Hope you've got a healthy appetite when you hit the comic store tomorrow, because with comics about teen vampires, werewolves on the moon and culinary detectives, there's a lot to chew on in this week's comics. Plus new Batman.
Let's get that Batbook out the way first; Grant Morrison attempts to make up for the sturm-und-drang of Batman RIP with the first issue of Batman And Robin, his new series starring the new Batman (Dick Grayson, formerly the original Robin) that he's likened to both Crank and the old Adam West show mixed with David Lynch. His All Star Superman partner Frank Quitely is drawing this one, so expect beautifully-designed pages of madness, and a superhero comic that, if nothing else, is unlikely to be dull.
Leaving the superheroes behind for now - Well, apart from pointing out that Marvel's putting out a collection of the retro-with-a-twist Age Of The Sentry quasi-parody series, and DC have both Batgirl: Redemption and Green Lantern Corps: Sins of The Star Sapphire to fulfill your superpowered needs - it's time for vampires to take the stage with a couple of books from Oregon-based Dark Horse. There's Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Tales Of The Vampires lets the wonderful Becky Cloonan and Vasilis Lolos tell a story about a young impressionable kid hanging out with a bad crowd (Hint: They drink blood) in the Buffy-verse (You can find a preview here). And then Werewolves On The Moon Versus Vampires pretty much tells you all you need to know with its title alone.
Even that, however, is not the high-concept must-have of the week. No, that honor belongs to Chew, the new series by John Layman and Rob Guillory that offers up a detective who gets psychic impressions from what he eats, living in a future where bird flu has led to the banning of poultry. Oh, and he works in homicide... which means he eats dead people. Given Layman's enjoyably dark sense of humor, his citing of Y The Last Man and Monk as influences and his enjoyably dark sense of humor, I can't see a way that Chew could disappoint.
In case you're looking for some more aperitifs for your reading palate, this week's list of new comics will, I'm sure, offer something for every palate. To keep the metaphor going, consider the Comic Shop Locator your menu for a particularly store-like cuisine. Just remember to tip your waiter before you leave. It's always safer that way.