Panel Picks: The Most Anticipated Comics for 19 December, 2012

Panels Picks is where I choose some of the hotly anticipated comic books for the upcoming week.

What a week for comics! New Saga AND Hawkeye! Woo! Plus a smattering of other excellent comics!

Adventure Time #11

It’s the beginning of an all new story arc in this issue of Adventure Time! Join Finn the Human and Jake the Dog as they set off on a new, totally mathematical adventure!

I have yet to jump aboard the Adventure Time fan-wagon for no reason in particular, but this new arc may be what pushes me over the edge. The comic industry needs more quality all-ages books that can actually be appreciated by all ages. Adventure Time #11 looks to be a good jumping on point for comic fans both young and old.

Green Lantern #15

The Rise of the Third Army continues! Earth’s new Green Lantern comes face to face with Guy Gardner just in time for the Third Army to attack! Will these two Lanterns be able to work together and defeat their enemy, or will their differences lead to their downfall?

Geoff Johns’ run on Green Lantern has resulted in multiple super heroic science fiction epics, and the Rise of the Third Army is looking to continue that tradition. This story arc shakes things up a bit with the inclusion of a fresh face, Simon Baz. Seeing Baz react to the other longtime Lanterns has led to some interesting encounters, making Green Lantern a solid book month after month.

Happy #3

Grant Morrison continues his wacky crime comic! It is the day before Christmas, and time is running out for Santa’s innocent victims. Happy the Horse learns what made Nick Sax turn from golden cop to broken down hit-man. Will Happy be able to convince Sax to do the right thing before it is too late?

Unfortunately my local shop has yet to even get in copies of Happy #2, so I am not up to date on the goings-on inside Grant Morrison’s twisted crime tale. Even so, Happy is definitely worth checking out if you are a comic reader looking for something beyond the traditional superhero fare. Happy is a dark crime tale with a unique twist that is likely to both confuse and delight its readers.

Hawkeye #6

David Aja is back on art for Hawkeye #6! After the events of the last issue, Clint finds himself in dire need for a vacation. But what he doesn’t realize is that he is about to face off with quite the adversary: DVR-MAGEDDON!

Aja is back! Woohoo! David Aja’s return is all the more reason to be excited about Hawkeye. This book has been comic book excellence from the very beginning, and that greatness doesn’t look to be ending any time soon. Issue #6 gives us yet another off-beat super hero tale: Clint needs a vacation. Fraction and Aja will certainly spin this story on its head and deliver yet another amazing issue for Marvel’s Ace Archer.

Saga #8

Marco and Alana’s adventure continues alongside Marco’s parents! Marco and his mother face quite the predicament as they search for Izabel. Back on the spaceship, Marco’s father explains his shocking revelation to Alana!

You need to be reading Saga. End of story. Each new issue leaves me all the more excited to see what Brian K. Vaughn has to offer in this sci-fi adventure. What makes this issue even better is that we are likely to see the return of the spunky Izabel after her absence in the previous issue.

What do you think? Leave a comment.