The April-for-June comic book solicitations are stacked with top tier content.
The April-for-June comic book solicitations are out and we’ve got a great variety of titles in this month’s Don’t Miss This! Staff Picks. Hoooo boy did the crew ever come through with some absolute, must cop heaters. From sci-fi to murder mystery, good ol’ fashioned noir to superheroes, small publishers to big. We’ve got your bases covered. You can find the latest PREVIEWSworld and Lunar Distribution catalogues here and here.
Sergio’s pick —
Xino #1
by writers Chris Condon, Melissa Flores, Phil Hester, Jordan Thomas and artists Nick Cagnetti, Phil Hester, Daniel Irizarri, Shaky Kane
A sci-fi anthology from Oni Press by some of the industry’s brightest talents described as “subversive, surrealist science-fiction”…Oh I’m in! Chris Condon of That Texas Blood fame, who pens one of four short stories (his featuring the debut of the world’s first intravenous video game system), says of Xino, “it is a cross between David Cronenberg and EC Comics”. Oh count me ALL IN! Melissa Flores’ short features surgically activated hidden dimensions of the human senses. Weird, exploratory sci-fi is just what the doctor ordered during these paranoia filled, anxiety-ridden times.
No Appropriate Age Specified | Cover by Matt Lesniewski | 40 pages | $5.99
Oni Press | June 14, 2023 | Ordering code: APR231712 [Diamond] / 0423ON270 [Lunar]
FOC: May 15, 2023 [Diamond] / May 21, 2023 [Lunar]
Jacqui Quinn’s Pick —
Noir Burlesque HC
by Enrico Marini
As monochromatic washes flood every panel, the reader’s eyes are instinctively captivated by pops of blood splattering, cherry automobiles, and redheaded curls. Welcome to the grim 1950s New York setting of Italian comic artist Enrico Marini’s Noir Burlesque, a hardboiled thriller that stays true to the genre’s most enduring trope: the love triangle gone wrong. And herein our trio’s an amateur boxer who’s turned criminal, an Irish mob boss, and the woman they both desire, the obligatory femme fatale. A classic tale of crime, betrayal, love, and jealousy, this work doesn’t reinvent the wheel: it’s true to its noir roots while transporting you into its world through Marini’s gorgeous art.
Mature Readers | Cover by Enrico Marini | 229 Pages | $29.99
Titan Comics | September 6, 2023 | Ordering Code: APR231014 [Diamond]
FOC: August 14, 2023
Morgan’s Pick —
Black Panther #1
by Eve Ewing and Chris Allen
Following off the heels of John Ridley’s…divisive (to say the least) run on the character, Eve Ewing (Champions, Ironheart, and Photon) will be taking over in a surprisingly direct continuation of the plotlines previously in motion. Featuring a massive status quo change with T’challa now serving as a hunted vigilante within the country he once ruled as king. Featuring an amazing, and, as described by Ewing, “edgy” redesign of the titular character fitting his new role as a loner patrolling in the shadows of Birnin T’chaka (both literally and figuratively, given the city is named after his father).
While I’m personally a newcomer when it comes to Black Panther’s presence in the comics, with this and his role in the upcoming Avengers by Jed Mackay, I’m very excited to begin diving into his mythos and stories, as they’ve interested me for a while but I never knew where to start, but where better than two new #1s?
T+ | Cover by Taurin Clarke | 36 pages | $4.99
Marvel | June 14, 2023 | Ordering code: APR230653 [Diamond]
FOC: May 08, 2023
Elle’s Pick —
Murder By Mail #1
by Joshua Werner
Source Point Press’ Editor-in-Chief, Joshua Werner, has finally created the comic book of my dreams (nightmares)–a wholly interactive whodunit taking place in the sinister streets of Cleaver County. “Annie Donovan’s father has been brutally murdered in a hit-and-run, mere months after the unsolved murder of her mother.” Readers can search for clues, conduct interviews, and string together their own theories to help solve the case.
Mature Readers | Cover by Joshua Werner | pages | $4.99
Source Point Press | June 21, 2023 | Ordering code: APR231712 [Diamond] / 0423SO339 [Lunar]
FOC: May 28, 2023
If you missed last month’s Don’t Miss This! Staff Picks, you can have a look at our most anticipated titles releasing in May here.
