Happy Turkey Day, everyone. Hope you’ll all be with family and friends this week, enjoying a wonderful holiday meal. If you can throw some comics into the mix, that’s even better.
I’ll be weighing in next week with the beginning of my 2014 comic book holiday gift guide. And, If I find any cool Black Friday sales, I’ll post them as well, so stay tuned.
Let’s thumb through the weekly new comic releases and see what’s cooking.
Crypt Of Horror TPB Vol. 23
With the plethora of horror/zombie comics nowadays, it’s hard to find something different. The Walking Dead just won’t die. Afterlife with Archie had a quality first story arc. But, at this point, it might be best to look backwards to find something new. I always loved the old EC Comics, and now AC Comics (probably not meant to mislead buyers into thinking it’s EC reprints) is collecting old horror tales from Fawcett, St. John, Superior, Avon, Ajax, and “other forgotten publishers from the 1950s”. If it’s good, the first 22 compilations might hit the Official Casual Comics Holiday Buying Guide.
Planet Gigantic #1
Hang on…
OK, just finished bracing my mind for Planetfall, as per the cover’s instructions.
This book just plain looks gorgeous. When the girl riding the winged lion is the “Also in this issue” feature, the main feature better be action-packed. Fingers crossed that this one can live up to its own cover.
Django Zorro #1
It’s the crossover no one knew they wanted – until now. And while I’m still not sure I want it, it sounds like Tarantino actually wrote the story, and Matt Wagner – a talented guy in his own right – collaborated, so it’s worth checking out. The description is a little long, but I guess you’ve got to try and explain it somehow.
Set several years after the events of Django Unchained, Django/Zorro #1 finds Django again pursuing the evil that men do in his role as a bounty hunter. Since there’s a warrant on his head back east, he’s mainly been plying his trade in the western states. After safely settling his wife, Broomhilda, near Chicago, he’s again taken to the road, sending her funds whenever he completes a job. It’s by sheer chance that he encounters the aged and sophisticated Diego de la Vega – the famed Zorro – and soon finds himself fascinated by this unusual character, the first wealthy white man he’s ever met who seems totally unconcerned with the color of Django’s skin… and who can hold his own in a fight. He hires on as Diego’s “bodyguard” for one adventure and is soon drawn into a fight to free the local indigenous people from a brutal servitude, discovering that slavery isn’t exclusive to black folks. In the course of this adventure, he learns much from the older man (much like King Schultz) and, on several occasions, even dons the mask and the whip… of The Fox!
Tarantino says this book is “canon” for Django, which I can’t see mattering for now. Feel free to correct me in 10 years when internet flame wars are breaking out during the Inglourious Basterds / Sgt. Fury and his Howlin’ Commandos crossover multi-media event.
Django/Zorro has GOT to be the weirdest crossover I’ve even seen.
Angry Birds / Transformers #1
So, as I was saying… Django/Zorro has GOT to be the second weirdest crossover I’ve even seen.
He Man And The Masters Of The Universe #19
This is one of those small pleasures that comes from being a casual comics fan. Oh, He Man And The Masters Of The Universe #19… Here are all the reasons you’re magnificent.
- I had no idea that there was a He-Man comic book. Even though it’s on issue #19, it’s news to me, and it warms my heart.
- Because I haven’t read it, I can imagine that it features all my favorite Masters of the Universe characters (aka – the ones my brother had action figures of): Stinkor, Tri-clops, the guy covered in moss (Moss Man?), and the blue-skinned He-Man. The only thing better would be if He-Man had a dragon backpack that squirted water.
- I get a chuckle from the cover. He-Man does not seem to require a dark and gritty cover image. I’m going to have to check the interior pages and see if they just go back to the same old four-color cheese I loved from He-Man.
Here are the most wonderfully crafted four sentences I’ve read in a long time:
The secrets of the House of Grayskull are revealed! Flash back to Prince Adam’s childhood, when rebellion struck King Randor’s throne. What does this moment in time mean for the future war in Eternia? Find out in this prelude to MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: THE ETERNITY WAR #1!
Four sentences. One statement, one question, and two exclamations! Dark secrets abound in the land of Eternia. AND there’s apparently a special mini-series coming.
This gives me great hope that I can convince Marvel to resurrect the greatest comic of all time. Joe Quesada, I’m begging you… FREE CRYSTAR!
For all these reasons, He Man And The Masters Of The Universe #19 is the Official Casual Comics Hot Pick of the Week. Give thanks, y’all for the wonderful weirdness you find trawling the wild world of comics.
And I’m thankful this week for all of you readers. I’m still in transit to Ohio, so thanks for sticking with the sporadic updates. You’re the BEST!
For now, let’s take a peek at my favorite comic duo of all time at their Thanksgiving gathering.
And just like that – no matter how awkward your Thanksgiving gets, at least you won’t have a wet guy with drawn on eyebrows and wearing a Speedo shooting daggers at your dad with his eyes. Scarlet Witch, I don’t know how you do it, but kudos to you on one heck of a spread for the holiday.
This week, be thankful for your local comic shop and support them by buying something!
Cheers!
– CCG
Casual Comics Guy 
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