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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JUL181775 DIRTY PLOTTE GN BOX SET COMPLETE JULIE DOUCET (MR) $119.95
AUG182099 PIERO GN (MR) $17.95
Two extremely worthwhile books from two comics masters -- one a complete run of Julie Doucet's Dirty Plotte, and one I think the first by-itself book from a North American publisher featuring the influential Edmond Baudoin. The Doucet book is a clear book of the year candidate and a crucially important collection. If it's not on your Christmas list for someone, you need to get new friends.

JUL180926 COMPLETE LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE HC VOL 15 $49.99
More from the great Harold Gray and the always-underrated Annie, which had more good years than many people realize, certainly visually. I don't like every classic comic strip as much as I did when I was a kid, but Little Orphan Annie may be the only one I like significantly more.

SEP181819 ART OF THE GRAPHIC MEMOIR SC $25.99
This is an intriguing to get instructional material out of Tom Hart, one of his comics-generation's great teachers and memoir writers. I almost like the idea of a focused work over a bigger, general one.

SEP181327 GIANT DAYS #44 $3.99
SEP180939 DOCTOR STRANGE #7 $3.99
SEP180430 GREEN LANTERN #1 $4.99
AUG182105 KAIJUMAX SEASON 4 #3 (OF 6) (MR) $3.99
Not a lot in the comic-book format material that spoke to me. I will always look at any book to which John Allison contributed. The Doctor Strange is writer Mark Waid, and I'd lost track of Waid after he stopped working with Chris Samnee. Marvel's line reads miserable to me right now, so I'm happy to see Waid working on something so I can read something from the publisher. Grant Morrison will be writing for this new Space Cop Anthology take on DC's foundational character. Morrison is always worth noting. The Kaijumax is Zander Cannon, and is an old-school oddball indy comic of the kind I wish there were a lot more of. Four seasons!

JUL182063 DRAWN TO SEX GN SEX BASICS OH JOY SEX TOY (MR) $19.99
A lot of folks are fond of these comics and I have to image they'd do well in bookstores, via store visits and even in comic book shops if hand-sold.

JUL189280 ERIC GN $29.95
I don't remember anything about this comics except that while looking at an example I realize I've read some parts of it. It was very weird, like a random Epic serial being collected.

AUG181671 PANDORA SHOTGUN MARY #0 (MR) $6.99
AUG181679 PANDORA SHOTGUN MARY #0 BLOODY MARY (MR) $6.99
AUG181680 PANDORA SHOTGUN MARY #0 BLOODY MARY NUDE (MR) $8.99
AUG181682 PANDORA SHOTGUN MARY #0 DEADLY (MR) $6.99
AUG181683 PANDORA SHOTGUN MARY #0 DEADLY NUDE (MR) $8.99
AUG181676 PANDORA SHOTGUN MARY #0 KILLER BODIES (MR) $6.99
AUG181677 PANDORA SHOTGUN MARY #0 KILLER BODIES NUDE (MR) $8.99
AUG181685 PANDORA SHOTGUN MARY #0 LUSCIOUS (MR) $6.99
AUG181686 PANDORA SHOTGUN MARY #0 LUSCIOUS NUDE (MR) $8.99
AUG181672 PANDORA SHOTGUN MARY #0 NUDE (MR) $8.99
AUG181700 PANDORA SHOTGUN MARY #0 SEXY NUDE (MR) $8.99
AUG181691[ PANDORA SHOTGUN MARY #0 SIRENS (MR) $6.99
AUG181692 PANDORA SHOTGUN MARY #0 SIRENS NUDE (MR) $8.99
AUG181674 PANDORA SHOTGUN MARY #0 STUNNERS (MR) $6.99
AUG181675 PANDORA SHOTGUN MARY #0 STUNNERS NUDE (MR) $8.99
AUG181696 PANDORA SHOTGUN MARY #0 SULTRY NUDE (MR) $8.99
AUG181688 PANDORA SHOTGUN MARY #0 WRAP (MR) $6.99
AUG181689 PANDORA SHOTGUN MARY #0 WRAP NUDE (MR) $8.99
Do these kinds of comics still sell in a way that justifies all this effort and relative space? You can see actual people do sex things on video for free now, and this doesn't seem like the kind of effort where the artistic treatment of it would elevate the material. Although who knows?

SEP181885 PART OF IT COMICS AND CONFESSIONS (MR) $17.99
Hey, it's Ariel Schrag. Everything Schrag does is of interest.

JUL181779 BLAME THIS ON THE BOOGIE GN (MR) $22.95
MAY181610 ART COMIC HC (MR) $29.95
Finally, two strong efforts from really good veteran cartoonists. Rina Ayuyang is a delight, her comics are very sweet and funny and she has a unique approach to color that would make her worth buying all by itself. Matthew Thurber's collection of Art Comic is funny as hell even if you don't get half the jokes. I get about 10 percent of them. Still: it's very appealing 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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