Writer: James Tynion IVArtist: Michael DialynasLetterer: Aditya Bidikar In the idyllic setting of Pipetown lives a young boy named Wynd. He’s your average youngster – bright, curious, and just a little rebellious. But Wynd is different, and that’s dangerous for him. He’s got magical ancestry, as evidenced by his pointed ears which he must hide…
Writer: Scott SnyderArtists: Greg CapulloInker: Jonathan GlapionColorist: FCO PlascenciaLetterer: Tom Napolitano The world’s gone mad. Perpetua, the DCU’s creation goddess and big bad of Scott Snyder’s recent Justice League run, has chosen the Batman Who Laughs as her champion. And with her power, he has remade the entire universe in his image: a warped, bat-centric…
Writer: Brian AzzarelloPenciller: Emanuela LupacchinoInker: Ray McCarthyColorist: Trish Mulvihill and John KaliszLetterer: Steve Wands This first issue of the new DC Black Label book, Birds of Prey, has violence, drugs cartel, old flames, and grudging new friendships. It’s a whirlwind story revolving around our three heroines, Black Canary, Huntress, and Harley Quinn. They each have…
Writer: Benjamin PercyArtist: Ramon RosanasColorist: Lee LoughridgeLetterer: Sal CiprianoCover Artist: Kaare Andrews Year Zero is the fifth miniseries from creator-emphatic publisher AWA. From writer Benjamin Percy (Green Arrow, X-Force, Wolverine) and artist Ramon Rosanas (Astonishing Ant-Man, Mighty Captain Marvel), Year Zero blends a hefty dose of Stephen King’s The Stand with a sprinkling of Robert…
TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY Three days of Ultimate comics live shows with more comics, toys, graphic novels and more pulled from the Ultimate Comics Warehouse! Tuesday night (7PM – 10PM): Collectible Comics – MOSTLY single issue comics priced from $1 to $1,000. Wednesday afternoon (3PM – 5PM): $5 Bargain Bin – Everything on the spot is $5! Comics/Toys/Trades…
Writer: Emily Horn & Zac ThompsonArtist: Alberto Jimenez-AlburquerqueColor Artist: Raul AnguloLetterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou How much do we take our environment for granted? We drive our gas-powered cars on asphalt roads to our jobs in buildings of concrete, steel, and glass. We labor to make our lawns greener than our neighbor’s, but not for the benefit…
Writer: Zeb Wells Artist: Stephen Segovia Color Artist: David CurielLetterer: Cory Petit Cover Artist: Stephen Segovia Hellions #1, like all of the other X-Men titles currently running, explores a particular problem created within Jonathan Hickman’s House of X/Powers of X story from Summer 2019. In this case, the problem is what to do with the mutants…
THE ULTIMATE DOLLAR BOOK SALE IS BACK SATURDAY MARCH 28th & SUNDAY MARCH 29th!We’re at it again with our Ultimate Comics Outlet Dollar sale! This time fill a diamond box for just $80!This sale is located at the old Burlington Coat Factory at South Hills Mall across the paring lot from our Ultimate Comics Cary…
UPDATE: Our online form is now disabled. To place an order for curbside or shipping please send an email to ultimatecomicsonline@gmail.com. Please include: – sub box number (if applicable)– phone number– curbside pickup or shipping– mailing address if book should be shipped– a list of books you would like to order Thank you for supporting…
Friday March 20th through Sunday March 22nd come to any Ultimate Comics location and buy any 2 trade paperbacks, graphic novels, hardcovers or manga and get 2 free (equal or lesser value)! That’s right BUY 2, GET 2 FREE! Each Ultimate Comics store will be limiting the number of people at any given time and every person that enters…
Ultimate Comics recognizes the ongoing concerns regarding the COVID-19 virus Ultimate Comics recognizes the ongoing concerns regarding the spread and containment of the COVID-19 virus, the need for Social Distancing, and the struggle of a quarantine. We care about the well-being of all of our customers and staff. We are doing everything in our power…
Writer: Eve EwingArtist: Kim JacintoColor Artist: Espen GrundetjernLetterer: Clayton CowlesCover Artist: Pepe Larraz Are we willing to give up our freedoms to be safe? Would you trade increased restrictions on parts of the population if it meant slightly increased stability? In this new Marvel comic our favorite teen heroes Ms. Marvel, Spider-Man, Ironheart, Nova, and…
Writer: Karla Pacheco Artist: Pere Perez (backstory: Paulo Siqueira & Oren Junior) Color Artist: Frank D’Armata Letterer: VC’s Travis Lanham Cover Artist: Jung-Geun Yoon For the first time in three years, Spider-Woman is back in her own ongoing series–and she’s got new threads for the occasion. In the first story of this giant-size issue, Jessica…
Spider-Woman is back in a new series written by Karla Pacheco with art by Pere Perez! You can pick up the main cover or the J Scott Campbell cover of issue #1 for HALF OFF! Offer good until 3/22 or while supplies last. Also, check out these other variants available at Ultimate Comics! Also be…
Raleigh’s premiere locally owned & operated comic book party is returning to the Raleigh Convention Center, May 30th & 31st, 2020, for two HUGE days, and at only 40 bucks for the entire weekend plus FREE for kids 9-and-under, it’s affordable for the WHOLE family! We’ve got something for everyone! Comic book superstars like X-Men writer…
DO NOT MISS THIS ONE!! It’s the largest ULTIMATE Dollar Comic Sale ever!TWO Big Days! March 14 &15, 2020 Free admission 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM each day Over 500 Long boxes. So many comics we needed to rent out a BIGGER Building!Located at the old Burlington Coat Factory at South Hills Mall near our…
Writer: Tom KingArtists: Mitch Gerads & Evan “Doc” ShanerLetterer: Clayton CowlesCovers: Mitch Gerads & Evan “Doc” Shaner Who is Adam Strange? A hero? War criminal? Neither? Both? These questions drive Tom King’s latest post-modern deconstruction of the superhero genre. In the midst of a promotional book tour for his new wartime memoir, Strange finds himself…
So many #1’s this week! Try a bit of everything! Buy Strange Academy #1 A cover OR Marvel #1 A cover and you’ll get Spider-Man Noir #1 FREE! Offer good until 3/8 or while supplies last.
Writer: Skottie Young Artist: Humberto Ramos Color Artist: Edgar Delgado Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles Cover Artists: Humberto Ramos and Edgar Delgado Strange Academy’s titular institution is the Marvel Universe’s solution for young sorcerers, witches, and other mystic types looking to control their powers in the same way Xavier’s School provided a solution for “Gifted Youngsters.”…
Writer: Mat JohnsonArtists: Mack Chater, Francesco Mobili, and Scott HannaColors: Dono Sanchez-Almara and ProtobunkerLetters: VC’s Joe CarmagnaCover: Mark Bagley and Morry Hollowell Amazing Spider-Man: Daily Bugle #1 asks the question so many newspaper publishers are struggling with today: how does print news stay relevant in a digital age? As editor-in-chief of the Bugle, Robbie Robertson’s…
This weekend, Feb 1st & 2nd, come say Goodbye to Siena with a back issue blow out sale! 25% off all back issues including show books and wall books!! Come to the Cary store to have some cake decorated with Siena’s face and get your Ultimate Comics Siena TRADING CARD! Two days only so don’t…
Writer: Al Ewing Artist: Juann Cabal Colorist: Federico Blee Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit Cover: Juann Cabal & Dean White The galaxy needs a savior. Following a series of harrowing events in Marvel’s Incoming and Annihilation: Scourge, Richard Rider a.k.a. Nova has fallen on desperate times. The Olympians have returned from beyond the grave and Nova…
Stop by the Ultimate Comics Super Secret Warehouse Sale on Saturday Jan 25th from 10 AM – 1 PM for a new selection of dollar comics and more. You can fill a diamond box for just $80! Wanna beat the crowd? 8 AM early bird entry is just $7 and includes a free graphic novel!…
Writers: Dan Slott & Christos GageArtist: Pete WoodsLetterer: VC’s Joe Caramanga The robot revolution has begun! Typically, this kind of story can go one of two ways. Either we follow the desperate human struggle against cold machine, or the righteous robotic crusade for emancipation. Iron Man 2020 smartly opts for both, providing a window into…
If you’re a customer at Ultimate Comics, then I’m guessing that we’ve met before. I’ve been lucky enough to work at the shops for the past four years, first managing Ultimate Comics Durham, then moving over to manage the Ultimate Comics Cary location, and most recently serving as the Operations Manager for all three stores.…
Join us on, Saturday, January 18th at Ultimate Comics Cary from 11am – 3pm, for an exclusive signing with prolific comic writer Christos Gage! His latest work, Iron Man 2020 drops Wednesday, January 15th grab your copy and and come get a free signature! Christos is known for his work on the TV series Daredevil,…
Everything in the store Buy 2 Get 2 Free Mix and Match! It’s the event you’ve been dying for, the Ultimate Comics Black Friday Super Sale, and it’s happening all weekend long! Spend Black Friday Weekend with your pals at Ultimate Comics! This year we’re keeping things simple. We’re giving our customers a crazy good…
Come celebrate local comic shops with your pals at Ultimate Comics, Saturday November 23rd! We’ll have a ton of exclusive comics, hardcovers, and merch! Including The Walking Dead: The Alien, a Walking Dead story written by Brian K. Vaughn (Saga)! It’s the first time this book is in print as a single issue, and it’s…
Come out to Ultimate Comics Durham on August 17th and help us celebrate the 16th anniversary of Ultimate Comics with an all our birthday bash! We’re going to have a huge tent sale, creator signings, a charity blood drive, and a visit from our friends Boom Studios! Under the big tent we’ll have a huge…
Introducing the first Ultimate Comics live show this August 3rd and 4th! Hey comic fans, Aaron from A Comic Shop is excited to dig through about a million comics in the Ultimate Comics Super Secret Warehouse to get you your fix! We’re starting with a five hour live show on both Saturday and Sunday with…
We’ll be open from the start of business Friday morning until our normal closing hours on Saturday night. That’s right, we’re staying up all night long to talk comics with YOU! We’re having 8 different 4 hour-long sale blocks for the entire 32 hours! But that’s not it! For every $75 you spend you can…
Did you miss our last huge dollar book sale at the Ultimate Comics Super Secret Warehouse? Do you love comedy? Boy do we have an event for you! Ultimate Comics is partnering with Mettlesome in downtown Durham for a huge bash Saturday July 13th all day long! Dollar comics, and comic book-inspired events all afternoon…
This Free Comic Book Day, come to Ultimate Comics and be your own hero. We’ll be hosting a blood drive with the amazing organization, the Blood Connection from 10 am – 3 pm at Ultimate Comics Cary (1301 Buck Jones Rd, Raleigh, NC 27606). A single blood donation can help to save up to 3…
It’s everyone’s favorite time of year again, Free Comic Book Day! Free Comic Book Day is Saturday, May 4th, and as usual the Ultimate Crew is going all out for this free event! This is the biggest day of the year at our stores. This year’s lineup of free comic books is amazing! We’ll be…
Alan and I had the chance of a lifetime yesterday at Ultimate Comics Cary. Brooks came in with an old leather suitcase and we popped it open to find Amazing Fantasy 15 along with the first 3 years of Spider-Man and a fantastic run of early X-Men. Brooks found Amazing Fantasy off the shelf back in…
Tuesday 3/26 11:30 pm – 1:00 am at Ultimate Comics Detective Comics is reaching a landmark issue with Detective Comics 1000! Come celebrate this historic event with your friends at Ultimate Comics! When Batman reaches a milestone like this you know Ultimate Comics is going to celebrate with a huge event. Come out to this…
Writer: Olivia Olson Artist: Slimm Fabert Cover: Brittney Williams Adventure Time’s latest comic, Marcy & Simon, is set right after the tear-jerking 11th season finale with Betty bring Simon back from the Ice Crown’s control to the awkward scientist only seen before and during the Mushroom War. In this issue, Simon decided to go on an apology tour around the Land…
Space is a common theme in the DC Universe with adventures stretching from Sector 2814 to the Phantom Zone. But the beloved heroes are no stranger to love with iconic couples such as Clark and Lois, Bruce and Selina, and Diana and Steve. Just a few weeks shy of Valentine’s Day, DC has released…
This Wednesday, January 30th, is the release date for Chuck Palahaniuk’s new series from Dark Horse Comics, Fight Club 3! We have a ton of awesome giveaways! If you purchase a copy of Fight Club 3 #1 at any Ultimate Comics location this week, you’ll be entered to win one of our many awesome prizes.…
Writer: Al Ewing Artists: Garry Brown, Stephen Green, Djibril Morissette-Pham Colorist: Chris O’Halloran Letterer: VC’s Travis Lanham Cover: Kyle Hotz and Dan Brown Amid a sea of superhero titles the Marvel horror one shot, Crypt of Shadows, is a distinct read that is fun and gratifying, harkening back to horror anthology comics and TV shows like Tales…
We had a little accident at the Ultimate Comics Super Secret Warehouse last week. Thanks to a slight miscalculation, a Ryder truck backed into our bay doors! With the door completely smashed, we have about $5000 dollars to recoup to go towards a replacement. Which means we’re having a huge blowout Warehouse Sale! This Saturday,…
Writer: Eve. L Ewing Artist: Kevin Libranda and Luciano Vecchio Colorist: Matt Milla Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles Tony Stark…genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist. Riri Williams…. genius, college student, awkward nerd, concerned citizen. After a run in Invincible Iron Man, Riri Williams gets a new suit and a new title; Ironheart. Though she is a superhero…
Writer: Rafer Roberts Artist: Kristen Gudsnuk Roll for entertainment and relatability. Modern Fantasy is set in the D&D-esque world where instead of traveling on fantastic adventures with your gang of chronic good (and bad) pals, life is just as ours is- crappy desk job, annoying coworkers, and lazy roommates. Sage, a human girl, works a mind-boggling desk job…
Writers: David Walker and Chuck Brown Artist: Sanford Greene Colorist: Rico Renzi and Sanford Greene Letterer: Clayton Cowles “One of the greatest horrors we face is racism” Bitter Root follows the Sangerye family of demon hunters during the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s. Despite it’s heavy topic, the comic does not feel heavy in…
Writer: Grant Morrison Artist: Liam Sharp Colorist: Steve Oliff Letterer: Tom Ozrechowski Variant Cover: Jae Lee and June Chung When DC’s The Green Lantern series was announced, writer Grant Morrison described his pitch as a more grounded take on the character. Hal Jordan is a space cop and this 12 issue series would be treated…
Writer: Jason Aaron Penciler: Mahmud Asrar Colorist: Matthew Wilson Letterer: VC’s Travis Lanham Cover: Esad Ribic By Crom, Conan is back, and at Marvel no less! This month you’re going to notice that Marvel is going all in on Conan. Marvel’s launching two new ongoings with Conan the Barbarian and Savage Sword of Conan…
Writer: Tom King Artist: Mikel Janin and Other Special Guests Colorist: June Chung Letterer: Clayton Cowles Publisher: DC Thanks to the New York Times, a reviewer spoiled the ending to one of the most anticipated comic book issues of our time four days ahead of its release. The bleeping headline spoiled it! Many fans, and…
Last night, June 10th, all three Ultimate Comics physical store locations in North Carolina were broken into and burglarized. Over $20,000 worth of comic books, toys and merchandise were stolen, glass display cases smashed, and the store’s windows were broken for entry. Luckily, no one was hurt, and the stores themselves are boarded up, being…
Writer: Donny Cates Penciler: Ryan Stegman Inker: J.P. Mayer Colorist: Frank Martin Letterer: Clayton Cowles So, if you haven’t heard Marvel just rebooted…again. Get ready to see a lot of Marvel number ones in the coming months, including Doctor Strange, Deadpool, The Immortal Hulk and the recently launched Avengers title by Jason Aaron and Ed…
Writer: Jeff Lemire Penciler: Bryan Hitch Inker: Kevin Nowlan Colorists: Alex Sinclair and Jeremiah Skipper Letterer: Clayton Cowles Publisher: DC Comics Metal continues to be one of the most bombastic and wildly imaginative crossover events in DC’s history. At times it can be difficult to follow and connect it to the main DCU, but nevertheless…
Writers: Chris Sims, Chad Bowers Artist: Kev Walker Colorist: Java Tartaglia Letterer: VC’s Travis Lanham Publisher: Marvel As part of Marvel’s Legacy reboot, the company has put together a series of one-shots for its more obscure, B-list characters. Silver Sable, Master of Kung Fu and now Darkhawk are all part of this initiative. The idea…
Writer: Geoff Johns Artist: Gary Frank Colorist: Brad Anderson Letterer: Rob Leigh Publisher: DC Comics It’s finally here. Ever since the mouth-dropping twist at the end of the Rebirth one-shot, DC fans have been waiting to see how exactly Watchmen would merge with the main DC universe. The answer will be explored throughout Doomsday Clock,…
Title: Deadman Written, Drawn and Colored by Neal Adams Letterer: Clem Robins Publisher: DC It’s a pretty big deal to have a comic in 2017 written and illustrated by the legendary Neal Adams. The man who helped revitalize characters like Batman and Green Arrow in the 1970s alongside writer Denny O’Neil is back with a…
Title: Goosebumps Writer: Jeremy Lambert Artist: Chris Fenoglio Letterer: Christa Miesner Publisher: IDW Earlier this year, horror icon R.L. Stine made his first foray into comic book writing with Marvel’s revamp of Man-Thing. Though the book sold pretty terribly, this reviewer adored its B-movie flare and gorgeous visuals. I would even go so far as…
Writer: Ray Fawkes Artist: Inaki Miranda Colorist: Eva De La Cruz Letterer: Josh Reed Publisher: DC Even for longtime DC fans, Ragman is a pretty obscure character. He showed up on Arrow in season five and is set to return in the new season, but in terms of the comics he’s remained mostly absent for…
Title: Batman: White Knight #1 Writer/Artist: Sean Murphy Colorist: Matt Hollingsworth Letterer: Todd Klein Publisher: DC I love a good speculative story, and Sean Murphy’s new miniseries Batman: White Knight offers a fascinating take on the Batman mythos. Featuring a reformed Joker as the protagonist and Batman as the deranged psychopath, this comic has the…
Title: Harley and Ivy Meet Betty & Veronica #1 (of 6) Written by Paul Dini and Marc Andreyko Art by Laura Braga, Tony Avina, and Arif Prianto Published by DC Comics Riverdale, the CW’s sexy soap opera take on America’s iconic teens, comes back next week, and DC is getting in the mood by sending…
Title: Marvel Legacy #1 Writer: Jason Aaron Artists: Esad Ribic, Steve McNiven and various others Colorist: Matthew Wilson Letterer: Cory Petit Publisher: Marvel Rebooting a long-established universe is a tricky business. On the one hand you want to imbue the story with plenty of mythology and cater toward longtime readers, but you also have to…
Title: Realm Writer: Seth M. Peck Penciler: Jeremy Haun Colorist: Nick Filardi Letterer: Thomas Mauer Publisher: Image The Realm is possibly the best genre mashup book of the year. It contains orcs, dragons and goblins reigning in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. If that doesn’t make you excited I don’t know what will. Set years after these…
Title: Runaways #1 Writer Rainbow Rowell Artist Kris Anka Colorist Matthew Wilson Published by Marvel Comics The Runaways are back! Hulu is THIS close to launching the live-action adaptation, so Marvel is taking a popular Young Adult novelist and one of their best artists and getting the band of teenage heroes back together. And not…
Writer: Matt Owens Penciler: Denys Cowan Colorist: Guru-eFx Inker: Roberto Poggi Letterer: Joe Caramagna Publisher: Marvel As we edge closer and closer to The Last Jedi this December, Disney and Marvel continue to put out a ton of Star Wars comics and other extended universe material. The latest spinoff book to hit comic shops is…
Writer: Kyle Higgins Penciler: Trevor McCarthy Colorist: Dean White Letterer: Clayton Cowles Publisher: DC Coming off the heels of the controversial Marvel event comic Secret Empire, now DC is toying with the concept of turning one of its heroes into a fascist symbol. Yet whereas Secret Empire is a canonized book, making the idea…
Writer: Scott Snyder Artist: Greg Capullo Publisher: DC Normally I’m able to write fairly nuanced reviews with a critical lens, but for this one I’m just going to geek out. Dark Nights: Metal #1 has Hawkgirl, Red Tornado, the Justice League in a gladiator fight coordinated by Mongul, an entirely new dimension of the…
Writer: Tom King Pencils, Inks and Colors by Mitch Gerads Publisher: DC There are few comics more anticipated this year than the new Mister Miracle title. Not only is the titular protagonist a Jack Kirby creation, but this book is helmed by one of the best creative teams in the industry today. Tom King and…
Title: Elsewhere Writer: Jay Faerber Artist: Sumeyye Kesgin Colorist: Ron Riley Publisher: Image It’s always fun seeing a book that combines historical figures with a heavy fantasy/sci-fi premise. In Elsewhere, the latest Image title from the writer of Copperhead, the story imagines what it would be like if Amelia Earheart landed in a fantasy realm…
Title: Go Go Power Rangers Writer: Ryan Parrott Artist: Dan Mora Publisher: Boom! Studios For most people, Power Rangers ended with the Mighty Morphin era in the 90s. I however watched the show religiously all throughout elementary and middle school, with Time Force and Lost Galaxy probably ranking as my favorite seasons. That said, 2017…
Title: Astonishing X-Men Writer: Charles Soule Artist: Jim Cheung Publisher: Marvel Astonishing is one of the most seminal X-Men titles in the franchise’s history. With iconic runs by Joss Whedon, Warren Ellis and Marjorie Liu, this title has a rich and expansive legacy associated with its name. Given how revered it is among fans, the…
Title: Immortal Writer: Rob Potchak Artist: Owen Gieni Colorist: Studio Makma Publisher: Keenspot Entertainment After being alive for more than 700 years, Immortal Elisa thinks she’s seen everything there is to see. She’s fought battles, trained other immortals and met an array of both mythological and historical characters. Now juggling a life in 1997 as…
Halloween ComicFest (HCF) is proud to announce the full list of comic book titles for their fall annual event! HCF takes place every year on the Saturday on or before Halloween at participating comic shops worldwide, with this year’s event taking place on Saturday, October 28. A complete listing of all 30 HCF titles, including…
Writer: Cullen Bunn Artist: Mirko Colak Colorist: Maria Santaolalla Publisher: Aftershock Comics Guy Ritchie and Charlie Hunnam aren’t the only ones in 2017 to tackle the King Arthur mythos. Yet whereas the recent Warner Bros. movie offered a more action-packed and swashbuckler take on the iconic story, the new comic from Aftershock is an entirely…
Writer: Chip Zdarsky Artist: Adam Kubert Colorist: Jordie Bellaire Publisher: Marvel With “Spider-Man: Homecoming” only a couple weeks away from hitting theaters, it was a given that Marvel would put out a new, yet very old-school, Spidey book to draw in new readers. While Dan Slott’s “Amazing Spider-Man” run is still going strong, “Peter Parker:…
Writer: Donny Cates Penciler: Garry Brown Colorist: Mark Englert Publisher: Aftershock Comics A while back, writer Mark Millar and artist Peter Gross explored the second coming of Christ in their critically acclaimed supernatural series “American Jesus.” Now, Aftershock Comics delivers a new title that deals with the birth of the Antichrist in a manner that’s…
Written by Chris Sims and Chad Bowers Art by Mauro Vargas with color by Triona Farrell Published by Dynamite Entertainment Longtime friends of Ultimate Comics, Chris Sims and Chad Bowers aren’t exactly stuck in the 90s. But they sure know how to get the most out of their trips there. Over at Marvel, this writing…
Writer: James Robinson Penciler: Carlos Pacheco Colorist: Jesus Aburtov Publisher: Marvel Regardless of your level of knowledge about the X-Men universe, you’re probably at least somewhat familiar with Cable. Although the character won’t make his big-screen debut in Deadpool 2 until next year, the time-traveling son of Cyclops and Jean is still a longtime fan-favorite…
Writer: Adam Glass Artist: Dennis Calero Colorist: Adriano Augusto Publisher: Aftershock Comics What if your entire life was fiction? What if you woke up one day to learn that everything you knew was a lie? This is an idea a number of other writers have explored in the past, and it’s the basis of the…
Written by Victor LaValle Illustrated by Dietrich Smith Colors by Joana LaFuente Published by Boom! Studios In modern times, Frankenstein’s Monster has generally been seen as a sweet-natured guy who doesn’t know his own strength. He was a family man in The Munsters, a hero in the recent Dean Koontz novels and comics, and a…
Writer: Christina Strain Artist: Amilcar Pinna Colorist: Felipe Sobreiro Publisher: Marvel I’ve been pleased so far with the revamped lineup of X-Men titles, particularly X-Men: Blue. Yet one thing that the books have lacked up until now is a focus on the mutant students who are training at the Xavier Institute in Central Park. With…
Writer: Robert Venditti Artist: Renato Guedes Colorist: Ulises Arreola Publisher: Valiant Eternal Warrior: Awakening is one of four one-shots to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the titular Valiant hero. Given that there is no current ongoing series for the character, the idea behind these one-shots is to capture the mythological aspects and significance of Gilad…
Written by Kirsten Smith and Kurt Lustgarten Illustrated by Naomi Franquiz Published by BOOM! Box Hands up if you love the Goonies. Good, good, we’re on the same page. And have I got a great new read for you. In a seaside Oregon town, the local economy has dissolved into harvesting oysters and milking the…
Story by Chad Bowers Art by Jim Towe Backup story and art by Rob Liefeld Published by Image Comics Twenty-five years ago, young Rob Liefeld launched a comics company with an exuberant team of heroes called Youngblood. These characters were fueled by a distinctive artistic voice and the energy of a young creator. This week,…
Written by Fabian Rangel, Jr. Drawn by Logan Faerber Published by Albatross Funnybooks Last year, Albatross Funnybooks brought Eric Powell’s Appalachian mythology tale, Hillbilly, and this week, they send a werewolf to war. It’s 1970, and Marty Spencer is turning 18 as a Vietnam draftee. His first night in the jungle, his unit takes fire…
Writer: Si Spurrier Artist: Jonas Goonface Publisher: BOOM! Studios Just when I thought I had my fill of trippy sci-fi after watching the FX series Legion, the new title from BOOM! Studios has redefined what I classify as surrealist fiction. Godshaper is the kind of comic that defies all storytelling conventions and offers a wildly…
Writer Ta-Nehisi Coates Penciler Butch Guice Published by Marvel Comics In a month where Marvel VP David Gabriel has said that diversity won’t sell comics, it makes sense to prove them wrong. This week, writer Ta-Nehisi Coates adds a third book to the Black Panther line, and it’s his best yet. Man, I hope this…
Writer: Marc Guggenheim Artist: Ardian Syaf Publisher: Marvel As writer Marc Guggenheim explains in the afterward of this book, X-Men: Gold is all about getting the mutants back to basics. After years of having our heroes cross alternate timelines, deal with interdimensional and intergalactic conflicts, and most recently engage in a war with the Inhumans,…
Written by Will Ewing and Michael Grassi Art by Joe Eisma Colors by Andre Szymanowicz Published by Archie Comics At last month’s NC Comicon Oak City, everyone was talking about Riverdale. The CW’s new show takes the Americana mythology of Archie, Betty, and the gang, but updates it to a scandalous modern teen soap. Juicy…
Writers: Marc Guggenheim, Greg Pak, Cullen Bunn Artists: Ken Lashley, Ibraim Roberson, Leonard Kirk, Guillermo Ortego Publisher: Marvel It’s a period of resurgence and reimagining for the X-Men universe. Whether you want to call the new lineup of books a reboot, crossover event or something else, it’s clear that X-Men Prime #1 signifies the start…
Script by Frank Tieri Art by Michael Walsh Published by Archie Comics Archie’s Horror line has been putting out some of the best comics on the stands, be that the zombie epic Afterlife With Archie or the 70s-style occult Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina. This week, Frank Tieri gets a turn at making good kids go…
Written by Fabian Rangel, Jr. Art by Warwick Johnson Cadwell Published by IDW I don’t know about you, but I could really use a cup of coffee. After the intensity of last weekend’s NC Comicon Oak City, with all that IDW and the other indie folks brought in, I have been exhausted. So today’s new…
Your favorite heroes and villains at it again, Ultimate March Madness is BACK! Link below to the Ultimate March Madness RULES, TEAMS, BRACKET and BATTLES! Ultimate March Madness 2017!
Writer: Matt Kindt Artist: Tyler Jenkins Publisher: BOOM! Studios With its beautifully rendered pastel images and rich world-building, Grass Kings is the kind of comic that hooks readers from the beginning. Though the plot is fairly limited in this first issue, creators Matt Kindt and Tyler Jenkins still kick their rural mystery series off on…
Writers: Corey Kalman, Brockton McKinney Artist: Devin Roth Publisher: Action Lab Danger Zone Amerikarate fuses self-deprecating comedy with B-movie action flare in a way that only this creative team can provide. It’s so far been described as a mashup between Footloose and every major action movie hero of the 80s, and rightfully so. Needless to…
Created, Written, and Illustrated by Jeff Lemire Published by Image Comics Something is wrong in Royal City. It’s not just that the factory is slowing down. It’s not just that Peter Pike had a stroke, right there in the middle of his potato salad. No, there’s something else, something around the edges. Something that’s not…
Writer: Greg Rucka Artist: Leandro Fernández Publisher: Image There’s a certain aesthetic that defines The Old Guard, the new Image title from superstar creators Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernández. Rucka describes the book in the opening narration as “a fairy tale of blood and bullets” about a group of mostly invincible soldiers. Yet while there…
Written by Marguerite Bennett and James Tynion IV Art by Steve Epting Published by DC Comics The original Batwoman was a character brought in to date Batman for a few issues back when parents got scared that he was kind of gay. So when DC revived the concept in the 52 series a few years…
Writer: Matthew Rosenberg Artist: Ben Torres Publisher: Marvel Marvel’s “Running with the Devil” event kicked off last week with the excellent Bullseye #1, and continues going strong with a new series featuring Daredevil’s greatest nemesis. By the nature of his complex character and tragic backstory, Wilson Fisk, A.K.A the Kingpin, has more than enough merit…
Written by Steve Orlando Art by Ivan Reis Published by DC Comics One of my favorite parts of team books is that first story where everyone comes together. You get a hint at what holds everyone in the group, what kind of missions to expect, and who’s going to punch a teammate first. And lately,…
Written by Jason Latour Art by Chris Brunner Colors by Rico Renzi Published by Image Comics Friends of Ultimate Comics Jason Latour and Rico Renzi have been working on this North Carolina crime story for ten years, and this week, it sees the light of day. It’s not for kids, but everyone else is going…
Writer: John Barber Artist: Fico Ossio Publisher: IDW Revolutionaries takes place in the aftermath of the IDW event crossover Revolution, which saw characters like Rom and Optimus Prime join forces. Continuing to capitalize on their partnership with Hasbro, IDW pulls out all their tools for this book to provide a massive world-building experience. Story-wise, this…
Written by Jeremy Whitley Art by Elsa Charretier Published by Marvel Comics Last week, we talked about the new Hulk book as the perfect example of how to handle the trauma of 2016, how to hurt and acknowledge that and come together. Well, as luck would have it, Marvel has given us the perfect spirit…
Writer Mariko Tamaki Artist Nico Leon Color Artist Matt Milla Published by Marvel Comic 2016 was a rough year. Regardless of your politics, this was an ugly election season. Someone killed fifty people in a Florida nightclub. We’re never getting another Prince song, or a Bowie song, or a George Michael song. And now we’ve…
Written by Joshua Williamson Art by Jason Fabok Published by DC Comics The biggest event of DC Rebirth starts here! Based on the commercial success of DC’s latest movies, it’s only fitting that this one is a battle royale between the bad guys on the Suicide Squad and the Justice League we’ll all be watching…
Written by Joe Harris Art by Megan Hutchison Colors by Kelly Fitzpatrick Published by Image Comics\ Rock music has long carried legends around the notes, secrets uncovered by playing a record backward or putting an album in context of the Behind The Music phase. And rock of the seventies courted teen listeners by flirting with…
Written by Andy Mangels Art by Judit Tondora Variant Cover by Dan Parent Published by Dynamite and DC Comics With a new solo movie coming out, Wonder Woman is more popular than ever, and fans in their thirties and forties are remembering the delightful Lynda Carter live-action television series. Shows of that era have made…
Written by Charles Soule Art by Kenneth Rocafort Published by Marvel Comics With Civil War II winding down and Death Of X just finishing last week, Marvel is getting to launch this winter’s big war between the Inhumans and the X-Men. It’s going to cross in to a bunch of X-titles and set up a…
Written by Matt Kindt Art by David Rubin Published by Dark Horse Comics Boone Dias looks at fantasy worlds and thinks, “Hunh. I can explain that.” Which makes him a great detective. And kind of a jerk. In this new series by Matt Kindt and Davis Rubin, Boone is a scientist obsessed with cataloguing and…
Written by Dennis Hopeless with Ross Thibodeaux and Rob Schamberger Art by Dan Mora with Rob Guillory and Tob Schamberger Published by Boom! Studios Sports and comics make for a tough intersection. For one, most of us reading would have been “indoor kids” growing up. Also, the movement in panels works well with punching and…
Art and Story by Terry Moore Published by Abstract Studio It’s a good day. Know how I know? The new Terry Moore book came out today. Terry Moore is this fantastic cartoonist with a penchant for showing a range of women in a variety of genres, from the classic romance drama, Strangers In Paradise, to…
It’s almost here! Halloween is almost here! It’s my favorite time of year, and it has been since I was a kid. Trick or Treating was maybe the only outdoor activity I really liked, and I know our cosplayers got their start staying out late on a school night. This week, Eric Powell launches a…
Written by Gerard Way and Jon Rivera Art by Michael Avon Oeming Published by Young Animal, an imprint of DC Comics Jason at the Chapel Hill location is a happy man today. He’s a big Cave Carson fan. I know this because when I asked, “Who the heck is this?” his eyes lit up, and…
The Lost Boys #1 Written by Tim Seeley Art by Scott Godlewski Published by DC Comics, Vertigo imprint It’s October, and it’s time to spend your nights watching your favorite scary movies! I’m betting 1987’s The Lost Boys is pretty high on your list, and so is DC. Whether or not you follow your movie…
Written by Steve Orlando Art by Fernando Blanco Published by DC Comics Midnighter is this amazing, hyperviolent Batman character who has a computer brain that tells him how to kill people. That sounds ridiculous and one-note, I know. And DC has plenty of disturbing extremes of violence. But hear me out. Midnighter is actually richly…
Written by Marguerite Bennett and Cameron Deodio Art by Audrey Mok Published by Archie Comics I read Archie comics as a kid, and five years ago, I would have rolled my eyes at the thought that anyone was still enjoying this simplistic Americana. Then Archie and Val from the Pussycats had an interracial love story,…
Written by Rick Remender Art by Jerome Opena Colors by Matt Hollingsworth Published by Image Comics Rick Remender teams up this week with a couple of old friends, Jerome Opena from Uncanny X-Force and Matt Hollingsworth from Fear Agent. Together, they build a fantasy world bleeding with dark horror and challenge our obedience to fear.…
After more than thirteen years as the Triangle’s premier source to fuel your comic book addiction, retailer Ultimate Comics will open the doors at its first ever Raleigh location on Saturday, October 1st. Fans are invited out to celebrate the milestone at the store’s Grand Opening, where they can get free comics, listen to live…
Written by Gerard Way Art by Nick Derington Published by DC Comics (Young Animal imprint) I have it on good authority (from Gothic Harry Potter fanfiction) that Gerard Way is “a major hottie.” And I have personal experience that his Umbrella Academy series prove him to be a daring creator, blending elements of the fringe…
Story by Jim Zub Art by Djibril Morissette-Phan Colors by K Michael Russell Published by Image Comics I think it is weird that a comics company has developed the technology to reach into my brain and find what I like and put it all into a comic book, but that must be what happened at…
Story by Mike Mignola and Chris Roberson Art by Ben Stenbeck Publiched by Dark Horse Comics Sir Edward Grey is an occult investigator in Victorian London of the Hellboy universe – your reaction to that sentence tells you everything you need to know about whether you should buy this book. This story begins as Sir…
Written by Brian Clevinger Art by Scott Wegener Published by IDW Brian Clevinger has been a longtime friend of Ultimate Comics, making frequent appearances on our convention panels and Free Comic Book Day booths, and the staff here has always recommended his Atomic Robo series. Atomic Robo is a self-aware robot built by Tesla. He…
Written by James Tynion IV Art by Rian Sygh Published by BOOM! Box The Venn diagram of Comics Fans and People Who Have Felt Painfully Different From Most Other People is a concentric circle. That’s part of why conventions are so important – every November, we get together in Durham and find out that we’re…
IT’S HERE! Nearly a year in the making, it’s the NC Comicon documentary. Please join us on August 31st at 8pm in the historic Carolina Theatre for the world premiere of newest film from Amazing Studios: NC COMICON the MOVIE. NC COMICON: THE MOVIE The official documentary of the NC Comicon. For 3 days the…
Writers: Joshua Hale Fialkov, Tony Fleecs Artist: Tony Fleecs Publisher: Oni Press In the first issue of Oni Press’ new Jeff Steinberg comic, the titular protagonist is an average Joe in every sense. He works at a video store, his girlfriend openly cheats on him, and the most exciting thing on his mind is a…
Written by Scott Snyder Art by John Romita, Jr. Published by DC Comics Scott Snyder’s run writing Batman was arguably the best part of DC’s New 52, and fans were crushed to learn that part of the Rebirth relaunch meant that this writer was leaving the book. He was handing the reins over to Tom…
Written by Rob Williams Art by Philip Tan Published by DC Comics You may have heard about this little summer movie out this week, Suicide Squad, based on a revered 80s book about supervillains forced by the government to take on dangerous missions in exchange for reduced sentences. The version on the big screens is…
Written by Christos Gage and Chris Ryall Art by David Messina Ultimate Comics Exclusive Variant Cover by Tommy Lee Edwards Published by IDW and Hasbro Entertainment Ultimate Comics is excited to host writer Christos Gage at signing events this Saturday at both Raleigh and Chapel Hill locations, and we’re also excited about his new ROM…
Writer: Tom King Artist: David Finch Publisher: DC Coming off the heels of one of the most iconic runs of Batman of all time, Tom King and David Finch are doing a stellar job of upholding the character’s legacy. This issue in particular pays homage to Scott Snyder without it feeling like a total retread…
Written by Simon Oliver Art by Moritat Published by DC Comics A few days after news leaked that John Constantine may find new life on the CW’s successful superhero shows, DC launches the Rebirth issue for this incorrigible magical con man. This Hellblazer character has a reputation for being among the smartest dark fantasies in…
Various Creators Publisher: Image A year ago, Mark Millar launched a contest which was specifically designed to seek out new comic book creator talents. Thousands of writers and artists across the globe submitted stories set within the worlds of Millar’s creator-owned books like Kick-Ass, Chrononauts, Starlight, etc., and the winners would get theirs published in…
Written by Tim Seeley Art by Yanick Paquette Published by DC Comics DC Rebirth has been great so far. Ask anyone at the Ultimate Comics register, or read some of my previous reviews. The idea is that DC is going back to the mythology of its legendary characters and making approachable stories about what makes…
Written and Drawn by Bryan Hitch Published by DC Comics The Justice League punches big monsters. It’s just what they do. And under Bryan Hitch, the Reborn version of the League gets to keep doing what they do best. The main story of the book is straightforward and classic, holding the main ideas of DC’s…
Writer: Brockton McKinney Artist: Andrew Herman Publisher: Action Lab Entertainment I have to say, when I heard that my friend Brockton McKinney was writing an all-ages book, I was a bit taken aback. After all, this is the same man who brought us the wildly irreverent and blood-soaked sci-fi/horror series Ehmm Theory, as well as…
Writing and art by Eric Powell Published by Albatross Funnybooks “There is but two facts of which I am sure. Today is Tuesday, and a witch is gonna die.” Eric Powell is famous for long-running horror series The Goon, but this week, he’s expanding his publishing line with the dark Appalachian fairy tale, Hillbilly. In…
Writer: Joshua Williamson Artist: Carmine Di Giandomenico Publisher: DC In terms of selecting the right creative team, DC could not have done a better job with the new Flash title. Between Williamson’s script and Giandomenico’s stellar visuals, this is the perfect modern Flash comic; one that builds on everything that’s come before, and provides readers…
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis Artist: David Marquez Publisher: Marvel Following the cliffhanger ending in the first issue of this series, chapter two opens with an emotionally-charged Tony Stark kidnapping Ulysees, thus declaring war on the Inhumans in the process. As the Ultimates and the Avengers negotiate with Medusa so that Captain Marvel can talk with…
July 16th 11am-1pm The first MILLARWORLD ANNUAL—the result of an international creator search seeking the best new writers and artists to tackle MARK MILLAR’s extensive library of hit characters. From Kick-Ass to CHRONONAUTS, they’re all here in this instant collector’s item. To celebrate the release of the first-ever Millarworld Annual, talent-search winners Steve Beach (The…
Writer: Christos Gage Artist: Travel Foreman Publisher: Marvel Spoilers ahead for Civil War II #1 Following the cliffhanger in Civil War II #1 with Rhodey’s death and She-Hulk on the hospital bed in critical condition, the first tie-in comic in this series is a bit lighter in tone. In it, Spidey teams up with newcomer…
Script by Joe Hill Adapted by Michael Benedetto Art by Gabriel Rodriguez Colors by Ryan Hill Published by IDW Joe Hill had some ideas for a relaunch of the horror anthology television show, Tales From The Darkside. It didn’t make it to series, but when you have gotten awards and recognition for your work with…
Writer: Becky Cloonan Artist: Steve Dillon Publisher: Marvel Story: Frank Castle pursues a mercenary outfit turned drug cartel called Condor. This organization has manufactured a drug called EMC, which enhances its users with superhuman abilities. In this issue, he encounters their big bad hitman Face. Thoughts: This is an action-packed read which has the feel…
Writers: Brenden Fletcher, Kelly Thompson Artist: Daniele Di Nicuolo Publisher: BOOM! Studios Story: Kimberly Hart, the original Pink Ranger, has retired from the team and is now a world-traveling gymnast. When her mom and stepdad don’t meet her in Amsterdam as planned and she can’t reach them, she travels to their home in St. Moineau,…
Written by Dan Abnett Art by Oscar Jiminez Published by DC Comics Aquaman has been a long-running joke, that guy who summons fish you saw in that parody on Family Guy or some other late-night pop culture fest. One of the strengths of DC’s New 52 relaunch was Geoff Johns on Aquaman, working the joke…
We’re super excited to officially announce our exclusive variant cover for the hotly anticipated ROM #1 from IDW! This breathtaking variant features art from the immensely talented Tommy Lee Edwards and features a modern take on ROM with green accents as an homage to the original Mattel packaging. The print run on this book will be super limited, so we’re…
Written by Tom King and Scott Snyder Art by Mikel Janin Colors by June Chung Published by DC Comics Last week, DC published a great big apology to the fans with DC Rebirth #1, a book that admitted that things had gotten dark and murky and promised a little more joy while still appreciating the…
Saturday, June 4th starting at 9:30 a.m. Entry Fee is $15 Ultimate Comics Raleigh South Hills Mall 1301 Buck Jones Rd Raleigh, NC 27606 Event Website: https://www.ultimatecomics.com/ Event Phone: (919) 377-8778 Prizes: 1st Place: ROC State/Provincial Map, 20 TCGplayer Prize Wall points, set of dice, 2 tokens and Championship Bye to the Semi-Finals 2nd Place:ROC…
Written by Geoff Johns Art by Gary Frank, Ethan Van Sciver, Ivan Reis, and Phil Jimenez Published by DC Comics When you mess up, you’re supposed to admit it and say you’re sorry. We learned that in kindergarten, but as adults, we forget that a lot. And many readers would say that DC has messed…
Written by Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis Art by Howard Porter Based on a concept by Jim Lee Published by DC Comics The 30-something comic readers have a deeply conflicted relationship with the pop culture of our youth. On the one hand, we fondly remember reading Archie’s adventures with his friends and watching Scooby…
Story and Art by Gene Ha Published by Dark Horse Comics I don’t know you. I mean, odds are, we haven’t met. But I can tell you a few things about your past. When you were a kid, there was a story that captured you. Maybe it was Narnia, maybe it was Oz, maybe it…
By Kevin Schaefer For those of you who don’t know, Free Comic Book Day is basically a second Christmas for geeks. Every year, comic shops across the nation give out dozens of free issues to regular customers and newcomers alike, providing the opportunity for a new generation of readers to experience the wonderful world of…
Written by Steve Horton Art by Stephen Thompson Published by IDW Lilly is a bounty hunter on a space station called Satellite, navigating dozens of species by disguising herself as each one in turn. When local police ask her to serve as bait in a narcotics sting, she quicky finds herself over her head. This…
Created, Written, Drawn, and Owned by Kaare Andrews Published by Image Comics Kaare Andrews is an enormously creative artist, dazzling in some of the supernatural aspects of New Mutants in the 2000’s or the more recent Iron Fist. With the double-sized first issue of Renato Jones, Andrews turns his flair for the mystic toward the…
Written by Cullen Bunn Art by David Baldeon Published by IDW The Micronauts were a group of popular action figures in the 80’s, but I was more of a He-Man, Ninja Turtles guy, so my exposure to the characters was from Marvel comics. Much like ROM The Spaceknight, Marvel lost the rights to reprint those…
Writer Brad McGinty Art Brian “Smitty” Smith Published by Lion Forge Comics, Roar imprint Okay, kids, ask your parents about the Madballs. These toys came out when I was in elementary school in the mid-eighties, a collection of foam balls with gross faces and silly pun names. Your dad would buy them for you hoping…
Written by Hope Larson Illustrated by Brittney Williams Colors by Sarah Stern BOOM! Box, a division of BOOM! Entertainment I love detective stories. I grew up in Encyclopedia Brown and the Hardy Boys, and as an adult I love Raymond Chandler novels and mystery television like Veronica Mars and iZombie. This week, BOOM! introduces a…
Writer Ta-Nehisi Coates Artist Brian Stelfreeze Color Artist Laura Martin Marvel Comics The Black Panther has probably never been as popular as he will be next month. His brief appearances in the trailers for Captain America: Civil War suggest the movie version is going to be the kind of powerful charismatic figure that people want…
We’re excited to announce our exclusive variants for Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers #3 and Power Rangers Pink #1!! We LOVED the first two beautiful virgin art covers from Janice Chu that we got two more amazing exclusive breakdown variants! Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers #3 showcases the breakdown for the incredible White Tiger Zord, and Power…
A noted comic book writer and novelist, Robert Venditti is an unstoppable force when it comes to storytelling. After several creator-owned books and novels, Venditti helped launch the Valiant Comics reboot in 2012 with his ongoing X-O Manowar run, and was later tapped by DC to take over for Green Lantern in 2013. And if…
Written by Paul Allor Art by Corey Lewis IDW Publishing IDW is a fun group of books, especially the ones that deal with licensed properties. When they do crossovers, it’s less about one character teaming up with another and advancing a plot and more about one cataclysm affecting everyone. Like, one time, Mars Attacks aliens…
Written by Alex Paknadel Illustrated by Artyom Trakhavov Colored by Jason Wordie I love detective stories, and I just recently saw Blade Runner for the first time at Durham’s Carolina Theater, so this is a great time for me to be reading a sci-fi noir series. I hadn’t expected this book to also tie in…
Writer Chelsea Cain Artist Kate Niemczyk Color Artist Rachelle Rosenberg Marvel Comics I don’t watch Agents Of SHIELD yet (I know, it’s on my To-Do List, I’m not too good for TV or anything), so I don’t yet know why so many people are so into Mockingbird this year. But I am happy about it.…
Written by Kyle Higgins Illustrated by Hendry Prasetya Colors by Matt Herms Boom! Studios It’s a good time to be in your early thirties. Comic relaunches of beloved children’s media like Jem and the Holograms, Archie comics, Transformers, and X-Men ’92 have been surprising creative and commercial successes, so it’s a fertile time to be…
Written by Brockton McKinney Artwork by Sergio Rios Colors by Marcelo Costa The Action Lab: Danger Zone imprint has been having a ball with licensed properties from Full Moon Entertainment. The Puppet Master series has brought the horror icons back with stories that mix jumps and gore with clever plots that would work as direct-to-video…
Snow Fall #1 Writer Joe Harris Artist Martin Morazzo Colors Kelly Fitzpatrick Image Comics This isn’t the worst winter North Carolina has ever had, but Ultimate Comics has still lost a few days of business for snow and ice, and spring is still pretty far away. So it’s fitting that Alan’s assignment this week is…
The House Of Montresor #1 Written by Enrica Jang Art and Letters by Jason Strutz Action Lab Long-time friend of Ultimate Comics, artist Jason Strutz has a new miniseries out from Action Lab continuing one of Poe’s most haunting tales. Last month, Strutz and writer Enrica Jang adapted the Poe classic, Cask Of Amontillado, in…
Voracious #1 Written by Markisan Naso Art, Lettering, and Design by Jason Muhr Action Lab: Danger Zone Ultimate Comics Overlord Alan sometimes gets a mad scientist grin when he gives me the week’s assignment. This week, I swear he cackled, promising to be Mystery Science Theater and give me a 64-page stinker. Well, Alan, you…
Cry Havoc #1 Words Simon Spurrier Pictures Ryan Kelly Colors Nick Filardi (London), Lee Loughridge (The Red Place), and Matt Wilson (Afghanistan) Image Comics There has been a poster in front of the register in the Chapel Hill Ultimate Comics store with a gorgeous werewolf picture and the tagline, “It’s not about a lesbian werewolf…
Devolution #1 Writer Rick Remender Artist Jonathan Wayshak Dynamite Comics Rick Remender wants to put the Apocalypse back in post-Apocalypse dystopias. In his new miniseries, humanity’s wars have continued, and rather than acknowledge the role of government and economics, people have pointed to religion as the scapegoat. Scientists developed a way to devolve the part…
Red Sonja #1 Written by Marguerite Bennett Illustrated by Aneke Colored by Jorge Sutil Dynamite Comics A couple of years ago, I hosted a panel at the North Carolina Comicon to talk about Women In Comics, and I was so excited to get to sit next to Gail Simone, a writer who coined the term…
Last Gang In Town #1 Writer Simon Oliver Artist Rufus Dayglo Colors Giulia Brusco Vertigo This new Vertigo series takes its name from a Clash album and evokes the punk rock out of Britain in the late 1970s in more ways than just that. The story follows a powerful woman in a Swiss nursing home…
Dreaming Eagles #1 Creator & Writer Garth Ennis Artist Simon Coleby Colorist John Kalisz Aftershock Comics Aftershock comics has quickly become the new Valiant, publishing a small group of high-quality titles by big-name creators. Ultimate Comics has introduced me to Marguerite Bennett’s erotic horror, Insexts, and the Conner-Palmiotti superhero Quixote Super Zero. This week, Garth…
The Rocketeer At War #1 Script by Mark Guggenheim Art by Dave Bullock Colors by Ronda Pattison IDW Publishing The Rocketeer was the first book anyone at Ultimate Comics ever recommended to me. It was a slow week, and Eric Hoover said, “Hey, you read the Rocketeer?” I thought I remembered liking the movie as…
Writer/Creators Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti Artist Rafael De Latorre Colorist Marcelo Maiolo Aftershock Comics Back in college, I took a course on Don Quijote. All I knew before was the bit about the windmills which, spoiler alert, is two pages of a book with more than seven hundred. The book itself was a terrific,…
Marguerite Bennett has been gaining attention for prominent female characters in books like A-Force, Angela, and DC Bombshells, but Insexts is a chance for her to tell an original story blending feminism and sexual diversity with gory horror in Victorian London, and it’s a fantastic trip. Lady Bertram is a beautiful young woman trapped in…
Tom King is a relative newcomer to the comics writing scene, but he has already turned heads using his military experience to convert Dick Grayson into DC’s premiere superspy, and last month, he scared the crap out of me with his take on The Vision for Marvel. Mitch Gerads is a long-time friend of the…
Ringside #1 Writer Joe Keatinge Artist Nick Barber Image Comics, Inc Alan smiled when he handed me this week’s assignment and chirped, “It’s about wrasslin’!” I was actually pretty excited based on that. I’m pretty sports-naive, and my knowledge of wrestling consists of adolescent hours watching the Gorgeous Ladies Of Wrestling, a devotion to action…
Huck is an impossibly charming little tale spinning out of the minds of a pair of artists linked forever with chaos and fear. Mark Millar has written some amazing work using exaggerated violence to entertain and to comment on social ills – see Wanted, Kick-Ass, Nemesis, and Kingsman. Rafael Albuquerque has used his gorgeous and…
In this new Vertigo series, a drug-addicted loser named Reggie Riot is disfigured when some graffiti comes to life, killing his girlfriend and ripping off his arm. This horrific action pulls him into the Art Ops, a group of agents run by his mother in the defense of art. The cool concept is that in…
There are several creative teams that I can recommend to new readers without knowing anything about the content of their books. Brian K. Vaughan, Ed Brubaker, and Gail Simone are up there. So is Greg Rucka. His run on Gotham Central (co-writing with Brubaker) about the police officers negotiating Batman’s city changed the way we…
Clean Room Writer Gail Simone Artist/Colorist Jon Davis-Hunt DC Comics (Vertigo imprint) Gail Simone is a familiar creator to North Carolina Comicon fans. Two years ago, she sat on panels to discuss women in comics and the representation of lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender characters. Huge crowds showed up to see her, and her unmistakeable warmth and wit infused…
Paper Girls #1 Writer Brian K. Vaughan Artist Cliff Chiang Image Comics, Inc Pop quiz: without Googling, name a single bad story Brian K. Vaughan has written. It’s going to be impossible. From Runaways to Y: The Last Man to Ex Machina to Saga, this man has a grasp on character, setting, and tone that…
Wild’s End: The Enemy Within #1 Written by Dan Abnett Illustrated and Lettered by I.N.J. Culbard BOOM! Studios I heard about Wild’s End when iFanboy.com made the first issue their pick of the week, but I’ve been waiting for the trade (Out next week, according to Amazon). From what I understand, it was a charming…
Tokyo Ghost #1 Writer: Rick Remender Artist: Sean Murphy Image Comics I cringed when Alan gave me today’s assignment. My exposure to Rick Remender has generally been with his Marvel work on titles like Uncanny X-Force, Uncanny Avengers, Axis, and the Secret Wars miniseries Hail Hydra. His ideas have been good, but his understanding of…
Faster Than Light Story and Illustration by Brian Haberlin Image Comics presenting a Shadowline Production Comics readers tend to have a variety of interests, which is part of what I love about this medium. Walking into Ultimate Comics gives you access to as many genres as Barnes And Noble might. Fans of action can hit…
Toil And Trouble (originally solicited as The Third Witch) Writer: Mairghread Scott Artists: Kelly and Nichole Matthews Archaia (Boom Entertainment) Macbeth was one of my favorite plays in high school. I remember loving the darkness and intrigue, the murder and remorse. But twenty years later, the only parts I recall well are Lady Macbeth washing…
The Seven-Per-Cent Solution Adapted by David and Scott Tiption from Nicholas Meyer Art by Ron Josheph IDW Publishing When Alan gave me this week’s assignment, I will admit to giggling. I had never heard of the particular Sherlock Holmes story adapted here, but the cover promised “the astounding joint adventure of Sherlock Holmes and Sigmund…
Archie #2 Writer: Mark Waid Artist: Fiona Staples Archie Comics The Archie relaunch made huge waves last month. A staple for young readers for over fifty years, Archie has become associated with an outdated conservative worldview where teenagers barely even kiss each other and would give a kidney to snag the good booth at the…
DC Bombshells #1 Writer: Marguerite Bennett Artist: Marguerite Sauvage DC Comics The Bombshells were a popular theme of recent variant covers for DC Comics, a reimagining of major women in the line as 40’s pin-up girls. Sexy women are common on covers, occasionally crossing major lines of taste and stirring up controversy, like the recent…
Sunday, 8/23/15 Doors open at 9:00 am with first round beginning at 10:00 am. Ultimate Comics Raleigh 1301 Buck Jones Road Raleigh NC 27606 919-3778778 Come take advantage of the finest competitive Heroclix play and win prizes and points for entry to the ROC National Championship in October. This may be your last chance to…
This Damned Band #1 Writer: Paul Cornell Artist: Tony Parker Dark Horse Comics As Paul Cornell writes in the letters page of the first part of his new six-issue horror comedy series, there was a bizarre period of rock and roll in the 1970’s where it was cool to worship Satan. His book is a…
You asked for it, and we listened! In addition to our original Durham/Chapel Hill store we now proudly present Ultimate Comics Raleigh! Same amazing staff, twice the square feet! And just to be clear we haven’t MOVED, we’ve just added ANOTHER location! Our original Chapel Hill/Durham store is still open and looking better than ever!…
Island #1 Featuring Brandon Graham, Emma Rios, Kelly Sue DeConnick, and Ludroe I tend to read Image comics in trade. I like their superhero stuff, and I am so in love with Bitch Planet that I have cried reading the back cover, no lie. But I haven’t picked up any of the anthologies despite critical…
THREE EVENTS. TWO STORES. ONE DAY. The Events: 1. Grand opening of Ultimate Raleigh 2. the 12 year anniversary of Ultimate Comics 3. Signings for exclusive Book of Death The S
