March 16th, 2022
Caroline's Picks:
Slumber #1 - There’s a haunting new serial killer in town, working via dreams. Each victim claims to have been asleep when they made their kill, each claims to have no memory of the incident, each crime scene looks the same with the same symbols at them all. Enter Detective Finch, a currently suspended man of the law, he’s here to find the connections no one else can and bring this Nightmare Killer to justice before they strike again. First up: find the Dream Eater, an old folktale said to protect dreams from nightmares. I guess the best place to start would be with the woman whose name keeps popping up related to all the crime scenes: Doctor Stenson ‘The Dream Healer’. Her job is essentially a mix of Inception and an acid trip: you're dreaming and you’ve hired someone to literally go inside your dream and kill your nightmares. Turns out she’s looking for the Dream Eater too, they’ve got some history to settle.
World's Finest #1 - Batman and Superman share a universe so they must team up every now and then, right? This new series explores just that, the two have had to work together to save the world (outside of working with the Justice League of course) a few times before but this one is different. Poison Ivy has made a trip to Metropolis and she hasn't come alone. While she’s got Batman occupied while her friend gives Superman a nice booster shot of a Red Kryptonite cocktail. The following chaos that Superman brings to the city is immense, but a few friendly faces show up to help out before he can destroy the whole place. Now they need to figure out who was really behind the attack on Superman, before things can really get out of hand. I'm very excited to see all the characters being brought together for this series already, and the Ivy hype before her new solo mini series drops is always welcome, if you ask me.
Heavy Metal Drummer #2 - Another wild start to this issue as we open immediately on the acid-trip art style. What seems to be another standard trip is really our main character speaking with his newfound god. After being hooked on the experience he is begging for more, but payment is demanded. In return for being welcomed back to liberation he must bring his god two heads. The psychedelic being has left a permanent need in him and he is more than willing to drive around looking for ‘cats’ to exterminate. And after finally learning just what it is the ‘cats’ are doing to the humans in the last issue it's pretty easy to be convinced to root for anyone other than them. Hookers, murders and shape-shifting aliens all combine for one short but memorable experience for an unfortunate young man. But our psychedelic presence has its own surprise in store for the ‘cats’, something that will truly shock their entire world to its core.
Pentagram of Horror #1 - What’s the price of talent? The running question in this issue becomes more and more meaningful the further you get in the issue. Personally this hit all my favorite demonic tropes: a depressed and down on his luck artist makes a deal with a crossroads devil, 10 years of talent for his soul, and only in the last moments of freedom does he realize the terrible mistake he’s made. The art in this story is gritty and dark, using less than 5 colors to tell the story, it somehow makes all the pain and suffering of Edward that much more tangible. There is a real sense of dread and doom felt as soon as you turn the page and Satan is there, ready to take you with him. The twist at the end of this story alone is worth the read, when you find out exactly what deal Edward made and how long he’s really been living his worst nightmare.
Diarra's Picks:
Heavy Metal Drummer #2 - I can’t believe this hilariously gross horror isn’t flying off the shelf! Dave is a kick ass drummer who is trading in his drumsticks for an axe. A soul sucking beast is disguising itself as a prostitute and is literally sucking the souls out of johns all around town. Dave isn’t having any of that shit! Behemoth is cranking out these issues so catch up while you can on this sick sci-fi.
Fragments of Horror: My Own Hell #1 - This horror anthology is off to an awesome start. This issue, a young man’s desire for fame leads him to do the unthinkable, now he is stuck living with his mistakes for the rest of eternity. I love a horror that leans more Lovecraftian/focuses on the scary things we all have inside! From insecurity to greed, this series is going to shine a gory light on the darkness within.
Slumber #1 - Nathan Fox Stetson is a dream hunter…in an Eternal Sunshine meets Freddy Kruger kind of way. You’re having a nightmare that won’t quit? Well, that’s when she enters your dreams and busts what’s haunting ya’! It’s already a pretty intense job, but now one of these nightmares is causing their victims to murder in their sleep. Now the cops are involved and Nathan is their prime suspect, but they aren’t the only ones hunting Nathan. This nightmare knows what Nathan can do, and plans to stop them before they can stop it!
Stone's Picks:
Assassins Creed Valhalla: Forgotten Myths #1 - I played a lot of Assassins Creed Valhalla, and enjoyed it enough to the point where i would willingly read a comic that might expand upon the universe. However, this comic doesn’t focus on Eivor of the raven clan, but instead on the Aesir, Baldr. This comic is more than likely focusing on the events leading up to the recently released dlc for the game. I think that this won’t get much attention except from the die hard Assassins Creed fans who want to have all the plot points covered when playing through the game. Maybe after I play through the dlc I may be enticed to read more, but for now it holds little interest.
Batman and Superman: Worlds Finest #1 - When I was a wee lad one of the movies that constantly ran through the VHS player was The Batman Superman Movie: Worlds Finest. Getting to see both of these heroes, whose individual animated series I loved, team up to fight Lex Luthor and Joker was more than I could ask for. Reading this comic reminded me of those forgotten times. Just a fun comic that to show you why the Dark Knight and the Big Blue Boy Scout are the best duo In comics!
Carnage #1 - Butterflies in your stomach have new meaning in the debut of Carnage’s newest ongoing series. No longer bonded to Cletus Kassady, the symbiote Carnage is setting out for some self discovery. No longer attached to flesh and bone, Carnage has no intention of being bonded to another host. That doesn’t stop someone from killing for his attention and invoking them as their god. While searching for the attention of Carnage, they gain the attention of detective Johnathan Shayde, who hopes to stop the disturbing killings that are happening throughout the city. I think I can see where it’s headed but only time will tell. I know if you’re a fan of symbiotes you will give this a read, and it’s got an interesting enough story behind it for an average reader to jump in and enjoy the carnage.