Spinner Picks for 04/06/2016
Join me discussing the upcoming New Comic Book Day’s most anticipated releases. After a little hiatus my weekly Spinner Picks are back! Please feel to add a comment on my picks and let me know what you are most looking forward to this week.Black Panther #1: Even though there are so many amazing releases this week this title stands alone as my most anticipated out of the bunch. I’ve been super excited since it was announced that the creative team behind Black Panther would be writer, journalist Ta-Nehesi Coates and illustrator Brian Stelfreeze. I have very high hopes for this book and I’m confident with this team at the helm it will deliver. The first story arc involves a major upheaval in Wakanda and Black Panther’s struggle to do right by his people as their ruler.
The Fix #1: The amazing creative team behind one of my all-time favorite runs, The Superior Foes of Spider-Man, is back with a brand new title from Image Comics. Writer, Nick Spencer and illustrator, Steve Leiber, reunite to tell the story of crooked cops, scheming mobsters, and corrupt politicians in what I’m sure will be an outrageously funny series.
Wonder Woman Earth One HC Vol 1: I must say I’m more than a little curious what Grant Morrison will do with free-reign over Wonder Woman’s origin story. Yanick Paquette will be joining him on pencils. I’ve heard a few interviews in which Morrison discusses Wonder Woman and those in themselves have been wildly entertaining so I expect this alternative universe book to be as well.
Empress #1: Writer Mark Millar is joined by illustrator superb Stuart Immonen for this sci-fi adventure. Millar has consistently been one of my favorite writers of the last decade. I find his work entertaining and most importantly original. I can’t wait for this one. Surprisingly it is published by Marvel.
Star Wars Poe Dameron #1: I can always use more Star Wars in my life! Marvel to the rescue with a new ongoing series written by Charles Soule and illustrated by Phil Noto. It’ll be a nice treat to dwell more into Poe’s character. He wasn’t around a heck of lot for the blockbuster movie A Force Awakens.
Honorable mentions: Black Widow #2, Sheriff of Babylon #5, and Grizzly Shark #1.
It's also the final issue with Batgirl #50 and while it hasn't been a perfect run, it's been a fun series nontheless, again with another incredibly talented team so it'll be a bittersweet end I think.
And without listing my entire Marvel pull, I'm probably most stoked for Spider-Women Alpha #1 which sounds like a brilliant team up, and lately as far as events go, the Spider-related ones are usually the most fun.
Sheriff of Babylon #5: Yes, another Tom King book. What can I say? I like the guy. I’ve already had the chance of reading this issue and it will undoubtedly be one of my favourite issues in this very packed week. Some of the best character work I’ve read all year!
Airboy: No, there is no new issue of Airboy coming out this week but I read the mini this morning and thought I should mention it here. There is nothing quite like Airboy. I’m having trouble trying to describe it because it is so uniquely beautiful that I’m not quite sure what words I should associate it with. If I had to pick one though, it would be honest. Airboy is an incredibly honest look at the struggles of a fallen writer's life and the consequences of his actions. If you have not read Airboy yet, I URGE YOU to find it and read it right away. Can’t believe I missed this one last year…
Black Widow #2: Black Widow #1 was a stunning debut. Yes, it basically had no dialogue but Chris Samnee’s brilliant art was able to carry the book to greatness. I am hoping this sophomore issue will be able to flesh out the plot more but I am not worried at all. I have complete faith in Waid and Samnee.
Black Panther #1: Black Panther has a new comic. Do I need to say any more?
Wonder Woman: Earth One: Grant Morrison+ Wonder Woman? Yes please.
Poe Dameron #1: Soule? Noto? Dameron? Yes please.
Lobster Johnson Forgotten Man One Shot: Lobster Johnson is just a consistently fun, pulpy book that expertly blends futurisim, noir and more. I'm not sure they can tell a compelling story in just one issue but I'm willing to give it a shot.
Predator Life and Death #2: Dan Abnett has done some killer sci-fi work and while I haven't read the first issue of this run, I'm going to pick it up alongside this one and be pleasently surprised, I'm sure.
Empress #1: The premise sounds cool enough to give this one a shot even if Mark Millar's writing is usually hit or miss with no in-between.
Black Panther #1: Come on. We all are.
Vision #6: The best book that Marvel has released in years? Probably. The Best book King has ever written? Betwen this and Omega Men. The potential to be a genre, industry shaping book? Definitley there. This book has everyhing and more. It's a tense exploration of differences, being, discomfort, suburbia and the like. It's incredible.