Every month we spend an evening scouring the pages of the latest issue of Previews and pick the ten titles we are looking forward to the most. This month it's the July issue of Previews which includes comics scheduled to ship in October 2008.
CITY OF DUST #1Writer: Steve Niles
Art: Zid
Radical $2.99
Matt T: The man fast becoming synonymous with horror comics, Steve Niles, branches off slightly with this sci-fi tinged tale set in a dystopian future where the imagination is policed and punishment is swift and painful. Facing up to an olde world serial killer seemingly born of superstition is homicide Detective Phillip Khrome, the kind of grizzled seen-it-all cop that would fit well in a noir landscape. As religon and urban myths are banned he's truly up against it, giving this plenty of potential.
MARVEL ZOMBIES 3 #2
Writer: Fred Van Lente
Art: Kev Walker
Marvel $3.99
Matt T: Just when you thought Marvel couldn't possibly squeeze any more stories out of the undead alternate universe, they go back to the well. The premise sounds vaguely fresh, unlike the cast, in that the rotting ex-heroes stumble into the Marvel U, prompting Florida to be quarantined as a result. An 'unlikely crew' of heroes is deposited to clean up the mess, which looks to include the always entertaining Machine Man and Jocasta. If anyone who can't be zombie-ized will be dropped in surely H.E.R.B.I.E from the FF should be part of the group, along with any other random robot character they can dig up.
GARTH ENNIS’ BATTLEFIELDS: THE NIGHT WITCHES #1Writer: Garth Ennis
Art: Russ Braun
Dynamite Entertainment $2.99
Rob N: In addition to writing comics that satirise superheroes and the Christian religion, Garth Ennis also specialises in stories about World War 2. His series of one-shot war tales for Vertigo proved that he is capable of stretching himself as a writer beyond the usual gutter humour of titles like Chronicles of Wormwood and The Boys. Based on a true story, it chronicles the little known Nachthexen – a women only Russian combat regiment that flew bombing missions in flimsy wood and canvas biplanes – that became the most highly decorated unit in the Soviet Air Force. Needless to say the death rate was equally high. Ennis usually treats the subject of war with a sense of drama and gravitas often lacking in his other works, so this promises to be an interesting tale.
NORTHLANDERS #11
Writer: Brian Wood
Art: Ryan Kelly
DC $2.99
Rob N: It’s a slow month for new releases and special events, and so in the absence of any other impulse buys I’m going to bend the rules a little and spotlight the start of a new story arc for Northlanders. The first story arc ('Sven the Returned') took me totally by surprise with how good it was. The use of panoramic vistas added immensely to the epic sweep of the saga, rivalling some of the ‘wide screen’ effects employed by Brian Hitch in The Ultimates. The new story is a Dark Age detective tale of sorts, set during the last years of Viking rule in Ireland, as a series of mysterious murders and arsons against wealthy citizens leaves the Viking occupiers worried that an uprising is close at hand. Northlanders demonstrates the same degree of authenticity and class as the HBO series, Rome. In the space of just a few issues it has shot to the top of my standing order list, and I can think of no better comic to recommend at the moment.
GHOSTBUSTERS: THE OTHER SIDE #1
Writer: Keith Champagne
Art: Tom Nguyen
IDW $3.99
Andy H: The Ghostbusters are back! Some of you may remember the mini from a few years back. It wasn't bad but was dogged by lateness. So IDW have added another recognised brand to their output and hopefully another success. Still one of my favourite movies, I look forward to the further adventures of Venkman, Spengler, Stantz and Zeddemore. This time the boys must deal with the spirits of some of America’s most legendary gangsters but they won't go quietly! No mention of Slimer but the little green guy can't be far away, can he?
FINAL CRISIS: RAGE OF THE RED LANTERNS #1Writer: Geoff Johns
Art: Shane Davis and Sandra Hope
DC $3.99
Andy H: Geoff Johns continues to add more layers to the Lantern mythos and this prelude to next years 'Blackest Night' will hopefully add more. They're not giving much away but I've been enjoying Green Lantern so much that this is a must read. The whole idea that this has been mapped out for years is amazing and shows a real understanding for the characters and their place in the DC Universe. The Red Lanterns come from a place of great anger and hatred and are after Sinestro with revenge in mind, but will the Guardians have their revenge first?
WOLVERINE: MANIFEST DESTINY #1
Writer: Jason Aaron
Art: Stephen Segovia
Marvel $2.99
Matt C: I’m not really fussed by the Manifest Destiny event as a whole but this got my attention thanks to the contribution of Jason Aaron. Aaron recently provided the best Wolverine tale I’ve read in a long while - he proved his understands the essence of the character so I’m confident this will reach the same high standard.
SPACE RAOUL #1 GNBy: Jamie Smart
Amaze Ink $8.95
Matt C: It’s not often I’ll pick out a collected edition of something originally serialized in the pages of The Dandy (in fact, it’s never!) but Jamie Smart’s surreal brand of madcap invention is something I’m rather partial to. I’m assuming there’ll be a distinct lack of profanity compared to that featured in the pages of Bear and Ubu Bubu though!
TOP TEN SEASON 2 #1
Writer: Zander Cannon
Art: Gene Ha
Vertigo $2.99
James R: Hmm. This is a tough one. As the self confessed "biggest Alan Moore-fan in the multiverse", as far as I’m concerned the last word in Top 10 was The 49ers. Wildstorm’s attempt at a sequel of sorts was shockingly bad, so I should be giving this a wide berth, but original artist Gene Ha is on board and the premise in intriguing so dammit this Alan Moore fan recommends that if you enjoyed the original Top 10 you should pick this up!
ENDER’S GAME #1Writer: Chris Yost
Art: Pasqual Ferry
Marvel $3.99
James R: Ender’s Game is one of those classic sci-fi novels that I never got round to checking out. So it’s hats off to Marvel for giving me the chance to crib up with this adaptation from Chris Yost and the brilliant Pasqual Ferry. It’s a classic Space Opera: intergalactic war, the earth is under threat and there’s a program to turn human minds into great military leaders. All in all it’s tasty stuff and if this comes out on time it will be a classy mini-series for people who want something other than spandex-based adventures.
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