Tag Archives: lando

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Spider-Man 2099: Dark Genesis #1

The weekend is almost here! Who’s taking part in Free Comic Book Day this Saturday? What are you excited for? Sound off in the comments! While you wait for the weekday to end and the weekend to begin, here’s some comic news and reviews from around the web.

Kotaku – Legendary Horror Manga Creator Is A Little Worried About AI Artwork – Meh? Not really? They can copy, not create.

Book Riot – Queer Superhero History: The First Trans Characters in Comics – Some cool comic history.

How to Love Comics – How Marvel Comics Created The Star Wars Expanded Universe – Some more cool comic history.

Reviews

CBR – Edge of Spider-Verse #1
CBR – Spider-Man 2099: Dark Genesis #1
CBR – Star Wars: Return of the Jedi – Lando #1
The Beat – Step By Bloody Step

Review: Lando #3

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lando003The relaunched and revamped Star Wars universe, as told in the pages of Marvel Comics, has been one with a focus somewhat away from where one might expect.  The main Star Wars series has focused on the regular selection of heroes, but the miniseries have featured characters that might be considered to be a bit odd for choices to headline a series.  This is no more true than with Lando.  Although Leia was an odd choice for her own series, it was nonetheless one which featured one of the core group of characters, but although Lando played an important later on in the original trilogy, he is not completely in the core group.  A part of the problem of the previous comic series and expanded universe properties, at least to some, is that it deviated a bit too far away from what was the true essence of the Star Wars universe, but the new series have proven that there are still a lot of great stories to be told while staying closer to the original source material.

So far Lando has managed to get himself out of trouble by agreeing to steal a spaceship, which in turn got him into a lot more trouble after he found out that the spaceship belongs to Emperor Palpatine.  Much of this issue deals with the direct impact of the last panels of the second issue, when Lando found a pair of Imperial Guards awaiting him inside the vault of his new ship.  A lot of this issue is thus a battle scene between Lando’s two melee experts and these guards, though the plot is filled in a bit more with the bounty hunter that is sent after Lando.

This series is once again showing that the direction of the now canonical comic series is heading in the right direction.  There is not much here which is trying to redefine the Star Wars universe, or to send it off on some tangent, but rather the focus is on telling engaging and fun stories within this continuity.  This issue stumbles a little bit as it loses some momentum with the battle sequence, but still keeps the series moving along well.  After all, this is not meant to be a defining Star Wars experience, rather a complementary one, and it succeeds at being that.  It helps, not hinders, the main story telling of the movies and offers insights into bypassed characters along the way.

Story:  Charles Soule Art: Alex Maleev
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5  Recommendation: Buy

 

Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

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Cyborg #2 CoverWednesdays 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.

Brett

Top Pick: Cyborg #2 (DC Comics) – The first issue of the series was a fantastic start, and I’ve been eagerly awaiting the second. Writer David Walker seems to have addresses a lot of past issues with the character in the first issue, while also setting him on an interesting course too. This is a comic I keep checking the release schedule to see if it’s out, that’s how much I want to read it.

Prez #3 (DC Comics) – The first two issues have had me laughing, and they’re turning out to be really prescient when it comes to the future of politics and elections. Not sure if I should keep laughing or be really scared.

Princeless: Be Yourself #3 (Action Lab Entertainment) – Writer Jeremy Whitley nails it issue after issue, in this series which is so far ahead the rest of the comic industry as far as characters and themes. Girl power!

Snowden (Seven Stories Press) – Ted Rall chronicles the history of Edward Snowden and the NSA leak.

Zodiac Starforce #1 (Dark Horse Comics) – A new girl power comic that feels like a mix of Sailor Moon, Jem, and a lot of other series that are just awesome. This was an indie comic, and got picked up by Dark Horse, so it’s fun to see it also go from a small press comic to a full blown one. The first issue is all set-up and pretty entertaining.

 

Alex

Hank Johnson: Agent Of Hydra #1 (Marvel) – The preview pages j have seen of this comic looks absolutely fantastic. The idea of the behind the scenes look at the regular lives of some of henchmen in the worlds premier villainous organisation is really intriguing, and I’m sure there’ll be some interesting. Guest stars.

Old Man Logan #4 (Marvel) – I hadn’t realized just how much I missed reading about Wolverine until this series came out. Whilst I’m glad he hasn’t been resurrected for no reason, it’s nice to get some more time with one of the more interesting incarnations of Wolverine, too.

 

Edward

Top Pick: Hacktivist Vol 2 #2 (Archaia/BOOM! Studios) – The sequel series opened on a high note, and it looks like it will maintain the same tempo.

Batgirl #43 (DC Comics) – A new story arc for this standout series. Not much seems capable of stopping the momentum of this series.

He-Man: Eternity War #9 (DC Comics) – Every issue leads to a bigger turn of the plot. No idea what is coming this time, but it will be big again.

Mulan Revelations #3 (Dark Horse) – The first two issues have been heavy on style and a bit lighter on substance, but the concept is so cool that it deserves a chance to get settled.

Star Wars: Lando #3 (Marvel) – This series has been non-stop fun, proving that Lando should never have been a secondary character.

 

Elana

Top Pick: NEXT Wave: Collected Edition (Marvel) – The hilarious, highly political superhero team satire series featuring Monica Rambeau (formerly Photon or Capt Marvel) is out in a nice complete collection. The biting commentary and creativity of this series is renowned. From dream team Warren Ellis and Stuart Immonen.

Cyborg #2 (DC Comics) – This series is already a standout for having unusually astute analysis of blackness and also about disability. It develops Victor Stone aka Cyborg as a fascinating hero in his own right and as far as I can see it even resolved some of the previously problematic aspects of the character: (read about those problems in Robert Jones Jr’s essential essay “Humanity Not a Included“). I’m ecstatic to have an African-American writer on this title. David Walker’s story is potent scifi that works on metaphorical level and well as on a narrative level. He references Invisible Man– which has needed to happen in a Cyborg story for decades. It’s a can’t-miss series.

Grayson #11 (DC Comics) – In this issue Grayson fights himself. Or someone pretending to be him. I love Huntress in this series acting as his spy master. I totally respect this comic’s dedication to a female and queer male readership that too many series ignore.

Lumberjanes #17 (BOOM! Box/BOOM! Studios) – New story arc featuring our favorite feminist summer camp adventurers. Please get your kids reading this book. It’s groundbreaking and fun and fabulous. And read it yourself for swells of nostalgia for a relatable yet fantastical children’s story that I wish I’d had when I was little.

Review: Lando #2

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lando002When Disney acquired the rights to Star Wars, fans knew that there was change underway for the related comics.  As been previously published by Dark Horse, there was going to be change underway as Disney associated Marvel picked up the rights to the sci-fi space opera franchise.  While some change was to be expected, the degree of change maybe was not.  First of all, it was declared that all new Star Wars content from that point forward would become canon, something which fans had always been cautious about under Lucas as a kind of shell game with his different classifications of Star Wars continuity.  It was bittersweet as some beloved Expanded Universe content was lost, but at least fans knew that they could fully invest in what was to come.  There would be no more Ewoks movie or Droids cartoons to confuse what belonged in the continuity and what not.  While this was an interesting enough change in itself, the next interesting change was the focus.  While there was to be a main series featuring the regular heroes, other characters were also getting their own spin-off series, though the choices might have seemed strange.  Darth Vader, Princess Leia and then Lando, one of whom was the villain, and the other two, who while liked, were often not the most liked.

While the idea of a Lando miniseries might have seemed weird at first, the impression lasted only into the first pages of the new series.  It was an unconventional choice, but it worked, and for the reasons that good stories often work, as stories need either strong characters or a strong concept, but work best with both, and the series proved that it could handle both.  The plot was simple enough, Lando was owing the wrong people a favor and the payoff meant simply to steal a ship from a shipyard.  The problem which was unknown beforehand was that the ship was the Emperor’s personal and that the thievery would set off immediate repercussions.  This issue deals with those repercussions, as it plays out mostly as a space chase sequence reminiscent almost of the pursuit off of Hoth in Empire Strikes Back.

Once again this series proves to have a winning formula.  The medium of comics is perhaps not the best suited for the grand scale of Star Wars, but this compensates well for it.  The space chase sequence is well executed despite the two dimensional nature of the medium, but it is made up for with a neat twist and excellent artwork.  On the whole this series is an unexpected success, with moments in the first two issues that surprise and keep the reader guessing where it is going.  The Marvel Star Wars team finds itself another hero in Lando, and proves that there are still lots of good stories to be told in a galaxy far far away.

Story:  Charles Soule Art: Alex Maleev
Story: 8.8 Art: 8.8 Overall: 8.8  Recommendation: Buy

Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

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PhonogramIG01_CoverWednesdays 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.

Brett

Top Pick: Americatown #1 (Archaia/BOOM! Studios) – It’s the near future and the US has gone to crap causing Americans to flee the country and become undocumented immigrants in others. This story focuses on a town in Brazil that’s risen due to this. A fascinating comic with both social commentary and family at the heart of it.

Descender #6 (Image Comics) – Jeff Lemire’s mysterious sci-fi series has been mesmerizing in both story and the art by Dustin Nguyen.

Letter 44 #19 (Oni Press) – Is it time for President Blades to surrender and end World War III? Does he have more fight in him? Writer Charles Soule always seems to have a twist I don’t see coming in this futuristic sci-fi political thriller. Plus there’s that whole astronauts dealing with aliens far away from Earth thing too.

Phonogram: The Immaterial Girl #1 (Image Comics) – I haven’t read the first two volumes, but I’m looking forward to seeing what the praise and hype is all about.

Rebels #5 (Dark Horse) – Writer Brian Wood has been digging into the American Revolution, and giving it a personal touch by focusing on just a few individuals and not being bogged down by grand plans and battles. It might be taking place in the past, but the series is relevant to the world today.

 

Alex

Top Pick: Howard The Duck #5 (Marvel) – I have no idea what’s happening in this series half the time, but I absolutely love it. There’s the kind of humour I love peppering each issue, from the front cover right to the end. It’s always a happy Wednesday when I get to pick this up.

Batman #43 (DC Comics) – Of the two titles staring just Batman (this and Detective Comics), Scott Snyder’s writing is putting this comic head and shoulders above the other. Snyder is the bet writer to tackle the Dark Knight in years, and I love Greg Capullo’s art work.

 

Edward

Top Pick: Star Wars: Lando #2 (Marvel) – The first issue of this series was surprisingly fun and with a great twist of an ending. It will be interesting to see where it goes from here.

A-Force #3 (Marvel) – One of the more interesting concepts for a Secret Wars series gets its third issue. The first was so-so, the second was a lot better, how will this one turn out?

The Beauty #1 (Image Comics) – The emphasis on beauty is always an issue in modern society, and so it will be interesting to see what the take is on it in this series.

Gotham Academy #9 (DC Comics) – There still hasn’t really been a missed opportunity so far in this series, and that will likely continue here as the gang faces a werewolf.

String Divers #1 (IDW Publishing) – Now that Ant-Man made miniaturization cool again, we might see more stories like this, about a group of scientist fighting supernatural threats at the microscopic level.

 

Elana

Top Pick: Phonogram: The Immaterial Girl #1 (Image Comics) – This is one of the best comics series of the 00s and now it’s back. Everyone who loves music needs this comic, even people who don’t read comics. Here’s my short review of issue 1. I’ll be writing a bigger piece soon because it’s worth it!

A-Force #3 (Marvel) – Interesting premise. Female characters that I can’t get enough of like She-Hulk and Dazzler and a school of Namors. The story presents a mystery intriguing enough that I keep buying this book even though I can’t deal with the outfit they put Nico in. I’m sorry but not only is her get-up impractical it’s not even goth. Nico would never wear that. But buy this anyway because it’s a lot of fun.

Catwoman #43 (DC Comics) – Spoiler is back! Series writer, the awesome Genevieve Valentine was our podcast guest last night. We think she’s doing outstanding work and taking the characters in directions that make sense yet are 100% unlike what we’ve seen before. In this issue Steph wear’s a Black Canary band t-shirt and Selina wears more contour because clothing should reflect the people wearing it damnit! Love this book.

Constantine: The Hellblazer #3 (DC Comics) – Now the great ConJob is heading back to London. That city is full of bad memories for him and it looks like he’ll be getting help from an interesting new character. This series keeps gets better with each re-reading so I expect issue 3 to be the best yet.

Gotham Academy #9 (DC Comics) – Olive and Maps are starting to have her own Scooby Gang whether they want it or not (Maps does, Olive says she doesn’t, which is why she needs it most of all). Look at all of these adorable children! They keep melting my stoney heart with their cuteness and feelings and mystery solving and angst.
Mr. H

Top Pick: Batman #43 (DC Comics) – The new Dark Knight Jim Gordon’s maiden voyage continues. He’s got the tech does he got the stuff? Meanwhile the mystery of Mr. Bloom starts to grow. Oh yeah that Bruce Wayne guy shows up to give some pointy eared advice too.

DC Comics: Bombshells#1 (DC Comics) – Tales of mighty maidens from WW2 era. Very historically retro style book coming our way. Plus who doesn’t want to see A League of their own style Batwoman?

JLA: Gods and Monsters #1 (DC Comics) – The creative team from the hit movie gives us the backstory on how this big Three got together. All I know is I can’t get enough of Bekka as Wonder Woman!

Secret Wars #5 (Marvel Comics) – In Doom we trust. I sure do. Nuff Said.

Paul

Top Pick: A-Force #3 (Marvel) – She-Hulk has broken the biggest rule of Battleworld…no travelling between regions. And now the Thors are coming! This is a fantastic story with the ladies of Marvel, and as I’ve said before, anything wit She-Hulk front and center is great. If you’re not reading it, go get issues #1 and 2..I’ll wait…go now!

Secret Wars: Battleworld #4 (Marvel) – I have really enjoyed this book, giving us 2 shorter stories showing us characters and areas of Battleworld not explored in the main books. This is the last issue in this series, so I’m very interested to see what final stories will be told before the end of Secret Wars.

Star-Lord and Kitty Pryde #2 (Marvel) – Issue #1 was a fun, light hearted story in-between all the darker stories being told in Secret Wars. Peter is an anomaly that Kitty will not let out of her sight…and Peter wouldn’t have it any other way. Will she take him back to Valeria, or keep this discovery for herself?

Pharoah

Top Pick: The Beauty #1 (Image Comics) – In a time where dystopia and vanity is all over mass media, this comic hits it right on the nose, as the creators imagine a world where beauty can come to anyone as sexually transmitted disease, WHOA!!!

Doctor Who: Four Doctors #1 (Titan Comics) – All I have to say , what happens when you have the 10th, 11th and 12 doctors join forces, is a whole lot of quips and more than quadruple the trouble

Phonogram: The Immaterial Girl #1 (Image Comics) – I love McKelvie and Gillen’s work on everything they have done so far, as music and magic are one and the same in this world, as the buys kick off a brand new arc

Providence #3 (Avatar Press) – Alan Moore, continues his exploration of all that makes Lovecraft, a master of what he did, as Moore and Jacen Burrows only furthers the unsettling discovery.

King Tiger#1 (Dark Horse) – who does not love a good old kung fu movie, as this comic, has all the makings of a classic Shaw Brother movie.

 

Troy

Top Pick: A-Force #3 (Marvel) – One of the more interesting Secret Wars tie-ins in my opinion. A-Force continues the story of an elite team of female avengers as they continue to unravel the curious mysteries of Battle World.  Knowing that the A-force brand and team will continue post-battleworld this is sure to be a rewarding read to invest in!

Inhumans Attilan Rising #4 (Marvel) – With the upcoming Inhumans movie, and seeds planted on the television series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., The inhumans are poised to make a big splash in the MCU over the next few years. A traditionally reclusive community the ensuing emergence of the Inhumans both on the small screen and the big screen makes a surreal parallel to the source material. Now  is very good time to learn about them and see what makes them so amazing. Who wants to get me some Terrigen crystals this Christmas?

Secret Wars # 5 (Marvel) – Despite achieving some manner of Godhood the chinks in Dr. Doom’s Deistic armor are starting to show. Last issue hinted at a showdown between Doom and his longtime rival Reed Richards. There’s definitely something epic about an impending battle of wits between a God and Mortal who are in a lot of respects equally matched. I can almost hear Michael Buffer’s clarion call in the distance. Impatiently awaiting this cosmic scale knock down drag out J

Review: Comic Block July 2015

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Comic Block is the newest subscription box from Nerd Block. Although I once subscribed to Nerd Block, it has been awhile since I stopped that subscription. Once I’d heard about the new Comic Block they were offering, I figured I’d give it a try. For $13.99 a month plus around $9 in shipping (to Canada), it seemed like pretty good value for three comics, a t-shirt and a “comic themed collectible.”

I got my third Comic Block in the mail today. Was it as good as the others?

image2

Not the best quality picture, but you get the idea of the contents.

First things first, if you tally up the price tag value of the items that you can, it’s definitely worth the price of admittance. The t-shirt alone is priced at $20 according to the tag, and then we have the comics that come in at around $12, but with one of them being an exclusive variant cover, the actual value may, or may not, be higher in time. The comic themed collectible this month is an Iron Man coaster, and is probably valued generously at about two or three bucks.

So is the third Comic Block any good?

The t-shirt is okay, and while I enjoyed Ant-Man I’m largely indifferent to the design. It’s certainly not bad, though, I’m just not as in love with this design as I was the previous two. The shirt quality is good, though, and your own preference on a side profile of the helmet may differ from my own. If nothing else this will make a great lounging about t-shirt.

Of the comics included in this block, Marvel’s offering is Lando #1 (a $4 comic) which I honestly had no intention of ever reading simply because even though I enjoy Star Wars, I’m not a big fan and I don’t care enough about Lando Calrissian to want to read about him in a comic book. The second comic comes from IDW and DC in the form of the first issue (and exclusive variant cover) of the Star Trek/Green Lantern crossover, and to be honest this comic holds less interest for me than Lando #1. Leaving the best for last, we have the Dark Horse offering included is Negative Space #1 (valued at $4), and this is a comic I’m excited about. The blurb on the included card makes this comic look very interesting and is easily the best of the bunch for me.

The comic themed collectible, as has already been mentioned, is an Iron Man Arc Reactor coaster. It isn’t anything I’d have ever purchased myself, but as a bonus in an already value packed Comic Block? I’m indifferent to it. I’ll use it at some point, I’m sure.

Last month, I wasn’t too happy with the bags and boards included with the comics; while they protected the comic once opened they were essentially unusable again. This month the cellophane was still there from Star Trek/Green Lantern and Negative Space, but Lando had an actual bag and board included, which was nice.

Obviously this block wasn’t my favourite.

While I’m happy with Negative Space, the other two comics I don’t care about and I didn’t love the t-shirt as I did in the past two months. The collectible I already expected to be a box filler, and I wasn’t wrong. The being said, the same three comics might be exactly what you wanted to read, so your opinion might be totally different to mine. This kind of service is entirely judged based on opinion; no, the contents weren’t my favourite, but I’m not going to decry the value of the box

All in all, even though this Comic Block continues to deliver in terms of value, I’m going to cancel my subscription going forward. I’ve already detailed the down side to Comic Block, and so I may look elsewhere for my subscription box needs, or I may simply live without for awhile.

At the end of the day, though would I still recommend this block?

Well there is no question that the value is there, but when it comes to the comics it’s unlikely you’ll ever get a full story in any of the comics; almost every comic I’ve received has been part one of something – which is great because you’re never thrown into the middle of a story, but not so great if you can’t finish every story you start. This block isn’t for me any more, but only you can make that choice for yourself. So, ultimately, yes, I’d still recommend this box.

But, if you do sign up then you can use MSA10 as a coupon in order to save 10% off when you sign up (for any Nerd Block box), courtesy of My Subscription Addiction.

Also posted on Ramblings Of A Comics Fan.

Unboxing: Nerd Block’s July Comic Block

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In April, Nerd Block​ announced their newest addition to their box offering, Comic Block​! Created specifically for comic fans, the first one featured a t-shirt and numerous exclusive variants.

It’s the third month, and the question is, can it be as good as the first? Well, we’ve got another t-shirt, one exclusive variant, two other comics, and more! So, yeah not too shabby for the price.

Check out everything you get in the second box, and you can sign up now and purchase the next Comic Block.

 

 

 

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site.

Around the Tubes

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San Diego Comic-Con is over, and while I make my way back to the East coast and recover, here’s some news to keep you busy.

Make sure to come back throughout the day too for tons of news and reviews. SDCC is over, but we’re not slowing down!

Around the Tubes

Paste Magazine – Matt Kindt Announces Dept. H, A Deep Sea Survivalist Murder Mystery – This sounds awesome.

Press Telegram – Comic-Con 2015: Long Beach mayor is a nerd — and it’s awesome – Cool!

Newsarama – Barnes & Noble To Double Size of Graphic Novel/Manga Section – This could be good news.

Comics Alliance – CBS ‘Supergirl’ Adds Peter Facinelli as DC’s Maxwell Lord, Livewire and Reactron to Come – Cool.

ICv2 – Milestone Returns to DC – Woo hoo!

 

Around the Tubes Reviews

Comic Vine – Archie #1

Talking Comics – Lando #1

Talking Comics – Venture #1

Review: Lando #1

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landoThere might have been those that though that the idea for a Lando based series might be kind of weird.  After all the character was not very much involved in the Star Wars movie, hovering somewhere between a secondary character and a main one.  He acted mostly as a villain in Episode V, but after redeeming himself at the end of the movie he went on to help to save Han at Jabba’s Palace before being the one to blow up the Death Star.  Although he ended up playing a big enough role in the movies, he also never really became much of a fan favorite.  He was liked well enough, just he never really got the same following as someone like Wedge Antilles or Boba Fett from among the secondary characters in the Star Wars universe.

As with the other comic series set in the new canonical Star Wars universe, the new series is set at some point between episodes IV and V.  Lando is a ne’er-do-well, a thief trying to find out his next score in order to settle his old debts.  It takes him into the hands of an Imperial governor, where he uses both seduction and charm in order to retrieve an item of some value.  It becomes not the solution but rather the source of his problems, as his debtor decides that the payment is not enough, rather that Lando owes him one more job.  It is an easy enough score, to free a ship from an Imperial shipyard, the only problem becomes how it is defended and who it belongs to.  Along the way he recruits some allies as well as his companion Lobot as they attempt to steal something which they probably should not.

There are those that might think that his stories alone might not be enough to lead a series though would probably be mistaken.  There are still a lot of fertile ground for stories in the Star wars universe, even if the old expanded universe is gone, replaced with stories that stick a bit closer to the script.  What makes this story work so well though is the story, as it is not so much focused on the Star Wars universe, but rather acts as good story which would work in any sci-fi setting, only here the players are already defined.  It is also nice how this first issue manages to expand on the role of Lobot, especially the loyalty which he and Lando have for one another.  As with the Princess Leia series which didn’t seem like it would work, but ended up being pretty good, this series starts out on the right foot and looks like a promising and entertaining series.

Story:  Charles Soule Art: Alex Maleev
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5  Recommendation: Buy

Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

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Archie2015_01-0Wednesdays 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.

Brett

Top Pick: Princeless: Raven, the Pirate Princess #1 (Action Lab Entertainment) – The excellent series Princeless gets its first spin-off series focused on Raven, the Pirate Princess. The fundamentals are here, this time looking at swashbuckling tales. Raven must seek revenge against her brothers who have stolen her rightful place out from under her.

Archie #1 (Archie Comics) – This is huge! Archie is kicking off a whole new era with Mark Waid and Fiona Staples at the helm. This is one folks will be talking about.

Invader Zim #1 (Oni Press) – Jhonen Vasquez’s creation is back in a new comic. This is one I’ve been waiting for ever since it was announced. It’s kind of hard to not like the cartoon it’s based on, and expect this to be a hit.

Star Wars: Lando #1 (Marvel) – Everyone’s favorite scoundrel is back and in his own mini-series. Marvel has been killing it when its come to their Star Wars comics, and I expect no difference here.

Transference #1 (Black Mask Studios) – This is an interesting time travel series that is a hell of a mind bender in the first issue alone. There’s subtle things throughout the first issue that makes it stand out from the other special teams as time travelers story. A solid first issue.

 

Alex

Top pick: The Fox #4 (Dark Circle Comics) – If you’re not reading The Fox, you’re missing out. Plain and simple, this is one of the best comics on  the rack every month.

Batman #42 (DC Comics) – Although I’m not a big fan (yet) of the Bat-bunny-mech suit, I’ve got more than enough faith to see how Snyder plays this out.

 

Edward

Top Pick: Wonderland #37 (Zenescope) – There has hardly been a misstep in this series since the change of direction under the new creative team.  The series never fails to impress and surprise and that will continue here with a new story.

Archie #1 (Archie Comics) – There is finally a lot of buzz for this publisher, and it comes in the form of a revamped Archie.  No one quite knows what that means yet, but we will know soon.

Bloodstrike #1 (Image Comics) – Rob Liefeld causes a riot any time he works on comics, as he has fans and others who are pretty much the opposite of fans.  This is his best setting though, with nothing to prove and his imagination to fuel him.  How will the new sci-fi series work out for him?

Civil War #1 (Marvel) – One of Marvel’s most contentious crossovers meets the Secret Wars world.  The mix is not an obvious one, but neither have a lot of crossovers that have involved strange mixes thus far.

Gotham Academy #8 (DC Comics) – Olive returns to Gotham’s most interesting school.  A one issue break (plus the break for Convergence) means that she has been gone for a while, and it will be interesting to see what her return means for this series.

 

Elana

Constantine the Hellblazer #2 (DC Comics) – Funny, pretty, creepy, creative and hey everyone— it stars a bisexual character who’s not treated as a joke or fetishized!  More please!

Also props on the diverse creative team behind the comic, which may have something to do with the diversity inside the comic. PS, co-writer Ming Doyle was one of our podcast’s all time best guests. Go listen to her!

Gotham Academy #8 (DC Comics) – This book is one of the most creative things coming from DC. This issue is Olive’s mysterious Mother’s funeral. I’m gonna say it’s all Batman’s fault because he has a terrible track record with people with mental health issues.

Princeless: Raven, the Pirate Princess #1 (Action Lab Entertainment) – The name says it all. Charming, feminist, racially diverse. The number one book for kids of all ages including kids with mortgages. The new art is stronger then ever!

Storm TPB Vol. 2 (Marvel) – Storm’s first solo series was groundbreaking. If you like Storm at all, or just want to see more comics featuring women of color buy this! The story explores her personality, playing her off against some interesting foes and even more interesting friends. And the Gambit team-up is so much fun it’s criminal!

 

Paul

Top Pick: Age of Apocalypse #1 (Marvel) – I collected every issue of Age of Apocalypse when this storyline came out a million years ago.  This, to me, was one of the best X-Men runs ever released.  And I cannot wait to see the AoA region of Battleworld.  I know it won’t be exactly like the original run…but I am so excited to see these versions of the X-Men again.

Civil War #1 (Marvel) – Another storyline given a region in Battleworld, and I’m looking forward to it.  So much happened in the original run of Civil War, so I’m looking forward to reading a story where the war never ended; see what allegiances were formed, which fell apart…and who survives to see it end.

Runaways #2 (Marvel) – I really enjoyed the first issue of this series.  I’ve always enjoyed books focusing on the younger heroes of the MU (New Warriors, Young Avengers, Runaways), and I liked how this tie-in to Secret Wars took  some of my favourite heroes (Cloak and Dagger especially) and took them back to school, literally, to find their way in this new Battleworld.

 

Mr. H

Top Pick: Batman #42 – Capullo. Snyder. Every issue in this run has been white hot. I have no reason to believe the train will slow down. I don’t even want to buckle in!

Batman/ Superman #22 (DC Comics) – Gordon vs. Kent round 2. Can these two get on the same page so the World can have a Finest again?

Civil War #1 (Marvel Comics) – Where it all went wrong the first time, I’d like to see how they try to correct their mistakes or are they doomed to repeat themselves?

Spider-Man: Renew your Vows #2 (Marvel Comics) – This is the Spider-Man that I have waited for since the return of Norman Osborn wayyy back in the pages of Spider-Man #75. Last issue was very disappointing. I’m hoping Slott gives Peter the reunion with his daughter he deserves. Give him a happy ending for once!

TMNT Color Classics Series 3 #47 (IDW) – Classic Eastman/ Laird in color? Hell yeah. Loving this trip down memory lane!

 

Pharoah

Star Wars: Lando #1 (Marvel) – Definitely had my interest piqued when I saw it in Previews for this month’s solicitations. He is probably one of the coolest characters within the Star Wars Expanded Universe, and now he gets his own graphic treatment, the only thing I can say truly, it is about time!!!

1872 #1 (Marvel) – I love the exploration of alternate universes with familiar characters, and this is definitely one to watch out for, as they got the Avengers living in the Wild Wild West

Archie #1 (Archie) – When you have the top talents of Mark Waid of Empire fame and Fiona Staples of Saga fame, working on one of comics’ most iconic characters, it is more than worth a look.

Providence #2 (Avatar) – Alan Moore and Jacen Burrows, are reviving Lovecraft in the most exciting way possible, as he has made the mythology scary again for all of us. I have not loved a Moore series as much as I loved this one, definitely his best work yet.

Star Trek/Green Lantern #1 (DC Comics/IDW Publishing) – This team up has been creating a huge amount of buzz since it was first announced and as a fan of both franchises, it reminds me of the Batman/Spawn crossover.

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