December 2013 Alternate Comics Diamond Previews Review

December 2013 Alternate Comics Diamond Previews Review

 

With Marvel and DC done we now turn our attention to the rest of Previews and the product solicited to start shipping in February of 2014, and there are a few interesting things coming out.

 

Tomb Raider #1         Dark Horse is a home for licenced properties and more recently superheroes. One licenced property that has returned to the world of comics is adventurer Lara Croft. 2013 saw the reboot of the leading lady of video games in her 4 million unit selling Tomb Raider game. They started from scratch and brought the character forward, redefining who she is and where she came from. The monthly Tomb Raider comic has allot going for it. First it has a built in fan base, second is the fact that this book carries on from where the game leaves off, and third one of the best female creators, actually one of the best creators in the business is the writer. Gail Simone can write female characters that can stand toe to toe with any male character in this medium which is still run like a boys club and Tomb Raider #1 will surely carry on that tradition. She is joined by Nicolas Daniel Selma as the penciler. This book will tell stories that tie directly into the video game and specifically the sequel game that is already in production.

Brain Boy TP vol 01 Psy vs Psy         The Brain Boy series written by Fred Van Lente is one I cannot recommend enough and the first trade, Brain Boy Volume 1: Psy Vs. Psy is advance solicited for an April 16th release. This book collects issues 0 through 3 and features art from Freddie Williams II and R. B. Silva. Get this book, support it so that we can get more Brain Boy. This book combines political intrigue with mental powers that would make Jean Grey envious.

 

Ghostbusters #13X-Files Conspiracy TMNT #1 X-Files Season 10 #9X-Files Conspiracy Transformers #1          In January the Lone Gunmen began investigating the Ghostbusters and in February IDW sends the X-Files supporting cast members to look into the Teenage Mutant Turtles and the Transformers in the pages of The X-Files Conspiracy: TMNT (Ed Brisson (W), Michael Walsh (A)) and The X-Files Conspiracy: Transformers (Paul Crilley (W), Dheeraj Verma (A)). IDW and Dynamite are two companies that don’t shy away from crossovers that would appear only on a fan fiction site in the past but now the match ups that fans have debated for years are starting to become a reality and the X-Files crossing over with some of the biggest animated properties of the eighties is a clear indication of that.

 

Other Dead #6         Any comic that has Obama kicking ass is a comic I am down for. Throw in zombie animals and a good time will be had by all … well except for the victims of said zombie animals. The Other Dead wraps up the mini-series in it’s sixth issue. If we are lucky it will end in a way that would allow a sequel because in this day and age everything gets a sequel, and Obama needs to continue with the aforementioned ass kicking.

 

Revenger #1         British talk show host and comic book writer Jonathan Ross in conjunction with fellow Brit and artist Ian Churchill on a brutal tale about celebrity and how you can have everything and have it ripped away, including ones face. The preview shows art that is clearly geared to an adult audience and is not child friendly at all. First Joker then the Revenger, characters without faces might be the next big trend. Faceless Avengers anyone? The Revenger #1 gives us the story of Griffin Franks who never grew much past washed up joke in Hollywood, but thanks to a hit movie he has everything he wanted, and then in a very violent nature it is all torn away. How will Griffin deal with the loss of something he wanted so bad being destroyed after only briefly brushing with success. I look forward to this book. I am not sure if it is an ongoing or a mini but the premise for the first issue has enough story possibilities that I could see this being ongoing. In addition this is the first time I have really enjoyed Ian’s art, not that he was bad but his style never intrigued me, but his style has definitely changed into something that fits the graphic nature of this book, showing detail that will make the squeamish take pause.

 

One-Hit Wonder #1         Ariel Olivetti is an artist whose style I have always loved and find that he has a Norman Rockwell approach making the characters appear as people that you or I could pass on the street and I like that accessibility, it makes the worlds he draws seem that much more real. He pairs up with writer Fabrice Sapolsky on One-Hit Wonder #1, another Hollywood centred tale that introduces us to Richie Reese, one time child actor who is now a Hollywood hitman, and if the preview art is any indication he is one with a big set of you know what. I like characters that aren’t afraid to let their inner jerk shine through and Richie looks like he will shine with an unheard of incandescence.

 

Skyward #8Final Plague #5Princeless Encore Ed #4         One of my favourite artists on the fringe is John Williams, otherwise known as Super Ugly and Action Labs is bringing him on-board for a month of Ugly Love variants for Princeless, The Final Plague, Skyward, Fracture, Jack Hammer, and Zombie Tramp. While I don’t read any of these books, and know nothing about them, these are books I can’t wait to read. Zombie Tramp vol 2 #3Jack Hammer #2Fracture #3I highly recommend any fan of graffiti/street/urban art to head over to thesuperugly.com to check out this guys amazing skills.

 

A disturbing omission in the Archie section would seem to be Afterlife With Archie. I have heard that this series is both a mini-series and an ongoing and I hope it is the latter that is true. This book is beyond hot and combines classic old school, almost EC like visuals with the zombie genre all within Riverdale. Book Fair can’t keep them in stock and many, like myself, pick up all the covers because they are some of the most striking books on the stand. I will be eagerly looking forward to the March solicitations in hopes of it’s returns.

 

Extinction Parade #6 Extinction Parade #6 wrap Extinction Parade #6 End of Species         Over at Avatar we find out that the Extinction Parade, the Vampires vs. Zombies vs. Humans book by Max Brooks (W) and Raulo Caceres (A) is now only a 12 issue series. This could be due to a number of contributing factors namely sales, his workload, or any number of personal issues that have come up for any of the creative team. I enjoyed the first issue and will probably get the whole series in trade at the end of its now limited run.

 

Turok Dinosaur Hunter #1 Turok Dinosaur Hunter #1 sub         Dynamite Entertainment keep snatching up licences and now are hopping on the superhero shared universe bandwagon with the first release from a new line that will focus on old Gold Key characters. Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1 by Greg Pak (W) and Mirko Colak (A) introduces us to the threat of the Thunder Lizards and if Turok can provide the protection for his people. A part of me wishes this title would be coming from Valiant, I recognize a good home when I see one and Dynamite is sure to do the Gold Key characters proud. Be on the lookout out for fellow Gold Key titles Magnus, Dr. Spektor and Solar. If you’ve always wanted to be on the ground floor of a new shared universe and missed out on the Valiant relaunch, the Dark Horse universe, or find Marvel and DC a little too cumbersome to start on, this is a launch for you.

 

Mocking Dead TP vol 01         Fred Van Lente knows how to write the dead and even make fun of them. The Mocking Dead Vol. 1 TPB gives the black, white, and red 5 issue series that shows us a zombie outbreak int he real world while mocking all of the tropes of the genre. The first issue was a standout and a sellout, and if you missed it grab this trade. Zombie/horror fans do not miss out on one of the most fun mini-series of the 2013.

 

That brings the February 2013 shipping product to an end. These were some of the highlights for me so don’t be afraid to pick up a Previews and check it out for yourself, there is allot of good products out there. See you next month when we look at March shipping product.

 

December 2013 DC Comics Diamond Previews Review

December 2013 DC Comics Diamond Previews Review

While the new wave of Marvel Now is blowing me away, the February 2013 solicitations for DC looks to bring the same old. While that’s not a bad thing I am definitely hoping for more when the next chapter of the New 52 takes off following Forever Evil. Also I want to say that there is a glimmer of innovation coming from the Distinguished Competition, and that maybe we are starting to see hints about the direction they will take, and hopefully it does not mean more Batman, Superman, or Justice League titles.

 

Forever Evil #6         Let’s take a look at some the more interesting books coming out. Speaking of Forever Evil, the penultimate issue of the event mini-series, #6 (of 7) by Geoff Johns (W), David Finch (A), and Richard Friend (A) and gives us the final fate of Nightwing. While Dick Grayson is my favourite of the Bats‘ extended family I would like to see him be a fatality of this event. With hints that Damian is coming back, Dick would probably follow because dead does not mean dead at either of the big 2. In addition Nightwing is reported to have an appearance in the new Superman vs. Batman movie hitting in 2015 and they would want to keep his profile active for possible new readers.

 

Justice League #28 Evil         Also because of Forever Evil we get the introduction of the Metal Men into the New 52 in the pages of Justice League #28 by Geoff Johns (W), Ivan Reis (A), and Joe Prado (A). Leading them is Cyborg as they bring the fight to the Crime Syndicate.

 

Forever Evil Arkham War #5 Forever Evil Rogues Rebellion #5         A couple of stand out Forever Evil related mini-series include Forever Evil: Arkham War by Peter J. Tomasi (W), Scot Eaton (A), and Jaime Mendoza (A), and Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion written by Brian Buccalleto and drawn by Scott Hepburn. In Arkham War we get a deadly, and terrifying Bane up against Scarecrow and his legion of venom enhanced villains. This series is one of the rare times I really enjoy reading Bane, and fans of the dark pantheon of villains that normally plague the Dark Knight should be checking this book out. Issue five of six of this series is out in February. Rogues Rebellion gives us Flash’s rogues gallery versus a very Arrow looking Royal Flush Gang. The Rogues are my favourite part of the Flash and his history, which is odd since I am not a fan of the speedster on his own. Much like the Superior Foes of Spider-Man over at Marvel, a Rogues ongoing would definitely peak my interest.

 

Suicide Squad #28 Evil         A fun tie in to Forever Evil is over in Suicide Squad #28 by Matt Kindt (W) and Patrick Zircher (A). The Suicide Squad goes against one of my favourite redesigned characters in the New 52, Omac. Wherever Omac goes a crazy time is sure to follow. Heres hoping he has a similar personality and is written like he was in his own ongoing because I was not a fan of how he was handled in the short lived Justice League International.

 

Superman Lois Lane #1         Superman: Lois Lane #1 by Marguerite Bennett (W) and Emanuella Lupacchino (A) gives us a chance to see Lois as the star of the book. Brainiac and a sister involved in drugs would give anyone a moment of pause but Lois does not have that option. Lois Lane is truly one of the most under appreciated female characters and a solo series where we see her rescuing herself versus Superman saving the day would be refreshing, and hopefully the boys club of comics (really the big 2) will let that happen and maybe support this book so it can become a reality. She’ll get my vote.

 

Batman Jokers Daughter #1         Batman Jokers Daughter #1. Marguerite Bennett also writes a Batman related one shot with Meghan Hetrick providing art. This issue brings us some more background on one of the new villains in the New 52, and one of the most twisted looking in comics. This will be a strong contender because of the Bat affiliation and I wouldn’t blink twice if the twisted lady did get a monthly.

 

Supergirl #28Green Lantern Red Lanterns #28         Speaking of female characters, Supergirl #28 by Tony Bedard (W), Yildiray Cinar (A), and Ray McCarthy (A), starts the “Red Daughter of Krypton” when Kara joins the ranks of the Earth quadrants new guardians, the Red Lanterns. The storyline continues in the interestingly packaged flip book that includes Green Lantern #28 / Red Lanterns #28. Judging from the solicitation Kara’s transformation will last longer than a month and I hope it raises her profile. She has been a character that has struggled with identity and thematic issues since before Flashpoint, and this might give her the direction she needs.

 

Detective Comics #28 Gothtopia Batwing #28 Gothtopia  Catwoman #28 GothtopiaBirds of Prey #28 Gothtopia         Gothtopia, an Elseworlds but not an Elseworlds story that gives us a very different Gotham where everyone is living the life that they want. This is also a chance to boost sales on struggling books, I’m looking at you Batwing, although it has lasted longer than I expected. Gothtopia touches the pages of Detective Comics #28, Batwing #28, Birds of Prey #28, and Catwoman #28.

 

Movement #9         Another attempt to boost sales with a Bat family visit is in the pages of The Movement #9 by Gail Simone (W) and Freddie Williams II (A). Batgirl heads to Coral City as she tries to help this title stave off cancellation. No knock to the creative team, and it is great that DC is trying to make this book work but you can colour me surprised if this book lasts beyond issue #12.

 

Stormwatch #28         Speaking of cancellations, Stormwatch will end soon but the end is still a couple of issues away. When Jim Starlin hopped on-board as writer it did help the book initially but the only passing resemblance to the original Wildstorm Stormwatch is some of the characters names and appearances. Beyond those two things this book does not have anything that remotely feels like the original Stormwatch. When this title ends it will bring a close to the Wildstorm integration that one time included a Grifter and Voodoo series, as well as the Gen 13 like title The Redeemers. I am holding out hope that Wildcats will be making an appearance in an upcoming wave of new books. Wildcats struggled at times but under the DC banner proper and with the right creative team (Jim Lee should pencil this baby) it could become one of the hottest team books out there. Stormwatch will always be one of my favourite series, and most notably when Warren Ellis wrote the book. Change or Die, there is a great Stormwatch story. Plus, and this may be just me, Lobo does not fit in this book in the slightest.

 

Fables #138 Fairest #23 Royal Masters of War #1         Vertigo will be livening up and beefing up its line in the coming months as both Fables and Fairest come to a close and Vertigo’s current longest running series shuts its doors. Rob Williams writes, and Simon Coleby draws a new mini-series called The Royals: Masters of War. The first of six issues hits in February and takes us back to 1940. Instead of needing protectors, the Royal Family are the protectors because they are the only ones with special powers. With this concept alone I hope it comes back as either an ongoing, or a series of mini-series. I love revised history where the writer obviously did research and shows us a world that while it is fantastic, is still grounded in reality.

 

That brings us to the end of DC Comics for February of 2013. Last but not least we will look at the rest of Previews and see what all of the other publishers have for us in February.

December 2013 Marvel Comics Diamond Previews Review

December 2013 Marvel Comics Diamond Previews Review

 

Welcome to my look at the Previews Magazine dated December 2013 and for product set for store shelves beginning in February 2014. Marvel is really impressing me with this latest round of Marvel Now launches. The first round had some excitement, and a couple of curve balls that sadly did not make it to first base, but the launches this second round make me happy to be a Marvel fan, and not a second too soon. My enthusiasm for the Marvel Universe had definitely been waning. This is getting back to my pre New 52 levels of fandom, with DC Comics taking a back seat to Marvel.

 

Has everything Marvel’s released been a hit? No, Morbius was a failure, but that was due to a weak storyline, no offence to the writer. It should have been darker. Journey Into Mystery feat. Sif was beyond brilliant, and I saw a woman who could go toe to toe with Wonder Woman and more than likely come out on top. Sif showed why she needs to be featured more prominently, maybe have her join one of the multiple Avengers books, and we know at some point she will become a member, putting on spandex in the Marvel Universe almost guarantees inclusion in a team, whether it be the Avengers, or the different X-Men factions, or if your lucky maybe as a Superior Spider-Man supporting character! Well that was a bit of a sidetrack, what it all boils down to is that Marvel is releasing work that while they are progressive with it, they still feel traditional. With this second round of releases I see shades of Hawkeye with such a wide variety of writers and artists, with many books showing an art style that would put them nicely at home on a shelf next to other independent titles.

 

Captain America #17         First up are the notable issues, that are not number one issues. First one I want to spotlight is Captain America #17. This book by Rick Remenber (W) and Nic Klein (A) looks to bring back some of the zany fun that comics were occasionally known for in the seventies and the eighties with our introduction to another creation of the Weapon Minus program, Dr. Mindbubble. I lost interest quickly in the relaunched Captain America but this issue might be enough to at least get me to sample one more issue. It looks like fun, and not allot of comics embrace fun these days.

 

Nova #13 Now         The fun looks to be spreading to Nova #13.NOW. Gerry Duggan (W), and Paco Medina (A) bring the fun in the form of Beta Ray Bill, a character who may have started life as a clone like copy of Thor, but has since become a staple of the Marvel galactic publishing side, and here’s hoping that this leads to allot more of the character around the Marvel Universe. This issue is also an anniversary issue of sorts as Marvel celebrates the 100th appearance of the helmeted hero Nova.

 

Inhuman #2 ANMN         Just a quick note about Inhuman #2, it has been cancelled and will be solicited later. I’m not sure if new orders will be placed a second time or not, we will see when it gets re-solicited.

 

Avengers AI #9         Avengers A.I. #9 caught my interest not because of it’s storyline, which I honestly stopped following after the first couple of issues, but more because of a certain characters appearance on the cover. If you have read issue #14 of Uncanny Avengers, then you will know which character I am referring too. I won’t reveal anything here, I don’t want to ruin it for anyone, but it will be open for discussion next month.

 

Miracleman #3         Miracle Man #3 continues the reprints stories detailing the life of one of the most powerful and dangerous superheroes. Miracle Man #3 reprints the Miracleman stories from Warrior #6-8, and the Warpsmith stories from Warrior #9-10. I am so excited to actually read these stories. This is a real treat for fans of the medium who never got to experience one of the best stories ever created for our medium.

 

George Romeros Empire of Dead Act One #2         My excitement for George Romero Empire of the Dead has faded to mild interest once I found out that vampires were going to be involved. I have nothing against the mingling of vampires and zombies, and Max Brooks is handling it well in the Extinction Parade series over at Avatar. My issue lies more in this innovator, the grand-father of the zombie genre, a man who combined political commentary with a healthy dose of horror and (at the time) allot of gore, he now seems to be chasing what is popular. Now I will still be checking it out since it is Romero but my hopes are running low for this chapter of his zombie epic. I would be so happy for the first issue to prove me wrong.

Daredevil #36         A couple of notable endings happen in February, both of which have since been revealed as part of the current wave of Marvel Now launches/relaunches. First up is one of Marvel’s most critically acclaimed character, and one of the four heroes being utilized in the recently announced Netflix deal, namely Daredevil. Mark Waid (W) and Chris Samnee (A/C) bring the current volume of the adventures of the man without fear to an end in issue #36. While I enjoyed the first trade the title was not quite for me but I can understand why critics love it. It is a wonderful take on Murdoch’s character.

Wolverine and X-Men #41         Another series drawing to a close but relaunching, this time with a different creative team as opposed to Daredevils creative team remaining the same, is Wolverine and the X-Men. Issues #41 and 42 both hit shelves in February and bring the school year to a close at the Jean Grey school. The school will be radically different when it returns, not only in terms of the students but also the faculty. With the recent semi-pointless, but beautifully rendered Battle of the Atom causing additional rifts amongst the mutant community, we will see several faculty members leaving the school. The first 24 issues of this book are some of my favourite comic book issues released in recent memory, and really added another dimension to Logan’s character as well as bringing some notable students to the forefront like one of my personal favourites Quentin Quire. Jason Aaron (W), Nick Bradshaw (A), and Pepe Larraz (A) will undoubtedly make the end of this school year one you cannot forget.

Fantastic Four #1         While a couple of books are ending, there are several launches and relaunches that excite me that this may be my favourite month of Marvel Now to date. One such relaunch is one that has gotten allot of criticism online, and that is the James Robinson (W) and Leonard Kirk (A) Fantastic 4 relaunch. I may be in the minority but I love the costume redesigns and the new logo. It is nice to see Marvel continue to take chances on their established characters. Whether they are successful or not with this story that is forbiddingly titled “The Fall of the Fantastic Four” will be up to the readers. With James Robinson proven ability to respect what has come before while expanding characters in ways not done before, this title has already proven itself to have a pedigree. Plus Leonard Kirk is an extremely talented artist whose style has continued to increase over the years. This may very well be a career defining run, or be a dramatic failure. I am thinking success is in the cards. I rarely have been tempted to pick up a Fantastic Four book before but this is coming home. Fantastic Four #1 looks to be a book to watch in my opinion.

Ms Marvel         A relaunch that has been getting a large amount of attention from many media outlets, including Stephen Colbert is the G. Willow Wilson written and Adrian Alphona drawn Ms. Marvel series. This title no longer belongs to Carol Danvers whose own Captain Marvel series will be relaunching later in the year, but now it is the home of Kamala Khan, a Jersey City, Muslim, teen girl. With shape shifting powers, a strong creative team, and an indie feel, this book is sure to start strong, and hopefully with readers support and good stories this can become a benchmark for all other mainstream female centric titles from the big two.

She-Hulk #1         Speaking of female centric, a certain cousin, lawyer, and 7 foot tall muscled green beauty cracks open the law books at a new practice in She-Hulk #1. The creative team is Charles Soule on writing duties and Javier Pulido on art. While I secretly wished Peter David would be the one writing it, I will still check out what Charles Soule can bring to the character. Charles Soule became quite prolific at DC and while he has skills I did drop a couple of titles after sampling his writing. She Hulk is always worth a try and regardless of my opinion I do want to see Jennifer succeed and join the small group of successful leading ladies in comic books. She’s done it before, here’s hoping she does it again.

New Warriors #1         New Warriors returns to the stands in February thanks to Christopher Yost, who has proven time and again that he is perfect to craft stories about the younger heroes in the Marvel Universe. He is joined by artist Marcus To in bringing back together fan favourites Nova, Justice, and Speedball, while incorporating recently cancelled Scarlet Spider, Sun Girl, and as well bringing the High Evolutionary into the Marvel Now extravaganza. There will be new additions and while I appreciated the attempts at previous relaunches this really does strike me as having an old school New Warriors vibe, while tying into the next event, Inhumanity. I admit I do wish that Firestar would grace these pages but on the other hand it is nice to see her embrace her mutant side and finally get to wear an X on her costume over in the pages of the Amazing X-Men.

         Marvel should take advantage of the Marvel Now relaunch and bring in a new Alpha Flight series. How exciting would it be to have an Alpha Flight series when DC re-brands one of there League books into Justice League Canada? A Canadian centric title from each of the big 2? Yes please!. With Marvel Now announcements coming fast and furious one can hold out hope.

Loki Agent of Asgard #1         A new launch building on the continuously building popularity of the character is Loki: Agent of Asgard. The first issue of the series from Al Ewing (W) and Lee Garbett (A) brings us an older Loki who is slowly lining up more and more with his movie version while respecting the characters recent evolution in the pages of Journey Into Mystery and Young Avengers. While I am excited to read this series, the solicitation for the first issue mentions the death of Thor, and that seems like a boisterous and really unbelievable story point. Either way I cannot wait to check out the adventures of the sexiest god from Asgard (worry Thor).

Cataclysm Ultimates Last Stand #5         No one is sure what the future of the Ultimate line is but hopefully we will find out soon when the March solicits are posted online. If not we may have to wait until Cataclysm: The Ultimates Last Stand #5 (of 5) hits in February. My suspicions are that this is the end for that imprint. Let’s face it, since Ultimatum it hasn’t been the same, and if this is the last issue of this universe it is appropriate that Brian Michael Bendis (W) and Mark Bagley (A) are the ones to bring an end to the imprint. On the other hand they could relaunch the entire thing but it would be neat to see Miles Morales in the 616 Universe.

While this doesn’t cover everything happening at Marvel in February I believe these are the most notable releases and again applaud Marvel for stepping up there game and surpassing DC in terms of sheer relevance and lack of fear in trying new approaches to existing characters, or even returning characters to their old school roots, and realizing what made them work in the first place.

This truly is an exciting time to be rediscovering Marvel and their characters. See you soon with our look at DC.