On the Shelves: 4/19/06
Support GOOD Comics! Try something new EVERY month.
My weekly look at select comic books being released Wednesday, 4/19/06. 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]
Mouse Guard 2nd Prtg #1 (Of 6), $3.50
If you missed the first printing, walk, don’t run…
DARK HORSE COMICS
Conan #27, $2.99
Conan Book Of Thoth #2 (Of 4), $4.99
Goon #17, $2.99
Odd that Dark Horse would ship both Conan titles in the same week. Did something slip, or is it purposeful? It’s Busiek’s penultimate issue on the main series, with his successor, Tim Truman, providing the artwork. Still one of the most consistently good comics being published right now, why not download some cool wallpaper to acknowledge it? *** Still haven’t checked out The Goon beyond that preview issue a while back. Looks fun, but still hasn’t been able to break into my pull list or the top of the list of must-buy TPBs.
DC COMICS
Batman Thrillkiller TPB New Ptg, $14.99
Bite Club Vampire Crime Unit #1 (Of 5), $2.99
Ex Machina Special #1 (Of 2), $2.99
JLA Classified #20, $2.99
Man-Bat #1 (Of 5), $2.99
Robin #149, $2.50
I’ve heard good things about this Thrillkiller TPB, Howard Chaykin’s Elseworlds take on the dark knight. It’ll get a flip-through. Same for his new Bite Club mini, the first go-round of which was solid, if not terribly compelling stuff. *** I don’t know a thing about Man-Bat beyond his Vs. card being one of my favorites from my first deck, yet he’s one of those random characters who always seems to catch my eye. Plus, I’m still looking for a Bruce Jones project to really excite me, impressed as I was with him at Wizard World Philly last year. *** Robin #148 was perhaps the biggest surprise from One Year Later so far, in terms of exceeding expectations. It helps that Batgirl is apparently in the mix, too, one of the biggest disappointments of the Infinite Crisis axe.
DEVILS DUE PUBLISHING
GI Joe Snake-Eyes Declassified TPB, $18.95
The first disappointment of the new wave of otherwise solid G.I. Joe spinoffs — not counting the Vs. Transformers stuff, which I have no interest in — it started off solidly before derailing with a bit of a rushed, clichéd ending.
IDW PUBLISHING
Doomed Magazine #2, $7.99
This is one of those concepts I usually seem to like the idea of more than the execution, but the first issue was pretty solid, including a short featuring artwork from Supermarket‘s Kristian Donaldson. For horror fans, I’d say it’s recommended.
MARVEL COMICS
Avengers & Power Pack Assemble #1 (Of 4), $2.99
Captain America #17, $2.99
Daredevil #84, $2.99
Nextwave Agents Of Hate #4, $2.99
X-Men And Power Pack Power Of X Digest TPB, $6.99
Marvel gets knocked for being too focused on their core line of superheroes, primarily targeting an older fanbase, but credit where due on the Power Pack minis, which sell horribly in the direct market but apparently are doing well in bookstores in digest form. Perfect for elementary school age kids, and humorous entertainment for their parents who long for inoffensive superhero comics to share with them. *** Ed Brubaker and Warren Ellis, along with Peter David and Fabian Nicieza, are writing some of the best stuff Marvel’s publishing these days. Hopefully they don’t get stretched too thin.
MR COMICS
Big Max #1, $2.99
This gets a look urely on the basis of their publishing Revolution on the Planet of the Apes.
SPEAKEASY COMICS
Black Coat Call To Arms #1 (Of 4), $2.99
Hunh? I thought they pulled this issue and moved the series to Ape? Speakeasy wouldn’t have gone ahead and released this issue anyway to collect on the pre-orders they’d received, would they?
TOKYOPOP
Dead End Vol 4 GN (Of 4), $9.99
I apparently missed Vol. 3 which, according to TokyoPop, was published last September. It took a bit of searching to find it on Amazon, and Midtown has it listed online even though I’ve checked the shelves for it several times since last summer. It’s the only manga I’ve read more than one volume of so far, as well as being the first one I read at all. No idea what I think about it, though, other than that it’s a weird and intriguing story.
VIPER COMICS
Random Encounter Vol 1 TPB, $9.95
This was stupid fun in serial form, though I still have no idea what it was actually about! One of those “game logic” stories all the kids are supposedly reading, I loved the artwork and character designs. If there’s some extras included, I may pick it up.
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Guy –
Black Coat is being published and released by Ape. They are filling all of the pre-orders placed under the original Speakeasy solicit. I guess it’s showing up still in Diamond as Speakeasy because that’s how we originally solicited. But rest assured, the orders will be filled by Ape. Thanks for the support!!
Francesco Francavilla (Black Coat artist)
Good on the heads up, both of you – I wanted to check this book out. Francesco’s art is pretty sweet ass sweet too, which certainly doesn’t hurt.