We went through the 1,000+ June catalog items to pick out the potentially best and brightest comics. Take a look below to see what is on tap:
Tons of cool new series. A lot of horror heading up to Halloween. And some really oddities. Check out what is on tap.
20 Degrees Past Rigor #1 – Rodeny Barnes new self published title expanding the Killadelphia world.
All New Henry & Glenn Comics and Stories #1 – Everyone’s favorite aging punk odd couple lights up the page once more in the first all-new Henry & Glenn floppy comic in a decade. Inside you’ll find ‘I Don’t Want to be Buried,’ the first chapter of a brand new story written and drawn by Tom Neely. Our squabbling, loving heroes have adopted a new cat they named Iggy. Iggy and Henry become best friends, but Glenn has a lot of trouble connecting with the new kitty. Also, Henry gets cast in a new movie directed by Jon Twaters; so Glenn gets left home alone with Iggy and it does not go well! You’ll also find a retrospective of Henry & Glenn lore and collectibles, and a comic short True Tale of Henry & Glenn featuring the time Tom sat on a plane next to the drummer for Samhain.
Autumn Kingdom #1 – In the borderlands between imagination and reality, horror and fantasy, master storyteller Cullen Bunn and visionary artist Christopher Mitten begin one family’s labyrinthine descent through a perilous forest where the local folklore is anything but a myth . . . Bestselling author Andrew Kier found the perfect place to finish his latest dark-fantasy novel-an idyllic, remote cabin on the edge of a lush Swedish forest. His young daughters, Sommer and Winter, gleefully explore . . . until they happen upon a strange clearing of ancient statues: goblins, dwarves, elves, and a warrior queen mysteriously missing her swordhand and weapon. When something sinister follows the girls home and viciously snatches their parents in the night, the sisters’ only hope may be that ancient relic, lost in the forest underbrush, waiting for a new champion to take it up . . .
Batman the Barbarian #1 – EISNER AWARD-WINNER GREG SMALLWOOD UNLEASHES A BRUTAL NEW BATMAN! In a world where unspeakable beasts slither through silent temples, and sorcerers pledge innocent lives as blood sacrifices to incomprehensible cosmic designs, only one man has the strength of will and brute force required to protect the people who would become prey…the fearsome, blade-wielding Batman! But when the all-seeing Oracle warns him of a looming shadow creeping across the land, he will have to contend with foes that cannot be dispatched by sword alone…including the terrible memory of the catastrophe in which he was made! Eisner Award-winning artist Greg Smallwood unleashes a brutal new vision of Bruce Wayne, shot through with high-fantasy hallmarks and awe-inspiring reimaginings of the classic Batman rogues gallery!
Blade Red Band #1 – New Blade series in the more gory Red Band format.
Corvus #1 – Daryn Dall is just a normal dude working at a video game store when his life gets turned upside down by some freaky looking aliens, a journey into his own subconscious, and an intergalactic grassroots paramilitary group. Just another day at Game Space!
Dark Empty Void #1 – Scientists have created a stable, microscopic black hole in a secret underground compound, but when they lose control, the black hole spews out a cosmic maelstrom, strange dangerous creatures, and most surprisingly a mysterious human teenage girl. Now, a depressed but brilliant psychologist must help her estranged husband and the other scientists solve the mystery and close the black hole before it consumes all of Earth. Dare to witness a cosmic horror series that will amaze and terrify you, with hit comic creator Zack Kaplan
Dazzler #1 – Marvel’s glittering mutant songstress, has been in and out of the limelight over the years – but now the time has finally come for her to take center stage! Dazzler embarks on a new world tour, the culmination and celebration of her entire musical career! And along for the ride is her new road crew: Domino, Strong Guy and Multiple Man! But while Dazzler may be ready to focus on her music, her celebrity-mutant status and a violent attack may sideline the entire endeavor
Dead Eyes the Empty Frames #1 – The world’s most unkillable comic is out of hiding and back stomping around Boston. At the end of the first volume, the masked hood known as Dead Eyes picked up a clue as to the location of the paintings swiped in the largest private art heist in America. Can Dead Eyes and Wheels take down the score while avoiding the cops and the mafia?
Goobers #1 – Clayton Lowe is headed back to his small Southern hometown. His new friends from grad school are about to meet his old friends from high school and discover that something may have finally changed in the town where nothing ever changes: Pine Cove is ground zero for an infestation of body-snatching alien-bugs. Time to bury the past, a body-snatching splatter-fest of horror and humor!
Horizon Experiment the Manchurian #1 – Tula Lotay cover. A Muslim exorcist, a reverse Indiana Jones, and more. THE HORIZON EXPERIMENT are one-shots created by comics, film, and TV superstars, providing new POVs on popular genres and acting as pilots for new series. It starts with THE MANCHURIAN, a Chinese James Bond running covert missions in America for the enemy
Knights vs Samurai #1 – Sir Charles Ward, “The Dragon Butcher,” has achieved knighthood, acclaim, and is leading a legion of royal warriors on a noble mission, yet his self-doubt and grief haunt him. Venturing to a mysterious island in the Far East, Charles leads his diverse assembly of fighters (including a giant and two clerics) to seek vengeance against savage monsters who ambushed a group of English missionaries. Arrival on the island reveals that the truth may be drastically different from what Charles was led to believe, and the “savage monsters” he will face are actually a regiment of skillful warriors the likes of which he has never seen.
Marvel Zombies Dawn of Decay #1 (of 4) (Galloway Connect Variant) – A NEW ZOMBIE VIRUS IS UNLEASHED AND GROOT IS PATIENT ZERO! Groot feels bad – not only because Rocket’s latest scheme put them firmly in the crosshairs of the Avengers, but also he’s just plain sick! Sap-dripping nose and all. Things go from bad to apocalyptic, however, after an ill-timed sneeze in Captain America’s face has unforeseeable consequences! Suddenly, Groot is being attacked by a horde of zombified Avengers, and only he and Hulk, with his impenetrable green skin, remain impervious. Now it’s up to these two heroes to team up and fight their way through a blighted New York City to Banner’s lab in Avengers Tower to find a cure before it’s too late. But can Groot keep the hero in check and on track, or will Hulk unleash his deadly might on the zombies they once called friends?
Minor Arcana #1 – Theresa, the daughter of a small-town ‘psychic’ fraud, returns home to care for her ailing mother, however begrudgingly. But when Theresa discovers that there may be more to the magic than she originally believed, she’ll find herself caught up in a town that desperately needs her help One of the most renowned creators in comics, New York Times bestselling and award-winning writer and artist Jeff Lemire (Descender, Black Hammer) arrives at BOOM! Studios with an extra-length opening chapter of a must-read ongoing series inspired by, and intricately linked to, the tarot and perfect for fans of his creator-owned work as well as Helen of Wyndhorn and Locke & Key.
Prairie Gods #1 – Created by the artist of Nottingham, Prairie Gods is The Twilight Zone meets Sin City. Each self-contained issue centers on supernatural events and characters in and around the small prairie town of Broadacres. The series will resonate with fans of Hellboy, while the shifting genres and themes will appeal to fans of Westerns, crime, racecar movies, lost treasure serials, and war stories-with a dose of action throughout. The first exhilarating story features Freddy Davis, a champion race car driver, who has returned home to Broadacres. He buys the abandoned speedway intending to race its only undefeated driver: the Devil himself.
Seance in the Asylum #1 – 1865. Defrauded spiritual medium Alicia Wilkinson is brought to The Ashcroft Hospital at the behest of Dr. John James Templeton. He offers Alicia a second chance to revive her once-thriving career: Perform a séance amongst the patients in order to drawing out their mental maladies. Alicia performs her first series of séances with the patients—including traumatized soldiers returning from the Civil War, women whose sanity has slipped through their fingers—only to realize their sessions might work all too well. What no one knows is Alicia is a fake. A liar. A cheat… So why are the patients suddenly acting possessed?
Silence #1 – A 3-part psychological horror comic series. Former superstar comic book artist Stanley Kane appears to suffer cardiac arrest while in the taxi of his mysterious driver. He awakens in a hospital, to the scolding words of his agent, who arranges for some much needed rest and relaxation, in the tiny town of Silence, Michigan. All appears tranquil, until Stanley discovers a mysterious native amulet, that turns his angry creations into reality.
Spirits of Vengeance #1 – JOHNNY BLAZE! DANNY KETCH! ROBBIE REYES! THE HOOD! KUSHALA! Many have borne the title SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE and as its most recent claimant has embarked on its final ride to explosive results, others still stir in the darker corners of the Marvel Universe! And one, in particular, has a stronger connection to two Ghost Riders than the rest, and after years, it’s ready to show its fangs again at last
Through Red Windows #1 – RAM V teams up with artist extraordinaire Joëlle Jone to tell a modern horror story that will leave you guessing until the bitter end! When ailing Plutocrat, Harlan Roderick, invites his young protégé Athul Laal to live at Roderick Place in downtown Manhattan, what Athul believes this to be his first step into the inner circle of the world’s elite, soon turns into a living nightmare. Athul discovers that Harlan and his illness are inextricably connected to the 73-story building, in which, behind each door, lie secrets and monsters from both Harlan and Athul’s own lives. Lala’s ambition gets the better of him and the higher he climbs in the company (and the building!) the deeper and darker becomes the danger to his life .and maybe his soul. THROUGH RED WINDOWS is a pulse-pounding thriller loosely inspired by Edgar Allan Poe but with a very modern twist. Not for the feint of heart!
Tin Can Society #1 – The first stunning issue of a brand-new series from Giant Generator showcasing the first graphic novel work by screenwriter Peter Warren (The Incal feature film, Kill Me) with jaw-dropping art by Francesco Mobili (X-Men, Scumbag) and beautifully colored by Chris Chuckry (New X-Men). Johnny Moore is a world-famous tech mogul known as much for his work pioneering mobility aids for people with disabilities (like himself) as he is for moonlighting as the metal-suited vigilante, Caliburn. But when Johnny is found murdered and his suit stolen, his estranged childhood best friends reunite to solve the mystery of his murder. The Tin Can Society is a heartfelt and human look at the evolution of friendships across a lifetime, at disability and ableism, and the destructive power of fame.
Ufo Robot Grendizer #1 – BASED ON THE 1970S CULT CLASSIC, UFO ROBOT GRENDIZER! DUKE FLEED’S STORY CONTINUES IN THIS LONG-AWAITED SEQUEL TO THE SEMINAL MAZINGER MECHA FRANCHISE! The war between the forces of Vega and Grendizer is but a distant memory. But from the confines of space, the RUIN DIVISION emerges with the most powerful Saucer Beast: THE HYDRAGON. Under siege, pilot DUKE FLEED has no choice but join the fight and reawaken the MIGHTY ROBOT GRENDIZER or risk the world he once fought so hard to protect.
Vendetta Holy Vindicator – Outsider comic. Vendetta returns to his home of Omega City, and is confronted by a deadly new threat. Satanz Riderz are a blood-thirsty gang led by three new villains! Also, the Black Dagger comes looking for Roger Stone, and Lord Leviathan has plans for another doomed soul. First new issue in 30 years!
What if Donald Duck Became Thor #1 – IS THIS FOWL WORTHY OF THE HAMMER OF THOR?! When DONALD DUCK chaperones HUEY, DEWEY AND LOUIE on an archaeological trip to search for ancient Viking artifacts, he finds more than he bargained for when he comes across the STONE DUCKS FROM SATURN preparing for an invasion. But everything changes when he discovers an enchanted cane that causes an egg-ceptional transformation, gifting him with the POWER OF THOR! Can he learn how to use his new abilities in time to save DUCKBURG before he changes back? Find out in this mind-twisting retelling of THE MIGHTY THOR’S THUNDEROUS ORIGIN!
Woodstake #1 – Jon Harper is struggling to launch his magazine, Psych & Roll before his father cuts off his financial support. Jon, his girlfriend, Nina, and his best friend, Artie travel from San Francisco to Woodstock while the vampire settles an old score and learns about the music festival.
One and Done
Tibbi & Her Psychedelic Mushrooms #1 – BOTANICAL GENIUS CREATES COSMICALLY FUNKY FUNGI! WE BE (TIME-)TRIPPIN NOW! Tibbi is a fan of psychedelic mushrooms who puts her advanced degrees in botany and chemistry to good use by creating her own new strain of funny fungus. Enjoy her first time-traveling romp of a trip in this fantastic first issue. Time travel, dinosaurs and bubble baths await. $4.20 Cover Price. Also has a Psychedelic B Cover
Notable Reprints
Amazing Spider-Man #260 Facsimile Ed – Continuing a Facsimile celebration of the early days of Spider-Man’s black costume, which he has now discovered is really an alien symbiote intending to bond with him forever! Spidey may believe he’s done with the black costume now that he’s back in his classic suit – hunting down the Hogboblin and figuring out what connection he has to the criminal mastermind known as the Rose – but even trapped in the Fantastic Four’s Baxter Building HQ, the symbiote is thinking of escape!
Detective Comics #400 Facsimile Edition – THE HARROWING FIRST APPEARANCE OF MAN-BAT! This classic Bronze Age tale, penciled by master Batman artist Neal Adams
Uncanny X-Men #274 – Sparks fly in the Savage Land – between Rogue and Magneto! The powerhouse X-Man joins forces with their greatest enemy, but could there be something more between them than a mere alliance? They’ll fight alongside Ka-Zar and Zabu against the wicked Zaladane, who has erected six towers in the Savage Land and is now in sync with Earth’s magnetic field. With her newfound power, she has scrambled all communication in the area – and the effects of her mad quest are already felt far away! The epic battle features dinosaurs, Mutates, Nick Fury – and Rogue in her iconic Savage Land ensemble, courtesy of superstar artist Jim Lee! It’s one of the all-time great Marvel comic books, boldly re-presented in its original form, ads and all!
Small Press Spotlight
Mark Spears Monsters #1 – Following the successful kickstarter. From award-winning artist Mark Spears (Spawn, Action Comics, Kneel Before Zod, Power Rangers, Rat City, and upcoming Spawn ’77) comes all-new horror series Monsters! Based on his hit trading card series of the same name, Spears brings classic monsters to life with a modern twist. Set in the early 1980s, a retired Monster Slayer from a forgotten era learns that an old friend has disappeared, and a malevolent force from his past has resurfaced. Reluctantly, the mysterious Slayer is pulled back into the realm of the supernatural, determined to confront the ancient evil once again and prevent it from wreaking havoc on the world once more. Meanwhile, two seasoned detectives are investigating a series of grisly murders, and a group of kids embark on their own adventure after witnessing what they believe to be their recently deceased neighbor wandering the streets at night.
Werewolf Frankenstein Special Edition – Frankenstein’s Monster is already plagued with loneliness and immortality. Now the horror of his existence is compounded with a new curse! Time is running out as the lycanthropy slowly spreads from limb to limb, organ to organ-until it eventually infects his brain and his meager humanity is lost forever! Can he find a cure in time? For fans of Universal Monsters, Disney’s Gargoyles, and The Hulk.
Cover Themes of the Month
Nicola Scott Artist Spotlight Nicola Scott does some great covers featuring variations on DC characters costumes through the years