MARVEL COMICS
SPIDER-BOY #13 ($4.99) features not just the new Spider-Girl, but also Hulkette, who has previously only appeared on a New Champions variant cover. They're creating a whole Sidekick Avengers, apparently.
“You’ll get a chance to meet Hulkette and her trainer, Enormo, as they get drawn into the action packed events of Spider-Boy and Spider-Girl's overseas adventure in Madripoor!," writer Dan Slott said. "We'll learn more about Hulkette and her powers as she faces off against Spider-Boy and Daredevil. There's a big surprise in store for Marvel fans when we finally drop the secret of her origins ... but for now, if you want to see this pint-sized powerhouse throw her first punches on the page, this is the issue where her journey begins.”
WEST COAST AVENGERS #1 ($4.99) is written by Gerry Duggand and illustrated by Danny Kim. Iron Man and War Machine — boy, that seems redundant — form a new West Coast team of Avengers with iffy backgrounds. Just like Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, right? The lineup includes Spider-Woman, Firestar, a new guy named Blue Bolt and ... ULTRON!
First, let's take a look at Blue Bolt (which is a Golden Age name that nobody is using, but also a play on "bolt from the blue"). He's described as "an experienced Marvel henchman with unrefined lightning-based abilities" who is "on loan to the Avengers through a new prison release program. Reckless, undisciplined and downright rude, Blue Bolt may just be the biggest jerk in the entire Marvel Universe."
Also, his name is Chad, which is probably why he's so angry.
“The Avengers have seen a lot of rough customers over the years," Duggan said. "Hell, even Deadpool and Wolverine have been Avengers at different points. But the Avengers haven't seen a bigger @$!&^% than Blue Bolt. He's mean, he's self-centered, narcissistic and he's only on the Avengers West Coast squad to shave time off his sentence. And wait until you find out what he's in jail for. Yeesh.”
Then there's Ultron, which seems like ... I dunno, A HUGE MISTAKE. Unless Henry Pym's hiding in there somewhere, and he is due for a comeback. Here's what Duggan says:
“Redemption has been on my mind this year, and we'll see who can be redeemed on the West Coast It's a fun action story, but it's also an Ultron tale — and one of my biggest Marvel swings yet. I previously had the pleasure of writing a pretty great horror story about Ultron wearing Pym's face, and this is a very different tale with one of my favorite Marvel characters, in one of my favorite legacy titles in the city that has been my home for so long. Wait until you see what Danny Kim is cooking up. Find redemption in November in the City of Angels.”
DC COMICS
ABSOLUTE WONDER WOMAN #2 ($4.99) "Gateway City has never seen anything like the Harbinger-Prime, the enormous, ravenous monster that has just risen from the depths of the ocean to darken its shores ... but the Harbinger has never seen anything like the unstoppable Diana, Princess of the Underworld!" Also, I get it: Instead of being princess of Paradiso, she's princess of Inferno. And I do like her horse. But does that mean she can't fly, like our Wonder Woman? Also, HEADS UP that New Gods #1 (and presumably all 12 issues) takes place in the Absolute Universe.
BATMAN BY TOM KING BOOK 1 TP ($9.99): There have been some questions here about King's Batman run. If you're curious, this is a good start: Batman: Rebirth #1, Batman #1-20, Detective Comics #941-942, Nightwing #5-6, and Batman/Elmer Fudd Special #1.
BATMAN/SANTA CLAUS: SILENT KNIGHT TP ($17.99) collects Batman/Silent Knight #1-4, published last Christmas, where Santa and the Justice League battle Krampus. I have said the name, so I have to play this video:
BATMAN/SANTA CLAUS SILENT KNIGHT RETURNS #1 (OF 5, $3.99) stars Damian Wayne, as it should. Will the magic of Christmas soften his cold, cold heart? Maybe. But I doubt he'd ever admit it. Here are creator comments:
“I was blown away at how well last year's SILENT KNIGHT series was received, readers really responded to us going full tilt with Norse-mythos Santa in the DCU,” writer Jeff Parker said when asked for his thoughts about writing the holiday sequel. “We followed the old tradition of telling ghost stories at Christmas (remember the line from ‘It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year’?). Then to be asked if I wanted to do another one AND have an extra issue? That was the Happy New Year.”
“The first SILENT KNIGHT series wasn't quite what I expected, and I loved it for that,” artist Lukas Ketner said. “Jeff has an amazing ability to take an idea like a Batman & Santa team-up and play it straight with a great story, new DC lore, and a real threat. There's humor of course, but it's so much more effective when the stakes are real.”
“Once Lukas started on SILENT KNIGHT RETURNS our inboxes were blowing apart with visuals better than anyone imagined,” continued Parker. “The Bat Office started us good and early so we've had that rare planning time to really build out the story and craft an ominous and creepy villain. Cool monsters, exotic locales—you'll love the smart details Lukas works in, it will reward multiple readings.”
“I come from a cartoony horror comics background,” added Ketner, “but when Jeff first brought up the possibility of a next installment of SILENT KNIGHT, I had a real ‘put me in, Coach!’ moment. The story leans into some great fantasy horror vibes, and I love that it could just as easily have been a DC Halloween series.”
“It's still unclear to me whether Batman will be speed-skating in the story,” said Ketner when asked about his initial character designs. “I may have been heavy-handed with the Xmas flavor in my audition sketches; it was meant to show how interested I was in doing THIS story specifically. I loved the first series, and Jeff was dangling an Etrigan-shaped carrot.”
“We also get to welcome back maestro Michele Bandini who is drawing the scenes of the Justice League lost in The Hollow Kingdom of the Knight,” said Parker. “You'll see many of the creatures he designed return so there's another direct connection to the first series. You might want to reread that before SILENT KNIGHT RETURNS kicks off in November (visualize me doing the Superman wink here).”
“The team is amazing, and I'm thrilled to be alternating scenes with Michele Bandini,” said Ketner. “I loved his work in the first series, and I couldn't wait to draw some of the monsters he introduced there. Sharing the page with Marcelo Maiolo's colors and Patrick Brosseau's lettering is humbling to say the least.”
BLACK CANARY BEST OF THE BEST #1 (OF 6, $4.99) is written by Tom King, and stars Black Canary battling Lady Shiva in 12 rounds in six issues to deterine "who is the single greatest hand-to-hand fighter in the universe!" (Or at least the United States. I mean, c'mon.) I read a spoiler on Bleeding Cool that I will not repeat.
BTW, DC has been running variant covers lately with groups of the titular character in previous incarnations or in previous costumes. This Black Canary cover is an extravaganza, with most of these Canaries apparently just made up. There's a shark Canary, an Apokalips Canary, an Amazon Canary, several Black Black Canaries, a Green Lantern Black Canary, a Canary with metal wings (Thanagarian?) and so forth. Click to embiggen, if you didn't know to do so already.
DC FINEST: THE FLASH — THE HUMAN THUNDERBOLT TP ($39.99) collects Showcase #4, #8, #13-14 and The Flash #105-123, which is basically all the Silver Age Flash appearances from his debut in 1956 to September 1961 (minus Brave and Bold #28-30 and Justice League of America #1-6). The last issue in this collection is "Flash of Two Worlds," and before that you'll meet most of the Scarlet Speedster's rogues gallery for the first time. My The Flash collection doesn't become comprehensive until around late 1962 (with a few scattered issues before), so I bought these stories already when they became available in Archives and Omnibus form. But maybe you haven't!
JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED #1 ($3.99): Finally! I've been waiting for this since the DC All In Special, which feels like a million years ago.
SUPERMAN #20: I don't know what's particularly special about this issue, but DC sent a rare preview, so here ya go.
IMAGE COMICS
CREEPSHOW VOL. 3 #3 (OF 5, $3.99): This issue contains two horror stories, one by John Arcudi (B.P.R.D.) and Shawn McManus (Fables), and the other by Chris Condon (That Texas Blood) and Martín Morazzo (Ice Cream Man).
The first one was funny enough that I read parts of it to my wife. (A comic book fan kills his wife because she ruins a rare book. Yes, she thought it was funny, too. I married well.) I think most of us would get a kick out of it. The art is very good.
The second one, too, made me laugh a couple of times. This one should appeal to true-crime fans, as a couple try to find a murder victim's body with the aid of a true-crime website. Another good ending, with more good art.
Even though there is an homage to Todd McFarlane's Amazing Spider-Man #300, I have to rate this one above average for a modern horror anthology. And its roots are showing with the variant boasting the trade dress for EC's Picto-Fiction line.
HORNSBY & HALO #1 ($3.99): Remember when Darkseid and Highfather traded kids to prevent war? Same thing here, only with angels and demons.
The art's really nice. A bit on the cartoony side, but in a good way, like Mike Wieringo or Mike Parobeck. And the story is engaging, with neither kid (they're pre-teen) knowing what they are, and not necessarily conforming to expectations -- they're just kids, not one-note Caspers or Hot Stuffs.
My main complaint, which applies to all works of this nature, is why isn't God omnipotent? He is omnipotent (and omniscient, and om- everything else) theologically, and this story is framed by Christian theology, so how can they ignore that foundational element? Instead, like all stories like this, God is absent, his/her/its precise nature undefined. I know that conforming to Christian theology would mean there's no story -- God waves his/her/its hand/appendage/metaphor, and the angel-demon war is over -- but it will bother me until they explain it away. Even if that explanation doesn't hold water, my suspension of disbelief requires it.
Aside from that, this is a well-crafted story, making even well-trod turf pleasant to walk again. I'm not sure "pleasant" is enough to keep me on board, but we shall see.
“Is it possible for someone to have too much fun? Well, I may just be that person because working with the amazing Peter Snejbjerg on our new series Hornsby & Halo here at Ghost Machine is a blast of insane proportions,” said writer Peter Tomasi (Batman and Robin, Super Sons). “Along with family dynamics, we’re also dealing with another one of my favorite themes, which is Nature versus Nuture, as we follow Zachary and Rose, two teenagers living in Warwick, New York, as they learn they’re from Heaven and Hell and have been chosen to keep the peace in their respective celestial realms but still have to get to class on time! Let’s just say nothing goes the way you’d expect as family and friendships are pushed to the limits of insanity, hilarity and heartfelt clashes.”
Artist Peter Snejbjerg (Starman, B.P.R.D.) said: “It is an insane pleasure to wake up every morning and discover that, no, I didn’t dream it: I am actually working with my favorite comic book writer, Peter Tomasi, illustrating the adventures of Rose Hornsby and Zachary Halo, two on the surface quite normal teenagers who wake up one day to find that they have the balance of the war between Heaven and Hell resting on their narrow adolescent shoulders. It’s a fun, energetic and warm hearted story about friendship, family and having to reconcile your school life with being a supernatural entity at the centre of cosmic conspiracies!”
ULTRAMEGA BY JAMES HARREN #7 (MR, $7.99)
UNIVERSAL MONSTERS: FRANKENSTEIN #4 (OF 4, $4.99): This brings us to the end of the 1931 movie, and again we see pivotal scenes through the eyes of the boy whose dead father Frankenstein used to assemble his creature. The poignant climax and denouement — original to this version — may leave you with tears. Terrific stuff.
VIOLENT FLOWERS #3 (MR, $3.99): This issue is mostly Carnelia filling in Anna (the queen's familiar) on their sect's history and explaining how vampirism works in this story. (For one thing, vampires don't require blood -- it's an addiction.) To keep the visuals interesting while Carnelia talks, there's a whole lot of hot girl-on-girl sex and blood-sucking. I'm not complaining, but it doesn't do much to advance the narrative.
VOID RIVALS #14 ($3.99)
DARK HORSE
CARLYLE SCHOOL FOR KINGS #2 ($3.99): The first issue's launch kept getting bumped and bumped and bumped, so when it actually came out, I don't think I wrote about it. (Diamond says it came out on Nov. 6, and I don't see anything in my guide for that week.)
So now I've read two issues, and it's a medieval fantasy story (with giants) that stars a teenager (possibly a tweenager) but it's not entirely coming of age. Well, it is, but it's not the usual sort, where kids Learn Life Lessons and Forge the Power of Friendship and Discover Themselves. In this one, the daughter of mid-level royalty goes to a school/competition for the next king of the realm, with the added twist that her parents (who were noble, loving, caring, supporting, etc.) were executed by the current king (nasty, selfish, cruel, etc.) for made-up reasons. Also at the school, in competition with her, are the king's two sons. Supposedly this is a meritocratic competition, because the next king will inherit the war with the giants, which humans are losing, so he's got to be good, not just connected. But the king's sons are spoiled brats who get away with a lot, as you would guess, and they don't like our protagonist. The girl is in danger of being killed by them or executed by the school (VERY strict rules) but she's also decided she's going to assassinate the king.
And so far so good. The characters are all fairly one-note, and one can guess where much of it is going, but it's a pleasant read with some decent art. I can see this as a TV show, and it wouldn't surprise me if that's where this ends up. (Only it would have to be aged up a bit, in order to employ young adult actors as teens, like Riverdale et al.) Here's a preview:
THE COMPLETE HARROW COUNTY HC (1,078 pages, $149.99) collects the entire Harrow County #1-32. I really enjoyed it at the time, although I think after the Big Reveal it lost a lot of steam. This is such a nice package I might want it just to have on the bookshelf.
“Harrow County is a book that means a great deal to me,” said writer Cullen Bunn (The Midnite Show, Shock Shop). “When someone asks me where to start with my work, this is one of the series I almost always suggest. There’s not a page of the series that I don’t absolutely love, and it thrills me that it has connected in a similar way with so many readers. This complete edition is going to open the doors for so many people who have never visited Harrow before, and I cannot wait to welcome them to the fold.”
SERPENT IN THE GARDEN: ED GREY — THE LAST BATTLE FOR ENGLAND #1 (OF 3, $3.99) brings the Hellboy band back together — Mike Mignola (as writer), artist Ben Stenbeck, colorist Dave Stewart — although this is supposedly the last story to be set in that universe.
It almost has to be; it's set after Hellboy died (the second time), and although I didn't remember this, the entire world was destroyed except for the British Isles, which have reverted to magical Avalon. That's not the only reference to the Hellboy Saga, and not the only one I don't remember. The queen is Alice Monaghan, who was apparently stolen by goblins or something as a child and rescued by Hellboy. I'm sure I read that story, but I do not remember Alice. And one of those goblins was Gruagach of Lough Lean, who has since been turned into a talking pig that looks like a miniature version of a Gamorrean from Star Wars. I'm sure I read that story, but I don't remember Gruagach. Our antagonist is Morgan le Fay, who is a natural Hellboy antagonist, so I'd be surprised if she hasn't appeared before, but if so, I do not remember. And our protagonist is Ed Gray, who has apparently gone through some changes in stories I have not yet read (although I have the collections, and I did read the first miniseries). He goes through more changes still in this issue, which may or may not harken back to the Green Man, aka Jack o' the Green, Jack-in-the-Green and King of the May. Or maybe the Green Knight. Or both.
My lack of recollection is entirely my own fault, not Mignola's, who has developed into a skillful writer. It's just that I never read the Hellboy books as anything but fun, and didn't try to remember the continuity (much like I do with Star Wars). I thought of very character except the BPRD people as one-offs, when apparently I was supposed to tuck them away in my brain for future appearances. My bad. Maybe someday I'll find time to re-read the Hellboy Saga and pay more attention.
In the meantime, I'll just have to trust that Mignola will tell me what I need to know as we go along. And even if he doesn't I enjoy the Hellboy world and Stenbeck's art enough to glide happily through this story. My only regret is that it's only three issues.
“Ed Grey feels to me like he took off like a rocket,” said Mignola. “He was my ‘regular guy’ occult detective but then just kept going. Being dismembered and stitched back together didn’t even slow him down. He became a magician and flew around doing stuff. He decided to take on some of Hellboy’s curse and everything just kept beating him and he just kept getting up, and before too long, I just felt bad for him and wanted to give him a quiet place to sit down – retire in peace. BUT he had just one more (I hope) thing to do and then not only could he retire but he could retire another of my favorite characters. Let's hope both of them can finally relax after this one last battle for England.”
Taking place after the events of B.P.R.D.: The Devil You Know and Mignola and Stenbeck’s Koshchei in Hell, The Serpent in the Garden follows Grey after he’s summoned away from Hell by Alice, queen of the last standing realm on Earth, to help defend England from King Arthur’s half-sister Morgan le Fay and her fearsome champion.
“This is going to be my last 'Hellboy universe' story for some time,” Stenbeck added. “So I'm really happy I finally get to draw one of my favorite characters.”
WELCOME TO THE MAYNARD #1 (OF 4, $4.99) is a new fantasy mystery series from James Robinson (Patra, Starman) and J. Bone (Batman: The Audio Adventures, Super Friends). It's the story of Pip, a half-magical being, who goes to work as a bellhop (and secret house detective trainee) at a magical hotel you can't see or get into unless you're at least half-magical. And all the employees are; full wizards are apparently the ruling class of this other-world.
Classism right off the bat in what is meant to be a fun, charming, All Ages story is a bit jarring, but it certainly has verisimilitude. And the book is otherwise very upbeat and bright, with a likable underdog protagonist. Maynard is by Robinson of Starman fame, so it might be All Ages in the best way, able to be enjoyed by young and old. The art lends itself to younger, reminding me somewhat of the angular, cartoony style employed by Michael Avon Oeming in Powers.
One issue isn't a lot by which to judge a book which has the All Ages roadblock to overcome, and this one really didn't overcome it for me. I'm vaguely interested in Pip's pursuit of a jewel thief (about her size and build, which might be a plot point, or just Bone's style), and I'll give it another issue to grab me. But I'm not really an All Ages kind of guy, unless we're talking Jay Ward cartoons.
“It’s a thrill to be reunited with my dear friend J. Bone,” said Robinson. “I love his art and his collaborative spirit, both, so Welcome To The Maynard has been a joy to write. I’m also excited to do a series (akin to Leave It To Chance, back in the day) that can be enjoyed on different levels, by readers young and old.”
OTHER PUBLISHERS
BABS #4 (OF 6, Ahoy, MR, $3.99): Wrong Earth was my favorite Ahoy book, until Babs took its place. Here's a Preview at AIPT.
BETTY #8 FACSIMILE EDITION (Archie, $3.99): I think we all have a pretty good guess why this issue was picked for facsimile treatment.
BLACK DEMON TALES: DESCENT #1 (Scout, $4.99) is the continuing story of a Megalodon and a scientist's attempts to destroy it. Just warning you in case you're really into infernal theology instead of really big sharks. Wouldn't want you to pick it up by mistake.
BTTM FDRS HC (Fantagraphics, NEW PTG, $29.99): "An Afrofuturist horror-comedy about gentrification, hip hop, and cultural appropriation." See, this aspiring fashion designer and her image-obsessed friend move into a Black Chicago slum in search of cheap rent, and find some kind of Get Out horror. And comedy, too, I guess. Here's a Preview.
COME FIND ME: AN AUTUMNAL OFFERING (DSTLRY, $8.99): A horror anthology curated by Becky Cloonan (Gotham Academy). Since she's working at DSTLRY, shouldn't she spell her name Bcky Clnn? Here's a nice-looking Preview.
COMPLETE I, RENE TARDI, P.O.W. HC (Fantagraphics, $99.99): Jacques Tardi tells the story of his father, a French tanker who was captured by the Germans in 1940. That's a story I'd kinda like to know. Here's a Preview.
DAMNED DELUXE OMNIBUS ED HC (Oni Press, $39.99): Damned is a paranormal crime noir set in a Prohibition era where demons are the crime bosses. It's a genre mash-up I'm gonna call "Weird Crime" before someone beats me to it. There were three volumes, and this omnibus collects 'em all. It doesn't look half-bad:
DEAD SAMURAI #1 (Wake Entertainment, MR, $5.99) is a zombie apocalypse-samurai era mashup. The whole First Issue can be read online. I didn't read it, because I didn't care for the art, which is manga-esque but seems too timid to go full Dragonball Z. But maybe it's your bag.
FEARLESS DAWN THE BOMB #4 (OF 4, Asylum Press, MR, $4.99): I never know how to categorize Fearless Dawn. Part cheesecake, part comedy and chock-full of Nazis, writer/artist Steve Mannion seems to have pulled his influences out of the same EC Comics/Mad magazine box that Eric Powell did — and frankly, I love the result. It's like Wally Wood, Harvey Kurtzman, Jack Davis, Al Williamson, Mort Drucker and maybe Dan DeCarlo somehow had a baby. Mannion's stories don't make nearly as much sense as Powell's do, but man, they sure are purty.
KERPOW #1 (Scout, $4.99) is the story of a kid whose father kills the Batman and Robin of his town, only to grow up and be haunted by the sidekick's ghost until he brings down his father's cirminal empire. Sounds like an interesting idea if you're a superhero comics fan, but I doubt I'll ever see a copy to find out. Here's a Preview.
There are three or four more first issues from Scout Comics this week, but I'm not going to bother to describe them. Honestly, I doubt any of us are ever going to see them.
SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN: THE ORIGINAL COMICS OMNIBUS VOL. 9 HC (Titan, $150.00): Apparently, Titan has decided that re-publishing omnibuses that Marvel published a couple of years ago isn't that profitable, because they're jumping from Volume 2 to Volume 9. This omnibus picks up at Savage Sword of Conan #117, right where Marvel's Savage Sword of Conan: The Original Marvel Years Omnibus Vol. 8 ends. Savage Sword of Conan ran for 235 issues, so there's still plenty of material that's never been reprinted.
I actually dread this; I have the whoe Savage Sword of Conan run, but feel obligated by some uncontrollable impulse to buy these reprints in case I sell the originals in some faraway time which will never come. I must master myself and not buy these. But those of you who did not buy the original run might want to buy these to actually read them. It's not Shakespeare, but I found the parameters within with Conan stories were written at Marvel to be almost a comfort. There's not much you can count on in this always-changing world, but the story beats in a Marvel Conan story were.
SILVERLINE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL 2024 ($4.99): I am only vaguely aware of Silverline's existence, and lo, they have produced a Christmas special. Who's the target market for this? Even comics fans won't pick it up on the strength of the publisher's name, and it's not like random grandparents will wander into a comics shop and pick it up, thinking it has Spider-Man in it for their comics-loving grandkid. Art's nice, tho.
SPACE GHOST VOL. 1 ($19.99): I just caught up on this title, after giving it a rest for a few issues. I didn't care for the art, but it's grown on me. Or maybe the story has engaged me; I'm curious to see where it's going. Also, Space Ghost is my avatar at work AND is on my mouse pad. That's how much I love Space Ghost!
WET MOON 20TH ANNIVERSARY OMNIBUS VOL 1 GN (Oni Press, $34.99): Here's another blast from the past from Oni. Wet Moon is the name of a Southern Gothic town, and I really dread just about anything that uses those words (being from the South myself). This first omnibus collects the stories "Feeble Wanderings" and "Unseen Feet." It seems kinda artsy-fartsy and teenage angsty, which isn't my thing, but there's also the dreaded "Southern Gothic" reference. We're not all superstitious rednecks living in gloomy, haunted mansions, you know. Here's a preview for you to decide for yourself.
WORLD OF BETTY & VERONICA JUMBO COMICS DIGEST #37 ($9.99)
Replies
SPIDER-BOY #13 ($4.99) features not just the new Spider-Girl, but also Hulkette, who has previously only appeared on a New Champions variant cover. They're creating a whole Sidekick Avengers, apparently.
It used to be obvious that these type of characters were mainly for trademarking purposes.
If it's not too late, you should probably trademark Willis Man, Willis Kid, Willis Girl, Captain Willis, Colonel WIllis and She-Willis.