This week’s latest comics are scary good. From weddings (some people are terrified of them!) to teenagers (very scary), to serial killers and actual nightmare worlds, there’s something for every fear this week. So grab your cuddliest blanket, lock the door, and make sure to turn on all the lights before you settle down with the new comics from August 9, 2023!
[Note: This week’s comics are provided by Warp Zone Comics and Collectibles. Warning: my reviews of this week’s comics contain some spoilers, read at your own risk ]
DC: Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries #11
From DC, written by Sholly Fisch with art by Erich Owen. Okay, I love Scooby-Doo and the gang so anything with them is going to be a hit with me. That being said, this is a great comic! The plot is somewhat similar to the plot of the 2001 animated Scooby-Doo movie, Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase but that doesn’t take away from the comic at all. There’s plenty of good, wholesome fun and anyone who loves Scooby is gonna love this issue and this series.
DC: Knight Terrors The Flash #2
Written by Alek Paknadel and featuring the art of Daniel Bayliss, Knight Terrors The Flash #2 sees The Flash attempting to outrun his fear but the faster he runs the more he runs into. As he faces more and more shocking events from his absence he begins to realize that something is catching up to him.
Paknadel really got the terror part of the Knight Terrors event. Barry’s story is one of the scariest from the event. His belief that he can fix anything keeps him from accepting any event that he doesn’t like. And the consequences of that denial are, well, terrifying.
DC: Knight Terrors Robin #2
From DC, written by Kenny Porter with art by Miguel Mendonça. We get two Robins for the price of one in the Knight Terrors Robin series. Tim Drake and Jason Todd are dropped into their nightmare worlds together. In the first issue, they dealt with this alone but in this issue, they realize that the only way out is together.
The two-Robin dynamic worked really well with Drake and Todd because these two characters complement each other well. Where Drake lacks confidence, Todd has it in spades. And Todd’s loneliness is put to rest when Drake is always there for him. It was nice to see a partnership that worked so well develop in a place that was designed to destroy the psyche.
Marvel: Amazing Spider-Man #31
Written by Zeb Wells with art by John Romita Jr., Amazing Spider-Man #31 is a special oversized issue with a higher price tag than normal. At the end of issue #30, Spider-Man defeated Doc Ock and his upgraded arms. In issue #31 we leave Doc Ock behind and pivot to a whole new storyline. Janice Lincoln and Randy Robertson are finally getting married and it’s mostly just an excuse for all the crime lords of NYC to try and kill Tombstone. But first Randy and Jan have to have their pre-wedding parties!
Most of the first half of the issue is devoted to a sad bachelor party and a crazy bachelorette party. Then there’s the wedding, which goes perfectly of course (not). Then there’s a collection of backstories and future teases that make up the second half of the comic. After the exciting Doc Ock storyline, issue #31 is a little bit of a letdown. We’ll just have to see where the plots teased in the second half go I suppose.
Marvel: Captain Marvel Dark Tempest #2
From Marvel, written by Ann Nocenti and featuring the art of Paolo Villanelli. Captain Marvel faces the ultimate challenge: Swaying jaded teenagers! The teens see heroics as a waste of time. Captain Marvel tries to change their minds. Somehow they all get teleported to a dangerous alien world far from home! A saying about no good deeds seems relevant here.
There is a different kind of hero work on display here as Captain Marvel works to save the… hearts? Souls? Outlooks? of these kids, instead of just saving their lives and flying away. Sure she does that too, but she does more this time. And anyone who tries to reason with a bunch of surly teenagers gets a gold star in my book, even if it’s not the more exciting comic ever.
Marvel: Ghost Rider/Wolverine Weapons of Vengeance-Alpha #1
Written by Ben Percy with art from Geoff Shaw, Ghost Rider/Wolverine Weapons of Vengeance-Alpha is a new four-part series featuring the two heroes teaming up to stop a serial killer that targets mutants. Percy is the current writer for both the Wolverine and Ghost Rider series so the two characters keep their current personalities, which is nice. It can be really annoying when characters get thrown into new series with new writers that don’t really understand the characters so they change them or have them act completely out of, well, character. Percy avoids this common pitfall and it makes the comic that much more exciting.
Not that this issue was lacking in excitement. It’s an adrenaline-soaked adventure from start to finish. If the rest of the series holds to this pattern, it’s a good thing it’s only four issues. We wouldn’t be able to handle any more!
Marvel: Miles Morales Spider-Man #9
From Marvel, written by Cody Ziglar and featuring art from Federico Vicentini and Federico Sabbatini (yes both Federico). Miles Morales comes up against Hobgoblin in this issue and the battle is intense, to say the least. Miles has to push himself harder than he ever has before. And in doing so he discovers powers he never knew he had.
Will they be enough to save the day or will it be too much for Miles? This issue is very action-packed. Miles’ fight with Hobgoblin is almost feverish. And the comic relief of the interactions between Starling and her robot pal is a great foil to that level of intensity.
And that’s some of the new comics releasing August 9, 2023
Okay, it’s over. Did everyone make it through alright? I know that was a little scary here and there! If you want to pick up physical copies of any of these comic books but you’re not sure where a shop is near you, try checking on ComicShopLocator.com.
What are your favorite comics right now? Let us know on social media such as Twitter or The Cosmic Circus Discord!
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