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



*****

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.

*****

DEC161677 MY FAVORITE THING IS MONSTERS GN (RES) $39.99
There are a lot of books with spines out this week, many of which are of specific interest, but nothing like the Emil Ferris debut My Favorite Thing Is Monsters. There are a bunch of entry points into the story beyond just getting to experience a new visual impression of the world that's always exciting. I like it as a portrait of its time, both in popular culture and its monster obsession and the collapse of typical, economic-driven family structure in upon itself. Can't wait for Volume Two.

DEC160229 WILD STORM #1 $3.99
DEC160082 DEPT H #11 $3.99
DEC168068 GREEN VALLEY #4 (OF 9) 2ND PTG $2.99
DEC160639 INVINCIBLE #133 (RES) $0.25
DEC160717 KILL OR BE KILLED #6 (MR) $3.99
DEC160692 SEX CRIMINALS #16 (MR) $3.99
DEC160743 THEYRE NOT LIKE US #14 (MR) $2.99
DEC160746 WALKING DEAD #164 (MR) $2.99
DEC161014 DOCTOR STRANGE #17 $3.99
NOV160995 CEREBUS IN HELL #1 $4.00
AUG161122 REICH #1 (OF 12) (MR) $3.00
OCT161118 REICH #3 (OF 12) (MR) $3.00
Pretty good comic book marked by probably my favorite grouping of Image's books right now. We lead with the Warren Ellis "show run" The Wild Storm #1 which seems to me to play to Ellis' strength at riffing on formula and reconceptualizing characters before kicking them in the rump so they move forward. Dept. H is almost a dozen issues in; I thought that one started like two months ago. There's that list of Image Comics, including a twenty-five cent issue of the Invincible series that will end next year. I've been buying Doctor Strange, although the narratives move very slowly for even my old ass. Everything Dave Sim does is interesting, although I'm always worried that somehow I'll be asked to read 75,000 words of text. Those Reich comics are handsome and you want them all.

OCT160036 ANGEL CATBIRD HC VOL 02 CASTLE CATULA $14.99
The first volume of Margaret Atwood and Johnnie Christmas take on superhero comics elicited the widest range of responses from my friends of anything in recent memory not Patience. I'm on board for volume two, for sure.

NOV168196 CAN OPENERS DAUGHTER GN (RES) $19.95
DEC161870 HADDON HALL WHEN DAVID INVENTED BOWIE HC GN $22.95
NOV161566 STARSEEDS HC $29.99
DEC161681 EXCAVATION HC $29.99
OCT160041 SABERTOOTH SWORDSMAN HC VOL 01 (2ND ED) $17.99
OCT160351 LOCKE & KEY SMALL WORLD DLX HC ED $14.99
OCT161293 KILLER HC VOL 05 $24.99
DEC161623 FIRES & MURMUR GN $34.95
DEC161627 WILSON TP (RES) (MR) $15.95
I was writing a bunch of individual description but I think bunch of books is more interesting as a group. You get two from SelfMadeHero, including the follow-up to Rob Davis' Motherless Oven, a very high-profile stand-alone. The creator of Starseeds, Mexico's Charle Glaubitz, is either completely unfamiliar to me or did work that's so huge I can't see it close-up with my glasses on. Still, a sharp-looking stand-alone is a unique comic-book experience. I haven't seen a Max Andersson book in years, and his work is always of interest to me. That was a happy moment, getting that one in to review. Sabertooth Swordsman I've seen a lot of but haven't read. Locke & Key and Killer are the kind of quietly popular series that can carry whole lines. I love the Mattotti works collected together here and Wilson made me laugh in ways that probably don't reflect well on my character. You could drop the $200-plus here and not blink.

OCT161403 JON SABLE FREELANCE OMNIBUS TP VOL 04 (OF 4) $35.00
Did the story of Jon Sable have a proper ending? I don't recall. I would sneak a peek. Matthew Rhys always reminds me of Jon Sable, for some reason. Also, Jon Sable is why I can remember the modern pentathlon event, for which I'll always be grateful.

NOV161911 JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR #70 $10.95
The very loud man at the comics shop last week told us that this issue was coming out and it was rare for the magazine to come out when it initially said it would. All respect to 70 issues. Lot of fun in there.

DEC161332 LOVERS IN THE GARDEN GN (MR) $10.00
If my advice given above to randomly buy graphic novels didn't really appeal to eye, heart or pocketbook, maybe just by this extended-length comic from Anya Davidson instead. She's a special talent, and I'd like to see her find a place in the post-Picturebox publishing landscape worthy of her talent.

*****

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.

*****



*****
*****
 
posted 3:25 pm PST | Permalink
 

---

 
Daily Blog Archives
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
 
Full Archives