Despite the just-launched Secret Invasion and the looming Final Crisis, all is relatively quiet this week on the superhero front.

Luckily, other publishers step in with a healthy selection from other genres. On the all-ages and YA adventure front, there’s Chickenhare, Vol. 2, and Aqua Leung, Vol. 1. Classic comic strips are well represented by Willie & Joe: The WWII Years and The Complete Peanuts, 1967-1968.

And Jughead, well, he tries out a “Dynamic New Look.”

To see what other titles Chris Mautner and I think are worth mentioning, just keep reading. As always, let us know your choices in the comments below.

Chris’ pick of the week: Willie & Joe: The WWII Years slipcase

It would take a miracle of ineptitude and poor editing for this not to be regarded as one of the most important releases of 2008. Bill Maudlin’s WWII cartoons, featuring the war-weary titular characters, offered a ground-level view of the battlefield that contrasted sharply with the propaganda of the day, to the consternation of folks like General Patton. It’s an honest slice of Americana that’s as indelible to that period as Benny Goodman and Terry and the Pirates. With over 600 of these cartoons offered in a two-volume slipcase, this collection offers a look at the war that’s rarely glimpsed on your average History Channel special. Preview here.

Kevin’s pick of the week: Chickenhare, Vol. 2: Fire in the Hole

The sequel to Chris Grine’s quirky all-ages fantasy, Chickenhare, Vol. 2: Fire in the Hole is a stronger work than its Eisner-nominated predecessor. That’s no slight to the first volume, House of Klaus, which was fun, funny and well-crafted. (It’s tough not to enjoy a somewhat manic tale about a protagonist who’s part chicken, part rabbit, and his sidekick, a bearded turtle named Abe, on the run from a crazed taxidermist.) It’s just that Fire in the Hole is better. Grine seems more confident as a cartoonist, creating beautiful scenes, such as the characters’ tiny boat tossed upon a stormy sea, or Chickenhare’s winding descent into the Underworld. (I wouldn’t have minded if the silent staircase sequence had meandered for a few pages, it’s that nice.)

Grine has further honed his dialogue, too, delivering crisp, and hilarious, exchanges between between Chickenhare and his monkey-like demon friend Banjo — “Wait! It’s me, Banjo!” the captured demon yells as Chickenhare hits him a torch. “I know!” Chickenhare responds. — and a bizarrely theatrical monologue by the eye patch-wearing sea captain Scabby.

The story itself is pretty straightforward, as Chickenhare makes the hero’s quest into the Underworld to save his captured friends Meg and Banjo, and retrieve the soul of Abe. However, it’s the detours, and the character moments, that actually make the graphic novel.

You can read the prologue at Grine’s Chickenhare blog.

Batman: Death Mask #1 (of 4)

Kevin: The preview of this miniseries, by acclaimed manga-ka Yoshinori Natsume (Togari), looks interesting enough, but I can’t shake the feeling that it will either be very good or very bad. The prestige-format series centers on a serial killer who may have received the same martial-arts training that Batman did in Japan.

Presents, Vol. 3

Chris: More deliciously over-the-top Tales From the Crypt-type stories by manga-ka Kanako Inuki involving gift-giving and creepy little girls. It’s the last volume in the series, but hopefully it did well enough to induce publishers to bring more of Inuki’s work stateside.

Titans #1

Kevin: Here’s another feeling I can’t shake: that, despite it featuring the same line-up, a new Titans book by Judd Winick and Ian Churchill won’t come close to capturing the chemistry of the ’80s revival series by Marv Wolfman and George Perez.

Aqua Leung, Vol. 1

Kevin: Mark Andrew Smith and Paul Maybury’s much-anticipated fantasy series debuts with this 200-page volume about a boy on a quest to reclaim his father’s lost kingdom. You can see previews here and here.

Criminal 2 #2

Chris: This is the best comic that Marvel is publishing right now, just in case you were wondering.

Marvel Zombies: Dead Days hardcover

Kevin: For the dedicated fan, this 256-page hardcover collects, of course, the Marvel Zombies: Dead Days miniseries, plus the spill-over into Ultimate Fantastic Four #21-23 and #30-32, and Black Panther #28-30.

New Mutants Classic, Vol. 3

Kevin: When I was a kid, Bill Sienkiewicz’s stint as artist on New Mutants blew my little mind. I had no idea that comic books could look like that. This centerpiece of this volume, which collects issues 18-25 plus the annual, is “The Demon Bear” — arguably the best story arc of the entire series.

Castle Waiting, Vol. II #11

Chris: Castles are explored. Warmth is exuded.

The Complete Peanuts, Vol. 9: 1967-1968

Chris: The Masked Marvel! Arm-wrestling! Petamula! Vultures! Crab-Ins! Jose Peterson! Lila! And the introduction of Franklin! John Waters, of all people, provides the introduction.

Hall of Best Knowledge softcover

Chris: The debut graphic novel by Ray Fenwick, whose work up until now has mostly been seen in the pages of Mome. More of an illuminated journal than a traditional comic, Knowledge presents the musings of a self-acclaimed genius, whose trustworthiness becomes more debatable as the book goes on. Preview here.

Haunted hardcover

Chris: Adopting a loose, sketchy style unlike anything he’s done with his usual partner, Charles Bebarian, Philip Dupuy’s solo outing is an odd and engrossing collection of hallucinatory and contemplative tales, all apparently inspired by the author’s ruminations while out jogging. Preview here.

Jessica Farm

Chris: Once a month since January 2000, Josh Simmons (House) draws one page of this surreal, disturbing story about a young girl and the nightmarish, fantastic farm house she lives in. Simmons says he intends the work to be a 600-page epic, which, at the current rate will have him wrapping things up 50 years from now. Most of you reading this will be dead by that point. There’s a cheery thought!

Jughead’s Double Digest #139

Kevin: I don’t really understand Archie Comics’ fascination with giving its characters new, if temporary, looks. Maybe it stirs up the traditionalists. In any case, this issue kicks off Jughead’s “Dynamic New Look,” which appears to be more than a decade behind any look real high school students now sport. The art, by Joe Staton, continues through Issue 142.

Most Outrageous softcover

Chris: The actual title is Most Outrageous: The Trials and Trespasses of Dwaine Tinsley and Chester the Molester. Tinsley, you see, was a Hustler cartoonist famous for his pedophile cartoon character, which worked well for him until his daughter accused him of sexual abuse.

It sounds like the makings of a sordid TV movie, but author Bob Levin (The Pirates and the Mouse) remains one of the best, most interesting people writing about comics today and I look forward to seeing how he handles this treacherous, potentially repellant subject matter. You can read the introduction here.

Mushishi, Vol. 3

Kevin: Yuki Urushibara’s haunting seinen manga about a mysterious scholar/shaman who travels the countryside in an indeterminate era searching for mysterious spirits (mushishi) is among my favorite series. I imagine the central character, Ginko, as the Japanese John Constantine, only without all the issues.

A People’s History of American Empire

Chris: I did not like this book at all. You can find out why here.

The Rabbi’s Cat, Vol. 2

Chris: This is a book about an Algerian cat that learns how to talk. It’s also about a desert nomad who has a pet lion and worries about growing older. It’s also about a young man who escapes from Russia because he’s in search of a mythical Jewish kingdom hidden in deepest Africa. Of course, it’s really about none of those things, but about love, family, religion and how we desperately strive for dignity in all things. It’s a beautiful book.

Terry Moore’s Echo #2

Chris: I wasn’t completely won over by the first issue of Moore’s latest work — the premise reminded me a bit too much of some of the bad TV sci-fi shows I watched as a kid (think Automan). Still I was impressed enough with the presentation that I’ll probably check out the second issue.

The Comics Journal #289

Chris: Robert Kirkman and Shaun Tan are interviewed. Ed Wheelan’s Minute Movies comic strip is sampled. Merriment, no doubt, ensues.

Here’s the full list of comics shipping this week:

DARK HORSE COMICS

APR070034 ALIENS VS PREDATOR VOL 2 CIVILIZED BEASTS GN (RES) $6.95
FEB080105 BPRD 1946 #4 (OF 5) $2.99
DEC070061 CHICKENHARE TP VOL 02 FIRE IN THE HOLE ) $10.95
JAN080051 CONAN HC VOL 05 ROGUES IN THE HOUSE $24.95
OCT070025 CRIMINAL MACABRE MY DEMON BABY #4 (OF 4) $2.99
JAN088127 EVIL DEAD #4 (OF 4) (PP #806) $2.99
FEB080122 GOON #23 $2.99
OCT070038 GROO HELL ON EARTH #4 (OF 4) $2.99
JUL070041 HARLAN ELLISONS WATCHING TP NOVEL $12.95
FEB080077 SERENITY BETTER DAYS #2 (OF 3) $2.99
NOV070012 STAR WARS EPISODE V EMPIRE STRIKES BACK PHOTO COMIC $9.95
DEC070073 STAR WARS EPISODE VI RETURN OF JEDI PHOTO COMIC TP $9.95
DEC070074 STAR WARS TALES O/T JEDI OMNIBUS TP VOL 02 $24.95

DC COMICS

FEB080210 BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #16 $2.99
FEB080205 BATMAN DEATH MASK #1 (OF 4) $2.99
DEC070243 BATMAN LOVERS AND MADMEN HC $24.99
FEB080193 BOOSTER GOLD #8 $2.99
JAN080198 CAPTAIN CARROT AND THE FINAL ARK TP $19.99
FEB080265 CARTOON NETWORK ACTION PACK #24 $2.25
FEB080178 COUNTDOWN TO FINAL CRISIS 3 $2.99
FEB080295 EXTERMINATORS #28 (MR) $2.99
FEB080277 GEN 13 #19 $2.99
JAN080244 GOD SAVE THE QUEEN SC (MR) $12.99
FEB080191 GREEN ARROW BLACK CANARY #7 $2.99
FEB080224 GREEN LANTERN CORPS #23 $2.99
JAN080217 JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED TIES THAT BIND TP $12.99
JAN080186 JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #14 $2.99
FEB080273 NUMBER OF THE BEAST #1 (OF 6) $2.99
JAN080261 PRESENTS VOL 03 (MR) $12.99
JAN088359 SHOWCASE PRESENTS SUPERMAN FAMILY TP VOL 02 $16.99
FEB080211 SIMON DARK #7 $2.99
JAN080202 SUPERGIRL AND THE LEGION THE QUEST FOR COSMIC BOY $14.99
FEB080215 SUPERMAN CONFIDENTIAL #14 $2.99
JAN080262 TEARS OF A LAMB VOL 02 $9.99
FEB080259 TINY TITANS #3 $2.25
FEB080186 TITANS #1 $3.50
SEP070297 TRINITY BATMAN ACTION FIGURE PI
SEP070298 TRINITY SUPERMAN ACTION FIGURE PI
SEP070299 TRINITY WONDER WOMAN ACTION FIGURE PI
FEB080306 UN-MEN #9 (MR) $2.99
FEB080233 WONDER WOMAN #19 $2.99
FEB080305 YOUNG LIARS #2 (MR) $2.99

IMAGE COMICS

FEB082122 AQUA LEUNG GN VOL 01 $17.99
FEB082163 SCREAMLAND #2 (OF 5) $2.99
FEB082164 SCUD THE DISPOSABLE ASSASSIN #23 $3.50
OCT072023 SUBURBAN GLAMOUR #4 (OF 4) $3.50

MARVEL COMICS

FEB082211 AMAZING SPIDER-GIRL #19 $2.99
FEB082207 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #556 $2.99
FEB082214 AVENGERS FAIRY TALES #2 (OF 4) $2.99
FEB082216 CIVIL WAR CHRONICLES #10 $4.99
JAN082196 CRIMINAL 2 #2 (MR) $3.50
FEB082276 DEAD OF NIGHT FEATURING MAN THING #3 (OF 4) (MR) $3.99
FEB082299 FALLEN SON TP DEATH OF CAPTAIN AMERICA $13.99
FEB082222 FANTASTIC FOUR #556 $2.99
SEP072253 HEDGE KNIGHT 2 SWORN SWORD #6 (OF 6) $2.99
FEB082229 IRON MAN POSTER BOOK $6.99
FEB082254 LAST DEFENDERS #2 (OF 6) $2.99
FEB082233 MARVEL ADVENTURES HULK #10 $2.99
FEB082296 MARVEL ADVENTURES HULK TP DEFENDERS VOL 02 DIGEST $7.99
FEB082294 MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 09 FOES DIGEST $7.99
FEB082287 MARVEL ZOMBIES HC DEAD DAYS $29.99
FEB082309 NEW MUTANTS CLASSIC TP VOL 03 $24.99
FEB082250 NOVA #12 $2.99
FEB082277 PUNISHER #56 (MR) $2.99
JAN088153 SOLEIL SAMPLER PI
JAN088321 TWELVE #3 (OF 12) 2ND PTG WESTON VAR $2.99
FEB082300 WHAT IF TP CIVIL WAR $16.99
FEB082270 WOLVERINE #64 DWS $2.99
FEB082288 WOLVERINE PREM HC DEATH OF WOLVERINE $19.99

WIZARD ENTERTAINMENT

JAN088128 WIZARD MAGAZINE #200 GOLD (PP #806) $5.99

OTHER PUBLISHERS

FEB083399 ADAM AMONG THE GODS $3.99
JAN088129 ADVENTURES OF LITTLE ARCHIE TP VOL 01 NEW PTG (PP #806) $9.95
DEC073880 AKIKO FLIGHTS OF FANCY HIGH FLYING EXPD SIGNED PLATE LMT ED $34.95
FEB083715 ANOTHER DIRT SANDWICH GN $12.95
FEB083442 AP HOW TO DRAW MANGA PKT MANGA TP VOL 02 $12.95
JAN083909 ATELIER MARIE AND ELIE ZARLBURG ALCHEMIST GN VOL 03 (OF 5) $9.99
FEB083542 BARRONS GRAPHIC CLASSICS FRANKENSTEIN SC ) $8.99
FEB083543 BARRONS GRAPHIC CLASSICS MACBETH SC ) $8.99
FEB083567 BART SIMPSON COMICS #12 (O/A) $2.50
FEB083568 BART SIMPSON COMICS #13 (O/A) $2.99
FEB083569 BART SIMPSON COMICS #14 (O/A) $2.99
FEB083487 BETTY & VERONICA DIGEST #183 $2.49
DEC073478 BLACKBEARD LEGACY #2 (OF 4) $3.99
JAN083570 BLOODRAYNE PRIME CUTS #2 BILBAO CVR A $3.99
JAN083571 BLOODRAYNE PRIME CUTS #2 DIPASCALE CVR B $3.99
JAN083819 BLUE MONDAY GN VOL 02 ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS (NEW PTG) $11.95
FEB083926 BONEYARD COLOR ED TP VOL 02 (O/A) (AUG063459) $11.95
JAN083980 BOYS OVER FLOWERS TP VOL 29 $9.99
JAN083626 CASTLE WAITING VOL II #11 $3.95
FEB083931 CHOCOLATE MILK AND DOUGHNUT DOODLES $9.99
JAN083898 CHRONICLES OF THE CURSED SWORD VOL 1-3 GN COLLECTION $12.99
JAN083882 CLASSIC DAN DARE HC REIGN OF THE ROBOTS $29.95
JAN083613 COMPLETE PEANUTS HC VOL 09 1967-1968 $28.95
FEB083650 COSMIC GUARD TP (RES) $19.99
FEB083845 CVO AFRICAN BLOOD TP $17.99
NOV073883 DEVI #18 $2.99
FEB083726 DF AMAZING SPIDER MAN #549 EX ALT CVR $14.99
JAN083588 DF AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #549 DF EXCL ALT SGN CVR $69.99
JAN083435 DIARY OF NIGHT #3 (OF 4) $2.99
FEB083557 DIARY OF NIGHT #4 (OF 4) $2.99
JAN083436 DNA HACKER CHRONICLES #1 $2.99
NOV073879 DOCK WALLOPER #3 (OF 5) $2.99
FEB083835 DOCTOR WHO CLASSICS #5 $3.99
OCT073300 DOKTOR SLEEPLESS #6 (MR) $3.99
OCT073301 DOKTOR SLEEPLESS WRAP CVR #6 (MR) $3.99
JAN083534 DRAGON EYE GN VOL 04 $10.95
JAN083891 DRAGON SISTER GN VOL 01 (OF 3) $9.99
FEB083724 DUNAMIS HEROES GN VOL 01 LOST KINGDOM $12.99
JAN083895 ELEMENT LINE GN VOL 01 (OF 5) $9.99
JAN083912 ELEMENTAL GELADE GN VOL 07 (OF 10) $9.99
OCT073334 EUREKA SEVEN GN VOL 2 GRAVITY BOYS & LIFTING GIRL $9.99
JAN083459 FOUNDATION #4 (OF 5) (RES) $3.99
FEB083825 FX #2 (OF 6) $3.99
FEB084099 GAMEKEEPER SERIES 2 #2 $2.99
FEB083842 GENE SIMMONS DOMINATRIX TP VOL 01 $19.99
FEB083841 GENE SIMMONS HOUSE OF HORRORS TP $27.99
DEC073853 GENUS #87 (A) $3.99
FEB083655 GEORGE R R MARTINS WILD CARDS #1 (OF 6) HARD CALL $2.99
DEC073942 GHOST SONATA TP $14.99
FEB083817 GHOST WHISPERER #2 $3.99
JAN083344 GOLD DIGGER #94 $2.99
JAN083343 GOLD DIGGER DREADWINGS MYMIOR SPECIAL $2.99
JAN083346 GOLD DIGGER SOURCEBOOK #15 $3.95
JAN083896 GOSICK GN VOL 01 (OF 6) $9.99
DEC073637 HALL OF BEST KNOWLEDGE SC $19.99
FEB083693 HALLOWEEN NIGHTDANCE #3 CAPULLO CVR C (MR) $5.50
FEB083692 HALLOWEEN NIGHTDANCE #3 ROBINSON CVR B (MR) $3.50
FEB083691 HALLOWEEN NIGHTDANCE #3 SEELEY CVR A (MR) $3.50
FEB084089 HARBINGER THE BEGINNING HC (RES) $24.95
FEB083719 HAUNTED HC (MR) $24.95
JAN083889 HELLGATE LONDON GN VOL 01 (OF 3) $10.99
JAN083502 HOWIE ACTION COMICS GN $15.00
JAN083992 INU YASHA ANI MANGA GN VOL 26 $11.99
JAN083991 INU YASHA TP VOL 33 $8.95
FEB084016 JAMES BOND TP CASINO ROYALE NEW PTG $19.95
FEB084017 JAMES BOND TP DR NO NEW PTG $19.95
FEB084015 JAMES BOND TP GOLDFINGER NEW PTG $19.95
FEB084012 JAMES BOND TP MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN NEW PTG $19.95
FEB084013 JAMES BOND TP OCTOPUSSY NEW PTG $19.95
FEB084101 JENNA JAMESONS SHADOW HUNTER #2 BRERETON CVR (RES) $2.99
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FEB084102 JENNA JAMESONS SHADOW HUNTER #2 LINSNER CVR (RES) $2.99
FEB083586 JENNY FINN HC DOOM MESSIAH $29.99
JAN083615 JESSICA FARM GN $14.95
JAN083325 JESUS HATES ZOMBIES GN (MR) $14.95
FEB083489 JUGHEADS DOUBLE DIGEST #139 $3.69
JAN083897 KING OF HELL VOL 1-3 COLLECTION $12.99
NOV073766 KISS 4K #6 $3.99
JAN083993 LAW OF UEKI TP VOL 11 $9.99
JAN083535 LE CHEVALIER DEON GN VOL 04 (MR) $10.95
JAN083332 LITTLE GLOOMY SUPER SCARY MONSTER SHOW TP VOL 01 $9.95
FEB083823 LOCKE & KEY #3 $3.99
JAN083916 LOVE ATTACK GN VOL 02 (OF 7) $9.99
JAN083964 MEGAS #2 (OF 4) (MR) $2.99
FEB083756 MOST OUTRAGEOUS SC $19.99
OCT073424 MUSHISHI GN VOL 03 (MR) $12.95
DEC073372 NHS SHIDOSHI PKT MANGA TP VOL 02 $12.95
JAN083994 NIGHTMARE INSPECTOR YUMEKUI KENBUN GN VOL 01 $9.99
AUG073525 NODAME CANTABILE VOL 11 GN (MR) $10.95
JAN083995 O PARTS HUNTER TP VOL 09 $9.99
JAN083900 OTHER SIDE O/T MIRROR GN VOL 02 (OF 2) (MR) $9.99
JAN083902 PEACE MAKER GN VOL 03 (OF 5) (MR) $9.99
JAN083787 PEOPLES HISTORY OF AMERICAN EMPIRE GN HC ED $30.00
JAN083786 PEOPLES HISTORY OF AMERICAN EMPIRE GN SC ED $17.00
FEB083685 POGROM #2 (OF 7) $3.50
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JAN083832 RABBIS CAT GN VOL 02 $22.95
JAN083982 RED RIVER GN VOL 21 $9.99
JAN083822 RESURRECTION #4 (MR) $3.50
JAN083348 ROD ESPINOSA PRINCE OF HEROES #3 (OF 3) $3.50
DEC073945 SAINT GERMAINE TP VOL 02 TALES OF AN IMMORTAL $19.99
FEB083572 SIMPSONS CLASSICS #3 (O/A) $3.99
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FEB083574 SIMPSONS COMICS #87 (O/A) $2.99
FEB083575 SIMPSONS COMICS #88 (O/A) $2.99
JAN083951 SNAKEWOMAN CURSE OF THE 68 #2 (OF 4) (MR) $2.99
FEB083493 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #187 $2.25
FEB083837 SPEED RACER CHRONICLES O/T RACER #4 $3.99
FEB083687 SPOOKS #3 ARCHER CVR B $5.50
FEB083686 SPOOKS #3 SIENKIEWICZ CVR A $3.50
JAN083925 STAND BY YOUTH GN VOL 03 (OF 5) (MR) $9.99
DEC073495 TAG CURSED TP $14.99
NOV073882 TALL TALES OF VISHNU SHARMA PANCHATANTRA #3 (OF 5) $2.99
OCT073248 TEDDY SCARES VOL 03 KILLER COMBO $16.95
FEB083401 TERRY MOORES ECHO #2 $3.50
FEB083803 TRANSFORMERS BEST OF UK SPACE PIRATES #2 $3.99
JAN083685 TRANSFORMERS FOCUS ON DECEPTICONS $2.99
JAN083823 WASTELAND #16 (MR) $3.50
NOV073270 WHATEVER GN $9.95
NOV073550 WILLIE & JOE WW II YEARS SLIPCASE $65.00
DEC073741 WORMWOOD CALAMARI RISING #3 $3.99
JAN083996 ZATCH BELL GN VOL 18 $9.99

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