Shelf Help: Fly Me to the Moon
Jan 21, 2015
Is your bookshelf feeling a bit barren? Has it been collecting more cobwebs than comics? Are you so paralyzed by indecision due to the sheer amount of amazing comics coming out each and every month that you're at a complete loss over what to buy and binge on? Fear not, overwhelmed readers! Shelf Help is here to help point you in the direction of what may potentially be your next favorite series! In each column we'll highlight a handful of titles in line with our given topic. But we're only able to cover a small sampling of what's currently available for pre-order, so be sure to check out the latest issue of PREVIEWS for more fantastic upcoming titles and pop by your local comic shop to find your bookshelf's new best friend!
For this edition of Shelf Help we're looking at some shining stars of science-fiction whose stories span the cosmos and beyond. Prepare to lock and load for an onslaught of ever-evolving extraterrestrial terror, join with old friends (and foes) as you traverse the farthest reaches of the Milky Way, and brace yourself to leave the atmosphere for some all new adventures!
Being an engineer isn't easy—especialy when you have a pack of blood-thirsty xenomorphs swarming you while you're just trying to get in a day's work. Dark Horse's new Aliens: Fire And Stone Trade Paperback (JAN150169, $14.99)collects all four issues of the mini-series that brings survival horror both planetside and to outer space. Fans of the Alien franchise would be remiss to pass up this new collection as the story provides and evolutionary link (so to speak) between the Aliens film franchise and the recent Prometheus film. Even readers—especialy science-fiction fans and horror buffs—who aren't familiar with the films should enjoy the perilous adventure of Derrick Russell and the rest of the poor souls trapped between a rock, a hard place, and several rows of razor-sharp teeth.
This season, yellow is the new green. At least, to Sinestro it is. The once-hero turned Yellow Lantern is about to learn that being bad may not be so good in the new Sinestro Annual #1 (JAN150351, $4.99) from DC Comics. Like any proper supervillain, Sinestro has his own team of criminal cohorts with the Sinestro Corps. However, one member in their midst is about to break rank, and if Sinestro can't root out the rebel in time, he may find himself reduced to star dust. Intertwined in this tale of backstabbing and betrayal is a look at how the Sinestro Corps was formed, an origin story that has yet to be revealed anywhere else!
The Old West may have been wild, but it can't hold a candle to Copperhead. Located on a podunk planet, this mining town is neck-deep in dirt—and not just the kind you can wash off your hands. Mysterious circumstances force Clara Bronson and her son Zeke to move to Copperhead, where the career police-woman is appointed as the township's new sheriff. In addition to having to cope with a new life and landscape, Clara has to lay down the law with a maniupulative mining tycoon, a band of alien hillbillies, her co-workers, and somehow solve a mass murder in the process. Copperhead Trade Paperback Vol. 1: A New Sheriff in Town (JAN150625, $9.99) is the perfect way to either get into and get caught up with this recent Image series. Combining intergalactic gun-slinging, an intriguing murder mystery, and characters that are a hoot (or, maybe, more like a snarl), readers will definitely want to travel to the badlands with Sheriff Bronson.
What's the one thing that makes a Star Trek series even better? How about adding even more of it to the mix. IDW's Star Trek On-Going Trade Paperback Volume 9: The Q Gambit (JAN150471, $19.99) combines two great tastes that go great together as the crew from the recently-rebooted film series encounters franchise-favorite villain Q for the first time ever! The conniving Q isn't the only character the Enterprise crew will encounter from previous iterations of the series—many other familiar faces await as the villain plays games with our heroes and send them on a scramble through space. The Q Gambit is sure to be a treat for Star Trek fans of any generation.
Some problems require you to think outside the box or get hands-on. And some problems require you to get your big green friend to smash them with righteous fury. Enter Marvel's Nova Annual #1 (JAN150800, $4.99), which sees the eponymous hero calling on Doc Green (a recent alias of the Incredible Hulk) to help him fix the busted helm of his super suit. Unfortunately, the Hulk is more accustomed to breaking things than rebuilding them, so the two set off on an interstellar adventure that will take them far from home. This one-shot special promises a fun space-faring adventure (not to mention, plenty of punching and peril), and readers should enjoy this pair-up of two of the Marvel Universe's most popular characters.
After finding tremendous success with their on-going collaborative fantasy epic Spera, writer Josh Tierney and artists Afu Chan and Giannis Milonogiannis have set their sights skyward with Halogen, a new four issue mini-series published by BOOM! Studios. This all-new, creator-owned story follows a young woman named Rell, an agent of the HaloGen organization who possess the ability to create life-like holograms. When the organization catches wind of a rumor that the massive corpse of a fallen god may be floating in space above Cityship Q, Rell is sent to find and secure the body by any means necessary—even at the cost of her own life. With all three co-creators in possession of some series story-telling and world-building chops, comic lovers should make it their mission to seek out Halogen #1 (JAN151145, $3.99) and reap the rewards of what is shaping up to be a stellar read.
A Wrinkle In Time has delighted generation after generation of readers with its blend of sprawling science ficiton and fantasy elements and quiet human interactions. Now readers have a new way to fall in love with Madeline L'Engle's classic, with creator Hope Larson's adaptation of the tale. Larson is an accomplished creator who is no stranger to crafting engaging stories (whether they're aimed at younger or older comic fans), and her inviting, expressive artwork serves as the perfect complement. Since its release in 2013, this adpation has enjoyed the top spots in numerous best-seller lists, and now Square Fish (an imprint of Macmillan) is offering a trade paperback edition (JAN151589, $14.99) help make the comic even more accessible.