Featured New Releases 9.29.2021

Welcome back everybody, and Happy New Comic Book Day! Raf here again to deliver you the news on this week’s big new releases. A big finale from Marvel, at DC fan favorite character gets a surprising new partner, and small press packs the scares, all this week. Let’s dive in! 

Marvel Comics

Nick Spencer’s Spider-Man run has been epic and thrown Peter through a lot in three years and this week, with an over-sized $10 issue, Amazing Spider-Man #74 closes everything out. A lot has happened, and with multiple story-lines converging, and plenty of revelations and answers still due, this issue promises to be huge and send not only Peter, but maybe even a familiar face (Ben Reilly??) BEYOND. 

Also just in time for the new Venom sequel this Friday, the Extreme Carnage miniseries wraps up this week with an Omega one-shot. Simply put, “IT’S ALL COME DOWN TO THIS! CARNAGE WINS!” That can’t be good news… 

And for all you X-heads out there like me, this has been the book you’ve been waiting for: Inferno! Jonathan Hickman’s X-Men tenure comes to a close with this four issue mini, and I’m very excited to see how it’ll end. The mutants have gotten quite ambitious, both with Krakoa and terraforming Mars Arakko, but they made one big mistake; pissing off Mystique. And it could spell their doom.  

One of my favorite Free Comic Book Day memories from this year was talking current X-happenings with Chris Claremont, and hearing his thoughts on things. “Inferno, didn’t I already write that?” Maybe, but not like this. 

DC Comics

Deathstroke Inc. is a new title that launches this week, and sees the DC universe’s most dangerous assassin making new friends.   

After suffering too many losses, Slade Wilson decides it’s time for a change. When he’s enlisted to work with an ages-old secret organization called T.R.U.S.T. who want to take down the heavy-hitter villains, he’s all in. They’ll supply him with an all-new team and resources for his new mission into the depths of the weirdest parts of the DCU, including a new partner… Black Canary! Wait what?! Enjoy explosions, kick-ass action, and new outrageous adventures as DC’s meanest S.O.B. gets tangled up in a major mystery building in the shadows of the DCU.” 

Small Press

After a bit of a hiatus, the second story arc of Crossover finally starts this week with issue #8. There were plenty of surprises and cool appearances in the first arc, and everyone at the shop will agree with me that this is the book any fan of comics and superheroes should be reading. Donny Cates has been killing it. 

Our small press recommendation wall has been a big hit at the shop, and it’s been fun for the staff to pick their favorites from the past year and rep ‘em. One of the next books to go up on that wall is HAHA, finally collected in trade and from the writer of Ice Cream Man. A great anthology series, about clowns no less, this book is weird and surprisingly heartfelt and packed with awesome art. The guys and I can’t decide which issue was the best, so check it out and let us know your favorite. 

And speaking of that small press wall, another trade paperback to make it up there next is Autumnal, available this week from Vault Comics. Vault’s probably my favorite small press publisher at the moment, and this book is wicked! It, Mama, like a Guillermo Del Toro flick meets Stephen King, this is the book horror fans should not miss out on this season.  This will definitely give you nightmares, if the cover doesn’t do it alone. 

And that’s it for the last week of September at Carol and Johns. Thanks for all the kind words and readers last week. We’ll see you all in the shop. 

Peace, Love, and Comics 

Rafael Calzada