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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MAY191795 COLLECTED TOPPI HC VOL 02 NORTH AMERICA $24.99
This is a weird week. I hope that shops are taking advantage of selling work that's not exactly the specific format and genre of these new X-Men comics, because I think there's more opportunity driving readers were the most creative work is rather than running a made-up algorithm in your head as to what people want. This day wan't particularly helpful in shaping that. This Toppi stuff looks great as individual illustrations. I'm not sure I'm ready for seven volumes of it, but I might buy a book or two of it. I feel like I'm missing something obvious from today's list.

APR190278 GIRL IN THE BAY TP (MR) $17.99
I don't know this work but I like it when comics companies put out new work by creators that have a track record that might indicate the ability to find a corner in the array of works out there now. I'd surely look at it.

MAY190495 ORION BY WALTER SIMONSON TP BOOK 02 $34.99
JUN190842 MARVEL COMICS #1000 $9.99
JUN191040 MARVEL VISIONARIES TP JOHN BUSCEMA $34.99
There are a lot of choices a company can make in presenting older material. Here are three. I prefer the first: just reprinting odd runs and series where they can find life as an additional sales option -- this the kind of thing that usually leads me to obsessively buy back issues rather than a new collection, but I am not the ideal customer here. I have little to no interest in things like Marvel Comics #1000 except for imagining all the characters sitting backstage together. John Buscema was a wonderfully skilled and facile artist, and a presentation that focuses on art might be the best way to experience the creator if you don't have access to the drawings he drew on the back of original art pages.

JUN190470 ACTION COMICS #1014 VAR ED YOTV DARK GIFTS $3.99
JUN190568 BATMAN WHO LAUGHS HC $29.99
Here are two of what I'd imagine would be difficult about creating serial-driven mainstream comics: the crossovers are a disruption, and some characters that are asked to carry a lot of weight may be goofier than their status implies. I still like making that "Batman Who Crafts" joke, though.

JUN190614 WATCHMEN TP NEW EDITION $24.99
In a Toy Story like movie about comics hanging out in a comics shop, I can imagine all the other trades saluting this one as it makes it way down the aisles. Don't know if there are changes invalidating it or making it a less attractive object.

JUN190905 AVENGERS #23 $3.99
JUN190907 AVENGERS #23 MCKONE BOBG VAR $3.99
JUN190990 DOCTOR STRANGE #18 $3.99
JUN190991 DOCTOR STRANGE #18 MARTIN BOBG VAR $3.99
The lates round of major relaunches at a mainstream comics company are starting to show the first signs of aging. I can't tell the difference between these objects and similarly named ones from other time periods, which has to be a bad sign.

JUN190821 HOUSE OF X #3 (OF 6) $4.99
JUN190825 HOUSE OF X #3 (OF 6) ASRAR CONNECTING VAR $4.99
JUN190827 HOUSE OF X #3 (OF 6) CHRISTOPHER ACTION FIGURE VAR $4.99
JUN190824 HOUSE OF X #3 (OF 6) DEKAL CHARACTER DECADES VAR $4.99
JUN190823 HOUSE OF X #3 (OF 6) PICHELLI FLOWER VAR $4.99
JUN190826 HOUSE OF X #3 (OF 6) YOUNG VAR $4.99
I'd rathe Marvel not finesse its X-Men relaunch to squeeze more sales, but maybe that's just me.

JUN191848 INVADER ZIM #46 CVR A C $3.99
JUN191849 INVADER ZIM #46 CVR B CAB $3.99
Good old fashioned "if you like this..." sales success.

JUN192126 ONE PIECE GN VOL 91 $9.99
Ninety-one!

APR181874 HEATHEN TP VOL 02 $14.99
This is more of an old-fashioned sales success: not so much the reorders but slow build of a potential variety player.

JUL192177 NAO OF BROWN SC GN $34.99
I remember this being very pretty; would certain look at it today.

MAR191686 GRASS GN $29.95
I thought this might be an adaption of Sherri Tepper's book, but it's a political book I've never heard of. Nice cover, though, and I'd be happy to give it a chance.

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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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