Angel and Faith: Season Ten Volume 1: Where the River Meets the Sea
Victor Gischler (W), Derlis Santacruz (A), Michelle Madsen (C)
Dark Horse
January 6, 2015
Considering that I never particularly cared for Angel or the Angel series, I find myself preferring Angel & Faith to the regular BtVS. Now, that has a lot to do with Faith being such an interesting and complex character…and foil to Angel, but on the whole the writing has been stronger on Angel & Faith than on BtVS. I just finished BtVS Season 10, Vol. 1 which ended with Giles rejoining Buffy’s team so I am interested in where this will be going because the whole Giles thing was integral to the Angel & Faith plot. As a Buffy fangurl, I will probably read whatever Whedon and Co. put out, regardless of quality, but it’s nice to some good storylines and continued character development coming out of Angel & Faith.
–Ginnis
The Woods #9
James Tynion IV (W), Michael Dialynas (A), Josan Gonzalez (C)
BOOM! Studios
January 7, 2015
The kids are close to the medieval-type guys’ homebase. What will it be like? Will there be wimmins? Will it just be a bunch of middle-aged men wearing tusk helmets? Can anyone melt Adrian‘s heart of stone? Will Benjamin and Isaac hook up? Will we get any clues as to why the school was brought there? Where is there? SO MANY QUESTIONS.
–Romona
Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #1
Ryan North (W), Erica Henderson (A), Rico Renzi (C)
Marvel
January 7 2015
In some ways Squirrel Girl seems like an odd choice for the newest female-led comic from Marvel. I haven’t really seen her around in awhile. But that’s most likely why I’m so excited for this new series. There isn’t any recent baggage (that I know of) attached to her character, so North and Henderson could do anything with this series. And between Ryan North’s fabulous sense of humour and Erica Henderson’s delightful artwork, it shouldn’t be very hard to distinguish themselves from the other series out there.
–Christa
S.H.I.E.L.D. #1
Mark Waid (W), Carlos Pacheco (A)
Marvel
December 31st (Okay, so technically it was December, but only technically?)
While various agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (and Phil Coulson) have been a part of the Marvel universe and Marvel cinematic universe nearly since its inception, the creation, and subsequent success, of the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. television series has led directly to this moment — with this comics sort-of-tie-in-sort-of-retcon which introduces Melinda May, Jemma Simmons, and Leo Fitz (aka FitzSimmons) as characters in the Marvel comics universe. As in the television show, Coulson leads a team that includes May and FitzSimmons, but make no mistake — this series is set in the comics universe, and is jam-packed with Marvel superheroes who are unlikely to ever appear on the show. If that’s not enough motivation to read it, S.H.I.E.L.D. #2, due out January 14th, will guest star the one and only Ms. Marvel, Kamala Khan, and Waid has teased about writing Sue Storm, The Invisible Woman, in an upcoming issue.
–Kate
The Multiversity Guidebook #1
Grant Morrison (W), Various (A)
DC Comics
January 21, 2015
I started The Multiversity series by Grant Morrison over the holiday break and I’m really enjoying it. I have very little knowledge of DC’s multiverse so I found that reading commentary like David Uzumeri’s annotations and the roundtable discussion over at Deadshirt has helped me understand the series a lot better. This is why the upcoming issue is exciting because it breaks down the multiverse, offers a historical overview of the Crisis events, provides a map of the multiverse and throws in a fun story as well. I plan on getting a physical copy of this since it clocks at eighty pages and the information is so valuable. It’s definitely something I recommend to newbies and those who wish to know more about the multiverse.
–Ardo
Lady Killer #1
Joelle Jones, Jamie S. Rich (W), Joelle Jones (A), Laura Allred (C)
Dark Horse Comics
January 7, 2015
I’ve always been rather suspicious of the Mad Men/Cath Kidston-inspired vintage trend — not because of the aesthetic, but because pushing a glorified version of that era to women asks us to embrace a time in which we were more marginalized and restricted than we are now. The cult of domesticity might have kept us fashionable, but how many housewives were knocking back Valium and martinis behind closed doors? Much of that aesthetic also comes from a period where Jim Crow laws were still in effect, which makes it even worse.
Lady Killer #1, about a 60s housewife/contract killer, looks like a great antidote to this whitewashed view of a vintage era. Joelle Jones and Jamie S. Rich give us a heroine who works within the strictures of the cult of domesticity but turns them into weapons. The combination of Betty Draper-chic with deadly violence is an implicit reminder of the ugliness that propped up 60s society, and Laura Allred’s bright colors means we can’t ignore it. This subversive approach to period-piece comics, a standout art style, and a seriously intriguing premise will hopefully keep Lady Killer on my pull list for a long time.
–Kelly K.