Down The Line - Previews review for February 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 December Previews for comics due to ship out in February 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: We're looking ahead to February, and that means Valentine's Day. So to get into the spirit a few months ahead, I declare that this month, I love all comics. Even when I hate them. I'm even taking back my zombie moratorium from last month, because there are two new zombie books that I'm dying to read... there would be three, but I've read one of them already. DAVE: I'm trying to get into the spirit of Valentine's Day, too, so I've been putting the moves on an old issue of Dazzler. That girl will try just about anything, it turns out, but I may have lowered its CGC value. 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: The Bakers: Do These Toys Belong Somewhere? HC (Kyle Baker Publishing) - RANDY: If not for that excellent issue of Nat Turner, The Bakers would easily qualify as my favorite thing that Kyle Baker is currently working on. As is, it's a close race, so I'm delighted that he's putting out this swanky (and affordable, at $19 for about 100 pages) color hardcover of cartoons based on life with his wife and kids. True, I have most of the material collected here, but there are 30 pages of new cartoons, and even the ones I have will be new because they're in color this time around. Baker is a true genius of the medium who doesn't always get his props, and The Bakers is just the tip of the iceberg of what he's capable of, but it's a good, fun introduction if you've never checked out his stuff. (page 292) DAVE: Baker's my new favorite industry personality. His interviews are outspoken and funny, his family comic strips have me hoping that he looks exactly like his wildly exasperated cartoon self if I ever meet him, and his ad solicits are the best in town. Check out his write up for The Bakers: "Finally in their own book! Lil, Ike, Jackie and Mom try their best to collect Dad's life insurance, but he won't die! If you've ever been part of a family, you'll relate to The Bakers, while still being able to laugh at them. It's funny because it's happening to someone else!" Really looking forward to this. Baker brings the laugh-out-loud, and newcomers can get a sampling of his stuff at his website. Be sure and watch his animated "The Ladder", which isn't based on The Bakers, but IS damn funny. DAVE'S PICK OF THE MONTH: Mouse Guard #1 (Archaia Studios Press) - DAVE: Say, this really looks like something different! When I make a Pick of the Month for Down the Line, it's usually for a book where I've got some knowledge of the creator or the property, but this month I'm excited to take a gamble. Mouse Guard is a fantasy/adventure surrounding a trio of anthropomorphic mice, and first and foremost, I was impressed by the preview art. You can get a sampling of creator David Peterson's wonderful designs here at his homepage. He even made sculptures of the characters - how cool is that? After you check that out, there's a small preview of the sequential stuff here. Tell me that doesn't look like the makings of truly unique adventure! (page 223) And, no, I'm not a furry. RANDY: Certainly Archaia has earned a rep for beautiful art, what with being the self-publishing home for Mark Smylie's Artesia and the very swanky-looking upcoming Robotika. Mouse Guard looks great, and reminds me of something like Brian Jacques's Redwall in terms of tone and the use of anthropomorphic animals. Fantasy fans be on the lookout for this one! The Abandoned Vol. 1 (Tokyopop) - RANDY: Ross Campbell's lush gothic artwork is a joy to behold, whether it's in his work on Too Much Hopeless Savages or his debut graphic novel, Wet Moon, from Oni Press. I saw some of the full-color concept drawings for The Abandoned, his zombie OEL project at Tokyopop, in San Diego, and they were just jaw-droppingly beautiful. Made a mental note to check out the book at that time, and now, several months later, it's completed and solicited. This is one of the books that has me thinking my zombie moratorium was premature, and the promise of two-color artwork and the teases of his art on the solicit almost had me calling this my pick of the month. (page 326) DAVE: Wet Moon wasn't my thing, but it was clearly the work of a powerful new voice, and the artwork was amazing. Campbell's got a way of depicting the human form that's far more honest than most comic artists, but still stylized, still entrancing. Short version of The Abandoned is that it seems to be a love story set against the backdrop of zombie-ism, and there's an interview and some nice preview art to be found here. Looking forward to checking it out. Alice in Wonderland (Antarctic Press) - DAVE: Rod Espinosa, the immensely talented artist/writer behind Neotopia and The Courageous Princess, sets his sights on an update of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. Well, they say "update" in the solicit, but rather pleasantly, the accompanying art looks quite faithful to John Tenniel's original Alice illustrations - not, for instance, another case of someone mimicking American McGee's Alice. I've been pretty happy with Antarctic Press's faithful adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, so this definitely earns a look. (page 218) RANDY: I had only a mild interest in seeing Alice in Wonderland updated, as it does seem, along with Oz, to have been massively over-exposed in comics of late, but the name Rod Espinosa sells me. Espinosa's artwork and family-friendly sensibilities make him probably the perfect guy to adapt this to comics, and kudos to Antarctic for getting not just Oz but Alice into comic book format that the kids will read. Maybe these are the guys J.K. Rowling should seek out if there's ever gonna be any Harry Potter comics. Aliens/Predator Panel to Panel TPB (Dark Horse) - DAVE: For me, Dark Horse's licensed outings are among their least interesting material, but I have a confession: I did once buy an issue of Dark Horse Presents simply for the back cover painting by Dave Dorman of an alien fighting a predator. Shut up, it was cool as hell! Anyway, the stories aside, there can be little doubt Dark Horse has had some great artists depicting these modern-day "famous monsters of filmland," and the art's what this book is all about. Featured AVP artists include Mike Mignola, Mark Schultz, John Bolton, Doug Wheatley, and Richard Corben, and for a mere $20, I might just geek out and buy the damn thing. (page 26) RANDY: Their Star Wars: Panel to Panel was pretty nifty. I'm guessing that this will be nicely put together as well, and as you point out, some fairly notable names have worked on the various Aliens and Predators stories from Dark Horse. By the way, the Aliens would totally kick the Predators asses. They've got acid for blood, dude! Acid... instead of blood! That is so metal! Whew... sorry, regressed a bit there. I'm better now. The American Way #1 (DC Comics/Wildstorm) - RANDY: The solicitation copy is unclear, so I'm not sure if this is set in the modern day with its roots in the '40s and '60s or set in the '60s. Either way, it's about "realistic" government superheroes and conspiracies related to them, and it's written by Three Kings screenwriter John Ridley, which means it gets my attention. Although with a mediocre Authority graphic novel and a Warblade miniseries as his initial two projects, this has potential to be Ridley's third strike with me when it comes to comics. (page 102) DAVE: I love Three Kings, but I'm thinking it's maybe time we stop doing "loss of innocence" retro-superhero stories. Unless Darwyn Cooke is involved. Avengers: Galactic Storm Vol. 1 TPB (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: As I recall it, the big "Galactic Storm" crossover was solid at best, certainly not great. But... the Avengers in the midst of an interstellar war? Their membership including guys like Wonder Man, Thor and Black Knight? This is more the kind of thing I look for in Avengers. I'm kind of surprised Marvel is publishing it, because I can't see any tie-in to current events. Makes we want to dig out my back issues and give the whole thing a reread. (page M100) Batman: Year One Hundred #1 (DC Comics) - DAVE: Paul Pope's been among my top artists ever since I first encountered his oddball sci-fi opus, THB (thanks, Jeff Smith!). Last year he put out his finest project to date, Vertigo's 100%, and while it's mildly disappointing that his follow-up is a superhero spot, there's not a chance in hell I'll pass it up. Set in the year 2039, the 100th anniversary of Batman's historic debut, it follows the grandson of Commissioner Gordon investigating a murder that may just implicate the legendary Batman. I love Pope's subtle, imaginative brand of futurism, and his wildly energetic Kirby-meets-Picasso artwork is its own draw. It's four issues, it's prestige format, and I'm gonna lay down money it's the best Batman project we'll see in 2006. (page 57) RANDY: I'd be more disappointed that Paul Pope was turning his attention to superheroes if not for two things. One is that no matter what he does, Pope always puts his own spin on it, so this is going to be a weird, Vertigo-esque Batman, I'd guess. Two is that anything that raises Pope's profile and gets the fanboy at large to realize that he's one of the true geniuses of this business is worth the sacrifice of another Pope project for the year. Of course, I'd feel better about the whole thing if his back catalog (including THB) was just a little more easily available. I say to Mr. Pope, it's time to call up Fantagraphics or Dark Horse or Top Shelf and get that backlist into swanky new affordable printings for us johnny-come-latelys who didn't discover you until the latter half of Heavy Liquid or 100%. Billy Hazelnuts HC (Fantagraphics) - RANDY: I've read only scattered bits of Tony Millionaire's Sock Monkey, but I've always been impressed with his artwork. Billy Hazelnuts is his newest project, and it sounds bizarre (in a good way) and looks beautiful. The solicit mentions "nursery rhymes" and "the golem myth" as two of the ingredients, and it sounds like a strange, hallucinogenic road trip of a book. Looking forward to this one. (page 268) DAVE: Right there with ya. Gotta look forward to a book with "...a journey to find the missing moon while battling an evil steam-driven alligator and his seeing-eye skunk sidekick." Birds of Prey: Between Dark and Dawn TPB (DC Comics) - RANDY: Hooray! DC continues its trade support of Gail Simone's run on Birds of Prey with this third collection of her work. This might be my favorite DC Universe book running right now. (page 73) Bomb Queen #1 (Image Comics) - RANDY: It's so good to see Jimmie Robinson back in comics again. Avigon, the gothic graphic novel that he illustrated, came out in completed form a few months ago, and now he's back with a new miniseries from Image. Robinson has proven adept at working in various genres, but one of my favorite works that he did was Evil & Malice, the story of two young girls who were the daughters of a supervillain, and Bomb Queen looks like a cousin of that book, in some ways. It's about a supervillainess who has killed all her foes and rules over a city like a dictator... and the city loves her for it. Intrigued yet? If not, check out Newsarama's article complete with preview art, and I bet you will be. (page 134) DAVE: I think I could live in a city run by a hottie, dictatorial supervillainess. Sounds like politics as hyperbolic S&M, which I have to admit, is something I haven't seen the superhero genre bent toward. At least in premise, I like this one for its brashness, and just maybe for having an actual political point of view. Brownsville HC (NBM) - RANDY: Neil Kleid (have I mentioned lately how much I loved his Xeric-winning Ninety Candles?) presents another promising graphic novel, this one a collaboration with artist Jake Allen about Jewish gangsters in the '30s. You can find a ton more information HERE, and just based on what I know about Kleid and the premise, I'm going ahead and predicting this one for "Best of the Year" kind of status. (page 303) DAVE: Between this, Joe Kubert's Jew Gangster, and Judd Winick's Caper from a few years ago, it's a golden age for fans of semitic hooliganism! Are Jew gangsters the industry's new zombies? Seriously, though, it's a topic that's long fascinated, Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in America being perhaps the most famous treatment. I think it's great to see the comics biz at a point where such serious topics can be handled with the craft and insight they deserve. The fascinating thing about Brownsville is that it specifically spotlights the creation of the notorious and very real "Murder, Inc." Coffee and Donuts GN (Top Shelf Productions) - RANDY: Max Estes, of Hello Again, provides a light-hearted, spirited story of coffee, donuts and bungled armored car heists. All performed by talking cats. It's relentlessly cute and very fun, definitely worth checking into if you're a fan of Kochalka and the like. (page 346) DAVE: Looks to be up my alley. I like cats, like Kochalka, and the art reminds me of a kids' book artist I like, J. Otto Seibold. Concrete Vol. 4: Killer Smile (Dark Horse) - DAVE: Dark Horse should get a medal for the public service these Concrete reprints provide. This time around, the feature story is "Killer Smile," creator Paul Chadwick's attempt to do a straight-up suspense story with an emphasis on immediate danger over the series' more introspective nature. I re-read it just a year or so back and it's as strong as ever - even inspired Frank Miller to write the introduction to the previous printing of the trade! In addition, there's still several short stories, and as I may have mentioned before, Concrete's short stories often overshadow the longer outings for me. That's still a compliment. The short story's an increasingly overlooked artform in the biz these days, and here's a place to find a master of it. Crying Freeman Vol. 1 (Dark Horse) - RANDY: Even I've heard of this one, a crime manga about a hypnotically-programmed assassin with a strong sense of remorse written by the creator of Lone Wolf & Cub. Not sure it'll be up my alley, but it's such a manga icon that it has to at least merit a mention. (page 30) DAVE: I read maybe the first two volumes of this a few years back and was pretty impressed. Artist Ryoichi Ikegami has few peers when it comes to depicting modern day sex 'n' violence crime dramas. Daredevil #82 (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: There was a long period of time where I wasn't even reading the Bendis/Maleev Daredevil. And thanks to my day job, I can read pretty much any Marvel or DC comic for free, so that's saying something. But the "Murdock Papers" arc drew me back in and reminded me why I loved so much of this run, and so I'm now onboard the title again. Bendis and Maleev put a big stamp on this title, and while they weren't always doing what I wanted, it was still going to be tough for anyone to clear the high bar they had set. Enter Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark. Brubaker has a crime pedigree that is slightly stronger than even Bendis had with me, and while I like Maleev, I think Lark can draw circles around him, most notably being able to do good action sequences, which is the one thing I feel Daredevil's been missing under Bendis and Maleev. Yes, truthfully, I'd rather have Brubaker and Lark on some creator-owned pure crime Vertigo series or something, but if they've gotta be exclusive to Marvel and that means superheroes, this is probably what I want to read from them. (page M17) DAVE: Lark's damn good, but because of his allegiance to reality, he's really not the kind of artist I'd look for on a superhero book. And really, the same sentiment extends to Ed Brubaker. So I expect to pass on this one, as reality's about the last thing I'm looking for in superhero books of late. I expect it to be well-crafted, though. Essential Moon Knight Vol. 1 TPB (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: Been waiting and hoping for this announcement. I've read a decent chunk of these Moon Knight issues (I think they were some of the first comics that made me branch out from X-Men/G.I. Joe into the wider Marvel universe), but I don't own them, and I'm looking forward to rereading. The art list includes Mike Zeck, Gene Colan and (most notably) Bill Sienkiewicz, and the reprints include not only Moon Knight issues but a variety of guest spots in other books. (page M101) DAVE: I think I had all of two Moon Knight comics when I was a kid, and they were both good. Hell, the one with Morpheus actually scared me, and I see that that's among the reprinted issues. Coolness. I'm looking forward to reading more on Marvel's answer to Batman, and will almost assuredly prefer this stuff to the new Moon Knight book that's pending. Who's gonna hold a candle to art by Bill Sienkiewicz? G.I. Joe Special Missions: Manhattan (Devil's Due Publishing) - DAVE: I at least have to peek at this book, even though I've pretty much given up on Devil's Due's handling of the property. See, G.I. Joe Special Missions was originally a short-lived sister book for G.I. Joe that dropped the military-fantasy vibe for greater realism. Cobra was minimized in favor of more real-world terrorists and a Tom Clancy-ish vibe, and though I didn't appreciate it so much as a kid, as an adult I came to really enjoy the stories on re-read. Can Devil's Due even come close with this one-shot? Mild curiosity. (page 254) Gotham Central #40 (DC Comics) - RANDY: I'm somewhat disappointed to see this series ending, although only somewhat, given that it has shed Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark already, and with the continuing low sales, it really felt like watching a death by inches. Certainly 40 issues is no slouch for any book in today's market, so Gotham Central can hardly be considered a failure. My big concern, given DC's lackluster trade support for some series, is whether or not we'll ever see the rest of this series collected in trade paperbacks, which is really the format it was meant to be read in anyway. (page 63) DAVE: I was actually a little surprised that the series remained so solid without Brubaker and Lark, but it clearly wasn't reeling in new readers, so yeah, I'm pretty happy with its 40-issue run as well. Hopefully Greg Rucka's increased role in maneuvering DC's mainstream characters and direction will give him enough cred with the bean-counters to wrap up the trades on this series. Definitely one of the company's bright spots in the new millenium. Gray Horses GN (Oni Press) - RANDY: I'm a bad, bad indy fan. I have not read Hope Larson's beloved Alternative Comics graphic novel Salamander Dream. But I do really like her style from what I've seen of it in Flight and True Porn, and I read pretty much everything Oni Press puts out, so I'll be catching up on Larson's work here. And more than likely going back and picking up Salamander Dream after that. (page 306) Hellboy: Makoma #1 (Dark Horse) - DAVE: Two part Hellboy story, penned by Mignola, drawn by Richard Corben -- what more need be said? Actually, the fact that the story will spotlight African mythology is another plus, as is the fact that Mignola himself will be doing some of the interiors. Just all-around goodness. (page 18) RANDY: Richard Corben on Hellboy. Awesome. I (Heart) Marvel (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: Marvel hasn't shown the genre flexibility of DC in general, so I've got to give them credit when they take any baby steps in that direction. I (Heart) Marvel is almost certainly doomed to failure in this market, which makes it a curious choice for genre expansion or even a February gimmick, but it's sure to produce some interesting comics. Tom Beland (of True Story Swear to God) writes a Spider-Man/Mary Jane love story that is most likely to be my favorite, but it's worth noting that this event sports a number of unusual or indy creators, from the Japanese artists illustrating "Marvel AI" to the inclusion of Cavalcade of Boys writer Tim Fish and My Monkey's Name is Jennifer artist Ken Knudtsen on Mutant Love. And while Fabian Nicieza and Jon Proctor are both creators who have worked with Marvel before, even their offering has a touch of the obscure about it, dealing with one of my beloved C-list Spidey villains, The Answer. This all sounds like fun. (pages M32-33) DAVE: Since Marvel's core books seem so alien to my sensibilities right now, it's always the oddball stuff I keep an eye out for. Man, does this qualify! I expect good things from Beland's outing, too, and I like that the Vision/Scarlet Witch outing is getting a shojo manga makeover. Can you imagine how much it'd blow the minds of most Marvel Zombies if Marvel were to run a yaoi outing with Northstar in a project like this? Incredible Hulk #92 (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: I hate to fall victim to Marvel's hype machine, but I have to admit... "Planet Hulk" sounds mildly intriguing. Greg Pak is writing, and he's proven to have potential, even when it's squandered on the books that Marvel has thrown his way (Warlock? a tie-in to an EA Marvel game? Yet another return of the Phoenix?). And the solicitation promises "Savage alien planet. Oppressed barbarian tribes. Corrupt emperor. Deadly woman warrior. Gladiators and slaves. Battle axes and hand blasters," which all sounds like good ingredients for a different Hulk story. Now, I'm braced for this to be somewhere between mediocre and awful, but I have to admit, all the buzzwords being thrown around and Pak's name attached has me more curious than I would originally have thought. (page M34) DAVE: Sounds fun enough, but the only Hulk for me is the savage Hulk, so my interest will largely depend on whether that iteration's the star or we're still on some variation of a smartypants Hulk. Wonder if the whole "Planet Hulk" premise has anything to do with Hulk's notable sword-and-sorcery outing on Jarella's world a few decades ago? RANDY: I know I'm in the minority on this, but I find savage Hulk remarkably dull, and really only ever liked the character when Peter David gave him, y'know, a vocabulary. I've come to appreciate the simplicity of "Hulk Smash" since then, but I'm still very much in the "Smart Hulk, dumb Hulk, whatever, just give me a good story" camp with the character at this point. Thus, the only question is, can Greg Pak serve up a good Hulk story with "Planet Hulk?" DAVE: I dunno, I was under the impression that the savage Hulk was mostly out of style with the post-Peter David readership, but maybe I'm wrong. In any case, one'a these days you should check out some of the Hulk stories by Wein, Mantlo, and Thomas to see the wide variety of stories they were able to tell in the '70s and early '80s without resorting to straight beat-'em-ups. Should be showing in Essential Hulk in the next volume or two for easy access. I guess I'm just saying: don't hate on 'tard Hulk 'till you get to know him a bit better. Ju-On: Video Side TPB (Dark Horse) - DAVE: This here's the manga adaptation of the Japanese horror flick Ju-On, remade Stateside as the very-scary-but-not-wildly-great The Grudge. Looks to be just a one-shot, which leaves me a little concerned about getting in all the scares in the proper cinematic style, but consider me interested. (page 35) Judge Dredd: Complete Case Files Vol. 2 TP (Rebellion) - DAVE: I'm mentioning volume 2 of this series because I forgot to mention volume 1 last time out - whoops, my bad! And I'm hardly the world's biggest fan of Dredd, but I've dabbled enough to find that the stuff I enjoy with the character usually comes from his creator, John Wagner. Which makes the Complete Case File series pretty essential. As the name suggests, it's a chronological reprinting of all of his adventures, its black-and-whitedness making it comparable to Marvel's Essential line or DC's new Showcase editions. Definitely one for the Dredd-curious out there, and yes, there are some Brian Bolland-drawn outings amongst the proceedings. (page 308) RANDY: Incidentally, folks, if you see the phrase "Dredd-curious" in a personal ad? Run. Run away. BDSM fans have nothing on someone who is "Dredd-curious." Er... I've heard. Kid Eternity TPB (DC Comics/Vertigo) - RANDY: Attention, Morrison completists. Morrison's trippy take on an undead teen who can summon dead celebrities to help him out, with nice art by Duncan Fegredo, is getting a belated collection from Vertigo. That is all. You may now return to masturbating on the Flex Mentallo trade sigils. (page 113) DAVE: Lordy. killer7 #1 (Devil's Due) - RANDY: It's based on some Capcom game I've never played, but it gets my attention because it's being written by Rex Mundi's Arvid Nelson. Just a heads-up for those of you out there who also dig on Rex Mundi and want to see more of what Nelson is doing. (page 251) Marvel Legacy: The 1960s Handbook (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: I trash-talked Marvel's wildly haphazard encyclopedia outings last month (and rightly so, dammit), but this one interests me simply because it spotlights Marvel's greatest and most fertile era: the '60s. Essentially, it's supposed to be a Marvel Universe outing, written as if it had been done in 1969, with only the heroes and villains of that era. If it's well put together, I'll buy it. (page M39) Marvel Romance Redux: But He Said He Loved Me (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: John Lustig has been doing this "redubbed romance comic" schtick in his Last Kiss series for years now, but he's teaming up this time with Keith Giffen, Jimmy Palmiotti and Fred Langridge (all funny guys) and the approval of Marvel to redub some of their romance comics. The art, by Buscema, Kirby, Colan and Giordano, is classic and great stuff no matter who's dialoguing it, and I suspect at least some of these guys will bring the funny. (page M41) Modern Masters Volume 6: Art Adams (Twomorrows Publishing) - DAVE: As a kid, I pored over the Art Adams-drawn New Mutants Annual like it was a sacred text. Alas, Art's comics work is sporadic, but I've never lost my fascination with his densely-hatched, proto-manga stylings. Twomorrows always does excellent work with these lavishly illustrated Modern Masters volumes, so this will be a must-buy for me. (page 346) Nat Turner Volume 1 TPB (Kyle Baker Publishing) - DAVE: Kyle Baker's best known for his lighter material, but it doesn't get any more brutally serious than Nat Turner, Baker's spin on the historical figure who led a slave uprising and...err...didn't make out so well in the end. Collects the first two issues of the series, along with some bonus goodies, and features what remains some of my favorite art of the year. Some snippets (page 290) RANDY: Loved the first issue of Nat Turner... has the second issue actually come out yet? At any rate, I'd rather have a trade collecting the whole thing, but if you did miss Nat Turner or you're a "trade only" type of reader, don't miss this chance to check out some great work from Kyle Baker. Octopus Girl Volume 1 TPB - DAVE: More horror-themed manga! This time around, though, it seems like it's horror mixed with a twisted sense of humor, the solicit reminding me a bit of the merits of Peter Jackson's hilariously effed-up Dead Alive. In its own words: "These shocking vignettes will hypnotize fans of the macabre and the absurd, as intestines, eyeballs, and fluids of all sorts shoot enthusiastically across Yamazaki's pages!" (page 36) RANDY: Sounds to me like Octopus Girl will pull your innards out and spread them across the manga in some sort of fiendish variation on the pop-up book. Or maybe it's just over-enthusiastic marketing copy. Phoenix Vol. 6 TP (Viz Media) - DAVE: It's always worthy of note when we get another volume of Tezuka's epic, sci-fi/fantasy existentialist piece, Phoenix. Those unfamiliar with his seminal manga work are encouraged to check out any volume of the series (each is self-contained) or his other masterpiece, Buddha. (page 359) The Portent #1 (Image Comics) - RANDY: The Portent is end of the world fantasy/horror by Swedish writer/artist Peter Bergting. That's not a lot to go on, but if you start investigating a little bit by reading this article at Comic Book Resources and checking out some of that gorgeous preview art, you're likely to be as intrigued by this project as I am. This has buzz hit (or maybe even full-on sales success) written all over it. And that comes from a guy like me, who is very picky about his fantasy. (page 136) DAVE: I'm intrigued by the use of Scandinavian mythology in this, and by the art that reminds me tremendously of favorites like P. Craig Russell and Mike Mignola. Put The Book Back on The Shelf: A Belle & Sebastian Anthology TPB (Image Comics) - RANDY: Music influencing comic book creators isn't new, and in fact, we've seen a few projects of direct music translations or music-to-comics projects, including Neil Gaiman's Alice Cooper book, Tim Truman's Grateful Dead book, Bill Sienkiewicz on Jimi Hendrix and even the prog rock group Coheed & Cambria putting out their own comics and original graphic novels tied into their music. But I think this might be a first, a big anthology based around a music group with a number of music-loving creators telling stories based on the band's songs. I gotta be honest, I don't know Belle & Sebastian at all (I've heard of them, but I don't think I've heard a single song), but the creative talent here is very intriguing. (page 132) DAVE: I'm still waiting for some comics (or manga) based on the beloved Belle & Sebastian cartoon that I watched as a kid (and that the band cribbed the name from). I mean, this looks cool and all, but it sure as hell doesn't have a Great Pyrenees dog in it. Queen & Country: Declassified Vol. 2 TPB (Oni Press) - RANDY: Greg Rucka gives us a look inside the life of Tom Wallace, one of the interesting supporting spies in Queen & Country, with an adventure in Hong Kong long before he even met Tara Chace. This was a good read, and it's just good to see more Queen & Country comics coming out. With Rucka busy at DC, I'm starting to wonder if we'll ever see the promised second volume of Queen & Country... the novels have been good, but damn it, I want my Queen & Country comics! (page 306) DAVE: Was just looking at the solicit for this and noticed its very affordable $8.95 price tag. Definite bang for buck. And like you, Randy, I find that Queen & Country is the Greg Rucka comic project I easily value above all others. I hope its future is secure, though to Oni's credit, there's a damn good library of pre-existing material for new fans looking to get into comicdom's best-ever espionage book. Rocketo Vol. 1: The Journey to the Hidden Sea TPB (Image Comics) - DAVE: I couldn't understand a damn thing in the issue or two I read of this series. Thing is, the art was so damn good that I resolved to pick up the trade whether it all made sense or not. It's rare for art to catch my eye to that degree, but animator Frank Esponosa's got what it takes with his evocation of Kirby, Darwyn Cooke, and doubtless a lot of Euro artists I don't know. The story's a sci-fi/fantasy blend, seemingly as much a history of Rocketo's world as a straight-up narrative, and I'm hoping the what felt like self-indulgent world-building in individual issues comes together better in one sitting. (page 138) Sam & Twitch: The Brian Michael Bendis Collection Vol. 1 TPB (Image Comics) - RANDY: Most of Bendis's early work remains in print, but Sam & Twitch, which was really his first move from self-publishing indy creator to rock star mega-creator that he is now, has remained mostly out of print. There was a black and white trade (which really didn't look all that good), but even that had fallen out of print, I think. Now Image (and more correctly, the Todd McFarlane part of Image) is putting together his stuff, as originally presented in color, and it sounds like they might collect it all. This stuff might not be Bendis's best, but it's damn good, and definitely worth a look for those who dug on Daredevil, Alias or Bendis's original crime stuff. Daredevil fans especially should pay attention, because later arcs featured his first collaboration with Daredevil artist Alex Maleev. (page 131) School Zone Vol. 1 TPB (Dark Horse) - DAVE: It seems like every horror manga Dark Horse offer up this month holds some interest for me, in this case at least in part because the creator is a woman. Apparently she's referred to as the "Queen of Manga Horror," which will surely please her family when it inevitably ends up on her tombstone. Premise, as the title suggests, follows young schoolkids terrified by ghosts, urban legends, and whatnot, which sounds a bit cliche, so it'll all be in the execution (no pun intended). Oh, and the solicit mentions another horror outing from the author, unpublished in America but hopefully not for long: Bukita Kun, "...a sad story about a zombie in search of love." (page 37) RANDY: Zombie love is also exempt from the previously announced zombie moratorium. Unless it's zombie hentai. I don't need to see that. Shelter (Speakeasy) - RANDY: I read a brief preview of this story in the Voicebox Preview just after San Diego and was pretty happy with it, especially with Aleksandar Sotirovski's gorgeous artwork. Croall's writing ain't too shabby either, with a nice air of horror and mystery, and this story about a woman whose magical powers assert themselves and turn her life upside down sounds really interesting and will definitely look beautiful. (page 320) Showcase Presents: House of Mystery Vol. 1 TPB (DC Comics) - RANDY: After reading the Showcase Presents: Jonah Hex volume and being mightily impressed, I was hoping for another one of these '70s-era Showcase volumes, and DC is offering one this month, collecting vintage horror and suspense by artists like Bernie Wrightson, Neal Adams, Gil Kane and Alex Toth. Really looking forward to this one. (page 75) DAVE: On one hand...check out those artists! On the other hand... wasn't House of Mystery pretty much from the EC school of twist-ending horror? Not so much my interest. Still... Check out those artists! SOCOM: Seal Team Seven OGN (Image Comics) - RANDY: Waitaminute... Navy SEALS versus Atlantis? This might sound familiar to those of you who dutifully memorize our Down the Line columns as a project that AIT/Planet Lar was publishing, where they provided the catchy tagline "The U.S. Navy vs. Atlantis. Any questions?" It's moved publishers, but with the preview art looking pretty and that high concept, my only question remains "When do I get it?" (page 140) Solo #9 (DC Comics) - DAVE: Scott Hampton's one of comicdom's painters I know least, but I loved his chapter of Gaiman's original Books of Magic miniseries and Solo hasn't disappointed with a single outing yet. Therefore, I buy without hesitation! (page 80) RANDY: And I repeat my desperate cries to DC to give us some Solo hardcovers or trades! C'mon, the book's been kicking ass for a year now, it's time to give it a permanent edition! Superman Adventures Vol. 3: Last Son of Krypton & Vol 4: The Man of Steel(DC Comics) - DAVE: This collects a few more of Mark Millar's Superman stories inspired by the '90s animated series, and that's always a good thing. I see David Michelinie, Evan Dorkin, and Sarah Dyer are all credited as writers, too, so it's not pure Millar, but the series was always pretty good, so they certainly don't count against it. For seven bucks a pop, these are just really good, really cheap modern Superman stories. (page 93) Supermarket #1 (IDW) - RANDY: Futuristic crime and nihilism from Brian Wood? Sold. If you're a little more picky than me, and you're not pre-sold on anything Wood does based on the strength of the first issues of Local and DMZ, then here's a little more. Art is by Kristian Donaldson, who did fantastic stuff on Doomed, the villains include the "Porno Swede" family and one of the leads is a 16-year-old girl who is heir to one of the criminal empires. Wood describes it as similar in tone to his action-heavy Couriers work. This oughta be fun. (page 287) A Trip to Rundberg GN (Frequency Press) - RANDY: OK, I should 'fess up that I went out drinking with the writer and artist of this book at Wizard World Texas, and that the writer, Nate Southard, is a good friend of mine. But... that's not why I'm recommending it. I'm recommending it (and I have read it, so this isn't a sight unseen recommendation) because it's got a neat twist on the zombie story, and Richter is a guy who can draw zombies almost as well as Tony Moore, which is about the highest compliment I can give to a zombie artist. What's the twist? It's about a community that survived the initial zombie attacks but now has to send out a small raiding party to a nearby zombie-infested town for supplies, or they won't make it much further. Things get ugly from there. Think Shirley Jackson's The Lottery crossed with Day of the Dead and directed by Tony Scott and you've got a bit of an idea. (page 271) DAVE: Yeah, okay, well I didn't go drinking with the artist (Randy, you lush) and I haven't read the book yet, but I do know Nate's stuff, and I'm confident he's got the talent to bring a much-needed shot of energy to the zombie genre. And I've at least seen some of the artist's zombie sketches from Wizard World - they made me muchly impressed. Warlord #1 (DC Comics) - RANDY: I haven't ever read the original Warlord series, but I have a fondness for the general concept, and his guest-starring turn on Justice League Unlimited has me curious to see some of the original tales. I'm not as sold on this relaunch, not because of any failings in the character but because of the creative team. Bruce Jones turned in several promising tales at Marvel before delving into almost humorous levels of boredom and unresolved, sprawling, nonsensical plots and Bart Sears, aside from shining spots like The Path or his early work on Turok, tends to turn in bizarre, hard to follow storytelling. So my guess, based on past track record, is that this is going to be a hard-to-read mess, although my hope is that it will be better than I expect. Certainly the preview pages, while not amazing or anything, show a mostly better sense of storytelling than I've come to expect from Sears, save those garish splash panels. My other big disappointment is that DC didn't use the timing of this new book to give us a Showcase Presents: Warlord volume or just Warlord trades, which means that a peek at that older stuff probably remains the province of back issues. (page 83) DAVE: I wonder if DC's waiting to see if the new series picks up a following before they offer up a Showcase reprint? I've picked up a few of those issues from quarter bins over the years, and the art on some of 'em is just gorgeous. For that reason alone, I hope the new series generates enough interest for a Showcase outing. As for the creative team, I'm taking a wait-and-see approach. Where Bruce Jones has generally stumbled with superheroes for me, I won't re-write history and say that he didn't have some great moments, and fantasy's a whole 'nother genre anyway - I'm hoping it might inspire him. Sears...I've liked him off and on over the years, but it's his more reined-in stuff on Justice League Europe I liked best. Whether the series is closer to that than his work on Cap/Falcon will go a long way towards whether I like it or not. War of the Worlds: Second Wave #1 (Boom! Studios) - RANDY: Mark Waid sold me on this, because he's quoted in the solicit as calling it "A sci-fi Walking Dead!" That sounds like a lot of fun, seeing people trying to get by in a post-Martian invasion world, and Chee's artwork is sure to look purty. If you're in the mood for more post-apocalyptic fun from the always-entertaining Boom! Studios, this month also sees the release of another issue of the excellent zombie anthology Zombie Tales, with Zombie Tales: The Dead. (page 236) DAVE: Weird-ass survival stories always interest me, so Second Wave gets a look. Here's hoping the Martians vaporize Tom Cruise this time... RANDY: I'm pretty sure Scientologists have personal force fields, actually. Email Randy Lander and Dave Farabee comments about this review.