Mar 142015

February 2015 New Graphic Novel Recommends

	Slightly belatedly, here’s our top picks of graphic novels published in February!
	It’s an absolutely brilliant month across the board and fine offerings from the Big Two to the indies and imprints on both sides of the pond. As so much is published we look more to standalone and volume ones than the latest in a long sequence of superhero ongoings; but then if we particularly like something…

You can discover more by clicking on the publisher in a given entry where there’s a link for more of their titles from Jan-Jun, or check out our central JAN-JUN 15 SFF / GRAPHIC NOVELS page here.

More monthly sequential greatness coming very soon but read on and discover the graphic delights published in Februray – Enjoy!

*	Pub	Title	Creators	ISBN	Bind	RRP	Publisher
	Feb	Dredd: Urban Warfare	Arthur Wyatt, Henry Flint	9781781083161	HB	£14.99	2000 AD
	Turning up the Dial!
	The streets don’t come much meaner than those in Mega-City One. Only the Judges – empowered to uphold law and order – keep the city from falling into total anarchy. Toughest of them all is Judge Dredd – he is the law and these are his stories.
	In this 24th volume of the bestselling Case Files series, Dredd is faced with one of his hardest challenges yet – bringing justice to the ‘Big Meg’s’ worst sector known as ‘The Pit’! Also, the ultimate lawman faces a legendary war robot when Judge Dredd squares off against the A.B.C. Warrior Hammerstein!
	Feb	Judge Dredd: Case Files 24	John Wagner et al	9781781083390	TPB	£19.99	2000 AD
	The Comic Book Sequel to the Hit Film!
	Featuring three action-packed stories from the critically acclaimed cinematic world of DREDD. In Underbelly Ma-Ma’s death has led to a power vacuum and now other criminal gangs in Mega-City One are trying to fill the gap. When a number of corpses are discovered in a rad-pit, the bodies are all revealed to be mutants. Could the dead be connected with an outfit smuggling illegal refugees into the city from the Cursed Earth? Judge Dredd once again teams up with Psi-Judge Anderson as they scour the underworld for the perps responsible!
	Feb	Another Suburban Romance (Colour Edition)	Alan Moore, Antony Johnston, Juan Jose Ryp	9781592912476	PB	£7.50	Avatar Press
	One of the seminal works from the writer who defined modern comics, ALAN MOORE, is re-mastered for the first time in breathtakingly vibrant color! Alan Moore’s performance works making up the play Another Suburban Romance are translated into print and lavishly illustrated as full sequential stories. Comprised of three major pieces, adapted from Moore’s original presentations by frequent collaborator Antony (Fashion Beast) Johnston, this original graphic novel is completely illustrated by Juan Jose Ryp. Running from the 1920′s Chicago style killings in Old Gangsters Never Die, to the ruminations on modern life in the namesake piece Another Suburban Romance, this powerful work is an essential piece of the Alan Moore graphic novel library that no fan will want to miss!
	Feb	Revelations	Paul Jenkins, Humberto Ramos	9781608864607	PB	£10.99	Boom!
	The beautiful work of Humberto Ramos unfolds a story of religion, atheism, murder, and mystery, as told by Paul Jenkins. Fans of BBCs Sherlock and Luther will not want to miss this tale of corruption through the eyes of an outsider.A potential successor to the dying pope is killed at the Vatican. Long-time atheist and hard-edged London detective, Charlie Northern, is put on the case by a Vatican priest, and long forgotten friend.
	Feb	Suicide Risk Vol. 4	Mike Carey, Elena Casagrande, Filipe Andrade	9781608864614	PB	£10.99	Boom!
	Mike Carey’s gripping deconstruction of the superhero genre heats up in this latest volume! With an entire country in their grasp, the super-villain team NIGHTMARE SCENARIO has forced the worlds leaders to come to the table for negotiations. But Just-A-Feelings namesake warns of an even greater, bloodier calamity, and every life Leo has managed to save helping Nightmare Scenario against his will, is suddenly at risk…
	Feb	Abe Sapien Volume 5	Mignola, Mike & Fiumara, Max	9781616555153	PB	£14.99	Dark Horse
	Haunted by deaths he’s seen and ones he’s caused, Abe returns to the place where he was shot, where his latest transformation began. His path is blocked by strange priests, apocalyptic prophets, and one doomed soul after another, who all seem to think Abe is either the answer or the cause.
	Collects Abe Sapien #12–#14 and #16–#17.
	“Incredible storytelling, both writing and art.”—Comic Bastards
	Feb	Coffin Hill Volume 2: Dark Endeavors TP	Caitlin Kittredge, Inaki Miranda	9781401250843	PB	£10.99	DC Comics / Vertigo
	Years after a night in the woods gone awry, Eve returns to Coffin Hill, only to discover the darkness that she unleashed ten years ago that fateful night was never fully contained. It continues to seep through the town, cursing the soul of this sleepy Massachusetts hollow, spilling secrets and enacting its revenge. Set against the haunted backdrop of New England, Coffin Hill explores what people will do for power and retribution. Noted novelist Caitlin Kittredge, author of the Black London series, brings a smart, mesmerizing style to comics. Artist Inaki Miranda (FABLES) brings his dynamic storytelling to Coffin Hill, following an acclaimed run on FAIREST. Collects Coffin Hill #8-14.
	Feb	John Constantine Hellblazer Volume 10: In The Line Of Fire TP	Paul Jenkins, Sean Phillips	9781401251376	PB	£14.99	DC Comics / Vertigo
	In this new Hellblazer collection, John Constantine comes to the aid of his downstairs neighbor, a dimwitted, epileptic giant whose home is haunted by a persistent ghost. Plus, John’s affinity with the supernatural spoils a soccer game when a demon that thrives on holloganism shows up. And in the story “Difficult Beginnings,” Constantine must reconnect with the darker side of his own nature — a journey that leads him to the “most evil man in the world.” Collects Hellblazer #97-107.
	Feb	Dead Boy Detectives Volume 2 TP	Toby Litt, Gary Erskine	9781401250867	PB	£10.99	DC Comics / Vertigo
	From the pages of The Sandman, Neil Gaiman’s intrepid dead schoolboys head back to the horror that is St. Hilarions School — the place where they both were murdered. Collects Dead Boy Detectives #8-14 written by Toby Litt and illustrated by Mark Buckingham (FABLES).
	Feb	Superman: Earth One Volume 3 HC	J. Michael Straczynski, Ardian Syaf	9781401241841	HB	£16.99	DC Comics
	The follow-up to the New York Times #1 bestselling graphic novels Superman: Earth One Volumes 1 and 2 is here! Written by J. Michael Straczynski with art by Ardian Syaf (Batgirl), Superman: Earth One Volume 3 follows a young Clark Kent as he continues his journey toward becoming the World’s Greatest Super Hero. After defeating villains terrestrial and beyond, Superman faces a threat that he can’t simply outmuscle. A threat smarter, more cunning and deadly than he can imagine: the Luthors!
	Feb	Secret Six Volume 1: Villains United	Gail Simone, Brad Walker, Dale Eaglesham	9781401250751	PB	£14.99	DC Comics
	Collecting the series that led into Infinite Crisis! Six of justice’s deadliest enemies band together to start a revolution. Together, they want to take a stand to stop the super-heroic community from tampering with their minds and to prove how deadly they can be! But not everyone agrees to this agenda. Six rogues are recruited by the enigmatic Mockingbird, charged with opposing the Society and given assignments to thwart their rivals and even help their enemies. Who is Mockingbird? Could it be one of the six? The status quo is rocked by the Society’s formation and the revelations along the way make certain that when the Secret Six are done, nothing in the DCU will ever be the same! Collects Villains United #1-6, Secret Six #1-6, and Villains United: Infinite Crisis Special #1.
	Feb	Rat Queens Volume 2	Kurtis J. Wiebe, Roc Upchurch	9781632150400	PB	£10.99	Image Comics
	A brand-new, booze-soaked tale of the Rat Queens reveals a growing menace within the very walls of Palisade. And while Dee may have run from her past, the bloated, blood-feasting sky god N’rygoth never really lets his children stray too far. Collects issues #6-10 of the smash-hit series, plus extras.
	Feb	Sex Criminals Volume 2: Two Worlds, One Cop	Matt Fraction, Chip Zdarsky	9781632151933	PB	£10.99	Image Comics
	The second storyline from the Eisner-award winning Sex Criminals finds the honeymoon to be over for Jon and Suzie. Once the thrill of new lust fades, where do you go? Come along and laff and love with Matt and Chip as they brimp back ceaselessly against the past.
	Feb	Starlight Volume 1	Mark Millar, Goran Parlov	9781632150172	PB	£10.99	Image Comics
	Forty years ago, Duke McQueen saved an alien world from destruction. Back on earth, nobody believed his story. Now his kids are grown, his wife has passed on, and life has little to offer. Until the day a strange boy from the world he once saved makes an appearance, coaxing Duke to join him on one last adventure. Can Duke handle the leap from has-been to hero? Collects Starlight #1-6.
	Feb	Trees Volume 1	Warren Ellis, Jason Howard	9781632152701	PB	£10.99	Image Comics
	Ten years after they landed. All over the world. And they did nothing, standing on the surface of the Earth like trees, exerting their silent pressure on the world, as if there were no-one here and nothing under foot. Ten years since we learned that there is intelligent life in the universe, but that they did not recognize us as intelligent or alive.
	Trees, a new science fiction graphic novel by Warren Ellis (Transmetropolitan, Red) and Jason Howard (Super Dinosaur, Astounding Wolf-Man) looks at a near-future world where life goes on in the shadows of the Trees: in China, where a young painter arrives in the “special cultural zone” of a city under a Tree; in Italy, where a young woman under the menacing protection of a fascist gang meets an old man who wants to teach her terrible skills; and in Svalbard, where a research team is discovering, by accident, that the Trees may not be dormant after all, and the awful threat they truly represent.
	Feb	In God we Trust	Winshluss	9780861662357		£17.99	Knockabout
	CLICK HERE FOR A SPECIAL PEEK INSIDE THE BOOK!
	Five years after the magnificent Pinocchio (Knockabout, 2011), Winshluss returns with the hilarious In God We Trust.
	His multi-levelled retelling of The Bible revises the founding myths of the holy book. We are guided through the maze of the Old and New Testament by St. Franky, with a nose like a straw-berry from drinking altar wine and a sceptical atti-tude. With him, we visit the scenes of Scripture and believe it or not, this is not what we thought!
	A true spiritual journey, In God We Trust is an absurd epic with a startling range of drawing styles on display. Following the adventures of God, baby Jesus, Mary, plus all the favourites – from original sin, the crossing of the Red Sea, the last judgement, and the greatest religious love affair… including some surprise guest appearances from a muscle-bound Conan and Gotham city’s own protector.
	Winshluss (Vincent Paronnaud) is the successful author of Pinocchio (2011), which won the Fauve d’Or prize in Angouleme (2009). He also works as an award-winning director in France with such films as Persepolis (2007 Cannes Jury Prize) and Chicken with Plums. Absurd and provocative, this rereading of well known biblical characters is a huge lot of fun. “
	Feb	Tower Chronicles: Dreadstalker Vol. 1	Matt Wagner, Simon Bisley	9781937278366	PB	£9.90	Legendary Comics
	In this thrilling new monthly series created by Matt Wagner, the creator of Grendel (Dark Horse, series available from Turnaround), Tower faces his greatest challenge yet. After thwarting a demonic possession and tearing a mystic artefact away from the clutches of the Brotherhood of the Rose, Tower believes himself to be one step closer to his mysterious goals.
	Jan	AVENGERS: TIME RUNS OUT VOLUME 1	Hickman, Jonathan; Cheung, Jim & Deodato Jr., Mike	9780785193418	HB	£18.99	Marvel
	Feb		PANINI	9781846536465	PB	£12.99	Panini UK Ltd
	Time Runs Out! For Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and the Illuminati, it has all been building to this. Following the startling events of Original Sin and the revelations as to what the Illuminati have been up to all this time, this cataclysmic saga jumps forward to the day of the Final Incursion. See what awaits our heroes in the future as the table is set for the astonishing climax of Jonathan Hickman’s acclaimed runs on Avengers and New Avengers. Collecting: Avengers 35-37, New Avengers 24-25
	Feb	ROCKET RACCOON VOLUME 1: A CHASING TALE	Young, Skottie	9780785193890	HB	£18.99	Marvel
	Feb		PANINI	9781846536335	PB	£12.99	Panini UK Ltd
	Spinning out of Guardians of the Galaxy, join the adventures of Rocket Raccoon! As defenders of the cosmos go, Rocket Raccoon has faced his fair share of galactic battles. He’s been a hero to the weka, a champion of good, a protector of the innocent, a heartthrob to the many intergalactic female species and now a raccoon on the run?! Rocket’s high-flying of adventure and heroism may soon be a thing of the past when he becomes a wanted man – and the authorities are not the only one on his tail! Collecting Rocket Raccoon Vol.2 #1-5.
	Feb	INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK VOLUME 4: HUMANITY BOMB (MARVEL NOW)	Waid, Mark; Parker, Jeff & Asrar, Mahmud	9780785189497	PB	£14.99	Marvel
	Inhuman cocoons begin appearing worldwide and Bruce Banner is sure he has the cure – but when Hank Pym, Iron Man and Beast confront the frustrated scientist, they discover just how deep his rage can go. As one of his lab assistants falls to the Terrigen Mists, the enraged Banner has one last chance to prevent Terrigenesis – but the Hulk has unleashed a menace even worse than the Mists, and it’s brought Banner straight into an assassin’s crosshairs!
	Collecting: Indestructible Hulk 16, 17.INH -19.INH, 20, Indestructible Hulk Annual
	Feb	SUPERIOR FOES OF SPIDER-MAN, THE VOLUME 3	Spencer, Nick & Lieber, Steve	9780785191704	PB	£13.50	Marvel
	Voted one of the best mainstream super hero comics of 2013 by the Onion A.V. Club!
	Only five villains stand between New York and total chaos in the streets of Manhattan. The problem? Those villains are the Superior Foes. And now the world’s most dangerous villains are up against the world’s most dangerous thing – the truth!
	A year of duplicity and double crossing has led to this… who will live, who will die, who will get the head of Silvermane?
	Collecting: The Superior Foes of Spider-Man 12-17
	Feb	SPIDER-MAN 2099 VOLUME 1: OUT OF TIME	David, Peter; Sliney, William & Leonardi, Rick	9780785190790	PB	£13.50	Marvel
	Miguel O’Hara is Spider-Man in the year 2099, but he’s currently stuck in the year 2014. But in 2014, the evil future corporation Alchemax has just been formed – and Miguel has a chance to stop its corruption before it starts! However, Spider-Man 2099 soon discovers that he’s not the only one hoping for a better tomorrow.
	Join Spider-Man 2099 creator Peter David and artist Will Sliney for the most adventure found this side of the 22nd century!
	Collecting: Spider-Man 2099 1-5, Amazing Spider-Man 1 (2099 story)
	Feb	The Spectators	Victor Hussenot	9781907704758	HB	£14.99	Nobrow
	The Spectators unfolds as a poetic and philosophical introspection on the nature of man. Hussenot’s palette is awash with subtle colour, gently carrying the narrative and allowing the reader to envelop themselves in the lyricism of the work. Reminiscent of French New Wave cinema with its clipped dialogue, gentle pacing and departure from a classic narrative structure, Spectators is an exciting new graphic novel by a unique illustrator.
	Click here for more including a special peak at some interior art!
	Feb	The Sculptor	Scott McCloud	9781906838973	HB	£18.99	Self Made Hero
	David Smith is giving his life for his art – literally. Thanks to a deal with Death, the young sculptor gets his childhood wish: to sculpt anything he can imagine with his bare hands. But now that he only has 200 days to live, deciding what to create is harder than he thought, and discovering the love of his life at the eleventh hour isn’t making it any easier.
	This is a story of desire taken to the edge of reason and beyond; of the frantic, clumsy dance steps of young love; and a gorgeous, street-level portrait of the world’s greatest city. It’s about the small, warm, human moments of everyday life…and the great surging forces that lie just under the surface.
	Scott McCloud wrote the book on how comics work; now he vaults into breathtaking, funny, and unforgettable fiction.
	Feb	Kick-Ass – 3	Mark Millar, John Romita Jr	9781783290871	PB	18.99	Titan Books
	Mark Millar and John Romita’s mega-selling series returns for its final story! Hit-Girl is in jail, leaving Kick-Ass to lead the super hero team Justice Forever. But super heroes have been outlawed, leaving Kick-Ass to dodge both cops and some terrifying new foes! For the first time, Kick-Ass is beginning to have doubts. Is he in too deep to get out?
	Feb	The Delinquents TP	James Asmus, Fred Van Lente, Kano	9781939346513	PB	£10.99	Valiant
	Quantum and Woody are the world’s worst superhero team. Archer & Armstrong are a mismatched pair of conspiracy-busting adventurers. When a mysterious force collides these ill-suited and irresponsible “heroes” for a cross-country race through the darkest corners of American mythology, all hell is bound to break loose.
	Can two busted pairs become four of a kind in time to defeat the Hobo King, save the day, and make it back home in time for happy hour? Let’s hope so…’cause these guys make a really, really bad team. (And you don’t even want to know about the goat.)
	It’s an all-new superhero joyride from fan-favorite writers James Asmus (Quantum and Woody) and Fred Van Lente (Archer & Armstrong) and heat-seeking artist Kano (Quantum and Woody, Immortal Iron Fist), colliding Quantum and Woody and Archer & Armstrong for the world’s most disastrous team-up adventure!
	Collecting The Delinquents #1–4.