The
Experimental Upcoming Comics Commentary Schedule File
March 22, 2004
By Avi Green
This isn't something that I could possibly handle on a regular
deadline of any kind, but, this week, I'm gonna give it a go in
trying to offer what I think about various upcoming titles in the
industry. It's an idea I once got from another comics specialist,
and who knows, maybe this could be a worthy try in taking a similar
approach...but not quite.
So anyway, what we have here is a list of things that were scheduled
to go on sale March 17, 2004. Let's take a look, shall we?
DARK HORSE
ELECTRIC FRANKENSTEIN TP $19.95: Heh. Like as if Victor You-Know-Who
didn't think that one up already, or even Mary Shelley for that
matter! So what's so new about this anyway? Duh.
GO BOY 7 HUMAN ACTION MACHINE #5 $2.99
IRON EMPIRES VOL 1 FAITH CONQUERS TP $17.95
ROCCO VARGAS A GAME OF GODS HC $14.95
STEVE RUDE THE MOTH DOUBLE SIZED SPECIAL $4.95: What, indeed, is the
Moth? Something written by Steve "The Dude" Rude, that's all I know.
TALES OF THE VAMPIRES #4 $2.99: Oh yeah, like as if there aren't
enough of those already, eh?
DC COMICS
ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #626 $2.25: I feel that for now, I should
probably hold off from the Superbooks until after the developments
being made this year, in which split realities occur for the Man of
Steel, with Greg Rucka's story here focusing on Supes in a world
wherein Lois is unaware that he's really Clark Kent. Just like in
old times! Alas, when it comes to things like this, I just can't
decide until some later date, can I?
AQUAMAN #16 $2.50: When this was announced a few weeks ago as having
sold out, I just couldn't believe my eyes or ears. Sure, it sold
well enough when Peter David was writing it back in the mid-1990's,
before getting deep-sixed following his departure, but that it would
be such a huge success is not something most people knew to happen
since the aquatic avenger's debut in the Golden Age.
BATMAN ADVENTURES #12 $2.25
BATMAN GOTHAM KNIGHTS #51 $2.75: As if it wasn't enough that the
year-spanning Hush story
arc by Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee in the sans-adjective Batman turned out to be just a
mediocre excuse to feature just about every member of the Masked
Manhunter's rogues gallery, even going so far as to backtrack on
Greg Rucka's fine effort to make Poison Ivy more than just the
man-killing stereotype Robert Kanigher first created her as in 1966,
now the character Hush has to reappear in this book! Good grief,
what's the world coming to? And are the Batbooks starting to become
what even the X-books are over at Marvel?
Be assured, Loeb and Lee are two of my favorite members of the
comics industry, but that story, to say the least, successful as it
was, just wasn't on their level, and they've both had much better
stuff than that in their careers.
Now, to bring up such a storyline again so needlessly and in such a
hurry, well, that just shows how dangerously close DC is to letting
the Batbooks become as neglected as the X-Men over at Marvel, even
though they're being more or less repaired to some extent this
summer. Thank goodness for that!
CATWOMAN STATUE $195.00
DC THE NEW FRONTIER #3 (Of 6) $6.95: This miniseries noticably also
has a story featuring Hal "Green Lantern" Jordan in his days as a
pilot for the USAF. Should be interesting.
ELFQUEST THE GRAND QUEST VOL 2 TP $9.95
KAMIKAZE #6 (Of 6) $2.95
LUCIFER #48 (MR) $2.50
MAD COLOR SPECIAL #9 $3.99: Are you serious? MAD has been in color
for close to five years now!
MAD MAGAZINE #440 $3.50: See above.
MIGHTY LOVE HC (MR) $24.95
PLANETARY CROSSING WORLDS TP $14.95
ROBIN #124 $2.25: It appears that Timothy Drake, the current
Boy/Teen Wonder, will be taking a break from the role (hopefully)
and wouldn't you know it, Stephanie "Spoiler" Brown, looks like the
candidate who's going to take his place!
Well, like I said, hopefully, that'll be the case. Tim's too popular
a character to just get shoved out of the role he took back in 1990,
some time after the famous Death in the Family storyline of 1988-89,
during which his predecessor, Jason Todd, the second Robin, was
doomed in a bombing caused by the Joker, and former Batgirl Barbara
Gordon was paralyzed by same villain. And while I most certainly do
like Spoiler, while this could be a fun romp, it's still best that
she maintain her own role as a crimefighter who wears such an odd
round mask and a purple cape. Yes, it's a gimmick, wouldn't you
know, and I can only hope that Bill Willingham will be able to pull
it off.
ROSE AND THORN #4 (Of 6) $2.95: This is a very good miniseries by
Gail Simone, now currently writer of Birds of Prey, and who's going
to be an upcoming writer on JLA for at least one story arc.
SMALLVILLE #7 $3.95
SUPERMAN BATMAN #8 $2.95: At last! Kara Zor-El is back! And Jeph
Loeb's the one who's got what to pride himself on if you ask me. I
am so glad that Superman's teen cousin appears to be returning to
the DCU, in a post-Crisis version, and for now, well, I most
certainly hope things stay that way.
Likewise, I hope that Kara will have the pleasure of having her own
book, and not only that, but that the errors made when a solo book
was tried out for her in the Bronze Age can be avoided this time,
and that some really good writing can prevail this time around!
SUPERMAN SECRET IDENTITY #3 (Of 4) $5.95
TEEN TITANS #9 $2.50: Having spoken about the upcoming events in Robin up above, I can only
wonder what's going to happen in this series, which is very good. If
Tim is out for now, who'll be the new team leader among the teens?
Superboy? I really just don't know, but it'll hopefully be a good
replacement that can be found.
WONDER WOMAN #202 $2.25: While not the most perfect storyline, Greg
Rucka is doing a pretty good job here overall, and new adversary
Veronica Cale is turning out to be interesting too.
Y THE LAST MAN VOL 3 ONE SMALL STEP TP (MR) $12.95
IMAGE COMICS
DARKNESS VOL 4 RESURRECTION TP $16.99
SPAWN #133 $2.50: Will the madness never end? Enough already!
STREET FIGHTER NYUGEN CVR B #6 $2.95: So, what's this one like? Just
the other week, I came upon Capcom vs. SNK, the former company's
idea from 2000 for combining the fighting games of both companies
into one game, and I wonder if a comic book can pull off anything
better, something I've always wished for. I mean, if it weren't for
video games, who knows, comics might have a much better chance
audience-wise!
STREET FIGHTER TSANG CVR A #6 $2.95
STREET FIGHTER TSANG FOIL CVR C #6 PI
TOMB RAIDER #39 $2.99: Now here's something where there most
certainly is an adventure that can come as better than spending time
trying to figure out how to work those confangled control options on
the joystick, the adventures of Lara Croft, and if you ask me, this
is something that's more than worth it! I figure it's because for
the most part, there's really only one character involved here, in
contrast to Street Fighter's vast overhaul, that the trick can be
pulled off. And it was. Lara is decidedly better off in the comics
than in the computer games nowadays, and she's drawn real hot, hot,
hot by Adam Hughes at the moment. This is one comic I'd definately
take over the games any day.
WALKING DEAD #5 (MR) $2.95: Far as I'm concerned, this book is
already there.
MARVEL COMICS
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #505 (#64) $2.25: As much as I'd like to enjoy J.
Michael Straczynski's work here, or even Fiona Kay Avery's, the way
they overdose on mystical elements better suited to Doctor Strange
just doesn't work. So why don't TPTB just give JMS the title he
seems to want to deal with? Answer: because they'd rather drag the
whole hodgepodge here on and on and on and on...
CAPTAIN MARVEL #21 $2.99: I lost interest in this some time ago.
It's not that the adult tone is a problem, it's that it's just not
working for me, that's all.
CAPTAIN MARVEL VOL 3 CRAZY LIKE A FOX TP $14.99: And enough to make
me the same, I'll bet!
DAREDEVIL #58 $2.99: Brian Bendis is said to be taking over the
Avengers - get this - by starting a fourth volume of it that's meant
to try and imitate the approach used in JLA in 1997, with otherwise
just several prominent members, namely, the big seven, in the
spotlight, and few other regulars taking part. How do you like that?
I can't say that whole idea back then impressed me that much, given
that it reduces the family feeling that works better for it, if you
ask me, but with the EMH it's even more questionable an approach.
For heaven's sake, the feeling of family is even more important for
the Avengers due to how they've dealt with realistic problems far
more than the JLA ever has! I'll be glad when a more reliable writer
than the awful Chuck Austen takes over, but still, that this is the
way they're going and the fact that they're relaunching is exactly
what makes this even less exciting to behold that I would've hoped.
DAREDEVIL VOL 8 ECHO VISION QUEST TP $13.99
ELEKTRA #34 $2.99: Due to be cancelled next issue. I figured as much
myself.
FANTASTIC FOUR #511 (#82) $2.25: It's good to see that this series
didn't end up going the knee-jerk route of the Jemas-reign, and so,
it's good to see that here, they depict the UN as the crooked entity
it really is, which is opposed to bringing down Doctor Doom, and
Reed Richards and company have their hands full trying to figure out
how to overcome such obstacles. A very recommended book indeed.
FANTASTIC FOUR VOL 3 AUTHORITATIVE ACTION TP $12.99: Oh, it's here
already, isn't it? A tad too quickly though, I might add, but that's
what happens when a company becomes all too consumed by the wish to
get into the trade business.
HULK NIGHTMERICA #6 (Of 6) (RES) $2.99: It's really depressing when
a character like the Hulk can only be seen as such outside of his
own ongoing series, as is the case with his book being written by
Bruce Jones. And as if that weren't bad enough, now it's being
shoved into the Marvel Knights line, with total disregard for
purists. Sad, isn't it?
INHUMANS #11 $2.99: As if it weren't enough that New X-Men had the people at the
X-mansion casually referring to the human race as inferior and
headed for extinction, which would be even more insulting had they
existed in real life, in this book they have the Inhumans saying
similar things!
And it really saddens me. The Inhumans are one of the most
facinating humanoid communities in the MCU, taking some inspiration
like a couple other comics from Greek mythology, and here they have
to ruin everything by making them in some ways like their own name,
were it to have a meaning of actuality.
Like Namor's book, I don't expect this one to last much longer, and
have no interest in it myself just now either.
MARVEL MASTERWORKS FANTASTIC FOUR VOL 6 2ND ED HC $49.99: Man, do I
love this stuff.
MARVEL MASTERWORKS FANTASTIC FOUR VOL 6 HC VAR DUST JACKET $54.99
NAMOR #12 $2.99: With the way this book was handled, cover-wise and
with now ousted chairman Bill Jemas making sure his name was
credited to the book's procedures, it won't surprise me if this
series ends up in Davy Jones' Locker very soon. The story may have
value, but other than that, nothing much is working for it here.
NEW MUTANTS #10 (Note Price) $2.99
NEW X-MEN #154 $2.25: I'm not sure if this is the last Grant
Morrison-penned issue, after which they'll be changing it back to a
sans-adjective title again, but as far as I'm concerned, with Chuck
Austen coming onto it, I can't help but feel it's getting exactly
the punishment it deserves. And regardless of how they waste their
time with the concept of the Phoenix, it is simply aggravating as to
how they keep bringing it up again so needlessly, a notion I could
never stand, that reeks of the Brothers Grimm, and which will not
matter in our lifetimes.
If anything, I can say this: it makes no difference whether anyone
enjoys this or not - in a number of years, I can assure everyone
reading this, Morrison's run is going to be considered as little
more than a mere blip on the radar, and little more than an excuse
to try out many of Chris Claremont's ideas of yore once again, the
only difference being how the ideas are approached. That's right, no
matter what anyone thinks of it today, tomorrow you can be sure
it'll be just gone, fogotten, fin, sayonara, shalom, finito. And
when Stephen King or Clive Barker come on board, then that
prediction will be hammered home even more than it is now. Because
then, King and Barker will be the next big thing, and Morrison and
Mark Millar just a mere footnote in history.
PUNISHER THE MOVIE #3 (Of 3) $2.99: So soon? The movie isn't even
out yet!
PUNISHER THE MOVIE TP $12.99: Ditto.
RUNAWAYS #13 $2.99
THANOS #8 $2.99: Well I hope that Keith Giffen is doing well with
this now. As much as I like his work, though, I can't say it was
right of Marvel to oust Jim Starlin from the helm.
THOR #76 $2.99: I think that in the wake of the Avengers relaunch,
this might undergo some kind of reboot as well, I don't know just
now.
THOR SON OF ASGARD #1 (Of 6) $2.99
WEAPON X #19 $2.99: So this is still going, eh? But I'm not going
with it. Not with Frank Tieri, one of Marvel's stable of hack
writers, on it.
WOLVERINE #12 $2.25: More power to Greg Rucka, if he can breathe
life into such an overexposed, overrated character. But even so, I'm
not buying.
WOLVERINE LEGENDS VOL 6 MARC SILVESTRI BOOK 1 TP $19.99
X-TREME X-MEN #43 $2.99: This is to be cancelled as Chris Claremont
returns to Uncanny X-Men.
I can't say I'll be missing this much, unless things can be done to
fix what mistakes were made.
WIZARD
WIZARD EDGE HORN STREET FIGHTER HALO CVR $4.99: If this is being put
out by the most sugarcoated magazine on comics, then sorry, but no
sale.
WIZARD EDGE LINSNER CONAN CVR $4.99: Ditto.
CROSSGENERATION COMICS
ABADAZAD #2 $2.95: CGE's new title for the family audience is
certainly striking paydirt critically, and I should hope,
financially as well. I recommend it strongly.
KISS KISS BANG BANG #3 $2.95: They made all the right moves on just
how an evil James Bond should be, and I'm proud of them for that.
PATH #23 $2.95: Is this to end with this issue, or with the next?
ROUTE 666 #21 $2.95: This isn't something I'm particularly
interested in, maybe because the horror genre is something I have a
low tolerance for, and with good reason. However, much to my
surprise, if I'm not mistaken, this is going to undergo a
Nu-Marvel-style relaunch soon! No kidding. Not the best move, IMHO.
MISCELLANOUS TITLES
COMICSONE HOW TO DRAW KUNG FU VOL 1 TP $19.95
DF ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR MILLAR SGN #1 $29.99: Whoops! Is that
Mark Millar I see there? Guess I'm just going to have to jump out.
Oh well.
FADE FROM BLUE #9 (Note Price) $1.99
FEMFORCE #124 $6.95: The kind of idea I like, but wouldn't know
where or how to look this over.
FEMMES FANTASTIC PACK #1 (MR) $25.90: This neither.
KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE #89 $3.99
SIMPSONS COMICS #92 $2.99: Already fast approaching its 100th issue!
Ever since it first got tried out in the mid-90's, it's been a
runaway success. Which is far more than can be said for the now way
overlong TV series, which may be ending as preparations are made for
a major motion picture, just like Star Trek!
TRANSFORMERS WAR WITHIN VOL 2 #5 $2.95: They can say that again. The
internal war they've got to deal with here, to say the least, is the
writing and editing staff who forgot to put in the part about
transforming! Alas, that seems to have been one most important
element, if any, that they forgot to include here, one of the
reasons why some folks have said that it's turned out to be a real
disappointment. So much for nostalgia.
YOU CAN COLOR ANIME STYLE CD ED #2 $15.95: Cool. Now if they'd show
us how to draw, then we'd
be getting somewhere, eh?
And with this, the experiment ends. With any luck, I'll give this
concept another shot in time. Until next time, enjoy the coming
weeks of release schedules!
Copyright 2004 Avi Green. All rights reserved.
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