Every Monday, your local comic book shop finalizes orders for comics that are about five weeks from publication. This is your last chance to guarantee a pre-ordered copy for these comics. Here are my preemptive picks for this week’s FOC items having not read any of them. You can see the complete list of final order comics from our friends at Death Ray Comics.
DARK HORSE COMICS
(W) Cullen Bunn (A/CA) Tyler Crook
On The Rack: 5/13/2015
MSRP: $3.99
Publisher Synopsis:
Emmy always knew that the deep, dark woods surrounding her home crawled with ghosts, goblins, and zombies. But on the eve of her eighteenth birthday, she learns that she is connected to these creatures-and to the land itself-in a way she never imagined.
Don’t miss the first issue of this southern gothic fairy tale from the creator of smash hit The Sixth Gun, beautifully and hauntingly realized by B.P.R.D.’s Tyler Crook!
Preemptive Pick:
Cullen Bunn understands how to do creepy. In fact, his issue of “Creepy” #13, with art by Tyler Crook, is a great preview of how great this comic book is going to be. Do yourself a favor and pick up Bunn’s collected series “The Damned,” in anticipation for this new series from Dark Horse.
Put this comic on hold if you enjoy “B.P.R.D,” “Creepy,” and/or “Army of Darkness.”
IDW PUBLISHING
(W) Mark Waid (A/CA) Peter Krause
On The Rack: 5/13/2015
MSRP: $3.99
Publisher Synopsis:
What happens when your crime-fighting sidekick grows up to be an arrogant, ungrateful douchebag who makes Kanye look humble? Worse, what on Earth could force the two of you together for one last case? Nocturnus and his former protege, Galahad, will find out-if they don’t kill one another first.
Preemptive Pick:
Fans of the comic series that turned the superhero genre upside down (“Irredeemable”) will NOT want to miss this comic book. The concept of this comic deals with the generational culture collusions that millennials are forcing upon everyone in the work force – so it only makes sense to have it reflected in the superhero comic book. If you haven’t read “Irredeemable,” go buy the first volume. Buy the time “Insufferable” #1 is on the rack, you will probably have consumed all 10 volumes.
Put this comic on hold you enjoy “Irredeemable,” “Incorruptible,” and/or “Kingdom Come.”
WAKE TP (MR)
VERTIGO COMICS
(W) Scott Snyder (A/CA) Sean Murphy
On The Rack: 6/10/2015
MSRP: $17.99
Publisher Synopsis:
When marine biologist Lee Archer is approached by the Department of Homeland Security for help with a new threat, she declines but quickly learns they won’t take “no” for an answer. Soon she is plunging to the depths of the Arctic Circle to a secret, underwater oil rig filled with roughnecks and scientists on the brink of an incredible discovery. But when things go horribly wrong, this scientific safe haven will turn into a house of horrors at the bottom of the ocean!
Preemptive Pick:
Truthfully this shouldn’t count as a preemptive pick. I’ve read this whole series. In fact, I own the hardcover deluxe edition of the collected series. It’s written by the protégé Scott Synder (“Batman,” “American Vampire”) and drawn by rockstar artist Sean Murphy (“Joe The Barbarian,” “Punk Rock Jesus”). The reason this is a preemptive pick? You don’t want to be loaning your single-issues and/or hardcover out to people to read. And this is one of the best comics to loan to non-comic readers to get them on board with the medium.
Order this if you enjoy “American Vampire,” “Hellblazer,” and/or “Severed.”
MS MARVEL HC VOL 01
MARVEL COMICS
(W) G. Willow Wilson (A) Adrian Alphona, Jake Wyatt (CA) Sara Pichelli
On The Rack: 8/5/2015
MSRP: $134.99
Publisher Synopsis:
Collecting MS. MARVEL (2014) #1-11 and material from ALL-NEW MARVEL NOW! POINT ONE #1.
Marvel Comics presents the all-new Ms. Marvel, the groundbreaking heroine who’s become an international sensation! Kamala Khan is an ordinary girl from Jersey City – until she suddenly gains extraordinary gifts. But who is she now? Teenager? Muslim? Inhuman? Kamala explores her newfound powers, but will the weight of the legacy before her be too much? Encounters with the maniacal Inventor and the Inhumans’ royal family; team-ups with her favorite hero Wolverine and the Inhumans’ dog, Lockjaw… Kamala is living the dream. But as she discovers more about her past, her future is threatened! How long can Ms. Marvel’s life override Kamala’s? Experience the fan-favorite, critically acclaimed new series from the beginning!
Preemptive Pick:
This probably shouldn’t count as a preemptive pick either… But it’s so good! This truly is one of the best tights-and-capes comics of the past couple of years. Additionally, the collection of the complete first story arc, in an over-sized hardcover edition, this book is going to sell out before you can get your hands on it.
Put this on your hold if you enjoy “New Teen Titans,” “Captain Marvel,” or “Young Avengers.”
MANTLE #1 CVR A LEVEL (MR)
IMAGE COMICS
(W) Ed Brisson (A/CA) Brian Level
On The Rack: 5/13/2015
MSRP: $3.99
Publisher Synopsis:
Robbie never asked for any of this. While drunkenly walking home from a punk show, he’s hit with lightning and wakes to find that he’s been chosen as the new host for The Mantle, a power set of unimaginable scope. Despite his lack of interest, he’s forced into action. The Plague, a being who has spent 50 years killing every previous host of The Mantle, is already coming for him.
Preemptive Pick:
Those who are familiar with Ed Brisson’s work (“Sheltered,” “Sons of Anarchy”) probably feel like they are in on a secret. They get to follow amazing, yet gut/heart wrenching, stories that don’t carry nome de plumes like Morrison, Moore, or Brubaker. Now teaming up with mostly-unknown comic/tattoo artist Brian Level (“Quantum & Woody,” “Lazarus”), I have a feeling that this will be the title that pushes these creators’ names into the spotlight, a place where those familiar with their work have already had them.
Put this on your hold if you like “Sheltered,” “Lazarus,” and/or “Sons of Anarchy.”
P.S. I guess I better plan my trip to Kentucky for some permanent Level art on my arms. (Look up his work.)
INJECTION #1 CVR A SHALVEY & BELLAIRE (MR)
IMAGE COMICS
(W) Warren Ellis (A/CA) Declan Shalvey, Jordie Bellaire
On The Rack: 5/13/2015
MSRP: $3.99
Publisher Synopsis:
Once upon a time, there were five crazy people, and they poisoned the 21st Century. Now they have to deal with the corrosion to try and save us all from a world becoming too weird to support human life.
INJECTION is the new ongoing series created by the acclaimed creative team of Moon Knight. It is science fiction, tales of horror, strange crime fiction, techno-thriller, and ghost story all at the same time. A serialized sequence of graphic novels about how loud and strange the world is getting, about the wild future and the haunted past all crashing into the present day at once, and about five eccentric geniuses dealing with the paranormal and numinous as well as the growing weight of what they did to the planet with the Injection.
Preemptive Pick:
Three of my favorite comic book creators on a creator-owned project? Yup. ‘Nuff said.
Put this on your hold if you enjoy “Moon Knight,” “Trees,” and/or “Transmetropolitan.”
Trent Hunsaker is a podcaster and popculturalist. Podcasting for Kevin Smith’s SModcast Internet Radio and the A Part of Him Podcast Network, he also operates Death Ray Comics, sweats, and reads comics – but mostly just sweats.