AfterShock Rumblings: LIVING GODS, BABYTEETH, SPECTRO & more

Can't see this email? View in Your Browser FEBRUARY 8, 2022

One of the most eagerly anticipated series debuts of the year and part of AfterShock’s celebration of Black History Month, LAND OF THE LIVING GODS is a fairy tale for the times in which we find ourselves, brought to life by South African writer and producer Isaac Mogajane (Matwetwe, Catching Feelings), Brazilian artist Santtos (Night Shift) and letterer Dave Sharpe. Steeped in folklore, tomorrow’s first issue introduces a world of wonder and cruelty, beauty and perseverance – and will leave you profoundly changed. “We’ve seen post-apocalyptic before, but not quite like this,” said Mogajane when the series was announced in November. “This book pulls from African cultures, traditional beliefs and superstitions and uses them to underpin its unique narrative and characters.” He described the seminal anime film Akira as a major influence, explaining “I loved how this film created a wholly believable future that was so deeply steeped in Japanese aesthetics and culture. Seeing it as a child made me want to do the same by telling genre stories that come from South Africa and feel wholly specific to here.” “The team at AfterShock has been amazing and really supportive in helping us get Naledi’s story told in the best way possible,” he added. “I also have to give a massive shoutout to Santtos, the artist working with me on this book. His designs, panels and overall tone are mind-blowing and far exceeded any expectations that I had going in.” HERE’S WHAT’S SHAKING THIS WEEK AT YOUR COMIC SHOP

LAND OF THE LIVING GODS #1 Writer: Isaac Mogajane Artist: Santtos NEW SERIES! It is said that when the world dies, the spirits of the first people will return to witness the last days of humanity. Well, the spirits have arrived, and the end is here. But not everyone has given up hope. Naledi, a teenage girl living in the deserted city once called Johannesburg, has always believed that there is a land, hidden away in time where the gods still live. And where there are gods, there are miracles. Perhaps even miracles that are big enough to save our dying planet. And so, after a lifetime of isolation, Naledi will head out into the unknown with little to hold onto but her faith – and her magical pet plant, Buyo.

AT SHOPS: FEBRUARY 9th CLICK HERE FOR THE MONKEYS FIGHTING ROBOTS PREVIEW

BYLINES IN BLOOD #2 Writers: Erica Schultz, Van Jensen Artist: Aneke An assassin is loose in the City, and Satya is the target! This points the Lady Dick toward a new suspect in her investigation into the murder of her former mentor. But before she can follow this trail of clues, our pugnacious private detective will have to survive the assassin’s blade. AT SHOPS: FEBRUARY 9th CLICK HERE FOR THE PREVIEW AT THE BEAT.COM

BABYTEETH VOL. 4: GRAVE Writer: Donny Cates Artist: Garry Brown The end is coming. The forces are aligned. The inevitable is nigh. The apocalypse...is here. Sadie and the Ritter clan go up against the Devil himself for Clark’s soul and the fate of the entire world. From Donny Cates, the writer of Venom, Paybacks, Redneck and the breakout hit God Country, comes this pulse-pounding series with art from THE REVISIONIST’s Garry Brown! This 128-page volume contains the final five issues of the series, issues #16-20. “Cates and Brown are firing on all cylinders.” – Craig Neilson-Adams, Big Comic Page AT SHOPS: FEBRUARY 9th CLICK HERE FOR THE AIPT PREVIEW

JOIN US LIVE NEXT THURSDAY! Thursday, February 17 – 5pm Eastern/2pm Pacific RuthAnn Thompson chats with THE LOLLIPOP KIDS creators Adam Glass and Aidan Glass! PLUS THE WORLD-FAMOUS AFTERSHOCK LIVE SALE! OUT OF THE BLUE: THE COMPLETE SERIES SOFTCOVER Both volumes of the gripping Original Graphic Novel in one 144-page deluxe softcover edition! The Second World War is almost over, but no one seems to have told the Germans – as Royal Air Force pilot Jamie McKenzie finds out when he’s assigned to deadly shipping strikes along the enemy coast. Flying the Mosquito fighter-bomber against heavily armed targets is dangerous enough at the best of times, but after incurring the wrath of his vengeful commanding officer, Jamie is assigned the most unpopular navigator in the unit – not to mention the least reliable aircraft. Worse still, the commander’s sights are firmly set on Jamie’s beautiful young wife, Beth. Writer Garth Ennis (A WALK THROUGH HELL, Preacher, The Boys) and artist Keith Burns (War Stories) re-unite after the success of their series Johnny Red, presenting another tale of World War Two aerial combat – featuring skies black with flak and enemy fighters, nail-biting low-level action, and the dark humor of men whose lives can be snatched away at any second...OUT OF THE BLUE. “...a great, almost docudrama snapshot...highlights a level of pain and brutality that you don’t always expect to see in flyboy stories.” – Brendan Hodgdon, Doom Rocket AT SHOPS: MARCH 2nd FAST APPROACHING! A Bold New Beginning to a Brave New World. Reserve Now! Click Covers for Previews! WE LIVE: AGE OF THE PALLADIONS #1 BLACK IN SHOPS: March 9th Writers: Roy Miranda & Inaki Miranda Artist: Inaki Miranda Order Deadline: February 14th Order Code: JAN221112 WE LIVE: AGE OF THE PALLADIONS #1 WHITE IN SHOPS: March 9th Writers: Roy Miranda & Inaki Miranda Artist: Inaki Miranda Order Deadline: February 14th Order Code: JAN221116 JUST ANNOUNCED A Quartet of Quintessential Horror Tales from the Multi-Talented JUAN DOE – Presented in a Single Prestige-Format One Shock! Announced this morning, SPECTRO explores the unnerving spectrum of fear through four terrifying stories rooted in a cosmic game of twisted karma and phantasmagoric terror: 1. What is at stake when sentient technology manipulates a man with projections of his desired self? 2. What are the consequences of excommunicating a member of the “nine” planets? 3. What is discovered when an explorer travels to Mars to ascend the tallest mountain in the solar system? 4. What happens when a scientist aboard the International Space Station is confronted with the most horrifying aspects of humankind? In what realm of fear do these stories exist? SPECTRO. Written and illustrated by Juan Doe (BAD RECEPTION, DARK ARK, ANIMOSITY: THE RISE), SPECTRO is a horror anthology from deep within the recesses of the mind of one of comics’ most prolific talents! Comic news and review site CBR.com has deeper details here.