IT’S NEW COMIC BOOK DAY!
Major Spoilers runs down the comics we are looking forward to, and recommending, this week.
BATMAN #23.1
Writer: Andy Kubert
Artist: Andy Clarke
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: The Joker has FOREVER been the face of EVIL in the DC Universe…but what led him on this devious path of treachery? Andy Kubert pens this early adventure showcasing the maniacal exploits of the Crown Prince of Gotham-The JOKER!
CHRIS: I’m not very happy with DC’s decision to make September “Villain’s Month” but I am willing to give it a shot. This will be one of the few I’ll be reading, plus it’s the Joker and I love me some Joker.
BATMAN BLACK AND WHITE #1
Writers: Chip Kidd, Neal Adams, Joseph A Quinones Jr., Maris Wicks, John Arcudi, Howard Mackie
Artists: Michael Cho, Neal Adams, Joseph A Quinones Jr., Sean Murphy, Chris Samnee
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Cover Price: $4.99
SOLICITATION: The legendary, Eisner Award-winning series BATMAN BLACK AND WHITE returns in a brand-new six-issue miniseries featuring tales of The Dark Knight by some of comics’ greatest writers and artists! This first issue kicks off with stories by Chip Kidd and Michael Cho, Neal Adams, Joe Quinones and Maris Wicks, John Arcudi and Sean Murphy, and Howard Mackie and Chris Samnee!
RODRIGO: An anthology is probably the most digestible way for me to interact with Batman, that way at least the stories are short and the commitment is minimal.
WAYNE: I’ve loved all of the previous Batman: Black and White editions, so I’m sure I’ll enjoy this new one as well!
BLACK BAT #5
Writer: Brian Buccellato
Artist: Ronan Cliquet
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: “The Black Bat’s loyalty to Carol and his mystery benefactors are put to the test when he is ordered to team up with a foe from his past. Also, Snate’s suitcase bomb is on the move, putting hundreds of lives in danger!”
WAYNE: This continues to be one of the most under-rated comics on the stands today. It’s a great title you should be reading if you aren’t already!
CHEW #36
Writer: John Layman
Artist: Rob Guillory
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: CHEW #36 is CHEW #29 1/2 . Did that just blow your mind?
ROB: I don’t think I can impress upon you how much I enjoy this book. Just, go pick it up. Pick all of it up, you won’t be disappointed.
DEADPOOL KILLS DEADPOOL #3
Writer: Cullen Bunn
Artist: Salva Espin
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: When Deadpool targets Deadpool…ONLY DEADPOOL CAN WIN. And you, I guess, because you get to read it. May contain the death of your favorite character (depending on how you feel about Deadpool)!
CHRIS: This has been an insane, silly and fun series. It manages to be humorous and meta at the same time. I can’t wait to see how Bunn ends his trilogy.
FOREVER EVIL #1
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: David Finch, Richard Friend
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: The first universe-wide event of The New 52 begins as FOREVER EVIL launches! The Justice League is DEAD! And the villains shall INHERIT the Earth! An epic tale of the world’s greatest super-villains starts here!
CHRIS: It’s a big week for DC and it will be interesting to see how this all pans out. Justice League #23 wasn’t that stellar but I’m in for this first issue. Everyone loves a villain so an earth full of them should be awesome, right?
HOAX HUNTERS #10
Writer: Michael Moreci and Steve Seeley
Artist: Tristan Jones
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: “”THE BOOK OF MOTHMAN” Part One. The start of the final arc of season one begins here! Featuring new series artist TRISTAN JONES! Cryptids begin appearing across the country. Regan joins Donovan to confront a powerful demon in South America. Tensions build and threats heighten, all leading to the season’s powerful conclusion.”
WAYNE: With a unique cast of characters as well as different storylines, Hoax Hunters is one of the most surprising comics around! Don’t miss it!
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #7.1
Writer: Matt Kindt
Artist: Pasqual Ferry
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Is it a death wish that makes Floyd Lawton put on the mask of Deadshot? Or is something more sinister pulling at Floyd when he becomes a relentless assassin who feels nothing for his victims? Discover the truth behind Deadshot’s secret history in this issue!
GEORGE: This is the DC Villains Month title I’m most looking forward to this week, as I’ve got a soft spot for both Deadshot and Matt Kindt. It looks like Kindt will be taking over for Ales Kot on Suicide Squad, so this should be a nice preview for that series too.
REALITY CHECK #1
Writer: Glen Brunswich
Artist: Viktor Bogdanovic
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: A struggling artist, Willard Penn, scores an unlikely hit with his new comic. The story centers on a hero more concerned with his libido than serving justice. After an unexpected sell out, Willard can’t recall anything about his story. That night the book’s hero shows up outside Willard’s window refusing to return to the comic until he finds true love. Exasperated, Willard is forced to help the lovesick hero meet the perfect woman. But he’ll need to hurry because the book’s villain, a homicidal maniac, has entered his world as well
RODRIGO: This actually sounds really awful. Like The Last Action Hero for comics. So I’m just going to pick this up to make sure that my ability to spot a train-wreck is still working.
STAR WARS #1 (LUCAS DRAFT)
Writer: J. W. Rinzler
Artist: Mike Mayhaw
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Before Star Wars, there was The Star Wars! This is the authorized adaptation of George Lucas’s rough-draft screenplay of what would eventually become a motion picture that would change the world. Annikin Starkiller is the hero . . . Luke Skywalker is a wizened Jedi general . . . Han Solo is a big green alien . . . and the Sith . . . Well, the Sith are still the bad guys. High adventure and derring-do from longer ago, in a galaxy even further away!
GEORGE: So, you know how they say the first draft is always garbage? Does that still apply to one of the most enduring stories of the modern era? Probably. But I find something oddly compelling about seeing a fleshed-out version of George Lucas’s early ideas for the Star Wars universe. I think it’ll read like some alternate universe’s version of Star Wars, and frankly, that’s right up my alley.
KEVIN: An interesting “what could have been” story, Star Wars #1 is based on the first rough draft of George Luca’s famous movie. Although all your favorite characters will be there, they will not be the same heroes and villains from the original trilogy. Still, I think Star Wars #1 will be a fun comic for any fan to read.
STEPHEN: I remember seeing an early draft of The Star Wars when it floated around the early days of the Usenet, and I’ve seen a ton of concept art from the mid-80s that showed Star Wars in PrePro, and now I want to see it all mashed together in the way only Lucasfilm and Dark Horse Comics can.
SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #17
Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Ryan Stegman
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: • HE’S BACK…BECAUSE YOU (LOUDLY) DEMANDED IT! THE RETURN OF SPIDEY 2099! • (and an Osborn you have not seen in a while)
ROB: Hey, twice the Spidey this week. Otto meeting another Spidey should be an interesting story, to say the least. And I’m curious as to how many of the past Spidey 2099 story threads are going to be picked up.
X-MEN: BATTLE OF THE ATOM #1
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Arthur Adams
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: The past, present and future of the X-Men collide in this 50th Anniversary event crossover! When investigating a new mutant, something truly horrible happens to the All-New X-Men that shakes time
CHRIS: Wow! Ten parts! I’ll be honest, my wallet and I can’t take that but, once again, I’m willing to check out the beginning. For the first time in a while I’ve been into the X-Men and I give credit to Bendis for making it fresh. Both Marvel and DC do a good job of baiting me in with their events, it’s getting me to stick around that’s the problem. Will this be a game changer? Probably not…
GEORGE: Folks, these days, I am buying what the X-Men are selling. I was dubious about a Bendis-scripted series involving the original X-Men coming into the present day. It sounded ridiculous, and Bendis can be really hit-or-miss. But he’s been rejuvenated on the X-Books. Now let’s see if he can maintain that energy through a mega crossover…
ROB: So, I was going to talk about All-New X-Men here, when I realized that this started this week. Bendis has been doing interesting work in the land of X and I have no reason to not want to read this story at this point. Let’s see where it takes us.
RODRIGO: Do the X-Men ever stay in their own time or dimension?
1 Comment
Oh man, Chew is so good! I hopped on 4 issues ago and picked up the Volume #1 collection and have not been disappointed. It even has my fiancé interested. Recently she was looking at my comics and asked what Chew was about. After I explained the premise she said: “I might just have to read that.” No joke. I added “The Star Wars” to my collection based on the MSP Dueling Review. I thought it was worth the read just to see where the movies could have gone (yikes). I did find it weird that two of the characters look exactly like George Lucas. Then again, Roland Deschain from “The Dark Tower” is supposed to look like Stephen King and I still love that. So whatever. Anyway, keep up the good work Major Spoiler People! I love your stuff.