The Shipping Forecast for February 27th

No good anthology comics? No serious works by Alan Moore? No worthwhile replacement for THE AUTHORITY on your reading list? A few misconceptions get knocked down in this week's forecast.
25 February 2002

The Shipping Forecast is Ninth Art's pick of the best and most notable new releases hitting comic stores each week, courtesy of the fishing crew at the Ninth Art lighthouse. Shipping details come courtesy of Diamond. Check out the Diamond website for the latest information, as the list is subject to change.

GERMAN BIGHT PICKS:

ROSE HC (Cartoon Books)
It only seems a little while since the last part of the miniseires came out, and now we have the hardcover collection. If such things matter to you, then this should be a beautiful package, as most things involving Charles Vess tend to be. The whole thing is backstory to BONE, concerning Gran'ma Ben's youth as a warrior princess, how she met Lucius Down, how she and her sister Briar first encountered the Lord of the Locust, and how Briar came under its thrall. This has very little of the light tone that people associate with Jeff Smith's writing. Vess' painted art is lush, although I found the colours to be a little too overpowering at times.

TOM STRONG #16 (DC/Wildstorm)
He just couldn't resist it, could he? Alan Moore was trying to make out that TOM STRONG was one of the episodic, 'keep-it-light' titles in the ABC roster, but now look: TOM STRONG ADVENTURES has taken on the episodic, 'keep-it-light' tone, and the original book is starting to make heavy use of recurring supporting characters and plot lines seeded away in earlier issues. This issue promises the start of a thumping multi-part storyline. Knowing Alan Moore, I expect this to mark TOM STRONG's move toward something markedly more complex than this title has appeared to be so far.

FASTNET PICKS:

CLA$$WAR #1 (Com-X)
The Com-X imprint has been slow off the mark. Over a year since its inception and it only has two continuing series off the ground - and both of them have only managed a couple of issues. So three cheers from this fisherman as a new one finally reaches our homeport! This story - part one of six - features a flag-carrying superhero of the USA (called The American) who suddenly thinks for himself and questions authority, to the chagrin of his former masters and colleagues. With left-leaning politics, extravagant violence and colourful, wide-screen artwork from Trevor Hairsine, this does seem to bear the fingerprints of THE AUTHORITY, but with the future of that title uncertain, that's not necessarily a bad thing. The storytelling here is a little shaky, but otherwise this seems like it should shape up into an interesting ride.

PROMETHEA #19 (DC/Wildstorm)
It's an America's Best Comics week, which means that it's time for Alan Moore's Strange Fun. As German Bight as observes, it's increasingly clear that Moore can begin light, fun series - but he can't keep them light and fun. PROMETHEA has long left behind its beginnings as a more occult take on Wonder Woman and has become a discourse on Moore's belief in magic, and it's been at the expense of its narrative drive. This is a slow ride. But the stories are still there, and are as engaging as anything Moore's done. What's more, JH Williams III's artwork must make this the most beautiful comic on the racks, and the layouts are as innovative - and occasionally as maddening - as the writing. This is a feast for the eyes, and whether or not you share or even accept Moore's beliefs, it's a feast for the mind as well.

PLYMOUTH PICKS:

BIG O PART 1 #1 (Viz)
What if BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES had Bruce Wayne piloting a gigantic robot? And what if, amidst all of Gotham City's awesome buildings and architecture, there were a population missing all of its memories? That's the concept behind THE BIG O (albeit without the Big Bat himself). The animated BIG O series never got renewed for a second season, leaving a legion of frustrated fans wondering what happens next. Hopefully the manga series won't follow the same fate!

SUPER MANGA BLAST #19 (Dark Horse)
For all of those bemoaning the lack of comic book anthologies, you clearly aren't looking in the world of manga. One of the best is Dark Horse Comics' SUPER MANGA BLAST, which runs five serials every month. Want science fiction? Check out the stylistic "Seraphic Feather". Horror? The demons of "3X3 Eyes" are waiting. Children's adventure mixed with drama and gore? The somewhat disturbing "Shadow Star". Bizarre sex farce comedy? The hard-to-explain "Club 9". Or just plain cute and funny? The long-running cat comedy of "What's Michael?", of course. With five serials to choose from, you're bound to find one you like - and Dark Horse is collecting them all, too, so it's easy to catch up.

Comics shipping in the US on February 27th:

DARK HORSE

DEC010037 BTVS #42 UGLY LITTLE MONSTERS (3 OF 3) PHOTO CVR $2.99
DEC010043 CANNON GOD EXAXXION #4 STAGE 1 (4 OF 8) (MR) $2.99
DEC010048 SUPER MANGA BLAST #19 (MR) $5.99

DC COMICS

DEC010613 100 BULLETS #33 (MR) $2.50
DEC010559 ACTION COMICS #788 $2.25
DEC010541 BATMAN #600 (Note Price) $3.95
DEC010546 BATMAN GOTHAM ADVENTURES #47 $1.99
DEC010550 CATWOMAN #4 $2.50
DEC010617 CODENAME KNOCKOUT #10 (MR) $2.50
DEC010594 DEXTERS LABORATORY #28 $1.99
DEC010598 DIVINE RIGHT BOOK ONE TP $17.95
DEC010568 FLASH #183 $2.25
NOV010583 GREEN ARROW #12 $2.50
DEC010619 HELLBLAZER #171 (MR) $2.50
DEC010582 JIST WITH JOHN BYRNE CREATING ROBIN $5.95
DEC010577 JLA #63 $2.25
DEC010583 LEGION #5 $2.50
DEC010608 PROMETHEA #19 $2.95
DEC010590 STARMAN VOL 7 A STARRY KNIGHT TP $17.95
DEC010560 SUPERBOY #97 $2.25
DEC010605 TALEWEAVER #6 (Of 6) $2.95
DEC010609 TOM STRONG #16 $2.95
AUG010258 TOMORROW STORIES #12 (RES) $2.95
NOV010601 WONDER WOMAN #178 $2.25

IMAGE

DEC011497 AGENCY #6 (Of 6) (Note Price) $4.95
DEC011506 DEFIANCE #1 $2.95
NOV011502 DISTANT SOIL #34 (Note Price) $4.95
NOV011503 ELECTROPOLIS #4 $2.95
DEC011507 FATHOM #14 (RES) $2.50
APR011395 HELLSPAWN #11 $2.50
DEC011514 MIDNIGHT NATION #10 (Of 12) (RES) $2.50
NOV011516 POWERS #18 (MR) $2.95
DEC011517 RED STAR GOSSETT CVR #8 $2.95
DEC011518 RED STAR RODRIGUEZ CVR #8 $2.95
NOV011535 WARLANDS AGE OF ICE PAT LEE CVR #0 $2.50
NOV015096 WARLANDS AGE OF ICE RAIZ CVR #0 $2.50

MARVEL

NOV011824 BROTHERHOOD #9 $2.25
DEC011789 CAGE #1 (MR) $2.99
DEC011839 CAPTAIN AMERICA DEAD MAN RUNNING #2 $2.99
NOV011864 CAPTAIN AMERICA TO SERVE AND PROTECT TP $17.95
DEC011835 CAPTAIN MARVEL #29 $2.50
DEC011825 DAREDEVIL #30 $2.99
DEC011812 DEADPOOL FUNERAL FOR A FREAK #3 $2.25
NOV011869 ESSENTIAL ANT MAN TP $14.95
SEP011492 ESSENTIAL DR STRANGE TP $15.95
NOV011865 EXILES TP $12.95
OCT011899 FANTASTIC FIRSTS TP $29.95
DEC011792 HOWARD THE DUCK #2 (MR) $2.99
DEC011811 NEW X-MEN #123 $2.25
DEC011813 NIGHTCRAWLER #4 $2.50
DEC011827 ORDER #1 $2.25
OCT011900 PETER PARKER SPIDER-MAN ONE SMALL BREAK TP $16.95
DEC011820 SPIDER-MAN TANGLED WEB #11 OPEN ALL NIGHT (Note Price) $3.50
SEP011435 ULTIMATE MARVEL MAGAZINE #11 $3.99
DEC011801 ULTIMATE MARVEL TEAM UP #13 $2.25
DEC011803 ULTIMATE X-MEN #15 $2.25
DEC011804 ULTIMATES #2 $2.25
DEC011814 WOLVERINE #173 $2.25
DEC011821 WOLVERINE HULK #1 $3.50
DEC011816 X-MEN EVOLUTION #4 $2.25
DEC011850 X-MEN ICONS CYCLOPS TP $12.95

OTHER PUBLISHERS

NOV012070 SHADOW REAVERS #5 $2.99
NOV012312 32 STORIES COMPLETE OPTIC NERVE MINI COMICS CURR PRTG $12.95
DEC012521 ALISON DARE LITTLE MISS ADVENTURES TP $8.95
DEC012134 ARCHIE #520 $1.99
DEC012182 BART SIMPSON COMICS #7 $2.50
DEC012608 BIG O PART 1 #1 (Of 5) $3.50
DEC012516 CASTLE WAITING THE CURSE OF BRAMBLY HEDGE 3RD ED $9.00
DEC012451 COOL DEVICES #4 (A) $2.95
DEC012448 FUTABAKUN CHANGE VOL 8 #1 $2.95
JAN022639F GUNDAM WING ENDLESS WALTZ #1 (Of 5) $2.99
DEC012233 HAUNTED #3 (Of 4) $2.99
DEC012234I HAUNTED ALT CVR #3 $7.50
DEC012237 JADE REDEMPTION #4 (Of 4) $2.99
DEC012238 JADE REDEMPTION ALT CVR #4 $7.50
DEC012141 JUGHEAD WITH ARCHIE DIGEST #173 $2.19
DEC012284 LODOSS WAR CHRONICLES HEROIC KNIGHT BOOK 2 (MR) $15.95
DEC012288 LODOSS WAR DEEDLITS TALE #7 $2.95
JAN022637F LOVE HINA #1 (Of 4) $2.99
DEC012617 MAGICAL JOURNEY POKEMON PART 6 #4 (Of 4) $4.95
DEC012304 MERIDIAN #21 $2.95
DEC012628 MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM 0079 VOL 3 TP $9.95
DEC012452 OGENKI CLINIC VOL 8 #7 (A) $2.95
DEC012144 PALS N GALS DOUBLE DIGEST #65 $3.29
DEC012296 PATH PREQUEL $2.95
DEC012104 PATTY CAKE & FRIENDS VOL 2 #5 $4.95
DEC012618 POKEMON ADVS PART 6 #3 (Of 4) $4.95
NOV012213 ROSE HC $29.95
DEC012305 RUSE #5 $2.95
DEC012499 SECRET MESSAGES SILENT INVASION ABDUCTIONS #4 (Of 4) $2.95
DEC012297 SIGIL VOL 2 TP $19.95
NOV012285 SLAYERS SPECIAL #2 $2.95
NOV012286 SLAYERS SUPER EXPLOSIVE DEMON STORY #4 $2.95
NOV012257 SOULSEARCHERS #52 $2.50
DEC012111 SPARK GENERATORS TP $13.95
NOV012131 VAMPI #15 REG ED $2.99
DEC012449 VAMPIRE YUI VOL 4 #1 $2.95
NOV012405 VAMPIRELLA #7-9 GIANT SIZED ASHCAN ED $5.95
DEC012147 VERONICA #124 $1.99

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.