This Isn’t A Library: New, Notable Releases Into The Direct Market



*****

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.

*****

MAR171775 SONGY OF PARADISE HC (MR) $34.99
This is a pretty standard comic book store week during Comic-Con madness, so I'll fire through these pretty quickly. First rate belle of this particular ball from Gary Panter, one of the great cartoonists still at the top or at least near-top of his game. Paner's one of the few cartoonists I'll buy sight unseen but everything I've olooked athere ascharged

MAY170589 MOONSTRUCK #1 $3.99
MAY170657 BITCH PLANET TRIPLE FEATURE #2 (MR) $3.99
MAY170692 INVINCIBLE #138 (MR) $2.99
MAY178160 WINNEBAGO GRAVEYARD #1 (OF 4) 2ND PTG $3.99
MAY170741 WINNEBAGO GRAVEYARD #2 (OF 4) CVR A SAMPSON $3.99
MAY170742 WINNEBAGO GRAVEYARD #2 (OF 4) CVR B RUBIN $3.99
MAY170763 SECRET EMPIRE #6 (OF 10) $4.99
It strikes me as a lighter-than-usual week for comic-book serial comics. Grace Ellis and Shae Beagle's fantasy series debut strikes me as the clear winner in terms of attention and I hope enough comics shoppers try that one out to give it a chance in a tough marketplace. Bitch Planet Triple Feature feels like it may need a few issues to find its level: finding comics-makers skilled at short stories and making broader/deeper a speculative world are hard enough tasks, each on their own. Invincible accelerates towards its conclusion. Crimson masks for everyone!. That's a good sign for Winnebago Graveyard to have a first issue repeated at the same time a second issue drops, but we don't know for sure without seeing reliably reported hard numbers. Finally, Secret Empire gives us a string of plot points but I'll be damned if I can suss out a satisfying narrative here. It's like an exercise in event storytelling rather than an event.

FEB170299 ADAM STRANGE THE SILVER AGE OMNIBUS HC VOL 01 $99.99
The stripped-down Adam Strange look and foundational narrative hook make it a prime property for eventual other-media exploitation... why wait? These are solid Silver Age comics that tend not to be out there in a lot of formats outside of archival.

MAR170563 AMELIA COLE OMNIBUS TP $39.99
This is not a series I've ever read, but I have to imagine it might do better penetrating a wider array of comics fans' consciousness in this format. I'll certainly take a second look.

APR171143 BLACK EYED PEAS PRESENTS MASTERS SUN ZOMBIES CHRONICLES HC $24.99
That is a great fucking title. Pure madness.

JAN178427 VALERIAN COMPLETE COLLECTION HC VOL 02 $29.99
JAN178428 VALERIAN COMPLETE COLLECTION HC VOL 03 $29.99
I'm not certain what Valerian/Laureline I'll eventually want in my collection, but I'll take a look at these books and decide if this series is the one. Those books are fun albeit very French in terms of its wry presentation of some hoary cliches. It looks like a million bucks a page, too, for sure.

APR172091 BACK ISSUE #98 $8.95
All respect on the approach to #100. Even a single issue of a magazine is hard.

MAR170579 RIP KIRBY HC VOL 10 $49.99
Now we're getting into the old-man market where I live, albeit ten volumes into a series that I might have been happy to see sampled rather than archived. This volume lurches into the early 1970s, and is more solid than remarkable at this point, some 25 years in.

MAY171617 JASON SHIGA DEMON SC GN VOL 03 $19.99
First Second's most interesting acquisition of the last several years moves into its second half firing on all of its bonkers cylinders. Jason Shiga's cartoons are less satisfying narratives than super-intriguing problem-solving exercises, but there's certainly nothing else like it on the market. Take a look if you're unfamiliar.

*****

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.

*****



*****
*****
 
posted 5:25 pm PST | Permalink
 

---

 
Daily Blog Archives
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
 
Full Archives