Welcome to the Shipping Forecast, Ninth Art's pick of the best and most notable new releases hitting comic stores each week.

COMIC OF THE WEEK:

[i1] LAST OF THE INDEPENDENTS GN (AiT/PlanetLar)
Take the action of your favourite westerns and mob films, add two parts maniacal comics creator, sprinkle a liberal dose of comics activism and what do you get? While LAST OF THE INDEPENDENTS may not go so far as to get you drunk, this 96-page OGN from writer Matt Fraction and artist Kieron Dwyer does look like it will provide many laughs and, according to more than one trustworthy source, thrills and spills heretofore considered solely the domain of '70s action films. Having sampled both creators' work, I can safely say that LAST OF THE INDEPENDENTS is not going to be suitable for children or the easily offended, but anyone looking for proof that action comics have potential outside of manga and superheroes is advised to check this out. [Trafalgar]

ALSO THIS WEEK:

[i2] MASTERPLAN GN (Top Shelf)
Is there anything Scott Mills can't handle? Fearlessly jumping genres and styles at a moment's notice, he tackles everything from World War I trench warfare to redneck zombies, and all points in-between. His latest graphic novel from Top Shelf Productions is THE MASTERPLAN, a science-fiction saga about a scientist determined to stop the universe's expansion. Based on other works by Mills, expect an interesting story that focuses almost equally on the emotional well being of its protagonists as it does the big events that it's focusing on. With his cartoonish art style and the always-expected high production values that come with a book from Top Shelf, THE MASTERPLAN is bound to look pretty slick as well. [Plymouth]

KITSUNE TALES #1 (Slave Labor/Amaze Ink)
Every now and then Andi Watson seems to hit a prolific spot (or rather, his various publishers release his new work close together) and we at the lighthouse have to think of new ways to say "Andi Watson's great, buy his stuff!" So, Oni's started publishing LOVE FIGHTS and put out a GEISHA collection and then this appears under the Amaze Ink imprint. So what to say? Well, the character of Kitsune is from Watson's first major hit, SKELETON KEY, but this series goes way back into her history and indeed her roots in Japanese mythology. Watson has a discernable influence in Japanese woodblock prints and brush paintings; indeed he has drawn in the style of Utamaro (in GEISHA), so his art style will suit this series to a tee. I don't doubt that he's done his research into Japanese myth and folktales as well. Fans of the more esoteric plots in USAGI YOJIMBO will love this series, but even if you know nothing about ancient Japan and its culture, this should be a quirky, exciting read. [German Bight]

[i3] ONE PIECE VOL 1 TP: ROMANCE DAWN (Viz)
In Viz's new English-language SHONEN JUMP, the "youngest" of the series appearing every month is Eiichiro Oda's ONE PIECE... and perhaps coincidentally, it's also the anthology's crown jewel. Oda's stories combine slapstick comedy and drama as Monkey D Luffy begins his quest to become the greatest pirate ever and discover the legendary treasure known as "One Piece". The only problem is, Luffy doesn't know the first thing about being a pirate, and thanks to eating a magical fruit that makes his body stretch like rubber, he can never swim. A problem for someone to spend their life on the sea? Not here. This is the centrepiece of the book; an upbeat protagonist who doesn't ever take no for an answer and succeeds in all his goals through sheer force of will. ONE PIECE is wonderfully clever and Oda's creation raises the bar for all other adventure fiction to be measured against. In the end, ONE PIECE really is the greatest treasure in the Seven Seas. [Plymouth]

FANTASTIC FOUR LEGENDS VOL 1: UNSTABLE MOLECULES TP (Marvel)
Prior to its release, UNSTABLE MOLECULES kicked up a hell of a controversy. How dare indie superstar James Sturm, he of the excellent GOLEM'S MIGHTY SWING, take money from a large corporation in exchange for his time and money? But the book pretty much sank beneath the waves, and so the controversy died down. Now the book can be assessed on its own merits, and it certainly deserves a second look. Despite Marvel's idiotic 'Legends' branding, this isn't really a FANTASTIC FOUR book so much as it is a book about families, suburban frustrations and restless ennui that uses the FF as a thematic device. It feels more like something from Michael Chabon, or Ang Lee's THE ICE STORM, than anything from Jack and Stan. Guy Davis's art makes the whole thing seem effortless, and Sturm's writing is sharp and intelligent. An entirely appropriate use of Mr Sturm's time and talents. [Fisher]

THE SHIPPING LIST FOR JULY 2nd:

Shipping details come courtesy of Diamond. Visit the Diamond website for the latest information, as the list is subject to change.

DARK HORSE

APR030018D DEVIL'S FOOTPRINTS #4 (Of 4) $2.99
MAY030016D GO BOY 7: HUMAN ACTION MACHINE #1 $2.99
MAY030046D OH MY GODDESS #99: THE PHANTOM RACER (PART 4 OF 4) $2.99

DC COMICS

MAY030232D 100 BULLETS #46 (MR) $2.50
MAY030157D ACTION COMICS #805 $2.25
MAY030140D ARKHAM ASYLUM: LIVING HELL #3 (Of 6) $2.50
MAY030210D AUTHORITY VOL 2 #3 (MR) $2.95
MAY030148D BATMAN: NEVERMORE #4 (Of 5) $2.50
MAY030136D DETECTIVE COMICS #784 $2.75
MAY030175D ENEMY ACE: WAR IN HEAVEN TP $14.95
MAY030211D EXTINCTION EVENT #1 (Of 5) $2.50
MAY030177D FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE JUSTICE LEAGUE #1 (Of 6) $2.50
MAY030153D HARLEY QUINN #34 $2.50
MAY030188D JSA: ALL STARS #3 (Of 8) $2.50
MAY030192D JUSTICE LEAGUE ADVENTURES #21 $2.25
MAY030206D LOONEY TUNES #104 $2.25
MAY030215D ROBOTECH: LOVE AND WAR #2 (Of 6) $2.95
MAY030162D SUPERMAN: BIRTHRIGHT #1 (Of 12) $2.95
MAY030249D VERTIGO POP!: BANGKOK #3 (Of 4) (MR) $2.95

IMAGE

MAY031276D BATTLE OF THE PLANETS #1/2 $2.99
APR031309D BATTLE OF THE PLANETS #11 (Of 12) $2.99
APR031275D GI JOE/TRANSFORMERS ANDREWS CVR #1 (Of 6) $2.95
DEC021831D SAVAGE DRAGON #108 $2.95
MAR031316D WICKED VOL 1 OMNIBUS TP $19.95

MARVEL

MAY031494D ALIAS #24 (MR) $2.99
APR031543D AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #54 $2.25
MAY031500D ELEKTRA #25 $2.99
MAY031492D ETERNAL #2 (MR) $2.99
MAY031510D EXILES #29 $2.99
MAY031585D FANTASTIC FOUR LEGENDS VOL 1: UNSTABLE MOLECULES TP $13.99
MAY031488D MARVEL MUST HAVES: ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #1-3 $3.99
APR031515D NEW X-MEN #143 $2.25
APR031559D PARADISE X #12 (Of 12) $2.99
MAY031504D SENTINEL #4 $2.50
MAY031485D SPIDER-GIRL #62 $2.99
MAY031481D TROUBLE #1 (Of 5) $2.99
JAN031589 ULTIMATE ADVENTURES #4 (RES) $2.25
MAY031556D ULTIMATE MARVEL TEAM-UP VOL 2 TP $11.99
MAY031487D ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #43 $2.25
MAY031506D UNCANNY X-MEN #427 $2.25
APR031524D WEAPON X #10 $2.99
APR031520D X-MEN UNLIMITED #49 $2.50

OTHER PUBLISHERS

APR032005 ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #144 $3.59
APR032509 BATTLE ANGEL ALITA: LAST ORDER VOL 1 TP: ANGEL REBORN $9.95
APR032008 BETTY & VERONICA SPECTACULAR #61 $2.19
MAY032109E FIRST #33 $2.95
APR032154 GENERIC COMIC BOOK #13 $1.95
MAY032237F IRON WAGON SC $12.95
MAY031918E KITSUNE TALES #1 $4.95
APR031915 LAST OF THE INDEPENDENTS GN $12.95
APR032484 MASTERPLAN GN $24.95
MAY032189E NECROWAR #1 $2.95
APR032510 ONE PIECE VOL 1 TP: ROMANCE DAWN $7.95
MAY032106E R A SALVATORE'S DEMON WARS VOL 2 #3: EYE FOR AN EYE (Of 5) $2.95
APR032063 RADIOACTIVE MAN #7 BONGO SUPER HEROES $2.50
MAY032172F RECORD OF LODOSS WAR CHRONICLES: HEROIC KNIGHT BOOK 5 $15.95
MAR031896F RUBBER NECKER #3 (MR) $3.50
APR032012 SABRINA VOL 2 #47 $2.19
APR032406 SCOOTER GIRL #2 (Of 6) (MR) $2.99
APR032506 SHONEN JUMP VOL 1 #8 AUG 2003 $4.95
DEC022751 SHRIMPY AND PAUL SC (MR) $16.95
APR031918 SWEATERWEATHER GN $11.95
MAY031945E TUPELO #1 (MR) $2.95
APR031923 VAGABONDS #1 $2.95
APR032527 X/1999 VOL 3 TP 2ND ED SONATA $9.95
APR032528 X/1999 VOL 4 TP 2ND ED INTERMEZZO $9.95
MAR032047F ZOMBIE COMMANDOS FROM HELL #4 (MR) $2.95

The 9A Lighthouse Crew are Trafalgar, Shannon, Fastnet, Plymouth, Viking, German Bight, Finisterre, Forties, Dogger, Cromarty and Fisher.

This article is Ideological Freeware. The author grants permission for its reproduction and redistribution by private individuals on condition that the author and source of the article are clearly shown, no charge is made, and the whole article is reproduced intact, including this notice.