Upcoming Weekly Comics 10/9/2019

Amazing Spider-Man #832 - Everyone who has ever worn the Carnage Symbiote has a Codex, including Norman Osborn from his time as the Red Goblin! Can Spider-Man save Norman from Carnage? Does he want to?

Animosity #24 - The cruelest weapon is not a knife, or gun, or sword, or bow. The cruelest weapon...is a cage.

Battlepug #2 - “WAR ON CHRISTMAS,” Part Two The last Kinmundian and his faithful Battlepug have returned to his homeland to face his past, but are they prepared for what they will find? Meanwhile, his friends are at the mercy of the most ruthless band of criminals in the forest—The Nobody’s Ponies!

Coffin Bound #3 - In the clutches of the unstoppable assassin they call the Eartheater, Izzy must break free to rescue those she once cared for from the hands of the murderous poet Paulie. But once they learn of her past sins, will they want her to save them?

Detective Comics #1013 - Mr. Freeze is so close to reviving Nora but Batman can’t let it happen. Mr. Freeze has never been more vicious or more deadly. There’s nothing more dangerous than a desperate man with a cold gun and Gotham City is going to learn that firsthand!

The Flash #80 - “The Hunter and the Hunted” part one! Barry Allen is hurt, and his connection to the Speed Force is fading fast. With the Speed Force dying, the only person who can save it is…Hunter Zolomon? Hunter has returned to prove he’s the one, true Flash, and he doesn’t care who gets in his way. But who is left to deal with the Rogues? Captain Cold has assembled the newly amped-up Rogues to tell them about Lex Luthor’s offer...but are they all willing to take it?

Ice Cream Man #15 - "COAT CHECK STORY" Lillian is wearing someone else's coat.

Oblivion Song #20 - The danger rises for Edward Cole as he is lost deep in the wilds of Oblivion.

Outer Darkness #11 - Sex priests, haunted hallucinogens, and barbarian mercenary lizards, oh my!

Powers of X #6 (of 6) - THE INEVITABLE TRUTH. The revelatory tale of Mutantkind's fall comes to a conclusion that will lay the groundwork of the X-Men's stories for years to come!

Reaver #4 - Hell’s Half-Dozen has fought their way to the Anvil without losing a member… until now.

Sonata #5 - Sonata is dangerously ill, and her survival is in the hands of the deranged Korbys and his dubious expertise in herbal remedies. Meanwhile, an unexpected visitor brings catastrophic news from the Tayan home world.

Spawn #301 - TODD McFARLANE returns to pencil and ink SPAWN #301—with GREG CAPULLO, JASON SHAWN ALEXANDER, CLAYTON CRAIN, JEROME OPEÑA, and FRANCESCO MATTINA, and even more surprises to come in the record-breaking, longest-running creator-owned comic book in history!

Superman #16 - The Super Sons are back! But now Jon is five years older, and he’s sitting on the biggest decision of his young life. Damian and Jon team up again for a rip-roaring adventure and a huge catch-up! These two best buds have really needed each other, and now they are back!

Unearth #4 - Amidst a bloodbath, the truth of the flesh-warping disease—and the hideous cave system in which our heroes are lost—is revealed! Once these shocking secrets come to light, nothing in our world will remain the same. Meanwhile, the soldiers and scientists trapped underground face their most horrifying challenges yet… including the mind of the infection.

Wonder Woman #80 - After failing to save her friends, Wonder Woman must find the power within to vanquish her most powerful foe…who’s only gotten more formidable! But only Diana, who knows Cheetah best, can stop her god-killing spree! Little does Diana know, there’s a deity waiting in the shadows to assume the role of god/goddess of love and help save the world alongside our hero. Will they find each other in time?

Comic Book Reviews - 10/2/2019 - Part 2

Strange Skies over East Berlin #1

This was not one of my pulls. Despite an incredible track record of classic stories, I have an inherent bias against mini-series. Something about it must call to me and I have to say who wouldn't be entranced by that striking cover? The title also helps, I have a weakness of intriguing titles.

Many years ago I would not have been able to appreciate a title like this. The art is more impressionistic than clean, but who doesn't enjoy a good sci-fi story set in the backdrop of cold war Berlin? The story combines cold war anxiety with out of this world fear. As enjoyable as peanut butter and jelly.

Vampire State Building #1

Ablaze is a new comic book publisher, at the very least new to me. They have had some intriguing solicitations as of late, namely a Conan interpretation that they were forced to stop publishing. Here, we have Charlie Adlard's first post-Walking Dead art and he does an incredible job. What do you expect from a guy who has been a consistent monthly artist for more than 180 issues? This time we get vampies instead of zombies and I couldn't be happier for that. 

I did find the panel layouts to be strange in that it feels like the panels are smaller than they needed to be, publishing error? There is a lot of white space on the top and bottom of the page and text is small and difficult to read as a result.

It's Walking Dead....only with vampires, and inside a skyscraper. Where is John McClane when you need him?

Dead Eyes #1

This series was originally published as Dead Rabbit several months ago, but ended up causing a copyright infringement. I have to be honest, calling this Dead Rabbit makes no sense. The rename to Dead Eyes makes all the sense in the world. While reading this issue every time someone said Dead Eyes, I would substitute Dead Rabbit in my head and it sounds bizarre.

This issue took me by surprise because I didn't expect to know the identity of the title character right away. I thought it would be one of those slow reveals, I was not really disappointed because knowing who it is makes the contrast between the persona and the real person very entertaining. This issue was a lot of fun and I am looking forward to the next one soon. They should have a pretty good head start by now, so hopefully no delays.

Comic Book Reviews - 10/2/2019 - Part 1

House of X #6 (of 6)

The X-Men have changed drastically since this series began. During the previous volume of Uncanny X-Men, most of the mutants were stuck in an alternate reality within the mind of X-Man, while the rest were fighting for survival in the real world. Cyclops lost an eye, Emma lost some hair and gained a huge scar on her skull, and many mutants died. None of that seems to have mattered.

Now, we have a mutant nation in Krakoa. An established mutant government led by Xavier, Magneto, and Apocalypse. And finally, with this issue, this new mutant nation establishes their first mutant laws.

• Make more mutants
• No killing humans
• Respect Krakoa

Why no killing humans, but it is OK to kill mutants? Apocalypse argues that they will grow weak if not allowed to test their mettle against each other. Despite getting his way, in a later scene he seems filled with melancholy about having achieved his ultimate dream of a superior mutant-led society.  Plus, since Xavier has mastered the resurrection process, mutants can never really die anymore. 

With the no killing humans law now in effect, Sabretooth is the first mutant criminal to stand trial for his crimes. His punishment is eternal imprisonment within the dark bowels of Krakoa.

I've loved this series from the art to the epic world-building and I give it my highest recommendation.

Immortal Hulk #24 (LGY #741)

What a joy this series has been. Joe Bennett is establishing himself as a major artist with his inventively grotesque imagery. Al Ewing feels unleashed here to set the scope of the story to infinity. I would not be surprised at all if Ewing becomes the next major star for Marvel like Bendis or Hickman.

I've been reading Hulk stories for many years and this series has been so refreshing, dark, melancholy, full of sorrow and regret, and beautiful all at the same time. This issue continues this very special series that I hope never ends.

Copra #1 (LGY #32)

While I've been reading comics since I was a youth, I still feel as though I have a lot to learn about the medium. Every Previews I read is filled with numerous references to past masters that I have never heard of. One of my recent joys have come with the recently cancelled Gogor series by Ken Garing. There is something magical about the works of comic auteurs - those who take the whole process into their own hands and make wonders.

Suffice it to say when I saw Copra for the first time, I was mesmerized by the art. The inventive character designs and yet they have this high school art look about them.

While this issue is advertised as issue #1, it is actually issue #32. The previous issues were self-published and in an effort to focus more on the craft, Fiffe has decided to publish through Image. I applaud the decision because it expands the audience for the book.

While the story itself jumps headfirst into a continuing storyline, there is a summary at the end of the issue that tries to explain what has led up to this point -  a worthy effort.

It is books like this that make comics books a consistent joy in my life.

Everything #2

This series has me completely mystified. I simply cannot figure it out. I really enjoy the art and the references to potentially strange happenings, but the cadence or pace of the storytelling is baffling. Perhaps this is on purpose. The flow is off which fills the reader with unease - that sort of thing.

We are obviously following some specific characters around and some strange things are happening to those characters, but the behavior of these characters is not at all human-like. It's like reading a comic made by aliens with a foreign culture. Sure the materialistic trappings make sense, but that's where coherence ends. 

This reads like a David Cronenberg film. Naked Lunch the comic book. Maybe that is the point. I've considered dropping the series, but at the same time it is original enough that I want to give it the benefit of the doubt.