June 2014 Comic Guide
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Batman ‘66 Meets The Green Hornet # 1
Publishers: DC & Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: June 4
This crossover was unexpected, even if the classic “Batman” TV series already featured the first meeting of the Caped Crusader and the Green Hornet nearly 50 years ago.
For this new six issue crossover, writers Kevin Smith and Ralph Garman are joined by artist Ty Templeton with cover artists Alex Ross and Mike Allred.
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Batman: Arkham Asylum: Living Hell Deluxe Hardcover
Publisher: DC
Release Date: June 4
Long before Dan Slott started his epic Spider-Man run, he teamed up with artist Ryan Sook on a six issue miniseries called Arkham Asylum: Living Hell.
The story introduced several worthy Batman villains as a financial criminal fakes insanity before he is sentenced to Arkham Asylum; where the inmates can’t wait to eat him alive... sometimes literally!
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Wolverine & The X-Men by Jason Aaron Omnibus
Publisher: Marvel
Release Date: June 4
This is the most expensive item on this month’s list, but it’s the complete Jason Aaron run of Wolverine & The X-Men in one oversized hardcover. This was the book that made the X-Men fun again, as Aaron introduced a new school and a new generation of mutants.
Although I really, really hated the Hellfire Club kids. That was the one thing I didn’t like in this run.
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Vampirella # 1
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: June 4
Putting Gail Simone on a relaunch of Red Sonja paid off big time for Dynamite. Now the company is giving Vampirella her own lavish relaunch with popular horror writer Nancy A. Collins and artist Patrick Berkenkotter.
Back in the ‘90s, Vampirella actually featured stories by some of the best comic writers, including Kurt Busiek, Grant Morrison, Warren Ellis, Mark Millar and more. This could be the first Vampirella comic to live up that lineage in a long time.
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Afterlife With Archie Volume 1: Escape From Riverdale
Publisher: Archie Comics
Release Date: June 4
It seems like everyone has tried to ape The Walking Dead with a zombie knockoff book. However, Archie Comics seems to have found the winning formula by putting its classic characters in the middle of a zombie apocalypse as depicted by writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and artist Francesco Francavilla.
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The Strain # 1
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: June 18
Before “The Strain” heads to FX next month, Dark Horse is reprinting the first issue of The Strain comic by David Lapham and artist Mike Huddleston as part of its 1 For $1 campaign.
This is based on the first novel in Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan’s The Strain trilogy, with Lapham and Huddleston expertly translating the story to comics.
For only a $1, it’s hard to pass this one up. Nor should you.
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Bloodhound Volume 2: Crowbar Medicine
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: June 18
Dan Jolley and Leonard Kirk’s Bloodhound has migrated to Dark Horse many years after it’s original run at DC. The story focuses on Travis Clevenger, an ex-con turned FBI consultant who doesn’t have any superpowers... but Clevenger is quite talented at beating the crap out of anyone even if they do have powers.
It’s a good book with great art. This book may not be on your radar, but it should be.
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Graphic Ink: The DC Comics Art of Frank Quitely
Publisher: DC/Vertigo
Release Date: June 18
DC has assembled a hardcover book of Frank Quitely’s Vertigo stories with Neil Gaiman, Grant Morrison, Warren Ellis and other writers for a very unique collection.
Quitely’s artwork isn’t for everyone. But if you enjoy it, this is a book that you will want.
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Army of Darkness vs. Hack/Slash Volume 1
Publishers: Dynamite Entertainment & Image Comics
Release Date: June 18
The Hack/Slash creative team of Tim Seeley and artist Daniel Leister reunite for a story that brings Cassie Hack out of retirement against her will. And Cassie’s new partner is none other than Ash, from the Army of Darkness franchise.
Seeley is one of the few writers who seems to be able to capture Ash’s voice in comics. For Hack/Slash fans, this is a can’t miss story before the upcoming relaunch at Image.
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Cartoon Network Super Secret Crisis War # 1
Publisher: IDW
Release Date: June 18
In all honesty, I only really like Samurai Jack out of all of the Cartoon Network original heroes. But this comic book crossover of all of those Cartoon Network heroes looks insane and exactly like something I would write if I was 11 years old.
I have to see if comic book veteran, Louise Simonson and artist Derek Charm can pull this one off.
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Star Trek City of the Edge of Forever # 1
Publisher: IDW
Release Date: June 18
Hardcore Star Trek fans probably know that Harlan Ellison’s Star Trek episode, “The City on The Edge of Forever” was very different from his early drafts. Now, IDW is adapting the ambitious and unaltered version of “The City on the Edge of Forever” as a comic book, with artist J.K. Woodward bringing the story to life.
If you happened to catch the Doctor Who/Star Trek: The Next Generation crossover, then you know that Woodward is the perfect artist for this.
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Velvet Volume 1: Before the Living End
Publisher: Image
Release Date: June 18
Ed Brubaker used to write great Marvel Comics. Now, he just writes great comics for himself and his artistic collaborators at Image Comics. Velvet is Brubaker’s second image title, that reunites him with Steve Epting, his artist from Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Fittingly, Velvet is also an espionage tale as one of the world’s greatest secret agents finds herself framed and on the run as she attempts to clear her name.
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Maxx Maxximized Vol. 1 Hardcover
Publisher: IDW
Release Date: June 25
Sam Kieth’s The Maxx was one of the early critical hits during the early days of Image Comics. Now, IDW has remastered The Maxx and the story is available for a new generation of readers.
It’s really hard to explain what The Maxx is about without giving away its secrets. It’s a bizarre and beautiful book. That should be enough to get your interest.
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Outcast # 1
Publisher: Image
Release Date: June 25
The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman is teaming up with artist Paul Azaceta for a new ongoing horror series called Outcast. The story follows Kyle Barnes, a man who has suffered from demonic possessions most of his life as he seeks answers about his affliction.
Outcast has already been optioned as a TV series, so there’s a good chance that this one will take off quickly. And with Kirkman and Azaceta as the creative team, this could be really good.
