I should’ve done this last week, but a) my comic shop got screwed out of their Previews order (yay Diamond!) and b) I was glad to get to talk about The New Brighton Archeological Society on the day it came out.
Once more, focusing on debut issues, collections, and graphic novels, here’s what looks promising a couple of months from now. And by all means let me know in the comments what I missed.
Ape
Femme Noir, Volume 1: The Dark City Diaries – A mysterious, gun-toting woman fighting jungle girls and robot gangsters. Writer Christopher Mills knows how to do great, fun pulp and it’s illustrated by the legendary Joe Staton.
Avatar
Freakangels, Volume 2 – I haven’t been reading the webcomic version yet, but wow the art is gorgeous, isn’t it? Looking forward to seeing what it’s all about.
Boom!
Unthinkable #1 – A think-tank that develops nightmare scenarios for the government to prepare against shuts down and the members begin to disappear. One of them, a novelist, has to figure out what’s going on and stop it before – I assume – he’s taken and the scenarios start becoming reality. Sounds like a great thriller and I’m in the mood for one of those.
Checker
Milton Caniff’s Steve Canyon: 1956 – I’ve got some catching up to do, but I loved the first volume in Checker’s reprint series. Canyon was a great adventure series about a tough pilot and his crew who’d fly clients just about anywhere as long as the money was good.
Dark Horse
Goon, Volume 8 – I’m way behind on The Goon too, but I imagine it’s still as hilariously gruesome as it was when I decided to start waiting for the trades. I need to bump this up on my catch-up list. I miss that big galoot and his empty-eyed sociopathic sidekick Franky. Besides: Macabre Burlesque House and Demonic Kitty.
Lobster Johnson: The Satan Factory – Not a comic, but still. Mike Mignola’s Lobster Johnson fighting a mad doctor who’s using a witch and a cursed skeleton to create an army of monsters? And look at that cover!
Solomon Kane, Volume 1 – This cover’s even cooler than the Lobster Johnson one. I said last month that I wasn’t sure I wanted to start exploring Kane’s world with The Saga of Solomon Kane and I was right. This adaptation of a Robert E. Howard story is where I want to begin.
Usagi Yojimbo, Volume 23 - The latest volume of Stan Sakai’s rabbit ronin epic. I’ve never read Usagi Yojimbo and I pretty much hate myself for denying me the pleasure.
DC/Vertigo
The Nobody – Jeff Lemire’s take on HG Wells’ The Invisible Man. I don’t know what it is about bandaged characters like this and the Unknown Soldier, but I can’t get enough of them.
The Unwritten #1 – Harry Potter meets Christopher Robin? Basically, what if JK Rowling had – like AA Milne – based her incredibly famous main character on a real boy? And what happens when that boy grows up and learns that the author’s stories aren’t quite as imaginary as everyone thinks? Written by Mike Carey and illustrated by Peter Gross. I’m going to go ahead and call this the Next Huge Thing from Vertigo.
Dynamite
Buck Rogers #0 – I’m a little concerned that they’re going to get rid of the pulp in favor of a slicker take, but maybe it’ll be okay.
Sherlock Holmes #1 – Another one I’m skeptically curious about. I love Holmes when Doyle writes him, but other writers often portray him as either superhuman or a total ass. It’s rare that someone is able to match Doyle’s ability to balance both aspects of Holmes, but hopefully Leah Moore and John Reppion are up to it.
Fantagraphics
Delphine #4 – Making an exception from the Debut Issues Only Rule because this has been such a long time coming and I can’t wait. Richard Sala’s take on Snow White is as beautiful as it is macabre. Also: werewolves.
Low Moon – Five stories by Jason. Featuring cowboy chess, outer space, and “The Postman Always Rings Twice meets Groundhog Day. But starring cavemen.” Don’t tell me Fantagraphics doesn’t know fun.
Marvel
Fantastic Four: True Story – I’ve been eagerly awaiting this collection. All they had to say was, “(The Thing) finds himself clobbering a demonic army to save the cast of Sense and Sensibility.”
Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers #1 – Oh please let this be wordless. Just super-pets silently going around and… You know what? I don’t care what they go around doing. This is the best idea anyone’s ever had.
Runaways #10 – I’m breaking the Debut Issues Only Rule again because this is a stand-alone story featuring Molly, the most awesome Runaway, teaming up with Wolverine. And I’m not even tired of Wolverine because I don’t read any of his other books (except Wolverine: First Class and Marvel Adventures: Avengers of course).
Salty Sugar
Seaweed: A Cure for Mildew – Thirty bucks for sixty-four pages seems really expensive to me, even for a hardcover, but the story sounds irresistible. A dying bat hires a pelican sea captain and a French sardine to help him search for a magic book that could save his life. Plus: a mysterious island, strange creatures, and a chameleon assassin.
Titan
Monsters vs. Aliens, Volume 2: The “M” Files – I’ve got no interest in Volume 1, which is just an adaptation of the movie, but I love that they’re confident enough to go ahead and release a second book with a couple of all-new stories. And I expect to love the movie enough that I’ll want to read them.
Top Shelf
Awesome 2: Awesomer – I really liked the first Awesome anthology, but what puts the sequel on this list is Fred Van Lente. I don’t know what kind of story he’s doing, but he’s one of my three favorite writers at Marvel, so sign me up.
Far Arden – A crusty old sea dog fights circus performers while looking for a mythical island paradise. Yes, please!
Zenescope
No Quarter #0 – I really don’t know about this one. It claims to be a “hardcore” remedy for “overly romanticized pirate adventures,” yet the cover art features a handsome hero with great pecs in a ripped shirt protecting a frightened, buxom maid who’s clinging fearfully to his arm. I’m getting kind of a mixed message there. Still, it’s pirates and it’s only 99 cents, so it makes the list.
What about you? What are you looking forward to?