Flipping Through Previews...

Yes, due to popular acclaim, I'm going to do a second month of "Things in Previews That Look Interesting But I Can't Afford To Get (with a list of things I am getting just for contrast)". I didn't get many actual comments on last month's list, but I did get a number of nice e-mails.

Starting on the Splash Page, I see an article about The Amazing Adventures of the Escapist #1. Since I enjoyed The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, I'm already thinking of checking this one out. Another interesting article is about The Thackery T Lambshead Pocket Guide to Eccentric and Discredited Diseases, which sounds interesting enough from just the title to take a second look. Yeah, if I had some cash to spare, this one might make the list. On to the Premier section.

Dark Horse is first. $8.95 is kind of steep for an 80 page book, even if it is based on a novel that I enjoyed: so while I want to get The Escapist, the price may keep me from it. Moving on, no Usagi Yojimbo this month, so Dark Horse will be light this month.

As usual, the bulk of our order is in DC. Flipping through the features, I know hubby is interested in Plastic Man, but I'm finding that I have almost no interest whatsoever in either the new Plastic Man series or the "lost" annual. The Rose & Thorn mini sounds and looks very interesting, but it's not something I will buy. I do like the fact that the DC features have more pages from upcoming books, by the way. Masks: Too Hot For TV! looks fun, but it probably won't make the cut.

Right, the stuff we will get... in the Batman section I see Batman Adventures #9 and Birds of Prey #62. In the Superman section we're getting Superman: The Kansas Sighting #2 and Superman & Batman: Generations III #12. No Birthright this month for some reason. In the regular listings we see Aquaman #13, Avengers/JLA #4, Cinnamon: El Ciclo #5, Empire #6, Fallen Angel #6, Formerly Known As The Justice League #6, Green Arrow #33, Green Lantern #172, H-E-R-O #11, JLA #91, JSA #55, JSA: All-Stars #8, Justice League Adventures #26, and probably Outsiders #7, Plastic Man #1 and Plastic Man: The Lost Annual. In the other DC stuff, we're getting Astro City/Arrowsmith. And I think that's it for DC.

On to Image Comics. No Age of Bronze, curse the luck. However, Powers #37 is here, as is Wildguard: Casting Call #4. There's nothing in Top Cow that we'll buy, so on to Marvel.

Looks like we're down to Supreme Power #5 and Amazing Spider-Man #61/502. I haven't gone through the Marvel Previews yet, but nothing in there will change this.

On to the main comics.

The first thing that jumps out at me is Superfolks Novel from About Comics. I'm curious, and would like to read it. I'm not sure I can afford $19.95 for a limited edition version, though.

Airwave comics has a couple of items of interest. First up is Molly Danger #1 by Jamal Igle and Richard Maurizio. Jamal did an Aquaman sketch for me at San Diego 2000, so his name and work are familiar. This looks fun, complete with giant robots and a 12-year-old girl hero. Very tempting. The other item is Mr. Magoo. Yup, a flipbook with two Mr. Magoo stories. They also have a DVD/comic book Mr. Magoo package. How tempting is that?

AiT/Planet Lar have a couple of books that intrigue. Demo #2 sounds strange and fascinating, about a girl whose words have power. Their odd ad for Giant Robot Warriors also made me take a second look.

Alternative Comics has a book called 8 1/2 Ghosts that I would like to try. The idea of actual ghosts being convinced to star in a low budget horror flick just pulls you in. Ok, well, it pulls ME in.

And I was pulled in by the solicit for Assembly last month, so Assembly #2 from Antarctic Press is on the pull list. Score one for having good art to promote your book in Previews.

Astonish Books has another Scott Sava 3-D book, The Dreamland Chronicles #1. While it won't make our pull list, it's worth mentioning. There will be four different covers, one each by Sava, Mike Kunkel, Frank Cho, and Mike Wieringo.

Big Head Press has an "uh-oh" book up called A Drug War Carol, which is a parody of A Christmas Carol featuring "Scrooge McCzar" and a cannabis activist. I think I'll skip it.

Blindwolf Studios has a fun-looking book Eagle All Star: Torch of Liberty that has a cat in a green cape on the cover (along with the presumed hero carrying a torch) and appears to take place at the Olympics. Fun!

Bob House Comics has a book that may catch me despite myself, Spirit & Image #1 is about a Mayan boy in a pre-Columbian setting. Oooh, just my cuppa.

Bud Plant is offering Mike Ploog's adaptation of The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by Wizard of Oz writer L Frank Baum at a deep discount from the original $24.95 cover price. This is a good one to get as a gift for kids, trust me.

Cartoon books is apparently putting out the last issue of Bone, so be sure to grab a Previews and read the farewell letters on page 249 from various creators. I like Sergio's offering.

Cho-Zen Books is trying to marry CD-ROMs with Comic Books, and Shao Tzu is the result. It's about an ancient earth guardian fighting with an evil chef. Seriously!

And WHAP! I've run into CrossGen. Let's avoid talking about their business practices, and concentrate on what I'm ordering despite those practices. It looks like we have five CrossGen books on the list. Abadazad #1 is not a slam-dunk, but it's as close as a new book is likely to get. We're also getting El Cazador #4, Ruse #27, Way of the Rat #20, and Crossovers #12.

I have to mention Don't Eat Any Bugs Productions just because their name is so cool. Their offering to the comic book geeks is R.Q.W. #1, which apparently stands for Raymond Q. Wonderful. Hey, it's got a talking penguin, how bad could it be?

Just a pause here. Isn't it funny how the majority of publishers are in the early letters of the alphabet? Right, back to the book...

For furry fans, Mu Press has the reincarnation of Rhudiprrt: Prince of Fur, which looks somewhat interesting.

NBM Publishing is torturing me with a trade of P Craig Russell's opera adaptations, this one of The Magic Flute. I would really like to get these, but I'm going to have to wait until we have money again.

I really liked the bit of Courtney Crumrin I got from Free Comic Book Day, so I wouldn't mind trying Courtney Crumrin in the Twilight Kingdom #1. This will be another book that I'll have to wait to get.

Renaissance Press has Amelia Rules: Superheroes #2. I don't mind the move to the mini-series format, as long as we keep getting Amelia on a regular basis.

Rough Cut Comics has a book called Rose Black about a "sexy, 600-year-old vampire" who is recruited to battle an evil cabal based in the Vatican. Oh, I love conspiracy books! It looks like a good read.

Sentai Studios has a book called Tomorrowman's Gigantic Super-Special #1. The cover art looks good, but do we really need another superhero book? I guess I'd have to read it to know, and I can't afford it.

Shooting Star Comics has an fascinating little collection of shorts by fanzing artists, including my buddy Scott McCullar. Job Wanted #1 is a cross-genre look at ... jobs. Eight stories, 80 pages, for $5.95... I wonder if I should take out a bank loan to buy this month's comics? Then I could afford some more of these.

TwoMorrows Publishing has a re-solicit of a book called Streetwise that I really wouldn't mind owning. It has stories by Sergio, Jack Kirby, Brent Anderson, Nick Cardy, Paul Chadwick, Joe Kubert, Roy Thomas, Walter Simonson, Rick Veitch... those alone are enough to get me wanting it. Sergio's story also won an Eisner. I guess I'd better put it on the "someday" list.

It's too bad I'm not taken seriously as a reviewer, cuz then I could get some review copies of some of these books. Of course, then I'd be obliged to review anything that I got for free in a timely matter, so maybe it's for the best.

I'm skipping lightly over the magazines and books sections and not finding much. The Kingdom Come T-shirts are cool (in the Graphitti section). Still no Aquaman shirt (no surprise).

Should I even mention the Davey & Goliath action figures? No, probably not.

Do you want a bust of Jack Kirby for your studio? Yup, that's in here. Jack Kirby, as sculpted by Randy Bowen.

You can get three four-foot high inflatable Daleks for only $55. Yeah, that's what I said, too. Really.

Moving on to the games, Mayfair is offering a children's version of their wonderful Settlers of Catan game called Kids of Catan. I gotta tell my boss about this one.

And the next HeroClix expansion, Marvel of course, is due out in December.

Whew. That's enough of this, I think. I hope you enjoyed this quick tour through Previews, and what I found interesting. Until next month, this has been my "Things in Previews That Look Interesting But I Can't Afford To Get (with a list of things I am getting just for contrast)" list. Enjoy.