By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)
Autumn is here, and Winter is near. Just what can a kid like me do? Read comics of course! When my interest with Pokémon GO has waned, and I have thoughts about what can be played, well here’s my list of Dark Horse Comics picks for the cold nights ahead. I say it is time to pull out my colouring pencils!
Adult colouring books is a phenomenon, and when Dark Horse is one of the leaders of the pack, I can also try out the water-soluble leads I have on trying to mimic the style found in some Asian prints.
On top of my list is the Avatar: The Last Airbender trade paperback. There are 45 pages to paint up, and the art is done by Jed Henry. This book is out now.
Either now available or soon will be are my bi-monthly picks:
Chimichanga:
Sorrow of the
World’s Worse Face #1
October 12
Wrinkle’s Traveling Circus’ most adorable bearded girl and her savory-named beast are back, and there is a new act in store! Come one, come all to the Sorrow of the World’s Worst Face! But beware: those who look behind the curtain are in for an awful treat, and it’s not just his face we’re talkin’ about!
- Featuring art by Stephanie Buscema!
“Chimichanga is full of that youthful vigor that makes The Goon such a delight.” —Broken Frontier
Call of Duty: Zombies #1
October 26
Waves of zombies just keep coming and this title arrived just in time before Halloween! This title is first in a line of Call of Duty®: Zombies games, and just what the team from Dark Horse Comics has my interest.
Here, I get to join Stuhlinger, Misty, Russman, and Marlton as they fight for survival against the undead horde. The Tranzit crew, last seen in the “Buried” map, are trapped on a deeply unstable and fractured future Earth. Their backstories are explored, and my interest is piqued enough to continue reading on. Of course, trying to escape Maxis’ wasteland is going to be tough, and the videogame to comic book material does not end there. The next title is a must for this long time fan of the franchise:
Tomb Raider Vol 1 TPB
October 26
Yes, I admit to missing picking up this series as it first came out, but since getting back into the videogames, my craving for more stories has led me back to looking at the comics. I’m liking the reinvention, and with a tale by Eisner Award–winning writer Mariko Tamaki, I am hooked!
Here, (from the press release) Lara Croft is pursuing a lost truth about the world that just might unlock the secret to defeating death! She becomes entangled in a search for a rare mushroom said to grant immortality and a lethal new enemy that just won’t die! Collects the entire first arc of the Tomb Raider comic series, issues #1–6.
Creatures of the Night HC
November 12
I’m slowly collecting comic book adaptations of Neil Gaiman’s works, and again have missed out on first editions. Fortunately, this title is popular enough to warrant a new print, and I’m on it! Here, two magical stories featuring strange creatures that are not quite what they seem! In “The Price,” a mysterious feline engages in a nightly conflict with an unseen, vicious foe. “The Daughter of Owls” recounts a tale of an orphan girl—and how those who wronged her faced bizarre consequences!
Artist Michael Zulli does great work, and best of all, it’s due out this week (at time of writing) at a fabulous MSRP of $12.99.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Season 11 #1
November 23
Just in time for the 30th anniversary is an all-new season and a variant cover by Fray artist Karl Moline. Here, the Buffy and the Scoobies gang think life is good. But in this universe, something bad has to happen, and this time what is being threatened is taking aim at them and an entire city — San Francisco in fact! Yes, I’ll be tuning in, or rather flipping the pages on a monthly basis to find out what’s being cooked up by writer Christo Gage and artist Rebekah Isaacs.
