This Isn’t A Library: Notable Releases To 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.

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SEP121087 BARNABY HC VOL 01 $35.00
This is a really solid week for comics, in that there are a lot of comics that could not only be considered but that could be featured via art in this post -- I feel like I'm screwing over at least some of these folks by not featuring their work more strongly, but I only run three books that way. But if you were only going to buy one book, I'd buy the first volume of Crockett Johnson's lovely, funny strip, one of the dream alternative-comics projects finally come to fruition. Congratulations to Mssrs. Nel, Clowes, Ware and Reynolds.

FEB131140 CRATER XV HC $19.95
FEB131141 HECK HC $19.95
These are the books collecting the recent on-line work by the Not-Brother Cannon, Zander and Kevin. Both of them were extensive serials, done in a loose, appealing style, with idiosyncratic storytelling moments. I think they're both fine cartoonists and I own just about everything they've done, even that Grinnell work from Kevin.

JAN130090 DOMOVI GN $19.99
I hope this is a book that won't be lost: a Peter Bergting modern fairy tale full of fun-looking designs and laugh-out-loud narrative/pacing choices. If you look this kind of thing, this is a superior version of that kind of thing -- and there's a lot of this kind of thing that isn't this good. Update: Brian Moore wrote in to say that the actual title of the books is "Domovoi." I just cut and pasted the above from Diamond's listing.

APR130041 BALTIMORE THE INQUISITOR ONE SHOT $3.50
APR130042 BPRD HELL ON EARTH #108 WASTELAND #2 $3.50
MAR130572 INVINCIBLE #103 [DIG] $2.99
APR130589 AGE OF ULTRON #10 $3.99
APR130246 100 BULLETS BROTHER LONO #1 (MR) $3.99
APR130926 SERGIO ARAGONES FUNNIES #8 (RES) $3.50
It's also a very wide-ranging week for comic-book format genre comics. This includes two from Team Mignola; one from Robert Kirkman; the concluding chapter in Marvel's latest "event" comic, this time featuring dickish and invulnerable robot Ultron; the first issue of a short burst of comics related to the 100 Bullets property; and Sergio Sergio Sergio. I'd buy at least one of those had a I comic book shop nearby.

APR130443 SAGA TP VOL 02 (MR) [DIG] $14.99
The first book of these sold staggering numbers and the second one even at a more normal, less-jumpin-on point should sell gangbusters. Comics fans are reacting very strongly to this work.

APR130988 BLAKE & MORTIMER GN VOL 13 CURSE OF 30 PIECES OF SILVER PT 1 $15.95
APR130992 XIII CINEBOOK ED GN VOL 17 IRISH VERSION $11.95
Two quality album-style European comics volumes. Always worth a look. I don't think I own but one or two Blake & Mortimer works, but they're sure handsome.

MAR131379 CHILDREN OF THE SEA TP VOL 05 $14.99
This strikes me as the best of the serial manga volume releases out this week. I think it's a concluding volume, too. Daisuke Igarashi's series was once an Internet cause back when manga was where a lot of Internet causes settled into place.

MAR131290 COMP FLASH GORDON LIBRARY HC VOL 03 FALL OF MING (RES) $39.95
You won't read prettier comics this week than some done by Alex Raymond, that's for sure. Some folks have told me they find the stories a slog, but I sort of like them once I get settled into their old-timey rhythms.

DEC120776 FAILURE GN (MR) $21.95
Here's another one that could certainly place a graphic top of page in a week less stuffed with potential buys: Karl Stevens new collection, and the first book (I think) from the new Alternative.

DEC121182 GABBA GABBA HEY RAMONES GRAPHIC GN $24.95
Title alone.

APR131147 PRIMATES FEARLESS SCIENCE OF GOODALL FOSSEY & GALDIKAS HC $19.99
This is Jim Ottaviani and Maris Wicks and I meant to do an interview with this book and still hope to and man I can totally forget about entire aspects of my job at times.

FEB138566 SAFE AREA GORAZDE HC SPECIAL ED (MR) (NOTE PRICE) $25.00
APR131375 BOYS OF STEEL THE CREATORS OF SUPERMAN YR SC $7.99
Two re-releases: one that needs to be in your library (the Sacco, in case you really wondered), and one you might want there. I know some people that have objected to Gorazde, too -- I had a long dinner talk around Christmastime with a cartoonist who didn't think as much of the book as I do -- but I imagine most people would agree it's a formidable work worth your attention.

MAR131309 DAN SPIEGLE LIFE IN COMIC ART SC $17.95
APR131364 DONT PIGEONHOLE ME 2 DECADES MO WILLEMS SKETCHBOOK HC $40.00
Two books I know nothing about except what's in the title, and that I'd really have to see how they were executed before I'd decide if I wanted to buy them. I sure like looking at the work of Spiegle and Willems, though. Willems has a super-appealing sketchbook style that might be fun to see on full display.

APR131253 BURNING BUILDING COMIX HC $19.95
Finally, this is a fun comic by Jeff Zwirek -- I think Top Shelf is handling the DM distribution but that it's a crowd-funded, self-published work -- where the burning building yields different stories by floor in a kind of giant, fold-out format. I have one and want to review it, but haven't finished that up yet. But I enjoyed it and encourage people to take a look if you're in one of those great stores that orders stuff like this.

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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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