SATURDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2001

MARVEL KNIGHTS #1: PLOT AND PAGES

Marvel Comics on Friday provided The Continuum the plot and black-and-white art from the first eight pages of Marvel Knights #1, which arrives in stores in March.

The book is written by John Figueroa, with art by Alberto Ponticelli.

"When editor Bronwyn Taggart showed me the art and plot from Marvel Knights #1, I just had to share it with readers and retailers," said Marvel's Bill Rosemann. "See, despite the first series coming to an end, I knew a book featuring Daredevil, Black Widow and the Punisher -- if delivered in the hard-hitting style it deserves -- could be a great read.

"When Bronwyn showed me the art by Alberto Ponticelli, I saw that the visual grit would be there. But what about the writing? Well, after I read the plot by John Figueroa, I also knew that the words came straight from the street. John knows New York City and the freaks, players, and sad sacks that slink through it's shadows."

For the plot and pages, CLICK HERE.

STEVEN GRANT'S MORTAL SOULS FROM AVATAR

Avatar Press announced it will publish Steven Grant's Mortal Souls, a three-issue mini-series written by Grant with art by Phil Xavier. Described as "a bloody, bitter mix of crime and horror," the project will debut in March.

"Grant's efforts in both mainstream and indy comics have been a major contribution to the evolution of the comics scene for over a decade," said Avatar Press editor-in-chief William Christensen. "His work on the original Punisher mini-series was a key part of the mid-80's mainstream comics renaissance.

"Steven has consistently been an innovator throughout his career, and I'm very pleased that he is interested in continuing his long run of groundbreaking projects with a creator-owned saga at Avatar."

"You can't do what you want for corporate comics, which are now focusing on 'safe' projects," Grant said. "They're not interested in creator-owned projects. They want to be polite, to not rock the boat, to maintain control.

"Only companies like Avatar Press now give writers free reign to do truly interesting or innovative work, especially work like Mortal Souls, with ideas and themes that really haven't been tackled before in comics, that mixes genres and hopefully breaks new ground.

"I don't get notes from Avatar saying things like, 'make it more like Hellblazer' or 'make the hero nicer so we won't scare off movie studios.' The work is pure, it's clean, it's what I want it to be."

Artist Xavier's credits include Legendlore, Heavy Metal, Frank Frazetta Illlustrated and Avatar's Threshold.

"It's great to be working with Steven grant doing what he does best... crime comics," Xavier said. "And this one has a fascinating horror twist."

Here's how Avatar describes the mini-series:

"A project grounded in both crime and horror, Mortal Souls reaches beyond both of those nightmare genres. Pursuing an unpredictable killer, police detective Eric Sharpe watches his life turn into a waking nightmare as the killer, in her last living act, gives him 'the sight.'

"He discovers the existence of Qelipoth, which literally means the husks of the dead. They're dangerous creatures, once men but now without souls, consumed by their own emptiness and hunger and hating the living for the mere condition of being completely alive. The Qelipoth not only exist, they control the world. Now the only one who can tell who they are, Sharpe becomes their #1 enemy and arget, and possibly the last hope of humanity on Earth."

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FIRST LOOK: NEW X-MEN #121

New X-Men #121 will arrive in stores on Friday from Marvel Comics. The issue is written by Grant Morrison, with art and cover by Frank Quitely.

Here's how Marvel describes the issue:

"Professor X lies in a coma, on the edge of death. His powerful mutant brain has retreated into itself. In one last ditch attempt to free him from this state, Jean Grey and Emma Frost telepathically journey into the realm of Xavier's mind -- and the horrors they discover can truly not be described! Can the X-Men's founder be saved -- or will Jean and Emma be consumed by his nightmares? Find out in 'Silence: Psychic Rescue in Progress.'"

New X-Men #121 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.25.

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FIRST LOOK: X-TREME X-MEN: SAVAGE LAND #4

X-Treme X-Men: Savage Land #4 will arrive in stores on Friday from Marvel Comics. The issue is written by Chris Claremont, with art and cover by Kevin Sharpe.

Here's how Marvel describes the issue:

"The conclusion to the X-Treme Team's mini-series. The Beast was always a sucker for a pretty lady, and Lupa, Mistress of the Dire Wolves, is very pretty, indeed. Plus: The Savage Land Mutates, the Savage Land Marauders, an army of intelligent dinosaurs, and a look into the darkest corners of Storm's soul."

X-Treme X-Men: Savage Land #4 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.99.

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FIRST LOOK: ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #17

Ultimate Spider-Man #17 will arrive in stores on Friday form Marvel Comics. The issue is written by Brian Michael Bendis, with art by Mark Bagley and Art Thibert and a cover by Bagley.

Here's how Marvel describes the issue:

"New York's energy crisis is solved. Hammer Industries, run by financier Justin Hammer, has constructed the Big Apple Energy Dome Project. And while most of the city rejoices, one man does not; one man who blames Hammer for his horrible condition; one man who plans on sabotaging the Dome for revenge - and his name is Dr. Octopus! And while our teenaged wall-crawler rushes to the rescue, an equally ominous threat - known as Kraven the Hunter - prepares to strike. Plus: Gwen Stacy returns to high school after being expelled... and it isn't pretty."

Ultimate Spider-Man #17 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.25.

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FIRST LOOK: SUPERMAN ADVENTURES #65

Superman Adventures #65 will arrive in stores on Friday from DC Comics. The issue is written by Evan Dorkin and Sarah Dyer, with art by Aluir Amancio and Terry Austin and a cover by Mike Manley and Austin

Here's how DC describes the issue, which is part one of the two-part "Power Play" story.

"The long-comatose Livewire has sprung back to life at last…just in time to become a pawn of Lex Luthor in a deadly game between the millionaire and an enemy that can engulf even him."

Superman Adventures #65 will be 32 pages and will cost $1.99.

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FIRST LOOK: YOUNG JUSTICE #41

Young Justice #41 will arrive in stores on Friday from DC Comics. The issue is written by Peter David, with art and cover by Todd Nauck and Lary Stucker.

Here's how DC describes the issue:

"Is the Ray the newest member of Young Justice, filling in for Robin and Impulse? Or is he just a guest-star? Meanwhile, Secret and Snapper Carr deal with a most bizarre and unusual menace."

Young Justice #41 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.50.

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FIRST LOOK: THE POWER COMPANY: STRIKER Z #1

The Power Company: Striker Z #1 will arrive in stores on Friday from DC Comics. The issue is written by Kurt Busiek, with art by Ramon Bachs and Raul Fernandez and cover by Tom Grummett and Michael Bair.

Here's how DC describes the issue:

"Guest-starring Superboy. Introducing Striker Z - a former Hong Kong action-movie stuntman turned accidental superhero! In this one-shot, he gets his first taste of the superhero life, as he and Superboy must stop the Golden Sorceror - a powerful threat to all Hong Kong linked to Striker Z's origin. But Striker Z's first taste won't be his last."

The Power Company: Striker Z #1 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.50.

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FIRST LOOK: THE POWER COMPANY: JOSIAH POWER #1

The Power Company: Josiah Power #1 will arrive in stores on Friday from DC Comics. The issue is written by Kurt Busiek, with art by Keith Giffen and Al Milgrom and a cover by Tom Grummett and Michael Bair.

Here's how DC describes the issue:

"Guest-starring Superman. In the wake of the Invasion! crossover, Josiah Power - a successful African-American attorney - finds himself gifted with super-powers, and his professional and personal life spiraling into ruin. But an encounter with Superman and the JLI (the Justice League of that era) will give him a chance to turn his life around, and set him on the road toward creating the Power Company."

The Power Company: Josiah Power #1 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.50.

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FIRST LOOK: NINJA BOY #5

Ninja Boy #5 will arrive in stores on Friday from WildStorm Productions and DC Comics. The issue is written by Allen Warner and Alé Garza, with art and cover by Garza and Dan Norton.

Here's how DC describes the issue:

"In an attempt to find Nakio, a team of deadly assassins destroys the jeweled City of Diamonds and everyone in it. But Nakio is already on the run, following the forest spirit Kura deeper into the Old Forest in search of the sorcerer Jurojin. But are they too late, and is the Ninja Boy man enough to confront the person who killed his brothers?"

Ninja Boy #5 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.95.

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BRIEFLY