This week, I might have to buy some comics, because I am compelled to consume Kyle Baker's work

Lots of links: I haven't played Killzone 2, so I don't know if this makes much sense, but James Kochalka did a review of the game in the form of a one-page Superfuckers comic, which is fun.  And while I was at that site, I found that he has also done some sort-of-comics based around weird characters that he created on the Wii.  Neat.

Check out this odd Sam Hiti comic that was done to promote the Chinese launch of Coke Zero.  What a strange combination of factors; it makes for an interesting reading experience.

Hey, early Brendan McCarthy!  Here's some strips that he did back in 1978, written by Peter Milligan.  That's not something you see every day.

Rick Veitch is offering the first issue of Brat Pack for free download in promotion for the upcoming new edition of the collection.  I really need to buy/read that series.

Oh, and I don't think I've linked to this yet: I'm still reviewing Dollhouse for Tucker Stone and company at TFO.  I recommend reading that post just for Tucker's description (no commentary seems to be necessary) of The Bad Girls Club.  That show sounds totally awful, in the most compelling way.  I may yet watch it one day.

New comics this week (Wednesday, 3/11/09):

Amazon #1

Apparently, this is a reprint of an early Tim Sale comic (written by Steven T. Seagle), about a jungle chick or something.  I bet it will look nice.  Three issues, from Dark Horse, here's a preview.

Astonishing Tales #2

Dunno if anybody cares about this Marvel anthology title, but this issue is notable for a MODOK story by Ted McKeever, as well as the continuation of the Jonathan Hickman-written story about Mojoworld.  Maybe something to glance through when perusing the titles at the comic shop?  Or wait until you can find it in a quarter bin, because with the super-lame Wolverine/Punisher/future-Iron Man content, it's certainly not worth the four bucks Marvel wants for it.

Charlatan Ball #6

Joe Casey continues to bring the Kirby-flavored craziness, which he always manages to pull off with a unique panache that seems to work within his own style while paying tribute to Kirby, if that makes sense.  Whatever the case, I dig it, and I'll definitely be grabbing this.

DMZ #40

Brian Wood with more urban warfare.  Man, I still need to read the "Blood in the Game" trade.

Ex Machina Special #4

This is one of those occasional side stories in the series, about an energy crisis and a supervillain, with art by John Paul Leon.  I hope these will be collected at some point.

Fables #82

I think this finishes up the current storyline, so hopefully another collection will be on its way soon.  Art by David Hahn this issue.

Immortal Iron Fist #23

Hey, I read the last issue of this series, and it was all right, with a story in which Danny Rand and his compatriots are imprisoned in some mystical dimension and forced to fight beyond the point of exhaustion in gladiatorial events or something.  Pretty cool; this Swierczynski fellow is turning out to be a semi-worthy follow-up writer to Fraction and Brubaker.  Maybe this book will work out, if anybody is still reading it.

Invincible Iron Man #11

On the other hand, does anybody care about this book anymore?  I've just been bored whenever I read it lately. Tony Stark is on the run, and Pepper is now the Iron Woman, and whatever.  Somebody wake me up when it's all over.

Life And Times of Savior 28 #1

Another indie superhero book; does anybody read these?  I normally wouldn't even bother mentioning it, since I think the genre is pretty well played out, and about all that's left is to endlessly riff on characters and/or stories that everybody knows (which doesn't mean good stories are impossible, but they're pretty few and far between these days).  But, this one is at least notable for the presence of Mike Cavallaro on art (J.M. DeMatteis is writing, for whatever that's worth).  I loved his Parade, With Fireworks, and it might be interesting to see his style used on a super-book, but I would prefer if he got back to the good stuff.

Northlanders #15

Ryan Kelly's run as artist on Brian Wood's Viking series continues, but I don't think it's over yet.  I'd like to read this, so collect it quickly, please.

Saga of the Swamp Thing #21 Special Edition

A cheap version of what's probably Alan Moore's most famous issue of Swamp Thing, supposedly to get people who saw the Watchmen movie hooked on comics.  Hey, if it works, that's cool.

Soul Kiss #2

Steven Seagle's book about a Satan-employed soul-hunter continues.  I don't know if the first issue got very good reviews, but this one by Greg McElhatton got me interested in the series, if only for Marco Cinello's interesting art style.  Maybe I'll check it out when it's finished.

Special Forces #4

Kyle Baker!  I think this is the final issue of his incisive Iraq War satire, and I'm glad to finally see it show up.  The series has been both horrific and hilarious, and it deserves more attention.  I think a collected version is coming soon, so if you haven't read it, watch out for that one.  This shit is excellent.

The Stand: American Nightmares #1

Is anybody bothering to read this?  I tried to make my way through an issue or two, but I don't think I was able to stay awake.  I've barely read any Stephen King at all, but after this and the Dark Tower comics, I'm thinking the serialized comic book pamphlet probably isn't the best format for his stories.  Maybe the collected versions work a bit better.  Or maybe it's best to just read the original books.  It seems that the best adaptations of King's work (The Shining, for one) don't necessarily hew so close to the source material, but these comics seem to be so goddamn reverent that all the energy has been drained right out of them.  Or maybe I don't know what the hell I'm talking about, which is also quite possible.

Top 10 Season Two #4

This is the final issue of the Zander Cannon/Gene Ha miniseries, right?  It's another one I'm pretty excited to check out when it's collected.  Bring it, Wildstorm.

Anna Mercury Vol 1 The Cutter TP

Warren Ellis' miniseries gets collected, although the "volume 1" seems to indicate that there will be more to come.  I didn't finish reading the issues, but I liked the ones I did read well enough.  You can always count on Ellis to bring the cool sci-fi ideas, and this one wasn't bad, with alternate dimensions and Matrix-like agents and action, with a bit of BDSM fetishism.  Hmm, I think I've convinced myself to try to finish reading the thing.

Be A Nose Three Sketchbooks By Art Spiegelman

A nifty book from McSweeney's, collecting a bunch of Spiegelman's sketches (yes, I can read the title).  I bet it's worth looking at.

Eerie Archives Vol 1 HC

Here's Dark Horse's pricey collection of the classic horror anthology, featuring work from Frank Frazetta, Alex Toth, Neal Adams, Joe Orlando, etc.  Here, have a short preview.

Epilogue TPB

Was this a miniseries?  I don't remember ever seeing it, but that doesn't mean anything.  It's apparently about a supernatural crime-fighter or something, by Steve Niles and Kyle Hotz.  Maybe it'll be all right, although I'm not all that enamored of Niles.  I do like Hotz's artwork though.

Franklin Richards: Not So Secret Invasion TPB

I haven't been reading these, but they're still coming out.  I do generally recommend them though, for cute kiddy antics based on the Fantastic Four.  Usually pretty fun.  Go for it.

Justice League International Vol 4 HC

Giffen/DeMatteis/Maguire.  People like this stuff; maybe I'll read it someday.

Losers By Jack Kirby HC

I'll try to read this one sooner; war stories by Jack Kirby from the 70s, which some say was the period containing his greatest creative output.  This is in the same format as the Fourth World/Demon/OMAC Omnibuses, so they'll all look great on my shelf when I acquire them all someday.

Madman Atomic Comics Vol 2 TP

This collects issues 8-13 of Mike Allred's current series, and what I've read of them has been kind of disappointing, so it's probably best for Allred fans and few others.  This does include that cool 22-page-spread issue though, if you're interested in that one.  It's pretty neat.  Me, I'm kind of bored with where the series has been going, but I'm sure I'll end up reading it all someday.

Mask Omnibus Vol 2 TP

I'm not sure how much of this is worth reading, given that the only parts of the series that are all that good are the ones by John Arcudi and Doug Mahnke.  They are present in this volume though, along with Evan Dorkin, Bob Fingerman, and Kyle Hotz, so maybe some of it is halfway decent.  But you're probably better sticking with the first volume if you want the good stuff.  Here, preview.

Perry Bible Fellowship Almanack HC

This book seems to exist mostly to piss off people who bought The Trial of Colonel Sweeto, since it collects the entirety of Nicholas Gurewitch's strip, making their purchase obsolete.  But it's worth getting either way, since it's hilarious, one of the best webcomics out there.  Oh yeah, it's online, so you can read the archives for free if you prefer saving money.

Sandman Mystery Theatre Vol. 7 TP

This is a reknowned Vertigo series, which I've never read, I don't think.  I really should someday.

Sci-Fi Art TP

Not a comic; no, this seems to be a coffee table book collection the kind of art that adorned sci-fi novels and magazines, which is still pretty cool.  I certainly wouldn't mind looking at it.

Tarzan The Jesse Marsh Years Vol 1 HC

People seem to be excited about this collection of the Golden Age series, so it's probably good reading.  Maybe I'll give it a try someday, because, you know, it's not like there aren't a few thousand other things to read out there already.  It's one of those obnoxiously expensive Dark Horse Archive books though, with four issues of material for $50, so I won't be paying for it, no sir.  Here, read a preview, why don'tcha.

The Stand: Captain Trips Prem HC

I mentioned the Stephen King adaptation above, and this might be a preferable way to read it, but who knows?  Here's your chance though.

Transmetropolitan Vol 1 Back On The Street TPB

Looks like Vertigo is re-releasing the Transmet trades, but they must be doing a different collecting scheme, because the original version of "Back on the Street" was only the first three issues, while this contains the first six issues.  Good stuff, although I've only read the first three or four trades; it's another one that I have been meaning to pick up at some point.  Warren Ellis, Darick Robertson, a Hunter S. Thompson-inspired protagonist, cool sci-fi ideas, social commentary, lots of freaky details.  Pretty awesome, all around.  Damn, why haven't I finished reading it yet?

Wormwood Gentlemen Corpse Birds Bees Blood Beer Vol 1 HC

Ben Templesmith!  This is a new, deluxe version of the first volume of his series about a demon-fighting worm riding in a dead guy's eye accompanied by a cranky old-man robot and a sexy tattooed chick, whose adventures always involve tentacled monsters.  Fun stuff; I reviewed it here (I still need to get to the second and third volumes, dammit).  Since IDW apparently can't keep it in print, they've got this fancy hardcover version, with bonus sketches and art and all sorts of goodies.  I bet it looks nice.  Here's a sample at Templesmith's blog.

Rosario And Vampire Vol 6 GN

I sure wasn't too impressed by the first couple volumes of this shonen series, but Ed Sizesmore at Comics Worth Reading sure seems to think it's the bee's knees, so maybe it's worth another look.  I've got another volume or two somewhere in my review pile, so maybe I'll give it another try sometime.

Shojo Beat Vol 5 #4 Apr 2009

I'm reading this right now, so unless it takes me longer than expected to finish, expect another Monster Mash interlude soon.  I can't miss my monthly dose of the girly stuff.

Vampire Knight Vol 6 TP

This is only up to volume 6 in collections?  It seems like it's been running forever in SB.  It seems to be popular with the girls, so I bet it will continue for a while yet.  Not my favorite series, but it does have some charms.  I still wouldn't really recommend it though.  Sorry, fangirls; don't kill me.

Yakitate Japan Vol 16 TP

I do want to give this series a try sometime, especially after Jonesy's comments the last time I mentioned it.  Funnier than Cromartie?!  I didn't think that was possible.  This I gotta see.

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Is that everything?  Sure seems like a lot of stuff.  I'll be buried in comics for eternity at this rate.  Hang around; I'll have more content up soon, I hope.