New Releases 2/9/16

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Hardcovers

JLA: Gods and Monsters by J.M. Dematteis

The prequel tales for the acclaimed feature film, JLA: GODS AND MONSTERS is here! In this alternate universe where Superman is Zod's son, Batman is a vampire and Wonder Woman is a descendent of New Genesis, J.M. DeMatteis and Bruce Timm take the Justice League to a new level. Featuring the trinity's origin stories that serve as prequels to the animated film!

Collects JUSTICE LEAGUE: GODS AND MONSTERS - BATMAN #1-3, JUSTICE LEAGUE: GODS AND MONSTERS - SUPERMAN #1-3, JUSTICE LEAGUE: GODS AND MONSTERS - WONDER WOMAN #1-3 and JUSTICE LEAGUE: GODS AND MONSTERS #1-9.

The Lost Time Accidents: A Novel by John Wray

In his ambitious and fiercely inventive new novel, The Lost Time Accidents, John Wray takes us from turn-of-the-century Viennese salons buzzing with rumors about Einstein's radical new theory to the death camps of World War Two, from the golden age of postwar pulp science fiction to a startling discovery in a Manhattan apartment packed to the ceiling with artifacts of modern life.

Haunted by a failed love affair and the darkest of family secrets, Waldemar 'Waldy' Tolliver wakes one morning to discover that he has been exiled from the flow of time. The world continues to turn, and Waldy is desperate to find his way back-a journey that forces him to reckon not only with the betrayal at the heart of his doomed romance but also the legacy of his great-grandfather's fatal pursuit of the hidden nature of time itself.

Part madcap adventure, part harrowing family drama, part scientific mystery--and never less than wildly entertaining--The Lost Time Accidents is a bold and epic saga set against the greatest upheavals of the twentieth century.

The Manhattan Projects Deluxe Edition Book 2 by Jonathan Hickman and Nick Pitarra

"SCIENCE. BAD."
What if the research and development department created to produce the first atomic bomb was a front for a series of other, more unusual, programs? What if the union of a generation's brightest minds was not a signal for optimism, but foreboding? What if everything... went wrong?

Collects THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS #11-20

Paperbacks

Manifest Destiny Volume 3: Chiroptera & Carniformaves by Chris Dingess, Matthew Roberts and Stefano Gaudiano

The adventures of Lewis & Clark continue! Venturing deeper into the heartland, the expedition discovers another arch, which can only signal new trouble — and monsters — thriving in the wild. Meanwhile, Sacagawea experiences complications with her pregnancy.

Collects Manifest Destiny #13-18.

What If? Infinity by Joshua Williamson

Marvel once again poses the question, "What If...?" What if THANOS joined the AVENGERS? What if the INHUMANS took over Earth? What if the AVENGERS lost the war? What if the GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY found out the ILLUMINATI were hiding Thanos? What if NORMAN OSBORN had the INFINITY GAUNTLET?!

COLLECTING: What If? Infinity - Thanos 1, What If? Infinity - Inhumans 1, What If? Infinity - X-Men 1, What If? Infinity - Guardians Of The Galaxy 1

To readers, authors and publishers...

Is your story going to be published in time for the next New Releases? Contact us at ahwupdate at gmail dot com.  We are looking for works of alternate history, counterfactual history, steampunk, historical fantasy, time travel or anything that warps history beyond our understanding.

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger on Amazing Stories and a Sidewise Awards for Alternate History judge. When not writing he works as an attorney, enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the day when travel between parallel universes becomes a reality. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Learn how you can support his alternate history projects on Patreon.

Review: The Manhattan Projects Vol. 1: Science Bad by Jonathan Hickman and Nick Pitarra

So I finished volume 1 of The Manhattan Projects and...what the hell did I just read?

Let's cut straight to the recap: Turns out the historical Manhattan Project and the atom bomb was just a front for the real science happening at the Manhattan Projects (the plural is important). All of the various scientists, soldiers and politicians of the era make appearances, but not as history remembers them as. For example, Robert Oppenheimer, the civilian head of the agency, is actually being impersonated by his twin brother, Joseph Oppenheimer, who killed and ate him to get his intelligence and is increasingly being controlled by his ever expanding network of multiple personalities...don't ask. You also have Leslie Groves, who is a religious zealot, Albert Einstein, who is also being impersonated by his more violent (but less intelligent) doppelganger from another timeline, Wernher von Braun, who has a robot arm, and Enrico Fermi, who is an alien pretending to be human (which I have to admit is rather clever).

I would talk about the story, but...I am not sure if there is one. A lot of stuff just happens, including uploading FDR's brain into a computer so it can form a shadow government over the United States. If there is a story I don't see it yet and the book just follows the adventures of a group of mad scientists as they slowly take over the world. It is weird, surreal and has a dark sense of humor. I also liked how they used the colors red and blue to delineate good and evil when they used flashbacks. That all being said, I can see why this isn't for everyone. It relies a lot of conspiracy theories/secret histories despite many calling The Manhattan Projects an alternate history. There are a lot of shocking developments that also don't add much to the experience besides being shocking.

Did I think it was good? Well...I finished the first volume rather quickly and I am curious about the second one. I am not sure if The Manhattan Projects is good, but I think I can say with some certainty that it wasn't bad. It was an curious piece of weird fiction and I am happy I read it, but this is certainly going to go down as an acquired taste.

Additionally, it was fun to see depictions of these famous people again in an alternate history. Perhaps the last time I personally saw any of these characters in one story together was in Turtledove's Worldwar series. In fact Groves was an important POV character for that story, but Hickman and Pitarra's take was certainly memorable, if frightening

So if you looking for something that would make an alien space bat shake their head in disbelief, I would pick up a copy of The Manhattan Projects. If you are looking for something with a more coherent story, than I would look elsewhere.

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update and a blogger on Amazing Stories. Check out his short fiction. When not writing he works as an attorney, enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter.

SyFy Adapting Pax Romana and Other SF&F Properties

Deadline Hollywood is reporting that the SyFy channel, notorious for their B-movies starring Tara Reid, has made an announcement that has redeemed them a bit in this blogger's eyes. They will be creating a mini-series based on Pax Romana by Jonathan Hickman, along with other adaptions of famous SF&F comics and books.

For those who don't know, Pax Romana is a politically charged graphic novel where the Vatican develops time travel in a future where Islam dominates Europe and the West has rejected monotheism. They decide to send an army of Cardinals and special forces soldiers to 312 AD, during the reign of Constantine, to change past and save the future. Things, however, don't go as planned as different factions vie for control over how to fix the timeline.

Pax Romana is being adapted by writers Matthew Federman and Stephen Scaia (Warehouse 13), with David Alpert of Circle of Confusion (The Walking Dead) acting as executive producer, along with Federman, Scaia and Hickman. I have to say its a good sign when the creator is involved in the adaption (it works for Game of Thrones).

More importantly, we may get a chance to see some alternate history on the small screen. Casey Douglas at Geek Syndicate, however, summed exactly what we should all be thinking: will the end product live up to the original work? Only time will tell, but I will be praying for a successful production.

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update and a blogger on Amazing Stories. Check out his short fiction. When not writing he works as an attorney, enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter.