Dave's Dozen: Collections/GNs

Concluding my look through the April Previews (for items supposedly shipping in June or July), here are a dozen collections and graphic novels that I feel are worth your attention:


B.P.R.D.: The Black Flame
(Dark Horse, $17.95, p. 32)

It may be sacrilidge, but I enjoy the latest batch of B.P.R.D. stories more than the regular Hellboy comic. If you missed this when it came out in floppies, you'll definitely want to pick up the collection.



Sloth
(DC/Vertigo, $19.99, p. 115)

Vertigo continues its assault on the indy comics scene by bringing Gilbert Hernandez's new OGN into the Warner fold. It's billed as a surrealistic romance/drama in the mold of David Lynch.



The Drowners
(Image, $14.99, p. 148)

The very good noirish mini from Nabiel Kanan gets a collection.



Oz: The Manga Pocket Manga
(Antarctic, $14.95, p. 229)

All nine issues of David Hutchison's critically acclaimed adaptation of The Wizard of Oz get the handy pocket manga collection.



Flight Volume 3
(Ballantine, $24.95, p. 245)

The acclaimed anthology series jumps ship to major publisher Ballantine, with over 350 massive full-color pages from a mixture of established creators and fresh young turks.



Little White Mouse Omnibus Edition
(Cafe Digital, $24.95, p. 252)

If you've never real Paul Sizer's delightful sci-fi tale, you owe it to yourself to pick up this massive (over 400 pages!) omnibus edition.



Action Philosophers volume 1: Giant-Sized Thing
(Evil Twin, $6.95, p. 290)

The first three issues of the funny and good for your brain bio-series are collected in one affordable volume. No excuses now!



Wet Moon volume 2: Unseen Feet
(Oni, $14.95, p. 318)

I haven't read volume 1 yet (it's relisted this month), but I enjoyed Ross Campbell's The Abandoned so much that I'm willing to dive right in to this.



Fool's Gold volume 1
(TokyoPop, $9.99, p. 331)

I'm sold on this just based on the strength of Amy Hadley's cover illustration. And if she can deliver on the premise--a support group for girls who are drawn to jerky boyfriends--so much the better!



Grease Monkey
(Tor Books, $27.95, p. 352)

Tim Eldred's comics is about a gorilla, in the future, who fixes spaceships. There's your high concept right there! Another massive collection (over 350 pages); I haven't read all of it before (some may be previously unpublished?) but what I've read has been loads of fun.



Hikaru No Go volume 7
(Viz, $7.95, p. 356)

I'm falling too far behind on this manga, but I'm sure that when I get to it this latest volume will be just as good as the previous volumes. It's good proof that just about any subject can make for an interesting comic if done right.



She-Hulk, vol. 3: Time Trials
(Marvel, $14.99, p. M97)

I've been waiting for the trade on this for what seems like forever. The bizarre legal issues of the Marvel universe come to the page in this enjoyable series from Dan Slott.



Sorry this was so late--hopefully you still have time to let your FLCS know that you want one or more of these fine books. I'll be back next month! (Earlier this month I had my picks for mainstream and indy comics.)