I love comics and graphic novels, so what do I do with that love? Well, I turn it into a new feature!
From Panel to Panel is a new feature where I talk about the awesome (and perhaps not-so awesome) comic books and graphic novels I’ve read. Basically, this will be me pushing them onto your laps. You’re welcome.
July, oh July, you have so many comics releasing, and I want it all. Badass Hulk. Fashionable aliens trying to be human. BTS for stage crew boys. Gotham Academy second semester. This month, you need to put these on your TBR list.
Get your shopping carts loaded with all these comics!
MONSTRESS • VOL. 2: THE BLOOD |
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The Eisner-nominated MONSTRESS is back! Maika, Kippa, and Ren journey to Thyria in search of answers to her past… and discover a new, terrible, threat.
Collects MONSTRESS #7-12 — Image Comics
Publication date: July 5, 2017 by Image Comics
Buy: LCBS · Amazon · Barnes & Noble · The Book Depository · Indigo · Comixology
Why I’m excited: OH MY GOD, YOU GUYS, MONSTRESS VOLUME 2 IS THE BEST EVER. You get Maika, loyal Kippa, Master Ren, more cats and other creatures. I have read it like multiple times, and I’m just so struck by the writing and the art. All the characters leave a heavy impression in my heart.
If you haven’t read Vol. 1, you must do it!!!
HULK • VOL. 1: DECONSTRUCTED |
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Jennifer Walters has survived the second Civil War…barely. But, having risen from the rubble, she re-enters the world a very different kind of hero. Fueled by a quiet rage, she is determined to move forward, to go on with her life – but the pain of the past and all that she’s lost is always there. An undercurrent, a pulse waiting to quicken -and trigger Jen’s transformation into the one thing she doesn’t have control over…
If life’s a show, Grace makes certain that it’s worth every pay-per-view. — Marvel Comics
Publication date: July 12, 2017 by Marvel Comics
Buy: LCBS · Amazon · Barnes & Noble · The Book Depository · Indigo · Comixology
Why I’m excited: Jennifer Walters is not dead. She’s alive and kickin’, and she has her very own comic again. Bless. I want to see this Jen, who has survived almost dying. What is she like now? How does she move on?
SHADE THE CHANGING GIRL • VOL. 1: EARTH GIRL MADE EASY |
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From writer Cecil Castellucci and artist Marley Zarcone, SHADE, THE CHANGING GIRL VOL. 1: EARTH GIRL MADE EASY—a bold new reimagining of one of comics’ maddest and most memorable characters and part of the DC’s Young Animal imprint led by rock-star Gerard Way.
Loma Shade may be from another planet, but she’s still like every other twentysomething who feels that their life is going nowhere fast. Bored out of her mind, her solution is to drop out of school, dump her boyfriend and leave her homeworld of Meta behind—courtesy of the infamous “madness coat” of renegade poet Rac Shade, which is not so much a garment as it is a multidimensional gateway.
After stealing the coat and astrally projecting herself across space, Loma ends up in the body of Megan Boyer, an Earth girl who seems to have it all: youth, beauty and a conveniently damaged brain. Following her “miraculous” recovery, however, Loma finds there’s just one problem with being Megan: Everyone hates her. She was a bully who terrorized her enemies and her friends alike, and now Loma’s stuck with the consequences.
To make matters worse, back on Meta there are dark forces that want Rac’s dangerously valuable coat for their own nefarious purposes, and they’re closing in on Loma’s vulnerable physical body. At the same time, the primal madness that the coat channels is slowly, irresistibly eroding Loma’s equally vulnerable soul.
With two new lives to live, can this Changing Girl survive either one without losing her mind?
Find out in SHADE, THE CHANGING GIRL VOL. 1: EARTH GIRL MADE EASY. Collects issues #1-6. — DC Comics
Publication date: July 12, 2017 by DC Comics
Buy: LCBS · Amazon · Barnes & Noble · The Book Depository · Indigo · Comixology
Why I’m excited: Shade the Changing Girl is one weird book, and that’s why I am excited about it! An alien-like creature, Loma Shade, possesses the body of a mean Earth girl when Loma wears a “madness coat.” It’s a wiilllllllld trip. Like, it’s quite mad, but delightful.
BACKSTAGERS • VOL. 1 |
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All the world’s a stage . . . but what happens behind the curtain is pure magic—literally!
When Jory transfers to an all-boys private high school, he’s taken in by the only ones who don’t treat him like a new kid, the lowly stage crew known as the Backstagers. Not only does he gain great, lifetime friends, Jory is also introduced to an entire magical world that lives beyond the curtain. With the unpredictable twists and turns of the underground world, the Backstagers venture into the unknown, determined to put together the best play their high school has ever seen.
James Tynion IV (Detective Comics, The Woods) teams up with artist Rian Sygh (Munchkin, Stolen Forest) for an incredibly earnest story that explores what it means to find a place to fit in when you’re kinda an outcast.– Boom! Studios
Publication date: July 19, 2017, 2017 by Boom! Studios
Buy: LCBS · Amazon · Barnes & Noble · The Book Depository · Indigo · Comixology
Why I’m excited: Magic happens on the stage! Well, at least backstage. I’m excited to see how Jory finds a place being part of the stage crew. It looks super cute. (+ Power of friendships, yay!!!!!)
GOTHAM ACADEMY SECOND SEMESTER • VOL. 1: WELCOME BACK |
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The acclaimed creative team of Brenden Fletcher (BATGIRL), Becky Cloonan (Southern Cross) and Karl Kerschl (WEDNESDAY COMICS) are joined by artist Adam Archer (AME-COMI GIRLS) as classes begin and new mysteries unfold for the kids of Gotham Academy in GOTHAM ACADEMY: SECOND SEMESTER VOL. 1—WELCOME BACK!
It’s the second semester at Gotham Academy, and everything is back to normal. Of course, “normal” for Gotham’s top prep school would be considered uncontrollable weirdness anywhere else!
First, a bunch of students start walking out of their extracurricular activities with no explanation and signing up for a strange new society—Witch Club! Then, a stolen map of the Academy puts the students on the trail of ancient symbols and hidden chambers.
There’s plenty for the Detective Club to investigate—but Olive Silverlock is distracted by her new rebel roommate, Amy. Is Maps Mizoguchi right to be suspicious of a bad influence, or just jealous that she’s losing her best friend?
Plus, Detective Club is joined by the World’s Greatest Detective—Batman!
Collects GOTHAM ACADEMY: SECOND SEMESTER 1-3, 5-8. — DC Comics
Publication date: July 19, 2017 by DC Comics
Buy: LCBS · Amazon · Barnes & Noble · The Book Depository · Indigo · Comixology
Why I’m excited: Classes begin again at Gotham Academy, and I could never been happier because my precious babies are back!! These sleuths gotta figure out what this strange new society—Witch Club—is and what a stolen map of GA leads them to.
MIDNIGHTER AND APOLLO |
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Partners. Teammates. Lovers. Even though they’d broken up, it’s impossible to keep the heroes known as Midnighter and Apollo apart.
But that’s exactly what Henry Bendix is counting on.
The man who created Midnighter wants to destroy him, and he knows that the perfect warrior has only one weak point—the man he loves. So if he can’t send Midnighter to Hell himself, he’ll get Midnighter to walk right into the underworld…to rescue Apollo, whose soul has been stolen by the Lord of Hell, Neron.
Midnighter is coming to Hell…and Heaven help any demon who stands between him and his man.
Collects MIDNIGHTER AND APOLLO issues #1-6 of the miniseries.– DC Comics
Publication date: July 19, 2017, 2017 by DC Comics
Buy: LCBS · Amazon · Barnes & Noble · The Book Depository · Indigo · Comixology
Why I’m excited: Oh my god, Midnighter has to rescue his love, Apollo from the Lord of Hell??? Will this deal with a bit of mythology?? Whatever happens, I’m excited to see Midnighter go to Hell and kick major asses.outside of Gotham.
PATSY WALKER AKA HELLCAT • VOL. 3: CARELESS WHISKERS |
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Hellcat has had nothing but bad luck ever since the Black Cat crossed her path. But now that Felicia’s got a whole girl gang in her claws, how can Patsy possibly win this cat fight?! Especially with her best friend on the fence, and distracted by an old flame…
Collects Patsy Walker, A.K.A. Hellcat! #13-17. – Marvel Comics
Publication date: July 19, 2017 by Marvel Comics
Buy: LCBS · Amazon · Barnes & Noble · The Book Depository · Indigo · Comixology
Why I’m excited: I can’t believe Patsy Walker aka Hellcat has ended. I don’t ever want this cute comic to end, but alas. I will cherish all these precious characters and panels.
SOLID STATE |
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From musician, singer-songwriter, and internet superstar JONATHAN COULTON comes the graphic novel accompaniment (in square-bound, 10″ x 10″ format) to his new concept album, SOLID STATE. Two guys, connected by a name and hundreds of years, somehow stand at the end of man’s beginning, and the beginning of man’s end. But…it’s funny? Also kind of a nightmare. But mostly funny? A funny science FACTion nightmare about the end of everything, but how that’s all kind of okay.
Teaming up with MATT FRACTION, the writer of SEX CRIMINALS, CASANOVA, and ODY-C; and the award-winning Spanish artist of Universe! ALBERT MONTEYS, COULTON’s SOLID STATE is a tech mashup where 2001: A Space Odyssey meets Office Space and getting all we ever wanted might just be a terrible idea. – Image Comics
Publication date: July 26, 2017 by Image Comics
Buy: LCBS · Amazon · Barnes & Noble · The Book Depository · Indigo · Comixology
Why I’m excited: I have no idea what Solid State is about, but Matt Fraction is part of this comic, so I neeeeeed to see it.
SPECIAL MENTIONS: Wonder Woman by Greg Rucka Vol. 2, Giant Days Not On The Test Edition HC Vol. 1, Glister, Midnighter The Complete Wildstrom Series, Romulus Vol. 1, Southern Cross Vol. 2, Totally Awesome Hulk Vol. 3: Big Apple, Mighty Thor Vol. 3: Asgard/Shi’ar War HC, Ms. Marvel Vol. 7: Damage Per Second, By Chance or Providence, Flash (Rebirth) Vo. 3: Rogues Reloaded, Mighty Thor Vol. 2: Lords of Midgard, Frostbite, Ether Volume 1: Death of the Last Golden Blaze
Dena @ Batch of Books says
Wow! These books all look fantastic. The Backstagers, Gotham Academy, and Shade The Changing Girl are going on my TBR!