CSBG Archive
Flippin’ through Previews – February 2009
You know, Greg Hatcher claims he can’t find anything worthy from the Big Four in this month’s Previews. Let’s see if we can prove him wrong, as we take a look at issue #245 (I liked the volume-number format better, just so you know), the one with a drooling alien on the cover!
See?
On page 33, our friends from the Northwest offer the first volume of Tim Truman’s Conan the Cimmerian (volume 7 of the series). They’re offering the softcover (24 June) and hardcover (3 June) for the same price. Why would anyone buy the softcover? That’s odd.
As you know, I love Rex Mundi, and I’m always happy to see a new issue solicited (page 49; 15 April). But why on earth would the solicitation text spoil a big plot point? When I see that, I have to think the death alluded to will not stick. How sad that I’m such a cynical comic book reader that I think that. Bad form, Dark Horse, by the way.
You know what disgusts me? That the Big Two publish shit like all the one-shots “spinning out of the events” of their big events. Final Crisis pissed me off partly because I didn’t feel like reading all the spin-offs (even the ones the God Of All Comics wrote), yet they became somewhat important in the reading of the main story. Jesus, DC, just let Morrison tell his story in the pages of Final Crisis and let the spin-offs tell their own story. So now they’re doing it again, with “The Battle for the Cowl,” which has three one-shots coming out of it (pages 67-69), plus the Azrael and Oracle mini-series (page 70). Blech. What a crock of shit.
Boy, thank God Barry Allen is back (page 77; 1 April). I couldn’t sleep at night without him.
The Ryan Benjamin cover of Dead Romeo (page 79; 1 April) actually looks … good. After making my eyes bleed with his art on that fill-in issue of Batman (#675, I believe), I never thought I’d say that about Benjamin. The interiors could suck, of course, but the cover is pretty keen.
Page 84: “Titans Tower has mysteriously come to life to attack the Teen Titans!” Oh, comics. Why do I love you when you do things like this to me? (1 April.)
Mike Grell returns to Warlord (page 87; 8 April). Unfortunately, he’s not drawing it, but still – it might be worth a look.
I don’t want to buy the JLA Deluxe Edition volume 2 on page 91 (24 June), because I already own most of the issues, but then DC drops in the JLA/WildC.A.T.s crossover that I’ve never read. Damn you, DC!!!!!
There’s a Static collection on page 93 (27 May). I’ve never read Static, so maybe this is the time to do so.
On page 106, you can get a trade of Point Blank, Ed Brubaker’s “sequel” to Sleeper (6 May). It’s a wonderful comic, full of weird twists and turns, and it’s beautifully illustrated by Colin Wilson. Apparently, DC is re-releasing Sleeper in trades (maybe a 24-issue Absolute edition?), so this is a fine place to start.
Speaking of Absolute editions, Promethea gets the treatment on the same page (30 September). 99 dollars is kind of steep, especially as it’s the first of three for the series.
Man, a Fables/Jack of Fables/The Literals crossover (page 112; 15, 22, and 29 April). It will probably be great, but man, buying all those issues is going to suck.
Preacher gets a hardcover trade for the first time on page 117 (24 June). They can put Preacher in hardcover, but there’s no market for more Hitman trades? Really?
Page 119: SSSSSSEEEEEEAAAAAAGGGGGGUUUUUUYYYYYYY!!!!!! (1 April.) You know, even though I don’t love the original series, it’s still an interesting read. And if writing crap like, you know, some of the stuff he’s written recently allows G-Mozz to also write weird stuff like this, I’ll take it.
Uncle freakin’ Sam gets a hardcover edition on page 121 (10 June). This isn’t bad, actually. I’m not sure if it’s worth 20 bucks, but it’s pretty neat. Well, from what I remember. It’s been a while since I’ve read it.
Ivan Brandon and Nic Klein have a new book on page 140 called Viking (1 April). Hmmm, that reminds me of some other comic … I guess Vikings are the new ninjas (or robots, or monkeys, or vampires …).
I don’t know if Pherone (page 146; 29 April) is any good or not, especially as it treads familiar ground (a femme fatale rediscovering her troubled past), but it looks freakin’ cool.
Page 151, 22 April: Jeph Loeb. Rob Liefeld. Smash! Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!!!! (Oh, and Bruce Banner’s lawyers are on line one.)
Jesus, I’m tempted to get Moby Dick, the Classics Illustrated version, on page 153 (8 April). Why? Two words: “Bill” and “Sienkiewicz.”
What’s the deal with Jean Grey’s hair (page 7)?
Ultimate Spider-Man comes to an end (page 15). I can’t believe Marvel won’t relaunch this with a new #1. They’re not killing the entire Ultimate line, are they? (They should kill all of it except this title, which is quite good.)
So Daredevil Noir shows up on page 17 with this text: “The latest addition to Marvel’s red-hot Noir line …” So is this a new Marvel imprint (note Wolverine Noir on the following page)? I thought it was a couple of mini-series. Are we going to see Thor Noir soon? Black Panther Noir? Power Pack Noir? (That would be pretty awesome, come to think of it.)
I noticed this on several Marvel titles: “Wolverine Art Appreciation Variant” cover. What the hell is that? Why does it show up on titles like Agents of Atlas and Ms. Marvel? And why is there none for, say, Wolverine: Origins?
The text for Spider-Woman #1 (page 35) reads: “… she rediscovers her life in a world she did not make.” That’s a stupid line. It didn’t make sense when it was used with Howard the Duck, but at least that was a satirical comic. What the hell does that even mean, Marvel?
The text for Ghost Rider #34 (page 41) claims that the Highwayman shows up. If it’s this guy, that would be awesome. I suspect it’s not, though.
Um, Marvel? Comics don’t have “directors” (Fantastic Force, page 43). I’m just looking out for you!
It really bothers me when Marvel solicits a comic without telling us who the artist is (All-New Savage She-Hulk, page 45). What the hell, Marvel?
The Marvel Assistant-Sized Spectacular (page 51) sounds like goofy fun … but in the age of the Internet, is anyone really an obscure character?
Exiles #1 (page 54): Hey, the last two series didn’t last … but this one is sure to!
So … much … goofy … armor … by … Greg … Land …
(And I’m sure I’m not imagining this, because it’s a Greg Land cover, but check out the composition. The two ladies at the bottom have their butts together and their backs making a V-shape. The lady in between them is snaking through the space. That’s creepy, isn’t it? I’m not thinking too much about it, am I?)
Yes, it’s time for yet another Wolverine ongoing title (page 65). Sure, it’s written by Jason Aaron, but … really? That’s four, right? Plus all the specials Marvel releases every month! Sheesh. Hugh Jackman isn’t that sexy, is he?
I think I got bonked on the head and, like the Connecticut Yankee, have somehow traveled back in time. How else do you explain that it’s suddenly 1993?
Robert Kirkman has a new MAX series on page 73. How will that affect his “no late books” policy for the dozen he writes for Image? Still, with art by Cory Walker, The Destroyer might be worth a look.
Okay, so these Minimates of Wolverine and friends are weird enough (page 79), but is the Blob carrying … a Thermos?
Thank God Marvel has FINALLY brought out a deluxe hardcover of Todd McFarlane’s Torment. Just so you know, the text reminds us that it’s “a terrifying, action-packed epic that made – and continues to make – comics history!” That’s correct, you know.
The Joe Kelly run on Deadpool gets a second trade on page 109. It’s 30 bucks, but it’s a good chunk of comics. I didn’t realize they had brought out a first trade. Maybe they’ll eventually get around to a third trade with issue #11 in it.
There’s a second Essential Dazzler volume on page 117. I might have to get this, even though I own the issues of her solo series. It includes the Dazzler graphic novel, which I can’t find anywhere. And it has a bitchin’ cover by Joe Jusko!
And so we move to the back of the book. Join me, won’t you?
Adhouse Books has a collection of stories by Mike Dawson called Ace-Face: The Mod with the Metal Arms (page 196). I didn’t buy Dawson’s Freddie & Me, but read good things about it, and Our Dread Lord & Master liked Project Superior, whence this character sprang, so this might be good.
There’s a second trade of Rex Libris on page 198 from Amaze Ink/Slave Labor. It claims to collect issues #6-12, but I do hope that’s a misprint, as the series ended with issue #13. This is, of course, more awesome than should be allowed in a comic, so I encourage you to pick it up!
On page 203, there’s a solicit for Walled In from Ape Entertainment. It sounds a bit intriguing, but what I’m amused by is that it’s the origin story of the star of an upcoming feature film, “starring Mischa Barton.” Is Ms. Barton that big a draw that we’re using her presence in the movie to sell it? I’m just wondering.
Warren Ellis continues to crank out stuff for Avatar, in this case Ignition City on page 213, which takes place in a bizarre 1956 in which space pilots wander the Earth. It’s drawn by Gianluca Pagliarani, and it sounds like it has the same steampunk vibe of Aetheric Mechanics, so I’m in!
On page 224, Boom! Studios pisses me off. I’m certainly glad that Mr. Stuffins is finally relaunching, but they’ve completely redone issue #1, with brand-new art, even. I guess I have to buy it. Damn you, Chip Mosher! Boom! also has Irredeemable by Mark Waid, in which a superhero becomes a supervillain. I suppose if anyone can pull this off, it’s Waid (Empire is an underrated gem), but it seems a bit overdone, doesn’t it?
Let’s take a break to talk about the ad on page 236. It’s of the Black Widow, done in a distinctive manga style. That’s cool and all, but the text reads, “The deadly (and delicious) Black Widow wears a skin-tight bodysuit that would only be possible in the world of anime and manga.” Exsqueeze me? Have any of the solicitation text-writers (I want that job!) read a Marvel comic starring the Black Widow? Ever?
All right, moving on. Dynamite jumps into the Dracula pool with The Complete Dracula #1, retelling the story using the original novel. This is after last month’s Previews had a retelling of the book with Ben Templesmith art. What’s going on? It’s not a significant anniversary of the book’s publication (112 years), so what’s up?
On the top of page 287, Moonstone has Skull & Bones in trade. This is a mini-series by Ed Hannigan that DC originally published back in the early 1990s. Remember it? Is it any good, those of you who do remember it?
Oni offers a trade of My Inner Bimbo by Sam Kieth on page 288. This is a really weird mini-series. I have a feeling it’s brilliant, but I need to re-read it. For 15 bucks, however, it’s definitely worth a look.
I feel bad because I haven’t reviewed Chronicles of Some Made yet and now it’s on page 294 from Passenger Pigeon Press. Felix Tannenbaum was nice enough to send it to me, and I’ll definitely review it soon. It’s a strange little love story starring robots. It’s quite sweet.
A new Atomic Robo series! On page 296 from Red 5 Comics! Just buy it already, will you?
Simon & Schuster gives us T-Minus: The Race to the Moon on page 297. It’s written by science aficianado Jim Ottaviani and features at least some art by Zander Cannon. It’s sure to be cool, man!
Some people named Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill are bringing out something called The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen on page 304 from Top Shelf. I might have to give these two rookie creators a look.
And so, with that shout-out for the neophytes, we end our journey through this month’s Previews. Other Greg may not have found anything good from the big boys, but that doesn’t mean we can’t look for nuggets of comics goodness, right?
35 Comments
Greg Hatcher
January 31, 2009 at 10:27 am
I had essentially the same reaction to Battle of the Cowl, except I think I cursed more. Some pro somewhere — I forget who and I don’t want to blame Didio unless I know it was actually him– said something about the ‘fun’ of tracking down a crossover. You know something? It’s NOT fun. It’s annoying. It feels obligatory. And I am hard put to think of a case where I felt like it paid off. My usual example is “Legends” which actually had numbered chapters, but the numbering didn’t make sense and included a complete 4-issue miniseries starring Cosmic Boy, that didn’t actually conclude in the miniseries OR the main crossover, but picked up in the regular Legion title afterward. By then I was so irritated that I just said screw it and walked away. So it actually lost them a sale..
That one may still be the DC record for annoying crossover stuff. But damn if they’re not getting close to it again lately, especially all the bait-and-switch that started with the Infinite Crisis tie-ins and leading on up to RIP and FINAL CRISIS and their various minis. This is an era when they actually know there are fans that prefer to wait until it’s collected in a book and even the book packaging is messed up. It baffles me.
Also, not to be a complete hopeless pedant but I think my comment was that none of the regular books looked good to me while at the same time the collections and reprints were interesting. Though if “Torment” and Dazzler’s the best Marvel’s got, well, it looks to be a slow month. Although I might actually pick up the Dazzler.
stealthwise
January 31, 2009 at 10:57 am
More Deadpool trades! YEAH!
James Moar
January 31, 2009 at 11:55 am
“What’s the deal with Jean Grey’s hair?”
*Really* bad bed-head.
Andrew Collins
January 31, 2009 at 12:03 pm
I heart Dazzler. And that trade is so mine.
Also, Warlord and Mike Grell together again makes me feel like such a fanboy. There’s not a whole lot that excited me in this issue of Previews, but those two listings both got an excited reaction out of me.
res196e7
January 31, 2009 at 12:21 pm
“This is an era when they actually know there are fans that prefer to wait until it’s collected in a book and even the book packaging is messed up. It baffles me.”
I suspect that, much like the music industry is attempting to fight against the tide of online music, the comic industry is attempting to fight against the growing preference for trades. The only monthlies that sell really huge numbers are the mega-crossovers, so the publishers extend them to the point of frustration.
Then, when these storylines are finally collected in book format, the publishers do everything in their power to get the reader to purchase multiple volumes for more money. For example, an 8-part story arc being divided into two 4-part hardcovers. A commenter in another thread on this blog mentioned that the Final Crisis collection was not going to include FC: Superman Beyond, despite the fact that it is integral for following the storyline. FC: SB will be included in a second collection featuring the various one-shots and mini-series, many of which are by no means a “necessary” read.
Anonymous
January 31, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Kirkman said he finished writing Destroyer (and Killraven) a while ago. So it won’t effect his Image books. And save yourself 30 bucks cause JLA/Wildcats is pretty terrible.
MarkAndrew
January 31, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Awesome. I’ve been looking for this ever since it was featured in Dave’s Long Box.
Tobey Cook
January 31, 2009 at 1:30 pm
Just to clarify… Point Blank comes before Sleeper.
Greg Burgas
January 31, 2009 at 2:05 pm
Tobey: Whoops, you’re right. I meant “prequel.” My bad.
felix
January 31, 2009 at 2:27 pm
you should TOTALLY review my book if you are gonna be all nice about it like that!!!
Apodaca
January 31, 2009 at 2:29 pm
“Some pro somewhere — I forget who and I don’t want to blame Didio unless I know it was actually him– said something about the ‘fun’ of tracking down a crossover. You know something? It’s NOT fun. It’s annoying. It feels obligatory.”
That was Morrison. I don’t actually diasgree with you, for the most part, but I will say that Seven Soldiers was a great example of a crossover that was fun to track down, and that was his baby. So, he’s proven it can be done.
Apodaca
January 31, 2009 at 2:31 pm
“What’s the deal with Jean Grey’s hair?”
Have you ever seen ‘There’s Something About Mary’?
Tom Fitzpatrick
January 31, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Soooo, you haven’t slept since 1986 (which is the year Barry Allen died in Crisis of the Infinite Earths)?
You must be the one Gaiman wrote about the sleeping sickness in the first issue of The Sandman.
Is this PREVIEWS the one to start not showing the “benched” titles?
Jim Kosmicki
January 31, 2009 at 3:13 pm
Skull & Bones was a very well done series. I’m very happy to see it being collected, and it fits in well with Moonstone’s other series as well.
and if the Moby Dick is a reprint of the First Comics version, it’s worth the money. Nobody can really do justice to Melville in 48 or 64 pages, but Sienkewicz’ art fits Melville’s story very well. Most of the First Comics’ Classics Illustrated are worth purchasing as they get reprinted.
Brad Curran
January 31, 2009 at 4:19 pm
I liked JLA/Wildcats well enough when I read it, but I got it off e-bay for a dollar before shipping, so I don’t think it’s worth buying a hardcover for.
Ben
January 31, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Seconded to the Skull & Bones shout-out. I picked up the original issues from a cheapo box recently and its a quality read. And JLA/WildCATS, whilst not worth $30, is a pretty fun read. Despite the presence of the WildCATS, who I hate, it has a crazy 90′s reboot of the Lord of Time and the story’s called “Crime Machine”. Awesome…
DubipR
January 31, 2009 at 5:23 pm
Correct me if I’m wrong though, wasn’t the Morrison JLA: Ultramarines TPB have the Wilcats story in the back as well?
Randy
January 31, 2009 at 7:26 pm
You are correct, DubipR.
Keith B
January 31, 2009 at 8:44 pm
There are (slightly larger than) thumbnails of the whole Moby Dick GN on Sienkiewicz’s website. It looks gorgeous.
http://www.billsienkiewiczart.com/gallery.asp?sc=BSMOB&page=0
Dan Felty
February 1, 2009 at 1:31 am
Yeah, that Sienkiewicz Moby Dick will definitely be worth picking up–it blew my 6-year-old mind when I first saw it. I’ve been looking for it at my Dad’s house for a couple of years now.
Rex Libris is much fun. It’s packed with content and has a very distinctive “drawn in a drafting class” look to it.
Japanese artist Yoshihiro Tatsumi’s 840-page autobiography is coming out from D & Q; I’m sure it will be worth a look.
Another of Garth Ennis’ Battlefields series is starting. Did anybody check out the first two? His War Stories for Vertigo were good.
Dave Sim has a bi-monthly series retrospective of Cerebus coming out, if anyone is interested.
Anonymous
February 1, 2009 at 4:46 am
“Jesus, I’m tempted to get Moby Dick, the Classics Illustrated version, on page 153 (8 April). Why? Two words: “Bill” and “Sienkiewicz.””
I’m tempted to get the whole lot of the new issues – retro feel, the real thing as far as the artwork goes, but a bit beefier and gloss paper. Then kids can read them not my precious oldies.
Greg Burgas
February 1, 2009 at 8:54 am
Dan: The first arc of Battlefields was pretty good – a fairly typical Ennis war story, but those are usually good. The latest arc has one issue out, and it seems a bit more intriguing – more psychological drama than anything. I’m looking forward to the rest of it.
stealthwise
February 1, 2009 at 9:58 am
Weird, who posted just above with my username? Likely an error, as other people’s names get auto-inserted into my comment box all the time, just curious.
As for the Morrison quotation about tracking down a crossover; yeah, it’s NOT fun to track down that stuff anymore. Maybe back when there were, like, three hobby shops that sold comics in my old hometown (of 12,000 people, so we’re talking the height of the 90s comic craze here), but now it’s just a matter of going to ebay and overpaying to get one chapter of a four-part or six-part story that I could easily just wait for and get in collected edition (albeit not the proper collected edition of the whole story, but another collection that’s made up of odds and ends and spinoffs, and includes other crappy stories that you don’t really care about, nor want to read). The whole mess makes me throw up in my mouth and avoid the big event stuff altogether now, which sucks, because I really wanted to like Identity Crisis, Infinite Crisis, Civil War, Annihilation, but all of them, even the latter, ended up disappointing in one way or another.
uhhh
February 1, 2009 at 12:08 pm
“The text for Spider-Woman #1 (page 35) reads: “… she rediscovers her life in a world she did not make.” That’s a stupid line. It didn’t make sense when it was used with Howard the Duck, but at least that was a satirical comic. What the hell does that even mean, Marvel?”
I think it’s pretty obvious. The Marvel Universe underwent huge changes under the actions of the Skrull Queen (who posed as Spider-Woman), and now the REAL Spider-Woman is back and has to come to terms with all the changes… and the unfair blame that goes along with it.
Greg Burgas
February 1, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Ah, true. I didn’t read Secret Invasion, so I didn’t make the connection. It’s less stupid now, but still pretty dumb!
Salamurai
February 1, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Stealthwise: if it’s a public computer, it will retain the name in the cookie file.
Sam Kieth keeps changing publishers, so I completely missed the “Bimbo” mini. I’ll have to be buying the trade.
as for Jean Grey’s hair, it’s really a “troll” doll.
Ian A.
February 1, 2009 at 3:49 pm
That Dead Romeo cover is, by far, the best thing I’ve ever seen Ryan Benjamin do.
If the interiors are anywhere near as good, I might have to pick that up. Or at least get the trade.
Also: I’d pick up Thor Noir and Power Pack Noir, for sure. Norse Gods go pulp? Who wouldn’t want to read that?
FunkyGreenJerusalem
February 1, 2009 at 5:31 pm
I think this is another case of letting fans into the business gone wrong… someone didn’t get the line was meant to be absurd in Howard, and is now using it un-ironically in print, and everyone else who proofed the text felt the same.
Ahh Howard, even now, he still shows us how ridiculous comics are.
Also ‘All-New Savage She-Hulk’?
That’s a pretty shit title.
I’m pretty sure it will be unparalleled in shitness until they release an ‘Essential All New Savvage She Hulk’, or the ‘All New Savage She Hulk Premiere Edition’.
Bill Reed
February 1, 2009 at 10:49 pm
I will write Thor Noir for free if they’d only ask.
Anyway, there’s loads of good stuff coming out in April. So much goodness I can’t afford it all. What harrowing choices must I make? What sacrifices must happen? Auugh!
s1rude
February 2, 2009 at 1:30 pm
(Because my contempt for the “work” of Greg Land won’t let me not comment)
In addition to Greg’s point about the women in the foreground, you’ll note two of (the porn star who was used as a model for) Spiral’s arms directly lead to the breasts of the women on either side of her – she’s practically groping Lady Deathstrike – and two of her other arms form a V that Madelyne Pryor leers through.
F’n hack.
the cosh
February 2, 2009 at 2:45 pm
You American’s should really have a national holiday in honour of Bill Sienkiewicz.
Seaguy is the last thing of Morrison’s that I really enjoyed, so a big “HELL, YEAH!” on that front from me.
Çteve!
February 2, 2009 at 8:15 pm
Speaking of She-Hulk, TPB vol.8 : Secret Invasion is complerely unnecessary. It collects issues 31-33 of this title and issues 34-35 of X-Factor. While She-Hulk vol.7 collects She-Hulk #28-33 and X-Factor #33-34. On top of that, the X-Factor secret invasion tpb has X-Factor #33-38 and She-Hulk #31. What a mess!
A waste of paper with a very nice Deodato cover!
Çteve!
February 2, 2009 at 8:19 pm
Speaking of She-Hulk, TPB vol.8 : Secret Invasion is completely unnecessary. It collects issues 31-33 of this title and issues 34-35 of X-Factor. While She-Hulk vol.7 collects She-Hulk #28-33 and X-Factor #33-34. On top of that, the X-Factor secret invasion tpb has X-Factor #33-38 and She-Hulk #31. What a mess!
A waste of paper with a very nice Deodato cover!
Çteve!
February 2, 2009 at 8:23 pm
Hm, speaking of being redundant.
Chip Mosher
February 2, 2009 at 11:12 pm
No, double damn you Greg Burgas for not mentioning more of our titles!
(joke!)
C.