Let's start on to the indie side of the street, as Cindy Lauper would be confused by new title Time Before Time #1 (Declan Shalvey, Rory McConville, Joe Palmer) - the year is 2140, and to escape a world with no future, many turn to the Syndicate, a criminal organisation who, for the right price, will smuggle you back in time to a better life. After working for the Syndicate for years, Tatsuo and Oscar decide to steal one of their boss's time machines-but soon find that the one thing you can't run from is your past.
When a young roughneck lands in Silver City, the gritty, purgatorial metropolis of the afterlife, she must adapt to her new existence, while attempting to uncover how and why she died. Her mission is derailed, however, when she rescues a newly dead girl from a mysterious kidnapping attempt, and discovers powerful, kinetic abilities. Welcome to Silver City #1 (Olivia Cuartero-Briggs, Luca Merli), where the sun never rises and nothing ever changes...until now.
Coming in hot from the world of Hellboy this week is The House of Lost Horizons #1 (Chris Roberson, Mike Mignola, Leila del Duca) - a locked-room murder mystery puzzles paranormal detective Sarah Jewell and her associate Marie Therése when a weekend trip on a private island off the coast of Washington goes astray. Trapped by a storm and surrounded by myriad suspects who have gathered for an auction of occult items, the intrepid duo must unravel the supernatural mysteries surrounding the guests in hopes of uncovering the murderer! But all the while, bodies keep piling up, and at any moment Sarah or Marie Therése could be next!
Mark Markz has found his place on Earth as both a decorated police officer and as the beloved superhero, Barbalien. But in the midst of the AIDS crisis, hatred from all sides makes balancing these identities seem impossible-especially when a Martian enemy from the past hunts him down to take him back, dead or alive in Barbalien: Red Planet (Jeff Lemire, Gabriel Hernandez Walta).
Doctor Who: Alternating Current (Jody Houser, Roberta Ingranata, Enrica Eren Angiolini) sees the comics introduction of a classic Who villain! After narrowly escaping the Weeping Angels and the Autons in 1960s London, the Tenth and Thirteenth Doctor must team-up once again to save present-day Earth from being overrun by both the Skithra and the classic aquatic villain, the Sea Devils! Who else can they turn to for help but Rose Tyler: leader of the human resistance!
The stage is set for the final battle as the first ever Firefly event concludes in Firefly: Blue Sun Rising vol. 2 (Greg Pak, Dan McDaid, Lalit Kumar Sharma, Daniel Bayliss), with Sheriff Mal Reynolds - yeah, he's still getting used to it too - making a choice that may cost him those he loves most, whether he knows it or not...A can't be missed book for all the Browncoats out there.
There's zombies on the loose (still) in Year Zero vol. 2 (Benjamin Percy, Juan Jose Ryp), featuring four new harrowing tales of survival from around a post apocalyptic world, set several months after the events on Volume One: A grizzled Norwegian sea captain and her two young grandchildren navigate an ocean teeming with undead while eluding the relentless pirates on their trail. A Colombian cartel boss indulges all of his most sadistic whims unaware that a threat far greater than zombies is headed toward his jungle fortress. A Rwandan doctor must overcome the crippling fear that has plagued him all his life as he stumbles through the African bush. And a pregnant woman barricaded in an American big box store discovers that the greatest threat to her life - and her unborn child's - might not be undead.
Younger readers can meet The Princess Who Saved Herself (Greg Pak, Takeshi Miyazawa); an awesome, independent, young kid who lives with her pet snake and plays rock 'n' roll all day to the huge annoyance of the classical guitarist witch who lives down the road. Hijinks, conflicts, and a fun reconciliation ensues in this graphic novel showcasing determination, bravery, and understanding.
DC are putting out a trio of new titles this week, starting with DC Festival of Heroes: Asian Superhero Celebration (Various) - so grab your favourite boba and pull a chair up to the dim sum table as we celebrate Asian Heritage Month with all your favourite Asian DC characters, old and new! Join Cassandra Cain, Katana, Green Lantern Tai Pham, the Atom, Dana Tan (a.k.a. Batman Beyond), Red Arrow, Lady Shiva, Damian Wayne and the al Ghul clan, New Super-Man, and more as we present new tales of these characters from their thrilling history! Plus, Cheshire Cat's relationship to Cheshire is revealed as Shoes asks Selina Kyle to take her under her wing as Cat Girl. And that's just the start!
There is another instalment in the world of tomorrow as Future State: Gotham #1 (Dennis Culver, Joshua Williamson, Giannis Milonogiannis) plunges us back into the grim darkness of the near future? A new ongoing title starring the Bat-Family, beginning with the epic story "Hunt the Batman." Disaster strikes Gotham City, and all evidence points to the Next Batman! Red Hood must choose justice over his family and allies when the corrupt Magistrate enlists him to bring in the new Batman dead or alive! Featuring the entire cast from the popular Future State Batman titles, this new series kicks off the next chapter in this forbidding world of tomorrow, and does so in brilliant, monochromatic storytelling! This black-and-white series will showcase the brutal world that's around the corner in Future State Gotham!
Lastly but by no means least from DC this week is Metropolis Grove (Drew Brockington), a new all-ages book. The big city is full of Superman sightings, but here in Metropolis Grove? Every kid in this suburb knows that he’s not real...except newcomer Sonia Patel, who convinces her friends Duncan and Alex to believe. When the trio discovers a mysterious cave full of Super-memorabilia, they can’t keep it to themselves - and that sets off a school year full of drama, adventure, and more than a few opportunities for a newfound friendship to test its limits. And when they finally figure out the resident of the cave is Bizarro, things get even more out of control!
Marvel are bringing the thunder this week with a whole stack of new releases and trades, kicking off with the first tie-in to their current Avengers-free event, as Heroes Reborn: Hyperion and the Imperial Guard #1 (Ryan Cady, Michele Bandini, Stephen Byrne) drops; the teenage Hyperion's cosmic quests with his Shi'ar friends near their end, but none of the young heroes are ready to say farewell. A quick mission in the Negative Zone sounds like the perfect coda to a storied fellowship...but what awaits Hyperion, Gladiator and the rest is horror and agony beyond their wildest nightmares!
Speaking of tie-ins, there is another new X book on the way, as X-Corp #1 (Tini Howard, Alberto Foche), brings Wall Street to Krakoa. The deals have been made. Mutantkind is safe on Krakoa. As the Reign of X continues, what are the wants of the mutants who have everything? Leading the charge is X-Corporation, headed by CXOs Monet St. Croix and Warren Worthington, a duo as cutthroat and ruthless in the boardroom as they are on a battlefield. But X-Corp needs more than just its figureheads. As Monet sets out to staff their team with some of the brightest and most deviant minds in mutantkind, Warren finds himself in a tense meeting with one of Krakoa's first allies who wants to know the truth: on Angel's wings, will X-Corp crash or soar?
Giant-Size Amazing Spider-Man: Kings Ransom #1 (Nick Spencer, Roge Antonio, Carlos Gomez, Ze Carlos), in which Kingpins' plan for the universe is revealed, shaking up Spider-Man's status quo.
Trade-wise Marvel are treating us like royalty, with the return - coincidentally just in time for the nw TV show - of your second favourite prince of Midgard, Loki (Various). In an all-time classic, Loki pits his brother Thor against the Silver Surfer for a cosmic battle royale! Then, take a fresh view of the founding of the accursed Avengers through the eyes of the God of Lies responsible for assembling them! On the trail of a sinister sorcerer, Loki finds an unlikely ally in none other than Spider-Man - and ends up in the web-slinger's debt! And when the rejuvenated Trickster turns over a new leaf, Kid Loki will learn exactly what his fellow Asgardians think of him!
Then we have the latest tales of the first family hitting in the form of Fantastic Four vol. 7 (Dan Slott, R. B. Silva, more) in which we see a new era for the Fantastic Four! New villains! New uniforms! And a major status quo change! But who is the mysterious figure called the Helmsman? Is he here to save our reality or destroy it? Meanwhile, Doctor Doom resurfaces - and one of the most important characters in the entire cosmos returns from the dead! Then, when a powerful portal to everywhere is ripped open, beings from countless realities pour through, threatening to overwhelm Manhattan...and then the rest of the world! The FF must close the Forever Gate, but why is Mister Fantastic standing in their way?! Featuring the Silver Surfer and the deadliest weapon in the universe! Plus: When the King in Black plunges the world into darkness, a symbiote will bond with a member of Marvel's First Family!
One of the great team names in Marvel history returns, in incredible new fashion! After the fallout of CIVIL WAR II, Ms. Marvel, Nova and Spider-Man quit the Avengers and strike out on their own as Champions (Mark Waid, Humberto Ramos)! Along with Viv Vision and the Totally Awesome Hulk, these young heroes are determined to change the world their own way - and they're only the beginning! It starts as an idea. It becomes an ideal. But what happens when it turns into a movement - one so big even the Hulk can't stop it? Will one of the greatest X-Men of all forge a new future by their side? Will the Unbelievable Gwenpool be friend or foe? It's a super-team book for a new generation!
Ironically we see the return of one of Marvel's weirder heroes in Morbius: Epic Collection - The End of a Living Vampire (Various) in which the first era in the dark saga of Marvel's living vampire concludes! Morbius must save Martine Bancroft from the other-dimensional clutches of Helleyes, while CIA agent Simon Stroud stalks him at every turn! In a pair of black-and-white vampire tales, Morbius struggles with a desperate attempt to end his bloodlust while facing the undead threat of the Brotherhood of Judas! A Morbius showcase in MARVEL PREVIEW sends the living vampire on the hunt for a brutal murderer in the moors of Slade Mansion! And Morbius joins Man-Thing, Ghost Rider and the Werewolf by Night in the Legion of Monsters!
Finally from the House of Mouse as get the latest hardcover instalment from a galaxy far, far away, as Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendancy vol. 2 (Timothy Zahn) takes us back into the action: Thrawn's latest triumph still rests newly on his shoulders. Despite leading the Chiss to victory and bringing glory to the House of Mitth, the true threat to the Ascendancy has not yet been extinguished. Across the Ascendancy, seemingly inconsequential events could herald the doom of the Chiss. As Thrawn and the Expansionary Defense Fleet rally to uncover the enemy plot, they discover a chilling truth. Rather than invade Chiss capitals or pillage resources, this mysterious enemy strikes at the very foundation of the Ascendancy. As rivalry and suspicion sow discord among allies, each warrior must decide what matters most: the security of their family, or the survival of the Ascendancy itself.
For manga fans this week, we have a whole pile of new books, starting with two volumes of Attack on Titan: Colossal Edition vols 1 and 4 (Hajime Isayama): Humanity has been devastated by the bizarre, giant humanoids known as the Titans. Little is known about where they came from or why they are bent on consuming humanity. For the past century, what's left of mankind has hidden in a giant, three-walled city. People believe their 100-meter-high walls will protect them from the Titans, which are 10 to 20 meters tall. But the sudden appearance of an immense Titan is about to change everything.
Next up is RWBY: The Official Manga vol. 2 (Bunta Kinami); Ruby's first year at Beacon Academy continues! Team RWBY has officially formed, and Ruby Rose is their leader. While Roman Torchwick still lurks in the shadows, new forces begin to move against Beacon Academy. Who are the White Fang, and what does Blake know about them?
In Dr Stone vol. 16 (Riichiro Inagaki, Boichi) the battle between the Kingdom of Science and Petrification Kingdom is down to a mano-a-mano match between Senku and Ibara! With his petrified friends' spirits supporting him, can Senku finally get his hands on the all-powerful petrification weapon?! Later, a shocking revelation about the mysterious "Why-Man" leads the Kingdom of Science on a new adventure!
Meanwhile over in Dragonball Z Super vol. 12 (Akira Toriyama, Toyotarou) the villain Moro has released vicious criminals from the Galactic Prison, and now they're ravaging the galaxy in their search for planets with exceptional life energy! Meanwhile, back on Earth, members of the Bandit Brigade have shown up, including Seven-Three, who has the ability to copy other fighters' powers. How will Piccolo and the others fare against this new threat without Goku around?
Velvet Crowe is out for revenge. Her brother was murdered. She was turned into a Daemon. Both in one night, and both at the hands of her brother-in-law, Artorius. And after spending three excruciating years in prison while he enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame as the Shepherd, hero of the people, she's prepared to do whatever it takes to stop him, dead. Tales of Beseria vol. 1 (Nobu Aonagi) is a prequel to Tales of Zestiria and is an epic adventure-fantasy where the good guys can be bad, and a bad girl can save the world.
Lastly for the manga shelves this week Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs vol. 14 (Tadahiro Minura), Matora takes a trip to the beach and is taken out by a shady character, and things only get worse for our heroes from there. Kogarashi investigates the commotion only to discover his former master, Ouga Makyouin! She's arrived at Yuragi-sou to exorcise its resident ghost, and worse, she claims that Yuuna is actually an evil spirit hell-bent on destroying the planet! Kogarashi has to think fast to prevent Yuuna from being exorcised forever-that is, if he still trusts her.
Dive in below to see all this week's new releases!