Welcome to another edition of New Comics, where we give our suggestions on what books to pick up when perusing the comic shelves week to week. As always, I am joined by Kris Johnson.
Your mid-week pick-me-up is incoming, and we’ve got the picks to make your Wednesday special. Read on to find the best of what the comic shop has in store for you this week.
INFERNAL HULK #5 $3.99 (Marvel) – The Eldest is still in possession of the body of the Hulk and wages war against humanity as the Infernal version of the gamma-powered former hero. Banner has been physically separated from the Hulk and refuses to assist the Avengers with their last-ditch effort to strike down the most evil, remorseless iteration of the (half) Green Goliath that’s ever existed. Things are desperate. Luckily, Marvel God has decided to show up for this one. Yes, the One Above All will make a rare appearance in this issue to fight the Infernal Hulk. Yes, it all sounds quite insane. Read it all this Wednesday! (Kris)
GI JOE #20 $3.99 (Image) – Here it is, folks! The moment we’ve all been waiting for. Duke. Optimus Prime. A meeting of the ages? Two icons of the 80s together in the 2020s. Exciting, right? I have no joke or witty remark to make here. I’m just excited. Will the Energon Universe ever be the same when these two titans come face to face? No. The Answer is no. But, by gawd, this is quite the exciting moment. Don’t let it pass you by. Pick up this book on Wednesday to find out what the heck happens next! (Andrew)
LOBO #1 $3.99 (DC Comics) – The Main Man is back with a new monthly comic! This time around, the creative team of Scottie Young and Jorge Corona are responsible for guiding the Last Czarnian through his latest go-round of bad language and ultraviolence. What will Lobo get up to? Something involving punching people and gallons of blood, I’d imagine. Where will the story take us? Through acres of guts and poor taste, I’d wager. Does that sound like a good time to you? Huh? DOES IT?! Oh. It does? Okay, then you should buy this comic. (Kris)
THE SENTRY #1 $4.99 (Marvel) – Bob Reynolds has had quite a life in Marvel’s 616 universe. He was the best hero ever. He was also the baddest villain… at the EXACT same time! Bob fought amongst himself over and over. The only way for The Sentry to beat The Void was for Bob to forget he was either of them. Then he remembered… then he forgot again… then he remembered again… then he followed Norman Osbourne. Then he died… maybe… and then I think he died again, and others got his powers? As I said, quite a life Bob Reynolds has had. I’m sure this new series by Sentry creator Paul Jenkins will clear everything up… maybe… probably not. (Andrew)
ELSEWORLDS: BATMAN OMNIBUS VOL. 1 HC $175.00 (DC Comics) – You know what one of the best things about Batman is? That DC allows the character to be used in some of the weirdest goddamn Elseworlds stories ever. Sure, mainline continuity is always there, but, goddamn, if DC editorial doesn’t love a random ass story of Bats fighting a Predator or baby Kal-El’s rocket being found by the Waynes. Neither of those stories is included in this collection, mind you, but I’m just sayin’! What IS in this collection? Why, Batman hunting Jack the Ripper in Victorian England, chilling with Houdini, fighting Dracula, becoming a vampire, snagging a Green Lantern ring, and so much more! This book is 1400 pages of batshit Bats. If you love the classic Dark Knight or hate him and want to see other people, then you should check this book out. (Kris)
RAFAEL GARCIA: HENCHMAN #1 $4.99 (Titan) – They say if you find something you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. Most of us are not that lucky. The daily grind of a square job makes many of us pine for the weekend. Imagine being stuck in a mundane job that also has the possibility of killing you in a horrific firefight. That’s Rafael Garcia’s life every day. He’s a henchman for Maverick, which you think would be exciting, but really isn’t. It’s mostly just waiting around, securing the perimeter, and hoping you don’t get caught in an explosion. But maybe things will get better for Raf as he rises through the ranks of the criminal organization to a middle management position. Probably not, but it should be entertaining for us, at least. (Andrew)
BATWOMAN #1 $3.99 (DC Comics) – Greg Rucka returns to the character he co-created with new collaborator DaNi handling art duties. When the Kate Kane iteration of Batwoman first burst on the scene, she was a breath of fresh air. The art and writing on her first solo title were outstanding, and the character really caught on with readers. Then the creative team left, they made a bad TV show, and no one on the comics side seemed to know what to do with her or what made her interesting in the first place. Now that Rucka is back with the promise of redefining the character and providing a clear reason for existing, my hope is that some of that old magic can be recaptured. Because if it isn’t… you can’t see me, but I’m gesturing threateningly. (Kris)
EXQUISITE CORPSES #11 $4.99 (Image) – Just when the killers think they have all the answers, the survivors of Oak Valley change the questions! The Thirteen’s hand-picked assassins (what’s left of them) are about to descend on the town square for what they think is the endgame. But the game is far from done. The level of crazy is about kick up another notch in this issue. Giddyup! (Andrew)
THE ULTIMATES #22 $4.99 (Marvel) – (Kris)
DEAD TEENAGERS #1 4.99 (Oni) – 1997 was a big year for me. It was my last year of high school, and it was pretty crazy! As much as I remember it fondly, I wouldn’t want to be stuck back there again. I especially wouldn’t want to be stuck in a loop reliving my prom night. That’s exactly what five friends have had to endure since ’97. They relive prom night every night. Oh, it always ends with them getting killed in new and increasingly insane ways. But this time, they’ve finally found a way out. Let’s hope the hell you don’t know is better than the one you do. (Andrew)
So there you go. That’s this week’s New Comics. Check these books out and let us know what you think. We’ll be back next week with more choice cuts of New Comics goodness.
If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!
