The Shipping Forecast for March 19th

Take an escape from your troubles by diving in to someone else's, whether it's the flush of first love you're looking for, or the threat of alien invasion. If your life is stranger than these fictions, it's time to seek help.
17 March 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:

HOPELESS SAVAGES: GROUND ZERO (Oni Press)
Well, Ninth Art loved this when it came out as a series, and we still love it now that it's been reborn as a cute little TPB. We love it so much, that one of our editors has written the introduction. You'll have to buy the book to find out his reasons. I can tell you why I love it, though. Anyone who's mad enough to keep track of who's who over at the lighthouse might know that I have a big soft spot for anthology titles, and GROUND ZERO takes the spirit of anthology titles - lots of artists, lots of stories - but (and this is the really clever bit) uses it to tell just one big story. As the life of the youngest Hopeless Savage, Zero, heads for an inevitable teenage emotional derailment, the presence of a documentary crew in the family home adds to her troubles. In flashback, we learn more about the romantic histories of the rest of the family. So over the course of four issues and as many artists (Bryan O'Malley, Christine Norrie, Andi Watson & Chynna Clugston-Major) we learn a lot about love; family love, first love and true love. Jen Van Meter's writing is immaculate, the art's ideal, and I blubbed like a girl when I read this. Twice. [German Bight]

ALSO THIS WEEK:

HOW LOATHSOME #1 (NBM)
You think you know about love against the odds? You ain't seen nothing yet. Taking as its backdrop the goth scene of San Francisco, HOW LOATHSOME is relationship drama as seen through the eyes of two people who don't identify with the antiseptic sitcom world of network TV. Not quite all human life is here - it's a fairly specific subculture, after all - but it's a more colourful canvas than you'll be used to seeing. Heck, there are variant sexualities here Queen Victoria never even dreamt of. For its sheer originality of subject matter alone, HOW LOATHSOME is one of the books I'm most eagerly anticipating this year. Judging by the online preview, creators Ted Naifeh and Tristan Crane will not disappoint. [Fisher]

THE HOOD VOL 1: BLOOD FROM STONES TP (Marvel Max)
You're familiar with the story - young man down on his luck finds mystical artefact that lets him do things beyond his wildest dreams. Only... what if the person who found it wasn't such a nice person? What if he was a petty thief who sees this mystical cloak and boots as a way to step up his career as a criminal? And what if you as a reader still found him to be compelling and were cheering on his survival? Well, then you've got THE HOOD mini-series from Brian K Vaughan and Kyle Hotz. Unfortunate enough to first get solicited right as interest in mini-series from Marvel's MAX imprint was fading, this underlooked gem is getting a second chance at life; with one of the most interesting casts in a superhero book and possibly the best art in Hotz's career, it's well worth a look. [Plymouth]

SHADE THE CHANGING MAN: THE AMERICAN SCREAM TP (DC Vertigo)
There was a time when the four pillars of Vertigo seemed to be SANDMAN, HELLBLAZER, SWAMP THING and SHADE. The early years. If you missed it, the ripening thirtysomething goths will tell you, you missed a golden era for modern comics. Except, of course, you can catch up on SANDMAN and select episodes of the other two series in trade form, while until now, SHADE was only available in the back issue bins. SHADE takes a Steve Ditko alien and spins it through the mind of Peter Milligan, who reinvented the character as a mad mod poet manifested in the body of a killer. The series is a road trip through love, hate, magic and insanity, and this Chris Bachalo-illustrated first six issues begins the tour with an American breakdown. If it sells well enough, we'll hopefully see the rest of the series in trade. So for heaven's sake, pick it up. You'd be crazy not to. [Fisher]

SMALLVILLE #1 (DC Comics)
It's only taken DC a season and half to wake up to the success of its biggest screen success story of the past few years. I can only assume that there was some kind of weird licensing problem that can be held responsible for the delay in launching the spin-off series, because that's about the only excuse I can think of for not capitalising on the show's success. Still, better late then never. This comic is written by one of the show's co-writers, so it should have plenty of the same weird charm that the show possesses, and it offers plenty of extras for fans of the show, so it looks like DC is doing a bang up job with making this tie in appeal to people who don't normally read comics, even if it is a little late. [Dogger]

JUDGE DREDD VS ALIENS: INCUBUS #1 (Dark Horse)
HR Giger's Aliens really are the whipping boys of the comics world. Subject of a zillion previous crossovers, and yet to come out on top in any of them. Sadly, this trend seems set to continue as they now face the toughest future lawman of them all, Judge Dredd, as the aliens run loose through Mega-City One. Previously appearing in the pages of 2000AD, this story is co-scripted by Dredd creator John Wagner and HELLBLAZER: LADY CONSTANTINE writer Andy Diggle, and could well be the best Aliens crossover yet. Art is by Henry Flint, whose scratchy, detailed style is ideal for portraying the xenomorphs in suitably menacing fashion. As is typical with Dredd, I expect the bodycount to be matched only by the frequency of the one-liners. [Finisterre]

THE SHIPPING LIST FOR MARCH 19th:

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

DARK HORSE

JAN030087 BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL: FALL FROST (PART 5 OF 6) #77 (MR) $2.99
JAN030066 JUDGE DREDD VS ALIENS: INCUBUS #1 (Of 4) $2.99

DC COMICS

JAN030198 BATGIRL #38 $2.50
JAN030195 BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS #39 $2.75
JAN030203 BIRDS OF PREY #53 $2.50
JAN030229 FLASH #196 $2.25
JAN030230 FOREVER MAELSTROM #5 (Of 6) $2.95
JAN030232 GREEN ARROW #22 $2.50
JAN030240 JLA: SCARY MONSTERS #1 (Of 6) $2.50
JAN030243 JUSTICE LEAGUE ADVENTURES #17 $2.25
JAN030286 LUCIFER #36 (MR) $2.50
NOV025004 ON THE ROAD TO PERDITION BOOK ONE: OASIS (PU#555) $7.95
JAN030247 POWER COMPANY #14 $2.75
JAN030255 POWERPUFF GIRLS #36 $2.25
JAN030213 ROBIN #112 $2.25
JAN030264 ROBOTECH #4 (Of 6) $2.95
DEC020823 SHADE THE CHANGING MAN: THE AMERICAN SCREAM TP (MR) $17.95
JAN030267 SLEEPER #3 (MR) $2.95
JAN030217 SMALLVILLE #1 $3.50
JAN030218 SUPERGIRL #80 $2.50
JAN030219 SUPERMAN: METROPOLIS #2 (Of 12) $2.95
JAN030268 THUNDERCATS: THE RETURN #2 (Of 5) $2.95
DEC020826 WAR STORY: ARCHANGEL (MR) $4.95
JAN030250 WONDER WOMAN: PARADISE FOUND TP $14.95
JAN030288 Y: THE LAST MAN #9 (MR) $2.95

IMAGE

JAN031269 DEVIL'S DUE STUDIOS PREVIEW 2003 $1.00
JAN031290 PARADIGM #7 $2.95
DEC021844 WITCHBLADE: NOTTINGHAM $4.99

MARVEL

JAN031535 CAPTAIN AMERICA: WHAT PRICE GLORY #3 $2.99
JAN031590 CAPTAIN MARVEL #7 $2.25
DEC022101 MARVILLE #6 $2.25
JAN031559 NEW X-MEN #138 $2.25
JAN031583 PUNISHER #23 $2.99
JAN031576 SOLDIER X #9 $2.25
JAN031602 THE HOOD VOL 1: BLOOD FROM STONES TP (MR) $14.99
JAN031543 THUNDERBOLTS #77 $2.25
JAN031539 TRUTH: RED WHITE & BLACK #5 (Of 6) $3.50
JAN031540 TRUTH: RED WHITE & BLACK: THE MARVEL MUST HAVE EDITION (O/A) $3.99
JAN031578 ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #38 $2.25
JAN031556 X-MEN 2 MOVIE PREQUEL: NIGHTCRAWLER $3.50
JAN031555 X-MEN 2 MOVIE PREQUEL: WOLVERINE $3.50
JAN031570 X-MEN: RONIN #2 (Of 5) $2.99

OTHER PUBLISHERS

JAN032444 ALL NEW TENCHI MUYO VOL 1 TP: ALIEN NATION $8.95
JAN031956 BETTY & VERONICA #186 $2.19
JAN031957 BETTY & VERONICA DIGEST #137 $2.39
JAN032327 BONEYARD SPECIAL: SWIMSUIT ISSUE (MR) $2.95
NOV022301 COMIC BOOK HEAVEN VOL 2 #8 (Note Price) $2.95
JAN032052 CROSSOVERS #3 $2.95
JAN032055 CRUX #24 $2.95
JAN032085 ELVIRA #119 $2.50
JAN032024 EVENFALL #1 (MR) $2.95
JAN032448 FIREFIGHTER: DAIGO OF FIRE COMPANY M VOL 2 GN SPECIAL ED (RES) $9.95
FEB031835 FIRST #30 $2.95
FEB031849 FORGE #13 $7.95
JAN032100 GENERIC COMIC BOOK #12 $1.95
JAN031904 GLOOM COOKIE #15 (MR) $2.95
JAN032421 GROWING UP ENCHANTED #3 $2.95
JAN032350 HOPELESS SAVAGES VOL 2: GROUND ZERO TP $11.95
JAN032326 HOW LOATHSOME #1 (MR) $2.95
FEB032219 INU YASHA VOL 1 TP 2ND ED $8.95
FEB032220 INU YASHA VOL 2 TP 2ND ED $8.95
JAN031960 JUGHEADS DOUBLE DIGEST #93 $3.59
JAN031872 PANEL TWO: MORE SCRIPTS BY TOP COMICS WRITERS VOL 2 TP $20.95
JAN032063 ROUTE 666 #10 $2.95
JAN032065 SCION #34 $2.95
JAN032465 SILENT MOBIUS VOL 10 TP: BLOOD $12.95
DEC012644 SMOKE VOL 1 GN (MR) $19.95
JAN031963 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #121 $2.19
JAN031874 STRANGERS IN PARADISE VOL 12 TP: HEART IN HAND $12.95
JAN032120 STYLISH VITTLES VOL 2: ALL THE WAY TP (MR) $17.00
JAN032132 TRANSFORMERS ARMADA #9 $2.95
JAN032114 UROTSUKIDOJI: LEGEND OF THE OVERFIEND BOOK 4 (A) $16.95
JAN032467 VAGABOND VOL 5 TP $9.95

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.