The Shipping Forecast for July 31st

Whether you'll be on your way to San Diego or stuck at home wishing you could be, you'll find some real treasures hitting the stores - and convention floors - this week, including THREE FINGERS, JASON AND THE ARGOBOTS, GIRL GENIUS and, yes, a relaunched X-book.
29 July 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.

PLYMOUTH PICKS:

PEANUTBUTTER & JEREMY: NEST & WINDOW EXCHANGE (Alternative Comics)
James Kochalka knows "cute" like no one else's business. That's doubly so with his all-ages series PEANUTBUTTER & JEREMY. Peanutbutter the cat is still trying to work hard in an office environment, but it's difficult when you're, well, a cat. Making matters worse, of course, is that pesky crow Jeremy who always manages to mess things up. Each instalment of PEANUTBUTTER & JEREMY is guaranteed to put a smile on the sourest person's face. Who else could make a cat wearing a hat and a tie so irresistibly charming? It doesn't even matter if there's a story about a hat being stuck on Peanutbutter's head; just watching him and Jeremy interact alone is worth the price of admission here.

THREE FINGERS GN $14.95 (Top Shelf)
Rich Koslowski is best known for his 3 GEEKS and GEEKSVILLE comics - but that's about to change with the release of THREE FINGERS. Told in a mock documentary style, THREE FINGERS chronicles the rise of toons in Hollywood, and how superstition and desperation lead them into a horrific ritual to get work. Gripping and disturbing, THREE FINGERS is one of those books that's appealing to almost everyone... well, provided they don't mind a gripping drama in their life. If this is what Koslowski has had lurking in the back of his head all this time, here's hoping he takes a look there a little more often.

VIKING PICKS:

JASON AND THE ARGOBOTS (Oni Press)
Finally! Finally I can truly express my love for a comic featuring giant robots without supporting dirty nostalgia books. JASON AND THE ARGOBOTS is a sort of cross between THE IRON GIANT (possibly the finest piece of Robot Cinema ever) and Greek mythology - the basic plot is that a young lad (Jason) discovers a giant robot buried in the earth. Now, that'd be enough for me, but apparently he then has to use it to stave off an 'unnamed evil'. Wow, it doesn't get any better than that. J Torres, of SIDEKICKS and THE COPYBOOK TALES, is the writer of this little gem, and Mike Norton of THE WAITING PLACE and GI JOE is the artist. It's been a long time since I've read a comic with giant robots that didn't suck, and I'm hoping this is going to set all that to rights.

LONE WOLF & CUB VOL 23: TEARS OF ICE TP (Dark Horse)
LONE WOLF & CUB is the biggest, loveliest, violentest and stupidest manga epic ever, as far as I'm aware. It details the exploits of shamed High Executioner Ogami Itto and his son Daigoro, and their wanderings throughout Japan trying to clear their names, and also to depopulate the entire area of anyone who so much as looks at them funny. Each pocket-sized collection features a handful of fantastic tales about the stoic swordsman, and they're all absolute gems. The fantastically over-the-top things the characters say and do have me chortling for hours while I'm out riding the ocean waves. Truly brilliant stuff. Rrrnnngg!

FISHER PICKS:

X-STATIX #1 (Marvel Universe)
You know you should have been reading X-FORCE, right? A lot of you were, but a lot of you probably couldn't quite come to terms with the idea of buying a Marvel book with X in the title. Now you get your second chance, courtesy of the relaunch. X-FORCE was a genuinely superb media satire - and so self aware that even the name change was parodied, mocked, and slyly teased. (So slyly, in fact, that this probably isn't even the right cover.) Against all expectations, it also worked as a first rate character-driven comedy drama. It's the work that's finally pushed Peter Milligan and Mike Allred into the mainstream spotlight, and it's a worthy showcase for both creators, who are both among comics' most inventive storytellers. So go on. Buy your first X-book.

PRO #1 (Image Comics)
Boy, comics sure are all growed up, ain't they? Marvel gave us its mature line with lots of gratuitous violence and a healthy dose of anal sex. Wildstorm's Eye Of The Storm has come along to give us even more violence, with a few perky nipples thrown in. And now here comes the latest foray into the 'mature readers' market - the book that Jim Steranko cited as one of the chief symptoms of the total collapse of civilisation (you know, along with international terrorism). It's Garth Ennis writing about a superhuman prostitute, so expect it to sit on his CV somewhere between FURY and JUST A PILGRIM. Art comes from Amanda Connor and Jimmy Palmiotti, who, I hear, know a good dirty story when they hear one.

X-MEN UNLIMITED #37 (Marvel Universe)
Another X-book, and one I never thought I'd be recommending, since every attempt to reboot it has been a disaster. But this time around, the quarterly (soon to go monthly) is a showcase for the excellent Kaare Andrews, best known for his HULK covers and his superb TANGLED WEB story 'Ray Of Light'. And he's joined by an unlikely team of exceptional artists, including Mike Kunkel (HEROBEAR AND THE KID), Joshua Middleton (SKY BETWEEN BRANCHES) and Troy Nixey (TROUT). Meanwhile, the next issue is written by Greg Rucka. No, I don't understand what's happened here either.

GERMAN BIGHT PICKS:

GIRL GENIUS VOL 1 (Studio Foglio)
You may think that I've pimped this title enough. I say that I haven't pimped this title as much as it deserves, and as the first collection is finally coming out, I'm giving this another push. Why should you buy GIRL GENIUS? Because it's funny, it's well drawn, well written and a labour of love. What's the story? Girl in a world where mad scientists are virtual aristocracy has "the spark" (of scientific genius), inherited from her natural parents who may or may not be dead. Mistaken identity and coincidence put her in the heart of the headquarters of the world's foremost Spark. Wacky hijinks etcetera. What's the art like? Detailed, cartoony, and with an inoffensive dash of cheesecake. How's the writing? The plot moves at a leisurely pace, the zingy dialogue fairly crackles off the page. Buy GIRL GENIUS - it's a fun, well produced comic! How many times do I have to tell you people?

SONAR / MISSED PICKS FROM LAST WEEK'S COMICS

JACK STAFF #9 (Dancing Elephant Press)
Sources tell me that this hasn't washed up on American shores yet, but as the lighthouse is in British waters we're in the position to enjoy this before most of our readers and tell you how good it is. The previous issue could serve as a textbook example of using colour in a black and white comic, and creator Paul Grist managed to deconstruct the comic book form in a single issue whilst still telling a cracking story. This issue brings in new character Charlie Raven, greatest escapologist of the Victorian age - and, it seems, one of the era's most cold-hearted shits as well. Image will be publishing this in colour from the beginning of next year, which should be very good for all concerned. Read JACK STAFF now, and be the first on your block to know about the next big thing. [GERMAN BIGHT]

Comics shipping in the US on July 31st:

DARK HORSE

MAY020056 BTVS #47: HELLMOUTH TO MOUTH (PART 1 OF 4) $2.99
APR020056 LONE WOLF & CUB VOL 23: TEARS OF ICE TP (MR) $9.95
MAY020064 LONE WOLF 2100 #3 (Of 4) $2.99
APR020075 SUPER MANGA BLAST #23 (MR) $5.99
MAY020021 USAGI YOJIMBO #59 $2.99

DC COMICS

MAY020207 ACTION COMICS #793 $2.25
MAY020196 BATMAN: GOTHAM ADVENTURES #52 $1.99
MAY020264 CODENAME: KNOCKOUT #15 (MR) $2.50
DEC010552 DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN #3 (Of 3) $7.95
MAY020217 FLASH #188 (Note Price) $2.95
MAY020222 HAVEN: THE BROKEN CITY #8 (Of 9) $2.50
MAY020225 JLA #68 $2.25
MAY020244 SAMURAI JACK SPECIAL #1 $3.95
MAY020239 WONDER WOMAN #183 $2.25

IMAGE

JUN021377 BATTLE OF THE PLANETS #2 $2.99
MAY021185 PRO (MR) $5.95
MAY021193 TOMB RAIDER #23 (Note Price) $2.99
MAY021200 WITCHBLADE #57 $2.50

MARVEL

MAY021526 AVENGERS #56 $2.25
APR021795 MARVEL VISIONARIES: GIL KANE TP $24.99
MAY021527 PARADISE X #4 $2.99
MAY021487 WOLVERINE #179 $2.25
MAY021488 X-MEN EVOLUTION #9 $2.25
MAY021489 X-MEN UNLIMITED #37 $3.50
MAY021490 X-STATIX #1 $2.99

OTHER PUBLISHERS

JUN022378F 30 DAYS OF NIGHT #2 (Of 3) (MR) $3.99
MAY021803 ARCHIE'S WEIRD MYSTERIES #23 $1.99
MAY022360 BASTARD #8: FIGHTER (3 OF 3) (MR) $3.95
MAY022125 BATTLE POPE PRESENTS VOL 1 TP $12.95
JUN021974F BLACK HEART BILLY TP $12.95
JUN022199F BLOODY SCHOOL VOL 1 #1 (MR) $2.95
MAY021765 CHARM SCHOOL VOL 1 TP (MR) $11.95
JUL022303F CREATURE TECH GN $14.95
MAY021952 CRUX #16 $2.95
MAR022125 DARKCHYLDE LAST ISSUE SPECIAL (Note Price) $3.95
APR022208 DARKCHYLDE LAST ISSUE SPECIAL PX ALT CVR $3.95
JUN022173 FORGE #5 (Note Price) $11.95
MAY022163 FUTABAKUN CHANGE VOL 6 GN $15.95
JUN022093 FUTURAMA/SIMPSONS SPECIAL CROSSOVER CRISIS #1 (Of 2) $2.50
APR022000 GIRL GENIUS VOL 1 HC $25.00
APR021999 GIRL GENIUS VOL 1 TP $10.00
MAY021757 GRANT & GIARRANO'S BADLANDS TP $12.95
MAY022367 GUNDAM: THE ORIGIN #2 $7.95
MAY021763 HIGHWAY 13 #7 $2.95
FEB022235F I HATE CARTOONS #1 (MR) $4.95
JUN022435 JASON & THE ARGOBOTS #1 (Of 4) $2.95
MAY021809 JUGHEAD #146 $1.99
MAY022369 JUNKO MIZUNO'S CINDERALLA GN $15.95
MAY022327 K CHRONICLES TP: WHAT A LONG STRANGE STRIP $12.95
MAY021974 KEN LASHLEY'S LEGENDS #1 (Of 6) $2.95
MAY021975 KEN LASHLEY'S LEGENDS #1 PX CVR $4.95
JUN022200F KNIGHT GUNNER VOL 1 #1 (MR) $2.95
JUN022127 LADY DEATH: DARK ALLIANCE #3 $2.99
MAY021811 LAUGH DIGEST #177 $2.19
JUN021986 LITTLE GLOOMY #6 (RES) $2.95
JUN021977F MAGIC WHISTLE #7 (MR) $2.95
JUN951641J MAISON IKKOKU VOL 1 GN PI
JUN022201F MINOS VOL 1 #1 (MR) $2.95
MAY022289 MURCIELAGA SHE BAT #1 (MR) $2.95
JUN022286F MYSTIC FUNNIES #3 (MR) $3.95
MAY022373 NEON GENESIS EVANGELION PART 7 #3 (OF 7) $2.95
MAY022374 NEON GENESIS EVANGELION PART 7 COLL ED #3 (OF 7) $2.95
JUN021987 NIGHTMARES AND FAIRY TALES #2 $2.95
APR022635 PANEL DISCUSSION TP $19.95
JUN021978F PEANUTBUTTER & JEREMY: NEST & WINDOW EXCHANGE $2.95
MAY022345 RANMA 1/2 VOL 20 TP $15.95
JUN022010 RED STAR VOL 2: NOKGORKA TP $24.95
MAY021953 ROUTE 666 #2 $2.95
MAY021813 SABRINA VOL 2 #35 $1.99
MAY021955 SCION #26 $2.95
MAY022375 SILENT MOBIUS PART 11 BLOOD #1 (Of 5) $2.95
JUN022202F SLASHER VOL 1 #1 (MR) $2.95
MAY021730 STRANGERS IN PARADISE VOL 11: BRAVE NEW WORLD TP $8.95
MAR022201 STRAY BULLETS #26 (MR) $3.50
MAY021735 TERRY MOORE'S PARADISE TOO VOL 1 TP: DRUNK DUCKS $15.95
JUN022520F THREE FINGERS GN $14.95
MAY021825 VAMPIRE VERSES #2 (MR) $2.95
MAY022143 VAMPIRELLA #11 LTD CVR ED $9.95
MAY022144 VAMPIRELLA #11 LTD MODEL PHOTO ED $9.95
MAY022142 VAMPIRELLA #11 REG ED $2.99
MAY022194 WEREWOLF THE APOCALYPSE: CHILDREN OF GAIA GN (MR) $6.95
JUN022203F ZERO TAKER VOL 1 #1 (MR) $2.95
MAY022380 ZOIDS #6 $5.95

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.