ARCHAIA STUDIOS PRESS
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Page 229 - The Lone and Level Sands, $17.95. Written by A David Lewis, Art by mpMann and Jennifer Rodgers. If you like biblical fiction, this is a graphic novel you can’t miss. So much of history depends on perspective. Of course, over the centuries, history’s view of the Exodus has been clouded by a singular take on the events. This story is unique in that it attempts to look at those events from a novel perspective – that of Ramses himself. Telling the story from his point of view, the man who thinks his actions are justified and right (while at the same time expertly balancing our own world view with regards to the abomination of slavery) proves to be a refreshing and riveting story. This is the kind of story you can be proud to show to a non-comic fan. There is a ton in the way of collections and trades and other $20 purchases out this month, I know. But this money shouldn’t come from your comic budget – it should come from your fiction budget. A fine piece of literature. 160 Pages.
DARK HORSE
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Page 19 - Penny Arcade #1, $.25. Written by Jerry Holkins, Art by Mike Krahulik. Not sure I would go as far as this solicit does and proclaim this to be the most popular web comic ever (I mean, if you can manage to pretend the huge PvP elephant in the room doesn’t exist, maybe…), but it is high time someone picked this one up. Especially considering the success of PvP over at image. This is a preview issue – in anticipation of a collection to be released in January, but at a quarter, how can you beat that? If you can’t justify shelling out a quarter for an unknown property, head on over to Penny-Arcade.com and sample for yourself. Can't beat free before spending money! 24 Pages.
Page 25 - Jingle Belle: The Fight Before Christmas, $2.99. Written by Paul Dini, Art by Stephanie Gladden and Jose Garibaldi. Dark Horse's second attempt at a Jingle Belle release, and it looks as if they have the right idea this time around. Last year they released it as a four issue mini, with 3 of the 4 issues coming out after Christmas (if I am not mistaken). By the time March rolled around, no one much cared about the final issue - heck, it took me another two months to finally read it. Jingle Belle is an awesome holiday-season release, and people do look forward to it every year, but once the new year starts, her appeal kind of diminishes. Looks like second time will be a charm this year. 32 Pages.
DC COMICS
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Page 63 - Catwoman #50, $2.50. Written by Will Pfiefer, Art by Pete Woods. Is anyone else enjoying Zatanna's resurgence? I know I am. She certainly is a unique character. Outside of her involvement, this is an issue 50, and though it doesn't seem as if DC is doing anything particularly special to mark this occasion, the issue looks like it is going to be a solid one nonetheless. Pfiefer still doesn't bring quite the flare that Brubaker did to this book, but it is still a quality read. Has the makings for a big issue. 32 Pages.
Page 67 - Lex Luthor: Man of Steel, $12.99. Written by Brian Azzarello, Art by Lee Bermejo. Azzarello took a pounding in the reviews for his runs on Batman and Superman, but this title managed to earn its share of praise. Basically the story of Lex Luthor, through the eyes of Lex Luthor, telling exactly why he opposes the Man of Steel. Ended up being a surprisingly good read - check it out if you have room in your cart. Should read very well in the collected format. 144 Pages.
Page 71 - Infinite Crisis #3, $3.99. Written by Geoff Johns, Art by Phil Jimenez and Andy Lanning. It is the series that is supposed to shape the fabric of the DCU for years to come. Does it matter that most of us have no idea where this story will be at this point? We will all be reading - or we should be. #1 of this series is fast approaching, and it could not have been built up any better. Boy, if they drop the ball now, it could be devastating... perils of a perfect build-up I suppose. 40 Pages.
Page 75 - Hard Time #1, $2.50. Written by Steve Gerber and Mary Skrenes, Art by Brian Hurtt and Steve Bird. Issue 12 of "Season 1" (I hate that season thing - can't we go back to the invisible volume numbers?) said that this would be coming in 2005. They certainly couldn't cut it any closer. This series was the best of the failed DC Focus line. If you want a good overview of the series, you can read one here. The addition of Mary Skrenes to the writing team raises an eyebrow - but if that is what it takes to keep this series going, then so be it. A definite one to check out. About time! 32 Pages
Page 78 - JLA Classified: Cold Steel #1 (of 2), $5.99. By Christopher Moller. In this new Power Rang.. er… Voltron… err… Mega Morphs – heck, series about giant robots, the JLA get giant robot suits of their own! Whoopee! I am sorry, it just seems silly to me that Superman would ever be in a situation where he would need to get inside a giant robot shaped like him to save the day. Batman? OK, maybe I could by that. But hey – if you are a giant battle armor fan- this is the series for you. Prestige format and all! 48 Pages.
Page 81 - Light Brigade, $19.99. Written by Peter Tomasi, Art by Peter Snejbjerg. This series was just outstanding – honestly, it deserved a Vertigo imprint, but it probably would sell more with the Spin on the cover. Basically this is a tale of a squadron of American soldiers during World War II that get caught up in a battle between angels and demons. Words don’t do this one justice. It will read very well as a graphic novel – as it was probably intended to be in the first place. It really is a “must-have” book. 200 Pages.
Page 92 - The Best of The Spirit, $14.99. Heard all of the fuss about Will Eisner and didn’t know what the fuss was about? Here is your chance. This collects 22 sections of the Spirit from the 1940s, as well as an introduction from Neil Gaiman. It is certainly an outstanding collection for someone with an interest in comic history. This will look great on your bookshelf. 192 Pages.
Page 103 - Majestic: While You Were Out, $12.99. Written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, Art by Neil George, Juan Santacruz, and Trevor Scott. Boy, is DC putting out a ton of good trades this month or what? It is pretty rare that I go gaga over a Wildstorm book, but Majestic has been worth the price of every issue. Like many new readers who started off with the Strange New Visitor mini at DC, I have really come to enjoy Abnett and Lannings take on Majestic, and the story quality carried straight over back to Wildstorm. It is a really good time to see what all the fuss is about. 168 Pages.
Page 104 - Team Zero #1 (of 6), $2.99. Written by Chuck Dixon, Art by Doug Mahnke and Sandra Hope. This mini promises to be bloody. This brand new Team Seven series is set during the waning days of World War II, in Germany’s eastern frontier. War comics, when done right, tend to be riveting reads, and I trust that Chuck Dixon will be able to deliver with this one. DC has done rather well with their titles that feature the army in a leading role of late, the preview pages so far suggest this one will continue the trend. 32 Pages.
Page 116 - Testament #1, $2.99. Written by Douglass Rushkoff, Art by Liam Sharp. This has the makings of a masterpiece – or an affront. When religion is a main focus, it seems like that is the choice you are left with. Sometimes writers set out and try to use biblical stories to attack religion, and in cases like that, the result can only be called offensive. But a dispassionate use of biblical history – acknowledging the good and not sugar coating the bad – that can end up being a damned intriguing read. And it looks so far like that is the kind of thing we are going to get here. Testament is set in a sci-fi future world, with deep connections to ancient biblical tales. It is looks to be a unique and very cerebral comic, perfect for Vertigo. This is one to watch out for. 32 Pages.
Image
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Page 138 – The Further Adventures of One Page Filler Man, $11.99. By Jim Mahfood. Mahfood can be an acquired taste – granted. But when you want a good humor book that will give you hours of enjoyment (and I do mean hours – it takes how long to read one of his panels sometimes?), Mahfood is who you turn to. Honestly this graphic novel is going to be a tough sell for the casual reader, but Mahfood fans will be all over this one. Flip through it – who knows. You might be a Mahfood fan and not even know it. 140 Pages.
Page 150 – Ruule: Kiss and Tell , $19.99. Written by Jedd Amano, Art by Craig Rousseau. Another month, another solid Beckett release from Image. The great thing about their move to Image is that all of Beckett’s old stuff is getting a fresh new audience – but I am itching for something new! A new volume of Ruule! Something! Roninhood was a start, but since that was announced before the move to Image, it really doesn’t count! For those who don’t know, this is the second volume of Ruule, both of which retell biblical stories in a different era. This one, the story of Sampson and Delilah. Another graphic novel you can’t miss this month. 224 Pages.
MARVEL COMICS
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Page M9 - Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk #1 (of 6), $2.99. Written by Damon Lindelof, Art by Francis Yu. Marvel is shifting the focus to the Ultimate Universe this month – several major events including the Fantastic Four/X-Men crossover, and this series lead off their issue of Previews this month. The main draw of this series is the writing of Damon Lindelof, a name that fans of the TV show LOST will find familiar. Novelists and TV series writers and creators are all the rage in comics these days, so this assignment was probably a long time in coming. How it will turn out is another matter – it is a positive, though, that this is set in the Ultimate Universe. Might make for a better and more flexible environment to tell his story. 32 Pages.
Page M13 - Spider-Man/Black Cat: Evil that Men Do #4, $2.99. Written by Kevin Smith, Art by Terry Dodson. So this one is finally going to finish up it seems. As harsh as I have been about this, at least Kevin Smith is owning his mistakes on this one. There are very few worse things in comics than when the readers get the short end of the stick, and those responsible pretend like nothing was wrong in the first place. There are going to be a lot of readers grudgingly picking up the rest of this one, and in a short time, all will be forgiven and forgotten. Let’s just not have this happen again! 32 Pages.
Page M21 - Punisher: Silent Night, $3.99. Written by Andy Diggle, Art by Kyle Hotz. Why is it that the Punisher makes for the most entertaining Holiday specials? Tough to say why this sort of thing works, but it always does. This probably won’t be all too serious (How could Punisher vs. sorta Santa be serious anyway?), but it will probably be good, bloody fun. Not one for the kids, but spirited nonetheless. 48 Pages.
Page M23 - Amazing Fantasy #16, $2.99. Written by Simon Furman, Art by James Raiz. As far as this title has come in recent months, there are still many improvements that could be made. Firstly – more original characters! Not every arc needs to be a “revamp!” This arc is a reworking of old Marvel UK favorite Death’s Head, written by the creator of the original Death’s Head. While this character is new to a lot of Marvel readers, this will be the third incarnation of the character. One has to wonder if the first two versions weren’t good enough for real longevity, why will the third? The second major issue is story length – this issue is the first in a five part story! It is going to be really tough to sell readers on a story this long with a virtually unknown character. A one or two-parter would be far easier. That being said, this series is making great strides. Hopefully the improvements continue. 32 Pages.
Page M25 - Captain America #14, $2.99. Written by Ed Brubaker, Art by Steve Epting. You can’t say that Ed Brubaker didn’t make a splash on this book. Wouldn’t call it the best Cap story ever, but it is a worthy chapter. The Winter Soldier Saga looks like it will be wrapping up this issue. As exciting as this is bound to be for those of us reading, I am one of those that can’t wait to see what is next. Where will Brubaker take this one after this story wraps up? It is as good a time as any to get in on Captain America – this is the best a Cap solo book has been in years. 32 Pages.
Page M29 - GLX-Mas Special, $3.99. Written by Dan Slott, Art by Matt Haley, Geroges Jeanty, Mike Weiringo, Mike Kazaleh, Ty Templeton, and Paul Grist. My gut says that this one will be a little less morbid than the Punisher special, but then, recalling GLA – well, let’s just say this one shot will be well written and funny, but less-morbid might not describe it too accurately. It is nice to see the former Great Lakes Avengers back in some form, even if it is a throwaway one shot. Six brand new stories in this issue – and heck, the villain’s name is Dr. Tannenbaum. That almost tells you everything you need to know about this issue. A must have. 48 Pages.
Page M30 - Marvel Team-Up #15, $2.99. Written by Robert Kirkman, Art by Paco Medina. Two months in a row – two notable issues of Marvel Team-Up. The start of a trend? This issue looks like the start of a brand new arc featuring a group of “third stringers” who come together to fill in for the missing heroes of the Marvel Universe. Can’t say exactly who will be involved, but the cover shows Darkhawk, Speedball, Gravity, Dagger, Arana, - Kirkman has also said in interviews that the arc will also feature Sleepwalker, Terror, Inc., and SuperPro. I am sure I am not the only one hoping Kirkman sneaks a Slinger or two in there, but that is just me. If you aren’t reading Marvel-Team-up, maybe it is time you start. Looks like this is going to be must-read material for at least the next several months. 32 Pages.
Page M33 - Marvel Spotlight: John Cassaday/Sean McKeever, $2.99. Marvel’s answer to DC’s Solo, it would seem. Not a criticism – something is a good idea whether or not someone did it first. And to be fair, Marvel is putting its own spin on showcasing the creator. Solo is an outlet for the creators to let loose – Spotlight looks like it will be more informative about the creators themselves. Marvel promises that this series will not consist of reprints of old work, and it is supposed to be ad-free, both huge plusses. You will be able to find sketches, interviews, script-materials and character designs, and just about any other extra they can think of. This is a good idea – and something well worth checking out. 32 Pages.
Page M45 - Spider-Woman: Origin #1 (of 6), $2.99. Written by Brian Michael Bendis and Brian Reed, Art by Jonathan Luna. Spider-Woman’s origins are a fertile ground for new storytelling – the question is how much of that history will be white-washed in favor of a new vision. The series is worth getting for the creative team alone. Bendis is the current Shepard of the character, as a given, but he is paired up with his partner from the Ultimate Spider-Man video game, Brian Reed. Add the unique art style of Jonathan Luna, and you have something really original from Marvel. I think it is going to be something of a shock for readers to see a realistically proportioned Spider-Woman for a change! 32 Pages.
Page M46 - She-Hulk #3 (#100), $3.99. Written by Dan Slott, Art by Juan Bobillo, Paul Pelletier, Mike Vosburg, and more. Is this the first time an issue #100 celebration has occurred for an issue #3? This has to be the lowest numbered issue 100 yet! In all seriousness, this should be a spectacular issue. Jam packed with a brand new story, and reprints of two previous She-Hulk #1s, Savage and Sensational. Slott’s She-Hulk does deserve an event – and if this is what it will take to get people to finally read this book, then I am all for it. 104 Pages.
Page M47 - Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane #1, $2.99. Written by Sean McKeever, Art by Takeshi Miyazawa. You know, Marvel might have finally hit on something with this one. The Mary Jane issues in the past had a pretty solid fanbase, just a small one. But it suffered from a common problem – low sales. With Mary Jane’s ties to Spider-Man, one would think that this would not be an issue. Maybe the answer is, the casual readers didn’t put 2 and 2 together. A comic about some random girl named Mary Jane? Who cares? But make it clear in the title that this is SPIDER-MAN’s Mary Jane, you might tap into that market a little better. Nice to see this title back, and as an ongoing (again, isn’t it?) – and also good that they seem to have gotten a pretty good idea with the title change. 32 Pages.
Page M74 - Exiles #74, $2.99. Written by Tony Bedard, Art by Paul Pelletier. Just thought I would mention really quick that another character from the “616” Universe joins the team in this issue. Not sure who it will be, just yet, but chances are there is going to be some group of fans somewhere happy to see their favorite character in a monthly book once again. 32 Pages.
Craig's Top Five of the Month
# 5 - Infinite Crisis #3, $3.99, DC Comics. Belongs on this list simply because of what it is. Can’t speak much more highly about the event.
#4 - Spider-Woman: Origin #1 (of 6), $2.99, Marvel Comics. I have a good feeling about this one. Probably thanks to the art of Luna, but Bendis could pull out something special here.
#3 - She-Hulk #3 (#100), $3.99, DC Comics. She-Hulk issue 100. Kind of. Reason enough!
#2 - GLX-Mas Special, $3.99, Marvel Comics. Dan Slott’s doubt-header in the top-five this month. Just about everything he touches is gold these days.
#1 - Hard Time #1, $2.50, DC Comics. I have been waiting for this one to come back for far too long. Releasing this book as part of a new imprint was a big mistake in the first place. Let’s hope it doesn’t suffer this time around.
Craig's Collection of the Month
Page M85 - GLA- Misassembled, $14.99, Marvel. Written by Dan Slott, Art by Paul Pelletier. OK, so Slott gets the trade release this month too. The man is the good for Marvel. Just in time for Christmas, the trade version of the series far too many of you missed out on. And if only ONE of you didn’t read it, that is too many. This GLA series is the best example in recent memory of dark humor in a comic book. Slott did a brilliant job of taking a team seen as a total joke, making you care about them, then tearing their lives down around them in the most tragic manner possible, making you laugh and anguish at the same time. When all of those end-of-the-year awards come out, this one better be on the top of a bunch of lists as the most brilliant mini of the year. Yes – that good. You need to check it out. 144 Pages.
_________________
Well, okay, but some of the comments I've heard about fans is that they're idiots. -Peter A. David
There is no such thing as a job Americans won't do. There are only jobs Americans won't do for slave wages.
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. And since DC doesn't really have anything else going on...
