Image Advance Arrivals: October 2024
Above-the-Board Recommendation:
We Called Them Giants HC
Hey, it’s a Kieron Gillen-written original graphic novel in this spot, what a surprise, huh? Well, it was actually kind of tough to decide what to put here, given that this re-teams him with artist Stephanie Hans. She’s a great artist with a fantastic sense of mood and character, but there’s no denying to me that “Die” was the least-good series I’ve read from the writer. So I can’t say that I was as excited for this OGN as you’d expect. Still, “least good” doesn’t mean “bad” and there’s reasons to be optimistic here. Not only is this going to be a complete break from what the two did previously, it’s also going to be the first OGN for either of them. A whole new format to explore for two talented creators? Yeah, I think that’s worthy of recommending.
Hyde Street #1: This is the latest series from writer Geoff Johns and his Ghost Machine imprint at the publisher, and it re-teams him with his “Green Lantern”/”Blackest Night”/”Aquaman” collaborator, artist Ivan Reis. Should be a hit in the making, no? Well, it’s a good thing these two have a proven track record with me because I’m not sure what to make of it. Is it a new supervillain series, given that it features characters with names like Mr. X-Ray, Pranky, The World’s Most Dangerous Scout, and Miss Goodbody? Is it a horror series, with all that talk in the solicitation text about going down the wrong road one night and being careful who you talk to? I really don’t know what this title’s deal is and you’d think that someone as canny as Johns wouldn’t fail us here.
That said, it’s quite possible this is actually a horror anthology in disguise. I say that because “Hyde Street” is getting its first spinoff in this round of solicitations. It Happened on Hyde Street: Devour, from writer Maytal Zchut and artist Leila Leiz, is the story of a bride-to-be who is desperate to lose some weight before her wedding. Good thing “Hyde Street’s” Miss Goodbody is hawking a weight loss drug called Devour in order to help her out. I’m sure nothing will go wrong there. *rolls eyes so hard they pop out of his head*
Creepshow Deluxe Book One HC: Collecting the first two volumes of this actual horror anthology series in one oversized volume for $40. While that may sound like an attractive deal, you can get the two volumes it collects in softcover form for $15 each. There’s no indication you’re getting any extra material here, so that seems like a bum deal for me. Unless you’re a sucker for this kind of format. I think I’ll just get the softcover editions instead and enjoy (what I hope will be) some quality horror stories from the likes of Paul Dini, Garth Ennis, Chris Burnham, Becky Cloonan, Francesco Francavilla, Nick Dragotta, Phil Hester, Saladin Ahmed, and MORE!
POST-COMIC-CON UPDATE: Bought the first two volumes there. Will read and probably review them at some point.
Drawing Blood vol. 1: Spilled Ink: They say “Write what you know,” and it looks like “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” co-creator Kevin Eastman has taken that to heart with this series. Co-written with David Avallone, with additional art from Ben Bishop and Troy Little, it’s about Books, a creator who it it big with an indie comic that ballooned into a global multimedia franchise who is now in his 40’s with almost nothing to show for it. He’s now trying to make a fresh start of things, but “Early Success” is a terrible high to come down from as Books is finding out firsthand. I was hoping we’d be getting a thinly veiled take on Eastman’s whole life, not just his post-”Turtles” fame era, but it looks like that’s not the case here. Still, I’m interested in seeing what he has to say about himself here, and if something called “Rearranged Ronin Ragdolls” can be any good as an actual comic rather than a jokey idea.
Seven to Eternity Compendium: Collecting the seventeen-issue series from writer Rick Remender and artist Jerome Opena, with James Harren pitching in for two issues in the middle. It’s about Adam Osidis, a father and knight to a dead order who winds up embroiled in a quest to free the land of Zhal from Garlis Slum, the God of Whispers. That may sound like a good start for a series, except the people rising up against Slum are a bunch of sanctimonious, arrogant, halfwits and I don’t think that was intentional writing on Remender’s part. So it’s a good thing that Garlis is a sympathetic bastard who’s good at leading this title’s ostensible protagonist around by his nose. This is a series that works in spite of itself, is what I’m saying, and it’s one that I’ve never stopped thinking about how I would’ve done the ending instead.
Saga #70: Well, that’s not ominous at all.
Transformers #13: It’s safe to say Starscream has seen better days than he has on the cover is this issue. Yet what better way to entice readers into finding out about his Secret Origin. Daniel Warren Johnson is still writing this series as it heads into its third arc, but this time he’s joined by new artist Jason Howard. For this issue, or for the arc? Tune in next month to find out! Though, after his work on “Cemetery Beach,” I wouldn’t mind if Howard stuck around for a while.