Next Wednesday is made for those who’s diet is Wolverine deficient.

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Whether your Wolverine is regular or Ultimate universe, Marvel has a Wolverine for you.

To begin, Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Captain Britain & MI13, Knight & Squire, Demon Knights) and veteran artist Alan Davis merge their talents together to form one giant glob of SNIKTY SNIKTY awesomeness.  Wolverine #1 does manage to add a new angle to the Canuck that has been rare previously:  mystery.  Beginning with some ancient history where Wolverine made a decision that cost a kid his life.  And as every decision leads back to the present day for Logan, he won’t be able to escape or slice away the mistakes of the past.  Being the best there is at what you do isn’t always everything.

And if that isn’t enough adamantium for you, Ultimate Comics Wolverine #1 has two Wolverines for the price of one.

Primarily starring Jimmy Hudson, Logan’s son and current Wolverine, this new miniseries by Cullen Bunn (Sixth Gun, Helheim, Fearless Defenders), who’s got a load of good work coming out recently, follows Jimmy has he tries to uncover the origins of his birth.  The arrival of Jimmy into the Ultimate universe was crazy enough to begin with, now find out who and why he is what he is.

Okay, that’s enough Wolvy for one post.

Not to keep ragging on the snowmabunga from a couple weeks back, but it did cost us the shipment of a new Alan Moore League of Extraordinary Gentlemen story.  Until now.

Arriving slightly late, but nonetheless an important read, Nemo:  Heart of Ice is the most recent addition to the LoEG universe.  This graphic novel edition features a full 52 page story starring Captain Nemo’s daughter, Janni (introduced in LoEG Century), out on a mission to surpass her father’s legacy.  Venturing as far South as she can go, Janni is headed to Antarctica in search of valuables beyond belief.  But if one things sure it’s that valuables beyond belief will always lure more than one adventurer.  In the tradition of Moore’s previous League stories, expect literary references aplenty, always jam-packed in the back of every panel.  And if I was a betting man, I’d wager a story set in Antarctica might reference the infamous Lovecraft a time or two.

The word “Best” gets thrown around frequently in the world of comics (commonly by us), but there is one unequivocal “Best” comic being published at Marvel right now, and that is Hawkeye.

Or Hawkguy, if you know him well.

The Seinfeld of comic books, Hawkeye is all about what the emerald archer does on his days off from The Avengers.  Like installing cable, holding BBQs, fighting Russian mobsters, and rescuing dogs.  Dogs, by the way, who subsequently get named Pizza Dog.  Matt Fraction is doing the writing of his career on the series, making each issue a stand-alone story full of action, humor, and plenty of witty repartee.  Throw in the female Hawkeye (from Young Avengers), in a constant state of flirtation (did I mention she’s underage?), and you’ve got a duo that rivals and references the likes of Bogart and Bacall.  And if none of that sells you, just take a look at the impeccable art by David Aja.  Every issue is the best 70s crime movie you’ve never seen thanks to his gritty, minimalist style.

Bro, it’s first six issues in trade, bro.  Buy, bro. C’mon.

 

Marvel and DC may be the big two, but, over this last year, they’ve lost some considerable ground to Image Comics. Largely that’s due to Image publishing The Walking Dead, but the publisher has also been gaining ground in “among of books published”. What’s most shocking is that, with this rise in titles, the quality of each book has not faltered from any where below excellent. Two of the books that have contributed to these two factors are coming out in trade paperback form this Wednesday. Allow me to introduce you.

Thief of Thieves is the best heist movie you’ve never seen. It also happens not to be a movie, but a comic. And it’s created by Robert Kirkman (Walking Dead). And it’s written by Nick Spencer (Morning Glories). Not surprisingly it is a quick-witted, snappy, twisty read that uses pacing and panel arrangement to the full effect of the medium. The first collection comes out this Wednesday and contains the first six issues.

Manhattan Projects is what everyone wishes history was like. An alternate retelling of the experimentation that lead to the creation of the atomic bomb, Manhattan Projects (written by Jonathon Hickman (Fantastic Four)) stars the likes of Albert Einstein, Joseph Oppenheimer, FDR, Harry Truman, and a bunch of other famous people you thought were scientists but are actually psychopaths. Plus, the atomic bomb isn’t all these geniuses are playing with; inter-dimensional gateways, robot samurai, aliens, and alternate realities all make an appearance. Each issue will have you picking your jaw off the floor repeatedly as shock after shock keeps the story moving.

Alan Moore has never had kind words for those who’ve adapted his work to film, but there was a time when he wrote his own movie. During 1985, only a year before Watchmen hit the shelves, Moore wrote a sprawling modernization of Beauty and the Beast, dubbed Fashion Beast, with the intention of it being produced as a movie. This never happened. But now, Avatar Press has acquired Moore’s approval and oversight to adapted his script into a ten issue comic series. So, if you want to read a fairy tale as only Alan Moore can tell it, you need to stop by Wednesday and grab yourself a copy of Fashion Beast.

Let’s get one thing clear: He does not talk to fish!

The “he” in that sentence is, of course, Aquaman. There are few other characters in the DC universe (or Marvel, for that matter) who are ridiculed and satirized as much as Aquaman. Well, Geoff Johns is here to make anyone who’s ever made a “Hello, little fish” joke eat crow. This first collection of the New 52 Aquaman series brims with intelligent retooling of the character’s backstory, now focusing on character moments instead of broad strokes, as Aquaman and his wife Mera attempt to control an invasion of undersea creatures known as The Trench. These creatures are not simple fishies, they’re more like walking piranhas. If Johns is good at anything, he’s good at giving readers reasons to love his protagonists and fear his villains, traits that he brings to play in this exceptional first volume of everyone’s favorite punching bag, Aquaman.

 

Darwyn Cooke is easily one of the most talented creators working in comics today, as you’ll know if you’ve read the first issue of Minutemen (number two comes out Wednesday, by the way). Over the last three years, Cooke has been chipping away at a passion project he’s born to write and draw, that being the crime novels of Richard Stark. Set in the 50′s, these novels, both graphic and prose, were the Thief of Thieves way before Thief of Thieves as well as Mad Men before it became popular. Both style and grit mixed together, The Score is the most recent novel Cooke is adapting for the comic medium. In this story, Parker, a veteran thief, pulls together a band of con men and criminals to pull the job of a lifetime: rob an entire town. Cooke loves these stories and puts as much craft and effort into retelling them as Stark did creating them.

Ranking up there with Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, The Crow gets asked about more than any other book that is currently (and consistently) not in print. But for those who’ve been gasping for a Crow fix, IDW has a new comic series coming out this Wednesday. Following a young Japanese student who is possessed by the vengeance seeking spirit, this new series is written by one of the screenwriters of the cult classic Crow film.

Maybe you partake in some recreational, um, substances from time to time. Maybe you fight the man with your daily lifestyle. Maybe you hate the way your parents treat you. Whatever rebellious spirit burns inside you, the Wild Children one shot from Image Comics will feed the flame. Written by new comer Ales Kot and drawn by the ever present Riley Rossmo (Rebel Blood, Green Wake, Cowboy Ninja Viking), this extra hefty issue is the one to add to your pile this week. Here’s a review from comic review website Talking Comics to entice you further. When a comic earns a quote from legendary hermit Alan Moore, you know it’s good.

Not the zombie story your used to, Revival, from Image Comics, is sure to be the new sensation this week (if people can find it in the sea of Walking Dead #100 variants). Written by Tim Seeley (of cult favorite horror book Hack/Slash) and drawn by Mike Norton (of Battlepug, which is at the store this very moment), Revival is set in a rural community who find their dead rising from the ground, not as mindless cannibals but as they were before they passed. When a murder occurs, both living and dead become suspects. This series has been hyped as a possible “next Walking Dead” so be sure to nab a copy.

 

Whether you love the idea or despise it with a passion, the first of the Before Watchmen prequel books launches this Wednesday.

I know there are haters out there, but in an attempt to counter the arguments against Before Watchmen, allow me to make a few points.

1. Alan Moore made his career off of working on other people’s characters: Swamp Thing, Superman, the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen characters, and the Charlton characters (who the Watchmen were based off).

2. The line-up of creators assigned to these books is one of the most impressive creative bodies I’ve ever seen. Especially, with Minutemen, the first book, which is written and drawn by Darwyn Cooke. Cooke does not release that much material, but when he does we get exceptional works like DC New Frontier and the Parker series of graphic novels.

3. Comics are all about re-interpretation. If creators weren’t allowed to work on characters invented by different authors we would never have the great body of Spider-Man, X-Men, Batman, Green Lantern, and so forth, stories we do today. Personally, I’m thrilled to see other, talented writers and artist offer their interpretations of Alan Moore’s creations.

So, I recommend sampling each of the miniseries. I know I will be.

There’s been a ton of alien invasion stories propagating various media over the last couple years, but not too many where they aliens actually win. And there are NONE where the only only surviving resistance against them are two super powered individuals, one a villain and one a hero. This is the premise of Boom Studios! new ongoing series, Extermination. Written by novelist and wackadoo comic writer Simon Spurrier (X-Club, Gutsville), Extermination is going to be a back-to-the-wall action-adventure book with some smartly written dialog and conflict. Plus, the first
issue is only a $1.

Speaking of cheap first issues, popular (and accurate) comic rumors and news website, Bleeding Cool, is launching Bleeding Cool Magazine this week for only $1.49. Filled to the brim with the same scoops, articles, analysis, and factual reporting you’ve come to respect. Unlike most comic news websites, Rich Johnson has inside industry connections, which makes causes most of his scoops to be accurate. If you’ve been missing Wizard Magazine, Bleeding Cool Magazine is a superior replacement.

For all of the Kevin Mellon followers out there (and I know the store has a bunch), his next project releases this Wednesday. As usual with Kevin, it is a unique experience unlike any other book on the shelves. Creator Owned Heroes is a new comic experiment, offering two individual stories bridged by interviews, pictures, sketches, and other extras, all for $3.99. Before Kevin’s story, there is Trigger Girl 6 by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Grey (All-Star Western, Jonah Hex) and Phil Noto about a genetically engineered, hottie assassin. Filling out the issue is American Muscle, a wasteland, post-apocalyptic actioneer reminiscent of Road Warrior and Mellon’s freshman book, Gearhead. Topping that flambe of awesome off is an interview with Neil Gaiman as well as cosplay photos of Trigger Girl 6. That’s like a pound of comic-y goodness, folks.

 

Blair Butler.  Kevin Mellon.  MMA.

Heart.

Here’s why you should pay attention to these words.  Blair Butler, of the popular nerd news program Attack of the Show, is the writer of this book.  This is her first foray into comics and, by certain accounts, she’s already keeping pace with the industry’s top talent.  Speaking of top talent brings me to the next word on the list:  Kevin Mellon.  Kevin’s been a supporter of Pulp Fiction since our inception (and a collaborator with Dennis Hopeless), so we’ve been able to see, firsthand, how his work has progressed, now coming to a point of expert draftsmanship and storytelling excellence.  This book appears to be the pinnacle of his recent superb work.  Not only is the talent on the book exceptional, but the content is not the standard comic fare.  Revolving around mixed martial arts fighting and the desire these athletes have to rise to the top, the book should peak the interest of any regular UFC viewer.  That’s Heart, folks.

You’ve read Watchmen.  You’ve read V for Vendetta.  You’ve read From Hell.  Where do you go next for your Alan Moore fix?  League of Extraordinary Gentlemen would be the correct answer.  Thankfully, DC has been generous enough to make it nice and easy for you by releasing a new omnibus edition of the first two volumes of LoEG.  That means you just have to pick up one beautifully bound hardcover edition as opposed to two.  How gentlemanly of them, right?  What are these two volumes about, though?  The general premise is that the British government is assembling a team of some of the literary world’s most famous characters (Alan Quartermaine, Mina Harker, Dr. Jekyll, Captain Nemo, you’ve seen the movie) to combat a sinister evil.  And if you have seen the movie (I’m sorry), don’t be scared off.  The book is so beyond comparison it’s rather embarrassing.

Christmas comes only once a November.  Or, at least, that’s the case this year, thanks to Lee Bermejo‘s original graphic novel, Batman:  Noel.  Following the plot structure of A Christmas Carol, Noel takes Batman through a tour of his past, present, and future on a cold winter night.  Most of you probably know Bermejo because of the Joker GN from a few years back.  You probably also know that the guy draws Batman and his world with a style and design that no one can match, which makes him the perfect guy to write and draw a story about the character.  And if you really want a sample of the book, check out the preview pages here

Last week Wolverine got his time at the pulpit, so now it’s Cyclop‘s turn.  The other key X-Men book in the relaunch, Uncanny X-Men, drops this Wednesday with Kieron Gillen at the helm and Carlos Pacheco in the artist seat.  As Wolverine‘s book follows his team in New York, Uncanny X-Men sticks with Summers and his group of mutants (Magneto, Emma Frost, Colossus) on Utopia island in San Francisco.  Gillen has been on this book since Matt Fraction left and has kept pace with the quality level he established.  In fact, his tie-in arc to Fear Itself, where the team had to stall Juggernaut at San Fran’s borders, was one of the best tie-in books.  Oh, and he’s writing a little book called Journey Into Mystery, which is one of the best reads at Marvel right now.

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