This fine Wednesday in August is busting with big releases. From DC Comics, the "Year of the Villain" continues as Lex Luthor collects more criminals and madmen to join his ranks by offering deals they couldn’t possibly refuse; “City of Bane” sees a tragic lost in its third installment, and the Man of Steel mythos continues to be rewritten by two industry titans.
Over at Marvel, Jonathan Hickman’s reboot of the X-Men continues in a new and exciting installment set far in the future, and a sickly Rocket Raccoon revisits his tragic past and must face the unknown future to save his friends.
6 Aquaman #51
By: Kelly Sue DeConnick, Robson Rocha, Daniel Henriques, Sunny Gho, Clayton Cowles, Jason Paz, and Alex Sinclair
Kelly Sue DeConnick and Robson Rocha’s Aquaman #51 reminds us that not all villains in Arthur Curry’s world are ancient sea beasts and forgotten gods. Sometimes the new Big Bad around the corner is something only the twisted mind of man could possible conjure up.
With Jackson Hyde (better known as Aqualad) back into the fold, Arthur takes his young colleague around the island of Amnesty, where things go from bucolic to chaotic pretty quickly. Meanwhile Mera deals with the prim and often improper royal life back in Atlantis. And if that wasn’t enough, Black Manta is out brokering deals in the shadows with some of the most notorious villains DC Comics has to offer. This titles has become an absolute blast ever since DeConnick took up writing duties and it shows no signs of slowing.
5 Batman #77
By: Tom King, Mikel Janin, Tony S. Daniel, Norm Rapmund, Jordie Bellaire, Tomeu Morey, and Clayton Cowles
There are moments which happen in the middle of massive comic book storylines that can suddenly upset the status quo in devastating ways. Some stories treat these moments with gravitas and foreshadowing, highlighting them. But other yarns treat these moments as nothing more than collateral damage, which is somehow much more devastating.
Batman #77, which is the third part of the storyline “City of Bane,” contains a terrible scene of violence that will undoubtedly have huge consequences. But the truly shocking part is just how cold, calculating, and clinical it is treated on the page. If what happened in this issue is to be believed, Batman will never be the same again.
4 Black Mask: Year of the Villain #1
By: Tom Taylor, Cully Hamner, Dave Stewart, Wes Abbott, and Mitch Gerads
Roman Sionis was one of the biggest power platers in Gotham City’s criminal underbelly for years. Now, down on luck despite being recently sprung from prison, Black Mask sets his sights on other cities in the hopes to rebuild his empire with a little help from the highest order of villain.
Of course, Black Mask can’t go far without someone from the Batman Family hot on this trial. That’s where Batwoman and Renee Montoya step in. With a sharp script from Tom Taylor and really solid art from Cully Hamner, Black Mask: Year of the Villain is a great standalone crime story and a dark look at one of the most brutal members of Batman’s rogues gallery.
3 Superman: Year One #2
By: Frank Miller, John Romita Jr., Danny Miki, Alex Sinclair, and John Workman
Legendary writer/artist Frank Miller continues his collaboration with comic royalty John Romita Jr. in retelling Superman’s origin story in Superman: Year One #2 for DC Comics’ Black Label. This super-sized issue is packed with giant action sequences and outlandish plot beats.
This series continues to grow and explore its unorthodox version of the history of The Man of Steel, which might be divisive among fans, but is never boring. If Miller’s little corner of the DC Comics Universe is your cup of tea, Superman: Year One #2 will make it overflow. Even if Miller’s brand of superhero storytelling doesn’t work for you, the art and strange twists and turns are worth experiencing.
2 Guardians of the Galaxy #8
By: Donny Cates, Cory Smith, David Curiel, VC’s Cory Petit, Mike Henderson, and Dean White
Rocket Raccoon is back! But he’s seen better days in Guardians of the Galaxy #8. Donny Cates and Cory Smith explore the tragedy of the tripper-happy anthropomorphic rodent by showing how Rocket went from being adorable animal companion to well-engineered combat machine. Sadly, the transition was not kind to Rocket’s body.
With Peter Quill and the rest of the Guardians facing a treacherous plan that could lead to galactic destruction, Moondragon, Groot, and a sickly Rocket have to band together to save their friends against all odds. This series continues to be a shiny gem in Marvel Comics’ crown and it shows no signs of tarnishing any time soon.
1 Powers of X #3
By: Jonathan Hickman, R. B. Silva, Marte Gracia, VC’s Clayton Cowles, and Tom Muller
Jonathan Hickman’s overhaul of the X-Men Universe continues in Powers of X #3. We get a glimpse into the world 100 years into the future where a ragtag band of surviving X-Men try to pull off a mission that could change everything.
Gorgeously illustrated by R.B. Silva, the fifth installment of the most cerebral X-Men story ever told digs deep into the new lore and manages to answer some burning questions… or so it seems. This miniseries, along with House of X, is a story that might just live up to the massive hype leading up to it. If you haven’t jumped on this train, it’s not too late.
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