It’s a New Year, just as a terrifying as the old year! While the world and all sense of normality and all semblance of democratic justice collapses around us, we can at least be assured that comics are still good, right? Well, looking at Image’s solicitations for April 2017, I think I am assured in saying that, yes, comics are still good.
Well, let’s stop rambling, then, and get to the comics! Below are our Top 10 picks from Image’s solicitations for April 2017. For the full list of soliciations, head to Image’s website.
10. Is Maggie Thatcher In This One Too?
Can you believe Image has been around for 25 years? I can because that’s longer than I’ve been alive so, technically, Image has always been around for me. But when you compare it to the 70 odd year history of Marvel and DC, it’s not a lot of time. Especially given the leaps and bounds the publisher has taken in the past fews.
So, naturally, Image are celebrating their birthday by poking fun at themselves. Hopefully it will feature a skit about Rob Liefeld’s Levi jeans.
SPLITTING IMAGE 80-PAGE GIANT
APRIL 26 / 80 PAGES / FC / T+ / $7.99To celebrate Image Comics’ 25th Anniversary–the original parody book by DON SIMPSON that skewers the formation of Image and the bozos that founded it! And here’s the rub–IT’S ALL TRUE!! (Well, mostly, sort of.) Plus, as a super-special bonus (because we had more pages to fill), we include the normalman-MEGATON MAN SPECIAL by SIMPSON, VALENTINO, MARDER, and BURDEN! Square-bound even! Never before reprinted (and we can certainly see why)! A piece of history at your fingertips (now go wash your hands)!
9. Street Angel, Street Angel, Please Be Mine
“Street Angel” is fucking amazing. You should be reading it. That’s all I have to say about that. However, this “After School Kung Fu Special” has me… puzzled. I sincerely hope that’s a misprint when it says 40 pages for $19.99. There’s no way. Most of Image’s single issues run close to that for $3.99. There’s no way in hell they’re charging $20 for a 40 page hardcover. However, I haven’t been able to find any more information on this at time of print so… answers on a postcard?
STREET ANGEL: AFTER SCHOOL KUNG FU SPECIAL HC
STORY: BRIAN MARUCA, JIM RUGG
ART / COVER: JIM RUGG
APRIL 26 / 40 PAGES / FC / T / $19.99Jesse “Street Angel” Sanchez takes the Ninja Kid to school! Her fists are the facts and his face is the report card! Don’t miss this very special After School Kung Fu, er, uh…Special? Meanwhile, Saturday night’s the big dance and Jesse doesn’t want to go! Is love in the air? No.
8. Hock, Line And Sinker
One of the things I love about Image is that it gives creators room to experiment with form. “Lazarus” is an intricate and cerebral thriller built on political and familiar connections and so using these Sourcebooks to expand on the world of the series is a genius move. It reminds me of when “East Of West” released its ‘The World’ one-shot and used it to deepen the lore of the world around the characters.
It’s something that’s interested me ever since Marvel and DC would release supplements to their stories that showed the layout of the Batcave or how the Quinjet works. This is going to be cool.
LAZARUS SOURCEBOOK #2: HOCK
STORY: DAVE WALKER, DAVID BROTHERS, ERIC TRAUTMANN, GREG RUCKA, NEAL BAILEY, ROBERT MACKENZIE
ART: MICHAEL LARK
COVER: ERIC TRAUTMANN
APRIL 26 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99The Cull has ended and the world has changed. The Carlyle Family’s most implacable foe, HOCK, stands as determined and vicious as ever. Venture to the lands east of the Mississippi, where Doctor Hock has the prescription to cure all of your ills…if you can survive the treatment.
7. “She-Wolf” Is She-Gone
Every month I do this, I feel like another Rich Tommaso series is ending. Between “Dark Corridor” and “She-Wolf”, I’ve found myself really enjoying Tommaso’s work only for it to be over as soon as it begins. Maybe I’ve been spoiled by Image’s series running for years at a time, but I was really hoping we’re get more of “She-Wolf”. Hopefully this isn’t the last we’ll see of Tomasso at Image, though. I would really like to see more from him.
Continued belowSHE WOLF #8
STORY / ART / COVER: RICH TOMMASO
APRIL 19 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99“BLACK BAPTISM,” Part Four. SERIES FINALE. Gabby and Nikki battle a myriad of demons to try and save Lizzie from a black mass ritual sacrifice.
6. End Of Lap 1
“Motor Crush” has continually impressed me, so I pretty much just included it here to talk about it more. Since beginning their run on “Batgirl”, Tarr, Stewart and Fletcher have continually levelled up as a creative team and become more cohesive as artists. It is simply a joy to see them gel like they do and the bonus is that the stories they tell are just as enjoyable.
Plus, I cannot wait to read more of “Isola: Island Of The Dead”. If it weren’t for how good “Motor Crush” actually is, I’d probably be buying this just for “Isola”.
MOTOR CRUSH #5
STORY: BABS TARR, BRENDEN FLETCHER, CAMERON STEWART
ART: BABS TARR, CAMERON STEWART
COVER: BABS TARR
VARIANT COVER: CAMERON STEWART
APRIL 12 / 32 PAGES / FC / T+ / $3.99END OF STORY ARC. END OF VOLUME 1. Domino is forced to make impossible choices and everything falls apart. Featuring part five of ISOLA: PROLOGUE by BRENDEN FLETCHER and KARL KERSCHL, the final chapter of the prelude to ISOLA: ISLAND OF THE DEAD #1, coming soon!
5. A Rose By Any Other Name
Yes, I know. Meredith Finch’s run writing “Wonder Woman” was, as far as I could tell, universally panned. I have yet to find a single person to say anything good about it. But I feel like she was saddled with not only having to follow up a run everyone seemed to love from Azzarello and Chiang, but was forced to bring the title more in line with the New 52 thinking and the Superman line.
I am genuinely curious to see how she fares as a writer on her own material. It could very easily turn out to be much of the same or I think she could surprise people. Plus, teaming with Ig Guara is a great choice, especially for a fantasy comic. At the very least, this’ll look pretty.
ROSE #1
STORY: MEREDITH FINCH
ART / COVER: IG GUARA
VARIANT COVER: DAVID FINCH
APRIL 12 / 32 PAGES / FC / T / $3.99SERIES PREMIERE
A classic fantasy tale about a girl trying to restore balance to a broken world. Rose must connect with her Khat — Thorne — to become the Guardian the world needs. But things aren’t easy for Rose and Thorne, the powerful sorcerous Drucilla has many powerful and demonic allies — all of them focused on stopping one scared little girl who’s desperately trying to stay alive and do what’s right. Written by MEREDITH FINCH (Wonder Woman, Little Mermaid), and drawn by fan-favorite artist IG GUARA (Batman: Arkham Knight, Blue Beetle, The Ravagers).
4. Coming Soon To Disney World: Satan Punching
Every so often I’m struck with the feeling that I need more “Shaolin Cowboy” in my life. There’s something about how Geof Darrow channels serenity through violence that really speaks to me. Now, I know a comparison to “Shaolin Cowboy” is a tall order, but the solicit text for “Rock Candy Mountain” struck me with that same, strange feeling. It may end up feeling nothing like it and is described as “action-comedy”, but something about the solicit text and the cover has me very interested in the series.
Also, it just sounds wild.
Continued belowROCK CANDY MOUNTAIN #1
STORY / ART / COVER: KYLE STARKS
APRIL 05 / 24 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99SERIES PREMIERE Eisner-nominated comic creator, KYLE STARKS (SEXCASTLE), would like to invite you to enter the magical world of hobos. The world’s toughest hobo is searching through post-World War II America for the mythological Rock Candy Mountain, and he’s going to have to fight his way to get there. Lots of hobo fights. So many hobo fights. A new action-comedy series full of high action, epic stakes, magic, friendships, trains, punching, kicking, joking, a ton of hobo nonsense, and the Literal Devil. Yeah. The Literal Devil.
3. Lars And The Real Girl, But Like… Dark
I’m slightly worried about Image’s tendencies to push books with a focus on mental illness through the lens of violent noir. “Plastic” sounds like it could either be really good or a complete trainwreck in terms of the discussion surrounding mental health and violent tendencies. I, for one, hope it’s good and am interesting in checking it out to find out either way, but I wouldn’t be all that surprised if it does turn out to be a trainwreck.
One can hope, though, right?
PLASTIC #1
STORY: DOUG WAGNER
ART: DANIEL HILLYARD, LAURA MARTIN
COVER A: ANDREW ROBINSON
COVER B: DANIEL HILLYARD
APRIL 19 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99Retired serial killer Edwyn Stoffgruppen is in love with Virginia, a girl he “met online.” Her affection quiets his vile urges. Together, they tour the back roads of America in their LTD, eating doughnuts and enjoying their healthy appetites for each other. Life is good…until a Louisiana billionaire kidnaps Virginia, forcing Edwyn to kill again in exchange for her freedom. Oh, and did we mention that Virginia is a sex doll?
2. TFW You Buy A Comic Without Reading The Title Because Of the Creators
This comic could be about anything. It could be 32 two blank pages and I’d still throw down my $3.99. Why? Because it’s a goddamn comic teaming the forces of Jason Latour, Ivan Brandon, Greg Hinkle and Matt Wilson. That’s like the comic book equivalent of a music supergroup, but like one of the good ones that didn’t break up after one album. Okay, I don’t know if there are any good music supergroups, but I really hope this collaboration turns out for the better. Brandon and Latour are two of the greatest living writers in comics and Greg Hinkle and Matt Wilson are amazing artists. I cannot wait to see what these four will come up with.
BLACK CLOUD #1
STORY: IVAN BRANDON, JASON LATOUR
ART / COVER: GREG HINKLE, MATT WILSON
APRIL 05 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99Zelda was born in a world of dreams, and hers burned bigger than anyone had ever seen. Now she’s on the run in our world, the dreams broken in her hands. But the pieces are for sale, the rich and the powerful are buying, and suddenly her world isn’t the only place Zelda’s running from. From the creators that brought you Spider-Gwen, SOUTHERN BASTARDS, and DRIFTER, and the incredible colorist of THE WICKED + THE DIVINE, comes a place where dreams come true–and today, they go to war.
1. The Fangs At Night, Are Big And Sharp *Clap Clap Clap Clap*
Donny Cates has been killing it lately, from “Paybacks” to his story in “Star Trek: Waypoint” to the recent “God Country”. He is a rising star in comics and he’s already got another new series on the horizon. There’s something about the notion of telling a vampire story in which the vampires are living a peaceful, domestic life that really appeals to me. Pairing that was an almost Hatfields and McCoys sounding familial drama and this is a book I am very interested in picking up. Plus, Lisandro Estherren’s work on “The Last Contract” was astounding and I can’t wait to see what he brings to this.
REDNECK #1
STORY: DONNY CATES
ART / COVER: DEE CUNNIFFE, LISANDRO ESTHERREN
APRIL 19 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99The Bowmans are VAMPIRES who have quietly run the local barbecue joint in their small town for years, living off cow’s blood. Their peaceful coexistence ends as generations of hate, fear, and bad blood bubble to the surface–making it impossible to separate man from monster! Critically acclaimed writer DONNY CATES (GOD COUNTRY) and artist LISANDRO ESTHERREN serve up the tale of a DIFFERENT kind of family just trying to get by, deep in the heart of Texas.
