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Essential Comics This Week
Each Wednesday is new comic day and determining which titles are worth checking out can be a daunting task, especially if you're trying to keep your spending under a certain limit. We've gone through the list of new releases to help you decide which books you need to read on Wednesday, March 16.
Ghostbusters Deviations #1
Written by Kelly Thompson
Art by Nelson Daniel
Publisher: IDW
Deviations is a publisher-wide concept where each of their comics, based on a larger property, has the past changed. Last week, we saw an X-Files book where Fox got abducted by aliens and not his sister, Samantha. This week, with Ghostbusters, what if they never crossed the streams? Kelly Thompson and Nelson Daniel team up for this one, and this is one of the stories we're more interested in because it takes place right after the first movie.
International Iron Man #1
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Art by Alex Maleev
Publisher: Marvel
What's great about this brand new series is that it brings back creators Alex Maleev and Brian Michael Bendis, who have worked on Daredevil, Moon Knight, and other Marvel books together. While another Iron Man comic may seem redundant, there's a lot about the character we don't know now. Tony was adopted and this may be something we'll get answers to now. Plus, Doctor Doom is a good guy. There's enough going on with this character to warrant another series.
Superman American Alien #5
Written by Max Landis
Art by Francis Manapul
Publisher: DC
While Superman's origin has been told to the point of ad nauseum, what Max Landis is doing is really intriguing and innovative. This isn't about a baby from another planet coming to Earth. What fans get to see is the "lost years" of Clark Kent. This is Superman before he really becomes Superman. He's inexperienced and new. Each issue has a different artist, and we're really excited to see what Francis Manapul is going to bring to this issue since his artistic style is fantastic.
The Adventures of Archer & Armstrong #1
Written by Rafer Roberts
Art by David LaFuente
Publisher: Valiant
The comedic duo of Archer & Armstrong is back at Valiant. Archer is a boy that grew up in a cult that is a master at different forms of fighting, and Armstrong is an immortal with a love for alcohol. It'll be really cool to see what Rafer Roberts and David LaFuente bring to the new series. Valiant always does a great job with placing creative teams on their books.
Huck #5
Written by Mark Millar
Art by Rafael Albuquerque
Publisher: Image
Huck is the story of a Superman-like character who keeps to himself and helps local folks. The town knows about his powers but the world doesn't, until now. Huck's identity has been revealed. He's now been kidnapped by someone posing as his brother. Writer Mark Millar is on a roll with presenting a great concept and continuing to raise the bar with each issue. This is a must read series.
James Bond #5
Written by Warren Ellis
Art by Jason Masters
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Writer Warren Ellis has put together a fantastic James Bond series that doesn't seem entirely inspired by the films. The book has it's own life, but it will still appeal to hardcore Bond fans. Jason Masters has been pulling off some amazing art scenes, especially the action sequences. It's wonderfully detailed and lives up to the name Bond... James Bond.
Astonishing Ant-Man #6
Written by Nick Spencer
Art by Annapaola Martello
Publisher: Marvel
Astonishing Ant-Man has followed the life of Scott Lang, a character trying to redeem himself for his past mistakes. Now, it's time to see what his daughter, Cassie Lang, is up to. Their relationship is complicated, and now, Cassie is flirting with the idea of being a villain with the Hench App, created by the villain Power Broker. Writer Nick Spencer is really taking this book in interesting directions, building on Lang's life, while keeping the series humorous and fun.
Wrath of Eternal Warrior #5
Written by Robert Venditti
Art by Juan Jose Ryp
Publisher: Valiant
Gilad, the Eternal Warrior, is the brother of Armstrong from Archer & Armstrong and has been "dead" for quite some time. That's not exactly what's been happening though. This book is layered in mystery, but what the series has done exceptionally well is establish Gilad as more than a hero or a warrior. He's a human who has the same wants and desires as everyone else. Juan Jose Ryp takes over art duties this month, so expect an insanely detailed issue.
Power Man and Iron Fist #2
Written by David Walker
Art by Sanford Greene
Publisher: Marvel
The first issue of this new series filled fans of Luke Cage and Iron Fist with glee, as they've been waiting patiently for a new series. David Walker delivered a great vibe to that first issue, which truly lived up to the potential of the characters. There's been a lot of changes to both men over the years, and the dynamic isn't exactly the same, but it lives up to the hype.
Monstress #4
Written by Marjorie M. Liu
Art by Sana Takeda
Publisher: Image
There's something haunting and creepy to the world that Majorie Liu and Sana Takeda have crafted in Monstress. Each issue has blended moments of horror and beauty, creating a completely unique landscape to the series. A war has ravaged the world, and the series has been building on the struggle the main character, Maika, has with this growing force inside of her. This is an imaginative, epic series that is worth picking up this week.
Nailbiter Volume 1: Hardcover Edition
Written by Joshua Williamson
Art by Mike Henderson
Publisher: Image
In Nailbiter, Buckaroo, Oregon is known for birthing the most serial killers in the United States. Why is that? "The Murder Edition" of this series helps catch new readers up on one of the most disturbing and intriguing reads at Image Comics. Writer Joshua Williamson weaves mystery in with the horror, creating a unique reading experience. In addition, artist Mike Henderson is capable of drawing some extremely disturbing scenes that will be burned into your brains.
Collects Nailbiter #1-10
Archie Volume 1
Written by Mark Waid
Art by Fiona Staples
Publisher: Archie Comics
Lat year, Archie launched as a reboot, of sorts, to the long-running Archie Comics series, with writer Mark Waid and artist Fiona Staples. While many were skeptical about this endeavor, it ended up being a huge hit. Waid and Staples breathed new life into these characters, for a whole new generation of readers. The book deals with more contemporary issues and it's actually pretty funny. This first volume is really worth checking out if you missed the boat on the single issues.
Collects: Archie #1-6
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