Time once again for our monthly trip through Previews looking for awesome, new, adventure comics.
About Comics
Salimba - Paul Chadwick drew a comic about a jungle girl fighting pirates? Seriously? It can't be Christmas already.
Amulet
Hereville: Now Merka Got Her Sword [Edit: That should be How Mirka Got Her Sword. It's spelled incorrectly in Previews. Thanks to Tom for pointing that out in the comments.] - A "spunky 11-year-old" girl in a dull, Orthodox Jewish community dreams of dragon-slaying and meets a witch. Actually, I think I'd be interested in just reading a story about a plucky tween in a boring town with Orthodox Judaism as a backdrop (since I know nothing about Orthodox Judaism, but am sort of fascinated by it). Adding dragons and witches are a nice touch though.
Arcana
Wonderdog, Inc. - A teen-aged boy and his grandfather search for the Fountain of Youth and - if the cover is to be believed - swing on some vines. I like it.
Archaia
Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard - The Mouse Guard anthology by Jeremy Bastian, Ted Naifeh, Alex Sheikman, Mark Smylie, Gene Ha, Terry Moore, Guy Davis, Sean Rubin, Craig Rousseau, Karl Kerschl and Katie Cook is collected. It's been a difficult wait.
After the break: I need to convince people to give me Halloween presents, because there's no way I can afford all the stuff I want this month.
Candlewicke
The Odyssey - I can't tell what the interior art looks like, but Gareth Hinds' cover is quite nice and I love this story. I hope he pulls it off.
Cartoon Books
Fish N Chips, Volume 1 - These are my son's favorite characters from Flight and they're pretty high on the list for me too. Can't think of a better place for them than Cartoon Books. A fish with a robot-body for his bowl and a lazy (but awesome) cat for a partner fights vampires.
Dark Horse
Turok: Son of Stone #1 - When Dark Horse announced their deal with Jim Shooter, I would've been 50 times more excited had I remembered that meant we'd be getting a new American Indians vs. Dinosaurs series eventually.
Magnus: Robot Fighter, Volume 1 - Reprinting the original '60s stories. I've been told that the mini-skirt is a non-negotiable costume accessory for forty-first century robot-punchers, but I'd enjoy it ever so much more if the hero wore pants. Still, it's a classic series that I've never adequately explored and I'm curious.
Beasts of Burden/Hellboy - The crossover I've secretly longed for, but never dared to hope.
DC
Knight & Squire #1 - He should've been there a long time ago, but Paul Cornell now joins my list of favorite writers.
Action Comics #894 - I mean, Lex Luthor vs. Death of the Endless. I don't even miss Superman.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Volume 2: The Fearsome Fang Strikes Again - You do know that this is the best Batman series being published right now, right?
Dynamite
Warlord of Mars #1 - It's been too long since there's been a John Carter of Mars comic. Thanks, Dynamite!
Vampirella Masters Series, Volume 2: Warren Ellis - Though Vampirella's had some legendary writers and illustrators over the years, it hasn't been that often that it's had both at the same time. This collection - by Warren Ellis and Amanda Conner - doesn't have that problem. For examples of some of the other times, check out Vampirella Archive, Volume 2, also solicited this month.
Queen Sonja, Volume 1 - I like Red Sonja a lot when she's written well. I can't imagine Josh Ortega's not writing her well.
Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files: Fool Moon, Volume 1 #1 - As crazy as that title is, I'm just glad someone got The Dresden Files away from the Dabel Brothers.
Zorro: Matanzas - Don McGregor and Mike Mayhew's take on the character is collected.
Eureka
Graphic Classics, Volume 19: Christmas Classics - I love Graphic Classics almost as much as I love me a good Christmas story. Like the one where Paul Chadwick draws me a comic about a jungle girl fighting pirates.
Fantagraphics
The Littlest Pirate King - Seventeen bucks seems like a lot to pay for a 48-page comic, hardcover or no, but I really need to find out how you tell a kids' story about cursed pirates with a death wish and the malevolent God who prevents them from achieving their goal.
Flesk
Xenozoic: The Complete Collection - Mark Schultz' famous humans vs. dinosaurs comic is finally collected. I'm pretty sure I've been waiting my whole life for this.
Free Lunch
Sky Pirates of Valendor, Volume 1 - Not the only Sky Pirates title in the list this month. But pretty much all you have to do to get on the list is have the words "Sky Pirates" in your name, so it's fair.
IDW
Classic Jurassic Park, Volume 1 - Walter Simonson, Gil Kane, and George Perez' adaptation of the original movie. One of the best things about new companies getting old licenses is reprints like this.
Bloom County: The Complete Library, Volume 3 - If I get my dad Volume 2 for his birthday in November, I can get him this for Christmas. Best Son Ever Award, you are mine.
The Coffin: 10th Anniversary Edition - I'm pretty sure that Coffin was the first time I read something that Phil Hester wrote after loving his drawings for so long. It made me a fan. Glad to see it's being celebrated with a special edition. Even though I've already got it, I'll probably get it again to have it in hardcover (and read the new epilogue).
Image
The Saga of Rex - I missed a few volumes of Flight, so I've never completely read Michel Gagne's magical story about the cute little fox and the wonderful, mysterious aliens he meets. It's gorgeous though and I'm glad they're putting it together for me.
Outlaw Territory, Volume 2 - The second installment in the Western anthology series features work by Francesco Francavilla, Stuart Immonen, Robert Kirkman, Andy Kuhn, Jeff Lemire, Joshua Ortega, Greg Pak, and the ubiquitous More. I've said it before, but we need more Western comics.
Sky Pirates of Neo Terra - I love the art on this. Plus, you know: "Sky Pirates."
Marvel
Strange Tales, Volume 2 #1 - Didn't the first collected volume come out today? I think it did. Now I'll be all ready for this one. Not that I'm ever not ready for Rafael Grampa, Kate Beaton, Jeff Lemire, and the rest of these guys.
Moonstone
The Phantom Detective #1 - I really enjoyed Aaron Shaps writing on Zeroids #1, so I'd be checking this out even if it wasn't a cool, Heroic Pulp adventure.
NBM
Miss Don't Touch Me, Volume 2 - The first volume was great. Glad the story's continuing.
Pantheon
Charles Burns' X'ed Out - A new Charles Burns Horror comic. I guess it is Christmas.
SLG
Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer, Volume 2: The Great Puppet Theater - I couldn't have enjoyed Volume 1 more. Can't wait for this either.
That's it for me. I find it hard to believe that I missed something, but you tell me. What are you looking forward to?