Major Spoilers Staff Picks for October 23, 2013

IT’S NEW COMIC BOOK DAY!

Major Spoilers runs down the comics we are looking forward to, and recommending, this week.

 AME-COMI STEAMPUNK BATGRIL
Designed by Jim Fletcher
Sculpted by Sam Greenwell
SOLICITATION: The Ame-Comi line of PVC statues continues with this new steampunk style rendition of the Caped Crusader’s ally, Batgirl. Measures Approximately 9.5″ H.

RODRIGO: This is a pretty cool figure, it strikes a good balance between superhero, mechanical stuff and cheesecake.

ARMY OF DARKNESS RE-ANIMATOR
Writer: Mark Rahner
Artist: Randy Valiente
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Cover Price: $4.99
SOLICITATION: Ash is hurled into an American graveyard in the 1920s and meets an intense young doctor named Herbert West. If the name sounds familiar, West’s obsessed with reanimating the dead at any cost. But he just can’t seem to find corpses that are fresh enough. If the setting isn’t, it’s H.P. Lovecraft’s New England – and his bizarre original short story as the source material. Bonus! Also featuring a reprint of Re-Animator #0!

CHRIS: Didn’t Dynamite already release this book years ago? Yes, yes they did but this one appears to be slightly different, using the Re-Animator from Lovecraft’s story rather than the movie. It will be interesting to see Ash in a 1920’s setting and I hope they downplay the slapstick fool that he’s been written as recently and focus on the horror. That $4.99 price is pushing it though, especially with reprinted material.

LARFLEEZE #4
Writer: Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis
Artist: Scott Kolins
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: No longer an army of one, the Orange Lantern Corps declares war on Larfleeze! But the greedy Agent Orange won’t let his possessions go easily! “Revolt of The Orange Lanterns” begins here!

RODRIGO: This looks like a great jumping on point if you think you would enjoy the adventures of a greedy space dog.

MARVEL NOW WHAT #1
Writer: Various
Artist: Various
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Get ready for the NOWest book in Marvel NOW History – Marvel NOW WHAT?! • SEE NOW! Captain America get Cat Fished! SEE NOW! The Intervention of the Watcher! SEE NOW! The Wedding of Thor and Storm! • All that and more as a cast of comedy’s shining stars and Marvel’s most exciting artists bring you the stories of Marvel NOW that you never thought you’d ever want to see – but you do want to see it, and you want it NOW!

CHRIS: As the solicitation says, I’d never thought I’d want to see these stories. I probably still don’t but Captain America getting Cat Fished is too enticing to pass up. I’ll be reading this one at the store though.

RED LANTERNS #24
Writer: Charles Soule
Artist: Alessandro Vitti
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: “LIGHTS OUT” part four! Can the Lanterns cooperate with each other long enough to defeat Relic? If Hal Jordan thought Guy Gardner was difficult before, just wait till he meets Guy Gardner—RED LANTERN!

RODRIGO: I’m glad there are still a bunch of different color lanterns. I always thought to myself, “you know what the DC universe needs? More guys that are kinda like the Green Lantern Corps, but a little different.”

ROCKETEER SPIRIT PULP FRICTION #2
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Loston Wallace
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: The most pulp-tastic crossover of all time continues! What is the TV Terror that threatens all of Los Angeles-and how can the Rocketeer and the Spirit hope to combat such a futuristic menace? Plus-it’s the Peevey/Dolan team, together again at last!

STEPHEN: It’s been far too long since the first issue arrived, but I’m really looking forward to seeing what Cliff Secord and The Spirit are going to do to combat the terrors of two coasts. And if you’ve heard my review of the book on the most recent Major Spoilers Podcast, you know it is worth picking up this week.

SAMURAI JACK #1
Writer: Jim Zub
Artist: Andy Suriano
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Cartoon Network’s hit animated series is back at IDW! The legendary samurai known only as ‘Jack’ is stranded in a strange future ruled by the demonic wizard, Aku. His quest to return back to the past has tested him many times, but now the stakes are higher than ever. Can an ancient relic known as the Rope of Eons finally take him home? Writer Jim Zub (Skullkickers, Street Fighter) and artist Andy Suriano (Character Designer on the original Samurai Jack TV series) begin a new era of samurai adventure!

ROB: FINALLY! The legend of Jack, fables Samurai sent to a distopian future by the evil Aku will be continued. Samurai Jack was one of my favorite shows for its entire run, and I am thoroughly excited to see it return in any format. This is a must buy for any fan of the series.

STEPHEN: Can’t wait to see how well the series gets translated to this printed ongoing series, and can’t wait to see what Jim Zub and Andy Suriano bring to the book!

SEX CRIMINALS #2
Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist: Chip Zdarsky
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.50
SOLICITATION: So who’s the boy with the same sexy-time time-stopping gifts as Suzie? Meet John, who until last night thought he could freeze time with his junk. At long last not alone, what kind of horny hijinx will he and Suzie get up to together? What ANY of us would do if having sex stopped the whole world: We’d do crimes.

CHRIS: Everything about the first issue was awesome. The concept, the writing, the art, the design all came together in a nice, sexy package. Unlike other books with sex in/as the title, it was handled well, used as a plot element rather than a mandatory need to meet expectations the name sets. Can’t wait to see what Fraction and Zdarsky give us next.

YOUNG AVENGERS #11
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artist: Jamie McKelvie
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: They say you can never go home. For the Young Avengers, it’s not true. They can go home. It’s just that if they do, the universe may end. Better not go home then, eh? WHAT ARE YOU DOING, YOUNG AVENGERS? YOU’VE DECIDED TO GO HOME? GAHHKKH! YOU GUYS! Is Kate Bishop an enemy in waiting? Is this the last we see of the loveable/strangle-able Kid Loki? Are rhetorical questions a cheap device when writing solicits? All answers revealed, except the last one, which you’ll have to work out by yourselves.

ROB: Young Avengers is one of the last titles that I’ve strained to keep up with my last month or so of near broke-ness, and it’s been more than worth it. Gillen has a strong handle on these characters and the team is legitimately fun. McKelvie has also been doing very interesting things with the layout of the book and I just want more of it.