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.

*****

DEC100085 ARCHIE ARCHIVES HC VOL 01 $49.99
Archie's all over the place these days, the little tramp, and while this might be the last place I'd access the life and time of Riverdale's red-headed wonder I know for others these bookshelf-ready editions are the only way to fly. This is the Pep and Jackpot material, in order so it's not every issue of either, and that's when the characters looked really, really funky. I'd be interested to know how this stuff reads in a big chunk, though.

FEB111187 HUNTINGTON WEST VIRGINIA ON THE FLY GN (RES) $19.95
This is one of those books that has me wishing my community was served by a comics store -- a series of Harvey Pekar vignettes as interpreted by a single artist, Summer McClinton.

MAR111242 I WILL BITE YOU AND OTHER STORIES GN $14.00
Joseph Lambert's debut volume, a bunch of short stories created over the last few years. I probably did more harm than good suggesting this might be a book that people pick up and enjoy at the recent MoCCA Festival. We're soaking in such riches as an art form right now that people can afford to take the expectations game more seriously than they should. I thought this was a nice book, though, and Lambert certainly one to watch.

FEB110038 USAGI YOJIMBO #137 $3.50
I didn't see a whole lot of single-issue comics that struck my fancy, but I'm always up for picking up and reading an issue of Usagi when I hit a comics store. Seeing how many serial comics it's outlasted, I wonder if the people that have been following this one since the beginning feel like they backed the right horse.

JAN111233 ALEXANDRO JODOROWSKY SCREAMING PLANET HC $24.95
I don't know that much about this except that it's an old-fashioned single-theme sci-fi anthology, which in this case means stories about different reactions to a dead, runaway planet. The illustrators in question are JH Williams III, Ladronn and Adi Granov, three of the more interesting talents to work in the North American mainstream the last two decades. I'd sure pick it up if I were in a funnybook shop.

FEB111195 HIKARU NO GO TP VOL 23 $9.99
The most successful translated sports manga of all time, right? Unless "being a ninja" or "being a pirate" is a sport now. I guess Ranma 1/2 had a tamped-down, sports-type take on martial arts, if I remember correctly (and I could be wrong, it's been years). I sure wouldn't have bet on 23 volumes of a series about playing Go, though, even with a ghost involved.

FEB111185 7 BILLION NEEDLES GN VOL 04 $10.95
FEB111208 GENKAKU PICASSO GN VOL 03 $9.99
The best of this week's manga offerings in terms of books in a series. I think the 7 Billion Needles one may be the last.

FEB111184 LYCHEE LIGHT CLUB GN VOL 01 $16.95
A well-liked stand-alone by Usamaru Furuya for Vertical? Yes, please.

MAR111223 NEXT DAY GN $16.95
This is the combination illustrated work and interactive documentary film about depressions. Hopefully, Porcellino will talk about it some this weekend at TCAF.

FEB110373 BAT BOY WEEKLY WORLD NEWS STRIPS HC BY PETER BAGGE $17.99
Hasn't this already been done? If not, I'll certainly be buying it. I buy everything Bagge does; I think he's a talent for the ages.

JAN111436 DODGEM LOGIC MAGAZINE #8 (MR) $7.00
I'm not sure how many issues they did in their first burst, but we have to be nearing the end of their release into comics shops, right?

MAR111427 RALPH STEADMAN BOOK OF DOGS HC $24.00
When deciding on one's personal definition of comics, I always suggest one that allows the purchase of Ralph Steadman books with one's comics budget, because that's money well-spent.

*****

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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