This Isn’t A Library: New And Notable Releases Into Comics’ Direct Market



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Here are the books that make an impression on me staring at this week's no-doubt largely accurate list of books shipping from Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. to comic book and hobby shops across North America.

I might not buy all of the works listed here. I might not buy any. You never know. I'd sure look at the following, though.

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FEB140330 STERANKO NICK FURY AGENT OF SHIELD ARTIST ED HC PI
Okay, I win a major old-man award putting this artist's edition of Steranko's work up top the week that Seconds comes out, but I couldn't find a big enough image of the Seconds cover, so it plays inset spotlight comic of the week. As for this volume, one thing that's been nice about the artist's editions program is that with a company like Marvel a book like this one can fulfill one role a sane classic publishing program might -- to put some of the perennials back in front of the eyeballs of fans, including those that haven't experienced those artists yet. I'm also interested in what insights this book gives to his process -- as I recall, he worked at a significant size over the printed page, which has a chance to make this book quite good-looking.

APR140949 BRYAN LEE O MALLEY SECONDS GN $25.00
This obviously the major book of the week, Bryan Lee O'Malley -- with a few talented craftspeople working under his direction -- finally releasing through Random House his major follow-up to the industry-altering Scott Pilgrim. I have not read a page of this material, and look forward to it greatly. I think O'Malley's an interesting cartoonist, and I'm rooting for him.

MAR140070 USAGI YOJIMBO LTD HC VOL 28 RED SCORPION $59.99
One thing that I hope happens at next weekend's San Diego Con is that we all remember that Stan Sakai is a pro's pro and I'm guessing still discombobulated by some of the personal issues that have altered his life a bit in recent months. I love that he has fans that will be his books at this price point. I get a lot of pleasure out of them myself, but in much cheaper, less fancy editions.

MAR140263 TALES OF THE BATMAN JH WILLIAMS III HC $49.99
Has to be pretty.

APR140441 TARZAN RUSS MANNING NEWSPAPER STRIPS HC VOL 03 1971-1974 $49.99
This too, actually. I'm not sure if Tarzan enjoyed an early '70s comeback because of that decade's first few years' fascination with the 1930s, where the Jungle Lord was a dominant entertainment figure. He was still that way in the '70s, for sure. I don't remember the plotlines but I remember this being the very definition of solid when I was reading them with potato pancakes on a Sunday morning.

MAY140025 BPRD HELL ON EARTH #121 $3.50
APR140585 RAT QUEENS #7 (MR) $3.50
MAY140734 STRAY BULLETS THE KILLERS #5 (MR) $3.50
MAY140745 WICKED & DIVINE #2 (MR) $3.50
MAY148075 WICKED & DIVINE #2 CVR B ZDARSKY $3.50
MAY141498 AUTEUR #5 (MR) $3.99
You have your Mignola up top, as is fitting. This is one of those Image Comics weeks where none of the series I follow slightly more closely than I follow others has come out. The next four comics (three titles) are the ones that leap out at me as being books that people enjoy more than the standard comic, even as I'm underread on those titles. Be a good week to catch up. Auteur is a strange series I wanted to let have a bit of a head start before I got back into it, so that would be a primary purchase for me this week.

APR141204 DISNEY MICKEY MOUSE HC VOL 05 PHANTOM BLOT $34.99
This is primetime Gottfredson, beautiful to look at and fun. I would think it perfect summer reading for a kid, but I was a strange kid. Still, if nothing else this series has been a reintroduction to the fundamental of Mickey Mouse.

APR141206 PRINCE VALIANT HC VOL 09 1953-1954 $35.00
MAY141837 PRINCE VALIANT PAGE HC SALE BOOK PI
This is the latest in the strip's quality recent reprinting, already almost ten volumes in. I quite enjoy reading these, against all odds according to what I tend to like in longform narratives. The second book is I believe a reprinting of the moder Prince Valiant, not as startling as the Foster -- very little is -- but solidly executed and featuring the art of that very nice man Gary Gianni.

MAY140980 YOUTH IS WASTED GN $14.95
Part of the 2014 AdHouse youth movement, this is a solo anthology by compulsive comics maker Noah Van Sciver, including the one-shot for Retrofit that sold out so quickly.

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The full list of this week's releases, including some titles with multiple cover variations and a long, impressive list of toys and other stuff that isn't comics, can be found here. Despite this official list there's no guarantee a comic will show up in the stores as promised, or in all of the stores as opposed to just a few. Also, stores choose what they carry and don't carry so your shop may not carry a specific publication. There are a lot of comics out there.

To find your local comic book store, check this list; and for one I can personally recommend because I've shopped there, albeit a while back, try this.

The above titles are listed with their Diamond order code in the first field, which may assist you in finding comics at your shop or having them order something for you they don't have in-stock. Ordering through a direct market shop can be a frustrating experience, so if you have a direct line to something -- you know another shop has it, you know a bookstore has it -- I'd urge you to consider all of your options.

If I failed to list your comic, that's because I hate you.

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