IT’S NEW COMIC BOOK DAY! #NCBD
The best day of the week just got a lot better with a new round of awesome comics arriving in stores this week. Staff members at Major Spoilers are here to help you with your comic book selection this week, with their roundup of comics they recommend.
A-FORCE #4
Writer: G. Willow Wilson & Marguerite Bennett
Artist: Jorge Molina
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: • With the fate of Arcadia hanging in the balance, a traitor in A-FORCE’s ranks is revealed!
• But why would she sell out her teammates?
MATTHEW: Of all the Secret Wars books, this one works best for me, because it keep the characters mostly recognizable, and they act in ways that make sense, unlike many of the alternates bits and pieces. (I’m also still intrigued as to how they’re going to continue it after the S.W. schmageggi comes to an end.)
ALL STAR SECTION 8 #4
Writer: Garth Ennis
Artist: John McCrea
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: Wedding bells ring out in Noonan’s bar as Bueno Excellente’s big day arrives. But an unexpected guest threatens to derail the celebrations as our heroes tremble at the coming of…Wonder Woman? Section Eight will never be the same-especially Sixpack, for whom the Amazon princess has some rather unwelcome news. Don’t miss the latest issue of the miniseries we now call ALL STAR SECTION 8!
GEORGE: The wedding of Bueno Excellente to, well, anyone, is the most anticipated comics wedding since Sue Storm and Reed Richards. To me, at least.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN RENEW YOUR VOWS #5
Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Adam Kubert
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: The Parkers vs. Regent.
ROB: This is the part I’ve been waiting for from this book. Parker family on the war front. With Dan Slott at the helm, it’s all going to be Amazing.
ATOMIC ROBO & THE RING OF FIRE #1
Writer: Brian Clevinger
Artist: Scott Wegener
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Atomic Robo disappeared two years ago when Tesladyne was invaded by Majestic 12 and transformed into ULTRA, a task force leveraging the U.S. surveillance and military industries against scientific pursuits deemed to be hazardous. Now, the few remaining Action Scientists finally have a plan to find Robo, but theyve got to dive deep into ULTRA territory to do it! (And meanwhile, giant monsters from the sea might destroy all of civilization.)
CHRIS: “Oh, but why would I buy this when I can read it for free online?” Because Atomic Robo is insanely awesome and Brian Clevinger and Scott Wegener deserve your money. What crazy nice guys to give away something of this caliber for free! Seriously, support this book and buy this along with the Everything Explodes collection (what a great name!).
STEPHEN: ATOMIC ROBO! It’s the most original series you will ever read and it just got better with a new story arc. Available on the web for free, but collected by IDW Publishing, this is THE book to buy this week! Seriously, support Atomic Robo with all your heart and soul, it is so worth it.
WAYNE: Boyoboyoboy! New Robo! It’s always a great Wednesday when that happens!
BATMAN #44
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artist: Jock
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: “It’s the origin of new villain Mr. Bloom! In a tale from Bruce Wayne’s past, Batman must investigate a vicious crime in the shadowy area of Gotham City known as the Narrows. Don’t miss this special issue illustrated by superstar artist Jock (Wytches, GREEN ARROW YEAR ONE)!
STEPHEN: So… Batman… I need to get caught up on this series, and you need to as well. With the introduction of a new villain, this seems like a good time to get in on on the action and see what is up with Jim Gordon.
WAYNE: I’ll miss Mr. Capullo’s always-great art, but I’ll still be there with bated breath to learn more about this interesting new Bat-villain! I suggest you do the same!
BITCH PLANET #5
Writer: Kelly Sue DeConnick
Artist: Valentine De
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: The Bitches enter the arena for their very first deathsport match. From 2014 Best Writer Eisner nominee KELLY SUE DeCONNICK (PRETTY DEADLY, Captain Marvel) and VALENTINE De LANDRO (X-Factor) with colorist CRIS PETER (CASANOVA) and letterer CLAYTON COWLES (THE WICKED + THE DIVINE).
GEORGE: Finally, some deathsport. Bitch Planet is an important comic exploring social issues through exploitation tropes that never forgets to be anything less than excellent and entertaining.
CIVIL WAR #4
Writer: Charles Soule
Artist: Leinil Francis Yu
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Tony Stark comes face-to-face with his true enemy, while General Rogers commences a massive military effort to end the Civil War once and for all.
ROB: So far, the extension of the Civil War story line has been quite interesting, especially with how Peter’s story is involved.
EARTH 2 SOCIETY #4
Writer: Daniel H. Wilson
Artist: Jorge Jimenez
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: The heroes of Earth-2 have been so focused on each other and rebuilding their world that they never worried about super-villains—and now, it’s too late!
ROB: This is probably my favorite DC book going right now, the lack of huge amounts of continuity and only the one story being told for the specific universe give it the ability to be a completely unique outlook from this title.
GOTHAM ACADEMY #10
Writer: Becky Cloonan & Brendan Fletcher
Artist: Karl Kerschl
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: “Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble!” To investigate a suspicious student, Olive and the gang join the school production of Macbeth! But is the play haunted?
ASHLEY: This is my favourite DC Comics book being published right now and Becky Cloonan has won even more of my heart by including Shakespeare.
CHRIS: One of DC’s strongest and consistently good books, Gotham Academy is just plain fun every damn time I read it. The Karl Kerschl art is icing on the cake and elevates the comic to a whole new level. If you haven’t read this, please I beg you, start now!
MATTHEW: You have no idea how happy I am to see a book this unique make 10 issues! Taking advantage of the air of mystery surrounding everything in Gotham to tell the story of students in a strange maybe-haunted boarding school is ingenious, and the art is excellent. 100 issues or bust!
STEPHEN: I can’t say enough about this series. If you want to know what DC Comics is doing right, just take a gander at Gotham Academy.
INSUFFERABLE #5
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Peter Krause
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: “Galahad and Meg have discovered Nocturnus’ hideout – but uncovering one mystery merely unlocks several more. What is the secret of the man who killed Galahad’s mother?”
WAYNE: Mr. Waid keeps delivering crazy good stuff with his version of Batman and Robin, and it’s excellent reading! Don’t miss this amazing comic!
LONG DISTANCE #4
Writer: Thomas F. Zahler
Artist: Thomas F. Zahler
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Cover Price: $4.99
SOLICITATION: The littlest things have the biggest reactions. Carter does something seemingly insignificant that causes Lee to question their entire relationship. When everything is on the line, will Carter move? Will Lee move? Or is this the end of the line for our long distance couple?
ASHLEY: Probably the sweetest and most earnest love story coming out in comics right now. Zahler knows his audience and he writes for us. These issues are always long, always clever and they always make me giggle. READ IT.
PHONOGRAM THE IMMATERIAL GIRL #2
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artist: Jamie McKelvie
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: You will never look at A-Ha’s “Take On Me” video in the same way ever again.
GEORGE: Issue 1 showed that McKelvie and Gillen haven’t lost a step in their return to the universe of Phonogram, but what else would you expect from the duo behind Young Avengers and The Wicked & The Divine? Anyway, any excuse to revisit A-Ha’s video for “Take On Me” is a good one.
SHERLOCK HOLMES 7 PER-CENT SOLUTION #2
Writer: Scott Tipton
Artist: Ron Joseph
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Dr. Watson and Sherlock Holmes’ brother Mycroft begin their scheme to help rescue Holmes from his demons. But can The Great Detective be deceived? The best-selling Sherlock Holmes novel by writer/director Nicholas Meyer comes to comics!
ASHLEY: Let’s be honest, if Sherlock is in it I’m going to read it and Tipton writes good comics. Sold.
SIEGE #3
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artist: Filipe Andrade
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: AN ENEMY RISES! And this time…IT’S PERSONAL. The Shield is under siege! A Siege. In a book called ‘Siege.’ Does this count as a spoiler? Things are looking bad for our crew on the Shield, and a ‘good’ day involves everything trying to kill them, so… Bizarre armories, viscous villains, unstrung heroes, and battles beyond reason. Everyone’s going to die. It’s Awesome. Welcome to the Siege.
CHRIS: I never would have read this if it wasn’t for a co-worker’s recommendation and man I’m glad I did. This is probably the Secret Wars tie-in that relates the most to the main title. Thanos is arriving at the Shield wall and I can’t wait to see it all go down. Filipe Andrade has a totally cool art style and I’m going to be keeping an eye out for more of his stuff down the road.
STAR TREK/GREEN LANTERN #3
Writer: Mike Johnson
Artist: Angel Hernandez
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: The blockbuster crossover event of 2015 continues here, as the galaxy explodes in a Lantern-fueled war between the Federation and its enemies! Captain Kirk and the ring-bearing crew of the Enterprise must join forces with Hal Jordan to prevent the loss of entire civilizations… as the identity of the villain behind it all is revealed!
MATTHEW: Still holding out hope for a Vulcan nerve-pinch to choke out Hal Jordan…
