Wednesday: the magnificent day all of us comic book fans look forward to. It's almost here and with it will come a flood of brand new comics for us to read. The only bad thing is it can sometimes be pretty tough deciding which issues to purchase, especially if you're working with a budget. Well, we're here to help you out. The Comic Vine staff has looked over the latest list of new releasesand each of us are going to tell you about some comics that we believe are worthy of your attention. If a comic you're excited about isn't highlighted below, go ahead and give it some love in the comments. That may just motivate one of your fellow readers to give it a shot, after all.
Tony "G-Man" Guerrero's picks
CONVERGENCE #0
This is the big one. You’ve likely seen the video narrated by Dan DiDio that reveals a bit about the set up. The whole idea of some of the past versions of the characters we love still being alive is fascinating. What felt like a two-month set of fillers has grown into something much bigger with each bit of information we find out.
The fact that this ties into Superman’s “lost days” after DOOMED is interesting. It puts into context and perspective for those that need a sense of continuity. There may still be readers on the fence with the various books coming out these next two months but this is clearly one to check out to get a taste of what it’s all really about. This could be the perfect way to decide just how invested in these books you will become.
Visit USA Today if you want to read two more preview pages.
UNCANNY INHUMANS #0
The more I read of Charles Soule’sINHUMAN, the more I get sold on the Inhumans overall. We know Marvel is pushing the Inhumans and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. So far we’ve seen some great new and old characters in the INHUMAN series. With a second book coming along with the teaser we saw, this is something worth checking out. Plus, like with CONVERGENCE this week, it’s a zero issue. It’s going to set things up and give you an idea if you want to jump on board.
There’s also the fact that Soule is reuniting with Steve McNiven. There’s no way I’m going to miss this.
GOTHAM ACADEMY ENDGAME #1
I truly love GOTHAM ACADEMY. It’s been a great series so far and I’ve come to really look forward to seeing what crazy situations the new characters will find themselves in. Last week we saw the end of the first arc which really established who the core characters are and had them form a nice bond with each other.
This may be an Endgame tie-in, but it appears to be more of a chance to allow the characters take part in telling different stories as they remain safely locked away from the madness that has hit Gotham City. We may not have art by Karl Kerschl, as originally solicited, but will we get some other great artists jumping in on the different tales.
Go to Comics Alliance for two more preview pages.
SPIDER-GWEN #3
Gwen as Spider-Woman is starting to find her place in her comic world and our hearts. She’s still trying to balance the different parts of her life (or I suppose we should say lives), and it’s not going to get any easier. While it’s great seeing her father alive and on the police force, the fact that we have Frank Castle as an officer and Matt Murdock on the other side of the law, both are pretty much guaranteed to cause serious problems for Spider-Gwen.
Another great thing about this series besides the fresh feeling of the characters is the fact this is also a new universe for us. We don’t have to worry about decades of continuity or history. Each moment or character appearance is new for us. It amps up the excitement and there’s the feeling that anything can happen.
Mat "Inferiorego" Elfring's picks
X-O MANOWAR #35
It's no secret that I've been loving this series since day one, but somehow, almost magically, the book keeps getting better and better. The first part of "Dead Hand" led with an interesting villain. Dead Hand is presented in a very cool way in the last issue. It's a robotic, alien force that is going to be almost impossible for Aric to defeat, so it seems for now. Robert Venditti has really crafted not only what is essentially a really solid super-hero book but also a fantastic science fiction book. Dead Hand may not be the best place to jump on but it's clear enough for new readers to pick up. If you've ever been interested in Valiant, this is the book you need to read.
TRUE BELIEVERS: THE AGE OF APOCALYPSE #1
Strangely enough, I'm about to recommend a comic that came out when I was a teenager and the current cover price is less expensive than it was back in the mid-90s. AoA is just a solid alternate universe story that made me fall in love with comic books and the stories they tell. The characters are familiar but they each have a new twist on them to make them all really stand out, especially Cyclops' sweet haircut. Aside from AoA being a part of the upcoming SECRET WARS event, this is just a fun story and the reason why everything happens is even cooler, so if you've never read the original AoA, there is no reason not to pick this up.
Gregg "k4tz" Katzman's picks
BATMAN AND ROBIN ANNUAL #3
Before Patrick Gleason takes over writing and illustrating Damian's future, Peter J. Tomasi has one story left to tell about the Dynamic Duo. Seeing as BATMAN AND ROBIN #40 was so enjoyable and the run has been so strong, this final issue sure does come with high expectations. I can't say the premise has me all that intrigued (see the preview below), but Tomasi always delivers on the father-son dynamic.
Considering this is his last issue to work with the relationship, you'd hope he's going to give it everything he's got. We know their relationship can be funny thanks to Damian's personality and the way Bruce responds to his sons remarks and actions, but let's hope this also offers some more emotional and compelling moments before the series reaches its very end. Given Tomasi's history with the two heroes, I don't think that's a far-fetched thing to expect.
THE PUNISHER #17
Frank Castle vs. Sam Wilson, the new Captain America? Yes, please! The combination of Frank refusing to go all-out against a hero, his limited ammo, and the location should make this a very, very entertaining brawl. Even if it has a generic ending ("I now understand why you're doing this, Frank, so the hero vs. hero fight is over!"), it's still loaded with potential to be good fun.
I have faith in Nathan Edmondson to make the fight play out in a very amusing way and I most definitely have a ton of faith in artist Mitch Gerads to make it all look awesome and give us creative looks at the hero on action battle. I just hope we get a little more follow-up with Sammy. I mean, after what she's endured, she definitely deserves more of the spotlight, right?
KANAN: THE LAST PADAWAN #1
The future of Star Wars -- on the big screen, that is -- is going to be all about what's happening afterReturn of the Jedi. However, Star Wars Rebels, which shows the era between the Clone Wars and A New Hope, still has plenty of stories left to tell us. The animated series made us grow attached to the Ghost's crew, and now the gang's Jedi, Kanan Jarrus, is going to get way more attention. The dude already received plenty of spotlight in the show, but this will take us back to a critical time for him and reveal how he was impacted by a not-so-friendly thing called Order 66.
The biggest selling point of them all? It's written by Greg Weisman! Pepe Larraz really won me over with his artwork on DEADPOOL VS. X-FORCE, so it's clear this comic has a very talented team behind it. This really should be an obvious pick up for any fan of the franchise.
Honorable Mention: RETURN OF THE LIVING DEADPOOL #3
Corey "Undeadpool" Schroder's picks
THE WITCHER: FOX CHILDREN #1
With last year's WITCHER limited series, Paul Tobin and Joe Querio showed that they are the go-to creative team for a standalone story of Geralt di Rivia that feels like a genuine part of the larger mythos. Like their last tale, this sounds like it's going to take place in a single, somewhat confined space which is a great formula for horror as well as a great excuse for characters to get to know one another quickly, and based on how it went last time, I'm excited to fill in more blanks in one of fiction's most fascinating characters' lives.
BATMAN ETERNAL #52
Here we are. We've come to the end of what has truly been an epic ride. There have, of course, been comic series that have gone well beyond fifty two issues, but this one feels like something special as it had no business, on paper, being as good as it turned out. And while the series has had its narrative ups and downs, as well as some in terms of the quality, the downs have never been terribly low and the ups have been consistently high. It all ends here after a shocking double-twist over two issues, and when it's all said and done, I might actually wind up missing a consistent dose of Batman every week. Something I never thought I'd be saying.
AVENGERS #43
Spiraling madly toward what feels like an inevitable finale has rarely felt more enthralling and captivating. We all know Secret Wars is where this story ends, but Jonathan Hickman isn't resting on his laurels or allowing the anticipation of the mega-event be the driving force behind this book: each issue, for better or worst, is about massive ideas and mind-bending concepts. Mike Mayhew's got a unique, interesting style that should fit perfectly with the bizarre, often high-concept world that Hickman has crafted, and I'm legitimately excited to see these two creators work together.
Honorable Mention: NAILBITER #11
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