Down The Line - Previews review for June 2003 by Randy Lander 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 April previews for comics due to ship out in June 2003. For a couple alternate takes on preordering suggestions, why not try Previews Review, by Chris Butcher and friends? Before we get into it all, I have to say that this is a kick ass month for comics, and you should pay particular interest to what's coming from Vertigo and from the back half of the catalog. It would probably serve you well to pore carefully over those listings. It was hell figuring out which was the best picks this month, and even harder paring down my monthly budget and deciding what I would have to pass up so that my newborn daughter can have food and clothing. As well as more comics than any little girl could ever possibly need, of course. Pre-ordering is your friend. If there's stuff you want in June, letting your retailer know before the end of April is the best way to make sure you get it. BIG FOUR PICK OF THE MONTH: Proposition Player TP (DC/Vertigo) - I really want to cheat and pick more than one thing this month, because I'm really looking forward to The Losers and Undercover Genie from Vertigo as well, but if I had to pick only one, it would be this gem from Bill Willingham (Fables). I read and loved this back in its original mini-series form when it came out a couple years back, and in many ways I actually like it more than Fables. For $15 you get a 7-issue series that is full of laughs and imaginative ideas, and no fan of Fables should miss this. The Goon #1 and TP (Dark Horse) - I've heard a lot of good things about The Goon, especially that it is weird and funny, and now that it's at Dark Horse I expect it will find a larger audience. Lost World TP (Dark Horse) - Dark Horse is reprinting a lot of Osamu Tezuka's stuff lately, with Metropolis solicited two months ago and now Lost World, a story of spaceflight and dinosaurs from the 1940s and 50s. Usually comics that come from the Silver or Golden Age come across as a bit creaky to me, but Tezuka's stuff has been remarkably fresh and visionary, and I expect Lost World will be as well. Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #168 (DC) - It's a good month for Bill Willingham fans, with the release of the Proposition Player trade, another issue of Fables and a one-off Batman story in the pages of Legends of the Dark Knight with art by Tom Fowler. The premise, a Batman with amnesia, is certainly an intriguing one. Batman Illustrated by Neal Adams Vol. 1 HC (DC) - So very, very far out of my price range. But remarkably cool. I'd love to see more of these kind of complete works by creators from DC and Marvel, although maybe not so much in the pricey hardcover format. Across the Universe: The DC Universe Stories of Alan Moore TP (DC) - For the longest time, I've been hearing about some of these stories (the Green Lantern ones especially) and I've read the Superman story in this volume, so I'm pretty sure this is a must-buy. Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman: Trinity #1 (DC) - The hook for this one is seeing the big three icons of the DC Universe done up by Matt Wagner, a creator with a pretty solid reputation for doing the iconic thing based on his work with Grendel and Mage. I expect this to be really good, maybe even great. I also expect that I'll be picking up the trade paperback format of the whole thing, rather than grabbing it as it hits the shelves, but that's just me. Hawkman #16 (DC) - One of my favorite characters, Shayera Thal (from Hawkworld) is making her reappearance in the DC Universe in the pages of Hawkman. At this point, she can't be the strong character she was because she lacks the context that made her so great, but I'm still interested to see her, and I always loved her costume, which gets spotlighted in a really nice cover this month. Outsiders #1 (DC) - I have mixed feelings about this one. Nightwing as leader of a team on the fringe is a great idea, but a lot of the cast members aren't particular favorites (or they're new, and so I can't judge.) Tom Raney's artwork always looks great to me, especially on team books, and yet Judd Winick's writing on super-hero properties hasn't had the same zip for me that he had with Pedro & Me or Barry Ween. But then again, I liked a lot of his Exiles work, which was a super-hero team book. I dunno, can't decide yet whether this is going to be a surprise favorite for me or one of those that just doesn't grab my attention. I have enough interest to take a look, though. The New T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #1 (DC) - I thought I had no interest in the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, even though Marc Andreyko is writing it, because I have no nostalgic attachment at all to the characters. However, Andreyko on writing means it will at least get a shot, and after reading his take on the book, basically that these are super-heroes in a world without super-heroes, I have to admit I'm considerably more intrigued. And the promo artwork from Manuel Garcia and Jimmy Palmiotti looks slick. The Absolute Authority Volume 2 HC (DC/Wildstorm) - With all the other stuff coming out this month, a $50 hardcover isn't even a consideration, even though I adore my Absolute Authority Volume 1 HC. However, it would have been a harder decision to make if it wasn't for all the mucking about in Millar's run, including art changes, that make me think seeing it in a "complete" form will only remind me of the wasted potential. Think I'll stick with the eventual Ultimates hardcover, which will be cheaper at any rate, for my fill of Millar widescreen. Planetary/Batman: Night on Earth (DC/Wildstorm) - Another one of those that would have been a must-buy at one time and now holds little interest for me. I'm interested to see the finale of Ellis's story on Planetary, but I've found that these side-journeys, whether alternate versions (as in JLA/Planetary) or the real thing (to be found here) hold little interest, even though I'm sure John Cassaday's artwork will be terrific. Stormwatch: Team Achilles Volume 1 TP (DC/Wildstorm) - Glad to see this book getting trade paperback support. Even though these aren't the strongest stories in the book, undercut severely by poor art, this is good foundation stuff and hopefully the first of a series of trades. Worth buying to support the idea of future trades as well as to get a sampling of Wright's talents, even if you have to really work to get through the art and see them. Tokyo Storm Warning #1 (DC/Wildstorm) - Another of Warren Ellis's quick 3-issue minis. I've found them mostly unsatisfying, to be honest, but the concepts are always a lot of fun, and for those who are interested in seeing all the things coming out of Ellis's headspace, they are always at least well done. This one, about giant robots and the giant monsters they fight, sounds like a blast, and having Transformers artist James Raiz on the book is a nice nod (or is that a raised middle finger?) to the nostalgia market. Terra Obscura #1 (DC/Wildstorm) - My interest in the ABC line has dropped to nil, and that's true of the characters in Terra Obscura as well... but that is some pretty artwork. When I first saw Yanick Paquette's stuff (I think it was on Gambit) I was not impressed, but everything he's done since has gotten better and better, and this might be worth it for the artwork alone. The Cowboy Wally Show SC (DC/Vertigo) - If you don't have this already, you need it. It's as simple as that. It is one of the funniest graphic novels in my considerably large collection, and probably my second favorite Kyle Baker work next to Why I Hate Saturn. I almost wish I didn't already have this, so that I could have it in the format matching all the other Kyle Baker DC stuff. The Losers #1 (DC/Vertigo) - Diggle impressed with Lady Constantine, especially when it came to his ability to do action, so I'm looking forward to The Losers now more than ever. It's an espionage/action premise, with artwork and style reminiscent of 100 Bullets, and I'm expecting it to follow in the footsteps of Fables and Y: The Last Man in terms of being a breakout hit for Vertigo. Undercover Genie TP (DC/Vertigo) - This is almost the most exciting thing in the entire catalog for me, and that's in a really good month. I love Kyle Baker's work, but I've missed a lot of it since he works in mainstream magazines as well as comics. A collection of his small works is a fantastic idea, and I think I'll enjoy this a great deal. Semantic Lace TP (Image) - Another OGN from Image, this time something a bit more manga/science-fiction than slice-of-life or crime, and I'm intrigued by this one as well. Mixing the Middle East conflict with futuristic technology and an action-heavy premise certainly sounds promising. Incredible Hulk #55 (Marvel) - Marvel is gearing up big for the Hulk movie, with a 25 cent issue with art by Leandro Fernandez (and it looks incredible), a movie adaptation with art by master storyteller Mark Bagley, a nice painted mini-series by Robin Laws and Brian Ashmore and another installment of the always-disappointing but well-intentioned Marvel Encyclopedias. Of that sizeable list, I'd say I'm most looking forward to seeing Fernandez take on the Hulk... Marvel ought to be paying Oni a finder's fee given how much raiding they're doing of their new talent. Ultimate X-Men #34 (Marvel) - I'm kind of off Ultimate X-Men at the moment, but I've rarely been let down by Bendis, and I'm really curious to see how he'll write a team book, which isn't something he's really done before. Punisher: Born #1 (Marvel Knights) - More Punisher ain't exactly what I was clamoring for, but when the creative team is Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson doing a Vietnam War period piece, my curiosity is certainly piqued. Kingpin #1 (Marvel) - A story about the Kingpin's rise from thug to crime lord is certainly intriguing, and I think Sean Phillips and Klaus Janson will look great together, but I do have some reservations. Namely, Bruce Jones has been very hit-and-miss with me lately, and I also hope that Phillips committing to this series doesn't mean bad things for Sleeper, which has rapidly become one of my favorite new series. Quest #1 (Marvel) - Looking at this art is giving me cavities, but I have to admit that it looks cute, and Andi Watson's involvement bodes well. I think it'll be a miracle if this survives the grinder of the current market, but I suspect if it can get into the hands of those who are enjoying the TokyoPop stuff in bookstores, they'll be quite pleased. Spider-Man Legends Vol. 2: Todd McFarlane Book II TP (Marvel) - Damn, but that's an unwieldy name, and I'll be glad when this weird "character legends volume number" thing goes away, because it makes absolutely no sense intuitively. That said, though I'm not much of a McFarlane fan these days, these stories are pretty beloved by a sizable contingent and I'm glad to see Marvel reprinting more of them. Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 6: Venom TP (Marvel) - I thought the last issue dropped the ball a little bit, but overall I'd say that Bendis and Bagley's take on Venom stands out as one of the creative highlights of Ultimate Spider-Man, a book that I've always loved. Mind you, I'll be waiting impatiently for the hardcover edition instead, but this was a great read. And I'll get my Marvel/Bendis fix this month from Alias Volume 3, which was also a great little tale. X-Factor Volume 1 TP (Marvel) - Given that Elektra: Glimpse & Echo got passed up, I thought this sleeper mini might also never get collected, so I was pleasantly surprised to see this intriguing story getting a slim and cheap collected edition. Now the question is, when will we see Jeff Jensen doing some more comics work? INDY PICK OF THE MONTH: Project: Telstar GN (Adhouse Books) - These guys just rock. I mean, their first project was the unusual and entertaining Pulpatoon Pilgrimage, the second was an autobiographical book by Scott Mills (which was formatted to fit alongside his Top Shelf work, nicely done boys), and the third is an anthology about robots and space. I've seen some promo material on this, and I think it's going to be a blast, and live up to the high quality name Ad House is building for itself. Last of the Independents GN (AIT/Planet Lar) - Another long-awaited book for me, I loved Matt Fraction's absolutely out-there Rex Mantooth and I'm really looking forward to seeing him collaborate with Kieron Dwyer on this "real man's action movie on paper," which is what I'm expecting if I've read the hype correctly. Sporadic Treasures (Various) - Just seemed worth noting that Halo & Sprocket #4 and True Story Swear to God #5 are both released this month. Both are in my top five of books that everyone should be buying, and both are published all-too-rarely. The Courageous Princess Masterpiece Edition HC (Antarctic Press) - I've passed up Espinosa's gorgeous and well-spoken-of artwork in the past thanks to outrageous pricing, but $24.95 for a 200+ page hardcover is in the right ballpark, and I'm in the market for positive young female role model comics these days (you all realize I'm going to be mentioning my daughter a lot from now on, right?), so perhaps the time is right now to pick this up. Artesia Afire #1 (Archaia Studios Press) - The much beloved fantasy story of a female general, with beautiful artwork, returns in self-published form. I have the hardcover of the first story and found it enjoyable if not quite as enjoyable as its devoted fans seem to, but either way I'm glad to see the return of such a beloved property from a talented creator. What's Right? and What's Wrong? Volume 1 TP (Arsenal Pulp Press) - This thing is absolutely buried, with no "Featured Item" or "Pick of the Month" blurb, and it's a crime. The guest list to this anti-censorship party includes Evan Dorkin, Linda Medley, Frank Miller, Richard Moore, Brian Wood and plenty of other names who draw my attention, and I expect that these two trades will be pretty solid work. Travellers (CGE) - Wow, lots of these new manga-sized Traveller editions this month. I have to admit, at $9.95 a pop, with art that reproduces surprisingly well in color at that size, I'm tempted by just about all of these collections. Snake Plissken Chronicles #1 (CGE) - Snake Plissken is one of those cool outlaw characters, and Tone Rodriguez has impressed me with his artwork on Violent Messiahs. I'm not sure if the character will translate so well to comics, but I'm certainly interested enough to see whether this creative team can pull it off. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Dreamwave) - The truth is, I'm sick of the nostalgia boom and was never a big fan of the Turtles in the first place. But damn if Peter David doesn't seem like a guy who could write an entertaining version of these characters, and damn again if the promo art by LeSean doesn't look pretty darn spiffy here. Raijin Graphic Novels (Gutsoon! Entertainment) - I spent the last couple nights catching up on my Raijin reading, and there are some really great manga stories being produced by these folks on a weekly basis. For those who don't want the anthology format, or who just want their manga with a spine, though, Gutsoon! is finally doing graphic novel collections of some of the Raijin material, and for my money, they're the best stories out of the book. If you had to pick one, I'd probably go with Slam Dunk, but City Hunter, Fist of the Blue Sky and First President of Japan are all favorites as well. Various New Graphic Novels (I Books) - I Books? Who are these guys? Whoever they are, their debut offerings are impressive. A collection of Baker Street, with art by Guy Davis? A collaboration on A Boy and His Dog by Harlan Ellison and Richard Corben? Adaptations of stories by Raymond Chandler and Ray Bradbury? I wish I had the money for all of these books, and I'm certain that if I can find room in my budget I'll pick up at least one or two. Dark Days #1 (IDW) - It's the 30 Days of Night sequel. There's really not much more to be said beyond that, other than I suspect it's going to be well worth your time and money. Raider: From the Shadows GN (Maerkle Press) - I picked up a copy of this in San Diego last year, and rather than repeat myself, I'll simply say that I enjoyed it and provide this link to my review. Love Fights #1 (Oni Press) - A monthly Andi Watson series? I don't even care what it's about, I'm so there. Even better, I've read the first two issues already, and it's great, sort of Astro City meets Breakfast After Noon. Too Much Hopeless Savages #1 (Oni Press) - Hopeless Savages back for another go-round is good news. Christine Norrie back on the art chores is great news. The title of this one is an ironic one, because everyone who has read this book knows that there's no such thing as too much Hopeless Savages. Marshall Law: Fear Asylum (Titan Books) - More of the most vicious and hilarious super-hero satire every put to paper. If you've never read Marshall Law, you're really missing out. And the art is by Kevin O'Neill, lately of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. The Master Plan GN (Top Shelf) - Scott Mills and Top Shelf have never failed to deliver anything but a great read. Whether it's Feudal Japan with Big Clay Pot, World War I with Trenches or now science-fiction with The Master Plan, I know sight unseen that this is going to be money well spent. Email Randy Lander comments about this review, or discuss it on the Fourth Rail message board.