Down The Line - Previews review for May 2004 by Randy Lander & Dave Farabee While my Snap Judgments reviews cover books as they are released, I'm as avid a follower of "what's next" as anyone else. Thus these Previews reviews, covering the Diamond Previews that allow fans to preorder comics from their local retailer. This installment covers the March previews for comics due to ship out in May. Pre-ordering is your friend. If there's stuff you want in May, letting your retailer know before the end of March is the best way to make sure you get it. This month is apparently "manga month" in Previews. Maybe I missed a memo? Given the vast increase in market share and traditionally hard-to-reach buyers for the manga folks as compared to mainstream comics, isn't every month "manga month" in the comics industry these days? Or does "manga month" just mean "twice as many new mangas released as usual," as seems to be indicated by the massive Tokyopop, A.D. Vision and Viz sections this month? Dave, your thoughts? DAVE: You DID miss a memo, Randy. Japan e-mailed everyone in the North American comics industry over the weekend and demanded "manga month" or they’d pressure Marvel into producing more Mangaverse titles. Voila – welcome to manga month! Me, I love manga, at least the real stuff. The publishers could almost certainly stand to ease down a bit before they drown us in new series, but there does seem to be something for everyone. Marketing gimmick or not, if Previews says its manga month, I'm willing to go with it and encourage the manga skeptics out there to put aside their prejudices and try to find a manga series that suits their tastes. It's some of the best, wildest stuff in the industry right now. RANDY: As you can see from the above, my comments will be the normal type, and Dave's will be in yellow. With the exception of a few complaints that sort of reinforced why we did this in the first place, the new organization seems to have worked out, so Dave and I are continuing with it. We've decided to dispense with the Previews organization and just go strict alphabetical, in order to level the playing field between the big guys and the smaller publishers. We've also decided to trim down to one pick a month each, with a similar goal in mind. It's a little more work for us and a lot more work for those of you who just want to read Marvel or DC, but that's kind of the point... why not check out what the other publishers are doing as well? To facilitate those seeking more information from the Previews catalog, each entry will include the page number of the solicitation at the end of our comments. RANDY'S PICK OF THE MONTH: The Dark Horse Book of Witchcraft HC (Dark Horse) - RANDY: The Dark Horse Book of Hauntings was a fantastic read, so I'm glad to see Dark Horse picking up the format (and many of the same creators) for The Dark Horse Book of Witchcraft. At $15, this slick little 96 page hardcover will no doubt be beautifully produced and contain any number of cool witchcraft-themed tales, including another one from Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson, a new Hellboy tale by Mike Mignola and a look at Salem by Scott Morse. Technically, thanks to pre-solicitation, this should be my pick for June, but it's my favorite book in this crop of Previews at any rate. And with any luck, these themed horror hardcovers will become an annual tradition for many years to come. (page 24) DAVE'S PICK OF THE MONTH: Akiko Vol. 1 Pocket-Sized GN (Sirius Entertainment) - DAVE: With no hyperbole, I will tell you that Akiko is the best all-ages comic book ever produced. I have a great deal of fondness for modern classics like Bone, classic classics like Uncle Scrooge, and international classics like TinTin, but for me, Akiko trumps all. It's The Wizard of Oz in space! It’s Animaniacs-level humor that will appeal to both kids and adults! It's Mark Crilley's jaw-droppingly detailed computer toned black-and-white art! Click here for more on the premise, here for more on the characters, and here to see some of the series' most amazing splash pages. This new volume will be in the ever-popular manga size, and along with reprinting the first seven issues features the Akiko special that launched the series. If I could only ever recommend one comic for parents to share and enjoy with their kids...man, this is IT. (page 318) RANDY: My love for Akiko doesn't approach yours, but I have read the first five volumes in trade and I'll back you up that this is indeed a great read for kids and adults, fun space opera/quest stuff, and putting it into the ever-popular manga size is just plain smart marketing to boot. Age of Bronze Vol. 2: Sacrifice HC (Image Comics) - DAVE: I want to believe the upcoming movie, Troy, will have at least a tenth of the depth of Eric Shanower's moving, complex treatment of the same material...and then I remember that the director's the same workmanlike schmoe who made Air Force One and The Perfect Storm. And it kills me to realize that millions will see this flick, while only a lucky few tens of thousands will discover Age of Bronze. This is a great series, folks. It's a true one-of-a-kind comic that takes one of the great war stories of all time and dissects it with such an eye for humanism and realism that every page rings true. And the art? Meticulous. Perfect. Fans of ancient history and mythology should be all over this series. And if it sounds dry, rest assured: plenty of sex and violence! Get the first trade now. Buy volume two when it hits. There, you're good to go! (page 135) RANDY: First of all, Dave, that same "schmoe" also made Das Boot, and Air Force One was a perfectly good action movie, so I say to you: Get off my plane! That said, I'm otherwise in full agreement with you here. Age of Bronze is a fantastic series, and I'm sort of hoping that the release of historical war flicks like Troy and Alexander will inspire folks to seek out Shanower's masterpiece. Beyond just being an exhaustively researched, academic and simultaneously entertaining read, though, Age of Bronze Vol. 2 promises to be an impressive production as well. The first collection contained glossaries, maps and details of Shanower's research that was like having a really great supplementary disc on a classic DVD, and I expect this one will be much the same. DAVE: Hey, Das Boot and even The Neverending Story are the exceptions for ol' Wolfgang – the stuff he made when he was young and hungry and non-commercial! He just hasn't been the same since he directed Louis Gossett Jr. as a pregnant alien lizard in Enemy Mine... RANDY: Directing pregnant alien lizards has been the downfall of many a director's career, it is true. Huh. We kind of lost the topic there, didn't we? At any rate, to sum up: Buy Age of Bronze. It's great. Alex Raymond's Flash Gordon Volume 1 TP (Checker Book Publishing) - DAVE: I own the Kitchen Sink reprint of this same material - the first two years of the legendary comic strip begun in the late '30s - and it's just a blast and a half. Not only is old school space opera a lot of campy fun and great for all ages, but there's a surprising amount of violence, wanton destruction, and absolutely gorgeous dames drawn as only Alex Raymond could draw 'em! Hotcha! Actually, Raymond's art in the first year or two of the strip was a little rough at times, but he got real damn good, real damn fast. Check this one out, folks. It's the godfather of all space opera, including Star Wars, and did I mention the hot chicks? (page 242) Aria Vol. 3: The Uses of Enchantment TP (Image Comics) - DAVE: Fans of Fables and Sandman might want to give this dark fantasy a try. Though it lacks Fables' wit and Sandman's depth, the Aria series has always featured smartly-written tales of classic myths and fairy tales intruding into our modern world, and the beautiful lead, Kildare, is a likeable heroine. This latest outing reveals the strange merging of a Disney style "Magic Kingdom" with ancient magical roots. It's one of the stronger efforts in the series, and Lan Medina’s lush, painted art will knock you on your ass. (page 136) RANDY: Certainly this was my first exposure to Aria, and Medina's art did indeed knock me on my ass, just as Holguin's story made me resolve to seek out more. A beautifully illustrated modern fantasy, and if past trades are any indication, this one should be reproduced in an oversized format that really shows off the artwork. All Flee! (Top Shelf) - RANDY: I tend to think of Top Shelf as a graphic novel producer, but they do put out some comic-format stuff as well, usually in the funny vein. All Flee! sounds like a blast, 32 pages of '50s monster movie type tales with a humorous bent. I'm not familiar with the creators and couldn't easily find any preview material online, but Top Shelf has a pretty good nose for talent, so I don't think risking $3.95 for your preorder is a bad bet if this kind of thing sounds up your alley. (page 329) Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman: Trinity HC (DC Comics) - RANDY: I enjoyed Trinity, though I'm not sure if I enjoyed it quite enough for a hardcover treatment, or if I'll wind up waiting for the trade. Either way, though, Wagner's beautiful artwork certainly deserves the deluxe treatment, and I'm glad to see DC putting out this collection so quickly after the end of the series. I also really got a kick out of Wagner's painted covers for Wonder Woman, Batman and Adventures of Superman, which are put together as promotion for the hardcover release this month. (page 99) DAVE: Great art, story didn't do anything for me. I'm such a buzzkill. Black-Eyed Susan #1 (Mad Yak Press) - RANDY: Patrick Neighly wrote (and Mad Yak published) Subatomic, a really entertaining espionage/adventure graphic novel, as well as a well-regarded humor comic Great Ape and an equally well-regarded companion volume that analyzes Grant Morrison's Invisibles. That's a pretty good range, and so I'm excited to see Neighly venturing into science-fiction territory with this new ongoing series. I don't know much about the artist, Donny Hadiwidjaja, except that Mad Yak's website refers to him as an Indonesian manga artist, his cover art for Black-Eyed Susan looks pretty sharp and I'm completely unable to pronounce his name. This looks like an interesting project by promising new talent. And it's got Martians, people! (page 309) Bleach Vol. 1 TP (Viz) - RANDY: Here's the thing about "manga month." I can't afford to expand too much into manga. I don't have the time or money for it. So I'll probably remain pretty picky about my manga reads, and even the ones that catch my eye aren't real likely to turn up in a review column, because who knows when I'll have the chance to read them? That said, Bleach has a premise that got my attention, about a pair of 15-year-olds involved in a secret society out hunting ghosts in a world that is secretly full of them. Sounds like a potentially fun and action-oriented story. (page 334) DAVE: Agreed. Manga handles the horror genre wonderfully, and even though this sounds more like Buffy style action-horror than classic horror-horror, I'll be checking it out. Bodhisattva GN (OPP) - RANDY: This is quite an intriguing little project, a mystery/psychothriller with its roots firmly in Hinduism. I've read a preview of some of the book, and while it might be a little too off-the-beaten-path for some, those who like the mindwarping stuff of Grant Morrison should keep their eyes peeled for this one. (page 316) City of Heroes #1 (Blue King Studios) - RANDY: I read the Dark Horse promo comic for City of Heroes when it came out in late 2002 and was intrigued by the game, if not all that blown away by Rick Dakan's story. This isn't real likely to stand out from the numerous other superhero comics being published, but with full-color artwork by the talented Brandon (Planet of the Capes) McKinney and Moose (Green Lantern) Baumann, not to mention a story by the creator of the online game, it certainly should keep the attention of those who pick up the City of Heroes computer game, also due out in May. I have a certain fondness for licensed role-playing game superheroes (I'd buy a well-done comic based on the Champions universe in a heartbeat), so I confess to a certain curiosity about this project. (page 236) DAVE: Yeah, a Champions comic would be pretty swanky, wouldn't it? Maybe a good place for talented stalwarts of the '70s and '80s whose work isn't so sought after by the Big Two these days? Roger Stern and Walt Simonson and the like? Closer GN (Oni Press) - RANDY: A failed quantum physics teleportation experiment brings together six people who were somehow involved in its failure. From that concept, you could go anywhere, but the spooky cover image and the horror brand makes it all the more intriguing, because it speaks to a story about misguided obsession and scientific madness, always classic stuff. Antony Johnston continues to show off his versatility with genre, and I have no doubt that the artwork by Mike Norton and Leanne Buckley will be gorgeous. (page 314) DAVE: I likes me some horror comics, but when the trigger event is a failed teleportation experiment, it's all but impossible to avoid thinking of The Fly (both original and Cronenberg variant). Given that the writer is a former Alan Moore collaborator, hopefully Closer will live up to its "teleportation horror" forebears. RANDY: Former Alan Moore collaborator, nothing. What's got me excited is that the first thing I read from Antony Johnston was the mind-bending urban horror novella Frightening Curves, so I know he can do spooky high concept. Johnston has more than proved he's got the chops for this, and the company he keeps at Avatar is but a cherry on top of the sundae for those of us who know his work. El Cazador #7 (Crossgen Entertainment) - DAVE: This is one of my favorite books of the last year or so, and with a new story arc beginning, new readers get a solid jumping-on point. This arc involves our lovely pirate lass, Captain Sin, taking her modest size ship and somehow attempting to capture an impenetrable Jesuit fortress. I can't wait. Chuck Dixon brings a historical authenticity to the proceedings without undermining the romantic flair of the era, and his battle scenes have proven to be smart and wholly innovative. The pacing's a wee bit slow for some, but I like it. It suits the realistic edge, and geez, it's not like it isn't all rendered in the best artwork of Steve Epting’s career! (page 255) Ellium Vol. 1: Sword of the Dragon GN (Genome Studios) - RANDY: The first in an ambitious series of graphic novels, this one includes magic, secret societies, the magic sword Excalibur and its lesser known darker twin, all wrapped up in a modern suspense story. (page 298) Empire TP (DC Comics) - RANDY: I really enjoyed the twists and turns that this "supervillain conquers the world" story took, and while the ending was not quite as definitive as I would have liked, I still found it to be a very interesting look at corruption and power politics. Kitson's art is beautiful, Waid has a very unusual and fascinating cast of characters, and I'm glad to see DC putting the trade into production so quickly. This one will definitely be making it to my bookshelf. (page 100) DAVE: Personally I thought Empire was a fascinating concept hamstrung by juvenile, even hokey, handling of its concepts, but what do I know? I didn't think much of Kingdom Come either. RANDY: Just admit it, Dave. You're the Grinch. Your heart is five sizes too small. DAVE: Nah, just my peni – err, yeah, small heart. Essential X-Men Vol. 5 TP (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: Yeah, it’s black and white, but buy this one for the reprints of Uncanny X-Men #183 (Colossus barroom brawl with Juggernaut!) and issues 190 and 191 (Manhattan magicked into a violent, swords 'n sorcery analog, with highlights including a showdown between Vision and Colossus that must be seen to be believed). (page M64) RANDY: Thanks to the Classic X-Men reprints of the '80s and '90s, I have these classic issues in full-color format. If not for that, though, I'd be picking this up, because yeah, these are some of the cooler stories that Claremont ever wrote. The two-parter alternate reality that magics up Manhattan and features guest roles by the rest of the Marvel Universe (a rarity in today's mutant books, where the X-Men pretty much stick to their own kind), is one of my favorite X-Men stories of all time. Fantastic Four Visionaries: John Byrne Vol. 2 TP (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: Man did I come close to making this my Previews pick of the month. In my humble opinion, this is the only essential FF material aside from Lee and Kirby's original run. It's also Byrne at one of his creative peaks, and this volume is even better than the first. You've got the FF fighting Terrax, one of the best Invisible Woman stories ever, the classic story where Reed saves Galactus, and an all-time great slugfest featuring the FF squaring off against Gladiator from the Shi'ar Imperial Guard. Nothin' but goodness here. (page M66) RANDY: Yay, Marvel! I know that I give them a ton of shit, especially in these Previews columns, but nothing warms my heart toward the company more than when they follow through on something I thought they'd given up on. I've read a handful of these stories, and heard about most of them, but I can't wait to sit down and actually read them all in trade, especially given how much I enjoyed the first volume of Byrne's stuff. Kudos to Marvel for putting this one out, and let's hope we see the rest of the run as well. Firestorm #1 (DC Comics) - DAVE: So Firestorm's back. New character wearing the costume, fans somewhat up in arms. And me? I just want to know where the new Firestorm's damn SHOULDER FLARES are?! The costume’s one of the few relatively modern classics, but dammit...the flares...the flares... RANDY: Dave, you've been into the special brownies again, haven't you? DAVE: FLARES! But putting aside that massive screw-up, the new guy in the suit sounds kind of interesting. He's a college student, like former Firestorm alter ego, Ronnie Raymond, but unlike Raymond, he's more geek than jock. I'm no big fan of "legacy" heroes, but since the original Firestorm has come to have such a convoluted backstory, I'll give this reboot its shot. I was pleased to hear that one of the most original aspects of Firestorm - that he was a merged-personality hero - had been retained, though apparently the new guy can merge with anyone near him to effect the transformation. Good story potential there. (page 101) RANDY: Here's my rule for revamping Firestorm: Most of his fans are fans of the costume. You leave the costume basically intact, you're probably going to be OK, and this team has done that (save the shoulder flares, of course... *snicker*). I know some folks are up in arms about the decision to sideline (or maybe bury) Ronnie Raymond, but you know, he wasn't really a character who was so well-defined that we'll really miss him, nor was he a long-standing stalwart of the DC Universe like Hal Jordan or Barry Allen. Dan Jolley's concept of merging with different people to create the character is a clever twist on the character, and I'm always in favor of adding another hero of color to the DC Universe, given that it's a pretty whitebread (and no, martians don't count for diversity) universe in general. All that said, and even with my appreciation of Chriscross's artwork, I'm not super-hyped for this or anything. I know that some fans have been holding out and hoping for a Firestorm revival, but I'm not one of them. Which may explain why the radical revamp aspects don't bother me much. Freak GN (Image Comics) - RANDY: Lee Ferguson impressed with his work on Marvel books like Muties, so I know that I enjoy his artwork. I don't know as much about his writing, and the solicitation copy for Freak is maddeningly vague and abstract. So this could well be a very imaginative and unusual look at power, the supernatural and the psychological implications of it, or it could be a pretentious and overwritten project tackling the same themes. Image's 5-page previews are great, but I wish they'd go up in time for preordering so that I had a better idea what I was getting into. (page 143) Freedom Fries GN (Fantagraphics) - RANDY: The most obvious example of editorial cartoonist Steve Brodner's work that I've seen is the very odd painted poster for Warren Beatty political flick Bulworth. Brodner's style doesn't appeal to me as much as editorial cartoonists like Keith Knight or Mike Keefe, but he does a lot of full-color work that will probably reproduce very nicely in book format. From my glimpse through Brodner's stuff, I suspect his politics may not align completely with mine, but the title of this book, hitting on one of the more absurd (if relatively meaningless) political foibles of the past four years, has me intrigued. (page 290) DAVE: Brodner's cartooning is amazing, and this looks to be a jam-packed collection of his work. Features cartoons covering the last 30 years of American politics, commentary and behind-the-scenes stuff from Brodner, and reprints of cartoons that were too controversial for printing in their day. And it's mostly in full color to boot. Check out his art style here. Furious Fist of the Drunken Monkey (Imperium Comics) - RANDY: The name alone makes me chuckle, but the solicitation, which includes such key phrases as "alcoholic chimpanzee" and "alien power gauntlet" sounds like it could be fun in the same vein as the delightfully demented Scurvy Dogs or Sky Ape. (page 306) Fused: Canned Heat TP (Dark Horse) - RANDY: This story suffers from multiple artists, but it's got some key information that sets up the foundation of the very intriguing new Rocket Comics series, so I'm glad to see Dark Horse putting out a trade edition for those who missed it the first time. (page 35) Gordon Yamamoto and the King of the Geeks TP (Amaze Ink) - DAVE: A bully gets something unusual lodged in his nose and somehow learns an important life lesson in the process. Weird? Sure, but when I noticed the story collected here was the winner of a Xeric grant, I looked up the creator online and decided this story might be "good weird" and not just "weird weird." Nice cartooning, too. (page 212) Gotham Central #19 (DC Comics) - DAVE: Ah, this should be cool! Resigned and disgraced maverick cop, Harvey Bullock, returns, and I suspect his roughneck personality will bring some good dramatic tension to the book. Last readers knew, he'd resigned as a Gotham Cop after Internal Affairs discovered he'd arranged for some mob boys to "take care" (in the Goodfellas sense of the phrase) of the man who shot Commissioner Gordon. In this new arc, investigations of a "cold case" somehow bring him back into the picture. Can't wait. (page 97) RANDY: I've always liked Bullock, whether it was genuine appreciation or as that bull-headed detective you love to hate. His actions of revenge against the man who shot Gordon really spoke to my sense of justice (or is it vengeance?), and I've never loved the character more than right before he disappeared from the Bat-books. So like you, I'm thrilled to see him back, and given that Rucka was one of the guys who really knew how to write Bullock, I'm expecting great things from the character as a cast member (temporary or permanent) of Gotham Central. Green Lantern/Green Arrow Vol. 1 TP (DC Comics) - DAVE: Ah, finally back in softcover! Cool, 'cause I haven't read more than one or two of these legendary stories that brought social consciousness to superheroes in the '70s. I've braced myself for hamfistedness and hokeyness, but for art by Neal Adams and for the sheer historical value...I'm buyin' it. (page 102) RANDY: Whereas I'm planning on giving it a pass. I'm glad DC is putting this classic stuff out as an affordable trade edition, but I've read the majority of it and don't have any particular desire to keep it around for rereading. Grendel: Devil's Reign #1 (Dark Horse) - RANDY: The Grendel saga is a fascinating one, and the mixture of futurism and political commentary to be found in Wagner's latter era of the book is among the best stories that the book produced. Devil's Reign is the first of a new miniseries that reprints Orion Assante's new role as burgeoning leader of the world, and it has beautiful artwork by Tim Sale and new colors by Matt Hollingsworth. All of the recolored art that Dark Horse has done has been fantastic, and I know from having read Grendel back issues that this is some of my favorite stuff, story-wise. (page 29) DAVE: Could someone please put numbers on all the Grendel stuff so a latecomer like me can tell where to start? I'm a simple man. Make things easy for me. RANDY: That's a reasonable point, and one I wouldn't have thought of. The series of miniseries is a pretty cool approach, and it works in that Grendel definitely has a strong arc structure with clear breakpoints, but the desire to get on at the beginning is understandable. I believe, although I'm not sure, that Dark Horse is putting all these things together in nice number-on-the-spine trades as the miniseries complete. For the record: The Devil By the Deed comic is probably a pretty good starting point for the whole big thing. G.I. Joe: Master & Apprentice #1 (Devil's Due) - RANDY: Snake Eyes, ninja stuff and secret origins equals a lot of cool key words. Mind you, at this point I'm kind of off the G.I. Joe bandwagon in general, but Devil's Due is aiming in the right direction to hook the Joe fans on another miniseries, and writing by Brandon Jerwa means it'll probably hit all the classic buttons. (page 274) Hawkman #28 (DC Comics) - DAVE: Respected inker and underrated writer Jimmy Palmiotti takes the reigns of this book alongside frequent collaborator Justin Gray. I couldn't get into Geoff Johns' run and found the reincarnation hook to be a stumbling block, but Hawkman's one of those classic characters I want to like. Exceptionally nice preview art from Ryan Sook, who appears to've evolved nicely out from under Mike Mignola's stylistic shadow. (page 102) RANDY: Sook has really taken off, yeah. His work on Arkham Asylum was impressive, but the preview pages of Hawkman are just gorgeous, reminiscent more of Michael Lark than Mike Mignola. Great action stuff, and it's clear that Palmiotti and Gray are keeping with the "Hawkman is a badass" take, something I've always liked in theory. I think Ostrander's Hawkworld may have spoiled me for Hawkman in general, but if anyone can bring me back onboard, it's the creators of such unusual superhero fare as The Monolith and 21 Down. Hikaru No Go Vol. 1 GN (Viz) - DAVE: Now here's something you don't see every day: a manga about a sixth-grade kid who finds an old Go board possessed by the spirit of an ancient Go master! Go, for folks like me who're unfamiliar with Japanese culture, is a classic strategy game with as much complexity as chess. Can a manga focused on a chess-like game actually be exciting? HELL YES! I've read great manga about cooking, about basketball, and about a frickin’ pack of dogs. Given my love for these off-the-beaten path stories, I know I'll be checking this bad boy out. (page 336) Hulk: Gray HC (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: Truthfully, I'm a little sorry to see Loeb and Sale going to DC exclusives, because their Marvel miniseries have actually been my favorite collaborations. I stopped reading Hulk: Gray four issues in when it became very clear that I liked the story as much as I had Daredevil: Yellow and Spider-Man: Blue, and I wanted to save some surprises for when I inevitably picked up Marvel's gorgeous hardcover presentation of the story. I'm looking forward to picking this up, but also a little sad that we won't see any more Marvel characters from this team for at least a while, if ever. (page M57) DAVE: Not such a big loss, I think. Loved Daredevil: Yellow, liked Spider-Man: Blue, but come Hulk: Gray, the Loeb/Sale formula retro-nostalgia formula has worn painfully thin on me. I even thought Sale's art was lackluster. RANDY: You're so high. Sale's work here was terrific, especially his take on the bulky and yet cool-looking early Iron Man. DAVE: Sorry. His Iron Man looked dopey and static. Terrible covers too. If he and Loeb get around to Hawkeye: Purple, I’ll give 'em a shot again, but until then... Joe R. Lansdale's By Bizarre Hands #1 (Avatar) - RANDY: About the time Vertigo's Jonah Hex came out, I got real interested in seeing more work from Lansdale, and I picked up a few of his short story books. By Bizarre Hands was one of those books, and I loved it. It's been long enough since I read it that only a couple of stories are still with me, which means that reading these adaptations will probably be a bit fresh and new for me, but I know going in that I'll enjoy the material. Kudos to Avatar for picking up another noteworthy author that they can do adaptations for. I'm still hoping for stronger design sense and cheaper prices for their comics and collected editions, but my interest in Avatar properties has gotten a lot higher of late. (page 230) Justice League of America: Another Nail #1 (DC Comics) - RANDY: I really enjoyed Alan Davis's The Nail, but I don't recall thinking it really needed a sequel. That said, the preview artwork here is flat out gorgeous, some of the best work I've seen from Davis in recent years, and the notion of a New Gods war with Green Lantern Corps involvement gets my fanboy heart all a-tingle. Davis has strayed pretty far from the original high concept and more into Silver Age appreciation territory, but there's really not much of that kind of thing going on right now, so Another Nail might be just the thing for superhero purists. (page 103) DAVE: I'm waiting for The Nail 3: Final Nail in the Coffin. (wait for laughter) But seriously folks - much love for Alan Davis the artist, especially drawing DC's big guns, but as a writer he does very little for me. In fact, I can't even remember the first The Nail series or Davis's other Elseworlds story, Superboy's Legion. And his last project was the abortive relaunch of Killraven for Marvel. Of course, I still bought the first two of the three mentioned projects, enraptured with his art, but this time the story's gonna have to be cooking too. The plot sounds a'ight for an old-fashioned superhero hooha, I'll give it that. The Kid Firechief GN (Fantagraphics) - RANDY: Steven Weissman's unusual artwork and stories featuring young kids don't always resonate with me, but the odd coloring scheme and very strange notion of a young boy wanting to be a firechief sounds like fun all-ages wish fulfillment. (page 290) Last Train to Deadsville: A Cal McDonald Mystery #1 (Dark Horse) - RANDY: I've enjoyed the Cal McDonald one-shots more than the mini-series, but Niles's stories of a hard-boiled private eye who has to down drugs and alcohol to stay sane given all the weird supernatural stuff he's seen are always worth a look. Niles isn't teamed with Ben Templesmith on this one, but another "love him or hate him" artist in Kelley Jones. I like Jones on some projects, so I'm curious to see how this pairing works out. (page 22) Lucifer #50 (DC Comics/Vertigo) - RANDY: Sandman #50 featured a one-shot story with art by P. Craig Russell, and the result was one of the more memorable stories in that series's run. Carey seems to be aiming for the same type of thing, with Russell doing art on a one-shot exploring Lilith, the vilified woman whose defiance of God has a lot of interesting resonance for the notions of feminism and how a patriarchal society reacts to it. And in tying this character more into Lucifer, the issue also promises to shed some light on the strange, possibly romantic relationship between Lucifer and Mazikeen. I'm there. (page 111) DAVE: I've never read this book, but I love all things P. Craig Russell, so hopefully it's as self-contained as the solicit suggests. Lucifer Fawkes: Orcus Ex Machina (Rorschach Entertainment) - RANDY: The title, playing off the Devil, a well-known anarchist and the familiar "God in the Machine" phrase, both got my attention and worries me that this might be a bit of a gimmick book. However, if the creators can steer clear of being pretentious, this concept, which sees 666 hostages being used as some sort of demonic sacrifice, could make for an interesting one-shot. (page 318) On Our Marry Way #1 (Lone Star Press) - RANDY: I'm not sure if a comic adaptation of your own wedding is the kind of thing that anyone other than friends or immediate family will really appreciate, nor am I sure that I'm willing to pay five bucks to find out. However, Mark Finn's comic does feature art by Shannon Wheeler, Jeff Parker, John Lucas and other recognizable names and the proceeds "go to paying back Finn's mother-in-law," which made me chuckle. This might just be a fun, one-of-a-kind novelty comic to have in one's collection, if nothing else, and the notion of a comic as part of a wedding ceremony is too cool not to mention. (page 308) DAVE: Absolutely. Novelty Comic of the Month here. Orbiter TP (softcover) (DC Comics/Vertigo) - DAVE: Wow, I really enjoyed this book, a dark, realistic, yet inspirational look by Warren Ellis at the ailing NASA space program of the early 21st century. With detailed art by Colleen Doran, the story takes the form of a mystery as three specialists investigate a seemingly impossible phenomenon: the return to earth of a Space Shuttle that disappeared ten years prior. This one needs to be on the bookshelf of every space program enthusiast and anyone watching the current Mars missions with bated breath. (page 111) RANDY: Read it, loved it, happy that DC is putting out the softcover so I can buy it. Easily the best thing Warren Ellis has written in the past three years, and one of the best uses of Doran's gorgeous artwork ever. Remains #1 (IDW) - RANDY: Zombie horror is being done to perfection in Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead, but with a remade Dawn of the Dead on its way, there might just be room for another zombie comic on the stands. Especially when it's by much-hyped horror writer Steve Niles with artwork by Kieron (Last of the Independents) Dwyer. The short preview in these pages is beautiful, the cover image certainly stirring, and the post-apocalyptic concept intriguing... I'll be checking this one out. (page 302) DAVE: Another entry in the zombie category is always welcome, and I like that the series' leads are a blackjack dealer and an exotic dancer. Remote Vol. 1 GN (Tokyopop) - RANDY: At last count, Tokyopop produced roughly a bazillion manga each month, and it's always hard to pick the new ones out that might appeal to a manga neophyte such as myself. Remote sounds like one such possibility, though, with a spooky little cover image and a premise about a police officer who works together with a mysterious genius to solve unsolvable crimes. Part CSI, part X-Files, maybe? It's always hard to predict what you'll get out of manga using the solicitation text, but Remote has me intrigued, at least. (page 325) DAVE: Likewise. Plus I see that it's only six volumes long, so I won't have to invest my life savings into the collection if I like it. Richard Dragon #1 (DC Comics) - RANDY: I find myself surprisingly interested in this new series. I always liked the high intensity action that Chuck Dixon and Scott McDaniel put together on Nightwing, and a really cool kickbutt martial arts comic set in the DC Universe seems like just the thing for these two (and just the thing to ease the wounded hearts of those mourning Way of the Rat's cancellation). I'm not expecting Watchmen or anything, but Richard Dragon might turn out to be a good monthly dose of formulaic action. (page 105) Rich Johnston's Holed Up #1 (Avatar) - RANDY: Like many in this industry, one of the first things I do upon powering up my computer on Monday morning is to head over to CBR to read Rich Johnston's Lying in the Gutters. I've always liked Rich's writing and sense of humor, and as a liberal living in Texas, the notion of an off-the-wall look at gun nut survivalists holds a certain appeal for me. (page 232) DAVE: Rich can tick me off when he reports on creator feuds and other matters best left private, but for a vile gossip-monger he ain't bad and I usually like his sense of humor. Robin #126 (DC Comics) - DAVE: Apparently there's a new Robin and it's a girl. Listen...listen and hear fandom's collective shrug. (page 98) RANDY: Shrug?! What world are you living in? Robin's got boobs! It's a change of titanic proportions! Hotter than Hush 2: No, Really, Shut Up Already! More shocking than Frank Miller's Dark Knight Strikes One More Time! OK, maybe not. But I do think it's worth noting that a female Robin (especially this one, whose identity was spoiled in the latest Wizard and who seems an interesting fit for the role) is not only an unusual choice, but is another wink and nod to Miller's classic Dark Knight Returns. DAVE: Ugh, pros and fans alike could stand to stop referencing Dark Knight Returns. Batman as total asshole...Superman as government stooge and Batman's punching bag...geez, it was inspired as a marverick standalone, but as a legacy for the mainstream titles, it's for the birds. Sabrina #58 (Archie Comics) – DAVE: Now THIS is more interesting: Sabrina's getting a manga makeover! Geez, maybe this is why it's manga month. An Archie comic gone Eastern? Madness! The real question is whether the kids will be fooled into thinking it's "real" manga. I bet they might, or that they’ll at least find the superficial similarities appealing. This could actually be a comic for little Sis to read before graduating to big Sis's Love Hina. Salmon Doubts GN (Alternative Comics) - RANDY: I almost missed this one in the first run-through, but a look at an online preview at Adam Sacks's website showed me that would be a mistake. Minimalist, whimsical and fun, I'm curious to read the rest of Sacks's strange mixture of the life of fish and the slice-of-life genre. (page 210) DAVE: This looks like a helluva lot of fun, very much up my alley with its unusual setting. I dig the minimalist art, and the online strip you linked to actually made me laugh out loud. I'll bite. RANDY: Is that a fish joke? DAVE: Randy, I don’t DO fish jokes. (beat) Okay, yeah it was. Same Difference & Other Stories GN (Top Shelf Productions) - DAVE: This little volume (under a different publisher) was one of my favorite surprises of last year. It's a quirky slice-of-life story from a twenty-something Korean American, and sets itself apart from all the other slice-of-lifers through sheer craft. Just read a page or two here, and once you decided you're impressed (and you will be), do your local comic shop a favor and reserve it in advance! (page 328) RANDY: I picked this one up as well thanks to the buzz and I'm so happy I did. If you missed out on this in its small press run, make sure and grab it when Top Shelf puts it into wider distribution. Me, I'll just be impatiently waiting for whatever Derek Kim does next. Scooter Girl TP (Oni Press) - RANDY: Though wary at first, I quickly warmed up to Chynna Clugston-Major's dark comedy, and in fact I might like it just a little bit more than Blue Monday, all told. This collects the entire story of Ashton Archer, ladies' man who meets his match in Margaret Sheldon, and the wacky and somewhat dark antics that ensue as he tries to get his swinging bachelor lifestyle back on track. (page 314) Scurvy Dogs #4 (AIT/Planet Lar) - RANDY: Yes, Dave and I mention this book every time a new issue is solicited. Yes, we're going to continue to do so until it's at least in the Diamond Top 5. Why? Because it's damn funny! Love Scurvy Dogs or prepare to walk the plank! (page 210) DAVE: Yar! And the last issue was funny as hell, so I know this series has legs (or at least peg legs). I noticed that the humor was veering away from the pure pirate-centric gags of the first issue and towards broader, but just as inspired weirdness. This is a good move - turns out these guys can be funny with just about any damn situation. Seaguy #1 (DC Comics/Vertigo) - DAVE: Promising "...colorful heroes, sinister theme parks, beautifully bearded women, and a cigar-smoking tuna fish," Seaguy is one of Grant Morrison's new projects for Vertigo. I like Morrison's own description even better: "the true antidote to your military industrial realistic super-heroes!" Actually I like ALL the details I'm reading of this in the Previews solicit, and with art by Cameron Stewart - guy who kicked all kinds of ass on Catwoman - this three-part mini definitely makes my list. Sounds a bit like Morrison's trippy Doom Patrol work, but more accessible for its finite story. (page 112) RANDY: Two words: Cameron Stewart. That's pretty much all you need to sell me on the book. I know that Morrison returning to superhero weirdness will be the draw for the majority of the audience, but for me, the fun sounding concept is icing on the cake. All I need to know (and see, from the preview pages) is that Cameron Stewart is rocking the house once again with his artwork. Sojourn/Lady Death #1 (Crossgen Entertainment) - RANDY: I know that commercially, this is probably a slam dunk, but I just hate the character Lady Death, and I really didn't want to see the fantasy epic of Sojourn sullied by focusing on the cheesecake aspects (I know, too late) or pulled into goofy inter-universe crossovers. I know George Perez owed Crossgen some work because they gave him so much leeway in working on JLA/Avengers on their time, but there's such a thing as asking too much of a comics legend, and Sojourn/Lady Death seems like a waste of Perez's talents. It's sure to sell gangbusters, though, and if that means we get more El Cazador, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Abadazad, I guess it's a small sacrifice. (page 251) Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures Vol. 1 TP (Dark Horse) - RANDY: Whatever you think of the Star Wars prequels (I hate them more with each passing day - whoops, sorry that just slipped out), you've got to give Dark Horse and Lucasfilm credit for smart marketing, packaging this Cartoon Network tie-in in the same way as the DC/Cartoon Network books. Cheap full-color digests featuring the slick designs of the Clone Wars animated shorts, which have actually been pretty entertaining, are definitely a good way to get some kid attention. However, cool as this is, there is one component that would really make this a marketing slam dunk. And that component would be, Dave? (Hint: It starts with a newsstand and ends with a distribution.) (page 19) DAVE: And I wonder if Dark Horse will be able to get these into the kids/young adults section of bookstores, another good place to push all things Star Wars. In any case, count me as another disillusioned Star Wars dork more impressed by the Clone Wars cartoon shorts than anything Georgie Boy has done with his franchise lately. The Samurai Jack guy actually made the Clone Troopers cool! On the other hand, the cartoon style is something of a novelty thing, and I'm not altogether sold on a comic based on it. Should at least have more story than the animated shorts, though! Yeah, I'll give it a look. True Story, Swear to God: 100 Stories TP (AIT/Planet Lar) - RANDY: Have I mentioned lately that I love Tom Beland's romance comic True Story Swear to God? Well, I do. And there's a new issue out this month from Clib's Boy Comics on page 244. But that's not what this is, not really. No, this is a collection of Beland's mini-comics that examine regular life, and they have the same wit and human wisdom as the regular book. Beland's mini-comics were some of the best mini-comics I ever bought at any of the shows I attended, and I'm glad to see them reprinted in a more permanent edition for a wider audience. (page 208) Ultimate X-Men #46 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: Brian Vaughan takes over, and I suspect he'll cook up some pretty good mutant mojo here. My only beef: I've lost all interest in the Ultimate line, and would have far, FAR preferred to Vaughan to take the reins on one of the mainline X-titles. (page M16) RANDY: I'm still sort of onboard some of the Ultimate titles, but I also would have liked to have seen Vaughan on one of the mainline X-titles. Maybe X-Men, for example. Still, this will probably be some great writing, and I've liked Finch's artwork on the book, so I expect that this will be an entertaining arc and quite possibly an "audition" of sorts for one of the big books when the X-Men titles need another reloading, about six months from now if the usual patterns of these things are any indication. Usagi Yojimbo Vol. 18: Travels with Jotaro TP (Dark Horse) - RANDY: Nothing much to say here, just that I'm a latecomer to Usagi Yojimbo but I now anxiously await each new trade paperback and look in horror back at the fifteen volumes I don't have, wondering when I might have the spare cash to pick them up. It doesn't really matter if you've never read a Usagi story, though, you can come in at any time, and volume 18 is as good a time as any. It features ninjas, Usagi's adorable nephew Jotaro (from whom Usagi hides an important secret) and a haunted ink and pen set that gives way to giant monsters, among other tales. (page 31) DAVE: It is damn impressive that Stan Sakai's continued to make this long-running saga so approachable by new readers. I was a hardcore follower for a time, but a little samurai action goes a long way for me, so now I just nab new trades when the mood strikes. Always a great series, though, and one that every adventure fan or Japanese culture geek should check out at some point. Vampyrates #1 (Bloodfire Studios) - RANDY: Oh, it's a cheesy title, and Bloodfire tends to do cheesy comics, of that there can be no doubt. But Jeromy Cox, writer/artist of this joint, is a fantastic colorist, and I have to admit that the genre fiend in me is drawn to the notion of combining pirates and vampires. (page 236) Van Helsing (Dark Horse) - RANDY: I'm a fan of deliberately cheesy adventure movie The Mummy (and even it's sequel, no matter what Dave thinks), and I'm looking forward to director Stephen Sommers's summer offering Van Helsing. That doesn't mean I have much interesting in a one-shot comic based on the license, but when the creative team is Joshua (Violent Messiahs, Demon: Driven Out) Dysart and Jason (Queen & Country, Empty Zone) Alexander, I sit up and take notice. Certainly Sommers's take on Van Helsing, judging from the trailer alone, seems perfectly suited to the comic-book format. (page 27) DAVE: I was actively checking my watch during the Mummy sequel. The White Elephant GN (Alternative Comics) - RANDY: Damon Hurd hasn't let me down yet, and The White Elephant is sure to be another searing personal story with universal appeal. He's working with a different artist this time, but this "play staged on paper" featuring an insomniac confronting his demons in a half-waking state sounds like classic Hurd material, and it's on my "must read" list. (page 212) X-Men: Old Soldiers TP (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: I have a certain fondness for the Claremont/Davis X-Men (and New Mutants) collaborations reprinted here. However, can I just say, it's time to stop fucking around with these artist-driven out-of-sequence trade reprints of X-Men? Not only is the book Marvel's cash cow and constant best seller, it's a mainstream presence now thanks to Bryan Singer and company. It's time to reprint the comics that made it such in a format they deserve. I'm talking about starting with Giant-Sized X-Men and going on from there, full-on volume numbers, maybe even re-coloring. At the very least, all the Claremont/Byrne stuff should never be out of print, and I'd argue that pretty much everything Claremont did on the books up until he left in the early days of Jim Lee ought to be represented. (page M65) DAVE: Well, I'd be okay if a dedicated "Classic X-Men" trade series ran from Giant-Sized X-Men just through to Uncanny #200 (the trial of Magneto, and last issue before a zillion guest artists), but otherwise I agree with you COMPLETELY. Claremont's X-Men stories are famous (maybe infamous) for their running threads, and to reprint them out of sequence is a terrible waste. For the record, I own pretty much all the Uncanny issues between 100 and 200, but I'd buy 'em again in a heartbeat if I could get them in a dedicated trade paperback format. RANDY: Ditto on both counts. And I'm with you that Uncanny #200 is probably a more popular end-point, but then you're missing some good stories that are scattered in after that issue, not to mention the commercially viable Alan Davis, Marc Silvestri and Jim Lee stuff. X-Men: ReLoad (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: While Claremont is the founding father of the X-Men as we know them today, it was Grant Morrison who got everyone (not just the X-fanatics) talking about the X-Men again. Love him or hate him, it's hard to argue that his departure was going to be hard to deal with. So Marvel came up with the X-Men: ReLoad (that capitalized "L" is theirs, not mine), a line-wide revamp to draw attention once again. Unfortunately, with one notable exception, this event seems a bit lackluster, and in some cases actually wrong-headed. (pages M1-M14) DAVE: True dat, but it's no skin off my teeth. I don’t need X-books 24/7, so if I end up alienated or bored by the relaunch for a few years, it's no biggie. Uncanny X-Men was one of the titles I imprinted on as a kid, though, so I still have much love for the muties. I suppose my biggest concern is this classic franchise losing credibility through sheer overkill. By my count, there are something like seventeen X-related titles this month. Geez, guys! I guess fans are buying them, but geez, don't burn 'em out. Astonishing X-Men #1 (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: I am a huge fan of Buffy, Angel and Firefly (damn you, Fox Network! Sorry, once again... it slipped out), and I've long wanted Joss Whedon to dip his toes into the mainstream comics world. Given his group dynamics on his shows, his witty and distinctive dialogue and his clear love of the themes and plots that make up these characters, the X-Men seem a natural choice for his talents. Whedon's comics work has been sporadic but pretty solid in quality for me, and while I wonder if a Whedon/John Cassaday team can possibly manage deadlines, even for a limited run, I'm legitimately excited to see what these guys can do with the book. (page M1) DAVE: I'm there, too. I know these characters will inevitably take on some Whedon affectations ("Optic blast much, Cyke?"), but Whedon seems like the kind of guy who might have what it takes to make the X-Men shine again. I liked the Previews script excerpt, I like the team line-up (Cyclops, Kitty Pryde, Wolverine, Emma Frost, and the Beast), and I like Cassaday's art. Hell, what's not to like? John Cassaday's drab redesign of Cyclops uniform? Yeah, ya got me there. RANDY: Well, none of the costumes are all that impressive. I'm fine with going back to the spandex (although I dug Quitely's designs of the black leather X-Men), but if you're gonna do it, do it right. Cool colors and cool designs, not just more black and yellow spaced in different places around the costumes. Uncanny X-Men #444/Excalibur #1 (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: Didn't we already do a "Claremont returns!" thing? And wasn't it horrible? Well, Claremont has gotten a little bit more on his game in the pages of X-Treme X-Men lately, so I'm not quite as worried about this return as I was, but neither am I super-excited. However, I'm hopeful that the creative synergy between Alan Davis and Claremont will result in some good stories in Uncanny X-Men. As for Excalibur, the notion of Xavier building a mutant nation is intriguing, and I was excited by this one because we were going to get the art of Igor Kordey... but recent developments with that (i.e. Marvel firing Kordey) have poisoned any interest I might have had on the book, as I fear we'll be getting some random standard superhero guy to replace Kordey's beautiful if not always beloved by fanboy style. (pages M2,M5) DAVE: Fans didn't cotton to Bill Sienkiewicz back in his New Mutants days either – Kordey’s just the latest victim of a general creative timidity that will always characterize the mainstream readership. Anyway, I'm disappointed at the loss of Kordey, too, but I do like the premise of Excalibur, being one of the more creative concepts to come out of the X-offices. As for Claremont and Davis on Uncanny, I can't even begin to guess. Like you, Randy, I've noticed that Claremont’s writing seems stronger of late, and Davis' classicist art will be welcome with all the costumes returning. X-Men #157 (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: Of course, if I'm mildly nervous about Claremont returning, I'm fucking horrified that Chuck Austen is sticking around. I know I'm beating a dead horse here, but Austen isn't just a bad writer whose run you can ignore and pretend it didn't exist. His style involves making major, ill-considered changes to these characters that are going to resonate for years and require a lot of clean-up. Austen's role as writer of one of the flagship books is the biggest red flag to me that the X-Men: ReLoad event is nothing more than the same old, same old with a shiny new coat of paint. (page M3) DAVE: "Chuck Austen damage control" is likely to be a full-time career for Marvel writers in the years to come. It's too bad, because I think he shows legitimate talent on occasion, but he needs to go. He's had all the chances a guy can get and then some, and proven time and again that he's addicted to sweeping changes that really eff up longstanding characters. New X-Men: Academy X #1 (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: After the artistic round-robin and editorial interference, Marvel really owed writers Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir another chance to launch New Mutants. However, a more cumbersome title, an artist best known for cheesecake and a worrying decision to go more "traditional" (a.k.a. safe and boring) means that I'm still not wild about their chances of hooking me onto this book. (page M4) DAVE: I'm just not sure that DeFilippis and Weir are a good fit on superhero material. I'll give this a chance, though. Cyclops and Emma Frost as the heads of Xavier's school sounds like a good recipe for sparks, and the new, mandatory Danger Room training for students also has potential. The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: X-Men 2004 (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: I delight in seeing the return of the Official Handbook name, even though this project will probably bear little resemblance to that well-loved and remembered comic of the '80s. The likelihood of another Handbook of the Marvel Universe (complete with B- and C-list characters) seems miniscule at best with current management, though, so I suppose this will have to do. At any rate, the architectural drawing of the new X-Mansion that is teased here is beautiful, and I'll be curious to see if the rest of this one-shot is equally lovely. (page M6) DAVE: After bad experiences with Marvel's recent, overpriced superhero encyclopedias, I'm vastly skeptical that the current Marvel can match Marvel's infotainment of the '80s. If they do – Great! I'll be the first to congratulate them! But I don't expect to. District X #1 (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: Though others will probably me more excited about the main X-Books, this is the most interesting aspect of X-Men: ReLoad for me. Part of that is due to the writer, David Hine, whose creepy and effective graphic novel Strange Embrace, really impressed me. Another is that I've always had a weird fondness for kewl '90s character Bishop, and playing him as Judge Dredd/Sanjuro style lawman in a mutant ghetto in New York sounds like a premise with potential. (page M10) DAVE: Eh. I've come to like Bishop okay. I acknowledge the merits of he and Sage as mutant detectives. But solving crimes in the ghetto-ized mutant district of New York? Sorry, that’s just too down to earth for my tastes. RANDY: What's down to earth about a mutant ghetto? I lived in New York for six months, I don't remember any mutant ghettoes. Massage parlors, off-track betting windows and porn shops, sure. But I never saw even one mutant ghetto. DAVE: It's still just a cop comic, and isn't Bishop more of a "change the world" kind of guy? He needs to be heading up S.H.I.E.L.D.'s mutant task force or dealing with international mutant crimes or...well, something bigger. RANDY: Actually, I've always seen Bishop more as a guy with a cop mentality, less likely to change the world than to just take care of his own backyard. But Bishop heading up a globe-trotting S.H.I.E.L.D. mutant task force does sound cool. As does Bishop heading up a mutant massage/off-track betting parlor that dabbles in the porn business. Exiles #46-47 (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: Who would have thought that the Exiles would be nearing issue #50? Not me, given that the concept ran out of gas for me just about the time Winick departed for the first time. Still, it wouldn't be an X-Men revamp if we didn't have around a dozen titles instead of a manageable number, and folks are still reading, so Marvel seems to have found a hook that X-fans like. Tony Bedard is hit and miss for me, but when he's good, we get Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Route 666, so he might just have a few surprises even for those of us like me who have lost interest in the book. (page M11) Mystique #14-15 (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: Brian K. Vaughan has been doing a pretty good job serving up exciting action and well-imagined shapeshifting tricks with Mystique, so it seems a little early for a creative team change. That said, I'm glad to see Sean McKeever landing another regular assignment at one of the big two, and elated to see that Manuel Garcia will continue as artist, given how good his work on Mystique #11 was. (page M13) DAVE: Shit, is Vaughan gone for good? His work here was a little formulaic, but honestly, he WAS the book I think. McKeever? We'll see. I do agree that Manuel Garcia serves up some excellent spy-babe artwork. Email Randy Lander and Dave Farabee comments about this review.