Broken Frontier

Well folks, if nothing else, I get this out in time for you to update your orders at the shop. In fact, it may be most useful that way. I do notice that at the shops there are even a few of the most diligent with their lists who add a couple of the titles I gloss over in this piece after it comes out. So I hope that is what you folks are using it for. In a way, that was my goal.

Alright, enough gabbing already, on with my picks from the most recent (being July for items shipping in September) Previews Catalog!

Marvel

Well there are two books that stand out this month. The first is Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Mike Perkins adapting my second favorite novel from Stephen King. For those keeping score at home, The Shining gets the top spot. The Stand should make for a compelling comic and it will be interesting to see a writer that I see as a light and fun guy show some dark chops.

The other is Samurai. I’ve made my love of for French Comics quite well known and when the book that impressed me in the solicits for the Soleil launch turned out to be one of the best books I have read all year (Sky Doll), it just upped the ante for this particular book, beautifully illustrated by Frederic Genet. Author Jean-Francois Di Giorgio tackles a subject that has fascinated me since an early child hood stay in Okinawa.

DC Comics

It’s all about my hardcover addiction in the Direct Currents portion this month with the Brian Azzarello writing a graphic novel called Joker. It might be a couple of months late, or not, who knows how well the juggernaut that is The Dark Knight will maintain its legs. With an interesting premise and a gritty cover, I’m sold. There is also a deluxe hardcover of Camelot 3000. I have heard lots of good things about this book and with Brian Bolland on art duties, Mike W. Barr on scripting and the suffix of deluxe edition HC I’ll be all over this one.

Image

Back to Brooklyn. Ennis. Palmiotti. Yeah, I really don’t care what it is about. I will be reading it, as will half Ultimate Comics’ subscribers.

Then there is Four Eyes. Joe Kelly is a mixed bag, but the preview of Max Fiumra’s art is stunning in unfinished black and white. Add to that dragons in depression era America and that special x-factor to Image’s books of late seems to be in full play.

Dark Horse

Dark Horse hits us with the usual this month. I guess I should give a nod to The Helm #3 since I missed it the first time around, this book is funny and a lot of fun. For those of us in the hobby with really deep pockets or for the most fervent Gerard Way fans, there is the Umbrella Academy umbrella!

The Best of the Rest

Alterna Comics steals a page from Tim Seeley with Jesus Hates Zombies in: "Yea, Though I Walk…" Who would have thought that horror heresy would catch on? Jesus is sent back to Earth to deal with zombipocalypse (I warned you guys I am going to use this word going forward). Having a sidekick named Laz and a short entitled "Lincoln Hates Werewolves". Sounds like a good time for all.

Andrews and McMeel get my nod for Prince Valiant Volume 1, promising to bring Gianni and Schultz’s great run to the masses. This is high adventure in the great epic mold. Good stuff. Can we get some of the Hal Foster strips now?

Ape Entertainment is no stranger to Previews Picks; this month is no exception as they publish Return to Point Pleasant. Chad Lambert (Kill the Revisionist) tells a tale of time travel and covers 200 years of urban myth in this graphic novel exploring the West Virginian Mothman stories!

Bluewater Productions puts out a wide array of titles based on various science fiction and fantasy properties. From the work of Ray Harryhausen and beyond, this publisher has brought a numerous of interesting ideas to the medium, this month they debut Vincent Price Presents and the latent 12 year old that resides in my brain is giddy with delight.

Boom! Studios firmly moved out of up and coming publisher territory with their announcement of a partnership with Disney/Pixar at San Diego this weekend. They also want to help out Josh Medors, an artist who was recently diagnosed with cancer. Pulp Tales will benefit that cause and sports an all star line up of talent. Support the cause and preorder the prestige edition. Galveston looks promising as well with a tale crossing pirates and the old west… two genres that have been separated for far too long.

Cinebook has all kinds of interesting looking books in this catalog. Unfortunately most of them are continuations of series already working. Blake & Mortimer and Green Manor have me so intrigued that I will be checking on the availability of the back catalog.

Drawn & Quarterly shines the light on Guy Delisle and his intriguing reporting/travelogue style this month, celebrating the release of his Burma Chronicles with his backlist on full display. The minimalist line on the covers and subject matter of the three books have me uber-intrigued. As always, their offerings seem to deserve an extra look overall.

First Second enters Tonya’s favorite realm, the video game adaptation. However, with a property like Prince of Persia, they will get this lover of Terry & the Pirates, The Phantom, and Prince Valiant to bite. The cover promises exactly what I would expect from the concept and First Second has never failed to entertain me with a project that looked interesting to me! They also publish Eisner and Isotope winner Danica Novgorodoff’s new work Slow Storm. This promises to be in the vein of books like Blankets and Palookaville with its "literary graphic novel" pedigree.

Prince Valiant may have me excited, but Hermes Press’s announcement of the first volume of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century: The Complete Newspaper Dailies has me anxious. This should be a historical release. These strips first printed in 1929 set the tone for every science fiction comic that followed. So many of the tropes of the genre are established here. Not satisfied with merely throwing this in the Eisner fight next year, Hermes is also reprinting the ENTIRE Star Hawks series from the legendary Gil Kane in one handsome volume.

I like comic memoirs and Villard Books has been a solid publisher with the Flight anthologies. So, American Widow should be a powerful book as Alissa Torres recounts her relationship with her late husband Eddie. The tragedy of 9/11/01 is where this romance ended and where an incredible journey begins. This one should be set to win all kinds of awards.

Manga picks: Well it isn’t Japanese and it isn’t backwards but it is printed by Antartic Press and it is a "Pocket Manga" so I’ll go with Far West by Richard Moore of Boneyard and Fire & Brimstone fame. This was the writer/cartoonist’s first work and fantasy and Old West combine in a story that has been called a cult favorite! Seven Seas should be able to move a few books with Afro Samurai.

There is big news in the manga world this month as Vertical publishes Tezuka’s Black Jack Volume 1. Boasting a 20 page story never before published anywhere, the fans of Tezuka should come out in force for this book.

Oddities and Eye Catchers

AL Publishing has an eye popping cover with Arsenic Lullaby: Pulp Edition.

Dig the Deco-esque and Templesmith influenced cover to SLG’s Agnes Quill: An Anthology of Mystery.

Bloomsbury catches my eye with Rapunzel’s Revenge. A "swashbuckling, hilarious, and very American twist on the classic fairy tale" brought to by a whole slew of people named Hale.

DDP’s cult hit Hack/Slash crosses over with another horror favorite… The Reanimator!

For fans of Faeries, Bud Plant has all kinds of items of interest on SALE!

Desperado pulls out all the stops for the upcoming Halloween, lots of goodies there.

Houghton Mifflin continues to make it easy for the hesitant reader with The Best American Comics 2008.

Steve Niles and Kyle Hotz bring their next big Horror hit to IDW with Epilogue #1.

More pirates sighted in Oni Press’s Crogan’s Vengeance.

Kid friendly Dean Haspiel? Mo and Jo is published by Raw Junior.

Valiant continues its aggressive reprint strategy with Archer & Armstrong: First Impressions.

Ooh, new Josh Howard, T-Bird and Throttle #1 from Viper!

Yen Press publishes an intriguing looking book from China, Wild Animals by Song Yang.

Omnibus Watch: The Freak Brothers, Punisher by Garth Ennis

Really Pricey Hardcovers of note: Lone Ranger Definitive Edition, Death Note Boxset (not a hardcover, but at $99.99 this is pricey and notable)

More of my favorites in September with new issues of Echo, Rasl, Sparks, and WildCards solicited!