaudeville days. The Stooges first appeared on film with Ted Healy in 1930, without Healy ("Women Haters") in 1934.
Ooh, I hope it has belts around his legs with lots and lots of pockets!
Nope, worse:
For the record, those variant covers are ...
Thanks!
It's certainly "stink eye adjacent."
I'll take "Phrases you only see on this website" for $50, Alex.
I honestly cannot remember the last time I was this excited about an upcoming release.
Same!
I can guarantee you that it won't be. The actual title of this release is "Atlas Comics Library No.2 - Venus Vol. 1," and it will certainly match "Atlas Comics Library No.1 - Adventures into Terror Vol. 1." [Note, too, that "Atlas Comics Library No.1 - Adventures into Terror Vol. 1" is a different size than "Atlas Artist Edition No. 1 Featuring Joe Maneely."]
That was my thinking as well, but a boy can hope.