by Paul
After a week spent communicating entirely in Nanalan’ clips, I worry that the language center of my brain has become too shrivelled to write a coherent column for you. Will I be able to write about Grand Admiral Thrawn without using the phrase “What a glorious gentleman!”? It might be a bumpy ride this week, gang, but don’t worry… There’s Always Next Week!
GHOST MACHINE #1
Art: Gary Frank, Bryan Hitch, Jason Fabok, Francis Manapul | Story: Geoff Johns, Peter J. Tomasi, Brad Meltzer, Lamont Magee, Maytal Zchut (Image Comics, $4.99)
One thing Gary Frank does that really made an impression on me early on is capture everyday body language. There’s a panel in one of his Incredible Hulk issues—during the Asgard story, I think, I tried to find the panel for you but no such luck—where Betty Banner and Marlo are talking to one of Marvel’s goofs and he draws them making that kind of “round-the-bend” gesture you make to indicate someone is nuts. You know, where you hold your index finger in the air and twirl it around. It’s such a quotidian gesture that you never think about it when you see it in day-to-day life but is really hard to describe, let alone capture in a static comic book panel. Frank does gesture with the best of them. It’s amazing to think how long it took him to catch on as a superstar. Even though he’s obviously improved since those Hulk days, he was so terrific to start that it’s a wonder he wasn’t snapped up by Image to draw some short-lived project that would have paid him enough royalties to retire. He is, to me, the star attraction of Ghost Machine #1, which at 64 pages for $4.99 is a hell of a good value in addition to being choc-a-bloc with superstar talent (Bryan Hitch, Jason Fabok, and Francis Manapul are also present). This looks to have the rat-a-tat 2000 A.D. anthology rhythm that I always find satisfying. This one is top-of-the-stack for me next week.
PRE-ORDER IT: Gary Frank Main Cover | Gary Frank Foil Variant | Gary Frank Variant | Bryan Hitch Variant | Francis Manapul Variant | Jason Fabok Variant | Peter Snejbjerg Variant | Ivan Reis Variant
RESURRECTION OF MAGNETO #1
Art: Luciano Vecchio | Story: Al Ewing (Marvel Comics, $5.99)
X-readers will recall that Magneto’s very specific request upon his death was, “I would like to stay dead. Look, I deleted myself from the back-to-life machine. No resurrection of me, please.” So here comes Storm to resurrect Magneto in this new series titled Resurrection of Magneto.
This has got to be very frustrating for Magneto. Personally, as someone wired to be distracted and dazed by the least little thing, I find this whole premise triggering. It’s like Magneto locked the door to his office so he can finally concentrate and get some work done, and then Storm comes around and taps on the window to ask him to use his magnet powers to open a stubborn jar of tomato sauce. She’s like Dennis the Menace going over to Mr. Wilson’s house all the time. X-Men Red is consistently neck-and-neck with Immortal X-Men for the best-selling X-title at the shop, so I’m sure Al Ewing has something much more exciting and thought-provoking in store than Storm running around Magneto’s ghost house going, “What’s this do?” But Storm, you’ve been around for almost fifty years now. Learn how to open your own jars.
PRE-ORDER IT: Stefano Caselli Main Cover | David Baldeon Foil Variant | Insignia Variant | John Christopher Tyler Negative Space Variant | Nic Klein Stormbreakers Variant
STAR WARS: THRAWN—ALLIANCES #1
Art: Andrea Di Vito | Story: Jody Houser, Timothy Zahn (Marvel Comics, $5.99)
Here comes Grand Admiral Thrawn again in this, Marvel’s adaptation of Timothy Zahn’s novel sequel to their adaptation of Timothy Zahn’s first Thrawn novel, if I’ve got my facts straight. Thrawn, if I recall correctly from the Heir to the Empire books I read when I was a young’n, is one of those 4-D chess-player dudes who has a plan for every contingency and thinks of everything. He even came with a stooge who would always think, “Boy, Thrawn sure is smart,” whenever Thrawn did something smart. Thrawn is, in short, the best at everything, a real charmer, and can’t be beat, and Star Wars fans everywhere celebrate him for it. But then when it’s Daisy Ridley doing it…
PRE-ORDER IT: Rod Reis Main Cover | Promo Variant | Taurin Clarke Variant
JUSTICE DUCKS #1
Art: Carlo Lauro | Story: Roger Langridge (Dynamite Entertainment, $3.99)
Welcome back to Talking Animal Corner, where every week I spotlight a comic featuring talking animals. You’ll recall that last week we looked at Sonic the Hedgehog: Fang the Hunter #1, and this week, Justice Ducks #1 really fits the bill. While I haven’t been privy to a preview due to Dynamite’s strict no-Peking policy, Roger Langridge has a solid track record in the talking-animal genre, so he can be counted on not to lay an egg here. Prepare to quack up as these various Disney ducks form a strong pond with each other as they battle villains who’ve run a-fowl of the law. This was a mistake. I promise I’ll never do this again. R.I.P. Talking Animal Corner, January 12, 2024-January 19, 2024.
PRE-ORDER IT: Mirka Andolfo Main Cover | Francesco Tomaselli Variant | Roger Langridge Variant | Trish Forstner Negative Space Variant | Blank Authentix Variant
ON FOC THIS WEEK
THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MEN #1
Art: Humberto Ramos | Story: Greg Weisman (Marvel Comics, $4.99) | FOC: 1/22
Humberto Ramos Main Cover
David Marquez Foil Variant
Blank Cover Variant
Dike Ruan Variant
Sean Galloway Variant
Todd Nauck Homage Peter Parker Variant
ALIEN: BLACK, WHITE & BLOOD #1
Art: Various | Story: Various (Marvel Comics, $5.99) | FOC: 1/22
Ryan Stegman Main Cover
David Aja Variant
Elena Casagrande Variant
AVATAR: FRONTIERS OF PANDORA—SO’LEK’S JOURNEY #1
Art: Gabriel Guzman | Story: Ray Fawkes (Dark Horse Comics, $3.99) | FOC: 1/22
