A Great Read #6: Previews Review Edition - Previews Issue 245 - PART 2
Jan 31, 2009 A Great Read
Today’s entry continues directly after yesterday’s Previews Review Part 1. Please continue for Part 2 of the Previews Review.
I will be using a very basic ranking method that will answer the question:
Will I Order This Item?
- Yup!
- Maybe So
- Not This Time
The page number and price (in US funds) will also be included for easy reference in case you feel inclined to order an item yourself. So, grab your copy of Previews and let’s get started!
Page #140
Publisher: Image Comics
Title: Vikings #1
Price: $2.99
Read the 3 page preview that accompanies this solicit and you will know right away if Vikings should invade your Pull List or not. I saw a preview image and an interview with Ivan Brandon (series writer) online a few weeks back and decided right then that I would check out this new bi-monthly when it came out. Now that I have seen some of the sequential art, I am more than convinced I made the correct decision.
Will I Order This Item?
Yup!
Page # 151
Publisher: Image Comics
Title: Smash Unleashed One-Shot
Price: $3.99
A huge, “hulking” purple guy named “Smash”?… I admit that I do like Rob Liefeld’s art on occasion, but I’m not sure I can get behind this… It feels like Rob may have found one of Jeph’s Hulk scripts lying around and went to work… From the sounds of the solicit, this is a one-shot to introduce this character before a mini or ongoing series. I’ll reserve judgment until I can find more info regarding Smash, but I do have one request of writer Jeph Loeb, please don’t make him say “Smash SMASH”!…
Will I Order This Item?
Not This Time
Page # 152
Publisher: Image Comics
Title: Apes and Babes: The Art of Frank Cho
Price: $29.99
I LOVE art books. They are a blast to flip through and I’m guessing this one will be too as Cho seems like a pretty fun loving guy. While I am not a “super-fan” of Cho’s art, I have enjoyed his Liberty Meadows and Mighty Avengers work. If this book was titled something like ”Heroes and Liberty Meadows Stuff: The Art of Frank Cho”, it would be a lock for me to order it… But, as it stands, I’m still debating whether I want to see his takes on “apes and babes”.
Will I Order This Item?
Maybe So
Page # 153
Publisher: Image Comics
Title: Image Illustraged Classics Vol. 1: Moby Dick HC
Price: $12.99
The idea of taking literary classics and applying a comic book template to them appeals to me. Marvel has been doing this for some time now and it looks like Image has decided to give it a shot as well. What really intrigues me is that the art is being handled by Bill Sienkiewicz. The thought of his take on the enormous white whale excites me! At 48 pages and carrying a $12.99 price tag, this should be a relatively affordable addition to anyone’s bookshelf.
Will I Order This Item?
Maybe So
Page # 176
Publisher: Top Cow
Title: The Darkness Accursed Vol. 2 TPB
Price: $9.99
Top Cow continues to offer affordable TPBs with the release of the second Darkness TPB listing a cover price of $9.99 for 144 pages of content. The first volume is also offered again for only $4.99 with the same amount of content. If you ordered them both it would cost about 15 bucks for the equivalent of 12 single comics. That’s what I am going to do. Vol. 2 also includes the double-sized anniversary issue #75 (they reverted back to original numbering) with art by Stjepan Sejic, Dale Keown, Ryan Sook, Joe Benitez and Michael Broussard. That’s a lot of bang for your buck!
Will I Order This Item?
Yup!
Page # 177
Publisher: Top Cow
Title: Pilot Season 2008 Vol. 2 TPB
Price: $14.99
The idea of comic fans being able to select the types of comics they want published has been established pretty smoothly by Top Cow and Pilot Season 2 is prove of that. Although I actually did prefer the online voting method from Season 1, but that’s getting a bit picky… Anyway, this TPB combines all the Vol. 2 entries (including the 2 winners) in one handy collection. The solicit shows a Kenneth Rocafort image on the cover with the note: “not final product” but I’m pleased to see that Rocafort is listed as the cover artist as this guys is going to EXPLODE! His issue is the main reason I am ordering this TPB.
Will I Order This Item?
Yup!
Page # M-13
Publisher: Marvel
Title: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz #5
Price: $3.99
This is a mini-series that I decided early on to wait for the TPB (or more likely, HC). Skottie Young appears to be creating a completely new land of Oz and if I could have afforded to pick up the $3.99 monthly, I would have. But, budget reasons have caused me to be patient for the collected edition. But I want it now!
Will I Order This Item?
Not This Time (But, I will pick up the Collected Edition)
Page # M-16
Publisher: Marvel
Title: Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk #4 & #5 (of 6)
Price: $2.99 each
Too much time has passed on this mini-series to get me to pick up the single issues. I’m waiting for the HC that will probably be solicited in a couple of months. The Leinil Yu art looks FANTASTIC and it pains me to wait, but I would rather enjoy the story all at once instead of waiting years in between issues. Ultimate She-Hulk has piqued my interest though…
Will I Order This Item?
Not This Time (But, I will pick up the Collected Edition)
Page # M-23
Publisher: Marvel
Title: New Avengers #52
Price: $3.99
I order New Avengers every month but this issue gets a special mention because Chris Bachalo is listed as penciler along with Billy Tan. Chris Bachalo!!! Can’t wait to see his versions of the New Avengers! I’m hopeful that he gets to stretch his muscles a bit in this comic. Please, please, please let him draw Dr. Strange again!
Will I Order This Item?
Yup!
Page # M-35
Publisher: Marvel
Title: Spider-Woman #1
Price: #3.99
Definitely on the fence with this series. I enjoy Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev together, but I’m not sure if I want to read a book devoted to Spider-Woman. The fact that Spider-Woman is pretty messed up emotionally after the Skrull Queen took on her appearance during Secret Invasion certainly presents some interesting story possibilities, but I’m not convinced I will want to consistanly read about Jessica Drew for 32 pages. Maybe if the price was $2.99 instead of $3.99… My guess is that I will probably at least pick up the first issue and then play it by ear.
Will I Order This Item?
Maybe So
Page # M-38
Publisher: Marvel
Title: Astonishing Tales #3
Price: $3.99
Yeah, remember that Kenneth Rocafort guy I mentioned earlier? Check out the cover for this issue. Amazing stuff. Bold Prediction: Kenneth Rocafort will be drawing the interiors for a huge Marvel event comic within 7 years (It would have been 5, but he is pretty attached to Top Cow right now).
Will I Order This Item?
Not This Time
Page # M-51
Publisher: Marvel
Title: Marvel Assistant-Sized Spectacular #1 & 2 (of 2)
Price: $3.99 each
The title and solicitation text for these two comics made me laugh. Check it out for yourself.
Will I Order This Item?
Not This Time
Page # M-63
Publisher: Marvel
Title: Deadpool: Suicide Kings #1 (of 5)
Price: $3.99
I’m only mentioning this title because it has Carlo Barbieri (Gen 13, Casey Blue) on interior art and this guy deserves some recognition. I wish I liked Deadpool enough to pick this title up, but I’m just not a fan of the “Merc with a Mouth”. If you dig Deadpool and are picking up this issue, you’re in for a treat in the art department.
Will I Order This Item?
Not This Time (But, I will pick up the Collected Edition)
That is where I will stop for today. Come back tomorrow for Part 3 of the Previews Review or check out Part 1 if you missed it. In the next entry, we will be looking at the second half of Marvel’s solicits as well as some independent publishers. See you then!
Tags: apes and babes, bendis, Bill Sienkiewicz, darkness, DC, deadpool, diamond distributers, frank cho, hulk, image, leinil yu, maleev, marvel, moby dick, new avengers, pilot season, previews, rocafort, skottie young, Smash, solicitations, solicits, spider-woman, top cow, wizrd of oz, wolverine
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