Hello and welcome to Multiversity’s look at the “Best of the Rest” of what’s coming your way in the now-available January 2023 Previews catalog. I’m excited to help you navigate the vast majority of what Diamond is offering via your LCS for the month of March 2023. Having already taken a look at what Marvel, DC, Image, and the Manga/Purple Previews sections have lined up for us, it’s now time to check out the other 75% of the catalog.
Let’s dive in!
10. Once Again, In The Leadoff Position…
It’s a Dark Horse book, the first of two this month. And both original properties, something Dark Horse has always kept in their lineup even when the majority of their output seemed to be media tie-ins, art books of media tie-ins, and Hellboy / Black Hammer books.
I’ve liked Starlin’s work in the past, and he certainly is in his wheelhouse with sci-fi oppression & rebellion stories (see Dreadstar), but the big pull for me here is Morales. He’s a complete package: good storytelling, excellent acting, fine draftsmanship. I think it’s just been his output (or lack thereof) that’s kept him from staying in the same conversation as some of his contemporaries. But we’re getting new work from him here, so hope springs eternal!
ORDER AND OUTRAGE #1 (OF 4)
Written by Jim Starlin
Art by Rags Morales
Published by Dark Horse Comics
In Shops: Mar 22, 2023
SRP: $4.99Gene manipulation has always been solely for those who can afford the expensive prenatal treatments. Income determines status and, more importantly, survival. If your genes have not been optimized, the Order has no use for you. You are nonessential. Less than. To be eliminated. Everything is geared to keeping the ship of state sailing along smoothly, no matter the cost???
But in every totalitarian system lies the seeds of rebellion, independence, and OUTRAGE.
9. Line Up
Once again we have a book from new(?) publisher Living The Line that I’m recommending purely on the strength of the Previews ad. Which, frankly, is what I’m doing for at least half my picks each month. But if something grabs my eye, it grabs my eye. Single cartoonist working in a stripped-down writing style leaning on visuals of a school I’ve come to appreciate more & more over the years? That’s gonna get the nod from me.
HOUSE ON FIRE
Written and Illustrated by Matt Battaglia
Published by Living The Line
In Shops: Mar 15, 2023
SRP: $16.00Is she sick, or is it the world itself? House on Fire, the debut graphic novel by writer/artist Matt Battaglia, teases out the difference in a personal-political cruise through a fallen world, where fear is rational and obedience your only refuge. Battaglia depicts the near-future landscape of House on Fire with wild two-color brushwork reminiscent of the great Paul Pope, and a minimalist writing style that evokes and questions rather than lectures.
8. Viewing The World Through Brightly Apocalyptic Glasses
Although originally coming out through Comixology, this book is making its dead tree debut here thanks to Dark Horse. Snyder & Manapul have worked together in the past to my enjoyment, so there’s no question these two know how to comic book. Snyder has also proven to be able to carry non-cape material, while Manapul really knows how to do interesting storytelling with a comics page, on top of his other multitude of talents.
Continued belowCLEAR #1 (OF 3)
Written by Scott Snyder
Art by Francis Manapul
Published by Dark Horse Comics
In Shops: Mar 08, 2023
SRP: $4.99In the not-too-distant future, mankind no longer sees the world as it truly is. The invention of neurological filters has made it so one can view reality however they may choose-old Hollywood monochrome, zombie apocalypse, anime . . . the possibilities are endless. Neo-shamus Sam Dunes is one of only a handful who choose to live without a filter. When the death of an old flame reveals foul play, Dunes is set on a wild and twisting mystery that will take him from the city’s deadly underworld to the even deadlier heights of wealth and power.
o New series by Scott Snyder and Francis Manapul!
o From the Comixology Originals series.
7. “What If Superman Was Evil?”
Truthfully, there’s nothing inherently wrong with asking and answering that question. But VERY few creators, in comics or other mediums, have the chops and the basic understanding of the archetype to do anything interesting with it.
Mark Waid is not one of those folks.
The man has forgotten more about the Man of Steel than almost any comics fan will ever know, and he knows how to tell a story in comics better than almost all of his peers. So him tackling that question gives you this book, a look at an all-powerful man gone bad that doesn’t wallow in disaster porn and pushes familiar tropes in different directions.
THE COMPLETE IRREDEEMABLE TPB
Written by Mark Waid
Art by Peter Krause, Diego Barreto, Paul Azaceta, Emma Rios, Howard Chaykin, Marcio Takara, Damian Couceiro
Cover by John Cassaday and Laura Martin
Published by BOOM! Studios
In Shops: May 10, 2023
SRP: $59.99When the Plutonian, the world’s greatest superhero, snaps and turns into the world’s greatest villain, only his former teammates have a chance at stopping his rampage.
But while on the run from the world’s most powerful and angry being, will these former teammates discover his secrets in time? How did he come to this? And what happens to a world when its savior betrays it?
The iconic team of writer Mark Waid (Kingdom Come, The Avengers) and artist Peter Krause (We Only Kill Each Other), along with some of the most acclaimed creators in comics, challenge everything you think you know about superheroes by exploring the good, the bad…and the irredeemable inside all of us.This comprehensive volume collects Irredeemable #1-37, Irredeemable Special #1, and Incorruptible #25-26, alongside a new foreword by Academy Award nominee Kemp Powers (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse) and an afterword by comics icon Grant Morrison (All-Star Superman, Klaus).
6. Speaking Of Destructive Icons…
There was a time when the King of Comics and the Prince of Comics Absurdity teamed up to take some shots at The House of Ideas for the way it had treated them and their work. Those shots came in the form of Eclipse’s Destroyer Duck in 1984 and ooooooooooh boy were they not kidding. Now the folks at Twomorrows have brought thst material back to print in one of their Graphite Editions, with Kirby pencils, Gerber words, Evanier explanation, and more duck amok-ery than you can shake a webbed foot at!
DESTROYER DUCK: GRAPHITE EDITION HC
Written by Steve Gerber
Art by Jack Kirby
Published by Twomorrows Publishing
In Shops: May 31, 2023
SRP: $31.95In the 1980s, writer Steve Gerber was embroiled in a lawsuit against Marvel Comics over ownership of his creation Howard The Duck. To raise funds for legal fees, Gerber asked Jack Kirby to contribute to a benefit comic titled Destroyer Duck. Without hesitation, Kirby, in his own dispute with Marvel at the time, donated his services for the first issue, and the duo took aim at their former employer in an outrageous five-issue run. With biting satire and guns blazing, Duke “Destroyer” Duck battled the thinly veiled Godcorp (whose infamous credo was “Grab it all! Own it all! Drain it all!”), its evil leader Ned Packer and the (literally) spineless Booster Cogburn, Medea (a parody of Daredevil’s Elektra), and more! Now, all five Gerber/Kirby issues are collected. relettered and reproduced from Jack’s unbridled, uninked pencil art! Also included are select examples of Alfredo Alcala’s unique inking style over Kirby on the original issues, Gerber’s script pages, an historical Introduction by Mark Evanier, and an Afterword by Buzz Dixon.
5. Femme Fatales
Terry Moore has always been interesting to me in how his big series Strangers in Paradise straddled the line between straight dramedy with the (in my head at least) Maggie&Hopey-esque relationship of Francine & Katchoo and more genre-focused Parker Girls plotlines. I don’t remember it always working, but I found the balancing act fascinating as one side enriching the other when done right. Here we have Moore returning to that part of his SiP world with this collection, and while a LOT has happened before this book starts, Moore is a good enough writer to not leave new readers in the dark for too long. Plus, his art is always worth checking out. Always.
Continued belowPARKER GIRLS TP VOL 01: DEAD QUIET
Written and Illustrated by Terry Moore
Published by Abstract Studios
In Shops: Mar 29, 2023
SRP: $16.99An accountant for billionaire Zackary May embezzles $10 million dollars and loses it to a Parker Girl, setting off a chain of events that have Tambi and her team investigating murder and international espionage. To get really close to May though, Tambi will need the help of the only girl he ever loved… Katchoo. Will she come out of retirement to help stop a power-hungry billionaire? Find out in this exciting new series from creator Terry Moore!
Collecting Parker Girls #1-5.
4. Long May She Reign!
I am a huge Queen fan. This is a documented fact many times over. NBM makes excellent musical biographies. This is also a documented fact many times over. NBM is putting out a Queen book, so I am recommending it. This should be a surprise to no one.
I have seen no preview pages (and buddy I looked!). I am a little annoyed John Deacon isn’t listed in the solicits, although technically Queen did form before he was hired as the permanent bassist so I guess it’s not inaccurate. And I’m still jonesing for Z2’s long-delayed Freddie Mercury bio, so there’s that. But NBM has such a strong track record with these recording artist books (either anthologies or single creative teams) that I feel safe putting it on this list.
QUEEN IN COMICS
Written by Emmanuel Marie
Art by Sophie Blitman
Published by NBM
In Shops: Mar 22, 2023
SRP: $27.99Brian May, Roger Taylor, and Freddie Mercury form one of the greatest rock bands in the world. Under the leadership of its charismatic singer, Queen is a planetary success for each hit with its decadent shows, inimitable aesthetics and style. “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “We Are the Champions”, “Don’t Stop Me Now” or even “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” are just some of the hits! Discover the great stories and little secrets surrounding the legend!
3. Walking The Walk
Another pick sight unseen from a publisher I’ve never heard of. But this Canadian group is specializing in bringing international stories to North America, which is a sweet spot of mine. And this sounds like it has the makings of an interesting coming-of-age crime story, another sweet spot of mine. We shall see…
ALL TALK
Written by Bartosz Sztybor
Art & Cover by Akeussel
Published by Black Panel Press
In Shops: Mar 01, 2023
SRP: $29.99Rahim is a suburban kid like any other, a “good kid.” Chilling with his boys, hearing the legends of “Immortal Al,” the greatest gangster who ever lived, it’s hard not to get stars in his eyes. Rahim starts dreaming of becoming a kingpin, idolizing his local gangsters in the hopes of climbing their ranks. But his friends laugh: they say he’s all talk, no action. Until one day, he sees an opportunity to prove himself.
2. Pixie Dust: Better Than LSD!
Now Humanoids? That’s a publisher I’ve heard of. And supported. And keep coming back to, especially when they keep pushing my interest buttons. I’m a sucker for a lot of things, one of them being mashing up magic and modern settings. Be it Cast A Deadly Spell or Borderlands or what-have-you, there is something about divorcing fantasy tropes from medieval settings that gives them a new lease on life for me. Pair that with Humanoids’ art pedigree, the flexibility an anthology format allows, and the generally hallucinogenic atmosphere of 60s London anyway, and I’m excited for this book and the rest that follow!
Continued belowPIXIES OF THE SIXITIES: YOU REALLY GOT ME NOW TP (MR)
Written by Gihef, Jul Maroh, Christian Lachenal
Art by Giulio Macaione, Alberto Zanon
Published by Humanoids Inc.
In Shops: Mar 22, 2023
SRP: $22.99In the 1960s U.K., With Swinging London underway, Fairies enter the light of day!
Anann: The story of a young fairy who, drawn by the lights of Swinging London, leaves her forest to pursue her dreams of becoming a singer. She meets Stella, a human with whom she quickly falls in love. But her lover’s disappearance will make Anann realize that beneath the glitz and glamour of the city, rejection is only a tiny part of what awaits her…
Ailith: When she arrives in London to investigate a case of missing persons linked to a strange rite, Ailith gladly accepts help from her childhood friend, Elliot, a police officer who expresses clear Anti-fairy opinions and blames them for all the major problems in London. When the investigation entrusted to Ailith leads her to the heart of the forest, she makes a most disturbing discovery, uncovering with it a deeply buried wound.
1. All Too Real
The comics in this book are already online at The Insider. I won’t put the link here but they’re easily found. They wouldn’t take you very long to read, but they will take you a long time to shake off. Not that this is something you should do that with, because it isn’t. It’s heartbreaking in the events it tells and powerful in the directness of its telling. They don’t give out Pulitzer Prizes (which the comics here received) for comics that don’t work. They give them to the ones you can’t put down. And this book of comics reporting about Zumrat Duwat and what the Chinese government did to her (and is doing to other Ugyhur women like her) is one of those books.
I ESCAPED A CHINESE INTERNMENT CAMP TP
Reporting by Anthony Del Col
Art by Fahmida Azim
Published by Lev Gleason – New Friday
In Shops: Mar 29, 2023
SRP: $19.99Winner of the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for illustrated reporting! The true story of Zumrat Duwat, a mother of three from the Xinjiang autonomous region in China, who was arrested and sent to a detention facility for Uyghur women where she endured brutal living conditions and beatings. That was just the beginning of the troubles for Duwat, who, with her husband, would soon hatch a plan to escape the country. A harrowing, evocative, and important story that will enthrall and enlighten readers worldwide.
Be sure to let us know what books YOU’RE excited for in the Comments section!
