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

LOW #20 (MR)
(IMAGE COMICS)

(Cover by Greg Tocchini)

THE PUBLISHER SAYS // “LAST EMBERS,” Part One (of Seven)

It’s mankind’s final hour, and the reckoning rests on the shoulders of the Caine family. Stel, Tajo, and Della are on a collision course that they may not all survive. RICK REMENDER and GREG TOCCHINI bring their seminal aquatic apocalypse to a harrowing boil in a world where everything comes down to a battle between desperate hope and certain oblivion.

THE BEAT SAYS // Low has been off the comic stands for quite some time, and makes its triumphant return here! If you haven’t checked in with the series before, it takes place in the future, with our world underwater. Think Lost in Space, but underwater, with Remender’s sensibility for action and suspense, and you’ve got a good picture of this series.

CHAMPIONS #1
(Marvel Comics)

(Cover by Aaron Kim Jacinto)

THE PUBLISHER SAYS // HE WORLD STILL NEEDS HEROES – AND THERE ARE HEROES ALL OVER THE WORLD! The Champions have gone global! The team has seen explosive growth under Ms. Marvel’s leadership, with super-powered members ready to answer the call in a dozen different countries. They’re saving people and improving lives across the planet while they inspire the next generation… but something sinister lurks beneath the surface of their expanded mission. It’s a dark secret that could destroy the team and everything they stand for!

Jim Zub (AVENGERS: NO SURRENDER, UNCANNY AVENGERS) and Steven Cummings (Wayward, Legends of the Dark Knight) ignite a new era of CHAMPIONS, filled to the brim with action, adventure and drama in the Mighty Marvel Manner!

THE BEAT SAYS // The last run of Champions featured a bevy of the next generation of Marvel superheroes, and that trend looks to continue, with new members from across the world. Also of note: Miles Morales, the break-out star of the Spider-Verse movie is front and centre – a perfect way to introduce new readers to the larger Marvel universe. 

CONAN THE BARBARIAN #1
(Marvel Comics)

(Cover by Esad Ribic)

THE PUBLISHER SAYS // BY CROM, THE GREATEST SWORD-AND-SORCERY HERO RETURNS TO MARVEL! From an age undreamed…hither came Conan the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand, a thief, a reaver, a slayer, with gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth, to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandaled feet…

Robert E. Howard’s creation returns to comics, in an epic tale as only MARVEL could bring you!  Conan’s travels have brought him to the far reaches of the unkown, from his birthplace in Cimmeria to the kingdom of Aquilonia and all in between. As his fighting prowess allows him to carve his way through life, so too does it attract the forces of death! The all-new ages-spanning saga begins here, by writer Jason Aaron (THE MIGHTY THOR, STAR WARS) and artist Mahmud Asrar (UNCANNY X-MEN, ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT AVENGERS), as Conan’s destiny is forever changed!

THE BEAT SAYS // While many of the publishers left a gap for new comics in the first week, Marvel’s coming into 2019 strong with Champions, and their first shot at Conan in many years. Putting Jason Aaron on the book seems like the perfect match, and along with eye-popping art from Mahmud Asrar, this should be a must read for anyone who is a fan of the beefy sword and sorcery genre.

JINX TP NEW ED (MR)
(Jinxworld / DC Comics)

(Cover by Brian Michael Bendis)

THE PUBLISHER SAYS // When bounty hunter Jinx Alameda met con man David “Goldfish” Gold, she thought he was too good to be true. Which he was. With a mysterious past and even murkier motives, Goldfish and Jinx find that they’re searching for the same thing-a huge cash treasure that could set them up for good. A tenuous partnership could lead them to the score of a lifetime-if they don’t kill each other first.

THE BEAT SAYS // This marks the fourth publisher Jinx has been a part of – and that includes the likes of Image and Marvel as well. This is one of the works that brought Brian Michael Bendis to the table, and while it is rough around the edges, the spark of what’s to come resides in the pages.

MORE FROM PREMIERE PUBLISHERS

BOOM! STUDIOS

CODA #8 (OF 12)
EMPTY MAN #3
GIANT DAYS #46
WWE #24

BILL & TED SAVE UNIVERSE TP
JIM HENSON POWER OF DARK CRYSTAL TP VOL 01

DARK HORSE COMICS

BPRD DEVIL YOU KNOW #12
HALO LONE WOLF #1 (OF 4)
OLIVIA TWIST #4 (MR)
STRANGER THINGS #4
SWORD DAUGHTER #5
UMBRELLA ACADEMY HOTEL OBLIVION #4
WHISPERING DARK #3

BLACK HAMMER TP VOL 03 AGE OF DOOM PART I
BPRD HELL ON EARTH HC VOL 04
CONAN READER TP
GANTZ OMNIBUS TP VOL 02
RING OF NIBELUNG TP // From the publisher: “The Eisner Award-winning series, collected in one volume, presents one of the grandest stories of Western civilization, now one of the most explosive epics in the history of comics. Giants plot against gods, who in turn tear human lovers apart, while the lives of great warriors are ruined, and murder after murder is committed in the name of love and gold. It’s the epic as it was meant to be read. This new high point in P. Craig Russell’s distinguished career as a true artist’s artist includes behind-the-scenes production art, notes on the adaptation by the artist, and high res scans of the original art. 
WITCHFINDER TP VOL 05 GATES OF HEAVEN

DC COMICS

ACTION COMICS #1006
BATGIRL #30
BATMAN BEYOND #27
BOOKS OF MAGIC #3 (MR)
DETECTIVE COMICS #995
FLASH #61
HEROES IN CRISIS #4 (OF 9)
HEX WIVES #3 (MR)
INJUSTICE VS THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE #6 (OF 6)
JUSTICE LEAGUE ODYSSEY #4
OLD LADY HARLEY #3 (OF 5)
RAVEN DAUGHTER OF DARKNESS #11 (OF 12)
SCARLET #5 (OF 5) (MR)
SCOOBY DOO TEAM UP #45
SILENCER #12
TERRIFICS #11
TITANS #32
WONDER WOMAN #61

BATMAN BY NEAL ADAMS TP BOOK 02
BATMAN PRODIGAL TP NEW ED
BATMAN SHADOW THE MURDER GENIUSES TP
DARK DAYS ROAD TO METAL TP
HAL JORDAN & THE GLC TP VOL 07 DARKSTARS RISING
HOUSE OF MYSTERY THE BRONZE AGE OMNIBUS HC VOL 01
POWERS TP BOOK 02 NEW ED (MR)
SUPERMAN KRYPTONITE DELUXE ED HC
SWEET TOOTH TP BOOK 03 (MR)
WILDSTORM MICHAEL CRAY TP VOL 02

DYNAMITE

PROJECT SUPERPOWERS #5
RAINBOW BRITE #3

BOYS TP VOL 03 GOOD FOR THE SOUL ROBERTSON REMARKED ED (MR)
BOYS TP VOL 05 HEROGASM ROBERTSON REMARKED ED (MR)
BOYS TP VOL 06 SELF-PRESERVATION SOCIETY ROBERTSON REMARKED
BOYS TP VOL 07 THE INNOCENTS ROBERTSON REMARKED ED (MR)
BOYS TP VOL 10 BUTCHER BAKER ROBERTSON REMARKED ED (MR)
BOYS TP VOL 11 OVER THE HILL ROBERTSON REMARKED ED (MR)
SWORDS OF SWASHBUCKLERS LTD ED HC
VAMPIRELLA DYNAMITE YEARS OMNIBUS TP VOL 04 MINIS

IDW PUBLISHING

JIM LEE DC LEGENDS ARTIFACT ED HC
MY LITTLE PONY PONYVILLE MYSTERIES TP VOL 01

IMAGE COMICS

MIDDLEWEST #1 2ND PTG (MR)
CROWDED #6
ERRAND BOYS #4 (OF 5)
GASOLINA #14 (MR)
REDNECK #18 (MR)
SAVAGE DRAGON #241 (MR)
UNNATURAL #6 (OF 12) (MR)
WALKING DEAD #187 (MR) $3.99

MARVEL COMICS

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #9 2ND PTG RAMOS VAR
AVENGERS #10 2ND PTG MCGUINNESS VAR
DAREDEVIL #609 2ND PTG NOTO VAR
DAREDEVIL #610 2ND PTG NOTO VAR
DAREDEVIL #611 2ND PTG NOTO VAR
DEADPOOL #8
FANTASTIC FOUR #3 2ND PTG PICHELLI VAR
IMMORTAL HULK #11
INFINITY WARS INFINITY #1
KILLMONGER #3 (OF 5)
MAN WITHOUT FEAR #1
MARVEL KNIGHTS 20TH #5 (OF 6)
MARVEL TALES FANTASTIC FOUR #1
MR AND MRS X #7
MSH ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN ACROSS SPIDER-VERSE #1
RETURN OF WOLVERINE #2 (OF 5) 2ND PTG SHALVEY VAR
RUNAWAYS #17
SHATTERSTAR #4 (OF 5)
STAR WARS AOR OBI-WAN KENOBI #1
STAR WARS HAN SOLO IMPERIAL CADET #3 (OF 5)
TONY STARK IRON MAN #7
TRUE BELIEVERS CONAN THE BARBARIAN #1
TRUE BELIEVERS CONAN TOWER OF ELEPHANT #1
UNCANNY X-MEN #1 2ND PTG ASRAR VAR
UNCANNY X-MEN #8
WINTER SOLDIER #2
WOLVERINE LONG NIGHT ADAPTATION #1 (OF 5)

AVENGERS TP KREE SKRULL WAR NEW PTG // Marvel is putting this classic back in print, right before the Skrulls invade the Marvel movie universe in Captain Marvel, coming soon!
DEADPOOL SKOTTIE YOUNG TP VOL 01 MERCIN HARD FOR MONEY
DEATH OF CAPTAIN MARVEL TP NEW PTG
DEATH OF INHUMANS TP
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY TOMORROWS HEROES OMNIBUS HC
IRON FIST MPGN TP
SPIDER-GEDDON TP EDGE OF SPIDER-GEDDON
SPIDER-MAN BEN REILLY OMNIBUS HC VOL 01
TONY STARK IRON MAN TP VOL 01 SELF MADE MAN


FEATURED TITLES FROM OTHER PUBLISHERS

CHANCELLOR AND THE CITADEL GN
(Iron Circus Comics)

(Cover by Maria Capelle Frantz)

THE PUBLISHER SAYS // The World is over. All that remains is the Citadel, and the Chancellor who protects it from the hostility beyond its walls. But what can she do when the world at large is convinced it her who brought the world to ruin in the first place, and are determined to make her pay for it by destroying the one bastion of hope the world has left? Cartoonist Maria Frantz’s graphic novel debut.

THE BEAT SAYS // Iron Circus has long been a publisher to pay attention to, especially with how mindful they are about representation, and getting out quality stories from quality creators who have been largely ignored. They’re also a huge proponent of alternative means to get your graphic novels (through book channels), as the direct market is a bit of a nightmare for smaller publishers. The result? You might not see this in comic shops for long, but you’ll have access to it through many other channels, so if you’re interested in the book (it’s a great take on a form of apocalypse that comes from ideas and not, say “the bomb”) and can’t find it at your LCS, definitely check other channels for easy access.

HEAVENLY BLUES TP VOL 01
(Scout Comics)

(Cover by Bruno Hildago)

THE PUBLISHER SAYS // It’s the heist of an after-lifetime, collected in one definitive volume! A bank robber with dreams of greatness, a bitter grifter furious at the world, and a host of broken thieves from across history will unite to face off against Heaven and Hell in a mad quest to steal a second chance at greatness. In an afterlife of no purpose and no passion, these thieves will challenge everything to discover what it means to feel alive.

THE BEAT SAYS // We’re a sucker for a good heist book, and this one has some light elements of The Good Place in it, but with a far more Ocean’s Eight sensibility.

ONE DIRTY TREE GN
(Uncivilized Books)

(Cover by Noah Van Sciver)

THE PUBLISHER SAYS // In Noah Van Sciver’s new funny and heartfelt memoir, he is haunted by memories of growing up in a big, poor, Mormon family. Noah Van Sciver is haunted by the house at 133 ____ Street, or as his brothers rechristened it “One Dirty Tree.” This sprawling dilapidated New Jersey house was his first home and the site of formative experiences. Growing up in a big, poor, Mormon family-surrounded by comic-books, eight siblings, bathtubs full of dirty dishes-Noah’s childhood exerts a powerful force on his present day relationship.

THE BEAT SAYS // A story about the gravitational pull of our past, and how it informs who were are, no matter how far or fast we may grow away.

SALLY THE SLEUTH COLOR ED TP (MR)
(Bedside Press)

(Cover by Adolphe Barreaux)

THE PUBLISHER SAYS // A new, expanded edition of Sally the Sleuth with more comics, and with over 100 pages presented in full colour for the first time ever! Sally the Sleuth was one of the premier heroines of the golden age of comic books, transitioning from naked adventures in men’s mags, to more wholesome gun shoot-outs with crooks in the later pages of Crime Smashers.

THE BEAT SAYS // A fascinating chunk of the comic medium’s past, showing the malleability of ideas through different eras and contexts. Also, just some fun reading.

VAGABOND VALISE (MR)
(Conundrum Press)

(Cover by Siris)

THE PUBLISHER SAYS // The first graphic novel from a founding father of the Quebec comix underground. A poignant account of an alcoholic father who drags his family into misfortune, The Vagabond Valise is the heart-breaking autobiographical story of Siris, represented by his chicken-headed alter ego. Siris paints a sincere and poetic portrait of a troubled childhood spent in and out of foster homes, and the working-class, post-war Quebec where it took place. Winner of the Quebec Graphic Novel of the Year.

THE BEAT SAYS // You can read John Seven’s take on this book at this very site! Suffice to say it’s a bit of a harrowing read, so this is either the perfect read, or the worst read you can treat yourself to at the start of the new year, depending on how your brain deals with the passage of time.

MORE TITLES FROM OTHER PUBLISHERS

ANIMOSITY #18 (MR)
ARCHIE #701
ARCHIE 1941 #4 (OF 5)
ASPEN VISIONS IRIS MIDST OF CHAOS #1 (OF 3)
BETTY & VERONICA JUMBO COMICS DIGEST #269
BLACK BETTY #7 (MR)
BLACK KNIGHT #3 (OF 5)
BLOODSHOT RISING SPIRIT #1 2ND PTG
CARSON OF VENUS #2 PIRATES OF VENUS
CELLIES #6
DINOSAUCERS #5
DOCTOR WHO 13TH #1 2ND PTG
FAMILY GRAVES #4 (OF 4) (MR)
FATHOM VOL 7 #6
HELLINA RAVENING #2 (MR)
INVADER ZIM #38
JOHN CARPENTER TALES OF SCI FI TWITCH #1 (OF 5) (MR)
JUGHEAD THE HUNGER #11 (MR)
KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN SUN #2
LEGEND OF BOLD RILEY #4
NICE #2 (OF 4) (MR)
PRINCELESS FIND YOURSELF #3
RAGS #2 2ND PTG (MR)
REVENGE OF WONDERLAND #6 (OF 6)
RICK & MORTY #45

20TH CENTURY BOYS TP VOL 02 PERFECT ED URASAWA
AHO GIRL (CLUELESS GIRL) GN VOL 10
ANONYMOUS NOISE GN VOL 12
BAREFOOT GEN GN VOL 03 (CURR PTG) (MR)
BEAUTIFUL CREATURES TP (Red 5 Comics) // From the publisher: “They say we all have a monster lurking inside us. Four beautiful college girls uncover their secret passengers – mythic creatures of a long dead age. The surfacing of their true nature hurls them into a hidden world of awakening magic, wonder, and monsters. From Rat Queens creator Kurtis Wiebe comes Beautiful Creatures, back in print.”
BLUE EXORCIST GN VOL 21
CELLIES TP VOL 01 (Lion Forge) // A hilarious comic series about dealing with retail in an Apple Store style environment. Any retail worker who just survived the holiday season crunch will get some cathartic release from this.
CERTAIN SCIENTIFIC ACCELERATOR GN VOL 08
DEMON PRINCE OF MOMOCHI HOUSE GN VOL 13
DESCENDING STORIES GN VOL 10
DEVILMAN GRIMOIRE GN VOL 05 (MR)
DOLLFACE TP VOL 04 (MR)
FIRE FORCE GN VOL 13
HIGH RISE INVASION GN VOL 03 (MR)
HUNGRY FOR YOU ENDO YASUKO STALKS NIGHT GN VOL 02 (MR)
IN CHRIST THERE IS NO EAST OR WEST GN
INFINI-T FORCE GN VOL 03
INK & ANGUISH TP JAY LYNCH ANTHOLOGY
KAGUYA SAMA LOVE IS WAR GN VOL 06
LEGEND OF GALACTIC HEROES SC NOVEL VOL 08
LOST IN SPACE COUNTDOWN TO DANGER GN VOL 01
MAGIKA SWORDSMAN & SUMMONER GN VOL 10 (MR)
MIDNIGHT TASK FORCE TP VOL 01 HIDDEN VOICES
MIGHTY CRUSADERS TP VOL 01
MISSIONS OF LOVE GN VOL 16
MY HERO ACADEMIA VIGILANTES GN VOL 03
PHANTOM COMPLETE DON NEWTON HC
POKEMON SUN & MOON GN VOL 03
PRINCE VALIANT HC VOL 18 1971-1972
RADIANT GN VOL 03
RASL COLOR ED TP VOL 03 (OF 3) FIRE OF ST GEORGE (MR)
RUROUNI KENSHIN 3IN1 TP VOL 09
SKIP BEAT 3IN1 TP VOL 13
TOKYO TARAREBA GIRLS GN VOL 04
TWELVE DEVILS DANCING TP VOL 01 (MR)

MAGAZINES

COMIC SHOP NEWS #1646
COMICS REVUE PRESENTS DEC 2018
HEAVY METAL #292 (MR)
ICC MAGAZINE #2
ILLUSTRATION MAGAZINE #62
RUE MORGUE MAGAZINE #186
SCARY MONSTERS MAGAZINE #111 (C: 0-1-2) $9.95

BOOKS

STAR WARS ARCHIVES EPISODES IV VI 1977 1983 HC
SWEET DREAMS SUPERGIRL BOARD BOOK
WALT DISNEY MICKEY MOUSE COMP HISTORY HC

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