Comics
GRAPHIC CONTENT PULL & HOLD: May 4th, 2011
Welcome to the weekly previews for May 4th, 2011 here at Bloody-Disgusting.com! The truth is everyone would read all the books if they had the time and money, but in reality most of us don’t. Here you will find a little taste of some major comics being released each week, my take on them, and, as always, feels free to discuss below. Whether you have been into comics since you were a little one, or are new to the game, I’m here to help you decide which books are for you. I’ve picked out some comics I feel will stand out in the coming week and listed them under their respective publisher, with over a dozen previews of some of your favorite books such as “PROOF: ENDANGERED”, “VAMPIRELLA”, “THE WALKING DEAD SURVIVORS’ GUIDE”, “GREEN WAKE”, and MORE! Read on for the skinny…
Marvel
Captain America: First Vengeance #1 (of 4)
Written by: Fred Van Lente
Art by: Luke Ross and Neil Edwards
Price: $2.99
“After that Super Bowl preview for the Cap movie, people have been buzzing about how good it looks. Well if you don’t think you can wait for July 22nd for The First Avenger to hit theatres, this book is for you. This is the official prequel story to the Marvel Studio summer blockbuster. While rebirth and origin stories have been done like no tomorrow recently, this seems to be a good starting point if you’ve never read cap, or if you are a diehard fan. The series promises to go through Cap’s history (at least as the movie will tell it).”
Fear Itself #2 (of 7)
Written by: Matt Fraction
Art by: Stuart Immonen
Price: $3.99
“Fear Itself is THE Marvel event, written by one of the best and most innovative (in my humble opinion) writers of the past few years. Taking place following the aftermath of Siege, so far the storyline has not developed too much. America is in a crisis, Asgard has been destroyed, and the superheroes are caught in the middle. Tony Stark has plans to rebuild Asgard, and Odin is pissed. To make things worse, Sin (Red Skull’s daughter) has just found a giant hammer that turns her into a God. It’s Men against Gods. The first issue was reminiscent of DC’s Blackest Night event, and is shaping up to be a great series so far. If you are totally in love with all things Marvel, they are also doing what they did with the Civil War storyline and pumping out as many miniseries with the “Fear Itself” name on it as they can.”
DC Comics
Green Lantern Super Spectacular
Written by: Geoff Johns, John Broome, Alan Moore
Art by: Darwyn Cooke, Ethan Van Sciver, Gil Kane, and more
Price: $9.99
“It’s no surprise that publishers are throwing together these compilations with all the superhero films due out this summer. It seems as if some of them are being shoved down our throats, even though most of us will see the films regardless. However, this collects some awesome Green Lantern stories, and strives to give an authentic background and information that is essential to the GL universe. Anyone who has not read many GL books and wants to know some more before the film, I strongly recommend this little package.”
Jonah Hex #67
Written by: Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Art by: Jordi Bernet
Price: $2.99
“Nearly every comic on the market today is part of an ongoing series, it often seems hard to jump into the middle of a series without feeling like you missed something. Jonah Hex is one of the few books that, for the most part, you can miss a few weeks and pick it up and still get the same old ruthless, scar-faced gunslinger. Gray and Palmiotti have done a great job, and while the artist frequently changes, they always seem to fit well. And don’t worry, you won’t find and Megan Fox here.”
Secret Six #33
Written by: GAIL SIMONE
Art by: J. CALAFIORE
Price: $2.99
“With all the big events and storylines going on, it is hard to find a book that is not taken over by the “stars”. Secret Six is one of those comics that never cease to amaze. It combines action, dark comedy, and great storylines with a highly unconventional cast of heroes. This is the final book in the three part series, as the Six try to rescue one of their own from literal hell. However, there is only one “get out of hell free card”, everybody wants it and nobody knows who will get it. This is a really fresh take on superheroes, and always leaves as lasting mark. It would be well worth it to pick up the first two parts of this storyline if you haven’t already.”
Dark Horse
B.P.R.D.: The Dead Remembered #2 (of 3)
By: Mike Mignola and Scott Allie
Art by: Karl Moline, Andy Owens, and Dave Stewart
Price: $3.50
“Although the first issue was less than spectacular, it is always a treat to see B.P.R.D. without Hellboy. The first book in this miniseries gave a very brief introduction to a new character who accidentally set her entire family on fire thirteen years ago. While not much happened in the first issue, it seems to be building up to some strange and occult events (maybe even some witchcraft). Hopefully there is more fire to this one than the last one, which, judging by the cover seems to be the case.”
Solomon Kane: Red Shadows #2 (of 4)
Written by: Bruce Jones
Art by: Rahsan Ekedal, Dan Jackson, and Dave Stewart
Price: $3.50
“Solomon Kane is a bad ass. That’s pretty much all there is to it. With a movie in the works (surprise, surprise) it seems that Mr. Kane will be getting more attention throughout the year, in a way to attract new readers. Expect Kane to be out for revenge with sword drawn and pistols ready to fire. This one is a great starting point if you haven’t read any Solomon Kane before, you don’t even need to have read the first issue.”
Dynamite Entertainment
Vampirella #5
Written by: Eric Trautmann
Art by: Wagner Reis and Fabiano Neves
Price: $3.99
“When Dynamite took over the Vampirella title, nobody was really sure what we were in for. If you like Blade, you miss Buffy, and are sick of Twilight and all the other vampire crap, then pick up the new Vampirella and watch her kick some fangs in.”
IDW Publishing
Doctor Who: A Fairytale Life #2
Written by: Matt Sturges,
Art by: Kelly Yates and Mark Buckingham
Price: $3.99
“Dr. Who is a fun guy. Follow him through some alternate realities, some fantasy, and see how the hell he deals with all of it. Oh and considering it’s written by Sturges (Eisner Award nominee), it’s probably going to be pretty awesome.”
Image
Blue Estate #2
Written by: Viktor Kalvachev and Andrew Oscborne
Art by: Viktor Kalvachev Nathan Fox, and Toby Cypress
Price: $2.99
“It’s often hard to decide which new series to start reading. Sometimes you get gold and can’t wait for the next issue and sometimes it just sucks. Blue Estate is something else. If you are into crime, violence, femme fatales, Russian mafia, and pulp novels, look no further. Blue Estate is created with obvious nostalgia as it is evocative of some old crime fiction like Chandler and Hammett, and this creative team is spot on in their take on it. This is shaping up to be one of the freshest new series on the market.”
Green Wake #2
Written by: By: Kurtis J. Wiebe
Art by: Riley Rossmo
Price: $3.50
“Yet another new series from Image, and they’re doing it right. Every once in a while a book comes along that you pick up and think, man I wish I had thought of this story line, Green Wake is one of those. It seems to be a mix of Dark City, Silent Hill, and The Long Goodbye. The art is wonderful, dark, spooky, and captures the mood perfectly. While the first issue was a bit slow and confusing it set up for a big second issue, and it looks like it is going to deliver.”
Proof: Endangered #5 (MR)
Written by: Alex Grecian
Art by: Riley Rossmo and Frank Zigarelli
Price: $3.99
“More from Image with art by Rossmo, and again, it looks incredible. This is the last issue of the miniseries, so if you haven’t been following, don’t pick it up. If you have been following, I don’t really need to be preaching to the choir.”
The Walking Dead Survivors’ Guide #2 (of 4)
Written by: Robert Kirkman and Tim Daniel
Art by: Charlie Adlard and Cliff Rathburn
Price: $2.99
“This is only for fans of the series, and don’t expect to learn how to survive like Rick in an apocalypse after reading this. The guide simply serves as a companion to the series, listing all the characters, their stories, and whether or not they are dead yet. If you are reading the series in novel format then these guides can be pretty handy when you forget about some characters over the months.”
Vertigo
House of Mystery #37
Written by: Matthew Sturges
Art by: Luca Rossi, Jose Marzan Jr. and Aaron Campbell
Price: $2.99
“I have to say that I absolutely hate it when publishes do not put a summary of the series at the beginning of a new arc. Not only do I forget what happens, but it totally leaves new readers in the dark. House of Mystery is one of the only books that have good summaries. This book can be very confusing for both new and old readers and it’s a great reference to have. House of Mystery plays with storytelling devices a lot; this arc is purposely confusing and constantly changes atmospheres and tenses. It should be interesting to see how this one ties into last months issue, and where Fig will take us.”
IZombie #13
Written by: Chris Roberson
Art by: Michael Allred
Price: $2.99
“Zombies, zombies, everywhere! This is not your typical zombie book; don’t expect to find shotguns to the head. Roberson explores zombies to an extent far beyond anything you could imagine given the latest zombie craze. Do not pass this off as merely another zombie story, cause it’s not. This kicks off a new arc in the series, “5 Brains, 5 Months”, and it looks phenomenal.”
Sweet Tooth #21
Written by: Jeff Lemire
Art by: Jeff Lemire
Price: $2.99
“I don’t know if it is just the Canadian pride in me, but I love Mr. Lemire. His stories are always original, the art is sketchy, and God, does he know how to tell a story. If you haven’t been following our antler-headed friend, Sweet Tooth, then get out of your seat now and go buy the trades. It’s post-apocalyptic heaven, with some cute, weird, and extremely deep characters. I’d also like to give a shout out here to Lemire’s novel Essex County (finalist for CBC’s Best Canadian Read).”
Boom! Studios
28 Days Later #1 Boom Blast Ed
Written by: Michael Alan Nelson (
Art by: Declan Shalvey
Price: $1
“This one is coming out for Free Comic Book Day! If you have not been following the 28 Days Later comics and are not sure if you want to, pick this one up! While it’s hard to imagine how it could compare to the film, it’s still really awesome. It is a great start (duh, its issue #1) and if you don’t like it, hey it was only a buck.”
That’s all for this week lads and lasses. Hope you found some books you like and hopefully you won’t empty your wallets. Again any comments and suggestions are welcome. Tune in next week…
REMINDER: FIRST SATURDAY IN MAY (the 7th) IS FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2011!
Head on down to your local shops for a bunch (and I mean A BUNCH) of free comic books.
Comics
‘You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive’ – IDW Dark’s Next Horror Comic Will Make You Question Reality
Five friends. Four houses. One perfect life. Bloody Disgusting is excited to exclusively announce You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive, a brand new horror comic from IDW Dark.
From Eisner-Nominated writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, and rising horror artist Heather Vaughan, You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive is described as a “paranoia-laced, socially-conscious, horror mystery that will leave you questioning reality, and reveal that this crafted world is more of a nightmare than the idealistic dream they were expecting.”
Phoebe Joplin has never questioned the world her parents built: a secluded community where she and her friends were raised to be smarter, stronger, and better than anyone else. No distractions. No dangers. No secrets. Until the night of their graduation.
When one of them dies under impossible circumstances, Phee starts to pull at the edges of her perfect life—and what she finds is something far more terrifying than she ever imagined.
Because this place isn’t a sanctuary. It’s a cage. And no one who discovers the truth ever leaves it alive.
Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing (Batman – One Bad Day: Clayface, Star Trek: The Last Starship) co-write the upcoming IDW Dark horror comic, featuring art by Heather Vaughan.
Jackson Lanzing said in a statement to Bloody Disgusting, “You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive is in many ways a spiritual successor to our last creator-owned horror, The Principles of Necromancy – a dive into the promise and consequence of playing god with the blood of innocents. But the Hivemind book this reminds me of most is Clayface: One Bad Day. This is a deeply human story with intensely raw emotions – five best friends and their five mysterious parents, tearing one another apart for the promise of some impossible glory that’s waiting just beyond their darkest actions. We’re thrilled to be bringing this story to life with our long-time partner in crime, editor Heather Antos, at IDW Dark – and we’re particularly excited to give our Clayface fans a new, brutal and emotional horror made just for them.”
Adds Collin Kelly, “We’re deconstructing a feeling that seems universal these days; our elders have a death grip on their power, without any intention of giving it up to the generations that come next. YNLTPA is about growing up with the limitless potential of the future… and realizing how much it’s a lie we’ve been fed to keep us under the yoke of the past. Bringing this brutal experience to life is our artist and co-creator, Heather Vaughan, who brings an incredible amount of humanity to our cast. But it’s in our youthful leads that Heather’s art really shines – you are going to fall in love with these young people, even as they go through the worst experience of their lives. What we’ve all crafted together is going to be tragic, painful, but above all else, sincere – with a future so uncertain, there’s only one thing we can trust: you’ll never leave this place alive.”
“Some horror stories are about monsters in the dark. YNLTPA is about realizing the monsters raised you,” previews Senior Group Editor Heather Antos. “Working with Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly on this series has been a dream in the darkest possible way. They’ve built a story that’s layered, brutal, and deeply emotional, and every issue gives artist Heather Vaughan opportunities to push the art into places that feel both haunting and deeply personal. Some horror comics will keep you up at night…this is one that will stick with you for years to come.”
The first issue of You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive goes on sale October 14, 2026! Make sure to pre-order at your local comic shop by September to guarantee a copy.
Exclusively check out the various covers for Issue #1 down below.
IDW Publishing’s horror imprint IDW DARK features comics like A Quiet Place: Storm Warning, Smile: For the Camera, The Exorcism at 1600 Penn, Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees, The Twilight Zone, Event Horizon: Dark Descent & Event Horizon: Inferno, and more.
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