Welcome to The Forecast. Every Monday, Ninth Art's core team of comment writers, the Ninth Eight, will be your guides to the best, worst, weirdest and most noteworthy books on the shelves of your local comic shop.

BOOK OF THE WEEK: SHE-HULK

It's somehow typical of today's comics that an essentially risible and misogynistic character who nobody has cared about for years can be used to produce an amusing piece of entertainment. But that's enough about John Byrne; let us instead concentrate on the latest run of a character with which Byrne produced some very notable comics back in the day: She-Hulk.

In SHE-HULK: SINGLE GREEN FEMALE (Marvel), the Jolly Green Giantess is thankfully no longer portrayed purely as an exotic and muscular piece of T&A. No, Dan Slott, the writer on this newest incarnation of the title, has had the bright idea of raiding other pop culture media for inspiration, and has hit on the wonderful conceit of making the new She-Hulk like ALLY McBEAL, but with a gamma-amazon in the lead role instead of a stick insect.

The tone of the comic is similar to that of David Kelly's TV show, which means it's possibly the first girl-friendly SHE-HULK title in a long time, and it gives those who are well versed in the Marvel Universe a chance to smirk at the various in-jokes and wisecracks that seem to have proliferated through Marvel titles since Bendis started writing 75% of the line. Juan Bobillo's art is never exceptional, but it serves this style of story well, though Adi Granov's Greg-Horn-alike covers are a bit gratuitous. This first trade of the new series is well worth perusing if you're after a nicely wry story with plenty of gags and a strong female lead - in all senses of the word. [Lindsay Duff]

SUPERHEROES: THE COMIC!

The Impossibles! Man, I used to love that show. Multi Man! Coil Man! Fluid Man! By day, they were a crime-fighting trio, by night, a pop band! Sure some people say they ripped off the Monkees, but even the Monkees weren't original. and... Wait a sec, that cover doesn't say 'Impossibles'...

Ah, THE INCREDIBLES. As everyone knows by now, THE INCREDIBLES is the new Disney/Pixar film, written and directed by Brad Bird. As well as once being part of the SIMPSONS team, Bird also made the beautifully retro IRON GIANT a few years ago, arguably the best American animated movie ever made (which also holds the distinction of making me bawl like a kid every single time I watch it).

It makes perfect sense that there should be an INCREDIBLES comic, even if it is just a plain old adaptation of the film: the Incredibles are superheroes, after all. Unlike other superhero films that start off purely as celluloid (I'm looking at DARKMAN and METEOR MAN specifically), THE INCREDIBLES should be a winner. The storyline sees superheroes forced to give up their crime fighting ways and go into hiding after being sued by the people they saved, only to be called on to save the world again. The voice talent is excellent, and being a Pixar film, it looks gorgeous. Publishers Dark Horse can't count on a legion of pre-existing fans for THE INCREDIBLES like there is for the STAR WARS comics, but if the movie's as good as everyone's saying, that fanbase shouldn't be long in coming. [Ben Wooller]

BETTER MAKE IT A DOUBLE, PEPPER!

I've always had a soft spot for Iron Man. Anyone who can still save the world after seven martinis is my kinda guy. And despite my regular grousing about how Warren Ellis doesn't pack enough story into his books anymore, I do hold a torch for him for once having been one of the funniest, sharpest and most inventive writers in comics. So I was thrilled to hear that part of his "year of corporate whoredom" would involve a stint on a new IRON MAN series for Marvel. Issue one of that series debuts this week, a double-sized opener of a six-issue arc, 'Extremis'.

The character seems a perfect fit for Ellis: lots of opportunity to witter on about technology (a favourite theme), and the character is already an alcoholic (another favourite theme). By all rights, then, this should be Ellis' standout series of the year. And, luckily, it has art to match. I wasn't entirely convinced when I heard Adi Granov would be the artist on the title, as I'd seen some of his work in METAL HURLANT and, like a lot of CGI-heavy art, it makes for lovely pin-ups but appears very stiff as sequentials.

However, Granov seems to have overcome this problem with IRON MAN and I was pleasantly surprised by the previews. The art is ridiculously pretty, and the Iron Man costume looks more believable and up-to-date than it has in a long time. Granov's highly detailed style is perfect for Ellis, as it makes his thee-panel pages seem less sparse. I'm afraid we'll never get back the density of storytelling Ellis had in early TRANSMET, but IRON MAN looks to be better than his increasingly mediocre average. [Alex de Campi]

THE SHIPPING LIST FOR NOVEMBER 10th 2004:

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

DARK HORSE

APR040124D SHI JU NEN #2 (Of 4) $2.99
SEP040018 THE INCREDIBLES #1 (Of 4) $2.99

DC COMICS

SEP040383 100 BULLETS #55 (MR) $2.50
SEP040299 ACTION COMICS #821 $2.50
SEP040382 ANGELTOWN #1 (OF 5) (MR) $2.95
SEP040289 BATMAN LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #185 $2.50
SEP040346 BATMAN STRIKES #3 $2.95
SEP040316 BLOODHOUND #5 $2.95
SEP040311 CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN #6 (Of 6) $2.95
SEP040385 FABLES #31 (MR) $2.50
SEP040315 FIRESTORM #7 $2.50
SEP040294 GOTHAM CENTRAL #25 $2.50
SEP040324 GREEN LANTERN LEGACY THE LAST WILL SC $17.95
SEP040387 HUMAN TARGET LIVING IN AMERIKA TP (MR) $14.95
SEP040323 IDENTITY CRISIS #6 (Of 7) $3.95
SEP040331 JSA #67 $2.50
SEP040359 JUDGE DREDD JUDGEMENT DAY $14.95
SEP040330 JUSTICE LEAGUE ELITE #5 (Of 12) $2.50
SEP040295 NIGHTWING #99 $2.25
SEP040363 NIKOPOL TRILOGY TP (MR) $17.95
SEP040371 OCEAN #2 (Of 6) $2.95
SEP040341 PLASTIC MAN #12 $2.95
SEP040351 SCOOBY DOO #90 $2.95
SEP040306 SMALLVILLE #11 $3.95
SEP040304 SUPERMAN SECRET IDENTITY TP $19.95
SEP040381 WILD GIRL #1 (Of 6) $2.95

IMAGE

MAY041412D DAWN THREE TIERS #5 (Of 6) $2.95
AUG041563D FORSAKEN #3 $2.95
JUN041359 GRAY AREA #3 (Of 3) $5.95
AUG041627D HUMANKIND #3 $2.99
JUL041780 SYPHONS TP $14.95
JUL041785 WALKING DEAD #12 (MR) $2.95

MARVEL

SEP041724 AVENGERS FINALE #1 $3.50
SEP041786 BULLSEYE GREATEST HITS #3 (Of 5) $2.99
SEP041783 DISTRICT X #7 $2.99
SEP041778 EMMA FROST #17 $2.99
SEP041726 IRON MAN #1 $3.50
SEP041775 MARVEL AGE HULK #3 $1.75
SEP041791 MARVEL KNIGHTS 4 #12 $2.99
SEP041766 MARVEL KNIGHTS SPIDER-MAN #8 $2.99
SEP041801 MARVEL MASTERWORKS AVENGERS VOL 4 2ND ED HC $49.99
SEP041802 MARVEL MASTERWORKS AVENGERS VOL 4 HC VAR DUST JACKET $54.99
SEP041737 MARVEL TEAM-UP #1 $2.25
SEP041727 NEW THUNDERBOLTS #1 $2.99
AUG041787D NIGHTCRAWLER #2 $2.99
SEP041731 OFFICIAL HANDBOOK MARVEL UNIVERSE BOOK OF THE DEAD 2004 $3.99
SEP041810 PUNISHER MAX VOL 2 KITCHEN IRISH TP $14.99
SEP041814 SHE-HULK VOL 1 SINGLE GREEN FEMALE TP $14.99
SEP041769 SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #21 $2.25
SEP041808 THE PULSE VOL 1 THIN AIR TP $13.99
SEP041777 THOR SON OF ASGARD #10 $2.99
SEP041739 WARLOCK #3 $2.99
SEP041745 X-MEN THE END BOOK ONE DREAMERS AND DEMONS #5 (Of 6) $2.99

OTHER PUBLISHERS
AUG043123E ALL NEW TENCHI MUYO VOL 5 TP POINT AND SHOOT $8.95
AUG043120E ANIMERICA EXTRA VOLUME 7 #11 NOVEMBER 2004 $4.99
JUL042807E ARMY OF DARKNESS ASHES 2 ASHES #3 (MR) $2.99
DEC032740 BATTLE ANGEL ALITA LAST ORDER VOL 3 TP $9.95
AUG042455E BETTY & VERONICA DIGEST #152 $2.39
AUG042456E BETTY & VERONICA SPECTACULAR #68 $2.19
NOV032647E CERES CELESTIAL LEGEND VOL 2 TP 2ND ED YUHI (NOTE PRICE) $9.95
SEP042528F COLONIA #11 $3.50
JUL042858I DFE GI JOE TRANSFORMERS BLUE FOIL ED CVR VOL 2 #1 $14.99
SEP042555 DUCK PRINCE BOOK 3 GN (Of 6) $9.99
SEP042524F ELVIRA #139 $2.50
OCT042692 GHOSTBUSTERS LEGION #3 (Of 4) (RES) $2.95
JUL046039F GHOSTBUSTERS LEGION #3 (OF 4) (RES) (PU #636) $2.95
JUL046040F GHOSTBUSTERS LEGION BRERETON CVR #3 (OF 4) (RES) (PU #636) $3.50
SEP042581 GI JOE VS TRANSFORMERS VOL 2 CVR A #3 $2.95
SEP042582 GI JOE VS TRANSFORMERS VOL 2 CVR B #3 $2.95
AUG043136E HOT GIMMICK VOL 7 TP $9.99
JUL043026F I LOVE A MYSTERY GN $10.95
SEP042742F JANES WORLD #16 $5.95
AUG042463E JUGHEADS DOUBLE DIGEST #108 $3.59
SEP042556 MYTHOLOGY OF THE HEAVENS VOLUME 1 GOD OF WAR GN (MR) $9.99
AUG048088E NEON GENESIS EVANGELION TP VOL 9 (PU #641) $9.99
AUG048089E NO NEED FOR TENCHI TP 2ND ED VOL 1 (PU #641) $8.95
AUG043142E PLEASE SAVE MY EARTH VOL 7 TP $9.99
NOV032657E RANMA 1/2 TP VOL 7 2ND ED $9.95
AUG043146E RANMA 1/2 VOL 14 TP (SECOND ED) $9.95
NOV032660E RUROUNI KENSHIN VOL 3 GN $7.95
AUG042466E SABRINA VOL 2 #62 $2.19
DEC032781 YU GI OH TP VOL 4 $7.95

The Ninth Eight are Matthew Craig, John Fellows, Kieron Gillen, Alistair Kennedy, Zack Smith, Andrew Wheeler, Ben Wooller and Bulent Yusuf.

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.