CRIMINAL #5

By Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips

Nothing is what it seems when a woman on the run falls for a man running from his past!
“Bad Night” Part 2 of 4, twists like a knife in your back, as the multiple-award-winning series CRIMINAL keeps the hits coming!
Jacob K. is no stranger to trouble, or to the strangers that bring trouble with them. Still, his coincidental meeting with a beautiful woman in need of shelter is beginning to turn his life upside down, and he’s starting to wonder if he even cares. And he’s also wondering if there are really any coincidences in life. See what these bad nights will bring him, and if he’ll get out alive.
And on top of this longer-than-usual length main story, CRIMINAL now features an expanded back-pages section, as well – with articles by Brubaker and other top crime writers, from novelists to screenwriters to comic writers. These noir articles have become a popular piece of the CRIMINAL package, and are something that can only be found in the comics, not in any collections.
So don’t miss out on the start of a new story arc in the most acclaimed crime comic on the stands!

DARK TOWER: THE LONG ROAD HOME #5 (of 5)

Written by PETER DAVID & ROBIN FURTH
Art and Cover by JAE LEE & RICHARD ISANOVE
Variant Cover by LEE BERMEJO
Sketch Variant Cover by JAE LEE

With Roland’s spirit still trapped in the court of the Crimson King, the dark ruler makes the young gunslinger a shocking offer:  In exchange for his life, Roland must climb with the King to the top of the Tower where they will jointly claim the throne that overlooks all creation—and then utterly destroy it! Should Roland refuse, his life will be forfeit and the Crimson King will rule the coming Chaos alone. The fate of creation rests in Roland’s hands in this concluding chapter in the sensational second arc enlarging on Stephen King’s magnum opus. You must not miss it!

FOOLKILLER: SHORT TIME #1 (of 5)

Written by GREGG HURWITZ
Penciled by PAUL AZACETA
Cover by TOMM COKER

“SHORT TIME,” PART 1

Los Angeles.  The City of Angels.  For a town that thinks it's pretty, there's plenty of ugly to go around.  That's where the Foolkiller comes in -- taking a scalpel to warts, expurgating the cancer that grows in society's gut.  When an ex-con named Darius Goode is brutally murdered just two days out of Lompoc, it barely makes the police blotter.  But when signs point to Goode being the
latest victim of the clandestine hate-crime organization known as the White Angels, the Foolkiller has to get involved.  Thus begins a bloody search that takes him from the Hollywood Hills to the city’s back alleys and eventually across the path of the one vigilante whose legend exceeds even his own.  Yep, him.

HAUNT OF HORROR: LOVECRAFT #2 (of 3)

Written by RICHARD CORBEN
Pencils & Cover by RICHARD CORBEN

Horror comics legend RICHARD CORBEN (HAUNT OF HORROR: EDGAR ALLAN POE) brings you a new 3-issue limited series that offers eerie new spins on the poems and short stories of H.P. Lovecraft. Each issue features three adaptations—beautifully rendered in black and white with gray tones as only Corben can do it—along with a printing of the original source text by H.P. Lovecraft. In this second issue, Corben brings you “The Music of Eric Zann,” “The Canal,” and “The Lamp.” It’s classic Lovecraft with a new twist!

LORDS OF AVALON: SWORD OF DARKNESS #6 (of 6)

Written by SHERRILYN KENYON
Adapted by ROBIN FURTH
Pencils & Cover by TOMMY OHTSUKA

Now that Seren carries the child destined to become the next Penmerlin, she can no longer hide from the forces of Darkness.  As Morgen’s minions surround the castle of Joyous Gard, Kerrigan and his mandrake Blaise help her to escape.  But can Kerrigan really betray the forces of Chaos which he has served for so long? And is he willing to make the one sacrifice that will keep Seren safe forever?  Find out in the final issue of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s acclaimed Arthurian fantasy, Sword of Darkness.

newuniversal: 1959

Written by KIERON GILLEN
Penciled by GREG SCOTT
Cover by BRANDON PETERSON

This is a story about killing the future. 1959 is the dawn of the new age of superheroics—the so-called “Fireworks” have granted superhuman powers to three Americans, and set the world on a collision-course with destiny. But it’s a destiny Philip Voight must prevent at any cost. The first newuniversal one-shot expands the mythos of this world, thanks to writer KIERON GILLEN (Phonogram), hand-picked by newuniversal’s Warren Ellis, and the brilliant art of GREG SCOTT shows us the world, like it never was…in 1959.

newuniversal: shockfront #3 (of 6)
Written by WARREN ELLIS
Penciled by STEVE KURTH
Cover by BRANDON PETERSON

When one superhuman is discovered: they must observe. When two are discovered: they must act. And when three are found: it's Project Spitfire’s mission to kill them
all. It’s a hard world, and hard decisions have to be
made. Unfortunately for Ken Connell and Izzy Randall, they’re at ground zero in the battle to prevent super-human Armageddon.

UNIVERSAL WAR ONE #1 (of 6)

Written by DENIS BAJRAM
Penciled by DENIS BAJRAM
Cover by DENIS BAJRAM
Adapted by PAUL BENJAMIN
With an Exclusive U.S. Variant!

The European best-seller – now finally presented in English! In the midst of a latent civil war between the core planets and outlying planetary settlements, an immense wall has cut our solar system in two. The black wall absorbs all light and matter, and it’s up to a band of soldiers facing courts martial to investigate the phenomenon. They’re the men and women of the Purgatory Squadron. For which crimes are they here? And can they work together long enough to stay alive once they enter... The Wall?

OMEGA: THE UNKNOWN #10 (of 10)

Written by JONATHAN LETHEM & KARL RUSNAK
Pencils & Cover by FAREL DALRYMPLE & PAUL HORNSCHEMEIER

Nothing -- not The Mink, not The Nowhere Man, not hordes of zombified robots or robotified zombies, not even poisoned hamburgers -- can possibly stop Omega The Unknown from concluding his story in this tenth issue of this precedent-smashing miniseries. Learn the final fates of Alex, Amanda, Fenton and their friends -- as well as the answer to this question: if one of Manhattan's costumed defenders perishes, can anyone take his place?

SKY DOLL #3 (of 3)

Story and Art by BARBARA CANEPA & ALESSANDRO BARBUCCI
Cover by ALESSANDRO BARBUCCI & BARBARA CANEPA
English Adaptation by C.B. CEBULSKI

The internationally acclaimed best seller comes to the end of its first arc! As power-hungry Papess Lodovica seeks more control over the citizens of Papathea, the "heretics" who still honor the memory of the outcast ruler Agape rise up in protest. Suddenly, our lovely sky doll, Noa, finds herself in the middle of a Holy War – one which she quickly becomes swept up in as rumor of her true powers spread. Roy and Jahu do their best to protect her – but as Noa soon discovers, no one can avoid their true destiny!

POWERS #31

Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Art & Cover by MICHAEL AVON OEMING

"Z" Part 2

BRAND NEW STORY ARC! NEW FORMAT! HOP ON THE POWERS TRAIN! Who were the Rat Pack of the Powers universe? And was Detective Christian Walker one of them? When the controversial crime fighter only known as Z meets his maker, the investigation reveals a secret chapter of Walker's past. Will Walker's true origin reveal itself to those closest to him? And can they handle it?! Plus: Deena Pilgrim faces her future.

MARVEL ILLUSTRATED: THE THREE MUSKETEERS #2 (of 6)

Written by ROY THOMAS (BASED ON THE NOVEL BY ALEXANDRE DUMAS)
Penciled by HUGO PETRUS
Cover by GERALD PAREL

The Musketeers are ensnared in a deadly plot by Cardinal Richelieu to gain revenge on the Queen for her once spurning his romantic advances. And if the evil Richelieu’s scheme is realized, d’Artagnan and company may find themselves outcasts of the throne! Will they discover they are being played as pawns before it’s too late? You know you have to read it to find out.

MARVEL ILLUSTRATED: MOBY-DICK #6 (of 6)

Written by ROY THOMAS (BASED ON THE NOVEL BY HERMAN MELVILLE)
Penciled by PASCAL ALIXE
Cover by JOHN WATSON

For three straight days Ahab has chased the great White Whale, and now the briny behemoth has finally turned, to do battle with his peg-legged pursuer!  Refusing to give up in the face of the Pequod’s destruction and with a piercing roar of defiance at fate itself – the star-crossed captain closes with his aquatic obsession one final, fateful time. Don’t miss the shattering conclusion to one of the great American novels.

MARVEL ILLUSTRATED: THE ILIAD #8 (of 8)

Written by ROY THOMAS (BASED ON THE EPIC POEM BY HOMER)
Penciled by MIGUEL ANGEL SEPULVEDA
Cover by PAOLO RIVERA

Licking their wounds, the Trojans have withdrawn behind their impenetrable city walls. All, that is, save their most celebrated warrior, Hector, who refuses to retreat. And so the stage is set for the Achaeons’ mightiest hero, Achilles, to face Hector in a single combat that may decide the future of this epic struggle. It’s the final chapter of this timeless work that has spoken to countless generations of the triumphs and tragedies of war.

WAR IS HELL: THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE PHANTOM EAGLE #5 (of 5)

Written by GARTH ENNIS
Penciled by HOWARD CHAYKIN
Cover by JOHN CASSADAY

The stunning conclusion to Garth Ennis (PUNISHER MAX) and Howard Chaykin’s (PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL) gritty World War I fighter pilot saga. The body count has reached an all time high and the pressures of combat have taken their toll on Karl Kauffman. Can he survive the war with his sanity intact? Can he survive at all?

COVER NOT AVAILABLE

COVER NOT AVAILABLE

KICK-ASS #5

Written by MARK MILLAR
Pencils & Cover by JOHN ROMITA JR.

Since he put on the green wetsuit and became Kick-Ass, Dave Lizewski has broken both legs, shattered his back; been run over by a Mercedes, smashed by garbage cans, and clobbered by gangsters; become a YouTube phenomenon and inspired a wave of costumed vigilantes…but none of that can compare to what’s going to happen now that John Genovese knows who he is. The super hero sensation of 2008 continues, courtesy of Mark Millar (CIVIL WAR, WOLVERINE, 1985, FANTASTIC FOUR) and John Romita Jr. (WORLD WAR HULK, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN)!