Here we have it folks. The battle you've been waiting for.
On one side of the ring comes Walt’s Comic Shop, with one-of-a-kind pre-order prices. On the other side stands Your Pullist, the old legend who’s fought too many battles. Can he defeat the newcomer?
Let 's start: Round One.
WCS is coming in hot. He is using the subscription number discount. Oh wow! It's even bigger than before! That's a pretty big blow on the pull list right off the bat!
Pull list coming in with a counterattack, the “trade waiting” move. Oh NO! WCS just used the surprise drops feature! This is an all-timer folks!
Pull List is on the floor, folks. WCS is not taking it easy. It's using the FOC Newsletter with all forces.
And it 's over. It's over folks. Pull List has been overthrown. Is the Pull List smiling? Am I seeing this right? The Pull List likes it, folks.
Well, there you have it, sports fans. That's a classic K.O.
DC K.O. #1
DC's big event of the year is upon us. The first time I read this announcement I rolled my eyes until Kingdom Come. "Sounds silly and corny as hell” I thought. But then came the interviews with the authors and every material I saw just looked like the most fun thing on the planet. I came around completely. This sounds silly and corny as hell, but comics kinda need a goofy ’90s-style marketing throwdown, like they used to.
I mean — heroes in a championship throwdown? Why not Mr. Scott Snyder?
The superheroes’ only chance of defeating Darkseid is to hold a Street Fighter–style competition to amass the most Omega energy. We’ve got brackets and everything, with the winner crowned King Omega. You see what I mean? It feels like the kind of idea me and my friends would have on a random Wednesday lunch, then waste the whole Science class debating who’d win. And of course, the answer would be something like, “Alfred would win because he’s polite,” while the teacher silently considered quitting and moving back in with her mom.
Don't do it Mrs. Fields!!! Everything will get better.
Anyway, here's the bracket:
Who are we picking? Should we make an official WCS bet? I’m pulling for Jarro — Batman’s Starro tissue sample he keeps as a pet. This is my first time hearing about him, and I’d give my life away for him, ok?
Or is that Starro? If It's not Jarro, Jarro was robbed. Justice for Jarro, man.
You can get this stunning Dan Mora players-bracket as a variant cover. And we also have BLIND BAGS for this release. Meaning covered bags with surprise variant covers insides. Did you know you could pre-order multiple packs in a bundle through Walt's? Check out our Incentive Variants page.
Justice League: The Omega Act Special Special #1
Also spinning out of the event is a Justice League one-shot, promising to kick off the whole ordeal. It follows up on promises and open ends from last year’s DC All In Special, including the big Booster Gold teaser. The event will run through huge parts of the Superman and Flash ongoings, so if you’re reading those, don’t miss it. Both are among my favorite monthly reads, and I’m excited to see everything come together with a payoff, just as cape comics should!
→ Justice League: The Omega Act Special #1
Absolute Evil #1
DC is firing on all cylinders with no slowdown in sight.
We're close to one year into the Absolute-line and to commemorate, comes this one-shot focusing on revealing some of the villains roles in this new universe. This includes Joker and Ra's Al Ghul and promises some cool twists and reveals.
Very excited to see this other side of the coin of this universe. The creativity in this line has been incredible to see, particularly the way they used reinventions to affirm the characters place in the comic book mythos. So when your turn the mirror to villains, it just opens a world of opportunity. And these DC guys always know how to handle their villains.
I wrote about all that on Beyond the Panels last week, go check it out!
Marvel strikes back with A LOT!
The world of Revelation is upon us. This quasi-sequel to Age of Apocalypse is shaking up the entire X-Line. It’s bigger than you think, and Marvel is locked in for the next few months. We’re heading to the future again to see a world ruled by Apocalypse’s heir — you guessed it, Revelation. Who is he? Not spoiling it, but Krakoa-era fans will be thrilled to see this character back in the spotlight. And with that comes a long line of books hitting F.O.C. this week and the next.
The book I’m most excited for is Longshots—a Hickman co-write with Gerry Duggan, packed with Mojo madness. We’re talking Wonder Man, Hellcat, Bishop, and even Kraven the Hunter thrown into the mix. Hickman and Mojo is such a perfect combo it’s wild we don’t already have 40 volumes of it. Another standout is World of Revelation, which shows what happened to the other heroes during this apocalyptic child-future. It also gives writers like Ryan North a chance to chime in with new Fantastic Four stories alongside his ongoing run.
→ X-Men: Book of Revelation #1
Supernatural #1
Carry-on my wayward son! There'll be peace when you're done.
(But we are never done).
This is for my Tumblr real up in tha club. Supernatural is back thanks to Dynamite, with stories happening between the first and second season (aka the era we wish it never left) and being written by Greg Pak with art by Eder Messias. I'm a huge Pak fan and you know that I was obsessed with Supernatural when I was a pre-teen (and a teen, and kind a bit when I was already an adult. I'm not ashamed).
I love Sam and Dean, and I never really finished the last few seasons (like most of us, I think). So I’m happy to be thrown back into the heights of my fandom. I’m even thinking about giving those late seasons another chance. Nostalgia finally hit the 2000s kids, and it’s shooting straight into my veins!!!!
Let's get those SuperWhoLock fanfics ready again. We're back babyyyyy.
Do you want more nostalgia?
Gotham Academy: First Year #1
Gotham Academy, the sweetest most underrated series DC has ever released is back with a prequel detailing our faves first years. Seriously, Gotham Academy walked so Strange Academy could run. So if you loved that, or Harry Potter, and want your fix without supporting you-know-who’s views, look no further than this adorably cool group of characters.
→ Gotham Academy: First Year #1
Do you want more nostalgia, also weirdly related to Greg Pak again? (It's that a new thing?)
Return to Planet Hulk #1
We’re back to arguably Hulk’s most famous era of the century with a cool new one-shot. Skaar and Gladiator Hulk are never enough, for me or for anyone, it seems.
Do you want more nostalgia but crossing over with a new fave your hear your mom talk about once? We got that too.
Harley Quinn X Elvira #1
What? I don't know either, man. But this sounds queer as f(olk). And it even gets Palmiotti and Conner returning. I thought I wasn't a Harley fan until I wrote about her for Beyond The Panels and got obsessed with this particular run.
Which brings me too:
Joker / Harley: Malicious Intent #1
The sequel to the Kami Garcia Black Label book Criminal Sanity is also hitting FOC. That one took me by surprise and I'm so glad is getting a sequel. Speaking of Tumblr? This is for all of you ex-goth Tumblr girlies and dudes (But with surprisingly incredible writing!)
You can check out my Harley Quinn journey here and here to get a taste of the vibe these two books promise.
→ Joker / Harley: Malicious Intent #1
Do you want even more Palmiotti nostalgia that it's not Harley related? (again, what weirdly specific thing to ask me)
BUT WE GOT IT with Marvel Knights: Punisher #1.
Palmiotti is back in the label he started decades ago, one that a lot of people attribute to saving Marvel Comics from impending Doom (not that one, financial Doom, only slightly less-dangerous than the Doctor one). It's following Christopher Priest's The World To Come that revived the line this year. All the greats seem to have something more to say about characters they helped shape and I'm here to listen (or read).
Uff, that was a lot. You can see everything up for F.O.C here. Remember that our pre-orders run until Saturday at 4pm. And if you have any questions, shoot our issues-specialist Heiko a passionate (but polite) email and he will calm all your nerves and doubts.
That's it for the week.
See you,
Math.
