Looking for something to read this week? The Major Spoilers staff has gone through the list of comics arriving in stores this week, and pick the titles they are most looking forward to.
ANSWER #3
Writer: Mike Norton, Dennis Hopeless
Artist: Mike Norton
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: While Devin is living out her dream, working among the greatest minds in the world, the Answer is stuck in a nuthouse nightmare! They’ll both have to wake up and work together if they’re going to unravel the secrets of the enigmatic BRAIN TRUST.
CHRIS: I love lots of what Mike Norton and Dennis Hopeless have worked on in the past and the two of them together on the Answer has been fun. It’s a book with a wacky (and quite possibly insane) superhero plus a story with mystery. Norton’s art continues to be fantastic, just like everything else he draws. Definitely worth picking up, as well as the previous two.
B.P.R.D.: Vampire #1
Writer: Mike Mignola, Fábio Moon, Gabriel Bá
Artist: Fábio Moon, Gabriel Bá
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Cover Price: $3.50
SOLICITATION: After the horrific events of B.P.R.D.: 1948, we follow one doomed agent’s quest for revenge against a clan of vampires and their Gorgon-eyed queen Hecate.
* From the pages of Hellboy!
* A direct sequel to the critically acclaimed B.P.R.D.: 1948!
* From the Eisner Award-winning creators of Daytripper!
RODRIGO: I’m so… behind… maybe… maybe if I pick this up it’ll force me to read everything I haven’t…?
DIA DE LOS MUERTOS #2
Writers: Joshua Williamson, Kurtis J Wiebe, Jeff Mariotte
Artist: Riley Rossmo
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $4.99
SOLICITATION: Inspired by the Mexican Day of the Dead, artist extraordinaire, RILEY ROSSMO (DEBRIS, GREEN WAKE, COWBOY NINJA VIKING, REBEL BLOOD) joins forces with nine different writers over three issues to tell tall tales from beyond the grave!
This issue’s featured writers are JEFF MARIOTTE (FADE TO BLACK), KURTIS WIEBE (PETER PANZERFAUST) and JOSHUA WILLIAMSON (XENOHOLICS).
In this issue: Cartel soldiers visit the pits of Hell, a visitor to Mexico stumbles onto a black mass, and a man heart broken at the loss of his wife is reunited with her beyond the grave.
RODRIGO: I like anthologies, I like day of the dead, and issue #1 didn’t offend me. I’d say issue #2 deserves a look.
EAST OF WEST #1
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Nick Dragotta
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.50
SOLICITATION: “OUT OF THE WASTELAND”
The things that divide us are stronger than the things that unite us. A Sci-Fi Western set in a dystopian America where all hope for the future rests in the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse…who just happen to be trying to kill the President of the United States.
One of the most exciting new books of the year, this is EAST OF WEST, a brand new, ongoing, monthly comic from the award-winning team of Marvel’s FF, JONATHAN HICKMAN and NICK DRAGOTTA.
GEORGE: New creator-owned work from Jonathan Hickman about a science-fictional Western dystopian apocalypse? Yes please.
FF #5
Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist: Mike Allred
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: The mystery that is…Medusa!
CHRIS: Once again I have to pick FF. Fraction and Allred bring the bizarre to the title making it a real stand out from most Marvel books. It’s not only fun to read but fun to look at too. Highly recommended!
GAMBIT #10
Writer: James Asmus
Artist: Clay Mann
Publisher: Marvel
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: Desperate to learn the lady thief’s secret, Gambit joins Joelle on a heist that may even be too much for him to handle. . . especially when the villainous Tombstone gets involved!
And when Gambit’s in over his head, who will answer his call for help? Here’s a hint: She’s the feisty, green-clad, roguish Uncanny Avenger featured on the cover! And she may just have an opinion of her own on Gambit’s extracurricular activities. . .
ROB: When Young Zach first got me to read Gambit last year I was expecting to just be humoring him for a bit. Most of a year later and I continue to pick up the title because it’s been a fun read. Continuing with the mostly non-heroic hijinks, Gambit is one of the more interesting books Marvel has right now.
MARK WAID GREEN HORNET #1
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Daniel Indro
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: The Hornet faces his most dangerous enemy ever–an egotistical, arrogant Britt Reid!
In his alter-ego as a powerful newspaper publisher, the Hornet has lost control, becoming a social crusader far too sure of himself and of his judgment.
But when he finally goes too far, an innocent man pays a terrible price–and the legend of the Green Hornet begins its cataclysmic collapse!
CHRIS: I’m not that big a fan of the Green Hornet but Mark Waid can write one hell of a comic. I’m interested to see what he brings to the character and the story he will tell. Dynamite has stuck with this character far longer than I expected, so it will be interesting to see if this re-launch brings some much-needed rejuvenation.
RODRIGO: I usually don’t follow creators, but Mark Waid’s batting average is definitely above the curve. I think his Hornet is going to be worth checking out.
STEPHEN: Every time I see Mark Waid starting a new series, I get so excited about what could be. Sometimes it works out great (Daredevil) other times… not so much. Green Hornet is a known property and the two together should be magical.
SAVAGE SKULLKICKERS #1
Writer: Jim Zub
Artist: Edwin Huang
Publisher: image Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: SAVAGE SKULLKICKERS: a modern reinterpretation that gets back to the roots of these timeless characters. It’s a bold new direction, a continuing story and a newly added adjective! Our twentieth issue is brand a new #1! Welcome to comic math.
ZACH: Skullkickers is back in action again this Wednesday and I couldn’t be happier! I’m loving what they are doing by throwing in the adjectives and the #1 with the issues as a job towards the Big Two. This is actually the 20th issue of Skullkickers and having read an advanced copy I can safely tell you this is one of the best to date. Don’t miss this on Wednesday!
SCARLET SPIDER #15
Writer: Christopher Yost
Artist: Kalman Andrasofszky
Publisher: Marvel
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: “IN THE MIDST OF WOLVES” PART TWO OF THREE RETRIBUTION.Lines will be crossed as the most savage fight this book has ever seen concludes.We kid you not: Scarlet Spider will never be the same after this issue.
ROB: Mostly thanks to Yost, Kaine has grown from a character nearly ruined by his initial origin to a character that I like more than the original. Putting Kaine in situation after situation where he is forced to be the hero he doesn’t think he is will continue to keep me reading. This arc though, we may see Kaine be the something he no longer wants to, and that will keep me longer.
THE SIXTH GUN: SONS OF THE GUN #2
Writer: Cullen Bunn, Brian Hurtt
Artist: Brian Churilla
Publisher: Oni Press
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: More secrets of the Horsemen are revealed. “Filthy” Ben Kinney possesses a weapon that can spread a flesh-rotting plague, and not even he is immune to the pistol’s curse. But when General Hume is killed, Ben sees a chance to start a new life. But such changes don’t come easy for a killer of Ben’s disposition… or disfigurement.
ZACH: If you are a fan of The Sixth Gun this should be a no brainer. Sons of the Gun is providing a deeper backstory of the Horseman and the guns that they acquired. I highly recommend this especially since it has Brian Churilla handling the art.
TIME WARP #1
Writers: Dan Abnett, Matt Kindt, Damon Lindelof, Peter Milligan, Toby Litt, Ray Fawkes, Simon Spurrier, Tom King, Gail Simone
Artists: Mark Buckingham, Jeff Lemire, MK Perker, Victor Santos Montesinos, Jorge Corona, Rafael Albuquerque, Tom Fowler, I.N.J. Culbard
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $7.99
SOLICITATION: Let’s do the time warp again! It’s time for another fantastic Vertigo anthology filled with spectacular sci-fi stories. Robots, deep space and lots of time travel twists by a bevy of comic greats and the up-and-coming stars of tomorrow. Damon Lindelof and Jeff Lemire bring us a blast from DC’s past, plus another installment of the “Dead Boy Detectives” from Toby Litt, Buckingham and Victor Santos, Matt Kindt presents a stirring story of man vs. machine—and so much more!
GEORGE: So this is a time travel anthology featuring the talents of Jeff Lemire, Matt Kindt, Dan Abnett, and more. I could be down with that. I’ll have to page through this at the store, but I am more intrigued by some of these pitches than I usually am for anthologies. Here’s hoping.
ZACH: With creators like Damon Lindelof, Jeff Lemire, Matt Kindt, Ray Fawkes, and Gail Simone how could you possibly pass this up? The $7.99 price tag might be a deterrent but with a page count of 80 it is tolerable. I’m looking forward to some sci-fi anthology goodness on Wednesday.
UNCANNY AVENGERS #5
Writer: Rick Remender
Artist: Olivier Coipel
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: • Wonder Man, Wasp and Sunfire join the team just in time for Grim Reaper’s revenge!
• Tension between the team builds as Havok’s leadership is questioned!
• The death of a major character at the hands of an Avenger in broad daylight!
GEORGE: Wonder Man? Grim Reaper? SUNFIRE??? Fun, interesting and most definitely yes. And hey, look, the Wasp isn’t dead! Of course, Wonder Man was once dead too, and it didn’t hurt him any. In any event, this book is adding some fun characters and I can’t wait to read Remender’s take on them. Oliver Coipel’s taking over on art duties and it will be interesting to see how his style meshes with Remender’s ambitious, surreal stories.
YOUNG AVENGERS #3
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artist: Jamie Mckelvie
Publisher: Marvel
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: A Fight scene, probably.And another one, but this time in a club.Plentiful feels. (aka “Meaningful emotional character beats” for people who aren’t on tumblr)The fakest ID in history.
ROB: So far so good, now how about we get some more about the last new character being added to the Young Avengers roster?
