Some of the newest first issues

ALIAS: RED BAND #1 by Sam Humphries and Geraldo Borges. Jessica Jones is back and, right off the bat, she is in a world of trouble. She has closed her agency, at the insistence of her husband, Mayor Luke Cage, but she stumbles onto a grisly murder that ends up with her getting photographed b y a Bugle photographer. That leads to a major argument with Luke and, ultimately, puts her into a partnership with Typhoid Mary that may result in issues down the road, as illustrated in the book’s final page. I am not a fan of the art but the story is MOSTLY good. I do, however, have an issue with Humphries making Typhoid Mary sounding like an Etsy version of Harley Quinn.

ALICE FOREVER AFTER #1 by Dan Panosian and Giorgio Spalletta. Following on the events from ALICE EVER AFTER, it has been years since Alice has made her way out of Wonderland and is now living her best life with her daughter. But just because she has left Wonderland does not mean that Wonderland has ceased to exist. And that is where the Cheshire Cat comes into play with machinations involving Alice’s daughter. I loved the original run by Panosian and this picks up where it left off and, if you loved the previous series, you will love this.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN/VENOM: DEATH SPIRAL #1 by Joe Kelly, Al Ewing, Charles Soule, and Jesus Saiz. Marvel unleashes another far-reaching nine part crossover, running through Spiderverse books. Someone is killing off random people with names like Reilly, Brock, Parker, and maybe even Watson. Who is Spiral and why are they killing people to get to Eddie, Peter, Ben and Mary Jame. That’s the mystery. The story plays out nicely with the various deaths being woven into the story. And Saiz’s art, as always, slaps!

BLEEDING HEARTS #1 by Deniz Camp and Stepian Morian.DC Vertigo is officially back and BLEEDING HEARTS  is their first ‘official’ book, although THE NICE HOUSE BY THE SEA now also falls under that umbrella. This is a zombie story with a twist. In a world where intelligent zombies continue to hunt, one zombie has now begun to develop a human heart and feelings, making it tough for him to do what he needs to do but also have regrets about it. This is a wonderful tale with heart…pun intended…and soul amongst its’ humor. Camp crafts a wonderful tale and Morian’s art is very reminiscent of Skottie Young’s style but with more depth thanks to colors from Matt Hollingsworth. This may be my favorite of new releases.

BUTCH: A HATE COMIC #1 by Peter Bagge. I’m a longtime fan of HATE, going all the way back to issue #1 in 1990 and even NEAT STUFF earlier. Bagge resurrected HATE as a series of Annuals before changing formats and releasing HATE REVISITED. This is the next chapter, following up on the existing story, where Butch Bradley faces jail time for an assault. HATE is not for everyone but it has a wonderful wit to it and if, like me, you’ve followed the exploits of the Bradley family, it is essential.,

DEAD TEENAGERS #1 by Jude Ellison S. Doyle and Caitlyn Yarsky. Welcome to another one of those books that, because of low print runs and LCS orders, has become one of those books that speculators love to swoop down on, thinking they are going to finance their kid’s college tuition with it. And yes: that is a thing once again, just like killed the business in the 90’s. But let’s put that aside, shall we. If you have ever seen the movie HAPPY DEATH DAY…and you should…then you might see where this book is going as a bunch of teenagers relive their deaths in various GROUNDHOG DAY scenarios. But then there is a cliffhanging twist and it changes everything. The story is a fun mystery ride and the art is clean and reminds me of Jaime Hernandez’s style. If you’re a Horror fan, grab this…if you can find it!

D’ORCS #1 by Brett Beau. What do you get when you have a main character who is half Dwarf and half Orc? You get D’Orc! In this fantasy world, D’Orc is trying to get along with his magic, talking shield, and do so without killing anyone. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always go so well and now he has the head of a ghost chicken he was responsible for accidentally killing haunting him. And that’s just the beginning. If you’re a fan of I HATE FAIRYLAND, you will love this!

END OF LIFE #1 by Kyle Starks and Steve Pugh. Eddie Stallion is a hitman who screws up in a major way by accidentally robbing from a crime-boss known as The Raven. So he flees to a town of fifty called Pluto, which is where he grew up, meaning he has to reconnect with his dying father. He also reconnects with his first love; all while contract killers are chasing after him. It is a wild, funny ride that has a ton of heart built into it. This was an immediate sellout when it was released and I can see why. It’s part of the Vertigo relaunch and is highly recommended.

GENERATION X23 #1 by Jody Houser and Jacopo Camagni. This one is pretty plain and simple: Laura and her sister Gabby team up to protect mutants from hate. But that may not be as easy as it looks and when they encounter a group of teen mutants, this may quickly becoming a team-up book. It’s an okay read: nothing phenomenal but a nice chance to see the sisters together.

THE HOUSE OF LOWTHER #1 by K. Lynn Smith. This one snuck under my radar at first but was able to grab issue #1 and #2. Miss Sawyer Ellis takes a job as part of the cleaning staff for a building caring for residents with mental and physical issues. What she soon discovers is that this place is actually a residency for cryptids. Well written with artistic echoes of STRAY DOGS and FERAL. It’s in beautiful shades of black, gray and white. This is a winner and highly recommended as I feel it will touch the heartstrings as it moves along in the narrative. 

IRON MAN #1 by Joshua Williamson and Carmen Carnero. Another first issue, although its’ Legacy number is #681, and Tony is back at the helm again and reuniting, somewhat, with Pepper Potts. But during the first ever Tony Stark Awards, Madame Masque and A.I.M. show up and Iron Man goes into action. But this is all a ruse as Whitney kidnaps the award winner who she plans to use him and other s who Tony pointed out as the “best and the brightest” for her own gains. If you’re a fan of Tony, you’ll love this. The story is cohesive and the art looks amazing!

NECTAR #1 by Jeremy Robinson, Annapaola Martello, and Francesco Francini. It’s 1837 in Salem, Massachusetts and strange things are happening in the form of some extremely ravenous butterflies. And that’s just what can be gleaned from this first issue. This is another hot speculator book that people think they are getting rich on and, at the moment, they are going for some insane prices. Here’s what matters: Robinson’s tale is a great teaser for what it to come and the art is suitable. In the end, it’s a quirky Horror story so buy it for that and not the cash at the end of the rainbow.

PICK-UP #1 by Michael Coast and Felipe Cunha. This is a wonderful, oddball one-shot that is one of those ‘under the radar’ titles. A social media influence who is all about teaching men how to pick up women unknowingly captures a murder. From there, it’s a crazy wild ride to get to the finish with one helluva unexpected, almost Hitchcockian ending! It looks great and will keep you guessing until almost near the end. Highly recommended!

RIPCORD #1 by Cullen Bunn and Aneke. In the outback of Australia, a young woman named Dillon is looking for her sister who has fallen victim to a drug called Ripcord.  The drug not only alters ones’ mind but transforms their bodies as well, turning them into killers. As dedicated as she is to finding her sister, there are those who only want to attack and abuse Dillon, leading her to fight back in a violent manner. But what lurks in the outback? A well-crafted story that I THINK know where it is going, based on multiple images in the book and the cover. Either way, it looks amazing and I’m in for the ride.

SIRENS: LOVE HURTS #1 by Tini Howard and Babs Tarr. In this Black Label title, Selina, Harley, and Ivy are planning out their next caper, but Selina has also invited Dinah to be a part of their get-togethers. It is kind of tough to be criminals when you’re friends with a hero. Amongst that plot, there is a series of murders happening that may being carried out by Calendar Man. Can these four work together to solve the case without someone getting killed? A fun, non-canon story that has the vibes of the HBO Harley Quinn cartoon.

SKYCLAD #1 by David Campiti, Mary Anne Evans, and Michal Dutkiewicz. When I saw Campiti’s name attached to this title, I knew I was in for it. Campiti, over his career, has been involved with such works as HERO ALLIANCE, EXPOSURE, LOST IN SPACE, and T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS. And then add in Michal Dutkiewicz, who worked on LOST IN SPACE, WOLVERINE and more and that synched the deal. Louene owns an exclusive gentleman’s club that is part of a coven. She also was a healer sentenced to death as a witch. Now she wants to use her recognizing men’s sexual desire and uses that to take revenge, while using their energies to maintain her youth. Looks great, fun read, and recommended.

SMILE: FOR THE CAMERA #1 by Hannah Rose May and Miriana Puglia. How truly twisted is this book? Well, it starts with an airport worker jumping into a spinning jet engine with obvious results. And it goes from there with a group of fashion models. Now, I will admit it is a slow burn spinoff/prequel from the fictional SMILE world, so it may not have all the scares you would want. But I’m about to give it time to percolate. In fact, there is only one other grisly scene following the opening and that is on the final page. Designed for people into the SMILE franchise but works well as a stand-alone too.

SUPER CREEPSHOW #1 by Kieron Gillen, Ryan North, Rossi Gifford, and Derek Charm. Another rebrand leads to another mini-series. The first story features young love, drugs, and spiders. In the second story, a teenager develops super powers with horrible results. If you are a fan of the rebooted EC line, then you’re a Horror fan and will want to add this to your collection.

THE MUPPETS NOIR #1 by Roger Langridge. A book I would never even think of buying if it wasn’t for the amazing setup at last year’s Rhode Island Comic Con and the photo shoot I did with my author friend Tabitha Winters. Kermit gets bonked on the head and suddenly he dreams he is a private eye name Flip Minnow. The book is filled with a lot of in jokes and, while potentially aimed at children, has enough bits to attract longtime adult fans of the property as it is filled with so many of Henson’s cast of characters.

THE PERIL OF THE BRUTAL DARK #1 by Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips. It’s New York City in 1941 and Ezra Cain, currently a private investigator and formerly an archeology student, is tasked to track down an artifact stolen from the Museum of Natural History. The piece in question is an ancient anvil that supposedly belonged to Hephaestus. Unfortunately, a sect called the brutal Dark appear and the mystery gets incredibly deep. This is a great Noir influenced tale that blends mystery with Science Fiction. Condon and Phillips were the team responsible for both THAT TEXAS BLOOD and THE ENFIELD GANG MASSACRE and their work on those titles oozes through this book. It’s another Vertigo release and is also highly recommended.

THE PUNISHER #1 by Benjamin Percy and Jose Luis Soares. Coming directly out of the recent ‘Red Band’ series, Frank Castle is back in New York City and is seeking anyone who was connected to mind controlling him in that mini-series. He is still trying to put his mind back together and that brings him to Micro, who he believes may have had a part in it. Throw in old foes Tombstone and Jigsaw and you know this book is going to be completely unhinged. It’s a wild story and the art is killer…pun intended!

THE THING ON THE DOORSTEP #1 by Simon Birks and Willi Roberts. The book begins in 1933 with Daniel Upton murdering Edward Derby, who is secured in Arkham Sanitarium. From there, the story goes back to their first meeting in 1899 as children. Over the years, the two have a friendship, sometimes a distant one, even as Edward goes to the Miskatonic University and discovers a dark book that appears to be the Necronomicon. What has changed that caused the opening murder? We don’t know yet and I’m sure it will be revealed as the series continues. It’s a dark journey that fits into a wonderful Gothic vibe.

TIGRESS ISLAND #1 by Patrick Kindlon and Ephk. This is a weird one that is also another one of those ‘speculator specials’. Here’s the concept: a group of actresses, all of whom are down on their luck, find themselves kidnapped to an island prison run by a crazy female warden. And now they need to find a way to escape. This is a cool reimagining of the classic Exploitation ‘Women in a jungle prison’ films of the Seventies. I’m not a huge fan of the art which has a very minimal style to it, but the story is so much sexy and fun!

ULTIMATE ENDGAME #1 by Deniz Camp, Terry Dodson, Rachel Dodson, and Jonas Scharf. The Maker is free and the Ultimate Universe is coming to an end. And boy: the final page is a major, unexpected twist! That’s all you need to know. If you have followed the Ultimate Universe since its’ rebirth, you will love this. If not, keep scrolling.

UNIVERSAL MONSTERS: PHANTOM OF THE OPERA #1 by Tyler Boss and Martin Simmonds. This series of mini-series continues with this interesting take on this classic tale. It has some nods to the source material while also adding some cool new twists. Ultimately, it will be about the Phantom, who may actually be a real phantom, and his love Christine, who may be just as responsible for what happens as he is. Love the story and I am a huge fan of Simmonds from his DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH work.

WOLVERINE: WEAPONS OF ARMAGEDDON #1 by Chip Zdarsky and Luca Maresca. ARMAGEDDON is supposed to be the summer crossover for Marvel and this is the first shot. Wolverine is involved in a hunt for a missing Super-Soldier and, somehow, Nuke is involved with it as is pseudo Captain America Dave Colton. Beyond that, it’s mostly a first issue set piece that will play out over the mini-series. Story is fine and the art is okay.

WADE WILSON DEADPOOL #1 by Benjamin Percy and Geoff Shaw. Everyone’s favorite ‘Merc with a Mouth is back in a new #1. And it starts with a wild, ultra-violent bang! It seems Wade is going through a bit of a mental crisis and he is just looking to feel as much pain as possible and is desperately finding a way to die. He’s back living with Blind Al and we all knows how that goes. But while contemplating his future, a letter arrives and tells him the future, meaning he isn’t ready to cash in his chips yet. Designed for Deadpool fans.

WHITE SKY #1 by William Harms and JP Mavinga. It’s a concept we have seen in everything from THE WALKING DEAD to THE LAST OF US and beyond. The world has ended and a father and his daughter are making their way through it, trying to find a place to survive. But the idea that the world ended and there are beings, possibly supernatural ones, alive out there takes the genre and twists it sideways really fast! Another speculator book with first issues going for $60 and up! The story is good and the art works well. But the hook here that sets it apart from other ‘end of the world’ books is the final few pages, setting it up for something out of the norm. Highly recommended…if you can find one!

 

X-MEN UNITED #1 by Eve L. Ewing and Tiago Palma. Welcome to Xavier Mansion 2.0. Emma, Kitty and many of the X-Men have come together with student mentors to teach a new batch of mutant students. Haven’t we been here before? Lots of complaints with this one. The art is very uneven and if I ever see Cyclops drawn so badly again, I will riot! And who are all these characters? They all seem to blend together. And why do we have a tripped out version of Lockheed that might now me named…Marigold? Oh Lord! I’m a X-Man fan going way, WAY back, but this one is hard to swallow!