The Gosh! Authority 17/07/08

Well hello there Goshfans! Tom’s off fighting crime in the French Rivera this week so you’ll have to make do with little old me again.

While the Big Two have a somewhat smaller one, Image takes the Gosh Company Crown this week. Two of Tom’s faves are shipping, with the final issue of Screamland (oh, how we’ll miss you) and the second issue of Joe Casey and Andy Suriano’s Charlatan Ball. We still have copies of the first issue, and it’s well worth picking up. The story follows Chuck Amok, a down on his luck stage magician who’s transported to a Kirbyfied(tm) world of magic and action, at the will of an evil sorcerer. Along with his trusty rabbit Caesar, he attempts to traverse this strange setting without getting killed by various mages out for his blood. At the end of the day, this is a fun read; like the bastard child of Chuck Jones and Jack Kirby. Suriano’s art is gorgeous, adding a more fluid line to the Kirby style.

Meanwhile, if you like your Kirbyfication(tm) from Casey, the latest issue of Godland also ships this week. As ever we implore you to go back and check out the trades if you haven’t read this fantastic series. Casey has recently let slip that his plans for Adam Archer are finite (though he’s not ruling out spin-offs), so get on board now, so that when it’s all over you can tell people you were in on this classic way back when!

Mark Millar fans should be pleased to hear that the third issue of Millar and Tommy Lee Edwards’ 1985 is out this week. I’ve really enjoyed this story so far, with Millar obviously trying to mirror the family films of the 1980s. Hating to use a journalistic cliché, it’s the Explorers meets Secret Wars by way of Monster Club. Edwards’ art (as ever) is stunning; I love to see him rendering the characters as I was first exposed to them. And of course Millar is somehow tying 1985, Fantastic Four, and Wolverine together, so the series bears some attention.

Marvel also reveal this week how Elektra was replaced with a Skrull, in Mighty Avengers. Here’s hoping they caught her in a dimly lit cinema, as she met a friend. Just desserts I’d say, as would Ben Ulrich. Secret Invasion also hits two of Marvel’s hidden gems, Incredible Hercules and X-Factor. These are a pair of Marvel’s best, and deserve more recognition. Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente and Peter David have taken characters I’ve never had much of an interest in before and created pockets of the Marvel Universe where they reign supreme. On the topic of characters I used to never care for (but now are handled exquisitely) Ghost Rider by Gosh favourite Jason Aaron also ships this week. His run is just plain entertaining, and with Tan Eng Huat (Silver Surfer: In Thy Name) it’s also a treat on the eyes. Marvel fans will also be happy to see both Captain America and Garth Ennis’ penultimate issue of Punisher this week. But I don’t need to remind you how good those two books are, do I?

DC’s week is especially slim, with their main attraction being Final Crisis: Rogue’s Revenge. The series sees the re-teaming of Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins, who Flash fans have missed since they left the title 3 years ago. I was a huge fan of that run and judging by Johns’ fantastic form of late, this promises to be a good ‘un. Be sure to check the preview out at Newsarama.

If you missed it last week, it might be worth picking up Final Crisis: Requiem. This shows the death and funeral of the Martian Manhunter in greater detail, and manages to eulogise the last Martian perfectly. His very sudden end is given depth and meaning and writer Peter J. Tomasi beautifully captures the loss the DC Universe has suffered. With Doug Mankhe (a person favourite of mine) on the art, it also looks stunning. Even if you didn’t know the character that well, it’s worth a look.

Vertigo brings us the next chapter of Jason Aaron’s crime saga Scalped. This issue, once again with the lush guest art of David Furnò, focuses on the tempestuous romance between Dash and Carol. According to the solicitation it also boasts a shocking revelation, so be sure to pick up what is becoming one of the best books on the racks! Also from Aaron is the second part of his Hellblazer story, looking back at the haunting legacy of Constantine’s punk rock days.

Dark Horse unleash the first issue of Conan the Cimmerian this Thursday. This relaunch begins a new cycle in the life of everyone’s favourite barbarian, transitioning from thief to mercenary as he journeys back home to the snowy mountains of Cimmeria. Dark Horse has done an incredible job revitalising Robert E. Howard's creation over the years, Tim Truman & Tomas Giorello seamlessly picking up the creative reigns from Kurt Busiek & Cary Nord. Not skipping a beat, this series looks to be just as good. This is an ideal opportunity for new readers to launch into Conan’s world, so pick it up BY CROM!


In the world of comics news, all is quiet before the storm that is San Diego Comic-Con.

The best news of the year comes from the Dark Horse, with the announcement of the first Mike Mignola drawn Hellboy one-shot since 2005. Hellboy: In the Chapel of Moloch sees HB investigating a sinister ancient chapel in Eastern Europe where an artist, compelled by something dark and twisted, has sequestered himself to complete his “life’s work.” We look forward to dark, broody, floor-collapsing fun in the autumn.

Meanwhile, the world of comic-book movies is far from quiet.

The biggest news is that Hellboy 2 has beat back the competition at the US box office in its opening weekend, pulling in an estimated $35.9M. With Del Toro’s huge popularity after Pan’s Labyrinth, and favourable reviews, look for good numbers when it hits the UK on August 22nd. Word is the door is being kept open for a Hellboy 3, even with Mr Del Toro heading to New Zealand (AKA The Greatest Country on Earth – Andrew) for 3 years to make a gaggle of Hobbit films.

It’s looking like Jon Favreau has signed on to helm Iron Man 2. Along with the fact that the Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow and Terrance Howard are all signed on as well, Shell-head’s return to the silver screen could be a blinder.

In slightly older movie news Robert (From Dusk to Til Dawn/Planet Terror) Rodriguez has signed to make a new Red Sonja movie, with Rose (Planet Terror) McGowan as the flame-haired she-devil with a sword . It’ll be a reboot (sorry Bridget) following her vengeance-filled origin story.

And of course, in 2 weeks time expect Bat-signals to blaze as The Dark Knight opens in UK cinemas on 25th July, to almost universal praise. Expect BIFF! BAM! POW! BATMAN GROWS UP! styled stories in a newspaper near you.

If it’s this weekend that you feel like a trip to the cinema, Wall-E gets my highest recommendation. It is an astoundingly beautiful film on every level, and sure to be loved by all ages. And if you don’t cry (or get very close) you have a cold, dark soul.

Who fancies a competition? This week, to celebrate the release of the latest trade paperback of Peter David’s critically-acclaimed series Fallen Angel, we have one copy of the first Premiere Hardcover Collection to give away. A deluxe, oversized collection of the first 13 issues with extra material which normally retails for £50, you ask? Yes, we reply, for free! Just answer the question below in the comments for this post.





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Enjoy your comics and hey, let’s be careful out there,
- Matt.