Being a comic book fan is pretty awesome, isn't it? I mean, each and every Wednesday (well, minus one or two of them due to holidays), we're treated to a flood of brand new issues for our eyes to appreciate. As tempting as it is to pick up every single comic and hope for the best, that just isn't a practical option for a vast majority of us. We'll enter those physical and digital comic shops with a budget in mind and it can often be pretty difficult choosing how to distribute your hopefully hard-earned money. Well, we want to help you out! The Comic Vine staff has reviewed the latest list of new releases and each of us are going to tell you which comics you should consider checking out. If an issue you're looking forward to isn't highlighted below, go ahead and show it a whole lot of love in the comments. Now, let's see which upcoming comics the staff wants to put on your radar!
Tony "G-Man" Guerrero's picks
WYTCHES #5
The end of the first arc is approaching and it’s difficult to be afraid for the characters. Scott Snyder and Jock have been showing us a creepy interpretation of witches and the idea of someone being able to pledge you or your loved ones to them for their own personal gain. There’s been an extremely eerie tone and with the possibility of the Rooks family suffering such a personal loss, we’re getting a personal story as a man fights for the life of his daughter.
Jock’s art and Matt Hollingsworth’s colors takes the story to a different level. You almost get some moments of sensory overload as the comic transports you to a different place. This is the first part of a two-part finale to the arc. You won’t want to miss it as Charlie Rooks travels deep into the heart of the wytches’ lair.
Head to CBR if you want to see two more preview pages.
SECRET AVENGERS #14
It’s unfortunate that this series (and many others) is coming to an end. Ales Kot and Michael Walsh have been giving us a pretty wacky and compelling Avengers story. With MODOK playing a big role in the story, it might be easy to dismiss it as being a little too silly but we’ve seen an evolution of his character (who know he was actually capable of falling in love?). There’s also been other non-humorous moments such as Phil Coulson dealing with the aftermath of almost getting killed.
In this issue, the big storyline is coming to an end. It’s not quite over yet but you can get a feel that it’s continuing to build towards the conclusion. The Avengers are in a bad place plus we still need to find out what Black Widow and Lady Bullseye’s fate will be. With Kot’s story and Walsh’s art and layouts, I can’t wait to see what happens next.
GOTHAM ACADEMY #6
This series continues to capture our hearts and attention each month. This has been an instance where DC took a bit of risk in trying something different in the Batman universe and having some success. With the series being sort of geared towards a slightly different crown, it’s been a great series that everyone should be enjoying. Meeting the new characters at Gotham Academy and being immersed into their lives has been a delight. As the characters are new to us, we know there’s been more to Olive Silverlock than we were first told. Little by little, we’ve been seeing what her connection, or her mother’s, is to Batman and why she’s not too crazy about him. This issue takes it a little further with an actual confrontation between Olive and Batman. All that, plus Taco Tuesday apparently.
Check out ComicBook.com for two more preview pages.
JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS #1
Jem and the Holograms was a show many dug in the 80s. With the love for nostalgia and for those new readers looking for something a little different, Jem and her band are coming to the world of comics. As a first issue, you can expect a full introduction to the characters along with the hook how the band uses a hologram as part of their act. Having read the issue already, we can say that Kelly Thompson has captured the feel of the characters and transformed them to fit the modern times. Sophie Campbell’s art is pretty fantastic as well.
If you’ve ever watched the original animated series, been curious about the characters, or are just looking for something new and cool, you’ll want to check out this comic to see what’s coming up.
Honorable Mention: THE MULTIVERSITY: ULTRA COMICS, INVINCIBLE #118
Mat "Inferiorego" Elfring's picks
AQUAMAN #40
It's the final issue of Jeff Parker's run on AQUAMAN, which is a total bummer since this story line was really a blast. Luckily, we get one more issue to finish off this Maelstrom story line where Arthur is reunited with his "not so dead" mother, who is really into trying to kill him. Fans will probably have a ton of fun with this final issue and I can't wait to see what twists and turns Parker has planned for us, especially since he's spent so much time really building up the mythos and legend of the character. Finally, Paul Pelletier has been doing some fantastic art, so it'll be nice to get one more dose of his art as well.
AMAZING X-MEN #18
It's the final part of the Juggernaut story! Oh no! This has actually been my favorite offering from AMAZING X-MEN since the start of the series, probably because I'm a Juggernaut fan. The end of the last issue left fans at a very interesting place, with the Living Monolith becoming the new avatar for Cyttorak, which is completely nuts. The biggest concern with the book is the art is decent. It's solid but has really impressed me too much; however, I cannot wait to see how this story ends and how, if anyone, the final Juggernaut will be. I'm really pulling for Cain Marko here.
Honorable Mention: FLASH #40
Gregg "k4tz" Katzman's picks
BATMAN AND ROBIN #40
Man, it feels like it was just yesterday that Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason's "Born to Kill" had me totally captivated. Can you believe that was back in 2011? Crazy, right? Now, the creative team is ending the series and it looks like they're saying goodbye with a chapter that aims to deliver pure fun and a good ol' dose of heart.
We've seen Damian in all kinds of dramatic, frightening, and violent situations, but now he simply gets to experience fighting side by side with the Justice League! He'll probably do his best to play it cool, but we all know he's acting like a total fanboy on the inside. Plus, this is sure to be a huge issue for the father-son dynamic, and that's something Tomasi always manages to handle well. So yeah, there's the promise of big action, Damian banter, and some heart. Yup, I'm in!
Visit Multiversity Comics for another preview page.
ELEKTRA #11
Bullseye has been healed! As if that news isn't disturbing enough for Elektra, the accurate assassin also has a bunch of Hand Ninjas by his side. Yeah, Elektra may be incredibly skilled and deadly, but this is going to be ridiculous difficult for her.
On paper, this sounds like an issue that's just full of familiar action sequences and it may have a cool feat or two. In the hands of W. Haden Blackman and Michael Del Mundo, though? I'm feeling very confident it'll be something brilliant. Time and time again, this entire book has taken familiar ideas and then presented them in impressively creative and exciting ways. Even if this is just one big brawl, their work proves they'll make it look terrific and fill it with out-there and clever developments. This is such a good series; I'm so disappointed it didn't have better sales. But hey, it's never too late to buy the trade!
RUMBLE #4
RUMBLE is the kind of book that has this badass premise (ancient warrior's spirit is trapped in a scarecrow and he's trying to reclaim his body) which is full of worldbuilding, and then it throws a ginormous amount of personality and fun into the whole thing. Now, that's not to say this is a full-fledged comedy, but it sure knows how to make sure you're having a good time, even when the tension builds and things get dire. From the wonderfully energetic visuals to the entertaining dialogue to the evergrowing mythos, I'm seriously loving RUMBLE and I'll continue to recommend it until you agree to give it the honest shot it deserves. This Image series is good for your soul, people.
DEADPOOL #44
The penultimate issue of Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn'sDeadpool run? You can't see it, but I'm doing my best impression of Darth Vader screaming "nooo!" It's too bad this series is going to end, but at least it's racing towards its end with a memorable story. What started off as an over-the-top action-comedy took a very serious turn in the previous issue and now they've managed to bring Shiklah into the picture as well. With just one issue left, you know they're going to apply the "go big or go home" mentality. Issues like the last one sure prove they know how to balance emotion and pure craziness.
Look, we all know Omega Red isn't going to be the one to kill Wade, but that doesn't mean this rematch isn't loaded with potential, both in terms of action and character. Also, more Salva Espin and Val Staples is always a good thing. And then there's the small fact that this will lead into Wade's final issue (for now). I'm sure the finale will be new reader friendly, but you should read this arc if you want to fully appreciate what's going to go down!
THE VALIANT #4
You heard about Valiant making movies, right? Well, THE VALIANT is what they need to build-up to because this limited series is just perfect for the big screen. A big cast of great characters? Yup. Thrilling action? Oh yes. Comedy? Just enough of it! A good plot that justifies all of these characters coming together? You bet. Seriously, this is an obvious must-buy for any Valiant fan and any non-Valiant reader needs to strongly consider giving this limited series a shot. I think it's so good that I even wrote an article explaining why you should read it. It's the perfect introduction to the Valiant universe and it'll get you hooked. Go get you some THE VALIANT, readers. Seriously, read it.
Honorable Mention: SUICIDERS #2
Corey "Undeadpool" Schroder's picks
GOTHAM BY MIDNIGHT #5
The Midnight Shift faces their toughest challenge as the Spectre finally notices that Gotham City is a shattered sin of iniquity. And while there are some in the city worthy of judgement, Spectre's never been about precision and taken a more "carpet bomb-y" approach to justice. Ray Fawkes has lost no time in establishing a tremendously interesting crew and thrown them into an even darker, seedier side of an already dark and seedy city and Ben Templesmith's dark, stylized visuals have placed exactly the right kind of emphasis on the surreal setting.
13th Dimension has an extra preview page.
DAREDEVIL #14
As Matt Murdock's autobiography comes into focus, things shift and change behind the scenes as a malevolent force from Daredevil's past makes himself more and more visible. Mark Waid has managed to up the intrigue in Murdock's life as Daredevil almost as much as in his personal life, and the two compliment each other to a tee, giving the strange story a solid, emotional grounding. Whatever happens in the future of the storyline, with Chris Samnee handling the visuals and co-architecting the storytelling, it'll be like nothing we've ever seen before.
DARTH VADER #3
The Darth they call Vader has had an interesting arc in cinema. From enforcer to antagonist to protagonist, Vader has played a great many roles, though not all of them great. This mini-series has, so far, been one of the greatest. Kieron Gillen takes an interesting tack here, focusing on Vader's humanity but not in the way that makes him more compassionate, but in a way that paints him in a very different light: he's out for revenge and answers, but still comes off as a dynamic, interesting character in his quest. Salvador Larroca has done an amazing job giving the Dark Lord a real grounding and painting him as a true force to be reckoned with in the past, making this issue an easy one to anticipate.
Honorable Mention: CHEW #47
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