More first issues in a capsule review

THE AVENGERS #1 by Jed MacKay and C. E. Villa. Following the events of the recent Avengers series, there is a new team in town, made up of Captain Marvel, Captain America(formerly The Falcon), Scarlet Witch, The Vision, Thor, Iron Man, and Black Panther. And this time, it might lead them into direct conflict with kang the Conqueror. I’ll reserve passing judgement until we get further into the series, as this issue is mostly about Carol Danvers building the new team. Unfortunately, I have felt, in recent years, that they Avengers have become like the X-Men: too many teams to keep track of.

BARNSTORMERS #1 by Scott Snyder and Tula Lotay. Here’s an interesting one. In what looks to be a fancy version of THE GREAT WALDO PEPPER, and is in its’ own way, turns out to be a wonderfully illustrated piece of mystery, intrigue, love and murder, with a dash of science fiction thrown in. What is the secret our hero harbors and what is the deal with this robot in the 1920’s?  While I’m not quite sure of Snyder’s endgame here, the first issue was both beautiful and had a story that was captivating. Can’t wait to see what is next!

BATMAN: WHITE KNIGHT PRESENTS GENERATION JOKER #1 by Sean Murphy, Katana Collins, Clay McCormack and Mirka Andolfo. The saga of the alternate universe Batman and company continues, focusing on Jackie and Bryce: the children of The Joker. All of Murphy’s characters are here but the focus is on Jack Napier and his children as they investigate goings on in Gotham. Fun story, although without much of the mystery and drama of the previous mini-series, and the art fits the bill perfectly. A must have companion if you’re a fan of this series..

BIG GAME #1 by Mark Millar and Pepe Larraz. Millar’s next big thing is the joining of all of his characters from the Millarverse. That means a monstrous team-up involving characters from KICK-ASS, KINGSMAN, THE MAGIC ORDER, HUCK, NIGHT CLUB and THE AMBASSADORS. The art is strong and the story, while still developing, looks to be epic. Highly recommended if you a fan of any of these steries.

BLACK PANTHER #1 by Eve L. Ewing and Chris Allen. Wakanda is no long a monarchy but is now a democracy. T’Challa is no longer a king but he is still the Black Panther, only with a new mission to serve Wakanda. The mission is different but his ideals are still the same. By the way: who is responsible for Deathlok.

BONE ORCHARD: TENEMENT #1 by Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino. Seven people with different backgrounds are brought together solely by where they live. What is their connection to each other and the Bone Orchard. This is a beautiful looking book with a fascinating story that will mean nothing to anyone who hasn’t read the previous Lemire works in this universe including GIDEON FALLS, BONE ORCHARD MYTHOS, THE PASSAGEWAY and TEN THOUSAND BLACK FEATHERS. Lemire has stated that this is the centerpiece of the whole universe and STARSEED is still on the horizon for next year. This is a great place to start, being that centerpiece, but will definitely confuse readers new to this horror series.

CHILLING ADVENTURES PRESENTS JINX #1 by Magdalene Visaggio and Craig Cermak. Jinx, the devil’s daughter, and her friend and fellow bandmate Danni are forced to battle a possessed Jughead. That’s all! It’s a fun ride through this corner of the Archie Universe. No jokes, to speak of, and no romance issues. It is what it is and is again the best thing we have to the great AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE series, that I still greatly miss.

FALLEN FRIEND #1 by G. Willow Wilson, Mark Waid, Saladin Ahmed, Takeshi Miyazawa, Humberto Ramos, and Anfdrea Di Vito. SPOILER: Ms. Marvel is dead and this issue is both a memorial and a tribute as she is laid to rest by her friends, family and her teammates. But let’s not all grieve too much because there is a movie coming in which she is featured. Here’s the kicker. The final page is actually a QR code that takes you to MARVEL.COM and we see that Scott Summers reveals that he wasn’t at the funeral for a specific reason that all will soon know. Sounds to me like a resurrection thing going to be happening. Like we didn’t see that coming!

FEARLESS DAWN: THE BOMB #1 by Steve Mannion. Looking for a fun, silly comic book that feels like it stepped out of a Wally Wood/Bill Elder infused dream from an issue of MAD circa 1950’s? Then jump into this. Prissy Jones is a kid who is tormented by classmates and, after reading too many comics, decides to become a superhero.  Yeah: that’s the plot and it’s just silly fun with beautiful art. This black and white also includes a few short stories featuring Jungle Chick and Dinosaur. Don’t expect earth-shaking stuff here. Just sit back, enjoy the art and have a ball with it.

GARGOYLES #1 by Greg Weisman and George Kambadais. I understand there was a whole generation that grew up on this cartoon show. But I was not one of them and have only see a handful of episodes. Now Dynamite jumps into this ring, hoping to latch onto those kids now grown up and feeding their childhood desires. The story was okay, the art was about the same and I found myself buzzing through this in short order. If this is your fandom, go for it. Me? I’m out!

GHOSTLORE #1 by Cullen Bunn and Leomacs. This is one weird story involving demons, death and ghosts. What does it all mean? How can a girl named Harmony talk with her dead brother and others? This is the makings of one wild ride as many plot threads are scattered throughout with not a lot of answers provided. Let’s see where issue #2 takes us, but I’m definitely hooked.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #1 by Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing and Kev Walker. These unlikely heroes are back in a new series and with a distinctly different look and attitude. Unfortunately for them, Groot had become a monster known as Grootfall and that is only a part of their problem. The story is fun as it lays out the groundwork for what is to come and Walker’s art, somewhere between highly detailed and cartoony, fits it perfectly. The last two GUARDIANS runs have been okay but not great. This looks to eclipse that, even though I’m pretty sure it all came about because of the recently released film.

HEY KIDS COMICS! VOLUME III #1 by Howard Chaykin. Well, the crew from the first two volumes are back in this: the final part of the trilogy. This time, a new generation in the Seventies are doing what they need to create comics for a new generation. As is typical with this series, it is an interesting look at the times and the players, all with a bit of humor and sarcasm.

HULK ANNUAL #1 by David Pepose, Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Caio Majado, Travel Foreman. In a throwback to earlier times, and also bringing in a BLAIR WITCH vibe for using found video footage, two documentary filmmakers not only cross paths with The Hulk but also the Mole man and his minions. The story is okay and the art is on the same level. The highlight is the backup that leads directly into THE INCREDIBLE HULK #1.

THE INCREDIBLE HULK #1 by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Nic Klein. Bruce Banner is on the run from his own demon and that brings him into conflict with a team of monsters hunting him and also an abused girl who may become his travelling companion. This title is supposed to bring back the concept of the monster in all of us and, so far, it sort of delivers, as it’s more about the supporting cast than Banner or his alter ego. Not a great start but is an interesting one that hopefully will gain traction as it goes on. Think back to the run of Al Ewing and realize that took several issues to gain traction. Hope springs eternal.

JIMMY’S BASTARDS #1 by Garth Ennis and Russ Bruan. Following events in the previous series, British Intelligence agent Jimmy is taking a bit of a break while his daughter is taking up the family business by fighting against the regent’s. Throw in Idi Amin and Boris Johnson and things get crazy. We all know what Ennis can do-just look at his work on PREACHER and THE BOYS. Couple that with the amazing art of Braun and you have a winner. A twisted winner, but a winner none the less.

JUNK RABBIT #1 by Jimmie Robinson. I have been a fan of Jimmie Robinson’s work for a long time, through AMANDA AND GUNN, CYBERZONE, CODE BLUE and, more recently, BOMB QUEEN. It’s 2198 and the world as we knew it has ended, But there is a being, thought to be a legend, that is fighting against the powers that be. Who is Junk Rabbit: the hero of the people that live in The Sink. It’s a wild ride filled with Robinson’s great art and some interesting characters, along with clues and moments that point to who is under the mask. It’s a great post-apocalyptic tale.

PEACEMAKER TRIES HARD #1 by Kyle Starks and Steve Pugh. Everyone’s favorite, foul-mouthed hero is here in a black label title that takes full advantage of his foul-mouthed, bloody ways. When he asks Amanda Waller for backup on a mission, they all decline, meaning he has to take on terrorists alone, which results in him adopting a dog and eventually brings him into a mission for Monsieur and The Brain. It’s Peacemaker and Black Label, so don’t let it take itself too seriously. Fun story with great art from Pugh. While everything is now considered in continuity, because of the Multiverse, don’t try to fit this into regular continuity. Just give it a read and enjoy.

PLANET OF THE APES #1 by David F. Walker and Dave Wachter. As we all know, Marvel has acquired the license for many 20^th Century Studios projects including ALIENS, PREDATOR and this. In 2011, there is a virus outbreak known as the Simian Flu. Four years later a team is in charge of securing and saving the apes, as they are the only chance of human survival. From there, things go badly and it may be up to the apes to save themselves and their human protecting. An interesting take on the Ape legacy, preferring to show the apes as our friends instead of our enemies. But, as we all know, that is likely to change. For now, it’s not man versus ape-it’s man and ape versus their fellow man.

THE ROCKETEER IN THE DEN OF THIEVES #1 by Stephen Mooney and David Messina. The legendary creation of Dave Stevens is back in an all new series, filled with excitement, danger and of course, his best girl Betty Paige Toss in some dynamite art, a cool story and a bunch of Nazis and you have a winner. Nothing will veer be as good as Stevens’ original run, but this fills a nice hole with a character I grew up loving.

THE SANDMAN UNIVERSE: NIGHTMARE COUNTRY-THE GLASS HOUSE #1 by James Tynion IV and Lisandro Estherren. Everyone’s crazy serial killer The Corinthian is back, but has found himself both resurrected and neutered by Dream. His mission is different  and he finds himself on a controlled leash. Can he control his urges while trying to solve a mystery? Fans of SANDMAN will love this, although they will be confused if they have not read the previous series. The art is quirky while the story, drifting from various interactions to the supernatural ones, is a bit convoluted. It’s not bad but it’s also not great.

SUNSHINE PATRIOTS #1 by Howard Chaykin. Chaykin is back with a new mini-series. Set in 1913, it involves two former members of Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders who make their way to California and get involved fighting back against a group of potential movie makers who are hell-bent on taking over a small town. Filled with amazing images and Chaykin’s witty dialogue, this is an amazing trip back in time and is highly recommended!

ULTIMATE INVASION #1 by Jonathan Hickman and Bryan Hitch. There was once a separate universe with different versions of Marvel Earth 616 heroes. But that world came to an end following the incursion that was SECRET WARS, leaving only that world’s Reed Richards, now known as The Maker, and Miles Morales: both of whom have made Earth 616 their home. But Richards, now possessing Godlike powers, is determined to recreate his world and has stolen the tech to achieve that. In the end, he is changing the past and also the future. Thanks to Hickman and Hitch, the Ultimate Universe lives again. The question is…for how long? Is this permanent? We shall see.

UNCANNY AVENGERS FCBD EDITION #1 by Gerry Duggan, Jonathan Hickman, Valerio Schitti, Joshua Cassara, Javier Garron. A huge preview of things to come. In the X-Men story, Captain Krakoa kills Cyclops and burns down the tree, before telling the government that the gods are angry. In the Avengers tale, which leads into UNCANNY AVENGERS #1, a new team is formed to fight Captain Krakoa. Lastly, Doctor Strange meets with Wyn in a one page introduction to Hickman’s GODS, coming later this year.

VICTORY #1 by David Walker and Brett Weldele. If you’re a fan of VAMPIRELLA and SACRED SIX, you will want to add this to your monthly pull list. I love the character and the whole VAMPIRELLA mythos, but this was a huge disappointment. I found the story lacking a lot of depth and the artwork lacking even more. The garish colors and angular style just left me dying to get to the end and move on. Hate to say it, but I would sooner read some of the other spin-offs than this. Hoping issue #2 improves dramatically.

VOID RVIALS #1 by Robert Kirkman and Lorenzo De Felici. One of the hottest selling books on the secondary market and it’s all because of the brief inclusion of the Transformer known as Jetpack into the book, signaling the beginning of a shared universe featuring the TRANSFORMER and G.I. JOE properties. The story itself, about two individuals from warring nations who find themselves stranded and trying to figure a way out of their predicament, is just okay.

WALLER VS. WILDSTORM #1 by Spencer Ackerman, Evan Narcisse and Jesus Merino. Set in the 1980’s, the former Battalion Amanda Waller teams up with Adeline Kane. He teams up with Deathblow and, in the midst of an investigation by Lois Lane, the two heroes decide to challenge authority. And then Deathstroke shows up. Another Black Label title that is both oversized and a bit like a true Eighties book. Fun if you’re a fan of both the characters and the stories of that era.

X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST DOOMSDAY #1 by Marc Guggenheim and Manuel Garcia. DAYS OF FUTURE PAST is one of the most revered, most famous storylines in the history of the franchise because it told of a future where the X-Men had virtually been eliminated. This, although telling events from a comic over 40 years old, is the story of how it happened. The story is great and we get to see all these classic heroes and how they struggled to survive with art that is a cross between Paul Smith and John Byrne. If you are a fan, and I know so many who truly are, then this is definitely a must have!