Joel Phillips
Oct 7, 2004, 02:08 pm
<img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/columns/ritlogo.jpg" align=left width=115 height=100 border=0 alt="Reeding Into Things">By Joel Phillips
Winter Reading 2004
I’ve been getting a lot of people telling me how pleased they’ve been with some of the suggestions I’ve made, and how much they’ve enjoyed some of the things I have recommended. Still more people ask me to expand this facet of the column, and recommend more good stuff that they wouldn’t ordinarily look for.
Ask, friends, and ye shall receive.
This edition of RIT is devoted entirely to things I’m looking forward to between now and the end of the year. I’ve generated my own winter reading list for you, with the top fifteen things I am looking forward to for the next three months. I was gonna do more than that, but this is already a pretty long column, so I had to prioritize. (Trust me, I had like sixty things on the initial list… and people wonder why I wear such shabby clothing.)
If you’re not at all interested in my recommendations, you should stop reading now. There’s nothing here for you this time, I’ll be back with a regular column in two weeks.
It’s worth noting that, for the purposes of this list, I went only with trades, graphic novels, one-shots, and #1 issues. I could recommend every issue of several series that are in the middle, but I decided instead to focus on things that should require little, if any, other purchases to be properly appreciated.
(NOTE: When possible, I have linked to official web site solicits for these titles.)
So away we go…
#15: Mister X Vol. 1 (iBooks)
I confess to possessing only second-hand knowledge of this series, but a friend of mine, who is notoriously hard to excite, read about this online and wouldn’t stop talking about it for a week. Mister X was a series originally published in the 1980s by Vortex Comics, and is about a perfect city that provides every conceivable service for its citizens… all but one of whom are totally insane. According to my friend (and the web material he showed me) it’s a hard-to-find cult classic, which is going to be reproduced in three volumes, starting with this one. I figure it’s worth a peek. Due in October
#14: Astronauts of the Future Vol. 1 (NBM)
Free Online Preview! (http://www.nbmpub.com/humor/trondheim/astronaut/astro1pre1.html)
This is an off the wall story of two young kids, each of whom possesses their own view of the world: one believes everyone else are robots, one believes everyone else are aliens. Naturally, the two join forces to stop the insidious threat posed by the robo-alien alliance. It looks to be pretty fun and funny. You can read the first few pages for free by clicking the link above. Due in November
#13: Stickleback (Alternative Comics)
Official Solicitation (http://www.indyworld.com/grickle/index.html)
Graham Annable wrote the purely joyous Grickle a few years ago, bringing a quirky adult sensibility to children’s stories (or, depending on your point of view, childlike innocence to grown-up stories). Annable’s latest effort is Stickleback, a quirky tale about a man who spends his life in his apartment, alone, save his cat and his men made out of toilet paper. Annable’s stories are good for readers of all ages, and are good quirky fun. Due in November
#12: Killer Princesses TPB (Oni Press)
Official Solicitation (http://www.onipress.com/graphicnovels/gn.php?id=110)
It’s Oni and Gail Simone. Go buy it.
OK, I’ll give you more then that (although in a perfect world that would be enough). This TPB collects a mini-series by Gail Simone and Lea Hernandez, and tells the story of a trio of ditsy girls who also happen to be secret agents. To my great shame, I have not read it, which is why the several-times-delayed-release of the trade is such a blessing. It’s supposed to be very good, and given Gail’s name on the cover I don’t find that hard to believe at all. So… go buy it. Due in November
#11: Opera Adaptations Vol. 3 TPB (NBM)
Free Online Preview! (http://www.nbmpub.com/fairytales/russell/opera3/opera3prev1.html)
Yes, that says Opera Adaptations. Don’t roll your eyes at me, this is good stuff. P. Craig Russell, whose art you’re either a fan of or you’ve never seen (no middle ground exists), has adapted a variety of classic operas into graphic novel form. (Since each volume reproduces completed and unrelated works, I can recommend the third volume whether or not you’ve read volumes one or two.) Russell’s work is magnificently beautiful. Even if these weren’t great stories (and they are) there is such depth and beauty to the art that this is worth picking up just to look at. If you don’t believe me, you can see some free sample pages by clicking the link above. This was already out in hardcover, but it’s mucho expensive. Thankfully, it’s now being released in trade form. Due in December
#10: Lore TPB (IDW)
Official Solicitation (http://www.idwpublishing.com/?path=titles&view=issue&id=216)
Lore is not an easy series to get a hold of. Apparently it’s frequently delayed and new issues fly off the shelves pretty fast. The recent release of #4 flew by with me unable to get a copy, though I was lucky enough to look through someone else’s. Ashley Wood’s artwork is extraordinary and the mythology gone mad angle appeals to me. Thankfully issues #1-3 are being collected in trade format, so those of you who have heard good things, had near misses with the title yourself, or just like Ashley Wood will be able to see what all the fuss is about. Due in November
#9: Escalator (Alternative Comics)
Official Solicitation (http://www.indyworld.com/graham/)
Alternative publishes a wide array of generally awesome stuff you should be reading. Case in point: Brandon Graham’s Escalator. This is a collection of short pieces dealing in a variety of bizarre subjects. The following phrases are part of Alternative’s solicitations for the book: “sumo heroes”, “truck drivers from the future”, “alien pornographers” and “cannibal school girls”. I like strange, and this is strange. This was due out in September, but now word is late October or early November. Due in October/November
#8: Hyde (IDW)
Official Solicitation (http://www.idwpublishing.com/?path=titles&view=issue&id=150)
Steve Niles is a great horror writer, and IDW is a great publisher of horror comics. Niles’ best stuff comes when he takes on classic horror story types and twists them around. He did it with vampires in 30 Days of Night, he did it with zombies in Remains, he did it with Frankenstein in Wake the Dead. Now he turns towards Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in this deluxe-sized one shot, just in time for Halloween. Due in October
#7: Hypothetical Lizard #1 (Avatar Press)
Official Solicitation (http://www.avatarpress.com/hypotheticallizard/)
This is the first of a four-part mini-series that adapts a popular fantasy novella, written by Alan Moore, into comics for the first time. Anthony Johnston writes the adaptation, with art by Lorenzo Lorente. The story is about a prostitute who, in order to learn the secrets of the wizards, has her brain cut in two, leaving her able to hear and see but not speak or act. It’s an intriguing premise from the mind of one of comics’ greatest writers… what’s not to like? Due in December
#6: The Nikopol Trilogy (DC/Humanoids)
Official Solicitation (http://www.dccomics.com/comics/dc_display.html?cm_dc_itemCode=nikopoltrilogy&month=November)
This story, by Enki Bilal, is one of the Humanoids releases I have been anticipating the most. It’s about a man named Alcide Nikopol, who is sentenced by a military court to 30 years of suspended animation. When he wakes up, the world has gone mad. Oh, and he’s also been possessed by the Egyptian god Horus, who is on the run from his fellow deities. The artwork in the Humanoids preview is jaw-dropping, and I dig the Egyptian myth angle. Due in November
#5: The Odysseys of Guiseppe Bergman (DC/Humanoids)
Official Solicitation (http://www.dccomics.com/comics/dc_display.html?cm_dc_itemCode=mmodysseys&month=October)
I’m totally enthralled by the stuff DC is re-releasing now that Humanoids is an imprint of the company. For one thing the art in these pieces is so unbelievably gorgeous it’s insane. And few artists consistently knock me out like Milo Manara (whom American readers would know best for drawing the Desire story in Sandman: Endless Nights). Manara’s Odysseys tells the tale of young Guiseppe Bergman on a modern voyage paralleling that of the legendary Odysseus. I’ve got no experience with Manara the writer, but Manara the artist is so good that I’m willing to take the chance. Due in October
#4: Yuggoth Cultures TPB (Avatar Press)
Official Solicitation (http://www.avatarpress.com/yuggothcultures/)
This new trade collects Alan Moore’s H.P. Lovecraft inspired Yuggoth Cultures mini-series. What makes this a must buy, though, is the over 50 pages of extra Moore material also included in the collection. It includes previously unfinished Moore stories now fully rendered, never before seen artwork, essays by Moore on this and other series, and a whole slew of other stuff. Moore fans should definitely grab this one. Due in December
#3: Apparat (Avatar Press)
Official Solicitation (http://www.avatarpress.com/apparat/)
Warren Ellis is releasing four one-shots under a new imprint called Apparat, each of which pictures comic book tales developed over the years without the influence of superheroes on the medium. The four issues harken back to the pulp serials of the 1930s and 1940s, each in a different genre. Angel Stomp Future is a classic sci-fi story, Frank Ironwine is a crime noir story, Quit City is an aviation story, and Simon Spector is a classic, pre-superhero hero in the vein of the Shadow or Doc Savage. All of the above spark my interest to varying degrees, and just about any fan should be able to find one of the four that strikes their fancy. Due in November
#2: IDW’s Tales of Terror (IDW)
Official Solicitation (http://www.idwpublishing.com/?path=titles&view=issue&id=183)
It’s October so there’s a lot of horror out. But the single horror piece that has me most interested is IDW’s Tales of Terror. Why? Because in a single volume will be brand new stories from five of IDW’s big time horror franchises. Namely Steve Niles’ vampire tale 30 Days of Night, Niles’ Frankenstein story Wake the Dead, Jeff Mariotte’s CVO: Covert Vampire Ops, Beau Smith’s sexy monster hunter Wynonna Earp, and Ben Templesmith’s sci-fi thriller Singularity 7. Throw in a couple of prose horror stories for good measure, and you have the perfect sampler for anyone interested in a taste of IDW’s wealth of horror comics. Due in October
#1: Temporary #1: Chutes and Ladders (Origin Comics)
Free Online Preview! (http://www.sulfurstar.com/origincomics/catalog/temporary_1.php)
Temporary is a new series about a woman who works as a temp office worker, forever filling someone else’s shoes and doing someone else’s job. It looks to be a deeply personal story, and considering the writer I wouldn’t have it any other way: it’s by Damon Hurd, who wrote the best book of the year, The White Elephant. Sometimes a writer comes along that just grabs you, and you have to follow wherever they lead. Hurd is one such writer for me, and I’ll be first in line for Temporary when it debuts. Due in October
So there’s a good start for a winter reading list. There’s plenty of other stuff I’d love to hype, but I haven’t the space or the time in this edition. From my list or not, go ahead and give something new a try this winter.
<center><hr width=75%></center>
What, you want MORE recommendations? This whole column is recommendations! Fine… SLG has a quarterly series called Ghouly Boys, the second issue of which came out yesterday. Sadly I have yet to read it, but I enjoyed the first issue quite a bit. You can read my review of THAT issue here (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=26972&highlight=ghouly). Now for God’s sake go read something that isn’t my column!
The opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the writer, and are not reflective of ComiX-Fan or its other staff in general.
Winter Reading 2004
I’ve been getting a lot of people telling me how pleased they’ve been with some of the suggestions I’ve made, and how much they’ve enjoyed some of the things I have recommended. Still more people ask me to expand this facet of the column, and recommend more good stuff that they wouldn’t ordinarily look for.
Ask, friends, and ye shall receive.
This edition of RIT is devoted entirely to things I’m looking forward to between now and the end of the year. I’ve generated my own winter reading list for you, with the top fifteen things I am looking forward to for the next three months. I was gonna do more than that, but this is already a pretty long column, so I had to prioritize. (Trust me, I had like sixty things on the initial list… and people wonder why I wear such shabby clothing.)
If you’re not at all interested in my recommendations, you should stop reading now. There’s nothing here for you this time, I’ll be back with a regular column in two weeks.
It’s worth noting that, for the purposes of this list, I went only with trades, graphic novels, one-shots, and #1 issues. I could recommend every issue of several series that are in the middle, but I decided instead to focus on things that should require little, if any, other purchases to be properly appreciated.
(NOTE: When possible, I have linked to official web site solicits for these titles.)
So away we go…
#15: Mister X Vol. 1 (iBooks)
I confess to possessing only second-hand knowledge of this series, but a friend of mine, who is notoriously hard to excite, read about this online and wouldn’t stop talking about it for a week. Mister X was a series originally published in the 1980s by Vortex Comics, and is about a perfect city that provides every conceivable service for its citizens… all but one of whom are totally insane. According to my friend (and the web material he showed me) it’s a hard-to-find cult classic, which is going to be reproduced in three volumes, starting with this one. I figure it’s worth a peek. Due in October
#14: Astronauts of the Future Vol. 1 (NBM)
Free Online Preview! (http://www.nbmpub.com/humor/trondheim/astronaut/astro1pre1.html)
This is an off the wall story of two young kids, each of whom possesses their own view of the world: one believes everyone else are robots, one believes everyone else are aliens. Naturally, the two join forces to stop the insidious threat posed by the robo-alien alliance. It looks to be pretty fun and funny. You can read the first few pages for free by clicking the link above. Due in November
#13: Stickleback (Alternative Comics)
Official Solicitation (http://www.indyworld.com/grickle/index.html)
Graham Annable wrote the purely joyous Grickle a few years ago, bringing a quirky adult sensibility to children’s stories (or, depending on your point of view, childlike innocence to grown-up stories). Annable’s latest effort is Stickleback, a quirky tale about a man who spends his life in his apartment, alone, save his cat and his men made out of toilet paper. Annable’s stories are good for readers of all ages, and are good quirky fun. Due in November
#12: Killer Princesses TPB (Oni Press)
Official Solicitation (http://www.onipress.com/graphicnovels/gn.php?id=110)
It’s Oni and Gail Simone. Go buy it.
OK, I’ll give you more then that (although in a perfect world that would be enough). This TPB collects a mini-series by Gail Simone and Lea Hernandez, and tells the story of a trio of ditsy girls who also happen to be secret agents. To my great shame, I have not read it, which is why the several-times-delayed-release of the trade is such a blessing. It’s supposed to be very good, and given Gail’s name on the cover I don’t find that hard to believe at all. So… go buy it. Due in November
#11: Opera Adaptations Vol. 3 TPB (NBM)
Free Online Preview! (http://www.nbmpub.com/fairytales/russell/opera3/opera3prev1.html)
Yes, that says Opera Adaptations. Don’t roll your eyes at me, this is good stuff. P. Craig Russell, whose art you’re either a fan of or you’ve never seen (no middle ground exists), has adapted a variety of classic operas into graphic novel form. (Since each volume reproduces completed and unrelated works, I can recommend the third volume whether or not you’ve read volumes one or two.) Russell’s work is magnificently beautiful. Even if these weren’t great stories (and they are) there is such depth and beauty to the art that this is worth picking up just to look at. If you don’t believe me, you can see some free sample pages by clicking the link above. This was already out in hardcover, but it’s mucho expensive. Thankfully, it’s now being released in trade form. Due in December
#10: Lore TPB (IDW)
Official Solicitation (http://www.idwpublishing.com/?path=titles&view=issue&id=216)
Lore is not an easy series to get a hold of. Apparently it’s frequently delayed and new issues fly off the shelves pretty fast. The recent release of #4 flew by with me unable to get a copy, though I was lucky enough to look through someone else’s. Ashley Wood’s artwork is extraordinary and the mythology gone mad angle appeals to me. Thankfully issues #1-3 are being collected in trade format, so those of you who have heard good things, had near misses with the title yourself, or just like Ashley Wood will be able to see what all the fuss is about. Due in November
#9: Escalator (Alternative Comics)
Official Solicitation (http://www.indyworld.com/graham/)
Alternative publishes a wide array of generally awesome stuff you should be reading. Case in point: Brandon Graham’s Escalator. This is a collection of short pieces dealing in a variety of bizarre subjects. The following phrases are part of Alternative’s solicitations for the book: “sumo heroes”, “truck drivers from the future”, “alien pornographers” and “cannibal school girls”. I like strange, and this is strange. This was due out in September, but now word is late October or early November. Due in October/November
#8: Hyde (IDW)
Official Solicitation (http://www.idwpublishing.com/?path=titles&view=issue&id=150)
Steve Niles is a great horror writer, and IDW is a great publisher of horror comics. Niles’ best stuff comes when he takes on classic horror story types and twists them around. He did it with vampires in 30 Days of Night, he did it with zombies in Remains, he did it with Frankenstein in Wake the Dead. Now he turns towards Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in this deluxe-sized one shot, just in time for Halloween. Due in October
#7: Hypothetical Lizard #1 (Avatar Press)
Official Solicitation (http://www.avatarpress.com/hypotheticallizard/)
This is the first of a four-part mini-series that adapts a popular fantasy novella, written by Alan Moore, into comics for the first time. Anthony Johnston writes the adaptation, with art by Lorenzo Lorente. The story is about a prostitute who, in order to learn the secrets of the wizards, has her brain cut in two, leaving her able to hear and see but not speak or act. It’s an intriguing premise from the mind of one of comics’ greatest writers… what’s not to like? Due in December
#6: The Nikopol Trilogy (DC/Humanoids)
Official Solicitation (http://www.dccomics.com/comics/dc_display.html?cm_dc_itemCode=nikopoltrilogy&month=November)
This story, by Enki Bilal, is one of the Humanoids releases I have been anticipating the most. It’s about a man named Alcide Nikopol, who is sentenced by a military court to 30 years of suspended animation. When he wakes up, the world has gone mad. Oh, and he’s also been possessed by the Egyptian god Horus, who is on the run from his fellow deities. The artwork in the Humanoids preview is jaw-dropping, and I dig the Egyptian myth angle. Due in November
#5: The Odysseys of Guiseppe Bergman (DC/Humanoids)
Official Solicitation (http://www.dccomics.com/comics/dc_display.html?cm_dc_itemCode=mmodysseys&month=October)
I’m totally enthralled by the stuff DC is re-releasing now that Humanoids is an imprint of the company. For one thing the art in these pieces is so unbelievably gorgeous it’s insane. And few artists consistently knock me out like Milo Manara (whom American readers would know best for drawing the Desire story in Sandman: Endless Nights). Manara’s Odysseys tells the tale of young Guiseppe Bergman on a modern voyage paralleling that of the legendary Odysseus. I’ve got no experience with Manara the writer, but Manara the artist is so good that I’m willing to take the chance. Due in October
#4: Yuggoth Cultures TPB (Avatar Press)
Official Solicitation (http://www.avatarpress.com/yuggothcultures/)
This new trade collects Alan Moore’s H.P. Lovecraft inspired Yuggoth Cultures mini-series. What makes this a must buy, though, is the over 50 pages of extra Moore material also included in the collection. It includes previously unfinished Moore stories now fully rendered, never before seen artwork, essays by Moore on this and other series, and a whole slew of other stuff. Moore fans should definitely grab this one. Due in December
#3: Apparat (Avatar Press)
Official Solicitation (http://www.avatarpress.com/apparat/)
Warren Ellis is releasing four one-shots under a new imprint called Apparat, each of which pictures comic book tales developed over the years without the influence of superheroes on the medium. The four issues harken back to the pulp serials of the 1930s and 1940s, each in a different genre. Angel Stomp Future is a classic sci-fi story, Frank Ironwine is a crime noir story, Quit City is an aviation story, and Simon Spector is a classic, pre-superhero hero in the vein of the Shadow or Doc Savage. All of the above spark my interest to varying degrees, and just about any fan should be able to find one of the four that strikes their fancy. Due in November
#2: IDW’s Tales of Terror (IDW)
Official Solicitation (http://www.idwpublishing.com/?path=titles&view=issue&id=183)
It’s October so there’s a lot of horror out. But the single horror piece that has me most interested is IDW’s Tales of Terror. Why? Because in a single volume will be brand new stories from five of IDW’s big time horror franchises. Namely Steve Niles’ vampire tale 30 Days of Night, Niles’ Frankenstein story Wake the Dead, Jeff Mariotte’s CVO: Covert Vampire Ops, Beau Smith’s sexy monster hunter Wynonna Earp, and Ben Templesmith’s sci-fi thriller Singularity 7. Throw in a couple of prose horror stories for good measure, and you have the perfect sampler for anyone interested in a taste of IDW’s wealth of horror comics. Due in October
#1: Temporary #1: Chutes and Ladders (Origin Comics)
Free Online Preview! (http://www.sulfurstar.com/origincomics/catalog/temporary_1.php)
Temporary is a new series about a woman who works as a temp office worker, forever filling someone else’s shoes and doing someone else’s job. It looks to be a deeply personal story, and considering the writer I wouldn’t have it any other way: it’s by Damon Hurd, who wrote the best book of the year, The White Elephant. Sometimes a writer comes along that just grabs you, and you have to follow wherever they lead. Hurd is one such writer for me, and I’ll be first in line for Temporary when it debuts. Due in October
So there’s a good start for a winter reading list. There’s plenty of other stuff I’d love to hype, but I haven’t the space or the time in this edition. From my list or not, go ahead and give something new a try this winter.
<center><hr width=75%></center>
What, you want MORE recommendations? This whole column is recommendations! Fine… SLG has a quarterly series called Ghouly Boys, the second issue of which came out yesterday. Sadly I have yet to read it, but I enjoyed the first issue quite a bit. You can read my review of THAT issue here (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=26972&highlight=ghouly). Now for God’s sake go read something that isn’t my column!
The opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the writer, and are not reflective of ComiX-Fan or its other staff in general.