Preview Spotlights - 4/4/13

Hey G-Martians (can I call you that?)

It's previews season again. Time to get those advance orders and subscriptions logged in so you can get that sweet 35% discount.  You'll be able to enter your orders tomorrow, 3/4/13.

In no particular order, here's what we're looking forward to:

Lazarus #1
Image
Greg Rucka, Michael Lark

Why we're excited: Greg Rucka is underused. From Whiteout to Queen and Country to Gotham Central, Rucka writes moody noir-tinged true-crime stories that perfectly blend plausibility with fantasy. Michael Lark's realism and color washed out color palettes are the perfect compliment. We haven't seen Rucka do a dystopian sci-fi story, so this is a new genre to get Ruckified. We have high hopes.

Why you should care: An original series from Greg Rucka doesn't come along very often. The guy doesn't do a series unless he thinks has a story with longevity and an enduring concept. Lark, his collaborator on Gotham Central, is consistently solid, so this will not be one to miss.






Superman Unchained #1
DC
Scott Snyder, Jim Lee

Why we're excited: Snyder's been tearing it up over at DC. His universally acclaimed Batman run masks has overshadowed his other excellent work on Swamp Thing and American Vampire. In addition to The Wake, a new original miniseries over at Vertigo. Snyder is ready to give us his take on Superman.

Why you should care: Big Blue is DC's flagship character, but if you're a fan you know how troubled the creative directions have been. Unlike Batman, Superman is a character that doesn't gel very well with the darker, more mature direction that comics have taken. Even Bryan Singer's Superman Returns suffered due to apparently retrograde themes. Originally a symbol of the simplistic, big-hearted American Dream (or some would say nativism and white male hegemony) DC has worked hard to rehabilitate the Superman image. DC is following a familiar pattern here, both in the comics and film world. Take a hot creator who has achieved success on Batman and give him his stab at Superman. The Nolans are involved in Zack Snyder's upcoming Man of Steel, Tim Burton was once developing a famously crazy Superman film starring Nic Cage, Grant Morrison's stellar All-Star Superman and his more recent Action Comics run came after his success with Batman, Mark Waid's Birthright came after the Batman-centered JLA story Tower of Babel. Some of these were more successful than others, but all of them gave us interesting spins on the Superman mythology, but none of them really coalesced into a distinctive status quo.

Snyder's penchant for generational conflict, historical mysteries, and the technical workings of a world could bring some needed detail to Superman. His intense focus on character that blew us all away with his Batman vs. Joker arc Death of the family showed us how deeply he thinks of character dynamics, even if he tends to wax philosophical a tad too often. Superman is a character in dire need of some enduring philosophical grounding. Who is he? A cosmic alien? An emotionally vulnerable man with an invulnerable outer shell? A beacon of historical change and progress in the name of good? A conservative Greatest Generation man out of time? (Actually, DC seems to have nixed this last idea after canning Orson Scott Card's Superman series after much controversy) Whatever direction Snyder takes, we're sure it will be heartfelt and thoughtful, and will add powerfully to the conversations surrounding the soul of the Man of Steel.


Batman/Superman #1
Greg Pak, Jae Lee

Why we're excited: Greg Pak's great work on Incredible Hercules and Magneto: Testament shows how versatile his writing is. He can shift from humor to tragic seriousness fluidly, and this makes him the perfect guy to perform the tonal juggling act required for writing two characters as different as Batman and Superman. Jae Lee is a prolific cover artist, but his sequential work on Marvel's Dark Tower is worthy of serious acclaim. His shading and forms are interestingly mythic and statuesque.

Why you should care: A new stab at the World's Finest team-up seems to be probing new ideas for a possible film team-up in the future. Teaming up Batman and Superman is always tricky--the two are almost polar opposites, and finding a suitable middle ground between the bright, cosmic futurism of Metropolis and the dilapidated, noir mortality of Gotham City--but the blend of conflict between the characters themselves, and opposite but complimentary roles they play has produced some of the most enduring moments in Superhero comics. It's always been one of the most interesting relationships in comics, and it's high time focus in on it again. If there is to be a Batman/Superman movie crossover in the future, the inspirations will likely start here.


Six-Gun Gorilla
Boom!
Simon Spurrier, Jeff Stokely

Why we're excited: It's a gorilla! With guns! Seriously, though Spurrier and Stokely are relative newcomers, and we're always excited for new blood. The story seems to be a sort of bizarre other-planet western sort of thing. Stokely's art looks positively gonzo, and we like that.

Why you should care: C'mon, it's a gorilla with guns, what more do you need to know?











Daredevil: Dark Nights #1 of 8
Lee Weeks

Why we're excited: We love creators with the stuff to both write and draw. Weeks is a veteran Daredevil writer from the 90s, and we're excited to see him return to the title with this miniseries that looks to be taking its cues from the classic Frank Miller run. Mark Waid has been consistently hitting it out of the park on his Daredevil series, and it seems to be leading to a renewed interest in the character.

Why you should care: This is a return to roots for Daredevil. Before Bendis outed Matt Murdock's identity, Daredevil had a more conventional, but no less thrilling life as a superhero. This seems to be a return to form for the character, that will likely fall sometime before the Bendis Run. This will likely be a refreshing, moody miniseries with a strong focus on narrative.




Uncanny #1
Dynamite!
Andy Diggle, Aaron Campbell

Why we're excited: Andy Diggle is a British superstar. The man has written just about every series on the shelves. Thunderbolts, Swamp Thing, Green Arrow, Daredevil, there's nothing this guy can't write. The prospect of a new original series sounds delightful. A blend of international intrigue and paranormal powers, this looks like a focused, grounded series of mystery and deception.

Why you should care: Any original series from a top talent is worth a look. This one looks awesome for all the reasons listed above.









The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys #1 of 6
Dark Horse
Gerard Way, Shaun Simon, Becky Cloonan

Why we're excited: My Chemical Romance frontman and Umbrella Academy scribe Gerard Way is a guy we like to see writing new comics. Umbrella Academy is consistently on our top picks shelf. Way is spinning a new tale of teen punks vs. corporations that looks as witty and youthful as his previous work.

Why you should care: Way is a guy to watch. He's extremely talented and full of great ideas. This new miniseries looks similar in tone to Marvel's Runaways, one of its most accessible and best-loved series. Killjoys will likely be a great time that will bring younger readers into the comic book fold and entertain older ones.


That's all folks. Get your orders in at g-mart.com in the next few days to ensure your discounted subscription arrives on time.