Remember to get your
orders in ASAP! Initial orders due March 25th!
INDEPENDENT COMICS HIGHLIGHTS
ANTARCTIC PRESS
CYBERTRONIAN: UNOFFICIAL TRANSFORMERS GUIDE POCKET MANGA VOL 1
TP
A
digest-sized guide to every Transformers toy released from
1984-1987, a guide to the Marvel Comics run, and a section
devoted to the greatest Transformers movie ever - the cartoon
one that has that ‘80s power ballad throughout. You Got The
Touch!
ARCHIE COMICS
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES ADVENTURES VOL 1 TP: HEROES IN A
HALFSHELL
Written & illustrated by Michael Dooney.
Turtle Power! Man, I remember these! And I remember that
kick-ass arcade game that got ported into a kick-ass NES game
that had kick-ass ads for Pizza Hut through the whole thing.
This year is the Turtle’s 25th anniversary, so let’s
hope that nostalgia can work its magic and we can somehow get
the original Eastman & Laird TMNT back into print.
AVATAR PRESS
FREAK ANGELS VOL. 2 TP
Written by Warren Ellis. Illustrated by Paul Duffield.
For those of you who aren’t reading this series on-line, volume
two of this excellent story is now in print. Anyone who read the
first volume has likely been eagerly awaiting this next
instalment, and for anyone who hasn’t read this yet but enjoys
well crafted stories, now is your chance to discover a very good
one.
BOOM! STUDIOS
THE UNTHINKABLE #1 (of 4)
start reading here!
Written by Mark Sable. Illustrated by Julian Totino Tedesco.
This one has a pretty cool concept, and should be worth picking
up. A post 9-11 think-tank has been created whose sole purpose
is to imagine the most horrific scenarios so that the government
can prepare for defence against these remote nightmare
possibilities. And then things go south in a hurry.
DRAWN & QUARTERLY
GEORGE SPROTT HC
Written & illustrated by Seth.
A
fictional biography of a grumpy old man. Although on the surface
this is a book about a dead man, Seth's really good a making
things funny then depressing. Worth a look, and if you haven't
read Seth's earlier book, IT’S A GOOD LIFE IF YOU DON’T WEAKEN,
then you're missing out.
DYNAMITE
ENTERTAINMENT
THE BOYS: HEROGASM #1 (of 6)
Written by Garth Ennis. Illustrated by John McCrea.
The HITMAN creative team reunites for a superpowered clusterfuck
of epic proportions. Every superteam introduced in The Boys will
collide, and I'm sure there will be boobies and innards. Also,
THE BOYS #30 has a variant cover by Jim Lee!
BUCK ROGERS #0
start reading here!
Written by Scott Beatty. Illustrated by Carlos Rafael. Covers by
John Cassaday & Alex Ross.
Dynamite continues to re-invent some of the classics, and so far
their track-record is pretty good. And with the first issue
priced at only $0.25 US (likely slightly higher in Canadian
pesos), there’s no reason not to give it a shot.
SHERLOCK HOLMES #1
Written by Leah Moore & John Reppion. Illustrated by Aaron
Campbell. Cover by John Cassaday.
Another classic is being adapted by Leah Moore & John Reppion.
Maybe they can write a cross-over with their other Dynamite
book, THE COMPLETE DRACULA.
FANFARE / POTENT
MON
A
DISTANT NEIGHBORHOOD VOL. 1 GN
Written & illustrated by Jiro Taniguchi.
Taniguchi is one of my favourite artists, and brings an amazing
level of detail to any story he illustrates. He's done some
excellent crime / noir manga like HOTEL HARBOUR and BENKEI IN
NEW YORK, as well as more thoughtful, calmer pieces like THE ICE
WANDERER and THE WALKING MAN. This is a story about a man who
returns to the town he grew up in, only to be transported back
to his teenage years but with all of his adult memories. Will he
be able to stop his father from abandoning his family or stop
his mother from dying? Or will he just be forced to watch all
his painful memories all over again?
FIRST SECOND
THE ETERNAL SMILE GN
Written by Gene Yang. Illustrated by Derek Kirk Kim.
Two Asian-American cartoonists collaborate for the first time
with three tales of fantasy and imagination. Never read anything
by Yang, but I know Derek Kirk Kim's SAME DIFFERENCE AND OTHER STORIES
is really good.
HEAVY METAL
LUIS ROYO: DEAD MOON HC
Written & illustrated by Luis Royo.
A
fantasy / pervert take on Romeo & Juliet. There are two great
empires locked in a bitter struggle fuelled by passion: one is
an alluring female society and another is a warlike man-cave.
There will be boobies and innards.
I.D.W. PUBLISHING
ASTRO BOY MOVIE PREQUEL: UNDERGROUND #1
Written by Scott Tipton. Illustrated by Diego Jordan. Covers by
Diego Jordan & Ashley Wood.
Okay, I like IDW, they do a lot of cool books, but this is
unacceptable. YOU DO NOT FUCK WITH OSAMU TEZUKA. I know he's
dead and all, and can't do his own movie prequel adaptations,
but you know what? We should just be made to suffer and be
thankful we got his amazing comics.
BILLBOARDS HC
Written by Clifford Meth. Illustrated by Dave Gutierrez.
A
near-future tale of people selling their bodies to be tattooed
and used to advertise products. But there is a sinister purpose
to these new billboards, unknown to their “hosts”. Cynical
paranoia ensues.
PANTHEON BOOKS
ASTERIOS POLYP
Written & illustrated by David Mazzucchelli.
Mazzucchelli, collaborator with Frank Miller on the classics
DAREDEVIL BORN AGAIN and BATMAN YEAR ONE, creates what might
become a modern masterpiece.
His art style has evolved, but I’ve
seen a preview copy of it, and it looks Phenomenal! Do not miss
this!
THREE RIVERS PRESS
THE ZOMBIE SURVIVAL GUIDE: RECORDED ATTACKS GN
Written by Max Brooks. Illustrated by various.
Okay, I think the zombie thing is pretty played out and deserves
to die (no pun intended). But I'll make an exception for this
since it's written by the guy who wrote the magnificent novel
WORLD WAR Z. This graphic novel is a record of the various
zombie attacks throughout history, from our ancestors in Afrcia
to Soviet experiments gone horribly wrong.
TOP SHELF
FAR ARDEN HC C
Written & illustrated by Kevin Cannon.
Featuring the strange character Army Shanks, and his quest to
find the mythical island of Far Arden, this is an adventure
story like no other.
TWOMORROWS
PUBLISHING
THE EXTRAORDINARY WORKS OF ALAN MOORE (INDISPENSABLE EDITION) ) TP
Written by George Khoury.
This book is a series of interviews, but wide ranging and
supposedly covering his entire career (I’m quite curious to read
what he has to say about DC - it’s always fun to hear the genius
hermit rant). Also featuring some tribute comic strips written &
illustrated by many of Moore’s famous collaborators, which
should be quite interesting to see.
DARK HORSE COMICS HIGHLIGHTS
RAPTURE #1 (of 6)
Written by Michael Avon Oeming & Taki Soma. Illustrated by
Michael Avon Oeming.
A high
concept mini that explores what happens when all of the
superheroes are removed from the world, and an apparently
omniscient being bestows powers on mere mortals. Focusing on two
young lovers, one “blessed” and one who’s powerless. Can the
average person reconcile love and power?
Think of this as “boy meets girl, boy loses girl” combined with
the Biblical rapture, via superpowers. Some interesting stuff
and it has possibility, but it might end up being a bit too much
to fit into the blender.
CAGES
Written & illustrated by Dave McKean.
Dave McKean is best known as the frequent collaborator of one
Neil Gaiman, although he has also created some stunning work of
his own. This meandering chronicle of a painter, a writer, and a
musician living in the same apartment is a fascinating
examination of God, cats, and the cages we live in, and is
possibly one of the finest works of modern graphic fiction. Now
a true classic is finally back in print, in an affordable
softcover, and is a must for your collection!
THE GOON VOL. 8 TP: THOSE THAT IS DAMNED
Written & illustrated by Eric Powell.
Celebrate 10 years of GOON, as Eric Powell once again delivers
you more of the GOON you love. This eighth collection follows
immediately after the seventh volume, and is the second of a
three-part trade paperback series, which will be the most epic
GOON tale yet – “The Return of Labrazio”!
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MARTHA WASHINGTON IN THE TWENTY-FIRST
CENTURY
Written by Frank Miller. Illustrated by Dave Gibbons.
This super-deluxe hardcover could also be called “Absolute
Martha”, but another company might protest. Martha Washington is
a twenty-first century freedom fighter who escapes a maximum
security housing project in Chicago to reintroduce the notion of
Liberty to a broken United States. This volume collects the
entire Martha Washington epic, originally told over several
limited series and one-shots by Moore & Gibbons (best known for
a little story called WATCHMEN), and is filled with great
sketches and behind-the-scenes materials. A must for fans of
either of the two creators.
PIXU: THE MARK OF EVIL HC
Written & illustrated by Gabriel Ba, Becky Cloonan, Vasilis
Lolos, and Fabio Moon.
A tale of a haunted apartment building brought to you by
talented, TALENTED creators. Ba has drawn CASANOVA and UMBRELLA
ACADEMY. Cloonan drew AMERICAN VIRGIN and DEMO. Moon drew
CASANOVA and Joss Whedon's SUGARSHOCK on Myspace. No idea what
the stories will be like, but at the very least, this is going
to look awesome!
SOLOMON
KANE VOLUME 1 : THE CASTLE OF THE DEVIL
Written by.
Scott Allie Illustrated by. Mario Guevara
Having a
weakness for stories delving into the supernatural and those
strong silent characters Solon Kane spoke to me. How can I tell
you about this character in a few words, ah yes I got it: An
evil smiting puritan version of Rambo. Very enjoyable series
based on another Rober E Howard creation. All of them are
actually pretty good now that I think of it.
DC COMICS HIGHLIGHTS
BATMAN:
BATTLE FOR THE COWL #3 (of 3)
Written by
Tony Daniel. Illustrated by Tony Daniel & Sandu Florea.
The epic
story to determine who will inherit the cowl concludes here, and will
affect almost every character with ties to Gotham City and result in
several new and relaunched series next month!
BATMAN IN
BARCELONA: DRAGON'S KNIGHT #1 (one-shot)
Written by
Mark Waid. Illustrated by Diego Olmos. Cover by Jim Lee.
Native
Barcelonese superstar artist Diego Olmos (SUPERNATURAL: RISING SON)
illustrates the Dark Knight’s invasion of Barcelona’s sunny shores. Any
chance Bruce Wayne will get a chance to see a FC Barcelona vs. Real
Madrid football match? Gooooooaaalll! I guess Batman's not dead in
Spain. It must be a time zone thing: I can never figure those out.
BATMAN
CONFIDENTIAL #29
Written by
Andrew Kreisberg. Illustrated by Scott McDaniel & Andy Owens. Cover by
Stephane Roux.
This two
part story “Bad Cop” is a sequel to the recent Joker / GCPD arc in
Batman Confidential #22-25. A Gotham City Police officer who was
tortured by the Joker has succumbed to the lure of evil and has become
the newest menace that Batman must confront.
FINAL
CRISIS AFTERMATH: DANCE #1 (of 6)
Written by
Joe Casey. Illustrated by ChrisCross. Cover by Stanley “Artgem” Lau.
Grant
Morrison gave Japan their very own superhero team in the pages of FINAL
CRISIS, and although they practically saved the world in that series,
their actions were unnoticed and they are all but unknown even in their
own country. But in this new series, members “Most Excellent Superbat”,
“Big Atomic Lantern Boy”, “Shy Crazy Lolita Canary”, “Shiny Happy
Aquazon”, and “Well-spoken Sonic Lightning Flash” get a new American
teammate, and events will be set in motion to break the Super Young Team
into fullblown superheroes or destroy them forever. This book should be
noticed not because it spins out of a major corporate crossover, but
because it features Joe Casey's superhero writing, which is often
excellent, excellent stuff.
FINAL
CRISIS AFTERMATH: INK #1 (of 6)
Written by
Eric Wallace. Illustrated by Fabrizio Fiorentino. Cover by Brian
Stelfreeze.
Another
thing that Morrison did was to turn the Tattooed Man into a superhero
within the pages of Final Crisis, even granting him honorary Justice
League status. This six issue limited series examines what it takes for
a former villain to keep his head above the water, no matter how
tempting it is to sink down to the depths of villainy once again.
FINAL
CRISIS
AFTERMATH:
ESCAPE #1 (of 6)
By Ivan Brandon and
Marco Rudi
Nemesis and a host
of others from the superhuman intelligence community are being detained
and tortured abu garib style by the misnamed Global Peace Agency. As he
begins the painful process of plotting his titular escape, he soon finds
that he has no allies among his fellow victims as he rails against the
information mining, he’ll come to a shocking revelation that may change
his and your outlook on everything.
To be honest, not
really excited for any of these aftermath series, but I have two words
for you: Ivan Brandon. This is one hella talented writer, and the reason
my interested is so piqued with this mini. I’ll give this one a chance
on his merits because Brandon has yet to let me down.
FINAL
CRISIS AFTERMATH: RUN! #1 (of 6)
Written by
Matthew Sturges. Illustrated by Freddie Williams II. Cover by Kako.
You know
how you sometimes make a choice that seems like a good idea at the time,
only to have it come back and bite you in the ass later on? Welcome to
the Human Flame’s world. Not only did he cause the death of the beloved
Martian Manhunter - putting the heroes on his trail - but he also sold
out the villains to the dearly departed Libra - putting the villains on
his trail as well. What’s a guy to do but ... RUN!
LAST DAYS
OF ANIMAL MAN #1 (of 6)
Written by
Gerry Conway. Illustrated by Chris Batista & Dave Meikis. Cover by Brian
Bolland.
With Conway
coming back to the DC family after a long and successful run on TV’s Law
and Order this has the potential to be the best Animal Man story since
Grant Morrison’s glorious run. Set 15 years in the future, Buddy Baker
is struggling with the way his life, and even his world have turned out.
Long the champion of the everyman, Buddy has lost his struggle to
maintain his marriage, see to his family, save his city and uphold his
ideals. Now, with his powers failing, his family drifted apart, and his
city in ruins, the progeny of his arch nemesis comes calling. Can Buddy
muster the strength and will to make one last stand and save himself and
San Diego from a new, more ruthless class of villain?
Well, we
can't have a happily married, well adjusted superhero, can we? No, there
must be Drama for the children who read the comics. Here then, is “Dark
Animal Man Returns”, as it's 2024, the world sucks, and Buddy Baker is
the only one who can save us all.
ORACLE #3
(of 3)
Written by
Kevin VanHook. Illustrated by Julian Lopez & Bit. Cover by Guilliem
March.
Okay, so
even if you haven’t been reading this limited series thus far, there
might be some significant events happening in this issue that will
significantly affect Barbara Gordon and change the world of Gotham in a
very big way.
POWER GIRL
#1
start
reading here!
Written by
Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray. Illustrated by Amanda Conner. Covers by
Amanda Conner and Adam Hughes.
Fan-favourite character Power Girl finally gets her own series brought
to us by the fantastic creative team of Palmiotti, Gray, and Conner.
Their love for the character has been well documented, as well as their
own considerable talents, so this title is very quickly on the way to
being one of the breakout hits of the year. Of course, when you boil it
down, this is a new series featuring giant boobs! Who says comics are
just for awkward men with unrealistic expectations of female bodies and
a chronic incapability to look a woman in the eyes and get to know her
as a person? You're making comics better. Good for you.
R.E.B.E.L.S. #4
Written by
Tony Bedard. Illustrated by Claude St. Aubin & Scott Hanna.
With this
title, DC proves that they can still deliver galaxy spanning space opera
goodness. Vril Dox, the Omega Men, the Khunds and the Dominators all
have to prepare as a mysterious new galactic menace stands revealed.
SECRET SIX
#9
Written by
Gail Simone. Illustrated by Nicola Scott & Doug Hazlewood.
Are Catman
and Ragdoll the new Batman and Robin? They’re dark horse candidates for
the job, but help prove yet again just how good Simone’s writing is.
Okay, so
this might not be an official BATTLE FOR THE COWL tie-in, but Simone
does the obvious (yet still very clever), and shows us how the
characters in this series react to the events transpiring in Gotham.
As battle for the
cowl concludes this month, two members of the secret six are late to
jump on board the train. With a solicit like Ragdoll determined to be
the new boy wonder, I can’t help but smile. I’m excited to see how far
Gail Simone will take this. I have to say I love this group they give me
that sick feel good feeling whenever I crack into one of these books.
SUPERGIRL
#41
Written by
Sterling Gates. Illustrated by Talent Caldwell.
Man, the
SUPERGIRL title hasn’t been this consistently good since Peter David’s
“Earth Angel” days. This issue concludes the “Who is Superwoman” story
arc, providing answers to mysteries and leaving Kara stuck in a brutal
fight she may not win. While this may not necessarily be a great jumping
on point for new readers, as the conclusion to an arc, if you have any
love for costumed superheroics you should do yourself a favour and pick
this title up.
SUPERMAN
#688
Written by
James Robinson. Illustrated by Renato Guedes & Jose Wilson Magalhaes.
Mon-El,
handpicked by Superman himself to guard Metropolis, finds himself in a
bit of trouble as, like Supes himself has done many times, he loses his
powers. Oops.
Filling in for
Superman would be a daunting task for any hero, but doing it without
your powers? Talk about a challenging first day at work. Plus, as
Metropolis fill in hero Mon El struggles with his new role, Guardian and
his Science police step in to try and rescues a missing member of the
Legion of Superheroes.
ACTION
COMICS #877
Written by
Greg Rucka. Illustrated by Eddy Barrows & Ruy Jose.
Ursa
continues her assault against Nightwing and Flamebird. Apparently it’s
going to be brutal and personal.
Hmmm.
SUPERMAN:
WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #3 (of 12)
Written by
James Robinson & Greg Rucka. Illustrated by Pete Woods. Cover by Gary
Frank.
Remember
when the Zod and Kal-El relationship was all about bombastic commands to
kneel? Well, now that Kal is under Zod’s command in the New Krypton
army, the good General is now giving bombastic commands to commit acts
of brutality. Will the farm boy stand for that?
SUPERMAN /
BATMAN #60
Written by
Michael Green & Mike Johnson. Illustrated by Francis Manapul.
Fresh off
a critically acclaimed run illustrating the recently wrapped up LEGION
OF SUPER-HEROES, rising star Francis Manapul gets a shot at illustrating
the World’s Finest in a two-parter set in a strange city called
“Gothamopolis” and starring the Justice Titans. The who?
Read it and you’ll see.
WARLORD #2
Written by
Mike Grell. Illustrated by Joe Prado & Walden Wong. Cover by Mike Grell.
The return
of Warlord! Yes, we’re still excited about this. The new adventure
continues as the newly arrived surface-worlders create numerous
problems, and only Travis Morgan, The Warlord, can hope to save
Skartaris.
ALL STAR
BATMAN AND ROBIN, THE BOY WONDER VOL. 1 TP
Written by
Frank Miller. Illustrated by Jim Lee Scott Williams.
The
god-damn Batman sees the first nine issues of his tales collected in
softcover, for you to read again and again.
BATMAN:
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE CAPED CRUSADER? DELUXE EDITION HC
Written by
Neil Gaiman. Illustrated by Andy Kubert, Scott Williams, Mark
Buckingham, Bernie Mierault, Matt Wagner, and Simon Bisley.
Not only
does this beautiful hardcover contain Neil Gaiman’s “Batman R.I.P.”
aftermath masterpiece, it also contains all of the previous Batman
stories he’s written.
GREEN
LANTERN: RAGE OF THE RED LANTERNS HC
Written by
Geoff Johns. Illustrated by Shane Davis & Sandra Hope, Ivan Reis &
Oclair Albert, and Mike McKone & Andy Lanning.
Covering
the creation of the Alpha Lanterns, the arrival of the powerful Blue
Lantern Corps, and the brutal first assault of the vicious Red Lanterns,
this volume heralds the beginning of the War of Light, first prophesied
in the Sinestro Corps War. Still arguably the best written series in the
DCU, the mythology that Johns and company have carefully created
continues its build-up to the hotly anticipated Blackest Night.
GREEN
LANTERN CORPS: SINS OF THE STAR SAPPHIRE TP
Written by
Peter J. Tomasi. Illustrated by Patrick Gleason, Luke Ross, Drew Geraci,
and Fabio Laguna.
While the
Red of Rage and the Blue of Hope are covered in the Green Lantern
series, the Purple spectrum of Love is dealt with in its sister title,
the Green Lantern Corps. People have often said that Love is the
greatest power in the universe. In this volume, Lanterns Kyle Rayner,
Guy Gardner, and Soranek Natu discover that that might not be just
hyperbole.
HITMAN
VOL. 1 TP: A RAGE IN ARKHAM
Written by
Garth Ennis. Illustrated by John McCrea.
The story
of hit man Tommy Monaghan is finally back in print, and it’s about time!
Fans will rejoice, and anyone who missed the fun the first time around
can finally enjoy the ride.
SUPERMAN:
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE MAN OF TOMORROW? DELUXE EDITION HC
Written by
Alan Moore. Illustrated by Dave Gibbons, Curt Swan, George Perez, and
Rick Veitch.
Just in
time to milk some more WATCHMEN money out of you, here's every Superman
story Alan Moore's ever done. Lots of good stuff in here.
TRINITY
VOL. 1 TP
Written by
Kurt Busiek & Fabian Nicieza. Illustrated by Mark Bagley & others.
The most
recent (and likely last) year-long weekly series gets its first (of,
appropriately enough) three volumes. Now you can read the epic tale by
Busiek & Bagley, and see the related back-up stories by Nicieza too.
VERTIGO
The “Great
Fables Crossover” continues this month in all three FABLES titles, as
characters jump ship from their own titles and continue their attempt to
solve the dangerous mystery facing all of them.
FABLES #84
- “The Great Fables Crossover” part 4
Written by
Bill Willingham & Matthew Sturges. Illustrated by Tony Akins & Andrew
Pepoy.
JACK OF
FABLES #34 - “The Great Fables Crossover” part 5
Written by
Bill Willingham & Matthew Sturges. Illustrated by Russ Braun & Jose
Marzan Jr..
THE
LITERALS #2 (of 3) - “The Great Fables Crossover” part 6
Written by
Bill Willingham & Matthew Sturges. Illustrated by Mark Buckingham &
Andrew Pepoy.
HELLBLAZER
#255
Written by
Peter Milligan. Illustrated by Goran Sudzuka & Rodney Ramos. Cover by
Lee Bermejo.
Sometimes
it really sucks to be John Constantine. Slipping in and out of
consciousness, John is forced to come face to face with the one emotion
he can never seem to deal with: love. Someone call the Star Sapphires.
HOUSE OF
MYSTERY #13
Written by
Matthew Sturges, Bill Willingham, and Chris Roberson. Illustrated by
Neal Adams, Ralph Reese, Eric Powell, and Sergio Aragones.
You can
tell that this is a very special issue of House of Mystery just by
looking at the credits. This issue contains four stories dealing with
the supposed “unluckiest” of numbers in the western lore (although that
distinction falls to the number “4” in most Asian cultures), each
written and illustrated by some of the most talented people in the
industry. And for those unfamiliar with the name, Chris Roberson is an
extremely talented sci-fi / fantasy writer.
NORTHLANDERS
#17
Written by. BRIAN WOOD Illustrated by.VASILIS LOLOS
This latest arc of Northlanders is going to be something special. A one
on one death match between two Vikings. Seems simple enough, but the arc
will detail art of Viking warfare by deconstructing it in this 1 on 1
combat. Fascinating, nice to see people try new things.
MADAME
XANADU #11
start
reading here!
Written
by Matt Wagner. Illustrated by Michael Wm. Kaluta.
This
issue marks the beginning of a five issue arc as Madame Xanadu’s
original illustrator, the esteemed Michael Kaluta, joins forces with
regular scribe Wagner to tell the tale of a 500 year old mystery
spanning the time of the Spanish Inquisition and 1940’s New York. If you
have been enjoying Amy Reeder Hadley’s rendition of the sorceress but
long to see something a bit more… seductive, you’re in for a treat.
THE
UNWRITTEN #1
start
reading here!
Written by
Mike Carey. Illustrated by Peter Gross.
The
creative team behind Vertigo’s LUCIFER series reunites to bring us a new
mystery about the blurring between fiction and reality, and what happens
to someone when they get caught in the middle. Tom Taylor is the
ostensible model for the title character of a series mega popular
boy-wizard novels written by his father. But when his father disappears,
the mysteries begin and Tom realizes that he might be more than he seems
... he may actually be the fictional boy wizard made flesh. The first
issue is only $1, so giving this promising new series a shot won’t hurt
your wallet.
THE
ABSOLUTE DEATH HC
Written
by Neil Gaiman. Illustrated by Mark Buckingham, Chris Bachalo, and
others.
The
perfect companion to the beautiful ABSOLUTE SANDMAN hardcovers, this
volume collects almost every appearance of Gaiman’s Death (the manga
Little Death stories being the only exception). A must for any fan, and
a lovely addition to any collection.
HOUSE OF
MYSTERY VOL. 2 TP: STORIES FOR DEAD PEOPLE E
Written by
Matthew Sturges & Bill Willingham. Illustrated by Luca Rossi and others.
The second
volume of this excellent new series arrives with answers to some of the
mysteries, but bringing many more unresolved questions. This volume also
features fantastic guest artists David Peterson (MOUSE GUARD), Bernie
Wrightson (SWAMP THING), Kyle Baker, and more.
THE
NOBODY HC
Written by. JEFF LEMIRE Illustrated by. JEFF LEMIRE
Vertigo always does great OGN’s and after being so pleasantly surprised
with The Alcoholic, I’m excited to check out more of these, especially
if it’s got an Invisible Man vibe. When a stranger wrapped from head to
toe in bandages arrives at an isolated fishing town, the town takes him
in, but what do his bandages really hide?
WILDSTORM
EX MACHINA
#42
Written by
Brian K. Vaughan. Illustrated by Tony Harris & Jim Clark.
The
exploration of the origin of the Great Machine’s mysterious powers
continues, and the mysteries that have lingered since the beginning of
the series continue to have some light shed upon them. All in time for
the impending big finish. If you haven’t been reading, now is the time,
as the end is nigh!
KILLAPALOOZA #1 (of 6)
Written by
Adam Beechen. Illustrated by Trevor Hairsine.
The Clap
are the biggest rockstars on the planet but they're also a top-secret
metahuman assassin squad. Ready to hang
up the guitars and silencers, they take one last job. Unfortunately they
may not survive the opening act when an up and comer looks to make a
name.
I bet they get laid. Like, SUPER laid.
OCEAN NEW
EDITION TP
Written by
Warren Ellis. Illustrated by Chris Sprouse & Karl Story.
Warren
Ellis is a master of science fiction, and this series is a testament to
that. When Nathan Kane, a UN Weapons Inspector, is sent to Jupiter’s
moon Europa to learn about the alien life forms under its icy surface,
he soon bites off more than he can chew as he faces off against violent
humans who want the alien tech for themselves and the mysterious extra
terrestrials.
SLEEPER
SEASON ONE TP
Written by
Ed Brubaker. Illustrated by Sean Phillips.
The
first collaboration between the creative team of CRIMINAL and INCOGNITO
was a superpowered crime thriller for WildStorm. Holden Carver is on his
way up the ranks of a superpowered mafia. The only problem is, he's a
government agent. The other only problem is his handler is in a coma.
And the other only other problem is he can't come out of the cold
because the good guys think he's a bad guy, but he can't let the bad
guys know he's a good guy. If you like anything Brubaker has written,
you will love this book! It is soon to be a major motion picture, so
read it before it becomes the next big blockbuster.
Want to know where this
creative team became awesome? Look no further than Sleeper. This page
turning, crime thriller about a double agent stuck undercover after his
handler is unexpectedly shot into a coma is brilliant. One of the best
stories I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading, just pisses me off that
they only bring it back in print when a movie looms. But I can’t
complain, back in print to recommend to all you people out there.
Enjoy.
Written by Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning. Illustrated by Tyler
Kirkham.
Ripclaw goes on a rampage and the Avengers are sent to capture
him and force him to register (are they still doing that?) so of
course, CyberForce butts in to fight. A big brouh-ha-ha ensues.
SPAWN: ARCHITECTS OF FEAR ONE-SHOT
Written by Arthur Claire. Illustrated by Aleksi Briclot.
French Spawn! See him terrorize criminals with his magical,
undead baguettes! See him defeat evil with a snotty, snotty
attitude! Watch as his timer runs out and he can no longer wear
berets! From the creative team that brought you SPAWN SIMONY,
and including behind-the-scenes section with additional art and
commentary about the project.
In all seriousness, Aleksi Briclot
is an insanely talented artist who doesn’t get enough work.
Aside from a good story, you’ll get 64 pages of beautiful
artwork and even a behind the scenes look at this wonderful
artist at work. Wow I’m actually excited about Spawn, I feel
like I’m back in 1994.
WITCHBLADE #127
Written by Ron Marz. Illustrated by Stjepan Sejic.
“Battle of the Witchblade” continues, as mysteries are revealed
and tensions become even higher between the two women who wield
the power of the Witchblade. Read this epic to discover who will
ultimately be victorious.
YOUNGBLOOD #9
Written & illustrated by Rob Liefeld.
Hide your babies, plug your ears and shut your eyes, ‘cause if
you don’t you will most certainly bleed out of every orifice.
Rob Liefeld returns to the title that he created! Sorry I just
threw up in my mouth. If you want entertainment don’t pick this
title up but instead go into your favourite comic book store and
ask a man behind the counter wearing glasses just what Rob Liefeld’s problem is, then sit back and enjoy the show!
DEAD @17: ULTIMATE EDITION TP
Written & illustrated by Josh Howard.
When 17year old Nara Kiday is murdered at the hands of a cult,
it sends shockwaves throughout her small sleepy town. But that’s
nothing compared to the shock of seeing her rise up from the
grave, alive and well! But this act may just spell the end of
all mankind. This is the perfect way to read a cool, thought
provoking horror series just in time for the launch of a new
series.
I
KILL GIANTS TP
Written by Joe Kelly. Illustrated by J.M. Ken Niimura.
A young girl tackles her fears (both literal and imagined) in
this excellent under the radar series from last year.
Talk about a
book that’s gotten a lot of hype and praise eh? Well it’s do to
one simple thing, it’s Joe Kelly doing his thing. The man is mad
talented, and writing a book about a girl who fights monsters
both real and imagined. This I can’t wait for.
POWER
UP GN
Written by.
Doug Tennapel Illustrated by. Doug Tennapel
From the
creator of Earthworm Jim and other classics like Monster Zoo,
comes a new OGN. The story of Hugh Randolph a mindless drone at
a local printer who discovers a video game console that allows
him to live his life like a video game, even cheat death. Here
is a truly original creator who has a talent at telling
interesting, poignant and very funny stories.
MARVEL COMICS HIGHLIGHTSHTS
CAPTAIN AMERICA #50
Written by Ed Brubaker. Illustrated by Luke Ross.
This special anniversary issue sees Bucky Barnes reflect on his
birthdays over his long life - from the Depression to WWII to
his days as the Winter Soldier to being the new Captain America.
Quite probably Marvel’s best title, by a writer who is
definitely as good as it gets in comics right now.
The New Cap
celebrates his birthday by reminiscing about all of his
favourite and least favourite memories. Anyone else wondering if
the time he spent as a girl in Liefield's butchering falls in the
good or bad category?
CAPTAIN BRITAIN & MI13 #13
Written by Paul Cornell. Illustrated by Leonard Kirk.
The battle against Dracula and his vampire hordes continues,
with traitors and betrayals making things even more difficult
for Pete Wisdom’s crew. This book is consistently great, so do
yourself a favour and start reading it now!
DARK TOWER : FALL OF GILEAD #1 (of 6)
By the same
great creative team as last time.
For those of
you who have stubbornly resisted reading beautifully
illustrated, ingeniously written adaptation of one of the all
time greatest fantasy series, as created by one of the most
noted modern writers might we convince you to change your
foolish ways? The prior 3 adaptations are all still available to
order in TPB format.
DARK
REIGN ELEKTRA #3 (of 5)
Written by. Zeb
Wells Illustrated by. Clay Mann
It’s Bullseye,
posing as Hawkeye, versus Elektra! Hot diggity damn, I love it
when Christmas comes early. I love the daredevil gallery of
characters and seeing this is just a can’t miss read. Wells is a
good writer so I have faith he will make this every bit as good
as the erection I have while writing this. Too much info? Maybe.
DARK REIGN: YOUNG AVENGERS #1 (of 5)
By
Paul Cornell and Mark Brooks
Talk about
your bad ideas, relaunch a title with none of the exciting new
characters you had originally introduced in the hopes no one
notices. That said, if you’ve been pining for a comic featuring
the unequaled Egghead, or hugely popular Big Zero then this must
be like a second Christmas for you. Me? I am very
flaccid.
DARK REIGN: THE HOOD #1 (of 5)
By
Jeff Parker and Kyle Hotz
Little known
artist Hotz teamed with little known writer Brian K Vaughn
almost a decade ago to create a little known character named the
Hood. Both Vaughn and the Hood have since made it big, and now,
back where it all started, Hotz is going to complete the hat
trick. This is, in my opinion the most promising of all the Dark
Reign tie-ins.
DEADPOOL #10
By Daniel Way
and Paco Medina
Deadpool has
pissed off Norman Osbourn, and as Spidey will soon find out,
that’s never a good idea. The consequences, in this case? The
New Hawkeye, formerly Bullseye who been sent in to make the Merc
with a Mouth eat his words.
The erection
continues as they bring back another old favorite conflict from
back in the day of Joe Kelly’s run on Deadpool. I’ve been
enjoying the hell out of Deadpool lately as it always finds a
way to make me laugh just a little bit. This is something to
look forward to as the psychopaths have at one another. This is
going to be, if nothing else, some serious good times.
HOWLING
COMMANDOS #1
By Jesse
Alexander and John Paul Leon
A young Sgt.
Nick Fury and his howling commando parachute into Enemy
territory, deep in the heart of Yugoslavia to take on Baron
Strucker and his Panzer Max. A quality throw back to those
action packed war comics, that should easily equal the Sgt Rock
resurgence over at DC.
LOCKJAW AND THE PET AVENGERS #1 (of 4)
Written by Chris Eliopoulos. Illustrated by Ig Guara.
Marvel Comics is laughing at you. Every time you buy stuff like
this, Marvel laughs at you a little more. They take your money
but they do not love you. Stop letting them make things like
this!!!
NEW MUTANTS #1
start reading here!
Written by Zeb Wells. Illustrated by Diogenes Neves. Covers by
Adam Kubert & Alex Ross.
It
was inevitable - the return of the original New Mutants!
Cannonball, Dani Moonstar, Karma, Magik, Magma, and Sunspot (Wolfsbane
being occupied at the moment on another X-Team) must reunite to
save the world once more. And you thought DC were the only ones
making everything just like it was in the “Good Old Days.”
Here's my question, if this is the old New Mutants team, aren't
they the Old Mutants? Has Marvel lost its ability to rename
things? Dark Mutants? Young Mutants? Mighty Mutants?
Disassembled?
RIFTWAR #1 (of 5)
By Bryan J.L.
Glass and Ryan Stegman
Marvel
continues to do a sensational job of importing other literary
works into the comic book medium, and appear to have hit yet
another home run.
This exciting
tale will give fantasy junkies yet another fix, with a promising
creative team and engaging story.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #595
By Joe Kelly
and Phil Jimenez
Spidey has
decided to take down Norman Osbourne... unfortunately Norman
Osborn is now head of all Superheroes, and not just some
costumed schmuck in an angry elf suit and a pink hat. Can ol’
Web-head save the Marvel U again, or will he just find himself
beaten to a pulp (again). If you’ve been neglecting the
thankless life of Peter Parker, now is the time to reacquaint
yourself with this story leading up to issue 600.
SPIDER-MAN: THE SHORT HALLOWEEN
Written by Bill Hader and Seth Meyers. Illustrated by Kevin
Maguire.
Insanely funny (or simply insane) SNL cast members Hader and
Meyers join the equally insanely funny Kevin Maguire to bring us
a Spider-Man tale of drunken mistake identities. I’m so there.
A Spider-man
title that mocks Batman a smidgeon, and has Kevin Maguire on art
for a rollicking good time? Sheeeeee-IT I’m there. Two Saturday
Night alumni make the comics debut here, and if they can bring
that good ole SNL humor and Spidey together, I’m for it. Plus
Kevin Maguire’s art is just so much fun.
TROJAN WAR #1 (of 5)
By Roy Thomas
and Miguel Sepulveda
The
promotional image is action packed and crisp, channelling all of
the energy of Zach Snyder’s 300. This is the same creative team
that brought you the very strong Illiad adaptation, this time an
original accompanying work. It the Trojan war Brad Pitt could
only dream of bringing you.
ULTIMATUM: SPIDER-MAN REQUIEM BOOK #1 (of 2)
Written by Brian Michael Bendis. Illustrated by Mark Bagley &
Stuart Immonen.
In
the aftermath of Ultimatum, this two-part story focuses on
Spider-Man and the legacy he has left behind. The newly
relaunched Ultimate Spider-Man will launch directly out of this
one, so make sure you pick it up so you’re ready to go.
I have a tear
in my eye as I write this. Oh Ultimate Spidey you did good by me
you re solidified my love for comics. Now that that’s over this
really isn’t, awesome to see them go out with a bang bringing
Bagley back, and that fills me with glee, but do not fear
Ultimate Spidey will be back when they relaunch the Ultimate
Line with Ultimate Comics. Sadly though is the end of the road
for Immonen and Bagley on USM.
X-FACTOR #43
Written by Peter David. Illustrated by Valentine De Landro.
Just in case you haven’t believed us the past few months, this
title has been delivering some huge surprises the past few
months, building on its track record of consistently excellence.
Read this title: you won’t be disappointed!
WOLVERINE #73 and #74
By Aaron, Way,
Edwards and Kubert
Marvel’s
bringing everyone back this month, as Adam Kubert pulls bagley
and returns to the book he started on for this 2 issue double
feature. That brings you a tale of Wolverines Day off and a
second bill of Wolverine doing his best Kurt Russell as he
attempts to get out of New York .
WOLVERINE
ORIGINS # 36
Written by.
Daniel Way Illustrated by. Doug Braithwait
Here’s the $4
dollar question: will Daken also get a shiny set of adamantium
claws like the old man? I guess this is where we find out. I ‘m
curious to see where this is going, because I know Daken seems
to be in for the long haul now, and I hope they flesh him out a
lot more. Time will tell.
SPIDER-MAN NOIR HC
Written by David Hine & Fabrice Sapolsky. Illustrated by Carmine
Di Giandomenico.
Marvel is putting a big push behind its new Noir line of books,
and the first collection spotlights the one and only Spider-Man.
This was an enjoyable series, and worth reading.
X-MEN: MANIFEST DESTINY HC
Written by Jason Aaron, Mike Carey & others. Illustrated by
Steven Segovia, Michael Ryan, Takeshi Miyazaki, Ben Oliver, and
others.
An anthology of stories showcasing how the X-Men are adjusting
to their new San Diego digs. The highlight of the bunch is
Wolverine's kung-fu Chinatown adventure.
TOYS
& MISC.
HIGHLIGHTS
BACK TO THE FUTURE DELOREAN CAR
Doc Brown’s famous time-traveling DeLorean is represented in
all its glory in this 1/18th scale replica.
BLUE LANTERN T-SHIRT
Spread hope throughout the galaxy as you show your support
for the Blue Lantern corps!
BLACK
CAT SASSY DELUXE COSTUME
I can think
of so many things to say, but I’ll let your imagination run
wild. Another in the line of “Sassy” costumes, and what can
I say I am a sucker for a half naked girl in tight leather.
Sign me up.
BLACK LANTERN T-SHIRT
Alternately, show your allegiance to the Black as the dead
rise. Do it, or Earth-2 Superman will kick your ass.
BLACULA
12 INCH COLLECTOR ACTION FIGURE
It’s the
one everyone’s been clamoring for, everyone meaning me. I
was very pleasantly surprised to see one of the great icons
from the grindhouse/blaxploitation era, given life. I hope
they do more of these. A Dolemite would make my head
explode. No joke. I would also hope it comes with an army of
his sexy ninja assassins. Watch the movie, get the figure.
Scream, Blacula, Scream!
CAPTAIN
AMERICA REPLICA SHIELDS
I know
there are a lot of people out there seeking these, and knows
your chance to own one. I just want to take a moment and
remind everyone that we’re in Canada. Now that that’s over,
these shields come in 2 versions: Deluxe and Adult.
DESTROYER
STATUE
AH Bowen,
every month I see what new joys you have to offer and
there’s always one that makes me go ooooooo. The destroyer
just looks so grand and imposing, his simple design
translates pretty damn well. They did a great job here. If
your Thor statue is looking lonely, give him a friend.
DUNGEONS
& DRAGONS 4th EDITION: MONSTER MANUAL 2
After the
phenomenal release of the Player’s Handbook 2, which if you
don’t own you really should because they did a great job
with it, I’m excited to see what new challenges they bring
to players with this latest incarnation of the monster
manual. The two headed baboon on the cover with the
tentacles, yeah, you’re eyes do not deceive you.
EMMA
FROST SASSY PRESTIGE COSTUME
A name like
that leaves little to the imagination, and so does this
costume. DAMN. Now you favorite girls of comics can come
alive. Frank Cho curves are not included.
GHOSTBUSTERS MINIMATES BOX SET #1
The minimate phenomenon continues and this time they knew
who to call! This box set includes Venkman, Spengler, Louis
Tully and Gozer’s dog, and the possessed Dana Barret. Don’t
miss out on these cool 2 inch collectables.
GHOSTBUSTERS STAY PUFT MARSHMALLOW MAN BANK
The cute, cuddly herald of doom from the first GHOSTBUSTERS
film can now come home with you to guard your spare change.
What else do I need to say? It looks awesome. And if you are
bored one day and want to totally geek out, you can grab
those minimates along with the bank and act out the final
scene from the original Ghostbusters movie!
HALLOWEEN
COSTUMES
Oh and it looks like Cosplay is slowly becoming more
acceptable and less deserving of blatant mockery and scorn
because Previews is full of superhero costumes. Now you too
can dress up as Silk Spectre and Night Owl and recreate your
own oafish, middle-aged sex in the comfort of your parent's
home! Hell, maybe you can recreate oafish, middle-aged sex
while your parents are actually engaging in oafish,
middle-ages sex upstairs! They have costumes of all sizes.
Or you can have your own, groiny crossover and have Storm
Shadow ninjasex Emma Frost. The combinations are endless and
disgusting. You do not have the physique to wear spandex.
But seriously, any ladies out there who want to wear the
Emma Frost costume, call me. I wear glasses like Cyclops.
Let's repopulate the mutant race.
HELLBOY: B.P.R.D. BUDDIES FIGURES
The fun “Little Buddies” series of figures (there have
already been a bunch of great Star Wars and Marvel Super
Hero Squad figures) brings you some kick-ass Hellboy
figures, from last summer’s HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY.
JLA TROPHY ROOM: GREEN LANTERN RINGS PROP REPLICA
An ugly ass plastic case filled with ugly ass plastic rings.
Is there seriously a Lantern Corps for avarice? Greed
Lanterns? Are they nerds who covet variant covers? As an
added bonus, the rings aren't even meant to be worn, so you
can't cosplay with them.
MIGHTY MUGGS D.I.Y. BLANK WHITE FIGURE
Everyone knows Mighty Muggs are super cool, and now you can
create your very own! Maybe your favourite character hasn’t
gotten the Mighty Muggs treatment, or perhaps you think you
can simply design a better version. Either way, now’s your
chance to show the world what you’ve got with your mad
design skills!
SPIDER-MAN
ADULT DELUXE COSTUMES
So many
solicits this month for costumes, but it’s the early bird
gets the worm for Halloween right, so be prepared. It’s hard
to find a good looking spidey costume so this is quite
awesome because it actually looks good. Weather you have the
physical definition to pull It off is something completely
different. I think I’ll get one of these just to wear under
my work clothes. One can only dream right, or I guess be
judged by his peers.
STAR TREK CARTOON T-SHIRTS
These two T-shirts featuring stylized cartoon versions of
the classic Trek characters look really fun. You can wear
Kirk saying “You ... off my ship!” or the dangerous “Bring
on the Gorn!”.
STREET
FIGHTER: KEN MASTERS ¼ SCALE STATUE
It’s always
cool to see new street fighter stuff, especially when it
looks good. I know how die hard the fans can get and here’s
a favorite perfectly captured ion a pretty large scale. If
you’re a Ken guy here’s the ultimate statue. Shame it comes
with no dragon punching action.
THOR HAMMER
REPLICA
For those
not wanting to shell out $500 for an aluminum (WTF!?!) replica
they’ve been soliciting recently, here is your more
affordable substitute. Simple and you won’t kill someone
when you bop them on the head with it in a fit of Asgardian
rage.
UGLYDOLLS ACTION FIGURE COLLECTION
Add a little Ugly to your life as toy designer’s Horvath &
Sun-Min Kim’s acclaimed Uglydolls arrive in a new form (no
longer huggable and plush-like) as 3 inch tall figures.
Collect them all: Babo, Jeero, Ice-bat, Wedgehead, Ox
(available in two colors) and a ‘rare-chase-limited’ figure,
Red tooth wedgehead. All packaged identically to annoy and
excite you with every purchase!
WOMEN OF THE E DCU T-SHIRT
Remember those full page house ads in most of DC’s comics
running last year that featured gorgeous Adam Hughes art
depicting the ladies of the DCU in beautiful evening wear?
Well, now you can wear that piece of art as Graphitti
designs unleashes the Women of the DCU as only Hughes can
draw them.
It’s a
T-shirt of Adam Hughes drawing the women of DC in sexy white
dresses. I think that just sold itself.
WATCHMEN BE@RBRICKS 3-PACK SET A
From Medicom
Toy Corporation. Who Watches the Watchmen? Everyone does
when they see this Be@rbrick set featuring The Comedian,
Nite Owl and Ozymandias.
WATCHMEN BE@RBRICKS 3-PACK SET B
From Medicom
Toy Corporation. These Be@rbrick versions of Rorschach,
Dr. Manhattan and Silk Spectre make the streets "unbearable"
for criminals and delightful for comic fans. (NOTE:
Set contains 1 figure each of Dr. Manhattan, Rorschach &
Silk Spectre.)
WATCHMEN KUBRICKS 3-PACK SET A
From Medicom
Toy Corporation. The Comedian, Nite Owl and Ozymandias
guard the world as a set of collectible Kubricks.
(NOTE: Set contains 1 figure each of the Comedian, Nite Owl
& Ozymandias.)
WATCHMEN KUBRICKS 3-PACK SET B
From Medicom
Toy Corporation. Rorschach, Dr. Manhattan and Silk
Spectre make a big impression in this cool set of little
Kubricks. (NOTE: Set contains 1 figure each of Dr.
Manhattan, Rorschach & Silk Spectre.)
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