Oh, it's a special edition of the latest tour through the Previews catalog! Will it be the new normal? We shall see!



So this month, I asked long-time FotB Travis Pelkie to help me write this post. Travis already writes ridonkulously long comments to these posts anyway, so I figured it would be fun to go back-and-forth with him a little in the regular post. I've thought about doing this for a while, but I just kept forgetting, but I didn't forget this time! If Travis wants to keep doing this, I wouldn't mind making it a regular feature. Unless you all rebel. We need to placate the masses around here! So let's get to it! Travis is definitely a bit more restrained than my old friend, Ivan Hart Dominguez-Carson. But will he still whip the readers into a frenzy? Read on!

Dark Horse:

The full solicits are here!

GB: I'm wary of the "perfect for fans of The Goon" tagline (as I am not a fan of said Goon), but Dead Vengeance on page 38 sounds neat. A radio commentator and archenemy of a Detroit criminal gang is resurrected in the 1940s and tries to solve his own murder from some years before? Sounds good!

TP: As to the Goon, on page 37 we have a one shot of the Goon for Halloween. Burlesque queen Roxi Dlite! Ah, burlesque!



As to Dead Vengeance, it sounds like a good story, and Bill Morrison is good creator. Maybe they'll get his Roswell mini in print again! Or his other stuff that Bongo's put out before. Check out the preview on page 40, though, because that first panel has "Fill in Sign?" Oops! Guess that's not final art!

GB: I love that sign on the preview artwork for Dead Vengeance. I totally missed that.



Steampunk is a bit tired, but a steampunk Western featuring an alien invasion co-written by Joe R. Lansdale and drawn by Piotr Kowalski (page 42)? That might be keen.

TP: Joe R. Lansdale is amazing, especially with weird west stuff, and I've liked the Kowalski stuff I've seen, so I'm definitely in for this, possibly in trade, though!



GB: The first Harrow County trade is on page 45. It's been pretty good and creepy so far!

TP: I was wondering about this. What about the "extra" stories that they're promoting in the singles, that won't be in the trade? Are they essential? Bunn is good, and I think from what I've seen of Crook, he's pretty good. It makes the maybe list!

GB: The Harrow County "extra stories" are one-pagers at the end of each issue. They're not essential at all, unless they become essential much later. They're just little tales showing how weird the county is.

TP: Page 46 has the fourth volume of Grindhouse. I'm hoping for an omnibus of the whole shebang at some point. One of the artists here, Mulele Jarvis, did the art for Weird Crime Theater, which I got the kickstarter of because they cameoed Cerebus in there! Anyway, his art's pretty good, so eventually I'll get this. In some format.

GB: It would be nice if Dark Horse did omnibi for the two Grindhouse series. I'm not holding my breath, though.

I'd like to get the Jack the Ripper GN on page 47, because I dig good Jack the Ripper fiction, but it's 18 bucks for 104 pages. I imagine it's been published before, but I don't know if you know anything about it. I could look, I suppose, but that sounds like work.

TP: Pfft! Like I know, or wanna know, anything about some Frenchy comic about Jack the Ripper. All I need to know is in From Hell, dammit! (Actually, I'm guessing it's by the same people that did the Sherlock Holmes books that DH has put out recently. But that's only a guess.)

GB: It's claimed that the Jack the Ripper book is a "companion" to the Sherlock Holmes books, so I guess it's by the same people?

Hey, Steven Grant and Paul Gulacy are teaming up on The Rook on page 49. That might be keen.

TP: I'm wondering if DH will be reprinting the old Rook stuff. That'd be neat. I'll see if I like the DHP story and decide on the trade in a few months. I'm digging the tag line about "the most popular series introduced in Eerie." Um, what other series were ever intro'd in Eerie?



GB: I guess the last Nexus Omnibus was, in fact, the last one, because now Dark Horse is releasing the trade of the DHP stories (page 52). The last Omnibus didn't include that 100th issue that came out, so I wonder where those are. I can't remember if you get DHP, but these are nifty stories, although they'll definitely read better in one collection.

TP: I wasn't getting the prior DHP run, where these stories are from, but I may get this book. I see Nexus Omnibus 6 collected up to issue 80, so presumably there should be another omni that collects all the stuff in between. I can't remember if I got all of the Rude Dude self published issues (3 or 4, including that 100), so I can't remember what all's been published. Nexus am good.

Page 53 says that Negative Space is the "weirdest comic [I've] ever read". That's a tall order, cuz I read '90s comics! HA! (I was going to get the trade of this, though.)

Page 57 has the trade of Neverboy. Shaun Simon co-wrote True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, and that was pretty interesting. Neverboy's a former imaginary friend who wants to be real, and a struggling artist wants imaginary stuff. Sounds interesting!

GB: I'm still on the fence about Neverboy. I'll think about it.

TP: Did anyone get The Hero volume 1 from David Rubin (page 61)? His art looks good, and a retelling of the myth of Heracles sounds neato.

GB: I liked the first Witcher trade, so I'll probably get the second one on page 64. Even though it's, you know, based on a video game. Yuck.

TP: But I loved Pong: the comic book! Tobin is good, and Witcher sounded like an interesting premise, but I never got the first one. I should, someday!

GB: I don't know if you've read Planetes, but I've heard good things about it, so I might have to get the Omnibus on page 69. 568 pages for 20 bucks!

TP: I think our pal Seth would better tell us about Planetes, as he likes the manga a lot. I think from what I've heard, it sounds really good. It's all in 2 volumes, so if it's good, I'll probably go for it.

Only other thing is the second volume of the Astro Boy Omnibus on 71. I didn't get the first because I have the first of the little trades from a while ago, but I ought to trade up. His origin is heart-string-tugging (if that's a term)!

DC:

The full solicits are here!

GB: Ugh, another weekly series from DC, Batman and Robin Eternal on page 77. How are these things any good? I can't imagine they are, but I guess people keep buying them.

TP: I assume that it's DC's attempt to get our pal Chad to start following a weekly series and write a weekly column here until the sheer mediocrity causes him to despair and just stop after a while. Then he writes a column to wrap up how dull it was!

GB: I would love it if Chad came back to review a weekly series. He'd be so grumpy it would be so worth it.

TP: He should use that Sinestro cover for his avatar.



GB: Lee Weeks is drawing Superman: Lois and Clark (page 78). That will not be enough to get me to buy the book. But I dig Lee Weeks.

TP: Did you see his 3-parter on Daredevil: Dark Nights? Oh, man, such a great story. If you haven't seen it you need to get the trade, as it also has a Lapham 2-parter and a 3-parter written by Palmiotti (and Gray, I think). As for this, man, I'm not interested. And that's a nine year old son?

GB: Yeah, I own that Daredevil trade. It's pretty keen. And that ... could be a 9-year-old? Maybe? In the right light? He does look a little older, but as my daughter just turned 10, I've seen a lot of 9-year-olds recently, and the boys don't tend to look as young as you might think. It's strange.

TP: It wasn't the age part that was throwing me, if you catch my drift ...

GB: So this latest Justice League story has them all turning into the New Gods (page 83)? That's not a bad idea, actually. Of course DC beats it into the ground with six separate specials, but that's still not a bad idea.

TP: I think this one is based on the new direct to video movie that Bruce Timm is doing. Lemme check ... Ooh, no, I am wrong. No, this sounds stupid. Remember the rumor about Final Crisis that Bruce Wayne would become one of the New Gods of the Fifth World? Man, nobody knows what the hell to do with the New Gods.

GB: Well, I don't have faith that DC or Geoff Johns or the other writers will do a good job with the JL-as-New Gods thing, but I still think it's not a bad idea!

TP: Wow, that Tony Harris cover for Justice League United 14 is damn purty (page 85). I think I'll be getting trades of this stuff.



Same with the DC Bombshells on page 91. Ah, Zatanna!



I'm so torn on Black Canary (page 87). Did you notice that "newspaper" insert in #2 that cut the comics pages down to just 16? But damn, that's a neat Black Canary/iZombie mash up variant cover by Allred!

GB: That Harris cover is sweet. But that's not surprising. And yes, I will trade-wait the Bombshells thing. I decided not to continue with Black Canary (I might get the trade), but I did read about the ridiculous page count. Really, DC? Sheesh. If Wu can't draw that fast (and given the fact that she can't finish an arc, it seems that way), then DC should return to 12-15-page main stories with back-up stories to fill out the pages. It's just idiotic the way page counts keep getting cut in DC and Marvel comics. Man, I'm angry.

Kelley Jones draws the Monsters Variant cover on page 92 for Green Arrow, and it's very cool. Of course.

TP: Yes indeedy.



GB: Hey, there's a new Wonder Woman '77 comic (page 100). Maybe this will be more "Seventies" than the first one. Cat Staggs draws one of the stories, which is nice to see.

TP: The first one had disco dancing. What's more '70s?! I liked the first one, but it wasn't amazing. Why does DC only print it in 8 dollar books, though? And look at how awesome the older versions of WW are compared to that new one on page 101. No contest!

GB I just thought the first WW '77 book felt like the 1970s stuff was in it just because "it's such a 1970s thing" instead of fitting into the story better. It felt like a comic set in the present day with kitschy 1970s elements rather than a book set in the 1970s. Red One did the "book set in the 1970s" better.

TP: I'm not a fan of the new Superman look (that's why we hated Superboy, dammit!), but Aaron Kuder draws the heck out of it (page 102)!

Aw, man, they've brought back the Alpha Centurion (page 106)? So weird!

Page 109 - Plus: The Inferior Five are back. Minus: it's in Bat-Mite. I hope they collect the Inferior Five stuff, though. I've only heard about how cool it is!

Page 110 - So glad I get Batman '66, because Dean Haspiel is drawing either Scarecrow or Killer Croc. YAY!

GB: You could just get that specific issue, you know.

TP: Page 112 - OK, why does the Justice League need Robo-Bat-Bunny? WHY!?!?!

Is ... is that Ch'p on page 119 in GL: Lost Army? Oh my!

GB: Yeah, that appears to be Ch'p. Next: G'nort!

TP: Don't even joke like that! I so want it to be true!

GB: Karl Kerschl memes it up on the Monsters Variant for Sinestro (page 119; see above). That's kind of fun, especially the mustache.

TP: Page 122 has your Batman '66 goodness, with the latest HC of the regular series (including that Lost Ep special that I still haven't read!) and the Green Hornet crossover in trade, which I think was worth it.

Page 125 has the first chunk of Geoff Johns's run on The Flash. It's actually a pretty good opening. I didn't get to the comic store too often back then, but got there when the first issue of his run came out, and I ended up getting the first ... 4 or so issues. I liked it, from what I remember. 25 bucks for 14 issues, and the Iron Heights is probably tough to find.

GB: I'm still thinking about getting the Johns Flash thing. I keep hearing good things about it, so maybe I'll give it a chance despite my Johns aversion.

TP: Like I said, the first few issues were pretty good. I don't know beyond that.

Page 127 has the Neal Adams Batman Omnibus, and it's got Odyssey in there! It's so weird!

GB: Holy crap, I missed that the Adams Batman book has the entirety of Odyssey in it. That is a really good value, although I always worry about the binding on those giant books.

There's a Phantom Stranger trade on page 128. Lots of coolio artists (Mignola, Russell, Garcia-Lopez), and it's only 20 bucks.



TP: Don't forget, that Secret Origins issue has Beardo McGrumpypants as well, with, I think, Joe Orlando doing the art for a possible version of the Stranger's origin. I have most of the Action Comics Weekly issues and an issue of the mini, so I'm not sure I'll get this. It's probably cool, though!

Also on 128, the first trade of Tim Drake Robin! I wanted my hair like his! Shut up, I was in junior high!

GB: That's some quality Tim Drake hair there.

TP: Page 129 has Superman Adventures TP 1, with the first 10 issues of the animated series based comic. Dunno why they didn't just include the couple other issues that Scott McCloud wrote in there, though!

GB: So DC is still in charge of printing the first League of Extraordinary Gentlemen series, as they're doing with the Graphitti Gallery Edition on page 130? I wonder how Beardo McGrumpypants feels about that. I assume Kevin O'Neill gets most of the dough from this, so maybe he's cool with it.

TP: Man, I'd love that, but it's so pricey, and Beardo probably isn't happy with it, so I'm not happy!

GB: Gilbert Hernandez writes and Darwyn Cooke draws The Twilight Children on page 133. It's only 4 issues, so I'll probably wait for the trade, but that's not a bad combination of creators.

TP: Wow, that sounds really good. I can picture it as drawn by Beto, but it'll be cool to see how Cooke depicts it!



GB: Ryan Kelly draws Survivors Club (page 134), which is about kids who survived "horror movies" (except they're real!) in the 1980s and now form a group to stop something else bad happening. I haven't read anything by "renowned horror novelist Lauren Beukes and videogame journalist Dave Halverson," but that's a neat conceit and Kelly's art is probably excellent.

TP: I read Beukes's novel Beautiful Monsters (I think was the title), where some weird stuff happens in Detroit. It was a pretty good book, so I'll probably trade wait this. Ryan Kelly on this means no more Saucer County in the near future either, huh? THEY SAID IT WOULD COME BACK!

I'll probably also get the trade of the Gail Simone Vertigo series, Clean Room, on page 135. Weird self-help and psycho creepiness!

GB: Mike Allred is drawing Art Ops, which is about figures escaping works of art and the team that puts them back. Shaun Simon writes this, and while I wasn't dazzled by Fabulous Killjoys, this is still an interesting hook.

TP: Yeah, this is another definite get, but only in trade (damn Vertigo now at 4 bucks a pop!). Fabulous Killjoys was decent (GMozz is the bad guy!), although the album is better, and I'll probably see how Neverboy is, so when this trade is offered, I should be going for it. I guess there's no Allred on Silver Surfer post-Secret Wars, then, though?

GB: I would imagine so. So far, there ain't no Silver Surfer comic period, so we'll see.



TP: Page 137 has an Australian themed Astro City issue by Gary Chaloner. Glad he's doing stuff still!

GB: I don't know who that is.

TP: I've been waiting for the trade of The Kitchen (page 140), cuz Ming Doyle's art is good. But women running the Mafia (or anything)? That won't go well! ;)

GB: I'll probably get The Kitchen, because you're right - Doyle's art is keen.

TP: Page 141 has the deluxe edition of G-Mozz's Kid Eternity. I know the ongoing series after this (when Vertigo first started) was bad, but how was this?

GB: I really like Morrison's Kid Eternity. It's not his best work, but it's pretty nuts, and Fegredo's art is amazing.

TP: Hmm, I'll probably pass but wait to see if a trade comes out, or see if a library gets it.

Also on page 141, the second trade of the Millar run on Swamp Thing. I have the first portion of the run, and I think I need most if not all of this book. I'll have to check!

Reorder list on page 142 is pretty good, with the trade of Bodies, which was good, The Wake trade, the Black Canary/Zatanna trade, and the first books of iZombie, Invisibles, and Moore's Swamp Thing. ST, of course, is way awesome.

GB: I liked Bodies but thought it ended a bit weakly. Same thing for The Wake, but that's par for the course for Snyder. The Bloodspell GN was pretty keen.

IDW:

Check out all the solicits here!

GB: So there's a Back to the Future anthology on page 152? That's weird. More power to them, I suppose.

TP: All the stories you had no idea there was any need to tell! Gotta go back in time!

GB: I've never had any interest in Hunter S. Thompson, but the comics adaptation of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (page 154) might work. I mean, comics should be the perfect medium for it.

TP: I never quite got into HST either. I started reading F&LinLV, but I don't think I ever got through it. I guess because I'm not a drug guy. This looks pretty cool, though.

GB: I'll think I'll trade-wait Fistful of Blood, which is getting re-issued (page 157). But Simon Bisley drawing a Western? Yeah, I can dig that.

TP: I'm guessing this was something Tundra put out? Two big things attract me on that cover, so I'm definitely in for the trade as well!



I'm vaguely interested in The Fly: Outbreak (page 167), but I'm not sure. menton3 is a pretty interesting artist.

GB: See, I'm not that keen on menton3's art. It's okay, but just too vague for me. I think I would like that Fly book if it had a different artist, because I like Brandon Seifert's writing.

There's a Jem trade on page 170. Good stuff!

TP: If you haven't been buying Jem and the Holograms in singles, BUY THE TRADE!!! SO GOOD!!! Kelly and Sophie are firing on all cylinders!



Page 174 has Walt Disney's Comics and Stories 75th Anniversary Special for 6 bucks. Ludwig von Drake! William Van Horn writes and draws some, and his Nervous Rex was damn good stuff.

Ooh, that Sam Kieth Maxx Artist Edition (page 176) looks neat-o. His stuff's even awesome in B&W!

GB: The first "new" Empire trade is on page 178. I'll probably have to get this, because the first series was pretty interesting.

TP: I have the singles of the first series, so if I read it and like it, I'll have to go for this. Waid and Kitson were great on JLA: Year One!

Page 181 has the first HC of Simonson's Ragnarok! I've waited ... what, 2 years? But they told us we'd have to wait!!! Looks good!

GB: There's a couple of Matt Baker books on page 183 - Ghosts and Ghouls of Fiction House and The Complete Voodoo. Dang, Matt Baker was a good artist.

TP: I'm liking the boobies! Voodoo is the first of 3 volumes, btw.



GB: Undersea Agent by Gil Kane is on page 184. The Golden Age of Reprints continues!!!!

TP: I'm tempted by this, but man, 18 bucks for 72 pages? A bit pricey!

GB: Yeah, that is a bit spendy. Sheesh. Still ...

TP: How could you not mention Rampage Jackson on the same page?! Oh boy, that's weird. But lookit alla them great creators! So tempting!

GB: I know the Rampage Jackson book has some good creators, but man, I'm just not interested. It does sound wacky, though.

TP: I'm interested in the Angel Season 6 book on 185 (as I liked that show), but I think I probably have most of the stuff in here. I think. Because it's not clear what's actually in it.

GB: Yeah, that Angel solicit is weird. "Moments" from the series? What the hell does that mean?!?!?!?

Image:

Are the full solicits here? YES!

GB: I'll probably trade-wait I Hate Fairyland (page 188), although I'm sure it will be awesome. I'll have to let my daughter read it, too, even though it "ain't for the little kiddies." She'll dig it!

TP: It looks fun, but I suspect some of the language in this preview is cleaned up. The actual comic might have F-bombs and such. I'll probably trade wait too!

GB: That won't bother her. She replaces all curse words that she hears with "donkey," so she'll probably do that here.

You know, I really like Cliff Chiang, but I'm losing confidence in Brian K. Vaughan, so I might trade-wait Paper Girls (page 192), just to see what's what with an entire arc or so. We shall see.

TP: Yeah, if I hear good things I might go for the trade, because Chiang does kick ass. Newspapers being relevant to society, though? It must be science fiction! HA!



How did you skip over AXCEND (page 196)?! Good lord, looks more like ASS-END. It might have been an interesting concept 30 years ago, or in a year that Pixels didn't come out.

GB: Well, it's Shane Davis. That made it easy to skip over.

I really like Antony Johnston, and Shari Chankhamma's art on Codename: Baboushka (page 198) looks keen. I really want to stop getting single issues as much, but I don't know ... this seems very keen.

TP: Art looks cool (I think Chankhamma colored Sheltered, which was good), and spy chicks in maid outfits looks hot! Johnston has my comics dollar for a link to a Faerber article about RINGERRRRRR!!!!!!!! that he left here on one of your WIB columns, so I'm behind him. Even if I'm behind on reading them all!

GB: Chankhamma colors The Fuse, too, which I assume is how she hooked up with Johnston.



TP: Other than the too influenced by Preacher feel to it, Saints might be ok (page 200). The art looks good. But "This American Life personality"? Those people don't have any personality! HA!

The CBLDF Liberty Annual 2015 (page 202) sounds like it will be good as usual, and of course it goes to a good cause. Spiegelman! I may go for the HC re-offered here too.

Page 204 has the first trades of Southern Cross and Secret Identities (I guess the only trade of the latter). I'm in for both!

GB: I'm really bummed about Secret Identities. I hope to see Faerber soon (well, at next year's Emerald City con) and ask him what happened to it. It's sooooo good!

TP: No, not the end of Witchblade (page 206)! Whatever will I do ... oh, hell, I haven't read that in years. There is a re-imagining of some sort of Witchblade with page 208's Switch by Stjepan Sejic. I like his Sunstone stuff (yowza!), which is also reoffered.

Page 210 has the second trade of Copperhead, and that's been really good stuff.

GB: Kirkman is "rebooting" Invincible (page 213)? I dropped this long ago, but this sounds pretty dicey, doesn't it? Just end it, man!

TP: It's part 1 of 3, so I would guess it's what they used to call a "storyline". But who knows?

GB: Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott are doing a series together? Holy shit, I will get that even though they spell "Magick" wrong (page 218). Stupid "magick"!!!!!

TP: Your anti-Wiccan attitude offends me sir. Apologize so that you can still blessed be. Yes, this looks awesome. I'm not sure, though, is the magazine size variant the same price and the one with the Jill Thompson cover? (Ah, just looked at Previews's site, and it's $5.99 for the Jill Thompson mag variant! Still might get it though!)

GB: I'm not anti-Wiccan ... unless they don't know how to spell!!!!!



TP: Page 223 has Camp Midnight from Steven Seagle, and it sounds like fun, with a summer camp where everyone's a monster, except for Mia! Is that true, Burgas, is she not a monster? Hee hee!

GB: Well, when she decides to pinch you and she clamps down on your arm or any other exposed flesh, I'm not so sure ... but I guess she's not technically a "monster."

The trade of Casanova: Acedia is on page 224. It would be nice if the last issue came out before 28 October, wouldn't it? Of course this is worth it - it's awesome!!!!

TP: I have to see what Casanova stuff I still need. I read the first arc of the Image series, but haven't gotten past that yet. I'm so slow! I may go for the complete HCs offered here too.

Page 225 has the first trade of Injection, which has been quite interesting. Well worth 10 bucks for 5 issues.

GB: Yeah, I like the book, even though I can't remember what's happening from issue to issue. See what happens when you get old?!?!?!?

TP: I know you're not a Millar fan, but I liked Jupiter's Legacy, so I'll probably check out Jupiter's Circle, since it's 6 issues for 10 bucks. MPH and Starlight are also re-offered on page 226.

GB: Doesn't it feel like Jupiter's Circle only exists because Millar said, "Shit! Both Quitely and I are a LOT slower than I thought we were! But the masses want product!!!!"? That's what it feels like to me.

TP: Kaptara TP vol. 1 (page 227): 5 issues for only $9.98 - it's so cheap! I'm also interested in the Sex Criminals 15 Los Bros Hernandez variant cover on 216. Oh man, that's tempting.

I'm definitely going for The Mantle trade (page 228), as I like Ed Brisson. 15 bucks for 5 issues!

GB: Yeah, I like Brisson too. I'll have to ponder this.

TP: Oh Satellite Sam, why does your deluxe HC (page 229) tempt me even though I found the first 5 issues not so good?

GB: Resist, Travis! RESISTTTTTTT!!!!!

TP: I'm not sure if I want the deluxe HC of Wayward (page 230). It sounded interesting, but I'm not sure I want to spend that much for it without looking into it more. I'm going to look into it more - or else Simon will help with review links!

GB: Zub's all right, so this might be interesting. Although I might have to start avoiding comics that get compared to Saga. Jeebus, Bleeding Cool, knock it off!

Marvel:

Yes, we have full solicits - we have full solicits today!

Travis pointed out that Marvel has rebooted their Previews catalog, too, so it's now a #1. Sweet fancy Moses, Marvel, really?



GB: So many #1s that I'm not going to read! How fun!

TP: Like me, you must have gotten a copy of the Previews with the badly trimmed gatefolds. HA!

GB: Bendis writes Iron Man (page 2). That might be slightly better than his team books, but still. Aren't we done with Bendis yet?

TP: Iron Man is so dull to me. I don't know why.

Hey, Ms. Marvel (page 8) is still 2.99 each! For now.

GB: I have a feeling that this is the final issue of Ms. Marvel before they reboot it, and when they do, it will be $3.99. We can't have Greg buying any Marvel single issues, can we????

TP: Oh, I think so too. I'm probably going to switch to trades when it goes up, because I like it but don't love it. Squirrel Girl, though, I must get! Actually, I've mentioned before, I think, but all the titles I make sure to actually read every month are all female starring books - Ms. Marvel, Squirrel Girl, Copperhead, Jem ... I blame Kelly!

GB: I've seen some of Steve Pugh's art on Agents of Atlas (page 9), and it's pretty sweet. I'm still not buying it, but it's nice art.

TP: His art might be enough to entice me to buy this. It is a one shot.

Page 22 has S.H.I.E.L.D. 11 with Chaykin art on a Dominic Fortune teamup. Cool!

GB: I'm getting S.H.I.E.L.D. in trade, so it will be a while, but that Chaykin Dominic Fortune issue does sound neat.

TP: I'm just not sure about Page 26's All New All Different Marvel Point One, but there's a Kirby Monster variant cover by Paul Pope! Wow!

GB: Wait, a chick Blade (page 31)? Will Marvel never stop pandering to the PC crowd! Blade is too iconic to make a female!!!!!

TP: Girls hunting vampires? We all know they'll just fall in love with their brooding good looks until the vampire spins off into his own series!



GB: Jason Aaron and Chris Bachalo on Doctor Strange is pretty cool (page 36). It will be a nice, tiny trade to read (seriously - Marvel's trades these days are about as thick as DC's Prestige Format books from the late 1980s/early 1990s).

TP: Yeah, I'll trade wait, because I want all the variant covers, like that sweet Erica Henderson Kirby monster variant!



GB: If Marvel wanted me to never read the X-Men again, they could just ... well, they already started charging 4 bucks an issue, but they could put Humberto Ramos on the book. And that's just what they did on page 38!

TP: pg 42-45 has What If? Infinity books, which are just Marvel's way of getting Chad to write a column, right?



GB: Frank Barbiere and Brent Schoonover on Howling Commandos of S.H.I.E.L.D. (page 46) is another cool team. For three issues, after which I'm sure there will be a guest artist.

TP: Sounds good. Your scathing yet accurate cynicism scalds me, sir.

GB: Warren Ellis is writing Karnak (page 48)? Warren Ellis is weird, man.

TP: "Fell, Desolation Jones, and Doktor Sleepless ... (opens envelope, blows in). Name 3 series Warren Ellis should finish before he does this work for hire stuff. Ahoy-hoy!" "You are correct sir!"

GB: Yeah, I don't know what Ellis is doing. I guess he's just not interested in completing those series. Too bad.

TP: I think you're ignoring my wonderful Carson riff!

GB: Carson? Who's that? You're oldddddd, maaaaaannnn!

TP: Page 58 has the new series of Unbeatable Squirrel Girl! I love the "Only Our Second #1 So Far This Year" banner!

GB: I like the Squirrel Girl thing, but it also makes me a bit sad. I mean, when Marvel is joking about their idiotic publishing practices, that's not good. Nice that it didn't get the axe, though.

TP: Contest of Champions is collected on 66. 8 bucks sounds like a neat deal.

Page 69 has Marvel Super Hero Spectacular 1, with Karl Kesel writing. Get him on a regular book, Marvel!

Page 78 has Secret Wars mini-mates, with Dazzler and Howard the Duck paired up!

GB: Look at Alison. She's so awesome.



Look at all those Secret Wars trades (pages 80-93). That's actually very cool that Marvel is getting them out so fast. DC could take a hint (where's my damned Grayson trade, DC?)

TP: I'm interested in the Secret Wars HC (page 80), but 50 bucks is a bit pricey. Of course, the trade probably won't be much less! I'm also interested in A-Force on 83, Age of Ultron vs. Marvel Zombies on 84, Guardians of Knowhere on 85, Hail HYDRA on 86, Marvel Zombies on 89. All maybes!

Wow, I might be interested in The Champions Marvel Masterworks book, but damn, 100 bucks? It wasn't that good, right?

GB: I assume it's so much because it's really big, and it might be the only one they ever put out. Gotta get the dineros now!

TP: DD by Waid HC 4 (page 98) has the first part of the latest volume. There won't be much left for v5, though, will there? I never caught issue 36, the last one of the previous volume, so I didn't grab these issues. Eventually!

GB: I think the Daredevil run ended with issue #18 or 19, so the fifth volume will have 8-9 issues or so. Not great (for the price), but not bad. Get back to reading it, man! It's good stuff!

TP: Oh, I know it's good. I just missed that issue 36, and then it went up to 3.99, so I was waiting! I may go for this though. I do need a few more other issues of the first Waid run, though. It's good!

Superior Foes of Spider-Man omnibus on 100, 17 issues for 50 bucks. Were you getting this? Was it worth it?

GB: Yeah, Superior Foes is a fine comic. That's not a bad price, and because Spencer was kind of forced to end it (due to cancellation), it reads better than, say, the endlessness of Morning Glories.

TP: I have to look and see where I left off with MG. My local shop finally stuck the older issues into the back issue boxes, where I think they're 50 cents each ... or half off. Either way, I can pick them up cheap!

Page 109 has Guardians Team-Up v1, with Layman writing a story, and an issue of Pet Avengers stuff! I may go for it!

GB: Huh, that Guardians Team-Up book does look neat. Lots of cool artists.

TP: Page 111 has the first volume of Silk, which I heard good things about. 7 issues for 20 bucks isn't too bad!

GB: I'll be getting Silk - I liked the first issue, so I figured I'd wait for the trade!

TP: Page 112 has the third (and presumably final) trade of Valentino's run on Guardians of the Galaxy. I enjoy this run, and I didn't realize how long he was on the book. I think #23 has the sweet sweet Tex inks over Valentino pencils. So awesome!

GB: The second Moon Knight Epic Collection is on page 114. This is ends right when Sienkiewicz becomes "Sienkiewicz." Damned fine comics!

TP: Man, I'd like that. I didn't get the first volume, though.

GB: But it's not necessary to have it to get this!!!

I will let you discuss the hip-hop variant covers. Do you see how many fucks I give about them? Zero. Zero fucks.

TP: The Ant Man one on 32 is interesting. I like the Extraordinary X-Men one on 38 (De La Soul?). 62's Uncanny Inhumans by Damion Scott is neat-o. Beyond that, I dunno. I'm so white!

GB: Yes, the Extraordinary X-Men one is riffing on De La Soul. Even I know that!!!



Now we head to the back of the book, where Travis goes even more nuts, and I let him!

TP: Page 251 has several interesting things. John Leguizamo adapts his Ghetto Klown to comics, The Troll is a one shot our pal Simon will probably tell us more about, and Golden Age Greats Spotlight v17 features the original western Ghost Rider. I would consider the latter, but the previous GAGS book I got was just a regular 100+ page B&W comic, not exactly worth 30 bucks. Even if that is cool stuff in there.

Oh, yeah, that Cerebus: Church and State v1 remastered trade is a must have as well. As the resident Cerebus/Dave Sim fan here at the blog, I'm required to mention this!

Page 254 has Cyrus Perkins and the Haunted Taxi Cab. The writer of this also did Double Jumpers, which was dang funny. I may go for the trade!

GB: I'm Facebook friends with the writer, Dave Dwonch. I met him at Seattle a few years ago. He's a cool dude.



TP: Page 256 has a lot of Action Lab kid books reoffered. I'll have to see what ones might fit the ol' budget. I think I have all of the Planet Gigantic issues (that's how bad my habit is, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT I'VE BOUGHT!), and Molly Danger is available at my local shop, and from what I've seen is pretty good. Page 257 has Princeless as well.

GB: Molly Danger is quite good. My daughter digs it, too.

Also from Action Lab, Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti have a new book called Trancers (page 258), about a cop who travels back in time from 2247 to 1985 to capture a bad guy. Of COURSE he goes to the 1980s, because that's the only decade that currently matters to all comics creators, whether they lived during the 1980s or not. But I tend to enjoy their comics, so I might have to check this out.

TP: Um, you know that the movie this is based on came out in the 80s, right? I have an issue of a Trancers comic that I think Malibu did in the late 80s/early 90s. And note it's 1985 "Los Angles." HA!

GB: I did not know that Trancers is based on an Eighties movie. That makes more sense. It does take away my righteous indignation, though, so I will not forgive you!!!!

I don't know if Gravedigger is any good (page 259), but just seeing Rick Burchett's name on it makes me wonder if Lady Sabre will ever show up in Previews or if I'll have to scrounge a print copy somewhere else.

TP: I'm in for this. There's an issue of the 80s Blackhawk that Burchett did where the lady had a dragon tattoo that went all the way down and made young Travis a very happy boy. Plus, this sounds cool. I bet Hatcher would like it too!

Speaking of Palmiotti and Gray, they've got a western called Abbadon on 260. A detective-type western!



Also on 260, a lot of stuff Simon will tell us about. ;) I'm looking at the Incomplete Works by Dylan Horrocks and especially the Tom Hart collection, She's Not Into Poetry. His stuff is good.

Page 264 has the latest offered issue of Rogues. Did the last issue of The Cold Ship ever come out? I'm not sure!

GB: Cold Ship did finish (and was quite good). The next one vanished, and the most recent one, Odd Parenthood, is on its second round of solicitations. Oh, Amigo!

TP: I must check my stuff, because I thought I only had 4 issues of Cold Ship, and not the last. Or were there only 4? Too many comics to keep track of! What's wrong with me?

GB: There were five. You're not going insane. At least, not because of this.

TP: Also on 264, we've got a new book from Jay Stephens, of Jetcat fame! It sounds like your typical 50s sibling rivalry type strip, but he am good.

On 266 is the wonderful Misadventures of Salem Hyde, which, dang, is already up to volume 5! Imagine Sabrina the Teenage Witch crossed with Barnaby. Frank Cammuso's art is great, and he's a cool guy. I should publicly apologize for interrupting his lunch at a con about 10 years ago!

And also on 266, Complete Calvin and Hobbes! SC for $100 and HC for $175! So expensive and so good!

GB: I'd love to get Airship Enterprise from Antarctic on page 270, but the last time I got an Antarctic comic, it was Crawling Sky and the singles didn't finish coming out and I haven't gotten the trade yet. And that was drawn by Brian Denham, too! I really like Denham's art, though, so I have to think about this.

TP: I got the first issue of Crawling Sky, which was deec, but yeah, where did that trade go? On 271 is The Steam League, which sounds like a neat-o female centered LOEG ripoff homage! I may go for it!



Page 272 has the latest Archie Dark Circle book, The Hangman. I've been trade waiting, so I don't know how the other books are yet. Hey, there's The Black Hood v1 on 274!

GB: I'm on the fence about The Black Hood. I'll probably get it, but I'm not sure.

TP: Page 279 has several of the Amelia Rules books. This is good stuff!

Page 281 has Oniba, which is an Aspen book and features the boobs that I feel should be the point of this feature!

GB: As far as Aspen comics go, I think Jirni has better boobs. It's a boob-off!

TP: I should be rooting for Jirni boobs more, as artist V Ken Marion is from my area. So they're home grown boobs!





Page 282 has the new version of BDI's Legend of Oz: The Wicked West, which sounded like a neat mash-up of Oz and western stuff. I hope eventually Aspen will put out collections of their stuff!

Page 290 has a couple of neat ones. Debbie's Inferno from Anne Emond sounds like a neat take on Dante. Matt Madden has a new palindrome comic called Drawn Onward. Clandestino sounds like a movie pitch for Danny Trejo. X'ed sounds like something that G-Mozz would put together over a weekend to reboot Nightmask! I still might get trades of those 2!

GB: Yeah, I saw Drawn Onward and forgot to mention it. It does look neat.



TP: Page 291 has Bleeding Cool mag 19, with a Warren Ellis interview on post-humanism. Should be good!

GB: Warren Ellis getting interviewed about post-humanism sounds like the most blow-hardiest thing since whenever the last time Alan Moore talked about "magick." Blech.

TP: Page 292 has Democracy and Logicomix from guys with long Greek names. What do Greeks know about Democracy or Logic?

Page 292 also has Anne Bonnie 6, which is a really fun series about a young female pirate. Get it if you can!

GB: I've thought about getting Anne Bonnie, but haven't seen a trade yet. I don't know if one exists, so I'll have to see!

TP: To my knowledge, they haven't done a trade yet. But do get it when you see it!

Page 292 also has SpongeBob 49, with that sweet Kelley Jones cover, plus Kaz, Tony Millionaire, Richard Sala, and a Bissette drawn creature! I'm in!



Page 297 has the Memetic trade [from Boom!], which sounded neat with an apocalyptic meme. I may go for it!

GB: Mike Carey and Mike Perkins have a new series, Rowan's Ruin, on page 298. It's a horror story, and Carey ain't bad at those.

TP: I'm probably going to catch up on the re-offered Suicide Risk trades. That was good stuff, but I fell behind. Of course!

Someday the Lumberjanes special on 299 will be reprinted, and I'll get it then!

GB: S. M. Vidaurri has a new graphic novel, Iscariot, on page 300. I like Vidaurri, so I will probably get this.

TP: I'm going to consider this and maybe get Iron, or the War After!

Page 303 has a few neat things. Second trade of Gunnerkrigg Court, trade of Fiction Squad, with Ramon Bachs art, and the omni of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? It says written by PKD, but I wonder who adapted it.

GB: I wanted to get Fiction Squad, so while I would have spotted it, thanks for reminding me!

No one adapted Do Androids Dream of Electric Sleep? I think it's the exact text, with artwork. I own the shorter trades (I know Parker a little, and he got me a good deal), but I haven't read it yet.

TP: Page 304 has Giant Days v1, which I was in for even without it being a 10 buck trade, cuz John Allison's Bad Machinery is great, and v2 of Lumberjanes - FINALLY! It's up to #19, which is offered on 308! Jeez!

GB: The fact that Boom! published two trades of the first, eight-issue story in Lumberjanes, and waited so long, is ridiculous. It's the reason I'm buying The Spire in single issues, because I don't want to wait a damned year for the first, 4-issue trade and another year for the second one. Come ON, Boom!

TP: Hey history nerd, there's a Joan of Arc book on 312! There are also some neat-o replica of old horror comics, although damn they're pricey!

GB: Yeah, I don't care about Joan of Arc. Never have. I saw that comic, and ignored it. That's just how I roll!

TP: I'm considering Captain Canuck: Unholy War on 313. I dropped the new series, because I didn't fall in love with it, but this sounds interesting, with him taking on a biker gang menacing Canadia. SINISTER!

Also on 313 is issue 2 of Pitiful Human Lizard, which I thought was a one shot last month. Grr!

Page 314 has Meags Fitzgerald's new one, Long Red Hair. Did you get Photobooth? I know someone recommended it to you. [No, I didn't.] Me likee the redheads, so I may go for this!

Also 314, You are a Kitten! Pick-a-Plot, with Holden Catfield. Oy.

Also 314, Deep Space Tragedy 1 of 4, with interstellar teenage rockin' robots. Neat-o!

Page 316 has neat stuff. Deadeye: Begun in Blood, sci-fi western fun, it sounds like. Bayou Bound GN, with southern gothic supernatural fun. Tainted GN has Chris Cross art on a vampire story. RRH 1 gives us an updated little Red Riding Hood (I swear I've heard of this - I think Dread Lord featured them!). And Devil's Due/First gives us new Zen the Intergalactic Ninja! Yay!

GB: Yeah, but it's drawn by Marat Mychaels, so I'd pump the brakes a bit, there.

The Fillbach brothers have Tales of the SS Junky Star on page 322, which is "kid-friendly," but aren't we all just kids at heart? The Fillbachs are, of course, awesome. There's also Frickin' Butt-Kickin' Zombie Ants on the same page with art by the bros, and that's not bad. I read it years ago so I don't remember too much about it, but it was certainly fun.

TP: Neat-o stuff. I'm considering them. I assume FBKZA is a TMNT knockoff, in a sense.



Also on 322, we get the trade of Squarriors, which sounded interesting, because fightin' squirrels!

Also, that new trade of Mercy Sparx gives us boobs that we all need here at Flippin', as well as ... is that angel pudenda?

GB: I worry about you, looking at those Mercy Sparx covers so closely.



TP: 323 has an ad for the iZombie action figure. Is ... is her name actually Liv Moore? Oy. PAD groaned at that one, even!

Page 325 has the Grumpy Cat comic. Grumpy Cat. Has a comic. Sigh. And it's Grumpy and Pokey? I think Art Clokey can sue, right?

GB: Grumpy Cat lives in Arizona, so I must defend all things Grumpy Cat. Grumpy Cat 4Eva!!!!!

Also from Dynamite on page 326: Garth Ennis is writing a romance comic. GARTH ENNIS IS WRITING A ROMANCE COMIC!!!!!

TP: I'll probably trade wait, but this sounds neat. I wonder if any of this was originally slated for City Lights that he was going to do with Dillon?



GB: The Shaft trade on page 331 is a good buy. It's cheaper than the single issues, and it's a solid story with great art. There you go!

TP: I've been waiting for this. I think this will be the first Dynamite trade that actually makes my final list!

Page 335 has the first trade of John Carter by the dude who wrote Kyle Rayner. That's right, it's Warlord of Marz!

GB: Man, your Marz pun is painful. Like, PAD painful.



TP: Page 337 has the trade of Steampunk Battlestar Galatica 1880, if that's something that interests you.

Page 343 has the adult stuff that I like: The Tale of Boobs, Breasts of Temptation, and Naughty Boobs. YAY!

344 has more awful Double Take books with their pandering to lowest common denominator.

Page 345 has a couple of "early" GNs, with The Magician's Wife from '86, and R.O. Blechman's The Juggler of Our Lady from '53. Also Adrian Tomine books! Every time they put the Optic Nerve box set in, I write it down, and every time it misses my final list!

Fantagraphics on 354 and 355. Cheech Wizard's Book of Me! Gahan Wilson's Out There! The penultimate Peanuts volume! Uptight by Jordan Crane! Kaz's Book of Underworld! Complete Wimmen's Comix! 3D Woodring! Adventures of Venus by Beto! Pretty in Ink by Trina Robbins about women cartoonists! Even Henry, that weird headed bald kid from the comics that isn't Charlie Brown! I need to win the lottery!

356 has all your Battling Boy needs. I still haven't read it! It's taking me as long to read it as Paul Pope took to make it!

357 has the Jessica Abel and Matt Madden books on making comics.

362 has cool art books with Art of Elfquest and The Nexus Chronicles. So cool!

Not sure if I want any of the 451 stuff on pg 362, at least in singles. Some of the trades may be worth it. Sunflower sounds the most interesting. Exmortis isn't available in Germany, apparently they don't like that Hitler dude on the cover.

364 has Black Tiger 2, with Dixon and Nolan kickin' it! Empire of Blood sounds a bit New Deadwardians-ish, but still neat.

Is 371's Baby-Sitters Club color edition a guilty pleasure of mine? Yes indeedy!

pg 372 has Scott McCloud's smart comics about comics. I love Understanding Comics, Reinventing was pretty neat, and I've never read Making, but I'm sure it's way cool. 374 has the Zot! book. I know you have it, and I loves me Zot! It's what led me to CBR, and therefore here to CSBG!

Hey, 374 has a new Heavy Metal edited by Frank Forte, with new Fearless Dawn. YAY!

GB: I wish new Fearless Dawn would come out in a new Fearless Dawn comic. Is that too much to ask?!?!?!?

TP: Also on 374 is Hoax Hunters v2, which features issues 6-9 from the Image run. I think the one issue had Eisma art, and our pal Axel Medellin drew most of it. It's good stuff, if you haven't gotten it!

GB: Alex Raymond: An Artistic Journey: Adventure, Intrigue, and Romance from Hermes Press (page 375) is $75, so I'll probably skip it, but dang, I don't want to!!!!



On 376 is Chaykin's Buck Rogers, in SC and a Previews exclusive HC. Not sure it'd be worth 25 bucks, but 18 might be worth it.

382 has Fairy Girls v1, with more'a them boobs that I like.

386 has history geek fun in First Man: Reimagining Matthew Henson, about the first black man to the North Pole. Also on 386 is Wes Craven's comic, Coming of Rage.

Page 387: Mike Wolfer knows what I like, with Daughters of the Dark Oracle and Widow. Aw yeah boobs!



New Cullen Bunn with Blood Feud on 393. Sounds ok, with fighting against evil stuff.

Page 401, Ro-Busters complete v1, with art by Gibbons and O'Neill. Sweet!

402 has Class Action 1 re-offered from Neal Adams and whatever Scout Comics [Ardden] used to be called. Also Hysteria: Graphic Freud, with art by Oscar Zarate, who did a GN with Alan Moore!

GB: Poor Oscar Zarate, who's done some fine comics but is only know because he drew something for Alan Moore.

TP: 406, It's Hard to Be A Girl. Preach it, sister!

426 has the HC of Scarlett Couture. I've been waiting!

GB: Despite my reservations about some of Ales Kot's stuff, I'll pick up the trade of Dead Drop from Valiant on page 438. We'll see.



TP: I'm in. I loves me some 10 buck trades! I have to read v1 to see if I want Timewalker v2 on the same page!

439 has the Complete Archer and Armstrong Classic omni. 28 plus issues for 100 bucks, but it's BWS!!!

One Punch Man on 443! I hope he takes on Evan Dorkin's Fight Man some day!

Wait, there's ANOTHER Abaddon on page 450?! This has one b and 2 d's, and the other had 2 b's and 1 d!

GB: Two Abaddon/Abbadons? How odd. The second one on page 450 is by Korem Shadmi, who makes very weird comics. I might have to get this.

And that led me to Ashes right below it, which is drawn by Karl Slominski, who's a terrific artist. Dude needs a higher profile!

TP: He did ... Run Like Hell, I think it was called? That was pretty good. I'll have to look at that!

GB: You are correct, sir! (Do you see what I did there?)

TP: Hey, Chip Kidd ruining Peanuts again on 460!

Bronze Age Christmas in Back Issue 85 on 479!

Fight Club action figures on 541. Oy.

556 has a figure of "Navis on her Pouffe", which sounds dirty without even looking at the figure. Of course it's Japanese! I think.

564's Street Fighter statue of Poison: ay mami!



GB: Man, I can't comment on everything you wrote about! Phew!

TP: That's why it's got to be easier this time that all my babbling is in the body of the post, and not just the comments!

Did you catch the last Jon Stewart DS? Pretty good stuff! Even Kilborn made a cameo!

GB: Of course I did! Kilborn looked pretty rough. What's he been doing to himself? I was sad that no one really clapped for him, because he was a good host back in the day, even if he does seem like a douchebag. AND WHERE WAS BETH LITTLEFORD?!?!?!? She couldn't have been filming such an incredibly important scene on Dog With a Blog that she couldn't make an appearance!



So that's it for this month's Previews. It took a little bit longer to get posted because we were going back and forth with emails, and that always slows things up. I hope you enjoyed it, and maybe we'll get Travis back for more next time! For now, have fun trawling the dark corners of the catalog to find those hidden gems!