SPX: Back Home
By Jonathan Ellis

Back home from the 2005 Small Press Expo.

Good Times. Good Friends. Good Shit.

Expect a full report soon, for now, here's a pic of some SPX swag.



I should have a chance to read what I picked up in... a few months?

Until then, it was great seeing everyone this past weekend and while this was my first SPX, I don't think it will be my last.

 

Jonathan Ellis is Co-Editor in Chief of PopImage.com


PopImage Forum - Discuss this message at the PopImage forum.


UNTIL YOUR HEART STOPS v10.7
by Brian Domingos

Day Tripping

September 28th, 2005

Hi. How are you? I’m doing well, thanks. I’m back from my trip down to Bethesda, MD and SPX. It was a really good time. The actual traveling was a pain in the ass, but you know, the destination was well worth it. I grabbed a ton of cool stuff (some of which I’ll talk about in a minute) and I’ll plenty to read for the coming weeks.

I met a lot of people for the first time, and it was nice to put a face and a voice with some names, some of which I’ve know for years. I didn’t socialize as much as I would have liked for unforeseen reasons, but next year I’m all over it.

Since there’s so much to talk about, I’m splitting the pile into a couple columns. The next bunch will be in two weeks because next week is a look at the new PREVIEWS catalogue. (Yeah, already, I know.)

---

First up is WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME IF I WET THE BED? ($7.00, Top Shelf Productions) by newcomer Liz Prince. It won “Outstanding Debut Nominees” in the Ignatz on Saturday night and I think it was well deserved.

The book takes a look at the personal moments of Prince and her boyfriend’s relationship. It’s basically 75+ pages of four panel snapshots of the “we’re in love” moments. It’s everything from their cuddling to their grouping and then bodily functions, which would be embarrassing if it wasn’t so damned cute. I’m impressed by the frankness of the whole thing, and I’m anxious to see what she has in store in the future. She said that there were more stories around that her boyfriend found too personal, which when you read the material here, it’s hard to believe.

Over on the Top Shelf site, they say “It's the perfect book for all those fans of autobiographical comics who want to see a happy ending” which is totally on the mark. I’m sick to shit of self-loathing autobiographix, so WILL YOU STILL… is a breath of fresh air in the barrage of whiny-skinny-white guy comics that dominate the genre.

Plus, I’m 95% positive that I know her from somewhere, so it keeps the book fresh in my mind. I think it’s an old Boston connection, but I’m not exactly sure.

---

Also along the way, I picked up the two collections of Justin Madson’s HAPPY TOWN ($10.00 each, Just Mad Books). I was impressed with the binding of the books (it’s the six issues stacked and tacked with plastic binders) and I thought the two for twenty bucks was a bargain.

Book One opens with a citizen of the titular town falling prey to “lost gravity” a phenomenon that’s sweeping the area. The pedestrian is just lifted off the street and into the sky, floating away. Across town a pair of friends shoot the shit about relationships and the like until one of them sees the girl of his dreams. A reporter, Kitty McCann attempts to get to the bottom of the gravity situation, and is postponed by a police detective with replacement parts. Then, Matt, one of the aforementioned friends, goes with his brother, an astronaut, to visit his sick and dying grandmother in the hospital. She’s desperate to see her grandsons, especially with the impending flight to Saturn. Yeah, and then it gets worse.

I’m impressed with the amount of character work Madson puts into the short chapters. With in a couple dozen pages, I know feel like I know the cast so well, with all their quirks and shortcomings. There’s a good amount of adventure and mystery here as the story unfolds and the characters fall into place. At first I wasn’t sure that the art style was working for me, but the script is so good, the artwork becomes a place holder.

I’ve only read Book One so far, but I’m excited to break open Book Two later this week. Find out more about these books and Justin Madson himself at Just Mad Books.

---

Now, for anyone attending Wizard World Boston this weekend, you've gotta check out T.J. and Jason May's booth in the Artist Alley. I met them this weekend and they were not only great guys but they're local and their really talented. I picked up two of their books, ILL CONCEIVED (pic at right) and A DAY IN THE PSYCHOSIS OF DAVID PRINCE.

T.J. wrote both books and Jason supplied the letters and design work. ILL CONCEIVED has artwork from Shelton Bryant and focuses on the oddities that go along with motherhood. It's a strange little sci-fi story with some good twists. The artwork is a mixture of pencil shadings and fine lines and works over all. There are points where it's too vague and the moment is lost, but it's a good fit.

…DAVID PRINCE features a lovely cover from Jason as well as interiors by Geoff Mosse. This time around, the story focuses on David Prince, a man whose life is clearly not what he had in mind. It's a little dose of religious horror that goes pretty far over the top. I was genuinely creeped out by the whole thing. The artwork isn't as nice this time, but it's serviceable. The issue contains a back-up story by T.J. and Jason featuring their characters, "DEVIANT SOCIETY". The story is much different than the main one, and has a good mix of funny and crazy. I'd like to see more of this.

The May Brothers self-publish their books under the Summ Publications and the website has some good info about the brothers themselves and upcoming projects.

---

I had read about STRANGE DETECTIVE TALES on a couple different sites – I don't remember where, exactly – and when I gave the copies a flip, I was impressed with the product. I grabbed the two issues on sale ($3.95 each, Oddgod Press) and found some cool stuff.

The book is a nice mix of 1940s detective pulp and monsters giving it a unique feel. Writer Jesse Bausch does a flawless job of combining the two, playing up the private eye themes with a creepy, zombiesque touch. The story is based around Renfeld, the PI and his partner, Vorlic, the typical monster movie right hand man – but don't call him Igor.

The artwork's by James Callahan, who's a new name to me. I was struck by how good the art was, considering that I thought the online preview was a little shaky. The line work is tight and expressive with stark black and whites and sometimes grey tones. It's a nice night-time effect and goes a long way to set the atmosphere. The genre-mashing script requires a large variety of characters and a quirky cast and Callahan pulls it off flawlessly. The first book is available via the diamond code (MAY052893) and the second (pictured right) is out soon. I'll be marking a spot for issue three in an upcoming PREVIEWS column, so keep your eyes peeled. (I also picked up RUN OFF Book 2 from OddGod Press and will take a closer look in a few weeks.)

---

I also swung by the Oni Press table and saw the sweet previews of OFF ROAD, ARMAGEDDON & SON and, again, LOCAL. They've got some great stuff coming out, so keep your eyes peeled.

So I've got a ton of other stuff to talk about but they've have to wait a couple weeks. I'm also attending the Wizard World Boston con this weekend on Saturday and Sunday so hopefully I'll have even more to talk about and less money in my pockets. My list is already half a page long – it's dangerous.

And now, as always:

Upcoming
Items of note shipping today, Wednesday September 28, 2005…

JUN053121 2000 AD #1453 $4.10
JUN053122 2000 AD #1454 $4.10
AUG052895 32 STORIES COMPLETE OPTIC NERVE MINI COMICS CURR PRTG (O/A) $12.95
JUL050294 ABC A TO Z TOM STRONG AND JACK B QUICK $3.99
JUL052839 ACTION PHILOSOPHERS #1 2ND PRINTING $2.95
JUL052838 ACTION PHILOSOPHERS SELF HELP FOR UGLY LOOSERS $2.95

JUL050212 ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #644
DC Comics
$2.50

This issue picks up after the JLA issue concludes (or so I gather from the solicitation text) and focuses on Superman and Zatanna. Why, I don't know. I mean, I like Zatanna, but what is the point? I guess I need to finish the JLA story. More on that below.

JUL051864 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #524 $2.50
JUL053263 ANGEL SANCTUARY VOL 10 GN $9.99
JUL052954 ANGEL THE CURSE #4 (OF 5) $3.99
AUG052685 AP HOW TO DRAW HENTAI #1 NEW PTG (A) $4.95
AUG052686 AP HOW TO DRAW HENTAI #2 NEW PTG (A) $4.95
AUG052677 AP HOW TO DRAW MANGA NEXT GENERATION #10 $4.95
JUL052600 APOCALYPSE ZERO VOL 3 GN (MR) $9.99
JUL051862 ARANA HEART OF THE SPIDER #9 $2.99
JUL053086 ARM OF KANNON VOL 7 GN (OF 8) (MR) $9.99
AUG053049 ATTITUDE FEATURING NEAL SWAAB REHABILITATING MR WIGGLES TPB ( $10.95
JUL050280 AUTHORITY THE MAGNIFICIENT KEVIN #2 (OF 5) (MR) $2.99
JUL053265 BASARA VOL 14 TPB $9.99

JUL050190 BATMAN #645
DC Comics
$2.50

Judd Winick and Doug Mahnke made BATMAN a cool read again and then the book got sidetracked by a terrible fill-in and two issues of that stupid "War Crimes" arc. I feel like I haven't read this in years and it's only been three issues and two months. That's harsh. I really liked what they were doing before the 'break' and I hope the energy was sustained all the way through. The Red Hood stuff is brutal and fun and the scripts have been good, so what else can you ask for? Oh, I know: How about no all-creative team fill-ins? Yeah.

APR050438 BATMAN BLACK WHITE SERIES MINI STATUE BOLLAND $45.00

JUL050198 BATMAN: JOURNEY INTO KNIGHT #2 (OF 12)
DC Comics
$2.50

This book is fucking dismal. Stay faaaaaaar away. I usually like BATMAN books but it’s shit from top to bottom.

JUN053069 BELLE STARR QUEEN OF BANDITS #2 (MR) $2.95
JUL052640 BETTY & VERONICA DIGEST #160 $2.39
JUL053242 BEYBLADE VOL 7 TPB $7.99
AUG052892 BIG QUESTIONS #7 (MR) $4.95
JUL052952 BIGFOOT TPB $19.99
JUL051918 BLACK PANTHER WHO IS BLACK PANTHER HC $21.99

JUL051869 BLACK WIDOW 2 #1 (OF 6)
Marvel Knights/Marvel Comics
$2.99

I really dug the first volume of this, so I figure I’ll grab the trade of this in the end. Richard Morgan has comic pacing down cold and his scripts are tight and action packed. This art this time is handed by Sean Phillips and Bill Sienkiewicz so how can you say no to that?

JUL050297 BLOODY MARY TPB (MR) $19.99
JUL053266 BOYS OVER FLOWERS VOL 14 TPB $9.99

JUL050017 B.P.R.D.: THE BLACK FLAME #2 (OF 6)
Dark Horse
$2.99

I’ve decided to wait on the trade for this as well. I love the B.P.R.D. and the artwork is so damned good, but I need to not buy things twice so much.

DEC042422 BRIAN PULIDOS UNHOLY #3 $3.50
DEC042423 BRIAN PULIDOS UNHOLY ADRIAN CVR #3 $3.50
DEC042425 BRIAN PULIDOS UNHOLY PREMIUM ED #3 $9.99
DEC042424 BRIAN PULIDOS UNHOLY WRAPAROUND CVR #3 $3.50
JUL051908 CABLE DEADPOOL #20 $2.99
AUG053067 CAPTAIN GRAVITY AND POWER OF THE VRIL #6 (RES) $2.95
JUL050264 CARTOON NETWORK BLOCK PARTY #13 $2.25
JUL050195 CATWOMAN #47 $2.50

JUL052752 CBLDF SPX 2005 ANTHOLOGY
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund
$12.95

I've been buying these since 2000 and each year they seem to drop in quality and value. I'm not sure what it is about the stories, but before I would soak up each and every page and now I find myself flipping through the pages. It's horrible, really, because it used to be a great deal. It was a nice, thick collection of great stories for under ten bucks and now it's 13 bucks and not all that good. Still, it’s for charity, so whatever.

JUL053087 CHRONICLES OF THE CURSED SWORD VOL 13 GN (OF 19) $9.99
JUN052729 CHRONICLES OF THE UNIVERSE DESPERADO BROTHERS TPB $9.99
JUL053088 CHRONO CODE VOL 2 GN (OF 2) $9.99
JUL053083 COWBOY BEBOP VOL 1 GN NEW PTG $9.99
JUL052933 CSI NEW YORK BLOODY MURDER #3 (OF 5) $3.99
JUL051875 DAREDEVIL #77 $2.99
JUL053089 DEARS VOL 4 GN (OF 7) $9.99
JUL053236 DEATH NOTE VOL 1 TPB $7.99
JUL051880 DEFENDERS #3 (OF 5) $2.99
JUL050272 DEVIL DOES EXIST VOL 3 $9.99
JUL053076 DEVIL MAY CRY 3 GN (MR) $9.99
JUL052805 DIGITAL WEBBING PRESENTS #25 $3.50
JUL053090 DOLL VOL 6 GN (OF 6) (MR) $9.99
JUL050223 DOOM PATROL #16 $2.50
JUL053091 DRAGON VOICE VOL 5 GN (OF 11) (RES) (MR) $9.99
JUL052791 DRAGONLANCE CHRONICLES KURTH CVR A #2 (OF 8) $2.95
AUG052867 DRAGONLANCE CHRONICLES WALPOLE CVR B #1 (OF 8) $5.95
JUL053109 DRAKE & JOSH MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN CINEMANGA GN $7.99
JUL053077 DRAMACON VOL 1 GN (OF 3) $9.99
JUL051879 DRAX THE DESTROYER #1 (OF 4) $2.99
JUL053092 ET CETERA VOL 6 GN (OF 9) (RES) $9.99
JUN051753 FACELESS TERRY SHARP STORY GN $6.99
JUL051893 FANTASTIC FOUR #531 $2.99
JUL053243 FLAME OF RECCA VOL 14 TPB $9.99
JUL052900 FLARE #28 $2.99
JUL050224 FLASH #226 $2.50
AUG052862 FORGOTTEN REALMS DARK ELF TRILOGY VOL 1 HOMELAND TPB $14.95
JUL053272 FULL MOON VOL 3 TPB $8.99
JUL053267 FUSHIGI YUGI VOL 16 GN $9.95
JUL052780 GHOST HUNT VOL 1 GN $10.95
JUN052030 GIANT SIZE X-MEN #4 $4.99
JUL052606 GOLD DIGGER VOL 6 PKT MANGA TPB $9.99
JUL052573 GUILTY GN (O/A) $9.95
JUL053058 HELIOS IN WITH THE NEW #1 (OF 8) $2.99
JUN050043 HELLSING VOL 7 TPB $13.95
JUL053222 HIKARU NO GO VOL 5 TPB $7.95
JUL051891 HULK DESTRUCTION #3 (OF 4) $2.99
JUL053093 HYPER RUNE VOL 4 GN (OF 4) (RES) $9.99
JUL053074 I LUV HALLOWEEN VOL 1 GN (OF 3) (MR) $9.99
JUL053094 IN DREAM WORLD VOL 3 GN (OF 3) (MR) $9.99
JUN051755 INDIGO VERTIGO ONE SHOT $4.99
JUN051789 INVINCIBLE #26 $2.99

JUL050233 JACK CROSS #2
DC Comics
$2.50

I like the idea of this book – a rogue spy fighting the good fight and the artwork is really nice. Gary Erskine is usually top shelf excellent but there were a couple of pages where it was clear that he wasn't paying attention to what he was drawing – things like shirt pockets which appear and disappear and that sort of thing. It's not a federal offence or anything, but it's distracting at times. Still, it's pretty good. And Ellis is good as usual. I'm glad it's four issues a story, too, so that it will hopefully be paced well.

JUL050235 JLA #119
DC Comics
$2.50

This is the JLA story I mentioned up there in the ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN section. The story here is by Geoff Johns and Allen Heinberg and I can’t help but feel like it's supposed to feel much more important than it does. This story is like IDENTITY CRISIS: Part Two and it just sort of fizzles. I don't know why, but it's lacking some punch. Hopefully this last part will flesh it out.

JUL050237 JLA: CLASSIFIED #12
DC Comics
$2.99

Here's the second Ellis book of the week. We're three issues in at this point, and the plot's just getting started. It's a lot of "bad-things-are-happening-and-the-Justice-League-saves-the-day" sort of deal, with really nice character reveals by Ellis. He's taking the time at those points, to spitshine the icons and it's a nice touch. The artwork is handled by Butch Guice and he looks… I don't know. He looks like he lost a step. It's not as nice as his RUSE stuff was (from roughly the same time period) but it has its moments. The only real complaint is the shithouse computer generated covers. They really suck, making the team members look stiff and bored.

JUL052643 JUGHEADS DOUBLE DIGEST #116 $3.59
MAR050500 JUSTICE LEAGUE ALEX ROSS SER 2 AQUAMAN AF PI
MAR050501 JUSTICE LEAGUE ALEX ROSS SER 2 BATMAN AF PI
MAR050502 JUSTICE LEAGUE ALEX ROSS SER 2 BLACK CANARY AF PI
MAR050503 JUSTICE LEAGUE ALEX ROSS SER 2 BLACK MANTA AF PI
MAR050499 JUSTICE LEAGUE ALEX ROSS SER 2 INNER CASE PI
MAR050498 JUSTICE LEAGUE ALEX ROSS SER 2 MASTER CASE PI
JUL050262 JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED JAM PACKED ACTION TPB $7.99
JUL052601 KAMUNAGARA REBIRTH OF THE DEMONSLAYER VOL 3 GN $9.99
AUG052955 KEEPERS OF THE MASER VOL 6 LOST VILLAGE HC $14.95
JUL053078 KINGDOM HEARTS VOL 1 GN (OF 4) $5.99
JUL052966 KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE #107 $3.99
JUL052759 LADY DEATH #1 COMM CVR SGN $50.00
MAY052541 LADY DEATH ABANDON ALL HOPE PREMIUM CVR #2 (OF 4) $9.99
JUN050040 LADY SNOWBLOOD VOL 1 TPB (MR) $14.95
JUL051927 LAST HERO STANDING TPB $13.99
JUL050240 LEGION OF SUPER HEROES #10 $2.99
JUL053079 LIGHTS OUT VOL 1 GN (OF 9) $9.99

JUL051621 LONG HOT SUMMER OGN
Image Comics
$7.99

This seems a bit too emo for me, but we'll see. Jamie McKelvie came out of nowhere with his slick line work and Eric Stephenson is working really hard to make a name for himself as a writer. It's mods and scooters and romance so it's emo, but does look gorgeous.

JUL050304 THE LOSERS #28
Vertigo/DC Comics
$2.99

Did you see how the last one ended??? Holy Shit.

JUL053096 MAHOROMATIC AUTOMATIC MAIDEN VOL 7 GN (OF 8) (MR) $9.99
JUL051912 MARVEL ADVENTURES FLIP MAGAZINE #4 $3.99
JUL051913 MARVEL HEROES FLIP MAGAZINE #4 $3.99

AUG050005 MARVEL PREVIEWS #26 OCTOBER 2005 EXTRAS
PI

I just love buying this and leaving it around the house to get a rise of out Meaghan. She's going to flip when she sees the "What If…?" books.

JUL053273 MERU PURI VOL 2 TPB $8.99
JUL052924 METAL GEAR SOLID SONS OF LIBERTY #0 $3.99
JUL053245 MIDORI DAYS VOL 2 GN $9.99
JUN052742 MIGHTY TINY PKT MANGA TPB $9.99
JUL052779 NEGIMA VOL 7 GN (MR) $10.95
JUL050307 NEIL GAIMANS NEVERWHERE #4 (OF 9) (MR) $2.99
JUL051876 NEW AVENGERS #11 $2.50
JUL051892 NEW WARRIORS #4 (OF 6) $2.99
JUL051852 NEW X-MEN #18 $2.99
JUN053021 NIGHT MARY #2 (OF 5) $3.99
JUL051905 NIGHTCRAWLER #10 $2.99
JUN052033 NYX #7 (MR) $3.99
JUL051894 OFFICIAL HANDBOOK MARVEL UNIVERSE ALTERNATE UNIVERSES 2005 $3.99

JUL050246 OMAC PROJECT #6 (OF 6)
DC Comics
$2.50

Last one, eh? I hope it turns out well.

JUL053097 ONE VOL 8 GN (OF 11) (RES) $9.99
JUL052781 OTHELLO VOL 5 GN (MR) $10.95
JUL050308 OTHERWORLD #7 (OF 12) (MR) $2.99
JUL053098 PEACH GIRL VOL 6 GN NEW PTG (OF 8) $9.99

JUL053014 PENG ONE SHOT (MR)
Oni Press
$5.95

I saw this at SPX and had to resist buying ten copies. I already have one coming in the mail and it is oh-so-sweet looking. I can't say enough good things about this. GO BUY IT!!!

JUL053099 PHD PHANTASY DEGREE VOL 4 GN (OF 8) $9.99
JUL053100 PLANET BLOOD VOL 3 GN (OF 11) (RES) $9.99
JUL050243 PLASTIC MAN #18 $2.99
JUL053015 POLLY & THE PIRATES #1 (OF 6) $2.99
JUL053101 PRESIDENT DAD VOL 4 GN (OF 7) $9.99

AUG050008 PREVIEWS ADULT VOL XV #10 PI
AUG050003 PREVIEWS VOL XV #10 PI
AUG050006 PREVIEWS VOL XV CONSUMER ORDER FORM #10 PI

I'm glad to know that my weekend will be a combination of mingling with comic folks and writing the usual PREVIEWS column. *sign* there just aren't enough hours in the day.

AUG052610 PRINCESS TUTU MANGA VOL 2 TPB $9.99
JUL053246 PROJECT ARMS VOL 10 TPB $9.99
MAY052710 PS238 #13 $2.99
JUN051801 PVP #19 $2.99
AUG052966 R CRUMBS KAFKA GN NEW PTG (MR) $12.95
JUL053102 RAVE MASTER VOL 17 GN (OF 32) $9.99
MAY052654 RED SONJA #2 $2.99
MAY052657 RED SONJA FIERY RED FOIL HIGH END ED #2 PI
JUL053103 REMOTE VOL 7 GN (OF 10) (MR) $9.99
JUL050028 REVELATIONS #2 (OF 6) $2.99
JUL053104 RG VEDA VOL 3 GN (OF 10) $9.99
JUL051924 RUNAWAYS VOL 4 TRUE BELIEVERS DIGEST TPB $7.99
JUL052645 SABRINA VOL 2 #70 $2.25
JUL053258 SAIKANO VOL 6 GN (MR) $9.95
MAR053097 SCARLET HORN GN $12.95

JUL051663 SEA OF RED: NO GRAVE BUT THE SEA, VOL 1 TPB
Image Comics
$8.95

I've been waiting on this for a while. And while it's on the order list this week, it doesn't look like it's on a lot of other lists, so it might be one of those split down the middle books where some get it and others don't. I know it's not in my pre-order shipment so hopefully it'll be out next week across the country. It need some vampire pirate zombies.

JUL050274 SEIMADEN VOL 2 $9.99
JUL051877 SENTRY #1 (OF 8) $2.99
JUL058181 SENTRY ROMITA SR VARIANT #1 (OF 8) $2.99
JUL052919 SHADOWPLAY #1 $3.99
JUL052947 SHAUN OF THE DEAD #3 (OF 4) $3.99

JUL050250 SHOWCASE PRESENTS: GREEN LANTERN VOL 1 TPB
DC Comics
$9.99

JUL050249 SHOWCASE PRESENTS: SUPERMAN VOL 1 TPB
DC Comics
$9.99

I can’t believe these are only ten bucks each. That's so much good Silver Age comics. I hope I can find them at a good discount this weekend.

JUL050289 SILENT DRAGON #3 (OF 6)
Wildstorm/DC Comics
$2.99

I was on the fence about the first issue of this, but the last one really cranked up the crazy Japanese future sci-fi so I'm all on board now. The script is exciting and the artwork is fantastic.

JUL052923 SILENT HILL VOL 2 THREE BLOODY TALES TPB (MR) $19.99
JUL052717 SIMPSONS COMICS #110 $2.99
JUL053275 SOCRATES IN LOVE VOL 1 TPB $8.99
AUG053056 SOMETHING SO FAMILIAR $4.00
JUL053105 SORCERER HUNTERS VOL 4 GN NEW PTG (OF 13) (MR) $9.99
JUL053106 SOUL TO SEOUL VOL 3 GN (OF 5) (RES) $9.99
JUN051811 SPAWN #149 $2.50
JUL051845 SPIDER-MAN HOUSE OF M #4 (OF 5) $2.99
JUL052524 SPIKE TOYFARE EX FIGURE PACK PI
MAY050055 STAR WARS EMPIRE #35 $2.99
JUL050014 STAR WARS X-WING ROGUE LEADER #1 (OF 3) $2.99
JUL053080 STEADY BEAT VOL 1 GN (OF 3) $9.99
AUG053249 STEVE DITKO SPACE WARS HC (O/A) $34.95
AUG053250 STEVE DITKO SPACE WARS SC (O/A) $16.95
MAR052472 STRANGEHAVEN #18 (MR) $2.95
JUL052863 STUFF OF DREAMS #3 (MR) $5.95
JUL052782 SUGAR SUGAR RUNE VOL 1 GN $10.95
JUL053066 SUPER CRAZY TNT BLAST #1 $2.99
JUN050348 SUPERMAN BATMAN #22 (RES) $2.99
JUL050214 SUPERMAN BIRTHRIGHT TPB $19.99
JUN052927 SWORD OF DRACULA COLOR ED #1 $3.50
JUL052978 TALES OF TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #15 $3.25
JUL052901 TALES OF THE CHAMPIONS #2 $2.99
AUG053099 TALES OF THE TERMINAL DINER VOL 1 TPB (O/A) $9.95
JUL052726 TAROT WITCH OF THE BLACK ROSE #34 (MR) $2.95
JUL050263 TEEN TITANS GO #23 $2.25
JUL051619 THE GIFT #13 $2.99
JUL053274 TOKYO BOYS & GIRLS VOL 2 TPB $8.99
JUL053073 TOKYOPOP AUTHENTIC MANGA I LUV HALLOWEEN POP DISPLAY (MR) $319.68
JUN050434 TOM STRONG BOOK FIVE HC $24.99
APR051718 TOMB RAIDER GREATEST TREASURE OF ALL ONE SHOT $6.99
JUL058217 TOMICA CARS SER 8 GACHA CAPSULE PI
JUL051857 ULTIMATE IRON MAN #4 (OF 5) $2.99
JUL051856 ULTIMATE SECRET #3 (OF 4) (RES) $2.99
JUL051861 ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #83 $2.50

JUL050255 VIGILANTE #1 (OF 6)
DC Comics
$2.99

I'm really excited for VIGILANTE to finally hit the shelves. It's been on hiatus forever and is finally making it out. I'm not nearly as excited about Bruce Jones' writing as I am about Ben Oliver's artwork. That guy ripped up THE LOSERS and THE AUTHORITY and I can’t wait for more. Hot damn!

JUL052783 WALLFLOWER VOL 5 GN (MR) $10.95
AUG052684 WEAPONS FILE #3 $4.95
AUG052577 WIZARD COMICS MAGAZINE INFINITE CRISIS CVR #169 $5.99
AUG052578 WIZARD COMICS MAGAZINE SPIDER-MAN 3 CVR #169 $5.99
JUL051846 WOLVERINE #33 $2.50

JUL051931 WOLVERINE: ENEMY OF THE STATE, VOL. 1 TPB
Marvel Comics
$14.99

I'm mildly curious about Mark Millar's WOLVERINE arc. I read good things about it, but some people only write good things about Millar so how the fuck do I know? The artwork by John Romita, Jr. looked about as good as he gets and there was a ton of action so if could be fun. I'm glad they put out a tpb because I don't want a hardcover of this stuff. No point, really.

JUL051904 X-MEN KITTY PRYDE SHADOW & FLAME #4 (OF 5) $2.99
AUG052608 YOTSUBA MANGA VOL 3 TPB $9.99
JUN052022 YOUNG AVENGERS #7 $2.99
JUL053231 YU GI OH DUELIST VOL 9 TPB $7.95
JUL053255 ZATCH BELL VOL 3 GN $9.99

---

So that's that. Publishers push to meet the end of the month deadlines making a huge week for us. I hope to see some folks at WW Boston this weekend and will hopefully come home with an armful of good stuff again. I’ll be back next week with the new PREVIEWS column and a little bit of WW Boston stuff and then back for a SPX/WW Boston medley in two weeks. Sounds good? Good.

 

Brian Domingos is the Columns Editor at Popimage.com. Questions? Comments? Love Notes? Email him via brian@popimage.com.


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Editorial: SPX, I'm A Coming...
By Jonathan Ellis

Hello esteemed PopImage Readers.

Sorry if things have seemed slow lately, our staff have all been incredibly busy lately but this weekend we're saying 'Fuck It', because this weekend is S.P.X.

This will be my first time to SPX, in fact, this will be my first time to the States, ever. I'm in semi-revved mode right now. I'm looking forward to it but at the same time what's really drawing me to Bethesda this weekend is less about comics and more about seeing friends and just getting the fuck away. You know how you get the feeling, the need, to just get away for a while? I've had that for quite some time now, actually, this will be my first time 'getting away' to anywhere as well. Ever. Oh, I've gotten out, that usually only lasts for a night though, getting away however, I'm looking forward to that. I expect to be either dead-on-my-feet-tired all weekend or incredibly sociable/incredibly sexy all weekend.

This will be interesting.

I'll be traveling down with a load of lovely/eccentric/wonderful/crazy Toronto-ians, the ride itself is where I expect the weekend's excitement will begin.

There have been bits of buzz about SPX going around here and there but I thought I'd share some specials with you, what to keep an eye out for and what I, personally, will be keeping an eye out for.

Con season seems to be cyclical when it comes to the con specials. You may notice that lots of people will be doing anthologies one year and sketchbooks the next. This weekend it looks like Special Prints will be standing out.

Here's one from our friends Hope Larson and Bryan lee O'Malley. Hope, by the way, will also be there with copies of her recently released graphic novel SALAMANDER DREAM. Which will undoubtedly be one of the 'buzz' books this weekend.

Jim Rugg will have a few STREET ANGEL prints, including this one pictured to the left.

And I just came across these today, artist Dan Goldman will have a number of prints but here's two that just stood out like a mad drunk shoving gorgeous roses into your face. It'll be interesting to see how they look in print, of the two shown [there ARE more] both have very different visual distinctions that will have varying effects on the quality of the end product. Photo quality vs. screen print-esque colour schemes. Interesting.



Also of note, Brian Wood will have some t-shirts to promote his new series LOCAL, you should be able to find such new anthologies as the first issue of YOU AIN'T NO DANCER and SMUT PEDDLER 3, and if you couldn't make it to TCAF, these posters will be on sale for you to pick up.

As for what I'll be keeping my eye out for, well first of all, if it makes the presses in time, Kean Soo's Jellaby Homage mini, which you will love. Now maybe you're thinking, "Oh, he's just saying that" but no, you really will love it. Don't be surprised if your partner calls you with a suspicious tone in their voice, it's because they know. They know you've fallen for another, but you can't help yourself. Buy two so they can fall in love with it to.

Looking at the art of James Callahan, I definitely want to pick up his book from Oddgood Press; STRANGE DETECTIVE TALES. James has a very unique style, almost as if Seth Fisher were a big COOP fan. Certainly worth tracking down.

WEIRD SISTER from Elizabeth Genco looks worth a pick up. I'm impressed simply by the caliber of artist she's already associated with while still being a fairly new name into the game. Dash Shaw and Leland Purvis for example. WEIRD SISTER is a collection of shorts involving Poison. Zombies. Green-Wood Cemetery. Red Hook. Little girls in trouble. Fire on the docks. Goddesses. A big black mastiff, who happens to be a ghost. And, of course, witches. I'm getting the feeling that 'hidden gem' will be a common phrase over the course of the weekend as I discover more books along the lines of WEIRD SISTER.

There's a book I learned about, maybe a year ago, and have yet to pick up. Adam Suerte's APPRENDIZ. Once again, another book that shines because of the art but I'm also very interested to see which of the experiences of being a Tattoo Apprentice go into the book. I think there's a lot of interesting stuff involved that people not familiar with the culture will be surprised to learn. Practicing with fruit for instance. Depending where you are and who you work with of course has different affects on what being an apprentice means. I can go on... but I'd really rather read what Adam has in his book.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what GB Tran will have on hand, I don't think the second issue of CONTENT is ready but the preview pages on the site are amazing. When the first issue of CONTENT came out by the way, it was one of the best comics I read that entire year.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the must have book of the weekend... [aside from SALAMANDER DREAM, which is a given]...

PENG!



The New graphic novel from SHARKNIFE creator Corey Lewis from Oni Press. Now this book is not nearly getting enough attention as Corey's debut work SHARKNIFE, for whch I apologize, I've been busy, this is something we'll have to rectify... but first, we get to buy it. This weekend. At SPX. PENG. From Corey Lewis. At SPX. This weekend. The must have book. This weekend... at SPX.... Maybe you should buy one too...

That's it this week kiddies. I look forward to seeing all of you at my first ever SPX.

 

Jonathan Ellis is Co-Editor in Chief of PopImage.com


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UNTIL YOUR HEART STOPS v10.6
by Brian Domingos

Going To Town

September 21st, 2005

After last week’s wrap up of The Script, I pounded out the rewrite and oh wow what a mess. It was little things like pacing and panel placements, stuff like that, but out of 112 pages there were 100 or so that needed tweaking. Probably more. But the file has been updated and it’s ready for an outside read, so we’ll see how that goes.

In other space/time I’ve started thinking about this weekend’s jaunt to Bethesda for SPX and yeah, I’m excited. I’ve been thinking about packing and how I’m going to get everything ready but all I can come up with is “huh. I should leave room for all my swag” and “oh god, please let everything fit.”

I start to worry about everything from missed flights to overheating engines. It’s just the busy thoughts that flood into my head before I fall asleep at night. I’m sure it’ll get all worked out.

---

I don’t think I mentioned it before but I picked up the complete BONE book a few weeks ago. The whole series under one cover at a discounted price. I’ve been familiar with BONE since the mid-90s – it was pretty much the only ‘indie’ book that Wizard Magazine regularly referenced, so the “Stupid Stupid rat creatures” line has been flowing through my head for a decade now. I remembered when the book came under the Image label and even when the Bone characters were in the GEN 13 #13 issues.

The book is self is the story of the cousins Bone: Smiley, Phoney and Fone. They get chased out of Boneville because of Phoney’s campaign techniques and end up in the middle of a huge adventure with dragons, princesses, conspiracies and ultimate evil. Jeff Smith does a great job filling each issue with action, humor and suspense. The characters are fun and the mystery builds and builds.

It took me a while to get into the story but once I was in it, I was whipping through 200 pages a night. It moves quickly from situation to situation changing the direction of the story a few times. I liked how some of the big build ups and reveals were resolved (or not) and it was fun to see what was next.

Through the story there are points where seems like it would be perfect for kids but other points seem heavy and even overwhelming. It's no scarier than the hardest of Disney films, so it should be good for any age group. I can see this being very popular with the library crowds - a thick read, a story in one shot - and could be a fun bedtime story.

The price tag of $39.99 seems a bit steep but when you weight it out against the 55 issues and 1300+ pages it comes out to about 72 cents an issue, which is a helluva bargin. I'm now curious to see how it all looks in the color reprints from Scholastic.

---

Now, the look at the weekly books.

Upcoming
Books of note shipping September 21st, 2005

JUL053022 ACME NOVELTY LIBRARY HC $27.50
MAY052670 ASHES #2 (OF 13) (MR) $3.50
JUL050194 BATGIRL #68 $2.50
JUL050322 BATMAN DELUXE VINYL STATUE BY KOTOBUKIYA $99.00
JUL050192 BATMAN GOTHAM KNIGHTS #69 $2.50
JUL050199 BATMAN JEKYLL AND HYDE #6 (OF 6) $2.99

JUL050202 BATMAN: WAR GAMES, ACT THREE TPB
DC Comics
$14.99

I haven’t been too impressed with this whole “War Games” thing but I figure I might as well finish it. There’s still a great deal of things that I’m waiting to happen, so it’ll be interesting to see them come to pass but other than that, this isn’t a ‘must’ book or anything. I’ll probably hold off on it until Wiz. World Boston in a few weeks.

JUL053319 BECKETTS FOOTBALL CARD PLUS FALL 2005 #16 $9.99
JUL053214 BEET THE VANDEL BUSTER VOL 7 OGN $7.99
JUL052638 BETTY #150 $2.25
JUL050220 BIRDS OF PREY #86 $2.50
JUL051614 BLACK FOREST VOL 2 CASTLE OF SHADOWS OGN $6.99
JUL051870 BLACK PANTHER #8 $2.99
JUL053219 BLEACH VOL 9 TPB $7.95
JUL050298 BOOKS OF MAGICK LIFE DURING WARTIME #14 (MR) $2.75

JUN050015 B.P.R.D.: THE DEAD TPB
Dark Horse
$17.95

These B.P.R.D. stories have been really excellent. The stories are decent enough but holy shit Guy Davis is a machine. I read that he can draw up to four pages a day which is insane. The cover for this is cool, too. If you like HELLBOY you’ll love this,

MAY052597 CANTON KID #3 (OF 4) $3.50
JUN051979 CAPTAIN AMERICA #10 $2.99
JUN052841 CAVEWOMAN RELOADED SP ED #1 PI
JUN053309 CHEEKY ANGEL VOL 8 OGN $9.99
JUL050270 CHIKYU MISAKI VOL 1 $9.99
JUN051846 CITY OF HEROES GAME & COMIC MASTER PACK $39.99
JUL050034 CONAN #20 (MR) $2.99
JUL051874 DAREDEVIL FATHER #3 (OF 5) $2.99
JUL050221 DAY OF VENGEANCE #6 (OF 6) $2.50
JUN052763 DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES #1 (OF 4) $3.95
JUL052825 DF ALL STAR BATMAN & ROBIN #1 ALT CVR MILLER SGN PI
MAY052723 DF ALL STAR BATMAN & ROBIN BOY WONDER MILLER SGN #1 $69.99
AUG052912 DF BATMANS GREATEST ADVERSARIES PACK SGN $49.99
MAR052844 DF GREEN LANTERN #1 JOHNS SGN $19.99
APR052842 DFE RED SONJA #1 SGN SET $49.99
JUN052869 DJUSTINE TALES OF THE TWISTED WEST #2 (A) $5.95
AUG052893 DOG AND WATER OGN (O/A) (MR) $9.95
JUL052876 DONALD DUCK AND FRIENDS #332 $2.95
APR052826 DORK TOWER COLL VOL 1 DORK COVENANT TPB NEW PTG $15.99
MAY052838 DOROTHY #4 (MR) $5.00
JUL053220 DRAGONBALL Z VOL 22 TPB $7.95
JUN053082 DUNGEON THE EARLY YEARS VOL 1 THE NIGHT SHIRT OGN $14.95
JUL051937 ESSENTIAL GHOST RIDER VOL 1 TPB $16.99
JUL051854 EXILES #70 $2.99
JUL051929 EXILES VOL 11 TIME BREAKERS TPB $17.99
JUL053237 EYESHIELD 21 VOL 4 TPB $7.99
JUN053522 FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST ANIME COMIC #3 $16.99
JUN053523 FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST ANIME COMIC #4 $16.99
JUN053524 FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST MANGA #10 $7.99
JUN052914 GACHA GACHA VOL 1 OGN (MR) $10.95
JUN053018 GEORGE ROMEROS LAND OF THE DEAD #1 (OF 5) $3.99
AUG052954 GI JOE #1 GRAHAM CRACKERS EXCLUSIVE CVR $6.99
JUL052788 GI JOE SNAKE-EYES DECLASSIFIED #2 (OF 6) $2.95
JUL051654 GIRLS #5 (MR) $2.99
AUG052801 GOD THE DYSLEXIC DOG #4 $3.50
JUN051783 GODLAND #3 $2.99
JUN052730 GOLD DIGGER #67 $2.99
JUL050026 GOON #14 $2.99

JUL050227 GREEN LANTERN CORPS: RECHARGE #1 (OF 6)
DC Comics
$3.50

I’m not a huge Green Lantern Corps guy, but I like Dave Gibbons and Patrick Gleason so I figure I’ll give it a shot. We’ll see how this all goes. Gleason’s pretty awesome.

JUN052971 HEAD #12 (A) $3.95
JUN053004 HEAVY METAL RELOAD TPB (MR) $21.95
JUL050299 HELLBLAZER #212 (MR) $2.75
JUN053330 HERE IS GREENWOOD VOL 6 OGN $9.99
AUG052797 HERO CORPS ROOKIE OGN (MR) $7.95
JUL051935 HULK VISIONARIES PETER DAVID VOL 2 TPB $19.99
JUL050231 HUMAN RACE #7 (OF 7) $2.99
APR051710 HUNTER KILLER #4 $2.99
JUL052612 I HUNT MONSTERS VOL 2 #9 $2.99

JUN050352 IDENTITY CRISIS: BOOKMARKET VERSION HC
JUN050351 IDENTITY CRISIS: DIRECT MARKET VERSION HC
DC Comics
$24.99

I opted for the Book Market version because Jesus Christ, I’ve enough Michael Turner for a life time. I really liked this story and I know it gets a lot of shit, but once you trim off all the fanboy bullshit, it’s a good little caper. Plus, I got it for 50% off and who doesn’t like hard covers at half price?

APR052932 IMAGO ART OF JIM BURNS HC $19.95
JUL052893 JANES WORLD #21 $4.95
MAY052815 JON SABLE FREELANCE BLOODLINE #4 (OF 6) $3.99
JUL058032 JSA CLASSIFIED #2 SECOND PTG $2.50
JUL050239 JSA CLASSIFIED #3 $2.50
JUL052642 JUGHEAD AND FRIENDS DIGEST #5 $2.39
JUL050232 KAMANDI ARCHIVES VOL 1 HC $49.99
JUN053092 KUNG FU SEX FIGHTER VOL 2 OGN (A) $12.95
MAY052734 LADY DEATH ABANDON ALL HOPE #1 S/N ED $15.00
MAY052538 LADY DEATH ABANDON ALL HOPE #2 (OF 4) $3.99
JUL052756 LADY DEATH ABANDON ALL HOPE COMM CVR #2 (OF 4) $5.99
JUN052883 LADY DEATH ABANDON ALL HOPE GOLD FOIL #2 (OF 4) $5.99
MAY052540 LADY DEATH ABANDON ALL HOPE RYP CVR #2 (OF 4) $3.99
MAY052539 LADY DEATH ABANDON ALL HOPE WRAPAROUND CVR #2 (OF 4) $3.99
MAY052439 LENORE #12 $2.95
APR052906 LIVING WITH ZOMBIES #4 (MR) $2.50
AUG052885 LOOKIT VOL 1 A CHEESE RELATED MISHAP OGN $8.95
JUL050306 LUCIFER #66 (MR) $2.75
MAR053085 MACBETH OGN $9.99
JUL051887 MACHINE TEEN #5 (OF 5) $2.99
JUL053572 MALLRATS TPB $14.95
JUN052740 MANGAZINE VOL 3 #69 $9.99
JUL050241 MANHUNTER #14 $2.50
JUL051895 MARVEL 1602 NEW WORLD #3 (OF 5) $3.50
JUL051900 MARVEL ADVENTURES FANTASTIC FOUR #4 $2.50
JUL051920 MARVEL MASTERWORKS CAPTAIN MARVEL VOL 1 HC VARIANT ED $54.99
JUL051919 MARVEL MASTERWORKS CAPTAIN MARVEL VOL 1 NEW ED HC $49.99
JUL051886 MARVEL MILESTONES GHOST RIDER BLACK WIDOW & ICEMAN $3.99
JUL051914 MARVEL SELECT FLIP MAGAZINE #4 $3.99
MAY050124 MATRIX STATUE NEO $150.00
MAY050125 MATRIX STATUE TRINITY $275.00
MAY052552 MEDIEVAL LADY DEATH BELLADONNA #1 $3.99
MAY052555 MEDIEVAL LADY DEATH BELLADONNA ADRIAN CVR #1 $3.99
MAY052556 MEDIEVAL LADY DEATH BELLADONNA AMORIM CVR #1 $3.99
JUN052882 MEDIEVAL LADY DEATH BELLADONNA COMM CVR #1 $5.99
JUL052758 MEDIEVAL LADY DEATH BELLADONNA GOLD FOIL ED #1 $5.99
MAY052557 MEDIEVAL LADY DEATH BELLADONNA NOUVEAU CVR #1 $3.99
MAY052554 MEDIEVAL LADY DEATH BELLADONNA RYP CVR #1 $3.99
MAY052553 MEDIEVAL LADY DEATH BELLADONNA WRAPAROUND CVR #1 $3.99
JUL052877 MICKEY MOUSE AND FRIENDS #281 $2.95
JUL050273 MONSTER COLLECTION VOL 3 (MR) $9.99
JUL052614 NAGASAKI THE FORGOTTEN BOMB #2 (OF 2) $3.99
JUN052008 NEW AVENGERS #10 $2.50
APR058336 NEW AVENGERS SAL BUSCEMA VARIANT #10 (PP #681) $2.50
APR052828 NODWICK #29 $2.99
JUL053223 ONE PIECE VOL 8 OGN $7.95
JUL052545 ORPHEN MANGA VOL 3 TPB $9.99
JUN053291 OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB VOL 2 TPB $8.99
JUL052644 PALS N GALS DOUBLE DIGEST #97 $3.59
JUL050267 POWERPUFF GIRLS #66 $2.25
MAR052821 PS238 #12 $2.99
JUN053125 ROBERT JORDANS NEW SPRING #2 $3.95
JUL050196 ROBIN #142 $2.50

JUL053062 ROCKETO #2
Speakeasy
$2.99

I reread ROCKETO #1 last night to get ready for this part of the list. It’s a fun alternate earth adventure comic which is hard to find these days. It’s a lot like a Scott Morse book with thick lines and strong story telling. What impressed me most about the book is that the production quality is So Good. Speakeasy gives us a wide screen format (IE: Horizontal read rather than Vertical) in full color, glossy paper with no ads for $2.99. The inside back cover has three banner ads for other Speakeasy books but that’s it. It shows just how ridiculous the $3.99 books out there are. Of course, where this high quality product gets Speakeasy down the line is still yet to be seen.ROCKETO

JUL051928 ROGUE FORGET ME NOT TPB $14.99
JUL051898 RUNAWAYS #8 $2.99
JUL053224 RUROUNI KENSHIN VOL 19 TPB $7.95
JAN050089 SAMURAI EXECUTIONER VOL 5 TPB 10 FINGERS 1 LIFE (MR) $9.95

JUL050251 SEVEN SOLDIERS: MISTER MIRACLE #1 (OF 4)
DC Comics
$2.99

Just as the first SEVEN SOLDIERS books are rapping up, the next wave of books begins. It will be fun to see what Morrison does with the Mr. Miracle character here as his work on the character in JLA was so limited. This issue here is drawn by Pascal Ferry but he’s jumped ship for a Marvel exclusive so we’ll have to deal. It’s a shame because I was really looking forward to this, but hopefully the new artist (Billy Dallas Patton) will fill the shoes well enough.

JUL051624 SHADOWHAWK #5 $3.50
JUL053203 SHOJO BEAT OCT 05 VOL 1 #4 $5.99
MAY052887 SHORT STROKES VOL 1 OGN (A) $11.95
MAY052867 SILENCERS BLACK KISS TPB $14.95
MAY053344 SIN CITY VOL 3 GRAN MASACRE BIG FAT KILL SPANISH ED $17.00
MAY053346 SIN CITY VOL 5 VALORES FAMILIARES FAMILY VALUES SPANISH ED ( $15.00

JUL050290 SLEEPER: THE LONG WAY HOME, VOL. 4 TPB
Wildstorm/DC Comics
$14.99

The story of Holden Carver is a tragic one and I'm glad that Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips were able to see it through to their end. That said, SLEEPER has to be one of my favorite series. From the characters to the plot to the layouts and the coloring, I’ve loved everything about it. And it’s over now, but it’s completely collected which should make Brubaker and Phillips happy. Anyone still holding out is out of excuses now.

JUL052647 SONIC X #1 (OF 4) $2.25
JUL051939 SPIDER-MAN THE OTHER POSTER $5.99
JUN052767 STARKWEATHER VOL 1 TPB $9.95

MAY052356 STRANGEHAVEN: CONSPIRACIES, VOL. 3 TPB
Abiogenesis Press
$14.95

I grabbed the first two volumes of STRANGEHAVEN through Top Shelf during the “Save Top Shelf From Going Under” debacle a couple years ago. At that time the first issue of this third volume was coming out, so I never imaged when the next collection would be out. And yet, here it is.

JUL052529 STRANGERS IN PARADISE #76 $2.95
MAR052889 STRAY BULLETS #39 (MR) $3.50
JUL050209 SUPERGIRL #2 $2.99
JUL051909 SUPREME POWER HYPERION #1 (OF 5) (MR) $2.99
JUL050275 SWORD OF THE DARK ONES VOL 3 (MR) $9.99
JUN052953 TALES OF SUPERNATURAL LAW TPB $16.95
JUN050388 TEEN TITANS OUTSIDERS SECRET FILES 2005 $4.99
JUN053107 TEMPORARY A DIRT NAP #4 $2.95
JUN053531 TENJHO TENGE MANGA #4 (MR) (O/A) $10.99
JUN053532 TENJHO TENGE MANGA #5 (MR) (O/A) $10.99
JUN053533 TENJHO TENGE MANGA #6 (MR) (O/A) $10.99

JUL050293 TOP TEN: BEYOND THE FARTHEST PRECINCT #2 (OF 5)
ABC/DC Comics
$2.99

The first issue of ”Beyond the Farthest Precinct” wasn’t so hot. The script was weak and the artwork isn’t a good fit on the characters, but I like the idea of what is happening here. I think that once DiFillipo gets into his grove, it’ll iron out, but the first issue wasn’t very good. Certainly not something I’d hand to someone and say, “Here, have you read this?”

JUN053085 TREE OF LOVE HC (MR) $12.95
NOV040044 TRIGUN ANIME MANGA WOLFWOOD VOL 2 TPB $14.95
JUN052924 TWILIGHT OF THE DARK MASTER OGN VOL 1 (MR) $12.95
JUL051855 ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #23 $2.50
JUN051987 ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL #1 $3.99
JUL051917 ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN VOL 6 HC $29.99
JUL051858 ULTIMATES 2 #8 $2.99
JUL052521 WIZARD ANIME INSIDER NARUTO CVR #25 (NOTE PRICE) $5.99
JUL051873 WOLVERINE #32 $2.50
JUN058214 WOLVERINE BLACK & WHITE VARIANT #32 (PP #683) $2.50
JUL050256 WONDER WOMAN VOL 3 BEAUTY AND THE BEASTS TPB $19.95
JUL050295 WRAITHBORN #1 (OF 6) $2.99
JUL053235 YU YU HAKUSHO VOL 8 TPB $7.95
JUN050016 ZOMBIEWORLD WINTERS DREGS & OTHER STORIES TPB $24.95

---

That’s it for this week. Meaghan and I are off to SPX and I’ll be back next week with my thoughts about it and to brag about all the stuff I picked up.

 

Brian Domingos is the Columns Editor at Popimage.com. Questions? Comments? Love Notes? Email him via brian@popimage.com.


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INTERVIEW: Ramon Perez
Interview Conducted by Jonathan Ellis

Dan Mishkin returns to comics with SPELLGAME, the series about con artist, grifter and stage magician John Dodge. Dodge lives by three simple rules: Never give a sucker an even break; Never con a con man; and above all, Know Your Limits.
But his life, his rules, and maybe his sanity are turned upside down when magic - real magic - starts seeping into the world. Because Dodge is one of the few who instinctively know how to use it.
But you could hardly call his new abilities a gift - not when they make Dodge the target of far more powerful magical forces. And when even his own deck of cards turns against him, he has to face the fact that he's not running the con anymore, and the game he's playing is as deadly as they come.
Providing art for the series will be the artist and creator of BUTTERNUTSQUASH, Ramon Perez, we spoke with Ramon about the project.
Now like most Toronto based comics artists, are you also a Sheridan College alumni or are you of an artistically self-taught school?

Line me up with the rest; I graduated from the illustration program at Sheridan back in 1995.

While Sheridan definitely accelerated my learning process, I was mostly self taught before I attended the college and it wasn't till after I graduated that I began developing the style I've become known for. I experimented quite a lot stylistically during my tenure, which in part, I believe, what has helped me survive as freelance artist.

Who were the sort of artists that inspired you as you developed your own style?

When I first began I would say my biggest influence was Arthur Adams. This was before college. During College I became interested in such artists as Mike Mignola, Tony Harris, John Paul Leon, Travis Charest amongst others and then moved on to such artists as Alex Toth, Jack Kirby, Massimiliano Frezzato, and more recently such artists as Benoit Springer, Bengal, Stan Drake, Johnny Craig and Alex Raymond. I could really go on with this list ... so I'll just stop now.

Up until now your work has been largely centred in fantasy and gaming illustration, how did you break into that field of work?

After about a year of doing odd freelance work, from painting murals to designing animated web icons, I decided it was time to get off my @$$ and send out some portfolios for professional work. I'd always wanted to work in comics but found it difficult to break in. while I was in college a friend of mine, Larry MacDougal, suggested I try the role-playing game industry, an area where he was already getting steady work.

So I put together a portfolio of six pieces, three in a traditional ink style and the remaining showcasing a more "moody" charcoal style. I sent out 7 portfolios and one company gave me a call.

Apparently I was on the top of their submissions pile that day and they had just lost an artist on a project. The company was PALADIUM BOOKS, publishers of the popular "RIFTS" rpg. Kevin, the company's president, liked my ink work and asked for more samples in that style. So in a panic I drew up a dozen more pieces (since my portfolio contained all of my ink work up to that point!) that week and sent them off and I got the job.

My work became quite popular with the fans of PALADIUM'S role-playing games and so I was kept quite busy. Within a year I decided to branch out and try other companies, continuing my black and white work as well as adding some watercolour work to my repertoire and the rest, as they say, is history.

Having been influenced by a mix of cartoonists such as Jim Davis and Bill Watterson along with comic greats such as Arthur Adams and Kevin Nowlan, how have you approached this book stylistically?

I've taken a very different approach compared to what fans of my traditional sci-fi/fantasy art may expect.

What intrigued SPEAKEASY was my work on BUTTERNUTSQUASH. They wanted that sort of fun and highly expressionistic element to the art on SPELLGAME.

Over the past few years I've been moving away from the detailed and "tight" quill work that I used to do and have been loosening up and incorporating more brush into my inking. I've also been looking more to such artists as Alex Toth, Scorchy Smith, Frank Robbins and Johnny Craig.

So in the end I'm finding there is an amalgam happening between my traditional hard edged art and my more cartoon BNS work with a bit of "meaty" inking thrown in to hit it home. And that's what you'll be finding in the pages of SPELLGAME.

Followers of your work are more accustomed to either that of your style on BUTTERNUTSQUASH or your illustration work, but this will be your first monthly comics series correct?

Yes. Aside from HULK: GAMMA GAMES and THE INCREDIBLES limited series, which were monthly in a certain respect. However with those I was just tackling one aspect of the job - either pencilling or inking. SPELLGAME sees me doing the full gamut, up to and including colours.

Now did you go into the project knowing you'd be colouring your own work or was this decided in order for you to maintain the stylistic approach you're going in?

Having worked on three projects in comics and having the final work look nothing like I envisioned it - as well as reflecting my own personal style for that matter - I wanted to have more artistic control over the finished product. So when Speakeasy offered me the option I decided to take it. I plan on keeping the colouring quite simply as I believe it suits my art style much better. The colouring style will also be quite loose reflecting the way I am approaching the inks.

Not only is this your first big series but with BUTTERNUTSQUASH set to debut in print from SPEAKEASY comics as well, you'll have two simultaneous projects on the go. What lead to your magnanimous entrance into comicdom with SPEAKEASY?

Yeah it's going to be a bit crazy. Luckily the majority of the first few BNS issues will be reprinting the web archives so there won't be too much interference with SPELLGAME.

I got to know Adam and Chris from SPEAKEASY on a casual level before they approached me regarding SPELLGAME. During this time I was in talks with another company who was interested in picking up BUTTERNUTSQUASH as an intellectual property. However the direction they wanted to go with BNS didn't quite click with me. At the same time SPEAKEASY was looking for some strong humour comics to add to their line. They knew of BUTTERNUTSQUASH and enjoyed its demented sense of humour and had jokingly dropped hints of interest.

Having by this point signed on to do SPELLGAME and feeling quite comfortable working with Adam and Chris, and sharing a similar sense of humour it felt like a good place to take BUTTERNUTSQUASH.

This project originally began with artist Djief, will you be working from his designs or has the shift in artists called for a new direction?

For the most part the character designs have gone in a completely new direction. The main character, JOHN DODGE, has done a complete 180º while other characters such as HARRY, JOHN's sidekick, has kept a similar feel (retaining the Hawaiian shirt and shorts look) yet still looks vastly different.

I've had a blast designing all the characters; one of my favourites is a hitman that'll be making an appearance later in the storyline.

Tell us about some of the characters who will be making up SPELLGAME.

First up we have JOHN DODGE a card con man on the streets of Vegas hustling tourist for coin in the back alleyways who ends up being bestowed with real magic powers. Next up is his Sidekick HARRY - in a way I think he is John's conscience. Then we have SAMANTHA and OBIE both of whom I don't know too much about yet. SAMANTHA falls into JOHN's life in issue 2 and OBIE becomes an Obi-Wan Kenobi like mentor to JOHN. After that I really don't know too much about the other tertiary characters, as they haven't really played a big enough part.

Were you familiar with the writer Dan Mishkin when you came onto the project?

I was not familiar with him by name, but once Adam mentioned his previous works it clicked as to who he was. I had always been a big fan of the Blue Devil character and I still have a couple of copies of Amethyst in my collection.

Dan's writing is a big part of why I am enjoying working on SPELLGAME so much! His scripts are just so much fun to draw - and he's open to interpretation, which allows me to go in there and mix things up a bit!

Magicians, showgirls and creatures, did you get the impression that you'd fit right in on the book?

Yeah. I've been dubbing the book "ocean's eleven meets lord of the rings!" I've always been a big fan of the Ratpack and that era of Vegas. So I am trying to bring that feel to the comic.

With my background in sci-fi and fantasy art it's quite easy for me to mix in those fantastical elements into a mythical city like Vegas.

One of the things I've enjoyed about working on this book is that I get to draw people in regular clothing! No one's wearing chain mail here, well except maybe some of the showgirls, but what're you gonna do.

Not only do you get to mix in your fantasy and comedic styles, but there's also a fair bit of action, correct?

There's a tonne of action. It's a lot of lighthearted fun - with possible dark overtones to come. One of my strengths when working in the RPG industry was capturing the elements of movement and action in my work - so I think this will help me quite a bit in translating the fun of Dan's scripts!

With Darwyn Cooke providing covers do you feel compelled to try and bring a little more to the table?

I've been a great fan of Darwyn's work since he first hit the comic's scene. So it's quite the honour to have him doing the covers and, yes, it does push me to work at a hundred and ten percent! I don't want the people who are going to be picking up the comic lured in by Darwyn's covers to be disappointed when they open up the book!

Will Spell Game be continuing as an ongoing series or is there a set end point in mind?

As far as I know it is one of SPEAKEASY'S ongoing titles along with BEOWULF and GRIMOIRE. I've signed on for the first six issues, but with the amount of fun I'm having I'd like to continue with the series... if they'll let me.

You've become accustomed with the convention scene, so how would you describe the first issue to sell the book to our readers?

Well I'm terrible at this stuff - when people have asked me I've described the book as Ocean's Eleven with a little bit of Lord Of The Rings for spice. Throw in some Dukes of Hazzard style action and a little of Kirby's fourth world for flair and you'll probably have a good feel for the flavour of SPELLGAME! It's gonna be loads of fun - so step right up and buy a ticket!

SPELLGAME issue 1 hits stores September 21st from Speakeasy Comics, for more on Ramon be sure to visit Ramon Perez.com and Butternutsquash.net.

 

Jonathan Ellis is Co-Editor in Chief of PopImage


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UNTIL YOUR HEART STOPS v10.5
by Brian Domingos

The Halfway Point

September 14th, 2005

Okay, let's see what's going on here. On Sunday I finished the rough draft to my OGN. Clocking in at 112 pages, it was nothing short of exhausting.

I wrote for about six hours that day and did corrections and edits (typos and scene-to-scene continuity) all day Monday and most of yesterday. It's funny to see how the characters have progressed since I first started a couple years back and now it's good to see that the funny bits still make me chuckle. I printed out the whole thing and it covered 134 pages which is a ton to correct, but it's fun anyway. I must say that I'm rather proud of myself.

Now, I just need to find an artist. I started looking today around some artist message boards and it wasn't too impressive. I need to invest some time here and more on that comes later.

As for regular comic stuff, there's next to nothing going on, news-wise. Warren Ellis opened his new forum last week, Engine, and it's a pretty good set up. There were about 1,400 posts in the "Introduce Yourself" thread, so be ready for a delay. It's in the BeeHive format which is just like the Delphi system – but different. It's better than the standard UBB/phpBB which you find at Millarworld, Bendis' board and, actually, pretty much every other place that's not on Delphi. But I hate that format because I always lose my place because I have to click on the thread I want and then oh no that's not the right one so I click back and oh shit where was I and I just hate dealing with that. With BeeHive/Delphi the topics are always on the left and you and pick and chose at your leisure. They are a lot easier for the casual reader of threads, which I like.

---

I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of the first issue of the new Brian Wood series LOCAL. It's hard for me to immediately not compare this to DEMO because it is similarly themed. Both books feature 20-somethings in situations out of their control and with DEMO the characters make the best out of their situations. The difference here is that in LOCAL the character goes one more step and does take control.

It's a play on the idea that "you only have one shot at it so you'd better make it right". Megan McKeenan plays this one event of her day over and over again – looking at it from different angles and possibilities – until she finds one that works for her and she goes for it. It takes a couple pages to see where it's going, but it's really very interesting. And I liked that it was like a renewal for Wood a way to take the DEMO concept to the next level. It was a process that worked but he like Megan says, "Okay, now it's time for this" and the series moves on to new areas.

I also like the idea that the book is moving to specific locales – namely places that don't get featured in that many comics – because a simple change of position can give a person such a different perspective. It'll be interesting to see what Wood does with all of these different places.

I can't talk about LOCAL without talking about Ryan Kelly. I know Kelly's work from GIANT ROBOT WARRIORS and as half the 1/3rd of the art team of LUCIFER, but it's here that he really takes off. His work is expressive and dense, a perfect fit for what Wood is doing here. And yeah, I see some similarities to people like Paul Pope, Troy Nixey and Farel Dalrymple, but Kelly is an artist in and to himself. He might just be next year’s artist to watch. I’m glad to see that he’s on a worthy project.

For added layers to the series, please check out the work blog and see the bits and pieces of procedural stuff as well as some 'Local' stories about people and the small towns they grew up in. We're one issue in and I can't help but recommend LOCAL to any and all. There's something for everyone.

---

I wasn’t planning on picking it up, but I found the first issue of SHOCKING GUN TALES! and the cover really grabbed me. It’s a square-bound book with six short stories, all of which are somewhat based on firearms. I don’t think that I was familiar with any of the creators going in to it. The stories themselves range from “Excellent” to “Eh” but the artwork is really good. I specifically liked “The Snowman” by George T. Singley and Ethen Beavers, the two stories by Jason Meeks, “One Bullet” and “Never Enough Time” (which was written by Singley) and finally “A Violent End” by Vinton Heuck.

I don’t know anything about the publisher, Cellar Door Publishing but I’ll be keeping my eyes open for more from them. If you can find it, you should give it a shot.

---

Upcoming
Books of note shipping September 14th, 2005

JUL050296 100 BULLETS #64 (MR) $2.75
JUN052764 100 GIRLS #6 $2.95
MAY050191 ABSOLUTE BATMAN HUSH OVERSIZED HC $49.99
JUL050211 ACTION COMICS #831 $2.50

JUL050189 ALL STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN THE BOY WONDER #2
DC Comics
$2.99

Okay – so the first issue wasn't so hot. I thought it was pretty good – certainly not as good as it could have been, but it wasn't bad. I'm really interested to see how far Miller takes the Robin thing. I think he's got some sick ideas in store. Jim Lee looks good, too, and, hey, it's going to end up being better than the mess that was "Hush" so we'll just sit back and enjoy.

MAY052362 AMERICAS GREATEST COMICS #12 $6.95
JUN052956 ANGRY YOUTH COMIX #9 (MR) $3.50
JUL051645 ANT #2 $2.99
JUN052770 ARCHIE #560 $2.25
JUN052773 ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #164 $3.59
JUL052722 BART SIMPSONS TREEHOUSE OF HORROR #10 (O/A) $4.99
JUL052720 BART SIMPSONS TREEHOUSE OF HORROR #8 (O/A) $3.50
JUL052721 BART SIMPSONS TREEHOUSE OF HORROR #9 (O/A) $4.99

JUL050193 BATMAN: LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #195
DC Comics
$2.50

I was thinking, a moment ago, about the current Bat-books and they're actually pretty good right now. David Lapham and Ramon Bachs are kicking ass on DETECTIVE COMICS and Doug Mahnke continues to make Judd Winick look good. I think the best story out right now, though, is "Snow" here in LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT. And it's not just because artist Seth Fisher is a fucking genius (although he is) and it's not the tight snappy script from Dan C. Johnson – it's all of it put together. The Origin of Mr. Freeze should be a straight forward snooze fest, but instead Johnson and J. H. Williams, III have thought up a clever story about Batman and his need for information years before Oracle. As you can imagine, it's not going too well. It sure is a cool read, though. Great stuff.

JUL050259 BATMAN STRIKES #13 $2.25
JUN053110 BLACKPOOL #2 $2.95
JUL050051 BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL #105 (MR) $2.99
NOV040023 BMW FILMS THE HIRE #3 (OF 6) $2.99
JUL051647 BONE REST #3 (MR) $2.99

JUL050219 BREACH #9
DC Comics
$2.50

BREACH continues to be one of the best books that DC puts out. The mystery is solid and the back drop strong. The artwork is tight as well. Bob Harras and Marcos Martin have outdone themselves. It's a shame it's been canned.

MAR058097 CARDCAPTOR SAKURA VOL 1-4 MASTER OF THE CLOW SET (PP #670) $19.99
JUN053216 CINDERELLA CINEMANGA GN $7.99
JUL051871 DAREDEVIL VS PUNISHER #4 (OF 6) $2.99
JUL051704 DARKNESS #23 $2.99
JUL051706 DARKNESS & TOMB RAIDER B&W CVR #1 $2.99

JUL050282 DESOLATION JONES #3 (MR)
Wildstorm/DC Comics
$2.99

I liked the first two issues of DESOLATION JONES. Warren Ellis and Williams are supplying some interesting characters and a nice twisted story.

MAY052727 DF JSA CLASSIFIED #1 TEAM SGN $49.99
JUN052765 EL ARSENAL #2 (OF 3) (MR) $2.95
JUN052669 ELECTRIC GIRL VOL 3 TP $13.95
JUL052733 ELRIC OF MELNIBONE GN (O/A) PI
JUN052879 ELVIRA #148 $2.50
JUL050300 FABLES #41 (MR) $2.75
JUL051878 FANTASTIC FOUR PRESENTS FRANKLIN RICHARDS SON OF A GENIUS $2.99
JUL051652 FERRO CITY #2 $2.99
JUL050225 FIRESTORM #17 $2.50

JUN052668 FULL MOON FEVER OGN
AiT/Planet Lar
$12.95

FULL MOON FEVER is the first story about about Werewolves on the Moon because no one else bothered to think about it before. It's a killer idea. I can't wait to see what Joe Casey and Caleb Gerard do with it. And, of course, I'm eager to see more work from HEMOGOBLIN artist Damian Couceiro.

JUL051932 GAMBIT HATH NO FURY TP $14.99
JUL051889 GRAVITY #4 (OF 5) $2.99
JUL050229 GREEN ARROW #54 $2.50
JUL050230 HAWKMAN #44 $2.50

JUL050301 HELLBLAZER: BLACK FLOWERS TPB (MR)
Vertigo/DC Comics
$14.99

It's always nice to see more HELLBLAZER work from Mike Carey. This collection contains three stories from three artists – Marcelo Frusin, Lee Bermejo and some dude called Jock. I actually remember buying the Jock issue just to see what he was like because THE LOSERS hadn't come out yet. Yeah. These are from a long time ago.

JUN053325 HOWLS MOVING CASTLE FILM COMICS VOL 2 TP $9.99
JUN053154 HUNGER #4 (MR) $2.99
JUL052734 INDIAN LOVER TP (O/A) PI

JUL050234 JLA #118
DC Comics
$2.50

So far this Geoff Johns/Allen Heinburg JLA story has been just so-so. I think it has something to do with the retro artwork of Chris Batista. I don't really know – but it's not resonating as much as it should. With all the things that have happened in the DC Universe in the last 18 months, not to mention all the stuff coming up in the next year, I'd think that this story in particular would hit much harder. But it's not – not really – and we'll see how it works out.

JUL050238 JSA #77 $2.50
MAY050093 KOTOBUKIYA STAR WARS DARTH VADER #2 MODEL KIT $99.99
JUL052735 LOST CAUSE JOHN WESLEY HARDIN SC (O/A) PI

JUL050287 MAJESTIC #9
Wildstorm/DC Comics
$2.99

I do love MAJESTIC. I don't know why I do – it must be the Wildstorm kid in me – but this is one of my most anticipated books. The scripts are always fun and the artwork is intense and bombastic. I think it's a general return to Fun Comics. And that's always nice. And isn't Zealot in this issue? I think so. Kick. Ass.

JUL051872 MARVEL KNIGHTS 4 #22 $2.99
JUL051867 MARVEL KNIGHTS SPIDER-MAN #18 $2.99
JUN052056 MARVEL MASTERWORKS DOCTOR STRANGE VOL 2 HC VARIANT ED $54.99
JUN052055 MARVEL MASTERWORKS DOCTOR STRANGE VOL 2 NEW ED HC $49.99
JUL051896 MARVEL NEMESIS IMPERFECTS #5 (OF 6) $2.99
JUN052049 MARVEL TALES FLIP MAGAZINE #3 $3.99

JUL050288 MATADOR #5 (OF 6)
Wildstorm/DC Comics
$2.99

At this point, MATADOR is just sort of sputtering out. I'm enjoying it, though, but it's selling for shit. The stakes were raised last issue and now Izzy's most likely wanted by the police, which is never a good situation to be in. I'm anxious to see The Matador cut loose a bit. And I'll just mention that Lee Loughridge's colors last issue were good, but it's not the same thing as Brian Stelfreeze doing the whole thing (art/colors) himself.

JUL051897 MEGA MORPHS #3 (OF 4) $2.99
JUL050305 MNEMOVORE #6 (OF 6) (MR) $2.99
JUL051851 MUTOPIA X #3 (OF 5) $2.99
JUL051885 NEW THUNDERBOLTS #12 $2.99
JUL050201 NIGHTWING #112 $2.50
JUL053061 OF BITTER SOULS #2 $2.99
JUL052737 OZ WONDERLAND CHRONICLES #0 $2.99
JUL050315 PREACHER VOL 5 DIXIE FRIED TP NEW EDITION (MR) $14.99

JUL051890 THE PULSE #11
Marvel Comics
$2.99

Have you seen the cover to this? Photoshop slave Mike Mayhew had the New Avengers all gathered around Jessica Jones and Luke Cage because of the birth of their new baby. Problem was, the baby was whiter than Kathy Lee Gifford even though it's the child of the white Jessica Jones and Luke Cage, the premier black dude of the Marvel Universe. But no fear, fanboy, because Mayhew slapped a coat of brown on that sucker, making the baby look like it's in the shade while everyone else is in the sun. The original is here and the redo is here. These cover 'artists' like Mayhew and the Gregs (Horn/Land) need to take a hike. In other PULSE news, the interiors look great with Michael (ALIAS) Gaydos taking over and now that Matt Hollingsworth is back, it's going to be one of the best looking books. Oh, and Jamie Fox as Luke Cage? Fuck Off.

JUL051923 PUNISHER MAX VOL 1 HC (MR) $29.99

JUL050247 RANN/ THANAGAR WAR #5 (OF 6)
DC Comics
$2.50

This mini started as one of my favorites but it’s slipped a bit in the standings. The artwork is great – whether it is Ivan Reis or Joe Prado – and the scripts aren't bad but it suffers from a big dose of, "Yeah, I sort of don't care anymore." Six issues is a long time and we're treading water. I didn't even bother to preorder this or the sixth issue, so that I can get the cheaper tpb when it comes out.

JUL050197 ROBIN/ BATGIRL: FRESH BLOOD TPB
DC Comics
$12.99

This thin little collection has two issues from ROBIN and two from BATGIRL and opened with the new status quo set after the "War Games" fiasco. Although I'm not too keen on Bill Willingham's Bat-work, I've found Andersen Gabrych's work to be pretty good. And with art from Damion Scott and Alé Garza & Jesse Delperdang it will certainly look good. Scott was the artist that made me like BATGIRL so much in the first place, so it will be a treat to him drawing her again. Plus, Alé Garza is a stellar artist himself, ensuring that the whole book looks great.

JUL051623 RONIN HOOD OF THE 47 SAMURAI OGN $9.99

JUN052659 SALAMANDER DREAM OGN
Adhouse Press
$15.00

I totally forgot to preorder this somehow – I don't know how exactly – but I'll have to get a copy from Hope Larson at SPX. I have to remember to add it to the list this time. I'll likely forget again.JUN052864 SCHOOL BITES VOL 2 GN DLX ED $19.99
JUL050268 SCOOBY DOO #100 $2.25
JUL050104 SIN CITY PLAYING CARDS $4.99
JUL052659 SOULFIRE DYING OF THE LIGHT #2 $2.99
JUL051866 SPIDER-MAN UNLIMITED #11 $2.99
MAY052768 SPUNKY KNIGHT XXX #3 (A) $3.95
APR050063 STAR WARS EMPIRE #34 $2.99
JUN052922 STRONGHOLD #1 (OF 3) $4.95
JUN050044 SUPER MANGA BLAST #55 (MR) $5.99
JUL058029 SUPERMAN BATMAN VOL 2 SUPERGIRL TP $12.99
JUL051882 THOR BLOOD OATH #1 (OF 6) $2.99
JUL051863 TOXIN #6 (OF 6) $2.99
JUL052518 TOYFARE HOT BABES TOY CVR #99 $4.99
JUL052525 ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN ACE EDITION #1 (O/A) PI
JUL051859 ULTIMATE X-MEN #63 $2.50
JUL051903 WEAPON X DAYS OF FUTURE NOW #3 (OF 5) $2.99

JUL050276 WILDCATS: NEMESIS #1 (OF 9)
Wildstorm/DC Comics
$2.99

Meaghan and I watched a couple of episode of the WILD.C.A.T.s cartoon through OnDemand last night and Holy God, it was bad. It got me thinking about the characters again and all the history we have together. With this book, I hope a couple things happen: I hope that Robbie Morrison doesn't fuck the characters up too much and I'd like to see some decent art from Talent Caldwell. I'm not holding my breath for either part. The pages by Horacio Domingues should look excellent, based on his work on LAZARUS JACK last year or so.

JUL050292 THE WINTER MEN #2 (OF 8) (MR)
Wildstorm/DC Comics
$2.99

I was mildly surprised at how good THE WINTER MEN was. I knew it would look good, because John Paul Leon is a genius, but Bret Lewis' script was really good. Most notably, it was a dense read, with a smooth mix of exposition and characterization. There's a lot of background to get through and Lewis did it so painlessly. I'll be checking out the next one for sure.

JUL051709 WITCHBLADE & TOMB RAIDER B&W CVR #1 $2.99
JUL051930 WOLVERINE CLASSIC VOL 2 TP $12.99
JUL051902 X-MEN #175 $2.50
JUL053011 YOU AINT NO DANCER VOL 1 GN (MR) $5.95
MAY052628 ZACHERLEYS MIDNITE TERRORS #1 & #2 PACK $7.95
JUN053088 ZORRO #4 $0.99

---

That's it for this week. I'll be prepping for SPX next week, so who knows what I'll be talking about. Hopefully something good.

 

Brian Domingos is the Columns Editor at Popimage.com. Questions? Comments? Love Notes? Email him via brian@popimage.com.


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Playing Catch Up v.3
By Jonathan Ellis

It's that time once again for another instalment of Playing Catch Up, the series of articles which allow me to, well, play catch up, by telling you about all the cool shit I should've mentioned a long time ago.

I attended the Canadian National Comic Expo on the weekend of August 26th-28th, expect a report soon but in the meanwhile, check out the Photo Parade appearing at Comic Book Resources.com. OR... check out the even better photos by Tyrone McCarthy at Corduroy High.com.

Just prior to the con I went by The Beguiling, one of the greatest comic shops in North America, to pick up my books. It'd been a while since I last picked up anything as was well indicated by the three, count 'em 3 Previews Catalogues waiting for me. So as you can guess, I'm a little behind.

Speaking of The Beguiling though, that's where I picked up the works of one of the creators I'll be speaking about today...

Diana Tamblyn
Writer/Artist of such shorts as Writers Block, Duty Must Be Done: The Story Of Frederick Banting and the more recent There You Were.

Everyone loves Diana's mini's for their subtlety, their realistic portrayal of modern lives and their ability to hit a personal chord that resonates with the reader.



The most recent There You Were, which Diana describes as "Karaoke, The Canadian Antiques Roadshow, Office Christmas parties, and gruelling Canadian winters - how do all of these things fit together? Find out in this comedy/romance, slice-of-life story about a budding relationship between two office co-workers." Is quite apt, specifically the 'budding relationship' part as there is a relationship but it's at the very beginning of two people getting to know each other. It's a relationship that hasn't really evolved into a relationship yet, and you can surely relate to the situation of one person having feelings for another, which seem to go unnoticed.

The story focuses on Josie, a bit of a loner, a bit of an introvert, not necessarily someone who chooses to be alone but rather someone who's reluctant to opening themselves up around others. It takes the character of Tom, a genuinely nice guy who quietly admires Josie, to start cracking her shell.

Duty Must Be Done: The Story of Frederick Banting was very interesting, most people already know Banting as the creator of Insulin, but not for his life following that creation. The research and detail is quite fascinating, particularly to have been condensed into a short story. Diana even incorporates a rather well known photograph of Banting with Charles Best and a dog, the original test subjects of insulin. Originally included in the SPX 2002 anthology, Diana collected the story into it's own mini with added material.

Writers Block is a short story about "a Canadian writer in his mid-50's who's spent most of his adult life working on a book of short stories - all with a diner theme (his personal obsession). After the book is a surprise critical and commercial success, he's presented with the problem of trying to write a follow up." Add in a great book title, a particularly clever nephew and questions about ones own self worth and you've got another bloody decent story from the pen of Diana Tamblyn.

More info on Diana can be found at Speedlines.com.

Looking at Diana's mini's I can't help but wonder if she's got a graphic novel mumbling inside of her, but she's certainly working her way up.



Next up is Faith Erin Hicks

You may remember us mentioning her before as she provided us with a PopImage cover a few years ago. Surprisingly, it seems she hasn't been hounded into a deal by any publishers just yet.

Their mistake.

Faith is the creator of such webcomics as Demonology 101 and ICE for ModernTales. Her art style has great range, whether she's drawing a detailed rustic background or sunny teenagers with smooth lines, one of her greatest strengths lies in her ability to capture a character perfectly - no matter the situation, her lines expertly convey the characters emotions.

Another one of her strengths is that she's got a great sense of humour, which brings us to one of her latest web comics: ZOMBIES CALLING.



As it stands there's only 14 pages, and that may be all as Faith attempts to finish the story in print, but those 14 pages are plenty, in fact, they're perfect, they're fun, they're hilarious.

I know you'll love it. It's one of things that I just know.

Read the hilarity HERE.



Holla!

Did you know that Danielle Corsetto assisted/inked over Michael Lark in the most recent issue of Captain America?



That's Right. Danielle Corsetto, creator of Girls With Slingshots and The Ramblers Comic Strip is working alongside the phenomenal talent that is Michael Lark.

Congrats Danielle!



I may not have had a chance to browse through the Previews yet, but I do know about ONE item appearing in the latest Previews Catalogue, and that is the Fanfare/Ponentmon published anthology; JAPAN.

Seventeen authors (nine from France or French-speaking countries, eight from Japan) brought together in the same book, a succession of freely created short stories about the same universe: Japan. The French, of course, journeyed to Japan for the occasion. Each cartoonist was sent for two weeks to a different city in the archipelago (Joann Sfar in Tôkyô, Emmanuel Guibert in Kyôto, Nicolas de Crécy in Nagoya, etc.) to bring back an original creation.

The Japanese tell us about their district, the city where they live or where they originally come from (Kazuichi Hanawa's story being about the northern island of Hokkaido, Jiro Taniguchi's about the town of Tottori, etc.) The result is often inspired, always surprising: Japan through new eyes.

"Japan" will appear simultaneously in French, Japanese, Spanish, Italian and English. Along with "A Patch Of Dreams" by Hideji Oda, it is the first step in a series of international creations with left-to-right reading direction, created for us by some of the best European and Japanese comic book artists.

Participating (in alphabetical order): Moyoko Anno, Aurélia Aurita, Frédéric Boilet, Nicolas de Crécy, Étienne Davodeau, Little Fish, Emmanuel Guibert, Kazuichi Hanawa, Daisuke Igarashi, Taiyo Matsumoto, Fabrice Neaud, Benoît Peeters, David Prudhomme, François Schuiten, Joann Sfar, Kan Takahama & Jiro Taniguchi.

Translations by Elizabeth Tierman & Shizuka Shimoyama.

Japan: As Viewed By 17 Creators is due to ship December 2005, 256 pages Black & White for $ 25 U.S. Pre-Order with Diamond Order Code SEP05 2929.



That's all for this week, thanks for sticking around kids.

 

Jonathan Ellis is Co-Editor in Chief of PopImage.com


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Playing Catch Up v.1 - Kupek, Mother May I, Bremen, RevolveR & Corduroy High
Playing Catch Up v.2 - Way Off Main, Manhunter & Owly


UNTIL YOUR HEART STOPS v10.4
by Brian Domingos

Off Week

September 7, 2005

I hope everyone had a nice holiday weekend. Being in the Tourist Capital of this part of the country, I stayed home and played “Destroy All Humans!” all weekend. It was wonderful. There was heat-raying and head-popping a plenty.

So that means that I’m taking it easy this week and taking and extended look at the weekly shipping rather than doing a full fledged column because, really, there’s not a lot going on. New Month means some new releases and other such things but not all that much that is special.

I did enjoy Matt Fraction and Joe Casey’s “Basement Tapes” from yesterday talking about “Work For Hire” and “Exclusives” and all that. They point to the excellent two part interview with Devin Grayson (Part One and Part Two) where she talks about The Business and pleasantly describes working in the Bat-Office in at DC. It’s a really close look where she gets to the bare bones of the process. Very good stuff.

And there’s an interview with AiT/Planet Lar publisher Larry Young at the Word Balloon site. John Siuntres is an old radio pro and it shows. The interview is about 45 minutes long and I could have listened to hours more. There’s also interviews with Joe Casey, Brian Azzarello, Gene Ha and a half dozen others worth listening to. Siuntres does a great job.

Upcoming
Books and items shipping tomorrow Thursday September 8th, 2005.

JUN053119 2000 AD #1451 $4.10
JUN053120 2000 AD #1452 $4.10
JUN053016 A G SUPER EROTIC ANTHOLOGY #19 (A) $4.99
JUL053053 ADVENTURES OF BIO BOY #1 $2.99
JUL051888 AMAZING FANTASY #12 $2.99
MAR052589 APCOMICS COMIC EXPO LTD ED PACK $20.00
MAR050171 APPLESEED VOL 1 PROMETHEAN CHALLENGE TP (STAR10806) $16.95
JUL050217 AQUAMAN #34 $2.50
JUN051996 ARANA HEART OF THE SPIDER #8 $2.50
JUL050279 THE AUTHORITY: THE MAGNIFICIENT KEVIN #1 (OF 5) (MR)$2.99
JUL051934 AVENGERS SERPENT CROWN TP $15.99
FEB050082 AVP ALIEN CHOP FIGURE $29.99
FEB050083 AVP PREDATOR CHOP FIGURE $29.99
MAY051545 BAD IDEAS COLL TP $12.99

APR053003 THE BAKERS #1
Kyle Baker Publishing
$3.00

I thought the strips about The Bakers in the KYLE BAKER READER were cute enough, but I don't think a regular book is for me. But, like I said, it's cute and sometimes laugh out loud funny and Kyle Baker fans should get a kick out of it.

JUN053215 BARBIE OF SWAN LAKE CINEMANGA GN $7.99
FEB051634 BATTLE OF THE PLANETS PRINCESS #1-6 READER SET $14.99
FEB051635 BATTLE OF THE PLANETS PRINCESS #1-6 READER SET SGN $24.99
APR053630 BATTY & BATINA YOSHITAKA AMANO #1 $24.99
APR053631 BATTY & BATINA YOSHITAKA AMANO #2 $24.99
JUL050218 BLOOD OF THE DEMON #7 $2.50
JUN058277 BONE REST 2ND PRTG #1 (PP #684) $2.99
JUL051907 CABLE DEADPOOL #19 $2.99
JUN052880 CAPTAIN CANUCK UNHOLY WAR 30TH ANNIV 3 PACK $6.99
JUL050266 CARTOON NETWORK BLOCK PARTY VOL 2 READ ALL ABOUT IT TP $6.99
MAY052594 CAVEWOMAN RELOADED #1 $3.95
MAY052926 CHILDREN OF THE GRAVE #4 (OF 4) (MR) $2.99
APR050023 CHRONICLES OF CONAN VOL 8 TOWER OF BLOOD & OTHER STORIES TP $16.95
JUN053073 CISCO KID GUNFIRE & BRIMSTONE #1 (MR) (O/A) $2.95
JUL051705 CITY OF HEROES #5 $2.99

JUL050281 CITY OF TOMORROW #6 (OF 6)
Wildstorm/DC Comics
$2.99

I was really enjoying CITY OF TOMORROW and then I missed the last issue and… yeah, I don’t know what happened. If seems like this came out really fast. I hope the shop does a reorder. I might have to wait until my next big city trip.

DEC042608 CLOUDS ABOVE HC $18.95
MAR052897 COMPLETE CRUMB COMICS VOL 17 SIGNED HC (MR) $75.00
JUL052994 CONFESSIONS OF A CEREAL EATER SPECIAL SALE PACK $9.00
JUL051696 COVENANT VOL 1 GN $9.99
JUN051759 COYOTE VOL 1 TP $14.99

JUL050191 DETECTIVE COMICS #811
DC Comics
$2.50

Okay Lapham fans – it's safe to come out. The "War Crimes" arc is over and Lapham and Ramon Bachs have the book back. I've really enjoyed the slow boil of this arc. Of course, I can't tell you what happened in the last issue because that was a month and three issues ago, but I do remember it being quite good. Lapham has taken the glitz and glamour out of Gotham, creating a psychological nightmare for its inhabitants. I can’t wait to see how it turns out. I’d love a nice fat twelve issue collection when this is all over.

JUL052824 DF ALL STAR BATMAN & ROBIN #1 ALT CVR LEE SGN PI
MAY052722 DF ALL STAR BATMAN & ROBIN BOY WONDER LEE SGN #1 $29.99
JUN052944 DF COUNTDOWN TO INFINITE CRISIS #1 SGN PI
APR052862 DF GREEN LANTERN #2 SGN $19.99
JUN052943 DF JUSTICE #1 DOUBLE SGN $49.99
APR052841 DF RED SONJA RUBI ALT CVR REMARKED #1 $69.99
MAR052856 DF TOP TEN FORTY NINERS HC REMARKED $69.99

JUL051933 DISTRICT X: UNDERGROUND, VOL 2 TPB
Marvel Comics
$19.99

Ah, DISTRICT X… this was to be the GOTHAM CENTRAL of the Marvel Universe but it failed oh-so-miserably. I really liked the first five issues and then the two issues from this collection, but as the story progressed the story became more and more ridiculous. The main character, Ishmael was completely out of character, becoming abusive and abrasive. He was perfectly flawed in the first book and just went way off the deep end. Original artist David Yardin left after the first arc and Lan Mendina, a competent artist with strong storytelling abilities took over full time and things worked for a bit. The first arc had flat colors with slight accents – here but as the issues came out, the artwork became muddy and over rendered. Soon the slight and subtle colors were gone and the pages were splashed with too much color and not enough color theory. It was too much to bear and I moved on. It's a shame because there was so much potential here. Of course it's selling like fucking gangbusters as the "House Of M" book, MUTOPIX X, so what do I know?

MAY052929 DRACULA VS KING ARTHUR #2 (OF 4) $2.95
JUL052887 EC SHOCK SUSPENSTORIES ANNUAL PACK (O/A) $37.80
JUL052849 EIGHTBALL LIKE A VELVET GLOVE CAST IN IRON TP NEW PTG (O/A) $19.95
APR052542 ELSINORE #3 (OF 9) $2.99

JUL050285 EX MACHINA: TAG, VOL. 2 TPB (MR)
Wildstorm/DC Comics
$12.99

I still really enjoy EX MACHINA but I can’t help but think how differently I might feel about it if Tony Harris didn’t draw it. I love his work over and over again – mostly his acting and storytelling – and this is a great place to showcase it. Plus, monthly Tony Harris is a blessing. The story here, “Tag”, got really weird and brutal towards the end, holding my interest all the way through. It’s a good book but not great.

JUL051853 EXILES #69 $2.99
JUN058285 FANTASTIC FOUR DIR CUT #527 (BOGO OF NEW AVEN #6 HITCH VAR) PI
JUL051850 FANTASTIC FOUR HOUSE OF M #3 (OF 3) $2.99
JUN053048 FATHOM #1 B&W CLASSIC ALTERNATE $9.99

JUL051609 FELL #1
Image Comics
$1.99

The great “16 page story for two bucks” experiment begins and it will be interesting to see how it breaks down. I like Warren Ellis and I like Ben Templesmith and I like crime books so this seems like a slam dunk. Fingers crossed.

JUL053193 FRANKENSTEIN NOW AND FOREVER GN (O/A) $19.95

DEC042433 GARTH ENNIS’ 303 #5 (OF 6) (MR) $3.99
DEC042434 GARTH ENNIS’ 303 WRAPAROUND CVR #5 (OF 6) (MR)
Avatar Press
$3.99

303 was MIA for a while but now it’s back. I’m not reading it (it’d be ridiculous to call it ‘monthly’) – in issues, but the tpb will look nice. Jacen Burrows always impresses and it will be nice to see some new Garth Ennis stuff.

JUL051868 GHOST RIDER #1 (OF 6) $2.99
JUN058249 GHOST RIDER RIBIC VARIANT #1 (OF 6) $2.99
JUL052995 GIPSY SPECIAL SALE PACK $8.00

JUL050200 GOTHAM CENTRAL #35
DC Comics
$2.50

The end of the last issue was so excellent, I just couldn’t wait for this to come out. The “Dead Robin” arc take an even stranger turn as the mystery of the ‘Dead Robin’ is solved and we get the Who, the Why and the What is going on here? The new art team has totally grown on me. I sometimes forget that Lark even used to draw this.

FEB050367 GREEN LANTERN AND GREEN ARROW COLLECTORS PLATE $59.99

APR050030 GRENDEL: RED WHITE & BLACK TPB
Dark Horse
$19.95

I’ve always liked the ‘Grendel’ character. Matt Wagner succeeded with a strong anti-Batman like character that’s more villainous than heroic. The first one of these books, “Black, White and Red” had some really strong artwork (Chris Sprouse, comes to mind) and this next book is hopefully as strong. We’re looking at Phil Noto, Michael Avon Oeming, Farel Dalrymple, Darick Robertson, and Phil Hester & Ande Parks to start. This’ll be a real treat.

JUN058278 GROUNDED 2ND PRTG #1 (OF 6) (PP #684) $2.95
MAY052912 HIT THE BEACH 2005 $4.99
JUN051976 HOUSE OF M #6 (OF 8) $2.99
JAN058165 HOUSE OF M LAND VARIANT COVER #6 (OF 8) (PP #680) $2.99
JUL051849 INCREDIBLE HULK #86 $2.99
JUN058266 INCREDIBLE HULK LTD ED VARIANT #84 $2.99
JUL052519 INQUEST GAMER DUNGEONS & DRAGONS CVR #126 $4.99

JUL050283 THE INTIMATES #11
Wildstorm/DC Comics
$2.99

Two more issues to go. If you're not reading this book, you're part of the problem. Joe Casey's kicking ass and the kids are about to head back to school.

JUL051848 IRON MAN HOUSE OF M #3 (OF 3) $2.99
APR052834 IRON WOK JAN GN #13 $9.95
MAR050497 JLA ACTION FIGURE GIFT SET PI

JUL050236 JLA: SYNDICATE RULES, VOL. 17 TPB
DC Comics
$17.99

I'm glad to see this collection; because the storyline seemed so convoluted and complicated I thought I’d wait on the trade. Kurt Busiek is one of those guys where I have to take his projects one at a time. I like some of his stuff and I don't like some others. The Justice League could be fun, though. We'll see.

JUL058196 JSA CLASSIFIED #1 THIRD PTG $2.50
JUL053034 JUDGE DREDD MEGAZINE #235 $11.99
JUN052777 JUGHEAD #168 $2.25
JUL050261 JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED #13 $2.25
JUN053331 KARE FIRST LOVE VOL 5 TP $9.99
JUN053287 KARMA INCORPORATED #2 (OF 3) $2.95
DEC040056 KATSUYA TERADA THE MONKEY KING VOL 1 TP $14.95
JUN050027 LAST TEMPTATION 2ND ED HC $14.95
APR052621 LEXIAN CHRONICLES FULL CIRCLE RED FOIL CVR #1 $9.95
MAR052587 LEXIAN CHRONICLES FULL CIRCLE SGN #1 $19.95
JUL050265 LOONEY TUNES #130 $2.25
JUN052684 LULLABY WISDOM SEEKER VOL 1 TP $9.99
JUN050404 MAD ABOUT THE SIXTIES TP NEW EDITION $9.99
JUL050269 MAD MAGAZINE #458 $3.99
JUL051693 MAGDALENA VOL 2 #1-#4 SET $9.99
MAY052429 MAGIC WHISTLE #1-4 SET (MR) $10.00
MAY052430 MAGIC WHISTLE #5-8 SET (MR) $10.00
JUN053032 MARS IDW TP $39.99
JUL051899 MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN #7 $2.50
JUL051881 MARVEL TEAM-UP #12 $2.99
APR052803 MEGACITY 909 MARK LEE CVR A #8 $2.95
APR052804 MEGACITY 909 ZODDD CVR B #8 $2.95
MAY052909 MILK #48 (A) $3.50

JUL052738 MOPED ARMY VOL 1 OGN (MR)
Café Digital Studios
$12.95

I've read a lot about Paul Sizer's book, MOPED ARMY, but to be honest, the artwork didn't look so hot. You have to respect a guy's self publishing, though so it's on the flip-though list. He's had a preview up in a few places, but not being from a traditional publisher, I need to see the work first.

JUL053000 NABIEL KANAN SPECIAL SALE PACK $8.00
JUN058267 NEW X-MEN LTD ED VARIANT #16 $2.99
JUN051795 NOBLE CAUSES #13 $3.50
MAY052880 NORTH COUNTRY GN $13.95
JUL051906 ORORO BEFORE THE STORM #4 (OF 4) $2.99
JUL050242 OUTSIDERS #28 $2.50
JUN052744 OZ THE MANGA #3 (OF 8) $2.99
JUL050271 PIECES OF A SPIRAL VOL 1 $9.99
JUN053192 PSYCHIC ACADEMY VOL 1 GN & VOL 1 DVD BUNDLE $24.99
JUN058268 PULSE LTD ED VARIANT #10 $2.99
JUL051911 PUNISHER #25 (MR) $2.99
APR051687 PVP #18 $2.99
JUL051660 REX MUNDI #14 $2.99
APR051706 RISING STARS BRIGHT #1-3 SET $7.99
MAY051591 RISING STARS VOICES OF THE DEAD #4 (OF 6) $2.99
JUL053047 RUNES OF RAGNAN #1 (RES) $2.95
JUN052863 SCHOOL BITES VOL 2 GN $12.95
APR051688 SEA OF RED #4 (MR) $2.99
JUL050245 SECRET OF THE SWAMP THING TP $9.99
JUL050043 SERENITY MIDDLETON CVR #3 (OF 3) $2.99
JUL050045 SERENITY PHILLIPS CVR #3 (OF 3) $2.99
JUL050044 SERENITY YU CVR #3 (OF 3) $2.99

JUL050248 SEVEN SOLDIERS: THE MANHATTAN GUARDIAN #4 (OF 4)
DC Comics
$2.99

The end of SHINING KNIGHT was… surprising, to say the least, and I wasn't even all that psyched about it. SS: THE MANHATTAN GUARDIAN has been a cool read since page one, and with the cliffhanger of last issue, I just really need to see how it comes into place. I've enjoyed the subtle ways all of these books have come together, even though I’ll admit I don't always see the connections. It'll be interesting to see how it all works out.

JUL050244 SGT ROCKS COMBAT TALES VOL 1 TP $9.99
JUL050208 SHAZAM SUPERMAN FIRST THUNDER #1 (OF 4) $3.50
JUN052871 SHOCKING GUN TALES #1 (MR) $4.99
JUN053293 SHONEN JUMP OCT 05 #34 $4.99
JUL053044 SHUCK THE SULFURSTAR #2 $2.95
JUN052856 SIMPSONS SUPER SPECTACULAR #1 $4.99
JUL052785 SKETCHBOOK ADVENTURES OF PETER POPLASKI HC $25.00
JUL053064 SMOKE AND MIRRORS #1 $2.99
MAY052716 SNK VS CAPCOM VOL 2 SVC CHAOS TP $13.95
JUL050252 SON OF VULCAN #4 (OF 6) $2.99
JUL052655 SONIC SUPER SPECIAL #4 RETURN OF THE KING (O/A) $2.25
JUN052780 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #153 $2.25
NOV042423 SOULFIRE #5 $2.99
MAY052637 SOULSEARCHERS #73 $2.50
JUL051865 SPIDER-GIRL #90 $2.99
JUL051926 SPIDER-GIRL VOL 4 TURNING POINT DIGEST TP $7.99
JUN058269 SPIDER-MAN HOUSE OF M LTD ED VARIANT #2 (OF 5) $2.99
JUN053161 STAR TREK COMICS CLASSICS VOL 1 TO BOLDLY GO TP $19.95
MAY051576 STARDUST KID #2 (OF 4) $3.50
MAY052715 STELLVIA VOL 1 TP $9.95
JUN058272 SUPERGIRL #1 SECOND PTG $2.99
JUL050213 SUPERMAN #221 $2.50

JUL051910 SUPREME POWER: NIGHTHAWK #1 (OF 5) (MR)
Marvel MAX/Marvel Comics
$2.99

Here's a good example of two talented guys completely wasting their time with a "Work For Hire" book. Daniel Way, of assorted risqué Marvel titles and GUN THEORY with Jon Proctor is writing this SUPREME POWER spin-off with artwork form Steve (uh… PREACHER) Dillon. SUPREME POWER is the Marvel MAX version of the Squadron Supreme and it's really just not that good. At all. So here’s more stuff from Way and Dillon that isn't GUN THEORY at another company or CITY LIGHTS with Garth Ennis.

JUL050309 SWAMP THING #19 (MR) $2.99
JUN052781 TALES FROM RIVERDALE DIGEST #5 $2.39
MAY053367 TENJHO TENGE MANGA #1 (MR) (O/A) $10.99
MAY053368 TENJHO TENGE MANGA #2 (MR) (O/A) $10.99
MAY053369 TENJHO TENGE MANGA #3 (MR) (O/A) $10.99
JUN058296 TENJHO TENGE VOL 3 $9.99
APR052903 TIJUANA BIBLES VOL 2 (A) $14.95
MAY053102 TUXEDO GIN VOL 13 TP $9.99
JUL051915 ULTIMATE MARVEL FLIP MAGAZINE #4 $3.99
JUL051860 ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #82 $2.50
JUL051916 ULTIMATE TALES FLIP MAGAZINE #4 $3.99
JUN053292 ULTRA MANIAC VOL 2 TP $8.99
JUL051847 UNCANNY X-MEN #464 $2.50
JUL052578 VAISTRON #1 $2.95
JUL052595 VAMPIRELLA BLOOD LUST #1 & #2 SET $6.95
JUL052593 VAMPIRELLA REVELATIONS #0 (NOTE PRICE) $0.25

JUL050254 VILLAINS UNITED #5 (OF 6)
DC Comics
$2.50

Catman faces off against Deadshot. I don't remember why they fight. Do we know yet? It's hard to keep track. The scripts by Gail Simone are as charming as always, and the artwork, which will hopefully be by Dale Eaglesham, is usually brutal enough in tone for this title.

JUN053078 WILD #15 (A) $3.75
JUL053007 WILL EISNERS MOBY DICK HC (O/A) $15.95
JUN053049 WITCHBLADE #1-4 COLLECTED BOX SET $24.99
JUN051843 WITCHBLADE #89 $2.99
MAY051583 WITCHBLADE ANIMATED COMIC & TOY SET $16.99
MAR050429 WORLDS GREATEST SUPER HEROES OVERSIZED SLIPCASE HC $49.99
MAY052410 XIII #2 (NOTE PRICE) $2.99
JUL051901 X-MEN COLOSSUS BLOODLINE #1 (OF 5) $2.99
JUL050310 Y THE LAST MAN #37 (MR) $2.99

---

That's it for this week, thanks or stopping by. I'm thinking about some reviews for next time. How's that sound?

Oh, and don't forget that New Comics Day is on Thursday this week, due to the Labor Day Holiday.

 

Brian Domingos is the Columns Editor at Popimage.com. Questions? Comments? Love Notes? Email him via brian@popimage.com.


PopImage Forum - Discuss this message at the PopImage forum.