IT’S THE RETURN OF THE MAJOR SPOILERS STAFF PICKS!
Major Spoilers runs down the comics we are looking forward to, and recommending, this week.
ALEX + ADA #3
Writer: Joshua Luna, Sarah Vaughn
Artist: Joshua Luna
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: “Ada is an amazing piece of technology, but Alex realizes she’s missing something. He goes in search of it and finds out he’s not the only one unhappy with the way things are.”
WAYNE: The Luna Brothers have long been some of the most imaginative creators in the comics industry, with such triumphs as Girls and The Sword. Well, Joshua’s back with a fascinating look into what may very possibly be our future since technology continues to take over more and more of the human interaction we experience. A tremendously thoughful comic!
AMAZING X-MEN #3
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Ed McGuinness
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: BEAST UNLEASHED! Dr. McCoy is pushed over the edge and gives into his savage side like never before! • The X-Men, split between heaven and hell, are in way over their heads! • Can they get to Nightcrawler before evil Azazel does?
ROB: So, I’m way backed up on my comics as of late and still haven’t picked up the first two issues, but seeing as this week is super light and an angry Beast sounds fun, I’m gonna jump in and grab all three.
ASTRO CITY #8
Writer: Busiek, Kurt
Artist: Anderson, Brent Eric
Cover Artist: Ross, Alex
PUBLISHER: Vertigo
Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: When the Confessor investigates the criminal charges against Winged Victory, it leads to open combat—with Samaritan! Can Astro City’s three greatest heroes find a way to work together? And even if they can, will it be too late to save her career? The 4-issue story arc continues as the threat against Winged Victory is revealed and her past is explored.
JASON: This book has been nothing but solid storytelling since its return. Since Astro City’s Batman analogue The Confessor returns in this issue, it may be the perfect chance for any Bat fans to drop in on this fantastic story.
RODRIGO: I’m hoping to see some commentary on the fetishizing of the DC trinity in modern comics. Or, you know, a solid Astro City story. Either one’s good.
INJUSTICE YEAR TWO #1
Writer: Tom Taylor
Artist: Bruno Redondo
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: “The best-selling prequel to the hit videogame picks up right where it left off! Year one is over — now, year two begins. The death of one of their own has divided Earth’s protectors as hero turns against hero. As Superman’s iron grip on the world tightens, at the edge of the galaxy, fear approaches … .”
WAYNE: It’s great that Mr. Taylor is scripting both Earth 2 and Injustice, which is based on the popular video game. This is a digital-first series, and since I’ve seen the first issue already, I’m anxious for more!
LENORE VOL. 2 #9
Writer: Roman Dirge
Artist: Roman Dirge
Publisher: Titan Publishing
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Taxidermy is missing and Lenore has an important question for him, so she forces Pooty and Ragamuffin to join her in a mighty quest, dressed as fantasy heroes, to rescue their lost friend from the evil clutches of something that is clutch-y. What obstacles will be thrown in the path of our brave and noble warriors? Honestly, no idea yet.
CHRIS: Sometimes you need a bit of weird in your life. Lenore is that weird for me. I love how the characters are both cute and disturbing at the same time and Dirge’s sense of humor is so twisted that I sometimes question myself for laughing. Roman Dirge handles everything on this book and the love clearly shows.
MAGIC THE GATHERING THEROS #3
Writer: Jason Ciaramella
Artist: Martin Coccolo
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Cover Price: $4.99
SOLICITATION: Dack Fayden has managed to assemble the powerful artifact that first brought him to THEROS. But as a monster of the deep attacks the vessel he sails on, Dack must put his new acquisition to good use… and fast!
ROB: More Magic, more High Seas Adventure, more Monsters! And another Promo card. With Kiora being announced for Born of Gods, Dack is definitely my most sought after Planeswalker. Let’s see if he can survive long enough to become a card.
MIRACLEMAN #1
Writer: TBD,
Artist: Various,
Cover Artist: Quesada, Joe
Publisher: MARVEL
Price: $5.99
SOLICITATION:
• KIMOTA! With one magic word, a long-forgotten legend lives again! • Freelance reporter Michael Moran always knew he was meant for something more — now, a strange series of events leads him to reclaim his destiny! • Relive the ground-breaking eighties adventures that captured lightning in a bottle — or experience them for the first time — in these digitally restored, fully relettered editions! • Issue 1 includes material originally presented in WARRIOR #1 and MIRACLEMAN #1, plus the MARVELMAN PRIMER. Issue #2 includes material originally presented in WARRIOR #1-5, plus bonus material.
GEORGE: Finally the legal issues surrounding this seminal series have been resolved. A lot of ink has been spilled over Miracleman, but it really is as good and as important as folks say. This reprinting might be controversial for the digital restoration which alters the colors and lettering, but any fans of superheroes should still read this series.
JASON: I have always wanted to read this book, and now that Marvel is reprinting the issues I can! This is probably the one issue that everyone should buy this week.
STEPHEN: Strange that Matthew didn’t put this on his list this week…. I think a lot of people are going to be interested in this book, and even with the $5.99 cover price and the fact that there are a number of reprinted stories, this one is going to be a big seller for Marvel this week.
NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEADPOOL
Writer: Cullen Bunn
Artist: Ramon Rosanas
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Deadpool awakes from a food coma to find…THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE HAS OCCURRED! • Can the Merc with the Mouth avoid becoming the Merc in their Mouths? • Writer of the DEADPOOL KILLOGY Cullen Bunn brings us to one of Deadpool’s darkest tales ever…and not just because it’s in black & white (and red)!
CHRIS: Here’s two things there’s not enough of in comics: Deadpool and zombies. Luckily Marvel is stepping up and releasing a book with both. How could this possibly be bad? Actually, I’ve liked a lot of Cullen Bunn’s Deadpool work so I’ll at least read this first issue.
RAT QUEENS #4
Writer: Kurtis J. Wiebe
Artist: Roc Upchurch
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.50
SOLICITATION: “GOLD, GUTS, AND GROG,” Part Four
Holy vengeance can be a real headache, but it’s so much worse when it’s coming from a fifteen foot tall lady troll who’s just lost her dad. In this blood-splattered issue, the Rat Queens find out that every action has some sort of hilariously brutal consequence!
GEORGE: Rat Queens is bloody, profane, fantasy fun. It’s quality in both writing and art, and should appeal to folks who enjoy a bit of adult humor.
ROVER READ CHARLIE #2
Writer: Garth Ennis
Artist: Michael DiPascale
Publisher: Avatar Press
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Three canine best friends try to make their way at the end of the world. Having fled the death and destruction of the city, Rover, Red, and Charlie find that feeders aren’t the only ones you can’t trust in this topsy-turvy world. When they meet up with a wary hisspot, they find out that this new world order is even crazier than they could imagine. GARTH ENNIS – the father of Preacher and Crossed – delivers a story like no other, as an unlikely band of canines set out to survive in a world gone horribly mad and fully-painted by Michael Dipascale. Step into the mind of man’s best friend! Available with a Regular, Wraparound, and a Dog Days Order Incentive cover by series artist Michael Dipascale.
CHRIS: Garth Ennis has nailed exactly how I imagine dogs think. Referring to us as feeders, loyal to their companions, dying to sniff butts, this book hits it all on the head. I love to think that our pooches would be this kind and loving but wouldn’t be surprised if during the apocalypse they end up eating our dead bodies.
SKYMAN #1
Writer: Joshua Fialkov
Artist: Manuel Garcia
Publisher: Dark Horse
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: “After an embarrassing defeat at the hands of Captain Midnight, a drunken Skyman accidentally kills an innocent man! Needing a new face for their initiative ASAP, the Skyman Program turns to U.S. Air Force Sgt. Eric Reid, a wounded veteran on the ropes, looking for a new lease on life.”
RODRIGO: I’m going into this asking myself what sets this apart from the 300,000 other superhero comics out there. I know that’s rough, but if it makes you feel any better DC and Marvel regularly fail that test in my eyes.
WAYNE: Looks like Dark Horse is taking on DC and Marvel when it comes to superheroes! Spinning out of Captain Midnight is this excellent title, tackling both racism and disabilities as well as providing superhero action! For more, check out my interview with Mr. Fialkov during this week’s Wayne’s Comics podcast, here at MajorSpoilers.com!
SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #25
Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Humberto Ramos
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $4.99
SOLICITATION: Otto Octavius, the Superior Spider-Man, in a life-or-death struggle against the original Superior Venom! Plus: With one last goblin on his side, the Goblin King’s court is now complete! Guest starring: The Avengers!
ROB: More Slott & Ramos Spidey Awesomeness! Still haven’t found a reason to dislike what’s going on in this book, and loving every moment of it. Can’t wait to see where this story ends up, is Venom going to cue the Avengers into what’s going on?
STEPHEN: So we know that Peter Parker is returning,and according to Mr. Slott, the twist on the return happens in this issue! Can’t wait to read this issue to see what happens next, though I think I know Slott’s out.
THUNDERBOLTS #20.NOW
Writer: Charles Soule
Artist: Carlo Barberi
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: ‘NO MERCY’ Part 1 GHOST RIDER JOINS THE THUNDERBOLTS! General Ross’s Thunderbolts were brought together to clean up problems no one else could…but what about when the problem is ON the team? The seemingly all-powerful madwoman called Mercy has gone too far, slaughtering innocent people to fulfill her twisted mission of mercy. Who can the team turn to to help take down this powerhouse? How about Johnny Blaze, the original Ghost Rider? Can he save the team before it all goes to hell? Or will he lead them there?
CHRIS: I haven’t read Thunderbolts since Daniel Way was writing, but seeing Ghost Rider returning to the Marvel Universe has me jazzed enough to check back in. Ghost Rider has been a bit mistreated recently so I hope Charles Soule does the character some justice. Unfortunately I believe that he’ll soon be driving a muscle car, so maybe not.
GEORGE: A team with the Punisher, Deadpool, Venom AND Ghost Rider? Be still, my ‘90s heart. With Soule and Barberi at the helm, Thunderbolts has become one of Marvel’s best, under-the-radar books. It’s also one of their increasingly rare $2.99 books. And that cover up there is legit.
WORLDS’ FINEST #19
Writer: Levitz, Paul
Artist: Silva, R. B.
Cover Artist: Lupacchino, Emanuela
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: Desperate times call for desperate measures as Power Girl and Huntress reveal their true origins to this world’s Superman and Batman!
JASON: Ever since the New 52 made the Huntress Batman’s daughter again, I have been looking forward to the first meeting of Batman and his daughter from another world. However this meeting goes, you know it’s going to be explosive.
What are you looking forward to this week?