Dave's Dozen: Mainstream Comics

Each month (usually...) I go through Previews to highlight twelve items worthy of attention in three categories: Mainstream Comics, Indy Comics, and Collections/GNs.

First up for the September Previews (comics supposedly available in November) are the following baker's dozen mainstream comics picks:


Batman/The Spirit
(DC, $4.99, p. 65)
Sure, Will Eisner might not approve. But with Darwyn Cooke handling the art, I bet that this comic will at least look fantastic. As for the story, well, that will depend on whether or not the good Jeph Loeb or the bad Jeph Loeb shows up. For the sake of the project, let's all hope that it's the good Loeb.



Superman Confidential #1
(DC, $2.99, p. 74)
You know how it goes with these kind of books: for the first two or three story arcs they have superstar creative teams, then they drop off to mid-level teams, and after a few years they're using the books to try out new talent. But hey, it's the first issue, so we get Darwyn Cooke (him again!) writing this time out, and Tim Sale drawing (though in a style decidedly different from what he used on Superman for All Seasons).



Birds of Prey #100
(DC, $3.99, p. 81)
Who'd've ever thunk that book staring second-tier female characters would survive this long? Just goes to show that sometimes a good idea and good writing will make it. Of course this book is about change more often than not, so this big anniversary issue feature the formation of a new Birds of Prey team.



Guy Gardner: Collateral Damage #1
(DC, $5.99, p. 85)
Howard Chaykin and... G'Nort? Two things that really, really shouldn't go together. And yet, it all seems so right (in a really wrong sort of way).



Midnighter #1
(DC/WildStorm, $2.99, p. 110)
When I think of Chris Sprouse artwork, I think of good and fundamentally bright comics like Tom Strong or Legionnaires. But then I see that mister anti-super-hero Garth Ennis is writing this comic, and I'm fascinated to see how it will all turn out.



Wildcats #2
(DC/WildStorm, $2.99, p. 111)
I skipped doing a Dave's Dozen in July, so I didn't get a chance to mention that GRANT MORRISON AND JIM LEE ARE DOING A COMIC TOGETHER. That is all.



The Nightly News #1
(Image, $2.99, p. 140)
Based on the solicitation text, I really have no idea as to what this comic is about. Based on the preview art, this comic by Jonathan Hickman looks to be one of the most visually interesting comics to come about this year. So I'll buy it for the eye candy, and hope that the story matches up.



Casanova #6
(Image, $1.99, p. 157)
Each month Matt Fraction and Gabriel Bá give us sixteen pages of pure cool 60s sci-fi spy thriller goodness. Don't you owe it to comics to be reading this? (answer: yes you do!)



Spider-Man and Power Pack #1
(Marvel, $2.99, p. M16)
I don't care if none of the rest of you are buying this. It must be making money *somewhere*, because Marvel keep putting out this fun Power Pack comcis by Marc Sumerak & Gurihiru, so I get to keep reading and enjoying them.



Bullet Points #1
(Marvel, $2.99, p. M25)
JMS seems to have given up on television for now and is devoting his writing to comics. That's fine with me, because he's able to get Tommy Lee Edwards to draw a tale of World War II super-heroes.



Franklin Richards: Happy Franksgiving!
(Marvel, $2.99, p. M37)
Everyone's favorite son-of-a-genius returns for an all new special from Marc Sumerak & Chris Eliopoulos. Vootie!



X-Factor #13
(Marvel, $2.99, p. M71)
New regular artist Pablo Raimondi comes aboard, and Peter David has him drawing 22 pages of X-Factor in therapy!



Walt Disney's Christmas Parade #4
(Gemstone, $6.95, p. 288)
If it's September, it must be time to pre-order your Christmas comics! This 80-page compilation includes Carl Barks' classic "Christmas in Duckberg."



Look for the other two parts, Indy Comics & Collections/GNs, sometime soon, I hope...