The Gosh! Authority 04/02/09

You might think the snow was the best thing to happen this week. You’re wrong, of course. Batman going apesh*t was the best thing to happen this week, followed by this delightful disco mix (Beware! Sweary. More sweary than you can imagine). That’s what I think, anyway. But if you’re a Scott Pilgrim fan this is the best thing ever:

Scott Pilgrim Volume 5: Scott Pilgrim Vs The Universe is out TODAY! We’ve got our bookplated edition at the ready, featuring brand-new art by Bryan Lee O’Malley all signed by the man himself. If you’ve already put your name down for a copy you’ll be hearing from us very shortly. In the meantime, have a read of this review.

“Scott Pilgrim vs. the Universe is easily my favourite instalment of Scott Pilgrim to date; O'Malley has outdone himself again. All the fans out there who have been eagerly awaiting the new book? You won't be disappointed. It's fantastic.”

After the mad dash to secure a copy of Amazing Spider-Man #583 you might be tiring of Mr President getting his face in the funnybooks. If you’re not you should have a look at 08: A Graphic Diary Of The Campaign Trail by Michael Crowley and Dan Goldman (Shooting War) – an account of everything that happened in the lead up to the election. It’s something along the lines of Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail ’72, they say. You can download a free 20-page excerpt here.

More politics in Robert Morales and Kyle Baker’s Captain America: Truth premiere hardcover which tells the controversial story of the African American men involuntarily subjected to gruesome medical experiments during WWII in order to create ‘Super Soldiers’. If you missed the 7-issue mini-series this one is definitely worth a look.

Joe Kelly’s (Deadpool) got a couple of things out this week: Bad Dog #1 with Diego Greco, a dark comedy about two misfit bounty hunters – one a werewolf the other an ex-preacher – who seem to do a lot of drinking and swearing and little of anything else. (Preview here and interview with the boys here) Then there’s Bang! Tango #1 (Of 6) with Adrian Sibar (Batgirl) starring an ex-gangster who tries to make good as a tango dancer. It could be like that Robert Duvall movie but I’m guessing it’s probably not.

Fancy some cheesecake? The first three issues of Bill Ward’s Torchy are collected in trade-paperback featuring all the gags and pin-up charm you could ask for. The strip was syndicated to army newspapers worldwide - something I’m sure comics historian Trina Robbins will tell you all about that in her introduction.

I Saw You... is an anthology of comics inspired by real-life missed connection ads by lonely hearts. Julia Wertz (The Fart Party) got loads of creators to contribute including Peter Bagge, Tom Hart, and (of course) Jeffrey Brown plus dozens more you’ve heard of and some you haven’t.

And everyone who isn’t in the above seems to be in this one: MySpace Dark Horse Presents Volume 2 in trade-paperback. Zach Whedon, Gerard Way, Steve Niles, John Arcudi, Guy Davis, Gabriel Ba, Kyle Hotz, Eric Canete and more give you the premiere of Captain Hammer, some Umbrella Academy stuff, some BPRD stuff, and some more stuff from the ongoing tales of occult detective Cal McDonald.

There’s lots of issue #1s out this week so here’s a quick what’s what: Hotwire #1 (of 5) is written and illustrated by Steve Pugh based on an original story by Warren Ellis. It’s set in the near-future when ghosts roam the streets bothering no one until a break-in at London's Maximum Security Necropolis causes an ectoplasmic catastrophe. After years of collaboration with Ellis, Pugh was keen to get this one off the ground. He says:

“It’s been an enormous project, but I’ve been determined to get [Hotwire] into print for years, and I’m actually pleased it’s taken this long, because artistically, I think I’m at the top of my game. It's only through utter arrogance and ridiculous self-belief that I could rewrite a story by one of the most famous comic writers in mainstream publication.”

Then there’s Jersey Gods #1 by Glen Brunswick and Dan McDaid, an artist given the Gosh! Seal of Approval some time ago. There’s an interview here by Comicbook Resources where the guys talk about the influence of Jack Kirby plus their all-star cover artist line-up including the likes of Mike Allred and Darwyn Cooke. Jersey Gods even has its own blog with commentary from the creators as well as sketches and things. It’s a veritable trevor trove of Stuff. Speaking of Jack Kirby, you might like our assortment of New Gods action figures including Kalibak, Big Barda, Superman, and Metron. Look!

Also starting this week is horror-western Dead Irons #1 by James Kuhoric and Jason Shawn Alexander. The artwork (which you can see in this preview) is brilliantly horrifying in the way it’s supposed to be. Newsarama reviews the first issue for you here.

The first issue of a new ongoing series The Mighty written by Peter J. Tomasi (Final Crisis: Requiem, Green Lantern Corps) and Keith Champagne (World War III) with art by Peter Snejbjerg (Starman, The Light Brigade) is another one not to be missed this Thursday. Ain’t It Cool News has an interview with Tomasi as well as a bunch of preview pages.

Expectant fans are calling Secret Warriors #1 DKR by Jonathan Hickman (The Nightly News, Pax Romana) and Brian Bendis ‘the hottest book coming out of the Secret Invasion’. And it might well be. Newsarama has a quick interview with Hickman here and Marvel have even made a podcast.

Soul Kiss #1 (Of 5) by Eisner-nominee Steven T. Seagle (American Virgin) and Marco Cinello (Spongebob Squarepants Movie, Curious George) sees a deal with the Devil go bad. This is Cinello’s comics debut and his full-colour artwork is something to behold. See some preview pages here!

And finally, I made a boo boo last week. I said something about Flash: Emergency Stop being the complete collection of Morrison/Millar Flash stuff but it ain’t. It’s only half of it. The rest will be collected in The Flash: Human Race in May. I was duly told off. Also, you should have a look at our sales wall when you’re next in because it’s packed full of Marvel Masterworks hardcovers – prices slashed! It will shock! amaze! delight! etc etc etc.

Thanks to everyone who braved the ice and came to the Adrian Tomine signing yesterday. Here’s a photo. I’ve been told it has “grainy charm” which I think is a nice way of saying it’s a bit rubbish. But we have to put a picture up because that’s what you do with blogs. And thus:

-- Hayley