DC Preview Review for August Part 2 of 2

AS PROMISED PART 2

DOOM PATROL #1 Written by Keith Giffen; co-feature written by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis Art by Matthew Clark; co-feature art by Kevin Maguire Cover by Matthew Clark Variant cover by Matthew Clark and Kevin Maguire Come one, come all! The world's strangest Super Heroes are back, and they brought those robot guys along with 'em! Thrill to the strange adventures of the Doom Patrol, with script by Keith Giffen and art by Matthew Clark! Whether you think you know 'em or you wouldn't know 'em if they bit you on the behind, this Doom Patrol's for you! But that's not all! Read all the way to the back cover for the all-new adventures of those elemental everymen, the Metal Men, featuring the triumphant return of the creative team that brought you JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL! That’s 40 full pages of comic-bookery for just under four American dollars. So why not try some Doom Patrol with a side order of Metal Men today? On sale August 5 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US

Jim: You know Keith Giffen has not had many hits since signing up with DC, here’s hoping this might work.
Lee: Giffen certainly has been hit/miss lately but I still like the majority of his work. Not to mention that I have a soft spot for the Doom Patrol so this is an easy buy.
Gwen: I could get into a new run on the Doom Patrol. They can be a fun group to follow when they're written well. I'm also a fan of the Metal Men so a story with them is also appealing. Hopefully this will turn out well.

BAD GIRLS TP Written by Steve Vance Art by Jennifer Graves, Christine Norrie, Daniel Krall and J. Bone Cover by Darwyn Cooke It’s not easy being the new girl in school – especially when everyone else has super-powers. Lauren is new to the mall-and-beach town of San Narciso, CA. Should she hang with the super-powered popular girls? What mystery lies behind the school’s walls? And most importantly, what to wear? Collecting the 2003 miniseries for the first time!Advance-solicited; on sale September 16 • 128 pg, FC, $14.99 US

Lee: Ohhhhh I remember this. In fact I have this but never read it. I liked the art and the story, based upon flipping through, always looked good. I might have to take a chance on this.

Jim: What? A chance to read it? This does not look appealing to me.

Gwen: Actually, this looks kind of amusing although I'm not familiar with the material.

FINAL CRISIS: LEGION OF THREE WORLDS HC Written by Geoff Johns Art by George Pérez & Scott Koblish Cover by George Pérez Superstar writer Geoff Johns and legendary artist George Pérez deliver the Crisis of the 31st century as the Legion of Super-Heroes reaches out for help against a powerful foe they can’t beat alone. From the moment Superman landed on Earth until the end of time, the Time Trapper has sought to erase Superman's impact on the universe. But the Legion of Super-Heroes have always been there to stop the relentless villain. Now, one Legion isn’t enough as the Time Trapper taps a twisted mirror image of The Boy of Steel from a parallel Earth long dead: Superboy-Prime! Who will answer the Legion's call for help? With ties to INFINITE CRISIS, FINAL CRISIS and the history of the DCU, this tremendous hardcover collects the entire 5-issue miniseries and is not to be missed!Advance-solicited; on sale October 21 • 168 pg, FC, $19.99 US

Jim: I want this, but not in this format. I want an oversized edition with script pages and tons of George Perez sketches and preliminary work.
Lee: You are the most finicky hardcover collector I have ever met. Boo Hoo I want this oversized. I want this smaller. I want script pages. Oh good grief already. Just be happy that you’re getting a hc at all.
Gwen: Jim, you could always get it and then send it to me when the oversized edition comes out ;)

Jim: So Lee says stop whining and buy it and then Gwen says she will take it when a better edition comes out. Sounds like I'm being set up!
Gwen: It's true, Lee and I conspire against you all the time.

ICON: A HERO’S WELCOME TP NEW PRINTING Written by Dwayne McDuffie Art by M.D. Bright and Mike Gustovich Cover by Denys Cowan The flagship character from Milestone Comics is back in this new printing of the classic title collecting ICON #1-8. This is the title that introduced Augustus Freeman, a successful lawyer who covertly uses his alien super-powers to help those in need. But when a teenaged girl from the streets convinces him to use his abilities to inspire his people and becomes his sidekick, Rocket, the affluent Augustus embraces his true destiny and becomes Icon, the hero of Dakota. Advance-solicited; on sale September 30 192 pg, FC, $19.99 US

Lee: Back before everyone was trying to deconstruct Superman, McDuffie wrote Icon. This was very, very good superheroes and I am definitely getting this.

Jim: Icon was probably the best work coming out of Milestone and if you have not read this material it is worth getting.

Gwen: I only vaguely remember this material. As such I can't really recall how much I liked or disliked it.

Jim: Gwen's getting senile!
Gwen: Because obviously you remember everything you've ever read *rolls eyes*

SHOWCASE PRESENTS: WARLORD VOL. 1 TP Written by Mike Grell Art by Mike Grell, Joe Rubinstein and Vince Colletta Cover by Mike Grell Air Force pilot Travis Morgan crashes in the primitive world of Skartaris, where he must learn to live by the sword — and a comics legend begins. Morgan becomes a leader of Skartaris in this paperback collecting 1ST ISSUE SPECIAL #8 and WARLORD #1-28. Advance-solicited; on sale September 16 • 528 pg, B&W, $17.99 US

Jim: I swear the only way DC could get the reprints rights straighten out for this was to hire Grell to do a new Warlord series. I have no proof that is true, but it is awfully coincidental timing.

Lee: It’s great DC’s doing this but, interestingly enough, it appears that Marvel is printing LESS Essentials these days while DC is printing more. Yet, Marvel is printing more large 300 pg plus color trades. Why not print this as 300 pgs in color for $40? The target market is obviously older collectors such as you and I. I doubt very much that Gwen is familiar with, or even cares about this. If Gwen, the typical pain in the a.. typical reader, who doesn’t care then go color or go hc and make the bigger buck. I want this, but I’m passing until a better format comes out.

Gwen: Actually I have read some of this stuff before =P Still, Lee is probably right in the idea that this would look nicer in color. I certainly prefer my archives to the showcase format. Even so the Showcase books are fun to read and then pass along.

RED HERRING #1 Written by David Tischman Art by Philip Bond & David Hahn Cover by Philip Bond Red Herring will stop at nothing to halt a global conspiracy of invading aliens and big businessmen. And he's convinced the MacGuffin's near-death experience and dirty little secret affair with a U.S. congressman is the key to his revenge. There are no coincidences. Nothing happens by accident. From creators David Tischman (BITE CLUB, GREATEST HITS) and Philip Bond (KILL YOUR BOYFRIEND, VIMANARAMA), RED HERRING is a dangerous 6-issue miniseries that puts the “con” back in conspiracy. On sale August 12 • 1 of 6 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Lee: Let's see, Tishman is a weak writer but Bond is an awesome artist. Yep, art wins again. I'm getting it... in trade after good reviews. But I really like it.

Jim: Tishman is not the strongest writer, and I don’t care who is drawing it as I want to be able to read it.

Gwen: The concept looks to be fairly amusing. I'm not familiar with the artist but I'll have to agree with Jim here - if the writing isn't any good the art isn't enough to hold up a comic by itself.

Jim: See Lee I'm right and you are wrong, Gwen said so.
Lee: Gwen's related and knows her supply will get cut off it she doesn't agree with you. It doesn't count.
Gwen: Actually even if we disagreed Jim and I would still both be right. In our family no one is ever wrong.

PETER & MAX: A FABLES NOVEL HC Written by Bill Willingham Art and cover by Steve Leialoha Set in the imaginative realm of the award-winning comic book series FABLES, PETER & MAX is a stand-alone prose novel – the first ever published starring FABLES characters! Long ago, in the deepest dark of The Black Forest, two brothers – Peter Piper and his older brother Max - encountered ominous forces that changed them both irreparably. Thus begins an epic tale of sibling rivalry, magic, music and revenge that spans medieval times to the present day, when their deadly conflict surfaces in the placid calm of modern day Fabletown.PETER & MAX: A FABLES NOVEL features the deft prose of award-winning comic book writer Bill Willingham and lush ink spot illustrations from FABLES artist Steve Leialoha. The novel also reveals secrets of some of the regular FABLES series cast members including Bigby Wolf, Frau Totenkinder and Bo Peep. Included as well is an 8-page bonus sequential comic story by Willingham and Leialoha that serves as a bridge to the FABLES graphic novel collections. And don’t miss the special FABLES #1/PETER & MAX PREVIEW on sale in July!Advance-solicited; on sale October 7 • 400 pg, 6” x 9”, B&W, $22.99 US MATURE READERS

Jim: Prose books are becoming the in thing to do apparently with comic book companies. Defeats the purpose, doesn’t it?

Lee: True. But it’s good to diversify your characters. If a prose book can reach a larger audience then maybe a portion of that larger audience will come back to the comics.

Gwen: It is an odd decision but I'll still end up getting this at some point.

DC DYNAMICS: WONDER WOMAN STATUE DESIGNED AND SCULPTED BY TIM BRUCKNER DC Direct introduces this exquisite new statue gallery series, featuring dynamic interpretations of classic superheroes!Award-winning sculptor Tim Bruckner has transformed his original designs of the most recognizable DC characters into some of the most outstanding, upscale statues DC Direct has ever produced. Each statue features a base that captures the character’s interaction with the surrounding environment.The first in a series of six statues scheduled to be released in 2010, Wonder Woman emerges from a billowing cloud to fly through the sky, displaying the grace and beauty that defines the Amazon Princess.This limited-edition, hand-painted, cold-cast porcelain statue measures approximately 11.25” high x 6.5” wide x 7.25” deep and is packaged in a 4-color box with a 4-color Certificate of Authenticity. Manufactured to order.Advance-solicited; on sale January 20, 2010 Statue * $195 US

Jim: Is it just me or does it appear that WW has a severe gas problem.

Lee: Liquid fuel propulsion system. I always wondered how the invisible plane was powered.

Gwen: What an awful design!

JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA SERIES 2 ACTION FIGURES Four second-generation Justice Society of America heroes are grouped together to make up the second series of action figures based on the art of Alex Ross!Just as Geoff Johns’ “Thy Kingdom Come” story arc has brought the Kingdom Come Superman into current continuity, this series of action figures also features a fully articulated, original sculpt of the character.Figures included:Cyclone • 8.25” hStargirl • 6.5” hHourman • 7” hKingdom Come Superman • 7” hEach figure features multiple points of articulation and a base.

Jim: Damn more action figures and I may have to buy two of them.
Lee: What luck! Action figures I won’t be buying.
Gwen: yay... action figures =/ So many haunt my home... I just like the Legion ones. And G'nort.

SUPERGIRL MINI NEON SIGN Decorate your home or store with this exciting, affordable neon sign featuring Supergirl’s pink S-shield logo!The adjustable base unit can sit on a tabletop or be mounted to a wall.Powered by a plug-in, UL-adapter, the sign itself measures approximately 12" wide x 9" high and has a base measuring approximately 5.5” in diameter. Packaged in a 4-color box.Advance-solicited; on sale January 20, 2010 • Neon Sign * $89.99 US

Jim: Thank god Neon Signs are back. Really WTF?????

Lee: Two words. Cash Cow. Maybe three words. Glowing Cash Cow.

Gwen: Are these actually selling? Who is buying these?

Jim: I am - guess what you and Lee are getting for Christmas this year?
Gwen: In that case you'll be getting a collectible Batman cookie jar for the low price of $90!

Jim: So zero hard covers on my list and only one trade that I will be buying. Mighty sad day, but hey my wife says I have enough hard covers and it is getting hard to disagree with her.

Lee: HURREY for the return of neon signs. Oh yeah… and good comics too.

Gwen: These comments were brought to you by my really loooooong American literature class.