Columns 

Soliciting Multiversity: Image’s Top 10 For July 2018

By | April 25th, 2018
Posted in Columns | % Comments

The July lineup for Image comics is disgusting. I mean that in a good way. There a human limbs poking out of the dirt and softcore pig-ladies struggling against despotic regimes. In other words, just another month for Image. Once you get past the initial flinch though, it looks like comics’ biggest non-superhero publisher has a month of summer fun in store for us.

As always, check out the full solicits on the Image Comics website.

10. So upsetting it comes back around

There is nothing about “Unnatural” that looks appealing to me. In fact, far from it, I am actively disgusted by everything that it purports to be. That in itself is kind of intriguing though, and thus I’d be loathe not to include it on this list. Mirka Andolfo’s series may have a following in her native Italy, but the combination of sexy pig-girls and dystopian sci-fi just looks… gross OK? So, so gross. I just can’t stop staring at that variant cover by Italian eroticist Milo Manara, and yet how often do I get to type out the phrase “Italian eroticist?” (The answer is exclusively whenever I mention Milo Manara). “Unnatural” seems determined to stir up deep seated psycho sexual anguish and horror, and if the cover and description can provoke such a reaction out of me, then by whatever gods a sexy pig-woman worships, it’s a comic worth taking a glance out. Through my fingers.

UNNATURAL #1
STORY / ART / COVER: MIRKA ANDOLFO
VARIANT COVER: MILO MANARA
JULY 04 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99

Leslie is a simple pig girl. She loves sushi, she’s stuck with a job she hates, and she lives under a brutal totalitarian government—one that punishes transgressors for anything deemed “unnatural.” Leslie dreams of something different for herself. But those dreams are becoming dangerous… This Italian hit series by MIRKA ANDOLFO (Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn, DC Comics Bombshells) will transport you into a colorful but terrible world—full of anthropomorphic creatures, but light on personal freedoms—by way of a breathtaking plot that travels between thriller and fantasy, with a hint of sensuality.

 

9. Stole a spot on this list

One of the cool things at looking at the Image Comics output month to month is how different it all is from each other. There are some books that have been going on for ten or twenty years and there are beloved but short lived series. Then there are the comics that reliably exist in the background. They don’t dominate monthly sales charts, but they come out reliably and always have a presence on the stands.

That’s how I think of “Thief of Thieves.” I’ve only read the series intermittently, but it’s gone through a surprising roster of creators (including Robert Kirkman, Andy Diggle, Nick Spencer, James Asmus, and the current team). And starting this July, the series will be wrapping up! “Thief of Thieves” has always done its genre well, and gentlemanly crime comics are few and far and in between. I’m surprised at how affecting its final chapter is turning out to be. Take this as an opportunity to catch up and read this reliable series as it meets its end. Besides, don’t you want to be that cool comics snob who read the series before the inevitable TV adaptation?

THIEF OF THIEVES #38
STORY: BRETT LEWIS
ART / COVER: SHAWN MARTINBROUGH, ADRIANO LUCAS
JULY 04 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99

THIEF OF THIEVES returns to kick off its final job! Conrad Paulson is dead—or is he? And what does a notorious Russian prison have to do with the master thief known as Redmond?

 

8. One hundred years of solitude

After the most baffling issue ever (the 1923 Special), “The Wicked + the Divine” has gotten into the surprising business of answering questions. Every issue has still managed to completely upset everything you know, but there’s definitely a feeling that this is a series closer to its end than its beginning. As such, it’s a little bit hard to talk about without regressing into spoiler-filled jargon. Even the solicits are just combinations of in-jokes about the creators, music references, and shout-outs to mythological tomes from the 1940s. When you list it like that, it makes you wonder why anyone is still reading “WicDiv.”

Continued below

But… that’s not what the issue is really about. Judging by the cover and some serious foreshadowing, this is going to be an issue about aging. We’re finally going to watch a certain character go from a pre-adolescent in the 1920s to her hundredth birthday. Because despite its worst tendencies (which fans will assure you are its best tendencies) “WicDiv” can’t be beat as a modern fantasy/mystery/thriller comic. Everyone should be reading it, and everyone should be learning from it.

THE WICKED + THE DIVINE #38
STORY: KIERON GILLEN
ART / COVER: JAMIE MCKELVIE, MATT WILSON
VARIANT COVER: CLIFF CHIANG
JULY 11 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99

“MOTHERING INVENTION,” Part Five We’ll probably call this episode “In-Between Days,” just to make Jamie happy. Jamie deserves to be happy. Meanwhile, Kieron has to reread The White Goddess, as he deserves to suffer.

 

7. I’m not here to kinkshame Rob Guillory, but…

I really like the works of Rob Guillory, and I think he’s lovely in person, but he’s a gross dude and he has serious problems. Seriously, it’s hard to read “Chew” and not think that he has deep issues when it comes to food, crime, and sexuality, but then he has to go and follow it up with “Farmhand.” Because after his series about an FDA agent who needs to eat crime victims to solve their murders, we get a story about a farmer who literally is growing human organs in the ground. What is happening? Why are half the Image books this summer determined to make all of us vomit, but so morbidly curious? That’s where Guillory shines though, in the zone between nausea and fascination. I’m pretty sure he’d take that as a compliment.

“Farmhand” will probably be a fascinating sci-fi story that skims along the surface of pastiche but never plunges into full satire. Guillory loves to make parodies that also function as great examples of the thing they are parodying, and he often gets into the politics of things we all know about, but don’t discuss in public. In other words, “Farmhand” will be the most unpleasant book that will get you to laugh and think about your choices in life.

FARMHAND #1
STORY: ROB GUILLORY
ART / COVER: ROB GUILLORY, TAYLOR WELLS
JULY 11 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99

Jedidiah Jenkins is a farmer—but his cash crop isn’t corn or soy. Jed grows fast-healing, plug-and-play human organs. Lose a finger? Need a new liver? He’s got you covered. Unfortunately, strange produce isn’t the only thing Jed’s got buried. Deep in the soil of the Jenkins Family Farm, something dark has taken root, and it’s beginning to bloom. From ROB GUILLORY, Eisner-winning co-creator and artist of Image Comics’ CHEW, comes a new dark comedy about science gone sinister and agriculture gone apocalyptic. Nature is a Mother.

 

6. Forecast looks deadly

“The Weatherman” has so much going for it, it’s sort of hard to know what the selling point is. The premise- a local schlubby weatherman on Mars- is goofy and cool. The art is trippy and gorgeous. It morphs into a balls-to-the-walls-bullets-flying-low-gravity-high-octane thriller. And the stakes could not be higher. It starts with the death of the entire Earth, which seems like a pretty big deal. But now the stakes are the entirety of humanity. I like the intersection of so many different genres it becomes it’s own rusty shade of brown. It’s like Battlestar Galactica meets Die Hard meets Galaxy Quest. Or something. The point is, “Weatherman” #2 looks like a whole lot of fun.

THE WEATHERMAN #2
STORY: JODY LEHEUP
ART / COVER: NATHAN FOX
VARIANT COVER: MARCOS MARTIN
JULY 18 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99

Storm clouds and bounty hunters gather as Agent Cross takes local Martian weatherman and noodle bowl aficionado Nathan Bright to task for his alleged role in murdering the Earth. But Nathan may just be the last hope of preventing a second attack—one that could wipe humanity out for good.

 

5. Secrets man was not meant to know

Continued below

Based on the premise alone, “Infidel” looked intriguing. But with a few issues out, it’s a bona fide hit. Taking a simple spin on a good old American haunted house, “Infidel” executes the living hell out of its premise. It’s well told, has a great ensemble of characters, and is legitimately scary. On top of all of that, it has something to say, but unlike most comics its message is buried in fascinating ambiguity. Although #5 is going to be the last issue in the miniseries, “Infidel” seems like the prelude to Pornsak Pichetshote’s comic book career. All rests on this one. Will he stick the landing? Something tells me yes, and I’m dying to find out.

INFIDEL #5
STORY: PORNSAK PICHETSHOTE
ART / COVER: AARON CAMPBELL, JOSÉ VILLARRUBIA
VARIANT COVER: JOSÉ VILLARRUBIA, JEFF LEMIRE
JULY 18 / 40 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99

The critically acclaimed horror hit of the year concludes with a spectacular and truly shocking extra-sized finale. Secrets behind the haunting are finally revealed, even as the horrific murders continue. In the midst of chaos, who will survive? And at what cost?

 

4. She’s mean, she’s green, she’s back on the scene

Following a fairly successful reboot of “Witchblade,” Top Cow is turning to another character who peaked in the 90s. I best remember Aphrodite IX for its covers, and I best remember those for the extreme levels of shredding clothing and huge guns. Part of what makes the new “Witchblade” series work is that the series, also remembered for its pin-up style, is now written and illustrated by female creators. The new “Aphrodite V” is not. Bryan Hill is best remembered for fronting Top Cow series “Cyber Force” and for fronting the “Postal” series. But whatever hard edges Hill is bringing to the series look to be smoothed out by Jeff Spokes. His art style has an element of cartoony fun, but has the bold framing you would expect from an action title like this. “Witchblade” has proven to be a pretty good read; I would be happy to have a few more members of the old Artifacts Team back in the pages of monthly comics. I’ll be checking this one out.

APHRODITE V #1
STORY: BRYAN HILL
ART / COVER: JEFF SPOKES
JULY 18 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99

In the near future, Los Angeles is a city on the brink of evolution, struggling with a new wave of terror fueled by black-market technology. Enter Aphrodite V: a fugitive from her masters, seeking individuality and purpose. She is the bleeding edge of biomechanics, and L.A.’s best hope against a new enemy—one that seeks to become a god among machines. One machine wants to destroy the city. Another has come to save it. Only one will survive.

 

3. Raspberry Betray

The first issue of “Isola” was two things above all else. It was very mysterious, almost to a fault. But it was also pretty. Perhaps the prettiest comic that came out that month. This is a beautiful series. Where my other favorite comic book artists love to draw disgusting monsters and demons, Karl Kerschl is creating a beautiful, expressive fantasy world. “Isola” is almost impressionistic, which is weird for a comic. The contrast between muted and fluorescent colors is so unbelievably melancholy, it kind of gets me choked up. Looking at this solicit, it sounds like the series isn’t going to be content to lean back on its heels and only be a series of paintings. There’s a story too, a mystery as to how the Queen got turned into an awesome tiger. Looks like her neon purple brother is to blame. This is one you can’t miss. No other comic has so much undefinable emotion in every panel.

ISOLA #4
STORY: BRENDEN FLETCHER, KARL KERSCHL
ART / VARIANT COVER: KARL KERSCHL, MSASSYK
COVER: KARL KERSCHL
JULY 11 / 32 PAGES / FC / T+ / $3.99

The tale of Queen Olwyn’s transformation and the treachery of her brother, Prince Asher. Recommended for fans of Studio Ghibli and the work of Hayao Miyazaki.

Continued below

 

2. Issue four with a bullet

From the first issue, it was clear “Analog” is going to be the next great series. It couldn’t have picked a better news week to release. I went from reading about Mark Zuckerberg’s congressional testimony, to a story about the Great Doxxing. The sci-fi world here is incredible, and so real. Gerry Duggan is writing a serious story, but he has such a good sense of how to entertain that his world and his characters are always fun. McGinnis is a wise-cracking noir superspy, and his sniper buddy Oona is effortlessly cool. Issue #4 looks like Oona is going to get the spotlight she deserves. You know that feeling when you’re reading a comic and you can hear the soundtrack in your head? That’s “Analog.”

ANALOG #4
STORY: GERRY DUGGAN
ART / COVER: DAVID O’SULLIVAN
COLORS: JORDIE BELLAIRE
JULY 18 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99

CHAPTER FOUR Jack McGinnis just wants to get out of New York City alive with a briefcase bound for Tokyo…but his partner Oona needs a little help. She’s saved his life countless times; it’s the least he can do. To save her, Jack takes on spies, the NYPD, and some dopey white nationalists.

 

1. Shadowfun

I love “Rat Queens” but the series has been all over the place to say the least. With ‘The Colossal Magic Nothing’ it seems to have finally gotten back on track, and we all deserve a treat. How about a one-shot special? What’s that you say, you want to give us a cyberpunk special? Violet with a machine gun? Hannah with a mohawk? Betty has an electric eye? Dee is loaded with grenades?

Yes! Yessssss! Yes! Yes please. Cyberpunk Rat Queens! Cyber! Punk! Rat! Queens! I could like, try to see you on the artwork, or the series as a whole, or write a treatise about the resurgence of Cyberpunk fiction but I think this one speaks for itself. Cyberpunk Rat Queens!

RAT QUEENS SPECIAL: NEON STATIC (ONE-SHOT)
STORY: KURTIS J. WIEBE
ART / COVER: WILL KIRKBY
JULY 18 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99

Strap yourselves in for a ride to an alternate and futuristic world, where the Rat Queens take to the neon streets of Palisade as an elite team of shadow operatives. An anonymous fiend creeps through the dark web, stealing identities and blackmailing innocent civilians for cold, hard Goldyen—and only the Queens can stop him! A cyberpunk take on the RAT QUEENS from KURTIS J. WIEBE and WILL KIRKBY.


//TAGS | Soliciting Multiversity

Jaina Hill

Jaina is from New York. She currently lives in Ohio. Ask her, and she'll swear she's one of those people who loves both Star Wars and Star Trek equally. Say hi to her on twitter @Rambling_Moose!

EMAIL | ARTICLES



  • -->