Previews-o-Rama part 1: The Front

It's time to go through the latest Previews to discover the good, the bad, and the strange:


Dark Horse

Bruce campbell writes (and his likeness stars in) a new miniseries, Man with the Screaming Brain. I'll betcha that this ends up being in a trade collection...

The movie did so well that they're bringing out a second volume of Alien vs. Predator. Well, at least it's a good price (96 pages for $7), and hey, if just 1/10th of the people who saw the film bought this comic, it would be a smash hit. (That's reall kind of a sad commentary about the size of the comics market, isn't it?)

Concrete: The Human Dilema comes to an end with issue #6. I heard that there's a huge spoiler in the solicitation copy, so I haven't read it. I want to be unspoiled!


There's a new Too Much Coffee Man collection from Shannon Wheeler, How to Be Happy.

Two manga trades: Samurai Executioner vol. 6 and What's Michael vol. 10: Sleepless NIghts.

Suprisingly little Star Wars product, considering that the movie will be out in theatres int he same month. Just three comics and a trade collection.


DC Comics

Lots and lots of overpriced Batman Begins merchandise crap from DC Direct. Who buys this stuff, anyway?

There's a comic adaptation of Batman Begins too. Back in the days before home video, comic adaptations were pretty much the only way to relive a movie experience. But in these days of ubiquitous DVDs, who really wants a comic book movie adaptation?

Lots of other Batman comics too, including a paperback collection of Azzarello & Risso's Broken City and Englehart, Rogers & Austen with a bi-weekly mini, Batman; Dark Detective. I'm completely unenthused about Bruce Jones's two issue, prestige format Year One: Batman/Scarecrow however.

But yay! Gotham Central: Half a Life collects the very good Montoya arc. I'm buying a copy, even though I own the original issues, because good comics need to be supported.

It's yet another creative revamp for the Superman titles--perhaps this time they'll get it right.

Gail Simone becomes the first woman to regularly write a Superman comic as she takes over Action Comics, with John Byrne in tow on art.

Greg Rucka stays on Adventures of Superman, with Majestic artist Karl Kerschl taking over the art chores.

Smallville's Mark Verheiden takes over the writing on Superman, with Ed Benes on art. Gee, how many pages do you think will go by before we get a Lois Lane butt shot?

There is no good reason at all for there to be a collection of Chuck Austen's Action Comics arc in Superman: The Wrath of Gog. The only thing I can figure is that DC are contractually obligated to Austen to issue a trade.

I normally really dislike Carlos Meglia's art, especially in his previous Superman work, but darn if the sample pages provided for Superman: Infinite City don't actually look good. Plus DCBS has this hardcover for half off, so depending on how much other stuff I want I may just end up getting it.

Fallen Angel comes to an end with #20, but rumor has it that it will get picked up by IDW. Of course, it'll cost us a buck more if it does...

DC revives an obscure silver age character, Hal Jordan, in Green Lantern #1, which you might overlook...

Another issue of Kyle Baker's Plastic Man (#16). Every issue that comes out is a little victory!

More Seven Soldiers goodness from Grant Morrison, with the second issues of Shining Knight and Guardian.

Gail Simone writes the new Secret Soc..., er, Villains United mini.

Dave Gibbons, of all people, writes The Rann/Thanagar War #1.

The World's Greatest Super-Heros collects the five tabloid-sized comics from Paul Dini and Alex Ross. At $50 for a 400-page oversized slipcased hardcover, that's actually a pretty good price.

Both The Batman Strikes! and Justice League Unlimited get kid-friendly digest-sized collections.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy collection from years back gets relisted to take advantage of the H2G2 movie.

2000 AD brings us a Judge Anderson collection, while Humanoids has Geoff Johns's Olympus.

Warren Ellis & J. H. Williams III have a new bi-monthly series, Desolation Jones, which should be good, I should think.

Gee, I wonder if any comic shops will even bother ordering the second Tanjho Tenge volume?

Hey look, is that a new issue of Planetary (#23)? Why yes, it is!

Devin Grayson & Brian Stelfeeze's Matador will get the ol' 'wait for the trade' treatment.

Alan Moore & Gene Ha's Top Ten: The Forty-Niners hardcover comes out. Yay! Plus, DCBS has it half-off. Double yay!

Boy, that was a lot of DC books. What? I still have Vertigo titles to go? Holy tree-killing, Batman!

The Losers get a third collection with Trifecta.

Phil Jimenez's Otherworld continues with issue #3.

Whew! Okay, on to thte next publisher:


Image

Doug TenNapel is back with a new OGN, Earthboy Jacobus, huge (272 pages!) and in color too.

The Luna Brothers leave Super-heroes behind (I think...) with Girls #1.

ShadowHawk returns with a new series. That sound you didn't hear just now is me know caring.

PVP has a promotional-priced 50 cent Zero issue.

DeMatteis & Ploog reunite with The Stardust Kid. Sure, it'll be the same basic story that DeMatteis always tells, but I'm in for the sure-to-be-gorgeous Ploog-osity.

Who asked for Tomb Raider vs. he Wolf-Men? Come over here so I can smack you.


Marvel

JMS and Mike McKone take over Fantastic Four (#527), just in time for a little art film based on the book that's coming out.

Marvel Nemesis: The Imperfects appears to be based on a video game, but with Marvel super-heroes thrown in. Good golly, Marvel can't even do a video game adaptation without super-heroes.

Machine Teen actually sounds like it could be good. If it indeed is, look for it to sell poorly, as Marvel these days seem to have no idea how to promote comics without people in spandex.

James Jean is all over the place these days; he's even doing the cover to Amazing Fantasy #8!

Marvel show that they have a sense of humor, as besides Wolverine & The X-Men, Marvel Milestones also reprints two stories of Tuk the Cave Boy.

Giant-Size X-Men #3 is mostly a reprint book, but there is a new story from Joss Whedon & Dave Cockrum.

Garth Ennis has a new Punisher one-shot, The Cell, with art from Lewis LaRose.

That cover to Shanna, the She-Devil #4 is just too damn Freudian...

Captain America #7 starts a new story arc, but didn't Cap die in last week's issue of Captain America & The Falcon? How can this be???

Do you have $4 to spend on page after page of boring text features relating for the much-delayed Secret War? Luck for you then that Marvel are publishing Secret War: From the Files of Nick Fury. It look slike a lot of it is reprinted from the back-up features in the already published Secret War issue too. Money, you shall soon take your leave of Sucker!

Power Pack, Power Pack, Power Pack! I said it three times because issue #3 comes out.

Powers gets a massive (488 page) hardcover collection of the first 11 issues.

I actually kind of liked Karl Kesel's Human Torch series, so I'm happy to see a digest collection of issues 1-6.

Wouldn't it be great if the only person who bought the Ultimate Adventures collection was Joe Q?


Okay, that does it for part 1; Part 2 will be along tomorrow...

Spider-Girl Contest Update 2

There's less than 48 hours left in my Spider-Girl contest (details here). I've still received only a few entries, so your chances of winning are good. That's 2 volumes of all-ages super-heroine goodness, and all you have to do for a chance to win is to tell me which actress you think should play Spider-Girl in a movie or tv show (and why).

Thanks to Mike, Dorian, Johanna & David for linkage, and especially to Johanna for kicking in half of the prize!

New This Week: March 9, 2005

Based on the NCRL list for this week's comics shipping from Diamond, here are a few things to look for at the local comic shop today:


The pick of the week is Street Angel #5, the final (for now) issue of Brian Maruca and Jim Rugg's story of a skateboarding homeless teen who fights the forces of evil. You've read all the blog-o-sphere love, so pick it up, okay?

In other comics:

Adhouse Books has Project: Superior, an OGN with stories by indy creators doing super-heroes.

Aeon has the third issue of Matt Howarth's Bugtown.

ComicsOne.com (or whatever they're calling themselves now...) has the eleventh volume of Iron Wok Jan.

Dark Horse has the third issue of Concrete: Human Dilema, which is so far shaping up to be one of my favorite Concrete stories.

DC has two comics from the mad mind of Grant Morrison: Vimanarama #2 & the debut of Seven Soldiers: Shining Knight. Also from DC are the third Sleeper collection; new issues of Adam Strange (#6), Fables (#35), Gotham Central (#29), and JSA (#71); and Chuck Austen's final issue (yay!) of Action Comics (#825).

HK Comics has a new volume of Andy Seto's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon adaptation (vol. 10).

Marvel has the first issue of Wolverine: Soultaker, in which Wolverine fights ninjas and zombies. What more do you need to know? Marvel also has a digest collection of Sean McKeever's Inhumans and the first issue of his new Mary Jane series, Homecoming. Plus concluding storyline issues of New Thunderbolts (#6) and The Punisher (#18).

NBM has the collected Hardy Boys volume, and the second issue of Cryptozoo Crew--which, I have been assured, has monkeys!

Oni has the final issue of Blue Monday: Painted Moon (#4).

Seven Seas debuts with two of their 'American-manga' volumes: Amazing Agent Luna & No Man's Land.


And finally, if you have $175 dollars burning a hole in your pocket, you can be the biggest geek on the block when you wear your X-Men Cerebro Helmet Replica.

Quick Comic Reviews

Concrete: The Human Dilema #2
by Paul Chadwick
While the first issue of this new Concrete was a welcome return to the series, this second issue is a welcome move forward. Chadwick crafts an emotional look at life, death, sex and desire in compelling and thought-provoking ways. While Larry and Astra discuss find that they may not be on the same page when it comes to a future life together, a traumatic event provokes Maurene and Concrete to attempt to move their relationship forward. The real kicker comes near the end, as Concrete's sublimation of the pleasures of the flesh find him tempted by the pleasures of the mind. Chadwick's art matches his story perfectly, full of detail, emotion and desire. This, kids, is how you do comics.
Rating: 4 (of 5)


A Strange Day
by Damon Hurd & Tatiana Gill
While playing hooky in order to be the first to get the new Cure album, teenagers Miles and Anna meet and fall in love. That's pretty much the whole plot. It's a sweet little story I suppose, but there's no conflict, no dramatic tension, and no payoff. It's not bad, just not really necessary. I suppose if you're in the mood for a sweet little romance you'll enjoy this, but otherwise there's little reason to seek it out.
Rating: 2.5 (of 5)


Savage Henry: Puppet Trap
by Matt Howarth
Henry and Boche are touring through the dimensions on their way to an electronic music festival in the weird reality of Lysurgia. Hot on their tails are the humorless WHACOs (We Hate All Creative Organisms), but first they have to deal with an evil female vampire and the Lysurgian residents she has transformed into puppets. Yeah, that's right, puppets--like in that very funny episode of Angel. It's madcap fun in the Howarth tradition, and even ends with a three page review of recent music releases by Henry and Caroline.
Rating: 3.5 (of 5)

Library Comic Collection Update

Back in January, Annette (our Art & Design Librarian) traveled with Phoebe Gloeckner to Angouleme for the Festival de la Bande Dessinée. While there they met many cool cartoonists, and stayed a night at Robert Crumb's villa.

No, I'm not jealous at all. Why do you ask?

They also purchased a suitcase full of comics for our collection here at the library. There's a list available here (I apologize for the crappy M$ Excel HTML output.)

Phoebe wrote up an eight-page illustrated report of their trip, which will appear in a couple of weeks on the Indy Magazine Website. I'll link when it becomes available.

Spider-Girl Contest Update

An update on my Spider-Girl Contest:

Thanks to uber-cool blogger Johanna, I now have a copy of the first collected Spider-Girl digest for the contest as well. That means that the winner will receive a copy of the first two Spider-Girl digests containing the first 12 issues of Spider-Girl (#s 0-11).

There have only been a few entries thus far, so your chances of winning are quite good. To enter, simply email me your pick for which actress you think should play May "Spider-Girl" Parker in a Spider-Girl movie or tv show. Also include a brief paragraph as to why you think that actress is a good choice. I will choose the winner based on which entry I think is the best.

Deadline is Noon EST on Friday March 11. Due to postage costs, only U.S. and Canada residents are eligible. The decision of the judge (me) is final. Only one entry per person.

Monkey Covers

Sunday is Monkey Covers day here at YACB. Because there's nothing better than a comic with a monkey on the cover.

In a rare Marvel monkey cover, Ernie Chan's cover to 1977's Weird Wonder Tales #21 features Dr. Druid facing the giant Gorgilla. The interior story is a reprint of a Lee/Kirby/Ditko story from Tales to Astonish #12, but redrawn in places with Dr. Druid inserted!

(standard disclaimer about giant gorillas not really being monkeys applies)

Image is courtesy of the GCD. Click on the image for a larger version.