I got behind on talking about solicits for upcoming comics, so it’s time to play some catch up before we get too far into April. Sorry about that.

A couple of the books on this list were released last week, but it shouldn’t be too late to find them. A couple of others are coming out tomorrow, just in time for you to snatch ‘em up.

Adhouse Books

Secret Voice #2: “They” say you shouldn’t bother creating a superhero book if you’re not DC or Marvel, but they’re obviously not thinking about Secret Voice when they say it. The first issue was an amazing, fun book that bridged the indie/superhero gap for anyone who read it. I’m looking forward to the second issue doing the same thing.

AKA Comics

The Miscellaneous Adventures of Stykman #1: This is one of the books that have already come out this month. If your store still has a copy, find it. If they don’t, ask them to order you one. Stykman is a brilliantly designed, fully drawn superhero who just happens to be shaped like a stick figure. He’s also absolutely hilarious. I’ve read this issue (and the second) from when AKA was selling them through their website. This is first time it’s been available through Diamond though, and it’s well worth a look. And the second issue is even funnier.

Ape Entertainment

Teddy Scares Volume 1: I’m curious about this one. I’ve got a Teddy Scares bear looking at me from my bookshelf right now (Redmond Gore, the scarecrow-looking one with the axe), but it’s going to be the story that makes or breaks this and I know nothing about what that’s going to be about. I’m thinking a flip-through in the comic shop will help me decide (though Ben Roman helping out on art is a big positive.)

Athena Voltaire: The Legend of Mu King #2: I think I missed the announcement about The Legend of Mu King #1. I don’t know how that’s possible because I usually clue in to Athena Voltaire announcements like a dog to steak, but I’m old and I may be losing some time here and there. Anyway, Athena Voltaire = money well spent. I’m crossing my fingers that somehow issue #1 is late and hasn’t actually come out yet so I don’t have to hunt it down.

Horrorwood Gift Set: Horrorwood wasn’t so much a horror title itself as it was a great mystery inspired by ‘50s B-grade horror movies. And this isn’t so much an expensive “gift set” as it is a very reasonably priced ($14.95) trade paperback collecting the mini-series. If you have any fondness for that era of Hollywood history at all, you need to read this. It’ll leave you hoping for a sequel.

Archaia Studios Press

Mouse Guard Volume 1: Fall 1152 hardcover: Damn it. This makes me wish I’d waited for the hardcover. I just couldn’t help myself as the issues were coming out. I’m weak.

Other ASP titles of interest:
Killer #4
Okko: Cycle of Water #3
Secret History: Book Two
(Yes, I know that’s everything they’ve got coming out this month. I love ASP.)

Dark Horse

Hellboy: Darkness Calls #1: The next big Hellboy mini-series begins, and it’s the first one not to be illustrated by Mike Mignola. Duncan Fegredo is a great artist though, so even though I’ll be missing Mignola’s interiors, I’m willing to make do with his writing and providing the covers for this. I mean, he doesn’t draw BPRD either and that “series of mini-series” is one of my favorite ongoing titles.

Satan’s ***** Baby: I’m having a hard time imagining what can be in this Goon book that makes it deserve to be solicited in Previews Adult Supplement (although I notice that it also shows up on the regular order form as well). How offensive can this thing be? I plan to find out.

Maxwell Strangewell: A ten-foot tall alien, an army of Tibetan monks, alien assassins and accountants, the man in the moon, and a jogger whose job it is to keep the Earth spinning? How can you not want to read that?

Other Dark Horse titles of interest:
BPRD: Garden of Souls #2
City of Others #2
Hellboy Animated Volume 2: Judgment Bell
Secret #3
The Art of Bone

Dynamite Entertainment

Red Sonja Volume 1 hardcover: Though I was enjoying it, I quit buying Red Sonja as it was coming out because I hated having to pick between variant covers. This collects the first six issues, plus the full cover gallery. It’s what I was hoping they’d release. Looking forward to Volume 2 already.

Eureka Productions

Graphic Classics Volume 14: Gothic Classics: The solicitation doesn’t say if this adapts Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed. I love Graphic Classics and this volume looks to be inordinately good. It’s got Northanger Abbey (adapted by Trina Robbins, by the way) and what I imagine will be the only way you’ll ever get me to read Ann Radcliffe’s laborious The Mysteries of Udolpho again. I’m sure to be entertained by the Graphic Classics version of Udolpho, which is something the original failed to do. Oh, and two of my favorite GC creators, Rod Lott and Lisa K. Weber team up to adapt J. Sheridan Le Fanu’s vampire story, Carmilla.

Fantagraphics

The Complete Peanuts Volume 7: 1963-1964: ‘Cause I gotta have them all.

IDW

Star Trek: Klingons – Blood Will Tell #1: I’ve always been iffy on Star Trek comics, except for the ones that fill in specific gaps not covered in the TV episodes. Those I love. Since these are retelling classic episodes from the Klingon point-of-view, and since I’m a huge Klingon fan, this is an easy sell.

Complete Chester Gould’s Dick Tracy Volume 2: ‘Cause I gotta have them all.

30 Days of Night: Spreading the Disease #5: As wrong as it feels to be enjoying a 30 Days of Night series that isn’t at least co-written by Steve Niles, Dan Wickline is telling a kick-ass vampire story. And it wraps up here.

Image

Frank Frazetta’s Death Dealer #1: I was a huge fan of writer Josh Ortega’s Necromancer and I’ll follow him pretty much anywhere now. Plus, Nat Jones and Jay Fotos make some damn good-looking horror comics. Can’t wait to see what these guys do with this.

Alien Pig Farm 3000 #1: I’ve got an interview with writer Todd Farmer coming in a future column. He’s way funnier than a horror guy has a right to be and I can’t wait to read about redneck Johnny Ray trying to protect the sister he loves from aliens.

Unravel #1: Dan Wickline’s got a great imagination and the preview pages I’ve seen from this mystery series have me hooked, even though I don’t know a lot about what it’s about.

Sam Noir: Samurai Detective Special Edition #1: I got into Sam Noir late with the “Ronin Holiday” arc and regret missing out on the first mini-series about the samurai detective who talks like Bruce Campbell. Now I get to catch up.

Madame Mirage: First Look: The overly cheesecake artwork is a little off-putting, but it’s written by Paul Dini, it’s a mystery comic, and I’m giving it a shot.

Moonstone

Phantom #16: I’m hooked on Moonstone’s Phantom comics anyway, but writer Mike Bullock’s been doing a great job with them. After the last couple of months’ US-based adventures, it’ll be nice to get back to the jungle in this issue.

New England Comics

The Tick 20^th Anniversary Special Edition #1: New Tick! By Ben Edlund! And Josh Howard! And Terry Moore! And Hembeck! *head explodes*

Oni Press

Annotated Northwest Passage: I’ve been kicking myself for missing Northwest Passage as single issues. It’s gratifying to know that not only is it not too late for me, but that there’s also a nice reward in the annotations for having waited.

Other Oni titles of interest:
Wasteland #8

Silent Devil

Empty Chamber #2: I love Jason Copland. I love A. David Lewis. I love it when they work together, and I loved the first issue of this thriller. Actually, I loved this issue too since I was lucky enough to see an advance copy.

SLG

Wonderland #4: Wonderland isn’t just my favorite SLG/Disney title; it’s my favorite SLG title. And I like a lot of SLG books. And I’ve never even been that fond of Alice in Wonderland. But this focuses on everything I like about Alice in Wonderland at the same time that it fixes everything I don’t.

Top Shelf

Korgi Volume 1: They had me at “woodland fantasy,” but Christian Slade’s artwork and comparisons to Owly and Bone make this a must-check-out for me.

Viper Comics

Josh Howard Presents Sasquatch Volume 1: Are you kidding me? A whole, 250 pages anthology about Bigfoot? I can’t wait! Oh, that’s right, I don’t have to because I’ve read this one too. Review coming soon. (I like how this article has turned into a “to do” list for future articles.)

Virgin Comics

Gamekeeper #2: I absolutely loved the first issue of this. Breathtaking artwork by Mukesh Singh, believable characterization by Andy Diggle, and a high-energy plot by Guy Ritchie are making me really anxious to see where it’s going from here.

Wildcard Ink

Gumby #3: That’s right. Gumby. If you’re not a fan of Gumby comics it’s because you’ve never read that award-winning Art Adams Gumby Special or the first couple of issues of this series. If you’ve read any of those, you don’t have to have me telling you that you also want this one.

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