Action Comics 2021 Annual #1
- Written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson
- Art by Siya Oum, Scott Godlewski
- Colors by Hi-Fi
- Letters by David Sharpe
- Published by DC Comics
As any reader of Action Comics or Superman-related stories in comics right now will tell you, there is a lot going on which is why Action Comics 2021 Annual #1 makes for such an interesting choice this week. The story takes the reader back to the House of El from DC Future State where the descendants of Superman face a threat from the current era. With the story connecting to the current “Warworld Rising” storyline in Action Comics, it makes for an annual that feels a lot more connected to what readers are experiencing on the main title which doesn’t always happen with annuals. It’s definitely a worthwhile pick this week for any Superman fan. — Nicole Drum
Marvel-Verse: She-Hulk
- Written by Various
- Art by Various
- Published by Marvel Comics
I could not be more excited for Marvel’s She-Hulk Disney+ series and for seeing Tatiana Maslany bring Jennifer Walters to life on the big screen. Before that happens, Marvel fans could probably stand to check out some of her earlier appearances, and the new Marvel-Verse She-Hulk collection provides a sensational way of doing so. While these issues are just a few examples of how incredible Jen can be, they provide an easy window into her world, her origin story, her villains, and her dynamic with other Marvel heroes. I know I’m going to be adding this collection to my bookshelf — and if you’re hyped about seeing She-Hulk in the MCU at all, you should too. — Jenna Anderson
Mouse Guard: The Owlhen Caregiver #1
- Created by David Petersen
- Published by BOOM!/Archaia
It’s hard to believe that it’s been 15 years since David Petersen introduced readers to the world of Mouse Guard. It’s almost as hard to believe that it has been more than five years since the Legends of the Guard series, which featured other creators playing in that rich world of heroic rodents, concluded. Petersen has had to take time away from his enchanting world of brave and noble mice to see to personal matters, and Disney unceremoniously scrapped 20th Century Fox’s planned Mouse Guard movie after buying the studio. While fans await the promised tale of The Weasel War, Petersen and Archaia are putting out Mouse Guard: The Owlhen Caregiver and Other Stories, a collection of three short stories written and drawn by Petersen. Mouse Guard fans will undoubtedly cherish this opportunity to revisit the world they fell in love with a decade and a half ago as wrought by its creator’s hand, and the self-contained anthology format should be inviting for new readers as well. — Jamie Lovett
NInjak #1
- Written by Jeff Parker
- Art by Javier Pulido
- Colors by Javier Pulido
- Letters by Dave Sharpe with Javier Pulido
- Published by Valiant Entertainment
At the end of Ninjak #1, there is a brief interview with writer Jeff Parker in which he is asked about enticing new readers, then proceeds to beautifully summarize this Valiant hero in a single sentence—nothing more needed. That sense of invitation and opportunity is present throughout Ninjak #1; it’s a spy thriller with superpowers, and everything you need to appreciate the quick-coming surprises is already on the page. That’s in no small part due to the outstanding-as-ever artwork of Javier Pulido, a modern comics master if there ever was one. Pages in Ninjak are designed as much as drawn with nary a panel dimension out of place—they gracefully guide readers through sequences filled with swords and guns, plenty of bodies, and all of the violence that entails. Each panel tells that story carefully by aiming for tension and impact over easy splash panels and grotesquely exaggerated forms. Ninjak #1 is slick in the best possible way weaving a classic spy caper into a superhero universe and ensuring any reader who picks it up will be sticking around for #2. I can’t wait. — Chase Magnett
Savage Hearts #1
- Written by Aubrey Sitterson
- Art by Jed Dougherty
- Colors by Lovern Kindzierski,
- Letters by Taylor Esposito
- Published by Dark Horse Comics
You don’t see a lot of romantic comedy-style stories in mainstream, direct market comics. Then again, Savage Hearts from Aubrey Sitterson and Jed Dougherty hardly looks like your typical rom-com. Instead, it’s a blend of romance, humor, and action set in a fantasy world as a broken-hearted barbarian and a lonely beastman join forces to fight an evil sorcerer in perhaps the most epic meet-cute to ever exist. On top of that, there’s also a backup story, “No Kings, No Master,” in which Sitterson and Goran Gligović put their spin on the legend of Robin Hood. It sounds like an excellent package. — Jamie Lovett
Spider-Man: Spider’s Shadow #4
- Written by Chip Zdarsky
- Art by Pasqual Ferry
- Colors by Matt Hollingsworth
- Letters by Joe Caramagna
- Published by Marvel Comics
The penultimate issue in this 5-issue series may seem like an odd selection as a pick this week, but this entire “what if” story thus far is truly a great run, so you should definitely backtrack and check the rest of it out, and second, this issue is taking the reader into the resolution story in a way that is both solid Marvel adventure and also a unique Peter Parker story. Without really offering a review, this whole series has been unique, and fun and #4 sees so much come together that it’s simply a must-read. — Nicole Drum
Suicide Squad: Their Greatest Shots
- Written by Various
- Art by Various
- Published by DC Comics
We’re less than a month out from the release of The Suicide Squad, which is set to bring both A-list and relatively obscure DC Comics characters into live-action. For those who want a primer of what the group is capable of — and some of the antiheroes and villains in its orbit — this Their Greatest Shots collection is a good place to start. From a key issue in John Ostrander’s original run to some of the newer standout issues, this collection provides a showcase of the ensemble’s bizarre and violent energy. I really hope The Suicide Squad leads fans to want to check out the comics, and hopefully, this collection will be many people’s jumping-off point. — Jenna Anderson
Ultimates By Al Ewing: The Complete Collection
- Written by Al Ewing
- Art by Various
- Colors by Various
- Letters by Various
- Published by Marvel Comics
In 2021 Al Ewing is one of the most renowned writers working at Marvel Comics with a definitive run on Hulk and big ideas in the X-line. Ewing has been reimagining corners of the Marvel universe to outstanding effect for many years, however, and one of his most acclaimed early works is now available in its entirety containing nearly 500 pages of comics. Together, Ultimates and Ultimates 2 tell a galaxy-spanning saga featuring many of Marvel’s most underappreciated heroes. When the first challenge faced by the likes of Black Panther, Captain Marvel, and America Chavez is to “solve Galactus,” readers know they can only expect big ideas, and those ideas were regularly brought to life in dazzling fashion by an excellent array of artists, including Kenneth Rocafort, Christian Ward, and Travel Foreman. Following in the footsteps of Starlin, Perez, and Lim, the creators contained in this volume dared to dream big in the literal Marvel universe and succeeded spectacularly. Whether you’re discovering it for the first time or returning for a reread, this complete collection cannot be missed. — Chase Magnett
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