Once again BOOM! Studios have stepped up to the task of bringing the Disney Afternoon back to life. Following on the webbed heels of their successful Darkwing Duck comic book series, now comes the full-color return of Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Rescue Rangers, written by Ian Brill and illustrated by Leonel Castellani. You can see a preview of this new series, as well as the various alternate covers for the first issue, at BOOM! Studio’s web site.
Comic Book News
The Adventures of Pug Davis
Pug Davis is a very strange, successful, and popular web comic written and illustrated by Rebecca Sugar. She’s already on her third “issue” (read: story arc), and now the first two have been released as a single-volume black & white trade paperback by Albatross Exploding Funny Books (what a name!). The story concerns a famously dangerous space adventurer known as Pug Davis: Gruff, grouchy, conservative, politically incorrect… Maybe it’s got something to do with the fact he’s got the face of a cute little pug dog, complete with bright and shiny little puppy-eyes. He and his companion, an optimistic and unashamedly gay human known as “Blouse”, travel the galaxy together — one looking to make friends and find a home, one looking to bash some heads. The Web Comic Overlook site has a much more detailed review and explanation of it all… but afterward, it still won’t all make sense!
The Age of Reptiles Omnibus
It may seem only sideways anthropomorphic, but Ricardo Delgado’s Age of Reptiles comic book series earns a place here by virtue of its viewpoint: Life seen through the eyes of dinosaurs, and many species of dinosaurs at that. Besides, Ricardo Delgado himself was a guest speaker at several early furry fandom conventions! Now Dark Horse Comics is releasing the Age of Reptiles Omnibus, collecting the long out-of-print Age of Reptiles original series, the Age of Reptiles: The Hunt follow-up, and the never-before-collected third series, Age of Reptiles: The Journey. It’s a full-color trade paperback, and it’s coming to stores this February.
BOOM Go the Ducks
Boom! Studios have two new Disney-Duck-related items on the shelves at your local comic book store right now. Darkwing Duck Volume 1: The Duck Knight Returns brings together the first Darkwing Duck story arc in a single full-color trade paperback, written by Ian Brill and illustrated by James Silvani. The people of St. Canard have grown worried when their loyal protector, “the terror that flaps in the night”, hasn’t been seen in more than a year… and evil is on the rise again. Is it time for the Duck Knight to rise again too? Meanwhile, readers looking for more of Don Rosa’s The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck should look for the new hardcover, The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck Companion. It features “the pre-chapters, the post-chapters, and the in-between chapters” of Don Rosa’s sought-after work. You can find out more about both of these at Boom! Studio’s web site.
He’s a Giant CHICKEN I tell ya!
Elmer is… well, he’s a rooster. That talks. And wears a suit. Here, maybe we should let writer and artist Gerry Alanguilan explain it, like he does on the Elmer web site: “Elmer is a window into an alternate Earth where chickens have suddenly acquired the intelligence and consciousness of humans, where they consider themselves a race no different from whites, browns or blacks, and push to recognize rights for themselves as the newest members of the human race. Elmer tells the story of a family of chickens who live and struggle to survive in a suddenly complicated, dangerous and yet beautiful world. Elmer was originally released in four issues from June 2006 to November 2008, and as a trade paperback in October 2009, published by Komikero Publishing.” Now this black & white series has finally been released in North America by Slave Labor Graphics.
image c. 2010 Gerry Alanguilan
The Mice Templars’ 2nd Sketchbook
Victor Santos has been making a name for himself as the lead artist for the popular Mice Templar comic book series from Image Comics. Now Image presents The Mice Templar Sketchbook II, presenting all new art and characters for the series — in black & white and full color. It also includes a brand new Mice Templar short story written by Bryan Glass and series creator Michael Avon Oeming. It’s on the shelves now.
Fire Breather vs. Dragon Prince
Just in time for the Fire Breather CGI movie on Cartoon Network comes the Fire Breather vs. Dragon Prince one-shot full-color graphic novel from Image Comics. It seems that both boys, each a human son with an inhuman monstrous parent, have discovered that something monstrous is killing visitors to an isolated mountain lake, and only their combined strength has a chance of defeating it. Trouble is, what happens when this strangely seductive evil turns our semi-scaly heroes against each other? You can find out now, thanks to writers Phil Hester and Ron Marz, and artists Samuin Patel, Andy Kuhn, and Jeff Johnson.
Image c. 2010 Image Comics
WOW, Worgen!
Furry fans into the World of Warcraft game and its story background might want to check out the new World of Warcraft: Curse of the Worgen comic book mini-series, published by the Wildstorm imprint of DC Comics. For those who don’t play the game, according to WOW-Wiki: “Worgen are large, lupine humanoids reminiscent of a werewolf that walks upright, but lopes on all fours to run.” The five-issue comic book, exploring the mysteries of the Worgen and where they came from, was written by Micky Neilson and James Waugh. The full-color art was created by Ludo Lullabi, Tony Washington, and John Polidora. The first issue is on sale now.
The Origin of Fish’n’Chips
Steve Hamaker (best known as the colorist for some issues of the comic Bone) created a rather strange superhero comic known as Fish ‘n’ Chips. Now Cartoon Books brings together the first issues in a full-color trade paperback, Fish ‘n’ Chips Volume 1. Here’s how they describe it: “Solomon City is under attack by vampyres, and the only people willing to stand in their way are a telekinetic goldfish with a robotic body and a lightning-charged cat! Don’t miss the origin story of the superhero team of Jaxer ‘Fish’ and Clave ‘Chips’! Exclusive pin-up gallery features new works by James Kochalka, Alex Robinson, Andy Runton, David Petersen, and Kazu Kibuishi.” The graphic novel is available now on Steve Hamaker’s web site.
