Arriving 9/4/2019

/
Arriving 9/4/2019

Not as big as last week, but this is still a pretty titanic ship week with things like DOOMSDAY CLOCK and SPAWN #300. For new launches, we're pretty excited about the return of PRETTY DEADLY, for the launch of SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN and for the return of the LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES MILLENNIUM. On the book side, absolutely every human should read the new version of THE NAO OF BROWN, while people also seem excited about BATMAN: DAMNED, and we like the classic reprints of MS TREE! Much much more after the jump — What looks good to YOU?

Read More

A few new TILTING AT WINDMILLS for your pleasure!

/

I just realized I forgot to link to these recent columns published at the Beat — I’ve been writing about retailing comics for the better part of three decades, and here are the most recent additions!

TILTING #275: Discussing how the “Direct Market” is changing in light of more graphic novels being distributed by “real book” distributors. Read it here!

TILTING #276: Why weekly-produced periodical comics really suck — even when they succeed! Read it here!

Arriving 8/28/2019

/
Arriving 8/28/2019

The last two weeks were on the smaller side, but this week is ABSOLUTELY PACKED WITH COMICY GOODNESS! For comic debuts worth your eyes, I'd lean towards BATMAN/SUPERMAN as well as BUFFY: CHOSEN ONES and MARVEL COMICS #1000, while on the book side, HARLEY QUINN: BREAKING GLASS is probably the big book, while others might think the HC of BATMAN WHO LAUGHS wins that nod. I also think GREASE BATS looks intriguing. But what looks good to YOU? Check under the jump for SO many more comics!

Read More

Arriving 8/21/2019

/
Arriving 8/21/2019

Interesting week of funny books! On the comics side, I think the best-looking debut is ADVENTURE FINDERS, with MARVEL ACTION CAPTAIN MARVEL and STRAYED not far behind. On the book side the clear winner is the SAGA COMPENDIUM v1 (the *first half* for $60? Wow!), but that cover on MAD MAGAZINE is close behind. Oooh, and DEBIAN PERL, DIGITAL DETECTIVE is actually our kids GN club pick for September, so hooray for that! TONS more under the jump! What looks good to YOU?

Read More

Arriving 8/14/2019

/
Arriving 8/14/2019

Nice week of eclectic comics! I am looking forward the most the new Kieron Gillen book, ONCE AND FUTURE, but Zdarsky's WHITE TREES looks interesting too. Marvel has seven different #1s, but I'll give the nod to GWENPOOL STRIKES BACK. On the book front, it's a European reprint bonanza led by Druillet's LA NUIT, and backed up by the inexpensive softcover edition of Manara's BORGIAS. Want 'murican books? I'd nod to the collection of WAR OF REALMS. Much more under the cut! What looks good to YOU?

Read More

Arriving 8/7/2019

/
Arriving 8/7/2019

Smaller week than the last two, but still full of vitamins and minerals! The lead book of the week is probably ABSOLUTE CARNAGE, but COFFIN BOUND and DEAD END KIDS also look like neat new launches. On the book side of things, look for a new NIB (SCAMS), the final volume of THE WALKING DEAD, and, hell round it out with SKULL-FACED BOOKSELLER. Much more after the jump. What looks good to YOU?

Read More

Arriving 7/31/2019

/
Arriving 7/31/2019

Another terrific week for comics! The big pick for the week is almost certainly POWERS OF X, but I'm also going to recommend the first GREEN LANTERN ANNUAL, as well as the new Cullen Bunn joint, MANOR BLACK. On the book side, Simon Hanselmann's BAD GATEWAY is a great read, and we'd also recommend the first volume of Chip Zdarsky's DAREDEVIL. And for some back-in-print greatness, ELEKTRA: ASSASSIN. So so much more under the jump! What looks good to YOU?

Read More

Arriving 7/24/2019

/
Arriving 7/24/2019

I like the look of this week's new comics, with two MUST HAVE books for superhero readers -- Jonathan Hickman's X-Men relaunch begins with HOUSE OF X, and Sean Murphy returns with BATMAN: CURSE OF THE WHITE KNIGHT. Both should be superb. Also worth your eyeballs is VALKYRIE: JANE FOSTER if you want to get ahead of films, and in the "just because" category it is the penultimate issue of WICKED & DIVINE by Kieron Gillen (appearing LIVE at Comix Experience on Wednesday!) -- while on the book side, we have Jaime Hernandez's TONTA (our Graphic Novel Club selection for August -- Jaime will be here 8/24!) as well a nice thick and inexpensive version of the first Bendis MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN. So so so much more after the jump — what looks good to YOU?

Read More

Arriving 7/10/19

/
Arriving 7/10/19

It is a pretty nice looking week, with some real solid diversity of titles. New debuts worth a look? Well, there's the Bendis/Derrington BATMAN UNIVERSE, the return of Allred on GIANT SIZE X-STATIX, and how about the once-Vertigo-but-now-Ahoy SECOND COMING? On the book side, the clear winner is THE MAGICIANS: ALICE'S STORY, but I'm also way up for the first Grant Morrison collection of GREEN LANTERN: INTERGALACTIC LAWMAN and, wow, the new KRAMER'S ERGOT is huge and packed full of comicy goodness! So much more after the jump! What looks good to YOU?

Read More

Arriving 7/3/2019

/
Arriving 7/3/2019

A new month has arrived, and with it comes a gaggle of new titles! A few number ones of note include AERO from Marvel (who premiered in China last year and is now making her way stateside), the return of Gerard Way to DC’s DOOM PATROL, and, from Image, a new space trucking adventure entitled SEA OF STARS. On the book side we have a trade for the new CONAN run, the first beautiful hardcover collection for MONSTRESS, and a new graphic novel from the mind of Jim Henson. MUCH more after the jump! What looks good to YOU?

Read More

Arriving 6/26/2019

/
Arriving 6/26/2019

Curiously shaped week, with a lot of popular titles (our "pull" list ran about 10% longer than usual this week), but pretty slow in terms of new launches. Things maybe worth looking at include a twofer from IDW: CANTO and MARILYN MANOR, as well as the second "season" of THE WEATHER MAN coming from Image. On the Book side of things we've got the YA focused RAVEN OGN, the probably-not-as-funny-as-I-thought-in-1972 NOT BRAND ECCH, as well as the perfectly-on-time-for-the-movie-no-really-look!-what's-that-over-there??? PETER PORKER SPIDER-HAM collection. Join us after the cut for the full list — what looks good to YOU?

Read More

Arriving 6/19/2019

/
Arriving 6/19/2019

Nice thick week of comicy goodness this time out! Notable launches include Master cartoonist Stan Sakai's new USAGI YOJIMBO (and Stan is here 6/29!), SUPERMAN YEAR ONE by Miller & Romita, and HELLBOY AND THE BEAST OF VARGU. On the book front, we'll lead with (finally!) a reissue of Paul Pope's HEAVY LIQUID, Astrid Lindgren's PIPPI THE STRONGEST GIRL IN THE WORLD, and, for something created this year LUCIFER: THE INFERNAL COMEDY. Much more after the cut!

Read More

Arriving 6/12/2019

/
Arriving 6/12/2019

After the last two big weeks, we're back to a more modest selection of comics. I can't quite tell which is the bigger book, but I will lead with EVENT LEVIATHAN #1, and follow it quickly with SILVER SURFER: BLACK #1. And both SONATA from Image and TRUST FALL from Aftershock look like they could be interesting. On the book side there's really only one choice: the reissue of MOONSHADOW. Such a great poem of a comic! What looks good to YOU? There’s tons more under the cut to see….

Read More

Arriving 6/5/2019

/
Arriving 6/5/2019

First week of June brings many favorite ongoings. For neat looking debuts, I will lead with THUMBS #1 from Image, follow up with BLACK CAT #1 from Marvel, and round it out with IGNITED #1 from Humanoids. On the book side of the world your lead book is certainly DIE v1: FANTASY HEARTBREAKER (also our Graphic Novel CLub selection for July!), our "Classic" pick is Alex Toth's BRAVO FOR ADVENTURE, and probably severely overlooked on its original serialization, IMAGINARY FIENDS. So much more under the cut — What looks good to you?

Read More

Arriving 5/29/2019

/
Arriving 5/29/2019

An AMAZING week of comics, as we hit the fifth week of May -- all of those comics that should have been shipping the last few weeks? They are coming this time! So many so, in fact that I have five instead of our regular three to spotlight this time! The obvious recommendation this week is the Snyder/Capullo BATMAN: THE LAST KNIGHT ON EARTH, followed super closely by Ed Piskor's wrap up of X-MEN GRAND DESIGN: X-TINCTION. But I also want to mention Aftershock's KILLER GROOVE, Vault's SHE SAID DESTROY, and finally finally finally a new issue of POPE HATS! On the book side we'll limit it to just one choice: the third volume of the SAGA DELUXE HCs! But this is literally just the Tip of the Iceberg.... so so many crazy good comics coming out this week! Look under the jump!

Read More

Arriving 5/22/2019

/
Arriving 5/22/2019

You know its a weird week of comics when I lead with CLUE: CANDLESTICK -- but it's Dash Shaw, people!! Also, give a look to Kevin Eastman's DRAWING BLOOD as well as the start of the next arc with MIDDLEWEST #7 to go with the book side's lead recommendation of the MIDDLEWEST TP. To fill out the book side, it's a big pair of popular licensed comics: the first volumes of LIFE IS STRANGE and BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER! Much much more after the jump!

Read More

Arriving 5/15/2019

/
Arriving 5/15/2019

Another week with far fewer interesting-sounding debuts than I would have guessed/liked. Because we're in liberal San Francisco, the highest ordered new launch is probably AOC & FRESHMAN FORCE, or we could go with Another Series of JOE GOLEM OCCULT DETECTIVE, and because it looks cute and is for kids, I'll also call out SEAFOAM. On the book side of the universe our primary choice is our Graphic Novel Club selection for June: Maia Kobabe's GENDER QUEER. You also couldn't possible go wrong with the HC edition of the King/Gerads MISTER MIRACLE. And to bring up the rear is a only-Brian-is-invested final volume of the old Ostrander SUICIDE SQUAD -- I would have bet cash money that it wouldn't never ship, but here it is!

Read More

Arriving 5/8/2019

/
Arriving 5/8/2019

Curiously-shaped week with no clear "here's the hit" title. Maybe it is just FCBD comedown? This week also features at least one comic I wished I hadn't ordered, and one that is "selling on eBay for triple-cover or more" (but won't be worth $1 in nine months). Best bets for new comics are BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS #1, EXCELLENCE #1, and for a non-#1 choice, FLASH #70. The books are strong this week with a new Junji Ito book that hasn't been published in the US in this configuration, SMASHED, the super fantastic art of Jen Bartel in BLACKBIRD, and, finally, the bargain priced softcover of the first eighteen issues of THOR BY JASON AARON. Good stuff, Maynard…. and much more after the jump!

Read More