IT’S NEW COMIC BOOK DAY!
But what to read?
Fortunately, the Major Spoilers Staff have comic book recommendations for you!
ACTION COMICS #40
Writer: Greg Pak
Artist: Aaron Kuder
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Bizarro make Superman sane! Happy to see each other! No fighting ever!
ASHLEY: Action Comics is the best Superman book on the rack! I love everything Pak and Kuder do. Give it to me. Give it to me NOW!
ALTERED STATES: RED SONJA #1
Writer: Brandon Jerwa
Artist: Juanan Ramirez
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Welcome to Altered States… Dynamite Entertainment’s parallel reality in the vein of DC’s Elseworlds and Marvel’s What If! Sonja Majeure is a young woman with a great job, procuring reliquary items for the Metropolitan Museum in New York City. Her latest exhibit features the sword of a long-lost warrior, a spell book, and the preserved remains of a sorcerer purported to be one of the most sinister beings to ever walk the Earth. When the ancient evil is awakened, Sonja will find that New York City has changed into a Hyborian wasteland… and Sonja herself will inherit the mantle of her namesake, the She-Devil with a Sword!
RODRIGO: Can you really do an Elseworlds with a property that has had as many weird crossovers as Red Sonja? What’s even canonical for this character? That time she teamed up with Spider-Man?
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #16
Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Humberto Ramos
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Spider-Verse is over, but that doesn’t mean Peter Parker is safe. Someone (or something) has invaded Parker Industries and is targeting its staff! But how? Parker Industries’ security can keep out any living thing?!
ROB: Spider-Verse was great and Dan Slott still doesn’t show any signs of slowing his excellent Spider stories. On top of that, Ramos is back for this story arc, bringing my favorite Spidey team back to the show.
ANT-MAN #3
Writer: Nick Spencer
Artist: Ramon Rosanas
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: • Ant-Man faces off against his deadliest arch-enemy — the mercenary known as TASKMASTER!
• Can we really call him an “arch-enemy”? Well, they’ve actually fought a bunch of times (look it up). And they definitely don’t like each other — that’s what “arch” means, right?
• There’s a mystery villain pulling the strings! He’s the one covered in heavy shadow. Mystery villains never have good lighting. Need to get to an Ikea or something.
GEORGE: Ant-Man has started off strong. With Nick Spencer writing, it’s no surprise, as he blended pathos, humor and crazy characterizations with aplomb in the Superior Foes of Spider-Man. He brings that strange energy to Ant-Man. And hell, I love the Taskmaster.
DETECTIVE COMICS ENDGAME #1
Writer: Brian Buccellato
Artist: Roge Antonio
Cover: Rafael Albuquerque
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: The city is overrun by Jokerized victims, but a small band of teenagers unites to take a stand. Their secret knowledge of Gotham City’s streets helps them survive, but will Batman take help from this young group of upstarts? And what could it mean for the future of the young heroes in Gotham City?
WAYNE: This tie-in to all that’s going on in the Batman monthly title looks excellent and hey, since I’m a big Bat-fan, I can’t wait!
EAST OF WEST #18
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Nick Dragotta
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.50
SOLICITATION: “THE PATH OF THE PROPHET”
The last days of the world are upon us, and one man has become the living word of the apocalypse. This is the story of Ezra Orion and his unholy resurrection.
GEORGE: East of West is Hickman’s strongest ongoing, in no small part due to the visual verve of Nick Dragotta. Each issue is an entry to another world, a Western that’s all twisted up with blood, guts and apocalypse. So very good.
HELLBREAK #1
Writer: Cullen Bunn
Artist: Brian Churilla
Publisher: Oni Press
Cover Price: $1.00
SOLICITATION: There are thousands of Hells, each unique, each terrible. Mega-cities ruled by vicious gangs. Empires where the most perverse are well-respected. Wastelands roamed by prehistoric monstrosities. With the proper tools and know-how… you can infiltrate Hell whether you’re dead or not. With the proper tools and know-how, you can break out. Project Kerberos has developed this forbidden technology, and a special forces extraction team is dispatched to rescue lost souls from the infernal realm.
GEORGE: This concept sounds ludicrous, so I’m all for it. Cullen Bunn is usually worth a look, particularly on his creator-owned stuff, and besides, for a dollar, why not try it?
HOWARD THE DUCK (2015) #1
Writer: Chip Zdarsky
Artist: Joe Quinones
Publisher: Marvel
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: HOT off the pages of the … the post-credits scene at the … the end of a … popular movie … HOWARD THE DUCK is back! Join him as he takes on the weird cases that only a talking duck can crack as the Marvel Universe’s resident private investigator! Let Sex Criminals’ CHIP ZDARSKY (a writer known mostly as an artist) and JOE QUINONES (an artist known mostly as a lover) guide you through his new world as he takes on THE BLACK CAT and MYSTERIOUS FORCES FROM OUTER SPACE! WAUGH!
CHRIS: Now that he’s all popular again with people too young to remember the horrible movie, Howard returns. I’ve been burning through the original Steve Gerber issues and hope that this series can be as good and subversive. Chip Zdarsky has the chops for the humor so I’m quite eager for this.
RODRIGO: Howard the duck gets to say things about the Marvel Universe that other books don’t get to say. I hope this iteration has something good to say.
STEPHEN: How can you not hear Lea Thompson singing the Howard the Duck theme song when looking at this book. Chip Zdarsky is writing, so how can this not be a mind f*** of some kind?
MOUSE GUARD LEGENDS OF THE GUARD VOL. 3 #1
Writers/Artists: Skottie Young & Various
Cover Artists: David Petersen, Eric Muller
Publisher: BOOM! Studios/Archaia
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: WHY WE LOVE IT: 2015 marks the 10-year anniversary of David Petersen’s Eisner and Harvey Award-winning Mouse Guard, and what better way to celebrate than with a new collection of short stories centered around a storytelling contest at the local bar, featuring work by some of the best writers and artists in comics paying homage to this beloved all-ages series.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: It’s Mouse Guard as interpreted by some of the most celebrated storytellers in all of comics, including Skottie Young (Rocket Raccoon), Ramón K. Pérez (The Amazing Spider-Man), Mark Buckingham (Fables), Becky Cloonan (Gotham Academy), Dustin Nguyen (Batman), and many more!
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Following two award-nominated volumes, once again, mice of all furs and trades have gathered at the June Alley Inn to swap tales of courage, adventure, and craftsmanship. The storytellers can’t help but try to outdo one another, as the mouse who tells the best tale gets their bar tab cleared. This issue features stories by Skottie Young, Mark Buckingham, and Hannah Christenson (Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: The Novelization).
WAYNE: Mouse Guard has been a favorite of mine since the debut issue! I love seeing other folks play in Mr. Petersen’s sandbox, so I can’t wait!
SHAFT #4
Writer: David Walker
Artist: Bilquis Evely
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: John Shaft is a ticking time bomb of vengeance waiting to explode. Before the killing starts, however, he wants answers. Consumed by rage, he returns to the place he hates the most—his childhood home—where his personal demons continue to haunt him. When unfriendly faces from his past appear, Shaft realizes that getting his revenge will require forming allegiances with his enemies.
MATTHEW: This series has been really good so far, and I’m looking forward to seeing more buildup to the Shaft we all know and love from the movies. I hear he’s one bad motha—
…
The interrupting joke doesn’t really work in text, does it?
ROBOT OVERLORD: No. No it doesn’t. Please stop.
SHUTTER #10
Writer: Joe Keatinge
Artist: Leila Del Duca
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Kate Kristopher in Slumberland.
WAYNE: This creative and engaging series comes from the guy behind Tech Jacket, another terrific comic. I love the art, the concept, the action and everything else in the storytelling, so don’t miss it!
SOUTHERN CROSS #1
Writer: Becky Cloonan
Artist: Andy Belanger and Lee Loughridge
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: NOW BOARDING: Southern Cross, tanker flight 73 to TITAN! Alex Braith is on board retracing her sister’s steps to the refinery moon, hoping to collect her remains and find some answers. The questions keep coming though—how did her sister die? Where did her cabin mate disappear to? Who is that creep across the hall? And why does she always feel like she’s being watched? Inspired by classic mysteries and weird fiction, SOUTHERN CROSS is a crucible of creeping anxiety and fear as Braith struggles with the ghosts of her past on board a ship that holds secrets best kept buried.
ASHLEY: I will read anything Becky Cloonan works on.
RODRIGO: New #1 for a spooky Sci-Fi Mistery, Rodrigo wants to read it.
SPAWN RESURRECTION #1
Writer: Brian Wood
Artist: Jonboy
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: NEW TEAM! NEW DIRECTION! The return of Al Simmons, and the start of a brand new era for SPAWN! No one quite knows where Al’s been all this time, but it’s clear he’s come back a changed man. Wiser, stronger, and with the memories from an experience that’s he’s still struggling to understand. Tucked away in a crime-ridden corner of New York City, he’s beginning to forge new alliances, preparing defenses, and testing out his newly acquired powers… because there’s a battle coming, and it’s something that makes the Heaven/Hell thing seem like a petty squabble. So just who did Al piss off so badly while he was away? Introducing a bold new direction for SPAWN, as creator TODD McFARLANE hands the reins over to BRIAN WOOD (Star Wars, X-Men, DMZ) and JONBOY (Marvel Adventures). It all starts right here, and continues next month in SPAWN #251!
CHRIS: Even though we won’t get a Brian Wood written Spawn series I’m all excited for this. It’s been fun to see Spawn evolve through the years and how the character changes with each new creative team. Jonboy’s art is mind-blowing and I can’t wait to see more of Spawn with a big ass sword!
SPIDER-GWEN #2
Writer: Jason Latour
Artist: Robbi Rodriguez
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: WHO IS THE VULTURE?! Gwen finds herself between a rock (this vulture) and a hard place (the entire NYPD)! Don’t miss this second issue of the Spider-Character who set the world on fire!
MATTHEW: Issue #1 was really good, and this series has great potential. I’m hoping this one breaks out huge, and you should totally be a part of that phenomenon…
ROB: I’m still not entirely happy that the title is Spider-Gwen, but Gwen Stacy as a Spider has been one of the best things to happen from Marvel in years. And with it being set in her version of the Marvel Universe we don’t have to deal with the tons of baggage that has come before.
STAR WARS #3
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: John Cassaday
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: THE GREATEST SPACE ADVENTURE OF ALL TIME CONTINUES!
• The attack on Cymoon-1 comes crashing to an end!
• Will the Rebels overcome Vader to strike another blow against the Empire?
• And is Luke ready to be the Jedi Ben wanted him to be?
MATTHEW: As long as you don’t let yourself get hung up on the minutiae of what comes next (Spoilers: Return Of The Jedi) and give this book a fair shake as a narrative? It’s a good read, with decent art…
SUPERIOR IRON MAN #6
Writer: Tom Taylor
Artist: Laura Braga
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: What shocking revelations have left TONY STARK reeling? Will PEPPER POTTS turn her back on Tony for good? The impossible is working against him. Doubt is creeping in. His history is uncertain…and his future has just been complicated by another ghost of the past.
CHRIS: This series is so great because Tony Stark is…such…a…Dick! I laugh every time I read this book. Whether or not that’s intended is another issue but I’m sure enjoying myself. The sales have slipped a bit but I suggest people go check it out for a new kind of jerk Iron Man.
ROB: I have been thoroughly enjoying extra-super dick Tony Stark. It’s entertaining see the depths of horrible he can be while still being considered a hero and I’m looking forward to how big a hole he will dig.
TINY TITANS: RETURN TO THE TREEHOUSE TP
Writer: Art Baltazar
Artist: Art Baltazar
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $12.99
SOLICITATION: The Eisner Award-winning series is back in this new title collecting the six-issue miniseries! Superboy and Supergirl return to the treehouse to discover…it’s missing! Or is it just…really small? Who could have done such a thing? Find out as all your favorite Tiny Titans search for answers!
ASHLEY: Tiny Titans is one of the most clever stories being written and it’s adorable to look at. Baltazar is truer to these characters than some of the people working on the main titles. At $12.99 it a steal.
ROBOT OVERLORD: There’s your rundown of comics these meatbags are reading this week, what are you picking up?
