Each month I like to showcase a batch of new comics that you should be reading. I try and make it varied, mixing up creative directions, genres and different storytelling to have something that will appeal to everyone. In April we have campy teens fighting alien killing machines, Time-Lords, giant monster prisons, Revolutionary War rebels, rich ducks and much more.
As always let me know in the comments which comics you will be reading this month. You can see previous month’s lists here.
Archive vs Predator
Written by Alex de Campi. Art by Fernando Ruiz. Published by Dark Horse Comics.
Out of all the comics featured on this list Archie vs Predator is probably the most unexpected, which mixes Archie, a very kid friendly and sometimes campy comic, with the violent and gory Predator. Polar opposites on the comics scale. While they are quite different I still believe that this could easily work. First, it’ll be drawn completely in the Archie style. Secondly, the Archie characters have proven to be adaptable in a horror setting – as seen by Afterlife With Archie. Overall, I believe that if done right this could be one crazy comic and worth checking out this month.
Archie vs Predator #1 is available from April 15th.
Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor
Written by Cavan Scott. Art by Blair Shedd. Published by Titan Comics.
When Christopher Eccleston played The Doctor in the first season of the Doctor Who revival he didn’t stay around for long. While only around for one season he did manage to play his part in getting the franchise up and running again as well pave the way for David Tennant, who was very popular. Well now the Ninth Doctor is back in a 5-part miniseries, which also features fan favourites Rose and Captain Jack. It looks like someone is abusing time technology left over from the Time War and it’s up to the gang to stop them.
Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor #1 (of 5) is available from April 1st.
Space Riders
Written by Fabian Rangel Jr. Art by Alexis Ziritt. Published by Black Mask Studios.
Space Riders is a 4-part psychedelic trip through outer space that will blow your mind. Fabian Rangel Jr and Alexis Ziritt bring you a series about Capitan Peligro ad his crew as they sail through space in Skullship Santa Muerte, searching for forbidden truths and dealing hard justice.
Space Riders #1 (of 4) is available from April 1st.
KaijuMax
Written and Art by Zander Cannon. Published by Oni Press.
What happens when giant monsters have been bad? Just like humans, they are taken to jail. Although this is no ordinary jail. This series follows Electrogor, one of the monsters in the jail, as he plays the prison game in order to survive among the other monsters. Think of KaijuMax as a Oz meets Godzilla and great art and you will get the general idea of what to expect.
KaijuMax #1 is available from April 8th.
Rebels
Written by Brian Wood. Art by Andrea Mutti. Published by Dark Horse Comics.
Rebels is the new ongoing series from Brian Wood and Andrea Mutti about the soldiers, colonists and ordinary people who were around during the Revolutionary War. This should be an interesting series to read as this part of American history is repetitively untouched in the comic book form.
Rebels #1 is available from April 8th.
Savior
Written by Brian Holguin and Todd McFarlane. Art by Clayton Crain. Published by Image Comics.
One day a mysterious man appears. He has no name, background or memory but he posses powers that are similar to the those found in the Old Testament. Could this man be the Savior brought down to Earth? Some will believe he is, others a hero and some of them think he could be something worse. As to what he is you will have to start reading this 8-issue miniseries to form your own opinion.
Savior #1 is available from April 8th.
Kaptara
Written by Chip Zdarsky. Art by Kagan McLeod. Published by Image Comics.
Take a strange journey through space with this new Image Comics series by Sex Criminals co-creator Chip Zdarsky and Kagan McLeod. Kaptara follows a wayward human astronaut as he travels to new worlds inspired by 1980s action figures with a homoerotic twist. In interviews Zdarsky has described Kaptara as a “gay Saga”, which seems fitting with some of the weird and wonderful designs that have so far been shown.
Kaptara #1 is available from April 29th.
Convergence
Written by Jeff King, Dan Jurgens and Scott Lobdell. Art by Ethan Van Sciver, Carlo Pagulayan and Stephen Segovia. Published by DC Comics.
In April and May all of DC Comics regular titles are taking a break and in their place will be Convergence. A weekly series with 40 tie-ins which revisit and celebrate different eras in DC Comics’ publishing history. Once thought to be wiped away from existence, all these different eras and ideas have actually been bottled away by Superman villain Braniac. But one day Braniac decides to see what happens when he unbottles his collection. You’ll have to read what happens to find out what happens next.
You can find out more about Convergence and see all the tie-ins here.
Convergence runs weekly throughout April and May beginning on April 1st.
James Patterson’s Max Ride: First Flight
Written by Marguerite Bennett. Art by Alex Sanchez. Published by Marvel Comics.
Based on the James Patterson’s hugely popular Maximum Ride series of novels, Max Ride: First Flight is the first foray of the franchise into comics. For those unfamiliar with the novels, Maximum Ride is about a group of teenagers who are part avian after being exposed to genetic tampering. this tampering has given them extraordinary abilities but it comes at a cost as those who gave them to the group are after them. If you are a fan of the novel series then you will want to be reading this comic. If you’re not then it will act as a good introduction.
James Patterson’s Max Ride: First Flight is available from April 8th.
Uncle Scrooge
By Jonathan Gray, Rodolfo Cimino, Romano Scarpa and Giorgio Cavazzano. Published by IDW Publishing.
Uncle Scrooge is back in comic book form at his new home at IDW. At the moment these will be reprints of Italian Disney comics but considering these were never released in English they are essentially new. As an added bonus there will be 48 pages of story for only $3.99, that’s a bargain even by Scrooge’s standards. Whether you are a Disney Duck fan or not you should enjoy these stories as they are always full of fun and adventure.
What will you be reading this month?
Will you be reading any of these 9 comics? Let me know in the comments below or via Facebook or Twitter.
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