Shopping List

Some good stuff out this week. Quite a big shopping list for me, which is a shame as I've hardly had a chance to make a dent on last week's stack. Some serious catching up to do then. Here's a few of the floppies I'll be adding to my teetering "To Read" pile...

Roberson and Allred's I Zombie #1, which sounds a teensy bit like a rip off of the BBC show Being Human, but has received some positive buzz and looks beautiful. I'm as burnt out by zombie comics as the next man, but this promises to put a fresh spin on a tired genre, and with that creative team I think it deserves a shot.

Brightest Day #1, which is what it is - namely another DC event book of no intellectual worth in which Geoff Johns seeks to tie together jumbled continuity and turn the clocks back to what he perceives to be a happier time for DC comics. It's a trend that's obviously gone down well with a lot of readers, but which has alarmed others. I'm on record as a fan of Johns' work on Green Lantern and The JSA, so I'll be buying. Have to say though, I can see where the critics are coming from. For a fantastic, eye-opening article from one of the alarmed contingent, check THIS out.

Hellboy in Mexico, a one shot set in 1950s Mexico written by Mike Mignola and drawn by the legendary Rich Corben. Corben has been on strong form of late, producing some stunning work in Conan and Hellboy. I usually trade wait on the Hellboy books, but I think I'll grab this now.

Sweet Tooth #9 Jeff Lemire's weird and wonderful comic about the adventures of a Deer Boy and a bounty hunter in a post-apocalyptic America. I'm not suggesting you pick it up with this issue, but the first trade comes out this week and if you haven't been reading, it's well worth picking up.

There's loads more good comics including new issues of Conan, Jonah Hex and Batman and Robin. And, if you missed it last week then I heartily recommend you pick up The DC Showcase of Dial H For Hero. It's a slimmer volume than the usual showcases, but it's absolutely crammed full of bonkers Silver Age goodness. Well worth £7 of anyone's hard earned.

Giant Talking Thieving Ants FTW!

Scan from House of Mystery #163, December 1966. Reprinted in DC Showcase Presents Dial H For Hero

Charity Shop Comics - AIDS Awareness

Here's an extract from one of the finest introductions to a comic I've ever read...

WTF?! Talk about tenuous analogies!

It's a masterfully inappropriate start to the 1993 comic curio, AIDS Awareness, that I found lurking in the corner of Oxfam this morning.

While the people behind this book undoubtedly had their hearts in the right place, you have to laugh at the tone of the piece. Never mind that cracking intro, check out the Simon Bisley cover...

So, that's a terrified bloke with two syringes hanging out of his arm, catching a reach-around from a skeleton while a gigantic sperm heads for his crotch and three ghostly condoms float about in the background. Magic! It's an image that screams AIDS! at you isn't it?

Course it is!

It's also an image that has absolutely nothing to do with the story inside, a reworking of A Christmas Carol in which some bloke returns home from work to this...

YEEEEES!

The dribble running out the side of his mouth is an AIDS giveaway, but judging from dad's reaction it came on quick. His son probably looked fine at breakfast.

Your eyes don't deceive you by the way, that is Dave Gibbons artwork. He's one of a number of big-name creators who donated their time and talent to this enterprise. Later on in the story Bryan Hitch, Charlie Adlard and John Ridgeway pitch in with a few pages.

Then there's a really odd pin-up from Kevin O'Neill in the back...

John Pain, Guilty as Hell? What exactly is this? Some vengeful AIDS demon?

Again, seriously: WTF?

To round things off, there's a huge pic of a bloke with a gun and a badge that says "Spunk" on it, and a competition...

At first glance it appears to be a competition to "Win AIDS". This is mildly amusing in itself, but it's the questions that really get me. Even allowing for the fact that it appears in an AIDS Awareness comic, question C is right up there as a jaw-droppingly inappropriate teaser!

Surely the most tasteless comic competition of all time.

Huzzah!

For more charity shop finds, click the Charity Shop Comics label below.

News

There now follows a public service announcement from Gosh!

And don't forget, last week's comics came out yesterday.

THE LAW MUSCLES IN

I've mentioned my love of the Daily Star Judge Dredd strip compilations before, but I'll say it again - THESE THINGS ARE AMAZING! Every time I pull one of the old collections off my shelf, I'm struck by the sheer quality of the comics contained therein. Honestly, there's gold on every single page!

The strip below is, in my opinion, almost perfect. Six panels that tell a complete story, showcase Mega City One AND throw a spotlight on some classic Dredd dickery! Writer John Wagner and artist Ron Smith at the top of their game. Enjoy...

Scans from The Judge Dredd Collection Volume Two, IPC Magazines 1985

Yesterday's comics tomorrow!

Greetings imaginary web chums. It's new comic day tomorrow!

New comics on Tuesday?

Well, newish comics. Last week's to be precise.

As I'm sure you know, the great volcano has finally stopped spouting its ashy spooge all over our airspace, and the comic planes have taken to the sky once more. They drop their payloads on Blighty tomorrow. Joy unconfined!

As yet there is no word on when this week's books will reach our shores. No matter, here's what I'll be picking up from last week's delayed arrivals...

Gravel #18

Some day I will sit down and read this series in its entirety. I've fallen horribly behind on it, which makes no sense given how much I like it. The old problem with all Warren Ellis's Avatar books is still there - namely that the main character is actually Warren Ellis (or at least a version of Warren Ellis) - but that doesn't make the book bad. I like its Brit noir/occult feel and the dark humour that bubbles under the surface. Might sit down and read the lot this week actually.

Green Lantern #53

Blackest Night is done with. T'was alright as events go. The last issue of the mini was actually very good; an exciting, satisfactory resolution to the story. Yeah, we all knew the White Lantern thing was going to happen, but it was still handled well. All the gubbins with Sinestro sets things up nicely for Green Lantern proper too.

I have to say, that I'm less in love with Green Lantern than I was a year ago, but it remains one of my favourite mainstream spandex titles. Now that we've finally put all the zombie shenanigans to bed I'm hopeful that it can start to pick up speed again.

Joe The Barbarian #4

I've heard a few whispers from folk who haven't been enjoying this. Nothing hugely critical. Just the odd moan that it's all been done before. Strange, I think it's top notch. The writing is beautiful, much gentler than Morrison's usual style. The art is really special, and the reveal at the end of issue three has me excited about issue 4.

Guaranteed to be read on the day of purchase.

Rebels #15

Great super-powered space opera with a suitably large cast - this is a series that takes some effort to follow in monthly format. I've fallen slightly behind and could do with a bit of a refresher before I pick it up again. If you haven't checked it out, it's well worth picking up in trade. The revamp of Starro is one of the great villain reboots of recent years.

Custom Magic card genius

Anyone who has ever played Magic will like this...

From HERE