IT’S NEW COMIC BOOK DAY!
But what to read?
Fortunately, the Major Spoilers Staff have comic book recommendations for you!
ACTION COMICS #34
Writer: Greg Pak
Artist: Aaron Kuder
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: And now ‘Last Sun’, the penultimate chapter in the ‘SUPERMAN: DOOMED’ saga as Earth lies in ruins and everyone’s survival is in question!
JASON: Even though this title is stuck in the crossover that is called Doomed, its still the best Superman book on the stands. Pak’s dialogue and Kuder’s art always make this one of the strongest books on the stands.
BATMAN 66 MEETS GREEN HORNET #3 $2.99
Writer: Kevin Smith, Ralph Garman
Artist: Ty Templeton
Publisher: DC Comics/Dynamite Publications
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: Robin and Kato…hostages of The Joker and General Gumm?! Even worse, the kidnapped crime fighters are forced into a battle to the death by the Dastardly Duo. With their purloined partners in peril, Batman and the Green Hornet have no choice but to work together. Will they be able to track down the hidden location of the captives’ cage match before either of their partners goes down for the count?
MATTHEW: For better or worse, the 66 Batman series is a huge part of how the character is seen, even today. I’m really fine with the humor and light-heartedness, as well as the goofy charm of the Adam West series, so I’m looking forward to the latest issue of the big crossover bonanza…
BUNKER #5 (MR)
Writer: Joshua Hale Fialkov
Artist: Joe Infurnari
Publisher: Oni Press
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Battle lines are being drawn, as Grady begins his ascent, and truth of his actions hits the other friends. But, can they confront him and change his path?
JASON: Say What!?! You’re not reading the best time travel comic book out there? For shame! Good thing the TPB comes out this week too. Go hop in your time machine and enjoy yourself some excellent character work.
GHOSTBUSTERS ONGOING TP VOL 08 MASS HYSTERIA PT 1
Writer: Erik Burnham
Artist: Dan Schoening
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Cover Price: $17.99
SOLICITATION: A Ghostbusters 30th anniversary celebration that will shake the boys and girls in grey to their core! Gozer the Gozerian, the Destructor, was once drawn to Manhattan, but could not complete his work. That’s the good news. The bad news is that he isn’t the only god who has taken notice of Earth.
ROB: So the Ghostbusters comics of the past few years have been a better continuation of the movies than anything else that could possibly come out, and the 30th anniversary has been some of the best. So snag this and get caught up.
HINTERKIND #10
Writer: Ian Edginton
Artist: Francesco Trifogli
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: There’s no place to hide for Jon and Prosper when the Graf Orlock and the Vampire Nation are hot for their blood. Meanwhile, there’s a seismic shift of power amongst the Sidhe. Long live Queen Tersia!
RODRIGO: I’ve been meaning to scope this series out. Maybe I’ll pick this up along with the back issues.
INVINCIBLE #113
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artist: Ryan Ottley
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: The massacre continues.
MATTHEW: I’m of the opinion that Bob Kirkman has officially jumped the shark completely with this series, but I’m still looking forward to this issue to see the trainwreck and/or the series pulling itself out of the power dive that the last five issues have entailed…
STEPHEN: Sadly, Invincible is turning into a wash/rinse/repeat method of storytelling that has plagued The Walking Dead (see what I did there? Of course you did). That being said, Invincible continues to be one of the better capes and tights series that is out there. Will the book pull it around and redeem itself, or will it continue to explore the grim gritty era of the ’90s.
MOON KNIGHT #6
Writer: Warren Ellis
Artist: Declan Shalvey
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION:
• A threat from the first issue is back to cause problems for Moon Knight!
• This mysterious person is the new BLACK SPECTRE and it doesn’t mean anything good for the protector of night travelers.
• Don’t miss the conclusion of Warren Ellis, Declan Shalvey and Jordie Bellaire.
GEORGE: Surprisingly, Moon Knight’s been more of an artist’s showcase more than a Warren Ellis-centric affair. And that’s just fine, because Declan Shalvey has been absolutely killing it. I wish this creative team was sticking around for a lot longer, because their interpretation of Moon Knight has real legs. I’m interested to see their take on Black Spectre. (Also, why is this oddly truncated solict claimin that Warren Ellis, Declan Shalvey and Jordie Bellaire are concluding? I will miss them)
ROCKET RACOON #2
Writer: Skottie Young
Artist: Skottie Young
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: FRAMED. The most notorious Raccoon in the galaxy has been arrested and falsely accused of murder! The real killer? An imposter procyon that seems to be one step ahead of Rocket at every turn. Now, it’s up to Rocket and a certain someone from Planet X to find the truth!
CHRIS: The first issue was a blast and entertained me more than expected. Skottie Young gets just the right about of humor without the book becoming silly. I’m eager to see where this goes.
SHE-HULK #7
Writer: Charles Soule
Artist: Javier Pulido
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: The return of superstar artist JAVIER PULIDO! Guest-starring Hank Pym! She-Hulk, Hellcat and Giant-Man team up to save one of Jen’s officemates…but what else does Hank Pym have at stake, and what isn’t he telling them?
CHRIS: The best mainstream, non-superhero book starring a superhero that almost no one is reading! She-Hulk is amazing in its ability to tell stories about a lawyer working cases that isn’t incredibly boring. Charles Soule is killing it and I suggest those looking for a different kind of superhero book check this one out.
SIXTH GUN DAYS OF THE DEAD #1
Writer: Cullen Bunn
Artist: Mike Norton
Publisher: Oni Press
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Brother Roberto and Jesup will one day play important roles in the epic struggle to control the Sixth Gun. This is the tale that would shape these two–one an agent of the Knights of Solomon, the other a priest of the Sword of Abraham–into the men they will become. An ancient god of the dead is stirring, and diverse factions position themselves to profit from the awakening. Abigail Redmayne holds the secrets of this powerful creature in her hands, and a host of secret agents, necromancers, and the undead threaten to claim her body and soul.
JASON: Finally, Cullen Bunn is going to tell us all about the shadowy organization called the Sword of Abraham. Plus this another chapter in the already great Sixth Gun franchise. Mosey on to reading this book, pardner.
SPREAD #2
Writer: Justin Jordan
Artist: Kyle Strahm
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.50
SOLICITATION: Raiders. Slavers. A gigantic Spreadworm. A hungry baby. No has problems.
CHRIS: Spread is John Carpenter’s Thing mixed with a guy carrying a baby. At least that’s what I’ve heard, I haven’t read the first issue yet. That’s honestly all I needed to hear to get me to pick it up, plus I peeked at some of the art and it’s pretty damn good.
THE SQUIDDER #2
Writer: Ben Templesmith
Artist: Ben Templesmith
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: The Squidder steals back a slave for a local strong man, only to realize success with the job means upsetting the fragile balance of human power. With the aid of the very Squid cult he hates, he realizes there’s a new game afoot and an old war still worth fighting, while more powerful eyes finally start to take notice.
GEORGE: I enjoyed Squidder #1 for Ben Templesmith’s creepy otherworldly art, as much as for the interesting world he had constructed. Although the market has its fair share of grim protagonists struggling in a post-apocalypse, this one has a pretty unique take on it and is worth a look.
RODRIGO I’m not entirely sure what’s happening here, but I’m interested. I mean, this book IS called “The Squidder.”
STEVEN UNIVERSE #1 $3.99
Writer: Jeremy Sorese, Raven M. Molisee, Kali Ciesemier, Josceline Fenton
Artist: Coleman Engle, Raven M. Molisee, Kali Ciesemier, Josceline Fenton
Publisher: Boom! Studios/Kaboom!
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION:
WHY WE LOVE IT: STEVEN UNIVERSE™ is a show that captured our hearts almost immediately. We’ve been fans of Rebecca Sugar’s from her work on ADVENTURE TIME for years and as the first lady to run her own show at Cartoon Network, we couldn’t wait to collaborate with her!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: A comic about a boy and his friends living in a small beach community, who just happens to have magical powers and fight monsters on the side?! Fans of ADVENTURE TIME and Sailor Moon are gonna dig this series presented in a zine-like format of mini-comics, recipes, games, and more!
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Steven really wants to enter the annual Beach City Bike Race but everyone else is a little worried. Steven just makes the cut off for age, which means the other bikers will be a lot older than him. Connie agrees to help Steven the old-fashioned way through good ol’ exercise but Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl have other plans…
MATTHEW: I haven’t watched the show yet, but if the first issue is any indication, I may have to start. This one is a great all-ages book in a market where that seems to have become a naughty word…
SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #32
Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Giuseppe Camuncoli, Adam Kubert
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $4.99
SOLICITATION: SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN KICKS OFF THE EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE! • Extra-sized monumental issue, including a story drawn by living legend ADAM KUBERT (ORIGIN 2, AVX)! • How is the Superior Spider-Man still around? Where is he? What is he doing? The road to SPIDER-VERSE STARTS HERE!
ROB: Woo! Superior Spidey is back! I’m totally still on board with Dan Slott’s continuing run on Spider-Man. More Ock, more Slott, more Spider-Men, so many reasons to pick this up.
USAGI YOJIMBO: SENSO #1
Writer: Stan Sakai
Artist: Stan Sakai
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Twenty years in his future, Miyamoto Usagi fights as a general for Lord Noriyuki, against the treacherous Lord Hikiji. In the fury of the final battle, a metal rocket crashes to earth—and inside is an enemy that neither side could have ever imagined! Witness the final fates of your favorite Usagi characters, in this all-new samurai epic with a startling science fiction twist!
GEORGE: I love samurai and I love rabbits but somehow I’ve never read Usagi Yojimbo. Shame on me. I think I’ll remedy that this week.
ROB: So, this surprised me when I saw an Usagi Yojimbo with a #1 behind it. Then I got excited, because it’s an Usagi Yojimbo with a #1 behind it and I am totally behind seeing some more of this world.
RODRIGO: Uh oh. Usagi Yojimbo has been pretty solid throughout its long history. But I am concerned that space adventures may be shark jumping territory.
