Down the Line is our monthly look at Previews, and what titles are coming out a few months, well, “down the line.”

This installment covers the July Previews for comics due to ship out in September 2007. Remember, especially with the indy books, that pre-ordering is your friend, and the best way to make sure you get the books you want. I should mention, thanks to the increasing prevalence of advance solicitation, that several of the books here won’t actually ship until October or later, but the preorders are still due by the end of July.

As always, the Previews rundown is in alphabetical order, rather than the order used in the catalog. To facilitate those seeking more information, each entry will include the page number of the solicitation. I’m going to offer up my “Top Five Shiny New Things to Watch Out For,” which is in a 1-5 order of what I’m most looking forward to (the first item is my “pick of the month,” as it were.) Then I’ll provide a rundown of “Other Stuff That Caught My Eye.” The focus in this column is always going to be on jumping-on points and new stuff, so if you’re wondering “Where’s Jack of Fables?” or something along those lines, I still love it, I just don’t want to keep harping on it. I’m also going to do my best to provide links to art and other preview material, or at the very least official websites, so you can track down more information.

And now, because you asked for it, Dan Grendell will be chiming in, mainly for a manga viewpoint but also to give another voice.

Randy’s Top Five Shiny Things To Watch Out For:

Battle Royale Ultimate Edition Vol. 1 (Tokyopop):
Randy: Well, well, well. Sometimes it pays to procrastinate, as I did when I held off on buying the 15-volume Battle Royale series. I read it, I loved it, but I hadn’t gotten around to buy it. And now Tokyopop rewards my laziness with this, the first of a five volume hardcover series that will reprint the entire series complete with tons of extras. Battle Royale was a brutal, fascinating read that I couldn’t put down, about kids forced to kill each other on an island, like Lord of the Flies by way of Ridley and Tony Scott, and I look forward to finally owning it in this swanky hardcover edition. (page 342)

Dan: Yeah, well, shut up. Some of us already own the whole series, and now I have to decide if I want to buy it again, and believe me, I’m sorely tempted. These will be nice fat hardcovers, the extras have me stoked, and this series blew my mind. On a side note, Tokyopop is giving this same treatment to a few books, including Fruits Basket and Warcraft.

Drafted #1 (Devil’s Due):
Randy: I really liked the preview of this new series from Devil’s Due, which finds all of humanity drafted by a seemingly benevolent alien race to defend the Earth from a malevolent one. Solid art from Chris Lie and a pretty interesting premise with good writing from Mark Powers. There wasn’t a lot to judge the series on from the relatively short preview, but I liked what I saw and I’m looking forward to this. (page 279)

The Escapists HC (Dark Horse Comics):
Dan: One of the big surprises of last year was this mini-series by Brian K. Vaughan, and it’s great to see it get the hardcover treatment. I wish it had some extras besides a new introduction, to go along with the format, but honestly, for twenty dollars, I’ll live. (page 31)

Randy: Yeah, much as I’d love to see some behind-the-scenes pencils and sketches from Steve Rolston or script excerpts and concept work by Vaughan, I’m happy just to finally get a collection of this miniseries, which was one of my favorite reads of last year, and delighted that it’s going to be an affordable hardcover. I’d call this a can’t miss project, and it might just be my favorite thing that Brian K. Vaughan has written.

Uzumaki Vol. 1 GN (Viz):
Randy: Finally, Viz gets around to reprinting some of the best manga I’ve ever read. Uzumaki is Junji Ito’s tale of a town haunted by spirals, and if that doesn’t sound scary, it’s only because you haven’t read it yet. Mutations, murders, madness and plenty more in this short (three volume) series that is disturbing and scary. And if you want more, Viz is also reprinting Ito’s two-volume series Gyo, about walking fish from the sea that terrorize a village. Trust me, even if you don’t read manga, if you like horror at all, you need to own these manga. (page 380)

Dan: No lie. Lovecraftian-style horror with a manga spin, this is the real deal. It actually scared me. And Gyo, well, same deal, but with zombie fish on stilts. Hell yeah.

Randy: I’m just gonna re-emphasize that last bit. $10 gets you an unlimited amount of mutha fuckin’ zombie fish on stilts. You cannot beat that deal. Show me where you get more zombie fish on stilts. You know where? Nowhere.

Dan: I really can’t argue with that.

Suicide Squad: Raise the Flag #1 (DC Comics):
Dan: John Ostrander’s Suicide Squad was a high mark of comics in the eighties. Not only is it going to be collected in a Showcase volume, but Ostrander is returning to those characters and ideas in a new mini-series. This is excellent, but the premise is a little disconcerting. Rick Flag died a great death in the original series, and in this new series Ostrander is bringing him back. I can’t say as I like that, but I’ll get over it. (page 81)

Randy: Well, it was really Greg Rucka who brought him back, Ostrander is just doing what he can to explain it. Like you, I’m not thrilled, but I’ll get over it, since it means Ostrander returning to work on what might be my favorite thing he’s written. Interior art by Javier Pina (Manhunter) and Robin Riggs should be nice, but the old school fan in me is glad to see John K. Snyder III on covers, and wouldn’t mind seeing some work by Luke McDonnell or Geoff Isherwood if they’re still around.

Dan: Fair enough. Rucka actually brought Flag back. I guess because Ostrander has said he has always had a plan to do so I’m spreading blame around, and that ain’t too fair.

Dan’s Top Five Shiny Things To Watch Out For:

The Question: Zen and Violence V.1 TP (DC Comics):
Dan: Denny O’Neil’s The Question series is some of the best work he has ever done, right up there with his Batman Ra’s al Ghul stories. It’s spectacular to see that series finally collected in trade paperbacks, so a whole new generation can discover it. Intrigue, self-discovery, martial arts- it’s all there, plus it features three of my favorite characters in the DC Universe: the Question, Lady Shiva, and Richard Dragon. (page 85)

Randy: I’m delighted to see these finally being put into print as well. For years now I’ve been wanting to read these stories, and I just haven’t gotten around to borrowing anyone’s issues. Now I can have them in trades, which is even better.

Kirby: King of Comics HC:
Dan: From his longtime assistant and friend Mark Evanier comes a biography and celebration of Jack “King” Kirby and his work. I love most of what he’s done, and I can’t wait to see what stories are between these covers. (page 400)

Guy Ritchie’s Game Keeper TP (Virgin Comics):
Dan: First of all, this is written by Andy Diggle. That guy writes action like I blow my nose- naturally, and with no shame. This particular story is about the gamekeeper on a Scottish estate, who is the sole survivor when killers attack and steal papers from the safe. His secret past and loyalty to his boss force him to get revenge, and well, he’s a badass, more at home in the woods than in a house. Mayhem ensues and secrets unfold. I love it. (page 369)

Nothing Better V.1: No Place Like Home TP (Dementian Comics):
Dan: In Nothing Better, college freshmen Katt and Jane are roommates figuring out who they are and what life is like as adults. They go to Lutheran college, but Katt is an atheist just there for the good art program, and Jane is in the process of questioning her beliefs to see what she really thinks. Creator Tyler Page won a Xeric award to self-publish this excellent book, and here it is- don’t miss out. (page 272)

Queen & Country V.8 - Operation: Red Panda (Oni Press):
Dan: Well, this series has been heavily derailed by Greg Rucka’s involvement at DC, but if it can get on track and this trade actually comes out on time, I’ll be very excited. This is one of my favorite series out there, and the no holds barred espionage stories in it are my cup of tea. (page 328)

Other stuff that caught our eye:

30 Days of Night: Beyond Barrow #1 (IDW):
Randy: I recently went back to give the 30 Days of Night series another re-read, and got through Dark Days before deciding that I’d pretty much had enough with the initial story. I might be lured back in, however, by the artwork of Bill Sienkiewicz, who joins series co-creator Steve Niles on a new vampire story. (page 311)

Dan: Sienkiewicz’s art seems like a natural fit for these books. It’s so funky and cool on its own, like Templesmith’s, that it really nails that creepy vibe. Just look at his work on the New Mutants, among a gazillion other things, to see what I’m talking about.

The Arrival GN (Scholastic):
Randy: These guys publish Bone and Goosebumps, and that alone is enough to get me to check it out. But even if it weren’t, the haunting image on the cover of The Arrival grabbed my attention, and the story, about a man who kisses his wife and child goodbye to travel to America and build them a better life, sounds potentially great. Certainly high praise from Jeff Smith doesn’t hurt. (page 336)

Dan: It takes a real master to do a silent book properly, and that creator needs a great concept to do justice. From what I see here, we’ve got both, and I’m really looking forward to this.

The Art of Transformers (IDW):
Dan: A nice, thick hardcover looking at the best of the artwork to grace the Transformers in recent years, I’m assuming this is just artwork done for IDW products, but I don’t know that for sure; even so, there’s been some amazing stuff for them by the likes of E. J. Su, Alex Milne, Ashley Wood, Don Figueroa, and plenty more. (page 313)

Artemis Fowl Volume 1 GN (Hyperion Books):
Randy: This is a story of 12-year-old criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl, making the leap from books to graphic novels. The solicitation text and publication by Hyperion would seem to indicate that this is a big event of momentous importance for younger readers. I know Harry Potter, but I’ve never heard of Artemis Fowl. I mean, I like the idea of a 12-year-old criminal mastermind, but seriously… never heard of this. Oh God… I’m old, aren’t I, Dan? (page 309)

Dan: Yes. Yes, you are. I mean, I’ve heard of Artemis Fowl. He’s in that weird British tween import area of Lemony Snicket, except he never got a movie. I think. Wait, why do I know this? I’m only a couple years younger than you!

Randy: Clearly, one of those years is the “Stops giving a crap about British kids’ lit” years. Except I still read Harry Potter. Damn you, British kid lit!

Baku (Tokyopop):
Dan: Baku are legendary Japanese creatures that eat dreams. In this short story collection, Takeshi Uesugi discovers that he is a reincarnated baku, and goes nightmare-hopping. A cool excuse to tell horror stories, and I always dig that. (page 350)

The Black Canary Wedding Planner (DC):
Randy: I’m honestly not sure why DC is doing more storytelling in its solicits and marketing than its comics these days, whether it’s the Flash fiasco or the Green Arrow/Black Canary wedding being revealed in solicits rather than by reading the comics, but they do seem to be pinning their hopes on this being a big event. I don’t have much interest in the event, but I am interested in the comics, if only because the line-up for this unusual one-shot includes art by Christine Norrie, whose work I will buy pretty much wherever it appears. And really, when was the last time someone showed the planning of a superhero wedding, or focused as much on the bride as on the groom? The A-lister in this power couple is probably Black Canary, not Green Arrow, at this point, which I find interesting. (page 76)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Long Way Home TP (Dark Horse Comics):
Dan: The first trade paperback in the new comics “season” of the popular tv show, this collects the first five issues by Joss Whedon. Whedon has done a fantastic job of capturing the feel of the show in this story, but it truly is the eighth season of the show- in other words, it is very insular and tied into its own continuity and isn’t particularly friendly to new readers. That isn’t really a problem, given how widespread fandom of the television show is, but it is a minor irritation with an otherwise great book. (page 41)

Randy: My interest in this started off higher than expected and steadily decreased as I realized Whedon was headed in directions I wasn’t all that interested in, so I’m not likely to pick up the trade, but there’s no denying that this is serving a rabid fanbase hungry for more material, and doing it at least as well as the last couple seasons of the show. And damned if it didn’t remind me why I used to like the character of Xander Harris so much in the early going.

Honestly, though, I’m more excited to see Brian Vaughan write the next arc, which starts this month in Buffy the Vampire Slayer #6. Not just because I’m a huge Vaughan fan, but because his arc is focused on bad girl slayer Faith, and Jo Chen’s (as always) kickass cover has me excited to see that character again.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Panel to Panel (Dark Horse):
Randy: Dark Horse has done a really nice job with these oversized Panel to Panel books, the equivalent of their “Art Of” series but in affordable softcover and done with their licensed properties. Both Star Wars and Aliens/Predator have gotten to show off the variety of impressive artists who have worked on the properties while in Dark Horse’s hands, and Buffy is no exception. The solicit mentions Chris Bachalo, J. Scott Campbell, Jeff Matsuda, Mike Mignola, Terry Moore, Eric Powell, Cliff Richards, Tim Sale, and Ryan Sook, and I seem to remember Andi Watson doing some work early on as well. This should be a pretty cool art book to have whether you’re a fan of comic art or of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. If you’re both, I’d call it a must-have. (page 41)

Captain America: The Chosen (Marvel Comics):
Randy: I’ve never actually read or seen First Blood, but what little I know of it would seem to make its writer, David Morrell, a good choice to write an out-of-continuity Captain America story. Of course, the solicit namechecks Spider-Man Reign, so I can only hope we won’t see Cap’s penis while he kills Nazis with his radioactive sperm. (page M21)

Dan: If that was the actual plot, I would buy it. In fact, now I’m kind of getting angry that that isn’t the plot.

Cairo HC (DC/Vertigo):
Randy: I don’t know the creators of this book, a writer who is a Cairo-based journalist and an artist named M.K. Perker, but I like the pitch: “This magical-realism thriller interweaves the fates of a drug runner, a down-on-his luck journalist, an American expatriate, a young activist, and an Israeli soldier as they race through bustling present-day Cairo to find an artifact of unimaginable power, one protected by a dignified jinn and sought by a wrathful gangster-magician.” Unusual setting, modern day magic, unknown creators… I don’t know a lot about this book, which means it has the capacity to be a rare pleasant surprise. Or a disappointment, but Vertigo has a pretty good track record with me. (page 121)

Dan: Yeah, some of my favorite Vertigo stuff has been from people I’ve never heard of, and this idea could be really cool. I’m curious to see how it turns out.

Randy: The pages previewed in Previews certainly look like fun, reminiscent in some ways of Bill Willingham’s work on Fables.

Captain America: Red, White and Blue TP (Marvel Comics):
Randy: Wow, I’d forgotten all about this book, an early premiere hardcover from the Jemas/Quesada days. It wasn’t quite consistent enough for me to buy a deluxe hardcover, but for $20? Well, there’s work by Dini & Timm, Paul Pope, Peter Kuper, Mark Waid, Frank Quitely, Pascal Ferry and Stuart Immonen, to name a few, but what makes it worth the price of admission is Evan Dorkin’s Milk & Cheese style take on Red Skull and Zemo. (page M103)

Captain America by Ed Brubaker Omnibus Vol 1 HC (Marvel Comics):
Randy: I’ve been holding off on buying Brubaker’s Captain America and Daredevil runs, waiting to see if Marvel would produce an oversized hardcover edition. Still waiting on Daredevil, but my patience has been rewarded as they’re collecting everything up to Cap’s death in their deluxe Omnibus format, which promises extras, Captain America #1-25, the 65th Anniversary Special and the Winter Soldier special. I’m not one hundred percent sold on Brubaker’s run, but it has been consistently good, and features great art, and I’m sorely tempted by this deluxe package. (page M90)

Dan: I like that they are putting everything in here, including the House of M tie-in that wasn’t included in the regular Cap trades and the death issue that had such an impact.

Clockwork Girl #1 (Arcana Studio):
Dan: Arcana’s output isn’t usually for me, but I always like a good all-ages title, and for a buck, you can’t go wrong. This one’s about a robot girl come to life who explores the real world with a mutant boy, and their friendship despite their families’ hate. A new take on Romeo and Juliet, maybe, with artwork by Revere’s Grant Bond. Looks pretty cool. (page 233)

Comic Foundry Magazine #1 (Comic Foundry):
Randy: Well, they fought Diamond and got in, and now we get to see if Comic Foundry can walk the walk. Promising to be the magazine that bridges the gap between Wizard and The Comics Journal, in other words the holy grail of comics magazines we’ve been waiting for as long as both magazines have existed, shows a pretty large amount of ballsiness, and certainly Tim Leong and his crew have shown some skills online. I don’t know if anyone can really match up against the speed and depth of Internet coverage and take on the two giants of print comics journalism, but I’d love it if Comic Foundry could do it. (page 384)

Countdown To Mystery #1 (DC Comics):
Dan: I can’t say as I much care about the Eclipso half of this book, but I’ve always liked Dr. Fate, so I’m curious to see what gets done with him. I’m especially interested to see what Steve Gerber does, as he’s one of those writers that provides crazy ideas (such as Howard the Duck, Man-Thing, and his run on Defenders) which are always fun to read.(page 73)

Elfworld Volume 1 TP (Top Shelf Productions):
Randy: I’m a sucker for indy anthologies, and if Top Shelf thinks it’s good enough to publish, that’s an additional point in its favor. This one practically sells itself, though, as it features a variety of indy cartoonists (including the ubiquitous Jeffrey Brown) doing fantasy stories, which is not something you see a lot of indy cartoonists tackling. (page 354)

Dan: Yeah, I’d love something else to show people who come looking for fantasy comics. There isn’t much out there really, and they run through it fast.

Essential Punisher Vol. 2 TP (Marvel Comics):
Randy: For those Punisher fans who either aren’t getting enough with Punisher War Journal and Punisher MAX, or who yearn for something a little bit more old school, I recommend Essential Punisher Vol. 2. I’ve only personally read a handful of these issues, but what I remember is a book that was fairly gritty for its time, with impressive art by Klaus Janson and good solid action storytelling in the ’80s action mold. (page M108)

Dan: No argument from me. I pick up all of the Essential books for some old-school love, and this looks to be a good one.

The Flash: Wonderland TP (DC Comics):
Dan: I never thought DC was going to trade up these early Geoff Johns Flash issues. After collecting all of his other issues, I figured they were done and had moved on, but I was wrong, and I’m glad. These first few issues aren’t quite as good as those from the very middle of his run, but they are definitely worth picking up. (page 101)

Randy: Here’s the weird part, though… they’re releasing this just as almost every volume of his work on the character with Scott Kolins has gone out of print. Hopefully this is the start of a reprint initiative to put all of Johns and Kolins’ Flash work back into print, as that truly was impressive work for the character. I mean, I’d like to have the work of Mike Baron, William Messner-Loebs, Mark Waid and the variety of artists they worked with reprinted too, but getting all of the Johns/Kolins stuff back in print would be a start.

Gods of Asgard (Studio E3):
Randy: A graphic novel adapting the tales of the Norse gods sounds potentially good, and the fact that this version earned a Xeric grant gives me confidence that Erik Evensen may very well have achieved that potential. (page 337)

Dan: For those Thor fans who always wanted to know how the stories were actually supposed to go, or for people who never liked Thor because a Norse god shouldn’t be a superhero. Or for people who just think mythology is cool, really.

The Goon: Chinatown (Dark Horse):
Randy: I love The Goon, so I’m glad to see Eric Powell making a return to the character not just with the hilariously sick and wrong Satan’s Sodomy Baby, not just with a return to the monthly series but a full-on original graphic novel. This is all about the Goon’s backstory, and seems to play more to Powell’s strengths in terms of melodrama than in comedy. While I tend to prefer my Goon with a side of funny, the serious stories Powell has told have been pretty effective. Either way, it’s certain that it will be beautifully illustrated, as Powell has a lush quality to his artwork that simultaneously recalls the serene small town Americana qualities of Norman Rockwell and the lurid pulp sensibilities of cheap crime and horror novels. (page 45)

I Kee You!!: A Collection of Overheards GN (Atomic Book Company):
Randy: Fun premise for an indy anthology, as a variety of cartoonists including Jeffrey Brown and Nick Bertozzi (to name just two) illustrate snippets of bizarre overheard conversations. (page 238)

Dan: Yeah, I saw this and my first thought was “What a cool premise!” My second thought was, “I hope they haven’t been listening to our private conversations in the store somehow”, because man, are we weird bastards sometimes.

Ice Wanderer GN (Fanfare/ Potent Mon):
Dan: From the prize-winning modern mangaka Jiro Taniguchi comes an exploration of man and nature. Six stories look at the interaction of humanity and nature in different ways, from explorers in Alaska encountering wolves to a search for a whale graveyard. Beautiful, haunting work filled with respect and adventure. (page 297)

Immortal Iron Fist Annual #1 (Marvel Comics):
Randy: Yes, yes, everybody loves Matt Fraction, Ed Brubaker and their book full of kung-fu, pulp adventure and weird science. And the artwork, by David Aja and a cast of other artists including legends like Russ Heath, is certainly impressive. But you know what’s been missing? Painted art by Dan Brereton and Howard Chaykin. Even for someone who’s been on the fence with this title, that seals the deal. Both of those guys are ideal for the vibe that Brubaker and Fraction have going here, and that cover is fantastic. (page M36)

Dan: Did someone say Dan Brereton? I loves me some Brereton, yes I do, and I’ve been really enjoying this title, so I’m definitely picking this up.

Iron Man: Enter the Mandarin #1 (Marvel Comics):
Randy: Joe Casey and Eric Canete tell the tale of the first meeting of Iron Man and the Mandarin, in a book that sounds like an Iron Man-focused version of Casey’s Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes tales. I’m not sure I really want to see revisionist realism dropped in on early Iron Man stories, but Casey and Canete are a strong team, and that stylized cover, reminiscent of pulp movie favorite The Rocketeer, is a promising indicator of tone. (page M39)

Dan: I’m in doubting mode about this project too, but I’ve always loved the Mandarin, and I read an interview with Casey recently that got my interest on this book perked. I’ll be checking it out, with some trepidation.

Iron Man: Hypervelocity TPB (Marvel Comics): On the opposite end of the scale from an early days retro Iron Man, we have Adam Warren and Brian Denham’s ultra-tech action story Hypervelocity. I actually stopped reading this one with issue one because I could see there was enough to like that I wanted to see it all together. I do know that Warren’s take on Iron Man emphasizes the technology over the man, and is a different flavor from both Marvel Adventures and 616 Iron Man. (page M99)

JLA/Hitman #1 (DC Comics):
Randy: The story of Tommy Monaghan and his crew was pretty well told in 60 issues of Hitman, and if we were going to see more, I really didn’t want to see him teaming up with the Justice League, which I fear might be more of Ennis’s un-inspired superhero bashing. Despite that, I’m excited by the potential of seeing original Hitman creators Ennis and John McCrea return to these characters, even moreso if it means DC finally putting the entirety of the series out in trade paperback form. But since none of those have been solicited yet, I don’t know if that’s going to happen or not. (page 97)

Justice League of America #13 (DC Comics):
Dan: I haven’t cared much (or at all) for Brad Meltzer’s run on Justice League, but I’ll be sure to check it out when Dwayne McDuffie takes over. He revitalized Fantastic Four for me, and did the same for Firestorm before it was canceled, so it’s certainly worth at least a look. It continues from the JLA Wedding Special, also by McDuffie, and I’ll be getting that too. (page 77)

Randy: Hells yeah. I’ve been saying for years that McDuffie was an A-list talent, and after a long time in the industry and a well-received job as showrunner for Justice League Unlimited, the comics companies have finally noticed. I’d follow McDuffie to just about any characters, but given the magic he helped work on the Justice League cartoon, I’m especially excited to see what he’ll do with DC’s flagship. I just wish he had an artist I liked better rather than the cheesecake-lovin’ Ed Benes.

Kingdom of the Winds V.1 (Netcomics):
Dan: There’s a lot of general knowledge out there about the early history of Japan, but not much about Korea. This new manhwa aims to rectify that, telling the legends of the earliest period of Korean history as a historical adventure. Sounds pretty cool to me. (page 327)

The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service V.5 (Dark Horse Comics):
Dan: Sharp-eyed (and -eared) readers of this site may have noticed that I mention this manga all the damn time. There’s a reason for that- I think it’s one of the best things to come down the pike in a long, long time. A group of misfits who track down bodies and help them get to their final resting place in hopes the corpse will tell them where to find some hidden money or things to sell is a great high concept, and the stories behind the bodies just take it to the next level. Any new volume of this series is a reason to celebrate for me. (page 54)

Lobster Johnson: The Iron Prometheus #1 (Dark Horse Comics):
Dan: Bursting from back-up stories and small parts in Hellboy and BPRD, the World War II-era hero Lobster Johnson gets his own mini-series for the first time. More pulp hero than occult detective, Lobster Johnson has a different flavor than the books he originated in, but I dig pulp, and the solicit mentions cannibals and yetis, so sign me up.(page 34)

Randy: Right on. Seems worth noting as well that the art on this one is by creator Jason Armstrong, whose robot noir book Ferro City shows him to have the perfect sensibilities for this kind of off-kilter pulp book. The expansion of Hellboy from single creator’s vision into a playground with multiple characters and room for multiple visions has borne fruit with the B.P.R.D. miniseries and one-shots, and I expect nothing less than more great comics from Lobster Johnson.

Lucha Libre #1 (Image Comics):
Randy: There’s a definite crossover between the Mexican wrestling style known as Lucha Libre and comics, and you need only look at Rafael Navarro’s Sonambulo or Jason Caskey and Phil Hester’s Holy Terror to see that it can be done right. This one’s an anthology, which means it might be a mixed bag, but the previewed feature, Luchadores Five, about masked wrestlers protecting Los Angeles from tiki warriors and werewolves, is conceptual gold with terrific looking artwork. (page 150)

Madman & The Atomics Vol. 1 TP (Image Comics):
Randy: Pop superheroes from Mike and Laura Allred, a must-read for those who dug X-Force and X-Statix. I’ve read a fair amount of Madman, but not much of The Atomics, and I can’t wait to dive into over 300 pages of full-color “beatnik superheroes” from Allred. (page 156)

Marvel Adventures: The Avengers #16 (Marvel Comics):
Randy: Jeff Parker, the current keeper of the old school flame with his all-ages (but not dumbed down) work on Avengers and X-Men: First Class, writes Hawkeye, my favorite Avenger. My day is made. (page M43)

Dan: Your crazy Hawkeye love is a frightening thing to behold.

Marvel Comics Presents #1 (Marvel Comics):
Randy: Anthology books are dicey at the best of times, but I really can’t figure out exactly what Marvel Comics Presents is meant to be about. Third-tier characters by talented but relatively low star-power creators? I mean, I’m a big fan of Rich Koslowski’s work, and Stuart Immonen’s good enough to be a superstar, but this looks like it has less of a chance for commercial success than DC’s excellent Solo anthology, unless there’s some secret plan I’m just not getting. Especially at $3.99, even if there is a 48-page count. (page M46)

Dan: Yeah, I’m not seeing it either. Are they just trying to use it to intro new concepts without starting actual new titles? My favorite anthologies have all had some sort of focus, and I’m not seeing one here.

Mice Templar #1 (Image Comics):
Randy: Given that Mouse Guard pretty much perfectly nailed the concept of fantasy mice, Mice Templar has its work cut out for it. However, the stories are different enough, as this one centers around an oppressive world where a templar civil war has left tyrants in charge, and the preview artwork from Mike Avon Oeming is quite nice looking. (page 146)

Nemi V.1 (Titan Publishing):
Dan: I likes me the goth comics. Well, the ones that aren’t so caught up in themselves and the idea of being cool that they have no story. This one, a newspaper strip from Sweden, looks like it has just the right attitude for me. Fun, with an attitude, and an art style I like. I’ll check it out, for sure. (page 340)

Parade (with Fireworks) (Image Comics):
Randy: You can actually get a pretty good look at these feature over at Act-I-Vate, where it debuted. While the story didn’t completely hook me online, I suspect a large part of that was trying to follow it one page at a time, every few days. The story, a post World War-I tale set in Italy, certainly has potential, and it’s got beautiful artwork in a European style that recalls Herge’s Tintin. (page 152)

Dan: There’s actually a number of cool comics over at Act-I-Vate, and I like that they are releasing some of them in print so those people who don’t read webcomics (or don’t know what Act-I-Vate is) can get a chance to read them.

Pictures of You (Alternative Comics):
Randy: A few years back, Damon Hurd and Tatiana Gill created Strange Day, a very interesting story about a pair of young Cure fans who meet on the day of an album release and make a connection. Now they’re returning for a prequel, set one year before that story, that shows the parallel lives of the young man and woman before they met. Considering the strength of their last collaboration, I’m definitely in. (page 226)

Pilot Season (Image/Top Cow):
Randy: It’s rare for me to find something from Top Cow that I like. Even when they get creators I like, subpar coloring and a propensity for cheesecake often leave me disappointed. But their Pilot Season one-shots, giving different creative teams a chance to do single issue “pilots” with their characters, actually look potentially interesting. Last month we saw Ripclaw by Scalped’s Jason Aaron and Jorge Lucas, this month it’s Velocity by Joe Casey and Kevin Maguire and Cyblade by Joshua Hale Fialkov and Rick Mays. I have zero interest in the former Cyberforce characters, but I like all of those creators, so I’ll check in to see if they can create a silk purse out of their particular cybernetic ’90s kewl pig’s ear. (pages 183-184)

Poison the Cure Vol 1 (New Radio):
Randy: I had the pleasure of reading this 100+ page unusual sci-fi story when it was released at STAPLE!, and it’s a real joy. Robots, resistance, evil corporations, alien archaeologists… it’s an ambitious and fascinating first chapter in a promised four volume series. (page 327)

Dan: From the solicit, I gather the concept is space explorers trying to find out how a civilization on a dead planet was destroyed. That’s a pretty awesome idea, and I’m definitely going to see how it develops.

Portus TP (Viz Media):
Dan: When Asami’s best friend stops coming to school, it’s a problem. When she commits suicide, it’s a real issue. Asami investigates and finds only as mysterious video game called Portus. That kicks off a mystery whose only answer seems to lie inside Portus itself. (page 378)

Primordia #1 (Archaia Studios Press):
Randy: All I really need to know here is that this is a new, gorgeous-looking fantasy miniseries from Archaia Studios Press. But for those who need a little more, you can check out some of the beautiful color artwork HERE, and the basic premise is that two humans raised by a wood nymph are exiled back into humanity when they come of age, and they find themselves at odds, one choosing light and the other dark. Sounds like classic fantasy stuff from the same company that publishes Artesia and Mouse Guard. (page 233)

Dan: Yup, the two brothers on opposing paths with ancient magic is a classic fantasy idea, and the artwork here looks cool as hell. As usual with Archaia, I’m onboard.

Ray Harryhausen Presents: Sinbad, Rogue of Mars #1 (Bluewater Productions):
Randy: Honestly, I’m mostly sold just on the title. But the art previewed looks kinda cool, with an animated cel look, and the book is written by Greg Thompson, creator of the highly underrated Image series Hero Camp, so I’m even more interested to see it. (page 250)

Shortcomings HC (Drawn & Quarterly):
Randy: New graphic novel from Adrian Tomine. I love Tomine’s artwork and generally find his comics pretty entertaining, and this one, about an Asian man whose girlfriend suspects him of having a secret lust for white women, sounds… well, weird, actually. But weird in an entertaining way. (page 294)

Dan: Adrian Tomine does some real thought-provoking work, and while that concept is interesting, what I really like here is that it looks to be more of an exploration of the motes in both people’s eyes that they can’t see for focusing on the beams in the other’s.

Showcase Presents: The Great Disaster Featuring The Atomic Knights and Hercules Vol. 1 TP (DC Comics):
Randy: DC offers up a couple of promising new Showcase volumes this month. A collection of early Metal Men, written by Robert Kanigher with art by Ross Andru and Mike Esposito, is interesting, but the gem is this collection of weird post-atomic war stories that includes the Atomic Knights and Kamandi, the last boy on Earth. I’ve always been interested in seeing some of DC’s post-apocalyptic tales, many of them from the mind of Jack Kirby, and this should be a fun look at weird curiosities of the Silver Age. (page 85)

Dan: I know that they are only doing this to tie into Countdown, but I don’t care. This should be a big heaping book of fun.

Slow News Day TP (Slave Labor Graphics):
Randy: Andi Watson’s tale of a young American girl working for a British newspaper is collected again, this time in a manga-sized format that should go nicely with his Oni Press work like Breakfast After Noon and Little Star. Slow News Day happens to be my favorite of Watson’s work, and at $13, this is well worth looking into. (page 229)

Dan: If you haven’t yet read Andi Watson’s stuff, this is a great place to start, and if you have but missed this one, be sure to pick it up. It’s one of his best, as Randy says.

Spider-Man Family: Back in Black Digest TP (Marvel Comics):
Randy: The creator credits on this one are incomplete, missing the important fact that they contain a terrific Lizard tale by Paul Benjamin and Vasilis Lolos, among others. Spider-Man Family has had great, fun, standalone tales of Spidey, and the only thing keeping me from it was the format, which included a ton of reprints I had no interest in. Skimming out only the original tales, most of which were quite good to excellent, and putting them in a cheap digest format, means I’ll definitely pick it up. (page M95)

Dan: I’ve been picking this title up every month, the only monthly Spidey book I get, and I dig the variety. New stories from a variety of creators, cool reprints, and Spider-Man J. Well, I could probably do without Spider-Man J, actually.

Strangers In Paradise Pocket Book V.6 TP (Abstract Studios):
Dan: Well, the end has finally arrived for this long-running indy series, and the final storylines get collected in this last pocket trade. These pocket trades are my preferred format for SiP, giving great bang for the buck while still giving Moore’s art plenty of room to shine. If you are already missing Terry Moore, don’t worry- he’ll be taking over for Sean McKeever on Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane. (page 219)

Suburban Glamour #1 (Image Comics):
Dan: Another magical story from Phonogram’s Jamie McKelvie, this time on his own. I like the idea of bored suburban teenagers getting warnings of doom and gloom from long-missing imaginary friends, and McKelvie’s art has a distanced, “I don’t belong here” look that feels right for suburbia. (page 154)

Randy: I love Jamie McKelvie’s artwork, and Suburban Glamour seems to have the same strange feel that Phonogram did. Looking forward to reading this one, and also to catching up with Phonogram when the trade hits.

Tezuka’s MW HC (Vertical Inc):
Dan: I really don’t need an excuse to read any newly-released Osamu Tezuka manga. He was the God of Manga- it’ll be excellent. This one involves a bank employee with no morals, the priest who takes on all her sins, and the village they saw destroyed years before by a psychotic drug called MW. A look at sin and salvation, by a true master. (page 357)

Thunderbolts by Warren Ellis Vol. 1: Faith in Monsters Premiere HC (Marvel Comics):
Randy: Marvel’s Premiere hardcover format is lame. Standard trim size, usually no extras except for extra price. Personally, I’d rather have a trade. However, I’ve come to really enjoy Ellis’s Thunderbolts (this week’s issue #115 clinched it for me) and this collects not only his first arc but extra stories leading up to it from a couple Civil War specials, making it pretty complete. More than likely, I’ll wait for a trade edition, but if this were oversized, showing off Deodato’s jaw-dropping artwork, I’d snap it up in a second. (page M92)

Dan: Right with you. I’ll be waiting for an actual paper trade, unless they pull an Agents of Atlas and fill the book half-full of extras.

Tintin Hardcover Boxed Set (Little Brown and Company):
Randy: As a fan of the comics medium, I am of course familiar with Herge’s Tintin, but I’ve never actually read much of it. As a father of two and a comics fan, I feel like it’s probably my duty to get some Tintin in the house to read to the kids. As a format whore of the highest order, I’m very tempted by this complete boxed hardcover set. Sure, it’s $150 for books I haven’t read, but the critical acclaim is pretty unanimous, and with 8 volumes containing 24 stories, that’s really less than $20 a hardcover and less than $7 a story. (page 321)

Dan: As far as I know, this is all of Herge’s Tintin stories in one beautiful set. Not well known outside of Europe, where these are the comics every kid reads alongside Asterix, this is a great collection to see. And I’m right there with you in my format whoritude, Randy. I’ve read some of these stories, but not most, and this would be a great way to fill that void.

The Transformers: Devastation #1 (IDW):
Randy: The saga of the retooled IDW Transformers continue, and personally, I think it’s the most interesting the giant robots have ever been. A nice mixture of conspiracy, action, human and robot characters and solid, effective artwork by E.J. Su. (page 312)

The Ultimate Spider-Man 100 Project (HERO Initiative):
Randy: OK, this is kind of cool. For the 100th issue of Ultimate Spider-Man, there was some kind of deal where 100 artists sketched original covers to benefit the HERO Initiative. Now the HERO Initiative is offering up all 100 images, by a variety of all-star artists, in a $10 trade. You get a great book of art and donate to a worthy cause at the same time… it’s win-win. Make sure and special order it, though, because the solicit announces one printing, ever, making it a limited release item. Usually I’m not in favor of this kind of blatant market manipulation, but this is more than likely a rights issue with Marvel, so it’s hard to cast aspersions. (page 308)

Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters #1 (DC Comics):
Randy: Wow, I did not expect to see this. Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray did a really underrated take on widescreen superheroes and politics, and the sales were, to put it kindly, not great. So I’m shocked (but not at all displeased) to see the writers and characters return for a new miniseries, with art by Renato Arlem, whose style recalls some of the work of Tony Harris and Tom Feister on Ex Machina. (page 84)

Warhammer 40K: Inquisitor #1 (Boom! Studios):
Dan: Another new Warhammer 40K mini-series, this one focusing on the Imperial Inquisition, which is exactly what it sounds like. Dedicated to hunting down aliens, mutants, and heretics, the Inquisition fights in the shadows. Dan Abnett and Ian Edginton continue their writing duties on this series, and they’ve pleased me quite a bit so far, so I expect the same here. (page 256)

Will Eisner Life in Pictures HC (W. W. Norton):
Dan: The third in the hardcover collections reprinting Eisner’s work, this one collects his most autobiographical stuff. Features The Dreamer, The Heart of the Storm, The Name of the Game, The Day I Became a Professional, and A Sunset in Sunshine City. if you’ve never read anything by Eisner, you’ve been missing out, and for thirty bucks, this is a great deal. (page 380)

With the Light V.1 Raising an Autistic Child GN (Yen Press):
Dan: An interesting side of manga, this is the story of a young mother raising an autistic child and trying to keep her family together at the same time. Both tragic and heartwarming, it shows a side of life many people have never seen. (page 381)

Wonder Girl #1 (DC Comics):
Dan: I’m not sure I like the way Wonder Girl’s character has gone since the death of Superboy, but I’ve been a fan of hers for a few years, so I’m curious to see where her own mini-series will take her. I like the sharp lines of the art style, too, so if nothing else it should look cool. (page 79)

Wonder Woman Annual #1 (DC Comics):
Dan: For those of you waiting for the final issue of Allan Heinberg’s run on Wonder Woman (and I know there are a few of you), here it is. Finally. I can’t say I really care anymore, but it is worth noting. (page 79)

Randy: Ditto. I really like Heinberg’s writing, but after Young Avengers more or less vanished without any kind of real resolution and Wonder Woman did the same, I’m pretty much in the “trade only” boat for his stuff, and then only if I hear he’s writing some kind of complete story, instead of a 6-issue arc clearly intended to continue on. If you’re not gonna be around to pay it off, don’t set it up. On the other hand, I’ll say this for Wonder Woman… unlike Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk, at least it’s going to conclude.

Zombies vs. Robots vs. Amazons #1 (IDW):
Randy: I’m sure Chris Ryall and Ashley Wood will do a great book, but I’m not sure anything can live up to the awesomeness promised by that title. (page 316)