In the month of miscellany from Previews’ August 2014 edition, we’ve got the return of Garth Ennis to his bread and butter, the return of an essential comics buddy-cop duo, something from Grant Morrison that I overlooked last month, something from Terry Moore that gets routinely overlooked, and a couple collections of comic book Americana.
Read on for the good stuff:
10. They’re altogether ooky – the Allan Family.
I like Steve Niles. He’s a true “horror” writer who pretty much works exclusively in the supernatural/horror genre. He’s been wildly successful with that over the years. That’s why whenever he’s got a book coming out, I always give it a shot, even if it doesn’t sound like my cup of tea. I’m not a horror guy, so sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t. But the man is a quality writer, and this? – This sounds like it’s right up my alley. Niles and artist Damien Worm have built their world around a colorful family of “freaks” and I can’t wait to see them bounce off of one another.
The October Faction #1
Steve Niles (w) • Damien Worm (a & c)
The creative team behind Monster & Madman would like to introduce you to the ongoing adventures of retired monster-hunter Frederick Allan and his family… which include a thrill-killer, a witch, and a warlock. Because sometimes crazy is the glue that binds a family together.
9. War? What is it good for? Garth Ennis comics, at least.
Is there a surer bet in comics than a war-related story written by Garth Ennis. I can easily see (and sometimes agree with) why some people might be put off by Ennis’ nihilistic superhero/fantasy storytelling, but if there’s one thing I’m sure of, it’s that Ennis is practically a damned historian when it comes to war.
War Stories #1
Writer: Garth Ennis
Cover & Art: Matt Martin
Garth Ennis’ War Stories find a new home at Avatar with the launch of this ongoing monthly! Pulling tales from real conflicts throughout modern history, this series is where a master storyteller brings the horrors of war to life in comics. Ennis travels the timeline to pull some of the most harrowing tales of valor and bloodshed from history’s most violent battles with his trademark wit and spot-on dialogue to show the humanity within the inhuman horrors. The first story is Castles in the Sky, a tale of early bomber pilots and their incredibly difficult missions. Available with Regular, Wraparound, Good Girl Nose Art, and Battle Damage Retailer Incentive covers by Matt Martin.
8. Can I haz a new James Tynion comic, plox?
Wow. Very Tynion. Such comics. Boom! Studios has really been curating their lines with some high quality new titles to go along with their youth properties. In fact, it’s kind of becoming one of the go-to publishers for quality creator-owned comics these days. Which means that you’ll want to get in on these books before Hipster Ariel tells you that it’s old news.
Continued belowMEMETIC #1 (of 3)
Author: James Tynion IV
Artist: Eryk Donovan
Cover Artists: A: Eryk Donovan B: Meme Variant
WHY WE LOVE IT: After launching James Tynion IV’s THE WOODS to much acclaim, we were eager to see what other ideas he had. When James—one of our favorite new voices in comics—pitched us MEMETIC as a tale of the apocalypse in three parts, we were sold!WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: MEMETIC is truly an event comic—three oversized, 48-page issues detailing the end of the world over the course of three days, and a wholly unique take on the disaster genre. Much like his work on THE WOODS, James Tynion IV and fantastic newcomer Eryk Donovan (THE HOUSE IN THE WALL) will bring horror to a whole new generation and fans of J-horror films like UZUMAKI and THE RING.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: A Meme is an idea that starts with an individual, and then spreads throughout multiple persons and potentially entire societies. Richard Dawkins suggests a meme’s success comes from its effectiveness to the host. But history shows that destructive memes can spread just as rapidly through society. MEMETIC shows the progression of a weaponized meme that leads to the utter annihilation of the human race within 72 hours. The root of this apocalypse is a single image on the internet, a “meme” in the popular sense. A meme that changes everything.
7. A very digable planet
Now here’s a quality publisher that just does not get talked about enough. Not around here – not anywhere, really. Action Lab Entertainment has been a nice little haven for creator-owned comics of both the mature and all-ages persuasion for a few years now. They don’t get talked about a whole lot, because they don’t really publish all the same names we’re used to seeing kick around Image Comics, Vertigo, Boom!, etcetera. They’ve only been publishing comics since 2011, so I’m sure they’ll grow over time. But there’s been a lot to like, and “Planet Gigantic” looks and sounds fun. Action Labs is worth your support, as they support diverse, small-time creators looking to get their work out there.
Planet Gigantic #1
Writer(s): Eric Grissom
Artist Name(s): David Halvorson
Cover Artist(s): David Halvorson (reg), Jerry Gaylord (var)
When two genetically-engineered teenagers crash-land on a strange planet, they must learn to rely on themselves and their still-developing powers as they face down a giant rock monster. Also in this issue: Lyana the Seeker braves a cursed tomb in search of the fabled Eye of the Sun. Variant cover by Jerry Gaylord, limited to 2,000 copies!
6. Rise from your grave
Terry Moore is a name synonymous with quality, female-character-heavy comics. “Rachel Rising” is the story of a girl risen from the dead in the first issue. Since then, the story has grown into this sprawling story that keeps you guessing about where it’s going. What started as a simple revenge story from beyond the grave has become something else entirely. Terry Moore’s cartooning is the star though, as he applies his talents to something spookier and darker than anything he’s done before, I think.
Rachel Rising #29
Writer/Artist: Terry Moore
“Jet and Zoe team up to track down a deadly menace that lurks beneath the streets of Manson. Meanwhile, Rachel executes a daring plan to expose a wicked cult that is doing everything it can to stop her!”
5. Go, Joe! Roll out!
We loved the first issue of Tom Scioli’s nutso crossover book. It was no-frills, providing exactly the type of straightforward, but massively scaled sort of battles you may have played out over the living room floor when you were a kid. With a lot of explosions, gunfire, and yelling – “Transformers vs. GI Joe” delivers on all the bombast you always wish the cartoons would allow. Scioli’s layouts are gloriously packed to the gills with all of the colorful characters you were hoping to see.
Transformers VS G.I. JOE #4
Tom Scioli & John Barber (w) • Scioli (a & c)
THE WAR AT HOME! But whose home—and whose war?! Interstellar war has never been so cosmic! The G.I. JOE team faces the TRANSFORMERS—on Earth and Cybertron. Plus—just in time for Halloween… meet the OCTOBER GUARD!
4. Morrison and Irving are at it again
Starting back in the “Seven Solider” title “Klarion, The Witch Boy”, Grant Morrison and Frazer Irving have been a good match. Irving seems to handle the occult better than anything else, lending cultish aspects to Morrison’s “Batman and Robin”, as well as some brilliant supernatural issue’s of James Robinson’s “The Shade” miniseries. “Annihilator” sounds a little different than that, but Morrison and Irving are trusted names. Whatever they collaborate on is going to be good.
Annihilator #2
Written by Grant Morrison
Illustrated by Frazer Irving
With a ticking time bomb inside his head, Ray finds himself on the run from the authorities with the most dangerous man in the galaxy at his side. Together they must stop the universe from imploding, but can Ray save himself in the process? A daring original series from the one and only mind of Grant Morrison, featuring art by Frazer Irving!
3. Because you demanded it
“Quantum and Woody” is one of the titles from the original Valiant lineup that, over the last several years, has been creeping out as one of the most celebrated runs of its time. Partially, this is due to the Valiant Comics relaunch, which brought it back into the minds of readers. This is also due to it having been written by Christopher Priest, a man who deserved more work than he tended to get in his career, as his runs on this, “Black Panther”, and a few other titles loom rather large in comics history. Those are all good reasons to want a “Quantum and Woody” story with the original characters, so Valiant is giving us that, along with a reprint of the original series. It truly is a good time to be a comics fan.
Continued belowQ2: THE RETURN OF QUANTUM AND WOODY #1 (of 5)
Written by CHRISTOPHER PRIEST
Art & Cover by M.D. BRIGHT
The most demanded return in comics is finally here! The original Quantum and Woody are back! Legendary creators Christopher Priest and M.D. Bright return to one of the most acclaimed series of the modern era for an all-new mini-series event!Whatever happened to the world’s worst superhero team? Twenty years past their prime, the unlikely crime-fighting duo known as Quantum and Woody (not a couple) have long since parted ways…until a middle-aged Quantum suddenly reappears with a brand-new teenage partner. Now Woody is out to break up the all-new, all-different Quantum and Woody and put an end to Quantum’s recklessness…just as Quantum takes on a life-or-death personal mission for national security. Can these former friends set aside their differences…and their age…and their numerous health difficulties…to join forces one last time without driving each other crazy?
2. Understanding the best comics of the year
The latest in a series of a yearly collection of the best American comics of the year, the 2014 edition is curated and edited by none other than Mr. “Understanding Comics” himself, Scott McCloud. McCloud is practically a professor of cartooning, having doled out knowledge to thousands of comic readers and hopeful creators throughout the years through his educational comic texts. Who better, then, to help oversee and arrange the essential comic stories of the year? “The Best American Comics” is the definition of a grab bag, but certainly not a mixed bag, as there’s something to like about each and everything excerpt that makes it into the book. It’s like Chex Mix without all of those bland pretzel pieces.
The Best American Comics HC 2014
Publisher: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
The Best American Comics showcases the work of both established and up-and-coming contributors and highlights both fiction and nonfiction – from graphic novels, pamphlet comics, newspapers, magazines, minicomics, and the Web – to make a unique, stunning collection. Guest editor Scott McCloud has been writing, drawing, and examining comics since 1984. His works have won the Eisner and Harvey awards, and have been translated into more than sixteen languages. He is well known for his non-fiction books about comics, Understanding Comics, Reinventing Comics, and Making Comics and for creating the light-hearted science fiction/superhero comic book series Zot!
1. “An Orgy of Spite, Vengeance, Hopelessness, Despair, and Sexual Perversion.” – Daniel Clowes
Subversive. Influential. Essential. “Eightball” is all of these things and more. Daniel Clowes is truly one of the greatest living cartoonists, despite the fact that he’s not exactly mainstream friendly, not really making the kind of work that’s easy to recommend to everyone. That said, everyone – every single one of us – can relate to a lot of what Clowes is saying. “Eightball” is an examination of the foibles of humanity, but also himself. Whether anyone wants to admit it or not, I’ll bet you could find a lot of yourself in Clowes’ work. That’s because Clowes writes from the perspective of a flawed human, but one with a keen view. It’s not his take or his vision that is skewed, but the world, and everyone in it. For more on the “Complete Eightball”, read our previous coverage of it here. It’s the definition of an all-time, essential comic work and fitting that I listed it just ahead of the “Best American Comics 2014”, because these are some of the best American comics ever.
The Complete Eightball 1-18 HC
Written and Illustrated by Daniel Clowes
This is a two-volume, slipcased facsimile edition of the Daniel Clowes comics anthology; it contains the original installments of Ghost World, the short that the film Art School Confidential was based on, and much more.Before he rose to fame as a filmmaker and the author of the best-selling graphic novels Ghost World, David Boring, Ice Haven, and The Death Ray, Daniel Clowes made his name from 1989 to 1997 by producing 18 issues of the beloved comic book series Eightball, which is still widely considered to be one of the greatest and most influential comic book titles of all time. Now, for the 25th Anniversary of Eightball, Fantagraphics is collecting these long out-of-print issues in a slipcased set of two hardcover volumes, reproducing each issue in facsimile form exactly as they were originally published. Included are over 450 pages of vintage Clowes, including such seminal serialized graphic novels/strips/rants as “Like a Velvet Glove Cast in Iron,” “Ghost World,” “Pussey,” “I Hate You Deeply,” “Sexual Frustration,” “Ugly Girls,” “Why I Hate Christians,” “Message to the People of the Future,” “Paranoid,” “My Suicide,” “Chicago,” “Art School Confidential,” “On Sports,” “Zubrick and Pogeybait,” “Hippypants and Peace-Bear,” “Grip Glutz,” “The Sensual Santa,” “Feldman,” and so many more. Full color illustrations throughout.
