Chris vs. Previews: December, Round Two

It’s the Second Day of this month’s Previews Roundup, but before we get on with the small press and the merchandise, why not check in with Jimmy (Santa) Olsen to see how his holidays are going?

 

 

…Huh.

Yeah, maybe it’s best if we just move on.

 


 

Comics

 

p.195 – Sky Ape Relists: Since you’re reading this here, I’m going to go ahead and assume that you’re a fan of things that are totally awesome, and if that’s the case, then you really need to get some Sky Ape into your life. You’ll probably be able to figure it out for yourself just from hearing that it’s a book about a crime-fighting gorilla accountant with a jetpack and a fearless band of associates–a premise that puts him in the running alongside Matt Fraction’s Rex Mantooth for the title of AIT’s greatest gorilla crimefighter–but these things are pure, two-fisted genius.

How genius, you ask? Oh, I don’t know…

 

 

…about that much.

Heck, even Dave Campbell likes it! And the best part is, they’re relists, so they’re all available now, just in time for a happy jetpack gorilla Christmas!

 

P.204 – The Many Adventures of Miranda Mercury #295: I think the record’ll probably show that for all my big talk, I really am a total sucker for an interesting gimmick, and starting a comic at #295 so that you only have to wait six months for the big 300th issue spectacular definitely qualifies on that front. However…

 

 

…even if I was a little more discerning in my comics purchases, that’s still a cover that features both a villain berating his inept henchmen and someone getting kicked in the face, and that’s the sort of thing I can get behind. Truth be told, it looks like it oughtta be a lot of fun.

 

P.238 – Rasl #1: So hey: Jeff Smith’s got a new comic coming out.

 

 

When you get right down to it, that’s probably all I have to say about this one. Still, brevity’s never really been my strong point, so I might as well mention that the solicitation’s promise of Jeff Smith doing a story about an interdimensional art theif fills me with the hope that this’ll read like Bone meets Casanova, and now that I’m actually writing that down, that sounds awesome.

Of course, given that I can’t read the title without thinking of the word “wrestle,” there probably won’t be quite as many steel chairs and/or ladder matches as I’d like. Still pretty exciting, though.

 

P.247 – Zorro #1: Well, it looks like Dynamite’s picked up yet another licensed property, and seeing as this one doesn’t have the words “Dark” or “Xena” in the title, I’m pretty sure I can skip it. Besides, it’s not like I need another comic to pick up every month, ri–

What’s that?

Matt Wagner‘s writing it?

Son of a bitch.

So, uh, yeah. I’m gonna need that.

 

P.265 – All Nippon Air Lines: Here at the ISB, we always like to have a little fun at the expense of DMP’s yaoi titles–although not, strictly speaking, the kind that’s intended–but you know what? I’m done. Can’t do it anymore. Because this

 

 

…is a series that’s abbreviated right there in the solicitation copy as “ANAL,” and where the hell am I supposed to go with it after that? Congratulations, DMP: I’m finished with you.

 

P.269 – Vanilla v.2:

 

 

Okay, okay. Maybe not finished, but it’s not nearly as much fun now.

 

P.290 – Little Orphan Annie v.1:

 

 

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!

 

 

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!

 

 

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!

 


 

Books

P.385 – Night Life MMPB: I think it’s safe to say that I wouldn’t normally classify an urban fantasy novel about a hard-boiled lady cop werewolf as being my thing, but I’m willing to make an exception for this, the debut novel of Friend Of The ISB / child prodigy Caitlin Kittredge, as she’s what I’d generally refer to as “Good People.”

If such a thing is your bag, then give it a shot. After all, if it’s good enough to be sold at a comic book store, then… Well, uh, forget I said that. Hey, look! It’s also available for preorder on Amazon, which is a perfectly legitimate bookseller and not the sort of place that made a mint peddling Rob Liefeld books back in the day!

 


 

Merch

P.469: So just in case you were wondering why Mike Sterling calls his monthly look at Previews “The End of Civilization,” I think this page can just about sum it all up:

 

 

P.476 – Revoltech Danboard Action Figure: Speaking of Sterling, he already mentioned this thing a few weeks back, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention it:

 

 

That’s right, kids: It’s Cardbo the Robot, springing to life from the pages of Yotsuba&! v.5! The sequence with Cardbo is probably my favorite bit of the series thus far and that alone would make this a must-buy, but since I got the Yotsuba figure from the same line, I can pretty much confirm that yes, they’re awesome.

Now if only they could come up with a better name than “Revoltech.” Yeesh.

 


 

And that pretty much covers it! As always, if anything caught your eye–like the magical fact that we’re getting both a new Yotsuba&! and a new Cromartie in February–feel free to point it out.

Now then, let’s get back to the Christmas!

21 thoughts on “Chris vs. Previews: December, Round Two

  1. I aplogize for any splling mistakees i might leave here but aftr seeing the anime page i rinsed m eyes with acid.

  2. Okay, I know it’s not good to be predictable and that when humor falls into a rut, well, it ain’t pretty (I’m looking at you, Robin Williams since 1981). But I can’t believe that there was nothing funny in apparel. Have they finally classed it up?

    Richelle, what’s your book coming out in January? Is there going to be any awesomeness in it?

    The anime love doll is a great idea. Maybe they could sell them in vending machines?

  3. Dear Mr.Sims,
    With all due respect, you generally overuse the phrase “just blew youur mind” regarding subjects which are, in my opinion , merely AWESOME. However, the image of Hall and Oates quoting song lyrics while kicking the collective ass of kung fu masters(?) who complain of glaucoma! actually caused a neural rewiring in my cranium just to absorb the awesomeness. Of course , I can’t seem to do addition in my head anymore, but it’s a fair trade. Thank you!

  4. Uuum – geriatrics shouting “My glaucoma!” while getting seven shades kicked out of them by eighties-pop icons using song lyrics for snappy repartee is the funniest single panel I’ve seen in a long, long time.

    Cheers!
    Mal

  5. “If you stare long enough into the Abyss, Little Orphan Annie’s dog Sandy stares also into you.”

    And that’s why they called it The Depression.

    (Actually, I’m going to buy it. The ghost of Ronald Reagan makes me do it.)

  6. I love how the Witchblade statuette is one frame away from pratfalling so hard. The poor dear’s already broken her back, must she bellyflop into cement, probably slicing off a leg with her improbable sword?
    Little Orphan Annie, by way of contrast, is the immovable object around which the universe spins.

  7. You’re out of touch, indeed.

    I’d like a figurine of Cardbo in the ass-prone position, pls.

  8. I thought Sky Ape was a billionaire gorilla with a jetpack, not an accountant gorilla with a jetpack. On closer examination, being able to use accrual accounting with those big fingers is probably harder than being rich with large digits, so accountant probably is more impressive. Also impressive, crime-fighting gorilla with jetpack.

  9. Hey, thanks for the heads-up about “Miranda Mercury!” I don’t actually get Previews, and I rarely look past the DC and Dark Horse sections of my online order form, so I would never have known about this one otherwise. Looks like a lot of fun!

  10. In the spirit of Previews, and the spirit of self-plugging, I hereby announce that the new issue of the Judge Dredd Megazine (266, true believers) introduces a character who is HALF-JUDGE, HALF-NINJA. And in the January issue, you will see this fearsome being PUNCH A CANNIBAL THROUGH THE FACE. Not ‘in’. THROUGH.

    I can make a solemn promise as writer that things only get MORE AWESOME from there.

    Here endeth the plug.