Today in our monthly solicit commentary, we point our discerning eyes towards Image Comics’ monthly releases. August is a pretty interesting month from Image, to say the least, and there’s quite a bit to look forward to — but alas, the rules say 10 and so 10 there shall be!
Take a look below for what gets the Multiversity Bump this August.
10. A Home at the End of the World
“Zero” is one of my absolute favorite monthly comics — so much so that, usually after reading the issue, I e-mail series writer Ales Kot to gab about something. Every issue offers up a unique experience, creating a book that is unlike anything else on the market right now. August brings with it the second collection of “Zero,” and if you are for some reason not picking up the series in single issues then I would urge you to consider picking this up.
Sporting a nice handsome cover design from Tom Muller, the second volume of “Zero” contains what could be the best thing Ales Kot has ever written in the first issue (#6) and doesn’t let go from there. It’s vicious, it’s dark, it’s rather subversive — and with artists like Vanessa Del Rey, Tonci Zonjic and Michael Gaydos, it’s a book you don’t dare miss.
ZERO, VOL. 2 AT THE HEART OF IT ALL TP
story : ALES KOT
art / cover: VARIOUS ARTISTS & JORDIE BELLAIRE
AUGUST 27 / 160 PAGES / FC / M / $14.99
Collects ZERO #6-10
Edward Zero faces the Agency, Ginsberg Nova — and himself.
9.The Great Switcheroo Part 1: The Return of Pan
If anyone is on a hot streak these days, it’s decidedly Kurtis Wiebe. With “Rat Queens” running on high for an avid fanbase, all the hard work Wiebe has put into his books for the past few years are finally paying off is people start recognizing his talent more and more.
As such, “Peter Panzerfaust” #21 returns in August with a brand new arc and a cover by “Rat Queens” artist Roc Upchurch to boot. The book has been solid so far, with the third arc being a particular stand-out in my opinion, and if you’ve been enjoying his work in “Rat Queens” then it is definitely worth checking out “Peter Panzerfaust” when it launches its new arc in August.
PETER PANZERFAUST #21
story : KURTIS J. WIEBE
art: TYLER JENKINS
cover A: ROC UPCHURCH
cover B: MICHAEL AVON OEMING
AUGUST 13 / 32 PAGES / FC / T / $3.50
“ON TILL MORNING,” Part One
From the memories of Claude, the only living twin, the story continues. Together at last, Peter, the Darlings, and the remaining Lost Boys embed themselves in the dangerous heart of Paris. With the Hook hot on their heels, it is only a matter of time before they are discovered. But Peter has a plan.
A new story arc begins here!
COVER SWITCHEROO! Rat Queens’ ROC UPCHURCH draws this issue’s cover, while PETER PANZERFAUST’s TYLER JENKINS draws this month’s RAT QUEENS cover! Plus a special incentive B cover diptych for BOTH books by MICHAEL AVON OEMING!
Oh. And speaking of “Rat Queens”…
8. The Great Switcheroo Part 2: All Tentacle, No Filler
I felt it was only appropriate to keep “Rat Queens” in the mix to show off Tyler Jenkins’ excellent cover. (There’s a diptych cover by Michael Avon Oeming here, though we can only post so much.)
“Rat Queens” is rather great though. The second arc only just started, with a first volume in trade now. Do the right thing and pick it all up, won’t you?
Continued belowRAT QUEENS #8
story : KURTIS J. WIEBE
art: ROC UPCHURCH
cover A: TYLER JENKINS
cover B: MICHAEL AVON OEMING
AUGUST 6 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.50
“THE FAR REACHING TENTACLES OF N’RYGOTH,” Part Three
If your enemy is just too damn strong, well…when you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. And then from the safety of their trust, that’s when you kill ’em with a good rusty blade to the spine. Rat Queens style.
COVER SWITCHEROO! PETER PANZERFAUST’s TYLER JENKINS draws this issue’s cover, while RAT QUEENS’ ROC UPCHURCH draws this month’s PETER PANZERFAUST cover! Plus a special incentive B cover diptych for BOTH books by MICHAEL AVON OEMING!
7. Your New Favorite Comic, And Its Silly Pullquote
As is the way things go in the comic blogosphere, we were recently given a sneak peek at the first issue of “Wicked + Divine” — and let me tell you, it is a book that you are going to want to pick up. This cover/solicit is particularly endearing, I feel, but even beyond that I think many people will be surprised at what these creators are going to be up to with the book. It’s decidedly a Gillen/McKelvie jam with some gorgeous colors by Matt Wilson, but they’re doing some new things as well. “WicDiv” is not just next level shit, it’s The Next Level — I guarantee it.
We’ll have a chat with both Kieron and Jamie up on the site very soon to show off all the excellence that is “WicDiv,” but in the meantime you’ll have to trust me when I tell you to pre-order this book. You decidedly won’t regret it.
(Their quote in the solicit is quite cute as well.)
THE WICKED + THE DIVINE #3
story : KIERON GILLEN
art / cover: JAMIE MCKELVIE & MATT WILSON
AUGUST 20 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.50
Laura has no choice. She has to go underground to find the goth-goth-gothity-goth of the Morrigan. Is this the most ill-advised underworld-related decision since Orpheus decided to see how Eurydice was doing in the back seat? To find out, read the comic that people are literally calling “The one by GILLEN/McKELVIE/WILSON with the very long title.”
6. Sir Chetly Zippers
Oh, those boys.
Also: who knew that that one guy with the weirdo mask hanging out with Kegelface was named Robert Rainbow? And that he’s a pretty cool guy? I can’t wait for this book to come back.
SEX CRIMINALS #8
story : MATT FRACTION
art / cover: SIR CHETLY ZIPPERS
AUGUST 20 / 32 PAGES / FC / M+++++ / $3.50
Jon and Suzie have had to deal with a whole lot in their time together but nothing can prepare them for…Robert Rainbow.
Actually he’s a pretty cool guy. And that’s the problem.
Come along and laff and love with the Eisner Award-nominated SEX CRIMINALS by MATT FRACTION (SATELLITE SAM, Hawkeye) and special guest artist CHIP ZDARSKY (SPAWN*, THE WALKING DEAD*)
*avid reader of
5. The End of “Sheltered”
Well, this is it. Starting in August, “Sheltered” begins its final arc, and it seems like people are starting to take notice of our little ruffians and their crazy compound. Just when things were reaching a boiling point of intensity, too.
Of good news to fans, though:
August begins SHELTERED's final arc. Will be 15 issues when all is said and done, which is what @j_xmas and I had hoped for when we started.
— Ed Brisson (@edbrisson) May 21, 2014
I think it is a shame to see this book head towards its finish as it seemed like a series with many more years of stories to tell, but good for Brisson and Christmas for getting it exactly where they wanted.
SHELTERED #11
story : ED BRISSON
art / cover: JOHNNIE CHRISTMAS
AUGUST 6 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $2.99
THE FINAL ARC BEGINS HERE!
You can only pile up so many bodies before the outside world starts to notice
4. That Adam Warren Cover
Continued belowWAYWARD #1
story : JIM ZUB
art: STEVE CUMMINGS & JOHN RAUCH
cover A: STEVE CUMMINGS & ROSS A. CAMPBELL
cover B: ALINA URUSOV
cover C: JEFF “CHAMBA” CRUZ
cover D: ADAM WARREN & JOHN RAUCH
AUGUST 27 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.50
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER FOR A NEW GENERATION!
Rori Lane is trying to start a new life when she reunites with her mother in Japan, but ancient creatures lurking in the shadows of Tokyo sense something hidden deep within her, threatening everything she holds dear. Can Rori unlock the secrets of her power before it’s too late?
JIM ZUB (SKULLKICKERS, Samurai Jack), STEVE CUMMINGS (Legends of the Dark Knight, Deadshot), and JOHN RAUCH (INVINCIBLE) team up to create an all-new Image supernatural spectacle that combines the camaraderie and emotion of Buffy the Vampire Slayer with the action and mystery of Hellboy. Don’t miss it!
It feels like just yesterday that Jim Zub was launching “Skullkickers” and Multiversity was starting up and we teamed up for one of my first interviews on the site. Back in those days, I’d ask people if they liked cats. Such a professional! Ahh, memories. And now, Jim Zub has a new series coming out called “Wayward,” and I’m very excited to see its release. Not only does Jim have a much bigger fanbase, but his time in comics have given him a different perspective from when he launched “Skullkickers” — and do you remember how good that debut was? Yeah, I suspect “Wayward” will be quite great as well.
Not only that, but Adam Warren did a variant! I don’t know about you guys, but I’m a big fan of Warren’s work. This is just icing on what already seems to be a pretty sweet deal.
3. How To with Howtoons
HOWTOONS: (RE)IGNITION #1
story : FRED VAN LENTE
art / cover: TOM FOWLER & JORDIE BELLAIRE
AUGUST 6 /32 PAGES / FC / E / $2.99
The awe-inspiring, adventure-loving, science-doing series co-created by EAST OF WEST’s NICK DRAGOTTA returns with an all-new story from superstar creators FRED VAN LENTE, TOM FOWLER, and JORDIE BELLAIRE!
Tuck and Celine’s parents put their family in suspended animation to ride out the ecological apocalypse — but when the kids wake up to find Mom & Dad are gone, they have to make their way across a brave and terrifying new world to find the ‘rents…using only their Howtoons projects to survive!
“Howtoons” is a very intriguing project, and one that I’m pretty excited to get a look at. An educational all-ages comic primarily online (at, you guessed it, Howtoons.com, the series is coming to print with a new series by Van Lente, Fowler and Bellaire. There aren’t a lot of big, noteworthy all-ages comics at the moment, but I’m kind of rooting for this one to be a big hit, because it certainly seems like something that could actually appeal to all ages.
But don’t take my word for it (he says, getting ready to plug things on his own website)! We’ve got interviews with both series creator Nick Dragotta on the series as well as Van Lente and Fowler on this book in particular, with images and everything. Those should sell you more than anything I can say.
2. It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s… The Return of Steve Seagle
IMPERIAL #1
story : STEVEN T. SEAGLE
art / cover: MARK DOS SANTOS
AUGUST 6 / 32 PAGES / FC / T+ / $2.99
Mark is two weeks out from making the biggest decision of his life. But which big decision will it be? Taking the ring of the woman of his dreams and becoming a married man? Or taking the crown of the world’s only superhero and becoming the next Imperial? STEVEN T. SEAGLE (THE RED DIARY/ THE RE[A]D DIARY, Genius, it’s a bird…) teams with MARK DOS SANTOS for a buddy book with commitment issues.
I rather excitedly reported this as news the other day, and let me tell you, I am still disappointed that no one else seems to share my enthusiasm. Perhaps it is because the book stars a Superman analogue and you’re all tired of those; I get that. Or perhaps it’s because you don’t know who Seagle is — and that, I do not get.
Indulge me for a minute, if you will: while I don’t fully get how it happened, Seagle ended up being one of the most underrated working writers today. Co-founding Man of Action (with Joe Kelly and Joe Casey — you know them, right?), Seagle has written books that you should love like “American Virgin” (illustrated by Becky Cloonan!), a run of “Uncanny X-Men” back in the late 90s and the phenomenal “It’s a Bird…”, which is one of the most important reads if you’re a Superman fan. And now he has a new book, a new monthly book at that (he’s done a few graphic novels like “Genius” and “The Red Diary”), coming from Image that looks to be just as smart and funny as his other work.
Continued belowI’d implore everybody to check this out when it comes out, as well as his body of work if you’re unfamiliar. Seagle’s pretty great stuff.
1. When It Is Not Better to Burn
THE FADE OUT #1
story : ED BRUBAKER
art / cover: SEAN PHILLIPS & ELIZABETH BREITWEISER
AUGUST 20 / 40 PAGES / FC / M / $3.50
The first project from their groundbreaking five-year deal at Image will have ED BRUBAKER and SEAN PHILLIPS fans, old and new, at the edge of their seats, as they weave an epic crime story unlike anything they’ve done before.
Hollywood – 1948. A noir film stuck in endless reshoots. A writer plagued with nightmares from the war and a dangerous secret. An up-and-coming starlet’s suspicious death. And a maniacal Studio Mogul and his Security Chief who will do anything to keep the cameras rolling before the Post-War boom days come crashing down. THE FADE OUT is the most ambitious series yet from the award-winning Noir Masters.
Bonus: This 40-PAGE FIRST ISSUE features more story pages, as well as exclusive back pages articles that are only in these single issues!
“Fatale” is ending, and that’s a dirty, rotten shame. A phenomenal comic with a cut throat premise that kills regularly on a monthly basis, it’s certainly one of the most popular ongoing series today. And while it ending is something to be sad about, it is nice to see that Brubaker and Phillips are almost immediately launching their next book rather than taking a break and resting on their laurels. All hail the Brubaker/Phillips Comic Machine!
We posted a preview of the first issue the other day that looks pretty great. With the strength of the rest of their body of work, I can’t imagine this will be any different whatsoever.
For the full solicits for August, head on over to Image’s website.
