Ashcan Press

There is a lot of great stuff at your local comic shop this week.

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COLLECTIONS:

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SAGA by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples is out. It’s $10. It may end up being the best comic of the last 15 years. There isn’t much more to say.

POWERS vol.14 by Brian Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming is out. Powers is one of those books that sounds like a brilliant idea but turns out to be much better than that. A police procedural about cops that investigate super powered crime. So simple, done so well. Go buy all 14 volumes today if you haven’t read it.

SMOKE & MIRRORS I haven’t read it yet but it is a great looking book with a really good idea and talent behind it. Try something new, don’t be a jerk.

ONCE UPON A TIME MACHINE is a short story anthology of time travel comics. If that doesn’t at least vaguely interest you I think we shouldn’t be friends.

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SINGLE ISSUES:

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HOAX HUNTERS #4 keeps up it’s pace of being the most fun conspiracy/monster book on the market. Weird adventures and stories that take sharp turns are always worth a look.

BATMAN #13 Scott Snyder has been doing for Batman what Christopher Nolan did for Batman a few years earlier, lifting him above just the idea of batman. The new major arc starts here and is one of the better single issue comics of the year.

CREATOR OWNED HEROES #5 The 2 short story + interviews and essays format of Creator Owned Heroes makes it read like nothing else on shelves. Not quite a magazine, not quite an anthology. Either way, the stories have been great so far and new ones start this issue with a bang (well 2 bangs really). Also, for aspiring creators, not only are Palmiotti, Niles, and Gray running a sort of writing clinic every month with their stories, they are actually sort of running a writing clinic every month. Essays on how to make better comics, how to work with other creators better, just how to be better in general. Well worth the price of admission.

UNCANNY AVENGERS #1 X-Men and Avengers team up. Marvel begins a new chapter. Read it like everyone else in America.

ARCHER & ARMSTRONG #3&BLOODSHOT #4.The relaunch of Valiant Comics has yet to put up even a mediocre comic and these are definitely smart books worth supporting. Solid art, fresh stories, new (sort of) company that could use the help.

HALLOWEEN EVE one shot This odd fantasy story is perfect for someone who wants to just drop a few bucks and read something new. For fans of Fables or The Unwritten this is a no-brainer. Also, Amy Reeder’s art is so good it’s crazy.

THE MASSIVE #5 I am worried not enough of you are buying The Massive. It is one of the best written books on shelves, Garry Brown’s art is breathtaking, and it is unlike anything in comics right now. If this book gets cancelled I will scream “THIS IS WHY WE CAN’T HAVE NICE THINGS” until we all die.

TRANSFUSION #1 Both Steve Niles and Menton3 are sort of writing the book on horror comics at this point. The keep working on amazing, beautiful, and horribly weird and creepy new books all the time. This is their new jam together and it is well worth the price of admission

POINT OF IMPACT #1 I always love a good crime/mystery book and there are so few on the shelves at any given point. Hopefully this title can fill the whole that the end of Near Death or Scalped left behind.

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As always, you can ignore my suggestions but you should still go get something. Comics, like babies, can’t survive without constant love and affection. But really, do go buy Saga. It’s brilliant. I swear.