It’s New Comic Book Day!
What should you pick up this week? The Major Spoilers Staff runs down the titles they are most looking forward to this week.
ALEX + ADA #5
Written by: Jonathan Luna, Sarah Vaughn
Art by: Jonathan Luna
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: “Ada will never be the same again.”
WAYNE: Alex is taking a huge risk in making Ada sentient. In this great issue, we see take her first independent steps in a new world. I highly recommend this thoughtful and powerful book about how relationships may go in the very near future.
ALL-NEW GHOST RIDER #1
Writer: Felipe Smith
Artist: Tradd Moore
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: ‘ENGINES OF VENGEANCE’ PART 1 A street race leads a young man on the FAST and FURIOUS road of destiny. Amid an East Los Angeles neighborhood running wild with gang violence and drug trafficking, a war brews in the criminal underworld! With four on the floor, Marvel’s newest GHOST RIDER puts vengeance in overdrive!!!
CHRIS: I have no idea if this will be any good or not but I do know two things: I like the look of the art and I’ve never read a similar Ghost Rider story. This could crash and burn but at least it looks like something new and different.
BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #29
Written by: Gregg Hurwitz
Art by: Ethan Van Sciver
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: “The savagery of Man-Bat reaches a horrifying peak this final issue of the series!”
WAYNE: I’m going to really miss this engaging and unique member of the Bat-family at DC Comics. On the other hand, I’m anxious to see what Mr. Hurwitz and Mr. Van Sciver each do next!
BUBBLEGUN #5
Writer: Mark Roslan
Artist: Mike Bowden
Publisher: Aspen Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: They like the tech, but live for the high stakes! The BUBBLEGUN team is forced to make an uneasy alliance with their bitter rivals in order to penetrate the Vitafrone headquarters and attack Craine. With the cost of failure being the life of her captive sister, Devyn, along with Asher, the prized cyber-boy, Molli and the team have no room for error. Of course, Craine has his own plan in place-to ensure this is the team’s final mission, once and for all! Creator and writer Mark Roslan, along with penciler Mike Bowden and colorist David Curiel invite you to take part in what’s sure to become Aspen’s next hit sci-fi, action adventure series, BUBBLEGUN!
CHRIS: I’m behind on this series but I can’t wait to catch up. There’s some great story and art here and I’m hoping it continues past five issues. BubbleGun is another of those books that’s delivering something fresh and I’ve been loving it.
THE BUNKER #2
Writer: Joshua Hale Fialkov
Artist: Joe Infurnari
Publisher: Oni Press
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Each of the friends must decide their fates, as they’re faced with the first day of the rest of their lives. By the end, lines are drawn between the Believers and the Skeptics, while another shadowy figure from the future is watching them to make sure they all decide ‘correctly.’
JASON: The first issue of this series was one part Lost and one part apocalyptic future story with a shocking cliffhanger
There is no other book to read this week. You must go down into the Bunker. (By that, I mean, read it!)
CHEW TP VOL 08 FAMILY RECIPES
Writer: John Layman
Artist: Rob Guillory
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $12.99
SOLICITATION: Anthony and Antonelle Chu are fraternal twins. Tony and Toni. Each with their own extraordinary, albeit diametrically opposed, ability. Tony is Cibopathic, able to get psychic sensations of the past of anything he bites into or ingests. Toni is Cibovoyant, able to flash onto a vision of the future of any living thing she bit into or ingested.
Tony is alive. Toni is dead. Toni has been murdered. Tony has vowed to catch her killer. Toni is going to help.
ROB: I’m gonna go ahead and claim this as my favorite story arc for the entire series so far. While the ridiculous powers are still everywhere this volume is really getting into the meat and back story of our main players.
DEADLY CLASS #3
Writer: Rick Remender
Artist: Wesley Craig
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.50
SOLICITATION: Tasked with their first assassination mission, Marcus and Willie roam the sad and lonely streets of San Francisco in the dead of night, stalked by a shadow from Marcus’s mysterious past.
GEORGE: Deadly Class may be my favorite new series of 2014. It’s a slice of punk rock high school drama from the 1980s, blended with a healthy dose of political assassination. As with my other picks this week, it’s another perfect combination of art and script.
GI JOE A REAL AMERICAN HERO #200
Writer: Larry Hama
Artist: SL Gallant
Publisher: IDW Publications
Cover Price: $5.99
SOLICITATION: With Larry Hama on writing duties and SL Gallant continuing his impressive art streak, we see a massive G.I. Joe armored division going head to head with Cobra forces in the Utah desert.
MATTHEW: Years and years ago, G.I. Joe #1 changed everything for me. Now, that continuity has been taken up again, and the Joes are on a collision course with Cobra for all the marbles! Double-sized for not quite double the price works for me…
GHOSTBUSTERS #14
Writer: Erik Burnham
Artist: Dan Schoening
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: The embodiment of chaos has taken an interest in earth, and the physical laws of the universe are beginning to come apart at the seams. When Newtonian physics falter in New York City and weirdness is on the rise, you know who’s gonna get called… “Mass Hysteria!” continues here!
ROB: Taking most of its cues from the movies and expanding the cast for some more flavor, the current Ghostbusters ongoing has become a preferred read for me every week it hits shelves. With the first extra-sized story arc just starting last issue, now seems a very reasonable time to hop into the game.
HAWKEYE #18
Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist: Chris Eliopoulos
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: Who could forget that time when Clint Barton let his neighbor’s kids watched a holiday cartoon at his place? At long last THIS ISSUE is pretty much the cartoon they all watch. YOU’RE WELCOME. A very special holiday HAWKGUY that at long last lets legendary letterer CHRIS ELIOPOLOUS flex his astounding cartooning muscles in our pages. Matt and Matt do their regular jobs though. Maybe David will letter it? Probably not.
CHRIS: Man, it seems like we went forever without getting any issues of Hawkeye and now there’s a flood of them. I’m not complaining though. This book rocks and I’m interested in what Chris Eliopolous will bring to the table. And still $2.99? Amazing!
IRON PATRIOT #1
Writer: Ales Kot
Artist: Garry Brown
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Jim Rhodes has quit the SECRET AVENGERS!!! As the IRON PATRIOT, he’s bringing his fight against the bad guys to the home front. But a new villain emerges with a brutal plan that could turn Iron Patriot into America’s most wanted!!
ROB: Rhodes’s a decent character, and I like that the Iron Patriot is going to be back in the comics. I wonder how he’s going to handle taking the mantle from Osborn though, or has that already come to pass?
KRAMPUS! #4
Written by: Brian Joines
Art by: Dean Kotz
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: “The traitor stands revealed! With his identity exposed, the mole within the Secret Society of Santa Clauses launches his master plan. Only the Krampus stands ready to oppose him, but an offer of freedom from the Santas’ reign may trigger the start of a sinister partnership.”
WAYNE: Even though it’s the end of March, I’m still really enjoying this miniseries about Krampus, who has become popular in the West these past few years. Don’t miss this book, which I think will become a holiday comics classic in the years to come! If you’d like to learn more about this Image comic, check out the recent episode of my Wayne’s Comics podcast with Mr. Joines at this link!
THE MIDAS FLESH #4 (of 8)
Writer: Ryan North
Artist: Shelli Paroline, John Keogh,
Publisher: Boom! Studios
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: John Keogh Oh, no! The Federation is here to take away the secret weapon that our crew has worked so hard to acquire. But can they get a hold of it without someone suffering the fate of The Midas Touch?!
PAIGE: I’m absolutely addicted to The Midas Flesh. The characters are so quirky and fun that I can’t stop smiling as I read. I can’t wait to get my hands on this and find out what happens to the team and their new captive.
PARIAH #2
Writer: Aron Warner, Philip Gelatt
Artist: Brett Weldele
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: On Earth, a hacker causes an economic meltdown in what seems to be a rescue plan to save the vitros, who are trapped in space on a failing satellite.
* Created by Academy Awardñwinning producer Aron Warner (Shrek).
* Art by Eisner-nominated painter Brett Weldele (The Surrogates).
* Written by Philip Gelatt (Petrograd).
PAIGE: The first issue of this series ends on such a cliffhanger that I can’t help but come back for more. The fantastic art also puts it at the top of my list this week.
RAT QUEENS VOLUME 1: SASS AND SORCERY
Writer: Kurtis J Weibe
Artist: Roc Upchurch, Fiona Staples
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $9.99
SOLICITATION: Who are the Rat Queens? A pack of booze-guzzling, death-dealing battle maidens-for-hire, and they’re in the business of killing all god’s creatures for profit. It’s also a darkly comedic sass-and-sorcery series starring Hannah the Rockabilly Elven Mage, Violet the Hipster Dwarven Fighter, Dee the Atheist Human Cleric and Betty the Hippy Smidgen Thief. This modern spin on an old school genre is a violent monster-killing epic that is like Buffy meets Tank Girl in a Lord of the Rings world on crack! Collecting the first 5 issues of the sold out hit series at the special introductory price of $9.99! Collects RAT QUEENS #1-5
PAIGE: Rat Queens is hands down my favorite series Image Comics puts out, and I cannot recommend this series enough. Rat Queens is always worth picking up.
REAL HEROES #1
Writer: Bryan Hitch
Artist: Bryan Hitch
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: The celebrity stars of the blockbuster The Olympians films are about to take “method” to a whole new level. In Bryan Hitch’s all-new six-issue miniseries REAL HEROES, a group of actors who are used to playing superheroes on film are forced to don their capes and cowls in real life when a nefarious foe endangers their city.
REAL HEROES #1 is Hitch’s first foray into writing and drawing his own work, and hits the ground running with an explosion and a brutally-orchestrated fight to the death.
MATTHEW: “What If the actors from the Avengers had to BE the Avengers?” I’m in, for now. See what Stephen and I have to say about this’n in this week’s Dueling Review!
SILVER SURFER #1
Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Mike Allred
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Hop on board and hang ten when the most far-out series of All-New Marvel NOW! makes its epic cosmic debut this March! Hang on! This is the all-new SILVER SURFER #1!
GEORGE: Dan Slott’s peppy writing seems tailor-made for the pop art stylings of Michael Allred. Putting these two on some Silver Surfing cosmic adventuring seems like a recipe for success.
MATTHEW: A Silver Surfer ongoing would have my attention, regardless of creative team, by if you put in a talented writer and one of my favorite artists? Yes, please.
SURVIVE #1
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Joe Quinones
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: CLASSIFIED!
CHRIS: There’s nothing that makes me want to buy a book more than giving me no information about it whatsoever. Well, take me to the lollipop factory because I’m a sucker. You win this time Marvel…
WAKE #7
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artist: Sean Murphy
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: Two hundred years in the future, things are not looking good for the human race. But a mysterious call from the deep could change everything. The epic, flooded future of THE WAKE continues here!
GEORGE: The first half of Wake was a claustrophobic, underwater thriller in the vein of The Abyss. Now, Snyder and Murphy are taking us hundreds of years into the future, into a radically changed world – and it is excellent. I love the world-building, and the vibrant coloring and art is sublime.
1 Comment
I will pick up the Rat Queens and Chew trade.