Clive Barker’s Next Testament #1
Written by Clive Barker and Mark Miller
Illustrated by Haemi Jang
Lettered by Steve Wands
Covers by Goni Montez, Ben Oliver, and Clive Barker
Boom! Studios
Release Date: May 29, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

“If God really existed, it would be necessary to abolish him.” –Mikhail Bakunin

Clive Barker and Mark Miller present a deep and philosophical twist in the horror genre by establishing that very scenario in their Next Testament #1 from Boom! Studios.

What if the God that millions believe is their benevolent creator was actually a selfish and bloodthirsty egomaniac? What if that bloodthirsty egomaniac was released from a prison that had trapped him for thousands of years? There would be some serious trouble, you can guarantee that. That trouble is the basis for the theologically-heavy plot that Barker and Miller have set in motion in the first issue of this ongoing series.

The Fez #1
Written by Roger Langridge
Illustrated by Roger Langridge
Hotel Fred Press
Release Date: June 26, 2013
Available Digitally via ComiXology Submit
Cover Price: $0.99

Just like an old-fashioned short before a feature film, The Fez #1 by Roger Langridge (winner of both Harvey and Eisner Awards) offers up a sample-sized dose of action and laughs starring his charming title character.

This invisible (and yet somehow still dapper) hero doesn’t speak a single word in the mini-comic, but Landgridge has managed to fill The Fez with enough personality that he practically pops off of every page. The two vignettes showcased in this launch introduce a character that’s more chaotic neutral than your stereotypical action-adventure lead. In the first story, told from an enemy’s point of view, The Fez presumably rights a wrong and manages to nearly drive that foe bonkers during the process. Really, how could you not appreciate a hero who stalks his enemy (who may or may not be evil) and basically annoys him simply for his own pleasure?

The Westwood Witches #2
Written by El Torres
Illustrated by Abel García
Lettered by Malaka Studio
Amigo Comics
Release Date: June 26, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

I’m sure that I’m not alone in the opinion that indie comics usually fall at one of the extreme ends of the quality spectrum. Sometimes a writer or an artist seems to come out of the ether with a jaw-dropping creation while others tend to feel like sophomoric attempts at best. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into when I picked up The Westwood Witches #2 by El Torres (The Suicide Forest from IDW) and Abel García from Amigo Comics. I feared the worst, honestly thinking that much would be lost on an American audience, but I held out the hope that this Spanish team would give the 4-issue horror series the same careful attention that has been shown in the horror film industry in Spain in recent years.

They completely blew me away.

My Little Pony Micro-Series #5: Featuring Pinkie Pie
Written by Ted Anderson
Illustrated by Ben Bates
Lettered by Neil Uyetake
IDW Publishing
Release Date: June 19, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

Bubbly and hyperactive Pinkie Pie goes totally fangirl when she meets her beloved clown role model Ponyacci in IDW’s latest My Little Pony Micro-Series: Featuring Pinkie Pie. This comic delivers exactly what readers expect from the My Little Pony line: snappy dialog, a clever plot, and clean and bold artwork.

Writer Ted Anderson puts Pinkie Pie through the nearly the entire emotional spectrum, starting with an elated celebration after winning tickets to see Ponyacci perform live.

She meets a sad pony while waiting to enter the show and is so concerned about his mood that she offers to give him her own ticket if it would make him happy. He refuses, so she enters and watches the show with her friend Twilight. The two are awestruck with the performance and can’t wait to go backstage to try and meet the legendary clown. When Pinkie Pie comes face-to-face with her idol, she discovers that the pony behind the makeup is the same sad pony she met before the show.

Vincent Price: Tales from the Darkness #4
Written by CW Cooke
Illustrated by Ezequiel Rosingana
Colored by Doris Lotewing
Lettered by David Hopkins
Cover by Graham Hill
Bluewater Comics
Release Date: June 19, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

Punishment for the idle observers of war is the hard-hitting theme of Vincent Price: Tales from the Darkness #4, the latest installment in the series from Bluewater Comics.

Current events in horror comics are sure to push buttons with readers because of our intimate connection to the reality of these horrors thanks to the media exposure we’re subjected to each day. Plausibility is frightening. That’s where writer CW Cooke collects the strength for this story, but that’s also sadly where it ends.