New Comics Out Now – Shocks Galore in 2000AD and Cosplaying Canines! (w/c 18th April 2016)

2000AD Prog 1977

As British talent invades the US (again – and yes, we’re aware only older readers might get this reference*), here’s our quick list of new comics on sale in newsagents and comic shops this week, skewed toward creators from the UK and Eire.

The action and shocks in “Judge Dredd” is so big in 2000AD Prog 1977 (which includes a smashing Tharg tale in the spirit of the early Progs) that they spill over into Judge Dredd Magazine 371. You will not want to miss either!

Titan Comics releases this week include the brand-new Dark Souls #1 – based on the hugely popular video game, which had its third instalment released this week. Plus, Noel Clarke‘s The Troop and Andre Lima Araujo‘s sci-fi epic Man Plus draw to a close.

But wait – what’s this, lurking in their list, too? Puss in Boots #1? With variant covers (not sure why), but I’m in!

Turncoat #2

In terms of US comic picks, along with James Bond #5 from Warren Ellis and Jason Masters, Marta has to dive into her uncomfortable past in Turncoat #2 from Alex Paknadel and Artyom Trakhanov, published by Boom! – and bring in a few friends from her days on the force to unravel the mystery surrounding the missing boy.

There’s been a lot of positive noises about this book, so check it out in your local comic shop. (Alex is a guest at Lancaster Comics Day on Sunday 5th June)

We love this here at downthetubes: a panel from "Pup Parade" in this week's Beano - crazy canine cosplay from the brilliant Lew Stringer. The Beano is available in all good newsagents, supermarkets and even places run by Skrulls.

We love this here at downthetubes: a panel from “Pup Parade” in this week’s Beano – crazy canine cosplay from the brilliant Lew Stringer. The Beano is available in all good newsagents, supermarkets and even places run by Skrulls.

UK Newsagents Releases

As usual, don’t forget that despite some British publishers lack of faith in full-blown cover to cover comic strip action and humour, there are plenty of comics on sale in newsagents that still delight in bringing you such subversive delights, including The Beano, Commando (latest release intel here), Judge Dredd Megazine, Panini’s superhero titles, Titan Comics superhero titles and VIZ, with great strips also featuring in titles such as Doctor Who MagazineDoctor Who Adventures, Titan’s Doctor Who: Tales from the TARDIS (collecting their strips from the US format titles) MegaTOXIC and many others.

Plus, the wonderful Phoenix Comic is now on sale in many (but not all) Waitrose supermarkets and – at last, selected high street WH Smiths stores – and some comic shops (stockist list here) as well as available on subscription.

Hachette Partworks, whose partwork titles include Doctor Who: The Complete History and Judge Dredd: The Mega Collection, continue their How To Draw The Marvel Way, along with their re-release of their hugely successful part work, Marvel’s Marvel Ultimate Graphic Novel series.

Note that you may now have to subscribe if you want to continue buying Part Works some are not distributed in newsagents after their first few issues.

New Digital Comic Picks

Week 5 of Aces Weekly Volume 21 is available now, featuring week one of prison drama, My Way, from Ace stalwarts, Jok LP and Rodolfo Santullo! It’s just one more reason to subscribe for just £1 per week if you’re yet to join this elite readership, and put together by the guy who brought you V For Vendetta! What’s not to like?

Currently-running, Aces Weekly Volume 21 includes, Paul Rainey‘s continuing biting satire on family life in, Why Don’t You Love Me?Jok and Santullo‘s rich fantasy story, Dungeons and Burglars; the horrorshow retro of Gentleman Ghouls, from Martin Hayes and Alfie Gallagher ; the total and unmitigated wackiness of Duckless, from Marc Makes Comics; willowy witches in Dr Queer; plus the upcoming return of the inestimable, Combat Colin from Lew Stringer; more from Grace’s Imaginary Menagerie; together with an extraordinary tale from Petri Hänninen and Jussi Kaakinen about a world where Wonderful Old Age has a very special quality.

It’s a lot, isn’t it? And easy to grab via www.acesweekly.co.uk/shop. Don’t miss out on all the Previous Volumes, either which have up to 200 pages including Extras, and in full form feature in an exclusive Week-to-Week facility, which transforms any volume’s serialized stories into continuous comic book-sized narratives.

Aces Weekly Volume 11 - Sample Art

Talking of Aces Weekly, the massive Volume 11 is now on sale at Comixology. It’s the same price – £6.99/$9.99/€7.99 – but different format, and with the usual added ComiXology facilities for all you roving readers. This volume features the fantastic first part of SF epic, Hadopelagic, from Neil McClements and Chris Mole ; the extraordinary, Dime, from Fred Fordham; Kora from Chris Geary ; an unsual war tale from Eoin Coveney and Neil Kleid; the debut of the imaginative, Grace’s Imaginary Menagerie, from Ryan Taylor; plus Keith Derek James Burns, Jok and Rodolfo Santullo, Paul Rainey, Jasper Bark and Alfa Robbi, Esteban Hernández, Réza Benhadj, and… and… Whoa, that’s it! We’re out of breath, now…

Go get it from ComiXology, or enjoy Aces Weekly Volume 21 online via the new viewer at www.acesweekly.co.uk/shop!

Comics On Sale in UK Comic Shops

On Sale in all good UK comic shops from Wednesday 15th April 2016. Don’t miss out on a special DC Previews, available now. Info via First Age Comics Lancaster

British Publishers

2000AD/ Rebellion

2000AD Prog 1977

Featuring: Judge Dredd: The Grindstone Cowboys by Michael Carroll, Colin MacNeil, Len O’Grady, and Annie Parkhouse; Survival Geeks: Geeks Fatales by Gordon Rennie, Emma Beeby, Neil Googe, Gary Caldwell, and Ellie De Ville; Tainted: The Fall of Deadworld by Kek-W, Dave Kendall, and Annie Parkhouse; Aquila: Charon’s Mercy by Gordon Rennie, Paul Davidson, Len O’Grady, and Ellie De Ville.

Judge Dredd Magazine 371

Judge Dredd Magazine 371

Featuring: Judge Dredd: Dust to Dust by Michael Carroll, Henry Flint, and Annie Parkhouse; Realm of the Damned by Alec Worley, Pye Parr, and Luke Preece; Lawless: Of Munce & Men by Dan Abnett, Phil Winslade, and Ellie De Ville; Dredd: Dust by Arthur Wyatt, Ben Willsher, Chris Blythe, and Simon Bowland.

Features: 2000 AD FCBD by Karl Stock, Eric Powell interview by Matt Badham, Tony Luke obituary by David Barnett, Star Trek: The Classic UK comics by Stephen Jewell,

Bagged graphic novel: Tharg’s 3rillers Volume 1

Titan Comics

Dark Souls #1 - Cover A

Dark Souls #1
Writer: George Mann
Artist: Alan Quah
Colourist: Komikaki Studio feat. Norah Khor TCS

Welcome to the world of Dark Souls; a landscape bathed in arcane fantasy, where primordial forces govern the tides of time, bonfires flicker in the darkness, and the undead stalk the earth in search of impossible redemption.

From Titan Comics and Doctor Who scribe George Mann comes this original tale of adventure and visceral horror that throws readers deep into the twisted myth of Namco-Bandai’s award-winning video-game franchise…

Puss in Boots #1 Cover A
Puss in Boots #1
Writers: Chris Cooper and Max Davison
Artist: Dave Alvarez and Egle Bartolini
Colourist: Mateus Lopes

Outlaw, Hero, Purr-amour! Puss in Boots is back! Short of money and with a long milk tab to pay, Puss answers an advert that takes him out to sea with a cranky old owl on a pea-green boat. But if you think you know how this fairytale ends, think again! Flying fur balls and derring-do abound! See you on the poop deck!

Man Plus #4 Cover A

Man Plus #4
Writers: Andre Lima Araujo
Artist: Andre Lima Araujo
Colourist: Arsia Rozegar

With order restored the streets of Olissipo, questions still remain unanswered for Rodrigo and the city’s SOF. Will the truths behind the renegade android ever come to light? Find out in this exciting final issue!

The Troop #5 Cover A

The Troop #5
Writers: Noel Clarke
Artist: Joshua Cassara
Colourist: Luis Guerrero

The Troop prepare for their first mission as a team; they even have snazzy uniforms and everything. But can superpowers in the hands of a few reckless kids stand up to the controlled rage of Chalice?

Death Sentence: London - Collected

Death Sentence: London
Writers: MontyNero
Artist: Martin Simmonds, John Pearson
Colourist: Martin Simmonds

The smash-hit sex-and-superpowers epic returns, with a brand-new artist and an all-new series that picks up where the bestselling graphic novel left off! London is in ruins, psychic manipulator Monty is ripped in half by failed musician Weasel, and rabbit-hatted invisible artist Verity is missing, presumed dead! As England pulls itself back from the brink, new G-positive powers are popping up all over! As martial law and forced abstinence prey on the mind of the London Mayor, the American alphabet agencies are watching the London warzone with interest – and special agent Jeb Mulgrew might be next to be thrown into the fire!

US Comics On Sale From Wednesday 20th April in Comic Shops

List courtesy First Age Comics, Lancaster 

Action Comics 51 Super League
Adventure Time Ice King 4
All-New Hawkeye 6
Angel And Faith Season Ten 25
Aquaman 51
Astonishing Ant-Man 7
Back To the Future 7
Bee And Puppycat 11
Big Trouble In Little China 23
Bloodshot Reborn 12
BPRD Hell On Earth 140
Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season Ten 26
Captain America Road To War 1
Captain America Sam Wilson 8 ASO
Captain Marvel 4
Chew Demon Chicen Poyo 1
Criminal 10th Anniversary Special Edition
Cry Havoc 4
Darth Vader 19
Deadpool 10
Deadpool Mercs For Money 3
Dirk Gently A Spoon Too Short 3
Divinity II 1
Doctor Fate 11
Donald Duck 12
Dragon Age Magekiller 5
East Of West 25
Extraordinary X-Men 9 AW
Flash 50
Flash By Grant Morrison And Mark Millar Trade Paperback
From Under Mountains 6
Green Lantern HC Volume 7: Renegade
Guardians Of Infinity 5
Harley’s Little Black Book 3
Haunted Mansion 2
Howard The Duck 6
Huck 6
Hyperion 2
Injustice Gods Among Us Year Five 8
Invincible 127

James Bond #6

James Bond 6
Publisher: D. E.
Writer: Warren Ellis Artist: Jason Masters Cover Artist: Dom Reardon

The secret of VARGR is revealed, and it means that Bond has to descend alone into a nightmare scenario – alone. Just his gun and his skills versus a murderous conspiracy to turn Britain into a testing zone for death drugs. Dynamite Entertainment proudly concludes the debut storyline to the first ongoing James Bond comic book in over 20 years!

Jem And The Holograms 14
Jim Butcher Dresden Files Wild Card 1
Joyride 1
Justice League Darkseid Power Of The Gods HC
Karnak 3
Lazarus Sourcebook 1
Leaving Megalopolis Surviving Megalopolis 4
Legends of Tomorrow 2
Lumberjanes 25
Martian Manhunter 11
Marvel Universe Guardians Of The Galaxy 7
Marvels Mightiest Heroes Vol 61 DEADPOOL
Mighty Thor 6
Mirror 3
New Avengers 10 ASO
Nova 6
Obi-Wan And Anakin 4
Paknadel And Trachanov Turncoat 2
Poison Ivy Cycle Of Life And Death 4
Power Man And Iron Fist 3
Red Sonja Volume Three 4
Robin Son Of Batman 11
Shaft Imitation Of Life 3
Silk 7 SWO
Simpsons Comics 228
Snowfall 3
Spider-Man Deadpool 4
Star Trek Manifest Destiny 1
Star Trek Manifest Destiny Klingon Edition 1
Star Trek Starfleet Academy 5
Starbrand And Nightmask 5
Superman American Alien 6
Superman Lois And Clark 7
Switch 3
Teen Titans Go 15
Titans Hunt 7
Tokyo Ghost 6
Tomb Raider 2016 Issue 3
Totally Awesome Hulk 5
Transformers 52
Transformers Vs GI Joe 12
Uncanny Inhumans 7
Wonder Woman 51
X-O Manowar 46

• First Age Comics celebrates its tenth anniversary of trading on Free Comic Book Day. Drop in for comics cake and more! 3, Moor Lane Lancaster and online at http://stores.ebay.co.uk/First-Age and on Facebook

Brian Bolland's Pencils and the final cover for Amazing Heroes #52, the pencils declaring a "British Invasion" of US comics

Brian Bolland’s Pencils and the final cover for Amazing Heroes #52, the pencils declaring a “British Invasion” of US comics

* OK! OK! That “British Invasion” reference above is pretty obscure. All the more so because it’s a line I conjured based on a mis-remembering of a cover that I thought was indelibly embedded in my memory banks.

Published in 1984, Fantagrahics Amazing Heroes magazine (#52), ran a Judge Dredd cover by Brian Bolland which on publication promoted a “European Invasion” of US comics.

For some reason I always think of this as the “British Invasion” cover – and, it seems, that was the original intent. The pencils for this cover do declare a “British Invasion” of US comics, which “Geoff Art” posted on ComicArtFans some time ago – the first piece of Brain Bolland art he ever owned.

Quite why Fantagraphics changed their minds on the cover lioness a mystery.

It wasn’t the first or last such invasion of the US by British creators, of course: Paul Gravett charts the course of those bids to take over the comic shelves here on his excellent web site.



Categories: 2000AD, British Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, US Comics

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