BOOK OF THE MONTH:
Gold Digger 15th Anniversary Special (Antarctic)
I don’t think people realize how big Fred Perry truly is. Whenever there’s talk about American manga artists, you have to bring this guy’s name up. Every single month, he’s constantly got either new or reprinted material on the racks, in multiple media, and has quietly built a die-hard legion of fans that support him and his work. Given that, plus his longevity, I would go so far as to call Fred Perry the most successful black cartoonist in America, second only to Aaron McGruder. Gold Digger is a fun book. It doesn’t try to be anything more than what it is – a straight-up action adventure comedy, with laughs, thrills, and lots of cool characters. And Antarctic Press has done a superb job of keeping his work in print and available. Give it a try if you haven’t by now. It’s good stuff.

Other notables:
Stormwatch: PHD #1 (DC/Wildstorm). Jackson King puts together a new team in this new SW series.
Heroes for Hire #4 (Marvel). This first non-Civil War issue of H4H is almost like a second number one. Will the fanboys keep buying it now that they don’t “have” to?
What If: Wolverine – Enemy of the State (Marvel). Bomb Queen’s Jimmie Robinson reimagines the most recent Wolverine-goes-crazy story arc.
Captain America/Falcon: The Swine TP (Marvel). More old-school Cap/Falc goodness as only the King, Jack Kirby, could do it.

The list:
Perhapanauts: Second Chances #2 (of 4)
Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #6. Art by Ken Lashley.
Firestorm the Nuclear Man #31. Pencils by Jamal Igle, cover by Brian Stelfreeze.
Justice League of America #4. Vixen’s on the cover, so I figure she’ll play a big role in the story, but it’s hard to tell from the original solicit.
Tales of the Unexpected #2 (of 8). Pencils in the lead story by Eric Battle.
Gen13 #2. Pencils by Talent Caldwell.
Astro City: The Dark Age Book Two #2 (of 4)
Ant #11. Co-written and drawn by Mario Gully.
Bomb Queen 2 #2 (of 4). Story and art by Jimmie Robinson.
Emissary #6
Spawn #164
Beyond #5 (of 6). Written by Dwayne McDuffie.
Black Panther #22. Written by Reggie Hudlin.
Blade #3
Nextwave #10 (of 12)
Punisher: Barracuda TP. Collecting the story arc featuring the villain Barracuda.
Adrenaline #2 (of 8)
Yenny #9
Gold Digger #79, Gold Digger 2007 Calendar. Story and art by Fred Perry.
Roach #2. Story and art by Robert Roach.
Delete #4. Story and art by Robert Walker.
Super Bad James Dynomite #4. Written by the Wayans Brothers.
Tintin in the Orient: Cigars of the Pharaoh HC. The classic European adventure character in one of his earliest outings, this one to Egypt.
Lucifer’s Garden of Verses: The Devil & Miles Davis SC, LGV SC 3-pack. Story and art by Lance Tooks.