Number One Comic Books

(Rebekah's Pick) No One's Rose from VAULT PRODUCTIONS written by Emily Horn & Zac Thompson with art by Alberto Jimenez- Albuquerque                          "Centuries after the fall of the Anthropocene, the last vestiges of human civilization are housed in a massive domed city powered by renewable energy, known as The Green Zone. Inside lives teenager Tenn Gavrilo, a brilliant bio-engineer who could rebuild the planet. But there's one problem: her resentful brother Seren is eager to dismantle the precarious Utopia."                  (Brian's Pick) Transformers vs. The Terminator from IDW PUBLISHING written by David Mariotte with art by Alex Milne                              "It's Skynet vs. Cybertron in a crossover for the ages! 1984: When a deadly race of machines emerge from another time, will a robotic guardian be able to protect the Earth from a dire future... or will the T-800 fail in his mission to prevent the world from becoming a plaything to the Decepticons?"                                  (Rod's Pick) Wynd from BOOM! STUDIOS written by James Tynion IV with art by Michael Dialynas                           Magical heritage is punishable by death in Pipetown, so a young boy named Wynd must keep his true identity - and pointy ears - a secret from everyone, even if it means he'll never have the normal life he wants.But when his secret is threatened, Wynd will be forced to leave his home behind to embark on a dangerous quest that will put him at the heart of a royal conspiracy beyond his imagination.Now on the run with Oakley (his best friend), Thorn (the boy of his dreams), and Yorick (a literal prince!), Wynd will have to embrace the magic within himself if he wants to save them from the shocking dangers that await!(Joe's Pick) Bleed Them Dry from VAULT PRODUCTIONS written by Hiroshi Koizumi & Eliot Rahal with art by Dike Ruan                                   "The year is 3333. Earth is in a state of recovery. Vampires are real, and though far less populous, they thrive alongside humans in the Japanese-engineered mega-city known as Asylum. People have come to understand that some Immortals are good, some are bad, and most navigate the world without incident. There is peace. That is...until now. Someone is brutally murdering vampires. And Detective Harper Halloway has been assigned to the case. To solve it, she'll have to unearth a much deeper truth: The future of humanity has been edited."

(Brian's Pick) Doctor Tomorrow from VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT written by Alejandro Arbona art by Jim Towe                                   Teen hothead and star athlete, Bart Simms, is about to meet the Valiant Universe' greatest hero...Himself! The can't-miss superhero adventure of 2020 starts here!                         (Rod's Pick) On the Stump from IMAGE COMICS written by Chuck Brown art by Prenzy                                    SERIES PREMIERE! Each issue of arc one features a connecting variant cover by SANFORD GREENE! The campaign trail is paved with blood and broken bones. History diverged in 1868 when a pivotal presidential debate turned violent. Today, elections are decided by highly publicized hand-to-hand combat in arenas called Stumps. Unfortunately, the violence doesn't end in the ring, and powerful people can still get away with murder. Senator Jack Hammer and FBI Agent Anna Bell Lister are teaming up to bring it all down. Eisner-nominated writer CHUCK BROWN (BITTER ROOT) joins forces with Italian artist PRENZY (#Like4Like) and letterer CLAYTON COWLES to create a hyper-violent tale full of countless injustices-and people who have to fight for their place in it.                                                                         (Rebekah's Pick) Alienated from BOOM! STUDIOS written by Simon Spurrier with art by Christian Wildgoose                             Three teenagers, each an outcast in their own way, stumble upon an unearthly entity as it's born. As they bond over this shared secret and the creature's incredible abilities, it becomes clear to the teenagers that their cute little pet is a super-predator in the making - and it's in need of prey. Guided by the best intentions at first, the teens' decisions soon become corrupted by adolescent desires, small town jealousies, and internal rivalries, sending them into a catastrophic spiral of their own making.                                                    (Joe's Pick) The Man Who Effed Up Time from AFTERSHOCK COMICS written by John Layman with art by Karl Mostert                                                     Sean Bennett is just your everyday, ordinary lab worker in a high-tech lab with a proto-type time machine. And, yeah, he's got the same temptations any of us would have about going back in time, just a bit, to correct mistakes of the past and right old wrongs. So, when he meets a version of himself from the future who encourages him to do just that, Sean takes the temporal plunge. Only...can you guess what happens next? Did you read the book title? Yup. All of TIME is f#%&ed up now, and it's up to Sean to cor-rect it-or else!

(Rod's Pick) The Clock from IMAGE COMICS written by Matt Hawkins with art by Colleen Doran                           Within three weeks, hundreds of millions of healthy people worldwide contract various forms of aggressive cancer, and the proliferation, seemingly a viral outbreak, stumps the best scientific minds available. But after a leading cancer researcher loses his wife and watches his nine-year-old daughter begin to succumb to the same illness, he must race against the clock to end a global conspiracy that could propel the world straight into WWIII...or worse.                              (Brian's Pick) Doctor Strange: Surgeon Supreme from MARVEL COMICS written by Mark Waid with art by Kev Walker                            The impossible has happened! Doctor Strange’s hands have been healed, restoring his surgical skills - but now he’s being torn between his obligations as the Sorcerer Supreme and as a neurosurgeon. And when he’s forced to choose which vows to uphold, who suffers most for it? After all, magic always has a cost…Be here for a brand new era of magic…and horror from Mark Waid (HISTORY OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE) and Kev Walker (BLACK PANTHER)!                                  (Rebekah's Pick) Jessica Jones: Blind Spot from MARVEL COMICS written by Kelly Thompson with art by Mattia De lulis                                          Jessica Jones was once the costumed super hero known as Jewel. She sucked at it. Now she's a private investigator at her own firm, Alias Investigations. She sucks less at that. With the Purple Man gone, her relationship with her husband, Luke Cage, and their daughter, Danielle, is better than ever. But her past always comes knocking, and when a woman whose case she fumbled winds up dead on her office floor, Jessica goes from private investigator to prime suspect. Can she find the real killer and clear her name? The critically acclaimed Marvel Digital Original series by Kelly Thompson and Mattia De Iulis, released for the first time as a print miniseries!                                             (Joe's Pick) Thor from MARVEL COMICS written by Donny Cates with art by Nic Klein                                A BRAND-NEW, SUPERSTAR CREATIVE TEAM TAKES THE KING OF ASGARD TO NEW REALMS OF GLORY! The prince is now a king. All Asgard lies before Thor, the God of Thunder. And after many months of war, the Ten Realms are finally at peace. But the skies above the Realm Eternal are never clear for long. The Black Winter is coming. And the God of the Storm will be powerless before it.  

(Brian's Pick) 20XX from IMAGE COMICS written by Jonathan Luna and Lauren Keeley with art by Jonathan Luna                                   This sci-fi thriller for mature readers imagines a not-so-distant future-a world of norms and syms, divided by fear. Syms, a small percentage of the population with telekinetic abilities, form gangs to survive. But division only breeds more division, and Mer and Nuon experience this firsthand as they become entangled in the often dramatic, sometimes violent, but always complex social landscape of sym gang rivalries in Anchorage, Alaska.                              (Joe's Pick) The Red Mother from BOOM! Studios written by Jeremy Haun with art by Danny Luckert                                       After losing her eye and the man she loves in a brutal mugging, Daisy McDonough is left trying to put the pieces of her life back together. Just when she begins to think she can heal- move on, she begins to see strange things through her new prosthetic eye. And The Red Mother sees her in return.                                   (Rod's Pick) The Old Guard: Force Multiplied from IMAGE COMICS written by Greg Rucka with art by Leandro Fernandez                              Andromache of Scythia and her band of soldiers are back in this second story chronicling the battles and burdens of their dubious immortality. Nile's addition to the team has given them new purpose and new direction, but when you've got 6,000 years of history at your back, the past is always ready to return-with a vengeance.                                    (Rebekah's Pick) Star Trek: Picard - Countdown from IDW Publishing written by Kirsten Beyer and Mike Johnson with art by Joana Lafuente                                  You've seen the trailer... now, witness the events leading to CBS All Access's Picard. Before he retired to his vineyard, Jean-Luc Picard was the most decorated admiral in Starfleet. Then one mission changed his life forever. The Countdown starts here!

(Joe's Pick) Money Shot from VAULT PRODUCTIONS written by Tim Seeley with art by Rebekah Isaacs                  In the near future, space travel is ludicrously expensive and largely ignored. Enter Christine Ocampos, inventor of the Star Shot teleportation device. Her big idea: She'll travel to new worlds, engage-intimately-with local aliens, and film her exploits for a jaded earth populace trying to find something new on the internet. Now, Chris and her merry band of scientist-cum-pornstars explore the universe, each other, and the complexities of sex in MONEY SHOT! A story about scientists having sex with aliens for the glory of mankind-and money.                (Rebekah's Pick) Undiscovered Country from IMAGE COMICS written by Scott Synder and Charles Soule with art by Giuseppe Camuncoli                      In this special oversized first issue, readers will journey into the near future, and an unknown nation that was once the United States of America-a land that's become shrouded in mystery after walling itself off from the rest of the world without explanation over thirty years ago. When a team seeking a cure for a global pandemic breaches U.S. borders, they quickly find themselves in a struggle to survive this strange and deadly lost continent!                                (Rod's Pick) Heart Attack from IMAGE COMICS written by Shawn Kittelsen with art by Eric Zawadzki                               Gene therapy has saved Americans from disease-only to give birth to Variants: people with powers so unique, the government denies their human rights. But a rebellion has begun...Charlie North is on the run from the police when he crosses paths with Jill Kearney. Instant attraction becomes mass destruction when they unlock powers neither knew they had. Now, the question isn't how to use them-but how far they're willing to go.                            (Brian's Pick) Family Tree from IMAGE COMICS written by Jeff Lemire with art by Phil Hester                            When an eight-year-old girl literally begins to transform into a tree, her single mom, troubled brother, and possibly insane grandfather embark on a bizarre and heart-wrenching odyssey across the back roads of America in a desperate search for a way to cure her horrifying transformation before it's too late.But the farther they get from home, the more forces threaten to tear the family apart as fanatical cults, mercenaries, and tabloid Paparazzi close in, determined to destroy the girl-or use her for their own ends.

(Brian's Pick) Marked from IMAGE COMICS written by David Hine with art by Brian Haberlin                        The Marked may look like cool young influencers, but beneath the designer clothes, their bodies are tattooed with the magical glyphs of an ancient order that secretly protects the world against evil forces. With no new occult threats, The Marked use their tattooed powers solely for the pursuit of pleasure until a young woman called Liza creates a dangerous new form of Hybrid Sorcery. The party is over for The Marked. You'll believe in magic -- terrifying, soul-destroying magic.                            (Rebekah's Pick) Catalyst Prime: Seven Days from LION FORGE COMICS written by Gail Simone with art by José Luís and Jonas Trindade                    DAY ONE: Lorena Payan was the first to realize a meteor was hurtling towards Earth two years ago. Now, she's the first to realize the Earth is in danger once more from something equally cosmic but far more sinister. As dubbed by a mystery figure, the Obsidian Men begin appearing silently all over the globe, and our heroes Noble, Summit, and Accell join together to investigate.                                     (Rod's Pick) Joker: Year of the Villain from DC COMICS wrtten by Anthony Burch and John Carpenter with art by Philip Tan                               In the Year of the Villain, what's a Clown Prince of Crime to do when the world has started to accept doing bad as the only way to live? Out-bad everyone else, of course! The Joker is on a mission to get his mojo back and prove to the world that there is no greater villainy than the kind that leaves you laughing.This special one-shot is co-written by legendary film auteur John Carpenter (The Thing, Halloween) and Anthony Burch (the Borderlands video games), making for a Joker comic that's twisted in ways you never imagined!                                                         (Joe's Pick) Something Is Killing The Children from BOOM! STUDIOS written by James Tynion IV with art by Werner Dell'Edera                                 GLAAD Award-winning writer James Tynion IV (Memetic, Batman: Detective Comics) teams with artist Werther Dell'Edera (Briggs Land) for an all-new limited series about staring into the abyss to find your worst fears staring back.When the children of Archer's Peak begin to go missing, everything seems hopeless. Most children never return, but the ones that do have terrible stories-impossible stories of terrifying creatures that live in the shadows. Their only hope of finding and eliminating the threat is the arrival of a mysterious stranger, one who believes the children and claims to see what they can see. Her name is Erica Slaughter. She kills monsters. That is all she does, and she bears the cost because it MUST be done. 

Brian and Joe Stark talk with Ryan Drost of the Star Joes podcast about his new Kickstarter project an all ages comic book Stealth Hammer.                      The goal of the Kickstarter is to create the first issue of a true all-ages comic (meaning something anyone of any age can read and enjoy, not just for kids). Once that is produced, I’ll be looking to shop it around to hopefully be picked up and create a series. The Kickstarter will fund the costs for the artwork (all done by new amazing artist Alexandra Scott, currently artist on web comic Woven), the printing, costs to produce some of the rewards, and to cover taxes on the income. I’m receiving no income from this campaign. The comic will be a 22 page story. There will be a stretch goal that will allow for the 5 page Kickstarter story to also be printed in the first issue. There will be a variant cover by Robert Atkins, and a pinup in the interiors done by Shannon Gallant.                          The elevator pitch of the story:                             Jami Taylor is a college student going to school for graphic design. Her parents are famous scientist/inventor, Dr. Everett Taylor, and world traveling interior designer, Veronica Taylor. Even with successful parents, Jami has always worked hard to make her own mark in the world. This drive and her spirit of adventure came from her grandmother, Patricia Taylor, who explored the world to help those in need. Jami’s never give up attitude became critical when she found herself victim to sabotage in her father’s lab. This left her with incredible powers that will lead her to a much larger world. The first issue is an origin story, but layered in the dialogue and the images, you’ll find hints to legacy, mythical beings, alternate dimensions, and more. While this is the start of a new adventure, as Jami would say, “That’s not how this story ends!”

(Brian's Pick) The White Trees written by Chip Zdarsky with art by Kris Anka and Matt WilsonMINISERIES PREMIERE! Acclaimed Daredevil writer CHIP ZDARSKY teams up with superstar Runaways artists KRIS ANKA and MATT WILSON for this spectacular OVERSIZED TWO-ISSUE MINISERIES! In the fantastical world of Blacksand, peace was hard-won, and three unbending warriors carry the scars to prove it. Now, almost twenty years later, their children are missing and war is on the horizon. Can they put aside their memories of the war-and each other-for one last adventure?                                  (Rod's Pick) Strayed from DARK HORSE COMICS written by Carlos Giffoni with art by Juan Doe                  In the far future, a military-industrial complex reigns over all humanity and actively destroys distant alien worlds. The galaxy's only hope can be found through an unlikely pair: an astral-projecting cat named Lou and his loving owner Kiara. Trading nine lives for the well-being of billions, their revolt is a battle for love, friendship, compassion, and the soul of humanity.(Joe's Pick) Batman Superman from DC COMICS written by Joshua Williamson with art by David Marquez                            Up in the sky, in the dark of the night, trust no one-for the Secret Six walk among us. Spinning out of the devastating events of the Batman Who Laughs, Superman and Batman are together once more in an all-new monthly series-and they're facing a terrifying new threat that could strike from anywhere. The Dark Knight and the Man of Steel must journey into the depths of Gotham City to learn which of their fellow heroes has been transformed into the horrifying horseman of their most dangerous and deranged foe ever. Our heroes will need to fight to survive, but an even more dangerous question lurks in the shadows: Can Superman and Batman even trust each other?                             (Rebekah's Pick) Invasion from Planet Wrestletopia from SBI Press written by Ed Kuehnel and Matt Entin with art by Dan Schkade and Marissa Louise                                When a disgruntled professional wrestler declares himself "galactic champion of the universe" an alien planet of wrestlers sees it as an act of war!A hilarious THIRTY-TWO PAGE megaextravaganza kicks off this limited comic book series with art by Dan Schkade, colors by Marissa Louise and lettering by A Larger World Studios. Created & Written by award-winning writers Matt Entin & Ed Kuehnel. 

In this episode we're talking about 4 new #1 comic books: Superman: Year One, Test, Space Bandits and Invisible Woman.              (Brian's pick) Invisible Woman from MARVEL COMICS written by Mark Waid art by Mattia De Iulis                                 Fresh from the pages of FANTASTIC FOUR, for the first time Susan Storm-Richards stars in her own limited series - and the secrets about her past revealed therein will shake readers' perceptions of the Invisible Woman forevermore! Years ago, she undertook an espionage mission for S.H.I.E.L.D. - and now it's up to her to save her former partner from death at the hands of international terrorists!                                                   (Rod's Pick) Test from VAULT PRODUCTIONS written by Christopher Sebela art by Jennifer Hickman                           Aleph Null is a lot of things: An orphan, a human guinea pig undergoing medical tests for cash, a bodyhacker, a hardcore future junkie, and a corporate asset. But now, Aleph is on the run from their old life, in search of a mythical, Midwestern town named Laurelwood-where they're test-marketing the future with tech that can't possibly exist yet, and won't for decades.                      (Rebekah's Pick) Superman: Year One from DC COMICS written by Frank Miller art by John Romita Jr.                                  From the burning world of Krypton to the bucolic fields of Kansas, the first chapter of SUPERMAN YEAR ONE tracks Clark Kent's youth in Kansas, as he comes to terms with his strange powers and struggles to find his place in our world. DC BLACK LABEL is proud to present the definitive origin of Superman as rendered by the legendary comics creators Frank Miller and John Romita Jr.!                                              (Joe's Pick) Space Bandits from IMAGE COMICS written by Mark Millar art by Matteo Scalera                                      MINISERIES PREMIERE! Thena Khole and Cody Blue are among the universe's most wanted felons. Each the leader of their own criminal ops, they run heists across the galaxies-hopping from ship to ship to fleece everyone inside. But when both women are betrayed by their crews, the bandits only have one thing on their minds: REVENGE.

(Rebekah's Pick) Trust Fall from AFTERSHOCK COMICS written by Christopher Sebela art by Chris Visions                        Ash Parsons was raised to believe she's special. As someone with a quirk of genetics that lets her teleport things, she's the golden goose of her family.Her family is the foundation of a struggling criminal outfit trying to get ahead in the world and Ash is able to pop out whole fleets of cars and entire bank vaults. But while she can teleport valuables and her accomplices, she can't teleport herself - making every job a trust fall with her family there to catch her and escort her to safety. It's a perfect setup but as things begin to change and the Parsons move up in the world, Ash will find herself pushing back against her golden cage, with deadly results.              (Rod's Pick) Stranger Things: Six from DARK HORSE COMICS written by Jody Houser with art by Edgar Salazar                                              A teenage girl with precognitive abilities has struggled through a lifetime of exploitation, only to end up the pawn of a government agency that wants to harness her powers for its own ends. You've seen the show Stranger Things, but this is your first glimpse of the strangeness that happened before the series began!                          (Brian's Pick) DCeased from DC COMICS written by Tom Taylor with art by Trevor Hairsine                                        "I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was Death, and Hades was following close behind him." - Revelation 6:8A mysterious techno-virus has been released on Earth, infecting 600 million people and turning them instantly into violent, monstrous engines of destruction.The heroes of the DCU are caught completely unprepared for a pandemic of this magnitude and struggle to save their loved ones first...but what happens to the World's Greatest Heroes if the world ends?                                         (Joe's Pick) Psi-Lords from VALIANT COMICS written by Fred Van Lente with art by Renado Guedes                                          Who are the cosmic beings known only as the Psi-Lords? And how will they change the course of the Universe in this brand-new ongoing series? Four astronauts awake in an otherworldly prison with no memory of how they got there! What is their connection to the Psi-Lords? And how will they escape?

(Rod's Pick) Batman Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III from DC COMICS AND IDW PUBLISHING written by James Tynion IV and art by Freddie E. Williams II                      The 80th anniversary of Batman collides with the 35th anniversary of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in this stunning concluding miniseries to the BATMAN/TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES trilogy. Our heroes have battled the evil of the Foot Clan in Gotham City and Bane in New York, but now Krang has gotten his hands on the most dangerous technologies in the DC Universe-and no universe is safe from his wrath! Co-published with IDW.                          (Rebekah's Pick) Thumbs from IMAGE COMICS written by Sean Lewis with art by Hayden Sherman                      Imagine someone like, say, Mark Zuckerberg created his own army of tech-obsessed teens and directed them to take on the government. What would the fallout be? Charley "Thumbs" Fellows is a member of just such an army. Poor and raised by the influential MOM™ app, he finds himself in the center of a war.                      (Joe's Pick) The Ride: Burning Desire from IMAGE COMICS written by Doug Wagner with art by Daniel Hillyard and Adam Hughes                         THE RIDE celebrates its 15th anniversary with a five-part story from the award-winning team of PLASTIC, plus a special backup feature from ADAM HUGHES! After serving a hard 15 years in prison on a murder plea, former Atlanta P.D. detective Samantha Vega now makes her living as a bouncer at an exotic dance club. But life on the outside isn't easy, especially when enemies have scores to settle...                              (Brian's Pick) Gogor from IMAGE COMICS written and drawn by Ken Garing                             From KEN GARING, the writer/artist of the acclaimed series PLANETOID, comes an all-new ongoing series of wonderfully weird high fantasy! Deep underground, among the floating islands of Altara, the mystical Gogor sleeps. But trouble brews above ground as soldiers of the Domus impose their will across the land. Now, a young student named Armano must awaken Gogor and begin his quest to protect the culture of Altara. This debut issue kicks off with 28 pages of story!

Joe talks with Doug Wagner and Daniel Hillyard about their upcoming book, The Ride: Burning Desire.                       THE RIDE celebrates its 15th anniversary with a five-part story from the award-winning team of PLASTIC, plus a special backup feature from ADAM HUGHES! After serving a hard 15 years in prison on a murder plea, former Atlanta P.D. detective Samantha Vega now makes her living as a bouncer at an exotic dance club. But life on the outside isn’t easy, especially when enemies have scores to settle...                             Pick up your copy of The Ride: Burning Desire on Wednesday, the 12th of June at your local comic shop.                               Be sure to also pick up Doug and Daniel's last collaboration, Plastic. It's available in paperback trade so you're getting the full story in a single book. You will not be disappointed!                      Episode contains spoilers for Avengers: Endgame! 

(Joe's pick) Excellence from IMAGE COMICS written by Brandon Thomas with art by Khary Randolph                                   Spencer Dales was born into a world of magic. His father belongs to the Aegis, a secret society of black magicians ordered by their unseen masters to better the lives of others-those with greater potential-but never themselves.Now it's time for Spencer to follow in his father's footsteps, but all he sees is a broken system in need of someone with the wand and the will to change it. But in this fight for a better future, who will stand beside him?KHARY RANDOLPH (We Are Robin, Noble, Black, TECH JACKET) and BRANDON THOMAS (HORIZON, The Many Adventures of Miranda Mercury, Noble, Voltron) ignite a generational war in this action-fantasy series, made entirely by creators of color, and committed to one truth above all others-Excellence is Real.                (Brian's pick) Red Sonja and Vampirella Meet Betty and Veronice from DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT written by Amy Chu with art by Maria Sanapo                                  Mystery, murder, and mayhem descends on Riverdale as four of your favorite comic book women meet for the first time. A string of paranormal, unsolved murders leads the vampire hunter Vampirella and her sword-wielding barbarian partner Red Sonja to the small, sleepy town where things always seem to happen... There they discover Betty and Veronica, investigative reporters for the high school newspaper, also hot on the trail of the same killer.                        (Rebekah's pick) Last Stop On the Red Line from DARK HORSE COMICS written by Paul Maybury with art by Sam Lotfi                               Detective Migdalia Torres investigates a vicious strangling on a Boston subway car with no feasible leads. As potential evidence produces dead ends, Migdalia inadvertently takes in a vagrant named Yusef who may have a supernatural connection to the crime at hand.                          (Rod's Pick) Ascender from IMAGE COMICS written by Jeff Lemire with art by Dustin Nguyen                         "THE HAUNTED GALAXY," Part One - Set ten years after the conclusion of DESCENDER's storyline, magic has taken the place of machinery and the rules are very different indeed... Mila, the daughter of Andy and Effie from DESCENDER, spends her days exploring the lonely wilds of the planet Sampson and trying to stay out of the clutches of the evil disciples of the all-powerful vampire witch known only as Mother. But, like her parents, Mila doesn't like to play by the rules, and when a certain robot pal of her dad's shows up, nothing will ever be the same!With all the scope and heart of the sci-fi classic DESCENDER, LEMIRE and NGUYEN reunite to take readers on an unforgettable fantasy quest!

Rebekah's Book - Orphan Age from AFTERSHOCK COMICSWriter: Ted AndersonArtist: Nuno Plati One day all the adults died, all over the world, at the same time.Now it's twenty years later, and the children - all grown up - are still rebuilding the world. Horses and caravans are the only thin lines connecting tiny, scattered settlements - little sparks in the great dark night. Gasoline is gone, phones long-dead, television a memory. The only power in America is the New Church, the religion of the angry children, that blames the destruction of the old world on the dead adults.                    In the settlement of Dallastown, a stranger comes riding in one day, telling a story of escape from the New Church's unstoppable Firemen. The Church is on the march, and the world might burn again - and the only hope might be a scared teenage girl, a gunslinger keeping his secrets, and a woman of few words and long knives. Welcome to the Orphan Age.                       Joe's Book - Faithless from BOOM! STUDIOS                                           Writer: Brian Azzarello Artist: Maria Llovet Faith. Sex. The Devil. Faith likes to dabble with magic. Her friends think it's cute-and not just a little off-putting, but it's part of her charm and her warped search for purpose in a world that makes too much sense. But she's a true believer and knows there is a power within her reach. She's right, of course. It just took a while for that magic, that temptation, that unknowable thing to find her... In short--Faith is bored as hell. And Hell has noticed.                           Brian's Book - Fairlady from IMAGE COMICS                 Writer: Brian SchirmerArtist: Claudia BalboniEvery fantasy epic ends with a war. But what happens when the war is over?After posing as a man to join the army, Jenner Faulds returns home to The Feld for a new start as a "Fairman"-a specially licensed private investigator. But sexism didn't end on the battlefield, and as the only "Fairlady," Jenner gets stuck with the cases nobody else wants. Hitting the streets to solve The Feld's overlooked mysteries, Jenner finds that the smallest cases hide the biggest secrets.                                 Rod's Book - Setion Zero from IMAGE COMICS                       Writer: Karl KeselArtist: Tom Grummett"GROUND ZERO," Part One - A team of fearless adventurers uncovers the secrets behind UFOs, MONSTERS, and LOST CIVILIZATIONS! It's "JACK-KIRBY-does-The-X-Files" in this miniseries by one of comics' classic creative teams-KARL KESEL (Harley Quinn, Superboy) and TOM GRUMMETT (The Death of Superman, Superboy)-and some of the greatest alternative cover artists in the industry!

(Brian's Pick) War of the Realms from MARVEL COMICS written by Jason Aaron with art by Russell Dauterman                               The dark elf Malekith wages a war that has spread from one otherworldly realm to the next, setting them all ablaze, and now it's time for that war to finally explode into the last realm standing: ours. All the worst monsters from the Ten Realms come pouring in over the globe, and it will take the biggest heroes in the Marvel Universe to stop them from conquering Earth – and the whole realm! Jason Aaron has been building to this for the last six years in his Thor comic book and the ramifications will have a lasting effect on the Marvel Universe for years to come!                               (Rebekah's Pick) Little Bird from IMAGE COMICS written by Darcy Van Poelgeest with art by Ian Bertram                                    Director/screenwriter DARCY VAN POELGEEST boasts a long list of awards and accolades for his storytelling prowess and brings the same writing finesse to IAN BERTRAM's breathtakingly detailed artwork in the gorgeous, hyper-detailed miniseries LITTLE BIRD, following a young resistance fighter who battles against an oppressive American Empire and searches for her own identity in a world on fire.                                 (Rod's Pick) Dark Red from AFTERSHOCK COMICS written by Tim Seeley with art by Corin Powell                                   Charles "Chip" Ipswich isn't one of those coastal elites with a liberal arts degree and a job at a social media start-up who knows where all the best brunch places are... No, Chip is one of the "forgotten men." He lives in a rural area in the middle of the country where Jesus still has a place at the dinner table and where factories send jobs to Calcutta.                                    (Joe's Pick) Bad Luck Chuck from DARK HORSE COMICS written by Lela Gwenn with art by Matthew Dow Smith                             She'll need more than a rabbit's foot to get through this. Cursed at birth, Charlene "Chuck" Manchester hires out her own bad luck, providing disaster where someone else can profit. She can get you that insurance payout fortune-for a price. But bad luck doesn't always go as planned, and when Chuck gets stuck between a dissatisfied crime boss client, a cult leader, and a dogged insurance-fraud investigator, things get... explosive. Everything that could go wrong does-and only about half of it by accident.

MARVEL: NEXT BIG THING - 2019 is one of the biggest years for Marvel Comics EVER - and Marvel Editor in Chief C.B. Cebulski is here to tell you why! Join C.B. along with scribes Jason Aaron and Jonathan Hickman as they walk you through the biggest upcoming storylines in the Marvel Universe – and share a major announcement or two! Hold onto your hats, True Believers – This is THE must-attend panel for any fan of Marvel Comics. Do not miss it!

Iron Circus Panel at C2E2 2019, featuring founder C. Spike Trotman, creators Kel McDonald, Blue Delliquanti, Emily Riesbeck, Lisa Naffziger and moderator and assistant editor, Andrea Purcell, 

AfterShock Comics was created to push new boundaries by giving the comic world’s most creative writers and artists free reign to blow readers’ minds. There’s never been a better time than now to break away from conventional comics and dive into some of the edgiest, most thoughtful and most compelling content being published right now. Join Publisher/Chief Creative Officer Joe Pruett, EIC Mike Marts and a host of leading creators for a look at things to come!                                   Guests:                                  Joe Pruett, Steve Rotterdam, Tim Seeley, Christina Harrington, Stephanie Phillips

In this episode we're covering these comic books: Transformers #1, Assassin Nation #1, Morning In America #1 and Ronin Island #1                               (Brian's Pick) Tranformers #1 (2019) from IDW written by Brian Ruckley with art by Angel Hernandez & Cachet Whitman                             A NEW ERA DAWNS! In the infinite universe, there exists a planet like no other: Cybertron! Home to the Transformers, and a thriving hub for inter-stellar commerce, it is a world brimming with organic and constructed diversity. Immense structures line its landscape. Mechanical giants roam across its surface. Starship-sized titans orbit its skies, keeping a constant protective watch above and below.                                  Ancient Transformers merge into its very fabric. Small, mysterious creatures skulk in its shadows. It is a truly amazing realm, long untouched by war, and exuberantly reaching for the stars. This is the Cybertron that Optimus Prime and Megatron vie for in this bold new origin—a world of seemingly endless peace! All that changes when Bumblebee and Windblade take a newly-forged Cybertronian on his first voyage through this world of wonders—they are confronted by the hard reality of the first murder to have occurred on Cybertron in living memory!                          (Rod's Pick) Ronin Island #1 from BOOM! STUDIOS written by Greg Pak with art by Giannis Milonogiannis                                 After a mysterious attack wipes out the major cities of 19th century Japan, Korea, and China, survivors from all three lands find refuge on a hidden island and build a new society.Hana, the orphaned daughter of Korean peasants, and Kenichi, son of a great samurai leader, have little in common except for a mutual disdain for the other. But these young warriors will have to work together when an army invades the island with shocking news: there is a new Shogun and the Island is expected to pay fealty in exchange for protection from a new enemy...a mutated horde that threatens to wipe out all humanity.                               (Rebekah's Pick) Morning In America #1 from ONI PRESS written by Magdalene Visaggio with art by Claudia Aguirre                                  The year is 1983. A series of disappearances afflicts Tucker, Ohio following the opening of a mysterious new factory. But when the town finds itself under siege from strange monsters, it's up to intrepid girl gang of no-account teen delinquents to try and figure out what's happening-and save everyone's lives before it's too late.                      (Joe's Pick) Assassin Nation #1 from IMAGE COMICS written by Kyle Starks with art by Erica Henderson                         Two-time Eisner award winner ERICA HENDERSON teams up with KYLE STARKS for a hilarious twist on the hitman trope that will have readers laughing in the aisles over ASSASSIN NATION.The World's Former Greatest Hitman hires the 20 best assassins in the world to be his bodyguards. These mean-as-hell hired guns and murderers must work together to keep the new crime boss safe while attempting to solve the mystery of who's trying to off him.

(Brian's Pick) Hulkverines from MARVEL COMICS written by Greg Pak with art by Ario Anindito                                                      THE CLASH YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR! At last! It's Weapon H versus his predecessors-Wolverine and the Hulk! Once, the Weapon X program sought to recreate the world's two greatest hunters. They ended up with Weapon H, a man of Adamantium claws and gamma-juiced blood. Now, Wolverine and the Hulk are back in action - and coming after the dangerous creation made in their name!                                        (Rebekah's Pick) The Forgotten Queen from VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT written by Tini Howard with art by Amilcar Pinna                                Long ago, the mighty generals of the Mongol Empire rode from Siberia to Carpathia and conquered all who stood in their way. Legends tell of a witch who walked with them, who could infect the hearts of any warriors in her midst with an unquenchable thirst for battle and bloodshed... a War Monger. And now she is walking again.                       (Rod's Pick) Incursion from VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT written by Andy Diggle with art by Doug Braithwaite                            Beyond the margins of human reason lies a realm known as the Deadside, where the souls of the dearly departed linger - and where demons wait for us in the dark. For countless ages, Earth's chosen protectors have guarded the veil between both worlds - but there are other doors to the Deadside, through which gruesome terrors from galaxies untold can trespass... With the planet's freedom at stake, can the reigning Geomancer and her steadfast Eternal Warrior stand together against an invasion unlike any they've ever witnessed?                                            (Joe's Book) Sharkey the Bounty Hunter from IMAGE COMICS written by Mark Millar wih art by Simone Bianchi                                  Set in a brilliant new sci-fi universe, Sharkey is a blue-collar bounty hunter who tracks criminals across the galaxy in his converted, rocket-powered ice-cream truck. Aided and abetted by his ten-year-old partner, he's out for the biggest bounty of his career.

In this episode we review these new #1 comic books: Hit-Girl Season 2, Vindication, Red Sonja and Oberon                            Hit-Girl Season 2 #1 (Rebekah''s Pick) from IMAGE COMICS written by Kevin Smith with art by Pernille Orum                               "THE SILENT ERA," Part One - Join film, podcast, and comics legend KEVIN SMITH (Green Arrow, Daredevil) and animation/illustration virtuoso PERNILLE ØRUM (DC Superhero Girls, Blush, Coral) for the glitz and gore of this all-new chapter of HIT-GIRL! P> Our favorite adolescent assassin tears Tinsel Town a new one when she realizes her life's being dramatized for the silver screen. Hit-Girl storms sets, wages war on fat-cat movie bosses, and lures old enemies out of hiding in this Californian bloodbath.                         Vindication #1 (Rod's Pick) from IMAGE COMICS written by MD Marie with art by Carlos Miko                          In turbulent times, when cops are often portrayed as the enemy of the people, Detective Chip Christopher maneuvers the blurred blue line between racism and due diligence in order to do his job. And right now it's his job to investigate Turn, a young black man with a sketchy past-who was previously exonerated of a similar murder.                          Red Sonja #1 (Brian's Pick) from DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT written by Mark Russell with art by Mirko Colak                              No man knows the place of her birth, nor where she learned to wield a sword to shame many a male. They know only that she is called rhe She-Devil of The Hyrkanian Steppes. That, and RED SONJA. MARK RUSSELL (The Flintstones) and MIRKO COLAK (Conan) bring a savage tale of metal and blood. A world conqueror possesses a massive army and a fatal prophecy. A bastard sorceress craves revenge. And a fearsome red-haired warrior is made wartime ruler of a homeland set for decimation.                    Oberon #1 (Joe's Pick) from AFTERSHOCK COMICS written by Ryan Parrott with art by Milos Slavkovic                         Betrayed by his people and exiled to Earth, Lord Oberon, the former king of the fairies, seeks out an innocent prophesied child in order to manipulate her into becoming his ultimate weapon so that he can reclaim his rightful throne. 

Welcome to Issue #23 of Number One Comic Books.  This episode we are reviewing these comic books: Black Widow, Neon Future, Guardians of the Galaxy, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder In Hell                                    (Rod's Book) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder In Hell #1 from IDW written by Mateus Santolouco and art by Mateus Santolouco                   Abandon all hope...The Shredder returns in this brand-new mini-series! Oroku Saki's death is just the beginning, and his journey through the depths of the underworld proves to be anything but a divine comedy. How much of Shredder's soul will remain after he's faced the horrors of hell?                                      (Brian's Book) Neon Future #1 from IMPACT THEORY written by Jim Krueger with art by Neil Edwards                             The world is in the grips of an economic crisis. Due to mass unemployment, advanced technology has been outlawed. The world is now divided between those with implanted technology and those without. When the world's most famous anti-tech crusader dies and is resurrected using the illegal technology he has sworn to eliminate, he must decide who to fight with his terrifying new powers. From visionary Grammy-nominated producer and DJ, Steve Aoki, and Eisner award-winning writer Jim Krueger, with art by Neil Edwards and Jheremy Raapack.                                  (Joe's Book) Guardians of the Galaxy #1 from MARVEL COMICS written by Donny Cates with art by Geoff Shaw                              WHO WILL STAND? The universe is on fire. Hundreds of worlds are at war. Never has there been such hatred and division across the cosmos. And in spite of all this, Thanos of Titan is still dead...or is he? Now, more than ever, the cosmos need the Guardians of the Galaxy...but in the aftermath of the Infinity Wars, who is left to answer the call? Featuring every cosmic super hero in the known universe by the THANOS WINS creative team of Donny Cates and Geoff Shaw!                               (Rebekah's Book) Black Widow #1 from MARVEL COMICS written by Jen & Sylvia Soska with art by Flaviano Armentaro                            Natasha Romanoff was trained to kill. For years now she's tried to overcome that programming, to side with the angels...to be a hero. And where'd that get her? Killed. By one of the few true friends she allowed herself to have. Now she's back from the dead, angry as hell and finding those better angels harder and harder to hear. Jen and Sylvia Soska - the Twisted Twins of horror - join rising artist Flaviano to weave a web of vice, violence and vengeance that will net Natasha the biggest bad men she's ever faced...or put her back in the ground for good. 

In this episode we review 4 new #1's: The Man Without Fear, Wolverine: The Long Night, Captain Marvel and Conan The Barbarian                  (Rod's Pick) The Man Without Fear from MARVEL COMICS written by Jed McKay with art by Danilo Beyrouth                           Daredevil is gone, but Hell's Kitchen is still a place of heroes and villains. Foggy Nelson (issue #1), the Defenders (issue #2), the many loves of Matt Murdock (issue #3), the Kingpin (issue #4) and a mysterious Guardian Devil (issue #5) will all learn what it means to live in a world without a Daredevil. And without a Daredevil to protect it, has hell come for his city? Who is The Man Without Fear?!                        (Brian's Pick) Wolverine: The Long Night from MARVEL COMICS written by Benjamin Percy with art by Marcio Takara                            Following a string of mysterious deaths in Burns, Alaska, Special Agents Sally Pierce and Tad Marshall arrive to investigate. They soon find there's more going on than meets the eye... Marvel's hit scripted podcast, "Wolverine: The Long Night," comes to life on the page! Chilling twists and turns, brought to you by the original author of the podcast, Benjamin Percy, and the art talents of Marcio Takara!                  (Rebekah's Pick) Captain Marvel from MARVEL COMICS written by Kelly Thompson with art by Carmen Nunez Carnero                        As Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers has spent months in space protecting Earth from alien threats big and small, but now it's time for Earth's mightiest hero to come home. New York City has never looked so good. But every re-entry comes with the unexpected, and Carol is about to hit a whole lot of unexpected. It's a fresh start and an oversized, star-studded welcome home for a hero who's been punching the glass ceiling since the 1970s - and just in time for the first female-led film from Marvel Studios! The next 50 years of Captain Marvel starts here!                             (Joe's Pick) Conan the Barbarian from MARVEL COMICS written by Jason Aaron with art by Mahmud A. Asrar and Esad Ribic                          From an age undreamed...hither came Conan the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand, a thief, a reaver, a slayer, with gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth, to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandaled feet...Robert E. Howard's creation returns to comics, in an epic tale as only MARVEL could bring you! Conan's travels have brought him to the far reaches of the unkown, from his birthplace in Cimmeria to the kingdom of Aquilonia and all in between. As his fighting prowess allows him to carve his way through life, so too does it attract the forces of death!                        The all-new ages-spanning saga begins here, by writer Jason Aaron (THE MIGHTY THOR, STAR WARS) and artist Mahmud Asrar (UNCANNY X-MEN, ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT AVENGERS), as Conan's destiny is forever changed!        

This week we are talking 4 *NEW* #1 issues of comics books with Hardcore #1, Shazam #1, The Freeze #1 and Goddess Mode #1:                                                     (Rebekah's Pick) Goddess Mode #1 from DC & VERTIGO COMICS written by Zoë Quinn and art by Robbi Rodriguez                                         In a near future where humanity’s needs are provided for by a godlike A.I., it’s one young woman’s horrible job to do tech support on it. But Cassandra Price’s life changes forever when she discovers a hidden digital world beneath our own, one where a group of super-powered women are locked in a secret war for the cheat codes to reality.                                                   (Brian's Pick) Shazam #1 (2018) from DC COMICS written by Geoff Johns with art by Dale Eaglesham                                            Teenager turned super-hero Billy Batson struggles to balance school and superheroics! (Guess which one is more fun?) But when Shazam unlocks a shocking secret deep within the Rock of Eternity, it challenges everything he knows about the worlds of magic and his family’s future as its champions! Also, witness the bizarre team-up of Dr. Sivana and Mr. Mind as they set off to build a society all their own! Don’t miss the start of an epic run in the making as “Shazam and the Seven Realms” begins!                       Backup story art by Mayo “SEN” Naito.                                      (Rod's Pick) The Freeze from IMAGE COMICS written by Dan Wickline with art by Phillip Sevy *TOP COW*                         The entire human population is frozen by a mysterious global event… all except Ray, and only he has the power to unfreeze them. Now with the fate of the world in his hands, he must figure out what is going on, how to set things right again, and answer the question: does everyone deserve to be saved?                       (Joe's Pick) Hardcore from IMAGE COMICS written by Andy Diggle with art by Alessandro Vitti and Adriano Lucas *SKYBOUND*                              Imagine being able to take over the body of anyone on Earth. Sound crazy? Not for Agent Drake and the Hardcore Program. They can turn any person into a human drone to get to targets that normal soldiers can’t. Drake is the best soldier Hardcore has to offer. But when he gets stranded in a body with only 72 hours to discover who’s hijacked the Program, he’ll have to pull out all the stops against an enemy who could be literally anyone. From the creative minds of ROBERT KIRKMAN and MARC SILVESTRI, and presented by ANDY DIGGLE (THIEF OF THIEVES, Losers) and ALESSANDRO VITTI (Secret Warriors), comes a new Skybound Original that shows you how to save the world without getting your hands dirty.                        12/29/2018 

In this episode of Number One Comic Books we will review these books: Prodigy, Winter Soldier, American Carnage and Middlewest                     (Joe's Pick) American Carnage from DC COMICS written by Bryan Edward Hill with art by Leandro Fernandez                    A new, thrilling crime saga from the writer of WILDSTORM: MICHAEL CRAY and the artist of The Old Guard! Disgraced FBI agent Richard Wright is offered a chance for redemption when his old mentor sends him undercover to infiltrate a white supremacist group believed to be responsible for the death of a fellow agent.                       (Brian's Pick) Middlewest from IMAGE COMICS written by Skottie Young with art by Jorge Corona                      The lands between the coasts are vast, slow to change, and full of hidden magics. Mistakes have been made, and in this NEW ONGOING SERIES, an unwitting adventurer searches for answers to quell a coming storm that knows his name.From author SKOTTIE YOUNG (I HATE FAIRYLAND, Deadpool) and artist JORGE CORONA (NO. 1 WITH A BULLET, Feathers, Big Trouble in Little China: Old Man Jack) comes the tale of Abel, a young boy who must navigate an old land in order to reconcile his family's history.                             (Rod's Pick) Prodigy from IMAGE COMICS written by Mark Millar with art by Rafael Albuquerque                              Edison Crane's not content being the world's smartest man and most successful businessman-his brilliant mind needs to be constantly challenged. He's a Nobel Prize-winning scientist, genius composer, Olympic athlete, an expert in the occult, and now international governments are calling on him to fix problems they just can't handle.                                     (Rebekah's Pick) Winter Soldier from MARVEL COMICS written by Kyle Higgins with art by Rod Reis                        Bucky Barnes believes in second chances. Having escaped death, the loss of identity, and a life of murder, the man known as the Winter Soldier has worked hard to atone for his sins. But now...he's going to go one step further. What do you do when you've found redemption? You help others do the same.From KYLE HIGGINS (Nightwing, Power Rangers, C.O.W.L.) and ROD REIS (SECRET EMPIRE, DOCTOR STRANGE: DAMNATION, C.O.W.L.) comes the next chapter in the saga of the Winter Soldier. He's becoming a "fixer," working to help others leave behind lives of crime. It's Bucky's way of channeling his own pain in a productive, personal way...by helping others find the redemption that he found. However, as Bucky is going to learn, not all paths are the same...and not everyone can be "saved." Rated T+

This episode we're reviewing four new #1 comic books with Ironheart, Bitter Root, Marvel Knights and The Black Order.                         (Rebekah's pick) Ironheart #1 from MARVEL COMICS written by Eve Ewing with art by Kevin Libranda                       THE STAR OF INVINCIBLE IRON MAN HEADLINES HER OWN SOLO SERIES! When a group of world leaders is taken hostage by one of Spider-Man's old foes, Riri Williams will have to step up her game. And she'll be stunned when someone from back in Sweet Home Chicago enters her life... CHAMPIONS artist Kevin Libranda joins award-winning poet Eve Ewing, as Ironheart steps boldly out of Tony Stark's shadow to forge her own future! Rated T                       (Rod's Pick) Marvel Knights #1 from MARVEL COMICS written by Donny Cates with art by Travel Foreman                     In celebration of the legendary imprint founded by Marvel's CCO Joe Quesada, a new crop of talent stands poised to tell a groundbreaking story across the Marvel Universe!In the cemetery, the blind man does not know who he is, or why he has come to this particular grave at this moment. He doesn't know the burly police officer with the wild story who has approached him. Or the strangely intense man who sits in the rear seat of the patrol car, his eyes flashing green. But all of that is about to change. Because Matt Murdock is beginning to remember...In a colorless world without heroes, the spark of light...must come from the dark... Rated T                              (Joe's Pick) Black Order #1 from MARVEL COMICS written by Derek Landy with art by Philip Tan                      FROM THE INFINITY WAR INTO THEIR OWN LIMITED SERIES! They are the five dreadlords, the Cull Obsidian, Thanos' most feared warriors and disciples... Ruthless villains to a one, the Black Order has been dispatched by the Grandmaster to destabilize a burgeoning empire, and along the way they come to realize that as big and as bad as they are, there is always someone bigger and badder... The bombastic writing style of novelist Derek Landy (Skulduggery Pleasant) and the electrifying artwork of Philip Tan combine for an absolutely unhinged super-villain adventure! Rated T+                               (Brian's Pick) Bitter Root #1 from IMAGE COMICS written by Chuck Brown & David F Walker with art by Sanford Greene                       In the 1920s, the Harlem Renaissance is in full swing, and only the Sangerye Family can save New York-and the world-from the supernatural forces threatening to destroy humanity. But the once-great family of monster hunters has been torn apart by tragedies and conflicting moral codes. The Sangerye Family must heal the wounds of the past and move beyond their differences... or sit back and watch a force of unimaginable evil ravage the human race.DAVID F. WALKER and SANFORD GREENE, the creative team of Power Man and Iron Fist, along with indie veteran CHUCK BROWN (Trench Coats, Cigarettes and Shotguns) bring you 24 action-packed pages of monsters, mayhem, and family dysfunction in a brand-new ongoing series. 

This week Brian is out sick but Joe, Rebekah and Rod take control and review The Green Lantern, Outer Darkness, Empty Man and Dead Kings.                        (Brian's Pick) The Green Lantern #1 from DC COMICS written by Grant Morrison with art by Liam Sharp                                        Superstar writer Grant Morrison (Batman, All-Star Superman) returns to DC alongside red-hot artist Liam Sharp (The Brave AND the Bold, Wonder Woman) to launch a new, ongoing series: THE GREEN LANTERN!In this debut issue, when Earth's space cop, Hal Jordan, encounters an alien hiding in plain sight, it sets off a chain of events that rocks the Green Lantern Corps-and quite possibly the Multiverse at large-to its very core. There's an inter-galactic conspiracy afoot, as well as a traitor in the GL Corps' ranks, so strap in for more mind-bending adventures in this masterpiece in the making.                                         (Joe's Pick) Outer Darkness #1 from IMAGE COMICS written by John Laymen with art by Afu Chan                           Sci-fi and horror collide in this new series from the co-creator of CHEW!Mankind has colonized the galaxy, but during our interstellar travels, we discovered a terrifying secret out in the Outer Darkness of space. Join Captain Joshua Rigg and the crew of the starship Charon as they encounter demonic possessions, hauntings, cosmic horror, and more! All-star writer JOHN LAYMAN (CHEW) and artist AFU CHAN (Immortal Iron Fists) are ready to let you know that outer space is terrifying.                           (Rod's Pick) Dead Kings #1 from AFTERSHOCK COMICS written by Steve Orlando with art by Matthew Dow Smith                               Sasha never saw his younger brother...until the secret police made him disappear. Sasha Vasnetsov left Thrice-Nine-the dirty folklore world that limps along in the wreckage of a Technomagic War-thirty years ago and never looked back. But word that the secret police have sent his brother Gena to a work camp for the socially degenerate drags him back, with a promise to free Gena and return him to their mother before her fiftieth birthday. The only problem? Sasha isn't a fraction of the tough guy he tries to be, so if he's going to break back into Thrice-Nine...he'll need help. Sasha's only hope is Maria Kamenaya, a former Technomagic Warrior with hundreds of enemy kills to her name, betrayed by the country that made her when her honor conflicted with their agenda.Thrice-Nine took Sasha's brother, and it took Maria's heart. This quest is how they get both of those things back, in the steaming, lawless land of decapitated states...the land of DEAD KINGS.                                          (Rebekah's Pick) Empty Man #1 from BOOM! STUDIOS written by Cullen Bunn with art by Vanesa Del Rey                                      WHY WE LOVE IT: There's nothing scarier than horror that hits home-a tale of terror only one or two steps removed from our reality. THE EMPTY MAN is a dystopic version of the world we know, where a terrifying disease has taken on almost deific connotations. WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT: Cullen Bunn (THE SIXTH GUN, VENOM) and Vanesa R. Del Rey (HIT) are two of the most exciting talents in the industry, and perfectly in sync on this haunting new crime procedural. WHAT IT'S ABOUT: It's been one year since the first reported case of the Empty Man disease, and no drug has been able to slow its progress. The cause is unknown, and the symptoms include fits of rage, hideous hallucinations, suicidal dementia, followed by death, or a near lifeless, 'empty' state of catatonia. As murder cults rise nationwide, the FBI and CDC enter a joint investigation of the Empty Man, hoping to piece together clues to stop the cult and uncover a cure.

In this episode we review these comic books: These Savage Shores, Shuri, Exorsisters and Infinite Dark(Brian's Pick) Exorsisters from IMAGE COMICS written by Ian Boothby with art by GISÈLE LAGACÉ                              Did you sign a deal with the Devil? Has your fiancé been dragged to Hell? Then Kate and Cate Harrow should be the first ones you call for timely soul retrieval at a reasonable rate! But why are these identical twins so different? Is there a darker secret?                                                   (Rod's Pick) Shuri from MARVEL COMICS written by Nnedi Okorafor with art by Leonardo Romero                          The world fell in love with her in the movie. Now, the Black Panther's techno-genius sister launches her own adventures — written by best-selling Afrofuturist author Nnedi Okorafor and drawn by Eisner-nominated artist Leonardo Romero! The Black Panther has disappeared, lost on a mission in space. And in his absence, everyone's looking at the next in line for the throne. But Shuri is happiest in a lab, surrounded by gadgets of her own creation. She'd rather be testing gauntlets than throwing them. But a nation without a leader is a vulnerable one — and Shuri may have to choose between Wakanda's welfare and her own.                      (Joe's Pick) Infinite Dark from IMAGE COMICS written by Ryan Cady with art by Andrea Mutti                            The universe ended, but onboard the void station Orpheus, a skeleton crew of humanity survived: the last two thousand souls, waiting for a second big bang that may never come. Now, two years into their voyage, Security Director Deva Karrell investigates the station’s first murder—and the otherworldly motives behind it.                                    (Rebekah's Pick) These Savage Shores from VAULT COMICS writtey by Ram V. with art by Sumit Kumar                                         Two centuries after the first European ship sailed to the Malabar Coast and made landfall at Calicut, the East India Company seeks to secure its future along the lucrative Silk Route, in the year 1766. An old evil now sails aboard a company ship, hoping to make a home in this new found land. But he will soon find that the ground along the Indus is an ancient one with daemons and legends far older than himself. Along These Savage Shores, where the days are scorched and the nights are full of teeth.

In this episode we are reviewing the comic books: Jook Joint, Dead Rabbit, Stranger Things and Blackbird                   (Brian's Pick) Jook Joint from IMAGE COMICS written by Tee Franklin with art by Alitha Martinez                       TEE FRANKLIN (BINGO LOVE) and ALITHA E. MARTINEZ (Black Panther: World of Wakanda) team up for a timely horror series from the Deep South! Mahalia runs the hottest spot in all of 1950s New Orleans. The Jook Joint keeps the jazz popping, people bopping… and the women? The women are to die for. There’s only one rule: “Keep your hands to yourself.” But some men think rules don’t apply to them, and Mahalia and her coven of slain women enjoy reminding them that they most certainly do.                                         (Joe's Pick) Blackbird from IMAGE COMICS written by Sam Humphries with art by Jen Bartel                         An all-new ongoing series from fan-favorite writer SAM HUMPHRIES (Harley Quinn, Nightwing) and red-hot artist JEN BARTEL! In this neo-noir fantasy, Nina Rodriguez is positive that a secret magic world ruled by ruthless cabals is hiding just beneath the veneer of Los Angeles. The problem: everyone thinks she’s crazy. The bigger problem: she’s not crazy—she’s right. Can she unravel the mystery before the Great Beast catches up with her?                         (Rod's Pick) Stranger Things from DARK HORSE COMICS written by Jody Houser with art by Stefano Martino                          The nostalgia-igniting hit Netflix original series comes to comic shelves. Follow Will Byers into a dimension of decay and destruction where he must use his wits and resolve to dodge the pursuit of the Demogorgon and escape the Upside Down.                 (Rebekah's Pick) Dead Rabbit from IMAGE COMIS written by Gerry Duggan with art by John McCrea                           Back in the ‘90s, DEAD RABBIT was a prolific Boston stick-up man and hoodlum, until he took down one last big score and disappeared. Nobody ever discovered the truth: he retired to be with the love of his life. Now he’s back in the mask to save her, but no one—not his wife, the mafia, or the cops—is happy that he’s out of retirement. From JOHN McCREA, the artist and co-creator of MYTHIC and Hitman, and GERRY DUGGAN, the writer of ANALOG and Deadpool, comes the action-comedy-drama tale of Martin Dobbs, a.k.a. DEAD RABBIT, the man who says he’s descended from one of the original gangs of New York City. Get on board with the oversized first issue of an all-new ONGOING SERIES for mature readers.  

(Brian's pick) Return of Wolverine from MARVEL COMICS written by Charles Soule are by Steve Mcniven                               He's back, bub.(Rebekah's pick) Mystery Science Theater 3000 The Comic from Dark Horse Comics written by Joel Hodgson art by Steve Vance             Mystery Science Theater 3000, The Comic finds Jonah Heston, Crow T. Robot, Tom Servo, and Gypsy thrust into the 2-D world of public domain comics, with riffing as their only defense! But trust us, these comics have it coming.                          (Rod's Pick) Cemetery Beach from IMAGE COMICS written by Warren Ellis art by Jason Howard                               From the creators of the acclaimed TREES graphic novels, which are currently being adapted for television, comes something completely different. A professional pathfinder, his only ally a disaffected young murderess, breaks out of a torture cell in pursuit of his worst extraction scenario ever: escaping on foot across a sprawling and secret off-world colony established a hundred years ago and filled with generations of lunatics. WARREN ELLIS & JASON HOWARD ignite a high-speed new action serial.                                    (Joe's pick) Burnouts from IMAGE COMICS written by Dennis Culver art by Geoffo                              Writer DENNIS CULVER (E Is for Extinction) and artist GEOFFO (layout artist of Marvel Rising) team up for a new ongoing series that combines the paranoia of They Live with Stranger Things. To save their friends and families, a group of high school teenagers must fight off an attack on their town by a secret alien invasion… but they can only see the aliens if they’re completely wasted. The Burnouts are saving the world one puff at a time!

This weeks comic books: Bully Wars, Web of Venom: Ve'Nam, Scarlet, United States VS. Murder Inc.                              (Brian's Pick) Bully Wars from IMAGE COMICS written by Skottie Young art by Aaron Conley                                 I HATE FAIRYLAND and Deadpool writer SKOTTIE YOUNG and artist AARON CONLEY (Sabertooth Swordsman, Rocket Raccoon & Groot) team up for a hilarious all-new, all-ages ONGOING SERIES! Rufus, the biggest bully in Rottenville since kindergarten, suddenly goes from bully to bullied on the first day of high school. He’s forced to make a shaky pact with his favorite geeks: Spencer and his twin sibling besties, Edith and Ernie. Together they’ll have to find a way to survive the Hunger Games-like contest known simply as the BULLY WARS—where the winner will rule the school!                            (Rod's Pick) Web of Venom - Ve'Nam from MARVEL COMICS written by Donny Cates art by Juanan Ramirez                                  SPINNING OUT OF THE PAGES OF VENOM! As the United States of America struggled through the Vietnam War, Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. needed a secret weapon – and when an ancient creature was discovered at an archaeological dig site, he was sure he’d found it. In reality, the discovery was an ancestor of the Klyntar symbiotes…and would become a waking nightmare for a platoon of American soldiers!                     (Rebekah's Pick) Scarlet from JINXWORLD (DC COMICS) written by Brian Michael Bendis art by Alex Maleev                   From the creative team that brought you Daredevil and Infamous Iron Man comes the latest explosive chapter in their creator-owned epic, which IGN called one of the best comics on the stands. SCARLET tells the story of a woman whose life has been ripped apart by police corruption. When she pushes back, she starts a chain reaction of events that will bring about the next American Revolution.In this brand-new, new reader-friendly chapter, fully painted by Eisner Award-winning artist Alex Maleev, SCARLET tells the story of what happens when one young woman is pushed too far-and what one country will do to stop her.                                  (Joe's Pick) United States VS Murder Inc. from JINXWORLD (DC COMICS) written by Brian Michael Bendis art by Michael Avon Oeming                         From the Eisner Award-winning creators of POWERS comes a crime-infused blastof alternate history. Years ago, the five families of organized crime had such a stranglehold over the American public that the U.S. government found itself forced to give up part of the country or lose all of it. Now the unrest between America and the families has come to a boil. A war is about to come—a war no one is ready for. Newly made man Valentine Gallo and mob hitwoman Jagger Rose find themselves torn over which side of the war they want to be on. United States of murder, Inc. #1 was voted the single best issue of the year by IGN.     

(Brian's Pick) Cold Spots from IMAGE COMICS written by Cullen Bunn art by Mark Torres                 Psychological terror, the undead, and a supernaturally bitter cold come together in this spine-tingling new series from CULLEN BUNN (REGRESSION, Harrow County) and MARK TORRES (Zombies vs. Robots: Undercity). 10 years ago, Dan Kerr turned his back on his wife and unborn daughter. Now, both mother and child have gone missing, and Dan must face cosmic terrors to find them again. He soon finds that ghosts stir when his estranged daughter is near. And as the dead grow restless, the cold deepens...                            (Joe's Pick) Pearl from DC COMICS written by Brian Michael Bendis art by Michael Gaydos              From the Peabody Award-winning creators of Jessica Jones comes a brand-new creation. PEARL is the story of an exceptional tattoo artist and accidental assassin for one of the modern-day San Francisco Yakuza.She was born into one life, but another is calling to her. When Pearl accidentally meets one of her peers, her doppelgänger from another clan, she starts to dream of a better life. But Pearl has a very special ability that keeps pulling her back into the violent world she is desperate to escape.PEARL is a major series launch from writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Michael Gaydos that features their first brand-new original character since Jessica Jones. Fans of the Jessica Jones comic and TV show will be thrilled and delighted by this bold new direction the creative team has taken.                  (Rod's Pick) Extermination from MARVEL COMICS written by Ed Brisson art by Pepe Larraz                       EXTERMINATE THE PAST. ELIMINATE THE FUTURE. Cyclops. Iceman. Angel. Beast. Marvel Girl. The original team of teen mutants brought together by Professor Charles Xavier many years ago have been shunted through time to find a world they barely recognize but were determined to help. Now, finding themselves targeted for death, the future of mutantkind lies squarely in the hands of its past. Writer Ed Brisson (OLD MAN LOGAN, CABLE) and artist Pepe Larraz (UNCANNY AVENGERS, AVENGERS: NO SURRENDER) answer the biggest question of all: can the fate of the X-Men be changed?                         (Rebekah's Pick) Crowded from IMAGE COMICS written by Christopher Sebela with art by Ro Stein & Ted Brandt colors by Triona Farrell                Ten minutes in the future, the world runs on an economy of job shares and apps, including Reapr: a crowdfunding platform to fund assassinations. Charlie Ellison leads a quiet, normal life until she’s suddenly targeted by a million-dollar Reapr campaign. Hunted by all of Los Angeles, Charlie hires Vita, the lowest-rated bodyguard on the Dfend app. As the campaign picks up speed, they’ll have to figure out who wants Charlie dead before the campaign’s 30 days—or their lives—are over. From Eisner-nominated writer CHRISTOPHER SEBELA (Heartthrob, We(l)come Back, Harley Quinn), RO STEIN & TED BRANDT (Captain Marvel, Raven: The Pirate Princess), TRIONA FARRELL (Runaways, Mech Cadet Yu), and CARDINAL RAE (BINGO LOVE, ROSE). COMPARISON TITLES If the near-future implications of social media and technology in Semahn and Corona’s NO. 1 WITH A BULLET had you on the edge of your seat, you’ll love CROWDED.

(Brian's Pick) Fantastic Four from MARVEL COMICS written by Dan Slott art by Simone Bianchi                         BECAUSE YOU DEMANDED IT – THE WORLD’S GREATEST COMIC MAGAZINE IS BACK! Since the end of SECRET WARS, there’s been a gap in the Marvel Universe. A void no other team can fill. And it’s time for the world to move on. But can it? A life-changing decision by the Thing! A momentous declaration by the Human Torch! A clarion call-to-arms that summons Doctor Doom! And a signal in the sky that heralds the return of hope to the Marvel Universe! All this, and Alicia Masters adopts kittens! So cute! Plus, the Impossible Man! AND BONUS STORIES ILLUSTRATED BY SIMONE BIANCHI AND SKOTTIE YOUNG! IF YOU READ ONLY ONE MARVEL COMIC THIS MONTH, THIS IS THE ONE!                      (Rod's Pick) Leviathan from IMAGE COMICS writtey by John Layman art by Nick Pitarra                         GEM OF THE MONTH SERIES PREMIERE Poor Ryan DeLuca didn’t buy enough beer for his party, and while he was out on a beer run his idiot buddies busted out some mystical arcana and performed a summoning ceremony—a ceremony that summoned a giant monster from hell! Join multiple Eisner-winning writer JOHN LAYMAN (CHEW) and Eisner-nominated artist NICK PITARRA (THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS), along with soon-to-be-nominated-for-best-colorist MICHAEL GARLAND (THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS) for an eye-popping, face-melting, reality-defying, nonstop rush of pure adrenaline. COMPARISON TITLES If you like fullscreen monster movies like Godzilla and you watch Game of Thrones just for those glorious dragons, you’ll love LEVIATHAN!                             (Rebekah's Pick) Hot Lunch Special from AFTERSHOCK COMICS written by Eliot Rahal art by Jorge Fornes                        From Eliot Rahal, the writer of Cult Classic, The Paybacks and Quantum & Woody comes HOT LUNCH SPECIAL, with art by Jorge Fornes (Amazing X-Men, Wolverine, Magnus)! A midwestern noir series set in the harsh landscape of the northern Minnesota Iron Range—Hot Lunch Special is all about family, food and the fight for survival.The Khourys are a classic immigrant success story: A fractious and quarrelsome Lebanese family who carved their slice of the American Dream by becoming the largest distributors of vending machine sandwiches in the upper northern Midwest.Unfortunately, the Khourys gains have been ill-gotten and a branch of the Chicago Irish Mob has come back to collect a past debt. Fealty is demanded, shots are fired, and long-hidden family secrets are fully revealed. Now, Dorothy Khoury, the daughter of the family patriarch is forced to unite her splintered bloodline and fight back.Only one question is worth asking...is blood thicker than sandwiches?                         (Joe's Pick) Justice League Dark from DC COMICS written by James T Tynion IV art by Raul Fernandez                          From the pages of JUSTICE LEAGUE: NO JUSTICE! Earth’s magic once belonged to them. Now they want the magic back. But who exactly are they? It’s up to the new Justice League Dark to find out and stop this nightmarish new threat at all costs! After the events of NO JUSTICE, team leader Wonder Woman guides the misfit magic mix of Zatanna, Swamp Thing, Man-Bat and Detective Chimp against enemies too fantastic even for the Justice League. Plus, what awful things are coming through the Tree of Wonder? Dark days ahead... 

Welcome to Issue 11 of Number One Comics Books.  This week we are talking about the books Clankillers, Outpost Zero, Injustice Vs He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and Aphrodite V.                         Clankillers (Rod's Pick) from AFTERSHOCK COMICS written by Sean Lewis with art by Antonio Fuso                    Finola has a problem-her father is losing his mind. All the old king cares about is power...and Finola thinks power is stupid. Finola thinks her vicious older sisters are stupid. Finola thinks the royal court is stupid, and above all she thinks the clans across the country are stupid. So she makes a plan with her good friend Cillian: Let's kill all the clans. And then, we go for dad.                                    Outpost Zero (Brian's Pick) from IMAGE COMICS written by Sean McKeever and art by Alexandre Tefenkgi                            Welcome to Outpost Zero, the smallest town in the universe. The people there work the land, go to the fights every Friday night, and tuck their children into bed-but the Outpost is no place for dreams or aspirations. To survive is ambitious enough. As Alea and her friends graduate to adulthood on a frozen world never meant to support human life, something stirs. Something sees...                               Injustice VS He-Man and the Masters of the Universe from DC COMICS written by Tim Seeley and art by Freddie E. Williams II                    Believing He-Man and the Masters of the Universe defeated, a robotic impostor has seized control of Eternia-but not for long! After freeing his kingdom from this strongman's rule, Prince Adam learns not everyone is pleased to see the pretender deposed-but Adam knows the value of freedom. So when heroes from another dimension ask his aid in deposing a super-hero turned dictator, he agrees. Teaming up with Batman against the Superman of the Injustice Universe, He-man and his new allies face dangerous and familiar enemies in a battle where no world is safe!                           Aphrodite V (Joe's Pick) from IMAGE COMICS written by Bryan Hill with art by Jeff Spokes                        In the near future, Los Angeles is a city on the brink of evolution, struggling with a new wave of terror fueled by black-market technology. Enter Aphrodite V: a fugitive from her masters, seeking individuality and purpose. She is the bleeding edge of biomechanics, and L.A.'s best hope against a new enemy-one that seeks to become a god among machines.                              One machine wants to destroy the city. Another has come to save it. Only one will survive.                

(Brian's Pick) Unnatural from IMAGE COMICS story and art by Mirka Andolfo                             Leslie is a simple pig girl. She loves sushi, she's stuck with a job she hates, and she lives under a brutal totalitarian government-one that punishes transgressors for anything deemed 'unnatural.' Leslie dreams of something different for herself. But those dreams are becoming dangerous... This Italian hit series by MIRKA ANDOLFO (Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn, DC Comics Bombshells) will transport you into a colorful but terrible world-full of anthropomorphic creatures, but light on personal freedoms-by way of a breathtaking plot that travels between thriller and fantasy, with a hint of sensuality.                                  (Rebekah's Pick) Farmhand from IMAGE COMICS art and story by Rob Guillory                                     Jedidiah Jenkins is a farmer—but his cash crop isn’t corn or soy. Jed grows fast-healing, plug-and-play human organs. Lose a finger? Need a new liver? He’s got you covered. Unfortunately, strange produce isn’t the only thing Jed’s got buried. Deep in the soil of the Jenkins Family Farm, something dark has taken root, and it’s beginning to bloom. From ROB GUILLORY, Eisner-winning co-creator and artist of Image Comics’ CHEW, comes a new dark comedy about science gone sinister and agriculture gone apocalyptic. Nature is a Mother.                                      (Rod's Pick) Relay from AFTERSHOCK COMICS Written by Zac Thompson (The Dregs) and art by Andy Clarke (REPLICA, Batman). Story by Zac Thomson and Donny Cates (BABYTEETH, God Country, Redneck)!                           A perfect future of intergalactic travel and community. Every newly discovered planet is unified culturally through a monolithic structure known as the Galactic Relay. Although the towering monument is meant to inspire conformity of ideas, technology, and progress – many resent the foreign structure. Jad Carter, a Relay employee, must keep the peace and act as an emissary to new civilizations. But when he finds the Relay’s mythological creator, Hank Donaldson, his idea of reality and the universe shatters. Equal parts The Fifth Element and Philip K Dick, Relay is an exploration of monoculture, identity, and the deceptive nature of legend set in a thriving future where humanity forcibly assimilates new worlds.                                (Joe's Pick) Superman from DC COMICS written by Brian Michael Bendis with art by Joe Prado and Ivan Reis                                      A bold new chapter for the greatest superhero of all time begins here as the superstar team of writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Ivan Reis begin their run on the all-new SUPERMAN! The fallout from the Man of Steel miniseries has Clark Kent looking at the world through new eyes...with new ideas about what Superman could and should do for the city of Metropolis and the planet Earth. His first job? Getting the planet back out of the Phantom Zone!

(Brian's Pick) Catwoman from DC COMICS written by Joelle Jones with art by Joelle Jones and colors by Laura Allred                                   The wedding night’s barely over, but Catwoman’s back on the streets, this time to expose a copycat who’s pulling heists around Gotham City. As Selina cracks the whip on her former criminal cohorts, she’s attracting unwanted attention from one of Gotham’s most dangerous groups. The mob? Nope. Try the GCPD. And as if the Bat-Bride didn’t have enough problems, don’t miss the debut of an all-new villain determined to make trouble for all nine of Selina’s lives.                                  (Rebekah's Pick) Plastic Man from DC COMICS written by Gail Simone with art by Adriana Melo                                       Meet Eel O’Brian: a petty thug, thief and con artist who runs a strip club. Hey, he’s also dead, at least according to the gang that tossed him out like last week’s garbage. Literally. Don’t worry, though—he bounced back from all that, and now he’s trying to make a new life for himself, but the effort is stretching him pretty thin. How can he get revenge on his old boss, keep a street kid out of trouble, make a dancer fall in love with him and stop a mysterious society from taking over the world? Eel has no idea!                                             (Rod's Pick) The New Lieutenants of Metal from IMAGE COMICS written by Joe Casey with art by Ulises Farinas                                      Meet the New Lieutenants of Metal, a precision strike force ready to face any threat, and the most kick-ass, head-banging heroes ever assembled! Their names are legend: The Mighty Krieg, Vandenborg Riot, Manowarrior, Steppenwulf. Beset on all sides by a roster of vicious foes, the New Lieutenants of Metal are guaranteed to deliver you unto greater comic book glory.                                        (Joe's Pick) Cosmic Ghost Rider from MARVEL COMICS written by Donny Cates with art by Dylan Burnett                                        EXPLODING FROM THE PAGES OF THANOS! Frank Castle was the Punisher. A deal with the devil made him Ghost Rider. A deal with Galactus made him cosmic. A deal with Thanos made him…DEAD?!? Not to worry, he’s coming back, and he’s got a plan to make the universe a better place that’s going to lead him into an even CRAZIER adventure than he’s ever been in! Join hot new comic (and cosmic?) writer Donny Cates (THANOS, DOCTOR STRANGE) as he pushes his wildest creation past the breaking point!from NUMBER ONE COMICS BOOKS PODCAST

This week we are reviewing The Weatherman, The Magic Order, The Last Siege and Stellar.                                           (Rod's Pick) Stellar from IMAGE COMICS written by Joseph Keatinge with art by Bret Blevins                                          Stellar was taken as a child and transformed into the ultimate weapon, one that would end an intergalactic war. She succeeded…at everything except finding peace. Reduced to a bounty hunter, she scours the worlds she’s broken, searching for redemption. But there are other weapons loose in the galaxy, who just can’t leave the war behind them. JOSEPH KEATINGE (GLORY, SHUTTER) and legendary artist BRET BLEVINS (New Mutants, Sleepwalker) will transport you to another dimension, filled with crashed spaceships, fast-talking aliens, and ageless wonders.                                                  (Joe's Pick) The Last Siege from IMAGE COMICS written by Landry Q. Walker with art by Justin Greenwood                                  A tale of blood, desperation, and loss. New York Times bestselling author LANDRY Q. WALKER joins artist JUSTIN GREENWOOD for an all-new ONGOING SERIES—THE LAST SIEGE! Spaghetti Western storytelling meets Game of Thrones atmosphere in this gritty medieval war story, as a mysterious stranger arrives at a castle overrun with brutal soldiers bent on usurping the throne of the rightful heir—an 11-year-old girl. An action-packed, genre-twisting epic, THE LAST SIEGE begins!                 (Brian's Pick) The Magic Order from IMAGE COMICS written by Mark Millar with art by Olivier Coipel                                     We live in a world where we’ve never seen a monster, and The Magic Order is the reason we sleep safely in our beds. Magic meets the mob in THE MAGIC ORDER, as five families of magicians—sworn to protect our world for generations—must battle an enemy who’s picking them off one by one. By day, they live among us as our neighbors, friends, and co-workers, but by night, they are the sorcerers, magicians, and wizards that protect us from the forces of darkness…unless the darkness gets them first. MARK MILLAR's first NETFLIX comic book, drawn by the incredible OLIVIER COIPEL (Amazing Spider-Man, Thor).                                                       (Rebekah's Pick) The Weatherman from IMAGE COMICS written by Jody Leheup with art by Nathan Fox                                                 Nathan Bright had it all: an awesome girlfriend, a kickass dog, and a job as the number one weatherman on terraformed Mars. But when he’s accused of carrying out the worst terrorist attack in human history—an event that wiped out nearly the entire population of Earth—Nathan becomes the most wanted man alive and a target of a manhunt that spans the galaxy. But is Nathan truly responsible for such a horrific crime? And why can’t he remember? Writer JODY LEHEUP (SHIRTLESS BEAR-FIGHTER!), artist NATHAN FOX (DMZ, HAUNT, Dark Reign: Zodiac), and colorist DAVE STEWART (Hellboy, RUMBLE) present a full-throttle, widescreen science fiction epic about the damage we do in the name of justice and what it truly means to be redeemed…You don’t want to miss THE WEATHERMAN! 

We're back and we're down a host but that doesn't mean we don't have plenty to discuss this week!!!                                                                             (Rod's Pick) Black Panther #1 from MARVEL COMICS written by Ta-Nehisi Coates art by Daniel Acuna                                               A bold new direction for the Black Panther! For years, T'Challa has fought off invaders from his homeland, protecting Wakanda from everything from meddling governments to long-lost gods. Now, he will discover that Wakanda is much bigger than he ever dreamed…Across the vast Multiverse lies an empire founded in T'Challa's name. Readers caught a glimpse of it in MARVEL LEGACY #1. Now find out the truth behind the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda! Ta-Nehisi Coates welcomes aboard fan-favorite artist Daniel Acuña for a Black Panther story unlike any other! -                                                                                             (Rebekah's Pick) Executive Assistant Iris #1 from ASPEN COMICS written by Blake Northcott art by Luis Guerrero and Donny Tran                                                  Aspen Comics’ hit action-adventure assassin series marks its 10-Year Anniversary with a brand new pulse-pounding volume! When a routine security job takes a turn for the worse, Executive Assistant Iris realizes she might be at the crossroads of her career! The world’s deadliest assassin is faced with a choice: remain a freelance Executive Assistant, or join Magni Global—a mysterious corporation that has acquired nearly every private security firm on the planet. But, what fateful decisions may come from joining a giant conglomerate whose interests may spell doom for her?! Brought to you by acclaimed author Blake Northcott (Michael Turner’s Fathom) with art by newcomer Donny Tran and colorist Luis Guerrero, this newest pulse-pounding 10 year anniversary chapter of Executive Assistant: Iris is sure to be the greatest volume yet!                                                                                              (Brian's Pick) Man of Steel #1 from DC COMICS written by Brian Michael Bendis art by Joe Prado and Ivan Reis                                                                                  A new era begins for Superman as a threat from his earliest origins reemerges to destroy the Last Son of Krypton. As Superman struggles to come to grips with what has happened to his wife and son, he must also face a new threat that’s determined to burn down Metropolis!  Ta-Nehisi Coates 

This week the Number One Comic Books crew reviews Venom, Justice League No Justice, Flavor and Coda.                                                 (Brian's Pick) Coda from BOOM! STUDIOS written by Simon Spurrer with art by Matías Bergara.                                                                        In the aftermath of an apocalypse which wiped out nearly all magic from a once-wondrous fantasy world, an antisocial former bard named Hum seeks a way to save the soul of his wife with nothing but a foul-tempered mutant unicorn and his wits to protect him…but is unwillingly drawn into a brutal power struggle which will decide forever who rules the weird wasteland.                                                                          (Rod's Pick) Flavor from IMAGE COMICS written by Joseph Keatinge with art by Wook Jin Clark.                             Within a strange walled city, an unlicensed chef discovers a mystery that threatens to end it all. Join JOSEPH KEATINGE (GLORY, SHUTTER) and WOOK JIN CLARK (Adventure Time: The Flip Side) on this culinary epic adventure—FLAVOR—where chefs are the ultimate celebrity and food is the most valued commodity. The high-stakes competition of Hunger Games collides with the lush, MIYAZAKI-esque worldbuilding in this delectable new ongoing series featuring culinary consulting and bonus content by ALI BOUZARI, renowned food scientist and author of the IACP Award-winning cookbook Ingredient: Unveiling the Essential Elements of Food.                           (Rebekah's Pick) Justice League No Justice from DC COMICS written by Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV and Joshua Williamson with art by Francis Manapul                                      DARK NIGHTS: METAL left the DCU transformed in ways both terrifying and wondrous—and only the Justice League is strong enough to face the threats to come…or are they? Four giant beings comprised of the universe’s major energies—Mystery, Wonder, Wisdom and Entropy—who sustain their life force by devouring planets are on their way to destroy the planet of Colu. The only way to take down this unimaginable threat is for the superhero teams of Earth to forget everything they thought they knew and form new alliances. What secrets of the cosmos will Superman, Martian Manhunter and Team Mystery discover? Will Zatanna, Wonder Woman and Team Wonder awaken alien magic they cannot put back to sleep? What can Harley Quinn possibly have to teach the rest of Team Wisdom? And most importantly…why the heck is Beast Boy on Team Entropy with Lobo and Batman? Find out all this and much more in the most exciting, bombastic event of summer 2018! In this kickoff issue to the four-issue miniseries, after Brainiac systematically takes down all of Earth’s super-teams, the last thing the League expects is for him to ask for their help! Without their aid, his home planet and the universe are both doomed!                                                             (Joe's Pick) Venom from MARVEL COMICS written by Donny Cates with art by Ryan Stegman                                                     In the wake of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s collapse, an ancient and primordial evil has been awakened beneath the streets of New York, and with it, something equally evil has awakened in that most Wicked of Webslingers – VENOM! Still a Lethal Protector of the innocents in New York, this never-before-seen threat could force Venom to relinquish everything it holds dear – including Eddie Brock! Join two of the hottest creators in comics today, Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman, for a VENOM adventure a thousand years in the making! 

 Brian, Joe, Rebekah and Rod are talking about some new #1's: Death Or Glory, Avengers, Red Sonja and The Mainstream.                                     (Rod's Pick) The Mainstream from ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT Written by Michale Dolce and art by Talent Caldwell                        There are people on this Earth that do not belong. It's up to a Chicago detective and a covert, interdimensional police force to send them back where they came from! Don't miss this brand new five issue mini-series from the creative minds of Michael Dolce, Talent Caldwell, Tony Moy, and Darren Sanchez.                          (Rebekah's Pick) Red Sonja & Tarzan from DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT Written by Gail Simone and art by Walter Geovani                                  The She-Devil with a Sword meets the Lord of the Jungle!Eson Duul is an evil man. The mere mention of his name makes powerful quake with fear. He has no regard for life, including that of man. But he may finally have met his match when he finds himself up against Red Sonja and Tarzan!Gail Simone (Birds of Prey, Red Sonja) and Walter Geovani (Red Sonja, Clean Room) reunite to bring us the crossover event featuring two of fiction's greatest heroes side by side at last!                                            (Joe's Pick) Avengers from MARVEL COMICS Written by Jason Aaron and art by Ed Mcguinness                           Thor Odinson. Steve Rogers. Tony Stark. The Big Three of the Avengers are reunited at last! And just in time to save the world from total annihilation at the hands of their most powerful enemies yet: the 2000-foot-tall space gods known as Celestials. Behold the coming of the Final Host. Who will answer the call to assemble for a wild new era of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes? Hint: one of them has a flaming skull for a head. And what strange, world-shaking connection exists between the Final Host and Odin’s ancient band of Prehistoric Avengers?                                               (Brian's Pick) Death Or Glory from IMAGE COMICS Written by Rick Remender and art by Bengel                                        Meet Glory, raised off the grid in a convoy amid truckers—the last men and women fighting for true freedom on the American open road. Now, in order to pay for her beloved dying Father’s surgery, Glory has three days to pull off four dangerous cross-country heists with mob killers, crooked cops, and a psycho ex-husband all out to bring her in or die trying. The new ongoing series by New York Times bestselling author RICK REMENDER and legendary French superstar BENGAL brings you a high-speed chase across the American West that examines our dwindling freedoms and the price paid by those who fight for an untethered life, in this special double-sized first issue with 40 pages of story! 

Welcome to Issue #4 of Number One Comic Books and we are going to go over Marvel's Domino, The Dead Hand, Skyward and Crude.                                     (Rebekah's Pick) Crude from IMAGE COMICS Written by Steve Orlando with Art / Cover: Garry Brown, Lee Loughridge                                             Killers once feared Piotr Petrovich. Now, they’ve sent his son home to him—in a body bag. Haunted by his failures, Piotr journeys across Russia to learn what type of man his son really was, while hunting the bastards who killed him. And once Piotr finds them, they will learn to fear him once more…. GLAAD Media Award-nominated writer STEVE ORLANDO (VIRGIL, Midnighter) and artist GARRY BROWN (BLACK ROAD) deliver an emotional, bone-shattering account of murder, masculinity, and mayhem.                                           (Rod's Pick) The Dead Hand from IMAGE COMICS Written by Kyle Higgins with Art by Stephen Mooney and Jordie Bellaire                                                "COLD WAR RELICS," Part One Carter Carlson was a highly decorated operative during the Cold War. But in the fall of 1991, as the Soviet Union collapsed, Carter discovered a secret that not only changed his life…but also altered the course of history. Now, as the mysterious “Dead Hand” threatens to end the world once again, the only thing standing in its way is the relationship between an old spy and a little boy.                               (Brian's Pick) Domino from MARVEL COMICS Written by Gail Simone with Art by David Baldeon Cover Art by Greg Land                                   Impossible curves. Impossible shots. Impossible targets. Marvel’s #1 soldier of fortune is back in an explosive new ongoing series! The product of a failed super-soldier program, Neena Thurman always made her own luck as the sharpshooting mercenary known as Domino… but what happens when her own powers betray her? The hunter becomes the hunted as every mercenary in the game smells blood in the water! Plus: A pair of beloved Marvel characters return!                                                         (Joe's Pick) Skyward from IMAGE COMICS Written by Joe Henderson Art: Lee Garbett, Antonio Fabela                                               "MY LOW-G LIFE," Part One One day, gravity on earth suddenly became a fraction of what it is now. Twenty years later, humanity has adapted to its new low-gravity reality. And to Willa Fowler, a woman born just after G-day, it’s…well, it’s pretty awesome, actually. You can fly through the air! I mean, sure, you can also die if you jump too high. So you just don’t jump too high. And maybe don’t stumble into a dangerous plan to bring gravity back that could get you killed…. From writer JOE HENDERSON (showrunner of Fox’s Lucifer) and artist LEE GARBETT (Lucifer, Loki: Agent of Asgard), SKYWARD is an adventure-filled exploration of our world turned upside down and a young woman’s journey to find her place in it.                                                 

Brian's pick) Shadowman from Valiant Comics                                               Written by Andy Diggle                                       Art by Stephen Segovia                                        Orphaned as a child and raised on the margins of society, Jack Boniface never knew his place in the world. Until he discovered it waiting for him… in a darkness far older than the reign of men…Unbeknownst to him, Jack was fated to become the next in a long lineage of Shadowmen – mortals bound to violent voodoo spirits of immense power – that could safeguard our world against incursions from realms beyond. For years, he struggled to control the loa’s murderous urges – a battle he eventually lost.But now, after years of self-imposed exile, the man once known as Shadowman is returning home to sharpen the weapon within…and unleasha reckoning on the evils of our world that will soon send shockwaves through heaven and hell alike…                                     (Rebekah's pick) Analog from Image Comics                                               Written by Gerry Duggan                        Art by David O'Sullivan and Jordie Bellaire                               CHAPTER ONE Five years from now: the security of the internet has been totally destroyed. Secrets are no longer sent over the web, they're entrusted to armed couriers called "Ledger Men," like human punching-bag Jack McGinnis. He's got a gun in one hand and a briefcase handcuffed to the other. Danger lurks around every corner, and Jack has to watch his back—because he had a part in the cyber attack that changed the world. Get in on the ground floor of this new ongoing series and thrill as we slam Jack's fist into the faces of spies, mercs, fascists, and eventually less punchable adversaries like a very grumpy artificial intelligence.                                        (Rod's pick) Helm from Action Lab Comics                               Written by Jehanzeb Hasan                             Art by Mauricio Caballero and Miguel Angel Reyes                       Pursued by the ruthless Legion, the mysterious witch Luna Lumere seeks out Eldrick Spellsong, Jr., a college dropout who unknowingly holds the key to unlocking an age-old secret. Together, along with a sundry gang of adventurers, villains, and scoundrels, they will traverse the dark and dangerous world of HELM, in search of the legendary Bastard King, and rouse him from his slumber.                       (Joe's pick) Isola                               Written by Brenden Fletcher         Art by Karl Kerschl & Msassyk                        The captain of the Royal Guard has fled the capital city with the Queen of Maar, suffering under the effects of an evil spell. Captain Rook’s only hope of returning Queen Olwyn to her throne and saving the kingdom from impending war lies on an island half a world away—a place known in myth as Isola, land of the dead.                                                 

The C2E2 Main Stage presents a once-in-a-lifetime dream panel. Join two of the most iconic names in the comic book universe with Brian Michale Bendis and Mark Millar on stage together!  Listen for a candid one-on-one conversation with these two creative titans as they discuss their monumental careers and incredible creations.

We have a C2E2 Artist Alley Showfloor Interview conducted by our very own Joe Stark who talks with Kyle Higgins about his new book coming out on April 11th "The Dead Hand" from Image Comics.  Art by Stephen Mooney and Jordie Bellaire.                                               What's The Dead Hand about?  Listen and find out!  "COLD WAR RELICS," Part One Carter Carlson was a highly decorated operative during the Cold War. But in the fall of 1991, as the Soviet Union collapsed, Carter discovered a secret that not only changed his life…but also altered the course of history. Now, as the mysterious “Dead Hand” threatens to end the world once again, the only thing standing in its way is the relationship between an old spy and a little boy." 

Panel recorded April 6th 2018.  Welcome to the DC Universe Panel at C2E2 in Chicago.  The panel was moderated by Brian Michael Bendis!  Join Joelle Jones, Justin Jordan, Tim Seeley, Cully Hamner, Phillip Tan, Benjamin Percy and Tom King as they talk about everything DC.  The DC Universe keeps rocking your world with heroes that take on the most outlandish villains and overcoming obstacles that leave you speechless! The creative talent behind some of DC’s hottest titles – Batman and the Signal, Black Lightning: Cold Dead Hands, Superwoman, Green Arrow, Teen Titans, Green Lanterns, Nightwing and Dark Nights: Metal¬ – are on hand as your tour guides for this journey through their incredible stories!  

Panel recorded April 8th 2018 at C2E2 in Chicago.  Welome to the Image Comics: We Believe in Drama Panel. Writers channel the crises we face everyday through layers of fiction, allowing readers to dissect universal struggles through a vibrant, askew lens. Though comics may catalyze new worlds overflowing with imagination, creators ground that surrealism in drama and catharsis. Join a panel of stellar scribes including Jason Aaron (Southern Bastards), Kyle Higgins (The Dead Hand), Gerry Duggan (Analog), Tee Franklin (Bingo Love, the upcoming Juke Joint), Tini Howard (Hack/Slash: Resurrection), Kyle Starks (Rock Candy Mountain), and John Layman (Chew, Leviathan) as they discuss the friction that gave way to their latest works.

Here is the C2E2 panel with Mark Millar recorded on April 6th 2018.  This is Mark Millar's first convention appearance in 9 years and the first panel on the Main Stage for C2E2 this year and I had a front row seat.  Mark shared some really cool details about his Netflix deal as well as sharing some awesome stories about life and being a creator.  He talks Chrononauts, Kick-Ass, Huck, Magic Order and more in this panel.  This was a fun time and I hope you all enjoy it as well.                         We aren't having a regular episode this week because of the convention but I wanted to treat you to some different panels I recorded.  Some upcoming panels to check out are the DC Universe Panel, a Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Millar together panel and an Image Comics Panel.    

In this episode Brian, Joe, Rebekah and Rod discuss Infidel, Ballad of Sang, Eternity Girl and Usagi Yojimbo: The Hidden.                                             (Brian's Pick) Ballad of Sang                                         written by Ed Brisson art by Alessandro Micelli                                                                                     Kidnapped off the streets of the Philippines as an infant and trained as a child assassin, Sang has never had a childhood. All he's ever known is killing and the kindness of his master, Chen, the closest thing Sang has to a father. When Sang's enthusiasm botches a job, it brings the wrath of Don Minchella down on the pair, resulting in Chen's murder. Barely escaping with his own life -- and with Minchella's severed arm in tow -- Sang swears revenge, while every gang in the city mobilizes to return him to Minchella, dead or alive.                                     (Rebekah's Pick) Eternity Girl                                                       written by Magdalene Visaggio art by Sonny Liew                                                                                                                     Caroline Sharp has been a lot of things, including both a superhero and a super-spy. But now, with those days behind her and her powers proving unreliable, Caroline finds herself stuck in a life weighed down by her depression and an inability to change. You see, Caroline is going to live forever, and there is no escape to be had. The very act of living reminds her that, to the rest of existence, she is an anomaly.                                             (Joe's Pick) Infidel                                                written by Pornsak Pichetshote Art / Cover: Aaron Campbell, José Villarrubia                                         A haunted house story for the 21st century, INFIDEL follows an American Muslim woman and her multiracial neighbors who move into a building haunted by entities that feed off xenophobia.                                                                                          (Rod's Pick) Usagi Yojimbo: The Hidden                     Written and Drawn by Stan Sakai                                                                                                                                                               On his way to see Inspector Ishida, Usagi is confronted by Shogunate guards . . . a sign of the times. While unraveling a pair of murders in town later, Usagi and Ishida become wary as they find the corpses stripped of all identification--except for a talisman that leads to a startling discovery!                              

Welcome to the inaugural episode of Number One Comic Books!  In Issue #1 each of our 4 hosts bring a book to a roundtable discussion.  4 books are Oblivion Song, Shade The Changing Woman, Prism Stalking and Gideon Falls.  We'll let you know if these books are something you should jump on or if it's something you should jump off.                (Joe's Pick) GIDEON FALLS from Image Comics                Story: Jeff Lemire       Art / Cover: Andrea Sorrentino            A brand-new ongoing series from the acclaimed bestselling creative team of Old Man Logan and Green Arrow! The lives of a reclusive young man obsessed with a conspiracy in the city’s trash, and a washed-up Catholic priest arriving in a small town full of dark secrets, become intertwined around the mysterious legend of TheBlack Barn, an otherworldly building that is alleged to have appeared in both the city and the small town, throughout history, bringing death and madness in its wake. Rural mystery and urban horror collide in this character-driven meditation on obsession, mental illness, and faith.                   (Rod's Pick) PRISM STALKER from Image Comics          Story / Art: Sloane Leong        PRISM STALKER, an ongoing sci-fi adventure series by SLOANE LEONG. Vep is a young refugee raised away from her devastated home planet as an indentured citizen in a foreign colony. She works tirelessly for her insectoid hosts, but there is no exit in sight in this viscous, dripping citynest. The eye of opportunity is closing. Her duty is to her family and her siblings, but what more can she do for them here? The answer appears faster than she is ready for.              (Rebekah's Pick) SHADE THE CHANGING WOMAN from DC's Young Animal                 Written by: Cecil Castellucci    Art by:    Marley Zarcone                     Shade has shed her alien identity. She’s stepped out of her original Earth body and into another one. Now, free of the burdens of any past life, and finally on her own,she sets out to see more of her new home. But how does she cope when the madness takes all the human emotions she was forced to confront in the Milk Wars and turns them into a bouillabaisse of memory and confusion? And to make it even more challenging, Shade must also face her namesake, the original Changing Man.                                                                                                                              (Brian's Pick) OBLIVION SONG from Robert Kirkman                                          Story: Robert Kirkman     Art: Lorenzo De Felici                                             A decade ago, 300,000 citizens of Philadelphia were suddenly lost in Oblivion. The government made every attempt to recover them, but after many years, they gave up. Nathan Cole...won't. He makes daily trips, risking his life to try and rescue those still living in the apocalyptic hellscape of Oblivion. But maybe...Nathan is looking for something else? Why can't he resist the siren call of the Oblivion Song?