by Paul
What with getting all the February pre-orders up and having some overdue dental work done, it’s an abbreviated column this week, so I don’t have time to cook up a punchy intro for you like I would have liked, but hey… THERE’S ALWAYS NEXT WEEK!
ULTIMATE BLACK PANTHER #1
Art: Stefano Caselli | Story: Bryan Hill (Marvel Comics, $5.99)
I find myself in a bit of a sticky wicket here when it comes to Ultimate Black Panther #1. On the one hand, it’s the hot book everyone wants to get their hands on next week. On the other, we’ve already sold all of the copies we set aside for the website. Which was a bunch. So I ask you: Is it fair, is it just, to dangle this coveted title over your heads only to snatch it away like the drug pusher on a Very Special Episode of an 80s sitcom? What to do? After all, it’s Black History Month, dammit, and to not acknowledge this latest commercial triumph put on the board by the good technocrats of Wakanda would be a tragic oversight.
Fortunately, Marvel has bailed us out somewhat by already going back to press with a second printing of this issue which is still available to order. Issue #2 and #3 are still available as well, so there’s no need to be discouraged if you can’t find #1 this week. Stefano Caselli and Bryan Hill have a lot of exciting stuff in store for this series, including the first appearance of Ultimate Storm next issue. This Ultimate Marvel train looks set to roll for awhile (don’t forget that Ultimate X-Men #1 is on FOC this weekend), so buckle up and try to get an aisle seat, because you’ll have to go to the bathroom sooner or later.
PRE-ORDER IT: Stefano Caselli Main Cover | Bosslogic Ultimate Special Variant | Karen S. Darboe Variant | Travel Forman Variant | R.B. Silva Second Printing Variant
THUNDERCATS #1
Art: Drew Moss | Story: Declan Shalvey (Dynamite Entertainment, $3.99)
Further developing our cat theme this week, here’s Thundercats. Three things I know about the Thundercats: 1) Like many boys and a smattering of girls my age, Cheetara awakened something in me in that first episode. 2) The paint on my Lion-O figure, the only Thundercats toy I had, rubbed off instantly and probably stunted me developmentally in some crucial way. 3) My wife, Bee Gee, always yells “SNARF SNARF SNARF” whenever our cat Monchichi runs into the kitchen to ask for dinner, and if you played a sound clip of the character from the cartoon I don’t think you would know the difference. She has accessed the Snarf Within.
They say that every writer has one great Thundercats story to tell, and Declan Shalvey is no exception, so let’s see where this goes, eh?
PRE-ORDER IT: David Nakayama Main Cover | Lucio Parrillo Variant | Declan Shalvey Variant | Jae Lee Variant | Ivan Tao Variant | David Nakayama Foil Variant | Thundercats Symbol Gold Foil Variant | Blank Authentix Variant
ON FOC THIS WEEK
Click here to see all titles on FOC this week.
ULTIMATE X-MEN #1
Art and story: Peach Momoko (Marvel Comics, $5.99) | FOC: 2/5
Peach Momoko Main Cover
InHyuk Lee Armor Variant
Betsy Cola Ultimate Special Variant
Dike Ruan Variant
Mark Brooks Variant
Peach Momoko Variant
1:10 Peach Momoko Design Variant
1:25 AKA Variant
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #1 (3RD PRINTING)
Art: Marco Checchetto | Story: Jonathan Hickman (Marvel Comics, $5.99) | FOC: 2/5
SOMNA #3 (OF 3)
Art: Becky Cloonan, Tula Lotay | Story: Becky Cloonan, Tula Lotay (DSTLRY, $8.99) | FOC: 2/4