January 9, 2018
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.
*****
OCT171013 THOR BY WALTER SIMONSON TP VOL 02 NEW PTG $24.99
When I'm facing a week like this one -- just in my life, not on this column -- and I don't see a whole lot of new comics I like, I'm always up for some Walt Simonson
Thor. I like the way it looks, and I like the lightness of the narrative all told, not in events but in a kind of sprightly, anything-goes pace. This is a reprint. Thor #337 came out 35 years ago this November.
JUL170673 LIMBO LOUNGE HC $29.99
If I'm reading the PR correctly, this is the first book in a line of original graphic novels from Craig Yoe. Yoe is one of the more industrious comics publishing forces, and his experience is sort of to the left of traditional minis to series to gns path by which so many comics companies continue to cull their best works. I'm interested in seeing it, anyway.
NOV170862 WICKED & DIVINE TP VOL 06 IMPERIAL PHASE PART 2 (MR) $16.99
OCT170626 DIVIDED STATES OF HYSTERIA TP (MR) $16.99
SEP170037 HELLBOY AND THE BPRD 1954 TP $19.99
Three standard trade collections, two from Image and then Hellboy from Dark Horse. The Divided States book is that one from Howard Chaykin that infuriated everyone with some of its depictions and politics. I'm not certain if this starts a new round of anger or not, or if this in the "store it in the bank of thoughts about the publisher" stage that a lot of similar controversies go through.
NOV171534 BARBARELLA #2 CVR A MARTIN (MR) $3.99
NOV171535 BARBARELLA #2 CVR B POPE (MR) $3.99
NOV171536 BARBARELLA #2 CVR C SEGOVIA (MR) $3.99
NOV171537 BARBARELLA #2 CVR D DALTON (MR) $3.99
NOV171538 BARBARELLA #2 CVR E SUBSCRIPTION YARAR (MR) $3.99
NOV172030 BLOODSHOT SALVATION #5 CVR A ROCAFORT $3.99
NOV172031 BLOODSHOT SALVATION #5 CVR B PALOSZ $3.99
NOV172032 BLOODSHOT SALVATION #5 CVR C ROBERTSON $3.99
NOV171522 BSG VS BSG #1 (OF 6) BLANK AUTHENTIX ED $10.00
NOV171509 BSG VS BSG #1 (OF 6) CVR A CASSADAY $3.99
NOV171510 BSG VS BSG #1 (OF 6) CVR B DESJARDINS $3.99
NOV171511 BSG VS BSG #1 (OF 6) CVR C ADAMA ACTION FIGURE $3.99
NOV171512 BSG VS BSG #1 (OF 6) CVR D BALTAR ACTION FIGURE $3.99
NOV171513 BSG VS BSG #1 (OF 6) CVR E CYLON ACTION FIGURE $3.99
NOV171514 BSG VS BSG #1 (OF 6) CVR F CASTRO ADAMA SPLIT $3.99
NOV171515 BSG VS BSG #1 (OF 6) CVR G CASTRO CYLON PROFILE SPLIT $3.99
NOV171516 BSG VS BSG #1 (OF 6) CVR H CASTRO CYLON FRONT SPLIT $3.99
That is way too many goddamn covers. Just look at that! The primary market for such material is NOT HEALTHY. The only arguments I could ever figure out for variant covers are (1) that when there's a lot of people buying comics generally, when the market is flush, certain issues they might want to have a special cover, and (2) that it's always good to see people get money for cover gigs. Everything else that seems to happen when this strategy is pursued feels pretty gross. Robbing Peter to pay while also trashing Simon's house. There's just not enough money to complicate things for retailers right now. Everybody stop it.
JUN161582 FRANK THORNE GHITA EROTIC TREASURY ARCHIVAL ED VOL 01 $129.99
JUN161583 FRANK THORNE GHITA EROTIC TREASURY ARCHIVAL LTD SGN ED VOL 0 $159.99
Again: light week. I have no interest in the erotic elements of Frank Thorne's work, but his textures have always been freaking fascinating. He was also one of those artists that got way more interesting at an age when others had been retired for a dozen years. Like many a man my age and Al Pacino movies we only know through the
MAD parody, I only know Frank Thorne's characters through
Cerebus. This was a crazier, off-brand Red Sonja, I think. Still, that art is fun.
*****
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 3:25 pm PST |
Permalink
Daily Blog Archives
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
Full Archives