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This week’s comics are weird. I love that! So much so a lot of intriguing books did not make the cut this week. Also love seeing some old-fashioned icons make their return. Should be a fun week. Let’s get to the countdown.
(Editor’s Note: Solicitations are provided by their respected publishers)
Writer: David Wohl
Artist: Dave Franchini
Publisher: ZENESCOPE
Solicitation: In war there are rules, but the forest has none. Abandoned by his country, betrayed by those he once called family, and hunted by those who want nothing more than to keep him as a trophy, Pooh is on a mission and no amount of honey will sate his thirst-he wants revenge!
Why it Made the List: Because why not? With Winnie the Pooh and Bambi hitting the public domain we have seen several takes on both, especially in the world of horror. I am a bit surprised this is the first comic I have seen with an idea quite like this. Also surprised this has not happened sooner. I am all for silliness in comics. They were called the funny papers for a reason. I also think of comics like Spencer & Locke which is basically a take on Calvin and Hobbes all grown up. I enjoy that book and the benefit of Pooh vs. Bambi #1 is the fact is they can use the actual names of the characters. Also feels good to put a Zenescope comic on this list. First, that has happened!
9. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #150
Writer: Sophie Campbell
Artist: Dan Duncan, Vincenzo Federici, Fero Peniche,
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Solicitation: Everything has been building to this double-size celebration! And here at the end, we’ll return to the start…
Donatello has been searching for his future self to understand how he can fight Armaggon. Now, knowing where he is (or should we say “when he is”?) Donatello is racing to his past to convene with his future. Can he get there and learn what he needs to before Armaggon eats the TMNT out of the timeline?
This epic finale from writer Sophie Campbell and a roster of all-star artists pays off on years of IDW storytelling, reckoning with the history of the Turtles while also setting the stage for the next mutation of must-read TMNT comics!
Why it Made the List: I cannot believe this run is coming to an end. Although, it seems when Jason Aaron takes over it is not going to be a complete reset. (We shall see) Since this run started with IDW this has been one of the best adaptations of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles no matter the medium. I have been able to catch up with Sophie Campbell’s run and love what she has done with these characters. Wondering how she is going to be able to bring this arc complete circle while setting things up for the next run. It’s not an easy task. With this being the 40th Anniversary for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles we have gotten a lot of great comics. All the shiny new stuff can make it easy to overlook a book like this that has been so good for so long.
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: David Messina
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Solicitation: WHO IS THE GREEN GOBLIN? Peter Parker’s secret life starts fraying the edges of his personal life! J. Jonah Jameson and Ben Parker’s pursuit of truth — or, at least, the news — stirs unrest with the world at large… And now that Spider-Man may not have to operate alone, the real work of rebuilding this corrupt world can begin!
Why it Made the List: This run has been about small twists to things we already know so it is more challenging to know where they are going. One of the biggest surprises of this book is how emotionally warm it is because I rarely get that feeling when reading a Jonathan Hickman comic. He tends to keep readers at a distance but the emotion here is much more prominent. I have rather enjoyed this run on Ultimate Spider-Man, but I am ready for it to sink into something deeper. I am all for comics taking their time just think the hook for this book has not hit quite yet. Maybe this is the issue. We are getting a new artist David Messina as the focus switches to the Green Goblin. We already know who he is but is there more to his story? I have a sense a major surprise is on its way.
7. Punk Mambo: The Punk Witch Project #1
Writer: Peter Milligan
Artist: Andres Ponce
Publisher: Alien Books
Solicitation: London is pulsating with energy, and guess who’s about to set the city ablaze? None other than the electrifying Punk Mambo! Get ready for a wild ride as Punk makes a triumphant return to her roots, unleashing a tidal wave of rebellious magic. Brace yourself as the legendary creator Peter Milligan (Hellblazer, Shade, the Changing Man, X-Statix) takes the reins once again, weaving a spellbinding tale in the very heart of The Punk Witch Project! This is not just a call; it’s a full-throttle, mystical reunion that will leave you on the edge of your seat!
Why it Made the List: I am a big fan of Valiant comics and was excited about the recent announcement of the Resurgence coming later this year. My hope is we can get Valiant back to the level they were a few years ago. This week we get to celebrate the special character of Punk Mambo who is one of my favorite characters from the universe. Peter Milligan is an industry veteran who has written for almost every major character. That experience should be key in crafting this special issue. If you have never read a Valiant comic but enjoy characters like Tank Girl or Spider-Punk maybe give this special a chance. The world is better with more Valiant comics.
Writer: Tony Fleecs
Artist: Tone Rodriguez, Trish Forstner
Publisher: Image Comics
Solicitation: The indoor cats, still searching for their home in the rabies-infected woods, find others just like them on the run! But can these new cats be trusted? Are they good kitties, or are they THE BAD KIND?!? Don’t get bit. Don’t get scratched. Don’t become… FERAL.
Why it Made the List: The first issue of Feral lived up to my expectations. For one it was great to see Trish Forstner’s art once again. She has a gift for drawing animals. Her cartooning is expressive with so much emotion. She has that knack for creating characters that tell you everything you need to know about them just by their design. It is easy to overlook how hard it is to to give animals human emotions. Overall the first issue did what it needed to do to set up the chaos that is coming next. It does feel like the start of a zombie movie but the difference here is our protagonists are cats rather than people. Some groundwork has been put in for the tropes that would be expected for this genre like the secretly bitten character. I was shocked by how sad the revelation was for me. Already became a fan of some of these characters in only a few pages. That’s going to make what comes next more exciting and heartbreaking.
Writer: James Tynion IV
Artist: Christian Ward
Publisher: DSTLRY
Solicitation: Modern masters JAMES TYNION IV and CHRISTIAN WARD join forces to bring you their next horror classic. A ghost story steeped in the decay of a century of capitalism. For years, the mansion has sat strangely, nestled into the coastline just a short drive north of Los Angeles. Rumors have haunted the place for years. Its owner a titan of American industry, with a strange fascination in the occult and the paranormal. For decades, the richest men and women in the country have whispered to each other, trying to understand what he was building alone in that mansion for all those years. And now finally, with his death, and his estate finally open for sale… They are eager to find out for themselves. Two of the most celebrated visionaries of the medium, multiple-Eisner Award winners James Tynion IV (THE NICE HOUSE ON THE LAKE, SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN, W0RLDTR33) and Christian Ward (BATMAN: CITY OF MADNESS, INVISIBLE KINGDOM) invite you into the world of SPECTREGRAPH, a haunting, cerebral horror novel that peels back the layers of America’s opulent wealth and uncovers the rot underneath. But be careful: once you enter, you may never leave. SPECTREGRAPH is perfect for fans of THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE & THE CONJURING
Why it Made the List: I am constantly impressed with the creative teams DSTLRY gets for their comic series and this may rank up at the top. James Tynion IV is one of the biggest names in comics right now. Every time I look up I see another news story where his book is selling out and going back for multiple printings. Christian Ward is one of the most respected artists of his generation and now these two are working together. Ward‘s style should be perfect for this type of horror tale as it dives into the surreal. DSTLRY has been smart in ensuring all their books have top-quality artists. It means something when you know you are going to open a book and it will look great because of the standards a Publisher has set.
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Tom Reilly
Publisher: Image Comics
Solicitation: Codename: G.I. Joe Is Here! Duke has been betrayed by his allies and hunted by new enemies. The time has come for Duke to start fighting for something bigger than his country. Bugger than he ever could have imagined. Get ready for the last page shocker that no one will see coming!
Why it Made the List: I am so sad this is the last issue of this series. This has made Duke one of my favorite G.I. Joe characters in these last four issues. Adding angst to a character can be overdone but for Duke, it makes sense based on what he has seen. Watching one of your fellow soldiers get killed by a giant robot would change you. That may not be something you want to do for a Saturday Morning cartoon but for a comic series geared to older readers, it is perfect. At the same time, it does not go too far with it. There’s room for the silly as well like in the last issue when everyone jumped into vehicles to win the day. I felt like a kid again playing with my toys. We now know we will be getting more mini-series like this that focus on different characters. Those look great but they will have big shoes to fill.
3. Universal Monsters: Creature From The Black Lagoon Lives! #1
Writer: Dan Watters, Ram V
Artist: Matthew Roberts
Publisher: Image Comics
Solicitation: Acclaimed creators DAN WATTERS (HOME SICK PILOTS, Lucifer), RAM V (The Many Deaths of Laila Starr,_ Batman: Detective Comics_), and MATTHEW ROBERTS (MANIFEST DESTINY) rise from the depths for an all-new epic. Years after the events of the original film, journalist Kate Marsden hunts for a notorious serial killer in the heart of the Amazon. Hot on the trail of this madman, she soon encounters an unexpected new threat—but is it friend or foe? Or is it simply…THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON?
Why it Made the List: I am a fan of the Universal Monsters and love that they are getting new life in the medium of comics. The Creature From The Black Lagoon has always been a bit underrated. Unlike Dracula and Frankenstein, we have not gotten endless interpretations of his character. That alone makes this unique. Also what a creative team. I have been loving Dan Watters and Ram V’s current noir series so we know they can work well together. I enjoyed the previous Dracula series but I am more excited for this since this is a brand new story. That allows for so much more room in the storytelling department.
Writer: Mark Russell
Artist: Michael Allred, Laura Allred
Publisher: DC Comics
Solicitation: MARK RUSSELL AND MIKE ALLRED DELIVER THEIR UNIQUE TAKE ON THE DARK KNIGHT! Guilty as charged! When a young and aimless Bruce Wayne finds himself incarcerated, he looks for a way to shorten his sentence and return to his charmed lifestyle. Little does he know, that signing up for a tour with the army in Vietnam will change him forever. Witness the birth of the Bat under the watchful eye of the one-and-only Sergeant Ra’s al Ghul!
Why it Made the List: It is nice when the things you are looking forward to do not disappoint. When issue one of this series came out it topped this list and I rather enjoyed that issue. It was not what I was expecting but in a good way. It took the Batman mythos we know very well and made one small but significant change. Bruce Wayne simply was not there when his parents died, so it impacted him very differently. Bruce was not as haunted by their death as he has been with past Batman stories. I do not mind it when creators or even filmmakers adjust a character to fit the story they want to tell. It simply needs to make sense and they need to see it fully through to the end. Such was the case with the first issue. We have a different Bruce Wayne but we have a valid reason for it, and that change opens up so much room to tell a different type of Batman story. That’s not easy to do. Also, it helps it looks so good! Michael and Laura Allred have been doing this for decades and they have not lost one step.
Writer: Michael Moreci, Alex Segura
Artist: Geraldo Borges
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
Solicitation: A new era for the iconic detective starts here, from bestselling and acclaimed authors Alex Segura and Michael Moreci, as an all-new, noir-infused chapter in the Dick Tracy legacy kicks off with superstar artist Geraldo Borges. In the aftermath of World War II, the country stands frozen–waiting for the next shoe to drop. In The City, a brutal murder draws the attention of rising star detective Dick Tracy, who soon discovers the bloodshed is just the beginning of a complicated web that threatens to ensnare everything he cares about. Blending the classic elements of the Dick Tracy world (including his iconic villains, supporting cast, and unforgettable watch radio) with a hardboiled and realistic take, DICK TRACY #1 kicks off a fresh and modern take on the iconic detective that remains true to his rich history.
Why it Made the List: This week what is old is new again as one of the most iconic comic book characters of all time is returning for a brand new series. I love that this is coming out from Mad Cave Studios who have had quite a year this year. Michael Moreci and Alex Segura are two writers I greatly respect and know they are taking the responsibility of writing a Dick Tracy story rather seriously. This is not just an attempt to cash in on a name. They have reverence for this character and want to showcase why Dick Tracy is such a great character for a new generation. My experience with Dick Tracy is rather limited so I am eager to get a chance to start on a new ground floor. Can’t wait to see what they do
