By Dave
If you don’t know, Previews
is the catalog that Diamond Comic Distributors use to offer the products they
distribute to comic book stores around the country. This is where you can view
and order (through your favorite Local Comic Book Shop) comic books, trade
paperback collections, t-shirts, books, media, and toys and other collectibles
from hundreds of different vendors that deal in geek-oriented merchandise. The
genius part is that you actually have to pay for your copy of Previews for the privilege of ordering
other things to pay for.
It’s like the Ren Fest except without the horse poo
smell.
So every month a new edition of Previews is sent out to comic book stores. Contained in the pages
within are products that might be currently available or could be released
anytime in the next year; but are typically about two months away. Most of this
month’s offerings are scheduled to ship in January.
Now it’s time to discuss a few of the weird and/or wonderful
items offered in this month’s edition!
The
Terrifics – DC (Front Cover, 71)
There’s a whole lot to unpack here.
First, this title is written by Jeff LeMire with art by
Ivan Reis. That’s two creators that aren’t “I’m buying everything they do” guys
for me, but are still big time trusted names.
Second, for all intents and purposes the idea of this
book appears to be, “If Marvel isn’t going to publish Fantastic Four comics, we
will”. I’m sure I don’t need to spell it out, but:
Mr. Terrific + Plastic Man = Mr. Fantastic
Metamorpho = Thing + Human Torch
Phantom Girl = Invisible Woman
I mean, they’re not even trying to be sly about it.
Third, TOM STRONG! I did not expect to see this Alan
Moore (with Chris Sprouse) creation show up anytime soon. If you haven’t read
Moore and Strouse’s comics about this science superhero, you should:
Then there’s the description, which states that the four
main protagonists have been literally bound together by something to do with
the Dark Universe. I’m pretty sure whoever wrote this misused “literally”, but
what’s interesting is that this book is further fallout from the current Metal crossover (which I am loving, by
the way).
End result: I’m adding this to my list. Because DC just
keeps kicking ass.
Swamp
Thing Winter Special (75)
Swamp Thing creators Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson both
passed away this year and it looks like this book will serve as a tribute to
them. That alone would be enough to compel me to pick it up, but it’s being
written by the excellent Tom King with art by Jason Fabok. Not only that,
there’s a backup story by Wein with art by Kelley Jones – one of my long-time
favorites.
Dark
Knights Rising: The Wild Hunt #1 – DC (76)
I still feel very strongly
that there needs to be a moratorium on any use of the word “rising” in a title
for anything. I stated this back in 2009 and still believe it to be true.
However, DC is great right
now, so I’ll allow it.
I also hate the practice of
putting A “#1” on one-shots. It’s dumb.
DC is breaking a lot of my
personal rules with this one, but for a new chapter in the amazing Metal storyline.
Batman
and the Signal #1 – DC (77)
Wasn’t this already offered? Whatever. I’ve grown to like
the character of Duke Thomas quite a bit. Snyder is writing (to start, at
least) with a guy I haven’t heard of and Cully Hamner is on art. Hamner is a
great artist and I think I’ve finally gotten over his horrendous costume
designs for the New 52, so I’m excited for this one.
Scooby-Doo
Team-Up #34 – DC (124)
Isn’t it funny that Huntress has her more recognizable
costume in the all-ages book and is all covered up in the adult book?
The
Challengers of the Unknown by Geoff Loeb and Tim Sale – DC (129)
Loeb and Sale are one of my all-time favorite creative
teams. I have only a passing familiarity with the Challengers, but I’m strongly
tempted to pick this book up.
DC
Meets Looney Tunes TP – DC (129)
Apparently these were all pretty good, or possibly even
great. Everyone was talking about the one with Elmer Fudd and Batman. Heck, it
made the cover!
Jack
Kirby 100 TP – DC (137)
Collecting all of the tribute one-shots from the past few
months. I haven’t gotten through all of them yet, but The New Gods and Manhunter
were awesome.
DC
Designer Series Metal Batman by Greg Capullo Statue – DC Collectibles (140)
This looks fantastic. They’ve brought Capullo’s unique
art style into three dimensions in an effective manner. The blood and damage,
in particular, work nicely. I limit the number of larger scale statues (or any
statues, really) that I buy, but I’m tempted by this one.
DC
Artists Alley Christopher Uminga Vinyl Figures – DC Collectibles (142-143)
Years ago me and the missus became fans of Christopher
Uminga’s artwork after seeing his stuff and meeting him at Heroes Con. He’s
come a long way since then and seeing
his style adapted for the vinyl figure format is awesome. I don’t love the $40
price tag, but I think that Mrs. Trouble maker will agree that we need these in
the house.
Avengers:
No Surrender - Marvel (Cover, M1-9)
In the history of these posts I don’t think I’ve ever
gone directly from DC to Marvel, skipping the other top publishers entirely.
Weird. But this is shaping up to be a light month, so we’ll see what happens in
December.
I want this to be the big story that returns Marvel to greatness
and is the catalyst for a line-wide reset that lets me get invested again.
Here are some thoughts I had while thumbing through the
nine pages of Marvel Previews devoted
to the “No Surrender” event:
-“Beginning of the End” means nothing anymore. Marvel
will have to prove to me that this has any significance. They have years of
meaningless new #1s weighing them down.
-I still love the idea of Rogue as a leader of the X-Men
or Avengers. It’s a shame so much of her time in that position has featured terrible
stories.
-The idea of two teams of villains going to war with each
other on Earth and the Avengers having to deal with it appeals to me.
-Quicksilver’s new suit is terrible.
-The idea of Quicksilver overcoming his checkered past in
order to rejoin the Avengers is cool.
-I didn’t know Red Hulk was still around. His mustache is
great.
-Falcon’s new suit makes Quicksilver’s look cool.
Jean
Grey #11 - Marvel (M15)
I dig the heck out of this cover. It’s by David Yardin,
who I’ll have to assume is good. I like the layout and I love the character
poses and style. I do find it odd that Jean isn’t looking where she’s pointing,
but maybe that’s a sneaky clue that she’s knowingly misdirecting everyone?
Probably not. I still think this cover rocks.
Darth
Vader #10 – Marvel (M83)
“Vader’s showdown with Jocasta Nu comes to a startling
conclusion!”
What’s startling is that Spellcheck didn’t flag “Jocasta
Nu”. And that I immediately recognized that’s who she was on the cover. And
that Vader is having a showdown with her.
I dropped this after the first issue because the story
didn’t grab me and I really didn’t
care for the art. The most powerful Sith in the galaxy battling the Jedi
librarian is not a compelling enough reason for me to check back in.
Punisher
MAX by Garth Ennis Omnibus Vol. 1 HC – Marvel (M92)
This was a tremendous run. It seems to me that the MAX
books tend to get overlooked, and I suppose it’s because they’re not quite
“canon”. I highly recommend this one and, if they ever collect it, Deadpool MAX. It’s my favorite Deadpool.
Inhumans:
Once and Future Kings TPB – Marvel (M95)
By now you should all know how I feel about the work of
Christopher Priest. This is the Inhumans miniseries he wrote –with art by Ryan
North, no less! - that I said I would buy when the trade came out. You should,
too.
New
Mutants by Zeb Wells: The Complete Collection TPB - Marvel (M110)
I liked Wells’ run on this book quite a bit. Some didn’t
care for the Necrosha storyline, but I dug it. I suppose in the wake of DC’s
“Blackest Night” it might have seemed a little derivative, but whatever. If
you’re complaining about Marvel and DC stealing ideas from one another, you
haven’t been paying attention for the last sixty years.
Star
Wars: Han Solo HC - Marvel (M110)
This was a great
story, one of my favorites of Marvel’s current run with Star Wars. I was
resistant to the idea of Han Solo having a wife, but it totally worked. If you
didn’t read this back when it first came out, go ahead and order this hardcover
(just in time for Ron Howard’s Han Solo!).
Excalibur
Epic Collection: The Cross-Time Caper TPB - Marvel (M120)
This was the storyline where I discovered Excalibur. I
recently finished the first Epic Collection and loved it. If you like Marvel’s
Mutants, but like them even more when things get weird, Excalibur is for you.
The
New Mutants Epic Collection: Curse of the Valkyries TPB - Marvel (M121)
The story of the New Mutants’ adventures in Asgard is
referenced often when the team comes up, and rightly so. It’s an epic tale that
puts Mutants in surroundings we don’t often see.
Unfortunately this volume also includes the execrable X-Terminators which, despite being a
tie-in to my favorite comic book crossover of all time, Inferno,
sucks. It was one of the first Marvel Mutant books that I ever truly hated and
it’s just as bad today as it was back then.
So you have to decide if it’s worth it to get fifteen
great issues of New Mutants alongside
four terrible issues of X-Terminators.
Animated
Darkseid T-shirt – Graphitti Designs (481)
This shirt is cool for two reasons – first that it’s
representing the best version of the DC Universe, the animated one. Second that
it looks like something you would have found at the Warner Bros. Studio store
back when those existed in malls across the country. I miss those stores.
Pacific
Rim Uprising Action Figures – Diamond Select Toys (491)
For some reason I am not at all excited for the new Pacific Rim. I love the original, but this one isn’t exciting me. Probably because
of the del Toro deficiency. The new director, Stephen S. DeKnight, has been a
producer on tons of projects that I’ve liked, but has very little experience as
a director.
Anyway, these figures look great and if they’re anything
like DST’s usual releases will be much sturdier and more functional than NECA’s
Pacific Rim toys. They might not be
quite as pretty, though. Either way, I’m anxious to see these in person.
At first I wasn’t crazy about the design of Saber Athena
(the red one), but the more I look at it the more it seems like sort of an
Ultraman analog, which is cool. Gipsy Avenger is a nice update to the Jaeger we
all know and love, but Bracer Phoenix is definitely my favorite of this bunch.
I always love the big, solid power robots.
One:12
Collective Previews Exclusive Ascending Knight Batman (Blue) Action Figure -
Mezco (510)
This design has grown on me, and for some odd reason I
think it looks much better with the blue than it does with the standard
figure’s black. But I’m still not ordering it. I’ve already got two One:12
Batmans and I’m counting on Mezco delivering a much better modern comic book
version at some point in the future.
If this one ends up on Amazon at a cheaper price like some
of the other One:12 figures I might pick it up, but it’s not a must-have by any
means.
DC
Heroes Statues (513)
Huh.
Is there demand for poorly sculpted and painted 8” $50
statues of Batman and Superman? And what version of Batman is that, anyway?
If these were ten dollar vinyl figures like Applause used
to release, I might understand, but when JAKKS Pacific is releasing simplistic
Big Figs that look way better than
these for a much lower price, I completely fail to understand what this product
even is, let alone who would buy it.
To be fair, they might look better in person.
Probably not.
Hanna-Barbera
Retro Action Figures – Figures Toy Company (516)
These are toys that I dreamed of when I was a kid. My
first action figures were Megos – Spider-Man, Batman and Robin, and Superman –
and even though I got caught up in the Star Wars 3.75” excitement just like
everyone else, Mego’s 8” line was always a gold standard of action figures for
me.
Scooby-Doo, Jonny Quest, and Space Ghost helped to shape my identity.
Seeing these 3D versions of so many characters I grew up
with is practically blasting me with nostalgia. I already have Mezco’s One: 12
Space Ghost and it’s great, but I can tell you right now they probably won’t be
doing Jan and Jace. And let’s be honest – this Figures version looks more
appropriate, anyway.
I mean, aside from the boots. What’s up with those?
Texas
Chainsaw Massacre Nubbins Sawyer Action Figure Set - NECA (517)
It was a little surprising that we got Chop Top before we
got the Hitchhiker, but seeing the accessory that comes with ol’ Nubbins here,
it all makes sense now. NECA was just planning smart. In an amazing move, this
figure includes the dead Nubbins “puppet” that Chop Top uses in Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. Genius.
Christmas
Pop! Figures - Funko (536)
I LOVE THESE.
We will be filling our shelves with Buddy, Jovie, and
Papa from Elf, the Grinch and Max
from How the Grinch Stole Christmas
(the animated special and not the nightmare starring Jim Carrey), and Krampus!
I don’t normally comment on Pop! figures because they’re
so omnipresent, but these were too great to skip.
Unaffiliated
Thoughts
*I am way
behind on my comics. I just the other day read Captain Kronos #1 (it was just okay; I’ll give it a few more
issues). There are books that I have four issues of that might suck and I don’t
know because I haven’t read them yet. It’s time to cut back again. Although I
have been super busy, too.
*Netflix invested heavily in marketing Stranger Things 2 to comic book
customers. Not only did they put a pull-out poster in this Previews, they put a two-page ad inside, an ad on the spine, and
sent a standee to comic shops. For what it’s worth, the second season is excellent and I’m already looking
forward to watching it a second time once we’ve gotten through the DVR buildup
that October’s busyness has caused.
*Thor Ragnarok
was great, but honestly I thought it was too silly. I still liked it, but the
humor was over the top at points.
*We stopped watching Supergirl.
Even Phantom, Jr. doesn’t care anymore and that was his favorite of the DC
shows. Flash got much better in
episodes 3 & 4, particularly the latter. Arrow also improved after a couple of episodes. We haven’t caught
up on Legends yet. Gotham is still the best.
Let me know what you’re looking forward to in the
comments, or join the discussion in the Needless Things Podcast Facebook Group!
*****
That’s all I’ve got for this month. Start putting your
pennies in your Diamond Select figural bank and remember to drop your order
form off at your Local Comic Book Shop!
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