RICO’S PICK :: DRIFTER #1: Drifter is a new science fiction series from Image Comics written by Ivan Brandon (Men of War) with art by Nic Klein (Captain America). Abram Pollux has crash landed on a very dangerous planet. What will he need to do to survive? I don’t know but I’m going to find out this Wednesday just like you.

SETH’S PICK :: WINTER SOLDIER VOL. 4 TPB:  After writing and drawing books for Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, Vertigo, and 12 Gauge, our friend and neighbor Jason Latour landed the task of taking over writing duties for Ed Brubaker on Winter Soldier.  Alongside artist Nic Klein, Latour offered a smart and funny take on the man formerly known as Bucky. The pair also introduced memorable new cast members like Robards and Electric Ghost, both of whom further defined the Winter Soldier and his world.  Latour and Klein’s run received due acclaim, and though the series was ultimately cancelled (you know Marvel will relaunch it closer to the next Cap movie), their work was a fine addition to the character’s storied history.  This collection gives you an idea of what can happen when like minded creators get paired on a book that makes perfect sense for them to collaborate on.  It’s also, more importantly, an example of good and entertaining comics.

BRIDGIT’S PICK :: WINTER SOLDIER #16: So, I’ve never been a monthly Captain America reader or followed Winter Soldier much but, that being said, in the last few months I’ve been reserving both of these titles… the books are sooo good! Marvel has used their re-launch as a chance to pair us up some really awesome creative teams. Jason Latour and Nic Klein really surprised me with their first issue of Winter Soldier last month.

Not only was it a fun read, but the art was so right for this title. A lot of times in comics, when the story is more action-oriented, the art loses touch with the character, which bothers me because I like to feel connected and read, through the art, what the character is thinking or going through internally. Nic Klein totally owns both action and the quiet moments, and keeps us connected with the internal dilemmas Latour is writing through the characters and their interactions.

All of you Brubaker lovers need not fear either, Latour hasn’t exactly taken Bucky Barnes out on a limb. Though Latour has definitely branched off into his own creative storytelling, he’s rooting the story in the plot Brubaker has already constructed. So no re-launch for Winter Soldier, thank God. In fact, Latour is resolutely building upon the foundation of Barnes’ dark past and using this to really push the boundaries of the character. These panels also make up some of the most reflective and introspective comic pages I’ve ever read.

And of course, no comic written by Latour would be complete without a good bit of humor and wacky antics. A Bond-like character named Robards who Barnes encounters in the last issue proved to be a great source of comic relief.

Something else about this series that I’m SUPER excited about too, is the creation of Latour’s new female (super?!)villain, the “Electric Ghost”. What we’ve seen of her so far is awesome but she’s still – literally – veiled in a shroud of mystery. In the last issue, she exhibited this cool sense of intelligence through some pretty wicked dialogue. This might be the sweetest female villain – let alone character – I’ve seen introduced in Marvel Comics in a long time.

RICO’S PICK :: WINTER SOLDIER #15: We’ve been waiting for this issue for long time, ever since our neighbor Jason Latour told us he was taking over writing duties on Winter Soldier when Ed Brubaker left. Jason and artist Nic Klein begin their Winter Soldier run on this issue and introduce a cool new character, The Electric Ghost. She’s already a favorite of mine and I hope she sticks around the Marvel Universe for a long time. Check out this 3 page preview below and check out the full issue this Wednesday!

SETH’S PICK :: HELLBOY IN HELL #3: The fact is, many times a high profile creator returns to a character they made famous, in spite of publicity, the book somehow doesn’t live up to expectation.  Mike Mignola’s return to drawing Hellboy in this series certainly attracted lots of attention, but it has been far from a let down.  In fact, it’s arguably as good as anything Mignola’s ever done.  You can really see the joy he’s getting out of taking Hellboy in a new direction.  It’s not a rehash of where Hellboy has been before, and Mignola is clearly crafting challenging stories and situations that will only further develop the character.  It’s also worth mentioning the genius-level coloring of Dave Stewart.  He’s long been Mignola’s go-to colorist, but the new setting of Hell has really allowed Stewart to stretch out and use a richer, more varied palette.  These are masters of the craft who are not only enjoying the process of making these comics, but are pushing themselves to evolve their work and the characters they continue to define. 

Bonus Pick of the Week:  I’d be remiss not to mention this week’s debut of our pal Jason Latour as the new writer of Winter Soldier.  All of us around here have long known how hard Jason works at comics, and some of us have even heard about what he has in the works for Bucky Barnes.  Alongside Nic Klein, who may well be the most suited artist to work on Winter Soldier since Jackson Guice, Latour plans to move Bucky forward in genuinely interesting ways.  Ed Brubaker brought Bucky back to relevance, and he’ll always cast a long shadow on whoever else writes the character, but Latour and Klein will distinguish Winter Soldier in ways you’ve never seen before.