Jim: Damn, these things come around like clockwork. When I think of DC now I think Elseworlds (the new DCU), Vertigo (great stuff) and hardcover disappointment as so much of their library is untapped and the quality of their hard cover program has gone in the crapper.
Gwen: Vertigo, one of the only things I still thoroughly enjoy from DC.
BEFORE WATCHMEN: MINUTEMEN #1DARWYN COOKE
Backup story written by LEN WEIN
Art and cover by DARWYN COOKE
Backup story art by JOHN HIGGINS
1:25 Variant cover by MICHAEL GOLDEN
1:200 Variant cover by JIM LEE
On sale JUNE 6 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 6, $3.99 US • MATURE READERS
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
Retailers: This issue will ship with three covers. Please see the order form for more information.
“Little did we know that poor boy would lead to the end of us all.”
Plus: Don’t miss the CRIMSON CORSAIR backup story by writer LEN WEIN and artist JOHN HIGGINS!
Jim:.I get that people think Watchmen is some sort of story that should never be touched, but let’s remember the work that Moore did was derivative itself. Alan Moore took analogs of the Charlton characters DC had purchased and made them over. On the good side DC is doing preludes as opposed to trying to continue the story. Plus Watchmen made Moore a ton of money and probably the reason he is allowed to be the crotchety old crazy guy he is today. Finally Darwyn Cooke is a fantastic creator so I’m sold.
Gwen: No way for me. While the original Watchmen was a great story (if for nothing else that then the bad guy explaining things only after his plan already happened) I could care less about anything happening before Watchmen. It wasn't the setting I enjoyed from the original material but the quality of the story.
BEFORE WATCHMEN: SILK SPECTRE #1DARWYN COOKE and AMANDA CONNER
Backup story written by LEN WEIN
Art and cover by AMANDA CONNER
Backup story art by JOHN HIGGINS
1:25 Variant cover by DAVE JOHNSON
1:200 Variant cover by JIM LEE
On sale JUNE 13 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 4, $3.99 US • MATURE READERS
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
Retailers: This issue will ship with three covers. Please see the order form for more information.
“Oh sweetie, you’re too young to hate. Wait until you’re older and the world gives you a good reason. Trust me, it won’t let you down.”
Plus: Don’t miss the CRIMSON CORSAIR backup story by writer LEN WEIN and artist JOHN HIGGINS!
This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.
Jim: I’m sold again, Cooke and Amanda Conner. I love the Silk Spectre character and it is a very sexy look. I have not seen any of Amanda’s work since Power Girl and while her work has a cartoon feel to it, it has so much heart and fantastic story telling that her and Cooke should be a match made in heaven.
Gwen: See above.
BEFORE WATCHMEN: COMEDIAN #1BRIAN AZZARELLO
Backup story written by LEN WEIN
Art and cover by J.G. JONES
Backup story art by JOHN HIGGINS
1:25 Variant cover by EDUARDO RISSO
1:200 Variant cover by JIM LEE
On sale JUNE 20 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 6, $3.99 US • MATURE READERS
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
Retailers: This issue will ship with three covers. Please see the order form for more information.
“I’m a funny guy...”
Plus: Don’t miss the CRIMSON CORSAIR backup story by writer LEN WEIN and artist JOHN HIGGINS!
This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.
Jim: See all of this stuff looks like a lot of fun to me. Azzarello and JG Jones. Azz has won me over with his Wonder Woman stuff, so I trust him enough to try another super hero title. I have not seen JG Jones doing any interiors or heck covers since Final Crisis, what has he been doing? Still making these series as preludes and with the creative teams onboard it is hard to complain about these books.
Gwen: And a character I didn't like at all. Pass again.
BEFORE WATCHMEN: NITE OWL #1J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Backup story written by LEN WEIN
Art and cover by ANDY KUBERT and JOE KUBERT
Backup story art by JOHN HIGGINS
1:25 Variant cover by KEVIN NOWLAN
1:200 Variant cover by JIM LEE
On sale JUNE 27 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 4, $3.99 US • MATURE READERS
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
Retailers: This issue will ship with three covers. Please see the order form for more information.
“The hero known to the public only as Nite Owl announced his retirement today.”
Plus: Don’t miss the CRIMSON CORSAIR backup story by writer LEN WEIN and artist JOHN HIGGINS!
This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.
Jim: Another solid creative team, but JMS I don’t trust 100% because he is late on a lot of stuff, but Andy and Joe Kubert on art, again what is not to love. Hell I’d rather read this then the bulk of the new DCU, which I believe I now only follow about 32 titles from them.
Gwen: Seriously, most of these characters weren't even likable (on purpose) so why do I care about reading more stuff about them?? These characters were used to tell a pretty specific story. I mean, I don't care about all the hype about DC exploiting Moore's work, I just don't think these characters were built to be anything worth a stand alone story. I mean they were already parodies of other characters!
THE SAVAGE HAWKMAN #10Plotted by ROB LIEFELD
Scripted by ROB LIEFELD and MARK POULTON
Art by JOE BENNETT and ART THIBERT
Cover by ROB LIEFELD
On sale JUNE 27 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
• It’s fight night as HAWKMAN enters a GLADIATORIAL DEATHMATCH against three ultra-villains for the life of his friend Emma!
• Get your popcorn because the first scene in this issue just might be the best battle you see all year!
Jim: See this just yells at me that DC is totally mismanaged. Bob Harras who ran the sinking ship that was Marvel in the nineties is the EIC, Dan Didio is co-publisher and Rob Liefeld is the guy you go to fix a book. I’m running away from this book like a co-ed in a horror film.
Gwen: Just the cover alone makes me want to never open this issue. I may be grumpy today, and thus biased, but gladiatorial death match? This is why I got bored trying to watch Spartacus Blood and Sand.
ACTION COMICS #10GRANT MORRISON
Backup story written by SHOLLY FISCH
Art by GENE HA and RICK BRYANT
Backup story art by BRAD WALKER
Cover by RAGS MORALES
Variant cover by BRYAN HITCH
1:100 B&W Variant cover by GENE HA
On sale JUNE 6 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
Retailers: This issue will ship with three covers. Please see the order form for more information.
• CLARK KENT is DEAD!
• The three-part ACTION COMICS summer event storyline begins here!
• New villain NIMROD THE HUNTER is on SUPERMAN’S trail! He’s killed every living thing he’s ever tracked – but he’s never killed an ALIEN!
This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.
Jim: DC has to offer more free digital books; the combo pack idea is not working for me. I wonder if the sales on combo packs are working for them. This story actually sounds interesting as it looks like we are settling into a more normal story line. In order for me to get back into the new DCU we need to establish a status quo for characters.
Gwen: This looks okay. I mean everyone here knows I'm not a fan of Morrison doing monthly books but this seems to have potential.
Part 2 soon, very soon.....
Down to only 32 books? Man, I wan't close to that at my maximum purchases from DC. I think I'd down to 3-4 now.
ReplyDeleteAfter the Court of Owls stuff I plan to drop even more. For me the new DCU made it easier to drop titles. DC was the last stuff I used to follow for the character. I could drop of the DCU and due to Vertigo still get a fair number of titles.
ReplyDeleteI am surprised that the Watchmen stuff doesn't appeal to me more than it does. Which is to say, outside of artists, I have no love of these characters. Moore told a complete, and done, story. This is just... well let's not get into that discussion.
ReplyDeleteWhat is more surprising is the lack of details about the story.