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First would like to apologize for missing last week. As is sometimes the case issues with life things came up and did not get a chance to write up the Top 10. I am back now and a good week to come back. One thing I have to bring up is a bit odd. When I started doing this I expected people to have different opinions than what was included on my list. What I did not expect was having different answers for the actual week a book is being released. For example, some books on this week’s list were released to some stores already last week, but for other stores, they are not coming out until this week. We have gotten to the point where we can’t even agree on the week a book is released. Kind of the state of comic book distribution at the moment sadly. So to keep things easier I am going off of LeagueOfComicGeeks.Com because it makes the most sense. With that said, onto this week’s list.
(Editor’s Note: Solicitations are provided by the Respected Publishers)
10. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Nightwatcher #3
Writer: Juni Ba
Artist: Fero Peniche
Publisher: IDW
Solicitation: In the wake of the M-Bomb that was dropped in Union Square over a year ago, many New Yorkers’ lives were turned upside down as they struggled to adapt to their new normal as human-born mutants. As the social media circus descends on a new mutant who turned to crime after her life was destroyed, Nightwatcher seeks to find her first and discover the full story. The supposedly simple case rapidly gets more complicated as more details are revealed, though, and it’s up to Nightwatcher to determine who truly needs justice.
Why it Made the List: When Jason Aaron took over The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles a question became what would happen to the character Jennika. All the focus was on the brothers and not much mention of her. Well we can now see why she has gotten her own series, and it has given her the opportunity to grow even more as a character. Also, appreciate the way this has taken on the idea of a vigilante hero as it shows it is a bit more complex, especially in a place where Mutants have become disenfranchised. Juni Ba has also had quite the year as well with this book and The Boy Wonder. He has quite the handle on the superhero genre as he has found new ways to approach classic stories.
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Diego Olortegui
Publisher: DC
Solicitation: THE NEW ERA OF THE JSA BEGINS HERE! Long-time fan favorite characters Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Jade, Obsidian, Jesse Quick, Hourman, Ted Grant, and Sandman are all back on the roster as DC’s first super team faces their greatest and most personal challenge yet. Will golden age ideals hold true in a world recovering from the events of Absolute Power? Or do they need a more hardcore approach to stand a chance against the new Injustice Society of America?
Why it Made the List: DC is firing on all cylinders these last few weeks and the hope is this series will continue that trend. Jeff Lemire is one of my all-time favorite comic book writers so that has me thinking we are heading for another great book. Lemire has kind of told JSA stories in the past with his Black Hammer Universe and those were great. Some of the best superhero stories we got in the past decade in fact. Writing for DC does come with more constraints so it is a different type of challenge. Either way, his sensibilities as a writer should work well for these characters. Personally I would rather the JSA exist within the time of WWII or just after. We got two great mini-series that showed why these characters shine in that era. This is clearly more modern day but it also includes some more recent characters. Maybe the mix of old an new will be just what this team needs.
Writer: Zack Kaplan
Artist: Fico Ossio
Publisher: Dark Horse
Solicitation: A Viking never vacates a fight, wicked horrors and all, for only a true warrior enters Valhalla. Armed with the shocking truth about her family’s immortality, Frey questions her lack of agency in her family’s past. But when she is trapped by her father, she faces the ultimate test: to sacrifice her lover’s life over her freedom.
Why it Made the List: So how brutal has this comic been? They are not holding back when it comes to these Vikings. So much brutal combat in such a short amount of time. I am here for it. Rather enjoy the different takes on Viking lore as well as we have gotten a version of Thor and Erik the Red. The more this story goes on the more I wonder how the protagonists may have a chance to survive. Creating stakes is one of the biggest challenges for a story, and this has that because the odds appear unimaginable to overcome. So far I have enjoyed the mixture of both story and action that has made this series a standout. Zack Kaplan keeps rising on my list of writers whose work I enjoy.
Writer/Artist: Jamie McKelvie
Publisher: DSTLRY
Solicitation: London, 1900. The capital hums with the energy of the new era, but something darker lurks beneath the surface. A monstrous figure stalks the city’s criminal underworld at night, leaving a trail of bloody corpses in its wake. Rumors about the mysterious killer spread like wildfire. It’s a demon. A phantom. An angel of vengeance.
Nothing can kill it. Nothing can stop it. And once it picks a new target, well, he better have a coffin picked out, because he’s already dead.
The only clue that a baffled police force has to work with is the black and white feather left on each corpse, leading the press to dub the killer The Magpie. Is the Magpie killing at random, or is there a pattern that no one else can see? Three individuals, strangers to each other, might together have the answer.
Madame Hendrikov, the Russian medium with an upper-class clientele desperate for the secrets of the dead. Bess Turner, the East End barmaid caught up in the schemes of an organized crime gang. And Ignatious Thorn, the world’s most famous consulting detective, brought to ruin by horrific tragedy.
Why it Made the List: DSTLRY continues to garner great talent for their books. Cannot think of the last comic I read that Jamie McKelvie has done, especially when it came to one he did the artwork for her. The Wicked + The Divine was a special series so after that anything McKelvie does I am checking out. The one question is if there is any rust. Can he jump back to the medium like no time has passed? My guess is the mind wonders while you are away with the amount of ideas you would like to explore as a creator. Now McKelvie has his chance to put pen to paper once again. Cannot wait to see new McKelvie artwork.
Writer: Jordan Thomas
Artist: Daniel Gete
Publisher: Oni Press
Solicitation: In the year 2142, the future isn’t looking too bright! If you haven’t had your daily dose of dystopia, writer Jordan Thomas (The Man From Maybe) teams with artist and rising star Daniel Gete (Über) to deliver it to your local comic shop in the next mind-bending chapter of the sci-fi mega epic that will leave you shocked, appalled, and begging for the next nail-biting installment!
As DIC agents Brisson Eckis and Sheen Corfer, aka the “Skin Police,” delve deeper into their official investigation to locate several potentially homicidal renegade clones known as “Dupes,” they manage to extract some information that may prove vital in their search. However, their findings may lead them to more than they can possibly handle!
Meanwhile, hunted and on the run, freshly discovered Dupe Lacey Dodd — newly delivered from imminent termination at the hands of the Skin Police — finds herself an unwitting guest of the enigmatic Heath Noxxon, leader of the Dupe Rebel Underground. But has she gone straight from the frying pan and into the fire?
Why it Made the List: When the first issue of this series came out I mentioned how much I was looking forward to it because of the amount of respect I have for the work of Jordan Thomas. Well, that respect only grew with issue number one. A great concept with a wonderfully designed world with so much promise. Part of that of course was the artwork of Daniel Gete. His style has a bit of a European flair as it reminds me a great deal of someone like Mœbius. The world was vivid in its design but also had some effective action scenes as well. If you are looking for something that is a bit different and if you enjoy unique science fiction adventures this would be a must-read. You can see the influences all over this book but not to the point where it feels like a rehash of what came before.
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Esad Ribić
Publisher: Marvel
Solicitation: EARTH SURRENDERS?! Overwhelmed by Xenomorphs, the survivors abandon their home planet! But so many are dead. So many wounded. And a terrifying few… CHANGED. The Avengers… must avenge.
Why it Made the List: Who would win in a fight? This a question you see thrown about a lot online, and one I respond to with, whoever the creator wants and whatever makes the best story. So what happens when we get one of those stories? So far it is a comic that is so much better than it has any business being. That’s largely because of the creative team involved. Ribić is as great as ever and his style is perfect for this type of story. His characters have a heft to them so these alien creatures look like immovable objects bent on destruction. Matched with the colors of Ive Svorcina it gives the issue a level of gravitas worthy of the best of this franchise. It’s been a while since the last issue and my hope is the wait will be worth it. I have faith that will be the case.
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Rafa Sandoval
Publisher: DC Comics
Solicitation: SUPERSTARS JASON AARON AND RAFA SANDOVAL UNLEASH A SHOCKING NEW TAKE ON THE LAST SON OF KRYPTON! Without the fortress… without the family… without a home… what’s left is the Absolute Man of Steel!
Why it Made the List: As I mentioned previously DC is firing on all cylinders at the moment. A big part of that has been the Absolute Universe. I enjoyed Absolute Batman, Absolute Wonder Woman more, and maybe if all goes well Absolute Superman even more. For one Superman is my all-time favorite DC hero, and we have already seen Jason Aaron write a really good Superman story to start the year with Action Comics. Now I have some concern. I really hope we do not get a ‘dark’ Superman because we have gotten so many of those as of late in and outside of DC. So far the Absolute universe has been much more than simply a ‘darker’ universe. It’s different for sure, and perhaps a bit more mature. However, this is not the 2000’s version of the Ultimates–at least so far. Can the Absolute Universe go 3 for 3? We shall see.
3. Something is Killing the Children #0
Writer: James Tynion IV
Artist: Werther Dell’Edera
Publisher: Boom Studios
Solicitation: It’s been 5 years since the smash hit Eisner-winning series Something is Killing the Children changed the world of comics; now, 40 issues later, a new chapter from the past is revealed.
Witness this crucial untold story within the vast Slaughterverse, detailing the mission preceding the fateful Archer’s Peak Saga, where the entire story began.
The Eisner and GLAAD award-winning team of James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera invite fans into this intimate untold chapter of the monster hunter that sliced her way into the hearts of readers everywhere, along with the celebratory Something Is Killing The Children cover month celebrating the franchise’s 5th anniversary.
Why it Made the List: Is this the last issue of Something is Killing the Children? Why do I say that? Well, this series has been in this interesting holding pattern lately as we got a series of one-shot stories, and now we are getting a zero issue. It’s also playing up the five year anniversary as we get a story we never got before. This story that has been driving this series since the start. So once this is told where else can this go? I could be wrong, and maybe I have what happened with Local Man #25 on my mind. For those who do not know that series possibly ended without telling anyone. Something is Killing the Children is probably the most popular indie book since The Walking Dead so maybe it will go out like that did without any notice. Even if I am wrong about that I am excited to see this story be told. Honestly, …hope that I am wrong.
Writer: Rick Remender
Artist: Max Fiumara
Publisher: Image Comics
Solicitation: The blockbuster hit series returns with the first issue of the biggest chapter yet! Pigeon’s quest for revenge escalates with terrible ramifications, Soluna learns a secret that leads her to the hardest choice of her life, and The Foreman’s new mission leads to a clash of gods in this explosive, action-packed first issue of the new chapter!
Why it Made the List: One of the best series in comics today is making its return, and Max Fiumara is also returning as the artist. Could not be happier. Rick Remender may be having a better Comic Book year this year than anyone else. So many of his books are part of my favorite series of the year, and if not for Grommets this would be on top of the list. The craft in this book has been so good and Max Fiumara has impressed with these creative god designs. The last issue was a major build-up to what was about to happen and smartly we got a few months to wait for those next major moments. It was a tough wait but I have a strong feeling it will no doubt be worth it. Seeing this massive critique of the way the most powerful treat those in need is as important as ever, especially considering what is taking place this week.
Writer: Deniz Camp
Artist: Juan Frigeri
Publisher: Marvel
Solicitation: ULTIMATES ASSEMBLE TO TAKE DOWN THE HULK! The entire roster of THE ULTIMATES unites for the first time in this high octane, climactic conclusion of the first arc! Iron Lad has a plan to defeat the Hulk, the most powerful and imposing member of the Maker’s Council — but has he gotten his team in over their heads?
Why it Made the List: With Absolute Superman, I mentioned how the Absolute universe is not just a dark more mature version of stories we have gotten before like much of the 2000’s Marvel Ultimate universe. You know what else isn’t that? The current Marvel Ultimate universe. This is less a reflection of past Marel stories and more creating a new lens of what the Marvel Universe would have looked like if it was originally created now rather than over sixty years ago. The Ultimates has been at the forefront of creating that universe and by doing so giving us some of the most refreshing takes on the superhero genre I have seen in a Marvel comic in ages. This is a book with something to say, but most importantly it is a book with a good story to tell. All of that has made it one of my favorite books right now. We have seen the last few issues the team forming and now they have their first major threat in The Hulk. This could be a deadly issue for sure.
