TOP O' THE WEEK
ABSOLUTE GREEN LANTERN #1 (DC, 40 PAGES, $4.99) is by writer Al Ewing and artist Jahnoy Lindsay. The solilcitation says "without the ring," but it sure looks like this girl's got one. And one of the covers has a ghostly Hal Jordan, so he's playing some role in this, although probably a small one. But I'm guessing this dark universe doesn't have a GL Corps, or any sort of support network. Or even a John Stewart, by the look of it.
Green Lantern was one of my chilhood favorites, although I was aware that his Silver Age concept was pretty flawed. Maybe this new start will correct those flaws, starting with "too many characters with the same name and powers."
DAREDEVIL COLD DAY IN HELL #1 (OF 3, $6.99) is by writer Charles Soule and artist Steve McNiven. This is basically "Old Man Murdock," and I don't know how I feel about that. "Old Man Logan" was interesting, but more (to me) as a novelty than as a story. Without novelty, these "Old Man" stories just make me depressed. I'm already too old; do my heroes have to get old, too? OTOH, that McNiven art is pretty sweet. If that's what he's drawing these days, maybe that's what I should be reading.
“This book was extremely collaborative in a way that was a bit of an experiment for us, a back and forth discussion as scripts and inks and dialogue and colors came in throughout, and I think people are going to see that on the page,” Soule told IGN in a recent interview. “Steve called it ‘jazz’ at one point, and I don't think that's so far off. I'm really proud of all the work I've done with Steve, but this one really stands out.”
"This is definitely a story that fits in with all of the other things Charles and I have collaborated on over the years, and is probably the most ambitious," McNiven added. "A unique type of work that could only happen after years of working together and trusting each other’s abilities.”
“I know whatever idea I write is going to be executed masterfully by Steve, and that level of trust allows you to take a lot of risks,” Soule said. “It’s been a really interesting process because the way we made it is something I wouldn’t do with an artist that I didn’t have this level of collaboration and trust with. We’ve been working on this book for four years, and that time has been well spent.”
“I started out by going why are not more people learning from Frank [Miller] and the storytelling he does,” McNiven said. “I was inspired by his work on Dark Knight Returns. To a certain degree, the structure of a 16-panel grid forces you to do different storytelling techniques.”
JIMMY OLSEN'S SUPERCYCLOPEDIA TP (DC, $12.99) is by writer Gabe Soria and artist Sandy Jarrell.
"THE NEW GODS SENT THE SUPERCYCLOPEDIA TO FIND A HERO! And it did! Superman's pal Jimmy Olsen is documenting the heroism of his friends and learning how to use this cool new technological marvel. When the villainous Toy Boy and his Mischief League of the Multiverse get their hands on knockoff versions of the device, they won't stop until they fulfill his deadly plans. Can Jimmy save the day? With his buddies Rip Hunter and Linda Park by his side, Jimmy's definitely up for the challenge. They embark on a planet- and dimension-hopping adventure, encountering a who's who of the DC Universe and discovering that not all heroes wear capes. Look out, world!"
Say what, now? How come I haven't heard word one about this? And when did Jimmy Olsen turn Black? (He's probably from Earth-23.) I may have to get this, just because Jimmy Olsen is the only character pathetic enough to make me feel better about myself.
CROSSOVERS
STAR TREK LORE WAR #1 (IDW, $5.99) is by Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, Christopher Cantwell and Davide Tinto. Lore has remade the universe in his own image with the Star Trek equivalent of a Cosmic Cube, and who wants that? Not our heroes, who will try to change history in Star Trek, Star Trek: Defiant and some te-in one-shots. Could be fun. I'll probably like Lore a lot better in print than on screen, where I found him really irritating. (Not to mention really predictable. He did every "evil twin" cliche in the book, and you'd think our heroes would be savvy enough not to fall for those tricks. After all, I saw through them, and I'm a caveman by comparison. Very disappointing.)
"This is it. The moment we've been building to since the Theseus left spacedock and the Defiant was stolen,” Lanzing said. ”The ultimate STAR TREK comics crossover event — as the heroes and villains of the galaxy must band together to defend its very existence."
“Since the line’s inception, our grander story in both titles has dealt with STAR TREK’s concept of godlike beings and the rejection of those godlike beings — order and entropy as it exists throughout the four quadrants of the galaxy,” Cantwell said. “Who pulls the strings and who dares to cut them? LORE WAR is quite literally the apotheosis of that shared theme, two years in the making.”
"The gods are dead, and only one mad android holds the reins of our universe. With absolute power comes absolute corruption. ... But does it come with absolute control?” Kelly said. “Featuring the incredible art of Davide Tinto — a newcomer to the Trek world — we're not settling for anything less than the most impressive and world-ending STAR TREK event that comics can contain.
“It's all been building to this moment," Group Editor Heather Antos said. "No, literally. From the original prelude in STAR TREK #400 two years ago the road map has always led to LORE WAR. When Collin, Jackson and Christopher first embarked on this mission we asked the question ‘Can a man be both man and a god?’ Well now Lore is answering."
TM & © 2024 CBS Studios Inc. STAR TREK and related marks and logos are trademarks of CBS Studios, Inc. All Rights Reserved
MORE ITEMS OF INTEREST
ABSOLUTE SUPERMAN #6 (DC, $4.99) is by writer Jason Aaron and artist Carmine di Giandomenico. Absolute Kal-El finally makes it to Absolute Smallville. Naturally, these kindly, salt-of-the-Earth types whip out their shotguns.
CONCERT OF CHAMPIONS #1 (MARVEL, $4.99), by writer Jason Loo and artist Rafael Loureiro, stars Luna Snow, a character from the Marvel Rivals game. Right off the bat, I have lost 100% interest. But maybe it's interesting otherwise?
Nope. The co-stars are Dazzler and Lila Cheney, which are strikes two and three.
“I'm honored to work on Marvel's first annual music festival, and with a STACKED line-up,” Loo shared. “Luna Snow was already on my playlist while I was writing the last Dazzler series, so getting to have her share the stage with Dazzler and Lila Cheney is a total dream. Also, get ready for DEEP VOID, 616's new black metal band, made-up of some familiar faces. That one song they have RIPS!”
I'm sure it does. But you can't hear it in a comic book, bub.
I'm thinking Sydney Sweeney as the photo reference for Cover B. What do y'all think?
CRUEL KINGDOM #4 (OF 4, ONI PRESS, $4.99): Announced creators included writers J. Holtham and Greg Pak, and artists Valeria Burzo and Adam Pollina.
IRONHEART: BAD CHEMISTRY #1 (MARVEL, $4.99) is by writer John Jennings and artist Jethro Morales. I know I've read stories with Riri Williams in them, and I've seen a TV show with her in it. But if challenged, I wouldn't be able to come up with a single adjective to describe her personality. ("Wicked smart" doesn't count.)
Of course, the same used to be true of Tony Stark. Which is why he was a B-level character until Robert Downey Jr. got hold of him.
"When Marvel asked me to revisit working on Ironheart and expanding her rivalry with Khem, I was overjoyed!” Jennings said. “I got a chance to revisit their conflict and really explore Khem’s background and motivations. I had a blast working on this book with such amazing talent and I hope the fans enjoy the ride!"
I WAS A FASHION SCHOOL SERIAL KILLER #1 (OF 5, IMAGE, $3.99) is by writer Doug Wagner and artist Daniel Hillyard (Plush, Plastic, Vinyl). Rennie Bethary is a student in New York's most prestigious fashion school ... and a serial killer. Why am I not surprised these two things go together like peanut butter and chocolate?
"This may be the craziest, most quirky serial killer book Daniel and I have done yet," Wagner said. "We had the time of our lives working on this one. During our calls, there was way too much of drinks shooting out noses and asking, 'Can we get away with that?' We tend to think of those as signs that we’re on the right path.”
"Sewing together serial killer horror and college drama felt so right — like slipping into a warm blood bath," Hillyard said.
MOON GIRL & DEVIL DINOSAUR 10TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL #1 (ONE-SHOT, MARVEL, $4.99) is by writers Brandon Montclare & Justina Ireland and artists Natacha Bustos & Luca Claretti.
I always thought this character was aimed at little girls, so I've never been interested. But there is a dinosaur, which is a plus. And it's a first issue and an anniversary issue with a lot of guest stars, so some Legionnaires might enjoy it.
“Time flies when you're having fun!” Montclare said. "It was 2015 when a lot of talented creators joined Natacha Bustos and I to bring Moon Girl to life. It seems like only yesterday that Marvel had a brand new super genius super hero — and she was only 9 years old. To celebrate 10 years with the character, the two of us (and a bunch more amazing talents) are celebrating Lunella Lafayette's 10th Birthday. Join us for the BIG party.”
“Returning to draw Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur feels like coming home,” Bustos said. “The series has always been significant to me. It is remarkable how this character has resonated across diverse contexts over the past decade and fascinating to consider that many adult readers of these new pages are the same kids who have grown up with the comic book series initially.”
“Brandon and Natacha are giving us and Lunella one of the best birthday stories in Marvel history!” Editor Mark Paniccia said. “And I can’t wat for readers to discover Lunella’s descendant, Devil Girl, and her laser-eyed, flying blue dino! You can’t miss this special!!”
GOLDEN AGE OF REPRINTS
ABSOLUTE BATMAN: ZERO YEAR HC ($125.00): This was a Batman without any money, so it might be considered a rought draft for Absolute Batman.
ATLAS COMICS LIBRARY VOL 5: POLICE ACTION HC (MR, FANTAGRAPHICS, $44.99): Oh yeah, Imma get this, you betcha!
BATMAN #614 FACSIMILE EDITION (DC, $3.99): More Hush
BATMAN: GOTHAM BY GASLIGHT — THE KRYPTONIAN AGE HC (DC, $29.99): I think I've read all the previous "Gaslight" stories, and enjoyed what I've read, so I'll read this one, too.
CONAN THE BARBARIAN: THE BATTLE OF THE BLACK STONE TP (MR, TITAN, $17.99): This miniseries threw together a lot of REH characters from different time periods,. It won't change your life, but it's pretty interesting.
DC FINEST: PEACEMAKER — KILL FOR PEACE TP (DC, $39.99): I think I've already read all these stories, either as periodicals or in a Gwandanaland collection. But I'll get this anyway to be sure. I'm not sure, for example, if I've read the Fightin' Five backups.
G.I. JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO #21 — SILENT MISSIONS EDITION (IMAGE, $3.99) is a facsimile edition of a famous G.I. Joe comic book that I've never read. If you're a G.I. Joe fan, you already know more than I can tell you about G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #21, but if not, here's what I know: In 1984, the Joes' silent ninja guy, Snake Eyes, went toe-to-toe with his evil counterpart, Storm Shadow, in a story titled "Silent Interlude," where not a word was spoken. This "silent issue" is famous among Joe fans, and is being reprinted by Image to promote more silent issues. Each Wednesday in April (there are five of them), a silent issue will be released. There's more on that in "More Comics" below.
“The importance of the Silent Interlude cannot be overstated,” said Alex Antone, Editorial Director at Skybound. “And in celebration of this historic issue, Skybound has invited five of the industry’s best storytellers to write and draw their own silent issue, each taking on a different G.I. JOE character. And while this event is inspired by Larry Hama and Steve Leialoha’s original masterpiece, each issue is singular in its approach and showcases the unique strengths of these incredible artists.”
THE SENTRY TP (NEW PTG, MARVEL, $29.99): Just in time for his star turn in Thunderbolts*!
TOXIC AVENGER TP (MR, AHOY COMICS, $17.99): Ahoy alert!
MORE COMICS
ALL-NEW VENOM #5 (MARVEL, $4.99) is by writer Al Ewing and artist Carlos Gómez. In this issue: The secret identity of the ALL-NEW VENOM will be UNMASKED!
Which I don't care about. In fact, if there is an opposite to caring about it, that's where I am. But Marvel is VERY excited about it, and sent me these LARGELY IDENTICAL VARIANT COVERS with all of the potential Venoms. Which I am sharing with you, because I am generous to a fault.
ARCHIE & FRIENDS LEVEL UP (ONE-SHOT, $4.99)
Here's a complete story, illustrated by Samm Schwartz, of "Dipsy Doodle" fame.
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE: EXPOSED PHOTOS FROM THE SET HC (MARVEL, $60.00) is written by Jess Harold, and is exactly what the title says. I don't buy any of this behind-the-scenes stuff, but there are those that do, and here's a head's up for them.
DEADPOOL KILLS THE MARVEL UNIVERSE ONE LAST TIME #1 (OF 5, MARVEL, $4.99): Look, I try not to be Mr. Negative. I mean, there's already a Spider-Man character with that name. But honestly, sometimes it's hard not to be cynical about our hobby.
“Oh, man! It’s absolutely bonkers that my pal Dalibor and I are back at it again with good ol’ Wade slaughtering all your favorite heroes!” writer Cullen Bunn said. “And, to celebrate the occasion, we’ve come up with an insanely bonkers story for you! It’s heartwarming for us, seeing all the good will and cheer this book brings our way! All kidding aside, though. We wouldn’t have come back to a new Deadpool Kills story unless we could come up with something completely unexpected. And that’s what you’ll get here. You’ll also get what I think is the most epic Deadpool story of all time.”
“It seems eons ago that I drew my first Deadpool story — at the time I didn't even know who he was!” Dalibor Talajić said. “Still, when Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe happened, it changed my life, so whenever I have an opportunity to come back to him, it's like reuniting with an old friend.
“It really is a huge joy to be able to work with Cullen again. Throughout the years, we've worked on many different stories together, but Deadpool ... is always one hell of a party! This is the third time Cullen imagines Deadpool killing the whole Marvel Universe, and for the third time I am in awe with this guy's imagination! Trust me, one hell of a ride awaits for you. I'm already halfway through and I'm having a blast! Something that started almost as a joke turned out to be a big event trilogy, 15 years in the making, and that makes me pretty proud!”
MARVEL RIVALS #1 (MARVEL, $6.99): Based on the video game, about which I know nothing, and care less.
RIGSBY, WI VOL 1: FOOTHOLD TP (IRON CIRCUS COMICS, 128 PAGES, $15.00) by writer/artist S.E. Case. This book is probably aimed at the late teens crowd, and normally I'd ignore it. But Iron Circus sent me a lot of stuff, so it seems petty not to run it.
"It’s 2002 in rural Rigsby, Wisconsin, and Bethany, searching for stability and an escape from her oppressive family, finds solace in new high school friends. But everyone is struggling beneath the town’s idyllic surface, and everything is about to change."
G.I. JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO — BEACH HEAD #1 (ONE-SHOT, IMAGE, $3.99), by Phil Hester (Green Arrow), and is the first of five "silent" issues in April. In this issue, Beach Head (who is apparently a persion with a really strange name) is trapped in a DMZ and hunted by the forces of Cobra. But can Beach Head save himself and the war orphans he's vowed to protect?
I'm guessing he can. But he will do it vewwy, vewwy quietly.
“What better way to kick off 5 straight weeks of Silent Missions than with a brand-new Beach Head story by the modern master Phil Hester, and special reprint of the legendary issue that started it all!” said Alex Antone, Editorial Director at Skybound. “G.I. JOE fans are eating well this April!”
GODLESS WORLD OF ONEE-CHAN GN (TITAN, $12.99)
KAMEN RIDER KUUGA VOL 9 GN (MR, TITAN, $12.99)
MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN #32 (MARVEL, $3.99) guest stars Thor, Hercules, Ares and Anansi. That's quite a dinner party.
PAST TIME #1 (OF 5, MAD CAVE, $4.99) is by writer Joe Harris and artist Russell Olson. I'm not sure, but if I read the subtext in the press info ... I think this is a story about a barnstorming, 1920s baseball player who is a vampire. I love period pieces, and how a vampire copes with being in the public eye would be interesting. He'd probably also have a heck of a fastball.
PLAGUE HOUSE #1 (OF 4, ONI PRESS, $4.99) is by writer Michael W. Conrad and artist Dave Chisholm. A ragtag group of ghost hunters — "Jacob, the holy man; Holland, the skeptic; and their leader, Del, a true believer in the occult and worlds beyond" — who are trying to catch whatever evil influence it is that drove a man to murder his family with a hammer. They're watching his abandoned house, but the solicitation pretty much says it isn't the house that's haunted. So what is? I confess to being curious.
RESURRECTION MAN: QUANTUM KARMA #1 (OF 6, MR, DC, $4,99): I remember liking the 1997 Resurrection Man series for Butch Guice's art. I didn't bother with the New 52 series, because the ability to not stay dead isn't that impressive a super-power. I mean, hundreds of X-Men do the same thing. And without Guice, I'm not sure what I'd see in the series.
WEST COAST AVENGERS #6 (MARVEL, $3.99) guest stars the (East Coast) Avengers.
WORLD OF ARCHIE JUMBO COMICS DIGEST #149 (ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS, $9.99)
Here's a complete story
YOU MUST TAKE PART IN THE REVOLUTION GN (STREET NOISE BOOKS, $23.99) is by writer Mellissa Chan and artist Badiucao.
"It's 2035. The US and China are at war. America is a proto-fascist state. Taiwan is divided into two. As conflict escalates between nuclear powers, three idealistic youths who first met in Hong Kong develop diverging beliefs about how best to navigate this techno-authoritarian landscape. Andy, Maggie, and Olivia travel different paths toward transformative change, each confronting to what extent they will fight for freedom, and who they will become in doing so."
My first thought was: "Proto-fascist state? We're already past that."
My second thought was: "Why would I want to read about a depressing future, when the present is depressing enough?" I'm sure things will turn out swell for the idealistic kids in this story, because it's just a story. In the real world, youth and idealism aren't enough. Didn't change things in Nazi Germany or Bolshevik Russia, didn't change things in Tiananmen Square, won't change things here.
Replies
Jimmy Olsen is the only character pathetic enough to make me feel better about myself.
What about Archie Andrews?
“I'm honored to work on Marvel's first annual music festival, and with a STACKED line-up,” Loo shared.
No pun intended, I assume...?
MOON GIRL & DEVIL DINOSAUR 10TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL: I always thought this character was aimed at little girls, so I've never been interested.
I read the first couple of issues of the first series. I assume there have been multiple at this point, but... 10th anniversary!?
What about Archie Andrews?
He has not one, but TWO hot chicks who want to date him!
“I'm honored to work on Marvel's first annual music festival, and with a STACKED line-up,” Loo shared.
No pun intended, I assume...?
That thought crossed my mind as well, but I didn't have anything to say about it.
10th anniversary!?
That's how long she's been around. Hard to believe.
He has not one, but TWO hot chicks who want to date him!
But does that make you feel better about yourself or worse?
JIMMY OLSEN'S SUPERCYCLOPEDIA TP: Say what, now? How come I haven't heard word one about this? And when did Jimmy Olsen turn Black?
Flipped through this today. It's a digest-size YA graphic novel aimed at young readers.