Random Happenstance

You might recognize the artists, maybe even the setting, but probably not this book.
There's probably a Buddy Bradley in space joke there, somewhere, but I haven't read a lot of Peter Bagge's stuff.

On the other hand, from Mad to Groo, I've read a lot of Sergio Aragones' over the years. Hell, he co-wrote that Bat Lash limited series. Last issue of that comes out on Wednesday, and it's been solid: buy it or bury the comic book western...


Here's a Travis Charest panel, just to contrast some of the different art styles this one had. Further down on this page, there's a girl that is more indicative of Charest's style, instantly recognizable as his.

And Kelley Jones had been here already, in the limited series Aliens: Hive. I haven't paid full price for Batman comics in a dog's age, but his new limited series? Yeah, probably.

These were all panels from Aliens: Havoc. From the ad for the Alien trade paperback catalog in the first issue, Dark Horse had already put out at least thirteen trades by 1997. So, to shake things up a little, this one was a two-part jam series, with artists as diverse at Moebius, John Paul Leon, Jay Stephens, Mike Allred, Tony Millionaire...I could keep going, but you get the point, a boatload of artists. (And one writer, Mark Schultz!)

Moreover, the other artistic challenge was "the action in Havoc is always seen from an off-panel character's point of view." The notes in the first issue show a cut panel from Arthur Adams, since he had done a bird's-eye view, but was kind enough to redraw it. I figure if you nitpick your way through the whole series, you'll doubtless find a few slips; but the first read or two you'll be too busy checking out the art.

I think, although I may never be positive, that I bought these full-price off the racks; but I have a ton of Aliens books from the quarter-bins. Still, Havoc, Hive, and um, there was a sharp looking Kilian Plunkett one with a rather generic name like Infestation or something. Those three at least I can tell you are worth giving a look, if you've ever enjoyed an Aliens story.

I have a vague idea for an Aliens strip, but I don't know if it will pull together or not. Shoot, gotta finish up tomorrow's!