Arriving 10/23/2019

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Arriving 10/23/2019

Not a lot of big obvious hits this week, which leaves some more room for some smaller books. I am most excited by a new Gabrielle Bell in MY DOG IVY, but a new "jumping on" point for KAIJUMAX SEASON 5 is always welcome. COUNT CROWLEY, RELUCTANT MONSTER HUNTER has a nice cover, and I thought MONEY SHOT was a good giggle. And we have the first real post-HoX/PoX test with MARAUDERS #1. On the book side, I think everyone should own at least one classic Lee/Kirby story, so maybe BEHOLD GALACTUS is the one? Otherwise, I thought that the Chip Zdarsky SPIDER-MAN LIFE STORY was a fine read. Much more under the cut — what looks good to you?

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Arriving 10/16/2019

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Arriving 10/16/2019

The main periodical this week has to be the launch of the ongoing X-MEN #1 by Hickman -- how many folks will continue to follow the post-HoX/PoX material? But I'm just as excited for SUPERMAN SMASHES THE KLAN as well as MARKED from Image. On the book side, I think the big excitement for several people is CRITICAL ROLE v1, while we also can spotlight local artist Ken Garing and GOGOR, and who doesn't love a new issue of MAD? Much more under the cut! What looks good to YOU?

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Arriving 10/9/2019

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Arriving 10/9/2019

A week a bit light on the book format material, so we'll lean on periodicals to spotlight here at the top. I am most excited by a new Craig (BLANKETS) Thompson comic -- GINSENG ROOTS #1, but the book most of comics will be talking about is probably the wrap up of Hickman's X-Men mini series with POWERS OF X #6. On the DC side, THE AUTHORITY team of Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch bring you THE BATMAN'S GRAVE #1, and there's also a post-movie JOKER comic by John Carpenter (!). I also like the title of SHOPLIFTERS WILL BE LIQUIDATED, but then I work retail. In the book corner, I think the most exciting thing is Gilbert Hernandez's MARIA M finally completing. SO much more under the cut — What looks good to YOU?

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Arriving 10/2/2019

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Arriving 10/2/2019

Interestingly-shaped week of comics this time, with the big lead comic being Matt and Brennan Wagner's GRENDEL: DEVIL'S ODYSSEY #1. Then Gail Simone tries to fix the Lion Forge superhero universe with CATALYST PRIME: SEVEN DAYS #1, while Charlie Adlard rolls on to his next post-WALKING DEAD project with VAMPIRE STATE BUILDING. Speaking of TWD, the fourth and final WALKING DEAD COMPENDIUM ships this week, along with the last volume of THE WICKED & THE DIVINE, and for those long-time waiters, the HC collection of the first year of IMMORTAL HULK. And there is a TON more under the jump! What looks good to YOU?

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Arriving 9/25/2019

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Arriving 9/25/2019

Sorry I missed last week's post, but we're back with a giant list of diverse comics! From the periodicals, the big book is probably HARLEEN #1, but I also have an eye on SFSX #1 and, oof, Sienkiewicz returning to NEW MUTANTS: WAR CHILDREN. On the book side, the clear winner is the Jillian Tamaki edited BEST AMERICAN COMICS 2019, followed closely by the final PAPER GIRLS volume, and for the younger THE SECRET SPIRAL OF SWAMP KID. All-in-all a PACKED week of funny books! So much more under the jump — what looks good to YOU?

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Arriving 9/11/2019

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Arriving 9/11/2019

Oddly shaped week. Usually I recommend three new debuts, but it was really hard this time -- two of those are essentially just re-numberings of older series they are trying to spike numbers higher on. First, the epilogue to Jason Aaron's run with KING THOR, followed by the return of TREES: THREE FATES, and finally, I haven't read it, but the cover art of VAMP from Mythos Press looked nice. On the book front, the clear front-runner is FREE SHIT by Charles Burns, but I also like the look of ONCE UPON A TIME IN FRANCE which won "best series" at Angoulême. Bringing up the back? A high-end version of UMBRELLA ACADEMY, oversized and with extras. So much more under the cut! What looks good to YOU?

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Arriving 9/4/2019

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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?

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A few new TILTING AT WINDMILLS for your pleasure!

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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

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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!

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Arriving 8/21/2019

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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?

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Arriving 8/14/2019

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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?

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Arriving 8/7/2019

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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?

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Arriving 7/31/2019

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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?

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Arriving 7/24/2019

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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?

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Arriving 7/10/19

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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?

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Arriving 7/3/2019

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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?

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Arriving 6/26/2019

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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?

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Arriving 6/19/2019

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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!

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