The Shipping Forecast for January 8th

DC attempts another 10-cent experiment this week, but there's no risks to be had in picking up the latest softcover from the great Will Eisner, or Eddie Campbell's interview with Alan Moore in the second EGOMANIA.
06 January 2003

Welcome to the Shipping Forecast, Ninth Art's pick of the best and most notable new releases hitting comic stores each week.

COMIC OF THE WEEK:

EGOMANIA #2 (Eddie Campbell Comics)
The first issue of EGOMANIA was interesting. This issue promises to be downright fascinating - more of Eddie Campbell's ambitious and intriguing "The History Of Humour" (exactly what it says on the tin), and the rest of the issue given over to a lengthy interview with Alan Moore, illustrated by some of Moore's collaborators. Covering both his comics works and his magical works, this promises to be singularly fascinating. Even if you don't agree with Moore's worldview, it can still be entertaining listening to him talk about it - he's learned on the subject, and witty about it, as the excerpts available on Eddie Campbell's website show. And how often are we given a chance to gain a serious insight into the mind of one of the industry's most important creators? You'd have to mad to miss it. [Dogger]

ALSO THIS WEEK:

WILL EISNER'S NAME OF THE GAME SC (DC/The Will Eisner Library)
A new graphic novel from Will Eisner is still a cause to sit up and take notice. Although his later works are looser in line and less subtle in characterisation, they're still an absorbing read. Returning to the New York immigrant milieu that he's portrayed so well before, Eisner's new work is a family saga. The "game" of the title is making a good marriage and carrying on the family name. Taking place in the first half of the last century, NAME OF THE GAME chronicles the lives of the Arnheim family, particularly brothers Conrad and Alex, in a time of societal and personal upheaval. [German Bight]

SUPERMAN: THE 10-CENT ADVENTURE (DC Universe)
Creators, not characters. That seems to be what DC's learned since their original giveaway comic last year (BATMAN: THE 10 CENT ADVENTURE), which was used to launch a long crossover story; sales went up briefly, then back to pre-crossover storyline levels. Meanwhile, the biggest boost to the BATMAN franchise has been the arrival of Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee to the flagship title. So, with the arrival of Steven T Seagle and Scott McDaniel on the series, DC's rolling out the red carpet. Will they be able to breathe life into a floundering line of books? For the amount of money being spent on this book, DC certainly thinks so. At ten cents, it's certainly worth a look. [Plymouth]

HELLBLAZER: HAUNTED TP (DC Vertigo)
Hellblazer's always been a book at its best when it's John Constantine's raw humanity driving him into terrible and frightening situtations, and that's something that's at the very heart of this story, as he investigates the brutal murder of his ex-girlfriend. This storyline saw Warren Ellis pitching his tent for what was intended to be a long run on the title, and it shows a thoroughly convincing approach to the character, and indeed to the general demands of a horror book. It's a great shame that DC couldn't keep Ellis on the title longer, because this story stands very comfortably alongside the classic arcs of the title's past, and set the ground for what could have been a thoroughly enjoyable tenure on the book. Highly recommended for any fan of the title, or indeed, any fan of a good horror story. [Dogger]

PICKS OF 2002:

In addition to our annual Lighthouse Awards, we've asked each of our Shipping Forecast critics to make their picks of the best of the rest of 2002. We'll publish their responses every week this month, beginning with German Bight and Finisterre.

German Bight: LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN VOL.II has turned out to be just as dazzling as the first volume - even more so for those of us who like a bit of good meaty characterisation with their Victoriana. Alan Moore is frankly showing off about how well read he is, but he does it within such an excellent story that he's forgiven. GIRL GENIUS is the League's Saturday morning cartoon/adventure serial equivalent; brightly coloured, action packed and suspenseful, not to mention gleefully funny. Finally, the Hanuka twins' BIPOLAR is a fascinating read, half surreal short pieces, half adaptation of someone else's novel about suicides in the afterlife.

Finisterre: 2002 was a pretty good year for trade reprints and collected editions, with the much-anticipated third volume of THE INVISIBLES being a particular highlight (and, so I'm told, a great improvement on the original issues). Brain-expanding stuff, and one of the few genuine 'must-own' titles of 2002. Also of particular note was the Oni Press edition of Torres and Miyazawa's charming and entertaining SIDEKICKS, which managed to tap that elusive 'teen cool' vibe made popular by BUFFY and the like. Finally, pop thrills from the pen of Pete Milligan and brilliant Philip Bond artwork (which I'm sure must be a tautology) was provided by the excellent VERTIGO POP: LONDON.

THE SHIPPING LIST FOR JANUARY 8th:

Shipping details come courtesy of Diamond. Visit the Diamond website for the latest information, as the list is subject to change.

DC COMICS

OCT020813 100 BULLETS #41 (MR) $2.50
NOV020748 AQUAMAN #2 $2.50
NOV020719 BATMAN: LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #163 $2.50
NOV020751 DOOM PATROL #16 $2.50
NOV020795 FABLES #9 (MR) $2.50
NOV020780 GEN 13 #5 $2.95
OCT020767 GREEN ARROW #20 $2.50
NOV020732 HARLEY QUINN #28 $2.50
NOV020758 HAWKMAN #11 $2.50
NOV020799 HELLBLAZER: HAUNTED TP (MR) $12.95
NOV020762 JSA #44 $2.50
NOV020776 SCOOBY-DOO #68 $2.25
NOV020788 STORMWATCH: TEAM ACHILLES #7 (MR) $2.95
NOV020744 SUPERMAN & BATMAN: GENERATIONS III #1 (Of 12) $2.95
NOV020738 SUPERMAN: THE 10 CENT ADVENTURE $0.10
NOV020806 VERTIGO POP!: LONDON #3 (Of 4) (MR) $2.95
NOV020807 WAR STORY: CONDORS (MR) $4.95
OCT020782 WILL EISNER'S NAME OF THE GAME SC $19.95
NOV020791 ZERO GIRL: FULL CIRCLE #3 (Of 5) (MR) $2.95

IMAGE

OCT021761 POWERS #27 (MR) $2.95
NOV021790 TOMB RAIDER: JOURNEYS #9 (Of 12) $2.99
SEP021231 VIOLENT MESSIAHS: LAMENTING PAIN GOSSETT CVR #2 (Of 4) $2.95
SEP021230 VIOLENT MESSIAHS: LAMENTING PAIN RODRIGUEZ CVR #2 (Of 4) $2.95

MARVEL

NOV022058 BLACK PANTHER #53 $2.50
NOV022072 CALL OF DUTY VOL 2 TP $9.99
NOV022013 DAREDEVIL #41 PI
OCT022029 ELEKTRA #19 $2.99
NOV022028 HULK/WOLVERINE: 6 HOURS #1 (Of 4) $2.99
NOV022051 INCREDIBLE HULK #49 $2.25
NOV022061 KILLRAVEN #4 (Of 6) $2.99
NOV022034 MEKANIX #4 (Of 6) $2.99
NOV022043 SPIDER-MAN: TANGLED WEB #22 $2.99
NOV022016 ULTIMATE DAREDEVIL & ELEKTRA #4 (Of 4) $2.25
NOV022023 ULTIMATE X-MEN #27 $2.25
NOV022070 UNCANNY X-MEN VOL I: HOPE TP $12.99
NOV022031 X-TREME X-MEN #20 $2.99

OTHER PUBLISHERS

OCT022336 ARCHIE AND FRIENDS #66 $2.19
SEP022049 ARKANIUM #3 $2.95
OCT022338 BETTY #121 $2.19
OCT022341 BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #112 $3.59
AUG021790 DOLL & CREATURE GN $12.95
OCT022562 EGOMANIA MAGAZINE #2 $4.95
OCT022407 FUTURAMA/SIMPSONS SPECIAL: CROSSOVER CRISIS #2 (Of 2)$2.50
NOV022467 LODOSS WAR: DEEDLIT'S TALE VOL 2 TP $15.95
NOV022424 MYSTIC #32 $2.95
SEP022364 SHONEN JUMP VOL 1 #1 $4.95
OCT022827 SHONEN JUMP VOL 1 #2 FEBRUARY 2003 $4.95
NOV022490 TRANSFORMERS: WAR WITHIN #4 $2.95 AUG021818 VAMPI #24 DLX ED $9.95 AUG021817 VAMPI #24 REG ED $2.99 JUL022316 VEROTIK WORLD #1: FAN CLUB CVR (MR) $5.00
OCT022524 WARLANDS VOL 3 #2 $2.95
NOV022431 WAY OF THE RAT #9 $2.95

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

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