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April 2013 Alternate Comics Diamond Previews Review

         Time to visit the Back of the Previews Book as we check out the rest of previews for items scheduled for July 2013 and later shipping. Dark Horse brings us the first official work from writer Gerard Way since the announcement of the official end of My Chemical Romance. The rest of the creative team includes: Shaun Simon (W), Becky Cloonan (A), and Dan Jackson (Cov.). It follows a character simply referred to as Girl and features a battle between a big corporation, ironically named “Better Living Industries”, and the citizenry that it steps on. The plot sounds a little too cliched but with the man behind the Umbrella Academy writing, it may prove to be different. The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys is a 6 issue mini-series and the first issue should be worth a check over in the store.

         The second year of the Brian Wood penned The Massive brings the crew of the Kapital to New York City, or what remains after the Crash. This book is one of the most densely written series being published and the world building is deliberate and well paced. It wouldn’t surprise me if they had a complete atlas for what the world might look like post Crash. Get on board for what is going to be a second amazing year with issue #13. I would love to see this series picked up for television. The budget would have to be substantial but it could absolutely reach Walking Dead levels of popularity on the airwaves.

         IDW is quickly becoming the go to for very well done licensed comics. Another franchise joins them when The X-Files: Season 10 #1 hits the stands. Mulder and Scully are back and working the cases that defy explanation. This series is within continuity of the television series, and the movies, and is executive produced by series creator, Chris Carter. If the quality that IDW delivers consistently is applied to this book, it will be a hit.

         Speaking of hit licenses we have three My Little Pony books on the stands in June. First up is the My Little Pony “Color Me” Treasury Edition, which includes the first full issue, and all 48 original covers for the first four issues, all in black and white. I will probably order 2, one to color, and one to keep. The 5th issue of the six issue My Little Pony: Micro-Series comes out in June, with a focus on the random party planner pony, Pinkie Pie. Over in My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic #8, the second storyline which saw the premiere of the new Nightmare Moon comes to a close.

         The second Saga TP is released in June and collects issues #7-12 of this hit science fiction series by the superstar team of Brian K. Vaughn (W) and Fiona Staples (A). If ever there was a family that was the exact polar opposite of normal it is the one in these pages. Part Star Wars, part Romeo and Juliet, mixed with an incredible amount of creative talent make this a trade worth getting. If you don’t get the single issues (which I do recommend, just for the covers alone) you should at least be reading the trades. This book is definitely the highlight of Image’s June slate.

         While it’s not a book I collect I have to give props to the Archie published Sonic the Hedgehog title, which is hitting it’s landmark 250th issue in June. It is the ninth part in the twelve part epic cross-over with Mega Man called “When Worlds Collide”. In this day and age it is always notable when a comic book hits these numbers. Congratulations to the Archie team on the milestone.

         Avatar Press has really turned into a publisher that appeals to me. I don’t know if it is me who has changed or if it has been Avatar itself. It started with Fashion Beast, a brilliant 10 issue series by Alan Moore and Malcolm MacClaren, that is sadly coming to a close with the 10th issue in June. This is Alan Moore unlike anything you are used to, and if you haven’t read it, get the single issues, or wait for the trade that will be solicited shortly.

           Then came Uber, a tale of a Nazi powered super team, fighting for the Third Reich, and how that would have changed the course of the war. Issue #2 of Uber by Kieron Gillen (W) and Caanan White (A) is out in June.

         Now we have my favorite zombie writer, Max Brooks (World War Z), jumping onto the Avatar train with a story that pits humans against zombies against vampires. How will the humans react when the vampires seem to be protecting them? Little do they realize the vampires just don’t want their food source destroyed. Extinction Parade is set to be an 11 issue series but I am already hoping it gets turned into an ongoing or a second series is ordered.

         Black Mask Comics has a couple of first issues out in June but the one that has my attention is Liberator #1 by Matt Miner (W), Tim Seeley (A), and Yildiray Cinar (Cov). This is a Batmanesque character but instead of coming to the aid of the people, the help is for the animals as the title character makes it known that they do not appreciate animal cruelty and will go to any lengths to make sure it stops. With my work in animal advocacy this title has me excited and it is strange that this issue has never really been brought up more in comic books. This is on my pull list for sure.

Over at Valiant the Harbinger Wars continue in issue #3 of the 4 issue mini-series. The issue also contains the introduction of the H.A.R.D. Corps into the modern Valiant universe. Issue #13 of Harbinger and #12 of Bloodshot each continue the cross-over.

          For trade waiters the second Bloodshot trade is out in June. Bloodshot Vol. 2: The Rise and Fall TP  collects issues #5-9 of the series and continues to shed some light on the mystery that surrounds Bloodshot, and slowly starts leading us towards the current Harbinger Wars.