The Forbidden Planet International Blog

Welcome to another look ahead. Quick reminder, the FPI Most Wanted is a simple little service, throwing the spotlight on the comics we’re looking forward to here at the FPI Blog this month and the next.
But comics being comics, sometimes shipping dates just slip, so please, no shouting if we’re wrong eh?!

JANUARY 2013

Ringing in the new year, let’s have a few great comics….

First up, a few things we’re all looking forward to….

One Trick Rip-Off/Deep Cuts by Paul Pope (Richard and Zainab)

You’re all just jealous of my Jetpack by Tom Gauld (Richard, Zainab)

District 14 Hardcover by Pierre Gabus and Romuald Reutimann - Both Joe and Zainab put this one down – Joe included the frighteningly accurate comment: ‘I don’t know these creators but the minute I saw this book I just thought it would be something I’d want to read (and probably have to fight Zainab for!)‘

Young Avengers Issue 1 by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie – If Phonogram 3 is going to be delayed this looks like being a very good reason. (James and Richard)

Now, over to Zainab for her choices…

Sumo by Thien Pham:

Calling Dr Laura by Nicole Georges

Animal Man 2: Animal vs Man by Jeff Lemire, Travel Forman, Steve Pugh,

Next up, here’s Joe Gordon

Dear Beloved Stranger by Dino Pai

Absolute Batman & Robin by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely

Batwoman Volume 2 : to Drown the World Hardcover - by J.H. Williams III, W. Haden Blackman, Amy Reeder - can’t resist those astonishing JH Williams III’s art and layouts, plus great female leads

The Books Of Magic Deluxe Edition Hardcover by Neil Gaiman, John Bolton, Charles Vess, Paul Johnson, Scott Hampton. The original Books of Magic by Neil Gaiman, mixing folklore, myth and elements of the DC universe along with some gorgeous artwork.

Love and Rockets Companion : 30 Years (and Counting) by Marc Sobel (and of course … Los Bros Hernandez)
Los bros, comics gods, ’nuff said

Messages in a Bottle : Comic Book Stories by B Krigstein - Krigstein collection, just another reason why we love Fantagraphics

Now over to James Bacon

Captain America Issue 3 will be a make or break for me seeing if Rick Remender can continue to hold my interest. I am worried that following Brubaker and my apprecieation of his long run, that this may fall foul, but am enjoying the John Romita Jr artwork.

Peter Panzerfaust Issue 10, sees the end of that Arc, by Kurtis J. Wiebe and Tyler Jenkins, it is really very good writing, and a nice take on War comics .

The Cape 1969 by Joe Hill & Jason Ciaramella and Nelson Daniel is quiet interesting and is being released as a collected hardback edition. Set in Vietnam, staring a US chopper pilot who gets shot down behind Viet-Cong lines but there is more to the jungle that the enemy.

Finally this month, here’s me – Richard

Judge Anderson Psi File Vol 3 – by Alan Grant, but more importantly, with art by Arthur Ranson, and the magnificent Steve Sampson.

Thor / Journey Into Mystery – Everything Burns by Matt Fraction, Kieron Gillen, Alan Davis, Carmine Di Giandomenico, Barry Kitson and Stephanie Hans. The end of Gillen’s young Loki run on Journey Into Mystery, another one of those Marvel strips I’m being slowly drawn into, picking it up way, way after everyone else.

Global Frequency (Complete) - by Warren Ellis et al. Previously only available as two volumes, this really was a great series, very Warren Ellis-y, perfectly cool adventure stuff, and some cracking artists - Garry Leach, Glenn Fabry, Steve Dillon, Roy A. Martinez, Jon J. Muth, David Lloyd, Simon Bisley, Chris Sprouse, Karl Story, Lee Bermejo, Tomm Coker, Jason Pearson and Gene Ha. See, cracking eh?

FEBRUARY 2013

Okay, February already….

First up, a few things we’re all looking forward to

The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen – Nemo: Heart Of Ice – Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill (Joe and Richard)

Unearthing - Alan Moore and Mitch Jenkins – available in deluxe, oversized hardcover or simple yet still deluxe paperback versions. (Joe, James and Richard)

The New Deadwardians – Dan Abnett and Ian Culbard. Brilliant stuff from Abnett and Culbard (Joe, James and Richard)

Judge Dredd : Day Of Chaos – The Fourth Faction first of the big recent Wagner series in collected form (Joe, James and Richard)

The Silver Darlings – Will Morris (Blank Slate) – had a limited release in December 2012, but should be everywhere in Feb 2013, certainly deserves to be, and looks like one of the books of 2013 – certainly a stellar debut from Will Morris. (Zainab and Richard)

Don Quixote Volume 2 – adapted by Rob Davies. One of the books of 2011, this second volume will probably be on some best of year lists as well! (Zainab and Richard)

Hellblazer 300 by Peter Milligan, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Stefano Landini, cover by Simon Bisley. This is the end, not only of the Death and Cigarettes arc but of Hellblazer as readers have known it for twenty five years. It seems to be a large issue, and will be the end of the run for Simon Bisley who has been doing terrific covers, and his interiors were also really impressive. I have to admit that I feel very odd about the cessation of such an influential comic, for me, it was the Garth Ennis run on Hellblazer that opened up the world of American titles, up to then it was all 2000AD. Perhaps John Constantine under the DC banner will regain the readership Hellblazer once had, but I wonder will the cutting, nasty, political and anti-establishment elements that I enjoyed so much will be as strong. Will John be giving the finger to a leather clad royal in the series? (James – providing the text here and Richard, who will be getting it to say goodbye to JC)

Hawkeye Vol. 1; My Life as a Weapon by Matt Fraction and David Aja. Hawkeye could have been so ropey, especially given his popularity in the Avengers movie, yet Fraction has penned a brilliant story, very realistic feeling yet not too grimey and the character, I feel, is much more accessible and realistic that the movie version. The artwork of David Aja has been really nice and is just right for this comic. I have liked the character of Kate Bishop a one time Young Avenger, and this collection will include their first meeting from an issue of Young Avengers. (James – who wrote the text here and Richard)

ZAINAB

Ten Thousand Years in Hell by M Tillieux

Spera Volume 2 by Josh Tierney

Resident Alien by Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse

Remind by Jason Brubaker

RICHARD

Zed – A Cosmic Tale by Michel Gagne

The Shade Collection by James Robinson, art by Cully Hamner, Darwyn Cooke, J. Bone, Javier Pulido, Jill Thompson, Frazer Irving and Gene Ha

Iron Man Omnibus by David Micheline, Bob Layton, John Romita Jr. and more. This is MY Iron Man, this collection of works from issues 115-157, something I discovered second time round in Marvel UK titles, and I shall forever have a soft spot for the wonderful Iron Man artwork of Bob Layton. Do I have enough fondness for it to spend £50 plus on it? Not quite sure, but I’ll try to remember to let you know!

JAMES

Batwoman Issue 17 by JH Williams III and W Haden Blackman – Brings an arc to a close.

Fever Ridge: A Tale of MacArthur’s Jungle War #1 (of 8) by Mike Heimos and Nick Runge (IDW). Featuring the action of the US 6th Army’s 6th Infantry Division (“the Sightseein’ Sixth”) and their jungle commando’s, the Alamo Scouts, under the command of Gen. Walter Kreuger, who was under MacArthur. It will be nice to see how it compares to Darkies Mob.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy #0.1 by Brian Michael Bendis and Steve McNiven. Looks worth a read, I am intrigued to see what Bendis does with this Galactic super team. It is interesting that Captain America is off world, and now these guys are back with such a strong writer. It’s a prequel to issue one, which is out in March.

JOE

Judge Dredd : the Complete Carlos Ezquerra Volume 1 Hardcover - top of my list that one, as you can imagine, even though I will have read all of them before…

Goddamn This War! Hardcover - Very keen to read this after his It Was the War of the Trenches, which I liked so much I even struggled through the French version before Fanta did it in English. Another one for my growing Fanta Tardi collection

Batgirl Volume 2 : Knightfall Descends Hardcover - Been reading this since Gail Simone started it in New 52, was upset to hear new editor kicked her off the title and by email no less, equally delighted to see her tweeting the other night she is back as Batgirl writer again already, someone at DC must have woken up…

Classic Popeye Volume 1 by Bud Sagendorf