A bit under the weather this week, so that’s why this is late. I was debating on not posting it all, since writing isn’t very fun when you have a sinus headache and are blowing your nose every minute, but then I decided I could do things half-assed and just make a short comment and pad things out with the synopsis for each. Better than nothing, right? So, let’s get this over with, the Nyquil is wearing off…
Scott Snyder is writing some of the best Batman stories seen in well over a decade, and if you didn’t jump on board with the debut of the New 52, this collection of the first six issues is yet another opportunity to see what everyone’s been talking about. This also would set you up nicely for the massive Night of the Owls event going on in all of the Batman books this month if you’re ready to jump into the Batman universe with both feet. “Following his groundbreaking, critically acclaimed run on DETECTIVE COMICS, writer Scott Snyder (American Vampire) begins a new era of The Dark Knight with artist Greg Capullo (Spawn) and a new beginning for BATMAN! In this hardcover collecting the first six issues, a series of brutal murders rocks not only Gotham City to its core but also the Caped Crusader himself when the prime suspect is one of Batman’s closest allies – Dick Grayson!” – BATMAN VOL. 1: COURT OF THE OWLS HC // $24.99 // DC COMICS
David Lapham is a strange writer; when he’s writing crime, slice-of-life, or superhero comics, he’s great. When he’s writing anything that’s supposed to be gritty and gory, he’s horrible. Luckily, his new ongoing at Avatar (which is where he writes most of the over-the-top gore stuff) sounds like it’s the former and could turn out to be a lot of fun. “Eisner Award winning writer David Lapham delivers a fresh punch to the face with his new ongoing series about crime, family, and being a lazy, yet invulnerable, private detective. Dan is something of a hired man. Whatever one needs doing, be it detective work, muscle work, blackmail work, or bedroom work – Dan’s your man. Dan’s not afraid of anything because Dan’s totally unharmable. You can beat him with sticks, stick him in the oven, throw him off a bridge, or shoot him in his noggin; its all the same to Dan. He’s never met an insult that bothered him or a person he cared about-at least for more than a night. Dan prefers not to be shackled down by worldly goods. He works for just enough dough to keep him in cigs and beer for a night or two, maybe a room, and he’s content. Dan’s bohemian paradise is all about to change, however. You see, back before Dan was so unharmable he left a few loose ends. Now those loose ends are growing up and their mother’s been murdered, which not only means that Dan has to solve his most personal case yet, he’s now legally responsible for four human beings who are anything but unharmable.” – DAN THE UNHARMABLE #1 // $3.99 // AVATAR PRESS
The new sci-fi epic from Sam Humphries (Our Love is Real, The Ultimates), you can score the first issue of Higher Earth for a buck. Do I really need to try and persuade you to buy a book for a dollar, you cheap bastards? Well then read this synopsis, which sounds pretty epic. “You Are Illegal On This Earth. Space is dead. Why conquer other planets when there’s a perfectly good Earth in the universe next door? Heidi, a girl born in garbage. Rex, a soldier gone rogue. The only thing between them and their destiny is an empire of a hundred different Earths, across a hundred alternate timelines. One majestic planet dominates them all: Higher Earth. Created and written by Sam Humphries (Fanboys Vs. Zombies) Higher Earth is his sci-fi follow up to last year’s indie hit Our Love Is Real, a fast-paced epic of infinite possibilities.” Did I mention you can get this for a dollar? – HIGHER EARTH #1 // $1.00 // BOOM STUDIOS
I’m always up for a good horror-tinged fairy tale, and Night of 1000 Wolves sounds like it could be one. This one is sort of a shot in the dark for me, as I’m not familiar with writer Bobby Curnow at all, but as I’ve stated in some previous articles, sometimes the unknown can really surprise you. The artwork from Dave Wachter looks beautiful, so fingers crossed that the writing can support it! “In the Dark Ages, the tranquil life of Harrick Benjyon and his family is shattered by unthinkable tragedy. Before they can react, the family find themselves under seige by hordes of wolves with one aim. Death. A race for survival becomes all the more impossible by the arrival of the supernatural… and the dark secrets that lie at the heart of the Benjyon family. Another classic horror tale from the company that brought you 30 Days of Night and Locke & Key!” Mentioning this along with Locke & Key? Let’s hope it can live up to that lofty comparison. – NIGHT OF 1000 WOLVES #1 // $3.99 // IDW
Finally this week, one of the best Silver Surfer stories gets a re-release (sadly it took the death of comic legend Moebius for it to happen), and it’s worthy of every single person’s attention. Easily one of Stan Lee’s finest written stories, and depending on how reverential you are to golden age Marvel, that’s a lofty statement to make, but I sincerely mean it. Moebius’ artwork is fantastic as expected, and even if you’ve never read a Silver Surfer story, there’s no better story to pop your cherry on. “A star falls to earth. Panic grips the planet as mankind prepares for its inevitable end. But the star is a ship, and inside is a god. All he asks is adoration. Overcome with relief, man rushes to obey. There is only one voice of dissent that will not be silenced: the Silver Surfer, who recognizes the ‘god’ as his former master. But why has Galactus encouraged mankind to live down to his darkest nature? From Stan Lee and Moebius, one of France’s living treasures, comes a bewitching tale of man’s folly and nobility.” – SILVER SURFER: PARABLE HC // $24.99 // MARVEL COMICS
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