Welcome to Can’t Wait for Wednesday, your guide to what comics are arriving in comic book stores, bookstores and on digital. This week brings the beginning fo the end for an indie comics sensation, as well as new titles featuring Magik, Aquaman, the Green Hornet and more.
I’ve pulled out some of the other highlights for this week below, but for the complete list of everything you might find at your local comic shop and on digital this week, you’ll want to check out one or more of the following:
- Penguin Random House (Marvel + IDW + Dark Horse + more)
- Lunar Distribution (DC + Image + more)
- Diamond’s PreviewsWorld (Dynamite + more)
- ComicList (Pretty much all of the above)
- Amazon/Kindle new releases (digital comics)
As a reminder, things can change and what you find on the above lists may differ from what’s actually arriving in your local shop. So always check with your comics retailer for the final word on availability.
Death of Copra #1 (Image Comics, $3.99): The long-running indie comics sensation by Michel Fiffe concludes with this final, four-issue miniseries that comes from Image Comics rather than being self-published by Fiffe. This final series will find the team “reckoning with a brand new status quo that’s forced upon them.” Would that be John Cena or James Gunn? I ask jokingly, as Copra is an analog of and tribute to the John Ostrander/Luke McDonnell Suicide Squad series. Check out The Comic Journal’s recent interview with Fiffe for more.
Magik #1 (Marvel, $4.99): Writer Ashley Allen and artist Germán Peralta send the Darkchylde on a demon hunt in this new ongoing series, which finds Magik battling an ancient evil that erupts from underneath the Alaskan ice.
Aquaman #1 (DC, $3.99): Jeremy Adams and John Timms bring DC’s King of Atlantis back to his own title as part of the All In publishing initiative. The storyline spins out of Absolute Power, as Aquaman’s powers “have evolved to powerful new heights” just in time for him to fight “mammoth water-construct kaijus.” I just hope he actually rides a shark in the first issue, or else I’m going to be fighting my own kaiju-sized disappointment.
Cruel Kingdom #1 (Oni Press, $4.99): Oni’s revival of EC Comics continues with another five-issue miniseries, this one featuring fantasy stories. The first issue includes tales of magic, myth and murder by Cullen Bunn, Al Ewing, Justin Jordan, Leomacs, Chris Condon, Dennis Culver and more .
Those Not Afraid #1 (Dark Horse, $3.99): Two serial killers compete to break the world record for the most murders ever in this new miniseries by Kyle Starks and Patrick Piazzalunga.
Daredevil: Unleash Hell #1 (Marvel, $4.99): Writer Erica Schultz continues to tell stories featuring Elektra Natchios in this mature readers title that will feature artwork by artist Valentina Pinti. It’s bagged to protect the squeamish, and it’ll feature Elektra unleashing unrestricted bloodshed against her targets.
The Lucky Devils #1 (Image Comics, $3.99): Charles Soule and Ryan Browne, the team behind Curse Words and Eight Billion Genies, bring the devils on our shoulders to life in this nine-issue miniseries.
The Green Hornet/Miss Fury #1 (Dynamite, $4.99): Alex Segura, Henry Barajas and Federico Sorressa bring two pulp heroes together in this new miniseries to solve a mystery. Miss Fury and the Green Hornet discover they shared a mentor, the Silver Shrike, and when he turns up dead, they’ll have to use their very different crime-fighting styles to figure out who killed him and why.
New Champions #1 (Marvel, $4.99): Steve Foxe and Ivan Fiorelli helm a new series featuring characters who first appeared on those “New Champions” variant covers, where Marvel had different artists design new sidekicks for their characters in the spirit of Spider-Boy. Several of them have debuted in various comics since then, and in this new series they face off with Cult of Hela.
Jim Henson Presents #1 (BOOM! Studios, $5.99): This new anthology celebrates Jim Henson and his creations with tales set in the worlds by Shannon Watters, Cameron Chittock, Jill Tew, Seanan McGuire, Max Sarin and more.
What If? … Galactus Transformed Gambit? (Marvel, $3.99): Josh Trujillo and Manuel Garcia show us what might have happened if Galactus has infused the thief-turned-X-Man Gambit with the power cosmic.
Zootopia #1 (Dynamite, $4.99): Disney’s animated film about a bunny and a fox who teamed up to save the city of Zootopia comes to comics. Set after the film, the first story has Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde — now both police officers — working a case involving Tripp Zebrando, the owner of a cell phone company who has been targeted by a mysterious assailant. It’s by Jeff Parker and Alessandro Ranaldi.
What If? … Mickey and Friends Became the Fantastic Four? (Marvel, $4.99): Writers Steve Behling and Riccardo Secchi team with artist Lorenzo Pastrovicchio to revisit the early days of Marvel’s first family — with a Disney twist. Yes, the Fab Five — or at least four of them — become the Fantastic Four, with Mickey as Mister Fantastic, Minnie as Invisible Woman, Donald Duck as the Thing and Goofy as the Human Torch. Together they take on the threat of the Mole Man, who looks a lot like Mickey’s adversary Pete.
DC Comics Style Guide (Standards Manual, $95): DC’s 1980s-era internal style guide is a thing of legend. Created by José Luis García-López to serve as the definitive guide to the design of DC’s heroes, in particular for products and packaging of DC’s very wide range of licensed products and promotions, copies of the guide have been shared online over the years, leaving fans salivating for their own copy. And now, thanks to Standards Manual, you too can own a reproduction of the 384-page manual. The company has been selling them on their website since last year, but now they’re coming to your local comic shop.
Growing Up Farley (Z2 Comics, $29.99): Before becoming a standout among the cast of Saturday Night Live and starring in films like Tommy Boy and Black Sheep, comedian Chris Farley performed in places like the Red Arrow Camp, the Arc Theatre in Wisconsin and The Second City in Chicago. Those early adventures with his brother Kevin will be explored in a new graphic novel by Kevin Farley, Frank Marraffino and Ryan Dunlavey. I’m honestly not 100% sure this one will arrive this week; it’s on Diamond’s list, but Amazon and other venues show it coming out in February. So check with your retailer on when they might get it.
Green Eggs and Ham Take a Hike (Random House Graphic, $10.99): James Kochalka writes and draws with another all-ages graphic novel based on a Dr. Seuss book, as part of the publishing deal Random House Graphic signed with the popular author’s estate. This isn’t an adaptation, but rather a new story featuring the characters from the original book going on a hike.