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Comic List Highlights (9/19/2012)

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Sep 152012

The women of comics barely ever get their due. Last year’s Womanthology HC (which we just got a restock on last week), a giant collection of stories written and drawn by only women, was a huge success both as a Kickstarter project and as published through IDW, so a sequel was in order. Womanthology: Space is a five issue miniseries, containing three stories an issue, based around the concept of “space” in all its various definitions. Packed full of artwork, in both written and drawn forms, this series is a one-of-a-kind showcase of female comic talent of all experience levels and a wonderful example for any young woman hoping to break into the business some day.

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If you’ve had dreams about Star Trek mixing with Back to the Future, those dreams have just come true. No, there’s not actually a Star Trek/Back to the Future crossover, but Star Trek the Next Generation: Hive is the closest you will ever come. Written by Brannon Braga, former TNG producer and writer, this four issue miniseries has the Next Gen crew jumping into a future where the Borg have overtaken the entire galaxy; they are its only hope. IDW has been kicking butt with their current Star Trek ongoing title as well as their Doctor Who/Star Trek crossover, so I expect great things from this series.

Ed Brubaker has written the main Captain America book for around eight years now (soon to be replaced by Rick Remender), and in those eight years he has turned Bucky Barnes into one of the most fascinating characters in the Marvel Universe. So, couple his love of Barnes (aka the Winter Soldier) with his absolute talent for crafting espionage stories and you have the extremely enjoyable Winter Soldier v.1 trade paperback. In this first volume of the highly under rated series, Bucky and the Black Widow team-up to uncover what happened to the other brainwashed soldiers who went through the process that turned Barnes into the Winter Soldier. Expressively illustrated by Butch Guice, Winter Soldier is a dark, gritty, mysterious compelling spy movie spread across the comic page. And it has gorillas with machine guns.

To end the evening, I pose to you one question.

Why open your own beer when you can acquire a herald to do it for you?

Comic List Highlights (5/23/2012)

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May 192012

If you’ve ever found yourself in a situation where you need to get a hold of a miniature version of Batman, you’re in luck!

Coming out this Wednesday, the Bat-Signal Kit is the next in a popular line of comic kits. As with the previous kit offerings, this one comes with a booklet detailing important Batman history, as well as the real showstopper a working miniature bat-signal. Just be sure to keep the batteries fresh or you’ll end up feeling pretty stupid when the Joker comes calling.

And since we’re talking about Batman and giant spotlights, I think I’ll shine a spotlight on another Batman item shipping this week. Absolute Dark Victory is an epic binding of the sequel to best Batman story ever told, The Long Halloween. If you’ve never had the pleasure of laying eyes on one of the DC Absolute editions, they’re very rare printings of famous series, much larger than normal trade paperbacks, housed in a sturdy slipcover, and loaded with, not only, the beautifully remastered main story, but a helping of extra content. And if you out there scratching you head as to why I’d mention a sequel instead of the original, the reason is we still have a copy of the Absolute Long Halloween. So treat yourself to the absolute best Absolute Batman editions ever.

Like the cult-hit LOST, it all begins with a plane trip gone bad. But a passenger airliner full of spontaneous amnesiacs is only the start of the twisty, turny road that is Matt Kindt’s Mind MGMT (pronounced Mind Management). Kindt is a resident of St. Louis and one of the best young, Indy talents in the industry. Any fan of Jeff Lemire (Animal Man, Sweet Tooth, Frankenstein Agent of SHADE) will find a compatible love for Matt Kindt’s work. With his first ongoing series for Dark Horse, Kindt is setting out to craft a mind warping espionage series that’ll stand among the best. I think he’ll do it.

You know what’s better than Venom versus hell demons? Venom and Red Hulk versus hell demons. You know what’s better than Venom and Red Hulk versus hell demons? Venom, Red Hulk, and X-23 versus hell demons! You know what’s better than Venom, Red Hulk, and X-23 versus hell demons? VENOM, RED HULK, X-23, and GHOST RIDER versus HELL DEMONS!!!!

Hopefully my point is made. Pick up the new Venom: Circle of Four hardcover.

Comic List Highlights/New Game Stuff (5/12/2012)

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May 122012

Tonight you’re all getting a two-fer, the chocolate and peanut butter, the Bert and Ernie, the Penn and Teller of Comic List Highlights. Because not only are you receiving highlights of comics, but games, too (mostly because we didn’t have time to write a post last night).

To start things off, lets recite the oath: In brightest day, in blackest night… Yup, the first hardcover collection of the New 52 Green Lantern comes out Wednesday. Easily one of the best ongoing series of the relaunch, Green Lantern has focused more on Sinestro than regular protagonist Hal Jordan, which has enlivened the book. And the reason for the shift in hero is due to Sinestro being allowed to wield the ring again, while Hal cools his jets on Earth. Until, that is, Sinestro comes a’knockin’. Geoff Johns has been writing some of the best Green Lantern stories ever since he got on the book around eight years ago, but this new volume offers a perfect jumping on point for anyone who’s wanted to read up on the character.

Keeping the superhero/comic base at a boil, but mixing in a smidge of gaming, next up is the second volume of Mutants and Masterminds DC Adventures: Heroes & Villains. As the first volume contained all characters ranging from A to K, this second edition picks up with L and runs it all the way to Z. That means you’re going to get classic characters like Lex Luthor, Superman, and Plastic Man, plus icon teams like the Justice League and the Secret Six. Offering gamers a shortcut into the DC Universe, these volumes contain all the stats, histories, and information you’ll need to BAM BIFF POW your way through the DCU.

Re-releasing in a new swanky graphic novel collection is BOOM Studio‘s 7 Psychopaths. A greater hook has never been created: what do you do when you want to kill Hitler and end WWII? Send in seven of the worst human beings ever to hunt down and murder the bastich. Of course, not everything always goes as planned. A grim, gritty spy series with artwork from exceptional Criminal and Incognito artist, Sean Phillips, 7 Psychopaths makes for a great, moody read.

As deck building games boldly go where no game has gone before they reach the Star Trek the Next Generation game. Using the base premise of deck building developed in games like Ascension, Dominion, and Resident Evil, Star Trek puts players into the role of a star ship captain, commanding their meager crew toward victory. Do you recruit further crewmen? Develop your ship’s equipment? Conquer worlds or make peace with them? These are the choices you will need to make in either the base version of the game or its Next Phase expansion. Both are stand alone and both go boldly yadda yadda blah blah.

Comic List Highlights (4/28/2012)

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Apr 282012

52 titles apparently are not enough for DC Comics.

Starting this week, a new wave of DC comics is cropping up to fill the spots left by the canceled New 52 books. Each of these new books flesh out the universe by bringing in characters previously unmentioned by the first wave.

Primary among the second wave is Earth 2. Written by legendary comic author James Robinson (Starman, The Shade), Earth 2 will focus on an alternate version of the DC Universe where the major superheroes faced off a cataclysmic event and were permanently changed forever. Following, not only these versions of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, but also the Alan Scott Green Lantern and Jay Garrick Flash. For those who’ve missed JSA will find that familiar itch scratched with this series.

The other two DC series to launch this week will be Dial H and World’s Finest. Dial H will be the first comic written by popular crime novelist China Mieville. A reworking of a cult classic series, Dial H will follow different individuals as they encounter a special dial with gives them random superpowers each time they turn it on. Gaining buzz as the underdog favorite of the new batch, Dial H should be picked up by anyone who loves off-kilter series like Xombi, BPRD, and Resurrection Man. World’s Finest, on the other hand, is a classic team-up book starring the Power Girl and Huntress of Earth 2.

Speaking of the New 52, the first group of hardcovers and trade paperbacks ship this Wednesday. Personally, I am making it a mission to sell every single copy of the first volume of Animal Man by Wednesday night. And I don’t plan to do this out of any greedy desire, but instead because this is the best book being released from DC right now. A wonderful blend of family drama and horrific, otherworldly creatures and adventures, Animal Man delivers sympathy and scares all in one twisted package. A wholly unique read, this series should not be ignored.

Lastly, because I’m tired, here’s a cool picture of a cool Doctor Who item coming in this Wednesday.

Comic List Highlights (4/18/2012)

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Apr 142012

Kansas City is lucky enough to be home to many successful, talented, prominent comic writers and artists. Primary among them is Jason Aaron. As writer of Wolverine and the X-Men, Wolverine, Incredible Hulk, Scalped, and Avengers Versus X-Men, Jason is easily one of the top writers at Marvel Comics and, because of that, we’re happy to have him come sign at Pulp this Wednesday. Jason will be signing not only the newest copies of Incredible Hulk, Wolverine and the X-Men, and Avengers vs. X-Men, but also all of his previous work. He’ll be at the store from 3 to 7, so make sure to come pick your books up around that time. Also, due to mass demand for the AvX series and the need to have copies for Jason to sign, that issue will go on sale at 3 when Jason arrives. Come out and make him feel welcome.

Stieg Larsson’s worldwide bestseller, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, has been made into two films already, but neither of them will compare to the new Vertigo comic adaptation launching this year. But before the actually series comes out, you all will get a chance to sample it with this Wednesday’s Girl with the Dragon Tattoo special sample issue. And remember, the first volume of graphic novels will be out this November.

Following in line with Dynamite‘s other recent pulp hero reworkings, such as Lord of the Jungle and Warlord of Mars, the new Shadow series is sure to be a good read. A large factor in that assumption is that Garth Ennis, author of such gruesome, disturbing series as The Boys and Crossed, will be penning the series. Each of the issues covers will also be drawn by some of the industry’s greatest artists, including John Cassady, Alex Ross, and Jae Lee. The Shadow knows…that you will buy a copy.

One of the quickest comic series of recent memory to rise to legendary status has to be The Ultimates by Mark Millar. Millar’s modern take on classic characters like Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, and Hawkeye turned the book into a dynamic, drama-filled read offering versions of these characters like you’ve never read before. Many fans have read his first two volumes of that amazing series, but not as many realize he went on to write four other volumes of the book. Luckily, all four of these stories, featuring battles with vampires, Ghost Rider Vice Presidents, Australlian Hulks, and intense, city demolishing conflicts, are all collected in the new Ultimate Avengers by Mark Millar Omnibus. This oversized hardcover is the easiest way to catch up on these follow-up series, the last of which ties in with the Death of Spider-Man storyline of Ultimate Spider-Man. Grab a copy before Nick Fury redacts the entire thing.

Speaking of the Death of Spider-Man storyline, the trade paperback ships this Wednesday. Collecting the last issues of the series before the relaunch with Miles Morales, this volume details Peter’s final battle with the Green Goblin, resulting in his death. If you picked up the series and have been loving it, you owe it to yourself to pick up, not only, this volume, but the entire series.

Pulp Fiction Comics & Games

Comic List Highlights (9/19/2012)

Comic List Highlights (5/23/2012)

Comic List Highlights/New Game Stuff (5/12/2012)

Comic List Highlights (4/28/2012)

Comic List Highlights (4/18/2012)

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Comic List Highlights (9/19/2012)

Comic List Highlights (5/23/2012)

Comic List Highlights/New Game Stuff (5/12/2012)

Comic List Highlights (4/28/2012)

Comic List Highlights (4/18/2012)

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