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Soliciting Multiversity: Image’s Top 10 in May 2014

By | February 26th, 2014
Posted in Columns | 3 Comments

It’s that time of the month again! That time where I sit down to take a look at what is coming from Image Comics in a couple months and boil it down to 10 of the most worthy solicitations. Who makes the cut? Who lives? Who dies? I don’t know. I haven’t seen it yet, so no spoilers please.

Read on for the Top 10 picks from Image in May. For the full solicitations from Image head on over to ImageComics.com.

10. The Sort of End of “Prophet”

So, “Prophet” is ending in April. Or, well, “in April,” due to delays and whatnot. But it had been announced that there would be a follow-up mini-series that is the “real” end of “Prophet,” so we still have something to look forward to despite that end.

With that in mind, between one end and the other, Graham and team will be putting out a “Strikefile” issue that gives full rundowns on all of the characters of the series. I haven’t seen a book like this in the while (the last I can think of is that “Walking Dead” series from a little while back), and with a book like “Prophet” that has such a creative and grandiose cast because of the epic team behind the book, I for one can’t wait to see what’s coming in the “Prophet” line.

PROPHET STRIKEFILE #1
story / art: BRANDON GRAHAM, SIMON ROY, GIANNIS MILONOGIANNIS, & MORE
cover: JOSEPH BERGIN III
MAY 21 / 32 PAGES / FC / T+ / $3.99
A who’s who of the Prophet universe with a comic history of the Earth Empire and bio sheets — pulled from the deepest corners of the known universe — of space gods, aliens, and the distant worlds that contain them.

9. Burn the Best of Both Orphanages on One Day

As May kicks off, Grace and Freedman are opening the month in style as both the trade of the first volume of “Burn the Orphanage” (‘Born to Lose’) comes out and the second volume (‘Reign of Terror’) begins. The series is a lot of fun, a great throwback to the type of videogames we used to play on Super Nintendos and whatnot back in the day when we had to walk down the street to Tommy’s house and fight with him for who gets to play the longest. Except now we don’t have to fight with Tommy; we just get to read the comic and enjoy it.

If you didn’t check out “Burn the Orphanage” yet, May is the damn time.

BURN THE ORPHANAGE, VOL. 1: BORN TO LOSE TP
story: DANIEL FREEDMAN & SINA GRACE
art / cover: SINA GRACE
MAY 7 / 128 PAGES / FC / M / $12.99
Collects BURN THE ORPHANAGE: BORN TO LOSE #1-3
Collecting the critically acclaimed trilogy that kicks off a love letter to the games of yesteryear, BORN TO LOSE chronicles orphan Rock’s journey as he fights his way through the mean streets for revenge. This collected edition includes pages of never-before-seen art and loads of extras!

BURN THE ORPHANAGE: REIGN OF TERROR #1 (of 5)
story: DANIEL FREEDMAN & SINA GRACE
art: SINA GRACE
cover A: SINA GRACE & SHAUN STEVEN STRUBLE
cover B: ANDY BELANGER
MAY 7 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.50
The blow-up hit series from 2013 is back with an all-new, all-monthly series! Rock returns home to find his city under siege, and you won’t believe who’s behind the mayhem!

8. DC? What’s DC?

“Hi, I’m Kyle Higgins! You might remember me from such comic books as “The Gates of Gotham” and “Nightwing.” Today I’m here to tell you about “C.O.W.L.”, the 21st century superhero labor union!”

I just kind of wish Kyle Higgins had done his best Troy McClure impression at Image Expo. I dunno. Maybe it’s just me. But this book sounds pretty neat, and it could be interesting to see what Higgins and writing-partner Siegel do with Rod Reis.

C.O.W.L. #1
story: KYLE HIGGINS & ALEC SIEGEL
art: ROD REIS
cover: TREVOR MCCARTHY
MAY 28 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.50
Welcome to the “Chicago Organized Workers League” — the world’s first Super-Hero Labor Union! While C.O.W.L. once stood as a beacon of hope against an epidemic of organized crime and an unbeatable “brotherhood” of Super-Villains, the union now faces its fiercest foe yet — a disillusioned public. In targeting the last of the great villains, C.O.W.L. attempts to prove its value to the world and to each other, while staving off villainy from both outside and inside its offices.

Continued below

7. Ugh, That Cover

Look, I like Josh Williamson. I like Mike Henderson. They are damn good creatives.

But, that cover. Ugh. What, am I supposed to look at it for, like, more than two seconds? Ugh.

BUT! Hey! In the wake of True Detective, I think we’re in the perfect climate for this and that gross crover.

NAILBITER #1
story: JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
art / cover: MIKE HENDERSON
MAY 7 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $2.99
JOSHUA WILLIAMSON & MIKE HENDERSON deliver a mystery that mixes Twin Peaks with the horror of Se7en!
Buckaroo, Oregon has given birth to sixteen of the vilest serial killers in the world. An obsessed FBI profiler investigating the town has suddenly gone missing, and now an NSA Agent must work with the notorious serial killer Edward “Nailbiter” Warren to find his friend and solve the mystery of “Where do serial killers come from?”
“If Josh died I wish he’d leave NAILBITER to me in his will so I could say it was my idea.” — Scott Snyder (SEVERED, Batman, American Vampire)

6. Oh, MPH! Now I Get It!

When “MPH” was first announced a year ago, I thought it stood for “Millar Something Something.” But now, actually having learned about the book and whatnot, I think I get it.

So, OK, here’s the thing: I have, in the past, written extensively about the main problem I have with Millar’s work (which I guess, rather surprisingly, is not what everyone else has a problem with). But, all things considered, I’m actually kind of excited about his extended-Millarverse stuff. I mean, “Jupiter’s Legacy” #3 was pretty damn good, and I’ve read a preview of “Starlight” and I rather enjoyed that. So “MPH?” With Duncan Fegredo on art? Uh, yeah, I could give that a go, certainly.

MPH #1 (of 5)
story: MARK MILLAR
art / cover A: DUNCAN FEGREDO
colors: PETER DOHERTY
cover B: JOCK
Team Variant Covers: DUNCAN FEGREDO
Blank Cover Variant
MAY 21 / 32 PAGES / FC / T+ / $2.99
The all-new Millarworld Universe kicks into high gear with the launch of Millar and Fegredo’s fast and furious miniseries. When a group of hard-luck teens in Motor City stumble upon a street drug called MPH, they gain the power of super speed. Will they use it to save the world? Hell no! Not when there’s dolla, dolla bills to be had, y’all. A high-octane urban adventure, MPH brings you super speed like you’ve never seen before! This launch features a variant cover by Jock, a blank cover variant, and a special series of linked cover variants by Fegredo showcasing the book’s cast.

5. “Things Take a Dark Turn”

The following is the solicit for “Sheltered’s” second arc finale, in which a book where a bunch of children revolt and murder their parents on a survivalist compound, as well as killing all the dogs and hunting stray members of their group and murdering people from the outside world who accidentally wander by, suddenly takes a dark turn.

Gee. Wonder what could possibly happen next.

SHELTERED #10
story: ED BRISSON
art / cover: JOHNNIE CHRISTMAS
MAY 28 / 32 PAGES / FC / T+ / $2.99
In the final issue of the second arc, things take a dark turn for the children of Safe Haven. Not all will survive the issue!

4. Rat Queens’s New Arc Begins, and Also You Should Be Reading Rat Queens

I recently took a day to binge read on a lot of comics I had wanted to be reading but couldn’t find the time to. I mean, who can read comics when you’re supposed to write about comics all the time? It just doesn’t work. But among my binges, I read all of “Rat Queens” from front to back, and I have to say: I was really impressed. The book is hilarious, perfectly illustrated and the collaboration between Wiebe and Upchurch is off the charts good. I’m pretty glad I put my faith in Wiebe and just bought the book without really reading past the first issue.

Continued below

So what I’m saying is: today in stores, you’ll find the 5th issue of the series, the final issue of the first arc. You should catch up for May.

RAT QUEENS #6
story: KURTIS J. WIEBE
art / cover A: ROC UPCHURCH
MAY 7 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.50
“THE FAR REACHING TENTACLES OF N’RYGOTH,” Part One
A brand new booze-soaked arc of Rat Queens reveals a growing menace within the very walls of Palisade. And while Dee may have run from her past, the bloated, blood-feasting sky god N’rygoth never really lets his children stray too far.
FIRST ISSUE OF A NEW STORY ARC! PERFECT JUMP-ON POINT!

3. Wait. What?

So, I guess “Chew” and “Revival” are crossing over just for the fun of it.

I’d say something really funny or creative about the crossover, but… nope, I got nothing.

CHEW/REVIVAL #1
story: JOHN LAYMAN & TIM SEELEY
art: ROB GUILLORY & MIKE NORTON
Flip Covers: ROB GUILLORY & JENNY FRISON
MAY 28 / 40 PAGES / FC / M / $4.99
TWO GREAT TASTES THAT TASTE REALLY WEIRD TOGETHER!
Tony Chu heads to Wisconsin in two all-new original tales by the creative teams of both critically acclaimed titles! A great jumping-on point for readers who’ve heard how damn good these titles are on their own, and a twisted delight for those already in the know!

2. I Think Things Are Going To Get a Bit Weird

The finale to “Zero” #5 was a game changer, to put it lightly. I mean, the whole book is in a different place now, and it was always pretty ethereal and strange and surreal. I have no idea what to expect in the second arc (well, OK, I have some idea), and I for one can’t wait to see how Ales and the new team pull the latest set of stories off. And Jorge Coelho? Man oh man oh man oh man.

And that cover, you guys. That. Cover.

ZERO #8
story: ALES KOT
art: JORGE COELHO & JORDIE BELLAIRE
cover: JORGE COELHO & TOM MULLER
MAY 21 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $2.99
The Mexico event sets off a brutal change. Cooke is hunted. The killers are prepared. Zero approaches.

1. The End of Fatale

This is perhaps the most important Image comic out in May. “Fatale” is truly something else, a seminal series by Brubaker and Phillips — a team that seems to do nothing but make new seminal works. And that doesn’t even make sense!

But, seriously: “Fatale” went from a 12-issue series to something twice as long and twice as great, with a rich and deep mythology and storyline that completely reinvented what we’d known from Phillips and Brubaker. I have not even the tiniest guess of how they plan to wrap this up, and I can’t wait to see how.

FATALE #24
story: ED BRUBAKER
art : SEAN PHILLIPS & ELIZABETH BREITWEISER
cover: SEAN PHILLIPS
MAY 21 / 48 PAGES / FC / M / $4.99
IT ALL ENDS HERE!
The final extra-length issue of FATALE! There’s so much story that we needed a lot more room. Will Josephine’s final secrets be revealed? Will there be much tragedy? Will Brubaker and Phillips fans love all the crazy extras jammed into this special final issue? Yes, yes, and yes.


//TAGS | Soliciting Multiversity

Matthew Meylikhov

Once upon a time, Matthew Meylikhov became the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Multiversity Comics, where he was known for his beard and fondness for cats. Then he became only one of those things. Now, if you listen really carefully at night, you may still hear from whispers on the wind a faint voice saying, "X-Men Origins: Wolverine is not as bad as everyone says it issss."

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