Number One Comic Books

(Brian's Pick) War of the Realms from MARVEL COMICS written by Jason Aaron with art by Russell Dauterman                               The dark elf Malekith wages a war that has spread from one otherworldly realm to the next, setting them all ablaze, and now it's time for that war to finally explode into the last realm standing: ours. All the worst monsters from the Ten Realms come pouring in over the globe, and it will take the biggest heroes in the Marvel Universe to stop them from conquering Earth – and the whole realm! Jason Aaron has been building to this for the last six years in his Thor comic book and the ramifications will have a lasting effect on the Marvel Universe for years to come!                               (Rebekah's Pick) Little Bird from IMAGE COMICS written by Darcy Van Poelgeest with art by Ian Bertram                                    Director/screenwriter DARCY VAN POELGEEST boasts a long list of awards and accolades for his storytelling prowess and brings the same writing finesse to IAN BERTRAM's breathtakingly detailed artwork in the gorgeous, hyper-detailed miniseries LITTLE BIRD, following a young resistance fighter who battles against an oppressive American Empire and searches for her own identity in a world on fire.                                 (Rod's Pick) Dark Red from AFTERSHOCK COMICS written by Tim Seeley with art by Corin Powell                                   Charles "Chip" Ipswich isn't one of those coastal elites with a liberal arts degree and a job at a social media start-up who knows where all the best brunch places are... No, Chip is one of the "forgotten men." He lives in a rural area in the middle of the country where Jesus still has a place at the dinner table and where factories send jobs to Calcutta.                                    (Joe's Pick) Bad Luck Chuck from DARK HORSE COMICS written by Lela Gwenn with art by Matthew Dow Smith                             She'll need more than a rabbit's foot to get through this. Cursed at birth, Charlene "Chuck" Manchester hires out her own bad luck, providing disaster where someone else can profit. She can get you that insurance payout fortune-for a price. But bad luck doesn't always go as planned, and when Chuck gets stuck between a dissatisfied crime boss client, a cult leader, and a dogged insurance-fraud investigator, things get... explosive. Everything that could go wrong does-and only about half of it by accident.

MARVEL: NEXT BIG THING - 2019 is one of the biggest years for Marvel Comics EVER - and Marvel Editor in Chief C.B. Cebulski is here to tell you why! Join C.B. along with scribes Jason Aaron and Jonathan Hickman as they walk you through the biggest upcoming storylines in the Marvel Universe – and share a major announcement or two! Hold onto your hats, True Believers – This is THE must-attend panel for any fan of Marvel Comics. Do not miss it!

Iron Circus Panel at C2E2 2019, featuring founder C. Spike Trotman, creators Kel McDonald, Blue Delliquanti, Emily Riesbeck, Lisa Naffziger and moderator and assistant editor, Andrea Purcell, 

AfterShock Comics was created to push new boundaries by giving the comic world’s most creative writers and artists free reign to blow readers’ minds. There’s never been a better time than now to break away from conventional comics and dive into some of the edgiest, most thoughtful and most compelling content being published right now. Join Publisher/Chief Creative Officer Joe Pruett, EIC Mike Marts and a host of leading creators for a look at things to come!                                   Guests:                                  Joe Pruett, Steve Rotterdam, Tim Seeley, Christina Harrington, Stephanie Phillips

In this episode we're covering these comic books: Transformers #1, Assassin Nation #1, Morning In America #1 and Ronin Island #1                               (Brian's Pick) Tranformers #1 (2019) from IDW written by Brian Ruckley with art by Angel Hernandez & Cachet Whitman                             A NEW ERA DAWNS! In the infinite universe, there exists a planet like no other: Cybertron! Home to the Transformers, and a thriving hub for inter-stellar commerce, it is a world brimming with organic and constructed diversity. Immense structures line its landscape. Mechanical giants roam across its surface. Starship-sized titans orbit its skies, keeping a constant protective watch above and below.                                  Ancient Transformers merge into its very fabric. Small, mysterious creatures skulk in its shadows. It is a truly amazing realm, long untouched by war, and exuberantly reaching for the stars. This is the Cybertron that Optimus Prime and Megatron vie for in this bold new origin—a world of seemingly endless peace! All that changes when Bumblebee and Windblade take a newly-forged Cybertronian on his first voyage through this world of wonders—they are confronted by the hard reality of the first murder to have occurred on Cybertron in living memory!                          (Rod's Pick) Ronin Island #1 from BOOM! STUDIOS written by Greg Pak with art by Giannis Milonogiannis                                 After a mysterious attack wipes out the major cities of 19th century Japan, Korea, and China, survivors from all three lands find refuge on a hidden island and build a new society.Hana, the orphaned daughter of Korean peasants, and Kenichi, son of a great samurai leader, have little in common except for a mutual disdain for the other. But these young warriors will have to work together when an army invades the island with shocking news: there is a new Shogun and the Island is expected to pay fealty in exchange for protection from a new enemy...a mutated horde that threatens to wipe out all humanity.                               (Rebekah's Pick) Morning In America #1 from ONI PRESS written by Magdalene Visaggio with art by Claudia Aguirre                                  The year is 1983. A series of disappearances afflicts Tucker, Ohio following the opening of a mysterious new factory. But when the town finds itself under siege from strange monsters, it's up to intrepid girl gang of no-account teen delinquents to try and figure out what's happening-and save everyone's lives before it's too late.                      (Joe's Pick) Assassin Nation #1 from IMAGE COMICS written by Kyle Starks with art by Erica Henderson                         Two-time Eisner award winner ERICA HENDERSON teams up with KYLE STARKS for a hilarious twist on the hitman trope that will have readers laughing in the aisles over ASSASSIN NATION.The World's Former Greatest Hitman hires the 20 best assassins in the world to be his bodyguards. These mean-as-hell hired guns and murderers must work together to keep the new crime boss safe while attempting to solve the mystery of who's trying to off him.

(Brian's Pick) Hulkverines from MARVEL COMICS written by Greg Pak with art by Ario Anindito                                                      THE CLASH YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR! At last! It's Weapon H versus his predecessors-Wolverine and the Hulk! Once, the Weapon X program sought to recreate the world's two greatest hunters. They ended up with Weapon H, a man of Adamantium claws and gamma-juiced blood. Now, Wolverine and the Hulk are back in action - and coming after the dangerous creation made in their name!                                        (Rebekah's Pick) The Forgotten Queen from VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT written by Tini Howard with art by Amilcar Pinna                                Long ago, the mighty generals of the Mongol Empire rode from Siberia to Carpathia and conquered all who stood in their way. Legends tell of a witch who walked with them, who could infect the hearts of any warriors in her midst with an unquenchable thirst for battle and bloodshed... a War Monger. And now she is walking again.                       (Rod's Pick) Incursion from VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT written by Andy Diggle with art by Doug Braithwaite                            Beyond the margins of human reason lies a realm known as the Deadside, where the souls of the dearly departed linger - and where demons wait for us in the dark. For countless ages, Earth's chosen protectors have guarded the veil between both worlds - but there are other doors to the Deadside, through which gruesome terrors from galaxies untold can trespass... With the planet's freedom at stake, can the reigning Geomancer and her steadfast Eternal Warrior stand together against an invasion unlike any they've ever witnessed?                                            (Joe's Book) Sharkey the Bounty Hunter from IMAGE COMICS written by Mark Millar wih art by Simone Bianchi                                  Set in a brilliant new sci-fi universe, Sharkey is a blue-collar bounty hunter who tracks criminals across the galaxy in his converted, rocket-powered ice-cream truck. Aided and abetted by his ten-year-old partner, he's out for the biggest bounty of his career.

In this episode we review these new #1 comic books: Hit-Girl Season 2, Vindication, Red Sonja and Oberon                            Hit-Girl Season 2 #1 (Rebekah''s Pick) from IMAGE COMICS written by Kevin Smith with art by Pernille Orum                               "THE SILENT ERA," Part One - Join film, podcast, and comics legend KEVIN SMITH (Green Arrow, Daredevil) and animation/illustration virtuoso PERNILLE ØRUM (DC Superhero Girls, Blush, Coral) for the glitz and gore of this all-new chapter of HIT-GIRL! P> Our favorite adolescent assassin tears Tinsel Town a new one when she realizes her life's being dramatized for the silver screen. Hit-Girl storms sets, wages war on fat-cat movie bosses, and lures old enemies out of hiding in this Californian bloodbath.                         Vindication #1 (Rod's Pick) from IMAGE COMICS written by MD Marie with art by Carlos Miko                          In turbulent times, when cops are often portrayed as the enemy of the people, Detective Chip Christopher maneuvers the blurred blue line between racism and due diligence in order to do his job. And right now it's his job to investigate Turn, a young black man with a sketchy past-who was previously exonerated of a similar murder.                          Red Sonja #1 (Brian's Pick) from DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT written by Mark Russell with art by Mirko Colak                              No man knows the place of her birth, nor where she learned to wield a sword to shame many a male. They know only that she is called rhe She-Devil of The Hyrkanian Steppes. That, and RED SONJA. MARK RUSSELL (The Flintstones) and MIRKO COLAK (Conan) bring a savage tale of metal and blood. A world conqueror possesses a massive army and a fatal prophecy. A bastard sorceress craves revenge. And a fearsome red-haired warrior is made wartime ruler of a homeland set for decimation.                    Oberon #1 (Joe's Pick) from AFTERSHOCK COMICS written by Ryan Parrott with art by Milos Slavkovic                         Betrayed by his people and exiled to Earth, Lord Oberon, the former king of the fairies, seeks out an innocent prophesied child in order to manipulate her into becoming his ultimate weapon so that he can reclaim his rightful throne. 

Welcome to Issue #23 of Number One Comic Books.  This episode we are reviewing these comic books: Black Widow, Neon Future, Guardians of the Galaxy, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder In Hell                                    (Rod's Book) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder In Hell #1 from IDW written by Mateus Santolouco and art by Mateus Santolouco                   Abandon all hope...The Shredder returns in this brand-new mini-series! Oroku Saki's death is just the beginning, and his journey through the depths of the underworld proves to be anything but a divine comedy. How much of Shredder's soul will remain after he's faced the horrors of hell?                                      (Brian's Book) Neon Future #1 from IMPACT THEORY written by Jim Krueger with art by Neil Edwards                             The world is in the grips of an economic crisis. Due to mass unemployment, advanced technology has been outlawed. The world is now divided between those with implanted technology and those without. When the world's most famous anti-tech crusader dies and is resurrected using the illegal technology he has sworn to eliminate, he must decide who to fight with his terrifying new powers. From visionary Grammy-nominated producer and DJ, Steve Aoki, and Eisner award-winning writer Jim Krueger, with art by Neil Edwards and Jheremy Raapack.                                  (Joe's Book) Guardians of the Galaxy #1 from MARVEL COMICS written by Donny Cates with art by Geoff Shaw                              WHO WILL STAND? The universe is on fire. Hundreds of worlds are at war. Never has there been such hatred and division across the cosmos. And in spite of all this, Thanos of Titan is still dead...or is he? Now, more than ever, the cosmos need the Guardians of the Galaxy...but in the aftermath of the Infinity Wars, who is left to answer the call? Featuring every cosmic super hero in the known universe by the THANOS WINS creative team of Donny Cates and Geoff Shaw!                               (Rebekah's Book) Black Widow #1 from MARVEL COMICS written by Jen & Sylvia Soska with art by Flaviano Armentaro                            Natasha Romanoff was trained to kill. For years now she's tried to overcome that programming, to side with the angels...to be a hero. And where'd that get her? Killed. By one of the few true friends she allowed herself to have. Now she's back from the dead, angry as hell and finding those better angels harder and harder to hear. Jen and Sylvia Soska - the Twisted Twins of horror - join rising artist Flaviano to weave a web of vice, violence and vengeance that will net Natasha the biggest bad men she's ever faced...or put her back in the ground for good. 

In this episode we review 4 new #1's: The Man Without Fear, Wolverine: The Long Night, Captain Marvel and Conan The Barbarian                  (Rod's Pick) The Man Without Fear from MARVEL COMICS written by Jed McKay with art by Danilo Beyrouth                           Daredevil is gone, but Hell's Kitchen is still a place of heroes and villains. Foggy Nelson (issue #1), the Defenders (issue #2), the many loves of Matt Murdock (issue #3), the Kingpin (issue #4) and a mysterious Guardian Devil (issue #5) will all learn what it means to live in a world without a Daredevil. And without a Daredevil to protect it, has hell come for his city? Who is The Man Without Fear?!                        (Brian's Pick) Wolverine: The Long Night from MARVEL COMICS written by Benjamin Percy with art by Marcio Takara                            Following a string of mysterious deaths in Burns, Alaska, Special Agents Sally Pierce and Tad Marshall arrive to investigate. They soon find there's more going on than meets the eye... Marvel's hit scripted podcast, "Wolverine: The Long Night," comes to life on the page! Chilling twists and turns, brought to you by the original author of the podcast, Benjamin Percy, and the art talents of Marcio Takara!                  (Rebekah's Pick) Captain Marvel from MARVEL COMICS written by Kelly Thompson with art by Carmen Nunez Carnero                        As Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers has spent months in space protecting Earth from alien threats big and small, but now it's time for Earth's mightiest hero to come home. New York City has never looked so good. But every re-entry comes with the unexpected, and Carol is about to hit a whole lot of unexpected. It's a fresh start and an oversized, star-studded welcome home for a hero who's been punching the glass ceiling since the 1970s - and just in time for the first female-led film from Marvel Studios! The next 50 years of Captain Marvel starts here!                             (Joe's Pick) Conan the Barbarian from MARVEL COMICS written by Jason Aaron with art by Mahmud A. Asrar and Esad Ribic                          From an age undreamed...hither came Conan the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand, a thief, a reaver, a slayer, with gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth, to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandaled feet...Robert E. Howard's creation returns to comics, in an epic tale as only MARVEL could bring you! Conan's travels have brought him to the far reaches of the unkown, from his birthplace in Cimmeria to the kingdom of Aquilonia and all in between. As his fighting prowess allows him to carve his way through life, so too does it attract the forces of death!                        The all-new ages-spanning saga begins here, by writer Jason Aaron (THE MIGHTY THOR, STAR WARS) and artist Mahmud Asrar (UNCANNY X-MEN, ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT AVENGERS), as Conan's destiny is forever changed!        

This week we are talking 4 *NEW* #1 issues of comics books with Hardcore #1, Shazam #1, The Freeze #1 and Goddess Mode #1:                                                     (Rebekah's Pick) Goddess Mode #1 from DC & VERTIGO COMICS written by Zoë Quinn and art by Robbi Rodriguez                                         In a near future where humanity’s needs are provided for by a godlike A.I., it’s one young woman’s horrible job to do tech support on it. But Cassandra Price’s life changes forever when she discovers a hidden digital world beneath our own, one where a group of super-powered women are locked in a secret war for the cheat codes to reality.                                                   (Brian's Pick) Shazam #1 (2018) from DC COMICS written by Geoff Johns with art by Dale Eaglesham                                            Teenager turned super-hero Billy Batson struggles to balance school and superheroics! (Guess which one is more fun?) But when Shazam unlocks a shocking secret deep within the Rock of Eternity, it challenges everything he knows about the worlds of magic and his family’s future as its champions! Also, witness the bizarre team-up of Dr. Sivana and Mr. Mind as they set off to build a society all their own! Don’t miss the start of an epic run in the making as “Shazam and the Seven Realms” begins!                       Backup story art by Mayo “SEN” Naito.                                      (Rod's Pick) The Freeze from IMAGE COMICS written by Dan Wickline with art by Phillip Sevy *TOP COW*                         The entire human population is frozen by a mysterious global event… all except Ray, and only he has the power to unfreeze them. Now with the fate of the world in his hands, he must figure out what is going on, how to set things right again, and answer the question: does everyone deserve to be saved?                       (Joe's Pick) Hardcore from IMAGE COMICS written by Andy Diggle with art by Alessandro Vitti and Adriano Lucas *SKYBOUND*                              Imagine being able to take over the body of anyone on Earth. Sound crazy? Not for Agent Drake and the Hardcore Program. They can turn any person into a human drone to get to targets that normal soldiers can’t. Drake is the best soldier Hardcore has to offer. But when he gets stranded in a body with only 72 hours to discover who’s hijacked the Program, he’ll have to pull out all the stops against an enemy who could be literally anyone. From the creative minds of ROBERT KIRKMAN and MARC SILVESTRI, and presented by ANDY DIGGLE (THIEF OF THIEVES, Losers) and ALESSANDRO VITTI (Secret Warriors), comes a new Skybound Original that shows you how to save the world without getting your hands dirty.                        12/29/2018 

In this episode of Number One Comic Books we will review these books: Prodigy, Winter Soldier, American Carnage and Middlewest                     (Joe's Pick) American Carnage from DC COMICS written by Bryan Edward Hill with art by Leandro Fernandez                    A new, thrilling crime saga from the writer of WILDSTORM: MICHAEL CRAY and the artist of The Old Guard! Disgraced FBI agent Richard Wright is offered a chance for redemption when his old mentor sends him undercover to infiltrate a white supremacist group believed to be responsible for the death of a fellow agent.                       (Brian's Pick) Middlewest from IMAGE COMICS written by Skottie Young with art by Jorge Corona                      The lands between the coasts are vast, slow to change, and full of hidden magics. Mistakes have been made, and in this NEW ONGOING SERIES, an unwitting adventurer searches for answers to quell a coming storm that knows his name.From author SKOTTIE YOUNG (I HATE FAIRYLAND, Deadpool) and artist JORGE CORONA (NO. 1 WITH A BULLET, Feathers, Big Trouble in Little China: Old Man Jack) comes the tale of Abel, a young boy who must navigate an old land in order to reconcile his family's history.                             (Rod's Pick) Prodigy from IMAGE COMICS written by Mark Millar with art by Rafael Albuquerque                              Edison Crane's not content being the world's smartest man and most successful businessman-his brilliant mind needs to be constantly challenged. He's a Nobel Prize-winning scientist, genius composer, Olympic athlete, an expert in the occult, and now international governments are calling on him to fix problems they just can't handle.                                     (Rebekah's Pick) Winter Soldier from MARVEL COMICS written by Kyle Higgins with art by Rod Reis                        Bucky Barnes believes in second chances. Having escaped death, the loss of identity, and a life of murder, the man known as the Winter Soldier has worked hard to atone for his sins. But now...he's going to go one step further. What do you do when you've found redemption? You help others do the same.From KYLE HIGGINS (Nightwing, Power Rangers, C.O.W.L.) and ROD REIS (SECRET EMPIRE, DOCTOR STRANGE: DAMNATION, C.O.W.L.) comes the next chapter in the saga of the Winter Soldier. He's becoming a "fixer," working to help others leave behind lives of crime. It's Bucky's way of channeling his own pain in a productive, personal way...by helping others find the redemption that he found. However, as Bucky is going to learn, not all paths are the same...and not everyone can be "saved." Rated T+

This episode we're reviewing four new #1 comic books with Ironheart, Bitter Root, Marvel Knights and The Black Order.                         (Rebekah's pick) Ironheart #1 from MARVEL COMICS written by Eve Ewing with art by Kevin Libranda                       THE STAR OF INVINCIBLE IRON MAN HEADLINES HER OWN SOLO SERIES! When a group of world leaders is taken hostage by one of Spider-Man's old foes, Riri Williams will have to step up her game. And she'll be stunned when someone from back in Sweet Home Chicago enters her life... CHAMPIONS artist Kevin Libranda joins award-winning poet Eve Ewing, as Ironheart steps boldly out of Tony Stark's shadow to forge her own future! Rated T                       (Rod's Pick) Marvel Knights #1 from MARVEL COMICS written by Donny Cates with art by Travel Foreman                     In celebration of the legendary imprint founded by Marvel's CCO Joe Quesada, a new crop of talent stands poised to tell a groundbreaking story across the Marvel Universe!In the cemetery, the blind man does not know who he is, or why he has come to this particular grave at this moment. He doesn't know the burly police officer with the wild story who has approached him. Or the strangely intense man who sits in the rear seat of the patrol car, his eyes flashing green. But all of that is about to change. Because Matt Murdock is beginning to remember...In a colorless world without heroes, the spark of light...must come from the dark... Rated T                              (Joe's Pick) Black Order #1 from MARVEL COMICS written by Derek Landy with art by Philip Tan                      FROM THE INFINITY WAR INTO THEIR OWN LIMITED SERIES! They are the five dreadlords, the Cull Obsidian, Thanos' most feared warriors and disciples... Ruthless villains to a one, the Black Order has been dispatched by the Grandmaster to destabilize a burgeoning empire, and along the way they come to realize that as big and as bad as they are, there is always someone bigger and badder... The bombastic writing style of novelist Derek Landy (Skulduggery Pleasant) and the electrifying artwork of Philip Tan combine for an absolutely unhinged super-villain adventure! Rated T+                               (Brian's Pick) Bitter Root #1 from IMAGE COMICS written by Chuck Brown & David F Walker with art by Sanford Greene                       In the 1920s, the Harlem Renaissance is in full swing, and only the Sangerye Family can save New York-and the world-from the supernatural forces threatening to destroy humanity. But the once-great family of monster hunters has been torn apart by tragedies and conflicting moral codes. The Sangerye Family must heal the wounds of the past and move beyond their differences... or sit back and watch a force of unimaginable evil ravage the human race.DAVID F. WALKER and SANFORD GREENE, the creative team of Power Man and Iron Fist, along with indie veteran CHUCK BROWN (Trench Coats, Cigarettes and Shotguns) bring you 24 action-packed pages of monsters, mayhem, and family dysfunction in a brand-new ongoing series. 

This week Brian is out sick but Joe, Rebekah and Rod take control and review The Green Lantern, Outer Darkness, Empty Man and Dead Kings.                        (Brian's Pick) The Green Lantern #1 from DC COMICS written by Grant Morrison with art by Liam Sharp                                        Superstar writer Grant Morrison (Batman, All-Star Superman) returns to DC alongside red-hot artist Liam Sharp (The Brave AND the Bold, Wonder Woman) to launch a new, ongoing series: THE GREEN LANTERN!In this debut issue, when Earth's space cop, Hal Jordan, encounters an alien hiding in plain sight, it sets off a chain of events that rocks the Green Lantern Corps-and quite possibly the Multiverse at large-to its very core. There's an inter-galactic conspiracy afoot, as well as a traitor in the GL Corps' ranks, so strap in for more mind-bending adventures in this masterpiece in the making.                                         (Joe's Pick) Outer Darkness #1 from IMAGE COMICS written by John Laymen with art by Afu Chan                           Sci-fi and horror collide in this new series from the co-creator of CHEW!Mankind has colonized the galaxy, but during our interstellar travels, we discovered a terrifying secret out in the Outer Darkness of space. Join Captain Joshua Rigg and the crew of the starship Charon as they encounter demonic possessions, hauntings, cosmic horror, and more! All-star writer JOHN LAYMAN (CHEW) and artist AFU CHAN (Immortal Iron Fists) are ready to let you know that outer space is terrifying.                           (Rod's Pick) Dead Kings #1 from AFTERSHOCK COMICS written by Steve Orlando with art by Matthew Dow Smith                               Sasha never saw his younger brother...until the secret police made him disappear. Sasha Vasnetsov left Thrice-Nine-the dirty folklore world that limps along in the wreckage of a Technomagic War-thirty years ago and never looked back. But word that the secret police have sent his brother Gena to a work camp for the socially degenerate drags him back, with a promise to free Gena and return him to their mother before her fiftieth birthday. The only problem? Sasha isn't a fraction of the tough guy he tries to be, so if he's going to break back into Thrice-Nine...he'll need help. Sasha's only hope is Maria Kamenaya, a former Technomagic Warrior with hundreds of enemy kills to her name, betrayed by the country that made her when her honor conflicted with their agenda.Thrice-Nine took Sasha's brother, and it took Maria's heart. This quest is how they get both of those things back, in the steaming, lawless land of decapitated states...the land of DEAD KINGS.                                          (Rebekah's Pick) Empty Man #1 from BOOM! STUDIOS written by Cullen Bunn with art by Vanesa Del Rey                                      WHY WE LOVE IT: There's nothing scarier than horror that hits home-a tale of terror only one or two steps removed from our reality. THE EMPTY MAN is a dystopic version of the world we know, where a terrifying disease has taken on almost deific connotations. WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT: Cullen Bunn (THE SIXTH GUN, VENOM) and Vanesa R. Del Rey (HIT) are two of the most exciting talents in the industry, and perfectly in sync on this haunting new crime procedural. WHAT IT'S ABOUT: It's been one year since the first reported case of the Empty Man disease, and no drug has been able to slow its progress. The cause is unknown, and the symptoms include fits of rage, hideous hallucinations, suicidal dementia, followed by death, or a near lifeless, 'empty' state of catatonia. As murder cults rise nationwide, the FBI and CDC enter a joint investigation of the Empty Man, hoping to piece together clues to stop the cult and uncover a cure.

In this episode we review these comic books: These Savage Shores, Shuri, Exorsisters and Infinite Dark(Brian's Pick) Exorsisters from IMAGE COMICS written by Ian Boothby with art by GISÈLE LAGACÉ                              Did you sign a deal with the Devil? Has your fiancé been dragged to Hell? Then Kate and Cate Harrow should be the first ones you call for timely soul retrieval at a reasonable rate! But why are these identical twins so different? Is there a darker secret?                                                   (Rod's Pick) Shuri from MARVEL COMICS written by Nnedi Okorafor with art by Leonardo Romero                          The world fell in love with her in the movie. Now, the Black Panther's techno-genius sister launches her own adventures — written by best-selling Afrofuturist author Nnedi Okorafor and drawn by Eisner-nominated artist Leonardo Romero! The Black Panther has disappeared, lost on a mission in space. And in his absence, everyone's looking at the next in line for the throne. But Shuri is happiest in a lab, surrounded by gadgets of her own creation. She'd rather be testing gauntlets than throwing them. But a nation without a leader is a vulnerable one — and Shuri may have to choose between Wakanda's welfare and her own.                      (Joe's Pick) Infinite Dark from IMAGE COMICS written by Ryan Cady with art by Andrea Mutti                            The universe ended, but onboard the void station Orpheus, a skeleton crew of humanity survived: the last two thousand souls, waiting for a second big bang that may never come. Now, two years into their voyage, Security Director Deva Karrell investigates the station’s first murder—and the otherworldly motives behind it.                                    (Rebekah's Pick) These Savage Shores from VAULT COMICS writtey by Ram V. with art by Sumit Kumar                                         Two centuries after the first European ship sailed to the Malabar Coast and made landfall at Calicut, the East India Company seeks to secure its future along the lucrative Silk Route, in the year 1766. An old evil now sails aboard a company ship, hoping to make a home in this new found land. But he will soon find that the ground along the Indus is an ancient one with daemons and legends far older than himself. Along These Savage Shores, where the days are scorched and the nights are full of teeth.

In this episode we are reviewing the comic books: Jook Joint, Dead Rabbit, Stranger Things and Blackbird                   (Brian's Pick) Jook Joint from IMAGE COMICS written by Tee Franklin with art by Alitha Martinez                       TEE FRANKLIN (BINGO LOVE) and ALITHA E. MARTINEZ (Black Panther: World of Wakanda) team up for a timely horror series from the Deep South! Mahalia runs the hottest spot in all of 1950s New Orleans. The Jook Joint keeps the jazz popping, people bopping… and the women? The women are to die for. There’s only one rule: “Keep your hands to yourself.” But some men think rules don’t apply to them, and Mahalia and her coven of slain women enjoy reminding them that they most certainly do.                                         (Joe's Pick) Blackbird from IMAGE COMICS written by Sam Humphries with art by Jen Bartel                         An all-new ongoing series from fan-favorite writer SAM HUMPHRIES (Harley Quinn, Nightwing) and red-hot artist JEN BARTEL! In this neo-noir fantasy, Nina Rodriguez is positive that a secret magic world ruled by ruthless cabals is hiding just beneath the veneer of Los Angeles. The problem: everyone thinks she’s crazy. The bigger problem: she’s not crazy—she’s right. Can she unravel the mystery before the Great Beast catches up with her?                         (Rod's Pick) Stranger Things from DARK HORSE COMICS written by Jody Houser with art by Stefano Martino                          The nostalgia-igniting hit Netflix original series comes to comic shelves. Follow Will Byers into a dimension of decay and destruction where he must use his wits and resolve to dodge the pursuit of the Demogorgon and escape the Upside Down.                 (Rebekah's Pick) Dead Rabbit from IMAGE COMIS written by Gerry Duggan with art by John McCrea                           Back in the ‘90s, DEAD RABBIT was a prolific Boston stick-up man and hoodlum, until he took down one last big score and disappeared. Nobody ever discovered the truth: he retired to be with the love of his life. Now he’s back in the mask to save her, but no one—not his wife, the mafia, or the cops—is happy that he’s out of retirement. From JOHN McCREA, the artist and co-creator of MYTHIC and Hitman, and GERRY DUGGAN, the writer of ANALOG and Deadpool, comes the action-comedy-drama tale of Martin Dobbs, a.k.a. DEAD RABBIT, the man who says he’s descended from one of the original gangs of New York City. Get on board with the oversized first issue of an all-new ONGOING SERIES for mature readers.