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Rapid Reviews: New Comics for the Week of 5/17/23

Rapid Reviews: New Comics for the Week of 5/17/23

Posted on by Bob Harrison

Welcome to our latest Rapid Reviews column.

This week we have some debut issues and some middle issues to discuss. Both Marvel and DC relaunched major team books this week and we have reviews of both of those as well as some excellent smaller books that we think you should check out.

For all the New Number Ones and Special Issues for May check out our monthly rundowns on Here and Here.

Our reviews are spoiler free and focus on the positive aspects of comic storytelling in each issue. You can find all of these books at your Local Comic Shop now or wherever you get your comics.

Avengers #1
Marvel Comics
Written by Jed MacKay
Art by C.F. Villa
Colors by Federico Blee
Letters by Cory Petit
Cover Art by Stuart Immonen

As the cover indicates, the Avengers are looking up. This reset and new beginning to Earth’s Mightiest Heroes is encouraging. The debut issue to this volume is a well crafted jumping on point. It is accessible for new readers and establishes the rollcall through the use of structured flashbacks.

It is clearly a Carol Danvers story, and Jed MacKay has a good handle on the characters in this book. C.F. Villa delivers gorgeous and dynamic visuals and Federico Blee’s work adds an excellent mix of light and shadow that accentuates the important aspects of each page. It is a fun and exciting story that has me eager for the next issue.

Chilling Adventures Presents: Jinx, A Cursed Life #1
Archie Comics
Written by Magdalene Visaggio
Art by Craig Cermak
Colors by Ellie Wright
Letters by Jack Morelli
Cover Art by Cermak

This book is a rocking good time. Mags Visaggio crafted a fun one-and-done story with interesting personal dynamics and fun dialogue. Craig Cermak and Ellie Wright created a beautiful and engaging visual narrative. I will second the comments of editor Jamie Lee Rotante from the Letters column in that I love Visaggio writing the Jinx character. Continue reading “Rapid Reviews: New Comics for the Week of 5/17/23” →

With Further Ado #245: Keeping Ithacon Fresh after 46+ Years

With Further Ado #245: Keeping Ithacon Fresh after 46+ Years

Posted on by Ed Catto

As you know by now, I’m really excited for ITHACON this weekend – April 22nd and 23rd. For me, it’s the perfect way to spend a weekend because it’s a comic convention that you can get your arms around and still be exposed to big ideas and brilliant people.

But as the nation’s 2nd longest running comic convention, you’ve got to work hard to stay fresh.

(As a digression, Shelton Drum, who runs the 3rd longest running comic convention, HeroesCon in Charlotte, NC, also does a fabulous job of keeping it fresh….and I can’t wait to attend his show in June!).

So, with all that in mind, I wanted to highlight some of our “new” things at ITHACON this year:
* * *

A New Publisher: A Wave Blue World

Continue reading “With Further Ado #245: Keeping Ithacon Fresh after 46+ Years” →

New Number Ones: New Comics Series Coming in August 2022

New Number Ones: New Comics Series Coming in August 2022

Posted on by Bob Harrison

August has a massive list of new series hitting the stands! We have compiled an alphabetical list with cover art and the official solicitation text from the publishers of some of the cool new comics that are coming out this month. Check below for our PCS NOTES to find out what we just have to tell you about the new comics in question.

This month, we have books on the list from: DC Comics, Marvel Comics, AfterShock Comics, Image Comics, Boom! Studios, Ablaze Comics, AWA/Upshot Studios, A Wave Blue World, IDW Publishing, Dynamite Entertainment, Dark Horse Comics, Abstract Studio, and Scout Comics.

This is another fun five Wednesday month. The bulk of the interesting new number ones will be found in the first week with just a couple in the last week.

We will bring you reviews of these debut issues as they come out, and don’t forget to use the comments section to let us know what you think of this list.

You will find the books listed below in the order of when they are released.

Week of 8/3/22
Week of 8/10/22
Week of 8/17/22
Week of 8/24/22
Week of 8/31/22

Week of August 3

Batman: White Knight Presents – Red Hood #1
DC Comics
Written by Sean Murphy & Clay McCormack
Art by Simone Di Meo & Dave Stewart
Cover Art by Murphy & Stewart

“Bruce Wayne is Batman.” Four words that saved Jason’s life and destroyed his future forever. Banished by his mentor and damaged by The Joker, the former Robin is left to become something different, something stronger, a relentless force for justice in the city…Red Hood! With nobody to answer to, he walks the dangerous line between hero and villain. That is until he meets Gan, a local girl from East Backport who needs his help to save her neighborhood from a super-criminal terrorizing its citizens. And she’s willing to fight alongside him, whatever it takes!

Release Date: August 2, 2022

The Dead Lucky #1
Image Comics
Written by Melissa Flores
Art by French Carlomagno & Mattia Iacono
Cover Art by Carlomagno

San Francisco is changing. Tech consortium Morrow is building the city of the future with “peacekeeper” robots looming on every corner—and wherever Morrow isn’t, the Salvation gang is. Bibiana Lopez-Yang is changing too. She came back from Afghanistan with PTSD and the ability to control electrical currents. If she can hold it together, she might be the hero San Francisco needs. But against an enemy this big, it isn’t enough to be good. She’ll have to be lucky.

From debut writer MELISSA FLORES and superstar art team FRENCH CARLOMAGNO and MATTIA IACONO  comes the newest book in the MASSIVE-VERSE!

Release Date: August 3, 2022

PCS NOTES: I am interested in this superpower inclusive book from newer creators.

Edge of Spider-Verse #1
Marvel Comics
Written by Dan Slott, Alex Segura, Karla Pacheco, & Dustin Weaver
Art by Mark Bagley, Weaver, Pere Perez, Martin Coccolo, Caio Majado, D.J. Bryant, & Brian Reber
Cover Art by Josemaria Casanovas

SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES / THE HERO WITHIN / SPIDER-REX!! / MY DAME… MY DESTINY
THE END OF THE SPIDER-VERSE IS COMING! edge (’ej) noun – 1. outermost limit of an object. – 2. the sharp side of a blade. The leading edge of the Spider-Verse brought you Spider-Gwen and Peni Parker. This final edge will introduce you to some of the most important characters in the future of the Spider-Verse…but it will also slice the final strand of the web. IN THIS ISSUE: SPIDER-MAN NOIR! ARAÑA’S NEW STATUS QUO! SPIDER-REX AND MORE!

Release Date: August 3, 2022

PCS NOTES: Spideriffic stories from some great creators. Looks good to me.

Elle(s) #1
Ablaze Comics
Written by Kid Toussaint
Art by Aveline Stokart
Cover Art by Stoikart

Elle is just another teenage girl…most of the time. Bubbly and good-natured, she wastes no time making friends on her first day at her new school. But Elle has a secret: she hasn’t come alone. She’s brought with her a colorful mix of personalities, which come out when she least expects it…

Who is Elle, really? And will her new friends stand by her when they find out the truth?

Release Date: August 3, 2022

PCS NOTES: This is a book where the cover image and solicitation are intriguing enough for us to add a super low hyped book to this month’s list

Continue reading “New Number Ones: New Comics Series Coming in August 2022” →

Kickstarter You Should Be Backing: Maybe Someday by A Wave Blue World

Kickstarter You Should Be Backing: Maybe Someday by A Wave Blue World

Posted on by Bob Harrison

Hey folks. It’s that time again. It’s time to tell you a about a Kickstarter campaign that you should be backing. We search the current Kickstarter campaigns, and when we find one we feels needs a little boost, we let you know about it.

The project we are spotlighting is Maybe Someday: Stories of Promise, Visions of Hope by A Wave Blue World. It is a comic anthology full of inspiring, forward-looking stories for tomorrow.

 

 

The campaign description states:

MAYBE SOMEDAY: STORIES OF PROMISE, VISIONS OF HOPE is a full-color anthology featuring over 25 inspiring stories about a brighter future. It is also the sequel to the New York Times featured and Ringo Award Nominated anthology, ALL WE EVER WANTED.

Like its predecessor, MAYBE SOMEDAY features stories full of hope. Instead of focusing on dystopian fiction, these stories help show the path forward to a better world. It is edited by Matt Miner, Eric Palicki & Tyler Chin-Tanner and published by A Wave Blue World.

As we were already fans of All We Ever Wanted and the publisher’s other anthologies, including Dead Beats, we wanted to do what we could to support this project we reached out to the editors Tyler Chin-Tanner, Eric Palicki, and Matt Miner to get some more info on this book.

Pop Culture Squad: What about the current state of the world makes this the right time for an anthology like this?

Matt:  If I could gesticulate wildly to EVERYTHING, maybe?  For decades we fantasized about the post apocalyptic and authoritarian worlds, because they make for fun stories – but we’re starting to really live in that scary future that used to be the thing of movies, and for some folks it’s never been that great.  I think a little positivity and hope is a much needed thing right now.

Eric: I’m fond of a turn of phrase Matt used to describe the mission statement of our first volume, ALL WE EVER WANTED. Our goal was to tell science fiction stories that were “less Mad Max, more Star Trek.” Now, I look out my front door and I see a world practically on fire, and people not too far removed from Immortan Joe in positions of power. We don’t need to dramatize the dystopia we’re already living in, which makes now the perfect time to start thinking less about what the present is and more about what the future could be. Continue reading “Kickstarter You Should Be Backing: Maybe Someday by A Wave Blue World” →

Continued After the Next Page #014: Exercise Your Right to Vote For Comics – Ringo Edition

Continued After the Next Page #014: Exercise Your Right to Vote For Comics – Ringo Edition

Posted on by Bob Harrison

This is the time of year when every comic fan can get involved in the process of recognizing excellence in comic making. The public nomination process is open for the 2020 Mike Wieringo Comic Book Industry Awards.

One of the great features of the Ringo Awards is that all fans and professionals have the opportunity to nominate their favorite creators and productions from 2019.

The ballot is available here.

I have taken some time to go through things that I have read or seen that was produced in 2019. Below is a list of some suggestions for each category.

PLEASE NOTE THESE ARE NOT OFFICIAL NOMINATIONS!! These are merely my suggestions!!!

The initial public nomination process is a free form text option for each category. Unfortunately (Actually, it’s pretty great!), I have found so many worthy candidates for each category.

In my list of nomination suggestions are people and publications that I feel are deserving of nominations. I am one hundred percent certain that I have forgotten or not included worthy candidates. This may be the first and only time I do this based on how many people I offend. Please forgive any omissions. Continue reading “Continued After the Next Page #014: Exercise Your Right to Vote For Comics – Ringo Edition” →

With Further Ado #090: Cayrels Ring

With Further Ado #090: Cayrels Ring

Posted on by Ed Catto

I’ve collaborated with Pete Carlsson a few times over the years, and every time he brings a high level of professionalism and “creative oomph” the party. So when he told me he was working on new project, Cayrels Ring for Wave Blue World, my reaction was “Spill it! I need to know all about what you are doing, Pete.”

Cayrels Ring started as a comic book by Shannon Lentz , that has now grown up to become a beautiful hardcover graphic novel.   This is a science fiction tale with a big, sprawling cast told in 17 chapters, each illustrated by a different artist. The multi-level epic develops and reveals the nuanced and enormous stories of the characters, described as “everyday people”,  by the author.   Surprisingly, Lentz , and his many artistic compatriots, are able to make the reader wonder about and, in some cases, care for the characters in a just a few pages.

Cayrels Ring refers to, on one hand, a group of planets – each with their own rich backstory and history. On the other hand, it seems to refer to the wide cast of characters. That makes this GN, and each of the three comics as they were originally published, an expansive shared universe. “The shared universe idea shined out for me,” said Lentz. He has especially fond memories of that cohesive universe of Valiant comics when they first burst onto the scene.  Continue reading “With Further Ado #090: Cayrels Ring” →

New Number Ones: Comics Coming in December 2019

New Number Ones: Comics Coming in December 2019

Posted on by Bob Harrison

Welcome back to New Number Ones!!

This is where we give our readers a preview of the exciting new comic book series debuting each month. We have compiled an alphabetical list with cover art and the official solicitation text from PREVIEWSworld. Check below for our PCS NOTES to find out what we just have to tell you some more about the new comics in question.

There is a bunch of new series of interest starting in December. There is a good mix of both existing properties and new concepts featured in these books. Below you will find a slate of new books from a wide variety of publishers. Some of our favorite comic book talents are bringing us some of these new series.

We hope you will take a look and think about giving these a try. We will bring you reviews of most of these debut issues as they come out, and don’t forget to use the comments section to let us know what you think of this list.

Continue reading “New Number Ones: Comics Coming in December 2019” →