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.

December 2020 Previews: Carman’s Picks

Two Moons #1
DEC200044
February 24, 2021
Publisher: Image Comics
(W) John Arcudi (A) Dave Stewart (A/CA) Valerio Giangiordano

RUMBLE and B.P.R.D. writer JOHN ARCUDI is back at Image with rising star VALERIO GIANGIORDANO for an all-new ONGOING HORROR SERIES! This issue starts the long journey of a young Pawnee man named Virgil Morris – a.k.a. Two Moons.- fighting for the Union during the Civil War. When he is suddenly confronted with his shamanic roots, he discovers horrors far worse than combat as the ghosts of his past reveal the monstrous evil around him!

John Arcudi’s work on B.P.R.D. has been the strongest writing in the “Mignolaverse” outside of the main Hellboy stuff, for my money. I can’t wait to see him on another horror book, especially one with a compelling premise like Two Moons.

Fear Case #1 (of 4)
DEC200244
February 3, 2021
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
(W) Matt Kindt (A/CA) Tyler Jenkins, Hilary Jenkins

A new, horrific detective series by Matt Kindt (Ether, Mind MGMT) and Tyler Jenkins (Grass Kings)!

A no-nonsense Secret Service agent and his new-age partner investigate a mysterious box known as the “Fear Case,” which has appeared throughout history at sites of disaster and tragedy. Whoever comes into possession of this case must pass it on within three days or face deadly consequences. The agents must track down this Fear Case while staying one step ahead of a psychotic cult and the otherwordly forces behind the Case’s existence.

Matt Kindt writing a book with a shadowy agency dealing with psychic objects — sounds familiar! In a good way, that is. Fear Case is a safe bet, for sure, and it checks a lot of boxes for me. Great to see another team up with Tyler Jenkins, as well. Grab yourself some volumes Grass Kings and Black Badge for more of that goodness.

Black Hammer Visions #1 (of 8)
DEC200250
February 10, 2021
Publisher: Image Comics

An exciting reimagination of the Eisner Award-winning Black Hammer series told by guest writers and artists such as Patton Oswalt, Geoff Johns, Mariko Tamaki, Chip Zdarsky, Kelly Thompson, and more of comic’s top talents!

Patton Oswalt joins artists Dean Kotz and Jason Wordie to explore the life of youthful super heroine Golden Gail on the Black Hammer Farm before the beginning of Black Hammer #1, and her struggle to maintain sanity as a middle-aged woman trapped in the unchanging body of a superpowered grade-schooler.

I’ve been catching up on everything Black Hammer recently and that world is so danged great. I know I’ve gushed about the main book and its offshoots many times in this column and this certainly won’t be the last. I’ll say that I’m super excited to see more guest writers and artists get to contribute to this fantastic universe.

Hollow Heart #1
DEC201747
February 17, 2021
Publisher: Vault Comics
(W) Paul Allor (A/CA) Paul Tucker

EL used to be human. Now he’s a jumble of organs in a bio-suit. EL is also in tremendous pain and has been for a very long time. Hope arrives in the form of Mateo, a mechanice brought in to work on EL’s suit. Mateo sees LK in a way no one ever has. And what’s more: Mateo offers EL an escape.
Hollow Heart reunites Tet creators Paul Allor and Paul Tucker for a queer monster love story about the choices we make between giving our loved one what they want and what we think they need.

It’s a story we can all relate to — we’re just a bunch of jumbled up guts being held together by a fancy suit when a fancy mechanic comes by to fix us up. What’s not to love? All right, maybe that’s not super common. I dig the premise on Hollow Heart (and that terrific cover) and I’ve really enjoyed a lot of these Vault debuts.

November 2020 Previews: Carman’s Picks

Abbott 1973: #1 (of 5)
NOV200879
January 20, 2021
Boom! Studios
(W) Saladin Ahmed (A) Sami Kivela (CA) Taj Tenfold

* In a new series for  fans of Something is Killing the Children and Bitter Root, Saladin Ahmed, the visionary writer behind Miles Morales: Spider-Man, and Sami Kivelä, the acclaimed artist behind Tommy Gun Wizards, reunite for this Must Read supernatural thriller.
* Detroit’s hardest hitting journalist, Elena Abbott, is trying to make a fresh start at a new newspaper…but her deadly past isn’t ready to let go.
* The city is days away from the historic election of a Black candidate as their new Mayor, but a vicious new group has emerged to destroy him, targeting anyone who supports his campaign or the change he represents.
* That means Abbott, who discovers the group’s connection to a dangerous dark magic, has been targeted for certain death – unless she embraces her true power as the Lightbringer to save her city.

Yessssss. Ever since reading the original arc, I’ve wanted more Abbott. The wish has come true and I can’t wait for 1973. You know how sometimes you can think of a book/movie/podcast and remember exactly where you were when you saw or listened to it? I’ve only been on a train a couple times in my life but I read Abbott on a train to Chicago — not sure why but there was something strangely fitting about that.

Serial #1
NOV200979
January 13, 2021
Abstract Studios
(W/A/CA) Terry Moore

Zoe has been 10 years old for 50 years. Most of her life has been spent on the run fighting the demon that lived within her, kept her young and turned her into a serial killer. Now free of the demon, Zoe discovers her childhood friend is the latest victim in a string of murders. Determined to put an end to the reign of terror, Zoe uses her own deadly skills to stalk the predator and avenge her fallen friend. Serial is Terry Moore’s new series featuring Zoe, the irrepressible star of Rachel Rising and FiveYears. Don’t miss the premier issue of a her solo series!

Several years ago I had a dream about a comic. It was close to the time I started working at Fanfare and I dreamt that I bought a copy of the first trade paperback of Rachel Rising by Terry Moore. I read the whole thing in one sitting and I couldn’t believe how good it was. The next day, I told my co-workers that I thought it was weird to dream about a comic book, especially one I hadn’t read. You know what I did after that? Nothing! I didn’t buy the book! I still haven’t read it. Why have I betrayed my visions like this? Am I scared it won’t be as good as in that dream from seven years ago? Either way, I think I need to make it up to dreamland Terry Moore and get Serial #1. Okay, and that Rachel Rising.

HAHA #1
NOV200009
January 13, 2021
Image Comics
(W) W. Maxwell Prince (A/CA) Vanesa Del Rey

ICE CREAM MAN writer W. MAXWELL PRINCE brings his signature style of one-shot storytelling to the world of clowns-and he’s invited SOME OF THE COMIC INDUSTRY’S BEST ARTISTS to join him for the ride.

HAHA is a genre-jumping, throat-lumping look at the sad, scary, hilarious life of those who get paid to play the fool-but these ain’t your typical jokers.

With issues drawn by VANESA DEL REY (REDLANDS), GABRIEL WALTA (Vision), ROGER LANGRIDGE (Thor), and more, HAHA peeks under the big top, over the rainbow, and even inside a balloon to tell a wide-ranging slew of stories about “funny” men and women, proving that some things are so sad you just have to laugh.

How was it that clowns became this staple of horror media? Is Stephen King’s It to blame or does it go back farther than that? I feel like it has to. Anyway, I love a good horror anthology and Ice Cream Man has been a great one. Get ready for the unsullied reputation of clowns to take a nose dive.

I Breathed a Body #1
NOV200992
January 20, 2021
Aftershock Comics
(W) Zac Thompson (A/CA) Andy MacDonald

A science fiction horror series about social media, big tech, and influencer culture.

It’s The Social Network meets Hellraiser. When the world’s biggest influencer posts something irredeemably horrific online, the world changes in an instant. Now it’s up to his social media manager, Anne Stewart, to fan the flames of outrage and create a sensationalist campaign that rewrites the rules of “banned content.” Thus begins a carnival of lust, revulsion, desire, and disgust – all for viral videos.

Written by Zac Thompson (LONELY RECEIVER, UNDONE BY BLOOD, X-Men) and illustrated by Andy MacDonald (Multiple Man, Rogue Planet), I BREATHED A BODY is a horror series about the voyeurism of violence and the Big Tech companies who engineer patterns of fear in society.

I know the solicit says “The Social Network meets Hellraiser” but looking at the cover, all I can think of is Event Horizon. You know, that scene. I’m interested in fresh takes on cosmic horror and I Breathed a Body looks to have a neat spin on that forbidden knowledge trope. Plus, I feel like I can relate to this book on a personal level because who hasn’t breathed a body every once in a while?

October 2020 Previews: Carman’s Picks

Reckless
OCT200009
December 16, 2020
Image Comics
(W) Ed Brubaker (A) Jacob Phillips (A/CA) Sean Phillips

“Sex, drugs, and murder in 1980s Los Angeles… And the best new twist on paperback pulp heroes since The Punisher or Jack Reacher.  
  
Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, the modern masters of crime noir, bring us the last thing anyone expected from them – a good guy. In a bold new series of original graphic novels, with three books releasing over the next year, each a full-length story that stands on its own.
  
Meet Ethan Reckless: Your trouble is his business, for the right price. But when a fugitive from his student radical days reaches out for help, Ethan must face the only thing he fears… his own past.
  
“Imagine Redford at his peak, ambling through sun-drenched, eighties L.A. in a serpentine plot that is equal parts Long Goodbye and Point Break. No one does crime fic like Brubaker and Phillips and their collaboration has never felt more new. Explosive. Vital. And yes… reckless. I love this book.”
  
– Damon Lindelof (Lost, HBO’s Watchmen)
  
“”Reckless is an absolute rush: on the same level as golden age Travis McGee novels and the hardest-hitting Richard Stark stories. This one comes at you as fast as Steve McQueen in a souped-up Mustang and as hard as Charles Bronson with a baseball bat. You gotta have it.””
  
– Joe Hill (Locke & Key, N0S4A2)
  
 Look for book 2 in the Reckless series in April 2021!”

Listen, it’s another Brubaker & Phillips team-up. As if that weren’t enough, there’s a quote from Damon Lindelof in the solicitation (go watch The Leftovers and Watchmen). Reckless is a safe bet.

Post York
OCT200262
February 24, 2021
Dark Horse Comics
(W/A/CA) James Romberger

The polar ice caps have melted, and New York City is flooded beyond recognition. An independent loner, along with his cat and only friend, struggles to live another day in this makeshift community, populated mostly by outsiders like himself while the depraved elite thrive ruthlessly on the outskirts. But his world is disrupted when he encounters both a mysterious woman and a trapped blue whale. Will they be each other’s salvation. . . or destruction?

Experimentally told and unequivocally told, Post York contains bonus materials including an environmental fact sheet, afterword, full-color art section, and more.

James Romberger is a cartoonist, fine artist and artist of the graphic novels 7 Miles a Second, The Late Child and Other Animals, Bronx Kill and Aaron and Ahmed.  

“James Romberger . . . is in the highest horror-comics tradition” – The New York Times Book Review

I’m not exactly clambering for post-apocalyptic narratives right now given the state of the world but something about Post York stands out to me. Maybe it’s the claim of experimentalism or the praise about high horror — I’ll be giving this one a look.

Afterlift
OCT200273
February 3, 2021
Dark Horse Comics
(W) Chip Zdarsky (A/CA) Jason Loo

2020 EISNER AWARD WINNER FOR BEST DIGITAL SERIES!
  
Ride-share driver Janice Chen has enough to deal with, from annoying passengers to overbearing parents. But when she picks up a pair of mysterious passengers who are pursued by otherworldly forces, Janice realizes that her already-terrible day might be headed straight to hell. This Eisner Award-winning series from Chip Zdarsky (Sex Criminals, Daredevil) and Jason Loo (The Pitiful Human-Lizard) features car chases, demon bounty hunters, and figuring out your place in this world and the next.
  
Collects Afterlift #1-#5 along with all covers and a sketchbook section.

I don’t read digital comics much so I’m always excited when I see a popular one going into print. I thought Afterlift sounded like fun when I first heard about it in Chip Zdarsky’s newsletter.

World of Black Hammer Library Edition Volume 2
OCT200300
February 10, 2021
Dark Horse Comics
(W) Jeff Lemire (A) David Rubin, Max Fiumara (CA) Dean Ornstrom

Far in the future of Black Hammer, a collection of superheroes, inspired by the legendary heroes of Black Hammer Farm, must band together to save the planet from an authoritarian regime.

During the Golden Age of superheroes, an elite Air Force crew called the Black Hammer Squadron bands together to combat the Nazis, a host of occult threats, and their ultimate aerial warrior the Ghost Hunter.

Collects The Quantum Age and Black Hammer ’45 in a deluxe, oversized hardcover format with a new cover, sketchbook extras, and more!

What a rich world Black Hammer is turning out to be. Though I’ve been buying the single issues, I’ve been waiting on the spinoff series until they’ve wrapped up. I’m loving these library editions! What an excellent cover on this one, too.

The Picture of Everything Else #1
OCT201644
December 16, 2020
Vault Comics
(W) Dan Watters (A/CA) Kishore Mohan

As the 20th century dawns, art promises to change the world…and steep it in blood. A rash of impossible killings sweep through Paris, tearing the rich and beautiful apart in their beds. When two art thieves stumble upon the portraits of the victims damaged in the exact same manner they died, it appears the man who once painted the immortal portrait of Dorian Gray has returned-with darker plans for future works. From the minds of Dan Watters (Coffin Bound, Lucifer, Deep Roots) and Kishore Mohan comes a haunting balance of depravity and beauty.

Oh you know, just another Oscar Wilde horror comic book. Kidding aside, Vault Comics continues to put out strong new titles and I’m always looking forward to checking them out.

Update: 12/3/20

Hi Fanfare Friends! Here’s a quick update on the store:

• Store occupancy is 20 shoppers at a time.

• Please remember your mask or ask us for one when you come in.

• Curbside pickup is also available by calling us at 269-349-8866.

We thank everyone for your continued support and will keep you updated on any new changes.

Current Hours and Contact Info

Monday-Saturday:
10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sunday:
Noon – 5:00 pm

To keep up to date with us, please follow us on:

Facebook (facebook.com/fanfare.store)
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Newsletter (fanfareland.com/newsletter)

As always, feel free to call us at 269-349-8866 with immediate questions or concerns. You can also email us at info@fanfareland.com.

Update: 6/4/20

Hi Fanfare Friends! Here’s a quick update on the store:

• Store occupancy has expanded to 15 shoppers.

• Please remember your mask or ask us for one when you come in.

• Curbside pickup is also available by calling us at 269-349-8866.

We thank everyone for your continued support and will keep you updated on any new changes.

Current Hours and Contact Info

Monday-Saturday:
10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sunday:
Noon – 5:00 pm

To keep up to date with us, please follow us on:

Facebook (facebook.com/fanfare.store)
Twitter (twitter.com/fanfarekzoo)
Instagram (instagram.com/fanfare_kzoo)
Newsletter (fanfareland.com/newsletter)

As always, feel free to call us at 269-349-8866 with immediate questions or concerns. You can also email us at info@fanfareland.com.

Ikoria Has Arrived

Ikoria hit the shelves on May 15th and we have tons of monster-sized goodness available for curbside pickup!

We are here to take your orders by phone at 269-349-8866 during our temporary business hours:

• Monday – Saturday: 10:00am – 6:00pm
• Sunday: 12:00pm – 5:00pm

As always, if you have any further questions feel free to call us or email us at info@fanfareland.com

The Godzilla Bonus Packs are expected to arrive later at the end of May. We will reserve one pack per box pre-purchased and call customers when they arrive.

Japanese Booster Packs are also available for $4.99 each + Tax

Update (6/8/20): We just received a fresh shipment of Commander 2020 decks!

February 2020 Previews: Carman’s Picks

Colonel Weird: Cosmagog #1 (of 4)

FEB200226

April 22, 2020

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

(W) Jeff Lemire (A/CA) Tyler Crook

From the world of the Eisner Award-winning Black Hammer series comes a bizarre sci-fi adventure origin story!

Wacky space adventurer Colonel Randall Weird leaves Black Hammer farm and embarks on a strange journey through space and time for something that he’s long forgotten with his sanity and life at stake!

“Jeff Lemire’s Black Hammer feels like it’s walking two roads-one honoring the past of superhero comics, and one forging a path into the future of the genre.”-Cullen Bunn

At this point, every Black Hammer spinoff has made my Previews picks. I don’t see that changing anytime soon. This may be the one I’m most excited for — Colonel Weird is such a great character and I’ve loved Tyler Crook’s work in B.P.R.D. and Harrow County.

Adventureman #1

FEB200011

April 29, 2020

Publisher: Image Comics

(W) Matt Fraction (A/CA) Terry Dodson, Rachel Dodson

SERIES PREMIERE! A CATACLYSMIC ADVENTURE DECADES IN THE MAKING!
In this WILDLY AFFORDABLE TRIPLE-LENGTH FIRST ISSUE, revisit how the legend of the greatest pulp hero of them all, ADVENTUREMAN, ended in a heartbreaking CLIFFHANGER with our hero facing execution at the vile hand of his ultra-nemesis BARON BIZARRE on the eve of the MACABRAPOCALYPSE…or did it?!? Eighty years after his apparent demise, single mother Claire and her Adventurefan son Tommy seem to be the only two people alive that remember the thrilling ADVENTUREMAN sagas…but from that memory burns THE SPARK OF RESURRECTION! WHERE HIS STORY ENDED…HER STORY BEGINS! This sense-obliterating, earth-shaking, imagination-quaking adventure that spans generations comes to you from MATT FRACTION (SEX CRIMINALS, Hawkeye) and TERRY & RACHEL DODSON (X-Men/Fantastic Four, RED ONE)!!!

How could you not pick this up? It is “wildy affordable,” after all. The Dodson’s work in Previews looks great (go pick up X-Men/Fantastic Four!) and I’ll try anything new from Matt Fraction.

The Ludocrats #1 (of 5)

FEB200052

April 1, 2020

Publisher: Image Comics

(W) Kieron Gillen, Jim Rossignol (A) Tamra Bonvillain (A/CA) Jeff Stokely

SERIES PREMIERE! The Ludocrat! The ludicrous aristocrat! A collision of the ornate fantasy of Dune and an M-rated Asterix & Obelix! Baron Otto Von Hades and Professor Hades Zero-K are here, and they’re going to save us all have a nice time.

KIERON GILLEN (DIE, THE WICKED + THE DIVINE) and JIM ROSSIGNOL (Sir, You Are Being Hunted) write! JEFF STOKELY (The Spire) draws! TAMRA BONVILLAIN (Once & Future) colors! Clayton Cowles (BITTER ROOT, DIE) letters! The universe screams in pleasure, writhing, finally satisfied, complete, joyous!

At first glance, this may not be a book that would typically catch my eye but the creators attached to it have pulled me in. That’s one of the greatest things about comics as a medium, as well — there’s almost no barrier to entry in trying something new!

Dead Dog’s Bite #1 (of 4)

FEB200238

April 8, 2020

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

(W/A) Tyler Boss (CA) Ian Bertram

Cormac Guffin has gone missing. It’s been three days and no one has seen hide nor hair of her. The police have nothing, and the townsfolk are acting more like a funeral procession than a search party. If Cormac has any hope of being found, it rests on the slouching shoulders of her best friend Joe. Joe will need her wits about her though, because, like any story worth hearing, nothing is what it seems.

From award-winning cartoonist Tyler Boss (4 Kids Walk into a Bank) comes the story of a riddle wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a candy wrapper.

o  From award-winning cartoonist Tyler Boss (4 Kids Walk into a Bank)

Ooh right, I do have a copy of 4 Kids Walk into a Bank on my shelf. Looks like it may be time to finally dip into that. I’ve heard great things about that book and the premise of Dead Dog’s Bite certainly has me interested.

January 2020 Previews: Carman’s Picks

Strange Adventures #1 (of 12)

JAN200506

March 4, 2020

Publisher: DC Comics

(W) Tom King (A) Evan Shaner (A/CA) Mitch Gerads

After winning five Eisner Awards and topping year-end “best of lists,” the comic book of 2019 was Mister Miracle. The comic book of 2020 will be Strange Adventures.
The Mister Miracle team of writer Tom King and artist Mitch Gerads are joined by fan-favorite artist Evan “Doc” Shaner to bring you an epic tale in the tradition of Watchmen, The Dark Knight Returns, and DC: The New Frontier-a story of blood, war, and love that readers will be talking about for years to come.
Adam Strange is the hero of Rann, a man famous throughout the galaxy for his bravery and honor. After leading his adopted home to victory in a great planetary war, Adam and his wife Alanna retire to Earth, where they are greeted by cheers, awards, and parades. But not all is as happy and nice as it seems, as the decisions Adam made during battles on Rann come back to haunt his family and threaten the entire DC Universe. And now a surprise DC hero will have to choose between saving Adam Strange and saving the world.  
A story like no other, Strange Adventures is an ambitious, thrilling, shocking, and beautiful 12-issue saga that will push Adam Strange to the breaking point-and beyond!

If you’ve been following comic books even just a little bit over the past year or so, you already know that Tom King and Mitch Gerads doing a limited series together is a big deal. If you’re new to that concept, go on out and treat yourself to a copy of Mister Miracle. You’re in for a treat.

Decorum #1

JAN200108

March 11, 2020

Publisher: Image Comics

(W) Jonathon Hickman (A/CA) Mike Huddleston

SERIES PREMIERE! There are many assassins in the known universe. This is the story of the most well-mannered one. “Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter what knife you use.”

If you’re familiar with Jonathon Hickman’s creater-owned work, I know what you may be asking yourself right now — is this book going to take the next 10 years to wrap up? Who knows! Last I heard, Hickman’s been waiting to put out solicits until books were completed or near completion but either way, I’m also very excited for a new Hickman book. Some what recent recommended reading: House of X/Powers of X (soon to be collected together as Dawn of X), Black Monday Murders, and East of West.

X-Ray Robot #1 (of 4)

JAN200303

March 25, 2020

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

(W/A/CA) Mike Allred

Max is a family man seeking a more interesting life. While conducting a new experiment at work, the fabric of his reality is torn before his eyes, and a robotic figure appears, claiming to be his 277-year-old self. The robot is able to “X-Ray” multiple dimensions and battles a nihilistic entity from another dimension who wants to take all life to its “Pre-Big Bang” status.  Max and the robot embark on an interdimensional roadtrip through past and future to take down the “Nihilist” and save the universe!
o Mike Allred’s new bizarre superhero character X-Ray Robot!
“One of the best cartoonists in all of comics has done it again! X-Ray Robot is another Allred homerun!!” -Brian Michael Bendis
“Michael Allred kicks so much ass I can barely stand it. X-Ray Robot is the work of a master!” -Rob Thomas creator of Veronica Mars

I guess this makes for book number three on the list this month of “hey, these are creators I don’t want to pass up on!” Mike Allred’s art is rad and I will always check out something new from him. Recommended reading: X-Statix and Silver Surfer.

Starship Down #1 (of 4)

JAN200305

March 18, 2020

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

(W) Justin Giampaoli (A/CA) Andrea Mutti

A cultural anthropologist consults with US Naval Intelligence to investigate the discovery of an extraterrestrial ship buried under the ice for thousands of years in Siberia. The meddling Russians, Vatican officials, the international media spotlight, and her own insecurities all threaten her efforts to keep the fabric of society from crumbling.
o A brand-new thriller with blistering art from Andrea Mutti.

First contact and clandestine organizations — two big checkmarks in my favorite kinds of story ideas. I will definitely be checking this one out!