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Soliciting Multiversity: Image’s Top 10 For October 2016

By | July 28th, 2016
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We’re back! After what might have been the shortest month ever (seriously, July felt like it was four days long), Soliciting Multiversity has returned to give you a glimpse at the future of your favourite comics. As always, I will be taking a look at what Image Comics has to offer in month of October 2016. Surprisingly, not a single Halloween-themed comic in sight. I am very, very bummed about this. Are we seriously forsaking such an important yearly tradition?

10. The Beginning Of The End For “Shutter”

“Shutter” has been a goddamn fantastic comic. I’ve said it since issue one, but Joe Keatinge and Leila Del Duca have created a fantasy comic unlike other that has been an often overlooked gem in Image’s catalogue. Sadly, all things must come to an end and this October sees #23 of “Shutter” kick off the final act.

I do find it interesting that it notes that the collection for the final arc won’t appear “for some time” after the final issue. I have no idea why, but it seems to be a similar tactic that “Saga” is employing to get readers moving away from only reading the trades to reading the single issues.

You’ll be missed, “Shutter”.

SHUTTER #23
STORY: JOE KEATINGE
ART / COVER: LEILA DEL DUCA & OWEN GIENI
OCTOBER 12 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99
NEW STORY ARC, “SO FAR BEYOND”! THE FINAL ACT BEGINS NOW!

SHUTTER’s final storyline begins with Kate Kristopher in the most dangerous spot she’s been in yet, as she’s picking up the pieces in the wake of lives lost. Everything comes to a head as we learn the answer to every single question, every last mystery, and all the truths behind the lies we’ve learned. If SHUTTER’s second act finale proved anything, it’s that no one’s safe from what’s coming.
PLEASE NOTE: This extended-length final arc will not be collected for some time after it ends, so readers of SHUTTER VOL. 4: ALL ROADS TP’s shocking ending are highly encouraged to sign up for the single issues’ duration.

9. Android Love In Glorious Hardcover

I really don’t know what I can say about “Alex + Ada” that hasn’t be covered before and with more space to talk about it, but it’s a pretty gosh darn good comic. It also seemed to be one that slipped through some peoples’ radar, so this complete collection, collecting Jonathan Luna’s artwork in an oversized hardcover, is going to make an excellent addition to any shelf. Also, this being an advance solicit for November means you’re going to be seeing this on a lot of end of year gift guides.

ALEX + ADA: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION DELUXE EDITION HC
STORY: JONATHAN LUNA & SARAH VAUGHN
ART / COVER: JONATHAN LUNA
NOVEMBER 16 / 376 PAGES / FC / T+ / $49.99
ADVANCE SOLICIT

From JONATHAN LUNA (THE SWORD, GIRLS, Spider-Woman: Origin) and SARAH VAUGHN (Sparkshooter, Ruined) comes ALEX + ADA, a sci-fi drama set in the near future. The last thing in the world Alex wanted was an X5, the latest in realistic androids, but after Ada is dropped into his life, he discovers she is more than just a robot and takes a huge risk to unlock Ada so she can think for herself and explore life as a sentient android. Can they survive the consequences?
This oversized hardcover collects issues #1-15.

8. Surprisingly Not A Nickelodeon Show

If you’re a long time follower of my other pet project, Art Of The Week, there’s a good chance you’ve seen me feature George Kambadais. His style is entirely unique with a very cartoonish edge and “The Double Life Of Miranda Turner” is an amazing showcase of his artwork. Originally a digital series published by Monkeybrain Comics (whatever happened to those guys?), this is, I want to say, the first time we’re seeing “Miranda Turner” in print.

If you haven’t checked this series out before, this is the perfect opportunity to do so.

Continued below

THE DOUBLE LIFE OF MIRANDA TURNER, VOL. 1: IF YOU HAVE GHOSTS TP
STORY: JAMIE S. RICH
ART / COVER: GEORGE KAMBADAIS
OCTOBER 12 / 152 PAGES / FC / T / $14.99

Miranda Turner never knew her sister, international supermodel Lindy Turner, was also the masked crime fighter The Cat. At least not until Lindy appeared in Miranda’s bedroom as a ghost, looking for help finding her own murderer. From Lady Killer co-creator JAMIE S. RICH and up-and-coming artist GEORGE KAMBADAIS (Vampire Diaries).

7. Imagine If Neill Blomkamp’s Elysium Was Good

You know, as much as I love the idea of “Island” – the comics anthology magazine put together by Brandon Graham and Emma Rios – $7.99 can be a lot to commit to a book without the assurance that you’re even going to enjoy any of the stories in there. That’s why I think it’s interesting that we’re seeing the stories serialised in “Island” collected separately (as we saw with Emma Rios’ “I.D.” earlier in the year) to stand on their own two feet and find an audience they otherwise wouldn’t.

Especially at the $9.99 price point, these are the kind of books you can drop in someone’s lap and say “If you want more of this, check out ‘Island’.” Definitely a cool idea.

HABITAT TP
STORY / ART / COVER: SIMON ROY
OCTOBER 26 / 96 PAGES / FC / M / $9.99
ADVANCE SOLICIT

All his life, Hank Cho wanted to join the ranks of the Habsec — the rulers of the orbital habitat his people call home. But when he finds a powerful, forbidden weapon from the deep past, a single moment of violence sets his life — and the brutal society of the habitat — into upheaval. Hunted by the cannibalistic Habsec and sheltered by former enemies, Cho finds himself caught within a civil war that threatens to destroy his world.
A new barbarian sci-fi adventure by SIMON ROY (PROPHET, JAN’S ATOMIC HEART, Tiger Lung), originally serialized in ISLAND MAGAZINE.

6. It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Anthology

Thought Bubble is my favourite comic con I’ve ever been two. Granted, I’ve only been twice, but it’s fast becoming a yearly tradition for me and stands as not just the best con in the UK, but one of the best in the entire world. It’s a con that puts the medium and its creators first, foregoing the massive news dump and focus on film and television adaptations of the larger American conventions to create something that’s essentially one giant Artist’s Alley.

Thought Bubble has a yearly anthology and this year being the tenth anniversary of the con, the anthology is getting a bumper edition that is maybe the greatest collection of comic creators I’ve ever seen. Seriously, just read through some of those names. You’re going to want this.

THOUGHT BUBBLE ANTHOLOGY COLLECTION – 10 YEARS OF COMICS TP
STORY: KATE BEATON, WARREN ELLIS, RICK REMENDER & VARIOUS
ART: CHARLIE ADLARD, TULA LOTAY, FIONA STAPLES, SKOTTIE YOUNG & VARIOUS
COVER: ELEANOR DAVIS
OCTOBER 5 / 136 PAGES / FC / T / $9.99

Commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Thought Bubble Festival, which takes place in Leeds, Northern England, from Nov 1-6, 2016, this collection features short stories and art by: CHARLIE ADLARD, GABRIEL BAUTISTA, GABRIEL BÁ, KATE BEATON, JORDIE BELLAIRE, IVAN BRANDON, JEFFERY BROWN, MARK BUCKINGHAM, CLARK BURSCOUGH, ADAM CADWELL, MIKE CAREY, EMILY CARROLL, CLIFF CHIANG, BECKY CLOONAN, BOO COOK, FAREL DALRYMPLE, RUFUS DAYGLO, ANDY DIGGLE, D’ISRAELI, MARC ELLERBY, MING DOYLE, WARREN ELLIS, GARY ERSKINE, CARLOS EZQUERRA, RAY FAWKES, DUNCAN FEGREDO, ROBIN FURTH, LEIGH GALLAGHER, STUART GORDON, BRANDON GRAHAM, NICHOLAS GUREWITCH, TONY HARRIS, WILL MORRIS, ANTONY JOHNSTON, BARRY KITSON, ALES KOT, EMI LENOX, TULA LOTAY, SARAH MCINTYRE, FABIO MOON, STEPHEN MOONEY, RAMON PEREZ, SEAN PHILLIPS, RICK REMENDER, EMMA RÍOS, TIM SALE, FIONA STAPLES, CAMERON STEWART, RICHARD STARKINGS, BABS TARR, EMMA VIECELI, ANNIE WU & SKOTTIE YOUNG.
All profits from this collection go to Barnardo’s, one of the largest children’s charities in the UK.
See more at: www.thoughtbubblefestival.com

Continued below

5. In Which Alice Becomes Everything She Hates

I wish I didn’t have to talk about this. If you don’t follow me on Twitter (which you should definitely do), you probably don’t know about my ongoing, one-side rivalry with Max Landis. It’s kind of epic. Which is why I’m sad that he’s found a way to invade this column and make me talk about his comic which is probably going to be an idea stolen wholesale from another work and laden with tasteless meta-narrative. You know, when I said I wanted more fantasy comics, I didn’t want this to be the trade-off.

Still, it’s got Giuseppe Camuncoli so the comic’s definitely going to look good.

GREEN VALLEY #1 (OF 9)
STORY: MAX LANDIS
ART / COVER: GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI, CLIFF RATHBURN & JEAN-FRANCOIS BEAULIEU
OCTOBER 5 / 40 PAGES / FC / T+ / $2.99

The knights of Kelodia are the finest in the land, but they’ve never faced a power like the one that resides in the Green Valley…
MAX LANDIS (Chronicle, American Ultra, Superman: American Alien) and GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI (Amazing Spider-Man) welcome you to the world of Green Valley… where nothing is ever what it seems.

4. Like “100 Bullets”, But… Not

Remember when “Kill Or Be Killed” was announced and people were talking about the dowside to Image Comics being a publisher that allows creators to tell the stories they’re best at is that it allows creators to softball concepts into books really easily and stay in their comfort as creators?

This is Azzarello/Risso variant of that conversation. I’m not the biggest fan of the two creators, but I know enough that the default book these two would come up with is a high concept hard boiled crime thriller. This is exactly what this is and while I hope the supernatural twist might make it somewhat unique, I worry about Image Comics’ tendency to have their new books feel like pretty much every other book they’re publishing.

MOONSHINE #1 – GEM OF THE MONTH
STORY: BRIAN AZZARELLO
ART / COVER: EDUARDO RISSO
COVER B: FRANK MILLER
OCTOBER 5 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / PRICE $2.99

Set during Prohibition, and deep in the backwoods of Appalachia, MOONSHINE #1 tells the story of Lou Pirlo, a city-slick “torpedo” sent from New York City to negotiate a deal with the best moonshiner in West Virginia, one Hiram Holt. What Lou doesn’t figure on is that Holt is just as cunning and ruthless as any NYC crime boss. Because not only will Holt do anything to protect his illicit booze operation, he’ll stop at nothing to protect a much darker family secret…a bloody, supernatural secret that must never see the light of day… or better still, the light of the full moon. 
MOONSHINE #1 marks the first time AZZARELLO and RISSO have worked together for Image Comics and reunites the Eisner Award winning creative team that defined modern crime comics with 100 Bullets… and now puts a horror-twist on a classic gangster tale. Issue #1 features a variant cover by legendary comics creator, Frank Miller!

3. I Think I Know Exactly What I Mean When I Say It’s A Shpadoinkle Day

You know, I grew as tired of zombie stories as everyone else. While there were some really solid choices during that weird zombie renaissance that occurred after the Dawn Of The Dead remake (like early “The Walking Dead”), most of them seemed to ignore what makes a zombie story compelling and focused on the gimmick of being a zombie story. What makes it compelling is using the zombie apocalypse as an isolating factor that forces a group of people to survive in an enclosed space use the ensuing drama to reflect on human nature.

Now, “Cannibal” isn’t strictly a zombie story per se, but from the solicit text, I feel like this is a series that’s going to be worth checking out for these exact reasons.

CANNIBAL #1
STORY: BRIAN BUCCELLATO & JENNIFER YOUNG
ART/ COVER: MATIAS BERGARA
OCTOBER 5 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99
A BRAND NEW SERIES!

From New York Times bestselling writer BRIAN BUCCELLATO & JENNIFER YOUNG, CANNIBAL is about the denizens of a small Everglades town desperately trying to hold onto their everyday lives at the dawn of a cannibal pandemic. With no cure in sight, the region has become split over what to do with the victims, though for Cash and Grady Hansen the answer is simple: Kill them. But all of that changes when the virus begins to infect people they love.

Continued below

2. Sadly Not A Star Trek Comic

This is a strange case of a solicit telling you what’s going to happen in a series, but not telling you anything about what a series is like. That’s one of the weird lines that must be walked when writing solicit texts. Sure, I know about the basic premise of “Romulus” after reading the solict, but I have no real idea of the feel of the comic or the tone it’s going for. Is it a fantasy comic? Is it a sci-fi? I have no idea!

I might still check it out because the premise sounds cool, but I’d like to know a bit more about what the comic’s going to feel like before going into it.

ROMULUS #1
STORY: BRYAN HILL
ART / COVER A&B: NELSON BLAKE II
OCTOBER 5 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99

Our world isn’t free. All of us, for generations, have lived under the secret control of The Ancient Order of Romulus. One young woman, raised by them, trained by them, betrayed by them, must push through her fear to take a stand against the silent evil that masters our world. Her name is Ashlar, and her war begins with the brutal first chapter of the new Image series ROMULUS, from writer BRYAN HILL (POSTAL) and artist NELSON BLAKE II (MAGDELENA).

1. Not Exactly Project Gamma

Remember Project GAMMA? When Marvel decided that they needed to make their comics even more immersive (for some reason) and decided to add soundtrack accompaniments to them? Yeah, there’s a reason that never got off the ground: comics are already as immersive as they need to be without sound. Great creators can pull you into all new words with visuals alone.

“Black Light District: 6 Issues”, on the other hand, feels like an entirely different kind of experiment. An anthology of six stories each set to a song from Jesse Blaze Snider’s Black Light District EP, this feels more like the Fear And Bullets soundtrack that accompanied James O’Barr’s “The Crow”. I have no idea if this will be a successful experiment, but looking at that list of artists makes me very, very curious.

BLACK LIGHT DISTRICT: 6 ISSUES (ONE-SHOT)
STORY: JESSE BLAZE SNIDER
ART: CHRIS BURNHAM, PHIL HESTER, JASON PEARSON, ANDREA TAMME, DAVID WITT, J.K. WOODWARD, MICHAEL SPICER & ERIK LARSEN
COVER: CHRIS BURNHAM & ANDREW DALHOUSE
OCTOBER 12 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99
AN ALL-NEW ONE-SHOT COMIC BOOK / MUSIC EXPERIENCE!

JESSE BLAZE SNIDER’s groundbreaking online comic book / music anthology “BLACK LIGHT DISTRICT: 6 ISSUES” comes to Image Comics! Featuring six epic illustrated stories set to the music of the geek culture inspired “Black Light District “EP!
“JESSE SNIDER’s BLACK LIGHT DISTRICT is a storytelling revelation! Each song married to the comic images create one-of-a-kind sound and visual dramas never seen before in the comics medium.” — John Siuntres, Word Balloon


//TAGS | Soliciting Multiversity

Alice W. Castle

Sworn to protect a world that hates and fears her, Alice W. Castle is a trans femme writing about comics. All things considered, it’s going surprisingly well. Ask her about the unproduced Superman films of 1990 - 2006. She can be found on various corners of the internet, but most frequently on Twitter: @alicewcastle

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