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 November Previews for comics due to ship out in January 2008. 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 some of the books here won’t actually ship until February or later, but the pre-orders are still due by the end of November.

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. Dan and I will both offer up a “Top Five Shiny New Things to Watch Out For,” also in alphabetical order, and then we’ll provide a rundown of “Other Stuff That Caught Our 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 Nova?” or something along those lines, I still love it, I just don’t want to keep harping on it.

As always, 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:

‘76 #1 (Image):
Randy: I’m really excited about this one, for a variety of reasons. A lot of them can be seen by going to the ‘76 Blog and checking out the general vibe of the book. Basically, it’s a couple of ’70s archetypes, the kung-fu ass kicker and ghetto warriors, mixed in with a whole lot of modern weirdness. And gorgeous looking art. Shame it’s not in color, as that’s going to leave a lot of folks out who would otherwise be way into it. But if you’re not afraid of the black and white book, definitely give this one a shot. (page 137)

Annihilation: Conquest Book 1 HC (Marvel):
Dan: Annihilation was great. Annihilation: Conquest is shaping up to be even better. The three oversized hardcovers of Annihilation are beautiful, and I have no reason to believe that this book will be any different. A definite buy for me. (page M90)

Randy: Wow, that’s what I call a quick collection. The first issue of Annihilation: Conquest hasn’t even come out yet. Of course, this collection features the lead-up miniseries and the prologue, rather than the Annihilation: Conquest miniseries itself, but still… short lead time. And as someone who bought the previous Annihilation in hardcover and really enjoyed them, I’m all for it.

Antoine Sharpe, The Atheist Incarnate Vol. 1 (Desperado):
Randy: I loved this book, written by Phil Hester and drawn by John McCrea and featuring a super-smart doubting thomas facing an invading wave of amoral possessing ghosts. It had the feel of a lost Warren Ellis or Vertigo project, and the usual writing strength that Hester brings to his work. It was also horrendously, awfully, embarassingly late (in fact, the last issue still hasn’t shipped). So really, a graphic novel collection is the ideal way to read this book. With any luck, the promised follow-up in 2008 will be on time, because this was really a promising new series, and I’ll definitely be picking up the trade. (page 252)

Dan: This was a creepy feast for the imagination, and a graphic novel collection solves the incredible lateness issues, as you say. Assuming it comes out on time.

Hulk: The End Premiere HC (Marvel):
Randy: One of the best of “The End” stories, second only to the Punisher story, Peter David’s vision of a Hulk in a post-nuclear world besieged by angry mutant cockroaches is an absolute must-read. And because it was a prestige format, not really big enough to fill out a hardcover, Marvel is also including the David/George Perez alternate future collaboration Future Imperfect, introducing an evil, post-nuclear Hulk named Maestro. Good alternate future stuff by one of the Hulk’s best writers. Only thing that would have made it better would have been including the last issue of David’s Hulk run, which was also a “what could have been” kind of story, and an excellent one. That’ll show up eventually in the Hulk Visionaries, which gets another volume this month, starting the reprints of the David/Keown work, which was for my money the high watermark of David’s much-lauded run on that series. (page M92)

Dan: This is indeed very cool. It’s a good time to be a Hulk fan.

Youngblood #1 (Image):
Dan: Youngblood may be back. From the Rob Liefeld/Kurt Busiek/Mark Millar/Fabian Nicieza quagmire that it has become, it looks like the series may be actually launching for real, with writing by Joe Casey and art by Derec Donovan. Honestly, I’ll believe it when I see it. (page 136)

Randy: Ditto, but here’s the thing… I’m actually mildly excited about this. The short-lived Alan Moore/Steve Skroce Youngblood series was really good, full of potential, and Casey and Donovan seem like they could produce something in the same vein. Hell, the last time Casey followed Moore on a weird superhero project, we got Wildcats 2.0 and 3.0, which remains some of my favorite Casey work ever. This could turn out to be something spectacularly good… as long as Liefeld is hands-off about the whole thing.

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

Showcase Presents: Enemy Ace V.1 TP (DC):
Dan: Of all the Showcase Presents trades, the ones reprinting war comics are my favorites. Those war books are a lost gold mine of great comics, and every time a new Showcase of them is released I smile. This is no exception. I’ve heard for years how good the Enemy Ace stories were, and now I get a chance to find out for myself. (page 94)

30 Days of Night: Red Snow TP (IDW):
Randy: Ben Templesmith’s World War II story of Russians, Nazis and vampires had a strong opening issue, and was probably my favorite 30 Days of Night project, including the first one. The following two issues sold out before I got a chance to read them, but I’m looking forward to checking out the trade. Even if you’ve never read 30 Days, this is an accessible and entertaining vampire read. (page 288)

Dan: This was definitely a cool read, and I agree it may be my favorite 30 Days of Night book so far. Templesmith is proving himself with this and Wormwood to be an entertaining writer as well as artist.

Yozakura Quartet V.1 (Del Rey):
Dan: Akina is a guy surrounded by three girls. That’s a little rough on a dude, sure, but not impossible to handle. Then again, he’s normal, and the girls all have different superpowers. Life is anything but simple as the four of them work together to protect their hometown from supernatural threats. A manga superhero story? Cool! (page 249)

B.P.R.D.: 1946 #1 (Dark Horse):
Dan: I love the ongoing storyline in the current B.P.R.D. mini-series. That said, I’m also a big fan of Hellboy, and this mini, which looks at the foundation of the Bureau by Professor Bruttenholm right after World War II and the arrival of Hellboy, is right up my alley. Defusing leftover occult Nazi threats and dealing with something called “Project Vampir Sturm”? Artist Paul Azaceta (Talent, Grounded) has a style that will fit the B.P.R.D. mythos well, and I expect it to look great. (page 24)

Randy: Mignola’s shift from writing and art to mostly writing might sadden fans of his art, but it’s hard to be disappointed when the result is a vast array of cool B.P.R.D. projects. Especially when he keeps getting such great artists to collaborate. I’m looking forward to this one as well.

Crayon Shinchan V.1 (CMX/DC):
Dan: He’s five, he’s a brat, and he’s one rude little bastard. Oh, and he likes to pull down his pants and show people his ass and genitals. His name is Shin-chan, and if you haven’t caught the anime version of this manga on Adult Swim, you may be in for a shock. Let’s just say that Shin’s mom thinks he’s a monster (he is), his dad teaches him that “to be a man you must have honor- honor and a penis”, and his favorite TV show is “Action Bastard.” I have no idea how this version will compare to an earlier release done by ComicsOne, but I’m certainly going to find out. (page 101)

World War Hulk Aftersmash: Damage Control #1 (Marvel):
Dan: Well, World War Hulk is over, and it’s time to clean up. Who do you call for a demolished Manhattan? Damage Control. Hell, yeah. Written by Damage Control’s creator Dwayne McDuffie, this promises to be a lot of fun, as the clean-up experts find a few things buried in the rubble that they probably should have left alone. (page M41)

Other stuff that caught our eye:

Afterburn #1 (Red 5 Comics):
Randy: So far, I’ve enjoyed all of Red 5’s output, which features strong (and new) creative talent, good high concepts and great production values. This newest one, featuring a mercenary raiding a post-apocalyptic Eastern hemisphere for treasure, outwitting the competition and the mutants who now live there, definitely has a good high concept. And while I don’t know the creative talent from previous work, I’m inclined to trust them based on Red 5’s output thus far. (page 310)

Asterix Omnibus V. 1 and 2 (Sterling Publishing):
Dan: For those of you with European comics backgrounds or who are just interested in some good comics, Sterling is publishing collections of the Asterix books in three-in-one Omnibi. The first volume has the feisty Gaul’s first three adventures, and the second has Asterix and the Actress, Asterix and the Class Act, and Asterix and the Falling Sky. For twenty bucks each, this is a cheap way to grab some great comics history. (page 312)

Batman: The Killing Joke Special Edition HC (DC Comics):
Randy: OK, look, this is an important story, it’s got great Brian Bolland art, it should be in print… but $18 for 64 pages? C’mon. (page 90)

Dan: Buy it, or Dan Didio will come to your house and shoot you in the spine.

Blue Beetle V.3: Reach For the Stars TP (DC):
Dan: This series has been an absolute delight, and I’m excited to see a third trade so quickly. If you haven’t checked out Blue Beetle, do yourself a favor and pick the first trade up. (page 89)

Randy: I really need to catch up on this series. I’m a fan of the writer’s work on the web, and everybody says the book is really good. It also seems to be getting some good trade support from DC, which is nice.

Color of Rage (Dark Horse):
Dan: Dark Horse continues to publish the catalog of Kazuo Koike with this stand-alone manga volume about two men, one Japanese, one black, who escape a slave ship and end up in Tokugawa Japan. How will they survive? How will the Japanese react to a black man? Seisaku Kano on art provides a violent, sexy look at an intriguing idea. (page 43)

Diana Prince: Wonder Woman V.1 TP (DC):
Dan: I’ve always wanted to read these stories, when Diana gives up her powers and studies with I Ching as, basically, a rip-off of Emma Peel. The situation only went on for two years, before she became Wonder Woman again, but this kind of oddness always makes me curious, and I’m glad DC is collecting these stories. (page 94)

Doctor Who #1 (IDW):
Randy: I sort of lost interest in Doctor Who, but I’ve been considering going back with all the good notices the show has been earning lately. I’m not sure I’m really the market for original stories of the new time-traveling Doctor and his assistant, but it’s a good license for IDW, who have done right by Angel, Transformers and several others. (page 281)

Dan: It’s certainly the right time to be launching this book, with interest in the franchise higher than it has been in years. I’m not really much of a Dr. Who fan and I’m interested.

The Fall of Cthulhu V.1: The Fugue TP (BOOM! Studios):
Dan: Good Lovecraftian comics take more than just a creepy monster- they need a certain atmosphere of the unknown, a feeling that whatever it is that’s happening is totally out of the character’s control and more horrible than they (and you) can imagine. This is a good one, and this trade is an easy way to find out for yourself. (page 232)

Family Complex GN (Digital Manga Publishing):
Dan: Akira Sakamoto has family problems. Well, it’s his beautiful family that’s the problem. Every single member of his family, father, mother, sister, brother- are all ridiculously attractive and get attention and admiration wherever they go. They don’t look down on Akira, but he just looks like a normal guy, and he has a major ugly duckling complex. What’s a normal guy supposed to do? (page 268)

Hack/Slash Omnibus TP (Devil’s Due):
Randy: Tim Seeley’s butt-kicking heroine and her sidekick Vlad take on a variety of slashers, including Chucky, the doll from the Child’s Play movies, in this oversized omnibus. Hack/Slash is a really fun project, and it’s nice to see it getting a deluxe (but not overly pricey) treatment from Devil’s Due. (page 257)

Hulk #1 (Marvel):
Randy: There are bad ideas, there are worse ideas, and then there’s “Let’s take Hulk, at the peak of his World War Hulk popularity, and turn him into an unrecognizable red monster.” The latter courtesy of Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness, whose last work together was a nigh-unreadable Superman/Batman arc. Loeb, of course, is just coming off an Wolverine arc where he offed Sabretooth (and nobody noticed) and created an insanely stupid backstory for Wolverine that was so perfectly and viciously eviscerated in this review. With any luck, this is out of continuity, and the good Hulk stories by Greg Pak will continue in the main title. Although the obfuscated words and shadowed out figures on the covers lead me to believe Hulk may not be around after World War Hulk ends. Better dead than red, I guess. (page M39)

Dan: First he was gray, then green, now red. I’m waiting until he turns black and Clor kills him.

Jack Staff Special #1 (Image):
Dan: I’m a big fan of Paul Grist’s art style, and his crime book Kane is great. Jack Staff, though, is my favorite book of his, and this issue looks to be a perfect introduction to the character and series. Jack Staff is a very British hero whose only power is moving energy, somewhat analogous to Union Jack, and Grist’s writing draws you into his story in a way that leaves the majority of superhero books far behind. If you’ve never tried this book, check it out now. (page 140)

Justice League International HC (DC Comics):
Randy: DC’s gone hardcover crazy this month! It’s kind of good to see the DeMatteis/Giffen sitcom version of the JLA collected, but I’m a big fan, and even I’m not willing to plop down $25 for a hardcover version. Not that it’s a bad price for the material or anything, I’m just wondering if there’s a big enough audience for this. Or for the Time Masters trade paperback, co-written by DC marketing big cheese Bob Wayne. And if there is… where the hell are my Hitman trades and Starman hardcovers? And a Chase collection, for God’s sake! (page 92)

Dan: Breathe, Randy. Breathe.

Justice League of America #17 (DC):
Dan: Okay, the solicit indicates that Alan Burnett is writing the main story and Dwayne McDuffie is writing the back-up. What’s that all about? (page 83)

New Warriors V.1: The Next Right Thing TP (Marvel):
Dan: Not everyone is willing to lay down and die after Civil War. Some heroes were driven to action by it. Under the mysterious new Night Thrasher (or is he new?), a new team of New Warriors arrives to challenge authority and fight crime no matter what the law says. A great new book. (page M98)

Randy: I’ve been surprised by how much I’ve enjoyed this book, which takes a couple X-Men characters I was either ambivalent about or outright disliked and puts them together on a team with a mysterious leader. It’s got a great central mystery, a nice rebellious youth vibe and gorgeous artwork by Paco Medina. It doesn’t really push the New Warriors nostalgia buttons aside from the inclusion of Night Thrasher, it’s more like another angle on the post-Initiative Marvel Universe for fans of Thunderbolts, Avengers Initiative or The Order. By the way, if you’re reading New Warriors, do not read the solicitation for New Warriors #8 this month, which seemingly spoils one of the biggest mysteries of the book thus far.

Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. V.2- I Kick Your Face TP (Marvel):
Dan: The second volume of Warren Ellis’ superhero humor action book is finally available in softcover. I love it, Randy doesn’t. Randy’s wrong. (page M102)

Randy: Not so much wrong as completely right that this book is nowhere near as funny as everybody thinks it is. Nice art by Stuart Immonen, though.

Noble Causes Archives V.1 TPB (Image):
Dan: Jay Faerber’s superhero soap opera is engaging and evocative, and I’m glad to see this collection of the first three mini-series and the first twelve issues of the ongoing series in one big, affordable book. Twenty bucks for that much story is a steal. It’s a shame it’s in black and white, because the colors on the book were always gorgeous, but for that price, there’s no way they could print it in color, and if you want the color, the books are available in individual trades. (page 146)

Randy: If you’ve been enjoying Faerber’s Dynamo 5 (and you should be) and wondering about his earlier (and still ongoing) superhero book Noble Causes, this is a pretty good excuse to check it out. Noble Causes isn’t as consistently great as Dynamo 5, but it has moments of greatness and a lot of solid superhero stuff, not to mention early artwork from several guys now working at Marvel or DC. Faerber discovered a lot of artistic talent in his soap opera/superhero genre mix.

Pet Shop of Horrors: Tokyo V.1 (Tokyopop):
Dan: If you didn’t get enough of the pet shop where monsters were sold and dreams fulfilled (sort of), there are three new volumes of stories on the way, this time set in Tokyo. I enjoyed the original Pet Shop of Horrors series, and I expect that this will deliver more of the same, so I’ll bite. (page 318)

Robin #170 (DC):
Dan: Chuck Dixon is back on the title he gave birth to. I enjoyed his long run on this book, and I wonder if he can bring it back to life for me and a lot of readers who have fallen away from it since then. (page 74)

Randy: I really enjoyed Dixon’s run on Robin, but even at that I didn’t read the whole run. I’m just not sure the character warrants an ongoing series, especially one that’s now run for over 14 years. But clearly, it’s run for 14+ years… a lot of people feel otherwise. And I can’t deny that Dixon’s return is the most promising thing to happen to the book in a long time. But I’m actually more excited about Peter Tomasi and Rags Morales taking over on Nightwing, also this month.

Rod Espinosa’s Prince of Heroes #1 (Antarctic Press):
Dan: Rod Espinosa has always produced beautiful, imaginative work, things like The Courageous Princess and Neotopia. I expect this space adventure about a prince crossing the galaxy to see his father to be just as dynamic and engaging, and to be a visual treat. (page 201)

Teen Titans: The Lost Annual (DC):
Dan: Finally, this story is released! A tale of the original Teen Titans by classic Titans writer Bob Haney, with art by brilliant cartoonist Jay Stephens inked by Mike Allred, I can’t believe this sat finished in a drawer at DC for so long. For Titans fans and Silver Age fans alike, this will be a treat. (page 66)

Teen Titans Year One #1 (DC Comics):
Randy: I gotta be honest, I don’t have a whole lot of interest in seeing the early days of the Teen Titans. But the art on this one, by Karl Kerschl, looks amazing. He’s been doing a terrific webcomic over on Transmission-X, and while I’ve always liked his work, he’s definitely raised his game to the level of can’t miss artist. You can see a preview of three pages here. (page 62)

Thor Visionaries: Walter Simonson V.5 (Marvel):
Dan: The final volume of Simonson’s legendary Thor run is finally collected. For those of you looking to catch up, there’s also a note that indicates volumes two and three are going to be reprinted soon. (page M106)

Randy: The question is, will there we a Thor: Walt Simonson Omnibus or two. Or three. C’mon, Marvel… you know you want to.

Tokyopop Volume 2 (Tokyopop):
Randy: There are a bunch of volume twos coming out this January that I’ve been looking forward to. Battle Royale Ultimate Edition, Gyakushu! and Pantheon High all get second volumes this month. (page 319-320)

Dan: Yup. Aqua, too. And not just second volumes… Brave Story and King of Thorn are getting third volumes, and there are some new titles that look interesting like Shin Megami Tensei (Kahn), Dark Metro, Doors of Chaos, and I Wish… that lack descriptions in the solicits.

What If? Spider-Man vs. Wolverine (Marvel):
Randy: Wow, you wanna talk obscure… this What If? is based off an ’80s one-shot written by Christopher Priest where Spider-Man and Wolverine faced off over a former intelligence agent Wolverine knew. It was dark, funny, smart and one of my favorite stories to feature either character, but I didn’t think anybody remembered it, let alone planned to do a story about what might have happened if Spidey’s conscience bothered him so much that he never quite came back from it. An intriguing premise, and writing by Jeff Parker and Paul Tobin, who have done some great stories for Marvel in the last year, seals the deal. (page M66)

X-Factor: Madrox Multiple Choice Premiere HC (Marvel):
Randy: Another great Peter David gem this month, as Marvel finally reprints the miniseries by David and Pablo Raimondi that launched the new X-Factor. If you’re digging the current X-Factor series, you must check out this mini, which in my estimation is better than all the story arcs of that book so far, and sets up the status quo for the X-Factor series. David totally redefined the character in this mini, and Raimondi shines on the art. (page M93)

Young Avengers Presents #1 (Marvel):
Dan: A six-issue mini with each issue looking at a different member of the Young Avengers isn’t a bad idea, especially if Brubaker is doing the first issue on Patriot. That’s likely to be really good. A different creative team on each issue? Not so good. I suspect two issues will be good, two will be decent, and two will outright suck. (page M53)

Randy: That sounds about right. Brubaker had a great take on Young Avengers in the Winter Soldier Special, shame his busy schedule wouldn’t allow him to pick up the reins of the book, abandoned by its creator Allan Heinberg.