Recommendations from the current August Previews for comics and collections released to stores beginning in October.
Recording an episode spotlighting standout Previews selections relies on solicitation blurbs and general comments – but beyond that, a solo Previews podcast ultimately turns into a giant list of dry data. Podcasts about current releases are more “in the now”, and can help to generate immediate excitement. Talking about projects that will (or might) come out two or more months from now is great to get the ball rolling, but have more of a chance of being forgotten.
Knowing that there are listeners/comic readers who don’t look at Previews month after month as obsessively as I enjoy, means that I wouldn’t want to give up a Previews focus altogether. So I’m opting to make it a site-only feature, as I have in the past, in the hopes that it still generates interest and in the hopes that the information will stay out there longer.
What follows is by no means a complete list. I’m giving spotlight to the top ten new projects that are comprised of: new issue #1s, special collections, original graphic novels, oddities, etc. This also doesn’t necessarily reflect all the books I’ll be pre-ordering. I rarely point out something just because it’s the next issue and sometimes I pick suggestions that are more for others than myself. I’m also going to let the links do the work. If something looks interesting or catches a reader’s eye, I’m hoping clicking through to a more detailed preview or interview or website will do more than just hearing me read a blurb.
As always, I’m sure there are more I could mention. It’s certainly not because I missed it (I scour these pages thoroughly every month). Most likely, whatever it is I skipped just didn’t strike a chord or I filed it under “you can’t recommend everything”. So feel free to hit the comments and let me know what you are looking forward to in the months ahead.
Hit the individual pictures for more information and enjoy! And feel free to let me know if this format is to your liking!
Check out TDR Episode 390 to hear my thoughts on the output for the first wave of Marvel Legacy in October.
– Peter
Peter,
Thanks for this. I don’t peruse Previews anymore, relying on word of mouth, after the fact, to pick up series I might enjoy. But there are some things on your list that definitely have me interested. Both the CHE and CROW books are intriguing. I have the Kitchen Sink edition of the Crow, but had no idea there was a “director’s cut” available. That’s definitely something I want to look at, sometime. Also, the ATLANTIS CHRONICLES getting the deluxe treatment. This is something I’ve never read but always wanted to. I didn’t realize it had been collected. I’ll need to seek it out, now.
Best of all, though, is the Atari Force mini-comic collection. I’m still working on my original series run–just a few issues shy of that–but I didn’t expect to see the minis get a collection. But I do have an original art page from one of the issues, a Gil Kane page I stumbled across on ebay and got for a good price. Now, I’ll finally be able to read it within the context of the greater story. I’m definitely ordering this.
And, if you’d like, here’s a link to an image of that page I have:
http://cmbeckett.tumblr.com/image/163913446605
I particularly love that it’s a page where they pasted the lettering on, and in the image you can see the dried, yellowed glue, from where some balloons have been lost. Pretty damn cool.
Hope you’re enjoying your vacation. Take care and I’ll “talk” with you soon-ish.
-chris
Chris! Never read the Crow myself, so this feels like a good way to correct that. I’ve seen the movie but I’m sure it’s not the same. I can remember how influential the series was for some of my comic book reading/creating friends at the time. The level of violence in their work ramped up either because of it – or other books the Crow inspired.
Great Kane page! Always have a soft spot for Atari Force so it’s nice to see it finally getting some collection love. I sold my series run years ago. I always see issues in back issues bins but I’ve hesitated re-collecting the series. I might do that anyway – just to get the lettercolumns and pinups.