On The Shelf: Free Comic Book Day '22 revisited, part 2

 Having developed a number of alternate realities for their namesake, Archie Comics wanted to properly honor Archie for his 80th anniversary last year, but the topping is an anthology 1-shot, hitting stores next month, and previewed with a 0 issue for Free Comic Book Day.

The Best Archie Comic Ever covers most, but not all, alternate realities, including the Superteens era (though it's only Archie as Pureheart The Powerful), behind a great cover by Jamal Igle. You'd need a road map to follow Fred Van Lente's script, however. I think he's trying to copy Tom King's formula over at DC, but it's a little weak.

Rating: C.

Epicenter Comics is an indie company few have heard about. However, their preview of their July graphic novel, Tex: In The Land of The Seminoles, could be a sleeper. It's a throwback to the black & white treats of the 70's from Marvel. And it's an import from Italy, translated into English. Ya might want to keep an eye open.

Rating: B.

June is Pride Month, and Marvel offers up a preview of this year's Marvel Voices volume, due later this month. This is the 3rd annual edition, featuring not only LGTBQIA+ characters, but also established characters like Black Panther, Shang-Chi, and Moon Girl w/Devil Dinosaur. A nice mix. Your actual mileage may vary.

Rating: B.

DC's big summer event, Dark Crisis, will actually extend all the way to the end of the year. They want to milk killing off the Justice League pro tempore, but you and I know it won't last. The League will return in 2023 or sooner. The more they push these "events", the nuttier they get. And people actually dig. Not this writer.

Rating: B-.

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We noted this over at Saturday Morning Archives earlier, but it bears repeating here. Dark Horse has recruited a pair of writers who've worked on [adult swim]'s hit series, Rick & Morty, to craft a miniseries that is best described as Sesame Street as envisioned by George Orwell. Or, in this modern context, given the last item, Joshua Williamson.

Survival Street, out in August, is a dark political satire that is a direct shot at present-day Republican politics, and what could happen if it remains unchecked. Not for preschoolers.

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The CW, a network with a "for sale" sign, has axed a 3rd DC comics series.

Less than 48 hours after a 2 part season finale, Naomi was one of five series getting the axe, while Gotham Knights has been green-lit for next season. No word on whether or not the network's ill-advised live-action updating of Powerpuff Girls is still moving forward, and Justice U, a star vehicle for David Ramsey, didn't make the cut, but could still show up.

Kaci Walfall as Naomi. Courtesy CW via TVLine.

What doomed Naomi was it was bleeding viewers from its lead-in, Superman & Lois, which has already been renewed for a 3rd season. The network stretching out its 13 episodes the way they did with frequent hiatus periods didn't help, and was actually counter-productive, in this writer's opinion. The Season 2 miniseries has reached its halfway point, but I'd not be surprised if co-creator Brian Bendis, no longer exclusive to DC, could close it out when the series ends in August.