Hey, we’re back and we’re taking a look at some of the coolest stuff coming out this shipping date and why you need to have it!
ARCHIE #601
David: The next issue in the Archie marries Veronica story arc! I’m a longtime Archie reader for years who has always wondered just how far did Archie get when he was dating Betty and Veronica at the same time? First base? Second? Third? Maybe we’ll get a bit of the old innuendo on their honeymoon!
ATOMIC ROBO SHADOW FROM BEYOND TIME #5
David: Why aren’t more people reading this thing? He’s a funny Nazi-asskicking robot built by Nikola Tesla! Why do I even need to say more?
BATMAN & ROBIN #4
Pete: It’s pretty hard to follow up Frank Quitely; especially when he’s teamed with Grant Morrison – but I have faith that Phillip Tan and going to do pretty well.
BEASTS OF BURDEN #1
Pete: Animals can sense evil – which is why this book that casts them as supernatural detectives isn’t as far fetched as you’d think. You can read some short stories here.
BLACKEST NIGHT #3
David: This shouldn’t even have to be mentioned, but DC’s blockbuster event features a cool idea done well. That’s all we can really ask of our comics.
CAPTAIN AMERICA: REBORN #3
PETE: Brubaker plays in Vonnegut’s sandbox with Jack Kirby and Joe Simon’s greatest creation. If anyone wasn’t grinning/squirming at the prospect of a Red Skull Captain America leading the Dark Avengers. Also: Who doesn’t enjoy some great Hitch art?
DARK REIGN THE LIST: DAREDEVIL
PETE: I’m going to be straight with you on this I am a trade waiter. It’s my prefferred method of reading comics. So while I won’t be reading this this week, I do want to point out just how much I’m looking forward to seeing Andy Diggle’s take on the character. Daredevil has long been my favourite title in the Marvel Universe and I firmly believe it’s one that brings out the best in each and every creator to come onto the title. (Bendis has yet to top his run in terms of quality.) Diggle will be the first non-American writer to work on the Man without Fear and I’m excited at the prospect of what that will mean, especially because Diggle writes GREAT bad guys, very complex and menacing, and while this issue looks to be a Bullseye/Daredevil meet-up which has been done to death – it’s still going to be pretty exciting. The only thing that worries me a bit is that he’s going to take Daredevil out of Hell’s Kitchen and bring him firmly into the Marvel Universe – if that makes any sense.
FABLES #88
Pete: Oh, I read this in Trade…
M.O.D.O.K: REIGN DELAY
PETE: If you’ve ever read any of Ryan Dunlavey’s previous work (Comic Book Comics, Action Philosopher!) you know that he’s a brilliant cartoonist who’s art practically drips with kinetic energy and fun. Expect the same here as he takes on everyone’s favourite floating head designed only for killing or conquest or whatever it is Marvel has decided right now. Apparently Wolverine makes an appearance.
SECRET WARRIORS PREM HC VOL 01
David: Nick Fury back to pimpslap some order back into this world? An obvious choice for any Marvel fan.
Pete: Jonathan Hickman loves his graphs – graphs are fun and informative! (Read Nightly News and you’ll find this joke hilarious!)
THOR ANNUAL #1
David: Ok, I know it’s not written by JMS, but Thor has been so great that I am willing to give this a chance.
Tiffany’s Epiphany HC
Pete: “The animals in the forest are being bullied! Jack the Rabbit decides to confront the culprit, only to find out the bully is a SKUNK named Tiffany! A lighthearted and humorous tale that shows how wrong it is to be a bully, as well as how lonely being a bully can be.” Honestly this just looks great!
TOM STRONG DELUXE EDITION VOL 1
Pete: Nothing in this world makes me happier than Tom Strong. I really feel like this was where Alan Moore was having his most fun and it showed – it’s just a FUN comicbook that can be read in many different ways. I know a lot of people seem to think that this is Moore’s apology for creating the ‘grim and gritty 80s’ – but I like to think that this is really just him and Chris Sprouse (whose art is at the top of his game here) just taking all the great pulp and superhero archetypes tossing them in the blender with a bit of Michael Moorecock and Brecht and laughing their asses off.
Get this if you haven’t read the series if only for the breathtakingly awesome line delivered by a talking greaser monkey 200 years in future: “You’re like stepping on my pride, Clyde.”
ULTIMATE COMICS ARMOR WARS # 1
PETE: Warren Ellis gives his take on the greatest Iron Man storyline (though to be honest I think Fraction is killing it on this Most Wanted storyline.) So expect lots of stuff to happen whereby characters talk bad coffee and science(!) in clipped dialogue and things get blown up using science!
X-FACTOR #48
David: X-Factor just happens to be one of those extremely well-written series that people skip right on over as soon as they see Uncanny X-Men, and it’s a damn shame for it with classic Peter David writing.
Pete: I think that during Secret Invasion David lost a bit of steam, but as soon as that arc ended it was like he remembered what the title meant and started giving us the sort of intricately plotted stories that seem to come off as random happenstance. David and De Landro absolutely destroy on this title.
