www.86thfloor.com     PREVIEWS VOL. XVIX #5 May 2009  

Independent Comic Publishers
(Companies beginning with V)

VIZ MEDIA LLC

DOGS, VOL. 1
(W/A) Shirow Miwa
Badou's found some of the "Lost Children," rare genetic experiments left from the past--but so has the mafia. It's up to Heine to bail him out, but the Stray Dog has his own problems now that the enigmatic Giovanni is back on the scene. And so their paths begin to converge in the dark and dangerous heart of the city.
MATURE THEMES
SC, 6x8, 212pgs, B&W $12.99

BLACK LAGOON, VOL. 7
(W/A) Rei Hiroe
The deadly maid and ex-terrorist Roberta begins her quest for vengeance and she's not going to quit! Roberta's dance of death won't be over until everyone has paid their price in blood.
MATURE THEMES
SC, 6x8, 212pgs, B&W $12.99

GESTALT, VOL. 2
(W/A) Yun Kouga
The "game" between Ouri and her siblings becomes clearer as they all make their way toward G and the great treasure that awaits the winner.
SC, 5x7, 168pgs, B&W $8.99

IKIGAMI: THE ULTIMATE LIMIT, VOL. 2
(W/A) Motoro Mase
Dear Citizen:
Congratulations! You have been randomly selected to die in 24 hours.
Thank you for your continued attention and your cooperation and participation...
MATURE THEMES
SC, 6x8, 212pgs, B&W $12.99

FLAME OF RECCA, VOL. 32
(W/A) Nobuyuki Anzai
Things don't look good for the forces of non-evil, but with the help of the eighth Karyu (a.k.a. Dad) and the immortal ninja Kagerô (a.k.a. Mommy Dearest), Recca just might turn the tide of battle!
SC, 5x7, 200pgs, B&W $9.99

GIMMICK!, VOL. 8
(W/A) Youzaburou Kanari
As the competition heats up, Kohei must create a life-mask using only items found at a local supermarket while dodging various attempts at sabotage!
SC, 5x7, 216pgs, B&W $9.99

HAYATE THE COMBAT BUTLER, VOL. 12
(W/A) Kenjiro Hata
If Nagi helps a little lost alien find her ship she be rewarded. But will it be an increase her bustline by 30 inches…or her distance from Hayate by 30 million miles?!
SC, 5x7, 200pgs, B&W $9.99

KEKKAISHI, VOL. 18
(W/A) Yellow Tanabe
Students mysteriously fall ill as a flock of beautiful butterflies decends upon them. Can our hero single-handedly battle thousands of these winged demons without harming the people in their midst?
SC, 5x7, 192pgs, B&W $9.99

NIGHTMARE INSPECTOR: YUMEKUI KENBUN , VOL. 9
(W/A) Shin Mashiba
Dreams on the men: a dream so horrible it corrupts all other dreams, and the final dream where only one Baku can survive the truth.
SC, 5x7, 184pgs, B&W $9.99

O-PARTS HUNTER, VOL. 17
(W/A) Seishi Kishimoto
Kirin comes face to face with his nemesis, his twin brother Kujaku, and the reason for the enmity between these siblings is revealed!
SC, 5x7, 192pgs, B&W $9.99

THE RECORD OF A FALLEN VAMPIRE, VOL. 6
(W) Kyo Shirodaira (A) Yuri Kimura
The survival of humans and dhampires alike depends on Strauss, but does he dare take action and thus reveal one of his most closely guarded secrets?
SC, 5x7, 200pgs, B&W $9.99

NAOKI URASAWA'S 20TH CENTURY BOYS, VOL. 4
(W/A) Naoki Urasawa
Kenji wrote "The Book of Prophecy" in his boyhood. Now this childish fantasy has become the scenario for the Friend's fiendish plot to destroy mankind.
SC, 6x8, 216pgs, B&W $12.99

ÔOKU: THE INNER CHAMBERS, VOL. 1
(W/A) Fumi Yoshinaga
Series Debut! The Red Pox has begun to prey on the country's men. As precious providers of life, they are carefully protected. Only the most beautiful of them are sent to serve in the Shogun's Inner Chamber...
MATURE THEMES
SC, 6x8, 216pgs, B&W $12.99

PONYO FILM COMIC, VOL. 3
(W/A) Hayao Miyazaki
A fierce storm rages, and Sosuke and his mother drive against the wind. Suddenly Ponyo appears, running along the tall waves.
SC, 5x7, 152pgs, FC $9.99

PONYO FILM COMIC, VOL. 4
(W/A) Hayao Miyazaki
Ponyo and Sosuke journey together through incredible and frightening realm at the edge of the ocean and the bottom of the sea.
SC, 5x7, 168pgs, FC $9.99

W?QW?Q , VOL. 1
(W/A) Ryu Fujisaki
Series Debut! Shio is forced by the tragedy of the machine war to team up with a mysterious girl just like the prophecies proclaim. Is this girl the human race's last hope for survival in a world overrun by metal?
SC, 5x7, 192pgs, B&W $7.99

D.GRAY-MAN, VOL. 14
(W/A) Katsura Hoshino
Cross Marian is about to finish off Tyki Mikk when the Millennium Earl barges in, spreading chaos and destruction in every direction!
SC, 5x7, 192pgs, B&W $7.99

ROSARIO+VAMPIRE, VOL. 8
(W/A) Akihisa Ikeda
When your principal makes you plan a school festival with the Shikigami-owning Student Body President, you better not trust him as far as you can throw his one-eyed demon!
SC, 5x7, 200pgs, B&W $7.99

NORA: THE LAST CHRONICLE OF DEVILDOM, VOL. 6
(W/A) Kazunari Kakei
Nora and Kazuma discover the pivotal role Nora must play in the balance of the Human and Demon Worlds...and the reason Kazuma was chosen to work with Nora.
SC, 5x7, 200pgs, B&W $7.99

EYESHIELD 21, VOL. 27
(W) Riichiro Inagaki (A) Yusuke Murata
Sena's banking on some of his slickest moves to help him outmaneuver Ojo's ace Shin and carry his team to victory...but Shin has never backed down to another competitor before, and doesn't plan on starting anytime soon.
SC, 5x7, 200pgs, B&W $7.99

SLAM DUNK , VOL. 5
(W/A) Takehiko Inoue
Hanamichi succeeds in making several key passes that result in some much-needed baskets. With Shohoku closing in on their opponents' lead, is Hanimichi on the verge of proving that he has what it takes to become the next captain?
SC, 5x7, 190pgs, B&W $7.99

MUHYO & ROJI'S BUREAU OF SUPERNATURAL INVESTIGATION, VOL. 12
(W/A) Yoshiyuki Nishi
Things are starting to look up for Muhyo and gang. But when more trouble comes knocking will they be able to save themselves, much less their friend Rio?
SC, 5x7, 192pgs, B&W $7.99

HOSHIN ENGI, VOL. 14
(W/A) Ryu Fujisaki
Taikobo must find which toy is Sontenkun before his team is reduced to playthings!
SC, 5x7, 200pgs, B&W $7.99

JOJO'S BIZARRE ADVENTURE, VOL. 12
(W/A) Hirohiko Araki
The magic book of Mondatta has shown the future: <i>Jotaro with a bullet through his head! Can he escape his fate?!
SC, 5x7, 200pgs, B&W $7.99

HIKARU NO GO, VOL. 16
(W) Yumi Hotta (A) Takeshi Obata
Upon Isumi’s return from China, he asks Hikaru for a rematch! But how good will Hikaru's game be after such a long break--and without Sai...?
SC, 5x7, 200pgs, B&W $7.95

SHONEN JUMP VOL. 7 #9 SEPTEMBER 2009
THE WORLD'S MOST POPULAR MANGA! Each issue includes tons of full-color information about toys, TCGs, CCGs, video games and anime, plus amazing manga stories!
Magazine, 328pgs, PC $4.99

BLACK BIRD, VOL. 1
(W/A) Kanoko Sakurakoji
Series Debut! There is a world of myth and magic that intersects ours, and only a special few can see it. Misao Harada is one such person, and she wants nothing to do with magical realms. She just wants to have a normal high school life and maybe get a boyfriend.
SC, 5x7, 194pgs, B&W $8.99

MISSIN' (NOVEL) (BOX SET)
(W/A) By Novala Takemoto
By the Creator of Kamikaze Girls! Enter best-selling author Novala Takemoto's world, where music and the lost art of maidenly virtues walk hand-in-hand with madness. Each volume: 224pgs, B&W.
Box Set (x2) $16.99

OTOMEN, VOL. 3
(W/A) Aya Kanno
Asuka takes Ryo to an amusement park where he plans to confess his feelings to her. Too bad all the rides she wants to go on frighten him! Can he overcome his fear for the sake of love?
SC, 5x7, 200pgs, B&W $8.99

VAMPIRE KNIGHT, VOL. 7
(W/A) Matsuri Hino
Yuki debates asking Kaname about her past, suspecting that he may have been the one who erased her childhood memories.
SC, 5x7, 208pgs, B&W $8.99

CRIMSON HERO, VOL. 11
(W/A) Mitsuba Takanashi
A love triangle between Nobara and boys' volleyball team members Yushin and Haibuki seems to be turning into a square, as Haibuki reconsiders his feelings for his ex-girlfriend, the injured Tomo!
SC, 5x7, 200pgs, B&W $8.99

B.O.D.Y., VOL. 6
(W/A) Ao Mimori
Ryoko falls hard for Ryunosuke, the quiet, bespectacled hottie who sits next to her in class. Then she learns that he moonlights as a host—a guy who dates women for money!
SC, 5x7, 192pgs, B&W $8.99

BABY & ME, VOL. 15
(W/A) Marimo Ragawa
Takuya's brainy friend Hitoshi reveals his secret passion for drawing stories about space heroes, only to get into a feud with Fujii over the project’s artistic direction.
SC, 5x7, 200pgs, B&W $8.99

HARUKA: BEYOND THE STREAM OF TIME, VOL. 5
(W/A) Tohko Mizuno
As the search goes on for Akane's final protector, Akane still struggles to accept the power inside her.
SC, 5x7, 200pgs, B&W $8.99

KAZE HIKARU, VOL. 14
(W/A) Taeko Watanabe
Nakamura Goro, is convinced Sei is a girl the moment he lays eyes on her. Irresistibly attracted to her, he is determined to uncover her so he can have her as his woman.
SC, 5x7, 200pgs, B&W $8.99

DRAGON BALL: CHAPTER BOOK VOL. 1
(W/A) Akira Toriyama
When a stranger arrives with curious machines and tales of a wish-granting dragon, Goku's simple life is turned upside down. Now, he's venturing outside his forest, on a quest for the seven mythical Dragon Balls. Is the world ready for Goku? And more importantly, will there be enough to eat?
SC, 5x7, 80pgs, B&W $4.99

DRAGON BALL: CHAPTER BOOK VOL. 2
(W/A) Akira Toriyama
There's something fishy about the deserted town Bulma and Goku travel to next. Just when it seems they're living high on the hog, Goku and Bulma cross paths with Yamcha and Pu'ar, the deadly duo of the desert. Is this the end of the quest?
SC, 5x7, 80pgs, B&W $4.99

POKÉMON ADVENTURES, VOL. 2 (2ND EDITION)
(W/A) Hidenori Kusaka
Join Red as he competes with his rival Blue, travels through the dangerous Safari Zone, battles gym leaders for badges, and discovers the secret of a mysterious Eevee!
SC, 5x7, 200pgs, B&W $7.99

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA VOL. 6
(W/A) Akira Himekawa
The Four Sword splits Link into four different versions of himself, and these new Links aren't team players! Rescuing Zelda, beating Vaati, and getting his wild alter-egos under control isn't going to be easy!
SC, 5x7, 200pgs, B&W $7.99

VANGUARD PRODUCTIONS

ROGER HANE: ART, TIMES & TRAGEDY HC
(W) Robert C. Hunsicker (A) Roger Hane
This massive volume features nearly 300 pages of art & biography on the star illustrator of C.S. Lewis' Narnia series, Cream's "Goodbye" album, Carlos Castaneda's A Separate Reality, and more. Schooled in Baltimore and Philadelphia, Hane began illustrating in New York in the '60s, producing over 300 illustrations for magazines, ads, and record albums. He revived American illustration, influencing it toward the fantastic and the surreal, and was recognized nationally and internationally. Two weeks after being notified that he was to receive the "Artist of the Year" Award from the Artist Guild of New York, Hane met a violent, senseless and untimely death at the age of only 35. At the time of his death he had five illustrations running in major publications, including the covers of New York and Fortune magazines. In a speech to the graduating class at the Philadelphia College of Art in 1975, America’s foremost designer, Milton Glaser, who provides the foreword for this tome, said, at that time of his death, Roger Hane was the best illustrator in the country. Also available in a Deluxe Hardcover edition that comes slipcased with 16 additional pages. (C: 0-1-2)
DELUXE HARDCOVER—HC, 10.25x11, 272pgs, FC SRP: $74.95
HARDCOVER—HC, 10.25x11, 272pgs, FC SRP: $49.95

LEGENDARY ILLUSTRATION ART OF N. C. WYETH HC
(W) J. David Spurlock (A) N. C. Wyeth
J. David Spurlock follows his hit Paintings of J. Allen St. John volume with this Wyeth collection, packed with rare and classic color images depicting Robinson Crusoe, Charlamange, patriots, patriarchs, The Mysterious Stranger, swashbucklers, Robin Hood, pirates, pilgrims, indians, dragons, Westerns, conquistadors, wizards, and maidens. This volume is also available in a Deluxe Hardcover edition that features a bonus 16-page folio and slipcase. (C: 0-0-1)
RES. from Previews Vol. XVIII #10 (OCT084407)
DELUXE HARDCOVER—HC, 128pgs, FC SRP: $59.95
HARDCOVER—HC, 128pgs, FC SRP: $34.95

JOE KUBERT: HOW TO DRAW FROM LIFE SC
(W/A) Joe Kubert
Joe Kubert has taught many of the finest cartoonists working today. In How to Draw from Life, he presents a wealth of his own original drawings from nude models, spanning his sixty-plus years as an artist and art instructor. Subjects include gesture drawing, contour drawing, the figure in motion, short studies, long studies, form and structure, anatomy, and lighting. Fully annotated with Kubert’s insightful commentary on drawing from life, this is the perfect book for art students, professionals, and comics enthusiasts everywhere. (C: 0-0-1)
RES. from Previews Vol. XVIII #9 (SEP084320)
SC, 8.5x11, 128pgs, PC SRP: $24.95

TEX: THE ART OF MARK TEXEIRA SC
(W) Renee Witterstaetter (A) Mark Texeira
Tex explores the worlds of famed artist, Mark Texeira. Best known for his work on Ghost Rider, Moon Knight, and Vampirella, Texeira is famed for his remarkable oil paintings, illustrations, and talent for storytelling. The Art of Mark Texeira explores the development of this renowned artist, from his tough inner-city youth, to his inspiring junior-high art teacher, to his days at Manhattan’s Art and Design High, to his years of study with Max Ginsburg, Irwin Greenberg, and David Leffel, and beyond. More than 200 illustrations are reproduced here, many never before published. ynamic and powerful, Texeira’s art leaps from the pages of this retrospective. (C: 0-0-1)
RES. from Previews Vol. XVIII #9 (SEP084321)
SC, 8.5x11, 128pgs, FC SRP: $24.95

VIPER COMICS

THE MIDDLEMAN: THE DOOMSDAY ARMAGEDDON APOCALYPSE! GN
(W) Javier Grillo-Marxuach (A) Armando Mendoza
The Middleman and Wendy return in a new adventure that completes the epic journey of their hit tv show! A betrayal by one of Wendy's closest friends sets off a chain of events that threatens the very fabric of human existence. Alone and surrounded by the forces of FATBOY and their leader, the dreaded Manservant Neville, Wendy and The Middleman stare down the barrel of a sacrifice so ultimate it will shake the Middleman universe to its very foundation! Based on the lost series script by creator Javier Grillo-Marxuach and co-executive producer Hans Beimler. (C: 0-0-1)
SC, 6x9, 72pgs, FC SRP: $7.95