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Touched by the Hand of Tharg has been updated with this information.  Thanks so much, pete!!

--Grant

Link: http://www.2000ad.org/thrillpower/rebellion.html" target="_blank">Touched by the Hand of Tharg

I think I can see the logic in issuing Family... it's about 48 pages, so it's the right size for one of those European-styled hardbacks.  It's unlikely to ever get a second series, so there's no point in waiting for enough pages for a proper trade, and the hardbacks are geared for the continent anyway, where Simon Fraser has a little more name recognition than in the US, so it might sell decently.

Similarly, it looks like they intend to issue all five Mills/Langley Slaines as five 48-pg hardbacks.  Ideally, they will also compile them into one big paperback trade for those readers not interested in the hardbacks.

--Grant

Looking over the list again, it does seem very odd that we're getting *four* Rogue Trooper collections (inc. July's Fort Neuro and the three above) before the next Strontium Dog book, doesn't it?

Oddly missing: Sinister Dexter, Anderson, ABC Warriors.  I think I'd prefer the next volume of each of those to Rogue Trooper 4 or 5.  Otherwise, it looks to be a really decent lineup and I'm anxious to know more about the contents of each Dredd collection.  I'll make some updates to Touched by the Hand of Tharg this week.

--Grant

Wowza.  This will take some time to absorb in full.  I take it that we can anticipate two "Rainbow spines" and a hardback a month, until the Complete Dredd Case Files begins, and then those alternate every other month with the hardbacks...?  Good plan!  It will mean one Dredd Rainbow spine every other month, alternating with the case files.  I like it!

(Hopefully the four-month delay will give everyone in production time to ensure that "Makarov" is spelled correctly on the cover of Dante 3...!)

--Grant

God, I hope there aren't any notable changes at all - merely cosmetic ones to the trade dress and indicia on the inside front cover.  I've invested far too much in the existing books to have some new production and distribution partner decide that the rainbow spines are silly, or they don't want a "3" on the bottom spine of the next Robo-Hunter and Dante books.

Purchasing three trades a month (or, occasionally, two) has been part of my budget for several months now, but I'll use the "time off" to pick up some James Bond, Doctor Who and Modesty Blaise collections.

--Grant

What a great interview!  Maybe he can do another Sinister Dexter story soon - one with the characters actually in it...?

--Grant

Breathing Space (1441)
Shakara Bk II (1441)
Caballistics Inc (1441?)
Sin Dex (1446?)
The Ten-Seconders (1450?)
Leatherjack (1450?)
Atavar Bk III (1450?)
Savage Bk II
Robo-Hunter
ABC Warriors: Shadow Warriors Bk III
Synnamon
The Red Seas Bk III  (Embarassingly, I sent Tharg an e-mail last night regarding how much I'm enjoying American Gothic and hoped Ian Edginton would be given an ongoing series soon, forgetting that he writes this one.  D'oh!)

--Grant

Ew, that's awful.  I prefer "Rainbow Spine" myself.

--Grant

That is the best title for any book, ever.

--Grant

Hmmm.  They're not in Previews US, but I'm not optimistic any of those three will appear in July.  The solicitations were almost certainly made in conjunction with DC, but, as we've seen a great deal in the last three weeks (has it just been three weeks?), the New York arm of this arrangement was not communicating well with anybody in Europe...

--Grant

I always get confused between the early evenings of Octember and the extra shopping days of Hallmark I, Hallmark III and Hallmark IX myself.  You live here long enough, you get used to it.

--Grant

From Diamond's latest release:

Ballad of Halo Jones TP 06/01/05 - 06/15/05
Rogue Trooper Vol. 2: Fort Neuro TP 06/08/05 - 07/13/05

also of note:

Vimanarama #3 04/27/05 - 06/15/05

Anderson vol 1 and Sinister Dexter vol 3 are still set to ship this week, and ABC Warriors vol 2 next week.  No word on The Complete Indigo Prime.

--Grant

To a degree, it looks like they have, but I think we'll continue to see sporadic progs with two or more stories beginning.  1432 had a new Dredd and American Gothic starting, along with the double-length VCs, and 1441 will have Shakara and Breathing Space, possibly new Dredd and Caballistics stories, and 1450 looks good for The Ten-Seconders and Leatherjack.  While not promoted as an offensive / attack / whatever, they're still good jumping-on points for new readers and can possibly be suggested that way.

--Grant

The other problem you might have, and this has long been one, is the solicitation gap between Rebellion and Diamond.  While 1441 might be a good starting point, and the press release for Shakara last week was nice, this was solicited in last month's issue of Previews, so retailers have already ordered it.  The current Previews is soliciting progs 1446-1449.

It's very possible prog 1450 will have the first episodes of The Ten-Seconders and Leatherjack; that will be solicited in the 1450-1453 batch in about three weeks' time.

It really isn't a very good system.  To coincide with the release of Indy Heroclix, I ordered six copies of a forthcoming prog, sight unseen, to give as prizes for one of my venues.  The prog turned out to be 1356, which at least featured the first part of a Sinister Dexter story, but also a lousy Past Imperfect, the 7th episodes of two ongoing stories and the last part of the awful Dredd story The Satanist, under a really embarassingly ugly front cover.  I converted nobody.  Bet if I'd gotten 1357 instead, more people would have been impressed.

--Grant

No, I think 1441's the next-nearest thing to a jumping-on point, with, I believe, the first episodes of Shakara, Breathing Space and Caballistics Inc.  All the current stories are continuing beyond 1438; the way the contents are listed, for example, you'll see Slaine: Odacon as 3+ episodes, and Bec & Kawl as 2+ episodes.  When the story reaches its last episode, the "+" is removed, so the prog 1440 listing in two weeks' time will have Bec & Kawl as 4 episodes.

--Grant