We started off this month’s Soliciting Multiversity with Image, but now it’s back to our usual tricks as we lead off with Dark Horse. There’s quite a few neat things coming from Dark Horse this month, including an unexpected addition you may have seen in the header but we’re saving for the end.
You can check out the full solicits here. For our choice few picks, read on.
The Final Plague of Frogs Hardcover Arrives
I know quite a few people who look for these books regularly, so your wait is over: the final hardcover in the BPRD ‘Plague of Frogs’ omnibus series is arriving in September with the complete ‘Scorched Earth’ trilogy inside. If it’s anything like Dark Horse’s current line-up of hardcovers in the BPRD line, you can guarantee it’s going to be a wonderful hardcover that will go quite well on your shelf.
Remember: if you’ve been buying up these hardcovers, you still need to pick up the ‘1940’s’ books in trade or singles to complete your run, let alone the ‘Hell on Earth’ stuff!
Rebekah Isaacs’ Wizard of Oz Variant Is Adorable
Just look at that. I love it! Don’t you? (Then again, I’m biased; I’m a huge fan of Isaacs and Wizard of Oz is one of my favorite movies.)
Vasilis Lolos Joins Conan
Despite the book being billed as “Conan by Wood and Cloonan,” it’s turned out to be “Conan by Wood and Cloonan and friends.” And you know what? That’s actually ended up being a pretty good thing. While Cloonan’s art is wonderful and I could look at it all day long (especially in a Conan book), second artist James Harren was a wonderful addition to the line-up. I’d known Harren from Wood’s work on “Northlanders” (which Cloonan also did an arc of), but he has really killed it in the two issues of Conan he’s done. I welcome change.
The latest new artist to join “Conan” with issue #8 is Vasilis Lolos, a fantastic artist who has done work like this, this, this, this, this, this and this. I can’t wait to see his version of Conan.
Ghost’s Mini Begins
Kelly Sue and Phil Noto’s “Ghost” becomes a mini, and I couldn’t be more excited! Ghost is a character I had known of but never read in the past for whatever reasons, but with a creative team like this one it’s impossible to pass up. And, I should note, the first installment of “Ghost” will be in “Dark Horse Presents” tomorrow and, having read it, I can give this the full stamp of approval from Multiversity. I can’t wait to see what DeConnick and Noto have in store for the return of “Ghost” to the comic world, and I’m already crossing my fingers that this becomes a bit more of an ongoing.
Plus, look at that cover; that is gorgeous.
Lobster Johnson Gets Another One-Shot
Dark Horse and Mignola are really ramping up the Lobster Johnson lately, huh? It seems like only yesterday I was the only one still waving around “Iron Prometheus” and singing the praises of the pulp character, and now not only does a brand new mini come out, but not one but two Lobster Johnson one-shots to go along with it! One for each month! It’s like the comic gods have answered my prayers for a Lobster Johnson ongoing or something.
Suffice it to say, now is a fantastic time to be a Lobster Johnson fan.
Oh, and the trade of ‘The Burning Hand’ comes out as well. No more excuses, kids: time to buy all the Lobster Johnson!!
Geoff Darrow And Andrew Vachss Launches Shaolin Cowboy Adventure Magazine
So here is probably the coolest solicit of the month: we’re getting back pulp magazines.
I was never young enough to read pulp magazines as they were coming out, outside of those books lined up in the corner of the local bookstore that were put out mainly for nostalgia purposes. Even the new ones I’ve seen, I haven’t really bothered to read — but this one I’ll check out without question. I’ve been waiting for Darrow to do new Shaolin Cowboy since it was announced at NYCC 2011 that there would be a new three-issue miniseries, but while I patiently wait for that to possibly never come I’m more than content to check out the Shaolin Cowboy Adventure Magazine by Darrow, Andrew Vachss and more.
Continued belowThe full solicit text reads:
THE SHAOLIN COWBOY ADVENTURE MAGAZINE TP
Andrew Vachss (W), Mike Black (W), Geof Darrow (A), Gary Gianni (A), and Scott Gustafson (Cover)
On sale Oct 24
b&w, 96 pages
$15.99
TP, 9 10/16″ x 6 3/4″
Best selling author Andrew Vachss teams with award-wining artist Geof Darrow to revive the spirit and format of the pulp novels of the 30s and 40s. The Shaolin Cowboy Adventure Magazine is the first new hero-pulp to be printed in decades and combines hard-hitting prose with illustrated mayhem. The Shaolin Cowboy: The Way of ‘No Way!’ is a kung fu gripping tale of high adventure and relentless bloodshed. The Shaolin Cowboy and his trusty mule battle overwhelming odds and inclement weather against enemies thirsting for revenge and retribution in the battle royal to end all battle royals.
– Best selling crime-fiction author Andrew Vachss!
– Geof Darrow co-creator of Doc Frankenstein, Hard Boiled, and The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot
– Decorated police officer turned author Mike Black! Prince Valiant artist Gary Gianni!
– And an amazing cover by award winning Scott Gustafson!
If that doesn’t scream “buy without question,” then I don’t know what will.
The Usual Suspects
Granted, there are a lot of things we could talk about for this month that aren’t getting specific highlights: “Mind MGMT” is fantastic, the various Buffy books look great as per usual, “Dark Horse Presents” sounds like a winner and have you read “The Massive”? Now that’s a great comic.
Now is a great time for Dark Horse, with something literally for everyone: superhero books, horror books, fantasy books, pulp books, licensed books… you name it, Dark Horse has got it.
