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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OCT141478 VAPOR HC (MR) $24.99
OCT141479 COCHLEA & EUSTACHIA GN (MR) $19.99
AUG141480 COMPLETE PEANUTS HC BOX SET 1959-1962 $59.95
SEP141450 COMPLETE ZAP COMIX HC BOX SET (MR) $500.00
OCT141484 MASSIVE GN GAY MANGA & MEN WHO MAKE IT (MR) $35.00
OCT141482 BLACK LIGHT SC WORLD OF LB COLE $39.99
OCT141481 COMICS JOURNAL LIBRARY TP VOL 09 ZAP INTERVIEWS (MR) $35.00
SEP141428 LATE CHILD AND OTHER ANIMALS HC $29.99
That is just an astonishing bunch of books to arrive from one publisher in one week at the comics shops. In this case the publisher is Fantagraphics. The jewel here is the hardcover box set of Zap Comix, a top five comic book series in terms of historical importance and a top 10 comic book series in terms of artistic significance. It's supplemented by the latest volume in the TCJ Library series. I've been looking forward to the LB Cole book for a while now; that's one of the great visual imaginations of that era in mainstream work. The Massive book is a follow-up to last year's (was it only last year?) Gengoroh Tagame release from PictureBox. Oh, and there's a Peanuts, and a new Hans Rickheit collection, and the James Romberger/Marguerite collaboration and a new one from Max. Man.

AUG140080 TIGER LUNG HC $15.99
I liked this book and didn't know anything about it before I picked it up off of a pile of unread comics. It's early-man comics, which is a reasonably well-established sub-genre in comic books. Simon Roy's work is what drove me to it, but I liked the whole thing: stark, ugly tales with dollops of unpleasant mysticism.

AUG140114 ESSENTIAL KURTZMAN HC VOL 01 JUNGLE BOOK $24.99
If you don't have one, you want one.

AUG140360 PRIDE OF BAGHDAD DELUXE ED HC (MR) $24.99
SEP140590 JUST THE TIPS HC (MR) $12.99
OCT140698 WALKING DEAD 2015 CALENDAR (MR) $14.99
Three obvious holiday gifts; that should stop about now except for the ones that are late. Three different approaches, too: a prestige re-release (Pride), a hardcover gift book spinning off of a successful series (Tips) and a calendar, always a fine gift idea. I'd like it if that calendar listed no holidays except "Trying To Survive Day."

OCT140744 HUMANS #2 (MR) $2.99
OCT140969 MAGIC WHISTLE #15 (MR) $4.99
OCT140009 HELLBOY AND THE BPRD #1 $3.50
Light day for comic books. Humans #2 is the Image book that jumped out at me; there are a lot of Image series this week, but I didn't see any heavy-hitters on a first pass. I'm probaby wrong about that. Sam Henderson is well suited to the comic book form which gives him enoughj pages to entertain without wearing out his welcome. And there's always a Hellboy-related book. Seems like it, anyway.

OCT141520 MONSIEUR JEAN FROM BACHELOR TO FATHER HC $34.95
Dupuy and Berberians's signature work, back in North American in lovingly presented form. It's Humanoids rather than D+Q this time. I really enjoy these comics; they're visually sumptuous and narratively gassy.

OCT141619 ZENITH HC PHASE TWO $25.00
I don't think I ever saw a single review of Phase One, but in general I like this series so I'm thinking one day I'll own this collectdion of it.

JUL141647 75 YEARS OF MARVEL GOLDEN AGE TO SILVER SCREEN HC $200.00
This is a big Taschen book featuring loads of comics art and a very sunny history of the company, whose product now dominates Hollywood big-budget movie-making in a way that was inconceivable 25 years ago. I'll definitely take a look at it as an art book when it starts to be discounted.

SEP141606 MAMMOTH BOOK OF CULT COMICS SC (MR) $17.95
The Mammoth books have been super, super hit and miss for me, but the price is right and I'll always check them out. An anthology of little seen works is a great idea given the sheer amount of material like that's out there now. We'll see how it's executed.

SEP140283 BATMAN THE JIRO KUWATA BATMANGA TP VOL 01 $14.99
This is DC's collection of I believe a recent digital serial offering of the Jiro Kuwata Batman comics. They're a lot of fun, very kinetic and sleekly designed. I'm glad to see his name in his title, too, DC doesn't do a ton of that. What a journey it's been for that gentleman.

AUG141555 STREET VIEW HC $27.99
This one looks cool: a Pascal Rabate flip-over accordion comic, with little stories happening on a street scene over a night and a day. It's very handsome, but I've only had the briefest of readings. Still, it's very gifty, too.

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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. Actually, I probably missed a few people I really like this time around. It's been that kind of year. Sorry about that.

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