January 2019 Previews Catalog Recommendations
Here are my recommendations from the January 2019 Previews Catalogs for #comics and other items generally shipping in March of 2019. As always, if there are #comics you think I should be recommending, let me know in the comments. If you are a podcast listener, check out the podcast Campus Comics Cast where we discuss Previews each month.
DC
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3 - Batman: Damned #3. The final issue of the initially controversial series is solicited for a 3/27/2019 release. I personally was not too fond of issue #1, but the completist will want to be sure they get the final issue.
4 - Detective Comics #1000. Detective joins Action with its 1000th issue. Lots of variant covers and apparently multiple stories in this issue. Looks like we will have at least 11 different covers for this issue. I actually prefer these covers to the Action 1000 decade covers.
8 - Dial H for Hero #1. The last of the initially advertised Wonder Comics imprint makes its debut.
10 - Deathstroke #41. This issue is being advertised as a prelude to the upcoming Teen Titans/Deathstroke crossover event, "The Terminus Agenda."
11 - Teen Titans #28. Part one of the previously mentioned "the Terminus Agenda" crossover with Deathstroke. No information on how long or how many issues the crossover will last. Previously, these crossovers from DC were spanning one month with an alpha and omega issue.
12 - Second Coming #1. Not sure what to think of this book. Marketed from the Vertigo imprint and for Mature Readers, this book teams up Jesus the Christ with a Superman analog , Sun-Man. I hope they use this for a valid moral tale.
18 - Batman 66-67. Batman is still probably the best book from DC each month.
24 - Doomsday Clock #10. I am a couple of issues behind on my reading, but this has been a really good book. I am excited to see the conclusion in a few months.
31 - Green Arrow #50. The final issue of this Green Arrow run ties into Heroes in Crisis.
38 - Justice League 19-20. Mr. Mxyzptlk takes on the Justice League with Scott Snyder on writing duty. In issue 20, the Justice League battle future versions of themselves in the 6th Dimension.
71 - The Kamandi Challenge TPB. I was a little disappointed in this series, but if you would like to see 14 different writers and artists take on the Jack Kirby creation, here is your chance to pick it up in softcover. And the "King" himself makes an appearance as well.
72 - Kingdom Come TPB. If you have not read this story about the "future" of the DC Comics, pick up this new printing of the trade by Mark Waid.
Marvel
10 - Age of Conan: Belit. It looks like Marvel is going to milk the Conan license for every penny they can. This is the 3rd title for the Conan universe in as many months. I have not read a lot of Conan, but apparently Belit was from the original run of the series.
16 - Avengers: No Road Home 6-7. "It had to happen! Conan collides with the Marvel Universe." Actually, no it didn't, but Marvel does it any way. We get the Scarlet Witch in the Age of Conan. Again, lets bleed the license for all we can.
19 - Marvel Tales: Thor #1. $8 for 3 books that should be printed as $1 True Believers. I will be passing, but if you want to own the first appearance of Loki, Valkyrie, and Beta Ray Bill in one comic, here is your chance.
21 - Spider-Man: Life Story #1. From Chip Zdarsky and Mark Bagley, a 6 issue "high-end" limited series telling the
complete history of Spider-Man from beginning to end, set against key events of the past 57 years.
36 - Captain America #9. Cap's my favorite character, so I will probably plug this book every time. I am a few issues behind, but looking forward to catching up.
42 - Incredible Hulk #181 Facsimile Edition. I am not a fan of these exact reprints of older books, especially books with the price point this original issue has. I hope Marvel puts something on the cover AND on each page to make it clear this is not the original issue.
44 - Tony Stark: Iron Man #10. The year 2020 approaches. Anyone who remember the limited series Machine Man 2020 and one annual of Amazing Spiderman should know what that means for Iron Man.
46 - Marvels Annotated #2. I cannot remember if I mentioned this last month, but this reprinting of the Kurt Busiek story for its 25th anniversary is something to check out if you have not read it already.
50 - Spider-Man: Far From Home Prelude #1. So, it looks like Marvel is advertising an adaptation of Spider-Man Homecoming as a prelude to the 2019 film, Spider-Man: Far From Home. If that is true, you should definitely skip this book.
104 - Silver Surfer: Parable 30th Anniversary Edition HC. $30 seems a bit high for reprinting a 2 issue limited series, but I have fond memories of this story, as there was not a lot of Silver Surfer out there when this was originally published.
Previews Side One
So, it looks like the apparel on Side One last month was not a mistake.
28 - Previews Catalog. Pick up your copy so you can play along at home.
33 - Free Comic Book Day Comics. We get our first look at some of the free comics for FCBD 2019. Marvel and DC are tight-lipped about what their books will be, but it looks like we are getting a reprint of Spawn #1 from Image for the upcoming movie.
54 - Little Bird #1. A new 5 issue limited series from Image. There is a multi-page preview of this story in the book, and the art looks pretty solid. I will definitely be giving this one a shot.
70 - Infinite Dark TPB. I did read the first issue of this series recently. It is basically a murder mystery in space among the last few thousand surviving human beings.
73 - SCUD: The Disposable Assassin: The Whole Shebang! TPB. Some people have fond memories of this older indie title. Here you can get all 25 issues in one book at a very reasonable price of $35.
98 - Spawn # 295. It appears that this issue will be the kick-off to the story line that will wrap-up in issue #300 of the series.
115 - William Gibson's Alien 3 #5. The final issue of the unused screenplay by cyberpunk author William Gibson.
116 - Mystery Science Theater 3000 #6. The Campus Comics Cast #campuscomicscast recently reviewed issue 1 of this series in our podcast episode 35. It was very good, so if you are a fan of the TV series, you should be picking this up.
178 - Superman: The Golden Age Newspaper Dailies: 1947-1949. I want to mention this book, as I had the privilege of interviewing cover art Pete Poplaski for the Campus Comics Cast #campuscomics cast. If you are interested in hearing the interview, search for Campus Comics Cast in your favorite podcast app and go to episode 26.
183 - Munchkin Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Deluxe. Fans of the Steve Jackson Games Munchkin line may want to pick up this version featuring TMNT.
205 - Pathfinder: Worldscape Kickstarter Exclusives. So, if they are available in Previews, are they really Kickstarter exclusives?
214 - Firefly: Bad Company #1. Probably a one-shot, features the origin of Saffron.
215 - Firefly Volume 1. The recent Boom! series collected in hardcover.
216 - Ronin Island #1. A 5 issue limited series about an alternate history for 19th century Japan, Korea, and China.
369 - Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor TPB. First TPB for the first female Doctor.
432 - Detective Comics T-Shirts. A couple of nice Detective Comics T-shirts, one with the original Detective #27 Batman image and another with the cover from one of the issue 1000 variants.
Side Two
115 - Overwatch: Comic & Backpack Hanger Bundle. Physical copies of the previously digital stories along with backpack hangers for character McCree, Reinhart, and Torbjorn
Blank Covers
Batman Who Laughs: the Grim Knight #1
Detective Comics #1000
Lenore Volume II #12
Life & Death of Toyo Harado #1
Gretek #1
Pink Panther #1
Street Fighter Menat #1
I will try update the blank covers at a later date if I learn of any more.