Down The Line - Previews review for September 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 July previews for comics due to ship out in September 2003. Pre-ordering is your friend. If there's stuff you want in September, letting your retailer know before the end of July is the best way to make sure you get it. Joining me on bass and beatback vocals once again is Dave Farabee, friend, comic-book store manager, comic-book aficionado and winner of the coveted "golden balls" award for juggling, 1977. DAVE: And that award even gave me my longstanding nickname! You did leave off one credential though, Randy: proud owner of the entire run of Jim Shooter's Warriors of Plasm. With that in mind, let's get this party started with that book's rousing clarion call: "More gore for the Org!" 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. They're sporadic and often deeply mean, but always fun reading. 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 Friday. BIG FOUR PICKS OF THE MONTH: New X-Men Vol. 2 HC (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: There are those who complain that Marvel is too quick on their turnaround from serials to collection. I say that these people are crazy in the head. The faster the trades are released, the faster we get gems like this one: An oversized trade containing art from a variety of impressive creators working on Grant Morrison's New X-Men, which is one of my favorite books running at the moment. Part of the reason I'm hyped for this is that it's a confirmation of sorts that there will be more hardcover collections of New X-Men, and I wasn't mistaken to wait for this format. Part of it is that I'm really happy with New X-Men right now, and so I'm anxious to reread some of the earlier stories again. Most of it is that there's a lot of talent in these pages, and I know how good the Marvel hardcovers tend to look. DAVE: I've only just begun the conversion from monthly comics to trades, so I'm not used to these waiting pangs, and it's all the worse for these bitchin' hardcovers. Glad I held out, though. Kordey, Quitely, Jimenez - this may be the only book where I've ever been happy with all the artistic juggling, and it's just gonna look that much better in an oversized package. Heh. "Oversized package." Fables: The Last Castle (DC Comics/Vertigo imprint) - DAVE: At last a double-sized special worthy of note! Fables: The Last Castle is a 48-page one shot that reveals the specifics of the violent war that deposed the series' fairy tale characters from their homelands. Bill Willingham writes, P. Craig Russell and Craig Hamilton draw (I call 'em "Team Craig"), and I can say with total confidence that we'll once again see why this fledgling series has already garnered four Eisner Award nominations. And it's got Robin Hood! RANDY: While it's really just part of the setup, I can't deny being very curious about the war with The Adversary that forced the Fables into "our" world, and this has a creative team that can't be beat. The similar-format Lucifer: Nirvana one-shot was excellent, and I expect this will also live up to the high standards of its spinoff series and provide regular readers with an extra dose of Fables in September. Halloween Specials (Archie Comics/Marvel Comics) - RANDY: Something kind of cool in the Previews this month, which is ashcan sized comics that comic shops can order in bundles. Archie Comics has been doing this for a couple years, but Marvel has gotten in on the action as well, with reprints of Chris Giarruso's Mini-Marvels stories. Not only are the Mini-Marvels funny for adults, they've been highly popular with the kids at my local shop. If you're inclined to give out comics for Halloween this year, ask your retailer if he or she can order you a bundle or two of these. At about three or four dollars for 25 copies, it's a pretty good deal. Lone #1 (Dark Horse Comics) - RANDY: I have the benefit of having read this in black and white format already, and in fact I've already been quoted on the book. I don't think I can sum it up any better this time around, so I'm just going to repeat the quote here: "Moore has got all the ingredients of a successful story, including creepy and misunderstood technology, mutants and a shady, tough protagonist who has humanity that many of the survivors (of this genre) lack." Worth your time, and it looks to be the standout amongst the Rocket Comics line as far as I'm concerned. DAVE: Well I haven't read a preview like Mr. Bigshot here who lights his cigars with all the preview copies he gets, but I do know that at least in concept, this book pushes some of my favorite genre buttons: Weird West! Post-Apocalypse! Zombies! Preview art looks good too, so I'll give it a go. B.P.R.D.: Night Train (Dark Horse Comics) - DAVE: Featuring the Flash creative team of Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins, a shared spotlight between firestarter Liz Sherman and Roger the Homunculus, and a spooky choo-choo train running amok in America, this sounds like nothing but cool. RANDY: Loving these B.P.R.D. one-shots, especially since the hit list of creators reads like a rundown of some of my personal favorites. Johns and Kolins have a great synergy as seen in the Flash, and I'm interested to see them working on something a little less super-hero. Violent Cases TP (Dark Horse Comics) - DAVE: It's embarrassing that I've never read this seminal (and generally out-of-print) work by Neil Gaiman and Dave "I painted all'a them Sandman covers" McKean, but lemme alone - I'll read it this time. Described as "an exploration of violence and the failings of memory," the story revolves around a young boy with a dislocated arm who visits an osteopath who was once Al Capone's doctor. Sounds...fun? RANDY: I have a copy of this sitting around the house somewhere, but haven't ever read it. At any rate, it's one of those projects you hear people raving about, and it's Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean work hitting shelves again in the wake of a new Sandman project, so I expect it will do quite well. Will Eisner Sketchbook HC (Dark Horse Comics) - RANDY: At $50, this book falls into that archival category, which for me means it also falls into that "if I had a million dollars" category. Much like the Batman Illustrated by Neal Adams hardcovers, I'm very tempted by what is sure to be a deluxe compilation of work from one of the industry legends who I have a fondness for, but I think I'll wind up passing it up unless I fall backwards into some money. Or rob a bank. Berserk Volume 1: The Black Swordsman TP (Dark Horse Comics) - DAVE: I can never know from the premise alone if a particular manga's going to appeal to me, but I did flip through several untranslated volumes of Berserk once, and I remember that at the very least, the art was astonishing. Reminded me of Miyazaki's Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind. Beyond that, I know it's a swords and sorcery epic with enough sex and violence that Dark Horse is shipping it in shrink wrap. Doubtless worth a look as we await Kurt Busiek's new Conan series. RANDY: Dark Horse editorial has pretty good instincts when it comes to manga, and while I don't think it will be my particular cup of tea, those who have enjoyed delights ranging from Blade of the Immortal to Lone Wolf and Cub will probably want to give this new translation of a long-awaited manga a look. Batman: Bruce Wayne - Fugitive Vol. 3 TP (DC Comics) - DAVE: Man o man, did this storyline beat me down with its meandering, relentless length, AND YET... I must confess that it hit some truly high points along the way, most notably the Ed Brubaker-penned story that marked the beginning of Batman's return to sanity. That should appear in this volume along with the admittedly rousing conclusion. Worth it if you like these kinds of epics. RANDY: Actually, I think the story you mention is in volume two. This is mostly follow-up stuff with Batman preventing Cain from being assassinated and follow-up on what happened to Sasha Bordeaux, which did seem like pretty big hanging threads. DAVE: Yow! I just checked and the story I was thinking of actually took place in volume one! Long story. Veeeeeeeery long story. RANDY: The real item of interest here are new afterwords by Rucka and Brubaker, sort of an overview of the event from the two writers who mostly orchestrated it. I'll be interested to see if either one of them thinks the story ran too long, as you and I both do. Batman: Black and White Vol. 2 TP (DC Comics) - RANDY: When this came out, collecting not only the Gotham Knights black and white backups but some new ones, I said that I'd probably wind up waiting for the softcover version. Just under a year later, they're releasing the softcover, and with the long list of talent doing stories, I haven't wavered on my decision to pick it up when it hits the shelves. DAVE: Wish the stories weren't so lightweight, but for the sheer artistic diversity - from Alex Ross to Tim Sale to Rich Corben to Paul Pope - it's worth it. Batman's one of those characters that can be drawn a hundred different ways and look great in every one of 'em. Catwoman #23 (DC Comics) - DAVE: I love the premise behind this latest arc - Selina Kyle and gal-pal Holly road-tripping through DC's fictional cities - and I'll certainly be on the watch for this particular ish. The destination this time: Opal City, home to one of my favorite heroes of the 90's - Starman! If Jack Knight doesn't show I'm gonna be sad. RANDY: I'd love to see Jack, but there's so much to see in Opal City that I don't think there will be any call for alarm if the resident retired super-hero doesn't make the scene. At any rate, I've been jazzed about this book anyway thanks to the creative team, but the added bonus of a road trip through DC's fictional cities has me awaiting each issue even more. Gotham Central #11 (DC Comics) - DAVE: Here's a "day in the life" story that sounds interesting, the subject being Stacy, the cute civilian who's the only person in Gotham City allowed to activate the bat signal. Should be a fun break from the book's straight-up procedural approach, and did I mention she's cute? RANDY: You mean cute in a pen and ink kind of way, not a "I've been writing her love letters" kind of way, right, Dave? DAVE: I don't need to write Stacy love letters. She knows I'm her man. RANDY: At any rate, in addition to being notable as a standalone issue of a book you all should try out if you aren't already reading it, this one features art from Brian Hurtt, artist on Oni's Queen & Country, Skinwalker and Three Strikes. The guy is good, and I suspect this won't be his last mainstream appearance. Superman: Blood of My Ancestors (DC Comics) - RANDY: This book may well be cursed, since it was the last book that both Gil Kane and John Buscema worked on. However, given that it has artwork by Kane and Buscema, I'm willing to risk the curse in order to take a look. I'm not entirely sure about the premise, but it does look more out there than your usual Elseworlds, and if nothing else the curiosity about whether or not three artists with very different styles can present a beautiful finished book or a Frankenstein's monster of mismatched art will have me flipping through the pages. DAVE: Out of fear of being haunted, I'll keep my disinterest to myself. No doubting the individual abilities of the giants involved, though. The Demon: Driven Out #1 (DC Comics) - RANDY: This is either going to be really fun or spectacularly bad, and I don't see much middle ground. Bonding the demon with the dangerously trendy "hot Yakuza girl street racer" could wind up being a mixture of the fun elements of Fast and the Furious and the Demon Etrigan's more extreme tendencies, or it could read as an unintended parody of what happens when creators try to tap into that "extreme" subculture. Joshua Dysart has written Violent Messiahs, which I like, but Pop Mhan has rarely done any work that has impressed me. This is a toss-up, but I'm strangely drawn to it because of the potential for it being a new take on a character who has never really resonated with me. DAVE: Were it a permanent change, I'd be wary. For a six issue series, could be fun. Here's hopin' the Demon belts out some J-Pop at a karaoke bar. iCandy #1 (DC Comics) - RANDY: If I had a nickel for every bad "trapped in a videogame" type concept I've read or seen, I'd have a whole lot of nickels. The concept on this one, about a boy and a videogame escapee who may or may not be his sister, left me lukewarm, but I warmed up fast to the names Abnett & Lanning (hit and miss, but currently very good over on Legion) and even faster to the preview artwork by newcomer Kalman Andrasofszky. DAVE: Outside of Devin Grayson's underrated User for Vertigo, which every former Everquest player should read, I actually can't think of a single time I've seen this concept brought to bear in comic book form. I dunno - did Arcade ever trap the X-Men in a deadly game of Dig Dug or anything? Anyway, I'm interested. Looks fun. JLA-Z #1 (DC Comics) - DAVE: It's the first of a three-part guidebook that dishes all the dirt there is to know on DC's premiere superteam, timed to coincide with the big JLA/Avengers hoopla. In lieu of a new Who's Who guide, this might be worth picking up, especially if the art's good. Jim Lee, Scott Kolins, and Scott McDaniel are among the luminaries. RANDY: You and I both have a fondness for the old school Handbook of the Marvel Universe and DC Who's Who, and I think we've both been pretty disappointed by half-measures like the Secret Files or Marvel's Encyclopedias. This still isn't quite what I want, but three issues with such big name artists and that spectacular Jimenez cover certainly has me hopeful that it could be a model for future encyclopedia type mini-series exploring other aspects of the DCU. DAVE: I like paper as much as the next guy, but I really wonder if it's not time to sell these superhero encyclopedias on CD-Roms, then charge a few bucks each year for updates. RANDY: Preach it, brother. An updatable super-hero database would rock, and though we already have sort of the same kind of thing with fan sites on the web anyway, it'd be nice to have one that was professionally done with new images and that kind of thing. Hell, I might even drop the money for a copy of the super-sucky Marvel Encyclopedia format if they'd put it on an upgradable CD-ROM. The Legion #24 (DC Comics) - RANDY: Coming off the so-far very impressive "Dream Crime" story, this is a one-shot issue featuring art by Legion fan-favorite Steve Lightle. I must confess that a solo shot for Umbra doesn't really fill me with glee, as the character is one of my less favorite ones in the Legion, but I am interested to see Lightle back in these pages. A good chance for those who have been hearing the Legion buzz to check out the book. Wonder Woman #196 (DC Comics) - RANDY: I know we mentioned the Rucka/Johnson Wonder Woman last month, but this is the start of the first big storyline. More to the point, now that I've seen a couple of the previews on Pulse and Newsarama, I have a better sense of what's going to happen in these pages, and I find myself looking forward to Wonder Woman. For the first time... well, ever. DAVE: I'm a big fan of Perez's run on the character - it's really the only time I've ever been into the whole Wonder Woman thang - but yeah, man, those previews really impressed me, too. I really want this to pan out, because I know the character's got potential to pull her weight alongside Batman and Superman among DC's "Big Three." Elfquest: Wolfrider Vol. 1 TP (DC Comics) - DAVE: Last month, an Elfquest book was my pick of the month. This time, I must confess disappointment. I'd been hoping DC would first reprint all the core Elfquest material from series creators Richard and Wendy Pini before getting to the books later work-for-hire stuff, but it appears that at least the softcover reprints will be organized chronologically for the characters. That means we'll be getting Elfquest stories like Wolfrider, written and drawn by a host of creators who filled out the Elfquest history after the main saga was written. No slight to those involved, but I just don't see those stories as the strength of the series. RANDY: As we learned last month, I'm no elf-lover, but even I know that the way to go in bringing these back to print was to go with the Pinis' stuff first. The chronological approach isn't completely insane, given the weird "16b" and "16c" type numbering that plagues the previous Elfquest graphic novels, but this isn't exactly putting your best foot forward either. However, it does seem worth noting that I think the black and white manga-sized trades are a great format to reintroduce Elfquest to a new audience, even if most of the fans I've talked to would have preferred to see color versions back in print (and not in expensive hardcover archive format). The Powerpuff Girls TP (DC Comics) - RANDY: Can't remember the last time I was so excited for something I have no intention of reading or even looking at. But finally, DC Comics is putting out trade paperbacks of Powerpuff Girls, one of those comics that magically appeals to younger readers (and even better, younger girls). Even better, they're full-color, cheap ($6.95) and digest-sized. Now if only DC would spring for the extra bucks and rack them alongside the Archie digests in supermarkets, I bet they'd see a pretty massive return on investment. DAVE: Amen, brother. It's the big step that no one can seem to pull off, but I think it's the one that could set funnybooks on the road to mass media once again. 100 Bullets: Six Feet Under the Gun TP (DC Comics/Vertigo imprint) - RANDY: With the slowdown in 100 Bullets issues, this trade of the assorted character focus issues puts 100 Bullets on the closest trade to issue schedule of any DC book. If you really want, you can pick this trade up and probably jump right onto the book and only have to find about two or three issues to be caught up. Or you can do what I've been doing and wait for the trades, which is how the series really reads best anyway. At any rate, this is another collection of a great series. Capes #1 (Image Comics) - RANDY: Super-heroes working for a living. It's not a concept that's never been done before, but there's still life in the old girl, and Robert Kirkman is probably the guy to find it. He's done interesting things with the notion of heroic legacies in Invincible, mysterious alien power devices and teen heroics in Tech Jacket and, uh, post-apocalyptic religious ass-kickers in Battle Pope. The latter is what really has me interested, because I think Kirkman has some crazy creativity and when he's on, I really enjoy his stuff. David and Goliath #1 (Image Comics) - DAVE: Take the classic "kids adventure" genre, throw in Nazi bad guys and a magical flying lion, and you've either got a mess or something pretty dang cool. The preview art, at least, has me hoping for the latter. It has the appealingly cartoony look of movies like The Iron Giant, and the snazzy magical lion looks like just the kind of hulking mobster I'd like to see shredding Nazis like Swiss cheese. RANDY: I was a little wary of the book, but I checked out the five-page preview over at the Image site and I'm a lot more interested. You're right, the cartoony artwork is really nice to look at. Genesis: The Art of the Transformers #1 (Image Comics) - DAVE: When I was a kid, I was fascinated with the sleek, airbrushed art on the packaging of the Transformers toys my parents indulged me with. I even wrote to Hasbro once, asking if they could mail me copies of any of their production art. I'm still waiting on a response, you corporate bastards! *Ahem* In the meantime, however, this 128-page hardcover might do the trick. The big question: do I still have thirty bucks worth of nostalgia in me after the recent 80's glut? We'll see. RANDY: Nah, the big question is, given that this is the third solicitation from a second company, will this book ever actually be printed? My money is on "yes, eventually" but I'll be stunned if it actually makes a September ship date. I'm more expecting it in 2004. Hawaiian Dick: The Last Resort #1 (Image Comics) - DAVE: The first Hawaiian Dick mini was one of the most pleasant surprises of the year for me, so I'm primed and ready for more tropical-noir action in the same tradition. It's a little lightweight, but I still love the "Hawaiian X-Files" vibe, the colorful characters, and the lush artwork of Steven Griffin. Newcomers should buy the pending trade of the first one, then jump onboard for "The Last Resort." RANDY: I'm thrilled to see this book back for another go-round so soon. It really is a unique gem in the market, with a weird but fun high concept, great characters and stunning artwork. This is one of those books I would put in the hands of every single comic reader if I could. Heaven's Devils #1 (Image Comics) - RANDY: Jai Nitz, writer on this one, won a Xeric grant, which is always a pretty good indicator of talent. This sounds like a southwestern flavored crime book, which is right up my alley, but something in the visuals and the title make me suspect there are some supernatural elements involved as well. Fortunately, I'm just as intrigued by those elements in this context too. Oxido #1 (Image Comics) - RANDY: Oxido has several things going for it: Pablo Raimondi's artwork on his last few Marvel projects has been fantastic. Larry Hama still has a place in my heart thanks to his work on G.I. Joe and some Wolverine, despite my distaste for almost everything else he's written. And the concept sounds right up his alley, mixing the military and squad-level stories he did so well in G.I. Joe with an outer space setting. I'm thinking this one could be pretty good, and might surprise a lot of folks who have written Hama off as a has-been. DAVE: Sounds a little like a more "high adventure" take on Marvel's classic Alien Legion series of the 80's. Since I was a fan of that book, and Hama's G.I. Joe to boot, this one looks like potential fun. Street Fighter #1 (Image Comics) - DAVE: The cynic in me doesn't expect much from a comic based on a fighting video game. The video game player in me tells the cynic in me to shut the hell up and give it a chance. Preview art looks excellent, and what's more, there's actually a precedent for an entertaining fighting-game-based comic: Battle Gods by Francisco Ruiz Velasco. RANDY: I'm in a very similar position here, right down to my love of Battle Gods giving me hope for this book. I also have a fondness for the Mortal Kombat movie and remember seeing a Street Fighter comic from Viz in the 90s that was reasonably well done, so I think there's story potential in these videogame characters. Call me a nostalgia whore if you must, but I'm actually kind of looking forward to this one. DAVE: Nostalgia whore. RANDY: Elf lover. Wildguard: Casting Call #1 (Image Comics) - RANDY: Funny thing, I've been running a "reality show super-heroes" campaign for Champions, so I obviously thought there was potential in this kind of setup. Todd Nauck is untested as a writer for me, which makes me a bit wary, but he's letting fans vote on who makes the cut of the team, which seems right in line with the fun nature of the concept and brings back pleasant memories of Legion leader elections and things like that. DAVE: You get to vote the superheroes off the island?! Okay, now that's cool, but can they pull it off with panache? Rising Stars: Untouchable #1 (Image Comics/Top Cow) - RANDY: Does it seem at all odd to you that Top Cow is spinning off a variety of stories from Rising Stars when they're having a contract dispute with the original writer that prevents them from publishing the finale of the series? DAVE: Yes. Yes it does. I'm also kinda weirded out by the fact that the Rising Stars setting is being farmed out to non-Straczynski creators before the core story wraps. I'm just glad Midnight Nation concluded... RANDY: At least until we get Midnight Nation: Laurel's Story, a six-part saga telling what happened to Laurel between the panels of Midnight Nation #11. DAVE: AWESOME! JLA/Avengers #1 (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: This has been such a long-dreamed-of and highly-hyped project that there's really no way it's not going to disappoint on some level. At least, that's what I'm trying to tell myself, so I don't go in with too high expectations. But Busiek's promise of appearances by a variety of Avengers and JLA members combined with his history of knowing the ins and outs of both Marvel and DC continuity, not to mention the gorgeous artwork by George Perez, has me pretty excited for this one. DAVE: What scares me is that George Perez has made it clear that he plans to outdo Crisis On Infinite Earths as far as detail and character count, and I'm nervous that this series will feel more like an attempt to break records than a tightly-paced clash of the titans. Still, Busiek knows his Avengers, and that Perez kid can draw, so maybe they'll come through. Just got me a bad feeling... Avengers #72 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: By the time this issue hits, Scott Kolins will have concluded his amazing run on The Flash, but he's due at least one more collaboration with Geoff Johns beginning with this issue of Avengers. It's a four-part story, too, so plenty of Kolins to go around. RANDY: I talked about the Johns/Kolins synergy above, and I expect nothing short of great things from their run on Avengers. Johns is also working with his former JSA partner Steve Sadowski on an Avengers issue this month, so I think we can expect some really solid Avengers art as a whole in September. Ultimate Six #1 (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: I like Mark Millar, but I'm glad to see that Brian Bendis seems to have taken over as the guiding force of the Ultimate universe, writing the two main titles as well as this spin-off title. This one introduces Spidey to the Ultimates, and I'm curious to see Bendis handle that team. I'm also curious to learn who the other members of this Sinister Six in the Ultimate universe are, and to see how the villain team setup works in the Ultimate universe, since we really haven't seen that kind of thing outside of the cultish Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. And Trevor Hairsine's artwork looks terrific. DAVE: I'm off of The Ultimates these days, but that doesn't mean I won't be curious to see Bendis's spin on the team. And, yes, Hairsine's stuff is good enough that slowpoke Bryan Hitch might want to watch his back. X-Statix #13 & 14 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: An iconoclastic, acidic bid for relevance, or just a case of obnoxious bad taste? U-Decide, gentle reader, as the deceased Princess Di is resurrected in the pages of X-Statix for good-time superhero adventure. With ad copy that describes the team protecting her from "mutant Euro-trash dead-set on sending her back where she came from," I think I know where I'll cast my vote. If Peter Milligan can somehow write his way out of this PR deathtrap, he'll probably deserve an Eisner. RANDY: I don't know... Maybe I'm just hard to offend, but I honestly can't really get my dander up about Princess Di appearing in X-Statix. I still like this book, but it feels like it's slowly running out of gas, maybe it was a concept that just had a limited lifespan. The thing is, though, whether you love or hate this take (or, like me, if you're kind of apathetic), it's likely to be well-written and well-drawn given that Milligan and Allred are still onboard. As long as they're still interested, I don't think I can completely write the book off. Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 3 HC (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: Everything I said about the New X-Men hardcover up top goes for this one too. The two story arcs collected in this hardcover are some of my favorites in the series so far, and I'm really enjoying the series currently, so I'm glad to see another hardcover so quickly. And Bagley's art is impressive at this larger size. The Call & Thunderbolts TP (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: These two series, which sold so poorly that they were dead on arrival, are getting collections for posterity. Meanwhile, a stunning amount of Marvel's back catalog containing classic material remains out of print. Any thoughts? DAVE: A few: Roger Stern's Avengers, Byrne's Fantastic Four, Wolfman and Colan's Tomb of Dracula, and what the hell, Rom the Spaceknight. All material I'd like to see reprinted before The Call and Thunderbolts. RANDY: But we do have most of the Chuck Austen oeuvre in print... and what about Bill Jemas's magnum opus Marville? That's got a trade too. There's only so much Marvel can reprint! And on that note, 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 work from big names like B. Krigstein, George Perez, Gil Kane, Alex Ross, Alan Moore, Winsor McKay, Ray Bradbury and Franz Kafka, not to mention three big-time book publishers making a splash in the comics industry. Email Randy Lander comments about this review.