This Isn’t A Library: Notable Releases To The Comics 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.

*****

DEC110506 KING CITY TP (MR) $19.99
A collection of Brandon Graham twice-started, once-finished series hits the most pleasure points with the most potential comics readers this week, so it goes right up top. That's a very, very accessible price point for that many pages, too. I enjoyed the series in serial form quite a bit.

DEC111077 FRIENDS WITH BOYS GN $15.99This new work from Faith Erin Hicks I'm aware of -- that's an all-time title, for one thing -- but despite knowing there either is or was an on-line iteration out there the first page I read of the collection is the first page I'll read of the collection. I'm looking forward to it. One of the unique joys of reading comics right now is getting to experience fully-formed work in original graphic novel form.

NOV110038 COMPLEAT TERMINAL CITY TP $24.99
OCT110020 HELLBOY TP VOL 12 THE STORM AND THE FURY $19.99
Two mainstream projects on the outer frontier of how "mainstream" is defined in North American comics. The first is a collection of a series now 15 years (!) in the rear-view mirror, with Dean Motter playing lead dog and estimable talents Michael Lark and Mark Chiarello acting as creative support. That's... that's a pretty powerful combination of creators working in that realm of books. The Hellboy is I think the last of the Duncan Fegredo star-turn as artistic point man on those titles, the most consistently strong in all of traditional North American funnybook publishing for several years now.

JAN120265 ANIMAL MAN #7 $2.99
JAN120327 FAIREST #1 (MR) $2.99
MAY110517 MICE TEMPLAR VOL 3 #8 MICHAEL AVON OEMING CVR $3.99
MAY110518 MICE TEMPLAR VOL 3 #8 SANTOS & GANDINI CVR $3.99
JAN120584 FATALE #3 (MR) $3.50
JAN120663 WINTER SOLDIER #3 $2.99
These are the comic-book comics that pop out at me on the list of such books being released today. I enjoy the Ed Brubaker-written comics whenever I see them; I think Brubaker puts a lot of work into the overal presentation/package elements of serial comics as well as being solid writer for that material in general. I don't read the Animal Man and Fairest comics (well, it's probably more accurate to say I don't plan to read the latter, as it's just now out), but I think they fulfill a role in DC's overall approach to that market. I think to make their New 52 initiative work for more than that first few months DC needs to make stars of some of its new writers, and Animal Man along with Batman gives them their best chance to do that. The Fairest title is the latest permutation of the Fables universe (that's the Vertigo fairy tale stuff), which I tend to think of as an underutilized resource for that publisher, period. I've tossed in the Mice Templar comic because I read it and I didn't understand one lick of what I was reading, and I always sort of admire that. As I recall, there was even a full-page glossary of strange terms.

DEC111226 CHI SWEET HOME GN VOL 08 $13.95
There's not a ton of mainstream manga out right now, but I'm due to return to this title to see how it developed. The first volume was heavy on the depiction of experiences that would not be repeatable in later volumes, if that makes any sense, so I have no idea what these later adventures even encompass.

DEC110699 AVENGERS 1959 TP $16.99
I've become a big fiend for Howard Chaykin's work the last few years, and this includes the fascinating place he's carved out for himself at modern Marvel. This is a story of 1950s Marvel characters all doing nasty, Chaykinesque things. At least I hope. I'm probably going to track down the comics at some point rather than buy this trade, but I'd sure pick up the trade.

*****

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 on me. I apologize.

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