Comics took a break during the Coronavirus times. All of April didn’t happen. Some comics started to ship again at the end of May. It’s going to take a while to get back to a normal schedule. This pull list is all the comics originally scheduled for April that I found interesting and would like to buy. The release dates have changed. Some are going digital only. I am only going by the original Previews catalog I bought months ago. As I buy and read through the next few months I might list some of these again.

I couldn’t write this column nor the complimentary one on The Retro Network without help from my local comic shop. My shop is Ravenswood Comics but you should seek out a great one near you. Start a pull list. Get to know the people that work there. Follow them across social media.

I love writing down what comics I would want to buy in a perfect world with unlimited funds. Hopefully, this post will put a title in front of a reader who may have not seen it otherwise. My retro themed picks will be up soon over at The Retro Network. This is everything else from every company in Previews. If I’m averaging $4 an issue times over 40 comics I would like I’m spending at least $160 this month alone. Probably closer to $200.

Enough about me and my finances though. Let’s look at what I found cool in the hundreds of pages for this Previews catalog.

From Marvel comics:

Empyre 1 and 2

The Kree and Skrull unite in battle against Earth. And their leader is a familiar face. This looks very interesting but we’ve all been let down by giant cross overs so many times.

Empyre: Spider-Man 1

Some new great Spider-Man threat has been hiding for years and the events of Empyre bring him or her to the front. This is supposed to be a big story for Marvel and Spider-Man in the future so I’m curious where it begins.

Marvel Zombies: Resurrection 1

Galactus corpse full of zombies reaches a planet Earth that is similar but not the classic Marvel one we’re familiar with. Spider-Man tries to lead heroes and survivors. I’ve always enjoyed the Marvel Zombies titles for better or worse and this looks like a way to freshen it up.

New Warriors 1

This is my jam. New Warriors then, now, forever. Celebrating 30 years this year and I hope to be reading them for at least 30 more. The classic team plus new faces. Speedball!

Taskmaster 1

The greatest spies are hunting the Taskmaster. This sounds like John Wick by way of Marvel. Looks exciting and would have been even better if the Black Widow movie could have come out on time.

Strange Academy 2

Marvel does Hogwarts! A school for magical characters in the MU. Familiar faces, new faces, and I think we’ll see a lot of them in increasingly more important roles for many years in Marvel. But it starts here.

New Mutants 10

I have no idea what’s going on in this comic but that cover is incredible.

Spider-Man Noir 2

The Spider-Man of adventure pulps takes on Nazis! Read it with Nicholas Cage’s voice in your head.

Ghost Spider 9

I’m trying not to obsess over these Gwen Stacy takes but I can’t deny how cool Gwenom looks. I just bought a figure last week. This comic would look real pretty next to that.

Symbiote Spider-Man: Alien Reality 5 (variant cover)

I really just want the Spider-Man no more tribute variant cover.

Avengers 33

I actually bought this one! Apparently Moon Knight beats up the Avengers. I’ll be reading it soon and will have a review, right here, on this very site!

 

From DC Comics:

Batgirl 46

Something about Batgirl battling living statues and the KGBeast appeals to young me first discovering comics.

Hawkman 23

This plague doctor version of Hawkman intrigues the hell out of me. I’ve also been drawn to apocalyptic works in the middle of 2020 for some perverse reason.

Justice League 44 and 45

“Demons from Antarctica on the loose” followed by “the Spectre demands global vengeance”. Justice League should always feel big and crazy, which these two issues absolutely do.

Legion of Super Heroes 6

This is starting to look like a play with every toy love letter to the Legion. If there’s any time to jump into a new take on a complicated backstory, this is it.

Metal Men 7

An all new metal animal team? A concept so ridiculous it just might work!

Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen 10

Move aside Arm Fall Off Boy, here’s the entire Fall Off Family. The older I get the more I love comics that embrace everything ridiculous and fun about the medium and its history.

The Terrifics 27

The greatest scientific minds of DC assemble. Man Bat? Ted Kord is back? Tom Strong?! What the hell is going on here?!

Wonder Woman: Dead Earth 3

Something bad happened. Wonder Woman is in a wasteland. She arrives at the Fortress of Solitude for answers. I don’t think they’re going to be the answers she wants.

 

From Image Comics:

Adventureman 1

Adventureman was a pulp hero who was cancelled before his last mission could be told. Eighty years later Claire and her son Tommy are pulled into an Adventureman adventure but only they remember who he was.

Fire Power Volume 1.

Hey that Robert Kirkman guy is back. This feels like Kirkman’s take on Avatar but he’s done such great work in the past I want to check out this debut with an open mind.

Nailbiter Returns 1

Copycat murders. The daughter of a legendary serial killer. A town secret. Grab the first run before Returns and then get ready for great comics horror.

Decorum 2

I don’t know what’s happening here. It looks like the Wild West gunslinger in some portal hub where everything imaginable exists at the same time. But that all looks cool.

On the Stump 3

Politics decided by pro wrestling! Of course this is up my alley.

 

From the second half of the Previews catalog!

Disaster Inc 1 (Aftershock)

Disaster Inc helps people with money explore the cut off corners of the world. Like a land blocked off after a nuclear melt down. And all the new secrets that now dwell within.

Dead Day 1 (Aftershock)

The dead are allowed to walk the earth for one day. This will tell the variety of events that could take place depending on who you meet.

Man who Fucked Up Time 3 (Aftershock)

This guy goes back in time just a few moments, comes back, and discovers the entire world is wrong. Every decision he makes seems to make it worse.

Long Story Short 100 Classic Books in 3 Panels (Algonquin)

This looks like a great Christmas gift. Brilliant and silly. A treat for any bibliophile.

Zorro: Galleon of the Dead 1 (American Mythology)

Zorro in a lucha libre adventure. This is such a ridiculous idea I need it.

Beware the Witch’s Shadow: Soul to Keep 1 (American Mythology)

Tales from the Crypt meets Elvira meets Cabin in the Woods. Sounds like a blast.

Starring Sonya Devereaux: Spider-Shark vs Snake-Bear (American Mythology)

Boobs and humor and late night movies and made for Syfy. This is absolute beautiful trash.

Gold Digger 1 35th Anniversary

Gold Digger 276 (both by AP)

I didn’t realize Gold Digger has had the same writer and artist all these years. Nor did I realize how much work he has put into it. I think I need to stop dismissing it as furry adventure and take the time to read at least some of this series.

Upshot Now 1 (AWA)

This is a preview title of so many things coming from AWA Upshot. Superheroes, thrillers, horror, and more. For 5 bucks this is a great introduction to a new publisher and I’m sure you’ll know by the end if you want to stick around.

Ninjas and Robots 1 (Keenspot)

This seems like someone loved Tank Girl and wanted to take that idea somewhere new. I’m at least curious.

Upbringing 1 (Keenspot)

A spaceship version of Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. This looks incredible smart.

Scary Monsters Magazine 117 (MyMovieMonsters.com)

This is by far my favorite movie magazine today. Black and white and full of information on forgotten and unappreciated works. I learn so much every issue.

Assassin and Son 1 (Scout comics)

Written by recently passed WWE Superstar Shad Gaspard. That’s reason enough.

Everglade Angels 1 (Scout comics)

A girls softball team meets Texas Chainsaw. I don’t know if this is serious, funny, gory, or all of it rolled into one.

Little Victories: Autism Through a Father’s Eyes. (Titan comics)

The comic medium might be the perfect way to truly explore all of the thoughts and emotions that occur every day raising a child on the Autism spectrum. This might help others to understand more than any amount of words alone could.

Belle vs. the Black Knight (Zenescope)

I loved the Belle graphic novel I read earlier in the year and I’m very curious to see where Zenescope takes her next.

The Dungeon of Black Company volume 5 manga (Seven Seas Entertainment)

Picture a company like Amazon existing within the world of Dungeons and Dragons, and write an adventure of the people who work there. I may have just found out about this with volume 5 but I will be searching for this series now.