Waiting for Wednesday, Volume 2, Issue 45

Another week, another Waiting for. I’m in need of a little Wednesday this week, as Monday and Tuesday dragged on and on, and I feel like I haven’t read a comic book in a month.

But before we get to the new books, I wanted to mention the nice little surprise I got last night when I fired up my iTunes account.

I’m a fan of podcasts in general, and there’s a steady rotation of 5 or 6 shows that I listen to throughout each week. At the top of that list is Around Comics, the excellent pod hosted by Chris Neseman and based out of Dark Tower Comics in Chicago.

The show featured frequent guests from all over the world of comics--including creators Tim Seeley and Mike Norton--and interviews with people like Denny O'Neil, John Byrne, and Eric Powell.

Sadly, AC went by the wayside earlier this year, as the gang decided to hang up the mics and say goodbye. They sent the show off in style, taping a marathon of an episode filled with special comics guests.

So, last night, as I waited for iTunes to update my new podcasts for the week, I noticed that Around Comics popped up in my queue. Strange, I thought, but figured maybe it was downloading an old episode that I had missed.

Nope, wrong again, Bucky. As it turns out, it wasn’t such a long goodbye for Around Comics, after all.

The November, 2010 episode—which clocks in at well over two hours, by the way—is up and ready for download. I started listening to it this morning on the treadmill, and so far it’s filled with Walking Dead talk and an interesting discussion about comics being adapted to film, and vice versa.

By the time the two-plus hours are up, though, I’m willing to bet there will be several tangents and digressions into randomness. And they’ll be great.

I missed AC, and I’m happy they’re back.

So if you’re interested, check them out right here, or on iTunes. This episode is the perfect way to dive into the show and to meet the panelists. As their tag line reads, they talk about everything "in and around comics" and comics culture, so really all kinds of dorky endeavors are fair game.

The pod is uncensored, and there’s drinking involved, so be prepared for some hijinks (or, if you’d prefer, shenanigans), as well. But certainly check it out, because for all the cries that there’s no real "journalism" in the world of comics these days, podcasts are leading the way with creator interviews and breaking news items.

So, yeah. Go. Download.

For now, though, let’s get to the new comics. First up is a book from Image that I actually pre-ordered from Diamond. Which is a big deal for me, because I usually manage to lose my copy of Previews before the due date back to the store.

(Which reminds me...the latest order is due today, and the book is still in my trunk.)

Image has been on fire lately, with instant sell outs in Chew, Morning Glories, and Skullkickers. And today, they hope to continue the trend with a brand new series from writer/producer Marc Guggenheim called Halcyon.
When I saw it in Previews, I was struck by the concept--it's an exploration of a world where the superheroes have won the battle against all of the evil in the world.

Here's the solicitation information from Image:

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE NEVER-ENDING BATTLE FOR TRUTH AND JUSTICE ENDS?

From Collider Entertainment comes the next quantum leap forward in superheroes: HALCYON. The groundbreaking new series dares to ask: What happens when the superheroes win? What happens once there is no crime, no war? The heroes of UTOPIAN achieve their final victory only to face their greatest challenge ever. An all-star collaboration courtesy of TARA BUTTERS (TV's Reaper), MARC GUGGENHEIM (Amazing Spider-Man, Resurrection), RYAN BODENHEIM (RED MASS FOR MARS), and ALISA TAGER (Serenity).

And you can check out a free preview right here. The art looks great, as well, and I think it's a safe bet that shops will have under-ordered this book (much like they did with Chew and Morning Glories and Skullkickers).

So if you're interested, I'd call ahead and have your LCS put a copy on hold.

Next up, we have a comics magazine from TwoMorrows Publishing--a company that has churned out some of the very best and most important magazines about the history of comics. This month, Back Issue, issue 45 features "odd couples" in comics--from pairs of creators who teamed up to the characters themselves.For me, this issue is significant because of the feature interview with writer Denny O'Neil and artist Neal Adams. They sit down to talk about their legendary run on Green Lantern, wherein they introduced a relevancy to comics stories that had never been seen before.

Here's the description for this month's issue:

Now shipping 8 times a year, with 16 color pages each issue! In BACK ISSUE #45 (84 pages with 16-page COLOR section, $7.95), we feature “Odd Couples,” headlined by an in-depth look at DENNY O’NEIL and NEAL ADAMS’ award-winning, groundbreaking Green Lantern/Green Arrow—plus an examination of the real-life events that inspired these relevant stories.

The unusual pairing of one of Marvel’s hottest writers of the ’70s with DC’s Justice League of America is explored in an exclusive interview with STEVE ENGLEHART. Also: Daredevil and Black Widow, Power Man and Iron Fist, Vision and Scarlet Witch, Cloak and Dagger, and… Aquaman and Deadman (?!).

With art by and/or commentary from TERRY AUSTIN, GENE COLAN, GERRY CONWAY, DENYS COWAN, DICK DILLIN, RICHARD HOWELL, RICK LEONARDI, STEVE SKEATES, and more. And a glorious recreation of the cover of Green Lantern #76 by NEAL ADAMS! Edited by MICHAEL EURY.

Back Issue is a real gem of a publication, and this issue in particular has me very excited. If you're at all interested in the late 60s comics revolution, then you should take a look if your store carries the book.

And with that, I have a meeting. I'll be back later this week with more of my nonsense, but before I go--what are you Waiting for?