Demo Collection TPB (AIT/Planet Lar) - RANDY: C'mon, you really didn't believe them when they said there wasn't gonna be a trade, did you? This series was a great read from start to finish, and though I have all the single issues, I'm still just remarkably happy to have it coming out in my preferred format. Becky Cloonan's art is amazing and Wood's self-contained stories explore a variety of interesting characters. (page 209)
DAVE: I will take it upon myself to read this when it comes out, and I hang my head in shame that I haven't read it already.
Look away, I'm hideous!
DAVE'S PICK OF THE MONTH:
Fallen Angel #1 (IDW Publishing) - DAVE: Fallen Angel was one of the weirdest, most interesting titles to come out of DC in the last ten years. Of course it was cancelled. But appropriately enough for a title with a name like Fallen Angel, redemption may come to pass. IDW is the new home to Peter David's mystic-noir, and I like to think that with television like Lost currently enthralling viewers, the cryptic nature of the series might find a friendlier reception. At DC, there was probably overmuch pondering as to whether the series was set in the DC Universe or not, but at IDW it can just be. Here's a preview from Newsarama. Check that art! I think I still like original artist David Lopez over the new gal, but no complaints at all about this more painterly direction. Here's hoping lightning strikes twice (and maybe starts a fire this time). (page 285)
RANDY: Hmm... hadn't considered that minds might be more open to enigmatic entertainment thanks to Lost, but I'm not entirely sold on the notion, either, as "smart and intricate" (which definitely applies to Fallen Angel) often translates to "nobody's reading it." Broke my heart when this was cancelled, and I'm delighted to see it coming back, at IDW, where the sales target should be more reasonable for a niche book like Fallen Angel. Like you, I'm uncertain about the big art switchover, but there's no denying that J.K. Woodward's painted art looks really fantastic. If you missed the series the first time out, have no fear... Peter David promises an accessible read with volume two, starting with the revelation of the mysterious lead character's true origin.
Adrian Tomine: New York Sketches 2004 HC (Buenaventura Press) - RANDY: This is a somewhat odd product, a pricey collection of full-color prints. It's not something I'm likely to pick up, but I do like Tomine's work, and given the relative infrequency of that work in the market, it's worth noting this new offering for the diehard Tomine fans. (page 246)
DAVE: I tried to find some previews of this online and the best I could come up with was a site or two showing how the portfolio looks in its accordian-fold-out format: Here, here, and here. I like what I see a lot. I think I might pick up a copy.
Age of Bronze #22 (Image Comics) - RANDY: Eric Shanower's series telling the tale of the Trojan War is one of the best things about comics, but that's not why I mention it here. No, I mention it because I'm loving the tongue-in-cheek ad copy that's been going into the Previews solicitations. This time out? "The last time I saw Paris... he was aiming a big freaking arrow at my head!" I tell you, if Shanower put out T-Shirts of these Previews ads, I'd be tempted. Come for the wry humor of the solicits, stay for the amazing artwork and storytelling on the monthly book! (page 152)
DAVE: It is, in fact, one of the top ten serial comics on the market. I can't offer a higher recommendation.
Amazing Fantasy #16 (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: I have to admit, I was wary of a series that existed purely to revamp existing Marvel characters into new characters, but so far, there have been some interesting new characters created out of this series. Now Simon Furman takes a crack at revising Death's Head, his robotic bounty hunter who had a cult fandom from his appearances in Marvel U.K. in the '90s. (page M23)
DAVE: It's not so much that I care about Death's Head, but like you, I like the concept behind this book and I've seen some solid results from it. Everyone gripes about the lack of new ideas in the superhero biz, and here's a series that actually does something about it.
Baby-Sitters Club Vol. 1 GN (Graphix) - RANDY: I'm not so much the target audience for this one, but I've got to give major kudos to Scholastic's Graphix imprint for hitting a popular property with comics. Graphix is really doing a lot of things right in trying to pull new young readers into comics, hitting familiar projects alongside comics classics like Bone and tapping terrific indy talent to do it. (page 280)
DAVE: I'm really impressed with Scholastic's program too. Hitting popular series like Baby-Sitters Club and Goosebumps (coming soon) is a smart move. I'm gonna have to pick up some of those color printings of Bone soon, and I'm very much looking forward to the planned adaptation of The Last Unicorn by the original author, featuring art by Mike Kaluta. Not on schedule till 2007, but a surefire indicator that Scholastic ain't foolin' around.
Bad Planet #1 (Image Comics) - RANDY: Most comics fans will probably associate Tom Jane with The Punisher, but I confess that I have a soft spot for the guy because of his very funny guest role on Arrested Development. Which really doesn't tell us anything about his writing talent, but he's teamed with industry vet Steve Niles on this book, so it should be readable at least. At any rate, the artwork by Lewis LaRosa looks really good, and the concept (alien warrior defends Earth from arachnid alien predators) sounds like fun. With this, Fear Agent, Rann-Thanagar War, Green Lantern Corps and Runners, among others, could the space adventure science-fiction genre be making a big return to the comics pages? (page 133)
DAVE: I'd just like to say the Lewis LaRosa impressed the crap out of me as the artist on Punisher when it relaunched under the MAX aegis. He's got a bit in common with Butch Guice, and that ain't never a bad thing.
The Best of the Spirit (DC Comics) - DAVE: This is ideal for someone like me. I have a good bit of interest in Will Eisner's seminal creation, The Spirit, but not the funds for this swanky DC Archives reprinting the whole shebang. A "best of" collection instead? That'll work. And honestly, even for the most casual comic reader, this should be a must-have. Everyone should own at least a few Kirby books, at least a few EC Comics, and at least a representation of Will Eisner's blue fedora'd crimebuster. Neil Gaiman writes the intro. (page 92)
RANDY: Right there with you on this one. I've got a fair amount of Eisner material in my collection, but relatively little Spirit, and a "best of" collection is exactly what I was looking for. Hopefully this'll stoke my interest in the character enough to be really looking forward to Darwyn Cooke's upcoming Spirit series, because right now I'm very much in the "Curse you, DC! You cost us an original graphic novel by Darwyn Cooke" place.
Billy the Kid's Old Timey Oddities TPB (Dark Horse Comics) - RANDY: This was quite a bit different from The Goon, and not just because Powell passed up art duties to Kyle Hotz. However, I found that when all was said and done, I liked it quite a bit, an interesting B-movie/Hammer horror style adventure tale with a bit of the flavoring of Powell's humor but more or less played straight. (page 28)
DAVE: I never got fully into it, but it's got its moments and Hotz's art is a fine asset. At least worth a look to anyone who's a fan of The Goon or the Hammer movie tradition you cited.
Black Mane GN (One Time Press) - RANDY: I reviewed this Xeric winner recently, and you can find that review HERE. (page 310)
Buckaroo Banzai Preview (Moonstone) -
DAVE: Buckaroo Banzai is one of those cult movies that never held a single ounce of interest for me, but hey... that's why they call 'em cult movies. For the believers out there, you might want to give this a look. It's a 50-cent preview of a miniseries slated for next year. (page 296)
Captain America & The Falcon: Secret Empire TPB (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: Captain America...versus President Richard Nixon and his Secret Empire. It happened, baby, circa 1974! And it was a story with so much consequence for Cap that he ended up giving up the costume for a time to become the superhero known as Nomad. Never read it, don't know if it's legitimately good or not, but for sheer historical value...I must have this reprint. With Steve Englehart writing and Sal Buscema drawing, I figure we're talking at least solid. Seriously, Sal was pretty cool back in the '70s. (page M88)
RANDY: I'm all about the Mark Gruenwald Captain America (currently with zero trades in print, by the way), but there's no denying this story is a weird classic. I want to say something about the obvious political analogies with modern times, but I promised to cut down on the snark.
DAVE: Let's stick to the Gruenwald tangent, then. I've only got a handful of Cap issues from his era, but they're pretty awesome - easily among my favorite Cap stories. Marvel's done right by Thor and Fantastic Four in reprinting seminal runs from Simonson and Byrne respectively - seems like Cap is about due a similar treatment.
Conan #23 (Dark Horse Comics) - DAVE: Just a li'l shout out here, with Conan #20 being the latest interlude issue (maybe the third? fourth?) spotlighting Conan's tough-as-nails youth. These have all been excellent stand alone stories, and the painterly art of Greg Ruth on each of 'em makes him an artist to watch. (page 20)
Concrete Volume 3: Fragile Creature TPB (Dark Horse Comics) - DAVE: I've talked up Concrete in many a Down the Line past, but this volume's a particular favorite. It follows Concrete as he takes up a job on the movie set of a modest-budget, shlock action flick (hilariously patterned after Masters of the Universe, if you can believe it). The experience, as ever with Concrete, paves the way for all kinds of character insights, but also serves as a fascinating look at both the positives and negatives of the movie-making experience. This is definitely one of those stories where the life of the artist and his art converge, as Concrete-creator Paul Chadwick has worked on a number of Hollywood flicks. Makes for a gripping, funny, very "real" read. (page 22)
Coyote Vol. 2 TPB (Image Comics) - DAVE: I'll be honest, the first volume of this didn't quite wow me. That was the one reprinting the early Eclipse issues of the series, but this second volume begins reprinting the run from Marvel's Epic line. Those I have read, and have feeling they'll show a maturation of the concept. Hope so anyway. My memories of the series are strong, at least, with its Grant Morrisonian mysticism and strong art from Steve Leialoha.
Dragon Head Vol. 1 (Tokyopop) - RANDY: The solicitation promises a tale of survival as three schoolmates survive a train crash inside a tunnel, but the many references to horror, and the "28 Days Later meets Lord of the Flies" tags makes me think there's more going on here. At any rate, horror manga tends to be my favorite manga, so I'll give this one a look and see what it's really about. (page 335)
DAVE: There's nothing like putting people in a grueling survival situation to bring out a horror vibe, and this one sounds promising. Definitely a fan of Battle Royale, which the solicit for this evokes thematically.
The Essential Arsenic Lullaby Vol. 2: The Donut Cometh TPB (Arsenic Lullaby Publications) - RANDY: I've sometimes found Arsenic Lullaby to push too far into the boundaries of bad taste, but damn, this book is funny. The recent 1000 Deaths of Baron Von Donut book they published (which gets a #2 this month) reminded me just how funny, and I think I might have to go ahead and pick up the latest volume collecting the sick and twisted humor of Arsenic Lullaby. (page 234)
DAVE: A series I like in small doses. Figure a trade ain't for me, but this is legitimate laugh-out-loud stuff for anyone who's ever laughed at an O.J. joke. I like the guy's cartooning too, a rarity for humor books these days.
Fables Vol. 6: Homelands TPB (DC Comics/Vertigo) - DAVE: This was such a damn good arc. Feature's Boy Blue going all ninja-badass as he infiltrates The Adversary's kingdom armed with some of the coolest weapons in the history of fables. Can you say, "Snicker-snack"? Oh yes, and the mystery of The Adversary's identity that's built in this book from issue one? Resolved. With satisfaction even. Also features the excellent two-part story about Jack going to Hollywood and the one-shot of Mowgli's return to Fabletown. Might just be my favorite volume since the first! (page 112)
RANDY: Definitely my favorite volume of the series, although in fairness you need all the foundation stuff of the early volumes for this one to have the punch that it has. But yeah, Fables shows no signs of slowing down, and the story reprinted in this trade is the series at its absolute best.
Fantastic Four Special (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: Dwayne McDuffie is a comics writer who never really got his due, although he's getting it now as one of the main brains behind the awesome Justice League Unlimited series. My guess, given that McDuffie and artist Casey Jones aren't common names in the comics industry these days, is that "a timeless standalone special" is code for "inventory story," but the quality of the creative team will have me giving it a look anyway. (page M28)
DAVE: I like the premise, anyway. Story's titled "My Dinner With Doom", solicit reads: "It's a day of celebration and reflection in Latveria, but deep within the confines of the Latverian Embassy to America, Victor Von Doom and Reed Richards engage in a subtle battle of wits, with all of Manhatten as the playing field."
Fantastic Four Visionaries: John Byrne Vol. 5 TPB (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: Just a tip of the hat to Marvel for continuing to reprint the most acclaimed FF run since Lee/Kirby. Well done. (page M89)
Flying Friar #1 (Speakeasy Comics) - RANDY: Rich ("Lying in the Gutters") Johnston writes this tale, based on a true story (or at least, true-ish folk tales) of a friar who had mastered the power of flight. Johnston's comics writing has never entertained me as much as his rumor column, but that doesn't mean I haven't enjoyed it, notably his minicomics like X-Flies and Wannabee. (page 317)
DAVE: Johnston's described it as "The Da Vinci Code meets The Name Of The Rose meets Smallville," and that actually sounds... kind of interesting. I'm just hoping the characters come before whatever satire or allegory Johnston is working in the book's pages.
The Further Adventures of One-Page Filler Man (Image Comics) - RANDY: Mahfood's anthology favorite (OK, he's a favorite of mine) returns in a big 'ol trade paperback. Should feature plenty of amusing making fun of superheroes and whatever else pops into Mahfood's head, along with his distinctive artwork. (page 138)
DAVE: The previewed page was funny as hell, so if the comic maintains, I'm in.
Giant Killer TPB (Image Comics) - RANDY: This one gets my "pleasant surprise" award of the month. I'd given up on ever seeing Dan Brereton's monster slugfest miniseries from DC ever reprinted in a trade, so I was more than a little surprised to see it offered up this month from a different publisher. I have the original miniseries, but I'm still tempted by having it all in one collection. Most folks probably missed it, so I'll say that this is great if you're a fan of big monster battle stuff like Godzilla or Destroy All Monsters, and it has amazing painted artwork by Brereton. (page 148)
DAVE: I didn't like Giant Killer quite so well as Brereton's Nocturnals, but it's absolutely a worthy buy for any kid who ever watched monster throwdowns on a Saturday afternoon. Follows the adventures of Jack, a bio-engineered buttkicker sent into the radioactive no-man's-land chunk of California where... giant monsters roam! I was very pleased to see the collection also reprints the bonus book "A Field Guide to Giant Monsters," a cool A to Z overview of the known monsters, their powers, and personalities. Everyone knows that one of the coolest things to do with monsters is compare 'em, try and figure out who'd win in a battle.
Gotham Central #38 (DC Comics) - DAVE: I'll be interested to see where this arc goes. Gotham Central readers know there's a crooked CSI tech in the series named Jim Corrigan, and have long wondered whether this is a coincidence or whether he in fact shares something with the original Spectre (whose human host went by the same name). It seems way out there for a grounded book like Gotham Central, but it's coming to a head in this story. Stay tuned! (page 62)
Gravity: Big City Superhero Digest (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: With Spider-Man all married to a supermodel and living with the Avengers, he's not exactly the collegiate everyman he used to be. I don't know if that's what motivated the creation of Gravity from Mary Jane's Sean McKeever, but that does seem to be the role the book fills, and admirably so. I've felt at times that it needed a stronger hook than just "wannabe superhero from the midwest hits New York," but I definitely had enough fun to pick up a digest of the series. (page M82)
RANDY: I was really happy with this series, and like Amazing Fantasy or Runaways, it adds new blood to a Marvel Universe that hasn't really had a lot of it. And, of course, it sold about as well as Amazing Fantasy or the first run of Runaways. If you missed it (and chances are, most of you did), now's the time to correct that mistake and pick up the digest. Unless you want them to just start adding new X-books and Spider-books every month instead of trying to launch new characters.
Hard Time Season Two #1 (DC Comics) - RANDY: I wasn't a particular fan of Hard Time, but full credit to DC for giving another critically-lauded but sales-weak series a "second season." I have to admit that my general fondness for Fox's Prison Break is making me look at this with a new point of view, rather than comparing it to the more realistic Oz, so I'll probably give it a second look and see if it can hook me the second time around. (page 75)
DAVE: Same, same.
Image Comics Holiday Special 2005 (Image Comics) - RANDY: All-new holiday themed stories by the creators of (among others) The Amazing Joy Buzzards, Godland, Noble Causes and The Walking Dead? If Kirkman and Adlard turn in a "very special zombie Christmas," that alone will make this worth the price of admission! Although a very cosmic Christmas by Casey and Scioli would be pretty cool too. (page 149)
In The Blood #1 (Boom! Studios) - RANDY: Steve Niles continues his checklist of horror monsters by putting his own spin on werewolves in this three-issue miniseries from Boom! Studios. (page 243)
The Intimidators #1 (Image Comics) - RANDY: A time-lost '60s superhero is assigned to work with a team of gritty, ruthless post-Millenial heroes? Sounds like a concept that's a bit passe', to be honest, but with the right sense of humor, it could also be a lot of fun. The writer on this one is Neil Kleid, whose self-published Ninety Candles was one of my favorite reads of last year, so I'm actually looking forward to reading this. (page 140)
Jane's World Vol. 4 TPB (Girl Twirl Comics) - RANDY: Another entertaining collection of Paige Braddock's daily syndicated strip. (page 280)
Jeremiah Harm #1 (Boom! Studios) - RANDY: Jeremiah Harm sounds like another entry into the science-fiction genre, with a pretty strong action component. Three alien criminals escape to Earth, so the authorities set the "most wanted man in the universe" to catch them. Sounds a bit cliched, sure, but that kind of cliche can be fun when done well. (page 242)
DAVE: What's weird is that this is co-written by Keith Giffen, who just turned loose a handful of interstellar criminals on Earth in the first issue of Drax the Destroyer. I like Keith in serious sci-fi mode, though (and incidentally, he's accompanied by Alan Grant), so I can see myself giving this a shot.
JLA Classified: Cold Steel #1 (DC Comics) - RANDY: The JLA as giant robotic mecha? Sounds like Marvel's Megamorphs, right? Except that this is being done by Chris Moeller, of Iron Empires fame, and his painted artwork is always a joy to look at. This looks great, and could be a fun little miniseries. (page 78)
Juror 13 Vol. 1 (Tokyopop) - RANDY: This one sounds like an entertaining paranoia/conspiracy thriller. The solicits from Tokyopop are pretty vague, which is good for avoiding spoilers while giving a general sense of the atmosphere, although not so good for indicating whether the book will actually deliver on the promised tone in the solicits. (page 331)
The Legend of the Middleman #1 (Viper Comics) - RANDY: I've greatly enjoyed the two issues of Middleman thus far, by Lost producer/writer Javier Grillo-Marxuach. This looks like a neat little one-shot, also by Grillo-Marxuach and featuring art by Middleman artist Les McClaine as well as Dead@17's Josh Howard and indy cartoonist Dean Trippe (whose work I really like). (page 360)
The Light Brigade TPB (DC Comics) - RANDY: Very surprised but pleased to see this four-issue mini about WWII soldiers charged with keeping a magical artifact from a demonic Nazi force reprinted. Great writing, stunning art by Peter Snejbjerg, and I missed out on buying the issues when I had the chance, so I'm glad to get this chance to buy it in trade format. (page 81)
DAVE: I see myself picking this up, too. I can't emphasize enough how terrific Snejbjerg's art looks in it, and the tone's about as dark as the grisliest episode of HBO's Band of Brothers. Always nice to see something new, especially with this level of craft.
Living in Infamy #1 (Ludovico Technique) - RANDY: Now this sounds like a fun concept. It's the story of a town that serves as a home for a witness protection program... for supervillains! Great concept, and you can get a little more insight into it with this interview at CBR with Ben Raab, the co-creator. (page 295)
DAVE: Love the idea, and I like that Raab's intending the story as a drama rather than a comedy. Spoofing superheroes is so easy that it's tired and played-out, but to take the trappings of the genre and find a new dramatic spin on it...that takes some talent. Fingers crossed.
The Looking Glass Wars: Hatter M #1 (Image Comics) - DAVE: Does American McGee know about this? And what's with all the Oz/Wonderland books doing the grim 'n' gritty? Ah well, it deserves a shot, 'cause you never know when the next Fables is around the corner, and the preview art from Ben Templesmith is...well, I don't like it, but it's done in the style of Ben Templesmith. Which I hear tell some folks like. (page 142)
RANDY: Having read a preview copy of this, I can say that it's in line with Templesmith's work on Fell, which I quite like. The tone of the book is odd, almost comedic at times but featuring a large amount of violence and a somewhat trippy premise. I think it may not be for traditional fans of the Alice in Wonderland saga, but more for fans of off-to-the-side-of-reality storytelling like The Maxx. Actually, it kind of reads like what The Maxx would have been like had it been done in the style of the movie The Last Boy Scout, if you can imagine that kind of bizarre pairing.
Malinky Robot Bicycle (Amaze Ink/Slave Labor Graphics) - RANDY: This one's been a long time coming. I reviewed the previous Malinky Robot almost two years ago. Glad to see this one being released, though, because the surreal story style (let me make another Maxx reference here) and Liew's beautiful artwork makes for an interesting combination. (page 218)
Marvel Team-Up #15 (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: Fans of obscure characters, be aware, this issue of Marvel Team-Up might be for you! For some reason, the big heroes are missing, and so the also-rans have to step up. According to the swanky looking cover by Phil Hester, those also-rans include such '90s faves as Cloak & Dagger, Terror, Inc., Darkhawk and Speedball, along with newer Marvel newbies like Arana, X-23 and Gravity. Could be fun, especially in Kirkman's hands. (page M30)
DAVE: Cloak & Dagger. Cool.
Marvel Zombies #1 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: Points for cleverness: Marvel actually found a way to take the old "Marvel Zombie" fan descriptor and turn it into a literal story concept! As I understand it, this miniseries basically follows the survivors of the superhero zombie outbreak on an alternate Earth, as recently chronicled in Ultimate Fantastic Four. With Walking Dead houngan Robert Kirkman as writer and Sean "Sleeper" Phillips on art, there's no denying the creative team, though somehow I can't work up any excitement. (page M34)
RANDY: It all seems a bit "on the nose" for me, but there's no arguing the talent of that creative team or the curiosity factor of seeing a zombie movie filtered through superheroic sensibilities, which I don't believe has been done before. I'm not slobbering at the mouth waiting for it or anything, but I can definitely see giving it a read.
Nat Turner #3-4 (Kyle Baker Publishing) - RANDY: The last two parts of Nat Turner in the same month? Cool! The first issue of Nat Turner was amazing, and I'm really glad to see Baker being so prolific in the comics industry. (page 294)
DAVE: Abso-frickin'-lutely. Cartoonists don't come better than Baker, and it's particularly nice to see that while he's dabbled with the mainstream lately (Marvel's Truth, DC's Plastic Man), he remains true to the indy spirit. Guy's doing his own thing, no doubt to the tune of less money than he'd make at Marvel or DC, and I have nothing but admiration for that.
The Nightmarist GN (Active Images) - RANDY: Duncan Rouleau has done higher profile work, but I'll always remember him as the artist on M-Rex, a promising series by Rouleau and Joe Kelly that just up and disappeared about one issue in. This story, a graphic novel about a woman battling her own nightmares, sounds like just the right surreal project for Rouleau's artwork. (page 202)
Omega: The Unknown Classic TPB (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: One of the more bizarre revamps on the way from Marvel is Omega the Unknown, leading to this surprising reprint of the Omega the Unknown series, written by names like Steve Gerber, Steven Grant and Mark Gruenwald. I've never read an issue, but I have to admit, I'm curious as hell. (page M91)
Penny Arcade: 1x25 (Dark Horse Comics) - RANDY: Fresh off last month's collection of the Penny Arcade strips, Dark Horse offers up a 25 cent introductory issue to the geek-filled, electronic media-obsessed world of Penny Arcade. (page 19)
DAVE: I haven't really gotten into any of the comic-strip-style phenoms that've been making their way to the comic book format, but I am impressed to see the subgenre emerging. Always good for this biz to find new niches to fill, and I can't help but recall the whispered notion at the close of Calvin & Hobbes of Bill Watterson looking at comic books as a more open format. Can you imagine?
RANDY: I think Watterson took his ball and went home, unfortunately. But yeah, the notion of Watterson taking his craft and spirit and bringing it to comics is one of those pipe dreams.
Plastic Man Vol. 2: Rubber Bandits TPB (DC Comics) -
DAVE: Just a really fun, wonderfully cartooned series. Unapologetically goofy. Glad to see it getting a second trade. (page 82)
Revolution on the Planet of the Apes #1 (MR Comics) - DAVE: Wow. I'd almost, almost cite this as my Pick of the Month, if only because I've become so fond of Ty Templeton's rare and underrated writing over the years. Templeton's not the exclusive writer, but check out his words on the series (as well as some nice looking art) in this interview - see if he doesn't make you want to be a believer! Incidentally, this is definitely a series for the old-school ape-fan, taking its cue from the original five ape movies and not the Tim Burton debacle. (page 300)
RANDY: I'm not really a fan of Planet of the Apes (which is to say I've never really made time to watch them), but there's no arguing with the talent on the book. Leaving aside the underrated Ty Templeton writing, the art features Salgood Sam (of Sea of Red) and Tom Fowler (of Green Arrow, but his Caper work was so much stronger). And I do have a soft spot for disaster stories in comics ever since being wowed by Y: The Last Man and The Walking Dead, and this one promises "San Diego in flames! Talking apes in revolt!" and "Nuclear armageddon!" OK, I'm in.
Roadsong Vol. 1 (Tokyopop) - RANDY: I was drawn into this one by the artwork, which looks great, but the story description is so whacked-out that I'm now dying to read this book. Check this out: Two musicians collaborate on a song for a wedding between members of their respective families, then an explosion kills the wedding party and the boys are charged with murder, forced to go on the lam while being chased by the real killers and making their way through the "seedy world of broken-down bars in the Midwest." Wow. Out there. (page 332)
Robotika #1 (Archaia Studios Press) - RANDY: This one also first drew my attention due to the striking cover by Ryan Sook, but further investigation leads me to believe it's going to be something special. You can see a few pages of Joel Chua's art HERE, and Alex Sheikman's world of steampunk samurai sounds very interesting indeed. (page 227)
Serenity TPB (Dark Horse Comics) -
DAVE: Anyone else notice that some of the cover artists for this Serenity miniseries, Leinil Yu and Josh Middleton, were credited in the Serenity movie as conceptual artists? Very cool! The miniseries itself is a little on the slight side, serving as a bridge between the show and the movie (find out how Book and Inara left the crew), but the dialogue is so dead-on it's like seeing old friends again. Spectacular artwork too, which should come as no surprise - Dark Horse really gets some fine artists on their licensed books. (page 24)
RANDY: I'm with you in finding the story a little slight, but in general, the writers really did get the dialogue perfect, and I definitely enjoyed the story. The timing is a little suspect (it missed the movie debut by a mile, Christmas by a month and it's too early for the DVD release), but the content is pretty solid.
Smuggler Vol. 1 (Tokyopop) - RANDY: Lots of new stuff of interest from Tokyopop this month. There's no "volume one" on the Smuggler solicit, but I assume that to be a mistake, because it sounds like the story is planned for multiple volumes. Basically, a young actor in debt winds up smuggling bodies of murdered victims of the loan sharks he's indebted to, making sure nobody ever finds them. Bizarre. But the collage cover art is interesting, and the premise sounds intriguing, at least. I mean, who doesn't love stories about smuggling corpses? (page 337)
Solo #8 (DC Comics) - RANDY: Another "wow, really?" entry from Solo, indicating DC's commitment to the book and editor Mark Chiarello's ability to get "artist's artists" and not just buzz favorites for this book. Teddy Kristiansen is a rare sighting in comics, but his work is always beautiful to behold, and I'm sure his issue of Solo will be as great as... well, as every other issue of Solo. Thank you, DC, for publishing this book. (page 84)
DAVE: Absolutely one of the best books in the industry. I consider myself reasonably savvy when it comes to artists, but Solo's thrown even me a curveball or two (Jordi Bernet? Who dat?!) and they've proven to be some great discoveries. How 'bout Dan Brereton next?
Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane #1 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: I've enjoyed both preceding incarnations of Mary Jane comics from Sean McKeever and Takashi Miyazawa, so I can't think of a single reason I won't like this one too. McKeever captures both the angst and lightheartedness of teen romance, striking a really fun balance, and Miyazawa is simply one of the best artists under Marvel's employ. (page M47)
RANDY: I'm astounded that, despite abysmal sales, Marvel continues to publish new incarnations of the McKeever/Miyazawa Mary Jane series. It speaks to someone high up in the company either being devoted to the concept or (more cynically) wanting to have the material out there for the next Spider-Man movie, or more likely both. Anyway, whatever's causing them to keep printing new stories is a good thing, because this book is absolutely fun, beautifully drawn and an example of great romance/teen melodrama comics.
Star Wars: Purge (Dark Horse Comics) - RANDY: I keep wondering if they're doing it on purpose. First we had Star Wars: Obsession, which almost had to be a joke on the fan devotion, now in the wake of the concluded prequels, we've got Star Wars: Purge, which might be what some fans are doing with their collections of Star Wars memorabilia at this point. It's also tied into the actual story of the comic, of course, which is a one-shot written by John Ostrander about Darth Vader doing "jedi clean-up" and finishing off the stragglers who survived the purge seen in Revenge of the Sith. (page 40)
DAVE: At this point I pretty much feel that John Ostrander and Dark Horse in general have earned my trust when it comes to spinning Star Wars yarns. I'm still just a dabbler in their comics, and Lord knows Revenge of the Sith tried to destroy my Star Wars love, but much to the benefit of George Lucas's pocketbook, the love maintains. Must be midichlorians in the blood.
RANDY: My love for Star Wars has turned into more of the bitter kind of feelings you have toward an ex-girlfriend who cheated on you, but my love for Ostrander's writing means that I'm still digging the stuff he does on Star Wars. So yeah, despite my embittered view of Star Wars as a licensed entity, I'll definitely be checking out the Dark Horse Star Wars stuff, as they seem to more or less be on the same page as me in terms of what Star Wars should be.
Super Bad James Dynomite #1 (IDW Publishing) -
DAVE: The Wayans brothers doing a blaxploitation spoof?
Nooooooo!
But yes, it's happening, and the cover's just funny enough that I'll give it a look. (page 287)
RANDY: Right on.
Tails #1 (Bohemian Press) - RANDY: As a diehard meat-eater and leather-wearer, it's possible that this story of tofu-loving animal activists might not be for me, but I am an animal lover (my biggest charity contribution is always to the local Humane Society) and I do share cynicism and misanthropy with the protagonists, so maybe there'll be some common ground after all. At any rate, the art on the cover solicited looks pretty decent, and I'm always interested in checking out new indy talent. (page 242)
Team Zero #1 (DC Comics/Wildstorm) - RANDY: Chuck Dixon writes a tale of the Wildstorm universe during World War II, which means a focus on covert action and probably some tie-in to dirty government doings. Not sure if there will be superpowers or just military engagements, but either way, it should be a fun ride. Doug Mahnke's artwork looks great, too. (page 104)
Temporary Vol. 1 TPB (Origin Comics) - RANDY: Damon Hurd and Rick Smith collect the first adventures of Envy Saint-Claire, their office temp whose bizarre assignments include dealing with a corporate insane asylum and a multiple personality cop acting out all the parts of a bad cop movie by himself. These stories have been strange and very compelling, and I'll be glad to have them collected. (page 311)
Testament #1 (DC Comics/Vertigo) -
DAVE: This book sounds legitimately radical (in the original sense of the word), and I'm both intrigued and a little worried it'll have too much of an agenda. But more of that first thing. Testament follows a group of subversives taking on threats that stem from the idea that the tales of the Bible are repeating themselves today. Part and parcel of the story is writer Douglas Rushkoff's sure-to-be-controversial interpretations of original Biblical stories, described as "horrifying encounters full of murder, magic, monsters, sex and sacrifice." As someone pretty terrified of those who see the Bible as literal, I'm looking forward to just how literal Rushkoff is gonna get. (page 116)
RANDY: How great is that art by Liam Sharp? I've given the guy some mixed reviews in the past, but the preview pages are spectacular. The blend of Biblical stories and a modern, cyberpunk-looking story that plays off the same themes seems potentially heavy-handed or even self-indulgent, but it also seems potentially ground-breaking and thought-provoking. The preview offers up too small a taste to tell which, but the general quality of writing and art is solid, and I'm really hoping for another "Y/Fables/Losers" style hit.
Ultimate Wolverine Vs. Hulk #1 (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: OK, I'm really trying to be fair here. I know some folks didn't like my "wasted talent" count from last month. But... Marvel has the co-creator of the innovative and gripping series Lost writing for them, and the best they can come up with is... Wolverine vs. The Hulk? Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it'll be entertaining for what it is, but why get a talent with so much imagination and put him on the least imaginative project there is? (page M9)
DAVE: Well, I hear tell Mark Millar's hyping it as the Second Coming, but Mark Millar once hyped Trouble as the Second Coming, so I'm proceeding with maximum caution. Hmm. It's too bad Marvel's attempted reboot of their old Epic line (an overt precurser to Vertigo) didn't take. An original project from the co-creator of Lost would've been just the thing for it, wouldn't it?
RANDY: I'm just curious... did Millar hype Chosen, his story about the Second Coming, as the Second Coming? Because you've gotta give him truth in advertising on that one, at least.
Unruly: A Comix & Literary Journal #1 (Dork Storm Press) - RANDY: Dork Storm is best known for their gamer comics (like Dork Tower, which has a new issue and trade this month, and Nodwick, which has a new issue), but Kovalic has long supported some of the small press creators with backups in his books, including some of my favorites like Lethargic Lad's Greg Hyland and Tricked's Alex Robinson. Now he's publishing Unruly, a comics/short fiction book edited by political cartoonist Scott Bateman and featuring a number of small press creators, from guys I've never heard of to favorites like Shannon Wheeler and Alex Robinson. (page 270)
Vimanarama TPB (DC Comics/Vertigo) -
DAVE: Ever read a Grant Morrison book and not know if you liked it or not? That's Vimanarama for me, and I'm planning to pick up this trade to force my hand! It's a psychadelic action/adventure about a teenage Muslim living in England and the terrors of an arranged marriage and inadvertantly unleashed demons from the East. If nothing else, I know the art by Phillip Bond was dead-on perfect. (page 120)
RANDY: Had the same reaction as you to this one, thought it was dead brilliant in the first issue and then couldn't quite get into issues two or three as much. Still, great art, out there concept and some terrific moments means I'll be picking this one up.
The Walking Dead Omnibus Vol. 1 HC (Image Comics) - RANDY: Man, I loves me some giant hardcovers... but I think this one is priced out of my range. $100 for 24 issues is a little steep (more than $4 an issue), especially when you compare it to the value of the Invincible HC, which was half the size but about 1/3 the price. Still, if you're a massive zombie fan who somehow hasn't checked out the best zombie comic ever, and you want a super-deluxe version (or if that describes someone you want to buy an expensive X-Mas present for), this might be worth a look. (page 146)
What If? (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: The last wave of What If? specials was uninspired to say the least, and I'm not super-hyped for these, but I have to admit that the theme has me more curious than I was on the first go-round. Instead of sticking with the What If? theme, Marvel has instead embraced more of an Elseworlds style, telling tales of alternate times with the heroes, including such fitting eras as a Civil War era Captain America, a feudal Japan Daredevil and a communist FF at the height of the cold war. (page M48)
DAVE: A number of these have potential. "What if Thor had become the Herald of Galactus?" sounds like a fun 'un.
Will Eisner: A Spirited Life Biography (Dark Horse Comics) - RANDY: It looks like this is already available in book stores (I have a galley waiting to be read on my night table), but it's worth pointing out in case readers didn't know about it or haven't checked it out yet. (page 31)
DAVE: Good to see Eisner getting the attention he rightly deserves. Every once in a while the industry does right.
Young Avengers Special #1 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: Looking forward to this, a sort of "Secret Origins" for the Young Avengers told through the framework of the team being investigated by Daily Bugle reporters Kat Farrell and Jessica Jones (okay, Jones isn't exactly a reporter, but she still works for the Bugle). Sounds like each team member's story will get a different artist, and Marvel's roped in a host of great ones: Neal Adams, Bill Sienkiewicz, Pascual Ferry, and Gene Ha, to name a few. My only worry is that 32 pages won't be enough to cover everyone satisfactorily. (page M51)
RANDY: Huh, that does seem a little bit of a chintzy page count for the origins of the Young Avengers... but still, getting some answers on these new and interesting young heroes is certainly something cool to look forward to.
Email Randy Lander and Dave Farabee comments about this review.
Down the Line is The Fourth Rail's monthly look at Previews, and what titles are coming out a few months, well, "down the line." My co-writer on this feature is Dave Farabee, co-manager at Dragon's Lair Comics in Round Rock and longtime reviewer at Ain't-It-Cool-News.
Demo Collection TPB (AIT/Planet Lar) - RANDY: C'mon, you really didn't believe them when they said there wasn't gonna be a trade, did you? This series was a great read from start to finish, and though I have all the single issues, I'm still just remarkably happy to have it coming out in my preferred format. Becky Cloonan's art is amazing and Wood's self-contained stories explore a variety of interesting characters. (page 209)
