Welcome back to week two of Comic Book Yeti's weekly news roundup. I am Doug Wood, writer ordinare. I have been told by Mr. Yeti Man that I need to incorporate more puns and word play into my work, so to be more on brand with the Yeti team. But I screamed never and hung up the non-existent phone. Join me in the no pun zone as we deep dive into the news that companies send to my inbox.
NEWS
Let us begin with a new comic from Mad Cave imprint Maverick. King Arthur & The Knights of Justice was once a tv show in the 90's. I have never heard of it, but I like writer Joe Corrallo so I am willing to learn more. The story is said to be the Arthur of legend was actually an American football team time traveled to the past. Art by Gaia Cardinali totally looks neat.
Look for it in shops when it arrives April 23.
Next we get a penta of comics (idk I am not smart) from Image Comics imprint Skybound. Starting with Void Rivals issue 8 by writer Robert Kirkman and artist Lorenzo De Felici. Set in the Hasboro Universe with the Transformers and the G.I. Joes, Void Rivals is the story of two aliens of opposites sides of a war forced to depend on one another to survive. I was surprised to find myself enjoy this title. In issue 8, we are teased by an assassin who is after the two leads.
If you are into this, look for it April 3.
Now we are into the "Doug-bait" part of the news. Image Comics imprint Skybound Comics continues their launching of G.I. Joe titles. First, we have Scarlett by Kelly Thompson and Marco Ferrari. Seems the comic will focus on the titular character infiltrating the Arashikage Clan.
Color me intrigued. Follow this book when it releases June 5th.
Following that hype release is more G.I Joe from Image Comics imprint Skybound. Here we get Dan Watters and Andrei Bressan on Destro. Destro's control over the global high-power-weapon market has taken a hit with the emergence of Energon. What will he do to restore his grip?
Look for this bad boy June 19.
The last Skybound title is Universal Monsters: The Creature From The Black Lagoon. Pairing writers Dan Watters and Ram V with artist Matthew Roberts, we are being told that this comic follows the events of the first film. A journalist is on the hunt for a serial killer in the Amazon.
Comic shops will receive this April 23.
Arriving in my inbox at the very last second is Image Comics imprint Syzygy and their book The Cabinet. Jordan Hart and screenwriter David Ebeltoft work on a YA tale with artist Chiara Raimondi. The press release doesn't give a mention what the basic pitch of the book is about but here is what they say issue two is about: "Avani and Trent use their mystical cabinet to rummage around Pyramiden, a remote Soviet coal-mining town, in search of a lost relic. Unfortunately, the villainous and cult-like Blackguards have sent a nefarious agent, harboring a dark past and even darker secret, to Pyramiden for the same purpose..."
Out this week on Wednesday, March 13th. Note I am not related to Ashley Wood, co-owner of this imprint.
Moving on, we arrive at Ahoy Comics and their Wrong Earth: Dead Ringers. They claim this is a tentpole project. Writer Tom Peyer and artist Jamal Igle are together for a story of the campy Dragonfly's Earth getting the arrival of the gritty Dragonfly. Will the grittiness rub off on the naïve world? I have enjoyed Jamal Igle's art since reading a copy of Molly Danger. Happy to read more comics with his art inside.
Watch for this March 13.
We end our news feed with a 3-pack from Dynamite Comics. Jennifer Blood: Battle Diary issue 4 from writer Fred Van Lente and artist Robert Carey. Disclosure: I worked temporarily with Robert on a comic and think the world of his art. In this issue, Jennifer has pit prison racists against motorcycle gang fanatics, but things might get too crazy even for her.
Buy this comic, which is in stores now!
Dynamite madness continues with Cruella De Vil by writer/artist Sweeny Boo. They didn't give me any info on the story, but that art is pretty dang cool.
Keep your eyes peeled for it because I was not even sent a date for it to be in the shops.
To close us out is Dynamite's Red Sonya: Empire of the Damned. Writer Steve Niles is telling a story about Red Sonya fighting an undead army and something about a mystery. No word on an artist.
In stores sometime, not sure as it's not mentioned. Oh hey, there's the artist Alessandro Oliveri, luckily Steve shouted out the artist in the questionnaire. Still no release date info.
CROWDFUNDING LAUNCHES
I have been sent a press release about Image Comic imprint Skybound campaign for Daniel Warren Johnson's Extremity. It's actually two books: a nice hardcover for issues 1-12 and an art book for the behind-the-scenes stuff Daniel did. The press release does not mention what the story is about, but look at the cool cool cool art. Buy it for that.
Live now!
Friend of the site Comics Bookcase is launching Death of Comics Bookcase Vol 1. Writer Zach Quaintance has produced an anthology of 6 stories and 48 pages featuring sweet artists like Nick Cagnetti, PJ Holden, Luke Horsman, Ryan Lee, Anna Readman, and Pat Skott.
Says Zach, "It features five stories spread across genres, from horror to superheroes to fantasy to sci-fi...all tied together by a sixth story, a cheeky framing sequence in which a literal Comics Bookcase will die. Comics Bookcase, for those who may not know, was a comics blog I ran from 2018 - 2022, and so I'm dusting it off here...to kill it in this 48-page book, for everyone's amusement."
The book is in pre-launch now. Please click to be notified when it goes live, as it helps the creator be considered for the algorithms on the site.
The Great Cullen Bunn has sent a press release about an imprint's new book. Not clear what the company Outer Shadows is an imprint of but the Cullen Bunn is writing the book The Faraway for the campaign. He teams with artist Vitalii Kalchenko to tell a story about a group of friends imported into the fantasy world they were playing, where they will face horrors and not the fantasy they expect.
This is live now. But only for a short 15 days.
LEAVING CROWDFUNDING
Leaving Kickstarter on March 19 is Ruination. Ruination is a fantasy adventure comic book series that follows a group of young soldiers as they forge their own path in a world hellbent on destroying itself...again.
This book has reached its goal so look forward to getting the book if you back now!
Also leaving Kickstarter March 19th is Archetypes. Archetypes is a comic-sized magazine — a tip of the hat to Wizard Magazine but with a twist.
This campaign is funded. So get yourself a copy of the magazine.
Leaving Kickstarter March 16 is I Hate The Mourning. A chilling horror story unfolds as a group of unsuspecting friends stir up a long-dormant vampire while partying deep within the woods. With each passing moment, more terrors await them as they race against time to survive until dawn. Will any of these partygoers live to see another day?
This R-rated story still needs help reaching its goal. Please help if you can.
Leaving Kickstarter March 15th is Myth Makers. It tells the story of an unlikely team of heroes, who after coming together for the greater good learn through their continued adventures to become a family and learn what it means and takes to be a true hero and become modern Myths.
This project has not reached its goal. Please back if you can.
WHAT WOOD I BUY?
I end this with a homage to something I adored from the old Comic Book Resource site. I dug into the Diamond Previews catalog and I tell you what I would buy if I had $5, $15 or magically $30 to spend on comics in a given week. Hopefully, I will bring on some friends and we can get some varied tastes and maybe help you find a new favorite?
If I Had $5
If I walked into a comic shop this week I wouldn't even look around. Unfortunately for my wallet, this book has everything I like. 2099 Spidey and Venom. Symbiote Spider-Man 2099 issue 1 by Peter David and Roge Antonio.
If I Had $15
Rolling into the shop with a crisp $15 would see me keep the Spidey of the future and then I would pick up the new series from Rick Remender and Bengal, Naplam Lullaby. Remender had one of the great streaks of amazing comics of the current era. Bengal's art has an abundance of charisma.
Additionally I would need to get issue 2 of Sinister Sons. I adored Peter Tomasi's Super Sons and I have to say the concept of two villain sons to be 1000% more fun. David Lafuente knows how to draw energetic kids so I expect some epic action scenes.
If I Had $30
If I magically found $30 lying in a non-existent friend's couch I would put back all the floppy comics and would pick up Loser Ranger. Having been following this series for a minute, I have to say I enjoy the premise of a foot soldier taking it to an overbearingly militaristic Sentai team. In Negi Haruba I trust for more good story!
Then I would also need Joe Latham's Haru. A middle-grade story of a bird that gets bullied and leaves for adventure. I need more of Joe's art in my life, so I hope this book does well so we can keep getting books from Joe for a long time.
DOUG'S MANGA BASEMENT
New monthly feature! I plan to look at some manga news and inspect one new series to share my feelings on how it is. I read a lot of manga and I know a ton of you do too, so let us broaden our horizons and get off the beaten paths. See if we can find something to get excited about! I am looking for a better title for this feature, so please submit your ideas. Winner will get a free digital comic from the grab bag.
Kaiju Girl Caramelise is a brilliant book from creator Spica Aoki. It centers on a popular boy who has begun getting model gigs returning to class. Of course the girls are all swooning over him...except the bullied girl in class. But the popular boy feels a magnetic pull to the girl and wants to spend time with her. Problem is that when her heart starts beating with romantic feelings she transforms into a Kaiju. The art is adorable and the character writing is too cute. I am not familiar with the tropes of the genre, so I might be more tolerable of things veterans might find common. That said, I think this is entirely recommendable to newbies of manga or just people that like YA romance.