Hypergeek’s Hot Picks – Comic Book Recommendations for the Week of Weds 17 June 2009

It’s another Wednesday, and therefore another pile of great comics. There has been a threat of cutting my comic pull-list down to a bare-bones minimum, by my wife, who was recently made redundant. She says we need to cut back on everything and prepare for the worst case scenario *SIGH*. Thankfully though she already has a couple of good prospects lined up, so will most likely be back working within a week or so. People as intelligent and driven as Christina don’t tend to stay unemployed for too long

Anyway, on with the list, hopefully I will still be able to buy comics next week!

The deal with Hypergeek’s hot picks is that every week I like to pick out a few comics that I think are a good bet to fork out your dough on. With most of the comics that I recommend, I have usually read a pre-release copy, and enjoyed it, or I have read a preview of the comic, and can predict that it is going to be a good read.

THIS WEEK’S HOTTEST PICK

2000AD # 1640

This Week’s 2000AD features the return of one of my favourite stories to appear in the magazine for the last few years. As featured on that amazing cover, Defoe is back back for a third series, ‘Queen of the Zombies’. Defoe, written by Pat Mills with artwork from Leigh Gallagher, is one of the most amazingly original tales to appear in the prog for years. Defoe is a steam-punk adventure set in the 17th century London, where after a comet strike hit the city, in the year 1666, the dead began to rise from their graves. The protagonist of the story is Titus Defoe, who with his companions keeps the Zombie hordes at bay using weapons devised by the likes of Sir Isaac Newton, Leonardo Da Vinci and Robert Hooke. I absolutely adore this story, it is so completely mental that it could only come from the mind of the legendary Pat Mills. The artwork from Leigh Gallagher is absolutely astounding. It is gritty, dark, visceral, horrific… just perfect!

This prog also features a new Judge Dredd tale by Ian Edington, Savage by Pat Mills and Patrick Goddard, CradleGrave by John Smith, and a brand new Futureshock (I’m currently writing my own Futureshock, so keep your fingers crossed for me).

UK Residents, head down to your local comic shop or Newsagent today! North American’s, speak to you Comic Shop Owner and get them to order 2000AD for you from Previews magazine! Or anyone can head over to ClickWheel and download the weekly progs in .pdf format. DO IT NOW!

OTHER HOT PICKS

Air #10

Air is one of those truly breath taking comic book series that has a story so deep and multifaceted that it defies true classification. The story appeared to be about a Terrorist/espionage plot when the series started, but it soon became apparent that it was much more, as our protagonist Blyth discovered the existence of a country that no longer existed on any maps, met Emilia Earhart, and was found to be a hyperpract, a person who can operate ‘The Device’, an engine which can defy the laws of space-time. Many parties are after ‘The Device’, and Blythe is not sure who to trust, the anti-terrorist organization called the Etsian Front, or her mysterious lover Zayne, who might, or might not have ties to a terrorist group, or could even be a member of Interpol. Then there are the visions of a serpent that Blythe keeps having,which guides her on her path, What does it all mean?

This issue is a special standalone issue that is set to tell us the origins of ‘The Device’. I can’t wait. Make sure you are picking up this series, it is completely amazing, and should definitely win the Eisner for best new series this year. Though it does have stiff competition from the likes of Terry Moore’s Echo, and Joshua Dysart’s Unknown Soldier…

Solicitation:

Discover the secret origin of the Device in this special stand-alone issue. In the mythical city of Aztlan, the Device brings a reluctant young priest face-to-face with the fate of his people and reveals the mysterious future of a young woman who will not be born for another 900 years. A young woman named Blythe…

Batman: Streets of Gotham #1

The New Batman started out so well with Morrison and Quitely just knocking it out of the park with Batman & Robin #1. Then along came Judd Winick… WHO RUINED IT ALL! I was going to review last week’s Batman #687, but I read it in the store and only half way through I threw it back on the shelf in disgust. What moron let Winick write Batman again??? His last run was legendarily terrible, his run on Green Arrow was trash, and his Titans comic is so bad that I can’t even conceive a word ugly enough to describe it. This man should not be writing bus time tables, never mind comics for DC! The line up of writers the DC has on for the relaunch of Batman is so good except for this one glaring error. Damn it, this is like someone making the world’s tastiest cake… then laying a fat, steaming turd right on top of it.

Oh well, I shall have to hope that DC see sense and get rid of Winick. Meanwhile, Batman: Streets of Gotham sees the return of the Detective Comics creative team of Paul Dini and Dustin Nguyen, with a Manhunter back-up story by the wonderful Marc Andreyko. I’m really looking forward to picking this one up. I loved Dini’s run on Detective Comics, and I was really disappointed when Manhunter got canceled. It’s great to have these comics back, almost enough to forget about the horror that is WINICK!

Solicitation:

As a new Batman rises on the streets of Gotham City, the heroes, villains and citizens take notice. How will the police feel about this new Batman, and can he control the crime in Gotham the way the old Batman did?

This new series also features a regular ongoing co-feature starring Manhunter written by Marc Andreyko and illustrated by Georges Jeanty (Buffy Season 8)! Kate Spencer lost a friend during the chaos of BATTLE FOR THE COWL, and now she wants payback. As usual, she’ll use any means necessary to get it

Captain America #600

You’re probably bored to death with all the news about the rebirth of Steve Rogers, so I won’t go on about it, but needless to say, it you are interested in following the story you should definitely pick up this key issue…

Solicitation:

Where were you when Captain America died? It’s the anniversary of the day Steve Rogers was killed, a day of reflection and mourning in the Marvel U…a time to look back on the things Steve did and what he stood for… or is this issue actually the beginning of the most wicked plot twist since issue 25? Yeah, actually it’s both. Plus, contributions from Cap creators past and present, including a very special essay by Joe Simon, a classic story from Cap’s Golden Age, a full gallery of 600 Cap covers, and more anniversary shenanigans than you can shake a shield at!

X-Men Origins: Gambit

Mike Carey has been featuring Gambit quite prominently in the recent events of X-Men: Legacy, now he is set to tell the origin of everyone’s favourite Cajun Rogue. I’ve really been looking forward to this one, and recently I had a chance to interview Mike about his current projects. If you want to see what he had to say about Gambit, and many other subjects, make sure to click here.

Solicitation:

Remy LeBeau is one of the X-Men’s biggest guns, but he started out on the other side of the equation, alongside Mister Sinister’s Marauders. From New Orleans to the Mutant Massacre and beyond, this is the story of the Ragin’ Cajun’s transformation from villain to hero – and what it cost him…

X-Men: Legacy #225

Mike Carey is wrapping up the Xavier story that he has been telling in ‘Legacy’ for the past year and a half, and is setting up to change the focus of the book on the Story of Rogue. If you want to read what Mike has to say about this change of direction, then be sure to read the interview I did with him a couple of weeks ago.

Solicitation:

Professor X’s odyssey brings him full circle as he answers a call from the Acolytes. But what do they want? Revenge? Or a new leader? Xavier’s LEGACY journey ends here, and it’s a doozie.

Incognito #4

Incognito is Ed Brubaker and Sean Philips ding a pulp super-villain comic, and it’s every bit as cool as that concept sounds! It you liked Sleeper and Criminal, you will fucking love Incognito.

Solicitation:

THE MOST TWISTED SUPER-VILLAIN TALE OF ALL TIME TAKES A SHARP RIGHT TURN… AS THE HEROES FINALLY ARRIVE!

Zack’s masked mayhem hasn’t gone unnoticed by the authorities or the bad guys he’s been in hiding from. Now, Zoey Zeppelin, granddaughter of the legendary Professor Zeppelin is here to find out just which side he’s on — even if she has to kill him to be sure.

Phonogram 2: The Singles Club #3 of 7

Phonogram 2 continues it’s streak of awesomeness, and seems to be back on a regular schedule. Much like the previous two issues, this issue follows the stand-alone story of a lone character, this time Emily Aster, but the story is set in the same indie club as the previous stories, and is sure to cross over with them at some point. I’m really liking this second series of Phonogram, it is quite different from the first series, but is still a brilliant exploration of the profound effect that music can have on peoples lives. This issue also has a back-up story with artwork by Leigh Gallagher of Defoe fame (see this week’s Hottest Pick), so that is a definite bonus!

Solicitation:

As the Ice Queen of the Phonogram universe, Emily Aster is only afraid of two things: her past catching up and spending time in dodgy indie venues. In the latest of the seven-stories-in-one-night of the Singles Club, she’s having to deal with both. Plus, two complete back-up stories featuring the art of LEIGH GALLAGHER (2000AD, The Witching) and LEE O’CONNOR.

HOT BOOK

Fat Chunk Volume 2: Zombie

Fat Chunk is a book put together by Jamie Smart that “collects together artists from all over the world, from well-known comics titans to fresh new webcomic talent to urban toy designers, and everything in between, and it slaps them all together in a tidy little digest-size anthology! Volume Two – Zombies adds a little rotting flesh to the mix as a variety of artists do their take on the bumbling undead. With over SIXTY artists filling just under 140 pages, you’re sure to find some of the artists you love and discover new ones!” Artists involved in this volume include Aaron Alexovitch, Pete Underhill, Jon Burgerman, Marc Ellerby, Thomas Boatwright, Sarah McIntyre, Nelson Evergreen, amd many more… Grab a copy, it looks Ace!

MY COMPLETE HOT PICKS

I’m not going to say a paragraph about every book I am getting this week, but here is a list of what is waiting for me at my LCS. Rest assured, anyone of them is a good choice: