This Week's Essential Comics: 11/17/14
This Wednesday, an overwhelming amount of comics will go on sale. Deciding what you should pick up can sometimes be pretty difficult, so we here at Comic Vine want to help you out. The staff has reviewed the latest list of new releases and each of us are going to tell you which issues we're really excited to read and why we can't wait to get our hands on them. Once you're all set seeing what we suggest picking up, please don't forget to chime in with the list of comics you're looking forward to reading the most.
Tony "G-Man" Guerrero's picks
MULTIVERSITY PAX AMERICANA #1
The MULTIVERSITY one shots have been pretty crazy and fascinating. Grant Morrison has been giving us different versions of familiar characters as we visit other Earths across the Multiverse. Part of the fun is you never really know what you’re going to get in the next issue as we wait to see how it all ties together.
This issue in particular should capture your attention. Grant Morrison is reuniting with Frank Quitely.
Morrison and Quitely together again. That should be all you need to know to pick up this issue. With the Question, Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, and others included “as we’ve never seen them before,” this should be an exciting read.
Check out Entertainment Weekly for an extra preview page.
WONDER WOMAN #36
There aren’t many New 52 series that had the original creative team for this long. With Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang’s run over, we are now getting ready for the next team to come on.
This issue marks the debut of Meredith Finch as writer and David finch as artist. We talked to the two at San Diego and also got a look at some pages from the issue. Along with the preview released, we can say it does indeed look good.
Following an established creative team is never easy but that does amp up the curiosity to see what the next chapter for Diana holds. There were some that felt Azzarello’s direction wasn’t quite for them so how this new run handles the adventures of Wonder Woman will be worth checking out. Plus, Swamp Thing!
DEADLY CLASS #9
DEADLY CLASS continues to be one of my favorite new series coming from Rick Remender and Image. Last issue we got a glimpse into Marcus’ mysterious past. Things didn’t go too well and we have an idea why someone from his past is out to get him. As this confrontation gets closer to happening, Marcus will have to see whether or not he and his friends can handle it.
Wesley Craig’s art and Lee Loughridge’s art makes this book stand out. The 80s setting also gives a different taste to the story as you try to picture it happening back in that time. If you haven’t been reading this series, you need to fix that.
MOON KNIGHT #9
There’s been some question about Moon Knight’s sanity. We’ve seen him talk to a psychiatrist in this series but we’ve also seen there’s a little more to her than there appears to be. It’s a bit of a surprise that he would go back to talk to her after it was revealed she actually tried to have him killed. I mean, what’s up with that?
We might still be missing Warren Ellis and Declan Shalvey on the series but Brian Wood and Greg Smallwood have done a superb job coming in and taking over the series. The tone feels the same and of course Jordie Bellaire’s continued coloring helps as well.
With this issue delving into Moon Knight’s psyche, it’s most likely going to get a little triply.
TEEN TITANS: EARTH ONE HC
It feels like it’s been a while since we’ve had an EARTH ONE book. What’s fascinating about this is it doesn’t deal with either Batman or Superman. Bravo to DC for giving another group of characters the chance to get the Earth One treatment.
Jeff Lemire gets the opportunity to reinvent the Teen Titans but there are some familiar elements to them despite the changes. I am a fan of seeing new versions of characters and having this told in a longer form format will let us really get into who these characters are in this world. Too many times origin stories feel like the action has to get put on hold a little as we figure out who everyone is. I also enjoy seeing Terry Dodson’s art and even though this is a hardcover with a hardcover price tag, it’s something fans of the Teen Titans will want to check out to see what this world holds for them.
Honorable Mention: SPIDER-WOMAN #1
Mat "Inferiorego" Elfring's picks
SAGA Deluxe Edition HC Vol 01
If you've been putting off reading SAGA, now is your time. While the epic space-opera is pretty far in, this giant-sized, deluxe, hardcover edition of the book puts together issues #1-18 of the series, so you can catch up on the story or just double-dip, like me, and have a sweet hardcover edition on your bookshelf. The book also comes with script pages, sketches, and a bunch of other interesting stuff. This is a must have for SAGA fans.
FANTASTIC FOUR #13
Sadly the Red uniforms are gone, even though I really liked them. I'm loving the Thing and Sandman team-up in jail and I'm excited to see this team come back together, since they've been split apart and tested as a group since the start of this series. Robinson and Kirk have done a wonderful job on this series and I can't wait to see what they have in store next, like more Malice. It's a shame Marvel is cancelling this series. Seriously, a shame.
X-O MANOWAR #30
Have you been wanting to read X-O MANOWAR? Well, here's the perfect jumping-on point! Now that Armor Hunters is over, it's time to see how Aric is dealing with the fallout ad it looks like other people have found a way to duplicate other armors, which will attack Aric. This has been my favorite of all of Valiant's books and one of my favorite overall super-hero books. This is a place you should jump on the check out this series.
Gregg "k4tz" Katzman's picks
ELEKTRA #8
If you own some confetti, go get it right now. Okay, ready? Michael Del Mundo is back on art! Now throw the confetti in the air to celebrate! Huzzah! Seriously though, Del Mundo's brilliant and jaw-droppingly creative pages transformed ELEKTRA into a phenomenal experience, so having him back on the title really is something special.
Del Mundo is joining writer W. Haden Blackman once again for a story that's looking like it'll be all kinds of thrilling. Elektra vs. S.H.I.E.L.D.? Bringing the now incapacitated Bullseye back into the picture? Oh yes, this is going to be good! If you haven't read ELEKTRA yet, please do yourself a favor and look at that glorious preview.
BATMAN AND ROBIN #36
Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason continue Batman's assault on Apokolips and the Dark Knight will stop at nothing until he can get his son back. That alone means this one is probably worthy of the cover price -- Tomasi's fast-paced script is a blast and Gleason's art is appropriately dark and intense -- but we also have more members of the Bat-family, Cyborg AND Titus on Apokolips, too!
Sure, it's a bit of a bummer we already know whether Damian will return, but I'm still completely sold on wanting to see how it'll all play out. Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo are doing huge things over in BATMAN, but this is the other Batman book that you need to reading. This is an important arc for Bruce, so don't miss out on it.
Visit Newsarama for another preview page.
DEADPOOL #37
Goodbye, Deadpool. Hello, Zenpool! No matter how you feel about Marvel's latest big event, it's looking like the latest big development has brought about some very interesting change in the merc with a mouth's series. Co-writers Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn have really won me over with their ability to balance emotion and comedy, so I have nothing but faith in how they'll write a completely new version of this character. Throw in Mike Hawthorne's wonderfully animated and expressive artwork and this is yet another issue of DEADPOOL that I'm very anxious to read. Plus, the new premise means it's technically a jumping on spot!
AXIS: CARNAGE #2
Okay, I have a confession to make. I was never a big Carnage fan. I mean, I don't dislike the bad guy, but he was never close to being one of my favorite Spider-Man villains. So, going into this limited series, I wasn't really sure what to expect. Even if Carnage now thinks he's a hero, is it enough to justify a limited series? Luckily, the answer is a very loud and clear yes. The opening chapter made me burst into laughter a handful of times; seeing Carnage put his own twisted take a being a hero is a real delight. The plot with the new Sin-Eater and reporter isn't nearly as engaging, but the stuff with the red symbiote is pure gold and I'm really looking forward to plenty more of that. It's looking like this will be a great issue to pick up if you just want to enjoy some craziness, laughs, and fun.
Honorable Mention: PREDATOR: FIRE AND STONE #2
Corey "Undeadpool" Schroeder's picks
BATWOMAN #36
I've kept one eye on BATWOMAN ever since the creative shift, and while I've generally liked what I saw, nothing quite got my attention like last issue's trip to space. With an all-new team. Ending on a massive cliffhanger. Marc Andreyko and Georges Jeanty's tale of monsters in space was a glimpse at the team taking the character in a direction she's never been in before, completely independent of where she'd been in previous storylines. And now we apparently get to learn how she got there, and that sounds like a story very much worth knowing.
BLACK WIDOW #12
While Black Widow's away, the news media will play. With her reputation, that is. After last issue's appearance from X-23, Natasha looks like she'll be running with the Howling Commandos while Nate Edmondson and Phil Noto continue to render the various reactions that her Avengers teammates will have as she's very clearly violating their rather strict "no-kill" policy. Edmondson's always been able to integrate guest stars seamlessly into this title, and these ones should fit in ESPECIALLY well.
NEW AVENGERS #26
The future is here and the future is terrible. Time is running out, but who for is unknown after last issue's revelation of double-agents and authority run amok. The battle lines have been drawn, but who stands for what is still nebulous, and if there's one thing that Jonathan Hickman excels at, it's bringing disparate threads together into a cohesive, compelling whole. Kev Walker's coming back to the title, and that's great cause I get the feeling the emotions are going to run STRONG with this one, and powerful emotion is his specialty.
Honorable Mention: INVINCIBLE #115
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