This Isn’t A Library: New, 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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MAR181650 ROCK STEADY GN BRILLIANT ADVICE MY BIPOLAR LIFE FORNEY $19.99
This is an interesting week, particularly in terms of volume. Let's put Ellen Forney up top with her latest mental health-related memoir/short essays book. This should be an active seller all summer and into the Fall. Forney is great on her feet and should wow the various comics shows. No one works harder.

JAN180121 BEASTS OF BURDEN ANIMAL RITES TP $19.99
JAN180104 HELLBOY OMNIBUS TP VOL 01 SEED OF DESTRUCTION $24.99
Here are two trades from ongoing series that generally bring me pleasure. I read individual comics of both, but I don't think that's true of most people. That does mean I can't help you in terms of where these series stand, etc., if these are old or new or a different track altogether.

JAN181664 REAL DEAL #8 (MR) $8.00
MAR180089 BPRD DEVIL YOU KNOW #6 $3.99
MAR180090 BPRD DEVIL YOU KNOW #6 VAR MIGNOLA CVR $3.99
MAR180067 RESIDENT ALIEN #2 (OF 4) ALIEN IN NEW YORK $3.99
MAR180317 WILDSTORM MICHAEL CRAY #7 $3.99
MAR180318 WILDSTORM MICHAEL CRAY #7 VAR ED $3.99
MAR180571 BARRIER #1 (OF 5) COLLECTORS ED (MR) $4.99
MAR180573 BARRIER #2 (OF 5) (MR) $3.99
FEB180655 MONSTRESS #16 (MR) $3.99
MAR170783 SOUTHERN BASTARDS #20 CVR A LATOUR (MR) $3.99
MAR170784 SOUTHERN BASTARDS #20 CVR B HENDERSON (MR) $3.99
FEB180955 LOVE AND AARDVARKS #1 (OF 1) $4.00
A range of interesting comics present themselves at the comic-book level. I don't know if that's a Fantagraphics debut for the Real Deal comics, but it's the first time I've noticed that relationship has shifted to newer work. I'm not as versed in that material as I should be, which means a nice entry point like a comic book might do the job. There's the Mignola-verse book of the week. I like the Resident Alien cycle of series; I like its tone and pace so it's nice to hear I have two new ones to buy in the store. Haven't made it over to buy the Michael Cray Wildstorm stuff that Warren Ellis is supervising, but I'll likely try one out sooner or later. Barrier is a big, pretty comic so far. I mean big in the physical sense along with the pretty -- it's oversized. Monstress and Southern Bastards are two solid citizens of the Image Universe with world-building challenges unique to each. That last one is the newest Dave Sim, which might be cut-and-paste comics, still? I have to catch up with those, too.

FEB180468 COMPLETE CHESTER GOULD DICK TRACY HC VOL 24 $44.99
JAN180563 SUPERMAN THE GOLDEN AGE NEWSPAPER DAILIES HC 1944-1947 $49.99
These both have their charms, and the Gould material is highly regarded even this late in the run.

MAR181010 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #800 BY ALEX ROSS POSTER $8.99
MAR180836 DESPICABLE DEADPOOL #300 BLANK VAR $5.99
Those are really big numbers. I feel like Spider-Man is a bit exhausted, and it doesn't help matter in wanting to use both characters that Miles Morales would logically always feel less exhausted than Peter Parker and they can't share a teenaged space without some real work.

MAR181843 5 WORLDS GN VOL 02 COBALT PRINCE $12.99
MAR181844 5 WORLDS HC GN VOL 02 COBALT PRINCE $20.99
MAR181782 AKISSI TALES OF MISCHIEF GN $14.95
MAR181572 MUSHROOM FAN CLUB HC $17.95
MAR181966 COMIC BOOK STORY OF BASEBALL GN $18.99
MAR181753 ENCHANTED CHEST HC $17.99
DEC171719 MY BOYFRIEND IS A BEAR GN $19.99
MAR181781 MEAN GIRLS CLUB PINK DAWN HC GN $20.95
DEC171706 OUT OF NOTHING GN $22.99
That is a staggering number of stand-alones this week: the newest sc/hc combo from the group of creators that includes Mark Siegel. Two books aimed I think at kids, a more common thing every half-year with alt-press publishers. The baseball one is on my desk, I just haven't looked at it. Enchanted Chest is a Lion Forge book with a pretty cover. The bear book has been well-publicized enough you've likely heard of it, too. It's a cute idea. The last two or Nobrow and the Mean Girls one I've read -- it's interesting, and a little bit retro not for its iconography but for the employment of that iconography.

MAR181635 DISNEY MASTERS HC VOL 01 SCARPA MICKEY MOUSE DELTA DIMENSION $29.99
I like the idea of Fantagraphics dipping into other renowned Disney masters for volumes, and I've always thought Romano Scarpa's work lively. I've not much experience with it, which makes me a perfect customer.

MAR182190 PHOEBE & HER UNICORN BOARD BOOK TODAY ILL BE A UNICORN $7.99
Dana Simpson's work is well-designed and the characters are appealing, which are really the two things to have an effective board book.

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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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