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.
Brett
Top Pick: Mike’s Place: A True Story of Love, Blues and Terror in Tel Aviv (First Second) – The graphic novel recounts the true story of a suicide bombing at Mike’s Place, a bar where people of all persuasions get together to enjoy music and beer. It’s beyond moving, and hits you with a punch to the gut. Just an amazing example of using graphic novels to recount real life and history.
Batman #41 (DC Comics) – James Gordon in a robot/mech Batman suit? Yes please! Scott Snyder has been an amazing writer on Batman and it’s sure to look amazing with Greg Capullo on art. The all-new Batman makes his debut! What happens next? This is the new era in Gotham and it looks awesome.
Captain Marvel and the Carol Corps #1 (Marvel) – They are the elite. The best of the best. Kelly Sue DeConnick and Kelly Thompson take Carol Danvers and her team of elite pilots into Secret Wars. It looks awesome. Beyond awesome.
The Disciples #1 (Black Mask Studios) – In the near future, Dagmar, Rick, and Jules, intrepid private eyes/bounty hunters, have been hired by a high ranking Senator to retrieve his teenage daughter who’s run off to join a mysterious religious cult. The latest from Steve Niles and Christopher Mitten.
Starve #1 (Image) – In a world torn apart by starvation and rising water, Chef’s are stars, especially one. This is the story of a popular cooking competition television show, and its star who wants to bring it down.
Edward
Top Pick: Gotham Academy #7 (DC Comics) – This title was an unexpected standout before Convergence, and while the crossover might have lost a bit of momentum for the title, it remains to be seen where the series can go from here, especially with the addition of Damian Wayne.
Captain Marvel and the Carol Corps #1 (Marvel) – Marvel has to get the ball rolling after giving Carol her own movie, but previous attempts have not always gone so well. With budding superstar writers Kelly Sue DeConnick and Kelly Thompson on board this might be the vehicle to put Carol where she belongs.
Silk #5 (Marvel) – Flying under most people’s radar is the most engaging of all the Spider-books, and Marvel’s most intriguing Spider-Woman.
Starfire #1 (DC Comics) – Starfire gets her own ongoing series for the first time ever. It will be interesting to see if the series’ less serious tone can stand a chance against other titles.
Starve #1 (Image Comics) – From a near future where humanity is obsessed with celebrity and looser with the laws, a celebrity chef returns to an unexpected challenge.
Elana
Constantine the Hellblazer #1 (DC Comics) – I’m going to have to come clean: I never read Hellblazer. I mostly know John Constantine via Swamp Thing and his various guest appearances over the years plus the recent television show which we reviewed the earlier part of. Occult detective/conman/former punk band frontman is a great logline if I ever heard one. He’s just the sort of character I’d enjoy reading (and not only because we have a good amount of music collection overlap and bi-solidarity and whatnot).
So, I can’t wait to check out this series premiere by artist and now writer, Ming Doyle. She’ll be our podcast guest on Monday! Doyle’s created some of the most beautiful and singular art in comics so while I’m a bit sad that there’s someone else on art duties, Riley Rossmo‘s art looks evocative and unique too. Co-writer is James Tynion IV.
1602 Witchunter: Angela #1 (Marvel) – Now here’s an alternate history Secret Wars book I can’t wait to read! It sounds sword and sworcery-ish and a whole lot of fun. Writers Marguerite Bennett, Kieron Gillen and artists Stephanie Hans and Marguerite Sauvage set up what looks to be a lovely package of King James England era heroics. I found the story in the other costume period drama Secret Wars book underwhelming: a faux Medieval themed Young Avengers-y book. But I have faith in these creators to put together something worthy of this stunning cover.
Gotham Academy #7 (DC Comics) – Did you hear? Bruce Wayne’s son Damian is now enrolled in Gotham Academy! He’s going to keep tabs on our misadventuring cohort of rebellious and lovable kids and keep them out of trouble. Or maybe just scowl and act aloof. It’s anyone’s guess!
Jack Kirby: Kamandi Artist Edition (IDW Publishing) – You really love me, right? You know how happy it would make me to get this gorgeously put together compendium of one of Kirby’s later masterpieces? Kamandi is/was “The Last Boy on Earth!” an inspiration for characters like the beloved Finn the Human of Adventure Time. Put it on your gift lists now because it’s going to be beautiful.
Silver Surfer #12 (Marvel) – This series has been fantastical with some of Allred’s most creative art in years. But the series is about to end. The previews make this story look like our heroes are trapped in a dream of some kind. Lots of time and space paradoxes have sprung up of late in this book. I feel like the previews are lampshading Dawn becoming the new Silver Surfer. That would be a pretty wild conclusion!
Pharoah
Top Pick: Ghost Racers #1 (Marvel) – This the title I have been looking forward to since it was first announced, as every Ghost Rider that has ever existed or ever even mentioned now compete against each other against all odds for freedom.
Injection #2 (Image) – When Warren Ellis and Declan Shalvey left Marvel’s Moon Knight last year, one could only wonder hat this dynamic duo would be doing next. I can only say they did not disappoint , with this series so far, the first issue was a gut punch, the second issue , can only be an uppercut.
Red Hood & Arsenal #1 (DC Comics) – Out of the DC YOU reboot going on at DC, this sounds like one of the more promising titles, as Red Hood has become a fan favorite, now teamed with rogue hero, Arsenal, definitely sounds like a lot of fun, as these two fight against the underworld of the DC Universe.
Starve #1 (Image) – I have been interested in this series since it was first introduced at Image Expo and Brian Wood has never disappointed since his days working on the landmark, DMZ. A story that sounds like Masterchef meets Survivor, pretty cool.
Weirdworld #1 (Marvel) – Part of the Secret Wars titles , but written by Jason Aaron of Southern Bastards fame and art by Mike Del Mundo, defintely one of the more interesting series to crop out of this Marvel event about a new character named Arkon, a medieval warrior type.
Following on the potential for the mini-reboot in the post-Convergence DC Universe comes this series, ostensibly what is left of Red Hood and the Outlaws after Starfire was split off for her own series. The series of Red Hood and the Outlaws followed a strange course. The first issue was one of the most discussed about issues in modern history, up there with the first issue of Spider-Woman, and specifically because of its portrayal of its female main character. While the series maintained what was usually a sophomoric approach to story telling, it did improve over time, and the initial controversy faded over what became the three characters gelling together.
