Welcome to the April IDW Pubwatch. I know the world is burning around us but here’s something to distract you: a few exciting comics that will take your mind away, at least for a little while. There isn’t much news coming out of IDW—for obvious reasons—but I do have some comic book reviews as well as a selection of my favourite covers from this month. Stay inside and be safe, readers.
News and Announcements
IDW Shares Statement of Support for Retailers
Following the unprecedented development of the global pandemic, IDW Publishing announced that it would be taking the lead from fellow publisher Image Comics with regards to supporting the retail community.
You can see a few highlights of the statement below:
- All items set for March 18-June 24 can be returned without any fees levied
- Books set for May are to be suspended
- July’s products are to be reduced, with major projects being prioritised
IDW have acknowledged the difficult position these decisions will put freelancers in and are open to listening to new ideas. You can read the complete statement on the IDW website.
Featured Comics
Marvel Action: Captain Marvel: Cosmic CAT-tastrophe TPB
Sweeney Boo (Artist), Sam Maggs (Writer), Christa Miesner (Letters), Brittany Peer (Colours)
March 4, 2020
An unabashedly adorable book full of cute kitties who could swallow you whole, and the joy and power of female friendship. Honestly, what’s not to love? The story is fun, while managing to tie into Captain Marvel’s history and ethos, which broadens the scope of the plot and ups the stakes for the galaxy. Sweeney Boo’s art is immensely cute and becomes stunningly detailed as the plot progresses. A thoroughly enjoyable read and I hope to see this team produce more Captain Marvel stories.
Transformers and Ghostbusters TPB
Erik Burnham (Writer), Luis Antonio Delgado (Colours), Tom B Long (Letters), Dan Schoening (Artist)
March 4, 2020
I love team ups and even though I am not a fan of either the Transformers or the male Ghostbusters, I enjoyed this story.
Initially, I wasn’t sure how the story would bring these groups together—one is based on hard tech while the other is spectral in nature. But the creators of the story did an admirable job of tying the two together with plausible psycho-technological babble.
There weren’t as many laughs as I had expected but it was pretty humorous for the most part. An enjoyable read!
The Crow and Hack/ Slash TPB
Tim Seeley (Writer), Jim Terry (Artist), Neil Uyetake (Letters)
March 4, 2020
A rogue crow is out for revenge and innocent people are getting caught in the crossfire. Cassie Hack and Marcus Grieves must team up to take her down. But can they trust each other?
I know very little about these universes but there was enough information in this book to fill me in. It did get a bit exposition-heavy at times, but that was necessary for a new reader.
I liked Crow’s backstory — sweet and sad, but also relatable. I couldn’t understand Hack‘s story, though. The ending was a bit of a cop out but for the most part, the story was suspenseful.
The Crow: Lethe #1
Katrina Mae Hao (Colours), Ilias Kyriazis (Artist), Samuel Murray (Letters), Tim Seeley (Writer)
March 4, 2020
I don’t like gore so the first few pages were enough of a turn-off. But the introduction of a slinky ‘exotic’ seductress from India named—get this—Benga Lee was enough for me to switch off completely. As a Bengali, I take offense at the lack of creativity in that name and the fact that this is not the kind of representation we Bengalis want. This is some JK Rowling level of othering that we do not need in 2020.
Care Bears: Unlock the Magic TPB
Silvana Brys (Colours), Matthew Erman (Writer), Agnes Garbowska (Artist), Christa Miesner (Letters), Nadia Shammas (Writer)
March 11, 2020
The Silver Lining is under threat—baddie Bluster has a new plan to destroy it and rule Care-a-Lot. But the Care Bears can’t be fooled by his antics—they band together and use the power of caring to save the day.
Care Bears were such an important part of my childhood and I’m glad to see that even as an adult, their appeal is very strong. This isn’t a challenging book and it’s quite a breeze to read, but it is immensely adorable and tons of fun. The Care Bears have personalities as distinct as the colour of their furs. They’re passionate about their jobs, and their leisure—we can’t help but see ourselves in them.
This book is written for children but adults will find it thoroughly enjoyable to read. I certainly did.
Star Pig TPB
Sebastian Cheng (Colours), Delilah S Dawson (Writer), Francesco Gaston (Artist), Shawn Lee (Letters)
March 11, 2020
Vess Singh-Rodriguez is looking forward to space camp and all the adventures she is about to have—till her shuttle blows up, killing everyone on board. Vess is saved by a space tardigrade looking for their home. They detour through a kidnapping by an Earth-obsessed spore before being rescued by an attractive, human-esque doctor. But something feels off—if only Vess could put her finger on it.
This was a pretty fun story and I loved the art. All the ridiculous meme and pop culture references were hilarious to read. My only issue is that the protagonist appears to be Indian-Mexican but there are no references to her dual heritage. Everything is focused on contemporary American—particularly white American—culture. Why have a character of colour then if your entire story is going to be white? I would have liked the story more if this hadn’t been the case.
Best Covers
Honourable Mentions
Corto Maltese: Ballad of the Salty Sea
Godzilla: Complete Rulers of Earth Volume 1
Thanks for joining me on this Pubwatch.