Hey, you! Yes, you! This weekend is Local Comic Shop Day, and if there's a shop near you, go and check it out. Now onto news.
This was a big week for Marvel, as Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. revealed the first trailer for Captain America: Civil War on Jimmy Kimmel. The trailer showcases the growing tension in the superhero world after the events of Age of Ultron and gives us our first look at Black Panther. Civil War hits theaters in May.
And DC had a trailer of their own to show in Legends of Tomorrow, featuring a cast of characters brought together from their other shows, Flash and Arrow. Also swirling are rumors of NBC's (former) Constantine joining Legends of Tomorrow season 2 and a Flash appearance on Supergirl.
No matter which side you're on, let's take a look at this week's offerings:
Marvel Comics
Silk #1
The friendly neighborhood Silk is back in action in this new No. 1 after the events of Secret Wars (that we really don't know anything about). But Silk has had a bit of a switch-up. Between her new job at the Fact Channel under J. Jonah Jameson and her search for her brother's assailant, Silk doesn't have much time for the hero gig.
But that doesn't mean she can't do some villainous side jobs for the Black Cat. I won't spoil it, but if you're wondering what it's like for such an awesome character to go rogue, check out this issue. You won't be disappointed.
Venom: Space Knight #1
Also returning to the Marvel fold is Flash Thompson, AKA Venom. After leaving the villainous life behind him, Flash is an agent of the cosmos. This new series fills in the blanks for when he's not hanging with the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Also written by Silk scribe Robbie Thompson, Space Knight seems to be off to a great start and has some great art to accompany it. With the other Venom and Carnage grounded on earth, it's nice to know Flash Thompson isn't going anywhere.
All-New Wolverine #2
With X-22 taking up the mantle of Wolverine following young Logan's demise, she stars in this new series with everyone's third favorite X-Man as a supporting character: Angel. After X-22 discovers some clones of herself wreaking havoc, she decides to take matters into her own hands.
But she catches a bit of flak for it after deciding to save the clones. After all, they do have her face. She argues with Angel, pisses off the government and heads to the sewers. Hey, maybe she is a perfect fit to replace Logan. That all seems right up his alley.
Other releases to look out for: Carnage #2, Darth Vader #13, Guardians of the Galaxy #2
DC Comics
The Dark Knight III - The Master Race #1
The Dark Knight of Gotham is... back? In this first issue of the long awaited final chapter in the Dark Knight Trilogy, Batman deals with a changing view of heroes, an aging cast of characters and police brutality. But not everything is as it seems.
We get an awesome return to form for Frank Miller, despite what bad press he may have attracted leading up to release, and Brian Azzarello shines here. It'll be interest to see how this series plays out, but it's off to a great start.
Batman Endgame - Director's Cut #1
In something more and more comic publishers should do, DC has released a director's cut copy of Batman #40, the final chapter in Bruce Wayne's saga as Batman. This issue is all pencils and drafted letters and it looks just plain awesome.
There's not much different, but it offers an interesting look at the creative process and how a comic goes from a bundle of blank pages to sitting on the shelf. It's also always a joy to see Snyder's first bit of Batman wrapped up so neatly.
Superman: Lois and Clark #2
This series is part of two new Superman series looking to fill in the gap of a powerless Clark Kent in the main continuity. One, is an amazing origin story re-written by screenwriter Max Landis. The other is this.
While it started off strong, issue No. 2 finds itself nestled between campy and cheap. Sure, it's cool to have a new Superman hiding among the general population, but it's been played out. One way to fix it? Bring in an extra-terrestrial enemy. We'll have to see how this plays out.
Other releases to look out for: Aquaman #46, Batman and Robin Eternal #8, Grayson #14
Indie Spotlight
Each week we'll put up one independently published comic we think you should read. This week it's...
Archie #4
When we found out artist Fiona Staples was leaving the new Archie series, it was devastating. But man, was that jumping the gun. With Annie Wu now on the series, things can be kicked into overdrive. Plainly put, this is the best series in comics right now.
It's a masterful reimagining of decades-old characters and it's just a plain joy to read. In this issue, the long-awaited explanation of the #LipstickIncident is given, and it is way more emotional than we thought. For some reason, this series knows how to grab you and not let go. The art, the writing, it's all just so great. Read it.
Winner - Archie Comics
Sorry, Marvel and DC. The king is back this week. See above.
