I have to say, there’s not a whole lot to get excited about in this edition of Previews. I guess that’s because these are the books coming out in January, and everyone’s in that post-holiday slump…
Dark Horse
A few years ago, I never would have thought that Brian Wood would end up writing Star Wars comics – he does best with post-urban series that are as much philosophical as action-based, historical drama, or personal introspective stories – but I can’t wait to give this a try. The best thing about it is that Dark Horse is setting the series after the first movie, and it sounds like Wood is being given free rein to do what he wishes. I’m expecting this to be the swashbuckling Star Wars, before it got overly tied-up in being cutesy or too focused on poorly defined mysticism. Should be great…
DC
The news that Kieth Giffen was launching a new ‘cosmic’ comic, Threshold, as a part of the New 52 excited me, but then I found out a few more things about the series. It sounds like it has a lot to do with the Green Lantern books, which is probably a plus for many, but not for me. It has a back-up featuring Larfleeze, the Orange Lantern who is one of the main reasons why I stopped reading the GL books. Also, it’s a $4 comic with back-up art by Scott Kolins. And so for all of these reasons, I’m going to pass. For the record, I would totally be behind a book where Kieth Giffen was able to do his thing (preferably a Legion of Super-Heroes book), but this is not going to be it.
Image
I love the concept behind the anthology series Dias de Las Muertas (although January seems like the wrong time for it to begin), but would rather see a variety of artists on it instead of Riley Rossmo working with nine different writers. Doesn’t this type of project also sound like something that should be used to showcase some Hispanic creators? I could be wrong, but none of the writers involved sound terribly Latin to me.
Most of Image’s new series for this month (The End Times of Bram & Ben, Repossessed, and Todd, the Ugliest Kid on Earth) feature either writers or artists who are pretty new to the business, or who haven’t been tested yet. I’m going to wait until I see the comics on the shelf before I make my decision, because all of these have potential (MK Perker on Todd is exciting, but I don’t know the writer).
Marvel
Marvel NOW! continues to roll out, with a number of titles I have mixed emotions about. Uncanny X-Force looks promising, with a writer I admire (Sam Humphries) and an interesting line-up featuring Storm, Psylocke, Puck, Spiral, and what looks like Lady Fantomex. The problems? The return of Bishop, a character I don’t feel the need to see again, and art by Ron Garney, who I’m not a fan of. I don’t think I’m going to pre-order this – if the solicitations in the next couple of months suggest it’s going to be double-shipped a lot, I’m just going to pass altogether; otherwise, I’ll check out the first issue and then decide.
New Avengers is a definite add, despite the double-shipping, because it’s by Jonathan Hickman. I like the concept for this book, and trust that Hickman is the man who can actually do something useful with the Illuminati concept introduced by Bendis a couple of years back.
Amazing Spider-Man, under Dan Slott, is my favourite Marvel book that I don’t buy. I suspect that Superior Spider-Man could be the same, or, with a new person under the mask, be a book that I happily don’t buy. Either way, I’m not going to buy this.
There is no way that Frank Cho is going to stay on Savage Wolverine past the sixth issue (unless he just co-writes after that). I’ll trade-wait this; it’s not going to be worth $4 an issue.
Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie giving us a new series featuring young Loki, Miss America Chavez, and the Young Avengers? I predict this will be the best Marvel NOW! book, and can’t wait to start reading it.
I have to give Marvel its props for trying out a title like Morbius. Joe Keatinge has proven himself on Image’s Glory, so I’ll wait and see what the first issue is like before I commit to this (here’s a book that needs some preview pages in Previews, Marvel).
I like the idea of Tomm Coker drawing a Vision story in Avengers Assemble Annual #1, but for $5? No thank you.
Independents
I can’t find a single independent comic to talk about in the back of Previews. That makes me sad.
So, what would you buy Were Money No Object?
