Being a comic fan can be tough. With so many publishers printing more and more books, canceling titles and starting new ones, it can be daunting when you head to the comic book shop on a Wednesday to know exactly what’s coming out.
The current system of presenting and ordering comics three months ahead of their release as set forth by the sole comics distributor, Diamond Comics, doesn’t make it any easier either. We’re not a fan of that system, we think it’s slowly strangling comics to death, but we realize it’s a harsh reality of how the industry works and we definitely don’t want you to miss out on any of the cool comics being published.
And so, as opposed to regurgitating the list of comics solicited in Previews each month, we present to you some of the highlights of things you probably won’t want to miss out on.
SPOILER WARNING – In order to get people to order comics, the publishers have a funny habit of revealing what’s happening in the books. If you don’t want anything at all to be spoiled, then you’ll probably want to skip this post and take your chances with your pre-orders and/or your shopping.
He’s Tall, and he’s Back
The last volume was a Book of the Month. Now there’s another one, and we’re psyched. Plus there’s a movie coming, so clearly Matt Kindt is psyched.
3 STORY: SECRET FILES OF THE GIANT MAN
Matt Kindt (W/A/Cover)
On sale Apr 18
FC, 32 pages
$3.50
One-shotThe most acclaimed graphic novel of 2009 returns! Some episodes from the life of Craig Pressgang were too sensitive even for the pages of 3 Story: The Secret History of the Giant Man, but now the full truth of his years as a spy can be told! Lending new meaning to the phrase “hiding in plain sight,” Craig’s missions to Paris, Cairo, and the Philippines make Secret Files an essential companion to the 3 Story graphic novel, as well as a perfect standalone introduction to Matt Kindt’s touching history of the Giant Man. Collects all three Giant Man stories from MySpace Dark Horse Presents.
Those Vampire Nuns Aren’t Necessarily Bad
The second volume of the most grizzled character in comics can now be yours. Baltimore comes close to his prey in this one, but a whole lot of folks have to die (spoiler: they do) before he gets his prize.
BALTIMORE: THE CURSE BELLS VOLUME 2 HC
Mike Mignola (W/Cover), Christopher Golden (W), Ben Stenbeck (A), and Dave Stewart (C)
On sale June 13
FC, 144 pages
$24.99
HC, 7″ x 10″A horrific ritual will create havoc on a small European town, as Lord Baltimore takes on the twisted blessing of vampiric nuns and an insane warlock!
What is Best in Comics, 3 Months Later?
Quite honestly, if it was only for those covers, this would still be worth a look. Conan is still roaming around with a pirate queen, so we’re also still down with the premise.
CONAN THE BARBARIAN #3
Brian Wood (W), Becky Cloonan (A), Dave Stewart (C), Massimo Carnevale (Cover), and John Paul Leon (Variant cover)
On sale Apr 11
FC, 32 pages
$3.50
OngoingAlone, Conan was the most fearsome warrior to ever walk the planet! Now, joined with the pirate queen Bêlit, he is swept to new levels of danger and passion. Wood and Cloonan continue to redefine the Cimmerian as he embraces piracy and begins his joint reign of the Black Coast alongside the deadly siren, Bêlit!
Conan is Also a Pirate in This One
But he’s just a pirate at the beginning. This is a gem of a Conan comic. Don’t let the volume number fool you. You can read this and only this, and when you do, you’ll be treated to some wonderful comic book magic from Roy Thomas and Mike Hawthorne.
CONAN VOLUME 11: ROAD OF KINGS TP
Roy Thomas (W), Mike Hawthorne (P), John Lucas (I), Jason Gorder (I), Dave Stewart (C), and Dan Jackson (C)
On sale June 27
FC, 152 pages
$19.99
TP, 7″ x 10″The journey down the fabled Road of Kings is a treacherous one, filled with monsters, angry victims of Conan’s light fingers, and other thieving highwaymen. While Conan becomes caught up in palace intrigue along the way, a slaver kidnaps his companion, Olivia, determined to collect a ransom from her royal father! Collecting Conan: Road of Kings #1–#6, these are some of the most thrilling Conan stories ever printed!
Just Another Stellar Talent Lineup…
There’s too much to point out in this issue. Too much! But if I had to pick one thing, and I’m going to, this issue premiere’s Francesco Francavilla’s Black Beetle, and we know you love the Italian pulp master, right? Good. You know what to do.
DARK HORSE PRESENTS #11
Francesco Francavilla (W/A/Cover), Steve Horton (W), Carla Speed McNeil (W/A), Steve Niles (W), Evan Dorkin (W/A), Tim Seeley (W), John Arcudi (W), Andrew Vachss (W), Neal Adams (W/A), Frank Barbiere (W), Michael Dialynas (A), Jonathan Case (A), Victor Drujiniu (A), Tonci Zonjic (A/Cover), Geof Darrow (A), and Luke Radl (A)
On sale Apr 18
FC, 80 pages
$7.99
OngoingDon’t miss the continuing exploits of cunning assassin Amala, Carla Speed McNeil’s Finder, Evan Dorkin’s House of Fun, and Steve Niles’s Criminal Macabre.
This issue is also packed with the exciting premiere of Francesco Francavilla’s pulp-noir hero the Black Beetle, the return of John Arcudi’s The Creep, and a new story by Andrew Vachss with illustrations by Geof Darrow!
And in an exciting feature by Frank Barbiere and Luke Radl, meet the killers known as the White Suits, who have left their bloody fingerprints throughout modern history. When a young girl encounters one of the Suits during a mob deal gone wrong, she is forced to make a decision that will change her life forever―or end it!
We Call This ‘Playing to Your Base’
I think the cover pretty much tells you where Powell is coming from.
THE GOON #39
Eric Powell (W/A/Cover) and Dave Stewart (C)
On sale Apr 25
FC, 32 pages
$3.50
OngoingIn order to try to compete with the gimmicks and rehashes of the Big Two superhero companies, Eric Powell has decided to completely sell out and relaunch the Goon in this super-epic, brand new, first-ever first edition of the 39th issue of The Goon! Not only do the Goon and Franky get new costumes, but we also discover there are different-colored versions of the Goon! Green Goon! Red Goon! Blue Goon! Purple Goon! WHAT A PLOT!
Your Full Grendel Education
You’ve heard about Grendel, but it was too much of a hassle to go back and get all the issues. Take not one more step, good sir!
GRENDEL OMNIBUS VOLUME 1: HUNTER ROSE TP
Matt Wagner (W/A), Tim Sale (A), David Mack (A), Duncan Fegredo (A), Mike Allred (A), Guy Davis (A), Teddy Kristiansen (A), Ashley Wood (A), Mike Huddleston (A), and Dean Motter (A)
On sale June 6
b&w&r, 600 pages
$24.99
TP, 6˝ x 9˝Matt Wagner’s masterpiece celebrates its thirtieth anniversary with the first-ever comprehensive collection of the complete Grendel saga! The first of four volumes presenting the entire series and following the chronology of the stories, this edition introduces millionaire Hunter Rose and his alter ego, the criminal mastermind Grendel!
Volume 1 reprints Grendel: Devil by the Deed; the short story collections Grendel: Black, White, & Red and Grendel: Red, White, & Black, featuring a host of legendary guest artists; and the epic Grendel: Behold the Devil.
I’m Gonna Go with the Cimmerian
I mean, just physically, it doesn’t seem like much of a contest. Groo’s legs, for example, seem like a massive disadvantage.
GROO VS. CONAN #1 (of 4)
Mark Evanier (W), Sergio Aragonés (A), Thomas Yeates (A), and Tom Luth (C)
On sale Apr 18
FC, 32 pages
$3.50
MiniseriesIt had to happen: the most heroic warrior in history meets the stupidest as Robert E. Howard’s immortal Conan the Barbarian crosses swords with Sergio Aragones’ Groo the Wanderer in Groo vs. Conan #1. This four-issue miniseries was concocted by the Eisner Award-winning team of Mark Evanier and Sergio Aragones, aided by master illustrator Thomas Yeates and master colorist Tom Luth. Will Conan annihilate Groo? Will Groo turn out to be the man who can defeat Conan? We’ll see
All Ages, With No Hint of Jar Jar
That is the best team of inkers I have ever seen gathered.
STAR WARS OMNIBUS: DROIDS AND EWOKS TP
David Manak (W), George Caragonne (W), Warren Kremer (P), Ernie Colon (P), John Romita (P), Mary Wilshire (P), Jon D’Agostino (I), Carlos Garzón (I), Jacqueline Roettcher (I), Marie Severin (I/C), Joe Sinnott (I), Al Williamson (I), and George Roussos (C)
On sale June 20
FC, 528 pages
$24.99
TP, 6” x 9”Based on the children’s television cartoon series of the same names, Ewoks and Droids explores further adventures in the lives of the Ewoks on Endor and the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO. The Ewoks become embroiled in the dangers of their planet―lizard warriors, underwater kingdoms, magic spells―and the outside world―pirates, invaders, and more! The droids encounter more than one new master, war droids, megaweapons, time travel, and even Ewoks! This omnibus collects all the issues of the Ewoks and Star Wars: Droids comics series, released in the 1980s by Marvel’s imprint Star Comics.
You want more? Check out Dark Horse’s full list of April solicitations.
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That Dark Horse Presents looks like a must-buy. Stellar creators with great stories? I’m there.
Also, that 600 page Grendel omnibus is a steal at $24.99. That’s a bargain. I remember people wondering where to start with Grendel in an article on here within the last couple of months – well, this is it. The Hunter Rose stories are fantastic.
The goon and conan for me, dhp is just too much$$ for me, baltimore and grendel trades look interesting as well.
Roy Thomas is a just teency weency smidge below Crom.
I don’t even read Conan or Groo but the idea of them crossing over and the art matching both of their styles is a cool idea.
I’ve been waiting a long time for a Grendel collection like that. I was hoping for hardcover but I’ll take what I can get.
I want the Grendel omnibus.
Even though i already have all those Grendel stories, I am going to get that Omnibus anyway, just because if something Grendel comes out, i buy it. Grendel is what actually one of the two things got me back into comics after I stopped buying them all together in the 90s. I randomly picked up the first issue of a grendel mini series and the first issue of Harlan ellison’s Dream Corridor. My love of comics was reignited and I’ve been back ever since!
Holy crap. April just got more expensive for yours truly. I’ve always liked the concept of Grendel, but I could never find the back issues to get into it. It looks like now is my time to start. And for a long-time fan of Groo like myself, having him FINALLY meet Conan is a must-buy.
It’s Eric Powells general snark, towards mainstream comics is why I will never buy one of his comics. I get it, you hate the Big Two, enough already.
Haha, I’ve never read the Goon, but based on your argument for not buying his books, and given what fans say about Marvel/DC on message boards, you’d think The Goon would be a Top Ten book!
Yeah lol, I’ve never understood the venom some indie creators have towards Marvel and DC. The same could be said for anything indie in almost every form of entertainment.
Love Grendel,(wish this omnibus was an HC),1st “graphic novel” I ever bought was Four Devils, One Hell. The Goon is great, that cover is hilarious and is in good fun, as is all Goon material, snarky or not, its truth in comedy and bet Eric Powell reads comix from the big two, secretly loving Fear Itself in his basement w a flashlight.
Yeah! The Goon cover is great. Powell is right, obviously, but what he’s lampooning is part of the guilty pleasure I’m getting from Marvel comics in the first place. Which makes the cover even more hilarious to me.
I’ve always been curious about Grendel. I’ll probably download an issue and see if it’s my cup of tea. I’m also really curious to see what Francavilla’s like as a writer. He’s got Nazis in the story, so that’s a good sign.