It’s NCBD! New releases are waiting for you here!
Need some recommendations? Want to chat about your favorites? The ComiXologist Live with Slim and Lou is back this week on Facebook at 4 pm ET!
Don’t fall behind on your new favorite series! These 2nd issues are out now…
(Pro tip! You can pre-order and subscribe to series you never want to miss!)
DARTH VADER #2
Join Vader as he learns a new way — the way of Darth Sidious and his newly formed Empire…the way of the dark side.
VICTOR LaVALLE’S DESTROYER
While Dr. Baker is being investigated, the Monster becomes entangled with a conflict at the U.S./Mexico border.
GRRL SCOUTS: MAGIC SOCKS #2
Things heat up as the origins of the mysterious Magic Socks are revealed! After betraying Gwen and Rita, Daphne engages in an epic battle against her little cousin Josie. This second issue is stuffed to the gills with an action-packed story, bonus art, soundtrack, and sketchbook. Plus, a variant cover by the legendary BILL SIENKIEWICZ! Pure fun! Pure flavor!
RAPTURE #2
Might meets magic! As Babel’s dark forces in the Deadside rise, the afterlife’s last chance at survival rests in the living’s greatest champions. But to save heaven itself, MI-6 agent Colin King – aka Ninjak– must confront his greatest fears…and place his trusted steel against the fantastic and unknown powers of sorcery. With Punk Mambo, Tama the Geomancer, and the fallen hero Shadowman at his side, Ninjak will lead the supernatural’s greatest champions into a suicide mission against beasts and barbarians…and the very gods themselves!Valiant’s epic standalone event enters is next spellbinding chapter as New York Times best-selling writer Matt Kindt (X-O Manowar) and powerhouse artist CAFU (Rai) strike at the veil between life and death!
THE NORMALS #2
After a death-defying fall, Jack presses Doctor Gordon on the true nature of his existence. But after WESTIN INCORPORATED seizes back what they identify as their property, Jack and his family prepare for the fight of their lives to maintain their freedom and preserve their humanity.
Created and written by Adam Glass (executive producer of Supernatural & writer of Suicide Squad) with art by Dennis Calero (X-Men Noir).
DARTH VADER #1
The most fearsome villain of all time returns with an all-new series! When Anakin Skywalker fell, both to the pull of the dark side and to the blade of Obi-Wan Kenobi, he rose back up, more machine than man. Having lost everything that was once dear to him, the former chosen one must take his first steps into a darker world…as Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith!
Did you know you can pre-order and subscribe to your favorite series so you’ll never miss an issue? Check out our picks for 5/17!
HEATHEN #4
As they set out to free Aydis from the goddess Freya’s grasp, Brynhild and Sigurd find trouble brewing in a rural village. Brynhild feels compelled to intervene. Meanwhile, with the help of a quiet ally, Aydis strikes a crucial blow against the enemy.
THE FLASH #22
“THE BUTTON” part four! The cataclysmic events of DC UNIVERSE: REBIRTH #1 continue here! The Dark Knight and The Fastest Man Alive, the two greatest detectives on any world, unite to explore the mystery behind a certain blood-stained smiley button embedded in the Batcave wall. What starts as a simple investigation turns deadly when the secrets of the button prove irresistible to an unwelcome third party—and it’s not who anyone suspects! It’s a mystery woven through time, and the ticking clock starts here!
THE WICKED + THE DIVINE: 455 AD
“CITY OF GOD”
Nothing lives forever, be it man, god, or empire, but that doesn’t mean you have to go quietly. Join us as Lucifer refuses to fiddle while the Roman Empire burns. The critically acclaimed THE WICKED + THE DIVINE inevitably vandalizes history as it turns to the Sack of Rome. Showcasing the epic art of ANDRÉ LIMA ARAÚJO (Avengers AI, Man Plus), the special is NOT included in the forthcoming fifth volume of THE WICKED + THE DIVINE.
ROYAL CITY #3
JEFF LEMIRE’s ambitious new graphic novel continues as Tara Pike awakens, lost in a strange other world that may hold the secrets to her unhappiness. Meanwhile, the Pike brothers reunite with disastrous consequences.
DARTH VADER #1
The most fearsome villain of all time returns with an all-new series! When Anakin Skywalker fell, both to the pull of the dark side and to the blade of Obi-Wan Kenobi, he rose back up, more machine than man. Having lost everything that was once dear to him, the former chosen one must take his first steps into a darker world…as Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith!
A comiXologist recommends their three favorite Marvel books you can read in comiXology Unlimited!
I don’t know if everyone’s heard, but this week we launched Marvel on Comixology Unlimited! In commemoration of this historic event this week’s staff picks will be focused on my favorite Marvel books!
STAR WARS Vol. 2: Showdown on Smuggler’s Moon
In honor of Star Wars Day, I’m going to pick Star Wars Vol. 2: Showdown on Smuggler’s Moon. It’s got a ton of things I really like about Star Wars, and follows my favorite characters. It’s got Hutts, bounty hunters, lightsaber battles, and Han Solo’s shady past, to name a few. In a way this book reads like fan fiction, since it compiles a bunch of the best elements of SW in one story. This collection also features Luke and the gang fighting gladiator style in a pit, which sounds like Episode II but feels totally different since it’s got Stuart Immonen’s amazing art doing the storytelling. To top it off there’s an epic fight scene at the end where Leia, Han and even Chewie go to battle with lightsabers of their own.
STAR WARS Darth Vader Vol. 1: Vader
In honor of today’s Revenge of the Sixth: Star Wars: Darth Vader Vol. 1: Vader. Growing up I was always a Vader guy (actually, back and forth between Luke and Vader. Today I’m more of a Han guy) so it was amazing to see my childhood hero get his own ongoing. If you’re a fan of the Force Unleashed series this particular story is pretty great. It includes a lot of the same elements (Vader sort of branching off and doing clandestine stuff while taking on a semi-apprentice). It also sees the introduction of a new ongoing character, Doctor Aphra.
THE MIGHTY THOR Vol. 1: Thunder in Her Veins
Ah, finally! A non-Star Wars book: The Mighty Thor Vol. 1: Thunder In Her Veins. I don’t know how the Thor editorial does it. From Olivier Coipel in the J. Michael Straczynski era (Vols 1-3 available in CU!), to Russell Dauterman in the Jason Aaron era, they consistently get artists who make their books look so incredibly beautiful and dynamic. The spectacle and splendor of Asgard especially pops in this volume which sees SPOILER ALERT: Dr. Jane Foster become Thor and travel around the Nine Realms meeting new species and engaging in crazy battles. I’ve been really digging this most recent run, which sees Thor team-up with a mutant, Quentin Quire (another one of my favorite characters) to do some pretty amazing things, which I won’t spoil. But to get to there you need to start here, and start soon!
Jonah Chuang is a Technical Account Manager at comiXology. He wonders if one day he will be worthy enough to lift the hammer. (Editor’s note – we believe in you, Jonah!)
A comiXologist recommends…best of 2016 Star Wars edition!
2016 for Star Wars followed after a strong 2015 showing. Not only with the movies (loved Rogue One), but also with great books (my favs: Ashoka and Bloodline) and many more comics.
Focusing here just on comics for 2016, we have:
- The continuation of the main Star Wars story
- End of the 12-part Kanan series
- End of the 6-part Vader Down story arc
- 5-part Obi-Wan & Anakin miniseries
- End of the 25-part Darth Vader series
- Start of the Doctor Aphra series
- Start of the Poe Dameron series
Of those, I want to highlight two that stood out to me.
- I LOVED the Vader Down story arc. It’s one of the few times you got to see how awesome Darth Vader, the Sith Lord, actually is. Not Anakin, NOT the ”father” Darth Vader in Episode V or VI, but Darth Vader in his angry prime and why he was so feared across the galaxy.
- I’m a huge fan of the Han Solo mini-series. It started off a little slow (despite being about a race!), but it really picks up at the end. And, gives a glimpse of the smuggler/shoot-first/second character of Han Solo in Episode IV, and how he transitions into the “hero” that we know him to be in Episode V/VI.
When Star Wars was acquired, I was skeptical when they abandoned the EU (expanded universe). But over the past couple years I’ve been very happy to see how the Lucasfilm Story Group has tied ALL the media into one cohesive canon today. Can’t wait to see how the Star Wars universe continues to expand even more in 2017.
Douglas Hwang is director of product at comiXology and the human subjugate of Qwerty the cat.
Three graphic novels you may have missed last week!
DARTH VADER VOL. 4: END OF GAMES, by Kieron Gillen, Salvador Larroca, and Edgar Delgado
Darth Vader has been secretly pursuing his own agenda, but now it is time for the End of Games. As Inspector Thanoth returns with some startling information, it seems that Vader may have passed his master’s tests. But even after finding favor in the eyes of the Emperor, the Dark Lord’s schemes may yet prove his undoing. While killer droids Triple-Zero and Beetee wreak havoc in their own homicidal adventure, the Empire’s dreadnought The Executor moves closer to launch. But Vader faces tumultuous battles with the cybernetic Cylo — and himself! Lost in visions of the Force, is he now more machine than man? Or can he fight his way back from the brink to see his missions and machinations finally come to fruition? The imperial march of the dark side reaches a crescendo! Collects Darth Vader #20-25.
AMERICAN MONSTER VOL. 1, by Brian Azzarello and Juan Doe
In a small Midwestern town, a large man with a horribly scarred face gets off a bus, and takes a room. He spooks the locals–nobody knows him–or do they? It’s impossible to say be-cause he seemingly has no face. The man’s intentions remain unknown, until he takes on a corrupt sheriff and the rural crew of racist arms dealers. The town’s impression of the man changes, and he’s seen as a hero…until his real intentions bubble to the surface. The man isn’t there to end the gang, but to take it over. And he’s just getting started.
THE SHADOW: THE DEATH OF MARGO LANE, by Matt Wagner, with Brennan Wagner
Legendary creator Matt Wagner returns to both write and draw an all-new tale for the first and most famous of all pulp heroes, The Shadow! Following his critically-acclaimed work on The Shadow: Year One and Grendel vs. The Shadow, Wagner once again lends his masterful talents to unveil “what evil lurks in the hearts of men”, joined by talented colorist Brennan Wagner. For years, Margo Lane has served as The Shadow’s faithful friend and companion, the closest and most intimate of all his many agents. But when will that proximity to The Shadow’s dark and violent world take its ultimate toll on her? And what effect will his lover’s loss have on the driven and brooding Master of Darkness? A powerful and resonant tale in the sort of pulse-pounding pulp style that only Matt Wagner could deliver!
Also includes Matt Wagner’s 8 page story from The Shadow #100.
A comiXologist recommends… [redacted for spoilers]
As far as conclusions go, this Darth Vader finale is pretty conclusive. Vader has been tortured and tossed about by the Empire’s greatest internal threats, fought enemies at the proverbial gate, and come to terms with missing out on being a dad. Gillen and Larroca’s run on this series has put a nice spin on Vader and what keeps him locked into the Dark Side of the Force.
This late into the series it is damned near impossible not to spoil anything so this review is mostly going to be about gushing with love for the whole shebang, but I’ll sum up the obvious direction things are headed. Vader becomes the commander of the Executor and the Imperial Fleet so as to be ready for The Empire Strikes Back, but it is implied that Vader also seeks to connect with his son.
For those of us who haven’t touched pop culture at all until this very moment, Vader’s son is Luke Skywalker [editor’s note: Um. Spoilers, Matt!] and each has spent the last (estimated) two decades believing the other was dead. Sorry to break it to you before The Empire Strikes Back. That’s a pretty big reveal in that film.
All jokes aside, this series has created a nice internal struggle for Vader. It sets up some solid motivation for fans of the Star Wars mythos to get behind the twisted Anakin Skywalker. Anakin Skywalker is Vader’s real name, by the way. Sorry to ruin that too. [editor’s note: Matthew we talked about this.]
Anakin’s choices led to some logical but less than considered consequences at the end of the Clone Wars, leading him to become the black armored Imperial enforcer. After all was said and done he had no wife, no children, and nothing outside his mission. Therefore, he had no reason not to be Darth Vader.
With the end of this series he still has his mission, but he now also has Luke to find.
Matthew Burbridge is a Digital Editor at ComiXology and is just burning with anticipation for Rogue One. He even bought a Death Trooper helmet.
GIVE ME A FIGHT WORTHY OF MY TIME
Darth Vader Vol. 3: The Shu-Torun War by Kieron Gillen @kierongillen, Salvador Larroca and Leinil Francis Yu @leinilyu