PICKS OF THE WEEK - July 15, 2020

• EMPYRE #1: Marvel’s big event for 2020 has finally arrived and kicks off with all the forces from the prelude issues converging into one big smack down. Marvel’s been planting seeds with this for a while now and finally we get to see some of them come into bloom. There are some cool character moments, with a shout out to super heroics of Ghost Rider and Iron Man. And the twist at the end of the issue will definitely change things going forward as it should be exciting to see how all the power players on the board react and respond to it. If you make yours Marvel then this is a no brainer, but if you’re curious, try to pick up the 3 prelude issues and dive in head first for some marvelous marvel mayhem.

• STRANGE ADVENTURES #3: Tom King keeps turning up the heat in this third issue of family, fame and falsehoods. King, Shaner, and Gerard’s work flow effortlessly on the page. They weave a dual story of past and present to paint a picture of Adam Strange’s psyche and partnerships. You see what how he sacrifices to get where he and his wife Alanna are now. But it’s an interesting take on the space age hero, especially in the context of today, how he pulls the media into the investigation fronted by Mr. Terrific and how public perception can be shifted towards certain narratives pertaining to any hero. The plot thickens and with each issue you can feel the stakes rise right down to the final frame.

• GIANT-SIZE X-MEN: MAGNETO: The next big focus in the Giant Size one shots is the master of magnetism himself, Magneto. If you’ve been following the X-men relaunch then you know the last spotlight issue, focusing on Jean Grey, Emma Frost and Storm was a doozy. You may expect this one to follow suit in similar fashion but Jonathan Hickman takes the story down a totally different road into much deeper depths…literally. This issue, like the last, is a lot of set-up. There is no waxing poetic about ideology or struggle but Hickman shows how Magneto gets things done, all on his own. A special mutant makes a surprise appearance and though we are left with a lot more questions than answers, this issue seems pivotal or things to come. It adds to the air of foreboding and dread of what Magneto and some of the Mutants have planned behind the scenes. And with each issue and twist in the plot seems that there is something looming on the horizon much, much larger than we could have ever imagined.