The Pulse: Surreal American Heroes and More in New Releases for February 6th, 2019

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

GI JOE SIERRA MUERTE #1
(IDW Publishing)

(Cover by Michel Fiffe)

THE PUBLISHER SAYS // From the mind of comic book auteur Michel Fiffe comes a brilliant, contemporary and loving homage to all things G.I. Joe! Eccentric soldiers dominating bizarre terrorists are showcased in this bombastic account of G.I. Joe’s quintessential mission against Cobra! Through a beachside ambush, a compromised manhunt, and a revenge plan that backfires, America’s fighting elite risk life, love, and honor in this brutal globe-spanning adventure. From the creative mind that brought you COPRA! Visionary creator Michel Fiffe unleashes his imagination on the thrilling, amazing, and wonderful world of G.I. Joe! Each extra-length issue features an in-depth exploration of Larry Hama’s G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic book series, including an interview with Larry Hama himself! All conducted by former Youngblood and current Sleepwalker scribe, Chad Bowers!

THE BEAT SAYS // While Fiffe’s art and storytelling style would traditionally suggest a dismissal of all things “mainstream comics”, the creator has a deep abiding love for all areas of the medium that radiates from his work. This series, much like the Bloodstrike series he did last year, are entirely earnest and are quite additive, instead of being dismissive. A great read for not only indie comics fans, but fans of G.I. Joe.

GIRL IN THE BAY #1 (MR)
(Dark Horse Comics / Berger Books)

(Cover by Corin Howell)

THE PUBLISHER SAYS // In 1969, seventeen-year-old Kathy Sartori was brutally attacked, her body hurled into Brooklyn’s Sheepshead Bay. Miraculously, she survives, fights her way back to the surface, only to discover that 50 years have passed, and an eerie doppelganger has lived out an entire life in her place. Kathy soon confronts not just this strange double, but the madman who “murdered” her five decades earlier. Will he, and the dark entity that lives inside him, hold the key to Kathy’s missing years? Or will Kathy become a ghost of herself and be forced to live out what remains of her life on the edge of the world that she desperately wants to be a part of?

THE BEAT SAYS // This is the kind of tale that is right in J. M. DeMatteis’ wheelhouse. A bit of mysticism and mystery, all while exploring the human condition. With Karen Berger on editorial duties, this will probably feel like Classic Vertigo, with some modern touches.

FEMALE FURIES #1 (OF 6)
(DC Comics)

(Cover by Mitch Gerads)

THE PUBLISHER SAYS // All their lives the Female Furies have been raised to be the meanest, most cunning and most ruthless fighting force on all of Apokolips. So why are Granny Goodness’ girls left behind every time the men go to war? With the might of New Genesis hanging over the planet, and the Forever People making mincemeat out of Darkseid’s army, Granny thinks it’s about time that changed.

And so, Big Barda, Aurelie, Mad Harriet, Lashina, Bernadeth and Stompa set out to beat the boys at their own game. Little do they know the game is rigged-and one accidental murder could spell disaster for them all! FEMALE FURIES is an exciting new miniseries starring some of Jack Kirby’s coolest Fourth World characters by the writer of SHADE, THE CHANGING GIRL and the artist of PLASTIC MAN!

THE BEAT SAYS // Cecil Castellucci’s storytelling on the various incarnations of the Shade series was great, and this seems to be an interesting exploration of Kirby’s Fourth World through a decidedly more feminist lens – something that really hasn’t had that deep on an exploration.

RED SONJA #1
(Dynamite Entertainment)

(Cover by Christian Ward)

THE PUBLISHER SAYS // No man knows the place of her birth, nor where she learned to wield a sword to shame many a male. They know only that she is called The She-Devil of The Hyrkanian Steppes. That, and RED SONJA. MARK RUSSELL (The Flintstones) and MIRKO COLAK (Conan) bring a savage tale of metal and blood. A world conqueror possesses a massive army and a fatal prophecy. A bastard sorceress craves revenge. And a fearsome red-haired warrior is made wartime ruler of a homeland set for decimation.

THE BEAT SAYS // These days, Mark Russell’s name on a book means you’re going to be in for an interesting experience. From revitalizing Prez into a whip-smart modern take on how broken the American political system is, through to The Snagglepuss Chronicles, where he recast Hanna Barbara characters in the era of McCarthyism to great effect, Russell’s work is vital, and this one will be no different. 

DAREDEVIL #1
(Marvel Comics)

(Cover by Julian Totino Tedesco)

THE PUBLISHER SAYS // CLASSIFIED

THE BEAT SAYS // There’s very little known about the start of this Daredevil run, other than Chip Zdarsky providing scripts (and in this issue, a bit of art) alongside Marco Checchetto on art. Oh, and that Daredevil is returning from the the brink of death. While normally, we’d skip anything a company is being tight-lipped on principle, but Zdarsky has done an amazing job of marketing this run, including sending personalized videos to comic shops, and talking about his fondness for the character and hopes for his run. That, and Checchetto is one of the very best in the business, who is just waiting to burst out into super-stardom. This run should be something special.

MORE FROM PREMIERE PUBLISHERS

BOOM! STUDIOS

EMPTY MAN #4
GIANT DAYS #47
WWE #25

BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA OLD MAN JACK TP VOL 03
FEATHERS ORIGINAL GN // From the publisher: “The debut graphic novel from 2015 Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award Winner Jorge Corona. Born covered in black feathers, abandoned as a baby in the slums of the Maze, Poe has lived his entire eleven-year-old life hidden away, until he meets Bianca, an overprotected girl from the wealthy City beyond the Wall. As danger looms on all sides, a friendship grows between the city girl and the boy covered in feathers… a friendship that may just be enough to bring Bianca home, and lead Poe to his destiny. From breakout talent Jorge Corona (Nightwing, Middlewest), Feathers is a heartwarming tale of danger, friendship, and adventure.”
FIREFLY LEGACY EDITION TP VOL 02
GARFIELD HOMECOMING TP

DARK HORSE COMICS

BPRD DEVIL YOU KNOW #13
HALO LONE WOLF #2 (OF 4)
LAGUARDIA #3 (MR)
MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 #4
SWORD DAUGHTER #6
UMBRELLA ACADEMY HOTEL OBLIVION #5

BPRD DEVIL YOU KNOW TP VOL 02 PANDEMONIUM
ETHER II TP VOL 02 COPPER GOLEMS

DC COMICS

ADVENTURES OF THE SUPER SONS #7 (OF 12)
BATMAN #64 THE PRICE // The start of a crossover with The Flash that ties into the Heroes in Crisis crossover.
CURSE OF BRIMSTONE #11
DEATHSTROKE #40 (ARKHAM)
DREAMING #6 (MR)
GREEN ARROW #49
GREEN LANTERN #4
HARLEY QUINN #58
JUSTICE LEAGUE #17
MAN AND SUPERMAN 100 PAGE SUPER SPECTACULAR #1 // From the publisher: “‘This is the best Superman story I’ve ever written.’ So says living legend Marv Wolfman, and when you’ve written hundreds of Superman stories as he has, it means a great deal. This gem of a tale – written and drawn for 2006-2009 for the SUPERMAN CONFIDENTIAL series (but never before published) – explodes from the DC archives as a triumphant tale of Clark Kent’s fateful first days in Metropolis, which were far from easy. His early failures almost ensured there would never be a hero called Superman. Powerful writing and stunning art combine to conjure an inspiring story that needed to be published, one you will never forget, from a pair of master storytellers.
SUICIDE SQUAD BLACK FILES #4 (OF 6)
UNITED STATES VS MURDER INC #6 (OF 6) (MR)
YOUNG JUSTICE #2

AQUAMAN SUICIDE SQUAD SINK ATLANTIS TP
BLACKEST NIGHT SAGA ESSENTIAL EDITION TP
NEW SUPER MAN & THE JUSTICE LEAGUE OF CHINA TP
POWERS TP BOOK 03 NEW EDITION (MR)
SHAZAM THE MONSTER SOCIETY OF EVIL TP NEW ED // The amazing Shazam! series featuring story and art from Jeff Smith is back in print!

DYNAMITE

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA TWILIGHT COMMAND #1
PROJECT SUPERPOWERS #6
VAMPIRELLA REANIMATOR #2

IDW PUBLISHING

ATOMIC ROBO & DAWN OF NEW ERA #2 (OF 5)
GI JOE A REAL AMERICAN HERO #259
RISE OF THE TMNT #5
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #13

LOWLIFES TP
STAR TREK NEW VISIONS TP VOL 08
TMNT BEBOP & ROCKSTEADY HIT THE ROAD TP
TRANSFORMERS OPTIMUS PRIME TP VOL 05
VOYAGE TO THE DEEP HC

IMAGE COMICS

CEMETERY BEACH #6 (OF 7) (MR)
CURSE WORDS #20 (MR)
DIE #3 (MR)
FREEZE #3 (MR)
GASOLINA #15 (MR)
PRODIGY #3 (OF 6) (MR)
SELF MADE #3 (MR)
UNNATURAL #7 (OF 12) (MR)
VINDICATION #1 (OF 4) (MR) // From the publisher: “MINISERIES PREMIERE! In turbulent times, when cops are often portrayed as the enemy of the people, Detective Chip Christopher maneuvers the blurred blue line between racism and due diligence in order to do his job. And right now it’s his job to investigate Turn, a young black man with a sketchy past-who was previously exonerated of a similar murder.”
WALKING DEAD #188 (MR)

MARVEL COMICS

AGE OF X-MAN MARVELOUS X-MEN #1 (OF 5)
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #10 2ND PTG RAMOS VAR
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #11 2ND PTG OTTLEY VAR
ASGARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #6
AVENGERS #14
CHAMPIONS #2
CONAN THE BARBARIAN #1 2ND PTG ASRAR VAR
CONAN THE BARBARIAN #2 2ND PTG ASRAR VAR
CONAN THE BARBARIAN #3
DEADPOOL #9
EXTERMINATION #5 (OF 5) 2ND PTG LARRAZ VAR
GUNHAWKS #1 // From the publisher: “For Marvel’s 80th anniversary we’ve set our sights on bringing some old titles back into the herd, and we’ve brought in Stray Bullets’ David & Maria Lapham for a bullet-riddled saga of violence, vengeance and Western justice. In the days of the Old West there were plenty of fearsome folk… cowboys, rustlers, lawmen and outlaws…but few were as fearsome as THE GUNHAWKS!”
IMMORTAL HULK #11 2ND PTG BENNETT VAR
IMMORTAL HULK #13
KILLMONGER #4 (OF 5)
OLD MAN QUILL #1 (OF 12)
SHURI #2 2ND PTG ROMERO VAR
SHURI #3 2ND PTG ROMERO VAR
SPIDER-GEDDON #4 (OF 5) 2ND PTG BARBERI VAR
STAR WARS #61
STAR WARS AOR ANAKIN SKYWALKER #1
SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #1 2ND PTG HAWTHORNE VAR
THOR #8 2ND PTG DEL MUNDO VAR
TONY STARK IRON MAN #8
TRUE BELIEVERS CAPTAIN MARVEL MS MARVEL #1
TRUE BELIEVERS CAPTAIN MARVEL SPIDER-MAN & MS MARVEL #1
UNCANNY X-MEN #11
UNCANNY X-MEN #5 2ND PTG SILVA VAR
UNCANNY X-MEN #6 2ND PTG CINAR VAR
UNCANNY X-MEN #7 2ND PTG PEREZ VAR
UNCANNY X-MEN #8 2ND PTG SILVA VAR
WOLVERINE LONG NIGHT ADAPTATION #2 (OF 5)
X-23 #9

CONAN CHRONICLES EPIC COLLECTION TP DARKSOME HILLS
INFINITY GAUNTLET TP DELUXE EDITION
MARVELS CAPTAIN MARVEL PRELUDE TP
MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR GN TP VOL 01 BEGINNING
MS MARVEL GN-TP KAMALA KHAN
PUNISHER EPIC COLLECTION TP KINGPIN RULES
PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL FRACTION TP VOL 01 COMPLETE COLLECTION
VENOMNIBUS HC VOL 02
WOLVERINE TP LOGAN NEW PTG

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FEATURED TITLES FROM OTHER PUBLISHERS

KAIJUMAX DELUXE ED HC VOL 01 (MR)
(One Press)

(Cover by Zander Cannon)

THE PUBLISHER SAYS // Up from the depths! 13 inches high! Breathing fire! Its head in the sky! It’s the KAIJUMAX KAIJU-SIZED DELUXE HARDCOVER! Collecting the first 12 issues in oversized full color glory, this is the epic, pitch-black, candy-colored kaiju prison comic that once and for all points out the folly of man. Follow Electrogor, Mechazon, Warden Kang, The Creature from Devil’s Creek, Chisato, Hellmoth, Jeong, and more as they negotiate the harsh rules of prison, the perils of the kaiju black market, and the allure of the illicit uranium trade. From the depths of the Old Gods’ Krakenhouse to Team GREAT’s orbital laser satellite, from the 1960s to modern day, the furious, anguished, or triumphant roars of KAIJUMAX’s inmates will ring in your ears for all time.

THE BEAT SAYS // This dark comedy takes the prison drama, and places it in a prison for kaiju monsters. Balancing the ridiculous, with the downright dark and heinous, this title is one to check out, either in this edition, or in the cheaper softcovers.

MAGICAL BEATDOWN #1 (MR)
(Silver Sproket)

(Cover by Jenn Woodall)

THE PUBLISHER SAYS // Hyper violent street harassment revenge fantasy in the style of Sailor Moon about about an average schoolgirl who transforms into a foul-mouthed and rage-fuelled Magical Girl. Watch in awe as she swiftly disposes of street harassers and uses her array of magical weapons, printed in fluorescent pink and blue.

THE BEAT SAYS // This is a book you already know you want or not, just from the picture and the description alone. But we’re gonna be honest: this seems like the perfect book for these current times, from aesthetic, to concept.

MAKER COMICS GN BAKE LIKE A PRO + HOW TO FIX A CAR
(:01 FIRST SECOND)

(Covers by Falynn Koch & Chris Schweizer)

BAKE LIKE A PRO // Learn how to bake the perfect chocolate chip cookie and more in this volume of First Second’s new DIY graphic novel series! Today is the first day of Sage’s magical internship! Her fellow wizards-in-training get to study pyromancy and transfiguration, but Sage has been assigned an internship in… baking? She doesn’t think that sounds fun, or particularly magical! But her instructor, Korian, insists that baking is a tasty form of alchemy. In an enchanted kitchen where the ingredients insist that you eat them, Sage learns the simple science behind baking, and that’s the best kind of magic trick! Follow these simple recipes, and you’ll be able to bake a pizza and frost a cake, no magic necessary!

HOW TO FIX A CAR // Learn how to maintain your car and handle tricky roadside repairs in this volume of First Second’s new DIY graphic novel series! Lena, Mason, Abner, Rocky, and Esther only have one thing in common: They’re crazy about cars. A few of them already have their driver’s licenses. And even though Rocky and Esther are too young to drive, they still have a lot questions. In Car Club, Ms. Gritt has all the answers. When is the best time to check the oil? How do you change a tire? And why is Mason’s car making that squeaky noise? Before you get behind the wheel, learn what’s going on underneath the hood. Follow along as Ms. Gritt covers all the basics of preventative maintenance and roadside repairs. Colorful diagrams illustrate the inner workings of complex parts and systems. With Maker Comics: Fix a Car!, you can keep your automobile in tip-top shape!

THE BEAT SAYS // A fantastic learning series in a great package. These, along with this publisher’s Science Comics are helping kids (and folks of all ages) learn about a whole lot of different things. Very cool.

MORE TITLES FROM OTHER PUBLISHERS

AM ARCHIVES THREE STOOGES #1 1953
ARCHIE #702
ARCHIE 1941 #5 (OF 5)
ARCHIE JUMBO COMICS DIGEST #296
ASPEN VISIONS FATHOM SPINNING OUR FATE #1
BLACK AF DEVILS DYE #2 (OF 4) (MR)
CATALYST PRIME NOBLE #15
CAVEWOMAN A WIZARD A SORCERESS AND MERIEM #1 (OF 1)
CELLIES #7
DOCTOR WHO 13TH #4
GOD MODE #1
GOLD DIGGER #260
HUNTERS OF SALAMANSTRA #14 (MR)
KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE #262
LADY DEATH APOCALYPTIC ABYSS #1 (OF 2)
LADY DEATH THE RECKONING #1 25TH ANNIV ED (MR)
LITTLE GIRL #4 (OF 4) (MR)
MONSTROUS #3 (OF 4)
NICE #3 (OF 4)
OBERON #1 // From the publisher: “Betrayed by his people and exiled to Earth, Lord Oberon, the former king of the fairies, seeks out an innocent prophesied child in order to manipulate her into becoming his ultimate weapon so that he can reclaim his rightful throne. From writer Ryan Parrot (VOLITION) and artist Milos Slavkovic (T/K), Oberon is a new supernatural adventure proving once and for all that fairies should never be trusted.”
OGRE #1 (OF 3) 2ND PTG (MR)
ROBOTECH #17
SHADOW ROADS #6
SNAP FLASH HUSTLE #2 (OF 4) (MR)
THESE SAVAGE SHORES #3 (MR)
TRUMPS TITANS VS THE END #1 (OF 1)
VAMPBLADE SEASON 3 #9 (MR)
VAN HELSING SWORD OF HEAVEN #4 (OF 6)
WASTED SPACE #6 (MR)
WRATH ETERNAL WARRIOR #1 DOLLAR DEBUT
WRONG EARTH #6

AO HARU RIDE MANGA GN VOL 03
BETROTHED TP VOL 01 LOVE OR DIE
BIGBY BEAR HC
BLACK CLOVER GN VOL 14
BLACK TORCH GN VOL 03
BOARDING SCHOOL JULIET GN VOL 04
CATALYST PRIME NOBLE TP VOL 03 NO ONE MAN
CHRONIN GN VOL 01 KNIFE AT YOUR BACK
EDENS ZERO VOL 02
FOOD WARS SHOKUGEKI NO SOMA GN VOL 28
FREEZING OMNIBUS GN VOL 12 (MR)
HINAMATSURI GN VOL 02
HOLY CORPSE RISING GN VOL 06
HOW NOT TO SUMMON DEMON LORD GN VOL 03
JOJOS BIZARRE ADV 3 STARDUST CRUSADERS HC VOL 10
JUNI TAISEN ZODIAC WAR GN VOL 03
KINOS JOURNEY BEAUTIFUL WORLD GN VOL 01
LOST IN SPACE COUNTDOWN TO DANGER HC GN VOL 01
MIRACULOUS TALES LADYBUG CAT NOIR S2 TP GOTCHA
MIRACULOUS TALES LADYBUG CAT NOIR S2 TP NO EVIL DOING
MISS KOBAYASHIS DRAGON MAID KANNA DAILY LIFE GN VOL 04
MORT GERBERG ON SCENE SC
MY HERO ACADEMIA GN VOL 17
NARWHAL & JELLY HC GN VOL 04 OTTER FRIEND
NEW KID GN // From the publisher: “In this full-color, contemporary graphic novel for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Gene Luen Yang, a twelve-year-old kid from Washington Heights starts his seventh-grade year at a new posh private school, where diversity is low and the struggle to fit in is real. Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade. As he makes the daily trip from his Washington Heights apartment to the upscale Riverdale Academy Day School, Jordan soon finds himself torn between two worlds, and not really fitting into either one. Can Jordan learn to navigate his new school culture while keeping his neighborhood friends and staying true to himself?”
ONE PIECE GN VOL 89
ORESAMA TEACHER GN VOL 25
PLEASE TELL ME GALKO CHAN GN VOL 05
PRINCELESS RAVEN PIRATE PRINCESS TP VOL 06 GOLDEN ROCK
PROMISED NEVERLAND GN VOL 08
SHORTCAKE CAKE GN VOL 03
SIMPSONS COMICS SHOWSTOPPER TP
STARSEEDS HC VOL 02
SUPER SIKH GN VOL 01
TAKANE & HANA GN VOL 07
THROUGH A LIFE GN
TO LOVE RU GN VOL 11-12 (MR)
WALLY WOOD DARE DEVIL ACES HC
WE NEVER LEARN GN VOL 02
WORLDS END HAREM GN VOL 04 (MR)
YONA OF THE DAWN GN VOL 16

MAGAZINES

ALTER EGO #157
BRICKJOURNAL #55
COMIC SHOP NEWS [90CT BUNDLE] #1651
FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND #290
FILMFAX #153
HOBBY JAPAN JANUARY 2019
MONSTER BASH MAGAZINE #35
STAR WARS INSIDER #187

BOOKS

COMIC BOOK ARTISTS WORKBOOK PERSPECTIVE SC
COMICS JOURNAL #303
EDDIE SPAGHETTI HC STORY BOOK
EXPANDING ART OF COMICS 10 MODERN MASTERPIECES SC
FRIGHTFEST GUIDE TO GHOST MOVIES SC
GAME ON VIDEO GAME HISTORY PONG TO MINECRAFT & MORE SC
GRIMGAR OF FANTASY & ASH LIGHT NOVEL VOL 09
HOW NOT TO SUMMON DEMON LORD LIGHT NOVEL VOL 01
I AM BILLIE JEAN KING YR HC
MR FIBBER HC STORY BOOK
OPENNESS OF COMICS GENERATING MEANING SC
SOUL LIQUID CHAMBERS GN VOL 03 (MR)
STRANGER THINGS HC NOVEL SUSPICIOUS MINDS
SUPER NYLON PARADE WOMEN LEGS & NYLONS ENGLISH ED HC (MR)
TATTOOED BEAUTIES ENGLISH ED HC (MR)
TORADORA LIGHT NOVEL VOL 04