COLLECTIVE thoughts FOR JULY 2014 (AND BEYOND!)

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KC Carlson, the DC years

by KC Carlson

NEW (like, not reprinted) STUFF

Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book: The graphic novel volume 1

Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book: The graphic novel volume 1 (HarperCollins): This is very cool! It’s Neil Gaiman’s Newbery and Carnegie Medal-winning 2008 children’s fantasy novel The Graveyard Book, recast into a graphic novel and illustrated by noteworthy artists mainly known for their comics work. Some have previously collaborated with Gaiman. This new overall adaptation is by P. Craig Russell — also one of the illustrators — joined by Kevin Nowlan, Tony Harris, Scott Hampton, Galen Showman, Jill Thompson, and Stephen B. Scott. The first volume is due in July and includes chapter One through the Interlude, while volume two (which will be noted soon) is scheduled for September and includes chapter six to the end of the book. From the back cover:

It Takes a Graveyard to raise a Child.

Nobody Owens, known as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn’t live in a graveyard, being raised by ghosts, with a guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor the dead.

There are adventures in the graveyard for a young boy — an ancient Indigo Man, a gateway to the abandoned city of ghouls, the unusual and awful Sleer. but if Bod leaves the graveyard, he will be in danger from the man Jack — who has already killed Bod’s family.

Volume One is a 192-page 9” x 6” color hardcover and is highly recommended.

Mr. Punch 20th anniversary Edition

(For much more Neil Gaiman (with Dave McKean, who offered illustrations for a previous version of The Graveyard Book), please check out the Mr. Punch 20th anniversary hardcover volume, now with additional sketch material, over in the DC/Vertigo area.)

Revenge: The secret origin of Emily Thorne

Revenge: The secret origin of Emily Thorne (Marvel): An all-new graphic novel exploring the origins of the lead character from the ABC TV show Revenge — an interesting mix of high society backstabbing, high-octane fight scenes, martial arts mystery, hidden identities, electronic hacking, and sudden changes of allegiance. Emily Thorne (real name: Amanda Clark) is the one seeking revenge against the socially elite Grayson family, who framed young Amanda’s dad for a crime he didn’t commit 2O years ago, leading to his death (maybe). This graphic novel is the “origin” story of how Amanda became Emily to seek revenge for her dad (and the loss of her childhood and idyllic family). The scope is global, with Emily training in Japan and establishing high society cred in Geneva before moving back into her childhood home in the Hamptons — best next door to the Graysons! Plus, this graphic novel just might be exposing some new secrets, before they are revealed on the show. Co-written by series writer Ted Sullivan, with Erica Schultz, and art by Vincenzo Balzano, this book will be a terrific companion to the TV series, now in its third season, and likely to be renewed for a fourth. Cover by Dustin Nguyen. 112-page color hardcover. available in September (possibly to tie in with the fourth season premiere?).

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century volume 1: Grievous Angels

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century volume 1: Grievous Angels (Hermes Press): Calling this “new stuff” is slightly cheating, as this is reprinting last year’s Howard Chaykin-written and drawn back to basics miniseries. The book will be packed with extras (interviews, original artwork, script samples, and pin-ups). Plus, the hardcover version (with a new Chaykin cover for this edition) is only available through comic shops and comic subscription services! This is buck Rogers as only Howard Chaykin can do him, sending the WWI air ace 500 years into the future, and including all of the classic characters — Buck, Wilma Deering, Ardala, killer Kane, Dr. Huer and Black Barney — as well as a host of brand-new characters. Both volumes have identical 128-page contents, but the hardcover features the exclusive cover, while the softcover cover is cover to issue #1. available in August.

THIS MONTH IN classic COMIC book COLLECTIONS

The league of remarkable Gentlemen III: Century: The complete Edition

The league of remarkable Gentlemen III: Century: The complete edition (Top Shelf): Collecting the three previous graphic novels by Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill — Century #1 – 1910, Century #2 – 1969, and Century #3 – 2009 — in one deluxe hardcover (for the first time). The book spans nearly 100 years of adventures, with new characters such as the trans-gendered immortal Orlando, the ghost-finder Thomas Carnacki, and the gentleman thief A.J. Raffles recruited by the perpetual youthful Nina Murry and Allan Quartermain to replace their deceased or missing colleagues. Captain Nemo has retired to his Pacific pirate island to decline in surly isolation. From the occult parlours and crime-haunted wharfs of 1910 through the criminal, mystical, and psychedelic underworlds of 1969 to the financially and culturally desolated streets of 2009, the disintegrating remnants of miss Murray and her league should combat not only the hidden hand of their undying adversary, but also the ethical and psychological collapse accompanying this new era. A lot of things can happen in a century. 256-page large-scale (6 5/8” x 10 3/8”) color hardcover (with dust jacket).

Luba and Her Family: A love and Rockets Book

Luba and Her Family: A love and Rockets book (Fantagraphics): Gilbert Hernandez’s sprawling family saga focuses on the United States, where newly immigrated Luba and her sisters, body-builder Petra and therapist/film star Fritz, find their families’ and friends’ lives becoming much more and much more intertwined. As the three sisters reminisce, the next generation finds the spotlight: Luba’s adult daughter Doralís and Petra’s little girl Venus. This is volume 10 of the love and Rockets Library, featuring these never-collected-before stories by Gilbert. 288-page black & white softcover.

Marvel Masterworks: Ms. marvel volume 1

Marvel Masterworks: Ms. marvel volume 1 (Marvel): From 1977, marvel gains a marvelous new superheroine! (Although her alter ego, Carol Danvers, was originally introduced as a supporting character back in Captain marvel in 1968). This new Masterwork collects Ms. marvel #1-14 by Chris Claremont (with Gerry Conway, Archie Goodwin, and Jim Shooter) and Jim Mooney (with John and Sal Buscema, Keith Pollard, and Carmine Infantino). Bob Greenberger will be along soon to offer some much more history and behind-the-scenes stories about this terrific series. 272-page remastered color hardcover. available in October.

Rocky & Bullwinkle classics volume 2: Vacational Therapy

Rocky & Bullwinkle classics volume 2: Vacational therapy (IDW): The first volume was quite fun, so here’s volume 2 with much more Rocky & Bullwinkle, Mr. Peabody & Sherman, Dudley Do-Right, and other terrific features — newly remastered from the original Rocky & Bullwinkle comics #5-8. includes work by Al Kilgore, Jack Mendelson, Dave Berg, Fred Fredericks, Jerry Robinson, and more. Cover by Kilgore. 124-page color softcover.

Walt Disney’s Uncle Scrooge and Donald Duck: child of the sun by Don Rosa

Walt Disney’s Uncle Scrooge and Donald Duck: child of the sun by Don Rosa (Fantagraphics): To accompany their Carl Barks reprints, Fantagraphics launches another series focusing on a classic duck artist. This is the first in a series of chronological volumes collecting over twenty years of new Scrooge and Donald stories by Don Rosa (Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck), given the Fantagraphics touch: terrific colors and production, with lots of extra material about the stories and storyteller. Duck expert Roger Ash will have much more comprehensive info about this series soon. 208-page color hardcover. available in August.

Also Available:

Eerie Archives volume 17

Eerie Archives volume 17 (Dark Horse): Collects Eerie magazine #81-85, including seven stories inspired by a classic Frank Frazetta cover. Plus, Darklon the Mystic by Jim Starlin, work by Richard Corben, Carmine Infantino, and much more Frazetta color covers. Foreword by Denis Kitchen. 280-page color hardcover. available in September.

The first Kingdom volume 5: The space Explorer’s Club

The first Kingdom volume 5: The space Explorer’s Club (Titan Comics): I’m unclear if this is actually new or “newly collected”, and the solicitation material is vague (I’m leaning toward the latter), but it is all part of Jack Katz’ mad masterpiece of space-faring humans and unusual new gods. 160-page, partial color hardcover. mature Themes. available in September.

Nexus Omnibus volume 6

Nexus Omnibus volume 6 (Dark Horse): Collects Nexus volume 2 #66-80 by Mike Baron, Hugh Haynes, and mark Heike. Cover by Steve Rude. 424-page color softcover. available in September.

The savage Sword of Conan volume 17

The savage Sword of Conan volume 17 (Dark Horse): Collects Marvel’s savage Sword of Conan the Barbarian #171-#180, with work by Gerry Conway. never before collected. 520-page black & white softcover. available in September.

THIS MONTH IN classic COMIC strip COLLECTIONS

Alley Oop: The complete Sundays volume 2

Alley Oop: The complete Sundays volume 2 (Dark Horse): Collects all the Sunday strips, from 1936-1938, of V.T. Hamlin’s classic, strange, and funny caveman Ally Oop. 128-page large-scale (12” x 16”) color hardcover. available in September.

Barnaby volume 2

Barnaby volume 2 (Fantagraphics): In strips from 1944 and 1945, Barnaby and his Fairy Godfather J.J. O’Malley travel to Washington to serve in Congress. plus seaside treasure hunts, ermine hunters, soap salesmen, and the introduction of Launcelot McSnoyd, the unnoticeable leprechaun! Fantastically lovely work by Crockett Johnson (Harold and the Purple Crayon) in this second volume offive. forward by Jules Feiffer and developed by Dan Clowes. 372-page (32 pages in color) 10.5” x 6.75” black & white hardcover.

Leonard Starr’s Mary Perkins on stage volume 13

Leonard Starr’s Mary Perkins on stage volume 13 (Classic Comic Press): Collecting the dailies and Sundays from January 13, 1974, to November 8, 1975. introduction by Jackson Guice. only two much more volumes of this beautifully produced series left to go. 264-page black & white softcover.

Rip Kirby volume 7

Rip Kirby volume 7 (IDW/LoAC): Al Williamson takes a larger role in the strip as John Prentice’s assistant, and you can view his growth beginning in this volume. Collecting over 800 sequential strips from February 12, 1962, to October 10, 1964. shot from the original King features proofs. 288-page 11” x10” black & white hardcover from the library of American Comics.

Ripley’s believe It Or Not!: The original classic Cartoons by Robert Ripley

Ripley’s believe It Or Not!: The original classic Cartoons by Robert Ripley (IDW/LoAC): beginning reprints of the classic panel of human and other oddities, still wildly popular around the world. This first volume features the very first cartoons from 1929 and 1930. Robert Ripley was an explorer; a radio, movie, and television personality; an entrepreneur; and a museum impresario, but this strip demonstrated his strengths as an artist-cartoonist, and it made him an international celebrity. This volume also features reward background material from Ripley’s outstanding archives. 328-page 11” x 7.5” black & white hardcover.

Stan Drake’s The Heart of Juliet Jones volume 4: Sundays 1954-1958

Stan Drake’s The Heart of Juliet Jones volume 4: Sundays 1954-1958 (Classic Comic Press): Taking a break from collecting the daily strips, this volume will collect the Sunday strips from the first ( may 2, 1954) to August 3, 1959. Plus, a terrific interview with Stan Drake, conducted by Shel Dorf, which originally appeared in Comics interview magazine. 240-page black & white softcover.

Wallace & Gromit: The newspaper Strips volume 2

Wallace & Gromit: The newspaper Strips volume 2 (Titan Comics): The first volume was quite cracking — so here’s volume 2! originally published in The sun (UK) newspaper, the full-color strip continues the mad adventures of the plucky, bald, and oblivious creator racing from one hair-brained innovation to another, typically needing his faithful canine Gromit to rescue him. Warning: extreme silliness and bad puns. This was made for me! 136-page color hardcover.

Windsor McKay: The complete little Nemo 1905-1927

Windsor McKay: The complete little Nemo 1905-1927 (TASCHEN): Of course, this public domain material has been packaged and re-packaged what seems like scores of times, but this huge volume by acclaimed publisher TASCHEN may be the one that stands the tests of time (if you wish to pay the cover price). little Nemo in Slumberland by Windsor McKay is one of the most celebrated comic strips in the world. This collects all 550 episodes in full marvelous color. Plus, an comprehensive text, illustrated with photos and documents, places the strip within us cultural history by art and comics historian Alexander Braun. 672-page large-scale (13” x 17”) color hardcover. Recommended: TASCHEN does very good books.

BIG BOOKS

 

Absolute Batman, Incorporated

Absolute Batman, Incorporated (DC Comics): This collects the entirety of grant Morrison’s popular and acclaimed Batman, Incorporated series and specials. It’s got a convoluted publishing history, but the stories are mostly impeccable. They’re from Batman, Incorporated 1-8; Batman, Incorporated: Leviathan Rises #1; Batman, Incorporated volume 2 #1-13; and Batman, Incorporated special #1. featuring the worldwide franchise of Batmen, including some old favorite characters from titles of the 1950s and 60s (Knight & Squire, El Gaucho, and others) updated here. The fantastic volume also showcases the artwork of Yanick Paquette, C

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