Heroes in Crisis, Man-Eaters, Stranger Things & More in Required Reading: Comics for 9/26/2018
Main Art by Clay Mann
It’s hard to believe, but September is already on its way out (even harder to believe: the madness of New York Comic-Con is just around the corner). This Wednesday sees the long-anticipated—and perhaps even dreaded, depending on your outlook—release of DC Comics’ Heroes in Crisis #1, the publisher’s new event series that straddles the line between bombastic murder mystery and somber exploration of trauma. Don’t let that series steal all the headlines, though: we’ve also got Chip Zdarsky’s final Spidey outing, a new Faith adventure, two thrilling launches from the Vault Comics/White Noise partnership, the first Stranger Things comic, Chelsea Cain’s return to comics and more in what is sure to be a packed autumn New Comic Book Day.
Domino Annual #1
Writers: Gail Simone, Fabian Nicieza, Leah Williams, Dennis Hopeless
Artists: Victor Ibanez, Juan Gedeon, Leonard Kirk, Michael Shelfer, Natacha Bustos
Publisher: Marvel Comics
It’s no surprise that Marvel Comics launched a Domino series in the wake of the character’s appearance in Deadpool 2 earlier this year, but it is a bit shocking how well the solo outing has taken off. Under the guiding hand of fan-favorite writer Gail Simone, Domino has come into her own with a mix of humor and mercenary action, and now the Neena Thurman love has spilled out into an oversized annual featuring additional creators. Simone kicks things off with the origin of Outlaw’s place in Domino’s posse, famed Cable writer Fabian Nicieza teams with artist Juan Gedeon for an update on Cable and Domino’s infamous baths, Dennis Hopeless returns to the Cable & The X-Force era to reunite Dom with former flame Colossus and Leah Williams and Natacha Bustos introduce the RejeX, a support group for mutants stuffed full of cameos that should make a lot of deep-cut X-fans very happy. If Domino’s ongoing adventure leaves you hungry for more, this annual should suffice. Steve Foxe
Faith: Dreamside #1
Writer: Jody Houser
Artist: MJ Kim
Publisher: Valiant Entertainment
The modern incarnation of Valiant Comics launched in 2012 with reimaginings of some of the publisher’s biggest characters: Bloodshot, X-O Manowar, Archer & Armstrong and the Harbingers, with cult-favorite properties like Shadowman and Ninjak following soon after. What few could have predicted, though, was a Harbingers ensemble cast member breaking out into superstardom all on her own. Faith Herbet, a.k.a. Zephyr, outshined her peers thanks to her perseverance, upbeat personality, nerdy interests and her status as one of the few plus-sized protagonists in the mainstream superhero genre. The first collected volume of her ongoing series earned accolades from the Young Adult Library Services Association and across the internet comics press, and writer Jody Houser has now shepherded the character through two different series and a time-traveling mini. Starting this week, Houser and Faith return in Faith: Dreamside with artist MJ Kim. In this “Valiant Beyond” mini-series, Faith must cross the boundary into the “Dreamside”—a new aspect of the Valiant Universe’s Deadside—to protect the dreams of her younger teammate, Animalia. To do so, Faith will need to recruit the help of Dr. Mirage, Valiant’s premiere parapsychologist hero. It’s a Valiant team-up for the ages, and fans of either character—or readers curious about where to get started in the Valiant universe—will want to pick up this dreamy first issue. Steve Foxe
Fearscape #1
Writer: Ryan O’Sullivan
Artist: Andrea Mutti
Publisher: Vault Comics
The first of two Vault Comics/White Noise partnership titles out this week, Fearscape is one of those rare comics that really needs to be read to be understood, as a short pitch simply doesn’t do it justice. Yes, there’s a plot about a Muse who comes to Earth once a generation to recruit our greatest Storyteller to combat the titular Fearscape, but that sounds like the one-billionth forgettable tribute to the peak literary days of DC’s Vertigo imprint from 25 years ago—and that’s the point. From the delightfully satirical first page on, it’s clear that writer Ryan O’Sullivan and artist Andrea Mutti are taking the piss out of every mediocre writer who ever fashioned himself the next Alan Moore or Neil Gaiman but didn’t have the chops to back it up. Fearscape isn’t purely a diss track—there’s substance beyond the subtle digs—but anyone who bemoans the faux-deepness of most meta-fantasy comics will leave this issue with a wide grin. Steve Foxe
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