Between DC's relaunch, Marvel's Secret Wars and the endless amount of great creator-owned comics coming from smaller publishers, the wallet of the average comic book fan is certainly taking a beating this month. But what a wonderful beating it is - as evidenced by these fantastic titles you need to pick up this Wednesday.
Batman #41
DC says: The all-new Batman makes his debut! Who is he, and what happens next? Find out here as a new era begins in Gotham City!
Why you should care: It's the long-awaited debut of the new Batman! With Bruce Wayne buried underground and presumed dead, somebody else steps up to the plate — and it's not one of his protégés. Outfitted in a high tech suit of armor owned by the GCPD, Jim Gordon takes on the mantle of the Bat, and you know you want to see how that plays out.
Earth 2: Society #1
DC says: The survivors of Earth-2's war with Apokolips find themselves on a new world, but can Green Lantern, Power Girl, a new Batman and the other heroes of Earth-2 create a new world that's better than the last, or will their interference and good intentions doom this world, just like the old one?
Why you should care: We're hooked on this series of an alternate earth where the big three supers are all dead, so a new generation of heroes emerges to fight the good fight. They lost their original world, but are making a fresh start on a new one, so there's no better time to jump in.
Gotham Academy #7
DC says: Special guest student Damian Wayne drops by the academy - and he is not pleased to meet his new classmates!
Why you should care: It's Buffy meets Harry Potter meets Batman, and it's filled with mysteries, sparkling wit, and vibrant characters. The brilliant first story arc was one of the most confidently-executed debuts we've ever seen in a comic book.
Ultimate End #2
Marvel says: THE LAST ULTIMATES STORY BY THE GROUND-BREAKING UNIVERSE'S FOUNDING FATHERS! The countdown has begun! An end of an era! Who will survive?
Why you should care: We weren't sure what to expect from this title, since the name makes it sound like it's going to depict the final days of the Ultimate Universe. Not so. This brilliant tale takes place on Battleworld, in the shared Manhattan occupied by the Ultimate and Marvel 616 universes. In it, all of your favorite heroes from both universes finally meet face-to-face and compare notes. Basically, it's the book you've been waiting for since the Ultimate Universe began.
Ghost Racers #1
Marvel says: Welcome to the scorching-hot track where cursed souls race at the speed of sin, anything and everything goes and the only rule is no rule — it's the spectacle known as the GHOST RACES; the most hellish "entertainment" known to BATTLEWORLD! 1st place prize: Temporary freedom from the ARENA, but what happens to the unlucky and unholy losers? It's all-out, high-speed warfare among the most bizarre and vicious GHOST RIDERS of the MARVEL UNIVERSE. Expect MANY familiar SKULLS!!
Why you should care: A happy coincidence of timing lends this title some zeitgeist appeal, since it's coming on the heels of Mad Max: Fury Road.
Marvel Zombies #1
Marvel says: Elsa Bloodstone is stationed on the Shield, burdened with the Sisyphean task of keeping the zombie hordes from rampaging through Battleworld. In those moments where she's not enrapt in the throes of battle, she meditates on her deceased father... how everything he taught her gave her the means to fight the zombies, but all the love he didn't give her is what motivated the self-destructive actions that landed her on the Wall in the first place. But when she sees a human child caught in the middle of the zombieverse, she'll muster every ounce of determination she has to throw herself into the zombie horde to rescue the girl. And once Elsa finds her, she's going to have to fight her way back out...
Why you should care: We've been waiting for ages for Warren Ellis' Elsa Bloodstone to escape the pages of his dearly departed Nextwave. Nobody expected her solo debut to come in Marvel Zombies, but it seems like as good a place as any to watch her kick butt with one-liners and panache.
Weirdworld #1
Marvel says: Welcome to the wildest, most dangerous new corner of the Marvel Universe. Welcome to Weirdworld. A world of swords and sorcery and strange, perverted science. A world where one barbarian walks alone, on a dark and savage quest though all things weird and fantastic from throughout Marvel history. His name is Arkon. A lost man in a lost world. Follow him if you dare.
Why you should care: It's kind of like Conan only in a corner of the Marvel Universe where all the craziest, weirdest leftovers wind up.
Rebels #3
Dark Horse says: Following the events on Lake Champlain, Seth's long walk home is juxtaposed with a similar trial from his youth, when an unforeseen accident pitted a young Seth against both the harsh elements and his father's harsher expectations.
Why you should care: If you're not reading Rebels, you're missing a real treat. Seriously, pick it up. Now.
Starve #1
Image says: Once the world's most famous chef, Gavin Cruikshank's been in a self-imposed exile for years. His little foodie television program has since evolved into STARVE, an arena sport that pits chef against chef for the pleasure of their super-rich patrons. It's a stain on a once-noble profession, and Chef Gavin is ready to go to war to stop it. Two things stand in his way: his arch rival Roman Algiers, and his adult daughter Angie, who probably just wants her dad back and acting normal.
Why you should care: What part of that synopsis did not sound bonkers enough to be entertaining?
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