I’ve not done a comics round-up in a while and I don’t think I’ve bought an issue of Heavy Metal (well, not a current one) for over 20 years either. But the Jack Kirby cover on this months issue made me pick it up and plenty of the other content inside was a pleasant surprise. What with Grant Morrison promised as editor in future issues then it might be time to return to it.

Brandon Graham and co. continue to redefine what comics can be with the anthology title, Island and issue 3 of 8House with some of the most fantastic art by Penalta, part Moebius, part Geof Darrow.

These three titles from Mike Mignola‘s Hellboy universe are always on the pull list. B.P.R.D. is a fully functioning title of its own now with most of the main characters absent from its pages but enough slow-burn story line to keep me hooked. The Ape Sapien spin-off is still good and finally going somewhere, there’s going to be one almighty pay-off soon, I can feel it. And here’s the annual issue of Hellboy (in Hell) from Mike although we are promised another before the year is out. It’s great to have him back on the art with this and no doubt it will run and run as Hellboy wanders the different levels of the Underworld.

I dithered on Low when it first came out but recently read the first 6 issues in the trade and it’s excellent, so now I’m catching up with the monthlies. The world has been irradiated and mankind has gone underwater to survive with various warring factions, cities and more, the art is gorgeous and it’s a fresh take on a dystopian scenario.

This Damned Band is a fun re-imagining of a 70s rock band (Led Zeppelin basically) told in a Spinal Tap-esque documentary style with the feigned Devil worship more real than a fashion pose and East of West is always on the list along with Black Science, Saga and Ody-C. Other series’ in various stages of completion not featured: The Surface, Nameless, Empty Zone, Lady Mechanika, Kaptara, Space Riders and Sandman Overture. Roll on Xmas for the beginning of the end of Brandon Graham’s Prophet epic too after a wait of a year.