The Geeky Brummie Pull List - Eight Billion Genies

The Geeky Brummie Pull List with Eight Billion Genies

Greetings and welcome to the Geeky Brummie Pull List. First up is Eight Billion Genies, from Image Comics which is our Comic of the Week. The only other book on the Pul, List this week, is X-Men from Marvel. We have another three great comics to look out for On The Radar also from DC Comics and Fantagraphic Books. Finally, in MEANWHILE… we say farewell to the titanic George Pérez and take a visit to Free Comic Book Day at Worlds Apart, Birmingham.

If you want to send any comics or comic related events we should feature, feel free to reach out to me at keith@geekybrummie.com.

Now on with the comics…

Eight Billion Genies
Issue 1
Image Comics

Writer – Charles Soule
Artist, Cover Artist, Variant Cover Artist – Ryan Browne

Buy on Comixology – Eight Billion Genies #1 (Link)

If you had one wish…what would you wish for? Now, what if everyone else had one wish too? That’s EIGHT BILLION GENIES, the new eight-issue series from CHARLES SOULE & RYAN BROWNE (CURSE WORDS). At exactly the same moment, everyone on earth gets a genie and one wish. All hell breaks loose, in a very entertaining way…and that’s just the beginning. Buckle in for the wildest ride of the year!

I was a big fan of this pairs previous outing Cursed Words, so of course I’m intrigued to see what they do with this premise. What would happen if everyone on Earth were granted one wish? This seems to be an opportunity to delve into the human condition with all the sincerity and humour that it is bound to reveal. This looks an absolute corker and I’m here for it.

X-Men
Issue 11
Marvel Comics

Writer – Gerry Duggan
Artist, Cover Artist – Pepe Larraz
Colourist, Cover Artist – Marte Gracia
Letterer – Clayton Cowles

Buy on Comixology – X-Men #11 (Link)

HIGH ROLLERS! The women of the X-Men are heading for the hottest action in the galaxy…Gameworld! But if it’s true that the house always wins, our X-Ladies might be in over their heads…

Yes, I’m still digging this X-Men team. Duggan and co are doing a great job and it’ll be interesting to see what happens as we focus on the hugely powerful female members of the team in this issue, because after this comes Judgement Day.

On the radar this week some other comics not on the Pull List but well worth checking out:

The Jurassic League #1

DC Comics

Writer, Cover Artist – Daniel Warren Johnson
Artist, Variant Cover Artist – Juan Gedeon
Colourist – Mike Spicer

Buy on Comixology – Jurassic League #1 (Link)

You know the story: an infant escapes the destruction of its home planet and is deposited on Earth to be raised by human parents. A goddess from a lost city defends truth. A Theropod dons the visage of a bat to strike fear into evildoers’ hearts. This heroic trinity, alongside a league of other super-powered dinosaurs, join forces to save a prehistoric Earth from the sinister machinations of Darkseid. Wait…what? Okay, maybe you don’t know the story. So join us and bear witness to a brand-new—yet older than time—adventure and experience the Justice League as you have never seen them before!

Red Room: Trigger Warnings #3

Fantagraphic Books

Writer, Artist, Letterer, Cover Artist, Variant Cover Artist – Ed Piskor

Pre-order collected edition – Red Room: Trigger Warnings (Link)

Hop on a luxury yacht to the far reaches of the globe in this most unusual Red Room saga yet. Welcome to the island of Pitcairn, home to a native civilization that has been sacrificing their people to the gods for generations in hopes for a good crop season – until bitcoin pirates discover the island and hatch their own plans. The smash hit splatterpunk series continues, from the creator of X-Men: Grand Design and Hop Hop Family Tree, and co-host of the YouTube comics sensation, Cartoonist Kayfabe!

Transformers: Last Bot Standing #1

IDW Publishing

Writer, Cover Artist – Nick Roche
Artist, Variant Cover Artist – E.J. Su
Colourist – Rebecca Nalty

Buy on Comixology – Transformers: Last Bot Standing #1 (Link)

When the last stars flicker and fade, who will be the only Cybertronian left? The planet Donnokt sits on the edge of the universe, far away from all the stars that are flickering and fading out one last time. It is a world on the precipice of revolution-industrialization-taking its first steps into the realms of the mechanical. And on the far edge of nowhere, a Visitor arrives, and Donnokt will never be the same again. The war for Cybertron may be long over… but the war from Cybertron never ends.

Farewell George Pérez (1954 – 2022)

Artist and writer George Pérez, whose work for DC and Marvel made him one of the most iconic and loved comic book artists of his generation, passed away last Friday after a battle with pancreatic cancer at the age of 67.

“George passed away yesterday, peacefully at home with his wife of 490 months and family by his side. He was not in pain and knew he was very, very loved. We are all very much grieving but, at the same time, we are so incredibly grateful for the joy he brought to our lives. To know George was to love him, and he loved back. Fiercely and with his whole heart. The world is a lot less vibrant today without him in it.”
– Pérez Family

Of all the artists I collected and enjoyed over the years, George Pérez will forever hold a special place in my heart, so this one cuts a little deep. I first encountered his work in The Avengers, firstly as black and white reprints in various UK weekly’s and then in the original American comics. In 1977, I picked up Marvel’s adaptation of Logan’s Run because George provided the art.

New Titans

Then in the early 80s George started working at DC. The New Teen Titans, with regular writing partner Marv Wolfman, was an outstanding piece of work, standing shoulder to shoulder with Claremont and Byrne’s The Uncanny X-Men. George’s art just leapt off the page, making characters I loved, more real than ever before. This title was to gain him a legion of fans and multiple awards.

In 1985, to mark DC’s 50th Anniversary, Marv and George embarked on the now legendary Crisis on Infinite Earths. George proved his talents by drawing practically every DC character, sometimes in the same panel and making this an event comic unlike any other before it.

Post Crisis

A few years later, George started work on a re-imagined Wonder Woman series as artist, with writer Greg Potter, then Len Wein and eventually as writer himself. I absolutely loved this series, George brought such beauty and grace to character, and tied her more closely to the Greek Gods. George left as artist in issue 24 but remained as writer until issue 62 in 1992. He would return to the character occasionally over the years, including drawing a spectacular cover for Wonder Woman #600.

George continued to work with DC including a stint on The New Teen Titans as co-plotter/penciller, with the title shortly thereafter dropping the Teen part of the title. George also worked on other DC titles including Action Comics, but due to some to editorial problems in 1991, he separated himself from the company for several years.

Heading back to Marvel Pérez pencilled four issues of the six-issue limited series Infinity Gauntlet for Marvel Comics, which was written by Jim Starlin. This series would later go on to influence the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Throughout the 90s and 2000s, George would work for many publishers and titles including a return to both The Avengers and Teen Titans. In 2003, after a long period of aborted attempts, Pérez and writer Kurt Busiek, brought us the long awaited JLA/Avengers crossover in a four issue mini-series. It was as magnificent as you could imagine.

And Finally…

In January 2019, Pérez announced that he was formally retiring due to various health issues, drawing the occasional commission, and attending a limited number of conventions. Then on December 7, 2021, it was revealed George had been diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer. Given a prognosis of 6 to 12 months, he chose not to pursue treatment, and instead intended to enjoy the time he had left. This caused an outpouring of such love and admiration, that I’m sure George knew he was important to comic fans around the world. Sadly that battle was lost this past week and we have lost another artist who enraptured and inspired so many. I will miss him greatly, but I will treasure the stories he has left behind.

A true titan of comic books, our condolences go out to the entire Pérez family.

Free Comic Book Day 2022

Last weekend was Free Comic Book Day and those fine folks at Worlds Apart, Birmingham invited us to pop down and see what was going on.

Your Local Comics Shops

Your local comic shops are now open and you can pop in for your geek fix. Listed below are some of the best shops across the county with links to check the very latest information including opening time and covid safety measures. Therefore, when visiting these shops please be patient and respectful to all the staff who are doing an incredible job.

FORBIDDEN PLANET INTERNATIONAL (VARIOUS) – includes Worlds Apart Birmingham

Please check with stores for any changes to opening times and services.

Follow the stores social media pages for updates!

FORBIDDEN PLANET (VARIOUS) – includes Birmingham Megastore

Check their website for more information –

https://forbiddenplanet.com/stores/

GOSH! COMICS (LONDON)

Check their website for more information –

https://goshlondon.com/the-gosh-blog/the-gosh-authority-130620-reopening-news/ and https://twitter.com/GoshComics

OK COMICS (LEEDS)

Follow the stores social media pages and website for updates!

http://www.okcomics.co.uk/ and https://twitter.com/OKComics