Ready or not, here comes Comic Book Day, and this week’s pull list has some terrific titles ready to lower your personal debt ceiling to Hobbit-sized heights. With the second half of Chew, the arrival of Marvel NOW’s Uncanny X-Force , and more, it’s a good week to make the trek down to your friendly neighborhood comic book store. So go ahead and take a break from your mild-mannered work week and take a gander at this week’s copious cache of comics. As we say around the office, “Microsoft Excelsior!” Huh? No one says that? I’m being escorted off the premises? And tased? Okay, fair enough.
Top Picks
Uncanny X-Force #1 | Sam Humphries and Ron Garney
I really wanted to just write “’nuff said” and leave it at that, because I’m not sure why there would be any question over whether or not to pick up the first issue of Marvel NOW!’s Uncanny X-Force. This was one of my favorite books of the past year, so when I spoke to Humphries about his approach to the X-Family’s blood-soaked stepsister and his answer was “MUTANT NINJA NOIR,” I was understandably excited. And rightly so. Humphries has assembled a squad of femme fatales (and their manservant Puck) to do less-than-righteous battle with facial tattoo aficionado Bishop, and Ron Garney’s art is grade A. So go ahead and unfurrow your brows; this may be a new X-Force, but it’s one with which you’ll be excited to spend time (and go on black ops). Oh, and if you weren’t sold already, Storm has her badass mohawk again, which is the icing on an already delicious cake.
Masks #3 | Chris Roberson, Dennis Calero and Alex Ross
Maybe Francesco Francavilla primed the pump for pulpy goodness in my brain, but I’ve been consuming gritty, pulp noir comics at an alarming rate, and, fortunately, the industry is feeding my need. Masks is one of the better crossover books I’ve come across; it’s succinct, well-paced and full of enough intrigue to keep me coming back each month. The heat on this slow boil gets turned up this week, as the heroes split up to divide and conquer, and increasing numbers of average Joes don masks of their own to join the fight against fascists in the homeland. While it may not be as tidy of a package as last week’s Black Beetle: No Way Out #1, Masks #3 delivers a heapin’ helpin’ of your favorite pulp heroes in one convenient place. The Shadow knows that this will definitely be in my pull list.
Chew #31 | John Layman and Rob Guillory
Let me start out by saying that if you’re new to Chew, then issue #31 is a terrible place to hop on the the funwagon. After the unexpected twists, turns and untimely demises in #30, the second half of the series kicks off with a funeral. You’ve got to hand it to Layman – what started out as a goofy, offbeat comic filled with food puns and sight gags has turned into a really gripping story full of heartbreak, loss and grief. That being said, this issue isn’t all sad times at Ridgemont High; we return to the action-packed, dark humor-laden, cibopathic narrative that we’ve come to love, and the visual gags are top-tier. You may want to do a second pass just to note all the little background details that Guillory packs into the pages because it’s just that damn good. I’m just grateful that they didn’t subtitle the second part of the series Chew: Swallow.
Pull List
DARK HORSE COMICS | |
ANSWER #1 | $3.99 |
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SPIKE #5 FRISON CVR | $2.99 |
BUFFYVERSE SAMPLER ONE SHOT | $4.99 |
DARK HORSE PRESENTS #20 (MR) | $7.99 |
DEVA ZAN HC | $49.99 |
EERIE ARCHIVES HC VOL 12 | $49.99 |
MASSIVE #8 | $3.50 |
MIND MGMT #7 | $3.99 |
NUMBER 13 #2 | $3.99 |
STAR WARS BLOOD TIES TP VOL 02 BOBA FETT IS DEAD | $14.99 |
DC COMICS | |
BATMAN DARK KNIGHT ARCHIVES HC VOL 08 | $59.99 |
BATWOMAN #16 | $2.99 |
BEFORE WATCHMEN MINUTEMEN #6 (MR) | $3.99 |
BEFORE WATCHMEN MINUTEMEN #6 COMBO PACK (MR) | $4.99 |
BIRDS OF PREY #16 | $2.99 |
BLUE BEETLE #16 | $2.99 |
BOOKS OF MAGIC DELUXE EDITION HC (MR) | $24.99 |
CATWOMAN #16 | $2.99 |
CULLING RISE OF THE RAVAGERS TP (N52) | $16.99 |
DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS #16 | $2.99 |
FABLES #125 (MR) | $2.99 |
GREEN ARROW TP VOL 02 TRIPLE THREAT (N52) | $14.99 |
GREEN LANTERN #16 (RISE) | $2.99 |
GREEN LANTERN #16 COMBO PACK (RISE) | $3.99 |
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #16 (RISE) | $2.99 |
GREEN LANTERN NEW GUARDIANS #16 (RISE) | $2.99 |
HELLBLAZER #299 (MR) | $2.99 |
JSA LIBERTY FILES THE WHISTLING SKULL #2 | $2.99 |
JUSTICE LEAGUE #16 | $3.99 |
JUSTICE LEAGUE #16 COMBO PACK | $4.99 |
LEGION OF SUPER HEROES #16 | $2.99 |
NIGHTWING #16 (DOTF) | $2.99 |
RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #16 (DOTF) | $2.99 |
SAUCER COUNTRY #11 (MR) | $2.99 |
SUPERBOY ANNUAL #1 | $4.99 |
SUPERGIRL #16 | $2.99 |
SWORD OF SORCERY #4 | $3.99 |
WONDER WOMAN #16 | $2.99 |
YOUNG JUSTICE #24 | $2.99 |
IDW PUBLISHING | |
BORDERLANDS ORIGINS #1 2ND PTG | $3.99 |
BORDERLANDS ORIGINS #3 [DIG/P+] | $3.99 |
COBRA ONGOING #21 [DIG/P+] | $3.99 |
CROW MIDNIGHT LEGENDS TP VOL 03 WILD JUSTICE | $17.99 |
GODZILLA ONGOING #9 [DIG/P+] | $3.99 |
JUDGE DREDD #3 [DIG/P+] | $3.99 |
MAD ARTIST ED HC | PI |
MARS ATTACKS TRANSFORMERS (ONE SHOT) [DIG] | $3.99 |
MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC #1 3RD PTG | $3.99 |
MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC #1 BOX SET 3RD PTG | $24.99 |
STAR TREK COUNTDOWN TO DARKNESS #1 | $3.99 |
TMNT SECRET FOOT CLAN #2 | $3.99 |
TRANSFORMERS REGENERATION TP VOL 01 | $19.99 |
IMAGE COMICS | |
BEDLAM #3 (MR) [DIG] | $3.50 |
CHEW #31 (MR) [DIG] | $2.99 |
FRANK CHO WOMEN HC BOOK 02 (MR) | $24.99 |
HELL YEAH #6 (RES) [DIG] | $3.50 |
IT GIRL & THE ATOMICS #6 [DIG] | $2.99 |
PROPHET #33 [DIG] | $3.99 |
REVIVAL #5 2ND PTG | $2.99 |
REVIVAL #6 [DIG] | $2.99 |
SPAWN ORIGINS TP VOL 17 | $14.99 |
WITCH DOCTOR MALPRACTICE #3 [DIG] | $2.99 |
WITCHBLADE #163 CVR A CHRISTOPHER [DIG] | $2.99 |
WITCHBLADE #163 CVR B BERNARD & BENES | $2.99 |
MARVEL COMICS | |
A PLUS X #4 NOW | $3.99 |
ASTONISHING X-MEN #58 | $3.99 |
AVENGERS #3 NOW | $3.99 |
CASTLE A CALM BEFORE STORM #2 | $3.99 |
DEADPOOL #4 NOW | $2.99 |
DEADPOOL KILLUSTRATED #1 | $2.99 |
FF #3 NOW | $2.99 |
GAMBIT #8 | $2.99 |
GAMBIT CLASSIC TP VOL 02 | $29.99 |
MARVEL UNIVERSE ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #10 | $2.99 |
MMW DOCTOR STRANGE TP VOL 02 | $24.99 |
PUNISHER NIGHTMARE #4 | $3.99 |
SECRET AVENGERS BY RICK REMENDER TP VOL 01 | $19.99 |
ULTIMATE COMICS ULTIMATES #20 | $3.99 |
ULTIMATE COMICS ULTIMATES BY HICKMAN TP VOL 02 | $19.99 |
ULTIMATE COMICS X-MEN BY NICK SPENCER TP VOL 02 | $19.99 |
UNCANNY AVENGERS #3 NOW | $3.99 |
UNCANNY X-FORCE #1 NOW | $3.99 |
WINTER SOLDIER #14 | $2.99 |
WOLVERINE AND X-MEN #24 | $3.99 |
WOLVERINE AND X-MEN TP ALPHA AND OMEGA | $19.99 |
WOLVERINE SABRETOOTH REBORN PREM HC | $24.99 |
YOUNG AVENGERS #1 NOW | $2.99 |
COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS | |
ARMY OF DARKNESS ONGOING #9 | $3.99 |
BART SIMPSON COMICS #79 | $2.99 |
BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #209 [DIG/P+] | $3.99 |
BIONIC WOMAN #7 | $3.99 |
BLACK BUTLER TP VOL 12 | $11.99 |
BLACK GOD TP VOL 18 | $12.99 |
BRIDES STORY HC GN BOOK 04 | $16.99 |
CALLING DR LAURA GRAPHIC MEMOIR GN | $16.95 |
CLAY COUNTY GN (RES) | $14.95 |
DAN THE UNHARMABLE #9 (MR) | $3.99 |
DAN THE UNHARMABLE #9 WRAP CVR (MR) | $3.99 |
DAN THE UNHARMABLE TP VOL 01 (MR) | $19.99 |
DF WARLORD OF MARS DEJAH THORIS #20 RISQUE RED EXC (MR) | $14.99 |
DISAPPEARANCE OF NAGATO YUKI CHAN GN VOL 03 | $11.99 |
FLOWERS OF EVIL GN VOL 04 (MR) | $10.95 |
GARTH ENNIS BATTLEFIELDS #3 GREEN FIELDS PT 3 (MR) | $3.99 |
GFT ANIMATED SERIES ONE SHOT REG CVR SCHNEPP (MR) | $3.99 |
HARBINGER (ONGOING) #8 REG SUAYAN CVR | $3.99 |
HELLRAISER ROAD BELOW #4 (MR) [DIG] | $3.99 |
HOMECOMING #3 CVR A LASIO | $3.99 |
HOMECOMING #3 CVR B SMITH | $3.99 |
JENNIFER BLOOD FIRST BLOOD #3 (MR) | $3.99 |
KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE #194 | $5.99 |
LADY DEATH (ONGOING) #25 (MR) | $3.99 |
LADY DEATH (ONGOING) #25 SULTRY CVR (MR) | $3.99 |
LADY DEATH (ONGOING) #25 WRAP CVR (MR) | $3.99 |
LEGEND OF OZ THE WICKED WEST ONGOING #3 | $3.50 |
LIFE WITH ARCHIE #26 RUIZ CVR [DIG/P+] | $3.99 |
LORD OF THE JUNGLE #12 (MR) | $3.99 |
MASKS #3 | $3.99 |
PEANUTS VOL 2 #5 [DIG] | $3.99 |
PROPHECY #6 | $3.99 |
SIMPSONS COMICS SUPERNOVA TP | $15.99 |
SONIC UNIVERSE #48 [P+] | $2.99 |
SONIC UNIVERSE TP VOL 04 JOURNEY TO THE EAST | $11.99 |
SOUL EATER TP VOL 12 | $11.99 |
STEED AND MRS PEEL ONGOING #4 MAIN CVRS [DIG] | $3.99 |
STUMPTOWN V2 #5 | $3.99 |
THE LONE RANGER #12 | $3.99 |
THE SPIDER #8 | $3.99 |
THE SPIDER TP VOL 01 TERROR O/T ZOMBIE QUEEN | $19.99 |
URSA MINOR #4 (MR) | $3.50 |
WAR GODDESS #12 (MR) | $3.99 |
WAR GODDESS #12 SULTRY CVR (MR) | $3.99 |
WAR GODDESS #12 WRAP CVR (MR) | $3.99 |
WONDERLAND #7 A CVR CHEN (MR) | $2.99 |
WONDERLAND #7 B CVR REYES (MR) | $2.99 |
X-O MANOWAR (ONGOING) #9 PULLBOX NORD CVR | $3.99 |
X-O MANOWAR (ONGOING) #9 REG HAIRSINE CVR | $3.99 |