Raf’s Featured New Releases 10.13.21

Good morning and Happy New Comic Book Day CNJ shoppers! Raf here, back again to fill everybody in on the week’s featured new releases. It finally happened though! Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples are coming back with SAGA early next year, and Ben and the other guys have been hearing me for a few years now saying that as soon as it was announced I’d drop everything I was doing and reread the story so far. I encourage those who haven’t checked it out, to DO YOURSELF A FAVOR and do so! It’s simply the best of comics. But in the meantime, we’ve got new books this week. Let’s check ‘em out. 

Marvel Comics

Al Ewing’s masterful and great horror inspired take on the Big Green Giant comes to a close with issue 50. This has been one of the biggest books from Marvel over the past couple years, and arguably the Hulk’s best storyline in decades. To be honest, I’m not caught up myself, but I’m looking forward to an inevitable hardcover collection of the whole series. But if you also want to see where Banner and the Hulk leave off before Donny Cates takes over the title next month, pick this up. 

After so many tie-ins and specials that we all lost count, Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters wraps up this week. Boba Fett’s been tracking down Han Solo’s carbonite frozen butt across the galaxy and he’s got a contract to fill, and maybe some competition in his way also. But while this is the end of this miniseries, it sets itself up as the beginning of a trilogy with the next act Crimson Reign set to start in December. 

With one of the best covers of the week, X-Men #4 is a great spooky tale for the mutants. Jean, Scott, and Laura Kinney Wolverine are all having some wicked nightmares, but they share in the experience as they’re all being haunted by the Headless Horseman.  What more do you need for October? 

DC Comics

It’s a big Bat-Week at the shop, with two new #1’s with the Dark Knight. 

First is Batman: The Audio Adventures which is a prequel special to the new podcast series set to debut on HBOMax later this month. With multiple short stories written by the team behind the new podcast, including funny guys Ike Barinholtz and Bobby Moynihan, this is a fun throwback to the storytelling of the old radio serials… or so I’m told. I was born in ’95. 

But wait, there’s more! Drawn by the fantastic Andrea Sorrentino of Gideon Falls and written by one of the co-writers of the new Batman movie starring Robert Pattinson (which I’m pretty stoked to see) comes a new three issue miniseries Batman: The Imposter. Delving deep into the psyche of Batman and the trauma that’s created him, this comic also finds Bruce at war with a copycat vigilante that’s killing and streaming his murders. You had me at Batman. 

Whew, lots of finales this week, and this one’s a big one. Tom King is the new master of the 12 issue maxiseries, and after his Rorschach finale a few weeks ago, now Strange Adventures comes to a close. Both of these series were big, complex storylines, and while I didn’t read them monthly, I’ve been patiently waiting for them to wrap up so I could binge read them as complete stories. Keep an eye out for the trades coming out soon! And speaking of trades…. 

Small Press

We’ve got two big new Image volume 1’s out that we’re very excited about. 

Scott Snyder and Tony Daniel’s awesome post-apocalyptic nightmare action book Nocterra (how about that description?) is collected for the first time with the first 6 issues here for only $10. We’ve got plenty at the shop, and at that price point, it’s an easy recommendation that’s also a great deal. It’s only a buck more than an issue of Last Ronin after all. 

And while I’ve been getting a little Kaiju fatigue recently (it takes a lot of calories to be that big), one of the coolest and most original spins I’ve seen on the genre is also collected this week in Ultramega Volume 1. Written and drawn by James Harren, this book is not what you’re expecting. The first issue alone was a jaw-dropper and will really hook you. I’d say more, but I really don’t want to ruin the surprises that this book has. If you like giant monsters, Mad Max, and a little bit of humor, you need to read this. 

That’s it for this week. Stop by and say hi, and make sure Saga is on your pull lists. 

Peace, Love, and Comics 

Rafael Calzada