THE TOP 5
Ka-Zar: Lord of the Savage Land #1 (of 5)
Marvel | Teen+ | $3.99
Story: Zac Thompson | Art: Germán García | Colors: Mat Lopes | Cover: Jesús Saiz | Variant: Juann Cabal | Deadpool 30th Anniversary variant: Rob Lifeld | Variant: Peach Momoko | Variant: R.B. Silva.
The alien Cotati murdered him. The Savage Land brought him back. Lord Plunder has returned — with a vastly new perspective! Now united with Shanna the She-Devil in a mystical merging of life energies, Ka-Zar has new abilities, new needs … and new enemies. An ancient evil has surfaced in the Savage Land — one that is rapidly reshaping the forgotten world and its inhabitants. Ka-Zar and Shanna must fight together to protect their home and family! But their son Matthew has plans of his own …
Captain Comics sez: Looks like they're beefing up Ka-Zar a little, so that he's more than a poor man's Tarzan. That's cool with me, as the whole jungle-guy schtick has grown a little stale. Especially since I've gotten older and am aware of "white savior" tropes. But the best part? This will give Jeff of Earth-J more to write about!
And pair the above with:
Ka-Zar: Marvel Tales #1
Marvel | Teen| $7.99
Story: Chris Claremont | Art: Michael Golden, more | Cover: Joshua Swaby
Ka-Zar and his faithful friend Zabu leap into action as we celebrate the legacy of the House of Ideas with MARVEL TALES! This anthology series shines a spotlight on fan-favorite characters, features timeless stories and highlights some of Marvel's most impressive talent from the past eight decades. Legendary X-Men scribe Chris Claremont and a trio of acclaimed artists — Michael Golden, Dave Cockrum and Paul Smith — present one of the best-looking Savage Land sagas of all as Ka-Zar teams up with Angel, Spider-Man and the X-Men in stories from MARVEL FANFARE (1982) #1-4! It starts with a search for the man once called Sauron — but when Angel and Spidey undergo a monstrous transformation, the jungle lord will face the consequences! As Sauron soars once more, the X-Men fall victim to the winged menace — and Ka-Zar must ride to the rescue!
CC sez: This reprint is well timed to show the past as the new series points to the future. (Well, a future, anyway.)
Last Flight Out #1 (of 6)
Dark Horse | 32 pages | $3.99
Story: Marc Guggenheim | Art: Eduardo Ferigato | Colors: Marcelo Costa | Cover: Eduardo Ferigato
Marc Guggenheim (Arrow, X-Men) and Eduardo Ferigato (Self/Made) alongside colorist Marcelo Costa (Radiant Black) and designer/letterer Diego Sanches tell the story of an absentee father trying to make amends with his daughter during the end of the world in the upcoming miniseries thriller Last Flight Out.
With Earth rendered uninhabitable, humanity has chosen to evacuate to the stars. However, with just 24 hours left until the last ark leaves forever, its designer’s estranged daughter goes missing. Can he find her before time runs out and repair the relationship before it’s too late? Family, fatherhood, and the hunt for forgiveness shape this thrilling apocalyptic tale.
CC sez: I don't know how Marc Guggenheim has time to write a comic book miniseries, given that he's currently producing about 150 television shows (including most of the Arrowverse). But that's a pretty lengthy track record for those deciding if they want to pick this up.
Malika: Warrior Queen Vol 1 TPB
Dark Horse | More than 300 pages | $24.99
Story: Roye Okupe | Art: Chima Kalu | Cover: Godwin Akpan
Following the exploits of queen and military commander Malika, who struggles to keep the peace in her ever-expanding empire, Azzaz, this historical fantasy is set in fifteenth-century West Africa and created by an all-star team from Nigeria. In this action-packed graphic novel, African history mixes with drama, politics, betrayal, romance, and dragons
A movement of African-inspired comics & storytelling!
CC sez: YouNeek is described in the PR as an "afrofuturist" company, a term I never heard before Black Panther made it popular. (Wiki tells me it's been around since 1993.) I think it's a strong concept with lots of storytelling hooks — it's more or less "what would today's African countries look like if there had been no colonialism" — and if the quality here is half as good T'Challa's comics and movie, then they're on to something.
Mazebook #1 (of 5)
Dark Horse | $5.99
Story/Art/Cover A: Jeff Lemire | Cover B: Andrea Sorrentino
A lonely building inspector still grieving the loss of his puzzle-loving daughter receives a mysterious phone call one night from a girl claiming to be her, trapped in the middle of a labyrinth. Convinced that his child is contacting him from beyond this world, he uses an unfinished maze from one of her journals and a map of the city to trace an intricate path through a different plane of reality, and embarks on an intense and melancholic adventure to bring his daughter back home.
CC sez: It's pretty obvious Sorrentino used photo reference of John Glover for the cover below. Think he'll sue? Anyway, Lemire has a strong track record with me, and for a number of Legionnaires, I think.
Star Trek: Mirror War #0
IDW | $3.99
Story: David Tipton, Scott Tipton | Art/Cover: Carlos Nieto
For decades, Jean-Luc Picard of Star Trek: The Next Generation has represented an ideal of greatness to science fiction fandom, a character of intelligence, authority, and empathy. Beginning on “Star Trek Day” (Sept. 8), comic book and graphic novel publisher IDW invites readers to witness what the galaxy could be like at the mercy of a Captain Picard whose greatness is measured in cunning and cruelty, courtesy of an all-new event, "Star Trek: The Mirror War."
Celebrated Star Trek comic writers Scott and David Tipton delve deep into the lore of the Mirror Universe, a perennial favorite concept amongst fans, in August’s Star Trek: The Mirror War #0, illustrated by Carlos Nieto. This zero issue features a new story of “Mirror Picard” as he’s summoned to Earth to face the wrath of his emperor, deftly weaving threads from past Mirror Universe tales in a way entertaining to newcomers and the initiated alike.
Following September’s #0 launch, the series will continue to build year-long tension with issues #1-8 and four interspersed tie-in specials, each highlighting a different member of the Next Generation cast. The first spin-off one-shot, slated for December, will focus on Data. Once complete, the 13-part saga will chart Mirror Picard’s path of conquest across all of the Mirror Universe, stoking the wrath of the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance along the way.
CC sez: It's been a while since IDW attempted a splashy Star Trek storyline. I'm likely to tradewait, but I'm still glad to see it.
OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST
Army of Darkness 1979 #1
Dynamite | 32 pages | Teen+ | $3.99
Story: Rodney Barnes | Art: Tom Garcia | Covers: Jason Shawn Alexander (A), Arthur Suydam (B), Junnguen Yoon (C), Stuart Sayger (D), Blank Authentix (E), Arthur Suydam (F-RI/BW), Stuart Sayger (G-RI/BW), Jungeun Yoon (H-RI/BW), Jason Shawn Alexander (I-RI/BW), Arthur Suydam (J-RI/Tint), Jungeun Yoon (K-RI/Tint), Jason Shawn Alexander (L-RI/Tint)
Dare we say it!?!? Yes! We Dare!
ASH IS BACK, BABY!
After his most recent appearance in Die!namite Lives, Ashley Williams is retired. Settled down. Haunted by the Deadites and the Necronomicon no more- wait, no, that ain’t right… None of that is true! In fact, not only is Ash still haunted by Deadites and the Necronomicon, but he’s haunted by the both of them in the 1970s (kids, ask your parents. Parents, ask yourselves!)! And what does he find in the South Brox of the late 70s? Gangs! And what have those gangs found? The Necronomicon. So, what does that make the gangs? Bad-Ass Mxxxerfxxxers.
Dynamite proudly presents a brand new Army of Darkness series, written by Rodney Barnes (Killadelphia), drawn by Tom Garcia and featuring an awesome array of cover artists, including the Dynamite return of Jason Shawn Alexander, along with Junggeun Yoon, and Stuart Sayger and the Zombie King himself -- Arthur Suydam!
Rodney Barnes is an American screenwriter and producer. Barnes has written and produced The Boondocks, My Wife and Kids, Everybody Hates Chris, Those Who Can’t, Marvel’s Runaways, American Gods, Wu-Tang: An American Saga, and is currently an executive producer/writer on HBO’s Untitled Los Angeles Lakers drama. In comics, Barnes is the creator of the critically acclaimed Killadelphia from Image Comics, and has written Falcon and Lando (Star Wars) for Marvel Comics.
Batman/Fortnight: Zero Point HC
DC Comics | $24.99
Story: Donald Mustard, Christos Gage | Art: Reilly Brown, Christian Duce, Nelson Faro DeCastro | Cover: Mikel Janin
The insane mashup no one saw coming is finally being collected in a special hardcover collected edition. Batman / Fortnite Zero Point releases Tuesday September 7 and includes bonus perks for players' Fortnite characters. Two pop culture forces collide in Batman/Fortnite: Zero Point, written by Christos Gage and illustrated by Reilly Brown, with concept and story consultation from chief creative officer of Epic Games, Donald Mustard.
Batman/Fortnite: Zero Point starts with a mysterious crack appearing in the Gotham City sky, threatening reality itself. Batman — along with some other familiar DC faces — is pulled into it, the Dark Knight waking up in the unfamiliar world of Fortnite with no memory and no choice other than to fight his way out.
Included with the collected edition are all of the items that were included with the single issue releases as well as the Armored Batman Zero Point Outfit that was previously only unlocked if you got all six issues. Items included with the Batman/Fortnite Zero Point Hardcover Collected Edition:
- Rebirth Harley Quinn Outfit
- Batman Zero Wing Glider
- Catwoman's Grappling Claw Pickaxe
- Deathstroke Destroyer Glider
- Harley Quinn's Revenge Back Bling
- Batarang Axe Pickaxe
- Armored Batman Zero Outfit
CC sez: DC seems inordinately proud of this series, sending me PR on the reprint collection and all. It might be deserved. I'm not a gamer, so I had zero interest, but it kept selling out at the distributor level.
Note: The first issue of this series will be reprinted as a Batman Day (Sept. 18) special edition.
Black Manta #1 (of 6)
DC Comics | $3.99
Story: Chuck Brown | Art/Cover: Valentine De Landro
Following his appearance in the Aquaman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular, the scourge of the seas now gets his own series. Black Manta is chasing a rare metal with incredible powers, and he’s not the only one who wants to get his hands on it, friend and foe alike! Torrid is a former ally who has escaped hell (literally!) to answer the call of the metal, but can Manta trust her? Hopefully so because he might need her help to fend off Devil Ray, a new competitor for the role of the biggest villain underwater. Both Aquaman: The Becoming #1 and Black Manta #1 feature a connecting variant cover by superstar artist Francis Manapul! INTRODUCING NEW HERO TORRID AND VILLAIN DEVIL RAY!
CC sez: Aquaman doesn't have much of a rogues gallery, so I guess Black Manta has to shoulder it all. Does he breathe water now? That first variant cover makes it look like he does.
Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity HC
DC Comics | Mature | $34.99
Story: Kami Garcia | Art: Mico Suayan, Jason Badower, Mike Mayhew | Cover: Francesco Mattina
In Gotham City, heinous acts of violence occur daily. Harley Quinn, forensic psychiatrist and profiler, consults with the Gotham City Police Department on its worst cases. But one unsolved murder still haunts her — the night Harley discovered her roommate’s body marked with the signature of a notorious serial killer known as The Joker. Five years later, the case remains unsolved, as a new series of horrific killings begins. When the murders escalate and the meticulously constructed crime scenes become more elaborate, Harley’s obsession with finding the depraved psychopath responsible leads her down a dangerous path. The past and the present finally collide, and Harley must decide how far she is willing to go — and how many lines she is willing to cross — to solve these cases once and for all. Written by #1 New York Times and international bestselling author Kami Garcia (Beautiful Creatures, Unbreakable, The X-Files Origins: Agent of Chaos) and drawn by Mico Suayan (Bloodshot Reborn), Jason Badower (Wonder Woman ’77), and Mike Mayhew (The Star Wars), Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity introduces readers to a Joker and Harley Quinn unlike any they’ve seen before, utilizing forensic psychiatry, behavior analysis and psychological profiles to create a true-to-life take on these iconic characters that is more terrifying than any psychotic fantasy.
CC sez: Someday, someone will create a Black Label book that doesn't involve Batman, Joker and/or Harley Quinn. I hope I live to see it. /s
As it is, I'll probably get this and add it to the other Bat- and Harley-related books on my Black Label bookshelf. (No, I don't actually have a Black Label bookshelf. But there's an awful lot of Black Label books in the "Batman section," so it kinda looks like I do.)
Marvel's Wandavision Collector's Special
Titan Comics | 128 pages | $24.99
Go back to Westview with this deluxe guide to Marvel Studios’ WandaVision.
Includes exclusive interviews with the cast and crew of the first Marvel Studios Disney+ series, which focuses on Wanda Maximoff and Vision’s adventures in the mysterious town of Westview, where nothing is as it seems.
The deluxe collector’s volume goes behind the scenes of the acclaimed series with stars Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany and explores the story with stunning images and concept art.
The official guide to Marvel Studios' highly acclaimed original series for Disney+ includes ...
Wanda & Vision's backstories; An introduction to the new characters (and returning favorites); An essential episode guide — detailing all the magical twists and turns!
PLUS, interviews with:
- Elizabeth Olsen (Wanda Maximoff)
- Paul Bettany (Vision)
- Kathryn Hahn (Agatha Harkness)
- Randall Park (Jimmy Woo)
- Teyonah Parris (Monica Rambeau)
- Kat Dennings (Darcy Lewis)
- Head Writer Jac Schaeffer
CC sez: As I've said before, these Titan specials don't usually tell me anything I don't already know. (After all, I'm closer to Hollywood than they are!) But they sure are pretty.
Shang-Chi #4
Marvel | Teen+ | $3.99
Story: Gene Luen Yang | Art: Dike Ruan | Cover: Leinil Francis Yu
SHANG-CHI VS. THE FANTASTIC FOUR!
Someone has been sending Shang-Chi strange messages in his dreams ... and the messages seem to be coming from the Negative Zone! But who is sending him these messages? And what do they mean? And why are the Fantastic Four standing in his way?
CC sez: I joked in a recent column about this title kinda being a new iteration of Marvel Team-Up. But it kinda is.
Whistle: A New Gotham City Hero
DC | $16.99
Story: E. Lockhart | Art: Manuel Preitano | Colors: Gabby Metzler | Letters: Troy Peteri
Sixteen-year-old Willow Zimmerman has something to say. When she’s not on the streets advocating for her community, she’s volunteering at the local pet shelter. She seeks to help all those in need, even the stray dog she’s named Lebowitz that follows her around. But as much as she does for the world around her, she struggles closer to home — taking care of her mother, recently diagnosed with cancer. Her job as an adjunct professor of Jewish studies does not provide adequate health insurance — and Willow can see that time is running out.
When in desperation she reconnects with her estranged “uncle” Edward, he opens the door to an easier life. Through simple jobs, such as hosting his private poker nights with Gotham City’s elites, she is able to keep her family afloat — and afford critical medical treatments for her mother.
Willow’s family life quickly improves through the income provided by these jobs, but it comes at the cost of distancing herself from the people she truly cares about. Her time is now spent on new connections, such as biologist and teacher Pammie Isley. And when Willow and Lebowitz collide with the monstrous Killer Croc outside the local synagogue, they are both injured, only to wake up being able to understand each other. And there are other developments, too ... strange ways in which they’ve become stronger together. Willow’s activism kicks into high gear — with these powers, she can really save the world!
But when Willow discovers that Edward and his friends are actually some of Gotham’s most corrupt criminals, she must make a choice: remain loyal to the man who kept her family together, or use her new powers to be a voice for her community.
CC sez: This new YA graphic novel is by a well-known YA writer, E. Lockhart (Genuine Fraud, We Were Liars, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks), and by an artist who has contribute to DC's line before, Manuel Preitano (Teen Titans: Beast Boy, Teen Titans: Raven, Teen Titans: Beast Boy Loves Raven). It was supposed to arrive May 11, but I assume, as I usually do these days, that the delay is COVID-related.
And when I received the original PR for this, I was in my honeymoon phase with YA graphic novels. They were still something of a novelty, and a charming alternative to all the grim'n'gritty in the "regular" comics. I no longer find YA a novelty, although it can be charming. I'm just not motivated to read tons of them to find the few that have something to say to adults as well as teens. And this week, when I'm running behind anyway, YA stuff drops in priority considerably.
I'll give this a try someday — they sent me a DRC — but for now all I can do is show you the (extensive) preview.
EVENTS/CROSSOVERS
EXTREME CARNAGE
Extreme Carnage: Toxin #1
Marvel | Teen+ | $3.99
Story: Steve Orlando | Art: Gerardo Sandoval | Cover: Skan | Variant: Jeff Johnson | Variant: Skottie Young |
TOXIN RETURNS! Bren Waters, the new host of TOXIN, enters the fray! Will he be enough to turn the tide?
CC sez: Good grief! How many of these Venom spin-offs are there?
FEAR STATE
Batman #112
DC Comics | $4.99
Story: James Tynion IV, Brandon Thomas | Art: Jorge Jimenez, Max Dunbar | Cover: Jorge Jimenez | Interconnected variant: Jorge Molina
A story over a year in the making and set into motion with Infinite Frontier #0, Fear State begins! Batman played into the hands of the Scarecrow, who has unleashed a coordinated attack on Gotham City through his manipulation of Simon Saint and Peacekeeper-01! But there are other forces at work with the emergence of an Anti-Oracle spreading fake news across all channels and inciting terror and violence on the streets of Gotham! Backup: Clownhunter has turned down help from Batman, Leslie Thompkins, the Red Hood, and everyone else who has offered it to him, thinking that he can handle being a vigilante on the streets of Gotham City by himself. But when he takes a shot at fighting the Scarecrow one-on-one, he’ll learn very quickly how much in this city he’s not ready for yet. NEW HERO — PEACEKEEPER X!
CC sez: Batman is a prisoner of Scarecrow as he and Simon Saint launch their plan to turn Gotham City into a fascist state. Which we know they will succeed at, because we've already read "Future State." So, an outcome I don't like that I already know, zero suspense and Batman — once again! — failing spectacularly at everything he has set out to do. So I have to ask — once again! — how does Batman have this fearsome reputation when his failure rate feels like 100%? DC really needs to let him have a clean win once in a while, just as a change of pace.
Batman #112-117 (interconnected covers)
Infinite Frontier #6 (of 6)
DC Comics | $5.99
Story: Joshua Williamson | Art: Xermanico | Cover: Bryan Hitch
One story ends and the next phase of the DC Multiverse begins. We have one name for you: DARKSEID. Our heroes knew that someone had been pulling the strings this entire time, but are they prepared for it to be the biggest bad of all? As President Superman, Alan Scott, Roy Harper and the rest converge for a showdown, the secret of Omega Planet is revealed. Plus, Barry Allen is put on a path he may never get off!
CC sez: I'm still a few issues behind on this title, and not because of disinterest. But as a result I can't really give it a review, even as it climaxes this week. But it involves a whole lot of characters I like, doing big, cosmic hoo-ha, so I am very, very likely to like it.
SINISTER WAR
Amazing Spider-Man #73
Marvel | Teen+ | $3.99
Story: Nick Spencer | Art: Federico Vicentini | Cover: Mark Bagley | Handbook variant: David Baldeon
We can't tell you a single thing that happens here without spoiling just about every issue that comes out between the time you're reading this and when ASM #73 comes out.
CC sez: This is supposedly the end of Sinister War, but Ben Reilly doesn't take over until issue #75, so I guess issue #74 will be the actual end, or a coda of some kind. I'm not anxious for Peter Parker to leave his own series, but I am kinda glad this "event" is over. It was issue after issue of Parker getting beat to snot, and issue after issue of me wondering why he doesn't call the Avengers. No shame in that, when you're outnumbered 18 to 1. Or was it 24 to 1? I lost track of all the "six" teams.
WAR OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #14
Marvel | Teen | $3.99
Story: Alyssa Wong | Art: Federico Sabbatini | Cover: Sara Pichelli | Blueprint variant: Paolo Villanelli | LucasFilm 50th Anniversary variant: Chris Sprouse
"REPEAT OFFENDERS" DOCTOR APHRA and SANA STARROS are imprisoned by a POWERFUL ENEMY! If they want to escape, they'll have to work together with former foes JUST LUCKY and ARIOLE... And venture deeper into the heart of a CRIMSON DAWN FLAGSHIP!
CC sez: It follows.
Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters #4 (of 5)
Marvel | Teen $3.99
Story: Charles Soule | Luke Ross | Cover: Steve McNiven | Blueprint variant: Paolo Villanelli | Action Figure variant: John Tyler Christopher
THE WAR CONTINUES!
The true machinations of the theft of HAN SOLO from BOBA FETT become clear, as one-time love of Solo QI'RA has returned her terrifying criminal organization, CRIMSON DAWN, to the galaxy. Qi'ra used Han to bring the most powerful players in the galaxy together, and now the pieces are moving toward their endgame. DARTH VADER, LUKE SKYWALKER, LEIA ORGANA, VALANCE, APHRA, THE HUTTS — all are vying for the ultimate prize, while Boba Fett's stuck in the middle, a simple man just trying to get what's his!
CC sez: Am I reading this right? Only one more issue of this miniseries? Does that portend an end to this event? I think it's been running since the Truman Administration.
ADVENTURES INTO THE UNKNOWN
Artie and the Wolf Moon GN
Graphic Universe | $16.99
Story/Art: Olivia Stephens
After sneaking out against her mother's wishes, Artie Irvin spots a massive wolf - then watches it don a bathrobe and transform into her mom. Thrilled to discover she comes from a line of werewolves, Artie asks her mom to share everything, including the story of Artie's late father. Her mom reluctantly agrees. And to help Artie figure out her own wolflike abilities, her mom recruits some old family friends. Artie thrives in her new community and even develops a crush on her new friend Maya. But as she learns the history of werewolves and her own parents' past, she'll find that wolves aren't the scariest thing in the woods. Vampires are.
CC sez: My wife read this and declared it cute. There's also some werewolves vs. vampires stuff, which is almost as cool as Nazi zombies.
Betty and Veronica Friends Forever Halloween Spooktacular #1
Archie | $2.99
Story: Francis Bonnet | Art: Various | Cover: Dan Parent
Betty & Veronica are here with some spooky stories to get you into the Halloween spirit, including a BRAND-NEW story! In "Best Witches," while out shopping for their Halloween costumes, Betty and Veronica find an old witch's hat at a thrift store. Thinking it would be perfect for her costume, Veronica buys it and puts it on. When she wishes that Archie was there and then he magically appears, they realize the hat is magic! What will Betty and Veronica do next with this newfound power?
CC sez: I'm not really sure if I should bother with Archie first issues, because the "Friends Forever" series seems to be nothing but first issues, and it's not the only Archie title that does that. But, oh well, here it is. Looks like there might be some Dan DeCarlo goodness within.
Canciones of Federico Garcia Lorca GN
NBM | 160 pages | $24.99 (HC), $16.99 (eBook)
Story/Art/Cover: Tobias Tak
Introduction by Christopher Maurer
Federico García Lorca is one of Spain’s foremost cultural and literary figures. In 1927, he published his masterpiece Canciones, a volume of lyrical poetry. Tobias Tak transformed twenty of these poems into a series of richly detailed and inventive comics. With his boundless imagination, Tak’s illustrations add a new depth and energy to Lorca’s poetry. This collection will appeal to lovers of visual art, graphic novels and poetry and aims to bring the colorful and atmospheric landscape of Lorca’s work to a new audience. Includes an introduction by Lorca scholar, editor and translator Christopher Maurer (The Collected Poems of Lorca).
CC sez: Geez, comics really can illustrate anything. Even poetry.
Crueler than Dead Vol 1
Ablaze | $16.99
Story: Tsukasa Saimura | Art/Cover: Kozo Takahashi
Discover the BEST of GORE from JAPAN!
Crueler than Dead features fast-paced and extremely graphic violence concealing none of the absolute horror ... and requiring a strong heart and stomach!
No one knows where it started ... but when the world finally realized what was going on, it was already too late. When Maki Akagi wakes up in a lab full of corpses, she learns from a dying soldier that she is the result of a last-ditch experiment to cure humans of a virus turning them into zombies. Accompanied by a young boy who also miraculously escaped, she will have to try to get to the very center of a devastated Tokyo filled with bloodthirsty monsters. The dome located there contains the last survivors of mankind. And humanity's very survival depends solely on a few drops of this miraculous vaccine ...
Inspired by Katsuhiro Otomo (Akira), The Walking Dead, Romero classics, and new zombie films like 28 Days Later, Crueler than Dead delights in the meticulous gory details of decomposed flesh, with a wicked and hungry eye ... evoking a modern vision of a zombie world that is terrifying, tension filled and unsettling!
CC sez: I'm reassured to see that zombie stories aren't uniquely a Western phenomenon. What would it say about us if we were the only ones who produced horror as entertainment? But it looks like the Japanese are right up there with us. I mean, some of this is pretty gross-out stuff.
Dancing With Dragon #1 (of 4)
Scout Comics | Mature | $3.99
Story: Rob MacKinnon | Art/Cover: Luca Casalanguida
Connor O'Sullivan is a hapless limo driver on the run from the Triads. It probably wasn't the best idea to take over his dead customer's shady business. However, for a poor Irish immigrant trying to provide a better life for his girlfriend, it seemed too good to pass up. After some initial success, Connor thinks this is his ticket to living the American Dream, but he's just been dancing with the dragon!
CC sez: That's some pretty cartoony art for what sounds like a crime noir. Maybe it's a funny crime noir. /s
Deadbox #1
Vault | $3.99
Story: Mark Russell | Art/Cover: Ben Tiesma
Welcome to the town of Lost Turkey, where the main source of entertainment is a cursed DVD machine that seems to know more about the fate of its citizens than they do.
Wait, are there still Redbox DVD machines in existence? I thought they evaporated with movie-rental stores. Amazing how dated that seems now. And look, right next to it: A comics spinner rack! Must be a period piece.
Freaks and Gods Vol 1 TPB
215 Ink | $14.99
Story: Chris Drier | Art/Cover: Giuseppe D'Elia
Ensnared by the Dark Tunnel on a seemingly endless journey through space and time, the First God Atum, adventurer and test pilot Steve-Steph Alexander, and the foredoomed Silver Knight Barghest travel from realm to realm hoping the next adventure will break the curse and return them home. The trio battle a zombie takeover, fight a conquering sleep demon, clash with Nazis, discover the ghost of Merlin, and stop a lonely queen from destroying the multiverse.
CC sez: Once again I find the art lacking, but that sure is an everything-and-the-kitchen-sink premise. Kinda like Grant Morrison's Doom Patrol, without the inspired flashes of strangeness.
Good Night, Hem
Fantagraphics | 160 pages | $19.99
Story/Art/Cover: Jason
Three interconnecting short stories starring Ernest Hemingway comprise the latest graphic novel by the beloved Norwegian cartoonist, Jason.
Paris, 1925. Our story begins when Hemingway meets Athos, the last Musketeer, who, together with several more friends of Hemingway, travel to Spain's Pamplona for the fiesta. Festivities and complications ensue.
Paris, 1944. The second story starts the day after the liberation of Paris when Hemingway, now a war correspondent, decides enough is enough, and takes action to end the war for good. With a group of adventurers and resistance fighters, he parachutes into Germany to do just that.
Cuba, late 1950s. Our literary lion is in his twilight years, writing his memoirs, remembering his first and second meeting with the seemingly immortal Athos.
Mixing fact and fiction, Jason has imaginatively recreated one of America's greatest and most controversial writers of the 20th century.
CC sez: Hemingway and anthropomorphic animals. By a Norwegian. Bound to happen someday.
Gorgo Attacks HC
Fantaco | $49.95 (HC), $29.95 (TPB)
Story: Joe Gill | Art/TPB cover: Joe Sinnott, Vince Colletta | HC cover: Basil Gogos
At the height of the atomic war era, Gorgo took on the army, the navy, giant sea monsters, Soviet war-mongering and one-eyed space invaders. Originally published in 1962, three legendary comics talents — Joe Sinnott, Joe Gill, and Vince Colletta — produced Gorgo. Gorgo Attacks! brings those stories together in one giant collection. Collecting issues #5-10, 12 ("The Day Manhattan Died," "And the Sea Spewed Death," "Menace from the Sea," "The Graveyard of Lost Ships," "Return To The Deep," "The Venusian Terror" and "Monsters Rendezvous," including exclusive Gorgo art by Joe Sinnott. Introduction by Mark Sinnott. Available in softcover (cover by Joe Sinnott and Vince Colletta) or hardcover (cover by Basil Gogos) editions.
CC sez: I loved me some Gorgo as a kid. I couldn't tell you why. Maybe because he seemed like an underdog compared to the more famous Godzilla. Maybe because the first movie ended when the humans realized they were fighting a kid and Mom didn't like it. That seems profound when you're six.
Anyway, can't wait to see if this book includes anything the Yoe Books collection doesn't.
H.P. Lovecraft: Dagon TPB
Caliber Entertainment | $10.99
Story: H. P. Lovecraft, Steven P. Jones | Art/Cover: Sergio Cariello
A Lovecraft classic in a comic book format! The USS Augustus is a nuclear submarine. Its crew is unaccustomed to picking up castaways, especially on uncharted islands in the middle of the Atlantic. But that is where they find Emma Loveless, sole survivor of a private jet crash, who has an unbelievable story to tell. The Pentagon contacts Marcus Steed who shows them a strange statue of a monstrous sea god killing a whale. Not just a sea god but an elder god once worshipped by the Philistines as Dagon. And now the U.S. Navy will return to those islands to investigate her story. In addition to the comic adaptation, the original H.P. Lovecraft story is also included in this graphic novel.
CC sez: Caliber keeps cranking these out, and I never see them. Probably have to add them to my pull list to get 'em at my LCS. Anyway, all these issues later, I still don't know if these HPL adaptations are any good.
Manga Classics Modern English Edition Macbeth TPB
Manga Classics | $19.99
Story: William Shakespeare, Crystal S. Chan | Art/Cover: Julien Choy
Macbeth, the Thane of Cawdor, is a loyal subject of Duncan, the King of Scotland. At least, he used to be. With tempting words and treacherous images, three witches and his own wife inspire Macbeth to a terrible act of treason and murder. As one murder follows another, Macbeth begins to lose his grip upon both his sanity and his hard-won kingdom — but what could possibly unseat him from his bloody throne? Manga Classics presents a NEW EDITION of Shakespeare's brutal Scottish tragedy, featuring lush visuals and the FULL, ADAPTED MODERN ENGLISH text of the classic play!
CC sez: Have you ever wondered what the Japanese would make of Macbeth? I haven't, honestly.
Night Bus GN
Drawn & Quarterly
Story/Cover/Art: Zuo Ma
Night Bus blends autobiography, horror and fantasy into a vibrantly detailed surreal world that shows a distinct talent surveying his past. Nature infringes upon the man-made world via gigantism and explosive abundance - the images in Night Bus are often unsettling, not aimed to horrify, but to upset the balance of modern life.
CC sez: I simply don't have enough information to say anything about this book. But there are a couple of people who did reviews, so they're not stuck for words at all:
Search for Hu #1
Aftershock Comics | $4.99
Story: Steve Orlando, Jon Tsuei | Art/Cover: Rubine
Aaron Tse lives for his family, and if he's not careful, he'll die for its secrets.
When he left the military, Aaron Tse's first thought was providing for his aging parents. His parents' bar is experiencing hard times, and one night it's shot to hell, with his parents critically injured in the attack.
But this was no ordinary robbery — Aaron's mother reveals that she fled China to escape a blood feud between the Jewish and Chinese sides of her family ... both of which are powerful organized crime families. Peace existed between these two families — the Hu and the Margolis — but now it's been broken, and Aaron must protect his parents from further violence. Aaron hops a plane to the homeland he never intended to explore, on a path to revenge he never wanted to walk.
Written by Jon Tsuei (Sera and the Royal Stars, RunLoveKill) and Steve Orlando (Martian Man-hunter, Wonder Woman, KILL A MAN, PROJECT PATRON) and drawn by artist sensation Rubine, SEARCH FOR HU is a fast-paced, action-packed exploration of complex cultural histories, pow-ered by a bloody family feud.
CC sez: I'm not sure what to call this. It kinda reads like a fusion of Jewish crime noir and Chinese chopsocky. Or something.
Shepherd: Path of Souls #1
Scout | $3.99
Story: Andrea L. Molinari, Roberto X. Molinari | Art: Jess Hara, Kyle Huston | Cover: Charles Paul Wilson
Black Caravan Imprint: Prof. Lawrence Miller (a.k.a. The Shepherd) and his companions are wandering in the Seam, the transitioning place between this world and whatever comes next. While traveling, they stumble on a particular district of the Seam that functions a hospital of sorts for the souls of warriors who have died in combat. It appears that they have come to a peculiar version of Operation Phantom Fury, the 2nd Battle of Fallujah (November 2004). But this is the afterlife ... and things aren't always what they seem. Enjoy the first issue of this NON-STOP! title followed by the entire story collected soon after in one volume.
CC sez: I didn't read the first Shepherd miniseries, but I do like that cover. Kinda reminds of a Joe Kubert cover I saw on one of DC's suspense titles years ago. Years? Nay, decades. And I'm such a nerd I was able to find it:
The Orphan King Vol 1
A Wave Blue World | $16.99
Story: Tyler Chin-Tanner | Art: Andrew Dalhouse | Art/Cover: James Boyle
Prince Kaidan, born to inherit the throne, is set to complete his secret training with his aunt, the magical Lady Taleissa when tragedy strikes. He returns home to find his parents missing and his kingdom destroyed, along with everything he'd ever hoped and dreamed. A new path is set: find whatever pieces of his old life he can and use them to build something new — if he can live that long! A fresh retelling of the King Arthur story, The Orphan King upends the concept of birthright in a magical coming-of-age adventure for the ages.
CC sez: Once again I'm disappointed in the art. (Have Marvel, Image and DC got all the good ones locked up?) But at least the story seems to be hewing more closely to the heroic fantasy at the heart of the Arthurian legends, instead of the recent tendency to make things more "realistic" or "grittier," largely by making Arthur a petty thief or something (Legend of the Sword, Cursed).
White Ash Season 1 TPB
Scout | $19.99
Story: Charlie Stickney | Art: Conor Hughes
Welcome to White Ash, a small smudge of a town in western Pennsylvania where mining is a generational calling and the secrets are buried deeper than the coal in the mountain. As Aleck Zwerg tries to escape that legacy and head off to college, he falls into the orbit of the enigmatic Lillian Alden. Together, they race down a dangerous path, leading Aleck to uncover a secret about his family that changes everything he knows about himself and White Ash. And now, if he leaves, there will be no one left to protect the people of the town from an ancient evil that has just returned. Collects all 6 issues.
CC sez: Scout reprinted an issue of White Ash for its contribution to Free Comic Book Day this year, and it had the intended effect: I read it and liked it, and may order this book as a result. I liked the magical realism/dangerous ancient lore vibe and, for a change, I even liked the art!
Replies
Someday, someone will create a Black Label book that doesn't involve Batman, Joker and/or Harley Quinn. I hope I live to see it. /s - I joked that Black Label was just Vertigo with Batman-related books.
Shang-Chi #4 - To be fair the storyline is called Shang-chi vs the Marvel Universe
Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters #4 (of 5) - Yes, October is supposed to be the end of this huge crossover.
Good Night, Hem - Jason's book are kind if weird, but I usually good. I was disappointed in What I Did, though.
Wait, are there still Redbox DVD machines in existence? I thought they evaporated with movie-rental stores. Amazing how dated that seems now. And look, right next to it: A comics spinner rack! Must be a period piece.
The closest Walmart to me has a Redbox machine in the entryway. I think I also saw one at a different store.
I've never rented from them. When I rent DVDs I get them through my Netflix "DVD.com" subscription because I like movies from all eras, not just the newest and/or most popular.