On The Shelves: 8/2/06
Read GOOD Comics, not just the ones you’re used to! Try something new EVERY month.
For the first time in nearly three years, I didn’t make my weekly pilgrimage to Midtown Comics and…life went on! Who knew? As a result, though, I’ve had to avoid most of the comics internerd to avoid spoiling any of the stories that await me when I finally catch up on Thursday. (Hopefully.) Coincidentally, perhaps, I feel like my snark-o-meter is revving pretty low today.
Nevertheless, here’s my weekly look at select comic books being released Wednesday, 8/2/06. 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]
Power Of 6 Twisted Apples Part 1, $4.95
No idea what this is, and I’m too lazy to Google anything today, but it’s a great title! If the cover is similarly catchy, I might pick it up.
ARCHAIA STUDIOS PRESS
Artesia Besieged #2 (Of 6), $3.95
Mouse Guard #4 (Of 6), $3.50
Archaia has rapidly jumped onto my Top 5 Publisher list on the strength of some really distinctive, original work — of which Artesia and Mouse Guard are two of the strongest — and I am looking forward to checking out all of the new titles they recently announced.
BLIND WOLF COMICS
More Than Sparrows GN, $4.95
Another interesting title I know nothing about, if the cover catches my eye, I’ll give it a looksee.
CLAYPOOL COMICS
Deadbeats #78, $2.50
Elvira #159, $2.50
The end is near, and it will come, predictably, not with a bang, but a whimper.
DC COMICS
All New Atom #2, $2.99
Creeper #1 (Of 6), $2.99
Detective Comics #822, $2.99
Jonah Hex #10, $2.99
A relatively quiet week from the Distinguished Competition, as I’m pretty sure I’m dropping the All New Atom from my pull list. The Brave New World preview was intriguing, but the first issue had vague hints of going in a direction I have no interest in, and Simone’s overuse of quotes to underscore scenes came off like an amateur composer trying to over-compensate for a tepid film. *** While the Atom was a disappointment, Uncle Sam was an unexpected treat, so I’m hoping The Creeper lives up to the potential of its Brave New World preview. *** Paul Dini got off to a pretty good start with his first Detective story, and since I’ve decided to wait-for-the-trade with Morrison’s take on Batman, I’m hoping he can keep up the good work over the long haul. *** Jonah Hex has become something of a habit, sort of like smoking while drinking. I want to drop it, but it keeps popping up in slowish weeks and I tell myself “maybe next issue.”
IDW PUBLISHING
Fallen Angel Idw #7, $3.99
I keep forgetting to pick up the TPB from the first DC story arc, which I had originally skipped in floppy form because I was turned off by the possibility of the Angel actually being SuperGirl, which was the rumor at the time.
MARKOSIA
Scatterbrain #3 (Of 4), $3.50
This is one those comics that was clearly conceived as a movie property, and as a result, the second issue felt a little choppy at times. Still, it’s a solid read, and I’m curious to see where it goes.
MARVEL COMICS
Moon Knight #4, $2.99
Wow…that’s all for me from the House of Ideas? Good for my wallet, not so good for my overall perception. Fortunately, it’s Moon Knight, which has been a great read so far and I’m guessing/hoping Huston cranks the plot development up a notch now that he’s introduced all of the players and established the mood.
SILENT DEVIL PRODUCTIONS
Last Sin Of Mark Grimm #2 (Of 4), $2.95
I kind of liked the first issue of Mark Grimm, and have been intending to review it at some point, but I have the vaguest memory of something not quite working for me enough to pick up the second issue. Might have to pull it out tonight and give it another read.
VIPER COMICS
Villains #3 (Of 4), $3.25
Viper is another publisher that has leapt up my favorites list recently, not yet into the Top 5, but firmly in the Top 10. The first two issues of Villains were very well done, and I’m looking forward to not just the final two issues, but future volumes exploring the intriguing world Cogan and Cody have concocted.
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BTW, I thought Jonah Hex returned to excellence this week.
And I was similarly impressed with Uncle Sam a couple weeks ago.
My working theory is that because they’re not “Exclusive” to anyone, Palmiotti and Gray get consistently underrated as consistently good writers…and there are fewer of those than you’d think in comics these days.