On The Shelves: 2/15/06

Support GOOD Comics! Try something new EVERY month!

My weekly look at select comic books being released Wednesday, 2/15/06. The full shipping is list available at ComicList.

[NOTE: Not all of these titles will actually arrive in all stores. If your LCBS offers a pre-ordering service, be sure to take advantage of it. If not, find another one; or try Khepri.com or MidtownComics.com]

ANTARCTIC PRESS
Alice In Wonderland #1 (Of 4), $3.50

Is Alice in Wonderland in the public domain? Because she seems to pop up in an awful lot of comic books. Certainly makes attracting attention to a particular project based on her that much more difficult.

BOOM! STUDIOS
Planetary Brigade #1, $2.99

I’m in sample mode with BOOM!, so I may pick this one up.

DARK HORSE COMICS
Blade Of The Immortal Vol 15 Trickster TPB, $16.95
Conan #25, $2.99

The end of the Busiek era countdown continues on Conan. Anyone out there reading Blade of the Immortal? 15 TPBs, somebody must be. What’s the story with it?

DC COMICS
Batgirl #73, $2.50
Batman Year One Hundred #1 (Of 4), $5.99
Firestorm #22, $2.50
Losers #32, $2.99
Sgt Rock The Prophecy #2 (Of 6), $2.99
Testament #3, $2.99

Batgirl and The Losers both wrap up this week, joining Gotham Central as three of the longest tenured titles on my pull list to go the way of the dodo. I updated my Midtown list yesterday, putting Batman, Detective and Teen Titans back on it in anticipation of One Year Later. Firestorm may end up on there, too, but I haven’t decided yet. Sgt. Rock was a nice throwback, and Testament has potential, but it’s on the chopping block with this issue.

DEVILS DUE PUBLISHING
GI Joe Special Missions Manhattan, $4.95
Lo Fi Jan 2006 Vol 2 #4 Cvr A, $5.95

More G.I. Joe! In Manhattan! Yes, I’m a sucker. I’m officially done with Lo-Fi, though. There’s only so far potential can take you before you actually have to live up to it, and it’s not even come close yet. A pity, really.

IMAGE COMICS
Strange Girl #6, $2.99

My new favorite Remender series has been added to my pull list. Is it on yours?

MARVEL COMICS
Daredevil #82, $2.99
Essential Moon Knight Vol 1 TPB, $16.99
X-Men Deadly Genesis #4 (Of 6), $3.50
X-Statix Presents Dead Girl #2 (Of 5), $2.99

The Brubaker/Lark era begins, and in light of what he pulled off with Captain America, I’m really interested in what he’s going to do with Daredevil, another character I’ve never loved, even in his Frank Miller heyday. Deadly Genesis has been a solid read, too. And it’s always good to have a monthly dose of Lark. Sight unseen, Essential Moon Knight becomes my favorite Essential, yet. Why? Because I’m a disciple of Khonshu and an uabashed nostalgist! Was totally unfamiliar with X-Statix, but Dead Girl #1 was rather interesting.

MR COMICS
Revolution On The Planet Of The Apes #2 (Of 6), $3.98

The first issue was an unexpected treat. Hopefully it sells well enough to complete its run and be judged as a whole because, in the right hands, the Apes license has a ton of storytelling potential.

SPEAKEASY COMICS
Butternut Squash #1, $3.99

Six months ago, the internet buzz on this would have had me sampling it. Today, that’s highly unlikely. And that’s a shame.

Written by Guy LeCharles Gonzalez

Guy LeCharles Gonzalez is the Chief Content Officer for LibraryPass, and former publisher & marketing director for Writer’s Digest. Previously, he was also project lead for the Panorama Project; director, content strategy & audience development for Library Journal & School Library Journal; and founding director of programming & business development for the original Digital Book World.