Welcome back to Conskipper’s New Comic Day Picks for the week of June 9, 2021!
Eclectic is the word to describe this week’s picks, as numerous genres and styles are represented in the top five, and this set of picks is a clear indication that the medium has much to offer to fans of all kinds.
–Black Hammer: Visions #5 (Dark Horse Comics): Dark Horse Comics Black Hammer anthology series, Black Hammer Visions, returns this week with another engaging, funny, pulp fiction story by Kelly Thompson, Leonardo Romero, and Jordie Bellaire. The team responsible for Marvel’s recent Kate Bishop Hawkeye series takes on Spiral City’s vigilante Skulldigger, who finds himself up against a very capable jewel. Previous issues have included work by Patton Oswalt, Geoff Johns, Mariko Tamaki, and Chip Zdarsky, and Thompson, Romero, and Bellaire bring their “A game” for a stand-alone story in Jeff Lemire and Dean Ormston’s Black Hammer universe. We can’t recommend this issue (and series) more.
-The Good Asian #2 (Image Comics): Pornsak Pichetshote and Alex Tefenkgi continue their fine noir detective tale with the second issue of The Good Asian. Their protagonist Edison Hark continues to unravel the mysteries of Chinatown, with the added problems of racism and distrust from those in Hark’s community and those in local law enforcement. If you enjoy tense, well-written crime stories, you can’t pass up on this one (and be sure to read our recent interview with Pichetshote about The Good Asian).
-Iron Man #9 (Marvel Comics): The new Iron Man series by Christopher Cantwell and Cafu is a 1970s/1980s comic fan’s dream. Cantwell’s use of classic Marvel heroes and villains and plot points from comics that are fondly remembered by fans (such as The Avengers “Korvac Saga”) as well as ones that fans need to dig through their dusty long boxes for, have made this a comic series that is distinctly modern, but also nostalgic. This issue features the origin of Korvac, as the creative team explores the mind of the messianic space god. The series has also allowed Alex Ross to paint some of these forgotten characters from the past, and they have never looked better. If you known a lapsed comic fan from the eras that this series takes its inspiration from, point them in the direct of this fine series.
-Space Bastards #6 (Humanoids): Humanoids irreverent sci-fi series Space Bastards continues this week with new artist Simon Bisley, who takes over for original artist Darick Robertson. Fans of Bisley’s distinct style will be happy to hear that Eric Peterson and Joe Aubrey’s script allows Bisley to give fans exactly what they are looking for here, with a story that features Chuck “The Magic” Wagon, another maladjusted individual who happens to work for the IPS. If you are new to the series, please check out our interview with Peterson and Aubrey, as well as Robertson, about the origins and inspirations for the wild sci-fi adventure.
-Everything’s Archie #1 (Archie Comics): Many classic comic characters such as Green Arrow and Aquaman are celebrating their 80th Anniversary this year, and so are the lovable teenagers from Riverdale! In the first of many 80th Anniversary one-shots, writer Fred Van Lente and artist Dan Parent let us know that Everything’s Archie. As expected, the tug of war for Archie’s heart continues, but the freckle-faced redhead declares that the winner is a new guitar? This issue also comes in four covers by Parent, Aaron Lopresti, Ben Caldwell, and Rian Gonzalez. Summer is a great time for nostalgia, so pick this one up and head to your favorite drive-in movie.
That’s it for this week. Be sure to continue to support your local comic shop in a safe fashion.