Welcome to the most diverse ComicBook Countdown yet. As it happens, this week’s best new comics, TV, and movies all land on opposite ends of the age appropriate spectrum.We have a few entries that will delight young and old eyes alike, while others are some of the darkest, grittiest stories around today. So whether you’re looking for lighthearted fun or soul crushing depression, this week has something great to anticipate.
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5. Black Canary | DC Comics
If you haven’t checked out DC Comics’ “DC You” yet, you’re missing out on some of the publisher’s best work in years. Their first two week of new and rechristened titles were mostly successes and week three looks to make it a hat-trick. Leading this week’s charge is Black Canary #1. Spinning from the pages of Batgirl, Canary follows its titular character on tour with her band. Brendan Fletcher, co-writer of Batgirl, has already shown he knows what makes Canary and her adventures work. He is accompanied by artist Annie Wu, who delivered scolding hot visuals in Marvel’s Hawkeye for Kate Bishop’s solo adventures. If you have any doubts about whether this series will rock as hard as Canary herself, this free 8 page preview is bound to erase them.
4. Little Nemo: Return to Slumberland | IDW Publishing
There have been few comics with the grace, imagination, and charm as Gabriel Rodriguez and Eric Shanower’s four-issue mini-series. Inspired by Windsor McKay’s seminal work, these comics take two of the most talented creators in comics today and unleashes everything they have to offer. Each page is absolutely stunning, carefully crafted with loads of detail and a beautiful sense of motion. Perhaps more than any other comic released in 2015, Little Nemo: Return to Slumberland shows off what makes comics a truly unique medium. If you haven’t read it, be sure to pick up a copy this Wednesday.
3. Inside Out | Pixar Studios
It appears that Pixar Studios is returning to what made them the name to beat in animation this year. Inside Out is the first of two original stories filled with animation, bold designs, and very talented voice actors. It’s the story of a young girl’s emotions struggling with a cross-country move. It’s a familiar recipe of the big ideas and youthful whimsy that made Up, Toy Story, and Wall-E such massive successes. Advance reviews are already raving, positioning Inside Out as the next Disney classic. Now that’s something to get emotional over.
2. Southern Bastards #9 | Image Comics
I really, really, really love Southern Bastards. A lot. It perfectly blends crime fiction and a modern take on Southern Gothics. The deeply flawed characters, violence, and bold, bloody presentation add up to an irresistible collection of stories set in Craw County, Alabama. The series perfection is no surprise, considering that the two hottest writers in comics–Jason Latour and Jason Aaron–are behind the madness. If you aren’t already reading Southern Bastards, be sure to run to your store and grab the first two volumes before the third story arc starts this Wednesday.
1. True Detective Season 2 Premiere | HBO
Speaking of crime stories and Southern Gothics, it has been over a year since the first season of True Detective premiered. And unsurprisingly, we’re still talking about the show’s incredible cinematography, career-defining performances, and haunting thematics to this day. And now the second season, also created by Nic Pizzolatto, is just around the corner. This story moves the show out of the South and into Los Angeles, but continues the same haunting aesthetic and talented casting as the first season. Whatever happens in L.A. this Sunday, it’s bound to be the center of our conversations on Monday.
What new comics, shows, and other releases are you looking forward to this week? Share in the comments below.
