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January 2022 Previews: Carman’s Picks

The X-Cellent #1
DEC210972
Estimated release: February 2, 2022
Publisher: Marvel Comics
(W) Peter Milligan (A/CA) Mike Allred

IT’S FINALLY HERE!
They were loved by their adoring fans. They were reviled by the harsh press. They lived, they loved, they fought and they died…a lot – all for the sake of fame. They were the X-Statix, a team of mutant celebrities fighting for a brighter world and an even brighter spotlight! But they’re old news now, because there’s a new mutant team that will live harder, love harder, fight harder and die a whole lot harder than those has-beens! Peter Milligan, Michael Allred and Laura Allred return to introduce the best new super hero team you didn’t know you needed! Meet…
THE X-CELLENT!

Somehow I missed this in last month’s Previews! X-Statix is one of my favorite superhero books of all time and I am so excited that Milligan and Allred have brought it back. Not one to be missed!

Astro City: That Was Then…
JAN220057
Estimated release: March 30, 2022
Publisher: Image Comics
(W) Kurt Busiek (A) Brent Eric Anderson, Alex Sinclair (CA) Alex Ross

ASTRO CITY returns with an all-new special! Who were the Jayhawks? How did they inspire five teen sidekicks looking for answers to hit the road in a rickety crime mobile in 1969? And how will this affect Astro City in the present? This one-shot special features new and existing heroes and launches a mystery that will drive the forthcoming ASTRO CITY series. And don’t miss the ASTRO CITY METROBOOK, collecting the first three years of the acclaimed series!

Hey, speaking of older series coming back! Astro City is another one of my very favorite superhero series. Really looking forward to upcoming Image reprints of the early stuff as well.

Little Monsters #1
JAN220067
Estimated release: March 2, 2022
Publisher: Image Comics
(W) Jeff Lemire (A/CA) Dustin Nguyen

They are the last children on Earth… who also happen to be vampires. Forlonger than they can remember, these child vampires have lived a life of eternal wonder amongst the ruins of humanity. But shocking events fracture the group and set them on a path of discovery that will shatter their innocence forever.

Not a returning series here but the return of a great team! If you’ve not read Descender and Ascender by Lemire and Nguyen, now’s the time so you can get primed for Little Monsters. Maybe it’s time for me to rewatch Let The Right One In.

Radio Spaceman #1 (of 2)
JAN220348
Estimated release: March 2, 2022
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
(W/CA) Mike Mignola (A) Greg Hinkle

When a ship crashes and lands on a mysterious planet and some of the surviving crew go missing, the mysterious mechanical hero Radio Spaceman is called to investigate. But the planet hides much more than the missing crew, and Radio Spaceman may be stumbling into more than even he can handle.

Based on Mignola’s viral pencil sketches, Radio Spaceman is a steampunk space adventure full of mystery, monsters, and awesome gadgets. Featuring the amazing art of Greg Hinkle (The Beauty, Black Cloud) and colors by longtime Mignolaverse collaborator Dave Stewart, this new series is perfect for Mignola fans old and new!

Sci-fi pulp written by Mike Mignola? Yeah, I’m in.

Asphalt Blues
JAN221479
Estimated release: March 16, 2022
Publisher: Humanoids Inc
(W/A/CA) Jaouen Salaun

2032. It’s been thirteen years since Nina and Mick split up. Both have since rebuilt their lives, but at what cost? Nina lives with a powerful man who is jealous of her attraction to others, while Mick’s wife suffers from severe depression. The two former lovers don’t know it, but their daily lives remain intertwined-each moment intersecting with another, driving towards cataclysmic actions on both grand and personal scales, culminating in a deeply poetic and sensual exploration of the disenchantment of love.

I’m not familiar with Salaum’s work but I really loved the look of the preview pages shown for Asphalt Blues. You can check them out here!

November & December 2021 Previews: Carman’s Picks

Squire
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Estimated release: March 9, 2022
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
(W) Nadia Shammas (A/CA) Sara Alfageeh

This YA fantasy graphic novel follows fourteen-year-old Aiza, who trains to become a knight for a war-torn empire while hiding her true background as a girl from conquered lands.

Born a second-class citizen, Aiza has always dreamt of becoming a Knight. It’s the highest military honor in the once-great Bayt-Sajji Empire, and as a member of the Ornu people, her only path to full citizenship. Now, ravaged by famine, Bayt-Sajji finds itself on the brink of war once again. This means Aiza can finally enlist to the competitive Squire training program.

The camp is nothing like she envisioned. Hiding her Ornu status in order to blend in, Aiza must navigate friendships, rivalries, and rigorous training under the merciless General Hende. As the pressure mounts, Aiza realizes that the “greater good” Bayt-Sajji’s military promises might not include her, and that the recruits might be in more danger than she ever imagined.

I’ve been anxiously awaiting the arrival of Squire ever since Sara Alfageeh and Nadia Shammas announced it some years ago. Sara’s art is always a treat to look at and I cannot wait to read a full length book from both her and Shammas. Pick this one up!

New Masters #1 (of 6)
DEC210040
Estimated release: February 2, 2022
Publisher: Image Comics
(W) Shobo (A/CA) Shof

Nigerian brothers SHOBO and SHOF present NEW MASTERS, a groundbreaking blend of science fiction, adventure, drama, and vibrant Afrofuturism. In a striking vision of West Africa under the thumb of alien colonizers, a motley crew of outcasts find themselves caught up in a power struggle for control of an ancient artifact with immense power.

This is the first I’ve heard of Shobo and Shof Coker and I’m looking forward to getting acquainted. The preview pages of New Masters look great and I love seeing more Afrofuturism represented in the comics medium.

Bolero #1 (of 5)
NOV210047
Estimated release: January 12, 2022
Publisher: Image Comics
(W) Wyatt Kennedy (A/CA) Luana Vecchio

SERIES PREMIERE

A new series from two bright-eyed and bushy-tailed little scamps!

A woman running away from a broken heart discovers a mother-key into parallel universes. The rules are:
*    The key can work on any door.
*    The mother will only let you visit 53 universes.
*    Do not ask to speak to the mother.
*    Never hop more than 53 times.

Bolero has another new-to-me team. Sometimes you’re sold on a book by just a cover and a cryptic solicit.

Apache Delivery Service #1 (of 4)
NOV210274
Estimated release: January 5, 2022
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
(W) Matt Kindt (A/CA) Tyler Jenkins

A jungle horror story by Matt Kindt (Ether, Mind MGMT) and Tyler Jenkins (Fear Case)!

Two haunted men are on a hunt in the jungles of Vietnam, searching for clues to a missing treasure trove of gold that was stolen from all over Asia by a Japanese general during World War II. Eventually they find a series of hidden caves in the mountains near the coast. Bodies start showing up-murder victims and mutilated corpses. There is a rumor that the caves and gold are protected by terrifying witches that have been living in the cave system for thousands of years. As our warriors travel deeper into the mystery, they learn more disturbing facts about each other and become paranoid of one another as they get closer and closer to the gold, while, at the same time, a bizarre serial killer is hunting them down.

The Horrors of War!

Uh oh, Kindt and Jenkins are back at it again with a premise that seems right up their alley. If you’re not familiar with their previous team-ups, check out Grass Kings, Black Badge, and Fear Case.

Fox and Hare #1
DEC211922
Estimated release: February 23, 2022
Publisher: Vault Comics
(W) Jonathan Tsuei (A/CA) Stacey Lee

When black market coder Aurora Yi uncovers top secret data that has tapped into the past lives of the citizens of Mazu Bay, her world is turned upside down. The mega corporation Synastry Designs wants its data back and is hot on her trail. Aurora has no choice but to turn to the Fox and the Hare, the most feared mercenaries in the city, for protection.

Hey, another new-to-me team! On a brand new Vault book, to book. I’m always looking forward to their new series!

Batman – The Knight #1 (of 10)
1121DC003
Estimated release: January 18, 2022
Publisher: DC Comics
(W) Chip Zdarsky (A/CA) Carmine Di Giandomenico

The origin of Batman and his never-ending fight against crime in Gotham City is modern mythology, but what of the story in between? How did an angry, damaged young man grow into the most accomplished detective and crime-fighter the world has ever known? How did the Dark Knight…begin? Superstar writer Chip Zdarsky (Daredevil) and acclaimed artist Carmine Di Giandomenico (The Flash) will take Bruce Wayne on a fraught journey, making allies and enemies, on his training to become Batman in this definitive new series!

Ladies and gentlemen, Chip Zdarsky writing a real life Batman book. The madman did it. Years of joking
(threatening?) finally materialized into the real world.

Sword of Hyperborea #1 (of 4)
NOV210276
Estimated release: January 12, 2022
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
(W) Mike Mignola, Rob Williams (A/CA) Laurence Campbell

From the ancient warrior Gall Dennar, to Sir Edward Grey, to the B.P.R.D.’s Agent Howards, the iconic Hyperborean sword from the world of Hellboy has landed in many influential hands. And this has been no accident. Trace the sword’s path through the adventures and encounters that finally brought it to Ragna Rok, at the end of the world, and witness the sword’s journey through history.   Hellboy creator Mike Mignola gives us a new tale from the world of Hellboy, cowritten by Rob Williams and featuring the art of Mignolaverse veteran Laurence Campbell to deliver never-before-seen Hellboy lore!
o The story of the Hyperborean blade!

Oh yes. Yes yes yes. I still remember reading The Abyss of Time offshoot story for the first time in BPRD and being struck by how good it was. Howards quickly became a favorite character of mine and I’ve been hoping for more of his story ever since. I am so excited to get more that’s taking place after the finale of BPRD as well. AND we’ve got Laurence Campbell on art. How much better can you get for a BPRD fan?

Arrowsmith #1 (of 6)
NOV210009
Estimated release: January 19, 2022
Publisher: Image Comics
(W) Kurt Busiek (A/CA) Carlos Pacheco, Jose Rafael Fonteriz, Jose Villarrubia

SERIES PREMIERE

The new KURT BUSIEK era at Image begins here, as he and superstar artist CARLOS PACHECO (Fantastic Four, Avengers Forever, Final Crisis, X-Men, Superman) bring you the much-anticipated return of ARROWSMITH! It’s World War I-but a war of wizards and dragons as much as bullets and barbed wire. Young airman Fletcher Arrowsmith plunges back into the heat of war-and finds himself behind enemy lines, facing a threat that could doom the Allied Powers. The first issue in a new ARROWSMITH-universe miniseries! And don’t miss the remastered hardcover of the original series in February!

And a (kind of) new Kurt Busiek book! Years ago, I bought the single issues of the original Arrowsmith run. They’ve been in my “I’ll read this at some point” pile since. But no more! Cool to see the team revisit this miniseries after such a long break. It looks like Image will be releasing a remastered collection of the original as well so other folks can catch up!

October 2021 Previews: Carman’s Picks

Sir Edward Grey: Archeron (One-Shot)
OCT210214
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
OCT211849
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
SEP210037
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
SEP210011
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
SEP210277
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
AUG210041
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
AUG211902
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
AUG210009
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
AUG212160
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
JUL210009
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)
JUL210285
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)
JUL211409
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)
MAY210943
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
JUN210347
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
JUN210152
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
JUN211896
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)
JUN210271
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
JUN210656
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
APR210126
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
APR211533
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
APR210379
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
APR210356
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.