As a parent, I am often caught asking myself how to introduce my children to my favorite fandoms. Many of the things I like can seem dark and scary to young eyes, and while I was exposed to all things terrifying at a very young age and turned out fine (sure I did), I find myself afraid of warping my kids.
The Little Golden Books series has now come up with the best thing I’ve ever heard of as a mom and a Star Warsfan. The entire Star Wars saga has been transformed into Little Golden Books and is already available for pre-sale.
The series will have one book for each movie and is available as a box set. The artwork is bright and retro to play a proper homage to the original films. All of the material will be addressed, but in a way that will work best for children. Translation – no nightmares about the Rancor, which I totally had as a kid.
Burn the Orphanage – Born to Lose #2, our pick of the week
Pick of the Week:
Burn the Orphanage: Born to Lose #2 (DC Comics) – A
It’s about time we had a fun, over the top Jean-Claude Vanne Dammey comic come out. Full of total guy nerd references and comedy, this over-the-top book is about a local hero who has extracted revenge on the man who burned down the orphanage he lived in as a kid. It might feel like a rip off of 90’s nerdom, but that’s because it is – and the creators have no shame in admitting that. The character looks just like Ken from Street Fighter and he is entered into a Mortal Kombat-style tourney in another realm. Independent comics are still alive and well here in this unapologetically witty and fun book, and that’s what should make you want to keep coming back.
Other Reviews:
Action Comics #26 (DC Comics) – B-
Finally, an enjoyable Superman title that isn’t carried by the best tag team in comics (Superman: Unchained). With Lana Lang in danger, Superman must try to rescue her and the other civilians in the area from a giant monster dog thing. It’s more than meets the eye when we realize that maybe the monster isn’t the alien after all. Superman gets frustrated with the civilians and the military for attacking the alien instead of being the unwavering Blue Boy Scout. It’s a change that’s pretty enjoyable to see in the Superman comics.
Amazing Spiderman #700.1 (Marvel Comics) B+
Amazing Spiderman #700.1 is a reversion back to the Steve Ditko and Stan Lee’s classic comic series. It is been a year since the “superior” Spiderman murdered Peter Parker, so his homecoming is much welcomed! I was thrilled to see David Morrell as the writer on this project, not only because his novel First Blood was transformed into the blockbuster Rambo movie franchise, but for his writing for 2007’s Captain America series: Chosen, which I thoroughly enjoyed. This Spidey book entitled “Frost” and follows the emotional and physical struggles of a young man gifted with incredible abilities after a science experiment gone terribly wrong. He seems more civil-servant than flashy superhero. This has always been the draw to Spiderman. In the early days he found himself more of a policeman walking a beat than he did A-lister superhero. Klaus Johnson’s artwork only contributes to this nostalgic feel, bringing a scene of Spiderman saving a gondola off the 59th Street Bridge to life. Reading this book took me back to a simpler time when superheroes felt closer to home. This book has everything the old-school Spidey fan loves, J.J. Jameson, Aunt May and an ordinary kid given extraordinary powers.
Amazing X-Men #2 (Marvel Comics) – B-
After the revelation of the debut issue that Nightcrawler is alive… kinda, this issue shows our X-Men being sucked into heaven and hell. It was a good issue, with Iceman’s humor really stealing the show. The book reads a little slow, as Nightcrawler is constantly narrating what the pictures explain, and describe teammates like Wolverine and Storm like you’ve never heard of them before. Not a whole lot was explained story-wise, but we can guess that the team isn’t in a good place when they were transported. With Nightcrawler poised to make a move on his father, Azazel, the next issue is sure to be a little more exciting.
Batman/Superman #6 (DC Comics) – C-
All bets are off: the heroes are being controlled by videogame players (really, who wouldn’t want to do that?), the entire comic is in landscape format (really, who would want to do that?) and Batman has a freakin’ hole in his chest. What began as a well-crafted story with freakishly good art from Jae Lee has become a jumbled mess of a book. While the Toymaker angle is interesting, there’s nothing cohesive enough to call this book “good.”
Deadpool #20 (Marvel Comics) – F
Oh, good. For a second there, I was worried that the Deadpool book had standards. Silly me. After a sincere and comical story arc had finished about the Weapons X program in North Korea, they drop this trash about Deadpool shooting and blowing up inter-galactic monsters in Wakanda. In 90’s print. For no damn reason. Growing up, Deadpool had always been the mischievous, “do what I want” misunderstood merc with a mouth. With the success he has garnered in pop culture, it seems writers are literally willing to do whatever they want. It’s not cute, and I don’t even think that every die-hard Poolians (I just made that up) should give this series a shot anymore.
Green Arrow #26 (DC Comics) – B
Thanks to the CW’s Arrow, Oliver Queen and company have enjoyed some much deserved attention in the comics. Throw in tremendously talented writer Jeff Lemire and artist Andrea Sorrentino, and you have the next face of your brand. The start of the Outsiders War arc was not full of action, but full of ambiance. Arrow’s return to the island was charged with emotion as he reflects on his time there. It’s looking like this arc is gearing up to be fun and exciting.
Ever since Tony Stark and Bruce Banner teamed up for S.H.I.E.L.D its been non stop action. Banner is motivated by a desire to repair his reputation as the world’s leading scientist and not a raging green monster, while Stark is motivated by…whatever motivates a genius, billionaire, playboy philanthropist. The pair run errands for the clandestine organization and we are thankful for it. Indestructible, penciled by Mahmud Asrar is filled with epic battle panels with Iron-Man and Hulk. If this buddy-cop match up is one you’ve been waiting for, Indestructible Hulk won’t disappoint.
Inhumanity #1 (Marvel Comics) – B+
Every Marvel event comes with a certain level of gravity. The world, galaxy or universe is always in danger and it’s the duty of our heroes to sacrifice and blah blah blah – sound familiar? This story, though, has an awesome feel to it. Unless you read or saw the animated version of Inhumans, you would not know that Inhumans are awakened through Terrigen Mists that activate super powers in normal humans. Karnak walks readers through the story of Black Bolt and what the fall of Attilan has to do with Thanos. It’s an epic event in the Marvel U that actually deserves the description.
Marvel Knights: X-Men #2 (Marvel Comics) – B-
With all the complicated twists and turns of the other X-books, it’s nice to see a book go to the simplest of times. Knights debut ended with Wolverine finding his buddy Sabretooth in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere. Continuing the story, which had a very pulpy, Scooby-Dooish vibe, we find another lonely and confused mutant with the ability to project memories (good thing this wasn’t a teenage boy). It has a bit of social commentary that has been absent in X-Men recently. This is definitely a short series worth checking out.
Superior Spiderman #23 (Marvel Comics) – B
Man, just when you think you can get used to Octavius as Spiderman, he pulls a major jerk move and messes with our pal Flash Thompson AKA Venom. We saw him go too far with his black & white justice approach with Cardiac earlier in the series, and now he’s really fighting with fire, tricking Flash into undergoing surgery to help him walk again, but extracting the Venom symbiote from Flash altogether, who now has Darth Maul legs. Once free, it latches onto the most suitable host in the room. I’m pretty excited to see how Otto thinks he can get himself out of this one, if he even wants to.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Micro-Series (The Shredder) #8 (IDW Comics) – C
When you really think about it, Oroku Saki aka The Shredder never really talks. I mean, he never really has to. A few speeches about how much he hates Splinter and the turtles or how disappointed he is in the Foot, sure, but when it comes to actually talking, it just doesn’t happen. This whole issue focuses on Shredder’s journey through the after-life, which is on its own, pretty entertaining and well-drawn. However, his lack of personality really put a damper on what could be a pretty cool Japanese folklore-based story.
Terminator: Salvation – The Final Battle #1 (Dark Horse Comics) – B+
This Terminator comic begins almost exactly like the first three terminator movies. Human and Terminator alike come back in time, Terminator kills people for clothes and the human runs from the police. The story fluctuates between the present day timeline and the future of 2029. Being a continuation of the movie, it is actually necessary that you watch the film in order to understand who a few characters are. That being said I am very excited to see where they take this series. Being a major fan of the series, I am very interested to see how they finally end the saga.
Trillium #5 (Vertigo Comics) – A-
The dimensions of a comic book page are 6-7/8″ x 10-1/2″ and Jeff Lemire seems to fill up every square inch with quality work. Issue #5 is split horizontally into two stories, read from opposite ends of the book to give the impression of two different stories. Swapped places in time and space, Billy and Nika are losing their minds trying to figure out how they got there. Right off the bat, things are out of place. There will be nobody named Clayton in the future of outer space; I simply refuse to believe it. I don’t know where this wild ride is going, but we have three issues to save the world and get these star-crossed lovers back to each other.
Velvet #2 (Image Comics) – B+
James Bond meets La Femme Nikita in this spy thriller. Only two issues in and we are uncovering a web of lies and a screw job within a secret government organization. Full of action and espionage, the second issue digs a bit deeper. Velvet boasts a strong female lead and a deep storyline to explore. If you haven’t picked up on Velvet yet, I strongly suggest getting into this spy thriller.
Funniest Panel of the Week:
Bobby breaks the ice in Amazing X-Men #2
Epic Panel of the Week:
The real Peter Parker saves the day in Amazing Spiderman #700.1
Cover of the Week:
TMNT Villain Micro-Series #8, written by Paul Allor and drawn by Dan Duncan
That about wraps it up for our reviews this week! Look for next week’s previews coming soon. Any comic books you didn’t see reviewed that you want reviewed? Any grades you didn’t agree on? Let us know in the comments!
All images taken from ComiXology app and the credit for them goes to the respective publishers; thanks to IDW Comics, image Comics, Dark Horse, DC and Marvel for putting out great books.
It’s only been one issue, but I’m already invested in this sci-fi thriller. I have no idea what the hell is going on, but I don’t think our main character, Grant, does either. The Black Science, I correlate to be like Black Magic, but it pays more. The art is very fitting and the monologue is amazing. In an attempt to escape from the weird toad and fish people, Grant sends his team to some inter-species galactic war. I don’t know what’s going on and I love it. I’m super excited to see what happens next.
Other Reviews:
All New X-Men #19 (Marvel Comics) – D
In this issue, the original X-Men fight off a group of crazy religious zealots who are dedicated to killing mutants in the name of God. With brand new uniforms, a new art team (technically they did #18, but it still feels new) and a new villain, this issue carries almost zero momentum that has made this such an enjoyable book. Also, seemingly for no reason, Illyana AKA Magik is back together with the rest of the X Team after a huge falling out when she joined Cyclops’ team. There was a pretty crazy end scene where a feral (and bald) X-23 bears her teeth to Kitty Pryde, so we’ll see if this is somehow connected to the Murder World that takes place in Avengers Arena. All in all, though, a pretty bland book considering the caliber of the series thus far.
Aquaman #25 (DC Comics) – B-
If you’re not a fan of Aquaman, this issue probably will not sell it. Geoff Johns, in true Geoff Johns fashion, wraps up his tenure with Aquaman taking his place as King of Atlantis. The Dead King has been defeated for now. It might not seem like a big deal, but Johns took Aquaman from being the laughing stock of comic book fans to an almost-respected character in just two years. While I’m skeptical of anything that happens after this, the story immediately points to a new threat, carried into another Geoff Johns penned book, Justice League. I’d say this book is worth checking out if you’re at all curious about Aquaman or the end of Johns’ saga.
Avengers Arena #18 (Marvel Comics) – D
Murder World is finally closed. After seventeen issues full of mushy “let’s be friends” speeches, one of the characters sacrifices himself to save the rest of the characters. However, the biggest worry is what happens after they leave. Arcade, the madman behind the whole debacle, has uploaded the events of the superhero Hunger Games onto the web. What happens now? The issue, and series as a whole, wasn’t stellar in story or art, but the aftermath of the events that unfolded will be pretty interesting to see.
Damian: Son of Batman #2 (DC Comics) – C
When issue one ended, I was thoroughly confused as to how Bruce Wayne was waiting for Damian in the Bat Cave. Issue two clears that up, then expands on it a bit. It’s just done a bit too quickly. The oddest part of the series is that Damian, the grown man, sounds just like Damian, the ten year-old child. I was really hoping for some character development here. On the plus side, it seems that this story is fitting in nicely to explain the events of Batman #666 where Damian faces off with Professor Pyg. As an avid Batfan, I would recommend reading this book, as the art by Andy Kubert is amazing.
The Flash #25 (DC Comics) – C+
The Flash has been one of the best drawn books in DC’s catalog, and usually has held my interest through the storyline. So I figured that when they introduced a Batman: Zero Year crossover, it might be worth checking out. In some ways I was right, and in some I was wrong. While it was awesome to show what a good investigator he was, clashing with the hardened detectives of Gotham City, and meeting (and saving) Iris West to form a romantic relationship, I am just sick of DC changing origin stories for the sake of changing them. All of the changes feel bastardized and not the original stories they should be.
Hawkeye #14 (Marvel Comics) – B+
When Kate went her own separate way at the end of Hawkeye Annual #1, I was a bit confused on how the series would continue after that. This episode shows us that it would continue straight through to Kate’s personal life. As it has been the whole series, Hawkeye does a stupendous job of humanizing the characters, having fun the whole way there. It does get a little deeper at the end, when it is revealed that Madame Masque is the villain behind the whole ordeal. Hawkeye is a guaranteed good read, and this issue is no different – no matter your opinion on Hawkeye, the character.
Injustice: Gods Among Us #11 (DC Comics) – B+
Based on the awesome video game that released earlier in the year, Injustice has become more than a cash-grab “based off” series; it is one of the best alternate universe storylines in recent history. After Batman decides that Superman is too far off his rocker, he and a small group distract Superman and sneak into the Fortress of Solitude to steal a super-serum that Lex Luthor developed to even the playing field. Along the way, we lose two beloved characters. It’s a tragic, yet exciting take on the DC lore. Note: Injustice was actually released as a “Digital Only” series, with each printed issue consisting of three digital ones. So if you really liked this one, the finale issue is comprised of #34-36 and you can find them for $1 each on Comixology.
Kick Ass 3 #5 (Marvel Comics) – B
If you’ve ever seen Kick Ass, the movie, then you know what you’re getting yourself into. Believe me, the comics are way better. There’s less censorship as far as what the characters say and do, the costumes don’t look as ridiculous and there are tons of namedrops; it takes us less than four pages to get somebody to compare the 21st Century Robin Hoods to Omar from The Wire. With Dave finally getting a normal girlfriend, he seems to have abandoned his superhero team. They have bigger troubles, however, as Rocco puts a hit out on every single masked character, ending the issue in sad, disturbing fashion with the death of one of my favorite characters.
Saga #16 (image Comics) – B+
It seems like we’re finally picking back up steam here! Equipped with murder, lies and naked unicorn women, issue sixteen is a thoroughly fun ride the whole way through. We’re finally brought back to the events in #13, where Prince Robot IV is closing in on our favorite pair of space fugitives. There’s quite a bit of story going on here, especially the new development of the war correspondents that seem to have trouble coming their way soon. It’s hard not to recommend a book that kicks this much ass, month after month.
Superior Spiderman #22 (Marvel Comics) – C+
Since (SPOILER!) Otto Octavius has taken over Peter Parker’s body and carried the mantle of Spiderman… Wait! Don’t leave! It’s not as bad as it seems, I promise. Anyway, since Superior Spiderman has begun, all the quips and sarcasm that made Peter Parker our Spiderman have been replaced with techo-babble infused cold-hearted insults. More than twenty issues in, Otto finally begins to develop a personality, even falling in love, a storyline which is starting to make me like him again. But just when things get cozy again, his arrogance frustrates me even further, making a Flash Thompson-Spiderman confrontation way more annoying than epic.
Last we left our turtles, the Foot had just unleashed Bebop & Rocksteady. While the rocker duo don’t really get the homecoming I had hoped for, there are plenty of other characters to help bring this issue to a close. The turtles manage to save Leonardo and break him from the brain-washing that the Foot had put him through, but by all means, he is still broken in every other way. One of my favorite conflicted villains also switches her attitude and saves their lives during the fight. And you can’t forget about Old Hob, Splash, April and Casey Jones. It was an entertaining and meaningful issue, albeit with no real conclusion to the threat at hand, that reminds me why I’m still in love with the heroes in a half-shell.
The Walking Dead #117 (IDW Comics) – A
When Negan and Lucille burst onto the scenes in The Walking Dead #100, he immediately become our enemy, killing off a beloved character in the most disturbing fashion of the entire series (which is sayin’ something). However, as time goes on, we realize that maybe Negan isn’t quite the Governor that we initially painted him to be. Through this episode, we find that Negan does indeed have a very strong moral compass, as does he want to be the leader of a strong community. It’s really shocking to learn this about one of Rick’s enemies, and it will serve to make Negan more complex of an adversary than we’ve ever seen in The Walking Dead. Bravo, Kirkman.
Funniest Panel of the Week:
D. Oswald Heist shares his deepest fears with us in Saga: Chapter 16. I’m sure Fiona Staples had fun drawing this.
Epic Panel of the Week:
Our girl Alopex finally snaps on Shredder in TMNT #28
Cover of the Week:
TMNT #28 cover by the master, Kevin Eastman
That about wraps it up for our reviews this week. We hope you had fun stuffing yourself on Thanksgiving! Look for next week’s previews coming soon. Any comic books you didn’t see reviewed that you want reviewed? Any grades you didn’t agree on? Let us know in the comments!
All images taken from ComiXology app and the credit for them goes to the respective publishers; thanks to IDW Comics, image Comics, DC and Marvel for putting out great books.
At Hush Comics, we will be starting a new monthly piece reflecting on Diamond Comics Distributors’ monthly PREVIEWS issue. For those not in the know, PREVIEWS is a monthly magazine (almanac-sized each month) that shows you all the ways that you could lose your money through comics, collectibles and games. With the thousands of items to throw money at, we figure we’d make it a little simpler and suggest five comics and five collectibles that will definitely be on our shelves when they are released.
Comics & Books
1.) Bounty Hunter Code: From the Files of Boba Fett is one of the coolest piece of Star Wars memorabilia I’ve seen in a while. At only $60 and releasing October 29th, Bounty Hunter Code is part collectible, part book, but all awesome. To unlock the goodies inside, you actually have to insert your bounty hunter data card into the slot, ensuing some sweet lighting and sound effects – I wish more books that I read gave me this level of presentation when I opened them. There are plenty of removable documents loaded with easter eggs and fun facts. Each book encased in the Files holds some significance to something in the Star Wars universe; for example, the Death Watch booklet inside, given to Boba by his father, features hand-written notes from Jango himself. I tell ya, when Star Wars does a specialty book like this, they never half-ass it, and I’m sure we can expect the same quality of thoroughness with Bounty Hunter Code.
The case includes:
The Bounty Hunter Code
The 48-page memoirs of Cradossk, former head of the Bounty Hunters Guild, with an inscription from the author to Boba Fett
A Kamino saberdart
Boba Fett’s captain’s license
Boba Fett’s arms permit
Slave I’s official operating license
An Imperial wanted poster for Han Solo
An inventory slip from the Rebel Alliance forces who discovered and seized Boba’s property
2.) Batgirl #26 written by Gail Simone and drawn by Fernando Parasin and Johnathan Glapion is going to be a fun one. Although comics, DC specifically, have been trending towards a lot of crazy covers that don’t exactly depict what happens inside of them, Simone’s Batgirl has been a cut above the rest and I’m sure it will be epic either way. After recent events have led Commissioner Gordon vowing to personally take down Batgirl for committing murder (Yeah, you need to read that story, Batgirl #20), Barbara Gordon has retired as Batgirl, but she keeps finding a way to don the cowl when her dad is in trouble. Is this the moment we’ve been waiting for? Does Babs finally reveal herself as the Batgirl to her dad? I may have to wait until December 11, but I’m psyched to find out.
3.) The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Kevin Eastman Cover Gallery collects some amazing work from the legendary TMNT creator, Kevin Eastman. In a single-issue priced book, you can ogle at the turtles in all their glory. This is a no brainer for any fan of the TMNT and, at only $3.99, you don’t need to be a baller to get it. You can find all Kevin Eastman’s cover art for the new series here. Hopefully this will suffice for you until the December 4th release date.
4.) Wolverine: Origin II #1, written by Kieron Gillen and drawn by Andy Kubert, looks to pick up right where the original Origin left off, which I’m not going to tell you about because it’s an amazing book (and now a Marvel Knights DVD). It visits more of Wolverine’s primal back-story, and teases to even highlight another character’s secret origin. The main bad guy in the story seems to be Sinister as of now. I hate that asshole, but he makes for some interesting stories. I’m a sucker for Kubert art, and this looks to be visually striking, regardless of storyline. Look for Origin II #1 to be in stores this Christmas Eve.
5.) Justice League 3000 could be something special. Written by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMattels , with art by Howard Porter, Justice League 3000 looks to be a pretty sweet futuristic look at the Justice League. With no connection to the Legion of Super-Heroes, a series that takes place in the time period, nor any connections to the current Justice Leaguers, it’s difficult to say what to expect with book. DC Comics has made a habit of putting out new series and themes for more of a cash grab than substance (ala “Villains Month” this month or even the new Batman “Zero Year set to drop next month). For now though, we can revel in the awesomeness that is Green Lantern and Flash’s character design. Expect mixed responses when 3000 hits stores on December 4, 2013.
Collectibles
1.) Revoltech Yamaguchi Metal Gear Solid Snake and Raiden action figures
You may think you’re too old to play with action figures, but that is a bold-faced lie! At $55 a pop though, these beauties are not for children. They are some pretty nice collectibles, if you can allow yourself to keep it in the box. Unlike the norm for this kind of figure, this Reevoltech Yamaguchi figure is completely poseable, making for some really cool shots like the one below. It’s nice to know that sometimes you don’t need to keep everything in the box to get value out of it. With both Snake and Raiden having a release date of 11/15, this will make some nerd very happy come this holiday season.
2.) Square Enix DC Comics Variant Batman Statue – Red costume
On the other hand, there’s nothing wrong with admiring a well-sculpted statue still in the box. The Square Enix DC Variant line, the first pieces of which just recently released, are a sort of exaggerated Japanese superhero twist on the Justice League characters. While, of the original releases, Green Lantern was my favorite, the new red costume variant of Batman takes the cake. He has some weird kinda gun thing, he has this weird flowing cape with harpoons at the end… it’s like Flashpoint Batman had a love-child with Megazord. This bad boy won’t be out til February 2014, but its a pretty cool exclusive to add to the closet of other things you never take out of the box… Hard sell lol.
3.) Batman Arkham Origins Firefly action figure
The Batman villain Firefly has been very seldom used throughout video games, television and movies, despite having been created over sixty years ago. That all changed when Firefly made an appearance on the live-action Arrow series earlier this year. The character was now a demented pyromaniac with a revenge plan, instead of some guy with a flamethrower. In the new Batman videogame, Batman: Arkham Origins, the Dark Knight is set to take on Firefly head-to-head. Although Firefly is a more obscure villain, I have no doubt that comic book rookies will know his name after battling him in the game. He looks like he belongs in Killzone or Mass Effect, a testament to just how bad-ass this figure looks. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to get your hands on it until next March, when the game is but a distant memory as a PS3/360 swan song.
4.) The Walking Dead socks
Don’t judge me! Socks are awesome. A lot of women don’t understand what socks mean to a man. Socks are to men what lingerie is to women. You don’t wear cool socks with the intention of showing it off, but you need to be prepared for that moment that somebody special might get a glance at your feet. “Why yes,” you’ll croon. “These are officially licensed socks from AMC’s The Walking Dead. Yes, I suppose I can let you touch them.” Anyway, my imagination got away from me. Releasing near the start of the mid-season premiere in January 2014 and at $8 per pair, which is pretty decent compared to any other pop-culture branded socks (yes, I’m an expert in that field), you won’t have to break the bank for some of the coolest designs they could choose from in both men’s and women’s sizes. You can find the other designs here. Just a bit of advice to everybody: don’t let your feet smell as bad as the dead things on them.
5.) Firefly Captain Malcolm pistol replica
Bang, Bang! Ok… It’s been out for a while, but who doesn’t want one of these?! For one its cool. For two, its Captain Mal’s freaking gun! If the world goes the way that Joss envisions it in Firefly and Serenity then don’t you want to be prepared for that? You won’t get very far without this beauty. It should go on you coffee table. It is the perfect art piece to discuss. This does mean however, that I will need to get a coffee table to match my new pistol.
At Hush Comics, we will be starting a new monthly piece reflecting on Diamond Comics Distributors’ monthly PREVIEWS issue. For those not in the know, PREVIEWS is a monthly magazine (almanac-sized each month) that shows you all the ways that you could lose your money through comics, collectibles and games. With the thousands of items to throw money at, we figure we’d make it a little simpler and suggest five comics and five collectibles that will definitely be on our shelves when they are released.
Comics & Books
1.) Fall of the Governor by Jay Bonansinga and Robert Kirkman ($15 on Amazon) set to be released October 8, 2013. This is the third book in the Governor trilogy of The Walking Dead novels, and looks to tie-in to the comic book series, right around where the Governor meets his end (Spoiler!! He dies). With all the different storylines out there, it’s nice to see that something was created with the intent to supplement and not just making up content for kicks. In this novel, the entire story is told through the perspective of the Governor – a characteristic about the book I like most when considering that the story has always been told with the Grimes’ point of view. It will be interesting to see how others views them, especially The Governor. The first two books were some great literature, so I’m really excited for the final installment.
2.) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #28 written by Tom Waltz and drawn by Mateus Santolouco is the finale issue to the big “City Fall” arc that’s ongoing right now. It’s a crazy story that can only be made better by the addition to beloved baddies, Rocksteady and Bebop, as this marks their first fight with the Turtles. The big question on this is what happens to Leonardo as Shredder makes a power move to control the city’s underworld. The issue hits stores November 20, 2013. Count me in!
3.) Batman: Zero Year tie-ins. It seems like every DC Comics book is either a tie-in to Batman: Zero Year or Forever Evil this month. While the massive amounts of books trying to become relevant by adding the Batman to their title, there are a few that really stand out and make me want to read them for content over marketing. The three titles that come to mind are Birds of Prey #25, Green Lantern Corps #25 and Nightwing #25. Birds of Prey #25 centers around Black Canary and her crime-fighting origin (the Nunchakus really did it for me). Green Lantern Corps #25 takes a look at then-Marine John Stewart as he grapples with confidence issues (not to mention saving a kid in a Gotham Rogues’ jersey! Nightwing #25 dives deeper into Dick Grayson’s pre-Bruce Wayne background; really, I’m just a sucker for a good Nightwing story. My expectations aren’t too high, but when they flood the market with crossover events, there are bound to be at least a few good ones, and hopefully I’ve picked them out. All issues come out November 2013.
4.) Super Graphic: A Visual Guide to the Comic Book Universe is a math/stat nerd’s dream book. I’m a big fan of graphs and charts. It’s full of information about all the superheroes and comic book characters. I think it will be refreshing because readers will get to see representation of the entire comic book world, as opposed to just Marvel or DC. Being a huge math nerd myself, I will probably spend hours compiling my own lists. It’s a pretty original twist on comic books that hasn’t been seen before, and at a low price, it’s worth hours of fun. In stores now, or $15 on Amazon.
5.) Harley Quinn #0 sounds like it could go either way. Written by Jimmy Palmiotti (Jonah Hex, Catwoman) and drawn by a bunch of different artists, including Art Baltazar (Tiny Titans), Darwyn Cooke (Justice League: New Frontier) and Tony Daniel. With no real momentum to go off of to start this series out, I’m curious as to where this is going to go. This series also marks the first solo series of Harley that isn’t using the 90’s Bruce Timm Batman Animates Series persona to base the character off of. This Harley will be more like the one found in the pages of Batman: Death in the Family and Suicide Squad. I’ve always been a huge Harley Quinn fan, so I will definitely check this out when it hits shelves on November 6th.
Collectibles
1.) Batman: Hush Batman Kissing Catwoman Statue.
When I first heard that DC Collectibles was creating a foot-tall statue immortalizing the Jim Lee panel in Batman: Hush where Batman and Catwoman share a rooftop kiss, I immediately pre-ordered two. And if we could afford it, I would buy all 2500 limited edition statues because it’s just that damn cool. At $250 retail price, this is definitely for hardcore collectors only. However, the amount of detail put into the statue, from the cape flapping in the wind to the smoke rising in the dark, makes this one of the most well-done collectibles I’ve ever seen. I’m pretty excited to see this on the doorstep come February 2014.
2.) Firefly Card Game
Whedon fans can continue their voyage on the Serenity in Toy Vault Inc.’s new Firefly: Out of the Black card game. The game is descibed as a “co-op” where players don’t compete against each other, but rather against the game itself. Players take turns playing the roles of different Firefly characters to navigate through different events using their smarts. If they make it through the mission without losing honor, they win. If not, the game wins. Sounds a lot like the world of Captain Mal already! It sounds like an interesting concept. For less than 30 bucks, it sounds like it is worth a play.
UPDATE: Apparently, this game was funded by Kickstarter, and the funds were canceled. Toy Vault is planning a release for late October, but it is unknown if this will come to fruition. We’ll have to watch Firefly repeats in order to live out our space cowboy fantasies until then.
3.) Necessary Evil: Super-Villians of DC Comics, DVD and Blu-Ray
In a new documentary narrated by Christopher Lee (the 1958 Dracula, and Saruman in LOTR), interviews with some of the industries most renowned chronicle the backgrounds of DC’s villains. Interviewees include Zack Snyder (300, Man of Steel), Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy) Kevin Conroy (the only voice of Batman that matters), Richard Donner (the 70’s Supermanfilms, the X-Men film series), Geoff Johns (DC Comics writing god), and of course, Jim Lee (DC Comics art god). The title pretty much says it all about the new film. Due for release on Oct. 25th, it will surely be one to watch to hear about our favorite and not-so-favorite villains straight from the source.
4.) Pop Funko
The 1966 Batman Pop! Funko vinyls are here! Doesn’t the Joker look like he could be your best pal? And the eyebrows on Batman? How cute! Those are out on Oct. 3rd. Also out soon are the Dia de los Muertos Nightmare Before Christmas vinyls. The Day of the Dead pattern and look has become very popular beyond the realms of the origin. Jack and Sally look awesome! It could almost call for a remake of the classic cartoon. Jack and Sally are out now, but hurry, because they are going fast!
5.) Wonder Woman Art of War Statue by Jim Lee
Based on the crisp art of Jim Lee, DC Collectibles is releasing the Wonder Woman: Art of War statue. From the For Tomorrow Superman story arc, Princess Diana is sculpted by Clayburn Moore. This statue shows the expertise of boy Lee and Moore’s artistry. Wonder Woman’s face is feminine, which is rare, and she isn’t overly muscled, either. The costume isn’t misogynistic and really shows that women can be pretty and tough. Available for pre-order now and sure to be a fan favorite.
Hush Comics 