What To Look Forward To – 08/19/15 – Featuring Hip Hop Family Tree #1, Island #2 & More

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Welcome to What To Look Forward To!

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Here is a quick look at some highlights on the shelves this week. Marvel’s Secret Wars continues with a big list of tie-ins, and I’ve included a list of TPBs I recommend. Let’s dive in…

Hip Hop Family Tree #1Hip Hop Family Tree 1 – Story and Art by Ed Piskor

  • The Eisner-nominated OGNs come to single-issue format! If you haven’t heard about this series, Ed Piskor puts the reader inside the world of the hip-hop underground as we watch the rise of stars we know today like NWA, Run DMC, Tupac, and Beastie Boys. Being a #1 issue and reprints of the OGNs, this is a great time for new readers to get in.

Welcome Back #1 – Written by Christopher Sebela; Art and Regular Cover by Jonathan Brandon Sawyer; Variant Covers by James Harvey, Rob Guillory, & Elsa Charretier

  • I still have a couple issues of Sebela’s Dead Letters left to finish, and I’ve been enjoying the series since it debuted last year. He spun an original tale that was very well thought out, and this series looks to be on par.

Rat Queens #11Rat Queens 11 – Written by Kurtis Wiebe; Art and Cover by Stjepan Sejic

  • Finally, a new arc begins! Fans have been waiting a long time for this issue, as the series has been plagued by delays since the sudden departure of co-creator Roc Upchurch. But with Sejic on board and release dates set for the next few issues, it looks like we’re back on track. As the group heads to Mage University, “where it all began”, they’ll encounter some trouble from Necromancers and religious zealots. Probably not a good jumping on point for new readers, so check out Vols. 1-2 and Rat Queens Special: Braga #1.

Island #2Island 2 – By Emma Rios, Ludroe, Simon Roy, & Brandon Graham

  • Issue #1 was a huge success, and Simon Roy joins the original creative team for #2. If you missed the first issue, this one should fine to jump in at, as the stories told are self-contained and not connected to anything else. But I highly recommend you find #1 if you can. Each issue is $7.99, but over-sized and ad free has never been more worth the extra bucks.

 

 

Collected Editions

If you’re having a dry week trying to find new stories, check out these TPBs soon…

Afterlife With Archie Vol. 1Gotham Central Book One

Gotham Central Vols. 1-4

Gotham By  Midnight Vol 1 We Do Not Sleep (new this week)

Rat Queens Vols. 1-2

(also find Rat Queens Special: Braga #1)

Samurai Jack Vols. 1-3

Samurai Jack Vol 4 (new this week)

The Shadow: Midnight in Moscow (new this week)

Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Vol 1 Squirrel Power (new this week)

100 Bullets Vol. 11 Once Upon A Time

100 Bullets Vol. 12 Dirty

(see my reviews of these 100 Bullets issues here)

Enjoying DC’s Justice League: Gods And Monsters series and movie? If you’re looking for more “Elseworld” stories to get into, here’s a list of some popular and critically acclaimed titles to check out…

Kingdom ComeInjustice Gods Among Us Vol 1

Flashpoint, as well as its numerous tie-ins such as Batman: Knight of Vengeance, Project: Superman, Emporer Aquaman, Wonder Woman & The Furies, Lois Lane & The Resistance, and more.

DC: The New Frontier

DC: One Million

Injustice: Gods Among Us

Superman: Red Son

Batman: Gotham By Gaslight

(For more recommendations, see previous “What To Look Forward To” TPB sections, starting from 06/10/15)

SECRET WARS

While I won’t be keeping up with Secret Wars myself, check out Paul Miranda’s Secret Wars Declassified for all the details and what’s been going on. Here’s a checklist of all the tie-ins coming out this week:

  • 1872 #2House of M 1
  • Age of Ultron vs Marvel Zombies #3
  • Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows #4
  • Armor Wars #4
  • Captain Britain and The Might Defenders #2
  • Guardians of Knowhere #3
  • House of M #1
  • Howard The Human #1
  • Inferno #4
  • Loki: Agent of Asgard #17
  • Runaways #3
  • Secret Wars Journal #4
  • Secret Wars: Secret Love #1
  • Spider-Verse #4
  • Squadron Sinister #3
  • Weirdworld #3
  • X-Tinction Agenda #3

 

What else are you getting this week? Looking for more recommendations? Find me on Twitter @4ColorPhil

That’s it for now, happy reading everyone! See you next week.

Phil started reading comics in 2008, and it has been his passion since. Enjoying titles ranging from Batman to Sex Criminals, Y: The Last Man to Samurai Jack, and The Wicked + The Divine to 100 Bullets, Phil will read just about anything. Have a recommendation? Looking for one? You can reach him on Twitter @4ColorPhil