Adventures of Red Sonja Omnibus Vol. 1
(Photo: Frank Thorne, Dynamite Entertainment)Written by Roy Thomas
Art by Frank Thorne
Published by Dynamite Entertainment
The new Red Sonja movie reboot is on the horizon, which is a good excuse to look back at the She-Devil’s comic history. This new omnibus encapsulates some of the most unique notes in her tenure, reprinting her long-forgotten first stories from across Marvel Comics. That novelty, combined with the promise of experiencing work from Roy Thomas and Frank Thorne, makes this collection absolutely worth checking out. — Jenna Anderson
Conan the Barbarian #2
(Photo: Alan Quah, TItan Comics)Written by Jim Zub
Art by Roberto De La Torre
Colors by Dean White
Letters by Richard Starkings
I approached Conan the Barbarian #1 with muted anticipation, my interest in the Cimmerian’s comic book adventures having dulled by the time his return to Marvel Comics concluded with the license’s shift to Titan Comics. After reading the issue, my interest is back. The debut fully embraced the Bronze Age stylings of Roy Thomas, Barry Windsor-Smith, and John Buscema, which made Conan into a bestselling comic book icon for years, in a way that Marvel seemed reluctant to do in its second outing as Conan’s publisher. Jim Zub, Roberto De La Torre, Dean White, and Richard Starkings have a vision for Titan’s Conan the Barbarian series, and as long as they’re enacting it, I’ll be reading. If you’re a sword and sorcery fan, grab the first two issues of Titan’s Conan the Barbarian and thank me later. — Jamie Lovett
Den Vol 1.: Neverwhere
(Photo: Richard Corben, Dark Horse Comics)Written by Richard Corben
Art by Richard Corben
Lettering by Nate PIekos
Published by Dark Horse Comics
Anyone who has ever discussed Dungeons & Dragons with me knows that I have a minor obsession with Dark Sun, its best campaign setting (yeah, I said it). One of the chief inspirations for Dark Sun was Richard Corben’s Den, a story serialized in early issues of Heavy Metal. Unfortunately, collected editions of Den have been out of print for decades, making it incredibly difficult to access for anyone without a stash of Heavy Metal magazines dating back to 1973 to read. That changes this week, as Dark Horse Comics publishes a new edition of Den‘s earliest Heavy Metal adventures, the first in a series of such collections. Jose Villaruba has overseen the project, which not only collects Den but remasters and restores it like a Criterion Collection film, rescanning Corben’s original artwork, cleaning up the gutters, and re-lettering pages for legibility and consistency. As Den dates back to Heavy Metal‘s”better than being stoned” golden age, it’s got a stonery vibe and somewhat juvenile approach to sexuality. It’s also a potent blend of sword and sorcery/planet fantasy stories in the vein of Robert E. Howard’s Conan and Edgar Rice Burroughs Barsoom stories with tales that make the youthful power fantasy of escapist fiction literal (the title character’s origin is similar to that of DC’s Shazam). It’s also fascinating to see how Corben developed as a artist, as several Den chapters were published years apart. I’m thrilled that this nearly lost comic is being made readily available to new audiences. — Jamie Lovett
The Devil’s Cut #1
Written by James Tynion IV, Marc Bernardin, Elsa Charretier, PK Colinet, Stephanie Phillips, Mirka Andolfo, Jock, Brian Azzarello, Scott Snyder, Jamie McKelvie, Ram V, Becky Cloonan, and Tula Lotay
Art by Christian Ward, Ariela Kristantina, Elsa Charretier, Jo?lle Jones, Mirka Andolfo, Jock, Eduardo Risso, Francesco Francavilla, Jamie McKelvie, Lee Garbett, Becky Cloonan, and Tula Lotay
Colors by Christian Ward, Lee Loughridge, Nick Filardi, Jo?lle Jones, Mirka Andolfo, Jock, Eduardo Risso, Francesco Francavilla, Jamie McKelvie, Becky Cloonan, and Tula Lotay
Letters by Aditya Bidikar, Bernardo Brice, Clayton Cowles, Lucas Gattoni, Fabio Amelia, Arancia Studio, Jock, Jared K. Fletcher, AndWorld Design, and Richard Starkings
Published by DSTLRY
This is the sort of recommendation that really writes itself as I simply need to gesture to the extensive list of credits below to reveal the level of quality reflected in DSTLRY’s launch anthology. For those unfamiliar, ComiXology’s CEO David Steinberger and head of content Chip Mosher have teamed up to launch a new publisher with a unique digital publication strategy. Luckily for old heads like myself, they’re still printing comics, too. The Devil’s Cut #1 collects a total of 11 new stories, ranging between 4 and 11 pages each, from some of the most accomplished artists and writers working in the direct market today. It’s a showcase of talent that also manages to stand on its own; while many of the stories contained within it tease future DSTLRY releases, each vignette functions independently – making The Devil’s Cut a genuinely satisfying anthology. Regardless of where the company is headed or whether it too will be sold to Amazon for parts, The Devil’s Cut reveals it’s set to print some very good comic books along the way. — Chase Magnett
G’nort’s Illustrated Swimsuit Edition #1
(Photo: Vasco Georgiev, DC)
Art by VariousPublished by DC
The split second I heard of the existence of G’nort’s Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, I knew it would be a must-buy for me. Carrying on the underappreciated tradition of Marvel’s Swimsuit Specials of the 1990s, as well as the magazine its title is pastiching, G’nort’s Illustrated promises to showcase some of the best beach-themed variant covers released by DC in recent years. If that’s not enough to sell you on the book, the three new centerfolds from Jorge Jimenez, Jen Bartel, and Simon Bisley oughta do it. — Jenna Anderson
Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant #1
(Photo: Sara Pichelli, Marvel Comics)Written by Iman Vellani and Sabir Pirzada
Art by Carlos G?mez and Adam Gorham
Colors by Erick Arciniega
Letters by Joe Caramagna
Published by Marvel Comics
It has been a very long summer for Ms. Marvel at Marvel Comics. Without a series of her own for the first time since 2013, she joined the pages of Amazing Spider-Man only to be struck down saving the world, which led to her resurrection on Krakoa revealing her to be a mutant just before the Hellfire massacre. She’s been busy and fans have experienced a wide range of reactions. Regardless of that publishing drama, it appears that Kamala is prepared to come home to her own series and deliver some excellent stories without any massive crossover (at least for a few months) once again. One of the driving factors behind these recent changes is the upcoming big screen debut of the character in The Marvels this fall and actress Iman Vellani, who portrays the character, is stepping in to co-write the new ongoing series. It’s an exciting opportunity, especially given Vellani’s tremendous performance of and appreciation for the role. Combined with an excellent art team and a new status quo, including the potential mystery of Kamala’s unrevealed mutant powers, Ms. Marvel fans have a lot to anticipate without fear of more editorial shenanigans. Having followed the character since she debuted, I’m thrilled to see her name at the top of a new series. Bring on Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant. — Chase Magnett
Scarlet Witch Vol. 1: The Last Door
(Photo: Russell Dauterman, Marvel Comics)Written by Steve Orlando
Art by Various
Published by Marvel Comics
I have been consistently in awe of every issue of Marvel’s new Scarlet Witch series, and I’m so glad I now have a single volume I can shove into people’s hands. This string of stories follows Wanda Maximoff, joined by Darcy Lewis and a slew of Marvel guest stars, in wildly entertaining and satisfying adventures. In one fell swoop, the book manages to successfully combine elements of Wanda’s checkered past, elements of her renewed success in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the pure fun of standalone comic storytelling. Scarlet Witch is easily one of my favorite new comics out this year — and if it’s not yours yet, hopefully, this collection will help change that. — Jenna Anderson
Red Sonja, Scarlet Witch, and Den are also included in this week’s recommendations. Read More