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:
That Texas Blood vol. 1 by Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips, published by Image Comics
That Texas Blood is a very engaging, murder mystery that unfolds over the course of the series. The plot gets more involved, as new folks come to this very small town in Texas. The comic looks fantastic - artist Jacob Phillips is following the family business of drawing excellent crime comics. Jacob's style reminds me of Sean's a little, but it's clear he's got his own line and own approach to storytelling. This is a very fun story and if you like crime stories in dusty, small town settings, you'll love That Texas Blood.
Ascencia #1 by John Dolmayan and Tony Parker, published by Wake Entertainment
I knew almost nothing about this comic up until recently, but what I learned really grabbed my attention. This is a future-set science fiction comic where some people live in technological wonder and approach the concept of immortality, while others live in squalor. So...it's a comic about right now, and the whole of human civilization. The art looks very cool, and I only learned yesterday that this comic written by the drummer from System of a Down! And it started as a Kickstarter! Well, I didn't know any of those things, but the cover and the concept hooked me, and I'm curious to learn more.
S.W.O.R.D. #2 by Al Ewing and Valerio Schiti, published by Marvel Comics
Al Ewing is on a roll right now. He's been doing incredible work the last few years in The Immortal Hulk, and he wrote the fun and successful crossover event Empyre. It was a fun event that I enjoyed, and it was drawn by the very talented Valerio Schiti. The same team is working together on the new series S.W.O.R.D. The first issue was an absolute blast; this story ties into the larger X-Men story, but it seems like it'll be its own thing. Al Ewing is fantastic at big, heady, sci-fi stories (like The Ultimates and his current Boom! series, We Only Find Them When They're Dead). He's setting up a big, exciting, space/sci-fi adventure in this book, and I'm excited to come along for the ride.
Rob's Picks:
HAHA #1 by W. Maxwell Prince, Vanessa Del Rey, Chris O'Halloran, and Good Old Neon, published by Image Comics
American Mythology Monsters #1 by Michael Gordon, Glenn Moane, and others, published by American Mythology Productions
The Creeps #29 by Don Glut and others, published by Warrant Publishing Company
Sean's Picks:
Haha #1 by W. Maxwell Prince, Vanesa Del Rey, Chris O’Halloran & Good Old Neon, published by Image Comics
Haha is the exact comic you’d expect from the mastermind who brought us the Ice Cream Man. This is not to say that Haha suffers from unoriginality, but instead it is complimentary for when a creator knows what is working. W. Maxwell Prince has been doing the anthology format with comics since his Ice Cream Man series started 3 years ago this month. When something is working you may as well not only run with it, but sprint. Haha seems to take on some seriously similar tropes as ICM, but it will also serve as it’s own thing too. If this debut is any indicator for how bizarre this title will be, then I assure you that we are in for some very weird stories. One stark difference here will be that Prince is choosing to have a different artist tackle each issue, so prepare yourself for some manic visuals to accompany the depressive narrative. Vanesa Del Rey takes the series debut by storm and really lets loose with where we should expect it to go. The final few pages alone are enough to shock you, to shake you, and to keep you thinking about it days later. I have very high expectations for this title and look forward to reading each one!Serial #1 by Terry Moore and published by Abstract Studios
I am new to Abstract Studios comics and have no background to Terry Moore’s previous work, but this series got my attention. Apparently this will be the debut issue to a fan-favorite character that has been featured in his previous titles, and this 10-issue series aims to give regular readers what they want more of—for Zoe to kick some ass. Zoe is a ten-year old girl who had previously been possessed by a demon and, now free of said demon in Serial, she is determined to hone her deadly skills as a serial killer and put an end to a very specific reign of terror. This is a bit specific in genre as it pertains to taste in story choice, but I find it interesting to explore what might drive an ex-transport of evil incarnate to such things all while being obscured behind the innocent façade of a young girl. My interest is definitely piqued.Red Mother #12 by Jeremy Haun, Danny Luckert & Ed Dukeshire, published by BOOM! Studios
Here we are. It is the final issue of the series that solidified my preference for horror comics. This title has been a consistent and one hell of a setup for some night terrors. Obviously, I do not expect people to rush out and grab this if they haven’t already been reading it, but let it be a reminder that the story is now complete and well worth the effort to track down in its entirety. Daisy, the Smiling Man, and the Red Mother herself; if horror is in your veins then this comic should be on your shopping list if it hasn’t already. It’ll have you seeing red!