Comics I’m Picking Up the Week of August 21, 2019

Here are the books I’m looking forward to seeing at my local comic store the week of August 21, 2019.

Ghost-Spider

Publisher: Marvel
Words/Story: Seanan McGuire
Art/Colors: Takeshi Miyazawa

“With a cloud of infamy hanging over her head on Earth-65, Gwen Stacy now travels to Earth-616 for super hero action . . . and school?!

The newest student at ESU is about to get a crash course in multiversity as she splits her time between the world she loves and the world she’s just getting to know!

But what devious villain has eyes on Gwen’s travels?

Is Gwen ready for what comes next?”

Category: Tried and True Creators

Why I’m Excited: I’m not sure if moving all of the Spider titles into the same continuity is a good idea—but I was skeptical of the Into the Spider-Verse pitch as well, so what do I know? What I do know is that this book looks awesome. After loving Age of X-Man: The Amazing Nightcrawler, I am excited to have Seanan McGuire tackle a story that could have some consequences for Ms. Stacy (to the extent that might be possible in comics).

Marvel Comics

Robert Silverberg’s Colonies: Return to Belzagor

Publisher: Humanoids
Words/Story: Philippe Thirault
Art/Colors: Laura Zuccheri

“Based on Robert Silverberg’s bestselling sci-fi novels about humanity’s search for immortality out among the stars. This three-volume series begins with Silverberg’s homage to Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. Ex-lieutenant Eddie Gundersen returns to Belzagor on a scientific expedition to the borders of the indigenous lands, where he must face his nemesis, Kurtz, and his own inner demons on a planet which still has hidden secrets.”

Category: Return to a Beloved World

Why I’m Excited: It’s been 25 years since I read Downward to the Earth, and I wonder whether the story will resonate with me now in this era of postcolonialism studies and wokeness posturing as it did when teen Karl was just learning that science fiction could have more relevant truths to express than how cool it would be to visit an alien world.

Humanoids

No Ivy League

Publisher: Lion Forge Comics
Words/Story: Hazel Reed Newlevant
Art/Colors: Hazel Reed Newlevant

“Homeschooled, affluent, and sheltered, 17-year-old Hazel takes a summer job clearing ivy from the forest in Portland, Oregon, the only plan is to earn some extra cash to put toward concert tickets. Hazel soon finds that working side by side with at-risk teens leaves no room for comforting illusions of equality and understanding that was her reality up till now. This uncomfortable and compelling memoir is an important story of a teen’s awakening to the racial insularity of the upper class, the power of white privilege, and the hidden history of segregation in Portland.”

Category: Support Emerging Creators

Why I’m Excited: Young reader narratives can easily slip into didacticism. Sometimes an author’s intention and ambition can outreach their ability. What keeps a book from becoming a mallet with which to whack a reader with is typically the depth of character and the attention to specific details of the setting, plot, and emotional truth. I expect the title here to be the genuine construct of a teenage sense of irony landed upon in a sincere revelation and moment of personal growth. (A midcareer editorial director would surely have stayed away.) I’m excited to see if this OGN will be able to bring home the difficulty of struggling when you realize that there are many in the world who have radically different futures than the one you envision for yourself.

Lion Forge Comics

New World

Publisher: BOOM! Comics
Words/Story: David Jesus Vignolli
Art/Colors: David Jesus Vignolli

“New World weaves the stories of three characters from unique backgrounds, an indigenous warrior seeking revenge against those who invaded her land, an African musician fighting for freedom against those who enslaved him, and a Portuguese sailor in search of redemption, who come together on a heroic quest to free the world from an encroaching darkness. New World intertwines the cultures of the author’s personal heritage to explore the European discovery of the Americas with a vibrant blend of fantasy and history.”

Category: Support Emerging Creators

Why I’m Excited: In the US we have such a deeply troubling history of racial politics that it seems to cause us to overlook that many South American countries have dealt (and are dealing) with similar historical exploitation. I think it is helpful to be able to approach a subject like that from a perspective that isn’t exactly your own. That’s one of the reasons I was so encouraged to learn about the vibrant comics scene in Brazil, in some of the items I featured here creators from many heritages have been tacking their history from new and creative angles. I hope that more American comics publishers will step up to make the topics of our history more accessible to modern readers.

BOOM! Comics

See you at the racks!