This Isn't A Library: New and Notable Releases to the Comics Direct Market



Here are a few books that jump out at me from this week's 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 following, but were I in a comic book shop I would likely pick them up and look at them, potentially annoying my retailer.

*****

SEP062101 CIVIL WAR #7 (OF 7) $2.99
This is the concluding issue to Marvel's latest mega-crossover, where instead of fighting over the Evil Eye or something else cool various teams of good guys squared off over abstracted, overheated metaphors for invasive government and privacy issues. Why have you abandoned us, Prester John? Comics like this make my head hurt, but I might pick it up to see if there's a surprise ending and if I know off the top of my head where it's stolen from.

DEC060021 CONAN #37 (MR) $2.99
When I was a kid, Conan was usually the great disappointment of the comics rack. It sounds like it should be great, all hacking and slashing and dancing girls and lizard-monsters, but beyond the first couple of dozen issues and brief runs here and there in his various Marvel titles the content never quite lived up to the promise. I have no idea if these new Conan comics from Dark Horse are any good, as I've never seen one, but I would pick one up were I in a shop today.

NOV063980 DRIFTING CLASSROOM VOL 4 TP (MR) $9.99
NOV063982 NAOKI URASAWAS MONSTER VOL 7 TP $9.99
The best of the ongoing manga series with new volumes out this week. I'm behind on both.

DEC063847 FREAK BROTHERS #5 NEW PTG (MR) (NOTE PRICE) $4.95
DEC063848 FREAK BROTHERS #6 NEW PTG (MR) (NOTE PRICE) $4.95
In heaven's spinner racks, you will find some iteration of Gilbert Shelton's Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers in at least two of the pockets.

DEC063945 HOUSE OF SUGAR GN $10.00
People need to buy this or a bunch of us are going to look like buffoons.

NOV063555 HEARTBREAK SOUP PALOMAR VOL 1 TP $14.95
NOV063556 MAGGIE THE MECHANIC LOCAS VOL 1 TP $14.95
These new collections of approximately 16-18 issues of Love and Rockets stories according to brother aren't manga-sized as some thought, but what they are is pretty damn great. I keep stopping work to pick mine up.

DEC063439 HUNTER & PAINTER $4.95
Tom Gauld's work is funny, smart and attractively designed. Judging from the review copy I was sent, this oblong-shaped, more-than-a-mini presentation of one of his better works proves one thing: publisher Alvin Buenaventura has a better source for comics bags than anyone else I know.

OCT060212 KAMANDI ARCHIVES VOL 2 HC $49.99
I prefer comic books to hardcover collections of same, particularly with something as old-fashioned and fun as later period Jack Kirby comics. Still, this is prime time '70s comic book oddballism, as much of its time as any random episode of Welcome Back, Kotter that features the Hari Krishnas or a Network riff and as timeless as any number of ragged science fiction movies of the day that sought to negotiate Armageddon through out-sized, simplified transformations of America.

NOV060020 SOCK MONKEY THE INCHES INCIDENT #3 (OF 4) $2.99
A terrible thing about not being near a comic shop is that I miss out on books like this one -- it's not new, it's not a startling new direction, it's not anything except likely to be good.

*****

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.

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

If I didn't list your new comic, it's not because I missed it by accident or that our tastes differ. It's because I hate you.
 
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