August 2019 Marvel and DC picks!

KC Carlson, the DC years

A KC COLUMN by KC Carlson

MARVEL COMICS

Absolute Carnage #1

Well, it had to happen sometime. Two of my least favorite Marvel Comics concepts — Venom and Carnage — are getting the big push these days at the House of Ideas. This month is Venom Month at Marvel, and, not to be outdone, an Absolute Carnage miniseries is debuting with a new #1 and #2 out the very same month! Absolute Carnage is written by Donny Cates and has sticky, gooey art by Ryan Stegman.

Cates at least… Okay, you know what? It’s time for me to admit that I don’t have the faintest idea who any of these characters are, but Marvel is devoting 19 pages of Marvel Previews to them this month, so somebody out there must really, really love them. So, you guys enjoy Venom Month in August, and I’ll go to the beach! (Wait, I don’t really like the beach either… What was I thinking? Well, this is starting out well…)

Marvel Comics #1000 Alex Ross cover

The current Marvel Previews (#23, for comics shipping in August) has a two- page house ad which includes the names of over 120 Marvel creators for the upcoming Marvel Comics #1000. The 80-page comic will have 80 creative teams, each contributing one page. Al Ewing writes the most, but the most interesting writer to me is basketball great and author Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. (Could this also be the tallest comic book ever published?)

Marvel Comics #1000 Greg Hildebrant cover

There will also be at least 20 variant covers, from such great artists as Joe Quesada, Gabriele Dell’Otto, J. Scott Campbell, Ed McGunness, Mark Brooks, Mike Allred, Greg Smallwood, Mark Bagley, Kaare Andrews, Jen Bartel, Skottie Young, Greg Hildebrandt, George Perez, and Steve Ditko. (Wha-? Isn’t he…? Oh, look, the Ditko cover is right there in the solicitation.) Marvel Comics #1000 is scheduled to arrive in comics shops in August. This is one comic that better not ship late! Oh, the consequences…

(Why #1000? Probably because Action Comics #1000 was quite successful. The official response is that it’s “a symbolic thing”.)

Ghost Spider #1

Ghost Spider #1 — Now in the MCU, with a cloud of infamy hanging over her head on Earth-65, Gwen Stacy has become the newest student at ESU! Splitting her time between the world she loves and the world she’s just getting to know — it’s been a long time since there’s been a Gwendy on the same Earth as a certain Peter Parker. And it’s only a matter of time before she encounters one of Spidey’s classic foes! On sale in August! Written by Seanan McGuire and illustrated by Takeshi Miyazawa.

Agents of Atlas #1

Agents of Atlas is a new series written by Greg Pak and Jeff Parker, with art by Gang Hyuk Lim and Carlo Pagulayan. It returns the concept of super-hero espionage to the Marvel Universe and stars Amadeus Cho, Silk, Shang-Chi, Wave, Jimmy Woo, and others. You’ll also encounter classic Marvel science/magic, fighting giant monsters (and probably each other!), and maybe a bit of saving the entire world! Plus, where are the original Agents of Atlas? Apparently Namora, M-11, Gorilla Man, and Marvel Boy have their own all-new top secret mission! And maybe some goofy fun as well! I love anything to do with former S.H.I.E.L.D. stuff, and this may be as close as I’m gonna get these days!

Future Foundation #1

From the pages of Fantastic Four comes the Future Foundation #1! After the Richards Family is called back to Earth to resume their Fantastic Four roles, the Future Foundation think tank of the most impressive minds in the universe stay behind. Their goal: to find the pieces of and rebuild their friend Molecule Man. Lead by Alex and Julie Power (from Power Pack), the Future Foundation includes the most brilliant Atlanteans, Mutants, Moloids, and androids in the Multiverse! Written by Jeremy Whitley with art by Will Robson and covers by Carlos Pacheco, Future Foundation is destined to encounter everything in space and time — starting in August!

Power Pack: Grow Up! #1

Power Pack: Grow Up! #1 — Power Pack is back in August in a new one-shot by the original PP creators: Louise Simonson and June Brigman! That’s right! Alex, Julie, Katie, and Jack Power are on the job again after The Brood crash a Lila Chaney concert. Special guests include Kitty Pryde and Wolverine! The Brood doesn’t stand a chance! Plus, a short story by Louise Simonson and Gurihuri.

Black Cat #3

Black Cat #3 — Black Cat has heisted Doctor Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum, and of course, things have gone horribly wrong. It would take an insane amount of luck to get out alive. How much luck would it take to get out alive with the loot? This is by writer Jed Mackay and artist Travel Foreman. Meanwhile, over in Doctor Strange’s own comic book (#18), he and old flame Clea and old enemy Galactus have been running around the Multiverse. Where are they? No, not Kansas… Really? And in issue #19, a new accident will change Stephen’s life in a big way. This is why people can’t stop reading Mark Waid’s work…

DC COMICS

Batman/Superman #1 Leinil Yu cover

Batman/Superman #1 is now once again an ongoing title at DC Comics, this time around written by Joshua Williamson with art by David Marquez. This new series spins out of the final issue of The Batman Who Laughs #7 by Scott Snyder and Jock. (I love it when a plan comes together! But I hated The A-Team!) It should be worth the cover price to see Snyder have Bruce Wayne have to outsmart Bruce Wayne in the ultimate test of good vs. evil. Yeah, I always thought Snyder was evil… Meanwhile… (Hi Dick!) over in Batman/Superman, other heroes are being transformed into the horrifying horsemen of their most dangerous and deranged foe ever. But the bigger question may be: Can Superman and Batman even trust each other?

Hawkman #15 featuring one of the “smashed” logos

Meanwhile… (I gotta stop doing that…) apparently the latest cover stunt associated with the Year of the Villain event is smashing the character’s cover logo, which is probably making former DC graphic designers like Bob LeRose, Richard Bruning, Veronica Lawlor, Julia Sabbagh, Keith Wilson (most of these from my time at DC), and many many others twitch like crazy! So be ready to see DC’s classic (and not-so-classic) logos smashed and broken to bits on 21 covers scheduled for this August. All this destruction… Oh, the humanity! Normally I’d show you the complete list of battle-damaged logos, but I need to do everything I can to help save these poor endangered logos!

Batman vs. Ra’s al Ghul #1

Batman vs. Ra’s al Ghul #1 — A blast from the past! Legendary artist/writer Neal Adams is both writing and drawing this six-issue miniseries pitting Batman against the most dangerous of terrorists, Ra’s al Ghul. Adams co-created the character back in 1971 (along with writer Dennis O’Neil), which makes him the perfect guy to tell an extended tale of the Demon. And, although not created by Adams, a character very associated with him — Deadman — is co-starring in this series. (For the record, the official creators of Deadman are Arnold Drake and Carmine Infantino, who wrote and drew the first (origin) story of Deadman in Strange Adventures #205. Adams’ work on the character began in the second Deadman story (SA #206), and since then Adams has been closely associated with the character for much of his history.) This new series should be something to look forward to!

Wildcats #1

Wildcats launches at DC Comics in August in a new series by writer Warren Ellis and artist Ramon Villalobos (and covers by Jim Cheung and Chris Burnham). Throughout its long history, Wildcats was an interesting mix of espionage and superheroics, and it looks like those elements will carry over into this new series (especially with Ellis involved, as he continues his run relaunching various Wildstorm properties). The opening storyline promises rogue specialists, extraterrestrial solders, and a mad astronaut — run by a tech mogul and a disguised alien king. Y’know, that actually sounds a lot like the current DC Comics corporate structure…

Black Canary: Ignite

Black Canary: Ignite — Continuing the DC Zoom line of graphic novels for middle-grade readers, this new story is written by Meg Cabot (author of The Princess Diaries — the “teenage chick lit” novel that spawned 3 motion pictures!) and illustrated by Cara McGee (Over The Garden Wall, Bingo Love). Black Canary: Ignite is a mother-daughter story that “embraces the highs and lows of growing up without growing out of what makes us unique.”

The 13-year-old Dinah Lance knows exactly what she wants, who she is, and where she’s going. Which includes winning a Battle of the Bands with her two best friends and joining the Gotham City Junior Police Academy (so she can solve crimes like her dad!). And maybe her band might finally agree on a band name! But her mother’s secret past seems to be getting in the way of her goals as well as threatening her family and friends. Cara Magee’s illustrations are intriguing and spunky! This is a 160-page 5.5” x 8” softcover that will be available in October (but please pre-order now!).

Absolute DC: The New Frontier 15th Anniversary Edition HC

Absolute DC: The New Frontier 15th Anniversary Edition HC — Long-time Westfield subscribers probably remember that I just didn’t shut up about this story (in all its various formats) for years… so I won’t do that here. Let’s just say that DC is correct in releasing this in its wonderful Absolute Edition format for its 15th Anniversary. I am, however, curious how it’s back “in this new, expanded Absolute edition featuring new story pages, detailed annotations, alternate sequences, and an extensive gallery of sketches, pinups, action figure art, and much more!” since New Frontier creator Darwyn Cooke passed away in 2016! I think I do know why, but it’s something I probably shouldn’t talk about in public (at least right now…). Anyway… this is awesome work in any format… and if you have not read this yet, this will be one of the best ways to read it for the first time!

Heroes in Crisis HC

The Heroes in Crisis hardcover collects all nine issues of this most recent DC event title. I’m about 3 or 4 issues behind in my reading, so I found it fascinating to see some of the regular customers come into Westfield East recently, flip through the last issue, and then leave the store without comment. (Or buying it. This ain’t a library, kid!) Could it be yet another DC “event” that ran out of gas before the finish line? Guess I should devote some time soon to finish my reading experience with this series. (I was kinda liking it.) On the other hand, does taking more time improve the chances of success?

(I’m talking about you, Doomsday Clock! I’m waiting to read it as a whole, because I keep forgetting what happened during the months between issues because I read too many other books. So I stopped reading this. Maybe the conclusion will be a nice Christmas present!)

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KC CARLSON: Stirring up trouble again. I just can’t help myself sometimes…

WESTFIELD COMICS is not responsible for the stupid things that KC says. Especially that thing that really irritated you. Why can’t comics be as good as they were when I was 12 years old? Granted, almost everything else is better than it was when I was 12. When I was 12, mosquitoes kept beating me up and taking my lunch. It’s no wonder I started reading comic books… I could swat the mosquitoes with them! Heh heh heh…