British Comic Shop Releases (31st December 2014) – New Year Treats!

Miracleman Annual #1 - Jeff Smith Cover

Miracleman Annual #1 – Jeff Smith Variant Cover

 

Here’s this week’s list of comics – both US and UK releases – on sale in specialist UK comic shops tomorrow, Wednesday 31st December 2014. We’ve picked out the titles published by British publishers in bold below, or titles with a British connection we’re aware of, including cover artists.

Although there’s no new 2000AD-related release this week there are plenty of Rebellion-published goodies still on sale in comic shops and newsagents, including Prog 2015 which launches a new Judge Dredd – Judge Death story, and a number of new collections, highlighted here last week.

 

Star Trek/Planet of the Apes #1 - Cover

 

This week also sees the release of the first issue of IDW’s Star Trek/Planet of the Apes five-issue mini series. While it has no British connection whatsoever, it’s a mash-up that’s reminded us of the time Marvel UK briefly reused its parent company’s Killraven stories from Amazing Adventures as a ‘new’ strip for the Planet of the Apes weekly comic in the 1970s.

The weekly frequency of the title meant that the British weekly used up Planet of the Apes stories faster than Marvel US was producing them, so, in an effort to make up for a lack of new material, “Apeslayer” saw a recast Killraven battling apes – the ape heads stuck over all his the Martian opponents in the original. The strip ran for just eight issues, from Planet of the Apes UK Comic 23 – 30. The experiment was short-lived, and the UK fans, judging by the letters pages, were less than impressed with the hastily-put-together story of bionic apes from Mars, albeit a comic that no other Apes fans were offered. (There’s more information on this bizarre footnote to Planet of the Apes comics here and here on the Planet of the Apes Wiki.)

US Publishers

BOOM! STUDIOS

Abigail and the Snowman #1 - Cover

 

Abigail And The Snowman #1 (Of 4)
Writer, Artist and Cover Artist: Roger Landridge

With his acclaimed run on The Muppet Show Comic Book, his strips for Doctor Who Magazine and his work on Thor: The Mighty Avenger, the Britain-based New Zealand comic creator Roger Langridge has earned a reputation for telling classic stories filled with heart and humour. After working with Roger on Jim Henson’s The Musical Monsters Of Turkey Hollow, Boom! couldn’t wait to set him loose on his first creator series since the Eisner Award Snarked. The fact that there are Yetis in Abigail And The Snowman only made the editorial team even more confident Roger’s latest is going to be something special.

Abigail is a nine-year-old girl with a huge imagination who moves to a small town where she’s the new kid at school, struggling to make friends. All that changes when she meets a Yeti named Claude who has escaped a top government facility. Abigail and Claude become the best of friends, but to make sure he can truly be free from the “Shadow Men” chasing him, they must go on an adventure to find Claude’s real home!

 

GOsh Roger Langridge Signing 31st December 2014

Roger will be at GOSH Comics in London between 12 noon and 1.00pm tomorrow, 31st December, the perfect excuse to get out of the house/office on New Year’s Eve and come collect the new releases! Issue #1 of Abigail and the Snowman retails at £2.85.  If you’d like a copy put aside or signed on your behalf then send Gosh an email to info@goshlondon.com.

DARK HORSE COMICS

Massive Volume 4 Sahara Trade Paperback
X Volume 4 Better Off Dead Trade Paperback

DC COMICS

Batman Eternal #39
Earth 2 World’s End #13
New 52 Futures End #35

IDW PUBLISHING

Star Trek Planet Of The Apes #1 (of 5)

IMAGE COMICS

East of West Cover I

 

East Of West #16 (Cover I by Jamie McKelvie & Matthew Wilson)

Jamie McKelvie and colourist Matt Wilson have created a number of variant covers for Image this month, including this one for East of West. If you’re a McKelvie fan, he’s also done variants for Bitch Planet #1, Shutter #7, Rumble #1, Revival #26, and The Wicked + The Divine #6. Hang on a sec – he already draws the covers for The Wicked + The Divine anyway… that’s a head twister!

Wytches #1 (Image Firsts Edition), $1.00

MARVEL COMICS

Miracleman Annual #1

Cover by Gabriele Dell’Otto

 

 

Miracleman Annual #1 - Variant Cover

Cover by Joe Quesada

 

 

 

Miracleman Annual #1 - Variant Cover

Cover by Joe Quesada

 

 

All-New Miracleman Annual #1
Writers: Grant Morrison, Peter Milligan Artists: Joe Quesada, Mike Allred Cover Artist: Gabriele Dell’Otto

Originally written over 20 years ago, this annual features Grant Morrison’s long-lost Miracleman story, drawn by Marvel’s Chief Creative Officer, Joe Quesada. The story is a foreboding tale of the once Kid Miracleman, on the eve of the Battle of London.

In the second story, X-Statix creators Peter Milligan and Mike Allred go back to the brighter, early days of Miracleman. Miracleman, Kid Miracleman and Young Miracleman do battle against Dr. Gargunza, but something is not right. A sense of unease. Something in MIracleman’s own mind. What is Project Zarathustra?

The issue also features extras, including Grant Morrison’s original script, sketches, and original art.

Here’s some preview pages…

Miracleman Annual #1 - Preview Page Miracleman Annual #1 - Preview Page

Miracleman Annual #1 - Preview Page

Miracleman Annual #1 - Preview Page

Miracleman Annual #1 - Preview Page

S.H.I.E.L.D. #1

VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT

X-O Manowar #31 (Cover A Raul Allen; Cover B Raul Allen; Emanuela Lupacchino Variant Cover)

 


• Compiled with help from First Age Comics at 3 Moor Lane, Lancaster LA1 1QD. Open: Tuesday – Friday 10.00am – 4.30pm, Saturday 10.00am – 5.30pm. Find them on Facebook

• First Age Comics also has a shop site on e-Bay: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/First-Age



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