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:

FANCY FROGLIN VOL 1: SEXY FOREST GN (Alternative Comics)
Another dose of James Kochalka cuteness with a deliciously anti-cute twist. Assembled from one of his well-established webcomics, this collection follows the adventures and mis-adventures of Fancy Froglin, a cute blue frog who lives with his woodland friends and is somewhat sex-obsessed. It's an odd world, more flagrantly and jarringly obscene than any of his previous work due to the archetypal kiddies' storybook setting and (online at least) the technicolour tweeness of the characters. It's a wonderful subversion of expectations. Fancy himself is a both sexually aware and a naïf, with a tendency towards priapism; and if that's not a grand reason to buy this book I don't know what is. Expect a liberal dose of single entendres and a good working demonstration of why comics really aren't always kid's stuff. [German Bight]

ALSO THIS WEEK:

GYO VOL 1 TP (Viz Communications)
Discriminating readers of manga in English have cause for celebration this week as GYO, the newest offering from horror master Junji Ito, sees release within the Direct Market. Balancing thematic and artistic elements of light and shade expertly, Ito's intricate line work is both informed by that which has come before him (particularly the work of Kazuo Umezu) and unyielding in its quest to stake out new territory for the genre within this form. GYO, in particular, appears to have its roots (or perhaps, tentacles in this case) in the Lovecraftian mythos, so it should be a wild ride watching one of horror's freshest voices take on one of its richest traditions. Digest-sized it ain't, but no doubt worth every cent of the extra $3. [Trafalgar]

REIGN OF THE ZODIAC #1 (DC Comics)
Have you ever seen a good book coming down the pipeline that somehow seems doomed for failure? It's the wind that's blowing towards the Lighthouse right now, and it's got the name REIGN OF THE ZODIAC written all over it. Keith Giffen's writing of twelve powerful houses and their struggles for power promises to be epic and wonderfully unpredictable, and Colleen Doran and Bob Wiacek's art is career defining in its beauty. Tony Harris's painted cover for the first issue is a perfect match for the interiors, too, because that's exactly whose art style Doran and Wiacek seem to be evoking in REIGN OF THE ZODIAC. So why is it doomed if it looks this good? Because most stores won't order a book that doesn't have superheroes, that's why. It's a pity, because this looks to be one of the best new series launches from DC all year; this is definitely worth scouting out and taking a look at. Who knows, if enough people do, maybe this book will get the sales it deserves. [Plymouth]

ONE BAD DAY (Oni Press)
The latest original graphic novel from Oni Press is a chance to throw the spotlight on the talents of Steve Rolston, still perhaps best known for kicking off QUEEN & COUNTRY. He's also worked on mini series with Brian Wood and Warren Ellis, but this time around he's taking charge as both writer and illustrator. As the title suggests, this is the tale of a really shitty day in one young woman's life - but don't expect Kim Bauer-style run-and-jiggle antics (sorry). Rolston's characters are likely to have a little more edge and a little less peroxide. Rolston has demonstrated in his previous work that he's a gifted storyteller with a wonderful sense of economy and style, but can he hack it as a writer? Here's where we'll find out. [Fisher]

GRRL SCOUTS VOL 1 TP (Image)
Jim Mahfood's GRRL SCOUTS moved from Oni to Image for its second mini series, so naturally Image is now publishing its own edition of the original trade paperback collection. Now, I don't listen to a great deal of that there hippity-hoppity music, and a comic about ass-kicking, gun-toting drug dealers did rather horrify the vicar when he came over for tea. Even so, I've found plenty to engage and entertain me in Jim Mahfood's bristlingly energetic graffiti-inspired art and warped, kinetic layouts. Mahfood tends to take his shots at some pretty easy targets, so don't expect any revolutionary social commentary. Just enjoy the mayhem as Freak City's fiercest gals go head to head with the evil Brotherhood of the Cracker, all guns blazing. For the full skinny (on the Oni edition), check out the Ninth Art review. [Fisher]

THE SHIPPING LIST FOR AUGUST 27th:

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

DARK HORSE

JUN030021 BTVS #60: A STAKE TO THE HEART (PART 1 OF 4) ART CVR $2.99
JUN030015 GALACTIC #1 $2.99
JUN030020 HELLBOY: WEIRD TALES #4 $2.99
APR030040 SPYBOY 13.3: THE MANGA AFFAIR #3 (Of 3) $2.99

DC COMICS

JUN030139 BATMAN #618 $2.25
JUN030140 BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS #44 $2.75
JUN030150 BATMAN: TENSES #1 (Of 2) $6.95
JUN030243 BEWARE THE CREEPER #5 (Of 5) (MR) $2.95
JUN030205 CARTOON CARTOONS #21 $2.25
JUN030174 EMPIRE #2 (Of 6) (MR) $2.50
JUN030176 FLASH #201 $2.25
JUN030179 GREEN LANTERN #168 $2.25
FEB030234 GREEN LANTERN POSTER $7.95
JUN030246 HELLBLAZER #187 (MR) $2.75
JUN030186 JLA #85 $2.25
FEB030235 JLA: LIBERTY & JUSTICE POSTER $7.95
JUN030194 LEGION #23 $2.50
JUN030251 LOSERS #3 (MR) $2.95
JUN030227 PLANETARY #16 (RES) $2.95
JUN030228 RED #2 (Of 3) $2.95
JUN030196 REIGN OF THE ZODIAC #1 $2.75
JUN030230 SLEEPER #8 (MR) $2.95
JUN030162 SUPERMAN #196 $2.25
APR030167 SUPERMAN: RED SON #3 (Of 3) $5.95
JUN030199 SWEATSHOP #5 $2.95
JUN030237 TERRA OBSCURA #3 (Of 6) $2.95
JUN030232 THUNDERCATS: DOGS OF WAR #3 (Of 5) $2.95
JUN030235 WILDCATS VERSION 3.0 #13 (MR) $2.95

IMAGE

JUN031338 BATTLE OF THE PLANETS #12 (Of 12) (Note Price) $4.99
JUN031237 GI JOE CAMPBELL CVR #21 $2.95
JUN031244 GI JOE: FRONTLINE #13 $2.95
JUN031247 GRRL SCOUTS VOL 1 TP $12.95
JUN031274 LIBERTY MEADOWS #33 $2.95
JUN031340 MAGDALENA VOL 2 #2 (Of 3) $2.99
JUN031279 MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE VOL 2 #6 (Of 6) $2.95
JUN031341 NO HONOR TP $12.99
MAY011333 SAM AND TWITCH #24 $2.50
JUN031335 WHISKEY DICKEL, INTERNATIONAL COWGIRL GN $12.95

MARVEL

JUN031596 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #57 $2.25
JUN031589 BORN #3 (Of 4) (MR) $3.50
JUN031649 CAGE TP (MR) $13.99
JUN031612 EXILES #32 $2.99
JUN031569 FANTASTIC FOUR #503 (#74) $2.25
JUN031572 HULK: NIGHTMERICA #3 (Of 6) $2.99
JUN031561 INHUMANS #4 $2.50
JUN031603 MYSTIQUE #5 $2.99
JUN031590 THOR: VIKINGS #2 (Of 5) (MR) $3.50
JUN031600 WOLVERINE #4 $2.25
JUN031648 X-MEN EVOLUTION VOL 2 TP $11.99
JUN031604 X-STATIX #12 $2.99
JUN031613 X-TREME X-MEN #30 $2.99

OTHER PUBLISHERS

JUN032068 ARCHIE DIGEST #201 $2.39
JUN032137 BART SIMPSON COMICS #13 $2.99
JUN032384 CSI: BAD RAP #1 (OF 5) (MR) $3.99
APR032271 DEATHMASK #4 $2.99
JUN032201 ELVIRA #124 $2.50
JUN032584 EXCEL SAGA VOL 2 TP $9.95
MAY031909 FANCY FROGLIN VOL 1: SEXY FOREST GN (MR) $12.95
JUN031982 FAREWELL, GEORGIA #1 $6.95
JUN032585 FIREFIGHTER: DAIGO OF FIRE COMPANY M VOL 4 $9.95
APR032272 FREEMIND #8 $2.99
JUN032305 FUZZ & PLUCK #3 (Of 4) $4.95
JUN032586 GYO VOL 1 TP $12.95
JUN031975 HUMOR CAN BE FUNNY TP (RES) (MR) $11.95
JUN032455 LOVE FIGHTS #3 $2.99
JUN032587 MARIONETTE GENERATION VOL 4 TP $12.95
APR032273 METALLIX #7 $2.99
JUN032452 ONE BAD DAY GN $9.95
JUN032589 RANMA 1/2 TP VOL 3 2ND ED $9.95
JUN032079 SABRINA VOL 2 #49 $2.19
JUN032142 TAROT, WITCH OF THE BLACK ROSE VOL 1 TP (MR) $24.99
JUN032255 TRANSFORMERS: GENERATION ONE VOL 2 #5 (Of 6) $2.95
JUN032249 TRANSFORMERS/GI JOE #1 (OF 6) $2.95
JUN032256 TRANSFORMERS: MORE THAN MEETS EYE OFFICIAL GUIDE #5 (Of 8) $5.25
JUN032338 UNCLE SCROOGE #321 $6.95
MAY032277 VAMPIRELLA #22 REG ED $2.99
JUN031983 WAITING PLACE VOL 3 TP $15.95
JUN032339 WALT DISNEY'S COMICS & STORIES #636 $6.95
JUN031979 WRETCH VOL 3: CRADLE TO GRAVE $6.95
JUN032593 YU-GI-OH VOL 2 TP: CARDS WITH TEETH $7.95
JUN035059 YUYU HAKUSHO VOL 1 TP: GOODBYE MATERIAL WORLD (RES) $7.95

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.