The Book I Want to Buy:
Shooters
by Brandon Jerwa, Eric Trautmann, and Steve Lieber; Vertigo, $22.99
The solicitation for this new graphic novel from Vertigo caught my eye, because of the involvement of Eric Trautmann and Steve Lieber. Trautmann worked with Greg Rucka on DC’s Checkmate, and later on the Red Circle revival of The Shield, showing that he has a good handle for military or espionage-themed comics. Steve Lieber is a master of suspenseful comics like Whiteout and Underground.
Shooters is described in the solicitation as follows:
Today’s battlefield isn’t just about the uniformed soldier in service to his country; there’s also the contractor, who answers to the corporation. Call them mercenaries, soldiers-for-hire, or private military operators, they are a new breed of combatant in today’s conflicts.
SHOOTER is the story of Terry Glass, a warrior whose spirit and soul has been hardened in countless battles. When a horrible accident shatters his world, Glass finds himself waging a private war on several fronts – against his career, his marriage, and ultimately, his faith.
This sounds pretty interesting, and when made by such talented creators, it has to be pretty good.
The Book I Think You Should Buy:
Showcase Presents All-Star Squadron Vol. 1
by Roy Thomas and Rich Buckler; DC, $19.99
I have long been a fan of World War Two superheroes, and of very large superhero teams. This series, written by the legendary Roy Thomas, satisfied both of these preferences when I started hunting down issues of this respected but kind of forgotten series all through the late 80s.
The All-Star Squadron series was set on Earth 2 during the war and starred a number of characters who were never in the Justice Society, such as Liberty Belle, Johnny Quick, Firebrand, Robotman, and others. The book had a very large, rotating cast that included just about anyone who wore a cape or a mask during the war, if they were originally published by either DC or by Quality comics. Teams such as the Justice Society, the Seven Soldiers of Victory, and the Freedom Fighters were not unfamiliar sights.
Thomas has always been respected as a world-builder, and he put a lot of time into fixing continuity problems from before, and helping solidify the history of Earth 2. The comics are very much a product of their time, and may not hold up all that well in our era, but they are books that I got a lot of pleasure from as a kid, and which helped nurture my love for the JSA.
This Showcase volume holds the team’s first appearance from an issue of Justice League of America, and then the first 18 issues of the comic. There’s going to be some good stuff in here.
So, what would you buy Were Money No Object?
