Wednesdays are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in!
We’re bringing back something we haven’t done for a while, what the team thinks. Our contributors are choosing up to five books each week and why they’re choosing the books.
Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.
Alex
Top Pick: The Paybacks #2 (Heavy Metal) – If you read nothing else this week, read The Paybacks. It’s a brilliantly written series that should be on your pull list.
4001 A.D. #4 (Valiant) – Valiant’s summer event comes to a close with this issue, and having already read it, it’s a very satisfying conclusion. Every bit as good as I wanted it to be.
Bloodshot Reborn #16 (Valiant) – This is one of the best-looking comics around right now, and is worth reading just for the art. Fortunately, Jeff Lemire’s Groundhog Days meets Survivor story is violently captivating.
Howard The Duck #10 (Marvel) – It’s a shame this series is coming to an end, and while I’m not sure when that’ll happen exactly, I’m going to enjoy each issue we get until the series is no more. Howard the Duck has been a brilliant read each month partly because of Chip Zdarsky’s jab at almost everybody, and partly because of the way the comic pokes fun at itself.
Predator vs Judge Dredd vs Aliens #2 (Dark Horse) – A concept that’s as jaw dropping as having peanut butter on a hamburger – and just as delicious. No, don’t eat the comic. Read the comic, eat the peanut butter burger, love both.
Jason
Top Pick: Art Ops #11 (Vertigo) – Guest artist Rob Davis pits the Art Ops team against a centuries old monster, from a legendary artist rumoured to have painted deaths very essence into a painting in “The Boy Who Painted Death”.
My interest in Vertigo’s Art Ops waned for a few issues when Mike Allred’s art was restricted to him contributing covers, and this month’s inclusion of Warhol’s Silver Clouds means two of my favourite pop artists in one. This might not be a problem for everyone, but I’m a sucker for Allred’s insane pop art style so the change was slightly jarring at first. Even with Brundage taking over full-time art duties, bringing a much rougher hewn style to the page, Art Ops continues to be inventive both in its storytelling and visuals to bring us a true sleeper hit.
Howard The Duck #10 (Marvel) – The penultimate issue before we have to say goodbye again to the avian detective and Zdarksy’s hilarious run before he heads off to more cosmic affairs with Star Lord later this year. Last issue saw Howard deep in full meta commentary territory, with ratings chaser Mojo addressing his sporadic appearances in the Marvel Universe over the years. Issue ten promises the reveal of the mastermind behind the ducks most recent series of misadventures. A series that’s continued to be both hilarious and subversive, so let’s hope we aren’t waiting as long for another writer to realise Howard’s potential.
All-New Wolverine Annual #1 (Marvel) – In the wake of Logan’s death readers saw Laura Kinney, formerly X-23 taking on the mantle of Wolverine, seeking out clones of herself and aiming to help them whenever possible. An exciting series from the start, Marvel have cemented her as the new Wolverine by embedding her deep into the post Secret Wars landscape with Laura joined by a number of allies this year from Doctor Strange, The Wasp and even Old Man Logan as she unravels the mystery behind her “sisters”. The first Wolverine Annual is no exception, with fan favourite Spider-Gwen swinging in for an all new story with the character find of the year, Jonathan: Actual Wolverine.
Anthony
Tokyo Ghost #10 (Image Comics) – It’s bittersweet that this will be the final issue of Tokyo Ghost for the foreseeable future. This series has done a great job at tackling and questioning a lot of present day problems, even with the futuristic setting. The creative team have been showing us a very terrifying and perhaps more overtly technologically hypnotized society that still parallels in many ways to the present day. The drama is greatly balanced with comedic moments and a truly emotional relationship between Debbie and Led.
Saga #37 (Image Comics) – Saga is back! The gorgeous wraparound cover by Fiona Staples just elevates the hype for this arc in what sounds like will be an even more escalated situation after Hazel was finally reunited with her parents.
Afterlife with Archie #10 (Archie Comics/Archie Horror) – It’s always a good week when there is a new issue of Afterlife with Archie. Afterlife appeals to both fans and non-fans of Archie with its more dramatic, darker tone that is filled with surprises each and every issue. Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa has been scripting some great character pieces that heighten the relationships between each of the teens and adults of Riverdale unlike ever before. It’s also pretty hard to say no to Francesco Francavilla’s art that is just perfect in the horror setting. This issue looks to focus on the origin story of Josie and Pussycats.
Brett
Top Pick: Secret Coders Vol. 2: Paths & Portals (First Second) – Gene Luen Yang and Mike Holmes’ graphic novel series that teaches people to code while being entertained returns! The second volume is just as fantastic as the first, upping the mystery but more importantly it also includes multiple instances where it teaches you to code. Yes, even my 30 something self learned some skills! A perfect blend of entertainment and education.
Rough Riders #5 (Aftershock Comics) – The series that blends history and weirdness continues in its fun ways and I can’t wait. The comic is really entertaining and this issue has Teddy Roosevelt fighting the infamous Battle of San Juan Hill, but there’s also Thomas Edison, Annie Oakley, Harry Houdini, and Jack Johnson, all on their secret mission.
The Paybacks #2 (Heavy Metal Comics) – One of my favorite comics of the last year. The first volume was hillarious and this second volume looks to be just as good. This is superhero comedy at its best.
Skip to the End #1 (Heavy Metal Comics) – Jonny Wells desperately wants to relive his grunge rock royalty past. As bassist of Samsara, he craved the Rock’n’Roll lifestyle that eventually claimed the life of the band’s visionary lead singer and his best friend. Now a VH1 cautionary tale of drug addiction and self-loathing, Wells trades his smack for an old battered guitar, and discovers that returning to his former glory days are only a few chords away. Literally.
Tomboy #7 (Action Lab: Danger Zone) – This series is under the radar unfortunately and people need to find out about it! It’s a mix of superhero/manga/Japanese horror with a teenage girl at the center of it all as a vigilante out for revenge to kill the people who killed her friend.
It was new comic book day yesterday! What did everyone enjoy? What didn’t you? Sound off in the comments below! While you decide on that, here’s some comic news and reviews from around the web in our morning roundup.
There are three publishers that are currently telling, or have told, an event story this year; Valiant, Marvel, and DC.
Policy’s review of the third issue was less than glowing
By not having a traditional summer event, per se, DC have had the most critically successful summer from either of the Big Two in a long, long time. But comparing Rebirth to either Civil War II or 4001 A.D. is like comparing chalk and cheese. When DC decided to have another reboot (or was it a de-boot?) instead of following the pattern of the past decade of miniseries event story followed by negligible change, when DC decided to erase the controversial New 52 reboot from 2011, rather than use another Flashpoint style storyline explaining how and why it would happen, DC just bloody did it. No need for fans to buy another six issues telling us how the Flash would change history that we could just read about online and get the gist of the story, instead DC published an 80 page single issue for $3 – and that was it. With one issue, the publisher changed everything.
The ultimate battle is here as Rai and Father clash among the stars for the final fate of the future…and Earth along with it! As New Japan’s despotic ruler and its former protector enter their final showdown, will the orbiting satellite nation finally fall back to Earth? As the war for 4001 A.D. claims lives on both sides, who will live to greet the brave new world that lies ahead? And what will become of Rai, of Father, and civilization itself? The Valiant Universe of 4001 A.D. is forever changed right here as forces new and old prepare to rise from the ashes of New Japan!