Absolutely Fabulous

We skipped a relevant week last week on account of internet troubles, but this week's so huge that I have to at least attempt to get a newsletter out. Not one... not two... but THREE huge releases! Without further ado...

WHAT'S OUT THIS WEEK?

Absolute Evil #1, that's what!

One year into the Absolute Universe, and it's time to start drawing a few threads together. And because this is the Absolute Universe - a universe filled to the brim with the evil energy of Darkseid - it's the bad guys who start that ball rolling, giving readers a chance to be a fly on the wall of a top-secret meeting held by Wonder Woman's nemesis Veronica Cale to decide what to do about all these pesky do-gooders turning up, and what was done about all the do-gooders that came before. Meanwhile, hippy billionaire with a conscience Ollie Queen has discovered a disturbing secret amongst the oligarchs. What's he going to do about it, and will it involve green arrows?

Answers inside, along with some truly shocking moments that seem to have taken even superhero fans who've seen it all by surprise - so in the name of all that's holy (or unholy), try to avoid spoilers for this one, even though the task may seem impossible. Giuseppe Camuncoli and Stefano Nesi provide the art, with colors by Romulo Fajardo Jr, and it's truly a bang-up job. That last page reveal! Beautiful stuff.

Also out today - Venom #250! "Thank you!" scream a nation of YouTubers. "Thank you for putting food on my table!" No, no, the pleasure is mine.

I wanted to have two dovetailing stories for this extra-sized anniversary issue - one to build the looming threat of Knull from across the far gulfs of space, and one to act as a waypoint of sorts, an introduction to where Venom is now, along with current host Mary Jane Watson. So we have one alien soldier attempt to carry a dreadful warning of a threat from outer space - art by the wonderful Todd Nuack - while MJ has her own problems with an enemy seeking revenge, as drawn by the brilliant Terry Dodson, with color on both by color artist supreme Frank D'Armata. When the two storylines crash together, where will it leave the world's strangest roommates? Meanwhile, a ten-page glimpse into Eddie Brock's past courtesy of Charles Soule and Carlos Gomez, once again joined by Frank D'Armata! Miss it never, goo believers!

Last but not least, Absolute Green Lantern #7. This is another example of what I call a "Mission to the Unknown" story, after the audacious and never-repeated episode from early Doctor Who where the Doctor never turned up. The idea is that you leave your cast entirely and tell a seemingly unrelated story somewhere else... except of course it is related, and it's a warning of horrible things on the horizon and getting closer. Last issue we heard all about Mogo, the World That's Coming. Now we see him in the flesh... along with a few other characters and concepts that are about to crash hard into the lives of our Green Lantern survivors. This is a change of pace and a change of tone - it's dense stuff, hitting you with a whole universe for the space of a single issue, and all of it brought straight to your eyeballs courtesy of superstars Jason Howard and Riley Rossmo, with color art from Inaki Azpiazu.

AND THAT'S THAT!

I'm way behind, as you can tell from when you're getting this - so love, strength and justice to all who need it, and I'll play us out with "Dracula" by Tame Impala.