There are comic books coming out Wednesday. We peruse them, critique their covers, and ponder life’s conundrums in our weekly comic book preview. A full list of the biggest releases is also available at the bottom. Enjoy!
Dave’s Cover of the Week
Punisher #16
Dave: Greg Rucka’s run ends here and I’m very sad. The last issue was our Comic of the Week and this cover is a great sendoff. The look away by Frank is probably how Rucka feels—upset, angry, lost—either way, this cover is phenomenal. The skull dripping down the cover, the blood trail and the dramatic execution. So powerful.
Brendan: Red is always a prevalent color when it comes to Punisher titles. The way the light reflects off the pools of blood really give it a liquid feel. All around this cover is great. I love the characters and the way they seem to be consumed by the Punisher symbol really conveys so much about what the Punisher is as a character.
Brendan’s Cover of the Week
BPRD Hell on Earth: The Return of the Master #2
Brendan: I’m a big fan of Ryan Sook’s art including most of the covers from the BPRD world. The character designs are awesome and the contrast between the yellows on the right and the purples on the left add a genuine sense of conflict. I just love this cover.
Dave: That hulking purple monster man solidifies the book and is a great contrast to the fleshy old man at left. I’m always impressed with these BPRD covers as there’s so much composition going on.
Dave’s Honorable Mentions
The Goon #42
Dave: Eric Powell always amazes, but here he does so in a different way. Instead of a freaky monster or a really cool design he uses blur (on the gun) and shininess (on the muscles). Goon may have never looked so realistic. Why can’t they get a movie for this property!?
Brendan: This cover is cold, simple and to the point. There is a dark figure with a gun aimed at your face. What emotion is there to feel other than dread?
Robyn Hood #1
Dave: Sure, we’ve interviewed writer Pat Shand, but I really do love this cover. The embers are super slick and the background pulls Robyn Hood in. I’m really excited for this book and the cover does not disappoint.
Brendan: This piece is very well done. I enjoy the lighting as well as the character design. I’m finally starting to get while all those Lit girls always thought Robin Hood was so sexy.
Wolverine and the X-Men #17
Dave: I’ve come to the conclusion Mike Allred’s pencils will never disappoint me. Sure, Wolverine’s claws are insanely long, but the surreal look to this cover sells me. To see Doop pumping fists and ready to fight is awesome. This cover is super exciting.
Brendan: I find this cover passable. Overall I don’t really care for the figures or the dialed-in background.
Prophet #29
Dave: Barlow amazes me and he actually talks about his craft here. This cover could not be more zen. I mean, look at the pyramid just hanging there on the cliff. The moon in the background… this is what science fiction should be about. It puts you in awe.
Brendan: This is a perfect sci-fi landscape. It takes what we understand as reality and flips it on its head. The cool colors really add to the sensation of a cold, foreign space that has never been seen by mankind.
Brendan’s Honorable Mentions
Hit-Girl #3
Brendan: I’m not always a fan of Romita’s work, but this cover is great. The bloodied bodies force your view towards the spotlight in the middle and our violent heroine has both an innocent and a dangerous look to her. I also like how this cover is almost the anti-Batman origin. For once we get an orphan in the spotlight who is partaking in the killing and not the crying.
Dave: “I’m not always a fan of Romita’s work, but when I am, I always drink Dos Equi…” Err…I mean, I look at Kick-Ass. I always found it neat how Romita draws the blood to make it appear viscous and real. That adds a sense of gore that you don’t see too often with blood. I’m also kind of a fan of the “OMG” at the bottom. It’s gimmicky and kind of silly, but I think it’s clever in that it applies to the character well.
X-Men Legacy #274
Brendan: Yay Christian undertones! When you get into this cover, you find nothing but quality. The characters, the colors and the minor details really create a cohesive piece of art. I love it.
Dave: I’ve really loved Brooks’ covers on this series, largely because he makes the story inside look a hell of a lot more interesting than it is. To bring Mags and Rogue together, something we’ve all wanted since Age of Apocalypse, is made even more exciting by the savior implications.
WTF? Category
Where we don’t understand, are insulted by or would rather stab our eyes with acid pops than look at these covers for various reasons.
Green Hornet #32
Dave: Brendan and I can be rascals and even little bitches in the WTF section, but seriously…WTF? I know, I know… I don’t read this book and I have no idea why they are in this ghoul’s beard, but abuh? Does this interest anyone? Chime in the comments if you disagree, but this is just dumb.
Brendan: So the Green Hornet is climbing a corpse’s beard. I don’t get what’s so dumb about that. It makes perfect sense from both a practical and metaphorical view. Get with the times, Dave.
Russ: Did you guys really just refer to yourselves as “rascals”? If so, tell Spanky he still owes me that “He-Man ‘Womun’ Haters Club” membership card I paid him for all those years ago.
Wonderland #3
Brendan: Is she supposed to be a cheerleader? What ridiculous (slash awesome) school would have that belt as the bottom of their uniform? I know we’ve discussed cheesecake before and I know Zenescope likes to lather it on it extra-thick, but this is just foolish. Let’s not even get into the odd proportions or the blank expressions. This cover is just silly.
Dave: I’m impatiently waiting for the day and age when a vagina will be drawn on the cover of every comic book. This vagina will never change and will be exactly the same each month. People will buy it, oh yes, they will buy it every month.
Russ: Now is the time of the month where we drag Dave into a very cold shower and throw Loofahs at him in an aberrant parody of a carnival shooting gallery. Free teddy bear for a bulls-eye! So long folks.
Comics Being Released This Week
This is a cleaned up list via ComicList.com. Prices in USD. “AR” = Ask Retailer. Comic availability subject to change.
- BOOM! Studios
- Adventure Time #8, $3.99
- Clive Barker’s Hellraiser #18, $3.99
- Elric The Balance Lost #12, $3.99
- Higher Earth #5, $3.99
- Steed And Mrs Peel #1, $3.99
- DARK HORSE COMICS
- Angel And Faith #14, $2.99
- Axe Cop President Of The World #3 (Of 3), $3.50
- B.P.R.D. Hell On Earth The Return Of The Master #2 (Of 5)(Issue 99), $3.50
- Dark Matter Volume 1 Rebirth TP, $14.99
- Dragon Age Those Who Speak #2 (Of 3), $3.50
- Goon #42, $3.50
- Mind MGMT #5, $3.99
- Star Wars Darth Maul Death Sentence #3 (Of 4), $2.99
- DC COMICS
- All-Star Western #0, $3.99
- American Vampire #31, $2.99
- Aquaman #0, $2.99
- Batman Incorporated #0, $2.99
- Batman The Dark Knight #0, $2.99
- Before Watchmen Ozymandias #3, $3.99
- Flash #0, $2.99
- Fury Of Firestorm The Nuclear Men #0, $2.99
- I Vampire #0, $2.99
- Justice League Dark #0, $2.99
- National Comics Rose And Thorn #1, $3.99
- New Deadwardians #7 (Of 8), $2.99
- Phantom Lady #2 (Of 4), $2.99
- Red Lanterns #0, $2.99
- Savage Hawkman #0, $2.99
- Superman #0, $2.99
- Superman Family Adventures #5, $2.99
- Talon #0, $2.99
- Teen Titans #0, $2.99
- Voodoo #0 (Final Issue), $2.99
- IDW PUBLISHING
- Fine And Private Place #1 (Of 5), $3.99
- G.I. JOE A Real American Hero #182, $3.99
- Hawken #6 (Of 6), $3.99
- Magic The Gathering The Spell Thief #3, $4.99
- Mars Attacks #4, $3.99
- Popeye #5 (Cover A Bruce Ozella), $3.99
- Snake Eyes And Storm Shadow #17, $3.99
- Star Trek The Next Generation Doctor Who Assimilation2 #5, $3.99
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #14, $3.99
- Transformers More Than Meets The Eye #9 , $3.99
- Transformers Robots In Disguise Annual 2012, $7.99
- IMAGE COMICS
- Dancer #5, $3.50
- Debris #3 (Of 4), $3.50
- Elephantmen #43, $3.99
- Happy #1 (Of 4), $2.99
- Invincible #95, $2.99
- Mind The Gap #5 (Cover A Rodin Esquejo), $2.99
- Prophet #29, $3.99
- Skullkickers #18, $3.99
- Super Dinosaur #14, $2.99
- Witchblade #160, $2.99
- Youngblood #74, $3.99
- MARVEL COMICS
- Amazing Spider-Man #694, $3.99
- Astonishing X-Men #54, $3.99
- Captain America And Black Widow #637, $2.99
- Captain Marvel #4, $2.99
- Deadpool #61, $2.99
- FF #22, $2.99
- Fury MAX #6, $3.99
- Gambit #3, $2.99
- Hit-Girl #3 (Of 5), $2.99
- Incredible Hulk #14, $3.99
- Invincible Iron Man #525, $3.99
- Journey Into Mystery #644, $2.99
- Punisher #16, $2.99
- Secret Avengers #31, $3.99
- Space Punisher #3 (Of 4), $3.99
- Takio #3, $3.95
- Ultimate Comics The Ultimates #16, $3.99
- Winter Soldier #11, $2.99
- Wolverine #313, $3.99
- Wolverine And The X-Men #17, $3.99
- X-Men #36, $3.99
- X-Men Legacy #274, $2.99
- X-Treme X-Men #4, $2.99
- ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT
- Grimm Fairy Tales Presents Godstorm #0, $2.99
- Grimm Fairy Tales Presents Wonderland #3, $2.99
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