Hello, and welcome to this month’s Soliciting Multiversity for Image Comics! Of course, those of you that have jumped the gun and looked at the solicits without our helpful guidance will already know that, hey, a ton of books debut in November! Enough to fill this column and have some left over, in fact!
So this month for Soliciting Multiversity, I’ll say this: if there are books you already subscribe to, keep them on your pull. There is no reason to not assume they’ll keep making you happy in November. But today, I’m strictly going to go over what’s new — so buckle your boots and strap on your hat, because it’s going to be a barn burner.
(Editor’s note: Matthew has no idea how boots, hats or barns work.)
10. Passing Through the Sex Criminals Singularity
Everyone loves “Sex Criminals,” right? It’s one of the funniest books in comics, one of the most honest books in comics, and it just so happens that the creators of the book make up the most adorable bromance in comics. It’s a Cumworld and we’re just living in it.
November brings us their first book, though, with “Just the Tips.” Announced some time ago, the book is full of “tips, tricks, moves, advice, suggestions, stories, and confessions, how-tos, do’s, don’ts, and do-agains-but-slower-this-times” collected from the letters column of “Sex Criminals,” along with some new material. And with its release, I feel as if we’ll have stepped over to the other side of the looking glass, because we’ll be living in a world where this exists as a thing we all ostensibly need to own.
I’ll note, though: I love the “Sex Criminals” letter column, and this sounds like a fun little book that’d go perfect as a gag gift (especially for people who don’t read comics), but it seems to me like this is the equivalent of binge watching a hilarious show. It’ll start off uproariously funny in the beginning, but comedy is exhausting. So, if you grab this, make sure to take breaks in between each little tip and trick and whatnot. You could try fucking, even.
JUST THE TIPS HC
The Tips: : MATT FRACTION & CHIP ZDARSKY
art / cover: CHIP ZDARSKY
NOVEMBER 26 / 96 PAGES / FC / M / $12.99Just in time to come down everybody’s chimneys this holiday season, the creators of SEX CRIMINALS are proud-ish to present JUST THE TIPS: a curated collection of tips, tricks, moves, advice, suggestions, stories, and confessions, how-tos, do’s, don’ts, and do-agains-but-slower-this-times from the unmissable letters column of SEX CRIMINALS, alongside all-new material specially created for this collection only. Finally, a book to teach you how to not be a sex dumby no more. It’s this book.
9. Speaking of Sex Stuff…
Debuting in November is another book that deals with sex in the form of “Sinergy,” where young Jess finds that having sex allows her to see secret inter-dimensional monsters that feed off of Sinergy, the energies emitted by sin. High school, am I right? Who hasn’t been there.
This book is a collaboration between Mike Oeming and Taki Soma, though, which tends to endear me to it. I already like Oeming’s stuff quite a bit, and he’s definitely one of the hardest working guys in comics as is, but for those of you out there who remember “Rapture,” you’ll know that Oeming and Soma go together quite well as collaborators. It’s been a while since I’ve read “Rapture,” granted, but I remember quite liking it — and as Oeming continues to push himself as an artist and puts out more and more work (the guy has three ongoings right now!), I’m always interested to see how he’ll push himself with new material.
Continued belowSINERGY #1
story / art: MICHAEL AVON OEMING & TAKI SOMA
cover: MICHAEL AVON OEMING
NOVEMBER 19 / 32 PAGES / FC / T+ / $3.50FROM THE CO-CREATOR OF THE HIT SERIES POWERS! Jess was on her way to college with an athletic scholarship—until her first sexual experience enabled her to see inter-dimensional monsters who live secretly among us and feed on SINERGY (energies emitted by sin)! Oh, and did we mention that her boyfriend is one of them and that her father wants her to start hunting these monsters with him?
8. No, Not Like The Music App
We covered this one when it was first announced, but the gist of it is that anything Sina Grace illustrates I’ll read. Anything. It could be the phone book. It could be a pizza box. I’m not really that picky here.
That this will be an all-ages book a la “Coraline” essentially sweetens the pot, as far as I’m concerned. It’s like getting a pizza box done by Sina Grace, only to find that it comes with actual pizza. Win/win.
PENNY DORA & THE WISHING BOX #1 (OF 5)
story: MICHAEL STOCK
art / cover A: SINA GRACE
cover B: HOPE LARSON
NOVEMBER 5 / 32 PAGES / FC / E / $2.99Once upon a time, on the day before Christmas, a young girl named Penny Dora found a mysterious box on her front doorstep. A magic box with the power to grant wishes. But what she’s about to learn is the true (and creepy) meaning of “be careful what you wish for.” An all-ages fantasy/adventure book for fans of Coraline and Courtney Crumrin!
7. Not-Vikings in Space
One of the first of a few Image Expo announced titles to debut this month, “Drifter” re-unites the creative team of Ivan Brandon and Nic Klein in order to give us a Western-esque space wasteland a la “Dune” meets the Unforgiven. Sci-fi is so hot right now in comics, so it’s always tough to decide which sci-fi book nails it the most, but to me there’s two pretty attractive aspects of this book: a) “Viking” was great, if you read it in the deluxe over-sized hardcover like I did, and b) Nic Klein is a beast. After “Dancer” and his run on “Captain America,” I’ll pretty much take a look at anything Klein will draw at this point — and if anyone is going to get the purported tone of this book done right, it’s someone like Klein.
DRIFTER #1
story: IVAN BRANDON
art / cover A: NIC KLEIN
cover B: ESAD RIBIC
cover C: CLIFF CHIANG
NOVEMBER 12 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.50FROM THE CREATORS OF VIKING: Writer IVAN BRANDON (Wolverine, Men of War) and artist NIC KLEIN (Captain America, Thor) reunite to bring you a sci-fi ONGOING SERIES joining the dark revenge themes of Unforgiven with the mind-bending sci-fi universe-building of Dune.
In its frantic rush to survive itself, mankind has spread across the universe, colonizing and strip-mining countless planets. Abram Pollux barely survives a crash landing on Ouro, a lawless backwater world where life is cheap. What starts as a struggle for survival quickly becomes a journey to the very edges of what it means to be human.
6. The One Person Inside
Have you read “One Soul”? How about “The People Inside”? If you answered yes to either of these questions, then “Intersect” is right for you. If you answered no, please direct yourself to your nearest comic book emporium and pick-up one or both of these graphic novels, as well as a box of tissues, because holy crap those books are incredible.
Thing is, “Intersect” looks and sounds nothing like those books. Not even a little bit. Fawkes uses a different, watercolor style and is writing a horror series, which couldn’t be any further from what he did in those two graphic novels. However, given the quality of those books, I think it’s fair to trust Fawkes on whatever project he devotes his time to at this point. Seems more than fair; Fawkes is a talented artist and storyteller, and I see no reason not to assume this is going to be great.
Continued belowINTERSECT #1
Story / Art / Cover A: RAY FAWKES
Cover B: JEFF LEMIRE
NOVEMBER 19 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.50Blood rains from the skies. A hypnotic voice trills over the airwaves as bodies shift and grow in horrifying new directions. Are you ready for the new world? RAY FAWKES, acclaimed creator of One Soul and writer of Constantine and Batman: Eternal, launches a terrifying monthly odyssey of madness and warped flesh in this lush, fully-painted debut issue!
5. Sons of Anarchy of the Planet of the Apes
Out of all the things that I’m highlighting in this month’s Soliciting Multiversity, “The Humans” is the book I am the least familiar with. I’ve read work by at least one creator involved in every book I’m spotlighting except this one. So why does it rank so high on the list, when I have no real point of reference for the series? Because it looks and sounds awesome, that’s why.
I won’t lie or front or not be outright honest with you in that this book obviously appeals to most of my interests. I like biker drama because I like Sons of Anarchy; I like stories where monkeys take on human characteristics because of countless stories in which this happens; I like 70s Easy Rider style stories because I like — …well, you get it. There’s so much potential in “The Humans,” and this seems like a can’t miss title from a new team in comics.
THE HUMANS #1
story: KEENAN MARSHALL KELLER
art / cover: TOM NEELY
NOVEMBER 5 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $2.99Apart, they are nothing…deemed by society as outcasts, misfits, losers, no good punks! But together, they are THE HUMANS! THE HUMANS is a high-octane, no-holds-barred, ape-biker-gang chopper ride into ’70s exploitation genre bliss. Follow Bobby, Johnny, and all The HUMANS as they fight and fly down the road to oblivion on a ride filled with chains, sex, leather, denim, hair, blood, bananas, and chrome.
4. New Madman? New Madman!
I sort of feel like the header for this particular item probably says all that needs to be said here. It’s a new Madman story by Mike Allred, complete with a pin-up gallery and a 3D conversion of ‘Swiped from Dimension X,’ which is arguably one of the greatest comics of all time let alone the greatest endeavor Allred ever undertook (for those that haven’t read it, Allred illustrates every panel of the issue in a different famous style — a potent sample here). It’s a perfect addition to any “Madman” fan’s home, and a perfect entry point for someone who has never read “Madman” as far as I’m concerned.
Honestly, why are we still talking about this? Lets just go read “Madman” and “Atomic Comics” for the rest of the day.
MADMAN IN YOUR FACE 3D SPECIAL!
story: MICHAEL ALLRED
art / cover: MICHAEL ALLRED & LAURA ALLRED
3D conversion: CHRISTIAN LeBLANC
NOVEMBER 26 / 80 PAGES / FC / E / $9.99This super-sized special-effects spectacular features an all-new Madman story by MICHAEL ALLRED, plus an exclusive 3D gallery of superstar talent: PAOLO RIVERA, MARCOS MARTIN, JAE LEE, EDUARDO RISSO, EMMA RIOS, NICK DRAGOTTA, ANDREW ROBINSON, SEAN MURPHY, MARIS WICKS, AARON CONLEY, JENNY FRISON, DECLAN SHALVEY, BECKY CLOONAN, JOE QUINONES, MING DOYLE, NICK BRADSHAW, and more! Plus newly converted 3D versions of the acclaimed “Swiped From Dimension X,” where ALLRED drew almost every panel in the style of a different artist, and “The World’s Biggest Comic Book Panel.” Also includes a cut-out 3D cube and surprises galore! Custom MADMAN 3D glasses included!
3. The End of “Prophet” Begins
“Prophet” may have capped off with issue #45, but fans of the series knew that it would be followed up with a mini-series that ties everything together in the ‘Earth War.’ November brings all of that to the forefront as we get to step on the battle lines for the grand finale of Graham and Roy’s “Prophet” opus, arguably one of the greatest re-imaginings of an older, Z-List character ever.
If you’ve never read “Prophet” before and are into hard, unrelenting sci-fi with a challenging narrative and infinitely complex ideas contained within, now is the time to get caught up. Here’s to fingers crossed that “Earth War” is as take-no-prisoners as it sounds.
Continued belowPROPHET: EARTH WAR #1 (OF 6)
story: BRANDON GRAHAM & SIMON ROY
art: RON ACKINS
cover: SIMON ROY
NOVEMBER 12 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99THE EPIC CONCLUSION TO PROPHET BEGINS HERE! A clone general goes against his Brain-Mother overlords to gain control of an alien egg.
2. Come With Us Now On a Journey Through Time and Space
Announced some time ago, Fraction and Ward’s “ODY-C” is one of the most anticipated books of the year. A gender-bent re-imagining of the classic by Homer, this book looks like it’s going to be big. Fraction has been upping his game consistently on his creator-owned work for the past year, and I can’t imagine that the guy who writes “Casanova” can’t write a highly imaginative and inventive iteration of “the Odyssey.” Not only that, but fans that have read Ward’s work in “Infinite Vacation” (let alone, you know, that Greek mythology book he did “Olympus”) knows that this book is going to be the literal definition of eye candy. I hope you’ve got your Corinthian lenses handy.
Also: eight-page foldout? Eight-page foldout!
ODY-C #1
story: MATT FRACTION
art / cover: CHRISTIAN WARD
NOVEMBER 26 / 40 PAGES / FC / M / $3.99An epic 26 centuries in the making: In the aftermath of a galactic war a hundred years long, Odyssia the Clever Champion and her compatriots begin their longest, strangest trip yet: the one home. A gender-bent eye-popping psychedelic science fiction odyssey begins HERE, by MATT FRACTION (CASANOVA, SEX CRIMINALS, SATELLITE SAM) and CHRISTIAN WARD (INFINITE VACATION, OLYMPUS). INCLUDES SPECIAL EIGHT-PAGE FOLDOUT!
1. You Have No Idea What’s Waiting For You In This Book
That header might seem casually flippant seeing as there is a preview of the book available online, but please believe me when I say that this preview does not prepare you for the sheer beauty contained within these pages. Bragging a bit, but Dewey showed myself and fellow MC editors pages from the book at Emerald City Comic Con this year, long before the title had been announced, and my immediate reaction was to just take the pages and walk away because they were so obscenely gorgeous that I wanted to be selfish and not allow anyone else to enjoy them. That’s how good Ben Dewey’s artwork is, and I can’t wait to see what it looks like in color when I pick up the issue for myself.
Granted, Busiek is no slouch. Having written an epic run on “Conan” and then comparing this book to something “Conan”-esque, I can’t imagine that the written portion of the series won’t be stellar as well. But, well, this is a visual medium so screw it, I’ll happily admit that I’m buying this for Ben Dewey’s artwork, just like I’d buy any book Dewey illustrates — and so should you.
TOOTH & CLAW #1
story: KURT BUSIEK
art / cover: BEN DEWEY
NOVEMBER 5 / 48 PAGES / FC / M / $2.99MARVELS and ASTRO CITY writer KURT BUSIEK returns to Image Comics with rising-star artist BEN DEWEY for an all-new ONGOING SERIES! Conan meets Game of Thrones meets Kamandi in an original high-fantasy epic for mature readers, as a secret conclave of wizards brings a legendary champion back through time to save the world, with disastrous consequences. The action begins in a spectacular DOUBLE-SIZED FIRST ISSUE, with forty-four pages of story with no ads for the regular price of just $2.99!
Bonus: More Deluxe Casanova!
Yes, yes, I know — I’m only supposed to pick 10 things. However, those that remember last month’s Soliciting Multiversity will remember that the “Casanova” v1 hardcover was my top item. Now we have the second volume on its way in November.
I bring this up only because, well, this would ostensibly mean that the third volume will hit in December, which would be wonderfully convenient if the fourth volume debuted in January 2015 to kick off the new year, don’t you think? I do think.
Pardon me if this was announced before, obviously. I’d hardly pretend this is an original thought or breaking news that the best book in comics is maybe coming back in January of next year. But, well, as a massive fan of this book I can’t help exude excitement for the prospect of having a new “Casanova” issue in my hands soon. Even if it is August. I just want it.
Continued below
CASANOVA, VOL. 2: GULA – THE COMPLETE EDITION HC
story: MATT FRACTION
art / cover: FÁBIO MOON
NOVEMBER 12 / 168 PAGES / FC / M / $29.99When is Casanova Quinn? Everyone’s favorite hedonistic rogue double agent turned good guy for E.M.P.I.R.E. vanishes and a search through time and space breaks out to find him—while his twin sister Zephyr gets up to all kinds of mayhem to take advantage of his absence that will culminate in a brazen attack on E.M.P.I.R.E itself…and her own father. At long last, all the covers, all the content, all the comics, between two gorgeous covers. By MATT FRACTION (SEX CRIMINALS, SATELLITE SAM, Hawkeye) and FÁBIO MOON (BPRD, Daytripper) and GABRIEL BÁ (Umbrella Academy, Daytripper). Collects CASANOVA: GULA #1-4
For the full Image Comics November 2014 solicitations, please visit their website.
