New Comic Book Day Megathread

[Link Prime]

My weekly pull list is normally down to one or two titles, but next week is lining up to be quite busy, with two new series from the normally shunned Marvel piquing my interest.

First up, four of my current favorites, with a satisfying blend of genres;

Prophet Earth War 3
Unfollow 6
Archie 7
Providence 8

Then the newbies;

Black Panther 1 This is beginning of the much hyped run by Ta Nehisi Coates & Brian Stelfreeze. I was a huge fan of Christopher Priests run back in the day so have some affinity for the character when handled well. I have absolutely zero interest in the greater Marvel universe, so hopefully this can be kept as insular as possible.
Empress 1 A new sci-fi comic by Millar & Immonnen, the preview of which just really, really tickled my fancy.

As always, I will try and pick up the 'Blank Variant' covers of the Marvel titles, not for sketches, but there is nothing more annoying than the Aldi toilet paper cover stock they use nowadays.

[Hawkmumbler]

Some excellent comics came my way this last week, and the week before for that matter!

Weekly Shonen Jump #17 and #18 provides it's usual high quality thrills and spills, My Hero Academia throws itself from revelation to revelation at break neck pace and is visually stunning as ever. World Trigger is remarkably engaging at the moment, I think it helps that in a cast of same faces I actually find te current statues quo rather fun.

So what do you get an artist, most well known for a 100 issue run on a seres like Invincible, to do when said title is on hiatus? Well get him to make a comic about a Bear/Shark hybrid killing a bunch of horror movie archetypes in...erm, grizzly fashion. GrizzlyShark #1 is, suffice to say, very awesome. Predator Life and Death #2 is probably the best Predator comic since the GRennie and MacNeil mini from years gone by. That DABnett can't half write some cracking yarns of well troden franchises.

It's not half a brilliant week when Garth Ennis is in TWO war comics! Johnny Red #6 is chuffing brilliant as ever and if absolutely nothing else it's got me to nab the first three volumes of the classic BPW run, and i'm sure this handsome run by Ennis and Burns will be a welcome continuation and would have made Couloquon proud. Dreaming Eagles #4 is also a cracking air born adventure tale, with the Tuskegee squad getting new planes to carry the story forward. Oh, and can that Simon Coleby draw good dog fights? Yes, yes he can.

Now, I see some of you people still aren't reading Unfollow #6. I'll not allow for this foolish foolishness! It's on of the best comics of my current pull list, a damn fine mystery comic with a very unique and fresh oremise and stunning art (i'm not familiar with the guest artist chappy this month, but he's a gem as well) and is prog worthy comics, buy it chaps! Saga #35 is also a fantastic instalment, and TBH by this point i've said everything I possibly can about my love and sometimes hate relationship with the comic, but rigt now it's rocking my world once again. Bloody brilliant stuff!

Assassination Classroom vol.9 take's the series in unfamiliar territory, and all the better for it. For a series I i itially worried was going to be all too standard, i've been cinsistantly enteained by it's inventive nature and sense of humor. It concluded it's weekly publication recently, so best of luck to Matsui with his next project!

[Colin YNWA]

Johnny Red #6 is chuffing brilliant as ever and if absolutely nothing else it's got me to nab the first three volumes of the classic BPW run, and i'm sure this handsome run by Ennis and Burns will be a welcome continuation and would have made Couloquon proud.

See while I agree with this over all I found Johnny Red 6 a bit heavy handed in the way it info dumped to get the plot all in place. Still by the end it was back to good honest rompery. Dreaming Eagles 3 for me, cos somehow I'm a month behind on this, still agree with what Mr Mumbler said - and my LCS will be catching me up.

There were a couple of disappointing comics this haul. I found The Spire 7 has lost me a little (well a lot), this is going to need a re-read when its all said and done. Klaus 4 if this wasn't a mini that I might as well see through, this would be dropped. Just not gripping or interesting compared to the Morrison norm. I'm not 100% on Cry Havoc 3 either, but I think its done just enough to get through the 3 issue barrier. But this one is still on watch.

Two IDW books are pushing their luck too. Both Rocketeer at War 2 and Ragnorak 8 are $4.99. $4.99 (have they been for a while now and I've just not noticed?). Both have some filler, but while the latter is such a stunningly good book, really it is and has a lovely shot of humour through a quite exquisite fight scene. All topped by a glorious cliffhanger, very close to book of the haul. The former is really pushing its luck, its a good comic, fun and rollicking as the Rocketeer should be, but for $4.99?

They're Not Like Us 12 and Nowhere Men 9 are at the other extreme, both $2.99. The former is really pushing things forward and while the second arc hasn't been quite as stella as the first, this seems to be setting up some interesting things to come. The later is in the middle of its not quite as good second arc, which started well, but seems to be whallowing a little at the moment... though when I think what's happening I do wonder if I'm spouting nonsense by saying that!

Hip Hop Family Tree 8 continues to squish in as much as it can, but is surely the best smelling comic out there. The smell of a good comic really shouldn't be under estimated. And Hercules 5 is fine, just a shame this seems to be being wrapped up immeshed in some crossover mini-series or other.

So four truly great comics left, to add to the truly great Ragnarok 8. They are Badger 2, just bonkers brilliant. Unfollow 6, just see above (or below as I set up the forum) as Hawkmumbler nails it. The change in artist and shift to a character focus don't make this miss a beat. Quite supreme comics. 11th Doctor - Year 2: 7 apart from the stupid title is brilliant. It really does feel like an entire 40 minute episode (a very good one) packed into 22 pages (or whatever). So much good stuff.

But you know what I'm going to give book of the haul to Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur 5. If so much fun has been packed into 20 pages (or whatever Marvel try to fleece us with these days behind their crappy cover stock) I can't remember when. Its just blinding good fun, so much so I forget to worry about the stuff in brackets I've just whined about. Alas I'm not sure how long this series is for the world, which is SUCH a shame as its so good at times and this issue is a prime example of that.

[Link Prime]

Two IDW books are pushing their luck too. Both Rocketeer at War 2 and Ragnorak 8 are $4.99. $4.99 (have they been for a while now and I've just not noticed?).

I'm quite certain that Ragnarok was $3.99 up until this issue.

[I, Cosh]

Two IDW books are pushing their luck too. Both Rocketeer at War 2 and Ragnorak 8 are $4.99. $4.99 (have they been for a while now and I've just not noticed?).

I'm quite certain that Ragnarok was $3.99 up until this issue.

Ragnarok cost me 2.99 GBP via Comixology. Isn't that the norm for a $3.99 comic?

[Colin YNWA]

Yeah that sounds about write but the physical one is defo $4.99 and £3.65 was the rate in my LCS - not good! Well except the comic is so watch me suck it up like a mug!

[Hawkmumbler]

I found The Spire 7 has lost me a little (well a lot), this is going to need a re-read when its all said and done.

I've been trade waiting this, primarily because I can't afford to buy as many comics as I would like but also because the premise didn't jump out at me. I love me some Si Spurrier as well everyone knows, so hopefully the TPB's aren't far off.

[Link Prime]

Well except the comic is so watch me suck it up like a mug!

Yeah, they can charge me what they like for this.

[Hawkmumbler]

Sometimes a small haul is better than no haul, eh?

On that note thank got I've got three glorious titles this week, Kennel Block Blues #3 might not be as air punchingly phenomenal as its predecessors but as it steams towards its conclusion it's been a hell of a ride and completely justifying the hype, just glorious comics. Following on from it The Maxx #30 is just another steady issue, another clear case of Sam Kieths genius, and one hell of a mind screw. It might be a standard issue of The Maxx, but theirs nothing standard about it.

Finally Weekly Shonen Jump #19, which is just ballsy brilliant as ever. Toriko is just running on pure adrenaline at this point, and I'm loving every second of it. The Assassination Classroom mini series continues to be silly, silly fun but delightful all the same.

[The Adventurer]

Just Spawn and The Autumnlands for me this week. But at least it's two good'ns.

[Hawkmumbler]

Just Spawn and The Autumnlands for me this week. But at least it's two good'ns.

You know, I've been meaning to read this since Larsen jumped on the book. With the impending Savage Dragon (and ANT) crossover I think it's time I did just that.

[The Adventurer]

I'm literally only reading it while Erik is onboard. If you like Dragon it should be right up your alley.

[Hawkmumbler]

I'm literally only reading it while Erik is onboard. If you like Dragon it should be right up your alley.

I get the feeling his time onboard will be brief, he seems to be using it as a way to springboard his own ANT series.

[The Adventurer]

He's said that if Todd's cool with it, he'd stay on it indefinitely. At very least through 300. Apparently, Cranking out Spawn pages is super easy for him

[Hawkmumbler]

Holy crap! Illustrating three books at once? Dude's a machine, and it's not like he's skimping on the details.