Jim :Well we are off to the races with July already. It just seemed like a little while ago we wrapped up June and we are off to the races with DC’s July solicitations. DC has hit some major sales slump lately and that bothers me as I’m a huge DC fan and think their stuff is far superior to Marvel as a generalization.
Lee: As a generalization, I would agree DC’s crème is better than Marvel’s crème but both companies both issue their fair share of junk. It is hard to believe it’s July already.
ALL STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN, THE BOY WONDER #6 Written by Frank Miller Art and cover by Jim Lee & Scott Williams Variant cover by Miller
Jim: Does any one care about this series anymore?
Lee: This is a book???? I wonder how this being released will affect JL’s ability to do WildCats #3.
Lee: As a generalization, I would agree DC’s crème is better than Marvel’s crème but both companies both issue their fair share of junk. It is hard to believe it’s July already.

Jim: Does any one care about this series anymore?
Lee: This is a book???? I wonder how this being released will affect JL’s ability to do WildCats #3.
ACTION COMICS #852 Written by Kurt Busiek Art and cover by Brad Walker and John Livesay 3-2-1-ACTION! (part 1 of 3) Hot on the heels of SUPERMAN #665's "Jimmy Olsen Countdown Dossier" comes this true blue COUNTDOWN event! Superman has always been Superman's pal. Will he now become Superman's partner?! More secrets of Jimmy's past revealed, the Kryptonite Man on the loose, and more! This issue ties into the events of COUNTDOWN #40! On sale July 25 o 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
Jim: looks like Countdown will definitely be tying in with books each week and that will work as long as everyone maintains their schedules. I picked Action out as a book that has been plagued with Adam Kubert delays from most reports. Still I think Countdown will be a more exciting series then 52 as it happens in “real” time.
Lee: There is so much riding on keeping the overall schedule with this book, I just don’t know. That said, I find it hard to get excited about these books. Another tie in, another long three issue arc…. I haven’t read this in awhile but there really isn’t much motivation to jump on either.

Lee: It’s good to see Denys Cowen back in comics. I loved his stuff on Question and Hardware. And from the cover it doesn’t look like he has lost his touch at all. It’s going to depend on whether or not Mr. Green can actually write for books and not just television.
Jim: I have to agree his Question work was really great. I wish that stuff would get collected in an Omnibus.
BATMAN: BLIND JUSTICE TP Written by Sam Hamm Cover by Walter Simonson Art by Denys Cowan & Dick Giordano Reoffered to coincide with BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #7, also featuring art by Denys Cowan! This classic trade paperback collects DETECTIVE COMICS #598-600 ,written by Batman (1989) screenwriter Sam Hamm! Bruce Wayne discovers a series of murders linked to WayneTech in this tale that leaves him in a wheelchair! On sale July 5 o 160 pg, FC, $14.99 US o Relist
Lee: I seem to remember this being really good. But, Cowan art at its peak if you are a historical type buff.
Jim: I believe the artwork was good, but my remembrance of the story is that is was not a keeper.

Jim: There is so many other reams of DC material that deserve this type of treatment before this stuff, but they have suckered me into buying it. Soon I will have so many of these oversized monstrosities that I will have to buy a reinforced bookcase just to hold them and then reinforce my floor.
Lee: I think it is cool they are doing this! The debate for what should/should not be traded is a whole different discussion but this is well worth it. For the mega event this was and the impact it had, I think this is great.

Jim: I’m looking forward to this story. If done right it could be a really nice look at what happens to a hero when all he knew has gone wrong. And as a big Gail Simone fan, hey it should be good.
Lee: Sorry but I just don’t care about the Atom. Sometime, not that long ago, my 12 yr old brain said “He’s so small he travels over telephone lines? That’s just dumb!” and it’s be over ever since. BUT, if you are a fan of the Atom then Gail is the person you want handling the writing chores. Should be good.

Jim: Okay I’m looking forward to the new GL stuff, but my god does GL win the award for longest hype for all of his books lately. I mean a teaser or two, but my god there is more information in this solicitation then in 25% of most actual titles in today’s books. Bendis doesn’t give us this much information in a six issue story arc!
Lee: So, is lots of hype a sign of good things or bad things? Is the greater detail due to lack of sales? Makes you wonder. But, the Sinestro Corp storyline should be interesting.

Jim: Love Black Canary and glad to see she is getting a solo shot. Now DC is running a GA Year One and Black Canary mini right after Ollie proposes and then cancel his title. Is this building back to them as a team. It would seem dumb at this point as Black Canary is now running the JLA and seems very independent and had moved on.
Lee: You and Zatanna… oh wait, we’re talking Black Canary now. This is for the fanboys and Black Canary people. I wonder if they are going the Lone Wolf and Cub route with the little girl in tow.
Jim: What can I say I love a beautiful woman in fishnets.
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA VOL. 1: THE NEXT AGE HC Written by Geoff Johns Art by Dale Eaglesham, Art Thibert and Ruy Jose Cover by Alex Ross The world's first super-team returns in this volume collecting the first 4 issues of the all-new JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA series, written by Geoff Johns (52, GREEN LANTERN, ACTION COMICS) with stunning art by Dale Eaglesham (VILLAINS UNITED) & Art Thibert (OUTSIDERS) and a cover by Alex Ross (JUSTICE, KINGDOM COME)! Advance-solicited; on sale September 19 o 144 pg, FC, $19.99 US
Jim: Ouch four issues per hard cover and a $20 entry fee. Pass for me no matter how much I like the material.
Lee: Again, I wonder what the motivation is here. 4 issues for $20 is steep and I can’t imagine it wouldn’t keep the casual collector away. Then again, this is probably targeted at the fanboy and not the casual person. The story was well received. The art is great. I will most likely plunk down the change for this one.

Jim: I’m buying it, but I won’t really like it that much. I was never a Ross Andru art fan and it detracts form the stories. Still I want to re-read Kanigher’s WW and see what I think today about it.
Lee: How is it that you buy this, which you don’t really like, but fail to mention Showcase Presents: Adam Strange Vol. 1? It makes no sense to me. I would buy the Adam Strange first and then buy this. Even though you don’t like the art this is the series that established Andru & Esposito as superstars.
Jim: I love Adam Strange and have the Archives which covers the same material.
TANGENT COMICS VOL. 1 TP Written by Dan Jurgens, Kurt Busiek, James Robinson, Ron Marz and Todd Dezago Art by Gary Frank, Mike McKone, J.H. Williams III, Jurgens and others Cover by Jurgens & Norm Rapmund In 1997, DC's Tangent event presented a group of strange new heroes with very familiar names. Now, these hard-hitting heroes are back in a fantastic new collection including TANGENT COMICS: THE ATOM, METAL MEN, THE FLASH, GREEN LANTERN and SEA DEVILS! Advance-solicited; on sale August 29 o 208 pg, FC, $19.99 US
Jim: It could be my memory slipping, but this was some decent stuff, by some really solid creators.
Lee: I’m glad to see this material traded because there is some great art in here. I always had trouble buying the single issues because I knew the stories weren’t going anywhere. It was DC’s version of What If?. But, collected like this should be a blast.

Jim: See new launches deserve a long promotional piece as you have to sell the premise to an audience. Sounds like fun to me. Milligan is hit and miss for me, but I think this is more his strength.
Lee: This looks great. And this is absolutely Milligans strength. Weird heroes against weird villains in weird situations. Should be very good.

Lee: The greatest WildCats story ever. Alan Moore weaves a tale that is just fantastic. And with art by Charest (his pre-looney tunes, primedonna phase) this is a must have. My only question… why no HC???
Jim: I have to see if I have this stuff in another trade, if I don’t I agree a no-brainer in the buy column.
SENTENCES: THE LIFE OF M.F. GRIMM HARDCOVER Written by Percy Carey Art and cover by Ronald Wimberly Underground rap icon Percy Carey tells the true story of his life in the "Hip-Hop Game" - the dizzying heights and heartbreaking losses - in the raw and brutally honest hardcover graphic novel memoir SENTENCES: THE LIFE OF M.F. GRIMM. In SENTENCES, Carey chronicles his life in the sometimes glamorous, and often violent, hip-hop industry; from the first time he picked up a microphone at a block party as a youngster, to the day he lost the use of his legs to gang violence, to his incarceration, and eventually, to his self-reinvention and rise back to the top of his game, becoming a Hip-Hop Grand Master and being placed among the pantheon of the culture. No questions are left unanswered and no apologies are made, resulting in what's sure to be a groundbreaking graphic novel. Joining Carey is up-and-coming artist Ronald Wimberly (LUCIFER, HELLBLAZER: PAPA MIDNITE covers), who breathtakingly illustrates this gritty tale of righteous redemption. If what you know about hip-hop is the flashy cars and voluptuous women that music videos try to sell, be prepared to experience the real side of the industry that only someone who has survived the rise, fall, and rise again, can tell. Advance-solicited; on sale September 5 o 7" x 9" o 128 pg, B&W, $19.99 US MATURE READERS
Jim: I will be passing on this book, but it is nice to see that a wide variety of material is being covered by a major publisher.
Lee: You can’t say that DC doesn’t try things. Kudos to them. BUT, a quick search turned up… http://d-pi.com/DTV/ I think this is the artist. WOW. He has talent. I can’t really tell because he goes by D-pi but it certainly could be him…
Jim: I followed the link and wow this guy is very good.

Lee: This looks really good too. Carey’s Lucifer was outstanding and this is a return to his horror roots. Should be great. Jock’s art was last seen on Losers and should fit the theme of the title well. Looking forward to this.
Jim: Carey is almost impossible for me to pass up on. Even his poor work is usually okay. Right now his X-Men stuff is his weakest, but that’s because I don’t like the group he has selected, his writing and the stories are actually holding me in on the X-Men, so I’m a big yes for this book also.
THE COMPLETE BITE CLUB TP Written by Howard Chaykin & David Tischman Art by David Hahn Cover by Frank Quitely Don't miss this 264-page volume collecting both the original critically acclaimed BITE CLUB and its sequel, BITE CLUB: VAMPIRE CRIME UNIT! The Sopranos have nothing on the Del Toros, a vampire clan that has run organized crime in Miami for nearly a century. Beautiful, rich and immortal, these bloodsuckers are also masters of backstabbing and in-fighting. Advance-solicited; on sale August 29 o 264 pg, FC, $19.99 US o MATURE READERS
Lee: You know, this is… I think.. the third large scale trade offered this month. Moore’s WildCats was 392 pgs, this is 264 pages. I don’t care about the series but I find these large trades interesting. I wonder if it will be lower grade paper like the World At War trade? Almost an essential in color. I think that’s a great way to go and wonder why they don’t do more of it.
Jim:It is interesting that so much is getting traded now days. When I review the list of books coming out from Marvel and DC on a weekly basis a good 25% are trades.
SCALPED VOL. 1: INDIAN COUNTRY TP Written by Jason Aaron Art by R.M. Guera Cover by Jock Jason Aaron, the hot new writer of the critically acclaimed series THE OTHER SIDE, teams with gritty artist R.M. Guéra for an intense crime drama that mixes organized crime with current Native American culture. This special low-priced volume collects the first five issues of the riveting Vertigo series SCALPED. Fifteen years ago, Dashiell "Dash" Bad Horse ran away from a life of abject poverty and utter hopelessness on the Prairie Rose Indian Reservation searching for something better. Now he's come back home armed with nothing but a set of nunchucs, a hell-bent-for-leather attitude and one dark secret, to find nothing much has changed on "The Rez" - short of a glimmering new casino, and a once-proud people overcome by drugs and organized crime. Is he here to set things right or just get a piece of the action? Advance-solicited; on sale August 1 o 128 pg, FC, $9.99 US
Lee: Great crime series. Get this. Get caught up. Buy more issues!!!
Jim: I have really enjoyed this series and if you are not buying the monthly issues pick this up.


Jim: I have included these two together to show how much more mature the Japanese audience is when it comes to producing statues.
Lee: Oh yes. I see what you mean. Light years ahead of the American audience. Then again, maybe it is a Japanese Light year v. an American light year. Gotta make sure the units of measure are correct before I make a rash decision.
That's it for the DC material.
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