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March 2014 Alternate Comics Diamond Previews Review

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March 2014 Alternate Comics Diamond Previews Review

 

Hello comic book fans. This is the third and final look at the product shipping to comic book stores starting in May 2014. Marvel and DC are done so let’s see what the other publishers have to offer.

 

Star Wars Darth Maul Son of Dathomir #1          While Marvel has gone into meetings recently considering their direction with the Star Wars comics Dark Horse is still releasing some exciting product. Season 6 of the amazing Clone Wars series recently came to a close but Dark Horse has Star Wars: Darth Maul-Son of Dathomir. It is a four issue mini-series that tells a story originally intended for the animated series. After being sliced in half, and being rejected by his mentor, Darth Maul is pretty pissed (being cut in half would tick me off as well) and he intends to take on all of his enemies with an army of Mandalorians. Darth Maul was the best thing to come out of The Phantom Menace and an angry Darth Maul is even better.

 

Brain Boy Men From Gestalt #1           Brain Boy is back in the four issue mini Brain Boy: The Men From G.E.S.T.A.L.T.. Fred Van Lente is again penning the adventures of Agent Price and instead of a power hungry, powerful leader of a military controlled country he is pressed into action against a politically driven cult leader who wants the President dead. The first mini and the zero issue pulled you in and, at least for me, made this a character to watch. Issue 1 is out in May. Pick it up and while you’re at it look for the trade collecting the first mini and the zero issue. You will not be disappointed.

 

Dark Horse Presents #36         The anthology that could, Dark Horse Presents, is ending its current run with issue in #36 in May but it will be back in a slightly smaller (page count) and lower price version, so be on the lookout.

 

TMNT 30th Anniversary Special         I still can’t believe that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are at the 30th Anniversary Special but they are and IDW is celebrating with a 30th Anniversary 48 page anthology featuring stories from Kevin Eastman, and many other creators who have helped guide the heroes in a half shell through all of the different publishers over the years. It still blows me away that they premiered when I was only 9. The price tag of $7.99 is a little high but for such a classic set of characters that have withstood the test of time it is completely worth it, plus the cover from the co-creators of Eastman and Laird is totally worth it.

 

Trees #1         Warren Ellis has always been a writer I enjoyed but with the recent brilliance of Moon Knight over at Marvel, I am more inclined to pick up a book with his name attached and Image has a first issue with him writing and Jason Howard on art that has piqued my interest. The solicitation is cryptic and involves aliens being among us but even though I know very little going in Warren Ellis is writing science fiction and that is all I need to know. Trees #1 is out the last week of May and I look forward to him playing in a sandbox of his creation.

 

COWL #1         With the plethora of superhero books and universes hitting the stands it makes sense to try something different with the genre. Kyle Higgins (W), Alec Siegel (W) and Rod Reis (A) are going to do just that when they unionize them in C.O.W.L. #1. In Chicago the superheroes have to battle not just super villains but a public that grows weary of the antics. This means the heroes have to try and prove their worth a little more but can they do that while dealing with corruption within their own union? I don’t know but I want to find out.

 

Afterlife with Archie #7 Francavilla Afterlife with Archie #7 Pepoy         For regular readers you know one of my favorite titles and that is Afterlife With Archie and this month is no different. Advance solicited for June is issue 7, and it begins the second arc and with an ominous title like “Betty R.I.P.” you know it isn’t going to end well. In a series that has clearly demonstrated that no one is safe that storyline title should make you nervous. This is also a chance to further see the rest of Archie’s America while the gang, those left anyway, try to celebrate Thanksgiving in the forest of Pennsylvania. Things don’t go well, but for the Riverdale survivors does it ever in a world overrun by the living dead?

 

Clive Barkers Nightbreed #1         Years ago I remember watching Nightbreed for the first time and Clive Barkers brilliance shone on the big screen. He returns to that world writing new stories with Marc Andreyko and being joined by Piotr Kowalski on art in Clive Barker’s Nightbreed #1. This is the same world but new stories set in both the past and present. Boom Studios should have a hit on their hands with this one since the visionary creator is directly involved and cannot for Marc, his work has been a critical favorite with his DC series Manhunter being one of most cherished fan favorite series from the pre New 52 DC.

 

Chaos #1 Campbell Chaos #1 Rafael sub         They may not be celebrating a 30th Anniversary but Purgatory, Chastity and Evil Ernie, amongst others, are coming back when the Chaos Universe gets relaunched with Chaos #1 (of 6). While I was a huge fan of these characters and collected my fair share of bad girl comics I will be skipping this only because Tim Seeley is writing. His writing style is not for me and I admit I am a little sad I will be missing this but for fans of his writing, and of the Chaos Universe do not hesitate to pick this up. As we approach release for this I may change my mind because at the end of the day it may be something I like and writers have surprised me before.

 

Rai #1 A Crain Rai #1 B Hitch Rai #1 C Segovia Rai #1 D Allen Rai #1 Plus Edition         The last book I want to bring up is from Valiant. They are launching a new initiative known as Valiant First which aims to not only bring a new number one each month but also make sure that their books are at the top of their reading piles, and Rai #1 by Matt Kindt (W) and Clayton Crain (A) is sure to hit the top of mine. The artwork is fully painted and looks beautiful with a dark moody look at the Valiant Universe of the year 4001 A.D., and if you have read Mind Mgmt you know what kind of writer Matt Kindt is and what kind of pedigree he brings to what is sure to be a big release. Ignoring the brujaha that the first issue cover caused, this tale of a warrior who is driven to protect the billions of citizens of the Japan of the future looks to be a solid and entertaining read. Check out the previews online and judge for yourself but it is books like this that make Valiant a publisher to watch.

 

The summer months are coming up which means, much like the temperatures, the publishers are sure to be heating up in the next few months. See you in a few weeks when we see what is hitting in June of this year. As usual good reading to all of the fan boys and fan girls out there.

March 2014 DC Comics Diamond Previews Review

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March 2014 DC Comics Diamond Previews Review

 

Let’s pay a visit to DC Comics and what they will be shipping starting in May 2014.  With Forever Evil finally over the DC Universe heads into the next chapter of it’s editorially controlled story. Where Marvel seems to be allowing more creative freedom and very different takes on its characters DC seems to be going for the opposite. Most titles are serious and generic superhero titles.

 

Wonder Woman #31          The prime example for me is Wonder Woman, which is one of the rare titles that launched with the first wave and has maintained a strong independent voice on the comic stands, but that is even coming to an end when the creative team is changed and they bring the book more in line with her Justice League character. What this means to me is that DC is losing the one book that has truly shone a light on a character that has struggled in the past to find her own voice and identity, and turning it into another generic superhero book.

 

This limits my excitement for DC, who does not seem to want their characters to be different from each other, but instead they are all to be cut from the same dark and serious superhero mold. Not all of DC is like this and the creators are doing what they can with what little freedom they are allowed but as a fan I am just sharing my impressions. With that out of the way let’s look at some of the more interesting solicitsin Previews.

 

New 52 Futures End #1          A second weekly is joining the lineup in May. Futures End begins with a bang as a Justice League member dies. With that being said I am looking at this series as more of an Elseworlds as fans know DC would never make such drastic changes permanent. Grifter appears in the first issue and Stormwatch and their fate are discussed in the fourth issue. This is a relief as with the cancellation of Stormwatch (not surprising considering the title never found a voice through its entire run) there are no Wildstorm characters of prominence in the DCU in the regular line, and many of those characters have so much potential that has been thoroughly wasted since the launch.

 

One other exciting story point is the introduction of Batman Beyond into DC continuity. He is on a mission to stop whatever dark future will presumably envelop the DCU. As a self admitted geek I can’t help but wonder about the conundrum this will create. If Batman Beyond goes back in time to prevent a dark future, and ends up being successful then in the future Batman Beyond would not need to go back in time creating a paradox. I know this may not matter to most and that time travel is not a real thing (at the moment) but my logic cannot shake this point, hence the Elseworlds view I have of this title. It may sound like I am bad mouthing the title but it will be on my pull list because, logic aside, this book has a list of strong creators involved (Brian Azzarello, Jeff Lemire, Aaron Lopresti, Art Thibert, etc.) and should be a fun read. The first 4 issues drop in May.

 

Justice League United #1          Animal Man by Jeff Lemire may be cancelled but his adventures will continue in Justice League United #1 written by Lemire and drawn by Mike McKone. While Justice League of America seemed like nothing more than a really drawn out Forever Evil prelude where the characters were driven purely by the crossover, United will hopefully allow these characters to grow, plus they are in Canada, which has been ignored on a regular basis by DC Comics. It will be nice to see our country represented. Issue #1 follows up on the April shipping 0 issue and will be added to my pull list, for the time being.

 

Secret Origins #2          Secret Origins #2 is out in May and its lead story is Batman. A strange addition, and really a wasted edition as Batman’s origin is being played out in his main title written by Scott Snyder.  The other two origins could hold promise though as we will be treated to the beginnings of Aquaman and Starfire.

 

Batman Eternal #5          The other weekly continues in May with issues #5-8 of Batman Eternal hitting stands. I will pick this up for the entire run as long as Scott Snyder stays involved.

 

Batman and Frankenstein #31          Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE was one of my favorite books when the New 52 launched but since it did not feature Batman, or Superman it wasn’t supported by readers (readers who still claim to want something different, and still do) and the character is relegated to occasional appearances. He makes a surprising appearance when he joins Batman on his search for Robin in Batman and Frankenstein #31. Anytime Frank appears and mutters “Hurrrmmm” I am onboard.

 

Movement #12          The Movement comes to a close in May with its twelfth issue. This is a solid book that didn’t have a chance in a market where new DC concepts are rejected by readers in favor of more of the same. Here is hoping that the characters that Simone wrote will make appearances elsewhere.

 

Sadly that brings an end to our look at DC Previews for May. With the recent announcement of more launches in the coming months I look forward to potentially having more books to highlight.

March 2014 Marvel Comics Diamond Previews Review

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March 2014 Marvel Comics Diamond Previews Review

Time to pay a visit to the pages of the latest Previews. We are looking at issue 306, the March 2014 issue which lists product to appear in stores starting in May 2014. First will be Marvel as they have impressed me more and more with the releases under the All-New initiative. I will highlight some of my favorites, and make suggestions on what you should be picking up.

Original Sin #1 Original Sin #2           Before we dive into the regular monthlies we cannot fail to mention the start of the next crossover. As much as people complain about crossovers, they still sell and because of that we get Original Sin. This sees the death of the Watcher, a chronicler of all major events to hit the Marvel Earth, but his days of watching are now over. Part crime procedural, part superhero drama, this is an interesting idea, but will hopefully not drag out as some of these events at the big 2 do, and yes this is meant as a jab at the bloated and going on too long Forever Evil over at DC. After having the 0 issue in April, May brings the true start of the series in Original Sin #1 and 2 (of 8) penned by Jason Aaron with art by Mike Deodato. The premise is solid enough so I may check out the first issue out of curiosity.

What I will be passing on are the tie-ins. I have found that the majority of tie-ins are completely unimportant to the main series, and other than the titles I collect regularly I will pass on them, but for completionists be on the lookout for tie-ins in Avengers #29, #30, Mighty Avengers #10, and Deadpool #29, each one with the same solicitation text “What did he see?”

Amazing Spider-Man #1.1Amazing Spider-Man #2          With the return of Peter Parker and the Amazing Spider-Man title we are also getting a Dan Slott written, Ramon Perez drawn year one story that will give us a new take on the first 60 days of the wall-crawlers adventures. With his origin having been retold in two movies, a Season One graphic novel, and countless times in his own series, I am going to pass on this. This is being numbered using the numbering from the Amazing Spider-Man series but adding a .1 to it. While the quality of Marvel’s output has been incredibly enjoyable I wish they would stop with all of this point numbering system. It plays on a completionists urge to have a full run and in my eyes is taking advantage of the collector’s wallets.

Moon Knight #3          Now that my one Marvel rant is done, let’s look at books that you should be checking out. Moon Knight is a character I have found not to be as new reader friendly as he could be but that changed when I picked up the first issue of the new series written by Warren Ellis and drawn by Declan Shalvey. They aren’t shying away from playing with the title characters mental state, and even reference his past series but this take is extremely fresh, and you can go into it without any previous knowledge of the character.  His costume has changed into something sleeker and much more recognizable, no more hiding in the shadows for this guy. The first issue shows us a very dangerous and effective Marc Spector and the last page reveal is intriguing and makes me want to see more of this world that Warren Ellis and Declan Shalvey are building for our anti-hero. Issue #3 is out in May and is worth picking up; get the first two issues while you’re at it.

Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #1          The character that Marvel is trying really hard to make us like is getting a four issues mini. Deadly Hands of Kung Fu features Shang Chi. Mike Benson writes and Tan Eng Huat draws. I may check this out on the stand but just the sheer fact that Marvel is pushing the character on us in the pages of Avengers World (really a 22 page fight sequence?) is making me leery of this series to begin with.

Magneto #3          Magneto by Cullen Bunn (W) and Gabriel Hernandez Walta (A) is an odd book. While I liked the first issue everything about his characterization struck me as off. He seems to be more of a What If watered down version of the once great Master of Magnetism. The art is interesting and if the leap in character development was a little more believable I would have been willing to go further with the book. Cullen Bunn is a very capable writer but he explains everything too hard in an attempt to make this new status quo acceptable, but unfortunately, he doesn’t quite capture the character the way other new launches from Marvel have.

George Romeros Empire of the Dead Act One #5          The first act of George Romero’s Empire of the Dead draws to a close with the fifth issue of the series. While I did not like the original announcement that vampires would be playing a role in the book as it seemed it would be similar to Max Brook’s Extinction Parade, I have grown to enjoy this series after having read the first two issues. The power plays between humans, vampires, and zombies are much more political in nature and the boardroom drama is just as intriguing, if not more when compared to Extinction Parade. It is also nice to see how the zombies evolved over time and with their increasing intelligence I am sure we will see this kind of idea play out in other zombie fiction. This is a must buy for Romero and horror fans alike.

Uncanny Avengers #20          While I am sampling multiple Avengers titles at the moment as I pick and choose which ones will be on my pull list and one that grabbed me and reeled me back in was Uncanny Avengers by Rick Remember (W) and Daniel Acuna (A).  The most recent issue I read was a chapter in Ragnorak and boy talk about a cliffhanger, and even though I know full well the entire world was not destroyed, otherwise there wouldn’t be solicitations in May but the storytelling by the creative team pulls you in and with the upcoming Planet X storyline my appetite is back for this Avengers, X-Men mash up, plus Kang continues to play with the timeline, which is never a good thing but it is a fun thing to watch.

Thanos Annual #1          Even though he doesn’t have his own series, Thanos is getting an annual by two people who know the titan quite well: Jim Starlin (W) and Ron Lim (A). My only complaint about this book is the hyperbole present in the solicitation: “…redefine the Marvel Universe in the near future.” How long before every solicitation reads this because it seems at least one comic book in each monthly Previews seems to make this claim. We get it Marvel, everything is changing but why not stop and tell stories in the newly changed universe before doing it again. This book does act as a prequel to Thanos: The Infinity Revelation, an OGN due for release soon.

Loki Agent of Asgard #4          Loki: Agent of Asgard continues to impress and while the second issue wasn’t as strong as the first issue it is understandable as the Trickster from Asgard is still building his supporting cast. My disappointment lies in the missing follow up to the interesting cliffhanger from the first issue but I will stay with this title assuming that the issue one reveal will play in future issues. Al Ewing (W) and Lee Garbett (A) bring us back to the continuation of the story from the All-New Marvel Point One issue which saw Loki locate the sword of Sigurd and take it as his weapon. In issue 4 out in May, Sigurd wants that sword back.

Black Widow #6          The first arc of Black Widow draws to a close with issue 6 in May when Natasha confronts the big bad who has been in her life for awhile, without her knowing. While the writing by Nathan Edmondson is strong, it really is Phil Noto on art that gives this book such an independent identity and a definitive look for Black Widow while fusing with Edmondson’s writing to make this a must have for fans of the toughest lady to be a part of the Avengers.

She-Hulk #4          Marvel is really doing well by its female characters because She Hulk by Charles Soule (W) and Javier Pulido (A) has carved out a permanent place on my pull list as long as the two creators are part of the book. In the first two issues we are treated to a Jennifer who is striking out on her own, starting her own law firm in Brooklyn, and getting an interesting supporting cast including Hellcat, and an assistant with a monkey, that is with her at all times. Throw in a case involving Doctor Doom being sued by his son and this is a quirky title that will give She Hulk an identity all her own in the Marvel Universe. This is another book that is a must have. Daredevil fans take not, Matt makes an appearance in issue 4 out in May.

All New X-Factor #7 All New X-Factor #8          All-New X-Factor has issues #7 and #8 out in May and while Peter David (W) and Carmine Di Giandomenico (A) continue the slow build of the team it is incredibly captivating. Issue #3 brought Danger into the book as well as the knowledge that Quicksilver is reporting back to another character that has a strong interest in the current team, and Polaris especially. Cypher and Warlock will eventually join the team and with Cypher on a May issue cover that will surely be sooner rather than later.

That wraps up our look at Marvel for May. Good reading and don’t forget to head on down to Book Fair to pick up these and many other titles. If these books don’t interest you, there is a book out there for you, don’t be afraid to experiment.