Upcoming furry comics for August 2011 (Previews only)

This month makes up for the last two: lots of interesting stuff, and, furry aside, a lot of new publishers showing up. I hope both trends hold up. There are still way too many zombies, though. Like Zombies vs. Cheerleaders #4, 'Easily the greatest 21 letter titled comic in history- that has zombies and cheerleaders!'

PAGE 41
DARK HORSE COMICS (http://www.darkhorse.com)
JUN110033 Usagi Yojimbo #140 24pg, b&w $3.50
by Stan Sakai
Inspector Ishida solves the mystery.

PAGE 122
DC COMICS (http://www.dccomics.com/)
JUN110332 Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #12 32pg, color $2.99
by Scott Gross
The Hope Diamond disappears.

JUN110334 Looney Tunes #201 32pg, color $2.99
by Bill Matheny and various
Foghorn Leghorn.

PAGES 138, 139
IDW PUBLISHING (http://www.idwpublishing.com/)
JUN110370-74? Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Ongoing #1 32pg, color $3.99
by Kevin Eastman & Tom Waltz and Dan Duncan; Sam Kieth is in there somewhere
The TMNT return, with four Duncan covers, one per turtle. Maybe there's a Kieth cover too. I can't tell, but the order booklet numbers jump from '370 to '375.

JUN110375 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: the Ultimate Collection hc, 9"x12", 312pg, b&w $49.99
by Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird, and Michael Dooney
Reprints the original Mirage Studios issues #1-7 and Raphael one-shot.

PAGES 193, 204
IMAGE COMICS (http://www.imagecomics.com/)
JUN110539 Elephantmen #35 40pg, color $3.99
by Richard Starkings and Boo Cook
'Yvette tracks down Hip, Ebony and Horn to exact her revenge.'

JUN110561 Super Dinosaur #5 32pg, color $2.99
by Robert Kirkman and Jason Howard
'This is the big one folks, after this issue... nothing will ever be the same!' OK, but can it be missed?

Because I feel like it, I'll quote the description for the surely nonfurry Skullkickers #10:
'"FIVE FUNERALS AND A BUCKET OF BLOOD," Part Four--This issue has it all: A cover, printed pages, comic panels in sequential order and staples! You heard that right-- staples! Okay, now that we're past that stuff--does anyone read this info? Do you? Let us know at www.skullkickers.com. PS: We now have more issues than BATTLE CHASERS.'

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AIRSHIP ENTERTAINMENT (http://airshipstore.com/)
JUN110792 Girl Genius vol. 10: Agatha Hetrodyne and the Guardian Muse hc, 152pg, color $48.95
by Phil & Kaja Foglio
See my April post for the description. In it I said 'There's also a $48.95 hardback but it's not listed.' Now it's listed. Highly recommended in either edition.

PAGES 219, 220 [Diamond has forgotten again that AN < AP.]
APE ENTERTAINMENT (http://apecmx.com/)
JUN110806 Kung Fu Panda #3 (of 4) 7"x10", 32pg, color $3.95
by Matt Anderson and CV Design
Po et al. face the five elements. The Chinese ones, that is: Earth, Fire, Water, Metal, and Wood.

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ANTARCTIC PRESS (http://www.antarctic-press.com/)
JUN110812 Gold Digger #132 32pg, color $3.99
by Fred Perry
'Stryyp is asked to return to his homeworld of Aebra by the archon of his people.' The whole Diggers clan accompanies him just in case; surprise awaits.

JUN110813 Gold Digger Swimsuit Special #21 32pg, color $4.99
by Fred Perry and fanartists
For those who want to see fan art.

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ARCHAIA ENTERTAINMENT LLC (http://www.archaia.com)
JUN110829 Fraggle Rock Classics sc, 96pg, color $9.95
by Stan Kay and Marie Severin
A 'new reprinting of the original Fraggle Rock comic book series, which first debuted in 1985.'

PAGE 229
ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS (http://www.archiecomics.com/)
JUN110846 Knuckles the Echidna Archives vol. 1 sc, 5"x7", 160pg, color $9.95
by Ian Flynn and Patrick "Spaz" Spaziante
Collects *Sonic's Friendly Nemesis: Knuckles* #1-3 and *Knuckles the Echidna* #1-3 in digest format.

JUN110850 Sonic the Hedgehog #228 32pg, color $2.99
by Ian Flynn and Patrick 'Spaz' Spaziante & Tracy Yardley!
The penultimate installment of 'Genesis'. This is the fifth time 'penultimate' is used in this *Previews*, correctly each time.

JUN110851 Sonic Universe #31 32pg, color $2.99
by Ian Flynn and Tracy Yardley! & Jim Amash
Scourge continues to try to break out of jail.

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BOOM! TOWN (http://www.boom-studios.net/)
JUN110962 Roger Langridge: The Show Must Go On sc, 7"x10", 224pg, color $19.99
by Roger Langridge and Gordon Rennie
This is not furry, to my knowledge; the parsnip is not anthropomorphic and it's a bit player anyway. And in fact--but no, see for yourself. However, this is the pure uncut Langridge, including Webcomics work like Hotel Fred and Mugwhump the Great, so I'm using the next item as an excuse for including it. Highly recommended.

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KABOOM! (http://www.boom-studios.net/)
JUN110963 Roger Langridge's Snarked #0 32pg, color $1.00
by Roger Langridge
Well, it's official: no more Langridge Muppet Show. I weep. On the other hand: 'Special $1 introduction to the eagerly awaited new hit series starting this October!' Were you eagerly awaiting it? Is it already a hit? Ordinarily this nonsensical hooraw would annoy me considerably, but it is Roger Langridge, after all, and I do anticipate it now that I know of it. We get an 8-page story and 24 pages of 'back matter that dives deep into the world of Snarked with an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the new series'. If you've never tasted Langridge before, here's a bargain-priced gateway booklet. With con man Walrus and his dimwitted sidekick the Carpenter, it looks a little like Art d'Ecco and the Gump watered down for the kiddies, but it's still Langridge. Recommended. See half the story at http://www.comicbookresources.com/?id=8858&page=preview .

Apart from that, there are only three new items this month: Darkwing Duck #14, Darkwing Duck Volume 3: Fowl Disposition (collecting DD #9-12), and DuckTales #4.

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DIGITAL MANGA PUBLISHING (http://www.digitalmanga.com/)
JUN111052 Mr. Tiger and Mr. Wolf sc, 5"x7", 200pg, b&w $12.95
'When a tsundere ['initially cold...before gradually showing their warm side'] wolf finds an adorable kitten, he thinks he has found the perfect wife candidate to bring up. But when it reaches adulthood, it is not only male, but rather unexpectedly is a huge Bengal tiger. The wildly popular comedy fantasy story now in English for the very first time! MATURE THEMES' Anyone else find that description rather odd? 'Oh, what a cute little kitten. I will hug her and pet her and screw her and *vwoop* Goodness, you are a huge male Bengal tiger! How unexpected. Rowr.' There must be more furry yaoi manga out there but I don't recall any offhand.

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FANTAGRAPHICS (http://www.fantagraphicsbooks.com/)
JUN111092 The Frank Book hc, 8.5"x11", 352pg, part color $45.00 (reprint)
JUN111093 The Frank Book sc, 8.5"x11", 352pg, part color $34.99
by Jim Woodring
introduction by Francis Ford Coppola
'In honor of Frank's 20th anniversary, Fantagraphics is re-releasing the long out-of-print Frank Book omnibus in both the classic hardcover format and also a softcover edition for those on a budget. The Frank Book collects all the Frank material up to the mid-aughts, including several jaw-droppingly beautiful full-color stories, literally dozens of lushly-delineated black-and-white stories, and a treasure trove of covers and illustrations.' Highly recommended.

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KODANSHA COMICS (http://kodanshacomics.com/)
JUN111169 Animal Land vol. 1 sc, 5"x7", 200pg, b&w $10.99
by Raiku Makoto
'Orphaned after her parents were killed by Lynxes, Monoko is the only tanuki (raccoon dog) in her village without a family, until she finds a human baby in a river. In Animal Land, a world inhabited solely by animals, this human child is a mystery. This baby is Monoko's only chance at having a family and she is determined to raise the human child as her own. Animal Land is a quirky story about Monoko and the mysterious human baby.'

JUN111172 Gon vol. 1 sc, 5"x7", 200pg, b&w $10.99
by Masashi Tanaka
'Gon is a small dinosaur that has managed to survive extinction. He goes on fun adventures in a world of vibrant creatures and fauna. A unique manga told entirely without words, Gon features lush art depicting detailed beautiful environments.' DC published seven volumes, but it looks like Kodansha has decided to do it themselves. If you don't have the earlier editions, recommended.

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NBM (http://www.nbmpub.com/)
JUN111187 Bubbles & Gondola hc, 9"x11", 80pg, color $16.99
by Renaud Dilliès
'On a background of Django Reinhardt, this jewel of poetic fantasy is a fairy tale for all ages with spot on observations about life. Charlie is a mouse who's trying to write but has a block. Writing is a solitary endeavor. A bird named Solitude comes to visit him to keep him company. We're never sure he actually exists but in Charlie's mind, yet he brings him out into the world, dares him to experience the unknown, unblocking his little existence.' Judging from the blurb, the translation will be somewhat awkward.

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DISNEY
JUN111374 The Art of Epic Mickey hc, 12"x10", 160pg, color $40.00
by Austin Grossman
'Written by Epic Mickey co-writer Austin Grossman and with a forward by Game Director and New York Times contributor Warren Spector, The Art of Epic Mickey journeys through the beautifully dark and twisted world known as Cartoon Wasteland and touches upon the creative process behind developing this once-in-a-lifetime vision. It will include sketches, concept art, final frames, and stills from the actual game, plus, never-before-used art with quotes from the team that envisioned this epic tale.' So it seems there's this 2010 videogame that takes Mickey back to his more adventurous roots. News to me.