just like the snow in New York, this week is hitting hard with some new titles. Tinseltown #1, which was mentioned in last week’s Beyond the Big Two, will be coming out this week. Image will also be dropping Isola #1 and Analog #1. Both look amazing and I can't wait to review them more in-depth. Also a special shout-out to the new Sonic the Hedgehog series by IDW, which will also be launching this week. Archie had a fun and memorable Sonic run and it really leaves a lot to be desired. It’s unfortunate that the long established 25-year canon of the Archie’s Sonic will be discarded, but hopefully IDW will create a lore just as intriguing. IDW will also be releasing its next title in the Ominous Universe, Demi-God, which is about a slacker who gains the superpowers of Hercules. Think of him as half fame-seeking Booster Gold and half wall-breaking Deadpool. If that seems like your kind of thing be sure to check it out.
So this week’s segment is all about the little guys. Some of these publishers may be people you’ve never heard of nor decided to pick up, and it’s for that reason I want to give them the spotlight this week. Now let's go beyond the big two and see what's new.
Welcome to Paradise: Scout Comics
Scout Comics grew from Ardden Entertainment, and is a fairly new publisher, only being about three years old since launching their first title Henchgirl. They are all about publishing creator-owned content. So it's a place to see newer writers and artist, such as A.C. Medina and Morgan Kendrick Sawye. Many sites have described Welcome to Paradise as a mix between Pulp Fiction and Total Recall. This Tarantino-esque adventure brings us to the world of Paradise, an underground bunker the size of California. And what’s a post-apocalyptic world without a little bit of chaos. In Paradise deadly drag races, routine mass killings called “the cleanings” and gang activities run rampant. Manny, chop shop delivery boy, is on the run with humanity's saving grace in tow. Will Manny be able to survive his pursuers? The book brings a vibrant world to the underground bunker, with flashy vehicles and futuristic tech that always seems scarce in most post-apocalypse stories. Plus, I’m personally a Tarantino fan so having a story that embodies a similar dialogue style really speaks to me.
Zero Jumper: Alterna Comics
From the first time I saw the covers for Zero Jumper #1 I was in love. From the color choices, to the character design; this book screams cool sci-fi adventure. The story and art is done by Patrick Mulholland, and he has built such an intriguing world all on it's own. Zero Jumper is a four issue mini-series about Juno, the last human alive, who travels across a barren world to find an ancient power source that can manipulate space and time. She looks to save humanity by going back in time and preventing its extinction, even at the cost of her own life. A worthwhile garb for only $1.50!
Portal Bound: Aspen Comics
Portal Bound #0 came out in February and launched as one of Aspen’s first new title for their 15-year anniversary. Portal Bound #0 is a prelude to the series, giving us a short introduction to our main characters. Sybil is a warrior princess who escapes her home-world with her uncle to seek aid. Of course, aid comes in the form of an unlikely hero: 17-year old high school student, Elias Rivera. Portal Bound #1 looks to bring these two heroes together (quite literally might I add) to fight off megalomaniac Emperor Atilus, and his bio-mechanical beasts known as the Fymiera. Can they save the Sybil’s home-world of Havos? The writing and story done by the team of Mark Roslan and Gabe Carrasco is pretty solid, and very geared towards a broad audience. It’s a cool sci-fi story that can be appreciated by younger and older comic book fans alike. The art done by Alex Arizmendi also compliments the writers’ vision and the age groups this book seems geared towards.