Down The Line - Previews review for February 2005 by Randy Lander & Dave Farabee While my Snap Judgments reviews cover books as they are released, I'm as avid a follower of "what's next" as anyone else. Thus these Previews reviews, covering the Diamond Previews that allow fans to preorder comics from their local retailer. This installment covers the December Previews for comics due to ship out in February 2005. 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. Wow, is it December already? Hard to believe we're already looking forward two months into 2005. I don't want to get ahead of myself, but usually those first two months are kind of anemic for me, and I found a fair amount of exciting stuff in both this Previews and the previous one. This either bodes well for comics in 2005 or it just means I've gotten into the spiked eggnog a little early and I'm feeling mellow. DAVE: Dude, your milk mustache reeks of bourbon. I think we know what's going on here. As you can see from the above, my comments will be the normal type, and Dave's will be in yellow. You might notice in reading these Previews reviews that we've decided to dispense with the Previews organization and just go strict alphabetical, in order to level the playing field between the big guys and the smaller publishers. To facilitate those seeking more information from the Previews catalog, each entry will include the page number of the solicitation at the end of our comments. RANDY'S PICK OF THE MONTH: Little Star #1 (Oni Press) - I've always greatly enjoyed Andi Watson's work, but I'm predicting that this one will be my favorite. This story, inspired by Andi's own fatherhood, will examine the life of new parents and all the joys and fears that come with having a child. It's something nobody else is doing in comics, it's something Watson's style is perfectly suited for, and it hits this relatively new father right where he lives. There are a lot of things to love this month for me, including the relaunchof Runaways and Grant Morrison's awesome-sounding Seven Soldiers, but nothing excites me more than seeing Watson tackle this subject matter with his usual style and skill. (page 306) DAVE'S PICK OF THE MONTH: Solo #3 (DC Comics) - Paul Pope is a creator whose stories sometimes fall a little flat for me, but whose art is always so jaw-droppingly stunning that I gravitate to everything he's done. He's got the linear playfulness of Picasso, the power of Kirby, and the storytelling flow of manga – it's mesmerizing, by God, and it should all be on display in Pope's own spotlight issue of DC's cool artist-centric book, Solo. The mixture of DC and non-DC stories include: Pope's take on a Greek myth, a re-imagined origin for Kirby's '70s creation, Omac, a New York story, and a tale of the original Robin struggling to escape from the Joker. Very much a "can't miss" offer from one of the most original artists of our era, and even the cover, a man wearing a combo spacesuit/mascot costume looks great! (page 79) RANDY: Yep, I'm not sure how Solo is faring in the cruel mainstream market, but I'm going to enjoy every issue we get, and Paul Pope is another guy who would have been on my short list to take on this cool spotlight project. Kudos to DC (especially Mark Chiarello, the brains behind the project) for doing this. Although I do have to gripe a little that this would have been the perfect month to also release Pope's terrific 100% miniseries from Vertigo as a trade paperback, in conjunction with his feature in Solo. DAVE: 100% was one of my favorite reads in recents years and my favorite project overall from Pope. Would *love* to see it traded. The Atheist #1 (Image Comics) - RANDY: Previous Phil Hester penned comics include Firebreather, Deep Sleeper and The Coffin, so you're damn right I'm interested in his new Image series! The Atheist is an ongoing, which is unusual since Hester has done his best work on miniseries, but if he can keep the same quality in an ongoing format, I'm all for it. Certainly the concept, about a government agent who takes on the restless spirits of the dead, joyriding around in the bodies of the living and causing all sorts of havoc, is a good one, and it'll be good to see John McCrea on a book that I'm interested in again, as I loved his work on Hitman but haven't found most of the work he's chosen since to be up my alley. (page 131) DAVE: So why would a guy who deals with undead spirits – essentially an indicator of an afterlife – be called The Atheist? That's what I wanna know! And I guess I'll find out, too, since Phil Hester has proven himself to be as kick-ass a writer as he is an artist. Batman: The Man Who Laughs (DC Comics) - DAVE: Crimesmith Ed Brubaker chronicling the first ever showdown between Batman and arch-enemy, the Joker? Possibilities, here, and I've really come to like artist Doug Mahnke's work based on his JLA run. Prestige format one-shot. (page 60) RANDY: I want to say that the story of Batman and Joker's first confrontation has probably been told before, but yeah, I'm always hep to seeing what Brubaker has to say about the Dark Knight detective. I'm not as big on Mahnke's work on you, as my favorite work that he's done remains some of his earliest work on The Mask, but he is always at least good and sometimes great. Bigfoot #1 (IDW Publishing) - RANDY: Steve Niles and Rob Zombie previously collaborated on the redneck/wrestling/B-movie on paper The Nail, which I liked on a sort of guilty pleasure level. I'm not expecting the writing of Bigfoot, a horror take on the urban (well, forest, not urban) legend, to really wow me, but the art is another story, as it features art by legendary horror artist Richard Corben. And Niles can chalk up another monster in his "written that" column. What's left? Creature From the Black Lagoon? Phantom of the Opera? Actually, I'd kind of like to see what he'd do with both of those. (page 291) DAVE: What's left, Randy, is Blackenstein, but who's got the cojones to tackle such a legacy? Meanwhile - no love for Niles... no love for Rob Zombie... but MUCH love for Richard Corben. 'Pears I'll be buying this. Black Panther #1 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: You know what they say: "Eighth time's the charm!" Ah, but I kid! This latest attempt to give T'Challa his own series intrigues if only for the John Romita Jr. art. I'm not wild about the potential of Hollywood writer Reginald Hudlin (House Party, Boomerang) at the helm, but I wasn't a great fan of Priest's take on the character either, so I'm at least interested to see a new take. (page M3) RANDY: I loved Priest's take on the character, found it to be the definitive take, and even that I found a bit wearying by the time the book was winding down. I don't really see any great need for the character to have another solo series, as it seems like most of the really interesting stories about him have been told in Priest's run. That said, John Romita Jr. is always worth taking a look for, and while Hudlin's Hollywood credits are dubious in terms of what he'll bring to superhero adventure, he was involved in the entertaining Birth Of A Nation hardcover, so he's not a total newbie to the form. Bone Volume 1: Out of Boneville Color Edition (Graphix) - RANDY: I already own these in their hardcover form, but I'm still more than likely to pick up these color softcovers as well. Bone is a book that looks great in black and white, but the colors I've seen are gorgeous, and given that the book is pretty good for younger readers, putting it in color means a much wider audience. This is a good thing for Jeff Smith and for comics, and will hopefully bring Bone to a whole new audience. (page 287) DAVE: I was pretty much a Bone completist for the longest time. I have all the trades, all the individual issues (including the reprints from its stay at Image), and even the colorized first issue as released through Disney Adventures Magazine. Sadly, the series left me kind of cold in its final years, so I think I'll end up passing on this latest version, though I still think it's a worthy enticement for younger and more mainstream readers. Climate GN (Blake Project Ltd) - RANDY: Mildly interested in this bizarre high concept, which includes ghostly hitmen hunting a suicidal lead character in Nevada, but a Google search turned up absolutely nothing on the book, creator or publisher. So it's a crap shoot as to whether it'll be any good or not. Still, worth noting if you're feeling experimental this month. And another suggestion to new creators to get your website up and running before the solicits hit. (page 236) Comics Journal #266 (Fantagraphics Books) - DAVE: Brian Michael Bendis + the stunningly great interview tradition of The Comics Journal = a must-buy. I've been enjoying this famously snooty-but-smart magazine quite a bit of late, especially with the addition of a color section, and recommend this issue as a try-out for the curious and for anyone sick of the hype-machine that is Wizard Magazine. (page 276) Cravan HC (Dark Horse) - RANDY: Ooh, this sounds interesting. The true story of an early 20th century mystery man who was a con artist, art forger and general jack-of-all-trades. Sounds like Catch Me If You Can, except instead of Leo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, we've got the stylish art of Rick Geary, he of the Treasury of Victorian Murders giving the story some life, and instead of the swinging '60s, it's the roaring... uh... '10s... what the hell did they call that era anyway? (page 31) DAVE: The Golden Age of Old-Tyme Bicycles. Anyway, I don't know nuthin' 'bout no DiCaprio movies, but the solicit for Craven definitely caught my attention. The mystery man in question wasn't just a Renaissance Man jack-of-all-trades, but also a political radical who was under surveillance by the U.S. government. And like all good icons, he died young - or rather, seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth. Sounds like Geary's got some theories about what became of him. I expect a good read. RANDY: Do you suppose those theories involve him going to live with the mole people and becoming their king? Because personally, that's what I think happened to D.B. Cooper. DAVE: Word up. Damn Nation #1 (Dark Horse) - RANDY: The United States overrun by vampires, and a military operation is launched out of London to help protect the cure. Neat idea, and the artwork of J. Alexander, whose work on Queen & Country remains some of my favorite artwork of that book, ensures that it'll look pretty. Andrew Cosby, film/TV producer and comics writer, is more of a question mark, but what I've seen of his upcoming comic G.I. Spy gives me hope that the writing will be pretty good too. (page 34) DAVE: Gee, I want to say that vampires might be a little overexposed... BUT... Unless I'm mistaken, not even Hollywood's ever done a full-blown "vamps take over the world" story, so maybe we might end up with something cool here. J. Alexander's definitely a good, moody artist for the project. A Different Pace GN (Ape Entertainment) – DAVE: I checked out the sneak-peek of this original sci-fi graphic novel (link here.) Not bad. Nice art. (page 222) RANDY: Indeed. There are only last names in the credits, but I'm wondering if the Liew here is Sonny Liew, whose gorgeous art graced his self-published Malinky Robot and the supercool My Faith in Frankie miniseries from Vertigo. Dragon Prince #1 (Dark Horse) - DAVE: Kind of a neat idea here: fourteen-year-old kid living in Chinatown finds out that maybe the reason he's never fit in is because...(pause for the big drama)... he's the Dragon Prince, heir to a line of dragons hunted by a secret cabal of evil wizards! We've all been there, right? As a somewhat traditional "kid with a destiny" story, this one will be all about the execution. Ron Marz as writer doesn't do much for me, but Jeff Johnson (Way of the Rat) on the art does. (page 20) RANDY: To me, this looks like another "if Crossgen was around, they would have published this" series from Dark Horse, like their Samurai: Heaven and Earth. I don't mean this as a perjorative, by the way, I think it's great that someone is stepping up to try and hit those genres that Crossgen briefly explored before imploding. Like you, I wish that they had grabbed up the artists and cast their net a little wider in the search for writers, as Marz's work has mostly left me cold. I will sneak in a plug and say if you want to see this kind of thing done to perfection, check out Once In A Blue Moon from Oni Press. The Expatriate #1 (Image Comics) - RANDY: Truthfully, the story of a man on the run from the C.I.A. is one of those cliches that doesn't instantly sell me on a book. However, when the writer is B. Clay Moore, who has written the exquisite Hawaiian Dick, I'm a little more willing to give it a shot. Huh. You know, I'm a little embarrassed that I just used the phrase "exquisite Hawaiian Dick," which sounds more than a little tawdry. (page 142) DAVE: Why be embarrassed? You say stuff like that all the time. Move on! As for The Expatriate, I'm in the same camp as you. Premise doesn't wow me but B. Clay's name earns it a look. The Flash: Ignition TPB (DC Comics) - RANDY: This was a big change of direction for The Flash, a short story where he didn't know who he was (and neither did anyone else) and the more superhero art stylings of Scott Kolins gave way to the shadowy, European art of Alberto Dose. I seem to recall being a little disappointed in it by the end, but I loved it at first, and there was some good stuff in these issues, especially with Captain Cold. At any rate, glad to see DC continuing their trade collections of Geoff Johns's run, although I'll again state that they should go back and hit his first (pre-Kolins) storyline, as it's got important foundation stuff and is a damn good read anyway. (page 73) DAVE: This arc was too sluggish and dark for my tastes, but I think I may give it another shot with this trade. Seems Johns is back on his game in recent issues of The Flash, reinvigorating my interest in a complete collection of his run. Freak Show (HC) (Image Comics) - DAVE: Memories of how much I really did initially enjoy Bruce Jones' work on The Hulk means I'll want to give this tale a look. Jones has legit craft and I suspect it was Marvel's "paced for the trade" policies that led him to become so self-indulgent on that book. Freak Show, which also boasts rare art from Bernie Wrightson, follows the strange journeys of humble man who takes freaks under his wing as part of a traveling show. Specifics are hazy, but violence and revenge figure in there somewhere, very suggestive of the classic Todd Browning movie, Freaks. (page 143) RANDY: Your take on Bruce Jones's Hulk has inspired me to also remember that I quite enjoyed his Tangled Web story, too, so maybe I shouldn't write him off entirely on the basis of what turned out to be a long, slow, pointless run on the Hulk. Anyway, Bernie Wrightson on art means this is definitely worth a look, and certainly it's worth remembering that Jones is a legitimate talent, not just "that guy who screwed up Incredible Hulk." JLA: Classified #4 (DC Comics) - DAVE: Fans of the shticky humor of Justice League International and Formerly Known as the Justice League, this story's the shticky sequel you've been waiting for. Same creative team – Giffen, DeMatteis, and Maguire – the only quirk being that the story's being released in this JLA anthology series rather than as its own mini. That's the marketing blunder DC must suffer for pissing off Giffen with the grim 'n' gritty Identity Crisis! (page 75) RANDY: Somehow, I think they'll be able to dry the tears with gold-laced hankies after all the money Identity Crisis has made for them. Honestly, I like this creative team and their comedy take on the Justice League, but it was wearing on me by the time FKAJTL ran out, and I'm not really up for a return at this point. I'm more curious to see what the creators can do with the same general idea and original characters over at Atomeka with Hero Squared. Kane Vol. 5: The Untouchable Rico Costas and Other Stories TPB (Image Comics) - RANDY: Yay! I've waited patiently for Image to catch up to all the Kane trades I had already bought, and now, finally, I'll get a chance to buy and read new Kane stories. If you haven't read Paul Grist's quirky cop drama, you're missing out on what I think is his best work. (page 147) Katsuya Terada's The Monkey King Vol. 1 (Dark Horse) - RANDY: Full-color painted manga? Generally, I've found a lot of that to be very pretty but incomprehensible (Storm Riders, Heaven Sword & Dragon Sabre, etc.), and given that a lot of Dark Horse's more popular manga selections aren't my cup of tea, I don't know if this one will resonate with me either. Still... the concept, succintly described as "the buddhist version of Conan the Barbarian," does raise some eyebrows. Might have to give it a look. (page 39) DAVE: Pretty accurate reflection of my own feelings, but I did a little Googling of Terada's art and, holy shit, can that guy draw! Note the detailed, European influence in the tradition of Moebius. And the naked chicks. Legend #1 (DC Comics/Vertigo) - DAVE: Howard Chaykin and legendary artist Russ Heath team up for a 4-part mini inspired by Philip Wylie's novel, Gladiator, one of the famed inspirations for Superman. Grant Morrison's stomping all over what minimal interest I had in realistic superheroes these days, but I liked the two page preview, so we'll see... (page 98) Livewires #1 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: Could this be the next Runaways? Well, let's not get carried away, but it's still nice to see some original characters from Marvel, and these kids seem much more interesting than the Young Avengers. Adam Warren writes this tale of "nanobuilt humanform combat mecha" set in the Marvel Universe, and Warren's an artist who's proven himself a capable writer in the past. In short, the comic's about a group of artificially created robot teens created by a top secret R&D program with the express purpose of sabotaging *other* top secret R&D programs. The designs all look neat (one of the kids is wearing one of those A.I.M. beekeeper suits - rock!), and artist Rick Mays will no doubt do a fine job translating 'em to the action of the page. Promising hi-tech action in the Marvel U. (page M9) RANDY: Adam Warren made me interested in Gen 13. You're damn right I think he could make me interested in some creations all his own. His manga-influenced, off-the-wall writing style is something different than what most superhero creators have to offer, and Rick Mays is an ideal artistic choice to accompany him, even if I'd rather Warren were writing and drawing. Looking forward to this one. Love As A Foreign Language Vol. 2 GN (Oni Press) - RANDY: I loved, loved, loved the first volume of Love As A Foreign Language. Seriously, one of the best things I've read in all of 2004. I'm delighted to see a new volume coming out, and bummed that I have to wait three months to read it. Some of J. Torres's best work ever, and artist Eric Kim is a real find. Great romance and culture-shock stuff in these pages. (page 306) Love Eats Brains (Oddgod Press) - RANDY: Two words: Zombie romance. OK, a few more, from the solicits: "Epic zombie romance chronicles a photographer torn between his pregnant wife and the memory of a dead teenage librarian." Weeeeeiiiirrd. But intriguing. (page 306) DAVE: Equally weeeeeeiiiirrd but intriguing preview here. Features some mildly adult images and some beautiful linework. Lullaby: Wisdom Seeker #1 (Image Comics) - DAVE: Sounds like League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by way of kids' lit, teaming Pinocchio, Jim Hawkins, Little Red Riding Hood, and Alice (of Wonderland fame). Possibilities? Maybe? The art looks attractive enough, if a bit overly manga-fied in its chesty depiction of Alice... Marvel Weddings TPB (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: Not a joke! Actually, the only Marvel wedding that stands out in my mind is the classic FF wedding of Reed and Sue, but this still sounds kind of fun. It reprints that story, of course, along with the nuptials of Peter Parker and Mary Jane, Bruce Banner and Betty Ross, Quicksilver and Crystal, and more. Sounds fun. Celebrate Valentine's day with a look back at an era when there were more superhero weddings than funerals. (page M79) RANDY: I'm tempted by this trade, because most of these stories are actually pretty decent, and more to the point, it's a neat theme around which to build a collection. Mora #1 (Image Comics) - RANDY: I don't know much about this one, and the concept, about a powerful young witch, doesn't really do much for me. But damn if Image aren't excited about it, and the enthusiasm that Erik Larsen expressed in the press release for Mora is infectious. Certainly Paul Harmon's influences for the book, which he cites as Roald Dahl and Lewis Carroll, are in the right ballpark for me. (page 150) DAVE: I was pretty impressed with the interview and preview I saw over at Comic Book Resources (link here). I think this looks creepy, weird, and good. Owly: Just A Little Blue TPB (Top Shelf Productions) - RANDY: Dave, I know that you and I both loved this book, and that we were both surprised by how much we loved it. I'm delighted to see another volume of Andy Runton's charming, innocent and fun Owly hitting the stands. (page 340) DAVE: Even Hitler loves Owly. Seriously, this series is a truly wonderful melding of words and pictures. The line art's got many of the same qualities that drew people to Jeff Smith – just combine those qualities with the cuteness of squat li'l Super Mario characters. Great to look at, and perfect for the warm-hearted, all-ages stories it accompanies. And I think my heart just grew three sizes during the course of writing this. RANDY: Everything you just said is true. Well, maybe except the bit about Hitler. I thought he was a Little Lulu fan. Project: Superior TPB (Adhouse Books) - RANDY: I must confess, I never got around to buying Project: Telstar, the previous anthology from Adhouse, but I always meant to, and everything I've heard indicated that it was exceptional. Even if I didn't know that history, and Adhouse's general history of excellent books, I'd still be excited about Project: Superior, Adhouse's superhero anthology by way of indy talent. The talent list includes some of my indy favorites, including Farel Dalrymple, Dean Haspiel, Daniel Krall, Jim Mahfood, Scott Morse, Paul Pope, Jim Rugg & Brian Maruca (Street Angel), Brian Wood and Rob Ullman, not to mention bigger names like John Cassaday and animator Ronnie del Carmen. It can't help but be great, really. (page 200) Runaways #1 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: Almost my Pick of the Month, save for the fact that I've recommended the series in this column so many times in the past! Nevertheless, this series represents Marvel's acknowledgement that Brian Vaughan's sleeper-hit, Runaways, deserved another chance to win over fans the way it won over critics, and I'm all hot and bothered for it. Runaways was easily the best teen superhero series of the last decade, and with the exact same creative team presiding over the relaunch, I expect nothing but the best. Also of note: the third and final digest trade of the original Runaways hits February 2nd, two weeks before the series relaunch. You must have it! Truly a worthy finale, even had the series ended right then and there! (page M12) RANDY: Runaways rocks, and is the best new thing to come out of Marvel in a long, long time. This is your second chance to buy it and give it the sales it deserves, and if you people cock it up, I'm going to be very disappointed in you. C'mon, folks, do you really need to read all 20 X-Books every month? There's a mutant in Runaways, if that's what gets you hot. And dinosaurs, too. Everyone loves dinosaurs, right? Seriously, when this was cancelled, I was so bummed about the state of the industry and how good books get shut out that I almost quit reviewing entirely. I don't think I can take a second cancellation for Runaways. Do it for your country! Do it for the Gipper! Do it... for Johnny! Hell, do it because the aliens beamed a message into your brain telling you to do it. I don't care why, just trust me on this one and buy issue one of the new series. I promise you'll find it worth your time. DAVE: Good lord! Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World Vol. 2 GN (Oni Press) - RANDY: In my review of Scott Pilgrim, I only really really liked it, which was possibly the worst review the book received. Seriously, this book was almost universally beloved, and if the worst thing that can be said about it is that it's just really good and lots of fun, then you know it's worth a look. (page 306) Scurvy Dogs Vol. 1: Rags to Riches TPB (AIT/Planet Lar) - DAVE: It's The Tick with eye-patches and peg legs! Well, maybe not, but Scurvy Dogs was one of the most consistently funny books of last year. A few dry spots, sure, but so many laugh-out-loud moments and endearingly stupid lines that it's hard to resist. "Pirates in the modern world" - that's the premise, that's all you need to know. Great fun. (page 213) RANDY: I've hyped the single issues on this website plenty, so it just remains to note that AIT/Planet Lar is going all-out with the collection, providing commentary and tons of extras ala a deluxe special edition DVD release. Even if you've got the single issues, this trade is going to be worth a look, and if you haven't got the single issues, you can pick up this trade and you will laugh and laugh and laugh. Awesome stuff. Seven Soldiers #0 (DC Comics) - DAVE: This sounds so crazy-ambitious now that I know what it is that my interest's gone from "mildy curious" to "Dear Lord, is Grant Morrison about to evolve superheroes again!" And what's he's doing is insane – or possibly genius. Seven Soldiers is a massive thirty issue mega-series comprised of seven 4-issue miniseries and two bookend specials. The obscure heroes behind the miniseries include Klarion, Mister Miracle, Frankenstein, Zatanna, The Guardian, Bulleteer and Shining Knight, and what's amazing is that each mini is meant to stand on its own OR be read as a chapter in a generations-spanning mystery! Descriptions of the re-imagined heroes include talk of "vampire knights", crippled ex-superheroes, subway pirates, puritan death machines, liquid nitrogen-blooded assassins, deathless mafia dons, wounded gods, angry fiancιs and talking winged horses." Read the entire, crazed solicit here for the big picture. Personally I can't wait. (page 78) RANDY: Same boat here. Started out mildly intrigued, have since gotten to chomping at the bit and looking forward to this more than almost any other superhero project announced for 2005 so far. Cool ideas galore, and Morrison certainly has the skills to pull it off. But let's put that aside for a second and talk about the artists. Jesus, it's just as good on that end. Ryan Sook, who kicked ass on Hawkman and B.P.R.D. Cameron Stewart, one of my top five artists working in comics right now. Pascal Ferry, currently blowing the doors off on Adam Strange. Yanick Paquette, whose Terra Obscura work has been gorgeous, inked by Michael Bair, who has been a boon to every artist he's inked on JSA. J.H. Williams, art god among men from his work on Promethea. A new, stunning artist named Simone Bianchi. Plus Doug Mahnke and Frazer Irving, both of whom have turned in stunning promotional pieces as well. Mark my words, this is gonna be the good shit. Shanna, The She-Devil #1 (Marvel Comics/Marvel Knights) - DAVE: One word: TITS! Such is the core selling point of Frank Cho's long-awaited babes 'n' dinos miniseries, formerly a Marvel MAX title, now under the Marvel Knights imprint following the removal of the various nipple-shots. I'd cry "censorship" or something, but I'd much rather worry about whether Mark Schultz will ever complete his smart babes 'n' dinos series, Xenozoic Tales. Ah well, I do expect Shanna to be a relatively fun "good girl" outing. Cho's done some exceptionally nice work on the Marvel Knights Spider-Man of late. (page M24) RANDY: I'm trying really, really hard to care, here, but I just can't. Shanna is an ideal project for Cho's talents, and I think his artwork is likely to be gorgeous and perfectly aimed at the heart (OK, maybe a little lower) of every red-blooded hetero male fanboy. But will the story be anything to write home about, who really cares about Shanna, and will anyone show up to the party when they know that a trade with full nipplage is going to happen down the road? These are the questions that will be asked by those who care at all about the Shanna the She-Devil series. Strange Day (Alternative Comics) - RANDY: A new one-shot from Damon Hurd is always cause for celebration. Typical of Hurd, this a low-key but emotionally heavy affair about a pair of teenagers skipping classes to get the latest Cure album and finding serendipitous friendship. With Hurd's writing skill, I'm quite sure I'll love it, and I can't quite place Tatiana Gill's style in my mind, but I know I've seen it before. (page 213) Stray Bullets Vol. 1: Innocence of Nihilism 10th Anniversary Edition TPB (El Capitan Books) - RANDY: I'm not really sure how to feel on this one. On one hand, collecting Stray Bullets into story arcs in trade makes a hell of a lot more sense than the weird issue-count collections that Lapham did before. On the other hand, this pretty much screws many of the fans who have already bought the lesser trade collections or the expensive hardcovers, as this is a far superior format or a far superior price. I guess in the end, it comes down to better late than never. Really, doesn't matter much to me, I've still got all my original issues. (page 274) DAVE: Sounds like I'm the perfect audience. Never read Stray Bullets, always curious, and I don't give a hoot about you whiners with your old cardboard-and-spittle-held trade paperbacks. Go latecomers! Teenagers From Mars TPB (Gigantic Graphic Novels) - RANDY: I only read scattered issues of this tale of teenage rebellion against oppressive forces in the community, but I liked what I saw. Might have to give the trade a look. (page 286) Tex – The Lonesome Rider GN (Saf Comics) - DAVE: The Western genre's long captured the imagination of Italian writers, so match one up with the legendary artist Joe Kubert for a tale of Western vengeance and you've definitely got my attention. (page 312) Twilight Experiment #1 (DC Comics/Vertigo) - RANDY: The creative team of The Resistance on a new miniseries. That'll sell me, as I thought that was a greatly underrated series that was cut short far too soon. For those who need more convincing, the basic concept is that a handful of volunteers sacrificed their humanity to stop a cosmic event (looks like superhero type stuff, for the record) and failed. Now, their children, particularly one 8-year-old raised in secret on a space station, has to step up and save the world. Gray and Palmiotti have brought some interesting and fresh concepts to the industry, and this is their latest one. Worth a look, and the miniseries format means it'll get to finish out, unlike too many of the Gray/Palmiotti projects that succumbed to low sales. (page 103) Ultimate X-Men Vol. 10: Cry Wolf TPB - DAVE: Brian Vaughan made me like Gambit – what the HELL is up with that?! All told, a strong story arc with plenty of character bits, some phenomenal action, and one of the best Rogue moments I've seen. (page M73) Usagi Yojimbo Volume 19: Fathers and Sons TPB (Dark Horse) - RANDY: I've since gone back and read a lot of Usagi, but this collection marks the end of the era where I came in, the end of the story that puts Usagi together with his "young nephew" Jotaro and finally reveals the truth about their relationship in what was one of the most heart-breaking sequences of the series. Fantastic stuff as always, and the stories in this volume in particular will always resonate more strongly for me. (page 29) Vimanarama! #1 (DC Comics/Vertigo) - DAVE: Grant Morrison gets all the best solicits: "Imagine a modern day Arabian Nights in the form of an Indian romantic comedy and set on a celestial stage. East meets West with a burst of color, song and cosmic violence..." Follows the misadventures of a 19-year-old British-Asian guy who lucks across a beautiful bride in an arranged marriage...only to see his hopes possibly dashed when he accidentally unleashes an army of "fossil demons." Wha huh? This I gotta see! (page 115) RANDY: Sounds bizarre, and certain to live up to the style of We3 and Seaguy, the other strange miniseries that form a weird non-linked trilogy from Morrison and Vertigo. With Philip Bond on art, and Morrison at the top of his game, you know I'm there. Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy Vol. 1 GN (Tokyopop) - RANDY: I know, I know. Hundreds of manga titles of varying stripes, and what do I pick to champion? A licensed adaptation of a fantasy computer game. I have a shamefully hopeless addiction to Blizzard's games, however, and while I've managed to avoid the siren's song of Worlds of Warcraft, we'll see how long I hold out. At any rate, this is part of a trilogy of stories that bridges Warcraft III and Worlds of Warcraft, by the writer of some of the Warcraft novels and the artist of King of Hell. I have read neither of those books, so I don't know if this will be any good or not, but my interest is piqued. (page 320) DAVE: Eh, you never know. The twelve volumes of Star Wars manga that Dark Horse issue are among my favorite manga, and every Star Wars dork should seek them out an enjoy them. Ha! Sneaky plug! RANDY: I'm just surprised you didn't mention the upcoming Star Trek manga featuring your favorite artist from that series. Damn, I just did it for you, didn't I? I'm just a puppet dancing on your strings, aren't I, Dave? DAVE: I prefer a "pimp/ho" analogy, but the puppet metaphor works too. Wildguard: Casting Call TPB (Image Comics) - DAVE: Ended up slightly disenchanted with this gimmick-premised series that allowed readers to vote on who would make the cut for a superhero reality show. Still, it was buoyed by a lot of enthusiasm and some fun art from Todd Nauck. I might pick it up if I'm feeling all spandexy that day. (page 160) RANDY: I got a big kick out of Wildguard, and I'm glad to see it get a trade collection. Nauck is going all-out as well, with the original minicomics and a sketchbook feature, which is cool. Truthfully, I wish he was including the soon-to-be-released follow-up one-shot in with this collection so that we'd have a sort of "complete up to now" trade for the characters, but that's a minor complaint. Sure to be a fun trade for those seeking old school superheroics with a comedic touch in the vein of Invincible or She-Hulk. Young Avengers #1 (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: I have never watched The O.C. or Party of Five, and I don't really know what Allan Heinberg's contributions to Sex and the City were. So his other-media status means nothing to me. What I know is that "Avengers Disassembled" was a trainwreck, and the notion of a team of "young Avengers" sounds, on the face of it, kinda stupid. However, I'm weirdly curious about it, and I do think that if the execution is good, this could actually be a really fun series. (page M6) DAVE: Can't say as I'm even weirdly curious about it. I think I'd rather see a revamp of a pre-existing teen team – the New Warriors or Power Pack or...well, anyone but a group whose initial hook seems to be their likeness to the real Avengers. Email Randy Lander and Dave Farabee comments about this review.