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:

HAWKMAN #3 (DC Universe)
HAWKMAN reminds me a lot of when James Robinson and Tony Harris had STARMAN debut in the early 90s. Nothing terribly flashy, just good solid stories and art. Robinson and Geoff Johns are bringing a new city to life in the DC Universe, mixing characterisation and action effortlessly. At the same time, Rags Morales and Michael Bair's art is looking very nice; it's hard to believe that Morales hasn't had a high profile art assignment before now. Don't worry about complicated continuities and past Hawkmen and the like. Just enjoy this in the here and now. It's fun.

DOOM PATROL #8 (DC Universe)
This is easily the prettiest book you're not reading. Newcomer Tan Eng Huat's art puts one in mind of people like Travis Charest, with intricate linework and attention to detail. It's breathtaking to see the sheer amount of work that's gone into every single panel... on a monthly basis. Maybe he's being fuelled by John Arcudi's scripts; the book started off a bit slow, but this character drama became thoroughly engrossing when no one was paying attention. In five years time, everyone's going to be talking about this book and desperately looking for copies. Don't miss out.

FISHER PICKS:

MOONLIGHT CUTTER #1 (Studio G)
Some weeks, the shipping list is so short on exciting new books that I find myself looking for more info on books I've never heard of in the hopes that something interesting will crop up. And sure enough, this week something did. From the publishers of MURCIELAGA, SHE-BAT (wait, don't leave!), comes this ad-free 40-page graphic novel about 12th century Chinese swordfighters. Written and illustrated by Dale Berry, MOONLIGHT CUTTER tells the tale of a wandering ghost fighting to return from beyond the grave. Judging by the preview pages at the Studio G website, it could be exciting, action-packed stuff. In a week like this, it's definitely worth risking four dollars to find out more.

100 BULLETS #35 (DC Vertigo)
Recently announced as the deserved 2002 Harvey Award winner for best ongoing series, as well as best writer (Brian Azzarello) and best artist (the incomparable Eduardo Risso). Sorry about that, CrossGen. This being the fifth part of a six-part story, it's not the best time to jump on board, but Vertigo has at least stepped up the trade paperback release programme, with the new collection out next month. That will still leave the series seven issues ahead, however. It seems neither DC nor Marvel has quite got its head around this whole trade paperback thing, with both publishers guilty of erratic scheduling. If Vertigo could only bring the trades right up to date on this prestigious series, I for one would certainly switch over and start buying the monthly issues, even at this late stage.

VIKING PICKS:

FURY TPB (Marvel Max)
I wasn't expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. Garth Ennis tells the story of Nick Fury, Marvel's eyepatched American answer to James Bond, as a tired old warhorse drawn against his will into one last battle. From there, the tale goes on to become a sort of splatter comedy with angst, and it's a fantastically good one. Ennis' characters are as well rounded and believable as ever, and his humour is rib tickling. Darick Robertson's gorgeous art also helps to sell the package - it's a far cry from his work on TRANSMETROPOLITAN, due mainly to the addition of Jimmy Palmiotti on inking duties. It's got guns, explosions, humour in poor taste, and some guy gets strangled with his own lower intestine. What's not to like?

THE ULTIMATES #4 (Ultimate Marvel)
The Ultimates is one of what I like to think of as the subversive superhero books - books that have thrown out so many of the superhero tropes that they're only nominally superhero books at all. Eventually, everything Marvel puts out will be crime and romance, and nobody will have noticed. Nightmare! But enough of that. In THE ULTIMATES, Mark Millar has crafted a 21st century version of Marvel mainstay The Avengers - he's chucked all the stupid bits, added in some good bits (Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, my favourite New Marvel Concept today), and handed it to Bryan Hitch to draw. The end result looks gorgeous, and the writing's Millar's best yet. Issue 4 is part of the 6 part opening story, which is proceeding at a very refined pace. The tension is building, and the team is being assembled.

DOGGER PICKS:

POUNDED #2 (Oni Press)
The first issue of this made me laugh lots, so I'm back for more. American punk and British punk are two different institutions, so I'm not exactly familiar with the sort of scene that Wood is showing us. (Come to that, I'm rather too young for British punk first time around, but at least I understand it better.) Still, it doesn't matter that I don't really have a serious interest in the US punk scene, because what we're being served here looks like a twisted sort of romantic comedy, and by God, it's funny. Our male lead is exactly as stupid as his name (Heavy Parker) makes him sound, and the women in his life are clearly smarter, stronger, and generally better than him. This is what I like to see in this sort of thing. Wood writes with the right mix of affection and insight into the people on this scene to make it believable without being nostalgic, and Rolston is emerging as one of the finest artists around today, particularly for this comedic but not farcical series.

SLOW NEWS DAY #6 (Slave Labor Graphics)
Yes, I know that we've picked this every issue. Yes, I know that this is the last one and therefore conventional wisdom would suggest that it may not be the best time to try this book out. Tough. This book is utterly marvellous. If you've not been buying it, then I have no sympathy, because you're clearly too thick to spot something good when it is waved in front of you. This is the other end of romantic comedy, played for the knowing smile, rather than the outright laugh, and it's played well. I'm looking forward to seeing how it all ties up, and if you've got any taste then you probably are too. And if you're not, well, I'm hoping there'll be a trade collection anyway.

Comics shipping in the US on May 1st:

DARK HORSE

FEB020056 BTVS #44 DEATH OF BUFFY (PART 2 OF 3) $2.99
FEB020057 BTVS #44 DEATH OF BUFFY (PART 2 OF 3) PHOTO CVR $2.99
FEB020094 CANNON GOD EXAXXION #6 STAGE 1 (6 OF 8) (MR) $2.99
MAR020072 STAR WARS EPISODE II ATTACK O/T CLONES #3 (Of 4) $3.99
MAR020074 STAR WARS EPISODE II ATTACK O/T CLONES #4 (Of 4) $3.99
MAR020073 STAR WARS EPISODE II ATTACK O/T CLONES PHOTO CV #3 (Of 4) $3.99
MAR020075 STAR WARS EPISODE II ATTACK O/T CLONES PHOTO CV #4 (Of 4) $3.99

DC COMICS

FEB020635 100 BULLETS #35 (MR) $2.50
MAR020431 CRUSADES #15 (MR) $2.50
MAR020359 DC FIRST SUPERMAN LOBO $3.50
MAR020387 DOOM PATROL #8 $2.50
MAR020395 HAWKMAN #3 $2.50
MAR020417 HIGH ROADS #2 (Of 6) $2.95
MAR020412 LOONEY TUNES #90 $1.99
MAR020440 NAMES OF MAGIC TP (MR) $14.95
MAR020444 SCI SPY #4 (Of 6) (MR) $2.50
MAR020405 SPECTRE #17 $2.50
NOV010604 SUGAR AND SPIKE FACSIMILE ED $2.95
MAR020380 SUPERMAN #182 $2.25
JAN020629 TOM STRONGS TERRIFIC TALES #3 $2.95
MAR020410 YOUNG JUSTICE #45 $2.50

IMAGE

JAN021550 DAWN THE RETURN OF THE GODDESS TP (MR) $12.95
DEC011507 FATHOM #14 (RES) $2.50
MAR021356 GI JOE #6 $2.95
MAY011332 HELLSPAWN #12 $2.50

MARVEL

MAR021643 ALIAS #9 (MR) $2.99
FEB021910 AVENGERS CELESTIAL QUEST #8 $3.50
MAR021682 CITIZEN V & THE BATTALION THE EVERLASTING #4 $2.99
MAR021683 DEADLINE #2 (Of 4) $2.99
MAR021660 EXILES #13 $2.25
MAR021684 FANTASTIC FOUR #55 $2.25
FEB021929 FURY TP (MR) $15.95
JAN021926 MARVEL MASTERWORKS THE SUB MARINER HC $49.95
JAN021873 MUTANT X #1 (RES) $3.50
MAR021651 SPIDER-GIRL #47 $2.25
MAR021686 THOR #49 $2.25
MAR021652 ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #22 (Note Price) $3.50
FEB021902 ULTIMATE X-MEN #17 $2.25
FEB021922 ULTIMATES #4 $2.25
MAR021662 UNCANNY X-MEN #406 $2.25

OTHER PUBLISHERS

FEB022217 ARCHIE AND FRIENDS #57 $1.99
FEB022219 BETTY #112 $1.99
FEB022223 BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #106 $3.29
FEB022309 CHASTITY CRAZYTOWN #2 (Of 3) $2.99
FEB022310I CHASTITY CRAZYTOWN ALT CVR #2 $7.50
MAR022104 GEOBREEDERS BOOK 3 $15.95
FEB022660F INITIAL D VOL 1 GN $9.99
JAN022624F MOONLIGHT CUTTER #1 $4.00
FEB022588 POUNDED #2 (Of 3) $2.95
FEB022723 SILENT MOBIUS TURNABOUT #4 (Of 6) $2.95
MAR021932 SLOW NEWS DAY #6 (Of 6) $3.50
JAN022317F SOULSEARCHERS #53 $2.50
FEB022386F SUMMER OF LOVE HC (MR) $24.95
FEB022152 TERRY MOORES PARADISE TOO #7 $2.95
MAR022222 TUESDAY & THURSDAY GN (MR) $8.95
FEB022300I UNTOLD TALES OF EVIL ERNIE RELENTLESS PREM SCRIPT #1 (MR) $20.00
FEB022293I UNTOLD TALES OF EVIL ERNIE RELENTLESS PREMIUM #1 (MR) $9.99
FEB022299I UNTOLD TALES OF EVIL ERNIE RELENTLESS SCRIPT #1 (MR) $4.99
JAN022503F VAMPIRE PRINCESS MIYU ARTBOOK $24.99

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

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.