Welcome to the weekly previews for June 29th, 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 “VENOM”, “DETECTIVE COMICS”, “THE WALKING DEAD”, and “AMERICAN VAMPIRE”. Read on for the skinny…

Amazing Spider-Man #664

WRITTEN BY: Christos Gage and Dan Slott
ILLUSTRATIONS BY: Giuseppe Camuncoli
PRICE: $3.99

“’Death Won’t Stop Me’ THE WRAITH stands unmasked and all of her secrets are revealed. What will this mean for SPIDER-MAN? And how will this effect the growing gang war in Chinatown? And if ANTI-VENOM wants to get his hands on MR. NEGATIVE, he’ll have to get past HAMMERHEAD and THE SPOT first! Of all the days for Aunt May to return to the F.E.A.S.T. Center…”

It seems like every week I say, “well it’s one issue closer to Spider-Island!” Finally, this is the LAST issue before the big spider-event for the year. Although the ‘Death Won’t Stop Me’ arc has been far better than some other Spidey stories this year, there’s so much hype built up around Spider-Island I think everyone just wants it to land already.

FF #5

WRITTEN BY: Jonathan Hickman
ILLUSTRATIONS BY: Steve Epting
PRICE: $2.99

“The War of Four Cities: Part Two. As the War of Four Cities heats up, the Universal Inhumans enter the fray! What role will the FF play in things to come? Prepare for epic battles, live lost and saved, and the awaited return of a beloved Marvel hero!”

FF is quickly becoming one of my favorite ongoing series. It gets better every issue and Hickman’s hitting his stride, getting more and more comfortable with the group each week. FF perfectly maintains the balance between science fiction, family ties, and superhero drama that the Fantastic Four is known for. I love when a book can still be a comic without being childish, and that’s exactly what you get with FF.

Venom #4

WRITTEN BY: Rick Remender
ILLUSTRATIONS BY: Tony Moore
PRICE: $2.99

“The long awaited grudge match between Venom and Spider-Man is here! Big action! Big intrigue! All presented in the mighty Marvel fashion! Rick Remender (X-Force, Punisher) and Tony Moore (Punisher, The Walking Dead) bring you a knock down street brawl for the ages in the closing chapter of the first arc of Marvel’s hottest new series!”

I can’t commend Remender enough for his work on this series. While, it may not be the best Venom we’ve ever seen, it sure as hell is the most controversial and most interesting take on Venom in a long time. Venom is back in full force, with his tongue hanging out of his mouth as Spider-Man enters the picture. A fight for the ages should go down this issue between the to arachnids. Marvel, you’re doing it right with this one.

Creepy Comics #6

WRITTEN BY: Joe R. Lansdale, Alice Henderson, and Christopher A. Taylor
ILLUSTRATIONS BY: Jason Shawn Alexander and Nathan Fox
PRICE $4.99

“Run! Hide! Call the authorities! You’ll find all your efforts futile . . . It was foolish to think you could escape Creepy #6! There will be no mercy shown as you recoil in horror at tales brought to you by Joe R. Lansdale, Nathan Fox, Christopher A. Taylor, Jason Shawn Alexander, Alice Henderson, and more! Featuring 48 bone-chilling pages Creepy #6 will make your summer scream! Continuing the rich, horror-filled history of Creepy comics! The only horror comics anthology currently on the market!”

A few weeks back I noted that Creepy Comics #6 was being released, however I made a mistake, it’s actually going to be released this Wednesday, June 29th. Sorry for any confusion!

Horror anthologies used to be all the rage in comics, way back in the day. Although they’re no longer popular in the mainstream, Dark Horse is doing all it can to bring them back with Creepy Comics. These stories are pulpy, gross, scary, and aren’t like anything else on the market today. While the stories tend to be hit or miss (as with any anthology), with a $4.99 cover price, it’s a steal for any horror buff.

The Strange Case of Mr. Hyde #3 (of 4)

WRITTEN BY: Cole Haddon
ILLUSTRATIONS BY: M.S. Corley
PRICE: $3.50

“Inspector Thomas Adye of Scotland Yard arrested the wrong man when he locked Leather Apron up for the murders of several Whitechapel prostitutes. Jack the Ripper is still on the loose and, worse, appears to be in league with powerful forces that have a vested interest in keeping him in business. Adye once again turns to the imprisoned Dr. Henry Jekyll for help. Will their unholy alliance redeem our hero from his arrogant mistakes, or push him even closer to the edge of the abyss Jekyll calls home? Featuring art by exciting newcomer M. S. Corley! Weaving together the Jack the Ripper legend with elements of the classic tale of Jekyll and Hyde.”

If you like Jack the Ripper or Stevenson’s classic horror tale as much as I do (which is a lot) then you’ll love this book. Although it doesn’t offer the same rich history or Victorian drama as From Hell, it’s a great look at the affinities between Mr. Hyde and Saucy Jack. The narrative does surprising justice to the original story, and though it’s a bit farfetched, it’s a wonderfully crafted story. Hopefully this will lead to some more original gothic tales in the future.

Batman Incorporated #7

WRITTEN BY: Grant Morrison
ILLUSTRATIONS BY: Chris Burnham
PRICE: $2.99

“Man-of-Bats and his protege, Red Raven, continue to aid the Dark Knight in tracking down a shadowy, sophisticated killer. Will these two members of The Club of Heroes become the newest additions to BATMAN INCORPORATED? Or will they die before they can even be offered the chance?”

What really needs to be said about this book? Grant Morrison writing Batman is always an incredible pleasure to read, Burnham’s art is fantastic, and it’s one of the only current arcs in the DCU that seems like it will carry over (at least somewhat) when the reboot happens. The writing can get complex, so just read it slowly and there’s no reason not to read this book.

Detective Comics #878

WRITTEN BY: Scott Snyder
ILLUSTRTIONS BY: JOCK
PRICE: $2.99

“Off the coast of Gotham City, with no help for miles, the vicious smuggler and pirate Tiger Shark holds Batman captive on his ship. Can Batman escape in time, or will he become food for Tiger Shark’s deadly pets? Plus: The saga of James Jr. continues. Is he a victim of circumstance or vicious killer? You decide. Don’t miss the shocking conclusion to “Hungry City.””

I don’t really know how much more we can praise Snyder and his work on Batman here at Graphic Content. Honestly, his work is just unbelievably good every time. You think Snyder’s done all he can to impress you then BAM! He does it again. Do yourself a favor and read his stuff, it will make you happy. But I swear to god if I see one more of those stupid Subway comics in the middle of this book, I’m gonna lose it.

Flashpoint: Hal Jordan #1 (of 3)

WRITTEN BY: Adam Schlagman
ILLUSTRATIONS BY: Ben Oliver
PRICE: $2.99

“FLASH FACT! He never got the ring!”

This is kind of how I felt about the Green Lantern movie; if Hal didn’t get the ring he would have ended up being a jerk, and probably dying in a fiery plane crash at a young age with nobody to love him. But, that’s apparently not what happens. Nonetheless, it will be flashtastic to see what Hal would be like if he never served the Corps and lived his life as a normal human being.

Flashpoint: Project Superman #1 (of 3)

WRITTEN BY: Scott Snyder and Lowell Francis
ILLUSTRATIONS BY: Gene Ha
PRICE: $2.99

“FLASH FACT! They experimented on him in a lab for years!”

This is one Flashpoint book that everyone’s excited for. What will DC do to their most beloved superhero of all time? What would really happen if the US government found an alien superhuman on their planet? In all likelihood, not let him save the world. They’d probably keep him under close surveillance and put him through ruthless scientific experiments. Surely, this is one Flashpoint tie-in you won’t want to miss out on. I see Superman being very angry, and he’s one dude you don’t want to piss off.

Something Monstrous (Graphic Novel)

WRITTEN BY: Steve Niles and R.H. Stavis
ILLUSTRATIONS BY:Stephanie Buscema
PRICE: $17.99

“An all-new, standalone graphic novel! There’s something killing off the old folks of the usually quiet little town of Hope Falls…. something very angry with a score to settle… When Alexis Conner arrives to bail her sobering brother, Cody, out of jail, they soon discover their own father has fallen victim to its rage and Cody has become the prime suspect! Written by horror master Steve Niles (30 Days of Night) and R. H. Stavis, and illustrated by Stephanie Buscema.”

Steve Niles is virtuosic horror storyteller, there’s no doubt about that. His work is always imaginative and modern yet he manages to keep in touch with the past of horror folklore. Pumping out story after story because of such high demand, he’s quickly becoming the Stephen King of comic books (a bold claim, I know, but who else deserves this mantel?). If this novel keeps in the vein of his previous works, it should be nothing short of horrifying.

Drums #2 (of 4)

WRITTEN BY: El Torres
ILLUSTRATIONS BY:Abe Hernando and Fran Gamboa
PRICE: $2.99

“’EL MACUTO’ FBI agent Irons has no clues about the ‘Santeria Deaths’ in Santa Rosa. But the deaths didn’t stop at the ceremony, they are still going on. Irons feels that something dark is about to happen, so dark and overwhelming like the great storm that is surrounding Florida.”

It’s hard to find mainstream horror comics that offer something other than zombies or vampires nowadays. However, books like Drums are doing their best to maintain a sense of originality in the horror genre in graphic storytelling. There’s always something unsettling about religious ceremonies and séances, especially ones that lead to death, and that’s exactly what this is about. A lack of understanding can be extremely terrifying and issue one captured the fears we have of unknown cultures.

Super Dinosaur #3

WRITTEN BY: Robert Kirkman,
ILLUSTRATIONS BY: Jason Howard
PRICE: $2.99

“ALL-NEW FROM ROBERT KIRKMAN & JASON HOWARD! Super Dinosaur and Derek Dynamo protect the world from the denizens of Inner Earth! Meanwhile, Max Maximus’ master plan finally begins to take shape… and it’s BIGGER than anything Super Dinosaur and Derek have faced thus far! This issue can’t be missed, just like every issue of SUPER DINOSAUR!”

Alright Kirkman, I’m giving you one last chance with this book. “All-new from Robert Kirkman”, more like piece of junk by Robert Kirkman.

The Walking Dead #86

WRITTEN BY: Robert Kirkman
ILLUSTRATIONS BY: Adlard and Cliff Rathburn
PRICE: $2.99

“How do we deal with what comes next?”

How does one writer have such a vast difference between two titles in the same week? The Walking Dead has easily been the best horror/zombie story in comics since its first issue, and it keeps getting better. It’s one of those books that you just can’t seem to predict. No characters are ever safe, everyone is vulnerable, and the zombies aren’t the only threat to survival. It’s one crazy world they live in, showcasing the true trials and tribulations of an apocalypse.

American Vampire #16

WRITTEN BY: Scott Snyder
ILLUSTRATIONS BY: Rafael Albuquerque
PRICE: $2.99

“The “Ghost War” rages on in the Pacific, and things don’t look good for our heroes when something terrible crawls out of the caves of Taipan. Meanwhile, the U.S. Marines strike, and Henry’s unit is caught in the middle. Plus: the truth about Skinner’s plan is revealed!”

I know a lot of people hate vampires with all the Twilight bullshit that just won’t die. But if you’d like to give vamps another shot pick up this book. Easily one of the best horror books in production today written by none other than Scott Snyder (it’s safe to say I have a schoolgirl crush on him). The characters are phenomenal, the storyline is gripping, and the vampires are scary as $#!%.