IT’S NEW COMIC BOOK DAY!
But what to read?
Fortunately, the Major Spoilers Staff have comic book recommendations for you!
ADVENTURE TIME MARCELINE GONE ADRIFT #1
Writer: Meredith Gran
Artist: Carey Pietsch
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION:
WHY WE LOVE IT: Marceline and the Scream Queens was our first Adventure Time mini-series and we loved the tour Meredith Gran took us on. It’s definitely time for more Marceline and what better way to get everything rolling than with an epic that takes Marceline and Princess Bubblegum to the far corners of the world and into space!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: Marceline. The. Vampire. Queen. From the writer that brought you Marceline and the Scream Queens, Meredith Gran (Octopus Pie), and introducing indie talent Carey Pietsch, this is your chance to get some oneonone time with one of your favorite residents of Ooo.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Marceline is on a rampage for mysterious reasons, and the kingdom of Ooo is desperately scrambling to stop her. In trying to save both Ooo and Marceline herself, Princess Bubblegum accidentally propels Marceline into the farthest reaches of space… and strips her of her powers! Guiltridden, Princess Bubblegum sets off on a space rescue that’ll test the power of her mind… as well as the power of friendship.
ASHLEY: Admittedly, I’m not the biggest Adventure Time fan, but give me a series that focuses on my favourite female character and I am in like Flynn! … who’s Flynn again?
ALL NEW CAPTAIN AMERICA #3
Writer: Rick Remender
Artist: Stuart Immonen
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: • This is it! The new generations meet–Captain America vs Sin, daughter of the Red Skull! • The truth in regards to the blood of equalization is revealed, but Hydra’s proliferation is too wide, there is no stopping them now. • Nomad stands tall against the ruthless might of one of Cap’s oldest foes!
ROB: All three of Marvel’s big guys have changed recently, and so far Captain America has been the most interesting of these changes. And we have Nomad’s fate hanging in the balance, so this book is a must read this week.
ASTRO CITY #19
Writer: Kurt Busiek
Artist: Brent Eric Anderson
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: As her career may be ending, Quarrel looks back at her earliest days as a super hero, including the roots of her on-again/off-again romance with Crackerjack. Plus: Honor Guard and the Omega Rangers!
JASON: Kurt Busiek continues the story of one of Astro City’s oldest duos. I’m excited to see what Busiek reveals. This book has been consistent and solid for over ten years. YOU NEED TO BE READING THIS IF YOU LOVE SUPERHEROES!
MATTHEW: Crackerjack is one of the earliest heroes we ever met in Astro City, and it’s interesting to see that it’s been 20 years in HIS life, as well as ours, and we’re finally getting a look into the mind of Quarrel. If you haven’t read Astro City, you’re missing one hell of a ride…
BATGIRL #38
Writer: Cameron Stewart
Artist: Babs Tarr
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: Things are going surprisingly well in Batgirl’s new life! But nothing good ever lasts long in Gotham City – and the other yellow boot is about to drop…hard!
ASHLEY: This series has been getting better and better with each issue that comes out. I’m looking forward to more Barbara in Burnside and Batgirl buttkicking in one of the coolest looking comics on the market.
GEORGE: Batgirl isn’t a perfect book. But it has the spirit of adventure and fun that most of DC’s high-profile output lacks. I’m hoping the rough edges smooth out, and that more DC books can take their cue from this series.
JASON: Get this just for the awesome Flash variant cover! It looks awesome. Well, the book is great too. Seriously, it is. But that cover . . . . wow.
WAYNE: I really like the new take on Barbara Gordon and Batgirl! It’s been quite a change from the previous creative team, but I enjoy a lighter touch for now. It’s more “realistic” in its way, and we can stand a Bat-book that isn’t so dark.
CONAN RED SONJA #1
Writer: Gail Simone, Jim Zub
Artist: Dan Panosian
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Simone and Zub pit Sonja against Conan!
Gail Simone teams with Jim Zub to bring together legendary warriors in this truly epic crossover!
In a story spanning multiple eras in the lives of these classic characters, Conan and Red Sonja become comrades to take down a sorcerer-priest hell bent on creating a dark new age in Hyborian warfare!
MATTHEW: You had me at “Gail Simone.”
RODRIGO: As interesting as the Red Sonja/Witchblade and Conan/Wonderpets crossovers have been, I’m way happier to see this book. This is something that I can safely keep in my personal continuity for both characters.
STEPHEN: If you read our early review, then you know I’m excited about this series. Can’t wait to see what everyone attached to this project do next!
HENSHIN TP
Writer: Ken Niimura
Artist: Ken Niimura
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $19.99
SOLICITATION: I KILL GIANTS co-creator KEN NIIMURA (International Manga Award winner and Eisner nominee) brings a unique vision of life in Japan to the page in HENSHIN. The lives of a kid with peculiar superpowers, a lonely girl discovering herself in the big city, and a businessman on a long night out are some of the short stories included in this collection that will make you laugh, and even maybe shed a tear. Explore Tokyo as you’ve never seen it before under NIIMURA’s masterful and imaginative storytelling, printed here for the first time in English.
ASHLEY: I really liked I Kill Giants and based on the strength of that OGN I’m looking forward to seeing what Ken Niimura is bringing to the Anglophone market.
HEXED #6
Writer: Michael Alan Nelson
Artist: Dan Mora
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: The race between Lucifer and Madam Cymbaline to assemble the stolen magical repertoire of Val’s basement hurtles on, as Lucifer and her crew set their eyes on the ultimate heist-sneaking into Graeae Towers themselves. Meanwhile, Raina struggles to control her newfound newcromancing powers and Val copes with the deal she’s made with the Harlot.
WAYNE: If you’ve read my columns or listened to my podcasts, you know I am all about strong female characters in comics. Mr. Nelson has brought this title back with a mighty roar, so I’m enjoying every issue. Highly recommended!
MICHAEL JORDAN: BULL ON PARADE
Writer: Wilfred Santiago
Publisher: Fantagrahics
Cover Price: $24.99
SOLICITATION: A kinetic graphic biography about Michael “Air” Jordan, the greatest basketball player of all time and most influential athlete in history, from the creator of the acclaimed and best-selling 21: The Story of Roberto Clemente.
This tour-de-force graphic biography explores basketball superstar Michael Jordan’s public successes and private struggles, with Santiago’s passion for his subject shining through on every full-color page. At the age of 19, Jordan scored the winning jump shot in the final seconds of the 1982 NCAA Championship, earning him the moniker “Air.” He was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 1984, a team with a decade of failure.
By 1991, Jordan led the Bulls to their first NBA championship, besting Magic Johnson and the L.A. Lakers. In 1992, Michael Jordan joined the Dream Team, an assembly of 12 legendary NBA players who steamrolled everyone at the Barcelona Olympics and brought the gold back home. Despite taking a season off to try his hand at professional baseball, Jordan still led the Bulls to three consecutive NBA Championships. However, his life is not without controversies or calamities, and no amount of success or money can shield him from it. But everyone wanted to be like Mike, and Santiago comes closer than anyone to putting you on the parquet floor of the Chicago’s United Center in your very own pair of Air Jordans. Full-color.
RODRIGO: It’s really amazing how thorough and well thought out this is. I can’t believe someone spent this much time coming up with the back story of the human character in Space Jam.
MORTAL KOMBAT X #1
Writer: Shawn Kittelsen
Artist: Dexter Soy
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Get over here…for an all-new digital-first series set before the events of 2015’s highly anticipated game Mortal Kombat X! Prepare yourself for the brutal adventures of all your favorite Mortal Kombat characters and witness the rise of the next generation of Kombatants!
RODRIGO: Growing up in the 90s there are certain properties that I will always kare about, even if they’re not going in the direktion I’d prefer. Mortal Kombat is one of those, so I’ll be glad to pop in and read this when it komes out.
PARALLEL MAN: INVASION AMERICA #4
Writer: Jeffrey Morris, Fredrick Haugen
Artist: Christopher Jones
Publisher: Future Dude Entertainment
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: After being captured, Nicholas Morgan faces a potentially deadly interrogation at the hands of the Ascendancy. Meanwhile, on a dangerous Venus-like Earth, Agent Nick Morgan makes his way to the hidden fortress of the dissident Futurists, lead by none other than Alpha One’s version of Dr. Carl Sagan.
WAYNE: This title is a great science-fiction book, with multiple universes and “our” own involved as well, something we don’t see very often. There’s a lot of action and drama to go around, so I’m enjoying this title every month! Don’t miss it!
SPIDER-VERSE #2
Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Giuseppe Camuncoli
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $4.99
SOLICITATION: SPIDER-VERSE TIE-IN! • THE SPIDER-VERSE ANTHOLOGY CONTINUES! • SO MANY SPIDER-MEN AND WOMEN! THIS ISSUE: • VIDEO-GAME SPIDEY! • PUNK-ROCK SPIDEY! • FAIRY TALE SPIDEY! • MEXICO’S OWN SPIDEY TALE IN SPANISH!
ROB: More Spider-Verse means more Spider-Men, and I am stoked for that. I’d been hoping since his first appearance we’d get more on the Spider-Punk, and then this book gives us even more interesting Spideys to roll with.
STAR WARS #1
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: John Cassaday
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $4.99
SOLICITATION: THE GREATEST SPACE ADVENTURE OF ALL TIME RETURNS TO MARVEL! Luke Skywalker and the ragtag band of rebels fighting against the Galactic Empire are fresh off their biggest victory yet—the destruction of the massive battle station known as the Death Star. But the Empire’s not toppled yet! Join Luke along with Princess Leia, smugglers Han Solo and Chewbacca, droids C-3PO and R2-D2 and the rest of the Rebel Alliance as they strike out for freedom against the evil forces of Darth Vader and his master, the Emperor. Written by Jason Aaron (Original Sin, Thor: God of Thunder) and with art by John Cassaday (Astonishing X-Men, Uncanny Avengers), this is the Star Wars saga as only Marvel Comics could make it.
GEORGE: C’mon. Can anything top this title this week for anticipation? For me, nothing else comes close.
MATTHEW: What? I’m not anti-Star Wars, I just don’t feel that referring to movies that came out 25 years afterwards as “the first ones” makes sense. Whether this series has any staying power or not, it’s kind of a big deal, and I’m interested to see what new things they can show us in the Galaxy Far, Far Away…
ROB: Star Wars comics are finally back under Marvel’s care, and what we get to start that out is an interquel between episodes 4 and 5. While not the most interesting of premises, we at least get to follow the most popular characters in the series as they eventually start Echo Base on Hoth.
STEPHEN: WANT THIS! Yes, Dark Horse Comics killed it for decades bringing fans the tales set in a Galaxy far, far away…. But there is something exciting about seeing this book coming from Marvel.