Click the full post link below for a tentative list of titles due to ship next week:
Amazing Spider-Man Family #1
Army Of Darkness #11 Long Road Home
Authority #1
Avengers Invaders #4 (Of 12)
Betty & Veronica Double Digest #163
Beyond #3 (Of 5)
Boys #21
Brit Vol 2 AWOL TP
Broken Trinity Darkness (One Shot)
Buckaroo Banzai The Prequel #1 (Of 2)
Buffy The Vampire Slayer #17
Cable #6 MD
Criminal 2 #4
Dead Of Night Featuring Man-Thing TP
Demonwars Vol 2 Demon Spirit #2 (Of 3)
Detective Comics #847 RIP
DMZ TP Vol 05 The Hidden War
Essential Man-Thing Vol 2 TP
Eternals #3
Fathom #1
Final Crisis #1 Director’s Cut Special
Final Crisis #3 (Of 7)
Foolkiller Fool’s Paradise TP
Franklin Richards Summer Smackdown
Hack Slash Series #14
Hawkman Special #1
Hellblazer Presents Chas The Knowledge #2 (Of 5)
House Of Mystery #4
Hulk #5
Hyperkinetic #2 (Of 4)
Igor Movie Adaptation #1 (Of 4)
Infinity Inc #12
Invincible Iron Man #4
Iron Man Viva Las Vegas #2 (Of 4)
Jack Of Fables #24
Jack Staff #18
Jonah Hex #34
Killer #7 & #8 (Of 10)
Manhunter #33
Marvel Illustrated Moby Dick #6 (Of 6)
Marvel Illustrated Three Musketeers #3
Marvel Two-In-One #14
New Exiles #9
Nightwing #147 RIP
NYX No Way Home #1 (Of 6)
Okko Cycle Of Earth #1 & #2 (Of 4)
Patsy Walker Hellcat #2 (Of 5)
Punisher War Journal #22
Red Sonja #36
Robin #176 RIP
Secret Invasion Front Line #2 (Of 5) SI
Showcase House Of Secrets Vol 1 TP
Sisterhood #2 & #3 (Of 3)
Special Forces #3 (Of 6)
Spider-Man J Vol 1 Japanese Knights TP
Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane Vol 2 #1 (Of 5)
Storming Paradise #2 (Of 6)
Supergirl #32
Sword #10
Tor #4 (Of 6)
Totem #7
Trinity #10
Twelve #7 (Of 12)
Ultimate Origins #3 (Of 5)
Venom Dark Origin #1 (Of 5)
Vertigo Double Shot #1
Vinyl Underground #11
Walking Dead #51
War That Time Forgot #4 (Of 12)
Wolverine Killing Made Simple
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Due to Arrive 07/08/08
The Gosh! Authority 31/07/08
Hello, and welcome to this, my very last week in-house at Gosh. Fear not, though, for I’ll still be posting in editions of this fine column from a remote location in the near future. But now for the business of the day!
The Big Name release of the week is yet another Gosh exclusive – our signed, numbered, bookplated edition of the first volume of Scalped! Both writer Jason Aaron and illustrator R.M. Guéra have taken time out of their busy schedules to re-write their names 200 times all over our bookplates, and Guéra even went the extra mile of supplying brand new original artwork for it! Not only are they two of the most talented comic creators of the moment, they’re nice guys to boot! But seriously, folks, Scalped is one of the flat-out best comics on the stands, and it’s never too late to catch up. The first volume, bookplate and all, is only £6.50, so what have you got to lose? £6.50, that’s what! But regardless – buy this book! It’s an essential for any fan of Criminal, 100 Bullets, Loveless, Fables, Watchmen or The Sandman. Or Batman.
In other book news, we’ve also got early copies of From Hell artist Eddie Campbell’s latest book from First Second, entitled The Amazing Remarkable Monsieur Leotard. And guess what: they’re all signed too! How utterly ridiculous. We’re spoiling you. The book itself is packed full of lavishly painted artwork and turn-of-the-century big-top showmanship, and is a must for any Campbell fan, so grab them while stocks last!
Next up is another graphic novel, Popgun Vol 2. Those of you who grabbed the first volume will know the score by now – it’s another whopping doorstop of an anthology showcasing the latest and hottest in up-and-coming creators in a Flight vein. Pick of this volume is a man named Derek Yu. In comics terms he’s only ever done spot illustrations and gag comics for magazines in the past, so why do I care? Because he designs really cool video games containing stuff like this:
There’s another graphic novel oddity in this week, in the shape of Scary-Go-Round Book 6: Ahoy Hoy! You’ll have heard me gushing about John Allison’s work in the past (at length in our most recent Gosh Recommends blog post), and my enthusiasm still fails to wane. To summarise: Scary-Go-Round is one of about four good webcomics in the world, and provides a more charming, consistent and enjoyable British comics experience than any magazine or newspaper has to offer. This volume also introduces Desmond, a fish-man who you’ll certainly grow to love perhaps more than is advisable.
It’s a barnstormer of a week from Marvel, kicking off with Black Panther #39! Yep, you heard me! If you haven’t guessed already, it’s because this current run, tying into Secret Invasion, is written by none other than Jason Aaron! The pitch is all-out turf war between the Skrull hordes and the warriors of Wakanda, drawn by Punisher Max: Little Black Book artist Jefte Palo! Aaron is currently the king of making me read comics starring heroes I have no particular interest in, and I don’t expect this run will be any different.
Marvel masterpiece number two is Thor #10, continuing J Michael Straczynski and Olivier Coipel’s reinvigorating run on the title. Hanging onto the godly court drama of previous iterations of the character, while throwing some small-town Oklahoma soap opera elements in as well, this run has become one of the most endearing, entertaining and thrilling comics in recent Marvel memory. For those of you who’ve yet to try it out, this week also brings us Thor By J Michael Straczynski Volume 1 in paperback, collecting the first six issues for only £9.99. It’s Norseome!
Also up is the second issue of Greg Pak and Ron Garney’s Skaar: Son of Hulk. Plenty of people dropped this title on finding it in their standing order boxes, but to my mind this is a terrible mistake! If you like either Hulk or Conan comics, this is the perfect middle ground! It’s also that rarest of things – an ongoing title for a brand new character! As he showed in Planet Hulk, Greg Pak has a real knack for space fantasy, and Skaar should be an automatic purchase for anybody who enjoyed that epic chapter in the life of the not-so-jolly green giant. Ron Garney’s rocking a shot-from-the-pencils look that really does a lot for the title, and it’s lovely to behold in general. I for one am very interested to see where Skaar’s journey takes him!
DC Wildstorm brings us the first issue of the re-re-relaunched WildCATS, and this time it looks like they’re onto a winner! Christos Gage has proved he can deliver the goods when motivated to, and artist Neil Googe has been coming along in leaps and bounds, most noticeably in his work on Welcome to Tranquility. This new series spins out of the end of the world as seen in the excellent recent series Number of the Beast, and Armageddon seems like an awfully cool place to be in the Wildstorm universe!
Big dollops of unsettlingly creamy news fell all over the West Coast of America this week in the wake of the San Diego Comic Con! Excitingly, there’s a deliciously different Black Panther animated series heading to the prime time slot on BET in the states, based on the Reginald Hudlin/John Romita Jr. run that kicked off the current series. The series has an odd paper doll animation style to it, and looks far more interesting than the majority of Marvel’s animated output.
There were also plenty of little odds and ends revealed throughout the expo: a) Eric Powell’s The Goon snagged him Best Humour Writer and Best Multimedia Artist at the Eisners.
b) The Watchmen movie’s shaping up nicely.
c) Bryan Lee O’Malley’s next book will be entitled Scott Pilgrim Vs The Universe and will release next February, and
d) Neil Gaiman’s return to comics was revealed in the form of Whatever Happened To The Caped Crusader?, the post-mortem story to Batman RIP, releasing in January. The story will be spread over two issues – one in Batman, one in Detective Comics. Speculation is rife over what the story will contain, but all we know is that the title’s reference to Alan Moore’s Whatever Happened To The Man Of Tomorrow? is intentional, and it will be drawn by Andy Kubert.
But better than any of that is our great big What If? Back Issue Sale, which we’re calling What If Gosh Had A Back Issue Sale. We’ve got dozens of the classic Marvel What If issues, including What If Venom Had Possessed The Punisher? and the seminal What If Ghost Rider Had Taken Up A Crystal Meth Habit To Deal With The Trauma Of His Father’s Death Instead Of Selling His Soul To The Devil? Each issue is just 40p, so head downstairs for a trip down memory lane. Do it!
This week, to celebrate the release of golden age revival comic Project Superpowers #5, we’re being very generous indeed, and giving away four copies of The Complete Mac Raboy’s Green Lama Volume 1 in hardcover! This is classic pulp adventurer fare with a Buddhist bent, but don’t get too excited! Before you’re allowed one, you have to tell us…
Who is this? And what is their connection to the Green Lama?
If you think you know the answer, just comment on this post on our blog. First four correct answers win a copy of the book. If you can’t sign in to a personal account, you can comment anonymously – but don’t forget to leave your name along with your answer in the comment itself! 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 now – see you in the funny pages!
- Tom
In Store 25/07/08 - 31/07/08
Click the full post link below for a list of items in store this week:
Betty & Veronica Digest #186
Jugheads Double Digest #142
2000 AD #1597
Button Man Confession Of Harry Exton TP
Amazing Remarkable Monsieur Leotard SC (Signed Copies)
Art Of Hergé Inventor Of Tintin Vol 1 HC
Babysitter GN
Batman Death Mask #4 (Of 4)
Batman Going Sane TP
New Battlestar Galactica Season Zero #11
Black Panther #39 SI (J. Aaron)
Blue Beetle #29
Captain Marvel Secret Invasion HC
Catwoman #81 (Last Issue)
Contract #1 (Of 3)
DC Special Cyborg #3 (Of 5)
Marvel Masterworks Defenders Vol 1 HC
Doom Patrol Archives Vol 5 HC
Dr Who Battles In Time #49
Dragonlance Legends Time Of The Twins #1
Dream Maiden Megan GN
Dynamo 5 #15
Elephantmen Vol 1 Wounded Animals TP
Essential Fantastic Four TP Vol 7
Fall Of Cthulhu Vol 2 Gathering TP
Fantastic Four True Story #1 (Of 4) (P. Cornell/Dominguez)
Flash The Wild Wests HC
Forgotten Realms Vol 7 Legacy TP
Frank Frazetta’s Creatures #1
Ghost Whisperer #5
Green Lantern #33
Grendel God & The Devil TP
Haunt Of Horror Lovecraft #2
Hercules #4 (Of 5)
How To Love HC (Rutu Modan)
Huntress Year One #6 (Of 6)
Jim Butchers Dresden Files #4
Jokers Asylum Two Face #1
Journey Vol 1 TP (Messner-Loebs)
Justice Society Of America Annual #1
Juxtapoz Vol 15 #8 Aug 2008
Locke & Key #6
Man With No Name #3
Marvel Previews August 2008
Marvel Spotlight Uncanny X-Men 500 Issues
Ms Marvel #29 SI
Mumbai Macguffin One Shot
Narcopolis #4 (Of 4)
New Dynamix #5 (Of 5)
Newuniversal 1959
Northlanders #8
Nova Vol 2 Knowhere TP
Order Vol 2 California Dreaming TP
Our Gang Vol 3 SC (Walt Kelly)
Parasyte GN Vol 04 (Of 8)
Path Vol 3 Death & Dishonor TP
Pathos GN Vol 01 (Of 2)
Pigeons From Hell #4 (Of 4)
Pilot Season The Core #1
Popgun Vol 2 GN (Epinosa, Rugg, Larsen, Haspiel and more!)
Previews Vol XVIII #8
Project Superpowers #5 (Of 7)
Reign In Hell #1 (Of 8)
Robots & Donuts TP
Rough Guide To Graphic Novels TP (Danny Fingeroth)
Sadhu Wheel Of Destiny #3 (Of 4)
Secret Invasion Fantastic Four #3
Silver Surfer Requiem TP
Skaar Son Of Hulk #2 (Greg Pak)
Scalped Vol 1 TP (Bookplate Ed)
Scary-Go-Round 6: Ahoy Hoy!
Skrulls Vs Power Pack #1 (Of 4)
Amazing Spider-Man Extra
Spider-Man With Great Power #5
Star Trek Mirror Images #2
Star Trek Year Four Enterprise Experiment #4
Star Wars Droids Omnibus Vol 1 TP
Star Wars Rebellion #15 Vector Part 7
Superman Batman #50
Tales From The Crypt #7
Teen Titans #61
Thor #10 (Straczynski/O. Coipel)
Thor By Straczynski Vol 1 TP
Trinity #9
True Believers #1 (Of 5)
Ultimate Spider-Man #124
Unearthed Cemetery Blues Vol 1 TP
Un-Men #12
Wildcats #1
Wizard Magazine #203
Wolverine #67(Millar/McNiven)
Wolverine Origins #27
Worlds Of HP Lovecraft TP Vol 01
Deadpool Vol 1 TP
Kitty Pryde And Wolverine Prem HC
X-Men First Class Vol 2 #14
X-Men Odd Men Out
Zombie Tales #3
Zot Complete Black & White Stories TP (Scott McCloud)
MANGA
Baby & Me Vol 9 GN
D Gray Man Vol 10 GN
Eyeshield Vol 21 TP
Fairy Cube Vol 2 GN
Hoshin Engi Vol 8 TP
Kaze Hikaru Vol 10 GN
Me & The Devil Blues Vol 1 Life Of Robert Johnson GN
Muhyo Rojis Bureau Vol 6 TP
Rosario Vampire Vol 2 GN
Short-Tempered Melancholic GN
Steal Moon GN Vol 01 (Of 2)
Style School Vol 2 TP
Tokyo Zombie SC
Toto Vol 2 GN
Wallflower Vol 16 GN
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Ian Edginton and D'israeli at Gosh!
Kingdom of the Wicked, Scarlet Traces, Leviathan and now Stickleback - creative duo Ian Edginton and Matt Brooker (aka D'Israeli) have been making waves in the industry for fifteen-odd years, whether working with American publishers, appearing in 2000 AD or publishing their own work. To celebrate the release in softcover of their latest two-thou hit Stickleback, these bande-dessinée blue-bloods will be doing a full two-hour signing at little ol' Gosh Comics!
Stickleback itself is the tale of the eponymous freak of indeterminate origin, a semi-mythical crimelord whose ragtag gang of odd bods hold a noose-like grip over a steampunk-influenced Victorian London. When Stickleback's dominance is threatened by meddling police detectives and rival crime bosses, the team spring into action with thrilling (and beautifully-rendered) consequences. It's a must-have graphic novel, and this is your chance to have a copy personalised by the visionaries behind it.
The signing takes place in Gosh's hallowed basement on Saturday 16th August and runs from 4pm-6pm. Copies of the new Stickleback collection, along with copies of the Scarlet Traces trilogy, Leviathan and the rest of the duo's back catalogue, will be available to purchase on the day.
If you can't make it on the 16th, signed books can be reserved (and personalised if you so desire.) We can also mail out to anywhere in the world. The book is £9.99, and signing is no extra. Hope to see you there!
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Due to Arrive 31/07/08
Click the full post link below for a tentative list of titles due to ship next week:
Amazing Spider-Man Extra
Archie Digest #246
Batman Death Mask #4 (Of 4)
Batman Going Sane TP
Black Panther #39 Secret Invasion
Blue Beetle #29
Buckaroo Banzai The Prequel #1 (Of 2)
Catwoman #81
DC Special Cyborg #3 (Of 5)
Dean Koontz's Frankenstein Vol 1 #3
Demonwars Vol 2 Demon Spirit #2 (Of 3)
Dragonlance Time Of The Twins #1 (Of 3)
Dynamo 5 #15
Elephantmen Vol 1 Wounded Animals TP
Essential Fantastic Four Vol 7 TP
Fantastic Four True Story #1 (Of 4)
Firebreather Series #2
Frank Frazetta's Creatures #1
Green Lantern #33
Haunt Of Horror Lovecraft #2 (Of 3)
Huntress Year One #6 (Of 6)
Jim Butcher's Dresden Files #4 (Of 4) Welcome To The Jungle
Joker’s Asylum Two Face #1
Man With No Name #3
Marvel Spotlight Uncanny X-Men 500 Issues
Ms Marvel #29 Secret Invasion
New Battlestar Galactica Season Zero #11
New Dynamix #5 (Of 5)
Newuniversal 1959
Northlanders #8
Order Vol 2 California Dreaming TP
Pigeons From Hell #4 (Of 4)
Pilot Season The Core #1
Popgun Vol 2 GN
Previews Vol XVIII #8
Project Superpowers #5 (Of 7)
Reign In Hell #1 (Of 8)
Sadhu Wheel Of Destiny #3 (Of 4)
Secret Invasion Fantastic Four #3 (Of 3) SI
Skaar Son Of Hulk #2
Skrulls Vs Power Pack #1 (Of 4)
Spider-Man With Great Power #5 (Of 5)
Star Wars Rebellion #15 Vector Part 7
Superman Batman #50
Sword #10
Tales From The Crypt #7
Teen Titans #61
Thor #10
Trinity #9
True Believers #1 (Of 5)
Ultimate Spider-Man #124
Un-Men #12
Walking Dead #51
Wizard Magazine #203
Wolverine #67
Wolverine Origins #27
X-Men First Class Vol 2 #14
X-Men Odd Men Out
The Gosh! Authority 24/07/08
Hello, Internet-land! We can’t get enough of charity here at Gosh Comics, so we’re pleased to spotlight a book that’s both a noble effort and one of the most exciting releases of the week: Liberty Comics: A CBLDF Benefit Book.
Image also brings us the brand new, landmark, one-of-a-kind Invincible #51, kicking off a new era (and a new costume) for the flagship character. The end of issue #50 left a sense of change beyond repair and of unforseen consequences soon to come for the series, as I for one am thrilled to see where it all goes from here. Writer Robert Kirkman also contributes to Image Monster Pile-Up #1, a collection of all-new stories featuring Image’s roster of up-and-coming freaks. And that’s ‘freaks’ in the most complimentary way possible. Showcased within are The Astounding Wolf-Man, Firebreather, The Perhapanauts and Proof, meaning brand new material from Todd & Craig, Andy Kuhn and Phil Hester to boot. It’s a big week for Kirkman for another, very significant reason, but that can wait until the news updates at the end of the column…
DC brings us two great entries in their recent drive to rediscover a truer, bluer era of adventure comics with a sibilant combination of comics. The first is Superman #678, the second in James Robinson’s run, drawn once again by Renato Guedes. The first issue (still in stock) was promising, and certainly confirmed Robinson’s dedication to bringing Krypto the Superdog back into the fold. With this run and Geoff Johns and Gary Frank on Action, it’s an exciting time to be a Super-fan.The second is The Spirit #19. After Darwyn Cooke left the title, I was concerned where the title was heading, and what relevance it would have without the drive he lent to the series. However, after a slightly shaky start, the line-up of Sergio Aragonés, Mark Evanier and Paul Smith have really got a hold of how to write a successful Spirit title. The last issue, in particular, was a romp and a half, pitting our hero against legions of Egyptian mummies, dangerous femme fatales and a particularly frustrated Commissioner Dolan. It’s genuinely enjoyable stuff, and definitely worth picking up if you enjoyed Eisner’s original material or Cooke’s stunning interpretation.
It’s a comparatively quiet week from Marvel, but there is one glaring exception – Marvel Adventures Super Heroes #1. The Marvel Adventures line has been a real success under its mandate to provide standalone, accessible superhero action for all ages, and Marvel’s dedication to expanding it shows a great sense of integrity, as well as good business sense. This new series runs in four-issue arcs, swapping out its cast as well as its creators between arcs! First up are Iron Man, the Hulk and Spider-Man, brought to you by Roger Cruz and Alvin Lee, in a tale of superhuman puppy-sitting. Should be fun!
It’s a blockbuster week for graphic novels of an off-the-wall bent, no more evident than from the release of Comic Book Tattoo, Image’s huge collection of comic stories inspired by the music of Tori Amos! Ms. Amos clearly has a great number of fans in the industry, as the book runs to 480 pages and features the work of Mark Buckingham, Pia Guerra, David Mack, Eric Canete, Hope Larson and many, many more! Image also brings us the first volume of their long-awaited American Flagg Definitive Edition hardcovers.In a similar vein, there’s also Magic Trixie Volume 1, the first collection of Jill Thompson’s latest series for kids, dealing with the trials and tribulations of a young girl and her jealousy of her magically gifted baby sister. And that’s not all! Jeff Smith: Bone and Beyond is a hardcover collecting large-scale reproductions of the work being featured in the Wexner Center for the Arts’ current exhibition of the same name. The book contains scores of Smith’s artwork, as well as some from the cartoonists who influenced him from an early age, such as George Herriman, Charles Schultz and Walt Kelly. I’ll be picking one up, but then I’d buy an acid jazz LP if it had a Jeff Smith drawing on it. All of which is to say nothing of the £20 wonder paperback collecting the entirety of Rob Schrab’s SCUD!
Biggest news item of the week is that soon the humble organisation known as Gosh will soon be playing host once again to superstar British comic creators Ian Edginton and D’Israeli! The famed creative team behind the Scarlet Traces series’ are “bringin’ Stickleback”, and the launch party is right here, with a big signing comprising their complete published history including the brand new collection of the aforementioned hit 2000 AD story. It all goes down on Saturday 16th August from 4pm to 6pm, and if you can’t make it on the day, send us an email and we’ll reserve you a signed copy of the new book.And now for the hinted-at Kirkman news – the Invincible and Walking Dead creator has just been named as a partner in Image Comics, making him as important to the company as the original founders. Kirkman now has editorial influence at the company, so we can expect Invincible, Walking Dead and Astounding Wolf-Man to run until the trumpets signal the advent of the apocalypse, which is of course a profoundly wonderful thing.
And now for our competition spot! It’s a good ‘un this week, celebrating the release of the latest collection of Jeff Smith’s art, Bone & Beyond. In commemoration of this latest opus, we’re giving away two copies of the previous tribute to his expertly smooth line, The Art of Bone! It’s a lovely big book, in hardcover and all, so get ready to tell us…
If you think you know the answer, just comment on this post on our blog. First two correct answers win a copy of the book. If you can’t sign in to a personal account, you can comment anonymously – but don’t forget to leave your name along with your answer in the comment itself! 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 summer!
- Tom
In Store 24/07/08
Click the full post link below for a list of items in store this week:
Pals N Gals Double Digest #123
Tales From Riverdale Digest #29
2000 AD #1596
Judge Dredd Megazine #274
Ambush Bug Year None #1 (Of 6)
American Flagg Definitive Collection Vol 1 HC
Angel Revelations #3 (Of 5)
Anita Blake Guilty Pleasures Vol 2 HC
Army @ Love Vol 2 Generation Pwned TP
Authority Prime TP
Secret History Of The Authority Hawksmoor #5
New Avengers #43 SI (B Bendis)
Avengers Initiative #15 SI
Batman Gotham After Midnite #3 (Of 12) (Jones)
Battlestar Galactica Origins #8
Black Panther #38
Black Summer #7 (Warren Ellis)
Blood Bowl #2 (Of 5) Killer Contract
Boneyard Color Ed TP Vol 04
Brave And The Bold #15
Broken Trinity #1
Captain Action First Mission Last Day
Marvel Masterworks Golden Age Captain America Vol 2 HC
Comic Book Tattoo HC & SC (Tori Amos)
Comics Journal #291 (Tim Sale)
Countdown To Adventure TP
Creator Chronicles Michael Golden 2-DVD Set
Dan Dare #7 (Of 7) (Ennis)
Dangerous Ink Magazine #4
Daredevil #109
Dead Space #5 (Of 6)
Device Vol 1 SC
DMZ #33
Dr Who Magazine #398
Dragonlance Vol 4 Dragons Of Spring Dawning TP
Elephantmen #13 (Moritat)
Exterminators #30
Fall Of Cthulhu #14
Fallen Angel IDW #28
Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four #38
Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four Vol 9 Digest TP
Flash Companion SC (K. Dallas)
Flight Vol 5 GN (Rivoche Et Al)
Futurama Comics #38
Gentleman Jim HC (R. Briggs)
Girl Genius Vol 7 Agatha & Voice Of The Castle TP
Glamourpuss #2 (Dave Sim)
Gravel #3 (Warren Ellis)
Green Arrow Black Canary Road To The Altar TP
Green Lantern Corps #26
Hack Slash Annual Suicide Girls
Halo Uprising Must Have
Hoverboy One Shot
How to Draw Stupid (K. Baker)
Hulk WWH TP Incredible Herc
Image Monster Pile Up #1
Immortal Iron Fist #17
Invincible #51
Jack Kirby Checklist Gold Ed
Jeff Smith Bone & Beyond HC
Jokers Asylum Scarecrow #1
Justice League Of America #23
Korgi Vol 2 Cosmic Collector GN
Legion Of Super Heroes #44
Liberty Comics A CBLDF Benefit Book (Cooke Et Al)
Madame Xanadu #2 (M. Wagner)
Madman Atomic Comics Vol 1 TP (Mike Allred)
Magic Trixie Vol 1 GN (Jill Thompson)
Marvel Adventures Super Heroes #1
Marvel Comics Presents #11
Mercenaries Vol 1 TP
Complete Metal Gear Solid 2 TP (A. Wood)
Method Man GN
Mini Marvels Vol 1 Rock Paper Scissors TP
Modern Masters Vol 18 John Romita Jr SC
Negative Burn #21
New Warriors #14 SI
Nocturnals Carnival Of Beasts (One Shot)
Number Of The Beast #8 (Of 8)
Complete Popbot TP (A. Wood)
Project Kalki #3 (Of 4)
PJANG #1
Proof #10
Red Sonja Vol 4 TP
Robin #175 RIP
Scout Vol 2 TP
Scrambled Ink HC
Scud The Disposable Assassin The Whole Shebang! TP
Seven Soldiers Of Victory Archives Vol 3 HC
She-Hulk 2 #31 SI
Simpsons Classics #17
Skrulls One-Shot SI
Spider-Man Brand New Day Vol 2 HC
Spirit #19
Star Trek New Frontier #5
Star Wars Knights Of The Old Republic #31
Star Wars Legacy #26
Stranded Vol 1 GN (Mike Carey)
Super Friends #5
Superman #678 (J. Robinson)
Supernatural Rising Son #4 (Of 6)
Terminator Infinity Vol 1 TP
Thunderbolts #122 SI
Tragic Tale Of Turkey Boy An American Love Story GN
Trinity #8
Two Face Year One #1 (Of 2)
Ultimate X-Men #96
Usagi Yojimbo #113
War Heroes #1 (M Millar/Harris)
Warcraft Legends Vol 1 GN
Warhammer 40k Exterminatus #1 (Of 5)
Warhammer Condemned By Fire #3 (Of 5)
Art Of Witchblade
Wolverine First Class #5
World War Robot TP
Diana Prince Wonder Woman Vol 2 TP
X-Files Special #0
X-Men Legacy #214
X-Men Endangered Species TP
Yam TP
Youngblood #4
Crime Scene: Britten & Brülightly
Freeze! To celebrate the release of The Mammoth Book of Best Crime Comics, we’re celebrating the best crime comics ever, be they new fish or old hoods, in our blockbusting Crime Scene promotion.
Britten & Brülightly is a brand new original graphic novel telling the tale of Fernandez Britten, private investigator and depressive scizophrenic, as he attempts to investigate a twisting, turning murder case on the mean streets of London. Hannah Berry's unique illustration and storytelling make their debut in this, her first graphic novel. With lush colour washes and well-honed cartooning on display, Britten & Brülightly reads like a noir Posy Simmonds comic, and is a deeply atmospheric and rewarding read.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Gosh Recommends... Scary-Go-Round: Great Aches
Story and Art: John Allison
In recent years, the British independent comics scene has not been the picture of rude health. There are passionate and talented creators at work, but in terms of material that not only evokes the mood and culture of these islands and still translates well to other countries, we aren’t exactly leading the pack. However, since 1998, writer/artist John Allison of Manchester has been producing brilliant strips featuring the strikingly normal, and normally striking, residents of Tackleford, a fictional Yorkshire town.
If this all totally fails to ring a bell, it’s most likely because John Allison is one of a species that rarely seems to crop up in comic shops – a webcomic creator. Not only that, but his first regular series, Bobbins, was one of the first comic strips to find success in that medium, and despite a successful sideline selling print collections through conventions and mail order, Allison still publishes free daily comics online.
Great Aches collects most of 2006’s daily updates from Allison’s website (www.scarygoround.com), and the stories herein serve as perfect examples of the likeable, witty and scattershot sensibility that has made the strip so popular. Bobbins, the previous incarnation of his comics, served as a testing ground in terms of art and writing, and changed dramatically over the course of its five-year run. Starting out as a Seinfeld-inspired slice-of-life comedy drama, drawn sketchily in flat-toned pen and ink, it later shuffled its cast, took on a clean, computer-assisted art style and mutated into something altogether more eccentric. After killing off a number of cast regulars, taking the survivors to a somewhat weirder world and changing the name, Scary-Go-Round was born.
Allison’s work is still developing as he goes, shifting from computer-drawn to hand-drawn art at a moment’s notice, but always confidently maintaining the equilibrium of speed and quality. The cast still rotates, with new sets of characters being introduced and old ones being subbed in and out, killed off, resurrected and killed again. This system provides Allison with a huge back catalogue of players (in a manner pleasingly reminiscent of the Simpsons), which invokes a warm, familiar glow as old incidental personages make cameo appearances or even move to centre stage for a storyline or two.
The strip’s supernatural drive adds a great deal of focus to its plot arcs, and helps it to avoid falling into the trap of navel-gazing character meditation. Despite this, Allison finds time to explore the lives of the Young People, or ‘kids’, and demonstrate their ‘alright’ness, particularly in Great Aches, wherein a number of teenage cast members’ lives and loves are spotlighted without the comic losing sight of devil bears and Communist robots. This lack of self-involvement also means it’s one of the few comics in the world where the characters can talk about music or wear a band’s t-shirt without raising bile in the reader’s gullet and making them want to set fire to the book using a bed of shredded NMEs as kindling.
Recommended by Tom
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Due To Arrive 24/07/08
Click the full post link below for a tentative list of titles due to ship next week:
Ambush Bug Year None #1 (Of 6)
American Flagg Definitive Coll HC 1 01
Angel Revelations #3 (Of 5)
Army @ Love TP Vol 02 Generation Pwned
Art Of Witchblade
Astounding Wolf Man TP 01
Authority Prime TP
Avengers Initiative #15 SI
Avengers Invaders #1 Directors Cut
Batman #676 RIP 3rd Ptg
Batman Gotham After Midnite #3 (Of 12)
Battlestar Galactica Origins #8
Berserk TP Vol 24
Black Panther #38
Brave And The Bold #15
Broken Trinity #1
Countdown To Adventure TP
Dan Dare #7 (Of 7)
Daredevil #109
Dead Space #5 (Of 6)
Diana Prince Wonder Woman TP Vol 02
DMZ #33
Dragonlance Legends Time Of The Twins #1 (Of 3)
Elephantmen #13
Essex County TP 03 Country Nurse
Exterminators #30
Flash Companion SC
Futurama Comics #38
Glamourpuss #2
Green Arrow Black Canary Road To The Altar TP
Green Lantern Corps #26
Hack Slash Annual Suicide Girls
Halo Uprising Must Have
Image Monster Pile Up #1
Immortal Iron Fist #17
Incredible Hercules #118 2nd Ptg
Invincible #51
Jokers Asylum Scarecrow #1
Justice League Of America #23
Legion Of Super Heroes #44
Liberty Comics A CBLDF Benefit Book
Madame Xanadu #2
Madman Atomic Comics TP Vol 01
Maintenance TP Vol 03
Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four #38
Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four Vol 09
Marvel Adventures Super Heroes #1
Marvel Comics Presents #11
Mini Marvels TP Vol 01
Modern Masters SC Vol 18 John Romita Jr
New Avengers #43 SI
New Warriors #14 SI
Nocturnals Carnival Of Beasts (One Shot)
Number Of The Beast #8 (Of 8)
Proof #10
Robin #175 RIP
Scooby Doo #134
Secret History The Authority Hawksmoor #5 (Of 6)
She-Hulk 2 #31 SI
Simpsons Classics #17
Skrulls One-Shot SI
Spirit #19
Star Wars Legacy #26
Super Friends #5
Superman #678
Supernatural Rising Son #4 (Of 6)
Thunderbolts #122 SI
Trinity #8
Two Face Year One #1 (Of 2)
Ultimate X-Men #96
Uncanny X-Men #500
Usagi Yojimbo #113
War Heroes #1
Wasteland #19
Wolverine #66 2nd Ptg Mcniven Var
Wolverine First Class #5
X-Files Special #0
X-Men Legacy #214
Yam TP
Youngblood #4
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.
Who is this?
If you can’t sign in to a personal account, you can comment anonymously – but don’t forget to leave your name along with your answer in the comment itself! 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.
Enjoy your comics and hey, let’s be careful out there,
- Matt.
In Store 17/07/08
Click the full post link below for a list of items in store this week:
Archie Double Digest #190
2000 AD #1595
Judge Dredd Complete Case Files TP Vol 10
Slaine The Horned God SC
Age Of Bronze #27
Alter Ego #79
Angel After The Fall HC Vol 01
Spike After The Fall #1 (Of 4)
Astro City The Dark Age HC Book 01
Marvel Adventures Avengers #26
Mighty Avengers #16 SI
Back Issue #29
Batgirl #1 (Of 6)
Batman And The Outsiders #9
Batman Black And White Statue Neal Adams
Batman Faces New Ed TP
Jokers Asylum Poison Ivy #1
Birds Of Prey #120
Blue GN
Buddha Story Of Enlightenment #4
Burn #3 (Of 6)
Captain America #40
Casey Blue Beyond Tomorrow #3 (Of 6)
Charlatan Ball #2
Checkmate #28
Conan The Cimmerian #1
Countdown To Final Crisis TP Vol 02
DC Wildstorm Dreamwar #4
Dominion TP
EC Archives Weird Science HC Vol 03
Elephantmen War Toys TP Vol 01
Fallen Angel TP Vol 05
Ultimate Fantastic Four #56
Final Crisis Rogues Revenge #1 (Of 3) (G. Johns)
Flash #242
Foolkiller White Angels #1
Forgotten Realms The Legacy #3 (Of 3)
Frank Frazettas Swamp Demon (One Shot)
Ghost Rider #25 (J. Aaron)
Ghost Talkers Daydream TP Vol 01
Godland #24
Hack Slash TP Vol 04
Hellblazer #246 (J. Aaron)
Helm #1 (Of 4)
Howard The Duck Omnibus HC
Hulk WWH TP Warbound
Incredible Hercules #119 SI
Skaar Son Of Hulk #1 2nd Ptg
Iron Man Director Of Shield #31
Jeff Hawke The Ambassadors HC
Leaves One Shot
Marvel 1985 #3 (Of 6) (Millar)
Marvel Illustrated Iliad #8 (Of 8)
Mice Templar #5
Moon Knight #20
Negative Burn #20
Omega Unknown #10 (Of 10)
Perhapanauts #3
Phantom Jungle Action TP
Punisher #59
Punisher War Journal TP Vol 03 Hunter
PVP TP Vol 05 PVP Treks On
Rough Stuff #9
Scalped #19 (J. Aaron)
Screamland #5 (Of 5)
SFX #172
Showcase Presents Hawkman TP Vol 02
Simon Dark #10
Simpsons Comics #144
Sparrow Boxed Set
Sparrow Glenn Barr HC
Amazing Spider-Man #566
Superman & Legion Of Super-Heroes HC (Johns)
Tangent Supermans Reign #5 (Of 12)
Tank Girl Visions Of Booga #3
Thirteen Steps #5
Tiny Titans #6
Too Cool To Be Forgotten HC
Torchwood #7
Transformers Movie Sequel Reign Of Starscream #3
Transformers Spotlight Hardhead
Trials Of Shazam TP Vol 02
Trinity #7
Ultimate X-Men TP Vol 18 Apocalypse
War Is Hell First Flight Phantom Eagle #5
World Of Warcraft #9
Worlds Of Dungeons & Dragons TP Vol 01
Wolverine TP Death Of Wolverine
X-Factor #33 SI
X-Force #5 DWS
Zorro #5
MANGA
Case Closed Vol 24 GN
Manga Shakespeare Julius Caesar TP
Manga Shakespeare Macbeth TP
Real Vol 1 GN
Rurouni Kenshin vol 3 GN VizBig ed
Shojo Beat August 08
Monday, July 14, 2008
Crime Scene: "M"
Freeze! To celebrate the release of The Mammoth Book of Best Crime Comics, we’re celebrating the best crime comics ever, be they new fish or old hoods, in our blockbusting Crime Scene promotion.
Behind every great suspense thriller lurks the shadow of “M”. In “M”, Fritz Lang’s first sound film, Peter Lorre delivers a haunting performance as a serial killer–a whistling pedophile hunted by the police and brought to trial by the forces of the Berlin underworld. In 1990, a young artist, Jon J Muth, continued his rise in the comic book industry by adapting the story into four comics published by Eclipse Comics. Long out of print, they have never been collected together before.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Crime Scene: 100 Bullets
Freeze! To celebrate the release of The Mammoth Book of Best Crime Comics, we’re celebrating the best crime comics ever, be they new fish or old hoods, in our blockbusting Crime Scene promotion.
What would you do if you were given the opportunity and the means to get away with murder, scot-free? That's the question posed in 100 Bullets, combining elements of hard-boiled crime stories and paranoid espionage thrillers. The mysterious Agent Graves offers his clients a gun and immunity from prosecution, enabling them to get revenge against those who ruined their lives.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Due to Arrive 17/07/08
Click the full post link below for a tentative list of titles due to ship next week:
Alter Ego #79
Amazing Spider-Man #566
Astro City The Dark Age Book 1 HC
Back Issue #29
Batgirl #1 (Of 6)
Batman And The Outsiders #9
Batman Faces New Ed TP
Birds Of Prey #120
Buddha Story Of Enlightenment #4
Captain America #40
Casey Blue Beyond Tomorrow #3 (Of 6)
Charlatan Ball #2
Checkmate #28
Conan The Cimmerian #1
Countdown To Final Crisis Vol 2 TP
DC Wildstorm Dreamwar #4 (Of 6)
Dead Space #5 (Of 6)
Demonwars Vol 2 Demon Spirit #3
Dragonlance Legends Time Of The Twins #1
Elephantmen War Toys Vol 1 TP
Final Crisis Rogues’ Revenge #1 (Of 3)
Flash #242
Foolkiller White Angels #1 (Of 5)
Forgotten Realms The Legacy #3 (Of 3)
Frank Frazetta’s Swamp Demon (One Shot)
George R R Martins Wild Cards #4 (Of 6) Hard Call
Ghost Rider #25
Ghost Talkers Daydream Vol 1 TP
Godland #24
Hack Slash Annual Suicide Girls
Hack Slash Vol 4 Revenge Of The Return TP
Hellblazer #246
Helm #1 (Of 4)
Hulk WWH Warbound TP
Incredible Hercules #119 SI
Iron Man Director Of Shield #31
Jokers Asylum Poison Ivy #1
Kick Ass #3 2nd Ptg
Marvel 1985 #3 (Of 6)
Marvel Adventures Avengers #26
Marvel Illustrated Iliad #8 (Of 8)
Mice Templar #5
Mighty Avengers #16 SI
Moon Knight #20
Omega Unknown #10 (Of 10)
Pals N Gals Double Digest #123
Perhapanauts #3
Punisher #59
Ramayan 3392 AD Reloaded #7 (Of 7)
Rough Stuff #9
Scalped #19
Screamland #5 (Of 5)
Showcase Presents Hawkman TP Vol 02
Simon Dark #10
Simpsons Comics #144
Tales From Riverdale Digest #29
Tangent Supermans Reign #5 (Of 12)
Trials Of Shazam Vol 2 TP
Trinity #7
Ultimate Fantastic Four #56
Ultimate X-Men Vol 18 Apocalypse TP
War Heroes #1
War Is Hell First Flight Of The Phantom Eagle Max #5
World Of Warcraft #9
Worlds Of Dungeons & Dragons Vol 1 TP
X-Factor #33 SI
X-Force #5 DWS
Zorro #5
The Gosh! Authority 10/07/08
Hello, virtual humanity! Today I’m going to sell out my immortal soul to the mainstream by selecting a DC comic as the pick of the week, but for a very good reason!
Joker’s Asylum: The Penguin, on the surface, doesn’t seem like a particularly special comic. It’s a one-shot in the middle of a run of issues celebrating the villains of Gotham, which is likely to provoke a yawn and a ‘seen it before’ from most readers, but stay your signs of boredom! This newborn comic, blinking in the harsh light of day, coming into the world without presumption, is written by comics wunderkind Jason Aaron and drawn by action cartoonist of great talent Jason Pearson. Two Jasons for just two quid! That’s a treat that can’t be beat. Aaron’s absolutely everywhere these days (no bad thing, mind you), but Pearson lately appears to be focusing on covers, so new internal art from him is something to appreciate.
Coming up a close second (and only not pick of the week because I gave it to Hellboy last week) is BPRD: The Warning. This is not, as I thought, another in the recent series of one-shot stories, but the start of the brand new series. So set aside some time this evening, get some tea brewing, open a packet of digestives and prepare for a leisurely evening of monsters, Lobster-themed pulp adventurers, gaseous bubble-head mans and spine-chilling terror in one of the greatest comics in the world. Also included is a cover by the dream team of Mike Mignola and Kevin Nowlan!
DC’s second powerful release of the week is Action Comics #867. I really enjoyed the Legion of Super Heroes story which got the current creative team so much acclaim, but last month’s issue, the first in their new Brainiac story, quite simply stunned me. I never thought an in-continuity Superman comic could ever match All-Star for writing or art, but Geoff Johns and Gary Frank are well on their way to proving otherwise. More than anything, there was a real true blue sensibility to it, making the best use possible of the character and his supporting cast. What’s more, last month’s issue bore a “Sightings” banner, which supposedly denotes a comic that’s indicative of the future direction of the DC universe. I, for one, really hope that’s the case.
Also from DC is the latest issue of probably the best Batman title currently running: Detective Comics #846. Up to the end of the Ra’s Al Ghul crossover a little while back, Paul Dini’s tenure on the series was somewhat spotty, not quite living up to the legacy of Bat-mastery that he built on the Animated Series. However, since the arrival of Dustin Nguyen as regular series artist, something just seems to have clicked, and the past five issues have been firing on all cylinders. This issue begins the title’s RIP tie-in story, featuring the return of Hush. Not instantly compelling, perhaps, but as I say, there’s something about this team that really works, and this issue also sees the re-introduction of Dini favourite Catwoman to the Gotham cityscape, so I’m expecting good things.
Marvel’s biggest hitter of the week is nonetheless a potent one: Secret Invasion #4, containing all the tantalising, action-packed thrills you’ve been waiting for. Is Iron Man really a Skrull? What of the war at home with the Runaways and Young Avengers? And was Nick Fury carrying literally the biggest gun in the entire world at the end of last issue? The answers can only be found rendered in exquisite detail by Leinil Francis Yu in the latest issue of Secret Invasion.
There’s also Captain America White #0, which is half preview, half first chapter, of Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale’s newest Marvel Knights series. It’s proper comics, as well as a nice backup section with an article about the pair’s previous collaborations, an interview with them both, and an easy-on-the-eyes sketchbook section. It’s neither reprints nor just text, so if you’re waiting for the proper start of this series – it’s here!
Phew! That’s a lot of spandex. Let’s take a breather from the mainstream and take a look at something a bit different in Matt Madden and Jessica Abel’s collaborative instructional manual: Drawing Words and Writing Pictures. This book’s a real treat for the eyes as well as an informative guide to comic production, from layouts and pencils to finishes and colour, all laid out in an idiot-proof format. It’s also only £14.99, which came as a surprise! One for anybody who’s ever thought they could beat Stan and Jack at their own game.
Another oddity in the books department is the Collection of Sha TP, leaping catlike from the pages of Heavy Metal. A psychedelic tale of revenge from beyond the grave, this thrilling tale comes from superstar 2000 AD alumnus Pat Mills and French painter Olivier Ledroit. And if that’s not enough, there’s also Blake Bell’s colossal coffee-table art book, Strange and Stranger: The World of Steve Ditko, celebrating the life and art of the Amazing Spider-Man co-creator from Amazing Fantasy through Blue Beetle all the way to Mister A.
There’s just also time to plug two more new indie comics releasing this week, of very different sorts. The first is The Goon #26, the latest issue of Eric Powell’s cumulatively knuckle-whitening pulp parody action series, which, this issue, spotlights the covert investigations of Buzzard, the greatest character in anything ever. The second is the Captain Stoneheart and the Truth Fairy Hardcover, re-collecting the fairy tale as told by a hippo-man in an issue of Elephantmen, expanded upon with the original full script, full pencil artwork for the story, and even an audio CD reading of the story. If that’s not deluxe, I don’t know what is. It’s a charming little tale, and a welcome development of the Elephantmen saga, with gorgeous illustration and comics work within by Chris Bachalo.
With San Diego only a couple of weeks away, publishers are holding back the news this week, but instead go check out Comic Book Resources’ gallery of alternate Hulk covers from the Hero Initiative auctions here. Hulk like. Hulk no smash.
Missed our chance last week, curses, so let’s just say that to celebrate LAST week’s release of Usagi Yojimbo Vol 22: Tomoe’s Story, we’re giving away a copy of The Art of Usagi Yojimbo THIS week. Ahem. To stand even the merest chance of winning, you’ll have to follow these instructions:
Compose a haiku about Usagi Yojimbo. We’re talking traditional haiku here, so we want a 5-7-5 syllable mitre. All entries must be in by 5pm on Friday 11th July.
The best haiku posted on our blog, as judged by our panel of comic/haiku experts, wins a copy of the book. If you can’t sign in to a personal account, you can comment anonymously – but don’t forget to leave your name along with your haiku in the comment itself! 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.
Good luck, and good reading!
- Tom
In Store 10/07/08
Click the full post link below for a list of items in store this week:
Betty & Veronica Double Digest #162
2000 AD #1594
2000 AD Extreme Ed #30
After The Cape II TP
Agatha Christie’s Ordeal By Innocence HC
American Virgin Vol 4 Around The World TP
Anita Blake Guilty Pleasures Vol 1 TP
Army Of Darkness Xena Why Not #4
Detective Comics #846 RIP (Dini/Nguyen)
Batman And Son TP (Morrison/Kubert)
Batman Confidential #19
Batman Strikes #47
Battlestar Galactica Origins #7
Berlin #16 (Lutes)
Booster Gold #1000000
BPRD The Warning #1 (Of 5) (Mignola/Arcudi/Davis)
Captain America White #0 (Loeb/Sale)
Captain Britain And MI:13 #3
Captain Stoneheart & The Truth Fairy HC (Bachalo)
Chuck #2 (Of 6)
Cola Madnes TP (G. Panter)
Collection Of Sha TP (Pat Mills)
Comic Foundry Magazine Summer 2008
Dead She Said #2
Devi Witchblade #1
Drafted #9
Drawing Words and Writing Pictures (Madden/Abel)
Essential Doctor Strange Vol 1 New Ed TP
Eternals #2 (Knauf)
Fart Party GN
Favole Vol 3 Frozen Light HC
Final Crisis Requiem #1 (Doug Mahnke)
Gamekeeper Series 2 #5
Genext #3 (Of 5)
Goddess Of War #1 (Of 4)
Goon #26 (Eric Powell)
Green Arrow Black Canary #10
Growing Up With Comics GN
Guardians Of Galaxy #3
Hack Slash Series #13
Hellboy Oddest Jobs MMPB
Hulk Chronicles WWH #1
Huntress Year One #5 (Of 6)
I Kill Giants #1 (Of 7)
Indiana Jones & The Tomb Of The Gods #1
Invincible Iron Man #3
Iron Man Legacy Of Doom #4
Joker’s Asylum The Penguin #1 (Aaron/Pearson)
Justice Society Of America #17
Last Defenders #5 (Of 6)
Legion Of Super Heroes In The 31st Century #16
Lost Boys Reign Of Frogs #3
Magic Whistle Vol 11 Body Armor For Dignity TP
Marvel Adventures Hulk #13
Ms Marvel Vol 4 Monster Smash TP
New Exiles #8
New York Four (Brian Wood)
Nova #15
Number Of The Beast #7 (Of 8) (Beatty/Sprouse)
Omen Positive Issue
100 Bullets #93
Pilot Season Urban Myths #1
Power Pack Vol 1 HC
Powers #29
Red Colored Elegy HC
Red Sonja #35
Runaways Dead End Kids HC (Joss Whedon)
Sardine In Outer Space Vol 5 SC (Guibert/Sfar)
Secret Invasion #4
Shark-Man #3
Simpsons Super Spectacular #7
Snaked TP (Rufus Dayglo)
Spawn #180
Amazing Spider-Girl #22
Amazing Spider-Man #565
Stephen Colbert’s Tek Jansen #2
Steve Niles Strange Cases #4
Strange & Stranger World Of Steve Ditko HC
Action Comics #867 (Johns/Frank)
Teen Titans Spotlight Wonder Girl TP
Tiki Art Two Second Coming Of New Art God SC
Toyfare #133
Transformers All Hail Megatron #1
Transformers Classic Vol 2 TP
Transformers Movie Prequel Saga Of The Allspark
Trinity #6
Turning Points Little Rock Nine GN
Ultimate Origins #2 (Of 5)
Wildguard Insider #3 (Of 3)
Witchblade #119
Wolfskin Annual #1 (Ellis)
Wonder Woman #22
Young Liars #5 (Dave Lapham)
Young X-Men #4 DWS
MANGA
Black God Vol 3 TP
Golden Prince & Argent King
Crime Scene: Scene of the Crime
Freeze! To celebrate the release of The Mammoth Book of Best Crime Comics, we’re celebrating the best crime comics ever, be they new fish or old hoods, in our blockbusting Crime Scene promotion.
Detective Jack Herriman has moved in with his Uncle Knut, an award-winning crime-scene photographer, in an attempt to rebuild his shattered life and career, putting his checkered past behind him. Jack takes on a missing-persons case that quickly turns into a murder investigation, dragging him into the midst of a family scandal and a lascivious, and potentially deadly, New Age cult.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Crime Scene: 5 is the Perfect Number
Freeze! To celebrate the release of The Mammoth Book of Best Crime Comics, we’re celebrating the best crime comics ever, be they new fish or old hoods, in our blockbusting Crime Scene promotion.
Peppino Lo Cicero spent his life taking orders from the great dons of Napoli. When his son Nino is killed he puts down the fishing rods of his retirement and picks up his old pistols, looking for revenge. In this moody, duotone graphic novel Igort, alias Igor Tuveri, breathes an unexpected beauty into the gritty Mafiosi genre, importing subtleties from Japanese cinema and manga.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Crime Scene: Silverfish HC
Freeze! To celebrate the release of The Mammoth Book of Best Crime Comics, we’re celebrating the best crime comics ever, be they new fish or old hoods, in our blockbusting Crime Scene promotion.
A gritty new graphic novel from "Stray Bullets" creator David Lapham. A childish prank turns into a deadly game of cat and mouse for 16-year-old Mia, when she discovers her new stepmom Suzanne's secret possessions: an address book, a stash of money and a knife caked in blood. Mia makes the fateful mistake of phoning Daniel, a murderer from Suzanne's past, who believes he's possessed by a demonic silverfish.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Crime Scene: Darwyn Cooke's The Spirit
Freeze! To celebrate the release of The Mammoth Book of Best Crime Comics, we’re celebrating the best crime comics ever, be they new fish or old hoods, in our blockbusting Crime Scene promotion.
These new Spirit stories entertain without radically changing the character or concept. This is not a re-imagining of the Spirit. It’s the same fun guy written with all of the respect due Eisner's vision of the strip. Cooke’s Spirit, like Eisner’s, is a hero who gets involved in funny and/or dangerous situations while tracking down colorful crooks and encountering a series of unforgettable femmes fatales.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Laika bookplates - exclusive to Gosh!
Here’s a reminder of our latest Gosh exclusive: the signed, limited, bookplated edition of Nick Abadzis’ epic graphic novel Laika!
Laika was released last year by First Second books to critical and public acclaim, and was nominated for two Eisner awards. It tells the story of the eponymous puppy who rose from a sorry existence on the streets of Moscow to become Russia’s first space traveller. Abadzis weaves Laika’s story around the lives of the people who rescued, trained and ultimately doomed the stray dog with a focus on realism and accuracy, to truly moving effect. If you’ve never read the book, this is the perfect occasion to pick up a copy, sporting as it does the beautiful bookplate seen to the left, signed and numbered by Nick Abadzis himself.
The signed, plated book retails at £10.99 and is in-store now, available only from Gosh!
Crime Scene: Mammoth Book of Best Crime Comics
Freeze! To celebrate the release of The Mammoth Book of Best Crime Comics, we’re celebrating the best crime comics ever, be they new fish or old hoods, in our blockbusting Crime Scene promotion.
The Mammoth Book of Best Crime Comics is Paul Gravett's fantastic new anthology of the 25 best graphic short stories in the crime genre. Loaded with the greatest writers and artists in comics publishing, including Frank Miller, Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Will Eisner, Johnny Craig, Alex Toth, Joe Kubert and Bernie Krigstein - plus adaptations and collaborations by famous crime writers such as Dashiel Hammett, Mickey Spillane and Raymond Chandler.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Due to Arrive 10/07/08
Click the full post link below for a tentative list of titles due to ship next week:
100 Bullets #93
Action Comics #867
Age Of Bronze #27
Amazing Spider-Girl #22
Amazing Spider-Man #565
American Virgin Vol 4 Around The World TP
Archie Double Digest #190
Army Of Darkness Xena Why Not #4 (Of 4)
Astounding Wolf Man Vol 1 TP
Batman And Son TP
Batman Confidential #19
Batman Strikes #47
Battlestar Galactica Origins #7
Booster Gold #1000000
BPRD The Warning #1 (Of 5)
Captain America White #0
Captain Britain And MI 13 #3
Chuck #2 (Of 6)
Chumble Spuzz Vol 2 GN
Comic Foundry Magazine Summer 2008
Criminal Vol 3 Dead And Dying TP
Detective Comics #846 RIP
Essential Doctor Strange Vol 1 TP New Ed
Eternals #2
Final Crisis Requiem #1
Gamekeeper Series 2 #5
Genext #3 (Of 5)
George RR Martins Wild Cards #4 (Of 6)
Goon #26
Green Arrow Black Canary #10
Guardians Of Galaxy #3
Hulk Chronicles WWH #1
Hulk Red Hulk Must Have #1-3
Huntress Year One #5 (Of 6)
I Kill Giants #1 (Of 7)
Indiana Jones & Tomb Of The Gods #1
Invincible Iron Man #3
Iron Man Legacy Of Doom #4 (Of 4)
Jokers Asylum The Penguin #1
Justice Society Of America #17
Last Defenders #5 (Of 6)
Legion Of Super Heroes 31st Century #16
Lost Boys Reign Of Frogs #3 (Of 4)
Marvel Adventures Hulk #13
New Exiles #8
New York Four
Nova #15
Number Of The Beast #7 (Of 8)
Powers #29
Red Sonja #35
Secret Invasion #4
Shark-Man #3
Spawn #180
Steve Niles Strange Cases #4
Teen Titans Spotlight Wonder Girl TP
Trinity #6
Ultimate Origins #2 (Of 5)
Wildguard Insider #3 (Of 3)
Witchblade #119
Wonder Woman #22
Young Liars #5
Young X-Men #4 DWS