Welcome back to Conskipper’s New Comic Day Picks for the week of November 25, 2020!
Comic fans have a lot to be thankful for this year. Publisher’s are back on schedule and putting out new issues and series that were long delayed at the start of the pandemic, and even if production slows in the new year, we should all have a lot of comics to catch up. This week’s picks include a fun sci-fi throw-back, a classic hero done right, a cerebral look at the history of DC’s heroes, the return of an 1980’s favorite, and the biggest bad in the Marvel Universe.
–X-Ray Robot #4 (Dark Horse Comics): If you are missing the type of limitless, fun adventure readers found in the Silver Age and early Bronze Age of comics, the work of Michael Allred, and X-Ray Robot in particular, is the secret formula you’ve been waiting for! We’ve raved about this series before, but it is worth repeating that Dark Horse Comics mini-series contains some of the best artwork and comedic, sci-fi of any era. This type of series is hard to find on the store shelves in 2020, so let’s hope that X-Ray Robot and the further adventures of Allred’s signature creation Madman continue very soon.
-Action Comics #1027 (DC Comics): Speaking of big, bold storytelling, Brian Michael Bendis, Klaus Janson, and John Romita Jr.’s “The House of Kent” saga continue in this issue with a cover picturing a much worse for wear Kal-El barely standing. The toughest job of any writer of Superman comics is to give readers a sense of danger surrounding the nigh-invulnerable hero, and Bendis, Janson, and Romita Jr. do it in spades in this issue. Superman, Superboy, Supergirl, Brainiac 5, and Conner Kent combine their might to face an enemy from another dimension controlled by the Invisible Mafia and it is just the type of donnybrook that fans have been waiting for.
-The Other History of the DC Universe #1 (DC Comics): The highly-anticipated prestige format series finally makes its debut this week with a focus on the man who would become Black Lightning, Jefferson Pierce. Academy Award-winning screenwriter John Ridley (12 Years a Slave) examines the history of the fabled DC Universe through Pierce’s eyes. The art by Giuseppe Camuncoli and Andrea Cucchi bring a realism to the the subject matter, complementing Ridley’s examination of the untold history. Upcoming issues will focus on other characters such as Karen and Mal Duncan, Tatsu Yamashiro, and Renee Montoya, but this one belongs to Black Lightning, and both long-time pre-Crisis fans as well as those that know him only from his recent television program will both walk away from the story satisfied (and possibly enlightened).
-Power Pack #1 (Marvel Comics): The long (justifiably) delayed Power Pack is back! Ryan North and Nico Leon bring back Katie, Julie, Jack and Alex Power but they have one problem: if you are under a certain age, being a superhero is illegal (part of the “Outlawed” storyline). The somewhat older family of heroes struggles with this issue and delivers some of the fun excitement from this 1980’s favorite. North is adept at telling these types of stories (Squirrel Girl, Adventure Time) and Leon’s time on Ms. Marvel and Spider-Man make him the perfect artist for this relaunch.
-Doctor Doom #9 (Marvel Comics): Christopher Cantwell has been having fun over in the relaunched Iron Man title, but don’t forget about his other series starring a less ethical man of iron. Doctor Doom #9 captures the intrigue and shady business of ruling/governing Latveria, and perhaps also saving the Earth from a black hole. Salvador Larroca has been delighting comic fans for the better part of two decades with his detailed, expressive artwork on virtually every player in the Marvel Universe, and his style helps (along with Cantwell’s take on the character) humanize Victor Von Doom.
That’s it for this week! Be sure to safely support your local comic shop, ebay sellers, and online retailers this holiday season.