SPOTLIGHT ON NEW RELEASES :: JANUARY 5

January 5, 2011 at 9:17 am By:

1) Ultimate Comics: Captain America #1

I’m not regularly a reader of any of Marvel’s Ultimate books, but there are two main reasons I’m picking up this book: Jason Aaron and Ron Garney.  These two creators found a way to get me to read a Wolverine comic again with their enjoyable run on Wolverine: Weapon X, and Cap seems like a logical character for them to work on.  Garney, of course, had a couple of memorable runs on Cap in the late ’90’s/early ’00’s, but Aaron’s not really done much with the character before.  Some of his earlier work on books like The Other Side suggests he’ll bring a healthy dose of realism to the Vietnam elements of this mini series.

2) Who is Jake Ellis? #1

Writer Nathan Edmondson had a memorable 2010 with his acclaimed work on books like Olympus and The Light.  In this new mini series he teams with artist Tonci Zonjic to tackle the psychological thriller/spy genres.  With Olympus and The Light focusing on mythological and horror elements respectively, the espionage of Who is Jake Ellis? suggests that Edmondson is intent to reinforce the creative range he aims to bring to his comic output.  Early reviews seem positive, and Zonjic’s art seems especially fitting for the subject matter.  Edmondson should have another solid hit on his hands with this his first book of 2011.

3) Batman Beyond #1

Not too many should have been surprised by the success of the recent Batman: Beyond mini series.  Even fewer should be surprised that said success spawned this new ongoing series.  DC was smart to continue with the creative team of Adam Beechen and Ryan Benjamin from the mini series, and fans of the animated series should be happy to know that the Beyond-era Justice League will be appearing in the first few issues.

4) Avengers Prime #5

The enjoyable mini series from Brian Michael Bendis and Alan Davis concludes with this week’s issue.  It’s hard to not like a mini series starring Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor when it’s drawn by the great Alan Davis.  Bendis continues to be a bit more economical with his words than he was a few years ago, and he’s garnering more acclaim on his Avengers books than he has in a while.

5) Mascots HC

My sleeper pick of the week is this new offering from Ray Fenwick.  Who is Ray Fenwick and why should you care to read his work?  His earlier work on Hall of Best Knowledge stands out as one of the most interesting examples of modern lettering in comics and illustrates how underappreciated that art remains in our industry.  Fenwick describes Mascots as being ‘driven by lettering and language,’ which should appeal to indie fans and comic theorists alike.  It’s certainly interesting to see a visual artist who brings his work to life through the rich history of comics typography.

> Bonus picks of the week: Chip N Dale Rescue Rangers #2, Avengers: Children’s Crusade #4, John Byrne’s Next Men #2, Lady Death #1, and Mighty Thor Omnibus vol. 1 HC

Share

Filed Under: DISCUSS, Spotlight on New Releases




  • heroes on facebook heroes on twitter heroes on flicker




    Click Here To Help Support The Creators That Make Comics Possible!



  • www.flickr.com