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October 2021 Previews: Carman’s Picks

Sir Edward Grey: Archeron (One-Shot)
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Estimated release: Dec. 1, 2021
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
(W/A/CA) Mike Mignola

Hellboy is gone, and the B.P.R.D. managed to fight off the monsters on earth long enough for humanity to just barely escape underground, but Edward Grey must return to Hell to confront a familiar foe and finish what needs to be done to truly save the world.
Continuing after B.P.R.D.: The Devil You Know ended in 2019, this one-shot is written and drawn completely by Mignola with colorist Dave Stewart, featuring a cover by Mignola and Stewart and a variant cover by longtime Hellboy universe artist Ben Stenbeck.
A full issue written and drawn solely by Mignola!

I would have been thrilled with pretty much anything in the Hellboy universe written and drawn by Mignola but the fact that Sir Edward Grey: Archeron is a sequel to both B.P.R.D.: The Devil You Know and Hellboy in Hell is a heap of icing on the cake. Sure, you could leave everything how it ended in The Devil You Know, but man, I sure would love some more (new) B.P.R.D.

Swamp Thing: Green Hell #1
Estimated release: Dec. 28, 2021
Publisher: DC Comics
(W) Jeff Lemire (A/CA) Doug Mahnke

The Earth is all but done. The last remnants of humanity cling to a mountaintop island lost in endless floodwater. The Parliaments of the Green, the Red, and the Rot all agree: it’s time to wipe the slate clean and start the cycle of live over again. And to do so, they’ve united their powers to summan an avater–one of the most horrific monsters to ever stalk the surface of this forsaken planet. Against a creature like that, there can be no fighting back…unless you have a soldier who understands the enemy. Someone who has used its tactics before. Someone like Alec Holland.

Of course, it would help if Alec Holland hadn’t been dead for decades…

Jeff Lemire–the author of the smash hit Joker: Killer Smile and The Question: The Deaths of Vic Sage, along with with the graphic novel that inspired the television sensation Sweet Tooth–returns to Black Label with one of the greatest artists in modern DC history, Doug Mahnke, in tow! Together they’ll unleash a gory, gruesome monster mash, where the fate of humanity rests in the hands of someone who isn’t human at all!

So rad to see Jeff Lemire revisiting a world he helped build in his Animal Man run. Swamp Thing: Green Hell seems to be its own separate story (especially as it’s a Black Label book) but having the Green/Red/Rot is super exciting. Also, sounds a little spooky!

One-Star Squadron #1 (of 6)
Estimated release: Dec. 7, 2021
Publisher: DC Comics
(W) Mark Russell (A/CA) Steve Lieber

Who you gonna call? One-Star Squadron! Meet DC’s superhero team where heroism meets capitalism. This ragtag group of heroes led by Red Tornado is here to provide service with a smile. All you must do is send a request via their on-demand hero app and they’ll answer call. Whether’s it’s a children’s birthday part or an alien invasion, no job it too small or too big!

Brought to you by Eisner nominee Mark Russell (The Flinstones, Wonder Twins, Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles) and Eisner winner Steve Lieber (Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen), you’ll want to invest early in this one-of-a-kind miniseries that promises a story filled with heart, heroism, and humor.

With recent big-two superhero books like The Superior Foes of Spider-man and Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen, Steve Lieber has crafted this vibe of offbeat cape-and-cowl humor. I’m woefully behind on reading some of Mark Russell’s recent work but I’ve had them recommended so many times. This is a team-up I won’t be missing.

We Ride Titans #1
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Estimated release: Dec. 15, 2021
Publisher: Vault Comics
(W) Tres Dean (A/CA) Sebastian Piriz

Kaiju hit hard. Family hits harder.
Trying to keep your family from imploding is a tall order. Kit Hobbs is about to find out it’s an even taller order when that family has been piloting the Titan that protects New Hyperion from kaiju for generations. Between a spiraling brother, a powder keg of a father, and a whole bunch of twenty-story monsters, she’s got her work cut out for her.

Is it even a mech story if there’s no existential crises? Thankfully, we looked to be covered on that front with We Ride Titans.

September 2021 Previews: Carman’s Picks

What’s the Furthest Place From Here? #1
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SEP210045 (Deluxe Edition)
Estimate release: Nov 10, 2021
Publisher: Image Comics
(W) Matthew Rosenberg (A/CA) Tyler Boss

TRIPLE-SIZED FIRST ISSUE!

A postapocalyptic coming-of-age story from 4 Kids Walk into a Bank’s TYLER BOSS &
MATTHEW ROSENBERG.

The world has ended. All that remains are gangs of children living among the ruins. But Sid believes there must be something more out there. When she disappears into the wastelands, her gang will risk everything to bring her home. A story about the things that matter most-your survival, your loved ones, and your record collection.

**FOR DELUXE EDITIONS:**

The end of the world has a soundtrack.Every issue of this post-apocalyptic coming-of-age series will have an extremely limited Deluxe Edition, featuring an exclusive variant cover and a 7″ record with two songs from some of today’s best indie and punk bands, recorded especially for this project.

This issue: punk rock legend BLAKE SCHWARZENBACH (Jawbreaker / Jets to Brazil) and rising stars JOYCE MANOR bring you two songs, available exclusively with issue one.

Only available at comic shops!

Shortly into the pandemic, I decided to start a list of every comic and book I read along with every show and movie I watched (I’ve been tracking new albums I’ve listened to for the past few years). The first comic on that list is 4 Kids Walk into a Bank. I had a feeling I was going to like it — I loved it. I’m so looking forward to Rosenberg and Boss’s new project, What’s the Furthest Place From Here? There are quite a few covers for the first issue and there will be a deluxe version of each issue that comes with an exclusive 7″ record and variant cover (see more details in the bottom solicit).

Newburn #1
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Estimate release: Nov 3, 2021
Publisher: Image Comics
(W) Chip Zdarsky, Nadia Shammas
(A) Ziyed Yusuf (A/CA) Jacob Phillips

EASTON NEWBURN is a private detective without loyalties, investigating conflicts between rival crime factions while collecting enemies along the way. In this DEBUT ISSUE, a man is murdered after stealing from his own mafia family, but they aren’t the ones who ordered the hit…

This new ONGOING SERIES from CHIP ZDARSKY (Daredevil) and JACOB PHILLIPS (THAT TEXAS BLOOD) features a riveting backup story, “BROOKLYN ZIRCONIA,” by rising stars NADIA
SHAMMAS and ZIYED YUSUF AYOUB!

So you’re writing a comic with even an inkling of noir with a hardboiled detective? Get one of them Phillips boys on the phone. Jacob Phillips and Chip Zdarsky is quite the team up and I can’t wait. I love what they are doing with backup stories, as well. They’ll be off to a great start with Nadia Shammas — I’ve been eagerly awaiting Squire, the book she’s been working on for the past couple years with Sara Alfageeh.

Crema TP
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Estimated release: Jan 5, 2022
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
(W/CA) Johnnie Christmas (A/CA) Dante Luiz

#1 New York Times bestselling cartoonist Johnnie Christmas and Prism Award-nominee Dante Luiz bring you a haunted tale of love, ghosts, and coffee beans.

Esme, a barista, feels invisible, like a ghost . . . also, when Esme drinks too much coffee she actually sees ghosts. Yara, the elegant heir to a coffee plantation, is always seen, but only has eyes for Esme. Their world is turned upside down when the strange ghost of an old-world nobleman begs Esme to take his letter from New York City to a haunted coffee farm in Brazil, to reunite him with his lost love of a century ago. Bringing sinister tidings of unrequited love.

Collects the ComiXology original digital graohic novel Crema in print for the first time.

“This book is a love letter to love swathed in the richest flavor imaginable. And one that enchants and haunts you with the taste of coffee all around it.” -Comic Watch

My first exposure to Johnnie Christmas’s work was when he did the art for the Image book Sheltered which was great. Then I jumped on board when he was serializing Firebug, a book he wrote which featured in Island magazine. I loved his writing in that as well as Tartarus which is still ongoing. Also hey — it’s great to see another digital-first comic come to print.

Robin & Batman #1 (of 3)
Estimated release: Nov 9, 2021
Publisher: DC Comics
(W) Jeff Lemire (A/CA) Dustin Nguyen

The legendary story of Batman and Robin has reached nearly mythic proportions: the crime-fighting Dynamic Duo, always one step ahead of the criminals they pursue and never meeting as case too big. This isn’t that story. This is the story of a young Dick Grayson, newly orphaned, struggling to find his way in a strange, difficult, dark new world… This is the story of Robin and Batman.

The bestselling creative team behind the Eisner-winning Descender, Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen, reunite in Gotham City to tell the story of a remarkable young man learning to navigate an incredible new world!

The Descender/Ascender team are back together to do… sad Batman and Robin? Say no more.

Batman: One Dark Knight #1 (of 3)
Estimated release: Dec 7, 2021
Publisher: DC Comics
(W/A/CA) Jock

From high above the sweltering summer streets of Gotham, Batman planned to escort the GCPD as the dangerous metahuman super-villain known as E.M.P. was transferred from a holding cell to his permanent home at Blackgate Prison. E.M.P.’s electrical powers posed a threat, but the situation was in hand—until it wasn’t. Now every light in Gotham is out, the police are in disarray, and a broken, bleeding Batman must fight his way to Blackgate, block by block, dragging E.M.P. behind him. But the dark corners of Gotham hold many surprises…and E.M.P. has many more shocks to deliver before the night is through!

One of the most iconic Batman artists of the 21st century, the incomparable Jock (The Batman Who Laughs, Batman: The Black Mirror), has focused all his storytelling powers on the tale of one very, very dark night in Gotham City. It’s always darkest before the dawn—if it ever comes…

Let’s double down on Bat Family books here because Jock is coming out with Batman: One Dark Knight through DC’s Black Label imprint. Batman books are a little bit of a blindspot for me but I always make sure to grab new ones that catch my eye. Also, I’m reminded that I need to read The Black Mirror. I’ll get on it!

August 2021 Previews: Carman’s Picks

A Righteous Thirst for Vengeance #1
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Estimated release: Oct 13, 2021
Publisher: Image Comics
(W) Rick Remender (A/CA) Andre Araujo, Chris O’Halloran

A NEW ONGOING CRIME SERIES from the writer of DEADLY CLASS!

When an unassuming man stumbles upon a dark-web contract assassin’s vicious plot to kill an innocent target, he turns himself into one. The Professional meets Road to Perdition in this story of a family’s unlikely guardian being hunted by rich and powerful men who are used to getting away with everything.

Join New York Times bestselling writer RICK REMENDER (DEADLY CLASS, BLACK SCIENCE) and ANDRÉ ARA JO (GENERATION GONE, Man Plus) for a uniquely atmospheric murder mystery with sudden bouts of brutal violence.

I’m not sure if this was announced previously but A Righteous Thirst for Vengeance caught me by surprise. I’m always down for a new Remender book and I loved Araujo’s work on Generation Gone. There have been a few covers shown and they’ve all been rad. I also have a soft spot for borderline overly-wordy titles, too — looking at you We Only Find Them When They’re Dead.

Human Target #1
Estimated release: Nov 2, 2021
Publisher: DC Comics
(W) Tom King (A/CA) Greg Smallwood

Christopher Chance has made a living out of being a human target–a man hired to disguise himself as his client to invite would-be assassins to attempt his murder. He’s had a remarkable career until his latest case protecting Lex Luthor when things go sideways. An assassination attempt Chance didn’t see coming leaves him vulnerable and left trying to solve his own murder…as he has 12 days to discover just who in the DCU hated Luthor enough to want him dead.

Human Target is a hard-boiled, gritty story in the vein of classic detective noirs told by bestselling and critically acclaimed creators Tom King and Greg Smallwood.

Chances are that if you’re reading this, you’re probably at least a little bit familiar with some of Tom King’s maxi/miniseries from the past few years — titles like Vision, Mister Miracle, and Strange Adventures. With a track record like that, any new King book should be on your list. King’s background in working in counterintelligence also makes him a no-brainer for a Human Target series and if his work on Moon Knight is any indication, the same goes for Greg Smallwood.

Dirtbag Rapture #1
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Estimated release: Oct 6, 2021
Publisher: Oni Press Inc.
(W) Christopher Sebela (A/CA) Kendall Goode

She’s stoned. She’s selfish. She’s all that stands between us and the end of the world.

Where do you go when you die? Kat, a stoner with a flexible moral code, can answer that, and the answer is: not very far. Unfortunately for Kat’s peace of mind, a near-death experience has left her with the ability to see and hear ghosts, as well as take them into her “mindscape” so she can bring them to locations of their choosing, essentially playing transporter to the deceased. But when Kat discovers she’s the key to a demonic plan to screw up the whole world, she is forced to take an active role in the battle between good and evil. And she’s not thrilled about it.

Over the last few years, it feels like there are some books that you could just describe as Sebela-esque. Christopher Sebela has certainly developed his own style and it’s always a good (usually weird) time when he’s got a new book on the shelves.

Friday – Book One: The First Day of Christmas
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Estimated release: Nov 3, 2021
Publisher: Image Comics
(W) Ed Brubaker (A) Muntsa Vicente (A/CA) Marcos Martin

Collected in print for the first time-a young adult detective hero finally grows up in the first volume of this genre-defying, post-YA masterpiece from award-winning creators ED BRUBAKER (RECKLESS, FRIEND OF THE DEVIL, PULP, KILL OR BE KILLED) and MARCOS MARTIN (THE PRIVATE EYE, Daredevil).

Friday Fitzhugh spent her childhood solving crimes and digging up occult secrets with her best friend Lancelot Jones, the smartest boy in the world. But that was the past. Now she’s in college, starting a new life on her own – or so she thought. When Friday comes home for the holidays, she’s immediately pulled back into Lance’s orbit and finds that something very strange and dangerous is happening in their little New England town…

This is literally the Christmas vacation from Hell, and they may not survive to see the New Year.

COLLECTS FRIDAY #1-3.

My name is also Lancelot Jones. That’s not true, my name is in the title of this article. BUT, Friday seems like an intriguing blend of true crime and supernatural scares. I love Martin’s art and interestingly enough, I first became a fan from The Private Eye which like Friday, was a digital-only book before coming to print.

Rush #1
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Estimated release: Oct 13, 2021
Publisher: Vault Comics
(W) Si Spurrier (A/CA) Nathan Gooden

This Hungry Earth Reddens Under Snowclad Hills.
1899, Yukon Territory. A frozen frontier, bloodied and bruised by the last great Gold Rush. But in the lawless wastes to the North, something whispers in the hindbrains of men, drawing them to a blighted valley, where giant spidertracks mark the snow and impossible guns roar in the night.
To Brokehoof, where gold and blood are mined alike. Now, stumbling towards its haunted forests comes a woman gripped not by greed — but the snarling rage of a mother in search of her child…
From Si Spurrier (Way of X, Hellblazer) and Nathan Gooden (Barbaric, Dark One) comes THE RUSH, a dark, lyrical delve into the horror and madness of the wild Yukon.

I do not know anything about the Yukon so I’m counting on this seemingly non-fictional account to fill in the gaps for me. Sorry, that’s another lie. Well, not the part about me not knowing anything about the Yukon. Also, I didn’t realize the first line of the solicit above is an acrostic until I saw this rad alternate cover by Martin Simmonds.

July 2021 Previews: Carman’s Picks

Primordial #1
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Estimated release: September 15, 2021
Publisher: Image Comics
(W) Jeff Lemire (A/CA) Andrea Sorrentino

Mind-bending sci-fi collides with Cold War thriller in this six-issue miniseries by the bestselling and Eisner-winning creative team behind GIDEON FALLS!
In 1957, the USSR launched the dog, Laika, into Earth’s orbit. Two years later, the USA responded with two monkeys, Able and Baker. These animals never returned. But, unbeknownst to everyone, they did not die in orbit…they were taken. And now they are coming home.

Hey, if you’ve haven’t read Gideon Falls yet, go fix that now while we’re waiting on Primordial. It’s not been that long since Gideon Falls ended but it still felt like we’d been waiting a while to hear what this duo had in the works next. I’m so glad they’re continuing to work together and the fact that Laika the dogstronaut is a main character..? I can’t wait!

Mazebook #1 (of 5)
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Estimated release: September 8, 2021
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
(W/A/CA) Jeff Lemire

From New York Times bestselling and Eisner Award-winning Black Hammer creator Jeff Lemire comes this ambitious and haunting comic series about family, mourning, and reality.

A lonely building inspector still grieving the loss of his puzzle-loving daughter receives a mysterious phone call one night from a girl claiming it’s her and that she’s trapped in the middle of a labyrinth. Convinced that this child is contacting him from beyond this world, he uses an unfinished maze from one of her journals and a map of the city to trace an intricate path through a different plane of reality on an intense and melancholy adventure to bring his daughter back home.

The only way out is in . . .

It’s looking to be another one of those Lemire months. I believe Mazebook is the first solo Lemire book since Frogcatchers and Jeff has been talking this one up. What would one expect from a solo Lemire project but tackling “family, mourning, and reality?” I know I’ve said it before but I’m ready to get sad. Maybe scared?

Telepaths #1 (of 6)
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Estimated release: September 1, 2021
Publisher: Artists Writers & Artisans Inc.
(W) J. Michael Straczynski (A/CA) Steve Epting

The brand new epic from comic book legends J. Michael Straczynksi (The Amazing Spider-Man, Thor) and Steve Epting
(Captain America: The Winter Soldier). An electromagnetic disturbance results in the sudden awakening of telepathic
powers in a tenth of the Earth’s population. In the moments after the world comes to grip with this development, newlyBoston police find themselves sent against a wrongly convicted prisoner who becomes a hero and leader of
other telepaths trying to escape a world in which their powers will make them targets. Both are heroes of their own story,
and the future may depend on whether or not trust can be found between them.

Listen I don’t know a much about this book but I do know some things — one is that I’ve been going through old David Cronenberg movies and I’ve not yet watched Scanners. Is this Scanners? I also know that the cover reminds me of the VHS box art for the movie Deep Impact. Remember that movie? Was it good? I remember it being good. But it probably wasn’t! Also, is that guy at the top Ronald Reagan as portrayed by Bruce Campbell? Is “newlyBoston” the name of the city or just a typo? Let’s find out together.

I Am Batman #1
Estimated release: September 14, 2021
Publisher: DC Comics
(W) John Ridley (A/CA) Olivier Coipel

In the throes of the Future State, the streets of Gotham City cry for justice and Jace Fox answers the call! With a new and improved Bat-Suit, Jace hits the streets to inspire and protect…as he follows the trail of the voice of misinformation and violence–the anarchistic Anti-Oracle! Can the new Dark Knight counterbalance their plan to inspire armed rebellion in the citizens of Gotham?! Can one man inspire a city?

I’ve not kept up well with DC Future State stuff but I’ve really enjoyed John Ridley’s work on The Other History of the DC Universe and it’s great to see him on an ongoing book (I presume it’s ongoing given that it doesn’t have a finite end issue here). If you want to catch up on The Other History of the DC Universe and would like a collected edition, a hardcover is planned for November.

May/June 2021 Previews: Carman’s Picks

Dark Blood #1 (of 6)
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Estimated release: July 21, 2021
Publisher: Boom! Studios
(W) LaToya Morgan (A) Walt Barna (CA) Valentine De Landro

What if you were given the power to change the course of history?

Alabama, 1955. Avery Aldridge is an ordinary young Black man. A decorated World War II veteran, Avery provides for his wife and daughter.

But wounds of the past have a way of coming back, and Avery Aldridge will soon discover he is anything but ordinary…

After a run-in awakens strange new abilities, Avery’s about to become more powerful than he could have ever dared to dream… in a country and society that never wanted him to have any power.

A bold, evocative genre-bending saga by screenwriter LaToya Morgan (AMC’s The Walking Dead, Into The Badlands) and rising star artist Walt Barna (The Osiris Path) perfect for fans of Department of Truth and Bitter Root!

Bad Blood grabbed me right off the bat. I like that we’re not getting a ton of info — I’ve got a feeling that going into this somewhat blind will allow a big payoff. Granted, it doesn’t hurt to mention the likes of Bitter Root and Department of Truth.

Delver
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Estimated release: October 6, 2021
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
(W) M.K. Reed, C. Spike Trotman (A/CA) Clive Hawken

When the door to a living dungeon surfaces in the tiny hamlet of Oddgoat, village girl Temerity Aster has two choices: abandon the only home she’s ever known to carpet baggers and sellswords, or carve out a place for herself and her family in the new and dangerous world of delving.

•  From Iron Circus Comics founder C. Spike Trotman and Eisner-nominated writer MK Reed!

I’ve been following Iron Circus Comics for a year or two and recently picked up The Harrowing of Hell (recommended!) published by them. I’ve never read anything by C. Spike Trotman though so I was excited to see her name pop up in Previews and Delver sounds rad.

Old Head
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Estimated release: August 25, 2021
Publisher: Image Comics
(W/A/CA) Kyle Starks

Space Jam meets Fright Night in this hilarious action-horror as a former basketball star returns home to bury his mother only to learn of her mysterious past, his destiny, and to find himself embroiled in a decades-long blood feud with actual Dracula.

Kyle Starks’ books are so fun and having one that is horror-themed is 100% my jam. I cannot wait for Old Head.

Deadbox #1
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Estimated release: August 25, 2021
Publisher: Vault Comics
(W) Mark Russell (A/CA) Ben Tiesma

Welcome to the town of Lost Turkey, where the main source of entertainment is a cursed DVD machine that seems to know more about the fate of its citizens than they do.

Y’all, from what I’m seeing here… this is a comic book about a haunted RedBox.

The Unbelievable Unteens #1 (of 4)
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Estimated release: August 11, 2021
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
(W) Jeff Lemire, Tyler Crook (A/CA) Tyler Crook

From the world of the Eisner Award-winning Black Hammer series comes this meta team superhero saga taking place between two different worlds.

After signing at a comic book convention, Unbelievable Unteens artist Jane Ito finds herself visited by one of the characters from her own creation-but was it her own creation? Were the Unteens an actual school of teenaged misfit superheroes who battled supervillains under the lead of the mysterious Dr. Miles Moniker? And if so, who wiped their memories and why?  As Jane’s world is turned upside down and she learns the true nature of her identity she discovers a sinister plot leading her to assemble a team she had suspected was purely fictional.

•  An exciting reimagination of the Eisner Award-winning Black Hammer series!

When Lemire stops cranking out excellent Black Hammer-universe titles, I’ll stop putting them in these lists. I don’t expect that to happen. Also, glad to see Tyler Crook on another one of these Black Hammer stories!

Spider-Man: Life Story Annual #1
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Estimated release: August 25, 2021
Publisher: Marvel Comics
(W/CA) Chip Zdarsky (A) Mark Bagley

A Special Encore Return to the World of SPIDER-MAN: LIFE STORY by the Original Creative Team!
SPIDER-MAN. He’s a threat. He’s a menace. And J. JONAH JAMESON will do whatever it takes to make the world see it! But in this companion piece to last year’s hit miniseries SPIDER-MAN: LIFE STORY, will the decades of his obsession bear fruit for Jonah…or be his destruction?
CHIP ZDARSKY and MARK BAGLEY reunite for this story told in a world where Marvel’s beloved characters aged in real time!

Spider-Man: Life Story was great. It’s no surprise that Marvel wanted to bring it back. With the implication that there will be more annuals, it’ll be interesting to see where Zdarsky and Bagley take this going forward. Now that they’ve done several decades leading up to the present, will they move to the future?

April 2021 Previews: Carman’s Picks

6 Sidekicks of Trigger Keaton #1
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Estimated release: June 9, 2021
Image Comics
(W) Kyle Starks (A/CA) Chris Schweizer

For fans of CHEW and ASSASSIN NATION comes a new action-mystery series from Eisner Award nominees CHRIS SCHWEIZER (Crogan Adventures) and KYLE STARKS (SEXCASTLE).

The world’s most unlikable action star has been found dead, and his previous TV sidekicks are looking to solve the mystery. But how can you catch a murderer when almost everyone hated the victim? Now these sidekicks are going to learn what it means to be the stars of the show…that is, if any of them survive the STUNTMAN WAR!

Fun to see what the Kyle Starks Title Generator came up with this time! I don’t mean that as a dig — 6 Sidekicks of Trigger Keaton is a very on-brand title for Starks and it’s great. I know it’s mentioned above, but this definitely has an Assassin Nation vibe to it. If you’ve not read that book yet, go grab it and then pick this up!

Everfrost #1
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Estimated release: June 2, 2021
Black Mask Comics
(W) Ryan Lindsay (A/CA) Sami Kivela

Van Louise retired to the ice coast so she could quietly find a way off planet from a world on the wrong side of societal collapse.

She biohacks a dead leviathan to orchestrate passage away into the universe, but her plans are about to get chewed up by a mounting war between the Warlords – violent gatekeepers for the global ruling party – and the Bloom – those who risk extinction living out on the water – as well as a family reunion with her son who she hasn’t seen since he died in her arms when he was a child.  

Join Ryan K Lindsay, award-winning writer of ETERNAL and NEGATIVE SPACE, as he teams yet again with Sami Kivela, the artistic juggernaut behind ABBOTT and UNDONE BY BLOOD, alongside Lauren Affe, the colourist of THE WITCHER, STRANGER THINGS, and FIVE GHOSTS as they drop an absolute bomb of sci fi insanity and heartbreaking emotion in the grandest Black Mask tradition.

“She biohacks a dead leviathan to orchestrate passage away into the universe.” I’m not going to pretend like I fully understand that but I’ll tell you that I want to find out. There is a LOT to take in from the info above and I am very interested to see how Everfrost plays out. I love Kivela’s work on Abbott, too — another great book to pick up if you’ve not read it!

Lost on Planet Earth
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Estimate release: August 4, 2021
Dark Horse Comics
(W) Magdalene Visaggio (A/CA) Claudia Aguirre

It’s 2381, and Basil Miranda, on the verge of graduation, knows exactly what she’s doing with the rest of her life and always has: a primo assignment on the best ship in the fleet alongside her best friend in the world. She has meticulously prepared herself, and the final Fleet Exam is tomorrow. But what if none of that is what she really wants? And why hasn’t she ever asked herself that before?

Lost on Planet Earth is the latest expectation-defying series from Visaggio, the Eisner-nominated writer of Kim & Kim and Eternity Girl. Lost on Planet Earth reunites Visaggio with artist Aguirre. The pair previously collaborated on Kim & Kim and created the acclaimed series Morning in America; they are joined by letterer Zakk Saam and editor Joe Corallo.

o Collects the original digital series Lost on Planet Earth.

I love when a sci-fi story is low stakes. Like slice-of-life put to a futuristic setting, nothing fantastical. I’m not saying that’s necessarily what’s going with Lost on Planet Earth, but the solicit somewhat gave me that impression. Either way, I’ve enjoyed a lot of books that Mags Visaggio has written and I’ll certainly be checking this out.

Black Hammer Reborn #1
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Estimated release: June 23, 2021
Dark Horse Comics
(W) Jeff Lemire (A/CA) Caitlin Yarsky

The Eisner Award-winning superhero saga returns in this ongoing series picking up twenty years later with new series artist Caitlin Yarsky.  

Now, it’s twenty years later, and Lucy, and the world, have moved on. Living in the suburbs of Spiral City, Lucy is married and has children. But all is not blissful. Her marriage is falling apart, her job has reached a dead end, and for mysterious reasons, she hasn’t picked up the hammer in years.  But, as her domestic life begins to crumble, the secrets of the last twenty years, and the reasons Lucy really gave up being Black Hammer, begin to resurface, threatening her family, and the peace she has tried hard to find for herself.

Yes. Oh yes. It feels like it’s been so long since we’ve had main-title Black Hammer books. I am very, very ready. To prepare, go read (or reread) EVERYTHING. The library edition hardcovers are excellent.

March 2021 Previews: Carman’s Picks

The Good Asian #1 (of 9)
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Estimated release: May 5, 2021
Image comics
(W) Pornsak Pichetshote (A) Alexandre Tefenkgi (CA) Dave Johnson

Writer PORNSAK PICHETSHOTE’s long-awaited follow-up to the critically acclaimed INFIDEL with stunning art by ALEXANDRE TEFENKGI (OUTPOST ZERO)! Following Edison Hark-a haunted, self-loathing Chinese-American detective-on the trail of a killer in 1936 Chinatown, THE GOOD ASIAN is Chinatown noir starring the first generation of Americans to come of age under an immigration ban, the Chinese, as they’re besieged by rampant murders, abusive police, and a world that seemingly never changes.

“With snappy period dialogue and deftly engaging art, PORNSAK and ALEX have crafted a gripping and authentic crime story from an Asian-American POV. This is the book I’ve been waiting for.”-CLIFF CHIANG (PAPER GIRLS)

“Edison Hark immediately joins the ranks of Phillip Marlowe and Sam Spade in a smart, classic noir drenched in style and history.”-JAMES TYNION IV (DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH, Batman)

“Like any good noir, a sense of dread hangs off every page of THE GOOD ASIAN, a brittle story that takes place during an unfamiliar time in our history that is tragically all too familiar now in our present.”-BRIAN AZZARELLO (100 Bullets, Batman)

If you’ve not already read Infidel by Pornsak Pichetshote and Aaron Campbell, do yourself a favor and buy that book. I’ve been ready for Pichetshote’s next project since Infidel finished and The Good Asian looks excellent. Don’t miss this one.

Red Room #1
MAR211290
Estimated release: May 19, 2021
Fantagraphics Books
(W/A/CA) Ed Piskor

From the creator of Hip Hop Family Tree and X-Men: Grand Design comes this ALL-NEW monthly comic book series, with a specially priced, self-contained, double-sized debut issue! Red Room is a cyberpunk, outlaw, splatterpunk masterpiece. Aided by the anonymous dark web and nearly untraceable crypto-currency, there has emerged a subculture of criminals who live-stream and patronize webcam murders for entertainment. Who are the murderers? Who are the victims? How do we stop it? As seen on Piskor’s YouTube channel sensation, Cartoonist Kayfabe!

Hip Hop Family Tree and X-Men: Grand Design have been on my list for a long time. Whenever I catch a glimpse of Piskor’s work, I think “that looks rad, I still need to check him out.” Now’s the time!

Time Before Time #1
MAR210037
Estimated release: May 12, 2021
Image Comics
(W) Declan Shalvey, Rory McConville (A) Joe Palmer, Chris O’Halloran (CA) Declan Shalvey

The year is 2140, and to escape a world with no future, many turn to the Syndicate, a criminal organization who, for the right price, will smuggle you back in time to a better life. After working for the Syndicate for years, Tatsuo and Oscar decide to steal one of their boss’s time machines-but soon find that the one thing you can’t run from is your past.

TIME BEFORE TIME is a brand-new ongoing series where writer/artist DECLAN SHALVEY (BOG BODIES) joins forces with the WRITE IT IN BLOOD team of RORY McCONVILLE and JOE PALMER. Looper meets SAGA in this extra-sized debut issue.

Good time travel stories are hard to do in any medium. Time Before Time puts an interesting twist on some well-tread ground and I think it could be great.

Made in Korea #1 (of 6)
MAR210048
Estimated release: May 26, 2021
Image Comics
(W) Jeremy Holt (A/CA) George Schall

A QUICKSTART GUIDE FOR YOUR PROXY
STEP 1: Remove box.
STEP 2: Power on.
STEP 3: Raise your child.

For Jesse, the world’s first true A.I. system, growing up means learning to think outside the box. This exciting new six-issue miniseries will redefine what it means to be a family in an age when biological parenthood is no longer a reality.

I love the idea of Made in Korea but I’m also slightly worried that I will end up a blubbering mess. Not sure what to expect but only one way to find out!

February 2021 Previews: Carman’s Picks

The Silver Coin #1 (of 5)
FEB210045
Estimated release: April 7, 2021
Image Comics
(W) Chip Zdarsky (A/CA) Michael Walsh

Eisner-winning artist MICHAEL WALSH (Star Wars, Black Hammer/Justice League) teams with an all-star lineup of collaborators-CHIP ZDARSKY (STILLWATER), KELLY THOMPSON (Sabrina the Teenage Witch), ED BRISSON (Old Man Logan), and JEFF LEMIRE (GIDEON FALLS)-on a new horror anthology miniseries for mature readers. Each issue will tell a tale of terror in a shared supernatural world. The story starts in 1978 with a failing rock band whose fortune suddenly changes when they find the mysterious Silver Coin. Little do they know that fame comes with a cost, and a curse is always hungry.

More horror anthologies! Just in general, across all mediums. That alone is going to get me to try the book but the line up here so far is star-studded. Can’t wait! Also, regarding the cover, is that the least happy someone has been playing a Telecaster?

Home #1 (of 5)
FEB210032
Estimated release: April 14, 2021
Image Comics
(W) Julio Anta (A) Anna Wieszczyk (CA) Lisa Sterle

When a young boy is torn away from his mother while seeking asylum at the U.S. border, something begins to change in him, and it isn’t just the trauma, anxiety, and guilt you’d expect. He doesn’t know it yet, but it’s the onset of superhuman abilities that will change his life forever.

JULIO ANTA and ANNA WIESZCZYK debut with a deeply grounded and heartfelt five-issue series that explores the real-world implications of a migrant with extraordinary powers.

Every once in a while, you may hear folks griping about how tired and trope-filled the superhero/superpower genre can be. While any medium can be subject to well trodden ground, it’s nice to see creators who are using the superpower framework to tell unique and relevant stories. Home sounds to be doing that and I’m looking forward to Anta and Wieszczyk’s debut.

Helm Greycastle #1 (of 4)
FEB210027
Estimated release: April 28, 2021
Image Comics
(W) Henry Barajas (A/CA) Rahmat Handoko, Bryan Valenza

New Latinx fantasy by HENRY BARAJAS, author of the critically acclaimed LA VOZ DE M.A.Y.O.: TATA RAMBO! The last dragon prince has been abducted-kept prisoner by an unknown threat: AZTEC MEXICA! Helm Greycastle and his outsider comrades are here to save the prince-but are recruited by a resistance plotting to overthrow Montezuma. Will Greycastle help save the people of MEXICA…or rescue the dragon prince and flee?
  
BONUS! HELM GREYCASTLE #1 includes a Latinx one-shot RPG (5E compatible) written by TRISTAN J. TARWATER (Rolled & Told) and art by JEN VAUGHN.

I’m a sucker for unique supplemental material/backmatter in books and I love that Helm Greycastle comes with a one-shot RPG! This series sounds fun and I gotta say, that’s heck of a logo.

Many Deaths of Laila Starr #1 (of 5)
FEB210841
Estimated release: April 14, 2021
Boom! Studios
(W) Ram V (A/CA) Filipe Andrade

* A powerful new series for fans of The Wicked + The Divine  and The Dreaming from Ram V (Justice League Dark) and Filipe Andrade (Captain Marvel) that explores the fine line between living and dying in Mumbai through the lens of magical realism.

* With humanity on the verge of discovering immortality, the avatar of Death is fired and relegated to the world below to live out her now-finite days in the body of twenty-something Laila Starr in Mumbai.

* Struggling with her new-found mortality, Laila has found a way to be placed in the time and place where the creator of immortality will be born…

* But will Laila take her chance to permanently reverse the course of (future) history…or does a more shocking fate await her?

Who would win in a fight, Death in Many Deaths of Laila Starr or Death in East of West? Read this book and use your judgement! Also, you know I’m gonna check out a new Ram V book.

Radio Apocalypse #1
FEB211600
Estimated release: April 28, 2021
Vault Comics
(W) Ram V (A/CA) Anand Radhakrishnan

Long after the rock out of space struck the world and turned it all to dust, in Bakerstown stands the last Radio Station on the planet. Radio Apocalypse broadcasting into the unknown, a beacon in the dark for those who wander the lost places. Now change is coming to Bakerstown. Among the refugees flocking into an already precarious settlement, an orphan boy Rion, caught in an indiscretion, will twine his fate with the Radio Station. And in doing so, begin this mixtape of love and heartbreak and interminable hope. This soundtrack to the end of the world.

And speaking of new Ram V books… we’ve got another one! Radio Apocalypse is also the only book on this list that’s not outright listed as a miniseries. I didn’t plan it that way, just a mini-heavy month!

January 2021 Previews: Carman’s Picks

Nocterra #1
JAN210016
Estimated release: March 3, 2021
Publisher: Image Comics
(W) Scott Snyder (A/CA) Tony S. Daniel, Tomeu Morey

“FULL THROTTLE DARK,” Part One-Ten years after the world is plunged into an everlasting night that turns all living creatures into monstrous shades, the only way to survive is to stay close to artificial light. Enter Valentina “Val” Riggs, a skilled ferryman who transports people and goods along deadly unlit roads with her heavily illuminated eighteen wheeler.

This March, legendary creators SCOTT SNYDER (Dark Knights: Death Metal, WYTCHES) and TONY S. DANIEL (Batman, Deathstroke) unveil horrors beyond any shade in this extra-sized first issue.

Unless I’m forgetting something, I don’t think I’ve seen a creator-owned book written by Scott Snyder since Wytches. It’s exciting to see him on another book outside of the Big Two (Marvel and DC). Plus, from the sound of it, we’re getting the mashup that everyone has been waiting for — Pitch Black meets Smokey and the Bandit.

Ultramega #1
JAN210038
Estimated release: March 17, 2021
Publisher: Image Comics
(W/A/CA) James Harren (A) Dave Stewart

A cosmic plague has spread, transforming everyday people into violent, monstrous kaiju. Only the Ultramega – three individuals imbued with incredible powers – hold the line against this madness. Their battles level cities and leave untold horror in their wake. Now, the final reckoning approaches for the Ultramega… but is this a war they can even win?

Fight monsters and stand with humanity in this new Skybound original from the greatest artist of his generation, JAMES HARREN (RUMBLE, BPRD) and Eisner Award-winning colorist DAVE STEWART. Each issue is extra-sized, with a 60-page debut that can barely contain its giant heroes, creatures, and devastation!

REGISTER PITCH: The high-impact adventure of EXTREMITY, but with the kaiju-esque monster action scenes of Pacific Rim.

All right, I know that pitching a book about a plague enveloping the earth might not be super appealing right now given… everything. BUT. You know what is appealing? James Harren doing a monster book. I loved Harren’s work on B.P.R.D. (also chock full of monsters!) and Ultramega seems right in his wheelhouse.

Proctor Valley Road #1
JAN210939
Estimated release: March 3, 2021
Publisher: Boom! Entertainment
(W) Alex Child, Grant Morrison (A/CA) Naomi Franquiz

Perfect for fans of Paper Girls and Die, visionary writer Grant Morrison (Klaus), Alex Child (BBC’s Holby City) and Naomi Franquiz (Tales from Harrow County) present a chilling new horror series about the mysterious monsters that haunt Proctor Valley Road – and the four misfit teenagers who must stop them.

August, Rylee, Cora & Jennie have organized a “Spook Tour” with their classmates on the most haunted, demon-infested stretch of road in America to fund attending the concert of their dreams.

When their visit turns deadly, these four friends race to rescue the missing students… before the town tears them limb from limb.

Now they must slay the evils roaming Proctor Valley Road… along with the monsters lurking in the hearts of 1970s America.

Hey, a big month for fighting monsters out on the road. Proctor Valley Road is looking like a fun, period horror book. It’s got Grant Morrison doing some writing on it, to boot. If the likes of Annihilator and Nameless are any indication, we should be in for some weird spooks!

Alien #1
JAN210568
Estimated release: March 24, 2021
Publisher: Marvel Comics
(W) Phillip Kennedy Johnson (A) Salvador Larroca (CA) Inhyuk Lee

THE ICONIC CINEMATIC TERROR MAKES ITS MARVEL DEBUT!
Gabriel Cruz gave his life to Weyland-Yutani–In the case of an alien attack he barely survived, almost literally! Recently retired, Cruz is trying to patch things up with his abandoned son with the help of his friend, a Bishop-model android, but his re-entry into civilian life is not going smoothly…and his encounters with the deadly Xenomorph are far from over. Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Salvador Larroca team up to tell an all-new tale of the titan of horror and science fiction that has scared audiences for decades. No one is safe. No one is innocent. And no one can hear you scream.

Listen, I wasn’t meaning to make this whole thing about monsters. Some might say I’m only now realizing that these first four books are all (somewhat) creature features. Not that there’s anything wrong with that! I’m in for this book so I can get some of that Wayland Yutani aesthetic. I mean, Aliens are cool, too.

The Down River People
JAN210966
Estimated release: May 26, 2021
Publisher: Boom! Entertainment
(W) Adam Smith (A/CA) Matthew Fox

For fans of Stillwater and Essex County comes a new graphic novel reuniting writer Adam Smith and artist Matt Fox, the duo behind the Eisner and Harvey Award-nominated Long Walk to Valhalla, for a riveting story about a man attempting to survive the complicated and dangerous web of his family’s criminal ties with his soul intact.

Myers Carpenter is a bootlegger who just inherited his family’s bar and must turn to his estranged mother – who he hasn’t seen since he was a boy – for help.

Myers learns the secrets of his new family’s lodge, but he may not escape the dark cult thriving just under the surface of opulence.

Okay, so to my knowledge… there are no monsters in The Down River People. Granted, with the mention of a dark cult, you never know. I’ve heard great things about Long Walk to Valhalla so this may be my jumping on point for Smith and Fox’s work. Maybe it’s all of the Kelly Reichardt movies I’ve been watching, but the muted landscape cover really struck me. Also, name dropping Essex County seals the deal.