Top 10 Countdown: July 11, 2015

10. Man Overboard - Splinter
Last week: NEW!

9. The Early November - Boxing Timelines
Last week: 9.

8. The Maine - English Girls
Last week: NEW!

7. Neck Deep - Can't Kick Up The Roots
Last week: 8.

6. Man Overboard - Borderline
Last week: 7.

5. I The Mighty - Playing Catch With .22
Last week: 3.

4. Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! - The Other Line
Last week: 5.

3. Silverstein - Face Of The Earth
Last week: 4.

2. As It Is - Cheap Shots & Setbacks
Last week: 1.

1. Courage My Love - Kerosene
Last week: 2.

Special: Inside Out/Ted 2/Spy Mini-Reviews

Inside Out:

Growing up can be a bumpy road, and it's no exception for Riley, who is uprooted from her Midwest life when her father starts a new job in San Francisco. Like all of us, Riley is guided by her emotions - Joy (Amy Poehler), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith). The emotions live in Headquarters, the control center inside Riley's mind, where they help advise her through everyday life. As Riley and her emotions struggle to adjust to a new life in San Francisco, turmoil ensues in Headquarters. Although Joy, Riley's main and most important emotion, tries to keep things positive, the emotions conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house and school.

My thoughts? The exploration of the human mind of a 12 year old girl lead by her eccentric and colourful emotions was a lot more fun than I expected it to be. I was fortunate enough to know about the "sadness" this movie entailed, and no I don't mean Riley's somber emotion, I mean the emotional punch of the movie, so when it happened it was expected and it hot me less than Up, Toy Story 3 or How To Train Your Dragon 2. Overall it was one of Pixar's better films in my eyes as the animation and voice-acting was top notch to go along with an original, albeit difficult, story to tell. Inside Out is a complex piece of art that will appeal to both children and adults alike, in other words it's typical Pixar.

Final verdict: 4 out of 5 emotions.

Ted 2:

Newlywed couple Ted and Tami-Lynn want to have a baby, but in order to qualify to be a parent, Ted will have to prove he's a person in a court of law.

My thoughts? Like it's predecessor Ted 2 is absurd and hilarious most of the time. There are points when it reaches too far and crosses a line it shouldn't but in the end we forgive it. What it lacked that it's predecessor nailed was it's ability to take this bonkers scenario and have the audience want to invest emotionally into the characters. When it does eventually try to flip the switch in the third act it's not a smooth transition and it leaves us feeling disconnected and worst of all we are no longer laughing. Luckily they throw in a thunder buddy reference for the first time in the film and all is forgiven. I'd be amiss to say that Ted was a great movie but I'd be lying if I said I never laughed during it's nearly 2 hour runtime.

Final verdict: Barely 4 out of 5 bongs.

Spy:

Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) is an unassuming, deskbound CIA analyst, and the unsung hero behind the Agency's most dangerous missions. But when her partner (Jude Law) falls off the grid and another top agent (Jason Statham) is compromised, she volunteers to go deep undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer, and prevent a global disaster.

My thoughts? I'm not really a McCarthy fan, outside of her brilliant role in Hangover III I'd have to say my favourite film has been The Heat, a movie I'd probably grade a 3. But I'm happy to say Spy won me over, sure she's still playing essentially the same role but this time she brings style and a slew of on-point co-stars to the party. Statham hasn't done anything to write home about recently but this role reminds me of the old Ritchie flicks that made me like him in the first place. Law is as charming as ever and Byrne plays the bad guy role so well, surprising since we never get to see her do that. The script is paced well and the director never misses a shot.

Final verdict: 4 out of 5 intelligence agencies.

Top 10 Countdown: July 4, 2015

10. Man Overboard - Now That You're Home
Last week: NEW!

9. The Early November - Boxing Timelines
Last week: 10.

8. Neck Deep - Can't Kick Up The Roots
Last week: 9.

7. Man Overboard - Borderline
Last week: 8.

6. Millencolin - Bring Me Home
Last week: 6.

5. Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! - The Other Line
Last week: 5.

4. Silverstein - Face Of The Earth
Last week: 4.

3. I The Mighty - Playing Catch With .22
Last week: 3.

2. Courage My Love - Kerosene
Last week: 2.

1. As It Is - Cheap Shots & Setbacks
Last week: 1,

Comic Shop Corner: July 2015

We'll do 28 this month since there's a bunch of issues double shipping this month as well as annuals.

28. C.O.W,L. #11
Last ranking: 30 (same issue)

Arc two comes to a close with a monster issue. All of Geoffrey's lies, secrets, and rationalizations have led to this. Plus, Radia's public stand against C.O.W.L.—will she win the independence she wants? And does Arclight have a future with C.O.W.L.? Or at all?

27. New Suicide Squad #10
Last ranking: 29

What do you get when you take on an unstable breakaway faction from the League of Assassins? Dead Squad members, that’s what!

26. Edward Scissorhands #10
Last ranking: 24

Whole Again concludes, as Edward realizes that only he can rescue his new friends, even though it might mean sacrificing his best chance to be “normal.” But what’s normal, really?

25. Justice League United #11
Last ranking: Unranked

The Convergence is over! Now, Alanna Strange, Stargirl and Equinox must assemble brand-new and wildly untraditional teams of heroes and villains to work together and stop another cosmic catastrophe before it happens. In this issue: Mera, Poison Ivy, Swamp Thing and Etrigan!

24. American Vampire: The Second Cycle #8
Last ranking: 27 (same issue)

With Skinner and Calvin leading the space race, back on Earth it’s time to face the most guarded stronghold in the country: Area 51! Felicia and Pearl go behind the fence to expose the nation’s extraterrestrial secrets. What do they encounter floating in the test tubes? You’ll find out here!

23. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Colour Classics #7
Last ranking: 26

In "City at War, Part Five," the TMNT and their allies must face their personal doubts, motivations, and mortality as the war for New York continues to explode out-of-control around them! (Originally printed as Mirage TMNT #54, Volume 1.)

22. Gotham By Midnight #7/Annual
Last ranking: 16

7: The responsibilities of the Midnight Shift can take its toll on even the bravest. What trials has Lt. Weaver endured – and has he reached his breaking point?

Annual: Get set for a tale of love and vengeance in this centuries-old mystery for the Midnight Shift – and the Gentlemen Ghost!

21. Past Aways #5
Last ranking: 23

Phil and his new student experiment with a novel form of time travel, Art begins a dangerous relationship with a 2015 native, and the impossible occurs when one of the immortal Past Aways passes away!

20. We Stand On Guard #1
Last ranking: NEW!

SAGA writer BRIAN K. VAUGHAN teams with artistic legend and MATRIX storyboard artist STEVE SKROCE for an action-packed military thriller that will have everyone talking. 100 years from now, a heroic band of Canadian civilians must defend their homeland from invasion...by the United States of America! The hyper-detailed combat between badass freedom fighters and giant f***ing robots begins with a spectacular 40-PAGE FIRST ISSUE for the regular price of just $2.99!

19. Bat-Mite #2
Last ranking: 12

Bat-Mite assists Batman on yet another case…whether the Dark Knight needs his help or not. This time, it leads the imp to the diabolical Doctor Trauma, who has terrible plans in store for Hawkman!

18. Secret Wars #4
Last ranking: 22/21 (same issue)

All the Angels sing!

17. Lobo #8/Annual
Last ranking: 14

8: Lobo battles fiendish robotic surgeons in the horrific “flesh factory”!

Annual: Lobo’s faced murderers, thieves and tyrants as he slaughtered his way across the universe, but now he meets the one group that might shut down his work for good: the Sinestro Corps!

16. Harrow County #3
Last ranking: 13

Terrified by what she's learned of witches and monsters, Emmy takes shelter in an ancient graveyard, as she's hunted down by her own family!

15. Secret Six #4
Last ranking: 20

It's the Secret Six versus the Doom Patrol, fresh off their appearance in Teen Titans! As the Six hunt down the villain who has been targeting them, they uncover some startling secrets. What does the all-new Doom Patrol have to do with all of it?

14. Silver Surfer #13
Last ranking: 19

From the edge of Battleworld to the far reaches of the cosmos – every planet, moon and star has been extinguished. Except for the Surfer, Dawn and Toomie! How did they pull this off? And more importantly, can they figure out a way to bring everything back?

13. Justice League Of America #2
Last ranking: 18

The JLA learns more about the armada of religious zealots that has arrived on Earth – and their stunning ties to Krypton!

12. Magneto #20
Last ranking: 15

Earth is careening toward oblivion and Magneto is desperate to prevent mutantkind from meeting its untimely end… But could it be that the key to salvation has been right in front of him all along in the form of his daughter, Polaris?

11. Batman Beyond #2
Last ranking: 5

Thirty-five years in the future, Batman’s gotten himself caught in a P.O.W. camp where the enemy refuses to give up trying to crack the only “data source” he can't access – the human mind! And this foe doesn’t care how many people he has to burn through to get there, including original Batgirl Barbara Gordon! To make his great escape, Batman will have to take down both his greatest hero and a traitor to humanity! Featuring the DC Universe debut of Batman Beyond-villain Inque!

10. Howard The Duck #5
Last ranking: 9

While the world’s greatest super heroes fight to save NYC – and possibly America and parts of Canada – Howard and Tara Tam learn a lot about each other, and themselves. Communication is key in life. Be inquisitive about the people you surround yourself with. RETAILER NOTE: This issue is a HOWARD THE DUCK #4 tie-in!

9. Action Comics #42
Last ranking: 25

The Superman epic you never expected – “TRUTH” continues! Who will stand by Clark Kent?

8. Deadpool's Secret Secret Wars #3
Last ranking: 11

The war that's so secret, the rest of the Marvel Universe doesn't even remember it! Amid the chaos Deadpool dons...a new costume?!?! Plus: our heroes stage a huge attack on the gluttonous GALACTUS!

7. Batman #42
Last ranking: 2

More surprises around every corner as the all-new Batman hits the streets of Gotham City!

6. Fight Club 2 #3
Last ranking: 17

Tyler’s been around a lot longer than anyone realized . . . To gain admittance to the current generation of Project Mayhem, Marla is more than happy to provide Sebastian with plenty of bruises, and thus, the search for their son begins . . .

5. Sex Criminals #11/12
Last ranking: 6 (Issue 11 resolicited)

11: NEW STORY! NEW ARC! SAME OLD MATT AND CHIP.
Jon and Suzie have a gift: when they have sex, they stop time. And they’re not alone. Get on board the book that’s been called “hilarious” and “arousing” — by Chip’s mommy. OH! All these issues? They’re all in a sealed bag because 1000 totally random blank covers have been “customized” by Matt and Chip. Will YOU be one of the lucky ones (thousand)? Will YOUR copy be worth a million dollars one day because it is one-of-a-kind and unique (probably not)? YES! (No.)

12: Suzie and Jon continue the worst recruitment plan in the history of entertaining second-act montage sequences. Getting the band together never had so many fluids. By Hollywood jerkhole MATT FRACTION (ODY-C, SATELLITE SAM, Hawkeye) and literally a shed-full of car keys that somehow manages to draw comics.

4. Grayson #10
Last ranking: 8

For the first time since FOREVER EVIL, Dick Grayson comes face-to-face with Lex Luthor!

3. Nailbiter #14
Last ranking: 3

One of the biggest secrets of the serial killers is revealed!

2. Justice League #42
Last ranking: 10

The epic “Darkseid War” event storyline continues with the critically acclaimed team of Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok! As Darkseid and the Anti-Monitor maneuver toward inevitable war, Wonder Woman leads the Justice League against a force that holds the answers on how to stop it – but the price might be Batman’s soul! Meanwhile, Mister Miracle faces off against a mysterious hero who has been fighting in the shadows for decades!

1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #47/48
Last ranking: 1 (Issue 47 resolicited)

47: The Stockman Swarm engulfs NYC searching high and low for the Turtles. The Turtles are on the run and desperate. Will they be able to find sanctuary before it's too late?

48: The Turtles take the fight to Baxter Stockman as both Karai and Shredder plan their final moves!

Series dropped: Postal

Series finished: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: New Animated Adventures

Special: Best Movie of 2015?

Well here we are roughly half way through 2015 so I thought it'd be fun to do a top 5 movies of 2015 so far and look at my top 5 contenders from the rest of the year to dethrone them, but to avoid any spoilers (after all these 5 could end up to be the top 5 at the end of the year) I'm just going to list both lists in alphabetical order. Now let's talk movies!

Top 5 Contenders:

Firstly this is hard to predict since generally there are a handful of Oscar fodder that turns out really good, unfortunetly we have no trailers for any of them so I'd be picking based on names alone and I just can't bring myself to do that so I'm sticking with films that have trailers.

Fantastic Four:

Those who read my most anticipated movies of the summer should not be surprised by this movies inclusion. I fear that this version of the Fantastic Four will not be as accepted as it should be as historically speaking, the thinking man's superhero film has not been well received (Watchmen, The Incredible Hulk) I'm really hoping I'm wrong but I doubt it, this may very well be the jewel of this year's comic book films, it will also be the least seen, but he'll I'll enjoy it for everyone.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2:

I'll be the first to admit that Part 1 was easily the worst Hunger Games movie yet... Not that it was horrendous or anything, the previous two just set the bar to high and the fact of the matter is that any time you split a book into two movies the first part isn't going to have a good enough build up to it's climax, they did the best they could but we must look at the positives of going this route, the climax of the book will now be an entire movie! Here's looking up Mockingjay Part 2.

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation:

Honestly when making my summer movie list this somehow was overlooked, I'm positive it didn't have a release date yet as their was no way if I had seen this was coming out I wouldn't have given it a spot. What was supposed to be a hand-off movie for Tom Cruise (Ghost Protocall) became such a huge hit they opted to roll the dice on Tom teaming up again with Renner, Pegg and the rest of the crew. The previously mentioned fourth installment was more than just a shot in the arm for the slumping franchise, it became the series benchmark, here's hoping Rogue Nation can build upon it's predecessor.

Point Break:

The original Point Break wrongly gets overlooked when talking about the best action movies from the 90's... Sure it has it's flaws but it's also amazing, I'll be the first to admit that this looks very different than when Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze dawned their wetsuits but that doesn't mean it's guaranteed to fail, no instead it's differentiating itself from the original. It's also smartly being released in December to counteract all the Oscar Fodder programming. Sure this is probably most likely to be panned by most, myself included out of the movies on this list, but for now I'm betting on Johnny Utah and Bodhi.

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens:

I know, I know. Try to hide your surprise face... Not sure what I can say about this that hasn't already been said... Woo Star Wars? Moving on...

Top 5 So Far:

Avengers: Age Of Ultron:

It's pretty unfair to compare Age of Ultron to it's predecessor but it'll be done regardless, it's not The Avengers, not even close, probably was never even going to be. I'll be the first to admit that upon it's first viewing I was dissapointed in certain aspects and how certain parts were done, But after a second viewing I realized I was merely nitpicking at what was still a great movie... Great enough to be #1? Maybe...

Chappie:

The critics scores will have you believe I was the only person that actually enjoyed this movie... From the director of critical darling and cult classic District 9 comes Chappie the story of a robot with a conscience and feelings... But what happens when he's taught to do bad things? Does his makers lessons of doing good thing overpower his "mom" and "dad" influence to kill and steal? Watch this movie and find out and then you can decide for yourself if it's worthy of a #1 spot.

Inside Out:

Damn you Pixar! What's with the feels always (get it because the movie is about emotions?) But seriously I did the math... Pixar has released 15 full length films if you split them between the best 8 reviewed and the worst 7 reviewed guess what the tomatometer score is of the top movie in the worst reviewed 7... 96%... Yup. They also have 2 more movies in the 90's before dropping down to 78% for two films and then the Cars movies which we don't talk about. Simply put, Pixar is the kings and queens of animation and they don't appear to be getting dethroned any time soon.

Jurassic World:

I'll probably get a lot of flack for this selection... But bring it! This could've went to Mad Max but in all honesty I preferred Jurassic World. That could change after some more viewings but I think this is a case where expectations is the difference maker. Both movies were similar in my eyes but I expected so much more from Mad Max then Jurassic World... Likely due to it's previous sequels full of dino poop.

Kingsmen: The Secret Service:

Who would've thought that a movie about a bunch of English Blokes could be so entertaining... Holding just as much appeal as an action movie as it does a stylized spy movie, director Matthew Vaughn (Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class) proves that when it comes to comic book adaptations he can run up against pretty well anyone, and just like his previous work it's a joy to watch.

Top 10 Countdown: June 27, 2015

10. The Early November - Boxing Timelines
Last week: NEW!

9. Neck Deep - Can't Kick Up The Roots
Last week: 10.

8. Man Overboard - Borderline
Last week: NEW!

7. Hit The Lights - Life On The Bottom
Last week: 2.

6. Millencolin - Bring You Home
Last week: 7.

5. Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! - The Other Line
Last week: 6.

4. Silverstein - Face Of The Earth
Last week: 5.

3. I The Mighty - Playing Catch With .22
Last week: 4.

2. Courage My Love - Kerosene
Last week: 3.

1. As It Is - Cheap Shots & Setbacks
Last week: 1.

Special: Halloween ComicFest 2015 Announced!

Hopefully by now you've cruised through all your pick-ups from Free Comic Book Day in May, and if you have then you'll be excited to know the time has come to get prepared for the next day to get free comics... Halloween ComicFest!

Halloween ComicFest will take place on Halloween this year, that's right on Saturday October 31, 2015. It's similar to Free Comic Book Day where it's an annual event where participating comic book speciality shops across North America and beyond celebrate the Halloween season by giving away comic books absolutely free to anyone who comes into their shops. The event is always held the weekend before Halloween and is the perfect opportunity to introduce friends and family to the many reasons why comic shops are a great destination for Halloween themed comic books, products and merchandise. From zombies, vampires, monsters and aliens to costumes and more, comic shops have it all when it comes to Halloween fun!

I've attached the solicitations for the 21 books you can get this October below as well as the official press release from Diamond Distributors below, and make sure to stay tuned to the blog for updates as well as my official rankings and reviews as we get closer to the date.

HALLOWEEN COMICFEST FULL-SIZED COMICS

ACTION LAB ENTERTAINMENT

Actionverse

(W) Vito Delsante & Various (A) Ray-Anthony Height, Sean Izaakse (CA) Ray-Anthony Height & Various

ACTIONVERSE DEBUTS! Get a peek at the Creator Owned event of the year that everyone will be talking about from Action Lab...ACTIONVERSE! Action Lab ties its Creator Owned Superhero Properties together in a universe shattering event never before attempted by a comic publisher. Preview the Midnight Tiger, Molly Danger and Stray crossover, get the who's who on all the Major Heroes and Villains and a special first look at our new series, ACTION LAB: DOG OF WONDER! Everything you need for the history

Vampblade #1 Featuring Zombie Tramp

(W) Jason Martin, Dan Mendoza (A) Winston Young (CA) Winston Young, Dan Mendoza


Get a look at the latest offbeat genre heroine from Danger Zone...VAMPBLADE! After appearing in the pages of Zombie Tramp and then guest starring in a limited series with the queen of the undead, the mystical blade wielding Vampblade is all set to debut her own ongoing series in 2016! Here's your chance to see what the book is all about and also take a peek at Zombie Tramp and friends!

ARCHIE COMICS

The Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina #1

Script: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa  art: Robert Hack, Jack Morelli Cover: Robert Hack, Rosario "Tito" Peña

There's no better way to kick off your Halloween than with Archie Comics' newest horror series. Terror is born anew in this dark reimagining of Sabrina the Teenage Witch's origin. On the eve of her sixteenth birthday, the young sorceress finds herself at a crossroads, having to choose between an unearthly destiny and her mortal boyfriend, Harvey. But a foe from her family's past has arrived in Greendale, Madame Satan, and she has her own deadly agenda. Relive all the horror with this special black and white presentation of the critically-acclaimed first issue. For TEEN+ readers.

ASPEN MLT

The Adventures Of Psycho Bonkers #1

(W) Vince Hernandez (A/CA) Adam Archer


A pulse-pounding Psycho Bonkers action-adventure story for fans of all ages! Join the cast of this completely brand new full throttle series along with Fathom's Ernie the Seahorse, and characters from many of Aspen's most popular titles as they team up to win a thrilling, issue-spanning race! Aspen Comics' is excited to once again offer fans and readers a unique comic and coloring book package that includes a crafted full length story geared for kids to color, plus added puzzles, mazes and other fun filled activities for children and readers of all ages! It's the perfect treat for the Halloween holiday!

DC COMICS

Unknown Kids Book

Unknown Teen Book

DRAWN & QUARTERLY

The Birth Of Kitaro

(W/A/CA) Shigeru Mizuki


Shigeru Mizuki's The Birth of Kitaro tells the spooky origin story of the legendary mangaka's most popular character. This preview is taken from the golden era of the late 1960s, when Kitaro truly hit its stride as an all-ages supernatural series. Mizuki's Kitaro is both timelessly relevant and undeniably influential, inspiring a decades-long boom in stories about yokai, Japanese ghosts and monsters. This Halloween Special is the perfect introduction to the new all-ages Kitaro series coming in 2016 from D&Q!

GRAPHIC INDIA

Stan Lee`s Chakra The Invincible Halloween Special

(W) Stan Lee & Various (A) Jeevan Kang, Various (CA) Jeevan Kang


Straight from the Free Comic Book Day release and based on the animated shorts seen on Angry Birds ToonsTV with over 30 Million views worldwide, Chakra the Invincible is the latest superhero from legendary creator, Stan Lee. Join Chakra and his friends for a very special Halloween as Dr. Singh sits you down by the campfire and tells you about some of Chakra's most sinister villains and spookiest adventures!

IDW PUBLISHING

Donald Duck`s Halloween Scream


(W/A) William Van Horn (CA) Dan Noonan


Classic Disney haunts are home for the howl-iday! In "It's In the Bag" and "Public Ugly #1," trick-or-treating Donald scares up a literal ton of candy... then is forced to get rid of it by fair means or foul!

MARVEL COMICS

Doctor Strange: The Oath

(W) Brian K. Vaughan (A/CA) Marcos Martin


Doctor Strange embarks on the most important investigation of his career, as he sets out to solve an attempted murder - his own! And with his best friend near death, Stephen Strange turns to an unexpected corner of the Marvel Universe to recruit a new ally!

Ultimate Spider-Man/Avengers

(W) Joe Caramagna, Jim Zub (A) Ron Lim, Mario Del (CA) Kalman Andrasofszky


When Peter Parker has a terrible day, he discovers that none other than Nightmare is behind it! But how can the Ultimate Spider-Man defeat a foe that's inside his own head? Guest-starring Doctor Strange! Then the Avengers take on their spookiest mission yet when they travel to Castle Doom to face Dracula! And if that's not enough, Dracula's brought a horde of bloodthirsty vampires with him!

VIZ MEDIA

Fragments Of Horror

(W/A/CA) Junji Ito


An old wooden mansion that turns on its inhabitants. A dissection class with a most unusual subject. A funeral where the dead are definitely not laid to rest. Ranging from the terrifying to the comedic, from the erotic to the loathsome, these stories showcase Junji Ito's long-awaited return to the world of horror.

ZENOSCOPE ENTERTAINMENT

Grimm Tales Of Terror #2

Inspired by Tales from the Crypt and Creepshow, Zenescope goes back to its roots of horror for this special Halloween Comic Fest reprint of Grimm Tales of Terror #2! When a group of treasure hunters heads to the Amazon in search of the priceless Spider King relic, they will find that the "Web of Deceit" they've spun has put them in a horrifying predicament!

HALLOWEEN COMICFEST MINI-COMICS

ACTION LAB ENTERTAINMENT

The Garlicks

(W/A/CA) Lea Hernandez

Olive, a curious butcher's apprentice, decides to crash a monster's party on Halloween Eve. Disguised as a goofy vampire alpaca, she meets an equally goofy vampire horse named Vourdain. But what is Olive going to do when it's morning and time for all monsters to unmask?

ARCHIE COMICS

World Of Archie

(W) George Gladir (A) Rich Koslowski, Fernando Ruiz (CA) Bill Galvan, Bob Smith

Strange things are going on in Riverdale! You're invited to the best Halloween party of the year - exclusively for monsters! Is it possible that Archie and Jughead have really stumbled into a Halloween party where the guests are not in costume, but are actual, real-live monsters?! Find out for yourself if this tale is a 'trick' or a 'treat' in "For Monsters Only!"

BOOM STUDIOS

Halloween Haunt 2015

(W/A) Jones Wiedle & Various


Enjoy three, spooky tales for your reading pleasure in this BOOM! Studios Halloween Special, featuring short stories from Adventure Time, Steven Universe, and Lumberjanes. Perfect for passing out on Halloween instead of/in addition to candy!

DARK HORSE COMICS

Grimmiss Island

(W) Art Baltazar, Franco (A) Art Baltazar


The Volcano Goddess threatens the Mama Woogees' tiny island! What can their creation Grimmiss do to stop this terror? Between an eye exam, a tough lesson in love, and stopping the Tiki Monoliths, there are lots of things for a little guy with a skull head to do!

FAMOUS MONSTERS

Spook-A-Rama

Cory loves monsters. He dresses up in monster suits and reads monster magazines, much to the chagrin of his mother, who would rather he be working in a mailroom. But when Cory learns about his hero Wilbur Atchison's studio tours, he suddenly sees an opportunity for greatness! But he soon finds out that not all of Hollywood is make believe. An all-ages adventure in the spirit of The Goonies and Monster Squad!

IDW PUBLISHING

Skylanders Halloween Special

(W) Ron Marz, David Rodriguez (A/CA) Fico Ossio


Happy Halloween from Skylands! Enjoy this special comic treat as we introduce you to the candy villainy of Pain-Yatta! This issue reprints a special selection from the Skylanders: Light in the Dark storyline featured in Skylanders Volume 4 coming next month!

MAGNETIC PRESS

Bitten

(W) Cornelia Funke, Raul Garcia (A/CA) Francisco Herrera


Some Hollywood Horror stories are true! Based on best-selling YA author Cornelia Funke's "Little Werewolf", comic artist Francisco Herrera (Venom, Megamind) and Disney Animator Raúl García (Aladdin, The Lion King) bring you a fun new short story and activities set in the world of the upcoming graphic novel, Bitten!"

PERFECT SQUARE

Yo-Kai Watch

(W/A/CA) Noriyuki Konishi


Nate Adams is just an average kid until the mysterious Whisper gives him a device that allows him to see what others cannot, Yo-kai of all shapes and forms! Now, armed with the Yo-kai Watch, Nate, Whisper and their new invisible friends embark on an all-new supernatural adventure!

Press Release: Diamond Comic Distributors announces a celebration of comics, comic shops, and pop-culture in October with the fourth annual Halloween ComicFest (HCF) store event! Communities are encouraged to check out their local comic shop and get free comics while also participating in special Halloween events such as costume contests, sales, character appearances and more on Saturday, October 31st!

During Halloween ComicFest, adults and kids can go into a local participating comic shop and get free Halloween and horror-themed comics and mini-comics published specifically for Halloween ComicFest. This year, there are 21 titles— thirteen full-sized comics and eight mini-comics—available to choose from, including Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man and Avengers #1, Doctor Strange: The Oath, Donald Duck’s Halloween Scream! #1, Sabrina #1, Skylanders, Yo-Kai Watch and other frightening fun tales.

Retailers will also be selling HCF Mini-Comic Polypacks: a pack of 25 copies for fans to purchase and pass out on Halloween to trick-or-treaters, party-goers, at school events and more. It’s a great way to give out an entertaining story to kids that will last longer than any Halloween candy they will receive! Available in stores on September 30th, the Mini-Comic Polypacks can currently be pre-ordered from comic book shops, so fans can purchase the specific titles and number of packs they want to prepare for their Halloween activities.

“This year, Halloween ComicFest gets spookier as it’s celebrated on Halloween, allowing comic shops to really bring out their ‘fun and scary’ side,” said Halloween ComicFest spokesperson, Deborah Moreland. “Comic shops are already a great destination for new comics and pop-culture related items, but now new and current customers can see the great Halloween and horror comics and merchandise that local comic shops have to offer.  With awesome Halloween ComicFest events hosted in stores, cool mini-comic polypacks available for purchase, and the return of “The Greatest Halloween Costume Contest” on the Hallweencomicfest.com website, Halloween ComicFest is the perfect Halloween celebration for kids and adults to enjoy this October!