Welcome to The Beat’s Wednesday Pulse!

This series will check in with what’s coming out in comic stores each and every week, offering insight to some of the most anticipated releases on the stands. In the end, we’re hoping to shine a spotlight on things you might not know you’d enjoy… and hope to offer a space for you to share what you are excited for this week.

Please note: our opinions are ours, and yours are yours – and while we encourage you to share your likes, this is not a forum to discourage others for enjoying what they enjoy. Comics are for everyone.

PREMIERE PUBLISHERS

GREEN LANTERN HUCKLEBERRY HOUND SPECIAL #1
(DC COMICS)

(Cover by Sami Basri)

THE PUBLISHER SAYS // Set against the turbulent backdrop of the early 1970s, Green Lantern and Huckleberry Hound join forces to take a stand on the issues of that era. Returning from recent duty in Vietnam, veteran Marine John Stewart-now a member of the Green Lantern Corps-contemplates what, if anything, he should do about the issues tearing his country apart. Meanwhile, Huckleberry’s comments against the Vietnam war have left him a celebrity outcast, and a visit back home to Mississippi puts him face to face with the Civil Rights Movement. What can one man-and one hound-do? Plus, part two of a Secret Squirrel backup story written by J.M. DeMatteis.

THE BEAT SAYS // For the past year or so, DC has been alternating between Hanna-Barbera and Looney Toons crossover one-shots in months that have five Wednesdays. This week is no acceptation, as you’ll find a few of those one-shots below. We’re shining a special spotlight on this one, because Mark Russell is expanding on the incredible Snagglepuss Chronicles story from earlier this year by shifting the camera slightly to focus on Huckleberry Hound, who had also appeared in that storyline. This one will be a heartbreaker.

HEX WIVES #1 (MR)
(DC/VERTIGO)

(Cover by Joëlle Jones)

THE PUBLISHER SAYS // “The women are too powerful. They must be tamed.” For hundreds of years a war has been waged between a coven of perpetually reincarnating witches and the all-male conspiracy known as the Architects. After the death of the lead Architect in 2005 it seemed the witches had finally defeated their foes. Now, 13 years later, waking up in a perfect cookie cutter home at the end of a cul-de-sac in a sunny corner of suburbia, Isadora has no recollection of her past life as the leader of a witch coven, nor her soulmate Nadiya, let alone the centuries-old war she has waged in defense of the soul of America…

THE BEAT SAYS // There’s something decidedly witchy in the air these days, what with Sabrina hitting the airwaves to great acclaim (season two is already in production), Redlands doing wonderfully over at Image Comics (which landed series writer Jordie Bellaire the job of reimagining Buffy for Boom! in January) and this title. Part of Vertigo’s new slate of culturally relevant ongoing stories, this in many ways looks to be going in the direction of Sabrina in tackling ideas of how current systems often run counter to women’s rights and safety.

WYTCHES BAD EGG HALLOWEEN SPECIAL (ONE-SHOT) (MR)
(IMAGE COMICS)

(Cover by Jock)

THE PUBLISHER SAYS // Serving as both a stand-alone story in the WYTCHES world and a prequel to the highly anticipated WYTCHES, VOL. 2, “BAD EGG” tells the story of Seb and Jackson—two innocent teenagers reared on opposite sides of the eternal struggle between good and evil. Sebastian’s mother is a member of “The Irons,” the most ruthless Wytch hunters in history, while Jackson’s family are “High Horn” Wytches. Can these two boys find friendship amidst this age-old blood feud, or are their fates already sealed? Collecting the entire IMAGE+ magazine run and, for the first time, the 13-page, pulse-pounding conclusion plus extra materials, WYTCHES: BAD EGG reunites the Eisner-award winning duo of SCOTT SNYDER and JOCK in a horror-filled romp just in time for Halloween!

THE BEAT SAYS // You might know this creative team more from their work on the Detective Comics arc The Black Mirror, or their upcoming stint on the mini-series for The Batman Who Laughs. Either way, you owe it to yourself to check out their work on Wytches. This story can be read on it’s own, or after the first volume, which is available now.

JESSICA JONES MPGN TP BLIND SPOT
(MARVEL COMICS)

(Cover by Martin Simmonds)

THE PUBLISHER SAYS // Jessica has just faced her greatest fears – her most dangerous enemy – and won! Surely everything is smooth sailing from here? Nope! Instead she finds a corpse in her office – the body of a woman who came to Jessica for help years ago with a case Jessica failed to solve. And now she’s being framed for the woman’s murder! As Jessica reopens her investigation in hopes of bringing Dia Sloane’s killer to justice, she finds herself caught in the web of a serial killer intent on murdering women with powers. Can Jessica figure out how all the pieces connect before the killer claims their next victim? The Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Strange, is not being helpful – shocker. But how is monster hunter extraordinaire Elsa Bloodstone tied up in this whole mess?

THE BEAT SAYS // This collection is part of a pilot project for Marvel, where they’ve taken characters that are being featured heavily outside of the realm of the comic book medium, as well as characters that tend to do well digitally, and serializing their in-continuity adventures digitally only. This collection marks the first time this story will have seen print, and for those worrying, it is an incredibly worth successor to all the Bendis and Gaydos driven Jones stories of the past.

X-MEN GRAND DESIGN SECOND GENESIS TP
(MARVEL COMICS)

(Cover by Ed Piskor)

THE PUBLISHER SAYS // The sequel to the critical smash hit X-MEN: GRAND DESIGN is here – and it’s all-new and all-different! Witness Wolverine, Storm, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Sunfire and Thunderbird suiting up as X-Men for the very first time – all over again! Plus: The return of Banshee! The arrival of the Shi’ar! The Brood! The Starjammers! Watch as Marvel’s merry mutants take to the stars. See the first X-Men adventures of Kitty Pryde and Carol Danvers. And marvel at the grandeur and glory of the now classic Dark Phoenix Saga! All through the lens of indie auteur Ed Piskor – who lovingly researches, writes, pencils, inks, colors and letters every page just for you! This volume also includes an issue of Giant Size X-Men and pinups by Art Adams, Todd McFarlane, Jim Lee and Joe Madureira masterfully recolored by Ed. Presented in the same dynamic, oversized format of the best-selling Hip Hop Family Tree (9″ x 13″).

THE BEAT SAYS // We’re pretty big on Ed Piskor here, and his heavy research based approach to comics. This is the second in his line of three giant X-Men collections that give the team a very documentarian style story, this time focusing on the original Uncanny era.

MORE FROM PREMIERE PUBLISHERS

BOOM STUDIOS

BONE PARISH #4
FENCE #11
PLANET OF THE APES TIME OF MAN #1

PEANUTS DELL ARCHIVE HC VOL 01 // From the publisher: “In 1955, Charles M. Schulz began a partnership with Dell Publishing, and for the first time, all-new Peanuts stories were created outside of Schulz’s daily comic strip. BOOM! Studios and the Charles M. Schulz Museum come together to collect these classic tales in a new Definitive Hardcover Edition.”
WWE UNDERTAKER ORIGINAL GN // The Undertaker’s career gets the comic book treatment once more… and this time, he won’t be fighting demons. Or… he might not be fighting demons. The Boom Studios line of WWE content takes real storylines from the product, and fleshes out the backstory, showing what happens to these people outside of the confines of Raw and Smackdown. It is always interesting, and this should be no different.

DARK HORSE COMICS

STARCRAFT SCAVENGERS #4
STRANGER THINGS #2

I AM A HERO OMNIBUS TP VOL 08
STEPHEN MCCRANIES SPACE BOY TP VOL 02
WITCHER LIBRARY EDITION HC

DC COMICS

BATMAN SECRET FILES #1 FOIL // The Secret Files format returns, with a framing sequence put together by regular Batman creatives Tom King and Mikel Janin. This is not one to miss, if you’re enjoying the main title. 
DEATHSTROKE YOGI BEAR SPECIAL #1
DOOM PATROL #12 (MR) // The Young Animal line returns once more for a DnD style adventure with the Doom Patrol, with the promise of a return in sometime in the future.
HEROES IN CRISIS #2 (OF 9)
INJUSTICE VS THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE #4 (OF 6)
JL DARK & WONDER WOMAN THE WITCHING HOUR #1 // While Justice League Dark wraps up their big storyline, the main Justice League begins to deal with Drowned Earth. It looks like there really is no rest for the universe’s biggest heroes.
JUSTICE LEAGUE AQUAMAN DROWNED EARTH #1
MAD MAGAZINE #4
NIGHTWING MAGILLA GORILLA SPECIAL #1
SUPERMAN TOP CAT SPECIAL #1
TERRIFICS ANNUAL #1
WILD STORM #18

AMERICAN VAMPIRE OMNIBUS HC VOL 01 (MR)
BATMAN HAUNTED KNIGHT TP NEW ED
BATMAN THE DARK PRINCE CHARMING HC
DEATHBED TP (MR)
DEMON HELL IS EARTH TP
MAN OF STEEL BY BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS HC
RED HOOD & THE OUTLAWS TP VOL 04 GOOD NIGHT GOTHAM
SUPERGIRL TP VOL 04 PLAIN SIGHT REBIRTH

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

BARBARELLA #11 (MR)
CHARLIES ANGELS #5
NANCY DREW #5

LIBRARIANS TP VOL 01

IDW PUBLISHING

BATMAN THE MAXX ARKHAM DREAMS #2 (OF 5)
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #10
STAR WARS ADVENTURES #15
STAR WARS TALES FROM VADERS CASTLE #5 (OF 5)
TANGLED HAIR RAISING ADVENTURES #2 (OF 3)

BILL SIENKIEWICZ MUTANTS & MOON KNIGHTS ARTIFACT ED HC

IMAGE COMICS

ICE CREAM MAN #8 (MR)
MAN-EATERS #2
REALM #10 (MR)
SHANGHAI RED #5 (OF 5)
WAYWARD #30 (MR)

BLACK SCIENCE TP VOL 08 LATER THAN YOU THINK (MR)
HIT-GIRL TP VOL 02 (MR)
MAESTROS TP VOL 01 (MR)
MOONSHINE TP VOL 02 (MR)

MARVEL COMICS

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #1 2ND PTG BROWN VAR
AVENGERS #8 2ND PTG MARQUEZ VAR
AVENGERS HALLOWEEN SPECIAL #1 // From the publisher: Epic thrills and ghastly horror awaits in these all-new twisted tales! Spanning the breadth of the Marvel Universe, through the macabre lens of a murderer’s row of writers and artists assembled here, see your favorite heroes and villains as you’ve never seen them before! Also including the Marvel Comics writing debut of Jay Baruchel (This is the End; Goon)!
BLACK PANTHER #5
DAREDEVIL #610
EDGE OF SPIDER-GEDDON #3 (OF 4) 2ND PTG ZONJIC VAR
EDGE OF SPIDER-GEDDON #4 (OF 4) 2ND PTG KUDER VAR
EXTERMINATION #3 (OF 5) 2ND PTG LARRAZ VAR
EXTERMINATION #4 (OF 5)
IMMORTAL HULK #5 2ND PTG BENNETT VAR
IMMORTAL HULK #6 2ND PTG GARBETT VAR
INFINITY WARS IRON HAMMER #1 (OF 2) 2ND PTG ROSANAS
INFINITY WARS IRON HAMMER #2 (OF 2)
INFINITY WARS SOLDIER SUPREME #1 (OF 2) 2ND PTG KUBERT VAR
LIFE OF CAPTAIN MARVEL #3 (OF 5) 2ND PTG PACHECO VAR
MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE #11
MULTIPLE MAN #5 (OF 5)
OLD MAN HAWKEYE #10 (OF 12)
OLD MAN LOGAN #50
SPIDER-FORCE #1 (OF 3) SG
SPIDERGEDDON #0 2ND PTG CRAIN VAR
TONY STARK IRON MAN #5
TRUE BELIEVERS WHAT IF LEGION KILLED MAGNETO #1
TRUE BELIEVERS WHAT IF THE FF HAD DIFFERENT SUPER-POWERS #1
VAULT OF SPIDERS #1 (OF 2) SG
VENOM #6 2ND PTG STEGMAN VAR
VENOM FIRST HOST #3 (OF 5) 2ND PTG BAGLEY VAR
VENOM FIRST HOST #4 (OF 5) 2ND PTG BAGLEY VAR
VENOM FIRST HOST #5 (OF 5) 2ND PTG BAGLEY VAR
WEST COAST AVENGERS #3
WHAT IF MAGIK? #1
X-MEN BLACK EMMA FROST #1

AVENGERS UNDERCOVER TP COMPLETE COLLECTION
INCREDIBLE HULK EPIC COLLECTION TP LEADER LIVES
MUTANT X TP VOL 01 COMPLETE COLLECTION
WEAPON H TP VOL 01 AWOL
WEAPON X TP VOL 04 RUSSIAN REVOLUTION
X-MEN BLUE TP VOL 05 SURVIVING THE EXPERIENCE
X-MEN TP DEADLY GENESIS NEW PTG


FEATURED TITLES FROM OTHER PUBLISHERS

EDGAR ALLAN POE`S SNIFTER OF TERROR #1 (MR)
(AHOY COMICS)

(Cover by Richard Williams)

THE PUBLISHER SAYS // Edgar Allan Poe mangles classic tales and brand new stories in this cross between Drunk History and Tales from the Crypt! First, meet AHOY’s own alcohol-damaged version of Poe in “The Facts in The Case of M. Valdemar,” adapted by Tom Peyer (Batman ’66) and drawn by Fred Harper. Then: Sugary cereal meets vampirism in “Dark Chocolate,” by writer Mark Russell (The Flintstones) and artist Peter Snejbjerg (Starman). EXTRA! Comics by Hunt Emerson, unsettling verse by Cienna Madrid illustrated by Carly Wright, and a cartoon by Shannon Wheeler!

THE BEAT SAYS // We’re suckers for a great anthology, and the creator list Ahoy has put together here is beyond amazing. Not only that, their back matter is on point, with cartoons, comics, editorials and prose filling out each hefty chunk of content – all for a scant $3.99.

MORT CINDER HC (MR)
(FANTAGRAPHICS)

(Cover by Alberto Breccia)

THE PUBLISHER SAYS // The great Alberto Breccia, in collaboration with the Argentine writer Hector German Oesterheld (The Eternaut,) present Mort Cinder, a horror story with political overtones that follows the wanderings through time of a man who rises from the grave each time he is killed, bearing witness to the darkest sides of humanity. American comics creators such as Frank Miller (300, Sin City) and Mike Mignola (Hellboy) owe Breccia a great debt; these horror-adventure tales are as thrilling, dread-inducing, and accessible as when they were created a half a century ago.

THE BEAT SAYS // After reading The Eternaut, we almost don’t care what this story is about. We just know it’ll be creepy and great.

SEX DEATH REVOLUTION #1 (MR)
(BLACK MASK COMICS)

(Cover by Kiki Jenkins)

THE PUBLISHER SAYS // Life is a story. Her’s is being rewritten. Still reeling from the sudden collapse of her cover, Manhattanite sorceress Esperanza tries to rebuild. But everyone in her life is saying she’s done and said things that never happened — terrible things. Before she knows it, she’s becoming someone entirely different. Someone she used to be, once upon a time. Life is full of ch-ch-ch-changes in this urban fantasy from Eisner-nominated writer Magdalene Visaggio (Eternity Girl, Kim & Kim) and artist Becca Farrow (Ladycastle).

THE BEAT SAYS // Black Mask is known for having a line of very progressive comics, and this one will be no exception, taking on ideas of identity through metaphors in genre.

TWISTS OF FATE HC
(Fantagraphics)

(Cover by Paco Roca)

THE PUBLISHER SAYS // Eisner-award winner Paco Roca (Wrinkles) reconstructs World War II through the memories of Miguel Ruiz, a member of “La Nueve,” a company of men that went from fighting against the Franco regime in the Spanish Civil War to battles across Europe and Africa, spurred on by their patriotism and hate for brutal dictatorships. Ruiz’s stories are filled with horror and humor but Twists of Fate is much more than a forgotten hero’s personal story. It’s a timely look into what we remember and why we forget, a reminder that everyone has a tale to tell, and an ode to a generation that stood up to, and beat back, violent fascism.

THE BEAT SAYS // Those who forget the past, are doomed to repeat it.

I FEEL MACHINE GN
(SELFMADEHERO)

THE PUBLISHER SAYS // Since the turn of the century, technology has transformed the way we communicate and consume, how we work and fall in love and navigate the world. We are increasingly reliant on it – but few of us know anything about the science that is driving this technological change. Kurt Vonnegut famously said that to leave technology out of fiction is to misrepresent life. Here, six acclaimed graphic novelists present reports from the digital frontier. Exploring everything from artificial intelligence to virtual reality, I Feel Machine is by turns cautionary and celebratory, touching and terrifying. It challenges and confronts the digital world using the most technologically efficient machine ever invented: the book.

THE BEAT SAYS // The list of creators is a creator owned who’s who in what many would call the indie comics scene – including the immeasurable Tillie Walden, who with each new project shows her brilliance and command of the medium.

MORE TITLES FROM OTHER PUBLISHERS

ARCHIE MEETS BATMAN 66 #4
BLOOD REALM #2 (OF 3)
BRITANNIA LOST EAGLES OF ROME #4 (OF 4)
CATALYST PRIME KINO #10
CAVEWOMAN MOVING DAY ONESHOT #1 (OF 1) (MR)
CLANKILLERS #4
CROSSED PLUS 100 MIMIC #6 (MR)
DAY 165 ONE-SHOT 2ND PRINT (MR)
FAITH DREAMSIDE #2 (OF 4)
GFT TALES OF TERROR VOL 4 #8
HATCHET VENGEANCE #1 (MR)
INVADER ZIM #36
IT CAME OUT ON A WEDNESDAY #3
JUNGLE FANTASY SECRETS #3 (MR)
KIM REAPER VAMPIRE ISLAND #3
LADY MECHANIKA DAME SANS MERCI #3 (OF 3)
LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY CEREBI #1 (OF 1)
LIVE WORK #2 (OF 6) (MR)
LOST CITY EXPLORERS #5
MIDNIGHT MYSTERY #1 (OF 4)
PARADISE COURT #4 (OF 5)
RICK & MORTY #43
RIPTIDE #3 (OF 4)
THE XII #5 (OF 5) (MR)
TRANSDIMENSIONAL #1 (MR) // From the publisher: “The story focusses on Deacon Price, an emotionally broken underwater archaeologist who charters an expedition, under false pretences, to a downed Soviet submarine that’s been missing for decades. What he and his crew find there will not only put their lives at risk, but also the lives of everyone they’ve ever known!”
TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF MISS TILNEY #3
UBER INVASION #17 (MR)
VAGRANT QUEEN #5 (MR)
WORLD OF ARCHIE JUMBO COMICS DIGEST #83 $6.99

MAGAZINES

CINEFEX #161
COMIC SHOP NEWS #1637
RUE MORGUE MAGAZINE #185
STORY OF DOCTOR WHO #15 $19.99

BOOKS

ALTERNATE WORLDS ILL HIST SCI FI 3RD ED
ART OF HEARTHSTONE HC
BACKSTAGERS ILLUS HC NOVEL VOL 01 BACKSTAGERS & GHOST LIGHT
BATMOBILE CUTAWAYS CLASSIC BATMAN 66 TV SERIES W COLLECTIBLE
BOOKS OF EARTHSEA COMP ILLUS ED HC
DC COMICS DETECTIVE COMICS COMP COVERS MINI HC VOL 01
DC COMICS HEROINES 100 GREATEST MOMENTS HC
DC COMICS WONDER WOMAN COMP COVERS MINI HC VOL 01
DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO HORROR MOVIES SC
DIARY OF A WIMPY KID HC VOL 13 MELTDOWN
DOCTOR WHO COMP HIST HC VOL 81 10TH DOCTOR STORIES 198-199
IT`S SATURDAY MORNING HC
LUMBERJANES ILLUS HC NOVEL VOL 03 GOOD EGG
MINI ART OF HARRY POTTER HC
PAPERBACK CRUSH SC
SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOL 135 GHOST MURDERS  SHIPS OF DOOM
STAR WARS SCUM AND VILLAINY HC
SUPERNATURAL MINI BOOK OF SAVING PEOPLE & HUNTING THINGS HC
TINTIN ART OF HERGE SC
WALT DISNEYS NINE OLD MEN MASTERS OF ANIMATION HC
ZAHHAK HC LEGEND OF SERPENT KING POP UP BOOK

1 COMMENT

  1. I’ll have to check out Alberto Breccia, thanks for putting him on my radar. Not a bad way to take in and pick from a whole lot of stuff, cheers.

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