Happy New Year, CHU Nation! Hope everyone made it through the holidays healthy and safe.
Despite Marvel taking yet another week off, there are surprisingly a good number of books to talk about this week.
Judge These Books By Their Covers
The terrible origin of the Gotham Below– and of those responsible for protecting its maddening secrets–is revealed! Batman and Talon have fought their way through the underground city’s nightmarish villains to rescue Jevony, but has the Batman Below already twisted his mind past the point of saving?
When it comes to “maddening” covers, Bill Sienkiewicz is one of the best. Which is why I’m going for this cover if I grab this book.
How ironic that a lot of the variant covers for this “uncovered” book are pretty lame. Cover A would have made a much better choice for a foil. I’m not sure how this one will look in a foil, to be honest. But this pick is (1) for the foil and (2) negative space collectors out there.
Sinister Sons #1 (of 6) (Two Kids in a Trenchcoat Acetate Variant)
Is it too soon to bring back the acetate covers? Still feels that way to me. But here comes one. The sons of Zod and Sinestro are teaming up in this series.
Poison Ivy #19 (Fruit of Knowledge Foil Variant)
Long has her tale been told by others, but witness for the first time–in intimate detail–the one true secret origin of Poison Ivy, as revealed by the viridescent villainess herself.
Everyone knows this series has had some stunning covers. But this issue may be one to pick up for the read as well. And why not grab the foil version of Cover A?
Titans Beast World #6 (of 6) (Lenticular Variant)
DC still going with the lenticulars here. I haven’t seen one yet to know how it stands up to past years (which were pretty good).
If At First You Don’t Suceed…Reprint
Batman #428 Robin Lives (2nd Ptg – Jim Aparo Card Stock Variant)
In case you missed the first print, here’s your second chance. How often do you see Batman smiling on a cover these days? And praising the lord on top of that?
Batman #428 Robin Lives (2nd Ptg Cover A)
And the “black, white and bloody red” for those of you who like their Robin’s dead. (I just realized that rhymes…).
This is the book DC should have made lenticular. Tilt it side-to-side to go from a dead Robin to “He Lives! Thank God!” I would pay money to see that.
Void Rivals #5 (3rd Ptg Flaviano Connecting Cover)
I don’t think this list would be complete without a Void Rivals later printing. And as I’ve pointed out before, Quintesson covers are hard to come by.
Still waiting to see Duke #1 go to a 2nd print, though.
It’s What’s On The Inside…
Batman #142 (Cover A – Giuseppe Camuncoli & Stefano Nesi)
Joker Year 1 starts here. I love a good Red Hood cover too, so highlighting cover A. Now when are we going to get a facsimile of Detective #168, DC Comics??!!
And for those who can’t resist shiny covers, there is a foil variant.
Batman #142 (Cover F – Foil Variant)
Suicide Squad Kill Arkham Asylum #1 (of 5)
Before the Suicide Squad sets their sights on the corrupted Justice League in the upcoming videogame Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, join us for this thrilling prequel and witness them kill Arkham Asylum! Each print issue includes a redeemable code for a bonus digital token in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League inspired by the comic. Get the new Mr. Zsasz digital doll with issue #1.
Batman: Fortnight was a hit. This book will likely be polybagged with a similar code. So the first issue could become popular amongst gamers (if caught off guard). Not sure how the read will be. Note: The link is to cover A as TFAW isn’t offering this variant.
Indy Spotlight
Typically I just point to one Indy book here that stands out to me. But since there are a few books that look interesting this FOC, I’m going to buck my own trend and talk to them all!
Scott Townsend is ready for a quiet life. Whatever went wrong on that failed moon mission, whatever happened in the missing minutes the cameras didn’t capture, all he really wants is to settle down back home. But those missing minutes hold an Earth-shattering secret-and, with all eyes turned to him, Scott will soon find himself becoming something the world has never seen before.
This was an ashcan or NYCC exclusive preview, I believe. I wasn’t able to come across one, but there seemed to be some buzz. A lot of covers for this book, so likely heavily ordered. Pick up for the read.
A new horror comedy asking the question: how many fans is your soul worth? Pop stars have ascended to divinity, the masses bow in veneration and the superstars-angels and demons thrive on this exaltation which grants them unimaginable power. Clelia, the reigning queen of pop, finds her throne shaken by a newcomer radiating with enigmatic charm. As her fans waver and the public eye threatens to wander, a battle for dominance on this exhilarating stage of music and mysticism begins. How far will they go to defend her reign and unravel the mystery of this sensational new threat? Mixing the sacred and profane, a brand new dark series featuring stunning visual and narrative intensity set in the glittering world of pop music.
Another book with a lot of covers. But given the current popularity/public obsession with Travis Kelce’s girlfriend, this book seems to fit right in with the current state of pop music.
Nadia and her son Samir have moved to Queens, New York to restart their lives after the violent death of her husband. In their new apartment, they discover an old painting of a sad, innocent-looking boy. Nadia is reluctant to keep the maudlin canvas, but relents when her son seems to bond with it. The grief-torn family have no idea that within the canvas hides a demon from Hell surviving for millennia by feeding on the souls of children. Thrown into the world of the supernatural, Nadia must overcome her depression and grief and save her son from evil.
These characters got a lot going against them. It’s tough enough being a single mom battling depression, but now you got a demon coming after your child? Liking the concept here, hopeful the writers can do it justice.
FCBD Highlights
Free Comic Book Day, the first Saturday in May, is a ways off but FOC is upon shops to put in their orders. If you can put in orders at your LCS or online, here are some books that stand out.
Keep in mind, even though these books are “free” to the public on FCBD, LCS’s have to pay for these books. I’m guessing most LCS’s are tightening budgets in 2024 based on how sales have been in 2023, so there may be less of these books to go around. So even though you might have to pay $1 or so online in advance, it might be worth ordering in advance to avoid any potential aggravation of not getting the book you really want. And really, these are meant to bring in new business to your LCS, which we all want them to stick around, so I recommend factoring that in as well come FCBD.
Note: Since TFAW isn’t offering these for sale at this time, no links are provided. If people know of online shops you can order from, feel free to post in the comments.
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: FCBD 2024
Kicking off a brand-new era with two all-new short stories. First, there is a new masked vigilante in New York, looking to carry on the tradition set by the Turtles themselves. Get a special prelude of the new miniseries, Second, a blast from the past! A brand-new tale told in a classic IDW style. An exclusive preview of what’s next for TMNT!
Screams “first appearance” to me. So there could be some long term speculation to this one if these upcoming series are a hit. That makes this one Dirty D’s FBCB pick for 2024.
FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2024: ULTIMATE UNIVERSE/SPIDER-MAN 1
Just weeks ahead of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #50, get the first taste of THE RETURN OF THE GOBLIN! Plus, prepare for the next evolutionary step of the Ultimate Universe as a powerful new hero debuts!
Promises a new hero. Probably some retread in the “latest” Ultimate Universe. But it does promise other surprises, so worth grabbing one. Historically these spiderman FCBD’s have been duds spec-wise.
Celebrating James Tynion IV’s iconic run of horror classics at BOOM! Studios. Featuring a curated line-up of some of his most terrifying and thought-provoking stories, alongside exciting teases of what’s to come and an exclusive collectible cover. Rating: Teen
I’m not sure what to expect. I’m expecting mostly clips of Tynion’s stories, but it does promise teases.
The cover (not yet revealed) might be the only draw here.
A double-sided preview featuring new stories that continue the adventures of Encanto and Turning Red. Rating: All-Ages
This one is a bit of a long shot. But certain Disney properties over time have some spec value in comic first appearances. I don’t believe either of these properties have appeared in comics prior to this, and I know my kids loved both movies. In fact we just went to Disney on Ice and the croud erupted when the Encanto characters appeared. Hard to believe there won’t be an “Encanto 2” some day. So I’m picking up a copy or two just based on a hunch.
FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2024: STAR WARS/PLANTS VS. ZOMBIES: THE ORIGIN OF ZOMBOSS
Journey to a galaxy far, far away with the younglings from the hit Disney+ streaming series Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, and guest-starring characters from the hit Dark Horse comic series Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures in “Sky Parade Rescue!”. Featuring two of Jedi Master Yoda’s brightest students, Padawan Qort and Youngling Nubs!
I can do without the Plants vs. Zombies, so I’m leaving that part out above description. But I believe this will be the first appearance of several characters from Young Jedi Adventures in comics. So I’m grabbing a few for that reason.
FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2024: STAR WARS 1
Are there REBEL survivors stranded on HOTH? LUKE SKYWALKER, LEIA ORGANA, LANDO CALRISSIAN and CHEWBACCA mount a dangerous rescue mission to ECHO BASE! DARTH VADER employes a surprise character from the past to help him find LUKE SKYWALKER. But SABE, is also on a quest for the son of Vader.
There’s no indication this will introduce a new character, but it is an original story and who doesn’t like a good Hoth tale? Worth grabbing a copy for the read, I think.
Dirty D’s Pick of the Week
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles the Last Ronin II Re Evolution #1
More than a decade after the Last Ronin defeated the Foot Clan, New York City finds itself in a state of steady decline. Casey Marie knows that if something isn’t done soon, the city she loves will be lost forever. She and her young pupils must raise a new coalition and lead the charge to keep the peace. Witness the rise of the next generation of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as they fight to restore peace to the streets they live below!
The next chapter of The Last Ronin story, from the same creative team as the original. This will be printed in the oversized, prestige format as the original miniseries was. The likelihood of new TMNT characters and the popularity of the original series and this universe amongst fans of the comics and video games puts this book as the FOC pick of the week by far.
Although I’m presuming some of the new characters appear on Cover A, it’s worth considering some of the other variant covers (see below) as I think they are more prominent. It’s going to be tough not to order a variant cover (or two) here if you are speculating. Cover A is the classic “coming at you” scene, Cover B is a nice Eastman cover, while Cover D is a cool video game “homage.” Decisions, decisions…
And if you’re totally Turtle crazy, you can go for the TFAW Exclusive connecting cover Issues 1-5 bundle as well.
Ashcans are supposed to be cheaply printed low-grade material created to promote new books or preserve a claim to licensed property rights. They’re supposed to be free or practically free to get the word out and spread a buzz quickly in advance of a new book.
This book is a black and white preview of House Of Slaughter #21 ahead of the full issue’s release. Yeah Boom! can call this book what they want and it is “promotional”, but they are charging full price for half a book in black and white?…I don’t think this is an ashcan by definition. Don’t fall for this gimmick because it just encourages more of the same silly stuff.
Parting Words
Wow, that was a lot of books for having no Marvel FOC this week. Even without FCBC books. Hopefully a good sign for books in 2024! See you next week!