This batch features a superpowered tale of vengeance, a new installment for Valiant's Ninjak, the return of the nefarious Negaduck, and superpowered medical drama, and the unexpected sequel to Joe Casey's Butcher Baker.
THE MADNESS #1 (OF 6)
(W) J. Michael Straczynski (A) David Lorenzo (A/CA) Aco
Legendary writer J. Michael Straczynski teams with superstar artist ACO for a tale of bloody vengeance.
In THE MADNESS, Sarah Ross has been using her power as a thief, stealing from the rich and...well, keeping it. Until the day she stole from the wrong person, a highly placed official who pressures the government to assassinate her. The plot, aided by so-called "good" superheroes sponsored by the government, misses her but wipes out her family. Driven mad by grief, and laser-focused on revenge for the murder of her family, Sarah and a hidden side of her personality - an imaginary friend who may be more real than she believes - goes after these superpowered operatives determined to take her revenge, at any cost.
JUN231641
Why this caught my eye:
Straczynski is real hit or miss with me, but Aco is top notch and the overall pitch sounds engaging.
NINJAK SUPERKILLERS #1 (OF 4)
(W) Jeff Parker (A) Mike Norton (CA) Dave Johnson
A ruthless team of superpowered killers versus the world's most lethal assassin - who will survive? The all-new explosive limited series Ninjak Superkillers is a globetrotting noir tale with deadly consequences for the Valiant Universe!
JUL232063
Why this caught my eye:
Always down for some good Jeff Parker fun, plus Norton is an interesting and solid choice on art.
NEGADUCK #1
(W) Jeff Parker (A) Ciro Cangialosi (CA) Joshua Middleton
"I am the screeching fingernail on the chalkboard of justice. I am the sour ball in the candy jar of goodness. I am NEGADUCK!"
He's the exact opposite of DD in every way... evil, nefarious, dedicated to stealing lollipops from kids and not helping grandmas across the street! And now, he's ready to begin a reign of crime and terror the likes of which St. Canard has never seen - except... dang it, all of the other villains are ripping off his ideas! What's a criminal mastermind to do when the city's thick with other criminals, stealing his shine? Why, take his villainy on the road, of course!
Written with fiendish glee by arch-author JEFF PARKER and illustrated by the suspiciously talented CIRO CANGIALOSI, Negaduck features a regular rogues' gallery of cover artists, including JOSHUA MIDDLETON, JAE LEE, TRISH FORSTNER, and a special Whiteout homage cover by that series' co-creator, STEVE LIEBER!
JUL230154
Why this caught my eye:
Ok, what I said about Jeff Parker on Ninjak goes double here, this should be a ton of fun. Also, aside from anything important, I do have to say I love that Valiant had barely a paragraph for their Ninjak pitch and meanwhile Dynamite goes crazy on letting you know all about Negaduck of all things.
CRASHING TP
(W) Matthew Klein (A) Morgan Beem
House meets Gotham Central in this powered up medical drama featuring a prized physician caught amid recovery from addiction and a polarizing campaign aimed to strip superpowered humans of healthcare rights. Rose Osler is a specialist. Her focus? Patients with Powers... at a hospital with a No Powered Patients policy. When a battle between Boston's protectors and destroyers erupts, Rose is trapped between saving the city's beloved hero by day and greatest villain at night. Except Rose could become a casualty when she's forced to risk her recovery. As Rose pushes past her limits to save everyone else, will she be able to save herself?
Witness the downward spiral conceptualized by debut writer Matthew Klein with art by Morgan Beem (Swamp Thing: Twin Branches and The Family Trade), colors by Triona Farrell (Ms. Marvel and Shang-Chi), and letters by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.
APR231544
Why this caught my eye:
First, Klein used to be a direct contact at Valiant that we used to work with so props to him on getting this project going. Second, I really love Beem's artwork and you should check out more of her stuff. And finally, I have a very specific and random love for superpowered medical dramas, partially because they don't happen often. I mean I still have fond memories of Antarctic's MetaDocs and nobody remembers that property.
JUNIOR BAKER RIGHTEOUS FAKER #1 (OF 5)
(W) Joe Casey (A/CA) Ryan Quackenbush
MINISERIES PREMIERE
THE SURPRISE SEQUEL TO 2011's BUTCHER BAKER THE RIGHTEOUS MAKER!
Meet Daniel ""Dizzy"" Baker, a gonzo journalist chasing superhuman stories in a world that's left superheroes behind. Stumbling onto the ultimate story, Baker embarks on a personal vision quest where his past and his future violently collide. Created and written by JOE CASEY, with art by dynamic newcomer RYAN QUACKENBUSH. A dark journey into a surreal family legacy, each issue contains a mind-bending 30 pages of story!
JUL230427
Why this caught my eye:
The original Butcher Baker is a favorite, and Quackenbush's artwork is pretty interesting.
That's it for this batch, we'll check out some LGBTQ+ material on the next round!