Down The Line - Previews review for July 2003 - Part One by Randy Lander & Dave Farabeer 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 May previews for comics due to ship out in July 2003. Pre-ordering is your friend. If there's stuff you want in July, letting your retailer know before the end of May is the best way to make sure you get it. This time out, I'm joined by Dave Farabee, who is a local friend here in Austin as well as the manager at Dragon's Lair, the store where I work as assistant manager. Don't be fooled, though... just because his title is manager doesn't make me his bitch, no matter what it said in the employment contract. Say hi to the nice folks, Dave. Hola, Fourth Railers, and thanks for the invite, Randy! Guess we'll be keeping you on at the store for another month after all, yuk yuk. ;^) Hey, let's talk us some comics... As you can see from the above, my comments will be the normal type, and Dave's will be in yellow. This is a nifty little gimmick I stole from the good folks at Previews Review, and it's worth your time to look for an alternate take on what to preorder from Chris Butcher and friends over there. Because Dave and I will probably be running longer than when I was writing solo, we're breaking this down into two parts, starting with the "Big Four" (Dark Horse, DC, Marvel and Image) and covering the rest of the catalog in the next part on Wednesday. BIG FOUR PICKS OF THE MONTH: Empire #0-1 (DC Comics) - RANDY: This for me is one of those projects I loved and never expected to see again, despite promises that it would resurface. Empire was a great idea, the exploration of a world where the super-villain took over, executed masterfully by Waid and Kitson, and killed by the trouble of business realities and dot.com interference that centered on the otherwise promising Gorilla line. I already have the issues collected in #0, but I'm anxious to reread the story and to see Waid and Kitson take it for a longer ride. With Empire and Astro City both returning this year, maybe 2003 is the year of the golden comeback. DAVE: I had no love for Empire, but other than a vague memory of weak writing, I can't remember precisely why it rubbed me the wrong way. Waid's work on Fantastic Four and his all-too-brief launch of Ruse impressed greatly, however, so I figure Empire deserves a second pass. No promises! Elfquest: 25th Anniversary Edition (DC Comics) - DAVE: Can there be any doubt that Elfquest is comicdom's greatest epic fantasy? Sure, Bone and Thieves & Kings will give it a run for its money when they wrap, but Elfquest was the medium's first true pioneer in long-form fantasy, and it holds up astoundingly well. DC has really lucked out in acquiring this endlessly imaginative series, and I'm all too happy to recommend this reprint of the issue that got the whole ball rolling (now recolored!). I can still remember the excitement of reading Elfquest for the first time when it was passed around in my sixth grade class, and I think this reprint will be a great sampler to bring in a new generation of Elfquest fans. RANDY: I've got nothing. I know the Elfquest folks are legendary, but I just can't work up much excitement for these characters, although in all fairness I'm spectacularly picky about what I enjoy in the fantasy genre anyway. At any rate, though I'm not personally excited, this does seem to be a major deal for the Pinis, DC and the legion of Elfquest fans, and it could bring older fans and new (and quite possibly female) fans into the comic shops, so huzzah for that, at least. DAVE: You sayin' I'm a woman, Lander? RANDY: No, ma'am. Moving on... Rocket Comics (Dark Horse) - RANDY: Later this week, we'll get a taste of Dark Horse's adventure-themed Rocket Comics line with their Free Comic Book Day offering, but it won't be until early July that we really get to kick the tires. I have to be honest, the art style on the first two books doesn't look too exciting to me, and both Tom Peyer and Brian Augustyn are hit and miss for me, but I'm glad to see Dark Horse expanding into this area and still intrigued by the potential. Of the two, I think Go Boy 7 has the stronger looking art and Hell the more interesting concept. DAVE: Dark Horse hasn't said it in so many words, but my impression is that Rocket Comics is geared for the same all-ages audience as Marvel's quasi-manga Tsunami titles. Certainly both lines seem to be showcasing cartoony Amerimanga art styles, and since Tsunami's largely impressed me, I hope Dark Horse follows suit and gives 'em some competition. You have to wonder, though, whether such efforts are destined for failure in relying on comic shop distribution (i.e. the teens-and-up crowd), when they really need to target places kids frequent. RANDY: Hadn't considered that possibility, but now that you say it, this could be aimed at an audience like Tsunami. Like Tsunami, however, I think it skews a little older than young kids, whether that was deliberate or not. For the most part, only DC and Archie seem to have figured out how to make comics that are truly all-ages, and only Archie really seems to know how to get it out to the kiddies in large numbers. B.P.R.D.: Dark Waters (Dark Horse) – DAVE: In an ironic twist, I've become a little bored with Mike Mignola – once my favorite artist – even as the pending Hellboy movie propels him into mainstream popularity. Nevertheless, this B.P.R.D. one-shot featuring kick-ass supporting cast member Abe Sapien sounds well worth checking out. Plus, you’d have to be an uncouth ruffian to not appreciate the art of Guy Davis (Batman: Nevermore). RANDY: I'm rapidly becoming a Guy Davis completist, which ain't easy because the guy seems to be very prolific these days. Batman: Nevermore, B.P.R.D., Nevermen, Fantastic Four: Unstable Molecules, etc. Either he's been doing a lot of work for the past two years and it's all coming out at the same time or he's remarkably fast, the end result is that there's a lot of excellent Guy Davis work out there. I'm very much a Hellboy neophyte, but as Dave said, it's impossible to pass up the Davis art. The Dark Horse Book of Hauntings HC (Dark Horse) – DAVE: Featuring an "Ocean’s Eleven" line-up of creative badasses, The Dark Horse Book of Hauntings is a 96-page hardcover that serves as the launching point for the company’s new horror line. The big draw is Mike Mignola writing and drawing his only new Hellboy adventure for 2003, but I'm more interested in the non-Hellboy spookiness from P. Craig Russell, Paul Chadwick, Gary Gianni, Jill Thompson, and Evan Dorkin. It's only fifteen bucks, too, which ain't half bad for a hardcover with that many big names attached. RANDY: Damn but that's an impressive looking book. The roster of talent sounds great, the story ideas quirky and twisted and the price is definitely right. Dark Horse knows how to do quality hardcovers, too, so I expect this to be a terrific book. That's not out of line with the general quality of Dark Horse's new horror line in general, actually, which a lot more of you should be reading. DAVE: I haven't plugged into the line as a whole, yet, but The Blackburne Covenant's way cool. Scarlet Traces HC (Dark Horse) - RANDY: Ian Edginton has had a recent history of well-done but under-appreciated projects (The Establishment comes right to mind), but when he takes over Sojourn, I expect his profile will get a bit bigger. In the same month, Dark Horse is releasing (re-releasing?) Scarlet Traces, a post-War of the Worlds story of turn-of-the-century Britain using Martian technology to improve their lives and their empire. It sounds like it's in the vein of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen or Heart of Empire, both of which I quite enjoyed, and artwork by D'Israeli is no bad thing either. DAVE: I'm a little wary of original hardcovers, mostly for price reasons, but $14.95 doesn't seem out of line for such a novel take on the sub-genre of "alternate timeline British mega-expansion." I think the quality of the art will be the deciding factor in whether I check this out or not, and the preview image looks good. American Splendor: Unsung Hero TP (Dark Horse) – DAVE: I hadn't followed Harvey Pekar's autobiographical stories in American Splendor prior to reading this warts-and-all look at a soldier's tour of duty in Vietnam, but I was pretty impressed when I put it down. The unsentimental, documentary-like tale is a welcome change from overwrought Hollywood war dramas. RANDY: Harvey Pekar remains in that category of big name I'm familiar with but haven't really read much from. Perhaps Unsung Hero is the trade where I can break that trend. The Invincible Ed #3 (Dark Horse) - RANDY: Another thing Dark Horse seems to be doing later is to pick up undiscovered indy talent, as with The Goon or with animator Ryan Woodward's surprisingly dark young boy with powers fable The Invincible Ed. Don and I have covered Invincible Ed #1 and #2, and it's a fun and interesting series. Club 9 Volume 2 TP (Dark Horse) - RANDY: I know Dave is a huge What's Michael fan, but as a non-cat-lover (I'm allergic to 'em and I just don't like 'em besides), he could never quite convince me to read it. After reading Club 9, however, I pledged to read What's Michael as well, because What's Michael creator Makoto Kobayashi's fish-out-of-water comedy Club 9 was hilarious. I'm really happy to see the second volume in the story of a virgin away at college who works at a ginza bar so she can get out of her haunted dorm where a ghost masturbates in front of her nightly and begs for sex. C'mon, it's manga, that doesn't even approach weird by manga standards. DAVE: Vote seconded. But what kind of inhuman monster doesn't like cats? Dude, they don't really do that "stealing a baby's breath" stuff. Didn't you watch the classic Stephen King flick, Cat's Eye? A cat saved Drew Barrymore and beat up an evil imp! Irrefutable evidence of the innate goodness of the species. RANDY: Bah. Cat propaganda. Didn't you see Cats and Dogs? There's a whole evil S.P.E.C.T.R.E.-ish organization of cats trying to rule the world. Or so the trailers would lead me to believe. Detective Comics #784 (DC Comics) - RANDY: It's time to give Detective Comics another try. Brubaker is using the Golden Age Green Lantern Gotham link, which is interesting, and he's got a new artistic collaborator in the always-solid Patrick Zircher. Plus, the backup of Josie Mac, which I loved, is back, by original creators Judd Winick and Cliff Chiang. I am fast becoming a Cliff Chiang completist, and I'm hoping that this story will be collected along with the original serial into a Josie Mac trade. Catwoman #21 (DC Comics) – DAVE: Here’s a book that's sometimes a little dark for my tastes, but I can never deny the quality of Brubaker's writing or the series' many fine artists. More to the point, in this issue Catwoman makes a stopover in the Flash's blue-collar stomping grounds, Keystone City, and ends up being blackmailed by Captain Cold, one of my new fave villains since Geoff Johns got hold of him. I’m there. RANDY: Catwoman is one of the few titles still on my monthly buy list, one I just can't wait for the trade on, and the notion of seeing her confront Johns's revamped Keystone City and Captain Cold is a great one. This should be a fun issue of the series. The Flash #200 (DC Comics) – DAVE: I never miss this book, but the 200th issue, featuring the conclusion of the Reverse Flash story arc, deserves a special shout out. And, holy crap, the Spectre's on the cover! Either Barry Allen's gonna say "hi" from beyond the grave or someone's gonna get cacked! RANDY: Maybe DC still hasn't figured out what to do with Hal Jordan, and he's going to take over as the Flash. Or was that too bitter? At any rate, I'm right there with you on this one, because I loved the first issue of the Reverse Flash story arc, and while I'm sad to see Scott Kolins go, I'm sure he will load up his final issue with some spectacular visuals. Catwoman: Selina's Big Score SC (DC Comics) - RANDY: LOVED this book. If you are at all a Catwoman fan, or a fan of heist movies, you should really check this out in the more affordable softcover if you didn't already buy the hardcover, which was well worth the original price. DAVE: Great hipster vibe on this one, and it's probably the best work of Darwyn Cooke's already impressive career. Superman: Birthright #1 (DC Comics) – DAVE: Call it "Superman: Year One" for short, but with creators Mark Waid and Leinil Yu involved, you better not think about dismissing this 12-part maxiseries as boring origin material. The preview art looks fantastic, and if any story has the potential to revive the pallid, corpse-like Superman franchise, this is it. RANDY: C'mon, Waid's not a god. Nothing can revive the pallid, corpse-like Superman franchise right now. What he and Leinil Yu can (and no doubt will) do, however, is to give us a story that reminds the readers that Superman stories don't have to be mired in lame continuity, bad characters and inane plots. The preview art gives a sense that Waid and Yu really get what it is that makes Superman cool, and you only have to read any interview with Waid to learn that anyway. I'm really looking forward to this one. Enemy Ace: War in Heaven TP (DC Comics) - RANDY: Can't find the reviews, so it looks like this came out pre-Fourth Rail, but I seem to recall that I really enjoyed this, and I'm a little surprised (but pleased) to see a two-issue prestige series get a trade. Throwing a classic story by Kanigher and Kubert is certainly no bad way to fill out the page count either. DAVE: Gotta say, Ennis's "war is hell" stories feel pretty repetitive to me, but I picked this series up out of a fondness for the Enemy Ace character and thought Ennis did solid work. Basic premise for the unfamiliar: Hans von Hammer was a legendary World War I German pilot in DC's classic war comics, but even the famed "Hammer of Hell" finds cause to question his loyalty to the Fatherland come the second World War. Fallen Angel #1 (DC Comics) - RANDY: Peter David has been talking this one up on his blog for a while, and it certainly has me intrigued. The introduction of a new city into the DC mythos has been intriguing news ever since James Robinson gave us Opal City, and it's interesting to see David venturing into slightly darker territory than usual, if I'm reading the pre-hype correctly. DAVE: *Shrugs* Formerly Known as the Justice League #1 (DC Comics) - DAVE: Granted, Keith Giffen’s wacky Justice League International stories of the 80s were a little one-note – okay, a lot one-note – but they were still a fun change of pace for those who didn’t take their superheroes too seriously. Now the original creative team is back (Giffen, DeMatteis, and Maguire) for a six-issue miniseries, and the preview image alone is enough to give me a grin. RANDY: I recently (and by recently I mean in the last two years) reread the whole Justice League International run, all the way up through "Breakdowns," and it was just as fun and as good as I remembered it. The only downsides I can see to Formerly Known is that it's a mini-series instead of an ongoing, and the slight, slight fear that Giffen and DeMatteis might not have the chops they once had, given my distaste for a lot of their modern work. But I'm hoping for, and honestly expecting, a really fun idiosyncratic look at super-heroes. DAVE: I'm actually plenty happy that it's a miniseries and not an ongoing. The Giffen League is fun stuff, but best enjoyed in small doses. Too bad Guy Gardner's not in it, though. He still taking the dirt nap? RANDY: I hadn't noticed his absence, but yep, it looks like he is, in fact, still dead. Bringing the total death toll of the world-shaking, this will change the universe forever crossover Our Worlds At War up to... one. Lowered from three. Yeesh. Teen Titans #1 (DC Comics) - DAVE: Team book go-to guy Geoff Johns is the man with the plan for this one, and I’ll lay odds that he’s the guy who can remind us that this series rivaled Uncanny X-Men during its 80’s heyday. Young Justice mourners, take note: several members of that expired book will be on the team, while old-school Titans fans will be happy to see the likes of Cyborg, Starfire, and Beast Boy. Mike McKone (Exiles) is on the art, and I think he’s gonna do Teen Titans' patron saint, George Perez, proud. RANDY: Out of the deaths of Young Justice and Titans we're getting this and Outsiders, and sorry, YJ and Titans fans, that's more than a fair trade. Teen Titans will probably be the big boon to fans of these characters, as Johns has shown that he can handle tradition and modern style at the same time with JSA and Flash and he's got a great cast of characters to play with here. And I'm with you on McKone... I've been a fan since Vext, and he's just gotten better with every project. I think this one might wind up kicking the ass of current DC team fave JSA, and maybe even unseat JLA as the number one DC team book. Jimmy Olsen: Adventures by Jack Kirby TP (DC Comics) - DAVE: Reprinting the 70s material in which Jack Kirby brought his Fourth World concepts to the DC Universe, this one's a must for fans of "The King" (and I ain't talkin' Elvis). According to the solicitation, it's also the first DC Archive offered at a smaller size and smaller price ($19.95), which sounds to me like a nice bit of manga influence. RANDY: Huh. I had just assumed this was going to be in the same format as the "Essential" Jack Kirby volumes, cheap and black and white. Five bucks more for color and a more portable size seems like a fair tradeoff, and though I've pretty much had my fill of Fourth World Kirby for now, I can see myself picking this one up on a whim someday. Kudos to DC for putting this together. Arrowsmith #1 (DC Comics/Cliffhanger!) - RANDY: There was a teaser image for this project posted months ago, and I've been intrigued ever since. Now we're getting the series, which is a World War I alternate history tale with magic by Kurt Busiek and Carlos Pacheco, and I'm even more intrigued. There's an 8-page preview up at Wildstorm's website which looks pretty promising, and the artwork is of course gorgeous. DAVE: I found Busiek's previous fantasy project, The Wizard's Tale, to be a completely under-appreciated charmer, so I'm really looking forward to this more action-oriented foray into magical worlds. The preview looks...wow...and I recommend interested parties follow Randy's link. The Possessed #1 (DC Comics/Homage) - DAVE: "I can do more than superheroes!" is what I think Geoff Johns is saying with this six-part action/horror miniseries from Wildstorm’s Cliffhanger line. RANDY: Or perhaps, "I can't believe it's not butter!" No, yours makes more sense. DAVE: The art from Liam Sharp suggests Steve Bissette’s detailed art from Alan Moore’s Swamp Thing run, and the premise involves formerly-possessed men and women forming a strike force to kick demon booty. Sounds a bit like Marv Wolfman’s work on Tomb of Dracula and Night Force, both of which I enjoyed, but it’s also a little familiar these days. Execution’s gonna be everything on this one. RANDY: Which is where the name Geoff Johns comes in. He doesn't have a perfect track record with me these days, but when he's on, he's really on, and I'm looking forward to seeing him branch out into other genres a little bit more. I'm also a fan of the more action-oriented style of horror, which isn't getting as much play as the creepy horror vibe right now, and I wonder if this isn't part of a general horror renaissance much like the crime renaissance that hit comics a few years back. Red #1 (DC Comics/Homage) - RANDY: DC should have stuck with Warren Ellis's description of this piece from when he originally teased his readers with it for their splashy ad, because that teaser hooked me. I couldn't easily find it online, but his teaser for a CIA killer in retirement who finds himself at odds with the agency promised plenty of bloody action, and Cully Hamner seems like the right guy to draw it. DAVE: Maybe this makes me a philistine, but I think Ellis is woefully overrated, save on Transmetropolitan. Guy just doesn't write characters I care about, and without that crucial appeal, his high-concept espionage and conspiracy stuff leaves me completely cold. Death: At Death's Door SC (DC Comics/Vertigo) - RANDY: This is a nifty little project from DC, their version of Tsunami basically, as they try to go after the manga market, but I think their execution is more solid right off the bat, going for the same format and price-point, and tying well-known bookstore icons from The Sandman isn't bad marketing either. The whole thing feels a little marketing-driven, but Thompson's a great talent and I think the end results will be a fun read. Plus, 200+ pages of Jill Thompson artwork for $10? Sold. Fables: Animal Farm TP (DC Comics/Vertigo) - RANDY: Fables and Y: The Last Man. Two of the buzz books that really deserve their buzz, and I'm glad to see them getting such (relatively) quick trade support from DC. And much as I loved the opening arc of this book, I actually think Animal Farm was a stronger story arc. DAVE: DC absolutely deserves kudos for supporting these Vertigo books during their crucial "break out" phase, and I've got nothing but praise for Fables in general and the "Animal Farm" story arc in particular. Hey, and the trade's got a sketchbook section too! Swamp Thing: Reunion TP (DC Comics/Vertigo) - DAVE: Mad props to DC for finishing out this reprint series covering Alan Moore’s much-loved run on Swamp Thing. It’s been a lifesaver for folks like me who missed it back in the day. Now howsabout wrapping the Starman and Animal Man trades too? RANDY: And Shade the Changing Man. And Hitman. Really, I'm happy for all the Swamp Thing fans, but I was never a big fan of the character and even the sainted Alan Moore couldn't change that, so this is more of a "yay, maybe they'll finish other stuff I care about" than anything else for me. DAVE: Resisting...urge...to turn up...nose...at Randy. RANDY: Hey, you're the philistine who doesn't like Warren Ellis. I just don't dig on Swamp Things, that's all. A Distant Soil #36 (Image Comics) - DAVE: To be honest, I’m a year or so behind on this series (reads best in big chunks, y’know?), but I’ve always considered it to be one of the strongest sci-fi series in the history of comics. This issue’s promoted as a jumping-on point, and for anyone looking for a characterization-rich space opera grounded by gravitas more typical of prose sci-fi, I recommend giving it a shot. Then, if you dig it, you can look into the three trades the series has produced. RANDY: Reading A Distant Soil is on my list of things to do before I die, but unfortunately reading it will require spare cash (three trades) and spare time, both of which I'm pretty low on right now. In the wake of Orbiter, though, it's good to see Image giving Colleen Doran a push, as she does seem to be one of those criminally underlooked comic-book mainstays who has been doing something different for a good long time now. Noble Causes: Distant Relatives #1 (Image Comics) - RANDY: More Noble Causes, the soap opera meets super-hero comic, is always room to celebrate. I'm still not completely sure about this format, with the backup stories often taking up a lot of space better used for expanding the main story and the "series of mini-series" forcing Faerber to keep things pretty tight, when the drama should be a little more fluid, but sales dictates seem to make the format necessary, and I'll take whatever format I can get. The Moth (Image Comics) - DAVE: I know precisely jack about Steve Rude’s original creation, The Moth, but the character’s getting his own series, and the description suggests a Mike Allred/Madman vibe. Gotta be worth a gander, if only for Rude’s art. RANDY: Actually, I think this is just a one-shot, rather than an ongoing series. You're right about the weird vibe, though, and while the name Gary Martin is only vaguely familiar to me, the name Steve Rude at least guarantees a look. Puffed #1 (Image Comics) - RANDY: This to me sounded a lot like the original (and beloved) Blue Devil concept, a guy in a dragon animal mascot costume trapped in it by magic... except that I learned that he isn't trapped by magic, but just because the zipper is too far away and he can't reach it with his arms in the costume, which I think makes it even funnier. Great high concept, and though I haven't seen much of John Layman's writing yet, he was an important factor in some of Wildstorm's successes in his work as editor there. Trouble #1 (Marvel Comics/Epic) - DAVE: I’ve got some serious doubts about Mark Millar writing an (allegedly) sophisticated teen romance comic, especially with art by T&A maestro, Terry Dodson, but I’ll be compelled to at least look at this one. Gotta wonder about those cheesy photo covers, though. They bear an uncanny resemblance to the "juniors" section of a Target swimsuit circular, circa 1987. RANDY: I'm scared to ask why you're familiar with Target swimsuit circulars of the 1980s. To be honest, I share your trepidation about Mark "The Hulk eats people now" Millar handling a teen romance comic, because while the guy is no doubt a great writer, he tends to lean on shock value a little heavily. I do think you're being a little hard on Dodson, though, because while the guy does like his cheesecake, he and wife Rachel do pretty solid artwork and should provide a good visual hook for the series. Crimson Dynamo #1 (Marvel Comics/Epic) - RANDY: Of the two launch titles, this is the Epic title I'm looking forward to. A spare Crimson Dynamo suit inspiring political and criminal bickering as well as a potentially global chase story is a good hook, and John Jackson Miller, though untested in comics writing, has done a hell of a job on Comics & Games Retailer for a long time now. I'm less sure of Steve Ellis, whose work has largely been black-and-white and (to my eyes) on the workmanlike side of things, but I'm certainly open to seeing what he can do. DAVE: The premise seems a little limited for an ongoing series, and I have to wonder why so many people would be after a suit of armor that's had its ass kicked a hundred times over by Iron Man. Still, superheroes and espionage have made for potent reads in comics like Birds of Prey and the 80s Suicide Squad, so I'll probably give this a peek. I just hope that the injection of realism isn't so heavy that the Marvel setting is forgotten, making the suit the only anomalous element in a tale of military intrigue. That's the kind of thing that Hollywood does, but Marvel needs to remember to use their entire playground. Suicide Squad is a near-perfect model. Spectacular Spider-Man #1 (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: A new Spider-Man #1 which debuts featuring Venom? Oy. It's the 90's all over again. DAVE: C'mon, if it's the 90's again, then where are all the speculators, smart guy? Bidding on a sealed, CGC-graded copy of the white cover of Ultimate Spider-Man #1 on E-Bay, y'say? Oh. Damn. Amazing Spider-Man #55 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: Straczynski dips into the mystic well again, and I think this is gonna be the make-or-break story of his run for me. I loved the "spider-totem" stuff in his first arc, thought the follow-up mystic story was a bust, and have generally found that all of JMS's qualities on the title are being counteracted by his more annoying idiosyncrasies. I'm hoping he'll pull it off. RANDY: For me, the make-or-break point was a while back, and I finally broke around issue #50. For a while now, I've been liking either the plots or the characterization/subplots in Amazing, but not both, and with the return of the mystic plots (which I'm not crazy about) and characterization that focuses on the thoroughly-annoying relationship banter between Peter and Mary Jane, this may be the story that makes Amazing Spider-Man completely unreadable to me. Although it'll still be better than the title was for the last ten years or so. Ultimate Spider-Man #43 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: S'funny. I’m lukewarm on Ultimate Spider-Man these days, and dropped Ultimate X-Men a ways back, but put 'em together (as happens this issue) and I’m interested. Credit Bendis’s hilarious and offbeat mall story when they first met in an issue of Ultimate Marvel Team-Up. RANDY: Whereas I've been loving Ultimate Spider-Man for the past two stories (although I was disappointed in the finale of the Venom story), and Ultimate X-Men has won me back a little bit with consistent art and a pretty solid take on Magneto in "Return of the King," so this is perfect timing for this story for me. I'm honestly a little wary of too much crossover between the various Ultimate titles, because Spidey, the Ultimates and the X-Men feel to some extent like they belong in different universes, but my faith in Bendis has me anxiously anticipating the cross-continuity both here and in his brief run on Ultimate X-Men. Alias #24 (Marvel Comics/MAX) - RANDY: Bendis is revealing all the secrets this summer, unveiling the history of the super-powers in Powers and telling the story of Jessica's super-hero days in Alias. And the cover by David Mack looks good, much different than the "didn't I already buy this issue?" covers the series has had since its inception. DAVE: The clumsy resolution to the Spider-Woman story in Alias left me somewhat soured on the book, but I'm still onboard, and looking forward to Jessica's "secret origin." Even got me a theory as to why she left the biz, but being the anti-spoiler fiend that I am, I dare not reveal it! RANDY: I've heard it, though, and while I originally thought you were insane, I've come to believe it's true. So I won't spoil it either, but I will say that if it is true, Speedball isn't the weirdest character that Bendis is giving a major role to in Alias. Thor: Vikings #1 (Marvel Comics/Marvel Knights) - RANDY: Of all the things I want Garth Ennis to be doing, a mini-series about Thor isn't even on the list (neither is a story of the Punisher in Vietnam, quite honestly), but the art looks fantastic. Fabry's detailed work, previewed in the solicitations, just about sells me on the project, and ensures I'll be checking out the book, even though the character is one I generally don't like. DAVE: I, on the other hand, think Thor is one of Stan Lee's most inspired creations, even if he's only had a handful of truly great writers over the decades. I have a feeling that this project may be so far removed from the wild, cosmic bombast that's always informed the character that I'm gonna hate it and wish Ennis had just written a Thor story for some other publisher. I'm trying to keep an open mind, but after the excesses of Fury...ho-boy. Art looks nice, I'll give it that. Emma Frost #1 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: Horny boys, take note! Marvel might be making legitimate attempts to woo female readers with the Tsunami line and Mark Millar’s upcoming Trouble, but make no mistake, they haven’t forgotten you! Looking at the art by a guy who’s drawn Tomb Raider and the Maxim-style cover by Greg Horn, I can’t imagine anyone will be buying this tale of the White Queen’s early years for the writing... RANDY: I dearly hope that the rumors about Morrison killing off Emma Frost and turning this into a de facto flashback series are true, because this is one of the most wrong-headed things I've seen come out of New Marvel, and it deserves every roadblock it can hit. One of Quesada's first jobs as EIC was to chop the deadwood out of the X-Men line, and though some decried the addition of Exiles and the X-Men Icons even then, at least they didn't have the stink of exploitation as heavily as this one does. Silver Surfer #1 (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: Like Vikings #1, this is a story about a character I generally don't like where the art has sold me on the project. Milx's teaser artwork is gorgeous, and the more alien take on the character promised in the Newsarama interview has me intrigued as well. I'm also glad to see Marvel reaching out for new talent, and especially pleased and surprised that they'll hand over one of their beloved icons to a few newcomers. DAVE: The Surfer rules, dude, but a guy who wields the friggin' "power cosmic" should not have his adventures confined to Earth, and I don't think he's got what it takes to carry an ongoing series anyway. Here's hoping the newbies have it in 'em to prove me wrong. Fantastic Four #500 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: Three things of note: 1) Mark Waid has made this a truly entertaining book once again, so I’m sure this double-sized conclusion to the Dr. Doom story will be compelling reading. 2) Marvel looks like a total ass for returning the series to its original numbering this issue after several years of going crazy with relaunches. 3) Marvel redeems itself slightly by releasing a separate "Director’s Cut" of the issue featuring sixteen additional pages of deleted scenes, creator commentaries, and outtakes for just a buck-fifty more. That’s the one I’m buyin’. Let your retailer know if you want it too so he can figure out how many to order! RANDY: 1) Oh yeah. Waid, Wieringo, Kesel and company are rockin' on Fantastic Four. 2) Eh. The wishy-washy nature of Marvel's numbering and re-labeling of trades is going to confuse those casual readers they claim to be trying to win back, but I don't think this is at all embarrassing compared to some of their other more public spectacles, and I think their hearts are in the right place. 3) The "Director's Cut" does indeed sound pretty cool. I know we're all supposed to hate comparing comics to other media, but the more people who adopt this "comic book as special edition DVD loaded with features" ethos the better, as far as I'm concerned. 4) That's a gorgeous cover by Paolo Rivera. DAVE: Awesome cover. The FF look like they're gonna kick the hell out of the viewer! Mary Jane HC (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: This is so completely not my cup of tea, and it seems way out of line with what Marvel is generally good at, but I have to give them credit for trying it. I think it's going to be a hard-sell to the teenage girls it's aimed at, but the artwork by Mike Mayhew looks phenomenal, and it's certainly been proven by both Kirsten Dunst and Brian Michael Bendis that there's plenty of life in the Mary Jane character. DAVE: Love the immaculate pencil art of the preview images; have serious doubts about whether Mary Jane can manage a starring role in an introspective prose novel without being eclipsed by the shadow of Spider-Man. The one angle where I can see the appeal stems from the fact that Peter Parker would obviously be a good boyfriend (excepting all the mysterious disappearances), so maybe, just maybe, there's a contingent of girl readers out there who'd enjoy the idea of dating him as experienced vicariously through MJ. If she never learns his secret, though, won't his excuses just seem frustrating from her point of view? RANDY: I think, but can't remember where I heard it from, that this book focuses on the "Ultimate" version of Mary Jane, which means she will be in on the secret. I hope so, because I think "Ultimate" Mary Jane is a far more interesting character, and probably easier to relate to for modern girls than young hep-cat Swinging MJ from Stan Lee's era. X-Men Legends Vol. 3: Art Adams Book 1 TP (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: Forget that Art Adams has inspired a legion of third-rate followers and drink in his best work from the 80’s! The highlight of the trade for me: The X-Men Annual and New Mutants Special staged in Asgard, easily among my favorite reads as a kid. Nostalgia levels will hit "overload" when you see a Frost Giant drawn as Martin Short’s character, Ed Grimly, from Saturday Night Live! RANDY: Take that, all you folks who claim that Millar and Bendis are ruining modern comics with pop-culture references that will seem dated in ten years. Although I guess Ed Grimly could be an argument for either side. At any rate, yeah, this is cool stuff, and I'm tempted to pick it up despite already owning most of the material collected herein. Worth noting that the stories included here also feature the "replacement Fantastic Four" of hot 90's characters Spider-Man, Wolverine, Ghost Rider and the grey Hulk. Wow, 80's nostalgia and 90's nostalgia in the same book! DAVE: Though since "nostalgia" has quite rightly become a dirty word in the wake of all the vapid 80's revivals, let me remind folks that Art Adams' work accompanied some genuinely good stories! Fantastic Four Legends Vol. 1: Unstable Molecules TP (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: I'm so torn on this. On one hand, I'm always glad to see Guy Davis work collected, and I'm pleased to see Marvel collecting a series which didn't do so well in sales. On the other, Sturm's story disappointed me in the end, and I'm left wondering why this gets a collection when the absolutely gorgeous and very collection-worthy Elektra: Glimpse and Echo remains a back issue treasure alone. DAVE: Likewise. Wizard Twisted Toyfare Theatre Collector's Edition Volume 3 (Wizard) - RANDY: I'm as excited and happy to see a new volume of Wizard's lowbrow toy humor strips as I am ashamed to admit that I'm excited and happy. DAVE: Shame is the appropriate reaction for enjoying anything Wizard produces. I should know, 'cause Twisted Toyfare makes me laugh like a goon, too. My plan's to read it, laugh hysterically, then lop off a finger in Yakuza-style penance. That's it for this installment of Down the Line. Be sure and come back tomorrow for part two, where we take a look at the rest of the Previews catalog, which includes bad-tempered monkeys, dark futuristic elephantmen, horny frogs, swinging penguins, a renegade robot cop... and pirates. 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