Hot off the Presses!
01/31/2007

Well, after two months of “themed” columns either for Christmas or my recent spotlight on SQP, the Lost Library is back this week to just take a look at some of the great new books from the area of pop culture and comics that have been released recently. My one complaint about my column is that I am only allowed three pictures. I hate posting up a review without a pic (I always feel like I am short-changing the publisher) but heck, I’ve got more than three books to look at so there you are…There isn’t any rhyme or reason to this week’s books, other than I recommend all of them heartily.

Red Sonja Vs.Thulsa Doom collects the 4 issue mini-series from Dynamite Entertainment. Now long-time swords & sorcery fans will want to know that the Thulsa Doom that Sonja faces is NOT the skull-headed adversary of King Kull from the old Marvel Comics’ series, but he is rather the James Earl Jones version from the first Conan film. While this makes for a far less intimidating Thulsa Doom, I applaud the nod to the Conan film. This Thulsa Doom is still seeking the riddle of steel but he’s not overseeing a flock of flower-wearing hippies, but rather a vast army bent on tearing Sonja’s homeland of Hykrania into a wasteland.
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Sonja barely survives an encounter with Doom’s forces, killing many of his fanatical soldiers before escaping with her life. She later encounters an old friend Ozzyus and together they free a band of slaves from their captors. Little do they know that one of the slaves is Doom himself, using his dark sorceries to mask his true identity in order to strike at the heart of Hykrania’s capital, and its lucrative underground mines where he seeks the secret of Hykrania’s legendary steel blades.

Hykrania’s current king is a young lad who is under the thumb of a scheming and controlling Viceroy. Hykrania’s people are on the verge of revolt as they think their king doesn’t care for the people and it’s up to Sonja to unite them against Dooms forces. But do they have the power to defeat doom who can conjure up monstrous pythons at will?

I have to say, as a swords & sorcery fan who loved Sonja back in the days of Frank Thorne at Marvel, it is great to see Sonja back in action and looking sexier than ever. She more than proves a match for any male in battle. The book is written by Peter David and Luke Lieberman. I have to give both men tremendous credit. Often times in swords & sorcery tales, writers tend to go way overboard with the sorcery elements and not pay enough attention to the swords element. Not so in Red Sonja Vs. Thulsa Doom. This is an action-packed, blades-clanging story that doesn’t rely too heavily on magic. Truly in the best tradition of Robert E. Howard.

The art by Will Conrad was absolutely stunning. I’ve always considered Frank Thorne the preeminent Sonja artist but Conrad’s making a strong bid for that spot. His Sonja perfectly blends muscle with sex-appeal. I think it is safe to say that Red Sonja is in good hands at Dynamite Entertainment.

Of Bitter Souls is a trade paperback collecting the first six issues of this series which started at the now defunct Speakeasy Comics and moved to its new home at Markosia Enterprises. The story combines superheroes and the supernatural about as well as I've ever read in comics. Writer Chuck Satterlee gives readers six stories that are all self-contained. They have a beginning and an end, and in this day an age where story arcs and plotlines go on for years at a time, Satterlee's stories are a refreshing change of pace.

Each issue follows the same pattern as the first few pages delve into the dark history of New Orleans and introduce us to tales of ghosts, demons, vampires, etc, setting the stage for that story's adversary. The mysterious priest Father Secord has recruited four trouble people from the streets of the Big Easy: a dirty cop, a crack addict, a prostitute, and a petty thief and gambler. They become his reclamation projects and also become his soldiers. They are given new, biblical names: Sampson, Salome, Jobe, and Magdaline, along with fantastic powers to aid them in their fight against the forces of evil.

They'll encounter threats such as a group of vampires that live in one of New Orleans' famous cemeteries, a boogeyman who carves up his victims with an axe, the ghosts of murderers who were hung at a former prison, and even Lucifer himself. In between, Satterlee explores the background of the four people he's recruited and we get a glimpse into their disturbing pasts. Satterlee fleshes out each of their unique personalities and brings the characters to life. In the final story, we get to learn a little bit about the startling history of Father Secord as well.

Handling the art chores is Norm Breyfogle. Breyfogle is one of those artists who isn't flashy but doesn't need to be. He's been one of the comic book industry's most consistent artists for many years and never draws a bad panel.

The book is also chock-full of extras including cover and pin-up galleries, short stories written by Brian Augustyn and Andrew Foley, and a Breyfogle sketchbook. Markosia really shows how great an independent title can be when placed in the right hands.

For the tenth volume in their Modern Masters series, Tomorrows Publishing has chosen Kevin Maguire as their subject and I could not be happier. Maguire has always been a bit of a mystery to me...you seldom here much about him and interviews have been few and far between. George Khoury and Eric Nolen-Weathington make up for all that with a book-length interview with Maguire and the presentation of a ton of previously unpublished artwork.

After a short stint working under John Romita Sr. in Marvel's art corrections department in the mid-80's, Kevin moved to DC where he was to work on a titled called Wild Card which was later scrapped for legal reasons because of its similar title to George R.R. Martins Sci-Fi anthology series called "Wild Cards." Kevin mentions he had the chance to go back to Marvel to work on Silver Surfer but instead he took Justice League at DC, jumping at the chance to draw Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash...all those classic DC heroes...and instead ended up with Blue Beatle, Booster Gold, Guy Gardner and Maxwell Lord. It turned out to be a match made in Heaven as Maguire, along with Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis turn this title into one of the most popular books of the late 80's with a lighter, more humorous take that may have upset some older fans, but was being eaten up by a younger generation.

The new Justice League was focused as much on the relationships between the various heroes as much as it was battling super foes and Maguire's art with his photo-realistic facial expressions, was perfectly suited for the book's style. It was a memorable two-year stint that breathed new life into a title that had been failing for years. I'd go as far to say that this trio virtually rescued the JLA and are the reason that the book remains popular today, some twenty years later.

Maguire comes across as very reserved, but honest and sincere. Among the other topics he discusses is his Adventures of Captain project that he eventually lost after a few issues when he was late on his deadlines. Kevin has moved from project to project over the years. Whether through choice or circumstance he hasn't stayed for long on any title, which is a shame because he's a tremendously gifted artist.

The last 30 pages of the are a gallery of his work that includes many unpublished pieces. One of my favorites is an alternate take on his famous Justice League #1 group cover that features characters like Daredevil, The Submariner, Hellboy, Big Barda, The Sandman, and Black Bolt.

I've just recently discovered Eric Powell's riotously wicked, noir-ish horror comic, The Goon and I'm kicking myself for coming on board so late. I guess that's what back issues and trade paperbacks are for. The 5th trade paperback volume, Wicked Inclinations is out, and collects issues 14 - 18 of the regular series. Thankfully, Powell has taken newbies like me into account and provides readers with a brief overview of past events that quickly got me up to speed.

The story opens with Goon's ally The Buzzard, the sentry who stands guard over the cemetery, puts the fear of the Almighty Himself into the zombie priest by revealing the Priest's true name. This immediately freaks the Zombie Priest out as he is now desperate to come up with a plan of action to try and reverse his recent defeats. With nearly all his zombies destroyed, Priest performs a horrific sacrifice to an old hag zombie named Mother Corpse.

The Goon and sidekick Franky have their own problems. It seems a gypsy woman has come to town bent on getting revenge on Jalia who runs the tavern where Goon and Franky kick back for a few tall cold ones. The Gypsy wants an engagement ring that belongs to her family after Jalia's cousin reneged on a planned marriage. Goon can offer no aid as he will be cursed himself if he does. That leaves Goon and Franky forced to improvise a solution to the dilemma.

What isn't too love about this book...zombies, demons, gangsters, union busters, guns blazin', fists flyin', and funny as all get out. Eric Powell does it all as far as the main story arc which makes up about 80% of the book. The rest features several Goon short stories written by the likes of Tom Sniegoski and Mike Hawthorne and art by Neil Vokes, Kyle Hotz, and Michael Avon Oeming.

The Goon is one of the most imaginative and original comic books on the market today and as I proved, it's never too late to start reading this fantastic title by Eric Powell and Dark Horse Comics.

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