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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JUL192106 CHRIS WARE RUSTY BROWN HC GN $35.00
A book so potentially good I don't mind running one of those weird three-quarters views that the Internet uses now in place of a good flat cover image. This is Chris Ware's much touted first book in his ongoing Rusty Brown epic. I hope the weird resentment-driven backlash is over and people can dig into the book no matter their eventual reaction. It's on my own bookstand right now.

JUL191900 ALL THE PRESIDENTS HC $24.99
Don't let Drew Friedman's new book of presidential portraits sneak by, and I hope it's enjoyed for much more than the kick to undershorts to the current disaster of a president it could be. I studied history as an undergrad, and everyone between Lincoln and Wilson remains fascinating to me.

JUL190118 CRIMINAL #8 (MR) $3.99
JUL190873 POWERS OF X #5 (OF 6) $4.99
JUL191029 MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR #47 $3.99
That's two solid choices for serial comic book literature and one Little Rascals-style double-take inducing issue number on the Moon Girl book. I'm happy to see that. As for the x-book, I'm starting to wonder what the restarted regular series will look like.

MAY190670 DAVID MAZZUCHELLIS DAREDEVIL BORN AGAIN ARTISAN ED TP $49.99
JUN191832 ALBERT EINSTEIN POETRY OF REAL HC $19.99
MAY190295 ELFEN LIED OMNIBUS TP VOL 02 $24.99
APR191805 FABULOUS FURRY FREAK BROS COMPENDIUM TP $13.99
MAY191848 KAIJUMAX TP VOL 04 SEASON FOUR SCALY IS NEW BLACK $19.99
JUL192176 ISADORA GN $24.99
JUL192003 MEYER TP $17.95
Here's a bunch of book-style comics, which indicates where the general emphasis of the industry is today. Mazzucchelli is great to look at in any edition, and his smarts are apparent in every Dunbier-type edition that lets you see the comic being built. The Eisnstein looks like a transplant from a handsome European edition. Einstein's interesting, though. My younger brother's favorite manga is Elfen Lied, which makes no sense to me but all respect and I've enjoyed big chunks of that work, too. Shelton is always of interest. I'm fond of Zander Cannon, and the presentation of giant monster prison stories gets more amusing as he works out stranger part of that fictional cul-de-sac. Isadora seems like a natural comics treatment because of the dance elements. I was hoping Meyer might be about the NW store, but instead we're getting a whipped-into-a-modest-frenzy treatment of the gangster's life.

JUL192179 YOUR BLACK FRIEND ONE SHOT MINI (MR) $5.00
One of the key comics of the whole decade, always welcome in a shop.

JUL191911 ZAPPED BY GOD OF ABSURDITY HC BEST PAUL KRASSNER $26.99
This is from the Fantagraphics prose line, and there are some interesting projects coming up there.

JUN191682 RIVER AT NIGHT HC (MR) $34.95
Kevin Huizenga's is only about a fourth to a third as long in the making, but it's a powerful and even dare I say meditative work. I had a lot of fun reacquainting myself with those comics a few weeks back. Come buy one from Kevin at CXC.

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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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