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: SGT ROCK

There's only one reason to pick up this hoary tale of World War II, and that reason is Joe Kubert. Modern readers will be familiar with the name because of his art school and the work of his two sons, Adam and Andy. But Kubert Sr is a brilliant artist in his own right, with a distinctive style of scratchy penmanship that is now synonymous with Silver Age characters as diverse as Hawkman, Adam Strange, and of course, Sgt Rock.

Like a fine wine, Kubert has grown better with age, and his work on SGT ROCK: BETWEEN HELL AND A HARD PLACE is a master class in sequential art. His technique has become even looser and impressionistic than it already was, and every line and stroke, be it the desolate winter landscape or the frightened eyes of a young soldier near death, says more about the futility of war than words ever could.

Which is fortunate, because the script by Brian Azzarello is lousy, a shameless mishmash of clichés and set-pieces. The poor lad tries very hard to honour the standards set by Kubert's former writing partner, Bob Kanigher; he fleshes out the cast of Sgt Rock's Easy Company, he has a nice line in black humour, and there's even an eerie moment of surrealism at the heart of the finale. But the story will be all too familiar to anyone who's seen SAVING PRIVATE RYAN or BAND OF BROTHERS.

Still, look at that artwork! Witness the grizzled determination of Sgt Rock as he charges into battle, boots barely touching the ground as bullets chase his heels! Opposite him, an SS officer raises a cruel smile as he takes aim with his pistol. Later, when the mist clears, all that remain are dead trees and bloodstains in the snow.

With work of this calibre, Kubert adds further weight to his status as a living legend. You might even say that he's earned his stripes. [Bulent Yusuf]

I AM THE INTRUDER

Some works are a long time coming. Some get delayed, postponed, overhauled, lost, updated or just plain forgotten about. But the story of Paul Grist's BURGLAR BILL would be almost as good a story as what's contained within the 6-issue mini. Almost. This new reprinting from Grist's new home at Image contains a short story dating back to 1986 - that's almost 20 years. However, Grist's iconic style has always retained a retro-charm, irrelevant of when it was published. It'll always be fashionable.

Stephen Hill is just about to enter the exciting world of law enforcement, his first day as a Police Constable beckoning. But having only experienced the Police through his TV, he's unready for the mundane, unexciting reality. When the most exciting crime he has to solve is kids stealing car stereos, Hill's dreams come crashing around him. And so, enter the titular Burglar, an archetypal masked criminal with swag bag. Something for Hill to really get his teeth into.

This 40-page reprint of the Dancing Elephant Press mini includes a new 10-page prologue and the entire first issue of the original series. Grist is treading the familiar ground of police procedurals, but in a more starkly realistic environment than the stylised grit of KANE or the out-and-out surreal farce-meets-existential pop art of JACK STAFF. For those of you who enjoy Grist's art, but aren't that fired up by superheroes, this is an excellent way to tide you over until he gets back to KANE. Series like this signal the kinds of work that Image very rarely get the kudos they deserve for publishing. [John Fellows]

I AM POWERFUL, NO MATTER WHAT THEY SAY

Marvel continues to astound me with its market dominance. For the past five years, the company has had an iron grip on the mainstream comics world, both commercially and creatively. While they've held the lion's share of the sales and distribution side, for many years I thought DC was still publishing the better material. Though it's been back and forth month to month, I'd have to say that Marvel has certainly taken more risks to attain the creative stranglehold as well as the commercial.

So when Marvel agreed to publish psuedo-alternative books like KABUKI and POWERS, I wasn't too surprised. Not really enthralled, either, as I see them as two overrated books that have gotten way too much attention for way too long. But Joe Queseda and the president of the month know that these are the type of moves that will assure the company's foothold on a stagnant industry - which, when you think about it, is kind of like being a beautiful girl's friend that she treats like a brother.

My own problem with Marvel's ball-to-the-wall style of publishing is its hubris and unmitigated arrogance. Not only do they have the ball bearings to publish a book like POWERS, they've got the whole power mélange in their grubby little hands, and they're letting DC know.

"Ever since I announced my intention to publish POWERS, the comics-publishing and distributing market has fallen to my feet like a lusty wench desperatively craving my attention!" Marvel says. "DC shall tremble at my overall display of power in the month of Novemeber, specifically for those comics shipping November 24th (find a store near you at www.mycomicslocator.com). I shall brandish my POWERS like a retarded child with a loaded gun, and wave my SUPREME POWER around in DC's POWERLESS face! Fall before me and tremble!"

November 24th is a day we will always remember, here in the dingy halls of Ninth Art. The day when Marvel took its first step towards total market control with its POWERful display. All we can do now is wait for 2005's relaunch of POWER PACK to bang a final, rusty nail into DC's coffin. Beware. [John Parker]

THE SHIPPING LIST FOR NOVEMBER 24th 2004:

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

DARK HORSE

SEP040022 JINGLE BELLE #1 (Of 4) $2.99
AUG040014V MICHAEL CHABON PRESENTS ADVENTURES O/T ESCAPIST VOL 2 TP $17.95
SEP040031 USAGI YOJIMBO #80 $2.99

DC COMICS

SEP040309 ADAM STRANGE #3 (Of 8) $2.95
SEP040369 AUTHORITY REVOLUTION #2 (Of 12) (MR) $2.95
SEP040298 BATGIRL #58 $2.50
SEP040288 BATMAN #634 $2.25
SEP040352 CARTOON NETWORK BLOCK PARTY #3 $2.95
MAY040298D CRISIS ON MULTIPLE EARTHS VOL 3 TP $14.95
SEP040313 DOOM PATROL #6 $2.50
SEP040318 FLASH #216 $2.25
SEP040386 HELLBLAZER #202 (MR) $2.75
SEP040332 JLA VOL 15 THE TENTH CIRCLE TP $12.95
SEP040393 LOSERS #18 (MR) $2.95
SEP040373 RAZORS EDGE WARBLADE #2 (MR) $2.95
SEP040344 RICHARD DRAGON #7 $2.50
SEP040395 SGT. ROCK BETWEEN HELL AND A HARD PLACE SC (MR) $17.95
SEP040372 SLEEPER SEASON TWO #6 (Of 12) (MR) $2.95
NOV030217D SUPERMAN RED SON TP $17.95
SEP040364 TECHNOPRIESTS VOL 2 TP (MR) $14.95
SEP040348 TEEN TITANS GO #13 $2.95
SEP040380 TOM STRONGS TERRIFIC TALES #12 $2.95
JUL040669 WILL EISNER COMPANION HC $19.95
SEP040396 WITCHING #6 (MR) $2.95

IMAGE

SEP041525 BURGLAR BILL #1 (Of 6) $2.95
SEP041568 DARKNESS VOL 2 #17 $2.99
JUL041760 INVINCIBLE #17 $2.95
JUN041364 MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE VOL 3 #7 $2.95
SEP041545 SMALL GODS #5 $2.95
SEP041546 SPAWN #140 (RES) $2.50
SEP048070 WANTED DEATH ROW ED #4 (MR) (PU #644) $2.99

MARVEL

SEP041816 ALPHA FLIGHT VOL 1 YOU GOTTA BE KIDDIN ME TP $14.99
SEP041767 AMAZING FANTASY #6 $2.99
SEP041765 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #514 $2.25
SEP041787 BLACK WIDOW #3 (Of 6) $2.99
SEP041811 BLADE BLACK & WHITE TP $15.99
SEP041784 DAREDEVIL #67 $2.99
SEP041785 ELEKTRA THE HAND #4 (Of 5) $2.99
SEP041746 EXCALIBUR #7 $2.99
SEP041732 MARVEL HOLIDAY SPECIAL 2004 $3.99
SEP048098 MARVEL MUST HAVES AVENGERS #500-502 $3.99
SEP041738 MARVEL TEAM-UP #2 $2.25
SEP041752 MYSTIQUE #21 $2.99
SEP041728 NEW THUNDERBOLTS #2 $2.99
SEP041741 POWERLESS #6 (Of 6) $2.99
SEP041796 POWERS #6 (MR) $2.95
AUG041849D SUPREME POWER #13 (MR) $2.99
SEP041764 ULTIMATE ELEKTRA #4 (Of 5) $2.25
SEP041759 ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #13 $2.25
SEP041813 VENOM VOL 3 TWIST TP $13.99

OTHER PUBLISHERS

SEP042389 ARCHIE & FRIENDS #87 $2.19
JUL042807E ARMY OF DARKNESS ASHES 2 ASHES #3 (MR) $2.99
SEP042394 BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #129 $3.59
SEP042813F BONEYARD #16 $2.95
OCT042301 CHRONO CRUSADE VOL 3 (OF 6) MANGA TP $9.99
SEP042585 DARKSTALKERS CVR A #1 $2.95
SEP042586 DARKSTALKERS CVR B #1 $2.95
JUN042445F DORK TOWER #29 $2.99
SEP042555 DUCK PRINCE BOOK 3 GN (Of 6) $9.99
MAY042242E EGG STORY $3.95
SEP042579 GI JOE #36 $2.95
JUL042526F GIRL GENIUS VOL 2 TP $19.95
SEP042265F ITS ONLY A GAME TP $14.95
SEP042690F LOVE & ROCKETS VOL 2 #12 (MR) $4.50
SEP042584 MISPLACED #4 (RES) $3.50
OCT042313 MORE STARLIGHT TO YOUR HEART VOL 1(OF 3) MANGA TP $9.99
SEP042594 MU CVR A #1 $2.95
SEP042595 MU CVR B #1 $2.95
SEP042366 NHS PKT MANGA VOL 4 TP $9.99
AUG042896E OJO #3 (Of 5) (MR) $2.99
AUG042420F PILGRIM JAGER VOL 1 GN (Of 3) $9.99
SEP042482 RADIOACTIVE MAN #199 $2.99
NOV032657E RANMA 1/2 TP VOL 7 2ND ED $9.95
MAR042407E RECORD OF LODOSS WAR GREY WITCH BOOK 1 GN NEW PTG $9.99
JUN042370 RECORD OF LODOSS WAR GREY WITCH BOOK 2 GN NEW PTG $9.99
SEP042557 RECORD OF LODOSS WAR GREY WITCH BOOK 3 GN NEW PRINTING $9.99
SEP042334 SEAMONSTERS & SUPERHEROES #7 $2.95
SEP042475 SIMPSONS COMICS #100 (Note Price) $6.99
SEP042269 STRANGERS IN PARADISE VOLUME 15 TOMORROW NOW TP $14.95
JUL042822E STREET FIGHTER CVR A #11 $2.95
JUL042823E STREET FIGHTER CVR B #11 $2.95
JUL042824J STREET FIGHTER CVR C POWER FOIL #11 PI
SEP042487F TAROT WITCH OF THE BLACK ROSE #29 (MR) $2.95
SEP042488F TAROT WITCH OF THE BLACK ROSE #29 DELUXE EDITION (MR) $19.99
SEP042727 UNCLE SCROOGE #336 $6.95
SEP042723 WALT DISNEYS CHRISTMAS PARADE #2 $8.95
SEP042728 WALT DISNEYS COMICS AND STORIES #651 $6.95
STAR19050 X 1999 VOL 3 TP 2ND ED SONATA $9.95

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.