DC Preview Review for May – Special Vertigo Edition

Jim: Two things drove me to want to do this sort of spotlight post, one I’m on vacation for a week and that causes me to have to skip a weekly review post. The second is I noticed with recently putting the Unwritten back on my list I’m getting every Vertigo series except House of Mystery. I have now added that back to my list. Vertigo produces top notch series and is probably the best books on the market in general. By that I mean more times than not the Vertigo imprint is a sign of quality.
Gwen: Every once in awhile I get burnt out on mainstream comics and Vertigo is one of the things that keeps me going.

STRANGE ADVENTURES #1
Written by BRIAN AZZARELLO, SCOTT SNYDER, PETER MILLIGAN and others
Art by EDUARDO RISSO, JEFF LEMIRE, KEVIN COLDEN and others
Cover by PAUL POPE
1:10 Variant cover by MARK BUCKINGHAM
Don’t miss this eighty page collection of science fiction short stories from some of Vertigo’s all-time greats, as well as the hot new talents of tomorrow! From the far reaches of space to the not so distant future, we bring you eight science-fiction stories as only Vertigo can do them. Plus: the Eisner Award-winning 100 BULLETS team of Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso reunite to bring you the first chapter of their upcoming new series SPACEMAN!
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
One-shot • On sale MAY 25 • 80 pg, FC, $7.99 US • MATURE READERS
Jim: This type of one-shot a no-brainer for me. Azz, Snyder, Milligan, Risso, Lemire, I mean the talent lineup is great. Plus I would love, love to see a new science fiction anthology become an ongoing.
Gwen: What a great idea. I love sci-fi and this spotlights some excellent talent.

CINDERELLA: FABLES ARE FOREVER #4
Written by CHRIS ROBERSON
Art by SHAWN MCMANUS
Cover by CHRISSIE ZULLO
The hunt for Cinderella’s longtime nemesis leads her from the heat of equatorial Africa to the chilly ski slopes of Switzerland. Cinderella and her companion, the Russian Fable Ivan Durak, have managed to stay one step ahead of the deadly assassin so far – but is their luck about to run out?
On sale MAY 11 • 4 of 6 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • MATURE READERS
Jim: I loved the first series and the second started off stronger then the first series. Cindy lends herself to a series of mini-series. Plus we can see her missions for today and from the past. Plenty of material is available with this concept.
Gwen: The idea of Cinderella as a secret agent seemed so odd at first and yet it's turned into some really great stories. I look forward to this next installment.

FABLES #105
Written by BILL WILLINGHAM
Art by MARK BUCKINGHAM and STEVE LEIALOHA
Cover by JOAO RUAS
In “Super Team” part 4, Ozma’s super team is ready to fight, but there’s a complication: Mister Dark isn’t the only one of the Great Powers on the warpath. The North Wind just blew into town with bad news for Bigby: His ghostly son must die. Talk about bad timing! Remember when Bigby promised his father that “The next time I come after you, I’ve made arrangements to make sure I’m able to kill you”? That time is here! It’s father vs. son. Will Bigby survive one battle so he can help with the other?
On sale MAY 18 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • MATURE READERS
Jim: One of the longest running Vertigo series and still one of the best. I love how Bill has made all the familiar characters so relatable. Consistently a very good book, every time out.
Gwen: I was curious as to how long it would take for the truth about Bigby and Snow's zephyr son to come into play. I wonder how Bigby can even fight against the North Wind when he's supposed to be an 'aspect' like Mister Dark.

AMERICAN VAMPIRE #15
Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Art and cover by RAFAEL ALBUQUERQUE
“Ghost War” continues as Henry and his lost unit fight for their lives against a vicious new strain of vampire. Meanwhile, Skinner makes some unexpected moves and Pearl sets out on a perilous journey. The secret vampire war of The Pacific rages on!
On sale MAY 25 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • MATURE READERS
Jim: I still can’t believe I’m enjoying a vampire series. Plus I’m enjoying the fact that this series continues to move forward in time. Scott knows how to deliver with each arc while still building towards a larger story and Rafael kills on this book.
Gwen: I love this series.

HELLBLAZER #279
Written by PETER MILLIGAN
Art by GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI and STEFANO LANDINI
Cover by SIMON BISLEY
Our newly married urban mage doesn’t know it, but his niece, Gemma, blames him for a brutal assault. Now she’s planning a suitably demonic revenge – and she’s dangerously out of her depth. Meanwhile, Constantine’s got himself a new thumb – but any pleasure this might bring him is cut short when his young wife reveals a terrible secret. Well, what did he expect? That married life would be one long honeymoon?
On sale MAY 18 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • MATURE READERS
Jim: Milligan has been writing his a** off with this book. I have followed Constantine for a few years and Milligan seems to have the best handle on where he is taking John. I hope his run on the book last a long time as he is taking chances with the character like no one else.
Gwen: I've always enjoyed John Constantine as a character but the Hellblazer series is hit or miss for me. There are definately some interesting plotlines though.

HOUSE OF MYSTERY #37
Written by MATTHEW STURGES
Art by LUCA ROSSI and JOSE MARZAN, JR and AARON CAMPBELL
Cover by ESAO ANDREWS
What happens next hasn’t happened, or didn’t not unhappen, or never was to have happened in the first place. Frankly, the proper tense for what happened to what happens next hasn’t been invented yet. In “Desolation” part two, Fig struggles to exist, but her existence is as problematic as our attempt to explain it! Meanwhile, a gang of mysterious strangers appears in the House of Mystery looking for one Lotus Blossom Mackenzie. Featuring a short story illustrated by Aaron Campbell (Green Hornet)!
On sale MAY 4 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • MATURE READERS
Jim: I fell off this series because I felt like it was taking too long to move the plot forward and I lost track of who was who sometimes. Still I’m willing to give it another shot and jump back onboard.
Gwen: This series fell off for me with the addition of Fig's brother,the serial killer. But, like Jim, I'd be willing to give it another chance as I did like the series early on.

DMZ #65
Written by BRIAN WOOD
Art by RICCARDO BURCHIELLI
Cover by JP LEON
“Free States Rising” concludes here as the final battle for the city of Manhattan, as well as the fate of the entire country, begins to unfold. Matty Roth, the ultimate embedded journalist, reconnects with his on-again off-again friend Zee, who finds Matty a very changed man since she last saw him.
On sale MAY 18 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • MATURE READERS
Jim: This is another series I started and left and then came back. Brian is writing a heck of a treatment of what could be a version of America in the near future.
Gwen: This isn't really a series I've paid much attention to so I'll have to take Jim's word on it.

NORTHLANDERS #40
Written by BRIAN WOOD
Art by MATTHEW WOODSON
Cover by MASSIMO CARNEVALE
In the middle of a long Scandinavian winter, a solitary hunter stalks the forest for what seems like weeks on end. His elusive prey starts to take on added significance as the hunter descends into helplessness and despair, to the point that the skills of even this seasoned outdoorsman are put to the ultimate test. Lavishly illustrated by Matthew Woodson, whose illustrations have appeared in Wired, Spin, Penthouse, Glamour and more, “The Hunt” is destined to be one of the most memorable Northlanders stories to date.
On sale MAY 11 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • MATURE READERS
Jim: Brian Wood again with a series that is as different from DMZ as possible, Viking stories. I love that each arc is another story instead of a continuing character. This allows Brian to explore various parts of Norse history. He also uses modern dialogue which makes the book read easier and yet does not detract from the overall effect.
Gwen: The viking genre is not my favorite (lumped in with the barbarian genre) but I've enjoyed this series.

iZOMBIE #13
Written by CHRIS ROBERSON
Art and cover by MICHAEL ALLRED
This issue marks the beginning of the new story “5 Brains, 5 Months,” which will play out in “real time” over the course of the coming issues. In May, 2011, zombie girl Gwen and her friends solve a mystery just in time to keep an even more mysterious appointment with Amon, the sexy mummy, while the vampire girls add a new member to their number and the monster hunters prowl the streets. And in the first of a series of backup stories, we meet a group of government agents who will soon be making life very difficult for Gwen and company. But who are the Dead Presidents?
On sale MAY 4 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • MATURE READERS
Jim: The heir to Buffy as it takes all the supernatural elements and gives them a cool twist. Every once in awhile I think it gets a little deep into its own mythology but the quirky feel of this series makes it a must read.
Gwen: I've had so much fun with these series. It's the first book I read when it's in my comic stack and the characters just get more interesting the further into the series I get.

SCALPED #49
Written by JASON AARON
Art by R.M. GUERA
Cover by JOCK
The mysterious Catcher has always walked his own path, but for him, time is running out. As another searing story comes to an end, will Catcher finally run out of places to hide?
On sale MAY 25 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • MATURE READERS
Jim: One of the best books on the stands and when it ends and if it holds up could go down as one of the best series of all time. Yeah, it is that good.
Gwen: A really harsh book but an excellent story nonetheless.

SWEET TOOTH #21
Written by JEFF LEMIRE
Art and cover by JEFF LEMIRE
Gus reluctantly joins Jepperd on a hunt for the missing girls, but the tension between the two continues to grow. Meanwhile, Singh and Johnny come face to face with a deadly new threat, and Lucy and the girls meet Walter Fish, an enigmatic survivor who may have more to offer than meets the eye. Don’t miss snowmobile gangs, yetis and more as the new story arc “Endangered Species” kicks off with a bang!
On sale MAY 4 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • MATURE READERS
Jim: This series has a flavor to it that no other book on the stands has and that is Sweet Tooth himself. He is an innocent in many ways in a post apocalyptic world. The series started slow but all the mysteries are being slowly revealed as we peel back the onion on what caused the world to go to hell.
Gwen: Jim has a soft spot for post apocalyptic stories.

THE UNWRITTEN #25
Written by MIKE CAREY
Art by PETER GROSS
Cover by YUKO SHIMIZU
“Citizen Taylor,” part 1 of 2! Back in the real world at last, Tom follows Lizzie and Savoy to New York and to the auction house of Christian Bolinbroke. Lots #1 to 200? The worldly goods of Wilson Taylor. And the only thing more dangerous than the other bidders is the auctioneer himself.
On sale MAY 11 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • MATURE READERS
Jim: I jumped back on about five issues ago I believe. I’m enjoying watching Tom learning about how to enter and exit stories and how this all ties to his father. This is an interesting series that plays with all the meta-textual stuff. Gwen: I feel as if I'm like this series more in graphic novel format because I like the concept but find it hard to follow on a monthly basis.

Jim: One heck of a lineup of books and talent. Some of today’s best writers are doing work under the Vertigo banner which is why I will try out any first issue of a Vertigo book.
Gwen: Vertigo puts out excellent books with a lot of variety.