Monday, August 25, 2014

Major Update

Not sure what you may have heard around the store, but the reason you haven't seen much of me lately is due to my hospitalization, Just a warning to anyone reading these words, if you suffer from occasional migraines and they suddenly increase in intensity and frequency - get to a damn hospital quick. A brain tumor is not something you can tough out.
It has been strange what has been going through my head lately, well, other other than radiation and scalpels that is. I am worried that I might not see the end of Grant Morrison's Multiversity series - even if they manage to keep it on schedule - it's six months away. More of a worry if the store will still be open at that point. I have limited options; I can try and sell, shut it down or just kind of fade away. I will not be able to work in the store again but I will try and do what's fairest for all the loyal customers who've been with me over the years.
i will try to update you more often

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Canada Day Closing

Sorry, but the store will be CLOSED for business on Tuesday for Canada Day.






We still have a HUGE stack of the FREE CAPT. Canuck Canada Day comic. Come in and get one before they are ALL gone.







Wednesday, June 25, 2014

NEW COMICS JUNE 25th

Eternal Reviews

Batman Eternal #11

Batman Eternal is one of  DC's weekly titles, and this week's installment helps further a couple of earlier plots that helped kick off the series.

Batgirl is on the hunt for a mysterious man who was at the scene of the train derailment in Gotham. The same one that resulted in Jim Gordon's incarceration. Batgirl needs to find out who this man is and what, if any connection he has to the disaster. Sure enough, things aren't ever easy as Scorpiana and Batgirl end up at each others throats. It's nice to see the Jim Gordon angle revisited and furthered.

Julia Pennyworth is still rehabbing at Wayne Manor, making for a nice break from the chaos of chase and fight sequences. More than that, it's nice to see a little more emoting from the characters. Especially when those characters are family.

The Cluemaster plot gets some well written backstory, and we learn about his life before crime as well as his motivation. Stephanie exposes her fathers' early run-ins with Batman and tries to understand where and how her fathers' life went wrong.

A weekly Batman series is just what was needed, despite being another addition to the growing list of Batman books. The writing team of Snyder, Tynion, and Fawkes is a strong argument for the quality and consistency of the title, and a well varying art team keeps things interesting.

Thursday, June 12, 2014

NEW COMICS JUNE 18th

More Bombshell covers this week, including Talia on Batman and Ra's #32
Batwoman on Batwoman #32, and Harley Quinn. She'll go quick.
Kill Shakespeare returns for another 4-issue run.
Original Sin #4 ships with 2 covers.
Wicked and Divine is a new Image title by Gillen and McKelvie( of Young Avengers and Journey into Mystery)about gods walking the Earth with the status of pop-stars. The O'Malley cover will go fast.

Saturday, June 7, 2014

NEW COMICS JUNE 11th

Good week,not a lot of big stuff to mention though.
The spin-off to Original Sin starts this week, and of course its called "Original Sins", so that wont be confusing or anything.
DC 52 starts off Infinity Man and the Forever People, hopefully enough old school DC fans are still around to support a book like this.
Uncanny X-Men Special #1 starts off a 3 part story that runs through the Iron Man and Nova Specials this summer.
Figment is a Marvel comic based on an old Disney attraction.( kind of like Seekers of the Weird which just finished its run)
Empty Man is a new crime, horror comic by Cullen Bunn.
Red City is a new Image crime, sci-fi comic.
Couple more Bombshell covers this week, including Detective, Green Lantern Corps and Justice League United.
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Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Weekly Reviews

Here is a review of the 2 weekly comics DC is doing .

Batman Eternal #9

Batman Eternal is a weekly series from DC and another addition to the list of bat-books on the shelf. Each issue is an installment in an epic Batman story that spans many characters and locations in the DCU.

In this week's issue, Batman heads to Japan to investigate the resurgence of Carmine Falcone, who has taken over the GCPD from the shadows and is now running Gotham city. Falcone was last seen in Japan, and when we're in Japan we can usually expect to see Jiro, them Japanese Batman. Jiro makes an appearance in this issue and fights alongside Batman to uncover the mystery of Falcone's reappearance in Gotham.

Batman Eternal is a good addition to the Batman books, especially if Zero year is moving too low or the stories in other Batman titles aren't working for you. This is a weekly series, so the story progresses at a more rapid pace when compared to other titles. It's got all of the standard qualities desired in a Batman book: mystery, detective work, plenty of characters, lots of action and the writers on the book are some of the most talented in the business.

Batman Eternal is a great choice if you're looking for a solid series that's easy to catch up on, and to follow along with.

Futures End #5

Another weekly series, this one taking place five years in the future. Futures End features rue whole cast of DC characters, including Batman Beyond who is at the forefront of the story.

In the distant future, the world has been taken over by an AI. The heroes, all turned into android bugs, only have one purpose: to assimilate all life into the AI. It's as dystopian a world as you can imagine, but Batman has a plan as always. Batman Beyond is sent back in time to prevent this future from happening.

Each character seems to have their own mini stories progressing which will converge into one down the line. This issue features Constantine, Firestorm, Grifter, Mr.Terriffic and a few others. Mr Terriffic announces a new consumer level T-Sphere which can store your essence much like a flash drive stores data, and Grifter is given an interesting ultimatum.

Futures End is only five weeks in, so we haven't seen any of the top tier heroes yet. How they'll factor in is anyone's guess, but there's still almost a years worth of story left as Futures End is a 52 week book.

Futures End will also be featured during DC's September event, during which each issue of the standard monthly titles will be a Futures End tie in. With some big writers working on the book, such as Jeff Lemire and Brian Azzarello, this seems like a pretty promising title.

Thursday, May 29, 2014

NEW COMICS JUNE 4th

A little more reasonable delivery this week, with a good mix of stuff.
Many of the new 52 DC titles this month will have a Bombshell variant. These are basically art pieces based on the old 50's pin-ups girls. I will have a decent supply of these variants, but they will sell quick at cover price. If you are interested make sure to order early.
Batman '66 meets Green Hornet is written by Kevin Smith and looks like a lot of fun. It is basically a sequel to the time the heroes met up in the T.V. show.
New Vampirella is pretty self explanatory. As is Big Trouble in Little China.
Princess Ugg looks like a fun all-ages book about a barbarian princess who's quite a bit different from the other girls at princess school. Its by Ted Naifeh of Courtney Crumrin fame.
More all-ages fun as Tiny Titans returns for a 6 issue run.
If you havent been reading Afterlife with Archie(zombie Archie) make sure to pick up the first trade paperback collection of issues 1-5.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

NEW comics MAY 28th

A really big week to end off the month. A good mix of titles with a couple of BIG #1's to watch for.
Horror fans will be happy to see more Clive Barker on the shelves as Nightbreed #1 arrives.
More horror/comedy as Chew and Revival team-up for a one-shot.
Giant-Size Spider-Man #1 brings us 4 short self contained stories kind of like what got us all into comics years ago.
Thanos Annual #1 teams Jim Starlin with Ron Lim to bring us a big battle between the Mad Titan and his greatest foes, the Avengers and himself. This story will lead into the Thanos original hardcover coming soon.
 C.O.W.L. brings us the story of the worlds first organized super-hero union. What do they do when they are TOO successful.
With Forever Evil wrapping up this week, we can finally get to read Nightwing #30. How and why does Dick become Grayson Agent of Spyral.
Warren Ellis is back big time as Trees begins. Huge monoliths from the stars planted themselves all over the Earth, and for 10 years did nothing. Now something is happening.

WEEKLY Reviews

Batman Eternal #7
 

For those who aren't following along with the weekly series, Batman Eternal is a stand-alone Batman title completely different from the other bat-books on the shelves. Batman Eternal features a number of different writers and artists working on the same story, keeping things interesting and (hopefully) on time.

So far, the story in Batman Eternal features a wide cast of characters and we're being given a number of different plot points that are all slowly winding towards each other. Gotham is seemingly being overthrown by ex-mob boss Carmine Falcone, who appears to have the GCPD in the palm of his hand. After orchestrating the imprisonment of Commissioner Gordon and manipulating Professor Pyg, it looks like Falcone is slowly completing his takeover of Gotham.

This issue features The Penguin, Catwoman, and lots of explosions. Of course, in between the turf wars, crooked cops, and maniac villains, Batman remains on the streets investigating the circumstances surrounding Gordon's mysterious imprisonment, and the rise of an ex crime lord.

It's a good read, and gives us a little bit of everything that makes Batman books fun - detective work, villains, team-ups, and action.

Futures End #3

Another weekly series, this one featuring the entire DC roster, as well as Batman Beyond. This title takes place five years into the future of the current DCU. Batman Beyond has been sent back in time to prevent a future believed to be caused by Mr.Terrific's corporation, Terrifitech. It's a future where an AI has taken over the world, assimilating any living beings, including superheroes and villains into cyborg bugs. Unfortunately, Batman Beyond arrives five years too late, and the transformation to his eventual future is already underway.

This weekly series is only three weeks in, and while the cast will eventually grow, it currently features Batman Beyond, Firestorm, and Frankenstein. They'll likely be important characters when the terrifying future is eventually realized, and the writers are keeping things interesting leading up to that moment. Surely though, it's a long ways away.

For DC's September issues, each one will tie into Futures End. They won't be necessary but they should give a good look at how each character fits into the future. It looks like Futures end is going to have lasting implications on the DCU as well, so it's a good title to pick up for DC fans.

Thursday, May 15, 2014

New Comics May 21st



Super busy week but very few NEW titles to mention, but still a lot of great stuff.
MPH #1 starts off another Millar World title, this one features a gang of street kids who get hooked on a speed drug.
Batman and Frankenstein continues the Dark Knights hunt for the corpse of Damian. With the series Robin Reborn coming in a few months, this book might be an important prelude.
Forever Evil #7 finally arrives, and with it all the books tying in to the ending can finally ship. This week you will get Justice League #30 and Justice League America #14.
Amazing X-Men #7 is a guest shot by Kathryn Immonen, writing a Spidy and his Amazing Friends story.
Image heavy list as well, as Mercenary Sea, Saga and Velvet all arrive together.
The book end of the list has the first collection of Coffin Hill( my favourite new Vertigo title), and a NEW hrdcvr team-up of Black Canary and Zatanna. This is an original story NOT a reprint, written by Paul Dini.
Originally meant to be drawn by Amanda Connor, I think the preview art by Joseph Quinones looks great.
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Thursday, May 8, 2014

New Comics May 14th

Big week again.
Justice League United #1 gets a Canada variant cover, these might go fast if the media picks up on it, so reserve a copy early.
Superman Doomed starts off a Doomsday battle that runs through many of the Superman titles for the next few months.
In United States of Murder Inc. Bendis gives us a world in which the mob runs the country. It sounds good, but I really wish Bendis would stop working on new stuff until he can get his other late books back on track(Scarlet anyone).
Deadly Hands of Kung-Fu #1 is the first of a 4-part mini, as Shang-Chi tracks down a killer.
Weird Love #1 is a great collection of classic '50's material featuring art by folks like José Luis García-López.
Had a lot of people playing catch-up on Batman Eternal this week. Remember that New 52 Futures End is a weekly book as well.If you cant make it in each week, be sure to add these books to your pull list so you don't miss an issue.


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Friday, May 2, 2014

New Comics Wednesday May 7th

Well, FCBD was a huge success. Busiest one ever. I'll try to post more later.
Lots of stuff to mention for next week..
Marvel continues to amaze me with the numbering gimmicks they come up with to confuse us(and you) into buying their stuff.  Amazing Spider-Man #1.1, despite its numbering nonsense, is not connected in any way with the new #1 you just bought this week. INSTEAD, it is the first issue of a Year One type story that fits after the events of the original Spider-Man #1 from 1963. One of the stories in the new #1 leads into this, but I'm sure there will still be many customers(and retailers) confused by this.
Original Sin #1 arrives, and I have to say I was pleased with the #0 issue. Should be a good story, but again, it will get confusing with the oddly named and numbered spin-offs and specials.
Cyclops #1 starts a series featuring kid Cyclops, the time displaced one.
Ultimate Spider-Man relaunches for like the 3rd or 4th time. This time Miles not only has to live up to Peters legacy, but try to adjust to a world ravaged by Galactus.(Unless the writers have forgotten that little piece of info).

We get a glimpse into the future of the DC Universe with the start of the new weekly series, New 52 Futures End. If you picked up the #0 issue for free on Saturday, you'll have a good idea where this one is going. Its an amazing story featuring some under used characters, such as Frankenstein,
Batman Beyond and Grifter. This title will have major impact on the DC characters when ALL the DC titles jump 5 years in the future in September.
Batman/Superman takes a break in the story to catch up on its schedule. This is a great one-shot fill-in by Jeff Lemire as the Atom shows up to help Superman get small enough to get into Batmans brain.
The Woods is a sci-fi/horror title by James Tynion (Batwing, Batman Eternal),about a group of high school kids teleported to an alien planet.
Nailbiter gives us insight into the question of where do serial killers come from.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Jeff Lemire in the house

Well there was quite a crowd waiting to greet Mr.Lemire when he arrived this morning, and if I'd remembered to charge my camera I could prove it with a photo.
Best of all there were more than a few people who had never experienced Jeff's work before, so we got to turn them on to a whole new world of graphic fiction.
Of course the main reason you're reading this right now is to find out who won the amazing J.L.U. #0 sketch covers Jeff produced just for the todays event.

THE WINNING NUMBERS ARE:

07,  15,  22,  38, AND 47

and I'll probably play those numbers on a Lotto 6/49 ticket when I head home.


So, congratulations to , Brad, Niko,Court, Shawn and Naomi

Come by and collect your prize anytime. Just remember, it's first come, first choice. But all the covers look great so I'm sure you'll all be happy with your prizes.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

NEW Comics April 30th

Busy week as publishers try to fill up the shelves for Free Comic Day.

Amazing Spider-Man #1, Peter Parker is back in his own body, and Marvel has a pile of variant covers to prove it. 2 standard covers at regular price( if you can call $5.99 a regular price) and a couple pricier variants. The DCD Summit edition is limited to 6,000 copies and has a cool Lego cover.
The Batwoman Annual finally finishes the Batwoman/Batman conflict from the main book a few months back.
The Flash Annual #3 continues from this weeks issue, and looks like it will introduce the new 52 version of Wally West. Could this be the first of the 5 Years Later tie-ins?
More Cartoon Network fun as Dexters Laboratory starts a mini-series.
Forever Evil won't really end until issue #7 shows up in late May, but Batman will get to see whats left of Gotham as the first issue of Batman VS Bane arrives.
Proving 2 Jasons are better than 1, Aaron and Latour deliver Southern Bastards. A killer crime series set in the deep south.
Vertigo Quarterly CYAN, is the first of 4 anthology comics using a colour as a unifying theme. A great list of talent on these books as writers and artists come together to show us how cool BLUE can be.
Just in time for Free Comic Day, Image delivers a great batch of BUCK books. Some of the best stuff on the shelves today are from Image, and this is your chance to jump in on stuff like East of West, Rat Queens, Sex Criminals and more for only a dollar. Many of these titles have a first volume collection available already or arriving soon. Try 'em out, or get a friend hooked.

Thursday, April 17, 2014

NEW COMICS APRIL 23rd

Fairly big week with some great new comics.
Fans of Haden Blackman ( Batwoman) will want to pick up the new Elektra series, with art by Mike Del Mundo, it looks like it'll be a fast seller.
Conan relaunches as Fred Van Lente takes over writing the Cimmerians adventures.
Another Simpson Special arrives, this time spotlighting Duffman. Bongo may be running short on major characters to highlight. Call me when they get around to a Hank Scorpio one-shot.
Secret Origins is something that should have started right after the New 52 launched. The first issue features 3 stories, Superman, Supergirl, and Dick Grayson. I'm wondering if the 3rd story will give any hints of whats to come in the future for Nightwing.
Marvel starts off the spring crossover season with Original Sin #0. The Watcher will die and his secrets revealed. As usual, the main story will be fairly interesting, while the side stories and crossovers will just confuse us. Although with writers like Jason Aaron, Mark Waid and Kieron Gillen, we should have some good reading in them.


Of course all of these are overshadowed by the release of Justice League (Canada )United #0. We have yet to see the full extant of the damage done by the Crime Syndicate as Forever Evil #7 is still a month away. But Justice League America is no more, and whats left of the team head north to regroup. Jeff Lemire has put together an interesting group of heroes, including 2 he has written to great success, Green Arrow and Animal Man. This is also the introduction of a new Canadian female hero Equinox. CBC did a nice piece recently on Jeff and his work to develop a native character without resorting to stereotype.
AS A REMINDER....COMICS & MORE WILL BE HOSTING JEFF LEMIRE IN-STORE
SATURDAY APRIL 26TH FROM 12 NOON- 3 P.M.

Due to media attention on this comic, it may sell out in the Toronto area fairly quickly. Be sure to reserve a copy by e-mail or through our on-line store and come by Saturday to get it signed. I have a limited number of Blank cover versions available for sketches. Limit of 1 to person with pre-orders to current customers being filled first.
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Monday, April 14, 2014

Jeff Lemire Signing

The talented writer/artist Jeff Lemire will be doing his  only signing for JUSTICE LEAGUE CANADA/UNITED in the Toronto area at COMICS & MORE on SATURDAY, APRIL 26 between 12-3 pm!

The first issue of JUSTICE LEAGUE UNITED, featuring a new Canadian version of The Justice League and the first appearance of the brand-new teenaged, CREE SUPERHERO, EQUINOX (as seen on CBC), will arrive in comic book stores WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23. Jeff will be signing at Comics & More at DANFORTH and LINSMORE (just steps from the Greenwood Subway Station) that SATURDAY at noon!

This will be the only Toronto-area signing for the comic. He will be signing and giving away 5 limited edition blank variant covers with sketches of Justice League characters !

Copies of many of Jeff's other books will be for sale, but stock is limited. I will also have original art form Trillium, Animal Man and Sweet Tooth available.

For more info about JUSTICE LEAGUE UNITED and EQUINOX click here


Batman Eternal

Batman Eternal is the first new weekly series from DC in quite a while. It's another addition to the Bat-Book family, and it's going to be featuring a huge showcase of talent over the weeks. This first issue is written by Scott Snyder and James Tynion, and drawn by Jason Fabok.

The first issue of Batman Eternal feels like any other Batman title, but not in a bad way. It does seem more Gotham-centric, focusing on the GCPD for a bit of the book and introducing a new lieutenant to the force. The new 52 version of Jason Bard, who may be familiar to Batgirl readers, and possibly a new love interest for the current version of Babs.
 The book really picks up in the last 5 pages or so, and sets up the rest of the arc very well.

This is a pretty good alternative for readers who aren't enjoying Zero Year. Lots of readers online seem to be wanting a Snyder written Batman title that doesn't take place in the past, and Batman Eternal seems like an excellent alternative. That may change in the future when new writers take over, but that's also the beauty of a weekly series like this. You'll get the chance to read Batman stories from many different creative teams without having to pick up a slew of Batman titles. It should also make it easy to jump into arcs as the weeks go by.

The weekly format is something DC is heavily invested in as a 2nd weekly title begins in May. You can pick up  DC Futures End #0 for FREE on Saturday May 3rd.



Thursday, April 10, 2014

NEW COMICS APRIL 16th

Well a moderate week for the middle of a 5 Wednesday month. A lot less first issues to mention this time.
Green Lanterns arch-enemy Sinestro, finally lands his own title. He cant be happy that Larfleeze solo'd before he did.
The new Ultimate Universe adds another title as Ultimate FF debuts, with a huge roster change. Iron Man, Machine Man and Falcon join Sue Storm as the Future Foundation sets to cleaning up the mess left in Galactus' wake.
Solar man of the Atom joins the Dynamite versions of the Valiant characters.
Hulk relaunches with a #1 as it continues from the last page of the Indestructible Hulk #20.
Superior Spider-Man #31 wraps up the Doc Ock version of the character and sets up the all new Amazing Spider-Man #1 coming in a couple weeks. There are a pile of different variant covers,but at $6.00 a pop, fans will probably have to just pick their favourite.

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

VARIANT COVERS

One of my pet peeves is the variant cover schemes Marvel and DC use to bump sales. The requirements have gotten so high lately that most stores never get to see any of them, I usually get 2-3 of  a few each month.
However, DC has decided to make the variant covers to their titles open quantity for June. Meaning I can order as many as I think I can sell...and I do think they'll sell. The variant theme that month is Bombshells. Basically they are drawn to look like the pin-ups that were common during the war.  And they are a gorgeous batch of covers by the talented Ant Lucia who has a line of figures coming from DC Collectibles based on his artwork.
If you are interested in getting the variant version of your regular titles in June( or maybe buying an extra copy) let me know in store or check them off at the on-line store. I'm sure these will sell quick off the shelves once people see them.




Monday, April 7, 2014

Better late than never

Inhuman #1

Marvel's latest universe-wide title is a couple months late, but it picks up right where Infinity left off. The destruction of Attilan has released Terrigen mists across the world, and a good percentage of the population is transforming into Inhumans. Some with amazing powers, and others with nothing more than physical deformities or useless additions.

An Inhuman warrior named Lash has taken to the streets, abducting fresh inhuman cocoons and purging the world of any freshly hatched Inhumans who aren't of value. Lash seems to be amassing an army of sorts, and his opponent looks to be the Inhuman queen Medusa. This Inhuman book seems to focus on both sides, and more importantly how they'll build their armies for the inevitable battle yet to come.

It's also a great way for Marvel to build new heroes and villains. Over the course of the series, you can be sure that Marvel will create and test the waters with some new characters, some who may even eventually see their own individual books, or at least be added to some of the team books in the Marvel Universe. Wouldn't be surprised if they ended up in Marvel movies years from now. It almost seems like a new brand of characters is being started with Inhumans #1.

Inhuman #1 isn't to be confused with 'Inhumanity', which was a two issue series that lead into this book. Marvel could have chosen less confusing titles, which may be a problem with the upcoming event Original Sin. Keep an eye out for the 'sister series' Original Sins which will focus on smaller stories within the event.

With Inhuman #1, we get a good look at how Infinity has affected the Marvel Universe, and it serves as a nice peek at what's to come. A good choice for those who want to keep up to date with the current state of the Marvel U.

Saturday, April 5, 2014

IMAGE FIRSTS

Every year for Free Comic Book Day, Image likes to re-release the first issue of some of their biggest titles for the low price of $1.00.
Its a smart idea to capitalize on the influx of potential new readers that flock to stores on FCBD.
This year, the  10 comics they have done are some of the best comics I've read in years. And they cover a wide range of genres, blending science-fiction, horror and fantasy, that are really under represented on the shelves.

Even if you already own these books, pick up a couple and hand them out to friends. Its a great low cost way to help spread the word of this great new era in mature comics reading.Check out the on-line store for more info
http://store.comicsnmore.ca

Thursday, April 3, 2014

NEW COMICS APRIL 9th

Hey its an ALL New Marvel week, as Doop gets his own mini-series and the Ultimate Universe launches again.
I guess Marvel figured 5 issues of Doop would satisfy the fans of the little green blob.
The ALL-New Ultimates lives up to its name as we get a completely new roster for the team, including Cloak and Dagger, Spidergirl and Kitty Pryde.
Daredevil #1 sold well, proving $4.00 isnt too much for a comic as long as its a good one. But this month its issue  Daredevil #1.50 which is meant to be a 50th anniversary issue that I guess fits between #1 and #2?
Iron Fist returns to a solo comic( why not All New Iron Fist?). And Nightcrawler 'ports to his own title after his return in Amazing X-Men.
Shutter #1 starts the story of a globe spanning adventurer in a world familiar with demons and supernatural creatures.
Lumberjanes is a comic about 5 girls at summer camp encountering yetis and other odd beasts. Described as a blend of Buffy and Gravity Falls. Looks like a fun all-ages comic by a group of very talented women.
DC gets back into the weekly comics game in a BIG way with Batman Eternal #1. The teasers for this series so far hint at the return of Steph Brown( the Spoiler), Catwoman turns on Batman and it looks like Jim Gordon is arrested in the wake of a major subway train accident.

Monday, March 31, 2014

Marvel Now Reviews

All-New Ghost Rider #1 is a gritty, more adult oriented take on an old character who was in dire need of a reimagining. This Ghost Rider is a new character altogether and one who hopefully will eventually be a bigger part of the Marvel Universe, because this first issue was awesome.

Robbie Reyes is the new Ghost Rider, and as the covers and previews have shown, he's less about bikes and more about cars. His life has been spent protecting his young handicapped brother and earning a wage to support his family, but things don't quite work out so well and the spirit of vengeance enters the picture. This first issue sets a pretty dark tone for the rest of the book, and it's a little more graphic than I was expecting. Not that that's a bad thing.

Tradd Moore's art is as good as his work on Luther Strode, so fans of the style will enjoy this. Felipe Smith lets Tradd do a lot of the talking in certain sections, many of which are just atmospheric and silent panels. For those who aren't fans of the art style, there's still a lot to be enjoyed from the pacing and the story itself.

This seems like one of the All-New Marvel NOW! titles that's easy to overlook, or even one of the books that fits a niche reader base, but All-New Ghost Rider has been one of the better titles of the lineup. Whether or not that momentum can sustain at $3.99 will have to wait to be seen, but if the rest of the series is anything like this first issue, there shouldn't be a problem. Hopefully more fans unfamiliar with Ghost Rider will give this one a shot.

Silver Surfer #1

It's been a while since Silver Surfer has had his own book, and Marvel chose a good creative team to breathe new life into the character. This first issue is a good choice for fans of the Surfer, and it offers a bit of insight into his role as Herald for newcomers.

Not much to say about the story as of yet, as it really only picks up with the final couple pages. It seems like Bendis (unsurprisingly) has a long term plan with this one, but hopefully it'll branch out to some of the other cosmic Marvel titles after a while and experiment with a few other characters.

Allred's simple art style was a good choice, though it might not be for everyone. Bendis is as good as he ever is with story and dialogue, so fans of his other work should enjoy Silver Surfer #1 as well.

Thursday, March 27, 2014

NEW COMICS APRIL 2nd

Sad news as Jeff Lemire has decided to attend the FanExpo in Regina rather than coming here on Free Comic Day. We're currently trying to set a new date sometime in April.


After the last 2 massive weeks, we see a little bit of relief this first week of April, although there is quite a few #1's to mention.
Marvel delivers Deadpool VS. Carnage, a book that literally needs no further explanation.
Guardians of the Galaxy Prelude is a little 2 issue lead-in to the movie and features 2 short stories on Nebula, and Gamora. The 2nd issue will feature Groot and Rocket raccoon. These are the movie versions of the characters and the stories will have nothing to do with the regular Guardians of the Galaxy comic. I did not order a lot of these because Marvel gave us NO INFO at all on them( not even a cover), so it was ordered blind.
Inhuman #1 finally arrives, delayed since before Christmas, this is the main title dealing with the effects of the Terrigen mists being released with the destruction of Attilan. With Charles Soule writing we should get a great story, with Joe Madureira drawing we should see a lot more delays.
What If Age of Ultron #1 starts a weekly look at alternate endings to last years summer event.
Ultimate Spider-Man hits #200 somehow, I'm not sure if math is really Marvels strong suit.
Angel and Faith returns for a new season, I'm sure the Whedonites are lining up already.
Aquaman spins off into his new title Aquaman and the Others, the group he was shown to be a part of prior to his League adventures.
Caliban is a new Avatar title from Garth Ennis, about a group of deep space explorers running into an alien ship.
Dead Letters #1 is a crime comic about an amnesiac waking up in a motel room to find himself caught in the middle of a gang war.
The Field #1 is a crime comic about an amnesiac waking up in a field with nothing but a cellphone and his underwear.
Amazing Spider-Man Family Business is an ORIGINAL hardcover story never before seen in print. Apparently Peter Parker was not an only child.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

NEW COMICS MARCH 26th

I havent seen a week this busy in ...well ever. Not just in volume but new titles and heavy hitters all at once.
Marvel delayed the All New Ghost Rider for a few weeks, but its here now, along with the first issue of the new Iron Patriot series, and the new Silver Surfer.
Marvel also relaunches the Ultimate Universe (AGAIN) with, Survive. A one-shot that gives us the low down on whats left of the Ultimates after their big Galactus battle.
Millar World launches another title, Real Heroes, dealing with movie stars stepping up their act to help save the world.
DC continues to spotlight the women of the DC Universe with The Amanda Waller Special.
Sandman Overture #2 finally arrives, but even as late as it is, people will be swarming the stores next Wednesday for thier copies.
Justice League Dark #29 wraps up the Blight storyline featuring the magic/ supernatural side of the
Forever Evil story.I have to say I've been enjoying this as much, if not more than the main story.

A Rush Review

Clockwork Angels #1:

Clockwork Angels is an adaptation of the latest album from Rush, Toronto's own prog rock power trio. Like them or not, Rush excel at crafting albums that tell stories. Most of which translate to more mediums than those in the audio realm.

Clockwork Angels #1 is the first in a six issue mini series. The story takes place in a world run by the Watchmaker, who essentially keeps the everything on schedule, creating the illusion of a perfect world. One young man named Owen decides that maybe his life isn't as perfect as he'd like it to be, as he longs to explore and leave a repetitive and predictable life behind. Gaining knowledge of Owen and his 'rebellious nature', the Watchmaker must now deal with a possible flaw in his perfect world.

It's a solid story and the artwork fits it perfectly. The panels appear almost as folk-style paintings, rich in colours and soft on the eyes. They could be from older fairy tale books, easily. Environments in the book range from straw-roofed villages to mechanical skyscrapers; a nice variety of landscapes for sure. It's an interesting world and one that's been fun to see come to life.

The story is easy to follow and starts off with an aged Owen recalling his tales of adventure. Clockwork Angels feels like the kind of story an elder would recount and embellish in front of a group of wide-eyed youngsters, much like the movie Big Fish. Peart and Anderson have done a great job of translating the story to comics, showing that well written stories transcend mediums.

Fans of the band will get a kick out of this, but almost more importantly, it's just a good tale that anyone can pick up and enjoy. A great addition for anyone who wants to start a new story in a fun and interesting world.

Thursday, March 13, 2014

NEW COMICS MARCH 19th

After a lengthy break, we finally get some more American Vampire. This oversized first issue brings us up to the '60's as Pearl and Skinner team up against a new threat.
The new season of Buffy starts off with the hint that magic will somehow be changing the rules in the slayer vs. vamp battle.

After a short break, Marvel restarts Daredevil in a new city at a new price.
Batman teams up with Aquaman as the hunt for Damians body begins.
Image continues to explore genres other than Super-hero. Sovereign is a dark fantasy set in a world of magic and gods where the undead are dealt with by swords.
Rush Clockwork Angels teams Kevin Anderson with Neil Peart to bring the bands words( and worlds) to the comic page.
The latest chapter of Moore's League of Gentlemen arrives. Nemo Roses of Berlin brings us up to 1941 and the introduction of Germany's answer to the League.
Hellboy hits 20 and Dark Horse releases a beautiful hardcover to celebrate, Includes rare sketches and never before seen art.

full list below the cut..
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Friday, March 7, 2014

New Comics Wednesday March 12th

Marvel continues to release at least a couple #1's a week.
Avengers Arena was a great limited series that was dismissed by many as a cheap ripoff of Battle Royale. It was a really cool story and has actually had some lasting consequences in the Marvel Universe, as witnessed in the new title, Avengers Undercover. Some of the survivors of the Arena are going on the defensive and hoping to take down the Masters of Evil, from the inside.
Carol Danvers is Captain Marvel again, and her powers are back in top form as she heads into space leaving the more Earth bound adventures for the new Ms. Marvel character.
Secret Avengers relaunches with a story that doesn't sound that much different than the last version of the team, but with Ales Kot on the writing chores it should be a fast paced read.
Returning #1 is another book dealing with the return of recently deceased loved ones who aren't quite zombies.
Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson deliver a new Beasts of Burden one-shot
Batman #29 is an over-sized issue wrapping up the 2nd arc of Zero Year, and leading into the big finale.
Marvel's up to its old tricks....adding together a bunch of issues together to come up with a bogus anniversary issue. X-Men Legacy #300 at least has a nice cover.

Thursday, February 27, 2014

NEW cOMICS Wednesday March 5th

The first 2 parts of the Batman/Superman and Worlds Finest crossover sold out quick this week, so make sure to get a copy of the Batman /Superman Annual for how it all started.
The Marvel relaunches continue as Wolverine/X-men starts over at issue 1 with a new writer and slightly different direction.
At least Moon Knight hasn't had a comic for a few years, Warren Ellis is writing it, so thats a plus.
And Magneto is quite a different character than the last time he had a series to himself.
Greg Rucka begins a new female lead title with "Veil". Described as a new look at supernatural horror.
Auteur is a very indi looking book about a deranged glue-sniffing down on his luck movie producer.
The Millarworld kicks off a new batch of titles with Starlight #1. This one looks very retro sci-fi adventure, very Flash Gordony. The art looks amazing, sort of a cross between Toth and Manara. The only problem being that the book has already been optioned by Fox...so we can look forward to the inevitable wait for the last 2 issues like most of Millars titles.
Speaking of late titles...LOOK, another issue of Jupiters Legacy.
Walking Dead vol.20 hits the shelves as the All-Out-War reaches the half-way mark.

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MARCH 5TH

Thursday, February 20, 2014

NEW COMICS February 26th

Big end to the shortest month, some good stuff in the pile.
Marvel restarts Fantastic Four with a new first issue, as writer James Robinson comes aboard.
Image has a book called Revenge, ( their site lists it as The Revenger) sounds a little Punisherish.
DC puts out the next in their line of annual-sized specials on women in the DC Universe. This time its Supermans girlfriend Lois Lane. If its half as good as the Jokers Daughter Special, it should sell fast.
Gail Simone launches a new Tomb Raider comic. I'm enjoying her Red Sonja stuff, this should be a good read too.
Batman/Superman #8 and Worlds Finest #20 are the first 2 chapters in the "First Contact" crossover, as the heroes of Earth 2 meet up with their fathers of Earth One. Look for the Batman/Superman annual March 6th for the first meeting of the 2 worlds.
The 2nd arc of Wake (Scott Snyders Vertigo book) starts this week, and its been a few hundred years since the last issue.
You cant tell it from the cover, but Flash #28 features a team-up with Deadman. Could be fun.
YES! Hawkeye #15 arrives this week..YES #16 came in weeks ago, Get over it already.

FEBRUARY 26TH

Saturday, February 15, 2014

NEW COMICS FEBRUARY 19th

Well not much new to mention this week. Good stuff all round but less first issues.
Marvel launches the latest version of New Warriors, the place to find Scarlet Spider if you miss his solo book. I'm kind of hoping this title will address how the NEW Nova fits into the continuity of the old Richard Ryder version.

Undertow is an Image title that describes itself as a pulp-monster adventure about Atlantis.
Harley Quinn #3 is late for Valentines Day, but will still sell through fast.
Supergirl #28 will tell us how the angry Girl of Steel came to be in possesion of that red ring we saw her with in Green Lantern #28.

Thursday, February 6, 2014

NEW COMICS February 12th

Another week and another batch of All New Marvels.
This week we get X-Force going back to a single title combining Cable and friends in 1 book.
The 2nd Captain America movie spawns the Winter Soldier #1 of a 5 issue mini-series( aren't ALL of Marvels books mini-series lately though?)
She-Hulk gets her own title, after quite a bit of time in limbo.
Image starts a few new books as well, with Fuse #1 we get a space-crime fiction adventure. And Mercenary Sea sounds like good old fashioned swash buckling action set in WW2.
More 2nd World War action with Royals Masters of War, from Vertigo. Apparently the Blue-Blooded royalty wields powers of the super type, in this alternate history.

City the Mind in the Machine gives us something closer to today with a Big Brother story about the evils of Government spyware in the name of civilian protection.

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Ladies Day

Jokers Daughter One-Shot

This week marks a series of new DC One-Shot issues, each focusing on a female character. Lois Lane and Amanda Waller will each have their own one-shot issues over the next few weeks as well.

Jokers Daughter #1 is a lengthy look at who Joker's Daughter is, where she came from, and what her motivations are. It almost works better than the Joker's Daughter #1 from Villain's Month in 2013. This issue would have made a much better introduction to the character. It shows us her first run-in with Batman, and touches on previous Bat-stories such as Detective Comics #1 and the previous Batman annual featuring Anchoress. For those reasons, Jokers Daughter seems to fit into the DCU a little better than she did in the Villains Month issue.

The artwork and panelling are fun and mimic the psychotic babbling of Joker's Daughter.  There are some pretty gruesome scenes in this one, and there's a fair amount of action as well. The team does a great job at keeping the 38 page issue interesting from the first page. Nice to note that the character, while not having too much exposure in the DCU, goes through a few big character-changing moments through the issue. Particularly towards the end. It's not impossible that DC has more plans for her, but those will likely be dictated by book sales for this special.

Joker's Daughter #1 stars an all female creative team, from writer to editor, in addition to focusing on a female character. It's clear that DC is showcasing and spotlighting their talented female creators, which is a trend that would be nice to see from the Big Two more often. It's no secret that the big companies offer more male talent than female due to the ratio of male to female writers working for the companies. Hopefully these one-shots will bring that fact to light for more readers, encouraging more even a gender split within the creative teams of the Big Two.

Joker's Daughter #1 is a good showcase of talent. A big improvement from the 2013 Villains Month installation and a good choice for this week.

Ms. Marvel #1

Ms. Marvel #1 is one of Marvel's All-New Marvel NOW! titles to feature a female lead, and it's a title people will likely be talking about in a few big ways. Not only is it a good looking, well written book, but it touches upon some interesting topics such as religion, heritage, and status quo. It comes across as one of Marvel's more 'indie' titles like Hawkeye or Superior Foes of Spider-Man. The artwork is simple and effective, and the book is more than just flashy action scenes and standard supervillains. Though those things are sure to come shortly, it's nice to have a toned-back, lighthearted character piece to kick things off.

The new Ms.Marvel is Kamala Khan, who comes from a Muslim family with fairly strict Islamic beliefs which tend to interfere with her desire to "be like the other kids". While attending a party against her parents' wishes, things get interesting when a mist overtakes the city. Those who just finished Infinity will be familiar with the reason why. Kamala's fascination with The Avengers takes on a whole new meaning as she realizes what's happening to her.

Some were concerned with the religious tones the book would display, but Wilson does a great job using them as character motivation and story aspects. The book is in no way preachy, but instead presents an interesting and accurate look at Muslim youth growing up in America. Jersey to be specific. Not only does Ms.Marvel feature a strong female lead, but it's also featuring one of the most culturally diverse superheroes Marvel has released in recent memory. It's not groundbreaking by any means, but it's an absolutely fresh, welcome addition to the standard superhero books.

Ms.Marvel #1 is a standard $2.99 book, and definitely recommended for this week's pulls.

Thursday, January 30, 2014

NEW COMICS - Wednesday February 5th

Well its a big start to a small month.
Marvel gives us another batch of All New #1's, although its hard to get excited about yet another relaunch of Punisher, and what must be the 10th Wolverine #1 in the last few years.
Ms. Marvel at least is an actual new character in an old title. The new character is a young Muslim girl who seems to have powers like Mr. Fantastic,she seemed to be stretching all over in the All New Marvel preview last month. From the same preview, we got a look at Loki Agent of Asgard, as he wormed his way around the Marvel Universe gathering up the keys he needed to unleash some mighty magic sword. It looks like it could be fun.
DC gives us a one-shot special on the character known as The Jokers Daughter. So far we've only seen her villain month special and her short battle with Catwoman. I guess this over-sized special will fill us in on where she actually comes from,and where she might be heading.
The Harley Quinn Special is an 80 pager reprinting a batch of Harley's solo stories from the last few years.
Green Lantern/Red Lanterns #28 is a flip-book that has both titles in it for the price of one. YES, you get both comics for only $2.99. This one is worth buying just for the value...and maybe encouraging DC and the other companies to give us more deals like this.
Another blast from the past as Turok Dinosaur Hunter launches, soon to be followed by new Solar and Magnus titles.

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Thursday, January 23, 2014

NEW COMICS JANUARY 29th

Well its the end of a 5 week month so that means DC Annuals.
Batman and Robin Annual is a Year One story with Dick as Robin,and the Worlds Finest is an early story too with Power Girl and Huntress in their original Robin and Supergirl suits fighting Wonder Woman of Earth 2.
Speaking of Earth 2, that Annual is the origin of the New Earth2 Batman.
The Green Lantern Corps Annual fits into the current continuity of that
title as the Corps go to war with the Khunds and Durlans.
Whedon fans will probably snap up the new Serenity Leaves on the Wind series with son Zack
handling the writing. It continues from the movie.
The Amazing Spider-Man Movie adaptation issue #1 ships, surprising to see what basically amounts to a spoiler so soon. I guess Marvel is planning the paperback collection to be on the shelves the week of the movies release.

Friday, January 17, 2014

New Comics JANUARY 22nd

The All new Marvels continue to roll out as Invaders begins this week. It looks like the classic team of Namor Cap Torch and Bucky are back together with James Robinson writing.
I hate when Marvel pulls this double shipping thing. Black Widow #1 just came in last week and #2 is already arriving. Since the first issue sold out everywhere the day it arrived....and stores didn't get a chance to increase orders between then and now... reserve a #2 somewhere quick or you wont be seeing it until a 2nd print shows up in a month or so.
Deadly Class is a new Image title from Rick Remender about the most brutal high school on Earth.
A new zombie comic from Marvel arrives.. but its not Marvel Zombies. Its Empire of the Dead. This is old school zombies by the master of the genre, George Romero himself.
If Batman Li'l Gotham isnt cute enough for you...then pick up Scribblenauts Unmasked this week.
Unwritten starts a new chapter as Unwritten Apocalype #1 ships.
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JANUARY 22ND

ALL NEW INVADERS #1
ALL NEW X-FACTOR #2
ALL NEW X-MEN #22.NOW
ANIMAL MAN #27
ARCHIE FUNHOUSE DOUBLE DIGEST #1
AVENGERS #25
AVENGERS WORLD #2
BACK ISSUE #70
BAD ASS #1 (OF 4)
BART SIMPSON COMICS #88
BATMAN #27 (ZERO YEAR)
BATMAN #27 VAR ED
BATMAN 66 #7
BATMAN AND TWO FACE #27
BATMAN BEYOND UNIVERSE #6
BATWOMAN #27
BEDLAM #11
BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #220
BIRDS OF PREY #27 (GOTHTOPIA)
BLACK WIDOW #2
BRAVEST WARRIORS #16
CABLE AND X-FORCE #19
CAPTAIN AMERICA #15
CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT #7
CATACLYSM ULTIMATE X-MEN #3 (OF 3)
CHEW #39
CONAN THE BARBARIAN #24
CROSSED BADLANDS #45
DARK HORSE PRESENTS #32
DEAD BODY ROAD #2 (OF 6)
DEADLY CLASS #1
DEADLY CLASS #1 CVR B
DECEIVERS #2 (OF 6)
DOC SAVAGE #2
DOCTOR WHO SPECIAL #36
ELFQUEST FINAL QUEST #1
ETERNAL WARRIOR #5  BERNARD
ETERNAL WARRIOR #5  CRAIN
FF #16
GEORGE ROMEROS EMPIRE OF DEAD  #1 (OF 5)
GREEN LANTERN NEW GUARDIANS #27
HACKTIVIST #1
HARLEY QUINN #2
HAWKEYE #16
INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK #18.INH
IRON MAN #20.INH
JUDGE DREDD #15
JUDGE DREDD #15 SUBS VAR
JUSTICE LEAGUE #27 (EVIL)
JUSTICE LEAGUE #27 VAR ED (EVIL)
LEGENDS OF RED SONJA #3 (OF 5)
LEGENDS OF RED SONJA #3 (OF 5) THORNE
LIL BIONIC KIDS #1
LIL BIONIC KIDS #1  SUBS CVR
MARVEL KNIGHTS X-MEN #3 (OF 5)
MARVEL ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #22
MASSIVE #19
MIDAS FLESH #2 (OF 8)
MIGHTY AVENGERS #5.INH
MIND MGMT #18
MOCKING DEAD #5
MOCKING DEAD #5  SUBS VAR
MY  PONY FRIENDS FOREVER #1
MY  PONY FRIENDS FOREVER #1 SUBS VAR
ORIGIN II #2 (OF 5)
PEANUTS VOL 2 #15
PRETTY DEADLY #4
RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #27
SAMURAI JACK #4
SAMURAI JACK #4 SUBS VAR
SCRIBBLENAUTS UNMASKED CRISIS  #1
SCRIBBLENAUTS UNMASKED CRISIS  #1 VAR
SEX #10
SUPERGIRL #27
SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN TEAM UP #9
THE LONE RANGER #21
TRINITY OF SIN PANDORA #7 (EVIL)
UMBRAL #3
UNWRITTEN VOL 2 APOCALYPSE #1
UNWRITTEN VOL 2 APOCALYPSE #1 VAR ED
WALKING DEAD #120
WALKING DEAD MAGAZINE #7 PX ED
WARLORD OF MARS DEJAH THORIS #34
WOLVERINE AND X-MEN #40
WONDER WOMAN #27
WONDER WOMAN #27 VAR ED
WORLD OF ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #36
X-FILES CONSPIRACY GHOSTBUSTERS #1
X-FILES CONSPIRACY GHOSTBUSTERS #1 SUBS
X-MEN #9 XFV
X-O MANOWAR #21
ZERO #5

PBKS & HRDCVRS

AMELIA RULES  TP VOL 05 TWEENAGE GUIDE
ANIMAL MAN TP VOL 05 THE MEANING OF FLESH
ARCHIES VALENTINE ROCK & ROLL ROMANCE TP
BATWING TP VOL 03 ENEMY OF THE STATE (N52)
BPRD HELL ON EARTH TP VOL 07
CONAN HC VOL 15 NIGHTMARE
ETERNAL WARRIOR TP VOL 01
INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK TP VOL 01
MARVEL  ULT SPIDER-MAN DIGEST  VOL 05
MEGA MAN TP VOL 06 BREAKING POINT
MISS PEREGRINES HOME  BOOK 2
MY LITTLE PONY TALES TP VOL 01
PLANETARY OMNIBUS HC
PREACHER TP BOOK 03
STAR WARS ONGOING TP VOL 01
WOLVERINE BY HAMA AND SILVESTRI  VOL 02
X TP VOL 01 BIG BAD
X-FACTOR BY PETER DAVID  VOL 01 COMPLETE
X-MEN TP VOL 01 ROAD TO ONSLAUGHT
YOUNG AVENGERS TP VOL 02

MANGA
BLEACH GN VOL 59
FAIRY TAIL GN VOL 34
NURA RISE O/T YOKAI CLAN GN VOL 19
ONE PIECE 3IN1 TP VOL 08
POKEMON ADV PLATINUM GN VOL 10
SHONEN JUMP PACK 2014 #1

TOYS & FIGURES
BATMAN B & W BATMAN EARTH 2 STATUE
DOCTOR WHO TARDIS CUFFLINKS
DRAGON AGE II PLAYING CARDS

Friday, January 10, 2014

NEW COMICS JANUARY 15TH

Couple more Marvel #1's this week. Miracleman begins reprinting the classic Alan Moore run, it'll be a while before they get to the all new stuff though.
Another couple of Deadpools arrive. Night of the Living Deadpool has our Merc wake up in a world overrun by the undead. Deadpool Gauntlet is a free preview for an on-line digital story.
The Revolutionary War continues with Dark Angel. This crossover probably wont pick up steam until the Deaths Head issue arrives...and sells out the same day.
Inhumanity Spider-Man is a 2 issue mini about how Doc Ock Spidy deals with the aftermath of Attilan crashing into Manhattan.
Disney Seekers of the Weird sounds like fun, despite being based on a Disney attraction that never got built.
X-Files Conspiracy starts off a crossover of sorts as Scully and Mulder investigate the various weird happenings in the IDW Universe, such as Ghostbusters, Transformers and the rest of the liscensed characters.

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Marvel Reviews

Revolutionary War Alpha is a mini event comprised of one shot issues, each featuring a different character from the early 90's Marvel UK titles. Dark Angel, Death's Head, Motormouth and the Knights of Pendragon all have future one-shots coming out over the following weeks, and Revolutionary War Alpha #1 is the setup.

Captain Britain and Pete Wisdom are charged with forming a team after a possible resurgence of Mys-Tech, a group of techno-wizards who once nearly destroyed Britain. After a fierce battle involving a number of Britain's best, Mys-Tech were thought destroyed. With evidence of a return, SHIELD begins working with heroes from the UK to put a stop the the potential disaster.

It looks like each major Marvel UK character is going to have their own one shot book, and each will tie into the Mys-Tech story. It should be fun seeing these old heroes back at it, as it's been more than a few years for most of them. Andy Lanning and Alan Cowsill are writing with Rich Elson on art. It's not a familiar creative team, but they work well to tell this story together.

The first issue is a pretty good setup, and a great way to jump into some new (old) characters for those who missed out in the 90's. It's also a pretty fun story that hopefully won't be pushed under the rug by the top books on the shelves.

Black Widow #1

Nathan Edmondson and Phil Noto are the perfect combination for a book featuring a female assassin. Black Widow will probably be one of the best new All-New Marvel NOW! titles based on this first issue alone.

It's mostly a character piece, allowing unfamiliar readers to learn who Natasha Romanov is and what motivates her. Much like other solo hero books, it looks like backup in the form of other Avengers will be sparse, allowing for the spotlight to shine on Black Widow.

This first issue is pretty action packed, though even the action scenes serve as character building moments and not just flashy artwork or filler material. Some of the pages are without dialogue, and serve as solid examples of sequential art. Noto and Edmondson really get to have fun with one.

Topping everything off, we get to see some of Natasha's personal life when she's not "at work", which is pretty rare in the team books she's currently on. It looks like she's got a bit of company in the form of a new cat as well. This first issue sets things up well, and hints at a lot to look forward to. This is sure to be a popular book with Marvel's new line of titles.

All New Marvel NOW! Point One

This is Marvel's standard segue into the slew of upcoming new titles. An oversized issue, it consists of six prologues which will lead into six new All New Marvel NOW! Titles:

Loki: Agent of Asgard
Silver Surfer
All New Invaders
Black Widow
Ms. Marvel
Avengers World

The prologues aren't necessary to enjoy the upcoming titles, but they'll certainly add an extra level of enjoyment. Each story is 8 or so pages long, some more and some less, and each is written and drawn by the creative team on the respective upcoming books. It's not just a prologue, but a preview of what to expect with each new book. It's a great way to test the waters for some of the new titles. There may be a few overlooked that pique your interest after reading the short prologues.

Marvel will likely do this again when the next batch of books starts, as seems to be the case with their recent new launches. The $5.99 price tag is a little more than a usual comic, but it clocks in at 50 pages of story and art so it'll keep you busy for a while. It's nice getting a taste of the different creative teams too, keeping things interesting from story to story.

All New Marvel NOW! Point One #1 is certainly a good choice if you're planning on picking up some of the new titles over the next few weeks.

Friday, January 3, 2014

NEW COMICS WEDNESDAY JANUARY 8th

Well Marvel is starting the new year off with  a pile of ALL NEW #1's.
All New Marvel Now Point One #1 is a batch of short stories meant to lead in to the All new titles Marvel is launching this year. Some of which are already arriving THIS week.
All New X-Factor stars Polaris, Gambit and Quicksilver rebranding the team as a corporate shill.
Avengers World #1 gives us a comic that promises the Marvel Universe will never be the same.
Black Widow gets her own comic, lets hope it captures some of the magic the Hawkeye comic has.
Marvel also brings back the Marvel U.K. characters of the 90's starting with Revolutionary War #1.
The 2nd of the Dynamite kids books arrive as L'il Vampi gives us a cute look at everyones favourite bloodsucker.
The big book of the week however is REALLY big. Detective Comics #27 clocks in at  96 all new pages for $7.99(3X the size for double the price), and features stories by a variety of Bat writers and artists to help celebrate the title's 75th anniversary.

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