Happy New Year, True Believers! You know coffee and comics are two of our favorite things—and they go together so well! Thus, each week in this space we offer the top five comics we are enjoying with a cup of our coffee. We also love our community and want to know what you are reading and what Coffee 'n' Capes coffee you are drinking. Share your reading and drinking choices with us at supers@coffeencapes.com.
And. here. we. go:
FEATURED COFFEE:
This week's featured coffee is our Cowabunga Roast. Cowabunga dude, it's some epically tasty coffee. First we took primo Columbian beans and roasted them to perfection. Then we infused them with creamy caramel, rich dark mocha, and a little sea salt to make the perfectly awesome coffee worthy of four brothers in a half shell. This medium roast will fuel all your ninja butt-kicking. Plus it pairs perfectly with this week's number one comic.
Speaking of, no more delay--on to the comics!
5. Something is Killing the Children #26 (2019)
Look, if you haven’t yet given Something is Killing the Children a read, I don’t know what to tell you. Wait. Yes, I do know. I’m writing this, after all.
If you’re still skeptical about this book, I actually do understand that. I, too, completely ignored SIKTC* when it released—just as I had ignored every horror comic at the time.
*Cool abbreviation, right? Really though, it’s a long title. Nobody wants to write that out every time. We’ve got coffee to drink and comics to read!
But this title kept popping up as one people recommended. So one day I decided to read it. Now? Now I love everything about this book! Let’s start with the tangible: I love how it feels. The cover has just a hint of grit to it that my fingers notice. The pages are thicker than most comic books, adding some literal heft to it. I love how SIKTC looks. The main covers are fantastic and the variants are straight fire! (Can you even look away from that cover above?! No, no, you cannot.) The art by Werther Dell’Edera is frantic yet enticing. Making the perfect partner with James Tynion IV’s story. Erica Slaughter is everything I want in a hero: strong, smart, skilled, sure. What really makes her heroic though is her determination. She puts the needs of others before her own. Even when she is outnumbered, outgunned. Even when she is injured. If a child is in danger—and in this book a child is always in danger (I mean, it’s right there in the title)—Erica will protect that child at all costs. Here in issue #26? That determination to stay and protect has Erica surrounded by lethal opponents. I truly don’t know how she will survive. I can’t wait to read the next issue. I bet you’ll love it too. Bonus: Issue #26 is available right here in our comic section.
4. Injustice: Gods Among Us #1 (2013)
Time for a throwback! Remember this book? Based on the video game of the same name (which was a hit in our household), Tom Taylor writes with art by Jeremy Raapack. Alternate universe stories are all the rage now, what with seemingly every movie franchise delving into some multiverse or other. (Not that I’m complaining! I enjoy those movies too.) Injustice was no where near the first, but it certainly committed to the bit more than most. We know it will all go so wrong so fast. But here in issue #1? It honestly begins so peacefully, so beautifully. Batman is surprised and even smiles! In retrospect, that smile alone should have been enough warning that bleep was about to go down. Jimmy Olsen doesn’t survive this first issue. Nothing in standard DC canon is sacred, and therein lies all the fun of this series!
3. Star Wars: Han Solo & Chewbacca #1 (2022)
We now know that Mark Hamill is the one who grew up to be a hero of a human being. But back in the day, Han Solo was my favorite Star Wars character. He was funny and irreverent. Chewbacca was super strong and cool. Getting the Millennium Falcon toy? Best. Christmas. Present. Ever. So yeah, I've got a soft spot for Han and Chewbacca. This book came out earlier this year but I only just read it. The story by Marc Guggenheim (with art by David Messina and Alex Sinclair) takes place between Solo: A Star Wars Story and A New Hope, when Han and Chewie were running jobs for Jabba. It is an enjoyable peek at that part of Han’s life—which has been hinted at but never fully explored (as far as I know). Greedo shows up--and Jabba orders them to work together. I can’t say for sure where it will all lead, but oh boy! is there ever a bombshell on the last page!
2. Flashpoint Beyond #1 (2022)
Speaking of beloved alternate universes…Geoff Johns, Jeremy Adams, and Tim Sheridan write us right back into the seminal Flashpoint timeline. Xermanico supplies the art and Thomas Wayne’s Batman supplies the justice. Deadly justice. Weird stuff is happening with time: clocks are 11 minutes behind, Aquaman is counting down the hours until he floods Great Britain, and, well, this timeline exists when it isn’t supposed to. What’s going on? Who is messing with Batman and his casino? I’m not always certain who is who in this world. I am certain I’m missing some of the references, but I still liked this book and look forward to reading more of the series. Read this issue and the next few right here from Coffee ’n’ Capes.
1. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #1 (2022)
C’mon now, you knew this had to be the top choice this week, right? Look at that gorgeous cover by the sensational Sweeny Boo! It’s our first Coffee ’n’ Capes shop exclusive cover! See our logo on the back cover? I can't tell you how excited we are about this!
Available in Trade Dress or Virgin covers. Or get both as a set. Or get both covers in our Super Box.
Or really level up and get a bundle with both of our Coffee ’n’ Capes exclusive covers, and the 1:25 Eastman Variant, and the 1:50 Di Meo Variant, and the 1:100 Fancavilla Variant! Only 5 of these bundles available.
Alright, enough of that. How about the book itself? Is it any good? True believers, I’m here to tell you it absolutely is a great, fun read. The story by Ryan Parrott and art by Dan Mora combine for a thrilling ride. We get some “day in the life” moments. We get some “what are the villains up to?” moments. We get a cliffhanger of an ending. Now, I’ll be the first to admit I have not read the first MMPR/TMNT collaboration from 2019. While the first issue of this sequel seems to pick up where the first series left off, it doesn’t matter. The story immediately makes it clear the Turtles and Rangers are friends, confidants, and sparring partners. They share ideas, tech, and smoothies. However, some of their enemies have teamed up—and powered up too. What’s going on with that? And what happened to Casey? We’ll have to wait until at least the second issue to find out. Don’t let us have all the fun and jump into this book today!