Alright it's that time of the week folks! What comics have been on your waiting list that you have been gagging for? It is definitely going to be another big week at comic stores around the world, and what is not to love about that? There's nothing more awesome then that new comic book smell, and how amazing a comic book cover can look in it's shiny clear bag, it gives me tingles just thinking about it.

I love the smell of new comics in the morning. 


DC COMICS

ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #9 
AQUAMAN #27 
BATMAN AND ROBIN ANNUAL #2 
BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT #27
BEWARE THE BATMAN #4 
CATWOMAN #27 
DAMIAN SON OF BATMAN #4 $3.99
EARTH 2 ANNUAL #2 
                                                FLASH #27 
                                                FOREVER EVIL ARGUS #4 
                                                JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #27 (EVIL) 
                                                LARFLEEZE #7 
                                                RED LANTERNS #27 
                                                SUPERMAN #27TEEN TITANS #27 
                                                WORLDS FINEST ANNUAL #1 

by Chris Davidson 


Jim McCann has been known for several of his works such as New Avengers: The Reunion and his Eisner award winning The Return of the Dapper, but what really sticks in my mind is Mind The Gap. And with the artwork primarily of Rodin Esquejo, Mind The Gap came together in 2012 through Image Comics.

Mind The Gap is essentially a murder mystery story without an actual murder; it’s currently up to issue 16 and has commenced its second story arc. It begins with a young girl named Elle Peterssen waiting for her train in the subway; she is viciously attacked, left unconscious on the ground, subsequently rushed to hospital and stuck in a coma.

We are quickly introduced to her best friend Jo Wilson, her boyfriend Dane Miller along with her family; Eddie her brother, Min her mother and Edward her father. Jo and Dane decide to take on detective duties to figure out why the attack has taken place while Elle’s family immediately come across as very shady with many secrets hidden.




 

by Bob Bruno 

Peter David’s new direction for X-Factor shows promise, but unfortunately fails to deliver upon its central premise.

In this first issue, Gambit, Polaris and Quicksilver, after some personal strife and misgivings, join an all-new, corporately owned X-Factor team. As quickly as they join, the team is despatched to deal with Doctor Terrance Hoffman, an AIM scientist responsible for the kidnapping of, and brutal experimentation on mutants to further his scientific ends. Among his current victims, to X-Men fans, includes a familiar face.

X-Factor is a title that has hosted several incarnations of itself since its inception: reuniting the original X-Men; a government sponsored X-Men team; a noir detective agency; and now, a corporate run superhero team. In this latest iteration, Peter David uses Gambit as our entry character into this world, initially finding him in the midst of a heist gone wrong, which serves as a quick reintroduction to the character and establishing his credentials as an expert thief. The cast selection alone makes for an interesting read, and Peter David certainly has some fun playing with a humiliated Gambit; a Polaris embracing her new role and power, blowing missiles out of the sky with a dismissive click of her fingers; and the group’s collective mistrust of Quicksilver, who still can’t overcome his damaged reputation. David also includes a humorous cameo by Wolverine, playing him against his character-type, appearing here as the strict, rule-orientated Headmaster of the Jean Grey School and having him browbeat Gambit for his methods.  The scene also slyly sets up this new team outside of the mainstream, an area in which Peter David has always been most comfortable operating.

by Lewis E. Ryan



The Last Man is the best hope for the continuation of our species.

I was fresh on the comic scene when I held that first volume. I mean, I’m still fresh by almost all modes of comparison but I was green, garden herbs green. So, I didn’t quite understand how significant an item I was holding. I had done the same thing I assume everyone does these days when they discover a new passion. I had opened up to the public forum that is social media and asked that most ill conceived of questions: “What’s good?”

Of course, the reply was an incongruous torrent of fan-boy rant, drool and vitriol, which left me more confused than before I had asked. There were a few consistent sparks of hope. One name that kept popping up was ‘Y’. “You must read Y.” “Y is the truth.” It continued like this for a while, filling my feed, but by this point I had moved on to an Archer-esque rampage through the work of Bendis and thus it came to pass that it was filed back there with Preacher and Transmetropolitan as holy ground yet untilled. 

by Chris Davidson 

Deadly Class #1

Writer – Rick Remender  //  Artist – Wes Craig

Rick Remender has continually proven himself as a compelling writer with Black Science, Uncanny Avengers and especially Uncanny X-Force under his belt. I had not actually heard of this book until the day it was released, but seeing his name on the cover I just knew I had to buy it.

I didn’t know what to expect opening that first page, what I discovered was a very personal story about Marcus Lopez. Set in 1987, Marcus is homeless, alone and in desperate need of finding a reason to continue living. We follow his search over the span of 11 months, we learn how tough it is on the streets, we learn about his horrific past and what he holds dear to himself. By the end of this first chapter he does find that reason to live, however, the choice he needs to make is not so straightforward. I feel the person that unquestionably gives this book its visual identity is the colourist Lee Loughridge, he has worked with Remender previously on Fear Agent. The two work well together and Loughridge helps convey the required emotions through the usage of colours; one such moment occurs in a very touching moment on a bridge where various purples present the sombre mood perfectly. I should also mention Wes Craig’s art, initially it was harsh on the eye but I quickly became accustomed to it. Action feels as though it has a lot of kinetic motion and the slanted panels heighten the pace.

by Tiff Douglas

Fifteen is a very awkward age, it’s like you’re playing the demo version of your life on a crappy computer at someone else’s house, with everyone watching you and telling you you’re doing it wrong. You don’t know what’s going on, you don’t know who you are, all you know is that you don’t like it and you want to try something else. I don’t look back on my high school years with that much fondness or regret, I look back at it as being a bridge to where I wanted to go; one that took way too long to get over. I had a few friends that got me through, I discovered different types of music that inspired me, I didn’t really date anyone  but there was one guy who really had my attention, he helped me figure it all out. His name was Johnny and he was a homicidal maniac. 

Johnny The Homicidal Maniac is a charming comic book series that was introduced to me by a friend of mine who really liked to encourage the outrageous aspects of my personality. We were weird and we freaked people out or annoyed them on a regular basis. She told me that I should read it because it is hilarious and totally messed up. I have always been fascinated by horror movies and gore but felt uncomfortable when I took them too seriously. This gave me a chance to experience something more macabre but have a laugh, which did wonders for relieving my childhood nightmares. JTHM is a quirky seven part story based around Johnny, his creation Happy Noodle Boy, his extremely skittish and paranoid pre-pubescent neighbour Squee and various random victims and schizophrenia induced apparitions. Written and drawn by Jhonen Vasquez , it was first published in Carpe Noctem magazine in the early 90s and then published through Slave Labour Graphics in 1995. 

by Jake Douglas



Alien, is a special kind of film. Up until its release in 1979, there had been absolutely nothing like it. Sure there had been sci-fi films, scfi-fi horror films, and sci-fi thrillers all the same (most of which were parodied on Mystery Science Theatre 3000) but nothing to rival - if you'll beg the clichéd terms - the terror and suspense of the first Alien film. It spawned three sequels, two spin off films, one prequel, an entire merchandising line that still pumps out goods on a regular basis, and of course countless (and I do mean countless) books and comics based on the original premise.

Lets not mince words boys and girls, if you haven't seen Alien, then that's just downright shameful. I wouldn't normally say that to anyone about anything, but if you're over the age of fifteen and haven't watched it yet, you've already gone on too long without seeing it, and you need to immediately rectify this. So I'm just going to sit here and wait while the people who haven't seen it, see it. I'll give you - lets say - 3 hours. That gives you enough time to hire it out and watch it. Then you can come back and read the rest.

Ok, watched it? Changed your life? Good! Now you're back on track!

By Jade Lindley

I walked alone for so long. I thought everything in my life up that point was crystal clear.  I saw a direction and that is where I was going, and like a bullet train I had no intention of stopping. And then out of nowhere, I crashed into Hellboy. Hellboy was something I saw from a distance, I was curious but never really explored what it had to offer. Was I too busy? Possibly. Was I writing it off automatically? A little. Was I scared there could be something more emotionally nourishing than anything I had previously experienced with comics? Oh shit yeah.

I started working at a comic book store and I noticed something straight away; so many people picked up Hellboy trades but never bothered to open up and take a look inside them and see what possible treasures they might have to offer.

by Bob Bruno


The ongoing stars of the New 52 turn in another masterful chapter of Batman’s modernised origin, as Zero Year continues!

Continuing the events of last issue, our neophyte Batman finds himself ambushed and surrounded by Gotham City Police, who put the effectiveness of his body armour to the test under a hail of gun fire, including a devastating shot to the head. Cornered, wounded, with his equipment damaged, his suit in tatters and his tactics constantly frustrated by a prepared and disciplined force, Batman desperately attempts escape while the plans of Zero Year’s true villain begin to unfurl.

In Zero Year, Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo succeed in putting the Batman through his paces. Even in his present-day take on a character with a reputation for near-omniscience and unbeatable skill, Scott Snyder strikes the right balance between Batman’s ability and fallibility, with the balance tipped to the latter in this younger and more arrogant past incarnation. The challenges he faces in this story are genuine, and more than equal to the fledgling costumed detective, recently returned home from eight years of training, but with very little experience in the application of that training.

by Jade Lindley 

Ever unsure of what new comics are being released weekly? Well we can help you out! Every week hundreds of comics, trade paper backs and hard cover comics are released, while we can't keep track of them all, here are a list of new release comics which haven't escaped our attention! List will include single issues, as well as trade paper packs and hard covers...oh those delicious hard covers! 

There are so many brilliant comics currently running, which just keep getting better and better. But what is appealing most to the masses for the moment? There is so much going on in the comic book world it really is hard to keep up sometimes. There are a lot of people who are only strictly Marvel or DC, but there is nothing wrong with loving both equally as well giving out some love to the indies. The New 52's from DC just seem to be getting more awesometacular, and Marvel has just given a new audience out there new starting points with Marvel Now. While indies have been bringing fans out of the woodwork with titles such as The Wake, Saga and Pretty Deadly. 

2014 is definitely a great year for the comic book readers, and it's also a a vital time to start exploring comics from all sides of the fence to see what is really out there. Don't just stick to one side of comics, check it all out and get stuck in!!