This Isn’t A Library: 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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APR150977 POPE HATS #4 (MR) $7.95
This is a serial comic, even though it's priced like a small book. In my dream world mainstream comics would be $2 and alt-comics $4, but my dream worlds are always 20 years out of touch. I've enjoyed all the Ethan Rilly comics I've ever read and I'm sure to enjoy this one as well. As a fan of serial comic book, this would be my special buy of the week, the reason I went into the store.

MAR150332 YOU DONT SAY GN $19.99
The very prolific Nate Powell gets a collection that I think will allow us to track his development while at the same time expose as to a few rarities of the early to mid 2000s publishing wise. I would assume much of this IDW book is made possible by the success of March, and if that's the case, good for March.

MAR150594 SEX #21 CVR A KOWALSKI (MR) $2.99
MAR150595 SEX #21 CVR B NGUYEN (MR) $2.99
MAR150596 SEX #21 CVR C MAHFOOD (MR) $2.99
MAR150605 THEYRE NOT LIKE US #6 (MR) $2.99
MAR150713 ALL NEW HAWKEYE #3 $3.99
FEB151276 KING FLASH GORDON #4 $3.99
DEC141340 KING PRINCE VALIANT #2 $3.99
That's a real mixed batch of comic books, mostly stuff I want to try rather than stuff I'm already buying. I'm furthest in on Sex, actually, and I'm still interested where its mix of explicit comics and 1980s world-building is going. It's like Howard Chaykin's Mr. X. I've been buying They're Not Like Us for Simon Gane's art, and the narrative still feels to me like it hasn't fully started yet. I haven't seen any of the Jeff Lemire-written Hawkeye yet, but I like Lemire on those kinds of comics so this would be the week I will likely rectify that. I also have a fascination for these two King comics, as the narratives are so different. Big exploration week.

MAR151423 LOUISE BROOKS DETECTIVE HC $15.99
I'm charmed by the Amazon.com book description that includes the killer line "this graphic novel by Rick Geary is spun around her actual brief meteoric career as a smoldering film actress who popularized bangs," but basically they had me at Rick Geary. I've been reading all of his old-timey comics whenever I can. He has an interesting way of unpacking a story which works very well for historical crime narratives. Plus I'm fond of actors like Brooks; the churn of celebrity back then is almost wholly different than it is now.

MAR151357 USAGI YOJIMBO TP VOL 02 SAMURAI $16.99
APR151853 YOTSUBA & ! GN VOL 01 NEWER PTG $13.00
These are the two reprints I'd explore if I hadn't started either. Volume 2 is where Sakai settled into more of the creator's voice he's used for the last 25 years. The Yotsuba&! is charming, and never more so than in the first volume -- in fact, I could recommend that as a sample, if you do that kind of thing.

MAR150862 INFINITE BOWMAN GN (MR) $15.00
I've only seen Aulisio's work in fits and starts, although the visual imagination and confident sense of humor seems like it's bigger-book ready. This is your newer talent blind purchase recommendation -- I think Aulisio's still 28. You can get an idea of what you're in for here, although the Infinite Bowman entries dance in and out of the others.

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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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posted 11:55 pm PST | Permalink
 

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