Welcome to the 48th installment of Leave Your Spandex At the Door.
Having finished the two-week long look back to the best and brightest of 2004, it’s timeto take a look forward, to April 2005 and what is being solicited from the big 4 and the indies crowd, in the first PreviewScope of the new year.
This month I’m on my own, and I’m trying a new format, by including the solicitations of the titles I’m recommending. You can see it as the lazy man’s way out, as it means I don’t have to describe what the title is about, and I can make briefer comments
DARK HORSE COMICS
BILLY THE KID’S OLD-TIMEY ODDITIES #1
Written by Eric Powell, art by Kyle Hotz.
Billy the Kid having faked his own death is now free to roam America, and start a new life, unhindered by his past crimes and criminal record. Free, that is, until someone discovers his true identity. Fineas Spoule and his band of traveling sideshow performers blackmail the Kid into joining their troupe. These performers are the rarest breed of human oddities and deforms: an alligator man, a dog-face boy, a wild man, a miniature boy, a psychic, a tatooed woman, and Sproule, himself, also known as “The Human Spider.” Billy begrudgingly agrees. Spoule, on top of everything else, is something of a treasure hunter. He and his band are set to travel to Europe to steal a priceless artifact from a mysterious scientist, a Dr. Victor Frankensteain; with Billy as their hired gun.
This series combines Hotz’s quirky macabre visuals and Powell’s humorous fast-paced storytelling into an off-beat epic adventure full of interesting characters combining the unlikely genres of spaghetti western and Hammer horror.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on April 20.
CONAN AND THE JEWELS OF GWAHLUR #1
Written and art by P. Craig Russell.
She’s made a string of bad choices, and now a young woman has let herself become the pawn of mercenaries”¹and one of those mercenaries is Conan of Cimmeria. As the former dancing girl poses as the dead oracle of a primitive cult, Conan puts his military and thieving experience together in one of his last adventures before becoming King.
P. Craig Russell, the award-winning artist who’s made his reputation adapting literature to comics, takes the greatest hero to ever make the leap from books to comics in this dazzling adaptation. With stories like The Jewels of Gwahlur, Robert E. Howard invented the genre of sword and sorcery fiction, and no matter how many times the master has been imitated, stories like this one have not been surpassed.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on April 6. 
Dark Horse has been doing wonders with the Conan license the last years thanks to Busiek’s new series, and this is another exciting creator assignment on the character, as Craig Russell is truly the go-to guy for quality literature adaptations.
FREAKS OF THE HEARTLAND TPB
Written by Steve Niles, art by Greg Ruth.
Under the weathered skies of America’s heartland, and in the wounded hearts of every family in one tiny rural town, a terrible secret has been kept for too many years. Now, a young boy named Trevor must try to keep his younger brother Will from falling victim to the worst fears of a troubled town that can’t begin to understand the tragic secret that binds its families together. Some folks would call Trevor’s brother a monster. But to Trevor, Will is just another kid trapped in a dark reality he can’t comprehend. When the situation moves from bad to worse, and their father threatens to do away with Will, Trevor learns that they’re not alone–that “freak” children were born to other families in Gristlewood Valley. And just as they were all born at the same time, it seems their sad, frustrated, and emotionally spent parents seem to be hatching a plan to see that they disappear at the same time. Against all odds, and with nothing but love for his brother in his heart, Trevor is going to do whatever he can to get Will–and the other freak children–out of harm’s way, if it’s not already too late. Collecting the six-issue miniseries.
144 pages, $17.95, in stores on May 26.
Freaks of the Heartland rounded up last week’s Mature Readers Comics Awards of 2004. I’m simply reprinting my hype from last week here: “A moody thriller featuring an isolated country society that hides her monstrously deformed children from the world, keeping them locked away in their basements. When one boy decides he’s had enough he stages a rescue for his hulking kid brother and bands the rest of the “freaks” and their brothers and sisters together, the small community’s secret will come out in the open. Freaks of the Heartland is a visually striking psychological thriller which stands out thanks to Greg Ruth’s beautiful moody illustrations using yellow tone washes to capture the sense of isolation and terror in the small community.
BIRDS OF PREY #81
Art by Joe Bennett & Jack Jadson
Cover by Adriana Melo & Will Conrad A new era begins with the debut of art team Joe Bennett (HAWKMAN, Captain America & The Falcon) & Jack Jadson and cover artist Adriana Melo (ROSE & THORN)! Huntress has gone AWOL, and you’ll be shocked at where she turns up! Who’s taking her place next to Canary on a dangerous mission to Singapore? None other than Wildcat, as “The Battle Within” begins!
On sale April 20 o 32 pg, FC, $2.50 US
Back in the late 90s, I used to regard Joe Bennett’s as one of my least favourite artists, not so much because of lack of skill, but simply due to his specific style, that regularly adorned the spider-titles of that time-period. During the past years he had fallen off my radar, resurfacing only briefly to illustrate the Sandman presents: Bast mini-series, and most recently Hawkman; interestingly enough, I was impressed by the darker turn in his pencilling style (comparable to Mike Deodato J’s recent U-turn), with bolder lines and female characters’ designs reminiscent of Milo Manara or Eduardo Risso. I hope this style suits the Birds more than previous artist Ed Benes’ overly in-your-face T&A leanings, and it is certainly an improvement over the generic 90s flavour of the interim fill-in artists.
DC: THE NEW FRONTIER VOL. 2 TP
Written by Darwyn Cooke
Art and cover by Cooke
Darwyn Cooke’s epic chronicle of DC’s Silver Age concludes in this volume collecting issues #4-6 of the miniseries! It’s a mystery in space as Superman, the Suicide Squad, and the Challengers of the Unknown encounter a frightening extraterrestrial lifeform! This volume also features sketchbook material by Cooke!
On sale April 6 o 208 pg, FC, $19.99 US
Written by Darwyn Cooke
Art and cover by Cooke
Reoffered to coincide with DC: THE NEW FRONTIER VOL. 2, a volume containing the first three issues of the classic miniseries that takes readers on a journey from the end of the Golden Age to the genesis of a bold new heroic era in the late 1950s!
On sale April 6 o 208 pg, FC, $19.95 US o RELIST
It’s the series voted as the #1Best Limited Series of 2004 at the recent Nexus Awards by the whole staff here at the Nexus. DC is collecting the 6 oversized issues in two paperbacks, whose production quality is among the best I’ve seen on the shelves, with a new cover that made me want to buy it all over again, despite having all the original issues!
Mathan Erhardt had this to say for the title: “The thematic sequel to “The Golden Age”, New Frontier is a masterpiece. Silver Age icons Barry Allen and Hal Jordan truly shine in a story set in the era they were conceived in. Martian Manhunter also gets an amazing portrayal. Darwyn Cooke’s thoroughly researched miniseries also deserves credit for introducing the issue of race into the DCU’s Silver Age. It’s an amazing read that truly captures the voice, look and feel of a bygone era.“
JLA CLASSIFIED #6
Written by Keith Giffen & J.M. DeMatteis
Art and cover by Kevin Maguire & Josef Rubinstein
Part 3 of the 6-part “I Can’t Believe It’s Not the Justice League!” Booster Gold has accidentally banished half of the “Super Buddies” to Hell for all eternity, and now it’s time for them to learn their fate – from none other than The Demon!
On sale April 20 o 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
Booster and Beetle flipping burgers for a demonic clientele in “Beelze Burgers”: a fast-food chain in Hell. It’s like those insane DC covers from the 50s and 60s: you can’t help but pick up a copy to check the story behind that cover! DC is being moronic for not letting this creative team get an ongoing book.
VIMANARAMA! #3
Written by Grant Morrison
Art and cover by Philip Bond
Grant Morrison’s and Philip Bond’s modern-day, apocalyptic “Arabian Nights” concludes! Ali is dead and Prince Rama lies powerless, as the fossil devils bent on destroying the world prepare to sink the Continent of America! Can Sofia save the day, or will eternal night fall? Witness the clash of ancient empires, voyage beyond death, and watch the world as it ends in Vimanarama!
On sale April 27 o 3 of 3 o 40 pg, FC, $2.99 US o MATURE READERS
SEVEN SOLDIERS: KLARION THE WITCH BOY #1
Written by Grant Morrison
Art and cover by Frazer Irving
Grant Morrison is joined by artist Frazer Irving (Necronauts, THE AUTHORITY) for another amazing bimonthly 4-part miniseries in the SEVEN SOLDIERS saga!
Deep in the bowels of a subterranean city, young dissenter Klarion and his cat familiar Teekl have been hand-picked as potential recruits to the Submissionary Order, a group made up of brutal lawgivers who maintain order with the help of their familiars. But Klarion’s nature is to rebel against the powers-that-be, which isn’t a good idea in such a tightly controlled society – one in which people who don’t conform are swiftly judged and burned at the stake!
On sale April 20 o 1 of 4 o 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US Edited by Peter Tomasi
SEVEN SOLDIERS: ZATANNA #1
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by Ryan Sook & Mick Gray
Cover by Sook
The mind-bending SEVEN SOLDIERS saga continues with another intriguing bimonthly 4-issue miniseries by puppet-master Grant Morrison and artists Ryan Sook (ARKHAM ASYLUM: LIVING HELL) & Mick Gray (PROMETHEA) that introduces Zatanna! The sorceress attempts to boost her profile by taking part in a reality TV show that sees her undergoing a rigorous detox on a lush island near Themyscira! Here, Zatanna tries to get her head together and figure out what to do with her life. She’s come to an emotional impasse as her magical powers are waning, resulting in an obsession with finding her father’s lost magical journals hoping they contain the secrets she needs of his black art.
On sale April 6 o 1 of 4 o 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US Edited by Peter Tomasi
Ever since Grant Morrison returned from his 2-year Marvel exile he is rejuvenated and is producing absolutely the best work of his career. The first issue of Vimanarama kept up the high quality trend from WE3 and SEAGUY, and for once I’m really immersed in DC’s hype that Seven Soldiers is going to be the mega-epic mind-blower they promise. Following this mont’s release of the prologue book, the first four mini-series will run concurrently on a bi-monthly schedule, so that we get two issues per month. All seven mini-series promise to be both self-contained (with self-contained first issues even) and also tie in together when read to reveal a great uber-revelatory mystery.
THIRTEEN TP
Written by Mike Carey
Art and cover by Andy Clarke
2000 A.D. An action-packed story by red-hot Mike Carey (LUCIFER) with art by 2000 A.D. sensation Andy Clarke (SINISTER DEXTER)! When a London punk with mild telekinetic powers discovers a black pearl that increases his abilities to unbelievable levels, he thinks he’s struck it rich. But the pearl’s original owners want it back!
On sale April 13 o 96 pg, FC, $12.99 US
This is Mike Carey’s work collected from 2000 A.D. magazine, before he made a big name for himself in the states through his Vertigo work on Lucifer, Frankie and Hellblazer. I haven’t seen Andy Clarke’s work before, but his style reminds me of a weird merge between Travis Charest and Philip Bond.
THE INTIMATES #6
Written by Joe Casey
Art by Giuseppe Camuncoli & Sandra Hope
Cover by Jim Lee & Rian Hughes
The intriguing new series by Joe Casey (ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN), Giuseppe Camuncoli (HELLBLAZER) & Sandra Hope with covers by Jim Lee (BATMAN, SUPERMAN) & Rian Hughes continues with a special origin issue that reveals the secret past of Sykes! When his fellow students get a little too curious about their silent classmate, a scheme is hatched to find out this kid’s deal. And what they discover will shock you!
On sale April 6 o 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US o MATURE READERS
This title kicked off with great expectations, but my interest has admittedly waned as of the current issue; the initial rush from the original storytelling format has faded, and the plot seems to be going nowhere, while the ensemble cast remains underdeveloped beneath their “cool” surface traits. Sykes especially hasn’t said a single word or interacted with any character (apart from a snippet with Empty Vee last issue), so I’m looking forward to this focus issue on him, which be my judging issue on whether I will continue buying or not.
FABLES #36
Written by Bill Willingham
Art by Mark Buckingham & Steve Leialoha
Cover by James Jean
Don’t miss the beginning of the engrossing 5-part story “Homelands.” It’s a typical day back in the world from which the inhabitants of Fabletown escaped, full of war and tyranny, not to mention taxes. But in the midst of all the conquering and the slaying comes a mysterious masked man on a quest to find the woman in red he believed was killed centuries ago.
On sale April 13 o 32 pg, FC, $2.50 US o MATURE READERS
Y: THE LAST MAN #32
Written by Brian K. Vaughan
Art by Goran Sudzuka & Josον Marzan Jr.
Cover by Massimo Carnevale
Part 1 of the 4-part “Girl on Girl,” featuring guest art by Goran Sudzuka (HELLBLAZER SPECIAL: LADY CONSTANTINE). Finally leaving the United States, Yorick and his companions begin an important quest for a missing friend. Yorick joins a ragtag band of female sailors on a thrilling voyage overseas, but what dangerous new threat lurks deep beneath the Pacific?
on sale April 6 o 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US o MATURE READERS
New storylines begin for both of Vertigo’s highest selling titles, and they both signal a change of scenery, as Fables follows Boy Blue into the Homelands (the abandoned home country of the the fairytale characters, now taken over by the mysterious adversary) and in Y the last man yorrick finally sets out to Australia to search for his missing girlfriend.
THE FOUNTAIN HC
Written by Darren Aronofsky
Adapted by Kent Williams
Art and cover by Williams
Darren Aronofsky proved himself a filmmaker to watch with his provocative debut, Pi. His follow-up, Requiem for a Dream, continued the accolades, receiving Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations. His latest accomplishment, however, comes straight to comics in the form of The Fountain, a gorgeously painted, oversized original graphic novel about the timeless truths of life, love and death.
Working with acclaimed painter Kent Williams (Blood: A Tale, Destiny: A Chronicle of Deaths Foretold), The Fountain crisscrosses through three distinct time periods: in 1535, during an ancient Mayan war; the present day, following one doctor’s desperate search for the cure for cancer; and the far future, through the vast exotic reaches of space. Interweaving these three periods, THE FOUNTAIN follows Tomas – warrior, doctor, explorer – as he feverishly tries to beat death and prolong the life of the woman he loves.
A story so grand, one medium couldn’t contain it, Aronofsky is also shooting a feature film version of the story for New Regency and Warner Bros. Pictures starring Tony award- winning actor Hugh Jackman (The Boy from Oz, X-Men, Van Helsing) and acclaimed actress Rachel Weisz (Constantine, The Mummy, The Constant Gardener). But before he did, the filmmaker wanted The Fountain to be realized in the unique storytelling power and artistic beauty of the graphic novel. Together, Aronofsky and Williams deliver what might be considered the ultimate director’s cut.
Advance-solicited; on sale August 24 o 8.625″ x 11.625″ o 176 pg, FC, $29.99 US o MATURE READERS
Edited by Karen Berger
On one side, I’m impressed by the sheer concentrated hype in this solicitation. But when I really think about it, I don’t see how this is really different from any other comics movie adaptation. It’s still a writer/artist creating a comics adaptation working from a movie script.
HUMAN TARGET #21
Written by Peter Milligan
Art by Cliff Chiang
Cover by John Watkiss
In the explosive conclusion to the 3-part “The Stealer,” Chance returns to Los Angeles bent on revenge against the man who stole his life and identity. But Chance may encounter the biggest surprise of all when he learns there’s one grave question still to be answered. Final issue.
On sale April 20 o 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US o MATURE READERS
Ironically enough, Human Target was voted by the whole staff here at the Nexus as the #1 Best Title of 2004 in the same month that DC announced they were cancelling the title. Chris Delloiacono just loves me when I quote him for Human Target, from the Awards page: “While The Human Target is not the best selling title on the market today, clearly a large percentage of The Nexus’s reviewers consider it one of the best. It’s great to see a book that doesn’t get the press it deserves garner one of the highest honors in our awards ceremony. Peter Milligan is telling some of the most mesmerizing stories in comics. Couple the stories with Cliff Chiang and Javier Pulido’s artistic abilities and magic springs from the page. The story of a master of disguise and his problems coping with his own identity has been utterly brilliant. This is the type of stuff that transcends the age it was written in. We are talking about a classic series that’s still being published. The legend of The Human Target will grow as the weeks, months, and years pass us by.“
Pete Milligan spoke to CBR about the cancellation of the book, and left the possibility open for a return to the property for more one-shots, like “Final Cut” 3 years ago.
MNEMOVORE #1
Written by Hans Rodionoff & Ray Fawkes
Art and cover by Mike Huddleston
Screenwriter Hans Rodionoff (LOVECRAFT, Man-Thing) teams up with comics writer Ray Fawkes (Spookshow) to cowrite a 6-issue miniseries that acts as Invasion of the Body Snatchers for the ADD generation. Featuring provocative art by Mike Huddleston (Deep Sleeper, BATGIRL), Mnemovore is a paranoiac supernatural thriller about memories, monsters, and the real terror behind forgotten thoughts.
Kaley Markowic is an Olympic hopeful whose career is brought to a crashing halt. Badly injured, Kaley can barely remember her boyfriend, her family – her entire life. Now, a horrifying creature appears on the scene, violating her loved ones and damaging their minds. Kaley is lost in a world where nothing has precedent and must fight to protect those who are closest to herονeven if she can’t recall them.
On sale April 13 o 1 of 6 o 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US o MATURE READERS
The cover to this is simply breath-taking. I praised Huddleston’s work on Deep Sleeper last year, but the work on the cover of this issue is on a whole higher level. Color me dully impressed.
VERTIGO: FIRST TASTE TP
Written by Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Brian K. Vaughan, Brian Azzarello, Warren Ellis, and Si Spencer
Art by Chris Bachalo, Eduardo Risso, Darick Robertson and Jerome K. Moore, Steve Bissette and John Totleben, Mark Buckingham, Pia Guerra and Jose Marzan, Jr., and Dean Ormston
Design cover
You’ve heard the VERTIGO buzz but for some reason never took the plunge…well, now you’ve run out of excuses! VERTIGO FIRST TASTE is a specially priced collection that allows readers entry into the most influential and provocative imprint in comics. Collecting the premiere issues of six different Vertigo series, this special 168-page trade paperback carries a suggested retail price of only $4.99 US, making it easier than ever for the curious to see why Vertigo has become synonymous for quality comics. The six issues included are Y: THE LAST MAN #1 (written by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Pia Guerra & Josον Marzan, Jr.), 100 BULLETS #1 (written by Brian Azzarello and illustrated by Eduardo Risso), THE BOOKS OF MAGICK: LIFE DURING WARTIME #1 (written by Si Spencer and illustrated by Dean Ormston), SAGA OF THE SWAMP THING #21 (the first issue written by comics legend Alan Moore with art by Stephen Bissette & John Totleben), TRANSMETROPOLITAN #1 (written by Warren Ellis and illustrated by Darick Robertson & Jerome K. Moore) and DEATH: THE HIGH COST OF LIVING #1 (written by the best-selling co-creator of THE SANDMAN Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Chris Bachalo & Mark Buckingham). You’ll never forget your FIRST TASTE.
On sale April 6 o 160 pg, FC, $4.99 US o MATURE READERS
DC makes another bold new marketing move through its Vertigo imprint. 6 of the best first issues ever, collected for just under 5 dollars? This is an excellent sampler for new readers who want to try out these series, whose first story arcs are all collected in their respective trades and three of which are still published ongoing.
DEATH, JR. #1 (of 3) – GEM OF THE MONTH Heh”¦ “Stigmartha”. And a quadriplegic exchange student in a jar. There’s your reasons for picking this up. Ted Naifeh, of Courtney Crumrin fame, sounds like the ideal choiceof artist to illustrate this freaky ensemble. ULTRA: SEVEN DAYS TP – SPOTLIGHT LULLABY: WISDOM SEEKER #3 (of 4) I sampled LULLABY through the “Two Bits” b&w preview issue a few weeks back. Hector Sevilla has approached the popular fairytale characters with an anime aesthetic. The results have varied success, from the original stick-boy Pinocchio design and the Gwen Stefani-esque Alice to the “huzzuh” animal hybrid Red Riding Hood and generic Pied Piper. In the wake of Vertigo’s FABLES, this title has to try even harder to find its own voice. MORA #2 Mora #1 came out last week, which raises the question of exactly what sort of bi-monthly comic ships every three months. In any case, it was a good debut issue, especially on the art front. Tune in next week for a full review with some preview pages from the first two issues. MARVEL COMICS SPIDERMAN TITLES Most spidey titles are severely linked to Avengers now, with the not-so-surprise sales hit relaunch. Spider-man actually moves into Avengers Mansion, along with Aunt May and MJ? Won’t that be a sort of dead giveaway to his secret identity? You know, when paparazzi follow his famous supermodel wife to Avengers HQ or when Aunt May’s bills are forwarded to Jarvis? Marvel seems to be continuing their unmasking fetish/trend with spider-man, making changes they will have trouble taking back after a few years. JMS is apparently spending 6 whole issues looking into Spidey joining the New Avengers. Over in MK Spidey, Wolvie is making the moves on MJ, as he will apparently hit on anything moving as long as it has red hair. Toxin is a new limited series starring the new symbiote baby of Venom and Carnage, introduced in the recent mini (which I have yet to read). For some reason this mini is also linked to New Avengers by having toxin go after the escaped villains. Honestly, there was a time when it would take the Thunderbolts and one double-sized issue to hold back an escape from the Vault. Now we need an ongoing title and two limited series. Toxin has an A-star creative team going for it, so I still retain some hope. There’s also the Spiderman: Breakout mini, where I didn’t even bother pasting the solicits of, and another Spiderman OHOTMU, not so long after the last one. They’ve probably just added the revised bios for the Osborn-Stacy clan”¦ POWER PACK #1+2 (of 4) Once upon a time, “Ultimate Power Pack” would just be a running joke at conventions and on message boards. Well, the joke’s on us, ain’t it. Only it’s apparently not an Ultimate title, but one set in the regular Marvel U, although it will ignore previous Power Pack continuity, as well as the fact that one of the members of Power Pack is going to be pulling a wolverine and will also appear monthly in Runaways as a member of Excelsior. Still, continuity jumbles aside, Marvel considers PP may still have some kids appeal left in it, and they seem to backing it up, by putting one of their stronger Japanese artists, Gurihiru, on art. I was always surprised Power Pack had any sort of sales appeal in the 80s, and I’m even more wary now. If this is successful, it may open the road for the much awaited Franklin Richards ongoing! HERCULES #1 (of 5) Frank Tieri updates the classic twelve labors of Hercules from Greek myth for the 21st century, along with the help of Mark Texeira, who has provided gorgeous painted art in the past in Black Panther and Sentry. Tieri tends to hit it off better with more gritty artists, so I’m looking forward to this cooperation. SPELLBINDERS #2 (of 6) Check out my talk with Mike Carey from a few weeks back, where he reveals what Spellbinders is about and provides the Nexus with some preview pages from the first issue. Mike Carey is in my A-list of writers, having always kept a high creative standard on whichever project he’s worked on. He is now carving his own corner in Marvel Comics, working on a variety of genres. (look out for his short ultimate fantastic four run later this year!) G.L.A. #1 (of 4) Along with Power Pack, this is a most unexpected new launch from Marvel. But DAMN if it’s not a welcome sight! Especially in this deconstructionist period in Avengers history, the light-hearted spirit of the Great Lakes Avengers (the closest thing Marvel has to DC’s Giffen League) is needed to balance out the edginess of the New Avengers title. Judging from the cover (a direct and brilliant parody of the New Avengers and New Thunderbolts covers) and the title of the story arc (Misassembled), this is Marvel’s “peace offering” to the disgruntled old-time Avengers fans, who have been ticked off by Bendis’ piss-take massacre of the old team. Marvel hardcovers: SUPREME POWER VOL. 1 HC I’m now regretting buying these titles every month. If I had the patience to wait a few months in the case of Casey’s Avengers, I could have gotten the deluxe hardcover edition with no extra cost (or is it actually cheaper?). Scott Kollins and Gary Frank are both doing the best work of their careers so far, and the oversized printing will surely bring out the finer details in their work. Is anyone interested in buying my original issues? ;) ALPHA FLIGHT VOL. 2: WAXING POETIC TPB The third volume of Alpha Flight began at an odd pace, with a 6-part story that cold have been told more efficiently in 3 issues, and a creative team that was still coming together as a unit. After issue 7 though, the series turned a new leaf and became one of my favourite reads each month. Scott Lobdell started revealing the intricacies of these new characters. New relationships developed, secret bonds were revealed and some amazing discoveries came about. The series was unfortunately prematurely cancelled as of issue 12, with the end of a storyline taking the new Canadian heroes on a trek through Alpha Flight history, f*cking everything up in every possible way the further back they went. I’m hoping the sales on these trades will pick up and lead to a new project starring these underappreciated cannucks. INDIE COMICS TOZZER 2 #5 (ABLAZE MEDIA) TOURIST GN (AIT/PLANETLAR) After DEMO, for many (including me) the best indie comics title of last year), Brian Wood has built huge expectations for his follow-up work. BEAR #8 (AMAZE INK / SLAVE LABOR GRAPHICS) NIL GN (AMAZE INK / SLAVE LABOR GRAPHICS) ZOMBIE TALES #1 (ATOMEKA) STRAY BULLETS #38 (EL CAPITAN) I’m a firly recent convert to Stray Bullets, having started reading just two issues ago. The two stories seemed self-contained to me, although this solicit makes m realise that there might be a hidden connection that will be revealed in the upcoming instalments. Regardless of that concern, both stories were excellent, with an involving premise and realistic characters thrust into difficult situations. SEEING THINGS HC (FANTAGRAPHICS) LITTLE STAR #2 (ONI PRESS) OJO TP (ONI PRESS) OJO was amongst my top 10 favourite Indie Comics of 2004. The final issue came out last week, so this is a surprisingly fast collection from Oni Press! This is what I had to say about Ojo two weeks ago: WET MOON VOL 1 WANDERING COMPANIONLESS GN (ONI PRESS)
THE GRIMOIRE #2 (SPEAKEASY COMICS) MOSQUITO GN (TOP SHELF COMICS) OCTOPI AND THE OCEAN (TOP SHELF COMICS)
SCALAWAG GN (TOP SHELF COMICS) – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – As always, I’m waiting for your comments through email or in the new official LYS@D discussion thread. Manolis Vamvounisa.k.a. Doc Dooplove
April 6 o 48 pg o FC o $4.99
written by GARY WHITTA
art by TED NAIFEH
cover by SACH STEFFEL
CONCEPT
Middle school is never easy, but it’s even harder when you’re dead. “DJ” tries to live the life of a typical teenager, but the fact that his dad is the Grim Reaper makes things tough. Luckily, he finds his niche with some of the weird kids: Pandora, a little goth girl, Smith & Weston, conjoined twins, Stigmartha, a girl who bleeds when she gets nervous, and The Seep, an armless, legless, foreign exchange student in a jar. So when a trip to the Museum of Supernatural History gives him an opportunity to impress his new friends, he unwittingly puts himself and the whole town in danger.
April 27 o 232 pg o FC o $17.95
signed & numbered HC $39.95
written by JOSHUA LUNA & JONATHAN LUNA
art & cover by JONATHAN LUNA
In Spring City, where superheroes blur the lines between law enforcement and celebrity, Pearl Penalosa, AKA Ultra, is a workaholic. At the prestigious agency, Heroine Inc., she has earned a legion of fans, a nomination for “Best Heroine of the Year” and a perfect life. Well, almost perfect. A chance encounter with a mysterious fortune teller prophesizes true love for Pearl within seven days.
Collects ULTRA #1-8
ULTRA is ™ and © Luna Brothers, 2005. All Rights Reserved
Last week, I had selected ULTRA as one of my favourite Mature Readers titles of 2004: “Sex and the city starring spandex clad superheroines that punch in cards and are employed by organized superhero corporations. Three superheroine best friends get an enigmatic fortune reading, which signals a hellish week for them. The title heroine, Ultra, will meet a regular guy, but what she mistakenly thinks is love-at-first-sight will prove to be the paparazzi nightmare ending to her career and the ending of her close friendship. The Luna brothers write and draw this series, which has proven one of the most enjoyable surprise hits of the year, featuring witty dialogue, and exploring the sexy mature side of superheroics. “
April 6 o 32 pg o FC o $2.95
written by MIKE S. MILLER & BEN AVERY
art & cover by HECTOR SEVILLA
“WISDOM SEEKER,” PART THREE
All roads lead to Oz, but no one ever said it would be easy getting there. Jim Hawkins fights to rescue his friend Pinocchio from the denizens of the World Tree, but he may not like what he finds. Meanwhile, while searching for Red Riding Hood’s grandmother, Alice, Red and the Pied Pier find their way blocked by three hell-bent Billy goats. Granny’s secret is revealed, but will it matter by the time they find what’s left of her?
LULLABY: WISDOM SEEKER is ™ and © Mike S. Miller and Hector Sevilla, 2005. All Rights Reserved.
On sale 04.06
$2.95
bi-monthly ongoing series
black & white
32 pages
written by PAUL HARMON
art & cover by PAUL HARMON
“IN THE GLOAMING”
The witching hour is upon us. Just below the surface of a city where “dangerous” is putting it very mildly and “dark forces” would only hint at the truth, something very bad is happening. Is it witch’s work or other? If Mora can survive her encounter with the cursed Owlen-man, she may live long enough to see something truly sinister.
MORA is ™ and © Paul Harmon, 2005. All Rights Reserved.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #519
Written by J. Michael Straczynski
Pencils & Cover by Mike Deodato
“NEW AVENGERS” Part 1 (of 6)
Trump Tower has nothing on Spider-Man”¦
Hold onto your hats, True Believers! Springing out of the pages of NEW AVENGERS, you won’t believe what the fickle hand of fate has in store for Peter Parker, Mary Jane, and Aunt May”¦
32 PGS./Marvel PSR “¦$2.25
MARVEL KNIGHTS SPIDER-MAN #13
Written by Reginald Hudlin
Penciled by BILLY TAN
Cover by STEVE McNIVEN
Hollywood heavyweight Hudlin (HOUSE PARTY, BOOMERANG) has already brought you his searing vision for Black Panther. Now he’s teaming up with red-hot artist Billy Tan (X-23) to shake up everyone’s favorite web-slinger. In part one of “Wild Blue Yonder,” Peter Parker’s life is turned upside down. He’s got an incredible new pad (you won’t believe where), a new job, and — although he doesn’t know it — a new nemesis who’s everything that Peter isn’t. But first, Spider-Man’s got to deal with a more pressing problem – a shape-shifting super-villain who’s developed a nasty habit”¦and will do anything to feed it. And Wait – Who’s that hitting on Mary Jane!?
32 PGS./Marvel PSR “¦$2.99
SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #27
Written by PAUL JENKINS
Pencils & Cover by MARK BUCKINGHAM
Paul Jenkins wraps up his five-year tenure as a Spider-Man writer and brings SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN to a close in a moving, self-contained tale that reunites him with artist Mark Buckingham.
32 PGS./Marvel PSR “¦$2.99
SPIDER-MAN/HUMAN TORCH #4 (of 5)
Written by Dan Slott
Penciled by Ty Templeton
Cover by Paul Smith
It’s taken awhile, but it looks like these two young heroes are finally becoming good friends. What could possibly come between them now? Would you believe”¦ a girl? It’s a love triangle that ends in a kitty-corner, when the Torch puts the moves on Spidey’s latex-wearing bad girl, the Black Cat! Is Johnny her new red-hot lover, or a cat’s-paw for her latest heist? This one’s got it all, spider-fan: the black costume, the Black Cat, and”¦ wait for it”¦ the Black Panther?!
32 PGS./Marvel PSR “¦$2.99
TOXIN #1 (OF 6)
Written by Peter Milligan
Penciled by Darick Robertson
Painted Cover by ESAD RIBIC
As each new generation of men must hand down the torch to the next, so each new generation of alien symbiotes must hand down the, ah, stringy, fleshy tendrils. So move over Venom, step aside Carnage, because TOXIN is getting his own limited series as Spider-Man Month continues with a nod to NEW AVENGERS! When a full-scale jailbreak [see NEW AVENGERS] leaves New York overrun with super villains, Pat sees the perfect opportunity to use the creature sharing his body for good. But Toxin might have other ideas! Featuring a special guest appearance by Spider-Man and a different villain encounter every issue!
32 PGS./Marvel PSR “¦$2.99
Meanwhile, Spectacular Spiderman 27 is the last issue in Paul Jenkin’s run, reuniting him with his best collaborator, Mark Buckingham. These two worked wonders together on the title in the self-contained stories, so this is one spidey story I’m looking forward to.
As for the best spidey cover this month, it has to be the Spidey/Human Torch cover, with the two friends melting at the hands of the curvaceous Black Cat, courtesy of Paul Smith.
Written by MARC SUMERAK
Pencils & Cover by GURIHIRU
“I Know What We Did That Summer”
THE PACK IS BACK! Readers of all ages rejoice as Marvel’s youngest team of super heroes returns for more awesome action, family fun and Snark-stomping adventures in this brand new series! It’s the triumphant return of everyone’s favorite super-powered siblings–Alex, Julie, Jack and Katie–in brand-new stories that are sure to delight new readers and longtime fans alike!
In this issue: Katie Power is ready to reveal her secret super-hero life to the world…and it’s up to her siblings to stop her before the truth can come back to haunt them! Better act fast, kids…’cause the Snarks are coming!
32 PGS./All Ages “¦$2.25
Written by Frank Tieri
Pencils & Cover by Mark Texeira
Reeling from the tragic death of Thor, the Prince of Power knows his star is fading fast. So what better way to pump up his Q-rating than to relive his defining moment? When his most bitter foe throws down the gauntlet, Hercules agrees to the challenge: Twelve labors, each more perilous than the one before it — and each updated for reality-TV consumption. Zounds!
32 PGS./Marvel PSR+ “¦$2.99
Written by Mike Carey
Pencils & Cover by Mike Perkins
In a school where witches are a dime a dozen, you’d better find out exactly who your friends are…fast. Kim learns this lesson the hard way as she begins to discover the true nature of her witch-powers, and runs into a crowd of Salem ghosts! Kim’s in for the fight of her life”¦guess it’s just another day in high school.
32 PGS./Marvel PSR “¦$2.99
Written by Dan Slott
Pencils & Cover by Paul Pelletier
They are the Great Lake Avengers, the guys who got the shortest end of the super-hero stick. But with the REAL Avengers disassembled, they’re going to try to step up to the plate and deal with one of their most powerful villains! Can they save the day? Well, we just hope these guys can save themselves!
THIS ISSUE: A GREAT LAKE AVENGER DIES! (Besides Mr. Immortal, duh.) Special appearances by: Captain America, Thor, the Vision, the Scarlet Witch, and Hawkeye.
32 PGS./Marvel PSR “¦$2.99
The GLA premiered in John Byrne Avengers West Coast title, as comedy relief, a team of losers who had grouped into an unofficial Avengers branch. Members include the 2-dimensional elastic Flatman, the supermodel-turned-Blob Big Bertha, the Jurrasic flier Dinah Soar, the door opening Doorman and mr. Immortal with the power to come back to life. The cover features all five original members, along with two new additions, one of which seems to be the cult loser hero Squirrel Girl. Squirrel is a truly ridiculous character who has teamed up once with Iron Man against Dr.Doom. Check out her fanpage. I think she’ll be a right fit for this super-team.
AVENGERS: EARTH’S MIGHTIEST HEROES HC
Written by JOE CASEY
Pencils & Cover by SCOTT KOLINS
This is where the legend began! A look into the early, pivotal period of the Marvel Universe, when five fledgling heroes – Iron Man, Thor, Giant-Man, the Wasp and the Hulk – banded together to fight the foes no single hero could overcome! But how did the public react? How did the U.S. government react? Previously untold secrets surrounding the formation of the Avengers are revealed here, just in time to sate fans whipped into a frenzy by the Avengers Disassembled event. For the first time, don’t miss a beat as five individuals must learn to work as a team, and forge a legend! Collects AVENGERS: EARTH’S MIGHTIEST HEROES #1-8.
192 PGS./Marvel PSR “¦$24.99
ISBN: 0-7851-1438-6
Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Pencils & Cover by GARY FRANK
This deluxe hardcover collects SUPREME POWER VOL. 1: CONTACT and SUPREME POWER VOL. 2: POWERS & PRINCIPALITIES, plus a hefty helping of DVD-style extras. In CONTACT, Babylon 5 creator and AMAZING SPIDER-MAN writer J. Michael Straczynski presents a new vision of a world about to give birth to its first generation of super heroes! Follow the origins of these new heroes and anti-heroes – from their birth through adulthood – and examine how their lives and abilities change and shape the world around them. In POWERS & PRINCIPALITIES, the god-like Hyperion discovers his whole life has actually been an elaborate government-made lie, and his reaction could mean the end of the Earth! Do the world’s other super-powered beings have any chance at stopping Hyperion if the truth sends him over the edge? Collects SUPREME POWER #1-13 – plus character designs, alternate cover treatments, the historic first appearance of the original Squadron Supreme in AVENGERS #85-86, and more!
352 PGS./Parental Advisory “¦$29.99
ISBN: 0-7851-1369-X
Written by Scott Lobdell
Penciled by Dave Ross, Clayton Henry
Cover by CLAYTON HENRY
Is the All-New, All-Different Alpha Flight really disbanding already? Not if the rest of the Marvel Universe has anything to say about it! Montreal faces its gravest hour as it falls under attack by”¦wax statues of the entire Marvel Universe?! Plus: Can Alpha Flight pull itself together in time to save this crown jewel of Quebec? Continuing the Marvel tradition of classic time-traveling stories! Former Alpha Flight ally Flashback comes begging our heroes to time-jump to the past and stop his future self from dying in an attack that involves the original Alpha Flight, and er…Omega Flight. Huh–? What?! Exactly! Collects ALPHA FLIGHT #7-12.
144 PGS./Marvel PSR “¦$14.99
ISBN: 0-7851-1569-2
This ALPHA FLIGHT TPB
STILL AVAILABLE!
ALPHA FLIGHT VOL. 1: YOU GOTTA BE KIDDIN’ ME”¦$14.99
(ISBN: 0-7851-1430-0)
by Rob Dunlop & Peter Lumby Tozzer turns into a seven feet tall muscle-bound hulk, while the school’s on the brink of disaster. An evil movie director plans to encase all the students in giant hamster wheels and use them to power his studio. Can Tozzer defeat the dark side, or will he be forced to act like a domesticated rodent? It’s the final part of this cinematic saga, and there’s more hilarity than you can shake a very big light-saber at! MATURE THEMES 24pgs, B&W (5 of 5) SRP: $2.95
by Brian Wood & Toby Cypress When Moss arrives in a remote coastal village on the North Sea, he is welcomed as what he appears to be: a somewhat grubby American backpacker. He gets contract work on the offshore oil rig and courts Julie Tucker, a local cafe owner and single mother. Gradually the town begins to realize just who it is they’re harboring: a Special Forces soldier gone AWOL-turned-smuggler, and, if that wasn’t bad enough, he has a lot of really rough bastards riding into town after him. The safety of the town and the woman he loves vs. the successful conclusion of a very lucrative drug deal–which will Moss choose? MATURE THEMES SC, 7×10, 104pgs, B&W SRP: $12.95
by Jamie Smart Squeal like a girl! 24 pages of pointy eared horror as the Looshkin special issue finally burlaps into being! Not only disturbing, but disturbing, as our unsettling antihero soils himself with clowns, dead animals, projectile poop, an exploding child, real life murder, a circus of vomit, battlegoths, and the most unfortunate four page marathon of euphemisms ever regrettably committed to print! Contains nearly every bodily emission! Nastier! More violent! And thus, arguably better. 7×10, 24pgs, B&W SRP: $2.95
by James Turner Join fellow sufferer Proun Nul on his quest to find meaning in a desolate world saturated with angst and ennui. Foreman on a deconstruction ship that specializes in demolishing belief outbreaks, Nul is prodded out of his complacency by a false murder charge, and sets off on a journey that takes him to the very brink of hope. A 232-page concoction of fiction and intrigue that delves into the bleak and bitter philosophical brew of Nihilist chic. SC, 7×10, 232pgs, B&W SRP: $12.95
by Dave Johnson Mark Waid comes to Atomeka, headlining 48 full-color pages of flesh-eating undead mayhem! Zombie Tales spotlights six tales of pure blood-drenched terror! Plus, Lobo’s daddy Keith Giffen teams with his Thanos artist Ron Lim on “Dead Meat.” Giffen also illustrates the art for a story with TV writer Andrew Cosby, creator of the UPN horror TV show Haunted and Dark Horse Comics’ Damn Nation! Filling out the rest of the all-star lineup is top talent like Transformers: The Movie and Global Frequency TV scribe John Rogers, Hero Squared artist Joe Abraham, Crazy Mary painter James Woodward, poet Mike Nelson, and TV writer Johanna Stokes! Don’t wait 28 days later for the dawn of the new walking dead! Alternate cover by Mike Huddleston. 7×10, 48pgs, FC SRP: $6.99
by David Lapham “HiJinks and Derring-do” Part 8–Just when Virginia Applejack has everything under control, new kid Mike Hussey comes to school and a civilized feud of vandalism, baseball bats, and nasty words escalates to kidnapping, guns, and rape. How far will Virginia have to go to deal with this psychotic football hero and help poor Tony Cazzola save his one true love? And even if she’s willing to up go the distance, can she match Hussey’s uninhibited bloodlust, or is he too much even for her? A kidnapped girl, a fire, a bizarre eating contest, and a sex starved, drunken mom all play a part in this crazed tale of revenge and one-upmanship. MATURE THEMES 32pgs, B&W SRP: $3.50
by Jim Woodring Jim Woodring’s charcoal drawings take the otherworldly qualities of his comics (The Frank Book) to a higher level of clarity and nuance. These crisply rendered images reflect his life-long obsession with hidden worlds, alternate realities and the inexplicable resonance of the unprecedented and irrational in lucid art. Seeing Things collects the most toothsome of these drawings and arranges them in four sections. “Lazy Robinson” is a series of portraits of forms taken by a cognizant object during the course of a specific and identifiable stream of thought. “Frogs” celebrates the tender proclivities of the most noble of all animals, by placing them in situations that would dismay a horde of saints. “The Visible World” is a roundup of appalling scenes of sub-rational political activity involving catalytic entities with a high ratio of motivation to altruism. And “The Portfolio in Color” appears like a rainbow at the end of all this exalted storminess to send readers out into the world whistling with delight. Many of these images were created for “Mysterio Sympatico,” Woodring’s multimedia stage collaboration with guitarist Bill Frisell. There is plenty of echoless, glowing furniture to add to that already crowded storeroom which is briefly, but brilliantly, illuminated in the pages of this stately book. HC, 8×11, 104pgs, B&W SRP: $22.95
by Andi Watson When Simon and stay-at-home-dad Rob meet up to let the kids play, it makes Simon consider cutting back his hours. At least it does until the opportunity to move into a more interesting job arrives
Andi Watson’s follow-up project to 2004’s cult hit Love Fights focuses on the relationship between a father and his newborn son.
by Sam Kieth, Alex Pardee & Chris Wisnia The Maxx’s Sam Kieth Returns to Indy Comics! Annie has terrible luck with pets. She’s killed hamsters and mice and lizards and birds. For a domesticated animal, getting Annie as an owner is akin to a death sentence. But when Annie finds a little beastie in a drain pipe named Ojo, has her karma really changed or is she destined for more disappointment? MATURE THEMES SC, 7×10, 144pgs, B&W SRP: $14.95
“Annie lost her mother years ago and now lives with her older sister and grandfather in a trailer. She loves keeping pets, but they all have an unfortunate tendency to die early and horribly. Her newest pet is unlike any before it, a weird tentacled feathered creature she names ‘’OJO”. When Annie finds Ojo’s mom (a hulking monstrous version of baby Ojo) in a sewer drainage pipe, she becomes convinced that it is really her own mom, returned to her.
OJO follows the standards of Sam Kiet’s work, delivering a bizarre beautifully-illustrated story which conceals a simple heart-felt human story. In this case, it’s Annie missing her mother, and transferring that grief and need for nurturing onto her pets and now Ojo and its monster mom. “
by Ross Campbell As Cleo heads off for college at the local art school, she’s haunted by her melancholic past — a lost love, a lost child. Friends and enemies live their lives around her, as trouble brews — an unseen social assailant is spreading slander about Cleo. But Cleo is otherwise occupied by her two roommates and the unsolved mystery of their room’s last occupant. A book about goths, friendship, sex, betrayal, gossip, murder, guilt, a squirrel monkey, and all the terrible and wonderful things people do to each other. MATURE THEMES SC, 176pgs, B&W SRP: $14.95
by Sebastien Caisse & Djief The magical and mystical journey of The Grimoire continues from Speakeasy Comics. Join writer Sebastien Caisse and artist Djief (OF the Grafiksismik art collective), as they create new heroes, new villains, and new worlds! What started out as a walk to a friend’s house becomes a forced flight to Vegas, as Amandine gets pulled further in by the many secrets and struggles swirling around the Grimoire — a tome which can be used to summon enchanted devices and mighty creatures. Left on his own, Chai must make the best of a teeth smashing battle and finds himself compelled to disobey Amandine! 7×10, 32pgs, FC SRP: $2.99
by Dan James Following in the inspiration of H. P. Lovecraft, Mary Shelly, and Bram Stoker, Dan James presents his vision of horror in his latest graphic novel, Mosquito. This silent South American folktale is an elegant and strikingly stylistic, wordless Vampire story, presented completely in Red Ink. Intriguing and clever, it follows the adventure of a man who receives a curious letter containing Polaroid’s of vampire victims and a map to the small town where the vampire lives. He gathers his stakes, says goodbye to his children, and walks straight into the mouth of evil. From the creator of The Octopi & the Ocean. (CAUT: 4) SC, 8 x 8, 152pgs, PC SRP: $14.95
by Dan James A small boy finds himself deep within the timeless ocean, directly between a pack of artifact-guarding sharks and a manipulative civilization of marriage-seeking octopi. Throw in selfish parents, the postal system, and a cockroach tree, and you’ve got the premier epic story from New Hampshire’s most eligible bachelor, Dan James. This largely wordless narrative is only matched in elegance by the strikingly stylistic use of brush line and solid mass to seal the fate of one spineless-yet-resilient child. MATURE THEMES 6×9, B&W SRP: $6.95
by Steve Lafler Dennis, the new piano player in Bughouse, is by all accounts a very funky musician and a genial chap. But before long, the real Dennis reveals himself as a gambling, lying, cheating, two-timing, drunken thief and all around Scalawag! Only when he encounters his doppelganger “Dennnis,” does Dennis reach his epiphany: that the real force at the center of his life is love. Following the premise of Lafler’s earlier title Bughouse, the action is set in an indigo toned, “insect noir” Manhattan of the 50s where all the characters are bug-headed hipster bop musicians. (CAUT: 4) SC, 6×9, 144pgs, B&W SRP: $12.95
