5 Comics to Watch for in August 2016
1. March: Book Three by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell (August 2)
This book concludes a trilogy detailing the struggles of the civil rights movement, as told by Senator John Lewis–an icon of the era in his own right. Books one and two of the series released in 2013 and 2015, to a slew of accolades including the Eisner Award, the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award, the Coretta Scott King Book Award, among others. With all that the country is going through right now, this release could not be more timely.
2. Lady Killer 2 #1 by Joelle Jones and Michelle Madsen (August 3)
The killer housewife is back! I fell in love with this series before it even came out, due solely to Jones’ striking portraits putting dark twists on retro styles, with a pinch of sick humor. The first volume of the comic wholly lived up to my high expectations. Now Josie Schuller has quit her job as an assassin and gone freelance, and relocated to sunny Cocoa Beach, Florida–which happens to be where I’ve lived for the past two years. For those of you less acquainted, this was also the setting for I Dream of Jeannie.
3. Pretty Deadly, Vol. 2: The Bear by Kelly Sue De Connick and Emma Rios (August 30)
Honestly, I’d follow DeConnick, the creator of Bitch Planet, absolutely anywhere. But Pretty Deadly earned my loyalty in its own right in volume 1, which introduced a complex world and intriguing characters. It delivers a powerful blend of the Wild West, classic mythology, and a sense of mysticism my mind loosely associates with the work of Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
4. Y: The Last Man, Book 5 by Brian K. Vaughn and Pia Guerra (August 16)
In 2002, everything changed–a mysterious event caused all men on the planet to die. All expect one: Yorick Brown. Now, this unlikely survivor has become the most wanted man on the planet, as it is hoped he holds the key to figuring out the secret behind this gender-specific plague. This book completes the series.
5. Harley Quinn #1 by Jimmy Palmiotti, Amanda Connor and Chad Hardin (August 3)
I don’t usually like to jump on a bandwagon. But with the Suicide Squad movie about to release, everything is coming up Harley, and I am curious what they will do with her next. The short answer: A zombie apocalypse. Natch.
This new series is part of DC’s Rebirth initiative re-launching a number of characters, so if you’ve been looking for a good point to jump into one of these longstanding characters, this is it.
