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It’s such a great time to be a Comic Book fan. Last week was such a major week and when I look at this week’s books it doesn’t seem like anyone is slowing down. So if you listen to someone who does a YouTube channel about comics and just spends their time saying how awful things are do yourself a favor and stop it. They are just lying to you because being miserable is an easy way to get people to pay attention to you.
(Editor’s Note: Solicitations are Provided by the Respected Publishers)
Writer: Matt Bors
Artist: Fred Harper
Publisher: Ahoy ComicsÂ
Solicitation: You remember him from the classic films, animated series, and action figures — now America’s grossest icon returns to comics! A train hauling chemical waste derails in Tromaville, NJ, transforming bullied teenager Melvin Junko into the massive, mop-wielding Toxic Avenger. Pulitzer finalist Matt Bors (The Nib, JUSTICE WARRIORS) and artist Fred Harper (HIGHBALL) deliver a TOXIE reboot brewed especially for the 21st century!
Why it Made the List: If memory serves me correctly this is the first time Ahoy Comics has done a Licensed Book. I have nothing against Licensed Comics, as this list will attest to, but I wonder what it was about this property that got the interest of Ahoy Comics. Considering Ahoy focuses mainly on humor books a property like this makes sense. Sadly my experience with The Toxic Avenger is mostly with the 90’s kids’ cartoon, but I am still interested to see how it works with the comic book form. Ahoy is one of my favorite publishers and I trust them when it comes to a comic like this. I do not believe they would move forward with it unless they felt strongly they had the right team to make it work. Hope it works out for them and Toxic Avenger fans.Â
Writer: Brian Azzarello, Stephanie Phillips
Artist: Danijel Zezelj
Publisher: DSTLRYÂ
Solicitation: Writers Brian Azzarello (THE BLOOD BROTHERS MOTHER, 100 Bullets) and Stephanie Phillips (Grim, Harley Quinn) team up with artist Danijel Zezelj (Nostalgia) & colorist Lee Loughridge (Deadly Class) to create a masterfully crafted flip book, housing two enthralling stories in one! Infamous thief Bobby Flame and his crew meet an unexpected hurdle while trying to rob a former prison planet… the prisoners are still alive more than 200 years later and immortality is not all that it’s cracked up to be! Ravaged by time, the prisoners look like the monsters they were always accused of being, and they want Bobby’s spaceship. With a way off the planet finally presenting itself after centuries, CJ and the other prisoners will stop at nothing to gain their freedom. LIFE is presented as a flip book, housing one story from two different points of view. A prison break and a heist both offer interlocking narratives, creating an immersive experience that will challenge your perceptions of justice while begging the immortal question, “Who really wants to live forever?”
Why it Made the List: Brian Azzarello and Stephanie Phillips are two creators I greatly respect but I never expected their writing styles to compliment each other nearly as well as they do. To do a flip book like this takes craftsmanship. You need creators who are working together in every facet of the story. Based on the first issue that has been the case. I am not sure how many people will get this reference but there was a movie several years ago called Vantage Point that took one event and told multiple stories just from the perspective of different characters. Always thought an idea like that would make a great comic and that is what is happening here. It is one of those situations where you start with a really good concept and then have the creative team necessary to execute it well.Â
Writer: Declan Shalvey, Sal Crivelli
Artist: Luke Sparrow
Publisher: DynamiteÂ
Solicitation: The plans to kill Sarah Connor and her son John have failed, but the genocidal Skynet isn’t out of options yet. There are still a few more avenues into the past that will allow it to destroy the human resistance that is poised to smash its processors into silicon shrapnel — it just needs to expand its theater of operations.
Opening a new front in the war, Terminators are dispatched across the globe and throughout time to target current resistance fighters, their ancestors, and anyone else unlucky enough to be in the strike zones. And while none of these secondary assignments are as straightforward as the missions of the first T-800 and T-1000, time is literally on the machines’ side. When all of history becomes a war zone, nowhere — and nowhen — is safe!
Why it Made the List: Another licensed book makes the list. I told you I had nothing against them, as long as they are well made. So why do I think this will be well made? Mostly due to the involvement of Declan Shalvey who is an industry veteran and has given us so many great comics over the years as a writer and artist. Unlike Toxic Avenger I am a big fan of the Terminator franchise and even love a lot of movies others don’t. My only concern here is when it comes to the art. Nothing against Luke Sparrow I am simply not aware of his past work. Dynamite does not always get the strongest artists on their properties. My hope is considering the eyes that a Terminator comic could bring they enlisted a quality artist this time.Â
Writer: David Pepose
Artist: Jonathan Lau
Publisher: DynamiteÂ
Solicitation: After the shattering events of issue #5, Robo-Corp is working hard to keep the forces of the Galactic Federation busy and distracted. To that end, they’re bringing in their heaviest hitter to aid in their evil scheme – MOLTAR!
Award-winning writer DAVID PEPOSE (Punisher) and superstar artist JONATHAN LAU (Vampirella Strikes) ratchet up the tension in Space Ghost #6 – aided and abetted by arresting covers from FRANCESCO MATTINA, JAE LEE & JUNE CHUNG, BJORN BARENDS, and the debut of ANTHONY MARQUES and J. BONE!
Why it Made the List: I still cannot get over how good this comic has gotten. I have enjoyed a lot of David Pepose work, however, I thought there would be a limit to how good a comic based on Space Ghost could get. Otherwise, why have we gotten so little of them over the years? Maybe it just needs the right creators who believe in the material to make it click. We have gotten that with this group. I mentioned that sometimes Dynamite struggles to find the right artist to put on certain properties. Jonathan Lau has been great for this run. He’s made this world his own while staying true to the classic designs. This run has shown how to pay respect to a classic property while creating something new for a modern generation.Â
Writer: Josie Campbell
Artist: Alessio Zonno
Publisher: Boom! StudiosÂ
Solicitation: Victory came with a heavy price, as Trini and her team won’t have the future together they’d dreamed of!
What will friends who consider each other family do when they have to face… each other?!
Murdering them is certainly off the table, and it will take everything Trini has in her to avoid the unthinkable, and survive her own new team from hell!
Why it Made the List: I was super happy to see this was already coming back. I enjoyed I Heart Skull-Crusher since issue one but was not sure how well it would do with the Comic Book audience. Apparently, it was successful enough to make this an ongoing so now it is back. I did not expect it to return until next year considering that late change. Alessio Zonno I guess works quickly so it only took a few months to make a return. Despite the speed, her work does not look rushed at all. She was a revelation with the first arc with a style full of energy with clear Manga influences. Now that the first run helped establish this world they get to expand it further here. Being a sports-centric story gives them a lot of room to grow so looking forward to seeing what they have in store.Â
Writer/Artist: Jeff Lemire
Publisher: Boom! StudiosÂ
Solicitation: Jeff Lemire continues his monumental new creator-owned series, as Theresa enters the frightening memories of the dead, searching for peace for a desperate client of her late mother.
Liminal and lacking luminance beyond her darkest nightmares, the trance she’s trapped in is unfortunately exactly where she needs to be.
However, Theresa’s anger and unhealed past, combined with the revelation of magic being very real, will do more than muddy the waters, not to mention a dark figure trailing her from just beyond the light’s edge.
Why it Made the List: Reading the first issue of this series right away it is clear this is leaning into the strengths of Jeff Lemire as a creator. A story about a broken person returning home to her broken family in what appears to be a broken town. Lemire’s artwork is so perfect for this type of thing. His character’s lives are written on their faces. The sadness and the melancholy, but you also get those glimpses of warmth that you and the characters so desperately want to cling to. As a Lemire fan, this gave me everything I was looking for. The story elements and emotional core I expect from him with the opportunity to tell a new story that is just not a rehash of past tales. Unspuriisingly I am ready for this journey to continue and for this to probably break me emotionally.Â
Writer: Ryan North
Artist: Ivan Fiorelli
Publisher: MarvelÂ
Solicitation: The World’s Smartest Man (Reed Richards, universally acknowledged) and the World’s Hottest Man (Johnny Storm, self-proclaimed) are home alone. Their only job is to make sure nothing untoward happens to the farmhouse while everyone else is away. But when Reed develops a magic detector that goes haywire when pointed at a specific spot in their basement — and Johnny convinces him that they should absolutely start digging up any and all cursed objects they find — things quickly spiral out of control. Will Reed and Johnny accidentally open a hellmouth underneath dear old Aunt Petunia’s farmhouse? (Yes.) Will they be able to close it and fix everything before the rest of the FF return? (That’s much less certain.) Ghosts and demons star in this special Halloween issue, narrated by both Johnny AND Reed!
Why it Made the List: Fantastic Four #25 caused a lot of controversy in the comic book world, mostly from people who did not read it or read comics in general. Personally felt it was a story that continued the exact themes the Fantastic Four were founded upon, and simply a great issue top to bottom. One of the best single issues Marvel has put out this past year in fact. The only reason this is not higher is because part of anticipation is that element of concern that what you are waiting for will not turn out the way you hope. It’s that risk of failure where the excitement part comes from. Now that we are twenty-six issues into this run I feel safe saying the worse we will get with this issue is a very good story. The average story during this run is far better than most books on the shelves. Maybe that means I am taking it for granted. There may be truth in that, but that’s also why Best of the Year lists exist. This will definitely be all over any list like that…well the ones I create at least.Â
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artist: Nick Dragotta
Publisher: DC Comics
Solicitation: BATMAN LEGEND SCOTT SNYDER AND ICONIC ARTIST NICK DRAGOTTA TRANSFORM THE DARK KNIGHT’S TALE FOR THE MODERN AGE! Without the mansion… without the money… without the butler… what’s left is the Absolute Dark Knight!
Why it Made the List: Last week we got an idea of what should be in store with the Absolute Universe with the DC-All In special. I thought it was a rather well-made comic, especially from an artistic standpoint. It dove a bit deeper into the DC multiverse mythos than I prefer but at least we know why this new universe is being created and it opens up so many opportunities. I know some are not sure about Scott Snyder doing more Batman comics considering his long history with the character. I understand that concern but at the same time when you have a project this big you want a mind that can be the guiding light for others to follow beyond. Few better to do that than Snyder. What I am super excited to see is Nick Dragotta on art duties. Loved his work in one of my All-Time favorite series East of West so happy to see him placed on such a big project.Â
Writer: Daniel Warren Johnson
Artist: Jason Howard
Publisher: Image ComicsÂ
Solicitation: THE SECRET ORIGIN OF STARSCREAM
After the stunning events of his battle with the Decepticons, Starscream has been left for dead. Now the secret to surviving the future may be revisiting his shocking past…
Why it Made the List: After twelve issues and quite the closing finale of the last arc I would expect most comics to take a bit of a break. Transformers is not like most comics. It does appear the story will take a step back focusing on the origin of Starscream. He is one of the best characters of this entire franchise so it’s time he got the chance to be the star of an entire issue. That is coming at the right time. This gives audiences another chance to catch their breath before things get crazy again. We also have another change in art duties with Jason Howard taking over. When Jorge Corona took over I wondered if the series would take a step back. That was not the case and eventually, Corona made this book his own. Howard is another proven artist so I feel safe the quality will not take a step back. Also, it helps Mike Spicer remains as the Colorist. He has been the unsung hero of this run.Â
Writer: Deniz Camp
Artist: Juan Frigeri
Publisher: MarvelÂ
Solicitation: ULTIMATE HAWKEYE TARGETS CAPTAIN AMERICA! Hawkeye No More? Not for long! A new challenger approaches when an unknown civilian picks up a discarded bow and arrow — and refuses to let the Ultimates reclaim the stolen Stark Tech! Captain America tries to settle the dispute, leading to an action-packed brawl of arrows versus shields! Meanwhile, the Ultimate Hellfire Club is up to something…
Why it Made the List: I mentioned with Fantastic Four how a big part of anticipation is the chance of failure. The worry that something will not work out because you are not fully sure what to expect. With this Ultimates run thus far Deniz Camp and a group of great artists have truly been creating a brand-new Marvel universe by taking chances. The last issue for example was one of the most disturbing Marvel comics we have seen in ages. Before that issue, we got quite a new spin on She-Hulk and the idea of gamma radiation. Now we get a new Ultimate Hawkeye and once again I have no idea what to expect. Will this Hawkeye start as a villain like what occurred with the original Hawkeye? This has also been the most I have enjoyed Captain America in a Marvel comic in some time. Fantastic Four is easily Marvel’s best comic right now but I would argue this is the most ambitious mostly because it has the room to be in a way no other series does. I get the sense they are only getting started. That’s the most exciting part.
