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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JUL141216 BUMF GN VOL 01 I BUGGERED THE KAISER (MR) $14.99
On most weeks I'd stick this post's final entry up top, but I thought such an odd and compelling comic that I wanted to lead with it instead. This is a bunch of politically-driven straight-up humor comics from Joe Sacco -- who, once upon a time, long before the more strictly journalism comics he started doing, was thought of as a maker and editor of post-underground funny comics. I thought they really funny, and mean, and angrily over the top, almost furious. They're also playful, and may provide a way to get into Sacco's headspace similar to the publication of New Love from Gilbert Hernandez some 20 years ago. If nothing else, it's the only time I'll probably ever laugh out loud at a two-page spread of sickening infantry ground war.

AUG141499 IN REAL LIFE GN $17.99
This book has a little bit of everything as far as something to promote: an established writer, a talented artist, a representation of the most important reality in gaming one may have right now (recognizing the enormous, matter-of-fact presence of women gamers) and one of the most interesting feature article material of the last seven years in any field (the way people in non-privileged parts of the world negotiate those same spaces). I'm interested to the see the resulting comics; I haven't read or seen a thing that isn't this cover.

JUN140274 BATMAN 66 HC VOL 02 $19.99
JUN140264 BATMAN HC VOL 05 ZERO YEAR DARK CITY (N52) $24.99
DC still does a fine job managing its Batman property, with the super-solid Scott Snyder/Greg Capullo flagship title work and the revival of the TV show version in comics form. I'm pretty sure that a lot of fans with money collect these DC hardcovers the way 10-year-old me used to buy 25-cent comic books, and it's a format that works that way in terms of the reading experience.

JUN140460 SKIPPY HC VOL 03 COMPLETE DAILIES 1931-1933 $49.99
JUL141222 WALT DISNEY UNCLE SCROOGE HC VOL 02 SEVEN CITIES GOLD $29.99
It is an enduring testimony to where comics publishing finds itself at this moment in time that two books with comics in them good enough to be the best of the year -- and would have been slam-dunk fashion as recently as 15 years ago -- can be released without any particular special fanfare. You really want to own them, too, in a "let's maybe reconfigure my life so I can afford books like that on a regular basis" way.

AUG140095 BPRD HELL ON EARTH #124 $3.50
AUG140055 DARK HORSE PRESENTS 2014 #3 $4.99
AUG140642 DEADLY CLASS #8 (MR) $3.50
AUG140685 SUPREME BLUE ROSE #4 (MR) $2.99
AUG140687 TREES #6 (MR) $2.99
JUN140603 DEATH OF WOLVERINE #4 $4.99
AUG140748 DEATH OF WOLVERINE LOGAN LEGACY #1 $3.99
AUG141187 LUMBERJANES #7 $3.99
Not a ton of the bigger series with serial comic book issues out theis week. I'd go explore a bit. The Mignola-verse might be the only comic I end up with from this list because my brother and I collect those, but there's plenty to see. They're already three issues into the new DHP, which I think is s title that exists solely to make me blink at how many issues are out. You get the writers Rick Remender and Warren Ellis working with talented artistic collaborators like Jason Howard, Lee Loughridge, Tulu Lotay and Wes Craig -- I like the Ellis books just fine, particularly Trees, and I know the Deadly Class book has devoted fans. They're killing Wolverine this week, and then turning right around and celebrating him. Not exactly Josh Charles on The Good Wife here. I'm interested in picking up more Lumberjanes soon because I think the development of such titles is almost always more interesting than its first few issues.

JUN140515 SATELLITE SAM TP VOL 02 SATELLITE SAM & KINESCOPE SNUFF (MR) $14.99
Speaking of developing titles, I like this second run of Satellite Sam comics more than the first few, but that's usually my experience with comics written by Matt Fraction. Howard Chaykin has been consistent throughout -- that's my experience with him.

JUL140785 BIG NATE CROWD GOES WILD TP $9.99
These are the best-selling books that no one in comics really discusses, including me.

MAY141593 BLACK DRAGON HC $19.99
MAY141595 COMPLETE JOHNNY NEMO HC $22.99
The rich archiving of comics from my youth continues. I'm all for the second life afforded this material in such collections. I think both of these could have fans today that weren't familiar with either work before now.

AUG141500 OLYMPIANS BOXED SET $59.99
Christmas gift alert.

AUG141879 ANDREW LOOMIS ID LOVE TO DRAW HC $39.95
I'm not sure how much pull Andrew Loomis has as an artist of the kind that cartoonists and comics-makers of the moment might be interested, but I like the idea of walking into a store and walking out with this as I'm a budding Steve Rude.

JUN140047 USAGI YOJIMBO SAGA LTD ED HC VOL 01 $79.99
JUN140046 USAGI YOJIMBO SAGA TP VOL 01 $24.99
There is no person in comics that engenders more positive feeling than Stan Sakai, and this looks like a lofty-aspiration reprinting of some of his primetime comics material. I like losing myself in that work.

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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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