Major Spoilers Staff Picks for February 24, 2016

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.

BART SIMPSON COMICS #100
Writer: Ian Boothby, Nathan Kane
Artist: Nina Matsumoto
Publisher: BONGO Comics
Cover Price: 4.99
SOLICITATION: “Bart’s Odyssey”: Bart Simpson turns 100! When Homer is put in charge of security for Mr. Burns’ secret R&D division, he inadvertently unleashes a series of events that threaten Springfield’s very existence! If that’s not bad enough, an all-too-familiar evil from Springfield’s distant future arrives amid the chaos to stake his claim! But wait! Yet another mysterious figure from the future travels back to a current-day Springfield with the town on the brink of destruction! Will this stranger aid the embattled citizens in their darkest hour or make them eat his shorts? Join Bart Simpson’s centennial celebration, capping off its illustrious and illustrated run with a final issue (for now)! It’s a 48-page senses-shattering sendoff that will shake Springfield and Simpsons fans to the core!

RODRIGO: Simpsons comics are a weird animal, but I’m a succer for issue 100 extravaganzas.

BLACK MAGICK #5
Writer: Greg Rucka
Artist: Nicola Scott
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: END OF STORY ARC Book One: “Awakening” Conclusion Trial by divination.

DAVID: Every other book can really learn about aesthetic from Black Magick. The only thing about this I am not looking forward to is the break that’s gonna come before issue 6 arrives.

COPS FOR CRIMINALS #4 of 4
Writer: Steven Grant
Artist: Pete Woods
Publisher: Legendary Comics
Cover Price: $3.99

SOLICITATION: When a federal agent becomes a victim of the system he has sworn to uphold, he finds true justice in the criminal underworld. The mob sends Phillip to investigate the kidnapping of a connected businessman’s daughter. As he races to track down the victim, he encounters rival mobsters who try to stop his investigation by any means necessary. What are his new employers hiding that they will kill to protect?

WAYNE: I’m so happy to see comics telling crime stories I’ve never read before, and that’s saying something! This book has been great, so I’m SO looking forward to this issue!

THE DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE #3
Writer: Frank Miller, Brian Azzarello
Artist: Andy Kubert
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $4.99
SOLICITATION: The hardest thing for Batman is to admit his greatest strength: He’s just one man, and sometimes he needs help. With so much at stake, will he turn to help of the Super variety?

CHRIS: To my utter astonishment this has been quite good. I still say it has more to do with Azzarello but regardless. Last issue showed us why the title is called the master race, making it a tad less offensive when put in context. I’m really excited to see this play out and I just know the action is going to ramp up to Miller level of insane. That cover price though…yeesh!

DAVID: How will this volume measure up to the legacy of The Dark Knight? Heck if I know. What I do know is that I’m along for this ride.

GHOSTBUSTERS INTERNATIONAL #2
Writer: Erik Burnham
Artist: Dan Schoening
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: “BENVENUTI A VENEZIA.” Pack your bags! The Ghostbusters head to Venice, Italy, intending to investigate the haunted island of Poveglia, whose spirits are unusually agitated at this time… and on top of it all, Winston is beginning to get a bad feeling about the client that has sent the boys in gray to Europe.

ROB: The Ghostbusters have been getting into some grand adventures lately, and what’s more grand then going abroad to Venice!

THOMAS: I am a dyed-in-the-wool ghosthead, complete with proton pack I built in my garage last summer. IDW’s continuation of the 1984 ‘busters has been a series at the top of my reading pile since its first iteration. While I am looking forward to the reboot, I hope that these comics come out for years to come. They are a true representation of the original Ghostbusting spirit, no pun intended.

STEPHEN: The last couple Ghostbuster series have been really good, and I was impressed enough with the first issue, to want to grab Ghosbusters International #2 this week.

HAUNTED LOVE #1
Writer: Various
Artist: Various
Publisher: IDW
Cover Price: 4.99
SOLICITATION: From the titanic terror team that brings you Haunted Horror and Weird Love comes a macabre mash-up of both hit series! Haunted Love features rotting tales of supernatural Pre-code romance from putrid horror comics from the vile horror comics of the 1950s. Lurid lust! Vicious violence! Creepy kisses! The zombie-fied Haunted Love #1 is just the first of 3 throbbing issues that will set your horrid hearts afire. Haunted Love will make your Valentines Day massacre and gory gift giving to your vile Valentine unforgettable and unforgivable.

RODRIGO: Creepy Tales + Valentine’s Day two great tastes that taste weird together.

HELLBOY AND THE B.P.R.D.: 1953 – BEYOND THE FENCES #1
Writer: Mike Mignola, Chris Roberson
Penciller: Paolo Rivera
Publisher: Dark Horse
Cover Price: 3.50
SOLICITATION: A mysterious creature hunts the children of an idyllic suburban town, and the BPRD get more than they bargained for when their investigation begins to seem strangely familiar.
* iZombie cocreator Chris Roberson joins Hellboy creator Mike Mignola and Eisner and Harvey Award–winning artist Paolo Rivera for Hellboy: year two.

RODRIGO: Got a chance to do an early review of this for the MSP. It’s straight up Hellboy and you don’t even have to keep 15 volumes of mythology straight.

KARNAK #2
Writer: Warren Ellis
Artist: Gerardo Zaffino
Publisher: Marvel
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Karnak versus a warehouse full of enemy agents! The agents don’t stand a chance. But the Zen Gunner can turn the air itself into a deadly weapon? Karnak’s in trouble

CHRIS: You wouldn’t be at fault for forgetting about this title considering the first issue came out back in October, but man it was a great debut. Warren Ellis has taken an Inhuman, characters I’ve never really liked before, and made one of them my favorite comics published by Marvel. It’s schedule is not leaving me with high hopes though.

PATSY WALKER aka HELLCAT #3
Writer: Kate Leth
Artist: Brittney Williams
Publisher: Marvel
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Hellcat and her pals deal with the true scourge of New York City: BEDBUGS. Plus, Patsy gets another job and tries online dating. Which of these horrors is worst?! Find out in the most third issue so far of Patsy Walker, A.K.A. HELLCAT!

CHRIS: This is such a good book I can’t say it enough. Another non-superhero, superhero comic that succeeds on every level. Fun and light-hearted, for readers of all ages. Buy this comic and support unique storytelling!

PLUTONA #4 of 5
Writers: Jeff Lemire, Emi Lenox

Artist: Emi Lenox
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Mie begins to suspect that one of her friends may have broken their pact to keep Plutona’s body a secret, but nothing can prepare her for what she finds next. The penultimate chapter of the breakout hit by JEFF LEMIRE and EMI LENOX.

WAYNE: It’s been so long since I’ve been close to these teens’ ages that I find them real mysteries, just like I think of real teen-agers. This book is well written, full of surprises, and one I can’t wait to see the conclusion of! After this, only one more to go!

SAGA #34
Writer: Brian K Vaughn
Artist: Fiona Staples
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
SOLICITATION: New friends are silver…

DAVID: Few books have kept me as interested and excited as Saga has for so long.

ROB: With the reports now working for The Will, our disparate players are becoming less and less separate, which means at least one story is coming to a head soon.

SUPERMAN: THE COMING OF THE SUPERMEN #1 of 6

Writer/Artist: Neal Adams
Publisher: DC Comics

Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: From legendary writer/artist Neal Adams comes a threat so epic it will take more than one Man of Steel to handle it in this new 6-issue miniseries! As Darkseid and the hordes of Apokolips lay waste to the world, even Superman is overwhelmed-but not for long, as three heroes from the miniaturized city of Kandor emerge at full size, armed with all the vast powers of Kal-El, ready to become the new Supermen! This battle of titans also features the machinations of Lex Luthor, plus fan favorites Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane aiding in the fight for Truth, Justice and the American Way.

WAYNE: I’m sorry, I simply cannot pass up Neal Adams’ art! It’s just spectacular! I know his writing isn’t always on the same level as his art, but that’s okay by me! Seeing him draw Superman again will be more than worth it! Oh, and a good story will be excellent, too!

TMNT ONGOING #55
Writer: Tom Waltz, Kevin Eastman
Artist: Michael Dialynas
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Cover Price: $3.99
SOLICITATION: Recent events have strained many relationships amongst the TMNT and their allies. Many must decide whether to trust or to betray, to separate or to stay, and to love or to hate. Time takes its toll, but where do the Turtles go from here?

THOMAS: The other licensed property on my reading list this week, TMNT by IDW started a bold new direction around issue #50. Without spoiling these developments, a rift has grown among the turtles, their sensei, and their allies. This issue promises to focus on the relationships of the book’s large cast, with some new lines being drawn among the team.

ROB: Still going strong and still my favorite monthly title. I am hoping the new status quo actually solidifies soon though, as the myriad of characters are becoming difficult to follow.

TRANSFORMERS #50
Writer: John Barber
Artist: Andrew Griffith, Casey W. Coller
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Cover Price: $7.99
SOLICITATION: ALL HAIL OPTIMUS-PART 1! Backed by an army of zealous followers, OPTIMUS PRIME declares Earth to be a part of CYBERTRON’S Council of Worlds-and the DECEPTICONS and the people of Earth don’t won’t take it laying down! The story starts here, but the repercussions will last forever.

CHRIS: It’s a great time to be a Transformers fan. The whole brand and line has been united and on track better than ever before. Things have really been shaken up in the universe and I’m glad to see the writers trying new ideas. That cover price though…Double yeesh!

ROBOT OVERLORD: WHAT WILL YOU BE BUYING THIS WEEK? USE THE COMMENT SECTION BELOW!

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