It’s that time again! You know, sometimes life feels like but short stretches of peace between soliciting weeks. But I don’t mind that much this month because not only is June looking to be a pretty great month for Image, it’s new releases all look pretty interesting including one that I’ve been waiting literally years for.
Check it all out below! And, as always, check out Image’s full solicits for June at their website.
10. Yikes…
You know, I almost want to admire the sentiment behind this book. The world is a scary place right now and the people who have been historically comfortable in their place of privilege are finally realising that and artists are using their medium to explore that.
That being said, I kind of don’t care about what Howard “Black Rose” Chaykin has to say about all that. I like Chaykin’s artwork fine enough, but as a writer he’s not exactly my type. And by my type, I mean he’s a boisterous old man who will likely yell at everything he deems wrong including young people.
Plus, that cover just gives me the fear, y’know? I’m not exactly expecting a nuanced take on America’s Islamaphobia for Howard Chaykin.
THE DIVIDED STATES OF HYSTERIA #1
STORY / ART / COVER: HOWARD CHAYKIN
JUNE 07 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99An America sundered. An America enraged. An America terrified. An America shattered by greed and racism, violence and fear, nihilism and tragedy… …and that’s when everything really goes to hell.
9. Bitch Planet Terror
It’s been about four months since we last saw an issue of “Bitch Planet” and it’ll be about six by the time we get this issue so, no matter how this turns out, I’m at least excited for more “Bitch Planet.” I’m sad that it’s not another issue of the main series, but you can’t win them all.
I’m interested to see the kind of stories that will show up here, not just because of the world DeConnick and De Landro created, but because they hand selected the creators here. What’s good enough to impress the creators of “Bitch Planet?” I don’t know, but I can’t wait to find out.
BITCH PLANET: TRIPLE FEATURE #1
STORY: ANDREW AYDIN, CHERYL LYNN EATON, CONLEY LYONS
ART: JOANNA ESTEP, MARIA FRÖHLICH
COVER: VALENTINE DE LANDRO
JUNE 14 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99DECONNICK & DE LANDRO PRESENT: THE TRIPLE FEATURE! Ripped directly from the world of BITCH PLANET, a crack team of creators spin three teeth-clenching tales of rage, revolution, and ridicule. PLUS: Essays, letter column, and more! 100% Grade A satire. Accept no substitutes.
8. The Beginning Of The End For “Shutter”
I remember when I first read “Shutter” for my advance review almost 3 years ago now. It was a book of wild imagination, seemingly weaving together every cool idea that Keatinge and Del Duca had for the world.
Now, the series enters it’s final arc and it’s an incredibly bittersweet moment. I’m a huge proponent that no comic should really last forever, but it’s always sad to acknowledge the end of something. I’ll miss “Shutter” when it goes, but I’ll be better for having read it.
SHUTTER #29
STORY: JOE KEATINGE
ART / COVER: LEILA DEL DUCA, OWEN GIENI
JUNE 28 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99“CODA OBSCURA, PART ONE: WHAT YEARS MAY COME” SHUTTER returns and begins to say goodbye with a look at what the future holds for absolutely everyone readers met along the way.
7. Guest Artists? On An Image Book?
Am I reading this right? I never thought I’d see the day when artists working with Image are jumping over and guesting in another book, but here we are. From the way Remender describes this, it’s just a two issue arc that allowed him to work with James Harren, who he’s been trying to work with for years.
Still, it’s a bit weird to get a guest artist on a creator owned book. It’s always been a move that’s felt more disruptive than simply waiting for the regular artist to finish the issue. Plus, does this mean “Rumble” ended, or..?
Continued belowSEVEN TO ETERNITY #7
STORY: RICK REMENDER
ART / VARIANT COVER: JAMES HARREN, MATT HOLLINGSWORTH
COVER: JEROME OPEÑA, MATT HOLLINGSWORTH
JUNE 14 / 32 PAGES / FC / T+ / $3.99Now suffering from the aftermath of the sentient swamp, The Mosak follow Adam to Jevalia’s childhood home to discover a trampled paradise, the bled souls of its heroes, and a fetid industry thirsting for more. SEVEN TO ETERNITY is proud to welcome superstar JAMES HARREN as a special guest artist to unveil the heights of heroism in a world awash with corruption.
6. That’s Quite The Hiatus
At time of writing, I still haven’t gotten around to reading “The Old Guard” #1 yet. I know, I know, but things have been busy. What I’m mostly interested in here is that last sentence of the solicit text there. “Will return in 2018.” With this issue coming out in June, that’s at least a six month gap.
Now, I know I just said I’d rather wait than get a different fill in artist and I stand by that. I’m just interested that the creative team knows they won’t get a new arc out until next year. I wonder why that is.
THE OLD GUARD #5
STORY: GREG RUCKA
ART / COVER: LEANDRO FERNANDEZ
JUNE 21 / 40 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99END OF STORY ARC “PART FIVE” Conclusion. The Old Guard falls. Literally. THE OLD GUARD will return in 2018!
5. They’ll Never Be Like Us
It sucks that I used up my whole “Everything that has a beginning has an end, Neo” spiel back in the “Shutter” entry because I forgot this was coming up.
Still, the sentiment stands. Stephenson, Gane, Bellaire and Fonografiks put together one good goddamn comic with “They’re Not Like Us” and with a tight, lean 18 issue run, they got in and story they’re story and got out. That’s the kind of comic I admire and one that’ll stick with me longer than one straining it’s story in an attempt to reach the coveted 100 issue mark.
THEY’RE NOT LIKE US #18
STORY: ERIC STEPHENSON
ART: JORDIE BELLAIRE, SIMON GANE
COVER: FONOGRAFIKS, SIMON GANE
JUNE 28 / 24 PAGES / FC / M / $2.99SERIES FINALE Syd makes a decision with life-altering implications for everyone.
4. It’s Like The Crystal Maze, But… Not
Sometimes reading Image Comics solicits, I come across a series that sounds interesting, but have no idea how it’ll work as an actual series. Take “Kill The Minotaur” for example. It seems to be a retelling of the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, but I have no idea how that will last beyond a single issue. Is it a whole series of Theseus in the labyrinth?
I have no idea, but I’m genuinely interested in finding out. And that’s how you make someone interested in a comic from the solicit text alone.
KILL THE MINOTAUR #1
STORY: CHRIS PASETTO, CHRISTIAN CANTAMESSA
ART / COVER: JEAN-FRANCOIS BEAULIEU, LUKAS KETNER
JUNE 14 / 40 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99Athens lost the war to Crete. Now, they pay tribute to King Minos by sacrificing their best citizens to his unearthly labyrinth. Conspirators believe Theseus can be the hero they need to end the mad king’s bloody reign…but no one on this world has ever encountered anything like the savage minotaur. CHRIS PASETTO, CHRISTIAN CANTAMESSA (Red Dead Redemption) and LUKAS KETNER (WITCH DOCTOR) reinvent the most fearsome beast of all with this horrific tale of heroism. Each issue features 30 pages of story!
3. Well, That’s An Elevator
Gail Simone is a creator whose work I’ve never really gelled with. As much as I like “Secret Six” or “Red Sonja,” I dislike her “Batgirl” and “Wonder Woman” runs. However, I’ve never really seen her writing in a truly creator owned series, in something entirely new.
“Crosswind” sounds like it could be very interesting or very silly. And those two aren’t exactly mutually exclusive. It’ll be interesting to see the kind of tone Simone and Staggs will go for with a series that’s described as “Freaky Friday meets Goodfellas.”
Continued belowCROSSWIND #1
STORY: GAIL SIMONE
ART / COVER: CAT STAGGS
JUNE 21 / 21 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99A slick and ruthless Chicago hitman. A smart but downtrodden Seattle housewife. When an inexplicable event strikes these two random strangers, their bodies, souls, and lives are switched to potentially deadly effect. It’s Freaky Friday meets Goodfellas!
2. Shirtless Bear-Fighter! That’s It, That’s All I Got
There’s a lot of things that can grab your interest in a comic. Sometimes it’s a new volume of a series with an established franchise that you love. Sometimes it’s one or multiple creators that you’re a fan of. Sometimes it’s the premise or even the cover.
And sometimes it’s a title.
“Shirtless Bear-Fighter!” is the kind of title that garners you at least one issue of my time. After that, the actual story behind such a silly concept has to step up to the plate, but that title has won half the battle of getting me to read your comic.
SHIRTLESS BEAR-FIGHTER! #1 (OF 5)
STORY: JODY LEHEUP, SEBASTIAN GIRNER
ART: MIKE SPICER, NIL VENDRELL
COVER: ANDREW ROBINSON
VARIANT COVER: ANDY SURIANO, TOM FOWLER
JUNE 21 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99After being betrayed by the bears that raised him, the legendary Shirtless Bear-Fighter wanders the forest he’s sworn to protect, fistfighting bears, eating flapjacks, and being the angriest man the world has ever known! When wild-eyed, super-strong bears attack the citizens of Major City, Shirtless ventures into the human world to do what he does best…PUNCH THOSE BEARS IN THE FACE! But all is not as it seems. Someone is manipulating Shirtless…and only by confronting the demons of his past can Shirtless hope to save his future! A heart-filled, hilarious, tall tale for the ages… you don’t want to miss SHIRTLESS BEAR-FIGHTER!
1. At Last
I first heard about “Winnebago Graveyard” from Alison Sampson at Thought Bubble 2015 and at the time, I thought I couldn’t wait. Now, it’s finally coming out and I really can’t wait.
This is going to be a cool ass comic from some cool ass people and it’s the kind of thing that Image excels at. A dark, haunting kind of comic that leaves a genuine impression. That’s what this shit is all about, right?
You’re going to want to check this out.
WINNEBAGO GRAVEYARD #1 (OF 4)
STORY: STEVE NILES
ART / COVER: ADITYA BIDIKAR, ALISON SAMPSON, JORDIE BELLAIRE, STÉPHANE PAITREAU
VARIANT COVER: MINGJUE HELEN CHEN
JUNE 14 / 32 PAGES / FC / T+ / $3.99An American family traveling on vacation finds themselves stranded in a small town with a sinister secret.
