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Marvel Comics solicitations August 2012

Highlights from Marvel's August releases. Click the links to pre-order discounted items from Amazon.

MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE FANTASTIC FOUR VOL. 14 HC
Written by GERRY CONWAY with STEVE ENGLEHART
Penciled by RICH BUCKLER with ROSS ANDRU, JOHN BUSCEMA & SAL BUSCEMA
Cover by GIL KANE
FANTASTIC FOUR stands tall as one of the most famous super-hero series of all time — and it certainly didn’t get there by resting on its laurels. How better can that be proven than by another MARVEL MASTERWORKS collection? First, Dr. Doom pushes the FF to the limit! Then, Human Torch and Medusa adventure in the Himalayas! Reed and Sue’s relationship is strained when Sue joins Namor in an invasion of New York — and just to keep things tense, the Frightful Four pile on, too! Then, Ultron crashes Crystal and Quicksilver’s wedding! Finally, it’s a Thing vs. Hulk battle royale and a tense time-traveling tale — masterworks, one and all! Collecting FANTASTIC FOUR (1961) #142-150, GIANT-SIZE SUPER-STARS #1, GIANT-SIZE FANTASTIC FOUR #2 and AVENGERS (1963) #127.
272 PGS

MARVEL MASTERWORKS: GOLDEN AGE CAPTAIN AMERICA VOL. 1 TPB
Written by JOE SIMON & JACK KIRBY
Penciled by JOE SIMON & JACK KIRBY
Covers by JACK KIRBY & RICHARD ISANOVE
Steve Rogers might have been the prototypical 98-pound weakling, but that wasn’t going to stop him from serving his country. Transformed by the Super Solider Serum into America’s No. 1 fighting man, he became a symbol of patriotism, hope and perseverance on the eve of the nation’s entrance into World War II. Never before and never since has comics seen a hero as timely as Captain America! Now, at long last, you can experience the original Golden Age adventures of the Sentinel of Liberty from his 1941 inaugural appearance. You’ll meet Bucky Barnes and the Red Skull, behold Simon and Kirby’s trend-setting brand of storytelling, and even read Stan Lee’s first comic-book tale! Collecting CAPTAIN AMERICA COMICS (1941) #1-4.
288 PGS

AVENGERS: CELESTIAL QUEST TPB
Written by STEVE ENGLEHART
Penciled by JORGE SANTAMARIA & JOE STATON
Cover by JORGE SANTAMARIA
Journey with a select group of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes as they embark on a quest of cosmic proportions! When the Celestial Madonna known as Mantis sends out a space-spanning SOS that’s received by the Vision, the Avengers’ resident android gathers an elite squad of heroes — including Thor, Scarlet Witch and Silverclaw — to come to her rescue. But what happens when the big bad gunning for Mantis turns out to be the nigh-omnipotent (and Death’s main squeeze) Thanos of Titan? Get ready for a galactic-sized dose of stellar excitement, as only Marvel Comics can bring it! Collecting AVENGERS: CELESTIAL QUEST #1-8.
216 PGS.

NAMOR VISIONARIES BY JOHN BYRNE VOL. 2 TPB
Written by JOHN BYRNE
Penciled by JOHN BYRNE
Cover by JOHN BYRNE
Continue the saga of the Sub-Mariner with this second volume chronicling the adventures of Atlantis’ Avenging Son, as presented by superstar writer/artist John Byrne! Marvel as Namor reforges alliances with his fellow Invaders, battles long-forgotten foes from World War II, and begins to unravel the mystery of Immortal Iron Fist and current Defender Danny Rand! All while dealing with the most insidious force of all: corporate scheming and subterfuge! Guest starring Captain America, Spitfire, Union Jack, the original Human Torch and more! Collecting NAMOR THE SUB-MARINER (1990) #10-18.
232 PGS

ESSENTIAL WARLOCK VOL. 1 TPB
Written by ROY THOMAS, MIKE FRIEDRICH, RON GOULART, GERRY CONWAY, JIM STARLIN & BILL MANTLO
Penciled by GIL KANE, JOHN BUSCEMA, BOB BROWN, HERB TRIMPE, JIM STARLIN & JOHN BYRNE
Cover by JIM STARLIN
Part super-hero spectacle and part spiritual allegory, Adam Warlock must struggle with his inner demons even as he strives to oppose such dreadful threats as the Man-Beast, the Magus and Thanos of Titan! Collecting MARVEL PREMIERE #1-2, WARLOCK (1972) #1-15, INCREDIBLE HULK (1968) #176-178, STRANGE TALES (1951) #178-181, MARVEL TEAM-UP (1972) #55 and ANNUAL #2, and AVENGERS ANNUAL (1967) #7.
576 PGS.

Listen to Paul McCartney's remastered Ram LP

Ram is one of Macca's best solo LPs. It'll be out in a variety of remastered formats next week, including a deluxe box containing a book, DVD, outtakes and the now-rare Thrillington album, a version of Ram done in instrumental, easy-listening arrangements with orchestra.

You can stream the complete Ram album here.

Today's Best Thing Ever

Take a peek at the CW's new Green Arrow TV series

It's called "Arrow," because you can't adapt a comic book to TV without messing with it needlessly. It's a law.

Anyway, maybe with Hawkeye featured in the big "Avengers" movie, the wider pop cultural world is ready for a superheroic archer. Stephen Amell from the "Vampire Diaries" stars as Ollie Queen.

Show details:

While Oliver hides the truth about the man he's become, he desperately wants to make amends for the actions he took as the boy he was. Most particularly, he seeks reconciliation with his former girlfriend, Laurel Lance. As Oliver reconnects with those closest to him, he secretly creates the persona of Arrow – a vigilante – to right the wrongs of his family, fight the ills of society, and restore Starling City to its former glory. By day, Oliver plays the role of a wealthy, carefree and careless philanderer he used to be – flanked by his devoted chauffeur/bodyguard, John Diggle – while carefully concealing the secret identity he turns to under cover of darkness. However, Laurel's father, Detective Quentin Lance, is determined to arrest the vigilante operating in his city. Meanwhile, Oliver's own mother, Moira, knows much more about the deadly shipwreck than she has let on – and is more ruthless than he could ever imagine.

DC Comics' shopping site now up

We mentioned a few weeks back that DC Comics, as part of the Warner Bros. empire, would have it's own online shopping site. Now Shop DC Entertainment is up, featuring a large selection of action figures, t-shirts, posters and more. Check it out here.

Video: Reunited Beach Boys perform on QVC(?!!!)

We live in odd times. Here's the reunited Beach Boys peforming live, last night on the QVC shopping channel.

Dark Horse announces more "pre-code" comics collections

Dark Horse is bringing out some more pre-Comics Code comics collections, bundling lurid, exploitative horror, crime and sci-fi comics that turned your (great) granddad into a juvenile delinquent.

Here's the release:

With a jaw-dropping selection of well-known titles, accurate color restoration, uncoated off-white paper, and an impressive roster of foreword writers, Dark Horse Archives is hitting another peak season this year with a lineup of pre-Code collections.

This heavy-hitting year will see more volumes in the Crime Does Not Pay Archives series, with engaging forewords from Greg Rucka and Howard Chaykin. Adventures into the Unknown Archives will feature a series of essays by Bruce Jones, focusing on the long-running horror anthology and the climate that led to the Comics Code Authority.

Historian Dan Nadel will provide enlightening introductions for Forbidden Worlds Archives—a true “grab bag” anthology where anything strange, fantastic, or horrific can happen—and writer/artist/historian Michael T. Gilbert will write a series of information-packed foreword pieces for Silver Streak Archives Featuring the Original Daredevil.

“The comics found in these collections are incredibly hard to find, expensive, and full of freewheeling, pre-Code fun (and sometimes viscera). It’s a joy to be able to handle these comics and work on these collections—but a bigger joy comes from being able to bring these stories to new readers and to finally assign credits to some creators who have been uncredited for decades!” said Dark Horse editor Philip Simon.

The comics in these anthologies are seen as revered and influential—but they’ve been impossible to find. Now Dark Horse is making these gems available in affordable collections for discussion, dissection, and inspiration!

Adventures into the Unknown Archives Volume 1 is on sale May 30, 2012.

Silver Streak Archives Featuring the Original Daredevil Volume 1 is on sale June 27, 2012.

Crime Does Not Pay Archives Volume 2 is on sale July 11, 2012.

Forbidden Worlds Archives Volume 1 is on sale December 12, 2012.

Preview tracks from the new Beach Boys album

Amazon is providing snippets from each track of the Beach Boys' reunion album, That's Why God Made the Radio, now.

The LP, produced by Brian Wilson and featuring the the surviving members of the band, is out June 5.