Welcome to Can’t Wait for Wednesday, your guide to what’s coming to your local comic shop this week. This is a fun week for comics, with a new Space Ghost series, more TMNT/MMPR shenanigans, a colorful approach to Superman and much more.
I’ve pulled out some of the 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 + Mad Cave + 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 check with your retailer to see what’s arriving at their shop this week.
Space Ghost #1 (Dynamite, $4.99): Following the 12-issue Space Ghost series by David Pepose and artist Jonathan Lau that ended earlier this year, Dynamite returns with a second “season” by the same creative team that brought us the well-done first season.
“Because you demanded it… the adventures will continue in our epic second volume of Space Ghost!” Pepose said. “Following the aftermath of Robo Corp and the Council of Doom’s evil schemes, Jonathan Lau and I have some truly exciting new storylines coming for Space Ghost, Jan, Jace and Blip, as their superheroic partnership will be tested in ways that will shake the very foundations of their universe. This relaunch is a testament to the incredible passion and dedication of all the readers, retailers, and press, who have championed our series from the very beginning — Space Ghost has been one of the most rewarding books I’ve ever had a chance to work on, and I can’t wait for fans to see what we have in store for you next!”
This relaunch will start with the return of a classic Space Ghost villain, the Toymaker — whose toys are typically deadly robots.
Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum #1 (DC, $5.99): And now for an unexpected turn in the Summer of Superman — the Ice Cream Man creative team bring their unique approach to comics to the Man of Steel. W. Maxwell Prince, Martín Morazzo and Chris O’Halloran team up for this five-issue Black Label miniseries that will introduce several new kinds of Kryptonite.
“We’ve developed a reputation for pretty left-of-center experimentation, with respect to comics storytelling,” said Prince, “and this is basically what we’re doing over the five issues of Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum: using our unique voice in comics to tell a Supes yarn that’s both strange and timeless—out there and also totally grounded. You might know what Green, Red and Black Kryptonite does to Superman, but what about Purple? Or Cobalt? Or Speckled?”
Predator Kills the Marvel Universe #1 (Marvel, $5.99): It’s open season on super heroes in this new series by Benjamin Percy and Marcelo Ferreira, as the deadly Predator continue the hunt across the entire 616.
“That title? It’s not misdirection,” Percy said. “This one’s gonna hurt. Your favorite heroes and villains will fall — even as others rise up against this extinction-level event. The Predator King is here — the Yautja are armed with vibranium — and Earth is now a hunting preserve.”
Valiant Beyond: Bloodshot #1 (Valiant, $4.99): Alien Books’ plans for the relaunch of the Valiant Universe — called Valiant Beyond — were delayed because of the bankruptcy of Diamond Comics Distributors. But one distribution agreement with IDW later, they’re back with a new take on Bloodshot by Mauro Mantella and Fernando Heinz Furukawa.
“Trapped in the Japanese underworld of the undead, he’ll discover that this world is stranger, more complex, and far more dangerous than he ever imagined. Issue one is 24 pages packed with action, mad ideas, and one particular scene that I still can’t believe was approved,” Mantella said.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III #1 (BOOM!/IDW, $4.99): Ryan Parrott and Vincenzo Federici helm a third crossover series featuring the Power Rangers and the Ninja Turtles, as they team up once again to face Lord Zedd and Shredder.
Cemetery Kids Run Rabid #1 (Oni Press, $4.99): Zac Thompson and Daniel Irizarri are back with another round of Cemetery Kids. In the previous miniseries, the kids journeyed into a VR game called Nightmare Cemetery to save one of their friends. They vowed never to return to the game, but what could bring them back? That’s right, three letters — DLC.
Uncle Scrooge: Earth’s Mightiest Duck #1 (Marvel, $4.99): Jason Aaron returns to write another Uncle Scrooge story for Marvel, following his work on last year’s Uncle Scrooge and the Infinity Dime. He’s joined by artists Giuseppe Camuncoli, Mahmud Asrar and Ciro Cangialosi this four-issue miniseries that finds Scrooge battling an alien invasion.
The Powerpuff Girls Supervillain Summer Spectacular #1 (Dynamite, $5.99): Get out your sunblock and prepare to buy a fast pass — the Powerpuff Girls are headed to an amusement park filled with their villains! James III and Carlo Lauro show us what happens when the Mayor invites all the local bad guys for a day filled with rides and villainy … and probably overpriced snacks.
Lovestruck #1 (AMP Comics, $4.99): MC Foley, Don Handfield and Alonso Molina helm this new series about a detective who doesn’t believe in love — but when she accidentally kills Cupid, she has to team up with his ghost to fulfill his mission of making people fall for each other.
We Don’t Kill Spiders: Season of the Witch #1 (Midnight Factory, $4.99): Joseph Schmalke writes and draws this viking/horror comic about a berserker detective and his witch sidekick, as they investigate a string of grisly occultic murders in a southern Scandinavian kingdom.
Bring on the Bad Guys: Red Skull (Marvel, $4.99): Marvel’s Bring on the Bad Guys series-of-one-shots wraps up this month with three releases, starting with this Red Skull one-shot by Stephanie Phillips, Marc Guggenheim, Tommaso Bianchi and Michael Sta. Maria. Set during World War II, it features the Red Skull making a deal with a certain devil, which should be no surprise if you’ve been keeping up with the series.
Dracula’s Brunch Club (Oni Press, $14.99): Brian Gonsar and Keenan Gaybba’s debut graphic novel has a few points of interest. First, it’s about Dracula. Second, it’s about a Dracula who loves donuts and is battling for the leadership of his local breakfast club. Third, it has an introduction by one of the Jonas Brothers, for some reason. But seriously, it looks very fun, and who doesn’t like a good donut?
The Avengers in The Veracity Trap (Marvel/Abrams, $25.99): Writer and designer Chip Kidd teams with the ultra-talented Michael Cho for this graphic novel that’s part of Abrams Books’ MarvelArts line — the same one that includes the Alex Ross Fantastic Four: Full Circle project and the upcoming John Byrne Uncanny X-Men fan fiction project.
This one sounds like it might be very meta:
It starts with an epic battle in Asgard, as Loki, the god of mischief, comes into possession of a weapon of unimaginable power and assembles an army of otherworldly monsters in an effort to carry out his evil plans. Cue the Avengers—Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Giant-Man, and the Wasp—who meet this horrifying throng of beasts head–on as a thrilling, knock–down drag–out fight ensues.
But when the smoke clears, what appears to be a typically raucous comic book take–down is revealed to be something very, very different—and very, very terrifying. And this discovery threatens to destroy the Avengers in a way that Loki or any other foe never has before. Because this time the enemy is… the Truth.