Happy New Comics Wednesday!

Go here for a complete list of comics releasing this week.

What are you getting this week?

My comics

• JUSTICE LEAGUE #41
• LEGION OF SUPER HEROES #4
• UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY #4
• VALKYRIE JANE FOSTER #8
• FIVE YEARS #8

Other comics

• MARVELS VOICES #1 – “Inspired by the acclaimed podcast series!” I don’t know anything about this podcast, and now there’s a comic inspired by it? Has anyone listened to this podcast who would like to sell me on it? (Yes, I know I can go listen to it myself, but what’s the fun in that?)
• STAR #1 – I’m always on the lookout for new Marvel or DC characters and Star sounds like something I’d be interested in. Waiting for the trade, though.
• WOLVERINE #1 – Snikt!
• ARCHIE MEETS B-52S #1 – Look, I enjoyed “Love Shack” as much as the next person, but why does this musical group have such staying power in the pop culture zeitgeist?
• DOCTOR TOMORROW #1 – I almost tried out this series.
• GODKILLERS #1 – Same. Maybe waiting for the trade.
• PLOT #1 – And a third almost ran where I might get the trade.

What are some other comics I missed that I should add to my Buy list?

Best comic I read recently

VALKYRIE: JANE FOSTER #7 by Al Ewing, Jason Aaron, Pere Perez, Jesus Aburtov, Joe Sabino, and Mahmood Asrar and Matthew Wilson (cover)

The best Marvel comic you’re not reading continues with the Marvel Medics treating Death herself! The plot is pretty simple (the medics journey to Death’s realm to prevent her from dying and have to face some uncomfortable situations along the way [a la the Hero’s Journey]), but the execution of the scene with the portraits, Jane’s conversation with the Death of Death and her soliloquy as she answers Its question (“Do we need Death?”), and how the final page connected all of what came before was so great.

 

Happy New Comics Wednesday!

Go here for a complete list of comics releasing this week.

My comics

• BATMAN PENNYWORTH RIP #1
• THE GREEN LANTERN SEASON 2 #1 – More Grant Morrison and Liam Sharpe Green Lantern goodness.
• HAWKMAN #21
• SUPERMAN #20
• 20XX #3 – I recently talked about issue 1 in glowing terms, but after reading issue 2, I’m now questioning my initial reaction to the series and also wondering if I will continue with it. Issue 3, you have a lot riding on you!
• DRAGONFLY & DRAGONFLYMAN #4

Other comics

• ANIMAL MAN BY GRANT MORRISON TP VOL 01 – If you’ve not read this series, do yourself a favor and get this.
• BILLY BATSON AND MAGIC OF SHAZAM TP BOOK 01
• HARLEY QUINN & BIRDS OF PREY #1 (OF 4) – In case you enjoyed the movie (I haven’t seen it yet)?
• ZATANNA AND THE HOUSE OF SECRETS TP – Another of the DC Kids OGNs that I wish I’d ordered.
• STAR TREK YEAR FIVE VALENTINES DAY SPECIAL – I now wish I’d ordered this.
• AERO TP VOL 01 BEFORE THE STORM – I’m keeping an eye on this as a future InStockTrades purchase.
• COTTONS SC GN VOL 01 SECRET OF WIND – I totally missed this in Previews. I want to read this book now.
• DOCTOR MIRAGE TP VOL 01 – Same as with Aero.
• HOPE TP – Another book I’m interested in getting.

Best comic I read recently

NEAR DEATH v1 by Jay Faerber, Simone Guglielmini, Ron Riley, Charles Pritchett, Tom Coler, and Daniel Freedman

Some time last year, probably during an Image sale on Comixology, I bought both volumes of Near Death primarily because I’m a fan of Mr. Faerber’s comic books. That and I am a sucker for the “bad guy” attempting a shot at redemption. In this case, hitman Markham dies briefly and finds himself being haunted by all of the people he’s killed. He comes out of the experience not wanting to end up in that place again, and so decides he needs to balance the scales. He does this by helping people and, with a few missteps, not killing anyone in the process.

One thing I enjoy about this premise is that Markham’s motives aren’t altruistic and he has no compunction about killing again, but he chooses not to. It reminds me somewhat of the Rockford Files but edgier. Guglielmini’s art is sufficiently noirish and moody, but I’m never confused about where my eyes should scan across the pages and who I’m looking at, which, surprisingly, is a lot more of a problem in other comic books I’ve read than you’d think. And after reading both volumes of this title, I can now read the recently released OGN Over My Dead Body!

What are you getting this week?