Leaving Megalopolis Surviving Megalopolis #1 Columns 

Soliciting Multiversity: Dark Horse’s Top 10 in January 2016

By | October 26th, 2015
Posted in Columns | % Comments

Wow we’re already talking about 2016 comic books? Time flies when you’re watching the Mets win the pennant I guess. Dark Horse is offering a lot of great collections in January so let’s jump into the picks, shall we?

10. Dark Horse Does Right By Korra Collectors

We’re going to be getting a lot of Legend of Korra material from Dark Horse in the next year or so and thankfully that’s not going to be contained to just comic books. This statue is very pretty and if other Dark Horse collectibles are anything to go off of, it’s a guarantee that this will be a must have for all Korra fans.

The Legend of Korra: Korra Statuette (advance solicit)
On sale Feb 24
$79.99
The strong-willed Avatar Korra is beautifully captured in this majestic pose from Nickelodeon’s The Legend of Korra! Dark Horse is proud to bring forth this limited edition 8 1/4” tall polyresin statuette. Sure to please Korra fans.
• Also coming soon from Dark Horse: Avatar Aang Statuette

9. The Best Horror Series Going Concludes

No secret, I love “Colder”. I really believe it’s the best horror series in comics right now. In January, it all ends and I can’t wait. Tobin and Ferreyra have taken readers on a journey full of true scares and terrifying imagery. If you’ve never read it, fix that immediately.

Colder: Toss the Bones #5 (of 5)
Paul Tobin (W) and Juan Ferreyra (A/Cover)
On sale Jan 27
FC, 32 pages
$3.99
Miniseries
Nimble Jack’s ravenous appetite for insanity has left Declan’s temperature at a dangerous low. Now Reece must face the terror of madness unarmed and alone. The disturbing conclusion to Colder: Toss the Bones!
“This is the best series on the stands right now. Not reading it would be insane.”—IGN

8. Respect The Classics, Yo

A few months back I noted in this column that Dark Horse would be reprinting “Astro Boy” in these huge omnibuses. In January the third of these books comes out and for new manga fans, like me, consider this your education. The first ominbus (which I reviewed here) was not only an excellent value but it was a complex philosophical story disguised as something close to a Saturday morning cartoon.

Astro Boy Omnibus Volume 3 TP (advance solicit)
Osamu Tezuka (W/A/Cover)
On sale Mar 23
b&w, 688 pages
$19.99
TP, 4 1/2″ x 6 1/2″
Stranded in the twentieth century, Astro Boy must save Earth from a voracious Martian fungus—and save the intelligent organism from the hydrogen bomb! From Osamu Tezuka, “the Walt Disney of Japan,” Astro Boy is all-ages adventure, loaded with humor and heart! Collects three stories from Astro Boy volume 7 and all of volume 8 and volume 9.

7. Kung Fu Hustle

Dark Horse has a sort of superhero part to it and one of their heroes is King Tiger. “King Tiger” this year had a short miniseries and it wasn’t as popular as it could have been. Fans of martial arts or old Kung Fu comic books would find a lot to like here. The art is gorgeous and in 2016, you can get the entire miniseries with the stories featured in “Blackout”.

King Tiger: Son of the Dragon TP (advance solicit)
Randy Stradley (W), Doug Wheatley (A/Cover), and Rain Beredo (C)
On sale Mar 9
FC, 120 pages
$14.99
TP, 7″ x 10″
Blood, death, and fire—the darkest magic. A monstrous secret from King Tiger’s past hunts the warrior mystic, but can Tiger’s skills and sorcery overcome a supernatural obscenity linked to his own destiny? If Tiger falls, the Dragon rises! Collects the King Tiger miniseries and stories from Blackout #1–#4.
“That detailed, almost photo-realistic cover is pretty much what Wheatley delivers in his interior pages.”—IGN

6. Dashing Through The Snow, With A Big Red Hand of Doom

I don’t read a ton of Hellboy stuff but I do like specials like this. They’re usually very accessible if you know the basics about the character and if not, you’re caught up enough through the context of the story. Chelsea Cain just wrote the Mockingbird one-shot that came out for Marvel’s S.H.I.E.L.D. annniversary so I have high hopes for this one.

Continued below

Hellboy Winter Special One-Shot
Mike Mignola (W/Variant cover), Chris Roberson (W), Chelsea Cain (W), Scott Allie (W), Michael Walsh (A), Michael Avon Oeming (A), Tim Sale (A/Cover), and Dave Stewart (C)
On sale Jan 27
FC, 36 pages
$3.99
One-shot
Best-selling novelist Chelsea Cain writes and Michael Avon Oeming draws the first of three snowbound stories. Then Tim Sale visits Mignola’s prehistoric mythology, and in a lead-in to the upcoming issues of Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1953, Hellboy explores a haunted mine in the barren wastes of Wyoming.
• Mignolaverse debuts by Tim Sale (Captain America: White), Michael Walsh (Secret Avengers), Chris Roberson (iZombie), and Chelsea Cain (Heartsick, One Kick)!

5. Another Reboot!

“Lone Wolf and Cub” is a beloved manga series that saw a sequel set in a post apocalyptic world. That storyline is making a comeback and being redone by writer Eric Heisserer, who wrote “Shaper” for Dark Horse earlier this year. “Shaper” was a very solid science fiction story with a youthful voice and if Heisserer can do the same thing with Daisy Ogami, this could be a great miniseries.

Lone Wolf 2100 #1 (of 4)
Eric Heisserer (W), Miguel Sepulveda (A/Cover), and Javier Mena (C)
On sale Jan 6
FC, 32 pages
$3.99
Miniseries
AD 2100: A devastating manmade plague is turning the human race into cannibalistic monsters known as the Thrall. But there is hope: young Daisy Ogami’s blood holds the secret to a cure—if Itto, her android protector, can get her to a place where it can be extracted!
• Screenwriter Eric Heisserer retools Lone Wolf 2100!

4. Another “Dark Horse Presents” Story Gets Collected

Anthologies can be a breeding ground for great new stories and Dark Horse Presents has been a place where new talent has been discovered time after time. “Snow Angel” is not something I’m completely familiar with but the solicit makes me super interested.

Snow Angel TP
David Chelsea (W/A/Cover)
On sale Mar 30
FC, 112 pages
$9.99
TP, 6″ x 9″
An ordinary little girl becomes a crime-fighting cherub whenever she makes an angel in the snow! This full-color, all-ages collection includes the Snow Angel stories from the acclaimed Dark Horse Presents anthology—as well as new adventures from the playful mind of creator David Chelsea (David Chelsea in Love, Sleepless and Other Stories).
• All-ages adventure from longtime New York Observer illustrator!

3. One Of The Finest Webcomics FINALLY Gets A Print Edition

Daniel Warren Johnson is a wizard. He’s an artist who’s destined for superstardom and some of his very best work can be seen in his webcomic “Space-Mullet”. I am crazy excited to get this and jealous that some of you are going to experience his art for the first time.

Space-Mullet!: One Gamble at a Time TP (advanced solicit)
Daniel Warren Johnson (W/A/Cover)
On sale Mar 16
FC, 208 pages
$17.99
TP, 7″ x 10″
Ex–Space Marine Jonah and his copilot Alphius rove the galaxy, trying to get by. Drawn into one crazy adventure after another, they forge a crew of misfits into a family and face the darkest parts of the universe together. Space-Mullet! is a richly detailed, accessible sci-fi world with heartfelt characters and an unforgettable story.
• A beloved web comic finally in print!
“The best webcomic that hasn’t made it to print. Yet.”—Multiversity Comics

2. By The Power Of Astra…You Will Buy This Book!

“Zodiac Starforce” is too cute for words. It combines all things that are awesome into an even more awesome story. You’ve got cosmic powers, fashion, gorgeous layouts, kick ass ladies and friendship. It’s so much fun and it needs to become an ongoing series. Let’s show it some love and get this trade paperback!

Zodiac Starforce: By the Power of Astra TP (advance solicit)
Kevin Panetta (W) and Paulina Ganucheau (A/Cover)
On sale Mar 9
FC, 136 pages
$12.99
TP, 7″ x 10″
An elite group of teenage girls with magical powers have sworn to protect our planet against dark creatures . . . as long as they can get out of class! Known as the Zodiac Starforce, these high-school girls aren’t just combating math tests. They’re also battling monsters! But when an evil force infects leader Emma, she must work with her team to save herself—and the world—from the evil Diana and her mean-girl minions! Collects Zodiac Starforce #1–#4.
• A brand-new creator-owned series from Kevin Panetta (Bravest Warriors) and Paulina Ganucheau (TMNT: New Animated Adventures, Bravest Warriors) for fans of Sailor Moon, Buffy, and Lumberjanes!
“Zodiac Starforce is your new favorite thing.”—The Mary Sue
“Smart, clever, interesting and pretty as all get out.”—Major Spoilers

Continued below

1. We’re Going Back To Megalopolis

“Leaving Megalopolis” started as a Kickstarter and ended up raising over $100,000. Once that happened, Dark Horse released a hardcover edition of the book for non backers to buy and to no one’s surprise, we’re getting a sequel in 2016. “Leaving Megalopolis” was a great twist on the superhero genre written by a writer who knows her way around a superhero story – Gail Simone. I’m so excited for this and January can’t get here fast enough.

Leaving Megalopolis: Surviving Megalopolis #1 (of 6)
Gail Simone (W) and J. Calafiore (A/Cover)
On sale Jan 13
FC, 32 pages
$3.99
Miniseries
The Kickstarter phenomenon returns! Fan-favorite creators Gail Simone (Batgirl, Deadpool) and J. Calafiore (Secret Six, Exiles) return to the town whose citizens are hunted—not by villains, but by heroes! The survivors of Megalopolis reluctantly go back to the city—still under the control of formerly beloved superheroes turned brutal killers—on a rescue mission straight into the heart of madness. Get in on the ground floor of this critically acclaimed series and see what happens when the good guys go very, very bad.
“If this first volume is any indication, Simone and Calafiore both have a bright future, full of the guts and glory we’ve all come to love from them, in creator-owned comics. The sooner we get to see that future, the better.” —Comicosity

 

Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments! Also head over to CBR for the full solicitations.


Jess Camacho

Jess is from New Jersey. She loves comic books, pizza, wrestling and the Mets. She can be seen talking comics here and at Geeked Out Nation. Follow her on Twitter @JessCamNJ for the hottest pro wrestling takes.

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