Welcome to Down the Line, our monthly look at Previews! Co-written by Randy Lander and Dan Grendell, each Down the Line looks at what’s coming out in comics (and manga) a few months down the road.

This installment covers the January Previews for comics due to ship out in March 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. Thanks to the increasing prevalence of advance solicitation, that some of the books here won’t actually ship until April or later, but the pre-orders are still due by the end of January.

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, we still love it, we just don’t want to keep harping on it.

We’re running a little bit late this month. Sorry about that. Randy got Rock Band for Christmas.

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

Comic Book Comics #1 (Evil Twin Comics):
Dan: Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey are back! After taking on the hallowed halls of philosophy in Action Philosophers, the pair are going through the history of comics in their wacky style, starting back with newspaper strips. Maybe you know it all, maybe you don’t, but I guarantee you’ve never seen it like this! (page 290)

Randy: I’ve had the privilege of seeing a two-page preview of Comic Book Comics focusing on the famed “Texas Mafia” of indie comics, and let me say, this project may actually be even better than Action Philosophers, which I love. Not enough fans (and I include myself amongst them) really know comic book history, and being able to learn that while also laughing and being entertained? That’s pretty damn cool. You can see a preview story here.

Damned: Prodigal Sons #1 (Oni Press):
Dan: I thought the first Damned was a very cool take on the noir gangster story, so I’m pleasantly surprised to see a follow-up. This time out it looks like Eddie’s enemies have decided it’s time for him to go down and stay down, so expect plenty of double-crossing, action, and bad-assery. Cool with me- that’s just how I like it. (page 322)

Randy: Very glad to see this series return, as it was one of my favorite reads of the last couple years, a perfect bland of Prohibition era gangsters and creepy demons and the occult. Brian Hurtt’s artwork is beautiful to look at, Cullen Bunn’s characters are all the right kind of smart-talking tough guys and insidious demonic gang lords, and if you’re a fan of BPRD or Hellblazer or even Buffy and you’re not checking this out, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Trust me on this one. Pick up the trade now and then you’ll be anticipating the follow-up as much as I am.

Noble Causes #32 (Image):
Dan: If you have been curious about Noble Causes, maybe after reading Jay Farber’s other great book Dynamo 5 (which has its first annual solicited this month, by the way), but the hefty Archive volumes intimidated you, then this issue is for you. The series is jumping ahead five years, and this issue will work great as a jumping-on point for new readers. (page 146)

Randy: I’ll be the first to say, as someone who has read Noble Causes from the start, that I like Dynamo 5, Faerber’s other superhero creation, just a little bit better. But I still really enjoy Noble Causes, and this new issue, which is a new number one in just about every way, is a great read and well worth a look for those of you who have been digging Dynamo 5. The basic concept of Noble Causes is a family of superheroes with a soap operatic undercurrent, but this issue takes place five years later and there are new members of the family and a new mission to be the best superhero team, so there’s as much superhero punch-out stuff as there is catfights, sleeping around and betrayals.

Serenity: Better Days #1 (Dark Horse):
Dan: For those Firefly fans out there, and I know there’s a ton of you, here’s a long-awaited announcement- another mini-series taking place before the movie. That means your favorite characters are alive, everything’s still shiny (well, as much as it ever was), and it’s by Joss Whedon and Brett Matthews, the same writing team that did the first mini. This should be fun. (page 30)

Randy: The single page preview in Previews already has me pretty excited, with the same great banter I’ve come to expect from the series. I’ll be honest, much as I love Angel and Buffy, I’d happily sacrifice both if we could just get more regular Firefly/Serenity. I think it’s Whedon’s best creation.

Wormwood V.2 TPB (IDW Publishing):
Dan: He’s a zombie-riding magical maggot. His buddy’s a robot who complains about having no genitals and an inability to get drunk. They fight crime. Well, not really, but they do fight monsters, and say very funny things. And Ben Templesmith paints some incredibly cool and freaky stuff. Oh, just read it already. (page 310)

Randy: One of the benefits of coming late to something is the surprise factor. I didn’t know there was any more Wormwood to be collected, so I’m thrilled to find out that there are Wormwood stories I haven’t read yet.

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

Cursed Pirate Girl #1 (Archaia Studios Press):
Dan: Cursed Pirate Girl (yes, that’s her name) and her friend, the Governor’s daughter, Apollonia, head out on a journey to find CPG’s father in an adventure that will take them over and under the water, against thugs, ghosts, and monsters. Jeremy Bastion’s art on this just looks amazing, the story reminds me of a cross between Ted Naifeh’s Polly and the Pirates and Courtney Crumrin books, and I am jazzed as hell. (page 218)

Randy: The art does look fantastic, a little bit reminiscent of the work of Jeff Johnson on Way of the Rat, with a beautiful sepia-toned color palette. And it’s a fun concept. Archaia has been a lot more hit or miss for me since they started picking up more books, but this one looks like a winner. You can see a 10 page preview here.

The Starman Omnibus V.1 HC (DC):
Dan: One of the greatest series of the ’90s, Starman has never been fully reprinted. Thankfully, DC is rectifying that, and doing so in a nice oversized hardcover format. The issues are being reprinted in order, and specials and mini-series are slated to be included as well. Good job, DC! (page 92)

Randy: Consider this one number #1 and 1/2 on my Top Five for the month as well. I was honestly starting to think DC was never going to reprint all of Starman, and I certainly wasn’t expecting the pipe dream of swanky hardcovers. Beautiful art by Tony Harris (and others), the best comic book James Robinson will ever write and one of the most interesting characters the DC Universe has ever seen, not to mention a series that is equally welcoming to those with a fondness for ’40s superhero nostalgia and those who dig the hipster non-superhero vibe. I can’t wait to pick these hardcovers up.

JLA Presents: Aztek- the Ultimate Man (DC):
Dan: A lost gem from Grant Morrison and Mark Millar, this was a nice surprise. This trade collects all ten issues of the short-lived series about a young man raised by the Q Society to be the champion of Quetzalcoatl. He wore a magical suit of armor that let him manipulate fourth-dimensional energy, and even joined the JLA at one point, during Morrison’s run. Cool stuff, and I’m glad to see it resurface. (page 91)

Randy: This was a weird little book, and though I was never completely in love with it, I did like how different it was from everything else. Fans of Morrison’s Doom Patrol or Seven Soldiers, basically his “superhero weirdness” school, should definitely check this out. DC seems to finally be getting around to reprinting some of their lost ’90s gems. Now if only we could get Chase, Hitman, Resurrection Man, Young Heroes in Love, etc. etc.

Fritz Lang’s M GN with DVD (Abrams):
Dan: Early work by painter Jon J. Muth, this adaptation of Fritz Lang’s first sound film, M, is moody and atmospheric, just as it should be. The story, about a whistling child murderer in Berlin in the 30’s, is a great one, and this is the first time it has ever been collected. To make it even better, this set comes with a DVD version of the actual film. I doubt it will compare to the Criterion Collection version, but it will give you a good idea of where the adaptation worked and where it didn’t. (page 201)

Randy: I believe this one turned up in our “lost gems” podcast from Dave Farabee, and when I flipped through it, I was pretty impressed with what I saw. Moody and unusual, and beautifully illustrated.

Gosick V.1 (Tokyopop):
Dan: A gothic mystery set in 1924 Europe, this six-volume series focuses on Japanese student Kazuya Kujo (who is studying abroad) and her friend Victoria. The pair try to solve the murder of a fortune teller, but discover an even bigger mystery along the way. I’m a sucker for a good manga mystery, and the gothic look is usually beautiful, so it’s a great combo. (page 347)

Other stuff that caught our eye:

The Boy Who Made Silence #1 (AAM Markosia):
Dan: Winner of the Xeric Award, this was originally self-published but has found a new publishing home at Markosia. The book is about a deaf boy who somehow creates a zone of silence around him, silence which draws people in it into each others’ pasts and memories. The boy is looked on as a prophet in his farm community, and the book follows him as he grows up and begins searches of his own. The concept here sounds really cool, and though it’s kind of an odd fit at Markosia, which is known for it’s licensed stuff, I’m still very intrigued. (page 200)

BPRD Volume 8: Killing Ground TP (Dark Horse):
Randy: The newest collection of the always terrific BPRD series, featuring art by Guy Davis, as ghostly Johann gets a little bit sybaritic in enjoying his new body just as something bad escapes in the middle of BPRD headquarters. Also available this month, the newest Hellboy collection with amazing art by Duncan Fegredo and my favorite Hellboy story in a while from Mike Mignola. Both of these are actually May releases, due to Dark Horse’s early solicitations, but they’re both worth the wait. (page 51)

Cable #1 (Marvel):
Dan: Out of ‘Messiah Complex’ comes the return of ’90s star Cable, and it looks like he’s been assigned the protection of the baby, in a sort of ‘Cable: War Child’ or ‘Lone Cable and Cub’ riff. Ariel Olivetti, late of Punisher War Journal, is on art, and relative newcomer crime novelist Duane Swierczynski is writing. This could be fun, or it could be an emo bloodbath, as Cable runs through time and space to protect the mutant baby. (page M59)

Randy: I don’t have any particular interest in a Cable series, but I have to admit that seeing Cable toting a baby around in a bulletproof Baby Bjorn continually cracks me up.

Conan #50 (Dark Horse):
Dan: Well, all good things must come to an end, it seems, as this is the final issue of the Conan ongoing series. Don’t get too worked up, though, because it’ll be back in June or thereabouts, relaunched as Conan the Cimmerian to cover a new period of the barbarian’s life. Meanwhile, a hardcover focusing on his origins (I think this collects the various “Born on a Battlefield” issues, but the solicit doesn’t explicitly say that), the fifth collection in hardcover, Rogues in the House, and the third Savage Sword of Conan omnibus are also listed. (page 34)

Randy: That collection of “Born On The Battlefield” does have my interest, as the early days of Conan through the pen of Kurt Busiek and the paints of Greg Ruth were possibly the best thing to come out of Dark Horse’s strong use of the Conan license. I’m not as sold on a new Conan series, as I’ve been somewhat uninterested since Busiek left, but I think Dark Horse is doing the right thing giving writer Tim Truman a new number one and a fresh start. Honestly, they probably should have done it when Busiek left the book originally.

Dark Tower: The Long Road Home #1 (Marvel):
Dan: After the huge success of the first Gunslinger mini-series, it was a no-brainer that there would be another. It looks like this one picks up pretty much where the first left off, with the same stellar writing and art teams. Although a bit shorter at five issues than the first, I fully expect this to be as exciting and gorgeous as the first was, and to sell just as well. (page M3)

DC Special: Raven #1 (DC):
Dan: The return of Marv Wolfman to one of his Titans characters is definitely worthy of note. This mini looks at Raven’s past and hopes to give her a new future, and though he’s not George Perez, Damion Scott is a fine artist and this should look great. It looks like Raven will be investigating murders at a high school driven wild by the Psycho Pirate’s mask, and if anyone can do teen drama, it’s Wolfman. (page 71)

Dead Space #1 (Image):
Dan: The prequel to an upcoming video game, it’s survival horror in deep space. Video game tie-in books are usually decent at best, but this one has a strong pedigree- Antony Johnston (of Wasteland fame) is writing, and Ben Templesmith (of 30 Days of Night and Wormwood) is on art. With a pair of creators like that, I have really high hopes for this mini. (page 144)

Randy: The videogame tie-in nature of it makes me a bit nervous, but yeah, Johnston and Templesmith together? That’s got to be worth reading.

Dynamo 5 Annual #1 (Image):
Randy: I can’t tell if this is entirely reprints or a mixture of reprints and new stories (I think it’s the latter), but either way, it’s a safe bet most Dynamo 5 fans haven’t seen these tales of the team’s reason for being, the original Captain Dynamo, or the first adventure of the new team. (page 145)

Echo #1 (Abstract Studios):
Dan: Now that Strangers in Paradise is done, Terry Moore needs something else to do. You’d think that writing Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane and Runaways would be enough, but apparently not- he’s got his own brand-new series too, and I couldn’t be happier. The story is about Julie Martin, a woman caught in metallic fallout after an explosion in the sky. Part of that metal makes its way home with her- a symbiotic living bomb. That’s cool enough on its own, but knowing Moore, there’s plenty more cool stuff to come. (page 202)

Randy: My biggest issue with Strangers in Paradise was that it’s loose structure led to a series of non-endings and false re-starts, and so I couldn’t love in the long-term the way I did in the short. Hopefully Moore is structuring Echo a little bit more ahead of time, because it sounds like another intriguing premise, and his artwork is always beautiful. With Terry Moore, Jeff Smith and Dave Sim (crazy, but undeniably a pioneer) starting up new series in 2008, plus new books like Comic Book Comics, could 2008 be the resurgence of the self-publisher? Let’s hope so.

Flight Explorer Volume 1 TP (Villard Books):
Randy: The talented illustrators of Flight get together to create a $10, 100+ page full-color anthology aimed at younger readers. Sounds good to me. (page 358)

The Godfather Chronicles #1 (Boom! Studios):
Randy: It’s the ultimate gangster “who’d win” as Don Corleone goes head-to-head with Al Capone in New York. Some might consider it sacrilege, and I can’t really say I was dying to see The Godfather as a license to be exploited in videogames, toys, action figures, etc. However, if there’s got to be a comic, this is a fun angle, and Mark Waid on writing certainly bodes well. (page 244)

Holmes GN (AIT/Planet Lar):
Randy: I gather that this is a reprint of a lost project, but I’ve never read it. However, reading about a Sherlock Holmes story where Holmes is a drug-addled maniac and Watson is more or less his pusher, described as “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas starring Sherlocke Holmes” definitely has me interested in checking this out. (page 210)

Iron Man vs. Doctor Doom: Doomquest Premier HC (Marvel):
Dan: This seems like a weird choice for Marvel to collect in hardcover. Don’t get me wrong, the stories in here are decent, featuring Tony and Doom heading back in time to interact with Camelot and forward in time as King Arthur is reborn to face off against Iron Man 2020’s grandson and the Doom of that time. I’m just a little confused as to why it was chosen over, say, ‘Armor Wars’. I wasn’t aware there was a great demand for this arc. (page M91)

Randy: Maybe Doctor Doom strong-armed the collections department.

Jack Kirby’s O.M.A.C.: One Man Army Corps HC (DC):
Dan: One of Kirby’s last books for DC, this was about one man’s fight against a dystopian future, empowered by a super-satellite. The entire series is collected here for twenty-five bucks, all eight issues, and that’s a great deal. Check it out for yourself and see what OMAC meant before Infinite Crisis. (page 90)

Randy: I’ve managed to resist buying those tempting Fourth World hardcovers because I already own a lot of their contents, but I can’t resist an O.M.A.C. hardcover. I love this concept, and I’ve read so very little of it, other than Paul Pope’s loving recreation if it in his issue of Solo. Can’t wait to pick this up.

Justice League: The New Frontier Special (DC):
Dan: Proof positive that comics fans have been good this year, this is a dream come true. It could only be better if all of the art was by Cooke, but having some by J. Bone and David Bullock is just fine too. The main story, by Cooke alone, deals with Faraday’s attempts to outlaw masked vigilantes and features a Superman/Batman fight, and there are two back-up stories in addition to bonus material from the animated film. With no ads and 48 pages, this should be a treat. (page 72)

Randy: I’m still pissed at DC for not greenlighting Darwyn Cooke’s proposed ongoing King Faraday series. But this helps a little bit, as I’m sure it’ll be great. Only problem is, now my Absolute New Frontier is incomplete! Damn you, DC! Damn you, Darwyn Cooke! Don’t you know my OCD format whore nature is going to give me fits over this?

Kieli V.1 (Yen Press):
Dan: This looks promising. A teenage girl able to see ghosts who makes friends with the spirit of the girl who lives in her room. The reanimated corpse of a dead soldier and his possessed radio could be a friend or an enemy- and finding out which is a risky proposition. Supernatural coolness. (page 380)

The Last Defenders #1 (Marvel):
Randy: Well, Joe Casey has figured out the true appeal of Marvel’s Defenders: It’s got to be a little bit weird. Thing is, even with a line-up that includes Colossus, She-Hulk and Blazing Skull, I’m not sure that’s quite weird enough. This could be a fun, original take on superheroes ala The Order, but instead I’m getting a “forgettable miniseries” vibe off it. Hope I’m wrong, as I like Casey’s work and I can see him pulling off a cool, weird Defenders book… I’m just not sure this is it. (page M35)

The Nearly Infamous Zango #1 (Absolute Tyrant):
Randy: Rob Osborne has previously done mini-comics and graphic novels like Sunset City and 1000 Steps to World Domination, but his story of a slacker supervillain may be my favorite work of his thus far. It’s funny, strange and has strong cartooning. You can check out previews on the web here.

Nixon’s Pals OGN (Image):
Randy: Joe Casey writes the story of the parole officer of the supervillains in Los Angeles. That’s a great concept, Casey’s real good at these superhero with a tweak stories, and if it can actually hit the “Elmore Leonard meets Jack Kirby” vibe promised in the solicits, this will be a very fun book. (page 152)

The Question Vol. 2: Poisoned Ground TP (DC):
Randy: Good to see DC continuing these long-overdue reprints of pulp-y zen crime comic The Question. The first collection was terrific, I look forward to reading more. Kind of wish they were a little bigger, more than six issues at a time, given the ground they have to cover, but as long as they complete the reprint series, that’ll be a minor complaint. (page 93)

Repo TP (Image):
Randy: I lost track of this Rick Spears/Rob G miniseries about repo men collecting futuristic technology, but I dug the issues I read, I love the artwork and I’m looking forward to checking out the whole story now that it’s collected. (page 154)

Screamland #1 (Image):
Dan: This one’s by a new creator, but the pitch sounds great. The era of computer graphics and green screens has put actual monsters like Frankenstein’s Monster out of business. Now he’s a useless drunk. When a chance for work comes his way, can he straighten up long enough to make it work? (page 150)

Randy: I don’t know what it is about this book, maybe it’s that weird little promo image or the unusual premise or the praising quote from Matt Fraction, but it’s definitely got my attention as well.

Spawn #180 (Image):
Randy: I know, I know… Spawn? But this one-off written by David Hine features art by Mike Mayhew, who has done some beautiful covers (including the one to this issue) and it’s about a Hellspawn rising in the midst of World War I. Kind of sounds like fun, actually. (page 166)

Super Friends #1 (DC):
Randy: Kudos to DC for putting out comics aimed at much younger kids featuring their well-known icons. It all looks a tad too cutesy and kiddie for me, but it’s good that parents looking for comics for young kids who can’t quite read yet but like the bright colors and familiar superheroes will have something to pick up. It’s important audience outreach, and I hope it works. (page 98)

Ultimate X-Men #92 (Marvel):
Dan: I haven’t been following this title, so for all I know this will be awesome, but I’d just like to point out that this features both Stryfe and Onslaught on the cover. Let that sink in for a second. Yeeeeeeaaaah. (page M15)

Randy: Can Ultimate Adam-X The Extreme be far behind? How about Ultimate X-Babies?

Warhammer: Condemned By Fire #1 (BOOM! Studios):
Dan: The same writing and art team from Forge of War are back with another tale from the Warhammer fantasy world. This time, the subject is a Witch Hunter, those servants of the Empire that hunt Chaos in all its forms. Witch Hunter Magnus Gault hears that the village of Loughville has fallen prey to Chaos, and when he arrives, the villagers are mutated and the buildings are rotten. Best watch out- Gault kicks ass for the Lord! (Well, for Sigmar). (page 249)

Randy: Forge of War has been fantastic so far, the tale of what happens to soldiers, mages and dwarves on the losing side of a great battle. This sounds every bit as interesting. If you’re looking for some original dark fantasy, and you dig on stuff like Conan and Death Dealer, definitely give these Warhammer books a shot. Whether you’re familiar with the game or not (I’m just barely familiar), the world is interesting and the writing (by Dan Abnett) is terrific.

White Death GN (AiT/Planet Lar):
Dan: In 1916, an Italian private returns to his home in the mountains to discover that the idyllic landscape he remembers has been invaded by the war. Amongst both armies, there is no weapon more feared than the White Death, avalanches deliberately caused by loud cannon fire. A dark look at the devastation and despair that war brings, in a time period not often covered by comics. (page 212)

Randy: Worth noting that this is an offered again, and you should be able to pick this up right now if you so desire, rather than having to wait a few months. I’ve read it, and it’s a good little psychological thriller with great art by Walking Dead’s Charlie Adlard.

White Picket Fences Double Feature GN (APE Entertainment):
Randy: I dug the White Picket Fences miniseries, which was a really good blend of ’50s alien invasion stories and kids’ adventure ala The Iron Giant, so I’m glad to see a new one-shot in the series. Not sure if it’s the same characters or just more of the same classic sci-fi genre appreciation, but either way it should be a fun read. (page 217)

Wolverine: First Class #1 (Marvel):
Dan: In the vein of X-Men First Class, Fred van Lente is looking back in time for some in-continuity adventures of everyone’s favorite berserker. These ones kick off right after the death of Phoenix and the arrival of Kitty Pryde, and pair Kitty and Logan together for some buddy adventures. I could do without another Wolverine book, but on the other hand, this looks like the first one I’ll actually pick up. Speaking of Wolverine books, Brian K. Vaughan and Eduardo Risso have one launching this month too, a three-issue mini called Logan that promises a “unique take” and a “shocking revelation”. Even with that awesome creative line-up, I think I’ll pass. (page M66)

Randy: I’ll be reading Logan for the creative team, although it does seem like a waste of the talent involved. Wolverine: First Class, though? I have a soft spot for the Kitty Pryde/Wolverine team and I love Fred Van Lente’s work more day by day, and I love X-Men First Class, so I’m pretty excited by this one. I’d love it if we could get some more First Class spinoffs or one-shots looking at the character relationships in the old days, too. Colossus/Wolverine/Nightcrawler would be great, as would Kitty Pryde/Magik or even a Storm/Yukio mini. I don’t want to see them reunited in modern continuity, but I’d love to see loosely out-of-continuity tales in the past.

WWH Aftersmash: Damage Control #3 (Marvel):
Dan: I already figured I was gonna like this book, what with Dwayne McDuffie returning to his Damage Control creations, but then I saw the solicit for this issue. I’m just going to quote it here, since it’s short: “The newly-sentient Chrysler Building is sick of the rat race and planning to leave the city. Can Damage Control convince the Art Deco treasure that New York is its home?” That’s just plain awesome. (page M33)

Young Liars #1 (Vertigo/DC):
Dan: David Lapham is capable of greatness. Stray Bullets is proof of that. I wasn’t too into his run on Detective Comics or his work on Tales of the Unexpected, but some of his other mainstream work has been good. All that said, I’m happy to see him doing a book that looks more his style again. This one looks bizarre in a great way, at its bare bones about a group of misfits trying to salvage their dreams, but with so much more to offer that that barely scratches the surface. I’m very curious to see how this comes out. (page 114)