UNTIL YOUR HEART STOPS v29.7
by Brian Domingos

Laughing With Folding Chair

June 17th, 2009

It was my birthday last week (thank you, thank you) and my big gift was three pages of original art from Splash Page Art.

I got two pages of Michael Lark and one from Cameron Stewart.

The first Lark page is from one of my favorite books of all-time, SANDMAN MYSTERY THEATRE.

It’s from a four-parter that Lark did (#58, page 9) and it’s a clear shot of Wesley Dodds, the Sandman. I’m a huge fan of Wesley, so this was a thrill.

Plus, it’s lettered by John Costanza and inked by Richard Case. I love the little details on the art page, the whiteout and the touched-up word balloons. So cool.

Then there’s a page from GOTHAM CENTRAL #7 (page 4). Usually, the most popular GC pages that are the ones that feature Batman, so those are most expensive and hard to find.

Luckily, I found a page that was not only penciled and inked by Lark, but it featured Renee Montoya, Crispus Allen and Maggie Sawyer (I love these guys).

This was from the “Half a Life” Montoya-is-a-lesbian story; important story and excellent characters. It was lettered by Willie Schubert and there are more corrections on the art.

The last piece is from Ed Brubaker and Cameron Stewart’s run on CATWOMAN.

It’s page #6 from issue #23 when Selina and Holly make their way to Opal City on Selina’s secret mission.

The page features the two of them meeting Jake, “Don’t Call Me Bobo” Bennetti, the ex-con/reformed villain who Jack Knight left in charge of the city after he retired.

Brubaker wrote it so that Selina and Bobo had a secret history and it was a really nice character point. I love STARMAN #29 – Bobo’s first appearance; it’s one of my favorite issues and a great memory for me.

The art is Stewart’s pencils and inks over Guy Davis’ layouts, and it's cool, because I'm a fan of Davis as well. There are no letters here, but the art is so expressive, you can practically hear Holly say “...You’re Bobo Bennetti!!” in the fifth panel. Such good stuff.

My lovely wife had them framed and mounted and they look fantastic. I’ll be hanging them later this week.

Oh and, hey, looks like Steve Rogers is coming back. Is anyone surprised?

---

So, like most people, I have a daily cycle of websites I work through to see updates about news and previews and the like. I check Newsarama and CBR and Heidi’s blog, “The Beat” – all of the normal places. A new group included to the list is the trio of DC sites covering the DC Universe, Wildstorm and Vertigo.

The Source, which I’ve linked to before, has all of the DC Universe previews and news. It shows off covers and showcases pages of upcoming books. Lots of neat little updates here.

The biggest and best news is that the weekly SUPERMAN strip – from the upcoming WEDNESDAY COMICS will be serialized in the newspaper USA Today. That’s totally awesome. John Arcudi is a great writer and people are going to be blown away by Lee Bermejo’s artwork.

Two new additions to the interweb are The Bleed, and Graphic Content. “The Bleed” is everything Wildstorm - from the WS Universe books, to creator-owned/driven and licensed books. “Graphic Content” is the Vertigo corner of the publisher, showing off new books like LUNA PARK, written by novelist Kevin Baker and drawn by Danijel Zezelj. It’s an Original Graphic Novel coming in November and it looks cool as hell.

I’m glad to see these new sites up and they help to expose readers to different types of books. I wish Marvel’s site was as organized as this. I go there a couple times a month to see shipping dates, etc. and I find their catalogue to be pretty impenetrable. Their search function doesn’t usually work as well as it probably should, either.

---

It’s a relatively quiet week but some cool books like… STARMAN!

Upcoming…
Books and items shipping Wednesday June 10th, 2009

MAR098023 1939 DAILY BUGLE PI
APR090164 ACTION COMICS ANNUAL #12 $4.99

APR090264 AIR #10
Vertigo/DC Comics
$2.99

Last issue was a stand-alone that wrapped up some plot pieces and played up the ideas of serendipity and synchronicity. It leads us into this issue – another stand-alone that shows the “Secret Origin” of The Device. Always great stuff from Willow Wilson and MK Perker.

APR090462 ALL NEW SAVAGE SHE-HULK #3 (OF 4) DKR $3.99
APR090594 AMAZING SPIDER-GIRL TP VOL 05 MAYBREAK $16.99
APR090448 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN FAMILY #7 $4.99
MAR092443 AMBER ATOMS #4 $3.50
APR090879 ANGEL #22 $3.99
JAN093962 AP HOW TO DRAW TRANSFORMING ROBOTS PKT MANGA TP VOL 01 $12.95
JAN094142 ARMY OF DARKNESS TP VOL 08 HOME SWEET HELL $14.99
APR090848 BARACK OBAMA THE ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE #1 $3.99

APR090156 BATMAN: STREETS OF GOTHAM #1
DC Comics
$3.99

The best thing that ever happened to Paul Dini is Dustin Nguyen. The guy's a master. Their final arcs on DETECTIVE COMICS were the best of Dini's entire run. They have moved to this new book, "Streets of Gotham", which covers the citizens of Gotham and how they relate to Batman and crew. Also: the return of Marc Andreyko's MANHUNTER.

MAR090175 BATMAN: THE BLACK CASEBOOK TPB
DC Comics
$17.99

You know how Grant Morrison’s run on BATMAN was filled with references to dozens of stories you’ve never read but sound nuts? It’s all collected here in “The Black Casebook”.

APR090657 BETTY & VERONICA #242 $2.50
APR090658 BETTY & VERONICA DIGEST #195 $2.69

APR090358 BODY BAGS: FATHERS DAY, VOL. 1 TPB
Image Comics
$14.99

I’m a huge fan of Jason Pearson’s BODYBAGS. It’s not particularly smart or clever, but the art is great and the action is over-the-top awesome. This is from over a decade ago and it helped form me a bit. I was impressionable. It’s a classic.

MAR092468 BOMB QUEEN PRESENTS ALL GIRL COMICS (ONE SHOT) (MR) $3.50
APR090767 BOYS HEROGASM #2 (OF 6) (MR) $2.99
APR090179 BRAVE AND THE BOLD #24 $2.99
JAN090141 BRIDE OF THE WATER GOD TP VOL 03 $9.95
APR090534 CABLE #15 XMW $2.99
MAR094132 CAPED #3 (OF 4) $3.99

APR090492 CAPTAIN AMERICA #600
Marvel Comics
$4.99

So the Cap assassination was a year ago in Marvel Universe time and things were not as they seemed. Is anyone surprised by that? And, as I mentioned above, Steve’s coming back and I can’t say it wasn’t obvious.

APR090561 CAPTAIN AMERICA: MAN WITH NO FACE PREM HC
Marvel Comics
$19.99

All of that said, the Brubaker run as been strong so far, so I’m guessing “Man with No Face” is the same as the rest.

APR090495 CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI 13 #14 $2.99
APR090904 CAPTAIN CANUCK HC VOL 01 $24.99
APR090231 CARTOON NETWORK BLOCK PARTY #58 $2.50
NOV084265 CLASSIC DAN DARE HC VOL 11 PHANTOM FLEET $22.95
OCT084033 COMPLETE JUST A PILGRIM HC SGN ED $49.99
APR090028 CONAN LEGACY FRAZETTA COVER #3 (OF 8) $5.99
APR090470 DARK REIGN FANTASTIC FOUR #4 (OF 5) DKR $2.99
APR090468 DARK REIGN HAWKEYE #3 (OF 5) DKR $3.99
APR090466 DARK REIGN MISTER NEGATIVE #1 (OF 3) DKR $3.99
APR090474 DARK REIGN YOUNG AVENGERS #2 (OF 5) DKR $3.99
APR090424 DARK TOWER THE FALL OF GILEAD #2 (OF 6) $3.99
APR090331 DEAD AT 17 AFTERBIRTH #1 (OF 4) $2.99
MAR094052 DEMON CLEANER #3 (OF 3) $3.99
APR090552 DESTROYER #3 (OF 5) (MR) $3.99
JAN094209 DF DARK REIGN FF #1 (OF 5) HICKMAN SGN ED $19.99
JUL083951 DF SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN #41 SGN & REMARKED $69.99
MAR090246 DOROTHEA VOL 05 (MR) $12.99
NOV084315 DRAGON BALL Z VIZBIG ED GN VOL 04 $17.99
APR090381 ELEPHANTMEN #20 (RES) $3.50
APR090236 EX MACHINA #43 (MR) $2.99
APR090671 EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT IRIS #1 BENITEZ CVR $2.99
APR090673 EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT IRIS #1 FRANCISCO CVR $2.99
APR090672 EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT IRIS #1 TAKEDA CVR $2.99
APR090729 FALL OF CTHULHU NEMESIS #3 (OF 4) $3.99
APR090497 FANTASTIC FORCE #3 (OF 5) $2.99
APR090682 FART PARTY GN VOL 02 (MR) $13.95
APR090632 FAT CHUNK GN VOL 02 ZOMBIE $12.95
FEB094012 FEMFORCE #149 $6.95

APR090145 FINAL CRISIS AFTERMATH: DANCE #2 (OF 6)
DC Comics
$2.99

Remember how I went on and on last week about how ChrisCross was perfect for “Dance”? Yeah. He didn’t draw this one. A shame. But, artists Andre Coehlo, Eduardo Pansica & Sandro Ribeiro look pretty decent. It’s not the same, but it’s similar in tone. Don’t worry, though – I’m still right about Joe Casey.

MAR090247 FLAT EARTH EXCHANGE VOL 04 $9.99
MAR094053 FURRLOUGH COLOR SPECIAL $5.99
MAR094463 FUSHIGI YUGI VIZBIG ED GN VOL 02 $17.99
MAR094422 GAKUEN HEAVEN NAKAJIMA GN (A) $14.99
APR090241 GEARS OF WAR SOURCEBOOK (MR) $3.99
MAR094481 GESTALT GN VOL 01 $8.99

APR090864 G.I. JOE: COBRA #4
IDW Publishing
$3.99

I like this book more than I should.

MAR094054 GOLD DIGGER #107 $2.99
MAR094055 GOLD DIGGER COLOR REMIX MANGAZINE SPECIAL $3.99
FEB094032 GOLD DIGGER TECH MANUAL #4 $3.95
MAR094418 GRAVITATION COLLECTION GN VOL 01 (OF 6) (MR) $14.99
APR090181 GREEN ARROW BLACK CANARY #21 $2.99

MAR090181 GREEN LANTERN: SINESTRO CORPS WAR, VOL. 2 TPB
DC Comics
$14.99

The second volume of the "Sinestro Corps War" has mostly GREEN LANTERN CORPS issues, rather than GREEN LANTERN, which is strangely paced, but it's just as important as the rest. It's got the two-page spread that shows the upcoming "War of Light" that foreshadowed the "Blackest Night" story. Lots of great space-action and some sad

APR090874 GROOM LAKE #3 $3.99
APR090267 HELLBLAZER #256 (MR) $2.99

MAR090185 HITMAN: A RAGE IN ARKHAM, VOL. 1 TPB NEW PTG
DC Comics
$14.99

I'm hoping that this reissue of the fist volume of Garth Ennis and John McCrea's HITMAN means that we'll get the rest of the book in trade paperback format. We're five or six volumes into it, but I think there's another 30 issues - or five/six volumes to go. I haven't read the rest of the book although I know what happens (spoilers: everyone dies and no one learns anything... or maybe that's another book?). Either way, it's an excellent book, a little funnier but just as dark as PREACHER.

NOV080258 HOT TOYS DARK KNIGHT 1/6 SCALE TWO FACE FIGURE $175.00
FEB092597 INCOGNITO #4 (MR) $3.50
APR090384 INVINCIBLE #63 $2.99

APR090483 INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #14
DC Comics
$2.99

I just can't help but enjoy Matt Fraction and Salvador Larocca's IRON MAN run. I thought I would stop at some point and just get the collections, but I can't seem to pass up the issues on the shelves. Lots of great action, a rebellious Tony Stark, a power-suited Pepper Potts and a kick-ass Maria Hill. All good stuff.

APR090262 JACK OF FABLES #35 (MR) $2.99
NOV080270 JLA TROPHY ROOM BAT CUFFS PROP REPLICA (RES) $125.00
APR090661 JUGHEADS DOUBLE DIGEST #151 $3.99
APR090843 LEGACY $14.95
NOV080272 LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT BOX SET PI
APR098060 LOCKJAW AND THE PET AVENGERS #1 (OF 4) 2ND PTG GUARA VAR $2.99
MAR094115 LUCKY STAR GN VOL 01 $10.99
MAR094278 LUIS ROYO DEAD MOON $29.95
MAR092455 MADMAN ATOMIC COMICS #16 (RES) $3.50
MAR094415 MAMOTTE SHUGOGETTEN GN VOL 05 (OF 10) $14.99
JAN094139 MAN WITH NO NAME #11 $3.50
APR090510 MARVEL ADVENTURES AVENGERS #37 $2.99
APR090576 MARVEL ADVENTURES AVENGERS TP VOL 09 DIGEST $9.99
APR090505 MARVEL PETS HANDBOOK $3.99
APR090609 MARVEL TRIPLE ACTION #3 $5.99
APR090500 MARVEL ZOMBIES 4 #3 (OF 4) $3.99
MAR094177 MASQUERADE #4 $3.50
APR090362 MICE TEMPLAR TP VOL 01 $17.99
APR090459 MIGHTY AVENGERS #26 DKR $2.99
MAR094129 MR STUFFINS #2 (OF 3) NEW EDITION $3.99
APR090598 MS MARVEL TP VOL 06 ASCENSION $14.99
APR090248 MYSTERIUS THE UNFATHOMABLE #6 (OF 6) $2.99
MAR094447 NAOKI URASAWA 20TH CENTURY BOYS GN VOL 03 $12.99
MAR094193 NEGIMA GN VOL 22 (MR) $10.99
APR090982 NEXUS AS IT HAPPENED TP VOL 01 $9.99
APR090388 OLYMPUS #2 (IMAGE ED) (NOTE PRICE) $3.50

APR090161 THE OUTSIDERS #19
DC Comics
$2.99

Looks like OUTSIDERS artist Lee Garbett cut out a little early. Artists Fernando Pasarin and Jeremy Haun are joining Peter Tomasi for at least the fifth part of "The Deep". The opening arc has been packed with character development and now we're getting to the plot. Deathstroke is involved, as is Vandal Savage/Cain - it's all starting to come together.

MAR094413 PEACE MAKER KUROGANE GN VOL 02 (OF 5) (MR) $10.99
DEC082265 PHONOGRAM 2 #3 (OF 7) SINGLES CLUB $3.50
APR090192 POWER GIRL #2 $2.99
APR090599 POWER PACK CLASSIC TP VOL 01 $29.99
APR090760 PROJECT SUPERPOWERS CHAPTER TWO #0 $1.00

APR090481 PUNISHER #6
Marvel Comics
$3.99

Rick Remender's PUNISHER is pretty damn awesome. His new direction is hard hitting and brutal, showing a smart and deadly Frank Castle. Terrific stuff.

He's on with artist Tan Eng Huat who is just excellent. His work on DOOM PATROL was eye-opening and he's only gotten better. This new arc, “Dead End” has Frank face off against a dozen of The Hood's resurrected D-list villains. I expect lots of mayhem and death. And super-weapons.

APR090603 PUNISHER YEAR ONE TP $12.99

MAR090191 THE QUESTION: THE FIVE BOOKS OF BLOOD TPB
DC Comics
$14.99

Greg Rucka's Renee Montoya is one of my favorites. (That's why I bought that original art.) I'm adjusting to her new Question persona and I think I'm ready for it. I can't wait for the co-feature to start this month. In the meantime, we've got her first miniseries, “The Five Books of Blood”. It picks up where 52 left re: The Crime Bible. Art by: Tom Mandrake, Matthew Clark, Jose Saiz, Diego Olmos and Manuel Garcia.

JUN082269 RED MASS FOR MARS #3 (OF 4) (RES) $3.50
JAN094136 RED SONJA HC VOL 06 $24.99
APR090059 REX MUNDI DH ED #18 $2.99
APR090911 ROBOT GALAXY #1 BROTHERHOOD RETURNS $3.99
APR090912 ROBOT GALAXY #2 $3.99
APR090645 ROD ESPINOSA PRINCE OF HEROES CHAPTER 2 #3 $3.99
MAR094449 RUROUNI KENSHIN VIZBIG ED GN VOL 06 (OF 9) $17.99
APR090663 SABRINA VOL 2 #103 YOUNG SALEM PART 3 OF 4 $2.50
FEB094536 SALEMS DAUGHTER #1 $2.99
NOV083762 SCARLET VERONICA #4 (OF 4) $3.50
MAR094474 SHOJO BEAT JULY 09 $5.99
APR090721 SIMPSONS COMICS #155 $2.99

MAR090210 SLEEPER SEASON 1 TPB
Wildstorm/DC Comics
$24.99

Forget CRIMINAL, SLEEPER is the absolute pinnacle of the career of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. Brubaker’s story is gripping, suspense-filled and thoughtful. Phillips’ art is crisp – perfection in storytelling. It doesn’t get better than this. It’s the collection of the first twelve tense issues of the superhero espionage series. I highly recommend it.

APR090579 SPIDER-MAN LOVES MARY JANE SEASON 2 TP SOPHOMORE JINX $14.99
APR090590 SPIDER-MAN NEW WAYS TO DIE TP $19.99
APR090890 STAR TREK WRATH OF KHAN #2 $3.99
APR090115 STAR WARS KNIGHTS OLD REPUBLIC #42 MASKS PT 1 ( OF 3) $2.99

FEB090214 STARMAN OMNIBUS, VOL. 3 HC
DC Comics
$49.99

Whoa-boy, just in time for more STARMAN. James Robinson writes comics by Tony Harris, Gene Ha, Dusty Abell, Phil Jimenez, J.H. Williams III and others. How cool is that? Collects STARMAN #30-38, STARMAN ANNUAL #2, and STARMAN SECRET FILES #1. This includes the previously uncollected #36 (which I’ve read) as well as THE SHADE #1-4 which is awesome. We’re getting there, folks.

APR090168 SUPERGIRL #42 $2.99
APR090169 SUPERMAN BATMAN #61 $2.99
APR090342 T RUNT HC $12.99
MAR094506 TALES FROM WONDERLAND CHESHIRE CAT ONE-SHOT $3.99
APR090945 TALES OF TMNT #59 $3.25
APR090585 THE IRREDEEMABLE ANT-MAN TP $34.99
APR090519 THOR TRIAL OF THOR $3.99
APR090227 TINY TITANS #17 $2.50
MAR094289 TRANSFORMERS PREMIERE EDITION HC VOL 02 $100.00
APR090849 TRANSFORMERS SPOTLIGHT CLIFFJUMPER $3.99
FEB094237 TSUBASA GN VOL 21 $10.95
APR090592 ULTIMATE ORIGINS TP $19.99
MAR092520 ULTIMATUM SPIDER-MAN REQUIEM #1 (OF 2) $3.99
APR090200 VIGILANTE #7 $2.99
APR090515 WAR MACHINE #7 $2.99
APR090523 WAR OF KINGS ASCENSION #3 (OF 4) $3.99
MAR094412 WARCRAFT LEGENDS GN VOL 04 (OF 5) $10.99
APR090964 WASTELAND TP VOL 04 DOG TRIBE (MR) $11.95

MAR094038 WHATEVER HAPPENED TO WORLD OF TOMORROW? HC
Abrams Comicarts
$24.95

In WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE WORLD OF TOMORROW?, Brian Fies spans the period from the 1939 New York World's Fair to the last Apollo space mission in 1975 from the point-of-view of a young boy who lived through the most tumultuous decades of the last hundred years. In-between, Fies interweaves the comic book adventures of Commander Cap Crater (which reflects the comic styles from the time period).

FEB090210 WILL EISNERS SPIRIT ARCHIVES HC VOL 26 (RES) $59.99
APR098064 WOLVERINE #73 2ND PTG KUBERT VAR (PP #869) $2.99
APR090464 WOLVERINE ORIGINS #37 DKR $2.99
APR090447 WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ #7 (OF 8) $3.99
MAR094380 WONTON SOUP GN VOL 02 $11.95
APR090253 WORLD OF WARCRAFT #20 $2.99
JAN090327 WOW SER 4 MURLOC TWO PACK AF (RES) PI
JAN090326 WOW SER 4 SUCCUBUS DEMON AF (RES) PI
APR090567 X-INFERNUS HC $24.99
APR090532 X-MEN LEGACY #225 $2.99

APR090547 X-MEN ORIGINS: GAMBIT #1
Marvel Comics
$3.99

I'm a sucker for Gambit. I can't help it. On top of that, it's written by Mike Carey, whom will hopefully do more for Gambit than Scott Lobdell and Howard Mackie did. Hopefully. And artist David Yardin still has some points with me for the first arc of DISTRICT X. So we'll see.

JAN092580 X-MEN PREM HC PHOENIX RISING $19.99
JAN092581 X-MEN PREM HC PHOENIX RISING VAR ED 25 $19.99
APR090434 YOUNG ALLIES COMICS #1 70TH ANNIV SPECIAL $3.99
APR090276 YOUNG LIARS #16 (MR) $2.99
APR090570 YTHAQ PREM HC FORSAKEN WORLD (MR) $24.99

APR090772 ZORRO: YEAR ONE: TRAIL OF THE FOX, VOL. 1 TPB
Dynamite Entertainment
$19.99

I'm not really a huge ZORRO fan but I love Matt Wagner and I think Francisco Francavilla is a pretty great artist, so I'm giving this a shot.

---

Jeez, I don't even know about next week. Maybe a review or two. Come back next time and find out. Thanks for reading.

 

Brian Domingos is the Editor-in-Chief at Popimage.com. Questions? Comments? Love Notes? Email him via brian@popimage.com. To submit a comic for review, please email him at the email link. We're always interested to see what people have to offer. And you can follow me on Twitter @bdomingos


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