What Christmas goodies can we find inside Previews #327? Go under the cut to find out!



Dark Horse:

Here are the full solicits!

Greg: Mariko Tamaki is an interesting choice to write a new Tomb Raider comic (page 30), but there it is! (17 February)

The original Aliens comic gets a "30th Anniversary" hardcover (page 36), which "took the comics market by storm." Did it? DID IT?!?!?!?!?

Travis: I'd say it did. It showed that DH could do an interesting movie adaptation/sequel, and I think that led to them getting the Star Wars license (basically), which undoubtedly kept DH in business for years (not that they're going to go out of business any time soon, though), and also led to the proliferation of licensed books (well, I guess Marvel's GI Joe and Transformers did that as well). It's interesting that the original Alien comics adaptation was the first (I think) comic book to hit the NY Times best seller list, and Aliens led to DH's success. Who knew that those movies were that good for comics? BTW, I'm vaguely interested in this, but at 40 bucks, I'll probably pass. (26 April)



Greg: There's a nice little Hellboy in Mexico trade on page 37, chronicling all of ... well, Hellboy's adventures in Mexico, I guess. I get my Hellboy in giant Library Editions, so I'll be skipping this, but that's neat.

Travis: Yeah, this sounds neat, but I probably will end up cutting it from my list. I liked how on the Previews site, there was this note on the listing for this: "Nick let's talk about this page and the one next to it before you lay them out." They've fixed the post now, but that was funny when I looked at it. (13 April)

Greg: King's Road jumps from Dark Horse Presents to a mini-series on page 44. This was okay, I guess, but it didn't really thrill me. It's nice that it's getting a mini-series, though.

Travis: I assume this was from DHP before the more recent renumbering? I don't remember it from the more recent issues, and that's when I finally wised up and started getting DHP. I like Peter Hogan, Winslade is always good, and Staz Johnson isn't bad, from what I've seen. Not sure if I'd go for this or just wait for an upcoming trade, though.

Greg: King's Road was from the "original" DHP, I think. Toward the end, but before the reboot, unless I'm just misremembering. (10 February)

The Tomorrows trade is on page 49. This sounded pretty neat - art terrorists fight corporations - but you never know until you read it, right? A different artist each issue is kind of cool, although I didn't love the art on the latest issue.

Travis: I thought CBR gave the first issue only a star or less, but who knows. I'm reading you right in that you've been reading this? How has it been? I'll probably go for it anyway because I like the concept.

Greg: No, I haven't been reading it. I have just flipped through them at the store to see the artwork, since it changes with every issue. (20 April)

Travis: You might like the Scotland Yard book on page 49, since you're willing to read comics by those European-y people!

Greg: It looks a bit rich for my blood (18 bucks for 104 pages), but I might give it a whirl. (6 April)

Travis: I'm thinking of going for the collection of Brody's Ghost on page 50. Mark Crilley's Akiko was good stuff (they ought to collect that - is Sirius still around?), and the story of a guy trained by a samurai's ghost to fight a killer is pretty neat sounding. I have some book of this, but surprise, I haven't read it yet! (27 April)



I doubt I'll get it, but also on page 50 is Jane Yolen and Rebecca Guay on The Last Dragon. If you like dragon stories, well, there is one! Intro by Neil himself! (20 April)

And speaking of Neil, page 51 has The Facts in the Case of the Departure of Miss Finch HC (second edition), adapted with art by Michael Zulli. I've read the original short story, and maybe read this adaptation, and it's an interesting story. A bit pricey for the page count, but hey, it is Zulli art!

Greg: Miss Finch was okay. Not one of Gaiman's great works, but you're right, the art is very nice. (20 April)

Blood by Neal Adams gets a trade on page 52. Gawd, this is turrible. I mean, it's almost worth reading to appreciate how bad it is. Sheesh.

Travis: I wanna see the 3D animated lenticular cover, because that sounds interesting, but yeah, Neal Adams writing can be bad. (6 April)

Greg: The first trade of The Paybacks is on page 53. This sounds keen, so I'll probably pick it up.

Travis: I was waiting for the trade, and I'm glad I did, cuz this is just 10 bucks. Neat! Not that I need it, but I wonder if the DHP story is included. They don't specify!

Greg: I'm sure it is - the series that begin there always have those in the trade. (17 February)



Travis: Not that I need to tell the cognoscenti (I feel like Stan Lee!), but Usagi Yojimbo is really good, and the Usagi Saga trades are big books of it. Volume 5 just came out, and volume 6 is offered on page 55. There is also pinups and stuff by people like Frank Miller and Matt Wagner and Sergio Aragones in here too, from the 100th issue!

Greg: Yeah, I get Usagi Yoijimbo in those "saga" editions, but I haven't read it yet. I can wait. (27 April)

Travis: If you never got that Eerie issue with the Kelley Jones story, there's a trade of the (first?) 8 issues of the DH version of Eerie offered on page 57. The Lapham story from #1 was pretty neat, and they also list Allred and Jonathan Case as contributors, among others. 20 bucks for 8 issues is a good deal, although I am curious if the size of this trade means that they aren't continuing that series. (13 April)

Page 59 has I Am A Hero, which is a manga zombie apocalypse story, yeah, but might be interesting as it notes that this guy fighting them is one of the few people in Tokyo with a gun. Ooh. Also, he's a "mentally unhinged manga artist," as if there's any other kind of manga or comics artist. HA!

Greg: Ugh, zombies. No thanks. (6 April)

Travis: Volume 1 of Planetes omnibus comes out this week or next, so I'll see if I definitely want to get volume 2 on page 60. (20 April)

Greg: Whoo!!! The final volume of Lone Wolf and Cub Omnibus (page 61)! Now I can actually read them!

Travis: Good lord, even getting these omnis would run you 120 bucks for the whole series. Egads! Good thing it's good stuff, though, from what I have read of it! (6 April)

DC:

Find the full solicits here!

Travis: Man, Miller and Sienkiewicz together again, but it's on this Dark Knight Returns "special" (page 66). (17 February)



Greg: Speaking of Neal Adams, his new mini-series for DC, The Coming of the Supermen (page 67), is so going to suck, isn't it? But I hope it sucks in the same way Batman: Odyssey did, in such a glorious sucky way that it loops back and becomes awesome. Unlike Blood, which just sucks.

Travis: Well, we won't be able to say it's batshit crazy, anyway. I wonder if this is the first portion of a bigger run, though (i.e., miniseries 1 of 2 or 3). Hey, Superman has red underpants on! (3 February)

Greg: As I am a Whorrison, I'm looking forward to Wonder Woman Earth One (page 68), but why is it "volume 1"? Given how long it's taken, there can't be another one in the works, can there be?

Travis: All of the "Earth One" books are starting as volume 1. Superman and Batman apparently have multiple books. Don't know if there's going to be another Teen Titans volume. I do like the creative team, but I sigh at yet another reboot of Wonder Woman. Sigh. But how do them chains go around her? Oh, okay, now I think I follow it - neck, behind to the back, around to the left elbow, behind that, across to the right arm, up to that elbow, across to the left elbow, then around the left wrist and then held in the right hand. Okay. I think.

Greg: Travis tackles the real issues in comics! (6 April)

Travis: You mentioned him last month, but Oscar Jimenez is on this Justice League: Darkseid War Special on page 69. (17 February)

I do like the Neal Adams variants in pencil form that we see here. Cool stuff, like the Starfire #9 one on page 83, and the SHIRTLESS FIGHTING! on JLofA #8 on 70. We Are Robin #9 on 102 - that guy in the third panel is Cyclops, isn't it? And page 75's Deathstroke #15 has portraits of DC creators, doesn't it? Cool. I'm not liking some of these self-homages, though, like the Aquaman one on 71, the Green Arrow one on 78, the Telos one on 86, and the Batman/Superman one on 89. Too cheesy.

Greg: Yes, but the Justice League on is a self-homage, isn't it?



Travis: I sure hope Juan Ferreyra is making some sweet, sweet movie money if he's doing New Suicide Squad #17 (page 80).

Greg: Sigh. I really don't want to get this, but Ferreyra is one of those artists I'll follow anywhere. I'll probably check out the first issue, at least. (10 February)

Travis: Page 109 - hey, Scooby Doo is homaging that cover from the first issue of the new Prez book!

Greg: Bwah. Ha. Ha. (10 February)



Trade-wise, I'll probably check out Black Canary (page 113), even though I'm not totally sure about it, DC Comics Bombshells (page 114), every issue of which looks pretty keen, and Starfire, because Emanuela Lupacchino's art is so, so good (although she's not drawing the latest issue in Previews, so I hope she's not off the book).

Travis: I'm not in love with Black Canary (although I'm now an issue or 2 behind), and once I saw that this trade collected up to issue 7, I dropped the book last month to trade wait from 8 on. But I really do think the book is worth looking at in trade - 15 bucks for 7 issues plus that DAMN PREVIEW STORY (ahem. I'm still bitter) is a good deal. I'm pretty sure I'm going for the Bombshells book too, as me likee that style. Forgot that Lupacchino was on Starfire - that pushes it to a maybe, even though I'm not crazy about what I read of Palmiotti and Conner writing Harley Quinn. I'm interested in Doctor Fate on page 113, because Sonny Liew is really good, and I always like Doctor Fate. Page 118 has Robin volume 2, with the second and third Tim Drake minis. I wanted that hair of his in junior high! SHUT UP, STOP JUDGING ME! (2 March, 2 March, 23 March, 23 March, 16 March, respectively)

Greg: Over on page 119, Gotham Central gets a complete, 40-issue hardcover for 100 bucks. I'm really tempted by this, as the trades I have are missing those few issues for some reason. Very annoying. But I don't know how this will be bound, and I'm leery about 1000-page books, especially when DC or Marvel publishes them.

Travis: What you mean "those few issues"?

Greg: I'll have to check, but the first time DC collected Gotham Central, they left out the tie-in issues to other Bat-books, I think. I haven't read them in a while, but I remember a few issues being missing. Of course, I don't really care that much if they don't have anything to do with the rest of the series, but I'm a stickler for completeness!

Travis: Yeah, I'm wary, even, about these huge books. But I've read the first ... 4 trades, I think, and it's really good stuff, so it might be worth it. I don't know that I saw back issues of this ever, and I doubt you can find them for $2.50 a pop. (4 May)

Greg: So DC stopped collecting the Giffen/DeMatteis Justice League run in trade, but now they've started on Dan Jurgens's run on page 120? Jeebus, those comics were godawful. Not as bad as the series got later, I guess (I've heard the rumors!!!!), but they're still pretty bad.

Travis: I may have gotten some of these when back issue diving for the Bwa-ha-ha issues, because I wasn't sure when that era ended. I wonder if this is getting collected in relation to the Supergirl series? I don't think I'd pay for this, but I am tempted because of the Elongated Man and Sue Dibny storyline! I love them! (23 March)

Speaking of books I've never heard good things about, Wonder Woman: War of the Gods is collected on page 121. Never heard a good word about that crossover (iirc, some of the parts got released out of order), and there are other books that crossed over into this - didn't GMozz's Animal Man (or maybe it was Milligan or Veitch by that point) have a WotG issue? Anyway, it does have Jill Thompson art, though!

Greg: I own the Wonder Woman issues, but I don't remember much about it. It wasn't terrible, from what I can recall, but probably not worth getting in trade. It looks like Veitch's Animal Man crossed over with it. (23 March)

Travis: Also on 121, Superman: The Golden Age volume 1 is offered, which presumably takes the place of the Chronicles books. I may go for this, because early Superman is friggin' awesome! (16 March)

Also on 121 is World's Funnest, which collects a bunch of Bat-Mite stories. I want the Evan Dorkin written World's Funnest, and Batman: Mitefall from Alan Grant and Kevin O'Neill. The World's Finest #6 issue was a maxi series that Karl Kesel wrote, and that issue was pretty good. The GMozz issue was ... ok. The Detective issue listed is the little bastard's first appearance, and that's great stuff. So I'm torn, what I have I like, but I don't know what else there is in this book. I also wonder if the Legends of the Dark Knight issue by Grant and O'Neill is in here too, because that's a great book, and I believe it leads to Mitefall. Anyway, it's good stuff, and I may go for it.

Greg: Yeah, I'll probably get this. It sounds neat. (30 March)

I guess Scott Godlewski isn't drawing Copperhead anymore (I don't even know if Copperhead is still coming out!), because he's the artist on The Dark and Bloody on page 123. It's nice that Godlewski is getting a higher profile, but that sucks for Copperhead and Jay Faerber.

Travis: Well, there are artists who can do multiple books. Presumably he's been working on this for a bit, too, so maybe he'll be able to fit more Copperhead in during or after this mini concludes. I am trade waiting it solely because of him on it. I'm an issue or two behind on Copperhead, so I'm not sure if there was anything in the text about any delay, but I think #10 was the last one out and last one solicited. I hope they come back soon, because Copperhead's been one of my favorite books this year!

Greg: Yeah, I assume he's just taking a break from Copperhead, but that still sucks. Great for him, though! (10 February)

Travis: I don't ever get any figures, but I do want to mention that the Static Shock figure on page 133 looks cool, and the Darwyn Cooke figures on page 134 look neat too. I especially like the Krypto and Streaky figures with Supergirl!

Also, if you've got 5000 dollars to spend on a brass Batman statue, well, you need to reassess your priorities. Also, it would make a good murder weapon. Hey, it comes with a pair of handling gloves, so no fingerprints!

IDW:

It's all about the full solicits!

Greg: Al WIlliamson's Empire Strikes Back Artist's Edition on page 144. Sweeeeeeeeeeettttttt!!!!!!!

Travis: Oddly enough, I'm probably most familiar with Williamson from his inking of Pat Olliffe on Untold Tales of Spider-Man. I should rectify that. Not with this, but somehow.

Just to mention it, not buying it, but that's a Jonathan Hickman cover on Transformers #50 (page 146).



Greg: There's another Dirk Gently series on page 152? That's weird. I guess it's selling well for them!

Travis: Well, it does say that there's an upcoming TV series. I assume that's the main reason they're doing them.

Greg: Beau Smith gets to bring back Wynonna Earp, which is neat (page 153). Smith writing kick-ass chicks is always a treat!

Travis: Another TV series. I have an issue of an earlier book of this. It was ok, from what I remember. Glad it's back!

Page 154 has the trade of Godzilla in Hell, which I had decided to wait for the trade of, thinking it was all Stokoe. Just the first issue was, but it's probably worth it for the whole thing, right?

Greg: I only got the Stokoe issue of Godzilla in Hell, so I don't know how the rest of it is. I'm not terribly interested in the trade, though.

Travis: New trade of that Star Trek New Visions photomontage series that John Byrne's been doing, and the other 2 trades are offered again on page 154 as well. It sounded neat, and hey, the Borg are in this one!



Greg: The Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse Omnibus on page 162 is a good buy if you've never gotten the series before. Templesmith's art is great, of course, and the stories are quite fun and horrifying.

Travis: Ooh, good. I was leaning towards this, so this moves up the list!

I like the idea of the Valentine's covers, but I don't know if the ones they show for any books are any good. But we would be remiss if we didn't mention that Jem has a Valentine's special on page 164! That Valentine cover is pretty good!



Page 168 has Silly Symphonies with Bucky Bug, who I was (honestly!) just wondering if they never reprint his stuff because it's not going to sell, or if it's one of those ones that's kind of racist (like Little Hiawatha). Well, there's no "this has material that now would be considered racist" label here, anyway.

While I don't want to go on about adult coloring books again, I do want to mention that there's one on page 172 with Jim Mahfood art, and his art is pretty neat. I'd think it'd be hard to color, though! I do like IDW's coloring book icon!



Page 173 has Haunted Love #1, a mashup of Haunted Horror and Weird Love. It must be good!

Greg: The second big Atomic Robo collection is on page 174. Such good comics!!!!

Travis: I got volume 1 but surprise, haven't read it yet! Were the original books collected in this order? I didn't think "Ghost of Station X" was one of the first 6 volumes. I don't know!

Greg: I'm pretty sure the Atomic Robo stuff is in order. I could check, but they're in the garage, and that would be a pain. But yes, I think "Ghost of Station X" was volume 6. Hey, wait, I'll look in up on this fancy Internet thing ... Yep, it's the sixth volume!

Travis: Oh, sure, cheat. Don't just go by memory! Didn't that Socrates guy have something to say about not ... um ...I don't remember what I was talking about now!

Greg: I'm not familiar with that person.

Image:

You know you want to check out the full solicits here!

Travis: I found out about Snowfall #1 (page 182) from a post on bleedingcool that disliked the title, but couldn't articulate why. I think it works fine! I liked the first trade of Great Pacific, so I may catch up on those and trade wait this!

Greg: Yeah, I don't know. It looks okay, but it's not thrilling me. (17 February)

Travis: I hope that this issue of Island on page 201 doesn't suddenly drop 40 pages like #5 apparently is, per the Previews product changes page. Oy.

Greg: I missed that about Island. Annoying. (17 February)

Meredith McClaren's Hinges gets a second collection on page 214. The first volume was pretty good, so I'm keen to see more of it.

Travis: Since volume 1 is offered again, I may go for both! It looks neat from the preview. (3 February)

I like Rahsan Ekedal's art, but not $40 for 96 pages worth (page 216).

Greg: Yeah, the Ekedal book is nice, but not at that price. (30 March)

Garth Ennis and Carlos Ezquerra's Bloody Mary reappears from oblivion and gets a trade in page 217. I've never read this, so is it any good? What say the masses?

Travis: How the fuck did DC not only lose this, but Ennis's War Stories in the last year or so? Preacher's coming to TV and you don't keep every possible Ennis book in your back catalog? WTF DC? Maybe Ennis had a clause in his contract that if they tried to keep it and reprint it too close to the rights reversion deadline, he'd cut off their bollocks and piss down all their throats! I haven't read this, but it's Ennis and Ezquerra. It's bound to be awesome! I guess it was 2 miniseries of 4 issues each. For some reason I thought it was an ongoing from Helix. Hmm, what else of that imprint is going to be up for other people to grab? Reprint Matt Howarth's Star Crossed!

Greg: Helix had quite a lot of cool stuff that could get collected or revert to the copyright holders. Odd that you would go straight to Star Crossed, but whatevs. (9 March)



Echoes gets a trade on page 219. I thought this had already been collected? It's a really creepy story with great Rahsan Ekedal art, so I'll be picking this up.

Travis: Yeah, there's a version from 2011, I believe. I know it best from the preview book that Top Cow put out that you loved so much. Hee hee hee. You can link to that classic review, if you'd like!

Greg: Yeah, I think I'll give that a miss. Don't want to poke the hornets' nest! (30 March)

Phonogram: The Immaterial Girl is collected on page 220. Dang, the latest issue was so, so good.

Travis: I probably should have waited for the trade, because surprise, I haven't read this yet! But hey, I haven't read more than just the one issue of the first series! Do you have the originals in trade, or singles? If in trades, do they have the back matter like in the singles? I've been torn on getting the trades of volumes 1 and 2 because I don't want to miss out on the cool back matter like in the issue I have. I'm so weird!

Greg: I got Phonogram in singles, and I'm almost completely certain that the back-up stories were not collected in the trade. Once this mini-series is done, they need to release a GIANT OMNIBUS of everything!!!! (16 March)



Travis: Did you keep reading The Tithe? I liked the first trade, and will probably get volume 2 on page 223 regardless, but I know you had problems with #5.

Greg: Yeah, I'm still getting The Tithe. The latest issue was #6, and it goes where I expected it to, which is disappointing. But I'll finish the arc! (24 February)

Marvel:

Marvel at the full solicits here!

Travis: How douchey does Iron Man look on that cover, pointing to MJ? (page 1)

Greg: Yeah, that is weird. "SHE'S MY PROPERTY NOW!!!!"



Do I even want to know what Avengers Standoff: Welcome to Pleasant Hill (page 7) is? No, I do not.

Travis: Well, it's an Avengers thing. Who cares, though? (17 February)

Greg: David Walker and Sanford Greene are a good team for Power Man and Iron Fist (page 8), so I'm sure we'll only get 3 issues out of them before Greene needs a break. Those three issues will look sweet, though!

Travis: I prefer Power Fist ... (17 February)

Page 10 has Deadpool and the Mercs For Money, which claims this team name is "legally-cleared-to-be-called" that. Huh? I vaguely thought I heard something of that, but I can't think of what. (3 February)

Page 12 has X-Men: Worst X-Man Ever. It's nice that Gambit is getting a new mini! HA!

Greg: Dang, that's a good burn. I'm mad I didn't think of it! (24 February)

Travis: See, that's why you need me!

I'll have to get the Scarlet Witch trade, because Steve Dillon is on #3 (page 16), and the other issues had neat artists. (3 February)



Apparently Ms. Marvel #4 has a cover artist, but no one is writing or drawing the book (page 39).

Greg: Well done, Marvel! (10 February)

Travis: Page 42 - hey, I guessed right on Cloak and Dagger in ASM! Big deal!

Greg: When did your capacity for joy die, Travis? (3 February)

Holy mother of crap, is that a Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu Omnibus on page 85? Why yes, I believe it is. That ... is quite awesome. $125? Sure, why not?!?!?!?

Travis: Yes, I'm very interested. I'd like to get the Terry Dodson cover version. I can't wait until they get to the Gene Day stuff! (1 June)



Milking the Star Wars cash cow, there's a $100 Omnibus of the Droids and Ewoks series (page 87). Good god why?!

Greg: There's Star Wars makeup, man. You think they're not going to reprint every comic they can find? (1 June)

I may have to get Captain America & The Falcon by Christopher Priest (page 105), because why not? 16 March)

Travis: I would say why in god's (or gods') name is there a trade of Thor Corps (page 107), but I may actually have all these issues. Actually, that book was a fun little multiverse story, from what I remember. Plus, Pat Olliffe art! And Simonson issues! (9 March)

Now it's on to ... the back of the book!

Greg: Cyrus Perkins and the Haunted Taxi Cab gets a trade on page 236 from Action Lab. Have you been getting this? I took a look at one of the issues and thought it looked pretty good, but who knows, right?

Travis: I didn't get it or look at it, but I liked Double Jumpers, which Dwonch created, and Vamplets that he co-wrote was cute. Sounds like a neat series, and it's on my long list. Action Lab does great stuff overall.

Greg: Venture also gets a trade on page 237. I don't know if this has been collected before - I'll have to check if I already have it, because it's so familiar.

Travis: It doesn't look like it's been collected, but it was an Image series, and looks like it was previewed in a Noble Causes book. So maybe you read some of it there. I'm probably going to get this! RINGERRRRRRRR!!!!!

Action Lab also has Voracious #1 on page 240, where a guy goes back to the dinosaur era, and the twist is that he's a cook. Mmm, big dinosaur ribs, like the beginning of the Flintstones!!!

Greg: David Hine and Alberto Ponticelli are the writer/artist on Second Sight from Aftershock (page 242), a comic about a dude who can see through the eyes of killers and his daughter, who's investigating some horrible crimes. Hine is remarkably good at creepy horror, and this sounds just up his alley!

Travis: Yeah, this sounds like it'll be good. It sounds like it would have been a great Vertigo book! I'm going to wait and see on all these Aftershock comics and try them in trade, though.



Alternative has several interesting ones on 246, like the Selected Works of Jonny Negron, the solicit text of which appears to be trying to class up a stroke book for people of certain particular tastes; and a few resolicited books, like From Now On by Malachi Ward, who worked on Prophet, Tom Hart's Sequential Artist's Workshop Guide to Creating Professional Comic Strips, and Dylan Horrocks's Incomplete Works short story collection. I may go for those last 3!

Page 248 has American Gothic Press offering the trade of Broken Moon by Steve Niles and Nat Jones. The moon is literally broken and vampires are going to fight humans and werewolves teaming up. Sounds interesting, and I like Niles, so I may go for this.

Greg: Yeah, I saw that. I might get it, although Niles is kind of hit-and-miss for me. I'll think about it.

Amigo has Rogues!: The Cold Ship in trade on page 250. This is a neat story with stunning art, so I hope it sells well!

Travis: I never read the last issue or two (I know!), but the first 3 were great and Lolita Aldea is a great artist. This is well worth it!

Huh, I swear that when I ordered the Steam League #1 from Antarctic, it was a one shot. But here's #2 offered on page 253. I guess I better read #1 and see if I want to continue with it!

I'm not sure if the Steam Engines of Oz Complete Collection HC from Arcana on page 254 is a new offering or not, but what I read of it in the FCBD book was good. I think Hatcher liked it, too!



Page 256 has the trade of the new Archie, which collects the first 6 issues. Glad I passed on that collection of 1-3 a couple months back. I hope it has all the variant covers in it too!

I'm curious if Revenger volume 1 will actually come out from Bergen Street Press (page 270), since you or Simon were saying they're not going to be publishing anymore. Sounds like an indie Punisher!

Greg: No, they're still publishing. They closed their store to focus more on publishing!

Travis: Also on page 270, from Big Planet/Retrofit is the anthology Future Shock Zero. I found this contributor list on their site, and I don't think I'm familiar with any of them, but that cover is cool looking.



Huh, Bart Simpson Comics is up to #100 (Bongo Comics, page 272). But that will be the last issue. Sounds like an amusing story of the future coming back to affect today, but I don't know if I'll get it. Maybe if I cut a lot of other stuff!

Greg: Welcome Back is in trade on page 281 from Boom! The art on this book is excellent (although the original artist isn't continuing on the series, it seems), and the first issue was pretty good, although I didn't buy the others, so I don't know how it continues. I'm looking forward to the trade, though.

Travis: Ooh ooh Mister Ko-tter! I've heard nothing but good things about this, and #1 has gone through a few printings. I'm getting this, especially because it's a 10 buck trade. They sound like girls who would be king, though!

Page 285 has Lantern City HC volume 1, which sounded like an interesting steampunk book, and Carlos Magno was pretty good on Deathmatch. However, this is 25 bucks for only 4 issues, which is crazy talk. I'll wait for a trade, maybe.

Greg: I bought the first issue, and it was just okay. Magno's art is good, but it just felt like a standard, "oppressive government and we're reluctant rebels" kind of thing. Yeah, that price point is insane.

Travis: Page 285 also has a SC trade of Cursed Pirate Girl, which was awesome to read. I may get this, even though I could just read it again from the library. It's that good!



Greg: David Walker has a new Shaft story from Dynamite on page 299. It doesn't have Bilquis Evely on art, but it does has Dietrich Smith, who's pretty good himself. (3 February)

Travis: Page 303 has a Twilight Zone 1959 special, with stories written by Tom Peyer and John Layman, and art by Colton Worley. Sounds cool to me, and I live in the area where Rod Serling grew up, so I feel like I have a connection to the Zone. I can totally understand why his mind would have been led that way! (17 February)

Greg: Mike Baron's Badger is back from Devil's Due/First on page 316. I don't have any old Badger comics, so I only know about him from his guest appearances in Nexus, but that's nice for Baron.

Travis: I actually picked up almost all of the Badger run ... somehow. I can't remember which comics store or con I got them at. But I've actually read them! It's decent stuff, not as good as Nexus, but I'm glad he's back. I'll probably get the trade of this. And what's up with Paul Pope doing variants on different #1s? This, that Carver: A Paris Story from Z2, the book based on the TV Heroes Reborn from Titan ... they're all trying to sucker me into buying their comics! Dammit, Paul Pope!



Also on 316, the Scribbler Special Collector's Edition Film Limited Edition GN (phew!) by Dan Schaffer, of Dogwitch and last month's offering of Killdarlings. That movie is loaded with babes! *Ahem* Fine actresses, I mean.

Page 321 and Dover have what's probably my must have of the month, with Jeff Nicholson's Through the Habitrails. This started from Steve Bissette's Taboo, I believe, and some was in the Mammoth Book of Cult Comics (which I need to read!). He did great stuff with Ultra Klutz, an Ultra Man/superhero parody, and this sounds wonderfully creepy and good. I hope if this does well, Dover will collect his other stuff, which I believe includes Colonia, and Father and Son. And of course a big collection of Ultra Klutz!

Some good stuff from Fantagraphics on page 326 and 327. Simon can tell us all about the reoffered stuff, but I will mention that Dylan Horrocks's Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen is on 327. On 326 is the new Kramers Ergot, which includes Kim Deitch and Renee French among others and Ganges #5 by Kevin Huizenga, which I always hear is good. Powr Mastrs from C.F. is offered, and the C.F. book I got a couple years ago was awful "artsy" "primitive" stuff, so buyer beware. The one book that will be hard to cut from my list will be The Meat Cake Bible from Dame Darcy! Her stuff is bizarre but amazing. I have a few issues of this, so I'll have to look over them again. She also did some Cobweb stories for Tomorrow Stories, and if Beardy McGrumpypants isn't listed in the book again this month he should be, because there's an issue of Meat Cake that has a story written by Alan Moore in here.

Greg: There's a new issue of Providence in the Avatar section, so Moore does make an appearance this month!

Travis: Graphic India has a couple of books offered at $1.99 for the first issue. Reincarnation Man sounds like a version of Resurrection Man and Five Ghosts and other stuff with an Indian lead, and Shikari Force: Hunters sounds like it might be a fun demon hunter book, with the relationships of the hunters lending it a neat hook.

Kodansha offers book 1 of Princess Jellyfish on page 352. It's about a geeky girl who loves jellyfish, and other stuff happens. This solicit is confusing. There's a lot going on, but it sounds interesting!

Last Gasp has As You Were volume 4 (page 352), a compilation of stories about punk rock communities and living situations. Sounds interesting, and Liz Prince is in it. I may get it, because I'm so punk!

Magnetic has Golem volume 1 on page 356, set in a future Italy where a kidnapped boy can change reality, and it sounds like it might look pretty neat, at least. Simon will find us any previews!

Greg: That does sound neat.



Travis: Mike Wolfer offers the first trade of Daughters of the Dark Oracle on page 356. I think you mentioned you like his stuff, and this sounds like it might be fun like a Hammer film.

Greg: Yeah, I'll have to think about it.

Travis: Nobrow offers Mean Girls Club one shot on page 358, and that black and white and pink cover is striking. Sounds like it could be amusing!



Greg: Sophie Campbell's Wet Moon gets a new edition on page 359 from Oni. Of course I'm getting this!

Travis: Me too. I thought I heard that Shadoweyes was getting remastered and rereleased too. I'm hoping for that as well! (27 April)

Overground offers Tinker #1 (page 365), which sounds like fun, where a teen girl wants to be a hero and is able to replicate any tech she sees, but the solicit text says the art is by Matthew Weldon, and the cover shown says it's Rachel Uldriks. Weird!

Greg: Even they don't know! They just hope some art will show up at some point!

Travis: If you're tired of digging in quarter bins for Tekno Comics, check out Papercutz/Super Genius on page 367, where you can get volume 1 of Mr. Hero, Lady Justice, and Teknophage. Neil Gaiman's name will sell anything, won't it? HA!

Sonny Liew's new book, The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye (Pantheon, page 367) sounds interesting, and this is a signed bookplate edition. Is this one of those books where it's about someone who didn't really exist, though?!

Greg: Yeah, probably. I'm getting this, too - it's 30 bucks, but it's 320 pages, though, so it's good value!



Travis: 21 Pulp has a couple interesting things on page 394. There's the trade of Hero Hourly, which sounded like an interesting way to look at superheroing as an office job, and there's Imposter #1 (of 4), wherein it is revealed that one man has been EVERY hero ever! Mind. Blown. Heh. Sounds interesting, though. I'll wait for the trade, maybe.

Because I have the other 2 trades, and because the Dread Lord is reviewing this series as a prelude to Fred Van Lente Day (oh, I have to get my decorations up!), I think I have to get the third trade of Valiant's Ivar, Timewalker series on page 404. What's weird is that I don't think either of the trades showed up on the Previews list the week they came out. Spooky!

Greg: They were listed in Previews and showed up on my retailer's invoice, so that's all I care about! It's a good series - you should read it.

Travis: From Vertical on page 414 is a bizarre sounding manga called Nichijou, about a strange Japanese town. It's like "Winesburg, Ohio," David Lynch style! (See how I avoided the outright Twin Peaks comparison?) I may go for this because the school principal wrestles a deer.

Greg: Well, that's all she wrote this time around, everyone. Always remember to ask your retailer if he or she will give you Previews for free, because why not? I hope you have fun digging through it to find the treasures within!