Princess of Mars Illustrated Classics GN by (w) Ian Edginton (a/c) I. N. J. Culbard
I was filled with a terrible, single purpose ... to survive! First serialized a century ago as Under the Moons of Mars, Edgar Rice Burroughs's planetary romance is recognized today as a genre-bending pulp-fiction classic, more influential even than the Tarzan stories that earned its author fortune and fame. Perhaps the founding text of modern sci-fi, its doomed love story (between the heroic explorer John Carter and Dejah Thoris, The Princess of Mars) was the first to imagine the green men of the Red Planet! 136 pgs. $15.95. Visit the artist here.
Lee: There have been more comics about John Carter in the last year than you can shake a stick at. It’s been ridiculous. So why would I pick this one? I think this will be closer to a true adaption than the others. And I believe this won’t be a book filled with gratuitous t-n-a. I love the Mars books and Edginton is an excellent, established writer whom I think will do the books justice. Let's not forget that the art is by Culbard, currently the New Deadwardians artist so that will be good too!
Gwen: Doomed love story?? Maybe they only read the first book... I'm pretty sure I have the artist's adaptation of The Hound of the Baskervilles and I remember liking it. From what I can find online it does seem to be a faithful adaptation which is good. I'll end up with a copy since I have almost every version of this book out there (since A Princess of Mars is the best book ever written). Seriously, I have a shelf just for Princess of Mars. Okay, maybe only part of a shelf for this book specifically as the other books in the series take up some room too. Also, this is already out, you can buy it from Amazon.
The final 6 below the break
Black Dragon HC by (w) Chris Claremont (a/c) John Bolton
Digitally restored for the very first time from John Bolton's original artwork, and penned by X-Men star writer Chris Claremont, The Black Dragon returns in a new restored hardback edition packed with extra material! In the year 1193, murder and treachery stalk the lush hills and valleys of England. James Dunreith, branded a sorceror and exiled from his homeland, returns to reclaim his birthright. Pressed into the service of Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, a faery and mortal both, Dunreith must uncover those who plot against the crown even if they were once the closest of allies. Yet great danger awaits in the form of a great evil that plans to rip apart the ancient and magical soul of the land. 200 pgs. $24.95
Lee: Whee! I am so excited that Titan is republishing this material it makes me squeal with delight. Forget Claremont’s X-junk. This is some of his best work with some incredible art. Recommended for fantasy crowd and highly recommended for everyone else.
Gwen:This looks shiny. One day when I have money again perhaps I'll pick this up - I've never read Claremont with anything outside of cape stuff. That and I'm a sucker for the fantasy genre.
Tank Girl returns again in a brand new graphic novel written by original co-creator Alan Martin with artwork by the amazing Mike McMahon (2000AD, Judge Dredd)! After our heroine is rudely snubbed on a TV game show, she plots the death of the vulgar host in question - unwittingly releasing the vengeance of his embittered wife and a gang of highly trained assassins as a result! 160 pgs. $24.95
Lee: I think this is the second time in row I’ve picked Tank Girl. Last month was a very expensive collection, this month is something much cheaper! Normally I wouldn’t care about this but I really, really love McMahon’s art. And if anything, it’s gotten more stylistic over the years. For me, it’s all about the art so I may take a chance on this.
Gwen: I'm not really a Tank Girl fan but I remember even a few years back it was hard to get some of the material inexpensively. My former boss from my retail days is probably dancing with glee over how much more affordable a lot of the Tank Girl material is these days.
Westward #1 by (w/a/c) Ken Krekeler
Victor West did not ask to be born into wealth. He did not seek out the titans of industry that surround him, that pressure and push him toward a life of grand production and unending work. Heir to the fortune of Westward Enterprises, Victor has never had to try for anything; he has never had to strive or conquer or build. But that was before the accident. Today, Victor is a new man with a new body - and someone out there has resolved to make him pay for it. From the award-winning creator of The Colodin Project comes an all-new ongoing steampunk series, where the world follows only one real law: Achieve or die. $2.99 Visit Krekeler here.
Lee: I have a softspot for Steampunk stories because I've always enjoyed alternative histories. Krekeler has written other books so this isn't his first book which is good. It means he's probably grown as a writer and artist, and if his first work was good, this will be better. It's not often that I get excited about single issues anymore but this is the exception.
Gwen:Alright, this looks different. I read through some of the preview work and while difficult to see some of it, the art is decent (excellent most of the time but there are a few off-spots). The story has potential but honestly I think it'll take a bit to get into it. The opening is intense but there are many directions in which this could go. I'd be willing to give it a shot.
Underwater Welder GN by (w/a/c) Jeff Lemire
The all-new literary masterpiece from the creator of Essex County is finally here! As an underwater welder on an oilrig off the coast of Nova Scotia, Jack Joseph is used to the immense pressures of deep-sea work. Nothing, however, could prepare him for the pressures of impending fatherhood. As Jack dives deeper and deeper, he seems to pull further and further away from his young wife, and their unborn son. But then, something happens deep on the ocean floor: Jack has a strange and mind-bending encounter that will change the course of his life forever. 224 pgs. $19.95
Lee: It’s Lemiere and I love everything Lemiere. I love it even more when he isn’t hampered by pointless continuity and gets to flex his own creative muscles. This should be good.
Gwen:I haven't actually read Essex County yet (although I do have a copy). I think I'd like to get through that before jumping into any other work of his.
Voyeurs GN by (w/a/c) Gabrielle Bell
The Voyeurs is a real-time memoir of a turbulent five years in the life of renowned cartoonist, diarist, and filmmaker Gabrielle Bell. It collects episodes from her award-winning series Lucky, in which she travels to Tokyo, Paris, the South of France, and all over the United States, but remains anchored by her beloved Brooklyn, where sidekick Tony provides ongoing insight, offbeat humor, and enduring friendship. 160 pgs. $24.95 Visit Bell and read lots of previews/samples here.
Lee: If you like slice-o-life stories then this isn’t to be missed. It certainly looks interesting enough and I can only imagine the adventures one has traveling as much as she has.
Gwen:While this looks well done I think it's a pass for me at the moment. Too much other stuff on my plate that's from genres that appeal to me more.
Archer - Armstrong #1 (New) by (w) Fred Van Lente (A/C) Clayton Henry
It's a globetrotting quest for the Valiant Universe's greatest secrets, from the New York Times bestselling team of Fred Van Lente (Amazing Spider-Man, Marvel Zombies) and Clayton Henry (Uncanny X-Men)! Obadiah Archer was born and raised to cherish three things above all else: the faith of his parents, the love of his 22 brothers and sisters, and his lifelong mission to defeat the ultimate evildoer. Now, after years of training, Archer has been dispatched to the heart of America's festering modern day Babylon, aka New York City, to root out and kill this infamous Great Satan. Unfortunately, dying has never been easy for Archer's target -- the hard-drinking, 10,000-year-old immortal known as Armstrong. Together, this unlikely pair of heroes is about to stumble headfirst into a centuries-old conspiracy that will bring the whole of ancient history crashing down on the modern day Valiant Universe. And that's going to mean one Hell of a hangover. $3.99
Lee: The Valiant heroes are so old at this point I am not sure they carry the same… umph(?) they once did. That said, I always liked Archer/Armstrong and felt it was a strong premise. I like Van Lente too so I think this will be good. Good enough to check out the first issue at least.
Gwen:Wow, I can barely even remember the Valiant stuff. I think, if I recall correctly, that I liked a character called Shadowman. But that's all I can dredge up.
Lee: Another month done. There's lots of good none superhero books to chose from if you look.
Gwen: I'm glad there seems to be a more true to form adaptation of A Princess of Mars out for the comic book world. I hated the movie so much.
Clayton Henry is an excellent artist (and I already own some nice pieces of his original art), I hope the tone of Archer-Armstrong is okay for me.
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