|
UNTIL YOUR HEART STOPS v3.5
by Brian Domingos
Scenes From the Future: Part VII
04/28/04
It’s that time of the month already. PREVIEWS time! We’re early again, but that’s ok. Let’s get a jump on the future. This is a hit list from the MAY PREVIEWS catalogue from Diamond Comics and has all the comics/books/magazines, etc. shipping in July.
Get to it.
 Joe Casey has the uncanny ability to mix mainstream characters with indie sensibilities. His work on ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN was one of a kind and his recently canceled WILDCATS v3.0 was light years away from the original vision of Jim Lee, while still holding on to some themes. He’s one of the few writers that stays fresh and new in different genres of stories. Each time he’s about to be slapped with a new label, he switches gears, leaving readers guessing.
His new project with artist Steve Parkhouse is a book for Dark Horse’s “Horror” line, MILKMAN MURDERS. It’s a four issue series showing the dark underbelly of suburban life and the twisted truth behind the American Dream.
Casey and Parkhouse recently worked for DH on a story for the HELLBOY: Weird Tales anthology, giving a nice dose of Casey’s peculiar ideas and Parkhouse’s detailed artwork. Their chemistry was evident there and there’s no reason for it not to continue now.
This is a great chance for readers of WILDCATS v3.0 to support a new Casey book. It’s creator-owed and a solid example of their own ideas. Skip an X-book this month and try out something new.
MILKMAN MURDERS #1 (Of 4) (PAGE 26, $2.99; Order Code: MAY04 0022)
 B.P.R.D.: Souls of Venice and Other Stories is the second collection of B.P.R.D. material from Dark Horse. It contains the four one-shot B.P.R.D. stories by four different creative teams, as well as an all-new story by Mike Mignola and artist Cameron Stewart.
Miles Gunter and Michael Avon Oeming take the B.P.R.D. field team to Venice, while writer Brian Augustyn and artist Guy Davis takes them to Salem, MA. Then former FLASH creative team Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins have a weird supernatural story with Lobster Johnson and Joe Harris and Adam Pollina scare the fish crap out of Abe Sapien.
These stories were pretty decent in their own right, each with different tones, touching on different established aspects of Mignola’s previous plotlines. This volume is vital to the Mignola/B.P.R.D. collection.
And, at $17.95, it’s already cheaper than the cheaper than the individual issues were.
<BPRD: SOUL OF VENICE AND OTHER STORIES TPB (PAGE 28, $17.95; OC: MAY04 0024)
 The SHOCKROCKETS: WE HAVE IGNITION TPB is a good push from Dark Horse. This is a collection of Kurt Busiek and Stuart Immonen’s six issue series from the now-defunct Gorilla Comics imprint.
Busiek and Immonen have impressed the comics world with their new series SUPERMAN: Secret Identity and here is a chance to see them working together four years before it. SHOCKROCKETS is a futuristic tale of a hi-tech squad of planetary protectors. As the world begins to fix itself up, it’s up to the Shockrockets to save Earth from one of it’s own power-hungry creators.
It sounds like a pretty interesting premise and the artwork is sure to be fantastic. Immonen is hitting all the marks on SUPERMAN: SI and, judging by the pages in the MARVEL PREVIEWS, his ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR should be pretty excellent.
And I’ve noticed that I usually enjoy Busiek’s non-straight-up superhero work. His AVENGERS and IRONMAN and that sort of thing never really worked for me, but books like ARROWSMITH and ASTROCITY are different kinds of books. And, with six issues for $14.95, I can afford to be curious.
SHOCKROCKETS: WE HAVE IGNITION TPB (PAGE 37, $14.95; OC: MAY04 0045)
 
DC Comics has arranged a two month event; a tribute to Julius Schwartz consisting of eight weekly books by DC creators, new and old.
The books for July are DC COMICS PRESENTS: HAWKMAN #1, DC COMICS PRESENTS: BATMAN #1, DC COMICS PRESENTS: GREEN LANTERN#1, and DC COMICS PRESENTS: MYSTERY IN SPACE #1.
Each issue features an homage cover and unlikely creative team ups.
  New creators like Brian Azzarello, Grant Morrison, Javier Pulido, and Scott McDaniel are coupled with veteran DC creators like Joe Stanton, Len Wein, Norm Breyfogle and Cary Bates.
Four more are scheduled for August with books by Stan Lee, Darwyn Cooke, Paul Levitz, Dave Gibbons and others.
This is a great way to pay tribute to Mr. Schwartz and to also get some weird stories into the ether.
The DC Silver Age had a bizarre tinge to it, and now is time to pay allegiance to it.
DC COMICS PRESENTS: BATMAN #1 (PAGE 105, $2.50; OC: MAY04 0299)
DC COMICS PRESENTS: MYSTERY IN SPACE #1 (PAGE 105, $2.50; OC: MAY04 0300)
DC COMICS PRESENTS: GREEN LANTERN #1 (PAGE 106, $2.50; OC: MAY04 0301)
DC COMICS PRESENTS: HAWKMAN #1 (PAGE 106, $2.50; OC: MAY04 0302)
 With the THE FLASH: Blitz tpb, the last nine issues of Geoff Johns and Scott Kollins’ run will be collected.
Blitz is the beginning, middle and end of the story that changed the status quo in Wally West, AKA The Flash’s life. Flash takes on Grodd, Dr. Alchemy and, ultimately, the new Professor Zoom, the Reverse Flash.
Johns and Kolins became the creative team of THE FLASH, adding life and energy back into a book that hadn’t been a “must read” since Mark Waid first took over the book in the mid-to-late-1990s. Johns leaves me saying, “Mark Waid, who?”
Now all we need is a collection of Johns’ first FLASH story, “Wonderland.”
 Also this month is THE FLASH #212, with Johns showcasing the Mirror Master.
Knowing what he did with Captain Cold, this is sure to be a cool read. Johns knows how to get inside the heads of the Rogues and make them more than two-bit punks. He’s able to make the old characters seem brand-new with modern and logical twists.
The art is by Steve Cumming and Wayne Faucher. Cummings is someone whom I know nothing about.
There is a new cover artist (thank GOD) in Ethan van Sciver. I’m glad to see Michael Turner go.
Good month for THE FLASH.
THE FLASH #212 (PAGE 107, $2.25; OC: MAY04 0309)
THE FLASH: BLITZ TPB (PAGE 107, $19.95; OC: MAY04 0310)
 It’s been ten months, but there’s finally a new trade paperback.
100 BULLETS: Samurai is the seventh collection of Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso’s crime noir saga. Issues 43-49 are collected, with two stories, each with ‘cage’ themes.
“Chill in the Oven” features Loop Hughes and his prison meeting with the murderous Lono. “In Stinked” has the bizarre Jack Daw shanghaied at a road side zoo. For Daw, the animals aren’t his only problem.
100 BULLETS is the second longest running series from Vertigo right now, and features complex plots, colorful characters and some of the best sequential artwork in comics today. This volume brings the series up to date leaving June’s #50 and July’s #51 the only bits not yet collected.
100 BULLETS: SAMURAI, VOL 7 TPB (PAGE 116, $12.95; OC: MAY04 0362)
 I’ve never read SEBASTIAN O. It appeared as a three issue mini series by Grant Morrison and Steve Yeowell and helped to pave the way for Vertigo.
In the story, Sebastian is an assassin in the late 19th century, mixing hi-tech weaponry and late 20th century sensibilities with the Victorian backdrop. It’s a grand example of “steampunk” comics.
From the solicitation text, I gather that he’s a bit like James Bond of the 1890s. Morrison has a real eye for style and atmosphere, so there’s no doubt in my mind that the script will be tight.
Yeowell is an artist with a very ‘old’ style; his art lacks flash and grit that most artists have these days. He has a strong sense of storytelling and his characters are full of life.
I’m really looking forward to this book. It’s nice to see Vertigo releasing old stuff, and I hope the trend holds up.
SEBASTIAN O TPB (PAGE 118, $9.95; OC: MAY04 0374)
 In FIREBREATHER, Duncan Rosenblatt is the son of your typical suburban housewife and his father is a Fing-Fang-Foom type dragon, 300 feet tall and all about taking over the world. Life is hard enough for teenagers without having to worry about your scaly skin scaring away the chicks.
Writer Phil Hester plunges right in, twisting the teenage superhero concept to the breaking point. Not only is there the usual teen angst and drama but Duncan has his own Nick Fury-esque escort to visit his father. Weekend visitation has never been so difficult.
Hester really has one of the best careers in comics. He’s the monthly artist of DC’s GREEN ARROW as well as the author of such great books as THE COFFIN AND DEEP SLEEPER. We can now add FIREBREATHER to the list of great books.
REX MANTOOTH artist Andy Kuhn co-created FIREBREATHER skillfully blending the mundane with the bizarre.
FIREBREATHER was the first on of Image’s “new” superhero books that really caught my eye. It arrived a month or two before the stellar INVINCIBLE and had all the makings of a must read book. This collection contains the four issue mini series as well as behind the scene extras, a forward by writer Brad Meltzer and a fairly extensive pin-up section, all for only $13.95. It’s a steal.
FIREBREATHER, VOL 1 TP (PAGE 141, $13.95; OC: MAY04 1414)
 Brian Michael Bendis comes one step closer to controlling Marvel Comics in July when he and his cronies take the reigns of three of the most popular hero books.
Bendis and artist David Finch take over with AVENGERS #500 beginning the “Avengers: Disassembled” storyline, one that will likely anger hardcore AVENGERS fans.
The word on the street is that the book is being taken apart and rebuilt as Marvel’s answer to the Justice League and JLA. It’ll be comprised of all the ‘heavy hitters’ of the Marvel Universe and will most likely say good-bye to Ant-man and hello to the X-men’s Wolverine.
 Working along side Bendis is writer Robert Kirkman, who, with artist Scot Eaton, is taking using four issues of CAPTAIN AMERICA to bring him back to the super heroics. Apparently Robert Morales’ political angle was too much for Marvel, so it’s back to beating up fascists for Cap. Kirkman has done a spectacular job on books like INVINCIBLE and SUPER PATRIOT and will not disappoint. Dave Johnson is still on board as cover artist, which is great news in itself.
NOWHERESVILLE creator Mark Ricketts and STARMAN co-creator Tony Harris are lined up for four issues of mechanical mayhem as they take over IRON MAN. Ricketts takes Tony Stark out of the public eye. For too long, Stark has been trying to play humanitarian, and now it’s time for some “Tony Time.” Ricketts has shown his ability to write a wide variety of characters with very different POVs and I think IRON MAN is the unperfect match. It’ll be a book to watch, that’s for sure. And Tony Harris – The man is too good for words. With this and the second issue of Wildstorm’s EX MACHINA shipping, July’s gonna be a great month.
Last and not necessarily last is Michael Avon Oeming’s THOR. This is probably the one I won’t be checking out. Thor has never been a character I’ve given much time to. I enjoy watching writers like Garth Ennis make fun of him, but I haven’t read him as a real character. Oeming has co-written HAMMER OF THE GODS which is very Thor-like, and that was pretty good, so it should at least be interesting.
I think there’s a lot of room to work with with all the Avengers characters. They’ve been treading water for a while and something needs to be done to fix it. “Avengers: Disassembled” might just do the trick.
AVENGERS #500 (#85) (MARVEL PAGE 1, $3.50; OC: MAY04 1632)
CAPTAIN AMERICA #29 (MARVEL PAGE 3, $2.99; OC: MAY04 1634)
IRON MAN #86 (MARVEL PAGE 4, $2.99; OC: MAY04 1635)
THOR #82 (MARVEL PAGE 5, $2.99; OC: MAY04 1636)
 Yes, yes, more Bendis. DAREDEVIL: King of Hell’s Kitchen is the fifth collection of Bendis and Alex Maleev’s run on DAREDEVIL.
It’s a year after Daredevil dethroned The Kingpin and he’s left the costume behind. Matt Murdock has dropped the fists and taken to making Hell’s Kitchen a better place through the proper channels. Unfortunately, a certain criminal organization isn’t okay with that and they send 100 armed men to take on a ‘helpless’ Matt Murdock.
Last week, the fourth issue of this collection was released (you’ve gotta love the Marvel tpb turn around). This might be Bendis’ best DD storyline so far. It’s suspenseful, action packed and the set up for the ending looks to be massive.
Also shipping is DAREDEVIL #62 that sees the reunification of Daredevil and Black Widow. The status of their relationship is still yet to be revealed. Apparently, they’re taking on the demented villain Jigsaw.
DAREDEVIL #62 (MARVEL PAGE 44, $2.99; OC: MAY04 1678)
DAREDEVIL: KING OF HELL’S KITCHEN, VOL 9 TPB (MARVEL PAGE 71, $13.99; OC: MAY04 1719)
  All right, so this month, Bendis and Marvel announced that POWERS was leaving Image Comics to co-head line the new creator-owned Marvel Icon line. This is Marvel’s new answer to Vertigo.
POWERS is relaunching in July with two new issues and a resolicited trade paperback that should have shipped from Image in February.
In these first two issues, the status quo has been changed in The City. All superpowers have been outlawed and everyone using them is going to jail.
Now, instead of working along the super heroes, Homicide Detectives Christian Walker and Deena Pilgrim have to take them down. Instantly, it’s a situation of “Either you’re with us or against us.”
The new trade paperback is the last of two uncollected storylines from the Image series. “The Sellouts” is said to have been the best POWERS storyline to date and I an eager to read it.
Because of the new agreement and the set up of Marvel Icons, the only difference between this book and the Image version is the company name on the side. Complete creative control belongs to series creators Bendis and Oeming and it will stay true to their vision.
At least, for now.
POWERS #1 (MARVEL PAGE 57, $2.95; OC: MAY04 1705)
POWERS #2 (MARVEL PAGE 58, $2.95; OC: MAY04 1706)
POWERS: THE SELL OUTS, VOL. 6 TPB (MARVEL PAGE 59, $19.95; OC: MAY04 1707)
 July’s a big month for AIT/Planet Lar.
First up is the newest installment of Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan’s fabulous maxi-series DEMO#8.
This issue is entitled “Mix Tape” and if the interior artwork is a quarter as good as the cover, we’re all in for a treat.
Wood and Cloonan have been doing consistently solid self contained stories that relate to the trials and tribulations of being in that oh-so-fun transitional period between being a teen and growing up.
 Next up is URSULA, a love story translated and reprinted from the original Brazilian-Portuguese comic.
This book joins the ranks of COLONIA, ELECTRIC GIRL and JAX EPOCH in Planet Lar’s All Ages section. The book was brought to us by Fabio Moon and Gabrial Ba with Bri Wood supplying an adorable cover.
Foreign reprints are a new area for Planet Lar and I hope it’s a worthwhile endeavor. Larry and Co. haven’t let me down yet, so I’m sure it is.
There’s also the fifth issue of Andrew Boyd and Ryan Yount’s SCURVY DOGS. It’s the most hilarious pirate comic on the shelves today and a must read by all fans of the funny. It’s ridiculous plots, good jokes and the artwork gets better each issue.
DEMO #8 (Of 12) (PAGE 216, $2.95; OC: MAY04 2204)
URSULA OGN (PAGE 217, $9.95; OC: MAY04 2205)
SCURVY DOGS #5 (PAGE 217, $2.95; OC: MAY04 2206
 My first introduction to Daniel Krall, like most people’s I’d assume was the Oni Press series, ONE PLUS ONE. His competent line work and strong storytelling was the high point of the series that was pretty decent and rather unique.
Now, with FOLLOW ME CLOSELY, Krall takes over the writing as well, with the story of Julian, a guy who passes up a trust fund to run off with his step mother. His father isn’t too happy about and sends some thugs after him. Julian kills most of them, but is given an ultimatum: Become the Killer, or be Killed.
That’s enough for me. I know how well Krall can layout a story and I’ve seen what he can do with talking heads, so I’m ready for some action. He’s got an eye for design and knows what looks good, so he’s sure to pull out all the stops.
FOLLOW ME CLOSELY OGN (PAGE 333, $9.95; OC: MAY04 2848)
 At first glance, SCOTT PILGRIM: SCOTT PILGRIM’S PRECIOUS LITTLE LIFE doesn’t look like my kind of book. The art is really cartoony and the plot doesn’t seem all that interesting.
I’m going to give it a shot, though, because it’s by LOST AT SEA creator Bryan O’Malley.
At first, I wasn’t sure about LAS, but it’s now one of my favorite OGNs.
He knows how to write characters that are at that growing up crossroads (much like Brian Wood, above) and he also knows when to step back and let the artwork tell the story.
SCOTT PILGRIM is not at all what I’m looking for, but maybe it’s just what I need.
SCOTT PILGRIM: SCOTT PILGRIM’S PRECIOUS LITTLE LIFE, VOL 1 OGN (PAGE 336, $11.95; OC: MAY04 2851)
And, as always:
Upcoming
Must have book shipping this week…
FEB040220 BATMAN #626 $2.25
FEB040235 BATMAN: GOTHAM CENTRAL TP $9.95
FEB040256 FLASH #209 $2.25
FEB040310 THE LOSERS #11 (MR) $2.95
FEB040312 MIDNIGHT, MASS: HERE THERE BE MONSTERS #4 (Of 6) (MR) $2.95
FEB040299 TOM STRONG: BOOK THREE HC $24.95
FEB040296 WILDCATS VERSION 3.0 #20 (MR) $2.95
FEB041312 DIORAMAS: A LOVE STORY OGN $12.95
FEB041331 MINISTRY OF SPACE #3 (Of 3) (RES) $2.95
FEB041569 MARVEL KNIGHTS: 4 #5 $2.99
FEB041625 THE ULTIMATES: HOMELAND SECURITY, VOL 2 TP $17.99
FEB042046 PLANET OF THE CAPES OGN (MR) $12.95
That's it for this week. I'll see you all next time. Thanks.
Brian Domingos is the Columns Editor at Popimage.com. Disagree with him? Think HE’S the problem? Email him via brian@popimage.com and get it all off your chest.
PopImage
Forum - Discuss this message at the PopImage forum.
Industrial
Archive - Read past Industrial articles
|
