Every Wednesday (excluding some weeks with holidays, obviously), a wonderful thing happens. In comic shops around the globe -- both physical and digital -- a wave of all-new comic books will go on sale. Dozens of tempting options will be available to purchase, but unless you're Bruce Wayne or Tony Stark, the odds are pretty good that buying every single comic that catches your eye isn't the most practical way to use your money. So, every Monday, we're going to help you out. You know, because we're cool like that. The Comic Vine staff has reviewed the latest list of new releases and we're going to highlight the ones that we believe should be on your radar. Once you're all set seeing what we recommend, head to the comments section and tell the world what comics you're excited about. Your enthusiasm just may motivate another reader to check out a book!
Tony "G-Man" Guerrero's picks
THOR #1
There’s some big changes going on in this title. There are some that hate the idea of a ‘new’ female character taking the place of Thor and being worthy to wield Mjolnir. There are also some open to the idea of seeing how the story plays out. Regardless of what you think of the decision, it’s worth it to check out this issue to find out what’s going on. What should be kept in mind is Jason Aaron has been doing a great job in the previous THOR: GOD OF THUNDER series and he is still the writer here. Also, the Thor we all know is still in the book. He’s in this issue quite a bit. Check out the First Look we posted at the beginning of the month.
Marvel has also allowed early reviews to select media. That’s usually a good sign that they have faith in the title. What fascinates me most is the story we’re getting. There are some questions that we’ll want to find out the answers to. Changing the status quo can often be worrisome but they often result in interesting and new stories. I can’t say I’m all for the idea of Thor going through such changes but I sure as heck am going to read this series to see what happens next.
It should also be noted that Russell Dauterman’s art is amazing. Check out our early review HERE.
BUCKY BARNES: THE WINTER SOLDIER #1
Here’s a second title going some changes. This could be another situation where a character many love is now going in a new direction. This gives us the chance to see how a character can adapt or evolve in new settings. We get new kinds of stories rather than variations or attempts to capture what we’ve seen many many times before. I will admit I’m not 100% certain about this new direction but I am incredibly intrigued.
Another thing making the fear of the unknown easier to handle with Bucky is the fact that Ales Kot is writing the series. I’ve been loving what he’s doing in SECRET AVENGERS and ZERO. There’s also the incredible art by Marco Rudy. His art is the type that you need to be seated when you look at it. It can be pretty mind-blowing.
I have no idea where this series will go but I am thrilled to find out. Read our early review HERE.
NAILBITER #6
Joshua Williamson’s NAILBITER is an interesting book on different levels. There’s the obvious creepiness of the subject. In a small town, there’s been a history of serial killers all coming from the same place. The idea that these killers may or may not have some sort of connection to each other gets to think about could cause this sort of thing. We also have a story that hooks you on each page. There’s a big mystery going on. Williamson doesn’t string you along with them. We recently got a pretty big revelation, one that I thought would play out a lot longer. This just shows that there is much more going on and Williamson is cooking up some crazy stuff.
Mike Henderson is a great artist as well. He knows how to set up the creepy situations and has given each character a great look. And check out that cover. What the heck is going on? It most likely won’t be something that actually happens in the book but it’s pretty freaky.
CAPTAIN AMERICA #25
Here’s another Marvel title going through some big changes. Steve Rogers isn’t the man he used to be. With the Super Soldier Serum in his body neutralized, he is no longer able to be Captain America. This isn’t the first time he’s given up the role so it’s likely we can sit back and enjoy the stories until his hopeful return.
It can be considered a big risk to shake up iconic characters. We’ve already seen many fans outraged over the idea of change. Marvel wouldn’t make these big changes unless they had the stories to back up the ideas. Getting a small burst of attention and failing to deliver would result in a loss of sales in the bigger picture. The story here is intriguing as well.
This issue isn’t just dealing with us getting a new Captain America. There are other loose ends that need to be dealt with. It seems a little odd that the cover is implying we don’t know who the new Cap is and in the preview, things don’t look good for Falcon. You’ll want to read this to find out what’s going on.
GUARDIANS 3000 #1
Dan Abnett returns to the Guardians of the Galaxy. Sort of. We’re all riding the wave of happiness from the theatrical release of the modern Guardians but Marvel has decided to relaunch a series with the team that first used the name. It’s a strange move but I couldn’t be more excited. These were obviously the first Guardians I knew. In a time where we didn’t get hammered over the head with tons of comic stories set in the future continuity of a comic universe, it was a blast seeing what the Marvel Universe could hold. These characters really grew on me and I can’t wait to see how they’re depicted this time around.
To make it even better, Dan Abnett, the man responsible for jump starting the modern Guardians, is now going back and focusing on the original team. Gerardo Sandoval’s art looks great along with Edgar Delgado’s colors. From the preview you can see the action is intense and if you read our interview with Abnett and saw the preview images, you know things might be getting pretty bad for the team. You can read our early review HERE.
Mat "Inferiorego" Elfring's picks
LOBO #1
Oh Cullen Bunn is just going to write yet ANOTHER villain book? ...I'm in. Give him all the villains! What? You don't think Lobo is a villain? Well, I do, so that's all that matters right now. SINESTRO has been rad. MAGNETO has been rad. I can only assume, by his track record, that LOBO will also contain ample amounts of radness. In addition, we have Reilly Brown doing the art, which just excites me even more. I have no clue what to expect from this book, but I can say I love the look of the New 52 Lobo much more than pre-Flashpoint Lobo. It's a fantastic update. Oh, you don't like that opinion? Too bad. You should read this book because the creative team is awesome.
MEN OF WRATH #1
I'm always looking for something a little bit different. I like trying not only new series, but genres that are a little unexpected. I really enjoy Jason Aaron as a writer. The guy got me excited about Thor, which has never really happened before, so I figure I'd give something else of his a shot. Men of Wrath is about a hitman and possibly a curse hanging over a family. Sounds pretty interesting and with Ron Garney on art, I'm pretty excited to check this one out.
Honorable Mention: ARMOR HUNTERS: AFTERMATH #1
Gregg "k4tz" Katzman's picks
TMNT #38
There's so many cheesy idioms and things I could say about why I love this series ("it's overflowing with T-U-R-T-L-E POWER!") but the simple fact is this is a really, really good series. It's focused on character and has surprisingly dark moments, but it never loses sight of the need to have fun and excite, either. At the end of the day, it's simply a very well written book and the creative team has been making plenty of good changes to the mythos without ever straying too far from familiarity. It's a book any casual TMNT fan can pick up and fall in love with.
As if the consistently great writing isn't enough, there's another selling point: artist Mateus Santolouco and colorist Ronda Pattison. These two talented people create pages that are just so fitting for the franchise. They're expressionate, energetic, bright and thrilling. Oh, and I'll give you one more reason while you're here: there's more of Slash in this one!
INJUSTICE: YEAR TWO ANNUAL #1
Injustice fans, this is going to be a good week (well, hopefully). Not only will YEAR THREE begin this Tuesday, but we're also getting a special annual issue on Wednesday. It looks like this chapter will take place an unspecified amount of time before YEAR TWO's finale and focuses on two stories: one with Hal Jordan and Thaal Sinestro, and the other with Barbara and James Gordon. If you've read YEAR TWO, then you obviously know why this has to take place before its end.
The Gordons story has the potential for a more intimate story, one that'll give the issue the chance to tell a more emotional and compelling story. Meanwhile, the one between Hal and Thaal (say that 10 times fast) has plenty of room to focus on morals and give us a little more insight into these two cosmic characters, but this one also has the opportunity to hit us with more spectacle and pack some exciting visuals. INJUSTICE has been consistently enjoyable and the last annual was terrific, so I see no reason why I shouldn't be excited for this one. And you know what? If you like Injustice, you should be excited, too.
DEATH OF WOLVERINE #3
DEATH OF WOLVERINE is badass, emotional, and gorgeous. Sure, it's a bummer this is likely leading to Logan ending up 6 feet under, but at least Charles Soule and Steve McNiven are giving us an awesome adventure before the X-Man is finally to put rest. Maybe if we're lucky they'll be the team to bring Wolvie back as well.
There's two big reasons why this is winning me over so much: Soule's handling of James Howlett and McNiven's absurdly good artwork. The former is such a nice change of pace. Wolverine's every bit as tough as you'd expect him to be, but there's a heart in there and he's wise. Not only that, but he also hasn't magically forgotten about the fact he's one of the world's most skilled fighters. As for McNiven, well, just look at the preview and see for yourself. Your eyes will thank you.
Honorable Mention: ROBOCOP #4
Jen "MissJ" Aprahamian's picks
GOTHAM ACADEMY #1
Becky Cloonan, Brenden Fletcher, and Karl Kerschl are going to show us an entirely different side of Gotham with this month's debut of GOTHAM ACADEMY, introducing brand new characters and a point of view we haven't seen before -- while keeping a few familiar faces around. It's a super fresh take on the city, revealing glimpses of Gotham outside of the usual realm of bats, clowns, cops, and killers. Titles like GOTHAM ACADEMY expand the range of the DC lineup by skewing towards different demographics (this one's billed as a teen drama), and I'm excited to see what this talented team will deliver.
THE FADE OUT #2
Brubaker + Phillips + Breitweiser = a power combo for a crime noir piece, and I can't wait to see where things pick up after last month's dramatic opening. THE FADE OUT immerses us in glamorous 40s Hollywood, and the creative team is nailing the aesthetic and spinning up an intriguing story. There's mystery, (possibly) murder, lies, addiction, and a film industry that stops for nobody. Add in a compelling collection of monthly-exclusive backmatter, and this one's too cool to trade-wait.
Corey "Undeadpool" Schroeder's picks
MOON KNIGHT #8
Brian Wood and Greg Smallwood have some enormous shoes to fill after the departure of series architects Warren Ellis and Declan Shalvey, but they are poised to deliver after a great introductory issue. The tone and tenor set by Ellis and Shalvey are intact, but the style is completely different and I think that's a great thing. It looks like we're getting an ongoing story arc, a departure from the previous style of one-shot, relatively self-contained stories. This is a smart move as continuing the previous style would have only invited unfair comparisons, and it seems clear that this team is out to carve their own path with one of Marvel's most beloved cult heroes.
SILVER SURFER #6
The whimsy flows strongly from this one! Silver Surfer has often had a tough time becoming a character that audiences could identify with, and therefore want to follow for more than a few issues. Apparently having mastery of all energy and boundless cosmic awareness makes a character difficult to view on a "human" level. Dan Slott set out to shake things up and who better to recruit for that purpose than the Allreds? Watching Norin try to keep up with Dawn has been a delight, and while last issue gave us a Defenders reunion (of sorts), it looks like it's time for another story arc to begin and I'm on the edge of my seat waiting to see what cosmic mishaps await.
WONDER WOMAN #34
The mythic tale that redefined an icon will soon be coming to a close, but Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang aren't quite ready to give up the reins yet and they're sending Diana out with some spectacular buildup which, based on past issues, I'm ready to assume ends in some pretty glorious payoff. The First Born has been so built up and well-established as not only a credible threat, but getting close to Wonder Woman's version of Doomsday, but with more...let's say "personality." We've got one issue after this in their run, but I'm already on pins-and-needles to see how the end begins.
Visit the A.V. Club for more preview pages.
Honorable Mention: EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE #4
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