Okay, the title of this email might be a bit over the top. But it’s Friday, and after a long week, every last brain cell could use a good jolt to kick things into gear (mine definitely can!). Lucky for me, I got my hands on two super promising advance reading copies from IDW…
The Kai-Sei Era kicks off IDW’s new Godzilla universe! In 1954, experiments with a mysterious energy source called Kai-Sei awakened Godzilla and immortal kaiju. Japan treats them like natural disasters, but the American G-Force won’t back down, especially after discovering Jacen, a boy who can wield the Kai-Sei like Godzilla himself. Will he save the world or doom it? Tim Seeley (Hack/Slash, Nightwing, Local Man... and almost every DC/Marvel character at some point!) and Nikola Čižmešija (Sword of Azrael, Batman and Robin) are here to find out.
This isn’t just another kaiju tale. At its core, it’s a damn good superhero comic! I’m always amazed by how Tim Seeley channels that manic creative energy (maybe we should call it brilliant enthusiasm?) from his corporate gigs and channels it into something so personal and compelling. Even with just one issue, you feel for the characters and actually care about what happens next. There’s a cool mystery at the heart of this story, and it has a dope cliffhanger!
And let’s not forget the knockout art by Čižmešija. With slightly punchier colors, this would be a certified WOW-ser… but honestly, the current moodiness just works. Bottom line: more of this, please!
What else FOC's tomorrow?
Star Trek: Red Shirts #1
The miniseries kicks off, focusing on the intrepid (and usually doomed) red shirts of Starfleet. The crew of the U.S.S. Warren must stop spies from stealing Starfleet’s secrets, while surviving the brutal landscape and local wildlife...
I came for the cover and Christopher Cantwell, and I stayed… for the drama. You can feel that Cantwell loves Star Trek and had a red shirt story burning to get out. Lucky us! A great angle for all Star Trek fans, and the first issue? Pure fun.
Post Malone’s Big Rig #1
Post Malone’s Big Rig smashes into comics! In the Dark Ages, as Hell’s demons overrun Europe, the secret sect known as The Six Petals calls on a miracle, and gets The Rig, a holy semi-truck of destruction. The lone survivor of its arrival, an excommunicated priest, becomes Trucker and leads the charge against Hell’s armies... I didn’t get an advance copy, but the industry buzz is real. With a few killer cover variants and surprise box shenanigans, this one’s bound to blow up.
Marvel Swimsuit Special Friends Foes & Rivals #1
The Marvel Swimsuit Special is back! Roxxon Comics’ unauthorized version prompts Marvel’s heroes to do their own swimsuit shoot, pure splashy beach action...
Look, I won’t pretend this is anything but goofy fun. Back in the 90s, Marvel took a hint from Sports Illustrated. And let’s be real, more often than not those “tasteful” variants sell way better than the actual storytelling inside. Grimm’s Fairy Tales learned that trick long ago (and keeps pushing it, let’s be honest). Anyway: who cares!! Just enjoy the fun. And the secret guilt. 😉
MORE OF THIS WEEK'S FOC CAN BE CHECKED OUT HERE
Alright, that's it for today! Thanks for reading and you know we're always dying to hear feedback, so don't be shy!
Next week marks the debut for Matheus on the Singles NL, we'll be alternating on writing it so we can finally keep a weekly schedule.
Ciao ragazzi!
Walt
