Catch It at the Comic Shop June 27, 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:

 
Kill or be Killed #20 by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips and Elizabeth Breitweiser, published by Image Comics.
This is the final issue of Kill or be Killed. I'm not really telling you to go out and buy it (if you haven't been reading the book), only that the series as a whole is really interesting read. I stopped reading it monthly, but then I went back and read the first 2 trades, and I found that I had a greater appreciation for the series as a whole. It's an interesting exploration of mental illness, and Phillips and Breitweiser's art is absolutely stunning. 

 
Bloodstrike: Brutalists #23 by Michel Fiffe, published by Image Comics.
I really enjoyed the first issue of this comic, even though I have precisely zero connection to the original 1990's Image book. I got a chance to see Michel Fiffe and chat with him last week, and his passion for these original comics is absolutely genuine, and you can really feel that on every page. He's a master artist and visual storyteller, and his comic tells you everything you need to know about these characters.

 
Black Panther #2 by Ta-Nehisi Coates and Daniel Acuña, published by Marvel Comics.
So, I'll be honest. I didn't love Coates' initial run on this book. I read the first 12 issues but after that I dropped it. He's an incredibly smart guy and there were a ton of ideas on the page, but it was something of a slow read. But I was thrilled when I read issue #1 of the new series. It was fun, exciting, fast-paced and action packed, as well as successfully setting up a huge mystery with tons of fascinating questions. And Coates has an amazing partner in Acuña who is a truly spectacular artist. He does amazing, gritty, detailed, spectacular superhero/scifi work. I'm excited to read more.

 
Ms. Marvel #31 by G. Willow Wilson, Nico Leon, Saladin Ahmed, and more, published by Marvel Comics.
Ms. Marvel has consistently been one of Marvel's best books, and one of my personal favorites, for the past 4-5 years or so. It's always a high-quality, compelling, engaging book.  And Kamala Khan, and her parents, brother, sister-in-law, and terrific group of friends are all characters I truly care about. I remember reading an issue where it really felt like Ms.Marvel had come into her own, and I know it sounds ridiculous to say about a fictional character, but I felt proud of Ms. Marvel. So, it's worth celebrating that notwithstanding silly comic book numbering, this will actually be the 50th issue of Ms. Marvel as a solo title. I highly highly recommend this book. There have been some truly memorable stories.  G. Willow Wilson is a writer of great compassion, action, humor, and emotional truth. She's really one of the very best out there, and she and editor Sana Amanat have created a special character in Kamala Khan. 

Rob's Picks:

Hack/Slash Resurrection #8 by Tini Howard, Celor, K. Michael Russell, and Crank, published by Image Comics
Worried that Cassie might only be making matters worse, she returns to a town that should be wholesome, only to find someone's taken a bite out of their spirit. It's time to call in a specialist as this series continues its awesome run. Tini builds off one of my favorite comics from last year, bringing in Vampirella to help out the team. I love how this picks up from another creator's series and runs with it, instead of trying to start fresh with regards to character interaction. As usual, Howard's grasp of what made Hack Slash work shines through, and the art team does a great job of making things strange, keeping the reader off-balance until the reveals are ready. I'll happily keep recommending this one as long as they keep making issues.

Modern Fantasy #1 by Rafer Roberts and Kristen Gudsnuk, published by Dark Horse Comics
Questing is great, but it doesn't pay off student loans. But sometimes you have to mix it in with your regular life, as the characters in this debut by Panel Pal Rafer Roberts and Kristen Gudsnuk quickly find out. Rafer's vivid imagination and humor mixed with some really cool art make this a series anyone who enjoys mashing up genres a bit will want to pick up on Wednesday.

Adventure Time Beginning of the End #2 by Ted Anderson, Marina Julia, Whitney Cogar, and Mike Fiorentino, published by Boom! Studios
Finn is trapped outside of time, forced to reflect on his actions while Jake, Princess Bubblegum, and a who-who of Ooo rush to save him in the middle issue of this really cool series. As I noted before, I really like how this one looks visually. Julia's linework is especially suited to keeping the reader off-balance with strange panel designs and art that takes the familiar look of the characters and changes it just enough to make them her own. Meanwhile, Anderson uses Finn to talk about the nature of heroism, which is cool, while Princess Bubblegum does what she does best--makes a weird device and hopes it works. I can't wait to see how this wraps up!