A.D.: After Death Book 2, by Scott Snyder and Jeff Lemire
What if we found a cure for death? The second chapter of the haunting sci-fi epic by SCOTT SNYDER (WYTCHES, Batman, American Vampire) and JEFF LEMIRE (DESCENDER, Moon Knight, Sweet Tooth). Jonah Cooke is haunted by his long, long past, but will it be enough to push him to turn his back on eternal life? And who or what may be calling to him from the old world below the clouds?
New today! TRISH TRASH Vol. 1: ROLLERGIRL OF MARS by Jessica Abel
200 years from now, Trish “Trash” Nupindju lives on the newly inhabited Mars, whose settlers live under harsh and ruthless conditions. Trish dreams of only one thing: becoming a hoverderby star. It seems like making the professional derby team is the only way to escape a future of poverty on her parents’ farm. But, what happens when a half-dead Martian shows up on her doorstep and changes everything? Find out in the first volume of the new science fiction trilogy created by Jessica Abel.
Tokyo Ghost #1
The Isles of Los Angeles 2089: Humanity is addicted to technology, a population of unemployed leisure seekers blissfully distracted from toxic contamination, who borrow, steal, and kill to buy their next digital fix. Getting a virtual buzz is the only thing left to live for. It’s the biggest industry, the only industry, the drug everyone needs, and gangsters run it all. And who do these gangsters turn to when they need their rule enforced? Constables Led Dent and Debbie Decay. This duo is about to be given a job that will force them out of the familiar squalor of Los Angeles to take down the last tech-less country on Earth: The Garden Nation of Tokyo.
Bestselling writer RICK REMENDER (BLACK SCIENCE, DEADLY CLASS) and superstar art team SEAN MURPHY (CHRONONAUTS, Punk Rock Jesus) and MATT HOLLINGSWORTH (WYTCHES, Hawkeye) examine our growing addiction to technology while thirsting for a nature we continue to destroy.
A comiXologist recommends:
O Human Star Vol. 1
by: Eric Arroyo
It is an absolute treat that O Human Star is arriving on comiXology today. Blue Delliquanti’s (bluedelliquanti) science-fiction marvel achieves the perfect balance of high concept scifi, complicated and genuine personal relationships, and a captivating mystery to drive it all forward.
Alastair Sterling was a revolutionary roboticist who died on the verge of an AI breakthrough, unable to witness how his work would transform the world. That is, until he wakes up sixteen years later in a synthetic body of unknown origin. In a future of his own making, Al looks for answers from Brendan, his former partner, ex-boyfriend, and current head of Sterling, Inc., only to find something more surprising: Brendan’s daughter Sulla, another synthetic copy of Al that has pursued her own identity as a teenage girl.
This new family between Al, Brendan, and Sulla forms the heart of O Human Star. While a future full of artificial intelligences is enough to swallow, Al and Brendan must adjust to a world where Al’s still alive, and if they ever want to solve the question of Al’s resurrection, they’ll have to sort out their pasts and present together.
Delliquanti carefully builds the world of O Human Star around Al and Brendan’s relationship, weaving in and out of flashbacks that depict the romance and AI advancements blooming out of the roboticists’ relationship. From day one, their relationship is shown as a test of boundaries, with the younger and ambitious Brendan pulling Alastair’s brilliance out of a reclusive shell. Both in the past and the present, Al, Brendan, and Sulla navigate the challenges of moving between worlds: from a private lab to a robotics expo, to accepting one’s own sexuality and entering a gay relationship, between human and synthetic society, and at the heart of it all, between death and life and the past and the future. It’s never easy for them, but Delliquanti brings genuine life out of their struggles and highlights their humanity.
If you’re looking for a portrait of the future with an LGBTQ sensibility, I invite you to meet the family of the future in O Human Star Vol. 1.
[Check out O Human Star Vol. 1 on comiXology]
Eric Alexander Arroyo is a Brooklyn-based cartoonist and a Digital Editor at comiXology. He’s probably drawing giant robots and listening to ABBA.
COOL NEWS:
Not only is D4VE #002 available through comiXology today, but so is ULTRANOVA, a sci-fi-horror one-shot released earlier this year through Challenger Comics, from Chris Peterson (art), Ed Ryzowski (colors), and myself (script).
SYNOPSIS:
The Atlas II-a space craft designed to keep the supergiant star, Argus, from exploding-suddenly goes offline, diverting a nearby astronaut from a long, solitary mission. Once aboard the Atlas II, astronaut Cale soon discovers the crew violently murdered by an inhuman force. As the burning star swells closer to supernova, Cale finds himself in a race against time to save not only his own sanity, but billions of life forms.
Multiversity just named ULTRANOVA best self-published one-shot of 2013!
From the twistedly hilarious mind that brought you D4VE comes a sci-fi adventure via comiXology Submit!
rferrier, Chris Peterson, and Ed Ryzowski’s Ultranova is part of our Submit Sci-Fi Sale! Take 50% off select comics from comiXology Submit when you use the code SCIFI in your cart!
(via comixology)
Some great sci-fi just waiting to be discovered in our archaiaentertainment Sci-Fi Sale.
OLD CITY BLUES by milonogiannis oh man so good.
Copperhead is going to be a big deal
Jay Faerber is going to be a big deal
Scott Godlewski is going to be a big deal
Can you recommend anything that is heavy science fiction, along the lines of the recently wrapped up "Prophet" or the French comic "Valerian and Lauraline"? Preferably not a licensed or Big Two book, but I'll take those if you're stumped. ;)
Some hot n spicy scifi CXrecs comin’ right up!
Prophet is amazing. One of my favorites. Big big royalboiler fan.
I asked around the office, as this is something I’ve been looking for also and here’s what I got:
- Starstruck - An anarcho-futuristic adventure that eschews gender roles and linear storytelling. A cult classic science fiction comic if there ever was one.
- Old City Blues by milonogiannis, whom you might recognize from his work on Prophet! A futuristic noir involving corrupt politicians, drug dealers, and mech smugglers.
- Manhattan Projects - A current Image fan favorite, by pronea (Jonathan Hickman) and nickpitarra - A revisionist history that has the creation of the Atomic Bomb at it’s center.
Also, if you like Brandon Graham, maybe try checking out some of his other stuff. Although it’s definitely not the same style as Prophet, Multiple Warheads is really amazing.
A comiXologist Recommends:
Michael Crowe recommends Bodies #1
Four time periods, four murders, four detectives - one victim. Bodies, written by Si Spencer, is a murder mystery mini-series like no other. The story follows Shahara Hasan in 2014, Edmond Hillinghead in 1890, Maplewood in 2050 and Charles Whiteman in 1940, all working to solve the same case while timelines apart.
Each of the parallel narratives are illustrated by a different artist with colors by Lee Loughridge. Meghan Hetrick depicts the present day in a style that is dynamic yet grounded in realism. The pages are colored in shades of blue, lending a cold sterility to this era. Dean Ormstons vision of London in the 1890s is a shadowy, gothic world of grayscale pocked with flourishes of red. Tula Lotay conjures images of 2050 with line work that is light and hazy. In addition the colors of this dystopian future are ironically bright and vibrant, filled with scorching yellows and cooler purples. This combination coats the future in a dreamy malaise. The London of the 1940s is illustrated by Phil Winslade, with panels that capture the romanticized pulp feel of the era. Each artist work is distinct and each is given ample room to shine. The work has been split into equal parts; six pages per timeline per issue.
This structure has allowed Si Spencer to drive the narrative forward while exploring the similarities and differences in society throughout time. Si is also interested in the intricacies of people and how the zeitgeist of their times influence them. The detectives are driven by very different forces, yet each share a common goal. But with hints of a ritual murder, the detectives might come to regret ever starting down this particular rabbit hole.
After reading Bodies #1 be sure to check out other books by members of this creative team: Superman: Lois Lane #1 by Meghan Hetrick, Supreme Blue Rose #1 by Tula Lotay, The Monolith by Phil Winslade, Lucifer #14 by Phil Winslade, and John Constantine: Hellblazer - City of Demons by Si Spencer.
[Read Bodies #1 on comiXology]
For fans of: Crime, Science Fiction, Mature Content
Michael Crowe works on the digital assets/launch team by day and writes comics and prose by night. He’s an avid consumer of comics and all things sci-fi.
A comiXologist Recommends:
Mike Isenberg recommends Dark Engine #1
Written by Ryan Burton and illustrated by John Bivens, Dark Engine #1 is a fantastically weird, gory, and beautiful romp through a strange alien world.
The story features a female warrior named Sym, created by alchemists to travel back in time and defeat the evil that plagues them in the past like some sort of berzerk lady Terminator. But the source of Sym’s power, the alchemical Dark Engine implanted deep within her, is unpredictable, and the outcome of her mission is far from certain.
Issue #1 plunges us directly into the deep end of the strange world that Burton and Bivens have created. The book introduces the setting and a few characters, but this place is weird, and very little is explained directly to the reader. Instead we are left to piece together the what, when, and why from context and a few snippets of dialogue.
Between those few dialogue scenes are a number of gorgeously rendered action sequences, mostly concerning Sym cutting her way through dinosaurs and monsters, covering herself with blood and viscera along the way. Bivens executes these beautifully, with a rough-yet-purposeful brush style that evokes the work of artists like Paul Pope and Nathan Fox.
The near-impenetrable weirdness of Dark Engine’s setting gives it a plapable sense of alienation and danger. That so little is explained directly to us only serves to make the world feel more real and alive. Fans of Brandon Graham’s (royalboiler) excellent Prophet revival will feel right at home here. Dark Engine #1 leaves us with a lot of questions, but it takes us on a wonderfully trippy ride along the way. Definitely worth checking out!
For fans of: sci-fi, supernatural, action
Mike Isenberg is an Associate Production Coordinator at comiXology, and the co-writer of FIRST LAW OF MAD SCIENCE. He lives in Harlem with his cats, TESLA AND EDISON
A comiXologist Recommends:
Harris Smith recommends Spread #1
The end of the world, or rather what happens after the end of the world, is big in the cultural consciousness right now. In the past month, The Leftovers and The Last Ship have debuted on television and Bong Joon-Ho’s Snowpiercer has opened in cinemas. Recent comics have presented a diverse array of post-apocalyptic scenarios as diverse as The Wake, Kranburn, Crossed: Badlands and The New 52: Futures End. The latest among these is Spread, which proposes a particularly treacherous landscape replete with disease, roving bands of marauders and deadly tentacled monsters straight out of John Carpenter’s The Thing.
At the center of this chaos is a lone wanderer known only as No. Speaking very little and wielding a pair of hatchets with deadly skill, No recalls the antiheroes of classic Spaghetti westerns or Samurai films. In fact, as No finds himself caring for an infant in this debut story, Spread specifically recalls the classic Manga and film series, Lone Wolf and Cub.
Whatever the reason for this current spate of end-of-days narratives, Spread is a welcome addition. It’s good, gory fun for fans of horror and action. The monsters, bright red and dripping with goo, are some of the best I’ve seen in comics since the X-Men first encountered the Brood. No makes for a compelling central figure. He’s tough but not ostentatious, grim yet compassionate. I’m looking forward to seeing where Spread goes. Issue one is enthralling and shows the potential for an exciting, unpredictable new comic.
[Read Spread #1 on comiXology]
For fans of: horror, science fiction
Harris Smith is a Brooklyn-based comics and media professional. In addition to his role as a Senior Production Coordinator at comiXology, he edits several comics anthologies, including Jeans and Felony Comics, under the banner of Negative Pleasure Publications. He’s also the host of the weekly radio show Neagtive Pleasure on Newtown Radio.
A comiXologist Recommends:
Kate Kasenow recommends The Woods #3
In the first two issues, new and original BOOM! Studios’ series The Woods established itself as the perfect storm of apocalyptic high school adventures in sci-fi horror. If that phrasing alone seems a bit intense for you, then you’d better fasten your seatbelts, because issue #3 is one wild ride.
Despite what the faculty and staff seem to think, things are looking grim for the students of Bay Point Prepartory Academy. After getting mysteriously transported to another world, the principal is daydreaming while the athletics department is turning the school into the dystopian setting of 1984. Meanwhile, Adrian Roth is fighting over control of a ragtag group of students with Sanami Ota. Both have powerful ideas about what needs to be done, but, unfortunately, so does everyone else.
Underneath the fantastic setting and lurking horrors of the plot, the story is essentially a diverse set of character studies. Writer James Tynion IV (jamesthefourth) has done a brilliant job of delving into each character’s personality and initiatives while still leaving a lot of mystery for readers to contemplate. Not to be discounted in the least, Michael Dialynas’ (thewoodencrown) artwork gives a unique look and feel to the multitude of genres represented. I’ve long been a fan of Dialynas’ work and seeing him tackle both endearing character moments as well as monstrous acts of violence is both refreshing and invigorating. Like a bright cherry atop this cake of terror, Jose Gonzalez’s colors add vibrance and surreality to this mysterious new world and its newest residents.
By now you might be asking yourself, “Why high school students? How will they survive? Who’s behind all this?”
Jump into The Woods now and find out!
[Read The Woods #3 on comiXology!]
For fans of: action, science fiction, horror
Kate Kasenow is a comics artist from Indiana currently living in Manhattan. She works at ComiXology as a Lead Digital Editor and spends most of her spare time re-reading J. R. R. Tolkien.
A comiXologist Recommends:
Michael Crowe recommends Legendary Star-Lord #1
In anticipation of the August 1st release of Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel is launching an all new ongoing series titled: Legendary Star-Lord. The series follows Peter Quill (portrayed on-screen by Chris Pratt), as he traverses the galaxy without the help of his fellow Guardians…at least for the moment
Issue #1 introduces us to the titular character, giving us a peek into the life of an orphan from Earth turned intergalactic outlaw. As someone who is unfamiliar with the cosmic corners of the Marvel Universe, I found this issue to be both informative and, most of all, fun. Writer samhumphries infuses the character with an infectious sense of adventure. Peter seems to relish his alter-ego, Star-Lord, and even the trouble it gets him into. But beneath this facade of carefree bravado and effortless charm lies the heart of a hero. In essence, Quill is a do-gooder who doesn’t always go about doing good in the best ways.
Paco Medina’s art harnesses the outlaw narrative by calling to mind westerns through stunning establishing shots and character designs. Paco also illustrates some seriously cool ships and weapons, exciting the scifi swashbuckler in all of us. The coloring, also by Medina, is rich and vibrant, lending a liveliness to the perils of full time space adventuring and thievery. Together they craft a story that is both intriguing and non-threatening for the uninitiated.
Also be sure to check out Guardians of the Galaxy: Galaxys Most Wanted #1 and Rocket Raccoon #1 for even more pulse pounding off-world action.
[Read Legendary Star-Lord #1 on comiXology!]
For fans of: superheroes, science fiction, cosmic
Michael Crowe works in digital assets/launch at Comixology. He is also an avid fan of science fiction, action/adventure and horror.