Lee: I don’t know what’s going on but “hot new releases” are getting thinner and thinner all the time. And, it appears that a lot of the real small publishers are starting to die out. There’s still plenty to choose from though which is good.
Jim: Part of it has to be the economic downturn that is continuing. While I believe the US will see the worst of it, it is widespread. That and the continual struggle to keep the print side of the business alive all play against the smaller guys being able to do as much.
Adhouse Books
Pope Hats #1 by (W/A) Ethan Rilly
Winner of the 2008 Xeric Foundation Grant! Pope Hats follows the trials of a young woman named Frances Scarland, whose social circle mainly consists of an alcoholic actress and an inept ghost named Saarsgard. An engaging slice-of-life story about young people navigating their own daily shortcomings, Pope Hats was shortlisted for the 2008 Doug Wright Awards in the category of Best Emerging Talent, celebrating excellence in Canadian cartooning. $4.00 Visit Ethan here
Lee: As always, I’m a sucker for the awards. There’s still too much material out there for me to read everything, so if someone can get noticed by an award then I’m willing to give them a try. Rilly’s art looks nice and clean and the story sounds good so I’ll take a chance.
Jim: Normally I would be disagreeing with Lee and saying stuff like awards mean nothing, but this does look to be an excellent story and I'm also buying in on this book.
Ape Entertainment
Dead Duck GN by (W/A) Jay P. Fosgitt
Dead Duck and Zombie Chick deliver the deceased to J.P. Yorick, better known as the Grim Reaper, while dealing with unruly dead folks, grumpy deities, and historical snafus! Foreward by Doug Jones (Abe Sapien from Hellboy). $12.95 Visit the Dead Duck blog here and you can preview the story here
Lee: If Jay’s blog is any indication of what to find in this book then I am completely sold. He’s got a great sense of humor that shows in his writing. The previews really show off his talent and allow you too get a great feel for what you’re getting into. I am all over this!
Jim: You know this is so pretty funny stuff, I think Lee has pulled me into another book, but I also like good humor.
Avatar Press Inc
Supergod #1 by (W) Warren Ellis (A) Garrie Gastony
SUPERGOD: praying to be saved by a man who can fly will get you killed. In the world of SUPERGOD, superhumans are the ultimate expression of the Messiah complex, and scientists can build Messiahs who will fly down from the skies to save the world. No-one thought about how theyd do it -- or even if theyd want to. So begins the apocalyptic tomorrow of SUPERGOD -- the story of how supermen killed us all and ended the world just because we wanted to be rescued by human-shaped things from beyond Science itself! Take every superhero comic ever published, shove them into a nuclear-powered blender, soak it in bad vodka and set the whole thing alight -- and SUPERGOD will crawl out and eat your brain! $3.99, #1 of 5
Lee: To steal Jim’s line, “Avatar: Warren Ellis’s personal printer”. More of the same from Ellis, and that’s a good thing.
Jim: I have enjoyed Black Summer, No Hero and now Super God is rounding out perhaps Ellis' unintentional trilogy of examining how super heroes might be in the real world. Always an interesting concept, but if there were super heroes then it would be a different world. From a personal perspective I'm just glad all the battle seem to occur in New York or DC, we get very little collateral damage in Baltimore.
Bandai Entertainment Inc
Witchblade: Takeru Manga Collection SC by (W/A) Nobura Kimura
Collects the complete two-volume series in one omnibus edition! Takeru is a young Japanese girl. She lives in a convent and is being raised by Buddhist nuns. But the convent holds a dark secret: a chamber houses a box, of which inside is locked the Witchblade, a powerful artifact that has existed throughout the ages. Takeru has nightmares about the Witchblade, not understanding what they mean. But when demons attack the convent, Takeru discovers the Witchblade and unwittingly becomes its bearer! $24.99
Lee: Just when you thought Witchblade with the ridiculous costume couldn’t get any better, IT DOES! That’s right, Witchblade Manga takes the best “assets” of the Witchblade property and makes them BIGGER.. and POINTIER… and even more ridiculous if that’s possible.
Jim: You give me grief for some of my picks and you want to waste time discussing this. I have no clue how Witchblade has made it so long and even had a TV series.
Blank Slate
Sparky O Hare: Master Electrician GN by Description: (W/A) Mawil
Mawil's second book from Blank Slate is a delightful series of cartoons about his super-cute rabbit electrician - he comes to fix things, and boy does he fix them as chaos, fun and laughter ensue! Loved by the likes of Jay Stephens and Scott McCloud, this is a must-have book for comic fans. Mature Content 94 pgs. $8.99 Visit Mawil here but remember to pick the proper language in the upper left because the default is German.
Lee: Two things appeal to me here: (1) The simplicity of the art and (2) the potnetial for crude humor. Something tells me this is full of goofy comic violence which I love. At such a low price point, it's worth a try.
Jim: Not sure I see this as a must have. I mean the cover does not even entice me with its art. I would have to see a preview before I would consider buying. At least the price point is reasonable.
Candlewick Press
Robot City Adventures Vol. 01: City in Peril GN by (W/A) Paul Collicutt
It's midnight in Robot City, and all is not well. When the crew of the Red Star Rig sends out a desperate distress call, Robot City's favorite hero leaps into action. Meet Curtis, the Colossal Coast-Guard Robot - a mighty machine intent on saving the city from a giant sea monster. Paul Collicutt's dynamic retro art brings his colorful characters to life in this graphic-novel adventure. 48 pages, For Grades 4-9, $8.99
Lee: This looks to be more kid oriented than adult oriented but it still sounds good. My little people aren’t quite ready for this but if you’re looking to get you’re kids into science fiction this appears to be a good start.
Jim: My little people ( you do mean your children, right, you are not holding midgets hostage or anything right?) are not little anymore, so this is a pass for me.
Jim: Part of it has to be the economic downturn that is continuing. While I believe the US will see the worst of it, it is widespread. That and the continual struggle to keep the print side of the business alive all play against the smaller guys being able to do as much.
Adhouse BooksPope Hats #1 by (W/A) Ethan Rilly
Winner of the 2008 Xeric Foundation Grant! Pope Hats follows the trials of a young woman named Frances Scarland, whose social circle mainly consists of an alcoholic actress and an inept ghost named Saarsgard. An engaging slice-of-life story about young people navigating their own daily shortcomings, Pope Hats was shortlisted for the 2008 Doug Wright Awards in the category of Best Emerging Talent, celebrating excellence in Canadian cartooning. $4.00 Visit Ethan here
Lee: As always, I’m a sucker for the awards. There’s still too much material out there for me to read everything, so if someone can get noticed by an award then I’m willing to give them a try. Rilly’s art looks nice and clean and the story sounds good so I’ll take a chance.
Jim: Normally I would be disagreeing with Lee and saying stuff like awards mean nothing, but this does look to be an excellent story and I'm also buying in on this book.
Ape EntertainmentDead Duck GN by (W/A) Jay P. Fosgitt
Dead Duck and Zombie Chick deliver the deceased to J.P. Yorick, better known as the Grim Reaper, while dealing with unruly dead folks, grumpy deities, and historical snafus! Foreward by Doug Jones (Abe Sapien from Hellboy). $12.95 Visit the Dead Duck blog here and you can preview the story here
Lee: If Jay’s blog is any indication of what to find in this book then I am completely sold. He’s got a great sense of humor that shows in his writing. The previews really show off his talent and allow you too get a great feel for what you’re getting into. I am all over this!
Jim: You know this is so pretty funny stuff, I think Lee has pulled me into another book, but I also like good humor.
Avatar Press IncSupergod #1 by (W) Warren Ellis (A) Garrie Gastony
SUPERGOD: praying to be saved by a man who can fly will get you killed. In the world of SUPERGOD, superhumans are the ultimate expression of the Messiah complex, and scientists can build Messiahs who will fly down from the skies to save the world. No-one thought about how theyd do it -- or even if theyd want to. So begins the apocalyptic tomorrow of SUPERGOD -- the story of how supermen killed us all and ended the world just because we wanted to be rescued by human-shaped things from beyond Science itself! Take every superhero comic ever published, shove them into a nuclear-powered blender, soak it in bad vodka and set the whole thing alight -- and SUPERGOD will crawl out and eat your brain! $3.99, #1 of 5
Lee: To steal Jim’s line, “Avatar: Warren Ellis’s personal printer”. More of the same from Ellis, and that’s a good thing.
Jim: I have enjoyed Black Summer, No Hero and now Super God is rounding out perhaps Ellis' unintentional trilogy of examining how super heroes might be in the real world. Always an interesting concept, but if there were super heroes then it would be a different world. From a personal perspective I'm just glad all the battle seem to occur in New York or DC, we get very little collateral damage in Baltimore.
Bandai Entertainment IncWitchblade: Takeru Manga Collection SC by (W/A) Nobura Kimura
Collects the complete two-volume series in one omnibus edition! Takeru is a young Japanese girl. She lives in a convent and is being raised by Buddhist nuns. But the convent holds a dark secret: a chamber houses a box, of which inside is locked the Witchblade, a powerful artifact that has existed throughout the ages. Takeru has nightmares about the Witchblade, not understanding what they mean. But when demons attack the convent, Takeru discovers the Witchblade and unwittingly becomes its bearer! $24.99
Lee: Just when you thought Witchblade with the ridiculous costume couldn’t get any better, IT DOES! That’s right, Witchblade Manga takes the best “assets” of the Witchblade property and makes them BIGGER.. and POINTIER… and even more ridiculous if that’s possible.
Jim: You give me grief for some of my picks and you want to waste time discussing this. I have no clue how Witchblade has made it so long and even had a TV series.
Blank SlateSparky O Hare: Master Electrician GN by Description: (W/A) Mawil
Mawil's second book from Blank Slate is a delightful series of cartoons about his super-cute rabbit electrician - he comes to fix things, and boy does he fix them as chaos, fun and laughter ensue! Loved by the likes of Jay Stephens and Scott McCloud, this is a must-have book for comic fans. Mature Content 94 pgs. $8.99 Visit Mawil here but remember to pick the proper language in the upper left because the default is German.
Lee: Two things appeal to me here: (1) The simplicity of the art and (2) the potnetial for crude humor. Something tells me this is full of goofy comic violence which I love. At such a low price point, it's worth a try.
Jim: Not sure I see this as a must have. I mean the cover does not even entice me with its art. I would have to see a preview before I would consider buying. At least the price point is reasonable.
Candlewick PressRobot City Adventures Vol. 01: City in Peril GN by (W/A) Paul Collicutt
It's midnight in Robot City, and all is not well. When the crew of the Red Star Rig sends out a desperate distress call, Robot City's favorite hero leaps into action. Meet Curtis, the Colossal Coast-Guard Robot - a mighty machine intent on saving the city from a giant sea monster. Paul Collicutt's dynamic retro art brings his colorful characters to life in this graphic-novel adventure. 48 pages, For Grades 4-9, $8.99
Lee: This looks to be more kid oriented than adult oriented but it still sounds good. My little people aren’t quite ready for this but if you’re looking to get you’re kids into science fiction this appears to be a good start.
Jim: My little people ( you do mean your children, right, you are not holding midgets hostage or anything right?) are not little anymore, so this is a pass for me.
Part 2 Coming on Wednesday September 30TH! - Just in under the wire!
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