New Comics Wednesday: April 20th Edition

Every week, Project-Nerd gives me a bunch of comics. I read them, and then I tell you about the good ones. In the best of worlds, it works out for all of us.

In Project-Nerd Publishing news, our first graphic novel, Blue Moon, starts shipping in two weeks. Weighing in at $15 and 110 pages, Blue Moon is written and drawn by Ben Gilboa, and it’s a psychological horror story about growing up and making choices. Go to the Project-Nerd Publishing web store to order yours today.

There’s an insane amount of quality work this week, so, here’s what I liked:


Lumberjanes

Lumberjanes #25 (Boom!)
written by Shannon Watters and Kat Leyh; illustrated by Carey Pietsch; colors by Maarta Laiho; letters by Aubry Breese; backup story written by Chynna Clugston Flores; illustrated by Laura Lewis and Mad Rupert; colors by Maarta Laiho; letters by Warren Montgomery

Lumberjanes is a book that understands itself very well. It knows when and how to present an important emotional beat—you follow it up immediately with a pirate ship falling out of the sky, duh—but it also knows when all you need in your life are kittens. Dozens of them. Super-powered ones, even. The result is beautiful artwork by Carey Pietsch and Maarta Laiho, who must’ve had way too much fun drawing this book, and a story that had me laughing out loud to myself while my wife gave me the side eye from the couch. If you’ve never read Lumberjanes before, it’s the perfect issue to pick up—Watters and Leyh do a great job of providing a road map into the Janes’ world without getting into any tedious backstory.

The book kicks off its second year with an oversized issue stuffed full of kittens, a back up story by Chynna Clugston Flores (Blue Monday) about April’s run-in with a bird boy, and a preview of the upcoming Lumberjanes/Gotham Academy crossover. That’s a lot of talent in one book, and it’s impossible to pass up. If there’s one book you buy this week, this is it.


Shaft

Shaft: Imitation of Life #3 (Dynamite)
written and lettered by David Walker; illustrated by Dietrich Smith; colors by Alex Guimaráes

Our relationship to our own expectations can be very dangerous. Expectations set us up for failure, often thwarting our attempts to control the forces surrounding our lives. This issue of Shaft: Imitation of Life explores that relationship when a frustrated John Shaft takes a gig as a consultant for a Blaxploitation film in order to make some easy money where no one can get hurt. It’s relatable and compelling in ways that you never thought a Shaft comic could be, because we’ve all fallen victim to our expectations at some point in life.

To make a very bold statement, I think David Walker is the best writer in comics right now. With Marvel’s Power Man and Iron Fist, he’s quickly proven that he can write a fun, action-packed superhero book. Soon, he’ll be working on Tarzan on the Planet of the Apes alongside co-writer Tim Seely, just because he’s always wanted to write Planet of the Apes. In last year’s Shaft: A Complicated Man, Walker showed us that he could bring a level of sophistication to a character that most only knew from Richard Roundtree’s portrayal, which pop culture reduced to nothing but a series of catch phrases from its famous theme song. This month’s issue of his follow up, Shaft: Imitation of Life, continues to build on that depth.


Bond

Bond #6 (Dynamite)
written by Warren Ellis; art by Jason Masters; colors by Guy Major; letters by Simon Bowland

I’m by no means a well read fan of James Bond, and I’ve sacrilegiously only seen the more recent films with Daniel Craig where he plays a more inexperienced yet resourceful 007. Warren Ellis, however, presents the most well-rounded James Bond I could possibly imagine, and the finale of Ellis’ first arc—called “Vargr”—made me want to pick up every single Ian Fleming novel for comparison because there’s no way they could be this good. This issue presents a Bond whose determination comes from a place of severe irritation—he’s been jerked around, almost killed multiple times, and now he’s driven by no other desire than to put an end to it. All of its elements have a classic feel to them, right down to the dialogue and possibly the most satisfyingly asinine evil villain motivation in recent memory. Artistically, this issue is the first to feel like artist Jason Masters hit a storytelling stride, and if it’s any indication of where his work is going to go in the recently announced follow-up arc, I’m there for the ride.


4 kids

4 Kids Walk Into a Bank #1 (Black Mask)
written by Matthew Rosenberg; art/design by Tyler Boss; flatting by Clare Dezutti, letters by Thomas Mauer; wallpaper design by Courtney Menard

Matthew Rosenberg knows how to write kids.

I don’t know what kids were like where you grew up, but in the development I grew up in Maryland, they were assholes (sorry, guys). They swore way too much, did a bunch of really stupid things, and got into a lot of trouble. 4 Kids Walk Into a Bank ratchets that behavior up a bit by following a group of tough, outcast kids who stick together without necessarily getting along—kind of like the Goonies, but way more intense. It’s engaging to watch these strangely likable, jerkish kids go from being introduced in an amazingly well done Dungeons and Dragons reference to getting in way over their heads in the criminal element. 4 Kids Walk Into a Bank is one of the best independent comics I’ve ever read, and it stands head and shoulders alongside anything being put out by a larger publisher. I’m looking forward to this one.


TF VS GI JOE

Transformers vs. G.I. Joe#12 (IDW)
written by Tom Scioli and John Barber; art, coloring, and lettering by Tom Scioli

As the weirdest crossover in comic book history careens into its final few issues, we’re treated to some epic robot battles, Megatron getting attacked by his own arm—the hand of which is now Grimlock’s dinosaur head—and three of the self proclaimed great unmaskings in comic book history. Scioli and Barber have combined every single element that we loved from two classic cartoons, none of which should ever fit together. It’s some of the coolest, quirkiest storytelling happening right now in comics, with artwork that hearkens back to the days of Jack Kirby but with an independent flair that gives the finger to the photorealistic trends of many comics at the big two.


Transformers

Transformers #52 (IDW)
written by John Barber; art by Livio Ramondelli; letters by Tom B. Long

This book works best when it embraces its political drama roots that feature a bunch of giant robots with self-referential names while Earth and its denizens only exist in the background. There’s nary a human in sight this month (in case you count Blackrock, I suppose, but he’s got a robot face now, so I don’t think he counts), and the story is better for it. Optimus Prime has declared Earth as annexed as part of the Cybertronian Council of Worlds without any authority to do so? Starscream reveling in Prime’s being painted as a war criminal by the council? Art by Livio Ramondelli? That’s great stuff that throws back to the character complexity I loved early on in the series. Give me that every month, and I’ll give you my $3.99—I’ll want to be there when Prime eventually slaps that smirk off of Starscream’s face. It’s been a convoluted journey to get here, but this book looks to be back on track.


Joyride

Joyride #1 of 4 (Boom!)
script by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly; art by Marcus To; colors by Irma Kniivila; letters by Jim Campbell 

I love books about kids and teenagers. Characters of that age are too young to have been beaten down by the responsibilities of adulthood—they’re full of energy, and a sense of adventure that we all wish we could’ve hung onto just a little bit longer. If you talk to Jackson Lanzing, he’ll describe this book as “Punk. Rock. Teenage. Star Trek,” and he’s completely on point with that. From the initial setup, the book wastes no time introducing you to the characters and their plan to get off planet as soon as humanly possible by stealing a spaceship. It’s a wide open adventure from then on, smartly written and planned out, with some of the best work of artist (and co-creator) Marcus To’s career. The only downside to this book is that we’re only getting four issues of it.


Bloodshot

Bloodshot Reborn #12 (Valiant)
written by Jeff Lemire; art by Lewis Larosa; colors by Brian Reber; letters by Dave Lanphear

I’m going to keep this one simple. Bloodshot Reborn is a non-stop, action-packed thrill ride, and Lewis Larosa and Brian Reber absolutely kill it on every page. If ninja swords, exploding trucks, big guns, and blood n’ guts are your thing, you’ll automatically love this comic. It’s everything the 90’s wanted to be, but that nostalgia is tempered by an honestly great script by Jeff Lemire that follows Bloodshot and Ninjak as they take on what feels like hundreds of bad guys of various pedigree. It’s the brutal, buddy/action flick you never knew you wanted—the dialogue is hilariously self aware, the action scenes are loud, and the character moments have weight. Excellent work.


divinity II

Divinity II #1 (Valiant)
written by Matt Kindt; pencils by Trevor Hairsine; inks by Ryan Winn; colors by David Baron; letter Dave Lanphear

I haven’t read last year’s Divinity, although it’s currently on my “things to read” shelf after I picked it up at Emerald City Comic Con. This week, however, the series returns with its second volume, and within pages, writer Matt Kindt is able to catch the reader up on everything they need to know. It’s masterful storytelling that follows a cosmonaut named Valentina who’s been abandoned on an alien planet with one mission—get back home by any means necessary. Kindt handles the passing of time like few are able to in comics, embracing the medium’s ability to cut between multiple points in time to give us a peek into what makes Valentina tick—what drives her unwavering commitment to the state. When combined with tremendous artwork by the team of Trevor Hairsine, Ryan Winn, and David Baron, that sort of storytelling makes this book a sure thing.


Also available this week:

Boom! Studios — Adventure Time: Ice King #4, Bee and Puppy Cat #11, Big Trouble in Little China #3, Jonesy #3, Turncoat #2

Dark Horse — BPRD: Hell On Earth #140Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 10 #26, Dark Horse Presents Vol. 3 #21, Dragon Age: Magekiller #5, Leaving Megalopolis: Surviving Megalopolis #4, Plants Vs. Zombies #10, Shadow Glass #2, Tomb Raider Vol. 3 #3, Dept. H #1

Dynamite — Bob’s Burgers Vol. 2 #10, Deja Thoris #10, Grumpy Cat & Pokey #3, Dresden Files: Wild Card #1, Lords of the Jungle #2; Precinct #5, Red Sonja Vol. 6 #4, Twilight Zone: The Shadow #1

IDW — Back to the Future #7, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency: A Spoon Too Short #3, Donald Duck #12, Godzilla: Oblivion #2, Gutter Magic #4, Jem and the Holograms #14, Star Trek: Manifest Destiny #1, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy #5

Valiant — X-O Manowar #46


Project-Nerd is a press partner of BOOM! Studios, Dark Horse Comics, Dynamite Entertainment, Alterna Comics, Valiant Comics, and IDW Publishing. If you would like to see your studios’ content included in our weekly release article, please contact our editors.

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