Spartantown

NEW COMIC BOOK DAY 5/31/17 by Slidely Slideshow MUSIC BY HARRY STYLES
New comics arrive this week to carry us away from these tumultuous times. Get lost in new comics and trades including Kingways West, The Circle, Wonder Woman Annual, Cable, Monstress, InSexts, Vampirella, Fissure, Romulus and Spencer & Locke. There's a title for everyone. Get out to your local shop if you can and support small business. Let us know in the comments which titles you're picking up this week. Happy reading!


(W) Greg Pak(A/CA) Mirko Colak After spending thirteen years in a war that made him a monster, a Chinese gunslinger named Kingsway Law just wants to live in peace with his wife, Sonia. But even in a fantastical Old West crackling with magic, a man of his skills can never quite disappear. So when a woman with a red-gold sword brings bloody chaos to his doorstep, Kingsway must fight for his life, his wife, and his very soul. Collects issues #1-#4 of the series.

(W) Bryan Hill(A/CA) Nelson …

Ashlar finds herself in the belly of the beast. She's got to go through Achilles to try and rescue Nicholas from the clutches of the leader of The Order of Romulus. Will the end of this story arc be the end of Ashlar?


ROMULUS #4 Story: Bryan Hill Art: Nelson Blake II, Kevin Lennertz Letterer: Deron Bennett Published: May 31, 2017 Diamond ID: NOV160639 Digital : $3.99 Print: $3.99
★★★★☆ (4/5)
After an unexpected break between issues, Bryan Hill and Nelson Blake II are back with the conclusion of the series first arc. Ashlar's thirst for revenge hasn't lessened, she's still determined as ever to kill the people responsible for her mother's death. Hill has kept her consistent, single-minded in her approach with a few annoyances along the way. Yet, she feels responsible for saving Nicholas from The Order as well. Her journey comes to this final showdown and it doesn't disappoint.
Without giving away the exciting conclusion, Hill delivers a tense confrontation that fl…

The blockbuster movie that is the comic X-O Manowar wraps up its "Soldier" arc in signature awe-inducing fashion. This latest relaunch of Aric of Dacia has taken him off earth (for reasons still unknown) and his infamous x-o armor now sidelined and condensed into a sentient ring. It's quite the revamp but the results are a balls-out sci-fi action smorgasbord.


X-O MANOWAR (2017) #3 Written by MATT KINDT Art by TOMÁS GIORELLO with DAVID MACK and ZU ORZU Colors by DIEGO RODRIGUEZ Letters by DAVE SHARPE Cover A by LEWIS LAROSA (MAR172157) Cover B by KENNETH ROCAFORT (MAR172158) Interlocking Variant Cover by MICO SUAYAN (MAR172159) X-O Manowar Icon Variant by DAVID MACK (MAR172160)
★★★★★ (5/5)
Matt Kindt has unleashed Aric as a man of action, armor or no armor, leading his suicide squad into battle and being victorious. There's no time to dwell on why and how he got to where he is. What is urgently important is what's ahead of him and it's usually against the odds. …

Go back to the stone age with the Catman! See the Demon visit the Roman Empire! The Starman sails the seas during the age of piracy... and the Spaceman silently witnesses a journey to the moon! It's four immortal beings interacting with humanity during four distinct chapters of history, all between the covers of this double-sized annual... get in on the action!


KISS Forever Special writer: Erik Burnham artist: Daniel HDR cover: Yildiray Cinar FC • 48 pages • $7.99 • Teen+

Fists fly and eyes cry as we prepare to say bye in our fearless final chapter! Cub's captured by a conniving cadre of Megaville's most malicious meanies, and the injured Cougar refuses to sit on the sidelines and lick her wounds.


It's time to end this sequential prattle with a magnificent battle! Plus, take one more trip into Cougar and Cub's past as they face their most cynical antagonist from the height of alternative comics.
COUGAR AND CUB #5 (DIGITAL ONLY) Writers: Nick Marino, Rosie Knight Artist: Daniel Arruda Massa Cover Artist: Dean Rankine
32 pgs./ M / FC                   $1.99 (DIGITAL)

Hey Kids, it’s Animal Jam! The world’s largest online playground for kids where they can learn about the natural world is now a new and exciting comic! Join in on the fun for all new adventures with all of your favorite characters!


Animal Jam #1 writers: Fernando Ruiz, Eric Esquivel artist: Fernando Ruiz covers: Fernando Ruiz (a), Tony Fleecs (b), Gamplay Variant (c), Coloring Book Cover (d) incentive cover: Fernando Ruiz (B/W art), Tony Fleecs (“virgin art”) Order the cover of your choice! FC • 32 pages • $3.99 • All Ages  In stores on 05/31/2017

'Redneck' arrived a month ago redefining the vampire genre by not giving into convention or cliché. In fact, if you've read the first two issues, the vampire angle serves more as subtext than its selling point. It's the perfect approach to this character-driven southern fried drama that simmers with tension and intrigue.

REDNECK #2 STORY: DONNY CATES
ART/COVER: LISANDRO ESTHERREN & DEE CUNNIFFE LETTERER: JOE SABINO
RELEASE DATE: MAY 24
32 PAGES | Full Color | Mature | $3.99
★★★★☆ (4/5)
The Bowman's way of life just got upended and what was once a peaceful and secluded existence is on the verge of war. The vampires of Texas keep to themselves, raise their cattle, drink its blood and sell the meat through their BBQ joint. Seems like a brilliant front to keep them in the shadows while staking out a living. All that is threatened when one of their own is killed after a night on the town. This issues fills in the holes to what might have happened and what the hell is…

Action Lab's noir mashup of Calvin and Hobbes and Sin City continues in SPENCER & LOCKE #2! Spencer and Locke's investigation leads them to the seedy nightclub known as the Red Rose — but what kind of power does the Red Rose's owner hold over Locke?


Meet Ramona Sinclair — and if this femme fatale doesn't do these gumshoes in, a death-defying car chase just might. The second installment of David Pepose and Jorge Santiago, Jr.'s pitch-black love letter to Watterson and Miller will arrive in comic shops and digital devices May 31!
SPENCER & LOCKE #2 Written by DAVID PEPOSE Art by JORGE SANTIAGO, JR.  Colors by JASEN SMITH Lettering by COLIN BELL Cover A by JORGE SANTIAGO, JR. Cover B by MAAN HOUSE $3.99 | 22 pgs. | Action Lab: Danger Zone | T+ | On sale MAY 31

Born out of The Tithe, 'Samaritan: Veritas,' takes on a whole new target as hacker Samantha Copeland is on the run and looking for revenge. It's a thrilling new chapter from Top Cow's Edenverse written by Matt Hawkins with art from Atilio Rojo.


SAMARITAN #1 Story: Matt Hawkins Art / Lettering / Cover: Atilio Rojo Letterer: Troy Peteri Published: May 24, 2017 Diamond ID: MAR170694 Digital : $3.99 Print: $3.99
★★★★☆ (4/5)
The Tithe found Samaritan taking on nefarious mega-churches and this time the only things more corrupt are the U.S. government and military contractors. The President is in Samantha's crosshairs but she's also a hunted woman using all her hacking skills and the resources of the dark web to counter her pursuers. It's this complex cat-and-mouse game that Hawkins unfolds while also providing Samantha's background for new readers. Hawkins does a delicate balancing act adding exposition with flashbacks while moving the story forward in the prese…

There's never a dull moment at Archie Comics. When the powers at be aren't rebooting classic titles with today's best and brightest talent, they're pitting the Riverdale gang against zombies and witches. In another fun twist, Archie has gathered  Alex Segura, Matthew Rosenberg, and Joe Eisma to take you behind the music of the greatest rock band led by Archie Andrews, The Archies.


THE ARCHIES ONE-SHOT Script: Alex Segura and Matt Rosenberg Art: Joe Eisma, Matt Herms, Jack Morelli Cover: Jaime Hernandez Variant Covers: David Mack, Audrey Mok
On Sale Date: 5/24 48-page, full color comic $4.99 U.S.
★★★★☆ (4/5)
Many a teenage garage band began with just a bunch of buddies hanging out, messing around with instruments tying to craft a song or two, not sure if it'll lead to anything. Fans of Archie Comics already know it does lead to something but how did it all come together? Segura and Rosenberg lay out this funny and sweet origin story with that very premise. The writers…

If you thought there'd be a let up on Image Comics' hot new miniseries God Country you would be sadly mistaken. Donny Cates and Geoff Shaw continue to raise the stakes and bring a giant rock opera style fantasy action masterpiece to print and issue five delivers an earth-shattering battle for the ages.


GOD COUNTRY #5  Writer: Donny Cates Artist (Pencils): Geoff Shaw Artist (Colors): Jason Wordie Letterer: John J. Hill
★★★★★ (5/5)
After an interesting backstory on the creation of Valofax, Aristus reluctantly heads to Texas to face Emmett Quinlan and get his father's sword back once and for all. If you've been following along with this great series you'd know Emmett doesn't give a crap what the God of War wants he's keeping Valofax. The proceeding battle rattles western Texas to the core, shaking the ground, lighting the sky with electricity and filling the air with fire. It was an epic confrontation of gods, Aristus' hammer versus Emmett's Valofax, and…