Powers, Q&C ...

Anybody else miss Powers and Queen & Country?

Queen & Country seems to have silently died. Only three issues this year, including a Declassified issue.

Only 4 issues of Powers this year so far.

I could make due via a couple of decent routes, but it isn't the same, if you ask me.

I haven't read the first 20 issues of Powers vol. 1, or the first dozen issues of Q&C, so, of course, those are still out there for me. I usually don't get all the back issues when I start reading a series. I just go from that point. Only with Blade of the Immortal and Usagi Yojimbo have a I picked up some older material in trade and expect to continue doing that slowly over time. Powers and Q&C are in that category where I'd want to have read them all at some point. These are the other two series that I've read the most consistently since picking up comics reading again a few years ago. However, like BotI and UY, I want them to continue coming out somewhat regularly as comics in the here and now. And since the creative process (Bendis+Oeming, and Rucka+whoever) hasn't really changed on the books, that expectation is still lingering there.

I haven't read the Q&C novels. Shifting from another medium (TV, movies, comics, skywriting) to novels just doesn't seem to interest me all that much. I'll dabble. But this is essentially the most burdensome shift in terms of commitment to the viewer. I appreciate the value is better. Yet that doesn't always mean I'll go for it. While I think Q&C is a decent product as a comic, I'm not sure I love it enough to go read a novel. I'm just not getting through nearly as many novels as when I was younger for whatever reason.

I understand the realities here. I'm not whining about lateness. The guys have better paying, wider audience gigs. I just wish some of these stalwarts of my monthly comics reading would remain so a bit longer.

December Cover Previews

Loveless # 14 by Marcelo Frusin
Is this gal missing a second gun holster? I'm not going to tell her right now though, are you?

Agents of Atlas # 5 (of 6) by Tomm Coker
I know you love this Venus cover.

Blade # 4 by Marko Djurdjevic
Santa is real. Vampirism explains his long life span. It all makes sense now!

X-Men: First Class # 4 (of 8) by Marko Djurdjevic
I like Jean's costume.

Star Wars: Legacy # 7 by Adam Hughes
Luke Skywalker. Still using the Force after all these years? I was surprised to see but am willing to tolerate Luke appearing as a blue ghost (already seen in # 3), barely, but if Luke comes back to life in this series, I will protest. Or decide that's the coolest thing ever. Not sure which yet.

Catwoman # 62 by Adam Hughes
Do Catwoman's baby pictures sell comics?

Iron Man/Captain America: Casualties of War One Shot by Jim Cheung
Iron Man saving the Republic.

Source:
DC Comics for December, 2006
Marvel Comics for December, 2006
Image Comics for December, 2006
Dark Horse Comics for December, 2006

Green Lantern Salaak

This is the original promotional shot from DC for the Green Lantern Series 2 Salakk Action Figure. This figure came out a few weeks ago, and I finally caved and bought one. It comes with a base and lantern that aren't shown here. I'm not even sure exactly what I'm going to do with it yet. I'm just such a GL nut that I couldn't stop myself.

Does anyone know how many fingers Salaak should have? Or how to spell his name? The comics I own all say Salaak, while the box for the figure says Salakk. Name spelling, especially for an alien character's name written in English, strikes me as understandably more variable than finger count. In the figure pictured above and Green Lantern # 9 (below) Salaak has two fingers on each hand.



In Green Lantern # 12 (below) and Green Lantern Corps # 3 (second below), the latest issues released, he has three.



Either way Salaak is the only one with direct regular access to the Guardians these days. That means he has to listen to more than his share of grousing from lower ranking GL's, which amount to just about the whole GLC, wanting this or that or questioning this or that directive. He can handle it. I'm pretty sure of that. Sometimes though at the end of the day he might just take a seat in some Oa lounge and order a relaxing beverage. For now it remains unclear whether he can really motion for that third finger's worth of the good stuff.

Flying Cars

Ford Motor is hiring Alan Mulally, now ex-head of Boeing’s commercial airplane unit, as its new CEO.

The Associated Press’ Tom Krisher writes, “While acknowledging he is not an auto authority, Mulally said: ‘I'm certainly a product designer and I care deeply about having a viable business.’”

I can’t think of a more viable business plan for an airplane designer to execute at a car company than flying cars. Maybe now this long awaited mode of transportation will finally come to pass.

Red Sonja Cover Previews

Savage Red Sonja: Queen of the Frozen Wastes # 3 (of 4) by Frank Cho
This yeti embrace goes unappreciated by Sonja.

Red Sonja # 15 by Steve McNiven
Even if this piece contributed to some delay with Civil War, it might have been worth it.

Mel Rubi usually contributes a fine cover every issue for the regular series, but these two by other artists especially caught my eye. At some point soon I'm going to cave and buy a Red Sonja issue or two. Probably these very two. The snowy setting of the mini-series reminds me how much I enjoyed The Frost Giant's Daughter in the earliest issues of Conan's current run.