It's a big week for the Previews. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 8 comes to a close this week with an issue released two weeks later than usual to fall on Buffy's birthday. Also out this week is the second dose this month of X-Factor and a few new books. Keep reading to see them all.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer #40
- Written by Joss Whedon
- Pencils by Georges Jeanty
- Inks by Andy Owens
- Colors by Michelle Madsen
- Cover by Jo Chen
Season Eight has at last brought Buffy the long way home, and betrayal comes in the shape of the closest, most unexpected individual of all. Reeling from their losses, the Scoobies will never be the same again.
Series creator Joss Whedon and series artist Georges Jeanty bring you the biggest Buffy finale ever!
This is it, the final issue of Season 8. While this is basically an epilogue issue, there are a huge amount of pieces to pick up after the events in the last issue. I expect emotions to run off-the-charts high and a rocky road ahead for all going into Season 9. And that cover by Jo Chen is perfect — close off the “season” with the same image but showing the emotional changes. Perfect!
Status: Buying It.
Drawing Comics is Easy (Except When it's Hard) HC
- Writing & Art by Alexa Kitchen
Drawing Comics is Easy! (Except When it's Hard!) is a new hardcover book with rounded corners, created entirely by Alexa Kitchen when she was 7 years-old. The 176 page book, with color throughout, is presumably aimed at a peer audience of other children, but the idiosyncratic How-To book will appeal to readers of any age, especially those interested in cartooning, the creative process and the innocence of youth.
Alexa, now all of 9, has already received considerable acclaim for her precocious cartooning. She was interviewed in Comic Book Artist at 6, featured in Comics Buyer's Guide, praised several times in Publishers Weekly, caricatured in Print magazine and featured last year in the Dark Horse anthology Sexy Chix with Joyce Carol Oates among others. Accolades have come from creators as diverse as Will Eisner, Neil Gaiman, Mark Schultz (who wrote the Introduction to her new book), Patrick McDonnell and R. Crumb.
While this is her first hardcover book, the veteran cartoonist has had three earlier titles published (two are out of print) and has plans for "dozens" of new books when she isn't playing computer games and doing her homework.
Okay, so this is pretty much awesome. (And yes, I'm probably way behind the times on this, but I've just heard of it now.) For a seven-year-old to have written a comics how-to book is crazy-cool, and to top it off, she's very good for being seven. She's good for being 10, too, which is how old she is now. (You can see previews of this book here, and check out her more recent art, too.) I'm seriously considering this for my oldest daughter, who is pretty good with the cartooning, too (yeah, I'm her dad, but really it's nice stuff), and would really benefit from seeing someone around her age who's put out a book (several, in fact) — not to mention the really good advice within. She's even gotten a plug from Neil Gaiman:
When Denis Kitchen first told me that his daughter (then about 5) was drawing comics I made the kind of noises that you make when your friends tell you that their five year old daughters are writing operas, performing brain surgery or designing shopping malls - a sort of 'how very sweet and I hope you aren't going to actually show me any of this please god' sort of noise. And then one day Denis showed me her comics. Which were good. Really honestly actually good, rather than something you say is good to keep a proud parent happy. So now Alexa has moved into Scott McCloud territory with a book called Drawing Comics Is Easy! (Except When It's Hard!). I plan to buy a copy for myself, and another copy or two for local schools and godchildren and suchlike.
Status: In Consideration.
Jurassic Park: The Devil's in the Desert #1
- Writing & Art by John Byrne
- Colors by Ronda Pattison
- Cover by John Byrne
The legendary John Byrne brings his talents to the world of Jurassic Park and the results have never been more terrifying! Sheriff Tobias suddenly has more on his plate than he can handle when he is confronted with numerous cattle mutilations and the disappearance of a local farmer. Tensions escalate as the Feds arrive on the scene and the mysterious predators make their presence known!
It's a book about dinosaurs attacking, written and, more importantly, drawn by John Byrne. 'Nuff said.
Status: Of Interest.
X-Factor #214
- Written by Peter David
- Pencils by Emanuela Lupacchino
- Cover by David Yardin
The suicide of a high school student triggers X-Factor's most personal case as X-Factor is hired to learn the identities of the bullies who drove the student to take his own life. But once they have the names, do they turn that information over to the authorities...or to the student's angry family, who may well take punishment into their own hands?
I'm not sure if that solicit it really for this issue or not. I guess that's what the rest of the team is doing, but the cover and the recap page are all about Darwin, and he's not mentioned there at all. Still, I'm glad to see the focus (even if it is just for the first few pages or something) as I was afraid Peter David was dropping this really interesting character. Anyway, it's good to see a new case for the team.
Status: Buying It.
Young Justice #0
- Written by Greg Weisman & Kevin Hopps
- Art & Cover by Mike Norton
Based on the upcoming hit animated show from Warner Bros. debuting on Cartoon Network! Robin, Superboy, Kid Flash and Aqualad star in this explosive issue kickstarting an all-new ongoing series! They're four young superheroes learning how to be a team…and maybe doing a bit of growing up along the way – but only just a little bit!
Animation writers Greg Weisman (The Batman, Gargoyles) and Kevin Hopps (Spectacular Spider-Man, Smurfs) join fan-favorite artist Mike Norton (BILLY BATSON AND THE MAGIC OF SHAZAM) for this exciting new, all-ages title!
This looks like it could be a fun book for kids (and maybe adults, too). These all-ages books can be really hokey or they can be really good — as enjoyable as “grown-up” comics. I'm swayed by one of the writers having been a writer of some of my favorite episodes of the animated show, The Batman. He's also the producer of the recently debuted TV series of the same name. DC's had some really good comics made from their TV properties (The Batman Strikes! and Teen Titans Go! come to mind), so this has potential.
Status: Of Interest.
That's it for this week. Anything good I missed?
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