Upcoming: “Coffin Hill” #1 (Vertigo)

I’m really looking forward to this. Out of all the “bigger” comics publishers, I am really falling for a lot of Vertigo series. COFFIN HILL, which will be published on October 9th 2013, looks like yet another series that will appeal to my (rather dark, twisted) taste.

The cover is by Dave Johnson, and the variant by Gene Ha. Inaki Miranda, who handles art duties on this title, is an awesome artist, and one of my favourite recent finds – she worked on Lauren Beukes’s excellent run on Fairest, and put together some of the most striking panels and full-page spreads I’ve ever seen.

Coffin Hill is written by Caitlin Kittredge (who I have no experience reading). Kittredge is the author of the Black London series.

COFFIN HILL stars Eve Coffin, a rebellious, teenage lowlife from a high-society family with a curse that goes back to the Salem Witch trials.

Following a night of sex, drugs and witchcraft in the woods, Eve wakes up naked, covered in blood and unable to remember how she got there. One friend is missing, one is in a mental ward—and one knows that Eve is responsible.

After a stint as a Boston cop that ends in a bullet wound and unintended celebrity, Eve returns to Coffin Hill, only to discover the darkness that she unleashed ten years ago in the woods was never 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.

Count me very much looking forward to this. This sounds great. As a bonus, here are the covers (without text, etc.) for the second and third issues:

Justice League, Vol.2 – “The Villain’s Journey” (DC)

Writer: Geoff Johns | Artist: Jim Lee, Carlos D’Anda, Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Scott Williams, Gene Ha

The Justice League is the greatest force for good the world has ever seen. But not everyone sees them that way.

Their never-ending battle against evil results in casualties beyond its super-powered, costumed combatants. The League’s attempts to safeguard innocent lives cannot save everybody. Unbeknownst to Earth’s greatest champions, their greatest triumph may contain the seeds of their greatest defeat.

For heroes are not the only people who face tragedy and are reborn as something greater than they were before. Villains can take this journey, too.

And once they start out on this dark path, the road could lead straight to the destruction of the Justice League…

Collects: Justice League #7-12

I read Justice League #1-9 as single issues, so I read this collection mainly so I could catch up. It’s a solid series and, while I sometimes wonder at the overall structure and direction of the series (there are altogether too many ‘hints’ for the future), one that is very enjoyable to read.

Upcoming: “Action Comics” #9 (DC)

This issue is coming out on Wednesday (May 2nd), but I thought it was particularly noteworthy. As long-time readers will know, I’m not the greatest fan of Morrison’s work – I think he mostly has great ideas that are then poorly executed. I’m really hoping this isn’t one of them. First off, the artwork, followed by the synopsis:

Writers: Sholly Fisch & Grant Morrison | Artists: Gene Ha & Cully Hamner

Featuring characters from parallel Earths, including PRESIDENT SUPERMAN!

Introducing new villain SUPERDOOM!

Guest artist GENE HA joins GRANT MORRISON for this tale of not one, not two, but THREE Earths!

And in the backup story, President Superman must stop a nuclear attack – but he can't leave the White House!

Yes, the most interesting thing about this issue is the idea of President Superman (who appears to be influenced by President Obama, too). Despite my general lack of interest in multiple-realities, and the fact that the synopsis is written in language that is rather off-putting, I’m actually really interested to see what Morrison and Co. come up with.