Down The Line - Previews review for July 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 May Previews for comics due to ship out in July. 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. Ah, July. Forget fireworks and picnics... July this year brings the San Diego Comicon 35, Spider-Man 2 and Free Comic-Book Day 3. Big month for the comics fans, although not as big as June in terms of volume of product. You might notice that Dave and I are running a little late with Down The Line this month, and the explanation can be summed up in three little words: City of Heroes. DAVE: Could we possibly be bigger dorks? Hell, even as I'm writing this, my mind is making plans for our superhero assault on the gangbangers of Perez Park. I tell ya, you can take the fan away from the superheroes but you can't take the superheroes away from the fan. RANDY: As you can see from the above, my comments will be the normal type, and Dave's will be in yellow. You might notice in reading these Previews reviews that 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. 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: Top Shelf Conversations #1 (Top Shelf Productions) - RANDY: Now this is a killer idea. A mixture of interview and artistic jam, as Top Shelf pairs two of its top producing talents, James "Monkey vs. Robot" Kochalka and Craig "Blankets" Thompson for a 48-page freewheeling "collaboration/argument." These two guys in particular seem like ideal talents to start this kind of thing, but I'm hoping that it'll be as much fun as it sounds like, and that we see more of them. Mahfood and Morse already collaborate at their live art shows, but I'd love to see them do one of these. Ditto Jeffrey Brown and Alex Robinson. Or... or... well, the possibilities are pretty much endless. But that's if this thing works out. Which I think it was, and to illustrate why, I'll just quote from the solicitation text: "It's like a comics version of My Dinner with Andre, but with a giant killer octopus!"(page 370) DAVE: This really is a cool idea. It reminds me of the jam comics I used to make with my friends in elementary school. Only, y'know...with talent involved. DAVE'S PICK OF THE MONTH: Shockrockets: We Have Ignition TPB (Dark Horse Comics) - DAVE: Between Astro City, Arrowsmith, Conan, Superman: Secret Identity, and JLA/Avengers, Busiek couldn't be riding higher these days, making a trade release of this lesser-known mini from the '90s a smart idea. Those who've seen the preview for the pulp adventure movie Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow...just picture that type of aerial action in a futuristic setting and you've got the basics. Gorgeous art from Stuart Immonen, recently of Superman: Secret Identity and Ultimate Fantastic Four. (page 37) RANDY: I loved Shockrockets, a terrific adventure/science-fiction series that ranks with some of the best stuff Busiek has written. Along with Empire, it's the Gorilla project I most wanted to see get a second life, and hopefully this trade will do well enough that Busiek and Immonen will consider doing more Shockrockets with Dark Horse. 24 Hour Comics Day - Highlights 2004 (About Comics) - RANDY: I've got a certain fascination with the 24 Hour comics concept, despite (or maybe because of) my inability to ever take on such a project myself. In general, 24 Hour comics are more interesting to the creator than an audience, but I bought the 24 Hour Comics collection that About just put out featuring work from Neil Gaiman, Steve Bissette and others, and a collection of "best of" from the 24 Hour Comics Day event sounds like a neat way to meet some new talents and see what they can produce under the most extreme pressures. (page 206) DAVE: Kinda neutral on this, but an idea just occured to me: Comic Book Boot Camp! A gruelling training course for slacker comic book artists! Imagine R. Lee Ermey hounding and castigating the Bryan Hitches of the industry through a series of forced 24-hour comics! That, my friend, THAT is how 24-hour comics will help the American comic book industry stave off manga encroachment! WHO'S WITH ME?!! RANDY: Throw in a camera crew and a 13-episode deal with Bravo, The Independent Film Channel or FX, and I'm there! 24 One Shot #1 (IDW Publishing) - RANDY: Speaking of 24 hours, I have to give IDW credit for being ballsy enough to try adapting 24 into comics. The show is built around a gimmick of real-time, and it's going to be tough to match that in comics. Given that I've gone from fanatical fan of the show to disappointed fan over the course of this third trainwreck of a season, I doubt I'll be picking this up, but the fans who seem to have warmed to the show in mid-season will probably want to check it out, and of course, I've got to give IDW credit for looking beyond strictly genre stuff for their comic adaptations. (page 315) DAVE: The thing with 24 is that Jack Bauer is now an institution. Cruddy third season or no, he was the first notable action hero of the new millenium by my reckoning, so maybe it's *time* for the character to graduate past the "real time" gimmick. Bond is pretty played-out, even for a heroic icon, and I think Bauer's ready to move in. As for IDW as the instigators of this...well, that I'm not so sure about - their craftsmanship's sometimes a bit iffy for me - but I'll give this a look. "I'm gonna need a hacksaw..." 100 Bullets: Samurai TPB (DC Comics/Vertigo) - RANDY: For me, the stories collected in this volume of 100 Bullets are some of the weakest in the run, but I'll still be buying the trade. Why? Well, even amongst the weaker tales there are terrific moments, and the artwork by Risso is always worth the price of admission all by itself. Plus, as always, 100 Bullets is less about serial storytelling and more about one bigass story broken up into smaller chunks, and I know I'll get more out of the book when I read it along with the other trades. (page 116) American Elf: The Collected Sketchbook Diaries of James Kochalka (Top Shelf Productions) - RANDY: Had I known Top Shelf was going to go all out and put Kochalka's weird, funny and addictive daily strips into this big fat collection, I probably would have passed on the annual collections. Ah, well, any way you slice it, five years of Kochalka's life, detailed in practically daily strips straight from his strange mind, are worth the price of admission. If you've never read any Kochalka, read Monkey vs. Robot, which is probably his most accessible work. Then read Sketchbook Diaries, which are probably his most personal and strongest work. (page 367) DAVE: It's on the pull list. Apocalypse Meow Volume 1 TP (ADV Manga) - RANDY: Not really looking to add any more manga to my exhaustive pull list right now, but it's titles like this one that tempt me. A Vietnam War story, told using rabbits and other animals, sounds sort of like Maus, but with manga sensibilities mixed in, it'll probably be more action-oriented and unusual than that revered comics project. Like I said, I'm not looking to add any new manga to my list, but I'm going to have to at least check this one out. (page 211) DAVE: Bizaaaaaaaare. The cute, but highly detailed art on the cover doesn't exactly suggest the gravitas of Maus – it might even be taken as tasteless – but like you, I'm curious. Army of Darkness: Ashes 2 Ashes #1 (Devil's Due) - RANDY: Like most of us nerds, I'm a big fan of Sam Raimi, and I had a blast with Army of Darkness. I own the DVD, and I can recognize when folks are quoting the movie, even though it's only slightly less annoying than those guys who only talk in Star Wars dialogue or Monty Python bits. However, I don't know if I've got enough interest in the property to read a comic, unless it can really capture the elements of horror and camp as well as Raimi does. Andy Harnell wrote some fun, deliberately campy stuff with Danger Girl, so he might be up to the task. (page 284) DAVE: Same mixture of geek enthusiasm and realist trepidation here. Leaning toward the latter. Ash fans should also be on the watch for the simultaneous re-release of the comic book adaptation of Army of Darkness, apparently painted by the talented John Bolton. Geez, I don't even remember there having been a comic based on the movie, let alone one with such a talented artist. But apparently...it did indeed exist. RANDY: It did. I worked at a comic shop when it was coming out, and the wait between issues two and three was akin to the wait between issues of The Ultimates. As I recall, the material wasn't so much worth the wait. Atomeka A1 Big Issue #0 (Atomeka) - RANDY: I love when someone undercuts their own hype, then delivers enough goods to have me hyped up on my own. I vaguely remember A1, although I never read it, so I have no pre-existing attachment to it, and, as Atomeka's ad says, I didn't really demand its return. However, having now seen the list of their collaborators in the past and the folks who are going to be in the first issue, I am indeed clamoring to see this new anthology. The opening acts include Alan Moore/Steve Parkhouse, Steve Pugh and Alien screenwriter Ronald Shusett, Dave Gibbons and Ted McKeever and Steve Dillon, which is a pretty solid line-up. (page 231) Avengers Assemble HC (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: Now this was a nice surprise. Marvel often surprises me with what they're choosing to reprint, but rarely am I so happy to be surprised. I already bought all of the Busiek/Perez Avengers, but I liked them well enough that I'll definitely pick up a hardcover of the first eleven issues and the annual that finished out the first year. Perez's work will look great in hardcover, and Busiek's stories, while not 100% perfect, were classic superhero stories with moments of greatness. Given that this is probably a chance to cash in on the JLA/Avengers hardcovers, I doubt we'll see another volume by this creative team, but I'll take this one and hope to buy another one down the road. (page M65) DAVE: Curse these hardcovers! Yeah, I'll probably be buying this one too. A little too old-school at times, but good stuff nevertheless. And while we're on the topic of the Busiek Avengers run, I'd like to make a formal request for Marvel to put back in print the "Kang Dynasty" trade. I missed it when it first came out, and somehow, while all the other Busiek Avengers stories have remained in print, this one's fallen by the wayside. What gives? Avengers Disassembled (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: Even as their reprints finish off the Busiek/Perez run, Marvel is shaking up the Avengers. I'm more than a little nervous about this, not because the books don't need the shake-up, but because the high concept seems to be "Brian Bendis and his friends write the Avengers." It's bound to be interesting and probably well-written, but I don't want grim and gritty and realistic with the Avengers. I want superheroes, heavy on the action and preferably consistent with their past characterization. DAVE: You, sir, are a close-minded dwarf. Kidding. I generally agree with you, but I'm trying to remain open-minded. And yet...aren't we supposed to end up with an Avengers team made up of members we've never seen before when all is said and done? Not too sure about that. Everyone's got their favorite second and third-string superheroes (go Vanguard of the Soviet Super-Soldiers!), but the Avengers, like the JLA, really seems to need at least a few big guns to keep the rookies in line. Avengers #500 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: Brian Bendis and David Finch have produced some strong stories on Ultimate X-Men, so there's little question that I'll at least give them a shot on Avengers. We've all heard the solicit used here - "...by the time it's over, everything you know about the Avengers will have changed!" - but with Bendis, I could almost believe it. The question then becomes, do I WANT a radically changed Avengers? Tradition plays a pretty strong role in the ongoing success of books like this for myself and many fans. (page M1) RANDY: I'm in the same boat with you on this one. I'm kind of nervous about mucking around too much with tradition in a book that is, let's face it, based to some degree on nostalgia and tradition. The previous attempts at grim and grittying up the Avengers were things like Walt Simonson's terrible run, leading into John Byrne's terrible run, the infamous "The Crossing" era that is the "clone saga" of the Avengers universe and of course, Rob Liefeld's egregious Heroes Reborn take. Not the greatest track record. On the other hand, I think both you and I have a weird appreciation for the leather-jacketed X-Avengers that Bob Harras wrote in the '90s (or at least, not outright hatred for them) and Bendis and Finch have indeed turned into quite the superteam powerhouse on Ultimate X-Men. Call this the one I'm second-most looking forward to in the Disassembled books, next to only... Captain America #29 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: Of all the Marvel books that could use some traditionalist action and pizazz, Captain America tops the list. To that end, I'm genuinely enthused to see the multi-talented Robert Kirkman signing on. Guy's impressed me with everything from the superhero fun of Invincible to the grim zombie-drama of The Walking Dead - I figure he's got the chops to make Cap cool again, too. I hear we're gonna see S.H.I.L.D., Hydra, and even the Serpent Society on this one. Did I say "Serpent Society"? Hell YES. In the past, under Mark Gruenwald, they've been a perfect example of how the potentially ridiculous can come across as utterly *cool* in a good story. (page M3) RANDY: My only reservation about this is that Kirkman is planning to pack all of these classic villains and bits into four issues, and he's mentioned "Hush" as one of the inspirations, a story I wasn't all that crazy about. But those are fairly minor reservations, because Kirkman is using all the magic words I want to hear from Captain America writers, words like "Serpent Society" and "Batroc" and "action." He's writing some of my favorite comics of the moment (Walking Dead is definitely a top five book for me), and he's saying all the right things. For the first time in years, I'm looking forward to Captain America again. Iron Man #86 (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: Is there any character out there who has had as many fizzled relaunches as Iron Man? They're never spectacular flameouts, just bursts of initial enthusiasm that slowly spirals into mediocrity or worse. And I say this as a huge fan of the character. This isn't my ideal creative team (I don't even know who is, I just know this isn't it), but I am cautiously optimistic, based on Mark Ricketts' entertaining Image graphic novels and Tony Harris on art. However, I'm cautiously pessimistic because Harris is also doing Ex Machina and I don't think he's fast enough to keep up with both, and because the solicit text sounds too deconstructionist and weepy. I'd really like to read the words "And he fights the Titanium Man!" or something to that effect in the first issue of the relaunched Iron Man. (page M4) DAVE: You know what this book could use? The Serpent Society. Thor #82 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: Bendis' artistic collaborator on Powers, Mike Avon Oeming, take over as writer as of this issue. Recalling Oeming's dry treatment of Norse mythology in Hammer of the Gods, I'm not wildly enthused. Too bad he's not handling the art - that would've interested me more. (page M5) RANDY: I'm just not much of a Thor fan. Even the Simonson stuff, which I finally got around to reading some of, left me thinking that it was good, and I saw what people loved in it, but it wasn't for me. I think that Oeming has a shot at giving fans what they want, because of Hammer of the Gods (which most people seem to have really liked), but I don't think it'll be up my alley. However, Oeming on writing and Crossgen refugee Andrea DiVito on art sounds like a pretty good recipe for a Thor title, in general. Batman: The Order of Beasts (DC Comics) - DAVE: So they retired the Elseworlds imprint right? And yet this is clearly an Elseworlds, as it features Batman taking on a secret society in wartime London. The good news is that it's written and drawn by Eddie Campbell. (page 100) RANDY: The preview pages are gorgeous. As for Elseworlds... they may have retired the imprint, but c'mon... alternate worlds have been part and parcel of the superhero genre since very early on, and whether they have that label or not, DC is going to continue publishing them. I think they just wanted to retire the imprint to get away from the notion that Elseworlds = mediocre. Which probably wasn't a bad idea. DAVE: Yeah, you're probably right, and make no mistake - I enjoy a good alternate world story. I just think it's funny that so soon after the line was retired we've already had JSA: The Liberty Files, Superman: Red Son, Detective Comics No. 27, and now this. Birds of Prey #69-70 (DC Comics) - RANDY: When I was but a teenager just discovering all that comics had to offer, Marvel did something that I thought was really cool during the summer. I had summer off from school, so they provided more comics. All their big titles, like Amazing Spider-Man, X-Men, Captain America, went biweekly. DC seems to be doing something similar, although they've given it a twist in that it's all Gail Simone's show. In addition to her buzz-worthy Birds of Prey, which I like more with each passing issue, Simone will be writing a biweekly Legion saga as well. I'm glad to see Simone breaking so effectively out of the comedy writer mold she could have been trapped in, and kind of excited to get four issues of Simone goodness in one month. (page 100) DAVE: I've been really digging Birds of Prey lately as well, and Simone on Legion has definite potential. Bloody Winter GN (SAF Comics) - RANDY: Bloody Winter caught my eye because of the stylish cover and the story description, which sounds like post-9-11 drug war/intelligence/action stuff. If I had to guess, I'd guess it's a translated European project, which probably means the cover will translate to good art on the inside as well. However, even in reading the solicit, I get the sense that the story may be a little overcomplicated. I'm intrigued, but also cautious about approaching this one. (page 338) The Books of Magick: Life During Wartime #1 (DC Comics/Vertigo) - DAVE: I loved Gaiman's first Books of Magic mini, but never tried the various series it spawned...of which this is another. A Brit TV writer writes, Neil Gaiman acts as consultant, and the description is thus: "Set ten minutes into the future, in alternate universes where battles on Earth and Faerie overlap, this new take on 19-year-old Tim is loaded with dystopian undercurrents and psychological horror, set against a background of contemporary global politics." (page 116) B.P.R.D.: The Soul of Venice and Other Stories TPB (Dark Horse Comics) - RANDY: There's no getting past that the B.P.R.D. one-shots and Hellboy Weird Tales weren't as good as Mignola's regular Hellboy offerings. However, they were still pretty damn good, and sometimes great, and I'm glad (although not surprised) to see them getting the trade treatment. The art line-up is the big selling point of this one, including Guy Davis, Mike Avon Oeming, Scott Kolins and Adam Pollina, but the real teaser is a brand-new story by Mike Mignola and Cameron Stewart. (page 28) DAVE: That Cameron Stewart...he's dreamy! BMW Films' The Hire #1 (Dark Horse Comics) - RANDY: I love the BMW short films... even ordered the free (with shipping costs) DVD so I could re-watch them from time to time. That said, I love them for the array of talented directors and cool car chase visuals more than anything else, and I don't know how well that will translate to comics. If anyone can make it work, though, it's guys like Matt Wagner and Katsuhiro Otomo. I'm more excited in this one than I probably should be because of the talent attached. (page 32) DAVE: I'm a fan of the short films too, and typical of Dark Horse, they instantly bring a high level of craftsmanship to the proceedings. Otomo seems like a particularly ideal candidate since the manga aesthetic is so cinematic, but the sample page from Wagner looks great too. Only reason I feel a little silly for enthusing over this is that, yes, like the films, it's essentially an extended advertisement for BMW. That won't stop me from throwing out a wish-list of Dark Horse creators I'd like to see on it, though! To wit: Frank Miller, Paul Chadwick, Stan Sakai, Kurt Busiek, and Mike Mignola. C'mon - Hellboy firing like a madman from the back of a BMW as some giant Kirby/Lovecraft monsters races after him? You cannot deny such a sublime concept. Carnet De Voyage (Top Shelf Productions) - RANDY: I've mentioned my fondness for travelogue comics in previous reviews, and the notion of a travelogue by Craig Thompson sounds especially tasty. While not likely to be the breakout blockbuster that Blankets was, I expect that Carnet De Voyage will be an intensely personal and very readable graphic novel. And at just under 200 pages, it won't be quite as daunting as Blankets, but should still be plenty meaty for readers. (page 367) DAVE: I'm definitely interested. Damn, this guy's art really amazes me. The cover alone is a startlingly good design. Catwoman: Nine Lives of a Feline Fatale (DC Comics) - DAVE: I think I was all of five or six when ultimate femme fatale, Catwoman, first left my jaw on the floor. For that, I'd like to thank Julie Newmar and the costume designers of the '60s Batman show. I've had a soft spot for her since, especially the older '40s stuff and the newer Brubaker stuff. This trade covers "Best Of" stories from ALL her different incarnations, and even though it's timed to coincide with the precarious Halle Berry movie, yeah, I'll probably pick it up. Pin-ups by George Perez, Joe Jusko, Adam Hughes, and more. (page 101) The Chosen TPB (Dark Horse Comics) - DAVE: As long as the pending third issue of Chosen doesn't derail violently, I think I can count the series as my favorite project from Mark Millar. Filtered through an '80s setting of Stand By Me childhood wistfulness, we meet a 12-year-old kid who may or may not be the resurrected Jesus Christ. Amazingly, this is a more personal, less shock-oriented tale from Millar, and the art's been pretty nice too. Worth checking out. (page 36) RANDY: Like you, I'm not certain how he's going to wrap it all up in just one more issue, but also like you, this is one of my favorite Millar projects. Neither too religious or anti-religious, it's just a well-crafted story that uses the elements of the Christian faith as a jumping-off point to tell an interesting story. The Chronicles of Conan Volume 5: The Shadow in the Tomb and Other Stories TPB (Dark Horse Comics) - RANDY: Not much to say about this, other than to note that we've seen three volumes of the re-colored Conan so far, and not one of them has disappointed. Much as I love Barry Smith's artwork, though, this is the second volume featuring John Buscema's artwork, and that's even better for a big old Buscema fan like me. (page 31) DAVE: More folks should be buying these. Roy Thomas was really *on* for them, and there's really nothing that feels old-fashioned about them as I imagine some fear. Anyone enjoying Busiek's new Conan comics will likely enjoy these. Colonia #9 (Colonia Press) - RANDY: I fell in love with this weird pirate fantasy comic when I read the graphic novel from AIT/Planet Lar, and quite honestly, I'd rather read a second trade than further issues. However, with the small press, you've got to offer your support whatever the format, so it seems worth noting that creator Jeff Nicholson has been working for months to get enough material ready for Colonia to come out on a regular, bimonthly schedule for the entirety of the next 3-issue arc. Worth a look for those of you who are coming down off your Bone high with that book ending, as well as for anyone who likes beautiful artwork and quirky fantasy. (page 250) Comic Creators on Spider-Man (Titan Publishing) - DAVE: "The best-known creators in comics discuss the impact and importance of Spider-Man, and how they have brought the web-slinger to life on the page over four decades." This prose book could be an ultra-geek-out, but as a longtime Spider-Man fan, it's the kind of ultra-geek-out I might enjoy. A huge host of creators, from Stan Lee to Brian Bendis, are interviewed, and there are page breakdowns, original sketches, designs, etc. Tempting. (page 343) Comiculture Anthology Vol. 2 Book 1 (Mad Science Media) - RANDY: I'm excited about A1, but it should be noted that others also continue to make a go of the anthology format, and the folks at Comiculture have consistently turned in excellent, entertaining full color stories in a variety of genres. For their latest offering, they're forgoing their magazine format and going straight to the trade, and at $15 for 160 pages, I'm pretty sure it'll be worth a look. (page 328) The Compleat Moonshadow (DC/Vertigo) - DAVE: Always heard good stuff about this story from J.M. DeMatteis and Jon J. Muth, and this new printing collects both the original story and its sequel. Mebbe. (page 117) Crisis on Multiple Earths Vol. 3 TP (DC Comics) - DAVE: Big ups to DC for putting these Silver Age JLA/JSA stories in print. Honestly, I’m not even a follower of 'em – I'm just happy to see the company willing to spotlight its vast library of classic stories when the time is right. Here's hoping the trend continues, especially for those of us a little short on funds for DC Archives. Maybe a Metal Men "Best Of" one of these days? (page 105) The Dave Johnson Sketchbook (Atomeka) - RANDY: As a big fan of Dave Johnson's covers, I'm intrigued by the notion of getting a sketchbook of his work. Especially since I've seen some of his commercial illustration and gaming work, and I love that stuff as much as I do his comics work (hell, it's at least half his fault that I even own D20 Modern and its supplements). (page 231) DAVE: I loves me some sketchbooks, and this little number is only $6.99, so it's hard to go wrong. Interested parties should probably pre-order this at their comic shops – it's the kind of item you can't be sure will be ordered otherwise. DC Comics Presents (DC Comics) - DAVE: This is cool. As a tribute to the legacy of Julius Schwartz, DC's running eight one-shot tales that pay homage to the characters, concepts, and cover designs that made him a legend. Contributors include Adam Hughes, Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Brian Bolland, Kurt Busiek, John Byrne, Brian Azzarello, and Walt Simonson. Sounds like wonky fun to me. (page 105-106) Doom Patrol #1 (DC Comics) - DAVE: I've never thought of myself as a stickler for continuity, but doing a total reboot on the Doom Patrol without any in-continuity explanation just seems...uncool. Also not big on Byrne's set-up for the series in JLA, or the planned new team members. I've a bit of interest, though, having recently read the Doom Patrol Archives and discovered some love for the team itself. (page 106) RANDY: I just hope Crucifer from JLA will be making an appearance. That guy's got classic villain written all over him! Oh, wait... there's some dust on the writing... let's just move that and... oh, right, it's not "classic villain," it's "outdated, campy and borderline embarrassing." I think that might be written on Doom Patrol too. The Drowned GN (Image Comics) - RANDY: Image is getting more and more into the original graphic novel business, and while they're not all winners, some gems do shine through. The Drowned looks like one of those gems, a ghost story/mystery set in 1800s France and featuring an escaped lunatic with a dark past as the hero of a story that pits him against witches, corrupt knights templar and evil itself. I've read this one in black and white form, which means I can't testify to how good the final painted pages will look, but the layouts are solid and the storytelling very engaging. If nothing else, those who are enjoying Rex Mundi should check out this creepy, intelligently plotted ghost story with elements of mystery and conspiracy. (page 140) Fantastic Four Vol. 4: Hereafter TPB (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: "Hereafter," like "Unthinkable," had its weaknesses for me in serial form, but it came with such a powerful and perfect ending that I instantly forgave any misgivings I had. Waid and Wieringo continue to delight me on Fantastic Four, and I'm happy to see the collections continuing to flow as fast as the creators can finish up storylines. (page M68) Fierce #1 (Dark Horse Comics) - RANDY: I know Jeremy Love's name, but not a lot of his work. It looks like 2004 might change that, as he and the rest of Gettosake Studios turn out a variety of projects for Image, Oni and Dark Horse. Fierce is the first one to hit, and it's about a psychic profiler for the FBI descending into the Jamaican underworld while outrunning a crime syndicate and his former bosses. That's a good high concept, and the preview page by Robert Love and Jeff Wasson looks pretty solid. I'll be curious to check this one out. (page 22) Firebreather Vol. 1 TPB (Image Comics) - RANDY: The Image superhero line was mostly DOA, but it did give us a couple of really good comics. One of those, Invincible, survived the death of the others and continues to gain in buzz and in trade paperback collections. In retrospect, I like Invincible better than Firebreather, the other high school superhero book from the line, but at the time, I loved Firebreather, and still think that this story of the son of a Godzilla-like monster trying to get by in high school was a terrific read, with excellent writing by Phil (Deep Sleeper) Hester and fun artwork by Andy (Rex Mantooth) Kuhn. Glad to see it collected, and wouldn't mind seeing a straight-to-trade followup. (page 141) DAVE: I only read the first issue of this series, and I actually enjoyed it quite a bit, but it got lost in the sea of Everything Else and I never followed up on it. I suspect I'll end up buying the trade, especially after seeing just what Hester's capable of as a writer on Deep Sleeper. The Flash: Blitz TPB (DC Comics) - DAVE: This trade rounds out DC's collection of the all the Geoff Johns/Scott Kolins collaborations and I offer them a hearty round of applause for putting such a worthy run in print. This last arc, featuring Professor Zoom, isn't my favorite, but there's still a ton of great stuff in it. All fans of classic superhero adventure should have these trades on their shelves. (page 107) RANDY: I wasn't crazy about the Zoom story either, but I join you in applauding DC for collecting this classic creative team's entire run. One minor quibble: Johns's first story, without Kolins, was important foundation stuff for this run, and a pretty good read, so maybe one more trade to get the whole thing in print? DAVE: Hey, I'll buy it. Isn't that the arc where Johns first began establishing Captain Cold as a badass? I've loved his take on Cold, and would definitely dig seeing its beginnings. Flight GN (Image Comics) - DAVE: Fun-looking preview art on this anthology trade paperback collecting a variety of stories dealing with flight. My anthology-phobia is diminished somewhat by the solicit citing Hayao Miyazaki and Moebius as inspiritions and a quote from Scott McCloud calling it the "...best anthology I've seen in years." (page 142) Following Cerebus #1 (Aardvark-Vanaheim) - DAVE: For four bucks you get quite a bit with this one: essays, interviews, rare artwork, and reactions to the series' finale. (page 206) RANDY: Don't forget the free misogyny that Sim packs into every purchase! Sorry, that's just mean. Anyway, I won't be picking this (or anything else to do with Sim) up because of his wacko views, but I'll be first to admit that Cerebus is a project worthy of some follow-up and analysis. Follow Me Closely (Oni Press) - RANDY: Daniel Krall's artwork on One Plus One was a big part of what drew me to it in the first place, so I'm curious to see what he'll do with a project he is both writing and drawing. Follow Me Closely sounds quite odd, talking about a boy on the run from his father with his stepmother and a male-female assassin team that gets involved, and the solicitation describes it as "a pop-art, fashion-conscious escapade with a cool retro feel." There's about two or three too many buzz words for that description to really tell me anything, but there's also just enough to make me curious. (page 333) DAVE: Seems like a reasonable assessment. How great is that cover, though? The Goddess of War GN (Alternative Comics) – DAVE: The premise of this original graphic novel sounded amusingly bizarre: a Valkyrie/Goddess "leaves her isolate planet of vampires, wolves, and volcanoes to visit Earth, where she quits her job being a Goddess to be with her lover, the Apache Chief." I saw the the writer/artist was a Xeric winner so I checked out her site and I like what I see. Fans of the strange and eclectic should probably give this one a go. (page 217) Guardians #1 (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: Marc Sumerak is mostly a name I know from assistant editing a variety of Tom Brevoort books, so I have no idea what his writing skills are like. Casey Jones is someone whose work has been erratically produced and of varying quality. This mostly untested creative team is tackling a story that sounds like it comes from Stephen King's work, as a group of children who helped an alien now must help him again as adults. Honestly, the whole thing doesn't really excite me much, except for this: It's something wholly new, much like Runaways, and God knows Marvel could use a few new properties instead of just launching yet another X-book or Spider-book. (page M51) DAVE: True 'dat. And speaking of Runaways, everyone out there is reading it, right? The first trade's only eight bucks, so no more excuses - TRY IT! Icon imprint (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: What are we, less than a year since the debacle of Marvel's attempt to revive the "Epic" imprint? And now they're trying another shot at creator-owned comics? Well this one might stick, as it's predicated on Marvel's golden boy, Brian Michael Bendis, and launches with (ironically) a relaunch of Bendis' former Image comic, Powers. Accompanying Bendis is his pal, David Mack, with another Image book, Kabuku. Along with "Avengers Disassembled" bringing Powers artist, Mike Oeming, to the stable, it all kind of speaks to Bendis-nepotism, but it's not like such things haven't borne fruit before. Marvel Knights pretty much began as "Quesada and Friends", right? We shall see. Powers I've enjoyed before while Kabuki's new to me and probably not my thing. I suspect readers will take to 'em pretty well though. And then I demand a return of Steve Englehart's old Epic series, Coyote! Seriously. Bet the market would be receptive nowadays. (pages M56-M59) RANDY: There was this whole big online brouhaha about this, and I can see where it comes from, but I also think it boils down to "this is good for Bendis and Mack, who are good guys, and seeing Marvel take any steps toward creator-ownership, even completely self-serving ones, is a good thing." I've been enjoying Powers at Image, I'll continue enjoying Powers at Marvel, and I'm a casual fan of Kabuki at Image and will continue to be a casual fan of Kabuki at Marvel. The only depressing things for me is wondering if Bendis will wind up getting screwed in the end (like pretty much every creator who's worked for Marvel, including Stan Lee and Jack Kirby) and being sad that the only way to sell great projects like these in larger numbers is to sell them through one of the big two so that a large majority of the comics fanbase will even look at them. Open minds, people. There's more to life than just Marvel and DC. But if you keep buying only those two, pretty soon there won't be. Justice League Elite #1 (DC Comics) - DAVE: Reads the first line of the solicit: "They do the jobs too dirty for the JLA!" Greaaaaat. Way to undermine your premiere superhero team, DC! Sorry for the bile, but I just think it's a terrible idea to take the Authority analogues that Joe Kelly used so effectively in Action Comics #775 - a perfect standalone story - and turn them into regular players in the DC Universe. Yes, even with Kelly himself writing this 12-issue-mini. (page 110) Less Than Hero #1 (Polite Stranger Press) - RANDY: I've read the first three issues of this series, and it really is an odd but also oddly compelling series. It follows several friends and their daily lives, from a comedian trying to make his big break to a guy awoken from a car crash with slight memory loss and a newly pregnant girlfriend to a guy who is hiding his sickness from his friends. It also has a weird telekinetic hero named The Punk and a villainous MBA named The Sleeper who can mind control people in their sleep. Fans of Madman, The Filth and other off-beat weirdness should definitely check this one out. (page 336) Loki #1 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: I have to admit, this one has possibilites. Looks to be a more sophisticated treatment of the Norse pantheon of gods in a four-issue series focusing on Loki. The painted artwork, courtesy of Esad Ribic, looks spectacular. (M49) The Magic If (Headless Shakespeare Press) - RANDY: Already reviewed this one, and really enjoyed it, as you can see HERE. This well-crafted one-shot is now available from Diamond, meaning it's about to get much wider distribution in comics shops. Read my review to get a sense of what it's about, or just take my word for it and bug your retailer to order it. It's one of the best one-off stories I've read in a while. (page 314) Man-Thing #1 (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: Just trying to put out a comic of a forgettable character so we'll have a movie tie-in. Move along, folks, nothing to see here. OK, that might be a bit harsh. This is written by the screenwriter for the Man-Thing movie, so it's likely to be as much a labor of love as the movie is. I mean, it's gotta be a labor of love, right? Surely nobody looked at third-rate Swamp Thing imitator Man-Thing and thought it was a cash cow? Huh... that's mean too. I've just never been a fan of the swamp monsters, and about the most enjoyment I can see getting out of the Man-Thing comic is the adolescent laughs provided by the famous Giant-Sized Man-Thing comic of the '70s that has been milked for any number of jokes. (page M43) DAVE: And I say you're a damned anti-Swampite. Actually, while I've got a good deal of fondness for Swamp Thing, Man-Thing's always been something of a non-character character, so I can't even imagine what's to be done with him...in *any* medium. The artist on this thing is Kyle Hotz, though, so you've gotta at least give that some respect. He did some really nice work on the Marvel MAX series, The Hood, recently. Milkman Murders #1 (Dark Horse Comics) - RANDY: Dark Horse has had good luck with their horror line, and this looks like another potential winner. Joe Casey is hit and miss with me, but he's at his best working outside the mainstream superhero genre, and while it's difficult to judge this series based on the cryptic solicitation copy or jumbled art previews, you can color me interested at least. (page 26) My Destroyer Vol. 1 (Oni Press) - RANDY: I kind of lost interest in Arthur Dela Cruz's weird, dreamlike Kissing Chaos, but I've had the promo image from My Destroyer as my laptop wallpaper for the last month or two. It looks and sounds like shojo manga in terms of approach and subject matter, and I'm not sure it's going to do anything for me, but it should find favor with fans of books like Battle Angel Alita and the like, I would expect. And if that promo image is anything to judge by, the book is going to look gorgeous. (page 336) Noble Causes #1 (Image Comics) - RANDY: Like all too many creator-owned books, Noble Causes has had a rough time in this market. Changing artists, scheduling difficulties, a switch to black and white and a decision by Faerber to compress page count by putting backup stories in every issue didn't do him any favors. This is another new start for the "superheroes meets soap opera" book, with another new artist, and as always, I hope that it will click better this time. I think, although I'm not sure, that Faerber is skipping the backups to give himself more room for story, and I know that this is a return to full-color, so this one does seem to have a better shot. (page 149) Normalman 20th Anniversary Special (Image Comics) - RANDY: I've never read Normalman, but boy have I heard a lot about it. So I'm glad to see this book coming out so I can get a chance to sample it, and while parody of the comics industry isn't exactly an untouched subject, it seems particularly apropos that Valentino would have this soapbox right when he's left his position at Image under less than ideal circumstances and thus probably has more to say and more freedom to say it. I expect this to be a particularly caustic and effective bit of industry parody. (page 150) Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Avengers 2004 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: After the spectacularly weak Marvel Encyclopedias we've been seeing of late, do we dare to hope for a return to the classic Marvel Handbook style of the '80s? (M6) The Pro Oversized Hardcover GN (Image Comics) - RANDY: I loved The Pro. Thought it was hilariously fun and beautifully drawn, and so much more than I expected of what I thought would be a completely tasteless and unfunny riff on a super-powered hooker. That said, an oversized hardcover is just silly, and I'm a little annoyed that the follow-up to that story is being published only in this hardcover, so that if you want to read 8 more pages of funny stuff from Ennis, Connor and Palmiotti, you have to buy a copy of a book you likely already have. I'm all about the oversized hardcovers, but c'mon... does this one-shot really need that treatment? (page 153) DAVE: No love for The Pro here. For me it was just another mean-spirited condemnation of superheroes and their fans. Well, okay, I liked the part where the Superman analogue ejaculated and blew the wing off a plane - that's just good comedy! - but otherwise, it was strictly been-there-done-that superhero parody, it's only novelty the amped-up Garth Ennis vulgarity. Rogue #1 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: You know what we need? We need for X-Men Unlimited to cease being a collection of one-shot stories and become a Legends of the Dark Knight-style series that works in arcs. Featuring rotating creative teams for each arc (and the arcs would run as long as needed), it'd become a new solo spotlight book on the various team members, a perfect place for writers to tell that one Havok story they've always been itching to write. Or Colossus story. Or Rogue story. I propose this because about the LAST thing in the world we need is another book like Rogue, an ongoing monthly devoted to a character who can't possibly carry it. I hear this particular take's gonna angle towards supernatural...which just reinforces how misguided it is. (page M37) RANDY: And I've seen folks whose answer to this "Do we need a Rogue book?" is the simplified "Well, if you don't like it, don't buy it!" Don't worry, I won't. But here's the thing: The money for these X-Books, both from fans and retailers, comes from other books. True, many of the folks buying this wouldn't buy anything without an X on it, but there are some retailers who will cut their orders on other books to afford ordering this one, and plenty of fans who will do the same. It's about shelf space and market domination, not a burning need for a new Rogue book, and anyone who believes differently is just plain naive. Scenes From The Small Press Colleen Doran DVD (Club 408 Graphics) - DAVE: I've picked up on some of Colleen Doran’s smart, bold personality in the pages of her excellent comic, A Distant Soil, and she seems like a good choice for a documentary. The solicit suggests both biographical material and an honest look at the trials and tribulations of working in the comic industry, especially for women. (page 250) Sebastian O TPB (DC Comics/Vertigo) - RANDY: I have Sebastian O in my collection, and I've read it a couple times, and I honestly have little to no recollection of the actual story. Which isn't a great recommendation for this bit of Victorian steampunk, but it is Grant Morrison, so it's probably a good thing that DC is finally getting around to reprinting it. Weird that they'd put this obscure piece of Morrison fiction into print before his Doom Patrol, though. (page 118) DAVE: Always was curious about this one. I wasn't into Vertigo when it hit, so maybe I'll give it a shot now. Seven Block GN (IDW Publishing) - RANDY: I remember this title from its original publication, but I never read it then. However, the team of Chuck Dixon and Jorge Zaffino did some entertaining Punisher stories, and seeing them take a similar hard-boiled approach to a story of scientific experimentation on maximum security inmates holds some appeal for me. (page 316) DAVE: When stalwart Chuck Dixon teams with great South American artists in reprint graphic novels from IDW, who am I to say no? I got a definite kick out of Dixon and Lito Fernandez on the all-ages Invasion '55, and this time we've got what sounds like a considerably darker tale, which also suits me. The artist is the late Jorge Zaffino, whose website's got some really impressive work including a complete Conan story. Scott Pilgrim Vol. 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life (Oni Press) - RANDY: I'm curious about this one because I really enjoyed Bryan O'Malley's Lost At Sea, but what really interests me is how much this sounds like an American, guy version of shojo manga. Seriously, it's about relationships, an unbelievably cool hipster 23-year-old who develops a crush on a rollerblading delivery girl and "facing her seven evil ex-boyfriends in battle." Actually, that sounds like one of the weirder manga concepts and it also sounds like Chynna Clugston-Major's Scooter Girl, which I also enjoyed. (page 336) Scrapbook: Uncollected Work 1992-2004 TPB (Drawn & Quarterly) - RANDY: I love Adrian Tomine's visual style, so I think it's pretty cool that Drawn & Quarterly is doing a collection of his non-Optic Nerve stuff, including work from mainstream magazines, into one big huge collection. (page 287) Scurvy Dogs #5 (AIT/Planet Lar) - RANDY: We mention this book every time its solicited. I don't know about Dave, but I plan to continue mentioning it until a lot more people are reading it. This really is the funniest comic I read, with the possible exception of those annual issues of Dork! And I read a lot of comics, folks. (page 217) DAVE: Scurvy Dogs? Aw, HELL YAR! All that you speak is true, Randy. What are you, some blind, Greek seer or something? RANDY: Who said that? Sleeping Dragons Vol. 1: Becca's Scarecrow (Too Hip Gotta Go Graphics) - RANDY: If Colonia isn't your thing, but you're still suffering from Bone withdrawal (or indeed, Lord of the Rings withdrawal - no more movies this year!), might I recommend Sleeping Dragons? Kevin Mason and Alex Szewczuk turn in an epic tale of evil returned to besiege a kingdom and a couple of young heroes who have to stop it, even if it means giving up their blossoming romance, and it's a light but meaningful fantasy tale. And Szewczuk's art is gorgeous, reminding me of Mark "Thieves and Kings" Oakley, Linda "Castle Waiting" Medley and Paul "Leave it to Chance" Smith. (page 367) DAVE: Being something of swords 'n' sorcery dork, I'm not sure how I've missed trying this out. I know I've flipped through it once or twice and the art is pretty gorgeous. Alright, that's IT. I'll try it. Starjammers #1 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: How silly is it to write an out-of-continuity Starjammers book? 'Cause that's what this is. It's not as if space pirates is an original concept, so if you're not planning to use these characters in the Marvel Universe, to play up one of the few factors that *does* set them apart...why not just create a wholly new setting and characters? Best of luck to the creators involved. They seem talented, which makes this effort all the more wasteful. (page M39) Strangers in Paradise Volume 1 Pocket TPB (Abstract Studio) - RANDY: There was a time when I loved Strangers in Paradise. In a weird way, it's responsible for me meeting my wife. These days, however, I can't even read it, because Terry Moore, talented though he is, didn't know when to bring the series to an end. That lack of closure prevents me from really recommending this manga-sized collection of the early, great Strangers in Paradise stories whole-heartedly. Which is a shame, because the subject matter and storytelling style is ideally suited to this kind of thing. (page 208) The Symbiotes #1 (Drive Comics) - RANDY: I haven't received my preview copies of the book yet, so I'm not sure how the writing is, but I have to say that The Symbiotes looks like it could be a really cool project. It sounds like a mix of space-faring sci-fi and superhero powers, which is a neat idea, and the CGI artwork is gorgeous. Not just beautiful to look at, important as that is, but showing an imaginative sense of design and scope. This is definitely one to watch. If you want to check out some of the art samples and learn more about the book, check out The Symbiotes website. (page 287) Territory 51 #1 (Lawdog Comics) - RANDY: One of those concepts that has been bouncing around Hollywood for a while is Cowboys versus Aliens. Territory 51 is about the same kind of thing, as some crashed aliens run into federal marshalls in Roswell, New Mexico, about 60 years before the famous crash of 1947. Neat concept, and full color from a small publisher to boot. (page 326) DAVE: Neat concept. Based on the cover, though, I'm not so sure about the craft. Tim Sale: Black & White HC (Active Images) – DAVE: This baby's a little on the steep side at $25, but it sounds like a really nice art book focusing on Tim Sale's art in pure black-and-white. Fans should check it out. I know I'll be tempted. (page 211) True Brit TP (Twomorrows Publishing) - DAVE: This baby's a 192-page prose look at the history and influence of British comics, up to and including the works of Brit creators on Watchmen and The Ultimates. Featured creators include: Brian Bolland, Dave Gibbons, Barry Windsor-Smith, Alan Davis, Bryan Hitch, Dave McKean, David Lloyd, and more. I dig on the comics history stuff, and given my limeted knowledge of the British comics industry, I'm planning to nab this. (page 370) Usagi Yojimbo #77 (Dark Horse) - DAVE: Just wanted to give this issue a shout-out as it features a favorite character from the series, Inspector Ishida. What's cooler than a good mystery set in feudal Japan? Nothin', that's what. Those curious about the series can probably consider this a good sampler issue. (page 37) Video #1 (Lost in the Dark Press) - RANDY: This is territory that's been covered in the massively successful Left Behind series of books, but I'm still curious to see Video, which follows the lives of "non-believers" left on Earth after the Rapture leaves it changed in post-apocalyptic ways. Why? Well, because Left Behind contains a faith-based element that can be insulting to those who aren't the faithful but just like the concept as science-fiction, and I'm hopeful that Video will have a more unbiased point-of-view. Given my love of Walking Dead and Y: The Last Man, I'm more than happy to look for another good post-apocalypse story in comics. (page 328) War Haiku GN (Waiver Publishing) - RANDY: The saying about too many cooks comes to mind in this graphic novel, which feature a writer and artist translating letters, postcards and poems from a soldier in Iraq given to them by a friend of the soldier into comics. Translated through four people, can this really give a sense of the Iraq war and what's going on there? More to the point, can it do this and be readable as well? I don't know, but if it can, this could be not just a good graphic novel, but an important one, and I'm inclined to at least see if they can pull it off. (page 382) Waterloo Sunset #1 (Image Comics) - RANDY: I mentioned earlier that I'm looking for some more good post-apocalypse stuff in comics. Waterloo Sunset might be just that, by a couple of creators whose names I don't know who have envisioned a London where high technology has failed and a medieval sort of existence has taken over. It's impossible to fairly judge without more preview art, and the $7 price point (even for 56 pages) makes it risky to take a chance on, but at the very least, I'm curious to see more. (page 162) DAVE: I do like the premise, and the snippet of preview art looked solid. Worldwatch #1 (Austen Comics) - DAVE: The infamous Chuck Austen writing his own, original "mature readers" superhero series? Geez, write your OWN joke here. Actually, I'm one of those who's seen promise in some of Austen's various projects, and maybe, just maybe, he'll have a chance to impress on a series when readers aren't cringing over his penchant for seriously screwing up long-running franchise characters. The idea of super-powered, rock star type heroes is starting feel as old and hoary as the superhero concept itself, but given Austen's background in naughty comics, maybe he'll bring something new to the table. (page 234) RANDY: For all that I think Austen is the worst writer working at Marvel today and a pox on any book he's assigned to, I have to admit, launching Worldwatch now is smart. Better to try and grab some creator-owned territory while you're a hot commodity, rather than wait until the inevitable Marvel regime change and find yourself with nobody returning your calls (paging Howard Mackie and Terry Kavanaugh). I hope that Worldwatch is so successful that Austen has to devote all of his time to it and give up his work on the mainstream books. Email Randy Lander and Dave Farabee comments about this review.