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The Forecast for March 23rd 2005
Welcome to The Forecast. Every Monday, Ninth Art's core team of comment writers, the Ninth Eight, will be your guides to the best, worst, weirdest and most noteworthy books on the shelves of your local comic shop. BOOK OF THE WEEK: THE EXPATRIATE B Clay Moore, like former Image boy Brian Michael Bendis, also uses his middle name to make him sound classier. However, luckily for him he also has the requisite class to back up this naming policy. Having pumped out some quality mini-series for the more-exciting-every-day imprint, such as HAWAIIAN DICK (not a cocktail, but a mystery series set in Hawaii) and BATTLE HYMN (unfortunately superheroic, but a great name nonetheless), Moore is now trying his hand at an ongoing series. Joined by Jason Latour, he's launching THE EXPATRIATE this week, and I can't wait. Described as Robert Ludlum-esque (BOURNE IDENTITY), the series focuses on Jack Dexter, a man on the run from his homeland and it's law enforcement agencies. Hounded non-stop by two vicious CIA agents, Dexter knows he can't be caught whatever the cost, but he doesn't know why. Moore has been suitably cagey in interviews, unwilling to lay all his cards on the table - an admirable if possibly dangerous plan. He promises crazy plot twists and the most unbelievable developments in a balls-out all-or-nothing ongoing rush. His artistic collaborator, Latour, has a wonderful gritty painted ink style that reminds me of Kano's work on HERO or Michael Lark on GOTHAM CENTRAL, but with a flair of his own and bags of energy. Seeing as Moore's scripts are going to call on him to draw some off- the-wall action - like the extravagant violence that kicks off #1 - he should be a perfect fit. In the continuing tradition of "at least comics get something right", there are some gorgeous covers to look forward to as well. The promise of ongoing spy high-jinks to replace SLEEPER is one I can't pass up. [John Fellows] HIDEBOUND The great thing about the youth-oriented Marvel Next line is watching it try to branch out beyond Marvel's traditional "oh, I may have superpowers, but I just can't get a prom date!" attempts at girl-oriented storylines. For example, this week we have SPELLBINDERS, which is, "oh, I may have magic powers, but I just can't get a prom date!". See? Innovation! The thing is, I really want this title to succeed. I want more girls to read comics, and I'm pleased to see books like this being published, but in some ways it seems futile. They're still hammering away at a format that young female readers have overwhelmingly rejected in favour of manga. Yes, yes, I know the six-issue mini will be collected into a digest. But these are racked with the Marvel digests, with that same indistinguishable black Marvel spine as the WOLVERINE trades, and sold far away from the shoujo manga in every chain bookstore I've been in. The only thing that could really get a lot of girls to read SPELLBINDERS #1, in this format, is to cover-mount it on an issue of YM or SEVENTEEN. Sadly, that'll happen when pigs fly. The frustrating thing is, I bet it's going to be a great series. If it was anyone but Mike Carey writing it, I'd have serious doubts - after all, 'girl goes to high school in Salem, Mass, finds out it's full of witches, high school drama ensues'? We're not really pushing the bounds of originality here. But Carey is hands down the best writer of dark fantasy in the comics market today, and he's strongest in a limited miniseries where he can't overcomplicate plots or lose sight of his main character. [Alex de Campi] GUARDED OPTIMISM Grant Morrison's second SEVEN SOLDIERS miniseries gets underway this week with the first issue of THE MANHATTAN GUARDIAN (DC). GUARDIAN updates the classic Jack Kirby character, last seen in the Superman titles, replacing Jim Harper with Jake Jordan. Dismissed from the NYPD after accidentally shooting a child, Jordan gets a job as the eponymous mascot of The Manhattan Guardian newspaper, becoming a living embodiment of their motto: "We don't just report crime ... we fight crime!" As the name suggests, GUARDIAN is set in Grant Morrison's reimagined New York City, but going by this interview, we won't be seeing much of the surface. Instead, it appears as if much of the action will be taking place underground, as Guardian cuts his superhero teeth against the terrifying Subway Pirates! These pirates, led by the alopecious No-Beard and the hirsute All-Beard, ride the trains and tunnels, shunning the world of the "light-lubbers", and searching for booty in the deep black. Morrison is joined on GUARDIAN by the excellent Cameron Stewart. Last seen on Morrison's concussion-com SEAGUY, Stewart combines the rich character skills of Steve Dillon with the rambunctious energy of Steve Skroce. As is the trend, these days, Guardian's costume has been redesigned to have a sense of three-dimensionality and weight, resembling a cross between riot gear and lollipop-lady chic. One suspects that, of all the series in this cycle, MANHATTAN GUARDIAN will have the broadest appeal, enticing Morrison completists and neophobic DC fanboys alike. [Matthew Craig] BRAAAAAAINS! After WALKING DEAD, SHAUN OF THE DEAD, the DAWN OF THE DEAD remake, and hell, zombies even showing up in a GAMBIT miniseries, you may think there's not much original left to do with our lurching, decomposing friends. You would be incorrect. Out this week from DC Humanoids is Stefano Raffaele's FRAGILE, the story of a dead man who meets the decomposing girl of his dreams. They have to evade the zombie hunters (some really terrifying creatures) and find an experimental serum to bring them both back to life before, well, before it all falls apart. I read most of it when it was serialised in METAL HURLANT and enjoyed it tremendously. You may know Raffaele's name from his and Fabien Nicieza's HAWKEYE miniseries, but don't hold that against him. Raffaele has a fantastic style, with a European elegance but a slight American edge to it that keeps it from getting to the fussiness of a Boucq or a Moebius-on-BLUEBERRY. FRAGILE is a treat for horror and zombie fans alike. [Alex de Campi] THE SHIPPING LIST FOR MARCH 23rd 2005: Shipping details come courtesy of Diamond. Visit the Diamond website for the latest information, as the list is subject to change. DARK HORSE JAN050052D CONAN #14 $2.99
DC COMICS JAN050348D AUTHORITY REVOLUTION #6 (OF 12) (MR) $2.99
IMAGE DEC041526D EXPATRIATE #1 $2.95
MARVEL JAN051816D AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #518 $2.25
OTHER PUBLISHERS JAN053104E ANGEL SANCTUARY VOL 7 GN $9.99
The Ninth Eight are Matthew Craig, John Fellows, Kieron Gillen, Alistair Kennedy, Zack Smith, Andrew Wheeler, Ben Wooller and Bulent Yusuf. Ninth Art endorses the principle of Ideological Freeware. The author permits distribution of this article by private individuals, on condition that the author and source of the article are clearly shown, no charge is made, and the whole article is reproduced intact, including this notice. Back. |