Wednesday is here again, which means a new week for new comics (DEATHBED, HEATHEN & MATA HARI). If you are like me, you may still have a stack of comics that haven’t been read from last week, but how can anyone fault us for reading. Here is a list of books I will be picking up at my local comic shop.
Like many readers I try to budget my purchases, which can become difficult when there are so many quality books being published each week. So here are 5 titles to consider picking up this week.
DOCTOR STRANGE DAMNATION #1 – $4.99
Marvel Comics – Donny Cates @Doncates, Nick Spencer @nickspencer, Rod Reis @RodReis
The city of sin gets its biggest sinner yet. When Doctor Strange raises Las Vegas up from its destruction during SECRET EMPIRE, he inadvertently opens a big door for the embodiment of evil, MEPHISTO! The devilish villain takes the city for himself and sets his sights on the rest of the world. It’s going to take heroes from all over the Marvel Universe to defeat him, but there’s nothing simple about fighting the lord of Hell.
DEATHBED #1 – $3.99
Vertigo Comics – Joshua Williamson @Williamson_Josh, Riley Rossmo @rileyrossmo1, Ivan Plascencia @ivanplascencia
Myth, hack, sex symbol, stark raving lunatic-all of these words have been used to describe Antonio Luna, the world’s greatest living adventurer. Or at least he was until 20 years ago, when he mysteriously vanished from the public eye. Now the ninety-year-old has returned and claims to be on his deathbed. Which is where Valentine Richards, a failed novelist turned reporter, comes in. Val is hired to travel to Luna’s remote castle home and uncover where the old star has been all these years, and just how much of what he says is actually true. But once Val starts to hear Luna’s tale, she finds herself entering into an insane world of psychedelic violence and explosive supernatural adventure. This brand-new series is a bold collaboration between Joshua Williamson (THE FLASH, FROSTBITE) and Riley Rossmo (THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHED). Before it’s through, they promise to take you to the Moon and back-and everywhere in between-plus some places that are totally off the map.
HEATHEN #6 – $3.99
Vault Comics – Natasha Alterici @Alterici, Rachel Deering
Having successfully hired a ship, Aydis is finally headed across the dangerous waters of the Northern Sea, but she must work hard to earn the respect of the ship’s captain Makeda and her all-woman crew. Elsewhere, Freyja senses impending danger for both Aydis and Brynhild, so she decides to intervene yet again. This time, she’s going to talk to Odin.
MATA HARI #1 – $3.99
Dark Horse Comics/Berger Books – Emma Beeby @emmabeeby, Ariela Kristantina @ARIELAkris, Pat Masioni @patmaioni, Sal Capriano @salcapriano
Dancer. Courtesan. Spy. Executed by a French firing squad in 1917. 100 years on from her death, questions are still raised about her conviction. Now, the lesser-known, often tragic story of the woman who claimed she was born a princess, and died a figure of public hatred with no one to claim her body, is told by breakout talent writer Emma Beeby (Judge Dredd), artist Ariela Kristantina (Insexts), and colorist Pat Masioni drawing on biographies and released MI5 files. In this first part of a five-issue miniseries, we meet Mata Hari in prison at the end of her life as she writes her memoir-part romantic tale of a Javanese princess who performed “sacred” nude dances for Europe’s elite, and part real-life saga of a disgraced wife and mother, who had everything she loved taken from her. But, as she sits trial for treason and espionage, we hear another tale: one of a flamboyant Dutch woman who became “the most dangerous spy France has ever captured”-a double agent who whored herself for secrets, lived a life of scandal, and loved only money. Leading us to ask… who was the real Mata Hari?
TAARNA #1 – $5.99
Heavy Metal Magazine – Alex De Campi @alexdecampi, Esau Escorzi, Alex Ross @thealexrossart
Heavy Metal’s legendary character finally gets her own ongoing series courtesy of writer, Alex de Campi (NO MERCY, SEMIAUTO Magic) and artist Stephane Roux (POWER GIRL) delivering another tale of the immortal warrior’s quest to avenge injustice. Alex Ross provides two beautiful cover selections, launching this character into her greatest adventure…Comics!
Extra Pulls: Batman #41, Amazing Spider-Man #796, Brilliant Trash #4, Sex Criminals #22, Quantum & Woody #3