Damn, lots of good stuff this week:
New comics this week (Wednesday, 10/29/08):
Amazing Spider-Man #575
This issue, J. Jonah Jameson loses his arms because he confuses Spider-Man with a terrorist sleeper cell.
If anyone cares anymore, this is apparently a fill-in issue/miniseries or something that will help Simone Bianchi get caught up on art duties on the regular series (art is being done by Alan Davis and Adi Granov, who I'm sure make quite the complementary pair). Looks like he's following closely in John Cassaday's steps. Oh, is the book any good? Who the hell knows? You don't expect me to read anything X-Men related, do you?
Ennis, with Robertson. I can't wait until it's collected.
Garth Ennis Battlefields Night Witches #1
Ennis' newest wartime endeavor, telling the story of female Russian bomber pilots in WWII. I almost always dig Ennis' war comics, and I can't wait to read this one (eventually). Art by Russ Braun.
Garth Ennis' Streets of Glory #6
Yet more Ennis?! I didn't read any of this western series illustrated by Mike Wolfer, but I haven't really heard good things. Should I bother? Anyone?
Hellboy in the Chapel of Moloch #1
A one-shot, actually illustrated by (gasp!) Mike Mignola! Sweet. No idea what the story is, but I bet it involves a chapel of some sort.
Jack of Fables #27
More of Jack's shenanigans. I haven't been following this series, but I hope to get caught up at some point. This issue features Hillary Page's backstory, or something. Damn, I wanna read it.
Jazz Cool Birth One Shot
I talked to author Gary Scott Beatty at Wizard World Chicago this summer, and he even gave me a couple comics that he wrote to check out. I never did get around to reviewing them (sorry, Gary!), but I would call them interestingly flawed. However, this book, which he also illustrated, won the Xeric award, and it looks pretty interesting, telling a Jazz-age murder mystery and sporting some nifty 50s-style art. I might have to check it out. Here's a preview page.
Kick Drum Comix #2
More Jim Mahfood! The first issue looked nice, so I bet this will also be cool.
A new printing of Grant Morrison and Phillip Bond's tale of youthful rebellion (of the murderous, anarchic variety). It's all right, but not Morrison's best work. I recommend Jog's analysis of the comic; that guy is smart.
Marvel 1985 #6
Mark Millar's weird-ass miniseries ends, and I wonder if Tommy Lee Edwards will ever get to illustrate anything worthy of his talents. He's a damn good artist, and I hope he doesn't spend his whole career on crap like this. I read most of the issues of this, and it's pretty stupid, with a bunch of lame nonsense about how nasty supervillains would be in the "real" world (or the Mark Millar version of it, anyway). The art is pretty, but you have to suffer through a terrible story to see it. Let's all try to convince Edwards to get Warren Ellis or Matt Fraction to team up with him on something cool and independent like Fell. He's much better than this.
No Hero #2
Warren Ellis. Juan Jose Ryp. Superhero violence. You know the drill. Let me know if it's worth picking up in trade, I guess.
Northlanders #11
More Brian Wood Vikings! This issue kicks off a new storyline, sporting art by Ryan Kelly! I bet it will be good.
Rex Libris #13
Wow, James Turner is getting these out quick these days. I think the story of our heroic librarian is drawing to a close, but I'll enjoy it while it lasts.
Another case of pretty artwork, with duties on this annual being handled by Patsy Walker: Hellcat's David LaFuente. I'm not complaining though; he's perfect for this sort of thing, and while I don't usually bother with this series, it's still chugging along and doing its thing well. If something happened to Stuart Immonen, LaFuente would be a worthy replacement. Fun superheroics; I might bother reading more of those if they were more like this.
Wasteland #21
Acme Novelty Library Vol 19 HC
Is this actually coming out this week? Wow, it's early this year. Looks like we're back to the ongoing "Rusty Brown" serial, with this volume focusing on Rusty's father, a high school teacher. Will he have an American Beauty-esque awakening at the sight of Chalky White's teenage sister? I doubt Ware will do anything triumphant; maybe he'll end up in jail on charges of pederasty. I can't wait to find out.
Adventures Of Tintin Collectors Gift Set HC
Ah, the expensive stuff that I'll never be able to afford. If you always wanted a pricey collection of one of the best comics series of all time, here's your chance: it's a seven-book set, with each volume containing three installments of the series, for $150. Enjoy your prosperity, you rich fuckers.
Bat-Manga Secret History Of Batman In Japan
Chip Kidd's book about, well, what the title says, hopefully containing many examples of that sort of work. I would love to check this out sometime. You can get it in softcover for $30, or pay $60 for a fancy hardcover with an extra comics story. Tough choice? Not for me (I'm poor).
Bernie Wrightsons Frankenstein HC
It's a new version of the novel, interspersing all of Bernie Wrightson's famous illustrations (which I think were originally published in a portfolio) among the complete text. It's oversized at 9" x 12", and it'll run you $29.95.
Detective Jermain Vol 1 TP
A new manga-esque graphic novel from Misako Rocks! (Misako Takashima, I think), who is probably best known for doing illustrations for Dan Savage's "Savage Love" sex advice column. I thought her first book, Biker Girl, was terrible, but maybe she has improved. This one is about a teenage girl detective and her sidekick/love interests. Worthwhile? Eh, probably not.
Ghost Omnibus Vol 1 TPB
The latest in Dark Horse's series of thick value volumes. I never read this series, and I don't know if it's any good (probably not), but a good portion of it is drawn by Adam Hughes, so it looks nice, especially if you like the cheesecake. Eh, why do I even bother to mention this...
God The Dyslexic Dog Vol 2 TP
This comic is supposed to be good. I've been meaning to check it out for a while now. Looks like there will be another volume to obtain. Here's the series' home page, if you want more information.
Joker HC
Dunno if this is worth reading, but a lot of people seem to be talking about it. Brian Azzarello, Lee Bermejo, supervillains, violence, you know the drill (crap, I'm repeating myself). Maybe I'll look for it at the library; it sounds interesting, but not really something I would want to own.
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen The Black Dossier TPB
Here's some damn good comics. Alan Moore, Kevin O'Neill, lots of content, a chance to blow your mind. In cheaper format now, only costing you twenty bucks. Here's my review of the book, if you want to know exactly how much I loved it.
Mammoth Book Of Zombie Comics TPB
I'm sick of zombies, but there does appear to be some decent stuff in here, including Scott Hampton's adaptation of Robert E. Howard's "Pigeons From Hell" and something or other by Hideshi Hino. Is that a recommendation?
Man Of Rock Biography Of Joe Kubert TPB
Probably a good story. Joe Kubert is pretty awesome.
Myth Of 8-Opus Wrecks TP
I've got to read this sometime. This volume collects the first five issues of Tom Scioli's pre-Godland Kirby-influenced series. Looks pretty sweet.
Roadkill Jim Kowalski Adventure GN
Matt Fillbach's new graphic novel, about some sort of zombie contagion that has to be fought by the title character, a paranormal trucker. Could be enjoyable. Here's a preview.
Screamland Vol 1 TPB
The collected version of the miniseries about monsters as movie stars. I reviewed the first issue here. I could see myself checking out the full book.
Sshhhh GN New Printing
Jason! I haven't read this one. I guess it's my chance to get it. But probably not at the week, lest I blow my meager comics budget for the rest of the year. Uh, it's apparently his first full-length work, with a series of silent stories depicting the life of a bird character. Man, I really gotta read it.
Shock Festival HC
From IDW, this is a sort of mockumentary book about a bunch of fictional exploitation films, with illustrations in the form of movie posters. I like the idea; it could be pretty enjoyable reading.
Speak Of The Devil HC
Ooh, I've heard that this Gilbert Hernandez series was quite good, so here's the collected version. I might have to wait until a softcover version is out to buy it, but I do really want to read it. Uh, preview?
Tick The Complete Edlund GN
I used to love this cartoon, but I haven't really read hardly any of the original comics. Here's the chance though, since this volume collects all twelve of the issues that creator Ben Edlund did, under one cover for $35. Spoon!
Token
Another Minx volume straggles out. This one is by Alisa Kwitney and Joelle Jones, about a Jewish girl and an old Spanish lady forming a friendship in South Beach in the 80s. I would definitely check it out, given the chance.
Venice Chronicles HC
Pixar animator Enrico Casarosa's travelogue about the title city. Sounds kind of like Guy DeLisle's Pyongyang (or maybe Shenzhen, but I haven't read that one), without the political content. Probably quite nice-looking; maybe worth checking out.
Akiba Manga Guide To The Akihabara TP
Parasyte Vol 5 GN Del Rey Edition
Akiba Manga Guide To The Akihabara TP
Kodansha America publishes this guide to the famous Tokyo shopping district. Looks like they're still dipping their toe into the American market. This might be all right, if the subject interests you. That wouldn't include me, unless I end up taking an unexpected trip to Japan.
Batman Death Mask Collected Edition TP
I guess I gave up on this manga Batman story before it ended, but it was pretty interesting. Nothing mindblowing, but it's cool to see a different sort of take on the character. Here's the collected (digest-sized?) version, for only $9.99. Check it out, I guess.
Man, I'm behind on this series; I never did get to the fourth volume. Hopefully, I'll be able to catch up at some point. In the meantime, I recommend John Jakala's look at volume 4.
Travel SC
Yoichi Yokoyama got some attention for his New Engineering last year (I do plan to try to read it sometime, someday), and here's his new one, in which some guys take a long train journey, and nothing else happens. He's an interesting fellow, this Yokoyama; I really need to check some of his stuff out.
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Yeah, that's a lot of stuff. I've got some reading to get to, at some point. I love comics.
Tommy Lee Edwards drew a Question mini-series written by Rick Veitch, a few years back. That was pretty good, I thought.
ReplyDeleteActually, Matt, the issue of WASTELAND you're thinking of was *last* month, i.e. #20. #21 is the start of a new story arc :)
ReplyDeleteAntony: Whoops, my bad. The site I got my information from was wrong. It's fixed.
ReplyDeleteJones: Yeah, I heard that was pretty good (although wasn't it completed and then had the script rewritten by Rick Veitch? That makes for an odd experience). I've read an issue or two of it, but I should really try to get the whole series sometime.
The Edlund Tick issues are really the only ones worth reading, so having that volume out is pretty rad. Spoiler warning: They're really, really funny.
ReplyDeleteAcme, Or Else, Bat-Manga & Travel, all on the same day? Insane.
ReplyDeleteOn that 1985 book, I was seriously thinking about ordering it, as the collection will be in the November Previews. But seeing that you hated it and, gathering from your reviews, you tend to be far more lenient with your reading material, I will avoid it at all costs.
ReplyDeleteWould someone please write a decent story for Tommy Lee Edwards to draw? And Duncan Fegredo too, while we´re at it?
Hey, Fegredo's doing Hellboy these days, and turning in some damn sweet artwork too. I don't mind that at all.
ReplyDelete