Can’t Wait for Wednesday | Enter the ‘Houses of the Unholy’ with Ed Brubaker + Sean Phillips

Check out what comics and graphic novels will arrive in stores this week by James Kochalka, Jen Wang, Mark Russell, Bob Quinn, Joe Casey, Sebastián Piriz, Matt Kindt, Margie Kindt, Garth Ennis, Jacen Burrows, Fell Hound, Caroline Cash and more.

Welcome to Can’t Wait for Wednesday, your guide to what comics are arriving in comic book stores, bookstores and on digital. I flipped the script on you this week, starting with this week’s graphic novels before getting into comics. When Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips, Jen Wang and James Kochalka have new books out, it just feels like the right thing to do.

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:

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.

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Joe Casey + Sebastián Piriz bring ‘Jonny Quest’ back to comics this summer

Jonny, Race, Hadji, Bandit and more return to comic shops this August.

Although it’s been more than 50 years since it debuted, Hanna-Barbera’s Jonny Quest cartoon still holds a place in the hearts of many fans, thanks to a generous syndication schedule, a 1980s reboot and a popular comic series from Comico. That comic series in particular was a gem, as it featured the work of Doug Wildey, William Messner-Loebs, Wendy Pini, Joe Staton, Steve Rude, Mark Hempel, Dave Stevens, Ernie Colon, Adam Kubert, Ken Steacy and many more.

And now Jonny Quest and the gang return to comics. Dynamite released a taste of what to expect from their new series on Free Comic Book Day, and now they’ve revealed more details on the series itself. It’s written by Joe Casey, writer of Automatic Kafka, Uncanny X-Men, Gødland and so much more, and drawn by Sebastián Piriz, who previously worked on We Ride Titans and Deadweights.

“The hope is that we’re maintaining the bouncy spirit of the original TV show,” Casey said. “From one episode to the next, Jonny Quest always had a particular dramatic rhythm that was completely unique. We want our book to have that same kind of vibe. Plus, the fact that Benton and Jonny are father and son automatically makes this a generational story. We’re taking that angle and really running with it, taking that specific generational aspect to the extreme in ways that, we think, deepen the characters and give them the proper amount of gravitas that we demand from our beloved genre fiction.”

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Can’t Wait for Saturday | Free Comic Book Day brings Absolute Power, Jonny Quest + more

Check out a few of the cool + free comics you’ll find at your local retailer this Saturday.

The comic industry’s biggest holiday returns tomorrow as shops around the world bring you Free Comic Book Day, the annual event that yes, indeed, does offer you free comics.

The annual event started in 2002 based on an idea from retailer Joe Field, owner of Flying Colors Comics and Other Cool Stuff in Concord, California. Since then, it’s become a cultural phenomenon, typically coming on the first Saturday in May, though sometimes in the past that wavered based on a new comic book movie’s release date. You can find a participating shop on the FCBD website, and see if any of your local shops are holding special events, sales or creator signings in conjunction with the event.

But of course, the focus is on the free comics. Many publishers use it as an opportunity to reshare a recent favorite or offer a prelude to an upcoming storyline or crossover. Still other will produce something wholly original or introduce a brand new title.

I’ve pulled out a few that look interesting to me below, and you can find the complete list of what could be available at your local shop on the FCBD site. Some things to keep in mind:

  • Not every retailer may have every title. Depending on their shop, they may elect to only have titles they think will excite their clientele.
  • Some retailers may limit the number of free comics you can take, while others may require a purchase.
  • Speaking of which, while titles are free to consumers, they are not free to retailers. So you may want to think about buying some other comics while you’re there regardless.
  • Some of the titles will also be available digitally, in case you can’t make it out on Saturday. So be sure to check your favorite digital comics site on Saturday as well.
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