2023-08-30T17:00:00-07:00 - Ash Avenue Comics

by Paul

New comics day is no place for loafers. Join me or die. Can you do any less?

SPOTLIGHT TITLES

Weekly Shout-Out: September 27, 2023 - Ash Avenue Comics

The Flash #1 by Mike Deodato Jr. and Si Spurrier (DC): After proving that not even the Fastest Man Alive can outrun box office failure, Barry Allen heads to Character Timeout and discovers that Tank Girl left behind a hell of a mess. Meanwhile, even though everything seems to be going great with his family and his do-gooding, Wally West can’t shake a sense of lingering, creeping dread. It’s called middle age, Wally. Plus, now there’s high-contrast Mike Deodato blacks everywhere you look. How’s a guy supposed to relax with all this dramatic lighting going on? Oh, for those carefree Mike Wieringo days!

Ultimate Invasion #4 (Of 4) by Bryan Hitch and Jonathan Hickman (Marvel): Hitch and Hickman wrap up their re-introduction of the Ultimate Marvel Universe with a big ba-da-boom, and you’ll want to read it so you can be ready for the new Ultimate Spider-Man #1 coming up in January, about which we currently know little except that some kid will probably get bit by a spider and you can pre-order it here. Do it now! Galactus commands you!

Power Girl #1 by Eduardo Pansica and Leah Williams (DC): This first issue sees Power Girl bomb a yacht IRA-style and then casually stroll away with a pleased look on her face, satisfied knowing that she was able to get the life rafts, too. At least, that would be my takeaway based on Gary Frank’s cover, which is mind-boggling. Maybe that’s as far as he was able to get before DC called and said “PENCILS DOWN.” Weird, weird cover. Happily, the story inside the issue offers the context that the yacht is hosting a fundraiser targeted by terrorists who are foiled by PG’s intervention, and at no point does it depict her blowing up the yacht and then leaving all of the passengers to burn to death as she walks away with her jacket slung nonchalantly over her shoulder, ready to resume her quest to protect a world that doesn’t even pretend to make eye contact most of the time. Good issue. Crazy cover.

AT A GLANCE

Stuff of Nightmares: Red Murder #1 sees R.L. Stine return to comics with a chilling tale of terror for the Young Adult and the Young Adult at heart. This one’s about a comic book artist who gets menaced by an axe murderer on the 20th anniversary of his last hit title. I don’t know what R.L.’s experience was like working on the first Stuff of Nightmares comic, but he’s working with a different artist this time. If you’re the guy who drew the first one and you’re out there reading this, I advise you to sleep with one eye open.

If you’re excited for Transformers #1 next week, you’ll get a kick out of this week’s guest star in Void Rivals #4. Also, it’s not too late to pre-order your 1:10, 1:25, and 1:50 Transformers variants. Just saying.

AT A GLANCE

Weekly Shout-Out: September 13, 2023 - Ash Avenue Comics — ***Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham #1***

Batman Gargoyle of Gotham #1 by Rafael Grampa (DC): Rafael Grampa returns to Batman to take another shot at the Dark Knight (after handling the art chores on 2019’s The Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child with writer Frank Miller), and this time he’s writing and drawing a four issue rampage through the underbelly of DC’s seediest city. Grampa’s style evokes the same expressionistic lines of Paul Pope, but don’t confuse the two, as Grampa leans heavily into a frenzy of demented and unhinged portrayals of Gotham and its most sinister residents. This four issue series is a great return to form for DC’s Black Label imprint of adult and mature comics, purchase your copy today!

I Am Stan: A Graphic Biography of the Legendary Stan Lee by Tom Scioli (Ten Speed Press): The follow-up, and companion piece, to cartoonist Tom Scioli’s 2020 graphic novel Jack Kirby: The Epic Life of the King of Comics, spotlights Stan Lee (I don’t think I need to explain who he is). Scioli’s latest offers neither fawning adoration of a comics legend, nor a cynical takedown of Stan “The Man”, instead look for a biography of a complicated person who loved to tell a story, and often that story was about himself.

AT A GLANCE

Alligator Loki #1 by Bob Quinn and Alyssa Wong (Marvel): Lots of fun for all ages, an alligator variant of the trickster god Loki proves to be a real handful for Thor, but an evil alligator is a lot more silly than sinister. No crocodile tears (or alligator tears, a variant, naturally) to be shed after purchasing this one.

Daredevil #1 by Aaron Kuder and Saladin Ahmed (Marvel): Writer Chip Zdarsky’s four year run on the ol’ hornhead has wrapped up, and now Saladin Ahmed and Aaron Kuder’s run kicks off with Father Matthew grappling with his own demons, Elektra, and the NYPD. The future of DD hangs in the balance (as always!).

Crusader #1 by Matt Emmons (Mad Cave): A most devout Knight of Templar pulled from the battle against “pagan idolatry” and teleported to a world of orcs, wizards, and trolls. The jokes practically write themselves! Not a big name title, but probably the most entertaining comic to hit our shelves this week.