The Gosh! Authority 11.08.21

Hello!

Big news this week is the impending release of Simon Hanselmann's newest book, Crisis Zone! A collection of his remarkable webcomic he began serializing in the early days of the pandemic, this is almost certainly going to be on our best of the year list. 

And we're very happy to say that we are one of the only UK outlets offering the free Crisis Zone 2022 Calendar he has produced to go along with the collection! The book releases on the 17th August, and we're taking preorders on the webstore now!

Also a quick reminder that we are pushing our Free Comic Book Day giveaways back to the 28th August so that we can offer the full range. We'll be offering adults a grab bag of 5 random comics with a purchase, and giving bags of 3 child-friendly comics to any kids who come in on the day.

Let's get on with the show!

HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK

• DEFENDERS #1 - Not gonna lie: the combination of Al Ewing and Javier Rodriguez has me pretty excited for this latest dust-off of the world's weirdest super-team (and I was already a bit of an on-the-side Defenders fan). Defenders stalwarts Silver Surfer and Dr Strange are joined by Harpy (aka Betty Banner), the Masked Raider and Cloud are on the trail of one of the Marvel Universe's oldest (and we mean oldest) villains. Man, when do we get our MCU Defenders film?

• BATMAN '89 #1 - Batman Forever? Batman & Robin? Forgotten! Original screenwriter Sam Hamm (who for some reason I thought had died years ago) and artist Joe Quinones deliver a direct sequel to Tim Burtons first two Batman films (though we suspect less of the second and more of the first). Michael Keaton's Batman is back on the streets of never-more-gothic Gotham (courtesy of Anton Furst, who definitely did die years ago - RIP) as two rival gangs threaten to tear the city apart. Let's all get ready to Batdance like it's 1989! (RIP Prince!)

• HOW TO PICK A FIGHT GN - The debut graphic novel by acclaimed Seatlle-based cartoonist Lara Kaminoff. Jimmy is a kid who knows the answer to all of life's questions: his fists! But as he leaves home to find fame and violent fortune by way of pirates, painters and circus animals he must ask himself the question: can he really punch his way out of any problem? 

• I AM BATMAN #0 - Picking up from the events of The Next Batman: Second Son, I am Batman follows Jace Fox as he battles against the Magistrate using hardware he finds in one of Bruce Wayne's weapon caches. John Ridley and Travel Foreman kick off this all new ongoing.

• THE BUG CLUB HC - Elise Gravel, one of fave kids cartoonists working today, follows up the lovely Mushroom Fan Club with The Bug Club, a celebration of all things bug-y. Gravel uncovers all kinds of bizarre bug facts: how many eyes does a caterpillar have? What does the inside of a slug look like? Why do honey bees have hairy eyeballs? All these secrets of the bug world are yours to explore! 

• HARDWARE SEASON ONE #1 - The next cornerstone of the Milestone resurrection is here courtesy of writer Brandon Thomas and the artistic dream team of Denys Cowan and Bill Sienkiewicz. Curtis Metcalf is a brilliant scientist on the run, fighting to clear his name and keeping himself ahead of the authorities thanks to his genius and of course his indestructible suit of high-tech armour. 

• UNBELIEVEABLE UNTEENS #1 - A new branch of Jeff Lemire's Black Hammer universe opens with this Doom Patrol/X-Men riff that has the usual post-modern BH spin. Gosh fave Tyler Crook joins Lemire as comic artist Jane Ito finds herself dragged into the world of her creations the Unbelieveable Unteens.

• PENNYWORTH #1 - Spinning directly out of the Pennyworth TV show, Scott Bryan Wilson &
  Juan Gedeon chronicle the further espionage adventures of Alfred Pennyworth, future butler to the Waynes.

And that's your lot! See you next week!

Andrew.