This was a healthy pull list. We got a good amount of event tie-ins for DC’s “Absolute Power” and Marvel’s “Blood Hunt”… “Ultimate Black Panther” continued to be the surprise stand out in the crop of new Ultimate comics… And the new “Nyx” volume seems to be off to a good start with a dope roster. But what really opened my eyes was at the bottom of my stack. I’ve been trying to grab one or two issues outside the ‘Big Two’. For the most part, they usually turn out to be ok. But every once in a while I get a gem. And this week is one of those ‘whiles’… mostly led by the excellent action-oriented art by Stephano Simeone…
Comic Book of The Week:
Super Massive 2024 One-Shot
GROOM / HIGGINS PARROTT /
FLORES CLARK / SIMEONE / CAREY
Full disclosure, I haven’t read any Image Comics since the 90’s when “Spawn” first dropped and the entire run of “The Walking Dead”. So when I saw the artwork on the cover of the “Supermassive 2024 One-shot”, I took a chance and grabbed the 50 page one-shot. Turns out these “Supermassives” are just annuals for the Massive-verse.. which I had never heard of. Upon research I feared that i would be lost reading this, since I expected to have read the other Massive-verse titles (C.O.W.L., Radiant Black, Radiant Red, Radiant Pink, Rogue Sun, The Dead Lucky Inferno Red Girl and No/One). But To my surprise, this was just 50 pages of action-packed art and minimal dialog. Granted, it might’ve hit different if I knew the source material. Just you didn’t ‘need’ to know it to have a great read.
In 2024’s “Supermassive” (note: there are 2 earlier annual one-shot’s from previous years), Radiant Black faces an overwhelming challenge, standing alone against the relentless robot armies of THE CATALYST WAR. But where are the other heroes of the Massive-Verse? With one of their own trapped behind enemy lines and the fabric of time itself starting to unravel, the stakes have never been higher. In this critical moment, a SUPERMASSIVE team must unite to save their comrade and alter the course of the conflict. SHIFT, RADIANT RED, ROGUE SUN, THE DEAD LUCKY, and INFERNO GIRL RED join forces in a desperate bid to turn the tide in one of the most consequential battles of the war. This 50-page one-shot crossover event promises intense action and high stakes, featuring the stunning artwork of rising star STEFANO SIMEONE, known for his work on RADIANT BLACK and MIDLIFE. Together, they must navigate treacherous terrain, face insurmountable odds, and harness their unique abilities to bring hope to a war-torn universe.
I had such a good time with this one, I might jump back and grab the 2023 and 2022 ones-shots. And if it’s still as good as this, I’ll start digging into the other Massive-verse books. Maybe this could restart my interest in Image titles again.
Rating: 4.25/5
Best of The Rest:
