Wednesday, February 10, 2010

DC Preview Review for April Pt 1

Howdy all! Lee here. Since Jimmy Jay Jay's been snowed in because of blizzard conditions in the greater Baltimore area he asked me to set up the DC previews this month. In case you're new, let me explain how this works. Jim is green. Why? Because he's like a Leprechaun. Draw your own conclusion. Lee is blue. I don't want to be blue. I want to be red... like a fire engine... but I can't be because... Gwen is pink. Pink because she's a girl and provides a sense of sanity and stability that only female comic fans can. The smarter readers in the crowd might notice that specifically, Gwen is HOT pink. Because she's the only woman on the board and therefore, a hottie.

But not that much of a hottie ya horndogs! Back off. She's getting married later this year. Maybe I should have made Gwen white... BWAH HA HA... white. It is to laugh. I'll stick with pink. Hot pink that is. Now, on with the show.



Jim: So Blackest Night has ended by April and we start up with Brightest Day. I’m curious to see what this is all about, but boy is DC betting the farm on this and the Justice League bi-weekly books for 2010.
Gwen: I'm not seeing a whole lot this month but the new pulp universe looks like fun.
Lee: Since I’ve basically given up weekly books for trades, it all looks the same to me too!

BRIGHTEST DAY #0
On sale APRIL 14 • 56 pg, FC, $3.99 US
(W) Geoff Johns & Peter J. Tomasi (A) Fernando Pasarin (C) David Finch
The biggest event in comics continues as BRIGHTEST DAY burns back the BLACKEST NIGHT from the writing team behind Green Lantern and GREEN LANTERN CORPS – Geoff Johns and Peter J. Tomasi! And don’t miss the exciting DC Comics debut of red hot cover artist David Finch (New Avengers, Ultimatum)! The effects that the already classic BLACKEST NIGHT will have on the DC Universe will be felt for years to come and this issue not only sets the stage for the new ongoing biweekly DC Universe book BRIGHTEST DAY, but also the next exciting era of the DC Universe!
Jim: DC is pulling out all the stops this year to push their DCU books to the top of the charts, but I don’t think DC will ever commit to the amount of product that Marvel produces. Not sure where this is going and I will follow it as the talent is top class, but I find I care more about the non-spandex material.
Gwen: I'm pretty excited to see where all of this is going. I've enjoyed the Blackeset Night stuff (except when Kyle died but then he got better) and can't wait to see where DC is headed with the Brightest Day storyline.
Lee: I’m glad I’m last to comment on this one because it raises so many questions.
Question #1: is it me or does this read like ‘Secret Invasion?’ … Coming out of the Blackest Night we’re going into the ‘Brightest Day!’ In 2011, we should get the ‘Slightly Cloudy with Chance of Showers’ event that was SEVEN YEARS IN THE MAKING!

Question #2: Since when did GL become the flag ship for the DCU? What happened to Bats and Supes leading the major event cross-overs????

THE FLASH #1
On sale APRIL 14 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US
(W) GEOFF JOHNS (A/C) FRANCIS MANAPULA
BRIGHTEST DAY tie-in! Get in on the ground floor of DC’s next epic in the making! The Flash races out of BLACKEST NIGHT and into his own monthly title as the all-new adventures of The Fastest Man Alive start with “Case One: The Dastardly Death of the Rogues!” Barry Allen runs back to his life in Central City, but when one of the Rogues turns up murdered under mysterious circumstances, it’s up to The Flash to not only solve this bizarre crime, but protect those that are still targeted by the elusive killer. Plus, don’t miss a peek into the future of the Flash universe in this special, extra-sized starting point issue!
Jim: Interesting that DC abandoned the second features and therefore Wally’s feature went to the cutting room floor. I believe this will be a normal $3 after the first issue. Can Johns make Barry interesting and relevant?
Gwen:I'm sure Johns can make the Flash interesting again but honestly it's hard for me to care about Barry. Wally was always my Flash so going back to Barry seems stagnant to me.
Lee: We’ve beaten this to death before. I’m with Gwen. I don’t care.

BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM — MADNESS HC
On sale June 23 • 112 pg, FC, $19.99 US
(W/A/C) SAM KIETH
An original Batman graphic novel set in Arkham Asylum from Sam Kieth! It is the most feared house in all of Gotham City. It contains the worst that the city has to offer. It is the place The Dark Knight’s most dangerous and psychotic foes call home. Writer/artist Sam Kieth, creator of THE MAXX and artist of the acclaimed miniseries LOBO: HIGHWAY TO HELL, invites you to spend 24 hours in Arkham Asylum – the most unsettling house in the DC Universe.
Jim: I enjoy Sam’s artwork and his writing is always a little trippy at points so this sounds like a perfect fit. Count me in.
Gwen: Is Sam Keith the bunny ears guy? If not I'm not sure where I remember his name from.
Lee: Keith is indeed the bunny ears guy! His writing is all over the map but the art is always awesome. Not sure I’m interesting in what basically is 4 issues for $20. That’s kinda pricey.

DOC SAVAGE #1
On sale APRIL 14 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US
(W) PAUL MALMONT & JASON STARR
(A) HOWARD PORTER/Art Thibert & SCOTT HAMPTON
(C) J.G. JONES 1:10 variant cover John Cassaday
The Man of Bronze in his own series at last! Doc Savage is the target of a brazen attack on New York City! Tragedy will strike one of Doc’s compatriots, and someone may not survive the opening pages of “The Lord of Lightning!” Written by Paul Malmont, national best-selling author of The Chinatown Death-Cloud Peril, with art by Howard Porter (JLA)!And don’t miss the hard-hitting JUSTICE, INC. co-feature, starring Richard Benson, the Avenger! When criminals abduct one of his own detectives, Benson’s icy heart sears with a rage hotter than any he’s ever known. “Worst Nightmare” begins here, written by crime novelist Jason Starr (THE CHILL) with art by Scott Hampton (LUCIFER)!
THE SPIRIT #1
On sale APRIL 21 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US
Written by MARK SCHULTZ Co-feature written by Dennis O’Neil
Art by MORITAT Co-feature art by Bill Sienkiewicz
Cover by LADRĂ–NN1:10 variant cover by MARK SCHULTZ
The Spirit returns in an all-new ongoing series! Central City destroys everyone who lives within its borders...so it’s a good thing The Spirit already died once! International crime syndicate The Golden Tree wants to help Central City’s Octopus consolidate control over the underworld and the Spirit is the kind of mess the Golden Tree was created to clean up. They’ve offered the Octopus the services of one of their finest assassins to take his breath away for good – and the sight of this killer would get anyone’s heart pounding!This issue also features the debut of the eight-page THE SPIRIT: BLACK & WHITE co-feature, showcasing the industry’s finest talent. And who better to kick things off than DENNIS O’NEIL and BILL SIENKIEWICZ?
Jim: I’m guessing these books are part of the modern pulp world of the First Wave series. If true that is fine by me and I look forward to DC starting a little universe of non-powered heroes set in a modern pulp world. The Mark Schultz variant for the Spirit is the cover I would like to have. Hell the back-up in Doc Savage and The Spirit sound great also.
Gwen: As much as I've tried to get into the Spirit stuff I've never been completely sold on it. I do like the idea of DC doing a non powered superhero world. This stuff has the potential to be a lot of fun and opens up a realm for stories not bogged down by mainstream continuity.
Lee: I said it last month, so I’ll say it again… isn’t this just Marvel:Noir with DC heroes? It looks good but I’m not sure there’s anything ground breaking here.

COVER RUN: THE DC COMICS ART OF ADAM HUGHES HC
On sale JUNE 23 • 208 pg, FC 6.75” X 10.25”, $39.99 US
(W/A/C) ADAM HUGHES
Collecting the best of Eisner Award winner Adam Hughes’s spectacular, sexy covers for WONDER WOMAN, CATWOMAN and other DC series. This amazing collection features the best of Hughes’ work for DC Comics, along with commentary from the artist, rarely seen preliminary material and much more!
Jim: If you are going to do an art book, why not Adam Hughes? Hughes has become the good girl cover artist, especially for DC. I like that DC is including the dimensions of some of their hard covers and would prefer if they did it for all of their hard covers.
Gwen: I'm not interested in books of cover art. I really like seeing sketch work and character idea drawings though. Covers are pretty but I don't need a book of them.
Lee: Someone is going to love this. Apparently that’s not the three of us though. I’ll pass too. Hughes is great artist but I don’t need a collection of the covers that give fanboys a bad name.

DC’S GREATEST IMAGINARY STORIES VOL. 2: BATMAN AND ROBIN TP
On sale MAY 26 • 144 pg, FC, $19.99 US
(W) BILL FINGER (A) SHELDON MOLDOFF & others
Don’t miss this new set of ‘60s and ‘70s “imaginary” tales starring Dick Grayson as the new Batman with Bruce Wayne Jr. as the new Robin! Collects stories from BATMAN #122, 131, 135, 145, 154, 159, 163 and 300, LOIS LANE #89 and WORLD’S FINEST #153.
Jim: The shame of it was is often the “Imaginary Stories” where the best stories coming out of DC. I remember a lot them vividly while the “real” adventures I often forgot.
Gwen: But Jim, they're all imaginary stories... :)
Lee: I’m sorry but this stuff is beyond bad. I got the first collection and I couldn’t read it. In fact, I just gave it back to my store and took the loss. You need to have read this at the time it came out to appreciate it.

JONAH HEX: WELCOME TO PARADISE TP
On sale MAY 5 • 168 pg, FC, $17.99 US
(W) JOHN ALBANO and MICHAEL FLEISCHER
(A) TONY DEZUNIGA, JOSE LUIS GARCIA-LOPEZ & others
These are the classic tales from the ‘70s on which John Hex’s legend was built, many of which have never been reprinted in color. Collecting ALL-STAR WESTERN #10, WEIRD WESTERN TALES #14, 17, 22, 26, 29 and 30 and JONAH HEX #2 and 4.
Lee: About time DC got around to printing some of this in color! I have the Johah Hex Showcase and I love it. I’ll be getting this too because it has great art and great stories. These are great western comics for those that like cowboys.
Gwen: I've never gotten into the Jonah Hex stuff, it's just never seemed all that interesting to me.
Jim: This is an easy one for me to get as I wish DC would republish all the Hex (western) in color.

SEVEN SOLDIERS OF VICTORY VOL. 1 HC
On sale June 16 • 400 pg, FC $39.99 US
(W) GRANT MORRISON
(A) J.H. WILLIAMS III, CAMERON STEWART, FRAZER IRVING, SIMONE BIANCHI, RYAN SOOK & MICK GRAY
Collecting Grant Morrison’s magnum opus for the first time in hardcover, featuring SEVEN SOLDIERS OF VICTORY #0, THE GUARDIAN #1-4, KLARION #1-3, ZATANNA #1-3 and THE SHINING KNIGHT #1-3. Independently, each of these heroes is featured in a story arc that redefines their purpose in the DC Universe. But their stories also interweave with the other soldiers’ tales, and tell a grander story of a devastating global threat to mankind. These reluctant champions must arise and work together to save the world without ever meeting one another.
Jim: One day I swear I will sit down and read all of this and see if it pulls together or not. Of course I’m now replacing the soft cover versions with a hard cover version and the soft covers will be flying off the Florida.
Gwen: To me? Well, at least reading Grant Morrison all at once works better than reading his work month by month.
Lee: I just started looking to get the trades on ebay because I’ve never read this. Now, I’ll just wait for the shiney hc! It’s still annoying that the mini-series aren’t all together but maybe it reads better that way.

THE VIKING PRINCE BY JOE KUBERT HC
On sale JUNE 30 • 296 pg, FC, $39.99 US
(W) ROBERT KANIGHER and BOB HANEY (A/C) Joe Kubert
In fifth century Iceland, an amnesiac Viking warrior faces peril from the ruler of a neighboring village, as well as giants, sea monsters, witches and more. Collecting classic adventure tales from THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #1-5, 7-20, and OUR ARMY AT WAR #162 and 163.
Jim: This material was great. Now of course it may have been that I was a lot younger then, but with Joe Kubert artwork, it is hard to go wrong.
Gwen: I'm unfamiliar with this material but it doesn't appeal to me from reading the solicitation. Lee: The only thing anyone needs to know about this book is that it’s full of Kubert art when he was at his peak. If you like the old Sgt Rock comics then you’ll love this material.


That's it for today... but good news. I'm in charge of writing tomorrows intro too.

2 comments:

  1. I don't see any reason why Gwen's text can't be white. I think that would be nice.

    GL has been the flagship character since Johns has been writing it(or more specifically since I dropped the title after issue 10).

    I hope the Flash is good, but after the miserably slow Rebirth mini-series (which I don't think is even finished yet -- I care so little now, I'm not even sure), I'm not very enthusiastic about the title.

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  2. the pink is hard enough to read.... and my wedding dress is going to be blue :) Lee is right though, I am totally a hottie ;)

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