Image and Top Cow Solicitations: January 2012 Highlights

As I've come to expect, the new months solicitations from Image and Top Cow promise a number of highlights and I'm looking forward to picking up a couple of trade paperbacks this month, particularly the 160-page, oversized collected edition of Fractured Fables featuring the work of Terry Moore, Ben Templesmith and Nick Spencer amongst many others!

More details from Image Comics, Top Cow Productions and CBR.

FRACTURED FABLES TP
story VARIOUS
art VARIOUS
January 18, 160 pages, FC, T, OVERSIZED, $19.99
Some of comic’s most celebrated creators (including MIKE ALLRED, JILL THOMPSON, TERRY MOORE, SHANNON WHEELER, WHILCE PORTACIO, PETER DAVID, BEN TEMPLESMITH, NICK SPENCER and over 40 more) turn familiar fairy tales on their ear! This critically acclaimed, super-star anthology will thrill old and young alike. Now, for the first time in an oversized trade paperback edition!


FATALE #1
story ED BRUBAKER
art & cover SEAN PHILLIPS
colors DAVE STEWART
January 4, 32 pages, FC, M, $3.50
GUNS! SEX! SECRET CULTS! AND MONSTERS!
Nothing the BEST-SELLING and AWARD-WINNING creators of SLEEPER, CRIMINAL and INCOGNITO have done so far will prepare you for the explosive debut of FATALE!
A reporter in 2012 stumbles on a secret that leads him down the darkest path imaginable… to a seductive woman who’s been on the run since 1935, a mobster who may be an immortal demon monster, and the stories of all the doomed men who’ve been caught in their decades-long struggle.
FATALE blends noir and horror to tell a riveting epic unlike anything you’ve seen before.
Issue #1 ships with “Beauty” and “Beast” variant covers.

WHISPERS #1
story JOSHUA LUNA
art & cover JOSHUA LUNA
January 11, 32 pages, FC, T+, $2.99
A mentally troubled man is suddenly empowered with the ability to leave his physical body in “ghost” form and manipulate people in strange and disturbing ways. With this incredible power, will he control his demons...or discover even more?
JOSHUA LUNA of the Luna Brothers (ULTRA, GIRLS, THE SWORD) makes a solo debut with a dark, supernatural thriller that questions free will and explores the obsessions, addictions and urges we all have and may not have control of at all.

THE BULLETPROOF COFFIN: DISINTERRED #1 (of 6)
story DAVID HINE
art & cover SHAKY KANE
January 25, 32 pages, FC, M, $3.99
“KILLER INSIDE” - THE ORIGIN OF THE SHIELD OF JUSTICE
Back from the grave! The cult hit of 2011 returns with a tale of treachery, murder and unrequited lust. When headless corpses start to appear on the first night of the full moon, ace detective Johnny P. Sartre smells a rat…
Contains profanity, nudity, violence and the graphic depiction of alcohol abuse.

MONDO #1 (of 3)
story, art & cover TED McKEEVER
January 4, 48 pages, BW, M, GOLDEN-AGE FORMAT, $4.99
Catfish's daily grind of "enhancing" poultry comes to a halt when he is accidentally tripped up by a loose chicken, causing him to fall victim to his own process. What proportions of his that were once human are now beyond anything normal. Add villainous corporate and military big wigs, a roller-skating weapon-toting chick named Kitten Kaboodle, a gang of tattooed babies, and there's still that enormous beach monster…
And what you have is MONDO, in all its raging glory!

NANCY IN HELL (ON EARTH) #1 (of 4)
story EL TORRES
art ENRIQUE LOPEZ LORENZANA
color FRAN GAMBOA
January 25, 32 pages, FC, M, $3.99
The unlikely couple of Nancy and Lucifer are back! After escaping from Hell, the chainsaw-wielding hottie finds that the Gates of Hades remained open, and all kind of demons are pouring out on Earth. Our world is the newest infernal region, and nobody will help the humans... not even the angels from Heaven!

THE DARKNESS ACCURSED, VOL. 6 TP
story PHIL HESTER
art SHELDON MITCHELL
cover MICHAEL BROUSSARD
January 11, 160 pages, FC, M, STANDARD SIZE, $19.99
OUTER DARKNESS!
In one of the most explosive THE DARKNESS arcs yet, longtime writer PHIL HESTER (WONDER WOMAN, GODZILLA) and artist SHELDON MITCHELL (PILOT SEASON: STEALTH) push Jackie Estacado, current bearer of the Darkness, to the brink. Having defeated his enemy, The Sovereign, Estacado had hoped to settle into a quiet, peaceful life in Chicago. But a series of attempts on his life, set him on a path that reunites him with old friends, allies and enemies. However, Jackie soon finds that the most dangerous enemies don’t come from outside, but rather, from within…
Collects THE DARKNESS #90-#95

RED SPIKE, VOL. 1 TP
story JEFF CAHN
artist MARK TEXEIRA & SALVADOR NAVARRO
cover MARK TEXEIRA
January 11, 144 pages, FC, T, $12.99
70 years ago, the world began its race to create the first Super Soldier. In 2011, the United States succeeded... twice. Project Red Spike discovered that through the manipulation and regulation of the adrenal glands the super soldier was no longer just a dream. Matt Cutler and Greg Dane, the first to survive the process, have been proven on the field to be everything that was wanting in the program. Unfortunately, an upgrade to Greg’s implant goes array and now it’s up to Matt to chase down his friend before he hurts himself, the city and the tax payers who funded their creation. But as the friends begin their very public battle in heart of Washington D.C., twisted and sinister secrets begin to emerge from within the Red Spike program. Can both soldiers survive or are their deaths a necessary measure to secure the program's secrecy?
Collects RED SPIKE #1-5

THE VAULT, VOL. 1 TP
story SAM SARKAR
art & cover GARRIE GASTONNY
January 1, 96 pages, FC, T, $9.99
A small team of treasure hunters struggles to excavate a dangerous and legendary treasure pit before a massive storm hits Sable Island, the Graveyard of the North Atlantic. Equipped with all the latest technology, the scientists believe they are prepared against all of nature's fury, but nothing can prepare them for what they are about to unleash from the vault.
Collects THE VAULT #1-3

THE DARKNESS #99
story PHIL HESTER
art ROMANO MOLENAAR
cover A JEREMY HAUN
cover B SHELDON MITCHELL
January 18, 32 pages, FC, M, $2.9
CELEBRATE THE FIFTEENTH ANNIVERSARY!
The Darkness has mustered its considerable defenses in its home dimension to crush its prodigal son and current bearer, Jackie Estacado. Long time writer PHIL HESTER (WONDER WOMAN, THE GREEN HORNET) and ROMANO MOLENAAR (THE DARKNESS II: CONFESSION) build to the crescendo that will be landmark THE DARKNESS #100 when Jackie will come face-to-face with the source of his power and misery.

Image and Top Cow Solicitations: December Highlights

As always, there are a number of new, eye-catching titles coming from Image and Top Cow during December - none more so than The Last Battle, from Tito Faraci and Dan Brereton, an 80-page one-shot telling the story of retired Roman General Caius Rodius and his return to war in service of Julius Caesar.

Elsewhere, there's a Witch Doctor one-shot - The Resuscitation - from Brandon Seifert and Lukas Ketner, what looks like being a beautiful hardcover volume The Art of Carbon Grey, the first trade paperback of Shinku from Ron Marz and, "for the first time in print" The Li'l Depressed Boy volume zero featuring never before seen artwork and an exclusive all-new story drawn by Sina Grace.

Full details from Image Comics, Top Cow Productions and Comic Book Resources.

THE LAST BATTLE (ONE-SHOT)
story TITO FARACI
art, cover DAN BRERETON
December 21, 80 pages, FC, T+, $7.99
In 52 BCE, General Caius Rodius, retired hero of Caesar’s Legions, is called back to war. In nearby Gaul, Rome’s combined armies lay siege to the Gallic stronghold of Alesia in a conflict fated to shape history. A third barbarian horde prepares to attack the Romans from without, led by the rebel Cammius, who once fought for Rome. Rising star Julius Caesar dispatches Rodius to track through the wilderness and bring back the rebel’s head. Who better to hunt Cammius than the man who taught him the very skills he now uses to defy Rome? Rodius must choose between duty to Rome and Caesar or the barbarian he raised as his own son.
Story by international comics legend TITO FARACI (Diabolik, Spider-Man: The Secret of Glass, Daredevil and Captain America), art by award winning, multiple Eisner nominee DAN BRERETON (NOCTURNALS, Punisher, Marvel Ultimate Team,-Up, God-Sized Thor, Red Sonja).

THE ART OF CARBON GREY HC
art, wraparound cover HOANG NGUYEN, KHARI EVANS & KINSUN LOH
December 7, 128 pages, 9" x 12", FC, T+, $29.99
The art secrets of Image Comic’s masterpiece are revealed in THE ART OF CARBON GREY. Learn how three talented artists united to create a uniquely beautiful and kinetic visual style. Follow their working processes and trace the evolution of the characters and worlds that made CARBON GREY the most explosive comic of the year.

MADMAN 20th ANNIVERSARY MONSTER! HC
story, ART, COVER MICHAEL ALLRED & VARIOUS
December 14, 264 pages, FC, T, Oversized, $100
FRAZETTA! KIRBY! TOTH! MOEBIUS! KUBERT! MILLER! STEVENS! The BIG one! Literally: This gigantic 11 x 17 hardcover is the coffee table book of the Millennium! Nearly every great artist to ever work in comics is in this book which includes new stories from PETER BAGGE, KYLE BAKER, PHILIP BOND & PETER MILLIGAN, DARWYN COOKE, DAVE COOPER, DEAN HASPIEL, LOS BROS HERNANDEZ, ERIK LARSEN, DAVID MACK, PAT McKEOWN, BERNIE MIREAULT, MICHAEL AVON OEMING, PAUL POPE, ERIC POWELL, FRANK QUITELY, STEVEN T. SEAGLE & TEDDY KRISTIANSEN, JEFF SMITH, JAY STEPHENS, CRAIG THOMPSON, MATT WAGNER, JOE QUINONES & MARIS WICKS. Also MICHAEL ALLRED’s latest – and most epic ever – MADMAN story! PLUS almost every Madman illustration collected over the past 20 years from all the greats. Surprises galore!

THE ACTIVITY #1
story NATHAN EDMONDSON
art, cover MITCH GERADS
December 21, 32 pages, FC, T+, $3.50
The evolution of global warfare necessitates the evolution of special forces to rise and meet the call. The U.S Army has therefore looked to its last secret special operations tribe, the INTELLIGENCE SUPPORT ACTIVITY, or Gray Fox. Within Gray Fox is a team of elite men and women whose mission is flexible, whose technology is bleeding edge, and whose execution is precise and lethal. They are Team Omaha, and they serve THE ACTIVITY.

WITCH DOCTOR: THE RESUSCITATION (ONE-SHOT)
story BRANDON SEIFERT
art, cover LUKAS KETNER
December 14, 32 pages/ FC, T+, $2.99
You wake up in a bathtub of ice with a surgical incision on your side… but the hospital says you’ve still got two kidneys! Where do you go for a second opinion? Where else but Dr. Vincent Morrow, the Witch Doctor! Summer’s medical horror smash hit returns with a tale of black magic and organ-swapping. And it’s a great jumping-on point for new readers, so don’t miss out — ask your retailer to preorder a copy for you!
“If you’re not checking out WITCH DOCTOR, you need to do so, STAT!” - Ain’t It Cool News

THE INFINITE, VOL. 1 TP
story ROBERT KIRKMAN
art, cover ROB LIEFELD
December 7, 120 pages, FC, T, $9.99
Freedom fighter, Bowen has lost everything in the war against The Infinite. His only hope, travel back in time to prevent their world domination before it starts! Bowen can’t do this alone, he must turn to the only ally he knows he can trust: HIMSELF. Now a man in his 40s, damaged by the horrors of war, must team-up with his younger, reckless and optimistic 20 year-old self in order to SAVE THE WORLD!
Collects THE INFINITE #1-4

THE LI'L DEPRESSED BOY, VOL. 0 TP
story S. STEVEN STRUBLE
art VARIOUS
cover LINDSAY JANE
December 7, 96 pages, FC, T, $9.99
“LONELY HEART BLUES”
For the first time in print: Before disastrous road trips. Before style-points. Before Jazmin. Join LDB as he takes his first steps on his search for love. Told in shades of blue with artwork by SAM KIETH, JIM MAHFOOD, JIM VALENTINO and many more. Including never before seen artwork and an exclusive all-new story drawn by SINA GRACE.

SHINKU, VOL. 1 TP
story RON MARZ
art, cover LEE MODER, MATTHEW WAITE & MICHAEL ATIYEH
December 7, 160 pages, FC, M, $14.99
Bloody horror meets martial-arts mayhem in the first collection from the sold-out series by RON MARZ (WITCHBLADE, ARTIFACTS) and LEE MODER (WONDER WOMAN). The last surviving member of a samurai family wages a one-woman war against a clan of vampires in modern-day Tokyo in the first story arc from the acclaimed new series. If you like your vampires to sparkle, look elsewhere! Also contains a cover gallery, sketchbook, pin-ups and the rare black, white and red ashcan edition.
Collects SHINKU #1-5

TALES FROM BEYOND SCIENCE HC
story MARK MILLAR, ALAN MCKENZIE & JOHN SMITH
art, cover RIAN HUGHES
December 21, 88 pages, FC, T, 8.5” X 11”, $16.99
Follow your host Hilary Tremayne on eight surreal journeys into the unknown. Discover the truth behind the mysteries of spontaneous human combustion, the Bermuda Triangle, the lost 13th month, and the real reason men have nipples.
Drawn by RIAN HUGHES and written by a Rogue’s Gallery of Britain’s finest comic writers that includes MARK MILLAR (KICK ASS, WANTED), ALAN MCKENZIE (THE HARRISON FORD STORY) and JOHN SMITH (DEVIN WAUGH), this hardcover volume collects the complete series.

WITCH DOCTOR, VOL. 1: UNDER THE KNIFE TP
story BRANDON SEIFERT
art, cover LUKAS KETNER
December 14, 112 pages/ FC/ T+, $12.99
“A glimpse into the future of horror comics” — Bloody Disgusting.
Meet Dr. Vincent Morrow, the Witch Doctor, in the smash hit debut title from Robert Kirkman’s Skybound Originals line! Dr. Morrow’s looking for a vaccine — for the apocalypse — and in his quest to understand the biology of the supernatural, he faces vampires, demonic possession, faeries and more.
“Arguably the most accomplished debut by a pair of new creators in recent memory.” — Broken Frontier
COLLECTS WITCH DOCTOR #1-4

THE DARKNESS #98
story PHIL HESTER
art ROMANO MOLENAAR
cover JEREMY HAUN
December 21, 32 pages, FC, M, $2.99
CELEBRATE THE FIFTEENTH ANNIVERSARY!
Fighting his way further into the Darkness dimension itself, Jackie Estacado will need be forced to decide what he is willing to sacrifice in order to confront and destroy the Darkness itself. Long time writer PHIL HESTER (Wonder Woman, Green Hornet) and ROMANO MOLENAAR (THE DARKNESS II: CONFESSION) barrel towards the landmark issue #100!

ELEPHANTMEN #38
story RICHARD STARKINGS
art AXEL MEDELLIN
cover BOO COOK
December 7, 40 pages, FC, M, $3.99
“THE KILLING SEASON,” Part Three
RAZORBACK versus BLACKTHORNE.... one lives, one dies!

HACK/SLASH #11
story TIM SEELEY
art DANIEL LEISTER
cover A TIM SEELEY & CARLOS BADILLA
cover B EMILIO LAISO
December 14, 32 pages, FC, T+, $3.50
“INTERDIMENSIONAL WOMEN'S PRISON BREAKOUT,” Part Three
Vlad is dying! Samhain is in the clutches of the highly evil, Bomb Queen, missing a limb or two! And a lone Cassie has to take out one really psychotic mime! Things are getting ugly up in here, in the conclusion to INTERDIMENSIONAL WOMEN'S PRISON BREAKOUT.

MORIARTY #7
story DANIEL COREY
art MIKE VOSBURG & ANTHONY DIECIDUE
cover ANTHONY DIECIDUE
December 7, 32 pages, FC, T, $2.99
“THE LAZARUS TREE,” Part Three
Veteran artist MIKE VOSBURG joins the creative team for this link in the Lazarus Tree mystery, which finds Moriarty reflecting on a case in 1880's Kingston, Jamaica. Answers are revealed to present-day questions, including the identity of the sniper that has been murdering residents of Kyauktada and stoking the fires of rebellion.

WITCHBLADE #153
story TIM SEELEY
art DIEGO BERNARD & FRED BENES
cover A JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
cover B DIEGO BERNARD & FRED BENES
December 21, 32 pages, FC, T+, $2.99
The new creative team of TIM SEELEY (HACK/SLASH) and DIEGO BERNARD (The Man With No Name) smash occult and biker culture together as Sara is dragged deeper into the supernatural underbelly of Chicago by a coven of biker witches!

Image and Top Cow Solicitations: November Highlights

My highlights from November's Image and Top Cow solicitations are once again dominated by the annual Pilot Season initiative. Now in its fifth year Pilot Season gives readers the chance to vote for their favourite one-shot with the winning title getting its own series at a later date.

Last year over a million votes were cast for the winning title - 39 Minutes - written and created by William Harms featuring art by Jerry Lando. Four of the 2011 Pilot Season titles were released in October - details here - with a further four being released in November.

Aside from Pilot Season other titles to catch my eye this month include a 68-page Giant-Size Elephantmen #1, the 2011 Hack/Slash annual, the oversized Thought Bubble Anthology and a second anthology of short stories set in the Carbon Grey universe.

Full details from Image Comics, Top Cow and Newsarama.

PILOT SEASON: MISDIRECTION #1
story FILIP SABLIK
art CHRIS DiBARI
cover MICHAEL GAYDOS
November 2, 32 pages, FC, T+, $3.99
PILOT SEASON RETURNS! TAKE CONTROL!
Vince Martinez raced cars for a living, now he can’t even drive. A tragic mistake took Vince from the height of success to losing his career, his family & his freedom. When he is unwittingly made the getaway driver for a bank robbery gone wrong, will Vince head back to jail or show the world why he was NASCAR’s hottest driver in one of the heaviest trafficked cities in the US.
Writer FILIP SABLIK (LAST MORTAL, PILOT SEASON: ASSET) teams with artist CHRIS DIBARI (Pale Horse, The Warriors) hit the gas on a high-speed fugitive tale with a twist!

PILOT SEASON: THEORY OF EVERYTHING #1
story DAN CASEY
art THOMAS NACHLIK
cover ERIK JONES
November 9, 32 pages, FC, T+, $3.99
PILOT SEASON RETURNS! TAKE CONTROL!
Charles Witten is a brilliant scientist capable of inventing devices that will change our world. Unfortunately, most of the scientific community thinks he’s a crackpot. As does the government, until... a precision team of heist men rob a bank in Switzerland using what appears to be Witten’s dimension hopping technology. Technology that Witten designed, but never completed...
Writer/director DAN CASEY and artist THOMAS NACHLIK (LAST MORTAL) deliver fast-paced, action-packed science fiction that will keep you guessing.

PILOT SEASON: ANONYMOUS #1
story ALAN McELROY
art MICHAEL MONTENAT
cover ERIK JONES
November 16, 32 pages, FC, T+, $3.99
PILOT SEASON RETURNS! TAKE CONTROL!
Marcus Walsh was an elite Special Forces soldier involved in black ops all over the world. Wet work like this takes its toll and Marcus wanted out, but this wasn’t a job you quit. There was only one way out. Now believed dead and completely anonymous, Walsh struggles to use his black ops skills to atone for his past sins.
Screenwriter ALAN McELROY (SPAWN, Tekken) newcomer MICHAEL MONTENAT delivers a hard-hitting adventure of redemption and conspiracy!

PILOT SEASON: SERAPH #1
story LANCE BRIGGS & PHIL HESTER
art & cover JOSE LUIS
November 23, 32 pages, FC, T+, $3.99
PILOT SEASON RETURNS! TAKE CONTROL!
The angelic warrior now known only as Seraph was once a sinner. After living a life of selfishness and sin, personal tragedy drove him to kill himself. Plucked on his way to Hell by Heaven, the man was made Heaven’s soldier in an endless battle. Charged with fighting an ancient war, but bound by God’s law, can Seraph triumph over opponents not restricted in the same way and regain his faith in the process?
Creator LANCE BRIGGS (Chicago Bears) and writer PHIL HESTER (THE DARKNESS, Wonder Woman) are joined by artist JOSE LUIS (Justice League of America) deliver a story of personal loss and redemption wrapped in a rich supernatural mythos.


SHAKY KANE'S MONSTER TRUCK
story/art/cover SHAKY KANE
November 23, 108 pages/ FC, LANDSCAPE, T+, $14.99
GET YOUR MOTOR ROLLING AND HEAD OUT ALONG COMIC BOOK ROUTE 666!
Taking it's stylistic cues from the silver age of comics, this graphic road movie by comics legend SHAKY KANE, pans out over 50 continuous panels, taking the reader on a hallucinogenic journey into the very hinterland of popular culture. Deluxe, recolored, remastered second printing of the WISHBONE STUDIO cult classic.
"The world in a blender, all the tastiest parts shaken, rattled, and rolled into a Technicolor mind-warp!"
Matt Seneca, Death To The Universe.

GIANT-SIZE ELEPHANTMEN #1
story RICHARD STARKINGS
art AXEL MEDELLIN
cover A J. SCOTT CAMPBELL & NEI RUFFINO
cover B AXEL MEDELLIN
November 2, 68 pages, FC, M, $5.99
COMPLETE THIS ISSUE: “MAN AND ELEPHANTMAN”
J. SCOTT CAMPBELL’s beautiful tri-fold cover art wraps around the complete, sold out ELEPHANTMEN: MAN AND ELEPHANTMAN story arc, previewed in THE WALKING DEAD #86. Read the whole story and see what everyone was talking about!

HACK/SLASH ANNUAL 2011: HATCHET/SLASH
story BENITO CERENO
art ARIEL ZUCKER-BRULL
cover A TIM SEELEY & MARK ENGLERT
cover B ARIEL ZUCKER-BRULL
November 2, 48 pages, FC, T+, $4.99
The biggest stars in comic book horror meet the biggest star in independent horror films as Cassie and Vlad meet HATCHET's Victor Crowley!
In the Louisiana Bayou, the murderous ghost of Victor Crowley is maiming tourists in creatively horrible ways. But in his blind murderous rampage, he may have created something worse than himself! Now, Cassie and Vlad are back in New Orleans, and it won't be long before baseball bat meets hatchet and deformed mutant meets deformed mutant! GUARDING THE GLOBE writer BENITO CERENO teams with star-in-the-making ARIEL ZUCKER-BRULL for this momentous mash-up!

ARTIFACTS #14
story RON MARZ
art & cover STJEPAN SEJIC
November 2, 32 pages, FC, T, $3.99
NOW ONGOING!
The Top Cow Universe irrevocably changed by the event of ARTIFACTS #13, and while the event is over, the story continues. Tom Judge, bearer of the Rapture, can’t get the feeling out of his head that something is horribly wrong... with everything. The longtime WITCHBLADE team of RON MARZ (MAGDALENA, SHINKU) and STJEPAN SEJIC (ANGELUS) reunite to tell the ongoing saga of the Top Cow Universe itself.

MUDMAN #1
story/art/cover PAUL GRIST
November 16, 32 pages, FC, TEEN, $3.50
A BRAND-NEW SUPERHERO COMIC BY PAUL GRIST!
It’s the first day back at school for Owen Craig, and it’s not going too well. He’s been run over, got detention, and his police officer father has been taken prisoner by armed bank robbers.
And now his body seems to be turning into mud...

THOUGHT BUBBLE ANTHOLOGY #1
story ANDY DIGGLE, STUART GORDON & ANTONY JOHNSTON
art CHARLIE ADLARD, DUNCAN FEGREDO & D'ISRAELI
cover BECKY CLOONAN
November 9, 24 pages, FC, E, OVERSIZED, $2.99
Top names come together to celebrate Thought Bubble's fifth year with an anthology of new short comics. This collection will also print the winners of the first ever Northern Sequential Art Competition. All profits from this comic will go to the charity Banardos.
www.thoughtbubblefestival.com

ELEPHANTMEN, VOL. 0 HC
story RICHARD STARKINGS
art MORITAT, BOO COOK, AXEL MEDELLIN & LADR÷NN
cover BOO COOK
November 9, 312 pages, FC, M, $34.99
Collecting the sold out WAR TOYS trade paperback, now in full color for the first time, and the sequel, ENEMY SPECIES, this highly anticipated ELEPHANTMEN, VOL. 0 is packed with extras, including MORITAT and BOO COOK sketchbooks and unseen work by LADR÷NN, MARIAN CHURCHLAND, MARLEY ZARCONE and a new prologue by AXEL MEDELLIN!
Collects ELEPHANTMEN: WAR TOYS, VOL. 1: NO SURRENDER; ELEPHANTMEN: YVETTE ONE SHOT and ELEPHANTMEN #34-35

THE COMPLETE INVINCIBLE LIBRARY, VOL. 3 HC
story ROBERT KIRKMAN
art RYAN OTTLEY & BILL CRABTREE
cover RYAN OTTLEY
November 23, 688 pages, FC, $125.00
S&N EDITION LIMITED TO 150 COPIES $175.00
Collecting the INVINCIBLE ULTIMATE COLLECTION, VOL. 5-6 into one massive slip cased volume just in time for Christmas! Almost 700 pages of pure INVINCIBLE goodness. This is a can't-miss for any INVINCIBLE fan and a perfect addition to any reinforced, sturdy bookshelf.
Collects INVINCIBLE #48-70

THE MISSION TP
story JON HOEBER & ERICH HOEBER
art & cover WERTHER DELL'EDERA & ARIANNA FLOREAN
November 9, 144 pages, FC, $14.99
Paul Haskell's average suburban life is upended when a mysterious figure claiming to be an angel taps him as a foot-soldier in the hidden war between Good and Evil. As Paul descends into a dark disturbing world of covert missions and murder, he struggles to discern reality from illusion, good from evil, and sanity from madness.

TOP COW: WE CREATE... HC
story TOP COW’S FINEST
art & cover TOP COW’S FINEST
November 30, 224 pages, FC, T, OVER-SIZED, $34.99
THE PERFECT GIFT!
Over it’s almost 20-year history, Top Cow has established itself as both a legendary breeding ground for great artists, and a hot bed of creativity and new ideas. Celebrate the full library of Top Cow properties and characters with overviews, profiles, and insights in this deluxe hard cover reference guide. Collecting material previously found in the Top Cow Bible and Bible Addendum along with new entries and content, Top Cow: We Create... makes the perfect holiday gift for the diehard Top Cow fan in your life. Plus be the first to find out about what Top Cow has planned for the future with sneak peeks at upcoming concepts and properties!

WITCHBLADE: REDEMPTION, VOL. 4 TP
story RON MARZ
art STJEPAN SEJIC
cover STJEPAN SEJIC
November 30, 160 pages, FC, T, STANDARD SIZE, $19.99
END OF AN ERA!
Longtime scribe RON MARZ (ARTIFACTS, MAGDALENA) and artistic partner STJEPAN SEJIC (BROKEN TRINITY) conclude their critically acclaimed run on WITCHBLADE. In this volume, Sara Pezzini must defeat the ancient Babylonian goddess-queen Tiamat, who has returned after centuries with an ax to grind with the Witchblade bearer. Also in this volume, the over-sized landmark 150th issue of Witchblade where Internal Affairs closes in on Sara’s mystical secret, forcing her to choose between her role as Witchblade bearer and detective.
Collects WITCHBLADE #145-150

CARBON GREY ORIGINS #2 (of 2)
story PAUL GARDNER, HOANG NGUYEN & KHARI EVANS
art HOANG NGUYEN, KHARI EVANS & KINSUN LOH
cover A HOANG NGUYEN
cover B KHARI EVANS & KINSUN LOH
November 23, 32 pages, FC, M - MATURE, $3.99
“ORIGIN,” Part Two
A second anthology of short stories set in the CARBON GREY universe. A boy becomes a god in “Gottfaust,” mysterious events are investigated by “Marshal and Marshall” and a refugee becomes a queen in the tale of “Raisa.” Legends, secret histories and continuity errors – all will be revealed in CARBON GREY ORIGINS.

THE DARKNESS #97
story PHIL HESTER
art ROMANO MOLENAAR
cover JEREMY HAUN
November 16, 32 pages, FC, M, $2.99
CELEBRATE THE FIFTEENTH ANNIVERSARY!
Longtime Darkness bearer, Jackie Estacado, is on a mission to destroy the one enemy that can strike at the core of his life... the Darkness itself. But fighting his way through the Darkness’ home dimension, Estacado will encounter unexpected ghosts from his past. Long time writer PHIL HESTER (Wonder Woman, Green Hornet) and ROMANO MOLENAAR (THE DARKNESS II: CONFESSION) barrel towards the landmark issue #100!
ALSO AVAILABLE: THE DARKNESS #90-#95 Signed Set – issue #90 signed by PHIL HESTER - $19.99

MAGDALENA #11
story RON MARZ
art NELSON BLAKE II, DAVID MARQUEZ, SAL REGLA & DAVE McCAIG
cover NELSON BLAKE II, SAL REGLA & DAVE McCAIG
November 9, 32 pages, FC, T, $3.99
GUEST-STARRING WITCHBLADE!
The hunt for a piece of the One True Cross leads Patience and Kristof to the US, where Patience is reunited with an old friend – Sara Pezzini! Together will the Artifact bearers be able to recover the relic from Patience’s newest adversary? RON MARZ (ARTIFACTS, WITCHBLADE), NELSON BLAKE II (PILOT SEASON: MURDERER) and DAVID MARQUEZ (Secret Warriors, Days Missing) continue the fan favorite series!

SAMURAI’S BLOOD #6 (of 6)
story OWEN WISEMAN
art NAM KIM, MATTHEW DALTON & SAKTI YUMONO
cover JO CHEN
November 9, 32 pages, FC, T, $3.99
MINISERIES CONCLUSION!
It all comes down to this moment... Three teenagers, the last survivors of a brutal betrayal on their clan, face an army with only the support of the Edo Ghost. All willing to die to enact their revenge. It looks like it may come to that.
32 PAGE - NO ADS FINALE!

WITCHBLADE #152
story TIM SEELEY
art DIEGO BERNARD & FRED BENES
cover A JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
cover B DIEGO BERNARD & FRED BENES
November 23, 32 pages, FC, T+, $2.99
“UNBALANCED PIECES”, Part Two
Tracking supernatural killers was a lot easier when Sara Pezzini, bearer of the Witchblade, lived in her hometown of New York and was a police detective. Now she must do it while avoiding butting heads with the Chicago PD and trying to make ends meet as a private detective. The new creative team of TIM SEELEY (HACK/SLASH) and DIEGO BERNARD (The Man With No Name) continue to shake up the status quo of WITCHBLADE!
Featuring two covers by JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER (ARTIFACTS) and DIEGO BERNARD!
ALSO AVAILABLE: WTICHBLADE #146 – Comic-Con International Exclusive Variant Cover by KALMAN ANDROSOFSKY - $10.00

Image and Top Cow Solicitations: October Highlights

The highlight of October's Image and Top Cow solicitations is, for me, the return of the publishers innovative Pilot Season initiative - a series of original one-shots with the fans getting the opportunity to vote which title becomes a mini series: past winners of Pilot Season include Velocity and Twilight Guardian.

October also sees a couple of landmark issues for longrunning series The Darkness and Witchblade: for the fifteenth anniversary edition of The Darkness long time writer Phil Hester is joined by artist Romano Molenaar for the conclusion of his three year run while Witchblade welcomes a new creative team of Tim Seeley (Hack/Slash) and Diego Bernard (The Man With No Name).

Full details of Octobers solicitations can be found at Image Comics, Top Cow and Comic Book Resources.

PILOT SEASON: TEST #1
story JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV
art RAHSAN EKEDAL
cover BAGUS HUTOMO of IFS
October 5
32 pages, FC, T+, $3.99
PILOT SEASON RETURNS! TAKE CONTROL!
The Harvey nominated creative team of ECHOES, JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV (I…Vampire) and RAHSAN EKEDA (Solomon Kane) reunite to kick off 2011’s PILOT SEASON competition with TEST.
A group of ten strangers wake up in a mysterious town with no memory of who they are and how they got there. They are the lone survivors of an apocalyptic event, chosen to repopulate the Earth. But what is the true nature of their fate?
TEST offers a fresh take on survivalist horror and psychological thriller in the way only FIALKOV and EKEDALcan!

PILOT SEASON: CITY OF REFUGE #1
story MORGAN DAVIS FOEHL
art & cover DENNIS CALERO
October 12
32 pages, FC, T+, $3.99
PILOT SEASON RETURNS! TAKE CONTROL!
Over a decade after Terminal, the residents of San Francisco live a peaceful and prosperous existence thanks to the Program. Every resident of the city is hand-selected and implanted with the chip Secura, which removes the human capacity for violence to maintain the greater good. Only the city's security forces are allowed a brief reprieve from Secura through use of the drug Freestone in order to do their jobs. Now, rumors of Freestone getting out into the open market threaten to upset the delicate balance keeping humanity from extinction.
Screenwriter MORGAN DAVIS FOEHL and artist DENNIS CALERO (X-Men: Noir) deliver a twist on the classic dystopian future in CITY OF REFUGE!

PILOT SEASON: THE BEAUTY #1
story JEREMY HAUN & JASON HURLEY
art & cover JEREMY HAUN
October 19
32 pages, FC, T+, $3.99
PILOT SEASON RETURNS! TAKE CONTROL!
Modern society is obsessed with outward beauty. What if there was a way to guarantee you could be come more and more beautiful every day? What if it was contagious? In the world of The Beauty, physical perfection is attainable and while the mass majority of the population has taken advantage of it, Detectives Foster and Vaughn will soon discover it comes with a terrible price.
Writer/artist JEREMY HAUN (Detective Comics, ARTIFACTS) and co-writer JASON HURLEY offer up a startling reflection on the cost of looking good in this procedural science fiction tale.

PILOT SEASON: FLESHDIGGER #1
story SHANNON ERIC DENTON & BRAD KEENE
art ALEX SANCHEZ
cover FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA
October 26
32 pages, FC, T+, $3.99
PILOT SEASON RETURNS! TAKE CONTROL!
A random act of kindness can be damning. When a man witnessed the ruthless beating of an innocent woman, he rushed to help her and was brutally murdered for his trouble. Now driven by revenge, sorrow, and guilt, the woman enacts arcane forces to resurrect him. From out of the earth he'll rise, a twisted, worm-riddled monstrosity forced to carry out vengeance to maintain whatever life he has left, all while confronting the unimaginable truth of his new, hideous existence. Is he forever damned to be a rotting monster driven by an insatiable bloodlust...or is it possible to shed the curse and return to normal? The torment belongs to the living nightmare they'll call Fleshdigger. God help anyone who gets in his way!
From Harvey Award nominee SHANNON ERIC DENTON (GRAVESLINGER, Common Foe) and screenwriter BRAD KEENE (The Grudge 3) and artist ALEX SANCHEZ (Fathom: Blue Descent) comes a tale of supernatural horror!


THE DARKNESS #96
story PHIL HESTER
art ROMANO MOLENAAR
cover A JEREMY HAUN
cover B SHELDON MITCHELL
October 19
32 pages, FC, M, $2.99
CELEBRATE THE FIFTEENTH ANNIVERSARY!
Since The Darkness first debuted fifteen years ago, the Darkness itself and its headstrong bearer, Jackie Estacado, have often been at odds. Estacado is no saint, but the Darkness has crossed a line and to protect his family, Jackie will take the fight into the heart of theDarkness itself. Leading up to the landmark issue #100, long time writer PHIL HESTER (Wonder Woman, Green Hornet) is joined by artist ROMANO MOLENAAR (The Darkness II: Confession) for the stunning conclusion of his three year run!
Featuring a variant cover by SHELDON MITCHELL!

WITCHBLADE #151
story TIM SEELEY
art DIEGO BERNARD
cover A JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
cover B DENNIS CALERO
October 26
32 pages, FC, T+, $2.99
DAWN OF A NEW ERA! The new creative team of TIM SEELEY (HACK/SLASH) and DIEGO BERNARD (The Man With No Name) bring excitement and big changes to Sara Pezzini’s world with this debut jump-on issue! Forever altered by the events of ARTIFACTS, Sara finds herself in a completely foreign situation and surroundings. The mystery of how and why will compel readers for the coming year and beyond!
Featuring two covers by JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER (ARTIFACTS) and DENNIS CALERO (X-Men: Noir)!
PLUS: WITCHBLADE #151 – Foil Stamped and Signed Collector’s Edition - $14.99

BLOOD RED DRAGON #0
story JON GOFF
art CARLO SORIANO & CRIMELAB SYNDICATE
cover CARLO SORIANO
October 5
24 pages / FC / T, $3.99
Limited print run of 5000 copies
Legendary comic creators STAN LEE and TODD McFARLANE join international superstar YOSHIKI to bring the world an ALL-NEW HERO!
Born of light. Powered by darkness.
Dark prophecies speak of a power beyond comprehension: a noble force that rests, buried in the creative heart of the human spirit. It is said this power is all that stands between existence and the unmaking of all things. One man must unlock his destiny and be re-made – a warrior to defeat the coming of Oblivion.
A hero will rise: The Blood Red Dragon reborn.
BLOOD RED DRAGON combines elements of sci-fi, anime and American superhero comics in a modern gothic adventure story that plays at salvation, while hinting at the end of the world. AND IT ALL STARTS HERE!

THE STRANGE TALENT OF LUTHER STRODE #1 (of 6)
story JUSTIN JORDAN
art & cover TRADD MOORE
October 5
32 pages, FC, M, $2.99
Luther Strode is just your average nerd until he sends away for a bodybuilding course from an old comic book, one that works a whole lot better than he ever imagined. His newfound strength and strange talents make school a lot easier, but they’ve also caused some very, very bad people to take a very, very keen interest in him. Things will never be the same for Luther Strode…if he survives.

FEEL BETTER NOW
A PLUS! Novella
story, art JONATHAN HICKMAN
cover JONATHAN HICKMAN
October 26
40 pages, FC, T+, $3.99
If you're a highly qualified psychologist in Los Angeles, the fake problem capital of the world, sometimes you get bored. And, sometimes, this means you screw with your patients.
For the first time in three years, JONATHAN HICKMAN is writing and drawing a creator-owned comic. Known for the boundary-pushing stories like THE NIGHTLY NEWS and PAX ROMANA, this one-and-done book is the first of three PLUS! stories, will not be collected for over a year, and is intended to have a shelf life of several months.

THE LAST OF THE GREATS #1
story JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV
art & cover A BRENT PEEPLES
cover B PHIL HESTER
October 5
32 pages, NO ADS, FC, T+, $3.99
“THE DEAL,” Part One
There were seven, possessing the power of gods, and representing all that could be right with the world. But now... he is the Last. As humanity stands on the brink of annihilation, he is our only hope. And he hates us for what we've done. From the Eisner and Harvey Award-nominated writer of ECHOES, Tumor and Elk’s Run comes a dynamic new take on how far mankind will stoop to survive.

CARBON GREY ORIGINS #1 (of 2)
story PAUL GARDNER, HOANG NGUYEN & KHARI EVANS
art POP MHAN, KHARI EVANS, HOANG NGUYEN & KINSUN LOH
cover KHARI EVANS & KINSUN LOH
alternate cover HOANG NGUYEN
October 26
32 pages, FC, M , $3.99
“ORIGIN,” Part one of two
Creator HOANG NGUYEN presents an anthology of short stories set in the universe of the Carbon Grey. A boy becomes a god, two fictional characters come to life, a refugee becomes a queen and two sisters become killers. Legends, secret histories, and continuity errors – all will be revealed in CARBON GREY ORIGINS.

XENOHOLICS #1
story JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
art SETH DAMOOSE
cover DAN DUNCAN
October 19
32 pages, FC/ M, $3.50
Are you addicted to aliens? Late night Encounters? Abductions? Probes? The XenoHolics are here to help!
Because everyone thinks they’re a bunch of nutcases, a support group that claims aliens abducted them try to prove that aliens are real. But that’s much easier said than done and they find themselves caught up in not just ONE government conspiracy, but TWO. Oh, yeah and along the way they learn who is lying about being abducted… and who is telling the truth.
Presenting a twisted new series about aliens and the crazy people who believe in them, by creators JOSHUA WILLIAMSON (Superman/Batman, DEAR DRACULA), and SETH DAMOOSE (I HATE GALLANT GIRL) with covers by DAN DUNCAN (TMNT)

CBLDF Liberty Annual 2011
story MATT WAGNER, J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI, KAZIM ALI, DARA NARAGHI, J.H. WILLIAMS III, MARK WAID, CARLA SPEED MCNEIL, AJ LIEBERMAN, MICHAEL BRAMLEY, STEVE NILES, BRANDON MONTCLARE, JUDD WINICK, RICHARD STARKINGS
art MATT WAGNER, KEVIN SACCO, CRAIG THOMPSON, CHRIS MITTEN, J.H. WILLIAMS III, JEFF LEMIRE, CARLA SPEED MCNEIL, RILEY ROSSMO, FRANK QUITELY, SHANE DAVIS, FRED HEMBECK, MICHAEL MONTENAT & JACK PURCELL, JOËLLE JONES, GREG LAND, GREG HORN, THIAGO MICALOPULOS & RODNEY RAMOS, DUSTIN NGUYEN, DAVE COOPER, IVAN REIS, SHAKY KANE
cover A JOHN CASSADAY
cover B MATT WAGNER
October 12
48 pages, FC, M, $4.99
A COMIC BOOK LEGAL DEFENSE FUND BENEFIT BOOK!
Stand Up For Your Rights! Censorship is the ultimate form of bullying. Censors want to take away the power people have to think, speak, or create freely. In CBLDF LIBERTY ANNUAL 2011, Legendary Editor BOB SCHRECK gathers an all-star line-up of comics creators to stand up to those censoring bullies with 48 powerful pages of ALL NEW story and art about standing up for your rights! All proceeds from this book benefit the important First Amendment work of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, who've been fighting censorship in comics for 25 years!
This year's Liberty Annual includes incredible contributions, including all-new original stories by superstars J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI, FRANK QUITELY, J.H. WILLIAMS III, STEVE NILES, JUDD WINICK, MARK WAID, and CARLA SPEED MCNEIL. Plus, new tales featuring GRENDEL by MATT WAGNER, COWBOY NINJA VIKING by AJ LIEBERMAN & RILEY ROSSMO, and ELEPHANTMEN by RICHARD STARKINGS & SHAKY KANE. Plus a massive, and first ever color story from indy comics master CRAIG THOMPSON! Even Marvel and DC have stepped up to show their support all-new pin-ups including BATMAN by DUSTIN NGUYEN, X-MEN by GREG LAND, GREEN LANTERN by IVAN REIS, and THE AVENGERS by GREG HORN!
All proceeds from CBLDF Liberty Annual 2011 will benefit the important First Amendment legal work of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of the First Amendment rights of the comics art form and its community of retailers, creators, publishers, librarians and readers.

DOC BIZARRE, M.D.HC
story JOE CASEY
art, color ANDY SURIANO
October 19
72 pages/ FC, T+
STANDARD SIZE, $12.99
From monsters crippled with pneumonia or demons suffering from incontinence, only one manclaims to possess the skills and the training to cure what ails them … DOC BIZARRE, M.D.! He’ll make globe hopping house calls for sick creepers, medically challenged myths and ghouls at death’s door!It’s over-the-top, comedic horror from JOE CASEY and ANDY SURIANO!
DON’T MISS THIS ORIGINAL GRAPHIC NOVEL – JUST IN TIME FOR HALLOWEEN!

LAST MORTAL HC
story JOHN MAHONEY & FILIP SABLIK
art & cover THOMAS NACHLIK
October 26
160 pages, B&W, M, DIGEST SIZE, $19.99
REVENGE NEVER DIES!
Alec King is a small time thief & con man who has always run away from responsibility. When he and his partner get in over their heads after being blackmailed into becoming hitmen and his partner is killed in the process, Alec tries to escape one last time. Alec attempts to take his own life, only to discover he cannot die. What would you do if you had nowhere left to run?
Collecting the hard-hitting noir tale of revenge from Minotaur Press, this hardcover not only offers the complete series, but a wealth of behind-the-scenes bonus material including a complete cover gallery,character designs, and a look at the development of Last Mortal.
Collects LAST MORTAL #1-4.

THE WALKING DEAD SURVIVOR’S GUIDE TP
story TIM DANIEL & ROBERT KIRKMAN
art & cover CHARLIE ADLARD & CLIFF RATHBURN
October 19
112 pages, FC, M, $14.99
Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the cast of The Walking Dead. TheSurvivor’s Guide is a handy checklist of all the characters who have appeared in the series thus far, alive or dead. This series isa can’t-miss supplement to the hit comic book series that is now a hit TV series on AMC!

WHO IS JAKE ELLIS?, VOL. 1 TP
story NATHAN EDMONDSON
art & cover TONCI ZONJIC
October 12
136 pages, FC, T+, $16.99
The multiple-sellout miniseries Newsarama calls "a modern noir package that is not to be missed" and MTV "couldn't put down." Jon Moore is a mercenary spy on the run, protected only by Jake Ellis, a man invisible to everyone except Jon.
Collects WHO IS JAKE ELLIS? 1-5

MORNING GLORIES #14
story NICK SPENCER
art JOE EISMA
cover RODIN ESQUEJO
October 12
32 pages, FC, M, $2.99
RUN!!!
Nominated for four Eisner Awards!

SKULLKICKERS #12
story JIM DEMONAKOS, KYLE STEVENS, HOWARD TAYLER, ZACH WEINER &JIM ZUB
art JOEL CARROLL, MIKE LUCKAS, BEN MCSWEENEY & JOE NG
cover SAEJIN OH
October 26
32 pages, FC, T, $2.99
"FOUR MORE TAVERN TALES"
The Skullkickers tip back a few more pints and you're all invited along to the pub to toast their glory!
This issue is another righteous Skullkicking short story cavalcade by killer comic talent JOEL CARROLL (Flight),MIKE LUCKAS, BEN MCSWEENEY (Joe is Japanese), JOE NG (Street Fighter IV), HOWARD TAYLER (Schlock Mercenary), ZACH WEINER (Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal), JIM DEMONAKOS & KYLE STEVENS (Kirby Krackle) and JIM ZUB (that SKULLKICKERS comic thing).

THE WALKING DEAD #90
story ROBERT KIRKMAN
art, cover CHARLIE ADLARD & CLIFF RATHBURN
October 12
32 pages, BW, M, $2.99
Glenn will soon regret his decision.

Image and Top Cow Solicitations: August 2011 Highlights

August sees Image and Top Cow launching a number of what look like being interesting and enjoyable new series and one-shots.

Robert Kirkman and Rob Liefeld deliver The Infinite - a story featuring world domination and time travel. As well as a 'regular' edition there will be a 'deluxe' edition of the first issue that will include sketches and illustrations, notes and pages from the script.

Severed from Scott Snyder, Scott Tuft and Attila Futaki looks like an interesting new horror story while I also like the sound of The Vault from the pen of Sam Sarkar which promises treasure hunters, the latest tech and 'nature's fury'.

Notable one-shots include Deadlands: Death was Silent from Ron Marz and Bart Sears and '68: Hardship from Mark Kidwell, Jeff Zornow and Jay Fotos while August also sees the final issues (for now at least) of The Last Mortal, Moriarty and Netherworld.

Here are my highlights in full from the months new releases:

THE INFINITE #1 DELUXE EDITION
story ROBERT KIRKMAN
art / cover ROB LIEFELD
AUGUST 3, 48 PAGES, FC, T, $5.99
Freedom fighter Bowen has lost everything in the war against The Infinite. His only hope is to travel back in time to prevent their world domination before it starts! Bowen can’t do this alone, he must turn to the only ally he knows he can trust: HIMSELF. Now a man in his 40s, damaged by the horrors of war, must team up with his younger, reckless and optimistic 20-year-old self in order to SAVE THE WORLD!
This Deluxe Edition of THE INFINITE #1 is the complete first issue plus mountains of behind-the-scenes sketches and illustrations by ROB LIEFELD and piles of notes and script pages by ROBERT KIRKMAN. Much like your favorite extras-filled DVDs, this version will give you a glimpse behind the curtain to see all the usually unseen work that goes into the creation of a comic book.

THE VAULT #1 (of 3)
story SAM SARKAR
art GARRIE GASTONNY
color SAKTI YUWONO
cover BAGUS HUTOMO
JULY 27, 32 PAGES, FC, T, $3.50
A small team of treasure hunters struggles to excavate a dangerous and legendary treasure pit before a massive storm hits Sable Island, the “Graveyard of the North Atlantic”. Equipped with all the latest technology, the scientists believe they are prepared against all of nature's fury, but nothing can prepare them for what they are about to unleash from The Vault.
From the team that brought you CALIBER and the artist of SUPERGOD.

THE LAST MORTAL #4 (of 4)
story JOHN MAHONEY & FILIP SABLIK
art / cover THOMAS NACHLIK
AUGUST 24, 32 PAGES, BW, M, $3.99
“REGICIDE,” Part Four
The finale of the hard-hitting supernatural noir series from Minotaur Press is here. Alec King, the suicidal immortal, has been beat down, stabbed, and shot so many times he’s beginning to lose count. But finally, the man responsible for his best friend’s death is in his sights. The question remains-- will Alec be able to make the hard decision for the first time in his miserable life?


SEVERED #1
story SCOTT SNYDER & SCOTT TUFT
art / cover ATTILA FUTAKI
AUGUST 3, 32 PAGES, FC, M, $2.99
“NOTHING WASTED,” Part One
1916. A man haunts the roads; a man with sharp teeth and a hunger for flesh. When 12-year-old Jack Garron runs away from home, he’ll see how quickly the American Dream becomes a nightmare. Be there at the beginning of the series that everyone will be talking about!
From Eisner-nominated writer SCOTT SNYDER (American Vampire, Detective Comics), SCOTT TUFT and ATTILA FUTAKI (NYT Best-Selling-Artist: Percy Jackson) comes the most terrifying horror series of 2011--SEVERED.

EPOCH #1 (of 5)
story KEVIN McCARTHY
art PAOLO PANTALENA & JORGE FARES
cover PAOLO PANTALENA & PAOLO BARBIERI
AUGUST 3, 32 PAGES, FC, M, $3.99
THE GREATEST TOURNAMENT THE WORLD HAS NEVER SEEN BEGINS ANEW!
Top Cow Productions and Heroes and Villains Entertainment proudly present a dark and intensely kinetic tale from writer KEVIN McCARTHY (Red Sonja, The Amazing Adventures of the Escapist) and newcomer PAOLO PANTALENA (What If?: House of M, War of Kings: Darkhawk). Jonah Bishop is an NYPD detective assigned to a mysterious murder case that threatens to rip the reality he knows and plunge him into the shadow world of his heritage--the Supernatural. Jonah’s quest will drop him deep in the middle of a conspiracy that threatens to tear apart the very fabric of society.

'68: HARDSHIP (ONE-SHOT)
story MARK KIDWELL
art JEFF ZORNOW & JAY FOTOS
cover A JEFF ZORNOW & JAY FOTOS
cover B NAT JONES & JAY FOTOS
AUGUST 24, 32 PAGES, FC, T+, $3.99
In February of 1968, Teddy Calhoun came home from Vietnam and brought a piece of the war back with him. Through a prism of battle fatigue and schizophrenia, his vision of Nebraska has changed into a threatening landscape of violence and enemy occupation. Now, Teddy will do whatever he must to protect his family from the murderous approach of “Charlie” and an army of the risen, hungry dead.
’68 Hardship is a journey into a psychological realm of hallucination, violence and undead horror. Written by MARK KIDWELL, with monstrous artwork by JEFF ZORNOW and JAY FOTOS, this one-shot is a direct tie-in with the regular ongoing ’68 series, extending the world of Vietnam/Zombie horror to America’s heartland and your own backyard.

DEADLANDS: DEATH WAS SILENT (ONE-SHOT)
story RON MARZ
art & cover BART SEARS
AUGUST 17, 32 PAGES, FC, T, $2.99
Visionary Comics and Pinnacle Entertainment present the third one-shot of the weird Western world of DEADLANDS! A silent bounty hunter rides into a remote town, but the town holds dark secrets that may turn the hunter into the hunted. Superstars RON MARZ and BART SEARS team for a weird Western tale unlike any other!

MORNING GLORIES YEARBOOK 2011
story NICK SPENCER
art RODIN ESQUEJO & JOE EISMA
cover RODIN ESQUEJO
AUGUST 31, 32 PAGES, FC, M, $2.99
A look back at our first year at the academy, with a sequential recap by MORNING GLORIES cover artist RODIN ESQUEJO! And loaded up with extras like character bios, sketches, designs, script excerpts, and more!

VESCELL #1
story ENRIQUE CARRION
art / cover JOHN UPCHURCH
AUGUST 31, 32 PAGES, FC, M, $2.99
The International Company known as Vescell specializes in what is commonly known as “Vtrans”, the transferring of a person’s mind and spirit from one body into another. Former Icarus City Detective, Mauricio “Moo” Barrino is now Vescell’s best agent, handling the most high profile and dangerous cases. In the seedy world of a high end corporate espionage, where mysticism and guns clash, and money is tainted with sin, Agent Mauricio Barrino fights against the demons of fate while trying to reach the heaven of his destiny. Be prepared for the bar-raising, sci-fi noir epic that is VESCELL.

THE DARKNESS: ACCURSED, VOL. 5 TP
story PHIL HESTER & JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV
art SHELDON MITCHELL, ROMANO MOLENAAR & MATT TIMSON
cover MICHAEL BROUSSARD & STEVE FIRCHOW
AUGUST 31, 144 PAGES, FC, T, STANDARD SIZE, $16.99
Jackie Estacado, the current bearer of The Darkness, was blackmailed and lied to by a devil calling himself The Sovereign. Now free from The Sovereign's grip, Jackie has assembled a motley crew of criminals with one goal - destroy every last one of The Sovereign's reliquaries! His quest will pit him against a former Russian mob boss turned art collector, a mute mystic, countless of The Sovereign's statues, and even traitors within his midst! Concluding the second year of writer PHIL HESTER’S (Firebreather, Wonder Woman) epic run and featuring art by SHELDON MITCHELL (Pilot Season: Stealth) and ROMANO MOLENAAR (The Darkness II: Confession), and a special stand-alone "Tale of The Darkness" issue set in the Wild West by JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV (Tumor, Echoes) and MATT TIMSON (Impaler, Popgun).
Collects THE DARKNESS #85-89.

HACK/SLASH, VOL. 9: TORTURE PRONE TP
story TIM SEELEY
art DANIEL LEISTER & JETHRO MORALES
cover TIM SEELEY
AUGUST 10, 160 PAGES, FC, T+, $16.99
The hit new ongoing series from Image is collected! In a dark future ruled by the Murder Messiah, street witch Liberty Lochs is on a mission to change the past. Meanwhile, horror heroes Cassie Hack & Vlad must contend with an obsessive serial killer, and a duo of slashers they thought they'd already put down. This epic collection sets the staus quo for Cass & Vlad's new adventures.
Collects HACK/SLASH ANNUAL #2 and HACK/SLASH #1-4

MORNING GLORIES, VOL. 2 TP
story NICK SPENCER
art JOE EISMA
cover RODIN ESQUEJO
AUGUST 10, 168 PAGES, FC, M, $12.99
Collecting the second story arc of the smash series in one volume. Learn (some) of the secrets in the Glories’ lives as we delve into their pasts and see how it affects their present. Each chapter focuses on a different Glory while maintaining the narrative and moving the mystery forward.

ARTIFACTS #12 (of 13)
story RON MARZ
art JEREMY HAUN & SUNNY GHO
cover A GREG HORN
cover B JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
AUGUST 31, 32 PAGES, $3.99
THE PENULTIMATE ISSUE!
This is it! We arrived at the climax of the most universe-shattering event series in Top Cow history! We can’t tell you anything more! The final showdown you’ve been waiting for is here!
PLUS: Each issue will also feature an Artifacts: Origin story written by RON MARZ and drawn by a guest superstar artist.

AVENGELYNE #2
story ROB LIEFELD & MARK POULTON
art OWEN GIENI
cover A ROB LIEFELD
cover B OWEN GIENI
AUGUST 17, 32 PAGES, FC, T+, $2.99
“DEVIL IN THE FLESH,” Part Two
In his search for a new apprentice, the Red Dragon has taken control of Avengelyne’s body forcing her essence into Heaven Starr. Meanwhile, Torment targets the New Church of the People. Plus, the return of Passover!

THE DARKNESS #95
story PHIL HESTER
art SHELDON MITCHELL
cover BANE
AUGUST 31, 32 PAGES, FC, M, $2.99
“OUTER DARKNESS,” Part Six
The Darkness declares all out war against its most rebellious bearer, Jackie Estacado! With a small group of loyal allies, Jackie must face down an army of doppelgangers, a scorned woman from his past, and the very source of his own power.

ELEPHANTMEN #35
story RICHARD STARKINGS
art / cover BOO COOK
AUGUST 17, 40 PAGES, FC, M, $3.99
“THE DRUM AT THE GATE OF THUNDER”
The sequel to WAR TOYS concludes as Yvette tracks down Hip, Ebony and Horn to exact her revenge.

MORIARTY #4
story DANIEL COREY
art / cover ANTHONY DIECIDUE
AUGUST 3, 32 PAGES, FC, T, $2.99
“THE DARK CHAMBER,” Part Four
"The Dark Chamber" comes to a climax in this installment, which sees Professor Moriarty finally confronting Tartarus in an epic battle that will change his destiny and decide the fate of London and the world.

NETHERWORLD #5 (of 5)
story BRYAN EDWARD HILL & ROB LEVIN
art / cover TONY SHASTEEN & DAVE McCAIG
AUGUST 17, 32 PAGES, FC, M, $3.99
We ARE all lost!
It comes down to this. Either Ray gets Madeline on the train out of the city, or we will all be lost... forever. But first, he has to get through Cyrus Kane.

SAMURAI’S BLOOD #3 (of 6)
story OWEN WISEMAN
art NAM KIM, MATTHEW DALTON & JESSICA KHOLINNE
cover JO CHEN
AUGUST 17, 32 PAGES, FC, T, $2.99
There are four ascending levels of suffering in the world and Mayuko is about to learn them all. With Katashi floating unconscious down the river, Mayuko is left to fend for herself against the vile Mistresses Kimori and Yamayuna, as they attempt to break her spirit and make her one of their oiron girls. But just as quickly--as the faintest glimmer of freedom appears—so, too, does it fade away. Innocence must pay the terrible price.

SKULLKICKERS #10
story JIM ZUB
art EDWIN HUANG & MISTY COATS
cover SAEJIN OH
AUGUST 31, 32 PAGES, FC, T, $2.99
"FIVE FUNERALS AND A BUCKET OF BLOOD," Part Four
This issue has it all: A cover, printed pages, comic panels in sequential order and staples! You heard that right-- staples! Okay, now that we’re past that stuff--does anyone read this info? Do you? Let us know at www.skullkickers.com. PS: We now have more issues than BATTLE CHASERS.


For details of the full Image and Top Cow solicitations for August 2011 visit Image Comics, Top Cow and Newsarama.

Image and Top Cow Solicitations: June 2011 Highlights

While continuing to read and enjoy pretty much everything published that falls within the Top Cow Universe, over recent months I've been enjoying discovering some of the fantastic titles that Image Comics publishes. With that in mind, I'm going to expand my monthly look at the Top Cow solicitations to include highlights from both companies.

In June we can expect a number of new ongoing and mini-series, the continuation of some perennial favourites along with several very welcome collections.

There are a number of intriguing first issues that have caught my eye - Graveyard of Empires from Grounded co-creators Mark Sable and Paul Azaceta looks interesting and features 32 full pages of story; from the pen (keyboard) of Ron Marz comes a tale of samurai and vampires with the first issue of Shinku while continuing the theme, through it's title at least, Samurai's Blood sounds like a very enjoyable story and a potential bargain for just one dollar.

The Trailblazer one-shot promises an enjoyable mix of assassins, witness protection and the Old West and features a one in ten variant cover from Amanda Conner while the latest issue of Elephantmen looks like a good jumping-on point and features the art of Bulletproof Coffin's Shaky Kane.

Perennial favourites are represented by Artifacts from Ron Marz, Jeremy Haun and Sunny Gho, The Darkness from Phil Hester and Sheldon Mitchell and, again from Ron Marz with fantastic interior and cover art from Stjepan Sejic.

Finally, we can look forward to collected editions featuring the first six issues of Dreams of Darkchylde, a new printing of The Darkness Compendium including the first 40 issues (!) of The Darkness and, from Minotaur Press, a hardcover collection of Echoes from Joshua Hale Fialkov and Rahsan Ekedal that includes the first five issues of the series.

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

SHINKU #1
story RON MARZ
art & cover LEE MODER, MATTHEW WAITE & MICHAEL ATIYEH
June 1, 32 pages, FC, $2.99
“THRONE OF BLOOD,” Part One
The sole surviving descendant of a once-proud samurai clan, Shinku wages a solo war against a powerful vampire clan that has lurked in the shadows for centuries. An epic of horror and martial arts set in modern Japan, but with roots in the feudal past, writer RON MARZ (WITCHBLADE, ARTIFACTS) and artist LEE MODER (Wonder Woman, Legion of Super-Heroes) will serve up sexy, bloody, ongoing action every month. If you're looking for vampires that sparkle ... this ain't it.
RETAILER WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES

SAMURAI’S BLOOD #1 (of 6)
story OWEN WISEMAN
art NAM KIM, MATTHEW DALTON & JESSICA KHOLINNE
cover JO CHEN
June 8, 32 pages, FC, $1.00
In an era when lineage defined you, three teenagers must make their way through the world hiding their identities in order to find their destinies. As their village burns behind them, they are headed for a city they’d heard about only in stories. The three young samurai must now struggle to stay alive and take vengeance on the evil usurper who has destroyed the rest of their clan and the only world they’d ever known. Will they rise on the tides of vengeance, or they will they fall on the swords of fate?

TRAILBLAZER (ONE-SHOT)
story JUSTIN GRAY & JIMMY PALMIOTTI
art & JiM DALY lll, JIMMY PALMIOTTI & PAUL MOUNTS
cover DAVE JOHNSON
1:10 variant cover AMANDA CONNER
June 15, 48 pages, FC, $5.99
When the woman that raised him is murdered, an assassin turns states evidence against his employers and is given a once in a lifetime chance to enter Operation Trailblazer - the most unique witness protection program in the world. Sent back in time to the Old West, the assassin begins a new life, but it isn’t long before his past and the future catches up with him.

GRAVEYARD OF EMPIRES #1 (of 4)
story MARK SABLE
art & cover PAUL AZACETA
JUNE 15, 32 pages, FC, $3.99
Afghanistan. Marines face a never-ending onslaught of Taliban. But even hell can get worse. The dead are coming back to life in The Graveyard of Empires, and only together can both sides of the today’s conflict survive tomorrow’s undead assault. Writer MARK SABLE (Unthinkable, Two-Face Year One) reunites with his GROUNDED co-creator, PAUL AZACETA (Amazing Spider-Man) to tell this controversial tale of terror.
32 FULL PAGES OF STORY!

ARTIFACTS #10 (of 13)
story RON MARZ
art JEREMY HAUN & SUNNY GHO
cover A
cover B JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
June 29, 40 pages, FC, $3.99
THE FINAL BATTLE COMMENCES!
The Survivor’s true nature has been revealed and his plans to remake our world move forward with machine like precision. Will Sara Pezzini, Jackie Estacado, and their allies solve the mystery of his identity in time to prevent Armageddon? What sacrifices will need to be made to save our world? The stage is set for the final confrontation!
PLUS: Each issue will also feature a Top Cow Origin backup written by RON MARZ and drawn by a superstar artist.
RETAILER INCENTIVES AVAILABLE. SEE ORDER FORM FOR DETAILS!
ALSO AVAILABLE
ARTIFACTS #5 TOP COW STORE B&W EXCLUSIVE VARIANT COVER BY WHILCE PORTACIO $10.00

THE DARKNESS #93
story PHIL HESTER
art SHELDON MITCHELL
cover BANE
June 29, 32 pages, FC, $2.99
“OUTER DARKNESS,” Part Five
The Darkness declares all out war against its most rebellious bearer, Jackie Estacado! With a small group of loyal allies, Jackie must face down an army of doppelgangers, a scorned woman from his past, and the very source of his own power.
RETAILER WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES
ALSO AVAILABLE
ARTIFACTS #6 C2E2 Exclusive Variant Cover by MICHAEL BROUSSARD - $10.00

ELEPHANTMEN #33
story RICHARD STARKINGS
art & cover SHAKY KANE
June 22, 40 pages, FC, $3.99
“THE BONES”
BULLETPROOF COFFIN artist and Legend, SHAKY KANE, joins ELEPHANTMEN for the freaky tale of Doctor Sebastian Bone and his wife, Victoria, and her lust for something belonging to Elephantmen.
RETAILER WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES

THE MICE TEMPLAR, VOL. 3 #6
story BRYAN J.L. GLASS & MICHAEL AVON OEMING
art VICTOR SANTOS
cover A MICHAEL AVON OEMING
cover B VICTOR SANTOS & VERONICA GANDINI
June 29, 32 pages, FC, $2.99
“SNOWBLIND”
The rebellion grows! Yet disaster follows when the idealistic youth E'Tan and Gabrielle join the resistance…and come face-to-face with Royal Consort Lorelie and a network of druid spies. And shocking news arrives concerning the fate of King Icarus! Meanwhile, Pilot the Tall and Harad battle side-by-side against rat forces, and the training of One-Arm Leito takes a dark and tragic turn when the young hero embraces vengeance!
The two-time Harvey Award-winning series continues, from the acclaimed writer of Thor: First Thunder and the co-creator of Powers and Takio!

MORIARTY #2
story DANIEL COREY
art & cover ANTHONY DIECIDUE
June 8, 34 pages, FC, $2.99
“THE DARK CHAMBER,” Part Two
Professor Moriarty is on the run: He has been framed for two murders, his identity exposed. Moriarty makes an uneasy alliance with the Jade Serpent, and together they must delve further into the world of the Black Hand and the mysterious device that holds the secret of the Dark Chamber.

NETHERWORLD #3 (of 5)
story BRYANN EDWARD HILL & ROB LEVIN
art & cover TONY SHASTEEN & JD METTLER
June 15, 32 pages, FC, $3.99
WE ARE ALL LOST!
Cut off from the Men in White, Ray and Madeline race to the train station through Netherworld's evil underbelly with Seth and Cyrus Kane's henchman in hot pursuit. Operatives are everywhere and they're out for blood. Will Ray be able to defend Madeline from the onslaught and help her escape? Or will his mission end before it begins?

WITCHBLADE #148
story RON MARZ
art & cover STJEPAN SEJIC
June 22, 32 pages, FC, $2.99
”TIAMAT,” Part Three
Despite her most valiant efforts, Sara Pezzini succumbs to the mythic power of the Babylonian God-Queen Tiamat. With the Balance out of the way, will Tiamat remake New York in her serpantine image?

DREAMS OF DARKCHYLDE, VOL. 1 TP
story RANDY QUEEN
art RANDY QUEEN, BRANDON PETERSON & RON ADRIAN
cover RANDY QUEEN
June 22, 160 pages, FC, $16.99
Ariel Chylde is the girl cursed to become any of the creatures from her many Nightmares. But have the shadows circled all her life? Now we go deeper. Into her past. Into her dreams. Where fears roam, and truth is never a friend. New Collection and Cover by RANDY QUEEN.
Collects DREAMS OF DARKCHYLDE #1-6
RETAILER WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES

THE DARKNESS COMPENDIUM, VOL. 1 TP (NEW PRINTING)
story GARTH ENNIS, DAVID WOHL, MALACHI CONEY, SCOTT LOBDELL & PAUL JENKINS
art MARC SILVESTRI, JOE BENITEZ, CLARENCE LANSANG, BILLY TAN, DAVID FINCH & DALE KEOWN
cover MARC SILVESTRI
June 8, 1280 pages, FC, STANDARD SIZE, $99.99
Mafia hitman Jackie Estacado was both blessed and cursed on his 21st birthday when he became the bearer of The Darkness, an elemental force that allows those who wield it access to an otherworldly dimension and control over the demons who dwell there. Go back to the beginning and discover Jackie’s first encounters with the Witchblade gauntlet, The Angelus, Sonatine, and Ian Nottingham.
Collects THE DARKNESS vol. 1 #1-40, plus TALES OF THE DARKNESS & more!

ECHOES, VOL. 1 HC
story JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV
art & cover RAHSAN EKEDAL
June 22, 144 pages, PC, DIGEST SIZE, $19.99
From acclaimed author JOSHUA HALE FIAKOV (Tumor, PILOT SEASON: ALIBI) and rising artist RAHSAN EKEDAL (Creepy) a disturbing story of murder and mystery wrapped in questions of sanity. Minotaur Press premieres with a story of madness, family and death. Brian Cohn was learning to deal with the schizophrenia inherited from his father. Supportive wife, new baby on the way, drugs to control the voices. But, when at his father's deathbed, he learns that he also inherited the trophies of his father's career as a serial killer, his illness threatens to send him further down the path to madness and?
Collects ECHOES #1-5
RETAILER WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES

Top Cow Solicitations May 2011

As we've come to expect from Top Cow, there are some real gems among their new releases in May 2011.

We enter the final act of Ron Marz's Artifacts thirteen-issue saga with the arrival of issue #9, Phil Hester's great work continues with the arrival of The Darkness issue #93 and one of my perennial favourites Witchblade, again written by Ron Marz, features the second part of the 'Tiamat' story-arc.

Even though the first issue hasn't been published yet I'm really looking forward to picking up the second installment of Bryan Edward Hill and Rob Levin's Neverworld five-issue mini-series and, as I've said in the past, while there aren't many titles that I'll buy in single issue and then again as part of a collection I'm going to be ordering the 160 page Pilot Season 2010 collection.

Finally, brand new this month from Top Cow imprint Minotaur Press comes the first issue of a four-part mini-series written by John Mahoney and Filip Sablik entitled Last Mortal - head over to the Top Cow website to find out more.

ARTIFACTS #9 (of 13)
story by RON MARZ, art JEREMY HAUN, cover A by ERIC CANETE, cover B by DALE KEOWN, cover C by JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
May 25, 40 pages, FC, $3.99
APOCALYPSE APPROACHES!
As the final act of Artifacts begins the lines have been drawn and the ultimate battle for the fate of the Top Cow Universe begins. The alliance formed by Sara Pezzini, bearer of the Witchblade and Jackie Estacado, host of The Darkness, has been battered to the edge of defeat. Meanwhile, the antagonist’s machinations have gone exactly as planned and his bearers move to bring about Armaggedon to remake the world. One question remains... what role will Sara and Jackie’s daughter Hope play in the end of the Universe?
PLUS: Each issue will also feature a Top Cow Origin backup written by RON MARZ and drawn by a superstar artist.

THE DARKNESS #93
story by PHIL HESTER, art by SHELDON MITCHELL, cover by BANE
May 18, 32 pages, FC, $2.99
"OUTER DARKNESS" Part Four
Even as The Darkness itself moves against its rebellious host, Jackie Estacado, he realizes that there is another entity marshaling forces against him. Who is the skeleton in Jackie’s closet that has come back seeking revenge and possibly control of The Darkness? Find out in this issue!

NETHERWORLD #2 (of 5)
story by BRYAN EDWARD HILL & ROB LEVIN, art & cover by TONY SHASTEEN & JD METTLER
May 11, 32 pages, FC, $3.99
Motivated by curiosity, Ray has rescued Madeline, an ordinary girl prized by both the criminal underworld of the City and an alluring woman in white. Now as the truth of the City is revealed to Ray, he will be faced with the decision to continue to look out for himself or save everyone. When everything you know is a lie, how do you find the truth?

WITCHBLADE #147
story by RON MARZ, art & cover by STJEPAN SEJIC
May 18, 32 pages, FC, $2.99
"TIAMAT" Part Two
In modern day New York, the ancient Babylonian goddess Tiamat seeks vengeance upon current Witchblade bearer, Sara Pezzini, to settle an ancient score. With the weight of recent events bearing down on her, can Sara possibly stave off a power older than civilization itself? Join longtime writer RON MARZ (ARTIFACTS, MAGDALENA) and collaborator STJEPAN SEJIC (BROKEN TRINITY, ANGELUS) as they charge towards the landmark issue #150!

PILOT SEASON, VOL. 4: 2010 trade paperback
story by WILLIAMS HARMS, BRAD INGELSBY, JEFF KATZ, BRYAN EDWARD HILL, ROB LEVIN & FILIP SABLIK, art & cover by TOP COW’S FINEST
May 18, 160 pages, FC, $19.99
OVER ONE MILLION VOTES CAST!
Top Cow’s annual Pilot Season competition draws unprecedented fan and media attention and 2010’s crop of competitors was no different. Featuring a variety of creators, genres, and unique ideas, Pilot Season showcases five original series each presented in a “pilot issue”, which fans then voted on to determine which series would continue. This year’s crop included reinventions of the bank heist, sci-fi conspiracy, supernatural revenge, action-thriller espionage, and deadly femme fatale. In the end, only one series emerged victorious!
Collects the pilot issues of 39 MINUTES, ASSET, CROSSHAIR, FOREVER, and 7 DAYS FROM HELL, along with a cover gallery, behind-the-scenes extras, and commentary from the creators.


LAST MORTAL #1 (of 4)
story by JOHN MAHONEY & FILIP SABLIK, art & cover by THOMAS NACHLIK
May 25, 32 pages, BW, $3.99
Alec King is a born loser. A small time criminal who has never succeeded at anything in life and whose fear of failure has crippled him. When his only friend, Brian, the brains and charm of their two-man operation, convinces Alec to help him with a hit contract on a mayoral candidate his life unravels to rock bottom. But sometimes we need to hit rock bottom to begin the climb towards a better day ...


The images used here are for illustration purposes only - the full Image and Top Cow solicitations for April and May 2011 can be found over at Newsarama while further information about all these books, and more, at the Top Cow website.

Pick(s) of the Week: The Darkness #89 and Twilight Guardian #1

If you're heading out to your local comic book store this weekend then I'd like to recommend you pick up the following couple of titles that are published by Top Cow.

The Darkness #89
story by Joshua Hale Fialkov, art and cover by Matt Timson
32 pages, full colour, $2.99

"High Noon" A Tale Of The Darkness Special.
Ramon Estacado is the worst kinda outlaw. He can't be killed, his gang is a buncha Darklings and he has his sights set on a train fulla federal gold. When his old gang shows up with new demonic powers and an even more powerful grudge, will Ramon embrace the light and change his ways? Ain't likely. Joshua Hale Fialkov (Echoes, Tumor) and Matt Timson (Impaler, Popgun) ride together to bring you a tale of outlaws, double cross and great big exploding trains.

Top Cow handle 'done-in-one' stories really well I think and with Joshua Hale Fialkov and Matt Timson at the helm for this issue how could it fail - did you see the line about the 'great big exploding trains'?!

You can see a number of exclusive preview pages featuring Matt Timson's fantastic artwork over at Comic Book Resources.


Twilight Guardian #1
story by Troy Hickman, art by Siddharth Kotian, cover by Eric Jones
32 pages, full colour, $3.99

The Pilot Season Winner Returns!

The tale of a lone, dedicated hero patrolling her nine block suburban neighborhood captured the imaginations of fans during 2008’s Pilot Season and after heated voting emerged as one of the winning titles.
Now creator and writer Troy Hickman (Common Grounds) returns with a four issue limited series, which will delve into Twilight Guardian’s past, her motivations for crime-fighting, and even give her an arch-nemesis in the terrifying Dusk Devil! Joining Hickman is up-and-coming artist Siddharth Kotian (Eat The Dead). Issue #1 features a beautiful painted cover by Eric Jones (Hack/Slash, Unknown).

One of the winning titles from Top Cow's Pilot Season in 2008 I've been looking forward to this four-part mini series for a while. Once again, head over to CBR where you can see a preview of this first issue.


Reviews of both books to follow. More details can be found at Top Cow and Image Comics.