This looks like a week of toughs and antiheroes on the comic shelves. The everyone-is-talking-about-it-so-maybe-I-should-read-it-already Southern Bastards makes its debut at Image (presumably with writer Jason Aaron doing his Southern badass thing); Meanwhile, Battlestar Galactica returns with a look at everyone’s favorite platinum blonde Cylon in Battlestar Galactica: Six #1. And over at Valiant, the publisher makes the leap into a paranoid, 21st century Japan with Matt Kindt and Clayton Henry’s Rai #1 opening up the mystery of the first murder in 1,000 years.

Top Picks

Southern Bastards #1 | Image Comics | Jason Aaron and Jason Latour

Review by Dan Casey

When Jason Aaron and Jason Latour announced their new collaboration, Southern Bastards, at last year’s Image Expo, I started counting down the days until I could get my greasy mitts on it. Latour’s visceral, distinctive artwork on titles like Wolverine and Sledgehammer 44, coupled with Aaron’s knack for well-crafted, gritty, sweeping drama gave Southern Bastards a permanent spot on my most-anticipated list. Now that it’s here, was it worth the wait? You’re goddamn right it was.

Over the last several years, we’ve seen the American South rise to prominence as the go-to setting for hard-hitting crime dramas. Without its uniquely American setting, would series like Preacher, True Detective, or Justified pack the same punch? Perhaps, but I’d like to think not. There’s something alluring and dangerous about the South for outsiders looking in, and Southern Bastards uses that underlying sense of peril to its advantage. Set in the small, football-obsessed town of Craw County, Alabama, Southern Bastards is a whirlwind of revenge, regret, and rednecks that balances the easy-going, relaxed pace of life for which the South is known with a frenetic undercurrent of violence roiling under the surface.

Our hardboiled, southern fried protagonist Earl Tubb has actually been swirling around Jason Aaron’s head for a while; Aaron came up with Tubb while writing Scalped, but Earl didn’t fit within the series so he was shelved for a time…until now. We find Earl returning to his childhood home of Craw County, Alabama to nail the coffin-lid shut on his past. Craw County itself is a seemingly innocuous southern town where beer, BBQ, religion, and high school football reign supreme. Yet, as Earl will soon discover, there’s something more sinister afoot, and some memories just can’t be forgotten, no matter how hard you try. I won’t go into too many plot details here, because Southern Bastards is something best savored and discovered on your own. Under its deep fried exterior lies the beginnings of something dark, violent, and sad — and I couldn’t be happier that it’s finally here.

Rai #1 | Valiant Entertainment | Matt Kindt and Clayton Crain

Review by Charles Webb

The future is dark and paranoid in Rai #1, Valiant’s reboot of its future-set tale of Japan’s protector in the 41st century. But instead of the gleaming politically complex future of the original, writer Matt Kindt and artist Clayton Crain have shifted the hero into conspiracy thriller territory, giving Japan in the 41st century its first murder in 1,000 years. If you can get past the jargon and Crain’s typically murky art, you might find an odd future worth exploring.

Without providing explanation for why in the first issue, Japan appears to be isolated in the 41st century, with Rai serving as its protector and the (seeming) sole agent of Father, the entity which controls everyday life in a nation on the edge of some intricately-sketched but still obtuse conflict involving terrorists who would liberate Positronic Minds (or PTs). These artificial companions are used as a slave class, and the rebels have a problem with this.

But let’s talk about Clayton Crain’s art: his occasionally fussy style occasionally comes at the expense of clean, clear-to-follow action. The killers’ escape in the first few pages is cramped, while Rai’s later encounter in the bar makes it hard to follow exactly where that sword was headed (we see the aftermath of the violence, but the angle doesn’t make sense). And as interesting as I find the design of the behemoth in the final pages, its interaction with the falling character is unclear. Did he punch that person through the floor?

The Amazing Spider-Man #1 | Marvel Comics | Dan Slott, Humberto Ramos, Victor Olazaba, Edgar Delgado

review by Eric Diaz

After a year away, and Doctor Otto Octavious taking over his body and his role as the Amazing Superior Spider-Man, Peter Parker is back from the great beyond and in his own body again. But his life sure is different from where it was before, and Peter now has to contend with the reality that, in some ways, Doc Ock was the superior Peter Parker, if not the superior superhero. Issue #1 opens with a flashback to thirteen years ago, when Peter first got bit by that pesky spider. Which officially establishes the modern Marvel universe is only about thirteen years old. Which means the perennially youthful Peter Parker is now pushing thirty! I kind of love that Marvel has allowed their heroes to age at least somewhat, while DC is trying to convince us that Superman and Batman are twenty-five. Never thought I’d see the day when Spidey was older than those two.

After the flashback (which contains a fairly big retcon to an incident that happened when Spidey got his powers, which I won’t spoil), we see Peter Parker back in the swing of things as Spidey, cracking bad puns just like the old days, and taking down a goofy new group of animal themed villains called “The Menagerie” (they’re really lame in a totally endearing way – kudos to Dan Slott for coming up with those guys. I hope we see them again). We find that Peter now has to contend with the life that Doc Ock made for him while using his body, and it’s mostly… a lot better? Peter is now Doctor Peter Parker, Doc Ock fixed Aunt May’s leg, and he’s now the CEO of Parker Industries. For the most part, life has never been so good for Peter Parker, the perpetual “down on his luck” character. I know comics love to hit the reset button all the time, but if we’re to believe that Peter is a scientific genius and is pushing thirty, there’s no reason to think he’s still be begging the Daily Bugle for some cash for pics of Spidey. It’s played out, so I hope this new status quo sticks. Most of the drama in this issue comes from Peter just trying to get a handle on his new life, and not some big villain plot, which is the stuff good Spidey stories are made of.

As good as the Superior Spider-Man was, Dan Slott was born to write classic Peter Parker, complete with the quips and bad puns, so it’s refreshing to get that side of Spidey again. Equally born to work on Spider-Man is Humberto Ramos, who draws almost everyone in this exaggerated, cartoony and contorted way, which honestly sometimes rubs me the wrong way, but, I have to admit, is totally perfect for those Spider-Man swinging across the city shots. So for now, I’m back on board the Spidey train, and if you were ever a fan, chances are you’ll enjoy this first issue and want to stick around to see what comes next.

Pull List

DARK HORSE COMICS

DEC130135 ALABASTER GRIMMER TALES HC $19.99
DEC130068 ATOMIC LEGION HC $29.99
FEB140016 BLACKOUT #2 (NOTE PRICE) $2.99
FEB140018 CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT #10 $2.99
FEB140026 FURIOUS #4 $3.99
FEB140083 KING CONAN CONQUEROR #3 $3.50
DEC130124 KING CONAN TP VOL 03 HOUR O/T DRAGON $19.99
DEC130122 MESMO DELIVERY 2ND EDITION HC $14.99
FEB140027 PARIAH #3 $3.99
FEB140036 SERENITY LEAVES ON THE WIND #4 $3.50
DEC130083 STAR WARS DARK TIMES TP VOL 07 SPARK REMAINS $19.99
FEB140058 STAR WARS REBEL HEIST #1 MAIN CVR $3.50
FEB140039 VANDROID #3 $3.99
DEC130096 X TP VOL 02 DOGS OF WAR $14.99

DC COMICS

FEB140237 ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #12 $3.99
FEB140215 BATGIRL ANNUAL #2 $4.99
FEB140240 BATMAN 66 #10 $3.99
FEB140239 BATMAN BEYOND UNIVERSE #9 $3.99
FEB140144 BATMAN ETERNAL #4 $2.99
DEC130296 BATMAN SUPERMAN HC VOL 01 CROSS WORLD (N52) $22.99
FEB140208 BATWOMAN ANNUAL #1 $4.99
FEB140174 FLASH ANNUAL #3 $4.99
JAN140382 FLEX MENTALLO MAN OF MUSCLE MYSTERY TP (MR) $14.99
FEB140157 FOREVER EVIL AFTERMATH BATMAN VS BANE #1 $3.99
FEB140226 GREEN LANTERN NEW GUARDIANS ANNUAL #2 $4.99
JAN140331 HE MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE #12 $2.99
FEB140241 INJUSTICE GODS AMONG US YEAR TWO #4 $2.99
FEB140242 SCRIBBLENAUTS UNMASKED CRISIS OF IMAGINATION #4 $2.99
JAN140341 SUICIDE SQUAD TP VOL 04 DISCIPLINE AND PUNISH (N52) $14.99
JAN140354 SUPERMAN BATMAN TP VOL 01 $19.99
FEB140281 VERTIGO QUARTERLY #1 CYAN (MR) $7.99

DC COMICS/DC COLLECTIBLES

DEC130355 DC COMICS NEW 52 TEEN TITANS KID FLASH AF $24.95
DEC130357 DC COMICS NEW 52 TEEN TITANS SUPERBOY AF $24.95
DEC130356 DC COMICS NEW 52 TEEN TITANS WONDER GIRL AF $24.95

IDW PUBLISHING

JAN140502 ALICE IN COMICLAND HC $29.99
FEB140396 DEXTERS LABORATORY #1 $3.99
FEB140439 GHOSTBUSTERS #15 $3.99
FEB140351 GI JOE #15 $3.99
FEB140343 GI JOE IDW COLLECTION HC VOL 04 $49.99
APR130399 JERICHO TP SEASON 4 $19.99
FEB140428 JUDGE DREDD MEGA CITY TWO #4 $3.99
FEB140406 MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC #18 $3.99
FEB140443 SKYBREAKER TP $17.99
FEB140449 THUNDER AGENTS CLASSICS TP VOL 03 $29.99
FEB140334 TRANSFORMERS MORE THAN MEETS EYE #28 DAWN O/T AUTOBOTS $3.99
FEB140326 V-WARS #1 $3.99
FEB140414 X-FILES SEASON 10 #11 $3.99

IMAGE COMICS

FEB148316 BLACK SCIENCE #4 2ND PTG (MR) $3.50
FEB140593 BLACK SCIENCE #6 (MR) $3.50
JAN140547 CBLDF PRESENTS LIBERTY HC (MR) $29.99
FEB140595 CHEW #41 (MR) $2.99
FEB140597 DEADLY CLASS #4 (MR) $3.50
FEB140494 DREAM POLICE #1 CVR A KOTIAN & FARMER $2.99
FEB140495 DREAM POLICE #1 CVR B DELIZ & DILLON $2.99
FEB140599 EGOS #4 $2.99
DEC130569 ELEPHANTMEN #56 (MR) $3.99
FEB140521 ELEPHANTMEN 2260 TP BOOK 01 (MR) $9.99
FEB148356 IMAGE FIRSTS ALEX + ADA #1 $1.00
FEB148357 IMAGE FIRSTS BLACK SCIENCE #1 (MR) $1.00
FEB148358 IMAGE FIRSTS DEADLY CLASS #1 (MR) $1.00
FEB148359 IMAGE FIRSTS EAST OF WEST #1 $1.00
FEB148360 IMAGE FIRSTS LAZARUS #1 (MR) $1.00
FEB148361 IMAGE FIRSTS MANIFEST DESTINY #1 $1.00
FEB148362 IMAGE FIRSTS PRETTY DEADLY #1 (MR) $1.00
FEB148385 IMAGE FIRSTS RAT QUEENS #1 (MR) $1.00
FEB148363 IMAGE FIRSTS SEX CRIMINALS #1 (MR) $1.00
FEB148364 IMAGE FIRSTS VELVET #1 (MR) $1.00
FEB148365 IMAGE FIRSTS ZERO #1 (MR) $1.00
FEB140533 PRETTY DEADLY TP VOL 01 (MR) $9.99
JAN140557 SECRET TP VOL 01 NEVER GET CAUGHT $16.99
FEB148267 SEX CRIMINALS #5 2ND PTG (MR) $3.50
DEC130531 SIDEKICK TP VOL 01 (MR) $12.99
FEB140475 SOUTHERN BASTARDS #1 (MR) $3.50
FEB148315 STARLIGHT #1 2ND PTG (MR) $2.99
FEB140635 TALES OF HONOR #2 CVR A JEONG $2.99
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FEB140640 UMBRAL #6 (MR) $2.99
FEB140563 WALKING DEAD NEGAN T/S LG MEN $19.99
FEB140568 WALKING DEAD NEGAN T/S LG WOMEN $19.99
FEB140562 WALKING DEAD NEGAN T/S MED MEN $19.99
FEB140567 WALKING DEAD NEGAN T/S MED WOMEN $19.99
FEB140561 WALKING DEAD NEGAN T/S SM MEN $19.99
FEB140566 WALKING DEAD NEGAN T/S SM WOMEN $19.99
FEB140564 WALKING DEAD NEGAN T/S XL MEN $19.99
FEB140569 WALKING DEAD NEGAN T/S XL WOMEN $19.99
FEB140565 WALKING DEAD NEGAN T/S XXL MEN $22.99

MARVEL COMICS

FEB140820 ALL NEW X-MEN #26 $3.99
JAN140793 ALL NEW X-MEN PREM HC VOL 04 ALL DIFFERENT $24.99
FEB140664 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1 ANMN $5.99
FEB140784 AVENGERS #28 $3.99
FEB140790 AVENGERS AI #12 $2.99
FEB140788 AVENGERS WORLD #5 $3.99
FEB140849 DEADPOOL BY DANIEL WAY COMPLETE COLL TP VOL 03 $34.99
FEB140772 DISNEY KINGDOMS SEEKERS OF WEIRD #4 $3.99
FEB140689 HULK #2 ANMN $3.99
FEB140844 IRON MAN TP VOL 02 SECRET ORIGIN OF TONY STARK BOOK 1 $19.99
FEB140860 MARVEL ZOMBIES TP COMPLETE COLLECTION VOL 02 $34.99
FEB140827 MMW CAPTAIN AMERICA TP VOL 03 $24.99
FEB148202 MS MARVEL #1 3RD PTG PICHELLI SKETCH VAR ANMN $2.99
FEB148201 MS MARVEL #1 3RD PTG PICHELLI VAR ANMN $2.99
FEB140720 NEW AVENGERS #17 ANMN $3.99
FEB140807 ORIGIN II #5 $3.99
FEB140731 SILVER SURFER #2 ANMN $3.99
FEB140786 UNCANNY AVENGERS ANNUAL #1 $4.99
FEB140767 WHAT IF AGE OF ULTRON #5 $3.99
FEB140815 WOLVERINE #5 $3.99
FEB140862 WOLVERINE AND X-MEN BY JASON AARON TP VOL 08 $14.99
FEB140756 X-FORCE #4 $3.99
FEB140845 X-MEN TP VOL 02 MUERTAS $17.99

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

DEC130984 28 DAYS LATER OMNIBUS TP VOL 01 $39.99
FEB141005 ABSOLUTION TP VOL 02 RUBICON (MR) $19.99
FEB141087 ADVENTURE TIME 2014 ANNUAL #1 $4.99
FEB141378 ANNOYING ORANGE HC VOL 05 TRANSFARMERS $11.99
MAR141342 ATOMIC ROBO KNIGHTS O/T GOLDEN CIRCLE #1 $3.50
DEC131266 ATOMIC ROBO TP VOL 08 SAVAGE SWORD OF DR DINOSAUR $18.95
FEB141327 ATTACK ON TITAN GN VOL 12 $10.99
FEB148100 BAD ASS #3 HAESER MUTIE HOMAGE CVR (MR) $3.99
FEB141419 BAD DREAMS #1 $3.50
DEC131106 BATTLESTAR GALACTICA #10 $3.99
FEB141160 BATTLESTAR GALACTICA SIX #1 BLANK AUTHENTIX CVR $3.99
FEB141158 BATTLESTAR GALACTICA SIX #1 BOLSON CVR $3.99
FEB141157 BATTLESTAR GALACTICA SIX #1 FRISON CVR $3.99
FEB140931 BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #223 $5.99
FEB141423 BOXER TRUE STORY OF HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR HARRY HAFT GN $22.95
JAN141201 BUDDY BUYS A DUMP GN $19.99
FEB141491 CARDFIGHT VANGUARD GN VOL 01 $10.95
FEB141492 CARDFIGHT VANGUARD GN VOL 01 SPECIAL ED BOXED SET $19.95
JAN140845 CAVEWOMAN JOURNEY #1 CVR A DURHAM $3.75
JAN140846 CAVEWOMAN JOURNEY #1 CVR B DURHAM SP ED PI
FEB140896 CAVEWOMAN JOURNEY #1 CVR D BUDD ROOT PI
JAN140863 CHAMBERS GN (MR) $19.95
FEB141424 CIGAR THAT FELL IN LOVE WITH PIPE GN $22.95
FEB141308 CLEOPATRA IN SPACE GN VOL 01 $12.99
FEB141309 CLEOPATRA IN SPACE HC GN VOL 01 $22.99
FEB140873 CRYPT OF HORROR #21 $29.95
FEB141064 DARKLIGHT HC $24.99
JAN141182 DF AVENGERS UNDERCOVER #1 DENNIS HOPELESS SGN $29.99
DEC131142 DF PUNISHER #1 NATHAN EDMONDSON SGN PI
FEB141194 DOC SAVAGE #5 $3.99
FEB141195 DOC SAVAGE #5 CASSADAY VIP CVR $3.99
JAN141329 DRAGONS RIDERS OF BERK GN VOL 01 $6.99
JAN141305 DROW TALES TP VOL 01 MOONLESS AGE (MR) $12.95
JAN148166 EC COMICS FOUR HC SLIPCASE VOL 01 $94.99
FEB141095 GARFIELD PET FORCE 2014 SPECIAL $4.99
FEB141586 GFT QUEST TP $15.99
FEB141561 GFT WONDERLAND ASYLUM #4 A CVR NAKAYAMA $3.99
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FEB141564 GFT WONDERLAND ASYLUM #4 D CVR EL TABANAS $3.99
FEB141557 GFT WONDERLAND CLASH OF QUEENS #3 A CVR CUCCA (AOFD) $3.99
FEB141558 GFT WONDERLAND CLASH OF QUEENS #3 B CVR CHATZOUDIS (AOFD) $3.99
FEB141559 GFT WONDERLAND CLASH OF QUEENS #3 C CVR DOONEY (AOFD) $3.99
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FEB141215 GRIMM #12 (NOTE PRICE) $4.99
FEB141420 HAUNTED #1 $3.50
MAR141221 HEDGE KNIGHT JET CITY ED TP VOL 02 SWORN SWORD $14.95
FEB141535 HIGURASHI WHEN THEY CRY GN VOL 25 FESTIVAL ACCOMPANYING ARC $18.99
FEB141319 HUMAN #2 $5.99
FEB141617 JEFFREY BROWN KIDS ARE WEIRD OBSERVATIONS FROM PARENTHOOD HC $14.95
JAN140873 JUGHEAD & ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #1 $3.99
DEC130833 LAST ZOMBIE ZOMNIBUS TP $49.99
FEB141061 LOKI RAGNAROK & ROLL #3 $3.99
FEB141277 LOVE BUNGLERS HC $19.99
FEB140939 MEGA MAN #36 REG CVR $2.99
NOV131038 MERCY SPARX #5 (MR) $3.99
JAN141064 MERCY SPARX TP VOL 02 (MR) $17.99
FEB140886 MOSTLY WORDLESS HC $18.95
DEC131118 PLUME TP $17.99
FEB141191 QUEEN SONJA TP VOL 06 HEAVY IS THE CROWN $29.99
FEB140871 RACHEL RISING #25 $3.99
MAR141386 RAI #1 CVR A CRAIN $3.99
MAR141387 RAI #1 CVR B HITCH $3.99
MAR141388 RAI #1 CVR C SEGOVIA $3.99
MAR141389 RAI #1 CVR D ALLEN $3.99
MAR141391 RAI #1 PLUS EDITION $4.99
FEB141450 ROBERT JORDAN EYE OF THE WORLD TP VOL 02 $16.99
FEB141052 RUSH CLOCKWORK ANGELS #2 $3.99
FEB141225 SANITARIUM #1 (MR) $3.99
FEB141331 SANKAREA GN VOL 06 $10.99
FEB141332 SAY I LOVE YOU GN VOL 01 $10.99
FEB141461 SHADOWMAN END TIMES #1 PULLBOX DEKAL $3.99
FEB141460 SHADOWMAN END TIMES #1 REG CAMUNCOLI $3.99
FEB142102 SILLY FUN ADVENTURES OF MIKO & COLA GN $10.00
FEB148092 SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN SEASON 6 #1 2ND PTG $3.99
FEB140987 UBER #12 (MR) $3.99
FEB140989 UBER #12 PROPAGANDA POSTER CVR (MR) $3.99
FEB140988 UBER #12 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99
FEB141279 UNLOVABLE HC VOL 03 $29.99
FEB141217 VAMPIRELLA TP VOL 05 MOTHERS SONS & HOLY GHOST $17.99
FEB141333 VINLAND SAGA GN VOL 03 $19.99
FEB141174 WARLORD OF MARS DEJAH THORIS TP VOL 05 $19.99
FEB141334 XXXHOLIC REI GN VOL 01 $10.99

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What’s on your pull list this week? Let us know in the comments below!