DC Comics solicitations for January 2006

BATMAN TITLES

ALL STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN, THE BOY WONDER #4

Written by Frank Miller, art and cover by Jim Lee and Scott Williams, variant cover by Miller.
All Star excitement abounds as Frank Miller, Jim Lee and Scott Williams continue their adventurous retelling of the partnership between the Dark Knight and the Boy Wonder. And when some Black Canary gets added to the mix, you can be sure something's going to explode.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 4.

DETECTIVE COMICS #815
Written by Shane McCarthy, art and cover by Cliff Chiang
Part 1 of the 2-part "Victims." Mr. Zsasz bears a memento for each of his victims...one scar for each. And now he's out to add Alfred Pennyworth to his sadistic tally. Crime once again strikes at the heart of Bruce Wayne's family, and once again the Batman is out for vengeance.
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Jan. 4.

BATMAN #649
Written by Judd Winick, art by Doug Mahnke and Tom Nguyen, cover by Jock.
The unpredictable Black Mask forms an uneasy alliance with the Red Hood. But can these two uncompromising masked men truly cooperate? Or will this team-up make the streets of Gotham run red with bad blood? Either way, it's sure to spell trouble for the Batman.
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Jan. 25.

BATMAN: LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #199
Written by Will Pfeifer, art and cover by Chris Weston.
The conclusion of the 3-part tale. A dying career criminal waging a one-man war against Gotham City and Batman gets his final opportunity to go out in a "Blaze of Glory!"
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Jan. 11.

BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS #73
Written by A.J. Lieberman, art by Diego Olmos and Bit, cover by Claudio Castellini.
Featuring guest art by Diego Olmos. Hush had better watch his back, because the Joker has returned looking for revenge! When last we saw him, the Clown Prince of Crime had been beaten by Hush, barely escaping with his life. Now he's back, and he has the upper hand.
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Jan. 18.

BATMAN: JOURNEY INTO KNIGHT #6
Written by Andrew Helfer, art by Tan Eng Huat, cover by Pat Lee.
It's a double-cross for the Dark Knight as this year-long series heats up! Batman is caught in the middle of a battle between international terrorists and the FBI, and everyone wants the same thing: a piece of the Carrier.
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Jan. 25.

BATMAN AND THE MONSTER MEN #3
Written by Matt Wagner, art and cover by Wagner.
The Dark Knight's first confrontation with super-villains is getting deadlier by the minute! A mad scientist has created a race of giant monster men to do his bidding. As they rampage through Gotham, a young Dark Knight is forced to learn that there are evils in the city far stranger than mobsters and street criminals. Batman comes face-to-face with the twisted Professor Hugo Strange as their conflict reaches a boiling point.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 4.

BATGIRL #72
Written by Andersen Gabrych, art by Pop Mhan and Jesse Delperdang, cover by Tim Sale.
A mystery in Batgirl's past that has been building for years is about to be revealed! Who is Batgirl's mother? Batgirl is about to find out, but her mind will be on other things, as she's trapped in a life-and-death struggle with her animalistic "brother" Mad Dog. No tricks. No jokes. One of these characters will die at the hands of the other.
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Jan. 18.

CATWOMAN #51
Written by Will Pfeifer, art by Pete Woods, cover by Adam Hughes.
Fresh off the soul-rattling revelation from last issue, Selina is livid and looking for answers -- starting with none other than Batman! Her quest will bring her into conflict with the police, and at least two vehicles will be stolen in the process! Slam Bradley makes a fateful decision, while the Black Mask makes his big move against Catwoman, striking at the very heart of Selina's world in a way too terrible for words.
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Jan. 25.

GOTHAM CENTRAL #39
Written by Greg Rucka, art by Kano and Stefano Gaudiano, cover by Sean Phillips.
A hero has fallen in the line of duty, and the perpetrator wears blue! Corrupt cop Jim Corrigan has committed the ultimate crime to escape justice. Now an outraged GCPD is coming after him! Meanwhile, Montoya's world continues to unravel, Maggie Sawyer must make the call that every police captain fears, and Gotham grows just a little bit darker.
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Jan. 4.

NIGHTWING #116
Written by Devin Grayson, art and cover by Phil Hester and Ande Parks.
The full scope of Deathstroke's fury is revealed! Dick Grayson has been "on the inside" for a long time, but to what end? Who's watching whom? And who will pay the price when lives are on the line? You simply can't miss the explosive secrets revealed in this issue.
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Jan. 11.

ROBIN #146
Written by Bill Willingham and Bill Williams, art and cover by Scott McDaniel and Andy Owens.
Guest-starring the Teen Titans! Summoned back to Titans Tower, Robin discovers one of the Titans is in trouble. Now, with the help of Beast Boy, Speedy and others, Robin must lead the team into the depths of top secret facility where a secret to salvation lies.
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Jan. 18.

YEAR ONE: BATMAN/RA'S AL GHUL TP
Written by Devin Grayson, art and cover by Paul Gulacy and Jimmy Palmiotti,
Prepare yourself for an exploration into the past of one of Batman's greatest foes! In this tale collecting the 2-part Prestige Format miniseries, Ra's al Ghul has left a world filled with reanimated corpses. To save Gotham, Batman must uncover al Ghul's centuries of secret world travels.
104 pages, $9.99, in stores on Jan. 25.

BATMAN: HUSH RETURNS TP
Written by A.J. Lieberman, art by Al Barrionuevo, Javier Pina, Francis Portela, Jimmy Palmiotti and Bit, cover by Lee Bermejo.
Witness the return of Batman's deadliest new enemy in this volume collecting Batman: Gotham Knights #50-55 and #66! Hush's unexpected reappearance raises more questions about his true identity, origins and motivations.
208 pages, $12,99, in stores on Jan. 11.

SUPERMAN TITLES

ACTION COMICS #835
Written by Gail Simone, art by John Byrne and Nelson, cover by Kalman Andrasofszky.
Livewire, the shocking villain from Superman: The Animated Series, jumps into the DCU with deadly results as she gets amped up to take out the Man of Steel.
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Jan. 11.

ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #648
Written by Greg Rucka, Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir, art by Karl Kerschl and Wayne Faucher, cover by Kerschl.
An Infinite Crisis tie-in! In the eye of the storm that is Crisis, Lois and Superman find some time together to discuss their uncertain future. Featuring numerous cameos from around the DCU.
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Jan. 25.

SUPERMAN #225
Written by Mark Verheiden, art and cover by Ed Benes.
An Infinite Crisis tie-in! With the full weight of the Crisis events on his shoulders, the Man of Steel undergoes a drastic change as he wages an all-out war in Metropolis.
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Jan. 4.

SUPERGIRL #5
Written by Jeph Loeb, art and cover by Ian Churchill and Norm Rapmund.
With Supergirl on a rampage, there's no one left to stop her except...Supergirl? The story that will have all of fandom talking explodes as The Girl of Steel takes on the Mistress of Might.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 11.

SUPERMAN: SACRIFICE TPB #5
Written by Greg Rucka, Mark Verheiden and Gail Simone, art by Ed Benes, John Byrne, Karl Kerschl, Rags Morales, Tony Daniel, David Lopez, Ron Randall and others, cover by J.G. Jones.
The pivotal, sold-out story that forever altered the relationship between Superman and Wonder Woman is collected here for the first time! This volume collects Superman #218-220, Adventures of Superman #642-643, Action Comics #829 and Wonder Woman #219-220. Max Lord has taken over Superman's mind and has him in total thrall. With his peers and loved ones threatened, Superman is helpless. But not Wonder Woman -- who must battle past the Man of Steel and decisively end the threat. Her actions, and their repercussions, are explored in this controversial saga that sets up Infinite Crisis.
192 pages, $14.99, in stores on Jan. 4.

SUPERMAN CHRONICLES VOL. 1 TP
Written by Jerry Siegel, art and cover by Joe Shuster.
Presenting an exciting new way to experience the rich history of the Man of Steel in an affordable trade paperback collection of every Superman adventure, in color, in chronological order!
Superman Chronicles Vol. 1 reprints the earliest stories of the world's first super-hero, originally published in Action Comics #1-13, New York World's Fair #1 and Superman #1 (1938-1939)! These historic tales feature the first adventures of the Man of Steel by Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Future volumes in this series will reprint stories from Action, Superman, World's Finest and other titles throughout the character's history, all presented chronologically based on publication date.
208 pages, $14.99, in stores on Jan. 18.

DCU TITLES

INFINITE CRISIS #4
Written by Geoff Johns, art by Phil Jimenez, Andy Lanning, George Pérez and Jerry Ordway, covers by Jim Lee and Sandra Hope, and George Pérez
The Crisis continues to explode across the DCU as a great power is unleashed. But whose side is it on? Witness a shocking confrontation between Batman and Nightwing, a vicious battle that threatens to tear the heroes of the DCU further apart, and a startling change to the recently deceased. Plus, guest appearances by more characters than we can list.
40 pages, $3.99, in stores on Jan. 11.

AQUAMAN #38
Written by John Arcudi, art by Leonard Kirk and Andy Clarke, cover by Don Kramer and Keith Champagne.
After Spectre's horrific attack against Atlantis, Aquaman must return to the remains of his old kingdom in an attempt to rescue any survivors. But will the grieving and wounded Atlanteans accept their new home in Sub Diego?
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Jan. 4.

BLOOD OF THE DEMON #11
Written by John Byrne and Will Pfeifer, art by Byrne and Dan Green, cover by Byrne.
Who is the man called Joshua? Why does he believe Jason Blood is the devil himself? All of Gotham City explodes in a whirlwind of fire and fury as Etrigan fights for the life of his human half, and the secret of Joshua begins to be revealed.
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Jan. 4.

BIRDS OF PREY #90
Written by Gail Simone, art by Paulo Siqueira and Robin Riggs, cover by Adriana Melo and Will Conrad.
Calculator's quest to unmask Oracle turns super-deadly as Deathstroke joins the hunt.
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Jan. 18.

DAY OF VENGEANCE: INFINITE CRISIS SPECIAL
Written by Bill Willingham, art by Justiniano and Walden Wong, cover by Walter Simonson.
The adventures of the Shadowpact continue in this 48-page Special by the Day of Vengeance creative team: writer Bill Willingham, artists Justiniano and Walden Wong and cover artist Walter Simonson/ The Shadowpact returns -- joined by Zatanna, Captain Marvel, the Phantom Stranger, Madame Xanadu and others -- to stop the Spectre's deadly rampage.
48 pages, $3.99, in stores on Jan. 4.

FIRESTORM #21
Written by Stuart Moore, art by Jamal Igle, Eddy Barrows and Rob Stull, cover by Igle and Keith Champagne
Beginning the epic that will redefine the Nuclear Man: "Building a Better Firestorm!" Following the catastrophic events of Infinite Crisis #4, a stunned Jason Rusch takes a fateful journey through Firestorm's past, present -- and future.
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Jan. 4.

THE FLASH #230
Written by Joey Cavalieri, art by Val Semeiks and Livesay, cover by Art Thibert.
Vandal Savage may be successful in his ambition to bring about the end of mankind's days on planet Earth. Can Wally West save him, or are these his final days as well?
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Jan. 4.

THE FLASH: ROGUE WAR TP
Written by Geoff Johns, art by Howard Porter, Justiano, Kevin Cummings and Peter Snejbjerg, cover by Porter.
A new volume collecting The Flash #1/2, 212 and 218-225! The brewing contest between the original rogues gallery and the newest rogues ignites into a conflagration that may result in the destruction of Keystone City and the death of the Scarlet Speedster.
208 pages, $17.99, in stores on Jan. 18.

GOLDEN AGE FLASH ARCHIVES VOL. 2 HC
Written by Gardner Fox, art by E.E. Hibbard and Hal Sharp, cover by Hibbard.
The original Super-Speedster returns in this long awaited second collection of his Golden Age adventures! In this volume collecting Flash Comics #18-24 and All Flash Comics #1-2 (1941), thrill to the electrifying adventures of the Flash as he faces Chinatown Tongs, Spider-men from Mars, the mystery of "The Threat," and more.
224 pages, $49.99, in stores on Jan. 25.

GREEN LANTERN #8
Written by Geoff Johns, art by Carlos Pacheco and Jesus Merino, cover by Simone Bianchi.
Concluding the 2-part "A Perfect Life," guest-starring Green Arrow! Hal Jordan's father is alive, Green Arrow is happily married and the Green Lantern Corps has achieved peace throughout the galaxy. But as Hal and Ollie's greatest desires continue to manifest, their warring dreams will twist into nightmares. Plus, Mongul comes face-to-face with a new enemy that has his sights on Green Lantern.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 25.

GREEN LANTERN CORPS: RECHARGE #5
Written by Dave Gibbons and Geoff Johns, art and cover by Patrick Gleason and Prentis Rollins. In the exciting conclusion -- which leads directly into the new monthly ongoing series Green Lantern Corps -- veteran Lanterns and raw recruits stand shoulder to shoulder in a last-ditch battle to save Oa from the clutches of the evil Spider Guild of Vega.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 18.

GREEN ARROW #58
Written by Judd Winick, art by Ron Garney and Bill Reinhold, cover by James Jean.
Having viciously attacked his family and destroyed his home, the enemies of Green Arrow wage war against the whole of Star City! The Emerald Archer must defend his hometown from catastrophe while his allies lie beneath the tons of rubble that was once his headquarters.
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Jan. 11.

SHOWCASE PRESENTS: GREEN ARROW VOL. 1 TP
Written by Jack Miller, Ed Herron, Gardner Fox and Bob Haney, art by Jack Kirby, George Papp, Mike Sekowsky and Neal Adams, cover by Lee Elias and Jerry Ordway.
The Emerald Archer's Silver Age adventures get the spotlight! This volume reprints stories from Adventure Comics #250-266, 268-269, The Brave And The Bold #50, 71, 85, Justice League of America #4 and World's Finest #95-140. Along with his sidekick Speedy, see Green Arrow take on all manner of crime in Star City.
528 pages, black and white, $16.99, in stores on Jan. 18.

DC UNIVERSE: THE STORIES OF ALAN MOORE TP
Written by Alan Moore, art by Jim Aparo, Jim Baikie, Brian Bolland, Paris Cullins, George Freeman, Dave Gibbons, Klaus Janson, Kevin O'Neill, Joe Orlando, George Pérez, Kurt Schaffenberger, Curt Swan, Rick Veitch, Al Williamson and Bill Willingham, cover by Brian Bolland.
An exhaustive collection featuring the World's Greatest Super-Heroes as interpreted by one of the most acclaimed authors in comics. The work of Alan Moore in the DCU during the 1980s is considered a benchmark for great stories with fresh approaches to iconic characters. Collected in this volume are all of Moore's Superman and Batman stories, including the long out-of-print "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" as well as, for the first time in trade paperback, Batman: The Killing Joke (illustrated by Brian Bolland, who provides a new cover).
This volume collects stories from Action Comics #584, Batman Annual #11, Batman: The Killing Joke, DC Comics Presents #85, Detective Comics #549-550, Green Lantern #188, The Omega Men #26-27, Secret Origins #10, Superman #423, Tales of The Green Lantern Corps Annual #2 And 3, Superman Annual #11 and Vigilante #17-18.
304 pages, $19.99, in stores on Jan. 11.

HAWKMAN #48
Written by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray, art by Chris Batista and Cam Smith, cover by Adam Kubert.
Part 2 of the 3-part "Coalition in Crisis," continuing in the aftermath of The Rann/Thanagar War! Alliances shatter and friendships crumble as Hawkman and Hawkgirl witness the all too human tragedy of a war that may not end.
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Jan. 11.

HARD TIME SEASON TWO #2
Written by Steve Gerber and Mary Skrenes, art by Brian Hurtt and Steve Bird, cover by Hurtt.
Even mysterious super-powers can't keep Ethan Harrow from becoming a target at State Penitentiary. It's up to him to learn the rules of the prison's vast underground economy...and buy his way in.
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Jan. 4.

JLA #124
Written by Bob Harras, art by Tom Derenick and Dan Green, cover by Daniel Acuña.
"World Without a Justice League," part 5 of 6. In the wake of Day of Vengeance, the Seven Deadly Sins have been unleashed upon the world and Envy has found his way to Gotham City -- just in time to influence Green Arrow. But when jealousy and rage infect Oliver Queen's mind, he loses focus on stopping The Key and saving Dawn, and turns his energies on an even deadlier foe: Batman.
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Jan. 11.

JLA: CRISIS OF CONSCIENCE TP
Written by Geoff Johns and Allan Heinberg, art by Chris Batista and Mark Farmer, cover by Rags Morales.
A new volume collecting the sequel to Identity Crisis from JLA #115-119. In the wake of Identity Crisis, the JLA decides the time has come to tell Batman that they stole part of his memory. But, the League is attacked by the Secret Society of Super-Villains -- out for vengeance now that their own memories are restored. As the JLA battles, the Martian Manhunter confronts Despero == the alien conqueror and the one behind the villains' memory-restoration. By the time the dust settles, the JLA may have won the battle but lost the war.
128 pages, $12.99, in stores on Jan. 25.

JSA #81
Written by Geoff Johns, art by Dale Eaglesham and Art Thibert, cover by Alex Ross.
During the Infinite Crisis, Stargirl's past catches up with her! Now she's at an emotional crossroads that will require the help of the entire JSA.
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Jan. 4.

JLA CLASSIFIED: COLD STEEL #2
Written by Christopher Moeller, art and cover by Moeller.
Concluding the 2-issue painted Prestige Format miniseries! The new, fully augmented JLA is deployed to stem the intergalactic battle raging between two long-feuding worlds. But the heroes find that it's potentially fatal to judge a book by its cover when choosing sides in any war.
48 pages, $5.99, in stores on Jan. 11.

JSA CLASSIFIED #7
Written by Jen Van Meter, art by Patrick Oliffe and Ruy Jose, cover by Joe Bennett and Jose.
Concluding the 3-part "Honor Among Thieves!" A flurry of betrayals, an overwhelming show of force, and the loss of a teammate threaten all hope the Injustice Society might have of saving their friend and their own skins.
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Jan. 18.

JLA CLASSIFIED #16
Written by Gail Simone, art by José Luis García-López and Klaus Janson, cover by García-López.
A harrowing new story arc begins when the World's Greatest Super Heroes are sent to an emerging nation torn by revolution! The dictatorial reign of the warlord General Tuzik is brought to a halt when the JLA, acting at the request of the United Nations Security Council, storms the General's stronghold. Unfortunately, Tuzik bends the rules of international law ‹ and escapes the free world's grasp -- to initiate his greatest act of terror: creating a Justice League for his own country to help bring the world and its heroes to their knees. Who -- or what -- is the Hypothetical Woman that enables Tuzik to create his own twisted League Against Justice?
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 25.

JONAH HEX #3
Written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti, art by Luke Ross, cover by Phil Noto.
Stumbling across the remains of a wagon train massacre, Jonah Hex finds himself at odds with deadly highwaymen and a corrupt sheriff willing to kill to keep a secret. Hex must join forces with the West's only gun-slinging pacifist, the enigmatic and charming Bat Lash.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 4.

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #14
Written by Mark Waid, art by Barry Kitson and Mick Gray, cover by Kitson.
For months, most of the team believed her existence to be a myth, a rumor, a prank. Now, get ready to meet Atom Girl, a.k.a. "Shrinking Violet," the Legion's newest member and Brainiac 5's secret weapon! But will her presence be enough to buy Invisible Kid some much-needed trust and credibility?
40 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 25.

MANHUNTER #18
Written by Marc Andreyko, art by Javier Pina and Fernando Blanco, cover by Jesus Saiz.
An old foe returns to settle the score with Manhunter -- and this time Phobia's got love on her side. The doctor is in...
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Jan. 18.

OUTSIDERS #32
Written by Judd Winick, art by Matthew Clark and Art Thibert, cover by Daniel Acuña.
An Infinite Crisis tie-in. The DCU's deadliest sibling rivalry reignites between Starfire and Blackfire in deep space -- while the rest of the team goes after the villainous Society on Earth.
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Jan. 4.

SEVEN SOLDIERS OF VICTORY VOL. 1 TP
Written by Grant Morrison, art by J.H. Williams III, Simone Bianchi, Cameron Stewart, Ryan Sook, Mick Gray and Frazer Irving, cover by Bianchi.
Comprising seven different 4-issue mini-series and two bookend Specials, this 30-part tale of death, betrayal, failure, joy, loss, romance, triumph and redemption is now collected in a 4-volume series of trade paperbacks.
This first volume reprints (in original release order): Seven Soldiers Of Victory #0, Seven Soldiers: Shining Knight #1-2, Seven Soldiers: The Guardian #1-2, Seven Soldiers: Zatanna #1-2 And Seven Soldiers: Klarion #1. Independently, each of these characters are featured in a story arc of their own that redefines their purpose in the DCU. But their stories also interweave with the other Soldiers' tales, forming a grander story of a devastating global threat to mankind ‹ with the ties between them becoming more evident in each new volume. Together these reluctant champions must arise and somehow work together to save the world...without ever meeting one another.
224 pages, $14.99, in stores on Jan. 11.

SEVEN SOLDIERS: FRANKENSTEIN #2
Written by Grant Morrison, art and cover by Doug Mahnke.
The Monster's on Mars, following a trail of death and human misery to the demon-haunted Tombs of B'aal B'zaar and the largest seam of gold in the solar system! Carnivorous horses, a new kind of slave trade, the secret origin of Melmoth the Wanderer and the unstoppable menace of Red Zombies await.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 4.

SEVEN SOLDIERS: MISTER MIRACLE #3
Written by Grant Morrison, art and cover by Billy Dallas Patton and Michael Bair.
There's a new Super Escape Artist in town! Baron Bedlam is here to steal Mister Miracle's thunder with a death-defying act that must be seen to be believed! What is the secret of the Living Waveform? Who are the Plastic People? Shilo Norman faces the dark night of the soul when he finally confronts Dark Side! With a shocking conclusion.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 18.

SGT. ROCK: THE PROPHECY #1
Written by Joe Kubert, art by Kubert, covers by Joe Kubert, Adam Kubert and Andy Kubert.
Joe Kubert returns to DC's legendary unit in the all-new 6-issue mini-series, based on a true story! From North Africa to the Rhine, Sgt. Rock and the combat-happy Joes of Easy Company have faced insurmountable odds thrown at them by the Axis powers and lived to tell the tale. But when they find themselves caught in the No Man's Land of the Balkans searching for a religious prize that could ultimately decide the outcome of WWII, have our heroes finally been given a mission that will stop them in their tracks? It's 1943, and World War II has reached fever pitch. Somewhere deep within a smoldering, war-torn village in Nazi-occupied Lithuania hides a secret treasure that must be found and returned to the U.S. -- unharmed -- by any means necessary. It's up to the trusted G.I.s of Easy to save the day. But once they discover what the "prize" really is, will they be able to follow through with the mission? More important, will they want to? Join Rock, Ice Cream Soldier, Bulldozer, Little Sure Shot and the rest of Easy for this hard-hitting and provocative tale.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 18.

TEEN TITANS #32
Written by Geoff Johns, art and cover by Tony S. Daniel and Marlo Alquiza.
An Infinite Crisis tie-in. Superboy-Prime meets Superboy as the Boys of Steel confront one another about their roles in this universe.
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Jan. 11.

TEEN TITANS/OUTSIDERS: INSIDERS TP
Written by Geoff Johns and Judd Winick, art by Matthew Clark, Carlos D'Anda, Tony Daniel, Art Thibert and Marlo Alquiza, cover by Daniel Acuña.
Collecting Teen Titans #24-26 and Outsiders #24, 25 and 28! When Nightwing and Speedy figure out there's a traitor in their midst, secrets come to the fore, including Superboy's ultimate corruption by his genetic father, Lex Luthor.
144 pages, $9.99, in stores on Jan. 18.

PLASTIC MAN #20
Written by Kyle Baker, art and cover by Baker.
Final issue.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 25.

VIGILANTE #5
Written by Bruce Jones, art by Ben Oliver, cover by Michael Golden.
The exciting mini-series rockets closer to its explosive finale. Vigilante confronts Dr. Powell about information he withheld. Then Powell hypnotizes Vigilante and regresses him to his boyhood...to find out how the Vigilante came to be.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 25.

WONDER WOMAN #225
Written by Greg Rucka, art by Cliff Richards, cover by J.G. Jones.
Her mission a failure, the life she's known in ruins, and the universe literally being torn apart, Wonder Woman faces an uncertain future. Can she wrest victory from crushing defeat?
32 pages, $2.50, in stores on Jan. 25.

JOHNNY DC TITLES

TEEN TITANS GO! #27
Written by J. Torres, art by Todd Nauck and Lary Stucker, cover by Sean Galloway.
It's Valentine's Day, and love is a battlefield in Jump City! When Jinx discovers Starfire playing Cupid for Cyborg and his girlfriend Sarah, it's a romantic comedy -- Teen Titans style.
32 pages, $2.25, in stores on Jan. 25.

THE BATMAN STRIKES! #17
Written by Bill Matheny, art by Christopher Jones and Terry Beatty, cover by Dave McCaig.
The Riddler's come back to Gotham City with a plan to unmask Batman once and for all! It's a power struggle and a race against time before all of Gotham is shown the true face of the Batman.
32 pages, $2.25, in stores on Jan. 11.

JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED #17
Written by Adam Beechen, art and cover by Carlo Barberi.
The Justice League versus the Freedom Fighters! When the League becomes a threat to public safety, the U.S. government calls in America's real heroes to take them down.
32 pages, $2.25, in stores on Jan. 4.

SCOOBY-DOO #104
Written by John Rozum, art by Joe Staton, Robert Pope and Horacio Ottolini, cover by Staton.
The Mystery, Inc. gang finds itself face-to-face with a real live Snowman‹and he's anything but holly and jolly! Plus, a Ghastly Ghoul haunts the residents of an apartment building and a pirate ship is discovered in the remains of a swamp‹along with some nasty pirates! Zoinks!
32 pages, $2.25, in stores on Jan. 11.

HI HI PUFFY AMIYUMI SPECIAL
Written by Jennifer Moore, Sean Carolan and Janet Harvey, art by Phil Moy, photo cover.
Turn two real-life Japanese pop stars into hypercool cartoon characters, and you've got pure rock 'n' roll adventure! The hilarious comics debut of the hit Cartoon Network show features bandmates and best friends Ami and Yumi as they cope with magic guitars, space aliens and their greedy manager Kaz in this fun-packed one-shot.
32 pages, $2.25, in stores on Jan. 18.

CARTOON NETWORK BLOCK PARTY #17
Written by Jesse Leon McCann, Sholly Fisch, John Rozum and Robbie Busch, art by Gary Fields, Robert Pope, Scott Neely, Scott Underwood, Dan Davis and Angus Bungay, cover by Pope
See if you can spot what got Billy in trouble with Grim and Mandy this time! Also, Eddy has had it with scams. Find out what he plans to do now.
32 pages, $2.25, in stores on Jan. 25.

LOONEY TUNES #134
Written by Sholly Fisch, Sam Agro and Bill Matheny, art by Dave Alvarez, Walter Carzon, Omar Aranda, Mike DeCarlo, Alberto Siachann and Ruben Torreiro, cover by Alvarez and DeCarlo.
It's a race to see who will catch Tweety first­Sylvester or his cold! Plus, all hail Pharaoh Yosemite Sam.
32 pages, $2.25, in stores on Jan. 4.

MAD #462
Written and illustrated by The Usual Gang of Idiots
New Year's resolution #1: Buy more MAD! New Year's resolution #2: Get your friends to read MAD! Leave the weight loss for 2007.
48 pages, black and white, $3.99, in stores on Jan. 4.

MAD CLASSICS #5
Written and illustrated by The Usual Gang of Idiots
A jam-packed new issue of MAD Classics, featuring the Best of the Web, MAD Marginals, Reader's Choice picks, and much more.
96 pages, black and white, $4.99, in stores on Jan. 11.

ELFQUEST: THE DISCOVERY #1
Written by Wendy and Richard Pini, art and cover by Wendy Pini.
The next chapter in the ElfQuest saga begins in this all-new bimonthly mini-series. Cutter's son Sunbeam has been hibernating, but his soul self has been exploring the world of Two Moons. He has made contact with an underwater tribe, one that fears all life on the surface. When Sunbeam experiences Recognition with one of the sea denizens, he leads his fellow Wolfriders on the beginning of a new journey, one promising discovery, danger and romance.
40 pages, $3.99, in stores on Jan. 11.

CMX TITLES

CIPHER VOL. 2
Written and illustrated by Minako Narita.
Anise is the only one who has discovered that the twin brothers Siva and Cipher are sharing one life, taking turns going to school and working as an actor. But they have yet to reveal to her the reason for this bizarre lifestyle. How far will she go to uncover their secret?
192 pages, black and white, $9.99, in stores on Jan. 4.

KIKAIDER CODE 02 VOL. 2
Story by Shotaro Ishinomori, art by MEIMU.
Japan is plagued by a series of mysterious plane crashes, building explosions, and assassinations -- all acts of terrorism committed by D.A.R.K.'s unleashed robots! Meanwhile, Komyoji Mitsuko has returned to her relatively peaceful life, but soon becomes a pawn in D.A.R.K.'s plan to draw Jiro out of hiding! Mitsuko is about to learn the truth about the Gemini circuit that her father built -- but will she be able to handle it?
192 pages, black and white, $9.99, in stores on Jan. 18.

KAMIKAZE KAITO JEANNE VOL. 2
Written and illustrated by Arina Tanemura.
The battle against demon-possessed paintings continues as Kaito Jeanne and Sinbad's competition heats up! As life at school grows complicated for Maron, she must deal with her growing feelings for Chiaki and her guilt over being kissed by Sinbad -- not realizing they're one and the same! And Chiaki hides a dark secret that could shatter everything...
176 pages, black and white, $9.99, in stores on Jan. 25.

LAND OF THE BLINDFOLDED VOL. 6
Written and illustrated by Sakura Tsukuba.
A vision is revealed to Namiki that his brother Junya will suffer a serious injury on the basketball court, he is prepared to do anything to prevent the accident. But Junya would rather put himself at risk than allow his brother's precognitive powers to protect him.
208 pages, black and white, $9.99, in stores on Jan. 18.

TENRYU: THE DRAGON CYCLE VOL. 4
Written and illustrated by Sanami Matoh.
The power-hungry Warlord Torao wants every dragon exterminated...except the Black Dragon, which slaughters entire villages and eats its victims' hearts. What is the legendary beast's connection to the Dragon Clan, and what does Torao have to gain from this alliance? Meanwhile, Hiryu continues to master his dragon powers. He builds his confidence in battle, but will he ever confess his love to the Princess?
224 pages, black and white, $9.99, in stores on Jan. 25.

WILDSTORM TITLES

ALBION #6
Plotted by Alan Moore, written by Leah Moore and John Reppion, art by Shane Oakley and George Freeman, cover by Dave Gibbons.
The final chapter of Albion, as only Alan Moore could conceive it. Robot Archie, Penny, Danny, and Charlie release most of the inmates in the armory. But all Hell breaks loose when the prison guards must release their horrible secret weapon: Captain Hurricane.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 25.

CAPTAIN ATOM: ARMAGEDDON #4
Written by Will Pfeifer, art by Giuseppe Camuncoli and Sandra Hope, cover by Dale Keown
The Wildcats confront Captain Atom in Washington, DC after his dealings with the President...and fists will fly! But this is one fight Atom can ill afford to lose, since he doesn't know what will set off the time bomb that is his own body! And Grifter is hunting for Nikola Hanssen -- who may be the new Void. But is Nikola ready to inherit this mantle?
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 11.

DANGER GIRL: BACK IN BLACK #3
Written by Andy Hartnell, art and cover by Nick Bradshaw
The Danger Girls better roll up their sleeves and flaunt those tattoos, because they're about to find themselves in the middle of the biker brawl of the century. While Abbey and Sydney fight for control of a mysterious and powerful Native American artifact, rogue super-spy Secret Agent Zero risks everything to keep a deadly secret from the girls. Traveling alongside a sexy new ally known as Ruby, the Danger Girls' full-throttle adventure picks up speed as they join Deuce, Valerie and Johnny Barracuda in Daytona Beach -- only to discover that things aren't as sunny as they seem.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 11.

DESOLATION JONES #5
Written by Warren Ellis, art and cover by J.H. Williams III.
Michael Jones was hired to deal with three men who stole a rich ex-spook's collection of exotic pornography. But that wasn't the whole story. Jones has fallen into history: an unsolved massacre, spooks and scandals and a family held together by hate.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 11.

MAJESTIC #13
Written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, art and cover by Neil Googe.
Guest-starring Zealot, Spartan and Savant! Majestic and his allies are caught up in an internecine struggle between Kherubim factions fighting for control of the homeworld. Will they able to tell friend from foe now that Helspont and the Daemonites are involved in the battle?
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 11.

ROBOTECH: PRELUDE TO THE SHADOW CHRONICLES #5
Written by Tommy Yune, John Waltrip and Jason Waltrip, art and cover by Omar Dogan.
The epic tale reaches its shocking conclusion as Rick and company battle a horribly mutated General Edwards! Can the heroes succeed against this final, devastating threat? Plus, the final installment of the behind-the-scenes look at the making of January's Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles DVD release.
32 pages, $3.50, in stores on Jan. 18.

TEAM ZERO #2
Written by Chuck Dixon, art and cover by Doug Mahnke and Sandra Hope.
The 6-part tale of heroism and bloodshed during World War II continues. Deathblow gathers his team of seven for their deadly mission into Germany. Meet Backlash, Grifter, and the whole unit as they prepare for what could be a suicide mission. It's hardcore World War II action in the vein of Band of Brothers.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 4.

PLANETARY #24
Written by Warren Ellis, art and cover by John Cassaday.
For months Elijah Snow has been pulling back from his fellow Planetary agents, following a personal road map to his own mysterious agenda. Now the curtain will begin to be drawn back and the some of the deepest secrets will at last be revealed...like patterns in a snowflake.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 18.

WILDCATS: NEMESIS #5
Written by Robbie Morrison, art by Talent Caldwell, Horacio Domingues and Matt Banning, cover by Caldwell and Banning.
Terrifying hybrid monsters assault the New York headquarters of HALO, pushing our heroes to the brink of doom. And a stark possibility creeps into the minds of the Wildcats: Could they have been wrong about Nemesis? Plus, this deadly femme fatale puts her personal stamp of "wild" on the old West and the small town of Snakeskin, Arizona.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 11.

WRAITHBORN #5
Written by Marcia Chen, art and cover by Joe Benitez and Joe Weems.
Secrets are revealed as Melanie continues her quest to understand the Wraithborn and what role she plays with them! Despite all the hidden agendas and challenges she must face, one thing appears certain: She will be in constant danger as long as she wields the Wraithborn power.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 18.

ABC A-Z: TERRA OBSCURA AND SPLASH BRANNIGAN
Written by Peter Hogan, art by Yanick Paquette and Hilary Barta, cover by Terry Dodson and Rachel Dodson.
Everything you always wanted to know about your favorite alternate-earth super team but were afraid to ask! Peter Hogan and Yanick Paquette present a guided tour of all the ins and outs of Terra Obscura, revealing all manner of information on Tom Strong's buddy Tom Strange and his comrades. Plus, more background info on the ink that stirs the drink, Splash Brannigan! Sit back and enjoy Hilary Barta's delightfully inky interpretation of the liquid sensation.
32 pages, $3.99, in stors on Jan. 25.

VERTIGO TITLES

THE EXTERMINATORS #1
Written by Simon Oliver, art by Tony Moore, cover by Philip Bond.
Imagine Six Feet Under with cockroaches and you've got Vertigo's twisted new monthly series The Exerminators, a smart, scary, darkly comic tale of roaches, rats, raccoons and the men who kill them for a living.
The Exterminators centers on a dysfunctional group of bug killers prowling the barrios and bungalows of Los Angeles -- the thinnest point on the shaky borderline between civilization and the violent chaos of nature.
Henry James, the newest exterminator, sees the job as a means to cleanse the sins of his dark past. He has a hard time getting his view across to his careerist girlfriend, sociopathic partner, and the general bunch of freaks he calls co-workers. But what the "bug brothers" of Bug-Bee-Gone Co. don't understand is that human beings may be the true pests -- and bugs could be the real exterminators.
Featuring creepy-crawly covers by Philip Bond, The Exterminators mixes disturbing characters, killer cockroaches and sinister secrets into a unique and unsettling series that branches out from the underbelly of L.A. into the heart of an ancient mystery, a sacred scarab beetle and a weirdly ominous locked box. It's a bug's world. We just live in it.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 4.

100 BULLETS #68
Written by Brian Azzarello, art by Eduardo Risso, cover by Dave Johnson.
As more and more members of The Trust continue to be killed off -- in even more brutal ways -- the remaining members hold an emergency meeting to discuss the future of the secret organization. Can they put their differences aside in order to survive the onslaught of Agent Graves and the Minutemen?
32 pages, $2.75, in stores on Jan. 11.

FABLES #45
Written by Bill Willingham, art by Mark Buckingham and Steve Leialoha, cover by James Jean.
The 4-part "Arabian Nights (and Days)" story concludes. Both the Fabletown and Baghdad Fable communities are still reeling from the actions of the deadly D'jinn. And the Arabian Fable refugees make a fateful decision on their future place in the Mundy world.
32 pages, $2.75, in stores on Jan. 11.

DMZ #3
Written by Brian Wood, art by Wood and Riccardo Burchielli, cover by Wood.
During a surprise attack on Manhattan's Lower East Side, Matty is captured by the government army who plan on taking him out of the DMZ. However, when he inadvertently winds up on the wrong side of a shoot-out, he once again finds himself alone in a warzone, only this time without his trusty "tour guide," Zee.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 11.

HELLBLAZER #216
Written by Denise Mina, art by Leonardo Manco, cover by Greg Lauren.
Novelist Denise Mina, one of the hottest rising talents in 21st-century fiction, takes over Vertigo's longest-running title with the 7-part story "Empathy is the Enemy." Mina and ongoing artist Leonardo Manco open one of the most haunting chapters yet in John Constantine's macabre career. Constantine, still brooding over his recent ordeal, meets Chris Cole, an ordinary bloke who made the mistake of messing with a "harmless" bit of magic. He looks to Constantine to pull him out from the nightmare. But when Cole drops the name of an infamous Scottish occultist, Constantine realizes the nightmare is just getting under way -- and he's about to plunge in. Wrapped in the unique look of acclaimed painter Greg Lauren's eerie covers.
32 pages, $2.75, in stores on Jan. 18.

HELLBLAZER: STARING AT THE WALL TP
Written by Mike Carey, art by Marcelo Frusin and Doug Alexander Gregory, cover by Tim Bradstreet.
The looming apocalypse arrives in the third collection of writer Mike Carey's acclaimed run on Helblazer, reprinting the 2-part "Bred in the Bone" (illustrated by Doug Alexander Gregory) and the 5-part "Staring at the Wall" (illustrated by Marcelo Frusin) from issues #187-193.
168 pages, $14.99, in stores on Jan. 4.

NEIL GAIMAN'S NEVERWHERE
The hit comics adaptation of Neil Gaiman's classic urban fantasy novel reaches a crucial turning point. Door and Richard come face-to-face with the awe-inspiring Angel Islington while the Marquis de Carabas plays a deadly game with the merchants of violence Croup and Vandemar -- and the odds are heavily against him. This series now ships on a bimonthly schedule.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 25.

THE LOSERS #32
Written by Andy Diggle, art and cover by Jock.
Clay. Aisha. Cougar. Pooch. Jensen. Max.
It's their final battle as the series ends with a bang, bloodshed, and a whole lot of bodies...but how many of them belong to the Losers? Final issue.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 25.

LUCIFER #70
Written by Mike Carey, art by Zander Cannon and Big Time Attic, cover by Michael Wm. Kaluta.
Featuring guest artist Zander Cannon. At a storytelling competition in the lands of the centaurs, Elaine confronts the myths that have arisen from Lucifer's actions -- and reunites with a mysterious boy from her past.
32 pages, $2.75, in stores on Jan. 18.

LUCIFER VOL. 9: CRUX TP
Written by Mike Carey, art by Peter Gross, Ryan Kelly, Marc Hempel and Ronald Wimberly, cover by Michael Wm. Kaluta.
Forces in Hell and on Earth prepare for a final struggle for supremacy in CRUX. Reprinting stories from issues #55-61, this volume ventures through space and time and the places outside both, weaving a sweeping saga out of multiple character threads mortal and immortal alike.
168 pages, $14.99, in stores on Jan. 25.

LOVELESS #4
Written by Brian Azzarello, art and cover by Marcelo Frusin.
Tempers flare as the town of Blackwater gets dangerously close to getting what it deserves at the hands of Wes Cutter and his mysterious companion. After living for years like a powder keg ready to go off, Wes discovers that one man's justice is another man's injustice.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 25.

SWAMP THING #23
Written by Joshua Dysart, art by Enrique Breccia, cover by Eric Powell.
Part 3 of the 4-part "The Bleeding Raconteur." It's the most important turning point in Swamp Thing's recent life, as his godlike elemental powers come rushing back. But whether he uses them to heal the wounded swamp or destroy it remains to be seenŠ
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 4.

TESTAMENT #2
Written by Douglas Rushkoff, art and cover by Liam Sharp.
The authorities strike down anti-war protesters with a wrath echoing that of the angry God who rained fire on Sodom and Gomorrah. Just as Lot couldn't save his wife from turning into a pillar of salt, Jake is too distracted by his lust for Dinah to rescue his true love, Miriam, from an even more horrifying verdict.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 18.

Y: THE LAST MAN #41
Written by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Goran Sudzuka and José Marzan Jr., cover by Massimo Carnevale
At last, the long-awaited origin of Agent 355, loyal protector of the Last Man on Earth! In this special stand-alone issue, the secrets of the mysterious Culper Ring and its most famous female agent are finally revealed.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 4.

Pop Artifact! Halloween!

Vintage Halloween comic book cover



Found at the Grand Comic Book Database.

Upcoming Marvel Masterworks volumes

The Marvel Masterworks Resource Page has an interview with Masterworks Editor Cory Sedlmeier, who says we can expect the following in 2006:

* A series of "Atlas Era" Masterworks collecting Marvel's pre-superhero monster, jungle, crime, war and sci-fi comics. The first volume, focusing on monsters is "Marvel Masterworks Atlas Era: Tales to Astonish Vol. 1".

* A "Rawhide Kid" Masterworks volume.

* The first volume in a "Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos" Masterworks series.

Upcoming comics previews

Mile High Comics has previews of: Astro City: The Dark Age #4; Batman: Gotham Knights #70; Batman: Journey into Knight #3; Captain Atom: Armageddon #1; Lucifer #67; Robin #143; Seven Soldiers: Klarion The Witch Boy #4; Daredevil vs. Punisher #5; Marvel Knights Spider-Man #19; Marvel Monsters: Fin Fang Four; Nick Fury's Howling Commandos #1; Runaways #9; She-Hulk 2 #1; Spider-Man Family #1; Weapon X: Days of Future Now #4; X-Men and Power Pack #1 and X-Men: Colossus - Bloodline #2.

More Upcoming Comics.

Quick hits

Cleveland Jewish News checks in with comics author Harvey Pekar.

Via Bedazzled: An online collection of movie serial posters.

DVD set collects 40 years of the X-Men

Out from Graphic Imaging Technology Inc. in November the "40 Years of X-Men" DVD-ROM set collects nearly 17,500 pages of X-Men comics, including X-Men #1 (September 1963) through X-Men #461 (August 2005) plus 18 annuals and Special Editions including Giant-Size X-Men #1.

Graphic Imaging also produced the "40 Years of Amazing Spider-Man" CD-ROM set and the "44 Years of the Fantastic Four" DVD-ROM set.

Plastic Man shredded!

Art Spiegelman's "Jack Cole and Plastic Man: Forms Stretched to Their Limits" was among the books shredded (whatever happened to burning?) in Houston the other day a group called American Veterans in Domestic Defense.

According to the Houston Voice:

Members of the group are seeking to remove about 70 children’s books from the system’s seven libraries, claiming they contain explicit material not suitable for young children.

They believe the books contain pornographic pictures or promote homosexuality. Fliers with a list of 12 of the 70 books were passed out at the rallies.

...Cabaniss brought copies of Art Speigalman’s (sic) “Plastic Man” to the protest, telling people that the first 60 pages of the book look like a comic book, but the rest of the book has “pictures straight out of Playboy and a group of six or eight couples who are sitting around bored and decide to do wife swapping.”


Sane people should know: Spiegelman's book is a study of Jack Cole's comic art and includes many examples of his work, including his Plastic Man comics, horror and crime comics work and cartoons he produced for Playboy. There's no question about it being a thoughtful work, intended for adults. No secret agenda about it.

Pop Artifact! Halloween!



Vintage Halloween comic book cover

Quick hits

Josh Holloway, Sawyer of "Lost", was robbed at gunpoint yesterday.

Warner Bros. is considering a film about James Bond creator Ian Fleming.

The Flaming Lips have finished filming a Christmas movie.

Just in time for Halloween: How to make your own Doc Ock outfit.

Mark Evanier with the inside skinny on those Merry Marvel Marching Society records.

Dial B reads "Infinite Crisis" so I don't have to.

Check out comic artist Jay Stephens' cool new Monsterama blog.

Bob Dylan has a new tune, "Tell Ol' Bill," on the "North Country" soundtrack.

ICE has info on a trio of cool Swinging London-era films recently released on DVD.

It's John Peel Day in Britain. Here's a roundup of the festivities honoring the legendary deejay.

As everyone in the world already knows, you can now watch TV reruns on your iPod.

"Lost" clues season 2, episode 4

Official recap from ABC:

Everybody Hates Hugo
Air Date: 10/12/2005
We open on Hurley, in the middle of the hatch's pantry, surrounded by his favorite thing in the world - food. Unfortunately for him, it's only a dream and he wakes up facing the reality of his newly assigned job - to inventory it and figure out how to make it last. Until then, nobody is to get anything - no exceptions. He enlists Rose's help and confides in her that his biggest worry is that everything is going to change - that he'll be the most hated man on the island once this job is put into action. So he keeps the contents of the hatch a secret, even from his most trusted friend, Charlie.

Likewise, in FLASHBACK, we learn that Hurley actually kept his winning lottery news from his best friend, fearing that everything would change. He quits his job and embarks on a journey to enjoy all the little things he loves best in his life. He acts as if nothing has happened and enjoys the freedom he knows will be lost once he comes clean about his newfound wealth. He asks his best friend to promise that no matter what happens, their relationship will never change.

On the island, Sawyer, Jin and Michael are lifted out of the trap to learn that their captors are actually survivors from the tail section of the plane. But that doesn't lessen the antagonism between Sawyer and Ana Lucia. These people have been under attack and are much more defensive than our guys. Twenty-three originally survived, but only five are left. Something went terribly wrong. The good news is that one of those survivors is Rose's husband, Bernard. The Tailies bring Sawyer, Jin and Michael into a bunker where they have been living and surviving since the crash and discuss what to do next.

Back on the beach, Charlie pressures Locke for answers about the hatch, while Claire finds the message bottle from the raft. She shares the news with Sun, fearing the worst. But Sun decides to spare everyone and keep their hope alive by burying the bottle.

Meanwhile, inside the hatch, Sayid's explorations lead him to conclude that the strange magnetic wall is made up of Chernobyl style concrete - somebody wanted to cover something up in a hurry. And in the pantry, the pressure starts to get to Hurley, who decides to use the remaining dynamite in their possession to blow up the hatch and thereby, solve all of his problems.

But Rose talks him out of it and gets him to accept that things change - and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Hurley comes up with a solution that satisfies everyone - there's plenty of food to last for a while, so why not be generous and hand some of it out now, just as he did with his lottery winnings.

And as the survivors feast on food they haven't had since the day before the crash, Rose tucks away a candy bar for Bernard in hopes that he is still out there…somewhere.


Clues and speculation:

* After three straight hours of "What the...!," things are quieting down a little bit. This episode left the Hatch and focused on some of the other characters.

* We learn Sawyer, Jin and Michael's captors are indeed survivors from the plane's tail section.

* These Tailenders have discovered and set up camp in what looks like another Hatch, or perhaps a section of the Hatch we already know. There are Dharma Initiative symbols on the wall. However, these quarters are pretty barren. There don't appear to be computers or appliances as in the Hatch we've seen previously. There's no furniture or food apparent either.

* The Dharma Initiative symbol in the Tailenders Hatch area is different from the one in the more familiar Hatch. Check out these images from the 4815162342.com forum:



* It seems likely that this new Hatch is separate from the Swan station already shown and that it was used for another aspect of the project. Remember, the "orientation" film tells us the Dharma Initiative was created to study "meteorology, psychology, parapshycology, zoology, electromagnatism" and "utopian social" something or other.

* Evidently, something bad (an attack/attacks by the Others?) has befallen the Tailenders because they're very wary. They also make reference to several of their numbers being missing or dead. The preview for the next episode indicates the Others are out there and they're dangerous.

* The Tailenders say there were originally 23 of them. That's one of the mysterious numbers of course. The recap above says 5 of them are now alive. More on 23.

* The bottle containing messages from the survivors washes up on shore, leading Sun to believe Jin, Sawyer, Michael and Walt must be dead. Interestingly, Shannon's reaction to this discovery isn't related in any way. She's the one who saw the vision of the dripping wet Walt in the jungle a couple shows back. With all the focus on the Hatch, she's one of the characters we've really lost contact with. Perhaps a near-future episode will remedy that.

* How did Ana Lucia get to be so tough? What did she do in life before the crash? She seems to be well-versed in handling weaponry and bashing people around. She appears to be the de facto leader of the Tailenders. How did she inherit that position?

* Jin speaking English turned out to be a Hurley dream sequence.

* Also in Hurley's dream, Walt appears on a milk carton:



(screen cap lifted from this thread)

* Was the lottery Hurley won fixed?

Other stuff:

* Yahoo! TV has a few clips from the episode.

* ABC's "Lost Journal" has been updated to include a reference to the "feast" Hurley made available.

* Here's a teaser for next week's show.

See last week's "Lost" clues.

See the Best "Lost" Sites on the Web.

Pop Artifact! Halloween!





Vintage Halloween comic book cover



Found at the Grand Comic Book Database.

Quick hits

Kid Flash is coming to the "Teen Titans" toon.

An overview of "Bone Sharps, Cowboys, and Thunder Lizards," the new Jim Ottaviani comic about Gilded Age dinosaur hunters. (The Free Comic Book Day preview of this was great).

The New York Times details DC's "Infinite Crisis," which promises to "recalibrate" the company's heroes for a "grittier age." And here I thought they already were gritty.

San Francisco's counterPULSE dance company plans to stage a live production of the "Buffy" musical episode, "Once More With Feeling," on Halloween.

Fantagraphics Books provides a peek at seven never-before-published strips that will appear in it's upcoming "Complete Peanuts 1959-60" volume.

Via Bedazzled and some other folks: a gallery of vintage surf movie posters.

Fred Hembeck on horror comics artist Richard Corben.

Lady, That's My Skull alerts us to a new issue of the Army's Preventive Service Monthly featuring comic art by the great Joe Kubert.

PCL LinkDump spots some cool Halloween audio available for download.

The Kinks: "Waterloo Sunset" -- Today's Best Song Ever



The loveliest pop tune ever? Pretty much.

Of all the fantastic songs Ray Davies turned out during the mid 1960s, this is his masterpiece--better than anything he did then or since.

Leading in with brother Dave's descending line on electric guitar followed by a bed of strummed acoustic guitars and wife Rasa's lovely backing vocals, it's an absolutely gorgeous piece of music.

It sounds like a love song, but isn't. The narrator is a loner, stay-at-home guy who finds peace of mind observing the crowds around Waterloo Station and the sunset overhead. Released at the height of the Swinging London period, the song manages to freeze a special moment permanently in time.

Available: on Something Else by the Kinks.

"Lost" preview, season 2, episode 4

Spoilers! All over the place! Click at yer own:

* Here's ABC's official teaser for tonights' show.

* Here are teaser pictures from the episode.

* And an extended preview of tonight's show.

Other stuff:

* Here's a copy of the "orientation film" that appeared on last week's episode.

* Don't know yet if this is official (i.e. produced by ABC), but here's a site for the fast food chain Hurley worked for before hitting the jackpot.

* More info about "The Third Policeman," a novel featured in last week's show.

Tune in here tomorrow for a look at the episode's "clues."

See the Best "Lost" Sites on the Web.

New comics releases



Available now at yer local comics shop or via This is Pop!-supporting links:

Astro City Local Heroes TP

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Previews Exclusive Buffy Vs Dracula Bust

Comics Journal #271

Complete Calvin and Hobbes HC

Donald Duck Adventures Vol 14 TP

Doom Patrol Vol 3 Down Paradise Way TP

Essential Spider-Man Vol 7 TP

Essential Werewolf By Night Vol 1 TP

James Bond Spy Who Loved Me TP

Marvel Monsters Where Monsters Dwell

Premiere Coll Rogue Statue

RGK: The Art Of Roy G. Krenkel SC

Rogues Gallery Rhino Bust

Stokers Dracula HC

Tony Millionaire Little and Large HC

Wally Woods Lunar Tunes SC

Walt Disneys Comics & Stories #661

Winsor Mccay Vol 5 Early Works TP

Wolverine Maquette

X-Men Bizarre Love Triangle TP

More Upcoming Comics.

"Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" teaser poster

Here's a peek:

Season 2 "Adventures of Superman" and "Lois and Clark" DVDs due in January

The sets will be out Jan. 17, according to Warner Bros.

The details:

The Adventures of Superman Season 2 DVD

Sleep tight, Metropolis. No matter what trouble comes your way, a powerful hero will protect you...

And trouble does come - big trouble: a plummeting asteroid... a terrorist targeting transit systems... deadly radiation... mad scientists... a criminal clown. But none is a match for the Man of Steel.

George Reeves returns to put on the hero's cape (and when necessary, the customary eyewear of a mild-mannered reporter) for the steel-bending, bullet-speeding, tall-building-leaping excitement of 26 Season Two episodes. Noel Neill joins the series as Lois Lane, the Daily Planet reporter who sometimes suspects that maybe - just maybe - Clark Kent isn't who he says he is. Powerful fun!


The 5 disc set will contain all 26 episodes from the second season:

  1. Five Minutes to Doom
  2. The Big Squeeze
  3. The Man Who Could Read Minds
  4. Jet Ace
  5. Shot in the Dark
  6. The Defeat of Superman
  7. Superman in Exile
  8. Ghost for Scotland Yard
  9. The Dog Who Knew Superman
  10. The Face and the Voice
  11. The Man in the Lead Mask
  12. Panic in the Sky
  13. The Machine That Could Plot Crimes
  14. Jungle Devil
  15. My Friend Superman
  16. The Clown Who Cried
  17. The Boy Who Hated Superman
  18. Semi-Private Eye
  19. Perry White's Scoop
  20. Beware the Wrecker
  21. The Golden Vulture
  22. Jimmy Olsen, Boy Editor
  23. Lady in Black
  24. Star of Fate
  25. The Whistling Bird
  26. Around the World with Superman


Lois and Clark the New Adventures of Superman DVD

He catches bullets in his hand, snatches innocent citizens from the jaws of death, and zooms bombs deep into outer space. But just when you think nothing can overwhelm Superman, love brings him to his knees.

Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher are back for the thrilling second season of new adventures. Action reigns as the Man of Steel unleashes chop-'til-you-drop martial arts moves to battle a mysterious Chi master, pits his mighty powers against the firepower of resurrected '30s mobster Al Capone, and mows down a perp walk of twisted-genius bad guys who challenge him with a lethal array of threats, theft, murder and mayhem. Super hero. Super action.

The second season saw Justin Whalin join the cast as Jimmy Olsen, and Bruce Campbell appears as Bill Church Jr. in the final few episodes.


The 6 disc set will contain all 22 episodes:

  1. Madame Ex
  2. Wall of Sound
  3. The Source
  4. The Prankster
  5. Church of Metropolis
  6. Operation Blackout
  7. That Old Gang of Mine
  8. A Bolt from the Blue
  9. Season's Greedings
  10. Metallo
  11. Chi of Steel
  12. The Eyes Have It
  13. The Phoenix
  14. Top Copy
  15. Return of the Prankster
  16. Lucky Leon
  17. Resurrection
  18. Tempus Fugitive
  19. Target: Jimmy Olsen!
  20. Individual Responsibility
  21. Whine, Whine, Whine
  22. And the Answer Is...


See the Best Superman Sites on the Web

CD new releases of note

Oct. 11

John Cale, Tony Conrad, Angus Maclise, La Monte Young and Marian Zazeela Day of Niagara: Inside the Dream Syndicate Vol. 1
John Coltrane One Down, One Up: Live at the Half Note
Gang of Four Return the Gift
Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto Getz & Gilberto #2
King Crimson 21st Century Guide to, Volume Two, 1981-2003
Paul Weller As Is Now
Robert Wyatt Theatre Royal Drury Lane

Oct. 18

Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass Christmas Album
Funkadelic America Eats Its Young, Cosmic Slop, Free Your Mind...And Your Ass Will Follow, Funkadelic, Let's Take It to the Stage, Maggot Brain, Standing on the Verge of Getting It on and Tales of Kidd Funkadelic
Brian Wilson What I Really Want for Christmas
Young-Holt Unlimited The Definitive
VA The Great American Baseball Box
DVD Frank Zappa The Dub Room Special!

Pop Artifact! Halloween!



Vintage Halloween comic book cover



Found at the Grand Comic Book Database.

Quick hits

Word is Mark Waid will return to writing The Flash once DC's whole awful Identity Crisis thingy is finally over. But who will be the Flash at that point?

The original lineup of R.E.M. reunited for a Georgia wedding.

Daniel Craig is the new James Bond.

Steve Allen sidekick comic Louis Nye has passed away.

Lots of bloopers and other extra features from the new Arrested Development season 2 DVD set are available here.

Today in exotica!

DVD new releases for Oct. 11

Arrested Development - Season Two

Soap - The Complete Fourth Season

South Park - The Complete Sixth Season

Veronica Mars - The Complete First Season


More upcoming DVDs.

Upcoming DC Comics collections

January

DC UNIVERSE: THE STORIES OF ALAN MOORE TP
A collection of every DC Universe story penned by the writer, including:
* SUPERMAN ANNUAL #11: "For the Man Who Has Everything"
Art and cover: Dave Gibbons
* DETECTIVE COMICS #549: "Night Olympics" Part One
Art: Klaus Janson
* DETECTIVE COMICS #550: "Night Olympics" Part Two
Art: Klaus Janson
* GREEN LANTERN #188: "Mogo Doesn't Socialize"
Art: Dave Gibbons
* VIGILANTE #17: "Father's Day" Part One
Cover: Paris Cullins & Rick Magyar
Art: Jim Baikie
* VIGILANTE #18: "Father's Day" Part Two
Art and cover: Jim Baikie
* THE OMEGA MEN #26: "Brief Lives"
Art: Kevin O'Neill
* THE OMEGA MEN #27: "A Man's World"
Art: Paris Cullins & Rick Magyar
* DC COMICS PRESENTS #85: "The Jungle Line"
Art: Rick Veitch & Al Williamson
Cover: Rick Veitch
* TALES OF THE GREEN LANTERN CORPS ANNUAL #2: "Tygers"
Artist: Kevin O'Neill
* SUPERMAN #423: "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow" Part One
Art: Curt Swan & George Pérez
Cover: Curt Swan & Murphy Anderson
* ACTION COMICS #583: "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow" Part Two
Art: Curt Swan & Kurt Schaffenberger
Cover: Curt Swan & Murphy Anderson
* SECRET ORIGINS #10: "Footsteps"
Art: Joe Orlando
Cover: Jim Aparo
* TALES OF THE GREEN LANTERN CORPS ANNUAL #3: "In Blackest Night"
Art: Bill Willingham & Terry Austin
* BATMAN ANNUAL #11: "Mortal Clay"
Art: George Freeman
Cover: John Byrne
* BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE
Art: Brian Bolland

BATMAN: HUSH RETURNS TP
Writer: A.J. Lieberman
Artists: Al Barrionuevo, Lee Bermejo, Javier Pina, Francis Portela, Jimmy Palmiotti and Bit
Collects BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS #50-55 and 66
208 pages, $12.99 US

FLASH: ROGUE WAR TP
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artists: Howard Porter and Livesay
Collects THE FLASH 1/2, #212, 218, and 220-225
208 pages, $17.99

THE GOLDEN AGE FLASH ARCHIVES VOL. 2 HC
Writer: Gardner Fox
Artists: E.E. Hibbard, Hal Sharp and Sheldon Moldoff
Collects stories from FLASH COMICS #18-24 and ALL-FLASH #1 and 2
224 pages, $49.99

SEVEN SOLDIERS OF VICTORY VOL. 1 TP
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artists: J.H. Williams III, Simone Bianchi, Cameron Stewart, Ryan Sook, Frazer Irving and Mick Gray
Collects SEVEN SOLDIERS OF VICTORY #0, SEVEN SOLDIERS: SHINING KNIGHT #1-2, SEVEN SOLDIERS: GUARDIAN #1-2, SEVEN SOLDIERS: ZATANNA #1-2 and SEVEN SOLDIERS: KLARION THE WITCH BOY #1
224 pages, $14.99 US

SHOWCASE PRESENTS: GREEN ARROW VOL. 1 TP
Writers: Jack Miller, France Herron, Gardner Fox, Bob Haney, Dave Wood, Dick Wood, Robert Bernstein, and John Broome
Artists: Jack Kirby, George Papp, Mike Sekowsky, Neal Adams, Lee Elias, Bernard Sachs, George Roussos and Jerry Ordway
Collects stories from ADVENTURE COMICS #250-269, WORLD'S FINEST COMICS #95-134, 136, 138 and 140, JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #4 and THE BRAVE & THE BOLD #50, 71 and 85
528 pages, $16.99 US, black & white

SUPERMAN: SACRIFICE TP
Writers: Greg Rucka, Mark Verheiden and Gail Simone
Artists: Ed Benes, John Byrne, Karl Kerschl, Rags Morales, Tony Daniel, David Lopez, Ron Randall, Derec Donovan, Georges Jeanty, Tom Derenick, Tony Daniel, Alex Lei, Rob Lea, Mariah Benes, Nelson, Bit, Mark Propst, Dexter Vines, Rob Petrecca, Cam Smith, Sean Parsons and Marlo Alquiza
Collects SUPERMAN #218-220, ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #642-643, ACTION COMICS #829 and WONDER WOMAN #219-220.
192 pages, $14.99 US

SUPERMAN CHRONICLES VOL. 1 TP
Writers: Jerry Siegel
Artist: Joe Shuster
Collects stories from ACTION COMICS #1-13, NEW YORK WORLD'S FAIR COMICS #1 and SUPERMAN #1
208 pages, $14.99 US

TEEN TITANS/OUTSIDERS: THE INSIDERS TP
Writers: Geoff Johns and Judd Winick
Artists: Matthew Clark, Carlos D'Anda and Tony Daniel
Collects TEEN TITANS #24-26 and OUTSIDERS #24, 25 and 28
144 pages, $9.99 US

YEAR ONE: BATMAN/RA'S AL GHUL TP
Writer: Devin Grayson
Artists: Paul Gulacy & Jimmy Palmiotti
Collects YEAR ONE: BATMAN/RA'S AL GHUL #1-2
104 pages, $9.99 US

HELLBLAZER: STARING AT THE WALL TP
Writer: Mike Carey
Artists: Marcelo Frusin, Doug Alexander Gregory and Tim Bradstreet
Collects HELLBLAZER #187-193
168 pages, $14.99 US

LUCIFER VOL. 9: CRUX TP
Writer: Mike Carey
Artists: Peter Gross, Ryan Kelly, Marc Hempel, Ronald Wimberly and Michael Wm. Kaluta
Collects LUCIFER #55-61
168 pages, $14.99 US

CIPHER VOL. 2
Writer/artist: Minako Narita
192 pages, $9.99 US, black & white

LAND OF THE BLINDFOLDED VOL. 6
Writer & artist: Sakura Tsukuba
208 pages, $9.99 US, black & white

KAMIKAZE KAITO JEANNE VOL. 2
Writer/artist: Arina Tanemura
176 pages, $9.99 US, black & white

KIKAIDER CODE 02 VOL. 2
Writer: Shotaro Ishinomori
Artist: Meimu
194 pages, $9.99 US, black & white

TENRYU: THE DRAGON CYCLE VOL. 4
Writer/artist: Sanami Matoh
224 pages, $9.99 U.S., black & white


February

BATMAN: WAR CRIMES TP
Writers: Bill Willingham, Anderson Gabrych, Devin Grayson and Will Pfeifer
Artists: Pete Woods, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Eddy Barrows, Ron Randall, Tom Derenick, Bit, Sandra Hope, James Jean, Jay Leisten and Ray Snyder
Collects BATMAN #643-644, DETECTIVE COMICS #809-810, and stories from BATMAN ALLIES SECRET FILES 2005 and BATMAN VILLAINS SECRET FILES 2005
128 pages, $12.99 US

DOOM PATROL ARCHIVES VOL. 3 HC
Writer: Arnold Drake
Artists: Bruno Premiani, Bob Brown and Brian Bolland
Collects DOOM PATROL #98-105 and CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN #48
240 pages, $49.99 US

GREEN ARROW VOL. 6: MOVING TARGETS TP
Writer: Judd Winick
Artists: Phil Hester, Tom Fowler, Eric Battle, Tommy Castillo, Ande Parks, Rodney Ramos, Jack Purcell and James Jean
Collects GREEN ARROW #40-50
256 pages, $17.99 US

JLA: THE GREATEST STORIES EVER TOLD TP
Writers: Gardner Fox, Dennis O'Neil, Gerry Conway, Martin Pasko, Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, Grant Morrison, Mark Millar and Joe Kelly
Artists: Mike Sekowsky, Bernard Sachs, Dick Dillin, Joe Giella, Kevin Maguire, Terry Austin, Alex Ross, Howard Porter, John Dell, Doug Mahnke, Tom Nguyen and George Pérez
Collects JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #19, 77, 122 and 166-168, JUSTICE LEAGUE #1, JLA SECRET FILES #1 and JLA #61
192 pages, $19.99 US

SHOWCASE PRESENTS: HOUSE OF MYSTERY VOL. 1 TP
Writers: Joe Orlando, Sergio Aragones, Howie Post, E. Nelson Bridwell, Otto Binder, Robert Kanigher, Jack Oleck, Marv Wolfman, Len Wein, John Albano and Jack Miller
Artists: Joe Orlando, George Roussos, Lee Elias, Doug Wildey, Bernard Baily, Carmine Infantino, Mort Meskin, Neal Adams, Sid Greene, Jack Sparling, Sergio Aragones, Howie Post, Bill Draut, Jim Mooney, Win Mortimer, Jerry Grandanetti, Gil Kane, Wallace Wood, Bernie Wrightson, Alex Toth, Wayne Howard, Al Williamson, John Celardo, Mike Peppe, Tony deZuniga, Leonard Starr, Tom Sutton, Ric Estrada, Ralph Reese, Frank Giacoia, Jim Aparo, Gray Morrow, Don Heck, Russ Heath, Jack Kirby, John Costanza and Nester Redondo
Collects HOUSE OF MYSTERY #174-194
552 pages, $16.99, black & white

SUPERMAN: MAN OF TOMORROW ARCHIVES VOL. 2 HC
Writers: Bill Finger, Jerry Coleman, Otto Binder, Robert Bernstein and Alvin Schwartz
Artists: Curt Swan, Stan Kaye, Wayne Boring, Al Plastino, Kurt Schaffenberger and John Sikela
Collecting stories from ACTION COMICS #248-254 and SUPERMAN #127-131
240 pages, $49.99 US

SUPERMAN: STRANGE ATTRACTORS TP
Writer: Gail Simone
Artists: John Byrne, Nelson, Dan Jurgens and Kevin Nowlan
Collects ACTION COMICS #827, 828, and 830-832
112 pages, $12.99 US

TEEN TITANS/OUTSIDERS: THE DEATH AND RETURN OF DONNA TROY TP
Writers: Phil Jimenez and Judd Winick
Artists: José Luis García-López, Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Alé Garza, Trevor Scott, Lary Stucker, Marlo Alquiza, Andy Lanning, and Richard Friend
TITANS/YOUNG JUSTICE: GRADUATION DAY #1-3, TITANS/OUTSIDERS SECRET FILES #1 and DC SPECIAL: THE RETURN OF DONNA TROY #1-4
176 pages, $14.99 US

WONDER WOMAN: THE LAND OF THE DEAD TPWriter: Greg Rucka and Geoff Johns
Artists: Rags Morales, Drew Johnson, Justiniano and J.G. Jones
Collects WONDER WOMAN #214-217 and THE FLASH #219
128 pages, $12.99 US

CITY OF TOMORROW TP
Writer/artist: Howard Chaykin
Collects CITY OF TOMORROW #1-6
144 pages, $19.99

THE MAXX VOL. 6 TP
Writer/artist: Sam Kieth
Collects FRIENDS OF THE MAXX #1-3 and a story from THE MAXX 3-D (presented for the first time in 2-D)
160 pages, $19.99

KID ETERNITY TP
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Duncan Fegredo
Collects the miniseries KID ETERNITY #1-3
144 pages, $14.99 US

SWAMP THING VOL. 3: HEALING THE BREACH TP
Writer: Joshua Dysart
Artists: Enrique Breccia, Ronald Wimberly, Richard Corben and John Totleben
Collects SWAMP THING #15-20
144 pages, $17.99 US

THE DEVIL DOES EXIST VOL. 5
Writer/artist: Mitsuba Takanashi
192 pages, $9.99 US, black & white

FROM EROICA WITH LOVE VOL. 6
Writer/artists: Yasuko Aoike
208 pages, $9.99 US, black & white

GALS! VOL. 5
Writer/artist: Mihona Fujii
192 pages, $9.99 US, black & white

MUSASHI #9 VOL. 6
Writer/artist: Miyuki Takahashi
192 pages, $9.99 US, black & white

TENJHO TENGE VOL. 6
Writer/artist: Oh! great
208 pages, $9.99 US, black & white

TESTAROTHO VOL. 3
Writer/artist: Kei Sanbe
194 pages, $9.99 US, black & white

TOWER OF THE FUTURE VOL. 2
Writer/artist: Saki Hiwatari
176 pages, $9.99 US, black & white

THE YOUNG MAGICIAN VOL. 3
Writer/artist: Yuri Narushima
224 pages, $9.99 US, black & white

SCOOBY-DOO VOL. 5: SURF'S UP! DIGEST
Writers: Chris Duffy, Joe Edkin, Terrance Griep, Paul S. Newman, John Rozum and Rurik Taylor
Artists: John Delaney, Vincent Deporter, Don Perlin, Joe Staton, Dave Cooper, Dan Davis, Andrew Pepoy and Mike DeCarlo
Collects SCOOBY-DOO #21-25
112 pages, $6.99

SCOOBY-DOO VOL.6: SPACE FRIGHT!
Writers: Chris Duffy, Joe Edkin, Terrance Griep, John Rozum, Chuck Kim and Rurik Taylor
Artists: John Delaney, Vincent Deporter, Don Perlin, Andrew Pepoy, Joe Staton, Dave Hunt and Stephen DeStefano
112 pages, $6.99 US

ELFQUEST: GRAND QUEST VOL. 13 DIGEST
Writers: Wendy and Richard Pini
Artists: Wendy Pini and John Byrne
Collects stories from Elfquest Vol. 2 #1-4
224 pages, $9.99 US, black & white

THE WILL EISNER COMPANION SC
Writers: N.C. Christopher Couch and Stephen Weiner
Artist: Will Eisner
176 pages, $12.99, black & white

Dark Horse Comics Solicitations for January 2006



13TH SON: WORSE THING WAITING #4
Written and art by Kelley Jones.
It's an all-out war at the Monsters' Graveyard as the 13th Son faces off against thousands of horrifying creatures in this fateful fourth issue of Kelley Jones' latest horror masterwork!
With every corpse he adds to the pile of dead monsters he's hunted, the 13th Son is one step closer to achieving his goal of making way for the ultimate monster, his very own 13th Son, to walk the Earth. But the hunter is now the hunted, as the Earth's remaining monsters converge for a surprise attack to stop the Son and seek revenge for the legions of monsters he's killed along the way. Get ready for the biggest all-monster war ever depicted on the pages of a comic book.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 25.

THE ART OF USAGI YOJIMBO TPB
Written and art by Stan Sakai.
In the tradition of the celebrated collections The Art of Sin City and The Art of Hellboy, Dark Horse is proud to showcase the work of multi award-winning creator Stan Sakai in The Art of Usagi Yojimbo, offered in a softcover format for the first time. The sold-out hardcover edition, timed to coincide with the twentieth anniversary of the creation of Sakai's signature character, Usagi Yojimbo, was met with an overwhelming response from thousands of fans around the world. This softcover edition will be printed on the same high-quality paper stock and will feature scores of never-before-seen pieces, a long out-of-print twelve-page primer illustrating how Stan creates each of his Usagi stories, forty-eight full-color pages of Stan's beautiful painted artwork, and more. Additionally, some of the biggest names in comics pay tribute to their favorite rabbit ronin in a fantastic gallery section, with pinups by Frank Miller, Geof Darrow, Jeff Smith, Sergio Aragonés and Matt Wagner among others.
200 pages, black and white, 9 inches by 12 inches, $29.95, in stores on Feb. 22.

BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL #109
Written and art by Hiroaki Samura.
"Shortcut," part 3 of 5. Drugged and helpless, Manji's unconscious body is a bloody plaything in the hands of two demented medical examiners! Working for Habaki Kagimura, Burando and Mozen are determined to tap into the secrets of the kessen-chu, the mystical bloodworms that heal Manji's wounds and grant him near-immortality. As Mozen decides to take a direct, heavy-handed approach, the competitive, backstabbing Burando waits gleefully in the wings with katana and scalpel at the ready. Horror, politics, and squabbling surgeons, as Hiroaki Samura takes his award-winning samurai epic down a disturbing, gory pathway.
32 pages, black and white, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 11.

BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL VOLUME 15: TRICKSTER TPB
Written and art by Hiroaki Samura.
Kidnapped and bound by three Itto-ryü warriors, Rin is unable to warn her bodyguard Manji, the immortal swordsman, that he's heading into a trap. To make matters worse, the Itto-ryü possess a large dose of kessen-satsu, the only poison known to damage Manji's blood and severely cripple his regenerative abilities. And is Mugai-ryü assassin Giichi following Manji in order to help rescue Rin ... or will he just stick around long enough to finish off any survivors?
224 pages, black and white, 5 3/4 inches by 8 1/4 inches, $16.95, in stores on Feb. 15.

B.P.R.D.: THE BLACK FLAME #6
Written by Mike Mignola and John Arcudi, art by Guy Davis, colored by Dave Stewart, cover by Mignola.
The frog plague explodes as the Black Flame's plan comes to a blazing conclusion. The B.P.R.D., shattered by recent events, marshals its remaining forces, and Liz Sherman puts together all the bits of information she's gathered from dreams and visions to play her apocalyptic role.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 25.

CONAN #24
Written by Kurt Busiek, art by Cary Nord, colored by Dave Stewart, cover by Tony Harris.
Eisner-award-nominated artist Cary Nord and Eisner-Award-winning colorist Dave Stewart return to Conan to launch a brand-new story arc by Kurt Busiek building up to the adaptation of Robert E. Howard's original Conan yarn, "The Hall of the Dead." Fresh from his triumphs in the City of Thieves with a willing, wanton wench at his side, Conan's out for the good life‹drinking, debauchery, and a nighttime looting spree so unrestrained that even the crowned heads of Zamora are displeased. All this attention-getting sets a rogue as wily as Conan on his tail, and if that wasn't enough, the Cimmerian's ways might just place him on the business end of an entire army.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 18.

CONAN AND THE DEMONS OF KHITAI #4
Written by Akira Yoshia, art by Paul Lee, cover by Pat Lee.
The ultimate battle begins as King Conan crosses blades with the demonic swordsman who has been terrorizing the kingdom of Khitai from his haunted monastery. While these two warriors engage in mortal combat, an even greater evil reveals itself, a darkness that threatens to consume first the Far East, and then the world, unless Conan can make the necessary sacrifice to end its reign of misery. Superstar artist Pat Lee provides the cover for this final installment of the tale that explores King Conan's travels to the exotic eastern lands of Khitai.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 4.

EDEN: IT'S AN ENDLESS WORLD! VOLUME 2 TPB
Written and art by Hiroki Endo.
Graphic, cyberpunk, and philosophical, Eden is a place where endearing heroes face a constant struggle for survival and violent surprises wait around every corner! After a large portion of humanity is wiped out by a brutal, new virus, an organization known as the Propator seeks to wrest control of the world from the United Nations. Elijah, a young survivor with immunity to the virus, crosses paths with a group of supposed freedom fighters. His companion, an artificially intelligent combat robot named Cherubim, is appropriated and reprogrammed, and Elijah is pulled into a world of relentless peril and intrigue! Cybernetic enhancements! Extreme violence! This breathtaking ride is just getting started.
208 pages, black and white, 5 inches by 7 inches, $12.95, in stores on Feb. 1.

EMILY THE STRANGE #3: THE DARK ISSUE
Written and art by Cosmic Debris.
In the third issue of Dark Horse's hottest new series, Emily ushers readers through 48 pages of weird, kooky, and hilarious stories all focused on the dark. To most people, journeying to the dark side might seem like a bad thing. But to Emily, the dark side is the perfect place to go on all sorts of wild adventures with her posse of black kitties. Join Emily, Mystery, Sabbath, Nee Chee, and Miles as they journey to the dark side of the moon, meet photogenic monsters in the dark room, and explain exactly why there are some very good reasons to be afraid of the dark.
48 pages, black and white with red, $7.95, in stores on March 22.

THE GOON VOLUME 4: VIRTUE AND THE GRIM CONSEQUENCES THEREOF TPB
Written and art by Eric Powell.
Giant man-eating eyeballs from another dimension, mad scientists, rampaging killer robots, and the Ghost of Christmas Past‹nothing out of the ordinary in the world of the Goon. Come take a traipse down Lonely Street with Goon and his pals as they defend their burg from all manner of monstrous disasters and ghouls in The Goon: Virtue and the Grim Consequences Thereof. This volume collects five magically dark and delightfully hilarious tales of chaos and daring-do, following the exploits of the man known only as The Goon as he fights his way through a horde of killer robots and even creatures from another dimension to help save his sometimes friend and ally Dr. Hieronymous Alloy from a mysterious disease. But there are plenty of bumps along the way, ultimately landing the Goon in Cade's Island Penitentiary, proving once more that no good deed goes unpunished. Collecting issues #9-#13 of the bimonthly Goon series.
144 pages, 7 inches by 10 inches, $16.95, in stores on Feb. 8.

H.G. WELLS' THE WAR OF THE WORLDS HC
Written by Ian Edginton, art by D'Israeli.
Dark Horse Comics presents Ian Edginton and D'Israeli's adaptation of the most famous science fiction novel of all time, The War of the Worlds. In the closing years of the nineteenth century, the genteel tranquility of Victorian England is shattered by the arrival of an invasion force from the red planet‹Mars! Methodical and merciless, the Martians are intent on nothing less than the conquest and subjugation of the human race. Told from the point of view of an ordinary man caught up in the carnage and chaos, we witness firsthand how the then-greatest empire in the world is brought to its knees by the Martians' cool alien intellect and the implacable heat ray.
72 pages, 7 inches by 10 inches, $14.95, in stores on March 22.

KONG: 8TH WONDER OF THE WORLD MOVIE ADAPTATION #2
Written by Christian Gossett, art by Dustin Weaver.
Filmmaker Carl Denham and his crew battle against a growing onslaught of terrors from a world long thought lost in their desperate but determined mission to rescue actress Ann Darrow from the dark heart of the Island of the Skull. Little do they know that nothing they face, be it savage islanders or bloodthirsty dinosaurs, will prepare them for the revelation of the mighty wonder in whose clutches Ann truly remains, King Kong. Based on motion picture by Peter Jackson, this three-issue comics adaptation captures all of the action, all of the romance, and all of the terror of the 8th Wonder of the World.
40 pages, $3.99, in stores on Jan. 25.

LITTLE LULU: LATE FOR SCHOOL TPB
Written by John Stanley, art by Stanley and Irving Tripp.
Long hailed as one of the best (and funniest) comic books ever published, Little Lulu is once again a reading staple for kids of all ages thanks to these new collections of the classic material. Whether she's spinning the tallest tale of her life to sooth the savage neighbor tot Alvin, hatching schemes to invite both friends and enemies to her birthday party, or winning prizes in a ski-jump contest she hasn't even entered, Little Lulu's adorable antics will leave you breathless with laughing and eager to keep reading.
200 pages, black and white, 6 inches by 9 inches, $9.95, in stores on Feb. 8.

MICHAEL CHABON PRESENTS THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF THE ESCAPIST #9
By Brian K. Vaughan, Howard Chaykin, Stuart Moore, Jason Alexander, Jed Dougherty, Phil Winslade and more, cover by Brian Bolland.
For the first time in the illustrious illustrated history of Michael Chabon Presents The Amazing Adventures of the Escapist, the mysterious Luna Moth takes center stage! Kicking it off is a stunning image of our heroine by regular cover artist Brian Bolland.
Writer Brian K. Vaughan returns with the second installment of their ongoing feature "The Escapists." This chapter also introduces rising star Jason Alexander as a new regular contributor to the feature. Next, Luna Moth takes her faithful readers on a mind-bending tour of "The Library of Consciousness" as curated by the good Messrs. Howard Chaykin and hot new artist Jed Dougherty. Decades worth of Luna Moth incarnations materialize and battle over a malicious sprite, but why? Also in this issue, Stuart Moore and Phil Winslade present their own version of the Adams/O'Neil "relevant comics" of the 1970s with "Union City Blues." Fitting neatly into the Sunshine Comics era of the Escapist series, our blue-suited hero appears in this story of Nixon, unions, and a thinly disguised gonzo journalist.
80 pages, $8.95, in stores on Jan. 11.

NEXUS ARCHIVES VOLUME 2 HC
Written by Mike Baron, art by Steve Rude.
In this second volume of the acclaimed and multiple Eisner Award-winning series, reluctant vigilante Nexus,AKA Horatio Hellpop, sets out with the gregarious warrior Judah Maccabee for a drinking man's tour of the galaxy. They are soon waylaid when Judah, well past the legal blood-alcohol limit for operating a spacecraft, gets the pair sucked into a black hole! But instead of meeting their untimely end, they meet the Badger?! Meanwhile, back on the moon Ylum, the plot thickens with mysterious ruins, a coerced presidential election, and Ursula X. X. Imada's relentless espionage. The last thing this refugee population needs while Nexus is out of commission is the reappearance of mass murderer Claudius the Slaver, and guess who's coming for dinner Collects issues #5 and #6 of Nexus Volume 2 from Capital Comics and issues #7 through #11 of Nexus Volume 2 from First Comics.
216 pages, 7 inches by 10 1/2 inches, $49.95, in stores on Feb. 22.

OH MY GODDESS! VOLUME 2 TPB
Now that Keiichi and the goddess in his life are the hot item on campus, they find themselves constantly putting out fires! First, to raise money for the N.I.T. Motor Club, they get roped into posing nude together for a life drawing class‹even though, as Keiichi's sister correctly guesses, they haven't even kissed yet! Then his buddies in the club stake Bell-chan as the wager in a funnybike race, but Keiichi has trouble seeing the humor when it starts coming apart at high speed! After all this, Keiichi just wants to relax and watch some home video ... except this video introduces (literally) a second goddess into his life‹Belldandy's "sophisticated" older sister, Urd!
192 pages, black and white, 5 inches by 7 inches, $10.95, in stores on Feb. 8.

PREDATOR: FOREVER MIDNIGHT NOVEL
Written by John Shirley.
The year is 2117,A.D. Humanity has seized the stars, using reverse-engineered alien technology to explore the far reaches of space. For a hundred years the Predators, sadistic extraterrestrial hunters, have been a dim memory. For a hundred years, we've been safe. That ends now. Cast in daylight for years at a time, the almost eternally lit jungle planet known as Midnight is the home to more than a thousand colonists, explorers building a haven on a new world. But the settlers aren't alone. The Predators have been on this planet all along. When the ravenous creatures attack an arriving spacecraft and capture the settlers as both slaves and prey for their hunt, terraforming the planet takes a back seat to a new fight for survival.
250 pages, $6.99, in stores on Feb. 8.

REVELATIONS #6
Written by Paul Jenkins, art and cover by Humberto Ramos, colored by Leonardo Olea. Detective Charlie Northern's investigation into the suspicious death of the Pope's successor comes to its shocking conclusion, rocking Northern's faith, and lack thereof, to its very core. The dark rituals of a blasphemous cult operating beneath the Vatican are brought into the light, and Cardinal Toscianni's role in these events, which have threatened the heart of the Church, proves to be anything but expected. Learn how and why one unexplained death set off a string of homicides leading straight to Northern in this surprising final installment to Jenkins and Ramos' superlative occult murder mystery.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 25.

SAMURAI EXECUTIONER VOLUME 10 TPB
Written by Kazuo Koike, art by Goseki Kojima.
It's the final volume of Samurai Executioner, and like the previous nine volumes, the last is a combination of life's varying tides of good fortune and ill circumstance. The woman who once stole the weapons of samurai cops is becoming a cop herself. It's a story of gender struggles in a time long past. All the while, criminals keep losing their heads to Asa the decapitator. But one criminal might leave something behind that could hurt our favorite protagonist.
224 pages, black and white, 4 inches by 6 inches, $9.95, in stores on March 22.

SCARY BOOK VOLUME 1: SHADOWS TPB
Written and art by Umezu Kazuo.
The spine-chilling influence of Japanese horror cinema has taken hold in Western audiences with hit films like The Ring that are based on Japanese films adapted from classic manga stories. And the master of horror manga is Umezu Kazuo‹known as the "Stephen King of Japan," with several of his stories being adapted to film‹and Dark Horse Manga is proud to bring his Scary Book horror anthology to Western readers for the first time. This first volume, Reflections, presents two feature-length tales of terror. In "Mirror," a narcissistic girl's reflection begins to take mean-spirited command of her life; and in "Demon's Revenge," a sadistic samurai master bent on seeking retribution for his son's injuries finds the tables of vengeance turned against him. Find out what Japanese readers have known for many years: you haven't been scared until you've been scared by Umezu Kazuo.
232 pages, black and white, 5 inches by 7 inches, $14.95, in stores on Feb. 8.

SPACE PINCHY: SURROUNDED BY ROBOTS!
Written and art by Tony Takezaki.
The crazy, sexy, and relentless Space Pinchy is back! The last of the Pinch tribe, Pinchy travels through the stars in search of treasures left behind by her ancestors, and it's never an easy hunt. But one thing is for certain, it's always hilarious. From the crazy manga mind of Tony Takezaki, Space Pinchy is a frenetic series of sexy high jinks, rendered in beautiful, 3D, curvy color. Join Pinchy and her naughty alien companion, Audrey Q as they somehow escape the most dire and ridiculous consquences Takezaki can think up!
52 pages, 3.99, in stores on Jan. 18.

STAR WARS: EMPIRE VOLUME 5 TPB
By Jeremy Barlow, Ron Marz, Brandon Badeaux, Jeff Johnson, Joe Corroney, Adriana Melo, Nicloa Scott and Michael Atiyeh.
Luke Skywalker fights side-by-side with a shipwrecked veteran from the Clone Wars, Han Solo's flirtations with an old flame land him in the fire, and BoShek (the galaxy's second-coolest smuggler) attracts a whole lotta blaster fire from Rebels and Imperials alike in this collection featuring some of the most unexpected stories in the era of the Empire! Whether it's BoShek transporting an innocent-enough looking girl, Han making a supply run for the resource-strapped Alliance, or Luke flying escort for a Rebel Intelligence team on a supposedly deserted planet, these adventures may start as routine missions, but their endings are anything but predictable.
120 pages, 7 inches by 10 inches, $14.95, in stores on Feb. 22.

STAR WARS KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC #1
Written by John Jackson Miller, art by Brian Ching, colored by Michael Atiyeh, cover by Travis Charest.
To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Dark Horse is completely relaunching its Star Wars publishing line. This series is the first of many new titles to come. On the planet Taris, a young Padawan named Zayne has been framed for a heinous and brutal crime against the Jedi order. Suddenly a wanted fugitive and on the run from his Jedi Masters, Zayne is forced to ally himself with the under-city's criminals, con artists, and petty thieves he'd previously vowed to bring to justice. Staying alive is the first order of business and if he's ever to clear his name, Zayne must make this new alliance work ... providing he survives the experience.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 25.

TARZAN: THE JOE KUBERT YEARS VOLUME 2 HC
Written and art by Joe Kubert.
A stunning, five-part adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs' The Return of Tarzan highlights this archival collection, which reprints Joe Kubert's Tarzan comics, issues 215 through 224. With color restoration based off of Tatjana Wood's original colors, this beautiful hardcover is a must-have for fans of pulse-pounding adventure tales and students of the graphic narrative. Writing, drawing, and editing a monthly Tarzan comic-book series in the 1970s, Joe Kubert was able to illustrate the adventures of his childhood hero and produce some of the most engaging pages of his career. Tarzan: The Joe Kubert Years Volume 2, also includes "Death is My Brother," "The Renegades," "The Black Queen," and other dynamic stories inspired by Burroughs' classic books. Reprinting Tarzan issues #215-#224 (originally published by DC Comics).
208 pages, $49.95, in stores on Feb. 22.

TRIGUN MAXIMUM VOLUME 8: SILENT RUIN TPB
Written by Yasuhiro Nightow.
Okay, now this is just getting scary. Knives has imprisoned Vash, and now he's going around gathering plants. By plants, I don't mean green things growing out of the ground, but instead those angelic, humanoid, powerful plant-beings that make it possible for humans to live on the planet Gunsmoke. Vash and Knives are themselves a form of plant, and have the same power, but what will Knives do with this huge power supply? Meanwhile, things are looking pretty tough for Wolfwood. And speaking of Nick, this volume contains a special spin-off chapter based on our favorite preacher-slash-gunslinger. Learn a little more about the man in the suit with the confessional helmet.
224 pages, black and white, 5 inches by 7 inches, $9.95, in stores on Feb. 1.

USAGI YOJIMBO #90
Written and art by Stan Sakai.
Stan Sakai digs into a ghost story in this issue of Usagi Yojimbo! Shortly after escaping their enslavement at the territory's edge, Usagi and the Geishu bodyguard Tomoe return to Lord Noriyuki's castle only to be greeted by a savage murder. The victim was a member of a trade delegation sent by Lord Kojima, and all evidence implicates a maid who died ten years ago! Unless Tomoe and the long-eared ronin can solve this mystery, treaty negotiations will dissolve completely ... and another throat may be clawed out. What is the dark story behind the ghost of Geishu Castle? The hauntings begin in this first half of a two-part story, "The Ghost in the Well."
24 pages, black and white, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 25.

Pop Artifact! Halloween!





Vintage Halloween comic book cover



Found at the Grand Comic Book Database.

Quick hits

Dial B gets demonic.

"Swingers" star/director Jon Favreau has been tapped to direct the long-anticipated "John Carter: Warlord of Mars" film.

Some info on the upcoming "Star Wars" TV series (plural).

Check out animator Tex Avery's classic "Red Hot Riding Hood."

Warner Bros. is set to do a big-money adaptation of Frank Miller's "300" comic.

From last Friday, Mike Sterling with everything you need to know about The Joker.