G.I. Joe #1
Written by Karen Traviss
Art by Steve Kurth
Colors by Kito Young
Letters by Tom B Long
Editor: John Barber
Special Thanks to Max Brooks
Covers by Jeffrey Veregee, Cliff Chiang, David Williams, Dave Dorman & Robert Atkins
IDW Publishing
Release Date: September 24, 2014
Cover Price: $3.99

G.I. Joe #1 ushers in a new era of awesomeness for the Joe team. It’s G.I. Joe against Cobra, the…..peacekeepers. Yes. You read that right. Peacekeepers. As in people who keep the peace. Let’s see how that works out for them.

For the first time in history, G.I. Joe has a woman at the helm. Literally. Writer Karen Traviss makes the jump from military fiction novels to comics, and the one burning question that I have is, why didn’t she do it sooner?

Rogue Trooper #1
Written by Brian Ruckley
Illustrated by Alberto Ponticelli
Colored by Stephen Downer
Lettered by Tom B. Long
IDW Publishing
Release Date: March 5, 2014
Cover Price: $3.99

Novelist Brian Ruckley (The Edinburgh Dead and the Godless World trilogy) has revived one of 2000 AD’s most iconic characters for the next generation of post-apocalyptic comic fans in the new series Rogue Trooper from IDW Publishing. Ruckley’s Rogue Trooper #1 is the writer’s first attempt at a serial script, and he has stepped into this format slowly and carefully in order to preserve the mystique of the title character.

Rogue, also known by his call sign “Blue,” is revealed for the first time in color in the ruined landscape of Nu-Earth, where he was created as one of an army genetically modified to breathe the poisoned air and endure dangerous levels of radiation. The last of a massacred unit of super soldiers, Rogue is convinced that he and his brothers in arms were somehow set up and ambushed. His mission now is to find out who might have been behind the ambush and why.

Archer & Armstrong: Archer #0
Written by Fred Van Lente
Illustrated by Pere Perez
Lettered by Tom B. Long
Covers by Clayton Henry, Joe Eisma, Andy Kuhn
Valiant Entertainment
Release Date: February 5, 2014
Cover Price: $3.99

I love the Archer & Armstrong title from Valiant Universe. It’s a witty, funny, exciting, odd-couple adventure that explores the relationship of two diametrically opposed companions, who still somehow remain friends.

The origin story of Archer, though, as presented in Archer & Armstrong: Archer #0… I’m not so much a fan of.

I won’t go into any spoilers here in this review, but the origin of Archer de-mystifies him. While it pulls him closer into the heart of the Valiant Universe (aiding in upcoming crossovers), it simultaneously takes away some of the very unique aspects of the title. And while Archer & Armstrong has dipped into some dark places in the past, this issue is particularly dark and disturbing.

Judge Dredd: Mega City Two #1
Written by Douglas Wolk
Art by Ulises Farinas
Colors by Ryan Hill
Letters by Tom B. Long
IDW Publishing
Release Date: January 22, 2014
Cover Price: $3.99

Judge Dredd: Mega City Two #1 was one fun book to read! The first impressions sold me immediately, with artist Ulises Farinas’ ultra detail in the city shots, instantly bringing Geoff Darrow and the late, lamented, Seth Fisher, to mind.

But Farina has got his own look and the detail expressed in the environments is sharply contrasted with the simplicity of his figure illustrations. I should note that the city shots contain lots of gags, like the “Van Halen Expressway” and “Stallone Megway” signs and the neon “Carl’s Sagan jr” restaurant.

The Other Dead #1
Written and Co-created by Joshua Ortega
Co-creator by Digger T Mesch
Art by Qing Ping Mui
Colors by Blond
Letters by Tom B. Long
Covers by Reynir Hauksson (Regular), Dave Dorman (RI), and Kevin Eastman & David Millgate (Subscription Variant)
Creative Consulting by Kevin Eastman
IDW Publishing
Release Date: September 25, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

Zombies permeate our entertainment at all levels these days. Though, in truth, they have morphed quite a bit from the old shuffling feet and inexhaustible searching for brains versions that I grew up on several decades ago. Popular television shows and even classic literature have fallen victim, but few have any originality to them. They are after all, just zombies. That’s where The Other Dead #1 changes the game a tad. You see, this isn’t about just regular old zombies…it’s about things OTHER than man becoming reanimated and doing horrible things to those around them.

The premiere issue of this six issue mini-series is all about the setup, though some things have already begun that will affect the storyline later on. In this comic, we get a fine sampling of animals gone wild, er…undead. From hunters taking down wild game that comes back to unlife to rend them limb from limb to ritually sacrificed animals coming back to exact vengeance on those who did them wrong. This all seems to be taking place in the deep south, namely southern Louisiana.