Milo, aka “Bane of Kings”,  runs down the Top 5 Must-Read comics for this NCBD featuring titles from DC Comics, Marvel, Image and Valiant.

 

It’s the second week of the month and this allows for an onslaught of new titles from Marvel, as per normal, right from the $2.99 pricetag of Avengers Undercover to the other end of the scale at $4.99 for a special 25th issue of All New X-Men, and even $5.99 for a Daredevil #1.5, looking at his 50th Anniversary. Whilst that’s not covered here, and neither is the absurdly overpriced All New Doop for $3.99, what is here is some quality Marvel books in the form of both Avengers Undercover and Iron Fist: The Living Weapon. We also get the relaunch of the Ultimate line starting today in something that I’ve had to miss, but across the pond at DC Comics sees the start of new weekly Batman series Batman Eternal. There’s also over at Image a brand new Shutter ongoing series, whilst Valiant give us some refreshing superhero action in the awesome Unity. Without further ado, you can find the list of comics hitting shelves today here on ComicList as per normal, and find my pull-list here.

AVENGERS UNDERCOVER #2

Story: Dennis Hopeless | Art: Kev Walker | Colours: Jean-Francis Beaulieu | Cover: Francesco Mattina | Publisher: Marvel Comics | Price: $2.99

GO INSIDE THE MASTERS OF EVIL!

• Our teen heroes infiltrate the Avengers’ arch nemesis…but will they ever get out?

• Bloodstone + the Son of Satan = Hell on Earth!

A $2.99 Marvel book is a rarity these days and I loved #1 so this should be a lot of fun. Looking forward to seeing where this goes, Dennis Hopeless has a great understanding of what makes these characters tick so hopefully Avengers Undercover should be a blast.

BATMAN ETERNAL #1

Story: Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Ray Fawkes, John Layman, Tim Seeley | Art: Jason Fabok | Cover: Jason Fabok | Publisher: DC Comics | Price: $2.99

Don’t dare miss the start of the Bat-story so big it’s going to take every week of the month to tell! A massive cast of Gotham City’s best (and worst) examines the relationship between Batman, his allies and his city. In this debut issue, Commissioner James Gordon is caught on the wrong side of the law!

Well, this is it. One of the few DC Comics that I’m picking up this week is the start of a weekly. How long I’ll be able to keep up with this series especially with Future’s End launching remains to be seen but it should be very interesting to find out where this goes indeed. Cannot wait.

IRON FIST: THE LIVING WEAPON #1

Story: Kaare Andrews | Art: Kaare Andrews | Publisher: Marvel Comics | Price: $3.99

High above the city, in a multi-million dollar penthouse, Danny Rand, a.k.a. Iron Fist, “The Living Weapon,” is haunted by the consequences of choosing death over life. A message from Iron Fist’s mystical homeland of K’un-Lun brings Danny back to his blood soaked origin of betrayal and vengeance! Revenge is a weapon that cuts both ways…. Will Danny survive the bloodletting? A one-of-a-kind kung fu action epic directed by the inimitable Kaare Andrews!

Iron Fist! Iron Fist! Yay! I loved Brubaker & Fraction’s run on this book so hopefully this title can be as good as that. If it’s even as half as good, I’ll be happy. The cover looks awesome though and that’s always a good sign.

SHUTTER #1

Story: Joe Keatinge | Art: Leila Del Duca | Colours: Owen Gieni | Cover: Leila Del Duca | Publisher: Image Comics | Price: $2.99

Marvel Knights: Hulk and Glory writer Joe Keatinge teams up with debut artist Leila del Duca for her Image Comics debut in an all-new ongoing series combining urban fantasy and globe-spanning adventure, SHUTTER. Kate Kristopher, once the most famous explorer on Earth—an Earth that’s far more fantastical than the one we know, filled with demons, gorgons, phantom ninjas, and various other monsters of lore—is forced to return to the adventurous life she left behind when a family secret threatens to destroy everything she spent her life protecting.

WHY? An Indiana Jones-esque comic series? I’m totally down for that. Everything Image puts out seems to have been stellar lately so this should be awesome. Lots of great potential here for a fun, engaging ongoing series.

UNITY #6

Story: Robert Venditti | Art: Cafu | Cover: Clayton Crain | Publisher: Valiant Comics | Price: $3.99

Unity is anything but unified as the team fractures and must start from scratch. But they’d better hurry because a new threat is looming…and Ninjak must tackle a viral epidemic that has been lying in wait for generations. A sickness is spreading across the land and only the doctor has the cure… Dr. Silk!

Starting with #5, I’m loving Unity so far – and hopefully #6 will be more of the same. I’m certainly looking forward to it regardless though, this is one of the strongest non-big two superhero books on the market right now.