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One thing doing this list each week has taught me is the amount of great comics there are every week. Every week we get to see a new book try to do something special or a long-running series try to end in a way that makes everyone happy. This week we have plenty of both of those scenarios. The hard part was trying to find order in all that anticipation. So with that let’s check out this week’s list
(Editor’s Note: Solicitors are provided by the respected Publishers)
Writer/Artist: Mirka Andolfo
Publisher: DSTLRY
Solicitation: From international superstar MIRKA ANDOLFO (SWEET PAPRIKA, MERCY, UNNATURAL, Harley Quinn, Punchline…) comes a new horror comedy that only Andolfo can deliver—asking the question: how many fans is your soul worth? In a world where pop stars have ascended to divinity, and the masses bow in veneration to a new generation of viral superstars, angels and demons thrive on this exaltation, and revel in this spotlight that grants them unimaginable power. Clelia, the reigning queen of pop, finds her throne shaken by a newcomer radiating with enigmatic charm. As her fans waver and the public eye threatens to wander, Clelia and her demonic agent, Father Lev, are thrust into a battle for dominance on this exhilarating stage of music and mysticism. How far will they go to defend her reign and unravel the mystery of this sensational new threat? Mixing the sacred and profane, Harvey Award-winning Mirka Andolfo effortlessly merges the mythological urban fantasy of American Gods with the sardonic wit of The Good Place in a brand-new dark series featuring stunning visual and narrative intensity set in the glittering world of pop music.
Why it Made the List: So far DSTLRY has been undefeated. Not only have I enjoyed every series they have put out so far I have enjoyed every issue of every series. They have not overextended themselves which is something publishers often do right out of the gates. I know Mirka Andolfo’s work for what she did with the Batman: White Knight Presents – Generation Joker series and I was majorly impressed. Considering Sean Murphy was the creator of that universe there was a lot of pressure to live up to what he created and Andolfo rose to that challenge. Also as a fan of horror comedy, I’m always happy to see another installment in that genre.
Writer/Artist: Sean Murphy
Publisher: MASSIVE PUBLISHING
Solicitation: Don Quixote meets Narcos in Sean Gordon Murphy’s Zorro: Man of the Dead. In this modern reimagining, the writer-artist behind DC Comic’s Batman: White Knight, delivers a fresh take on the legendary swashbuckling hero.
Zorro has returned! Well, kind of. Diego has shown that the spirit of Zorro flows through him and has left a trail of ne’er-do wells in his wake. But now Rosa must try to save her brother who believes he is the protector of La Vega, as El Rojo will certainly be hunting for the legendary Zorro now. But Diego isn’t going anywhere without Bandido. Hop in Rosa’s El Camino, and prepare for the next swashbuckling chapter in Sean Murphy’s electric story of the man in black
Why it Made the List: Speaking of Sean Murphy we have his newest series Zorro. I love that a lot of classic Golden and Silver Age characters are getting series as of late. Zorror of course has origins outside the pages of comics but has had a major impact on the medium. Characters like Batman borrowed a lot from what Zorror established. Sean Murphy Clearly understood the importance of the character and gave us a great first issue. Having art that is easy on the eyes helps a great deal. This has been able to modernize the character while staying true to his roots. Also gives Murphy a reason to draw great cars which is a plus.
Writer: Christopher Yost
Artist: Val Rodrigues
Publisher: Vault Comics
Solicitation: Powered by CERN’s Large Hadron Collider, the Druid unleashed his spell, changing everything. Navy Seal John Murphy was at ground zero and is the only one who remembers how the world used to be…or is he? Murphy’s intent on killing the Druid and setting things right, but another player has entered the game, and now Murphy and his team have a surprising new threat to deal with.
Why it Made the List: Now that we are two issues into this series it is easy to see why Vault had so much faith in it they were willing to give away the first issue for free. So many fantasy stories have to exist in times that resemble Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones and nothing more. It is a welcome change of pace to get a book that is not held back from the common tropes of the genre but is still able to take advantage of everything that makes it great. Taking elements from the present and infusing them into a fantasy time we are more accustomed to seeing. If you are a fantasy fan you are eating well with a book like Unnatural Order as well as The Hunder and the Dusk.
Writer: Zac Thompson
Artist: Daniel Irizarri
Publisher: ONI PRESS
Solicitation: The 21st century sucks hard, but it’s made somewhat tolerable by the latest and greatest media innovations. Enter the Dreamwave: the first gaming console played entirely while you sleep. The obsession of millions around the globe, it’s also the one point of solace for four friends known as the “Cemetery Kids,” who spend their nights roaming the endless maps of the most brutal horror game ever created as they seek to dethrone the “King of Sleep”-the Dreamwave’s biggest, baddest, and most mysterious boss.
Which was fun . . . until one of them doesn’t wake up and finds their consciousness locked inside a horror game that is anything but imaginary. Now, the three remaining Cemetery Kids must navigate a forbidden landscape to rescue their friend-and pray that the secret lurking at its center doesn’t follow them home.
Why it Made the List: Zac Thompson is a writer I am always going to check out no matter what. Past books like The Dregs, Lonely Receiver, Relay, and The Replacer have made sure of that. This premise has a lot of promise. The idea of being stuck inside of horror video game could work wonders within the comic book medium. I also prefer that this is a completely original game rather than a story referencing things we already know. Thompson likes to push boundaries and take stories in directions most other writers are not willing or capable of doing. His approach to the cerebral has always appealed to me and I would think we would get plenty of it with this series.
Writer: Tom King
Artist: Peter Gross
Publisher: Boom! Studios
Solicitation: The groundbreaking graphic storytelling event series continues as the animals find themselves faced with a new challenge: freedom.
With food supplies dwindling, the animals must decide quickly how best to organize their burgeoning society and make decisions as a group… or risk losing everything.
Eisner Award-winning writer Tom King (The Human Target, Love Everlasting) and New York Times bestselling, Eisner Award-nominated artist Peter Gross (American Jesus, The Books of Magic) continue their collaboration on a series that critics are already calling a classic in the making.
Why it Made the List: To be honest I was not fully sure about this series. I am a Tom King fan, but one of my favorite books over the last few years has been Animal Castle which is also a take on Animal Farm like this. Despite having a similar starting point they are two very different books with different messages. It turns out is is not where you start but how you execute an idea. I am happy to see Tom King take a break from the world of DC because he tends to do his best work with more freedom. Also, King knows how to pick great artists so of course Peter Gross has done wonders in making this animal world work.
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Andrea Milana
Publisher: Image Comics
Solicitation: After last issue’s shocking reveals, Cobra Commander searches for a power greater than any the Earth has ever seen. But when this mission brings him face-to-face with a fan-favorite G.I. Joe faction-will they be friend, foe, or something else entirely?
Why it Made the List: Series that centers on a villain are hard to do right. Often the knee-jerk reaction is to try to make the character more sympathetic. The idea being the more complex the more interesting the character. In theory that makes sense but it can also weaken the impact of a villain. For example, Cobra Commander should not be a sympathetic villain. He is truly an evil terrorist and that is okay. (For story purposes of course, not as a life choice) Luckily the first issue did not try to make him simply a product of a sad story, but it did at least give some reasoning to his madness. Plus it was intriguing to see him be competent. My memory of the cartoon was of him finding new and impressive ways to fail. Beyond that, it has helped to build out the Energon universe with some surprising twists and turns. Plus Dreadnoks this issue? Nothing wrong with that.
4. Batman / Superman: World’s Finest #24
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Dan Mora
Publisher: DC Comics
Solicitation: “RETURN TO KINGDOM COME” BY MARK WAID AND DAN MORA CONCLUDES! With no way back to their own Earth, will Superman and Batman have to witness the tragic events that led to cataclysm—or are they fated to take the place of their doppelgangers?
Why it Made the List: I adored how much the last issue ended. A character walks out of the shadows right when you think the heroes are about to win the day. One of those moments that remind you of why you love superhero stories in the first place. This issue also marks the end of this arc which is a bittersweet moment. This return to the universe of Kingdom Come was not exactly what I thought it was going to be, but it has been great nonetheless. Seems like there is a lot more story here to tell so I wonder how they will fill it all into this one issue. Maybe, it is one of those ‘Goodbye for now’ situations. We shall see.
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Marco Checchetto
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Solicitation: THE MOST SURPRISING SPIDER-MAN STORY OF THE 21ST CENTURY CONTINUES! Spider-Man faces his first super villain! J. Jonah Jameson’s quest to uncover who is really pulling the strings of this new Ultimate Universe leads to a shocking revelation! And New York City welcomes its newest hero… the Green Goblin!
Why it Made the List: Ultimate Spider-Man #1 was a huge success for Marvel both critically and financially. Considering Marvel’s lack of patience I am surprised they waited an actual month to release the second issue rather than the normal few weeks. I was shocked at how much people enjoyed issue one because it was not a typical Marvel comic. There was little to no action as most of the issue just focused on Peter and his family. I expected that fans were going to be upset it was a slice-of-life comic but the reaction was mostly the opposite. Maybe because that element of the character has been lacking elsewhere. Will we get more of that with this issue, or will this be a more typical Spider-Man affair? How will this separate itself from the other Amazing Spider-Man books as well as the previous Ultimate version? This issue is when we start to see those answers.
2. John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dead in America #2
Writer: Simon Spurrier
Artist: Aaron Campbell
Publisher: DC Comics
Solicitation: GUEST-STARRING SWAMP THING! With the specter of mortality breathing down his neck, John heads to the Big Easy, where he enlists the skills of old friend Clarice Sackville to heal the fractured mind of Alec Holland, the Swamp Thing, and use that elemental power to kickstart his own dead heart. Perhaps she can do that—but it will require a drug-induced journey into distant realms that’ll shake John to his rotten core. And meanwhile, Nat and Noah learn the magical lengths Clarice is willing to go to in order to extend her own terrifyingly long life…
Why it Made the List: So happy this is back. After a few years away Simon Spurrier and Aaron Campbell returned to the world of Hellblazer and did not miss a beat. The first issue felt like it belonged in the middle of Veritgo’s strongest days. Constantine in The States is a bit weird, but it is a good type of weird. Gives this a fresh new feeling compared to the last run. One downside is this may not be a great run to jump into if you are reading Hellblazer for the first time. This is deep into the lore including books like Sandman with a special guest appearance last issue. It appears we are getting more friends joining the fray in this issue as well. Based on how the last issue ended I am fascinated to see the current state of Swamp Thing. While it may not bring in new readers, veteran fans of that world are eating well.
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artist: Chris Samnee
Publisher: Image Comics
Solicitation: Losing his parents. Training at the Temple of the Flaming Fist. Learning the fire power. Starting a family. Owen’s whole life has been building to this moment, where he attempts the impossible one last time.
Why it Made the List: This week we are saying goodbye to one of my favorite series over the last few years. Fire Power came out strong with an entire trade paperback of material the same week the first issue was released. Not many comic creators could pull off a risk like that. Chris Samnee has been doing career work with this book and showcasing why he is one of the best current writers when it comes to constructing action scenes, while also nailing those character moments. Now the question becomes can they pull off this ending? Endings are hard and some of the best comics fail in their conclusion. Kirkman was able to end The Walking Dead satisfyingly so I have hope he will do it again here.
