Welcome back to Conskipper’s New Comic Day Picks for the week of July 14, 2021!
Let’s not waste any time getting right into this week’s comics, which represent a variety of genres for those looking for something outside of typical super hero fare this week.
–Black Hammer Visions #6 (Dark Horse Comics): It is once again time to return to Spiral City for another creator driven tale from the world of Jeff Lemire and Dean Ormston’s Black Hammer! Next up this month is a visit with spiral’s resident plumber/elder god, Cthu-Lou by Cullen Bunn and Malachi Ward. What has made this anthology such a delight is the fact that each creative team expands on the stories of both central characters and quirky villains, but in each case, the writers and artists have been able to bring their own sensibilities to the work. Bunn is the perfect writer to tackle an H.P. Lovecraft-inspired villain, although I imagine that Lovecraft never envisioned one of his creatures as a hard drinking curmudgeon with a dead-end job whose only solace is his favorite TV show (which gets interrupted by yet another underground cult and their world-ending machine). Bunn’s horror chops and sense of humor come through in this story and Ward’s artwork compliments the genre-mixing scope of this issue. We also couldn’t resist showing off Dan Brereton’s variant cover below.
–Action Comics Annual 2021 #1 (DC Comics): Philip Kennedy Johnson gets to return to his popular reimagining of the Superman Family from Future State’s House El in a classic summer annual. Johnson is joined by artist Siya Oum for 2021’s annual, as Superman’s descendants face a threat that connects to the current “Warworld Rising” storyline, as the actions of Clark Kent in the present send seismic shock waves to the future. Brandon Kent, the Superman of the future, and the rest of the House of El spring into action, giving fans more of the eclectic and heroic heroes spotlighted in the successful Future State series.
-Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters #2 (Marvel Comics): The War is just getting started in the second issue of the hit Star Wars comic that takes place smack dab between The Empire Strikes Back and The Return of the Jedi. Charles Soule continues to Sheppard the Star Wars canon for Marvel and Disney and artist Luke Ross has his hands full with drawing some of the meanest and devious aliens in the galaxy. In issue #2, Boba Fett attempts to recover the frozen body of Han Solo on Jekara, but so does every other money-hungry gun-for-hire in the known universe. Fett is so desperate to reclaim his prize that he is even willing to “team-up” with one of Marvel’s breakout stars, Doctor Aphra. This one also crosses over into Aphra’s “solo” title, so you may also want to track down #12 of her series. Steve McNiven once again provides a cover that is guaranteed to make any Star Wars fan flip their lid.
–Conan the Barbarian #23 (Marvel Comics): The march to issue #300 continues in Conan the Barbarian #23 (taking into account legacy numbering of course) as “The Nightstar Saga” concludes with our favorite barbarian being hunted by the Imperial Guard after being framed for the murder of the Emperor. Jim Zub and Cory Smith continue their classic brand of Conan storytelling which will please any fan who discovered Conan through the original Marvel series, Robert E. Howard paperback collections, or Arnold’s 1982 film. With only two issues to go, Zub and Smith are deftly navigating the Cimmerian towards new shores. Check out our recent interview with Zub about the milestone issue arriving in a few months and take a look at Geoff Shaw’s fine cover below.
-Aliens Aftermath #1 (Marvel Comics): In honor of the 35th Anniversary of James Cameron’s Aliens, Benjamin Percy and Dave Wachter return to Hadley’s Hope to uncover the mystery that still surrounds the infamous setting of the film. The story starts with a group of journalists seeking hard to find answers about the tragedy that occurred at the colony, as they head back to the “scene of the crime”. The problem is that LV-426 may still contain some of the horrors that created the tragedy in the first place. This one-shot special is sure to satisfy those that have find memories of the film and is also a good way to bring new readers into the comics fold.
That’s it for this week. Please continue to support your local comic shop in the safest ways possible.