ANNIHILATION CONQUEST WRAITH #1 (OF 4) 32 Pages, Marvel.
Written by Javier Grillo-Marxuach, Art by Kyle Hotz and Gina Going Raney.
It is a real surprise that Grillo-Marxauch is still being promoted based on his work on Lost and Medium. He doesn't have that extensive of a comic resume, but when your first two books are Viper's Middleman series and the Super-Skrull mini from last year's Annihilation, one would think he has earned more than enough credibility among comic readers that you wouldn't have to fall back on his TV projects.
Looks like this is going to be a new Wraith (no, it seems as if Brian DeWolff will not be rising from the grave, at least I don't think so!), and a new character is likely to play to Grillo-Marxauch's strengths. He is still fairly new to the comic genre after all, and having a little more creative liberty with characters usually helps newcomers tell a better story. It takes a lot of skill to deal with editorial constraints, and a new character just won't have as many of those.
This Annihilation is already off to a better start than the last one - hopefully it keeps up!
By Craig Reade.comixtreme.com
BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #7, 32 Pages, DC Comics.
Written by Michael Green; Art and Cover by Denys Cowan and John Floyd
This one might serve to divide readers, but it is what the Confidential line is supposed to be about. Set in the early days of Batman's career, this six-parter will focus on the Joker in the days before he was the Clown Prince, and possibly shed some light on who he was before he was disfigured. How closely this origin will match the Killing Joke remains to be seen, of course. Should the Joker's real origin be revealed? Well, there is certainly something to be said for both sides of the argument. On the one hand, it doesn't really matter who he was - his character now is so firmly established that what he was before is nothing more than an interesting side-story. On the other hand, the Joker being such a powerful character, it is almost impossible to craft an origin worthy of such an iconic character.
DC has put together an interesting creative team for this arc. Michael Green was a producer on Smallville and a co-executive producer on Heroes. He doesn't really have any comic experience, but he has been involved with two proven properties - he may be able to bring some fresh ideas to the table. Denys Cowan is known for his artwork on The Question, and more recently for his work on animated series like The Boondocks and Static Shock. Maybe not the ideal team for major revelations, but they might have an idea here.
By Craig Reade www.comixtreme.com
FANTASTIC FIVE #1 (OF 5), 32 Pages, Marvel.
Written by Tom DeFalco, art by Ron Lim and Scott Koblish.
You know, it is really something of a shock that the MC2 resurgence has gone on this long. Not that it isn't worthy - I've been a fan since the early days of MC2 (the J2 ongoing is still sorely missed), but it was lucky enough that Spider-Girl managed to survive so long. Sales aren't really any higher than Spider-Girl ever was - maybe Marvel is just doing better in the trades on these - whatever the reason, they are a joy to read and it is great that they are around, no matter how long they last. Hopefully long enough for J2 to get a mini of his own! Enjoy them while they last.
By Craig Reade www.comixtreme.com
GREEN ARROW YEAR ONE #1 (OF 6), 32 Pages, DC Comics.
Written by Andy Diggle; Art and Cover by Jock
A little something more for Losers fans, who were just happy enough getting Diggle on Hellblazer - this month he reunites with Jock for the first issue of the Green Arrow Year One mini. Year One stories do seem to be all the rage these days, but with the Black Canary/Green Arrow wedding upcoming, it does make sense to highlight Ollie Queen like this. If anything, this mini is supposed to be definitive, so it will probably clean up some of the frayed ends to the Green Arrow origin story. The basics were always solid, but there were small differences (Were those homegrowers, pirates, or drug runners anyway) - this should straighten all of that out.
A good pick this week if you are new to Green Arrow and are curious about where he came from.
By Craig Reade www.comixtreme.com
ULTIMATE X-MEN #84, 32 Pages, Marvel.
Written by Robert Kirkman, Art by Yanick Paquette, Serge Lapointe, and Stephane Peru.
Robert Kirkman has been on the receiving end of a lot of criticism for his work on this title, and to be blunt, it has been deserved. Not that he hasn't had flashes of brilliance, but since he took over this title has been rocky and for the most part not all that great. Not that this is any worse than Ultimate X-Men has been for a long time - this title suffered for the better part of its history due to a bloated cast and an over-reliance on ultimizations of 616 characters and storylines. If there was even an issue to give Kirkman one last chance, it is this one.
#84 is going to feature a brand new team under the leadership of Bishop. A clean slate and a fresh storyline is exactly what the doctor ordered here. The ball was set in motion a few months back, but this issue looks to be the key - it will either be the beginning of something special, or proof that there is no hope for improvement here. One to watch very closely.
By Craig Reade www.comixtreme.com
Marvel 1602 is an award winning graphic novel from the mind of creative genius Neil Gaiman, creator of the popular DC comic, The Sandman, and rightly so.The plot is based in the year 1602, where the author suggests how each of the characters that we know and love would deal with life in such a time.Unique in both its storytelling, and its art, this special trade paperback combines the full story, with an introduction by Peter Sanderson, professional comic book critic and historian, and some amazing extras, including the entirety of the original script, and concept sketches, that come only in this Quill Award Edition.Gaiman has managed to create an alternative vision of the Marvel universe, set hundreds of years in the past, and yet he manages to be historically accurate and faithful to his characters. There are many twists and turns in the plot, some of which are very subtle references to the present day character histories, but others of which include the ‘big bad/s’, conspiracies, betrayal, and romance; everything that you would expect from a Marvel comic, but in an entirely new way.This is the Marvel universe, but not as you know it.Also available in Hardback form.
GRAPHIC NOVELS
By Steven-Mark Brettle
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: ATLAS ERA TALES OF SUSPENSE VOL 1 HC
What's Halloween without a little scare? Well, how about a bit scare? A big scare in the form of monsters galore, another awesome Atlas Era addition to the Marvel Masterworks! That's a quote from Marvel about what plans to be the release of a piece of history. In 1958 Atlas Comics Editor-In Chief Stan Lee was joined by two titanic giants: Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko. Together these legendary storytellers launched Tales of Suspense, and its sister title, Tales to Astonish. In doing so, they paved the way for a creative revival that would change comics forever. With startling stories featuring aliens from Mars, evil robots, and huge mythical monsters like Diablo, Cyclops and Monstro they, together with a growing group of artists including Don Heck, Joe Sinnott and John Buscema, began to take center stage in the comic book world with a style and creativity that comics hadn't seen in years. With artwork by a complete who's who of comic-book talents, this volume is an absolute must-have for fans with a desire to dig into the foundation what would be built into the Marvel Age of comics! So strap on your tin-foil hat, grab your ray gun, and get ready to dive into one of the most amazing eras in comic book history. Featuring an introduction by noted Atlas Era historian, Dr. Michael J. Vassallo, this beautiful hardcover collects issues 1 through 10 and will be available to buy from 25th October. Don't miss these 272 pages of history.
ABSOLUTE DC: THE NEW FRONTIER HC
Back in the 1950s, the paranoia of the Cold War meant that the Mystery Men of the Golden Age were outlawed. Heroes such as Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman continued to fight the good fight for truth and justice, but as the world was hurtling towards a future that was far from certain, a new breed of hero would be needed to define the AMERICAN WAY. DC: NEW FRONTIER will take its readers on an epic journey from the end of the Golden Age of superheroes to the beginnings of the legendary Justice League of America. Written and illustrated by Darwyn Cooke, his critically acclaimed and most ambitious masterpiece is now celebrated in a beautiful oversized edition. Containing the stunning colour art of Dave Stewart, this slip cased hard cover also features new story pages, detailed annotations, alternate sequences and an extensive gallery of sketches, pinups, action figure art and so much more. This beautiful 464 page HC is published by DC comics and released on October 4th. Produced in limited quantities, this is sure to be a fast selling Graphic Novel, but expect the hefty price tag of £49.99.
THE FOUNTAIN SC
This Autumn, Darren Aronofsky, the director behind such critically acclaimed films such as Pi and Requiem for a Dream, releases The Fountain, his most ambitious movie yet. Now, in time for the debut of this greatly anticipated movie, is the soft cover edition of last year's much sought after THE FOUNTAIN HC graphic novel which earned Kent Williams (responsible for such projects as Havok/Wolverine: Meltdown, Blood: A Tale) an Eisner nomination for Best Painter. THE FOUNTAIN, simply put, is one mans odyssey of a thousand year struggle to save the woman he loves. It follows Thomas as he feverishly travels through three distinct eras: as a 16th Century conquistador battling a fierce Mayan army, as a present-day scientist searching for a cure for his wife's mortal disease and as a future explorer seeking to uncover the secrets of a dying star. THE FOUNTAIN graphic novel is a sister-project to the film, which is released by Warner Brothers Pictures and Regency Enterprises and stars Tony-Award winner Hugh Jackman (X-Men/The Boys from Oz) and Oscar winner Rachel Weisz (The Mummy/The Constant Gardener). Using the same story as its seed but stretched upon the limitless canvas of the comic's medium, the graphic novel provides an insider's accompaniment to the movie. Published by Vertigo Comics and released on October 4th, this #12.99 176 page graphic novel is sure to be a hit again!
THE ABSOLUTE SANDMAN VOL 1 HC
The Sandman, written by New York Times best-selling author Neil Gaiman, was the most acclaimed comic book title of the 1990s. A rich blend of modern myth and dark fantasy in which contemporary fiction, historical drama and legend are seamlessly interwoven, THE SANDMAN is also widely considered one of the most original and artistically ambitious series of the modern age. By the time the series concluded in 1996, it had made significant contributions to the artistic maturity of comic books and had become a pop culture phenomenon in its own right. The protagonist of Sandman is Dream, the immortal anthropomorphic personification of dreams and storytelling. He is known by an array of names, most often Morpheus, but also Oneiros, Lord Shaper, Lord Kai'ckul, the Prince of Stories, the Carrion King, and, rarely, "The Sandman". He is one of a family of seven siblings known as the Endless, each of whom personifies some aspect of reality, such as Death or Desire. Gaiman has summarized the plot of the series (in the foreword to Endless Nights) as: "The king of dreams learns one must change or die and then makes his decision." The character's initially haughty, and often cruel, manner begins to soften after his years of imprisonment at the start of the series, but the challenge of undoing past sins and changing old ways is an enormous one for a being who has been set in his ways for billions of years. Unlike most popular US comic books of its time, The Sandman existed almost completely outside of the superhero genre. The first third of the series somewhat conformed to the horror genre, but it later grew into an elaborate fantasy series, incorporating elements of classical and contemporary mythology. The series is occasionally labeled as "Sophisticated Suspense", a small genre that also includes Swamp Thing (particularly after Alan Moore took over writing it in the 1980s), and Jamie Delano's Hellblazer. Now, DC Comics present this comics classic in an all-new Absolute Edition format. The first of four beautifully designed slip cased volumes, THE ABSOLUTE SANDMAN VOLUME 1 collects issues 1 through 20 of THE SANDMAN and features completely new colouring, approved by the author on the first 18 issues, as well as a host of never-before-seen extra material including the complete original SANDMAN proposal, a gallery of character designs from Gaiman and the artists who originated the look of the Sandman, and the original script for the World Fantasy Award winning THE SANDMAN #19, "A Midsummer Night's Dream," together with reproductions of the issue's original pencil work by Charles Vess. Also included are a new introduction by DC President & Publisher Paul Levitz and an afterword by Gaiman. Published by DC Comics and Vertigo, this simply is a must-have, 612p masterpiece that must be owned by all Gaiman fans. Due to be released end of October.
SNIPPETS
ULTIMATE MARVEL TEAM-UP ULTIMATE COLLECTION TPB
Collecting all 16 issues of the Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, plus the star-studded Ultimate Spider-Man Super Special! Teenager Peter Parker may just have started out in the crime-fighting game, but there are plenty of heroes and villains already doing their thing. And it doesn't take long for Spider-Man to encounter these strange new allies and enemies including Wolverine, the Hulk, Iron Man, the Punisher, Daredevil, the Fantastic Four, the Man Thing, the X-Men, Doctor Strange, the Black Widow, Shang Chi and more! Take a wild tour through the ever exciting Marvel Universe, as Eisner award winner Brian Michael Bendis teams up with the comic industries greatest talents! Through the eyes of Peter Parker, Ultimate Marvel Team-Up showcases all the Ultimate heroes. From uncanny mutants to gleaming Avengers to rampaging green brutes, this volume has it all. 448p £19.99. 7th September.
ULTIMATE IRON MAN VOL 1 SC
This story was widely considered one of the most imaginative, groundbreaking comics of 2005! International bestseller, four-time Hugo award, two-time Nebula award and World Fantasy Award winner Orson Scott Card (author of Enders Game, Speaker for the Dead, Shadow Puppets) comes to the Ultimate Universe. He's joined by industry legend Andy Kubert (Ultimate X-Men, Marvel 1602 and Wolverine: Origin) to show the shocking beginning of Ultimate Iron Man! If you thought the ULTIMATES told you everything you needed to know about Ultimate Iron Man, think again! This collects for the first time issues 1 through 5 of Ultimate Iron Man. 136p. £10.99. 27th September.
MS. MARVEL VOL 1 HC
Straight from the pages of New Avengers and House of M! Call your friends, wake up the neighbours, shout it from the rooftops! Come along for one heck of a wild ride as Brian Reed (co-writer of the thrilling Spider-Woman: Origin) joins forces with penciller extraordinaire Rob De La Torre for an action packed adventure that includes special guest-stars Captain America and Jessica Jones. All this and an alien invasion that could mean the end of life on Earth, is tucked inside a cover by Eisner Award-nominated Frank Cho. This beautiful hardcover features issues 1 through 5 and the Giant Sized Ms. Marvel Special. Published by Marvel. 144 pages. £12.99. |
