Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived at the Geek Compound.
Samurai Executioner Omnibus
Volume 1
Story by Kazuo Koike
Art by Goseki Kojima
Promo copy:
From Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima, the legendary creators of Lone Wolf and Cub,comes Samurai Executioner. Yamada Asaemon tests swords and performs executions for the shogun. The feared “Decapitator Asaemon” is the last stop for the doomed and often becomes final confessor as well as slayer. Collects all of volume 1 and volume 2, plus “Hellstick” from volume 3.
* Nearly 800 pages for only $19.99!
Crime Does Not Pay Archives
Volume 7
Written by Charles Biro with Arne Arntzen, Ken “K. W.” Fitch, and others
Foreword by Lorenzo Carcaterra
Art by Jack Alderman, Edd Ashe, Dan Barry, Joe Certa, Golden, Harley M. Griffiths, Fred Guardineer, C. L. Hartman, George A. Marko, Rudy Palais, Robert Q. Sale, Mike Roy, Kenny Sumfest, Dan Tay, George Tuska, and Red Woodbury
Cover by Charles Biro
Promo copy:
A crooked path of theft, extortion, and murder can only lead one place: the electric chair! When will these no-good mugs learn? The latest volume of the Eisner and Harvey Award–nominated archival series collects issues #46–#49 of the wildly popular 1940s true-crime comic series, with a new foreword by Lorenzo Carcaterra (Sleepers).
* 2013 Eisner and Harvey Award–nominated series!
* Foreword by Lorenzo Carcaterra (New York Times best-selling author of Sleepers)!
I reviewed volume one of the Crime Does Not Pay Archives.
Collecting the first four issues of the infamous pre-code crime comic, this full color hardcover collection of lurid tales features work by some the era’s finest artists including Charles Biro, Woody Hamilton, Harry Lucey, Carl Hubbell, Bob Montana, George Tuska, Dick Wood, Dick Briefer, Frank Giacoia, Bob Wood, and Dan Barry. Most importantly, the volume contains Biro’s grotesque covers that even today would be considered disturbing. One such illustration features a man forcing a woman’s head onto a lit stove, igniting her hair. For the most part, the unflinching true crime stories themselves read well and are magnificently illustrated. The book’s main flaw lies not with the original Crime Does Not Pay comics but rather the Dark Horse presentation. Beyond the brief Matt Fraction foreword, the archive offers little in the way of background material. The back cover and Fraction allude to the series being “partially responsible for the creation of the stifling Comics Code Authority,” but not the hows and whys. No backgrounds or biographies of any of the creators are included. Nor the origin of the title or concept. Also, the series started with issue #22. Why? What title preceded it? (For the completist out there, it bore the title Silver Streak Comics for the first 21 issues.) Establishing historical context elevates any collection of older works and in a $50 volume, these facts often justify the price.
Nexus Omnibus
Volume 5
Written by Mike Baron with Roger Salick and Ian Carney
Art by Steve Rude, Paul Smith, Adam Hughes, Steve Epting, Phil Hester, Brandon Peterson, Michael Dooney, Bob Dvorak, Neil “Spyder” Hansen, Steve Huston, John Nyberg, Mark McKenna, Greg Guler, Paul Fricke, Greg Buler, Tom Baxa, Tony Akins, and Chuck Wojtkiewicz
Cover by Steve Rude
Promo copy:
When Horatio Hellpop resigns as Nexus, the mantle of cosmic executioner falls to the vengeful and dangerous Loomis sisters. It isn’t long before the amazing power that accompanies the office begins to corrupt Stacy and Michana Loomis, and the nigh-omnipotent Merk must supplant them with a new, nobler host! Collects issues #53–#65 of Nexusvolume 2 and issues #2–#4 of The Next Nexus!
* Features early work from Adam Hughes, Peter David, and Phil Hester!
* Over 400 pages!
Fear Agent Library Edition
Volume 2
Written by Rick Remender
Art by Tony Moore, Jerome Opeña, Mike Hawthorne, and John Lucas
Cover by Tony Moore
Promo copy:
The outlook isn’t sunny for Heath Huston or his ensemble of Fear Agents—planet Earth is infested by Feeder aliens, robotic conquerors are manipulating the universe through time travel, and Heath discovers a traitor in their midst! This second volume of the deluxe Fear Agent Library Edition collects issues #17-#32 of the popular series, and also includes Tales of the Fear Agent bonus stories and a massive gallery of covers, sketches, and pin-ups!
* From the writer of Uncanny X-Force, Marvel’s smash hit!
“If there were more comics out there like Fear Agent, I’d buy more comics.” – Eric Powell, The Goon
“Fear Agent is absolutely everything I love about comics in one fantastic package.” – Matt Fraction, Casanova, The Punisher
Savage Sword of Conan
Volume 16
Written by Charles Dixon, Gerry Conway, and Gary Kwapisz
Art by Gary Kwapisz, Mike Docherty, Jorge Zaffino, Ernie Chan, Mark Pacella, and Pat Redding
Cover by Earl Norem
Promo copy:
Plagued by the apparition of a lost lover in torment, Conan returns to the Valley of Howling Shadows, a forbidding land of dark magic and suffocating madness. But the visions are the conjurings of a treacherous necromancer who needs Conan’s aid to claim a treasure of ultimate sorcerous power! CollectsConan stories from Marvel’s The Savage Sword of Conan the Barbarian #161–#170.
* Showcasing stories never before collected and out of print for over twenty years!
* Over 500 pages, value priced.
* Featuring stories by famed comics and screen scribe Gerry Conway.
Trigun Maximum Omnibus
Volume 3
by Yasuhiro Nightow
Promo copy:
Vash the Stampede is the deadliest gunslinger in the galaxy, but his brother, Knives, is the deadliest creature in existence! Knives is out to turn planet Gunsmoke into just that, and he may soon grow too powerful to be stopped—though Vash may die trying! Sci-fi insanity from Yasuhiro Nightow! CollectsTrigun Maximum volumes 7, 8, and 9.
* A mainstay of Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim!
* Trigun: Badlands Rumble film released in 2010.
* Yasuhiro Nightow’s Blood Blockade Battlefront now being published by Dark Horse Manga.