Image Comics’ Proof is one of my favorite books going, so far. This issue is a pretty action-light book, considering it has Proof and el Chupacabra facing off.

Of course, the face-off happens over a kitchen table, with poisoned tea and raw hot dogs. But still.

Proof is looking for others of his kind — the “Bigfoot” kind, while Chupacabra hints at more out there.

There’s other drama, as el Chupacabra is currently inhabiting the skin of the town sheriff’s mother Nadine, and the meat of the issue stops when the sheriff, Elvis (not that Elvis), comes into the kitchen gun drawn.

Alexander Grecian, Riley Rossmo, Tyler Jenkins and Kelly Tindall are keeping me entertained with the sharp wit, the very-suitable art, the Cryptoid facts that crop up throughout the story Nightly News-style, and the sense that there is a larger story to tell.

You can jump on with this issue, but I’d recommend seeking out and finding the first three as well. This is a good book to be reading.

Here’s some titles I think you should try out. These books aren’t getting the love in the sales column, and they really should. Some of the books have been written about here on The Bleed, some haven’t (but are on The List).  The following are in no particular order:  Note: This will only mention series that are still releasing issues. Some of the books from the past few months that I’ve gushed over will not be included because of that caveat, like Potter’s Field.

1. Atomic Robo - Red 5
2. Fall of Cthulhu - BOOM!
3. Criminal - Icon
4. She-Hulk - Marvel
5. Clockwork Girl - Arcana Studio
6. Hybrid Bastards! - Archaia Studios Press
7. Dan Dare - Virgin Comics
8. G.I. Joe - Devil’s Due Publishing
9. Blue Beetle - DC
10. Immortal Iron Fist - Marvel (Yes, I know. But this is a title that needs to be #1).

I may have been a bit rough on Warren Ellis during the year-end bit, but it’s issues like Fell #9 that frustrate me.

When Ellis is on his game, there’s few people that can write a better gripping story — very few. My problem is that he phones it in too often.

Fell, happily, has been quality work every issue. I believe Ellis cares about this creation, and well he should. It is a very good story about a disgraced detective working in Snowtown, which is basically “the wrong side of the tracks” — on every level.

Each issue tells its own story, so picking up this book won’t make you lost within cavernous bounds of continuity — everything is explained very well and fluidly within the dialogue, and the story starts very quickly. Ben Templesmith’s art gives Fell an otherworldly, jagged edge that adds to the ambiance. Pick it up, just don’t expect it every month.

Jonathan Hickman is responsible for one of the best comics I have ever had the pleasure of reading; The Nightly News.  He has come back with two series that I have been looking forward to quite a bit; Pax Romana and A Red Mass For Mars.

This week sees the release of Pax Romana #1 — and it is a doozy.

The Catholic Church funds scientific research that leads to time travel. A group of people, led by a Cardinal, journey back in time in order to guide the Church to supremacy throughout history.

Despite the preceding sentence, this is not a story about religion. Coming off of the Nightly News, which dealt with the prevalence of media, Pax Romana deals with sociology. The first issue does a good job of setting up the characters and the situation. If you liked The Nightly News and are interested in what Hickman has to say about sociology and the building of nations (and dare I say it? You Should Be.) pick up Pax Romana.

Newsarama has the main story of Hawaiian Dick: Screaming Black Thunder posted on their site for all to read and enjoy.

So go on over there and see what I was talking about — the book is awesome from story all the way to the artwork — just check out the lines and colors above this post. . . how could you not want to read it?

Are you buying Elephantmen? You really should be. A fiction built around a bipedal humanized hippo named Hip Flask is nothing to shake a stick at, after all. But more than that, Elephantmen touches on themes that tend to separate thoughtful, lasting fiction from the more pulpish varieties. Namely: What is Human?

War Toys is a 3-issue mini that looks to be detailing the war that the Elephantmen were used in — the cleansing of Europe by the Mappo corporation after a plague annihilated the population. In this, you can see the brutality of the transgened troops — and you can also see where one hippo hybrid starts to break free of the conditioning.

Really, Elephantmen is good to read however deep you want to go — Richard Starkings knows his craft, and plies it effortlessly across the pages. Artist Moritat can pack more action or feeling into one panel than most of his peers can in an issue.

Remember Magnum P.I.? Ever wonder what it would be like, if it didn’t have Tom Selleck’s Porn-stache, didn’t have an inane plot and if it had a lot more characterization with a lot better characters?

Look no farther. Hawaiian Dick: Screaming Black Thunder is here!

This comic is one of those that reminds me why I love the medium. Watercolor palettes make the book soft on the eyes, but the sharp writing lets you know you’re reading a good solid detective story. With a bit of the weird.

The titular Screaming Black Thunders are, basically, the Thunderbirds, but in WWII-era airplanes.  During an airshow, a Japanese Zero comes out of nowhere and shoots one of them down, then disappears. No casualties ensued.
Byrd, the Hawaiian Dick himself, was at the show and meets the pilots over drinks later that night.  They hit it off pretty well, and Byrd is invited up in one of the planes. Of course, when they’re up there, the Zero re-appears and…..

Wait ’til next month.

This is a very good book — B. Clay Moore is the writer, and he nails the characters perfectly. Scott Chantler handles the pencilwork, and Steven Griffen is the watercolor genius.  Give these guys some money — but look hard! HD: SBT first printing sold out.

Archibald is an Aardvark.

Archibald worked for Neptune Studios with his brother Andre Aardvark. He was accused of killing his brother (and some other people; every time he did a film, someone died) and spent some years in the loony bin.

Recently released, Archie is being approached by Neptune to get in front of the camera again, this time co-starring Santa Claus. Before the filming, Baron von Badger shows up, saying that he’s directed all of Archie’s previous films, why not this one?

Archie complains of a headache, Badger gives him a “homemade remedy” that knocks him out. Archie has a dream of Santa getting killed. He wakes up; thankful that it was just a dream . . . or was it?

Santa’s dead, Badger gets blamed and everything’s over, right? Not so fast, chuckles. How can Archie save Christmas if the issue ends with Santa Claus dead?

All in all, this is a fun book. See it in the LCS, pick it up and look at page one. If that doesn’t hook you, nothing will. This is a one-shot book, however — but it may not be the last time we see Archie.

It’s a one-off story, but we do have more plans for holiday books. We’re doing an Easter story, that’ll be written and illustrated by Grant Bond, and there will be a Halloween book, which we’ll both do. So we have a lot of plans for this character, and I’d like to do something with Rascal Rooster, the character from the first five pages of this story. So we do have plans for more Archibald.

Jonathan Hickman’s The Nightly News was an amazing work of social commentary. If you haven’t read it,  I don’t know how I can recommend it strongly enough. The artwork was quirky, the writing strong, and the message behind it was poignant.

Oh, and it was entertaining to read. Which, y’know, is paramount. Go forth and find the trade.

He currently has two projects in the works, Pax Romana and A Red Mass for Mars — both of which have to deal with building societies. Newsarama has an interview with Hickman up on their site, and he talks about the two upcomers, as well as some projects that he’s doing with Marvel, and other things on his horizon.

It’s funny, when The Nightly News came out, I got some offers to do some other books, and they were all pretty much Nightly News-derivative. You know, “Would you like to do this book of social commentary?” And that made me really happy that I was doing these other books, because then I wouldn’t get pigeonholed as the “angry social commentary bullshit guy.” I want to tell all kinds of stories, and it’s amazing to have this opportunity to tell them.

I mentioned this book last month, and it just continues to do good by me.

What could cause the alliance between the ages-old enemies of Pirates and Ninjas? Loki, Thor, a Valkyrie, Odin and a Fenris wolf, that’s what.

This issue brings the fun — between the lovelorn ninja who has chosen the wrong Norse woman to admire, the pirates  attack on selfsame Valkyrie, Odin laying the smackdown on the ninja leader, and Loki being Loki — this book is just loads of fun.

Check it out, and I’ll betcha that you smile a few times through the issue.