Category Archives: Carman Blogs About Comics

August 2019 Previews: Carman’s Picks

Copra #1
AUG190053
October 2, 2019
Publisher: Image Comics
(W/A/CA) Michel Fiffe

SERIES PREMIERE
  
COPRA returns in the first issue of its all-new ONGOING SERIES! 

Acclaimed comics auteur MICHEL FIFFE picks up where his band of mercenary misfits left off, reintroducing the entire cast of his Suicide Squad-esque revenge machine in a brutal standoff against their own leader. Jump right into the thick of it with the world’s greatest action team in this extra-length debut milestone-36 pages for just $3.99!

In case you missed it, Michel Fiffe’s Copra, previously published by Bergen Street Comics, has found a new home over at Image Comics. This change kicked off with the first five volumes of the series being reprinted through Image. Now we’ve got this announcement of the series relaunching with singles at Image. I’ll note that this is a continuation of the story, not a reprint. Copra is a series that Josh (you know, the shorter one) has been telling me to read for years and this looks to be a great time to jump in.

Joker: Killer Smile #1 (of 3)

AUG190446
October 30, 2019
Publisher: DC Comics
(W) Jeff Lemire (A/CA) Andrea Sorrentino

Everyone knows The Joker doesn’t have the most promising history with psychotherapists. In fact, no one’s even been able to diagnose him. But that doesn’t matter to the confident, world-beating Dr. Ben Arnell; he’s going to be the one to unravel this unknowable mind. There’s no way The Joker could ever get through the therapeutic walls Ben has built around himself. Right? There’s no way The Joker’s been entering his house at night…right? There’s no way The Joker has stood over his son’s bed, and put that book in his hands, the one with the, the, the…  
The Eisner-nominated creative team of Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino (GREEN ARROW, Gideon Falls) reunite for a psychological horror story where nothing is as it seems, your eyes can’t be trusted and Mr. Smiles is waiting behind the basement door. 
Wait, who’s Mr. Smiles?

One of the most exciting announcements out of San Diego Comic Con this year was the news that Jeff Lemire would be writing two new Black Label books for DC — one being a book about The Question and the other Joker: Killer Smile. Lemire joins Green Arrow and Gideon Falls cohort Andrea Sorrentino for Joker which in itself is worth the price of admission. I’m sure this has been said in this blog before but if you’re not reading Gideon Falls yet, go fix that!

Strange Skies Over East Berlin #1
AUG191364
October 2, 2019
Publisher: Boom! Studios
(W) Jeff Loveness (A) Lisandro Estherren (CA) Evan Cagle

MANKIND MADE IT TO SPACE. AND NOW SPACE HAS FOLLOWED THEM BACK.
* Herring is a disillusioned American spy stationed on the eastern side of the Berlin Wall, struggling with his role in a Cold War that seems to have no end. But when he’s sent on a mission behind enemy lines to infiltrate East German intelligence, he soon learns the Soviets have a secret weapon that could change the tides of the conflict: an alien monster that they don’t understand, and can’t control.
* The Soviets are about to learn that they’re not in charge of the monster it’s already in their minds and has twisted them to their will. Now now Herring must find a way to understand the impossible before it transforms him into a monster unlike any other.
* Writer Jeff Loveness (Judas) and Lisandro Estherren (Redneck) team up for a story in the spirit of Cold War classics, for fans of period piece science fiction as well as alien action such as Barrier.

Is there a genre for “X group of people from history actually have a secret, otherwordly weapon?” I don’t think it’s played out enough to have its own category but it’s a premise I’m a sucker for and part of what initially drew me into Mike Mignola’s Hellboy universe. So I’m mostly in on this because it sounds rad and I’m diggin’ the True Detective-esque cover.

X-Men #1
AUG190845
October 16, 2019
Publisher: Marvel Comics
(W) Jonathon Hickman (A/CA) Leinil Francis Yu

DAWN OF X!
The X-Men find themselves in a whole new world of possibility… and things have never been better! Jonathan Hickman (HOUSE OF X, POWERS OF X, SECRET WARS) and superstar artist Leinil Yu (NEW AVENGERS, CAPTAIN AMERICA) reveal the saga of Cyclops and his hand-picked squad of mutant powerhouses!
Rated T+  

So far, Hickman’s take on X-Men (being his two intertwining mini-series, House of X and Powers of X) is all it’s been chalked up to be. I’m writing this the day before House of X #2 comes out and I can’t wait to read it. That’s saying a lot considering I rarely read books (aside from #1s) right when they come out AND I’ve never really read a proper X-Men book. At this point, I’m on board for whatever Hickman wants to try out here.

Batman’s Grave #1 (of 12)
AUG190434
October 9, 2019
Publisher: DC Comics
(W) Warren Ellis (A) Kevin Nowland (A/CA) Bryan Hitch

The World’s Greatest Detective must try to inhabit the mind of a murder victim to solve a case-without filling the empty grave next to those of his parents. Can Batman imagine the life of a corpse with a half-eaten face without dying himself?
Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch, one of the most legendary creative partnerships of the modern age, reunite in this maxiseries about life, death and the questions most are too afraid to ask.

Great timing on this one — last week saw the release of The Authority Omnibus and I’m enjoying Ellis and Hitch’s work on it (I’ve not read it before and decided to pick it up so I can work my way through Planetary and Ellis’s new Wildstorm run). It’ll be great to see the two working together on a new Batman book. Here’s hoping for a fight with the Midnighter.

June 2019 Previews: Carman’s Picks

Marvel Comics 1000

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August 28, 2019

Publisher: Marvel Comics

(W/A/CA) Various

THE GREATEST TALENT EVER ASSEMBLED FOR ONE STORY! 
THIS IS THE BIG ONE! In celebration of Marvel’s 80th Anniversary, we have gathered together the greatest array of talent ever to be assembled between the covers of a single comic book! Names from the past, from the present, and even the future! Every page is filled with all-new work from this cavalcade of comic book luminaries!
There is a mystery that threads throughout the Marvel Universe – one that has its origins in MARVEL COMICS #1 and which unites a disparate array of heroes and villains throughout the decades! What is the Eternity Mask, and who is responsible for the conspiracy to keep it hidden? And what new player will make their startling debut as these secrets are peeled away? 
Featuring the entirety of the Marvel Universe of characters!
Rated T 
PERFECTBOUND FORMAT!

If you follow comics Twitter at all, it would have been hard to miss this announcement last month. A gigantic, all-star group of creators are collaborating on this. Don’t miss it.

White Trees #1 (of 2)

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August 14, 2o19

Publisher: Image Comics

(W) Chip Zdarsky (A/CA) Kris Anka

MINISERIES PREMIERE! Acclaimed Daredevil writer CHIP ZDARSKY teams up with superstar Runaways artists KRIS ANKA and MATT WILSON for this spectacular OVERSIZED TWO-ISSUE MINISERIES! In the fantastical world of Blacksand, peace was hard-won, and three unbending warriors carry the scars to prove it. Now, almost twenty years later, their children are missing and war is on the horizon. Can they put aside their memories of the war-and each other-for one last adventure?

It seems like it’s been a little while since we’ve seen some new, creator-owned work from Chip Zdarsky and that always gets a buy from me. 

Berserker Unbound #1

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August 7, 2019

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

(W) Jeff Lemire (A/CA) Mike Deodato

A merciless sword and sorcery warrior finds himself blasted through a wormhole to a modern-day metropolis where he must protect those around him from an evil wizard determined to send him to hell. From the Eisner Award-winning team of Jeff Lemire, Mike Deodato Jr., and Frank Martin comes this urban warrior fantasy series! 

The premise of this one sounds like it could have been a low budget action movie from the 80s but with Jeff Lemire writing, you can expect more than just tired tropes. Also, you better believe I ordered the Mike Mignola alternate cover (JUN190274).

Once & Future #1

JUN191263

August 7, 2019

Publisher: Boom! Studios

(W) Kieron Gillen (A/CA) Dan Mora

* When a group of Nationalists use an ancient artifact to bring a villain from Arthurian myth back from the dead to gain power, ex-monster hunter Bridgette McGuire escapes her retirement home and pulls her unsuspecting grandson Duncan, a museum curator, into a world of magic and mysticism to defeat a legendary threat.
* Bestselling writer Kieron Gillen (The Wicked + The Divine, Star Wars) and Russ Manning Award-winning artist Dan Mora (Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Klaus) explore the mysteries of the past, the complicated truths of our history and the power of family to save the day – especially if that family has secret bunkers of ancient weapons and decades of experience hunting the greatest monsters in Britain ‘s history!

This sounds like some great, Indiana Jones-esque fun and a great fit for Gillen and Mora. Check out a three page preview here.

Omni #1

JUN191784

August 14, 2019

Publisher: Humanoids Inc

(W) Devin Grayson (A) Ariela Kristantina (CA) Mike McKone

A young doctor mysteriously acquires superpowers and quickly discovers that she’s not the only one. There are people all over the planet Igniting with powers, but only her power can answer “why”…
Cecelia Cobbina is a gifted doctor. Vibrant, compassionate and praised by both her peers and her patients. But that was before the incident in Africa. Before she was forced to leave her job at Doctors Without Borders behind. Before she gained the ability to think faster than the speed of light. Overwhelmed with the power to answer almost every question, she must now overcome her own fears and tackle the one code she can’t seem to break: the truth behind the Ignited.

I’ll continue checking out Humanoids’ new line of H1 universe books regardless but I think this one has sounded the most interesting, so far. If you’ve got any interest in the world Humanoids just launched, pop by the store for a copy of Ignited #1, the first book in the H1 universe which recently hit the shelves.

April 2019 Previews: Carman’s Picks

Silver Surfer: Black #1

APR190783

June 12, 2019

Publisher: Marvel Comics

(W) Donny Cates (A/CA) Tradd Moore

Spinning out of GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #1, almost the entire galaxy’s defenders have been blown through a black hole, including the Silver Surfer! But the story doesn’t end there… In order to fight back the oblivion, Surfer will have to fight to save his own soul and not lose himself to the void. Follow the Sentinel of the Spaceways on a journey that will change him forever!
From superstars Donny Cates (VENOM, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY) and Tradd Moore (ALL-NEW GHOST RIDER, VENOM)!
Rated T+

The cover alone should be enough to hook you on this one. Having Tradd Moore on a trippy Silver Surfer book is such an excellent choice. I’ve also yet to dip into Donny Cates’ work with Marvel (I know, I know — I’ve heard great things) and this looks to be great one to jump in with.

Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: The Beast of Vargu

APR190224 & APR190225 (left and right covers above)

June 19, 2019

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

(W/CA) Mike Mignola (A) Dave Stewart (A/CA) Duncan Fegredo

Mike Mignola and fan-favorite artist Duncan Fegredo reunite in this all-new one-shot! This first issue in a new era of Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. sees Mignola and Fegredo send Hellboy to Romania for a pair of tales set in a small village with a centuries-old curse and a man-eating monster which culminate in a sinister puppet show and a demigod’s ill-fated dinner.

Hey, Fegredo is drawing Hellboy again with Mike Mignola writing, to boot! With the end of modern day BPRD/Hellboy just around the corner, the announcement of Beast of Vargu is very welcome. Editor Katii O’Brien has been saying there is a lot to look forward to in the Mignolaverse later this year and it looks like Beast of Vargu will be a great book to kick that off.

Ignited #1

APR191783

June 5, 2019

Publisher: Humanoids Inc.

(W) Mark Waid, Kwanza Osajyefo (A) Philippe Briones (CA) Mike McKone

Welcome to the H1 Universe and Ignited, Humanoids’ first ever ongoing super-powered series-brought to you by an explosive team: writers Mark Waid (Kingdom Come) and Kwanza Osajyefo (Black AF), and artist Phil Briones (Aquaman), with covers by John Cassaday and Yanick Paquette! It’s the first day back at Phoenix Academy High, but this year there’s no back to school excitement in the air as returning students and faculty are haunted by memories of last year’s horrific attack. So many friends and colleagues were lost, and some of those who survived underwent changes; they Ignited, gaining supernatural abilities they barely understand. Little do they know this is just the beginning!

If you’ve not read it already, I would highly recommend reading this interview with Mark Waid and John Cassaday from this month’s Previews. They go into detail about working on Ignited as well as the direction of their new H1 universe with Humanoids. The concept for this book is certainly ripped from the headlines and I’m optimistic that Waid, Cassaday, and the team will be handling it with appropriate care.

Test #1

APR192064

June 26, 2019

Publisher: Vault Comics

(W) Christopher Sebela (A/CA) Jen Hickman

Aleph Null is a lot of things: An orphan, a human guinea pig undergoing medical tests for cash, a bodyhacker, a hardcore future junkie, and a corporate asset. But now, Aleph is on the run from their old life, in search of a mythical, Midwestern town named Laurelwood where they’re test-marketing the future with tech that can’t possibly exist yet, and won’t for decades.

From Eisner-nominated Chris Sebela (Crowded, High Crimes) and Jen Hickman (Moth & Whisper) comes the story of a town out of time, full of mysteries, and populated by guinea pigs in need of liberation by the misfit least likely to be their savior.

I know I hit on this just a couple of months ago, but Vault is continuing to launch books with unique, compelling concepts. Here’s one with a cool idea from a team that seems so well matched for it. It’s also my reminder that I have to read the book Sebela did about his time living in the “Clown Motel.”

Marilyn Manor #1

APR190702

June 26, 2019

Publisher: IDW Publishing

(W) Magdalene Visaggio (A/CA) Marley Zarcone

Where were you in ’81? When the White House goes dark for 17 days in August, the president’s spoiled daughter and her best friend Abe-who claims to be possessed by the spirit of Abe Lincoln-throw a rager at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, unearthing long dead historical figures and government secrets that are better off buried. Sex, drugs, rock ‘n’ roll séances, and secret passageways lead to time-bending mystical romps where past and present collide. But at what cost to Marilyn Kelleher, the world at large, and music television?

Uniting the red-hot Eisner-nominated talents of writer Magdalene Visaggio (Eternity Girl, Kim and Kim) and artist Marley Zarcone (Shade, the Changing Girl, Effigy) for the first time, MARILYN MANOR explores identity, classism, appropriation, and friendship. It’s a rollicking, neon party gone out of bounds when we need it most-set just in time for the greatest pop cultural marriage to date: MTV. 
  
“We’ve been trying to capture the feel, the excitement, the energy of the rise of the New Romantics, of the decade that embraced excess and excitement in hugely over-the-top ways, and filled it with chaos and insanity. This is the weirdest thing I’ve ever written in the best way possible, like an apocalypse directed by John Hughes.”

“…like an apocalypse written by John Hughes.” I love it. I’ve been rereading Shade the Changing Girl recently Zarcone’s art is just fantastic. I can’t wait to see what she and Mags have in store for Marilyn Manor.

March 2019 Previews: Carman’s Picks

Batman: Last Knight on Earth #1

MAR190458

May 29, 2019

Publisher: DC Comics

(W) Scott Snyder (A) Jonathon Glapion (A/CA) Greg Capullo

Bruce Wayne wakes up in Arkham Asylum. Young. Sane.
And…he was never Batman.
So begins this sprawling tale of the Dark Knight as he embarks on a quest through a devastated DC landscape featuring a massive cast of familiar faces from the DC Universe. As he tries to piece together the mystery of his past, he must unravel the cause of this terrible future and track down the unspeakable force that destroyed the world as he knew it…
From the powerhouse creative team of writer Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo, the team that reinvented Batman from the emotional depths of “Court of Owls” to the bombastic power of DARK NIGHTS: METAL, DC Black Label is proud to present the bimonthly, three-issue miniseries BATMAN: LAST KNIGHT ON EARTH, published at DC’s standard comic trim size.
This could be the last Batman story ever told…

Snyder and Capullo teaming back up on Black Label Batman book. I think we’ve got a safe bet on this one, folks.

Midnight Radio

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May 22, 2019

Publisher: Lion Forge

(W/A/CA) Iolanda Zanfardino

Four individuals living in San Francisco are released from the frustrations of their everyday lives by a late night radio broadcast suddenly hijacked by someone with a message for the world. The passion and honesty of the message steers these four lives in dramatic new directions . . .  

There’s not a whole from the solicit here, but I recommend checking out the extended look in Previews. Midnight Radio is a book I’ll definitely be picking up.

Excellence #1

MAR190016

May 8, 2019

Publisher: Image Comics

(W) Brandon Thomas (A/CA) Khary Randolph, Emilio Lopez

Spencer Dales was born into a world of magic. His father belongs to the Aegis, a secret society of black magicians ordered by their unseen masters to better the lives of others-those with greater potential-but never themselves.
Now it’s time for Spencer to follow in his father’s footsteps, but all he sees is a broken system in need of someone with the wand and the will to change it. But in this fight for a better future, who will stand beside him?  
KHARY RANDOLPH (We Are Robin, Noble, Black, TECH JACKET) and BRANDON THOMAS (HORIZON, The Many Adventures of Miranda Mercury, Noble, Voltron) ignite a generational war in this action-fantasy series, made entirely by creators of color, and committed to one truth above all others-Excellence is Real.

There are a quite a few books in this month’s Previews that look incredibly interesting and feature creators I’ve never heard of. I love that! Excellence, Midnight Radio, and She Said Destroy all fall under that category for me and I can’t wait to check them out. 

She Said Destroy #1

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May 29, 2019

Publisher: Vault Comics

(W) Joe Corallo (A/CA) Liana Kangas

Over millennia, Brigid, Goddess of the Sun, has conquered and converted the entire solar system into worshipping her and her alone, save one space colony. The witches of Fey are the last believers of The Morrigan, Goddess of Death, Brigid’s sister and the only other God left. As Brigid’s forces prepare for one final battle, The Morrigan prepares to do what she does best: Destroy!

If the great standard cover and title weren’t enough for you, check out this Saga homage variant for issue number one of She Said Destroy.

Copra (Volumes 1-5)

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May 1, 2019

Publisher: Image Comics

(W/A/CA) Michel Fiffe

They’re ugly. They’re mean. But up until today, they’ve always been loyal. So when one of their own betrays them, COPRA has no choice but to turn their nightmarish skills back on everyone who ever even looked at them funny. Here it is: the first six issues of MICHEL FIFFE’s critically acclaimed superhero revenge machine. Collects COPRA #1-6.

Copra has been on my “hey, I need to read this” list for too long. Though the singles were offered exclusively though Fiffe’s Etsy shop, trade paper collections were previously released through Bergen Street Press. Starting in May, Copra volumes 1-5 will be reprinted through Image and it sounds like the series will be there to stay. Time for me to jump in!

February 2019 Previews: Carman’s Picks

B.P.R.D.: The Devil You Know #15

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April 17, 2019

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

(W) Mike Mignola, Scott Allie (A) Laurence Campbell (CA) Mike Mignola

After fifteen years of B.P.R.D. comics, the series reaches its explosive conclusion!

No, you’re crying.

Ascender #1

FEB190010

April 24, 2019

Publisher: Image Comics

(W) Jeff Lemire (A/CA) Dustin Nguyen

“THE HAUNTED GALAXY,” Part One
Powerhouse creative team JEFF LEMIRE and DUSTIN NGUYEN launch an all-new sequel series to DESCENDER with the launch of ASCENDER!  

Set ten years after the conclusion of DESCENDER’s storyline, magic has taken the place of machinery and the rules are very different indeed… Mila, the daughter of Andy and Effie from DESCENDER, spends her days exploring the lonely wilds of the planet Sampson and trying to stay out of the clutches of the evil disciples of the all-powerful vampire witch known only as Mother. But, like her parents, Mila doesn’t like to play by the rules, and when a certain robot pal of her dad’s shows up, nothing will ever be the same! 

With all the scope and heart of the sci-fi classic DESCENDER, LEMIRE and NGUYEN reunite to take readers on an unforgettable fantasy quest!

Though some long-running series like B.P.R.D. are ending, other series are returning. Sort of, anyway. Ascender is technically a new series but is also a sequel to Lemire and Nguyen’s Descender. If you’ve not read Descender yet, you’ve got some catching up to do on one of the best books to come out in the past few years.

Queen of Bad Dreams #1

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April 24, 2019

Publisher: Vault Comics

(W) Danny Lore (A/CA) Jordi Perez

When a dream entity known as a figment emerges from a dreamer’s mind, it’s Daher’s job as an IJ to track them down and make the call: reinsert the figment, or grant them agency in our world. After an especially powerful figment escapes the dreams of an even more powerful politician’s son, Daher is pulled headlong into an investigation that traces all the way back to the incident that sent dreams, even nightmares, spilling into our reality.

I keep hearing about Vault Comics knocking it out of the park with their new series and it’s time I jump on the wagon from the beginning. I’ve been hearing some great initial impressions of Queen of Bad Dreams and I’m really looking forward to checking this one out. Plus, look at this variant cover!

Little Girls

FEB190018

April 24, 2019

Publisher: Image Comics

(W) Nicholas Aflleje (A/CA) Sarah DeLaine, Ashley Lanni

Something hunts people on the outskirts of town…

Sam and Lielet are two new friends living in Ethiopia. They’re dealing with the kind of problems that all kids have: judgmental social cliques, condescending adults, alienation… and a legendary brain-eating monster straight out of folklore. Sure, it’s not going to be easy, but all they have to do is live through it.

Showcasing a quietly unsettling plot and building tension similar to NICK DRNASO’s Sabrina and ADRIAN TOMINE’s Killing and Dying, debut creative team NICHOLAS AFLLEJE and SARAH DeLAINE construct a poignant story of otherness and mystery.

The premise paired with the setting for Little Girls certainly has a promising hook. It doesn’t sound wholly dissimilar from other pitches for new series from Image but namedropping Sabrina and Killing and Dying has me very intrigued on the pacing and tone of this one. 

Hot Comb

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May 15, 2019

Publisher: Drawn & Quarterly

(W/A/CA) Ebony Flowers

Hot Comb offers a poignant glimpse into Black women’s lives and coming of age stories as seen across a crowded, ammonia-scented hair salon while ladies gossip and bond over the burn. The titular story is about a young girl’s first perm-a doomed ploy to look cool and to stop seeming “too white” in the all-black neighborhood her family has just moved to. Realizations about race, class, and the imperfections of identity swirl through Flowers’ stories, which are by turns sweet, insightful, and heartbreaking.

Drawn & Quarterly is another publisher that I’d like to start reading more regularly and I’m excited to read Hot Comb. I’d not heard of Ebony Flowers but I really enjoyed the preview on her website. Learn more about her here!

October 2018 Previews: Carman’s Picks

Hellboy Winter Special 2018

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Dec. 12, 2018

(W) Mike Mignola, Various (A) Various (CA) Mike Mignola

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Three wintry tales featuring a Mike Mignola and Ben Stenbeck team-up for a New Year’s Eve séance gone wrong when Hellboy visits a family’s English home, Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá revisit B.P.R.D.: Vampire with a new tie-in story, and Tonci Zonjic returns to write and draw Lobster Johnson.

When the new Hellboy omnibuses started releasing a few months ago, I decided it was time to dip my toes into that world. Since then, I’ve plowed through a few thousand pages of both Hellboy and B.P.R.D. and can officially say that I am in love with the “Mignolaverse.” I’m excited to be able to read a new Hellboy book at its release and this one seems to tie in with B.P.R.D.: Vampire which is getting a reprint around the same time.

Die #1

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Dec. 5, 2018

(W) Kieron Gillen (A/CA) Stephanie Hans

Publisher: Image Comics

THE WICKED + THE DIVINE writer KIERON GILLEN teams up with artist supernova STEPHANIE HANS (THE WICKED + THE DIVINE 1831, Journey Into Mystery) for her first ongoing comic! DIE is a pitch-black fantasy where a group of forty-something adults have to deal with the returning unearthly horror they barely survived as teenage role-players. If Kieron’s in a rush, he describes it as “Goth Jumanji.” That only captures a sliver of what you’ll find in oversized debut issue-where fantasy gets all too real.

Sorry to all of you out there looking to name your new drone band — Goth Jumanji has been taken. Everything I’ve seen of of Hans’ art so far has been beautiful and I will always check out a first issue written by Kieron Gillen. With Halloween just around the corner, I can definitely get behind something that sounds like Gary Gygax meets It.

Miles Morales Spider-Man #1

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Dec. 12, 2018

(W) Saladin Ahmed (A) Javi Gorran (CA) Brian Stelfreeze

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Balancing his normal life, school, parents, etc…and super-heroing has never been easy, but when the Rhino and a cadre of mysterious criminals start plaguing Brooklyn, things take a dark turn. And Miles doesn’t even know the half of it yet. Eisner Award-winner Saladin Ahmed (BLACK BOLT) and Young Gun Javier Garrón (ANT-MAN & THE WASP) bring you the latest incarnation of the coolest character in the Marvel Universe!

As I get closer and closer to its conclusion, I’ve been slowing down on Marvel’s Spider-Man for PS4 — savoring what I’ve got left. I feel like I haven’t been this pulled into a Spider-Man story like this in quite some time and I’m loving it. Though the depiction of Parker in the game is great, I found Miles Morales to be an even more compelling character and I am very ready for this new book. It’s also exciting to see that Saladin Ahmed will be writing — if you’ve not yet read his miniseries, Abbott, go do that. If you’re looking for some other recent Spider-Man stories to tie you over, read Chip Zdarsky’s final issue of Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man or Spencer and Lieber’s Superior Foes of Spider-Man.

Waves

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Feb. 27, 2019

(W) Ingrid Chabbert (A/CA) Carole Maurel

Publisher: Boom! Studios

After years of difficulty trying to have children, a young couple finally announces their pregnancy, only to have the most joyous day of their lives replaced with one of unexpected heartbreak. Their relationship is put to the test as they forge ahead, working together to rebuild themselves amidst the churning tumult of devastating loss, and ultimately facing the soul-crushing reality that they may never conceive a child of their own.
Based on author Ingrid Chabbert’s own experience, coupled with soft, sometimes dreamlike illustrations by Carole Maurel, Waves is a deeply moving story that poignantly captures a woman’s exploration of her pain in order to rediscover hope.

This is a book I don’t know much about outside of what you see here. It certainly sounds heartbreaking but there is a beauty to the cover that compelled me to order a copy.

September 2018 Previews: Carman’s Picks

Elisabeth Dumn Against the Devils in Suits (One-Shot)

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Nov. 14, 2018

(W/A/CA) Arabson

Publisher: Image Comics

Elisabeth Dumn is a strong, rebellious girl who’s determined to make her own way. Good thing too, because her father long ago promised her to the Devil and he’s come to claim what’s his.

This is a story that will haunt you long after you’ve turned the final page. Part horror adventure, part surreal dreamscape, this original graphic novella features the amazing artwork of new Brazilian sensation ARABSON, with translation by Eisner Award-winner JAMES ROBINSON.

It’s great to see more new, non-English work being translated and put out by larger publishers. I love the style of this cover and am very much here for “part horror adventure, part surreal dreamscape.” One of my favorite things about comics as a medium is seeing something (like this) that I’ve never heard of and taking a chance on it. Here’s to more of that!

Bitter Root #1

SEP180020 (SEP180021 for Mignola cover)

Nov. 14, 2018

(W) David Walker, Chuck Brown (A/CA) Sanford Greene (CA) Mike Mignola

Publisher: Image Comics

In the 1920s, the Harlem Renaissance is in full swing, and only the Sangerye Family can save New York-and the world-from the supernatural forces threatening to destroy humanity. But the once-great family of monster hunters has been torn apart by tragedies and conflicting moral codes. The Sangerye Family must heal the wounds of the past and move beyond their differences… or sit back and watch a force of unimaginable evil ravage the human race. 

DAVID F. WALKER and SANFORD GREENE, the creative team of Power Man and Iron Fist, along with indie veteran CHUCK BROWN (Trench Coats, Cigarettes and Shotguns) bring you 24 action-packed pages of monsters, mayhem, and family dysfunction in a brand-new ongoing series.     

BITTER ROOT Cover As by SANFORD GREENE will be connecting through the first story arc.

The premise of saving the world from monsters may not sound particularly new in the comics ethos, but setting that during the Harlem Renaissance in New York City could be great. I’ve heard a lot of positive impressions on Walker and Greene’s Power Man and Iron Fist and this looks to be a good jumping on point for their work (along with Chuck Brown!). Also, look at that Mike Mignola cover!

The Warning #1

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Nov. 28, 2018

(W/A/CA) Edward Laroche

Publisher: Image Comics

An enormous machine slowly materializes in a major West Coast city. Who sent it-and why-is a mystery, understood only by the malevolent beings gliding silently toward Earth through the inky vastness of space. In response, a multinational combat brigade called Gladiator Two-Six is deployed. Outfitted with next-generation military science and weapons, they’re tasked with stopping any extraterrestrial threat that emerges.

The solicitation for The Warning reminds me of Trees or Arrival and that’s definitely a plus. I wasn’t initially familiar with Laroche but found this preview from Multiversity Comics and it looks great.

July 2018 Previews: Carman’s Picks

MAN-EATERS #1

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(W) Chelsea Cain (A) Kate Niemczyk (CA) Lia Miternique

Publisher: Image Comics

Eisner-nominated and New York Times bestselling thriller writer CHELSEA CAIN returns to comics with a new ONGOING SERIES! 
A mutation in Toxoplasmosis causes menstruating women to turn into ferocious killer wildcats-easily provoked and extremely dangerous. As panic spreads and paranoia takes root, the fate of the world rides on the shoulders of one twelve-year-old girl. Part Cat People, part The Handmaid’s Tale, MAN-EATERS will have everyone talking.  

From the creative team behind the Eisner-nominated series Mockingbird: writer CHELSEA CAIN, artist KATE NIEMCZYK, colorist RACHELLE ROSENBERG, letterer JOE CARAMAGNA, and joined by LIA MITERNIQUE, KATIE LANE, and STELLA GREENVOSS.

This September… the cat wants in.

MAN-EATERS sounds like a wild melting pot of ideas and genres. Name dropping The Handmaid’s Tale in the solicit has me all tense and conditioned for extreme emotional turmoil (still counting down the minutes until the season finale) but who knows what will happen in a were-cat world? Also, you know you want the variant cover with actual sparkles on it.

Cemetery Beach #1

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(W) Warren Ellis (A/CA) Jason Howard

Publisher: Image Comics

From the creators of the acclaimed TREES graphic novels, which are currently being adapted for television, comes something completely different. A professional pathfinder, his only ally a disaffected young murderess, breaks out of a torture cell in pursuit of his worst extraction scenario ever: escaping on foot across a sprawling and secret off-world colony established a hundred years ago and filled with generations of lunatics. WARREN ELLIS & JASON HOWARD ignite a high-speed new action serial.

Some may say it’s a slow burn, I’ve really enjoyed what I’ve read of Trees (still need to catch up!) and I’m thrilled for the creators that the series has been picked up to be a TV show. I didn’t know they were also working on this as well, but Cemetery Beach sounds like it could be another quality series from that Ellis and Howard. If you’ve not seen it already, I definitely recommend checking out the preview in this month’s Image+ magazine (free with a copy of Previews). In an interview, Jason Howard mentions being excited to lean more into drawing cool sci-fi tech and that shows. The double-page spread is gorgeous.

My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies (Hardcover)

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(W) Ed Brubaker (A/CA) Sean Phillips

Publisher: Image Comics

Teenage Ellie has always had romantic ideas about drug addicts. The tragic, artistic souls drawn to needles and pills have been an obsession since the death of her junkie mother ten years ago. But when Ellie lands in an upscale rehab clinic where nothing is what it appears to be, she’ll find another, more dangerous romance… and find out how easily drugs and murder go hand-in-hand.

MY HEROES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN JUNKIES is a seductive coming-of-age story, a pop and drug culture-fueled tale of a young girl seeking darkness-and what she finds there. This gorgeous, must-have hardback is the first original graphic novel from ED BRUBAKER and SEAN PHILLIPS, the bestselling creators of CRIMINAL, KILL OR BE KILLED, THE FADE OUT, FATALE, and INCOGNITO.

Brubaker and Phillips are one of the most consistently great team-ups in modern comics. I’ll try anything the two of them cook up and the description of this one sounds right up their alley.

Heroes in Crisis #1

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(W) Tom King (A/CA) Clay Mann

Publisher: DC Comics

There’s a new kind of crisis threatening the heroes of the DC Universe, ripped from real-world headlines by C.I.A.-operative-turned-comics-writer Tom King: How does a superhero handle PTSD? Welcome to Sanctuary, an ultra-secret hospital for superheroes who’ve been 
traumatized by crime-fighting and cosmic combat. But something goes inexplicably wrong when many patients wind up dead, with two well-known operators as the prime suspects:
Harley Quinn and Booster Gold! It’s up to the DC Trinity of Superman, Wonder Woman and 
Batman to investigate-but can they get the job done in the face of overwhelming opposition?

I think Tom King and Mitch Gerads have done an incredible job bringing mental health to the forefront of comics with their Miracle Man series and I’m so glad that DC is continuing to shine that spotlight (with Tom King, no less). I love the idea pitched in this solicit — here’s hoping this team knocks it out of the park. If you’re not already reading Miracle Man, now is the time.

Batman: Damned #1 (of 3)

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(W) Brian Azzarello (A/CA) Lee Bermejo

Publisher: DC Comics

DC BLACK LABEL, the highly anticipated new imprint from DC Comics, starts here!
The Joker is dead. 
There is no doubt about that. But whether Batman finally snapped his scrawny neck or some other sinister force in Gotham City did the deed is still a mystery.
Problem is, Batman can’t remember… and the more he digs into this labyrinthine case, the more his mind starts to doubt everything he’s uncovering. 
So who better to set him straight than… John Constantine? Problem with that is as much as John loves a good mystery, he loves messing with people’s heads even more. So with John’s “help,” the pair will delve into the sordid underbelly of Gotham as they race toward the mind-blowing truth of who murdered The Joker.
BATMAN: DAMNED is a bimonthly super-natural horror story told by two of comics’ greatest modern creators-a visceral thrill-ride that proudly puts the “black” in BLACK LABEL.

DC went out on a limb with their Young Animal imprint and those books have been super fun. The premise for their newest imprint, Black Label, is different but I am cautiously optimistic. I’d love to see a great, new supernatural Batman horror story.

Moth & Whisper #1

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(W) Ted Anderson (A/CA) Jen Hickman

Publisher: Aftershock Comics

NEW SERIES!

Everyone knows that the two greatest thieves in the city are the Moth and the Whisper. Very few know that the Moth and the Whisper disappeared six months ago. And what nobody knows is that the new Moth and Whisper are actually one person pretending to be both of them. One supremely skilled but uncertain young genderfluid thief: Niki, the child of the Moth and the Whisper. 

Niki has been trained by their parents in the arts of stealth and infiltration, but they’re still just a teenager, and now they’re alone, searching for their parents in a hostile cyberpunk dystopia. Corporations run the streets while crime lords like Ambrose Wolfe run the alleys-identity is a commodity and privacy is impossible. The truth about Niki’s parents and their disappearance is out there, but can Niki survive long enough to find it?

A YA cyberpunk thriller starring a genderqueer super-thief, MOTH & WHISPER is the brainchild of Ted Anderson (My Little Pony, Adventure Time) and Jen Hickman (Jem and the Holograms, The Dead), that just HAD to be told at AfterShock!

The B cover of Moth & Whisper shows Niki with their low-poly style mask and long-exposure light trails for eyes. I don’t want to take away from what sounds like a unique story with a rad protagonist, but I also want you to know that I am all about that cyberpunk a e s t h e t i c.