Hello and welcome to Multiversity’s look at the “Best of the Rest,” where we try to summarize what’s coming your way in the now-available December 2017 Previews catalog from pretty much every other comic publisher. Having already taken a look at what Marvel, Dark Horse, DC, and Image have lined up for us to close out this year, it’s now time to check out the other 75% of the catalog.
That said, let’s dive in!
10. Return to Barrow
“30 Days of Night” is one of the IDW legacies, but I dunno, Steve Niles and crew must have felt like the storyline was getting too convoluted and complicated because now they’ve decided to reboot the whole thing. Ben Templesmith provides the covers here but has been replaced by Piotr Kowalski for the interiors. I feel the series rapidly lost what originally made it so terrifying and unique through the sixteen dozen spinoffs and sequels, so maybe a reboot is in order? Worth a try?
30 Days of Night #1
Written by Steve Niles
Illustrated by Piotr Kowalski
Published by IDW
As the sun sets over an isolated Alaskan township-not to rise again for a month-a new evil emerges from the shadows to terrorize the town… But after a series of strange events and horrific killings, the question becomes, what lurks in the shadows? 30 Days of Night is reborn in an all-new reimagining of the series designed to titillate the mind and horrify the senses!• As Fargo was reinvented for television, see the IDW classic reimagined for the modern era-keeping the frights while keeping you guessing!
• 15 years ago, IDW launched the original terrifying saga… now in 2017, 30 Days is reborn in a horrifically different re-telling!
• Series creator/writer Steve Niles is joined on interiors by Piotr Kowalski (Sex), and re-joined by creator/original artist Ben Templesmith and original cover artist Ashley Wood on covers!
• Steve Niles is getting critical acclaim for his book Winnebego Graveyard!
9. A Modern Modern Life
I probably didn’t get Rock’s Modern Life when it first aired, though it was always one of the NickToons I loved. I mean, all these Tumblr kids are all “I’m growing up and identifying so much with Squidward,” but Squidward is like a consolidated version of this whole show. Just in time for the reboot, Boom!’s presenting a new comic series. It sounds like the usual licensed M.O.: a collection of shorts checking in with various characters in the universe.
Rocko’s Modern Life #1
Written by Ryan Ferrier & KC Green
Illustrated by Ian McGinty
Published by Boom! Studios
Ryan Ferrier (Regular Show) and Ian McGinty (Adventure Time) continue BOOM! Studios’ partnership with Nickelodeon with all-new stories about everyone’s favorite wallaby!
When Rocko faces unemployment, a terrible living situation, and increasingly slim job prospects, he is forced to find out just how far he is willing to go to get a job.Features a backup story by KC Green where Ed Bighead finds himself in the dentist chair of Dr. Hutchison!
8.
“Neil the Horse” was a Canadian strip from the mid-80s, a sort of underground sensation that exchanged the gritty tone for sendups of Fred Astaire musicals. Saba had big plans for the book which unfortunately never really took off; nevertheless it remains a testament to animated cartooning and energetic storytelling. It was also the last thing Saba made under that name because shortly after that she trasitioned to Katherine Collins. It’s great this available to us in one giant edition.
Continued belowThe Collected Arn Saba’s Neil the Horse
Written and Illustrated by Aryn Saba
Published by Conundrum Press
Neil the Horse ran 15 issues in the 1980s. With its tagline, “Making the World Safe for Musical Comedy” it is a totally original hybrid influenced more by Carl Barks and Fred Astaire than by the underground comics of the time. Originally produced under the name Arn Saba, Neil’s creator transitioned to Katherine Collins after the last issue. Introduction by Trina Robbins.
7. Beyond Earth
I’m super about the first part of the concept, of the last surviving astronaut from a space disaster coping with her new fame and infamy. I’m not sure how I feel about her having to have superpowers, though. It’s like they don’t trust themselves to sustain a comic series without super powers? I don’t know but the prospect for the character drama here is enticing.
Summit #1
Written by Amy Chu
Illustrated by Jan Duursema
Published by Lion ForgeValentina Resnick-Baker is the only known surviving astronaut from a suicide mission that saved the world, and the media won’t let her forget it.
Now a social recluse, Val is seeing visions, hearing voices, keeping a very dangerous power inside her, and the cosmic gift she received from surviving a near-death experience is about to be unleashed.
6. Setting the Stage
This comic sets up for the events of an upcoming film. I honestly don’t know much about it, but Amigo Comics has specialized in Spanish-comics for several years now and it’s worth it to have some spotlight on Latin@ creators.
Beast No More: Meamorphosis
Written by Jennifer Van Gessel
Illustrated by Leticia Morgado & Joan Marin
Published by Amigo ComicsA prequel one-shot to accompany the feature film Beast No More, due for release 2017 starring Jessica Tovey and Dan Ewing. Set before events of the film, Metamorphosis tells the story of Blanch, a young country girl whose world is turned upside down when her beloved father returns from the Vietnam War. Father is behaving strangely, but it isn’t long before Blanch unravels his secrets and is left to make a choice that will send her down a horrific path.
5. Build that Christmas Spirit!
Is this how Morrison and Mora are handling their Dark Santa series right now? I dunno, but this whole thing was sort of so ridiculously over the top it’s engaging.
Klaus and the Witch of Winter
Written by Grant Morrison
Illustrated by Dan Mora
Published by Boom! StudiosKlaus returns for an epic oversized one-shot, perfect for any comic fan’s stocking!
* Brought to you by legendary creator Grant Morrison and 2016 Russ Manning Award winner Dan Mora, join the continuing adventures through space and time of the man that would become Santa Claus.
4. Kevin’s Precious Little Life
Originally published exclusively digitally, this charming little series is finally getting to see print. I don’t know why Archie Comics decided their most prominent LGBT character wouldn’t have the same release as his counterparts, but hey, at least we’re getting this. Parent and J. Bone take Kevin out of Riverdale and into an internship in New York, moving from the YA-centric original to something more New Adult. Lively illustrated and fun, “Life with Kevin” broadens
Life with Kevin
Written by Dan Parent
Illustrated by J. Bone & Jack Morelli
Published by Fantagraphics
Life With Kevin is a coming-of-age story that is both heartfelt and funny. Readers are introduced to an older, wiser and worldly Kevin Keller as he explores the life in NYC with his BFF Veronica. Written and drawn by Dan Parent, with inks from the legendary J. Bone. Collects the entire 5-issue run.
3. Anything that Loves
Josh Trujilo spearheads this comics anthology. He writes every story but the artist roster is international. This is actually a collection of work he’s published previously about technology and queerness. It’s a gamut of material and great to have it in one handy book.
Love Machines
Written by Josh Trujilo
Published by Northwest PressCovering past, present, and future, Love Machines tells love stories about technology: tales that are sometimes funny, sometimes tragic, that deal with the objects that inhabit our lives. Created and written by Josh Trujillo, each comic spotlights our personal connection to objects and how technology impacts our connection to each other.
2. Checking in on Jaime
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It’s actually been a while since Fantagraphics has released a collection of Jaime Hernandez material in their “Love & Rockets Library.” That alone is cause for celebration, but this also contains ‘The Love Bunglers’ so, you know. These may not be the full sized magazine editions, but there’s no doubt they’re great books to have on the shelf.
Love & Rockets: Angels and Magpies
Written and Illustrated by Jaime Hernandez
Published by FantagraphicsAngels and Magpies collects the Gods and Science: Return of the Ti-Girls and Love Bunglers storylines from the Love and Rockets: New Stories series, as well as Hernandez’s 2006 New York Times serial. In the Ti-Girls segment, superheroics get a screwball spin and in “Love Bunglers,” perhaps Hernandez’s greatest masterpiece and one of the great graphic novels of all time, the past and present converge as Maggie and Ray’s reunion is threatened by long-buried family secrets.
1. Oh Hell Yeah
I have nothing to add to this except every single element of “Assassinistas” sounds fucking awesome. Just the creator names alone should be enough to add to your pull list.
Assassinistas #1
Written by Tini Howard
Illustrated by Gilbert Hernandez
Published by IDWDominic Prince and the Semester Abroad, Part 1 of 6. Dominic Price is a college-age kid who just wants to spend the semester making out with his boyfriend, Taylor, in between rounds of TurboLight Fighter and maintaining a solidly passable 3.2 GPA. His mom, Octavia, formerly a badass action-movie-quality bounty hunter, didn’t pay his tuition, because she had to get back in the business and spend 40K on black market weapons and body armor. And she’s bringing Dominic with her, because the alternative is making lattes for a semester, and he’d rather die. Good thing in mom’s line of work, dying is an option.
• “It’s a Kill Bill story in a Venture Brothers world! or better yet: Fun Home taking place on a backdrop of The Expendables.”-Tini Howard, co-creator/writer
• Modern Family. Retro Sass. Highly Trained. To Kick your Ass. ASSASSINISTAS
• Eisner Hall of Fame Artist Gilbert Hernandez teams up with rising star writer Tini Howard (The Skeptics, Magdelena, Rick and Morty) for a full-octane action & family drama assault!
• Letter columns, interviews, previews, behind-the-panel-borders secrets & more!
Well, that was fun! And let me know what books YOU’RE excited for in the comments section.
