Image Comics is in for an incredible May. As the publisher prepares for a new line of titles from founder Todd McFarlane in the way of “Spawn’s Universe,” they also launch new arcs for fan-favorites like “Ascender” and “Die.” Amongst all of that, they’re also continuing to make some incredible horror and thriller comics, plus they have a slew of new titles that coincide with the celebration of Asian Heritage Month. Honestly, I’d be stunned if you couldn’t find something to enjoy amongst their books. I struggled to contain myself to just ten! So, after quick honorable mentions to “Stray Dogs,” “Shadecraft,” and “HAHA,” here are my picks from Image Comics for May 2021.
10. Quiet Before the Storm
So uh… how about that “Spawn’s Universe” announcement? I’ll admit, the idea of Todd McFarlane launching a full-fledged line of titles spinning out of his hit “Spawn” series definitely caught my attention, and that was reinforced when I heard he would be joined by the likes of Donny Cates, Greg Capullo, J. Scott Campbell, Jim Cheung, and more. McFarlane and artist Carlo Barberi promise that “Spawn” #318 will be a great jumping on point for the franchise and will be where you want to be in order to know what’s going on for the months to come. As a lapsed fan of the franchise, I’m curious to see how the story unfolds and I’ll be jumping on here to keep myself in the know.
SPAWN #318
WRITER: TODD McFARLANE
ARTIST: CARLO BARBERI
COVER A: TONTON REVOLVER
COVER B: TODD McFARLANE
COVER C: BJÖRN BARENDSMay 26 / 32 PAGES / FC / T+ / $2.99
This story will start a storyline that spills into SPAWN’S UNIVERSE ONE-SHOT, then continues into even more NEW titles later in the coming months. This is where you want any new SPAWN readers to jump on board, as 2021 will be the beginning of a new and GIANT chapter in the expansion of the “Spawn-Verse.”
9. Die Another Day
If you haven’t been reading “Die” by Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans, you should. As the series enters its fourth arc, things are shaping up to be quite dire for our eclectic cast of characters. Much like Gillen’s previous series “The Wicked + The Divine,” I feel like talking about the specific plot points of this series ruins the fun of the ride. The book combines the best elements of <i>Jumanji<i/> with the most horrifying aspects of Dungeons & Dragons. And if you’ve ever played a campaign of Dungeons & Dragons, you know that things only get crazier as you find yourself further into the world of story. The first three volumes of the book are available now, so do yourself a favor and catch up for the new arc. You’ll thank me as soon as you see Stephanie Hans’s beautiful artwork.
DIE #16
WRITER: KIERON GILLEN
ARTIST / COVER: STEPHANIE HANS
COVER B: ALBERTO VARANDAMay 5 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99
NEW STORY ARC
“BLEED,” Part One
To go into the dark, you have to get to the dark. They never put a dungeon anywhere accessible, do they? Past sins haunt our party, and future sins permeate the landscape. DIE’s closing arc begins as we began: with regrets and screaming.
8. Rise
After a brief hiatus, Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen’s hit “Ascender” series returns for its final arc this May. I greatly enjoyed “Descender” and recently caught myself up on “Ascender,” and I gotta say I’m ready to be hurt again with this last story arc. Will it be the end of the line for Mila and the eclectic cast of characters we’ve watched travel the stars? Is there another series in store for Lemire and Dguyen? Only time will tell, but I know that I have to know immediately. My heart can’t handle the wait any more!
Continued belowASCENDER #15 (RESOLICIT)
WRITER: JEFF LEMIRE
ARTIST / COVER: DUSTIN NGUYENMAY 26 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99
NEW STORY ARC
“STAR SEED,” Part One
What are the twin hearts of the galaxy? As our heroes reconvene, the origins of man, machine, and the unknown are at last revealed.
7. Thought So
I can’t imagine a world where I’m not looking forward to more of “The Department of Truth” (and if this book has taught me anything, I shouldn’t!). The series has been a favorite of mine from day one and now with the news that the production company Sister has picked it up to adapt into a TV series – with writer James Tynion IV and artist Martin Simmonds on board to produce – I think a lot more people are going to be reading this very soon. Issue 9 of the series teases the Tibetan Book of the Dead and the idea that the thought manifestations that have been plaguing the world are developing their own thoughts and desires, and I can’t imagine that either of those will be good news for poor Cole Turner. Every issue continues to be a highlight of my month.
THE DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH #9
WRITER: JAMES TYNION IV
ARTIST / COVER A: MARTIN SIMMONDS
COVER B: MICHAEL AVON OEMINGMAY 26 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99
Cole Turner has seen firsthand the horrifying ways collective belief shapes the world and how theories can manifest and take physical form…but what happens when those thought forms start to have thoughts—and desires—of their own? What truths about Tulpas lay at the heart of the Tibetan Book of the Dead?
6. Age of Aquarius
Eisner Award-winning creator Afua Richardson is one to watch out for. Hot off of her time producing art for the hit HBO series <i>Lovecraft Country<i/> and still enjoying the success of her involvement with the acclaimed “Black Panther: World of Wakanda” series for Marvel, the writer/artist is back in the world of creator-owned comics with “Aquarius: The Book of Mer.” This new series promises 48 pages of comics every three months, and will be focusing on different myths surrounding mermaids. I honestly can’t recall seeing too many mermaid comics on the market, so I’ll be entering this book with an open mind and a lot of questions. Plus, it’s fairly rare to see Richardson on interior art for a series, which makes this something special right off the bat.
AQUARIUS: THE BOOK OF MER #1
WRITER / ARTIST / COVER A: AFUA RICHARDSON
COVER B: DAVID MACKMAY 19 / 48 PAGES / FC / T+ / $4.99
Eisner Award-winning creator AFUA RICHARDSON, the artist of HBO’s Lovecraft County, comes to Image Comics with a visionary new series: a modern retelling of mermaid myths and legends from all over the world. In 1983 Harlem, something surfaces from the haunted lake of Astara’s dreams. She’s plagued by visions of Ancestors, monsters, and Merfolk. What will she sacrifice to finally have peace? This quarterly comic will be accompanied by music for a unique storytelling experience.
5. Better than Gold
“The Silver Coin” is an interesting series. Described as an anthology series that centers on a magical coin and the horrible things that surround it, the only real unifying elements to the book are the coin itself and Eisner Award-winning artist Michael Walsh. The second issue of this horror series follows a group of mean girls who bully a misfit teen at summer camp, only for the teen to fight back and reclaim her power with the help of the titular silver coin. Writer Kelly Thompson joins Walsh for this issue and I expect that things will be terrifying, especially based on the absolutely vile covers. I’m a fan of old-school summer camp slashers so this is a must have for me.
THE SILVER COIN #2
WRITER: KELLY THOMPSON
ARTIST / COVER A: MICHAEL WALSH
COVER B: TULA LOTAYMAY 12 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99
Part two in the saga of THE SILVER COIN from all-star creators MICHAEL WALSH, CHIP ZDARSKY, KELLY THOMPSON, ED BRISSON, and JEFF LEMIRE! In 1993, classic mean girls bully a misfit teen at an idyllic summer camp. When the teen reclaims her power after a violent encounter with The Silver Coin, what follows is the stuff of horror movie legend.
4. ¡Mucha Lucha!
I love lucha libre. I grew up during the height of professional wrestling’s popularity in the late 90s/early 00s and I avidly watch it to this day, keeping up weekly. But while the American market is dominated by the likes of John Cena and Roman Reigns, I’ve always been attracted to lucha libre wrestlers. Masked combatants that explode with the ferocity of a comic book character. In “La Mano Del Destino,” the connection becomes ever more direct as former-champion Luchador faces the ultimate redemption arc upon donning the identity of La Mano Del Destino. The graphic novel collection of J. Gonzo’s “La Mano Del Destino” was originally funded through Kickstarter but due to the overwhelming support for the project, it will now be published through Image Comics as well, which makes me extremely happy because I missed out on the initial order window. I’m very excited for this.
LA MANO DEL DESTINO TP
WRITER / ARTIST / COVER: J. GONZOMAY 19 / 240 PAGES / FC / T / $24.99
LA MANO DEL DESTINO tells the tale of a once-champion Luchador—who, after being betrayed by his friends and unmasked in the ring, agrees to a Faustian bargain with a mysterious promoter. He gains a new power and the identity of La Mano del Destino in order to exact revenge upon his betrayers. Set in a swanky, 1960s Mexico where Lucha Libre is intrinsically woven into all aspects of society, this tale winds its way through the machinations and motivations of all types who inhabit this unique setting.
Can La Mano del Destino get his revenge while remaining the champion he knows himself to be?
Mesoamerican myth, Silver-Age storytelling, and high-flying Lucha Libre action converge to tell this epic story of vengeance and destiny!Collects LA MANO DEL DESTINO #1-6
3. Double Standard
Life was tough in the 1930s, but it was even tougher if you were an Asian-American. The direct and implied impact of both the Chinese and Asian Exclusion Acts meant that Asian-American faced harsh discrimination and were giving few opportunities to succeed in life. The resulting psychological damage from these laws led to a lot of self-loathing amongst the Asian-American community. “The Good Asian” picks up on these threads as Edison Hank, a first generation immigrant trying to make it as a detective in Chinatown, has to hunt down a serial killer. This noir series sounds like it has a great atmosphere and perspective, and author Pornsak Pichetshote has established a great reputation off of the back of his acclaimed “Infidel” series. At only nine issues long, it promises a dense story and makes me worried that our begrudging hero might not make it out alive. We’ll have to wait and see.
THE GOOD ASIAN #1 (of 9)
WRITER: PORNSAK PICHETSHOTE
ARTIST: ALEXANDRE TEFENKGI
COVER A: DAVE JOHNSON
COVER B: SANA TAKEDAMAY 5 / 40 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99
Writer PORNSAK PICHETSHOTE’s long-awaited follow-up to the critically acclaimed INFIDEL with stunning art by ALEXANDRE TEFENKGI (OUTPOST ZERO)! Following Edison Hark—a haunted, self-loathing Chinese-American detective—on the trail of a killer in 1936 Chinatown, THE GOOD ASIAN is Chinatown noir starring the first generation of Americans to come of age under an immigration ban, the Chinese, as they’re besieged by rampant murders, abusive police, and a world that seemingly never changes.
“Edison Hark immediately joins the ranks of Phillip Marlowe and Sam Spade in a smart, classic noir drenched in style and history.”—JAMES TYNION IV (DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH, Batman)
“A gripping and authentic crime story from an Asian-American POV. This is the book I’ve been waiting for!”—CLIFF CHIANG (PAPER GIRLS)
“A brittle story that takes place during an unfamiliar time in our history that is tragically all too familiar now in our present.”—BRIAN AZZARELLO (100 Bullets, MOONSHINE)
2. Suitcase of Memories
The clock is running out in the pages of “Time Before Time,” a new series from writer Declan Shalvey and “Write It In Blood” creators Rory McConville and Joe Palmer. The book takes place in a world where time travel is possible and a villainous organization known only as the Syndicate uses it to smuggle people through time and provide them with new lives. But when Tatsuo and Oscar, two agents for the Syndicate, decide that they want to break free of the organization, things get complicated. Any book with Declan Shalvey is sure to grab my attention and I’m admittedly curious to read the work of Rory McConville and Joe Palmer, who Shalvey has seemingly swooped up to guide through this series. The first look at the interior art by Palmer and colorist Chris O’Halloran is enough to get me to buy the first issue.
Continued belowTIME BEFORE TIME #1
WRITERS: DECLAN SHALVEY & RORY McCONVILLE
ARTISTS : JOE PALMER & CHRIS O’HALLORAN
COVER A: DECLAN SHALVEY
COVER B: JOHN PAUL LEONMAY 12 / 40 pages / FC / M / $3.99
The year is 2140, and to escape a world with no future, many turn to the Syndicate, a criminal organization who, for the right price, will smuggle you back in time to a better life. After working for the Syndicate for years, Tatsuo and Oscar decide to steal one of their boss’s time machines—but soon find that the one thing you can’t run from is your past.
TIME BEFORE TIME is a brand-new ongoing series where writer/artist DECLAN SHALVEY (BOG BODIES) joins forces with the WRITE IT IN BLOOD team of RORY McCONVILLE and JOE PALMER. Looper meets SAGA in this extra-sized debut issue.
1. Mass Produced
What makes us individuals? That’s one of the many questions at the heart of “Made in Korea,” a new five-part mini-series from writer Jeremy Holt and artist George Schall. I can’t say exactly what it is about this book that has me so hooked. Maybe it’s the premise, as the world’s first A.I. system has to learn to think outside of the box as it experiences life in a society that has outgrown biological parenthood. Maybe it’s the vivid art from George Schall, which looks simultaneously like a slice-of-life manga and a technical diagram. Or maybe it’s the unique voice of Holt, who brings his own experiences as an identical triplet and Korean adoptee. My vote is all of the above. This book has my curiosity piqued and it is easily the book I’m most excited for from Image Comics this May.
MADE IN KOREA #1 (of 6)
WRITER: JEREMY HOLT
ARTIST / COVER: GEORGE SCHALLMAY 26 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99
A QUICKSTART GUIDE FOR YOUR PROXY
STEP 1: Remove box.
STEP 2: Power on.
STEP 3: Raise your child.For Jesse, the world’s first true A.I. system, growing up means learning to think outside the box. This exciting new six-issue miniseries will redefine what it means to be a family in an age when biological parenthood is no longer a reality.
