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.

*****

MAR131257 LAST O/T MOHICANS HC $22.95
I would buy this for the Ryan Holmberg essay all by itself, which I'm told is going to make everyone else that writes about comics green with envy and force us all to work a little harder. This is the first book in a cool-sounding manga line from PictureBox, and I want every volume.

MAY130771 CUL DE SAC TP MIGHTY ALICE GOES ROUND & ROUND $9.99
MAY130772 PEARLS BEFORE SWINE BEGINNING PEARLS TP $9.99
I like this project: kid-friendly, kid-focused collections starring various top-level syndicated comic strip talent. That seems to me a fine strategy for collection, and I miss Cul De Sac so much I'll take any excuse to get back into that world. Not that I need an excuse. Just look at the cover: Alice Otterloop is an all-time comic-strip character. The Pearls Before Swine version interests me because I wonder which strips get into such a book.

APR130076 CREEPY PRESENTS STEVE DITKO HC $19.99
Steve Ditko anything is a must-look, even if you already own all the individual issues. One great thing about comics is that even if you prefer individual comic book issues a collection is welcome in terms of maybe diverting buyers away from the individual comic books. Ditko is the greatest living mainstream comic book creator, right?

MAY131178 PORCELAIN A GOTHIC FAIRY TALE GN (MR) $19.99

MAY130015 DARK HORSE PRESENTS #26 (MR) $7.99
This was the most recent best-anthology winner at the Eisners, although getting to 26 issues on an anthology in this market is pretty much its own reward. I've enjoyed the issues I've read okay; I can imagine a life I might have lived where this would be an anchor title I'd buy in terms of keeping track of certain creators and a certain approach to comics.

MAY130065 GAMMA ONE SHOT $2.99
MAY130038 LOBSTER JOHNSON SCENT OF LOTUS #1 $3.50
MAY130189 ALL STAR WESTERN #22 $3.99
MAY130295 ROCKETEER SPIRIT PULP FRICTION #1 [DIG/P+] $3.99
MAY130546 BOUNCE #3 (MR) [DIG] $2.99
APR131035 MARK WAID GREEN HORNET #4 $3.99
MAY130667 HAWKEYE ANNUAL #1 $4.99
This isn't the strongest of all the recent pretty strong weeks for serial adventure comic books, but it's pretty typical in terms of the range of books available within that descriptive. The Gamma is Ulises Farinas from Dark Horse Presents, and I have to imagine it's something to behold. That's the high-curiosity one for me. I'm always interested in noting something new from the Mike Mignola fantasy universe, and I occasionally check in on All Star Western and Justin Norman's art. I haven't been following the newer Rocketeer material, and I'm not sure I'm interested enough in that character and that setting to want non-original-creator stories, but it seems like IDW has done right by the family there and I'm sure those comics are solid. Joe Casey's recent writing reign-of-terror continues; his stuff is really idiosyncratic and odd right now. A Mark Waid Green Hornet comic book sounds like it could be pretty good; Waid's in a good writerly place right now. Finally, the Hawkeye annual features art by Javier Pulido, and I may go pick that up myself at some point today.

APR130228 CAMELOT 3000 TP $19.99
I made the world's worst Camelot 3000 joke the other day, which some people still understood because despite it being about 30 years in the rear view mirror this book made a hell of an impression of those of us that wanted something different than the same old superheroes but weren't quite ready to dive underground or even cross the cafeteria and sit and the cool-kids indy table. That's a terribly constructed sentence to throw at any book, and I haven't read this material in years, but I'd certainly look at it in a shop today.

MAY131234 ASTERIX OMNIBUS HC VOL 07 $27.95
MAR131242 ASTERIX OMNIBUS SC VOL 06 $19.95
On the super-dumb, 200-item plus version of my bucket list, I want to sit down with all the Asterix work and figure it out. That was one that never quite made a impression, although I enjoy the designs and I like the thought of it. I also like any series that has a movie and those of us in North America never see the movie.

APR131312 ILL GIVE IT MY ALL TOMORROW TP VOL 05 $12.99
Speaking of series with movie adaptations, this strikes me as the best of the more standard, broad-audience manga series with a volume out this week. I always thought that title was a strong selling point; who doesn't like that title? I haven't read a volume in a while, but it's about a mid-life career man changing directions with some minor ambition to become a manga artist. It's the kid of sweet spot for humor that you'd think people would do all the freaking time, but don't.

MAY131277 MONSTER ON THE HILL GN $19.95
This is Rob Harrell's new stand-alone from Top Shelf, with a well-pedigreed selection of endorsements and generally pretty-looking art. While the focus at Comic-Con was on March, and it should have been given Congressman Lewis' presence, I talked to a few people that picked this one up just from flipping through it at the TS booth.

MAY131147 DANIEL CLOWES READER SC (RES) $35.00
This is the Ken Parille-edited book containing a bunch of Dan Clowes short stories and a selection of essay from a variety of academic perspectives. I have enough confidence in Parille that this should be a model of its kind -- I've only just started into it myself.

*****

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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