Previews! (Jan. 2015)

Here are some thoughts and recommendations about this month’s Previews catalog for product shipping mostly in March.

Dark Horse

I’ve been eyeing Sundowners for months (mostly because Tim Seeley is writing it), and now the first trade is coming out. If it’s 50% off at DCBS, I will be getting this.
I see that Mind Mgmt is beginning its final arc with issue 31. I tried the first issue and the second arc, but I just could not get into this series.
Also beginning its final arc is Captain Midnight. I wanted to try this book out, but didn’t pull the trigger.
I thought I was getting this mini, but ended up not (the LCS didn’t order it for me as I asked), but the hardcover of Grendel vs the Shadow is coming. I think I’ll still wait for the trade.

Convergence is here! At least #0 which drops on April 1. Who will be fooled?
Now that DC is converging, its weeklies are ending: New 52: Futures End (with #48), Batman Eternal (with #52), and Earth 2: World’s End (with #26) all hang up their hats.
It’s not just weekly comics ending, it’s also Earth 2 (this was such a good book once), Worlds’ Finest (while near the bottom of my reading pile, I still enjoyed this book enough to get the entire run), Aquaman and the Others, Infinity Man & the Forever People, Klarion, Secret Origins (not surprising, but still a pity), Star Spangled War Stories (that always seemed an odd fit in the DC line up, but I appreciate that DC is trying to reuse old titles in new ways), Trinity of Sin, Arkham Manor, Batwoman, Green Lantern Corps, Red Lanterns, Green Lantern: New Guardians (I guess the Green Lantern line no longer has the cachet that it once did), and Swamp Thing.
Geoff Johns and Gary Frank deliver the next volume of their Batman Earth One story. The Riddler shines in this story, along with Killer Croc. Interesting, if somewhat perplexing, choices.
I’m sad to see that Grant Morrison’s Multiversity project is closing up shop with The Multiversity: Ultra Comics #1 and The Multiversity #2. Next I have to decide if I’ll pick up the inevitable omnibus edition.
Justice League #40 is the prologue to the Darkseid War storyline. If it’s as good as the opening story of this title from three + years ago, I’ll be happy.
The Legion arc in Justice League United ends, and so does me buying this title.
If you’re a John Romita Jr. fan, he’s scripting and drawing Superman #40.
“Endgame” in Batman #40 well, ends, plus we get a bunch of one-shot tie-ins.
The cover to Grayson #8 has me excited to read the issue. Francis Manpul’s Detective Comics cover is just cool looking, as usual.
Really bummed that you missed out on all the Zero Year tie-ins? Well, then you’ll be glad for the trade collecting all of them.
DC gives a couple blasts from 80s past with a trade each from Deathstroke, the Terminator vol. 1 and New Teen Titans vol. 2. I really wish DC had started its New Teen Titans collections with these trades as opposed to the omnibuses.
Continuing DC’s 75 year celebrations is the Justice Society of America hard cover. Geoff Johns is listed among comic giants as Gardner Fox, John Broome, and Robert Kanigher. Not bad company to be in for that young whipper snapper.
Recall I mentioned that I liked it when DC took an old title and gave it a new spin? Well, they’re at it again with Strange Sports Stories (how alliterative of them!).
There a couple new versions of some Astro City trades: Family Album and The Dark Age 1. I’ll be getting the latter for sure (I already have the former when it was from Image).
Something old is new again: the Top 10 trade collects the first 12 issues.
Finally, who does not want that Mother Box replica?! It lights up and “pings” at you!

IDW

Do you remember Jem and the Holograms? If you’re like me, then it’s barely (or at all?), and leaves you wondering what the big deal is with this new series, but here we are.
That Miami Vice: Remix is just … odd. The art does not capture the vibe of the show to me.
Yes! There’s a new Star Trek: New Visions from John Byrne.
Don Rosa’s Scrooge McDuck gets the Artist’s Edition treatment.
Hmm, decision time: do I buy the Wormwood hard cover that collects the first three volumes of the Gentleman Corpse series? I already have the first trade….

Image

Mark Millar is at it again with a dude-bro series called Chrononauts (strange because Dark Horse also has a time traveling series called Pastaways–is this another Babylon 5/Deep Space Nine chicken and the egg situation???).
Man, I love the covers to the series Postal (I especially like #2), but the solicitation text does nothing to get me to buy the book.
My god, Terry and Rachel Dodson (along with writer Xavier Dorison) so want me to buy their new series, Red One (it looks amazing).
Excuse me, I must dry my eyes, because the final issue of my favorite comic from 2012 ends with issue 8: Danger Club! It’s been a long wait, but I’m betting that it’ll be sooo worth it.
Might I recommend that you pick up the following trades? Alex + Ada vol. 2, Criminal vol. 3, Lazarus vol. 3, and (especially) Velvet vol. 2. You cannot possibly be disappointed by any of these.

Marvel

Not solicited, but advertised is the next HUGE Marvel event: Secret Wars. Marvel did a press conference the other day talking a little more about the event.
The Star Wars love continues with a Princess Leia miniseries.
While a new Hawkeye series is orderable now, I just wish Fraction’s title would complete. And no, I won’t be ordering the new Jeff Lemire/Ramon Perez comic.
Howard the Duck, P.I.? How well will this book go over? Interesting that Chip Zdarsky is writing it. Given his letter column responses in Sex Criminals, he seems quite creative and funny.
Spider-Woman gets a Batgirl-esque makeover in issue 5 (I like the look, except for the shades). Plus, we get a new artist: Javier Rodriguez.
Speaking of Secret Wars, now you can own the Battleworld box set slipcase … for a mere $500.
For 5% of that price, you can get the Secret Wars Activity Book Facsimile Collection. Play with stickers and color your way to fun!

Other

At the risk of repeating myself, the Strangers in Paradise (Abstract Studios) omnibus is a good investment.
Archie Comics’ Dark Circle line gives us an ongoing The Fox series from Mark Waid and Dean Haspiel.
Joe Benitez FINALLY delivers another–and the final–Lady Mechanika issue. #3 was published over three years ago.
The Con Job miniseries from BOOM looks like fun.
Over at Dynamite, Warren Ellis takes on a Project Superpowers miniseries, Blackcross.
Also from Dynamite, you can (and I recommend that you do) order the Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt omnibus collecting all 10 issues of the cancelled before its time series.
A book that I spotlighted on an episode of the podcast, Hoax Hunters, finds a new home at Heavy Metal? Seems an odd pairing, but whatever.
The Ninth Doctor gets a miniseries courtesy of Titan Comics. Can you believe that it’s been 10 years since Doctor Who returned triumphantly to television?!
Twomorrows Publishing may get a bunch of money from me soon: not only is there the 1970s edition of American Comic Book Chronicles, but Alter Ego #132 and Back Issue #80 spotlight both Golden and Silver Age Green Lanterns.
Finally, DC characters are adorning a bunch of new children’s board books AND some DC superhero Mad Libs! I may go bankrupt this month!