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: FLAMING CARROT

I went to San Diego this year, and while wandering around gormlessly staring at all those comics, I was fortunate enough to chance upon Bob Burden's stand. A few minutes later, I was the proud owner of two signed FLAMING CARROT trades. My San Diego experience was complete.

I got into comics via the X-MEN, circa issue #120, but when I had put away those childish things (eg, I discovered boys), what got me back into comics as a teenager was FLAMING CARROT.

Burden's beautifully drawn, lunatic stories of a humanoid carrot with no superpowers but a penchant for ultra-violence, strip joints and blue plate specials are landmarks of American alternative comics. Now, the Carrot returns in a quarterly series from Image. How can you resist a solicitation like this: "America's first surrealist superhero partners up with the sassy, saucy, former juvenile delinquent, Dynamite Girl, to battle Burden's most asinine villain yet: an eight-foot, anime-loving, poker-playing, baby-eating Hot Wing! Sponge Boy, The Flying Dead Dog and Miniature Abe Lincoln return, with a guest appearance by Mullet Force 6."

Burden encapsulates everything I love about the comic medium: lovely art, and manic, absurd plot lines that wouldn't work in any other genre. Get Carrot. [Alex de Campi]

PROOF OF THE PUDDING

Larry Young comes up with some cool ideas. The main one was that he wanted to make comics, so he went and made comics. PROOF OF CONCEPT (AiT/PlanetLar) is another cool idea: Asked to write a column for Comic World News, Young decides to give unknown artists a leg up: he writes five scripts, five different stories, each one designed to highlight different genres and styles: horror, monsters, sci-fi, surrealism.

The appeal was in Young's sales pitch: become famous, and sign comics at cons instead of being in the line; receive an illustrator's contract with AiT/PlanetLar, so the artists have copyright on their work; get in on some of the other media money when Hollywood comes calling; and receive fifty copies of the final book to give away, sell, or show to editors: it's ink, after all.

But the clincher was this: it's an exercise in professionalism. Each story is 12 pages, and they had a 14-day deadline. Devilishly clever: if you won, it'd show (in theory) that you could pump out 12 pages of black and white art in a fortnight: half the size of a normal comic, in half a month. Double that and you've got an idea of what it's like to work on a monthly comic. [Ben Wooller]

CAUSE CELEBRE

A few months ago I wrote a piece for this site about the scourge of celebrity writers in the comic book industry. I complained that people who were successful in another medium like film or television were somehow considered more credible and respectable than the people who were already working in comics. This, I protested, simply wasn't the case.

Then along comes Joss Whedon to blow a huge X-shaped hole in my argument. This collection of the first six issues of his and John Cassidy's ASTONISHING X-MEN is really rather good, and it pains me to admit it. More painful, even, than slamming my own goolies in a drawer. Following in the frankly insane footsteps of Grant Morrison was never going to be an easy task, but Whedon doesn't even try. Instead he takes Marvel's Merry Mutants back to their old-school roots, but with a soap-opera twist that should be familiar to any fans of his immensely popular Buffy-verse.

With these six issues, readers are treated to cracking dialogue, fisticuffs aplenty, and the repositioning of fan favourites like Kitty Pryde and Colossus in a central role - what more could a drooling fanboy ask for? There're moments to savour, like the catty bitching between Ms Pryde and Emma Frost, and Wolverine picking a fight with practically everyone but his own reflection in the mirror, and the return of Wolvie and Colossus' fastball special, that provide more spark and crackle than a whole season of DYNASTY at its peak. Admittedly, the new spandex costumes designed by Cassidy take a while to get used to, but his cinematic style and framing of the action more than compensate for crimes against fashion.

Nope, the X-books haven't been this alive in a loooong time, and the saddest thing is that Whedon is unlikely to stick around for longer than his allotted twelve issues. Hollywood is calling, as are the golden britches of one Amazing Amazon. Enjoy these issues while you can; you may never see their like again. [Bulent Yusuf]

RUNNING ON EMPTY

The trade collection of Marvel's POWERLESS mini series is a kind of microcosm of the direction being taken by Marvel at present. By this, I mean that it starts with many of the aspects of Marvel under Jemas' leadership - a bold new direction, with more emphasis on the organic growth of individual characters rather than relying on reheating old ideas, lurid costumes, fanboy-pleasing continuity and in-jokes of previous administrations.

However, the Matt Cherniss and Peter Johnson-penned plot of this book has managed to sneak most of the traits of the pre-Jemas ancien régime into the story, which centres on a psychoanalyst who has the vague sense that the people he meets - including Logan the government assassin, and Peter Parker the troubled schoolkid, with an arm withered by a spider-bite - all remind him of something he's seen before.

It's a reboot of a reboot - the character known as Logan may not have the healing factor and of Wolverine, but the old traits are still there, inescapable; all it takes is a little nudge and the old spandex soap opera cobblers comes flooding back.

That's not to say that there aren't any redeeming qualities - the story is an interesting curiosity, despite its rather smug referential nature, and Michael Gaydos' art is as appealing as ever. However, I would recommend this volume only if you're dying to see the end of thoughtful, character-driven stories and get back to the good old days of Wolverine repeatedly twatting Sabretooth. [Lindsay Duff]

ONCE MORE UNTO THE... CAPTAIN ATOM?

It's not obvious from the title, but BREACH is DC's Captain Atom revamp. Plucky Major Tim Porter is horrifically altered in a test gone wrong. He wakes up decades later as God-in-a-containment-suit, and angst ensues. I'm looking forward to this book - Bob Harras is a good writer - but I have the feeling it will be this year's MADROX: the book the critics love, but nobody buys.

BREACH has three strikes against it going out of the gate: first, pig-ugly covers. If you think the cover for # 1 is bad, the cover for # 2 resembles the backside of some twig beast in a field. Second, the title. BREACH is confusing and gives absolutely no clue as to what the story is about. Third (and this is a personal issue), it's Superangst. "Oh my God, I have superpowers and I'm so conflicted!" It really does feel a bit five years ago.

This is precisely the sort of quirky title that a big mainstream publisher like DC will struggle with. It might have been better off at Dark Horse, Top Cow or Image, where it would have gotten a little more attention and explanation. Heck, it might have been better off at Vertigo or WildStorm, rather than mainline DCU. Sadly I fear BREACH will slip between the cracks, but give it a try, if you can get past that cover. [Alex de Campi]

THE SHIPPING LIST FOR JANUARY 5th 2004:

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

DARK HORSE

OCT040024 GRENDEL DEVILS REIGN #7 (Of 7) $3.50

DC COMICS

NOV040317D AUTHORITY FRACTURED WORLDS TP (MR) $17.95
AUG040412D BATMAN STRIKES #2 $2.25
SEP040346D BATMAN STRIKES #3 $2.95
NOV040266D BREACH #1 $2.95
NOV040242D CATWOMAN RELENTLESS TP $19.95
NOV040328D CONSTANTINE MOVIE ADAPTATION (MR) $6.95
NOV040329D CONSTANTINE THE HELLBLAZER COLLECTION TP (MR) $14.95
NOV040265D DEADSHOT #2 (OF 5) $2.95
NOV040236D DETECTIVE COMICS #802 $2.95
NOV040267D FIRESTORM #9 $2.50
NOV040320D INTIMATES #3 $2.95
NOV040281D JUSTICE LEAGUE ELITE #7 (OF 12) $2.50
AUG040413D JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED #2 $2.25
SEP040347D JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED #3 $2.95
NOV040295D JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED #5 $2.25
NOV040298D LOONEY TUNES #122 $2.25
NOV040286D QUESTION #3 (OF 6) $2.95
NOV040255D SUPERMAN STRENGTH #1 (OF 3) $5.95
NOV040254D SUPERMAN UNCONVENTIONAL WARFARE TP $14.95
NOV040349D SWAMP THING #11 (MR) $2.95
NOV040303D TOE TAGS FEATURING GEORGE ROMERO #4 (MR) $2.95
NOV040326D WILD GIRL #3 (OF 6) $2.95

IMAGE

MAR041389D BLOODSTREAM #4 (Of 4) (MR) $2.95
OCT041510 FLAMING CARROT #1 $2.95
OCT041522 NOBLE CAUSES #6 $3.50
OCT041532 TALES OF TELLOS #3 (Of 3) $3.50
OCT041515 THE GIFT #9 $2.99

MARVEL

NOV041818D ALPHA FLIGHT #11 $2.99
OCT041800 ASTONISHING X-MEN VOL 1 GIFTED TP $14.99
OCT041744 CAPTAIN AMERICA #2 $2.99
NOV041801D FANTASTIC FOUR FOES #1 (OF 6) $2.99
NOV041789D INCREDIBLE HULK #77 (NOTE PRICE) $2.99
NOV041807D JUBILEE #5 (OF 6) $2.99
NOV041805D MARVEL AGE SPIDER-MAN #19 $2.25
NOV041842D MARVEL KNIGHTS 2099 TP $13.99
OCT041743 NEW AVENGERS #2 $2.25
SEP048061D NEW AVENGERS #2 HAIRSINE VARIANT $2.25
NOV041843D POWERLESS TP $14.99
NOV041770D SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #23 $2.25
NOV041773D SPIDER-GIRL #82 $2.99
NOV041774D SPIDER-MAN UNLIMITED #7 $2.99
NOV041782D TOMB OF DRACULA #4 $2.99
OCT041720 ULTIMATE X-MEN #54 $2.25
NOV041815D X-MEN FANTASTIC FOUR #2 (OF 5) $3.50
NOV041759D X-MEN PHOENIX ENDSONG #1 (OF 5) $2.99

OTHER PUBLISHERS

OCT048048 AFTERMATH BLADE OF KUMORI #2 2ND PRTG $2.95
OCT042406 ARCHIE & FRIENDS #88 $2.19
AUG042635 ARMY OF DARKNESS ASHES 2 ASHES #4 (MR) $2.99
OCT042410 BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #130 $3.59
SEP042530E CAPTAIN CANUCK UNHOLY WAR #3 (OF 3) $2.50
OCT042599 DARKSTALKERS CVR B #2 $2.95
NOV042293 FULL METAL PANIC MANGA VOL 7 TP $9.99
OCT042589 GI JOE RELOADED TP VOL 1 $12.95
SEP042303F GIRL GENIUS VOL 3 HC $36.95
NOV042290 LOUIE VOL 4 THE RUNE SOLDIER MANGA TP $9.99
OCT042607 MU CVR A #2 $2.95
NOV042291 PRETEAR MANGA VOL 4 TP $9.99
OCT042321F PROOF OF CONCEPT GN $12.95
OCT043063 SHONEN JUMP VOL 3 FEB 2005 #2 $4.99
NOV042569 SLAYERS PREMIUM VOL 1 GN (MR) $9.99
SEP042525F SOULSEARCHERS #69 $2.50
SEP042267E STRANGERS IN PARADISE #70 $2.95
SEP042590J STREET FIGHTER CVR C POWER FOIL #12 PI
OCT043055F VALKYRIE GOLDEN AGE COLLECTION VOL 1 TP $14.95

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.