I’m also hoping to get a chance to catch up on some manga series I’m behind on, since Viz is bringing out new volumes of The Story of Saiunkoku (Volume 7, $9.99) and Ai Ore (Volume 5, $9.99).

Those interested in comic media mentions might find the timing of the new printing of The Pro (Image Comics, $7.99) coincidentally beneficial. In last week’s Entertainment Weekly, the cover story was a roundtable interview with the stars of The Avengers. The only comic prominently plugged was The Pro, as Samuel L. Jackson recommended this story of a superpowered hooker.

Here are two capsule reviews of other titles due out in comic shops tomorrow. (Publishers provided review copies.)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9 #9

script by Andrew Chambliss & Scott Allie
pencils by Cliff Richards
inks by Andy Owens
Dark Horse, $2.99

I was trying to tell a friend how and why I was enjoying reading this series, and describing events so far made it sound very goofy, but it’s in keeping with the best days of the source TV show. The combination of ridiculous science fiction/fantasy expectations with pointed and powerful emotional reactions is what made Buffy so much fun to watch and so involving to follow. Here, there’s a Buffybot, geekboy Andrew, and Spike with his spaceship full of talking bugs all chasing after a kidnapped member of the Scooby gang who’s suffering amnesia.

Aside from the “what happens next?” and “how do they get out of *this* one?” impulses, there’s also an intriguing theme of Slayer jealousy, with one of the others determined to take her revenge on Buffy for doing it wrong. How like this series, to cast typical human reactions in such over-the-top terms, making them all the more dramatic and yet keeping the feelings relatable.

The art does a nice job of balancing likenesses with story flow. The characters look like they “should” while not resembling photographs too often; they have a good sense of movement. Plus, you know, monsters and fighting.

This is the kind of story I like to see in comics, one that brings an identity crisis to attention in larger-than-life fashion with imaginative elements.

Trio #1

by John Byrne
IDW Publishing, $3.99

I guess you really can make superheroes out of anything, as the three here are called Rock, Paper, and Scissors. (Scissors’ blades for hands strike me as immensely impractical, but they’re only temporary.) Byrne’s oddly flat cover shows the three and their powers, which are demonstrated in more detail in the big fight scene that opens the issue.

I found the captions overwritten, but fans will likely find this a welcome throwback to the classic comics where they first became “Byrne victims”. That’s the audience this is aimed at, after all. In the same tradition, some of the dialogue tells us what we’re looking at, just in case we needed the help. It’s a shame that the computerized coloring used on Rock (he’s got a texture insert to look like stone) is out of keeping with that mood and approach; I found it visually distracting.

One of the heroes is in danger, but we know so little about them in this first issue that it’s hard to care much. We’re told, not shown, the impact of several moments meant to raise emotions in the reader. I instead found the incidents flat, much like the cover. But I’m not the audience for this one.

Sleaze Castle Etcetera

What an exciting discovery! AAM Markosia is bringing out a reprint of one of my favorite indy comic series from the late 1990s. Sleaze Castle Etcetera: The inComplete Final Cut ($49.99, MAY12 0787, due July) is almost 500 pages, reprinting the four director’s cut volumes and Petra Etcetera by Dave McKinnon, Adrian Kermode, and Terry Wiley. It’s an oddly intriguing combination of slice-of-university-life comics starring Jo, a pop culture student, and science fiction with her friend Panda, who’s royalty from another universe. I loved this series, and I have fond hopes that this giant reprint means the slight possibility of more comics sometime in the future. Forbidden Planet has more details and sample art, showing how fun this series could be.

Also coming back into print is the first volume of Mark Oakley’s Thieves & Kings, this time in hardcover from Archaia ($24.95, MAY12 0840, due September). This fantasy story will fit right in with that publisher’s line.

Harker: The Book of Solomon

Looks like Harker, the British mystery comic I reviewed a couple of years ago, is getting a collected edition from Titan Books ($19.95, MAY12 1287, due July). The Book of Solomon reprints the first four issues.

I’ve already talked about the Scott Pilgrim color hardcover (Oni, $24.99, MAY12 1234, due August 8) and Muppets #1 (Marvel, $2.99, MAY12 0704, due July 4).

Snarky Comments

There is not a single female-led comic issue coming from Archie Comics this month. The only series they still have appear to be Archie, Jughead, and Kevin Keller.

We’re starting to see sentences in the DC section of Previews that should never be appearing, of the form “the new 52 debut of (old character name)”. If this reboot was truly an excuse to tell new stories, then we shouldn’t be seeing such reintroductions. That kind of promo only makes sense to old readers — but they’re the ones still reading the Previews catalog, I guess.

It could be worse — we could be seeing more use of old DC trademarks as new character names, as is happening in Batgirl, with the introduction of the villain Knightfall.

Then again, if new character names are along the lines of Bleez, Atrocitus, and Abysmus, all Red Lanterns, maybe it’s better to stick with the old classics.

When did it become a thing to call collections of entire runs of short-lived series “Volume 1″, as they’re doing with Hawk & Dove? Why does a book sufficient in itself need a volume number?

If IDW is promoting “creator-owned favorites”, then I’d think it would make more sense to actually list the creators’ names, instead of just the title, format, price, and ISBN (which doesn’t make sense in the comic market anyway). Image did the same thing, only without the ISBN. Either way, if your sales pitch is “creator-owned”, then name the creators!

It seems that the academic publishers have discovered the Previews audience, as there are a number of similar-sounding collections of critical essays in the Books section, most at $40 or more for 200+-page volumes. And I bet most don’t have many pictures at all.

Teen Boat!

My two book recommendations are at very different ends of the graphic novel spectrum. I haven’t seen Guy Delisle’s newest travelogue, Jerusalem: Chronicles from the Holy City (Drawn & Quarterly, $24.95), yet, but I’m sure it will be in keeping with his earlier volumes, such as Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea. However, unlike his other books, this one is about a city that others may already know more about, or at least have their own perceptions. I’m curious to see how this one is received. The publisher has posted a preview.

From meaningful and insightful to silly fun. Teen Boat! (Clarion Books, $14.99) by Dave Roman and John Green has the tagline “the ANGST of being a teen, the THRILL of being a boat!” That may seem to sum it up, but with this crazy character, a boy who turns into a smallish yacht, Roman and Green tell classic school stories: being used by the popular kid throwing a party, detention, class trip abroad, first kiss, running for class president, learning to drive. It’s like every teen movie wrapped up in one colorful, kid-friendly set of gags. There’s also a Scooby-Doo-like segment when Teen Boat (the actual character’s name) tries to get a job but winds up defeating a gang of monster-truck-driving boat smugglers. I suspect young readers will find this collection imaginatively inspiring and enjoyably goofy.

Also out this week is Oni Press’ Play Ball, which I’ve already reviewed. That’s another teen-friendly title.

There’s a debut comic issue you want to be sure you check out this week. IDW launches a four-issue Popeye ($3.99) series written by the talented Roger Langridge and illustrated by Bruce Ozella. I’ve had the pleasure of reading it already, and it was great fun, faithful to what I know of the original but thoroughly fresh. Castor Oyl decides to find another Jeep so he can breed Eugene, which leads a bunch of the cast to an island excursion. And Olive gets to show some gumption.

The creators clearly know their material, with Popeye saying, for example, “D’ja think I’m a cowboy?” the first time we see him, just as he did in his first appearance. It’s impressive that each page is structured as a scene, rather like reading the old Sunday pages. You can see here, on the first page, how faithful the style is. All the favorite characters are here, and it’s a wonderful comedy adventure read with terrific action art.

I’m also looking forward to how The Twelve wraps up (Marvel Comics, $2.99). The penultimate issue was satisfying, and I’m glad we finally get the finale.

My favorite discovery was Resident Alien #0 (Dark Horse, $3.50), which I reviewed this weekend, while my most anticipated is the return of Linda Medley’s Castle Waiting! Issue #16 ($3.95) is out from Fantagraphics, and I hope it begins a long and enjoyable run of the title. Here’s some more information from Kim Thompson.

Harvey Pekar’s Cleveland

On the superhero side, I’ve been enjoying Wolverine and the X-Men #9 (Marvel, $3.99). And perhaps it’s shallow of me, but I’m going to try Defenders #5 again because there’s a Walt Simonson Variant Cover (Marvel, whatever your retailer will charge).

Autobio readers will want to be sure to check out Harvey Pekar’s Cleveland (Top Shelf, $21.99). Back when Flashmob Fridays was running, I posted my reactions to the title as part of that roundup; the short version is that it’s a great book and a particularly good introduction to Pekar’s flavor of comics, blending his life memories with thoughts on his hometown. Artist Joseph Remnant is very well-suited to the material. Publishers Weekly has more background on how the book came about.

For history buffs, Archie Archives Volume 5 (Dark Horse, $49.99) brings new comedy adventures of the classic teen boy.

Horror fans, it’s bonus time for you. I enjoyed the stories in Abe Sapien: The Devil Does Not Jest (Dark Horse, $17.99) and the illustrations Becky Cloonan added to Dracula: The Illustrated Novel (Harper Collins, $17.99). For more vampires, Matt Maxwell brings us Strangeways: The Thirsty (Highway 62 Press, $17.95). His first book in the Western/horror series was Strangeways: Murder Moon, which tackled werewolves.

I’m not sure where to categorize The Shark King (Toon Books, $12.95) by R. Kikuo Johnson — it’s a fable/monster/fantasy/kid-grows-up story, but regardless, it’s lovely to look at.

What are you looking forward to this week?

Wonder Woman: The Twelve Labors		Jack Hammer: Political Science
by Various		by Brandon Barrows and Ionic
DC Comics, $14.99		Action Lab Entertainment, $14.95
APR12 0259, due July 4		APR12 0744, due June
I’ve already talked about anticipating this book, so I don’t want to repeat myself, but yay!		I’m the wrong audience for a book (collecting a four-issue miniseries) that boils down to a fairly standard detective yarn, only the PI used to be a superhero, but if it sounds like something you’re interested in, you can see a preview at that link. I do find it interesting that Previews was willing to list something limited to 500 copies. I guess the price point makes up for the small customer base.
The Summit of the Gods Book 3		Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms
by Yumemakuro Baku and Jiro Taniguchi		by Fumiyo Kouno
Fanfare/Ponent Mon, $25		Last Gasp, $9.99
APR12 1085, due June		APR12 1148, due May 16
I’ve already read this, so I know it’s good. This volume combines an adventure story, complete with villains, with gorgeous mountain scenery.		Touching and disturbing, this story tells how some survived and lived after the atomic bomb hit Japan. It’s quieter and not as well-known as Barefoot Gen, but I found it a better read.
Lovers’ Lane: The Hall-Mills Mystery		Ôoku: The Inner Chambers Book 7
by Rick Geary		by Fumi Yoshinaga
NBM, $15.99		Viz, $12.99
APR12 1161, due June 27		APR12 1303, due July 18
I always enjoy books in Geary’s “Treasury of Murder” series, especially stories that I’m not already familiar with. This looks like another juicy puzzle.		More yay! One of my favorite manga series continues after a too-long delay.

Issues I Recommend You Consider

Resident Alien #2 (Dark Horse, APR12 0044, $3.50, June 27). I just read issue #0 and liked it a lot. It’s a clever sci-fi twist on a small-town murder by introducing an alien in hiding.

Courtney Crumrin #3 (Oni Press, APR12 1177, $3.99, June 27). The first issue was a great re-introduction to the grumpy little witch.

Back Issue #57 (TwoMorrows, APR12 1375, $8.95, June 13). I’ve been looking forward to this for a while. Buddy Bob Greenberger interviews former DC President Jenette Kahn. I’ve never read much from her, especially in a retrospective fashion, so this should be insightful.

Snarky Comments

Congratulations to Dark Horse on getting a new Gilbert Hernandez series with Fatima: The Blood Spinners, but there’s something kind of sad to see one of the guys who established indy comics with Love and Rockets doing a zombie book. Maybe he’s got something new to say about the genre, but to me, it just seems to signal that both of them need a break. (Also, if I type “Fatima” into the search box on the Dark Horse homepage, it gives me “the search yielded no results”, which is just broken. I shouldn’t have to go to Google to find book pages on their website I know exist.)

I didn’t talk about the “Before Watchmen” project when the news broke, because I’m not that interested. It does, however, symbolize to me how much the company has changed from what it used to be. Under Paul Levitz and his generation, DC Comics (to a degree) cared about what the fan press thought of them and maintaining creator relationships based on history. Now that leadership has changed, of course a company is going to look at its maximizing its assets and attempt to spin off work based on one of their few big-budget movies. It’s a change from being led by someone who thinks of himself as “one of them” to being led by someone making decisions purely on a corporate basis, without any emotional factor.

The first issue of Mixtape (Ardden Entertainment, $2.99), a new indy series following teenagers coming of age in the 90s, tied together by music, finally makes it out. It’s a classic theme that, with its moving period of nostalgia, makes me realize my adulthood, yet is universally relatable, since we’ve all been there.

One of my favorite artists, Steve Lieber, illustrates the new miniseries Alabaster: Wolves (Dark Horse, $3.50, #1 of 5). It brings the character of Darcy Flammarion from Caitlín R. Kiernan’s novels to comics. I’m not the audience for a story about teens fighting monsters, but check out David Brothers telling you why it’s great, complete with preview pages. I agree with him, the book’s strong sense of setting is one of its virtues.

Pete and Miriam

From DC, I’m curious to see if the second issue of Saucer Country ($2.99) lives up to the promise of the first, while The Unwritten (#36, $2.99) is always worth reading.

I’ve already talked about Unterzakhn (Schocken Books, $24.95), the excellent how-to Mastering Manga With Mark Crilley (Krause, $22.99), 20th Century Boys Book 20 (Viz, $12.99), and Bakuman Book 10 (Viz, $9.99).

Old friend J. Torres wrote the Jinx collection (Archie Comics, $9.99 paperback, $16.99 hardcover), originally serialized digitally. It didn’t do much for me, but I’ve never liked that character, so I had no connection to seeing her as a teen. You can read a preview online.

I’m hoping I get a chance to flip through Pete and Miriam by Rich Tommaso (Boom! Studios, $14.99). Also a coming-of-age story, this one explores the age-old question of whether boys and girls can be friend through the story of two college kids. It’s gotten good reviews. I’m also interested in how this was first published in France in 2010 and took two more years to get over here.

The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery
Service Volume 12

I actually have a digital preview copy right now, but I’m not reading it. Others have talked about how distracting the Dark Horse watermark can be in their online review copies, and that’s a big part of it. KCDS also has excellent endnotes, by editor and adaptor Carl Horn, and when I’m reading the book in print, I can stick my finger in the back pages and flip back and forth to keep up with the annotations and sound effect translations. That’s too complicated in a PDF. So I’ll wait another two weeks to get my print copy — since Dark Horse is one of those companies (another is NBM) where Diamond gets the books two weeks or so before Amazon does.

I am intrigued by this promotional line at the publisher’s website: “The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service is a focus title of Dark Horse’s new Blood and Guts promotional campaign.” I always forget how violent and gory this title can be, since I enjoy it so much, and I normally hate that stuff.

Straddling the line between manga and graphic novels, Del Rey puts out House of Odd ($10.99), the third in their series of illustrated Odd Thomas stories, based on the Dean Koontz character. This one has a new adaptor, Landry Q. Walker, but it’s still drawn by Queenie Chan (The Dreaming).

KC’s already reviewed The Sincerest Form of Parody (Fantagraphics, $24.99), an historical collection of MAD-inspired parody comics.

I’m looking forward to two of my favorite superhero comics, both from Marvel. Daredevil #10 ($2.99) and The Twelve #11 ($2.99) should be good reads. The former promises a flashback to the hero’s “first days in the costume”. Marvel also has four Avengers titles, just in case you weren’t sure that there was a movie coming out. That seems a bit like flooding the market, putting out all those titles in one week, but I guess they want to give readers as many choices as possible if they’re interested in the team.

Cartoon Monarch:
Otto Soglow and the Little King

On the historical side, Fantagraphics brings us The Sincerest Form of Parody: The Best 1950s MAD Inspired Satirical Comics ($24.99). KC’s working on a review that we’ll have for you shortly. The ever-impressive Library of American Comics puts out Cartoon Monarch: Otto Soglow and the Little King (IDW, $49.99), a crazy weird pantomime strip. Bless them for bringing us so many great forgotten comics.

If you’re looking to sample something a little cheaper, perhaps a comic issue, Hoax Hunters #0 (Image Comics, $2.99) is testing the waters for a later series. It’s about “a group of reality TV stars who make a living disproving folklore and urban legend, while secretly keeping the scarier truth hidden from sight.” But it’s the comparison to Mythbusters mixed with X-Files that intrigues me. It’s very modern in its cynicism, too — instead of working to uncover the truth, this gang keeps it all secret. I’m wondering who’s behind the idea to keep viewers stupid.

IDW continues its series of Rocketeer Adventures miniseries ($3.99) with an issue containing contributions from Stan Sakai (utterly charming in connecting up two classic stories and the dream of flying), Peter David and Bill Sienkiewicz (giving us a Ducketeer cartoon parody), Marc Guggenheim and Sandy Plunkett (with an old-fashioned debate over vigilantism), and a pinup by Art Adams.

The long-planned Stan Lee’s Mighty 7, now on its third title, launches from Archie ($2.99) with a variant cover and a limited signed edition. Stan’s superhero ideas don’t have the magic they once did, but he’s appearing in this series, which might entertain readers dreaming of meeting
the legend and having superpowers themselves.

I’m sad to see the final issue of Tiny Titans with issue #50 (DC Comics, $2.99), but it’s been a good run. Also concluding is DC Universe Online Legends ($2.99), the videogame tie-in issue. Anyone reading it? Anyone playing the game? It seems to have come out later than needed to be a breakthrough success.

Meanwhile, in manga, I’ve already mentioned some outstanding Yen Press releases this week. I’m also curious to try Young Miss Holmes, an omnibus from Seven Seas Entertainment ($16.99) that promises cute girl mystery-solving.

Showcase Presents Young Love

If you’re into that kind of thing but want macho instead of girly, you might want to check out the first volume of the Crime Does Not Pay Archives (Dark Horse, $49.99). With a foreword by Matt Fraction, this volume collects the first four issues of the notorious pre-Comics Code series. (Or maybe #22-25, as the indicia says. They weren’t so fanatic about numbering back then.) The art is rough, as you’d expect from 1942-era work, and the stories fall into the mode of “spend all the time showing the sinning and then slap a moral not to do that on the end”. (What I think of as the Cecil B. DeMille style of storytelling, after the movies he made the same way to get around censor boards.) But it’s the medium’s history under hard covers.

I’ve already reviewed Uglies: Shay’s Story (Del Rey, $10.99), which I liked more than I thought I would. I quit reading Twin Spica because it wasn’t moving fast enough for me, but Sean Gaffney caught me up to date on Volume 12 (Vertical, $13.95), out this week and concluding the series. Publishers Weekly makes the case for Corto Maltese: The Ballad of the Salt Sea (Universe, $25) deserving to be more famous in the US than it is.

In comic issues, there’s another installment of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9. Issue #7 (Dark Horse, $2.99) is full of surprises … and vampire dustings, just in case you forgot the basics of the premise. I much preferred Buffy’s honesty with Spike, though, because that’s why I read the series. Andrew Chambliss is doing an amazing job with his dialogue, capturing the voice true to the character, while Georges Jeanty and Karl Story get the look just right.

I’m also looking forward to The Unwritten #35 (DC Comics, $4.99), even if it is bigger and costlier. It’s a good series, even if it could be called “Unspoken” for all I don’t hear anyone talking about it.

This post wasn’t up ten hours ago because I wanted to make clever comments about the six different versions of Avengers Assemble #1 out today, accompanied by the Oral History collection (really? why not just label it Bendis’ Fanfiction Notes?) and various hardcovers and trade paperbacks and posters all dedicated to the team, but I think the release list is just going to look like that until the movie comes out in May. So never mind.

Manga

Del Rey Manga (remember that name?) is reoffering two CLAMP starting points as part of the promotion, with 2004′s xxxHOLiC Volume 1 and Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle Volume 1 available for order again, in case you’d like to try these series that ended last month (with book 19) and 2010 (with book 28), respectively.

The fruit’s of Digital Manga’s first Kickstarter are now available to you — they’ve brought Osamu Tezuka’s Swallowing the Earth back into print ($24.95, due May, MAR12 1013). I don’t recommend it, since it’s very much of its time, including sexist and racist caricatures, but at least the book’s return has brought the used prices on Amazon back into more reasonable range. And it’s good to see that their efforts aren’t limited solely to Kickstarter backers.

If you’re interested in trying yaoi, Digital Manga is also listing Same Difference ($12.95, due May, MAR12 1010), which sounds intriguing because it breaks up the usual boys’ love pairing. Usually, there’s a seme and uke, an older, more powerful “attacker” and a younger, more feminine-appearing “receiver” (in very loose terms). In this story, two seme get together, which should provide for a twist that breaks up the formula to a degree.

Wandering Son: Book Three

Fantagraphics continues bringing us the worldview-changing Wandering Son by Shimura Takako with Book Three ($19.99, due May, MAR12 1062). The young teens have their transgendered status revealed in this volume, and while I’m sure I will find it heartbreaking for the characters, I’m dying to see how it all plays out, because it’s so well-portrayed and insightful. The first two books are also available for reorder.

Kodansha’s got a ton of titles listed this month, in keeping with Manga Month. The two I want to draw your attention to are two Omnibus reprint collections. Miyuki Kobayashi’s Kitchen Princess returns with a book collecting the first two volumes of the series ($14.99, due June 6, MAR12 1107). I thought that story ran a little too long and went a little too melodramatic, but I really enjoyed Genshiken by Kio Shimoku, which also gets a three-book omnibus ($19.99, due May 23, MAR12 1105).

From NBM, there’s another chance to get Takashi Murakami’s clear-eyed tearjerker Stargazing Dog ($11.99, due May 3, MAR12 1131), one of my Best Manga of 2011.

SuBLime, the new yaoi manga line, debuts in print this month with two books: Honey Darling ($12.99, due June 13, MAR12 1190), about two guys working at a vet clinic, and Three Wolves Mountain ($12.99, due June 13, MAR12 1191), a fantasy involving werewolves.

I don’t want to overlook Viz, since they keep doing what they’re doing — putting out good manga in quality editions. They just don’t seem to have any good jumping-on points this month. Yen Press at least is reoffering the first book of Yotsuba&! ($11.99, due May 3, MAR12 1279) as well as several other series.

I’m disappointed to see that Dark Horse — a company I expected to be involved in this Manga Month promotion, since they were Diamond’s Manga Publisher of the Year for 2010 — didn’t include in its relist section my favorite manga series they release, The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service. I worry that the series, which had the release date for the newest book delayed over a year, may be in the process of fading away in the U.S.

Graphic Novels

Usagi Yojimbo Volume 26

Given that the promotion for Manga Month includes covering material “created by American artists inspired by manga”, I was surprised not to see the slug on the newest Usagi Yojimbo collection. The adventures of Stan Sakai’s rabbit samurai are now up to Volume 26 ($16.99, due July 4, MAR12 0028). Traitors of the Earth collects issues #117-123 along with a couple of short stories from anthologies. The hardcover ($59.99, due August 15, MAR12 0029), out a month later, is limited to 350 copies and features a signed, tipped-in page.

Blacksad: A Silent Hell

Dark Horse is really on a roll this month, with another wonderful release: a new book of Blacksad. I’ve been anticipating A Silent Hell ($19.99, due July 11, MAR12 0053) since it was announced last month, and the making-of sketch section should be enlightening when it comes to Juanjo Guarnido’s art. It’s written by Juan Díaz Canales.

I’m glad to see the current DC management isn’t afraid of its history or the customers that want the “old stuff” and has brought back the Archives. Mainly because it means I get a new book of Wonder Woman. Volume 7 ($59.99, due October 24, MAR12 0259) collects issues #16-18 and Sensation Comics #50-57 from 1946.

The Comic Book History of Comics

The Comic Book History of Comics ($21.99, IDW Publishing, due May 23, MAR12 0368) collects the six-issue miniseries formerly known as Comic Book Comics by Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey. The variety of topics covered make this a book well worth reading, especially in collected form. New introduction by respected journalist Tom Spurgeon.

The Moon Moth

The Moon Moth ($17.99, due May 23, MAR12 1076) is First Second’s presentation of a classic Jack Vance science fiction story, first published in 1961. Humayoun Ibrahim adapted and illustrated it. Given that the tale involves a culture where actions depend on a ranked status and everyone goes masked, it’s a good choice for a visual presentation. The culture also requires communication through music, intriguingly presented through balloons with colorfully illustrated borders. The introduction explaining Vance’s grand master status, reprinted from a 2009 New York Times Magazine article, emphasizes his facility with language over his ideas, providing a somewhat mixed message. I found the tale confusing and the presentation static, but it’s certainly a buffet of exotic visual figures.

Mastering Comics

More straightforward will be Mastering Comics, the followup to Jessica Abel and Matt Madden’s excellent Drawing Words & Writing Pictures. It’s a collection of lessons on how to be a cartoonist, complete with examples and exercises.

Be sure to check out Xoc: The Journey of a Great White ($19.99, due July 25, Oni Press, MAR12 1143), Matt Dembicki’s well-illustrated nature comic. It’s a great read for anyone interested in aquatic ecology.

Vic Boone ($14.99, due May, 215 Ink, MAR12 1214) is your classic tough-guy private eye, only set in a world with robots. When a rich corporate head is murdered, the gorgeous widow is blamed, and she comes to Boone for help. Boone’s stool pigeon sidekick is a human fly (literally, like in the Fly movie), while he turns himself into a gorilla to go undercover in this sci-fi/noir mashup. What’s most distinctive is the coloring, with strong use of just a few primary tones and contrasting colors — purple figures against a yellow background, or deep red against steel blue. It sounds garish, but the result is modern and streamlined. I found it a quick read, but enjoyable escapism.

Single Issues

The Guild: Fawkes cover by Paul Duffield

In comics, Dark Horse continues its Guild one-shots with an issue focusing on Fawkes, the arch-enemy/lover of Felicia Day’s character Codex. Fawkes is played by Wil Wheaton, who co-writes. This comic ($3.50, due May 23, MAR12 0023) promises to span the gap between his character in seasons 4 and 5 of the popular web show. The art’s by the excellent Jamie McKelvie, which provides even more of a reason to read it.

I’m most excited, though, by the return of Andi Watson’s Skeleton Key in a Color Special ($3.50, due May 2, MAR12 0032). It collects the three stories from Dark Horse Presents. Watson’s cartooning is more amazing now than it ever was, and I’m thrilled to see it in color.

DC is launching its New 52 replacement series this month, with two books I’m eager for. (It would be nice to have a DC comic I looked forward to again.) The first is the return of Grant Morrison’s Batman, Incorporated ($2.99, due May 23, MAR12 0149). I hope it has the magic for me of the previous run. The second is the pairing of Power Girl and the Huntress in Worlds’ Finest #1 ($2.99, due May 2, MAR12 0147). I’m glad to see Power Girl finally get a practical, regal costume, and I’m curious to see if writer Paul Levitz can recapture the magic of those characters he found when he wrote them in the 1970s.

Possessions: The Better House Trap

Also of note for children, particularly, are the two latest Toon Books ($12.95): Chick and Chickie and the odd science-educational Zig and Wikki in The Cow (yes, that can be read literally, ewwww).

In manga news, with the release of Oh My Goddess! Volume 20 ($11.99), Dark Horse has completed re-releasing the series in “authentic”, non-flipped, right-to-left reading order. They claim this series is “the longest-running manga in the US”, and I can believe it. The volume also contains creator commentary, fan art, and letters, and there’s a preview available on their website.

Superhero readers, if, like me, you’re paling on the New 52 DC reboot, you may find some comfort in DC Universe: Secret Origins (DC Comics, $39.99). This hardcover has over 300 pages of Silver Age origin stories from the old Giant-sized Secret Origins #1, More Secret Origins #1, Even More Secret Origins #1 (naming originality!), and Weird Secret Origins #1. We’re promised stories about “Wonder Woman, the Superman/Batman team, The Challengers of the Unknown, Martian Manhunter, the Justice League of America, Aquaman, The Flash, The Atom, Bizarro, and more!” Should be a lovely walk down memory lane.

Tales of the Beanworld Volume 3.5		Popeye #1
by Larry Marder		by Roger Langridge and Bruce Ozella
Dark Horse, $14.99		IDW Publishing, $3.99
FEB12 0047, due June 27		FEB12 0338, due April 18
Finally! I’ve been waiting to see these color Beanworld stories since they were announced as part of the Asylum anthology back in 1995. New material will be included as well as the Holiday Special.		This should be a lot of fun. I can’t think of a better current writer to capture the anarchic humor and observation of E.C. Segar than Roger Langridge. Shame it’s only four issues.
Princeless		Rex, Zombie Killer
by Jeremy Whitley and M. Goodwin		by Rob Anderson and Dafu Yu
Action Lab Entertainment, $14.95		Big Dog Ink, $3.50
FEB12 0706, due April		FEB12 0806, due April
I enjoyed this series, the story of a princess locked in a title who rescues herself, makes new friends, and sets out to free her sisters. Reprints the four-issue miniseries plus a new Skullkickers crossover story.		It’s We3 meets The Walking Dead, as this one-shot follows a group of animals trying to survive zombies. There’s the lead golden retriever, a pit bull, a well-meaning lapdog, a cat, and a sign-language-speaking gorilla. I enjoyed the animals enough to get past my dislike of zombies, especially since much of the story is about freeing one of the team from a group of humans who’s captured him, but the gorilla is the weak point, artistically. The face isn’t right; he looks like a grumpy human. The other animals are cute and brave, creating a fable about survival.
Teen Boat!		The Shadow: Blood and Judgment
by Dave Roman and John Green		by Howard Chaykin
Clarion Books, $14.99		Dynamite Entertainment, $19.99
FEB12 0895, due May 9		FEB12 0904, due April
Two great guys have put together a silly concept with the excellent tagline “The angst of being a teen; the thrill of being a boat!” Their protagonist can change into a boat, you see, in this idea that started in minicomics and now comes to book form.		I’m not sure I’m ready for the new period Shadow series by Garth Ennis and Aaron Campbell, also launching this month, but I’m thrilled that it means that DE is reprinting the Howard Chaykin miniseries from 1986 that tried to modernize the character. Bob Greenberger got me excited for it.
The Art of Ramona Fradon		Jerusalem: Chronicles From the Holy City
by Howard Chaykin and Ramona Fradon		by Guy Delisle
Dynamite Entertainment, $29.99		Drawn & Quarterly, $24.95
FEB12 0951, due April		FEB12 1003, due April 24
Speaking of Chaykin, he conducted this book-length interview with the accomplished, not-recognized-enough Fradon. It’s about time! I’ve been waiting for her Modern Master edition, but this sounds even better. Bob Greenberger, again, has the press release and some thoughts on editing the book.		I’ve enjoyed Delisle’s previous travelogues, exploring exotic, remote cities such as Pyongyang and Shenzhen (both reoffered this month), so I’m eager for this volume, looking at a key world capital with a complex history and population.
Castle Waiting #16		Are You My Mother?
by Linda Medley		by Alison Bechdel
Fantagraphics, $3.95		Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $22
FEB12 1039, due April		FEB12 1067, due May 2
After the weirdness around the Castle Waiting Volume 2 reprint, I never expected we’d see another issue of the series, but Kim Thompson has sample pages and some of the background. The bad news is that the V2 book is now out of print, and when they reprint, it will be an expanded, improved edition, so I guess I’m buying it twice.		My prediction for book of the year is Bechdel’s followup to Fun Home. That book explored her father’s secrets; this one examines her distant relationship with her mother.
The Shark King		Saturn Apartments Volume 5
by R. Kikuo Johnson		by Hisae Iwaoka
Toon Books, $12.95		Viz, $12.99
FEB12 1157, due April 11		FEB12 1200, due May 16
Back in 2006, Johnson made quite the splash with the gorgeous Night Fisher. Now he returns with a children’s book also set in Hawaii. Honestly, doesn’t matter what it’s about, his work is stunning enough I’d check out whatever it was.		This thoughtful science fiction manga explores class issues through stories illustrated with delicate lines and a strong sense of setting.

Snarky Comments

I greatly admire Darwyn Cooke’s skill with art, layout, and design, but seeing him work on favorite pulp novels (Parker: The Score, IDW, $24.99, May 16, FEB12 0313) is like watching Jill Thompson or Amanda Cooke draw adaptations of the Harlequin romances they read as teens. The material is so stereotypical and time-bound; I wish he was doing original work, new stories, instead.

Flipping through Previews is an exercise in seeing how much violence, horror, murder, crime, and zombies you can tolerate. Comics are so much more, but you can’t prove it by looking at the periodical series in the front of the catalog.

Thoughts on Marvel

There’s something to be said for the simplicity of making Marvel’s next big event, Avengers vs. X-Men, just about a big fight. Forget supposedly meaningful themes like government registration or capital punishment, this boils down the company’s output to a key theme of the genre: powered characters punching on each other.

Marvel’s learned from the rule that movie tie-ins sell more comics before the film comes out. (Once the movie’s released, interest drops, presumably because movie-goers have gotten their itch scratched and don’t really want to read comics on an ongoing basis.) So they’re pumping out the Avengers tie-ins now, in time for the collections before the film. (John Carter of Mars isn’t going to finish in time, though, since it’s only on issue #2 of 5 and the movie’s out next month.)

Oh, dear. The Twelve finally wraps up this month with issue #12 (assuming they come out on time between now and then; FEB12 0615, $2.99), and Marvel is promoting it as “All your questions are answered and nothing can prepare you for what’s next!” Next? This is a 12-issue miniseries. Shouldn’t it have an ending, not just a setup for more to come? I may be reading too much into this, but I’m still feeling burned by Mystery Men not bothering to provide a satisfying conclusion in its five issues, instead ending with a pitch for more that is likely to never appear.

Xombi

DC collects the truncated run of John Rozum and Fraser Irving’s Xombi ($14.99). These six issues are some inspiring weirdness, demonstrating a great deal of imagination, and even if Rozum’s experiences with DC have been horrific, at least this great comic came out of it.

On the historical front, Fantagraphics continues its excellent classic reprints with Young Romance: The Best of Simon & Kirby’s Romance Comics. Jack Kirby and Joe Simon created the genre, and this book is reported to include 21 stories, 200 pages of “never-before reprinted material”.

On the periodical front, The Twelve is finally returning (Marvel, $2.99)! This 12-issue miniseries launched in 2008, and I liked it, but it got bogged down in its writer, J. Michael Straczynski, doing other things. I hope it finishes as strong as it starts.

Also, Fatale looks to be a success, with the first two issues selling out. Smartly, a reprint of #1 is now available today, along with the release of #2 (Image Comics, $3.50). This is another crime/noir comic by the accomplished team of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, only this one has the twist of involving demons and a potentially immortal femme fatale.

Also from Dark Horse this week is Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo #143 ($3.50). If you ever wanted to learn how soy sauce is made, or at least was made once upon a time, check out this issue, part one of a two-part story. Usagi stops arsonists from burning down a soy sauce maker’s warehouse, and the maker gives Usagi a tour of his process while explaining his conflicts with a business rival. (I was reminded of Moyasimon.) I learned that shoyu (soy sauce) ferments for at least two years! Unless you’re the shady guy next door taking whatever shortcuts you can and not respecting the old, proven ways of doing things, giving the story a more substantial theme than just stopping the bad guys.

Daredevil

The book of the week is the first collection of Mark Waid’s Daredevil, available in a Premiere Edition hardcover (Marvel, $19.99). It reprints the first six issues of the series I’ve called the best superhero comic currently running. Art is by Paolo Rivera and Marcos Martin, talented both. Here’s my review of issue #4 for more information.

Also out from Marvel is a collection of the first 13 issues of Strikeforce: Morituri ($34.99). This series, about a group of cadets given superpowers to fight invading aliens while knowing the abilities will kill them in a year, was one of the first times I noticed how much difference the writer makes. Creator Peter B. Gillis wrote the first 20 issues, and I enjoyed following along with the (sometimes hysterically exaggerated) drama. Then he left, and new writer James Hudnall fell on the book like a cement anvil. So I still don’t know what happened, or if everything wrapped up satisfactorily. I suspect not, but if you can live with that eventual disappointment, these first issues are gripping and suspenseful. The certain death tradeoff is a lovely metaphor for war and what it does to soldiers.

I was looking forward to the first collection of Brenda Starr, Reporter from Hermes Press, reprinting the full run from 1940-1946, but A) it’s $60 for fewer than 300 pages and B) I read this review, that suggests that even though the strip stars a woman, its attitudes are very much of the time. However, given the historical material included:

Brenda Starr, Reporter

In addition to the comic strips presented in the book, world-renowned feminist comics historian Trina Robbins has written an extensive essay placing the Brenda Starr strip in historical context. The book also features remembrances by Brenda Starr creator Dale Messick’s daughter Starr, as well as her granddaughter Laura Rohrman [and] presents historical and documentary materials as well as numerous examples of Dale Messick’s original artwork accompanied by commentary by one of Messick’s assistants, Richard Pietrzyk.

I may have to check it out just for that.

In other news, Stan Lee’s “crowning achievement“, the graphic novel Romeo and the Juliet: The War announced last August, comes out this week from 1821 Comics. The standard edition is $20, with a collector’s edition for $10 more. I neither know nor care what sets them apart.

I’m surprised by the fact that, out of the 10 comics Dynamite Entertainment is releasing this week, one actually comes in only one cover flavor. (That’s Green Hornet Annual #2 (Phil Hester Regular Cover).) Everything else has from two to six editions, including Black and White Variants and Virgin Variants. (I’m presuming that’s without any logos.) I know other publishers do it too — but not to this extent — and that there’s a market for this kind of thing, or it wouldn’t continue happening so predictably, but when I look at a list of 33 products and realize that it’s only 10 different issues, it worries me. It’s ouroboric.

Speaking of a company who loves variant covers, I think it’s kind of genius that IDW’s two current Transformers series are called “More Than Meets the Eye” (started two weeks ago) and “Robots in Disguise” (launching this week). EVERYone knows those phrases in relation to the property.

Screamland: Death of the Party

This week, I’m most looking forward to Screamland: Death of the Party (written by Harold Sipe and Christopher Sebela, art by Lee Leslie, Image Comics, $16.99). I enjoyed the previous collection, and I liked reading the first couple of issues reprinted here, but when I knew I wanted to follow the story, I switched to waiting for the book format. (So much easier to re-read — although the trade-off is, since I’m getting my copy through Amazon, I have to wait another couple of weeks. That seems to be happening more and more often these days.) Anyway, fun take on burned-out celebrities and convention culture, combined with a scandal-filled murder mystery, all using classic monsters as the cast.

If I hadn’t already heavily recommended Wandering Son Volume 2 (by Shimura Takako, Fantagraphics, $19.99), that would have been my pick of the week. It’s a touching and insightful look at the daily lives of two transgender teens.

I’m no longer writing for them, but the latest issue of Hogan’s Alley (#18, $6.95) looks like a good one, with articles on gorillas in comic books and how Franklin integrated Peanuts, plus a post-retirement interview with Cathy Guisewite and Alvin Schwartz’s final interview. You can preview some of those articles here.

I’ve already reviewed Larry Gonick’s Cartoon Guide To Calculus (Harper Collins, $18.99), the young adult novel Archvillain by Barry Lyga (Scholastic, $6.99), and Aya Takeo Volume 1 (Sweatdrop Studios, $12.99), if you’d like to know more about those books, all out today. I was hoping to have also covered DC’s Annotated Sandman Volume 1 ($49.99), but there was some kind of mix-up with the review copy over the holidays, so I’ll have to wait to see it on the shelf like everyone else. I can’t think of a better series to get that kind of in-depth examination revealing “commentary, historical and contemporary references, hidden meanings and more”.

Channel Zero: The Complete Collection		An Elegy for Amelia Johnson
by Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan		by Andrew Roslan and Kate Kasenow
Dark Horse, $19.99		Archaia Entertainment, $14.95
JAN12 0092, due May 30		JAN12 0826, due March 14
It’s fascinating, once some time has passed, to look back at both near-future science fiction and a respected author’s early work. In the first case, you can see how the world turned out differently; in the latter, growing pains can be insightful and charming. What I remember of Brian Wood’s angry take on the media involves impressive design skills. I’m looking forward to seeing what else is included in this collection of the series, the prequel (which is the part illustrated by Cloonan), two design books, and extras and rarities.		I’ve already reviewed this release, but as part of Diamond’s well-intentioned but disturbingly executed “Women in Comics” month, it’s been relisted.
Hark! A Vagrant		Anya’s Ghost
by Kate Beaton		by Vera Brosgol
Drawn & Quarterly, $19.95		First Second, $15.99
JAN12 1099, due March 21		JAN12 1131, due March 21
D&Q lists a new printing of one of my top ten of 2011, to make it easy if you haven’t ordered your own copy yet.		First Second does the same with another of my 2011 Best Graphic Novels, Anya’s Ghost. Additional relists this month include Smile (Graphix, JAN12 1143, $10.99, March 21), Magic Trixie (Harper Collins, JAN12 1145, $8.99, March 21), and Fun Home (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, JAN12 1158, $13.95, March 14).
The Coldest City		Monsieur Jean: Singles Theory
by Antony Johnston and Sam Hart		by Phillippe Dupuy and Charles Berberian
Oni Press, $19.99		Humanoids, $24.95
JAN12 1214, due May 16		JAN12 1160, due March
If you miss Queen & Country now that Greg Rucka has moved on, you might find this spy comic a welcome substitute. (Johnston even wrote the third Queen & Country Declassified: Sons & Daughters.) It’s set in Berlin just before the collapse of the Wall. I found it a little too sparse and remote for my taste, but I think devotees of the genre better appreciate those qualities.		It’s been five years since I’ve last enjoyed reading about Jean, so I am optimistic about this volume, promised to be “published in English for the very first time”. It’ll be a good reminder to reread the previous stories, too.

Additional Thoughts and Reminders

I don’t care for a lot of what Dark Horse does — I’m just not the audience for Star Wars comics or the latest horror/sci-fi concept (a greatly overplayed category in comics these days, and one that I now sadly lump the Hellboy/BPRD franchise into) — but they’re worth watching for what I think of as their rescue program. As with Channel Zero, over the past couple of years, Dark Horse has been responsible for bringing some amazing work back into print in attractive, affordable editions. Some of my favorites include Scary Godmother and Blacksad. They’ve also picked up some very talented creators previously published elsewhere, including Carla Speed McNeil’s Finder series and (a much longer time ago) Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo. As long as they keep putting out these amazing works, it doesn’t matter to me how many other of their releases do or don’t interest me.

I knew Larry Young was still around, because he was kind enough to send me a Christmas card. As for AIT/PlanetLar, they’re relisting in this catalog two graphic novels originally released in 2007, The Homeless Channel and The Last Sane Cowboy And Other Stories. I didn’t care for either one, but if you’re interested, hey, doesn’t matter when they were first put out if they’re new to you.

Bravo to Archie for releasing the Archie Meets KISS collection (JAN12 0832, $12.99, April 11) promptly, with it scheduled to come out just a month or so after the four-issue storyline from Archie #627-630 concludes. Even better: this time, their plans for a deluxe hardcover collector’s edition (JAN12 0831, $29.99, April 11) are revealed at the same time the standard paperback is solicited, so buyers won’t be confused. (It will include 48 extra pages containing KISS photos, comic scripts, and other bonuses.) This demonstration of learning from history almost makes up for how their female-led titles are disappearing. This month, the only periodical comics offered are Archie, Jughead, and Kevin Keller. Oh, and the launch of Stan Lee’s Mighty 7 (previously Stan Lee’s Super Seven, then Stan Lee and the 7, but originally an eight-year-old cartoon pitch; JAN12 0848, $2.99, March 21).

As I’ve noted before, it’s a bad sign for a company when they ship multiple issues on the same day. If it’s not a thoughtless attempt to get more money in the same month, then it’s a sign of bad planning and inconsideration for customers and retailers, or possibly an attempt to get ahead of an unfavorable contract restriction (such as a release requirement or an expiration date). Ardden Entertainment is the latest to succumb, with two issues each of Wulf and Phoenix, all scheduled for the same day. They’re all resolicited, too, which suggests being overcome by deadlines.

I knew an Avengers movie would mean the typical deluge of Marvel product, but I didn’t expect that seeing all these collections and reprints and tie-ins and miniseries and series launches would tire me out to the extent that I want to be done with all of it. I was looking forward to seeing the movie, but now, I’m not so sure. May is a long time away to put up with all of this.

Ramblings on DC Comics

So much for expecting to enjoy Birds of Prey. Issue #7 (JAN12 0246, $2.99) is promoted as “the comic for people who think there’s not enough fighting in comics.” I think I’m the exact opposite.

Static Shock gets a new writer, Marc Bernardin, with issue #7 (JAN12 0282, $2.99), so I’ll be checking it out again. I’ve appreciated the former EW editor‘s honesty about comics in the past, and I really want to like this series, since I’ve always had a fondness for this character, so a fresh jumping on point is a good idea — even if it’s not being strongly promoted as such.

Showcase Presents:
All-Star Squadron Volume 1

On the other hand, I’ll probably continue drifting away from Legion Lost. I don’t particularly follow Fabien Nicieza, former writer, so it’s not some loyalty thing, but I don’t recall any stories by new writer Tom DeFalco as particularly enjoyable or memorable, so I’ve got no reason to stay.

I’m really impressed by how much formerly forever-hidden material is being reprinted by the new regime at DC. This month alone, there are stories from a tabloid — DC Special Series #26, part of the Superman: The Secrets of the Fortress of Solitude collection (JAN12 0313, $19.99, April 18) — a Showcase black-and-white reprint of the first 18 issues of All-Star Squadron (JAN12 0315, $19.99, April 18), the series that first got me into the depth of DC history, and the troubled Secret Society of Super-Villains Volume 2 hardcover (JAN12 0312, $24.99, May 16). I say “troubled” because the first volume was originally solicited to contain the material now split across two books (thereby nearly doubling DC’s take). The Amazon.com reviews are, as a result, justifiably harsh, calling it a bait-and-switch rip-off. This second book is now planned to have all the extras and goodies — with one exception. The first volume reprinted issues #1-10; this book completes the series with #11-15 and adds DC Special #27, DC Special Series #6, Super-Team Family #13-14, Justice League of America #166-167, and a story from Cancelled Comics Cavalcade #2. The missing item is the originally promised Amazing World of DC Comics #11, which contained an alternate version of the first issue of the series. It would have been a lovely bonus to the book set, so it’s disappointing to see that DC has apparently changed its mind on including it.

KC also goes through upcoming Marvel comics, especially as they relate to the Avengers, and plugs a particularly unusual one-shot, as well as proposing “Domo and the Doc”, the world’s weirdest team-up.

Pogo: The Complete Daily & Sunday Comic Strips

It’s difficult, when contemplating reading such an acclaimed classic, not to worry that the material won’t live up to the expectations created by the praise, or to wonder if the strip was fresher in its original time. (Especially with strips that comment on contemporaneous events, especially political ones.) I have no fear with Pogo, because if nothing else, the characters are so darn cute and well-cartooned, I know I’ll enjoy seeing them. I have my copy, but I won’t be reading it until after KC finishes it, because he’s so looking forward to it.

The other book is Walt Disney’s Donald Duck: Lost in the Andes ($28.99), the first volume in The Complete Carl Barks Disney Library. I was so impressed by Fanta’s Mickey Mouse: Race to Death Valley, a book that I would have never guessed I would enjoy so much, that I’m eagerly looking forward to discovering this hidden treasure.

There’s one more reprint this week that looks to shed new light on a lesser-known subject, this time an artist. IDW’s Archie: The Best of Samm Schwartz Volume 1 ($24.99) is the latest in their line focusing on classic Archie artists. They’re handsome books, with selections that point out the strengths of creators overlooked because they worked on teen comedy books.

I don’t read many periodical-format comics any more, but one series I’ve eagerly been following is Comic Book Comics, which consists of illustrated history lessons about the industry. The final issue (sob! choke!) is out today (#6, $3.99, Evil Twin Comics), exploring the birth of the graphic novel, Osamu Tezuka, and the direct market.