What To Look Forward To – 07/22/15 – Featuring Fables #150, Power Up #1, Justice League: Gods And Monsters Batman #1, Secret Wars Tie-Ins & More!

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

Fables #150/Vol. 22 TPBFables 150Main story written by Bill Willingham; Art by Mark Buckingham & Steve Leialoha; Various guest artists and writers for extra stories

  • The finale of one of Vertigo’s most critically-acclaimed, award winning, and longest running series is out tomorrow! This is a bit of a different finale than most, as the final issue, #150, is being released as a 150-page Trade Paper Back instead of a standard-size issue. The issues that lead up to the finale are collected in Vols. 1-21, hence the numbering #150/Vol. 22. I have only read the first 3 volumes so I obviously won’t be reading it soon, but will be buying it. If you haven’t read the series yet, I recommend picking up Vol. 1 Legends In Exhile this week. It’s a very original look at the daily lives of the Fables we all know, such as Jack, Snow White, the Big Bad Wolf.

Power Up #1Power Up 1Written by Kate Leth; Art and Cover A by Matt Cummings; Various Variant Covers by Ian McGinty, Lucy Kinsley, & Babs Tarr

  • Kate Leth has had a very interesting couple of years, coming into popularity among titles like Adventure Time, Bravest Warriors, and her own Edward Scissorhands, in addition to her online following with her “Kate or Die!” comics and her podcast “Less Than Live with Kate or Die!” where she interviews comic creators such as Babs Tarr, Becky Cloonan, Kurtis Wiebe, and most recently Scott Snyder! Now, her new original series with Matt Cummings is launching, and hype has been impossible to miss. When an ancient prophecy bestows powers to a team of three people and a goldfish, the accuracy of said prophecy comes into question. This is one you won’t want to miss, so pick it up tomorrow!

Justice League: Gods And Monsters – JLA Gods and Monsters BatmanBatman (One-Shot) – Written by Bruce Timm; Art by Matthew Dow Smith; Regular Cover by Francesco Francavilla. Variant Cover by Darwyn Cooke

  • I’m so glad that Bruce Timm hasn’t retired! He said he was stepping down from DC Animation, and maybe he’s in a different role now, but being a writer on DC’s highest anticipated animated movie this year sounds like he’s back at the helm. The movie, by the same name, has had buzz since its announcement, and, after a few clips were released (here, here, & here), hype launched even higher. Out tomorrow, this comic series serves as a prequel to the upcoming movie. If you’ve seen the clips, you’ll notice characters are a bit different than you may know; in fact this doesn’t appear to be one for the kids. This franchise is a bit of an Elseworld-type story, and I personally couldn’t be more excited.

Wolf #1Wolf 1Written by Ales Kot; Art and Cover by Matt Taylor

  • I’ve been getting into Kot’s work lately, especially Zero, Material, and The Surface. I’m also always looking to get into more noir-style crime stories, so this new series seems perfect. This first issue is also 58 pages, ad-free, for only a little more cash. Gotta love Image.

Archie vs. Sharknado – Written by Anthony C. Ferrante; Art and Regular Cover by Dan Parent; Variant Covers by Francesco Francavilla & Robert Hack

  • Another Archie spin-off, this one is a bit…unexpected. I don’t really need to say much more, the title explains itself. Of all the Archie-related series that have come out lately, this is one I’m not looking forward to myself, but should create some buzz this week.

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

Afterlife With Archie Arkham Manor Vol 1Vol. 1 Escape From Riverdale

Arkham Manor Vol. 1 (new this week)

Vertigo CMYK (new this week)

October Faction Vol. 1 (new this week)

100 Bullets Vol. 3 Hang Up On The Hang Low

100 Bullets Vol. 4 A Foregone Tomorrow

(see my reviews on these two volumes of 100 Bullets here)

Fables Vol. 1 Legends In Exhile

Zero Vol. 1 An Emergency

(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:

Star-Lord And Kitty Pryde Star Lord and Kitty Pryde 2#2

Loki: Agent of Asgard #16

The Punisher #20

E is For Extinction #2

Weirdworld #3

Future Imperfect #3

Marvel Zombies #2

Magneto #20

Old Man Logan #3

 

What else are you getting? Want 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