Kicking off with a comic series I've absolutely fallen in love with, now reissued in a new print run.
Neil Gaiman's "Marvel 1602" with art by Andy Kubert and Richard Isanove basically takes all the amazing Marvel heroes you know and love (or loathe, depending on your loyalty and allegiance, true believers) and dumps them back in time to the titular date.
Here we see well-known superheroes reinvented in such an amazing and engaging way that you (like me) will end up completely hooked.
The first chapter in the series, gathered together in a nice fat Graphic Novel format, begins in Elizabethan England. Strange things are stirring and dark forces are rising. In the service of Queen Elizabeth, court magician Dr. Stephen Strange senses that the bizarre weather plaguing the skies above is not of natural origin.
Her majesty's premier spy, Sir Nicholas Fury, fends off an assassination attempt on the Queen by winged warriors rumored to be in service to a mad despot named Doom.
News is spreading of "witchbreed" sightings - young men bearing fantastic superhuman powers and abilities. And in the center of the rising chaos is Virginia Dare, a young girl newly arrived from the New World, guarded by a towering Indian warrior.
Can Fury and his allies find a connection to these unusual happenings before the whole world ends? This awesome version of the stories collects together volumes 1-8 of the comics, and is dazzling and sizzling with originality and Gaiman's amazing storytelling. Art is also fantastic, so if you're a bit jaded with the whole MCU this might just reinvigorate your enthusiasm.
"Marvel 1602" by Neil Gaiman, Andy Kubert and Richard Isanove is out now, published by Marvel Comics.
Sticking with Marvel for a moment, and ahead of the new Punisher TV Series upcoming on Netflix, it's time to take another look at the skull-t-shirt-wearing vigilante who is seemingly unstoppable. But what happens when The Punisher meets the Merc with a Mouth? Definitely not one for kids but rocking-cool stuff all the same.
Should be a relatively simple task for Wade Wilson to execute, right?
Except taking out the Punisher is a lot harder than Deadpool could have anticipated--especially since he likes the Punisher.
A straightforward job becomes a knock-down-drag-out fight as they trade shot for shot. But things get complicated when the mercenary and the merciless Castle wind up embroiled in a bigger, messier conflict with the Bank front and center.
The bloody and brutal fight never ceases regardless of what side Wade and Frank are on, even when it's seemingly the same side--just because they have a common enemy doesn't make them partners in crime. To the victor belong the spoils, but is there a clear winner here?
As the cover says, it's strictly NOT for kids, this one - but it's a riotous chaotic battle royale between two of the most deadly characters in the MCU.
"Deadpool Versus The Punisher" is out now, published by Marvel Comics.
We've covered this next fantastic graphic novel elsewhere on the blog but really wanted to make sure you caught it, so it gets a mention in our comic book roundup too.
The story details Tillie's formative years as an award winning ice skater. Growing up, it was the same every morning. Wake up, grab the ice skates, and head to the rink while the world was still dark.
Weekends were spent in glitter and tights at competitions. Perform. Smile. And do it again.
She was good. She won. And she hated it.
Poignant and captivating, Ignatz Award winner Tillie Walden's powerful graphic memoir captures what it's like to come of age, come out, and come to terms with leaving everything you used to know behind. It was a well deserved book of the week here on the blog, so definitely grab it as soon as you can!
"Spinning" by Tillie Walden is out now, published by First Second.
Definitely one for kids next (That's if they can wrestle it out of the hands of their parents, of course!)
"Adventure Time" is one of our favourite cartoons, and it's fantastic to see that the comic collections are every single bit as good as the show.
In Volume 11 (gathering together issues from 2016) Finn and Jake have to save all of Ooo from a life-sucking ghost!
HELLO, PARTY OF LIVING THINGS! J
ake just wants to have a nice relaxing weekend without any adventures. Not too much to ask for, right? Too bad the Governor of Ghost-A-Rica has plans of his own and that means releasing his ghost minions to steal the youth of all the citizens in Ooo.
It's a battle for youth, literally!
A fantastic romp through Ooo, penned and illustrated by the talented team of Christopher Hastings and Ian McGinty. Catch "Adventure Time Volume 11", out now and published by Titan Comics.
More amazing adventures for kids now in Volume 3 of the Hilo Adventures.
"Hilo: The Great Big Boom" by Judd Winick catches up with this extraordinary kid. When we last saw Hilo, DJ, and Gina, Gina had been sucked into a mysterious portal to who knows where!
But friends don't let friends disappear into NOWHERE!
It's up to D.J. and Hilo to follow her. Will there be danger? YES! Will there be amazing surprises? OF COURSE!
Will Gina end up being the one to save them? DEFINITELY!
The trio will have to battle bad guys and face disgusting food, an angry mom, powerful magic, and more! Will they survive . . . and make it back to Earth before the portal closes again?!
These have been amongst Charlotte's favourite comics over the last couple of years and we're really excited to hear that Volume 4 is on the way next spring too!
"Hilo: The Great Big Boom" is out now, published by Random House.
Last but by no means least we've caught up with a comic that everyone has been banging on about for so long that we finally woke up and took notice, and we're SO glad we did!
"The Unstoppable Wasp" volume 1 by by Jeremy Whitley and Elsa Charretier beautifully reboots a series that has bubbled along under the radar for most folk into the MCU.
With the resurgence of interest in Ant-Man we'd always secretly hoped that The Unstoppable Wasp would get her own series, and she has - and how!
Hank Pym's daughter has a lot of time to make up for and she's determined to change the world.
You know, if she can get her U.S. citizenship first.
Whip-smart, bang on the nail for things going on in the world at the moment, and positively bristling with utterly fantastic dialogue and art, this is a series that (quite rightly) should win a truckload of comic awards over the coming year, and it's going from strength to strength in the weeklies / monthlies too.
Get in on the ground level with "The Unstoppable Wasp" Volume 1, out now from Marvel Comics.
More amazing comics for kids now, with a deliciously dark atmosphere...
"Suee and the Shadow" by Ginger Ly and Molly Park is an absolutely fantastic and original story idea.
Meet Suee: Twelve years old, wears her hair to the left in a point, favours a black dress, has no friends - and she likes it that way!
When Suee transfers to the dull and ordinary Outskirts Elementary, she doesn't expect to hear a strange voice speaking to her from the darkness of the school's exhibit room and she certainly doesn't expect to see her shadow come to life. Then things start to get really weird: one by one, her classmates at school turn into zombie-like, hollow-eyed Zeroes.
While Suee investigates why this is happening, her shadow gains power. Soon, Suee must confront a stunning secret that her shadow has been hiding under her own two feet - something very dark and sinister that could put Suee and her newfound friends at risk!
One for kids just moving schools, but definitely timed just right for halloween too, "Suee and the Shadow" by Ginger Ly and Molly Park is out now, published by Amulet.
At last, the brilliant sequel to one of our favourite comics of the last couple of years, we've been waiting for this one for so long and it was worth every minute...
"Red's Planet: Friends and Foes (Red's Planet Book 2)" by Eddie Pittman has really won Charlotte over with an eclectic mix of characters, and a red-haired mighty girl as its lead.
We pick up the story soon after Red's crash landing on a mysterious planet. Red finds herself in a new home surrounded by a host of odd and intriguing friends, including her clumsy companion, Tawee.
More amazing comics for kids now, with a deliciously dark atmosphere...
Meet Suee: Twelve years old, wears her hair to the left in a point, favours a black dress, has no friends - and she likes it that way!
When Suee transfers to the dull and ordinary Outskirts Elementary, she doesn't expect to hear a strange voice speaking to her from the darkness of the school's exhibit room and she certainly doesn't expect to see her shadow come to life. Then things start to get really weird: one by one, her classmates at school turn into zombie-like, hollow-eyed Zeroes.
While Suee investigates why this is happening, her shadow gains power. Soon, Suee must confront a stunning secret that her shadow has been hiding under her own two feet - something very dark and sinister that could put Suee and her newfound friends at risk!
One for kids just moving schools, but definitely timed just right for halloween too, "Suee and the Shadow" by Ginger Ly and Molly Park is out now, published by Amulet.
At last, the brilliant sequel to one of our favourite comics of the last couple of years, we've been waiting for this one for so long and it was worth every minute...
We pick up the story soon after Red's crash landing on a mysterious planet. Red finds herself in a new home surrounded by a host of odd and intriguing friends, including her clumsy companion, Tawee.
But things get a little tough when the castaways run to Red for help settling in on this unknown planet.
Suddenly, Goose and Red find themselves locked in the middle of an election to see who will lead the castaways.
Meanwhile, Red and her new family come across an Uskok probe sent to search the universe for something--but what (or whom) could it be? And who will reign supreme on the new planet? With the imminent threat of the Uskoks, Red and Goose must join forces in order to protect the castaways and, ultimately, their friendship.
This series is fast becoming the 'go to' we recommend to folk who have middle graders looking for an entry point into comics. It's fun, brilliantly written and illustrated with a fantastic sassy mighty girl hero to really root for.
"Red's Planet: Friends and Foes" (Red's Planet Book 2) by Eddie Pittman is out now, published by Amulet.
Phew! Definitely something for everyone in that little lot. That's about all we've got time for in this month's comic roundup. Stay tuned in October as we search the planet for the best YA, kid and Adult comics to bring sizzling straight to your eyeballs.