Down The Line - Previews review for October 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 August Previews for comics due to ship out in October. Pre-ordering is your friend. If there's stuff you want in October, letting your retailer know before the end of August is the best way to make sure you get it. Ah, the post San Diego Con buzz. My love for comics rejuvenated by first-hand encounters with the positive side of the industry, even the deathly heat and stench of the convention center or my return to my ever-depressing job on the front lines of comics retail can't completely bring me down. But can the onerous chore of wading through Previews drag me back to my old, cynical self? Stick around and find out! DAVE: Stan Lee he ain't. 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: JLA #107 (DC Comics) - RANDY: Yeah, I'm kind of surprised this is my pick, too. I'd kind of written off JLA a while back, and for it to be my pick out of everything available says something about the place I'm at in my head right now. That place is looking for classic, fun superheroes from DC and Marvel's big guns, and I know that Kurt Busiek is going to deliver on that score. I was also a huge fan of JLA/Avengers, and if that's the general tone Busiek is going to adopt (although hopefully with a little bit less in the way of giant crowd scenes), then I'll be pretty happy with his JLA. I'm a little more wary about Ron Garney, because a lot of his work these days hasn't been to my taste, but I have also seen him do work that just knocked my socks off, most notably in the first Waid/Garney Captain America run, so I'm holding out hope here. With the Avengers being "disassembled" and the '70s era League being paraded through rape and murder, I'm looking to Busiek, Garney and the rest to give me that monthly jolt of fun team superheroics, without going too retro, in JLA. (page 79) DAVE: I think this one's gonna be fun, too, especially with the promise of The Crime Syndicate of Amerika. Have we seen 'em since Grant Morrison's Earth 2? Beats me, I just know they're cool. DAVE'S PICK OF THE MONTH: Sandman Mystery Theatre Vol. 2: The Face and The Brute TPB (DC Comics/Vertigo) - Sandman Mystery Theatre is one of those books that everyone who's ever read it damn well knows is great, so I couldn't be happier to see Vertigo giving it its second chance in trade paperback form. For the newcomers, this book is essentially R-rated pulp adventure featuring the creepy-cool Golden Age Sandman in his gasmask and fedora. Writer Matt Wagner (Grendel) told unflinching crime stories revealing the hidden evils we tend to forget when we think of the early 20th century as a more innocent era. Throughout, it was backed by some of the best artists in the biz, most notably Guy Davis. Also featured one of the best relationships in comics in Wesley Dodds and Dian Belmont. Nothing but the highest praise here, and note that volume one of the series is being re-issued the same day as volume two is released. I tip my fedora to DC/Vertigo. (page 116) RANDY: I already own every issue of Sandman Mystery Theatre, including the annual, and I will still be buying these trades. This is a series that deserves to be collected and permanently available; in fact it deserved to have this long ago. Dave has outlined the reasons why you would enjoy these trades if you picked them up, so let me come in with the hard sell: If sales on these volumes aren't good enough, DC might waver and not finish up the series (ala the Hitman trades). If that happens, I may have to murder someone. Now, I don't live anywhere near you, so it's unlikely to be you, but it might be some nice nun who only wants to feed the homeless and clothe the children. And do you want that on your conscience? Hungry homeless and naked children? Huh? What kind of monster are you? Psst... Dave... too much with the hard sell? DAVE: No. Why do you ask? 8-9-3 #1 (Automaton) - RANDY: Here's what I know about 8-9-3: Jack Hsu wrote a really fun all-ages tale with Poppie's Adventures, and a yakuza assassin in Brazil is a great concept for an action miniseries in four parts. Everything else I know came from this article, which also includes some nifty previews of the art. Fans of intelligent action comics, be on the lookout for this one. (page 230) 1,000 Steps to World Domination Volume 1 GN (AIT/Planet Lar) - RANDY: Shortly after Rob Osborne won the first Isotope award for mini-comics excellence, Don and I sat down to review some of Osborne's 1,000 Steps to World Domination minicomics, and we quite liked them. Now, anyone with the unusual sense of humor to appreciate Osborne's strips (and I'll bet there's a lot of you) can check it out in non-mini-comic form, as AIT/Planet Lar puts together a collection. If you're a fan of AIT/Planet Lar's Scurvy Dogs, definitely give 1,000 Steps a look. (page 210) Arkham Asylum Anniversary Edition HC (DC Comics) - DAVE: When Arkham Asylum was first released in '89, I was sixteen and primed to enjoy a very skewed, very adult look at Batman and the psychoses of his enemies. Looking back at 30, it all seems a little misguided, but there are still enough aspects of Arkham Asylum I enjoy (including Dave McKean's stunning art) for me to consider dropping thirty bucks for this anniversary hardcover. Includes Morrison's final script with annotations, thumbnail breakdowns, and other fun stuff. (page 58) RANDY: I have Arkham Asylum in trade, and I'm not sure I've reread it since first buying lo so many years ago. Still, I remember liking it when I read it. Maybe not enough to buy a big anniversary hardcover, but enough that I can recommend this big anniversary hardcover to fans of Morrison, Batman or (ideally) both. DAVE: Recalling how much I enjoyed reading Grant Morrison's proposal for New X-Men in the first New X-Men trade, half the appeal for me is reading his annotated script. I think that might sell me on it. Arthur Suydam: Conan Sketchbook (Image Comics) - DAVE: Swords 'n' sandals fans, take note: purty Conan art from the talented Arthur Suydam. (page 129) Astro City: A Visitor's Guide (DC Comics/Wildstorm) - DAVE: We all know comic book infotainment has yet to match the high water mark of The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe ('80s version) and DC's Who's Who, but this looks like a promising one-off. As the name suggests, it's a faux visitor's guide, including restaurant recommendations, ads for local businesses, neighborhood guides, etc. And it *does* have a hero guide, with art by luninaries including George Perez, Carlos Pacheco, Michael Golden, etc. And a new 8-page story! Pretty much a must-have. (page 103) RANDY: Yep, that pretty much says it. Astro City is a rare treat these days, and I'll happily take a guide to the city, sure to be laden with fun gags as well as a loving examination of that fictional locale, as one of those occasional morsels of greatness from Busiek and friends. The Authority: Revolution #1 (DC Comics/Wildstorm) - RANDY: I had written Authority off, and hadn't seen any reason to go back to it, but Wildstorm has finally found the key to make me look again, and his name is Ed Brubaker. Brubaker has written the occasional comic that didn't wow me (mostly in the Bat-office, although he had gems even there) but his record is pretty damn solid, and his record at Wildstorm includes Sleeper, one of the best five comics I read every month. So mix in the over-the-top violence and superpowers of The Authority with a political angle, a limited 12-issue run and art by Wildcats 3.0 artists Dustin Nguyen and Richard Friend, and damn it, I'm gonna be an Authority reader again! (page 100) DAVE: I love Brubaker's work. I think the comics industry is lucky to have him. That said, I think this is a waste of his talents. I hope it succeeds, though, makes him a millionaire, and allows him to devote himself exclusively to crime comics and non-franchise material. RANDY: Amen, brother. A-frickin'-men. Bighead GN (Top Shelf Productions) - RANDY: Jeffrey Brown is an underappreciated genius. His work on Clumsy and Unlikely was painfully honest, gripping page-turner autobiography stuff, his Be A Man neatly and hilariously dissected his sensitive male persona from those two books and his mini I Am Going to Be Small was a fantastic collection of quick cartoons. Bighead is his superhero parody, and having read all of Brown's previous work plus a preview of Bighead itself in the Top Shelf Free Comic Book Day Sampler, I'm going to go ahead and predict that this may be his best (and funniest) work yet. (page 348) A Blazing World: The Unofficial Companion to the Second League of Extraordinary Gentlemen TPB (Monkeybrain) - RANDY: There are some days when I think that Jess Nevins is not a person, but some sort of experiment in super-computing. Many of those days came when I was reading his annotations for various books, which take an almost impossibly encyclopedic knowledge and fuse it with a devoted comics fan mentality to deepen the experience of some comics. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen not only benefits from this scrutiny, but almost requires it, as Nevins fills in those of us without advanced degrees in Literature on the various "Easter eggs" and hidden moments that Moore and O'Neill pack into every page. This volume collects the annotations for the second League story, and you can be damn sure I'll be putting it on my bookshelf alongside the first one. (page 382) DAVE: Same here. Nevins is awesome, and these books make ideal batthroom reading. What? It's a compliment! The Book of Ballads HC (Tor Books) - DAVE: The solicitation for this is a little vague, but it seems that this must be a reprint of Charles Vess's excellent '90s series, The Book of Ballads and Sagas. In it he dramatized classic English and Scottish ballads and folktales, many of them written for comics by the likes of Neil Gaiman, Jeff Smith, and Jane Yolen. Really terrific stuff. Lost loves, murderous highwaymen, demon lovers - all the themes that make for good, twisted musical ballads, and Vess even includes the original lyrics to the songs as bonus material, as well as a discography of modern recordings. His art ain't half bad either! (page 383) Breakdown #1 (Devil's Due) - RANDY: Devil's Due throws its hat in the razor-sharp ring of superhero comics, seemingly uncaring that the ring is filled with the skeletons of the Ultraverse, Dark Horse's Comics Greatest World and about four different flavors of Valiant. Personally, I don't know that I give the line as a whole much of a chance, but I am intrigued by Breakdown, largely because it features writing by Chuck Dixon, who is generally at least solid if not better, and the art of Dave Ross, whose work is gorgeous and just getting better. With Devil's Due promising no trades from the outset and promoting a universe that reads very much like the last few now-dead superhero lines in tone and style, they seem to have badly misread the market, but the talent on this particular title has my interest, at least. (page 269) DAVE: I can't get over the fact that they're promoting this as a "no trades" line! That's so ballsy I don't know whether to start planning their funeral or salute 'em. Viva la revolucion! Captain America & The Falcon #8 (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: Dave and I have been half-jokingly requesting the return of MODOK, giant floating head with mental powers, to the pages of Marvel Comics, and now God has answered our prayers! OK, not God, but Priest, who introduces MODOK into the Captain America and the Falcon book with this issue. Should I be ashamed that this cover is what got me to give this title a second chance after the weak arc that introduced the title? Because I'm not. MODOK is a fun character, and if you don't think so, you're a big poopie head. (page M48) DAVE: I'd just like to add, for Marvel newbies, that the MODOK acronym stands for Mental Organism Designed Only For Killing. It is the coolest superhero acronym ever. RANDY: Although the Toyfare alternate, Mental Organism Designed Only For Kittens, is a close second. CMX Imprint (DC Comics) - RANDY: "Picky" doesn't even really begin to cover my approach to manga, so I don't know that the CMX imprint is going to do much for me personally. However, I have to say that DC/Wildstorm have an impressive kickoff for their CMX line, nabbing former Raijin editor Jake Tarbox to oversee the thing and launching with three titles that have even me, a manga skeptic, kinda curious. Madara, by the artist who did design work for the anime sequence of Kill Bill, is the most promising, if only for weird high concept and nicely compact length (5 volumes), but the psychic high school tales of Land of the Blindfolded also intrigue, and From Eroica With Love sounds like a fun Lupin III style caper manga. I do wish that the solicitations consistently listed how many volumes are in each series (it's missing from From Eroica, leading me to believe that's one of those six-billion volume mangas), but overall this is a strong entry into the crowded manga field. (pages 55-57) DAVE: My only reaction is one of morbid fear. Fear of ordering time when we'll have to try to gauge how many copies we can sell of a spate of new manga titles that, frankly, are starting to look as insular and repetitious as American comics. On the other hand, the kids, they *do* love the manga. Good for the industry, a headache for me. And nothing that piques my own manga tastes among this batch. Conan and the Daughters of Midora (Dark Horse) - DAVE: I love that Kurt Busiek's new Conan series has become such a surprise hit, but I think that Dark Horse'd be wise to cultivate it before risking tarnishing its purity with spin-offs, tempting though they may be. Shit, too late! Oh well. Jimmy Palmiotti and Mark Texiera are behind it and they're pretty good. Am told the Conan of these stories is an older, rougher Conan than the teenager Busiek's writing about. Personally, all Conans look alike to me. I can say that because I'm a quarter Cimmerian. (page 19) RANDY: Dave, Dutch is not the same as Cimmerian. I keep telling you this. Anyhow, I'm right with you here... nervous to see Dark Horse spinning off Conan already, but I suspect that Palmiotti and Texiera will spin a good yarn anyway. The DC Comics Encylopedia HC (DK Books) - RANDY: Remember when DC Who's Who and the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe introduced you to everyone in the shared universes, and we weren't left instead with lame replacements like the Secret Files and Marvel Encyclopedias? Well, DC and Marvel still can't seem to get it together, but DK Books, the folks who put together those Ultimate Guides to DC's characters, present here "more than 1,000 classic DC Comics characters" in a 352 page, full color hardback book that might just live up to the legacy of these universe encyclopedia projects. It might also stink, and be all too focused on the characters we already know about anyway, but the big page (and character) count has me somewhat hopeful. And at $40, it's not cheap, but it's not super-over-priced, either. (page 392) DAVE: Hey, cool! I just hope it's up-to-date enough to include Sue Dibny's rape and murder. I kid, I kid! Sorta. The real test, as we all know, is whether the Detroit-era Justice League is included! If I don't see Gypsy, Vibe, and Vixen, I want nothing to do with it. RANDY: Yeah, and if it doesn't have Ultraa the Multi-Alien, it's f*%ckin worthless. We're kidding, folks. Mostly. Well, not about Vibe. There's some shit you just don't joke about. Devlin Waugh: Swimming in Blood TPB (DC Comics/2000 A.D.) - RANDY: DC is truly going worldwide in bringing comics to the masses, from CMX's manga imprint to Humanoids's European graphic novels, and now they're mixing in the British comics scene by pairing up with 2000 A.D. Now, what I've read of 2000 A.D. thus far hasn't really clicked with me for the most part, but a lot of this stuff is by guys who are big names in the American industry now, and I'll be damned if the two 2000 A.D. entries this month don't sound pretty interesting. Devlin Waugh gets my attention for several reasons, including the high concept of a freelance supernatural operative for the Vatican who sounds like he might have a bit of Oscar Wilde and Teddy Roosevelt in him sounding like quirky fun. But the big reason this one got my attention is that it features the work of Sean (Sleeper) Phillips. (page 97) DAVE: I'm much amused by the solicit: "...Devlin's called in to the high-tech underwater prison of Aquatraz to investigate an outbreak of vampirism..." Sounds like fun. Doc Frankenstein #1 (Burlyman Entertainment) - RANDY: Hey, who here liked the Matrix sequels? ... ... Yeah, me either. But y'know, before they screwed up what could have been a classic sci-fi/action trilogy, the Wachowskis did present one kickass film in The Matrix and a cool lesbian crime flick in Bound, and I have to believe that they've got more good stories in them. Even if they don't, this tale of Frankenstein's monster taking up arms (read: bigass guns) against an army of monsters in a post-apocalyptic future will feature purty pictures courtesy of Steve Skroce, Matrix storyboard artist and a terrific comic-book artist as well. (page 242) DAVE: This sounds like Otto's "Busman" comic from the comic convention episode of The Simpsons. Essential Monster of Frankenstein Vol. 1 TPB (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: I grew up reading my brother's comics in the '70s, a goodly number of 'em being Marvel's horror titles like Tomb of Dracula and Werewolf By Night. Monster of Frankenstein was one that slipped under his radar, apparently, but given the quality of those other titles I'd like to give it a look, if only for the art (Mike Ploog and John Buscema contribute, among others). Basic premise has the Frankenstein Monster of Shelley's famous story trying to track down the last descendant of Victor Frankenstein for revenge. Naturally he fights Dracula and the Werewolf along the way! (page M71) RANDY: If I didn't already have two Essential Tomb of Draculas to read, not to mention a couple older volumes, I might be tempted to pick this one up as well, largely because of the artists involved. As is, if I ever get ahead on my reading (ha!) I might pick this one up. Everyman Vol. 1: By The People (Fwd Books) - RANDY: Now, here's something you don't see a lot of: a political conspiracy thriller that starts with the bad guys being found out and heads in a direction that sounds like a more positive re-establishment of the democracy that America is supposed to represent. The Brothers Goldman previously brought us the unusual and intriguing Styx Taxi, and I'm curious to see if they (and artist Joe Bucco) can make this little bit of political speculative fiction entertaining. The "manga" format of 120 page graphic novel for seven bucks is the format I'm looking for in terms of new stories, at least. (page 294) DAVE: Points for originality. I don't know these creators, so the craftsmanship will be the "make or break" for me. Fables #30 (DC Comics/Vertigo) - DAVE: New storyline focusing on the strange nature of a child born of Snow White and The Big Bad Wolf! Quite possibly the most entertaining comic on the market! You read now!(page 113) P.S. The fourth Fables trade, "March of the Wooden Soldiers," hits in October as well, and if you missed the one-shot Fables: The Last Castle, take heart: it's included. The Golden Plates #1 (AAA Pop Comics) - DAVE: Anyone who's followed Mike Allred's quirky Madman knows the series touched on theological matters occasionally, if always in a quirky, pop context. But did anyone expect that that would lead Mike Allred to begin adapting the entire frickin' Book of Mormon to comic books? Not me. Allred described the thousand-years-spanning tale as "It's a Wonderful Life meets Conan The Barbarian," and if it sound a little loopy, it's obvious from interviews that Allred's pouring his heart and soul into this project. As an atheist I'm certainly skeptical of potential proselytizing, but I can hardly NOT give it a shot after finding Osamu Tezuka's Buddha to be such a worthy read... (page 199) RANDY: I'm more skeptical of proselytizing than you, and thus a little more wary of this project, but Allred is certainly a noteworthy talent, and if nothing else, my hat's off to him for going with his heart and doing such a personal project. I don't know if it will get my interest, just because of various personal beliefs, but I can't deny that I have more than a little curiosity. Green Lantern: Rebirth #1 (DC Comics) - RANDY: Boy, the Identity Crisis controversy really took the heat (not H.E.A.T.) off of the whole "Hal Jordan" controversy, didn't it? Well, expect it to H.E.A.T. (I'm sorry, I can't help it, it's just so easy to make fun of) up again when Geoff Johns tries to make everybody happy by bringing back Hal Jordan and re-establishing the Green Lantern concept with his Iron Heights co-conspirator Ethan Van Sciver. It's a tricky job, laden with continuity nightmares and seemingly irredeemable characters, but Johns is the guy who brought back Hawkman and who writes old school (but not outdated) work on JSA, Flash and Teen Titans, so if anyone can do it, it's probably him. (page 74) DAVE: I'd *really* like to read some outstanding Green Lantern stories in my lifetime. I'm of the opinion that Hal's a great icon and a visual powerhouse, but I've yet to come across a talented enough writer to make him come to life for me. Is Johns the guy? Based on the first two-thirds of his Flash run I'd say yes. Based on recent issues and the Hawkman relaunch I'm a skeptic. But I'm a skeptic who'd be more than happy to be proven wrong. With Van Sciver drawing, I know this relaunch is at least gonna *look* good. Hard Time TPB (DC Comics) - DAVE: The DC focus line earns a lone trade with Steve Gerber's tale of a superpowered teen locked up in a maximum security prison. More like Stephen King's The Green Mile than standard superhero fare, it still wasn't for me, but I might give it another read in this collected format. The Focus book I dig is Kinetic, which reads so fast it should've been released as an original graphic novel to begin with... (page 78) Hack/Slash: Girls Gone Dead (Devil's Due) - DAVE: I enjoyed the first Hack/Slash special, a knowingly cheesy look at a girl who hunted Jason/Freddy/Michael style supernatural killers – kind of a more action-oriented Scream, and it was well-drawn too. This one's got a slasher on the set of a Girls Gone Wild type set, which sounds like fun. I hope he at least kills the producers before he gets taken down. (page 272) RANDY: I also had some fondness for Hack/Slash, although I'm not so much into the slasher genre, so I enjoyed it a little less than you did. At any rate, the mixture of cheesy slasher cliche with Buffy/Scream-esque hip mockery of the genre was kind of neat the first time around, and throwing in another odd bit of pop/trash culture with Girls Gone Wild leads me to believe this might be that rare sequel that's better than the original. Hanging Out with the Dream King (Fantagraphics) - DAVE: Do you swoon for Neil Gaiman, master of dark fantasy and dark sunglasses? Ah, then this book might be for you. It's a straight-up prose entry, heavy on the biographical stuff and filled with interviews with Gaiman's artistic collaborators. Purports to include unpublished photos and comic pages too. *SIGH* He's soooooooooo dreamy! (page 289) JSA: Savage Times TPB (DC Comics) - RANDY: Glad to see DC still putting out collections of this series, which gets solid sales and decent critical acclaim but can't really be called either a "hot" (read: sells in the top 20) book or a "buzz" (read: sells outside the top 100 but all the critics love it) book. What it provides is cool superhero thrills on a monthly basis, and it reads surprisingly well in these trade editions as well. This volume contains the time travel epic that pits the JSA against foes in ancient Egypt with more than a passing resemblance to some of their modern day allies and enemies, and is one of the really good epic JSA tales. Although, personally, I'm really looking forward to the "Black Reign" collection, which should come along in a couple more trades. (page 79) DAVE: This was some pretty good readin' as I recall. Loved the ancient Egypt incarnation of Metamorpho. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow GN (Image Comics) - DAVE: This sounds like a timely October release, even if it was first published in '93. It's Bo Hampton's faithful and fully painted adaptation of Washington Irving's famous short story, now sporting sixteen pages of new material. (page 137) The Long Haul GN (Oni Press) - DAVE: Some of the best Westerns skirt the edges of amorality, as Scott Morse's characters note in his excellent graphic novel, Spaghetti Western, and that happily 'pears to be the case with this entry. Features a recently-released prisoner deciding to pull one last score on a train that's being guarded by the man who put him behind bars. Love the concept and artist Eduardo Barreto's a known quantity: he's *great*. (page 318) RANDY: He also wrote a pretty good bit of true crime with Union Station... but this one is written by Antony Johnston, master of all genres, dipping his toe into the western scene. Looking forward to seeing what these two can cook up together. Love As a Foreign Language Vol. 1 GN (Oni Press) - RANDY: With manga becoming such a force in the comics industry, romance comics are no longer as scarce as they used to be, but given that I can't stand the manga take on the romance genre for the most part, I'm far more interested in this new series of manga-style graphic novels by J. Torres and Eric Kim, which will probably hit the romance genre just right without the weird culture shock I tend to get from romance manga. The story concept, about a teacher who hates living in Korea but who might have to stick around for love, sounds good, and given that my favorite Torres work was Copybook Tales, I'm looking forward to him returning to this slice-of-life with a touch of romance style here. (page 318) DAVE: I took a peak at a Spotlight on this upcoming title to get a better feel for it. Does indeed look promising, though it'd probably be better if one of the character transformered into an animal when exposed to water. Maybe a marmoset. Marvel Age Mary Jane Vol. 1: Circle of Friends Digest (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: I'm not even sure if this is really coming out, since the sales have been bad on the comic (you mean the direct market had no room for a 22-page comic about Mary Jane? Shocker!) and Marvel tends not to stick with their experiments long enough to let them grow (see also: Tsunami and Epic). However, if it is, based on having read the two issues thus far, I'm going to say it's worth a read, and at $5.99 for 96 color pages, I'm certainly not going to pass up the opportunity to preorder it. (page M44) DAVE: Rich Johnston says the book's dead in the water in his latest column, but we'll see. I think Marvel's really fumbled if it's true, because the problem wasn't that the book was bad – it was actually damn good, and beautifully drawn – but that Marvel didn't give it time to find its audience. Hopefully if the trade does well, McKeever and Miyazawa will be called back to cook up some follow-ups. I was skeptical and they surprised me. Marvel Visionaries: Jack Kirby Vol. 1 HC (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: I think I may have to buy this $29.95 hardcover. It's not just that it features some of Kirby's most-famous stories from Hulk, The Avengers, and Fantastic Four – there's also some truly bizarre and wild-sounding stuff from his pre-superhero days. How can anyone resist titles like "UFO the Lightning Man", "I Am the Amazing Dr. Droom!" and best of all, "I Defied Pildorr, the Plunderer from Outer Space!" Can even Grant Morrison cook up stuff like that? Oh yeah, and I'm also dying to read "What If the Original Marvel Bullpen Was the Fantastic Four?" (page M61) Milo Manara's Odysseys of Guiseppe Bergman TPB (DC Comics/Humanoids) - RANDY: I've seen only bits and pieces of Manara's erotically-charged work, but I know that it is gorgeous, and I don't really own anything by this artist aside from his contribution to Sandman: Endless Nights. I'm not sure if this trade, featuring a story that parallels the journey of Odysseus, is going to change that, but I have to admit that I'm intrigued. (page 96) DAVE: Randy's looking for some "one-handed" comics, know what I'm sayin'? Kiddin'. Manara's obviously a brilliant artist, and the only question now is, "How's his writing?" By which I mean, "How's his writing for thick-headed Americans like myself who traditionally don't care for European comics?" My Faith in Frankie TPB (DC Comics/Vertigo) - RANDY: I'm so conflicted over this trade. I'm delighted to see this wonderful miniseries getting a trade collection, thrilled by the seven dollar price tag and pretty sure that the manga format is the right way to get the book into the hands of fans who would appreciate it. And yet... I'll really miss the color, and Liew and Hempel's work was so good, it's a shame to see it shrunken down further. On the whole, I'm pretty happy about it, but wishing that the price tag had been $10 for color instead of seven for black and white. (page 115) Ocean #1 (DC Comics/Wildstorm) - RANDY: For the most part, Ellis's Wildstorm comics have left me kind of cold for various reasons, but there were a couple gems in there, including many of the issues of Global Frequency. More importantly, the best thing Ellis has written in years, in my opinion, was Orbiter, which was science-fiction based on space exploration, and Ocean shares that in common, being a story about Europa, the ice moon of Jupiter. With Chris Sprouse art, it's bound to be pretty, and six issues is a lot better than three in terms of room to tell a story, and Ellis is currently impressing with his work on Marvel's Ultimate books, so color me cautiously optimistic. (page 102) DAVE: Same here. Ellis's forays into realistic space exploration are a welcome change from traditional space opera escapism. The Pink Sketchbook: Cheese (Adhouse Books) - RANDY: I've had a chance to look at the first Pink sketchbook, by Scott Morse, and it's a terrific piece of work. This one features Jay Geldhof and Rob Ullman, two artists whose work I know only in passing but whose work I really, really like. I'm particularly fond of Ullman's drawings of cute girls, and with that being the theme of this book, I have already pre-ordered this sketchbook, and think it pretty likely that the entire Pink line-up will get similar pre-orders from me. (page 204) DAVE: I'm tremendously jealous of the sketchbooks you brought back from San Diego, so I'll probably pick this up too. Hey, and howsabout we let people get a glimpse of these two artists' work? Both have galleries at Lurid.com Red Razors TPB (DC Comics/2000 AD) - RANDY: The other 2000 A.D. offering this month, and another one that sounds potentially interesting. I'm not a huge Judge Dredd fan, but I see the basic appeal of the concept, and having Mark Millar tackle the Soviet equivalent of the Judges sounds full of potential, especially when you consider the excellent job Millar did on his Soviet take on Superman, Red Son. (page 97) DAVE: I, on the other hand, have been warming to the blackly humorous setting of Judge Dredd in recent months (loved the story in the 2000 A.D. Preview). I plan to give this a look. Rising Stars #22 (Image Comics/Top Cow) - DAVE: Looks like Straczynski and Top Cow finally kissed and made up, so new issues of Rising Stars are finally back on the agenda as of October. (page 165) Solo #1 (DC Comics) - DAVE: YES! The 1996 Mario Van Peebles flick finally gets a second lease on life as a comic book! "Part man. Part machine. Total weapon." (page 83) RANDY: Er... yes. Actually, Solo is a neat idea for an anthology, basically giving top artists an issue of a comic to do whatever stories they want, in whatever genre. I'm actually a little disappointed that it isn't really living up to its name so early, as Tim Sale is bringing on various writers to write his stories, but Jeph Loeb, Brian Azzarello and Diana Schutz aren't names to sneeze at. I'd much rather the series was going to be strictly one guy doing the whole issue, even though the writing might not be as polished, if only because it seems a little edgier and more true to the concept, but either way, this is a really neat project, and features some impressive name talent. DAVE: Well... I guess that's pretty cool too... Not "Mario Van Peebles" cool, but cool. Son of the Gun TPB (DC Comics/Humanoids) - RANDY: I don't know much about this one, other than that Jodorowsky is considered one of the best writers at Humanoids and that this one is supposed to be over-the-top violent. I've heard much buzz about this story of a "modern gunslinger," and expect that if nothing else, this will be a gorgeous piece of work. Worth a look, at any rate. (page 96) DAVE: I feel the same way about most of DC's pending Euro comics. "Gorgeous art. Worth a look." Not what you'd call wild enthusiasm, but I'm going to TRY to broaden my horizons. Stoker's Dracula #1 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: Very interesting – a four part miniseries that reprints and completes a Roy Thomas/Dick Giordano adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula begun 30 years ago. The art, featuring meticulous ink washes, looks nothing short of astounding from the preview. And since I know I like Stoker's original story, this is pretty much a no-brainer. (page M24) Supernaturalists GN (Mad Yak Press) - RANDY: Thanks to the magic of the San Diego Con, I have the benefit of having already read this story of vampire murders and corrupt cops in the roaring '20s. It's not as good as Patrick Neighly's debut effort Subatomic, but it is still pretty damn good, and manages to upturn a few vampire cliches even as it indulges in others. Fun for the vampire genre fans, at the very least, and those with a taste for the pulp style might also give it a look. (page 312) Tales of the Vampires TPB (Dark Horse) - DAVE: Collects all the stories from Dark Horse's Tales of the Vampires mini, which had stories from Joss Whedon and a host of other Buffy and Angel writers. Some hits, some misses, but generally good stuff for fans of the show. Art by the likes of Tim Sale, Mike Mignola, Scott Morse, and some lesser-known-but-solid wage slaves. (page 25) Toe Tags Featuring George Romero #1 (DC Comics) - RANDY: If pirates were the new monkeys a year ago, then zombies are the new pirates. Seriously, between 28 Days Later, The Dawn of the Dead remake, The Walking Dead and the upcoming Shaun of the Dead, even this casual (at best) horror fan has got zombie fever. The question, then... can horror-meister and zombie genre master George Romero translate his talents to comics well enough to compete with those who are paying tribute to his legacy, or will this be a cheesy comic that disappoints all but the hardcore fans? Based on the preview pages, it's hard to definitively call either way, but I'm hoping for the best. (page 92) DAVE: Exactly. Tomb of Dracula #1 (Marvel Comics/Marvel Knights) - DAVE: Marvel's treading on dangerous ground (at least for me) in evoking this legendary title from the '70s. The premise is cool, though: every thousand years Dracula goes into a chrysalis for four days, and with that day approaching, he surrounds himself with the most powerful vampires for protection even as the world's deadliest vampire hunters team up to bring him down. Six issue mini, hit-and-miss writer Robert Rodi at the helm, very nice cover by Bill Sienkiewicz. (page M29) RANDY: Rodi has been much more miss than hit for me, so I doubt this one's going to do much for me, but you're right... that is a damn nice cover. The Walking Dead Vol. 2: Miles Behind Us TPB (Image Comics) - RANDY: Hurrah! A second Walking Dead collection, following pretty quickly on the heels of the first and coming out right before the next issue, so that anyone who picks up the trade can jump onto the series without missing a beat. Having only read three of the six issues that are in this collection, I'm guessing based on the law of averages, but I'd say that this is going to be another great read, and another chance for readers to jump onto one of the best series in comics. I just hope to hell that Kirkman writing for Marvel won't seriously delay (or worse, end) this or Invincible. (page 152) DAVE: I'm thrilled that this series is actually starting to built a strong audience. It really does deserve it, and Image's expedient trade support is deserving of applause. The Wicked West GN (Image Comics) - RANDY: Is the western making a comeback? IDW will be serving up another slice of Desperadoes, B. Clay Moore has a western coming up with Tony Moore and many are buzzing about Beckett's Ballad of Sleeping Beauty. Well, comeback or no, folks would be well-served to check out Wicked West, another horror/western genre blend, this time featuring vampires. The creative team on this one also did the horror/World War I graphic novel The Black Forest, which I greatly enjoyed, so I expect good things from this one. (page 153) Witchblade: The Music (Image Comics/Top Cow) - DAVE: A CD...inspired by the Witchblade TV series? At last! A new soundtrack for pole-dancing strippers! (page 170) Wolverine #20-21 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: Hmm. Tough call for me here. Plus: legendarily great artist John Romita Jr. draws! Second plus: Wolverine back in costume! Big honkin' minus: writing by Mark Millar, who - sorry, Millar fans - I just don't trust in the mainstream Marvel Universe. Hmm. Hmmmmm. (page M1) Wonderland GN (Image Comics) - RANDY: A quick online search turned up frustratingly little information about this graphic novel or its creators, but the post-apocalyptic high concept and teaser artwork has gotten my attention. This is another one of those "could be great, could suck" notices from me, sadly, but it's a strong enough pitch to get my attention, at least. (page 154) Email Randy Lander and Dave Farabee comments about this review.