It’s a very good month for Image, one I couldn’t possibly cover all of with the limitations placed by the column premise. June will see the release of quite a few great releases and re-releases, all of which will probably want to make their way home with you. If there was ever a more difficult column, right?
Alas, here we are — and we’re going to be whittling down all of Image’s solicits to our Top 10.
For the full set of solicits from Image this June, head on over to Image’s website. For now, our Top 10.
10. God Dammit, Saga
I like “Saga,” like most of you. I am terrified of solicits like this, though. Come on.
SAGA #20
story: BRIAN K. VAUGHAN
art / cover: FIONA STAPLES
JUNE 25 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $2.99Something terrible happens.
9. The Return of the Sex Crimz
Gosh, it feels like just yesterday that I was reading “Sex Criminals” #5, you know? And it’s hard to believe that between now and June, there will be no “Sex Criminals!” This whole “arc then a break” thing Image books are adopting full swing is a hard pill to swallow.
But it’s ok, because in June we’ll get all sexy and criminal-y again, and we’ll even get a brand new cover scheme too! I’m excited to see what Zdarsky is going to be doing with this series of covers.
SEX CRIMINALS #6
story: MATT FRACTION
art / cover: CHIP ZDARSKY
JUNE 18 / 32 PAGES / FC / M+ / $3.50TIME MAGAZINE’S COMIC OF THE YEAR RETURNS WITH ITS SECOND STORYLINE! After their narrow getaway from the Sex Police, Jon and Suzie are learning that this is “just the tip” of a massive iceberg. And what happens after the rush of a new relationship fades? Are they in love, lust, like, or just lame? Sexy fun times returns: We missed you so much, brimpers.
8. Also, the Return of Velvet
You know what’s great? “Velvet!” And you know what book I am excited to read more of? “Velvet!”
I love the new cover scheme a lot as well. It’s very simple and clean, rather elegant. “Velvet” from Brubaker and Epting has been a pretty great comic so far, and while we’ve not yet seen what the finale of the first arc will be, I’m excited to see what’s to come.
VELVET #6
story: ED BRUBAKER
art / cover: STEVE EPTING
JUNE 25 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.50THE SECOND ARC BEGINS HERE! Following the revelations at the end of issue 5, Velvet’s quest for the truth and her innocence takes her right back to the heart of her own organization—to London, where every move she makes is even more dangerous than the last!
7. And “Zero” Continues to be Great
Ton-ci Zon-jic! Clap! Clap! Clapclapclap! Ton-ci Zon-jic! Clap! Clap! Clapclapclap!
I’ve had a peek ahead at what is to come from this series care of Ales. I’ll throw this out there: based on this solicit, I am terrified of what the issue could contain.
ZERO #9
story: ALES KOT
art: TONCI ZONJIC & JORDIE BELLAIRE
cover: TONCI ZONJIC & TOM MULLER
JUNE 25 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $2.99Bosnia, 1993. Roman Zizek is selling weapons to every faction involved in the conflict.
6. That Time We Couldn’t Talk About the First Issue of Trees
Image “forgot” to solicit “Trees” with the regular solicits last month (I say forgot in jest, of course; they just did via Previews instead of online), so we’re going to talk about it now instead: Warren Ellis and Jason Howard have a new comic, and that is pretty exciting.
I’ll admit that I’m not overly fond of “Moon Knight” after one issue, but if a lifetime of reading comics has taught me anything it is this: buy a new comic from Warren Ellis, no matter what hyperbolic statement others will throw out there both in praise of or against. Ellis is a great and creative storyteller, and on a creator-owned series? I’m stoked.
Continued belowAnd Jason Howard? I loved “Astounding Wolf-Man.” “Super Dinosaur” has some great storytelling moments as well. I could only imagine that on a book like “Trees,” which strays from that Kirkman-style that’s present in all of Kirkman’s shared universe books, we’ll be able to see a brand new side of Howard unlike anything we’ve seen before. And Ellis has a great habit of challenging collaborators, and we’ve seen some of how Howard reacts to that with “Shatterland.” So, a full sequential comic? Lets do this.
TREES #2
story: WARREN ELLIS
art / cover: JASON HOWARD
JUNE 25 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $2.99An Arctic research station. An Italian coastal town with an occult legacy. A new city in China. The future is being written in these places, in the shadow of a strange alien invasion that has become a historical mystery.
5. Laikamania
As a kid growing up in a Russian household with dogs throughout my childhood, I’ll note that Laika has a particularly special place in all of our hearts. It’s strange how he’s viewed, both as a hero and a victim, but he’s a big cultural icon and an important figure from the Russian side of my own history. I’d be interested to see what Laika got up to in Hickman’s revisionist form of history.
Oh, and Ryan Browne on art? That’s interesting. I’ve liked his Oppenheimer issues very much, I’d be interested what he has in store for everyone’s favorite space pup.
THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS #21
story: JONATHAN HICKMAN
art: RYAN BROWNE
JUNE 18 / 32 PAGES / FC / T+ / $3.50“SPACE DOG” Ever wonder what happened to our deep space explorer for the Mars Project? Find out now as the Cosmohundin Laika boldly goes where no Russian dog has gone before.
4. Getting Back in Touch with Drumhellar
I quite enjoyed “Drumhellar’s” first arc. It was underrated entirely, but for those who are a fan of Riley’s work and even Riley as a person, it was easy to see that this was very much a passion project comic. You can feel it on all the edges of the book, in the staples in the spine. And with the first arc being as riotous and funny and dark and weird as it was, I can only imagine that the second arc is going to be even more wild. If you haven’t caught up, I’d say now is the time.
DRUMHELLAR #6
story: RILEY ROSSMO & ALEX LINK
art / cover A: RILEY ROSSMO
cover B: BEN TEMPLESMITH
JUNE 18 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.50Tantric werewolf wisdom shows Drum Hellar a way out of his romantic and legal complications: run! And Harold? Let’s just say that when you’re a ghostly pink cat creature, love has its challenges. A simpler life waits for them out west: forests, mountains…and murder!
3. Whispers Finally Gets Collected
Everybody is digging on “Alex + Ada,” but you know what else was great? “Whispers,” by his brother Joshua. The two used to make comics together and they were amazing, but now they’ve each gone onto solo acts — and you know what? Neither are too shabby. And if you’re like me and you waited for “Whispers” to be completed and in trade (I know, I know), now is the time to get excited and pick it up.
WHISPERS TP
story / art / cover: JOSHUA LUNA
JUNE 11 / 154 PAGES / FC / M / $14.99
Collects WHISPERS #1-6A mentally troubled man is suddenly empowered with the ability to leave his physical body in “ghost” form and manipulate people in unusual ways. With this incredible power, will he control his demons…or discover even more? JOSHUA LUNA of “The Luna Brothers” (ULTRA, GIRLS, THE SWORD) makes a solo debut with a dark, supernatural thriller that questions free will and explores the obsessions and urges we all have and may not have control of at all.
2. The Wicked + the Divine, with an I and not an E
Continued below“Phonogram” is one of my all time favorite comics. It is the first time I read a book and, upon reading the final issue, felt that I had to write the creator a piece of fan mail. I’ve never done it before, I’ve never done it since, but I felt such a connection with the material and was just starting Multiversity at the time, so. And since then, we’ve interviewed Kieron a few times and talked about the book and its continued impact, and I’m frankly quite excited to see what his new book with Jamie is going to result in terms of a legacy. I would imagine quite great things, even if they misspelled “Phonogram 3” on the cover (which is my way of snidely complaining that I want “Phonogram 3” as well, like the selfish and entitled reader that I am).
Also, after a big interview with Kieron on the book, I really can’t emphasize enough how to spell “Divine.” Not “Devine.” Apologies again, Kieron!
OH! And a variant by Bryan Lee O’Malley? Now this I have to see. Not that the covers to the books by Jamie aren’t gorgeous, because they absolutely are. It’s a very cool and stylized beginning, and I’ll be interested to see if it is something that is kept up throughout the series, or even if it just the first arc. Still, it’ll be nice to have full-blown McKelvie sequentials, and after “Young Avengers” and the amount of jaw-dropping material that was in that book, I can’t wait to see what McKelvie has in store for this series visually. I am expecting the world.
THE WICKED + THE DIVINE #1
story: KIERON GILLEN
art / cover A & B: JAMIE MCKELVIE & MATT WILSON
cover C: BRYAN LEE O’MALLEY
JUNE 18 / 40 PAGES / FC / M $3.50
Every ninety years, twelve gods incarnate as humans. They are loved. They are hated. In two years, they are dead. The team behind critically thermonuclear floor-fillers Young Avengers and PHONOGRAM reunite to start a new ongoing superhero fantasy with a beautiful oversized issue. Welcome to THE WICKED + THE DIVINE, where gods are the ultimate pop stars. But remember: just because you’re immortal, doesn’t mean you’re going to live forever.
1. GØDLAND!
Yes, yes, yes! After the brilliant finale of “GØDLAND,” I’ve been highly anticipating when I could complete my run of trades. And the opportunity to get the Celestial Edition for less than a million dollars on eBay and Amazon’s marketplace? This is a book that is worth double-dipping over and over and over again. If you’re a fan of Tom Scioli and his loving homage to the worlds and style that Kirby defined, this is the absolute apex of it all — the purest tribute to the King by two of his biggest fans. It was a massive ending, and I can’t wait to relive it all.
GØDLAND, VOL. 6: GØØDBYE, DIVINE! TP
story: JOE CASEY
art / cover: TOM SCIOLI
JUNE 11 / 260 PAGES / FC / T / $19.99
COLLECTS GØDLAND #31-36 and the GØDLAND FINALE one-shot
The Eisner-nominated GØDLAND saga finally comes to a conclusion in this sixth softcover volume of pure, cosmic orgasm, as the universe-spanning drama ends in spectacular fashion. From the rescue mission to save Neela Archer to saving the universe and the final confrontation with Iboga itself, this one’s got it all!GØDLAND CELESTIAL EDITION ONE HC (NEW PRINTING)
story: JOE CASEY
art / cover: TOM SCIOLI
JUNE 4 / 360 PAGES / FC / T / $34.99
Collects GØDLAND #1-12 plus a universe full of cosmic-powered extras!BOOK ONE OF THE EISNER AWARD-NOMINATED CELESTIAL EDITION HARDCOVER IS BACK IN PRINT! See how the greatest cosmic superhero epic of our times began! Thrill to the adventures of Earth’s emissary to the cosmos, Commander Adam Archer! Not to mention Basil Cronus! Maxim! Friedrich Nickelhead! The mystery of Iboga! And much more! If you’ve never experienced the wonder of GØDLAND, it starts right here! THE CELESTIAL EDITION HARDCOVER IS THE MAXIMUM FORMAT TO EXPERIENCE THE GØDLAND SAGA! BIGGER IS BETTER!
