Milo, aka “Bane of Kings”, runs down the Top 5 Must Read Comics on This NCBD, featuring titles from DC Comics, Marvel and Vertigo.

 

Wow, what a week. With Amazing Spider-Man 2 hitting my local cinema at least on Friday, it’s a great week for comics. Speaking of Spider-Man, Superior wraps this month – one of my favourite Marvel comics so it’ll be a shame to see it go as I’ve really enjoyed the adventures of Otto Octavius as Spider-Man but on the plus side, Peter Parker’s back and just in time for his movie. Marvel also see the debut of a new Hulk ongoing series written by Daredevil writer Mark Waid this week, as well as an Ultimate FF #1 title by Joshua Hale Fialkov, which I’ve not been able to mention here but you should totally give that a shot anyway. DC Comics also have a slew of new releases this week – including the launch of brand new ongoing Sinestro #1 written by former Fearless Defenders and current Magneto writer Cullen Bunn. A new arc for Batman’s Zero Year begins – Savage City – whilst over at Vertigo, the return of the smash hit American Vampire continues here.

So yeah, it’s a great week for comics fans. You can find out my full pull-list here, as well as check out the full list of releases here.

AMERICAN VAMPIRE: SECOND CYCLE #2

Story: Scott Snyder | Art: Rafael Albuquerque | Publisher: Vertigo Comics | Price: $2.99

Pearl has made The Preston House a place of peace. But when something comes to threaten that peace, she’ll do anything to protect her young strays. The blockbuster return of AMERICAN VAMPIRE continues here!

WHY? Scott Snyder is one of my favourite writers and there’s no doubt that yet another one of his series, American Vampire: Second Cycle looks set to be brilliant. #1 was amazing and despite the fact that I didn’t like Volume 1, this book has really impressed since. Maybe I need to go back and catchup on the series, and give Volume 1 another readthrough.

BATMAN #30

Story: Scott Snyder | Art: Greg Capullo | Publisher: DC Comics | Price: $3.99

ZERO YEAR – SAVAGE CITY’ begins!

WHY? Batman is an exceptional comic, don’t get me wrong, but it’s lacking the awesomeness now that it did before the start of Zero Year. However, I’ll still be reading, mainly because Capullo is awesome and this book is still able to fit in my Top 5 favourite DC Comics right now (Green Arrow, The Phantom Stranger, Batman, Red Lanterns and Swamp Thing) so let’s see where Snyder can take us.

HULK #1

Story: Mark Waid | Art: Mark Bagley | Publisher: Marvel Comics | Price: $3.99

ALL-NEW DIRECTION! THE EPIC ‘BANNER D.O.A.’ BEGINS NOW!!! Following the shocking events of last month’s INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK finale, Bruce Banner lies at death’s door! If he survives, it WON’T be as the Bruce Banner we’ve known! How will the Hulk wreak vengeance on Banner’s assailant? How CAN he?

WHY? I missed out on the previous series but with Mark Waid’s awesome Daredevil I’ve decided to check this out – it should be a very awesome read and I can’t wait to see where it goes, with a mystery shaping up up to be very interesting indeed – who shot Bruce Banner?

SINESTRO #1

Story: Cullen Bunn | Art: Dale Eaglesham | Publisher: DC Comics | Price: $2.99

Thaal Sinestro has lost everything he’s ever loved: his home, his family, his only friend. But no matter how desperate he becomes, Sinestro will never be without fear…a lesson his one-time ally, one-time enemy Lyssa Drak is eager to teach him! Can he take back the despicable Yellow Lantern Corps? Or does the universe have a new destiny in mind for Sinestro?

WHY? Sinestro gets his own ongoing series by writer of the awesome Fearless Defenders, Cullen Bunn. This should be great, and I’m really looking forward to this one. Hopefully I can add another Green Lantern title to my pull list along with Red Lanterns – it’ll be interesting to see whether this book keeps up the consistent quality that the former has done ever since Soule started the book.

SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #31

Story: Dan Slott | Art: Giuseppe Camuncoli | Publisher: Marvel Comics | Price: $3.99

•  SERIES FINALE! The end of an era! A tale of triumph and tragedy! The GREEN GOBLIN unmasked! A hero reborn! But what does this mean for OTTO OCTAVIUS?!
• There’s only one man who can save us from the Goblin Nation… PETER PARKER: The one, true SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN!

WHY? Young Avengers and Daredevil (even though it’s relaunched, it still ended) have both been my favourite series when they were still running at Marvel. It seems like I seem to have a habit of loving series that are coming to a conclusion soon – because I can add Superior Spider-Man to that list as well. It’s been an excellent saga though, and whilst it’ll be interesting to see Parker back, I can’t help but wish that Otto had stayed for a bit longer especially as a relative Marvel newcomer he was my first introduction to Spidey books. But we’ll see where things go.