2.29.12 Releases

You all know that I unequivocally love Scalped. It’s one of the best, if not the best, Vertigo books, err – make that DC books, err – make that any publisher’s books, in recent history. However, I can’t help the feeling that it’s a harbinger of some kind of death knell, and that when it wraps in just 4 more issues, it will be the end of an era at the Vertigo imprint. Vertigo used to consistently be the home of probably the best, most consistent material around, somewhere around 5-10 years ago. But when most of their high-end creators get snatched up by Marvel exclusive contracts or are pushed out for one reason or another and end up delivering their creator-owned material elsewhere, something feels amiss. Scalped, and the few issues that remain, seem like the last vestigial remnant of this era. With all of the amazing Image Expo announcements coming out over the weekend, it’s like Image is the new Vertigo, the home of cutting edge stories and a destination showcase for uniquely talented creators. In any case, it’s Scalped #56 (DC/Vertigo) this week, picking up from an absolutely shocking cliffhanger last month that went a little something like this: “FBI. You’re under arrest.”

I doubt I’ll pick up Orc Stain #7 (Image) after sampling the contents of the first trade, but this will undeniably be on some people’s pull lists this week after something of a publishing hiatus. I like much of what James Stokoe has produced in some anthology work here and there, just not so much on this main title. That’s it for me, what looks good to you?