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.

*****

AUG121231 FIGHT GN VOL 02 (MR) $13.95
I know next to nothing about this comic, but the cover looks cool, and I know that if I were in a comics shop I would be dazzled by its bright colors and promises of fighting. The description of the comic here name drops Prison Pit, which to my mind is a high recommendation, indeed.

JUN121083 BARBARA GN (MR) $19.95
I'm not all the way certain why a project like this one needs some kickstarter capital at some point along the way, but that doesn't mean I'm going to extend that particular piece of grumpiness to denying myself something I want. Come on, I'm a comics reader, that doesn't happen. As I've written on this site before, I'm a fiend for the sexier, more violent Tezuka material, the discovery of which is like finding out Walt Disney directed a string of films in the early 1970s starring Warren Oates.

JUL120007 ANTARCTIC ZOMBIE KID MINI COMIC BUNDLE 2012 $4.99
JUL120008 APE STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE SCOUTS MINI COMIC BUNDLE 2012 $4.99
JUL120009 ARCHAIA COW BOY HALLOWS EVE MINI COMIC BUNDLE 2012 $4.99
JUL120011 BOOM ADVENTURE TIME MINI COMIC BUNDLE 2012 $4.99
JUL120005 DARK HORSE AXE COP MINI COMIC BUNDLE 2012 $4.99
JUL120012 FANTAGRAPHICS SPACEHAWK MINI COMIC BUNDLE 2012 $4.99
JUL120006 GHOSTBUSTERS MINI COMIC BUNDLE 2012 $4.99
JUL120010 NEW CRUSADERS RISE OF HEROES MINI COMIC BUNDLE 2012 $4.99
JUL120013 PAPERCUTZ ERNEST & REBECCA MINI COMIC BUNDLE 2012 $4.99
JUL120014 TOP SHELF TRICKY TREATERS MINI COMIC BUNDLE 2012 $4.99
MAY128000 VIZ LITTLE MISS DAREDEVIL MINI COMIC BUNDLE 2012 $4.99
This is one group of two groups of offerings that jump out at me: special little comics (about the size of a supplementary catalog) tied into other projects. I liked the Fantagraphics one; that's the only one I've seen so far. At any rate, I'm not sure how these work, but it's something to keep an eye on.

AUG121361 ART OF HOWLS MOVING CASTLE HC $34.99
AUG121362 ART OF MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO HC $29.99
AUG121365 ART OF PONYO ON THE CLIFF SC $34.99
AUG121366 ART OF SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY HC $34.99
AUG121359 ART OF SPIRITED AWAY HC $34.95
AUG121364 NAUSICAA WATERCOLOR IMPRESSIONS HC $34.99
This is the other group of books that jumps out at me. Obviously not comics, I've always liked the Miyazaki studio art books when I've seen them. That one full-service store in Evanston routinely has them for sale, the one whose name I can't remember. I would spend five whole minutes with a rack of these books in the right store, were I hitting such a store today.

JUN120419 ARCHIE BEST OF HARRY LUCEY HC VOL 02 $24.99
I'm totally lost on what Archie books are good or who's doing what, but I like at this material and would check out this book.

APR120321 DAVE STEVENS STORIES & COVERS HC $49.99
IDW's relationship with the Stevens estate seems kind of model-ish when it comes to such partnerships, and I think that even when I'm not terribly, terribly interested in the books being offered.

JUL120376 GASOLINE ALLEY HC VOL 01 $49.99
Frank King's work is featured in the Walt & Skeezix volumes from D+Q; this is Dick Moores. I'm happy Dick Moores is receiving this kind of archival attention -- the continuity between artists on GA is one of the nicer stories in comics history.

JUN120476 MILKMAN MURDERS HC (MR) [DIG] $14.99
A Joe Casey and Steve Parkhouse stand-alone, doesn't need anything in the way of context, comics effort. I remember enjoying it, but it's been a few years.

JUL120340 POPEYE #5 [DIG/D+] $3.99
JUL120382 HAPPY #1 [DIG] $2.99
JUN120558 INVINCIBLE #95 [DIG] $2.99
JUL120514 PROPHET #29 [DIG] $3.99
JUL120908 ADVENTURE TIME #8 [DIG] $3.99
JUL120026 AXE COP PRESIDENT O/T WORLD #3 $3.50
JUL120051 BPRD HELL ON EARTH RETURN O/T MASTER #2 $3.50
JUL120150 BATMAN INCORPORATED #0 $2.99
This week's comic-book comics, of the kind that I've read at least someone out there liking. I thought the Happy comic book was ordinary and a disappointment considering superior genre comic-book maker Grant Morrison is involved. You can always pivot to his work on the Batman Inc. title; Morrison works well with these kinds of stand-alones, and that was the best title when DC shut down its previous line in favor of this New 52 one. If you want to avoid Morrison entirely, that Prophet book has been a lot of fun.

JUL121308 YOTSUBA & ! GN VOL 11 $11.99
The best of the mainstream-oriented manga out this week in comics shops. I'm a fan; it's like spending time with a really intense four-year-old; the book really names that furious, exhausting sensation of hanging out with someone like that.

MAY121408 ROBERT CRUMB SKETCHBOOKS 1982-2011 6 VOL SET (MR) $1,000.00
This is quite the offering. I can't imagine it being on anyone's floor, and I bet the list of shops that have one of these for sale in the first place is short and fascinating. I've heard some bad things about it, particularly in how much it overlaps with previous, cheaper, just-as-well-executed sketchbook offerings.

MAY121286 HOLE OF TANK GIRL SLIPCASED HC COLL ED (MR) $99.99
Most of the Tank Girl material leaves me cold except for an appreciation of the appealing surface elements. It's also my hunch that this material has been collected in a lot of different ways, so if I were a fan I'd tread carefully even with a slipcased edition. Still, given the deep discounts out there and the various DM stores attempting to match and the general appeal of the material, I have to imagine the appearance of this book just made someone's week.

JUL121347 MARS ATTACKS HC $19.95
We've talked about elements of this art book when they've surfaced on-line: an anniversary celebration of the seminal card set and pop-culture touchstone.

AUG121228 LEEROY & POPO GN (MR) $13.95
Yet another book from Nobrow that I don't know a thing about but that would absolutely make me stop and look were I in a comics shop. It looks awfully cool, and seems squarely settled into the current science fiction/fantasy zeitgeist. Or, you know, "thing," if I'm not all the way understanding what the word "zeitgeist" means.

JUN120398 JOE KUBERT TARZAN OF THE APES ARTIST ED HC PI
I love the look of Joe Kubert's 1970s Tarzan work, and I've always recommended the comics themselves right up there with Master Of Kung Fu and the Bill Everett Sub-Mariner run to people looking for back-issues that kind of exist in a world separate from the heavy continuity superhero-universe efforts that have dominated in the 35 years since. These books are great generally, and I think IDW showed admirable restraint in how they approached selling this work after the cartoonist passed away. I look forward to seeing one of these.

*****

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.

*****



*****
*****
 
posted 5:00 am PST | Permalink
 

---

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