On the Shelves: 12/6/06

Reading is fundamental. Don’t waste your time reading bad comics out of habit!

My weekly, semi-informed look at select comic books being released Wednesday, 12/6/06 follows. 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]

I missed the first issue of this new mini and didn’t see it on the shelves at Midtown last week, so I might have to wait for the trade. Hopefully it lives up to the promise of the first installment.

ARCHAIA STUDIOS PRESS
Mouse Guard 3rd Ptg #3 (Of 6), $3.50
Robotika HC, $19.95

Yet another chance to catch Mouse Guard without paying through the nose for a first printing. If you haven’t been reading it yet, you’re missing out on one of sure-shot Best of 2006 titles. *** Robotika is one of those singular visions that generally evoke extreme reactions of love, hate or appreciative bewilderment. After not feeling the first issue, Sheikman sent me the second issue, asking me to give it another shot, and I did and ended up enjoying the full story, which I think will work much better in collected form. Archaia is one of a handful of publishers who have carved a signature niche for themselves in my brain and from whom I will check out anything they deem worthy of publishing.

COMPASS BOOKS
Wisdom From The Batcave How To Live Super Heroic Life TPB, $13.95

No idea what this one is, but I generally enjoy these types of books, and loved The Batman Handbook, so I’ll give it a flip-through if I come across it.

DARK HORSE COMICS
Conan Book Of Thoth TPB, $17.95

Yet another entertaining Conan spinoff, Dark Horse has been doing right by the license the past few years.

DC COMICS
Batman Confidential #1, $2.99
Detective Comics #826, $2.99
Jonah Hex #14, $2.99
Justice Society Of America #1, $3.99

Andy Diggle + Batman = WINNER! With Grant Morrison on a break from the main series, there’s now four Batman titles on my pull list, the most since pre-War Games. *** Jonah Hex‘s two-part origin story concludes this issue and I sincerely hope that part of Palmiotti/Gray’s exclusive deal with DC included a clause that the series would continue as long as they wanted to write it. *** I’m seriously on the fence about Justice Society Of America #1, the enthusiasm I had for it months ago pretty much sapped by the current state of the DCU. Batman aside, I think I’m staying on the fringes as much as possible when it comes to their titles.

DEVILS DUE PUBLISHING
GI Joe Americas Elite #18, $2.95

The Baroness is about to kick some ass.

IMAGE COMICS
Cowboys & Aliens TPB, $4.99
Cross Bronx #4 (Of 4), $2.99
Meltdown #1 (Of 2), $5.99

There’s apparently a free edition of Cowboys & Aliens available, commemorating Platinum Studios’ first print product, with two writers I like, Fred Van Lente and Andrew Foley, onboard, so I’ll be checking it out purely out of curiousity. *** Cross Bronx fell victim to my hiatus so I’ll be checking out the TPB when it comes out. The first issue was solid and intriguing, so hopefully Brandon and Oeming don’t let me down. *** Meltdown is Sean (Runners) Wang’s latest project, an intriguing look at a dying superhero’s literal and metaphorical meltdown, and the preview of the first issue I read was pretty good. (Yet another hiatus victim on the review side of things. Sorry, Sean!)

MARVEL COMICS
Essential Defenders Vol 2 TPB, $16.99
Incredible Hulk #101, $2.99
Newuniversal #1, $2.99
Spider-Man And Power Pack #2 (Of 4), $2.99

Any volume of Essential Defenders is definitely essential reading! *** The “Planet Hulk” saga continues its entertaining run, which unfortunately brings the series ever closer to returning to the MU-proper and the World War Hulk event I’m not terribly looking forward to. *** I’d be more interested in newuniversal if I believed Warren Ellis was going to stick with it for more than 12 issues. (Assuming it’s an ongoing…?) *** Yay, Power Pack!

NETCOMICS
Lets Be Perverts Vol 1 GN (Of 4), $9.99

Um…what?!?!

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.