Click the full post link below for a tentative list of titles due to ship next week:
52 Aftermath The Four Horsemen TP
Abe Sapien The Drowning #4 (Of 5)
Action Comics Annual #11
All New Atom #23
Amazing Spider-Man #558
American Dream #1 (Of 5)
American Splendor Season Two #2 (Of 4)
Avengers Invaders #1 (Of 12)
Batman Death Mask #2 (Of 4)
Batman The Joker’s Last Laugh TP
Battlestar Galactica Origins #5
Best Of Draw Magazine Vol 3 TP
Boys #18
Buffy The Vampire Slayer #14
Cable #3
Checkmate Vol 3 The Fall Of The Wall TP
Conan #50
Countdown To Mystery #7 (Of 8)
Crossing Midnight #18
Dark Tower Long Road Home #3 (Of 5)
DC Special Raven #3 (Of 5)
DC Universe Special Justice League Of America
Dead Space #3 (Of 6)
Death Grub (One Shot)
Detective Comics #844
Dragonlance Chronicles Vol 3 #11 (Of 12)
Exterminators #29
Exterminators Vol 4 Crossfire Collateral TP
Fantastic Four TP New Fantastic Four
Foolkiller #5 (Of 5)
Forgotten Realms The Legacy #2 (Of 3)
Franklin Richards Not So Secret Invasion
Gemini #1 (Of 5)
Godland #23
Green Lantern No Fear TP
Halloween Nightdance #4
History Of Violence TP
House Of Mystery #1
World War Hulk TP
Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull TP
Infinity Inc #9
Invincible Iron Man #1
Iron Man Enter The Mandarin TP
Iron Man Viva Las Vegas #1 (Of 4)
Iron Man War Machine TP
Jack Of Fables Vol 2 Jack Of Hearts TP
Jack Staff #16
JLA Presents Aztek The Ultimate Man TP
Jonah Hex #31
Justice League Unlimited #45
Logan #3 (Of 3)
Lords Of Avalon Sod #4 (Of 6)
Lucha Libre #4
Madman Atomic Comics #8
Maintenance #10
Man With No Name #1
Marvel Adventures Spider-Man #39
Marvel Two-In-One #11
Metal Men #8 (Of 8)
Midnighter #19
Mighty Avengers #13 Secret Invasion
Moon Knight #18
My Inner Bimbo #4 (Of 5)
Nearly Complete Essential Hembeck Archives Omnibus
New Avengers Illuminati TP
New Dynamix #3 (Of 5)
Nightwing #144
Nova #13
Omega Unknown #8 (Of 10)
Pals n’ Gals Double Digest #121
Pretty Baby Machine #1 (Of 3)
Punisher War Journal #19
Question Vol 2 Poisoned Ground TP
Rann Thanagar Holy War #1 (Of 8)
Rex Libris #11
Savage Tales #7
Scud The Disposable Assassin #24
Secret Invasion #2 (Of 8)
Shark-Man #3
Side Scrollers GN
Spooks #4
Star Wars Legacy #23
Steve Niles Strange Cases #4
Suburban Glamour Vol 1 TP
Supergirl #29
Texas Chainsaw Massacre Raising Cain #1
Thunderbolts Reason In Madness
Tor #1 (Of 6)
True Story Swear To God Image Ed #11
Uncle Scrooge #3750
Vertigo First Cut TP
Vinyl Underground #8
Walking Dead #49
Walking Dead Special Ed #1
Walt Disney’s Comics & Stories #690
War That Time Forgot #1 (Of 12)
Wasteland #17
Welcome To Tranquility Vol 2 TP
X-Factor Quick And Dead
Young X-Men #2
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Due to Arrive 09/05/08
The Gosh! Authority 01/05/08 - Telltale Games Edition!
Hello all! This week’s quite the oddball in terms of new releases, but don’t fret, there’s plenty of industry mainstays to pad out the pile! However, pride of place goes to Elephantmen War Toys #3. Yes, it’s the final issue in the series, but I’ve just been enjoying it so much that it deserves this last shot at being spotlighted. In its previous two incarnations, Hip Flask and Elephantmen, the series shied away from showing the European war that led to its dystopian setting, only rarely making reference to the events therein. Here, creator Richard Starkings and artist Moritat bring it to life in vivid, gory detail, bringing about some of the series’ greatest thrills to date.
DC’s two biggest releases this week are Action Comics #864 and DC Universe Zero. The former of these is a one-shot by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank, following on from their excellent Legion of Super-Heroes arc. Gary Frank’s art has been a perfect match for DC’s flagship title, displaying a clear understanding of action-packed storytelling, and with evident care being taken over the design of the characters and their world. If the writing maintains the high standard established in the previous arc, this should be an issue well worth reading!
DC Universe Zero, on the other hand, is the one-stop shop for all your DC continuity needs! Aiming to catch out-of-the-loop readers up on twenty-odd years of DC history, this 30p wonder should tell you everything you need to know going into the upcoming Final Crisis. Written by Grant Morrison and Geoff Johns and with art supplied by a host of fan favourites including George Pérez, JG Jones and Carlos Pacheco, this is 30p you can probably afford to spend. Particularly if, like me, you missed out on the entirety of Countdown!
Marvel’s week is less robust, however they do bring us perennial favourite Immortal Iron Fist and two new Thor releases! The first is the most significant, being the first release in hardcover of J Michael Straczynski and Olivier Coipel’s new title. This series has been consistently excellent so far, and if you haven’t picked it up at all yet, do! It’s a real back-to-basics approach to the character, but one with more depth than you’d expect, written with a real flair and an endearing sense of humour. This is all to say nothing of Coipel’s absolutely gorgeous artwork, backed up with some outstanding work by gifted colourist Laura Martin, whose rendering and colour scheme has really helped cement the series’ rich visual quality.
It’s this quality which is mimicked to good effect in the mythologically-charged Thor: Ages Of Thunder, the week’s other showcase for the Odinson. This is the first in a series of one-shots written by Casanova creator and Immortal Iron Fist co-writer Matt Fraction. The series plans to flesh out Marvel’s thunder god character by resetting the character’s history against traditional myth. It’s a nicely done romp and full of dangerous liaisons, royal rivalries and frost giants, and a nice diversion in the wait for the next issue of the regular series.
If those picks weren’t enough, there’s an almost ridiculous number of tempting trades on offer this week as well! We’ve got The Definitive Queen & Country Vol 2! We’ve got Mike Allred’s edition of Modern Masters! We’ve got BPRD Vol 8: Killing Ground, Tales Of The Fear Agent and X-Men: Messiah Complex in hardcover. However, you know all about those already. I’m here to talk to you today about Princess at Midnight. No, wait, come back! Regular readers of this column will know that we here at Gosh were great advocates of Andi Watson’s most recent series, Glister, and for all intents and purposes, this is its spiritual precursor, reprinted for the first time and expanded in a new edition, all for just £4. The plot revolves around a young girl who spends her days languishing in home-schooling boredom, and spends her nights as the warlord princess of Castle Waxing, leading her people against the Horrible Horde. Sounds cool, right? Well, a certain kind of cool, anyway.
We’ve also recently received the fourth volume of Hank Ketcham’s Complete Dennis the Menace collections, along with the second box set, of volumes three and four. Don’t be mistaken, this isn’t the hero of the Beano, this is the serendipitously synchronous scallywag spawned in America, and there’s some pretty incredible stuff in there. While the gags are firmly in the ‘inoffensive’ category, the artwork communicates clarity of line and ease of brushwork that’s still impressive today, and needs to be seen to be believed.
The news comes in dribs and drabs this week, starting with word that Hellboy and Pan’s Labyrinth director Guillermo Del Toro is going to be helming the long-delayed Hobbit film. Or rather, films. The film’s going to come out in two segments, both directed by Del Toro and executive produced (whatever that means) by Lord of the Rings maestro Peter Jackson.
If you thought to yourself ‘that was quite nerdy, that news there’, then hold onto your pocket protector for this one, as DC has revealed that – ahem – fan favourite character Power Girl is soon to be starring in her own series debuting later this year. It’s going to be written by Jimmy Palmiotti and drawn by Amanda Conner, meaning that not only will it look nice, but it’ll have a female creator’s name on it. This, of course, will totally absolve it of any offences it might potentially be seen to be committing.
Now for a corner of the news roundup that I myself am very excited about: Aaron-watch! Scalped creator Jason Aaron is a hurricane of comics writing, and he’s proving it once again with his recently announced two-issue stint on Hellblazer. The two issues, #245 and #246 will both have art provided by Sean Murphy, and will revolve around Constantine’s time in Newcastle as frontman of punk band Mucous Membrane. Aaron’s other new upcoming run is writing issues #39-41 of Black Panther, a gig apparently garnered from his work on Vertigo series The Other Side. What’s the connection? Well, these issues are the Black Panther Secret Invasion tie-ins, and they will apparently take the form of a land war between Black Panther’s subjects and the invading Skrull forces. The fur’s going to fly, starting in July.
But Tom, you ask, what was with that teasing Sam and Max image you posted yesterday that everybody noticed? Well, it was all a ruse, a cunning ruse to build excitement for today’s great big Telltale Games giveaway! We’ve got download codes for the brand new season of Sam and Max computer games courtesy of our very generous friends at Telltale Games. These games are chock full of fun, gags and personality, and carry on the proud tradition of Purcellian humour established in the series. But enough of the hard sell, you all want to know how you can win this phenomenal prize! All you have to do is answer the following question:
Who was singled out, both in the first comic book issue and the animated series, as the Freelance Police’s greatest enemy? Clue: he was described by Max as ‘warm and squishy’.
If you think you know the correct answer, just comment on this post on our blog. If you can’t sign in to a personal account, you can comment anonymously – but don’t forget to leave your name in the comment itself! We’ve got one grand prize of the complete second season of games and three runner-up prizes of the first episode, Ice Station Santa. Please note that the judge’s decision is final. Good luck!
And finally, just a reminder that due to next week’s sure-to-shine bank holiday Monday, the next delivery will arrive a day late, on Friday, May 9th.
- Tom
In Store 01/05/08
Click the full post link below for a list of items in-store this week:
Betty & Veronica Double Digest #160
2000 AD #1584
Judge Dredd Megazine #271
Abyss #4 (Of 4)
Adventures Of Tymm Alien Circus #1
Alter Ego #77
Avengers Initiative #12
New Avengers #40 Secret Invasion
Giant Size Avengers Invaders #1
Back Issue #28
New Battlestar Galactica Season Zero #7
Beau Smith’s No Guts No Glory TP
Black Panther Little Green Men TP
Blazin’ Brandy #4
Blue Beetle #26
BPRD Vol 08 Killing Ground TP
Buddha Story Of Enlightenment #2
Buffy The Vampire Slayer Omnibus Vol 4 TP
Showcase Challengers Of The Unknown Vol 2 TP
Crawl Space XXXombies #4
Daredevil Blood Of The Tarantula
DC Universe Zero
Devi #19
Complete Dick Tracy Vol 4 HC
Dondi Vol 2 TP
Dr Who Magazine #395
Elephantmen War Toys #3
Ex Machina #36
Facts In The Case Of The Departure Of Miss Finch HC (Neil Gaiman)
Fantastic Four Beginning Of The End TP
Tales Of The Fear Agent TP
Frank Frazetta’s Death Dealer Deluxe HC
Testament Life & Art Of Frank Frazetta TP
Friday The 13th Abuser And The Abused #1
Gargoyles Bad Guys #2
Green Lama Man Of Strength #1
Complete Green Lama HC
Green Lantern #30
Grunts TP
Hot Shot & Mighty Girl GN (Van Lente)
Hunter #2
I Was Kidnapped By Lesbian Pirates Outer Space #1
Immortal Iron Fist #14
Injury Comics #2
Marvel Adventures Iron Man #12
Jack Kirby's New Gods Figures
Jack Of Fables #22
JSA Classified #37
Juxtapoz Vol 15 #5 May 2008
Kabuki Reflections #10
Kirby Five-Oh 50 Years Of King Of Comics TP
Klassic Komics Klub HC (Johnny Ryan)
Legion Of Super Heroes #41
Leonard Starr’s Mary Perkins On Stage Vol 4 TP
Marvel Comics Presents #8
Marvel Illustrated Moby Dick #3
Modern Masters Vol 16 Mike Allred SC
Mystery In Space Vol 2 TP
New Warriors #11
Noble Causes #33
Official Handbook Marvel Universe A To Z Vol 1 HC
Order #10
Princess At Midnight GN (Andi Watson)
Proof #7
Punisher Circle Of Blood HC
Queen & Country Definitive Edition Vol 2 TP
Ramayan Reloaded Guidebook
Snakewoman Curse Of The 68 #3 (Of 4)
Star Wars Rebellion #13
Action Comics #864 (G. Frank)
Superman Batman Vol 06 Torment HC
Supernatural Origins TP
Tall Tales Of Vishnu Sharma #4
Teen Titans #58
Teen Titans Go #54
Teen Titans Year One #4 (Of 6)
Thor Ages Of Thunder (Fraction)
Thor Vol 1 HC (Straczynski/Coipel)
Thoreau At Walden HC
Torchwood Mag #4 (Paul Grist)
Ultimate Human #4 (Of 4)
Uncle Sam And The Freedom Fighters #8
Urban Monsters #3
Usagi Yojimbo #111
Wildguard Insider #1 (Of 3)
Witchblade Devi #1
Wonderland #6
X-Men Legacy #210
X-Men Messiah Complex HC
Youngblood #3
MANGA
Dororo Vol 1 GN (Tezuka)
Gon Vol 4 GN
Hikaru No Go Vol 12 GN
Love.Com Vol 6 GN
Nana Vol 10 GN
Piq Magazine May 2008
Prince Of Tennis Vol 25 GN
Witchblade Manga Vol 1 TP
Hellboy Darkness Calls Bookplate Update
If you look to the left, you'll notice the ink-washed 150th Hellboy: Darkness Calls bookplate from our limited run of 200, and hasn't it turned out beautifully? How can you obtain your very own copy of this marvel, you ask? Only through Gosh!
We'll be offering our limited bookplate edition of Darkness Calls featuring new Fegredo art and signed by both Duncan Fegredo and Mike Mignola at no extra cost, for the regular price of £12.99, from its release date in the second week of May. We'll even ship copies out in the post internationally, at a rate of £2.50 within the UK, £4.00 within Europe and £6.50 to the United States! Simply email us at info@goshlondon.com or phone us on 020 7636 1011 to place an order. We can take payment directly over the phone, or via Paypal at pay@goshlondon.com. Get your orders in quick!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Due to Arrive 01/05/08
Click the full post link below for a tentative list of titles due to ship next week:
Action Comics #864
Archie #584
Archie Double Digest #188
Avengers Initiative #12
Best Of Draw Magazine Vol 3 TP
Black Panther TP Little Green Men
Blue Beetle #26
Buddha Story Of Enlightenment #2
Countdown To Final Crisis Vol 1 TP
Crawl Space XXXombies #4
Daredevil Blood Of The Tarantula
DC Universe Zero
Devi #19
Elephantmen War Toys #3 (Of 3)
Ex Machina #36
Exterminators Vol 4 Crossfire And Collateral TP
Fantastic Four Beginning Of The End TP
Forgotten Realms The Legacy #2 (Of 3)
Gargoyles Bad Guys #2
Giant Size Avengers Invaders #1
Glamourpuss #1 Fashion Ed
Green Lantern #30
Green Lantern Corps The Dark Side Of Green TP
Grimm Fairy Tales Piper #2 (Of 4)
Grunts TP
Immortal Iron Fist #14
Jack Of Fables #22
JLA Presents Aztek The Ultimate Man TP
JSA Classified #37
Kabuki Reflections #10
Legion Of Super Heroes #41
Local #11 (Of 12)
Marvel Adventures Iron Man #12
Marvel Comics Presents #8
Marvel Illustrated Moby Dick #3 (Of 6)
My Inner Bimbo #4 (Of 5)
Mystery In Space Vol 2 TP
New Avengers #40 Secret Invasion
New Battlestar Galactica Season Zero #7
New Warriors #11
Noble Causes #33
Order #10
Proof #7
Question Vol 2 Poisoned Ground TP
Rex Libris #11
Showcase Challengers Of The Unknown Vol 2 TP
Snakewoman Curse Of The 68 #3 (Of 4)
Star Wars Rebellion #13 Small Victories Part 3 (Of 4)
Tales From Riverdale Digest #28
Tall Tales Of Vishnu Sharma #4 (Of 5)
Teen Titans #58
Teen Titans Go #54
Teen Titans Year One #4 (Of 6)
Thor Ages Of Thunder
Ultimate Human #4 (Of 4)
Ultimate X-Men #93
Uncle Sam And The Freedom Fighters #8 (Of 8)
Urban Monsters #3
Usagi Yojimbo #111
Witchblade Devi #1
Wonderland #6
X-Men Legacy #210 Divided We Stand
Youngblood #3
The Gosh! Authority 24/04/08
Hello and welcome to a week of long-awaited releases and secret gems! Yet again, the new releases are a little thin on the ground, but as ever, there’s something new and exciting if you just look for it.
This week’s top billing goes to an original graphic novel coming at you straight from Random House. Ha! And they say this blog’s too mainstream. But seriously, folks, this isn’t just some ineffectual grab at indie credibility. Brighton-based writer/illustrator Hannah Berry’s debut graphic novel, Britten and Brulightly, sounds like just the kind of noir-tinged murder mystery to draw in fans of crime comics like Criminal, Gotham Central, Daredevil and just about anything else Ed Brubaker has put out in the last ten years.
The plot deals with Fernandéz Britten, a suicidally guilt-ridden private investigator with an ‘unconventional’ business partner who sets out to discover the truth behind a suspicious suicide. Sounds delightfully bittersweet to me! Give it a look and support a burgeoning British talent today! And if you enjoy it, consider popping along to a talk with the creator at the Redbridge Literary Festival on April 29th! (More information available here: http://www.paulgravett.com/events/events.htm )
If that all sounds far too cerebral, then Doctor Gosh prescribes 10ccs of Hulk Vs Hercules: When Titans Collide! - a comic whose title cannot be spelt without an exclamation point on the end. Oh, sure, when I saw this advertised I was all ready to dismiss it as cheap cash-in nonsense, but my cynicism was assayed immediately by the mere presence of the names Pak and Van Lente. Greg Pak’s new Incrediverse has brought us some outstanding titles and events, and Incredible Hercules, co-written with Action Philosophers’ Fred Van Lente, is one of the most entertaining comics being published today. Not convinced? Then grab this one-shot and mull it over as you revel in some prime smashing action.
If that doesn’t Make Yours Marvel, then go instead for Thor #8, the second and final part of cover artist star Marko Djurdevic’s plot arc. Last issue saw Thor communing with his father Odin by trapping himself in the land between life and death, which is cool, as I’m sure you’re aware. This issue brings him haring back home to defend his reconstituted Asgard from a threat on this mortal plane. This title goes from strength to strength, and really shows that Straczynski can still pull an excellent story out of his hat when he wants to.
A big event for silver age fans this week will be Mark Evanier’s encyclopaedic Kirby: King of Comics hardcover. The book looks utterly gorgeous from the preview materials we’ve received, and, being from former Kirby assistant Evanier, should provide new insight into the oeuvre of this eternal (do you see what I did there) comics legend, packed full of artwork from the vaults.
If you can find room in your buy pile, or you’ve got a kid struggling with Shakespeare in English lessons, spare a thought for this week’s brand new No Fear Shakespeare line. No, really. Not only does it have a catchy name, it also boasts a creative team far more impressive than you might expect, particularly in Hamlet, which is adapted by Flight veteran Neil Babra. Babra’s work displays a keen eye for layout and visual storytelling, as well as being oh-so purdy. If you’ve ever thought ‘Hell, I’d read a Shakespeare comic if Craig Thompson adapted it’, give this one a go. You won’t regret it!
There’s a huge crop of news the wake of the New York Comic Con last weekend, so I’ll just whiz through the highlights quickly. First, though, the skinny on some free comics from way back! Kiwi animator Rod Fransham is uploading, for absolutely nothing, his ten-year-old comics project Poke – the story of a pilot pig making his way in the modern world. The first issue is up and ready to read, and if it gets enough attention, the rest will soon follow! Click here now: http://goodonfranshamanyway.blogspot.com/
Closer to home, though, rising star and author of Laika, Nick Abadzis, is currently featured in the Guardian Family section’s Comic! His new series is called Cora’s Breakfast and will run for five more Saturdays. If you missed the first installment, not to worry! It’s online and available for the next week here: http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/family/comic/0,,2197542,00.html
But now, to NYCC! The Vertigo panel yielded some intriguing tidbits such as the news that Cliff Chiang is to produce a miniseries inspired by Neil Young’s album Greendale. Yep. Also covered was the upcoming graphic novel from cartoonist Dean Haspiel (best known for his work with Harvey Pekar) and prose novelist Jonathan Ames. The two talked about their creative collaboration and how writing for comics differs from writing for novels. Haspiel closed by saying that Ames was a natural, and that he hoped he would produce more comics in the future. And if you’ve been waiting for a nice fancy hardcover edition of Y The Last Man, your wait may soon be over…
Dark Horse announced two particularly left-field and exciting projects, both miniseries coming in the summer. The first is Hellboy: Crooked Man. This isn’t the direct sequel to Darkness Calls, no sir, this is a special flashback story set in the heartland of America in 1956, shot through with Appalachian folklore. Though intended to release at the same time as Hellboy 2: The Golden Army, this is very much a project unto itself. Richard Corben provides the art for these three issues, so this will be an excursion you won’t want to miss! If you feel like comics just don’t have enough big robots in them anymore, you’ll be pleased to hear about Dark Horse’s second announcement: Gigantic, brought to you by Rick Remender and Eric Nguyen. Remender said he was gunning for an art-intensive, B-movie epic vibe, and we can but hope that’ll be what we get!
And finally, for the real geeks in the audience (myself very much included), good news! Boom Studios are proud to announce that they’ve landed the license to produce comics based on the cancelled intercontinental Jim Henson space opera Farscape. The even better news is that the series is releasing to coincide with a series of online webisodes being produced for the Sci-Fi Channel. All potential nerdy references to the euphemistic term ‘frell’ have been self-rejected from this column.
And now for the competition! To celebrate the release of the King Of Comics hardcover, we’re giving away three copies of last year’s Complete Devil Dinosaur Omnibus hardcover! To win, all you have to do is answer the following question:
When Eric Powell, creator of The Goon, brought back Devil Dinosaur as part of 2005’s Marvel Monsters line, which popular present-day Marvel character was he pitted against?
If you think you know the correct answer, just comment on this post on our blog. If you can’t sign in to a personal account, you can comment anonymously – but don’t forget to leave your name in the comment itself! The first three people to comment with the correct answer win a copy of the book. Please note that the judge’s decision is final and that it is the responsibility of prize winners to arrange collection of the prize within a period of 14 days, after which any non-collected prizes will be offered to the runner-up.
And after that epic of an article, I can only wish you a happy week, and happy reading!
- Tom
In Store 18/04/08 - 24/04/08
Click the full post link below for a list of items in-store this week:
2000 AD #1583
Archie Digest #243
Army Of Darkness Xena Why Not #2
Secret History The Authority Hawksmoor #2
Young Avengers Presents #4 (Of 6)
Awkward & Definition GN
Batman #675 (Morrison)
Batman Chronicles Vol 5 TP
Best Of Write Now Vol 1 TP
Birds Of Prey #117
Britten And Brulightly GN
Checkmate #25
Classics Illustrated Deluxe Vol 2 TP & HC
Complete Terry And The Pirates Vol 3 HC
Conan Legacy Frazetta Covers #2 (Of 8)
Countdown To Final Crisis 1
Daredevil Hell To Pay Vol 2 TP
Darkness Vs Eva #2 (Of 4)
Dead @ 17 Compendium Ed TP
Death Of The New Gods #8 (Of 8)
Dragonlance Chronicles Vol 3 #10
Dynamo 5 #12
Fables #72
Fall Of Cthulhu #11
Fallen Angel IDW #26
Ultimate Fantastic Four #53
Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four #35
Godland #22 (J Casey/Scioli)
Hack Slash Series #11
Hulk #3 (Loeb/McGuinness)
Hulk Vs Hercules When Titans Collide (Greg Pak/F. Van Lente)
India Authentic #12 Andhaka
Jonah Hex Only The Good Die Young TP
JSA Vol 2 Thy Kingdom Come Part 1 HC
Justice League Of America #20 (Van Sciver)
Kirby: King Of Comics HC
Living With The Dead TP
Lucky Luke Vol 10 Tortillas For The Daltons TP
Macbeth Original Text/Quick Text GN
Marvel Illustrated Picture Of Dorian Gray #5
Metronome HC
Mice Templar #4 (Mike Avon Oeming)
Ms Marvel #26 Secret Invasion
Neozoic #4
No Fear Shakespeare:
Hamlet (Neil Babra)
Macbeth
Romeo & Juliet
Northlanders #5 (Brian Wood)
Nude Magazine #13
Number Of The Beast #2 (Of 6) (Beatty/Sprouse)
Papyrus Vol 2 Imhotep’s Transformation
Power Pack Day One #2 (Of 4)
Previews Vol XVIII #5
Return Of The Gremlins #2 (Of 3)
Rough Stuff #8
Sadhu Wheel Of Destiny #1 (Of 5)
Shadowpact #24
Sheena Trail Of The Mapinguari One-Shot
She-Hulk 2 #28
Bart Simpson Comics #41
Simpsons Classics #16
Space Doubles #3
Spawn #177
Spawn Godslayer #8
Speed Racer Chronicles Of The Racer TP
Ultimate Spider-Man #121
Spirit #16
Star Trek Next Generation Intelligence Gathering #4
Star Trek New Frontier #2
Star Wars Dark Times #10
Star Wars Knights Of The Old Republic #27
Star Wars Legacy #22
Super Friends #2
Superman Batman #47
Supernatural Rising Son #1 (Of 6)
Team Zero TP (Doug Mahnke)
Thor #8 (Djurdevic)
Transformers Adventures Vol 1 GN UK
Transformers Spotlight Grimlock
Warhammer 40k Blood & Thunder TP
Witchblade #117
Wonderlost #2
Wormwood Calamari Rising #4
Deadpool Classic TP Vol 1
Deadpool Vs Marvel Universe TP
New Exiles #5
Wolverine First Class #2
X-Force #3 Divided We Stand
Uncanny X-Men #497 Divided We Stand
X-Men First Class Vol 2 #11
X-Men TP Emperor Vulcan
X-O Manowar Birth HC
Sunny Days Indoors 23/04/08
It's with great pleasure we here at Gosh introduce our first regular guest columnist! Long time Gosh folks may recognise him as an old staff member: a hirsute pusher of quality graphic fiction. He's never afraid to speak his opinion, and he's generally got something interesting to say, so it's with great pleasure we present the occasional musings of the man they call (in a professional capacity) Mr Will Shyne!
(All opinions expressed are those of Mr Shyne, etc, etc...)
Now where to begin...?
All Star Superman is great. It's not controversial to say so. However, it's getting better. Frank Quitely made the choice towards the end of his X-Men issues to ditch inkers as he felt no-one managed to make it look how he wanted. It's taken a while (i.e. all of WE3 and the previous nine issues of All Star Supes) but this is the first issue I didn't read wincing at bits that I wish he'd inked or had someone else ink.
The storytelling, grace, detail and sense of scale that he's always had hasn't gone anywhere and Morrison is stripping the sory back to the absolute minimum of text, making the book so rewarding on a reread. Highlights of this issue are a great Lex Luthor moment, the innovative illustration of Superman's X-Ray vision (above) and Superman creating a mini universe to see what would have happened if he'd never 'come' to Earth (below).
Continuing with Superman, Action Comics #863 finished up the Superman and the Legion of Superheroes arc. Difficult to to remove any image to show without damaging the resolution of the story. No beat is wasted by Geoff Johns, and Gary Frank's art - as repeatedly mentioned before - is great. I was left wanting more and I'll get more. In the future though, when James Robinson starts on Superman, Action and Superman will run closely together, often crossing over. This pisses me off a little as I like James Robinson but I'm really not sure about the regular artist on the book (Renato Guedes). It's really souless and I'd already stopped getting the Busiek Superman because of it. We'll see.
More Superman (what the f*ck's going on). Well, Darwyn Cooke and the Justice League New Frontier Special anyway, which came out about a month ago. Cooke's written the whole thing and drew half of it, a missing scene from his mega mini New Frontier. A conflict aluded to only briefly in the series is elaborated on, Batman Versus Superman. The whole thing is told on three panels per page and feels a little like storyboards. Everything is set up perfectly. Batman stages the fight in a junk yard so the lead will screw up Superman's x-ray vision and then doesn't stop hammering at him. Interesting, too, are mentions of Batman stuff that retroactively foreshadow the Dark Knight Returns; interesting because Cooke was very outspoken about Miller's Dark Knight Strikes Again. However as much as New Frontier was very settled in time because of Cooke's research and structuring of the series within the "real" events of the DC silver age, these nods to Dark Knight, for me, secure it as part of DCs future.
The back ups in the book are good too. The director of the DC:NF cartoon, Dave Bullock does a great Robin and Kid Flash story and Darwyn Cooke's frequent collaborator Jay Bone does a fun Wonder Woman/Black Canary strip. Oh and DAVE STEWART colors it all.
Which reminds me...the Eisner nominees were announced last week, reminding me how out of touch I am for the for the most part, but Richard Isanove nominated for best colourist!? Awards are always controversial, but bloody hell...my finger's really not on the pulse.
Moving on, Loveless is one of the series I pick up just for the art when it's drawn by Daniel Zezelj. The latest one, a stand alone story, makes me question my judgement. While the art is superb and the colours a perfect fit, the story is incredible. Really great. X amount of years after the main story takes place, a couple of gangsters turn up to hide at a farm house and lie low. They're pretty callous to the old man who lives there, who tells 'em a story of when he was a kid, racing horses in a touring racing team. The reveal at the end isn't necessary (though I still shan't spoil it) but if you've read 100 Bullets, this is similar to the Kennedy issue. Pick it up, if only when Zezelj is drawing it. Great stuff!
Along with Loveless, from Gosh I received issue one of Suitcase Nuke. The comic's funny, very well drawn with creative layouts and story telling. I don't, however, know what Wang Chung is. Regardless the comic was a really pleasant surprise (I've met him) and I recommend checking out his stuff at http://crowleeey.blogspot.com. The book also inspired me to flex my Polish movie poster muscle for the first time in ages, the result of which you can see at the bottom of this post.
Also funny: Zeb Wells and Bachalo finished their three part Spidey story this week in Amazing #557. This is very much the kind of story which once would've been given a mini or have been relegated to Tangled Web (a place for good solid Spidey stories which didn't fit into the convoluted continuity).
However, thanks to a load of convoluted continuity, there's now a new unconvoluted continuity so that while some stuff might go over your head, you can enjoy what you're reading. As my mate Anthony pointed out: if Spidey was this good every month, we wouldn't miss it. Chris Bachalo's seemingly involved in the colouring of the book, from what I understand, directing the colourist so that it looks like he coloured it himself. It looks great, though yet again Tim Townsend ducks out just before the end of the three issues and while Bachalo's pretty hard to overpower/ruin, the art suffers a little for it.
Couple of last mentions of things I can't scan cause it'll f*ck the books up.
The new recoloured Killing Joke has a healthy price tag but is really gorgeous. I had the book in black and white, which I love, but would never have imagined anyone else colouring it other than the very lively John Higgins. I had a happy moment at Alan Moore's signing at Gosh! when he agreed that the Batman Annual story he did with George Freeman (love letter coming soon) was a better Batman story than Killing Joke. It's questionable of course whether its supposed to be a Batman story at all.
Picked up the Mad Archives Volume 2 a few weeks back and though I'm dipping in and out (as I feel I have to with really old comics), it's plain gorgeous. Not much to add really, just don't assume it's the weakest link in the EC stable until you've looked at what Wally Wood's capable of with Kurtzman.
Lastly, a friend bought me a book (in the form of giving me the money for me to pick it up). I chose the collection of Michael (Heroes) Green and Denis Cowan's Batman Confidential arc. I'll give it the full review next time but so far, really liking it.
- Will Shyne.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Due to Arrive 24/04/08
Click the full post link below for a tentative list of titles due to ship next week:
Army Of Darkness Xena Why Not #2 (Of 4)
Bart Simpson Comics #41
Batman #675
Batman Chronicles TP Vol 05
Betty & Veronica Double Digest #160
Birds Of Prey #117
Checkmate #25
Conan Legacy Frazetta Covers #2 (Of 8) God In The Bowl
Countdown To Final Crisis 1
Darkness Vs Eva #2 (Of 4)
Deadpool Classic TP Vol 1
Deadpool Vs Marvel Universe TP
Death Of The New Gods #8 (Of 8)
Dynamo 5 #12
Dynamo 5 Annual #1
Fables #72
Gargoyles Bad Guys #2
Godland #22
Green Arrow Road To Jericho TP
Green Lantern Corps The Dark Side Of Green TP
Hack Slash Series #11
Hulk #3
Hulk Vs Hercules When Titans Collide
Jonah Hex TP Vol 04 Only The Good Die Young
Justice League Of America #20
Kirby Five Oh 50 Years Of King Of Comics TP
Local #11 (Of 12)
Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four #35
Marvel Illustrated Picture Dorian Gray #5 (Of 6)
Marvel Previews May 2008
Mice Templar #4
Mighty Avengers #12 SI
Modern Masters Sc Vol 16 Mike Allred
Ms Marvel #26 SII
Mystery In Space TP Vol 02
New Exiles #5
Northlanders #5
Number Of The Beast #2 (Of 6)
Power Pack Day One #2 (Of 4)
Previews Vol XVIII #5
Queen & Country Definitive Edition TP Vol 02
Return O/T Gremlins #2 (Of 3)
Rough Stuff #8
Secret History The Authority Hawksmoor #2 (Of 6)
Shadowpact #24
Sheena Trail O/T Mapinguari Stone One Shot
She-Hulk 2 #28
Showcase Challengers Of The Unknown TP Vol 02
Simpsons Classics #16
Spawn #177
Spawn Godslayer #8
Spirit #16
Star Wars Dark Times #10
Star Wars Knights Of Old Republic #27 Vector Part 3
Star Wars Legacy #22
Super Friends #2
Superman Batman #47
Superman Batman HC Vol 06 Torment
Supernatural Origins TP
Supernatural Rising Son #1 (Of 6)
Thor #8
Ultimate Fantastic Four #53
Ultimate Spider-Man #121
Uncanny X-Men #497 DWS
Usagi Yojimbo #111
Vengeance Of Vampirella TP
Witchblade #117
Witchblade Devi #1
Wolverine First Class #2
X-Force #3
X-Men First Class Vol 2 #11
X-Men TP Emperor Vulcan
Young Avengers Presents #4 (Of 6)
The Gosh! Authority 17/04/08
Hello and welcome to the week in comics! And it’s... well, another slow one for new issues. But this is truly a week to expand your field of reading with some exciting new trade collections! Excited? You will be, after this week’s episode of The Gosh Authority!
For my money, the most significant release of the week is the Howard the Duck: Media Duckling paperback. No, really. This series is one of the funniest in recent memory, scripted by the all-too-rarely-used Ty Templeton and drawn by the perennially excellent Juan Bobillo. You might remember Bobillo from the early issues of Dan Slott’s She-Hulk, which are now of course preserved in marble inscription on the library tablets of paradise. So to speak. But back to Howard the Duck. It’s a wonderful series, brilliantly topical and relevant without being obnoxious with it, and, naturally, beautiful to look at. If you ever doubted the potential of a Howard the Duck series not written by Steve Gerber, calm your fears and treat yourself –this is an excellent example of how Gerber’s characters can find vivid life even in the hands of other writers.
Fear not, however, as slim as the single pickings are, there’s still the odd treat here and there. For example, there’s the latest in Aragonés and Evanier’s wild West hang-‘em-up, Bat Lash #5. This week, the still not-yet-hanged Bat Lash teams up with Comanche buddy Two-Moons and his fellow warriors to chase down his lady love’s father and show him the error of his ways before he sends her away for good! Thrilling stuff, I’m sure you’ll agree, and all rendered in the lush old-timey inks of John Severin. It’s been an eminently likeable series so far, rich and flush with the adventure sensibility of old, so follow these creators back to the prairie – where men got drunk and women got kidnapped by rustlers most weeks. Yee-haw!
DC also releases two of this week’s collections-to-collect, both featuring the art of angular Scotsman Jock! On the hardcover front is Green Arrow Year One, written by boisterous Brit Andy Diggle. Despite a somewhat cheesy ending, this is a raucously enjoyable, Rambo-channelling story of jungle survival and guerrilla warfare featuring rich boy Oliver Queen and his impromptu longbow made out of car parts. A much-needed reintroduction to the character that hinted at a more serious take on the character in the vein of Denny O’Neill and Neal Adams’ run in the 70s. But instead they went for the rip-roaring insanity of Green Arrow / Black Canary. Ah well.
The second Jock trade is the paperback collection of Mike Carey’s Vertigo mini Faker. On the one hand, it’s a wittily-scripted, nicely-drawn psychological thriller with some mild paranormal undertones, but on the other hand it reminds me slightly of the TV show Skins, so I’m torn. Seriously, though, folks – my pop-culture baggage aside – if you’ve been looking for a quick jolt in the Vertigo vein, grab this one and just forget that the characters are all wearing stripy jumpers.
Marvel does slightly better on the periodical front with a new issue of Incredible Hercules (featuring new cover artist John Romita Jr.), still written by the jackpot combination of Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente, but with the new inclusion of artist Rafa Sandoval. Along with Warbound, which is also out this week, Incredible Hercules is evidence of the success of Pak’s post-World War Hulk Incredi-verse, which has brought with it a string of big, fun comics with amusing gags and sympathetic characters. Jump on board and look forward to Skaar: Son of Hulk with the rest of us. There’s also the final part of Zeb Wells and Chris Bachalo’s series-saving run on Amazing Spider-Man and the long-awaited Powers Annual 2008, the latter of which features artist Mike Oeming’s first co-writing credit for the series!
If you’re really feeling the lack of weeklies, then have a go at last week’s Number Of The Beast #1. It purports to be involved with Wildstorm’s re-re-launch under the Armageddon banner, but in practise just reads like an issue of an alternate Astro City with some very nice Chris Sprouse artwork in with the deal. Presumably, the Wildstorm superheroes are soon to be tied back into events, but for now it works just as a superhero comic in its own right. There’s also the new issue of the Comics Journal, spotlighting a mammoth (and surprising) interview with superstar writer Robert Kirkman! Dig that Ryan Ottley cover.
But now for more beautiful, exciting, expensive books. There’s the first in the oversized, hardcover Hellboy Library Editions, containing all the material from the first two trades, and the complete American Flagg Book Set. But bear in mind, this isn’t the new Image American Flagg edition we mentioned a couple of weeks ago, this is brand new stock of Graphitti Designs’ old limited collectors edition! It’s a miracle we’ve got these, so snap them up while stocks last!
There are also a couple of choice indie books worth looking at, the first being Josh Simmons’ new offering, Jessica Farm. It’s more psychedelic goings-on, as we witness our heroine’s attempts to get out of bed and eat breakfast with her grandparents. This proves somewhat more difficult than it sounds, however. Simmons’ previous book, House, got its fair share of acclaim despite not featuring Hugh Laurie, and this new graphic novel is poised to take the scene by storm. Jump on now and be cool. The second is Tonoharu, the first graphic novel from cartoonist Lars Martinson. The story deals with a number of trainee teachers from abroad, working in Japan, in what Martinson describes as an ‘anecdotal’ style. The book combines classic pen-and-ink illustration with expressive cartooning, and is well worth a flick-through.
In the news this week, Gosh Comics is pleased to announce that it will be receiving copies of superstar comic artist Stuart Immonen (Nextwave, Ultimate Spider-Man)’s newest sketchbook, Centifolia! The book runs to 128 pages and contains comics, sketches and completed illustration work in a perfect-bound softcover format and will cost a mere £12.99. We don’t have a firm arrival date yet, but we should have it in the near future. I, for one, will be having that, thank you very much. And in other sketchbook news, Criminal and Marvel Zombies artist Sean Phillips has just released a new sketchbook of his own, though that one is only available to buy directly from lulu.com.
Also in the news, famed Doctor Who writer Paul Cornell (Human Nature/The Family Of Blood) has announced that he’s writing a brand new out-of-continuity series for Marvel entitled Fantastic Four: True Story. No, it’s not another Unstable Molecules, instead, this series features the superheroic family’s journeys into other fictional universes! It’s the Invisible Woman vs. The Invisible Man! Mister Fantastic vs. Mister Hyde! Ben Grimm vs Jane Eyre! And so on. Sounds like a right old laugh, rendered in lavish cartoon curves by newcomer Horacio Dominguez. One to look out for, coming this July!
And finally, as usual, the resplendent glamour of our competition! We’re all pleased that DC has chosen to take another chance on their classic western series such as Jonah Hex and Bat Lash, but if you’ll remember, Marvel also brought back a slew of their cowboy crusaders under the Marvel Westerns banner a couple of years ago. Well, we’ve got a copy of the hardcover collecting the entire series, featuring characters like Kid Colt, the Black Rider and Two-Gun Kid as imagined by such modern greats as Dan Slott, Jimmy Palmiotti and Eduardo Barreto. Fancy having that for free? You’ll just have to answer the following question:
Kid Colt is most famous in Marvel Comics as a cowboy adventurer, but there was another Kid Colt who debuted in the present-day Marvel Universe in the pages of Heroes Reborn: Young Allies #1. What was this later Kid Colt’s civilian name?
If you think you know the correct answer, just comment below. If you can’t sign in to a personal account, you can comment anonymously – but don’t forget to leave your name in the comment itself! The first person to comment with the correct answer win a copy of the book. Please note that the judge’s decision is final and that it is the responsibility of prize winners to arrange collection of the prize within a period of 14 days, after which any non-collected prizes will be offered to the runner-up.
That’s all for the week, happy reading!
- Tom
In Store 11/04/08 - 17/04/08
Click the full post link below for a list of items in-store this week:
Betty & Veronica Digest #183
Jugheads Double Digest #139
2000 AD #1582
76 #3 (Of 8)
American Flagg Ltd Ed HC Book Set (Howard Chaykin)
Amory Wars TP 01 Second Stage Turbine Blade
Annihilation Conquest #6 (Of 6)
Army Of Darkness #8 Long Road Home
Avengers Classic #11
Marvel Adventures Avengers #23
Marvel Adventures Avengers TP Vol 05 Digest
Avengers Initiative #11
Bad Planet #5 (Of 12)
Badger Saves The World #5 (Of 5)
Bat Lash #5 (Of 6)
Batman And The Outsiders #6
Batman Strikes #44
Best Erotic Comics Of 2008 TP
Brave And The Bold #12
Captain Action #0
Captain America #37 (Brubaker)
Captain Marvel #5 (Of 5) SII
MMW Captain Marvel HC Vol 03 & Variant
Castle Waiting Vol II #11
Catwoman #78
Chap #38
Comics Journal #289 (R Kirkman)
Countdown To Final Crisis 2
Cthulhu Tales #1
Darkness #3
DC Wildstorm Dreamwar #1 (Of 6)
Deadworld Frozen Over #2 (Of 4)
Hank Ketchum's Complete Dennis the Menace Vols 3 & 4
Diary Of Night #3 (Of 4)
Uncle Scrooge #374
Walt Disney’s Comics & Stories #689
DMZ #30 (Brian Wood)
Faker TP (Mike Carey/Jock)
Fear Agent #20 Hatchet Job (Pt 4 Of 5)
Flash #239
Ghost Rider #22
Gotham Underground #7 (Of 9)
Green Arrow Year One HC (Jock)
Grendel Behold The Devil #6 (Of 8)
Hall Of Best Knowledge SC
Hellblazer #243
Hellboy Library Ed HC Vol 01 Seed Of Destruction
Hero By Night Ongoing #3
Howard The Duck TP Media Duckling (Juan Bobillo)
Incredible Hercules #116
Infinite Horizon #3 (Of 6)
Invincible Iron Man Omnibus HC Vol 01
Iron Man #28
Iron Man Legacy Of Doom #1 (Of 4)
Jessica Farm GN
Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files #1 (Of 4)
Knights Of The Dinner Table #138
Legion Of Super Heroes In The 31st Century #13
Lone Ranger #11 (Paul Pope)
Lorna Black Towers SC
Mad Magazine #489
Marvel Illustrated Iliad #5 (Of 8)
Nixon’s Pals GN
Noble Causes #32
Noble Causes Archives TP Vol 01
100 Bullets #90
Perhapanauts #1
Pigeons From Hell #1
Powers Annual 2008 (Oeming)
Programme #10 (Of 12)
Punisher War Journal Premiere HC Vol 03
Ramayan 3392 AD TP Vol 02 Reloaded
Red Sonja #32
Red Sonja Travels TP
Resurrection #4
Rex Mundi DH Ed #11
Robin #173
Runaways Vol 4 UK TP
Sadhu TP Vol 02 Silent Ones
Salvation Run #6 (Of 7)
Service Industry
SFX #169
Showcase Presents Legion Of Super Heroes Vol 2 TP
Simpsons Comics #141
Amazing Spider-Man #557 (Wells)
Star Trek Year Four Enterprise Experiment #1
Strange Girl TP Vol 04 Golden Lights
Stupid Comics Phoenix Ed GN
Suicide Squad Raise The Flag #8 (Of 8)
Superman #675
Sword #7
Tangent Superman’s Reign #2 (Of 12)
Tonoharu GN Part One
Torchwood Magazine #3
Toyfare #130 Indiana Jones Cvr
Trial
Un-Men TP Vol 01 Get Your Freak On
Waldos Hawaiian Holiday GN
War Is Hell First Flight Phantom Eagle #2 (G Ennis/Chaykin)
Warhammer TP Forge Of War
Wasteland #16
Wildstorm Armageddon TP
Willie & Joe WW II Years Slipcase
Wolverine Origins #24
World Of Warcraft #6
World War Hulk Aftersmash Warbound #5
Worlds Of Dungeons & Dragons #1
X-Factor #30 Divided We Stand
X-Men Divided We Stand #1 (Of 2)
Monday, April 14, 2008
Bristol International Comics Expo News
The Bristol International Comics Expo is almost upon us again! Last year was a lot of fun; something of a renaissance for the show most people agreed. We'll be there again this year, pushing the good stuff by day and haunting the bars at night. So dust off your best frock and pop over to Bristol Towne on the 9th, 10th or 11th of May to bask in the delights offered by the official release below:
Bristol UK – With just four weeks to go until the largest comics show in the United Kingdom, guests and schedules are starting to be announced. Once more hosted by the British Empire & Commonwealth Exhibition Hall and Ramada Plaza Hotel, this year’s lineup promises to be the biggest and the best so far.
It all kicks off on Friday 9th May with Diamond UK Retailers Day (exclusive presentations to UK & European retailers of the major releases for the rest of this comics year) and the Orangutan Comics Film Night ’08 for all early arrivals, starting 6pm at the Ramada Plaza Hotel (more details available at http://www.myspace.com/bicefilmnight)
Saturday 10th May and Sunday 11th May feature two full days of events, including presentations on upcoming Marvel and DC releases, the world famous Hypotheticals panel hosted once again by Dave Gibbons, DC Portfolio reviews by editors Karen Berger, Eddie Berganza and Hank Kanalz, the Saturday evening presentation of The Eagle Awards (first presented in 1976, these are the comics industry’s longest established awards). As usual, the first 1000 people through the door on Saturday are eligible for a free goodie bag – in previous years this has contained graphic novels, comics, posters, badges, action figures and once again the contents are a well-kept secret…strictly first come, first served, strictly one per person.
Special Guests signing, sketching and/or hosting talks throughout the weekend include:-
Jim Shooter - Editor-in-Chief Marvel Comics 1978–1987 Founder and Publisher of Valiant Comics and Defiant Comics. Shooter began his career as writer on The Legion of Super Heroes in DC’s Adventure Comics. He has also written The Avengers and Secret Wars (Marvel). Magnus Robot Fighter, Doctor Solar and Harbinger (Valiant). He will be the new writer of the Legion series, beginning with issue #37, returning to the Legion, a little over 30 years from his previous run, it will be his first major published comic book work in years.
Walt Simonson - Writer / Artist on Star Slammers, The Mighty Thor, Orion, Fantastic Four, Elric: The Making of a Sorcerer (written by Elric's creator, Michael Moorcock), X- Factor (with Louise Simonson), Manhunter (written by Archie Goodwin) for which he won the Shazam Award and Hawkgirl.
Louise Simonson - Writer on Magik of the New Mutants as part of a four-issue Mystic Arcana. Magnus Robot Fighter (ibooks). Warlock, New Mutants, Galactus the Devourer, Superman: Man of Steel and Steel Author of two books for teens based on the Justice League cartoon: The Gauntlet and Wild at Heart (Bantam Books)
Jim Starlin - Writer / Artist best known for "cosmic" tales and space opera and as the creator of the villain Thanos. Works include Captain Marvel, Warlock, Metamorphosis Odyssey, Dreadstar, Cosmic Odyssey, Batman, Gilgamesh II, Silver Surfer, the Thanos and Infinity Gauntlet sagas and Marvel Universe: The End. He is currently writing and drawing The Death of the New Gods for DC.
Yanick Paquette - Artist on Ultimate X-Men, Civil War: X-Men, Adventures of Superman, Areala Warrior Nun, Avengers, Gambit, Gen¹³, JLA, Superman: The Man of Steel, Terra Obscura, Tomorrow Woman, Transmetropolitan: Filth of the City, Seven Soldiers: The Bulleteer, Wonder Woman, Xena: Warrior Princess.
Dave Gibbons - Legend of the British Comics Industry. Artist on HARLEM HEROES, DAN DARE and ROGUE TROOPER which he co-created. He was the original artist on DOCTOR WHO Weekly/Monthly. Most famous for his collaboration with Alan Moore on WATCHMEN. Recently he produced the Eisner Award winning graphic novel, THE ORIGINALS.
Mike Carey - Writer of Ultimate Fantastic Four, X-Men, Wolverine. Vertigo’s Crossing Midnight, Lucifer, Hellblazer and the adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere. Wildstorm’s Wetworks, Marvel’s Spellbinders, Virgin Comics The Stranded. Author of the Felix Castor Novels: The Devil You Know, Vicious Circle and Dead Men's Boots from Orbit.
Alan Davis - Artist on Captain Britain (Marvel UK). Artist on Captain Britain (Marvel UK), Marvelman (Warrior) and DR & Quinch (2000AD), Batman and the Outsiders and Detective Comics (DC) Creator writer and artist on Excalibur and Clandestine. During his career he has written and drawn most of Marvel and DCs'characters and titles including JLA: The Nail & Another Nail, The Avengers, X-Men and Killraven. Fantastic Four: The End. He is currently writing and drawing the new Clandestine series.
Mark Buckingham - Eisner Award winning artist on Vertigo's Fables. A regular on Vertigo titles such as Hellblazer, Sandman, Shade the Changing Man and Death: The High Cost of Living he is also well known for his work on Miracleman (Marvelman in the UK). As well as extensive runs as artist on Batman: Shadow of the Bat and The Titans (DC), Generation X and Peter Parker:Spide -Man(Marvel). He has recently designed Sandman and Fables based Statues for DC Direct and has just illustrated his first Children's book; Neil Gaiman's Odd and the Frost Giants.
Paul Cornell - Novelist, TV writer and comics writer. Best known for his work on the new Doctor Who, he has also written for the Primeval TV series. He's the writer of the Marvel Comics series Wisdom and 2000AD's XTNCT. He has just begun a new ongoing title for Marvel: Captain Britain and MI-13.
Many, many other guests are listed on the official website: http://www.comicexpo.net/08guests.html
Tickets for the Bristol International Comic Expo are available online for six pounds per day for adults, or just one pound for 12 to 16 year olds under the Kids For A Quid scheme. As usual, all accompanied attendees under the age of 12 get in for free. Book now via: http://www.comicexpo.net/08tickets.html
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Due to Arrive 17/04/08
Click the full post link below for a tentative list of titles due to ship next week:
100 Bullets #90
76 #3 (Of 8)
Amazing Spider-Man #557
Amory Wars Vol 1 Second Stage Turbine Blade TP
Annihilation Conquest #6 (Of 6)
Archie Digest #243
Army Of Darkness #8 Long Road Home
Avengers Classic #11
Avengers Initiative #11
Bad Planet #5 (Of 12)
Bat Lash #5 (Of 6)
Batman And The Outsiders #6
Batman Chronicles TP Vol 05
Batman Strikes #44
Brave And The Bold #12
Captain Action #0
Captain America #37
Captain Marvel #5 (Of 5)
Catwoman #78
Civil War X-Men TP
Countdown To Final Crisis 2
Crawl Space XXXombies #4
Damned Prodigal Sons #1 (Of 3)
DC Wildstorm Dreamwar #1 (Of 6)
DMZ #30
Econauts One Shot
Faker TP
Fear Agent #20 Hatchet Job (Pt 4 Of 5)
Flash #239
Ghost Rider #22
Gotham Underground #7 (Of 9)
Green Arrow Road To Jericho TP
Grendel Behold The Devil #6 (Of 8)
Hack Slash Series #11
Hellblazer #243
Hero By Night Ongoing #3
Howard The Duck TP Media Duckling
Incredible Hercules #116
Infinite Horizon #3 (Of 6)
Invincible Summer An Anthology TP #2
Iron Man #28
Iron Man Legacy Of Doom #1 (Of 4)
Johnny Delgado Is Dead #1 (Of 2)
Jonah Hex Vol 4 Only The Good Die Young TP
JSA Vol 2 Thy Kingdom Come Part 1 HC
Legion Of Super Heroes In The 31st Century #13
Local #11 (Of 12)
Lone Ranger #11
Magdalena Daredevil (One Shot)
Marvel Adventures Avengers #23
Marvel Adventures Avengers Vol 5 Digest TP
Marvel Adventures Two-In-One #10
Marvel Illustrated Iliad #5 (Of 8)
Nixon’s Pals GN
Noble Causes #32
Perhapanauts #1
Pigeons From Hell #1
Powers Annual 2008
Programme #10 (Of 12) (C: 1-0-0)
Queen & Country Definitive Edition TP Vol 02
Ramayan 3392 AD Reloaded Guidebook
Ramayan 3392 AD Vol 2 Reloaded TP
Red Sonja #32
Rex Mundi #11
Robin #173
Sadhu Vol 2 Silent Ones TP
Salvation Run #6 (Of 7)
Shark-Man #3
Sheena Trail Of The Mapinguari One Shot
Showcase Presents Legion Of Super Heroes Vol 2 TP
Steve Niles Strange Cases #4
Suicide Squad Raise The Flag #8 (Of 8)
Superman #675
Superman Batman Vol 6 Torment HC
Sword #7
Tangent Supermans Reign #2 (Of 12)
Team Zero TP
Uncle Scrooge #374
Un-Men Vol 1 Get Your Freak On TP
Walt Disneys Comics & Stories #689
War Is Hell First Flight Of The Phantom Eagle Max #2 (Of 5)
Wildstorm Armageddon TP
Wolverine Origins #24
World Of Warcraft #6
World War Hulk Aftersmash Warbound #5 (Of 5)
X-Factor #30 Divided We Stand
X-Men Divided We Stand #1 (Of 2)
The Gosh! Authority 10/04/08
Hello and welcome to the week in comics! Unfortunately, everybody’s buy pile will probably be pretty slim this week, but there’s still the odd gem here and there to be had!
First up, thanks to everybody who took a chance on Screamland #1 on my recommendation (and there were quite a few of you!), and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. It is also my duty and my pleasure to inform you that Screamland #2 is bang on time and releasing this week! To those of you who haven’t encountered the series at all yet, I’ll reiterate: it’s great. A loving, slightly demented, easy on the eyes re-casting of the Universal Monsters as actors, struggling to find work in today’s CGI-heavy Hollywood. Despite the high concept, it’s basically an offbeat human drama, with some compelling characters and storytelling. We’ve got a couple of copies of #1 left if you need to catch up. To those of you who’ve heard all this before - this is the last time I’ll pull on your coat about this, I swear!
DC brings us an unexpected nugget of intrigue this week in the form of Batman: Death Mask #1. Presumably as a prelude to DC’s upcoming ‘anime Batman’ straight-to-DVD project, celebrated manga artist Yoshinori Natsume brings us a Dark Knight murder mystery in the Japanese comics tradition. The story follows the caped crusader’s investigation into a series of murders whose perpetrator appears to have received training similar to Bruce Wayne’s in Japan years ago. Sounds like reliably gritty fare, but how well will one of American comics’ most well established characters fare in the hands of a manga creator? There’s only one way to find out! Well, that or you could ask somebody else.
I will, however, bring up another comic whose praises I’ve repeatedly sung – Criminal by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. Volume 2, issue #2 comes out this week, and if the previous edition is anything to go by, it should be quite the treat. It’s the second in a series of three standalone issues telling the stories that made the world of the comic what it is. This issue brings us the starring debut of Teeg Lawless, the man whose death served as a key moment in the histories of the first two story arcs. The story, Before the Living End, is set in 1972 and sees Lawless attempting to rediscover his foothold in the criminal strata after two scarring tours in Vietnam. If this issue is half as successful as the previous one, the comic’s re-thought expanded format will have been proven to be well worthwhile. Don’t forget the pulp movie/novel columns in the back!
Marvel brings us two other gems this week – Amazing Spider-Man #556 and Wolverine #64. Both combine talented writers with brilliant artists, both make excellent use of much-loved old characters, and both seemed to arrive at exactly the right time. Amazing sees Spidey and Wolverine team up to combat an ancient evil threatening New York City, lavishly illustrated by Chris Bachalo and wittily written by Zeb Wells. I want to stress this latter point especially – the previous issue contained two gags that genuinely made me laugh out loud. The issue should be racked next to last week’s, so grab them both if you haven’t read #555 already.
The other, Wolverine #64, is more ambitious fare. Writer Jason Aaron has performed his usual feat of capturing the requirements of the story he’s covering while going well above and beyond the call of duty in character development, storytelling and action. Ever-improving artist Ron Garney backs him up admirably, rendering Afghan desert one second and turn-of-the-20th-century Chicago the next, all convincingly and with aplomb. Pick it up and keep a beady eye on Aaron – this kid’s going to go far, assuming he’s not lured away by lucrative Hollywood work! If these picks aren’t enough, pick up a copy of the still remarkably monthly Goon #23 and the thrilling, chilling BPRD 1946 #4 – they’re some special kind of comics magic.
In store news, fans of alternative comics (and those who really ought to have given them a go by now) will be keen to check out our cheap Chris Ware shelf! Sure, everybody’s seen Jimmy Corrigan, but there’s a host of other glum delights to be had. Ware remains one of the indie scene’s most impressive creators, and his obsessively intricate artwork shows his dedication to his craft. As an example, pick up one of the Acme Novelty Library Datebooks, chock-full of his sketches and notes, and offered for £7 off (£19.99) for a limited time only.
In other literary news, two great European talents have new books through this week. Firstly, Joann Sfar follows up the phenomenally good (and phenomenally successful) The Rabbi’s Cat with the imaginatively titled The Rabbi’s Cat 2. Meanwhile, Philippe Dupuy - half of the Monsieur Jean team supreme of Dupuy & Berberian – releases Haunted, a mental catalogue of the misfit characters that parade through his mind. Two of Europe’s most talented creators in one week? Zing!
There are a couple of keen news items this week, the first being the announcement of Warner Brothers’ latest animated TV project for DC – Batman: The Brave & The Bold. An odd choice, certainly, but from the look of the preview images, the design sensibility lives up to the title, and renders such old favourites as Green Arrow and such newcomers as the current Blue Beetle with courageously Dick Sprangy expressiveness. One to watch out for!
In honour of everybody’s favourite under-appreciated literary medium, this month has been declared Comics Month in the town of Portland, Oregon. A huge number of people with ties to the industry, including Farel Dalrymple, Brian Michael Bendis, Greg Rucka, Alex Ross and my mum, hail from the big little town, so this is very fitting. A pleasantly forward-thinking move from the local government, and one that goes to prove that even though comics are for kids, it’s okay for grown-ups to like them too.
And now for the moment you’ve all been waiting for – this week’s competition! To celebrate the release of the second issue of David Lapham’s splendid Young Liars, we’ve got six copies of the Spectre TP, collecting the story he penned for DC’s recent Tales of the Unexpected series. All you have to do is answer the following question:
In which comic series did The Spectre first appear in 1940?
If you think you know the correct answer, just comment below. If you can’t sign in to a personal account, you can comment anonymously – but don’t forget to leave your name in the comment itself! First 6 people to comment with the correct answer win a copy of the book. Please note that the judges decision is final and that it is the responsibility of prize winners to arrange collection of the prize within a period of 14 days, after which any non-collected prizes will be offered to the runner-up.
Cheers and happy reading!
- Tom
(Criminal cover painting courtesy of Sean Phillips' excellent blog!)
In Store 04/04/08 - 10/04/08
Click the full post link below for a list of items in-store this week:
Pals n’ Gals Double Digest #120
2000 AD #1581
Abe Sapien The Drowning #3 (Of 5)
Another Dirt Sandwich GN
Aqua Leung Vol 1 GN (Mark Andrew Smith)
Avengers Fairy Tales #2 (Of 4)
Barron’s Graphic Classics Frankenstein SC
Barron’s Graphic Classics Macbeth SC
Batman Confidential #16
Batman Death Mask #1 (Of 4) (Natsume)
Batman Lovers And Madmen HC
Booster Gold #8
BPRD 1946 #4 (Of 5)
Captain Carrot And The Final Ark TP
Chickenhare Vol 2 Fire In The Hole TP
Chocolate Milk And Doughnut Doodles
Civil War Chronicles #10
Conan Vol 5 Rogues In The House HC
Countdown To Final Crisis 3
Criminal 2 #2
Criminal Macabre My Demon Baby #4
Dead Of Night Featuring Man Thing #3
Dock Walloper #3 (Of 5)
Doctor Who Special #19
Doktor Sleepless #6 (Ellis)
Terry Moore’s Echo #2
Exterminators #28
Fallen Son Death Of Captain America TP
Fantastic Four #556 (Millar/Hitch)
Foundation #4 (Of 5)
FX #2 (Of 6) (John Byrne)
Gamekeeper Series 2 #2
Gen 13 #19
George R R Martin’s Wild Cards #1 (Of 6)
Ghost Whisperer #2
God Save The Queen SC (Mike Carey)
Goon #23
Green Arrow Black Canary #7
Green Lantern Corps #23
Groo Hell On Earth #4 (Of 4)
Halloween Nightdance #3
Harbinger The Beginning HC
Haunted HC (Dupuy)
Hedge Knight 2 Sworn Sword #6 (Of 6)
Howie Action Comics GN
Marvel Adventures Hulk #10
Jeffrey Brown Little Things A Memoir in Slices SC
Justice League Unlimited Ties That Bind TP
Justice Society Of America #14
Last Defenders #2 (Of 6)
Locke & Key #3
Marvel Zombies Dead Days HC
Modesty Blaise Yellowstone Booty TP
Most Outrageous SC
Nova #12
Number Of The Beast #1
Punisher #56
PVP #39
Rabbi’s Cat Vol 2 GN (Joann Sfar)
Screamland #2 (Of 5)
Scud The Disposable Assassin #23
Serenity Better Days #2 (Of 3)
Simon Dark #7
Snakewoman Curse Of The 68 #2 (Of 4)
Speed Racer Chronicles Of The Racer #4
Amazing Spider-Girl #19
Amazing Spider-Man #556 (Wells/Bachalo)
Marvel Adventures Spider-Man Vol 9 TP
Suburban Glamour #4 (Of 4) (McKelvie)
Supergirl And The Legion Quest For Cosmic Boy
Superman Confidential #14
Tag Cursed TP
Tall Tales Of Vishnu Sharma Panchatantra #3
Tiny Titans #3
Titans #1
Transformers Best Of UK Space Pirates
Transformers Focus On Decepticons
Un-Men #9
What If Civil War TP
Wolverine #64 (Garney/Aaron)
Wolverine Death Of Wolverine Premiere HC
Wonder Woman #19
Wormwood Calamari Rising #3
New Mutants Classic Vol 3 TP
Young Liars #2 (Lapham)
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Gosh Recommends... Scalped Vols 1 & 2
There are a number of clichés bandied about in the reviews you’ll see of Scalped. Comparisons with HBO series The Wire abound. “Mind blowing”, “spectacular”, “gripping”: I’m happy to say they all apply. Scalped is, quite simply, one of the most exciting new series to come along in years. With the first two volumes now available in trade paperback, it’s a perfect time to jump aboard.
Volume 1 – Indian Country – introduces us to our hero of the piece, Dashiell Bad Horse. Returning with a violent hiss and roar to the Native American reservation he grew up on, Bad Horse is quickly recruited by local casino/crime boss Chief Lincoln Red Crow into the corrupt tribal police force. Working hand in hand with Red Crow’s hired thugs, Bad Horse comes face to face with the reality of life on the rez, not to mention the complications of an old flame, his estranged mother and – it goes without saying – a dark secret.
Having walked with Dashiell Bad Horse into the Prairie Rose Reservation of South Dakota, we spend most of our time throughout Volume 2 – Casino Boogie – with members of the supporting cast. Chief Red Crow, vision-questing drunk Catcher, one-sixteenth Kickapoo badass Diesel, itchy-footed teen Dino Poor Bear and Dashiell’s activist mother, Gina all take their turn in the spotlight. We explore their motivations and history as each plays their role in a single murderous night which promises to reverberate throughout the volumes to come.
Jason Aaron is one of the major new talents of the last several years. Originally breaking in as the winner of a Marvel talent contest, Aaron garnered a great deal of attention for his work on excellent Vietnam drama “The Other Side” (a work dedicated to his cousin, Gustav Hasford, author of The Short Timers). An ear for naturalistic dialogue coupled with a confident command of narrative make Scalped a compulsive read. The characters feel real: complex, layered individuals who are each burdened by their own demons, each striving for their own dreams. The story, too, is kept interesting and lively through twists, turns and the odd bit of non-linear trickery, all the while avoiding the pitfalls which could relegate it to a by-the-numbers crime story. Impressive work, made all the more so by the artwork of Spanish-based Serbian artist RM Guéra.
Guéra is a veteran of the European comics scene, long successful in Serbia, Spain and France. As the sole artist on the first two volumes of Scalped, he creates a consistently visceral atmosphere; a living, breathing environment for his well-realised characters to live in. His use of light and shadow feels natural and unforced and his storytelling is clear and dramatic. In short, he’s perfect for the material. As is colourist Giulia Brusco, whose muted palette of earthy tones communicate the arid, dusty feeling of South Dakota.
More than simply a good read, Scalped is shaping up to be a great crime saga with all the crossover potential of Vertigo TPB mainstays Y the Last Man, 100 Bullets and Preacher. Aaron is so confident in the work that he has given readers a money-back guarantee on the first volume. I recommend you pick up the first volume and discover why no-one has yet taken him up on the offer.
- Andrew.
Due to Arrive 10/04/08
Click the full post link below for a tentative list of titles due to ship next week:
Amazing Spider-Girl #19
Amazing Spider-Man #556
Avengers Fairy Tales #2 (Of 4)
Bad Planet #5 (Of 12)
Batman Confidential #16
Batman Death Mask #1 (Of 4)
Booster Gold #8
BPRD 1946 #4 (Of 5)
Captain Carrot And The Final Ark TP
Civil War Chronicles #10
Countdown To Final Crisis 3
Criminal 2 #2
Criminal Macabre My Demon Baby #4 (Of 4)
Darkness #3
Dead Of Night Featuring Man Thing #3 (Of 4)
Evil Dead #4 (Of 4)
Exterminators #28
Faker TP
Fantastic Four #556
Gamekeeper Series 2 #2
Gen 13 #19
George RR Martin’s Wild Cards #1 (Of 6)
God Save The Queen SC
Goon #23
Green Arrow Black Canary #7
Green Lantern Corps #23
Groo Hell On Earth #4 (Of 4)
Hedge Knight 2 Sworn Sword #6 (Of 6)
Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files #1 (Of 4)
Justice Society of America Vol 2 Thy Kingdom Come Part 1 HC
Justice League Unlimited Ties That Bind TP
Justice Society Of America #14
Last Defenders #2 (Of 6)
Little Gloomy Super Scary Monster Show Vol 1 TP
Magdalena Daredevil (One Shot)
Marvel Adventures Hulk #10
Marvel Adventures Hulk Vol 2 Defenders Digest TP
Marvel Adventures Spider-Man Vol 9 Foes Digest TP
New Mutants Classic TP Vol 03
Noble Causes #32
Nova #12
Number Of The Beast #1 (Of 6)
Pax Romana #3 (Of 4)
Punisher #56
Queen & Country Definitive Edition Vol 2 TP
Resurrection #4
Screamland #2 (Of 5)
Scud The Disposable Assassin #23
Serenity Better Days #2 (Of 3)
Sheena Trail Of The Mapinguari One Shot
Showcase Presents Legion Of Super Heroes Vol 2 TP
Showcase Presents Superman Family Vol 2 TP
Simon Dark #7
Suburban Glamour #4 (Of 4)
Supergirl And The Legion Quest For Cosmic Boy
Superman Confidential #14
Tall Tales Of Vishnu Sharma Panchatantra #3
Tiny Titans #3
Titans #1
Toyfare #130
Un-Men #9
Un-Men Vol 1 Get Your Freak On TP
Wasteland #16
What If TP Civil War
Wildstorm Armageddon TP
Wizard Magazine #200
Wolverine #64 Divided We Stand
Wonder Woman #19
Young Liars #2