We're back from C2E2 and oh boy, are there a ton of great books to keep your eye out for this week. So, like every week, the staff of Comic Vine has picked out some of the books they are the must buys for the week. See what we picked and get prepared for potential awesomeness this upcoming Wednesday.
Tony's Picks
BATMAN #40
(DC)
We’ve had to wait an extra month for this final part to the Endgame story but it will definitely be worth the wait. This is it. The final battle between Batman and Joker. Scott Snyder has amped up Joker and his attack against Batman and Gotham City.
We’ve also seen some…changes to Joker’s origin story. What’s the deal with that? Could the evidence really be accurate? We can assume Snyder has some tricks up his sleeve in this final epic battle.
Let’s not forget the art by Greg Capullo and Danny Miki and colors by FCO Plascencia. There will be no holding back in this issue and that’s exactly what we would want and expect.
JUSTICE LEAGUE #40
(DC)
This is a prologue to Darkseid War. Is there any other reason needed? Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok have been building up the action and suspense in this series. The previous arc really shaped up two as a powerful creative team. Fabok’s art somehow keeps getting better and better.
As for Darkseid War, this has been building up since the first issue when the New 52 started. A lot has changed since then. The team and the characters have gone through some changes. There’s also mention of secrets about the League being revealed? What the heck could that be about?
SECRET AVENGERS #15
(MARVEL)
Sigh. Let’s have a moment of silence for the end one of my favorite recent series.
All good things must come to an end, right? We’ve seen a lot of wacky and interesting things here. Ales Kot and Michael Walsh have given us an amazing series that has been able to stand on its on, almost separated from the rest of the Marvel Universe. We’ve had a great cast of characters. Phil Coulson was fleshed out in interesting ways (that unfortunately doesn’t fully mesh with his portrayal in the current S.H.I.E.L.D. series). I was always sort of indifferent to Maria Hill but have grown to love her here. And let’s not forget about M.O.D.O.K.
Kot’s writing and Walsh’s art have made this such a delightful series. How will it all end?
Click here for the solicit and check out the preview below.
CONVERGENCE SHAZAM #1
(DC)
Many people are really digging the Convergence books. That’s great. For me, some have been hit or miss. There’s been a slight formulaic feeling to most of the books. We have seen some veer off a little which has been a nice change of pace.
For this title, we have three fantastic things to look forward to: Jeff Parker, Doc Shaner, and, of course, Shazam. This is a chance to revisit the past version of the Marvel Family. They’ll have to fight some steampunk characters. Let’s just hope we get plenty of time to explore the goodness of Shazam and his world.
Honorable Mention: PRINCESS LEIA #3, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #45
Mat's Picks
CONVERGENCE BOOSTER GOLD #1
(DC)
Dan Jurgens is writing another Booster Gold book. I think that's more than enough reason to buy this book.
I can't end it there? Fine. Well, according to the solicit, it's not just one Booster Gold we're dealing with here. It's two Booster Golds... In addition, there's some sweet Rip Hunter coming our way as well and they're all trapped on a prison planet. So far, so freaking good.
It does really boil down to Jurgens and Booster Gold being one dynamite team. When I see that fictional character teamed up with that writer/artist, I swoon because I'm a Booster fanboy. Hopefully, this winning formula plays out well in this issue. Convergence has been a roller coaster of quality, but this is one issue I can stand by and say "pick it up."
THE WALKING DEAD VOLUME 23
(IMAGE: Trade Paperback)
I know. I know. I'm what the comic industry hates... a trade waiter. I don't buy the single issues because I really love reading a full story arc and trades look really nice on my bookshelf.
The last trade really threw everyone through a loop as it jumped ahead in time and everything seemed to be going in a positive direction, for the most part. The surprising part was seeing that Negan was still alive and just being held prisoner.
However, there's some seeds here that will lead to some problems in this upcoming volume, mainly the possibility of some new outsiders letting Negan go. This series has picked up again and it really has a new feel to it and the old Walking Dead formula has faded away. If you're going to pick up any trades this week, make sure THE WALKING DEAD is one of them.
FANTASTIC FOUR #645
(MARVEL)
Say it isn't so! This is the final issue of FANTASTIC FOUR, for now. Obviously, it's going to come back. I mean, it's Marvel's premiere family team.
Anyway, sure, it's sad that the book is going away for a while, but we finally get the end-cap to this storyline, which has taken readers through quite a journey which really embraces the history of the Fantastic Four.
Will the Quiet Man succeed? Will Johnny Storm get his powers back? What is going to happen to these characters at the end of this story? Will they be out of action? I have a million questions and some may not be answered, but that doesn't matter because I'm looking forward to see how James Robinson and Leonard Kirk end this volume.
Click here for the solicit for the issue and check out the preview below.
SUPERMAN #40
(DC)
Is there just to much CONVERGENCE flying around for you? Well, luckily, there's a few regular old DC books coming your way and one of them is SUPERMAN.
What's different about this issue of SUPERMAN? Well, Geoff Johns isn't writing it... John Romita Jr is. We're not getting a huge story here that's going to take multiple issues to tell. However, we are getting a little more in depth about what's going on with Superman's new solar explosion powers.
"What's that?" you ask. Well, have you been reading the series? It's been pretty awesome. We'll get to see the Justice League work with Superman to check out his new super-power, which leaves him vulnerable right after using it. And again, this will be a nice break from CONVERGENCE.
Honorable Mention: VERTIGO QUARTERLY SFX #1, BITCH PLANET #4
Corey's Picks
MULTIVERSITY #2
(DC)
Last time we left MULTIVERSITY, nothing made sense, everything was on fire and a comic book was speaking directly to me. Comics' own mad shaman Grant Morrison is either writing one of the greatest, most surreal love-letters to around 80 years of comic book history, or playing the world's most elaborate prank on thousands and thousands of people. Or both. It's probably both. With Ivan Reis returning to finish what he started, I think we're all in for an incredible, if incomprehensible, treat.
TMNT ONGOING #45
(IDW)
HEY GUYS! WHAT'S HAPPENIN'?...YA'LL READ THAT LAST ISSUE?! Cause...wow. Okay. Let's leave our mark on the continuity, and on the shell, of the best of the turtles! And since you don't know who I think the best is (it's the correct answer), that's not even a spoiler!
Tom Waltz, Kevin Eastman and Mateus Santolouco have left an indelible mark on the Turtles, no matter what the future holds for the franchise, this storyline's going to be one that's remembered for a long, LONG time.
Click here for the solicit and check out the preview below!
SILK #3
(MARVEL)
One of my favorite classic characters clashing with an up-and-coming favorite? I'm THERE! Stacey Lee and Robbie Thompson have taken the ball and SOARED with it in telling the story of Cindy Moon and making her not only a fresh, dynamic character, but inventing a whole host of new interactions out of new and pre-existing characters.
She feels like a character who's been around for years after only three issues of her own title, and it's a joy to watch the character grow and change in what passes for real-time in a static medium.
Click here for the solicit and check out the preview below.
Honorable Mention: DAREDEVIL #15
That's it for this week's edition of Essential Comics. Let us know what your books you're super-duper excited for this week in the comment section below!