Down The Line - Previews review for August 2003 - Part One 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 June previews for comics due to ship out in August 2003. Pre-ordering is your friend. If there's stuff you want in August, letting your retailer know before the end of June is the best way to make sure you get it. Once again, I'm joined by Dave Farabee, a friend and fellow laborer at Dragon's Lair here in Austin with an unshakeable thirst for 80's nostalgia. Wait, did I say thirst? I meant revulsion. DAVE: Thanks for having me back, Randy. Don tells me that if I become popular enough doing this little back-and-forthing, he'll help me stage a coup and the two of us can just bounce your sorry ass out of here! He sealed the deal by offering to make me an honorary Canadian. Bring the previews on, eh. 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 tend to run 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 Saturday. BIG FOUR PICKS OF THE MONTH: Human Target #1 (DC/Vertigo) - RANDY: Ever since I read the first Human Target mini-series by Milligan and Biukovic, I've thought "This is a great premise for an ongoing series." After another hardcover (this time with art by Javier Pulido, and offered in softcover in this very Previews), it seems DC has decided the same thing, and so we get a Human Target ongoing. Milligan's take on Christopher Chance is a talented bodyguard with severe psychological issues, and it looks like he's going to "rescue" the character from his relatively safe status quo in an adopted identity and put him back on the road to multiple personalities and plenty of gun-toting action. The art is again by Javier Pulido, but I believe he will be alternating with Cliff Chiang, one of my favorite new artists, so I couldn't be happier about this book. Well, unless they were going direct to trades, but that seems to be a manga-only thing for right now. Thor Legends Vol. 2: Walt Simonson Book Two TP (Marvel) - DAVE: Ah, now this is what I've been waiting for! Granted, Marvel looks silly as hell for releasing a direct sequel to Thor Visionaries: Walt Simonson under a completely different line (Thor "Legends"), but I'm willing to forgive because this is such fantastic material. You've got the epic conclusion to Thor's battle with the fire demon Surtur, the first (and best) death of Odin story, multiple appearances by Thor's coolest comrade-in-arms, Beta Ray Bill, and even some good old-fashioned Frost Giant ass-whuppin'! Not only are these among the best Thor stories ever, but they're some of the best superhero stories of the 80's, period, and a career highlight for writer/artist Walt Simonson. Even if you've never been a fan of Thor, this volume and its Thor Visionaries predecessor are worth checking out. Keep the momentum on this trade series going, Marvel! The next volume will be the one where Thor and all the warriors of Valhalla storm the gates of Hel! Best Thor ever, baby! RANDY: You know I'm not that much of a Thor fan, and I have read a handful of the Simonson books and that didn't really change anything, but I'm still glad to see this produced. Not just because it gives me another chance to mock Marvel for their lack of even short-term planning of the names of their series of trade paperbacks, although that is fun, but also because it's material that should be in print, and because it gives me hope that we might see a second and later volumes of John Byrne's Fantastic Four, which I actually would like to buy. Of course, it'll probably be called Fantastic Four Mastepieces or something along those lines by the time they get around to it, but I don't care if the trades all fit nicely together as long as they collect it all. Galactic #1 (Dark Horse) - DAVE: The premise of Galactic - that a down on his luck teen is recruited by a group of interplanetary crusaders – almost sounds like a spin on the classic 80’s cheeseball flick, The Last Starfighter. It also sounds a bit grittier, and I’m not sure whether that tone will fit with the book’s extremely cartoony art. As a Starfighter fan, though, I'll give it a look, if only to check out the promised "shock ending." Ah, but will Galactic have a character as memorable as Robert Preston’s "Centauri"? That is the question! RANDY: Last Starfighter, eh? I also have a bit of a fondness for that flick, and though it's been riffed on plenty of times in comics before, maybe these creators can give it a fresh coat of paint. Syn #1 (Dark Horse) - RANDY: The notion of a robotic society trying to get back in touch with its human roots is a great one, but Keith Giffen has been extremely hit and miss (mostly miss) for me lately, and the artwork is... well, weird, even for this strange Amerimanga style that seems to be the house style of Rocket Comics. I have to say, though, that this is the strongest premise of any of the Rocket Comics, and I'm curious to see if Giffen and company can perform more strongly than they did in the Rocket Comics: Ignite issue when given more room to play around. DAVE: Ah, but will Syn have a character as memorable as Robert Preston's "Centauri"? That is the question! But seriously... I echo your sentiments. Strong premise, but I'll have to see about the execution. The Chronicles of Conan TP (Dark Horse) - DAVE: I kicked myself for missing out on this material when it was briefly in print as a black-and-white volume of Marvel's Essential line, so it's great to see it available again, and in color no less. I'm not a huge fan of Barry Windsor-Smith's early art, preferring the later John Buscema Conan art I imprinted on as a kid, but it's certainly no slouch! A definite purchase. RANDY: See, I like both Windsor-Smith and Buscema, but I'm not a big fan of Conan in general. However, the promise of a new series by Kurt Busiek and art by those two gents, not to mention the amazing reputation that this stuff has in some fan circles, certainly intrigues me. If nothing else, it'll be great to have this stuff in print again, because so many fans are looking for it. Here's hoping they get up to the much-ballyhooed Savage Sword reprints. It's kind of cool that with this, Lone Wolf, Astro Boy, Classic Star Wars and other projects, Dark Horse is single-handedly filling in the gaps of popular comic-book history. Ultraman Tiga #1 (Dark Horse) - DAVE: I don't know much about Ultraman beyond the fact that I fell in love with the character design as a kid flipping through my best friend's authentic photo-mangas. This is a translation of a recent Hong Kong series based on adventures of the giant, monster-whomping superhero, and while I expect disappointment (Ultraman did pave the way for the Power Rangers), the kid in me will want to give this a peek. RANDY: Were this any other publisher, I'd be inclined to agree with your expected disappointment. But Dark Horse has a reputation not only for great licensed comics and manga but for handling weird projects like this well. Witness a favorite of yours and mine, Battlegods: Warriors of the Chaak. If Ultraman is half as much fun as that video-game-style martial arts/action romp, it'll be a blast to read. Future World Vol. 1 TP (Dark Horse) - RANDY: I discovered the work of Osamu Tezuka relatively recently, with Phoenix and Astro Boy, and became absolutely enamored of it. However, upon reading Metropolis, which is one of his earlier works, I found myself a little disappointed, and given that Future World is a similarly-early work, I'm not sure what my reaction to it will be. DAVE: Same here. Kudos to Dark Horse for getting so behind the works of a comic genius the West really needs to know, but these early projects may be of interest solely to Tezuka completists. What's Michael: Show Time TP (Dark Horse) - DAVE: Simply put, I consider What's Michael to be the most consistently funny comic book series I’ve ever read. Yes, this manga is targeted at cat lovers, but really, the inventive slapstick of writer/artist Makoto Kobayashi is something that anyone should be able to appreciate. Even the art is almost instantly amusing. I love this book. RANDY: We've been over my dislike of cats in the last Down the Line, as well as my happiness with Kobayashi's Club 9. Overall impression, I'm not as excited about this as you are, but I do plan on giving it a look-see. My only question is, when will we see some manga targeted for the cats? Batman: Death and the Maidens #1 (DC) - RANDY: Honestly, I'm a little weary of Batman, Ra's Al Ghul and long (over 5 issues) mini-series in general. BUT... this is by Greg Rucka, and it's a story of a war between Ra's and Batman for resources with art by Klaus Janson, whose work I often like quite a bit. I get the sense from the description that there's more to this story than the solicitations are giving away, which is a good thing, and Rucka has certainly earned my trust. I'll be keeping an eye out for this one. DAVE: Klaus "I inked the good Dark Knight" Janson is always aces, and while I was more lukewarm on Rucka's Batman run than you, Randy, I have enough faith in his general talent to see potential in this tale. Batman: Hong Kong HC (DC) - RANDY: Then there's Batman: Hong Kong, one of those projects that makes you go "huh." Doug Moench, of course, is known for writing some of the best American martial arts comics there are in Master of Kung-Fu, and I've seen Tony Wong's work thanks to Comicsone, and it's fairly spectacular. Batman in Hong Kong sounds like a goofy high concept, and I just don't think I have a high enough interest in it to pick up a hardcover... but the Kia Asamiya hardcover was supposedly very good, and this should be a hit for folks looking for something more along those lines. DAVE: Pro: Batman infused with the high energy and cinematic slickness of manga. Con: Buying too many of these hardcovers will eviscerate one's budget to the point that eating Taco Bell will be a luxury. Looks fun for those who can afford it, though. Superman & Batman: Generations II TP (DC) - DAVE: Folks seem to be responding quite positively to John Byrne’s Generations III miniseries, so hats off to DC for getting behind it with a trade reprint of Generations II. For my own part, I was only really taken with the series when it was focused exclusively on Batman and Superman in the first Generations, but the retailer in me is happy to see DC backing a successful concept. RANDY: This isn't going to turn into one of those "Frosted Wheat" commercials, is it? OK, I'll run with it. The reader in me is put off by some of the groaners that were in this series (the reaction of Batmans' folks to foreknowledge of their own death is hilariously bad), and the critic in me is pretty much tired of Byrne's public persona and narrow worldview and how it informs his work, but the retailer in me is also glad that DC is keeping up the collections for the Byrne fans. The kid in me, as always, prefers the frosting. Superman/Batman #1 (DC) - DAVE: For those who don’t follow comic industry news, you should know that this is essentially an updating of the old World's Finest series, in which DC's two big guns – Batman and Superman – would team up to kick the hell out of ne'er-do-wells. Think of it as a double scoop of iconic heroism. The preview art from Ed McGuinness has me very impressed, and I so want the series to live up to its potential that I'll give it a go despite the fact that I only like Jeph Loeb's writing on his Marvel projects. RANDY: I've been a little lukewarm on Loebs's Batman, but I enjoyed some of his Superman work with McGuinness. The preview in this month's Wizard and a general fondness for this concept has me intrigued, although the heavy-handed editorial stance of the Superman books (and the mention of the wasted potential of the President Lex story) has me wary. Overall, I'm cautiously optimistic about this one. And no matter what you or I think, I'm pretty sure it's going to have pretty solid sales. Bad Girls #1 (DC) - RANDY: The concept on this one, a high school drama where all the popular girls have super-powers, is at least decent, but the creative team isn't one that generally draws my interest, even with Darwyn Cooke on covers. Honestly, I thought this, along with Fallen Angel and a couple others, was going to be part of a sort of "girl heroes" initiative. That seems to have disappeared into DC's marketing ether, and the book is instead being launched with a Marvel-esque "throw it at the wall and see what sticks." DAVE: I don't know this creative team from Adam ('cept for cover artist Darwyn Cooke), so I'm maybe a little more interested than you are, Randy. My only criticism at this stage of the game is that, if this book turns out to have any real potential as a comic for young girls... where the hell are they gonna find it? Even as a comic shop manager, I wish that broad-appeal titles like this were available at newsstands and grocery stores for a truly diverse market penetration. Will any company ever have the cojones to break the Archie stranglehold on supermarket distribution? Surely DC, with its mighty Time-Warner clout... Cinnamon: El Ciclo #1 (DC) - RANDY: While I'm not overly concerned with Bad Girls getting the short end of the marketing stick, I am less happy that Cinnamon isn't getting a better pitch. Jen Van Meter is a good, and often great, writer, and I'm a sucker for westerns. So I'm onboard this one, especially given that I enjoyed the story featuring Cinnamon in the pages of Hawkman a few months back. The art looks a lot like Eduardo Risso, certainly not a bad call for this type of story, and I'm looking forward to seeing it. DAVE: The purist in me wonders if there's any rhyme or reason to taking a DC character rooted in the Old West and dumping her in modern times, but there's no denying that a modern-day actioneer steeped in western motifs sounds pretty cool. Dr. Fate #1 (DC) - DAVE: For a guy with such a terrific costume design, you'd think Dr. Fate would be a more interesting character, wouldn't you? Maybe novelist Christopher Golden, who I hear wrote some pretty decent Buffy books, will have what it takes to spice up the poor man's Dr. Strange. RANDY: Ouch. Dr. Strange is already a third-string character at best these days, it's rough being a knockoff of that. I'm actually of the opinion that JSA doesn't need spin-offs these days, and though I would have been interested in this one when the series first launched, at this point it's more like another mini-series that will slip underneath my radar. The Flash #201 (DC) - DAVE: I'm such a fan of this book that I'm refusing to read the solicitation for this issue and risk spoiling the big happenings of issue #200! The one thing I do know is that definitive modern Flash writer, Geoff Johns, will continue on the series, and that new artist Alberto Dose looks very promising to me with a style reminiscent of Eduardo Risso. I'm there. RANDY: I had the big status quo change in Flash spoiled for me by DC's in-house promotions column (thanks a lot, "Mole at DC"), but the implementation of said spoiler is still a mystery. More importantly, as you note, Dose's art looks good enough that I might not miss Kolins too badly, even though I'll be scanning the solicits for where he turns up next, and we're in definite agreement that Geoff Johns is the Man when it comes to modern-day Flash comics. Reign of the Zodiac #1 (DC) - RANDY: As I mentioned earlier, Keith Giffen has been bombing out for me a lot lately... but I hold out hope based on his quirky stuff like Vext and Heckler, and it's not really his name that is the main draw for this series as far as I'm concerned. Instead, this is a chance for Colleen Doran to shine, and with her profile raised by the impressive Orbiter, I'd love to see her finally start to get some recognition as a long-standing member of the comics community whose talent more than justifies a larger profile. DAVE: Hmm, should I let my extreme antipathy for astrology get in the way of giving this one a shot? Nah, all's fair in fiction and a good story justifies any premise. Here's the plot skinny: the planet Eidolon is a twin planet to Earth – once joined with it, even – and is ruled over by twelve Houses of the Zodiac. An arrogant young prince is called on to restore a new balance, and the solicitation promises, "warriors, nobles, knaves, heroes, damned fools, and a war that's coming to Earth... tomorrow." Actually sounds pretty interesting, and Doran’s art is always a pleasure. Wonder Woman #195 (DC) - RANDY: Remember what I said earlier about Greg Rucka? He's going to get me to read Wonder Woman, a character who I have never liked (in fairness, I haven't read the nigh-legendary Perez works... largely because DC hasn't produced any trades of them). Drew Johnson really showed off his talents on a recent G.I. Joe: Frontline, and I find myself looking forward to this a lot more than I would have expected. No small part of my expectations are due to Rucka's previous work with the character in Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia, which is offered in softcover this month as well. Solid Batman/Wonder Woman story and gorgeous J.G. Jones art on that one, I love my hardcover and would suggest anyone with an interest take a look at this more affordable version of the story. DAVE: The mythology-heavy Perez run was actually my introduction to the character, and it made me a total convert... at least until Perez left. Since then, I haven't found much to draw me back to the book, but I know the character's got untapped potential and truly deserves a spot alongside Superman and Batman as part of DC's "big Three." Rucka's one of the few writers that spring to mind as having the potential to elevate the character to that level, so here's hopin'... The Absolute Danger Girl Oversized HC (DC) - DAVE: Seventy. Five. Dollars. Madre de Dios! I actually consider J. Scott Campbell’s Danger Girl to be a pretty entertaining guilty pleasure, on the order of the Charlie’s Angels movie, but did we really need a two-volume, slipcased, hardcover of it?! Seems a bit of a stretch to me. RANDY: To me as well, and you know my love for the oversized deluxe hardcover things. Honestly, DC's hardcovers, while certainly spiffy in their production values, are pretty ludicrous and out of price-range for all but the most die-hard collectors. I can see old-school fans with disposable income dropping money on archives, or any number of people dropping money on the deluxe League, but how many people out there are going to spend $75 on Danger Girl? Had this been a $30 hardcover along the lines of Marvel's oversized editions, I might have been interested. At $75, it just seems like someone in marketing has been into the happy weed. Epicurus the Sage TP (DC/Cliffhanger) - RANDY: I know nothing about Epicurus the Sage except for the creative team and its reputation, and that's enough. Sam Kieth's work is always enjoyable, and William Messner-Loebs was one of those guys who wrote some fantastic work back in my relatively early collecting days (I would even put his Flash work alongside work by Waid and Johns as definitive stuff). Glad to see DC giving this the trade treatment so I can check it out. DAVE: When I was in college, I used to thumb through the previous print of this trade all the time at my local comic shop. Kieth's art looked fantastic and the book's tongue-in-cheek take on Greek philosophy seemed promising. Never quite got around to buying it, though, and then, one day, it was gone – sold to some other college schlub and henceforth out of print! Okay, this time I'm gonna nab it. The Maxx Book One TP (DC/Cliffhanger) - DAVE: Yes, it's finally coming back into print! This cult psychodrama was easily the best title to emerge from the early 90's launch of Image Comics. The Maxx is a trippy one, blending tales of likeably quirky characters with murder mysteries and strange, hallucinatory excursions into a fantasy land known as "The Outback." It's marked by the best art of Sam Kieth's career, and if you stick around for all thirty-five issues, why, it even comes together to make sense! Mostly. Big thumbs-up to DC for reprinting this long-sought classic for a new generation. RANDY: Yep, I'm delighted to see Maxx trades finally coming to fruition, although I would have been more interested had they hit when my interest in Keith was at an all-time height back when Zero Girl was first released. Now, with a new daughter (and resulting drop in disposable income), and the fact that I have the first twenty or so issues in my collection, I'm inclined to pass on a $17 trade. Still, it's a good thing for someone to have put back into print, and I may keep an eye out for the later volumes to see how the story eventually wound up. Wildcats Version 3.0: Brand Building TP (DC/Wildstorm) - RANDY: "Eye of the Storm" is not doing so well on the sales charts, but the buzz is growing. The announcement of this trade, following on the heels of the Stormwatch trade, gives me hope that DC is going to give these books time to find their audience. I've been anxiously awaiting this trade, finding that Casey's stories read better in collected format, but I've been reading the issues as they come out, and I know damn well that this is worth the money for anyone interested in a strange, corporate/action take on super-heroes. DAVE: I've never been much of a fan of the Wildstorm universe, but after discovering the crime series, Sleeper, which read just fine without having a shred of knowledge about Wildstorm’s history, I've been growing more and more interested in checking out Casey's offbeat take on Wildcats. Good chance I'll pick this up, and I salute DC for putting some faith in quality material that probably just needs a little more visibility to catch on. Smax #1 (DC/America's Best Comics) - RANDY: Will I pick up a trade collection of Smax? Absolutely. Would I rather see Top 10 back as an ongoing series instead? Without a doubt. For my money, Top 10 was the pinnacle of the America's Best Comics line, and reading the trades always gives me a twinge of depression when I realize we'll probably never see the ensemble drama again. Though Smax and Robin weren't my favorite characters in the series, I'll take what I can get. DAVE: I can't work up any interest in this series. Alan Moore is... well, he's ALAN MOORE!... but much of Top Ten's appeal to me stemmed from its "superhero city" setting, superhero cop drama, and the many tongue-in-cheek superhero in-jokes. In Smax, the titular character returns home for a funeral, and his home sounds like a fantasy world of elves, trolls, and the like. It just seems too removed from what made Top Ten appealing to me. RANDY: I hear what you're saying, but it occurs to me... what if Smax does for fantasy comics what Top 10 did for cop dramas? I think it's a longshot, and I'm more than likely to be disappointed by this one given how much I'd rather it was Top 10: Season Two, but the possibility for something pretty cool is there. The Sandman: Endless Nights HC (DC/Vertigo) - RANDY: I'm not a Sandman fanatic, despite really enjoying the stories and owning the trades. However, I'm definitely intrigued by Neil Gaiman returning to the characters that made his reputation, and the artist list on this one (Milo Manara? Bill Sienkiewicz? Frank Quitely?) is top-notch. What really sells me, though, are two little words: Oversized hardcover. I can wait for softcover versions of a lot of projects, but when the art and stories are almost guaranteed to be good, I don't mind forking a little over for solid production values. DAVE: Sounds very cool, though I think I can hold out for the softcover. RANDY: Nah, man, oversized hardcovers are where it's at. C'mon, remember how cool the Marvel hardcovers looked the first time we saw them? All big and full of colorful stories? And this one's all-original stories that you know are gonna be good. Say what you will, I bet you wind up picking this up when it comes in. Y: The Last Man - Cycles TP (DC/Vertigo) - DAVE: Although the stories in this second Y collection aren't quite as strong as the series' rip-roaring first arc, it's clear this book has legs, making this a must-have. As a bonus, you get a sketchbook by series' artist Pia Guerra – sweet! RANDY: Not much to add here, actually. Y: The Last Man is a must-have title, and I'm glad to see DC putting out the collections at a relatively rapid rate. Faction Paradox #1 (Image) - RANDY: Apparently, Lawrence Miles has written this political science-fiction story before, and this is an adaptation (or extension?) of that series. Hardly matters, though, because the story, about a bunch of time-traveling terrorists trying to deal with "time active" cultures reads like a Morrison idea and draws me in. While I wish we had some interior art to judge, I know that Jim Calafiore and Peter Palmiotti are usually solid at least, and sometimes better than that. DAVE: I tried to pick up a little more about the series' concept from this interview with the creator and this related website, and I'm still a little hazy on it. Interesting multimedia approach, I must admit. Feather #1 (Image) - RANDY: Steve Uy complained that Eden's Trail, his trainwreck of a mini-series, was interfered with by Marvel to such an extent that he basically washed his hands of it. Here's his chance to try it again, and the notion of a dragon slayer seeking a dragon to slay is neat. Also, the artwork looks pretty nice. DAVE: Eden's Trail slipped completely past my radar, so I can't evaluate it one way or the other. I did flip through an issue or two, though – enough to see that Uy's a definite artistic talent. Based on the premise of Feather and the lush preview art, I'm fairly interested to see how the series pans out. G.I. Joe #21 (Image) - DAVE: I'm approaching this homage to the famed "all silent" issue of the original series with both enthusiasm and trepidation. The enthusiasm's largely because the book will be drawn by Mike Zeck, one of Marvel's best pencillers of the 80's, seen all too infrequently in recent years. Also, the 80's issue that inspired this – both written and drawn by Larry Hama – was legitimately brilliant. My trepidation comes from the fact that the current G.I. Joe relaunch has failed to live up to Hama's standards, and really, does the homage have to be another showdown between Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow? For Zeck's interior art, I'll gamble on this issue. RANDY: Well, silent stories do work pretty well for a fight between two laconic ninjas, so I can't complain too much about the subject matter. Like you, I have a little trepidation given that the G.I. Joe series has mostly disappointed me, but Mike Zeck is a horrendously under-appreciated and under-utilized talent, and I think at the very least this one is going to be a feast for the eyes. Hawaiian Dick TP Vol. 1: Byrd of Paradise (Image) - DAVE: I was a big fan of the "tropical noir" of the Hawaiian Dick miniseries, and I'm all too happy to see it collected. Based on the solicitation, it also sounds like this will be a trade that's pretty jam-packed with goodies, from concept art to unpublished promotional strips to drink recipes. Well worth your time. RANDY: I think all trade paperbacks should come with drink recipes. Or perhaps a bottle of alcohol that fits thematically into the book. Cinnamon: El Ciclo Schnapps? A tankard of mead with Thor? Enough tequila to make the Truth entertaining? It's an untapped promotional gold mine. At any rate, I'm right there with you on Hawaiian Dick... I've got the mini-series and have all the promotional strips saved on my computer, but the temptation of having it all collected into one tasty package is hard to pass up. Hedge Knight #1 (Image) - RANDY: I've never read George R.R. Martin's fantasy novels, but I did love the Wild Cards novels that he helped orchestrate. At any rate, I've heard some people excited about this because they like the novels, and it's good to see somebody else trying to give Crossgen a run for their money as the full-color fantasy guys in the comics business today. DAVE: I recently read the first book in Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series - A Game of Thrones - and was impressed with its smart, dark-edged take on a genre that's too often riddled with heroic cliches. It didn't, however, strike me as a series in need of or suited for a comic book prelude. We shall see. Whiskey Dickel, International Cowgirl (Image) - RANDY: Given how much I enjoyed his beatnik crime graphic novel Nowheresville, Mark Ricketts had earned a free pass from me for his next work, and art by Mike (Three Days in Europe) Hawthorne seals the deal. For the skeptical, though, I feel I should mention what the solicitation doesn't: the guest stars. They include Jill Thompson, Will Pfeifer, Mike Avon Oeming, Brian Bendis, David Mack, Scott Morse, Geoff Johns, Steve Lieber, P. Craig Russell, Phil Hester, Guy Davis and any number of other creators whose names you know. This will be a fun book, trust me on this one. DAVE: Reads the promo copy: "Rodeo Queen. Astronaut. Diplomat. Movie Star. International Cowgirl. That's Ms. Whiskey Dickel!" Oooookay. For weirdness factor and the A-list of talented guest-stars, I'll give this wonky graphic novel a look-see. Witchblade Animated (Image) - DAVE: What's the proper analogy for this Frankstein's monster of a mini-series? How about "steak with a hand grenade in it?" The "steak" is writing by Paul "Batman: The Animated Series" Dini and art by Darwyn "Catwoman" Cooke. The "hand grenade" is the Witchblade subject matter, and even the juicy, medium-rare enticements of Dini and Cooke can't make that palatable to me. But, man, that steak looks good! RANDY: I look at this and all I see is a tremendous waste of talent. Dini, Cooke and J. Bone are all folks I will follow to just about anything, but... an "animated" version of Witchblade just seems kind of stupid. I can't get into most of Top Cow's concepts, no matter who the talent are, so mostly I see this as a waste of valuable time for folks who really don't have that much free time to create comics. Selfish, maybe, but I don't think most of the Witchblade fans are looking for these creators anyway, they just want to see the ass-kicking babe in magic butt floss do her thing. Supreme Power #1 (Marvel/MAX) - DAVE: As much as I loved J. Michael Straczynski's work on Midnight Nation (and respected, but ignored his Rising Stars because of its sub-par art), I have no interest at all in this outing. It's a sort of Marvel MAX update of the classic 80's miniseries, Squadron Supreme, a tale which, in its day, paved the way for such realistic takes on superheroes as Marvels, Kingdom Come, and, yes, Straczynski's as-yet-unfinished Rising Stars. Not only am I burned out on the "deconstructionist superheroes" sub-genre, but I find it bizarre to have an update of a Marvel series whose characters actually began as analogs of DC's Justice League cast(!). Very incestuous. I predict this is gonna go over well with readers, though, as there seems to be an appetite for such material these days, and Gary Frank's art never looks bad. RANDY: You're the bigger Straczynski fan these days (I loved Babylon 5 and Midnight Nation, but most of his comic work has left me lukewarm or downright cold), but I've found a little bit of interest in this book. Learning that it's going to start before the Squadron Supreme story by Mark Gruenwald, exploring the origins of these characters, both intrigues me and worries me. Is this going to be simply a wink-and-nod heavy look at "DC Year One?" Or will Straczynski and Frank flesh these characters out enough that we forget they started as a gag between two companies? Whatever the case, two big names and the MAX imprint pretty much guarantee big sales and mainstream press for this book. Also worth noting that there's a "Special Edition," featuring sketches, discussion of the material and other DVD-style extras that I know you and I both love, although it's two bucks more expensive than the regular format, not quite the deal that the Fantastic Four #500 Special Edition is. Daredevil #50 (Marvel/Marvel Knights) - DAVE: Bendis simultaneously wows me and bores me with this series, but I haven't missed an issue yet. Issue #50 has guest-art cameos from the best artists ever to draw ol' Hornhead, including John Romita Jr. and Sr., Klaus Janson, Lee Weeks, and the mighty Gene Colan. What's interesting is that while I like every one of those artists better than series' regular, Alex Maleev, I have no idea whether their art styles will mesh with Bendis's writing the way Maleev's does. Should be interesting. RANDY: I'm a huge fan of this series these days, and "Hardcore" parts one and two have really gotten me interested, so I'm pretty psyched by this all-star art line-up for the 50th issue. Leaving aside that the names you named are favorites of mine (especially Weeks and Colan), I'm just anxious to see where the story goes next. And even more anxious to find out if we're going to get another hardcover of the series anytime soon. 1602 #1 (Marvel) - RANDY: Wow, two Neil Gaiman projects in the same month after a long absence from comics. However, while we know what Endless Nights is about, this one's a complete mystery. Given that I thought Origin was fairly pretentious and not terribly good, I'm worried that this is being promoted in the same way, but I know that Neil Gaiman will serve up an interesting story and I actually thought Kubert's digitally-inked work on Origin was the high point of that particular story. Color me intrigued, at least. DAVE: Sorry, but 1602 is so secretive and mysterious that I'm afraid to even guess about it for fear of assassination at the hands of a secret cabal of Marvel editors and Illuminati cultists. Let's move on. Aw, screw it – fan gossip has it that 1602 is sort of a medieval spin on the Marvel Universe! Could be total B.S., and it's certainly not a new concept, but Gaiman might be one of the few creators who could make it work. Now please don't kill me, Marvel. Gun Theory #1 (Marvel/Epic) - RANDY: Daniel Way is one of those guys who I want to like more than I actually have so far, as he's been saddled with characters I don't care for (Venom and Wolverine). This one, a creator-owned series in the crime genre, sounds much more up my alley, and after reading the Newsarama article, I get the sense that it's both a personal project (always a plus) and one that examines crime on a thematic level rather than just doing a riff on Reservoir Dogs or The Usual Suspects. DAVE: These creators are new to me, but I like this concept a lot. In fact, it sounds like the kind of thing I was hoping for from Marvel MAX before it became obvious that that imprint was as beholden to superheroes as the mainline Marvel Universe. I'm also impressed with the tough, unflinching art in that preview. Looks good! Agent X #13 (Marvel) - DAVE: Who can fathom the strange circumstances that led Gail Simone to depart from her very entertaining run on Agent X initially? What's important is that she's back and she's got the talented Udon studios with her. The solicitation describes this as part one of a three-part series finale, but given all the smoke and mirrors surrounding this title, I half expect it to continue somehow... which would suit me just fine. RANDY: Trade. Trade. Trade. Trade. Trade. Trade. Hmm, what, sorry? I was just channeling all my energies that now that Marvel has made their choice between editor or creator (and good, if belated, call here, guys), maybe we can finally get free from all the Office Wars (TM) and get a damn trade of all of Gail's Deadpool and Agent X stuff out there. At any rate, Agent X was building up momentum and getting better and better before it was cut short, and here's hoping Dave's prediction of a continuation for the title in the long run comes to pass. Either way, this three-part story by the original Agent X creative team is sure to be a lot of fun. Essential Human Torch TP (Marvel) - RANDY: Not since Essential Ant-Man has a title seemed like such a contradiction in terms. At any rate, it turns out that Johnny Storm had his own ongoing before Karl Kesel and Skottie Young took their shot, and Marvel is collecting this. While the Essential Tomb of Dracula remains on the MIA list. DAVE: Randy, you are gonna eat your words when you thrill to the Human Torch fighting the likes of Paste-Pot Pete, Plantman, and the Asbestos Man! Oy vey! Hey, it is Jack Kirby art, and reprinting that can never be a bad thing, but your mention of Essential Tomb of Dracula brings tears to my eyes. I love that material! Marvel, I'm beggin' ya - get over the whole Marv Wolfman lawsuit and get that bad boy back into print. That's it for this installment of Down the Line. Be sure and come back next time for part two, where we take a look at the rest of the Previews catalog, which includes tales from the deep South, the Moon, a seaside village in Okinawa, the Late Cretaceous Era and the realm of video games. Email Randy Lander comments about this review.