Welcome back to Conskipper’s New Comic Day Picks for the week of December 23, 2020!
If you are one of those last minute shoppers, you are in luck this week, as your local comic shop is well-stocked for your holiday shopping needs! This week’s picks include two giant size specials, the end to three critically-acclaimed story lines, and a perennial favorite for any time of the year.
–Wonder Woman #769 (DC Comics): Mariko Tamaki ends her run on Wonder Woman by wrapping up the story she started in issue #759 (and you can read our review of the first chapter right here), with a final showdown with Maxwell Lord’s supposed killer, Liar Liar. Tamaki is joined on the conclusion by artist Steve Pugh, colorist Romulo Fajardo Jr., and letter Pat Brosseau, which serves as a great appetizer for the Christmas Day debut of Wonder Woman 1984 in theaters and on HBO Max. Along with a stunning cover by David Marquez, the final chapter in the “Saga of Lords” is one to grab this week, and if you missed any of the previous chapters, your local comic shop probably has a few stored away so you can enjoy the entire story line in one sitting.
-Gideon Falls #27 (Image Comics): Jeff Lemire, Andrea Sorrentino, and Dave Stewart wrap up their Eisner Award-winning Image Comics series Gideon Falls in this gigantic 80 page conclusion. Without getting into a summary of the story at the end of the series, Gideon Falls combines horror, science fiction, and above all, excellent storytelling and art which results in one of the best series to be released by any comic book company in the last ten years. Fans who have been collecting the series in trade paperback are wondering if this issue will stand on its own, as Volume 5 recently collected issues #22-26. It is a good bet that Image Comics will create a hard cover edition of the series soon, but you may want to play it safe and pick up the last issue if you have been purchasing the collections rather than the single issues.
-King-Size Conan #1 (Marvel Comics): If you are doing some last minute shopping for a classic Conan fan, there is no better present this year than the oversized 50th anniversary King-Size Conan (2020) #1. As originally reported by Conskipper, the impressive line-up includes: “a new prelude to the original Marvel Comics Conan #1 story by Roy Thomas and Steve McNiven, a revenge tale by TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman, X-Men’s Chris Claremont and Roberto de la Torre share a glimpse into Conan’s mercenary work, long-time Dark Horse Comics Conan writer Kurt Busiek and Pete Woods detail a sorcerous encounter from Conan’s early career, and Netflix’s Daredevil showrunner Steve DeKnight and Jesús Saiz showcase Conan and Belit on the open seas.” By Crom, what a way to celebrate this holiday season!
-The Goon #14 (Albatross Funnybooks): Eric Powell’s The Goon is a comic that just brings a smile to your face every time you sit down to revel in the adventures of the strong-jawed protagonist and his sometimes trusty side-kick Franky. The combination of humor, action, monsters, and the sublime still make it one of the most unique books on the stands. This issue is no exception with the vengeance of Duck Boy taking center stage. Powell handles all the creative lifting this issue and delivers just what one expects in a tale written and illustrated by him. If you haven’t kept up with The Goon since his departure from Dark Horse Comics, be sure to check out the Albatross Funnybooks website for all of his recent adventures, as well as some new collections of his classic tales.
-Black Adam: Endless Winter Special #1 (DC Comics): Conskipper has been hyping this old school comic crossover for awhile now, and we can’t stop with the second to last chapter of Endless Winter, especially when it features Black Adam center stage. Ron Marz and Andy lanning handle the writing chores once again in this issue which involves Black Adam arriving in Gotham City to demand action to end the threat to his nation and the world caused by the endless winter. But Black Adam isn’t be completely forthcoming with his knowledge of the events, especially the fact that he has defeated the Frost King before. Brandon Peterson and Marco Santucci handle the explosive interior art in this issue and the cover is by none other than Dale Eaglesham.
That’s it for this week, so be sure to safely support your local comic shop throughout this holiday season and beyond.