The Shipping Forecast for January 16th

This week's comics include reinventions, reflections, a career revisitation, a Fall Collection, and childhood evocations. Truth, nobility, memory and magic. This is comics.
14 January 2002

Welcome to the Shipping Forecast, the pick of the best new comics hitting stores this week, as chosen by the briny crew at the Ninth Art lighthouse. The forecast is compiled with the help of the Diamond shipping list. For the most up to date shipping information, check out the Diamond website.

This week sees the introduction of the newest member of the forecast team. Our dear friend Cromarty has been lost at sea, so we've broadsided a passing vessel and brought new fisherman Viking on board. Next week we'll be adding a sixth fisherman to the crew, as part of our continued effort to keep the forecast as fresh and diverse as possible.

VIKING PICKS:

CAPTAIN BRITAIN TPB (Marvel)
Captain Britain was the British answer to Captain America - quite a simple concept, and one that frankly sounds absolutely rubbish. However, writer Alan Moore has never been noted for turning out unoriginal work, and artist Alan Davis can hardly be called drab or unskilled (and his work here has been re-coloured and tidied up, to boot). Basically, it's Alan Moore doing superheroes around that time in his career when he did things like WATCHMEN and MIRACLEMAN. If you have any interest in superheroes whatsoever (and even if you don't), you really have to give this a look.

MARVEL MANGAVERSE: NEW DAWN (Marvel)
All right, it's one of those fifth-week event big old crossovers that we all hate, because they're almost always terrible. But this one includes creators like Peter David (CAPTAIN MARVEL), Adam Warren (GEN 13), and popular indie artist, Lea Hernandez (RUMBLE GIRLS), all providing a Japanese slant on Marvel's superheroes. Just judging by the concepts and creators, this has potential. And as the Mangaverse Avengers all turn into one big Voltron-style robot, frankly that's good enough for me. NEW DAWN is the first bookend to the crossover, introducing an energy crisis and a rampaging Godzilla-sized Hulk, and is written and pencilled by Ben Dunn (NINJA HIGH SCHOOL).

PLYMOUTH PICKS:

HUNTER: THE AGE OF MAGIC #7 (DC Vertigo)
When you normally hear of a "great jumping-on point" issue, there's always a bit of doubt in your mind. Is this really a good spot for new readers? Or a desperate attempt to raise sales on a lacklustre book? In the case of Dylan Horrocks' HUNTER: THE AGE OF MAGIC, I'm pretty convinced it's the former. Horrocks is doing a wonderful job with his follow-up to Vertigo's long-running BOOKS OF MAGIC; with Tim Hunter finally returning to Earth and trying to put his life back together, this single-issue story promises to be great. Horrocks understands the sheer excitement and wonder that a book about magic should have. If you've been on the fence about giving HUNTER a whirl, this should be the perfect place to check it out for yourself.

NOBLE CAUSES #1 (Image Comics)
Writer Jay Faerber has admitted that soap operas were his inspiration for NOBLE CAUSES (see today's Ninth Art interview. If all soap operas were this good, I'd be watching them daily. His NOBLE CAUSES: FIRST IMPRESSIONS one-shot had a great mix of characterisation and drama, with the sprawling Noble family having a couple of skeletons -and worse - in their closets. Faerber's proven that in just one issue he's able to make a group of brand-new characters more interesting than most other team books on the marketplace; just imagine what he's going to do with an ongoing series. This looks like sheer fun from start to finish; better take a look now before daytime dramas snatch Faerber up to revamp their shows.

GERMAN BIGHT PICKS:

HEY, MISTER: THE FALL COLLECTION (Top Shelf)
If you went by the comics he produces, you'd have to assume that Pete Sickman- (never was there a better name for an alternative comics auteur) Garner was a bitter, twisted individual. You gotta love him! Oozing disenchantment and cynicism from every panel, HEY MISTER comics never fail to rattle and disturb while simultaneously making you laugh like a drain. This collection will no doubt see the three characters with no clearly defined relationship, Mister, Young Tim and Aunt Mary griping, grifting and holding up a mirror to modern life and telling it how ugly it is. We're also promised a bit of autobiography from Sickman-Garner and Hideous Mutants. Yay!

TRUTH SERUM #1 (Slave Labor)
Yes, the superhero as 'normal' person spiel has been done - there are elements of it in TOP TEN, POWERS, ASTRO CITY and even THE AUTHORITY - but the characters in TRUTH SERUM really are superhuman schmoes. They live in a small town neighbourhood, work in convenience stores and worry about how to pay the bills. By and large, their superpowers aren't even all that super, really. Jonathan Adams has hit on something closer to Ed Brubaker's LOWLIFE than anything from the more be-spandexed end of the comics spectrum. The artwork is quirky and stylish, the entire story is rich in characters and you can find out more here.

FLIPPED #1 (Astonish Comics)
Not actually a comic, but a whimsical bit of paraphernalia. Remember getting flipbooks when you were a kid? Maybe even making your own? Well, relive the experience as a grown-up. This hefty flipbook stars Herobear and the Kid (see below), and is therefore guaranteed to appeal to the kid in all of us. You just riffle the pages and see Herobear transform and fly away. Consider it an antidote, if you want or need it, to all of the cynicism I've been trying to sell you this week.

FISHER PICKS:

SEPTEMBER 11 VOLUME 1 (Chaos, Dark Horse, Image, etc.)
The tide of September 11 tribute books continues, with volume one of what must surely be the biggest such project we're ever likely to see. Creators include Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons, Scott Morse, J Scott Campbell, Trina Robbins, Anne Timmons, Jim Valentino, Bryan Talbot, J Torres, Stan Sakai, Roberta Gregory, Tony Millionaire and Frank Miller. In fact, everyone you can name who isn't in this volume is probably in volume two. Judging by the art samples in the latest Previews, there's some inventive responses to the September 11 tragedy here. Expected to retail at just under ten bucks, it's an extraordinary collection that you can't afford to miss.

HEROBEAR AND THE KID #4 (Astonish Comics)
You can wait for ages for something from the Astonish Factory, and then two come along at once. It's always a shame when such a hugely entertaining book is on such an erratic schedule - this issue was solicited in the May 2001 edition of Previews - because it's much harder for the book to build an audience. With HEROBEAR, animator Mike Kunkel has created a magical tale about a young boy who inherits a superheroic bear created by his inventor grandfather. In issue three they did battle with an evil robot. This issue, Tyler discovers more of his late grandfather's secrets. You're never too old for a story like this. Check it out.

Comics shipping in the US on January 16th:

DARK HORSE

NOV010037 BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER HAUNTED #2 (Of 4) $2.99
NOV010038 BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER HAUNTED PHOTO CVR #2 (Of 4) $2.99
NOV010030 PLANET OF THE APES #5 BLOODLINES (2 OF 3) $2.99
NOV010031 PLANET OF THE APES #5 BLOODLINES (2 OF3) PHOTO CVR $2.99

DC COMICS

NOV010555 BATMAN GOTHAM KNIGHTS #25 $2.50
NOV010558 BIRDS OF PREY #39 $2.50
NOV010624 GRIP THE STRANGE WORLD OF MEN #3 (Of 5) (MR) $2.50
NOV010586 HAVEN THE BROKEN CITY #2 (Of 9) $2.50
NOV010626 HUNTER THE AGE OF MAGIC #7 (MR) $2.50
NOV010587 IMPULSE #82 $2.50
NOV010613 MONARCHY #10 $2.50
NOV010548 POWER COMPANY SKYROCKET $2.50
NOV010607 POWERPUFF GIRLS #23 $1.99
NOV010615 TALEWEAVER #5 (Of 6) $2.95
NOV010603 WONDER WOMAN PARADISE LOST TP $14.95

IMAGE

SEP011121 10TH MUSE CRUZ CVR #8 $2.95
SEP011122 10TH MUSE PHOTO CVR #8 $2.95
NOV011497 BLACK TIDE #2 $2.95
JUL011251 DELICATE CREATURES HC $16.95
JUN011294 KIN VOL 1 DESCENT OF MAN TP $17.95
NOV011515 NOBLE CAUSES #1 $2.95
SEP011106 POWERS #16 $2.95
OCT011582 WARLANDS AGE OF ICE #5 $2.95

MARVEL

OCT011903 CAPTAIN BRITAIN TP $19.95
NOV011846 CAPTAIN MARVEL #27 $2.50
NOV011838 DAREDEVIL #29 $2.99
NOV011821 DEADPOOL FUNERAL FOR A FREAK #2 $2.25
OCT011847 ELEKTRA & WOLVERINE THE REDEEMER #2 $5.95
NOV011847 INCREDIBLE HULK #36 $2.25
NOV011807 MARVEL MANGAVERSE NEW DAWN #1 (Note Price) $3.50
SEP011446 ORIGIN #4 $3.50
NOV011832 PETER PARKER SPIDER-MAN #39 $2.25
NOV011833 SPIDER-GIRL #43 $2.25
NOV011848 THUNDERBOLTS #60 $2.25
OCT011859 UNCANNY X-MEN 2001 $3.50
OCT011865 X-FORCE #123 $2.25
NOV011820 X-TREME X-MEN #9 $2.99

OTHER PUBLISHERS

NOV012071 JUST A PILGRIM GARDEN OF EDEN LTD PREVIEW ED $7.00
NOV012549 BASTARD WIZARD #2 (Of 2) (MR) $3.95
NOV012051 CAPTAIN AMERICA POSTER #1 RON GARNEY $5.99
NOV012442 CHIAROSCURO #2 $2.75
OCT012535 COOL DEVICES #2 (A) $2.95
OCT012229 FLIPPED #1 $9.95
OCT012532 FUTABAKUN CHANGE VOL 7 #5 $2.95
OCT012528 HAMMER OF THE GODS COLOR SAGA $4.95
NOV012225 HAUNTED #2 (Of 4) $2.99
NOV012228 HAUNTED ALT CVR #2 $7.50
MAY011982 HEROBEAR AND THE KID #4 $3.50
OCT012677 HEY MISTER THE FALL TP (MR) $12.95
NOV012229 JADE REDEMPTION #3 (Of 4) $2.99
NOV012230 JADE REDEMPTION ALT CVR #3 $7.50
NOV012157 JUGHEAD WITH ARCHIE DIGEST #172 PI
NOV012512 KODOCHA #1 (Of 5) $2.95
OCT012172 LENORE #9 $2.95
NOV012421 LIBERTY MEADOWS WEDDING ALBUM $2.95
OCT012373 LODOSS WAR CHRONICLES HEROIC KNIGHT #16 $2.95
OCT012375 MAXION #25 (MR) $2.95
NOV012292 NEGATION #2 $2.95
OCT012685 NEO SATANIKA TALES #1 (MR) $3.95
NOV012553 NO NEED FOR TENCHI VOL 11 TP $15.95
OCT012536 OGENKI CLINIC VOL 8 #5 (A) $2.95
NOV012160 PALS N GALS DOUBLE DIGEST #64 PI
NOV012161 SABRINA VOL 2 #28 $1.99
STAR14691J SEPTEMBER 11 VOLUME 1 PI
SEP012189F SEVENTH SEA #2 ABSOLUTION (Of 4) $2.95
SEP012190F SEVENTH SEA #2 ABSOLUTION BAGGED W CCG ED (Of 4) $2.95
NOV012294 SIGIL #20 $2.95
NOV012556 SILENT MOBIUS TURNABOUT #1 (Of 6) $2.95
NOV012203 SIMPSONS COMICS #66 $2.50
NOV012295 SOJOURN #7 $2.95
NOV012113 TRUTH SERUM #1 $2.95
NOV012557 VAGABOND PART 1 #3 (MR) $4.95
OCT012533 VAMPIRE PRINCESS YUI VOL 3 #5 $2.95

The 9A Lighthouse Crew are Trafalgar, Shannon, Fastnet, Plymouth, Viking, German Bight, Finisterre, Forties, Dogger, Cromarty and Fisher.

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.