Every week, the toughest thing to do is figure out what comic books to pick up. Luckily, the fine staff of Comic Vine is here to help ease the tension. So sit back and relax while we let you know what books are essential reading this week.
It's the second week of CONVERGENCE from DC, while Marvel's books get ready for the SECRET WARS break. On top of that, there's a few new series coming out to keep your eye on. Here's what we think you need to check out this week!
Tony's Picks
CHRONONAUTS #2
(Image Comics)
The first issue of CHRONONAUTS introduced us to Corbin Quinn and Danny Reilly. The two would become the first to unlock the secrets to time travel. It was a fascinating look at the concept with a different feel to it. Mark Millar left us with a nice juicy cliffhanger at the end. But all of that is nothing compared to what happens in the second issue.
The temptation of messing about with time during time travel is something that’s touched on most of the time. That’s what we’ll get here as Quinn and Reilly apparently will be going rogue.
But with the world watching their antics, how long until backup is sent in time after them? It’s going to be a nice big juicy mess. Millar and Sean Murphy are up to some crazy things in this series.
ARCHIE VS. PREDATOR #1
(Dark Horse Comics)
When this was first announced during New York Comic Con, it felt like it had to be a joke. How could Archie face off against a Predator? But then we have been seeing more different and innovative things happening at Archie Comics. While many still cling onto the memory of ARCHIE MEETS THE PUNISHER, why not have him meet a Predator?
Unlike the current AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE, this will have the traditional Archie art style. Fernando Ruiz is giving the series the traditional style so it will look and feel like a regular Archie comic. Of course the theme of the story will be a little more mature. Alex de Campi is having Archie and the gang heading off to Costa Rica for Spring Break. You can bet things are going to get deadly for some.
THOR #7
(Marvel Comics)
The action and adventure for the new Thor continues courtesy of Jason Aaron, Russell Dauterman, and Matthew Wilson. We still have the mystery of her true identity, which is nearing its conclusion apparently, and we’re still seeing her adjust to this new life.
Odinson, the former Thor, may have given his blessing in her using his name but he’s determined to find out who she really is. Odin, on the other hand, isn’t too happy with her presence. Now that’s he’s allowed the Destroyer to be unleashed on her, we’re likely to get a nice fight that should allow fans of either Thor someone to cheer for. And what’s Freya up to?
Check out the solicit here and the preview below this very sentence!
Mat Picks
CONVERGENCE AQUAMAN #1
(DC Comics)
Last week, I told everyone to pick out CONVERGENCE THE QUESTION and it was pretty awesome. This week, I'm pretty excited for and recommending everyone check out CONVERGENCE AQUAMAN.
Aquaman is back with his hook-hand, one of my favorite versions of the character and he'll be taking on Deathblow. The issue is also going to feature characters from ZERO HOUR. From the solicit alone, I'm pretty pumped with what this issue can offer readers.
I'm also super-pumped to see Tony Bedard on this book, who wrote a large chunk of one of my favorite series, EXILES. Understandably, CONVERGENCE tie-ins have been a big mixed bag after week one, but this CONVERGENCE tie-in has a great creative team and one of my favorite characters starring in it, so I'm all in for this issue.
GHOSTED #19
(Image Comics)
Yes, GHOSTED is out this week, so of course, it's going to be on the essentials because it's been consistently one of my favorite reads, month after month.
How about that ending for issue #18? That was a bit of an emotional roller-coaster, which writer Joshua Williamson must love doing to his readers. I can't wait to see how that plays out as well, which I'm not spoiling here because I want everyone to go out and buy the trades for this book.
Jackson has to work with Markus now and Markus wants to capture death. I love the concept for this story and finally seeing Markus and Jackson together again, even though Markus is an insanely evil person... he killed a town full of people, so there's that. Seriously, check this series out, even if it's in trade. It's conceptually one of my favorite books and one of the best things Williamson is currently writing.
BLOODSHOT REBORN #1
(Valiant)
Let's lay it all on the table. I am not a Bloodshot fan. While I love the vast majority of what Valiant does, Bloodshot was never a character I could connect with. However, have you seen those preview pages for the new BLOODSHOT: REBORN book? Yeah, they're freaking awesome.
Mico Suayan and David Baron are delivering some beautiful looking art in those few preview pages and that alone sold me on at least the first issue.
Then, I saw who was writing it: Jeff Lemire. This is one dynamite creative team, and I'm very intrigued to see what they can bring to the table. Lemire has proven time and time again that his takes on popular characters can be exciting and reinvigorate a series.
Here's a preview of this new book below!
Corey's Picks
MS MARVEL #14
(Marvel Comics)
Kamalaaaaaa's goooot a cruuuuuush. After a wild, high-stakes battle against an insane bird man (but not THAT insane Birdman...or THAT insane Birdman either), the notion of G. Willow Wilson returning to Kamala's personal life and attempting to juggle her teen years with being a superhero.
Wilson's characters' interpersonal relationships have been, by-and-large, the strongest pillar of the book and while that's been limited by necessity to make way for a more grandiose story, the fact that we can now return to them is something worth anticipating. AND the notion of Wilson tackling something like a high school crush with how she writes teenage characters is just more delight. Takeshi Miyazawa has shown more than capable of capturing the frantic whimsy that MS MARVEL strikes, and having him back on the visuals is good news.
Click here for the solicit. Preview below!
MAGNETO #17
(Marvel Comics)
While there have been far-out, massive, cosmic events exploding across the Marvel Universe, MAGNETO has secretly been having one of the most fascinating character stories of redemption and being adrift in the modern world. Even the Axis tie-in was completely character-focused and expanded Magneto's backstory in an interesting, organic way and has made him one of the most quietly compelling characters in the Marvel Universe.
Cullen Bunn has been channeling the most interesting aspects of Magneto's past without recklessly retconning or disregarding some of the more atrocious things the character has done to tell a truly fascinating story of a man drifting through, and looking for meaning within, his own existence. And Gabriel Hernandez Walta's visuals strike the perfect tone between emotionally resonant and incredibly gritty that help define what Magneto's going through.
Click here for the solicit. Preview below!
CONVERGENCE: SHADOW OF THE BAT #1
(DC Comics)
As someone who holds the CORRECT Scarlet Spider costume in extremely high regard, I've always had a strange relationship with Azrael's original bat-costume. Not the mechanized monstrosity that he ended Knightfall on, the sleeker, more cybernetic ultra-90s XTREEEEEEEEEEEEEEME take on "the Batman."
On the one hand, it perfectly exemplifies what the writers at the time were trying to do with Batman and how they were trying to modernize him...but on the other hand: KNIFE FINGERS!
It's so absurd I can't help but love it and seeing a solid team with creators like Larry Hama and Philip Tan take that character and that costume and tell a modern tale with them makes me, at the very least, optimistic.
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!
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