Yeah, they’re out there. I had trouble finding a place that offered this and the homage Thundercats book. Ended up going with Dark Dominion. I had $5 in credit too!
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Dirty D’s FOC, 8/4/24
Small week. Or maybe it just takes a lot for me to give books a second look these days. Which ever it is, here are the books I found most interesting this FOC week.
Cover of the Week
Daredevil #13 (Dell Otto Variant) 2
Dell Otto has a long history of great detailed covers. But sometimes it’s the simplest covers that’s stand out. This is one of those. (A little negative space going on here too)
Notable Reprints
Float like a butterfly. Sting like a bee! Ali will always be the GOAT. I can’t believe it’s been 28 years since he lit the flame at the 96 Atlanta Olympics. Still feels like yesterday.
I believe this fax is in the original oversized format. Add foil-ized for extra fun!
40 years of Transformers. Most don’t know it was Bob Budiansky that created most of the G1 Transformer names, personalities and ”tech specs”. And now you know…!
New Ones
Groot is just plain sick! But things go from bad to apocalyptic after an ill-timed sneeze in Captain America’s face has unforeseeable consequences! Suddenly, Groot is being attacked by a horde of zombified Avengers, and only he and Hulk, with his impenetrable green skin, remain impervious. Now it’s up to these two heroes to team up and fight their way through a blighted New York City to Banner’s lab in Avengers Tower to find a cure before it’s too late. But can Groot keep the hero in check and on track, or will Hulk unleash his deadly might on the zombies they once called friends?Sounds like a different spin and fun take on the Marvel Zombies.
First came the 100 year anniversary covers. And with how popular they were you knew stories would eventually follow. I’m sure some day down the road Disney will create a cartoon series based on these mashups. So there is a long term spec play with these. A Long….LOOONNNG term spec play. These are fun books, nevertheless.
Lots of covers, but I like the classic 1st Appearance and Walt Simonson Thor 337 homage (below).
Read of the Week
Doom’s years of torture at the hands of the Maker finally catch up to him in this secret history of the real Reed Richards! And tensions rise among the Ultimates when Doom might be more fixated on re-creating the life he should have had than the life he’s got…Looks like a some revelations are coming with this issue along with consequences!
Indy Spotlight
A modern-day horror visionary resurrects one of the most iconic monsters. An electrifying new vision of the horror classic. Each issue of the limited series tells the shocking story behind one of the body parts used to create the unforgettable monster in the original film. In this first issue, Dr. Henry Frankenstein begins his unholy quest to create life by robbing the grave of a decorated police officer. But little does he know that the corpse has a son who is mourning a father-and that this young boy will forever change Frankenstein’s life.This sounds like a great mini-series. I’m not much of a horror fan, but I love origin/prequels stories! I dont think the story of who were the donors to Frankenstein’s Monster’s body parts has ever been told.
Josh Middleton also provides a nice variant cover.
Pick of the Week
Wookiee Jedi Kelnacca steps into the pages of his own issue! Delve deep into the history of Kelnacca and the world of the High Republic in this bombastic one-shot! Includes an exclusive interview with Kelnacca actor Joonas Suotamo.Yeah, I know he was wiped out before we really got to know the guy. But Wookiees live a long time (400 years) so there may be more stories to tell in the earlier High Republic era. And I feel like the Acolyte just didn’t do the character justice. So this one shot is going to explain some of his background and who knows after that. And for the second week in a row, a Star Wars first appearance plus first cover wins the day as the Dirty D Pick-of-the-Week!
There is also a photo cover variant which could be a nice book for those who seek out signatures of Star Wars actors on comics.
Parting Thoughts
Not much else to say this week. Have a good one!
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Not to step on D-Rog’s toes, but here are my FOC picks of the Week
New Series
Dazzler #1 - Well, Taylor Swift didn’t show up in Deadpool, in contrary to what the rest of the internet was talking about, but all the talk about her made it the right time to bring out a new series. A lot of great covers for this one.
Duck and Cover #1 - New Scott Snyder series. A manga-influenced teen adventure set in the strange post-apocalyptic America… of 1955
Notable Reprints
Uncanny X-Men #274 Facsimile Edition - Jim Lee art on this one, most notable for Rogue in her Jungle Costume.
Small Press Picks
Prairie Gods #1 - Sin City meets Twilight Zone. Created by the artist of Nottingham. Each self-contained issue centers on supernatural events and characters in and around the small prairie town of Broadacres.
For the Cover
Zatanna Bring Down the House #3 (of 5) (Cover B - Terry Dodson Variant) - I don’t feel like Dodson gets the credit he should for his Good Girl art. This one is beautiful. Comes of like an old Houdini poster.
One to Watch
Ultimates #4 (Inhyuk Lee Ultimate Special Variant) - Eyes are already on this one. Seeing emails floating around about the book.
Pick of the Week
Mark Spears Monsters #1
Mark Spears successfully Kickstarted this series. His interior art is as good as these cover.
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Mark Spears is the shit !!! The interiors to Monsters features some pretty damn amazing art.
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I pre-ordered one of every cover and may end up buying the Kickstarter versions as well. I love classic monsters and Spears’ art is incredible.
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I thought you were all down on Keenspot books…
Did Duck and Cover get pushed? I had it highlighted on 7/21 FOC.
Keenspot sucks. The Monster books are available on Mark Spears website.
Should the Hulk homage be reversed? Dracula can’t touch a crucifix.
I think the priest is holding the cross.
Yes, the priest is holding the cross.
On vacation this week, so not putting out a full article. But here are the books on FOC I found of interest.
Hard to pass on a classic Neal Adams Batman cover foil-ized.
Until the accident that turned him into the pliable Plastic Man, Eel was bad to the bone…and just because he no longer has bones doesn’t mean that’s not still true. When an incident on a Justice League mission leads to catastrophic cellular damage, Plastic Man discovers he just might be out of time to make amends for the past he’s tried hard to outrun–or to save the soul of his son, who (unfortunately for him) might have inherited more from dear old Dad than just his superpowers…Five words you thought you’d never read: hard-boiled Plastic Man noir! And hey, if we’re crazy enough to greenlight that concept, you won’t believe the things we’re crazy enough to do in this book…Sounds like a fun read.
When an excursion to Latveria magically sends the Fantastic Four to an alien world, they have to work just to survive - and to make their way back to Earth! But that won’t be easy on a world so unlike our own and with an alien civilization hundreds of years behind where we are…and it’s not made any easier when JOHNNY STORM hooks up with one of the aliens there! And that’s BEFORE this world’s terrible secret is revealed…and billions of lives depend on what the Fantastic Four decide next! The Fantastic Four go cosmic in this extra-large spectacular!Not exactly sure what can’t be spoiled here, but I like a good mystery. I’ll be keeping an eye on this one. Marvel and other publishers should do more spoiler reveals.
Just like the cover. An alternative to negative space covers that are now over done.
Last issue.
JEDI MASTER LUKE SKYWALKER must teach his student BEN SOLO a powerful lesson about the true balance between LIGHT and DARK. He offers up a tale from the days of the REBEL ALLIANCE that touches on ALL ERAS OF STAR WARS HISTORY, and brings this epic run to a thrilling, incredible conclusion!Time to reboot.
CLASSIFIED!That’s all we get. I think this may be the end of the series with Fist of Khonshu picking up in a few months.
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Hello CHU. Looking at this weeks FOC, I was not overly excited about what’s coming out in about a month. Only one book stood out to me this week that might be worth pre-ordering. So not really enough to put out an FOC article.
Johnny Moore is a world-famous tech mogul known as much for his work pioneering mobility aids for people with disabilities (like himself) as he is for moonlighting as the metal-suited vigilante, Caliburn. But when Johnny is found murdered and his suit stolen, his estranged childhood best friends reunite to solve the mystery of his murder. The Tin Can Society is a heartfelt and human look at the evolution of friendships across a lifetime, at disability and ableism, and the destructive power of fame.
Sounds like a good read. Murder Mystery, with life challenges thrown in.
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Ha, just saw this. Ran a post this week, here it is below:
Dirty D is on break, so I am stepping in to cover. A great big week of comics on Final Order Cut Off. A bunch of first appearances, some hot covers, and more.
New Series
Batman the Barbarian #1
In a world where unspeakable beasts slither through silent temples, and sorcerers pledge innocent lives as blood sacrifices to incomprehensible cosmic designs, only one man has the strength of will and brute force required to protect the people who would become prey...the fearsome, blade-wielding Batman! But when the all-seeing Oracle warns him of a looming shadow creeping across the land, he will have to contend with foes that cannot be dispatched by sword alone...including the terrible memory of the catastrophe in which he was made! Eisner Award-winning artist Greg Smallwood unleashes a brutal new vision of Bruce Wayne, shot through with high-fantasy hallmarks and awe-inspiring reimaginings of the classic Batman rogues gallery!
Blade Red Band #1
New Red Band (bloody) Blade series
Eighteenth-century feudal Japan. A leprosy-based disease has turned most of the population into cannibalistic, zombie-like creatures. A samurai named Shinzu must escort the only surviving member of his master's clan to safety in a world besieged by bandits, rogue ronin samurai, and the ever-present zombie hordes.
Star Wars Battle of Jakku Insurgency Rising #1
NEW REPUBLIC STAVE OFF AN UNEXPECTED - AND DEADLY - NEW THREAT? A DEFIANT IMPERIAL takes center stage - and goes on the offensive against the NEW REPUBLIC! LEIA makes a startling discovery in the forests of ENDOR! Who are the mysterious and deadly ACOLYTES OF THE BEYOND?! What is the new villain's connection to DARTH VADER? All this as the post-Return of the Jedi storytelling BEGINS!
Violator Origin #1
Finally, the one true origin story of the Violator, as told by the most unbelievable and unreliable narrator of all time. Follow the journey of your favorite demon from his start in the celestial heavens through his fall and descent into Hell, and finally, his banishment to Earth. He existed throughout human history, living in the shadows and pulling the strings of some of the most powerful people to ever live. Six huge, oversized issues! Six incredible artists! Six different points in history!Hot Covers Amazing Spider-Man #58 (Wraparound Marvel Studios Variant)
The most visceral issues in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN history begin here!
Avengers Annual #1 (Ryan Meinerding Marvel Studios Variant)
'INFINITY WATCH' FINALE! The Infinity Stone bearers are all brought together for the first time! If you thought the stones were dangerous in Thanos' hands, imagine if Star gets her way!
Phoenix #3 (Ben Harvey Phoenix Variant)
DEATH FROM ABOVE... AND BELOW?! Saving a planet full of kidnapping victims who’ve disappeared from the gaudy whirlwind of Gameworld -- seems like just another day in space for Jean Grey! Though... she did get the tip-off from her less-than-forthright father-in-law, legendary pirate Corsair of the Starjammers crew... and the kidnappers are none other than the children of Thanos themselves, the dreaded Black Order. And yet... somehow... it’s all about to get a whole lot worse!
Tales of the Bizarre #9 Just an awesome cover with a throw back to 80's horror movies.
An anthology series with the best and strangest sci-fi and horror tales we could create. Think about those old B-movies from the classic movie theaters (or stuff you might find playing on the Syfy channel today).The stories that you are going to find in this anthology are both thought provoking and obscure... just how we like them! In this issue, we have three short stories involving a hitchhiker that is more than she seems, a grotesque concert, and an alien invasion.First Appearances
Ghost Rider Robbie Reyes Marvel Special #1 (Sandoval Variant) New Champions Ghost Rider makes her first appearance.
REV YOUR ENGINES AND GET READY TO RIDE! Robbie Reyes, A.K.A. GHOST RIDER, burst into the Marvel Universe and has been blazing his own trail ever since! Celebrate Hispanic & Latin American Heritage Month with three brand-new tales from a host of talented writers, including Carlos Hernandez, Melissa Flores and the return of Felipe Smith (one of Robbie's original creators), as they put Robbie through his paces and he races through the Marvel Universe! PLUS, an ALL-NEW Ghost Rider enters the fray!
Phases of the Moon Knight #2
Introducing an ALL-NEW Fist of Khonshu and a crime-ridden vision of a Marvel Universe, both older, grittier and worse for wear than any you've seen before!
Ultimate Black Panther #9
THE ULTIMATE SORCERER SUPREME? Magic, mysticism and metal clash! But the source of this magic is not what it appears to be, due to the Maker's reshaping of the world… Black Panther wrestles with this new anti-vibranium - and deals with the devastating consequences! What is the price of such life-bringing power? And what is the price of trying to master it?
Small Press Picks
Teether Parental Guidance #1
ANCIENT EVIL IN A YOUNG, INNOCENT GUISE! IT HUNGERS FOR FLESH AND SOULS! David Hutchison serves up another big bite of his hit eldritch horror series! Lost in the woods on a hunting trip, a man and his son encounter a mysterious girl living in the wild. When hideous creatures trap them in an abandoned cabin, a bloody fight for survival ensues as it becomes clear the girl and the creatures have an unknown connection...
The Moon Is Following Us #1 (of 10) (Cover A - Riley Rossmo & Mike Spicer)
Sam and Duncan LaMarr love their six-year-old daughter, Penny, more than anything in the whole world. But half a year ago, she was taken by the Cascade, an evil force they barely understand. Now, Sam and Duncan must fight side by side with the magical beings Penny cherished to try and get her back…before she’s gone forever.Personal Favorites
Battle Action #3
I have long loved Shark Covers, well before apps started covering them. This is a bad ass great white attacking cover.
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A couple titles may not be out on foc this week. Tfaw may have gotten the incorrect date or may have not have updated. Titles include Batman Barbarian, Tales of the Bizarre, Teeth, Marvel voices new champion ghost rider.
If you go by TFAW FOC, you have about a 50% accuracy rate.
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I try to check off Diamond as well
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TFAW - titles from another week
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All I can say is we are always open to guest contributors and suggestions on titles.
Don’t sweat it. TFAW’s issue, not yours.