PICKS OF THE WEEK - Aug, 19, 2020
- MAESTRO #1: Peter David is back and handling the hulk with a prequel to his own creation of Maestro, the Hulk from the future with treacherous tendencies in this new series from Marvel. Get ready to be transported back to the 90s as we follow professor Hulk living his best life when things start to seem a miss and spiral from here. David is getting back in the saddle and giving Maestro his due. The issue is sprinkled with some humor and mystery until it drops the floor out from under you with some spectacular splashes of doom and disaster from artist German Peralta, who does some great work, especially on close ups and faces of some of the aged-up characters. If you’re a fan of Hulk in the 90s then this a no-brainer pick up, but stay tuned because it seems Marvel may some plans in store for the future imperfect green giant that you won’t want to miss.
- AQUAMAN #62: This month’s issue of Aquaman will catch you off guard because it doesn’t really feature the King of Atlantis at all. The focus goes to the current holder of the Aqualad title, Jackson Hyde, as he confronts his felonious father, Black Manta, and sets off on a mission with Black Manta’s ship which is basically possessed with the soul of Jackson’s Grandfather. Is the premise kind of ridiculous? Completely. But that’s what makes this issue so fun. It’s just a wild ride underwater where quite literally anything can happen. Jordan Clark is taking over the writing duties for the final issues of Aquaman and he just seems to be going as far as he can, throwing as much chum as he can into the water and seeing what bites. Clark gives Jackson some funny moments that make him such a likable, curious character that helps ease you into the premise more, while Marco Sanducci does a great job with his pencils throwing everything the ocean has at you by coming up with some fantastic scenes under the sea. If you’re a fan of Young Justice or Black Manta, then this is an Aquaman arc you won’t want to miss.
- SHADOW SERVICE #1: If magic and mystery are your go-to genres of fiction and fancy then look no further because Vault’s newest series is sure to hit the sweet spot. Shadow Service follows Gina Meyer, a mystically powered Private Eye, tracking down devils and tying up loose ends in the world of man. This book is a combination of Marvel’s Jessica Jones and Image Comics’ Black Magic as It takes the best of these worlds and blends them into an elixir of entertainment. It starts slowly but once the magic is introduced the book immediately ups the ante and grabs your attention by how brutal and useful the spells and their consequences can be. Writer Cavan Scott uses the issue to drop you in media res as Gina finishes up a case and shows that this world of magic is a ‘one slip and that’s it’ kind of place. Corin Howell’s art stands out anytime a spell is uttered and holds nothing back when it comes to the book’s darker corners. Pick- this up if you want something deliciously dark to add in your pull.
