Yes, it’s quite literally the last New Comic Book Day of 2014. Actually, it’s pretty quiet today; see the retail list for yourself. So, here are the notable new books on the stands.
S.H.I.E.L.D. #1
Mark Waid gets stuck with the unenivable job of bringing the TV show Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. into Marvel continuity, and does a pretty good job of it. Coulson is basically a nerdier Batman, in Waid’s estimation, and the one-and-done stylings of the book have promise. But Waid does need to sharpen some characterizations; Coulson is the only character we learn anything about here. Also, $5 is a lot to ask for a new book. But at least it’s a fun read.
Abigail And The Snowman #1
Roger Landridge, formerly of the snappy and funny Snarked!, is back with an adorable book about a lonely little girl and her cultured, polite yeti buddy. Yeah, it sounds like a sugar-shock book, but Landridge has the rare gift of making something a fun read for all ages in the most literal sense of the term; you can give this to a kid knowing they’ll love it, or you can keep it and read it to pieces yourself. It’s sweet without being saccharine, silly without being dumb, and definitely worth a read.
Star Trek/Planet Of The Apes: The Primate Directive #1
It’s kind of amazing it took the crossover-happy IDW this long to put out this book, but to the credit of Scott and David Tipton, it feels exactly like what would have happened if they had made this as a Star Trek episode. That said, Rachel Stott’s art never really rises about the serviceable, and Charlie Kirchoff’s colors give everything a weird, plasticy sheen that never quite works. But you’ll be grinning too hard at the concept to notice.
X-O Manowar #31
While I like the basic thrust of Robert Venditti’s new arc, it does kind of fall apart when you think about it. Why, precisely, is the Archer-esque arms dealer convinced he’s going to get away with, essentially, stealing a nuke right in front of the military? That said, you almost don’t care when this guy has two bottles of Johnny Walker in a beer helmet. It’s a little goofy, but as always, it’s a fun read.
Getting any of these four books this week? Or are you wrapping up 2014 getting caught up on some of the best new comics?