Image and Top Cow Solicitations: July 2011 Highlights

It feels like only a couple of weeks ago I posted my highlights from the Image and Top Cow solicitations for 2011 ... now here are my choices from July's solicitations.

From a great selection of one-shots, mini- and ongoing series as well as some great collected editions I'm looking forward to the first issues of Marksman, Mysterious Ways and The Red Wing as well as what looks like being an interesting one-shot called Repulse.

I'm also going to pick-up the first issue of a new Avengelyne ongoing series from Rob Liefeld, Mark Poulton and Owen Gieni - I've recently been listenning to, and enjoying, the new Avengelyne podcast and despite not having read any of her earlier comic book appearances I've been interested by what I've heard from the creators about the project.

On the collected-edition front I particularly like the look of the fourth volume of Chew - entitled FLAMBÉ - and Ian Churchill's Marineman: A Matter of Life and Depth as well, as you'd expect, the latest trade paperback of Witchblade collecting issues #140-143 plus the over-sized 15th anniversary issue #144.

For full details of the July 2011 Image and Top Cow solicitations head over to Image Comics, Top Cow Productions and Newsarama.

MARKSMAN #1 (of 6)
story DAVID BAXTER
art JAVIER ARANDA, GARRY LEACH & JESSICA KHOLINE OF IMAGINARY FRIENDS STUDIOS
cover TOMM COKER
JULY 20, 32 pages, FC, $1.00
Sixty years ago the oil ran out and debts were called in. Civil war followed that splintered America into warring fiefdoms. New San Diego is a technocratic utopia that offers the last bastion of peace and prosperity, provided you live within its walls. Drake McCoy is its best protector. McCoy, an expert marksman, defends the city from the numerous threats in the wasteland outside the walls. But when the oil rich Lone Star state sends a powerful army to steal New San Diego’s energy technology, even Drake’s leadership and skill may not be enough to fend off the siege.

REPULSE (ONE-SHOT)
story SZYMON KUDRANSKI
art & cover SZYMON KUDRANSKI
JULY 6, 72 Pages, BW, $6.99
CAN A ROBOT REMEMBER HIS PAST LIFE... AS A HUMAN?
In the near future, when robotics and other high-tech solutions help solve the most awful crimes, a unit called After Crime allows detectives to taste, feel and see what murder victims experienced before death. Sam Hagen is an After Crime detective, a broken man with one chance for redemption catching a serial killer who preys on Hagen’s fellow cops. Will the solution save Hagen, or doom him? Find out in SPAWN artist SZYMON KUDRANSKI’s thought-provoking thriller.
RETAILER WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES!

MYSTERIOUS WAYS #1 (of 6)
story JASON RUBIN
art & cover TYLER KIRKHAM
JULY 6, 32 pages, FC, $3.99
THIS KILLER JUST SAVED YOUR LIFE...
Video game industry titan JASON RUBIN (The Iron Saint, Crash Bandicoot) teams with TYLER KIRKHAM (Green Lantern Corps) to bring a dark, action-packed supernatural thriller that will have you questioning everything you believe. Sam, an alcoholic ex-cop, woke up with a mysterious piece of silver and soon finds himself the prime suspect in a serial murder case pursued by a relentless FBI agent.
RETAILER WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES

THE RED WING #1
story JONATHAN HICKMAN
art & cover NICK PITARRA & RACHELLE ROSENBERG
JULY 6, 32 pages, FC, $3.50
“LEARNING TO FLY”
To stay alive in the future, the best fighter pilots in the world not only have to perfect their skills and master their aircraft, they also have to know how to travel through time.
Brought to you by award winning writer JONATHAN HICKMAN and possibly the best new talent of the year, NICK PITARRA, the Red Wing is the story of the greatest battle in the history of the history of three worlds.

AVENGELYNE #1
story ROB LIEFELD & MARK POULTON
art OWEN GIENI
cover A ROB LIEFELD
cover B OWEN GIENI
cover C JOE BENIETEZ
JULY 20, 32 pages, FC, $2.99
“DEVIL IN THE FLESH,” Part One
The legendary fallen angel returns to comics. As New York City’s sins are covered with a fresh blanket of snow, the psychotic serial killer, Torment, is hard at work creating new ones. Meanwhile, Avengelyne has her hands full with the Red Dragon who has taken a human vessel in search of a new apprentice. Who has the Dragon chosen as his vessel and does it have anything to do with Avengelyne’s new look? All this plus the introduction of the stunning, Heaven Starr! AVENGELYNE is a new ongoing supernatural series written by MARK POULTON (Koni Waves) with art by OWEN GIENI and letters and color assists by DEXTER WEEKS.

ARTIFACTS #11 (of 13)
story RON MARZ
art JEREMY HAUN & SUNNY GHO
cover A JEREMY HAUN
cover B JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
JULY 27, 32 pages, FC, $3.99
DARKEST BEFORE THE DAWN!
With allies captured and wounded, Sara Pezzini and Jackie Estacado must travel deep into the Survivor’s complex to rescue their daughter Hope. With their forces decimated, what will the two Artifact bearers be able to accomplish against overwhelming odds? And with every other moment in the narrative anticipated by The Survivor, will the rest of the story play out according to his plans?
PLUS: Each issue will also feature an Artifacts: Origin story written by RON MARZ and drawn by a guest superstar artist.
Retailer Incentives available. See order form for details!

MORIARTY #3
story DANIEL COREY
art / cover ANTHONY DIECIDUE
JULY 6, 32 pages, FC, $2.99
“THE DARK CHAMBER,” Part Three
With time running out and his mission far from complete, Moriarty faces a dark night of the soul. With Dr. Watson hot on his trail, Moriarty must match wits with an old foe and hatch a scheme that could lead him to a final showdown with Tartarus.

WITCHBLADE #149
story RON MARZ
art / cover STJEPAN SEJIC
JULY 20, 32 pages, FC, $3.99
“TIAMAT,” Part Four
The epic battle between Sara Pezzini, bearer of the Witchblade, and Tiamat, the ancient Babylonian Queen-Goddess culminates in an earth-shaking showdown! The ongoing team of RON MARZ (Artifacts, Magdalena) and STJEPAN SEJIC (Angelus) inch closer to the huge anniversary #150 issue!

CHEW, VOL. 4: FLAMBÉ TP
story JOHN LAYMAN
art / cover ROB GUILLORY
JULY 20, 120 pages, FC, STANDARD SIZE, $12.99
These are strange times for Tony Chu, the cibopathic federal agent with the ability to get psychic impressions from the things he eats. Strange writing in extraterrestrial script has appeared in the skies of Planet Earth—and stayed there. People don’t know if the end days are upon them or not, but they don’t seem terribly concerned about the laws of the FDA, and what was once the most powerful law enforcement agency is rapidly descending into irrelevancy. So where does that leave the FDA best agent, Tony Chu?
Presenting the fourth story arc of the Eisner and Harvey Award-winner series, as the twisted and darkly funny comic about cops, crooks, cooks, cannibals and clairvoyants takes a curious cosmic turn.
Collects CHEW #16-20

MARINEMAN: A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEPTH TP
story IAN CHURCHILL
art / cover IAN CHURCHILL
JULY 13, 288 pages, FC, STANDARD SIZE, $17.99
IAN (Hulk, Supergirl) CHURCHILL’s critically acclaimed MARINEMAN series is collected into one feature filled volume!
Follow the journey of MARINEMAN from celebrated marine biologist and TV presenter to sea-breathing marine superhero!
Packed with bonus material and a foreword by industry legend and Watchmen co-creator, DAVE GIBBONS!
Collects MARINEMAN #1-6

Strange Girl OMNIBUS HC
story RICK REMENDER
art ERIC NGUYEN, JEROME OPENA, NICK STAKAL & PETER BERGTING
cover ERIC NGUYEN
JUNE 29, 450 pages, FC, OVERSIZED, $59.99
For the first time, in one volume: Rick Remender’s critically acclaimed indie hit, from start to finish!
Ten years after the Rapture, a beautiful occultist and her pet demon embark on a road trip to the last open gateway to heaven, in hopes of befriending God and escaping hell on earth. A bare-knuckle, action-driven series, peppered with social commentary and dark humor, Strange Girl is a story about the bewildering nature of religion, what would happen if the dark future predicted by many came true, and what a good person would endure for not having faith in advance of it. Featuring story and art by a handful of today’s hottest new talents including RICK REMENDER (Uncanny X-Force, Venom), ERIC NGUYEN (Halo, Sandman), JEROME OPENA (Uncanny X-Force, Punisher) and NICK STAKAL (Criminal Macabre).
Collects STRANGE GIRL #1-18
“Strange girl is exactly that. Strange, plus she’s a girl. But it’s so much more. Redemption, demons, magic spells, hopelessness, friendship and belly-shirts. Rick Remender takes a loving, nostalgic look at the coming apocalypse.” – Patton Oswalt

WITCHBLADE: REDEMPTION, VOL. 3 TP
story RON MARZ
art STJEPAN SEJIC & MATTHEW DOW SMITH
cover STJEPAN SEJIC
JULY 13, 160 pages, FC, STANDARD SIZE, $19.99
New York City Detective Sara Pezzini is once more in sole control of the powerful, mystical gauntlet known as the Witchblade. She is finally returning to normal, only Sara's version of "normal" includes investigating the city's strangest mystical crimes. Included in this volume is a mystery with "Paper Monsters," a solo adventure with Sara's partner and boyfriend Patrick Gleason, and a retelling of Sara's origin story. Written by RON MARZ (ARTIFACTS, MAGDALENA) and with art by STJEPAN SEJIC (ANGELUS) and special guest artist MATTHEW DOW SMITH (Doctor Who). Featuring a complete cover gallery, a behind-the-scenes section and more!
Collects WITCHBLADE #140-143, plus the over-sized 15th anniversary issue #144.