Down The Line - Previews review for February 2003 by Randy Lander 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 December previews for comics due to ship out in February 2003. Make sure and also check out some of the other places to get preordering suggestions, including Chris Butcher & James Lucas Jones (Previews Review), who have created a site that centers on monthly and weekly looks at what's coming up and Johanna Draper Carlson (Comics Worth Reading), who has been doing this longer than just about anyone currently doing it. Pre-ordering is your friend. If there's stuff you want in February, letting your retailer know before the end of December is the best way to make sure you get it. While December and January seemed like a bit of a slowdown, February is a month where I once again loooove comics. Tons of good stuff, both from the major publishers and the smaller ones, including a long-awaited and surprising trade announcement from DC, a shorter wait but greater anticipation for a hardcover from Marvel and one of the best series in the world gets a collection from AIT/Planet Lar. And that's just a few of the highlights. BIG FOUR PICK OF THE MONTH: Sammy: Tourist Trap #1 (Image) & Shadows #1 (Image) - Image is producing a lot of new work these days, some super-hero and some not, and their non-super-hero stuff in particular all looks really good to me. I'm anxiously awaiting the release of Hawaiian Dick and Rex Mundi, and these two seem to be along those lines as well, not in genre or even in approach but just generally providing an alternative to the rest. The first five pages of Sammy on the Image website are very entertaining, and while there's no similar preview for Shadows yet, the paranormal investigators story hook is one I like and the artwork in the solicitation looks solid. Hellboy Anthology #1 & Art of Hellboy HC (Dark Horse) - As I've noted before, I'm something of a latecomer to Hellboy. But I like the concept, and both of these projects sound great. The Art of Hellboy is pricey ($50), but for 200 pages, some of which will be color and all of which will be oversized, it's not overpriced, and The Art of Sin City volume sure was nice looking. Meanwhile, Hellboy Anthology gets my attention largely because it's got a story by Andi Watson, which is never a bad thing, but the other initial contributors are interesting as well and I'm looking forward to seeing some takes on the Hellboy universe by creators other than Mike Mignola or the relative few who have taken their shot already. Star Wars: A Valentine Story (Dark Horse) - Judd Winick and Paul Chadwick on Star Wars? What are you, drunk? Not some drunken fiction, but instead a February one-shot special, this is an unusual creative team for a Star Wars book, and it plays off one of the Star Wars elements I liked, the love/hate relationship between Han Solo and Princess Leia. Should be fun. Nightwing: The Hunt for Oracle TP (DC) - I recently went and reread my Birds of Prey run, and was surprised to discover that my favorite part of the run was not the early stories with art by Greg Land, but instead a crossover with another title. Seriously, Hunt for Oracle is about as good as Birds of Prey gets, with some great chases, fantastic artwork and a nice climactic moment to end on. It also has a ton of random villains with little to no personality, but that's a minor point. Given that this was more a Birds of Prey story than Nightwing (which it crossed over with), it's odd to see it solicited as a Nightwing trade, but it does hit the issues that are next in line after the previous Nightwing trade and is a pleasant surprise that maybe DC is going to continue collecting that series. Hawkman: Endless Flight TP (DC) - I tend not to wait for the trade on DC books, because I never know if they're going to collect something or if they'll collect more than one volume. So I've been picking up Hawkman, and thus don't really need the trade at this point. Which doesn't mean I'm not glad to see it, because DC has a lot of strong super-hero work that deserves collection, and Hawkman, while a bit of a slow starter, has turned into something I look forward to every month. The issues in this trade are notably largely for a guest shot by Green Arrow and spectacular artwork by Rags Morales, but I hope it sells well enough to justify a volume two, where the book really started to take off. H-E-R-O #1 (DC) - The combination of anthology style with a more continuity-based approach is novel enough to get my attention, and I've always had a certain fondness for the concept of the H-Dial, around which this series is based. However, what really draws me to the book is the promo artwork and text that I've seen, which seems to imply a less straightforward take on the concept, almost a Vertigo series in some way, and the creative team. Kano's work has been hit-and-miss for me, but it looks like he has shifted his style somewhat to fit this book. And Will Pfeifer has been due a mainstream hit ever since the critically acclaimed but low-selling Finals mini-series with Jill Thompson, which was just remarkably good. Wildcats: Battery Park TP (DC/Wildstorm) - Honestly, I'd given up hope that we were actually going to see this collection of the last part of Wildcats v.2, which was where Casey and Phillips had hit their stride and were just cruising along, creating some of the most interesting post-super-hero comics out there. Wildcats 3.0 is solid, but hasn't gotten as good as Wildcats was at the tail end of the previous run, and these stories are good not just for completists but for those looking for good super-hero/espionage stuff with a different approach. Astro City: Local Heroes #1 (DC/Homage) - It goes without saying, I think, that I'm glad to see Astro City back. I have hopes that Busiek will get well enough to do the book on a monthly basis again, because there are clearly so many stories to tell, but in the meantime, I'm grateful to have this mini-series. And since Astro City was always accessible, I know that this mini-series will delight returning fans and new ones alike. Vertigo X (DC/Vertigo) - A confession: I love these cheap promo/anthology books from Vertigo, and I've missed them. Sure, it's mostly just preview pages of books that will be out soon enough anyway, and I know about most of these projects from online hype, but I can't wait to actually sample all of these, and it really does seem like Vertigo is starting to recapture some of the edge that it had lost in recent years. The bonus is a new Shade the Changing Man story by X-Statix creative team Peter Milligan and Mike Allred. Shade, the Changing Man: American Scream TP (DC/Vertigo) - Of course, I was quite puzzled by the return of Shade (and original writer Milligan) when DC has utterly failed to capitalize on Milligan's popularity by reprinting his fantastic Shade run with Chris Bachalo. However, I was less puzzled when I saw that this month also sees the solicitation of a Shade trade paperback reprinting the first part of that run. I'll be happier when I see the solicitation for the second volume, indicating a plan to reprint the whole series in trade, but since I haven't read the early issues of the story, I'm perfectly happy to see any of it reprinted. Grrl Scouts: Work Sucks #1 (Image) - I love Jim Mahfood's artwork, and so I'm excited by any new releases from him. Honestly, the first Grrl Scouts mini didn't really grab me, but I should probably go back and reread it and give it a second shot. At any rate, I've read the five-page preview of Work Sucks on the Image site, and while it's a slow-starter plot-wise it's a lot of fun in terms of characters and humor, and I'm anxious to see more. Jack Staff #1 (Image) - I've been a fan of Paul Grist since I picked up his quirky cop drama Kane in San Diego in 1998, and for as long as I've been reading his work, he's been under the radar of the mainstream. I don't know if Image picking up his super-hero series Jack Staff and adding color will help that, but it should, because Grist's style is unusual and beautiful, and his take on British super-heroes (originally a pitch to re-envision Marvel's Union Jack) is unlike anything else out there, combining humor and the imagination of the super-hero genre together into a great read. Noble Causes: In Sickness and In Health TP (Image) - Glad to see Noble Causes getting a trade, as it really should be pretty easy to hand-sell to those who are picking up the Powers trades. While Noble Causes is very different from Powers in most ways, it shares a sensibility of looking at super-heroes from a different angle. And with commentary from Faerber and unpublished art and tryout sequences from the series artists, this looks like a "Director's Cut" style trade, and so I'll be picking up the trade even though I already have the original issues. Rawhide Kid #1 (Marvel/MAX) - Um. Dave Johnson covers. The Legendary John Severin on interiors. Ron Zimmerman writing? The creative mismatch is enough to make me groan, but the notion that this is going to be played for laughs as gay satire just makes me feel bad for Severin, largely because I don't think Zimmerman's style is suited to that type of story, and I expect it to be ridiculous and stupid instead of funny. In fact, the only thing that makes me want to like Rawhide Kid is because I hate to think I have anything in common with the homophobic idiots who hate it solely because they're "gaying up" one of Marvel's western heroes. Really, folks, aren't we living in the 21st century here? Thunderbolts #76 (Marvel) - So torn on this book. Thunderbolts really is a concept that outlived its shelf life long ago, but "Super Fight Club" really doesn't sound all that interesting to me, and though a turnaround worked for X-Force, Andrew Lis is no Axel Alonso. And John Arcudi, while talented enough, is no Peter Milligan. However, the art is by Francisco Ruiz Velasco, and his work on Battlegods at Dark Horse was phenomenal, and worked in a story based around underground combat just like this one, so the art at least is an ideal match. I'm skeptical, but hopeful. Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 2 HC (Marvel) - Finally! I was starting to worry that those volume numbers on the Marvel hardcovers were just wishful thinking, but Marvel has finally solicited volume two of the Ultimate Spider-Man hardcovers. It contains my least-favorite stories in the Ultimate Spider-Man run so far, but there's still stuff I like in those pages, and the first Ultimate Spider-Man was probably the best hardcover Marvel has done to date. X-Statix Volume 1 TP (Marvel) - I'd like to wait for the hardcover of X-Statix, since I'm picking up the hardcover of X-Force, but I don't know if that will be forthcoming. Most likely I'll pick up this trade when it comes out. February is a pretty agressive month for Marvel's trades anyway: new Ultimate Spider-Man and X-Men, Daredevil, Exiles and Alias are all solicited this month, along with the collection of Apache Skies. The Alias trade is a bit annoying, quite frankly; it skips issue ten if it picks up from volume one (which is only available in hardcover), and it seems like most folks would rather have all softcover or all hardcover, and they'd certainly like to have the entire series. Seems like either printing volume one of Alias in trade or a volume two in hardcover would make more sense. I'd be happier with the latter, but at least the former would allow me to have the entire series in one format. INDY PICK OF THE MONTH: Cheat GN (Oni Press) - I've had very little exposure to Christine Norrie's writing, mostly her work on Kung-Fu Space Girls, but I absolutely love her artwork. So I'm glad to see that she's the next in the original graphic novels that Oni is producing, in the tradition of the excellent Dumped that Andi Watson produced earlier this year. Similarly themed about romantic relationships and fidelity, Cheat should be a great read. My Own Little Empire GN (Adhouse Books) - Scott Mills has an unusual sensibility when it comes to picking topics, whether it's the story of a clay pot in ancient Japan, two brothers during the trench warfare of World War I or two men sharing a cell in prison. He also has a very likable style and great storytelling sense, so I'm just as interested to see him taking on a more conventional genre, that of autobiography, in this release from Adhouse Books. As if Mills wasn't enough to grab me, Adhouse were the publishers of Pulpatoon Pilgrimage, one of the more intriguing indy releases of 2003 as well. This is definitely a publisher to watch. True Story, Swear to God Volume 1: Chances Are TP (AIT/Planet Lar) - The only reason this isn't my pick of the month is that new work from Christine Norrie wins out over work I've already read from Tom Beland... but just barely, because this series is absolutely fantastic. Hilariously funny, touching and remarkably honest, True Story has been a favorite since I first read the mini-comics at SPX 2000, and I'm glad to see it getting the collected treatment it deserves. Sky Ape: All The Heroes TP (AIT/Planet Lar) - Sadly, this is supposed to be the last hurrah for the manic antics of Sky Ape and crew. While I'm sad that this is meant to be the last, I'm always happy to get new Sky Ape. The sequel graphic novel was actually funnier and more enjoyable for me than the original, and I can't wait to read the third graphic novel. Strum and Drang: Great Moments in Rock 'N' Roll TP (Alternative Press) - Alternative is celebrating ten years of publication this month (sort of... the company started publishing comics in 1996, but has been publishing Indy magazine since 1993), and has a lot to offer as a result. What stands out most to me is this volume by Joel Orff, exploring the history of music through comics. There's a lot of crossover there, as several indy artists and companies (notably Oni Press) have shown, and though I'm not as deep into music as I am into comics, I find the history of both interesting. Arcade Comics (Arcade Comics) - Rob Liefeld is once again earning his reputation; this issue of Previews sees the solicitations of issue #1 of Alias and a "storyboard" edition of Youngblood: Bloodsport #1, each with "deluxe" (read: expensive) cover editions. Which seems remarkably bold, given that the first issues of the latter is currently quite overdue and I have very little faith that the former will ship in December as planned, and the buzz on them seems to have died down to a mere whimper. Granted, having a TV producer writing one series and a fully booked hot writer writing the others could be the reasons for the delays, but at any rate, it seems foolish for Liefeld to ask retailers to order more product when he hasn't overcome his track record of solicitations without delivery yet. Steven Grant's Mortal Souls TP (Avatar) - I read the first issue of this and enjoyed it, and I like the creative team, so I'll be picking up the trade. $10 for 72 black and white pages doesn't seem like a great bargain when you compare the color offerings of larger publishers, but it's not highway robbery or anything. I'm still a bit wary of Avatar's publications in general due to the other stuff they publish and a generally low production quality, but I like Grant and I think Jacen Burrows's artwork is terrific. Complex City Volume 1: All in a Day's Work TP (Better Comics) - Don and I reviewed Complex City in a recent Two-in-One and we both enjoyed it. This trade is the collection of the issues we read, along with new story pages wrapping up the book, and it's well worth a look, even in such a crowded buying month. Chimera #1 (Crossgen) - A few things stand out for me about Chimera. First of all is the digitally painted artwork, which lives up to Crossgen's hype of "stunning." Second is that it's a mini-series, and given that the open-ended and long-winded style of Crossgen books is one of my main complaints, that gets my attention. Finally there's cool science-fiction technology, as depicted in the stunning digitally painted work of Brandon Peterson. Also standing out this month (and last) in Crossgen's listings: Where's the Way of the Rat trade paperback? She's A Nightmare Volume 1 GN (High Aims Comix) - I have the benefit of having already read this book, and so I know that it's kind of a fun action-adventure comic. There will be a review on the site soon in more detail, but in the meantime, if you want to see what you'll be getting into, She's a Nightmare is a collection of the online comic. Survival Machine TP (Monkeysuit Press) - I've heard a lot of good things about the Monkeysuit anthologies, but what caught my interest here was the name of Prentis Rollins, who has done a lot of pencilling and inking that I've liked, notably on the Milestone titles. The stories sound like interesting science-fiction/Twilight Zone type tales, and at $8 for 80 pages it's not badly priced. Blue Monday: Nobody's Fool (Oni Press) - It's always good to see new Blue Monday. Honestly, I don't even read the solicitations anymore, because I want to preserve all possible surprise about what the book is going to be about, and I know that it's going to be great fun. My Uncle Jeff (Origin Comics) - Don and I reviewed this one as well, and I closed out with what I think sums up my feelings about the book: "My Uncle Jeff is a remarkably honest and engaging story with terrific artwork, and one of the best reads I've had all year. Don't miss it." This was the other indy book strongly in the running for pick of the month this time out. Transformers: Beginnings TP (Titan Books) - My nostalgic interest in Transformers has dwindled quite a bit, but what interests me about this one is that it's a reprint of the first six issues of the Marvel series. That in itself doesn't seem all that notable, except that Spider-Man plays a significant part in issue three... leading me to wonder, will Titan Books be able to reprint that issue as is? Marshal Law: Blood, Sweat and Fears GN (Titan Books) - I love Marshal Law. I have all the stories, I think, so I haven't picked up these new trades, but I'm tempted to get them anyway just to have all the stories together in trade format. At any rate, if you like ultra-violent and hysterically funny super-hero satire with very little affection for the super-hero genre to get in the way of the parody, Marshal Law is definitely for you. Cinemanga (Tokyopop) - Tokyopop impressed me from the start with their all graphic-novel format and selection of genres, but they're really turning into a market force. In addition to being the biggest growing segment of the teenage girls market in comics, they now have made deals to do "Cinemanga" which features manga based on Disney properties or big anime properties like Akira. Combine with Cowboy Bebop, Love Hina, GTO and other big hits and Tokyopop has the potential to be a huge mainstream hit, not just a manga titan within the comics industry. Scryed Volume 1 GN (Tokyopop) - Though I love Tokyopop in theory, I must admit that I'm not collecting any of the series, as my budget can't stand the strain and none of the concepts have grabbed me to the point where I must spend $10 a month. Scryed doesn't either, but it's description of a super-hero type manga by the same producers who do the ever-popular Gundam and Cowboy Bebop leads me to believe Scryed could be pretty interesting for those with more room in their budget than I. Clumsy GN (Top Shelf) - I know nothing of Jeffrey Brown, and I know that my tastes probably don't always coincide with those of James Kochalka and Chris Ware, who are far more indy than I when it comes to comics. However, the subject matter, a long-distance relationship, sounds interesting, and more importantly, this book is from Top Shelf. Just about everything Top Shelf has spotted and made available to a wider audience has been excellent, and when you throw in that the book is over 200 pages from $10, I'm sold. Magic Boy and Robot Elf GN (Top Shelf) - I've become quite a fan of James Kochalka lately, having read quite a few of his works from Top Shelf and Alternative Press, and this is apparently a reprint of his first graphic novel. Not sure if I can spare the cash in this month, when so much else is coming in and the impending birth of my daughter will be even more impending, but I'm definitely tempted. Battle Royale Volume 1 GN (Viz) - This is one of those books I've heard of, and it sounds so out there that I've got to check it out. High school students fighting on an island, and if they break the rules, their collar blows their head off. Weird, violent and unusual, this definitely sounds intriguing, even if it winds up not being for me. Email Randy Lander comments about this review, or discuss it on the Fourth Rail message board.