Another New Comic Book Day is upon us! It’s time to plan out your next trip to your local comic shop and take a look at this week’s new comics! Hit the jump to check out reviews of my favorite comics coming out this week.
Disclaimer: I received advance copies of all comics featured this week courtesy of their individual publishers.
Opinions are my own.
Go Go Power Rangers #13 (BOOM! Studios)
After the shocking conclusion of Shattered Grid, the Power Rangers are still picking up the pieces. Meanwhile, Rita Repulsa sets into motion a plan to retrieve an artifact that might be the key to besting Zordon and the Rangers once and for all...
Spring break is over and our still rookie Rangers are back to business. And what better way to warm up than by taking the most iconic monster in Power Rangers history. That’s right everyone, the Pudgy Pig is back! Sure he gets blown up in the preview pages, but I’m pretty sure he’s the first classic monster to appear in the comics - neat!
The appearance of the Ranger Slayer isn’t even mentioned as our heroes move on with their lives to deal with a new scheme from Rita - who plans to open a doorway into another dimension and leave her Earth operation in Goldar’s hands.
This issue is a great beginning to a new arc. We catch up with all of the Rangers equally and set up some new emotional baggage for them to go through over the next few issues. As always, the Ryan Parrott’s humor is top notch as well! Go Go Power Rangers is still going strong with no hint of slowing down.
Bully Wars #2 (Image Comics)
After the sudden end to Skottie Young’s amazing I Hate Fairyland, Young is already back on your local comic shop’s shelves with another hit and the second issue solidifies Bully Wars as an instant classic.
The Bully Wars are invitation-only, but with Spencer’s help, Rufus may have a real bully’s way in. The pieces are coming together, but getting invited is just the first step. Training day has arrived!
Regular readers will know how much I love worldbuilding. It’s an art that’s easy to do in a sci-fi or fantasy setting, but challenging to perfect. And it’s also an underappreciated art form to be able to create a unique world in a realistic, present-day setting. But Young nails it. Even though Bully Wars takes place in a typical American public high school, he still manages to build a unique world that feels all his own.
Once again I actually had to remind myself that this is actually an all-ages comic. When you hear a term like that you imagine something that’s mostly for kids with some humor for adults, but here I am fully engaged and invested without feeling like I’m reading below my age level. Literally all ages can enjoy this series.
Ruinworld #4 (BOOM! Studios)
With Rex's life hanging in the balance, the team must search out an old witch who lives in a swamp. There is only a small chance that they will end up unleashing the cursed soul of an ancient power in the process, so it will probably be fine.
Once again, Derek Laufman’s cartoony dungeon crawler makes up for being only a limited series by taking the quality over quantity approach. Every page is stuffed with more panels than you can fathom and each one helps build the world and the story so much that you won’t even notice how much is jammed in such a small amount of pages.
This issue opens with some exposition to finally explain what big treasure this elusive map is leading too - and what magical threat may be putting the world at stakes. I never even noticed that we technically didn’t have a big plot going on, I was just on the ride enjoying a fun little adventure. It was totally fine with me that our heroes didn’t have to save the world, but now that they do I am all the more excited for the final battle next month.
Every single panel of this book is imaginatively crafted with such passion and attention to detail. We see some anthropomorphic animal adventures that we haven’t seen before, most noticeably a beautiful giraffe, and we get a mini-adventure across a few pages where we see a glimpse into half a dozen different fantasy settings inhabited by magical creatures of all kinds.
The real treasure here is that so much creativity and imagination is contained in this one book. I can’t wait for the finale! Click here to pre-order the complete collection while you’re at it!
Crowded #3 (Image Comics)
Man, I really hope Rebel Wilson makes this into a movie as soon as possible. Crowded is just so frickin funny! And it keeps getting zanier as this high-octane action comedy series continues.
After getting kicked from their latest safehouse, Charlie - a totally random girl who woke up to a million dollar crowd-funded bounty on her head - and Vita - the only bodyguard desperate enough to take her case - are on the move again trying to wait out the clock on Charlie’s campaign.
Amidst all the amateurs testing their luck at some easy money, two of the world’s top Reaprs have come to town to take on Charlie. Trotter is an internet personality who livestreams his hunts to a large audience of young, impressionable fans - basically what would actually happen if murder was as legal as possible in a fame-driven society.
The other killer to watch out for is Circe, a mysterious individual who seems to be the polar opposite of Trotter. She’s tracking Charlie and Vita like a ninja. I feel like Trotter is going to blow himself up in a sensational trap gone wrong while Circe and Vita are going to have some badass fights down the line.
The premise is beyond original, the characters are adorable, the worldbuilding is bizarrely intriguing, and the artwork is phenomenal - the colors specifically popped out at me this issue. Seriously, when can I watch this movie?
The Weatherman #6 (Image Comics)
Nathan Bright - the Martian weatherman believed to be the mind-wiped terrorist behind the destruction of Earth - is in the clutches of the Pearl and the clock is ticking. Agent Cross must choose between her own desire for vengeance and protecting a man who, though drenched in the blood of billions, might still be innocent.
Last issue, Nathan was captured and time in his virtual reality torture chamber was auctioned off to the highest bidders. After flying car chases, gunfights, and laser sword battles, I’m really shocked to see something new and exciting in this series.
I’m kind of upset that we only get to see one person play at torturing Nathan in their own personal virtual reality torture nightmare. It’s such a fun and weird idea. But this comic is moving quickly and already setting up its next issue to throw something else at us.
Sometimes, it’s good to see the same old thing. Other times, what makes readers come back to a comic like The Weatherman is that the same thing never happens twice. Whatever the next issue brings, I know it’s going to be wild!
What comics are you picking up this week? Let me know down in the comments below!
