New to Comics? New Comics for You! 5/28

Never read a graphic novel before? Haven’t read a comic book in years?

Here’s some brand new stuff coming out this week that I think is worth a look-see for someone with little to no history with comics. That means you should be able to pick any of these up cold without having read anything else. So take a look and see if something doesn’t grab your fancy. If so, follow the publisher links or Amazon.com links to buy yourself a copy. Or, head to your local friendly comic book shop.

Disclaimer: While it may seem like it, I do not live in the future. For the most part, I have not read these yet, so I can’t vouch for their quality. But, from what I’ve heard and seen, odds are good they just might appeal to you.

Note: Due to the Memorial Day holiday in the United States, comic books are being released a day later than usual in North America. So, this week, Thursday is new comic book day.

Dellec #0 – $1.99
By Frank Mastromauro, Vince Hernandez, Micah Gunnel and Rob Stull
12 pages; published by Aspen Entertainment

Sometimes, evil should be afraid. His name is Dellec. A working class family man. A highly skilled metal fabricator. A man who will be forced to risk everything — including his own existence, to purge the world of all its treacherous forms of ill repute. However, what if that evil he seeks to destroy is also the very same force that created him? And what if this being was more than mortal altogether? The blazing fires of damnation reign down upon one man in this epic tale of vengeance, loss, and despair as Dellec attempts to not only battle immortality itself, but also the very perception of faith its strength is built upon.

A nice and affordable sampler. This new noir sci-fi series is a bit of a departure for this publisher (even if their hype for it is a bit over the top). It looks like a bit of Sin City and a bit of Blade Runner. Here’s a 6-page preview.

Bayou – $14.99
By Jeremy Love
160 pages; published by DC Comics’ Zuda Comics; also available at Amazon.com

“BAYOU, which tackles racism and violence in 1930s Mississippi, is as hypnotic as it is unsettling.” — Wired

The first book from the original webcomics imprint of DC Comics is here! South of the Mason-Dixon Line lies a strange land of gods and monsters; a world parallel to our own, born from centuries of slavery, civil war, and hate.

Lee Wagstaff is the daughter of a black sharecropper in the Depression-era town of Charon, Mississippi. When Lily Westmoreland, her white playmate, is snatched by agents of an evil creature known as Bog, Lee’s father is accused of kidnapping. Lee’s only hope is to follow Lily’s trail into this fantastic and frightening alternate world. Along the way she enlists the help of a benevolent, blues-singing swamp monster called Bayou. Together, Lee and Bayou trek across a hauntingly familiar Southern Neverland, confronting creatures both benign and malevolent, in an effort to rescue Lily and save Lee’s father from being lynched. 

BAYOU VOL. 1 collects the first four chapters of the critically acclaimed webcomic series by Glyph Award nominee Jeremy Love.

This is an imaginative and evocative book really worth checking out. In fact, it’s easy to do so by reading the web-comic version right here (although if you buy the print version, you won’t have to put up with those lame ‘image loading’ faces).

Billboards – $14.99
By Clifford Meth & Dave Gutierrez
88 pages; published by IDW Publishing; also available at Amazon.com

In the not-too-distant future, when every conceivable flat surface is covered by advertising, men and women begin selling the geography of their bodies to the highest corporate bidders. What they don’t know is that the new tattoos have integrated circuits that track every product they use. It’s no big deal until weddings are forbidden based on corporate conflicts of interest. This biting satire by Clifford Meth (Snaked) will tickle the bejezus out of you.

Here in Los Angeles, there’s been a bit of a furor over digital billboards, which people are claiming distract drivers. You can pretty much guarantee that every local politician has a harsh, no-nonsense stance on digital billboards. Since the general impression is that everyone hates them, it’s sort of like taking a tough stance on punching babies in the face: it’s kind of a no-brainer, and feels a bit opportunistic and insincere. I don’t know if any of this is addressed in Billboards, but it looks like a good romp nevertheless.

Power Up – $12.99
By Doug Tennapel
128 pages; published by Image Comics; also available at Amazon.com

From the creator of Earthworm Jim, Creature Tech and Monster Zoo comes the comedic story of Hugh Randolph, a family man down on his luck. He works as a mindless drone at a local printer until he discovers a mysterious video game console that gives him the power to produce endless riches, manipulate his work day, even cheat death.

If you’re like me and have no idea what those first three things are that this guy created, don’t worry about it. The important thing to remember is that Doug Tennapel is very silly and very talented. If you’re interested in laughter, pick this up.

Special Forces – $16.99
By Kyle Baker
200 pages; published by Image Comics; also available at Amazon.com

THE COMIC BOOK THAT ENDED THE IRAQ WAR!

Zone, the unwitting pawn of a corrupt recruiter, is a mentally disabled soldier. Felony is a three-time loser who enlisted to avoid life in prison. When the rest of their unit is massacred in Baghdad, these brave American teenagers are democracy’s last hope against the villainy of the notorious terrorist known as The Desert Wolf!

Collects issues SPECIAL FORCES #1-4.

I know, another satire. But Kyle Baker is really good. He’s just an excellent cartoonist, and this has some of his most over-the-top/just-not-right stuff.

My Inner Bimbo – $19.95
By Sam Keith, Josh Hagler & Leigh Dragoon
168 pages; published by Oni Press; also available at Amazon.com

There are two sides to every coin, every story, and every person. No matter how hard you try to hide that second face away, you can never get rid of it. That’s what one man is about to learn when his under-developed feminine side materializes into a very real, bubble gum-chewing bimbo and turns his world upside down!

Sam Kieth’s hauntingly intimate five-issue mini-series, My Inner Bimbo, is collected for the first time!

Sam Keith is another massive talent, and pretty under-appreciated. I guarantee you, this isn’t what you expect from a title and cover like that. Sam Keith is weird, trippy and fascinating. It’s probably not for everyone, but everyone should try it to see – it’ll be really worth it if it is.

T-Minus: The Race to the Moon – $12.99
By Jim Ottaviani, Zander Cannon & Kevin Cannon
128 pages; published by Simon & Schuster; also available at Amazon.com

Question: What happens when you take two global superpowers, dozens of daring pilots, thousands of engineers and scientists, and then point them at the night sky and say “Go!”?

Answer: A SPACE RACE!

The whole world followed the countdown to sending the first men to the moon. T-Minus: The Race to the Moon is the story of the people who made it happen, both in the rockets and behind the scenes.

This is recommended for ages 8-12 and grades 3-7 by Simon & Schuster. I’m pretty terrible at gauging how age-appropriate something is for kids, but this looks good no matter your age.