New Comics Released: Wed Mar 4, 2015, The Blank Cover Edition

A new Wednesday, a #NewComicBookDay WOOT! I learned something awesome about certain comic covers this week! I’ve been entirely curious over the blank covers that seem to be running a little more rampant these days, at least for the Marvel universe (I’m not sure if DC does the same thing.) For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out what exactly blank cover comics were for. I’m known to pick up comic books solely for the cover art, whether or not I’ve been following the series that comic belongs to, so in that light, I couldn’t fathom why no-art would be a worthy choice that fellow readers would buy into. I asked the experts of the Comic Book Community what these blank covers were meant for and was entirely surprised at the answer. I now see blank covers in a whole new light, and here’s why…

The new Hawkeye/Hawkguy series is releasing their #1 today (before the previous series has finished… I’m kinda sad that I won that bet,) and there are FOUR variant covers to choose from, plus the original. I’m a huge Skottie Young fan, meaning that cover is in my bag for sure, and if you’re familiar with the Silver Snail (comic shop in downtown Toronto,) then you know there’s a signing party at the Snail with Jeff Lemire, Ramon Perez and Ian Herring tonight! So you’d think it’d be a good idea to pick up a copy of the original art just for Perez to sign as well, right? So that’s two possible purchases of the same comic, but then there’s also the blank covered one…

How the Blank Cover Can Own Them All

Turns out, in some cases, there is an acceptable variant cover to have artists (as well as the writers,) sign if they’re amenable to the idea; and that would be the blank cover. Apparently the blank cover comics were designed with signings in mind, so that you could have your own unique cover (with signatures or even quick doodles by the artist, if you’re so lucky) if hitting up comicons or local signing parties is your thing. Cool, eh? I have no idea whether Perez is agreeable to more than signing his name (I guess it would depend on how busy the Snail party gets,) but I love the idea that its a possibility. Suddenly, these “worthless” blank covers have turned into something potentially epic.

With all this in mind, Toronto has a comicon coming up, and am now entirely curious to see if any Marvel artists (that have a blank cover variant attached to their series,) are on the guest list.

Yay for blank covers! And yay for a Hawkeye #1 signing party! Here’s my comic book #PullList for this week…

Marvel Comics Released on Wednesday March 4, 2015

This week is quite the list! I just might be spending more that I normally do on any given week on Marvel comics alone.

1. All-New Hawkeye #1

   I really enjoyed (still enjoying) the first series, even though it portrays a really dumb Clint Barton. Much like a four year old, an assassin and spy should know how to keep the draw-string of his sweat pants tied, just saying. Despite having to bite my cheek every once in a while, the running plot lines and artistic flare for telling this story really captivated me. Lemire and Perez have big shoes to fill (as it was the Fractions and Aja team who mainly ran the first series,) and I’m eager to see what they come up with!

   Writer: JEFFREY LEMIRE
   Cover Artist: Ramon Perez

   THE AVENGING ARCHERS ARE BACK! • Hawkeye returns in an all-new series featuring superstar writer Jeff Lemire in his Marvel debut and Eisner Award-winning artist Ramon Perez, as they bring you a fresh new look into the life of everyone’s favorite Avenger. With Kate Bishop, his trusted ward and protégé back at his side (not titles she would use), Team Hawkeye is thrown into an all new adventure spanning two generations of avenging archers. Past and present lives collide as Kate and Clint face a threat that will challenge everything they know about what it means to be Hawkeye. • But no one puts Hawkeye in a corner. • Hawkeye and Hawkeye take aim March 2015!

2. Angela: Asgard’s Assassin #4

3. Avengers #42

   In two months we’ll have Avengers: Age of Ultron running on the big screen, and this series turns into the Secret Wars plot, immediately the day after Ultron. Though it’s an interesting plot of exactly who has the right to save the world/universe from extinction, I’m mostly reading this so that I’m not entirely lost at the beginning of Secret Wars series.

   Writer: Jonathan Hickman
   Cover Artist: Scott Kolins

   IN TWO MONTHS…TIME RUNS OUT!

4. Avengers World #18

5. Guardians Team-Up #1

   Another brand new comic with multiple variant covers this week! Nothing but Skottie Young’s variant exists for me. I wasn’t a fan of Guardians of the Galaxy until the movie aired back in August, but I’m really looking forward to seeing how this new series unfolds.

   Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
   Cover Artist: Art Adams

   • Launching directly out of Guardians of the Galaxy comes the new ongoing series bringing the Guardians to the Marvel Universe’s grandest stage for an opening arc of out-of-this-world adventures with some of the biggest hitters Marvel has to offer. • Kicking off with a cosmic threat so massive, it’ll take more than just the Guardians of the Galaxy to stop it! Assembled side by side with the mighty Avengers, prepare for two titanic teams to unite like you’ve never seen before!

6. Hulk #12
7. Iron Fist: The Living Weapon #10

8. Marvel’s Ant-Man Prelude #2

   Prelude #1 is interesting. It rapidly explains Hank Pym’s role in the Marvel *movie* universe, as opposed to his common role in the comics ‘verse. I’m not a fan of Hank Pym, but I know I’ll be watching Ant-Man on the big screen later this year, so am getting an idea of what the movie may be like through the prelude comic. It’s kinda like little nuggets of info geared for those who crawl through the interwebs looking for spoilers, lol.

   Writer: Corona Pilgrim

   GET READY FOR MARVEL’S NEXT SMASH HIT MOVIE WITH THIS OFFICIAL PREQUEL! Before Scott Lang becomes Marvel’s shrinking sensation, Dr. Hank Pym will pull on the helmet and leap into action on a death-defying mission that takes him into the icy heart of Cold War East Berlin!

9. Miracleman #16
10. Operation: S.I.N. #3
11. Princess Leia #1

12. Return of the Living Deadpool #2

    I was really happy to pick up #1. Deadpool is never not funny, and watching him figure out a zombie apocalypse is as entertaining as it sounds!

    Writer: Cullen Bunn
    Penciller: Nicole Virella
    Cover Artist: Jay Shaw

    The world is overrun by deadly zombies and deadlier Deadpools! Did Liz really find a good Deadpool out of the chaotic hordes? If she wants to live through the night, she has to hope so!

13. Rocket Raccoon #9
14. Wolverines #9
15. X-Men #25

DC Comics Released on Wednesday March 4, 2015

I have to admit to being kinda happy that there isn’t too much on my DC pull list, ’cause Marvel is going to be a pretty penny all on its own this week.

1. Aquaman and the Others #11
2. Batman Eternal #48
3. Detective Comics #40
4. Earth 2 #32
5. Earth 2: World’s End #22

6. Grayson #8

   Nightwing is one of my fave DC characters, and it’s fun to watch Grayson move on to becoming a super spy!

   
   Writer: Tom King, Tim Seely
   Artist: Mikel Janin

   Grayson is about to fly over this issue’s cliffhanger with no safety net! You won’t believe what happens!

7. Green Arrow #40
8. Green Latern #40
9. Harley Quinn #15
10. Infinity Man and the Forever People #8
11. Justice League 3000 #15
12. Lobo #6

13. Scooby-Doo Team-Up #9

    How can I not pick this up, OMG! Superman and Scooby-Doo?? What kind of crazy is this?? I’m not even a fan of Superman (yeah, I went there,) and this issue sounds kind of epic still.

    Writer: Sholly Fisch
    Art: Dario Brizuela

    Superman needs help from Scooby and the gang – so they speed to Metropolis and the horribly haunted Daily Planet offices. But then Superman is turned into a super-powered monster! Even with help from Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen and Krypto the Superdog, how can these meddling kids stop the transformed Man-Monster of Steel before he wrecks the city?

14. Swamp Thing #40
15. The Flash Season Zero #6

So that’s it for my big pull list this week! I’ve never purposely picked up more than one copy of the exact same comic (to keep, I’ve picked up copies to share with ya’ll before,) so it’ll be an interesting purchase for sure!

Anyway, tell me what’s on your pull list for this week! I’d love to hear which comics (not necessarily Marvel / DC either,) that are in your must-reads. 🙂