SETH’S PICK :: AMERICAN BARBARIAN: Tom Scioli has long held the reputation for being an artist who expertly pays homage to the canon of Jack Kirby. One of the things I most respect about Scioli, though, is how he not only captures and distills Kirby’s work in his own, but also channels other interests and influences. Case in point with this week’s long awaited complete collection of American Barbarian. Sure there are nods to Kirby, especially the excellent Kamandi comics, but there’s also a plethora of other monsters, robots and beings that could only jump from Scioli’s fertile imagination. 

As with Scioli’s must read Transformers vs. G.I. Joe series, American Barbarian is full of unabashed love for all things sci fi, fantasy, film, comics and pop culture. It takes concepts that have at times been stereotyped as low, and raised them to high comics art. Thanks to IDW, American Barbarian is finally receiving a nice new complete hardcover collection. It’s unlike any other new book you’ll see on the stands this week, and I hope you’ll take the time to relish this work in all its glory. 

ANDY’S PICK :: KAMANDI LAST BOY ON EARTH HC VOL 02 OMNIBUS: So back in 1972, DC tried to secure the comic publishing rights to Planet of the Apes, but they lost out to Marvel. So DC asked Jack Kirby to create a series that would be similar (but not too similar) to PoA. And as usual, Kirby not only delivered, he surpassed all expectations. Kirby wrote and drew a 40 issue masterpiece of bizarre concepts and fun to read stories that all take place in a post-nuclear-war earth of the future where mutated animals rule and humans struggles to survive. This Omnibus collects the final 20 issues of the series and includes the classic issue #29 where a cult has formed whose members celebrate the legend of Superman–the hero who tried (in vain) to prevent the Great Disaster. The followers worship at the feet of all that remains– Superman’s uniform. It is one of the great Superman stories of all time and oddly it is a story where the Man of Steel never even appears! Pure Kirby magic! Sorry to sound like a broken record, but these Kirby Omnibus are required reading. Get busy and enjoy–there will be a test!