Every Monday, your local comic book shop finalizes orders for comics that are a few weeks from publication. This is your last chance to guarantee a pre-ordered copy for these comics. Here are my preemptive picks for this week’s FOC items having not read any of them. You can see the complete list of final order comics from our friends at Death Ray Comics.
SONS OF THE DEVIL #1
IMAGE COMICS
(W) Brian Buccellato (A/CA) Toni Infante
On The Rack: 5/27/15
Price: $2.99
Publisher Synopsis:
From New York Times Best Selling writer BRIAN BUCCELLATO and artist TONI INFANTE comes a psychological horror story about TRAVIS, an average guy trying to get by, who discovers that he has familial ties to a deadly cult. Told across three decades, SONS OF THE DEVIL is an exploration of cults, family, and the dark side of human nature. It’s TRUE DETECTIVE and ORPHAN BLACK meets HELTER SKELTER.
Preemptive Pick:
“Sons of the Devil” is a story that Brian Buccellato wants to tell. Luckily we live in a world where anyone with a fan base can get the support needed to break down the walls fortified by the gate-keeping suits. This title began as a Kickstarter in May of 2014. With more than $24 raised, Buccellato was able to bring this story to life (trust me… it costs a lot more than that to make it happen) in the pages of an IMAGE book. Fans of Buccellato are already familiar with his cinematic way of telling a story through comics. He is a great example of showing rather than telling. Many of Buccellato’s comics have walked a thin line with the dark and even macabre (e.g. “Hellblazer,” “Deadman,” etc.). Looking at his graphic novel “39 Minutes,” we can see that he can masterfully weave dark, reality-based crime stories. I think “Sons” will be a comic many people will be kicking themselves for missing the first issue.
Pick up this comic if you enjoy “39 Minutes,” “Men of Wrath,” and/or “Hellblazer.”
MATERIAL #1 (MR)
IMAGE COMICS
(W) Ales Kot (A) Will Tempest (CA) Tom Muller
On The Rack: 5/27/15
Price: $3.50
Publisher Synopsis:
A man comes home from Guantanamo Bay, irrevocably changed.
An actress receives an offer that can revive her career.
A boy survives a riot and becomes embedded within a revolutionary movement.
A philosopher is contacted by a being that dismantles his beliefs.
Look around you. Everything is material.
Preemptive Pick:
Honestly, I have no idea what this book is going to be about, especially after reading what Kot told CBR:
I could be selling this to you hard, but the thing is, how do I sell something that’s pure expression? I don’t really know. I want it to sell itself by the strength of the comic, not throw marketing phrases at you or make boxes to fit the comic into.
But I’ve really enjoy Kot’s other stuff. “Zero” has been fantastic and not what I’ve expected, the first issue of “The Surface” was crazy and I loved it. And let’s be honest, his “Secret Avengers” has been the first comic read in every stack of my to-read piles.
Give this a try if you like “Zero,” “The Surface,” and/or PBS’s “Frontline.”
SONIC UNIVERSE #76
ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS
(W) Ian Flynn (A) Dan Schoening (CA) Rafa Knight
On The Rack: 5/27/15
Price: $3.99
Publisher Synopsis:
THE SONIC/MEGA MAN CROSSOVER EVENT BEGINS HERE! It’s the epic first chapter of the biggest story in Sonic/Mega Man comic book history with “Worlds Unite” Part One! Get ready for cross-world treachery as the wicked Sigma escapes the world of Mega Man X and arrives in Dr. Eggman’s secret Lost Hex base! When Sigma promises new power to the Deadly Six, how long do you think they’ll stay loyal to Dr. Eggman? We’re not betting for long! And just where exactly are our heroes during all this? Looks like Sonic and Mega Man are right in the middle of an ambush! The sense-shattering sequel to “Worlds Collide” starts right now! Featuring cover art from the legendary Patrick “SPAZ” Spaziante, Rafa Knight, and part 1 of the epic 12-part connecting variant cover series by artist Ben Bates!
Preemptive Pick:
Those who remember last year’s Sonic/Mega Man crossover event have probably already got May 27 circled on their Action Archie calendars; and for good reason. The “Worlds Collide” story arc is fantastic and truly is the creme de la creme for all-age action comics. The diehard BSR fans probably remember one of my first pieces was the announcement of all the properties this new event was going to touch (in case you missed it, click here). If you are a fan of the Sega or Capcom characters, this series can be enjoyed as sheer fan service. And if you aren’t a fan of the franchises, pick this book up and give it a try. Don’t be put-off by all-ages comics.
Put this series on hold if you like “Sonic the Hedgehog,” “Street Fighter,” and/or “Mega Man.”
INHUMANS ATTILAN RISING #1
MARVEL COMICS
(W) Charles Soule (A) John Timms (CA) Dave Johnson
On The Rack: 5/27/15
Price: $3.99
Publisher Synopsis:
There is a rebellion brewing on Battleworld and it stretches far and wide into every domain. Medusa, ruler of Attilan, is tasked with uncovering the leader of this uprising and scuttling it with extreme prejudice. When she discovers the leader of this rebellion is Black Bolt, however, things get complicated.
Preemptive Pick:
I don’t know how Charles Soule does it: writing multiple on-going titles for both Marvel and DC, and somehow is a working attorney. I could maybe see how he does it if the quality of his comics was reflected in the pages to someone working their brains out. However, each of Soule’s books seems to be treated as if it were the last comic book he was to write. The ongoing “Inhuman” series that has been under his pen has stood out among the many titles being affected by the “Secret Wars.” Soule has breathed new life into these Lee and Kirby creations that the two would undoubtedly be proud of.
Try this comic out if you like “Inhuman,” “Red Lanterns (N52),” and/or “Avengers Academy.”
FIGHT CLUB 2 #1
DARK HORSE COMICS
(W) Chuck Palahniuk (A) Cameron Stewart (CA) David Mack
On The Rack: 5/27/15
Price: $3.99
Publisher Synopsis:
Some imaginary friends never go away . . .
Ten years after starting Project Mayhem, he lives a mundane life. A kid, a wife, pills to keep his destiny at bay. But it won’t last long; the wife has seen to that. The time has come . . .
Preemptive Pick:
There are pieces of culture that shape certain generations: “Full Metal Jacket” for the 80s, “Pulp Fiction” for the 90s, and I would have to say “Fight Club” for the 00s (yes, I know the film released in ’99). I was a sophomore in high school in 1999 and I must have watched “Fight Club” twice-a-month until I graduated. It was just crazy enough to put our parents off and hinted at a truth (or at least we projected a truth into it) that kept me, and I’m sure many of you, returning to the well. Where is the Narrator after all these years, and a kid? Anarchists don’t have kids… right? If you were affected by the film or novel, check in to see the fallout from Project Mayhem, or at least to find your spirit animal. And if you still aren’t convinced, check out Dagobot’s review!
Put this series on hold if you like “Fight Club,” “Tank Girl,” and/or “V for Vendetta.”
Trent Hunsaker is a podcaster and popculturalist. Podcasting for Kevin Smith’s SModcast Internet Radio and the A Part of Him Podcast Network, he also operates Death Ray Comics, sweats, and reads comics – but mostly just sweats.