Here are a few spotlight issues coming out next week just in time for the 2018 San Diego Comic Con!

MARVEL COMICS

CABLE #159
Official Description: “PAST FEARS” PART 5: BACK TO CABLE’S CHILDHOOD WITH REDD AND SLYM! Young CABLE faces his biggest fear: his own Techno-Organic virus! Guest-starring CYCLOPS & PHOENIX! Cable’s dark secret is finally revealed!
Writers: Zac Thompson, Lonnie Nadler, Ed Brisson | Artist: German Peralta

THE LIFE OF CAPTAIN MARVEL #1
Official Description: THE DEFINITIVE ORIGIN OF CAPTAIN MARVEL! Carol Danvers was just a girl from the Boston suburbs who loved science and the Red Sox until a chance encounter with a Kree hero gave her incredible super-powers. Now, she’s a leader in the Avengers and the commander of Alpha Flight. But what if there were more to the story? When crippling anxiety attacks put her on the sidelines in the middle of a fight, Carol finds herself reliving memories of a life she thought was far behind her. You can’t outrun where you’re from — and sometimes, you HAVE to go home again. But there are skeletons in Captain Marvel’s closet — and what she discovers will change her entire world. 
Writer: Margaret Stohl | Artists: Marguerite Sauvage, Carlos Pacheco

DC COMICS

BATMAN #51
Official Description: The honeymoon’s over for Bruce Wayne as Gotham City’s most prominent citizen gets selected for jury duty in a chilling court case involving Mr. Freeze! Freeze claims the charges should be dismissed because Batman used excessive force; cue the outrage and media circus. While doing his civic duty, Wayne’s forced to take a hard look at the Dark Knight’s methods. And hey…what is Dick Grayson doing running around the city dressed as Batman?
Writer: Tom King | Artist: Lee Weeks

FUTURE QUEST PRESENTS #12
Official Description: We saved the biggest for last: a long-abandoned gene-splicing project created by Dr. Zin has been reactivated, and even the F.E.A.R. agents who brought it back to life can no longer stop it! Who can? How about Buzz Conroy and Frankenstein Jr.!
Writer: Jeff Parker | Artist: Mauricet

IMAGE COMICS

APHRODITE V #1
Official Description: In the near future, Los Angeles is a city on the brink of evolution, struggling with a new wave of terror fueled by black-market technology. Enter Aphrodite V: a fugitive from her masters, seeking individuality and purpose. She is the bleeding edge of biomechanics, and L.A.’s best hope against a new enemy—one that seeks to become a god among machines. One machine wants to destroy the city. Another has come to save it. Only one will survive.
Writer: Bryan Hill | Artist: Jeff Spokes

VS #5
Official Description: Satta Flynn is off the grid but not out of the game. As the forces that seek to end his life threaten to take all of humanity down with him, the ruined gladiator will have to reconcile with what in his life at war is still worth saving.
Writer: Ivan Brandon | Artist: Esad Ribic

Uncanny X-Force and Cable and X-Force are racing to their endgame as Part 4 of “Vendetta” sees the return of Stryfe and the climax of more than a year of stories in two titles. When the dust settles, both teams will be done as a new team rises lead by Cable and Psylocke. What will be the fate of Hope, Bishop, Spiral, Puck, Domino, Colossus, Forge and Doctor Nemesis- the characters without another series they are currently appearing in? Here is hoping that Bishop finds true redemption for his villainous actions chasing Hope through time and getting a lot of blood on his hands while he tried to murder her.

Uncanny X-Force #17
Official Description: Classic X-Force villain STRYFE has returned! And he’s eager to exact his revenge on the man who left him broken and adrift in the timestream: CABLE. As Stryfe’s plan comes to bear, Hope is brought face-to-face with Bishop, the man who crusaded across centuries in a mission to exterminate her. But this time around, she’s ready to retaliate…and they’ll hold nothing back as they race to destroy one another. Don’t miss this no-holds-barred, knockdown, drag-out X-FORCE event! Because when the dust settles, only ONE X-Force team will be left standing…

The final issue of Uncanny X-Force hits stands on Wednesday Janary 29, 2014. The All-New Marvel NOW! X-Force kicks off in February from the new creative team of writer Si Spurrier and artist Rock-he Kim.

Check out these X-Force related trades…

The San Diego Comic Con has begun and with it we are being flooded with awesome geek news- from both the actual con and the lead up to it. Lets start with one of the biggest comic book movies that is currently in production…

Bishop (Omar Sy- pictured to the left in costume) has been confirmed to appear in X-Men: Days of Future Past! The time traveling mutant has been rumored to be part of the cast, but we did not get confirmation until this past week. With Day of Future Past‘s story involving time travel, he was a good candidate for a role, especially when you consider the other notable time traveling mutant and fan favorite Cable, has had his parents killed off before he could be born (Scott Summers is his father and a clone of Jean Grey is his mother- but the real Jean Grey raised him in the future in someone else’s body… yeah, we don’t have to get into the specifics. Maybe it is a good thing that Bryan Singer choose Bishop instead of Cable). I just hope Bishop’s role is not a cameo.

Lets stay on topic with some more Marvel Comics adaptation news. (SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT!) Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD just keeps sounding better and better. First they got Joss Whedon on board to write and direct it. They put together an awesome writing/producing team of  Maurissa Tancharoen and Jed Whedon (Dollhouse, Dr. Horrible). Brought Clark Gregg’s Phil Coulson back to life after his tragic Avengers death. Put together a damn good cast with Ming-Na Wen, J. August Richards, Brett Dalton, Chloe Bennet, and Elizabeth Henstridge. And now from the floor of the San Diego Comic Con and the show’s first public screening we have confirmation of the return of Agent Maria Hill (played by the wonderful Cobie Smulders). I am so excited for this show (premieres on September 24th). I just can not wait for the further adventures of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division.

The Walking Dead premiered a first look trailer for season 4 and my jaw is still on the floor. The footage might be spoiler-y or it could just be misleading. We’ll have to wait for the show to return on October 13th to really find out. You can watch it here. The trailer gives us a first look at Lawrence Gilliard Jr as a very (and I mean very) different Bob Stookey than the one we met in the comics, along with Tyreese in a scene that looks like it is ripped from the comics but in a different location, Michonne on a horse, Rick and Tyreese ready to trade blows, and a bunch of new faces (both alive and getting eaten). We can’t be sure if this was footage from the first episode back or the first few episodes, but it looks like when The Walking Dead returns, it will waste no time in jumping back into the action and racing forward. For better or worse, there was no sign of the Governor in the trailer… We’ll have to wait and see what he might be planning.

Keep checking back as we try to round of the most exciting news coming out of San Diego and we’ll be giving away another DVD this week. What movie? You’ll have to keep checking back to see!

Marvel Comics is taking a huge step into their next generation of stories with “Marvel Now!” a massive initiative similar to DC Comic’s “New 52”. Unlike DC Comics, Marvel will not be rebooting their universe with new origins and histories, they will be continuing forward with their classic universe while relaunching a ton of ongoing series with new creative teams and designs.

Below is a poster they released for the event, featured on the poster are Spider-Man, Hulk, Jean Grey, Nova, Nick Fury, Captain America,  Rocket Raccoo (Guardians of the Galaxy), Wolverine, Ironman, Cyclops, Invisible Woman, Thor, and Cable. Under the poster is Marvel’s official press release for “Marvel Now!”

The most popular characters. The most acclaimed creators. The most ambitious stories. This is Marvel NOW!.

This Fall, the Marvel Universe heads in an exciting all-new direction, as the industry’s top creators join the top super heroes, including Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Hulk, Spider-Man, Wolverine and more, to deliver all-new ongoing series, each beginning with issue #1! Marvel NOW! is the culmination of Marvel ReEvolution, the groundbreaking new initiative to evolve the comic book experience through innovation.

It kicks off in October’s UNCANNY AVENGERS #1, from the team of Rick Remender and John Cassaday and continues with jaw-dropping new Marvel NOW! series nearly every week through February.

“There’s never been a better time to check out comics than Marvel NOW!” said Axel Alonso, Editor in Chief, Marvel Entertainment. “This isn’t a reboot or a reimagining—Marvel NOW! is all about looking forward, building on our rich history of great stories and delivering new ideas.”

In UNCANNY AVENGERS #1, the Avengers and X-Men must join forces to overcome the greatest challenge either team has ever faced, one so devastating that neither can afford to do it alone! Can Captain America’s newly assembled team find a way to peacefully co-exist while also dealing with the game-changing repercussions of Avengers Vs. X-Men?

Then in November, Marvel NOW! expands to all corners of the universe with launches including ALL-NEW X-MEN #1 by Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen, AVENGERS #1 by Jonathan Hickman and Jerome Opena, on-sale in December, and NEW AVENGERS #1, by Hickman and Steve Epting, on-sale in January 2013.

“We brought fans the biggest comic book event imaginable in Avengers Vs. X-Men and now we’re taking the Marvel Universe to an exciting new place, beginning with Uncanny Avengers #1,” said Tom Brevoort, SVP, Executive Editor, Marvel Entertainment. “If you’re a long-time fan, all the stories you’ve read will give you even more enjoyment of what’s happening now—we’re not abandoning our past. But if you’re a new reader, this is where you’re going to learn just why Marvel comics are unlike anything else you’ve ever read. And no character is left unaffected by Marvel NOW!.”

Every comic book bearing the Marvel NOW! branding includes a code for a free digital copy of that same comic on the Marvel Comics app for iOS and Android devices. Additionally, each issue #1 of Marvel NOW! series features special augmented reality content available exclusive through the Marvel AR app, including cover recaps, behind the scenes features and more that add value to your reading experience at no additional cost.

“This is the natural next step of the Marvel ReEvolution, as we evolve every facet of Marvel publishing,” explained Joe Quesada, Chief Creative Officer, Marvel Entertainment. “You’ve seen us craft new digital storytelling formats like Marvel Infinite Comics and bring added value to our comics with Marvel AR. Now our print comics leap into the future with a cinematic new look for our covers, exciting new designs for our biggest characters and stories that will send you on the kind of journey you can only get at Marvel.”

This October, Join The ReEvolution as Marvel NOW! kicks off with UNCANNY AVENGERS #1, ushering in a new era for comics and the perfect jumping on point for new readers. The biggest creators bring you the biggest characters in the biggest stories…and it’s happening NOW!

To commemorate the historic release of UNCANNY AVENGERS #1 on Wednesday, October 10, participating retailers can host special advance release parties the night before! That’s right, you can experience the biggest new series launch of the year on Tuesday, October 9 at select retailers, who’ll also have limited edition giveaways exclusive to these events.

For more on Marvel NOW!, join the conversation on Twitter with hashtag #MarvelNOW.

The moment most Buffy fans have waited for since the middle of season 4 is here, Daniel “Oz” Osbourne is back! (as seen in the awesome cover on the left)  As I did with the television series, I have blocked myself away from spoilers and the only thing that I know is that the gang goes to Oz for help.  While I have enjoyed the Buffy comic series, it has been a little disjointed and hit or miss. The pacing and flow of the “season’s” story has been off.  With Buffy writer Jane Espenson penning the next few issues I have a lot of hope for this arc.  In fact, I’m keeping this preview short so I can run to the store right now to pick up the issue…

What else is worth your time?

• Marvel: Cable #16 – Continuing directly from the “Messiah War” crossover with X-Force, Cable is in a bad place and might not be long for this world.
• DC: Nothing is worth your time this week.
• Image: Chew #2 – A twisted concept that is both engaging and… well, pretty twisted.
• IDW: Angel #23 – This book still stinks, but maybe it will get a little better with the return of “After the Fall” writer Brian Lynch. I want to root for this book so badly, except every week that gets harder (and it is not worth the high $3.99 cover price!).
• Boom! Studios: Irredeemable #4 – My comic book guy recommended this to me. Mark Waid at the top of his game? I’m in.

This Wednesday (June 17th, 2009) Captain America #600 hits stores from Ed Brubaker along with Roger Stern and Mark Waid, and art from Alex Ross, Dale Eaglesham, Butch Guice and Luke Ross.  The cover on the left is by Steve Epting and the variant on the right is from Alex Ross.

In the new issue, it is the anniversary of the death of Steve Rogers and the book looks at the life of the former Captain America and includes what Marvel is calling “the most wicked plot twist since” Steve Roger’s death. Also in the milestone issue is an essy from Joe Simon, a story from Captain America’s Golden Age, and a gallery of covers from all 600 issues.

Other interesting comics coming out on Wednesday…

• Marvel: Cable #15 – Part 6 of the “Messiah War”. Cable is one of only a handful of ongoing series that I anticipate every month.
  
• DC: Batman: Streets of Gotham #1 – There is a new Batman, how will Gotham react to him?
• Image: Invincible #63 – Will Invincible be able to save the planet?
• IDW: Angel #22 – Will this series finally be good? I keep giving it a chance in hopes that it’d begin to feel like the show. It hasn’t yet.

Check out these Captain America related trade paperbacks for sale…