LOS ANGELES — Gabriel Macht moved from the square-jawed hero of “The Spirit” to another comic-book based role, that of U.N. operative Robert Pryce in “Whiteout,” in theaters now.

“I’ve always been a comic book movie fan,” Macht said at the press conference for “Whiteout” held recently in Los Angeles. “I started reading comics, based on some of the opportunities I’ve gotten in film, and I have a huge respect for illustrators and writers in the comic world. If they’re amazing, it’s a great entertainment. I have a strong appreciation for comics.”

Macht also was excited to be an action figure, which he was turned into based on his role in “The Spirit,” directed by Frank Miller and based on Will Eisner’s comics.

“It’s an incredible moment in your life,” Macht said of having a figure based on him. “If you grew up watching movies and looking at action heroes, you think, ‘Oh, man, maybe I’ll be one of those, one day.’”

While he thought his figure “looked a bit like William Sadler,” another family member had no trouble identifying the “Spirit” star from his action figure visage.

“I’ve been showing my daughter, who’s 2, my action figure,” Macht said. “I’m like, “Who’s that?,” and she looks and says, ‘Daddy.’”

While much of “Whiteout,” which concerns a murder in Antarctica, was shot in below-zero temperatures in Manitoba, Macht said he surprisingly had more problems with heat while filming “Whiteout.”

“The challenges that we came up against were when we shot in the studio,” Macht said. “We were in 80 degree weather, in late spring, early summer, and we were having to wear extreme weather gear. It was probably the hottest set I’ve ever been on, so I was sweating bullets and probably lost 35 pounds, by the end of the movie.”

From Tuesday’s The Oklahoman

The icy wasteland of Antarctica practically becomes a character in “Whiteout,” the mystery thriller based on the graphic novel by Greg Rucka and Steve Lieber.

The “Whiteout” of the title refers to a potentially deadly snowstorm that prevents visibility and can strand even an experienced resident of Antarctica.

Kate Beckinsale (”Underworld”) stars as U.S. Marshal Carrie Stetko, who is nearing the end of her two-year term as the law-enforcement officer of this inhospitable land.

But when a body is found between the U.S. base of Amundsen-Scott and the Russian Vostok base, Carrie is drawn into a mystery. She must race the clock to solve the crime before months of darkness descend upon the South Pole.

Examination of the body by the base’s doctor, Dr. John Fury (Tom Skerritt), reveals it to be that of a geologist named Weiss, who had been studying meteorites in a remote area.

His injuries lead Carrie to believe his death was a murder.

After getting a message from one of Weiss’ colleagues, Carrie makes her way to the Vostok base, along with a pilot, Delfy (played by Columbus Short).

Like the terrain, Carrie’s demeanor can become icy. Even after two years, she hasn’t resolved in her mind the events that brought her to Antarctica. She’s also not quick to trust, questioning the appearance of United Nations investigator Robert Pryce (Gabriel Macht) at the Vostok base.

Despite mysterious attacks, Carrie crisscrosses the dangerous land looking for clues that will lead her to the killer.

Where the movie is at its most successful is bringing home the raw danger of the frigid cold.

Unfortunately, the mystery doesn’t completely hang together, and the villains aren’t given a chance to attain much depth.

Movie Review

“Whiteout”|

R/ 1:46/ 2 stars

Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Gabriel Macht, Columbus Short, Alex O’Loughlin, Shawn Doyle.

(Violence, grisly images, brief strong language and some nudity.)

— Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

LOS ANGELES — A U.S. Marshal investigating a murder at the bottom of the world is the premise of “Whiteout,” the graphic novel by Greg Rucka and Steve Lieber, which was adapted into a motion picture starring Kate Beckinsale.

The comic-book limited series “Whiteout” from Oni Press was a big success in late 1990s. The sequel, “Whiteout: Melt,” nabbed the Eisner Award for best limited series.

At the press conference for the film “Whiteout,” Rucka said it’s an honor to see his creation make the jump to the silver screen, as a lot of comic books and graphic novels never make that jump.

“I’m still in awed shock that it made it this far, honestly,” Rucka said. “Steve Lieber and I created a comic to tell the story we wanted to tell. … All you can really be is incredibly flattered that this idea that you created in one format, because that was the format that you were working in, is something that somebody wants to take the time and the effort to translate.”

This month, Rucka’s moving from the icy wasteland of “Whiteout” to the heated action of “The Hunt for Reactron.”

The four-part crossover between “Action Comics” and “Supergirl” follows the “Codename: Patriot” storyline and features Supergirl, Nightwing and Flamebird on the hunt for Reactron, the villain who killed Supergirl’s father, Zor-El.

Supergirl and Flamebird, best friends in childhood, have been at odds since Zor-El’s death. But both want the man who killed Zor-El brought to justice. This Nightwing isn’t Dick Grayson, but is Chris Kent, Superman’s adopted son.

Rucka is co-writing the crossover with “Supergirl” writer Sterling Gates, a University of Oklahoma graduate.

“Sterling is fantastic, he’s a great collaborator,” Rucka said at the “Whiteout” film junket. “I’m loving writing with Sterling. He and I are doing two issues of ‘Action’ (and) two issues of ‘Supergirl’ together.”

The crossover begins in Wednesday’s “Action Comics” 881 and continues in “Supergirl” 45, on sale Sept. 23. The story concludes in October’s issues of “Action Comics” and “Supergirl.”

- By Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

LOS ANGELES

At news conferences in Los Angeles, where it was ironically warmer than usual, Beckinsale said the weather gave the cast and crew something to bond over.

Gabriel Macht as Robert Pryce in Warner Bros. Pictures and Dark Castle Entertainment's action thriller "Whiteout," a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

“There’s something about it being so extreme … there’s something very bonding about it,” Beckinsale said. “It turned out to be a mutual point of contact where everybody could complain about it.”

Beckinsale plays U.S. Marshal Carrie Stetko, stationed at the Amundsen-Scott base near the South Pole in Antarctica. She’s trying to track down a killer as six months of winter near at the station.

While the film couldn’t be shot in Antarctica, a frozen lake outside Gimli, Manitoba, doubled for the location. And temperatures there were below zero almost the entire time during filming.

Beckinsale said the level of cold outside Gimli was a shock to her system the first day of filming there.

“That very first day coming out of the trailer, I was worried that I wasn’t going to be able to speak at all, (or) say a line, ever,” she said. “Because my whole throat closed on that first breath.”

The South Pole was reconstructed on four feet of ice atop the lake.

“We really worked hard to make it feel like you were there,” producer Joel Silver said.

Kate Beckinsale as Carrie Stetko in Warner Bros. Pictures' and Dark Castle Entertainment's action thriller "Whiteout," a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

Beckinsale has done action before, in the “Underworld” series and in “Van Helsing.” But she said the cold made shooting the action sequences even more difficult.

“It was a lot more intense actually, because we were all worried we were going to die of hypothermia every other second,” she said. “It’s a woman in an extreme situation with

extreme weather.”

The film is based on the Oni Press graphic novel by Greg Rucka and Steve Lieber. Beckinsale said she’s not the comic-book reader of her family, but she respects the medium.

“I married a comic-book fan; I know what a comic-book fan is. So, I couldn’t say I was one. I used to get comics, but my husband … it’s a whole different world,” she said. “And my daughter’s into comic books. … They will go to the comic store together. I just can’t compete with their level of obsession. But I respect it, I marry it, and I live with it.”

Her husband, Len Wiseman, directed the first two of the three “Underworld” films. Rumors came out last month of a possible second trilogy, but Beckinsale denied she’d signed on.

“Three whole more?” she said. “I don’t think my daughter needs to see my bottom in rubber for another 10 years.”

By Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

Check out the trailer to Whiteout, directed by Dominic Sena and set for release on Sept. 11, 2009. The film stars Kate Beckinsale and is based on the Greg Rucka-Steve Lieber graphic novel from Oni Press.

SAN DIEGO — Oni Press announced a new miniseries to be co-written by Rashida Jones (The Office, Parks and Recreation).  Frenemy of the State, co-written by Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir, will follow an heiress who is working for the CIA.  Jones co-created the series and will co-write with  Nunzio DeFilippis (Past Lies), and Christina Weir (Past Lies).

Other Oni notes:

* Greg Rucka’s long-awaited “Stumptown” is scheduled to premiere in October.

* Polly & the Pirates will return, still written by Ted Naifeh, but with new artist Robbi Rodriguez (Stephen Colbert’s Tek Jansen, Maintenance)

* Jamie S. Rich is creating a new graphic novel, called “Spell Checkers,” described as “Mean Girls with Magic.”

* The “Damned” creative team of Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt will create a supernatural Western called “6th Gun.”

* A new historical fiction graphic novel called “Petrograd” will explore the death of Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin.

Video blog from Edgar Wright on the training the actors are doing on “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.” Wright points out this film has three things that are difficult to do by themselves — music, action, and comedy — and “Scott Pilgrim” attempts them all.

- Matt Price

I think Andi Watson is one of the great, underrated comic-book creators of the past decade.   For a while there, it was if he was writing comics just for me: the screwball-inspired newspaper comedy “Slow News Day,” the superhero relationship drama “Love Fights,” and “Little Star,” possibly the best graphic novel ever written about parenting.   All of those were written and drawn by Watson, who moved from a manga-influenced style in his first comics, “Samurai Jam” and “Skeleton Key,” to a more European-influenced design in “Geisha,” which came out from Oni Press.

You can see a recent project of Watson’s, “Great Uncle George’s Will,” at Tor.com.

 I talked to Andi in 2001, as he was working on “Slow News Day” and “Breakfast After Noon,” an Eisner-nominated tale of unemployment.

Nearly everyone has had to deal with losing a job. Andi Watson, writer/artist of “Geisha,” explores the life of a suddenly out-of-work couple in the Eisner-nominated “Breakfast After Noon.”

Rob and Louise are engaged to be married when they both lose their jobs at a British factory.

“Breakfast After Noon” follows the different reactions they have to being laid off and the pressure it puts on their relationship.

While Louise returns to school, Rob refuses to give up on getting his job back – until the company shuts down.

“It’s about the decline of the manufacturing industry, the effect of unemployment on a life, love, work, money and social change,” Watson said.

“I started with the desire to try and capture what it feels like and what happens to someone without a job,” he said. “There is a stigma attached; there is an effect on self-esteem. … Most people want to work. It goes beyond the financial and into the moral. Most of us want to feel we’re of use to the world, we do something – being on the dole is not easy. People who say that usually haven’t been unemployed.”

The 308-page graphic novel “Breakfast After Noon” is available for $19.95 from Oni Press.

Another project of Watson’s is the screwball comedy “Slow News Day.”

“Slow News Day” follows California reporter Katharine Washington to her new job at a regional newspaper in England, the Wheatstone Mercury. The Mercury is undergoing changes, which have left it with one full-time reporter, Owen Holmes.

“Together they cover all the strange little stories that you see in local newspapers: school football teams, injured turkeys, lost hamsters,” Watson said. “It’s about the differences in the U.S. and U.K., personal and professional relationships, success, ambition, and parents and children.”

Watson said the idea for “Slow News Day” stemmed from his love of 1930s comedies.

“Slow News Day” is a six-issue miniseries from Slave Labor Graphics. The first issue is now available.

Watson, who has been nominated for two Eisner awards, broke into comics with “Samurai Jam,” a skateboarding comic.

Watson was the writer of Dark Horse’s “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” for two years.

“Company-controlled stuff is, as the name says, company-controlled,” Watson said. “It’s not like there’s one boss; there are several all with differing views of what the franchise is and how it should be translated into comics.

“With my own projects I do things exactly how I want them to be done. It’s my personal vision and is in my control from writing through to coloring the covers,” Watson said. “That’s one of the great things about doing your own comics; it’s your story, and no one can tell you if it’s right or wrong.”

– Matthew Price
From the July 27, 2001, issue of The Oklahoman

Michael Cera stars in the upcoming film adaptation of the graphic novel ” Scott Pilgrim.” Matt Price and Kyle Roberts discuss the graphic novel series and film.

Oni Press booth at Comic-Con International.

Over at Newsarama, get a full rundown of the Oni Press panel at Comic-Con International. Oni is one of my favorite publishers, on a personal note, and I’m excited about their lineup. From the article:

(Oni’s James Lucas) Jones also said Oni is working on a “new floppy comics initiative” that will debut next spring with several color monthly series. Those series include Stumptown, the Greg Rucka-written private investigator series that was announced in San Diego last year; Resurrection, which ends its black and white run with issue #6 and starts up again next year in color; and a new title called Bad Medicine by Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir. Jones said the initiative would include a few other books they weren’t ready to announce.

A few comics that aren’t out yet from Oni are already in the process of becoming movies: “Billy Smoke,” written by B. Clay Moore, and the fantasy-comedy “The Return of King Doug.”

– Matt Price

Wright says: “I wrote that for Marvel and I’m in the process of doing a second draft. I had a lot of fun writing that script, I wrote it with this guy Joe Cornish, who is a really funny UK writer. It’s not really an out-and-out comedy. I think some people assume that it must be a spoof, but it’s not really. I guess it’s as funny as something like Iron Man is, it’s on that level of entertainment, really. It’s a big, high concept, special effects comic book adaptation, and very character-led and we found a way of… I guess in a similar way to Iron Man, the thing that worked with that and hopefully will with this is that it’s a different way of seeing a superhero origin, because you’ve seen so many of them and we really tried to figure out a fresh take on that story. So it’s definitely a Marvel film but it’s got a little twist on it in terms of the way that it plays out.”

– Matt Price

 – Matt Price

“Most of the first book appears in the film…near verbatim” O’Malley said, who notes production is scheduled to begin in September.

– Matt Price

The return of Valiant Comics’ X-O Manowar is this week, with a hardcover collecting his earliest adventures, along with a new story.  Josh Howard collects his three Dead@17 miniseries into one compendium with some new artwork.  “Countdown” wraps up with “Countdown to Final Crisis” No. 1.   And the Winchester brothers return to comics with “Supernatural: Rising Son” No. 1.   Full commentary and list after the break.

1001 ARABIAN NIGHTS ADVENTURES OF SINBAD #0 (MR)

ARMY OF DARKNESS XENA WHY NOT #2 (OF 4) (MR)

BART SIMPSON COMICS #41

BATMAN #675

BETTY & VERONICA #235

BIRDS OF PREY #117

CHECKMATE #25

CONAN LEGACY FRAZETTA COVERS #2 (OF GOD IN THE BOWL

COUNTDOWN TO FINAL CRISIS 1

DARKNESS VS EVA #2 (OF 4) (MR)

DEATH OF THE NEW GODS #8 (OF

DRAGONLANCE CHRONICLES VOL 3 ROBERTS CVR A #10 (OF 12)

DYNAMO 5 #12

EVERYBODYS DEAD #2

FABLES #72 (MR)

FALL OF CTHULHU #11 CVR A

FALL OF CTHULHU #11 CVR B

FALLEN ANGEL IDW #26 (MR)

GENE SIMMONS ZIPPER #5

GODLAND #22

GOOD & EVIL #3 PART 1 THE BEGINNING

HACK SLASH SERIES #11 MCKELVIE CVR B (MR)

HACK SLASH SERIES #11 SEELEY CVR A (MR)

HULK #3

HULK #3 FINCH VAR

HULK VS HERCULES WHEN TITANS COLLIDE

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF

MAC BOLAN THE EXECUTIONER DEVILS TOOLS #1 (OF 5)

MARVEL ADVENTURES FANTASTIC FOUR #35

MARVEL ILLUSTRATED PICTURE DORIAN GRAY #5 (OF 6)

MICE TEMPLAR #4

MIGHTY AVENGERS #12 SI

MS MARVEL #26 SII

NEOZOIC #4

NEW EXILES #5

NORTHLANDERS #5 (MR)

NUMBER OF THE BEAST #2 (OF 6)

NUMBER OF THE BEAST #2 (OF 6) VAR ED

POWER PACK DAY ONE #2 (OF 4)

RETURN O/T GREMLINS #2 (OF 3) (RES)

SADHU WHEEL OF DESTINY #1 (OF 5) (MR) (C: 0-0-1)

SCOOBY DOO #131

SECRET HISTORY THE AUTHORITY HAWKSMOOR #2 (OF 6)

SHADOWPACT #24

SHE-HULK 2 #28

SIMPSONS CLASSICS #16

SONIC X #32

SPAWN #177

SPAWN GODSLAYER #8

SPIRIT #16

ST TNG INTELLIGENCE GATHERING #4 (OF 5)

STAR TREK NEW FRONTIER #2

STAR WARS DARK TIMES #10 (C: 1-0-0)

STAR WARS KNIGHTS OF

STAR WARS LEGACY #22 (C: 1-0-0)

SUPER FRIENDS #2

SUPERMAN BATMAN #47

SUPERNATURAL RISING SON #1 (OF 6)
DCComics.com says: Picking up several years after Supernatural: Origins, the boys are now old enough to join John on his cross-country “hunting trips.” Amid the carnage and violence, John’s seeking something specific: any information on why his wife was murdered.

SUPERNATURAL RISING SON #1 (OF 6) VAR ED

TALES OF TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #45

THOR #8
Danger finds Thor in the Oklahoma heartland in this second of a two-part story arc by writer J. Michael Straczynski and artist Marko Djurdjevic.

TRANSFORMERS SPOTLIGHT GRIMLOCK

ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #53

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #121

UNCANNY X-MEN #497 DWS

WITCHBLADE #117 ROSS CVR B

Top Cow says: Dani meets a handsome stranger who sweeps her off her feet. But Sara’s police instincts kick in and she suspects there is more to Dani’s new paramour than meets the eye.

WITCHBLADE #117 SEJIC CVR A

WOLVERINE FIRST CLASS #2
The first issue was a fun launch for an all-ages Wolverine title.  Kitty provides a birthday surprise for Wolverine — but what she doesn’t realize is that Sabretooth is planning to crash the party.

WORMWOOD CALAMARI RISING #4

X-FORCE #3 DWS

X-MEN FIRST CLASS VOL 2 #11

YOUNG AVENGERS PRESENTS #4 (OF 6)

GRAPHIC NOVELS

AVENGERS TP KREE SKRULL WAR NEW PTG
The classic cosmic tale with art by Neal Adams.  Should be especially important as “Secret Invasion” heats up.

BATMAN CHRONICLES TP VOL 05

BEAU SMITHS NO GUTS NO GLORY TP (RES) (C: 0-1-2)

COMPLETE TERRY AND THE PIRATES HC VOL 03 1939-1940
If you haven’t looked at this artwork, you’re missing out.

DAREDEVIL TP VOL 02 HELL TO PAY

DEAD AT 17 TP COMPENDIUM ED (MR) (C: 0-1-2)
Featuring all three original miniseries with new and retouched art.

DEADPOOL CLASSIC TP VOL 1
Collecting the Joe Kelly comics recently named one of the top 100 comic book runs of all time by Comic Book Resources.

DEADPOOL VS MARVEL UNIVERSE TP

HAUNTED MANSION HC VOL 01 WELCOME FOOLISH MORTAL

JOHNNY DELGADO IS DEAD TP VOL 01

JONAH HEX TP VOL 04 ONLY THE GOOD DIE YOUNG

JSA HC VOL 02 THY KINGDOM COME PART 1

LIVING WITH THE DEAD TP (C: 0-1-2)

LOVE THE WAY YOU LOVE SIDE A TP

QUEEN & COUNTRY DEFINITIVE EDITION TP VOL 02

Greg Rucka’s top-notch spy strip gets collected in new, smaller-size paperbacks.

SPEED RACER CHRONICLES OF THE RACER TP

SUPREME SET RETURN & STORY O/T YEAR PX LEATHER ED (C: 0-1-2

TEAM ZERO TP

X-MEN TP EMPEROR VULCAN

X-O MANOWAR BIRTH HC

Collects issues 0-6 and a new story by Bob Layton.

“Yes, I’m quite happy about this; no, it doesn’t mean a movie will actually get made any time soon. But here’s hoping, because that’s some pretty awesome casting.”

– Matt Price

From the Hollywood Reporter: Written by Greg Erb and Jason Oremland, “King” centers on a man who must return to the fantasy world which he abandoned 30 years earlier. Erb and Oremland will also write the screenplay.

“Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life” is based on the graphic novel by Bryan Lee O’Malley, in which a twentysomething slacker must battle his new girlfriend’s seven evil ex-boyfriends to win her hand.

– Matt Price 

Oni has announced a new series of all-ages graphic novels from Matthew Loux, the writer-artist of “Sidescrollers.”

“Salt Water Taffy: The Seaside Adventures of Jack and Benny” is described as an all-ages romp in the vein of “The Goonies” and “Bone.”   The book will be published quarterly and follow the adventures of brothers Jack and Benny in the small town of Chowder Bay.

From Oni: Jack and Benny are two young brothers on vacation in Chowder Bay, Maine for the entire summer.  With no television or batteries for his Gameboy, Jack couldn’t be more bored.  But when Benny, the youngest of the pair, spots a dark, indistinguishable shape creeping toward the ocean, the boys’ curiosity has them chasing one of Chowder Bay’s oldest legends. What exactly did Benny see? And what does it have to do with the recent rash of taffy thefts plaguing Dr. True’s sweet shop? Maybe the Putnam summer home won’t be as boring as the brothers feared! With surly old fisherman, sea monsters, warring seagulls, civil war ghosts, giant kleptomaniac eagles and mysteries around every corner–Chowder Bay may not just be the strangest place Jack and Benny have ever been to, it might be one of the strangest on Earth!

The first book of the series, “The Legend of Old Salty”, introduces us to the characters, the town, and one of the great mysteries involving giant lobsters, crustacean labor politics, and Jack and Benny’s newfound addiction to Dr. True’s salt water taffy!

“Matthew Loux’s SALT WATER TAFFY captures the childhood spirit of discovery and imagination in a world where video games and television are the dominant media,” explains James Lucas Jones, Oni Press’s editor in chief.  “And in this world they find that passive entertainment can’t hold a candle to the genuine adventure and fun that comes from exploring the mysteries of this enigmatic seaside town.”

“One of the things we are really excited about is the value this series will present to readers,” says publisher Joe Nozemack.  “Each volume will be 96 pages for only $5.95.  That’s over four issues worth of content for the price of just two!”

Matthew’s previous graphic novel, SIDESCROLLERS, was named one of the prestigious Top Ten Great Graphic Novels for Teens by The Young Adult Library Services Association (a division of the American Library Association).  He carries over the same cartooning prowess that he demonstrated in his previous effort to a younger audience.

SALT WATER TAFF: THE SEASIDE ADVENTURES OF JACK & BENNY, Vol. 1 is listed in the current PREVIEWS and will ship to comic book stores May 7th, 2008. 

It is a 96 page black-and-white graphic novel for $5.95.

From Oni:

This spring Oni Press is picking up the sword and shield and heading out for adventure with NORTH WORLD, BOOK 1: THE EPIC OF CONRAD, a new original graphic novel series from cartoonist and webcomicker Lars Brown! Part LORD OF THE RINGS and part GROSS POINTE BLANK, NORTH WORLD is a fantasy epic that has already enjoyed critical success as a webcomic (www.north-world.com) and now joins such Internet stalwarts as MEGATOKYO, PVP, PENNY ARCADE, and PERRY BIBLE FELLOWSHIP in moving to print with an already established audience in tow.

“NORTH WORLD is one of those books that just felt right for us,” said editor James Lucas Jones. “Lars’ sensibilities, both in terms of artistic style and storytelling, fit in line wonderfully with our own and while he’s tackling a genre that people don’t immediately associate with Oni Press, he’s exploring it in a way that is right up our alley.” 

North World really isn’t that different from our own… the biggest difference is the presence of mythical monsters, talking bears, arcane arts, and, of course, the heroes who stand ready to defend the innocent and helpless from these extraordinary threats! Conrad is one such hero and he’s about to experience something scarier than any of the mighty beasts he’s faced down — his ex-girlfriend’s wedding!

NORTH WORLD adds to the impressive catalog of OniGNs—original graphic novels from veteran comic publisher Oni Press that explore a variety of themes and genres. It joins books from critically acclaimed creators like Bryan Lee O’Malley, Vasilis Lolos, Ande Parks, and Rick Spears & Chuck BB. 

“With an already-established fan-base from his NORTH WORLD webcomic and a unique take on the ’swords & sorcery’ genre,” added Jones, “We’re confident that NORTH WORLD will appeal to both mainstream comic fans as well as the more casual sequential art readers looking for something both fun and different.”

NORTH WORLD, BOOK 1: THE EPIC OF CONRAD is a 152 page black-and-white graphic novel for $11.95. The digest-sized volume that’s rated “T for Teen”. It ships to comic book stores this March.

1.       Scott Pilgrim Gets it Together by Bryan Lee O’Malley (Oni Press)

Scott Pilgrim, the slacker twentysomething musician, must still battle his new girlfriend Ramona’s ex-lovers in this fourth volume of the “Scott Pilgrim” series.  This pioneering “arcade logic” series is the perfect hybrid of action and romance in a post-videogame, post-manga world.

2.       Exit Wounds by Rutu Modan (Drawn and Quarterly)

Israeli cab driver Koby Franco is drawn into a mystery when his father’s ex-girlfriend Nuni contacts him. She wants to search for Koby’s father, who she says may have been killed in a terrorist attack. Koby’s search for his father becomes a search for himself, as Motan examines modern
Israel in this evocative graphic novel. 

3.       First in Space by James Vining (Oni Press)

“First in Space” is based on the true story of Ham, a chimpanzee trained by NASA to make the first sub-orbital space flight.  Well-researched and compelling, “First in Space” is suitable for all ages.

4.       All-Star Superman vol. 1 by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely (DC Comics)

Morrison and Quitely capture the charm of comics’ Silver Age with their take on Superman, a Man of Steel who creates Superman robots, and whose best pal Jimmy Olsen finds himself gaining strange powers.  Several story tropes from the 1960s come full circle, as Morrison boils them down to their essence and represents them with modern flair.

5.       The Homeless Channel by Matt Silady (AiT-Planet Lar)

Network exec Darcy Shaw thinks “The Homeless Channel” will both draw attention to the homeless plight, and be a good way to make some money, taking reality television to the next level.

Aaron Sorkin-like dialogue and art reminiscent of an early Brian Michael Bendis make “The Homeless Channel” a noteworthy debut.

6.       Shortcomings by Adrian Tomine (Drawn and Quarterly)
Ben Tanaka is an abrasive
San Francisco theater owner who obsesses over white girls; this doesn’t help his relationship with his Asian-American activist girlfriend Miko.  An interesting look at race and sex through the lens of an intimate graphic novel. 

7.       League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier by Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill (DC Comics/WildStorm/ABC)

Something of a sourcebook gone mad,
Moore explores the history of his “League of Extraordinary Gentlemen” concept, featuring heroes and villains from throughout literature.

8.       Shazam: Monster Society of Evil by Jeff Smith (DC Comics)

Jeff Smith captures the charm and wit of the 1940s Captain Marvel stories, recaptured for modern audiences.

9.       Astronaut Dad vol. 1 by David Hopkins and Brent Schoonover (Silent Devil)

David Hopkins looks at the children of astronaut reservists in the 1960s, making the space race more personal. 

10.    Nothing Better: No Place Like Home by Tyler Page (Dementian)Tyler Page (“Stylish Vittles”) takes his Web comic to graphic novel format in “Nothing Better,” which examines two mismatched roommates at a Lutheran college. “Nothing Better” is reminiscent of “Strangers in Paradise” and “Blankets,” with engaging characters and fresh art.

1.      Captain America — All Captain America had to do to have the best comic on the stands was get killed.  In “Captain America” No. 25, writer Ed Brubaker drew the attention of the nation by killing Cap.  Since the Captain’s death, the story has continued to be compelling, as Captain America’s friends and allies investigate his death.  In January, someone new will take the mantle of Captain America.

2.      Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8 — Joss Whedon continues his critically acclaimed television series “Buffy: The Vampire Slayer” in comic-book format.  With arcs written by Whedon and Brian K. Vaughan (“Y: The Last Man,” TV’s “Lost”), “Season 8” captures the wit and action of the television series, with a much lower budget. 

3.      The Sinestro Corps War  —  Geoff Johns and company showed the world how to do a superhero crossover with “Sinestro Corps War,” which ran through “Green Lantern,” “Green Lantern Corps” and four specials.   The Green Lanterns, an intergalactic peacekeeping force, find themselves stretched to their limit when Sinestro, a former Green Lantern, creates his own corps, dedicated to spreading fear throughout the galaxy.

4.      Y: The Last Man — Vaughan’s long-running saga about the last male left on earth after a plague remains one of the best science-fiction dramas of recent years.  Questions are answered and destinies uncovered as the series, drawn by Pia Guerra, heads toward its finish. (The final issue, No. 60, is set for a January release.)

5.      Local — While Brian Wood’s “Local” suffered from some delays, the issues that did hit stores were among the best of the year.  With artist Ryan Kelly, Wood explores life across the United States as each issue takes place in a different city.  “Local” No. 9, set in Norman, features main character Megan McKeenan dealing with the death of a parent.

6.      Strangers in Paradise  —  Writer-artist Terry Moore, one of the last of the 1990s self-publishers still standing, completed his epic about love and relationships, “Strangers in Paradise,” in 2007.

7.      Action Comics —  Johns and co-writer Richard Donner (director of “Superman: The Movie”) wrote an epic tale featuring the Kryptonian villains Zod, Ursa, and Non  —  and introduced a new supporting character to the Superman mythos.   With artist Eric Powell (“The Goon”), Donner and Johns reinterpreted the Bizarro World.  And, with artist Gary Frank, Johns took Superman to the future to meet up with the Legion of Super-Heroes.

8.      Booster Gold  — Spinning out of the year-long DC hit “52,” “Booster Gold” brings depth and adventure to a hero created in the 1980s that many would have assumed was played out.  Booster Gold was known in his initial incarnation for seeking fast fame and corporate sponsors, but after the events of “52,” Booster is now the only hero who can prevent certain calamities from happening to the timeline.  However, he has to continue to most to seem the same cocky jerk he was prior to the events of “52.” The book is co-written by Jeff Katz and Johns, with art by the creator of Booster Gold, Dan Jurgens.  Sort of a superhero “Quantum Leap,” Booster is motivated to try to save his best friend from death  —  but must first work with time-traveler Rip Hunter in his quest to stop disastrous events throughout time.

9.      The Brave and the Bold — Writer Mark Waid and artist George Perez create the retro blast of fun that is “Brave and Bold,” teaming up DC heroes to solve mysteries and fight crime.

10.  The Immortal Iron Fist — Brubaker and Matt Fraction, with artist David Aja, revamp Marvel’s 1970s martial arts hero Iron Fist.  The first storyline examines the history of the power known as the Iron Fist, and how it fell to hero Danny Rand, the latest in a line of warriors to wield it.

– Matt Price

Book description from Oni:

Johnny Boyo could have had it all. Women. Money. Fame. As one of the premiere chefs in the galaxy, Johnny’s culinary skills could have made him a star. So with everything he ever dreamed of his for the taking, why would Johnny leave it all behind to become a space trucker? Not even Citrus Watts, the girl he left behind, knows for sure. With the sizzle of life in the kitchen behind him, things were going okay for Johnny. Now after years out of the catering scene, Johnny and his pal Deacon are about to find themselves in water hotter than anything they’ve ever seen before!

Johnny will once again have to pick up the whisk and skillet, but will his eroded skills be enough to get them out of the craziest cook-off in the Universe?

Chris’s Invincible Super-Blog says the following:

It’s Stokoe’s practice of just bombarding the reader with idea after idea after idea like the target of a unrelenting high-concept machine-gun. Within the first third of the book, you’ve got Space Ninjas, sentient spices, angry redneck pandas, secret alien cooking techniques, and a dozen other great throwaway gags that Stokoe uses to keep the story moving. Heck, there’s even a part where someone’s constructing a catapult designed to throw planets into each other, and that only gets mentioned in passing!

I mean really, you guys: There’s a character in this comic with an extra robot hand, and I’m almost positive that its only function is giving high fives.

Chris mentions the plot is thin, but that doesn’t keep the book, published by Oni Press, from being great fun, and I agree. If you have a chance, give “Wonton Soup” a look.

— Matt Price