IT’S NEW COMIC BOOK DAY!
But what to read?
Fortunately, the Major Spoilers Staff have comic book recommendations for you!
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #6
Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Humberto Ramos
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: The finale of the record-breaking first arc of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN where all heck breaks loose on Peter Parker. Parker Industries has promised a humane and secure super-villain containment system but Black Cat and Electro have other ideas…The secrets of Silk have been revealed!
ROB: More Slott, more Ramos, more Spidey; what more could a fan of Peter Parker ask for? Nothing. The first arc has brought Peter back into this world that Ock created for him with a shock, and so far it’s been nothing but bad luck. Maybe that’s going to change? Who cares, as long as it stays just as fun!
ART OF PRINCESS MONOOKE
Creator: Hayao Miyazaki
Publisher: VIZ Media
Cover Price: $34.99
SOLICITATION: The latest in the perennially popular line of Studio Ghibli artbooks, which include interviews, concept sketches, and finished animation cels from classics such as Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro.
Princess Mononoke was the first Hayao Miyazaki film to break out into the American mainstream. The journey from initial idea to the big screen is captured here, in the hundreds of images from preliminary sketches to dynamic animation cels.
RODRIGO: Princess Mononoke is one of my favorite movies of all time. This book is worth owning even if you’ve never seen it. Especially considering recent news about Studio Ghibli.
ASTRO CITY #15
Writer: Kurt Busiek
Artist: Brent Anderson
Publisher: Vertigo/DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: “Ellie’s Friends” part two. In the wake of last issue’s devastation, Ellie has to find a way to save her longtime friends and discover the truth about her past in the process. Plus: Honor Guard and the villainy of Vivi Viktor!
MATTHEW: Last issue was one of the less common cliffhangers for Astro City’s modern era, and it was a tense breaking point to be sure. I really want to know how this one shakes down, and you should check it out.
BATGIRL: FUTURES END #1
Writer: Gail Simone
Artist: Javier Garron
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: 2.99
SOLICITATION: It’s five years later, and Barbara Gordon has become Bête Noire – a.k.a. The Black Beast! Part Batman and part Bane, she leads a squad of female agents through the Gotham Underground!
GEORGE: I haven’t been reading Batgirl lately, but this is supposed to be Gail Simone’s last entry on the title, so I thought I’d join in on the send-off. Plus, as both a Batgirl and a Bane mark, I’m very curious to see the two blended. It’s enough of a hook to get me involved, even as its involved in a combination of some of my least favorite marketing stunts (extra $$ for unnecessary covers and a company-wide month of one-shots).
RODRIGO: I’m curious about this series. Normally I stay away from bat-books, but when you essentially have an alternate, future batgirl things start to get more appealing for me.
STEPHEN: So it has come to this. Five years later and we are reinventing DC characters once more. I’m okay with that, especially when Gail Simone is taking on Batgirl once more. Can’t wait to see what the future holds for our hero!
BLACK MARKET #3
Written by: Frank J. Barbiere
Art by: Victor Santos
Cover by: Victor Santos
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: The worst thing you can do in the black market business is get sloppy, and Ray has found himself at the beck and call of two very crooked cops. With the BioChem noose tightening and the crew forced to nab a Gamma level Super or face termination, has Ray reached the end of his rope?
WAYNE: It continues to amaze me that creators can still find new takes on the superhero genre. That’s exactly what Mr. Barbiere and company have done with this title, postulating that the blood of longjohns characters can actually cure cancer. That makes it all a very valuable commodity! For more on this excellent title, look for my interview with Mr. Barbiere coming to my Wayne’s Comics Podcast this very weekend!
COPPERHEAD #1
Writer: Jay Faerber
Artists: Scott Godlewski, Ron Riley
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.50
SOLICITATION: Welcome to Copperhead, a grimy mining town on the edge of a backwater planet. Single mom Clara Bronson is the new sheriff, and on her first day she’ll have to contend with a resentful deputy, a shady mining tycoon, and a family of alien hillbillies. And did we mention the massacre? Writer JAY FAERBER and the art team of SCOTT GODLEWSKI & RON RILEY bring you this gritty 24th Century Western with an extra-long first issue for the regular price of $3.50!
RODRIGO: Space + Western + Single mom protagonist is an interesting enough combination to give this #1 a shot. I’m hoping this will be as good as it looks.
EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE #1
Writer: Fabrice Sapolsky
Artist: Richard Isanove
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price:$3.99
SOLICITATION: SPIDER-MAN NOIR RETURNS!
• The Peter Parker of the 1930’s finds himself not only up against Mysterio, but knee-deep in the Spider-Man event of 2014!
Rated T+
ROB: Woo Spider-Verse! Woo many different Spideys! Woo Spider-Man Noir! So I’m only a little excited about the prospect of meeting a multitude of different versions of my favorite hero. This is where it starts, and it should be a blast.
GHOSTED #13
Written by: Joshua Williamson
Art by: Davide Gianfelice, Miroslav Mrva
Cover by: Dan Panosian
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: Is New York the most evil place on earth? Where else would you expect Jackson and his new assistant to find a man selling death wishes?
WAYNE: I continue to enjoy Ghosted as one of the best comics dealing with the supernatural from month to month. I can never guess just what Mr. Williamson has in store, and I love that! This is part two of a new story arc, so you just might be able to track down last month’s issue and get the most out of this book!
HAWKEYE #20
Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist: Annie Wu
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: KATE-GUY! MADAME MASQUE! LOS ANGELES! EXPLOSIONS! THE END OF SUMMER VACATION! THE FINAL SHOWDOWN FOR ALL THE MARBLES! THE MARBLES ARE A METAPHOR!
YOU BELONG YOU BELONG YOU BELONG YOU BELONG TO THE MERRY MARBLE MARCHING SOCIETY! This is… THE BIG ONE. Fraction and Wu and Hollingsworth too — OH MY!
ASHLEY: Anytime Hawk-guy-girl shows up in this run I’m even more excited than usual. Gimma Kate!
MATTHEW: It’s been a while since we’ve had a regular run of Hawkeye issues, and as the series winds down to its sad ending, I’m just happy to find out what Katie and her supporting cast are up to…
STEPHEN: Everytime this title appears on my read list, I keep wondering if it has been a long time since the last release, or if I’m behind on reading the series. Regardless, this is always a must read book, and worth picking up this week.
WAYNE: I was kind of sad when I heard this title was going to be canceled. After all, there’s really nothing else like it on the comics stands today! I think it helped bring other Marvel solo heroes into their own monthly books, so it’ll be missed!
LAZARUS #11
Writer: Greg Rucka
Artist: Michael Lark
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.50
SOLICITATION: ‘CONCLAVE,’ Part One For the first time in the 65 years since they divided the world, the 16 Families are gathering again. For Malcolm Carlyle, it is an opportunity to identify and eliminate his enemies. For Jakob Hock, it is an opportunity to exact for revenge. And for Forever Carlyle, it’s the first step in discovering the truth about who she is, and what she is destined to become.
ASHLEY: I always look forward to Lazarus!
MS. MARVEL #8
Writer: Wilson, C. Willow
Artist: Alphona, Adrian
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: * Kamala crosses paths with Inhumanity for the first time — by meeting the royal pup, Lockjaw!
* Every girl wants a puppy, but this one may be too much of a handful, even for a super hero with embiggening powers.
* He may be the Queen’s pooch, but this dog’s one royal pain in the neck.
* And the return of Adrian Alphona!
ASHLEY: Noticing a pattern in these solicitations … Ms. Marvel is a book that I needed to be good in a big way and it is. As Kamala comes into her own even amidst dealing with the Inhumans I love her (and this book), all the more. Can’t wait!
SPREAD #3
Writer: Justin Jordan
Artist: Kyle Strahm
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.50
SOLICITATION: It’s chow time at Fat Jack’s Cannibal Café!
GEORGE: Wow, sorry about that totally disgusting cover. That said, Spread is one of the more inventive post-apocalyptic stories I’ve seen in awhile, and with the creativity of Justin Jordan, I’d expect nothing less. Still, weak stomachs need not apply (obvs.).
TRANSFORMERS PRIMACY #2
Writer: Chris Metzen & Flint Dille
Artist: Livio Ramondelli
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: DECEPTICONS ASSEMBLE! The war for CYBERTRON begins in earnest! MEGATRON brings together the deadliest of his troops for an unbelievable assault on the AUTOBOTS—and the TRANSFORMERS’ world is shaken to the core!
FC • 32 pages
ROB: Got my hands on the first issue and it seemed interesting enough. A tale early in the war as the two sides start to coalesce into what we know today. Getting to see more of how the Decepticons became the villains they are. Also, Big-Bot on Big-Bot action!
VELVET #7
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Artist: Steve Epting
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.50
SOLICITATION: While Velvet’s been on the run, ARC-7’s top men have been hunting her…now they have her trail, and soon she’ll be in Colt’s sights.
MATTHEW: The series’ hook (essentially, what if Miss Moneypenny were James Bond) is a cool one, and the work of Bru and Epting has never been sharper. It’s a book that I recommend even if you’re not a spycraft kinda guy and/or gal…
WEIRD LOVE #3
Writer: Various
Artist: Various
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: This mad-wacko 3rd ish has these crazy stories planned: “Gangster’s Girl,” “Love Honor and Swing Baby,” “Weep Clown Weep (yes, WARNING: sicko clown love!), ” “You’re Fired Darling!” and more! Sexy or sexist, great art or pure funk, love to hate these or hate to love them… you decide!
GEORGE: I love these things. Reprinting some of the strangest, most ill-considered stores of yesteryear, Weird Love reminds us that people have always been weird. It’s an important lesson. The title of “Weep Clown Weep” sounds like it’s worth the price of admission alone.
