KC COLUMN: DC AND MARVEL PICKS TO CLICK (OR FLICK)

KC Carlson. Art by Keith Wilson

KC Carlson. Art by Keith Wilson


A KC COLUMN By KC Carlson

Hey, I haven’t done this for awhile… How about a sneak peak at what’s happening at DC and Marvel in October? (But being solicited in Previews starting Today! And also available for pre-order at WestfieldComics.com.)

DC COMICS

DC’s going to be experimenting with the printing on several of their covers this October. They’re being printed “using an enhanced foil process that gives a special depth and metallic brilliance to each cover,” according to DC. If you’re interested in more detail, a full list of the covers (29 in all) appears in the front of this month’s DC Previews (#4, cover dated August for comics on sale in October). Plus, they can possibly be used to signal nearby aircraft!

Batman Secret Files #1

Batman Secret Files #1


The “DC Secret Files” series is being revived this month with the 48-page Batman Secret Files #1. For those not familiar with the concept, a Secret Files issue combines actual comic stories (usually sporting an origin of somebody or something) with fact-full text pages and single-shot illustrations, detailing origins, teams, headquarters, equipment, vehicles, and pretty much anything else important to what you need to know about your favorite characters and/or series. This one features a framing sequence by Tom King and Mikel Janin surrounding a series of short stories (by other creators) about Bat-mysteries past and present — with special focus on the Scarecrow. And there’s also a short story (by Tom Taylor and Brad Walker) teaming Batman and Detective Chimp! (That’s the other thing about Secret Files — totally unpredictable!)

And I should know! A couple decades ago (when I worked at DC Comics (in NYC!)), I came up the basic formula for the Secret Files (comics stories featuring a major origin of some-sort, paired up with illustrated text detailing what readers needed to know about their favorite characters), and I always love seeing the concept rebooted for new generations of readers!

NOT JUST FOR KIDS!

Nightwing/Magilla Gorilla #1

Nightwing/Magilla Gorilla #1


The DC Comics/Hanna-Barbera crossovers are apparently pretty popular with lots of folks, including me, old enough to have grown up watching the original adventures of Huckleberry Hound, Yogi Bear, and Quick Draw McDraw. (He’s my favorite — for some reason I always champion the dumbest ones!) So, there’s another batch of double-sized specials arriving in October (but pre-order now!): Deathstroke/Yogi Bear, Green Lantern/Huckleberry Hound, Nightwing/Magilla Gorilla, and Superman/Top Cat! All-funny, all-strange, all 48-page one-shots! (Us old-timers wish that they could be still sponsored by Kellogg’s cereal — the original sponsors of the ‘60s shows!)

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #43

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #43


Speaking of Hanna-Barbera, this month’s Scooby-Doo Team-Up (#43) guest-stars the Doom Patrol — the World’s Strangest Heroes! Aren’t they also frequently The World’s Deadest Heroes? Could this be the last issue of Scooby-Doo Team-Up? I sure hope not… It’s frequently the most-talked-about comic at Westfield East the day that each new issue comes out. (Mostly because Wayne Markley and I are obsessed with how awesome it is!)

Books of Magic #1

Books of Magic #1


VERTIGO continues to gear up with several new/old releases: Books of Magic is back in October (branded as part of the Sandman Universe) written by Kat Howard and art by Tom Fowler. The adventures of young Londoner Timothy Hunter continue as he encounters the regular horrors of being school-aged, as well as actual, real horrors as an apprentice magician. Luckily the new substitute teacher may be more than she appears… Lucifer also returns, written by Dan Watters and illustrated by Max Fiumara and Sebastián Fiumara (they’re brothers from Argentina). There’s apparently some mystic stuff in this issue, as well as a car crash, two blind witches, a tumor that speaks its first words, and a perfectly good bowl of oatmeal is left to go cold. Ah, Vertigo, how I’ve missed you… Hex Wives also debuts in October, written by Ben Blacker. The art is by Mirka Andolfo with covers by Joëlle Jones. Mystic wars have been fought for hundreds of years between a cult of perpetually reincarnating witches and an all-male conspiracy known as the Architects, the leader of which apparently died in 2005. But 15 years later, the witches seem to be waking up in Suburbia, with little knowledge of the past or the wars they have fought… All three series debut in October.

Vertigo: A Celebration of 25 Years

Vertigo: A Celebration of 25 Years


Vertigo: A Celebration of 25 Years is a celebration of the groundbreaking comics imprint “curated” by Scott Bryan Wilson with an introduction by Scott Snyder and an afterword by Mark Doyal. Its 400 pages are going to be filled with stories and remembrances with dozens and dozens of Vertigo creators, as well as a timeline of every Vertigo project ever released! Plus, insightful new interviews and behind-the-scenes stories with Vertigo artists, writers, editors, designers, and publishers (too many to mention here!) as well as oodles of beautiful (or horrifying) artwork (covers and interiors). For 25 years, Vertigo has been the place where iconic talent and story meet, and much of that artwork will be showcased here. It ships in November, just in time for holiday gifts — but don’t put it under your tree! DC probably won’t be responsible for what may happen to it (or your house!).

Wonder Woman & Justice League Dark: The Witching Hour #1

Wonder Woman & Justice League Dark: The Witching Hour #1


OTHER DC STUFF: Also horrifying in October (just in time for Halloween!): Cursed Comics Cavalcade #1: It’s an 80-page collection of ALL-NEW terrible… er, terrifying!… stories starring the heroes and other creatures of the DC universe (we aren’t saying which are which) including Batman, Wonder Woman, Guy Gardner, Swamp Thing, Zatanna, and more! . . . Old Lady Harley is exactly what it says it is. Set in the future (overseen by President Power Girl), an elderly Harley Quinn is apparently going to live forever. It’s a five-issue miniseries written by Frank Tieri and drawn by Mauricet (with variant covers by Amanda Conner) . . . Apparently, things start heating up in the new Heroes In Crisis event in #2 — much of the product description for it in DC Previews has been redacted. Oh, (REDACTED)!!!… If mini-crossovers are your thing, DC is reviving an old favorite brand name — The Witching Hour — for a five-issue weekly event featuring characters related to magic, starring Wonder Woman and Justice League Dark! The bookends are Wonder Woman and Justice League Dark: The Witching Hour (Part One) and Justice League Dark and Wonder Woman: The Witching Hour (Part Five) with the three center parts being Wonder Woman #56, Justice League Dark #4, and Wonder Woman #57. Confused? Just say it three times backwards!… Speaking of Wonder Woman, she’s also the spotlight over in DC’s Collected Books section this month with the 856-page Wonder Woman by Phil Jimenez Omnibus (shipping in February)… A lot of folks waiting for the collected edition of Tom King and Mitch Gerads’ celebrated Mister Miracle limited series will be pleased to hear that the TPB should be available in November (but order now!).

Mister Miracle SC

Mister Miracle SC


MARVEL COMICS

Spider-Geddon #1

Spider-Geddon #1


Marvel seems to be Spider-centric these days, especially this coming October. Starting around then will be Spider-Geddon #1 & #2 (of 5), Spider-Force #1 (of 3), Spider-Girls #1 (of 3), Superior Octopus #1 (one-shot), Typhoid Fever: Spider-Man (one-shot), Vault of Spiders #1 (of 2), a new Spider-Man-centric issue of What If?, and the re-launched Spider-Gwen AKA Ghost Spider #1.

Spider-Gwen AKA Ghost Spider

Spider-Gwen AKA Ghost Spider


As explanation, according to Marvel, back in 2014, the Spider-Verse Event brought every Spider-Man ever together for the first time. This new event (beginning in Amazing Spider-Man #800) has writer Christos Gage (with Dan Slott) and artist Jorge Molina teaming up to destroy them all. I think that’s supposed to be a bad idea, but it seems pretty good to me, as there’s a lot of Spider-people today. (And I used to think the Legion of Super-Heroes membership was frequently out-of-control!) It seems the Inheritors have somehow escaped their radioactive prison planet and have made their way to the Marvel Universe — and it’s going to take a Spider-Army to keep them from doing… something! (Taking over the world, maybe? Isn’t that the usual thing?) So this is supposed to have every Spider-Man (and Spider-Woman) ever — including video-game ones (thanks, Dan Slott!) — plus even new ones they haven’t made up yet! (I really want a Spider-Proty… especially since DC isn’t doing anything with him/her/it…)

Shuri #1

Shuri #1


In more normal comic books, the Black Panther’s techno-genius sister Shuri begins her own adventures in the excellently titled Shuri #1. It’s written by best-selling Afrofuturist author Nnedi Okorafor and drawn by Eisner-nominated Leonardo Romero. With Black Panther missing in space, Wakanda is looking for leadership, and the next in line is Shuri — who would rather be in a lab, surrounded by gadgets of her own creation. But sooner or later she may have to make a decision for Wakanda’s future!

Infinity Wars #4

Infinity Wars #4


Infinity Wars rolls on! This month’s two-part tie-ins include a lot of Marvel characters not seen for a while, including Sleepwalker, Arachknight, Iron Hammer, Soldier Supreme, and Weapon Hex! Oh, yeah, and Wolverine is still returning — just really s..l..o..w..l..y…

What If?: The Punisher

What If?: The Punisher


What If? also returns for a new half dozen alternate adventures including:

What If?: Magik #1, What If?: X-Men #1, What If?: Thor #1, What If?: Ghost Rider #1, What If?: Spider-Man #1, and What If?: The Punisher #1.

Runaways #14

Runaways #14


MARVEL NOTES: EVERY Fantastic Four member EVER returns in Fantastic Four #3. (Not #4???) Does that include Herbie? . . . According to Amazing Spider-Man #7, Boomerang is the worst roommate ever . . . If Bob Reynolds and the Sentry are both dead in The Sentry #5, why isn’t this the last issue? . . . Asguardians of the Galaxy #2: Y’know, why aren’t there more Asguardian Hammer-powered frogs in the Marvel Universe? . . . Doctor Strange finally returns home to encounter… Dr. Strange! in Doctor Strange #6. Some days, I can really relate . . . I think my favorite cover this month might be Runaways #14 . . . The Life of Captain Marvel #4 promises the real origins of Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel . . . Speaking of Captain/(original) Ms. Marvel, don’t forget to check out the 1970s adventures of Ms. Marvel in the new Captain Marvel: Ms. Marvel — A Hero Is Born Omnibus solicited this month! . . . So that mysterious Marvel title in the last few Marvel Previews turned out to be Mr. and Mrs. X? Really? Is a happily married couple in the Marvel universe that big of a secret? … Apparently Multiple Man #5 might be the last Marvel comic ever. (It says so in the solicitation!) What can we do to help make that happen?… (Just kidding…) . . . Meantime, the cover to Exiles #9 could be one of the cutest covers ever! . . . Before I forget, Magneto returns to the Marvel Universe in October in a series of comics titled X-Men Black. The Magneto issue is even written by Chris Claremont!! In conclusion, Marvel Zombie #1 … Really???

Exiles #9

Exiles #9


KC CARLSON SEZ: This was fun to try again, but I’m obviously somewhat out of practice. Maybe I’ll do a a few more next time. I do have a review copy of Comic Book Implosion: An Oral History of DC Comics Circa 1978 by Keith Dallas and John Wells supposedly arriving from TwoMorrows any day now…

WESTFIELD COMICS is not responsible for the stupid things that KC says. Especially that thing that really irritated you. Marvel Zombie #1 … Really???

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