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:

BATMAN GOTHAM CENTRAL TP (DC Comics)
After TOP TEN and POWERS, it hardly seemed likely that there was room for a third superhero police procedural book, and it certainly didn't seem fair to pit another book against those two sensations. Thankfully, GOTHAM CENTRAL holds its own (or BATMAN GOTHAM CENTRAL if you're really trying to sell it). This trade collects the first five issues of the series focusing on Gotham's Major Crimes Unit - policemen trying to do their job in the shadow of the world's most persistent and precocious vigilante, Batman. With Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka, the book boasts two writers who excel at urban crime thrillers, and both writers tend to do their best superhero work when writing at the periphery of the genre. The book's real standout, though, is artist Michael Lark, equally adept at putting together a decaying cityscape or capturing the tired, determined expressions of his protagonists. He's doing some of his best work here, and it deserves your attention. Arresting stuff. [Fisher]

ALSO THIS WEEK:

ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #5 (Ultimate Marvel)
The fifth issue of a comic would appear to be a strange point to take a closer look at a series, but seeing as "Not A Lot Happening" appears to be the New Storytelling Vogue, there has been precious little to concentrate on prior to this point in the reboot of Marvel's most creaky franchise. It has taken about 100 pages to reach the point when the Four are about to do something. A shame, perhaps, because Adam Kubert's art is predictably lovely, and Bendis' dialogue is predictably electric. Presumably Mark Millar is responsible for the slack plotting, as it would appear to be a recurring trope in his work nowadays. However, in this issue there might even be Flaming On or a Clobbering Time, as the Four go up against the Mole Man - and it's been a long, long time since those catchphrases have seemed even vaguely novel, so it's not all bad. [Finisterre]

LOSERS #11 (DC Vertigo)
Over the past three issues, THE LOSERS has quietly kicked into another gear entirely. From being a well-written and drawn caper comic, it has evolved into a highly compelling, multi-faceted thriller. The five-person renegade team of black operatives, The Losers, are on the island of Montserrat searching for clues to the identity of 'Max', the mysterious CIA operative that set them up. Meanwhile, the CIA are conducting their own investigation into Max and the Losers. Yes, this issue is mid-arc, but it's one of the title's strongest issues yet, and features a duel with Stinger missiles in a church. Wait, I'm not sure you caught that. There is a point-blank duel with stinger missiles in a church. Go, comics fan! Buy! Be warned, though, that underneath all the 'splodey action is Andy Diggle's typical strong characterisation and watertight plotting, and Jock's lovely art. [Shannon]

PLANET OF THE CAPES TP (AiT/PlanetLar)
It's AiT/PlanetLar in color, but it's superheroes! What a cheap trick to play on those of us who clasped this publisher to our breast, crying, "We shall repel the hordes!" But it's not quite the end of the road to enlightenment. Larry Young has a reputation as someone with a very particular sense of humour, so here he turns his jaundiced yet loving eye to superheroes. In the story, our heroes come to a world that is not our Earth, but like our Earth it only has superheroes in its comic books. The band of super-powered beings become trapped in a world they never read about. And let that tip of the hat to HOWARD THE DUCK provide the benchmark for the level of parody and satire that I'm expecting. PLANET OF THE CAPES provides a showcase for the crisp, classic art style of Brandon McKinney (SWITCHBLADE HONEY), who proves an excellent match for the likes of POWERS artist Michael Avon Oeming, or any of the BIG BANG COMICS crowd. A Post-Modern story in a Silver Age package; everyone dies and nobody learns anything. [Forties]

THE SHIPPING LIST FOR APRIL 28th:

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

DARK HORSE

FEB040020 CONAN #3 $2.99
FEB040019 MICHAEL CHABON PRESENTS ADVENTURES O/T ESCAPIST VOL 1 TP $17.95
FEB040018 STEVE RUDE THE MOTH #1 $2.99
FEB040027 TALES OF THE VAMPIRES #5 $2.99
FEB040054 USAGI YOJIMBO #75 $2.99

DC COMICS

FEB040222 BATGIRL #51 $2.50
FEB040220 BATMAN #626 $2.25
FEB040235 BATMAN GOTHAM CENTRAL TP $9.95
FEB040228 BATMAN HARLEY & IVY #1 (Of 3) $2.50
FEB040253 CAPER #7 (Of 12) (MR) $2.95
FEB040287 CARTOON CARTOONS #29 $2.25
FEB040233 CATWOMAN #30 $2.50
FEB040256 FLASH #209 $2.25
FEB040259 GREEN LANTERN #176 $2.25
FEB040306 HELLBLAZER #195 (MR) $2.75
FEB040264 JLA #97 $2.25
FEB040273 KINETIC #2 $2.50
FEB040274 LEGION #32 $2.50
FEB040275 LIGHT BRIGADE #3 (Of 4) (MR) $5.95
FEB040310 LOSERS #11 (MR) $2.95
FEB040312 MIDNIGHT MASS HERE THERE BE MONSTERS #4 (Of 6) (MR) $2.95
FEB040241 SUPERMAN #204 $2.50
FEB040281 TEEN TITANS GO #6 $2.25
FEB040299 TOM STRONG BOOK THREE HC $24.95
FEB040296 WILDCATS VERSION 3.0 #20 (MR) $2.95

IMAGE

FEB041314 FRANKENSTEIN MOBSTER CVR A WHEATLEY #3 $2.95
FEB041315 FRANKENSTEIN MOBSTER CVR B ORDWAY #3 $2.95

MARVEL

FEB041601 AVENGERS #81 $2.25
FEB041602 AVENGERS THUNDERBOLTS #3 (Of 6) $2.99
FEB041560 DAREDEVIL FATHER #1 (Of 5) $3.50
FEB041634 ESSENTIAL DAREDEVIL VOL 1 TP (STAR16924) $14.99
FEB041614 HUMAN TORCH #12 $2.99
FEB041565 INCREDIBLE HULK #71 $2.25
FEB041600 IRON MAN #80 $2.99
FEB041618 MARVEL AGE SPIDER-GIRL VOL 1 DIGEST TP $7.99
MAR041710D MARVEL AGE SPIDER-MAN DOCTOR OCTOPUS OUT OF REACH DIGEST $5.99
FEB041619 MARVEL AGE SPIDER-MAN VOL 1 DIGEST TP $5.99
FEB041569 MARVEL KNIGHTS 4 #5 $2.99
FEB041590 MYSTIQUE #13 $2.99
FEB041593 NEW MUTANTS #13 $2.99
FEB041610 SILVER SURFER #8 $2.99
FEB041638 SILVER SURFER VOL 1 COMMUNION TP $14.99
FEB041624 SPIDER-MAN DOCTOR OCTOPUS NEGATIVE EXPOSURE TP $13.99
FEB041617 THE PUNISHER #5 (MR) $2.99
FEB041575 ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #5 $2.25
DEC031554D ULTIMATE SIX #7 (Of 7) $2.25
FEB041596 VENOM #13 $2.99
FEB041594 WEAPON X #22 $2.99
FEB041574 WOLVERINE PUNISHER #2 (Of 5) $2.99
FEB041567 X-STATIX #22 $2.99
FEB041587 X-TREME X-MEN #46 $2.99

OTHER PUBLISHERS

FEB042716 ANIMERICA EXTRA MAY 2004 VOL 7 #5 $4.99
FEB042163 BART SIMPSON COMICS #17 $2.99
FEB042724 BATTLE ANGEL ALITA VOL 3 TP 2ND ED KILLING ANGEL $9.95
JAN042121 BETTY #137 $2.19
FEB042117 BETTY & VERONICA DIGEST #147 $2.39
MAR042568F BLOOD ORANGE #1 (MR) $5.95
FEB042391F CANVAS ONE SHOT (MR) $9.95
MAR042366F ELVIRA #132 $2.50
FEB042284 GI JOE #29 $2.95
FEB042286 GI JOE RELOADED #2 $2.95
JAN042341 GI JOE VS THE TRANSFORMERS VOL 1 TP $15.95
FEB042740 HOT GIMMICK VOL 4 TP $9.95
FEB042120 JUGHEADS DOUBLE DIGEST #103 $3.59
MAR042242F KADE PURSUIT #2 $2.95
FEB042489F KOMIKWERKS VOL 3 TP NUTS & BOLTS $9.95
FEB042554 LOVE FIGHTS #9 (MR) $2.99
FEB042500F MONTE MOORES BLOODLINES #1 $3.50
FEB042046F PLANET OF THE CAPES TP (MR) $12.95
FEB042754 PLEASE SAVE MY EARTH VOL 4 TP $9.95
FEB042760 RANMA 1/2 TP VOL 10 2ND ED $9.95
FEB042767 SHORT PROGRAM VOL 2 $9.95
FEB042293 STREET FIGHTER ARNOLD TSANG CVR A #7 $4.50
FEB042295J STREET FIGHTER JO CHEN POWER FOIL CVR C #7 PI
FEB042294 STREET FIGHTER SALVADOR LAROCCA CVR B #7 $4.50
JAN042617 TOO MUCH HOPELESS SAVAGES #3 (OF 4) (RES) $2.99
MAR042505E TRANSFORMERS ARMADA MORE THAN MEETS EYE #3 (Of 3) $4.95
FEB042309 TRANSFORMERS GENERATION ONE VOL 3 #4 $2.95
FEB042413 UNCLE SCROOGE #329 $6.95
NOV032322F UNDERWORLD VOL 5 MY LITTLE FUNNY TP (MR) $9.95
FEB042414 WALT DISNEYS COMICS AND STORIES #644 $6.95
AUG032387F WEREWOLF APOCALYPSE FANG AND CLAW VOL 2 TP RAGING FURY (MR) $15.95

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.