This Feud MUST Continue!

This is your wrestling warning. If you're not into it, hit the back button. Plzkthxbi.

And if this looks like crap, I'm dictating this into my phone so please bear with me.

Apparently, news just broke that Kevin Steen has officially signed with WWE. Not maybe. Not, he looked good in the tryout. Not, once it clears his medical tests and all that jazz. Apparently, it's a done. Deal.

Let the comments about how he shouldn't even be in NXT and the jokes about the random name generator began. I don't care. For me? Starting now, I'm only worried about one thing: if his feud with Sami Zeayn picks up again at some point. Or El Generico. However you wanna look at it.

I'm mostly agreed with Jim Cornette. But his thoughts about the feud between Steen and Generico...that's where I have to agree to disagree with the man. That was, quite literally, a three-year feud that showcase the best of what both of those men could do. Blood, sweat, and tears. A full story, beginning to end. With some of the best matches this decade. And I would love to see it again.

I'm not dumb. I know that it may well not happen. Chris Hero came and went without even touching the main roster, and Sami Callahan has spent a year without even being on NXT television. I'm not declaring this is going to happen, because who the hell knows what his run may or may not produce?

But hot damn, am I going to hope it does somewhere down the line. Please.

C3C1 Preview: Afterlife With Archie vol. 1

When Jughead's beloved pet Hot Dog is killed in a hit and run, Jughead turns to the only person he knows who can help bring back his canine companion—Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Using dark, forbidden magic, Sabrina is successful and Hot Dog returns to the land of the living. But he's not the same... and soon, the darkness he brings back with him from beyond the grave begins to spread, forcing Archie and the gang to try to escape Riverdale!

Collects issues 1-5 featuring the first storyline "Escape from Riverdale" from the new ongoing TEEN+ comic book horror series Afterlife with Archie. 

Script: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Art: Francesco Francavilla, Jack Morelli
Cover: Francesco Francavilla
978-1-61988-908-8
$17.99/$19.99 CAN
6 5/8 x 10 3/16”
Trade Paperback
160 pp, Full Color

A late entrant, as the email from Archie's PR (man, that sounds weird) just came through. Scoff at this all you like, but this has been a damn good book. Not for the typical Archie crowd. And yes, you can pick this up at your local comic shop tomorrow.

C3C1 Preview: D4ve #5

D4VE #5

Writer: Ryan Ferrier
Artist: Valentin Ramon

Price: $0.99
Pages: 22
Rating: 17+

Without power or hope, the robots fall at the hands of the K'laar empire. This is the shocking series conclusion of D4VE.

I'm almost spoiling this for myself, as I've read (and loved) the first issue, but haven't had a chance to read past that yet. If someone reading this from Monkeybrain (Chris or Allison) could hook a brother up with some review copies, that'd be grand.


As for the rest of you, you can buy it here. And go get the rest of them while you're at it.

C3C1 Preview: Revelations #6

Revelations #6 (FINAL ISSUE)
Writer(s): Paul Jenkins
Artist(s): Humberto Ramos

Detective Charlie Northern is close to the truth behind the death of the Pope’s successor, but he struggles with his quickly fracturing faith. With the implication of a dark, corrupt cult at the very heart of the Vatican, Northern’s investigation into one unexplained death might dismantle one of the oldest, most valued institutions of the world. Discover the truth in this final chapter of Jenkins and Ramos’ thrilling mystery!

Revelations has been a pleasant surprise. Paul Jenkins is a pretty good writer, but Humberto Ramos is the one who's made me turn my head the most. I'm so used to his over-the-top cartoon style in various iterations of Spider-Man that I had no idea he could pull something like a Catholic murder mystery off. Looking forward to reading this series wrap-up as this has been a cool story.

Oh, it's also a 17+ story, so parents should keep that in mind. And if you're Catholic and easily offended, this is your warning, too. Tread lightly.

Available at your local comic shop June 4.

C3C1 Preview: Big Trouble in Little China #1

From Boom! Studios press site:


Big Trouble in Little China #1

Writer(s): John Carpenter and Eric Powell

Artist(s): Brian Churilla

WHY WE LOVE IT: BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA is one of our favorite cult-classic films because it mashed together ’80s action and supernatural fantasy movies with ’70s kung-fu flicks. This is the first time any new BIG TROUBLE stories have been officially told, and we have the film’s original director, John Carpenter, working with Eric Powell (THE GOON) on the story. You can’t beat that!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: Eric Powell is a huge fan of BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, so the sense of humor and over-the-top action he brings to THE GOON will be all over this book. Trust us, Brian Churilla’s (THE SIXTH GUN: SONS OF THE GUN) art on this is all kinds of fun.

WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Jack Burton, a macho, truck-driving adventurer, finds a stowaway hiding on his rig, The Pork Chop Express, but that soon becomes the least of his troubles. He helped his best friend Wang save his fiancée from the clutches of a demon, but now the wedding has been invaded by more evil forces with one thing on their minds—revenge against Jack Burton!

Seriously. If I may quote Jay-Z, what more can I say?  Got my copy and I'll absolutely have this thing read by the end of the day. Before work, if I can help it. You can get yours at your local comic shop on June 4.

C3C1 Preview: High Crimes #7

This is something I'm going to be trying out. Since I have access to this stuff, I may as well put some use to it. If you're not already reading comics, first of all -  you're missing out. Secondly, maybe you have a good place to start with posts like this.

So here's how it works: New Comics Day is pretty much always on a Wednesday. So, what you're seeing previews of here will always come out the Wednesday immediately after. Think you can follow along? Good deal. Because here's the first C3C1 Preview.

++++++++++++++


High Crimes #7

Writer: Christopher Sebela
Artist: Ibrahim Moustafa
Color Assists: Lesley Atlansky

Price: $0.99
Pages: 22
Rating: 17+

Dug in at Camp 2, Zan Jensen has lied, killed and drugged her way to within 8,000 feet of Mount Everest's summit. As desolate weather sweeps across the mountain and Zan readies herself to face her dream and the dead body of Sullivan Mars buried beneath it, she finds herself isolated, paranoid, sick and surrounded by Strange Agents playing a game all their own.

High Crimes was one of the Monkeybrain books that got mixed in with the #CS100. I read the first issue, and I'll be honest, it sucked me right in.

I've already read this issue. Don't worry, no spoilers. The slow burn tension that Christopher Sebela is using to build to the end of this book is tremendous. This issue is a great example of that.

Oh, and Christopher Sebela? He's a name to watch. In the next few years, I think we're going to be talking about him the way we talk about Ed Brubaker now. I've also been reading Dead Letters from Boom! Studios, and both of these books are excellent. Get on those ASAP. You can start with High Crimes #7, available right here.

I also still say that Ibrahim Moustafa is pretty damn good for a "self-taught artist."