Catch It at the Comic Shop April 25, 2018

Welcome to Catch it at the Comic Shop, where the Panel Patter team looks at what's coming out at your favorite store or digital device this week. Each one of us that participates picks up to five items due out this week, with a little bit about why we like them. (NOTE: We use solicitation material for this, so if we miss creators, please talk to your publisher!) Sometimes we might only have a few items to share, other weeks, keeping it to five will make for hard choices. Here's what the team wanted to highlight this week...

James' Picks:

Exiles #2 by Saladin Ahmed and Javier Rodriguez, published by Marvel Comics.
I'm not really familiar with Blink as a character, but I get that she has previously led a team of Exiles from different universes that go around and have adventures. But you don't really need to have read the prior Exiles book to enjoy this one. There's an old battle-scarred version of Kamala Khan, and it looks like some other fun team embers should be joining up this week as the team travels from one universe to another trying to stop the eater of universes.


The Terrifics #3 by Jeff Lemire, Joe Prado and Ivan Reis, published by DC Comics.
I'm enjoying this book so far, as it's a team brought together by circumstances with a genius, a stretchy guy, a big rocky guy and an invisible woman. It's just fantastic! I mean, terrific!  Anyway, it's been a fun read so far, and I'd like to see where it goes.


Thanos Annual #1 by various, published by Marvel Comics.
With Avengers: Infinity War coming out this week, now's the perfect time to read some stories about everyone's favorite purple genocidal tyrant who's really into gloves with bling on them. The Donny Cates/Geoff Shaw arc on Thanos was a fun book, and I'm hoping for some more fun stories here.

Mike's Picks:

Cult Classic: Return to Whisper #2 by Eliot Rahal, Felipe Cunha, Dee Cunniffe, Irene Koh, and Taylor Esposito, published by Vault Comics
Vault has a bevy of spectacular offerings this week – so much so that picking one to spotlight is a bit of a dice roll. I’m going with Return to Whisper for three key reasons. First, I was incredibly intrigued by the first issue that embraced notable horror movie tropes in a way that felt familiar but not heavy handed. Second, the characters all appear to be in early 30s range, perhaps just a bit younger than me. As a result, the flashback sequences coupled with the characters’ general outlook taps my nostalgia gene. Third, the art works in ways that are difficult to describe in text. It’s heavily inked, especially on the edges. The colors, as per Vault standards, are vibrant and emotive. It feels, for lack of a better word, animated. And that feels right. Or at least, it looks cool.

The Wilds # 2 by Vita Ayala, Emily Pearson, Marissa Louise, and Natasha Alterici, published by Black Mask Studios
I’ve honestly enjoyed the output by Vault and Black Mask more than anything else I’ve read over the past few months because the stories have felt more original and, no pun intended, wild. Vita Ayala and Emily Pearson’s story ramps up the tension in issue two of a tale that is steeped in post-apocalyptic survival mythos. Pearson’s art is clean and direct, making contrasts between in and out of the compound that much starker. Marissa Louise’s coloring works well to establish tension in the story and delineation between present day and flashback material. 

Every Image First One-Shot by Various, published by Image Comics
Yes, this is an odd pick. Nonetheless, Image offers reprinted editions of top notch books this month, and there likely isn’t a better way to spend $8. This set features the first issue of Eric Shanower’s masterpiece, The Age of Bronze, in addition to the first offerings of Afar, Curse Words, Moonshine, Moonstruck, Redneck, and Street Angel. The piece de resistance, though, is the first issue of Rick Remender, Tony Moore, and Jerome Opeña’s Fear Agent, which makes its way to Image from Dark Horse . . .  

Fear Agent: The Final Edition by Rick Remender, Tony Moore, and Jerome Opeña, published by Image Comics

Rick Remender is the master of a special type of science fiction comic that blends high science content with pulpy trashy depiction. I discovered Fear Agent shortly I started reading Remender’s stellar Uncanny X-Force run. To use an analogy Remender himself might enjoy, Fear Agent is Remender’s “What Make A Man Start Fires.” It’s not the masterpiece that is “Double Nickels on the Dime,” but damn is it good, and maybe even a little better(?).

Rob's Picks:

Exiles #2 by Saladin Ahmed and Javier Rodriguez, published by Marvel Comics.
It's rare for me to be excited for a Marvel comic, but Saladin loves the Universe and all its weird quirks as much as I do, and it shows in this series, which takes characters from universes we've seen (and some we haven't I think?) and puts them together to save the multiverse, which I'm happy to hear still exists. After seeing their foe for the first time--and it's a brilliant idea--I don't know how this team is going to win--or even if they're supposed to. Javier Rodriguez's art is amazing--slick, able to handle all these characters and words--and really works with Ahmed's script. A great comic that doesn't require reading an entire line of books to enjoy.

Prisoner #1 by Peter Milligan and Colin Lorimer, published by Titan Comics
The Prisoner is one of my all-time favorite television series. I have absolutely no idea what Milligan and Lorimer have planned--whether it's a return to the village or set within the series--but I am here for it. Can't wait to pick this one up at the shop on my next visit.

Adventure Time 75 by Various Creators, published by Boom! Studios
After 75 issues, this series is coming to a close, and I couldn't let that go without putting it on the list here. I remember reading the first issue thinking, "Can the Dinosaur Comics Guy write a regular series?" and the answer was an overwhelming yes, even including his signature alt-text at the bottom of most pages. Defined by North, Shelli Paroline and Braden Lamb, many others have also written the characters, who translated better to the page that some other cartoons have. This issue is a celebration of what was, what is, and what might be for these characters, and I look forward to reading it, with the hope that these aren't the last comic stories in the land of Ooo.