New comics are due to hit the shelves on Wednesday so here’s a look ahead at some of the books we’ll be picking up this week.
Andy H: A good mix of titles to check out and feast your eyeballs on this week. Some big guns return and an old favourite comes to an end. I'll start with my favourite miniseries of the moment though which is Wild's End: Enemy Within. I've talked about this series several times already so I won't put you through that again. Suffice to say it continues to impress and after the events of issue #2, issue #3 is eagerly awaited as our band of heroes are separated from each other and the odds are stacked against them. Black Magick #1 made a cracking start last month and I look forward to more great work from Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott. Combining a police procedural series mixed with magic may not be anything new but this was done really well and promises greatness ahead, hopefully. It's another of the creator-driven books that have dominated Image Comics in recent times and reminds us how much Image has changed over the years. On that note we say farewell to one of the founding books of the Image 'Universe'. After a 20-year run, Witchblade takes it's final bow. For me, at the beginning, Image was Spawn, Darkness, Savage Dragon and Witchblade (there were others of course) but now we're just down to Spawn and Savage Dragon and they don't have the pull they used to. Series writer Ron Marz is joined by Matt Hawkins and several previous Witchblade artists as we say goodbye to Sara Pezzini. Of course the big talking point of this week's releases is bound to be Dark Knight III: The Master Race #1. Returning to the world of Frank Miller's Dark Knight, after a break of about 14 years, this is the conclusion of the DK trilogy (or possibly not as there's already talk of a fourth volume). Anyhoo, Frank has not been well and has enlisted the help of some very capable talent for this book. He is joined by co-writer Brian Azzarello and has given the art duties to Andy Kubert and Klaus Janson. The original Dark Knight Returns is a classic - it got me back into comics - but I think Dark Knight Strikes Again was lacking something. So hopes are high that this creative team can make this a return to form. Sadly DC have gone mad with their marketing of the series - I'm sure it would have been snapped up by fans in a regular format but with a mini comic included and then a reprint two weeks later and a multitude of variant covers it's all a bit overkill for me. All I want to do is read the thing, call me old fashioned if you like! The rest of this Wednesday's pull is pretty much Marvel-based. Mark Waid takes Phil Coulson and his agents off to Asgard in S.H.I.E.L.D. #12, 'Vader Down' continues in Darth Vader #13 and as having something quirky on my list is a must, I'll give Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur #1 a whirl and see what it has to offer.
Kenny J: It’s a flurry of number one issues for me this week. First up is Dark Knight III: The Master Race #1. There is no doubting Frank Miller’s contribution to the comic industry. The Dark Knight Returns remains seminal and it's the go to recommendation along with Joss Whedon’s Astonishing X-Men for people wanting to get into superhero comics. However, in recent years Miller’s work has gotten a little mixed up with his personal politics and with a title like The Master Race I’m sure this won’t be an exception. That said, I’m willing to take a look at this third instalment to a series I’ve loved. You just can never tell which Frank Miller you are going to get! I wear my love for pro wrestling on my sleeve. Therefore, Ringside may be the first comic that finally unites my two hobbies of comics and sport entertainment. Rather than trying to turn these athletes into superhumans like so many failed WWE attempts at books before, this title will focus on the often tragic backstage stories of the industry. Of course it wouldn't be a wrestling comic if there wasn't any in ring action and Nick Barber’s kinetic art is perfect for this. The last but definitely not the least of this trio of new releases is Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur #1. I know this isn’t for everyone, and it may seem that Marvel is shifting a lot of its books away from their traditional demographic, but just look at that creative team! Amy Reeder and Brandon Montclare’s Rocket Girl has been one of my favourite books of recent years. Joined by Natacha Bustos on big, bold, colourful art, and I’m sure everyone will soon be loving the new Moon Girl and her giant reptilian friend.
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