Todays new trades. 26/06/13

Not much to report this week, the big 2 steadfast in their usual tactics, Marvel cranking out TPB's like Sam Humphries latest run on the Ultimates and DC gestating their books just a little longer. If for some mental reason you have been tradewaiting George Perez' New 52 superman run. that started in September 2011. Then lucky you because volume 1 is out today, honestly though, buy something better. Please!

The coolest thing out today is definitely aimed at the high end collector. IDW continue their Artist Edition run with John Byrne's Fantastic Four.

"Nearly all of the pages in this book have been scanned from the actual original art that was drawn by John Byrne. This Artist's Edition measures 12 x 17 inches and is 168 pages long. Each book is shipped in a custom cardboard box for maximum protection "

 


DARK HORSE COMICS

Oreimo Volume 3 TP 
Original Daredevil Archives Volume 1 HC
Usagi Yojimbo Volume 27 A Town Called Hell TP

DC COMICS

Before Watchmen The Deluxe Edition Volume 1 Minutemen Silk Spectre HC
Before Watchmen The Deluxe Edition Volume 4 Ozymandias Crimson Corsair HC

Hellblazer Death And Cigarettes TP

Red Hood And The Outlaws Volume 2 The Starfire TP

Superman Family Adventures Volume 1 TP 
Superman Volume 1 What Price Tomorrow TP
Superman Volume 2 Secrets And Lies HC

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

Boys Definitive Edition Volume 5 HC

Shadow Volume 2 Revolution TP

Warlord Of Mars Dejah Thoris Volume 4 The Vampire Men Of Saturn TP

IDW PUBLISHING

Adventures Of Augusta Wind HC
Archie The Complete Daily Newspaper Comics Volume 2 1960–1963 HC
Complete Chester Gould's Dick Tracy Volume 15 1953-1954 HC

John Byrne's Fantastic Four Artist's Edition HC

Real Ghostbusters Omnibus Volume 2 TP

Transformers Classics UK Volume 4 TP

True Blood Volume 1 All Together Now TP

IMAGE COMICS

Change TP
Fatale Volume 3 West Of Hell TP
Hack Slash Volume 13 Final TP
Moriarty HC 
Outlaw Territory Volume 3 GN
Witchblade Rebirth Volume 3 TP

MARVEL COMICS

Castle A Calm Before Storm HC

Fantastic Four By Jonathan Hickman Volume 6 TP

Hulk From The Marvel UK Vaults TP

Marvel Masterworks The Avengers Volume 5 TP

Star-Lord The Hollow Crown TP
Ultimate Comics The Ultimates By Sam Humphries Volume 1 TP
Ultimate Comics Wolverine Legacies TP

Wolverine And The X-Men By Jason Aaron Volume 5 TP
Wolverine By Larry Hama And Marc Silvestri Volume 1 TP

Catabloguing Immortal Iron Fist

Vol.1 The Last Iron Fist Story.
      Issues 1-6:  & material from Civil War: Choosing Sides.
      Written by: Matt Fraction & Ed Brubaker.
      Art by: David Aja & Foreman,Fridolfs Heath, Severin, Buscema, Palmer.


vol.2 The Seven Capital Cities of Heaven.
      Issues: 8-14 & Annual #1.
      Written by: Matt Fraction & Ed Brubaker.
      Art by: David Aja & Martinez,Koblish, Kano, Pulido, Zonjic, Mann, Djurdjevic.

vol.3 The Book of the Iron Fist.
      Issues: 7,15-16, Orson Randall and the Green Mist of Death, Origin of Danny Rand.
      Written by: Matt Fraction, Ed Brubaker, Len Wein & Roy Thomas.
      Art by: David Aja & Foreman, Fridolfs< Fernandez, Paronzini, Evans, Olazaba, Dragotta, Allred, Heath, LaRosa, Gaudiano, Breitweiser, Kane, Hama, Kano.

vol.4 The Immortal Iron Fist.
      Issues 17-20: Orson Randall and the Death Queen of California.
      Written by: Duane Swierczynski.
      Art by: Travel Foreman & Heath, Camuncoli.

vol.5 Escape From the Eighth City.
      Issues: 21-27.
      Written by: Duane Swierczynski.
      Art by: Travel Foreman & Zonjic, Green II, Doe, Lapham, kano 

Other reading material. Avengers vs X-Men, New Avengers (Bendis) & Iron Man 2.0 Fear Itself, Heroes for Hire,

If Marvel released an ad saying That Matt Fraction and Ed Brubaker were co-writing a book and David Aja was on the art then they would most likely break the Internet. Years before Invincible Iron Man and Captain America the writers teamed up to work on this kung fu epic that still has implications on the Marvel Universe to this day.

Complex story telling weaving in millennium of tales from the ancient far east to modern day United States. Beautiful art from Aja and Hollingsworth, plus an unbelievable amount of guest artists providing changing tones for the many stories contained within.

Defining Trades

Defining Trades (In which I choose a book that best portrays a favourite character. That one title where the writer absolutely everything you love about them.

Seeing as every other article on the Internet right now is about Superman I thought we would start with that other great symbol of American pride and culture, Captain America.

Book: Civil War.

Written by: Mark Millar
Art by: Steve McNiven

This was a tough one because Brubaker, hands down writes the best Cap and there's been plenty of times in his history when he has turned his back on the American government.

Steve Rogers had really stalled as a character after the millennium under writers like Goeff John's on Avengers. Mostly he just stood about giving team members stern telling offs while they stood about admiring the shit out of him.

It wasn't until Bendis came along with New Avengers and used Cap as the constant around which to build his team, that Steve started to have a personality again in my opinion. Originally both Tony Stark and SHIELD were against the idea but with. Cap's persistence with new members and unwillingness to even consider SHIELD's opinion he forged ahead and was easily one of the coolest things about that run.

Civil War was the first book I read in which I actually cheered cap on. From the moment he turned his back on Maria Hill, ordered the soldiers to stand down and made a ballsy escape from the helicarrier (currently in the air!) He fought so many epic fights and spend much of the event looking like shit. It gave the writers a valid excuse to write Captain America as a war time character, something that has only been achieved before with flashback stories. We get to see Steve use his espionage skills and lead the troops. I also really liked how Millar deescalated the situation, with Steve realising for the first time that he was fighting against the will of the American people, It seems one of few sensible options available.

So yeah, new to Cap and want to see him at his (what is in my opinion) best? Pick up Civil War.

Todays New Trades 19/96/13

The big release of the week is once again from Image Comics with Saga v.2 set to fly off the shelves at your LCS today. Very reasonably priced at £ 10.99 as well. If you need any motivation to go back and start the series fron the Beginning then look no further. (Oh and vol.1 is only £7.50!)

ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS

Sonic Saga Volume 3 Eggman Empire TP

BOOM! STUDIOS

Adventure Time Volume 3 TP
Extermination Volume 2 TP

DARK HORSE COMICS

Art Of The Last Of Us HC
Bloodhound Volume 1 Brass Knuckle Psychology TP
Conan Volume 13 Queen Of The Black Coast TP
Star Wars Lost Tribe Of The Sith Spiral TP
Star Wars The Clone Wars The Smuggler's Code TP

DC COMICS

Batgirl Robin Year One TP
Fury Of Firestorm The Nuclear Men Volume 2 TP
Metal Men Archives Volume 2 HC
Sweet Tooth Volume 6 Wild Game TP
Teen Titans Volume 2 The Culling TP

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

Warlord Of Mars Volume 3 TP

IDW PUBLISHING

Alan Robert's Killogy TP
Edison Rex TP


IMAGE COMICS

Mind The Gap Volume 2 Wish You Were Here TP
Saga Volume 2 TP

MARVEL COMICS

Avengers By Brian Michael Bendis Volume 4 TP
Incredible Hulk By Jason Aaron Volume 2 TP
Invincible Iron Man Volume 11 The Future TP
Marvel Masterworks The Avengers Volume 13 HC
Uncanny X-Men The Complete Collection By Matt Fraction Volume 3 TP

ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT
Grimm Fairy Tales Presents Madness Of Wonderland TP

Mini Trade Reviews

As I have read loads of trades over the past month and fallen way behind on getting reviews done. I have decided to do a page of micro reviews. Feel free to comment if you are looking for more details on any particular volume.

Bedlam:
Nick Spencer.
Ryley Romosso.
Image Comics.

Easily the most stylish comic I have picked up in years. Ryley's use of subtle colouring, brought alive with vivid splashes of red paint that express a range of emotions brilliantly. The story, spins the classic hero/villain dynamic well and truly on it's head
10/10

Great Pacific:
Joe Harris.
Martin Morazzo.
Image Comics.

I love a good corporate espionage story and GP delivers. Slowly layering up the story in volume 1 and leaving me drooling for more.After his fathers death Sam Worthington III inherits a fortune and family business built on fossil fuels. We follow him to the Great Pacific trash pile as he works to reclaim the waste and restore his family name. Pirates, assassins,  giant octopuses and Polynesian myths ensue. Solid performance on the art from Morazzo. Another Image hit
08/10.

First X-Men: Children of the Atom:
Neal Adams.
Christos Gage.
Marvel Comics.

Weird mashing of Movie and 616 continuities, terrible art and awful dialogue combine to make this clusterfuck of a book one of the worst I have ever read from Marvel. Not even saved by the fact it was £5.
0/10

Avengers: Avengers World:
Jonathan Hickman.
Jeremy Opena/Adam Kubert.
Marvel Comics.

A welcome reigniting of the franchise which sadly stagnated towards the end of Bendis' run. The book is dripping with Hickman's trademark design elements and is going to be another great chapter in his big picture story telling for Marvel. Awesome new villains, a few cool new characters. Although I would have preferred a return of the Sentry over Hyperion. There's also the introduction of new habitats and a really smart new roster that has me really excited for what is to come. The first issue is a bit of a treat for fans of the Movie line up. Coipel's art is flawless as ever, which is a little unfortunate for Adam Kubert who's following work just doesn't stand up.
07/10

Todays New Trades 12/06/13

AVATAR PRESS

Ferals Volume 2 TP

DARK HORSE COMICS

Creepy Archives Volume 16 HC
Lone Wolf 2100 Omnibus TP
Manara Library Volume 5 More Adventures Of Guiseppe Bergman HC
Michael Avon Oeming's The Victories Volume 1 TP

DC COMICS

Catwoman Volume 2 No Easy Way Down TP
Preacher Volume 1 TP
Resurrection Man Volume 2 A Matter Of Death And Life TP
Stormwatch Volume 1 TP
Stormwatch Volume 2 HC

IDW PUBLISHING

G.I. JOE Hearts And Minds Volume 1 TP
G.I. JOE The IDW Collection Volume 2 HC
Machine Sabbath HC
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Secret History Of The Foot Clan TP

MARVEL COMICS

Captain America Volume 1 Castaway In Dimension Z Book 1 HC
Deadpool Killustrated TP
Essential Wolverine Volume 7 TP
Marvel Noir Daredevil Cage Iron Man TP
Marvel Universe Wolverine Digest TP
Wolverine First Cuts TP

Todays new trades 05/06/13

DARK HORSE COMICS

Art Of Remember Me HC,
Blood-C Volume 2 TP,
Buffy The Vampire Slayer Spike Volume 1 A Dark Place TP,
Forbidden Worlds Archives Volume 2 HC,
Lone Wolf 2100 Omnibus TP,
Lone Wolf And Cub Omnibus Volume 1 TP,
Misty Circus HC,
Star Wars Legacy Volume 1 HC, Strain Volume 2 TP.

DC COMICS

Batman And Robin Volume 1 Born To Kill TP,
Batman And Robin Volume 2 Pearl HC,
Crisis On Multiple Earths Volume 6 TP,
Harley Quinn Night And Day TP,
Solo HC (Deluxe Edition),
Superman The Golden Age Omnibus Volume 1 HC.

IDW PUBLISHING

Crow Skinning The Wolves TP
Hollows HC
John K Presents Spumco Comic Book HC
Star Trek Legion Of Super-Heroes TP
Tarzan The Complete Russ Manning Newspaper Strips Volume 1 1967-1970 HC
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Classics Volume 5 TP
Transformers Movie Collection Volume 1 TP
Womanthology Space HC

IMAGE COMICS

Hack Slash Omnibus Volume 5 TP
Walking Dead Volume 18 What Comes After TP

MARVEL COMICS

Pacific Rim Tales From Year Zero HC (Premiere Edition)
Spider-Man Danger Zone TP
Wolverine By Claremont And Miller HC
Wolverine Origin HC
Wolverine Sabretooth HC
Wolverine Season One HC
Wolverine The Adamantium Collection HC

VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT

Harbinger Volume 2 Renegades TP
Valiant Masters Shadowman Volume 1 Spirits Within HC