We got your recommendations right here! Including Mark Waid’s!
Mark Waid, Alter Ego Comics, Muncie, Ind.
Justice League United #1, DC. Jeff Lemire continues to do great work as a writer. Don’t know what DC would do without him. And I’m a sucker for Adam Strange and like his reinvention here (even if everyone always forgets that it’s scientifically impossible for Alpha Centauri to be seen from the Northern Hemisphere!). We’ll recommend this!
Rachel Rising #25, Abstract Studio. This series continues to sell in our store and will no doubt get a bump from our Terry Moore signing event (which, if you’re reading this, you already missed–sorry!).
Letter 44 #6, Oni Press. I’ll be straight-up honest with you. I liked the first issue, but I kept thinking to myself, “Why is this a comic and not a prose novel or a movie script?” Shows my old-school impatience, and that’s on me, not on Charles Soule. It’s evolved into something that does take advantage of the things comics do well with visual storytelling, and I dig it. I predict you will, too.
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Menachem Luchins, owner, Escape Pod Comics, Huntington, L.I.
Shutter #2, Image. Shutter #1 was one of the strongest debut books of the last few months. Joe Keatinge has created an interesting world and some compelling characters here and Leila Del Duca’s art is just gloriously busy and enthralling, very excited for this next issue. And if you missed the sold-out #1, don’t worry — there’s a second printing of it out this week too!
Power Lunch Vol. 2, Oni Press. In the first volume of Power Lunch we met Joey, who gets different super-powers from different-color foods. In this second volume, Joey has made the soccer team and didn’t even need to use his powers — but will he resort to them when his team faces some cheating opponents? J. Torres and Dean Trippe have created a delightful YA series here and I eagerly await this and any subsequent volumes of this perfectly executed title.
Manifest Destiny Vol. 1, Image. Image has been getting a lot of praise for a lot of books in the past year, but not EVERYTHING they’ve put out is on the level of Saga or Fatale. When the first issue of this alternate history, cryptozooalogical, supernatural retelling of Lewis and Clark’s exploratory journey out West came out I wasn’t so sure it would work for me. Boy was I wrong! Chris Dingess’ writing was dead-on in both establishing the characters and the period and Matthew Roberts’ art was easy to take in, yet lush with details. Now we’re six issues in and I can say that this is a book that just keeps on giving: bison-minotaurs, some seriously invasive plant life and the most kick-ass version of Sacagawea to ever hit the printed page. For $10, how can you NOT pick it up?
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Aimee LoSecco, JHU Comic Books, Manhattan
Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #1, Marvel Comics. For everyone asking: Shang Chi is back! Love, espionage, and intrigue abound in this four-issue mini series.
Superman Doomed #1, DC. This ain’t your daddy’s Supes vs. Doomsday! Kingdom Come ain’t gonna have nothing on the level of collateral in this fight. No holds barred fightin’ at its finest!
DC Designer Series Nightwing Action Figure, DC Collectibles. Greg Capullo’s New 52 Nightwing comes to life for the first time in this awesome sculpt. He’s purty …
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Tim Finn, Hub Comics, Somerville, Mass.
Spectre TP Vol 1: Crimes and Judgements, DC Comics. We’re one of those stores that prefers Pre-52 to New 52, and so do most of our customers, so we’re glad whenever there’s a solid collection from the ’90s or aughts (like the “Complete Major Bummer,” that ended up over at Dark Horse). John Ostrander and Tom Mandrake start their FIVE-YEAR RUN here — 12 issues for 20 bucks! — and we can just pretend this is a Vertigo evergreen like “Hellblazer” or “Preacher,” albeit a lost, PG-13 one.
Lego Legends of Chima GN Vol 1: High Risk, Papercutz.
I admit, I don’t get the appeal of CG LEGO television, much less comics based on it. But “Ninjago” sells, and we want variety in our all-ages section. So this one’s for the kids.
Bee and Puppycat #1, Boom! Studios. This lines up with our “Adventure Time” readership and our future “Steven Universe” buyers. It’s another cutely illustrated, quirky, all-ages series based on a breakout animated series with a lively color palette. Other publishers should take a lesson from this. They sell well, and are fun!
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Ted Alexander, manager, Midtown Comics’ Downtown location, Manhattan
Starlight #3, Image. The great twist on the Flash Gordon concept continues in the third issue by Mark Millar. Duke has returned to Tantalus, but he is 40 years past his prime and the enemy is twice as strong as before. This is the rare book where the story and the art combine to be perfect. Let’s hope Mark and Goran Parlov continue to work together.
United States of Murder Inc #1, Icon. I had a chance to listen to Brian Michael Bendis explain this book a few weeks ago and the passion he showed for it made me super-excited for it. He teams up with his Powers partner Michael Avon Oeming for this new creator-owned series from Marvel’s Icon line so you just know it’s going to be good.
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May 14, 2014
Didn’t Letter 44 #6 come out last week? I think so, because I read it and it was great!