It may come out four days after Free Comic Book Day and it may not be free, but Higher Earth #1 is only a $1 and demands to be read. Written by rising comic genius Sam Humpries, Higher Earth is a triple threat sci-fi/alternate reality/future comic book. Much like the recent popular series Saga, Higher Earth focuses on a young redheaded girl and an ex-soldier must race across a legion of alternate Earths while being threatened by the one Earth that rules them all: Higher Earth. Sam Humpries, as I mentioned, is on the rise after penning books like Our Love is Real and Fanboys vs. Zombies, so I’m sure this is his next great series. And for a $1 how can you pass it up?
Many parents may not realize that there is an abundance of great reading material for children that is not related to any property from Marvel or DC. Brian Michael Bendis, the current writer of The Avengers, recently, in fact, published a graphic novel called Takio about a superteam of sisters designed for younger readers. Because of the book’s success, he is now shifting the story into a new ongoing series. Taki and Olivia, the masked sisters, may squabble and argue, but they eventually have to work together to take down Kelly Sue, their newest enemy and ex-friend, who gained special abilities around the same time the girls did. With poppy, cartoony artwork from frequent Bendis collaborator, Michael Avon Oeming, this series will be a great introduction to comics for any young reader.
Can’t say I regularly get the urge to hug the TARDIS. But this little beauty may change that.
Yes, following after the talking plush Dalek from last year (a blue version comes out this Wednesday), the TARDIS is getting in on the cuteness trend.
The new squeezable, huggable, noise-making TARDIS plush comes out Wednesday and will likely be gone the same day…and not because it will vanish into the time vortex, if you get my meaning.
Grab your mittens, because tonight we’re going to be Russian it!
That pun would work so much better if this first item related to Russia in some way.
Hmm…the Doctor has traveled through all of time and space, so he must have visited Russia at some point. And when he did, without a doubt he arrived in his “sexy”, or TARDIS, for the uninformed. You, too, can get the warm fuzzies from this time and space traveling vehicle if you pick up the new TARDIS Plush coming out this Wednesday. Give the police box a hug and it will reciprocate with the standard VOOSH, VOOSH and light blinking associated with the time machine. Keep your plush Dalek company by picking this guy up.
The title pretty much says it all for this next one. That’s right, folks, Fanboys vs. Zombies drops this Wednesday with a gurgling, meaty thud. With Sam Humpries, writer of the brilliant Our Love is Real one-shot, penning the series, a setting rich with humour and heavy objects with which to bash the undead, and a cover price of $1, there is absolutely no reason to skip this book! Seriously, it’s costumed nerds and nerdettes smashing and slicing zombified geeks, how can you go wrong?
Arriving back on shelves after a long printing hiatus, Flex Mentallo, one of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely earliest creations. This deluxe edition reprints all of Flex’s psychedelic appearances in Doom Patrol as well as his own miniseries. Since the character as been under legal contention for a number of years, it’s a wonderful reward to see this cult classic series be reprinted in a hardcover, deluxe edition. Grab it before it disappears again.
The first rule of Danger Club is that we…DO talk about Danger Club. A lot, actually. Why? Because this book looks like a hell of a good time! Written by the team behind recent children’s comic successes like Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the 8th Grade and Batman Brave and the Bold, Danger Club rocks the epic! With the world’s greatest superheroes vanishing into space with the threat of an oncoming alien invasion on the horizon, the world’s sidekicks are left as the planet’s only defense. Violence, gore, and apocalyptic action spill out of the the beautifully vivid artwork and riveting narrative. Miss out on it and you miss out on the next Image Comics success story.
Last night we had a special guest host in the form of Game Stuff Robot, but tonight we will be talking about his extended family. Who also, as it goes, have the ability to speak.
That’s right, if you think genocidal trash cans who want to conquer the universe are just the cutest thing around, then you’re going to love snuggling with the Red Dalek Plush. Not only is he/she/it(?) lovable as hell, but also quite vocal. With familiar phrases such as “EXTERMINATE!”, “YOU ARE AN ENEMY OF THE DALEKS, YOU MUST BE DESTROYED!”, and other exclamatory phrases such as that. Share your love with an plunger-handed alien today!
IDW really needs to contact an exterminator, because they are infested again. If you read the first series (Infestation) where a number of IDW‘s famous characters faced off against zombies, then you’ll be prepared for this go around where they battle Cthulhu and his minions. But who are the “they” this time around? Well, the Transformers and G.I. Joes return (this time from the famous Heart of Steel universe), but are joined by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the Danger Girls, characters from the Dungeons & Dragons universe, and 30 Days of Night. Not sure about you, but I can’t even imagine the epicness of all these characters crossing over with one another! You’ll just have to pick up Infestation II #1 to prove to your brain it’s real.
Speaking of epic awesomeness, the new hardcover collection of Geoff Johns and James Robinson’s oft forgot Hawkman run hits shelves Wednesday. Though the book doesn’t get mentioned in the same breath as JSA or Green Lantern or Justice League, it should be. Johns and Robinson both delve into Hawkman‘s backstory, streamlining it, and setting him against ancient evils and buried baddies. With artwork from Rags Morales (New 52′s Action Comics), Hawkman pops with violent, emotive visuals along with the Indiana Jones-esque story lines. If you’ve enjoyed what Johns has been doing on Justice League or Aquaman currently, then you should check the origin of his writing style in the Hawkman Omnibus.
Finally, tonight, possibly the book I’m more excited about than any other this year, the first volume of the new ongoing Avatar the Last Airbender comic. Dark Horse is choosing an unusual, yet fitting, format for this book by releasing them as thick digest volumes over the next couple of months. This first volume is called The Promise (Part 1 of a trilogy) and it catalogs events that occur after the end of the series involving Aang, Katara, Sakka, and Zuko working to keep political unrest at a minimum for fear of starting another war. These stories will all bridge the gap between the old series and the new Legend of Korra sequel to premiere on Nickelodean this year. If you’re a fan of the show like me, then you’ll just be happy to feed your addiction for Avatar material, no matter the format.
We’ve known Dennis Hopeless for about seven years now. In that time we’ve seen him push himself to become a better writer; a writer that understands character, understands plotting and story, understands how to pace a page. In our opinion, he has succeeded at this. And, apparently, we’re not the only one who feel this way as his first book from Marvel Comics, Legion of Monsters, ships this week.
Some readers out there may be tempted to pass over this book because it doesn’t star characters like Spider-Man or Wolverine or even Daredevil, but I think that would be unwise. Not just because Pulp wants to support a previous employee, but because miniseries like these, ones that star characters writers can play with and flesh out, are the best sort of reading. They’re the kind of stories that surprise readers. The kind of stories that offer more than the standard superhero fair. Just like Grant Morrison with Animal Man, Matt Fraction with Iron Fist, and Rick Remender with Punisher, Dennis takes a group of C-list characters like Morbius, The Living Mummy, and Werewolf by Night and finds what’s compelling about them. Making them the police of the underground Monster City certainly adds to the appeal. Oh, and if you’ve ever read Nextwave, you might be happy to hear that Elsa Bloodstone becomes the next in a line of strong female characters Dennis has penned.
So, when you come into this store, or any store this Wednesday, spend your money on a book that will leave you entertained rather than apathetic.
Coincidentally, this week also marks the arrival of Minimate‘s first forays into their Universal Monsters line of figures. There’s the Dracula set, which contains ole Drac himself, Wilamina Harker, Renfeild, and, of course, Van Helsing (not the Hugh Jackman version), as well as the Frankenstein set, which includes the monster, the doctor, Elizabeth, and the bride. My recommendation, pick these guys up, turn on the fog machine, snuggle into the couch with Legion of Monsters, and have a good time.
Not sure if you heard the news, but Dan Didio claims none of the Crisis events from DC’s past occurred in the current universe. Ironically, next week DC releases an Absolute Identity Crisis edition. I say you tell Dan Didio to screw himself and pick up a copy! Okay, frankly, he’ll probably just be happy you paid for it, but you can still show him he sucks by reading an incredibly well written story! For one, Identity Crisis is written by best selling novelist Brad Metzler, so you know the mystery is going to be strong. Second, all of the characters, no matter how unimportant they may seem or how little they are on the page, receive moving characterizations. Thirdly, there has been no better set of cliffhangers in a DC miniseries than in this one. How did those tiny footprints get on that brain? Does Batman remember? Who killed Sue Dibney? Why is Dan Didio such a schmuck? Okay, I added that last one.
Maybe the weirdest product I’ve ever seen come through this store ships this Wednesday. Say it with me: Eight Foot Inflatable Stay-Puft Marshmellow Man. That’s right, a human-sized, blow-up recreation of the giant marshmellow creature from the first Ghostbusters movie. And you know what? Everyone is going to want to own him. Which is because it is amazing.
Also, don’t forget we still have a Ghostbuster Neon Sign, depicting the famous logo, in stock and ready for purchase. Basically, if you own the both of them, you could put on a pretty good rendition of the Ghostbusters movies in your living room. Sounds like reason enough to be.
Wait. Did I say that was the weirdest? Alright, this next one is the weirdest…
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