Continuing our catch-up on all the non-DC/Marvel solicits (or the ones that interest me anyway), here’s the cool stuff that’s coming out next month.

About Comics

Schulz’s Youth trade paperback: Fantagraphics’ Peanuts collections have done exactly what About Comics hopes that they’d do: got me wanting more Schulz. This collection of cartoons dealing with teenagers is something I have to read.

Abstract Studios

Strangers in Paradise #90: I wasn’t able to appreciate the few issues I tried of Strangers in Paradise, but I can’t let the series finale go without a mention. It’s an amazing accomplishment on Terry Moore’s part.

Ape Entertainment

The Black Coat: Or Give Me Death #1: The first Black Coat mini-series was a perfect blend of swashbuckling adventure and supernatural thriller. Cannot wait for this sequel.

Bluewater Productions

Ray Harryhausen Presents: Wrath of the Titans #1: I loved Clash of the Titans as a kid and still love Greek mythology today, so I’m hoping this is able to do justice to both.

Dark Horse

Secret #4: I started reading this one for Jason Alexander’s art. The story by Mike Richardson is so far a well-told twist on the teen slasher story; sort of a cross between I Know What You Did Last Summer and The Vanishing. Whether the whole series is worthwhile or not though will be determined by this, the final issue.

Other Dark Horse comics of interest: BPRD: Garden of Souls #3 and Hellboy: Darkness Calls #2

Dynamite Entertainment

Classic Battlestar Galactica Volume 1 trade paperback: I read the first issue of Classic Battlestar Galactica and knew that I wanted the whole story in tpb. As much as I also enjoy the updated version, Rick Remender perfectly captures the space opera feel of the original.

Savage Tales #2: I passed on the first issue of this, thinking it was just another Red Sonja spin-off. But the more I hear about it and the more I think it over, a sword-and-sorcery anthology sounds like something I should really give a shot.

Fantagraphics

Delphine #2: Last time I did one of these, someone rightfully took me to task in the comments section for neglecting Fantagraphics’ Ignatz line and specifically mentioned the Richard Sala series. I don’t know how it happened, but I immediately knew that my not mentioning a Richard Sala Ignatz book was due to my ignorance that it existed, not an intentional oversight. And here’s the evidence: a note to myself (written before last week’s post) in the March Previews to buy Delphine. I hadn’t committed it to memory because I tend to make notes about anything Sala does without spoiling the details for myself. That obviously didn’t happen with Delphine #1 for some reason though, so now I gotta track that one down.

First Second

The Professor’s Daughter graphic novel: Like everyone else, I’ve become a fan of pretty much everything First Second and Joann Sfar put out. Unlike everyone else in Blogoworld, I haven’t received a preview copy of this book to love and rave about, so I’m going to have to buy it for myself. Life is hard.

General Jack Cosmo Productions

General Jack Cosmo Presents #1: They got my attention with the title and kept it with the description. It doesn’t look so much like an anthology as it does a feature-length story with a few back-ups, all featuring things like monster-fighting cowboys, tuxedo-wearing barbarians, villainous gorillas, and werewolves from Mars. I’m in for a look.

IDW

30 Days of Night: Eben & Stella #1: Kelly Sue DeConnick gets it. The best part of the 30 Days of Night saga for me has always been the love story. (Steve Niles also gets it, by the way, but he created the love story aspect, so I kind of take it for granted that he knows what he’s doing.) That doesn’t mean you can’t have fun in other parts of the mythos, and I’ve enjoyed those stories too, but I connect with Eben and Stella (and poor, unrequited Dane). I’m in love with this mini-series before it even begins.

Other IDW comics of interest: Star Trek: Klingons – Blood Will Tell #2

Image

Gutsville #1: I’m not sure that I’m up for the gore associated with a culture of people who were swallowed alive by a sea monster and still live inside it, but it’s certainly a unique concept. If the mini-series focuses more on the politics, social commentary, and suspense than it does on trying to gross me out, it could be fascinating.

Ward of the State #1: Speaking of gore, the artist known as Chee is one of the masters of it. I’m afraid he’s going to get typecast though, because I think he’s a talented guy who could do other things. This story about a foster mom who teaches her kids to be killers probably isn’t one of those other things, but I like Chee and I loved writer Christopher E. Long’s Easy Way mini-series from IDW a while back, so my curiosity about this is up, regardless of the subject matter.

Tellos Colossal hardcover: I’ve already got all the issues collected here, so I doubt I’ll be getting this for myself, but it’ll be the next gift I get for my fantasy-loving friends once they all have copies of the complete Bone.

Girls Volume 4: Extinction trade paperback: I’m a recent convert to Girls. I’m not especially fond of the Luna brothers’ art, and the title and nudity-driven marketing did little to convince me to give it a shot. But then I actually read a couple of issues and immediately fell in love with the horrifying, Village of the Damned-like story about a small town dealing with a sudden infestation of creepy clones and a huge monster. That the clones are all beautiful, naked women serves to heighten tension by pitting the town’s men and women against each other in their responses to the invasion. That the monster looks like a giant sperm cell is weird, but given how well thought out the rest of the elements are in the series, I doubt it’s gratuitous.

Other Image comics of interest: Alien Pig Farm 3000 #2, Frank Frazetta’s Death Dealer #2, Unravel #2, and Madame Mirage #1

Moonstone

The Phantom Chronicles paperback: Moonstone has single-handedly nurtured the fondness for the Phantom that I discovered after watching the Billy Zane movie. There’s no way I’m missing this prose anthology of Phantom short stories, especially with the contributors it’s got lined up.

Oni

Wasteland #9: What can I say? It’s still awesome.

Silent Devil

Death and the Man Who Would Not Die #1: I know I’m going to want this as a trade paperback just as much as I know I’m not going to be able to resist buying it in single issues. The same thing happened with Death Comes to Dillinger before it. This is a well-deserved sequel.

SLG

The Clarence Principle graphic novel: I’ve got a review of this coming, so I don’t want to say too much right now, but it’s a beautifully told story.

Rex Libris #8: If you don’t love Rex Libris, it’s because you haven’t yet read Rex Libris. The adventures of the world’s finest secret agent/librarian aren’t something you lose the need for.

Top Shelf

Micrographica graphic novel: If it’s a third as good as The Ticking, it’ll be a book to treasure forever.

Verotik

Valkyrie Golden Age Collection Volume 1: I just recently got turned onto old, Golden Age Airboy comics. They’re hard to find though, so this collection – focusing on Airboy’s femme fatale, Nazi nemesis Valkyrie – is very welcome. And it’s got a Joe Chiodo cover, so now I’m dizzy with joy.

Virgin Comics

Gamekeeper #3: Hoping that this stays as strong as the first issue was.

Zenescope

Dyno-Force #1: I haven’t been attracted to Zenoscope’s output up until now, but an Earth invasion by alien dinosaurs sounds cool. I’m checking it out. Hopefully, the problems they’ve had getting their Free Comic Book Day #0 issue out aren’t predictive for the rest of the series.

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