SWEET TOOTH #1 is now here.

With smash reviews of Jeff Lemire’s OGN THE NOBODY now out there and everywhere, the anticipation has gotten intense. Creators who’ve sneaked a peek, fellow Vertigo editors, and other DC people from all kinds of departments can’t wait to see what’s going to happen. And I can’t blame them. I’ve been with SWEET TOOTH a long time, and it blew my mind that long ago. Seven issues are in the can of this very different ongoing. You clock the difference in style as soon as you see it—and there are plenty of pages and images around the web that I’m sure you’ve previewed. But it’s also a different kind of challenge to publish, month in, month out. Having a sole creator as both writer and artist is a difficult balancing act—harder than the team approach. You need to be lucky enough to be working with someone who’s mastered both and can produce 22 pages every month; moreover—and this isn’t so easy to clock, but it’s key—someone whose whole is even greater than the sum of his own parts.

With a writer/artist, you have a single vision driving the story. But you can also watch the creator reinvent himself over the long road. In the typical monthly the writer and his or her artist collaborators invariably challenge one another—it’s either supportive, or competitive, or contentious, but that creative friction leads to sparks or fires or disasters that change the book. Jeff would be the first to credit my input as well as original editor Bob Schreck’s, Jose Villarrubia’s on colors, Pat Brosseau’s on letters—but there’s a reason he gets the above-the-title cover credit. It takes a certain nerve flying solo: to believe in oneself or conversely doubt oneself enough to pull the trigger; to never rest on laurels (or antlers, as the case may be); to make what was once new, new again. And this doesn’t even consider the amazing daily page production—being both the sprint and the marathon as issues run on and on. Like I said, I’ve seen seven issues and pieces far beyond that number. Whereas THE NOBODY had a conscious unity, SWEET TOOTH is taken down and rebuilt every issue—sometimes every page. And as far down the road as I can see, who knows where Gus’ journey ends. Not even Jeff knows yet, although it’s in his head somewhere.

Now to reveal an inked spread from issue #5:

In an in-depth conversation with CBR News, Karen Berger discusses Vertigo’s success in 2009, the imprint’s plans for 2010, and why she believes Vertigo is delivering the best work in the industry.

METRO NY features THE NOBODY

SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE talks about Vikings and NORTHLANDERS “The Cross and the Hammer.”

UNKNOWN SOLDIER is featured on the BBC along with a gallery of images and if you subscribe to SIRIUS XM, listen to Dysart discuss the book with Judith Regan.

And if you haven’t read it yet, download the first issue of UNKNOWN SOLDIER now!

The Portland Mercury and Omnivoracious, the Amazon.com Book Blog, review THE NOBODY.

You can also hear Jeff Lemire talk about THE NOBODY and SWEET TOOTH on Wordballon.

And, now you can wear Lemire’s ART BRUT Vs SATAN album artwork on your feet . . . . You know how I love shoes!

Lot’s happened this week. Here’s a roundup of those not to be missed.

LARGEHEARTED BOY posts Jeff Lemire’s fantastic music playlist for THE NOBODY. In his introduction Jeff writes, “I’ve always preferred sad songs. They don’t make me sad, they just make me “feel more.” Now, that’s something I can totally relate to. Check it out!

CBR and NEWSARAMA review THE NOBODY.

BLOG@NEWSARAMA and AINT IT COOL NEWS review GREEK STREET #1.

IGN reviews THE UNWRITTEN #3 giving it a rating of 9/10.

MTV/Splashpage talks with Brian Azzarello about the end of 100 BULLETS.

And as a special treat, here are a few of Jeff Lemire’s early cover sketches for THE NOBODY.

Have a great weekend!

As far as I’m concerned, whatever Jeff Lemire wants Jeff Lemire gets. And what he wanted to do after finishing up his work on THE NOBODY OGN was something different—an ongoing series.

Starting in September, Jeff stretches his legs and blows our minds each and every month with SWEET TOOTH. One look tells you it’s unlike anything Jeff’s done before-—it’s a big leap narratively for one of comics’ most talked about creators. In form and function SWEET TOOTH is crafted to be as episodic as it is epic. Very consciously we’re setting up each individual issue to leave your nails bitten and your heart broke. Drama and distress are stacked, action mounts, people make choices, and questions get asked for which you’ll be dying to know the answer. Jeff knows how to pull the strings—that insane teaser image above makes you want more, doesn’t it? That first taste makes it a can’t wait for the next issue experience.

The DC offices are closed today, but that’s not stopping me from posting a few noteworthy items. Happy 4th of July!!

WIRED/Underwire ran a terrific feature on THE UNWRITTEN.

G4/Fresh Ink and COMICS ALLIANCE ran nice reviews of NORTHLANDERS issue #18.

NEWSARAMA and IGN rave about GREEK STREET #1.

THE NOBODY got reviewed in the Miami Herald and Io9.

MADAME XANADU issue #1 is now available online. Click here.

And Becky Cloonan makes an appearance on MTV.

PUBLISHERS WEELKY reviewed NORTHLANDERS Vol. 2 calling it “An effective psychological portrait of the two main characters in a highly enjoyable book that is as smart as it is action packed.”

On Wednesday NEW YORK MAGAZINE/Vulture ran a preview of THE NOBODY. If haven’t already seen it, you should definitely take a look!

NYLON GUYS MAGAZINE July issue has a great interview with Jeff Lemire about his job before taking on comics full time and designing the cover of the Art Brut vs. Satan album cover.

One of Vertigo’s newest discoveries is writer/artist Jeff Lemire. Nominated for two Eisner Awards, a Harvey Award, Lemire (The Essex County Trilogy) makes his debut with THE NOBODY. A twist on the timeless character from H.G. Wells’ classic “The Invisible Man,” Lemire uses the bandaged stranger as a cipher to explore themes of identity, isolation, insanity, loneliness, fear, paranoia, and the dark side of rural life. Growing up in Canada, Lemire’s visits to a small rural lakeside village as a child inspired much of the visual imagery throughout the book and his attention to detail in describing small town life is reminiscent of Richard Russo. This is a book that really gets one thinking about how different people perceive the same situation and it’s incredibly done.

But, enough gushing from me. In case you haven’t seen it, here’s a cool trailer for the book.

When Lemire is not writing graphic novels or at work on the new Art Brut vs Satan album cover he’s working on his first monthly series SWEET TOOTH, out this September.

That’s right, a full color monthly series about a boy with antlers named Gus. Sounds interesting right? Well, it’s a wonderful post apocalyptic story that follows Gus, from the sanctuary of the home he’s known since birth, on an adventure to find “The Preserve” a fabled safe-haven for hybrid children. Along the way, Gus not only learns he loves chocolate, but he begins to unravel the mystery surrounding the origin of the disease that ravaged the American landscape just a decade before.

Check it out for yourself: