IT MUST BE PARADISE


KC Carlson

KC Carlson


A KC COLUMN by KC Carlson

Here are some of the things I’m looking forward to ordering from the new (Feb/Apr) PREVIEWS. (Out today in comic shops!)

DC COMICS

The Joker 80th Anniversary 100-page Super Spectacular #1

The Joker 80th Anniversary 100-page Super Spectacular #1


The Joker 80th Anniversary 100-page Super Spectacular #1

Writers include Brian Azzarello, Paul Dini, Dennis O’Neil, Scott Snyder, Tom Taylor, James Tynion IV, and more. Drawers (aka Artists) include Raphael Albuquerque, Lee Bermejo, Simone Bianchi, Tony S. Daniel, Mikel Janin, Jock, José Luis García-López, Eduardo Risso, Riley Rossmo, and others (assuming, you know, that the Joker hasn’t already killed them). Covers are by Greg Capullo, Arthur Adams, David Finch, Francesco Mattina, Jim Lee & Scott Williams, Bill Sienkiewicz, Gabriele Dell’otto, Lee Bermejo, and Jock.

Easily the oddest Birthday Roast ever thrown (since we are already assuming that several of the above merrymakers will soon be ash)!

Catwoman 80th Anniversary 100-page Super Spectacular #1

Catwoman 80th Anniversary 100-page Super Spectacular #1


Catwoman 80th Anniversary 100-page Super Spectacular #1

Writers — who include Ed Brubaker, Paul Dini, Tom King, Ann Nocenti, Mindy Newell, and Will Pfeifer — will be pounding their keyboards (or laptops), while artists like Cameron Stewart, Mikel Janin, Adam Hughes, Emanuela Lupacchino, Steve Rude, and Tula Lotay will be drawing their little hearts out!

One of the more interesting additions to this book’s massive line-up is the inclusion of a tribute story to the late, great Darwyn Cooke that also takes place at the end of the Brubaker/Stewart Catwoman run. Also intriguing is a mystery involving memorabilia from alternate continuities. (Wha-??) Cover artists include Joelle Jones, Adam Hughes, Travis Charest, Stanley “Artgerm” Lau, Frank Cho, J. Scott Campbell, Gabriele Dell’Otto, Jim Lee & Scott Williams, and Jeehyung Lee.

Stories include Selina being caught by an exotic cat collector, a wannabe Catwoman apprentice, and of course lots of Bat/Cat fun!

WONDER WOMAN COMICS & BOOKS

In case you haven’t heard, there’s another Wonder Woman movie coming out soon (Wonder Woman 1984 (in US theaters on June 5) — so there’s obviously some math involved). DC has responded by announcing a lot of Wonder Woman Collections. Here are just some of them:

Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed

Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed


A new DC graphic novel for young adults, Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed is a tale about a 16-year-old Diana written by Laurie Halse Anderson and illustrated (cover & interiors) by Leila del Luca (Sleepless). Princess Diana wants her 16th birthday to be filled with new beginnings! Especially being accepted into the warrior tribe of the Amazons. But the celebrations are cut short when refugees break through the barrier that separates Themyscira from the outside world. While trying to bring the outsiders to safety, she is swept away by the stormy sea. And now Diana must survive the world beyond Themyscira for the first time – a world full of danger and injustice! Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed is a story about growing into your strength, fighting for justice, and finding home. 208 pages, on sale in late May.

Wonder Woman: Dead Earth #3

Wonder Woman: Dead Earth #3


Wonder Woman: Dead Earth #3 (of 4)

Written and drawn by Daniel Warren Johnson. Diana is overwhelmed to discover Haedras’ true nature — causing her to seek out Superman. But she instead discovers a shocking secret of her personal history in the Fortress of Solitude! 48 pages

Wonder Woman: The Many Lives of Maxwell Lord

Wonder Woman: The Many Lives of Maxwell Lord


Wonder Woman: The Many Lives of Maxwell Lord

Note this is not actually a Wonder Woman book. Written by Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, Greg Rucka, Judd Winick, Geoff Johns, and others. Art by Kevin Maguire, Giffen, Phil Jimenez, Jesus Saiz, Rags Morales, Joe Bennett, and others. Cover by Tony Harris. Coinciding with his big screen debut in the upcoming Wonder Woman 1984, this volume collects key moments in Maxwell Lord’s history as both a hero and a villain, from his debut as the financial backer of the Justice League International to his fateful Infinite Crisis encounter with Wonder Woman, and beyond. This new collection reprints Justice League #1 (1987), Justice League International #12, Countdown to Infinite Crisis #1, The Omac Project #2, Wonder Woman #219, Justice League: Generation Lost #20, and Justice League #12 (2017).

There are a number of projects timed to tie into the film, but they’re being offered without much additional information beyond lists of creators. All the following are on sale in May.

Wonder Woman and the Justice League Dark: The Witching Hour

Wonder Woman and the Justice League Dark: The Witching Hour


* Wonder Woman and the Justice League Dark: The Witching Hour

Written by James Tynion IV, art by Jesus Merino, Alvaro Martinez Bueno, Emanuela Lupacchino, and others. Collects Justice League Dark/ Wonder Woman: The Witching Hour #1, Wonder Woman/ Justice League Dark: The Witching Hour #1, Wonder Woman #56-57, and Justice League Dark #4.

* Wonder Woman #750: The Deluxe Edition is greatly expanded to 172 pages (and now in hardcover), much of it being new material. Written by Vita Ayala, Marguerite Bennett, Kami Garcia, Dean Hale, Jeff Loveness, Steve Orlando, Greg Rucka, Scott Snyder, Gail Simone, Mariko Tamaki, and others. Art by Elena Casagrande, Colleen Doran, Jesus Merino, Bryan Hitch, and others.

Wonder Woman: The Last True Hero Book One

Wonder Woman: The Last True Hero Book One


* Wonder Woman: The Last True Hero Book One

Written by William Messner-Loebs and others. Art by Jill Thompson, Paris Cullins, Lee Moder, and others. Collects Wonder Woman Special #1 (1992), Wonder Woman #63, #64, #66-75, and Wonder Woman Annual #3 (1992).

* Wonder Woman Through The Years

This 352-page hardcover covers a lot of ground — from the Golden Age to the present. Collects Wonder Woman #5, #45, #50, #76, #126, #155, and #204-206, Sensation Comics #70, Wonder Woman (1986) #15-16, #140-141, and #170, Wonder Woman (2006) #5 and #0, and Wonder Woman Annual (2017) #1. Cover by Jim Lee and Scott Williams.

Wonder Woman Volume 1: The Just War

Wonder Woman Volume 1: The Just War


* Wonder Woman Volume 1: The Just War

Written by G. Willow Wilson, art by Cary Nord, Xermanico, Jesus Merino, and others. Cover by Terry Dodson and Rachel Dodson. Collects the current series of Wonder Woman #58-65.

* Wonder Woman: Come Back To Me

Written by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti, art by Chad Hardin, Tom Derenick, and Trevor Scott, cover by Amanda Conner. Collects the miniseries of the same name.

Wonder Woman: Steve Trevor

Wonder Woman: Steve Trevor


* Wonder Woman: Steve Trevor

Collects All-Star Comics #8, Wonder Woman #41, #127, #179, #289-290, #322 and #329, Wonder Woman (1986) #12, Wonder Woman (2016) #2, and Wonder Woman: Steve Trevor Special #1.

And in the comic series:

Wonder Woman #755

Wonder Woman #755


Wonder Woman #755: “The Four Horsewomen” Part 1! Paula Von Gunther (aka Warmaster) has assembled her four Horsewomen, so now she’s out for Wonder Woman’s blood. Plus, Diana’s on trial for the sins of the Amazons! Are Diana’s “sisters” keeping something important from their own champion? Written by Steve Orlando, art by Jesus Merino and Vicente Cifuentes.

Wonder Woman #756: Wonder Woman is down! The Four Horsewomen are victorious! So now they’ve set their sights on the rest of the Amazons! Can anyone stop Warmaster? Written by Steve Orlando, art by Jesus Merino and Vicente Cifuentes.

 

Crisis on Infinite Earths: Arrowverse Deluxe Edition

Crisis on Infinite Earths: Arrowverse Deluxe Edition


Crisis on Infinite Earths: Arrowverse Deluxe Edition: Besides loving Wonder Woman stuff right now, DC seemingly can’t resist dipping back into more continuity confusion with this new 96-page hardcover tying into The CW’s “Arrowverse” and featuring a new story with Felicity Smoak. (Lex Luthor is also somehow involved, so please don’t ask “Which one?”) It collects stories from Crisis on Infinite Earths Giant #1-2 by writers like Marc Guggenheim, Marv Wolfman, artists Tom Derenick, George Perez and others. Cover by Jerry Ordway. Plus, there’s apparently a Monitor’s worth of behind-the-scenes extras!

MARVEL COMICS

Children of the Atom #1

Children of the Atom #1


Children of the Atom #1

A new mutant series debuts from writer Vita Ayala and artist Bernard Chang! And it asks the musical question “When did the X-Men get sidekicks?” (“Bite your tongue, KC,” says Roger.) OK, apparently they’re NOT sidekicks, but instead are the “greatest teenage super hero team of all time!” (“No, the greatest teenage superteam were the Monkeemen from the 1960s. They even had their own groovy car!” says KC.) Marvel says: “Who the heck are these kids, and where do they come from?” Guest-starring the X-Men! (Who are actually the Monkeemen in disguise!) Oops, Roger says I’m fired… This Just Doesn’t Seem To Be My Day… *sniff*

Giant-Size X-Men: Nightcrawler Special #1

Giant-Size X-Men: Nightcrawler Special #1


Giant-Size X-Men: Nightcrawler Special #1

Always a pleasure to point out projects by artist/writer Alan Davis, who teams up with writer Jonathan Hickman for a new one-shot which reveals new problems at the Xavier School. It seems that the X-Men have lost contact with the Greymalkin Habitat — and Nightcrawler must lead a mission into the unknown.

Black Widow #1

Black Widow #1


Lots of Black Widow stuff this month (including a new solo series by writer Kelly Thompson and artist Elena Casagrande. And a cover by Adam Hughes. (which apparently doesn’t exist yet)). Wow, she must have a movie coming up soon also! (Yep! It’s scheduled for May 1 in the US!)

How to Read Comics the Marvel Way

How to Read Comics the Marvel Way


How to Read Comics the Marvel Way (AKA The Universal Gateway to the House of Ideas!) #1 (of 4) Written by Christopher Hastings with art by Scott Koblish and covers by David Nakayama and Javier Rodriguez. The creators are coming at this like it’s too hard to read a comic book (something that “adults” have seemingly been complaining about for decades), so this is going to make you some sort of Marvel Scholar (unless, of course, you give up by page 5). Be prepared to learn about gutters, balloons, panels, pencils, and more! Me, I’m just going to keep slapping myself senseless and then jump off the Baxter Building! (I wonder where that will fit into the Marvel Continuity?)

Secret Life of Top Dog

Secret Life of Top Dog


Roger seems surprised that Marvel is collecting the complete Secret Life of Top Dog. (Reprinting Top Dog #1-14.) Well, for one thing, he was one of the biggest stars in Marvel’s Star Comics imprint! And was written and drawn by some of the biggest (yet unsung) kids’ comics creators around — including Lennie Herman, Sid Jacobson, David Manak, George Caragonne, Warren Kremer, and even John Romita Sr.! He even teams up with other Star Comics characters including Royal Roy, Frank ’n’ Stein, and Dirty Dog — as well as an infamous Top Dog/Amazing Spider-Man joint appearance! Much fun! 336 pages.

Empyre #1

Empyre #1


Final thought: There seems like a bazillion comics that somehow have something to do with the new Marvel crossover Empyre. Choose carefully! There are so many tie-ins, odds are that some of them might not be so great. (It seems there’s a lot of not-so-hot covers, also. Sorry Marvel…)

ARCHIE COMICS

Betty and Veronica: The Bond of Friendship

Betty and Veronica: The Bond of Friendship


Archie is launching a new imprint for young adult original graphic novel readers in April called Archie Blue Ribbon. The first book for the imprint is Betty and Veronica: The Bond of Friendship, a 144-page book written by Jamie L. Rotante and illustrated by Brittney Williams. One of the overriding “truths” of Riverdale is Betty and Veronica will be best friends no matter what comes between them. But what happens when a Career Day at Riverdale High has the two BFFs examining their futures and their choices. Will their lives take very different paths?!

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KC CARLSON hopes that all this confusing Wonder Woman stuff will be worth it. Moreover, I hope the upcoming movie will be awesome!

WESTFIELD COMICS is not responsible for the stupid things that KC says. Especially that thing that really irritated you. I have worn out the “W” key on my keyboard this month. Thanks a lot, DC…