The Shipping Forecast for July 9th

It's the pre-San Diego slump as publishers hold back their biggest books for a convention push. Ninth Art has an early tip for an SDCC debut to look out for, and the pick of the best graphic novels to tide you over in the meantime.
07 July 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:

SEMANTIC LACE GN (Image)
When Arrow Comics published the first two issues of Sherard Jackson's SEMANTIC LACE a couple of years ago, everyone who saw it couldn't help but sit up and take notice. Jackson's story of futuristic robotic suits in Israel contained a strong mix of action and drama, and the wait for the next instalment was frustrating. Now, Image Comics is publishing the entire story as a digest-sized graphic novel; Jackson's Japanese-influenced art will probably get a much better reception this second time around, and if the conclusion is as good as the first half, it's going to pack a solid punch for readers. [Plymouth]

ALSO THIS WEEK:

BATMAN: NINE LIVES SC (DC Comics)
Fans of the excellent and extremely quirky metropolis noir TERMINAL CITY will want to take a look at this acclaimed little Elseworlds detective adventure, previously only available in hardback. I've said before that I generally loathe Elseworlds books (none of it is real, you fools!), but TERMINAL CITY creators Dean Motter and Michael Lark make for an excellent team, and this sideways-stapled story (presumably not here referred to as 'Marvelscope') features some of Lark's most beautiful and accomplished artwork to date. Reports suggest this is quintessential Batman noir, so steel yourself against expectations of the usual Elseworlds fanfic indulgence and take a look. [Fisher]

IN THE SHADOW OF EDGAR ALLAN POE SC (DC Vertigo)
Edgar Allan Poe's life might as well have been one of his own stories; forbidden incestuous love affairs, bouts of depression, and a downward spiral involving alcohol and self-destruction. That could very well be where Jonathan Scott Fuqua came up with the idea for writing IN THE SHADOW OF EDGAR ALLAN POE, as Poe is tormented by the spirit of his dead father... or is it the grip of dementia? With digitally-altered photography by the I, PAPARAZZI team of Steven Parke and Stephen John Phillips, Fuqua's moody story manages to both delight and disturb, vividly depicting the life of one of America's greatest horrorists in a manner that will stay with the reader for a while. IN THE SHADOW OF EDGAR ALLAN POE manages to both pay homage to the master and create a distinct, worthwhile work of fiction in its own right. I think Poe would be pleased. [Plymouth]

EMMA FROST #1 (Marvel)
OK, let's get the buzz out of the way. Grant Morrison has re-energised interest in the x-books uberbitch to the point where a spin-off series seems viable. Karl Bollers is writing, Randy Green is illustrating, and I haven't a clue whether any of that's a good thing. What I do know is that I am utterly sick and tired of Greg Horn's sexless, ugly-ass covers (not shown here, because we don't hate you), which never fail to make the women look like inflatable sex toys. Adam Hughes can do cheesecake. Terry Dodson can do cheesecake. Frank Cho can do cheesecake. What Greg Horn does looks like posing storefront mannequins. Cheesecake is an art, and the great American paperback illustrator Robert McGinnis would surely never approve. [Fisher]

DEBUTING AT SAN DIEGO:

WARY TALES (Pants Press)
Not available in the shops, but coming out in time for the San Diego Comicon and then available online afterwards. At last, the Pants Press alliance, who I only know through their various webcomics, are putting out something that you can hold in your hands, stuff in your pocket and force upon unsuspecting friends. Yes, paper at last. Call me a luddite, but this thrills me. I'm less thrilled about being stuck on a tiny little island while SDCC is happening on the other side of the ocean, but there we go. Why should you seek out this among all the other small press offerings there? Well, if you're the sort of person who's missing seeing Linda Medley in print and used to get a kick out of CLASSICS DESECRATED, then this contains shiny golden nuggets of a beautiful future. The Pants Press people are all stunning artists. They include Dylan Meconis and Vera Brosgol, currently making a splash on girlamatic.com, and others just so funny and talented you could puke. Go here for a taster. But don't go and puke on them; buy WARY TALES instead. Tell 'em the fishermen sent you. Then go and buy other small press comics.

THE SHIPPING LIST FOR JULY 9th:

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

DARK HORSE

MAY030018 BLACKBURNE COVENANT #4 (Of 4) $2.99
MAY030042 BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL: PETALS ON THE WIND #80 (MR) $2.99
MAY030019 CRIMINAL MACABRE: A CAL MCDONALD MYSTERY #3 (Of 5) $2.99
MAY030036 INVINCIBLE ED #3: LANCE LUNDGRIN UNLEASHES (Of 4) $2.99
APR030055 SUPER MANGA BLAST #33 (MR) $5.99

DC COMICS

MAY030208 21 DOWN #11 $2.95
MAY030158 ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #618 $2.25
MAY030138 BATMAN: LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #169 $2.50
APR030153 BATMAN: NINE LIVES SC $17.95
MAY030236 BLOOD AND WATER #5 (Of 5) (MR) $2.95
MAY030171 DOOM PATROL #22 $2.50
MAY030237 FABLES #15 (MR) $2.50
MAY030176 FALLEN ANGEL #1 $2.50
MAY030213 GEN 13 #11 $2.95
MAY030178 GREEN ARROW #28 $2.50
APR030184 GREEN ARROW: THE SOUNDS OF VIOLENCE HC $19.95
MAY030242 HUNTER: AGE OF MAGIC #25 (MR) $2.75
MAY030244 IN THE SHADOW OF EDGAR ALLAN POE SC (MR) $17.95
MAY030189 JSA #50 (Note Price) $3.95
MAY030196 LOBO UNBOUND #2 (Of 6) (MR) $2.95
MAY030155 NIGHTWING #83 $2.25
MAY030199 POWER COMPANY #18 $2.75
MAY030207 SCOOBY DOO #74 $2.25
MAY030218 STORMWATCH: TEAM ACHILLES #13 (MR) $2.95
MAY030167 SUPERGIRL: MANY HAPPY RETURNS TP $14.95
MAY030165 SUPERMAN AND BATMAN: GENERATIONS III #7 (Of 12) $2.95

IMAGE

APR031262 AGENTS #3 (Of 6) $2.95
APR031266 DAWN: THREE TIERS #1 (Of 6) $2.95
APR031274 GI JOE/TRANSFORMERS CAMPBELL CVR #1 (Of 6) $2.95
APR031284 LIBERTY MEADOWS #32 $2.95
STAR07266 SAVAGE DRAGON VOL 3: THE FALLEN TP $12.95
APR031299 SEMANTIC LACE GN $9.95
MAR031316 WICKED VOL 1 OMNIBUS TP $19.95

MARVEL

MAY031499 CAPTAIN AMERICA #15 $2.99
MAY031518 DOMINO #3 (Of 4) $2.50
MAY031508 EMMA FROST #1 $2.50
MAY031524 FANTASTIC FOUR #500 (#71) (Note Price) $3.50
MAY031533 INCREDIBLE HULK #57 $2.25
MAY021516 IRON MAN #57 $2.25
MAY031491 KINGPIN #2 $2.50
MAY031535 MARVEL MUST HAVES INCREDIBLE HULK #34-36 $3.99
MAY031503 MARVEL MUST HAVES ULTIMATE X-MEN #1-3 $3.99
MAY031497 PUNISHER #29 $2.99
MAY031483 SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #1 $2.25
MAY031544 THOR #66 $2.99
MAY031481 TROUBLE #1 (Of 5) $2.99
MAY031502 ULTIMATE X-MEN #35 $2.25
MAY031516 WOLVERINE #3 $2.25
MAY031566 WOLVERINE LEGENDS VOL 4: XISLE TP $13.99

OTHER PUBLISHERS

MAY032171 ALIEN NINE BOOK 2 GN $15.95
MAY032226 ANGELS WING #2 $7.95
MAY031994 ARCHIE #538 $2.19
APR032003 ARCHIE MYSTERIES #29 $2.19
APR032509 BATTLE ANGEL ALITA: LAST ORDER VOL 1 TP: ANGEL REBORN $9.95
APR032007 BETTY & VERONICA #190 $2.19
MAY032139 CBLDF SPX 2003 TRAVEL GN $9.95
MAR032244 DEATHMASK #3 $2.99
MAR032245 FREEMIND #7 $2.99
APR032010 JUGHEAD #152 $2.19
MAY032009 JUGHEAD WITH ARCHIE DIGEST #185 $2.39
MAY032365 LOVE FIGHTS #2 $2.99
MAY032101 MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE VOL 1 TP: SHARD OF DARKNESS $9.95
MAR032247 METALLIX #6 $2.99
MAY032111 MYSTIC #38 $2.95
MAY032429 NORM: 12 STEPS TO MARRIAGE $4.95
APR032377 ODDBALLZ #8 $2.95
APR032510 ONE PIECE VOL 1 TP: ROMANCE DAWN $7.95
MAY032012 PALS N GALS DOUBLE DIGEST #77 $3.59
APR032408 QUEEN & COUNTRY #17 (MR) $2.99
APR032013 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #125 $2.19
MAY032190 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES ANIMATED #2 (Of 6) $2.95
MAY032193 TRANSFORMERS ARMADA #13 $2.95
APR032524 VAGABOND VOL 6 TP $9.95
MAY032377 VICTORIAN TP ACT 3: SELF ESTRANGEMENT $19.95
MAY032129 WAY OF THE RAT #15 $2.95
APR032527 X/1999 VOL 3 TP 2ND ED SONATA $9.95
APR032528 X/1999 VOL 4 TP 2ND ED INTERMEZZO $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.