Collecting Comics: January 2018, by Ally Watkins

Welcome to the January 2018 edition of Collecting Comics! Here are some comics to put in your collection for your teens and tweens for the New Year!

Hawkeye, Kate Bishop, Volume 2: Masks by Kelly Thompson, illustrated by Leonard Romero (Marvel, January 2). Kate Bishop aka Hawkeye (not that Hawkeye) finally gets a lead on the case that brought her out to LA in the first place, but to solve it, she’ll have to take a good, hard look at who she is and where she came from. Is she ready for that? Collects issues #7-#12 of the comic book series. Your superhero fans will love this one.

Gwenpool, the Unbelievable, Volume 4: Beyond the Fourth Wall by Christopher Hastings, illustrated by Gurihuru (Marvel, January 2). Gwen Poole is everyone’s favorite character from the “real” world. But the longer she’s in the Marvel Universe, the more her powers seem to fade. Maybe she needs a trip back to her world to recharge–but if she does that, will she be able to make it back to the MU? Collects issues #16-#20 of the comic book series. Give this to your patrons that are a fan of meta storytelling and humor.

Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, Volume 4: Girl-Moon by Brandon Montclare and Amy Reeder, illustrated by Natacha Bustos (Marvel, January 9). It’s Lunella Lafayette’s biggest adventure ever as she and Devil Dinosaur venture through the cosmos. And if they make it back, they may find their Earth a little bit..changed? Who are Devil Girl and Moon Dinosaur and what have they done to her neighborhood??? Collects issues #19-#24 of the comic book series. Lunella is great for a wide variety of readers!

Elsewhere, Volume 1 by Jay Faerber, illustrated by Sumeyye Kesgin (Image Comics, January 9). The thrilling story of what really happened to Amelia Earhart. Transported to a mysterious new world filled with alien creatures and flying animals, Amelia tries desperately to return home! Along the way she makes friends and finds herself in the middle of a rebellion against an alien warlord. Collects issues #1-#4 of the comic book series.

BOOM! Box Mix Tape (BOOM! Box, January 9). A collection of short comics from fan favorites and BOOM! Box stars. Inludes both original comics and new stories from BOOM! favorites like Lumberjanes, Goldie Vance, Giant Days and The Backstagers.

Dream of the Butterfly, Volume 1: Rabbits on the Moon by Richard Marazano, illustrated by Luo Yin (Lion Forge, January 23). Tutu is blown away from her home by a giant blizzard, and she finds herself in a strange village filled with talking animals. It’s always winter here and the rabbits of the secret police find her guilty of a horrible crime: being a little girl! Nominated for the Angoulême Festival Youth Prize.

Olympians: Hermes: Tales of the Trickster by George O’Connor (First Second, January 30). O’Connor is back again with another installment of his wildly popular series based on Greek mythology. In this tenth volume, he delves into the myth of the trickster god Hermes who bewitches animals to bend them to his will, steals herds of animals, and generally causes chaos wherever he goes. Your patrons that like mythology, wit, and great storytelling will eat this one up!

Wires and Nerve, Volume 2: Gone Rogue by Marissa Meyer, illustrated by Stephen Gilpin (Feiwel and Friends, January 30). The second installment of Wires and Nerves picks up where the Lunar Chronicles left off as Iko, Cinder, and the gang fight against rogue soldiers to try and unite Earth and Luna. Fans of the Lunar Chronicles will be delighted that there’s more to the story! These books will especially delight fans of Iko.

BONUS NON COMICS:

Black Panther: The Young Prince by Ronald L. Smith (Marvel Press, January 2). T’Challa is the young prince of the nation of Wakanda and he likes nothing more than getting into trouble with his best friend M’Baku. But as conflict brews in Wakanda, his father the king announces he’s sending T’Challa and M’Baku to school in the United States. Will they be able to survive both the ins and outs of middle school and also solve the strange things that start happening all while hiding T’Challa’s true identity?

Runaways: An Original Novel by Christopher Golden (Marvel Press, January 2). Nico, Karolina, Gert, Chase, and Molly are on the run again, hiding out and trying not to get killed. But kids with superpowers and abilities don’t get to have normal lives.

Batman: Nightwalker by Marie Lu (Random House Books for Young Readers, January 2). Before he was Batman, he was Bruce Wayne. And he makes some bad mistakes. Sentenced to community service at Arkham Asylum, he meets a girl. Who will only talk to him. Who has a strange connection to the nightwalkers terrorizing the city. Is he convincing her to help him, or is she just using him to destroy the city’s elite? And is he next on her list?