To Be Filled: July 2007
Long Box Thoughts: To Be Filled July 2007
With the August preview catalog coming out sometime in the next two weeks, I figured it was about time that I sat down and focused on the July issue. Previews is the advance ordering catalog put out by Diamond. Advance ordering is your friend as it ensures your retailer has what you want. As an added side effect, Previews gets you excited for comics of the future.
Dark Horse
The biggest release I see from Dark Horse this month in Grendel: Behold the Devil #0. This is the first time that Matt Wagner has written and drawn the original Grendel in over 20 years. Released as a prelude to the forthcoming mini-series, the book will only cost you 50 cents. The art is in the standard Black, White and Red. Other notable release is the final book in the Martha Washington series, Martha Washington Dies. I haven’t read any of the Martha books, but have heard good things, and I don’t see how you can go wrong with Frank Miller (on a creator owned book) and Dave Gibbons.
For you Buffy fans, a second omnibus has been announced for September, collection 300 pages of the older miniseries for $25 USD.
DC
The period when the Atom became a fantasy book is high point to many. The All New Atom 13 has the new atom searching for Ray Palmer by searching the setting of the Sword of the Atom series. While I haven’t read the new series, and few if any of the old Sword series, the Landronn cover to this issue is stunning.
Green Arrow finds life after the ending of his regular series in the 6 part miniseries Green Arrow Year One. Will it be a new Longbow Hunters, or is this just a mini to keep the character in people’s minds? I’ll be picking this up out of my love for G.A., but the team of Diggle and Jock is a nice bonus.
Manhunter Volume three is advance solicited for August, which reprints issues 15-23 and focuses on the origin of her weapons and costume. This also has the bonus of tying her into the Starman legacy by exploring her ties to the DCU golden age. If you haven’t been reading this series, check out these trades. Manhunter is a unique book on an otherwise crowded superhero market.
Wildstorm launches The Programme by Peter Miligan and C.P. Smith. The programme focuses on the events after a Cold War Soviet weapon is awaken by the recent military actions of America. ‘Conventional warfare is suddenly outdated: the new weapons of mass destruction wield super-powers. Does America have an answer to … the Programme?’ Milligan is a hit and miss writer with me. This series seems far enough removed from standard superhero fare that it will be a story playiing to Milligan’s strengths.
A trade is offered of the complete Alan Moore Wildcats. This is the run that introduced Tao, the villain from Sleeper and other elements of the Wildcat universe that change the direction of the book. This would be an interesting read for fans of WildCats Version 2.0 and Sleeper.
Vertigo has a new six issue miniseries by Mike Carey and Jock, called Faker. From the solicitation text: ‘Chock full of ruthless characters with hidden agendas, Faker takes place during freshman year in college. The ultimate time of reinvention, where, if you’re up for it, you can lie, cheat and fake you way through almost anything.’
Finally DC Direct is offering an AWESOME Iron Giant statue. ‘…measuring approximately 4.5″ tall x 10″ wide x 4.75″ deep for the main portion (Iron Giant head and shoulders), while the hand (with a miniature Hogarth attached) is a separate piece measuring 2.5″ tall x 2″ wide x 3″ deep that can be positioned at any distance from the main piece. This impressive statue includes a blueprint of the Iron Giant with notes from creator Brad Bird’.
Image
G0DLAND: Celestial Edition HC collects the first 12 issues of the series. G0DLAND can best be described as Joe Casey and Tom Scioli’s silver-age throwback book with a modern twist. Where else can you find a suave villain, whose main goal is to find a new ‘high’? Many people I’ve talked to are are turned off by this books strong Kirby influence art. Give it a try, even if your not a fan of the art, it will grow on you like a tumor. The first issue is available for reading online here.
Marvel
Just because this question will come up on the fourms sooner or later…
World War Hulk Books For July
WWHulk #2
Avengers: The Initiative #4
Ghost Rider #13
Heroes for Hire #12
Hulk #108
Iron Man#20
Ant-Man #10
Frontline #2
Gamma Corps #1
Gamma Corps #2
WWHulk: X-Men #2
The big news of July has to be the much awaited return of Thor, in Thor #1 by JMS and Coipel. Not much is revealed in the preview art or text except that this will reintroduce the original Thor into a post civil war Marvel. How will he react when he hears what happened to Cap? Or what Iron Man has become?
Speaking of Civil War, Civil War Chronicles begins in July, which is a series with the goal of reprinting Civil War in chronological order. Each book will be 72 pages in length, or about 3 issues of reprinting. Its been a year since issue 1, and marvel is still finding ways to make money off the books. Kudos to them, but I’m curious how long will the chronicles last.
The next Bendis and Maleev book starts in July too, a four issue Halo Miniseries which continues from where Halo 2 ended. Solicitation promises that there will be side stories to help further flush out the Halo universe.
Maybe I have Grendel on the mind, but The Immortal Iron Fist #8’s cover looks like something straight from Grendel.
L.A.’s (other) super team, The Champions series starts. Written by Fraction and drawn by newly exclusive Marvel artist Kitson. The catch of the series is that any member of the team can be fired at any time as they are held to high public standards. In addition each member is on the team with a 1 year contract. Expect a revolving door of characters throughout this series. I wonder how long it will be till a runaways/champions story is told.
The crossover you didn’t demand begins this month, with New Avengers/Transformers #1.
Devil Dinosaur Omnibus. Wow. Never thought I’d see this. Wow.
The Rest
Other interesting solicitations not from the big four publishers
A new Mouse Guard series starts, Winter 1152. I never read the original, but I heard a enough raving about it to make me check out the trade when it comes out in June.
Avatar has a new monthly comic by Warren Ellis, Doktor Sleepless. This promises to be more of the sci-fi future stories that made Transmetropolitan so popular. Unlike Transmet though, the story’s protagonist is not a journalist, but a mad scientist who has a plan for a ‘new future’. If you enjoyed big society sci-fi ideas, you’ll probably like this book.
Cartoon books is offering a plush Fone Bone toy, which looks pretty darn cute.
Dynamite Comics has The Boys #8 coming out, which is good news for a lot of people.
G.I. Joe goes through its own WWIII as part of its 25th anniversary, which firmly sets the theme for 2007 in comics to be World War III (or hulk).
Martin Scherer enjoys reading, thinking and consuming comics in mass amounts. His most favorite day of the month in the one that marks the release of the new previews catalog. When he is not dreaming about future purchases, he looks forward to hearing your comments about this, past articles or general questions about comics. Contact him via email, martin@geekscape.net
