Image Previews Picks: May 2022
Above-the-Board Recommendation:
What’s the Place Furthest From Here vol. 1: Get Lost
I realize I put the first issue of this new ongoing series from writer Matthew Rosenberg and artist Tyler Boss in this spot when it first came out. I’m giving the first volume the same spot because I’m still looking forward to reading this, even amongst everything else in these solicitations. What can I say? A post-apocalyptic series where the focus is on the kids rather than adults is a concept that captivates me. It’s about a gang whose leader, Sid, goes missing one day and it’s up to the rest of her crew to figure out where she went and why she left. The solicitation text for this volume offers up a couple of clever analogies for the tone of this series and I’m most partiel to “John Carpenter by way of John Hughes.” Rosenberg has shown he can write kids with caustic wit in his and Boss’ breakout book “4 Kids Walk Into a Bank” and I’m very interested in seeing that applied to a series whose starting point is as bleak as the ending to that series was.
This is also going to be a larger-than-usual collection at 248-pages for $20. The series did offer deluxe editions that shipped with vinyl records, but there’s no indication that they’re going to be included with this collection. Which is fine because I don’t own a record player.
Bone Orchard: The Passageway HC: A geologist is sent to investigate strange phenomena at a remote lighthouse and finds a seemingly bottomless pit with nothing but horrors inside. This is the latest collaboration from Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino, and it’s described as the start to an ambitious shared horror universe. This would have a lot more appeal to me if it wasn’t coming from a writer who has routinely disappointed me with his projects over the years. Still, this does sound like the kind of premise that will allow Sorrentino to deliver some appropriately frightening visuals, but he’s been carrying Lemire for years with his stellar work. This is where I’d also complain about this being a 96-page OGN for $18, but as we’ll see later in these solicitations, I’m willing to pay more for less if the right creative team is involved.
Eight Billion Genies #1 (of 8): Charles Soule and Ryan Browne, the writer and artist, respectively, behind “Curse Words” have a new miniseries. In it, they ask the question, “What if eight billion people on Earth each got a genie who offered them one wish each?” The answer to that question is complete utter chaos of the scale that I’m left wondering how the world will survive past the first issue of this miniseries, let alone eight whole issues. While “Curse Words” was a fun series overall, it didn’t quite catch fire until its final volume. I’m interested in seeing what the creators have planned for this one, even though I wonder if it’s going to be able to get as crazy as its premise implies it could be. (Or even as crazy as Browne’s legendary “God Hates Astronauts” series.)
F*ck This Place #1: “Rock Candy Mountain,” “Assassin Nation,” and “The Six Sidekicks of Trigger Keaton” writer Kyle Starks takes out his frustrations on not having a hit Image series yet and goes down the “Let’s put profanity on the cover!” rabbit hole. That being said, Gabby and Trudy, the protagonists of this new series, have good reason for invoking the words of the title. This is because the house they’ve just bought is actually a magnet for attracting all sorts of weird crap. Ghosts, aliens, maybe even a malevolent A.I. or two down the line, you name it, it’s in their house. The only thing standing between the new couple and everything else in their new home are a set of “house rules” that keeps everyone from killing each other. I enjoyed “Assassin Nation” and “Old Head,” “The Six Sidekicks of Trigger Keaton” is currently in the mail, so I’ve clearly got some appreciation for what Starks has been trying to do at Image. Even if this doesn’t turn out to be his breakout work, it still sounds like something that will be a fun read.
The Dark Room HC: Gerry Duggan is another creator who has been struggling with trying to get a successful series at Image as “Dead Eyes” and “Analog” both appear to be on permanent hiatus at this point. For this new series, he and artist Scott Buoncristiano are eschewing the serialized format entirely and going with a series of OGNs. The premise behind “The Dark Room” looks to be about Duone Mahoney and the private collection of cursed artifacts that she curates. The latest object she’s looking to add to her collection is a camera that contains undeveloped film of the face of true evil. Naturally, there’s a bunch of other individuals – werewolves, members of secret societies, blessed animals – that want to get their hands on this camera for their own ends. It sounds like it could be fun, and the price isn’t bad at 120 pages for $20.
Pulp: The Process Edition HC: How much of a fan of the work of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips are you? If you’re some kind of superfan, then this is definitely for you. It’s a deep dive into the creative process, for both the writing and the art, behind the creative team’s first OGN. This is also being issued in an oversized format similar to the “Cruel Summer” HC, which will be all the better for appreciating Phillips’ art. This edition will also contain the OGN as well; though, I’d recommend reading it in its original format if you haven’t checked it out before. As for me, I’m definitely curious about what changes Brubaker’s script went through on its way to the final product. I’m just not sure if I’m $40 worth of curious.
Rick Grimes 2000 HC: I only own one issue of “The Walking Dead.” That would be issue #75, because it contains a bonus back-up story by Robert Kirkman and “Invincible” artist Ryan Ottley which showed the series having gone all kinds of sci-fi crazy. “Rick Grimes 2000” is the extension of that story, originally published in the pages of the anthology series “Skybound X.” It’s 64 pages in an oversized format for $20, and I’m all in on this because Kirkman and Ottley are worth it.
Seven to Eternity Deluxe Edition HC: Rick Remender and Jerome Opena’s (with James Harren) sci-fi fantasy epic gets collected in one volume. It’s a study in tragedy where the series’ protagonist keeps lying to himself and others about the reasons behind the choices he’s making. It also features an authoritarian despot who’s meant to be the main villain of the title, but actually comes off as far more sympathetic once you learn the reasons why he’s doing what he’s doing, and witness the utter stupidity of the seven that have come to take him down. Not the writer’s best work, but it features consistently gorgeous art from Opena and a smashing two-issue arc from Harren.
Crossover vol. 2: The Ten-Cent Plague: Considering Donny Cates’ track record, and especially his work with artist Geoff Shaw, the first volume of this series was a big letdown. The idea behind this series was what would happen if a major comic crossover happened in our world, which sounded like a cool starting point. Unfortunately, the series was actually about a major Marvel, DC, Image, Dark Horse, etc. crossover and no points for guessing which characters from which publishers were hinted at, but didn’t actually show up for this “Crossover.” Cates and Shaw continue to double down on the meta aspect of this series as vol. 2 involves a serial killer who’s killing off famous comic book writers. It’s also making the most of bringing in other characters from other indie comics with a really big get that was spoiled in a headline over at Bleeding Cool. To which I can only say, “THANKS A FUCKY FUCKITING LOT FOR THAT, RICH!”
Invincible: Think, Mark, Think! T-Shirt: I never spotlight merch in these columns, but the solicitation text for this shirt deserved a special mention:
“Why did you make us do this? You’re making viral memes online while every background character on INVINCIBLE dies! Think, Mark! Of course the Skybound team would have to make a commemorative shirt. Sure, you’ll live to see this meme crumble to dust and blow away! In time, every meme you know will be gone! What will you have after 500 years? This shirt. You’ll still have this shirt. 100% combed and ring-spun cotton.”