Deadpool #7
(W) Alyssa Wong (A) Luigi Zagaria (CA) Martin Coccolo
Rated T+
In Shops: May 31, 2023
SRP: $3.99
TO KILL THE KILLER OR BE KILLED!
What does a trained killer do when trained killers try to kill them? Naturally, they try to kill those trained killers first. That’s right – the hunter becomes the hunted and then becomes the hunter again because, duh, he’s Deadpool, killing is his answer to most problems.
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #32
(W) Alyssa Wong (A) Minkyu Jung (CA) Jung-Geun Yoon
Rated T
In Shops: May 31, 2023
SRP: $3.99
LUKE SKYWALKER: FRIEND OR FOE?
After the fallout of HIDDEN EMPIRE, DOCTOR APHRA is at a crossroads. Who better to help her with that than…LUKE SKYWALKER?!
Mystical manipulator Agatha Harkness is conjuring up a Contest of Chaos and some of Marvel’s biggest heroes, including A-Listers, fan favorites, and rising new stars, will be forced to compete!
Crafted by writer Stephanie Phillips, Contest of Chaos will be an interconnected saga told across eight thrilling Annuals starting in August. Featuring the writing and art of various all-star industry talent, each Contest of Chaos Annual will spotlight an intense showdown between two characters as the forces of chaos compel them to go head-to-head! Throughout the eight over-sized issues, Phillips and artist Alberto Foche will reveal more and more of Agatha’s twisted scheme in bonus backup stories.
Recently rejuvenated and more powerful than ever, Agatha has more stake in the future of the Marvel Universe than ever before, and readers and characters alike are about to see just how committed she is to reshaping Marvel magic! The drama kicks off in next month’s Scarlet Witch Annual #1, a Contest of Chaos prelude issue, by Scarlet Witch writer Steve Orlando and artist Carlos Nieto. After stealing something dark and dangerous from her former pupil, Agatha unleashes her corruption on various unsuspecting heroes!
Here are the matchups fans can look forward to in the coming months:
SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #1 – SPIDER-MAN VS. WOLVERINE!
Writer Stephanie Phillips kicks off the Contest of Chaos alongside artist Alberto Foche! First on Agatha’s list is Spider-Man, whose regular day is turned upside down when he involuntarily walks through a portal to a remote, magical city…and is attacked by Wolverine!
IRON MAN ANNUAL #1 – IRON MAN VS. STORM!
Writer Jason Loo and artist David Cutler bring you a clash of titans you won’t want to miss! When the forces of chaos move upon our heroes, the past, present and future come crashing in on them – and only one can emerge victorious! The might of human ingenuity versus the power of the natural universe.
FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL #1 – GHOST RIDER VS. THE HUMAN TORCH!
Writer Zac Gorman and artist Alan Robinson bring the Fantastic Four into the mayhem when the Human Torch is pitted against Johnny Blaze! It’s flame versus hellfire when the two heroes face off – but who will emerge victorious?!
MOON KNIGHT ANNUAL #1 – MOON KNIGHT VS. TAEGUKGI!
Current Moon Knight scribe and Taegukgi co-creator Jed MacKay teams up with acclaimed artist Creees Lee for a power-packed showdown! When the champion of a god battles a godlike champion, who will win? The Fist of Khonshu faces off against Tiger Division’s fearless leader!
SPIDER-GWEN ANNUAL #1 – GHOST-SPIDER VS. WHITE FOX!
Ghost-Spider and White Fox get caught in Agatha Harkness’ tangled web in this roller coaster of a rumble by writer Karla Pacheco and artist Rosi Kämpe! Gwen Stacy technically isn’t even supposed to be in this universe, and now she’s cutting chem lab to go to…a theme park?! Wait, something doesn’t feel right here – and why is this masked fox attacking her?
VENOM ANNUAL #1 – VENOM VS. DEADPOOL!
When the forces of chaos call upon Venom and Deadpool, it becomes an issue of family – and whose deserves to win the ultimate prize. It’s symbiote might vs. frankly awesome assassin skills in an epic showdown you won’t want to miss by current Deadpool scribe Alyssa Wong and artist Sergio Dávila!
X-MEN ANNUAL #1 – CAPTAIN MARVEL VS. CYCLOPS!
The leader of the X-Men and the leader of the Avengers size each other up in this epic brawl from writer Paul Allor and Alessandro Miracolo! Drawn to the Alaskan wilderness by magic neither of them understand, Captain Marvel and Cyclops duke it out! Agatha Harkness’ plan for the Darkhold is slowly taking shape…but will it come at the expense of two of the world’s greatest heroes?! And what can an energy-blasting mutant do against a woman who can absorb the energy of the sun?!
AVENGERS ANNUAL #1 – CONTEST OF CHAOS FINALE!
Stephanie Phillips and Alberto Foche bring the Contest of Chaos to a fantastical finish as the fate of Marvel magic is decided! When Agatha pits the Avengers against the winners of the previous chaos battles, they realize they must choose between saving their friends and stopping the creation of the new Darkhold. But their choice may have consequences that no one – not even Agatha – could have imagined.
Deadpool #7
(W) Alyssa Wong (A) Luigi Zagaria (CA) Martin Coccolo
Rated T+
In Shops: May 31, 2023
SRP: $3.99
TO KILL THE KILLER OR BE KILLED!
What does a trained killer do when trained killers try to kill them? Naturally, they try to kill those trained killers first. That’s right – the hunter becomes the hunted and then becomes the hunter again because, duh, he’s Deadpool, killing is his answer to most problems.
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #32
(W) Alyssa Wong (A) Minkyu Jung (CA) Jung-Geun Yoon
Rated T
In Shops: May 31, 2023
SRP: $3.99
LUKE SKYWALKER: FRIEND OR FOE?
After the fallout of HIDDEN EMPIRE, DOCTOR APHRA is at a crossroads. Who better to help her with that than…LUKE SKYWALKER?!
Alligator Loki will star in his very own comic book this September! After making his debut in Marvel Studios’ Loki on Disney+, the reptilian God of Mischief headlined his very own Infinity Comic series on the Marvel Unlimited app. Now, this iconic and adorable troublemaker will grace the stands of your local comic shop for the very first time in September! An extra-sized one-shot, Alligator Loki #1 will collect the entirety of Alyssa Wong and Bob Quinn’s hit Infinity Comic series as well as an all-new adventure from the life of everyone’s favorite swamp-dwelling scamp!
Bow down to the reptile in a helm who has enraptured the Ten Realms…with his cuteness! First Alligator Loki chomped down on Mjolnir, and then he chomped his way into our hearts. Now, the beloved Alligator of Mischief finds – and makes – trouble all across the Marvel Universe!
Check out the cover below and see what tricks Alligator Loki has in store for Marvel’s heroes when Alligator Loki #1 arrives this September 13th.
I am not typically a DC Comics reader, but when I heard that Alyssia Wong, writer of Doctor Aphra and Deadpool was going to write a new book over at DC starring an entirely new character well, my interest was piqued. So here we are! Spirit World #1 is by Alyssa Wong, artist Haining, colorist Sebastian Cheng, and letterer Janice Chiang. Spinning out of Lazarus Planet: Dark Fate #1 the book stars the new nonbinary hero Xanthe Zhou, who has the uncanny ability to turn paper origami into tangible objects with the snap of their fingers!
As mentioned above Spirit World #1 is picking up the story from Lazarus Planet: Dark Fate #1. The issue gives the necessary context but ends up a little disjointed if you haven’t read the preceding issue. Ideally, Number #1’s are supposed to be a jumping-on point. It’s disappointing to see this issue assume you’ve read an entirely different comic that sets up this one. One of my favorite aspects of Wong’s work on Doctor Aphra was how queer the main cast is. So it’s exciting to see this book starring a non-binary hero. The issue features Cassandra Kane aka Batgirl and John Constantine alongside Xanthe. Batgirl is trapped in the Spirit World while Xanthe and Constantine work to rescue her.
In my eyes, the real draw of the issue comes with the art. Wong and Haining craft the wonderfully vibrant spirit world. It’s simply breathtaking, it feels vibrant and alive. Alive is the best word for the art of Spirit World #1. Every background is so detailed and gives off a lived-in sense. The action sequencing is dynamic and well presented as Batgirl runs around the Spirit World.
Spirit World #1 is an exciting first issue with amazing art and a somewhat rocky narrative. Luckily the issue ends on an interesting hook which I’m excited to see play out as this series unfolds.
Story: Alyssa Wong Art: Haining
Color: Sebastian Cheng Letterer: Janice Chiang
Story: 8.5 Art: 9.5 Overall: 9.5 Recommendation: Buy
DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: TFAW – Zeus Comics – Kindle
Spirit World #1 (of 6)
(W) Alyssa Wong (A/CA) Haining
In Shops: May 09, 2023
SRP: $3.99
From the pages of Lazarus Planet: Dark Fate, a new Chinese hero emerges who’s able to travel to and from the Spirit World, the realm of the dead, and that of the living. Their name is Xanthe, and their superpower is being able to burn items folded from joss paper and immediately turn them into real objects, based on the East Asian practice of burning joss paper at graveyards in order to send resources to ancestors in the Spirit World…except Xanthe can retrieve those items in the world of the living! Their weapon of choice is a large broadsword (because who doesn’t love a big sword when you can choose to use a big sword?!). Xanthe is a master of the dark arts who’s here to give Constantine a run for his money…literally. When Constantine shows up saying Xanthe scammed him into buying something, he finds them and Batgirl Cass Cain fighting an abnormal influx of jiangshi (Chinese hopping vampires) and joins in to help. But when a portal opens up that drags Batgirl into the Spirit World, it’s up to Xanthe and Constantine to travel to the land of the spirits to rescue her! Who knows what other spirits we’ll find in the Spirit World-like that skateboarding boy wearing hanfu with some headphones and a gaping hole in his chest?!
Spirit World #1 (of 6)
(W) Alyssa Wong (A/CA) Haining
In Shops: May 09, 2023
SRP: $3.99
From the pages of Lazarus Planet: Dark Fate, a new Chinese hero emerges who’s able to travel to and from the Spirit World, the realm of the dead, and that of the living. Their name is Xanthe, and their superpower is being able to burn items folded from joss paper and immediately turn them into real objects, based on the East Asian practice of burning joss paper at graveyards in order to send resources to ancestors in the Spirit World…except Xanthe can retrieve those items in the world of the living! Their weapon of choice is a large broadsword (because who doesn’t love a big sword when you can choose to use a big sword?!). Xanthe is a master of the dark arts who’s here to give Constantine a run for his money…literally. When Constantine shows up saying Xanthe scammed him into buying something, he finds them and Batgirl Cass Cain fighting an abnormal influx of jiangshi (Chinese hopping vampires) and joins in to help. But when a portal opens up that drags Batgirl into the Spirit World, it’s up to Xanthe and Constantine to travel to the land of the spirits to rescue her! Who knows what other spirits we’ll find in the Spirit World-like that skateboarding boy wearing hanfu with some headphones and a gaping hole in his chest?!
This year’s Free Comic Book Day will be packed with new beginnings including a prelude to the X-Men’s next era, Fall ofF X; an introduction to Jonathan Hickman’s bold upcoming projects, G.O.D.S. with Valerio Schiti and Ultimate Invasion with Bryan Hitch; the debut of a new Venom villain, and so much more. In addition to these exciting lead-in stories for fans and newcomers alike, Marvel Comics will also spotlight creators and characters from different cultures and communities in a special installment of the Marvel’s Voices program, Free Comic Book Day: Marvel’s Voices, and deliver all-ages Spider-Man adventures in Free Comic Book Day 2023: Spidey & His Amazing Friends #1 so that even the youngest readers won’t go home empty handed!
It’s one of the biggest days for the comic book industry, and this year promises to be the greatest one yet! Here’s what fans can looking forward to:
FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2023: AVENGERS/X-MEN #1
Be the first to arrive at this year’s game-changing Hellfire Gala in a story by the current X-Men creative team: writer Gerry Duggan and artist Joshua Cassara. This year’s HELLFIRE GALA will be more dramatic than ever, and the tragic events of the night will lead mutantkind directly into FALL OF X.
Then join Duggan and superstar artist Javier Garrón as they reassemble the Avengers Unity Squad to navigate the dangers of FALL OF X and solve the mystery of the new Captain Krakoa in a prelude story to their upcoming run of UNCANNY AVENGERS. This action-packed story will also feature the debut of the STARK SENTINELS, a new line of mutant hunters who cause major havoc on the night of the Gala and in the pages of Duggan’s INVINCIBLE IRON MAN.
And score a sneak peek at one of the most talked about launches of the year, Jonathan Hickman and Valerio Schiti’s G.O.D.S., an extraordinary epic at the crossroads of magic and science where Marvel’s cosmic pantheon will be boldly reimagined.
Written by GERRY DUGGAN & JONATHAN HICKMAN
Art by JOSHUA CASSARA, JAVIER GARRÓN & VALERIO SCHITI
Colors by MARTE GRACIA & MORRY HOLLOWELL
Cover by JAVIER GARRÓN & MORRY HOLLOWELL
FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2023: SPIDER-MAN/VENOM #1
Dive into the next story arc of Zeb Wells’ run of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN with a story that sees the return of two classic Spidey villains! Featuring incredible art by Patrick Gleason, this thrilling story also unleashes the full potential Spider-Man’s new suit!
Then, web-swing over to the symbiote side of things with current VENOM masterminds, Al Ewing and Cafu! The pair will pull back the curtain on a secret chapter in symbiote history where an experiment went horribly wrong…. Say hello to new Venom villain, FLEXO!
And get a glimpse into Jonathan Hickman and Bryan Hitch’s ULTIMATE INVASION, a saga that begins with a daring mission to revive the Ultimate Universe but ends with the promise of something all-new and vastly different than anything that’s come before…
Written by ZEB WELLS, AL EWING & JONATHAN HICKMAN
Art by PATRICK GLEASON, CAFU, BRYAN HITCH & ANDREW CURRIE
Colors by MARCIO MENYZ, FRANK D’ARMATA & ALEX SINCLAIR
Cover by PATRICK GLEASON & BRYAN VALENZA
FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2023: MARVEL’S VOICES #1
Spotlighting creators and characters across Marvel’s diverse and ever-evolving universe, this book will include a range of stories from previous Marvel’s Voices issues that star Ms. Marvel, Luke Cage, Wave, and more! Plus a brand-new Ironheart adventure by writer John Jennings and Paris Alleyne that debuts her deadly new nemesis, KHEM!
Written by JOHN JENNINGS, NYLA INNUKSUK, SABIR PIRZADA, ALYSSA WONG & CODY ZIGLAR
Art by PARIS ALLEYNE, NATASHA DONOVAN, ERIC KODA, STEPHEN BYRNE, DIÓGENES NEVES & EDER MESSIAS
Colors by ERICK ARCINIEGA, RACHELLE ROSENBERG, BRIAN REBER, FRANK WILLIAM & DIJJO LIMA
Cover by CHRIS ALLEN & PARIS ALLEYNE
FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2023: SPIDEY & HIS AMAZING FRIENDS #1
Swing into adventure with Spidey, Ghost-Spider, and Miles as they face off against Green Goblin, Doc Ock and more in this spectacular special. Filled with easy-to-read comic stories based on the hit Disney Junior show, this book is perfect for the youngest readers aged 5-7. Young fans will even be able to test their wall-crawling skills with thrilling interactive activity pages! Kids will love this not-to-be-missed comic: the perfect primer for the newest generation of Spider-Fans!
