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November 2013 Alternate Comics Diamond Previews Review

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November 2013 Alternate Comics Diamond Previews Review

 

In my opinion Marvel won January between the big two, so let us take a look at the other publishers and see what they have to offer and if Marvel has any competition to kick off 2014.

 

Hellboy First 20 Years HC       Dark Horse comics starts off the new year right with Hellboy: The First 20 Years HC by Mike Mignola. This includes 136 pages of Mignola’s best work, unseen images, and so much more. Sketches and scans fill this book, and allows us to get a peek into Mignola’s process.

 

The Star Wars #0 Lucas Draft          With the various publishers putting out the enhanced issues with different bonus features, Dark Horse is getting in on the game with The Star Wars #0. Acting as a creative themed companion to the eight issue miniseries we get to see behind the scenes and even get a look at the pitch process that Dark Horse did for George Lucas.

 

Serenity Leaves on the Wind #1          While we may not have the crew of the Serenity back on the big or small screens, yet, we get an in continuity follow up in Serenity: Firefly Class 03-K64 – Leaves on the Wind #1 (of 6) written by Joss’s brother Zack Whedon. For fans this will be given a chance to see what happened to Malcolm and his crew after the events of Serenity. This isn’t on my radar but Whedon or Firefly fans will snatch this up.

 

Elfquest Final Quest #1          Elfquest first appeared in 1978, and then the last original work appeared in 2006. Now in 2014 we return to the primitive Earth with 2 moons and the tale of those who try to survive in Elfquest: The Final Quest #1 written by Wendy and Richard Pini, with Wendy doing the art as well. Cutter is back and so are all of your favourites Obviously for an indy title (for most of its existence) to survive how long this one has shows that there is a fan base for this lush fantasy world that the Pini’s brought to us 36 years ago.

 

X-Files Conspiracy #1 X-Files Conspiracy #1 subX-Files Conspiracy Ghostbusters #1 sub X-Files Conspiracy Ghostbusters #1          IDW is getting to be known for their wacky crossovers with licenced properties and January brings more with the X-Files: Conspiracy #1. The Lone Gunmen, some of my favourite characters in the X-Files universe, begin with the Ghostbusters and whether they are legitimate, and if they are a part of or can help against the latest threat to humanity. I am looking forward to their run in with the Transformers personally.

 

My Little Pony Friends Forever #1 My Little Pony Friends Forever #1 sub          IDW also launches a new team up book, and it is not what you might think. Alex de Campi is writing and Carla Speed McNeil is on art duty for My Little Pony: Friends Forever #1, a new ongoing series that shows the adventures of two ponies, and how anything can happen. Applejack and Pinkie Pie team up in the first adventure. With how hot the Little Pony franchise is, and the fun that has permeated the pages of all their previous Pony books, this should be a sure thing for fans of the franchise.

 

Deadly Class #1            Rick Remember writes a new series for Image, being joined by Wesley Craig and Lee Loughride on art. Deadly Class #1 is set in the mid 80’s and is set in a school unlike any other, where our lead character, Marcus Lopez, is failing Dismemberment 101. Teachers are assassins, students are the children of world renowned killers, and you could be killed by your classes, or even schoolmates. I like Remember and look forward to him playing in a self created sandbox. Image is hot and Remember is a hot creator, and the artwork in the previews look slick. This will be coming home with me.

 

Egos #1          Another Image release that has me interested is EGOs #1. Stuart Moore writes a story that combines sci-fi and superheroes. The main character has to bring his old team back together and the solicitation indicates his main roadblock, his wife. Gus Storms provides the art and from the preview pages it is reminiscent of the style seen in the Prophet series which ends . The artwork has me sold and I look forward to checking out the first issue.

 

Afterlife With Archie #4 Francavilla Afterlife With Archie #4 Seeley          Afterlife with Archie is a stunning comic. I loved the first issue and Roberto Aguirre Sacasa writes, and Francesco Francavilla draws an amazing old school horror that reflects a pulp sensibility, all the while appreciating and incorporating all that has come before in Riverdale. This book is not for young readers as the horror is quite evident right from the first issue. Horror fans should pick this up, you will not be disappointed in the slightest. Issue 4 of the series is out in January.

 

God is Dead #5 God is Dead #5 End of Days         Avatar’s title, God is Dead, by Jonathan Hickman (W) and Di Amorim (A) has been announced as going monthly versus being a mini. The fifth issue of the series is out in January. While the Previews lists it as the fifth of six issues, it should be noted the announcement came after the Previews solicitations were released.

 

Lil Battlestar Galactica #1 Lil Bionic Kids #1 Lil Ernie #1 Lil Sonja #1 Lil Vampi #1          Fans of the Li’l version of characters will be happy when Dynamite releases the cutest 5 week event in January when we get five one shots; Li’l Battlestar Galactica, Li’l Vampi, Li’l Bionic Kids, Li’l Ernie, and Li’l Sonja. While I enjoy the occasional variant cover by Baltazar I myself am going to pass on this but there are those of you out there who will have trouble resisting the cuteness.

 

Well that is our look at the back of Previews, see you in a few weeks when we look at what is coming in February 2014.

Good reading to all.

November 2013 DC Comics Diamond Previews Review

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November 2013 DC Comics Diamond Previews Review

 

Forever Evil #5          While Marvel has allot up their sleeves it looks like DC Comics is delivering more of the same in January. Forever Evil continues along with the fifth of seven issues shipping in January. Lex Luther and his squad of villains, and Batman makes their move and apparently the consequences will be “devastating” for the DC Universe. The big two should stay away from such grandiose statements because when they are used on such a regular basis they begin to lose their impact.

 

Justice League #27 Evil Justice League of America #11 Evil Trinity of Sin the Phantom Stranger #15 Evil Constantine #10 Evil Trinity of Sin Pandora #7 Evil
Forever Evil continues in Justice League #27, Justice League of America #11, Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger #15, Constantine #10, Trinity of Sin: Pandora #7, Justice League Dark #27, Forever Evil: ARGUS #4 (of 6), Forever Evil: Arkham War #4 (of 6), Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion #4 (of 6), and Suicide Squad #27.
Justice League Dark #27 Evil Forever Evil Argus #4 Forever Evil Arkham War #4 Forever Evil Rogues Rebellion #4 Suicide Squad #27 Evil

 

Detective Comics #27 Gothtopia            Detective Comics #27 is a mega-sized anniversary issue that has a creative roster that is quite impressive. Writers include John Layman, Scott Snyder, Paul Dini, Brad Meltzer, and many more while the art side has Neal Adams, Dustin Nguyen, Frank Miller, and many more. This brings us stories of the past while also kicking off the next Batman crossover, Gothtopia. Judging from the solicitation this is all new material, and no reprints, which is a nice change. I find that the companies reprint stories partially to give back story but mainly to pad page counts so that a higher price tag doesn’t seem unreasonable. An oversized issue with all new material? Sign me up. I may not pick up allot of Bat related titles but with the abundance of talent in these pages I need to order this for my reading pile.

 

Batgirl #27 Gothtopia Batwing #27 Gothtopia Birds of Prey #27 Gothtopia Catwoman #27 Gothtopia          Speaking of Gothtopia, it crosses over into Batgirl #27, Batwing #27, Birds of Prey #27, and Catwoman #27. It’s an interesting twist having a crossover apparently affect the ancillary titles as opposed to the main books. Is this a way to boost numbers on lower selling titles or a genuine story meant to grow the characters? Time will tell.

 

Green Team Teen Trillionaires #8 Movement #8          Art Baltazar (W), Franco (W), and Ig Guara (A) bring an end to The Green Team: Teen Trillionaires with issue #8. It’s related title, The Movement is still continuing on but one has to question how long that title will last. My statements have little to do with the quality of the titles but more about the buying habits of the comic book readership. It seems that unless a title has Justice, Batman, or Superman in the title, fans do not feel willing to give it a shot. The same can be said of Marvel who is close to putting Avengers or an X in every title they publish.

 

Injustice Year Two #1          Injustice fans will have a reason to rejoice, Injustice Year Two #1 by Tom Taylor (W), and Bruno Redondo (A) kicks off. Superman still has his Kryptonian grip tightly on the Earth but will he be able to put aside his differences and help defend the Earth from approaching fear? Fear you say? I believe the Sinestro Corps might be paying a visit to the troubled and torn world of Injustice. I am looking forward to my first Injustice collection and will get this put aside for me so I can see how the story continues.

 

Vampire Diaries #1          Another digital first title hits print for the first time and that is the Vampire Diaries #1. The creative team is Colleen Doran (W) and Tony Shasteen (A). While I appreciate Colleen Doran as a writer, this book has no appeal for me. I do not believe that the fans of the television show are also comic book readers but sales will be the deciding factor.

 

Unwritten vol 2 Apocalypse #1          The Unwritten Vol. 2: Apocalypse #1 by Mike Carey (W) and Peter Gross (A) brings us back to the world of Tom Taylor. Tom Taylor is a character that has had everything taken from him, including his childhood. Volume 1 ended with Tom coming back to the real world but while living in the unwritten scenes of all of the world’s stories he may not be able to pay a toll that could lead to the destruction of everything and everyone, hence the Apocalypse tag-line.

 

Well that is the end of our look at DC Comics for merchandise shipping beginning in January of 2014. Not an overly exciting month for the distinguished competition but here’s hoping that they can get their groove back in the coming months.

November 2013 Marvel Comics Diamond Previews Review

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November 2013 Marvel Comics Diamond Previews Review

          November is a hectic month so let’s take a slightly delayed look at the Previews Issue 302 soliciting merchandise scheduled to arrive beginning in January 2014.

 

          The one we are going to start with is Marvel. Before we get into the Previews magazine I just want to talk about some exciting Marvel news that has been announced the past week and that is namely the Netflix deal. In 2015 Netflix will begin releasing the first of four planned series launching first with Daredevil. The man without fear will be followed up by Iron Fist, Luke Cage, and Jessica Jones. All of these will be followed up by the Defenders. Marvel also announced that another series would be appearing at ABC, probably in the 2014/2015 season. Even though reception to Agents of SHIELD has been lacklustre to say the least, with the most recent episodes they have been improving the show in baby steps. Hopefully it can rebuild itself so that a second season can happen. Marvel in the theatres, on cable, and on Netflix, not to forget the print and digital comics, it is a good time to be a comic book and Marvel fan. Onto our bread and butter, the comics.

 

All New Marvel Now Point One #1 AMNM          January is a big month for Marvel with their second wave of Marvel Now set to roll out. Let’s dig in shall we? As an introduction to some of the new titles coming out Marvel is releasing a primer in the form of All-New Marvel Now! Point One #1. This includes lead-in stories for several high profile launches coming up including Loki: Agent of Asgard, and of course the now Muslim Ms. Marvel, a character that has been in the media from Taiwan to the Colbert Report. The Point One issues haven’t really done anything for me but with some of the stories in this issue, I might be interested to take a peak, this may be the Point One issue that matters.

 

All New Invaders #1 ANMN          James Robinson, who recently left Earth 2 at DC finds his new home at Marvel, in a title that is rich with history that dates back to the beginnings of the 616. Namor, the original Human Torch, Captain America and Winter Soldier team up to end a Kree threat to Earth. Steve Pugh provides the art. I hope this series gets a chance to thrive, the last Invaders book didn’t make a dent in Marvel’s history. The Invaders is a title steeped in history and I hope that this book can. With James Robinson on board we can expect an appreciation of what has come before while bringing a new direction to this title, All New Invaders #1 ANMN.

 

All New X-Men #21 All New X-Men #22.Now ANMNGuardians of the Galaxy #11.Now ANMN          The Marvel Now initiative includes the odd .NOW numbering system. The Trial of Jean Grey prompts the numbering #22.Now for the January shipping All-New X-Men. This storyline will tie Guardians of the Galaxy into the the X-Men mythos while trying to protect Jean Grey who is now targeted by several alien races that don’t like the reappearance of the Phoenix vessel. The crossover also brings a .NOW to the January shipping Guardians of the Galaxy #11.Now. Brian Michael Bendis can weave some long form stories that continue to have repercussions throughout the Marvel Universe and this will no undoubtedly impact things to come. It should be noted that the 21st issue of All-New X-Men is solicited closer to the back of the Marvels Previews magazine.

 

Avengers World #1 ANMNAvengers World #2 ANMN          I am going to try Avengers World #1 and while the first issue will come home with me, I still question the constant influx of Avengers titles. At some point there can be just too many of them. Jonathan Hickman and Nick Spencer are co writers for this book, and with the huge influx of Avengers team members, I have a better idea of what Hickman has been building towards. Plus we have another claim of a change of the forever kind for the Marvel Universe. The first two issues of this globe spanning Avengers series hit in January.

 

Avengers AI #8.Now ANMN          Avengers A.I. #8 gets the .NOW treatment in January. The issue by Sam Humphries (W), and Andre Araujo (A) involves the Uncanny Avengers and a trip to the future where we witness the Avengers Empire in 12,000 AD. Marvel is throwing allot of time travel at the wall and waiting to see what sticks, as long as they keep it from getting to convoluted.

 

Black Widow #1 ANMN Black Widow #2 ANMN          Black Widow is getting another go with a new #1 issue in January from the creative team of Nathan Edmondson (W) and Phil Noto (A). I am a huge fan of Phil Noto and look forward to his take on Natasha. I look forward to seeing a darker insight into Natasha’s past as a KGB assassin, and maybe, just maybe, they can craft a small corner of the world just for Natasha, much as they have done with the life of Clint Barton over in Hawkeye. I will be bringing home issues #1 and 2 in January.

 

All New X-Factor #1 ANMN          X-Factor is back in the pages of All-New X-Factor #1 and 2. Peter David is still the writer for this new incarnation of the long running mutant team. Polaris is the leader this time and she is joined by Quicksilver and Gambit, among others. This time instead of being a detective agency, government sponsored team, or just an offshoot of the X-Men, they are a corporately sponsored team for Serval Industries. Out of curiosity, I will be bringing home these two issues to check them out.

 

Miracleman #1 Miracleman #2          There are two series premiering that I am ridiculously excited about. Miracleman is the one that has me so excited! Miracleman #1 and 2 come out in January and reprints the original work that was presented in Warrior #1-6, Miracleman #1, and Marvelman Primer. These are the groundbreaking stories that premiered in the eighties. The writing credit goes to the original writer, but we all know who wrote this. The curmudgeon but incredibly talented Alan Moore. Comic book fans both old and new should bring this home, not just for the amazing stories but partly education, education about how genre bending and deep this hobby can be.

 

George Romeros Empire of Dead Act One #1          The second series brings George Romero and his zombies to Marvel. This series is not set in the Marvel Universe, nor is it in anyway related to Marvel Zombies. Instead, this is a story that brings us right back to the world that Romero built in his Of The Dead series. For the first time we get to see what the New York of that world would be like years after the undead devastated humanity. George Romero Empire of the Dead: Act One #1 (of 5) is a must have for zombie fans!

 

Revolutionary War Alpha #1 Revolutionary War Dark Angel #1 Revolutionary War Knights of Pendragon #1          Since the end of MI-13 we haven’t had allot of chances to peek into the lives of the British Heroes, even longer for some of them, and the Revolutionary War is going to bring them back to the pages of Marvel Comics. Revolutionary War: Alpha #1 by Andy Lanning (W), Alan Cowsill (W), and Rich Elson (A) assembles Marvel UK’s heroes for the first time in 20 years. The story will crossover into other one shots that highlight specific characters. Watch for appearances from Captain Britain, Pete Wisdom (one of my favourites), Death’s Head II, Motormouth, Killpower, Knights of Pendragon, and more. Part 2 of Revolutionary War happens in the pages of Revolutionary War: Dark Angel #1, with part 3 taking place in the pages of Revolutionary War: Knights of Pendragon #1. I cannot wait to revisit some of these characters and watch them save the world again, for some of them they have been gone far too long from the pages.

 

   Cataclysm Ultimate X-Men #3Cataclysm Ultimate Spider-Man #3Cataclysm Ultimates #3Cataclysm Ultimates Last Stand #4Cataclysm continues in the Ultimate titles, and at this point are there enough fans to warrant the continuation of the Ultimate Universe? We will see when the February solicitations hit the internet.

 

FF #16Fantastic Four #16          Fantastic Four is ending again with issue #16, with a relaunch shortly in the future no doubt. FF also comes to an end with their 16th issue. I imagine that this will be relaunched at some point in the future as well. I am not a huge fan of all of the constant cancellations and relaunches that Marvel has been relying on and these cancellations do not stir any excitement within me but fans will no doubt pick this up.

 

Uncanny X-Force #17Uncanny X-Force #16Cable and X-Force #18          When the first wave of Marvel Now launched it brought two distinct X-Force titles to the table. I personally tried both but neither had enough points of interest to me, and I have not been a fan of the Psylocke love triangle that has been unfolding in the pages of Uncanny X-Force. In January the two teams crossover in the Vendetta storyline impacting Cable and X-Force #’s 18 (Part I) and 19 (Part III), and Uncanny X-Force #16 (Part II) and 17 (Part IV). Once this storyline comes to a close we will have one X-Force team, as announced in the past few days, by X-Men Legacy writer Si Spurrier, which is probably launching in February. Cable will be leading the new incarnation so we know he survives. I hope Puck survives and is brought into play in All-New X-Force or another X-title.

 

Night of the Living Deadpool #1          Zombies continue to capture the magic of pop culture zeitgeist when Deadpool wakes to a zombie apocalypse that has already ravaged the world…shades of Walking Dead? Cullen Bunn who has shown a deft hand at writing a darker Deadpool will be bringing it dead style in Night of the Living Deadpool #1 (of 4) and I will be bringing it home because I still love me some zombies!

 

Journey into Mystery by Dillen TP vol 00 Complete Coll          Trade waiters have no doubt been waiting for Journey into Mystery by Kieron Gillen: The Complete Collection Vol. 1 TPB which collects 392 pages of critically acclaimed and fan loved young Loki adventures. Journey Into Mystery #622-636 and 626.1 are all collected in this one book. I cannot wait to read this from beginning to end. This is scheduled to be on shelves in February of 2014.

 

          Well that is our look at Marvel for January. Allot of starts, a couple of endings, and some highly anticipated work. It looks like 2014 will be a good year for Marvel if the first solicitations of the year are any indication.