Beyond the Big 2: June 2008

by Matt

I love going through the Previews magazine every month. I spend hours going through every page, reading every solicitation and I usually find something that piques my interest. Each month I try to pick up a new book that is NOT part of the "Big 2". Here are a couple of new books that I am giving a try in August from the June 2008 Previews.





FLASH GORDON #1
America`s beloved sci-fi hero is back in a brand new ongoing series, based on Alex Raymond`s original ideas but with a modernized twist for the 21st century! CIA Agent Dale Arden draws a reluctant Flash Gordon back into the world of espionage to track down the allegedly insane Hans Zarkov - who`s been accused of creating a weapon of mass destruction. Elsewhere in the universe, Ming the `Merciful`s` tyrannical shadow looms over Mongo, where an impending civil war is escalating!

FLASH! AAHHHHHHHH! Savior of the Universe! I am a HUGE fan of the cheesey 80's epic movie that I will check out any Flash Gordon. I am hoping this this comic is a little more true to the original series that the recent television show or the silly updated Flash Gordon cartoon a few years back. I have not seen any interviews or previews of the title but I had to give this a shot! Check out the official site for more art and an interview with the creative team.


BIONIC COMMANDO #0
By (W)Justin Marks and (A)Jean Diaz
Published by Devil's Due Publishing
$0.99
Product Code JUN083852
At the whim of social prejudice, Nathan Spencer fell from grace in the Federation he once saved. Stripped of his bionic arm and cast out of society, Spencer is reluctantly called upon once again to fight-this time against his fellow bionic outcasts who are waging war against the government that rebuked them.

I grew up playing Bionic Commando on the old NES system and I cannot wait for the new version of the same game for the new platforms. I absolutely loved this game and I think this could have the potential to be a successful translation. And for only 99 cents, how can I not try it out? The last time I picked up a Devil's Due preview book for 99 cents was Drafted and that turned out to be one of my favorite books. Looking forward to this book.



GHOST OMNIBUS VOL 1
By (W)Eric Luke, (A)Adam Hughes, Terry Dodson, Scott Benefiel, Matt Haley and others.
Published by Dark Horse
$24.95 TPB
Product Code JUN080071
If you`re already dead, you might as well make the best of it. Someone brutally murdered reporter Elisa Cameron, but back from the grave as the spectral avenger Ghost, Elisa intends to find out who killed her and why and grab a double dose of .45-caliber retribution. But Ghost`s journey to the truth follows a dark, twisted path, and the revelations she unearths may lead not to redemption, but damnation. Collects Ghost Special #1, Ghost #1-12 (first series), and `Sweet Things` from Decade of Dark Horse #2.

I fondly rememeber most of Dark Horse's superhero universe back in the 90's and I am pleased that they are reprinting a ton of material from those days. The one that I am most excited for is this volume. The only Ghost stories (hey I made a funny) that I have read were her first appearence and the story that is being reprinted from the Decade of Dark Horse mini series. Ghost is probably the most popular charcter of that universe and I am interested to see why.

I get all my comics, trades and hard covers through Mailordercomics.com. Click on the banner below and you visit their site and you can order these books (and anything else from the June Previews) at huge discounts.




Next month I will return with 2 new columns! I will be posting my normal Beyond the Big 2 but I will also be posting a new column called Beyond the Big 2: Preview Review where I will be reviewing picks that I made in earlier columns. Next month will include Freddie & Me: Coming of Age, Charlatan Ball #1 and Fluffy, a hardcover I ordered a few months ago.

We'll see you on the flip side.