Down The Line - Previews review for January 2006 by Randy Lander & Dave Farabee 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. This installment covers the November Previews for comics due to ship out in January 2006. Remember, especially with the indy books, that preordering is your friend, and the best way to make sure you get the books you want. RANDY: Good lord, we're already looking ahead to 2006, huh? I'm going to go ahead and make my prediction for "Biggest Comics Moment of 2006" now, then. Three words: Darkseid vs. Archie. You heard me! DAVE: You can focus on the title match, Randy, but I'm all about the milkshake-drinkin' contest between Desaad and Jughead. Worlds will live, worlds will die. As you can see from the above, my comments will be the normal type, and Dave's will be in yellow. As always, our Previews rundown is in alphabetical order, rather than the order used in the Previews catalog. To facilitate those seeking more information, each entry will include the page number of the solicitation. This, by the way, would be a lot easier if Diamond would make sure that all of the publishers (specifically ADV, IDW, Devil's Due & Digital Manga) had page numbers on their solicitations. RANDY'S PICK OF THE MONTH: Godland Vol. 1: Hello, Cosmic! TPB (Image Comics) - RANDY: I've come to love this book a whole lot, as it's the perfect blend of Kirby cosmic, Stan Lee old school character interaction and the type of modern perspective and hipster dialogue that can only come with Joe Casey, with Kirby-esque art by Tom Scioli. I'm really glad to see the book getting a trade paperback, as it speaks to a commitment to the series on Image's part and a recognition of the buzz that the series is earning. I have to say, I'm a bit disappointed that Image didn't extend that push to giving Godland the cover of Previews instead of Body Bags (no slight meant to Pearson or the rest of that crew), but just getting a quick trade collection is a good thing. If you haven't checked it out (and many of you haven't), give it a look. It's probably the most fun, action-packed superhero comic on the market right now. (page 134) DAVE: I'm one of those "haven't checked it out" people, but I'm way onboard the art based on what little I've seen, and hopeful on the story front. DAVE'S PICK OF THE MONTH: New Warriors: Reality Check TPB (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: This collects the Zeb Wells-penned miniseries that's proven to be an unexpected favorite for me over the last few months. With wild art by Skottie Young, the series has seen the '90s heroes reduced to heroing for a reality TV show that brings heroes to small town America. Against all odds, I've never once felt the heroes were being mocked - Wells is just writing some damn good comedy around 'em! Very fun, and for me, much more successful than any of Giffen and DeMatteis's similar efforts. Recommended. (page M92) RANDY: I was a fan of the old school New Warriors and I like this new wave take as well. Wells and Young took heroes that quite frankly didn't need a comeback and created a fun (and funny) off-beat superhero book. And you're right... I enjoyed Justice League International, but New Warriors is funnier. Action Comics #835 (DC Comics) - DAVE: I had mixed feeling about Harley Quinn being adapted from cartoons to the DC Universe proper - mostly because the stories with her haven't been so hot - but at least it was a fair trade, the cartoons having lifted so much of the best of the comics. Well this issue follows the Harley trend and brings villainess Livewire to the sequential world. I think it's a good call, not just because Superman always needs a stronger rogues gallery and I liked Livewire on the cartoon, but also because I think the team of Gail Simone and John Byrne will do right by the character. (page 67) RANDY: If anyone can do it, it's this team, which is producing the best Superman comics of the past ten years or more. I'm no huge Livewire fan, but you're right that Superman's rogues gallery could use an infusion of new blood. All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #1 (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: Cheers to Marvel for finally recognizing that one of the real appeals of the Marvel Handbooks was the comprehensive, alphabetical nature of them, and while some of their "themed" specials of late have been pretty interesting, an A-Z overview really is more what the whole book should be about. Jeers to Marvel for thinking they can cover it all in 12 issues, which says to me that a lot of the obscure characters (the real gems of these Marvel Universe endeavors) will probably be ignored. On the other hand, that cover does boast some obscurities, so maybe this'll focus less on the icons (who we know all about) and more on the fringe characters. Certainly the "newfangled" Marvel handbooks have gotten better and better as time goes on, although the format still doesn't click with me the way the '80s series did. (page M32) DAVE: I've had it up to here with these wannabe Marvel Handbooks. Saw in an interview that this new 12-parter will be minimizing characters already included in the 2004/2005 Handbooks, and that's a shitload of characters! I say do it right or don't do it at all. And "right" in this case means you stop confusing folks by splitting these encyclopedia entries among specials, character-centric hardcovers, and now an ongoing series...and find a single damn home for 'em. A home that includes ALL characters, both popular and obscure. But since that doesn't seem to be the gameplan, since the entries still have those silly power grids, and since there's no Elliot R. Brown cutaways or clip art like we used to get...man, I'm done with 'em. I'm sure the writers are bustin' their butts for density of information, but the overall production can't hold a candle to releases dating back twenty years. RANDY: So what you're saying is, you're totally onboard this plan? The Art of Usagi Yojimbo TPB (Dark Horse) - RANDY: About a year and a half ago, Dave and I gave The Art of Usagi Yojimbo hardcover a double pick of the month, and the final product didn't disappoint when it arrived. Now it's available in less swanky (but more affordable) softcover, and if you're at all a fan of comics art books (or just Stan Sakai specifically), you'll definitely want to pick it up. And if you're not a fan of Stan Sakai, well, hey, it's just my opinion, but I think you're missing out on one of comics' best cartoonists. (page 31) DAVE: Randy's softselling his opinion. He really thinks you're a bitch if you haven't read Usagi. And so do I! Athena Voltaire: Flight of the Falcon #1 (Speakeasy Comics) - RANDY: The solicitation for this pulp looking series features a quote from pulp aficianado Warren Ellis that compares it to The Mummy and Van Helsing "only, you know, good." Pretty decent praise, and the stirring cover and promo copy, which promises an aviator heroine, Nazis, black magic, the hollow Earth and super-mortals certainly whets my appetite. By the way, if you want to get an early look, Athena Voltaire is also apparently a long-running webcomic on GraphicSmash. (page 312) Bernet HC (Books) - DAVE: This is an "offered again" item from Previews that we should all pay attention to. It's a hardcover spotlighting the life and art of the Spanish artist Jordi Bernet recently given the spotlight of DC's Solo. If that sampling wasn't enough to convince you the guy's crazy with talent, note the legends writing the introduction and forward to the book: Will Eisner and Joe Kubert! (page 369) RANDY: Bernet's issue of Solo was an eye-opener for me, as I hadn't ever heard of this apparently legendary talent, but having really enjoyed his issue of Solo, I'll have to give a look at this hardcover. The Comics Journal Library Volume 6: The Writers TPB (Fantagraphics Books) - DAVE: This is a spotlight on the comics writers of 1966 through 1985, the era that saw the first real stream of writers who were as much fans as they were professionals. The Comics Journal is great at this kind of stuff, and their subjects include Len Wein, Steve Englehart, Gerry Conway, Marv Wolfman, Denny O' Neil, Mike Baron, and Alan Moore - basically all the guys who picked up the baton from Stan Lee and Roy Thomas. Topics include their influences, from cinema to European and Japanese comics; the progressive social outlook that began appearing in their writing; and the ascendance of writer-driven comics. Lots of interviews, many conducted during the peak influence of these creators. (page 266) Cyclone Bill and the Tall Tales TPB (Moonstone) - RANDY: I read an issue of Cyclone Bill and quite liked it, so I'm happy to see the whole thing being released as a graphic novel. For those who are into the whole rock music as borderline supernatural experience, or who love fictionalized tell-alls like Almost Famous, Cyclone Bill is worth a look. (page 288) The Dark Age: Grim, Great & Gimmicky: Post-Modern Comics SC (Twomorrows Publishing) - DAVE: This interests me: a retrospective of the most embarassing era for comics - the '90s - with its gimmick covers, antihero Image comics, and event-driven stories like "The Death of Superman." Hopefully Twomorrows pulls no punches, and hopefully their articles are cognizant of the good material that fought for shelf space in that era: Next Men, Hellboy, Bone, etc. (page 338) RANDY: I'd be more interested if they hadn't lumped in Watchmen and Dark Knight with all that other '90s crap, because it either elevates the latter or demeans the former. Truthfully, I worked in a comic shop during those dark times, and I remember feeling like the medium was just slowly dying out from under me, so I don't have much interest in a book that looks back on it with any kind of fondness, as is implied in the ad copy for this book. If this is instead a book of "how it almost went horribly and finally wrong," then I'm more interesed. In fairness, Twomorrows has generally done excellent work on these kinds of historical comics, and I give them a better shot at it than if it were being produced by, say, Wizard. DAVE: I don't know that Watchmen and Dark Knight are so much being "lumped" in with the trash as, more likely, being cited as the quality works that inadvertently inspired a lot of weaker "grim 'n' gritty" to come. As for the book's overall tone...yeah, if it's a fond look back, I've no interest, but I'm counting on Twomorrows to be a little more savvy than that. Daughters of the Dragon #1 (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: I always loved Misty Knight and Colleen Wing as private investigator supporting cast in Power Man & Iron Fist. Like some of the other projects announced from Marvel this month, I'm kind of surprised to see the love shown to the C-listers, but I ain't complaining. Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti seem to be changing things up a bit, making the gals bounty hunters instead of P.I.s and throwing in a comedy vibe that reads to me (based on nothing but solicitation copy and a wordless page of art) to evoke the New Warriors revamp and Gail Simone's work on Deadpool (still hoping for that trade, by the way). These are changes I'm down with, and the art by Khari Evans looks pretty fun as well. Cautiously optimistic that this will be another under-the-radar creative success for Marvel. (page M25) DAVE: I see 'em taking on the Rhino on that preview page - is he, like, the schmuck to get his ass kicked in teaser scenes these days? Didn't he used to be formidable? And should be again, if only because he's a Lee/Ditko creation? Beyond that, though, this has potential. I don't know much about Misty and Colleen beyond guest spots in X-Men, but they always seemed like some chicks with potential for ass-kickery. RANDY: I agree with you that the Rhino shouldn't go down like some punk, but it's only one page, so we don't know how that fight shakes out. Hopefully they'll be fighting more regular guys, like the guy they've beatdown and gagged on the front cover. DAVE: And maybe Rhino kills 'em in their first issue. Big twist ending! RANDY: Don't forget the rape. Rape is huge in comics right now. Day of Vengeance: Infinite Crisis Special (DC Comics) - RANDY: For those of you who read Day of Vengeance and ended up wondering "That's it? Where's the ending?" Well, it sounds like it might be here, in this special. It's not quite as cheesy as DC's "Read Wonder Woman #219 if you want to know what happened in The OMAC Project!" but it's close. (page 73) DAVE: I feel sorry for the folks following all this stuff. Surely continuity's starting to feel like a chore at this point. DC Universe: The Stories of Alan Moore TPB (DC Comics) - DAVE: Finally...finally...DC is taking all its piecemeal Alan Moore reprints and collecting them in a single trade. Here's what it's got: Batman: The Killing Joke, Action Comics #584, Batman Annual #11, DC Comics Presents #85, Detective Comics #549-550, Green Lantern #188, The Omega Men #26-27, Secret Origins #10, Superman #423, Tales of the Green Lantern Corps Annual #2 & 3, Superman Annual #11, and Vigilante #17-18. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that this volume will not disappoint. Except for the Vigilante two-parter. That was kinda crap. "Louise!! LouEEEEEEEEEZE!!" (page 78) RANDY: Better watch out, or Moore will sic his snake god on you. I've seen him do it. OK, I've seen Rich Johnston write about him doing it in Wannabee, which is almost the same thing. At any rate, I've got most if not all of this material in previous collections, and I don't want to buy it again, but it is way cool that DC is putting all the Moore stuff into one book. Detective Comics #815 (DC Comics) - RANDY: I'm pretty much bored with the big icons right now, but I'll read this Batman two-parter because it features art by Cliff (Human Target) Chiang. Somebody get this guy another Vertigo book... stat! (page 60) A Disease of Language HC (Knockabout Comics) - DAVE: Speaking of Alan Moore stuff, here's a nice, inexpensive hardcover ($19.99) connecting some of his non-From Hell collaborations with genius artist Eddie Campbell. The notable pieces are Snakes & Ladders and The Birth Caul, which delve into Moore's gnosticism. There's also an interview from Eddie Campbell's Egomania and sketchbook stuff. Sounds like a must-have for folks into Moore's genius-or-madness magical stuff. (page 286) Elfquest: The Discovery #1 (DC Comics) - DAVE: My interest with Elfquest tends to taper off sharply with the conclusion of the original quest, but there's no way I'll pass up a new series by original creators Richard and Wendy Pini. This one's a four-part, bimonthly mini following that brings together the Wolfriders with a tribe of sea-going elves, so it's sure to have lush visuals. (page 97) Essential Godzilla Vol. 1 TPB (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: It probably says something about where my head is at these days that this is the Marvel offering I'm most excited about this month. I don't think I ever even read an issue of this comic, and I'm not a Godzilla fanatic, but the whole notion of a series about SHIELD monster hunters tracking down Godzilla with guest star turns by the Avengers and the Fantastic Four just appeals to me a lot right now. Writing is by Doug Moench, so it should be pretty solid, at the very least. (page M95) DAVE: My older brother had a few issues of this book, and at least based on my twenty-year-old memories...it was pretty cool stuff. My favorite story was the one where Godzilla got shrunk down - can't remember how - but still ended up in a big monster showdown...with a New York sewer rat! Looking forward to this, and I'm just impressed that Marvel pulled off whatever license finagling necessary to make it happen. Wonder if it might have set any precedents for reprints of, say, Rom or The Micronauts. Essential Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Vol. 1 TPB (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: I actually have the original comics, in color, but I'm still considering picking this one up. The original Marvel Universe handbooks were a beauty of design, with great technical diagrams by Eliot R. Brown, write-ups overseen by legendary editors and continuity mavens like Mark Gruenwald and Peter Sanderson and art from the best of Marvel's stable at the time, whicn included guys like John Byrne, P. Craig Russell and John Romita Jr. and should look great even in black and white. (page M97) DAVE: The original Marvel Universe is still the gold-standard against which all other hero reference guides are measured. What more is there to say? If you're a Marvel fan, even a new one looking at these characters twenty years after this was published, you need to have this collection. The Exterminators #1 (DC Comics/Vertigo) - RANDY: Two words sold me on this book, and those words were Tony Moore. Looking at the full-color preview of his art, I'm still way onboard, as his work here might be the best I've seen from him yet. But this Simon Oliver guy has some chops as well, laying on profanity-laced, darkly humorous dialogue very effectively in the pages. I'm not sure I buy the "Six Feet Under with cockroaches" as anything but an easy high concept sell, because the vibe reads a lot more funny and outrageous than that, but this looks like another potential Vertigo hit to me. (page 114) DAVE: Looked like a lot of fun to me, too. I've never seen Six Feet Under, so that hook doesn't mean much to me, but the dialogue is sort of Pulp Fiction with exterminators instead of hitmen, and that's weirdly appealing as well. Fear The Dead: A Zombie Survivor's Journal (Boom! Studios) - RANDY: OK, folks... it has come to this. I think we need a moratorium on zombie comics. In this issue of Previews, there are about a half-dozen zombie comics, half of them new, and it's getting to be a bit of a glut. This sounds ridiculous in an industry dominated by hundreds of superhero titles, I know, but... I dunno, it just feels like it's getting to be a bit old. I'm not saying there's nothing more to be said with zombie comics, you're all beautiful and unique snowflakes, but maybe it's time to move on a bit... how about evil clowns? (page 232) That said, I am somewhat drawn in by the Boom! Studios approach, which is essentially a book of zombie pin-ups strung together by a narrative from Steve Niles. Mostly, I'm excited about the possibility of zombie pin-ups from Eric Powell, Norm Breyfogle, Guy Davis and Chris Moreno, but the line-up in general looks solid, and at least it's not another ongoing or something. I'll give this one a look and probably be quite happy at the artistic feast... but I'm just saying, evil clowns are the new zombies. (page 232) DAVE: How do you put a zombie comic down, by the way? Bullet to the brain? Is the brain the indicia on the front page? Anyway, I'm in agreement with you on the zombie glut. If all the new zombie books were great, that'd be one thing, but in fact all the ones not called Walking Dead tend to stink. Fear of the Dead sounds fun enough, though. Zombie pin-ups seem innocuous. And the new horror trend should be "giant squids." The Goon Vol. 4: Virtue and the Grim Consequences Thereof TPB (Dark Horse) - RANDY: The Goon has a space adventure, mixes it up with the newly re-eviled Dr. Alloy, winds up in prison and generally engages in the same kind of madcap horror/humor that has made this book a must-read and one of my favorite ongoing books. (page 33) Hellblazer #216 (DC Comics/Vertigo) - DAVE: Holy crap - a dame is about to start writing Hellblazer! Beyond my gut-instinct moment of sexism, though, I'll be genuinely interested to check this out. Honestly, John Constantine's getting a bit long in the tooth and could use a new perspective. Will novelist Denise Mina be the one to bring it? We'll see, won't we. (page 119) H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds HC (Dark Horse) - RANDY: Scarlet Traces II is, unfortunately, vanished into the missed-deadline ether, but this might tide me over while I wait for more martian sci-fi from Ian Edginton and D'Israeli. This graphic novel, a collection of the online strips at Dark Horse.com, is an abridged adaptation of the original War of the Worlds, and thus makes a perfect prelude to the underrated but very entertaining Scarlet Traces. (page 29) Invincible Vol. 6: A Different World TPB (Image Comics) - RANDY: Let me once again say how pleased I am with Image's trade collections policy at the moment. Rather than punishing the singles reader or the trade collector, they really do leave it to the reader as a matter of preference, putting out trades fast enough that readers can jump right onto the series if they want or follow the trades, confident that they will be scheduled and that they will be pretty regular. This tight collection timeframe means I can't comment on the entirety of the contents of this trade (we're on #26, and it covers up through #30), but so far, I like what I see and see no reason to doubt that the book will continue to be great superhero stuff. Kudos to Image for smart trade publishing, kudos to Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley and the rest for putting together such a consistently kickass book. (page 140) JLA Classified #16 (DC Comics) - RANDY: Gail Simone teams up with legendary superhero artist Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez to tell a story of a third-world dictator who creates his own Justice League in response to a Justice League attempt to quell revolutions in his country. All that plot stuff is immaterial to me, I'll be reading it because Simone rarely goes wrong with superheroes and Garcia-Lopez's artwork is sure to be great. (page 81) DAVE: I read the preview of this at Newsrama and it looked like good stuff. Garcia's stuff looks excellent, but you know what I liked best? Seeing the League being effective. I've had it up to here with all the losses and Pyrrhic victories - the League needs to be challenged, but call me crazy...I like to see 'em shine every once in a while. Marlene #1 (Amaze Ink/Slave Labor Graphics) - RANDY: I don't know about Peter Snejbjerg's writing, but I know his art, which has graced Starman, The Light Brigade and plenty more, is gorgeous and makes such good use of light and shadow that I bet it'll look fantastic in black and white. The story's a one-shot about a detective investigating a string of murders that all seem to relate to an alluring young woman, with supernatural and suspense overtones. Support the pros who diversify beyond the bigger paychecks of Marvel and DC to try something new and creator-owned and give Marlene a shot! (page 212) DAVE: Yes, absolutely. Snejbjerg's one of the lesser-known greats in the biz. Marvel Visionaries: Roy Thomas HC (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: I honestly don't have a great "feel" for Roy Thomas's style, but he's obviously a fine choice for Marvel's Visionaries series. He took the reigns of The Avengers after Stan Lee, introducing the Vision and crafting the much-loved "Kree-Skrull War." His brief run on X-Men alongside Neal Adams is still considered seminal mutant reading. And, oh yeah, he was the first writer to chronicle Conan the Barbarian in comic book form! Not bad at all, and this collection promises to collect both favorite stories and lesser-known early outings from Marvel's Silver Age romance and humor comics. All-star line up of artists, too: Gene Colan, Neal Adams, Barry Windsor-Smith, John Buscema, George Perez, and Butch Guice! (page M77) MBQ Vol. 2 (Tokyopop) - RANDY: The first volume of MBQ was wild, funny and beautifully drawn, and I've been anxious to read more ever since. It seems like in January I'll have my chance. (page 324) Meathaus Vol. 8: Headgames TPB (Alternative Comics) - RANDY: I haven't read any of the previous Meathaus anthologies, but the talent line-up here includes Becky Cloonan, Farel Dalrymple, Brandon Graham, Tomer Hanuka, James Jean, Scott Morse and plenty of other cartoonists whose work I either love or could easily fall in love with based on a Google search to see what they have to offer. This is absolutely going on my buying list for January. Plus, it's the only anthology that's really fun to say with a Rainier Wolfcastle-esque fake German accent. C'mon, try it, you know you want to! (page 210) Michael Golden's Monster Portfolio (Image Comics) - DAVE: I'm not sure that I'll pick this up, but anything new from Michael Golden is inherently cool. In this case, it's a 10 plate portfolio of classic monsters rendered in black and white. The solicit's light on specifics, but I see a King Kong and a reference to giant lizards, so I'm guessing the focus might be more on the big guys of monsterdom than, say, Frankenstein and the Mummy. (page 136) The Middleman Vol. 1 TPB (Viper Comics) - RANDY: Lost writer Javier Grillo-Marxuach and artist Les McClaine certainly impressed with their funny, action-packed tale of a secretive agency that fights aliens, giant gorillas and other terrors mankind doesn't know about, and I'm glad to see a quick trade of their efforts. Given Grillo-Marxuach's no-doubt busy day job, I'm even more delighted to see that there's another Middleman miniseries offered up in this very issue. (page 345) Mythos: X-Men (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: I have reason to have a bit of hope for the Mythos series. The concept is to offer up "starter" issues for Marvel's characters recounting their classic origins in a single, painted issue. What has me a little bit interested is Paul Jenkins, the series' regular writer. Interesting thing about Jenkins is that while I usually avoid his stuff (Inhumans, Sentry), his standalone stories for Spectacular Spider-Man produced several modern classics. Means he just might be the right guy for these done-in-one origins. (pageM51) Nextwave #1 (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: Every interview I've read with Ellis on Nextwave has fairly dripped with contempt for the superhero genre and Marvel's universe, and that bugs me, especially when he's got hold of one of my favorite underused characters (Monica Rambeau, aka Captain Marvel/Photon)... and yet... I can't deny that some of my favorite Marvel miniseries of late, like New Warriors and Livewires, also boast an unusual, nonstandard superhero vibe, and that Ellis wrote some great unusual superhero stuff with Planetary, Authority and Stormwatch. Oh hell, I can't even call myself conflicted at this point, because the preview artwork, and that gorgeously designed cover, both by Stuart Immonen, are too good to pass up. I'm still a little wary of the humorous elements of the book, which could overwhelm all the things I like about it, but the creative team, the cast and even the chuckle-worthy tagline ("healing America by beating people up") have me anticipating it. (page M37) DAVE: I have no love. Ellis seems a fit for the Ultimate-verse, but not so much Marvel 616. Oversight: Collected Short Stories 1990-2005 TPB (Image Comics) - DAVE: This is a pleasant surprise: a collection of short stories both written and drawn by Phil Hester. Hester's been wowing the hell out of me as a writer lately on books like Deep Sleeper and The Atheist, but I'm completely unfamiliar with the earlier stuff this collects. Looking forward to. (page 141) RANDY: I haven't read most of Hester's early stuff either, but I've come to realize that everything the guy writes, I love, and I really enjoy his artwork as well, so I'm excited to see this. And, for that matter, anything else that he decides to write. Past Lies OGN (Oni Press) - RANDY: A murder mystery involving a murdered millionaire, past lives, a psychic and (if I'm reading between the lines properly) a touch of murder/conspiracy, Past Lies sounds potentially very interesting. Certainly Nunzio DeFillipis and Christina Weir have done great work at Oni, from Skinwalker to Maria's Wedding to Once In A Blue Moon, and I've gotten into Christopher Mitten's art vibe after his work on Queen & Country Declassified. (page 300) Planetary Brigade #1 (Boom! Studios) - RANDY: Seems kinda weird to me to spinoff a new miniseries from another miniseries that could easily have fit this into its concept, but y'know, whatever. At any rate, this is more Justice League International style super-comedy, expanded to include an entire team instead of a pair of dimensional twins (one super, one not) from Hero Squared, and those of you with a taste for the Bwa-ha-ha will probably want to take a look. (page 232) Roy Thomas' Anthem #1 (Heroic Publishing Inc.) - RANDY: Roy Thomas, famous for his World War II and post-World War II work on Earth-2 at DC, has a go at creating his own superhero world with a similar vibe, and he's feeling free to mix up not just superhero archetypes but the history of the war. Seems potentially interesting, and I'm not sure if Daniel Acuna is just doing covers or interiors as well, but I've liked his covers on DC's Outsiders and JLA, at least. (page 274) Sable & Fortune #1 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: Silver Sable and Dominic Fortune? Bizarre teaming, but it's the bizarre stuff I've been enjoying at Marvel lately - Runaways, Livewires, New Warriors...stuff like that. For those who don't know the characters, both Sable and Fortune are adventurer/mercenary types from the Marvel Universe. In the right hands, they've got potential. Dunno if the folks on this mini are the right hands (one's a new name, the other a new-to-me Brit artist), but they deserve a shot. (page M46) RANDY: I'm a big fan of both of these characters, even though Sable had some really bad stories written with her in the '90s and I've read maybe one Dominic Fortune story in my life. But like you, I've got a fondness for the fringe characters, and while I'm shocked that Marvel greenlit these obscurities by an unknown writer, I'm really happy about it. Scary Book Volume 1: Reflections (Dark Horse Comics) - DAVE: New horror manga from the creator dubbed the "Stephen King of Japan"? Sign me up. For me, manga's proven wrong the axiom that you can't do horror in comics, so I'm always up for a new entry. (page 40) Sentinel Squad O*N*E* #1 (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: The status quo of post-House of M is still deliberately murky, so I'm not sure where a group of humans piloting Sentinel mecha fit in. What I am sure of is that Aaron Lopresti is a talented artist who really hasn't gotten the proper chance to shine, and that I like John Layman's writing and am far more interested in him doing a more original concept than I was in seeing what he'd do with Gambit, a character I've come to loathe. Is that a "damning with faint praise" recommendation? Well, so be it, but it is still a "check it out" recommendation. (page M54) Seven Soldiers of Victory Vol. 1 TPB (DC Comics) - RANDY: Collecting the Seven Soldiers mega-event/separate miniseries was going to be a tricky business, but DC seems to have come up with the stupidest possible way of doing it. Basically, this first volume contains two issues of Guardian, Zatanna and Shining Knight as well as Seven Soldiers #0 and one issue of Klarion. The result will be a trade paperback with no ending, just several cliffhangers, and if the lame endings of the miniseries hadn't put the lie to the Seven Soldiers promise of self-contained miniseries, this bone-headed trade plan certainly does. Morrison is going to have to pull off a hell of an ending in Seven Soldiers #1 to head off the disappointment I've found in the latter half of the Seven Soldiers event. (page 86) DAVE: I've been disappointed too, but I've got more faith in Morrison pulling it out and I've got to figure that the collection plan is in some way key to the stories. The interwoven events between the issues, presumably, will become more pronounced when read side-by-side. But, yes, the notion that these series stand alone has certainly been put to the lie. RANDY: That's what bugs me, I think, more than wondering whether or not this collection scheme "fits Morrison's plan" or anything like that. If it all is supposed to read like one big story and that's it, I suppose that's cool, but that's not the way we were sold on this book, and I kind of liked the experimentation implied in seven different stories that could overlap but didn't have to. As is, it's a lot less cool than that, it's basically yet another 30-part crossover with a bizarre publishing scheme. In fairness, it's a 30-part crossover with good to great writing and stunning art, but still... disappointed in the realization that it's not as innovative as I'd hoped. Sgt. Rock: The Prophecy #1 (DC Comics) - DAVE: Six issue mini written, drawn, and colored by the legendary Joe Kubert? I really shouldn't have to say anything more to sell this baby, but for the record, it's got a pretty intriguing premise. Seems Sgt. Rock and his crew have been assigned a special mission in Nazi-occupied Lithuania to capture some kind of religious relic that might turn the tide of the war. Are we talking the Ark here? The Spear of Destiny? I usually think of Rock's adventures taking place outside the DC Universe and more or less in the "real world", so this sounds both odd... and interesting. (page 88) Showcase Presents: Green Arrow Vol. 1 TPB (DC Comics) - RANDY: I have to admit, I have some interest in this just to see the playboy archer and his amazing trick arrows. Not sure I have a $16 level of interest, though. At any rate, still glad DC is rolling out these Showcase Presents volumes and hoping for some more esoteric fare, like Viking Prince, Warlord, some of their '70s and '80s stuff when the company was pumping out tons of product. (page 77) Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic #1 (Dark Horse) - DAVE: Spinning off of the much-loved Old Republic video games is a smart idea as Dark Horse relaunches its Star Wars line in the wake of the prequals wrapping up. The preview pages didn't do a lot for me, but Dark Horse has earned its rep for handling the franchise well. I'll keep my eye on the series. (page 19) RANDY: I thought the preview pages featured some pretty solid artwork, and while I don't have a lot of interest in the Old Republic setting as a whole, Dark Horse has done a pretty good job with the Star Wars comics to date, and relaunching now is probably the right time, now that they're not so tethered to the completed movie series. Superman Chronicles Vol. 1 TPB (DC Comics) - DAVE: Superman gets the treatment DC kicked off with Batman a few months back: color collections of his earliest adventures as they appeared chronologically. This one covers Superman comics from 1938 and '39, so check him out in his more roughneck days - bustin' mobsters and wifebeaters instead of Lex Luthors and Brainiacs. (page 69) RANDY: This is cool and all, but I can't help wondering what the publishing frequency of these Chronicles is going to be. Shouldn't we be due a Batman Chronicles Vol. 2 right about now? The Transformers: Infiltration #1 (IDW Publishing) - RANDY: I can barely believe it, but I'm very much recommending this new Transformers series from IDW. The zero issue provided a tempting teaser, with a nice conspiracy vibe, some interesting human protagonists and some nice, clear storytelling from E.J. Su. So that's me speaking as a non-fan, saying that IDW is handling this in all the right ways. What about the Transformers fans, the ones still left after being burned by Dreamwave? Well, IDW has four covers (in equal ratios), variant covers (boo, say I, but some of the diehard fans love 'em) and a $2.99 price, a buck beneath their standard. Excellent delivery on a beloved license, and hopefully some of the Transformers fans will check in to see what else IDW has to offer... specifically stuff like Grimjack and Fallen Angel. (page 281) DAVE: I'm recommending it too, but I've been burned too many times on nostalgia stuff to not be ready to cut and run. One of my favorite aspects of the relaunch is the emphasis on the "robots in disguise" hook, such that the Transformers really seem to be utilizing their alt forms to minimize human awareness of their presence. Here's hoping the series pays off on the promise of that zero issue. It was quite good. Truth Serum Vol. 1 TPB (City Cyclops) - RANDY: I missed Truth Serum when it was first released under Slave Labor, but one giant trade paperback collecting all of this dark superhero satire has piqued my interest once again. There's a lot of cool preview artwork, and links to the Truth Serum comics up at Dark Horse, over at Jonathan Adams' website. (page 238) Warren Ellis' Black Gas #1 (Avatar Press) - RANDY: There's a really cheap joke to be made in that title, but I won't be the one to make it. At any rate, questionable title or not, this is Warren Ellis doing full-color zombie comics at Avatar, which means full-on gore and most likely entertaining pseudoscience to explain the zombie phenomenon. Again, my general "zombie moratorium" rule applies, meaning my interest is lower than it otherwise would be, but... Ellis is on a roll with me lately, and I'll definitely at least check this out. (page 226) X-Statix Presents: Dead Girl #1 (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: Truthfully, I kind of felt that X-Statix had expended its considerable pop charms well before it ended, but I can't deny that the notion of more Milligan/Allred (and Dragotta) work on the characters holds some appeal to me. If this inspires a collection of X-Statix in hardcover to match my X-Force hardcover, and the miniseries is as much fun as the original series was, I can definitely see being drawn back in. (page M23) Year One: Batman/Ra's Al Ghul TPB (DC Comics) - RANDY: This is just getting ridiculous. We're still one trade shy of a complete Starman run, underrated miniseries like Human Defense Corps go uncollected, series like Birds of Prey and Hitman have erratic, half-assed collections and this... this 2-part prestige format mini that was a mediocre movie tie-in at best and can most likely be found in bargain bins around the country (I know we've got some at my local shop) gets a trade? Seriously, what is up with DC's collections department? (page 64) DAVE: It's Batman, man. His name trumps all. With the right marketing push, though, I think DC could really do some business with full trade runs of Hitman and Birds of Prey. Human Defense Corps would be great, too, but even I know that one's not a great bet for sales. Email Randy Lander and Dave Farabee comments about this review.