Welcome to The Forecast. Every Monday, Ninth Art's hand-picked team of crack comic pundits offer a rundown of some of the best, worst and most noteworthy books on the shelves of your local comic shop.

BOOK OF THE WEEK: DAREDEVIL

The second issue of DAREDEVIL under the stewardship of Lark and Brubaker hits stores this week, and to call it 'highly-anticipated' would be, at the very least, le mot juste.

The claustrophobia suffered by the title character was evident from the first page of the previous issue. Following the through line established by previous writer Brian Bendis, Brubaker has turned Matthew Murdock's world upside-down, isolating him from his usual support system in the most terrible of ways.

One of the overarching themes in DAREDEVIL - certainly in the last five years, but stretching back to Frank Miller, as well - has been the idea that Murdock is somehow trapped by Daredevil: trapped in Hell's Kitchen by the memory of his father; trapped between justice and the law; and trapped in an unending cycle of violence.

Brubaker has taken Murdock out of Hell's Kitchen (at least physically), but the rest of his world has shrunk to a noose about his neck. The air of paranoia has become palpable, taking the form of an internal monologue - a stylistic divergence from the previous incarnation of the title that only serves to underline the character's isolation.

Michael Lark is much more comfortable with action than Alex Maleev, although they share a grounding in reality that suits the tone of the series. That said, the tension in the opening pages of this week's issue #83 (this preview contains spoilers for #82 as well) belies the sombre staging. If Lark and Brubaker can maintain the tension of this opening act, their run on DAREDEVIL will be every bit the equal of the previous incumbents; an unmissable psychological drama. [Matthew Craig]

BARBARIAN BONANZA

"What is best in life, Conan?"

"To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you and to hear the lamentation of their women"

"And..."

"Er... to have a successful comics relaunch."

"Oh, you've changed."

"Hey, I've got one hell of a mead-tab. And the dancing girls don't pay for themselves, you know."

Dark Horse's revival of Conan is one of the success stories of the last couple of years. And in a market with few of them, no-sooner has its victory shout echoed around the modern comics battlefield than the answering cries of others trying for a little of that underclothed warrior coinage rise up in chorus. The she-devil-with-sword-and-perpetual-chafing Red Sonya had a successful relaunch via Dynamite. Avatar somehow talked Warren Ellis into getting in touch with his inner berserker to write the forthcoming WOLFSKIN. Relevantly, Dark Horse released a couple of Conan-starring spin-off mini series and have now turned their attention on his supporting cast - namely Thoth-Amon, sorcerer and general evil bastard. Specifically, how he came to be, from beggar boy to diabolic scourge of Hyboria.

Writing credits on CONAN BOOK OF THOTH #1 are shared between Len Wein and main-series scribe Kurt Busiek, illustrated with suitably atmospheric Kelley Jones art for this magic (Magick? Magik? Magique? Oh, it's so hard to tell with these fantasy comics) centred mini-series. With Wein and Busiek hailing from the best traditional and new traditionalist schools of comic writers respectively, you may hope for an interesting interplay between the pair's strengths.

Also, expect swords and/or sorcery. [Kieron Gillen]

FEATURING MUTANT PHIL COLLINS

At WizardWorld Los Angeles this past weekend, Marvel chief Joe Quesada complained that the Marvel universe has been mutant-led for too long - a situation he probably could have found a deft remedy for, what with his being in charge of the whole universe 'n all, but instead he opted for the gentle jackhammer of wiping out all the mutants with a single sleight of plot device. God forbid his children ever get head lice; he'll probably decapitate them.

According to Newsarama, Quesada wants to place other characters at the forefront of the Marvel universe now. A perfectly admirable notion, though its easy to read this as idle confirmation of something we all realised a long time ago; that Brian Bendis is in the creative driving seat at Marvel these days, and he just happens to think the Avengers are really cool.

So, while foolishly loyal readers watch with quickening horror as the tendrils of the encroaching CIVIL WAR rupture their way through their comics, here comes a timely reminder from that day fifteen years ago when the mutant hegemony of Marvel was really hitting its stride: X-MEN: MUTANT GENESIS.

MUTANT GENESIS collects the first seven issues of the second comic to bear the legend 'X-MEN' in its title - a launch best remembered for its five variant cover first issues (and variant Jim Lee pin-ups). In these days of seven or eight so-titled series, from ASTONISHING X-MEN to NEW X-MEN to X-MEN: THE 198 (good work paring back the mutants there, Joe), one almost feels a quaint twinge of nostalgia for that simple, unthreatening second X-MEN title.

Arising from carefully cultivated demand for the mutant brand, Jim Lee and Chris Claremont's X-MEN set the stage for a glut of 90s crossovers and spin-offs. It was very much the NEW AVENGERS of its day. So remember your past, children - because looking at those CIVIL WAR solicitations, I fear you're about to repeat it. [Andrew Wheeler]

AVENGERS ASSEMBLY LINE

Mike Deodato Jr joins NEW AVENGERS this week. He's the fourth 'regular' artist in little over a year and a half, but with artists of this title's calibre, it's easy to forgive. Deodato manages to be many things to many people. He's traditionalist enough to keep the old school fans sated, he meets deadlines, he's worked on Marvel's greats and you can understand what's going on.

But when he lets loose he can also wow the sensationalist art-loving crowd. His big, pointy chested females evoke the best parts of the Liefeld era, and there's enough artistic biff-bang-pow to avoid any claims of - the horror - being too traditional. And somehow he's managed to slide in amongst all the young 'uns and become one of Marvel's Big Guns. After a run on THE INCREDIBLE HULK and AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, there don't seem many more places he can go.

NEW AVENGERS #17 is the official start of a new arc that really kicked off with a prelude last issue. Actually, if you want to be overly literal about it, the entire HOUSE OF M 'event' was the prelude. Modern comics don't just have crossovers these days; they have events; a series of comics that all touch on the same epic plot point, but are in no way 'crossing over'. No, that would be silly. HOUSE OF M launched a thousand ships, but you didn't have to sail on every ship to enjoy it. (In fact, it's safe to say very few people actually enjoyed it.) [John Fellows]

THE SHIPPING LIST FOR MARCH 22nd 2006:

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

DARK HORSE

NOV050046D 13TH SON WORSE THING WAITING #4 (OF 4) $2.99

DC COMICS

JAN060353D AMERICAN WAY #2 (OF 8) $2.99
JAN060276D BATMAN #651 $2.50
JAN060338D CARTOON NETWORK BLOCK PARTY #19 $2.25
JAN060279D CATWOMAN #53 $2.50
SEP050286D GALS VOL 4 $9.99
JAN060313D HAWKGIRL #50 $2.50
JAN060379D HELLBLAZER #218 (MR) $2.75
JAN060319D JSA CLASSIFIED #10 $2.50
JAN060315D MANHUNTER #20 $2.50
JAN060347D SEIMADEN VOL 4 $9.99
JAN060329D SEVEN SOLDIERS OF VICTORY VOL 2 TP $14.99
JAN060330D SGT ROCK THE PROPHECY #3 (OF 6) $2.99
JAN060320D SUPERGIRL AND THE LEGION OF SUPER HEROES #16 $2.99
MAR050448 TENJHO TENGE VOL 2 $9.99
SEP050284D TENJHO TENGE VOL 4 $9.99
JAN060385D TESTAMENT #4 (MR) $2.99
JAN060370D TOP 10 THE FORTY NINERS SC (MR) $17.99

IMAGE COMICS

SEP051671D DISTANT SOIL VOL 4 CODA LTD ED HC (RES) $29.95

MARVEL COMICS

JAN062015D ALL NEW OFF HANDBOOK MARVEL UNIVERSE A TO Z #3 $3.99
JAN062016D AMAZING FANTASY #19 $2.99
JAN062000D AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #530 $2.50
JAN062006D ARES #3 (OF 5) $2.99
JAN062011D BLACK PANTHER #14 $2.99
JAN062018D CAPTAIN AMERICA #16 $2.99
JAN062008D DAREDEVIL #83 $2.99
JAN062097D DAREDEVIL VOL 13 THE MURDOCK PAPERS TP $14.99
JAN062021D DAUGHTERS OF THE DRAGON #3 (OF 6) $2.99
JAN062066D EXILES #78 $2.99
JAN062026D INCREDIBLE HULK #93 $2.99
JAN068038D INCREDIBLE HULK 2ND PTG HITCH VAR #92 $2.99
JAN062027D IRON MAN THE INEVITABLE #4 (OF 6) $2.99
JAN068042D MARVEL ZOMBIES 2ND PTG VAR #3 (OF 5) $2.99
JAN068041D MARVEL ZOMBIES 3RD PTG VAR #1 (OF 5) $2.99
JAN062041D NEW AVENGERS #17 $2.50
JAN062045D NEXTWAVE AGENTS OF HATE #3 $2.99
JAN062092D RUNAWAYS VOL 5 ESCAPE TO NEW YORK DIGEST TP $7.99
JAN062054D SABLE & FORTUNE #3 (OF 4) $2.99
JAN062057D SHE-HULK 2 #6 $2.99
JAN062103D SILVER SURFER REBIRTH OF THANOS TP $24.99
JAN062004D SPIDER-MAN LOVES MARY JANE #4 $2.99
JAN062014D SQUADRON SUPREME #1 $2.99
DEC058378J SQUADRON SUPREME BIANCHI SKETCH VARIANT #1 PI
DEC058377D SQUADRON SUPREME BIANCHI VARIANT #1 $2.99
JAN062072D STORM #2 (OF 6) $2.99
NOV052004D SUPREME POWER HYPERION #5 (OF 5) (MR) $2.99
JAN061996D ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #28 $2.50
JAN062050D UNTOLD TALES OF THE NEW UNIVERSE DP7 $2.99
JAN062013D WOLVERINE #40 $2.99
JAN062071D X-FACTOR #5 $2.99
JAN062074D X-MEN #184 $2.50
JAN062108D X-MEN MUTANT GENESIS TP $19.99

OTHER PUBLISHERS

NOV052978F 11TH CAT VOL 2 GN $10.95
FEB042719E ALICE 19TH VOL 4 UNREQUITED LOVE GN $9.95
NOV052979F ANGEL DIARY VOL 2 GN $10.95
JAN063096E ANGEL SCRIPTBOOK #1 $3.99
JAN062855E ARCHIE & FRIENDS #99 $2.25
JAN062856E ARCHIE DIGEST #224 $2.39
DEC053185E ATHENA VOLTAIRE FLIGHT OF THE FALCON #2 $2.99
JAN063242E BLACK COAT CALL TO ARMS #1 (OF 4) $2.99
NOV053274E BOYS OVER FLOWERS VOL 16 TP $9.99
NOV052980F BRING IT ON VOL 2 GN $10.95
NOV032646E CERES CELESTIAL LEGEND VOL 6 TP SHURO $9.95
NOV052981F CHOCOLAT VOL 2 GN $10.95
JAN062796E CHRONO CRUSADE MANGA VOL 7 TP $9.99
JAN063237F CONVENTION CONFESSIONAL #2 $3.95
JAN062988E DRAGONLANCE CHRONICLES KURTH CVR A #8 (OF 8) $2.95
JAN062989E DRAGONLANCE CHRONICLES WALPOLE CVR B #8 (OF 8) $5.95
JAN062873E FATHOM #8 $2.99
JAN062985E FORGOTTEN REALMS DARK ELF SOJOURN SEELEY CVR A #1 (OF 3) $4.95
JAN062986E FORGOTTEN REALMS DARK ELF SOJOURN WALPOLE B #1 (OF 3) $8.95
JAN062795E FULL METAL PANIC MANGA VOL 9 TP $9.99
JAN062923E FUTURAMA COMICS #24 $2.99
JAN052871F KOLCHAK THE NIGHT STALKER EVE OF TERROR GN $5.95
DEC053100F LIVING IN INFAMY #3 (OF 4) (MR) $2.95
DEC053113F PAT NOVAK FOR HIRE GN (MR) $4.95
NOV053118E PHANTOM JACK NO WHERE MAN AGENDA #1 (OF 3) $2.99
DEC052938E RED SONJA VS THULSA DOOM #3 (OF 4) $3.50
JAN042827E SENSUAL PHRASE VOL 1 TP (MR) $9.95
MAR063072E SIMPSONS VOL 5 BIG BOUNCY BOOK OF BART SIMPSON TP $13.95
JAN062864E SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #160 $2.25
JAN063054E UNCLE SCROOGE #352 $6.95
JAN063055E WALT DISNEYS COMICS AND STORIES #667 $6.95
JAN062847E WEAPONS FILE SUPERSIZED VOL 1 TP $24.95

The Ninth Eight are Matthew Craig, John Fellows, Kieron Gillen, Alistair Kennedy, Zack Smith, Andrew Wheeler, Ben Wooller and Bulent Yusuf.

This article is Ideological Freeware. The author grants permission for its reproduction and redistribution 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.