DARK HORSE COMICS
CONAN VOLUME 19: XUTHAL OF THE DUSK (HC)
Writer: FRED VAN LENTE
Art: BRIAN CHING, GUIU VILANOVA
Colors: MICHAEL ATIYEH
Cover: ERIC POWELL
FC, 176 pages, $24.99, HC, 7" x 10"
Conan and the former slave girl Natala dare to enter the city of Xuthal, where a mysterious horror waits in the shadows! Then, Conan fights a deadly duel as Janissa the Widowmaker makes her triumphant return! This enthralling volume collects issues #13–19 of the Conan the Avenger series.
“It’s a fun, exciting adventure story starring everyone’s favorite Barbarian ... Recommended.”—Fandom Post
If you've read Conan the Adventurer, then you know he basic plot of Xuthal of the Dusk, the city where everybody's hopped up on black lotus while something called Thog preys on them.
So what really matters is execution, and I give Van Lente and Ching four stars on that score. Roy Thomas used to adapt Conan stories rather slavishly, which was fine for the time, but it kept intact Robert E. Howard's underlying misogyny and limited storytelling skills. Van Lente opens up the story to breathe a little, by fleshing out Conan's female companion -- she has opinions, a personality and acts independently -- and filtering in other characters and elements of his own design to act as a bridge between chapters of Adventurer. That brings REH into the 21st century, improves the narrative and makes for a better read.
Ching, meanwhile, gives us a Conan unlike the ones we usually see. Instead of a brawny, muscle-on-muscle John Buscema type, Ching's Conan is wiry and lean, with a wolfish smile. He doesn't look especially strong, but he does appear to have speed and stamina. It's a good trade-off, since we've seen plenty of the Schwarzenegger type to last a lifetime.
PREDATOR: LIFE AND DEATH #1 (of 4)
Writer: DAN ABNETT
Art: BRIAN THIES
Colors: RAIN BEREDO
Cover: DAVID PALUMBO
Variant Covers: CHRIS WARNER , SACHIN TENG
FC, 32 pages, $3.99, Miniseries
Colonial Marines on the planet Tartarus battle extraterrestrial hunters over the possession of a mysterious horseshoe-shaped spaceship of unknown origin. The Weyland-Yutani rep wants the ship, and the marine captain wants to protect her crew. But neither objective is likely when a band of Predators attacks!
Predator: Life and Death begins chapter one in a new story cycle involving Predators, Aliens and the mysterious Engineers from Prometheus!
According to a preface, this story takes place 43 years after the movie Aliens (which I saw) and a year after Dark Horse's Fire and Stone (which I didn't). I don't know if that will help or hurt the overall story, but it didn't seem to matter in this debut story, which introduces corporate greed, colonial Marines, predators and a horseshoe-shaped spaceship of the variety seen in Alien and Prometheus. In other words, it's a mashup of Predator and Alien concepts that ought to be a hoot.
DC COMICS
BLACK CANARY VOL. 1: KICKING AND SCREAMING (TPB)
Written by BRENDEN FLETCHER
Art by ANNIE WU and PIA GUERRA
Cover by ANNIE WU
168 pg, FC, $14.99 US
After years as a crimefighter, Dinah Lance never imagined herself as a singer ... but now she’d die to protect her new band of misfits and trouble magnets! Collects issues #1-7 of the red-hot new series, plus the sneak peek story from CONVERGENCE: BLUE BEETLE #2.
I got another reminder this week about the embargo on book reviews on Netgalley (where DC releases digital review copies, or DRCs) until they've come out in bookstores. It wasn't a pointed reminder, it was just a press release urging review of the books, leading with "Editors/Reviewers: We wanted to get a reminder out to you that both Martian Manhunter and Black Canary's first collected editions will be on bookstore shelves soon, so please time your reviews accordingly! (Manhunter = Tuesday 3/1 and Canary = Tuesday 3/8)" Does that mean I can't review the books until they're out in bookstores? That's the implication on Netgalley, and that would be too late for people on this site to care.
I've emailed the PR guy to see what I can and can't do. In the meantime, I can comment on Black Canary #1, which I have read independently of this collection. The art is kinda Batgirl-y, and it's very girl powrrrr-y (all the band members are female, and female friendship seems to be the focus). I don't know very much about the New 52 Black Canary, although it's established she's been married before to a Lance (Kurt, not Larry), and she was in Birds of Prey for a while, and clearly has a history in the superhero world. Upshot is, it's unlikely she'd be young enough to be lead singer in a college-age band, and it's equally unlikely that a band would put up with a lead singer who constantly attracts ultraviolence, often from super-powered people. So the book has a unique feel, but requires more suspension of disbelief than usual.
COLORING DC VOL 1: BATMAN HUSH (TPB)
Writer: JEPH LOEB
Art/Cover: JIM LEE, SCOTT WILLIAMS
$15.99
DC Comics presents classic adventures in a whole new way: in black and white, on heavy stock suitable for coloring! This title collects the opening chapters of "Batman: Hush," from BATMAN #608-611 and a story from Wizard #0, all featuring spectacular artwork by Jim Lee and Scott Williams!
Are Legionnaires interested in these coloring books? If not, I'll stop alerting everyone to their arrival.
GREEN LANTERN #50
Written by ROBERT VENDITTI
Art by BILLY TAN and MARK IRWIN
Cover by JUAN GIMENEZ
Variant cover by DOUG MAHNKE
48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T
In this extra-sized issue, it’s a battle for the fate of Earth! Parallax believes Hal Jordan has failed this universe—and now, he’s prepared to wipe Hal out of existence! Hal has to get over the shock that Parallax still exists so he can unleash the power of his gauntlet to stop him! It’s a battle neither Jordan can win, and one that will change both forever.
Look which New 52 book hit issue #50 first! I confess I stopped reading the book when Hal started his David Janssen impersonation, but it looks like Parallax (from Convergence?) is back. That could be interesting, as Parallax was one of the best bits in Convergence.
SUPERMAN UNCHAINED (TPB)
Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Art by JIM LEE, SCOTT WILLIAMS and DUSTIN NGUYEN
Cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
352 pg, FC, $24.99 US
The entire nine-issue UNCHAINED series by the superstar team of writer Scott Snyder and artist Jim Lee is collected in trade paperback! When satellites start to fall from the sky, the big question is who stopped the last one from falling. Lex Luthor, Lois Lane, Batman, Wonder Woman, eco-terrorists, the U.S. Army and, most of all, the mysterious being known as Wraith all figure in this epic story from two of comics’ hottest talents!
DC sent me the individual issues of this book when they were published and I was surprisingly disappointed -- it was the first thing I'd ever read by Scott Snyder (Batman, American Vampire) I didn't absolutely love.
But Snyder trotted out a couple of familiar tropes -- an irrationally hostile Gen. Lane, a duplicitous U.S. government, another Kryptonian -- and I felt like I'd read all that before. Plus, the ending was open-ended, which wasn't very satisfying for an "event" book.
Of course, I assumed the purpose of the story was to establish the new Kryptonian ("The Wraith") as a major, ongoing character. But with "Rebirth" that may be moot!
IDW PUBLISHING
GRAHAM INGELS EC STORIES ARTIST’S EDITION (HC)
Writers: VARIOUS
Art/Cover: GRAHAM INGELS
HC • BW • $95.00 net discount item • 152 Pages • 15” x 22”
EC Comics produced what is arguably the finest line of comics ever, and of all their titles, the horror books were the most popular. And the most acclaimed of the horror artists was Graham "Ghastly" Ingels, whose particular talents influenced and inspired several generations of artists, including the great Bernie Wrightson. This Artist's Edition will include a sampling of Ingels' best stories, and a selection of some of his most terrifying covers -- this volume will make a worthy companion to the Wally Wood, Jack Davis and the Best Of EC editions!
Ghastly!
IMAGE COMICS
THE DISCIPLINE #1
Writer: PETER MILLIGAN
Art/Cover: LEANDRO FERNANDEZ
32 PAGES / FC / M / $2.99
An all-new series about sex, death, and metamorphosis
Bestselling writer Peter Milligan (X-Force / X-Statix) and artist Leandro Fernandez (Queen & Country) team up for an all-new series, THE DISCIPLINE.
In THE DISCIPLINE #1 readers meet Melissa, one woman who—between fighting her sister and hating her husband—still finds time to fall in lust with a stranger who's an awful lot more than he seems. What appears to be a simple seduction is revealed as something much darker and more dangerous. This controversial and erotically-charged tale of sex, death, and metamorphosis begins with an explosion of carnality and weirdness.
“This might be the edgiest story I've written,” said Milligan. “In most ‘erotic thrillers’ sex is the end-game, the objective. In The Discipline the erotic charge is simply a step towards something stranger, darker … beyond human.”
This controversial and erotically-charged tale of sex, death, and metamorphosis begins with an explosion of carnality and weirdness.
That's a terrific cover! If Fernandez can keep up that quality, and the story is more than a warmed-over Fifty Shades of Grey (New! Improved! Now with demons!), this could be a winner.
MARVEL COMICS
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN & SILK: THE SPIDER(FLY) EFFECT #1
Writer: ROBBIE THOMPSON
Art: TODD NAUCK
Cover by SCOTT FORBES
40 PGS / Rated T / $4.99
Spider-Man and Silk aren’t necessarily pals right now, but they’ve got no choice but to work together when they accidentally travel back in time to just BEFORE they got their spider-powers! Now, they have to get along while stopping a threat to the timeline ... WITHOUT accidentally wiping out their own powers! Writer Robbie Thompson (Silk, Venom: Spaceknight) teams with artist Todd Nauck (Nightcrawler, Amazing Spider-Man) to bring us a tale of Amazing Anachronistic Arachnids! Collecting the first two chapters of the Infinite Comic series.
First issue alert!
This feels like an out-of-continuity story -- the solicitation even hints at that in the first sentence -- so to many comics fans it may not "count." But what do I know? I'm not reading either Amazing Spider-Man or Silk these days, as the explosion of spider-characters and Peter Parker's new life leave me cold.
AVENGERS STANDOFF: ASSAULT ON PLEASANT HILL ALPHA
Written by NICK SPENCER
Art & Cover by JESUS SAIZ
Connecting Variant A by ART ADAMS
Gwenpool Party Variant by JAY FOSGITT
Party Sketch Variant Also Available
40 PGS / One-shot/Rated T+ / $4.99
The Spring’s blockbuster Avengers crossover begins here! And it’ll take all the Avengers to uncover the secrets behind Pleasant Hill. Today, Marvel is pleased to present your first look at AVENGERS STANDOFF: ASSAULT ON PLEASANT HILL ALPHA! Written by blockbuster writer Nick Spencer with art by Marvel newcomer Jesus Saiz celebrate the 75th anniversary of Captain America with a bang as heroes from across the Marvel Universe strap in for an explosive ride!
From the outside, Pleasant Hill looks like the perfect small town community. But this gated community has more than its fair share of secrets. Secrets so explosive it will draw estranged allies Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson back together to save a friend in danger and put things right. But when the combined might of two Captain America’s isn’t enough, who do you call? In the face of unspeakable evil, Avengers teams from across the Marvel Universe will assemble like never before! And what does it have to do with S.H.I.E.L.D.? What’s hidden at Pleasant Hill might be too much for even the Avengers to handle.
“It was really about trying to craft an event that was very ground-level, very character-driven, where everybody’s in close quarters in a locked-in space,” says Nick Spencer, in an interview with Marvel.com. “It was a perfect setting for us in the scale we wanted to give and the direction and the feel of the event.”
Kicking off this March in STANDOFF!: ASSAULT ON PLEASANT HILL ALPHA by Nick Spencer & Jesus Saiz – this blockbuster crossover event continues across various Avengers titles this spring. All-New, All-Different Avengers, Sam Wilson Captain America, Uncanny Avengers, New Avengers, Ultimates, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and more – nobody is safe from Pleasant Hill!
AVENGERS STANDOFF: ASSAULT ON PLEASANT HILL ALPHA PARTY OPT-IN
AVENGERS: STANDOFF is coming. And Marvel is making sure all comic book stores worldwide are armed and ready to uncover the truth behind Pleasant Hill when AVENGERS STANDOFF: ASSAULT ON PLEASANT HILL ALPHA #1 comes to retail stores in March! In addition to being among the first to purchase and read the first chapter of this epic crossover, fans will also be able to receive special items exclusive to these launch parties.
Each retailer opting in to the event by Feb. 1 will receive an AVENGERS: STANDOFF party kit from Marvel, containing exclusive promotional materials. Check your Marvel Mailer for more information on how to opt-in and ensure your store has access to these promo items.
“It looks like any other remote small town, only Pleasant Hill is anything but,” says Marvel SVP Sales & Marketing David Gabriel. “STANDOFF is going to have some long reaching effects on the Avengers titles and the Marvel Universe as a whole. Shocking twists, new players and new teams await and we’re making sure comic shops are armed and ready.”
All qualifying retailers will receive the following as part of the Avengers: Standoff Party Kit:
Avengers: Standoff Invitational Postcards
Avengers: Standoff Build Your Own Captain America Promo Item 1 (of 6)
Avengers: Standoff Exclusive Party Variant
Avengers: Standoff Gwenpool Party Lithograph
Mass media promotion around the launch of Avengers: Standoff and the associated parties
Retailers who qualify will also be eligible to order the AVENGERS STANDOFF: ASSAULT ON PLEASANT HILL ALPHA #1 exclusive Gwenpool party variant. Everyone wants to know the secrets hiding in Pleasant Hill. Even the Marvel Universe’s newest resident, Gwenpool! From Marvel newcomer Jay Fosgitt, don’t miss this exciting variant only available at launch parties.
Retailers, please check the Marvel Mailer or Diamond Daily for regular updates about the Avengers: Standoff Launch Parties.
Be there as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes unite when the epic crossover officially kicks off in AVENGERS STANDOFF: ASSAULT ON PLEASANT HILL ALPHA #1 this Spring and continues in All-New, All-Different Avengers, Sam Wilson: Captain America, Uncanny Avengers, New Avengers, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Ultimates and Illuminati.
Here's the launch of Marvel's big summer event, so it's required reading. Book reports on my desk by Friday, please.
BLACK WIDOW #1
Written by CHRIS SAMNEE & MARK WAID
Art & Cover by CHRIS SAMNEE & MATT WILSON
Hip-Hop Variant by PHIL NOTO
Variant Cover by TULA LOTAY
Young Variant by SKOTTIE YOUNG
Action Figure Variant by JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
Women of Power Variant by KEVIN WADA
32 PGS / Rated T+ / $3.99
She is the Marvel Universe’s most dangerous super-spy. Capable of hunting her targets with lethal precision. But what happens when the hunter becomes the hunted? This March, the Black Widow becomes … S.H.I.E.L.D.’s MOST WANTED! And it’s all happening in BLACK WIDOW #1 – the brand new series from Eisner Award winning Daredevil creative team. Writer Mark Waid, Artist Chris Samnee, Colorist Matt Wilson and Letterer Joe Caramagna re-team for the next explosive chapter in Natasha’s life!
She has spent years gathering secrets. Knowledge and intel on friends and enemies alike. But when some of those dark secrets mysteriously begin to go public, no one is safe! Now, Natasha has become the one thing she never thought she’d be – public enemy number one! Betrayed by her former accomplices, with friend and foe alike nipping at her heels, all bets are off. With a lifetime of training and ingenuity at her disposal, she’s out for answers, and she’s going to get them any way she can. As long as S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn’t get her first!
Prepare for a knock-down, drag-out tale of action, adventure and espionage! All eyes are on the Black Widow. With her enemies closing in at every side, it’s time to show everyone why she is and always will be the world’s greatest spy. Be there when BLACK WIDOW #1 explodes into comic shops this March!
Yay, Black Widow survived "Secret Wars" as an independent title! Now if the quality is the same as it was the last time we had a Black Widow #1, I'll be happy. (Or was it the one before? I've lost track of Marvel #1s!)
CIVIL WAR CAVALCADE
CIVIL WAR BOX SET SLIPCASE
Rated T+ / $500.00
Get all sides to the story of Marvel’s most incendiary epic in this eleven-volume box set! When the New Warriors set off a deadly disaster in Stamford, Connecticut, the cry goes out for superhuman registration. With Iron Man heading up the pro-registration movement and Captain America leading the anti-registration camp, the Marvel Universe splits down the middle as friendships, teams and even families are torn apart. From the key stories that set the stage, to the main event, to its headline-making aftermath, the entire Civil War is fought inside one glorious slipcase — including its dramatic impacts on the Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Spider-Man and everyone else on the Front Line! Plus: an entire volume of behind-the-scenes special features that take you inside the conflict. War — this is what it’s good for! Includes CIVIL WAR PROLOGUE PREMIERE HC, CIVIL WAR PREMIERE HC, CIVIL WAR: AVENGERS PREMIERE HC, CIVIL WAR: FANTASTIC FOUR PREMIERE HC, CIVIL WAR: FRONT LINE PREMIERE HC, CIVIL WAR: MARVEL UNIVERSE PREMIERE HC, CIVIL WAR: SPIDER-MAN PREMIERE HC, CIVIL WAR: THE UNDERSIDE PREMIERE HC, CIVIL WAR: X-MEN PREMIERE HC, CIVIL WAR AFTERMATH PREMIERE HC, CIVIL WAR FILES PREMIERE HC, POSTER.
CIVIL WAR ILLUSTRATED PROSE NOVEL (HC)
Written by STUART MOORE; Adapted from the graphic novel by MARK MILLAR & STEVE MCNIVEN; Featuring the artwork of STEVE MCNIVEN; Cover by STEVE EPTING; 400 PGS / No Rating / $49.99 / Trim size: oversized
The Marvel Universe is changing. In the wake of a tragedy, Capitol Hill proposes the Superhuman Registration Act, requiring all costumed heroes to unmask themselves before the government. Divided, the nation’s greatest champions must each decide how to react — a decision that will alter the course of their lives forever! Experience Marvel’s blockbuster event like never before in this prose adaptation illustrated with artwork from the smash-hit graphic novel that has sold more than half a million copies in print and digital formats!
CIVIL WAR: NEW AVENGERS (TPB)
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS; Penciled by HOWARD CHAYKIN, LEINIL FRANCIS YU, OLIVIER COIPEL, PASQUAL FERRY & JIM CHEUNG; Cover by JIM CHEUNG; 120 PGS / Rated T / $16.99
Civil War has erupted across the Marvel Universe, and no team will be more affected than the New Avengers. The team’s individual members grapple with issues of loyalty, trust, ethics and integrity as the team splits right down the middle! Captain America goes underground, Iron Man goes establishment, and both men become targets! Will Luke Cage stand by his beliefs or his family? Conflicted and compromised, where do Spider-Woman’s true loyalties lie? And can the Sentry reconcile his past and his future? Which side will each of the New Avengers choose, and what will that choice cost them? The super-hero Civil War is poised to tear Earth’s Mightiest heroes apart — and the shake-ups will shock you! Each standalone story in this volume is illustrated by a genuine comics superstar! Collecting NEW AVENGERS (2005) #21-25.
MARVEL UNIVERSE AVENGERS ASSEMBLE: CIVIL WAR #1
Adapted by Joe Caramagna; 32 PGS / All Ages / $2.99
AVENGER VS. AVENGER!
• Thanos has been defeated, but the Avengers' biggest challenge may come from within their own ranks!
• Captain America makes a discovery that may tear the team apart!
• And: Witness the origin of one of the Avengers' greatest villains!
Wow, that's a lot of Civil War stuff! Almost like there's a movie named Civil War coming up, or something.
FRANK MILLER'S DAREDEVIL
DAREDEVIL BY FRANK MILLER & KLAUS JANSON OMNIBUS (HC NEW PRINTING)
Written by ROGER MCKENZIE, FRANK MILLER, DAVID MICHELINIE & MORE; Penciled by FRANK MILLER & KLAUS JANSON; Cover by FRANK MILLER; 840 PGS / Rated T+ / $125.00 / Trim size: oversized
A classic Marvel hero redefined by one of comics’ greatest visionaries! Frank Miller’s spellbinding scripts and pulse-pounding pencils mark one of Daredevil’s greatest eras — but will the Kingpin and Bullseye’s efforts rob the Man Without Fear of everything he holds dear? Featuring the first appearances of Elektra, Stick and the Hand! The daring discovery that drew Ben Urich into Daredevil’s domain of darkness! And such forgotten-yet-formidable foes as Death-Stalker and the Gladiator! Traditional super-heroics mix effortlessly with mysterious martial artistry, doomed romance and dark personal drama. Take a rare look at the formative years of a brilliant comic-book creator and the series that made him famous. Guest-starring the Hulk, the Avengers, and Power Man and Iron Fist! Collecting DAREDEVIL (1964) #158-161 and #163-191, and material from WHAT IF? (1977) #28.
ELEKTRA BY FRANK MILLER OMNIBUS (HC NEW PRINTING)
Written by FRANK MILLER; Penciled by BILL SIENKIEWICZ, FRANK MILLER & LYNN VARLEY; Cover by FRANK MILLER; 400 PGS. / Explicit Content / $99.99 / Trim size: oversized
Elektra is a ninja, a martial arts master, and a highly paid assassin. Once Matt Murdock’s college girlfriend, her service as the Kingpin’s personal bodyguard put her in brutal conflict with her former lover, nearly killing Daredevil in the process. Now, fan-favorite creator Frank Miller ushers his awesome assassin through good, evil, life, death, rebirth and more, in this definitive collection of the character’s most memorable solo adventures. First, following a fatal duel with Bullseye, Elektra is seemingly dead and buried. But her spirit cannot rest. Elektra claws her way back from beyond the grave, in perhaps her defining story! Then, in a tautly crafted tale of espionage and deception, Elektra must unravel a supernatural conspiracy that threatens the Presidency! Collecting ELEKTRA: ASSASSIN #1-8, ELEKTRA LIVES AGAIN, and material from BIZARRE ADVENTURES #28 and WHAT IF? (1977) #35.
Wow, that's a lot of Daredevil/Elektra stuff! Almost like there's a TV show coming up featuring Daredevil and Elektra, or something.
DEADPOOL #8
Written by GERRY DUGGAN
Art by MATTEO LOLLI
Cover by MIKE ALLRED
Women of Power Variant by ANNIE WU
Secret Comic Variant by SCOTT KOBLISH
Story Thus Far Variant by MIKE HAWTHORNE
Classic Artist Variant by HOWARD CHAYKIN
32 PGS / Parental Advisory / $3.99
This March, the Merc With a Mouth takes on the Uncanny X-Men’s hairy, clawed, feral mutant! No, the other one. Today, Marvel is pleased to present your first look at DEADPOOL #8 – the first chapter of “Deadpool vs. Sabretooth”! Writer Gerry Duggan and incoming artist Matteo Lolli (Hawkeye vs. Deadpool) bring you the explosive next chapter in Wade Wilson’s life! Deadpool has no idea that he was responsible for his own parents deaths. Only problem is, he’s sworn vengeance on the one responsible. And he thinks Sabretooth did it. This is gonna be a messy. The fireworks begin this March in DEADPOOL #8!
I didn't really care for the Wolverine/Sabretooth battles all that much, as after the first few it just got repetitive. But this could be funny -- especially since Sabretooth deserves some patented Deadpool ridicule.
MIRACLEMAN BY GAIMAN & BUCKINGHAM BOOK 1: THE GOLDEN AGE (PREMIERE HC)
Written by NEIL GAIMAN
Penciled by MARK BUCKINGHAM
Cover by MARK BUCKINGHAM
Variant: JOE QUESADA (DM ONLY)
192 PGS / Mature / $29.99 / Trim size: standard
Award-winning writer NEIL GAIMAN (Sandman) and artist MARK BUCKINGHAM (Fables) unveil Miracleman’s Golden Age! Atop Olympus, Miracleman presides over a brave new world forged from London’s destruction. It is a world free of war, of famine, of poverty. A world of countless wonders. A world where pilgrims scale Olympus’s peak to petition their living god while, miles below, the dead return in fantastic android bodies. It is an Age of Miracles — but is humankind ready for it? Do we even want it? Is there a place for humanity in a world of gods? Gaiman and Buckingham delve into the lives of lonely idealists, rebellious schoolchildren and fracturing families, exploring the human constant in a changing world of gods and miracles. Collecting MIRACLEMAN BY GAIMAN & BUCKINGHAM #1-6.
I eagerly anticipate every Miracleman hardback, and I assume I'm not the only one. I'm not yet buying the, mind you, as I'm hoping for a big, deluxe, maybe slipcased collection down the road. So I'm thrilled to see progress toward that time!
OTHER PUBLISHERS
FORBIDDEN WORLDS VOL 10
Publisher: PS ARTBOOKS
Writers/Art: Various
SLIPCASE EDITION: 125 copies in full colour slipcase, £44.99/$69.99
BOOKSHOP EDITION: 1,875 bookshop copies available, £36.99/$59.99
They may have been Forbidden to some - -particularly when the Wertham Seduction of the Innocent book hit the newsstands--but to kids the length and breadth of the United States (and a select few in the UK), Richard Hughes and his tremblin’ team of terrific tormenters were where it was at. Big time. And now, a half-century since the first issue appeared, ACG’s wonderful Forbidden Worlds are accessible once more ... and this time in state-of-the-art hardcover volumes containing five to seven issues apiece. This is going to be one hell of a journey: come make it with us as we travel together through some of the most memorable comicbooks of all time.
Weird, Mysterious and Spine-tingling stories featuring #59-64 from October 1957 through March 1958 of the ACG classic Forbidden Worlds. This tenth volume has been meticulously compiled from the original source material and painstakingly digitally restored.
I'm about halfway through this one, and -- as usual -- I find it interesting as a comment on its times.
This far into the post-Code era, Forbidden Worlds is into a rhythm on its approach to non-scary suspense. Typical story: When a guy is haunted, it isn't the ghost of someone he's killed (as we could hope), but rather, the ghost of his wife, thought dead but in a coma in California, with whom he tearfully reunites. Sappy, yes, but not really all that different from the usually happy endings in the Richard Hughes stories before the Code. It's just that these stories are that much more sappy all the way through.
Which is not to say it's bad stuff; Hughes was an imaginative, professional writer, and some of the stories are illustrated by the likes of Ogden Whitney, who also draws most of the covers.
But it is pretty tame material. One saving grace is that readers of Forbidden Worlds and Adventures into the Unknown were probably accustomed to that -- possibly explaining the longevity of the two titles, which lasted into the mid-1960s.
ACTION LAB: DOG OF WONDER #1
Publisher: ACTION LAB ENTERTAINMENT
Writers: VITO DELSANTE, SCOTT FOGG
Art: ROSY HIGGINS, TED BRANDT
Cover A: ROSY HIGGINS, TED BRANDT ($3.99)
Cover B: MARCUS WILLIAMS ($4.99)
Cover C: “COLORING BOOK” BY NEAL ADAMS ($3.99)
Cover D: NEAL ADAMS, BILL BLANKENSHIP (Retail incentive)
32 pgs / E / FC
For five years, readers have looked at the Action Lab Entertainment logo and wondered, “Who IS that dog with the jet pack?” Wonder no more! The story you never thought would be told is now an ongoing monthly title as ACTION LAB, DOG OF WONDER, comes to comic book shelves everywhere! With art by the PRINCELESS: RAVEN, THE PIRATE PRINCESS team of Rosy Higgins and Ted Brandt and a story by STRAY co-creator Vito Delsante and newcomer Scott Fogg, this is the title for young and old alike! Variant cover by Marcus Williams (Hero Cats) limited to 1500 copies!
First issue alert!
My dog would find that jet pack a noisy irritant, and crime-fighting too much of a departure from her routine. She would bark at Action Lab, then take a well-deserved nap.
ANOTHER CASTLE #1
Publisher: ONI PRESS INC.
Writer: ANDREW WHEELER
Art/Cover: PAULINA GANUCHEAU
$3.99
Princess Misty of Beldora longs for a more exciting life, but gets more than she bargained for when she is captured by Lord Badlug, the ruler of the neighboring kingdom of Grimoire. He intends to marry her and conquer Beldora, leading the land into ruin and chaos. Together with the long-suffering citizens of Grimoire and a certain bumbling prince, Misty must fight to protect her kingdom and free both realms from Badlug's tyrannical rule.
First issue alert!
At first blush I thought this was another Action Lab book, a publisher that is chockablock with stories about princesses having adventures (mostly without princes). But, no, it's Oni Press, which seems to also be chasing that elusive tweenage girl market , too. I hope they find it.
ARMY OF DARKNESS: FURIOUS ROAD #1
Writer: NANCY A. COLLINS
Art: KEWBER BAAL
Cover A: TYLER CROOK
Cover B: GABRIEL HARDMAN
Cover C: FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA
Cover D: TONY FLEECS
Page Count: 32 pages / Teen+ / $3.99
Twenty years from "now": The Deadites and their Army of Darkness have succeeded in bringing down Western civilization. An unexpected upshot of the demons taking over was supernatural species such as vampires, witches and werewolves forming an uneasy alliance with humanity in order to survive. The only hope for both mankind and monsters alike is a ritual that will send the Deadites back to the hell that birthed them. But first, a rag-tag crew that includes the Frankenstein Monster and Eva, the Daughter of Dracula, have to track down the fabled spell book known as the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis and deal with its guardian, a certain Ashley "Ash" Williams.
First issue alert!
I haven't much followed the Evil Dead books from Dynamite, but this one might be my first -- it has a pretty interesting premise.
ART OF CHARLIE CHAN HOCK CHYE (HC)
Publisher: PANTHEON BOOKS
Writer/Art/Cover: SONNY LIEW
$30.00
Meet Charlie Chan Hock Chye, the greatest comic book artist you've probably never heard of. When he started making comics in Singapore as a boy of 16 in 1954, Chan expected fame and fortune to quickly follow. But just as Singapore's road to independence would be full of twists and turns, so too would Chan's own journey as an artist. Splicing together a dizzying array of art styles, genres and forms, Sonny Liew's multilayered graphic novel is a celebration of life, comics and storytelling. The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye is an innovative work that challenges the possibilities of the comics medium, creating a double-edged history.
The cover alone shows four very different art styles -- and all by one guy? That's certainly interesting (as is the odd name). I'm tempted to order it just for my own ejjimication.
BEYOND: QUEST FOR MEADAN (TPB)
Publisher: CHAPTERHOUSE COMICS
Writers: CLAUDE ST AUBIN & VARIOUS
Art: CLAUDE ST AUBIN, GEORGE FREEMAN
Cover: CLAUDE ST AUBIN
$7.95
The world of Beyond began in 1980 as a back-up feature in Captain Canuck by Claude St. Aubin, George Freeman and Richard Comely. Now after 35 years, the mystery is finally solved. Beyond returns in The Search for Meadan, a deluxe 64 page graphic novel with the complete digitized, re-colored and re-mastered original series. Two all new chapters (and many extras) are included to complete the story where a shadowy dwarf and a blind Knight lead the way in search of an entire village, stolen by a powerful evil wizard - in the land of Tamarand in the world Beyond.
I have undoubtedly read all this, as I own the bulk of the Captain Canuck comics published in the U.S. until the late '90s. But since I don't remember anything about it, I'll assume the same thing I do about Captain Canuck himself, which is that it's derivative and boring except when drawn by George Freeman.
BOY & BEAST VOL 1 (GN)
Publisher: YEN PRESS
Writer: MAMORU HOSODA
Art/Cover: RENJI ASAI
$13.00
From Mamoru Hosoda, acclaimed director of the smash-hit film and YALSA 2015 Top Ten Great Graphic Novel for Teens selection Wolf Children, comes the first volume of the manga adaptation of Hosoda's biggest box office triumph to date: The Boy and the Beast!
Fleeing tragedy and mistreatment, a young boy named Ren hides among the crowds in Tokyo's busy Shibuya district.His efforts to run away are more successful than he realizes when he ends up in the world of the beasts! A rough-living bear named Kumatetsu gives Ren a new life and a new name-Kyuta-but is Kumatetsu really up to the job of being a mentor?
First issue alert!
IMDb says the animated The Boy and the Beast was made in Japan and released in 2015, and had a U.S. release on Feb. 2 of this year. I'll have to take their word for it, as I didn't hear about it.
Is this a variant of The Jungle Book or Tarzan of the Apes, with a boy raised by (anthropomorphic) beasts? Or is this a genre unique to Japan? Once again, I await the Baron's wisdom and knowledge to explain the mysterious culture of Japan!
CAVEWOMAN: RAPTORELLA #1
Publisher: AMRYL ENTERTAINMENT
Writer/Art/Cover: DEVON MASSEY
$3.99
Something strange is brewing in the far off jungle. Meriem soon discovers she is being stalked while traveling through the jungle by the new apex predator of the Cretaceous Period. Can Meriem survive against this new threat, the dino riding Raptorella? A quirky new story from Devon Massey!
If this were some other book, I'd assume that Raptorella is an attempt at a clever satire of Vampirella. But this being Cavewoman, I'm assuming Raptorella was created as an excuse to put another pair of big breasts on the cover.CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED
CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED: ILLUSTRATED STORY OF 1ST WORLD WAR (TPB, $19.95)
Writer: JOHN BURNS
Read the thrilling story of "The Great War," known now as the First World War. Classics Illustrated traces the history of this devastating conflict from the catalytic political assassination that started it to its end, with victory for some, shame for others, and whole nations left in ruin!
CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED: ILLUSTRATED STORY OF 2ND WORLD WAR (TPB, $19.95)
Writer: JOHN BURNS
Art: ANGELO TORRES & VARIOUS
Cover: JOHN BURNS
To mark the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day landings, Classic Comic Store's special issue of Classics Illustrated tells the astonishing and horrifying story of the Second World War in comic-strip format. Classics Illustrated traces the chronology of the most costly war in human history from its outbreak to its conclusion, with over 60 million dead, trials for crimes against humanity and a new, terrifying threat over the world: the atomic bomb! All major events in the war are covered.
I said last week that I wasn't going to put every Classics Illustrated release in this Guide, and I'm not. But I wasn't aware CI did "adaptations" of the world wars, and I'm curious if anyone's read them. I assume the art is awful, like it always is, but how complete is the history? Is the focus entirely U.S.-centric, or do the Russians get a nod? The world wars are far too expansive to condense into a comic book, so I'm interested in what their choices were for inclusion.
COMPLETE WIMMENS COMIX BOX SET (HC)
Publisher: FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS
Writer/Art: TRINA ROBBINS & Various
$100.00
In 1972, ten women cartoonists got together in San Francisco to produce the first all-woman comics anthology, Wimmen's Comix. Within two years the Wimmen's Comix Collective had introduced and would go on to publish some of the most talented women cartoonists in America -- Carol Tyler, Mary Fleener, Dori Seda, Phoebe Gloeckner and many others. Long out of print, Fantagraphics presents a gorgeous two-volume slipcased set which includes It Ain't Me, Babe, the first all-woman comic book ever published. Edited with an introduction by Trina Robbins.
"Some of the most talented women cartoonists in America"? Then how come a guy who's been collecting American comics since the mid-1960s hasn't heard of any of them? This sounds like it might have some historical interest, but little else.
DEMONIZER ZILCH VOL 1 (GN)
Publisher: YEN PRESS
Writer/Art/Cover: MILAN MATRA
$13.00
Listless high schooler Haruomi Io is plagued by the memory of his late kid sister. One day, he's suddenly attacked by a group of girls calling themselves the "Seven Gospel Society." In the thick of a battle he never asked for, Haruomi is rescued by Zilch, a demoness who declares herself the "29th Branch." Upon sharing a kiss with his demonic savior, Haruomi finds a strange power coursing through his body! Will this incident lead Haruomi to cast off the doldrums and delve into a new world of superpowers and the supernatural?
First issue alert!
You know, when teenage boys in American comics deal with demons, they're of the flaming-biker or rhyming variety, and the demons become infernal alter egos and make their lives a living hell. But when teenage boys in Japanese comics deal with demons, they're of the gorgeous female variety, who kiss them and grant them super-powers. Lucky, lucky teenage Japanese boys.
DOCTOR WHO: THE NINTH DOCTOR VOL 1: WEAPONS OF PAST DESTRUCTION (GN)
Publisher: TITAN COMICS
Writer: CAVAN SCOTT
Art: BLAIR SHEDD
Cover: ALICE X ZHANG
$19.99
Leaving World War II behind, the ninth Doctor, Rose and Captain Jack discover that Time Lord technology, lost in the wake of the Time War, is being sold on the intergalactic black market! Now the threat of a new temporal war brews on the horizon, with the Doctor and his friends caught between the twin threats of the Unon and the Lect, two species with intertwined histories who are jostling to replace the Time Lords on the universal stage. Can the Doctor stop history repeating itself?
Collects Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor #1-5.
I don't know anything about this Doctor. He looks like a soccer hooligan. What's the story, Whovians?
EVIL DEAD 2 VOL 1: BEYOND DEAD BY DAWN (TPB)
Publisher: SPACE GOAT PUBLISHING
Writer: FRANK HANNAH
Art: OSCAR BAZALDUA & Various
Cover: CHRIS SUMMERS, BRUCE CAMPBELL
$12.99
Demonic Hordes! Possessed Parents! Severed Hands! The complete "sequel before the other sequel" collected in one handy Necronomicon-sized package, Evil Dead 2: Beyond Dead by Dawn Vol. 1 collects the complete first mini-series. Picking up where the Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell movie left off, Annie and Ash are trapped in Hell, fighting their way through a demon horde to rescue her parents, using only the Ex-Mortis and the Kandarian dagger. Is it enough? Or will they kick Ash? Featuring a Bruce Campbell photo cover!
Wait, haven't we already seen Ash once this week? Boy, those Evil Dead get around!
HANDA KUN VOL 1 (GN)
Publisher: YEN PRESS
Writer/Art/Cover: SATSUKI YOSHINO
$15.00
Join Handa-sensei before he became "Sensei" in the hilarious high school spin-off of Satsuki Yoshino's popular manga, Barakamon!
Before his exile to an island and his exploits with Naru and friends in the pages of Barakamon, Sei Handa was a neurotic teen and aspiring calligrapher, who was convinced that his classmates despised him! His enigmatic nature, though, makes him a magnet to everyone around him, and every day is a comedy of errors.
Prepare yourself for one of the funniest manga in years as it follows the misadventures of Handa-kun!
First issue alert!
Another thing about Japan: Apparently, calligraphy is a thing. I doubt American teenagers can even spell calligraphy.
HOUSE OF MONTRESOR #2
Writer: ENRICA JANG, BASED ON CHARACTERS CREATED BY EDGAR ALLAN POE
Art/Cover:: JASON STRUTZ
32 pgs./ T / FC / $3.99
Edana Fortunato is the sole surviving heir of two great families: clan Fortunato and the House of Montresor. The terms of the estate dictate she must live in her family’s house for a period of one month or else lose her claim to the Fortunato and Montresor lands. Edana has still to meet her guardian, the enigmatic Count Montresor, but malevolent stares from the shadows, and a whispered warning during a visit with her ailing grandmother, lead Edana to wonder if she wants any part of what The House of Montresor has in store. Depraved vengeance continues in this new sequel to Edgar Allan Poe’s classic tale, “The Cask of Amontillado.”
I read the first issue. It was late, I was tired, I am old. Perhaps that explains why I had trouble following the art. Or maybe it's just not very good. It's sort of painterly, but muddy and hard to follow, as if storytelling isn't a priority.
The story also didn't make much progress. The story is, told both in the summary on the first page, and then repeated in the issue: After murdering Fortunato, Montresor took his widow under his care. While childless himself, Madame Fortunato has a son, who has a daughter, and she is the star of the book, summoned to the House of Montresor to inherit the mansion after the death of old Montresor. (Who, of course, isn't really dead.) The catch: She has to live there a month. If she leaves for any reason (gee, maybe because Montresor will do mean things to the grand-daughter of his enemy), she fails to inherit. She brings her best friend (red-shirt alert!), so let the games begin.
Only they don't, until this issue, I guess.
JUNGLE FANTASY: VIXENS #1
Publisher: BOUNDLESS COMICS
Writer: DAN WICKLINE
Art: RENATO CAMILO & VARIOUS
Cover: RENATO CAMILO
Mature/$5.99
Jungle Fantasy is back as the Vixens return to the wild side! Experience the exciting return to the world of Jungle Fantasy for the first time in a decade. The Vixens, Kit and Lani, came to this exotic world when their spacecraft crash landed. Wholly unprepared for living life in the wild, they are learning the hard way how to avoid getting eaten by dinosaurs and where they can safely sunbathe! This first issue features an all-new story by Renato Camilo, one by Dan Wickline and Daniel HDR, and a classic Al Rio story in color for the first time! Fans of sexy art, giant dinosaurs, and vicious beasts, this comic book is for you!
Don't miss the amazing array of sexy covers with this issue including a Regular Cover by series artist Renato Camilo, Sultry Sisters Cover by Gabriel Andrade, Bikini Babes by Ron Adrian, Wraparound Cover by Raulo Caceres, Sirens Cover by Matt Martin, the ultra-collectible Costume Change 6 cover set (with sexy topless and nude covers included!) by Christian Zanier that is limited to just 250 sets, and a stunning Black Leather Cover and a Pure Art Retailer Incentive also by Al Rio! For the ultimate in scarcity, don't miss the Century Covers Set of four incredible covers from legendary artist Al Rio and limited to a scant 100 sets!
For the erotic art collectors, there is a Nude Cover also by Renato Camilo, a Wraparound Nude Cover by Raulo Caceres, a Sirens Nude Cover by Matt Martin, and a Bikini Babes Nude Cover by Ron Adrian! To see the uncensored adult covers, please visit www.boundlesscomics.com.
First issue alert!
This is the second miniseries arising from a Kickstarter project. And, yes, the nude covers do, in fact, feature naked women. And we're not talking just boobs, but full frontal (and sometimes in pornographic/gynecological positions).
I was forced to research this so I could report accurately to you, the loyal Legionnaires. No, don't thank me -- no sacrifice is too great!
KELLY GREEN COMPLETE COLLECTION (HC)
Publisher: CLASSIC COMICS PRESS
Writer: LEONARD STARR
Art/Cover: STAN DRAKE
$59.95
A cop is shot. His widow takes on a most dangerous occupation, as a go-between between the straight and criminal world. Aided by three former convicts; she acts as an agent, brokering payoffs by insurance companies trying to recover stolen property, aiding individuals being blackmailed or paying ransom. Put all these things together and you have Kelly Green. This special edition reprints all five Kelly Green graphic novels in one volume -- The Go-Between; One, Two Three, Die...; The Million Dollar Hit; The Blood Tapes; and, for the first time in English, The Comic Con Heist! Originally published in the early to mid-1980s, each graphic novel is being beautifully restored to its original black and white, with many of the pages shot from the originals.
I got the first one of these back in the 1980s when it was being published by Dargaud, and was unaware there were any more. I'm guessing that, despite the reputations of Starr and Drake, I wasn't terribly motivated to search for more. Anybody else remember Kelly Green as anything more than an American Modesty Blaise?
MANDRAKE THE MAGICIAN (HC)
Publisher: TITAN COMICS
Writer: LEE FALK
Art: PHIL DAVIS
$39.99
Introducing the world's first comic book super-hero, predating Superman by almost four years! Created by the legendary Lee Falk, the creator of The Phantom, and drawn by Phil Davis, Mandrake the Magician and his ever-trusty manservant, Lothar, first appeared to battle crime in 1934. This collection reprints the first 2 and a half years of full-color Sunday newspaper strips that debuted in 1934.
This is the Mandrake book I ordered from Amazon back in 2011, shipping at last! Were the orders for last week's book were sufficient to light a fire under Titan? We'll never know, but I'm sure glad to see it.
MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS #1
Publisher: BOOM! STUDIOS
Writer: KYLE HIGGINS
Art: HENDRY PRASETYA
Cover: JAMAL CAMPBELL
$3.99
What's to Love: Dive headfirst into an original, modern ongoing series that will appeal to both nostalgic fans and new readers who enjoy epic, action-adventure fantasy stories.
What It Is: This is Green Ranger Year One! The Green Ranger's addition to the team has brought new instability and uncertainty to the Rangers. With remnants of Rita Repulsa's control still stirring in the back of Tommy's mind, he must confront the fact he may be more of a danger to his new team than a help. As Rita plays the heroes against each other, her ultimate plan begins to take form, and vengeance for the Green Ranger's betrayal will be unleashed on Angel Grove. Also featuring a Bulk & Skull short story by Steve Orlando (Midnighter) and artist Corin Howell that puts the pair on the ultimate mission to impress Kimberly and Trini!
First issue alert!
Honestly, I don't care at all about the Power Rangers, which came along after I had stopped watching Saturday morning TV, and look sorta stupid. Somehow I think I'm not alone in that (uninformed) opinion. But there's apparently a movie coming (according to Dr. Chakrabarti on iZombie), which would explain this series' existence.
TRUE PATRIOT VOL 1 (TPB)
Publisher: CHAPTERHOUSE COMICS
Writer: J. TORRES
Art/Cover: JAY STEPHENS
$19.95
True Patriot is a Canadian super-hero anthology written and drawn by your favourite Canadian comic book creators! Featuring the debut of Red Ensign by Scott Chantler, Arrowhead by Jay Stephens, and Particle Man by Ramon Perez, plus a new Superhero Girl story by Faith Hicks and the return of J. Torres and Tim Levins' Family Dynamic. Other contributors include Adrian Alphona, Andy Belanger, J. Bone, Jack Briglio, Ed Brisson, Arthur Dela Cruz, Brian Evinou, Tom Fowler, Agnes Garbowska, Adam Gorham, Fred Kennedy, Ron Salas, and Howard Wong.
I alert you to this book because our Northern neighbors deserve the attention.
VAMPIRELLA VOL 3 #1
Writer: KATE LETH
Art: EMAN CASALLOS
Cover A: CHRISSIE ZULLO
Cover B: JAY ANACLETO "Connecting"
Cover C: TULA LOTAY
32 pages / Teen + / $3.99
Vampirella takes Hollywood in this new adventure of the classic demon-hunting, monster-slaying, thrill-seeking vampire queen. When her stately manor is attacked, she begins to unravel a plot as old as the silver screen, discovering what monsters really lurk in the shadows of the City of Angels. Writer Kate Leth (Adventure Time, Edward Scissorhands) says, "Can Vampirella be both a cult icon on the rise and take down an empire of ghouls and ghosts? Signs point to: Hell, yes!
First issue alert!
I don't mind that they're changing Vampirella's outfit, not even a tiny bit. It was always more silly-looking than sexy, and the character has grown enough that she doesn't need the visual ID to establish who she is. But why did they have to come up with such an ugly, impractical replacement? Here are some of my complaints:
* There is no opening on the back for Vampi's wings to emerge.
* Wearing biker shorts and over-the-knee boots is a contradiction, pointlessly exposing the thigh. Do you want protection or not?
* The overall look is "Steampunk Balloonist." Couldn't she have selected something from this century?
I do appreciate the homage on cover #9 to the original the famous Vampirella poster of the 1970s.
Replies
1)As far as I can tell, Boy & Beast is an example of the "mundane kid whose life isn't that hot falls into a magical realm where life is a good deal more interesting" genre, which I wouldn't say was particularly unique to Japan, going at least as far back as Dorothy Gale.
2)"Demonizer Zilch" is my new favorite character name.
3)"I don't know anything about this Doctor. He looks like a soccer hooligan. What's the story, Whovians? "
That is the Ninth Doctor as portrayed by Christopher Eccleston. Eccleston is kind of the "Forgotten Doctor", these days. He was the actor chosen to play the part when the series was revived in 2005, but he only stayed in the part for one year, and has been reluctant to be involved with the show since. Apparently, he had differences with the production team. He was approached to return for the 50th Anniversary episode (the show has a tradition of bringing back former Doctors for anniversary stories), but declined to take part, which led to John Hurt being cast as the War Doctor, a previously unknown incarnation. Show-runner Stephen Moffat has done his level best to make the Doctor's continuity as convoluted as Hawkman's. Give me less than the ghost of a chance, and I will cheerfully explain to you how it is that Peter Capaldi's Doctor can be either the Twelfth, Thirteenth or Fourteenth Doctor, depending on how you count it.
4)Yeah, calligraphy is considered an elite art form over in Japan.
5)Never was into the Power Rangers, myself. I saw a few episodes, thought it was dumb. My understanding is that the monster-fighting footage in the series comes from the Super Sentai shows, a new series of which has come out in Japan every year since 1975 I've never seen any of the original Japanese shows. It's entirely possible that they're kind of crappy, too, but I strongly suspect that the English-language localization team hasn't done them any favors.
KELLY GREEN COMPLETE COLLECTION (HC)
I got the first one of these back in the 1980s when it was being published by Dargaud, and was unaware there were any more. I'm guessing that, despite the reputations of Starr and Drake, I wasn't terribly motivated to search for more. Anybody else remember Kelly Green as anything more than an American Modesty Blaise?
At one point I had two of the books. I had preordered this collection from Amazon and received it earlier this month. She's not a Modesty Blaise because she isn't an agent for anyone and doesn't go around shooting people. These were early original graphic novels. They were originally in French but have been fully translated into English. The art is gorgeous and the stories are enjoyable.
I think it's an exploration of comics history and national history by way of a biography of a fictional cartoonist.
The GCD tells me WWII volume was Classic Illustrated Special Issue #166A, 1962. Classic Ilustrated Special Issue was a non-fiction series. The WWI volume is from the Joint European Series. This is a term for the set of issues that only appeared in Europe and maybe Britain. The writer credits in the solicitations to John Burns must be wrong. The new covers of the two volumes are by him.
Gilberton's early art was crude, but it employed some good artists later on. The republisher’s website is here and has two page samples of each issue. The art from the WWI volume is crude. That from the WWII volume is good and attributed in the solicitation (and tentatively by the GCD) to Angelo Torres. He drew stories for EC and was one of Mad's staples for decades. He's still alive.
And the North American publisher is Jack Lake Productions of Toronto, Canada:
http://www.jacklakeproductions.com/shop/
I have the first three of the Kelly Green graphic novels. As noted elsewhere, I didn't even know about the fourth and fifth ones until two years ago. But there is gorgeous art in the first three, so I expect the same in the other two.
I'd want to get the whole collection.
Richard Willis said:
The original volumes were in colour. Apparently the collection is B&W with a colour section. Wikipedia tells me the stories were first serialised in B&W in Pilote.
If anyone doesn't know, Stan Drake and Leonard Starr were American creators. They were both classy realistic artists. Drake was the original artist of The Heart of Juliet Jones and drew Blondie in the 80s/90s. Starr wrote and drew Mary Perkins On Stage and later Annie. Starr had worked in comic books, including for DC. The GCD has a few comic book credits for Drake but not as many.
ClarkKent_DC said:
Just noting that I did get the omnibus collection for Christmas a few years ago. It's in black-and-white, which is a bit of a knock against it; I know there are those who think comics look better without color, but I'm not one of them.
Still, it is beautifully rendered, and the stories are enjoyable
Now I want it.
I think that some comics look really flat with color, but others look fine either way. It depends on the artist.