I Reads You

Tegami Bachi: Light Shining Upon Darkness

2012-01-29T12:52:00.000-08:00

I read Tegami Bachi, Vol. 8

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has FREE smart phone apps and comics).

Blue Exorcist: Fight Hellfire with Hellfire

2012-01-28T08:55:00.000-08:00

I read Blue Exorcist, Vol. 6

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has FREE comics).

Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan - The Three Keikain Siblings

2012-01-27T14:20:00.000-08:00

I read Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 7

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has free comics).

A Devil and Her Love Song manga: Devil Girl/Angelic Voice

2012-01-26T09:16:00.000-08:00

I read A Devil and Her Love Song, Vol. 1

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has free comics).

Dawn of the Arcana: What is the Arcana?

2012-01-25T10:58:00.000-08:00

I read Dawn of the Arcana, Vol. 2

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has FREE smart phone apps and comics).

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for January 25 2012

2012-01-24T08:30:00.000-08:00

DC COMICS

MAY110257 ABSOLUTE KINGDOM COME EDITION HC NEW PTG $99.99

SEP110215 ADD HC (MR) $24.99

NOV110181 ALL STAR WESTERN #5 $3.99

NOV110229 AMERICAN VAMPIRE #23 (MR) $2.99

NOV110109 AQUAMAN #5 $2.99

SEP110180 BATMAN AND ROBIN WHITE KNIGHT DARK KNIGHT HC $22.99

OCT110241 BATMAN BEYOND INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION TP $16.99

NOV110140 BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT #5 $2.99

NOV110178 BLACKHAWKS #5 $2.99

OCT110246 CATWOMAN TP VOL 01 $29.99

NOV110121 DC UNIVERSE ONLINE LEGENDS #22 $2.99

NOV110113 FLASH #5 $2.99

NOV110117 FURY OF FIRESTORM THE NUCLEAR MEN #5 $2.99

NOV110158 GREEN LANTERN NEW GUARDIANS #5 $2.99

SEP110186 HAWKMAN BY GEOFF JOHNS OMNIBUS HC VOL 01 $75.00

NOV110168 I VAMPIRE #5 $2.99

NOV110104 JUSTICE LEAGUE #5 $3.99

NOV110107 JUSTICE LEAGUE #5 COMBO PACK $4.99

NOV110163 JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #5 $2.99

NOV110190 LEGION SECRET ORIGIN #4 (OF 6) $2.99

OCT110247 RESURRECTION MAN TP VOL 01 $29.99

NOV110122 SAVAGE HAWKMAN #5 $2.99

NOV110129 SUPERMAN #5 $2.99

OCT110296 SWEET TOOTH TP VOL 04 ENDANGERED SPECIES (MR) $16.99

NOV110183 TEEN TITANS #5 $2.99

NOV110219 UNCHARTED #3 (OF 6) $2.99

NOV110239 UNWRITTEN #33.5 (MR) $2.99

NOV110176 VOODOO #5 $2.99

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for January 25 2012

2012-01-24T08:25:00.000-08:00

MARVEL COMICS

NOV110536 ALPHA FLIGHT #8 $2.99

NOV110626 ASTONISHING SPIDER-MAN AND WOLVERINE TP $19.99

NOV110579 ASTONISHING X-MEN #46 $3.99

NOV110501 AVENGERS SOLO #4 (OF 5) $3.99

NOV110629 AVENGERS SOLO AVENGERS CLASSIC TP VOL 01 $24.99

NOV110535 CAPTAIN AMERICA AND BUCKY #626 $2.99

NOV110610 CAPTAIN AMERICA BY ED BRUBAKER PREM HC VOL 01 $19.99

NOV110573 DAKEN DARK WOLVERINE #20 $2.99

NOV110632 DAREDEVIL BY BRUBAKER AND LARK ULT COLL TP BOOK 01 $29.99

NOV110611 DAREDEVIL BY MARK WAID PREM HC VOL 01 $19.99

NOV110588 DEADPOOL #49.1 $2.99

NOV110544 FANTASTIC FOUR #602 $2.99

NOV110542 FF #14 $2.99

NOV110618 FF BY JONATHAN HICKMAN PREM HC VOL 02 $24.99

NOV110484 MIGHTY THOR #10 $3.99

NOV110601 MMW UNCANNY X-MEN TP VOL 04 $24.99

NOV110602 MMW UNCANNY X-MEN TP VOL 04 DM VAR ED $24.99

NOV110631 OFF HANDBOOK OF MARVEL UNIVERSE A TO Z TP VOL 03 $19.99

NOV110634 RED SKULL INCARNATE TP $15.99

NOV110499 SECRET AVENGERS #21.1 $2.99

NOV110557 SPIDER-MAN #22 $2.99

NOV110630 STRIKEFORCE MORITURI TP VOL 01 $34.99

NOV110518 ULTIMATE COMICS ULTIMATES #6 $3.99

NOV110645 WOLVERINE WOLVERINE VS X-MEN TP $15.99

NOV110583 X-MEN LEGACY #261 $2.99

NOV110643 X-MEN LEGACY AFTERMATH TP $15.99

IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for January 25 2012

2012-01-24T08:20:00.000-08:00

IDW PUBLISHING

NOV110292 30 DAYS OF NIGHT ONGOING #4 $3.99
OCT110379 DEAD RISING ROAD TO FORTUNE #3 (OF 4) $3.99
NOV110312 GODZILLA KINGDOM OF MONSTERS #11 $3.99
NOV110253 INFESTATION 2 #1 (OF 2) $3.99
NOV110348 LIL ABNER HC VOL 04 $49.99
NOV110315 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES ONGOING #6 $3.99
NOV110260 TRANSFORMERS ROBOTS IN DISGUISE ONGOING #1 $3.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for January 25 2012

2012-01-24T08:15:00.000-08:00

DARK HORSE COMICS

NOV110019 ANGEL & FAITH #6 REBEKAH ISAACS VAR CVR $2.99
NOV110018 ANGEL & FAITH #6 STEVE MORRIS CVR $2.99
SEP110039 AVATAR LAST AIRBENDER TP VOL 01 PROMISE PART 1 $10.99
NOV110013 BPRD HELL ON EARTH RUSSIA #5 $3.50
OCT110056 CARDCAPTOR SAKURA DARK HORSE OMNIBUS ED TP VOL 03 $19.99
OCT110060 CREEPY ARCHIVES HC VOL 12 $49.99
NOV110025 CREEPY COMICS #7 $4.99
NOV110041 KING CONAN PHOENIX ON THE SWORD #1 (OF 4) ROBINSON CVR $3.50
OCT110059 MANARA LIBRARY HC VOL 02 $59.99
OCT110063 SPACE FAMILY ROBINSON ARCHIVES HC VOL 03 $49.99
NOV110048 THE IMMORTAL DEMON I/T BLOOD #2 $3.50
NOV110049 USAGI YOJIMBO #143 $3.50

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for January 25 2012

2012-01-24T08:10:00.000-08:00

IMAGE COMICS

AUG110417 ARTIFACTS ORIGINS ONE SHOT $3.99
NOV110363 BULLETPROOF COFFIN DISINTERRED #1 (OF 6) (MR) $3.99
OCT110541 DARKNESS #98 (MR) $2.99
AUG110517 ELEPHANTMEN #37 (MR) $3.99
SEP110460 EPOCH #4 (OF 5) $3.99
NOV110451 GREEN WAKE #9 (MR) $3.50
SEP110473 MARKSMEN #5 (OF 6) $2.99
APR110511 MICE TEMPLAR VOL 3 #7 MICHAEL AVON OEMING CVR $2.99
APR110512 MICE TEMPLAR VOL 3 #7 SANTOS & GANDINI CVR $2.99
NOV110371 NANCY IN HELL ON EARTH #1 (OF 4) (MR) $3.99
OCT110475 SAM & TWITCH COMPLETE COLLECTION HC VOL 02 $29.99
NOV110472 WALKING DEAD #93 (MR) $2.99
SEP110493 WITCHBLADE #152 CVR A CHRISTOPHER $2.99
SEP110494 WITCHBLADE #152 CVR B BERNARD & BENES $2.99

Comics and Magazines from Diamond Distributors for January 25 2012

2012-01-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

COMICS

AUG111008 ABOUT LOVE GN $12.95

SEP110742 ANUBIS GN $9.95

NOV110719 ARCHIE #629 (ARCHIE MEETS KISS PT 3 ) $2.99

NOV110720 ARCHIE #629 (ARCHIE MEETS KISS PT 3 ) VAR CVR $2.99

NOV111027 ARISA GN VOL 06 $10.99

NOV110723 B & V FRIENDS DOUBLE DIGEST #221 $3.99

NOV110796 BART SIMPSON COMICS #67 $2.99

NOV111091 BETTIE PAGE IN DANGER #1 (MR) $9.95

NOV111151 BLACK BUTLER TP VOL 08 $11.99

NOV111153 BLACK GOD TP VOL 15 $11.99

MAY111109 BRENDA STARR REPORTER STRIPS VOL 01 $60.00

OCT111022 DARK SHADOWS #3 $3.99

SEP110745 DEVILS ISLAND GN $19.95

SEP111073 DF AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #1 ROMITA SR SGN ED $19.66

AUG111028 DF UNCANNY X-MEN #544 GREG LAND SGN ED $19.63

SEP110736 DREAM REAVERS #3 (OF 4) $3.99

NOV111154 DURARARA GN VOL 01 $11.99

OCT110758 EXTINCTION GN (MR) $16.99

NOV110775 FANTASTIC LIFE GN $9.95

AUG100789 FATHOM BLUE DESCENT #4 CVR A ALEX SANCHEZ $2.99

AUG100790 FATHOM BLUE DESCENT #4 CVR B SCOTT CLARK $2.99

SEP111053 FINDER GN VOL 05 TRUTH I/T VIEW FINDER $13.95

NOV110910 GAME OF THRONES #5 (MR) $3.99

JUL111013 GARTH ENNIS JENNIFER BLOOD #8 (MR) $3.99

OCT111280 GFT ALICE IN WONDERLAND #1 A CVR ARTGERM (MR) $2.99

OCT111281 GFT ALICE IN WONDERLAND #1 B CVR EBAS (MR) $2.99

OCT111282 GFT ALICE IN WONDERLAND #1 C CVR RUFFINO (MR) $2.99

OCT111035 GREEN HORNET ANNUAL #2 $4.99

SEP111055 HIDEYUKI KIKUCHIS VAMPIRE HUNTER D GN VOL 06 $13.95

NOV111155 HIGH SCHOOL OF DEAD GN VOL 05 (MR) $13.99

NOV110814 INCORRUPTIBLE #26 $3.99

NOV110815 IRREDEEMABLE TP VOL 08 $16.99

OCT110961 JASON & ARGONAUTS CAMPFIRE ED $12.99

OCT111202 JUDGE ANDERSON PSYCHIC CRIME FILES TP $20.99

AUG111011 KABUKI GN VOL 04 GREEN (MR) $12.95

NOV110823 KEY OF Z #4 (OF 4) (MR) $3.99

AUG110955 KIRBY GENESIS #5 $3.99

OCT111140 KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE #182 $5.99

JUL110798 KUNG FU PANDA #4 (OF 6) $3.95

MAY111014 LAST PHANTOM #11 $3.99

JUN110810 LITTLE GREEN MEN TP SMALL PACKAGE BIG FUN $6.95

AUG111010 MOON & BLOOD GN VOL 02 (OF 4) $6.95

AUG111009 MR CONVENIENCE GN (MR) $12.95

SEP110746 MY BEST FRIENDS A BOOGER GN $6.95

OCT110962 NELSON MANDELA CAMPFIRE ED $12.99

AUG110861 NINJAS VS ZOMBIES #5 $3.99

OCT111060 ONLY SERIOUS ABOUT YOU GN VOL 02 (OF 2) $12.95

NOV111156 PANDORA HEARTS GN VOL 08 $11.99

OCT111182 POLLY & PIRATES TP VOL 02 $11.99

OCT111059 PRIVATE TEACHER GN VOL 02 (OF 2) (MR) $12.95

OCT111052 QUEEN SONJA #26 $3.99

NOV110937 ROBOCOP ROAD TRIP #2 (MR) $3.99

OCT111090 ROMEO & JULIET THE WAR GN $19.99

OCT111091 ROMEO & JULIET THE WAR HC COLL ED $29.99

NOV111036 SAILOR MOON TP KODANSHA ED VOL 03 $10.99

OCT111056 SECRECY O/T SHIVERING NIGHT GN $12.95

SEP110748 SHADOWLAW GN $14.95

NOV110979 SILENCE OF OUR FRIENDS GN $16.99

NOV111071 SIXTH GUN #18 $3.99

OCT111183 SPONTANEOUS HC $24.99

SEP111054 STORM FLOWER GN $12.95

AUG110791 STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE BERRY FUN #4 (OF 4) $3.99

AUG111198 STUFF OF LEGEND JESTERS TALE #4 (OF 4) $3.99

NOV110843 TAROT WITCH OF THE BLACK ROSE #72 (MR) $2.95

NOV110867 TECH WATCH #1 $3.99

OCT111159 TINTIN YOUNG READER ED GN KING OTTOKARS SCEPTRE $8.99

OCT111160 TINTIN YOUNG READERS ED GN BLACK ISLAND $8.99

NOV110836 TOO MUCH COFFEE MAN #2 FACSIMILE ED (MR) $3.99

NOV111152 TWILIGHT MANGA TP VOL 01 $14.99

OCT111058 TYRANT FALLS IN LOVE GN VOL 05 (MR) $12.95

SEP111027 VAMPIRELLA #13 $3.99

SEP111260 WALLY WOOD STRANGE WORLDS OF SCIENCE FICTION TP $24.95

SEP111007 WARLORD OF MARS FALL OF BARSOOM #5 $3.99

NOV110758 WARREN ELLIS ATMOSPHERICS COLOR ED GN (MR) $7.99

NOV110759 WARREN ELLIS ATMOSPHERICS COLOR ED SKETCH HC (MR) $24.99

NOV110842 WORDGIRL GN VOL 01 COALITION OF MALICE (O/A) $7.99

NOV111157 ZOMBIE LOAN TP VOL 13 $11.99

MAGAZINES
OCT111657 CLUTTER MAGAZINE #16 $9.99
NOV111218 DIABOLIQUE #8 $9.98
OCT111340 FAMOUS MONSTERS ART COLLECTION VOL 02 $16.99
NOV111219 FANGORIA #310 $9.99
NOV111247 GIRASOL PULP DOUBLES THE SPIDER VOL 22 A CVR WOMAN $14.95
NOV111248 GIRASOL PULP DOUBLES THE SPIDER VOL 22 B CVR TRAIN $14.95
OCT111350 HOBBY JAPAN JAN 2012 #97 $16.60
DEC111274 JUXTAPOZ #133 $5.99
SEP111387 MEGAMI DEC 2011 #68 $16.60
NOV111180 NON SPORT UPDATE VOL 23 #1 $5.99
SEP111629 PLAYTIMES VOL 2 #3 $10.50
DEC111359 STAR WARS FIG COLL MAG #45 OOLA $14.00
DEC111360 STAR WARS FIG COLL MAG #46 TIE FIGHTER PILOT $14.00
NOV111241 SUPERNATURAL MAGAZINE #30 NEWSSTAND ED $6.99
NOV111242 SUPERNATURAL MAGAZINE #30 PX ED $6.99

Leroy Douresseaux Reviews: TALES OF THE BATMAN: DON NEWTON

2012-01-23T08:57:00.000-08:00

TALES OF THE BATMAN: DON NEWTON
DC COMICS

WRITERS: Dennis J. O’Neil, Bob Rozakis, Cary Burkett, Martin Pasko, Michael L. Fleisher, Marv Wolfman, Gerry Conway
PENCILS: Don Newton
INKS: Dan Adkins, Dave Hunt, Robert R. Smith, Kim DeMulder, Frank Chiaramonte
COLORS: Adrienne Roy, Jerry Serpe
LETTERS: Ben Oda, Todd Klein, Gaspar, John Workman, Milt Snapinn, John Costanza
COVER: Don Newton and Dick Giordano
ISBN: 978-1-4012-3294-8; hardcover
360pp, Color, $39.99 U.S., $46.99 CAN

[Tales of the Batman: Don Newton reprints stories from the following comic books: Batman #305-306, 328; Detective Comics #480, 483-497; The Brave and the Bold #156, 156, 165.]

Tales of the Batman: Don Newton is a recent DC Comics hardcover collection that gathers the work of the late comic book artist, Don Newton. Once an art teacher and fan and amateur artist, Newton had a brief, decade-long career as a professional comic book artist. Newton drew for Charlton Comics and Marvel Comics, but did most of his professional work for DC Comics. Newton died in 1984, at the age of 49, as he was set to become the series artist on Infinity, Inc., a spin-off of the 1980s DC Comics series, All-Star Squadron.

One of the characters with which Don Newton was most associated was Batman. Beginning with Batman #305 (cover date November 1978), Newton drew Batman and related characters in almost 80 stories that were published over a seven year period. DC Comics has gathered 22 Don Newton-drawn Batman stories in Tales of the Batman: Don Newton. These stories were published during a two-year period from late 1978 to late 1980 and were published in three Batman comic book titles, Batman, Detective Comics, and The Brave and the Bold (a Batman team-up book).

Don Newton’s compositional style reminds me of Jim Aparo, while his graphic design and page layout clearly show the influence of Neal Adams. Newton wasn’t a copycat, though; the way he composed the contents of his panels was and still is distinctive. Most of the stories here feature Dan Adkins inking Newton, but I prefer Dave Hunt, who inked the first three tales in this book. Hunt makes Newton’s figure drawing look gorgeous and smooth and made each element in a panel stand out, while Adkins’ inks allows Newton’s eccentricities free reign, which isn’t always a good thing.

The Batman of the late 1970s still retains some of the influence of Denny O’Neil (who wrote several of the stories in this book). O’Neil’s Batman is an ominous figure, more like the avenging wraith that appeared in the first Batman stories back in the late 1930s. However, I think the Batman in these Newton stories is most influenced by the work of writer Steve Englehart, who presented Batman as a “Darknight Detective.” In fact, this Batman is more detective than “Dark Knight.”

Newton is perfect for this kind of Batman, who creeps around inside, deftly crossing the threshold into buildings, hallways, rooms, laboratories, and other interior and living spaces. Of course, the Batman in these stories also swings over roofs, jumps on moving vehicles, and has no problem kicking as in his urban playground.

There is an awkward nature to the way Newton draws, but once again, that serves his stories well. Limbs flail and smash into things, which give a strong physical sense to Newton’s fight scenes. That’s why the fight in “The Perfect Fighting Machine” (Detective Comics #480) really looks like a fight to death – one that Batman might lose. Newton’s Bronze Tiger in “The Vengeance Vow” (Detective Comics #480) captures Bruce Lee’s movement in the static visual medium of comic books probably as best as anyone can. For an odd bit of physicality, Newton stages a fight between Batman and some thugs in the narrow rows between movie theatre seats (Detective Comics #487).

DC Comics sent me a copy of Tales of the Batman: Don Newton for review, and this is one of the instances when I feel a bit guilty about that. Why? It’s because after reading this book, I realized that I would have been happy to buy it. As with many DC hardcover reprint collections, the interior pages are made of coated or enamel paper stock. The reproduction of the comic book art is solid, and the restored color pops on the page. Only the reproductions of The Brave and the Bold stories can be described as poor.

With this book, DC Comics has made Newton, who is practically obscure now, seem like someone special. For awhile, Newton was special, because he got the plumb assignment of drawing Batman comic books on a regular basis. And you will also believe in Newton’s noteworthiness when you see Tales of the Batman: Don Newton.

A-

43rd NAACP Image Awards Nominations: Literature Categories

2012-01-21T20:30:00.000-08:00

The NAACP Image Award an award bestowed by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The award honors outstanding achievements by people of color in film, television, music, and literature. The awards are voted on by members of the NAACP.

The 43rd NAACP Image Awards winners will be announced in a ceremony, February 17, 2012 and broadcast live on NBC.

LITERATURE CATEGORIES

Outstanding Literary Work - Fiction
• "A Silken Thread" - Brenda Jackson (Harlequin Kimani Press)
• "Boundaries" - Elizabeth Nunez (Akashic Books)
• "Say Amen, Again" - Reshonda Tate Billingsley (Gallery Books)
• "Silver Sparrow" - Tayari Jones (Algonquin Books)
• "The Plot Against Hip Hop: A Novel" - Nelson George (Akashic Books)

Outstanding Literary Work - Non-Fiction
• "Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America" - Melissa Harris-Perry (Yale University Press)
• "Super Rich" - Russell Simmons (Gotham Books)
• "The Cosmopolitan Canopy" - Elijah Anderson (W. W. Norton & Company)
• "The Wealth Cure: Putting Money in Its Place" - Hill Harper (Gotham Books)
• "Who's Afraid of Post- Blackness?: What It Means to Be Black Now" - Toure (Free Press)

Outstanding Literary Work - Debut Author
• "2Grieve 2Gether: A Journal from the Heart Helping Survivors & Supporters Navigate the Healing Process" - Denise Hall Brown (2Lift 1Up Publishing)
• "A Defining Moment" - Patricia Duncan (IJABA Publishing Inc.)
• "The Loom" - Shella Gillus (Guideposts Books)
• "The Strawberry Letter" - Lyah Le Flore (Ballantine/Random House)
• "We the Animals" - Justin Torres (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

Outstanding Literary Work - Biography/Auto-Biography
• "A Singular Woman: The Untold Story of Barack Obama's Mother" - Janny Scott (Riverhead Books)
• "Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention" - Manning Marable (Penguin Group (USA)-Viking)
• "My Song" - Harry Belafonte (Knopf)
• "No Higher Honor: A Memoir of My Years in Washington" - Condoleezza Rice (Crown Publishers)
• "The John Carlos Story" - John Carlos, Dave Zirin (Haymarket Books)

Outstanding Literary Work - Instructional
• "A Year to Wellness and Other Weight Loss Secrets" - Bertice Berry (Freeman House Publishing)
• "Living My Dream: An Artistic Approach to Marketing" - Synthia Saint James (Create Space)
• "Our Difficult Sunlight: A Guide to Poetry, Literacy, & Social Justice in Classroom & Community" - Quraysh Ali Lansana (Teachers & Writers Collaborative)
• "The T.D. Jakes Relationship Bible: Life Lessons on Relationships from the Inspired Word of God " - T.D. Jakes (Atria Books)
• "Too Important to Fail: Saving America's Boys" - Tavis Smiley (Author), Juan Roberts, (Illustrator) (SmileyBooks)

Outstanding Literary Work - Poetry
• "Afro Clouds & Nappy Rain: The Curtis Brown Poems" - James Golden (iUniverse)
• "Head Off & Split" - Nikky Finney (TriQuarterly Books / Northwestern University Press)
• "Honoring Genius: The Narrative of Craft, Art, Kindness and Justice" - Haki Madhubuti (Third World Press)
• "Intimate Thoughts" - Darrin Henson (Author), Anna Saunders (Illustrator) (Godzchild Publishing)
• "Last Seen" - Jacqueline Jones Lamon (University of Wisconsin Press)

Outstanding Literary Work - Children
• "Acoustic Rooster and His Barnyard Band" - Kwame Alexander (Author), Tim Bowers (Illustrator) (Sleeping Bear Press)
• "Before There Was Mozart" - Lesa Cline-Ransome (Author), James Ransome (Illustrator) (Schwartz & Wade Books / Random House Children's Books)
• "Heart and Soul" - Kadir Nelson (Author/Illustrator) (Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Children's Books)
• "White Water" - Michael S. Bandy (Author), Shadra Strickland (Illustrator) (Candlewick Press)
• "You Can Be A Friend" - Tony Dungy (Author), Ron Mazellan (Illustrator) (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing - Little Simon)

Outstanding Literary Work - Youth/Teens
• "Camo Girl" - Kekla Magoon (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing - Aladdin)
• "Eliza's Freedom Road: An Underground Railroad Diary" - Jerdine Nolan (Author), Sadra Strickland (Illustrator) (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing - Paula Wiseman Books)
• "Jesse Owens: "I Always Loved Running"" - Jeff Burlingame (Enslow Publishers, Inc.)
• "Kick" - Walter Dean (HarperTeen, an imprint of HarperCollins Children's Books)
• "Planet Middle School" - Nikki Grimes (Bloomsbury Children's Books)

23rd GLAAD Media Awards Comic Book Nominees

2012-01-21T07:32:00.000-08:00

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) promotes the image of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) people in media. The GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor media for their accurate representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

GLAAD just announced the nominations for the 23rd Annual Media Awards. There are 116 nominees in 25 English-language categories, and 35 Spanish-language nominees in 10 categories. For a full list of nominees, go here.

The GLAAD Media Awards ceremonies will be held in New York on March 24, 2012 at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square; in Los Angeles on April 21 at the Westin Bonaventure; and in San Francisco on June 2 at San Francisco Marriott Marquis.

Here are the nominees in the sole comic book category:

OUTSTANDING COMIC BOOK

Avengers: The Children's Crusade by Allan Heinberg (Marvel)

Batwoman by J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman (DC Comics)

Secret Six by Gail Simone (DC Comics)

Veronica Presents: Kevin Keller by Dan Parent (Archie Comics)

X-Factor by Peter David (Marvel Comics)

http://www.glaad.org/

Japanese Science Ficiton Novel, MM9, Also an eBook

2012-01-20T15:16:00.000-08:00

NATURAL DISASTERS OF HIGH “MONSTER MAGNITUDE” THREATEN JAPAN IN MM9, NEW FROM VIZ MEDIA’S HAIKASORU IMPRINT

Special Team Of Scientists Must Save Japan In A Gripping New Novel From The Author Of THE STORIES OF IBIS

VIZ Media’s Haikasoru imprint brings a fantastic new tale of science fiction and giant monsters to North American readers with the release of Hiroshi Yamamoto’s novel MM9, available now. The release will carry an MSRP of $14.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN. An eBook edition is also available on the Amazon Kindle, Apple’s iBooks Store, the Barnes & Noble’s Nook Books Store, and the Sony Reader™ Store for $8.99.

Haikasoru publishes some of the most compelling contemporary Japanese science fiction and fantasy stories for English-speaking audiences, and is the first imprint based in the U.S. dedicated to Japanese science fiction and fantasy in translation.

The Japan of MM9 is beset by natural disasters all the time: typhoons, earthquakes...and giant monster attacks. A special anti-monster unit called the Meteorological Agency Monsterological Measures Department (MMD) has been formed to deal with natural disasters of high “monster magnitude.” The work is challenging, the public is hostile, and the monsters are hungry, but the MMD crew has science, teamwork...and a legendary secret weapon on their side. Together, will try and save Japan, and the universe!

“Hiroshi Yamamoto takes on the perennial Japanese science fiction theme—the giant monsters known as kaiju,” says Nick Mamatas, Haikasoru Editor. “The B-movie monsters we know and love are basically treated like meteorological disasters along the lines of hurricanes or earthquakes by the MMD, who measures the “monster magnitude” of the various threats and uses both science and folkloric knowledge to try to save Japan from constant repeated attack. Yamamoto knows his science as well as pop culture—MM9 is both a loving parody of Japanese icons like Ultraman and Godzilla, but gives an intriguing and wild answer to the question of how such enormous creatures could exist without the laws of physics kicking it. The book was very popular in Japan, and the cinematic nature of Yamamoto’s storytelling made it easy for Japanese television to adapt into an action-adventure- science fiction TV show.”

Hiroshi Yamamoto was born in 1956 in Kyoto, Japan. He began his career as a writer and game designer with the game development company Group SNE in 1987. He gained initial popularity with titles such as February at the Edge of Time and the Ghost Hunter series. His first hardcover science fiction release, God Never Keeps Silent, became a sensation among readers and was nominated for the Japan SF Award. Other novels include Day of Judgment and The Unseen Sorrow of Winter and THE STORIES OF IBIS (which is published in North America by VIZ Media’s Haikasoru). Aside from his work as a writer, Yamamoto is also active in various literary organizations as an editor of classic science fiction anthologies and as president of To-Gakkai, a group of tongue-in-cheek "experts" on the occult.

For more information on MM9 and the Haikasoru imprint, please visit the dedicated website at http://www.haikasoru.com/.

Gilbert Hernandez's Fatima Debuts June 2012

2012-01-19T13:25:00.000-08:00

DARK HORSE ORIGINALS MAKE WAVES!

MATT KINDT AND GILBERT HERNANDEZ RETURN WITH NEW PROJECTS!

Dark Horse Originals is proud to announce two new amazing series from critically acclaimed creators Matt Kindt and Gilbert Hernandez!

Matt Kindt, the most original voice in genre comics, outdoes himself in his bold new espionage series, Mind MGMT. Reporting on a commercial flight where everyone aboard lost their memories, a young journalist stumbles onto a much bigger story, the top-secret Mind Management program. Her ensuing journey involves weaponized psychics, hypnotic advertising, talking dolphins, and seemingly immortal pursuers, as she attempts to find the flight’s missing passenger, the man who was Mind Management’s greatest success—and its most devastating failure. But in a world where people can rewrite reality itself, can she trust anything she sees? If you think you know what Matt Kindt can deliver, you haven’t seen anything yet!

Comics luminary Gilbert Hernandez envisions his strangest, most thrilling future yet in Fatima: The Blood Spinners, a horrifying new take on zombies! A drug called “spin” offers the wildest trip imaginable, followed by its users’ inevitable, rapid deterioration into undead flesh eaters. Despite the side effect, the drug is so popular that the human population is dying out! With no cure to be found, the beautiful, lovesick Fatima may be the only thing standing between the survivors and the apocalypse. Get ready for four issues of zombies, drug lords, and gorgeous women!

Also, announced last week was multiple Harvey and Eagle Award winner Peter Bagge’s Reset, which leads off the Dark Horse Originals variant-cover program.

Reset #1 is on sale April 18, 2012, and features a variant cover by Matt Kindt!

Mind MGMT #1 is on sale May 23, 2012, and features a variant cover by Gilbert Hernandez!

Fatima #1 is on sale June 20, 2012, and features a variant cover by Peter Bagge!

Afterschool Charisma: The New Adventures of Hitler

2012-01-18T12:36:00.000-08:00

I read Afterschool Charisma, Vol. 5

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has FREE smart phone apps and comics).

"X-O Manowar" Returns May 2, 2012

2012-01-18T09:43:00.000-08:00

VALIANT Launches X-O MANOWAR With NYT Bestseller VENDITTI & Eisner Winner NORD

On May 2nd, New York Times best-selling author Robert Venditti (The Surrogates, The Homeland Directive) and Eisner Award-winning artist Cary Nord (Conan) launch X-O Manowar #1, the debut issue of the all-new Valiant Universe!

"Cary is knocking it out of the park with this book. His pages look incredible and Rob's pitch is one of the best I've ever read," said Valiant Executive Editor Warren Simons. "These guys are putting together a remarkable #1 issue."

Born into battle and raised under the oppressive thumb of the Roman Empire, Aric of Dacia is a beloved figure among his men and a leader of the Visigoth people. But when he's taken prisoner after a brutal encounter with an alien strike force, he must capture the X-O Manowar armor - the most powerful weapon in the universe - if he's to save his family and return to his people. But when he arrives he finds 1,600 years have passed and the most primitive man on Earth - a man out of time - now wields a weapon capable of incalculable destruction

"Some may consider him a barbarian, but Aric is a seasoned battlefield tactician and a warrior capable of taking down some of the world's greatest adversaries with only his wits and a broadsword," said Venditti. "So what happens when you hand this so-called primitive the universe's most powerful weapon and drop him in the modern day? It's a recipe for one of the most compelling action stories you'll see on the stands in 2012."

"I'm having a blast working on X-O Manowar," added Nord. "I've tackled warring barbarian hordes, alien armadas and destroyed pretty much everything in between. This is going to be an epic in every sense of the word."

During X-O Manowar's initial run, the smash hit series sold over 8 million copies and featured work from a distinguished roster of comics luminaries including current Marvel Chief Creative Officer Joe Quesada, former Marvel Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter, and comics legends Barry Windsor-Smith and Bob Layton.

"Powerful storytelling has been our first priority since day one and, together, Rob and Cary are proving to be a truly visceral combination," said Valiant Chief Creative Officer Dinesh Shamdasani. "Together, their work on X-O Manowar is defining the size, scope and intensity of the Valiant Universe."

"X-O Manowar was one of the many reasons that Valiant became a legend in its time," added Valiant CEO Jason Kothari. "This is an all-time classic character and we have big plans not just for him, but the rest of the Valiant Universe."

X-O MANOWAR #1
Written by ROBERT VENDITTI
Art by CARY NORD
Covers by ESAD RIBIC & CARY NORD
ON SALE MAY 2nd!

About Valiant Entertainment
Valiant Entertainment is a character-based publishing and licensing company that owns and controls some of the most cherished comic characters ever created across all media worldwide. Since their creation in 1989, Valiant characters have sold 80 million comic books and have been the basis of a number of successful video game franchises. Valiant's extensive library includes over 1,500 characters, such as X-O Manowar, Bloodshot, Harbinger, Shadowman, Ninjak and Archer & Armstrong.

Visit: ValiantUniverse.com
www.facebook.com/ValiantComics
www.twitter.com/ValiantComics

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for January 18 2012

2012-01-17T09:55:00.000-08:00

DC COMICS

NOV118004 ANIMAL MAN #2 2ND PTG $2.99

NOV110133 BATMAN #5 $2.99

NOV110136 BATMAN #5 COMBO PACK $3.99

NOV110142 BATMAN ODYSSEY VOL 2 #4 (OF 7) $3.99

NOV110146 BIRDS OF PREY #5 $2.99

NOV110186 BLUE BEETLE #5 $2.99

NOV110116 CAPTAIN ATOM #5 $2.99

NOV110152 CATWOMAN #5 $2.99

NOV110119 DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS #5 $2.99

NOV110217 DIABLO #2 (OF 5) $2.99

NOV110216 END OF NATIONS #3 (OF 4) (RES) $2.99

NOV110230 FABLES #113 (MR) $2.99

NOV110157 GREEN LANTERN CORPS #5 $2.99

NOV110227 HELLBLAZER #287 (MR) $2.99

NOV110189 LEGION OF SUPER HEROES #5 $2.99

NOV110153 NIGHTWING #5 $2.99

NOV110150 RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #5 $2.99

OCT110254 SECRET SIX THE DARKEST HOUSE TP $16.99

NOV110132 SUPERGIRL #5 $2.99

OCT110251 SUPERMAN WAR OF THE SUPERMEN TP $14.99

NOV110180 THUNDER AGENTS VOL 2 #3 (OF 6) $2.99

NOV110222 TINY TITANS #48 $2.99

SEP110187 WAR OF THE GREEN LANTERNS AFTERMATH HC $22.99

NOV110111 WONDER WOMAN #5 $2.99

NOV110225 YOUNG JUSTICE #12 $2.99

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for January 18 2012

2012-01-17T09:50:00.000-08:00

MARVEL COMICS

NOV110531 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #678 $3.99

NOV110493 AVENGERS #21 $3.99

NOV110525 AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #3 WITH FREE DIGITAL CODE $3.99

NOV110642 DAKEN X-23 COLLISION TP $19.99

NOV110529 DAREDEVIL #8 $2.99

NOV110633 DEADPOOL CLASSIC TP VOL 06 $29.99

NOV110591 DEADPOOL MAX 2 #4 (MR) $3.99

NOV110486 DEFENDERS TOURNAMENT OF HEROES #1 $5.99

NOV110649 ESSENTIAL FANTASTIC FOUR TP VOL 05 NEW ED $19.99

SEP110685 ESSENTIAL SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 08 NEW ED $19.99

NOV110475 FEAR ITSELF FEARLESS #7 (OF 12) $2.99

NOV110614 FEAR ITSELF JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY PREM HC $19.99

NOV110616 FEAR ITSELF THUNDERBOLTS PREM HC $19.99

NOV110585 GENERATION HOPE #15 XREGB $2.99

NOV110550 GHOST RIDER #8 $2.99

NOV110510 HALO FALL OF REACH INVASION #1 (OF 4) $3.99

NOV110491 INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #512 $3.99

NOV110508 JOHN CARTER A PRINCESS OF MARS #5 (OF 5) $2.99

NOV110509 JOHN CARTER OF MARS WORLD OF MARS #4 (OF 4) $3.99

NOV110540 LEGION OF MONSTERS #4 (OF 4) $3.99

NOV110636 MARVEL FIRSTS 1970S TP VOL 01 $29.99

NOV110637 MARVEL POINT ONE II TP $24.99

AUG110688 MMW ATLAS ERA TALES TO ASTONISH HC VOL 04 $64.99

AUG110689 MMW ATLAS ERA TALES TO ASTONISH HC VOL 04 DM VAR ED 174 $64.99

NOV110547 MOON KNIGHT #9 $3.99

NOV110640 NEW DEFENDERS TP VOL 01 $29.99

NOV110578 NEW MUTANTS #36 XREGB $2.99

NOV110539 SIX GUNS #4 (OF 5) $2.99

NOV110667 SPIDER-MAN DAREDEVIL BY LEE BERMAJO POSTER $8.99

SEP110631 SUPERIOR #7 (OF 7) (MR) $4.99

NOV110552 THUNDERBOLTS #169 $2.99

NOV110641 TWELVE TP VOL 01 $16.99

NOV110619 ULTIMATE COMICS HAWKEYE BY HICKMAN PREM HC $19.99

NOV110515 ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN #6 WITH DIGITAL CODE (RES) $3.99

NOV110576 UNCANNY X-FORCE #20 XREGG $3.99

OCT118157 UNCANNY X-MEN #2 2ND PTG PACHECO VAR XREGB (PP #1001) $3.99

NOV110564 UNCANNY X-MEN #5 $3.99

NOV110533 VENOM #12 $2.99

NOV110668 WINTER SOLDIER POSTER $8.99

OCT118158 WOLVERINE AND X-MEN #2 2ND PTG BACHALO VAR XREGG (PP #1001) $3.99

NOV110549 WOLVERINE PUNISHER GHOST RIDER OFF INDEX MU #6 (OF 8) $3.99

NOV110624 X-23 PREM HC VOL 02 CHAOS THEORY $19.99

NOV110644 X-FACTOR TP VOL 12 SCAR TISSUE $19.99

AUG110685 X-MEN BY CLAREMONT AND LEE OMNIBUS HC VOL 02 DM VAR ED $125.00

IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for January 18 2012

2012-01-17T06:37:00.000-08:00

IDW PUBLISHING

NOV110329 CLASSIC JURASSIC PARK TP VOL 04 RETURN JURASSIC PK $17.99
NOV110280 COBRA ONGOING #9 $3.99
NOV110286 DANGER GIRL DANGER SIZED TREASURY ED $9.99
NOV110287 DANGER GIRL REVOLVER #1 (OF 4) $3.99
NOV118011 DANGER GIRL REVOLVER #1 (OF 4) NEWCOMIX.COM B&W ED $3.99
NOV118012 DANGER GIRL REVOLVER #1 (OF 4) NEWCOMIX.COM COLOR ED $3.99
NOV110317 GHOSTBUSTERS ONGOING #5 $3.99
NOV110297 MEMORIAL #2 (OF 6) $3.99
NOV110319 STAR TREK ONGOING #5 $3.99
NOV110340 STEVE CANYON HC VOL 01 1947-1948 $49.99
OCT118132 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES ONGOING #1 GLOBAL CONQUEST ED $3.99
OCT118133 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES ONGOING #2 GLOBAL CONQUEST ED $3.99
OCT118134 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES ONGOING #3 GLOBAL CONQUEST ED $3.99
OCT118135 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES ONGOING #4 GLOBAL CONQUEST ED $3.99
OCT118136 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES ONGOING #5 GLOBAL CONQUEST ED $3.99
OCT118137 TMNT MICRO SERIES #1 RAPHAEL GLOBAL CONQUEST ED (PP #999) $3.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for January 18 2012

2012-01-17T06:31:00.001-08:00

DARK HORSE COMICS

SEP110033 CONAN HC VOL 11 ROAD OF KINGS PT 1 $24.99
NOV110040 CONAN ROAD OF KINGS #12 $3.50
NOV110036 MASS EFFECT INVASION #4 (OF 4) CARNEVALE CVR $3.50

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for January 18 2012

2012-01-17T06:25:00.000-08:00

IMAGE COMICS

JUL110513 BOMB QUEEN VII QUEENS WORLD #2 (OF 4) (MR) $3.50
AUG110514 CHEW #23 $2.99
SEP110394 ELEPHANTMEN HC VOL 00 (MR) $34.99
NOV110452 HACK SLASH #12 CVR A SEELEY & ENGLERT (MR) $3.50
NOV110453 HACK SLASH #12 CVR B SANTOS (MR) $3.50
SEP110475 MORNING GLORIES #15 (MR) $2.99
NOV110464 NEAR DEATH #5 $2.99
NOV110358 PROPHET #21 CHURCHLAND CVR $2.99
NOV110359 PROPHET #21 LIEFELD VAR CVR $2.99
NOV110473 XENOHOLICS #4 (MR) $3.50

Comics and Magazines from Diamond Distributors for January 18 2012

2012-01-17T06:20:00.000-08:00

COMICS

NOV110721 ARCHIE & FRIENDS DOUBLE DIGEST #12 $3.99

AUG111044 BILL GRIFFITH LOST AND FOUND 1970 - 1994 TP $35.00

NOV110671 BREATHE HC (O/A) $19.95

JUL110819 BRIAN KEENE DEAD NEW WORLD 6 PACK $20.00

OCT110851 CALIGULA #6 (OF 6) (MR) $3.99

OCT110852 CALIGULA #6 (OF 6) WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99

MAY110860 CHARISMAGIC #4 $2.99

OCT111220 CLINT #13 (MR) $6.99

AUG110862 CODE GEASS QUEEN GN VOL 04 (RES) $10.99

NOV110765 CROSSED PSYCHOPATH #7 (OF 7) (RES) (MR) $3.99

NOV110769 CROSSED PSYCHOPATH #7 (OF 7) B&W RETAILER BONUS ED (MR PI

NOV110766 CROSSED PSYCHOPATH #7 (OF 7) TORTURE CVR (RES) (MR) $3.99

NOV110767 CROSSED PSYCHOPATH #7 (OF 7) WRAP CVR (RES) (MR) $3.99

SEP110735 DARK AXIS RISE O/T OVERMEN #2 (OF 4) (MR) $3.99

NOV110750 DEAD MANS RUN #1 CVR A PARKER $3.50

NOV110751 DEAD MANS RUN #1 CVR B BENITEZ $3.50

AUG111036 DF WOLVERINE & X-MEN #1 MATCHING SGN SET $349.99

AUG111139 DISNEY FAIRIES GN VOL 07 TINKER BELL PERFECT FAIRY $7.99

AUG111140 DISNEY FAIRIES HC VOL 07 TINKER BELL PERFECT FAIRY $11.99

NOV111092 DPD DOKTORMENTOR JAIL BABE SURGEON #4 (MR) $9.95

JUN110829 FRAGGLE ROCK CLASSICS TP VOL 01 $9.95

AUG110995 GREEN HORNET #21 $3.99

OCT111044 HACK SLASH EVA MONSTERS BALL TP (MR) $16.99

OCT110939 HAPPINESS IS WARM BLANKET CHARLIE BROWN HC SDCC VAR $39.99

SEP110737 HELLDORADO #2 (OF 3) (MR) $3.99

NOV110811 HELLRAISER MASTERPIECES #6 (MR) $3.99

NOV110727 JUGHEAD #211 $2.99

NOV110728 JUGHEADS DOUBLE DIGEST #177 $3.99

NOV110870 KIRBY GENESIS DRAGONSBANE #1 $3.99

OCT110867 LEGEND OF OZ THE WICKED WEST #2 $3.50

OCT110967 LORD OF THE JUNGLE #1 (MR) $1.00

SEP111216 MAZEWORLD GN $29.99

AUG110877 MISADVENTURES OF ADAM WEST #4 (MR) $3.99

SEP111051 PATRICIA BRIGGS ALPHA & OMEGA CRY WOLF VOL 01 #4 $3.99

NOV110924 PATRICIA BRIGGS MERCY THOMPSON MOON CALLED TP VOL 02 $16.99

NOV110832 PLANET OF THE APES #10 $3.99

OCT110759 PRINCELESS #3 $3.99

AUG110787 PRODIGAL EGG OF FIRST LIGHT TP $12.95

MAY111036 RAISE THE DEAD II HC $19.99

JUN111044 RED SONJA #62 $3.99

NOV110947 RED SONJA RAVEN $4.99

SEP111044 ROBERT JORDAN WHEEL OF TIME EYE O/T WORLD #19 $3.99

NOV110799 SIMPSONS COMICS #186 $2.99

OCT110819 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG ARCHIVES TP VOL 17 $7.99

NOV110736 SONIC UNIVERSE #36 $2.99

OCT111371 STAR WARS DARTH PLAGUEIS HC $27.00

NOV110804 STEED AND MRS PEEL #1 (OF 6) $3.99

SEP110951 TAROT WITCH OF THE BLACK ROSE #71 DLX ED (MR) $19.99

NOV111118 TWIN SPICA GN VOL 11 $13.95

NOV110925 VOLTRON #2 $3.99

AUG111228 WALLY WOOD STRANGE WORLDS OF SCIENCE FICTION HC $39.95

NOV111062 WASTELAND #33 (MR) $1.00

NOV110841 WORDGIRL GN VOL 03 WORD UP $7.99

MAGAZINES
NOV111189 BACK ISSUE #54 $8.95
OCT111310 CLASSIC MARVEL FIG COLL MAG #164 CLASSIC CAPTAIN MARVEL $14.00
OCT111311 CLASSIC MARVEL FIG COLL MAG #165 PHOTON $14.00
OCT111312 COMIC HEROES MAGAZINE #10 $18.99
OCT111323 DC SUPERHERO FIG COLL MAG #98 ANIMAL MAN $14.00
OCT111324 DC SUPERHERO FIG COLL MAG #99 SUPERBOY $14.00
NOV111221 HORRORHOUND #33 $6.99
NOV111244 LOCUS #612 $6.95
AUG111401 MEGAMI NOV 2011 #67 $16.60
AUG111402 NEWTYPE NOV 2011 #54 $16.00
APR111363 STAR WARS VEHICLES COLL MAG #75 UT-AT $18.00
JUL111438 STAR WARS VEHICLES COLL MAG #76 TECHNO UNION SHIP $18.00
APR111362 STAR WARS VEHICLES COLL MAG #77 COMMERCE GUILD SUPPORT SHIP $18.00
OCT111346 UNDYING MONSTERS MAGAZINE #3 $9.95
OCT112053 WHITE DWARF #384 PI

"Naruto: The Official Character Data Book" Now Available

2012-01-16T10:27:00.000-08:00

VIZ MEDIA KICKS OFF 2012 NINJA STYLE WITH NARUTO: THE OFFICIAL CHARACTER DATA BOOK

New Guide Offers Fans Essential NARUTO Character Info As Well As Never-Before-Revealed Data And Secrets

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, opens the new year with the latest addition to its extensive library of NARUTO titles. NARUTO: THE OFFICIAL CHARACTER DATA BOOK is available now, offers essential information on key characters from the smash-hit action series, and includes 8 full-color pages. NARUTO: THE OFFICIAL CHARACTER BOOK is rated ‘T’ for Teens and will carry an MSRP of $14.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN.

A ninja knows all! And now you can too! Here's all the intel you need on who's who in NARUTO!.THE OFFICIAL CHARACTER DATA BOOK gives you all you need stay the expert on all things NARUTO. Whether you're catching up, brushing up, or just getting started with the goings-on in ninja world, this handy, huge guide covers the whole story all the way to Volume 43 of the best-selling manga (graphic novel) series!

“NARUTO: THE OFFICIAL CHARACTER DATA BOOK is a treasure-trove of essential information that will be a must-read for both casual and die-hard NARUTO fans,” says Joel Enos, Editor. “Inside these pages, you'll find never-before revealed data, secrets, and even a few scandals involving your favorite, as well as most-hated, shinobi. And fans won’t want to miss a new manga tale from NARUTO creator Masashi Kishimoto that you can't find in English anywhere else!”

Created by Masashi Kishimoto, NARUTO was first introduced in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in Japan in 1999 and quickly became that country’s most popular ninja manga targeting tweens and teens. The manga series (rated ‘T’ for Teens) and animated counterpart (NARUTO rated ‘T’ for teens, and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN rated ‘T+’ for older teens), depicting the adventures of ninja-in-training Uzumaki Naruto, is one of VIZ Media’s most successful properties and has captivated millions of fans across North America, Europe and South America. The NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN animated series are co-productions of TV TOKYO, VIZ Media parent company Shueisha Inc., and Pierrot Co., Ltd.

More information on NARUTO is available at http://www.naruto.com/.

"Groo vs. Conan" Coming April 2012

2012-01-15T07:35:00.000-08:00

CONAN/GROO CROSSOVER! TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE

What was rumored as an April Fools’ joke has turned into a full-blown miniseries sure to bring laughs and excitement. Dark Horse Comics is proud to announce Groo vs. Conan!

It had to happen: The most heroic warrior in history meets the stupidest, as Robert E. Howard’s immortal Conan the Barbarian crosses swords with Sergio Aragonés’s Groo the Wanderer in Groo vs. Conan #1!

This four-issue miniseries was concocted by the Eisner Award–winning team of Mark Evanier and Sergio Aragonés, aided by master illustrator Thomas Yeates and master colorist Tom Luth. Will Conan annihilate Groo? Will Groo turn out to be the man who can defeat Conan? We’ll see.

Groo vs. Conan is on sale April 18, 2012!

Review: THE HOMELAND DIRECTIVE (OGN)

2012-01-14T13:51:00.000-08:00

THE HOMELAND DIRECTIVE

TOP SHELF PRODUCTIONS
WRITER: Robert Venditti
ARTIST: Mike Huddleston
LETTERS: Sean Konot
ISBN: 978-1-60309-024-7; paperback
144pp, B&W, $14.95 U.S.

Rating: Young Adult (13+)

Robert Venditti is a comic book writer and graphic novelist best known for The Surrogates (2005-06), drawn by Brett Weldele. The miniseries, which was collected as a trade paperback, was adapted into a 2009 Bruce Willis movie, Surrogates.

Venditti’s new graphic novel is The Homeland Directive and is drawn by Mike Huddleston. A comic book artist, illustrator, and concept designer, Huddleston has drawn for DC Comics (Harley Quinn and Gen13) and created The Coffin with Phil Hester.

The central character of The Homeland Directive graphic novel is Dr. Laura Regan, a researcher for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (C.D.C.) and one of the world’s foremost authorities on viral and bacteriological studies. She is one of the good people, but after her research partner is murdered, Laura finds herself accused of the crime and on the run. Unbeknownst to Laura, she is at the heart of a vast and deadly conspiracy, and a shadowy assassin, who uses several identities, is assigned to kill her.

Luckily, Laura gets her own shining knights in the form of three rogue federal agents: Nathan Pollack of the FBI, Gene Robillard of the U.S. Secret Service, and Theodore “Ted” Wychek of the Bureau of Consumer Advocacy (BOCA). Can Laura expose a sinister plot before law enforcement, deadly mercenaries, and a government team of cyber-detective eliminate her?

Even without the science fiction, futurist, and allegorical elements that he used in The Surrogates, Robert Venditti has written a riveting cautionary tale full of omens and portents about the day after tomorrow. The Homeland Directive is in the vein of classic conspiracy thriller movies (like The Parallax View), and is also a witty twist on the bodyguard story.

For all its action movie/suspense thriller theatrics, The Homeland Directive is more than just eye-candy thrills. It certainly is addictive; I could only stop reading it once, and that was because I had an errand to do. It is a page-turner just as stimulating as a summer potboiler novel, but it is more than mere stimulation. The Homeland Directive is practically a screaming tract about the dangers of technology and about how personal privacy and national security are threats to one another. How do you balance the two? Can you balance the two? This graphic novel is not paranoid. It’s worried.

Artist Mike Huddleston does more than just tell the story. Combining graphic design, cut-and-paste, and drawing, Huddleston creates a world that seems disjointed, although it is one that is supposed to be more connected because of technology. The environments in this story are well lit, but there are shadowy plots and adversaries everywhere. Huddleston calms the story’s fast (even manic) pace and reveals what Venditti crafted underneath the fast-moving set pieces of this story: a cautionary tale about the ever-hungry, ever-expanding Big Brother.

The Homeland Directive is one of 2011’s best graphic novels.

A

Case Closed: Dueling Mothers

2012-01-12T11:48:00.000-08:00

I read Case Closed, Vol. 41

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has free comics).

Steve Scott Illustrates William Shatner for Wizard World New Orleans

2012-01-11T13:59:00.000-08:00

Steve Scott Creates Shatner VIP Print for Wizard New Orleans-- Available to all!

New Orleans-- The Wizard World New Orleans convention is taking off like a ROCKET at the end of this month, with illustrator Steve Scott as the featured artist for the William Shatner VIP print--Showcasing an image of Mr. Shatner paying homage to his highly collectible cover recordings that we know and love!

Yes, he was Captain Kirk, yes he was one of the best things about "Boston Legal," yes he was fantastic on "Bleep, My Dad Says," yes, we only use Priceline because of him-- But how many of you also know that Shatner has released covers of many popular tunes, including "Rocket Man," AND "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds?"

This cool cat VIP litho is full color and measures 11x17. Limited to 500 copies, the print is available to Shatner VIP's. It is also available at Steve Scott's table in artist alley for $20. while supplies last.

This is a perfect time to pick one up--any which way you can--and have Shatner sign it at the show.

And while you are at it, get Steve Scott--responsible for the design, straight to pencils, inks and colors--to sign it too. It's a great opportunity to meet this talented artist if you haven't already:

Steve was recently honored to finish out the legendary "Batman" series at DC Comics, leading up to the New 52. Currently his work will be seen on upcoming special issues of "Captain Victory" for Dynamic Forces, as well as some exciting creator-owned projects.

Milestone works for Steve included "X-Men Forever" with writer Chris Claremont, an amazing Green Lantern special project at DC Comics, and "Batman Confidential"! Not to mention that Steve is also the ONLY artist tapped by DC Comics to do any work relating to "Batman Forever," depicting the now legendary turn of Heath Ledger as The Joker. (Look for Steve's work in the Blue-Ray disc release of the movie!)

Steve is indeed certainly no stranger to media tie-in's. His work has also often been seen on the television show Smallville. As well as doing some darn good likenessess for the last "Indiana Jones--Tomb of the Gods," comic book series for Dark Horse to coincide with the Harrison Ford movie! In fact, George Lucas liked Steve's work so much that he purchased most of the originals to keep for himself!

In other words, Steve Scott is busy making comics, in an industry he loves, which is a good thing for his ever growing number of fans.

Wizard World New Orleans takes place January 28th and 29th. Joining William Shatner and Steve Scott at the show will be such names as: Stan Lee, Michael Golden, Mark Texeira, Renee Witterstaetter, James Leary, Michael Biehn, Arthur Suydam, Peter Mayhew, Erin Gray, Mary McDonnell, James Marsters, Adam Baldwin… and many more!

For more information on Steve Scott and his work, contact: evaink@aol.com; and visit our website at: http://www.evainkartitgroup.com/

For more information on Wizard World New Orleans, and how to become a "Shatner VIP," go to: http://www.wizardworldcomiccon/.

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for January 11 2012

2012-01-10T07:47:00.000-08:00

DC COMICS

NOV110221 ALL NEW BATMAN THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #15 $2.99

OCT118155 ANIMAL MAN #1 4TH PTG $2.99

NOV110149 BATGIRL #5 $2.99

NOV110145 BATMAN AND ROBIN #5 $2.99

SEP110169 BATMAN THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS HC $22.99

NOV110147 BATWOMAN #5 $2.99

NOV110224 CARTOON NETWORK ACTION PACK #66 $2.99

NOV110120 DC UNIVERSE ONLINE LEGENDS #21 $2.99

NOV110174 DEATHSTROKE #5 $2.99

NOV110170 DEMON KNIGHTS #5 $2.99

OCT110249 FLASH TP VOL 01 THE DASTARDLY DEATH OF THE ROGUES $14.99

NOV110167 FRANKENSTEIN AGENT OF SHADE #5 $2.99

NOV110154 GREEN LANTERN #5 $2.99

NOV110173 GRIFTER #5 $2.99

NOV110188 LEGION LOST #5 $2.99

NOV110123 MISTER TERRIFIC #5 $2.99

NOV110124 MY GREATEST ADVENTURE #4 (OF 6) $3.99

OCT110294 NORTHLANDERS #47 (MR) $2.99

SEP110226 PREACHER HC BOOK 06 (MR) $39.99

NOV110182 RAY #2 (OF 4) $2.99

NOV110169 RESURRECTION MAN #5 $2.99

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NOV110238 UNWRITTEN #33 (MR) $2.99

OCT110301 UNWRITTEN TP VOL 05 ON TO GENESIS (MR) $14.99

OCT110271 YOUNG JUSTICE TP VOL 01 $12.99

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for January 11 2012

2012-01-10T07:40:00.000-08:00

MARVEL COMICS

NOV110613 ALPHA FLIGHT BY PAK AND VAN LENTE PREM HC VOL 01 $19.99

NOV110527 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #677 $3.99

NOV110500 AVENGERS 1959 #5 (OF 5) $2.99

NOV110627 AVENGERS BY BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS TP VOL 02 $19.99

NOV110669 AVENGERS X-SANCTION BY LEINIL YU OVERSIZED POSTER $34.99

NOV110479 BATTLE SCARS #3 (OF 6) $2.99

NOV110538 BLACK PANTHER MOST DANGEROUS MAN ALIVE #528 $2.99

JUN110712 BRILLIANT #2 (MR) $3.95

NOV110480 CAPTAIN AMERICA #7 $3.99

NOV110524 CARNAGE USA #2 (OF 5) $3.99

NOV110572 DAKEN DARK WOLVERINE #19 $2.99

NOV110612 DARK TOWER GUNSLINGER BATTLE OF TULL PREM HC $24.99

NOV110514 DARK TOWER GUNSLINGER WAY STATION #2 (OF 5) $3.99

NOV110589 DEADPOOL #49 $2.99

NOV110647 ESSENTIAL MARVEL TWO IN ONE TP VOL 04 $19.99

NOV110617 FEAR ITSELF AVENGERS PREM HC $24.99

NOV110622 FEAR ITSELF GHOST RIDER PREM HC $19.99

NOV110512 FORMIC WARS SILENT STRIKE #2 (OF 5) $3.99

NOV110621 GHOST RIDER BY DANIEL WAY ULTIMATE COLLECTION TP $34.99

NOV110548 GHOST RIDER CYCLE OF VENGEANCE #1 $5.99

NOV110620 GHOST RIDER OFF INDEX TO MARVEL UNIVERSE GN TP $19.99

NOV110477 INCREDIBLE HULK #4 $3.99

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AUG110686 MMW CAPTAIN MARVEL HC VOL 04 $59.99

AUG110687 MMW CAPTAIN MARVEL HC VOL 04 DM VAR ED 173 $59.99

NOV110638 MYSTIC TENTH APPRENTICE TP $14.99

NOV110495 NEW AVENGERS #20 $3.99

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NOV110590 PUNISHERMAX #21 (MR) $3.99

NOV110519 SCARLET SPIDER #1 $3.99

NOV110497 SECRET AVENGERS #21 $3.99

NOV110639 SPIDER-MAN COMPLETE BEN REILLY EPIC TP BOOK 03 $39.99

NOV110605 SPIDER-MAN SPIDER-ISLAND HC $39.99

NOV110513 STAND NIGHT HAS COME #6 (OF 6) $3.99

NOV110558 SUPER HEROES #22 $2.99

NOV110517 ULTIMATE COMICS X-MEN #6 $3.99

NOV110566 WOLVERINE #300 $4.99

NOV110560 WOLVERINE AND X-MEN #4 XREGG $3.99

NOV110625 WOLVERINE BEST THERE IS BROKEN QUARANTINE PREM HC $24.99

NOV110646 WOLVERINE BEST THERE IS CONTAGION TP $19.99

NOV110586 X-FACTOR #230 XREGG $2.99

AUG110684 X-MEN BY CLAREMONT AND LEE OMNIBUS HC VOL 02 $125.00

NOV110582 X-MEN LEGACY #260.1 $2.99

IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for January 11, 2012

2012-01-10T07:34:00.000-08:00

IDW PUBLISHING

SEP110346 ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN HC $19.99

OCT110428 ARCHIE BEST OF DAN DECARLO HC VOL 03 $24.99

SEP110345 BROOKLYN DREAMS HC $39.99

NOV110272 COBRA ANNUAL 2012 ORIGIN OF COBRA COMMANDER #1 $7.99

NOV110325 DOCTOR WHO ONGOING VOL 2 #13 $3.99

NOV110307 DUNGEONS & DRAGONS 100 PAGE SPECTACULAR $7.99

NOV110270 GI JOE A REAL AMERICAN HERO #174 $3.99

NOV110330 HP LOVECRAFT THE DUNWICH HORROR #4 (OF 4) $3.99

OCT110386 INFESTATION HC $34.99

NOV110277 SNAKE EYES ONGOING (IDW) #9 $3.99

OCT110325 TRANSFORMERS CLASSICS TP VOL 02 $24.99

NOV110264 TRANSFORMERS MORE THAN MEETS EYE ONGOING #1 $3.99

Dark Horse from Diamond Distributors for January 11 2012

2012-01-10T07:28:00.001-08:00

DARK HORSE COMICS

NOV110021 BTVS SEASON 9 FREEFALL #5 JEANTY VAR CVR $2.99

NOV110020 BTVS SEASON 9 FREEFALL #5 MORRIS CVR $2.99

NOV110029 DARK MATTER #1 (OF 4) $3.50

NOV110043 KULL THE CAT & THE SKULL #4 (OF 4) $3.50

NOV110011 LOBSTER JOHNSON THE BURNING HAND #1 (OF 5) JOHNSON CVR $3.50

SEP110044 NGE SHINJI IKARI RAISING PROJECT TP VOL 10 $9.99

NOV110027 ORCHID #4 $3.50

NOV110022 PC CAST HOUSE OF NIGHT #3 (OF 5) $2.99

NOV110030 STAR WARS AGENT O/T EMPIRE IRON ECLIPSE #2 (OF 5) $3.50

NOV110034 STAR WARS KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC WAR #1 (OF 5) CARRE CV $3.50

NOV110035 STAR WARS KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC WAR #1 (OF 5) WILKINS $3.50

SEP110025 STAR WARS LEGACY TP VOL 11 WAR $19.99

AUG110054 TARZAN THE JESSE MARSH YEARS HC VOL 10 $49.99

NOV110024 THE OCCULTIST #3 (OF 3) $3.50

NOV110023 THE STRAIN #2 (OF 12) $3.50

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for January 11 2012

2012-01-10T07:20:00.000-08:00

IMAGE COMICS

NOV110441 ACTIVITY #2 $3.50

OCT110535 AVENGELYNE #6 CVR A LIEFELD $2.99

OCT110536 AVENGELYNE #6 CVR B GIENI $2.99

OCT110537 AVENGELYNE #6 CVR C ROSSMO $2.99

NOV110384 BLUE ESTATE TP VOL 02 (MR) $12.99

SEP110458 DARKNESS #97 CVR A HAUN (MR) $2.99

JUL110518 DEADLANDS BLACK WATER ONE SHOT $2.99

SEP110461 EPOCH #1 (OF 5) SDCC VAR CVR (MR) $10.00

NOV110454 HEART #3 (OF 4) (MR) $2.99

NOV110395 INTREPIDS TP VOL 01 $16.99

AUG110526 INVINCIBLE #87 $2.99

NOV110396 INVINCIBLE TP VOL 15 GET SMART $16.99

NOV110458 LAST OF THE GREATS #4 CVR A PEEPLES $2.99

NOV110459 LAST OF THE GREATS #4 CVR B FRISON $2.99

NOV110461 MORIARTY #8 $2.99

NOV110465 PIGS #5 (MR) $2.99

NOV110466 REED GUNTHER #7 $2.99

NOV110467 SEVERED #6 (OF 7) (MR) $2.99

NOV110468 SPAWN #215 $2.99

NOV110469 STRANGE TALENT OF LUTHER STRODE #4 (OF 6) (MR) $2.99

NOV110360 WHISPERS #1 $2.99

NOV110449 WITCHBLADE #146 COMIC CON EXC VAR $10.00

Comics and Magazines from Diamond Distributors for January 11 2012

2012-01-10T07:14:00.000-08:00

COMICS

SEP110963 21ST CENTURIONS TP NEW CLEAR DAY $19.95

NOV110801 7 WARRIORS #3 (OF 3) (MR) $3.99

OCT111215 AMAZING AGENT JENNIFER GN VOL 02 $10.99

OCT110810 ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #225 $3.99

OCT111191 ASTERIX OMNIBUS SC VOL 11 NEW PTG $19.95

SEP111234 AYE TAKEO WEBCOMIC COLL TP $12.99

OCT111137 BEFORE THE INCAL CLASSIC COLL DLX HC (MR) $99.95

OCT111252 BOKURANO OURS GN VOL 05 $12.99

SEP111245 BURKE & HARE GN $12.99

OCT111255 CASE CLOSED GN VOL 41 $9.99

SEP110695 CRYPT OF HORROR #13 $29.95

OCT111216 DANCE IN THE VAMPIRE BUND GN VOL 11 (MR) $11.99

OCT111080 DF AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #1 HAESER REMARK ED $49.99

SEP111071 DF FLASH GORDON ZEITGEIST #1 EX VIRGIN CVR $12.99

AUG111031 DF VAMPIRELLA #12 VIRGIN EXC CVR $7.99

OCT111074 DF VAMPIRELLA ANNUAL #1 EXC RED CVR $14.99

AUG111035 DF WOLVERINE & X-MEN #1 ROMITA SR SGN ED $50.00

SEP111247 FALL GN $7.99

OCT110764 FUBAR II EMPIRE O/T RISING DEAD (MR) $14.95

OCT110766 GARGOYLES CLAN BUILDING TP VOL 02 (O/A) $19.95

NOV111055 GERONIMO STILTON HC VOL 09 WEIRD BOOK MACHINE $9.99

SEP110717 GOLD DIGGER PLATINUM TP VOL 03 $14.95

OCT110767 HAUNTED MANSION HC VOL 01 WELCOME FOOLISH MORTAL (O/A) $49.95

NOV110808 HELLRAISER TP VOL 02 (MR) $14.99

OCT111257 HYDE & CLOSER TP VOL 07 (OF 7) $9.99

SEP110750 JIM HENSONS DARK CRYSTAL HC VOL 01 CREATION MYTHS $19.95

OCT111253 JORMUNGAND GN VOL 08 (MR) $12.99

OCT110865 KANNAGI GN VOL 03 (OF 6) $11.99

JUN110911 LOGANS RUN AFTERMATH #4 (RES) $3.99

NOV111045 LORDS OF DEATH AND LIFE GN $10.00

OCT110817 MEGA MAN #9 REG CVR $2.99

JUN110912 MISADVENTURES OF ADAM WEST #2 (MR) $3.99

JUL110911 MISADVENTURES OF ADAM WEST #3 (MR) $3.99

NOV111056 MONSTER MESS HC $9.99

NOV110860 NEIL GN $15.00

NOV110825 OPERATION BROKEN WINGS 1936 #3 (OF 3) (MR) $3.99

OCT111366 PHANTOM DETECTIVE JUN 1938 REPLICA ED $14.95

OCT111213 PHAZER #1 $3.99

SEP118164 POKEMON BLACK & WHITE GN VOL 05 $4.99

MAY110901 POLITICAL POWER JON STEWART $3.99

NOV110684 REX LIBRIS TP VOL 01 (O/A) $14.95

NOV110685 REX LIBRIS TP VOL 02 BOOK OF MONSTERS (O/A) $17.95

NOV110840 ROGER LANGRIDGES SNARKED #4 $3.99

NOV111057 SMURFS GN VOL 10 RETURN OF SMURFETTE $5.99

NOV111058 SMURFS HC VOL 10 RETURN OF SMURFETTE $10.99

AUG110809 SPERA HC VOL 01 $19.95

NOV110831 STAN LEES SOLDIER ZERO TRAVELER STARBORN #1 SGN VAR SET $399.99

JUN110917 STEVE JOBS CO FOUNDER OF APPLE (ONE SHOT) $3.99

JUN110823 THE WINGMAN GN (MR) $14.95

OCT110768 TRON TP VOL 01 GHOST IN THE MACHINE (O/A) $19.95

OCT111019 VAMPIRELLA #1 1969 COMM GOLD FOIL ED $39.99

OCT118115 ZEN OF STEVE JOBS GN $19.95

MAGAZINES
AUG111760 BRICKJOURNAL #17 $8.95
OCT111335 DR WHO MAGAZINE #442 $10.99
SEP111378 FREAKY MONSTERS MAGAZINE #7 $9.95
OCT111365 LONE RANGER MAGAZINE JUL 1937 REPLICA ED $14.95
NOV111222 RUE MORGUE MAGAZINE #119 $9.95
NOV111223 SCARY MONSTERS MAGAZINE #81 $8.95
OCT111357 SFX #217 $10.99
NOV111254 STAR WARS FIG COLL MAG #43 SNOWTROOPER $14.00

Jormungand: Castle of Lies

2012-01-09T14:34:00.000-08:00

I read Jormungand, Vol. 8

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has free comics).

Hyde & Closer: Window

2012-01-08T12:52:00.000-08:00

I read Hyde & Closer, Vol. 7

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has FREE smart phone apps and comics).

Review: Flash Gordon Comic Book Archives Volume 4

2012-01-07T13:05:00.000-08:00

FLASH GORDON COMIC BOOK ARCHIVES, VOLUME 4

DARK HORSE BOOKS
WRITERS: John Warner, Gary Poole
ARTISTS: Carlos Garzón, Frank Bolle
INTRODUCTION: Arthur Lortie
ISBN: 978-1-59582-717-3; hardcover
224pp, Color, $49.99 U.S., $54.99 CAN

Flash Gordon and the science fiction, newspaper comic strip that shares his name debuted on January 7, 1934. Created by Alex Raymond, the strip followed the adventures of Gordon and his companions, Dale Arden and Dr. Hans Zarkov, on the planet Mongo. There, they battle the evil despot, Ming the Merciless.

The first Flash Gordon comic books were published in the 1930s and 1940s and were reprints of the comic strip. In the 1940s, Dell Comics began publishing Flash Gordon comic books with original stories from the mid-1940s to the early 1950s

Published by Dark Horse Books, Flash Gordon Comic Book Archives is reprinting Flash Gordon comic books that were produced by various publishers, including Dell Comics and Charlton Comics. Flash Gordon Comic Book Archives Volume 4 reprints Flash Gordon #19-27, which were published by Gold Key Comics from 1978 to 1980. Prior to Gold Key, there had not been a Flash Gordon comic book series since Charlton Comics’ Flash Gordon #18 hit newsstands in 1970.

According to the introduction to this volume by Arthur Lortie, Gordon’s nemesis, Ming the Merciless, was deposed as ruler of the planet, Mongo, in the 1930/40s continuity of the comics strip. Gold Key Comics staff writer, John David Warner restores Ming to power and returns Gordon, and his companions, Dale Arden and Dr. Hans Zarkov, to Mongo to battle Ming. Warner sends the three on an odyssey through Mongo’s myriad regions as they try to build a coalition of kingdoms to defeat Ming.

Warner wrote issues #19-24, and writer/editor Gary T. Poole wrote the last three issues of the Gold Key series, #25-27. Columbian-born comic book artist and comics illustrator, Carlos Garzón drew every issue of the Gold Key series, except for two issues. Garzón was also an assistant to Al Williamson, a noted Flash Gordon comic book artist who had grown up idolizing Flash Gordon creator, Alex Raymond. The two issues not drawn by Garzón were drawn by New York City-born and bred artist and illustrator, Frank Bolle.

I received a review copy of Flash Gordon Comic Book Archives Volume 4 because Dark Horse was doing some shelf cleaning, getting rid of some books to make way for review copies of newer titles. I didn’t expect to like this because I mistakenly associated Gold Key Comics with substandard material, mainly because it has been decades since I’ve read a Gold Key comic book. I was wrong to prejudge these Flash Gordon comic books because I actually had a great time reading them.

Warner and Poole stick to the pulp fiction and weird fiction roots of Flash Gordon without being hokey. These are smoothly-written sword-and-fantasy tales that recall Silver Age DC science fiction and fantasy comic book titles. Both writers build tension by spinning Flash Gordon’s fiery, man-of-action nature: never use words when fists can be just as articulate, in diverse conflict scenarios. That is contrasted against the personalities of Gordon’s co-stars. Dale Arden is quick to lay her head on Gordon’s strong chest, but she is something of a woman-of-action herself. Combine her with the eccentric Zarkov, who is also not above kicking some butt, and the Gold Key Flash Gordon is unpredictable. This is because the co-stars are not window dressing simply meant to make Gordon look like the great White hero; Arden and Zarkov are also capable of moving the story forward and resolving problems.

Plus, Warner and Poole are quite inventive when it comes to creating settings and plots. Two that stand out for me are. Flash Gordon #21’s “Wolf in the Fold” is rousing political suspense thriller and moving love story (surrogate father and son). “The Enchanted City” from issue #27 is quirky and engaging.

Both series artists produce good work. Carlos Garzón’s compositional style and design recall both Raymond and Williamson, especially the latter. In many ways, the art is Williamson-inspired or has his visual sensibilities. Garzón’s art on issues #19-20 is not good. After a two-issue break, he returns in Flash Gordon #23 and hits his stride with his best Williamson-inspired work.

However, I prefer Frank Bolle’s two-issue run (#21-22). His solid figure drawing and draftsmanship give Warner’s scripts, for those two issues, added dramatic heft. Perhaps, I like Bolle’s work here so much because it reminds me of one of my favorite artists, the late and still great, Gil Kane.

I am glad to say that I was pleasantly surprised by this collection. I think Flash Gordon fans should definitely consider either purchasing this pricey volume or finding the originals through online dealers. The “pleasant surprises,” like this one are the books that justify archive editions.

B+

Bokurano: Maki Ano

2012-01-06T11:38:00.000-08:00

I read Bokurano: Ours, Vol. 5

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has free comics).

I Reads You Review: BATMAN AND ROBIN: Batman Reborn – The Deluxe Edition

2012-01-05T13:06:00.000-08:00

BATMAN AND ROBIN: BATMAN REBORN – THE DELUXE EDITION
DC COMICS

WRITER: Grant Morrison
PENCILS: Frank Quitely, Philip Tan
INKS: Frank Quitely, Jonathan Glapion
COLORS: Alex Sinclair, Pete Pantazis
LETTERS: Patrick Brosseau
EXTRA ART: Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely, Philip Tan, J.G. Jones, Andy Kubert with Chris Chuckry, Tony S. Daniel with Ian Hannin
COVER: Frank Quitely and Alex Sinclair
ISBN: 978-1-4012-2566-7; hardcover
168pp, Color, $24.99 U.S., $29.99 CAN

I see the last 26 years of DC Comics as an onslaught of events, launches, re-launches, etc., especially the last 10 years. It seems as if the powers at DC and also the writers, artists, and editors who are looked upon with favor have been restarting, destroying, making-over, re-imagining, revamping, re-jiggering and remaking every corner of the DC Universe, every character in the DC catalog, and every page of comics ever published by DC Comics.

Out of the 2008-09 conflagration that was “Batman: R.I.P.,” Final Crisis, and “Battle for the Cowl,” came a new Batman comic book series, Batman and Robin. Bruce Wayne was no longer Batman. Bruce was dead/missing/lost in time and the Bat-mantle was picked up by the original Robin, Richard “Dick” Grayson, and the new Robin (#4) was Damian Wayne, Batman and Talia al Ghul’s lovechild.

The new Batman and Robin debuted in Batman and Robin #1 (cover date August 2009). The series was created by Grant Morrison and the first three issues were drawn by Morrison’s All-Star Superman collaborator, Frank Quitely. Like All-Star Superman and the other Morrison/Quitely joint, New X-Men, Batman and Robin was snazzy and jazzy compared to the dark-dark that has mostly been Batman since Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns. The Richard Grayson Batman is light-hearted and more conscious about violence and the Damian Wayne Robin is more like the scowling, Dirty Harry Batman.

The first six issues of Batman and Robin (which was re-launched during DC Comics’ “The New 52), are collected in the 2010 hardcover, Batman and Robin: Batman Reborn – The Deluxe Edition. The book collects two storylines: “Batman Reborn” (#1-3) and “Revenge of the Red Hood” (#4-6); the latter is penciled by Philip Tan. The book also includes a 16-page section in the back of the book, entitled “Batman Redrawn” which includes art, character and costume designs, and some text about the creation, graphics, and design of the new series.

Originally, I only read the first issue of the series. I thought it was excellent, and it reminded me of the start-off-with-a-bang that was Morrison and Quitely’s New X-Men #114 (cover date July 2001). Rereading Batman and Robin #1 for the first time in over two years, I have to admit that I didn’t find it as sparkly as I did the first time. That surprises me because every time I reread New X-Men #114, which I do every few years, I love it as much as I did the first time. And boy, did I love it.

In “Batman Reborn,” the new Dynamic Duo takes on Professor Pyg, a villain with a predilection for changing people’s faces. He is the boss of an extreme circus based in Europe, but he is also a creator of and dealer in designer drugs. “Revenge of the Red Hood” pits Batman and Robin against rivals who want to replace them, Red Hood and Scarlet. The twist is that Red Hood was Robin #2, the tragic Jason Todd. Todd, who claims to want to really cleanup Gotham City, actually brings more trouble to the city with his antics.

Although it ultimately goes out with a whimper, the “Batman Reborn” storyline is imaginative. It’s not Morrison’s best work (The Invisibles), but it is some of the most colorful and inventive Batman comics, probably since the Batman comic books of the 1950s and 1960s. Quitely’s intricate line work in All-Star Superman needed color to give it texture and form. In “Batman Reborn,” ragged brushwork pushes Alex Sinclair’s colors aside, so that the color is just that – color. Quitely’s artwork would look lovely reprinted as a black and white comic book. The clotted blacks and scratchy lines give Batman and his Gotham City milieu a screwy, but unique neo-Noir touch.

“Revenge of the Red Hood” is hodge-podge of character conflicts that don’t interest me enough to analyze them. The art by the usually good Philip Tan is ugly. With that in mind, overall, I think of this collection, Batman and Robin: Batman Reborn – The Deluxe Edition, as being another DC Comics event that does not live up to the hype or to some readers’ expectations (like mine). This isn’t essential Batman or essential Grant Morrison, but Batman and Morrison fans will want to sample it.

B

2012 Eagle Awards Open for Nominations

2012-01-05T06:43:00.000-08:00

Nominations Open for 2012 Eagle Awards

Do you want to boost the profile of your favourite comic of 2011? Would you like the opportunity to shine the spotlight on those artists and writers who really grabbed your attention last year? Well, now’s the time!

Nominations are now open for the 2012 round of the world-famous Eagle Awards. They will remain open until midnight (GMT) on 1 February... and if you want to make your voice heard, the sooner you head on over to http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/ the better.

Once the nominations close, the top five nominations in each category will be verified before being moved forward to the voting round. That gets underway on 15 February, so let us know who you want to see honoured this year!

The 2012 awards will be presented on Friday, 25 May at the MCM London Comic Con, which this year runs from 25-27 May at Excel London. Once again, the big night will also be streamed live to the world via http://www.mcmbuzz.com/

Introduced in 1976, the Eagles are the comics industry’s most prestigious fan-selected awards, giving the entire comics community the opportunity to vote for the finest publications and brightest talent of the past year, with categories covering the whole world of comics, including manga, movies and web comics.

“All nominees will be invited to the Awards Ceremony with the winners offered the opportunity to give an acceptance speech,” commented Eagle Awards chair Cassandra Conroy. “The full list of 2012 winners will be released to the world at midnight on 26 May.”

For general Eagle Awards enquiries, please contact info@eagleawards.co.uk

For press information/interviews, please contact press@eagleawards.co.uk

To buy tickets to the MCM London Comic Con at Excel London on 26-28 May, please visit: https://www.mcmexpostore.com/store/

ABOUT THE EAGLE AWARDS:
Introduced in 1976, the Eagles are the comics industry’s longest established awards. Acknowledged as the pre-eminent international prizes, they have been featured on the covers of leading US and UK titles across the last 28 years ranging from Uncanny X-Men and Swamp Thing to MAD Magazine and 2000 AD.

Unique in the comics industry in that they reflect both the professional and the reader’s choice, the Eagle Awards consists of two distinct stages:

(i) A Nominations Round allows the entire comics community to choose their favourites.

(ii) The top five nominations then appear on the voting form for the readers and fans to choose from, thus focusing the voting public on the main contenders resulting in no wasted votes.

ABOUT THE MCM LONDON COMIC CON:
MCM London Comic Con is organized by the MCM Expo Group as one of a number of pop culture events in their portfolio. London Comic Con is supported by major media companies such as Universal, Twentieth Century Fox, Warner Bros., Disney, Nintendo, Manga Entertainment, SFX and NEO to name but a few.

Taking place each May and October at London’s massive ExCeL exhibition centre, the MCM London Comic Con is now the main focus and must-be event for UK fans and industry to attend to promote new releases and forthcoming productions whether comics, movies, videogames, DVDs or books.

Over the last decade, the MCM London Comic Con has grown into the one UK show that is not to be missed. To find out more, visit http://www.londoncomiccon.net/

Web: http://www.mcmexpo.net/
Mailing Address: MCM Expo Group, PO Box 38727, London, E10 7YH, UK

FOLLOW:
www.twitter.com/mcmexpo

FRIEND:
www.facebook.com/mcmexpo

WATCH:
www.youtube.com/mcmexpo

Yu-Gi-Oh! GX: Masked Hero vs. Vision Hero

2012-01-04T12:37:00.000-08:00

I read Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, Vol. 8

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has free comics).

Naruto: Peace Viaduct

2012-01-04T07:38:00.000-08:00

I read Naruto, Vol. 54: 54: Viaduct to Peace (Naruto (Graphic Novels))

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has FREE smart phone apps and comics).

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for January 4 2012

2012-01-03T07:44:00.000-08:00

DC COMICS

NOV110125 ACTION COMICS #5 $3.99

NOV110128 ACTION COMICS #5 COMBO PACK $4.99

NOV110166 ANIMAL MAN #5 $2.99

AUG110277 ANNOTATED SANDMAN HC VOL 01 (MR) $49.99

SEP110181 BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT HC VOL 01 GOLDEN DAWN DLX ED $24.99

OCT110245 BATMAN THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE TP $19.99

NOV110144 BATWING #5 $2.99

NOV110196 DC COMICS THE NEW 52 PRESENTS THE DARK #1 $7.99

NOV110138 DETECTIVE COMICS #5 $2.99

NOV110118 GREEN ARROW #5 $2.99

NOV110187 HAWK AND DOVE #5 $2.99

NOV110151 HUNTRESS #4 (OF 6) $2.99

NOV110231 IZOMBIE #21 (MR) $2.99

OCT118138 JUSTICE LEAGUE #1 5TH PTG $3.99

NOV110108 JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #5 $2.99

NOV110179 MEN OF WAR #5 $3.99

NOV110177 OMAC #5 $2.99

NOV110137 PENGUIN PAIN AND PREJUDICE #4 (OF 5) $2.99

NOV110160 RED LANTERNS #5 $2.99

NOV110223 SCOOBY DOO WHERE ARE YOU #17 $2.99

OCT110253 SEVEN SOLDIERS OF VICTORY TP VOL 01 $29.99

NOV110185 STATIC SHOCK #5 $2.99

NOV110171 STORMWATCH #5 $2.99

NOV110218 SUPERNATURAL #4 (OF 6) $2.99

NOV110164 SWAMP THING #5 $2.99

NOV110236 SWEET TOOTH #29 (MR) $2.99

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for January 4 2012

2012-01-03T07:39:00.000-08:00

MARVEL COMICS

NOV110476 AVENGERS ACADEMY #24 $2.99

OCT110718 AVENGERS ACADEMY TP VOL 02 REAL WORLD $19.99

NOV110507 AVENGERS ANNUAL #1 $4.99

AUG110696 AVENGERS X-MEN PREM HC BLOODTIES $24.99

AUG110697 AVENGERS X-MEN PREM HC BLOODTIES DM VAR ED 82 $24.99

NOV110504 AVENGERS X-SANCTION #2 (OF 4) $3.99

NOV110487 DEFENDERS #2 $3.99

NOV110635 ENDERS GAME ULTIMATE COLLECTION TP $29.99

NOV110648 ESSENTIAL FANTASTIC FOUR TP VOL 04 NEW ED $19.99

NOV110474 FEAR ITSELF FEARLESS #6 (OF 12) $2.99

OCT110712 FEAR ITSELF PREM HC $34.99

NOV110541 HULK #47 $2.99

AUG110692 HULK WORLD WAR HULKS HC $29.99

AUG110693 INVINCIBLE IRON MAN HC VOL 02 $34.99

NOV110546 PUNISHER #7 $2.99

AUG110698 SPIDER-MAN MASQUES PREM HC $24.99

AUG110699 SPIDER-MAN MASQUES PREM HC DM VAR ED 83 $24.99

OCT110719 STAND TP VOL 02 AMERICAN NIGHTMARES $19.99

NOV110554 STRIKEFORCE MORITURI WE WHO ARE ABOUT TO DIE #1 $0.99

NOV110555 THOR DEVIANTS SAGA #3 (OF 5) $3.99

NOV110551 THUNDERBOLTS #168 $2.99

NOV118069 UNCANNY X-FORCE #18 2ND PTG OPENA VAR $3.99

NOV110575 UNCANNY X-FORCE #19.1 $2.99

NOV110563 UNCANNY X-MEN #4 $3.99

NOV110556 VILLAINS FOR HIRE #2 (OF 4) $2.99

NOV110562 WOLVERINE AND X-MEN ALPHA AND OMEGA #1 (OF 5) $3.99

NOV110574 X-23 #20 $2.99

NOV110581 X-CLUB #2 (OF 5) $2.99

AUG110694 X-FORCE HC VOL 02 $34.99

NOV110570 X-MEN #23 XREGB $3.99

AUG110706 YOUNG MARVELMAN CLASSIC PREM HC VOL 02 $34.99

IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for January 4 2012

2012-01-03T07:33:00.000-08:00

IDW PUBLISHING

NOV110299 COLD WAR #4 $3.99
NOV110335 CRAWL TO ME TP $17.99
NOV110339 CRYSIS TP $19.99
NOV110338 DUKE NUKEM GLORIOUS BASTARD TP $19.99
NOV110274 GI JOE VOL 2 ONGOING #9 $3.99
NOV110314 GODZILLA KINGDOM OF MONSTERS TP VOL 02 $17.99
NOV110310 GODZILLA LEGENDS #3 (OF 5) $3.99
NOV110327 JURASSIC PARK DANGEROUS GAMES #5 (OF 5) $3.99
NOV110323 STAR TREK LEGION OF SUPERHEROES #4 (OF 6) $3.99
OCT110376 TRUE BLOOD FRENCH QUARTER #5 (OF 6) $3.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for January 4 2012

2012-01-03T07:27:00.000-08:00

DARK HORSE COMICS

SEP110018 BPRD HELL ON EARTH TP VOL 02 GODS AND MONSTERS $19.99
OCT110052 BRODYS GHOST ONE SHOT $3.99
SEP110047 DISNEYS COMICS & STORIES CHARACTERS #5 PHANTOM BLOT $49.95
SEP110043 EERIE ARCHIVES HC VOL 09 $49.99
OCT110024 GOON #37 POWELL REG CVR $3.50
JUL110058 MILO MANARA 12 INCH STATUE $149.99
SEP110020 WITCHFINDER TP VOL 02 LOST AND GONE FOREVER $17.99

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for January 4 2012

2012-01-03T07:22:00.000-08:00

IMAGE COMICS

JUL110440 ARTIFACTS #13 (OF 13) CVR B CHRISTOPHER $3.99
JUL110441 ARTIFACTS #13 (OF 13) CVR C CHRISTOPHER $3.99
NOV110445 BLOOD RED DRAGON #3 $3.99
NOV110354 FATALE #1 CVR A (MR) $3.50
NOV110355 FATALE #1 CVR B (MR) $3.50
SEP110399 FEARLESS TP VOL 01 $14.99
JUN110541 GRAVEYARD OF EMPIRES #3 $2.99
AUG110527 LIL DEPRESSED BOY #8 $2.99
OCT110564 MUDMAN #2 $3.50
OCT110478 SCREAMLAND DEATH O/T PARTY TP $16.99
JUL110545 SHINKU #4 (MR) $2.99
OCT110571 SUPER DINOSAUR #7 $2.99
OCT110573 VESCELL #5 (MR) $2.99
NOV118073 WITCHBLADE #151 COMICS PRO VARIANT CVR $2.99
AUG110425 WITCHBLADE #151 CVR A CHRISTOPHER $2.99
AUG110426 WITCHBLADE #151 CVR B CALERO $2.99

Comics and Magazines from Diamond Distributors for January 4 2012

2012-01-03T07:17:00.000-08:00

COMICS

OCT111198 2000 AD #1763 $5.00

OCT111199 2000 AD PROG 2012 $10.00

OCT111189 ASTERIX OMNIBUS HC VOL 03 $27.95

SEP110777 ATLAS UNIFIED #1 CVR A GRIM GHOST $2.99

SEP110778 ATLAS UNIFIED #1 CVR B PHOENIX $2.99

SEP110779 ATLAS UNIFIED #1 CVR C WULF $2.99

SEP110780 ATLAS UNIFIED #1 CVR D WRAP $3.99

SEP111052 BATTLESTAR GALACTICA ORIGINS OMNIBUS TP $24.99

NOV110835 BETRAYAL O/T PLANET O/T APES #3 (OF 4) $3.99

OCT110814 BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #197 $3.99

AUG110802 BILLY FOG GIFT OF TROUBLE SIGHT HC $24.95

OCT111245 BLACK BIRD GN VOL 12 $9.99

AUG110804 BLACK FIRE HC (MR) $24.95

NOV110933 BOYS #62 (MR) $3.99

OCT111148 CAGE OF EDEN GN VOL 03 $10.99

JUL111024 CHARLIE ADLARD CURSE O/T WENDIGO TP $7.99

OCT111297 CHARMED #17 $3.50

JUN110826 CYCLOPS #8 (MR) $3.95

OCT110799 DARE DETECTIVES SNOW PEA PLOT COLL ED HC $24.95

OCT111242 DENGEKI DAISY GN VOL 08 $9.99

AUG111030 DF AVENGERS 1959 #1 CHAYKIN SGN ED $19.59

SEP111078 DF CORNUCOPIA COMICS COLLECTORS SET $49.99

AUG111027 DF UNCANNY X-MEN #544 STAN LEE SGN ED $299.99

OCT111076 DF VOLTRON #1 EXC VIRGIN CVR PI

SEP110930 DONALD DUCK AND FRIENDS DOUBLE DUCK SC VOL 03 $9.99

NOV110965 DORK TOWER COLL TP VOL 05 UNDERSTANDING GAMERS (NEW PTG) $15.99

SEP111117 EC ARCHIVES HAUNT OF FEAR HC VOL 01 $49.95

SEP111116 EC ARCHIVES VAULT OF HORROR HC VOL 02 $49.95

NOV110802 ELRIC THE BALANCE LOST #7 $3.99

NOV110754 FERALS #1 (MR) $3.99

NOV110755 FERALS #1 GORE CVR (MR) $3.99

NOV110756 FERALS #1 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99

OCT110981 FLASH GORDON ZEITGEIST #2 $3.99

OCT111258 FLUFFY FLUFFY CINNAMOROLL GN VOL 01 $7.99

SEP111304 GFT MYTHS & LEGENDS #11 A CVR MOLENAAR (MR) $2.99

SEP111305 GFT MYTHS & LEGENDS #11 B CVR SPAY (MR) $2.99

SEP110714 GOLD DIGGER #134 $3.99

OCT110774 GOLD DIGGER HOLIDAYS SPECIAL #1 $3.50

SEP111204 HABIBI HC SGN BOOKPLATE ED (MR) $35.00

SEP110864 HELLRAISER #9 (MR) $3.99

NOV110810 HELLRAISER MASTERPIECES #5 (MR) $3.99

OCT111170 INNER SANCTUM GN $16.99

OCT111201 INSURRECTION TP $20.99

NOV110813 IRREDEEMABLE #33 $3.99

OCT111203 JUDGE DREDD COMP CASE FILES TP (S&S ED) VOL 04 $19.99

SEP111023 KATO ORIGINS TP VOL 02 HELLFIRE CLUB $19.99

OCT111161 KEEP OUR SECRETS BOARD BOOK $15.95

OCT111243 KIMI NI TODOKE GN VOL 12 FROM ME TO YOU $9.99

NOV111024 KODT BUNDLE OF TROUBLE TP VOL 06 (NEW PTG) $12.99

NOV110857 LADY DEATH (ONGOING) #13 (MR) $3.99

NOV110858 LADY DEATH (ONGOING) #13 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99

OCT110815 LIFE WITH ARCHIE #16 $3.99

OCT111045 LIVING CORPSE EXHUMED #5 (OF 6) $3.99

OCT111150 LOVE HINA OMNIBUS TP KODANSHA ED VOL 02 $19.99

OCT110924 MALIGNANT MAN TP $14.99

AUG111105 MONSTER HUNTER ORAGE TP VOL 03 (MR) $10.99

NOV111126 NARUTO TP VOL 54 $9.99

OCT111153 NEGIMA OMNIBUS GN VOL 03 (MR) $19.99

OCT110980 NOWHERE MAN #1 (OF 4) $3.99

NOV111127 ONE PIECE TP VOL 60 $9.99

OCT111244 ORESAMA TEACHER GN VOL 06 $9.99

NOV110837 PEANUTS #1 (OF 4) $3.99

OCT111231 PRICE ONE SHOT (MR) $3.99

NOV110679 PROCESS RECESS HC VOL 03 HALLOWED SEAM (O/A) (MR) $34.95

OCT111247 PSYREN GN VOL 02 $9.99

SEP110693 RACHEL RISING #4 $3.99

OCT110749 RAISING AMY GN $15.99

OCT110977 ROBOCOP ROAD TRIP #1 (MR) $3.99

OCT111250 ROSARIO VAMPIRE SEASON II TP VOL 07 $9.99

AUG111288 SALEMS DAUGHTER HAUNTING #4 A CVR SEJIC (MR) $2.99

AUG111289 SALEMS DAUGHTER HAUNTING #4 B CVR SANDERS (MR) $2.99

OCT110958 SCHOOL BITES SPECIAL SEMESTER COLL TP $19.99

DEC100761 SCOURGE #6 COVER A BATTLE $2.99

DEC100762 SCOURGE #6 COVER B GARZA $2.99

OCT111249 SHONEN JUMP FEBRUARY 2012 $4.99

OCT111241 SKIP BEAT TP VOL 26 $9.99

OCT110835 SOULFIRE VOL 3 #6 CVR A FABOK $3.50

OCT110836 SOULFIRE VOL 3 #6 CVR B GUNNELL $3.50

OCT110750 SUPERFUN ADVENTURES OF JAX GN $15.99

SEP111239 TANK GIRL BAD WIND RISING HC $19.95

SEP111238 TANK GIRL CARIOCA #3 (OF 3) (MR) $5.99

NOV111042 TERMINALLY ILLIN #1 (MR) $4.95

NOV110900 THE LONE RANGER #1 $3.99

OCT111295 THEATER #4 A CVR EBAS (MR) $3.99

OCT111296 THEATER #4 B CVR MEDINA (MR) $3.99

NOV110826 VALEN OUTCAST #2 MAIN CVRS $3.99

AUG111133 VAMPIRE PA PITTSBURGH NOIR LTD HC $34.95

NOV110913 VAMPIRELLA VS DRACULA #1 $3.99

AUG111048 WANDERING SON HC VOL 02 $19.99

SEP111004 WARLORD OF MARS DEJAH THORIS #9 (MR) $3.99

OCT111248 YU GI OH GX GN VOL 08 $9.99

NOV110909 ZORRO RIDES AGAIN #7 (OF 12) $3.99

MAGAZINES
OCT111309 ALTER EGO #106 $7.95
OCT111363 AVENGER DOUBLE NOVEL VOL 06 $14.95
SEP111350 CLASSIC MARVEL FIG COLL MAG #162 KARNAK $14.00
SEP111351 CLASSIC MARVEL FIG COLL MAG #163 HYDRO MAN $14.00
SEP111352 CLASSIC MARVEL FIG COLL MAG SPEC MODOK $38.00
SEP111360 DC SUPERHERO FIG COLL MAG #96 PHANTOM STRANGER $14.00
SEP111361 DC SUPERHERO FIG COLL MAG #97 CHEETAH $14.00
SEP111362 DC SUPERHERO FIG COLL MAG SPECIAL CLAYFACE $38.00
NOV111246 DOC SAVAGE DOUBLE NOVEL VOL 54 $14.95
SEP111368 DR WHO INSIDER #9 $6.99
SEP111386 HOBBY JAPAN DEC 2011 #96 $16.60
OCT111331 HOGANS ALLEY #18 $6.95
OCT111200 JUDGE DREDD MEGAZINE #318 $11.99
NOV111249 LONE RANGER MAGAZINE NOV 1937 REPLICA ED $14.95
OCT111345 SCREAM MAGAZINE #8 $9.00
SEP111393 SFX SPECIAL #53 $17.99
NOV111250 SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOL 56 $14.95
NOV111255 STAR WARS FIG COLL MAG #44 LEIA BOUSHH $14.00
OCT111373 STAR WARS INSIDER #130 SPECIAL PX ED $7.99

"The Vault" TPB Due Jan. 18th 2012

2012-01-02T08:31:00.000-08:00

THE VAULT TRADE OPENS IN JANUARY

Collecting the sold out 3-issue miniseries

Debuting in the Summer of 2011, THE VAULT miniseries received critical acclaim and quickly sold out of each issue within days of their release. Fans, looking to catch up on THE VAULT, won’t have to wait much longer. Image Comics announces that THE VAULT VOL. 1 TP,written by Sam Sarkar (Caliber: First Canon of Justice), illustrated by Garrie Gastonny (Warren Ellis’ Supergod) and edited by Dave Elliott will be on sale January 18th, 2012.

THE VAULT, recently optioned for a feature film adaptation from Johnny Depp’s Infinitum Nihil and Graham King’s GK Films, is about a small team of treasure hunters, struggling to excavate a dangerous and legendary treasure pit before a massive storm hits Sable Island, the "Graveyard of the North Atlantic." Equipped with all the latest technology, the scientists believe they are prepared against all of nature's fury, but nothing can prepare them for what they are about to unleash.

THE VAULT has garnered rave attention from retailers, reviewers and fans:

“THE VAULT lays the groundwork for an exciting heist gone horribly wrong. You don’t want to miss out on this deep-sea adventure!” - Fangoria

“Sam Sarkar and Garrie Gastonny are giving us something very genuine and very scary with this book, and it’s an event I personally haven’t seen the likes of in a long time.” - Comic Attack

“The comic delivers the goods in terms of horror.” - Famous Monsters of Filmland

“I enjoyed this enough that I know I am all in for a follow-up series. If you like slasher flicks or science fiction horror then this is the series for you.” - Comic List

“The Vault is a must read on my list so make it a part of yours… NOW!” – Decapitated Dan Royer (decapitateddan.com)

“What a gem of a book! I can totally recommend The Vault. Get it now.” - Weekly Comic Book Review

“You can judge a book by its cover, because The Vault is a hell of a read, promising even more hell to come.” – Comic Book Bin (Leroy Douresseaux)

THE VAULT VOL. 1 TP, a 96-page full-color paperback, will be on sale in stores January 18, 2012 for $9.99 and is available to order in the November 2011 edition of Diamond Previews (NOV110420, ISBN: 978-1-60706-485-5). For more information, please visit www.facebook.com/thevaultcomic or www.twitter.com/thevaultcomic.

ABOUT SAM SARKAR
Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Sam Sarkar is a 23-year veteran of the entertainment industry. He began his career as an actor and was one of the leads on the long-running, syndicated television series Neon Rider. Following the series, Sam decided to pursue writing and worked for the hit television series Beverly Hills 90210. Stemming from his work on the show, he also co-wrote a television pilot for Spelling Entertainment under the direct guidance of TV legend Aaron Spelling. Deciding then to embark on feature films, Sam took some chances, following a varied path of writing screenplays and working as a sound technician. In 2004, after working on several films with actor Johnny Depp, Sam was asked to help run Depp's production company, Infinitum Nihil, headed by Christi Dembrowski. As Senior VP at the company, he continues to serve the varied needs of Hollywood as an executive, producer and writer.

ABOUT GARRIE GASTONNY
Having worked as a comic book artist and illustration lecturer, Garrie Gastonny now mainly focuses on illustration to avoid getting beaten up. Garrie also serves as Senior Artist at Imaginary Friends Studios. His credits include Warren Ellis' Supergod, Caliber: First Canon of Justice and Lady Death. For more information about the artist, please visit http://thegerjoos.deviantart.com/.

Tony Millionaire Book Signing Jan. 7th in Seattle

2012-01-01T09:01:00.000-08:00

Tony Millionaire: Portraits Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery January 7th

Provocative cartoonist Tony Millionaire will appear in Seattle at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery on Saturday, January 7 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM for a book signing and art show. He'll be exhibiting brilliantly austere work from his new book 500 Portraits, recently released by Fantagraphics Books.

500 Portraits collects over two decades of work by the beloved creator of Drinky Crow's Maakies, Sock Monkey and Billy Hazelnuts. Tony Millionaire's gorgeous fountain pen illustrations, which combine naturalistic detail with strong doses of the fanciful and grotesque, include the famous (Bob Dylan), the infamous (Abu Ghraib soldier/model Lynndie England), the fictional (Yoda), the animal kingdom (a cockroach), and everything in between. Literary figures (Hemingway), literary characters (Don Quixote & Sancho Panza), Hollywood legends (Steven Spielberg), comics icons (Hergé, Daniel Clowes, Hernandez Brothers, etc.) and historical figures (Hitler) also figure prominently.

Many of these 500 portraits were created for The Believer, the magazine founded by Dave Eggers that Millionaire helped define visually with images of interview subjects in every issue. The book also includes dozens of illustrations from various other publications, including The New York Times, The New Yorker, Ephemera Press Historical Maps, The Wall Street Journal, and others.

The artist will be present to sign copies of his many Fantagraphics titles as well as the recent Encyclopedia of Hell and other works. The evening will also feature the premiere of the short live-action film "Everybody Loves Drinky Crow" by Fantagraphics Bookstore curator Larry Reid.

Listing information:

Tony Millionaire
PORTRAITS
Artist reception & book signing
Saturday, January 7, 6:00 to 9:00 PM
Exhibition continues through February 8, 2012

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery
1201 S. Vale Street (at Airport Way S.)
Seattle, WA 98108
206.658.0110
Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM

I Reads a New Year

2012-01-01T08:08:00.000-08:00

Welcome to I Reads You. We just finished the second full calendar year of the blog, and I'm ready for a third fullyear. In this blog, I write about the things I read (mostly comic books, comics, and related books) and about the things I come across worth reading (mostly about comic books, politics, and entertainment). Sometimes I’ll comment on “real” books and the mass media.

I’m Leroy Douresseaux, and I have another blog: http://www.negromancer.com/. I also write for the Comic Book Bin (which has smart phones apps and comics).

All images and text appearing on this blog are copyright © and/or trademark their respective owners.

Oresama Teacher Has Secret

2011-12-31T11:30:00.000-08:00

I read Oresama Teacher, Vol. 6

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has free comics).

Psyren: Baby Universe

2011-12-29T11:28:00.000-08:00

I read Psyren, Vol. 2

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has free comics).

Leroy Douresseaux Reviews MISTER WONDERFUL: A Love Story

2011-12-28T08:49:00.000-08:00

MISTER WONDERFUL: A LOVE STORY
PANTHEON BOOKS

CARTOONIST: Daniel Clowes
ISBN: 978-0-307-37813-2; hardcover
80pp, Color, $19.95 U.S., $22.95 CAN

The New York Times Magazine is a Sunday magazine supplement included with the Sunday edition of The New York Times. Beginning in September 2005, the magazine began a literary section called “The Funny Pages.” One part of “The Funny Pages” is “the Strip,” which is essentially a comics section. Here, some of the top names in alternative comics, like Jaime Hernandez, Megan Kelso, Seth, and Chris Ware, among others, would offer multi-part stories serialized over several months (thus far, from four to 7 months).

Mister Wonderful is a comics serial created by Daniel Clowes and published from September 2007 to February 2008. Dan Clowes modified and expanded Mister Wonderful, and earlier this year (April 2011), Pantheon Books published it as a hardcover color graphic novel entitled Mister Wonderful: A Love Story (at a size of 6” x 11.2” which is similar to books that reprint newspaper comic strips).

The title, Mister Wonderful, refers to the story’s central character, Marshall, a divorced, middle-aged man out on a blind date. Marshall is a loner and is also in financial distress, neither of which is helped by his occasional flaring temper. As the story opens, Marshall is waiting for his blind date, a 39-year-old woman named Natalie. As the minutes tick by, Marshall imagines himself as being on the date that will change his life. Will this date be the one that lets him be a dashing, heroic type, a “Mister Wonderful?” He may be more right than he imagines, but is this rather unconventional fellow up to the task?

Mister Wonderful is completely about Marshall. Clowes tells the story (except for a few odd moments) as a first-person narrative, so readers who cannot engage Marshall will likely dislike the story. Natalie is really a supporting player, and she isn’t so much a character as she is a caricature, cipher, or type.

Marshall, in a sense, is also a type – a Dan Clowes type. Marshall is the self-absorbed, loser-in-distress. He doesn’t think that he is better than anyone else; he simply thinks that getting to know other people, for the most part, doesn’t add value to the rest of his life. In one way, Marshall is largely an enigma, but Clowes is delving into Marshall’s soul; he’s focusing on the parts of Marshall’s personality that will come forward to address the nerve-racking experience – a date. And Marshall has been dateless for six years or so. I can’t help but think that if we knew if Marshall had engaged in sexual intercourse in the time since his marriage dissolved that it would tell us a lot more about him.

Truthfully, what I like about this book is what I like about Clowes work. It is his ability to take oddball contrarians and make them so interesting, engaging, and even alluring. After reading Mister Wonderful, I realized that I watched the story of a loser who transforms into a lovable loser as he finally won something, in spite of himself and in spite of what others may think of him. Even when it seems like life is beating him down, Marshall is going to win. It’s a wonderful life, indeed.

A

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for December 28 2011

2011-12-27T11:28:00.000-08:00

DC COMICS

OCT110226 ALL STAR WESTERN #4 $3.99

OCT110281 AMERICAN VAMPIRE #22 (MR) $2.99

OCT110163 AQUAMAN #4 $2.99

OCT110189 BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT #4 $2.99

OCT110224 BLACKHAWKS #4 $2.99

SEP110179 CHASE TP $29.99

APR110267 COVER GIRLS OF THE DCU STARFIRE STATUE $99.99

OCT110237 DC COMICS PRESENTS BATMAN BLAZE OF GLORY #1 $7.99

OCT110240 DC COMICS PRESENTS BATMAN URBAN LEGENDS #1 $7.99

SEP110174 DC COMICS PRESENTS ELSEWORLDS 80 PAGE GIANT #1 $7.99

OCT110235 DC COMICS PRESENTS LEGION OF SUPER HEROES #2 $7.99

OCT110174 DC UNIVERSE ONLINE LEGENDS #20 $2.99

OCT110283 DMZ #72 (MR) $2.99

OCT110166 FLASH #4 $2.99

OCT110170 FURY OF FIRESTORM THE NUCLEAR MEN #4 $2.99

OCT110277 GEARS OF WAR #21 (MR) $2.99

OCT110206 GREEN LANTERN NEW GUARDIANS #4 $2.99

SEP110218 HELLBLAZER TP VOL 02 THE DEVIL YOU KNOW NEW ED (MR) $19.99

SEP110224 HOUSE OF MYSTERY TP VOL 07 CONCEPTION (MR) $14.99

OCT110214 I VAMPIRE #4 $2.99

JAN110451 JLA TROPHY ROOM RED LANTERN BATTERY PROP REPLICA $350.00

OCT110210 JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #4 $2.99

OCT110234 LEGION SECRET ORIGIN #3 (OF 6) $2.99

SEP110184 LOBO UNBOUND TP (MR) $17.99

SEP110191 ROOTS OF THE SWAMP THING TP $29.99

OCT110175 SAVAGE HAWKMAN #4 $2.99

OCT110298 SPACEMAN #3 (OF 9) (MR) $2.99

OCT110181 SUPERMAN #4 $2.99

MAY110250 SUPERMANS GIRL FRIEND LOIS LANE ARCHIVES HC VOL 01 $59.99

OCT110228 TEEN TITANS #4 $2.99

OCT110279 UNCHARTED #2 (OF 6) $2.99

OCT110300 UNWRITTEN #32.5 (MR) $2.99

OCT110221 VOODOO #4 $2.99

APR110281 WOMEN OF THE DCU SER 3 ZATANNA BUST $60.00

OCT100360 WORLD OF WARCRAFT SER 8 BLACK KNIGHT AF PI

OCT100362 WORLD OF WARCRAFT SER 8 FORSAKEN PRIESTESS AF PI

OCT100361 WOW SER 8 GNOME ROGUE VS KOBOLD MINER AF PI

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for December 28 2011

2011-12-27T11:22:00.000-08:00

MARVEL COMICS

OCT110639 ALPHA FLIGHT #7 $2.99

OCT110640 ANNIHILATORS EARTHFALL #4 (OF 4) $3.99

OCT110689 ASTONISHING X-MEN #45 $3.99

AUG110613 AVENGERS CHILDRENS CRUSADE #8 (OF 9) $3.99

OCT110602 AVENGERS SOLO #3 (OF 5) $3.99

OCT118095 AVENGERS X-SANCTION #1 2ND PTG MCGUINNESS VAR A $3.99

OCT118096 AVENGERS X-SANCTION #1 2ND PTG MCGUINNESS VAR B $3.99

OCT110642 BLACK PANTHER MOST DANGEROUS MAN ALIVE #527 $2.99

SEP110546 CAPTAIN AMERICA #5 $3.99

OCT110599 CAPTAIN AMERICA #6 $3.99

OCT110636 CAPTAIN AMERICA AND BUCKY #625 $2.99

OCT110670 DEADPOOL #48 $2.99

OCT110617 DOROTHY AND WIZARD IN OZ #4 (OF 8) $3.99

SEP110684 ESSENTIAL SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 07 NEW ED $19.99

OCT110651 FF #13 $2.99

OCT110726 GENERATION HOPE SCHISM TP $16.99

OCT110725 HULK BY JOHN BYRNE AND RON GARNEY TP $34.99

OCT118116 INCREDIBLE HULK #2 2ND PTG SILVESTRI VAR (PP #999) $3.99

OCT110655 IRON MAN 2.0 #12 $2.99

OCT110723 KA-ZAR TP BURNING SEASON $16.99

OCT110695 KICK-ASS 2 #6 (MR) (OF 7) $2.99

OCT110594 MIGHTY THOR #9 $3.99

OCT110705 MMW GOLDEN AGE MARVEL COMICS TP VOL 01 $29.99

OCT110706 MMW GOLDEN AGE MARVEL COMICS TP VOL 01 DM VAR ED 36 $29.99

OCT110666 MUPPETS PRESENTS TREASURE OF PEG LEG WILSON $5.99

OCT110716 MYSTERY MEN PREM HC $19.99

OCT110605 SECRET AVENGERS #20 $3.99

OCT110729 SECRET AVENGERS TP VOL 02 EYES OF DRAGON $19.99

OCT110662 SPIDER-MAN #21 $2.99

OCT110623 ULTIMATE COMICS ULTIMATES #5 $3.99

OCT110626 ULTIMATE COMICS X-MEN #5 $3.99

OCT110671 UNCANNY X-MEN #3 XREGB $3.99

OCT110660 VENGEANCE #6 (OF 6) $3.99

OCT110740 X-MEN AGE OF X TP $24.99

OCT110674 X-MEN LEGACY #260 XREGG $2.99

OCT110711 X-MEN SCHISM HC $24.99

IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for December 28 2011

2011-12-27T11:10:00.000-08:00

IDW PUBLISHING

OCT110418 30 DAYS OF NIGHT ONGOING #3 $3.99
OCT110390 ANNE RICE SERVANT OF THE BONES #5 (OF 6) $3.99
OCT110355 DUNGEONS & DRAGONS HC VOL 02 FIRST ENCOUNTERS $24.99
OCT110351 DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS #14 $3.99
SEP110268 JOE HILL THE CAPE #3 (OF 4) $3.99
OCT110381 MONOCYTE #2 (OF 4) $3.99
OCT110359 STAR TREK ONGOING #4 $3.99
OCT110344 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES MICRO SERIES #2 MICHELANGELO $3.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for December 28 2011

2011-12-27T08:01:00.001-08:00

DARK HORSE COMICS

OCT110017 ANGEL & FAITH #5 REBEKAH ISSACS VAR CVR $2.99
OCT110016 ANGEL & FAITH #5 STEVE MORRIS CVR $2.99
SEP110042 BROTHERS OF THE SPEAR ARCHIVES HC VOL 01 $49.99
AUG110059 DISNEYS COMICS & STORIES CHARACTERS #4 MICKEY MOUSE $49.95
AUG110047 GANTZ TP VOL 20 $12.99
AUG110056 MASS EFFECT NORMANDY SR2 CERBERUS SHIP REPLICA $34.99
AUG110048 OH MY GODDESS RTL TP VOL 40 $10.99
OCT110034 STAR WARS CRIMSON EMPIRE III EMPIRE LOST #3 (OF 6) $3.50
OCT110037 THE GUILD ZABOO #1 DORKIN CVR $3.50

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for December 28 2011

2011-12-27T07:56:00.000-08:00

IMAGE COMICS

JUN110524 ARTIFACTS #12 (OF 13) CVR A HORN $3.99
JUN110525 ARTIFACTS #12 (OF 13) CVR B CHRISTOPHER $3.99
SEP100490 GODLAND #35 $2.99
OCT110546 GREEN WAKE #8 (MR) $3.50
OCT110549 HACK SLASH #11 CVR A SEELEY & BADILLA (MR) $3.50
OCT110550 HACK SLASH #11 CVR B LAISO (MR) $3.50
AUG110523 HAUNT #20 $2.99
MAR110591 MICE TEMPLAR VOL 3 #6 MICHAEL AVON OEMING CVR $2.99
MAR110592 MICE TEMPLAR VOL 3 #6 SANTOS & GANDINI CVR $2.99
SEP110381 SHAKY KANES MONSTER TRUCK GN $14.99
OCT110486 SPAWN ORIGINS TP VOL 13 $14.99
OCT110578 WALKING DEAD WEEKLY #52 (MR) $2.99
OCT110447 WITCH DOCTOR RESUSCITATION ONE SHOT $2.99

Comics and Magazines from Diamond Distributors for December 28 2011

2011-12-27T07:50:00.000-08:00

PREVIEWS PUBLICATIONS
NOV110003 PREVIEWS #280 JANUARY 2012 PI

COMICS
SEP111210 2000 AD #1759 $5.00

SEP111211 2000 AD #1760 $5.00

SEP111212 2000 AD #1761 $5.00

SEP111213 2000 AD #1762 $5.00

OCT111145 AIR GEAR GN VOL 21 (MR) $10.99

OCT111146 ANIMAL LAND GN VOL 03 $10.99

NOV111252 ANTHOLOGY OF GRAPHIC FICTION HC (SALE ED) $9.99

OCT110807 ARCHIE #628 (ARCHIE MEETS KISS PT 2 ) $2.99

NOV110856 ART OF LADY DEATH HC VOL 01 SDCC ED $49.99

OCT110893 BART SIMPSON COMICS #66 $2.99

OCT110813 BETTY & VERONICA BATTLE OF THE BFFS $9.99

MAY118026 BIONICLE GN VOL 01 (NEW PTG) $8.99

SEP111215 BLACKHAWK GN (REBELLION ED) $24.99

OCT111147 BLOODY MONDAY GN VOL 03 $10.99

SEP110689 BROADCAST TV DOODLES OF HENRY FLINT SC (MR) $19.99

OCT111133 CARTOON INTRODUCTION TO ECONOMICS TP VOL 02 MACROECONOMICS $17.95

AUG110765 CHICKEN FIGHTER PKT MANGA VOL 02 $14.95

NOV110770 CROSSED BADLANDS OPENING SALVO (MR) $1.99

NOV110772 CROSSED PSYCHOPATH #6 (OF 7) AUXILIARY ED (MR) $3.99

SEP110744 DADDYS LITTLE GIRL GN $14.95

OCT111143 DANGER ACADEMY GN $8.99

AUG111032 DF WARLORD OF MARS #13 RISQUE RED CVR $14.99

OCT110936 DUCKTALES #1 8 BIT SDCC VAR CVR $9.99

OCT111134 EVOLUTION STORY LIFE ON EARTH GN $14.95

AUG111075 EXTINCTION SEED #1 (OF 6) CVR A & B $2.99

MAY110857 FATHOM VOL 4 #3 CVR A KONAT $2.99

MAY110858 FATHOM VOL 4 #3 CVR B NOME $2.99

OCT111181 FRENEMY OF THE STATE #5 (OF 5) (RES) $3.99

OCT111031 GAME OF THRONES #4 (MR) $3.99

SEP118166 GET FUZZY MASTERS OF THE NONSENSEVERSE TP (PP #997) $12.99

AUG111090 HEALTH CARE REFORM SC $13.95

OCT111197 HOTWIRE HC VOL 01 LTD SGN ED (MR) $39.99

OCT110918 INCORRUPTIBLE #25 $3.99

SEP110690 INDIFFERENCE ENGINE HOLOGRAPHIC NOVEL SC (MR) $15.99

SEP110994 KIRBY GENESIS CAPTAIN VICTORY #2 $3.99

OCT110828 KNIGHTINGAIL #2 $3.99

NOV110854 LADY DEATH (ONGOING) #7 FAN EXPO CVR (MR) $9.99

NOV110853 LADY DEATH (ONGOING) #9 AUXILIARY (MR) $3.99

NOV110855 LADY DEATH ORIGINS ANNUAL #1 AUXILIARY (MR) $4.99

OCT111221 LENORE VOLUME II #4 $3.99

SEP111173 LOUIS - RED LETTER DAY HC NEW ED $14.99

NOV111013 LUIS ROYO SUBVERSIVE BEAUTY REG ED HC (O/A) (MR) $19.95

AUG111077 MEDITERRANEA #6 (OF 14) $2.99

AUG111106 PHOENIX WRIGHT GN VOL 03 $10.99

OCT111124 POTENTIAL GN VOL 01 TWO PERCENT HERO (O/A) $16.95

APR110775 RALPH FILMORE GN $14.95

MAY111024 RED SONJA #61 $3.99

AUG110798 RIPPERMAN GN $14.95

AUG111004 ROBERT JORDAN WHEEL OF TIME EYE O/T WORLD #18 $3.99

OCT111155 SAYONARA ZETSUBOU SENSEI GN VOL 12 $10.99

OCT110960 SCHOOL BITES GN VOL 02 (O/A) $12.95

OCT110895 SIMPSONS SUPER SPECTACULAR #14 $2.99

AUG111078 SKELETON STORY #6 (OF 6) $2.99

OCT110820 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #232 $2.99

OCT110941 SPACE WARPED #6 (OF 6) $3.99

NOV110773 STITCHED #1 AUXILIARY ED (MR) $3.99

OCT111156 TOKYO MEW MEW OMNIBUS TP VOL 02 $14.99

OCT110932 TOO MUCH COFFEE MAN #1 FACSIMILE ED (MR) $3.99

SEP111063 WALT & SKEEZIX HC VOL 05 1929-1930 $39.95

NOV110847 WAR GODDESS #3 AUXILIARY (MR) $3.99

SEP111001 WARLORD OF MARS #14 $3.99

OCT110822 WORLD OF ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #13 $3.99

MAGAZINES
APR111339 007 MAGAZINE ARCHIVE FILES LIVING DAYLIGHTS LICENCE TO KILL $18.00
OCT111354 CINEFEX #128 DECEMBER 2011 $12.50
OCT111658 COLOR INK DIY ART PERIODICAL VOL 12 $10.00
NOV111197 COMICS REVUE PRESENTS DEC 2011 $19.95
SEP111214 JUDGE DREDD MEGAZINE #317 $11.99

Kimi Ni Todoke: Dad Meets the Lad

2011-12-26T13:50:00.000-08:00

I read Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 12

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has FREE smart phone apps and comics).

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

2011-12-25T07:35:00.000-08:00

I wish you all the best and even better in the new year.

I Reads You Review: Millar & McNiven's NEMESIS

2011-12-24T10:50:00.000-08:00

MILLAR & MCNIVEN’S NEMESIS
MARVEL COMICS/ICON

WRITER: Mark Millar
ARTIST: Steve McNiven
COLORS: Dave McCaig
LETTERS: Chris Eliopoulos
EXTRA ART: Leinil Francis Yu, John Cassaday, and Mark Millar
ISBN: 978-0-7851-4865-4; hardcover
112pp, Color, $19.99 U.S., $22.50 CAN

Nemesis is a four-issue comic book miniseries from the team of writer Mark Millar and artist Steve McNiven. Millar and McNiven produced two hugely popular Marvel event projects: Civil War, a six-issue series that was the impetus for a line-wide event, and the graphic novel, Wolverine: Old Man Logan (originally serialized in Wolverine Vol. 3 #66-72 and Wolverine Giant-Size Old Man Logan).

Nemesis is a creator-owned title that Marvel Comics published in 2010 under its Icon imprint. The four issues are collected in a hardcover volume entitled, Millar & McNiven’s Nemesis. This book has a dust jacket and includes Millar’s afterword from Nemesis #1, the variant covers from all four issues (including a cool one by Millar), a script-to-art comparison, and advertisements for two other Millar comic book projects (Superior and Kick-Ass 2).

The series focuses on two characters. The first is a Batman-like character, called “Nemesis,” who uses his skills, resources, wealth, and whatever super powers and abilities he has for evil rather than for good. Nemesis is very much like the Heath Ledger Joker in Christopher Nolan’s Batman movie, The Dark Knight (2008). What if a cool billionaire with all those planes, cars and gadgets, put on a mask and waged war on the forces of law and order, Millar asks.

The second character is Nemesis’ target and opponent, Chief Blake Morrow, the Chief of Police of Washington D.C. He is like Clint Eastwood’s “Dirty Harry” Callahan and Bruce Willis’ John McClane (from the Die Hard movies) blended into Commissioner James Gordon from the Batman comics. Plus, he is a staunch, conservative (pro-life, anti-gay) Catholic.

The story depicts Nemesis’ campaign against D.C. as part of a bid to be the winner in a small war he is waging against Morrow. Nemesis’ reign of terror leaves untold numbers of civilians dead and creates collateral damage (mostly among Morrow’s family, friends, and coworkers). Morrow believes Nemesis is seeking revenge against him because the villain claims to be Matthew Anderson, the only child of a couple whose depraved crimes where revealed by Morrow. As he gets closer to Nemesis, however, Morrow wonders what is true and what is just gamesmanship when it comes to Nemesis, the world’s only super-criminal.

I love a great villain – from Iago to Hannibal Lector: the conniving, brilliant, and/or genius types. I rooted for Heath Ledger’s Joker in The Dark Knight, and it is hard not to love the X-Men’s Magneto.

Nemesis features a criminal genius and super-villain whose arrogance is as alluring as it is hilarious. In a series that offers some pretty deranged scenes, Nemesis’ best moments have the villain killing cops and other law enforcement and authority types. I don’t see Nemesis as a guilty pleasure or sinful delight because I don’t feel guilty about loving it so much, although if I am honest, perhaps it is a sin to take such delight in the depiction of cops getting killed by the dozens.

Millar paints the characters in broad strokes throughout the series, but the sharp dialogue makes them likeable, nonetheless. Steve McNiven’s art, from the standpoint of style, is acceptable, though it makes me wonder why he is so acclaimed. However, McNiven’s storytelling and page design are why this story is an action-packed page-turner that is tense even where there isn’t brutal action splashed across the page.

I read Millar & McNiven’s Nemesis in one sitting, flipping pages as if my life depended upon it. My life doesn’t depend on a sequel, but my life would be better in those moments when I’m reading a sequel.

A

Tenjo Tenge: The Natsumes

2011-12-23T07:58:00.000-08:00

I read Tenjo Tenge, Vol. 4: Full Contact Edition 2-in-1

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has free comics).

Leroy Douresseaux Reviews JOE THE BARBARIAN: The Deluxe Edition

2011-12-22T05:35:00.000-08:00

JOE THE BARBARIAN: THE DELUXE EDITION
DC COMICS/Vertigo

WRITERS: Grant Morrison
ARTIST: Sean Murphy
COLORS: Dave Stewart
LETTERS: Todd Klein
ISBN: 978-1-4012-2971-9; hardcover
224pp, Color, $29.99 U.S., $34.00 CAN

Sean Gordon Murphy is the New Hampshire-born, Brooklyn-based animator and comic book artist best known for his work with DC Comics, including the Batman/Scarecrow: Year One miniseries and Hellbazer. He has also had work published by Dark Horse Comics and Oni Press. I mention Murphy because he is ready to be a star. He should be a star, and a new hardcover comics collection testifies to that.

Joe the Barbarian is an eight-issue miniseries created and written by Grant Morrison and drawn by Sean Murphy with colors by Dave Stewart. Published during 2010 (cover date March 2010 to March 2011) by Vertigo, the DC Comics imprint, the series blended both high and epic fantasy with quest fantasy, sword-and-sorcery, and juvenile fiction. Vertigo recently published Joe the Barbarian: The Deluxe Edition, a hardcover book which collects all eight issues of the series with supplemental material (script sample, sketches, script breakdowns, art progression, etc.)

The title character of the series is Joseph “Joe” Manson, Jr., a teenage boy with Type 1 diabetes. When his blood sugar drops, Joe enters a state of hypoglycemia, which means the glucose content in his blood is abnormally low. When he is hypoglycemic, Joe begins to hallucinate, and his mind imagines a fantasy world that is actually based on the design and floor plan of his house. This world is populated by his toys and other fantasy characters (superheroes like Superman and Batman, knights, dwarves, and also a Transformer-like toy, among others). One of the characters is an anthropomorphic rat named “Chakk,” a warrior/paladin that is the fantasy version of Joe’s pet white rate, Jack.

Alone in his house during a lightning storm, Joe enters a state of hypoglycemia, and the hallways and doorways of his big, dark house become vast kingdoms, mist-shrouded landscapes, and sinister gateways. And Joe is now the Dying Boy. He is the one legends claim will restore the Light and overthrow King Death, the one who wants to cover the world in darkness and turn the living into the dead. Joe is confused as to whether he is really a hero, or just in need of a soda to stop a series of hallucinations. Still, he must complete some kind of quest or his first adventure will be his last. Either way, Chakk/Jack is by his side.

As with much of Grant Morrison’s comic book work, Joe the Barbarian is not lacking in imagination and inventiveness. Even with its Tolkien-esque qualities, Morrison’s clever and inspired flourishes (such as how the house’s infrastructure shapes Joe’s hallucinations) stand apart as unusual. Still, as a whole, this series is like empty calories because there isn’t much substantive or mentally nutritious like… say… The Invisibles. Even as a metaphor, Joe the Barbarian doesn’t resonate, as it doesn’t have much worth grappling with metaphorically. There are some interesting set pieces and some ingenious panels here and there. Yes, Joe the Barbarian is entertaining, but that’s about it.

If I have to say that something in Joe the Barbarian blew my mind, I would say that it is the art of Sean Murphy. The compositions surpass Morrison’s ideas in terms of imagination, because, visually, Murphy’s drawings are what give Joe the Barbarian the feel that the story is a “flight of fancy” with consequence and significance. In addition, Murphy’s sustained high level of draftsmanship over eight issues is only surpassed by Jim Lee when considering comic books published by DC Comics and Marvel Comics.

Over time, trade collections of this series will undoubtedly attract readers because Joe the Barbarian is a brainchild of Grant Morrison. The art and the supplemental material, however, make Joe the Barbarian: The Deluxe Edition a portfolio of and showcase for the art of Sean Murphy.

B

Fullmetal Alchemist: The Final Chapter

2011-12-21T07:47:00.000-08:00

I read Fullmetal Alchemist 27 / Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 27

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has FREE smart phone apps and comics).

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for December 21 2011

2011-12-20T07:14:00.000-08:00

DC COMICS

OCT110184 BATMAN #4 $2.99

MAY110305 BATMAN BLACK AND WHITE STATUE BY PAT GLEASON $80.00

OCT110190 BATMAN INCORPORATED LEVIATHAN STRIKES #1 $6.99

OCT110194 BATMAN ODYSSEY VOL 2 #3 (OF 7) $3.99

OCT110193 BIRDS OF PREY #4 $2.99

OCT110230 BLUE BEETLE #4 $2.99

OCT110169 CAPTAIN ATOM #4 $2.99

SEP110208 CARTOON NETWORK 2 IN 1 BEN 10 GENERATOR REX TP $12.99

OCT110196 CATWOMAN #4 $2.99

OCT110236 DC COMICS PRESENTS THE KENTS #2 $7.99

APR110282 DC UNIVERSE ONLINE STATUE HARLEY QUINN $90.00

OCT110172 DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS #4 $2.99

OCT118112 DETECTIVE COMICS #1 4TH PTG $2.99

OCT110276 END OF NATIONS #2 (OF 4) (RES) $2.99

OCT110293 FABLES #112 (MR) (NOTE PRICE) $3.99

OCT110205 GREEN LANTERN CORPS #4 $2.99

OCT110287 HELLBLAZER #286 (MR) $2.99

MAY110307 HEROES OF THE DCU WHITE LANTERN SINESTRO BUST $70.00

OCT110159 JUSTICE LEAGUE #4 $3.99

OCT110162 JUSTICE LEAGUE #4 COMBO PACK $4.99

OCT110233 LEGION OF SUPER HEROES #4 $2.99

OCT110200 NIGHTWING #4 $2.99

OCT110199 RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #4 $2.99

FEB110287 STARCRAFT PREMIUM SER 1 JIM RAYNOR AF PI

FEB110288 STARCRAFT PREMIUM SER 1 ZERAUL AF PI

OCT110183 SUPERGIRL #4 $2.99

OCT110218 THUNDER AGENTS VOL 2 #2 (OF 6) $2.99

OCT110270 TINY TITANS #47 $2.99

SEP110204 TINY TITANS TP VOL 06 THE TREEHOUSE AND BEYOND $12.99

OCT110290 VERTIGO RESURRECTED SGT ROCK HELL HARD PLACE #2 (MR) $7.99

OCT110165 WONDER WOMAN #4 $2.99

OCT110272 YOUNG JUSTICE #11 $2.99

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for December 21 2011

2011-12-20T07:01:00.000-08:00

MARVEL COMICS

OCT110631 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #676 $3.99

AUG110680 ANITA BLAKE CIRCUS DAMNED SCOUNDREL #3 (OF 5) (MR) $3.99

OCT110597 AVENGERS #20 $3.99

OCT110720 AVENGERS DEFENDERS WAR TP NEW PTG $19.99

OCT110715 CAPTAIN AMERICA AND BUCKY PREM HC LIFE OF BUCKY BARNES $19.99

OCT110686 DAKEN DARK WOLVERINE #18 $2.99

OCT110644 DAREDEVIL #7 $2.99

OCT110692 DEADPOOL MAX 2 #3 (MR) $3.99

OCT110747 DEFENDERS BY TERRY DODSON POSTER $8.99

OCT110585 DEFENDERS COMING OF DEFENDERS #1 $5.99

OCT110586 DEFENDERS STRANGE HEROES $4.99

OCT110744 ESSENTIAL FANTASTIC FOUR TP VOL 03 NEW ED $19.99

OCT110648 FANTASTIC FOUR #601 $2.99

OCT110724 FANTASTIC FOUR BY WAID & WIERINGO ULT COLL TP BOOK 04 $24.99

OCT110584 FEAR ITSELF FEARLESS #5 (OF 12) $2.99

OCT110614 FORMIC WARS SILENT STRIKE #1 (OF 5) $3.99

OCT110673 GENERATION HOPE #14 XREGB $2.99

OCT110654 HULK #46 $2.99

OCT110595 INCREDIBLE HULK #3 $3.99

OCT110596 INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #511 $3.99

OCT110619 JOHN CARTER A PRINCESS OF MARS #4 (OF 5) $2.99

OCT110727 JUBILEE BY ROBERT KIRKMAN TP $16.99

OCT110668 LEGION OF MONSTERS #3 (OF 4) $3.99

JUL110713 MMW GOLDEN AGE USA COMICS HC VOL 02 $64.99

JUL110714 MMW GOLDEN AGE USA COMICS HC VOL 02 DM VAR ED 172 $64.99

OCT110683 NEW MUTANTS #35 XREGB $2.99

OCT110693 PUNISHERMAX #20 (MR) $3.99

JUL110719 SIEGE HC $39.99

OCT110638 SIX GUNS #3 (OF 5) $2.99

OCT110738 SPIDER-MAN CHAPTER ONE TP $34.99

OCT110667 THUNDERBOLTS #167 $2.99

OCT110733 ULT COMICS SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 03 DOSM PRELUDE $19.99

OCT110734 ULT COMICS SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 03 DOSM PRELUDE DM VAR ED $19.99

OCT110620 ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN #5 $3.99

OCT110678 UNCANNY X-FORCE #19 XREGG $3.99

SEP118162 UNCANNY X-MEN #1 2ND PTG PACHECO VAR XREGB (PP #997) $3.99

OCT110635 VENOM #11 $2.99

OCT110748 VENOM EVENT BY STEFANO CASELLI POSTER $8.99

OCT110685 WOLVERINE #20 XREGG $3.99

OCT110672 WOLVERINE AND X-MEN #3 XREGG $3.99

OCT110732 WOLVERINE BY GREG RUCKA ULTIMATE COLLECTION TP $39.99

OCT110656 WOLVERINE PUNISHER GHOST RIDER OFF INDEX MU #5 (OF 8) $3.99

OCT110688 X-23 #19 $2.99

OCT110682 X-FACTOR #229 XREGG $2.99

IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for December 21 2011

2011-12-20T06:55:00.001-08:00

IDW PUBLISHING

SEP110352 ART OF JOE JUSKO HC $49.99

OCT110427 BLONDIE HC VOL 02 $49.99

OCT110331 COBRA ONGOING #8 $3.99

OCT110423 COMPLETE JON SABLE FREELANCE OMNIBUS TP VOL 02 $29.99

OCT110367 DOCTOR WHO ONGOING 2 TP VOL 02 WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE $17.99

SEP110328 DUNGEONS & DRAGONS DRIZZT #4 (OF 5) $3.99

SEP118149 GHOSTBUSTERS ONGOING #2 2ND PTG $3.99

SEP118150 GHOSTBUSTERS ONGOING #3 2ND PTG $3.99

OCT110372 GHOSTBUSTERS ONGOING #4 $3.99

OCT110336 GI JOE A REAL AMERICAN HERO #173 $3.99

OCT110338 GI JOE A REAL AMERICAN HERO TP VOL 03 $19.99

OCT110347 GODZILLA KINGDOM OF MONSTERS #10 $3.99

OCT110387 INFESTATION OUTBREAK TP $17.99

OCT110339 MEMORIAL #1 (OF 6) $3.99

OCT110342 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES ONGOING #5 $3.99

OCT110326 TRANSFORMERS DEATH OF OPTIMUS PRIME (ONE SHOT) $3.99

OCT110420 ZOMBIES VS ROBOTS WARBOT TREASURY ED #1 $9.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for December 21 2011

2011-12-20T06:48:00.000-08:00

DARK HORSE COMICS

AUG110039 BALTIMORE VOL 01 THE PLAGUE SHIPS TP $18.99
OCT110021 BPRD HELL ON EARTH RUSSIA #4 $3.50
OCT110039 CONAN ROAD OF KINGS #11 $3.50
SEP110021 CRIMINAL MACABRE OMNIBUS TP VOL 02 $24.99
OCT110050 DARK HORSE PRESENTS #7 (MR) $7.99
OCT118141 DARK HORSE PRESENTS #7 CHAYKIN VAR CVR (MR) $7.99
OCT110029 MASS EFFECT INVASION #3 (OF 4) CARNEVALE CVR $3.50
SEP110031 SOLOMON KANE TP VOL 03 RED SHADOWS $17.99
OCT110035 STAR WARS KNIGHT ERRANT DELUGE #5 (OF 5) $3.50
OCT110049 THE IMMORTAL DEMON I/T BLOOD #1 $3.50

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for December 21 2011

2011-12-20T06:40:00.000-08:00

IMAGE COMICS

OCT110438 ACTIVITY #1 $3.50
AUG110515 DARKNESS #96 CVR A HAUN (MR) $2.99
AUG110516 DARKNESS #96 CVR B MITCHELL (MR) $2.99
OCT110456 INFINITE TP VOL 01 $9.99
JUL110532 INVINCIBLE #86 $2.99
OCT110442 LAST BATTLE ONE SHOT $7.99
OCT110459 LIL DEPRESSED BOY TP VOL 00 $9.99
OCT110566 NEAR DEATH #4 $2.99
OCT110461 OFFICER DOWNE BIGGER BETTER BASTARD ED HC (MR) $17.99
OCT110463 RATFIST TP $19.99
AUG110538 SAVAGE DRAGON #177 $3.50
OCT110481 SPAWN ORIGINS HC VOL 05 $29.99
MAY110474 STRANGE GIRL OMNIBUS HC (MR) $59.99
OCT110520 WALKING DEAD OMNIBUS NEW PTG HC VOL 02 (O/A) (MR) $100.00
OCT110577 WALKING DEAD WEEKLY #51 (MR) $2.99
OCT110581 XENOHOLICS #3 (MR) $3.50

Comics and Magazines for Diamond Distributors for December 21 2011

2011-12-20T06:35:00.000-08:00

COMICS

AUG111173 2000 AD #1755 $5.00

AUG111174 2000 AD #1756 $5.00

OCT110809 ARCHIE & FRIENDS #159 $2.99

OCT110811 B & V FRIENDS DOUBLE DIGEST #220 $3.99

OCT111272 BETRAYAL KNOWS MY NAME GN VOL 02 (MR) $18.99

OCT110812 BETTY & VERONICA #257 $2.99

OCT110986 BOYS BUTCHER BAKER CANDLESTICKMAKER #6 (MR) $3.99

OCT111171 BUBBLES & GONDOLA HC (O/A) $16.99

OCT111209 BUZZBOY SIDEKICKS RULE TP $14.95

SEP111236 CLINT #12 (MR) $6.99

SEP111010 DARK SHADOWS #2 $3.99

JUL111126 DARK SHADOWS COMP SERIES HC VOL 03 $49.99

MAY111067 DF DAREDEVIL #1 ROMITA SR SGN ED $69.99

MAY111066 DF DAREDEVIL #1 WAID SGN ED PI

JUL111076 DF INCREDIBLE HULKS #635 HAESER REMARK ED $49.99

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AUG110987 VAMPIRELLA #12 $3.99

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MAGAZINES
MAY111367 007 MAGAZINE ARCHIVE SEAN CONNERY PART 2 $18.00
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"Joe Jusko: Maelstrom" Available for Pre-Order

2011-12-19T08:43:00.000-08:00

Much Anticipated Joe Jusko Sketchbook Announced: Second in a series!

New York, NY- The much anticipated second Joe Jusko Sketchbook from Eva Ink Publishing is in the current/upcoming Diamond Catalogue, and is available for ordering either via Diamond or via Eva Ink Publishing (http://www.evainkartistgroup.com/)

"Joe Jusko: Maelstrom" is a lush 48 page, full color book, and showcases works by Jusko not featured in any other sketchbook or artbook! A great follow up to last year's book "Joe Jusko: Savage Beauty."

Jusko is undoubtedly one of the best known Fantasy, Pin-Up and Comic Artists in the world today. His career has spanned over 30 years, starting with the sale of his very first cover for Heavy Metal Magazine in 1977 at the age of 17. Since graduating that year from NYC's High School of Art & Design, Joe has worked for almost every major comic book publisher, producing hundreds of images for both covers and interiors.

His work has appeared on paperback book covers, calendars, posters, t-shirts, toy packaging and innumerable trading cards, most memorably the multi award winning 1992 Marvel Masterpieces Trading Cards. The popularity of that set has been credited with initiating the painted trading card boom of the 1990's, and led to his groundbreaking 1995 Art of Edgar Rice Burroughs trading cards. Those 125 paintings have made him the most prolific Burroughs artist ever, producing art based on almost every major book by the famed author. He is currently the cover artist for the "John Carter of Mars" series.

In addition to his work at Marvel over the years, Joe has produced art for many other companies and characters, including DC Comics, Crusade Comics, Innovation Comics, Harris Comics, Wildstorm Comics, Top Cow Productions and Byron Preiss Visuals, to name just a few. He has produced storyboards for ad agencies and advertising campaigns for such notable clients as the World Wrestling Federation, where he designed the art for the 1991-1992 Royal Rumbles and Wrestlemania VII.

His recent work includes monthly painted covers for Dynamite Comics' adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs' WARLORD OF MARS, covers for VAMPIRELLA and a 4 issue WOLVERINE/HERCULES minis series as well as numerous independent publishers. His 2005 fully painted graphic novel based on Lara Croft, the heroine from the Tomb Raider video game series, won a Certificate of Merit from the prestigious Society of Illustrators, into which he was inducted in 2007. His hardcover "Art of Joe Jusko" book was released by Desperado Publishing in May, 2009 to rave reviews, and "Savage Beauty" his first in a series of hardcover sketchbooks from EvaInk Productions was released as of November 2010. He's currently developing a graphic storytelling property with Steve Niles' (author of "30 Days of Night").

His work has earned him myriad awards and honors, including two "Favorite Painter" Wizard Fan Awards, multiple trading card awards, a Golden Lion Award from the Burroughs Bibliophiles (previous recipients include Frank Frazetta and Boris Vallejo) and a Chesley Award nomination for best cover in 2001.

Joe's original paintings are held in collections worldwide, a fact that never ceases to amaze and humble him.

This new sketchbook on this prolific painter, "Joe Jusko: Maelstrom" is available in two editions:

Signed Edition: $39.99
ISBN:978-1-4675-0474-4

Sketch Edition: $124.99
ISBN: 978-1-4675-0475-1

The print run is limited to 1,000 copies.

Contact us at: evaink@aol.com for more details. Payments are accepted via paypal or via credit card when ordering directly from Eva Ink.

For more information, feel free to drop us a line. And if you don't own "Joe Jusko: Savage Beauty" yet, ask about acquiring both books, and receive a 10% discount via the Eva Ink store.

http://www.evainkartistgroup.com/ and www.witterstaetterwrites/blogspot.com

Arata The Legend: Kugura's Palace

2011-12-17T19:08:00.000-08:00

I read Arata: The Legend 5 / Name Your Link

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has free comics).

"One Piece" Art Book Due in Early January 2012

2011-12-16T09:22:00.000-08:00

JOIN THE STRAW HAT PIRATES AND DIVE INTO THE ARTWORK OF EIICHIRO ODA IN THE NEW ONE PIECE COLOR WALK VOL. 2 FROM VIZ MEDIA

New Full Color Art Book Features Illustrations From The Bestselling Manga Series Of All Time And Includes Works Never Seen Before Outside Japan

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, has announced the release of a new collection of manga (graphic novel) creator Eiichiro Oda’s artwork from the bestselling pirate adventure, ONE PIECE, with the publication of the ONE PIECE COLOR WALK Vol. 2 on January 3, 2011. The new art book is rated ‘T’ for Teens and will carry an MSRP of $19.99 U.S. / $22.99 CAN.

Color images and special illustrations from one of the world’s most popular manga are offered in this vivid new art collection. The book features behind-the-scenes info on how certain characters were designed and also includes an interview with Eiichiro Oda where he discusses his history and evolution as a manga artist. The book also includes a bonus postcard and in-bound full-color poster!

In the ONE PIECE manga series (rated ‘T’ for Teens), Monkey D. Luffy is inspired as a child to become a pirate by listening to the tales of the buccaneer "Red-Haired" Shanks. But Luffy's life changes forever when he accidentally eats the cursed Gum-Gum fruit, and gains the power to stretch like rubber – but at the cost of never being able to swim again! Years later, still vowing to become the king of the pirates, Luffy sets out on an epic adventure... One guy alone in a rowboat, in search of the legendary "One Piece," said to be the greatest treasure in the world.

“ONE PIECE is the most popular manga series in Japan and continues to be the bestselling manga series of all time with more than 240 million volumes sold to-date,” says Alexis Kirsch, Editor. “This new edition of ONE PIECE COLOR WALK Art Book features a big selection of Eiichiro Oda’s artwork rendered in vivid full color. Oda’s illustrations are imaginative, playful, and often dramatic, and most have never been seen before outside Japan. We invite fans to savor all the character and cover art contained in this wonderful new edition!”

Eiichiro Oda began his manga career at the age of 17, when his one-shot cowboy manga Wanted! won second place in the coveted Tezuka manga awards. Oda went on to work as an assistant to some of the biggest manga artists in the industry, including Nobuhiro Watsuki (RUROUNI KENSHIN), before winning the Hop Step Award for new artists. His pirate adventure ONE PIECE, which debuted in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in 1997, quickly became one of the most popular manga series in Japan and also enjoys a major worldwide following.

More information on the ONE PIECE manga series is available at http://onepiece.viz.com/. The ONE PIECE manga series may also be read digitally through the VIZ Manga App for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, or through VIZManga.com for desktop/laptop computers or any internet-enabled device.

House of Five Leaves: Maple

2011-12-16T08:53:00.000-08:00

I read House of Five Leaves 5 / Name Your Link

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has free comics).

Leroy Douresseaux Reviews ANY EMPIRE (OGN)

2011-12-15T08:07:00.000-08:00

ANY EMPIRE
TOP SHELF PRODUCTIONS

CARTOONIST: Nate Powell
ISBN: 978-1-60309-077-3; hardcover
304pp, B&W, $19.95 U.S.

Rating: Mature readers (13+)

Nate Powell is the Arkansas-born, now Bloomington, Indiana-based illustrator and graphic novelist known for his self-publishing and DIY musical efforts. His 2008 original hardcover graphic novel, Swallow Me Whole, won an Eisner Award in 2009 in the category of “Best Original Graphic Novel.” 2011 saw the release of a new hardcover original graphic novel, Any Empire, which according to the publisher, Top Shelf Productions, “examines war and violence, and their trickle-down effects on middle America.”

Any Empire’s lead character is Lee Powell, a small-town, middle school kid. Lee is often lost in violent fantasy scenarios – most of which involve characters from G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. Sullen and withdrawn, Lee can also be inquisitive and friendly, which causes his parents (including his father who is an officer in the United States Air Force) some concern.

Lee’s friend is Donnie Purdy, who simply goes by “Purdy,” a boy who is even more sullen than Lee. In fact, Purdy’s attachment to violent scenarios is downright visceral compared to Lee’s musings of consequence-free violence. Purdy is attached to twin brothers, Matt and Mark, little bullies with a penchant for animal abuse. When a series of turtle mutilations comes to light, a local girl named Sarah plays Nancy Drew to catch the culprits. Eventually, Lee, Purdy, and Sarah separate, but their dark histories of violence collide and reunite them in adulthood.

Nate Powell doesn’t necessarily dig deeply into the characters of Any Empire. What he does is delve into the role of violence in their lives, and violence is the dominant theme. Woven into the fabric of Any Empire is violence between children, violence against animals, the depiction of violent and dark emotions that people feel towards others, the insidious nature of violent entertainment aimed at children, and the all-obliterating violence of war between nations and states.

One thing that a reader can get from this graphic novel is that characters don’t just resort to violence; it’s also the tool of choice in their work box. This narrative, however, is not without a ray of hope. There is a scene late in the story that runs for two pages and part of a third page, in which Lee and his father grapple with war and violence. Papa Powell says something that is not said often enough – at least not in a meaningful way (as he does) – in my (fake) humble opinion.

I remain impressed by the way Powell’s compositional technique creates black and white art that shimmers on the page the way black and white Film Noir glistens on the screen. His quicksilver graphical storytelling dances across the pages and reaffirms that the simplicity of black and white art combined with lettering and word balloons can be as transfixing as any color comic book created with software. With Any Empire, Nate Powell assures his place as a great American graphic novelist.

A-

http://www.seemybrotherdance.org/
http://www.topshelfcomix.com/

Review: SWALLOW ME WHOLE (OGN)

2011-12-15T07:55:00.000-08:00

SWALLOW ME WHOLE
TOP SHELF PRODUCTIONS

CARTOONIST: Nate Powell
ISBN: 978-1-60309-033-9; hardcover
216pp, B&W, $19.95 U.S.

Rating: Mature readers (16+)

Swallow Me Whole is a 2008 graphic novel from cartoonist Nate Powell. Previous work by the musician and graphic novelist include Please Release (Top Shelf Productions, 2007) and Sounds of Your Name (Microcosm Publishing, 2006). Swallow Me Whole is the story of step-siblings and their struggles with mental illness. The book received the 2009 Eisner Award in the category of “Best Original Graphic Novel.”

I received a black and white, photocopied galley of Swallow Me Whole from Top Shelf. I struggled to finish the book. My struggles had nothing to do with Swallow Me Whole being a bore. Powell offers dense visual narratives that can be not only complex, but also difficult to decipher.

Along with a handful of young and gradually rising cartoonists like Jordan Crane and Carla Speed-McNeil (who has actually toiled in near obscurity for years), Nate Powell takes an approach to the graphic novel that recalls Gilbert Hernandez and Jaime Hernandez, Chester Brown, and Daniel Clowes, in which the reader must not only read the text in the word balloons, but must also absorb and interpret the actual comic book art. The art isn’t just drawings; it’s both a narrative and a carrier of ideas, philosophies, commentaries, etc. Through the art the reader is also expected to feel what the characters are feeling, which can be troubling when one is trying to feel a troubled characters.

Powell’s work reminds me of Charles Burns (Black Hole) comix in that everything drawn onto the page, including the lettering, is part of this communication of story and ideas. Because of this, I would say that Swallow Me Whole reminds me of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ Watchmen, in which everything placed on the pages (and covers): drawings, colors, and lettering transmitted stories, ideas, and messages, as well as it evoked sensations and feelings in the reader. Watchmen was meant to fire up the old noodle and get the reader thinking and engaged.

Swallow Me Whole is a sensory reading experience, although I wouldn’t necessarily call it the Watchmen of alternative comics, but could it be… Swallow Me Whole focuses on step-siblings Ruth and Perry – primarily Ruth. They are children of a blended family living in Wormwood, Arkansas, and their high school years are a journey into the dark corners of adolescence. Powell, however, isn’t dealing with such formulaic teenage melodrama as rebellion, sexual awakening, conformity, gangs, or the prom.

Swallow Me Whole is less about the external matters of being an adolescent and more about the madness of boredom and the discombobulating of the interior life. Ruth suffers from apophenia, a mental condition in which she sees patterns and connections in random, meaningless, and unrelated data, data which, to her, obviously doesn’t seem unconnected. Perry also hallucinates, seeing and hearing a small wizard connected to his drawing pencil, a wizard that demands Perry prepare for an important quest. While Perry struggles to extricate himself from the wizard, Ruth isn’t so sure that she should medicate her condition just to fit in with everyone.

Powell composes his art with a quirky line (that recalls Bill Loeb in Journey) and inks in fluid, smooth brushstrokes that seem to pour like batter from a large clay jar. Beyond surface appearances, Powell saturates the art in blacks and shadows that trickle, flow, drench, flood, and finally submerge the drawings. He dots the art with a steady spell of word balloons that combines to tell this story. As I said before, everything on the pages communicates.

There is a two-page sequence featuring Ruth sitting in the passenger seat of a car in which Powell alters the way he composes and inks this page and the manner in which he creates a varying degree of difficulty in reading the word balloons. Powell arranges this sequence in such a way to characterize and shape Ruth for the reader – to suggest her shifting mental state within the space of this one sequence. Powell not only wants the reader to know that Ruth and Perry have mental issues; he’s also determined to take the reader share them. He wants us to feel like them, to think like them, and ultimately to experience a sense of Ruth’s unraveling and Perry’s struggles.

Swallow Me Whole is not escapism because Powell is offering more than a story. He wants the reader to live through Ruth and Perry, and though Swallow Me Whole may come across as too complex and the story so elusive, he is not content with merely acting for you. Swallow Me Whole is about feeling the textures and sensations of the mental struggle. It’s amazing that someone can do this with drawings on a page.

Websites of note:
http://www.topshelfcomix.com/
http://www.harlanrecords.org/
http://www.microcosmpublishing.com/

20th Century Boys: Everybody's Song

2011-12-14T09:34:00.000-08:00

I read 20th Century Boys Volume 8 / Name Your Link

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has free comics).

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for December 14 2011

2011-12-13T08:04:00.000-08:00

DC COMICS

JAN110419 ABSOLUTE PROMETHEA HC VOL 03 $99.99

OCT110269 ALL NEW BATMAN THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #14 $2.99

SEP110217 AMERICAN VAMPIRE #21 (MR) $2.99

OCT110198 BATGIRL #4 $2.99

OCT110192 BATMAN AND ROBIN #4 $2.99

OCT110310 BATMAN ARKHAM CITY SER 1 BATMAN AF PI

OCT110309 BATMAN ARKHAM CITY SER 1 HARLEY QUIN AF PI

OCT110311 BATMAN ARKHAM CITY SER 1 ROBIN AF PI

OCT110197 BATWOMAN #4 $2.99

OCT110239 DC COMICS PRESENTS BATMAN THE SECRET CITY #1 $7.99

AUG110243 DC COMICS THE NEW 52 HC $150.00

JAN110454 DC DYNAMICS JOKER STATUE $195.00

OCT110173 DC UNIVERSE ONLINE LEGENDS #19 $2.99

OCT110220 DEATHSTROKE #4 $2.99

OCT110216 DEMON KNIGHTS #4 $2.99

SEP110221 FABLES TP VOL 16 SUPER TEAM (MR) $14.99

OCT110213 FRANKENSTEIN AGENT OF SHADE #4 $2.99

OCT110202 GREEN LANTERN #4 $2.99

MAY110315 GREEN LANTERN SER 5 BROTHER WARTH ACTION FIGURE PI

MAY110316 GREEN LANTERN SER 5 GUY GARDNER ACTION FIGURE PI

MAY110317 GREEN LANTERN SER 5 SINESTRO ACTION FIGURE PI

MAY110314 GREEN LANTERN SER 5 SORANIK NATU ACTION FIGURE PI

OCT110219 GRIFTER #4 $2.99

SEP110183 HITMAN TP VOL 05 TOMMYS HEROES (RES) $29.99

OCT110232 LEGION LOST #4 $2.99

OCT110275 MAD MAGAZINE #513 $5.99

OCT110176 MISTER TERRIFIC #4 $2.99

OCT110177 MY GREATEST ADVENTURE #3 (OF 6) $3.99

OCT110227 RAY #1 (OF 4) $2.99

OCT110215 RESURRECTION MAN #4 $2.99

OCT110208 SHADE #3 (OF 12) $2.99

AUG110253 SHOWCASE PRESENTS BATMAN TP VOL 05 $19.99

SEP110192 SHOWCASE PRESENTS WONDER WOMAN TP VOL 04 $19.99

OCT110222 SUICIDE SQUAD #4 $2.99

OCT110182 SUPERBOY #4 $2.99

AUG110254 TALES OF THE BATMAN DON NEWTON HC VOL 01 $39.99

OCT110299 UNWRITTEN #32 (MR) $2.99

OCT110289 VERTIGO FIRST BLOOD #1 (MR) $7.99

MAY110308 WHITE LANTERN 1/4 SCALE POWER BATTERY & RING PROP $35.00

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for December 14 2011

2011-12-13T07:57:00.000-08:00

MARVEL COMICS

OCT110601 AVENGERS 1959 #4 (OF 5) $2.99

OCT110593 AVENGERS ACADEMY #23 $2.99

OCT110606 AVENGERS X-SANCTION #1 (OF 4) $3.99

OCT110745 AVENGERS X-SANCTION BY ED MCGUINNESS POSTER $8.99

OCT110582 BATTLE SCARS #2 (OF 6) $2.99

OCT110641 BLACK PANTHER MOST DANGEROUS MAN ALIVE #526 $2.99

OCT110632 CARNAGE USA #1 (OF 5) $3.99

OCT110746 CARNAGE USA BY CLAYTON CRAIN POSTER $8.99

OCT110616 DARK TOWER GUNSLINGER WAY STATION #1 (OF 5) $3.99

OCT110722 DEADPOOL MAX TP NUTJOB (MR) $19.99

OCT110742 ESSENTIAL RAWHIDE KID TP VOL 01 $19.99

AUG110736 ESSENTIAL SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 06 NEW ED $19.99

SEP118119 FEAR ITSELF FEARLESS #1 (OF 12) 2ND PTG VAR A (PP #996) $2.99

SEP118120 FEAR ITSELF FEARLESS #1 (OF 12) 2ND PTG VAR B (PP #996) $2.99

OCT110647 GHOST RIDER #7 $2.99

SEP118121 INCREDIBLE HULK #1 2ND PTG SILVESTRI VAR (PP #996) $3.99

SEP110564 IRON MAN 2.0 #11 $2.99

OCT110618 JOHN CARTER OF MARS WORLD OF MARS #3 (OF 5) $3.99

OCT110592 JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #632 $2.99

OCT110691 MAGNETO NOT A HERO #2 (OF 4) $2.99

OCT110665 MARVEL HOLIDAY SPECIAL 2011 $3.99

JUL110711 MMW NICK FURY AGENT OF SHIELD HC VOL 03 $59.99

JUL110712 MMW NICK FURY AGENT OF SHIELD HC VOL 03 DM VAR ED 171 $59.99

OCT110714 MOON KNIGHT BY BENDIS AND MALEEV PREM HC VOL 01 $24.99

OCT110604 NEW AVENGERS #19 $3.99

OCT110717 NEW X-MEN BY GRANT MORRISON GN TP BOOK 08 $14.99

OCT110613 NORTHANGER ABBEY #2 (OF 5) $3.99

OCT110730 SECRET WARRIORS TP VOL 05 NIGHT $14.99

OCT110736 SECRET WARS 2 TP $29.99

OCT110735 SECRET WARS TP NEW PTG $34.99

OCT110658 SHIELD #4 (OF 6) $2.99

OCT110731 SPIDER-MAN BY MARK MILLAR ULTIMATE COLLECTION TP $34.99

OCT110615 STAND NIGHT HAS COME #5 (OF 6) $3.99

OCT110663 SUPER HEROES #21 $2.99

OCT110625 ULTIMATE COMICS X-MEN #4 $3.99

OCT110676 UNCANNY X-FORCE #18 $3.99

OCT110728 WOLVERINE AND JUBILEE CURSE OF MUTANTS TP $14.99

SEP118122 WOLVERINE AND X-MEN #1 2ND PTG BACHALO VAR XREGG (PP #996) $3.99

SEP110615 WOLVERINE BEST THERE IS #12 $2.99

IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for December 14 2011

2011-12-13T07:48:00.000-08:00

IDW PUBLISHING

SEP110344 CHUCK JONES DREAM THAT NEVER WAS HC $49.99

OCT110424 CLIVE BARKER OMNIBUS TP $29.99

SEP110342 DEAD RISING ROAD TO FORTUNE #2 (OF 4) $3.99

OCT110365 DOCTOR WHO ONGOING VOL 2 #12 $3.99

OCT110421 FAT TARINO HC PI

OCT110349 GODZILLA LEGENDS #2 (OF 5) $3.99

OCT110370 HAWKEN #2 (OF 6) $3.99

JUN110471 J SCOTT CAMPBELL FAIRY TALE 2012 CALENDAR $19.99

AUG110378 LOCKE & KEY CLOCKWORKS #3 (OF 6) $3.99

SEP110274 ROCKETEER ADVENTURES HC VOL 01 DM EX ED $24.99

AUG110391 SHERLOCK HOLMES GREATEST CASES HC VOL 01 $39.99

OCT110333 SNAKE EYES ONGOING (IDW) #8 $3.99

OCT110363 STAR TREK LEGION OF SUPERHEROES #3 (OF 6) $3.99

SEP110309 TRANSFORMERS IDW COLLECTION HC VOL 05 $49.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for December 14 2011

2011-12-13T07:42:00.000-08:00

DARK HORSE COMICS

OCT110022 BALTIMORE CURSE BELLS #5 $3.50

OCT110019 BTVS SEASON 9 FREEFALL #4 JEANTY VAR CVR $2.99

OCT110018 BTVS SEASON 9 FREEFALL #4 MORRIS CVR $2.99

AUG110053 FLASH GORDON COMIC BOOK ARCHIVES HC VOL 05 $49.99

OCT110041 KULL THE CAT & THE SKULL #3 (OF 4) $3.50

OCT110028 ORCHID #3 $3.50

OCT110023 PC CAST HOUSE OF NIGHT #2 (OF 5) $2.99

OCT110032 STAR WARS AGENT O/T EMPIRE IRON ECLIPSE #1 (OF 5) ROUX CVR $3.50

AUG110021 STAR WARS EPISODE I ADVENTURES TP $7.99

AUG110022 STAR WARS EPISODE I THE PHANTOM MENACE TP $7.99

OCT110027 THE OCCULTIST #2 (OF 3) $3.50

OCT110014 THE STRAIN #1 (OF 11) HUDDLESTON CVR $1.00

AUG110055 TUROK SON OF STONE AZTLAN TP VOL 01 $15.99

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for December 14 2011

2011-12-13T07:37:00.000-08:00

IMAGE COMICS

OCT110532 27 SECOND SET #4 (OF 4) $3.99

JUL110446 68 JUNGLE JIM ONE SHOT CVR A $3.99

JUL110447 68 JUNGLE JIM ONE SHOT CVR B $3.99

OCT110539 BLUE ESTATE #8 (MR) $2.99

OCT110540 DAOMU #8 (MR) $2.99

OCT110446 JINGLE BELLE GIFT WRAPPED SPECIAL ONE SHOT $3.99

AUG110528 MAGDALENA #10 $3.99

MAR110590 MEMOIR #5 (OF 6) $3.50

SEP110423 NIGHTLY NEWS ANNIVERSARY ED HC $34.99

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OCT110470 RED WING TP $14.99

SEP110479 SAMURAIS BLOOD #6 (OF 6) $2.99

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OCT110499 SUPER DINOSAUR DLX COLORING BOOK $4.99

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OCT110502 WALKING DEAD TP VOL 15 (MR) $14.99

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JUL110410 WITCHBLADE #150 CVR A SEJIC $4.99

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JUL110413 WITCHBLADE #150 CVR D TURNER $4.99

Comics and Magazines from Diamond Distributors for December 14 2011

2011-12-13T07:30:00.000-08:00

COMICS

SEP110850 28 DAYS LATER TP VOL 06 HOMECOMING $12.99

OCT110897 7 WARRIORS #2 (OF 3) (MR) $3.99

JUL110825 A TALE OF SAND HC $29.95

JUL111161 AIRBOY PRESENTS AIR VIXENS #1 (RES) $3.50

SEP111281 ARATA THE LEGEND TP VOL 08 $9.99

OCT110806 ARCHIE #627 (ARCHIE MEETS KISS PT 1) VAR CVR $2.99

SEP110756 ARCHIE & FRIENDS DOUBLE DIGEST #11 $3.99

SEP110755 ARCHIE CYBER ADVENTURES TP $9.95

SEP111217 ATOMIC ROBO GHOST OF STATION X #4 (OF 6) $3.50

OCT111271 BAMBOO BLADE TP VOL 11 $11.99

SEP111229 BLOOD ALONE GN VOL 05 (NOTE PRICE) $11.99

OCT111205 BONNIE LASS #4 (OF 4) $2.99

MAY110819 CYCLOPS #7 (MR) $3.95

JUN111018 DANGER GIRL ARMY OF DARKNESS #4 $3.99

JUL111073 DF WARLORD OF MARS DEJAH #12 RED RISQUE EXC CVR $14.99

AUG111394 DILBERT HOWS THAT UNDERLING THING WORKING TP $12.99

OCT111224 DRY SPELL GN $14.95

SEP110749 EVERLAST HC $19.95

SEP110857 FARSCAPE TP VOL 06 COMPULSIONS $12.99

SEP110985 GARTH ENNIS COMPLETE BATTLEFIELDS TP VOL 01 (MR) $24.99

SEP110716 GEARHEARTS STEAMPUNK GLAMOR REVUE #1 $3.99

SEP110715 GOLD DIGGER CHRISTMAS SP #5 $3.50

AUG110996 GREEN HORNET TP VOL 03 IDOLS $16.99

JUN111032 GREEN HORNET YEAR ONE TP VOL 02 BIGGEST OF ALL GAME $19.99

JUL111309 GRIMM FAIRY TALES THE LIBRARY #3 A CVR MYCHAELS $2.99

JUL111310 GRIMM FAIRY TALES THE LIBRARY #3 B CVR BONK $2.99

OCT111273 HIGURASHI WHEN THEY CRY GN VOL 16 ATONEMENT ARC PT 2 $11.99

SEP111288 HOUSE OF FIVE LEAVES TP VOL 05 $12.99

SEP110871 INSURRECTION V3.6 TP $14.99

OCT110920 IRREDEEMABLE #1 ARTIST EDITION $3.99

JUL111062 ITS A GOOD LIFE IF YOU DONT WEAKEN TP (O/A) (MR) $24.95

SEP111283 ITSUWARIBITO GN VOL 04 $9.99

SEP110762 JUGHEADS DOUBLE DIGEST #176 $3.99

OCT111274 K ON GN VOL 04 $11.99

SEP111282 KEKKAISHI GN VOL 29 $9.99

AUG110807 KILLING PICKMAN HC (RES) (MR) $24.95

OCT111003 KIRBY GENESIS SILVER STAR #2 $3.99

SEP111130 KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE #181 $5.99

JUL110982 MACBETH CAMPFIRE GN $9.99

SEP111284 MAOH JUVENILE REMIX TP VOL 08 $9.99

OCT111276 MAXIMUM RIDE TP VOL 05 $12.99

SEP111178 MISS DONT TOUCH ME SET VOL 1-2 $27.99

SEP110949 MOST DANGEROUS GAME SAT MORNING B FAST CEREAL COLL $18.00

OCT111119 MUSH SLED DOGS WITH ISSUES GN $17.99

FEB111066 MY FAVORITE MARTIAN COMP SERIES HC VOL 01 $49.99

SEP111289 NAOKI URASAWA 20TH CENTURY BOYS GN VOL 18 $12.99

SEP111269 NATSUMES BOOK OF FRIENDS TP VOL 10 $9.99

SEP111263 NO LONGER HUMAN VOL 02 $10.95

AUG111130 OMEGA PARADOX #1 $2.99

OCT110925 OPERATION BROKEN WINGS 1936 #2 (OF 3) (MR) $3.99

JAN111157 PAT LEE WIDOW WARRIORS TP $16.99

AUG111188 PENDULUM GN (MR) $7.95

SEP110912 READING COMICS POSTCARD BOOK $11.95

MAR111070 RED SONJA #60 $3.99

OCT110940 ROGER LANGRIDGES SNARKED #3 $3.99

SEP111196 SALT WATER TAFFY GN VOL 05 $5.99

OCT111120 SAME DIFFERENCE SPECIAL ED HC $16.99

MAR110858 SECRET HISTORY BOOK 17 (MR) $5.95

SEP110754 SIGH HC $10.95

SEP111277 SLAM DUNK GN VOL 19 $9.99

OCT110896 SPONGEBOB COMICS #6 $2.99

OCT110837 STITCHED #2 (MR) $3.99

OCT110838 STITCHED #2 GORE CVR (MR) $3.99

OCT110839 STITCHED #2 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99

JUL110835 STORYTELLER HC $19.95

OCT111270 TEZUKAS PRINCESS KNIGHT GN VOL 02 $13.95

SEP111316 THEATER #3 A CVR RUFFINO (MR) $3.99

SEP111317 THEATER #3 B CVR LEISTER (MR) $3.99

SEP111279 TORIKO GN VOL 07 $9.99

OCT111279 ULTIMATE 7 #3 (OF 12) (MR) $3.99

SEP111291 UNFORGIVING #2 $3.99

SEP111230 VAMPIRE CHEERLEADERS GN VOL 02 $10.99

SEP110769 VERONICA #210 (VERONICA PRESENTS KEVIN KELLER #4) $2.99

SEP110770 VERONICA #210 (VERONICA PRESENTS KEVIN KELLER #4) VAR CVR $2.99

SEP110724 VERY ZOMBIE CHRISTMAS #3 $3.50

AUG111210 VIETNAM JOURNAL TP VOL 08 BRAIN DEAD HORROR $17.99

AUG110937 WAR GODDESS #4 (MR) $3.99

AUG110939 WAR GODDESS #4 GORE CVR (MR) $3.99

AUG110938 WAR GODDESS #4 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99

AUG111005 WAREHOUSE 13 #3 $3.99

AUG110968 WARLORD OF MARS #13 $3.99

AUG118056 WOM DEJAH THORIS #5 ADAMS MARS RED RISQUE REORDER CVR $3.99

AUG118058 WOM DEJAH THORIS #7 GARZA EARTH BLUE RISQUE REORDER CVR $3.99

JUN111183 ZOMBIES VS CHEERLEADERS #4 $3.99

OCT111054 ZORRO RIDES AGAIN #6 (OF 12) $3.99

MAGAZINES
AUG111349 DR WHO MAGAZINE #440 $9.99
OCT111305 JUXTAPOZ #132 $5.99
JUL111405 MEGAMI OCT 2011 #66 $16.60
SEP111237 STAR WARS CLONE WARS MAGAZINE #9 $4.99
SEP111394 SUPERNATURAL MAGAZINE #29 NEWSSTAND ED $6.99
SEP111395 SUPERNATURAL MAGAZINE #29 PX ED $6.99

Itsuwaribito: Behind the Miracle

2011-12-12T12:10:00.000-08:00

I read Itsuwaribito 4 / Name Your Link

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which as free comics).

20th Century Boys: Cross-Counter

2011-12-11T07:47:00.000-08:00

I read 20th Century Boys 17 / Name Your Link

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which as FREE smart phone apps and comics).

I Reads You Review: 20TH CENTURY BOYS, VOL. 16

2011-12-10T08:29:00.000-08:00

Creators: Naoki Urasawa with Takashi Nagasaki and Akemi Wegmüller (English adaptation)
Publishing Information: VIZ Media, paperback, B&W, 208 pages, $12.99 (US), $14.99 CAN, £8.99 UK
Ordering Numbers: ISBN: 978-1-4215-3534-0

Rating: “T+ for Older Teens”

20th Century Boys is a science fiction adventure series from famed manga creator, Naoki Urasawa. The story begins with Kenji Endo, a hardworking and honorable young man who runs his family’s small business (a convenience store). In 1997, Kenji discovers a series of ominous incidents that follow “The Book of Prophecy,” a ridiculous scenario Kenji and his friend made up as children in the early 1970s.

A bizarre religious cult called the Friends and their leader, the “Friend,” are behind a plot that leads to December 31, 2000. Called “Bloody New Year’s Eve,” this day sees the world brought to the brink of destruction. Fourteen years later, Neo Tokyo is a thriving multiethnic metropolis until the Friends ruin it and the world.

Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys, Vol. 16 (entitled Beyond the Looking Glass) opens on a flashback as we see pivotal moments from Kenji and his pals’ childhood. However, they are seen from the point of view of the boy who would become the Friend.

Then, the narrative moves forward to the third year of the Friendship Era. A killer virus has decimated the world’s population. Tokyo has been quarantined behind a giant wall patrolled by the Friend’s secret police and the Global Defense Forces. The story focuses on Tokyo teens, Sanae and her brother, Katsuo. They have given shelter to an injured man who hides in a shack near their home, and his name is Otcho AKA Shogun.

I’ve long since run out of words to praise manga creator Naoki Urasawa. I love his intricate plots, and 20th Century Boys is like a warehouse of intricate plots and is a veritable subplot-o-rama. I assume that there are many ideas about why Urasawa’s storytelling is so successfully spellbinding I tend to think (cause I’ve changed my mind a few times about this) that 20th Century Boys, like his other comics, is successful because of Urasawa’s ability to make every character with a speaking role – from smallest to largest – relevant in the reader’s eyes. Not every character contributes something that is momentous, but that contribution is relatively important to the time in which he or she contributes it or perhaps, to a past or future moment. And this manga still jumps off the page like a summer potboiler.

A+

I Reads You Review: AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #1

2011-12-09T10:12:00.000-08:00

"Need another Spidey title like you need a hole in your head"

AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #1
MARVEL COMICS

WRITER: Zeb Wells
ARTIST: Joe Madureira
COLORS: Ferran Daniel
LETTERS: VC’s Joe Caramagna
COVER: Joe Madureira and Aron Lusen (Variant coves by Humberto Ramos and Edgar Delgado; J. Scott Campbell and Edgar Delgado; and Joe Quesada, Danny Miki, and Richard Isanove)
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S.
Rated T+

The new Spider-Man comic book series, Avenging Spider-Man, acts as the latest Spider-Man team-up title. The most famous is Marvel Team-Up, which first ran from the 1972 to 1985 (Vol. 1). There is an “afterword” in the back of Avenging Spider-Man, in which editor Stephen Wacker writes that this new title is going to be a star creator-oriented comic book that will feature oddball comic book characters, as well as popular characters as guest stars.

The star creators to start this are writer Zeb Wells (a star?) and artist Joe Madureira (still a star, but likely not as bright as he was back in the 90s). The team-up joins Spider-Man and the Red Hulk.

As Avenging Spider-Man #1 opens, Spider-Man and his Avenger teammates are battling A.I.M. and a giant A.I.M.Bot. Meanwhile, New York City Mayor J. Jonah Jameson has just shot the starter pistol to begin the New York City Marathon. The marathoners, however, immediately find their progress impeded by an invasion of diminutive yellow monsters. Hopping a ride to NYC on the back of the Red Hulk, Spider-Man finds himself arriving just in time to lose to the invaders – even with the Hulk’s help?!

Back in the mid-1990s, penciller Joe Madureira (also known as Joe Mad) and inker Tim Townsend formed one of the best (if not the best) art teams working in superhero comics. Maduriera’s anime and manga influenced style were transformed into solid comic book art by Townsend, an inker with a master illustrator’s touch. Madureira’s art did not suffer much when he left Marvel for Wildstorm Productions and Image Comics to produce his creator-owned title, Battle Chasers (published under Wildstorm’s Cliffhanger imprint). By the beginning of the 21st century, however, Madureira had left comics to work in the video game industry.

Joe Mad returned to comics in 2007 for The Ultimates 3 from Marvel Comics, but his art was no longer inked by Townsend or inked at all for that matter. Now, Madureira’s art was colored directly from the pencils. For me, it left much to be desired. As best as I can tell, Madureira’s is producing the art for Avenging Spider-Man the same as he did for The Ultimates.

It is not that I think Mad’s art here isn’t good. I do think that compared to the work he did on Uncanny X-Men with Townsend inking, this Avenging Spider-Man art is inferior, at least in terms of style and draftsmanship. However, I still admire Mad’s compositional and design skills. Some other artists may stretch out stories with splash pages or pages composed of big panels simply because those pages are more attractive to sell as original art. Mad uses splash pages and big panels to create a heightened sense of the dramatic or convey the power of action, force, movement, etc. The way Mad positions characters and objects in panels and the “camera” angles he uses reflect what Stan Lee preached in his How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way (co-authored with John Buscema).

As for the story: it’s mediocre. I’m amazed that Marvel and DC Comics can still get away with producing remarkably mediocre material, the kind of toad burger product that would spell doom for a publisher not financed by a multi-national media corporation. I’m surprised at the mediocrity because I remember when Zeb Wells first showed up on the comics scene; he was supposed to be some kind of golden boy. Is that golden as in piss gold?

My grade reflects my still-alive love of Joe Mad, but the grade should be lower because of the story.

C

[This comic book includes a preview of Avengers: X-Sanction #1 by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness.]

P.S. I’m going to buy a copy of Avengers: X-Sanction #1 just to rag on it. The five pages that are previewed here are just lousy. I’d really be disappointed if it turned out to be good, thus denying me some fun.

"One Piece" in Shonen Jump Digital Warp

2011-12-09T09:43:00.000-08:00

VIZ MEDIA KICKS OFF DECEMBER WITH DIGITAL MANGA SPEED UP FOR ONE PIECE

Latest Update For VIZManga.com And The VIZ Manga App For iPad, iPhone And iPod Touch Includes Limited Time Volume 1 20% Off Promotion Starting December 7th

VIZ Media delivers a festive dose of digital sparkle as the 2011 Holiday Season begins with the latest update of manga (graphic novels) titles available on VIZManga.com and for digital download on the VIZ MANGA App for the Apple iPad®, iPhone® and iPod® touch.

The SHONEN JUMP DIGITAL WARP started for ONE PIECE, with the release of Vol. 59, available the same day the print version debuted, along with the digital first of ONE PIECE Vol. 60. This will be quickly followed by the digital first debut of ONE PIECE Vols. 61-62 on December 12th. The SHONEN JUMP DIGITAL WARP is a ‘speed-up’ of selected titles to bring U.S. readers up-to-date with Japanese releases and prepare for the January 2012 launch of VIZ Media’s WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP ALPHA, North America’s only near-simultaneous digital manga magazine.

The SHONEN JUMP DIGITAL WARP also continues for Masashi Kishimoto’s hit ninja series NARUTO, with Volume 56 now available, and for Tite Kubo’s supernatural action saga, BLEACH, with Volume 52 debuting on December 12th. NARUTO Vols. 54-55 and BLEACH Vols. 49-51, are also available now, ahead of the print editions.

December 7th also saw the kick-off of a special limited time promotion that makes all Volume 1 manga titles available for up to 20% off (regular prices range from $4.99 to $9.99). This offer will run until midnight PST on December 12th.

Other notable December digital manga highlights include the release on December 12th of fifth and final volume of Kaori Yuki’s GRAND GUIGNOL ORCHESTRA, as well as Vol. 4 of Shunju Aono‘s I’LL GIVE IT MY ALL TOMORROW. Both editions hit one day ahead of their print counterparts’ release.

Eiichiro Oda’s high seas pirate adventure, ONE PIECE (rated ‘T’ for Teens), is one of the best selling manga series of all time. As a child, Monkey D. Luffy dreamed of becoming King of the Pirates. But his life changed when he accidentally gained the power to stretch like rubber…at the cost of never being able to swim again! Years, later, Luffy sets off in search of the "One Piece," said to be the greatest treasure in the world...

ONE PIECE Vol. 59
After risking everything he had to save his brother, Luffy faces his biggest tragedy. Whitebeard will make one last stand against the Navy forces, but when the epic pirate war finally comes to an end, the entire world will be shaken!

ONE PIECE Vol. 60
With the epic Paramount War now over, the scene shifts back to when a young Luffy first met Ace. Luffy, Ace and their friend Sabo get into all types of trouble as they grow up in a tumultuous time.

ONE PIECE Vol. 61
Determined to become stronger and challenge the toughest seas in the world, Luffy and his crew decide to go into training. When they finally reunite years later, they will meet brand new enemies and adventures!

ONE PIECE Vol. 62
Luffy and the Straw Hat crew board their trusted ship and head under the sea towards Fish-man island. However, getting in their way will be fierce pirates, underwater volcanoes, and a humongous sea creature!

Additional manga volumes launching the first part of December include:

Available Now:
BLEACH Vols. 36-37
DENGEKI DAISY Vol. 7
NARUTO Vol. 56 – Digital first!
NEON GENESIS EVANGELION Chapter 18
NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN Vol. 6
OISHINBO Vol. 5
ONE PIECE Vols. 59-60 – Digital first for Vol. 60!
OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB Vol. 13
TORIKO Vol. 7

December 12th:
BAKUMAN Vol. 8
BLEACH Vol. 52 – Digital first!
BLUE EXORCIST Vol. 5
FUSHIGI YUGI: GENBU KAIDEN Vol. 9
GRAND GUIGNOL ORCHESTRA Vol. 5 – Final volume!
I’LL GIVE IT MY ALL TOMORROW Vol. 4
KEKKAISHI Vol. 19
NEON GENESIS EVANGELION Chapter 19
ONE PIECE Vols. 61 & 62 – Digital first!
RUROUNI KENSHIN Vol. 28 – Final volume!

VIZ Media’s multiple digital manga platforms allow for universal access to read manga from an iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, and now, on VIZManga.com for desktop/laptop computers as well as Android-powered devices with built-in web browsers. With one account, registered users may access their purchases across even more devices than ever.

The free VIZ Manga App continues to be the top app for reading manga and features a rapidly growing library of the most popular manga series in the world. Over 45 series and 500+ volumes are currently available, with new additions and free Chapter 1 previews added weekly.

For more information, please visit VIZManga.com or www.VIZ.com/apps.

Maoh Juvenile Remix: Testing Powers

2011-12-08T12:19:00.000-08:00

I read Maoh Juvenile Remix 8 / Name Your Link

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has FREE comics).

Pogo to Help Celebrate Fantagraphics Bookstore Anniversary

2011-12-08T07:04:00.000-08:00

Celebrate the 5th Anniversary of Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery!

“Playing Possum: The Pogo Art of Walt Kelly” opens December 10

In 1970, Walt Kelly’s playful possum Pogo looked upon his polluted Okefenokee Swamp and uttered in despair, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” This line quickly became part of our cultural lexicon and cemented Pogo’s place in American popular culture. Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery celebrates the publication of Pogo: Through the Wild Blue Wonder with “Playing Possum: The Pogo Art of Walt Kelly.” This exhibition of original Walt Kelly strips opens Saturday, December 10 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM on the occasion of the bookstore’s 5th anniversary gala.

The long-anticipated Pogo: Through the Wild Blue Wonder, Volume 1 of the Complete Comic Strips collects early Sunday and daily Pogo comics from 1949 – 1950. Kelly introduces his huge cast of irreverent swamp dwellers and their singular dialect known as “swamp talk.” Politics soon became a central topic in the swamp. While Kelly claimed to oppose “the extreme right, the extreme left, and the extreme middle,” political figures cynically cloaking themselves in patriotic garb were clearly disdained. Kelly boldly caricatured red baiting Senator Joseph R. McCarthy as Simple J. Malarkey. An obvious parody of J. Edgar Hoover seemingly drove the FBI director to distraction. He reportedly assigned cryptographers to decipher the secret swamp talk “code.” (A strip from 1971 referencing this will be on display.) Kelly’s characters also embraced the burgeoning environmental movement and other progressive causes. “Playing Possum: The Pogo Art of Walt Kelly” includes 12 memorable dailies and 4 Sunday strips. These original works reveal the artist’s concern for composition, delicate line quality, and detailed dialogue.

The opening on Saturday, December 10 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM promises to be a festive affair. Musical entertainment will be provided by Sawsome, a female saw and banjo duet. The evening commemorates the 5th anniversary of Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery and coincides with the holiday edition of the colorful Georgetown Art Attack featuring art exhibitions, special events and wandering carolers from Choir of the Sound throughout the historic neighborhood.

PLAYING POSSUM: The Pogo Art of Walt Kelly
Opening reception Saturday, December 10, 6:00 – 9:00 PM
5th Anniversary Holiday Gala with musical entertainment by SAWSOME
Exhibition continues through January 4, 2012
www.fantagraphics.com/news/playingpossum

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery
1201 S. Vale Street (at Airport Way S.) Seattle. 206.658.0110
Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM
http://www.fantagraphics.com/

I Reads You Review: ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #4

2011-12-07T11:36:00.000-08:00

"With great power..."

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #4
MARVEL COMICS

WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis
ARTIST: Sara Pichelli
COLORS: Justin Ponsor
LETTERS: VC’s Cory Petit
COVER: Kaare Andrews
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S.
Rated T+

As it was revealed previously, the new Ultimate Spider-Man series takes place before the “Death of Spider-Man” storyline that took place in Marvel Comics’ Ultimate line a few months ago. With Ultimate Spider-Man #4 (AKA Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #4), the new series finally catches up with events as Miles Morales witnesses Peter Parker’s final moments.

Like Parker, Miles was bitten (just recently) by a spider and the result is arachnid-like powers. After witnessing the death of hero, Miles can no longer ignore his strange new powers. With the help of his best friend, Ganke, Miles is ready to suit up, even if everyone else isn’t ready for the new (Spider) kid in town.

This fourth issue of the new Ultimate Spider-Man series is a nice change of pace as writer Brian Michael Bendis has Miles deal with things new to him – the responsibility that having powers brings, the how-to of being a superhero, and the difficulty of replacing a legend. So far, Bendis is gradually revealing Miles to us, but he is also delving into the African-American teen, as if Miles were also new to him.

The art by Sara Pichelli features a clean, almost classical line work. It’s the wonky coloring that sometimes distorts that cleanness. Colorist Justin Ponsor over does it on the gradation when he doesn’t have to. There are times when Ponsor wants to suggest light reflected off Miles’ face, and it instead resembles an albino-like skin condition.

A

[This comic book includes a preview of Avengers: X-Sanction #1 by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness.]

Naruto: The Birth of Naruto

2011-12-07T09:11:00.000-08:00

I read Naruto 53 / Name Your Link.

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which as FREE comics).

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for December 7 2011

2011-12-06T09:21:00.000-08:00

DC COMICS

OCT110178 ACTION COMICS #4 $3.99

OCT110212 ANIMAL MAN #4 $2.99

JUL110285 BAD DOINGS BIG IDEAS A BILL WILLINGHAM DLX HC (MR) $49.99

AUG110242 BATMAN NO MANS LAND TP VOL 01 NEW EDITION $29.99

OCT110191 BATWING #4 $2.99

MAY110309 BLACKEST NIGHT POWER RING SPECTRUM SET $65.00

SEP110177 BRIGHTEST DAY TP VOL 01 $19.99

OCT110238 DC COMICS PRESENTS CAPTAIN ATOM #1 $7.99

APR110283 DC UNIVERSE ONLINE STATUE THE JOKER $90.00

OCT110188 DETECTIVE COMICS #4 $2.99

OCT110171 GREEN ARROW #4 $2.99

OCT110231 HAWK AND DOVE #4 $2.99

OCT110286 HELLBLAZER ANNUAL #1 (MR) $4.99

OCT110201 HUNTRESS #3 (OF 6) $2.99

OCT110288 IZOMBIE #20 (MR) $2.99

AUG110250 JACK KIRBYS FOURTH WORLD OMNIBUS TP VOL 01 $39.99

OCT110164 JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #4 $2.99

OCT110274 LOONEY TUNES #204 $2.99

OCT110225 MEN OF WAR #4 $3.99

OCT110223 OMAC #4 $2.99

OCT110187 PENGUIN PAIN AND PREJUDICE #3 (OF 5) $2.99

OCT110207 RED LANTERNS #4 $2.99

SEP110227 SANDMAN TP VOL 07 BRIEF LIVES NEW ED (MR) $19.99

OCT110273 SCOOBY DOO WHERE ARE YOU #16 $2.99

OCT110229 STATIC SHOCK #4 $2.99

OCT110217 STORMWATCH #4 $2.99

SEP110189 SUPERBOY SMALLVILLE ATTACKS TP $24.99

AUG110261 SUPERMAN GROUNDED HC VOL 02 $22.99

SEP110188 SUPERMAN SECRET ORIGIN TP $19.99

OCT110278 SUPERNATURAL #3 (OF 6) $2.99

SEP118159 SWAMP THING #2 2ND PTG $2.99

OCT110211 SWAMP THING #4 $2.99

OCT110297 SWEET TOOTH #28 (MR) $2.99

MAY110258 WATCHMEN THE ABSOLUTE EDITION HC NEW PTG $99.99

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for December 7 2011

2011-12-06T09:13:00.000-08:00

MARVEL COMICS

OCT110630 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #675 $3.99

JUL110710 ART OF SPIDER-MAN CLASSIC HC $49.99

JUL110721 AVENGERS WEST COAST AVENGERS PREM HC SINS PAST $34.99

JUL110722 AVENGERS WEST COAST AVENGERS PREM HC SINS PAST DM VAR ED 80 $34.99

OCT110628 AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #2 WITH FREE DIGITAL CODE $3.99

OCT110721 CAPTAIN AMERICA CORPS TP $16.99

OCT110698 CRIMINAL TP VOL 06 LAST OF INNOCENT (MR) $14.99

OCT110669 DEADPOOL #47 $2.99

SEP110658 DEADPOOL PREM HC VOL 09 INSTITUTIONALIZED $19.99

OCT110694 DEADPOOLMAX X-MAS SPECIAL #1 (MR) $4.99

OCT110587 DEFENDERS #1 $3.99

SEP118111 DEFENDERS #1 NEAL ADAMS INKED VAR (PP #995) $3.99

OCT110743 ESSENTIAL FANTASTIC FOUR TP VOL 02 NEW ED $19.99

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Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for December 7 2011

2011-12-06T08:56:00.000-08:00

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