With the Apocalypse almost upon us, there is still time to spend your hard earned money. Major Spoilers has looked at the books arriving in stores this week, and have selected a few titles they recommend this week.
ADVENTURE TIME #11
Writer: Ryan North
Artist: Shelli Paroline
Publisher: BOOM Studios (kaBOOM Imprint)
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: BRAND NEW ARC! PERFECT JUMPING ON POINT FOR NEW READERS!
Join Jake the Dog and Finn the Human in the latest of their totally math adventures! Get on board for what critics are calling ‘the best series of 2012″!
JIMMY: This series has been spot on perfect both for existing fans of Adventure Time and people who have wondered what all the hype’s about. The last arc just wrapped up, so this is a great place to start reading–as it’s written by Ryan North of Dinosaur Comics, Adventure Time the comic has had an enjoyably warped pace to its dialogue and the art has been right on with the show, unlike the other Adventure Time series “Marceline and the Scream Queens” which just wrapped up. Even if you’ve never heard of Adventure Time, you ought to pick up and read this book–it’s the most enjoyably hilarious comic I’ve read in a long time
BATWOMAN #15
Writer: J.H. Williams III
Artist: J.H. Williams III
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: The Batwoman/Wonder Woman team-up continues! The action is out of control as Bones, Chase, the DEO, Abbot and the Religion of Crime all descend on Gotham City to take part in the fight against Medusa!
And then at the end of the issue the all-new–we can’t tell you but it’s awesome!
JIMMY: This issue promises to deliver the climax of the wonderful Batwoman / Wonder Woman crossover that has thrilled me over the past several months, and if you’ve never had the pleasure of reading a comic drawn by J.H. Williams III I highly recommend you go pick up “Batwoman: Elegy” and then read through that and The New 52 Batwoman to catch up on this splendid title.
BLACK BEETLE: NIGHT SHIFT #0
Writer: Francesco Francavilla
Artist: Francesco Francavilla
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: When a powerful totem of dark magic shows up at the Colt City Natural History Museum, Hitler sends his fearsome Werwolf Korps to collect the piece. Unfortunately for the führer, Colt City’s protector, the Black Beetle, is on the case!
From the mind of 2012 Eisner Award winner Francesco Francavilla (Batman: The Black Mirror). Collects three Dark Horse Presents stories from issues #11–#13.
STEPHEN: I really don’t mind it when a company collects serialized tales into a single volume to read. DC has done it with their digital titles, and Dark Horse has been doing it for a while with the stories appearing in Dark Horse Presents. I love Francesco Francavilla’s art, and I was originally introduced to him via his Pulp Sunday Blog, which featured the first appearance of the Black Beetle. Can’t wait to pick this issue up this week and read the heck out of it.
DAREDEVIL #21
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Chris Samnee
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION:
· The final showdown with Coyote!
· Big clues to a mystery building since issue 3!
· Daredevil – wanted by the NYPD!
ZACH: First off: Mark Waid for King of Comics. He has been building to this issue ever since he started his run on Daredevil and I’m betting the payoff is going to be wonderful. Seriously everyone should start reading this series.
FF #2
Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist: Mike Allred
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: • Ant-Man! She Hulk! Medusa! And, um — Ms. Thing?
• How does the rest of the Future Foundation react to the new team?
• What classic Fantastic Four super-villain can’t wait to get their hands on the new FF?
GEORGE: I highly enjoyed the first issue of this. It was good, clean comics fun – just what you’d expect from Matt Fraction and Mike Allred. And I appreciate Marvel keeping this title at $2.99. It means I get to keep reading this one.
INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK #2
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Leinil Yu
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Guest starring IRON MAN! • While Bruce Banner and Tony Stark are friends, Hulk and Iron Man are anything but! • Eisner Award winning writer Mark Waid (DAREDEVIL) and superstar artist Leinil Yu continue to take the Hulk in an all-new direction!
ZACH: If a company ever wants me to start reading one of their heroes they simply need to put Mark Waid on the book. Before this series, the brief encounters I had had with the big green guy were turn offs for me (I’m sure there are fantastic Hulk series I jut haven’t read them), but NOW! Waid has presented a character that I’m ready to invest my money in.
JSA: THE LIBERTY FILES – THE WHISTLING SKULL #1
Writer: B. Clay Moore
Artist: Tony Harris
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: • A new series from acclaimed creators B. Clay Moore (Hawaiian Dick) and Tony Harris (EX MACHINA, STARMAN)!
• In 1940s Europe, the Nazi war machine is on the move…but crimes are still committed in even the smallest hamlets. Can one heroic duo solve the most bizarre mystery of all?
• From the world of the JSA: THE LIBERTY FILES, witness the birth of a new hero for the ages!
GEORGE: Hawaiian Dick was actually a very good noir period piece. So hearing that B. Clay Moore is getting the chance to do something similar in the DC Elseworlds Liberty Files sandbox is grand news. Tony Harris has been doing the art on The Liberty Files from the beginning, and it’s never been anything but good. Plus, if I’m not mistaken (and I very well could be), the Whistling Skull is an all new hero. This could be extremely fun.
LOCKE & KEY OMEGA #2
Writer: Joe Hill
Artist: Gabriel Rodriguez
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: A ghost haunts the long halls of Keyhouse-the spirit of Bode Locke, cast out of his body by the Demon named Dodge-and only one person can hear his voice: Bode’s old playmate, Rufus Whedon. It’s time to soldier up: the final battle for Keyhouse is about to begin.
ROB: Issue 2 of the final chapter, if you haven’t been following the series up to this point it may be a little late. But you can find all 5 amazing stories before this and get caught up for the end. Hill has made an amazing and believable family and Rodriguez’s art is just gorgeous. Get caught and enjoy the final story.
STEPHEN: The first issue in this final arc is so full of dread, that I can’t imagine it will end well for anyone. It’s a book I can’t wait to arrive on my doorstep, even though I’ve read the review copy IDW Publishing sent our way.
SAGA #8
Writer: Brian K. Vaughn
Artist: Fiona Staples
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: Former soldier and new mom Alana has already survived lethal assassins, rampaging armies and alien monstrosities, but now she faces her greatest challenge yet: the in-laws.
ROB: Have you listened to everyone else and started picking this up yet? Well, do that. The amazing space-epic being made here is more than worth looking at. Do yourself a favor and find any and all issues of this book if you haven’t seen them yet.
ZACH: If you aren’t reading Saga yet then I’m not sure what I could say to convince you to start now. Well maybe this: If you don’t start reading Saga all the cats will be deleted from the Internet!!! That should do the trick.
SCARLET SPIDER #12.1
Writer: Chris Yost
Artist: Paulo Siqueira
Publisher: Marvel
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: SCARLET SPIDER’S DARKEST HOUR BEGINS HERE! • Kaine’s investigation brings him face to face with the Hand and Bruiser! • What does Kingpin want with Houston? • Chris Yost and Paulo Siqueira (The Amazing Spider-Man) will bring you the answers as a brand new year of Scarlet action awaits!
ROB: I have been enjoying this series since it spun out of Spider Island. Even through the Minimum Carnage story line, Kaine has still been a well done character, and here we have one of those “great jumping on point” issues. I say now is the time to jump on. The non-New York setting alone is enough to make the book unique.
UNCANNY X-FORCE #35
Writer: Rick Remender
Artist: Phil Noto
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: FINAL ISSUE!
• FINAL EXTINCTION CONCLUDES AND SO DOES UNCANNY X-FORCE!
• Rick Remender’s landmark run comes to a conclusion with one of the most shocking moments in X-Force history.
• What will become of what’s left of X-Force
GEORGE: So ends one of Marvel’s best books in recent memory. Uncanny X-Force #1 was one of the first comics I reviewed for Major Spoilers, and it’s one of the ones that really hooked me back into the world of superhero comics. Rick Remender is obviously sticking around Marvel, with high profile gigs on Uncanny Avengers and Captain America, but it will be hard to top the greatness that was the Dark Angel Saga. Not because Remender isn’t that talented, but because that arc was sooo good. I’m looking forward to bidding this title a fond farewell with issue #35. It’s been a good run.
WONDER WOMAN #15
Writer: Brian Azzarello
Artist: Cliff Chiang
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: Who is Orion – and what are the New Gods?! Massive changes are coming for Wonder Woman and the entire DC Universe! Get ready for round 1 of Wonder Woman vs. Orion!
JIMMY: I have been waiting for the New Gods introduction to The New 52 for what seems like forever but realistically is only a couple months–the promise of Azzarello writing them and Cliff Chiang drawing them is almost more than my comics-loving heart can handle–this might even be a perfect place to jump on if you’ve been on the fence about reading Wonder Woman in The New 52 and are a fan of the New Gods!
3 Comments
What no Green Lantern Love?! Shame, that book is actually great, its honestly like seeing Creator Owned work in the DCU, cause Johns can do anything he wants in that book. As for Whistling Skull, kinda surprised to see it at DC, cause Harris was talking about it as creator owned work back like 2 years ago as something him and Moore were working on, on Word Balloon.
Man, you have one 42nd birthday, and you somehow forget about the Staff Picks. What a jerk! :)
I disagree. Green Lantern is terrible. Hal has had zero characterization, let alone growth, in 8 years. It had promise, but Johns can’t help but write the same circular story again and again and again.
Hey guys, the Guardians of the Universe may be up to no good. It’s a subtle commentary on absolute power corrupting absolutely. Geoff Johns made that up! It’s so original!
Also Hal has just been running back and forth around the universe not accomplishing anything since 2004. Sinestro corps, zombies, alpha lanterns, krona, first lantern, third army… It’s all one blurry slogging terrible story.