Another sweep! Everyone loves Spider-Gwen! PLUS: Sex Criminals! Orphan Black! Mark Waid returns to the HOT PICKS crew!
Mark Waid, Aw Yeah Comics!, Muncie, Ind.
Batman #39, DC Comics. Consistently the best-selling DC book in our store by far–the one everyone’s hungry for because big things are happening, not “fake” happening or “soon to be undone” happening.
Spider-Gwen #1, Marvel. On March 13, 1973, Marvel Comics took a wrecking ball to 10-year-old Mark Waid by releasing the first comic book that ever made him cry. I loved Gwen Stacy. I ADORED her. She was my first crush. And in Amazing Spider-Man #121 (spoilers), she DIED. Now you’re telling me that Gwen Stacy — in some form or another — is BACK, AND she’s a super-hero? TAKE MY MONEY.
Black Hood #1, Dark Circle/Archie. You thought Afterlife with Archie was dark? Tip of the iceberg. This comic is smart and crisp and suspenseful and I can already tell you we underordered.
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Aimee LoSecco, JHU Comic Books, Manhattan
Thor Annual #1, Marvel. Five issues in and an annual already? I’ll take it! Three stories with three Thorses! My favorite? Noelle Stevenson of Lumberjanes fame pens a current Thor tale! Ree!
Howtoons: Reignition TPB 1, Image. The new series, collected in one handy-dandy trade with new material! If you like making cool stuff out of crap lying around your house, and know kids that do too, this is your book! Expanding on the last Howtoons collection, this volume has a sweet, little narrative of two siblings trying to navigate a new Earth with their DIY scrappiness.
Spider-Gwen #1, Marvel. Because everyone is slavering for this book, and every once in a while I’ll pander to the masses. No, seriously, this book looks good.
Sex Criminals Vol. 2 TPB, Image. It can’t be all cutesy picks now, can it? Trade number 2, served up the way you like it: dirty and hilarious! I mean, it’s titled Two Worlds, One Cop right? Brimpers unite!
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Scott Tipton, Co-Owner, Blastoff Comics, North Hollywood, Calif.
Orphan Black #1, IDW Publishing. One of the bigger sci-fi hits of the last few years finally comes to comics. Very intrigued to see what they bring to the page.
TMNT Mutanimals #1, IDW Publishing. This spinoff from IDW‘s blockbuster Ninja Turtles franchise is sharply written, well drawn and just a lot of fun. Highly recommended.
Spider-Gwen #1, Marvel. Is it just the costume? The concept? Whatever it is, readers can’t get enough of Spider-Gwen, and Marvel is wasting no time providing the goods.
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Ted Alexander, manager, Midtown Comics’ Downtown location, Manhattan
What a huge week for comics! We got the second issue of Darth Vader (Marvel), the next-to-last issue of the Batman: Endgame storyline (DC), Sex Criminals Vol. 2 (Image)! Here are few other choices to make this week:
Orphan Black #1, IDW. One of the most brilliantly acted series that I have ever seen is getting its own comic! If you haven’t been watching this program on BBC, you’re missing out on what is the most original and fun series in a while. Tatiana Maslany plays several different clones that are slowly meeting together to uncover secrets every week. This series will continue that story, but unfortunately we won’t be able to see Maslany‘s brilliance every week. Show co-creators Graeme Manson and John Fawcett are involved in the comic.
Spider-Gwen #1, Marvel. What can I say about the hype for this book that hasn’t been said before? Her appearance in Spider-Verse reminded us of a super-fun, young version of Spider-Man that we haven’t seen since the first Peter Parker version of Ultimate Spider-Man years ago. We’ll have Jason Latour signing in the store on Thursday night at 6 so you can come tell him how great it is and pick up our exclusive J. Scott Campbell cover of the book!
Criminal Savage Edition one-shot, Image. A new Criminal book! If that wouldn’t be enough, this version is in a magazine format! Just like the hard-to-find Fade Out #1. It’s like my dream comic!
Thor Annual #1, Marvel. Some guy named CM Punk makes his comics-writing debut in this annual. I think that guy might just make a name for himself in the future.
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Tim Finn, Hub Comics, Somerville, Mass.
Spider-Gwen #1, Marvel Comics. It’s a silly title, and I love it. The one-shot that introduced her was great, and it’s wonderful that Marvel listened to the fan reaction and brought her back for more. I hope this can exist on its own during and after Secret Wars. It’s a little less interesting if our Peter and this new Gwen cross paths since she lost her Peter, and our Peter lost his Gwen, Spider-Verse notwithstanding.
Black Panther: Who is the Black Panther? TP, Marvel Comics. The best Black Panther story of the last 10 years. Recaps his origin, nods to Priest‘s run, and guest stars Captain America as a foreign invader! Dean White‘s colors on Klaus Janson‘s inks on John Romita Jr.‘s pencils have never looked better. This new edition also has Fantastic Four #52 and #53, BP‘s first appearances. Fun!
Sex Criminals Vol. 2 : Two Worlds, One Cop, Image Comics. Our favorite version of Fraction, the Hawkeye version (sorry, ODY-C and Casanova) is in full force here. This book is fun, weird, smart and most of all, different. (Though not as different as ODY-C and Casanova).
Joe Frankenstein #1, IDW Publishing. Chuck Dixon and Graham Nolan, who had a long run on Detective Comics that is the very definition of “solid,” bring us this fun, creator-owned miniseries, starring a teenager who discovers he’s the descendant of Dr. Frankenstein. Also starring, of course, Frankenstein‘s monster.
