The biggest book in the entire Image Comics publishing line came to an unexpected and sudden end. More on that in a second. While it really does feel like the end of an era for a lot of Image books, there are also a lot of awesome series that haven’t been around for as long that are deserving of our attention. You’ll see that’s particularly true for crime series and fantasy.
As always, you can catch the full solicits on the Image Comics website.
11. First, a retraction
In last month’s solicits column, I talked about how excited we were for “Walking Dead” #195. As you may have learned by now, this was a fake solicitation. “The Walking Dead” suddenly ended with #193 with a surprise conclusion that nobody predicted. Whether you think pulling the plug on your hit comic with no warning is a baller move or kind of inexplicable, it happened and the solicits were part of the deception. We got got, had a good laugh, and now want to make sure that everyone is clear. “Walking Dead” is over everyone, pack it up and get ready to move on. Fortunately, there are lots of other exciting Image books. For example, we’ve got…
10. Everyone is here
I’m an American, and I’ve never had the pleasure of attending Thought Bubble, but I hear it’s one of the best conventions in the world. Too small to attract major movie studios, but close enough to a good number of major comics creators. A real comic book convention, if you can imagine such a thing. This is a short story comic collection featuring a ton of exciting creators; maybe a few of your favorite. Personally, I’m always down to see what Gerry Duggan is cooking up. And that’s not to mention some other favorite creators like Becky Cloonan, Tula Lotay, Jock, and my number one guy Daniel Warren Johnson. But maybe you’ve got different favorites. That works too. I haven’t had a chance to check out Hilda yet, but creator Luke Pearson is here. This collection looks rad, and like its got something for every taste.
Thought Bubble Anthology 2019
WRITER / ARTIST: Kim-Joy, Mildred Louis, Luke Pearson, Benji Goldsmith, Pernille Ørum, Lee Garbett, Abigail Jill Harding, Daniel Warren Johnson, Becky Cloonan, Tula Lotay, Gerry Duggan, Jock
COVER A: Mingjue Helen Chen
OCTOBER 09 / 32 pages / FC/ T+ / $3.99A collection of new short stories and art by some of the best in the business including LUKE PEARSON, the creator of the Netflix show Hilda, and a cute whimsical story by The Great British Bake Off finalist KIM-JOY. This anthology is part of the United Kingdom’s Thought Bubble Festival which takes place in Yorkshire, Northern England from November 4-10, 2019. All profits from this comic go to Barnardo’s, one of the largest children’s charities in the UK.
9. Saving the world by breaking the law
Transforming the “Kick-Ass” books was a brilliant move; it got me paying attention to them. Case in point: in this arc, the pint sized killer is heading to Mumbai and dealing with organized crime and street orphans. For some reason, Mindy resonates with people, so giving her book to different creators and setting it all around the world is a great idea. A crime caper in India? I’m in. And giving the pen to Peter “X-Statix” Milligan? Yeah, you’ve got my full attention.
Hit-Girl Season Two #9
WRITER: Peter Milligan
ARTIST: Alison Sampson
COVER A / COVER B: Declan Shalvey
COVER C: Sanford Greene
OCTOBER 16 / 32 pages / FC/ M / $3.99HIT-GIRL’S IN MUMBAI. Mindy lands in India looking for a new mission, and uncovers mutilated children forced to beg in the streets. Time for Hit-Girl to track down their gang master and serve justice.
8. Run like a rabbit
So this used to be called “Dead Rabbit,” but now its been re-titled and retooled and.. you know what? That part is more complicated than interesting. “Dead Rabbit” may have been something of a false start, but like I said, Gerry Duggan is an ideas man and I’ll give any of his number ones a shot. Even if this is sort of a mulligan… crime is a cool genre for him, and I’m happy to see him trying to perfect the formula.
Continued belowDead Eyes #1
WRITER: Gerry Duggan
ARTIST / COVER A: John McCrea
COVER B: Phil Noto
OCTOBER 02 / 32 pages / FC/ M / $3.99You can’t keep a good comic down. In the 1990s, DEAD EYES was a prolific stick-up man and hoodlum in Boston until he took down one last big score and disappeared. Nobody ever discovered the truth. He retired to be with the love of his life, but now he’s back in the mask to save her. No one—not his wife, the mafia, or the cops—is happy that he’s out of retirement. From JOHN McCREA, the artist and co-creator of MYTHIC and Hitman, and GERRY DUGGAN, the writer of ANALOG and DEADPOOL, comes the action, comedy, and drama of Martin Dobbs, a.k.a. DEAD EYES, the man who says he’s descended from one of the original gangs of New York City. Get on board the oversized first issue of an all-new ONGOING SERIES for mature readers.
7. Half a tank of gas, gull pack of cigarettes
I’m a Fast and Furious fan, so give me high stakes and fast cars, and I’ll pay attention for at least a few minutes. Actually, the one thing “Death or Glory” had to get right was the speed, and Bengal really nails it. I’m not exactly sure who was demanding a book about a gorgeous, deadly, and distant wheel-woman, or why that book is now about her saving her dad with an emergency transplant, but it’s sure gonna look cool!
Death or Glory #6
WRITER: Rick Remender
ARTIST / COVER A: Bengal
COVER B: Eric Canete
OCTOBER 30 / 32 pages / FC/ M / $3.99Glory is back and barreling toward the Mexican border in the hopes of delivering the liver transplant to save her father’s life. Hot on her heels is her ex-husband, his criminal empire, crooked cops, psycho killers, and a Mexican murder cartel. Time, fuel, and hope are running out, but no one outruns Glory!
6. What lies beneath
I was cautiously optimistic about “Unearth” and it is… not what I was expecting. It walks this ineffable line between realism and… the opposite of that. “Unearth” belongs to that genre where competent experts are presented with an impossible situation. It’s the premise of every Michael Crichton story, and of the movie Arrival. It’s a team of scientists and military personnel, trying to put aside their differences and figure out why the magical pothole is filled with disease and rock monsters. I think I’m in? It’s good at any rate, maybe the best creator owned work Cullen Bunn has worked on since “The Sixth Gun.”
Unearth #4
WRITER: Cullen Bunn, Kyle Strahm
ARTIST / COVER A: Baldemar Rivas
COVER B: Greg Smallwood, Kyle Strahm
OCTOBER 09 / 32 pages / FC/ M / $3.99Amidst a bloodbath, the truth of the flesh-warping disease—and the hideous cave system in which our heroes are lost—is revealed! Once these shocking secrets come to light, nothing in our world will remain the same. Meanwhile, the soldiers and scientists trapped underground face their most horrifying challenges yet… including the mind of the infection.
5. Gnarly moves
Hey friends, I never got into “Street Angel;” is it good? Judging by this solicit, it’s really something though. She’s a homeless ninja girl on a skateboard? She looks pretty well dressed for a homeless ninja girl, I’d fire she’d be a bit more unkempt. And let’s see, she battling the “ninja industrial complex?” What… what the hell is this book? Besides a must read. It collects a bunch of one-shots and things, you gotta figure this is the big push. If I can find room in my heart to check out “Hit-Girl,” I’m definitely going to be giving “Street Angel” a go.
Continued belowStreet Angel: Deadliest Girl Alive TP
WRITER: Jim Rugg, Brian Maruca
ARTIST / COVER A: Jim Rugg
OCTOBER 30 / 240 pages / FC/ T / $19.99Jesse “Street Angel” Sanchez is a homeless ninja girl on a skateboard! In between kicking ass and taking sandwiches, she fights bullies, street gangs, ninjas, the man, cocky superheroes, hunger, and the ninja industrial complex. She also rescues a stray dog, makes weird new friends, and saves Christmas!?! This collection includes all of Street Angel’s Image Comics adventures, plus a couple of extra stories and behind-the-scenes materials. Collects STREET ANGEL: AFTER SCHOOL KUNG FU SPECIAL, THE STREET ANGEL GANG, STREET ANGEL: SUPERHERO FOR A DAY, STREET ANGEL GOES TO JUVIE, STREET ANGEL VS NINJATECH, STREET ANGEL’S DOG, XMAS SPECIAL, GHOST MONSTER
4. Once and future queen
The first issue of this arc was sort of a mess in tone, but this looks kind of epic? It’s got a classic premise: the heroes are captured, and must “face their sins.” And is that the return of Violet I see on the cover? If “Rat Queens” isn’t going to be the riotously funny book it started as, at least it can be a take-no-prisoners fantasy comic that’ll kick teeth in.
Rat Queens (2017) #19
WRITER: Ryan Ferrier
ARTIST: Marco B. Bucci, Priscilla Petraites
COVER A: Marco Lesko, Priscilla Petraites
OCTOBER 23 / 32 pages / FC/ M / $3.99The Once and Future King continues, but the trial of the Rat Queens begins! Captured by Palisade’s vengeful new king, the Queens must face their sins. Court is in session and the chopping block awaits in the most shocking RAT QUEENS issue you’ve ever seen!
3. Sin city. Not that one.
Something about the aesthetics of “Crowded” have always screamed “romcom” to me, so I’ve been surprised that the entire series thus far has been an excellent science fiction experiment coupled with the highest of octane action chases. Sort of Fury Road meets Ex Machina. It’ll make you sweat existential bullets while making you dodge regular ones. But now that “Crowded” has established how well it can do funny, how well it can do action, and how well it can do big-question sci-fi, it’s looping back around to check every other genre off of its list too. I bet it nails it. Don’t sleep on this one, it’s a top Image book. Hell, though recent process of elimination, it might be in the top five series Image is publishing.
Crowded #10
WRITER: Christopher Sebela
ARTIST / COVER A: Triona Farrell, Ro Stein, Ted Brandt
COVER B: Lisa Sterle
OCTOBER 09 / 32 pages / FC/ T+ / $3.99With Vegas in their rearview and a complicated new kink in their client-bodyguard relationship, Charlie and Vita try to enjoy each other’s company and a moment of quiet as they head east looking for shelter. But the danger is far from over as the assassin Circe’s infatuation with Vita turns angry.
2. Table talk
‘Split the Party’ continues to make a study out of the actual world of “Die.” This is great, because there are twenty realms, and they are all wild. Kieron Gillen is trying to think of the thing he most wants to see Stephanie Hans draw, and frankly, it’s all more beautiful than anything we deserve. This installment takes us to a world populated by the “popular unpopular kids.” Is this going to show us what happens when every nerd is the alpha nerd? Or what you get when you combine all the social roleplayers who don’t really care about the game? Worrying me with nerd archetypes and beautiful art, that’s what “Die” has to offer.
Die #8
WRITER: Kieron Gillen
ARTIST / COVER A: Stephanie Hans
COVER B: Marc Simonetti
OCTOBER 02 / 32 pages / FC/ M / $3.99“SPLIT THE PARTY,” Part Three The endless social whirl of the popular unpopular kids in Angria threatens to ensnare the party. Mistakes have grown in their absence. Have our heroes?
1. One of these jerks will die
I have now read “Reaver” #1, and it was great. Comic books rarely intersect with original epic fantasy, and this is the kind that I like. The characters are morally dubious, the magic is grisly, and the stakes are low. There are six magical criminals on a deadly mission that may stop a bad man from doing bad things in this one place. No fate of the world stuff. No fireball hurling wands. Just a cannibal, an exiled barbarian, a slippery swordsman, and a few other untrustworthy characters, doing what they have to. And by the end of this issue, one of them will be dead! If you’re a fantasy reader of any kind, don’t miss “Reaver” which oozes originality, excitement, and a bleak sense of humor!
Continued belowReaver #4
WRITER: Justin Jordan
ARTIST: Alex Guimaraes, Rebekah Isaacs
COVER A: Becky Cloonan
OCTOBER 09 / 32 pages / FC/ M / $3.99Hell’s Half-Dozen has fought their way to the Anvil without losing a member… until now.
