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The monthly review continues, this time with DC and Marvel titles!
What’s big? Well, Marvel is pushing their John Carter titles to promote the movie (including reprinting a Bronze Age storyline which takes place between the third and fourth paragraphs of chapter 27 of Burroughs’ novel A Princess of Mars!)
Then there’s a few Avengers titles to tie in with the summer movie, a retelling of the Fantastic Four, and a new person in the Spidey suit (in a series which is a reboot of a reboot of the ongoing Spider-Man series). There’s also an X-Men series written by the director of the upcoming Avengers movie. And, for some reason, two Daredevil collections. If you’ve ever wondered what the Justice League would be like as zombies, Marvel delivers. (Wait, didn’t DC already do that with Blackest Night?)
DC reprints their classic crossover stories with Marvel (don’t ask which versions, or where it fits in the canon… just read and enjoy.) There’s also a collection of secret origins from the Silver Age (DC version 2.0, we’re now in DC 4.0), and a nice Showcase collection of pre-Vertigo horror comics!
Titles have links embedded, where I could find them.
And now, my boilerplate:
So, here’s what caught my eye. Please comment below, and please feel free to mention titles I may have marginalized or overlooked. My tastes are eclectic, but there’s stuff which doesn’t interest me, or doesn’t evoke much of a response. I respect everyone who manages to publish something, but with some 400 graphic novel titles a month, I have to be selective.
CAVEAT: As I discovered while doing the publisher posts, that some titles have been canceled or postponed. The titles below, the information is subject to change. Some may already be out and on sale, some may be vaporous. Covers and text are supplied by the publishers.
I am employed as a bookseller. Nothing I say here or anywhere else online has any connection to my employer. I know my employer can take umbrage at any association people may make between my private and professional activities, so I’m careful to let sleeping Axolotl lie.
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DC/Marvel Crossover Omnibus, Volume 1
[No page on the DC website. The cover shown was used on the previous “volume two” collection.]
Summary: The two greatest comic book publishing companies, DC Comics and Marvel Comics, get together in this hardcover omnibus and let their finest heroes face off against each other as well as their greatest villains.
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John Carter : World of Mars
Summary: Captain John Carter finds himself on a strange new world where he must fight for his very life — and for the heart of a princess! Edgar Rice Burroughs’ legendary novels come to life in this action-packed, all-new, re-envisioned adventure! Meet the Tharks, terrible warrior race of Mars! See Woola, the scariest guard dog you’ll ever lay eyes upon! Gasp as John Carter battles the great white apes of Barsoom! And hold your breath as he first lays eyes upon the woman who will change his life forever: the proud and beautiful Dejah Thoris, Princess of Helium!
COLLECTING: JOHN CARTER: A PRINCESS OF MARS #1-5.
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Marvel Zombies Supreme
Summary: The Squadron Supreme: heroes from another dimension, stranded on our Earth and sworn to protect it. Now, this super-powered team hungers for human flesh as a result of the mad science of Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S.! When Jill Harper’s military special-ops team receives a distress call from a P.E.G.A.S.U.S. facility in lockdown, they get a lot more than they bargained for! Researchers at Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. cloned the members of the Squadron Supreme for medical science, but their creations are monstrously imperfect and need to consume human flesh to survive. Now, Harper and her team must find a way to stop these hyper-powerful zombie clones before they escape and begin feeding on the population — and their only hope lies in a long-dead former Avenger returned to life!
COLLECTING: MARVEL ZOMBIES SUPREME 1-5
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Red Skull: Incarnate
Summary: Witness the chilling creation of Marvel’s greatest monster, and liberty’s greatest enemy. As Berlin descends into chaos and ruin, sinister forces are on the rise…and the men who will form the Nazi Party ascent to power. Against this tragic backdrop of history, a boy comes of age: Johann Schmidt. Orphan, thug, urchin–Johann has nothing–and how far he would go for power will change the world. Greg Pak, the writer of X-MEN: MAGNETO-TESTAMENT, and breakout artist Mirko Colak (SECRET WARRIORS) bring to life the twisted birth of the Red Skull.
COLLECTING:RED SKULL 1-5
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Astonishing X-Men By Joss Whedon & John Cassaday Ultimate Collection, Book 1
Summary: Expectations were high when Joss Whedon was announced as the writer of the new ASTONISHING X-MEN series. With Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Whedon had created one of the most popular TV shows of the 1990s; now, teamed with superstar artist John Cassaday, he was taking on the best-selling X-Men. Their storyline took inspiration from the classic sagas of the ’70s and ’80s, while forging ahead with a thoroughly modern take on the mutant team. From the opening pages of a Sentinel attack to the unexpected return of a beloved X-Man, Whedon and Cassaday kept fans breathlessly awaiting each new chapter of their epic story. Now, the complete saga — acclaimed as “Series of the Year” by Wizard magazine and a “Must Have Gift” by TV Guide — is collected across two softcover volumes.
COLLECTING: Astonishing X-Men 1-12
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Daredevil By Ed Brubaker & Michael Lark Ultimate Collection – Book 1
Summary: The critically acclaimed, award-winning creative team of Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark make their explosive debut! For the past few years, Matt Murdock’s life has been teetering on the edge of destruction. Now, pushed beyond the limit, Matt finds himself behind the eight ball with no clear way out, the people he calls friends slowly deserting him, and Hell’s Kitchen gradually slipping out of control. The question is, when his back is against the wall. just how far will Daredevil go to get back what is his? Plus: a special episode focusing on Daredevil’s best friend, Foggy Nelson. Spinning out of the stunning finale of Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev’s ground-breaking run, Brubaker and Lark pick up the billy club and run as hard and as fast as they can to leave their own mark on one of comics’ most enduring legends.
COLLECTING: DAREDEVIL (1998) 82-93
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The Avengers Omnibus, Volume 1
Summary: The Avengers, comics’ greatest super team, burst onto the scene in 1963 at the forefront of revolutionary Marvel Age of Comics. Iron Man, Thor, the Incredible Hulk, Ant-Man and the Wasp joined together to face the menace of Loki — and set off on a streak of tales that nearly 50 years later still sets the trend for super-hero epics. From Captain America’s return from the icy depths of the Atlantic to the first appearances of classic enemies like Kang the Conqueror to the game-changing introduction of a trio of former villains into their ranks — Avengers was a bona-fide comic-book blockbuster! And you’ll experience every story, every villain, even every letters page in this painstakingly restored Omnibus collection — written by Stan “The Man” Lee, and illustrated by Jack Kirby and Don Heck. It’s a must-have for every Marvel fan’s collections — so reserve your copy today, True Believer!
COLLECTING: AVENGERS (1963) 1-30
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Daredevil By Mark Waid, Volume 1
Summary: THE DEVIL IS REBORN. RENEWED. RESURRECTED. With new enemies, new friends and that same old “grinnin’ in the face of hell” attitude, the Man Without Fear is back in action and leading with his face! Mark Waid (AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, Irredeemable, RUSE) joins neo-legendary artists Paolo Rivera and Marcos Martin for a new spin on Daredevil that will leave you gasping for air. Having turned his world upside during the past several years, Matt Murdock realizes justice may not be blind to his past and villains may not be the only ones looking for answers. Bring it on! If Matt Murdock could see what he was doing, he’d be terrified.
COLLECTING: DAREDEVIL (2011) 1-6
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DC Universe: Secret Origins
Summary: The classic Silver Age titles are collected in hardcover for the first time, including SECRET ORIGINS #1, MORE SECRET ORIGINS #1, EVEN MORE SECRET ORIGINS #1 and WEIRD SECRET ORIGINS #1! Don’t miss the origins of Wonder Woman, the Superman/Batman team, The Challengers of the Unknown, Martian Manhunter, the Justice League of America, Aquaman, The Flash, The Atom, Bizarro and more!
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Showcase Presents Ghosts
Summary: From the 1970s comes this value-priced collection of classic ghost stories, featuring stories like:
• “Ghost in the Iron Coffin”
• “The Tattooed Terror”
• “Death Held the Lantern High”
• “The Dark Goddess of Doom”
• “The Haunted Hero of Saint Helena”
• “The Screaming Skulls”
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Batman: Gates of Gotham
Author Bio: Scott Snyder has been published in Zoetrope, Tin House, One-Story, Epoch, Small Spiral Notebook and other journals. He most recently has co-written AMERICAN VAMPIRE for Vertigo/DC Comics, along with horror-master Stephen King, BATMAN, DETECTIVE COMICS and SWAMP THING.
Summary: Batman stands today as one of the most recognizable characters in pop culture, and along with the Batcave and the Batmobile, Gotham City itself stands as one of the most identifiable aspects of Batman lore. This trade explores not only the history of the city but its dark secrets and deadly denizens as well, giving readers a whole scale look at world of Batman.Writer Scott Snyder (AMERICAN VAMPIRE) teams with Kyle Higgins to pen the story, which features various members of the Batman family uniting to solve a mystery that travels through multiple eras of Gotham City.
John Carter: A Princess of Mars
Summary: Captain John Carter finds himself on a strange new world where he must fi ght for his very life – and for the heart of a princess! Edgar Rice Burroughs’ legendary novels come to life in this action-packed, all-new re-envisioned adventure! Meet the Tharks, terrible warrior race of Mars! See Woola, the scariest guard dog you’ll ever lay eyes upon! Gasp as John Carter battles the great white apes of Barsoom! And hold your breath as he first lays eyes upon the woman who will change his life forever – the proud and beautiful Dejah Thoris, Princess of Helium!
COLLECTING: JOHN CARTER OF MARS: A PRINCESS OF MARS 1-5
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John Carter, Warlord of Mars Omnibus
Captain America by Ed Brubaker, Volume 1
Fantastic Four: Season One
Marvel Firsts : The 1970s, Volume 1
Summary: When the swingin’ seventies arrived, Marvel was there to welcome it with a host of new characters and titles! Assembled in one volume for the very first time are the fabulous first issues of dozens of Marvel’s finest offerings from the seventies, including the likes of Dracula, Man-Thing, Luke Cage, and Tigra, not to mention such solo breakouts as the Black Widow and the Beast. Westerns, war, sci-fi, super heroes, monsters and mutants!
COLLECTING: AMAZING ADVENTURES (1970) #1, #11 and #18; SAVAGE TALES (1971) #1; MARVEL SPOTLIGHT (1971) #1-2 and #5; MARVEL FEATURE (1971) #1; MARVEL PREMIERE #1: TOMB OF DRACULA #1; HERO FOR HIRE #1; COMBAT KELLY & THE DEADLY DOZEN #1; OUTLAW KID (1970) #10; GUNHAWKS #1; THE CAT #1: SHANNA THE SHE-DEVIL (1972) #1; and MONSTER OF FRANKENSTEIN #1.
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Ultimate Comics Spider-Man By Brian Michael Bendis, Volume 1
Summary: The year’s most-talked about story! Miles Morales IS the new Spider-Man! What’s the secret behind his powers, and how will he master them? What new and familiar enemies will rise to challenge this all-new Spider-Man? And will Miles live up to Peter Parker’s legacy? Also includes ULTIMATE COMICS FALLOUT #4, featuring the very first appearance of Miles Morales!
COLLECTING: ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN (2011) 1-6
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Ender’s Shadow: Ultimate Collection
The Twelve, Volume 1
Superman: The Black Ring, Volume 1
Author Bio: Paul Cornell is a British writer best known for his work in television drama as well as Dr. Who fiction and as the creator of one of the Doctor’s spin-off companions. He has written for other television dramas including Robin Hood, Primeval, Casualty, Holby City and Coronation Street. His comics work includes Captain Britain and MI-13, Black Widow: Deadly Origin and Dark X-Men, as well as ACTION COMICS.
Wonder Woman : Amazon. Hero. Icon.
Xombi
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“a Bronze Age storyline which takes place between the third and fourth paragraphs of chapter 27 of Burroughs’ novel A Princess of Mars!”
Why do I have this dreary feeling that it was written by Roy Thomas?
@Joe S. Walker – I think Roy Thomas’ work stands the test of time quite well actually.
Pretty sure the DC/Marvel Crossover Omnibus was never actually solicited and won’t be out in February. I hope to see it eventually–I pre-ordered a copy from Amazon in May of 2011.
@Joe S. Walker – Torsten is alluding to this line in A PRINCESS OF MARS: “For nine years I served in the councils and fought in the armies of Helium as a prince of the house of Tardos Mors.”
When the John Carter, Warlord of Mars series–which was mainly written by Marv Wolfman–launched, Wolfman stated that it took place during that nine-year gap.
I should know this stuff–my company’s own edition of the novel comes out tomorrow. ;-)
Yes, DC/Marvel Crossover Omnibus, Volume 1 was cancelled back in November. My industry source did not remove it from its listings. Hence the boilerplate…
Yup! “Warlord of Mars” was written by Roy Thomas, with art by Gil Kane and Dave Cockrum! (And many others!)
http://www.comics.org/series/2398/
“Yup! “Warlord of Mars” was written by Roy Thomas, with art by Gil Kane and Dave Cockrum! (And many others!)”
True, but at least the first arc, “The Air-Pirates of Mars,” was written by Wolfman.
http://marvel.wikia.com/John_Carter_Warlord_of_Mars_Vol_1_1
I think Thomas came in as the series progressed. And then, of course, there was the Marvel Star Wars Annual that was originally an unpublished Warlord of Mars two-parter that was completed before the John Carter series was canceled…
>> I think Thomas came in as the series progressed. >>
He didn’t.
Marvel’s WARLORD OF MARS series was written mostly by Marv Wolfman (16 issues), and then Chris Claremont (11 issues). The final issue was written by Peter Gillis.
The annuals were written by Marv, Chris, Bill Mantlo and Alan Weiss.
“Marvel’s WARLORD OF MARS series was written mostly by Marv Wolfman (16 issues), and then Chris Claremont (11 issues). The final issue was written by Peter Gillis.”
I stand corrected. Thanks for the info. I’d forgotten the others’ involvement, but I definitely remembered Wolfman launching the series.
(Psst… Comics.org = The Grand Comics Database. 375,000 covers. 44,000 series in English, plus many other languages!)
http://www.comics.org/international_stats/
Torsten – I’m not sure why you keep citing the GCD. It’s a great reference cite, but it doesn’t back you up on Roy writing WARLORD OF MARS, since he didn’t.
Roy wrote TARZAN, which was licensed by Marvel at the same time. Maybe that’s what you’re thinking of?
kdb
Also, “Coming Attractions” for Feb is kind of a misnomer as most of this stuff is already out, much of it for over three weeks.
BREAKING NEWS!!!
That Showcase Presents: Ghosts Vol. 1 initially shipped to comics shops Nov. 23, according to CBG’s Comics in Your Future database, updated weekly at CBGXtra.com.
I know that Bud Plant and other sources got additional copies earlier this month, so that may account for it popping up on Torsten’s list now.
Hey, Geem… read the boilerplate!
I post this stuff to remind people of titles they might have overlooked. There are plenty of websites which balleen Amazon and other sources searching for the latest announcements of titles not available for another six months.
The Beatrix herself just posted a listing from DC Comics’ Fall list.
I also tend to wait until the actual month, as many publisher websites do not advertise the titles until “on sale now”! I wrote about my frustrations here:
https://www.comicsbeat.com/2011/12/26/coming-attractions-some-constructive-criticism/
WHOOPS! Sorry… got Roy Thomas confused with Marv Wolfman. Mr. Busiek, once again, is correct.
Hmmm… Showcase Ghosts did ship to bookstores in November. The link to DC’s website states: “On Sale February 8, 2012”.
The reason for Showcase Presents: Ghosts appearing now after initially coming out in November is that all copies were recalled after it was discovered that it was missing a page.