Dave's Dozen: Indy Comics

Continuing my look through the June Previews (for comics supposedly shipping in August), here are a dozen indy comics that I feel are worth your attention:


Phonogram #1
(Image, $3.50, p. 136)

"Real"-world magic collides with the worlds of indy rock and photography. Keiron Gillen's story looks intriguing and the art by Jamie McKelvie has an attractive David Hahn-like quality.



Strangers in Paradise #84
(Abstract Studios, $2.95, p. 206)

Is anybody but me still reading this in floppy form? Actually I'm not really either, as I tend to let these stack up and then read a chunk all at once. I guess I should be waiting for the trade, but it's too late to start now...



Dork #11
(Slave Labor, $2.95, p.218)

Yeah sure it takes Evan Dorkin forever to create a new issue of Dork. But it's always worth it, as Dorkin packs every page with the funny. Guaranteed laughs.



Rex Libris #5
(Slave Labor, $2.95, p. 218)

More densely packed librarian humor from James Turner.



Gold Digger #77
(Antarctic Press, $2.99, p.222)

Little Tiffany has her first adventure as she teems up with one of the Peebos to explore a hidden chanber in her Aunt Gina's lab. Fred Perry really shines when he does these one-offs between epics.



Athena Voltaire: Flight of the Falcon #1 - Ape Edition
(Ape Entertainment, $4.50, p. 224)

Another refugee from the Speakeasy collapse resurfaces. This combines the first (and only) Speakeasy issue with the unpublished second issue, allowing new readers to get in on the ground floor.



The Origin of Sparky One Shot
(Awakening Comics $2.99, p. 244)

A jam comic featuring the likes of Dave Sim, Shannon Wheeler, Bob Burdon and James Kochalka. Consider it an autograph book for APE or SPX.



Whisper #1
(Boom! Studios, $3.99, p. 247)

The First comics 80s rennaisance continues. This time it's Steven Grant's turn; he brings back his Whisper character, but it's a re-imagining, not a continuation.



The Enigma Cipher #1
(Boom! Studios, $3.99, p. 247)

Boom! seems to be turning out quality mini-series with alarming regularity, and this new one--which ties WWII code-craft with modern-day conspiracies--looks like it could be another enjoyable outing.



Delphine #1
(Fantagraphics, $7.95, p. 285)

The upscale Ignatz comic line continues. This time it's Richard Sala's turn as he retells the story of Snow White.



Thieves & Kings #49
Thieves & Kings Presents: The Walking Mage #1
(I Box, $3.50, $9.95, p. 293)

Despite Mark Oakley's annoucnement in the last issue of T&K that the series would me morphing into T&K Presents, it appears that he's taking a different tack. The regular T&K comic continues the narrative with the origin of sorceress Soracia, while The Walking Mage is a full-color 64-page digest-size comic collection of the Webstrip about magician Quinton.



Shark-Man #1
(Thrill House, $3.99, p. 328)

Another instance of a Hollywood big-wig slumming in comics. But this one has a cool-sounding story--a condemned prisoner is forced to protect a 1930s-era utopian society from organized crime--and art by Steve Pugh. So worth a look.




It's a baker's dozen this time out! A couple days ago I highlighted mainstream comics. I'll have Collections & GNs in a few days.

YACB Bulletins

ITEM! In an editorial for the L.A. Times, comic writer Elliot S! Maggin compares Al Gore to Jor-El: "Look! Up in the sky ... It's Al Gore!"

ITEM! Phoebe Gloeckner went to the Salo Internacional del Comic
De Barcelona and put together a photo documentary of the trip.

ITEM! Bound By Law? Tales From the Public Domain is a free online comic about the perils of copyright for documentary filmmakers. Wired has an interview with the creators, Keith Aoki, James Boyle and Jennifer Jenkins.

Monkey Covers

Sunday is Monkey Covers day here at YACB. Because there's nothing better than a comic with a monkey on the cover.

On the cover of Magilla Gorilla #1, the title character opts for bananas over gumballs. Good monkey!

(Standard disclaimer about money-using gorillas not really being monkeys applies.)

Image courtesy of the GCD. Click on the image for a larger version.

Dave's Dozen: Mainstream Comics

Each month 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 June Previews (comics supposedly available in August) are the following dozen mainstream comics picks:


Batman #656
Detective Comics #822
(DC, $2.99 ea., pp. 61-62)

Had I done a Dave's Dozen for May, I would have highlighted the debuts of the new Baman teams: Grant Morrison & Andy Kubert on Batman, and Paul Dini & J. H. Williams III on Detective. But since I didn't, I'll hightlight them here in their second issues. Both writers are known for their unique takes on Batman, and both artists have a well-deserved following. Should be good stuff!



Action Comics #842
(DC, $2.99, p. 66)

That's an eye-catching cover, and its got a definite silver age vibe. It'll be great to have a Superman comic that's actually fun again.



The Creeper #1
(DC, $2.99, p. 72)

Horror comics master Steve Niles takes a crack at perennial comic book loser The Creeper in a mini-series, with Justiniano along for the art. Can they suceed where so many before them have failed?



Jonah Hex #10
(DC, $2.99, p. 77)

The vastly underrated Phil Noto comes on board for the art in this issue. On nice thing about doing done-in-one tales is that it's easy to bring in a fill-in artists without interrupting the flow fo a story.



Manhunter #25
(DC, $2.99, p. 80)

Turns out that this won't be the final issue, as Manhunter has received a Spider-Girl-like reprieve. If we're lucky, the title will last 100 issues too. But you need to do your part, so buy this comic!



The Boys #1-2
(DC, $2.99 ea., p. 105)

Garth Ennis does his hating-super-heroes thing, all dark & twisted. Darick Robertson provides the art.



Agents of Atlas #1
(Marvel, $2.99, p. M23)

Jeff Parker brings back the golden age of Marvel. There's a robot, and a gorilla. How could I not get this comic?



Marvel Adventures Spider-Man #18
(Marvel, $2.99, p. M52)

Hey look, Peter David is writing all-new classic Spider-Man tales. Spider_man vs. Man-Thing in a battle of the hyphenates. If you're upset or whatever about recent developments in the web-slinger's life, you should be checking out retro tales.



CSI: Dying in the Gutters #1
(IDW, $3.99, p. 297)

This high concept CSI mini finds comic gossip Rich Johnston murdered at a Las Vegas comic convention, and plenty of real-life comic creators as suspects. I imagine that the CSI fans who pick this up will be mighty confused. I wonder if one of the guest stars will actually end up being the murderer?



Edgar Rice Burroughs' A Princess of Mars #1
(IDW, $3.99, p. 300)

Ted McKeever drawing an adaptation of Burroughs' John Carter? How odd and wonderful!



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

Sound of Superman

Over at AOL Music you can listen to an audio stream of the entire Sound of Superman album. It's not bad.

Review: Jon Sable, Freelance: Bloodtrail

Jon Sable, Freelance: Bloodtrail
by Mike Grell
IDW, $19.99

IDW continues their revival of First Comics from the 1980s by bringing back Mike Grell and his signature comic Jon Sable, Freelance.

Jon is a children's book author by day and a mercenary by night (figurtively--he operates both identities during all times of the day), but as the story opens neither career is going very well. Haunted by his past and unsure of his place in the present world, Jon is sleepwalking through life, drunk and alone, until threats to the life of an old friend jolt him reluctantly back into action.

It's clear from reading this that Sable is--and always has been--a men's adventure novel in comic book form. Sable is a man's man, even when he's down on his luck. And the women, well, they're basically props to the story. But there are guns to shoot and knives to wield and bad guys to kill and demons from the past to overcome. It's straightforward genre writing.

Grell's art is attractive and full of energy, though sometimes the action seems a bit stiff. The pacing is dense at times, and Grell has a way of making a page or a spread seem both wide-open and busy at the same time. It certainly is a good looking book, and has a retro-80s First Comics feel; it's as though Grell is picking up where he left off.

Those looking for a blast from the past and/or a high-action men's adventure tale will find much to admire and enjoy from this new Jon Sable tale.

Rating: 3 (of 5)

New Library Comics: Week of June 5, 2006

Here are the comics we got in for our library collection last week:


Fies, Brian. Mom's cancer /New York : Abrams Image, 2006.

Newgarden, Mark. We all die alone : a collection of cartoons and jokes /Seattle, Wash. : Fantagraphics, 2005.

Sturm, James, 1965- Above and below : two stories of the American frontier /Montreal, Quebec : Drawn & Quarterly, 2004.

New This Week: June 14, 2006

Based on the NCRL list for this week's comics shipping from Diamond, here are a few things to look for at the local comic shop tomorrow:


The Pick of the Week is Marvel's She Hulk, vol. 3: Time Trials, by Dan Slott & Juan Bobillo. Yes, I know I'm going to comic book hell because I wait for the trade on this title, but I'm really looking forward to it and you should be too.


In other comics:

Amaze Ink has bears fighting evil in giant robot suits in Ursa Minors #1.

Ape Entertainment have the second issue of Horrorwood.

Archie debut Andrew Pepoy's Katy Keene in Archie and Friends #101.

Dark Horse have the third expensive Nexus Archives hardcover, and the relatively inexpensive Star Wars X-Wing Rogue Squadron Omnibus, vol. 1. At least one of the stories collected has art by Darco Macan, and he was quite swell.

DC have Rick Veitch's new OGN Can't Get No; collect Warren Ellis & Butch Guice's JLA Classified: New Maps of Hell into a TPB; and have new issues of 100 Bullets (#73), 52 (week 6), Checkmate (#3), DMZ (#8), Ex Machina Special (#2), Fables (#50), Firestorm (#26), JLA Classified (#22--JLA Detroit!), and Superman (#653).

Fantagraphics have Megan Kelso's The Squirrel Mother.

IDW have the penultimate issue of Supermarket (#3).

Image collect Nabiel Kannan's crime-noir The Drowners.

Marvel collect the League of Losers story from Marvel Team-Up; and have new issues of Civil War (#2), Squadron Supreme (#4), and Thunderbolts (#103).

Shanda Fantasy Arts finally have a new issue of Shanda the Panda (#45).

Viz have new volumes of Banana Fish (vol. 14) and Tezuka's Phoenix (vol. 7).


Enjoy your new comics!

Review: De:TALES

De:TALES
by Fábio Moon & Gabriel Bá
Dark Horse, $14.95

De:TALES is the best comic I've read so far this year.

I've been impressed by twin brothers Moon & Ba's work before, but in De:TALES they raise the bar with a collection of short stories that, if there's any justice in this world, should bring them the recognition they richly deserve.

Grounded in the urban life of Sao Paulo with a touch of magical realism, the unrelated stories range the gammut from high concept--a friend is brought back from the dead to spend his birthday among the living; a young woman tells a complete stranger that he's too late to fall in love with her--to the quietly mundane. But even the seemingly mundane stories have a touch of magic in their lyrical simplicity, such as the final story in which a woman gets out of bed and lights a candle.

There is such a strong sense of life in these stories, about people who are happy, unhappy, satisfied, unsatisfied, in love, out of love, searching, longing, and content. These are stories about people and how they relate, or don't relate, to each other.

The art is attractive and fluid, with a strong grasp of storytelling. It's the kind of book that you can pick up, turn to a random page, and admire the art, from the linework to the layout.

Sometimes I worry about the state of comics; then I read a book like De:TALES, and my faith in the future of the medium is restored.

Rating: 4.5 (of 5)

DC Dream Teams

I recently got to thinking about who some of my dream creative teams would be for DC Comics titles. My only rule was that it had to be creators who had never worked as the regular writer or artist on that title or character. Here's some of what I came up with:


Wonder Woman: Gail Simone & Terry Moore

Oddly, in the comic's 65-year history, a woman has never been the regular writer of Wonder Woman. (Trina Robbins did a mini-series back in the 80s.) It's high time that changed, and who better than DC's female super-hero writer-in-residence Gail Simone? And with SiP winding up, Terry Moore could bring a style that isn't cheesecake, but still attractive.


Legion of Super-Heroes: Kurt Busiek & George Perez

George Perez has stated in the past that the Legion is the one super-hero team he has yet to do, and would like to. And with his Avengers co-hort Kurt Busiek along for the writing, this would make for a great super-team book.


Swamp Thing: Matt Howarth

The problem with the past umpteen iterations of Swamp Thing is that the series has labored long in the shadow of Alan Moore. Matt Howarth would bring a completely different story and artistic sensibility to the character.


Hellblazer: John Rozum & Steve Lieber

As an artist, Steve Lieber excels at making ordinary people exciting, and he can bring the supernatural funk. You know he'd be great drawing John Constantine in his trenchcoat every month. John Rozum is a highly underrated writer, and a higher profile book like Hellblazer would bring him the audience that the unheralded Midnight Mass. & Xombi couldn't.


Sugar & Spike: Judd Winick

Okay now, hear me out. Winick is great when drawing his own stuff, and when bringing the funny. Yeah, he'd have to tone things down from Barry Ween, but Juniper Lee showed that he is capable of being funny without being a potty mouth.


The Atom: Jim Ottaviani & Rob Walton

The Atom is supposed to be a nuclear scientists, so let's bring on a couple of guys who actually know their nuclear science!


The Question: L. Neil Smith & Cliff Chiang

Author Smith is a dyed-in-the-wool Libertarian, so it'd be very intersting to get his take on Ditko's creation. And I just want to see Cliff Chiang draw something every month, and think he'd be a good fit.


The Inferior Five: Dan Slott & Jim Mahfood

Dan Slott worked his magic with Marvel's Great Lakes Avengers, so let's turn him loose on DC's team of super-hero losers. When paired with Mahfood's heavy humorous line, it could be the comic that appeals to super-hero fanboys and indy geeks too.


Challengers of the Unknown: Fred Perry

Challengers is a book that needs the kind of high-adventure attitude that Fred Perry brings to his own Gold Digger series.


So, how about you--what are some of your DC Dream Teams?

FCBM2 Day 42

It's day Forty-two of the second annual YACB Free Comic Book Month!

Today's selected entry comes from Jamie B. Jamie's five comics are:

1. Fantastic Four
2. She-Hulk
3. Ex Machina
4. Runaways
5. Nextwave

For Jamie I have today's monkey cover comic: Grease Monkey #1 by Tim Eldred. And issue #2 as well. Because who wouldn't love comics about monkeys in space?

As a bonus, I'm sending Jamie a copy of Battlestar Galactica #0 by Greg Pak & Nigel Raynor.

Jamie's comics should be in the mail soon. Enjoy!

Final FCBM Statistics:
62 entries
150 free comics sent
0 days remaining--we're done!

Monkey Covers

Sunday is Monkey Covers day here at YACB. Because there's nothing better than a comic with a monkey on the cover.

Engineer Gimbensky isn't taking any crap on the cover of Grease Monkey #1 by Tim Eldred.

(Standard disclaimer about talking space-going gorillas not really being monkeys applies, even if they're called a 'Monkey' in the title.)

Click on the image for a larger version.

Stig's Inferno online

Those of you who remember Ty Templeton's Stig's Inferno will be thrilled to know that Templeton has made the first six issues available online for free.

If you don't know about Stig's Inferno--well, you've got a reading treat ahead!

FCBM2 Day 41

It's day Forty-one of the second annual YACB Free Comic Book Month!

Today's selected entry comes from Stephen Frug. Stephen's five comics are:

1. Y, the Last Man
2. Promethea
3. The Invisibles
4. 99 Ways to Tell a Story
5. Stuck Rubber Baby

For Stephen I have The Picture Taker #1 by Phillip Hester & Mike Worley.

As a bonus, I'm sending Stephen a Gemstone Halloween ashcan Donald Duck comic, featuring the story "Hobblin' Goblins" by Carl Barks.

Stephen's comics should be in the mail soon. Enjoy!

Current FCBM Statistics:
62 entries
147 free comics sent so far
1 day remaining

FCBM2 Day 40

It's day Forty of the second annual YACB Free Comic Book Month!

Today's selected entry comes from Ryan Claytor. Ryan's five comics are:

1. Blankets
2. True Story Swear to God
3. Groo
4. Clyde Fans
5. Y, the Last Man

For Ryan I have Cell #1 by Derek Kirk; along with A Sort of Homecoming #3 by Damon Hurd & Pedro Camello.

As a bonus, I'm sending Ryan a Gemstone Halloween ashcan Donald Duck comic, featuring the story "Hobblin' Goblins" by Carl Barks.

Ryan's comics should be in the mail soon. Enjoy!

Current FCBM Statistics:
62 entries
145 free comics sent so far
2 days remaining

FCBM2 Day 39

It's day Thirty-nine of the second annual YACB Free Comic Book Month!

Today's selected entry comes from the enigmatically named X Amount. X's five comics are:

1. Y, the Last Man
2. Ex Machina
3. Runaways
4. Nextwave
5. DMZ

For X I have the entire five-issue miniseries of Street Angel by Jim Rugg and Brian Maruca.

And since I found one last copy, X will be receiving a special Dark Horse promo-priced comic, in this case The Goon 25¢ Edition by Eric Powell.


X's comics should be in the mail soon. Enjoy!

Current FCBM Statistics:
62 entries
142 free comics sent so far
?? days remaining

FCBM2 Day 38.5

It's still day Thirty-eight of the second annual YACB Free Comic Book Month, etc. etc. etc.!

Today's second selected entry comes from TangognaT. Her five comics are:

1. Boys Over Flowers
2. All Star Superman
3. Runaways
4. Saiyuki
5. The Courageous Princess

I have a sneaking suspicion that she may have already read it, but if not I'm sure that TangognaT will enjoy Thieves & Kings #1 by Mark Oakley.

As a bonus, I'm sending TangognaT a Gemstone Halloween ashcan Donald Duck comic, featuring the story "Hobblin' Goblins" by Carl Barks.

TangognaT's comics should be in the mail soon. Enjoy!

Current FCBM Statistics:
62 entries
136 free comics sent so far
?? days remaining

FCBM2 Day 38

It's day Thirty-eight of the second annual YACB Free Comic Book Month!

Today's selected entry comes from Kip Sherwood. Kip's five comics are:

1. Exiles
2. Astro City
3. Green Lantern
4. Runaways
5. Green Arrow

For Kip I have Justice #1, the first issue of the new mini-series by Jim Krueger, Alex Ross & Doug Braithwaite.

As a bonus, I'm sending Kip a copy of Battlestar Galactica #0 by Greg Pak & Nigel Raynor.

Kip's comics should be in the mail soon. Enjoy!

Current FCBM Statistics:
62 entries
134 free comics sent so far
?? days remaining

FCBM2 Day 37.5

It's still day Thirty-seven of the second annual YACB Free Comic Book Month, and, well, you know the drill by now!

Today's second selected entry comes from Bradley Schenck. Bradley's five comics are:

1. Electropolis
2. Fear Agent
3. The Black Coat
4. Transmetropolitan
5. Tales of Tomorrow

For Bradley I have Terminal City #1 by Dean Motter & Michael Lark.

As a bonus, I'm sending Bradley a copy of Battlestar Galactica #0 by Greg Pak & Nigel Raynor.

Bradley's comics should be in the mail soon. Enjoy!

Current FCBM Statistics:
62 entries
132 free comics sent so far
?? days remaining

New This Week: June 7, 2006

Based on the NCRL list for this week's comics shipping from Diamond, here are a few things to look for at the local comic shop tomorrow:


Without a doubt the Pick of the Week is De:TALES, the anthology by Fábio Moon & Gabriel Bá, the brothers who seem to turn everything their pencils touch into gold. I know I lead you astray a couple of weeks ago with Buckaroo Bonzai, but you'll have to trust me that sight unseen I think this will be well worth your $14.95.


In other comics:

Archie have a new issue of Sabrina (#76).

Boom! debut Tag.

Dark Horse have BPRD: Universal Machine #3.

DC collect the first five issues of DMZ; put of a second Majestic collection; debut the new Wonder Woman; Kick off their movie tie-ins with Superman Returns: Krypton to Earth; and have new issues of 52 (week 5), Jonah Hex (#8), JSA (#86), Justice League Unlimited (#22), and Y, the Last Man (#46).

Evil Twin have their first Action Philosophers collection. For only 7 bucks you'll learn something and be entertained.

Fantagraphics have a new issue of Luba's Comics & Stories (#8).

IDW have the Angel Spotlight: Wesley one-shot.

Image have new issues of Invincible (#32), Noble Causes (#20), Rocketo (#9), and The Walking Dead (#28).

Marvel have Civil War Front Line #1 with FoYACB Steve Lieber contributing; and new issues of Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (#9), Marvel Team-Up (#21), and The Punisher (#34).

NBM have the second volume of Cryptozoo Crew.

Tor Books have the big ol' Grease Monkey collection by Tim Eldred. It's a gorilla in space--how can you go wrong?!

Viz have the third volume of Nana.


Lots of good stuff to choose from this week, so be sure to give your FLCS owner some love!

FCBM2 Day 37

It's day Thirty-seven of the second annual YACB Free Comic Book Month!

Today's selected entry comes from Martin Moretti. Martin's five comics are:

1. Flash
2. Manhunter
3. Suicide Squad
4. Starman
5. anything by Grant Morrison

For Martin I have Impulse #17, in which Mark Waid, Humberto Ramos & Wayne Faucher bring the funny as Zatanna guest-stars.

As a bonus, I'm sending Martin a copy of Battlestar Galactica #0 by Greg Pak & Nigel Raynor.

Martin's comics should be in the mail soon. Enjoy!

Current FCBM Statistics:
62 entries
130 free comics sent so far
?? days remaining

FCBM2 Day 36.5

It's still day Thirty-six of the second annual YACB Free Comic Book Month, and yes, we're still giving away free comics!

Today's second selected entry comes from Bill Doughty. Bill's five comics are:

1. Starman
2. Bone
3. The Spirit
4. Legion of Super-Heroes
5. True Story Swear to God

For Bill I have Mary Jane: Homecoming #1-2 by Sean McKeever & Takeshi Miyazawa; because anyone who likes Legion & True Story should be reading Mary Jane.

As a bonus, I'm sending Bill a Gemstone Halloween ashcan Donald Duck comic, featuring the story "Hobblin' Goblins" by Carl Barks.

Bill's comics should be in the mail soon. Enjoy!

Current FCBM Statistics:
62 entries
128 free comics sent so far
?? days remaining

New Library Comics: Week of May 29, 2006

Here are the comics we got in for our library collection last week:


Jason, 1965- Meow, baby! /Seattle, Wash. : Fantagraphics, 2005.

Miller, Frank, 1957- 300 /Milwaukie, Or. : Dark Horse Comics, 1999.

Orff, Joel. Waterwise /Gainesville, FL : Alternative Comics, c2004.

Schulz, Charles M. The complete Peanuts /Seattle, WA : Fantagraphics Books, c2004- vols. 3-4

Takahashi, Rumiko, 1957- Maison ikkoku /San Francisco, CA : Viz Comics, c1993- vol. 15

Waller, Reed. The complete "Omaha" the cat dancer /New York : Amerotica, 2005. vol. 1

FCBM2 Day 36

It's day Thirty-six of the second annual YACB Free Comic Book Month!

Today's selected entry comes from Jordan R. Jordan's five comics are:

1. Ultimate Fantastic Four
2. Ex Machina
3. Civil War
4. New Avengers
5. The Ultimates

For Jordan I have an Ed Brubaker 3-pack: Scene of the Crime #1 with Michael Lark; Point Blank #1 with Colin Wilson; and Gotham Central #11 with Brian Hurtt.

As a bonus, I'm sending Jordan a copy of Battlestar Galactica #0 by Greg Pak & Nigel Raynor.

Jordan's comics should be in the mail soon. Enjoy!

Current FCBM Statistics:
62 entries
125 free comics sent so far
?? days remaining

FCBM2 Day 35

It's day Thirty-five of the second annual YACB Free Comic Book Month!

Today's selected entry comes from Derek B. Haas. Derek's five comics are:

1. Atomika
2. Rocketo
3. The Goon
4. Seven Soldiers
5. Teen Titans Go!

For Derek I have Pirate Club #1 by Derek Hunter & Elias Pate.

As a bonus, I'm sending Derek a Gemstone Halloween ashcan Donald Duck comic, featuring the story "Hobblin' Goblins" by Carl Barks.

Derek's comics should be in the mail soon. Enjoy!

Current FCBM Statistics:
62 entries
121 free comics sent so far
?? days remaining

Monkey Covers

Sunday is Monkey Covers day here at YACB. Because there's nothing better than a comic with a monkey on the cover.

Monsieur Mallah leads the Brotherhood of Evil into battle on the cover of Teen Titans Spotlight #11 by Joe Orlando.

(Standard disclaimer about evil French gorillas not really being monkeys applies.)

Image courtesy of the GCD. Click on the image for a larger version.

FCBM2 Day 34

It's day Thirty-four of the second annual YACB Free Comic Book Month!

Today's selected entry comes from Andrea Faetanini. Andrea's five comics are:

1. Hellboy/BPRD
2. Buffy/Angel
3. The Goon
4. Y, the Last Man
5. The Walking Dead

Which makes Andrea a perfect candidate to receive the original Atomeka/Boom! Zombie Tales anthology.

As a bonus, I'm sending Andrea a copy of Battlestar Galactica #0 by Greg Pak & Nigel Raynor.

Andrea's comics should be in the mail soon. Enjoy!

Current FCBM Statistics:
62 entries
119 free comics sent so far
?? days remaining

Review: The Clouds Above

The Clouds Above
by Jordan Crane
Fantagraphics, $18.95

Young Simon and his cat (large, talking cat!) Jack are late for school, but when they try to sneak in without being noticed, they instead end up on the school's roof, where they find a wooden spiral staircase leading up into the clouds. Like all sensible kids would, they follow the stairs up and have encounters and adventures in the clouds, making friends with a likable pink rain cloud named Perch and avoiding the clutches of the angry storm clouds.

This OGN is not deep, but it is a good deal of fun. Crane would seem to be intentionally drawing on the children's book genre, both in story and art style; one could easily see Simon & Jack standing alongside Milo from The Phantom Tollbooth.

The book is over 200 pages long, but with just one panel per page it makes for a brisk, enjoyable read.

Rating: 3.5 (of 5)

FCBM2 Day 33

It's day Thirty-three of the second annual YACB Free Comic Book Month!

Today's selected entry comes from Steve Pham. Steve's five comics are:

1. Animal Man
2. Blankets
3. DC The New Frontier
4. Bone
5. Queen & Country

For Steve I have Jon Sable, Freelance: Bloodtrail #1 by Mike Grell.

As a bonus, I'm sending Steve a Gemstone Halloween ashcan Donald Duck comic, featuring the story "Hobblin' Goblins" by Carl Barks.

Steve's comics should be in the mail soon. Enjoy!

Current FCBM Statistics:
62 entries
117 free comics sent so far
?? days remaining

FCBM2 Day 32.5

It's still day Thirty-two of the second annual YACB Free Comic Book Month, and I'm still giving away free comics!

Today's second selected entry comes from Matthew Moore. Matthew's five comics are:

1. Bacchus
2. Ultimates 2
3. Astonishing X-Men
4. Too Much Coffee Man
5. The Shadow

For Matthew I have Flaming Carrot Comics #1 (the recent Image version, i.e. #33) by Bob Burden.

And because I still have a couple left, Matthew will be receiving a special Dark Horse promo-priced comic, in this case The Goon 25¢ Edition by Eric Powell.

Matthew's comics should be in the mail soon. Enjoy!

Current FCBM Statistics:
62 entries
115 free comics sent so far
?? days remaining

Yet Another Music Moment

Dave's Car Mix, May 2006

1 Song With a Mission - The Sounds
2 Gasoline - Enter the Haggis
3 Everybody's Gone to War - Nerina Pallot
4 What's Inside of Me? - Starlight Mints
5 I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair) - Sandi Thom
6 Five Degrees of Me - Honeycreeper
7 There Was a Time - Laura Michelle Kelly
8 Again and Again - Jewel
9 Just a Ride - Jem
10 Strangers Like Me - Everlife
11 Rockin' the Suburbs (Remix '06) - Ben Folds
12 Dice - Finley Quaye & William Orbit
13 Beloved (Thievery Corporation Remix) - Anoushka Shankar
14 It's You - Annie Stela
15 Una Dia Otra Noche - Alla
16 A Thousand Times - Klee
17 High Five - Penumbrae
18 Bye Bye - Phil Vassar
19 Star Power - Garrison Starr
20 Who Says You Can't Go Home - Bon Jovi & Jennifer Nettles
21 Should've Been the One - Antigone Rising

If anything strikes your fancy, I've turned this into an iMix.

FCBM2 Day 32

It's day Thirty-two of the second annual YACB Free Comic Book Month!

Today's selected entry comes from Kelly Bedson. Kelly's five comics are:

1. Y, the Last Man
2. Finder
3. Strangers in Paradise
4. Fables
5. Ex Machina

For Kelly I have Fragile Prophet #1 by Jeff Davidson & Stephen R. Buell.

As a bonus, I'm sending Kelly a Gemstone Halloween ashcan Donald Duck comic, featuring the story "Hobblin' Goblins" by Carl Barks.

Kelly's comics should be in the mail soon. Enjoy!

Current FCBM Statistics:
62 entries
113 free comics sent so far
?? days remaining

FCBM2 Update

This is the last day of May, which means the last day of the second annual YACB Free Comic Book Month.

Except, it isn't!

I'm having too much fun giving away free comics, so I'm going to keep doing it a while longer. How long? I'm not sure...

However, I will not be accepting any new entries; only people who have entered up to now will be elligible.

Also, I'm just about out of the Goon/Star Wars comics, so when those are gone I'll have to give out something else as a bonus book.

FCBM2 Day 31.5

It's still day Thirty-one of the second annual YACB Free Comic Book Month!

Today's second selected entry comes from Shawn Kilburn. Shawn listed his five comics as:

1. Inivincible
2. Planetary
3. The Goon
4. From Hell
5. Seaguy

For Shawn I have A Trip to Rundberg, the graphic novel of zombie mayhem by Nate Southard & Shawn Richter.

As a bonus, I'm sending Shawn a Gemstone Halloween ashcan Donald Duck comic, featuring the story "Hobblin' Goblins" by Carl Barks.

Shawn's comics should be in the mail soon. Enjoy!

Current FCBM Statistics:
62 entries
111 free comics sent so far
?? days remaining

New This Week: June 1, 2006

Based on the NCRL list for this week's comics shipping from Diamond, here are a few things to look for at the local comic shop tomorrow:


The Pick of the Week is the collected Shades of Gray Comics & Stories from Century Comics. Shades of Gray was Jimmy "Amelia Rules" Gownley's first comic series. It's a slice-of-life comic about a bunch of young subrban teenagers. Some of the early issues were a bit rough, but it's impressive to see how Gownley grows as an artist and storyteller over the course of the series.

The runner-up Pick of the Week is Matt Fraction and Steve Sanders' Five Fists of Science graphic novel, which I've been waiting for for what seems like forever.


In other comics:

Adhouse have the third issue of Skyscrapers of the Midwest (I should really get around to reading the first two, as several people have told me how good it is...)

AK Entertainment debut their four series about Arab super-heroes: Aya, Jalila, Rakan, and Zein.

Alias have the trade collection of Lullaby: Wisdom Seeker.

Archaia have the third issue of Mouse Guard.

Boom! have a Hero Squared collection (the one-shot plus the mini) and the debut issue of the Hero Squared ongoing; plus the third issue of War of the Worlds: The Second Wave.

Dark Horse have the 10th and final volume of Samurai Executioner.

DC have the third Seven Soldiers collection; the debut of Crisis Aftermath: The Spectre; new issues of 52 (week 4), Action Comics (#839), JLA Classified (#21), and Lucifer (#74); the Sam Loeb tribute issue of Superman/Batman (#26); and the long-awaited Showcase Presents: The Haunted Tank!

D.E. have the 25¢ Battlestar Galactica #0.

Hyperion bring DeMatteis & Ploog's Abadazad back with two volumes, which I think are meant to be heavily illustrated prose, but I've not been quite able to figure them out based on solicitations and whatnot...

IDW collect the recent Jon Sable, Freelance: Bloodtrail mini by Mike Grell; and have the Angel Spotlight: Gunn one-shot.

Image debut Emissary, and have new issues of Age of Bronze (#23) & Gødland (#11).

Marvel have a new digest collection of Sentinel (vol. 3); and new issues of Runaways (#16) & Ultimate Spider-Man (#95).

Oni debut Sam Keith's My Inner Bimbo mini; and have new issues of Local (#5) and Queen & Country (#30).

Seven Seas have the high-concept OGN Aoi House (vol. 1).

Tokyopop have new volumes of Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad (vol. 4) and Bizenghast (vol. 2).

Viper conclude the second Middleman mini (#4).


That's a heck-uv-a-lot of comix--must be the end of the month!

FCBM2 Day 31

It's day Thirty-one of the second annual YACB Free Comic Book Month!

Today's selected entry comes from Brandon Davis-Shannon. Brandon listed his five comics as:

1. Berlin
2. Usagi Yojimbo
3. Finder
4. From Hell
5. Love & Rockets

For Brandon I have the first three issues of Temporary, the strange and odd workplace comic by Damon Hurd & Rick Smith.

And like most of the selected entries, Brandon will be receiving a special Dark Horse promo-priced comic, in this case The Goon 25¢ Edition by Eric Powell.

Brandon's comics should be in the mail soon. Enjoy!

Current FCBM Statistics:
62 entries
109 free comics sent so far
?? days remaining

FCBM2 Day 30.5

It's still day Thirty of the second annual YACB Free Comic Book Month!

Today's second selected entry comes from Bill LaMonaca. Bill listed his five comics as:

1. Fables
2. Y, the Last Man
3. Planetary
4. Astro City
5. She-Hulk

For Bill I have Gotham Central #6, the first chapter in the great "Half a Life" story by Greg Rucka & Michael Lark.

And like most of the selected entries, Bill will be receiving a special Dark Horse promo-priced comic, in this case the Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic/Rebellion Flip Book.

Bill's comics should be in the mail soon. Enjoy!

Current FCBM Statistics:
62 entries
105 free comics sent so far
1 day remaining?

New Library Comics: Week of May 22, 2006

Here are the comics we got in for our library collection last week:


Berardi, Giancarlo. Marvin : il caso di Marion Colman /Genova : Le Mani, 2003.

Crane, Jordan, 1973- The clouds above /Seattle, WA : Fantagraphics Books, 2005.

Dimona 2 : Israeli comix anthology. /[Tel-Aviv : Dimona Comix Group, 2003]

The Ganzfeld 4 : art his tory? /Corte Madera, CA : Published by Gingko Press in association with PictureBox Inc., 2005.

Goulart, Ron, 1933- The adventurous decade : comic strips in the thirties /Neshannock, Pa. : Hermes Press, c2005.

Griffith, Bill, 1944- Type Z personality /Seattle : Fantagraphics Books, 2006.

Holkins, Jerry. Penny Arcade 1. Attack of the bacon robots! /Milwaukie, Or. : Dark Horse Books, 2006.

Liew, Sonny, 1974- Malinky robot issue 02 : bicycle /San Jose, CA : SLG Publishing, 2005.

Lutes, Jason. Berlin : city of stones /Montreal, Quebec : Drawn & Quarterly, 2004.

Moore, Alan, 1953- Top 10 : the forty-niners /La Jolla, Calif. : America's Best Comics, c2005.

Pratt, Hugo. CortoMaltese : un'aquila nella giungla /Roma : Lizard, 1997.

Reviati, Davide. Drug lion : i sogni e le stelle / Davide Reviati.Rome : Mare Nero, 2002.

Revolving hammer /Somerville, Mass. : Cyberosia, 2002.

Rius. Las glorias del tal Rius /Mexico, D.F. : Grijalbo : Random House Mondadori, 2005.

Sally, Zak. Recidivist /Minneapolis, MN : La Mano, c2005.

Sim, Dave, 1956- Jaka's story /[Kitchener, Ont.] : Aardvark-Vanaheim, c1986

Sim, Dave. Church and state /[Kitchener, Ont.] : Aardvark-Vanaheim, c1988 v. 2

Sim, Dave. High society /[Kitchener, Ontario] : Aardvark-Vanaheim, c1986

Sim, Dave. Melmoth /[Kitchener, Ont.] : Aardvark-Vanaheim, c1991

Tezuka, Osamu, 1928-1989. Buddha /New York, NY : Vertical, 2003- v.8

Writers on comics scriptwriting 2. /London : Titan, c2004.

FCBM2 Day 30

It's day Thirty of the second annual YACB Free Comic Book Month!

Today's selected entry comes from Andrew Hartsell. Andrew listed his five comics as:

1. Planetary
2. New Avengers
3. Starman
4. Fell
5. She-Hulk

For Andrew I have Ms. Marvel #1, the New Avengers spin-off by Brian Reed, Roberto de la Torre & Jimmy Palmiotti.

And like most of the selected entries, Andrew will be receiving a special Dark Horse promo-priced comic, in this case the Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic/Rebellion Flip Book.

Andrew's comics should be in the mail soon. Enjoy!

Current FCBM Statistics:
62 entries
103 free comics sent so far
1 day remaining?