Comics, Magazines and Books from Diamond Distributors for March 23, 2022

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

JAN221626 A KINGS VENGEANCE #2 $3.99

SEP211375 ALICE IN LEATHERLAND TP (MR) $17.99

JAN221712 ARMORCLADS #1 (OF 5) CVR A HUTOMO $3.99

JAN221713 ARMORCLADS #1 (OF 5) CVR B MASTRAZZO & ROBERTS $3.99

JAN221714 ARMORCLADS #1 (OF 5) CVR C HUTOMO $3.99

JAN221717 ARMORCLADS #1 (OF 5) CVR F BLANK $3.99

JAN221868 ASCENDANCE OF A BOOKWORM PART 2 GN VOL 02 $14.99

DEC212033 BEHEMOTH S RANKED MONSTER CAT ELF GIRL PET GN VOL 04 (RES) ( $13.00

FEB221329 BELLADONNA MOODY BAG SET (5CT) (MR) $19.99

JAN221211 BETTY & VERONICA DECADES 1960S TP $10.99

JAN221215 BETTY & VERONICA JUMBO COMICS DIGEST #302 $8.99

JAN221878 BEYOND CLOUDS GN VOL 04 (RES) $12.99

JAN221618 BEYOND THE BEYOND #1 (OF 4) $4.99

JAN221816 BUNGO STRAY DOGS WAN GN VOL 01 (MR) $13.00

SEP211416 CASSIDYS SECRET #3 CVR A FUSO $4.99

SEP211417 CASSIDYS SECRET #3 CVR B FUSO $4.99

JAN221810 CATCH THESE HANDS GN VOL 01 $13.00

JAN221655 COVER OF DARKNESS #3 CVR A HIBLEN (MR) $3.99

JAN221656 COVER OF DARKNESS #3 CVR B MCDANIEL (MR) $3.99

JAN221465 CRAB & SNAIL YR GN VOL 01 INVISIBLE WHALE $7.90

JAN221466 CRAB & SNAIL YR HC GN VOL 01 INVISIBLE WHALE $12.99

FEB221260 CROSSED BADLANDS WRAP 13-18 BAG SET (6CT) (MR) $19.99

FEB221258 CROSSED BADLANDS WRAP 1-6 BAG SET (6CT) (MR) $19.99

FEB221261 CROSSED BADLANDS WRAP 19-24 BAG SET (6CT) (MR) $19.99

FEB221262 CROSSED BADLANDS WRAP 25-30 BAG SET (6CT) (MR) $19.99

FEB221263 CROSSED BADLANDS WRAP 31-36 BAG SET (6CT) (MR) $19.99

FEB221264 CROSSED BADLANDS WRAP 37-42 BAG SET (6CT) (MR) $19.99

FEB221265 CROSSED BADLANDS WRAP 43-48 BAG SET (6CT) (MR) $19.99

FEB221266 CROSSED BADLANDS WRAP 49-54 BAG SET (6CT) (MR) $19.99

FEB221259 CROSSED BADLANDS WRAP 7-12 BAG SET (6CT) (MR) $19.99

DEC211648 DEAR SOPHIE LOVE SOPHIE GRAPHIC MEMOIR $21.99

NOV212014 DEKOBOKO BITTERSWEET DAYS (MR) $15.99

NOV211369 DF COWBOY BEBOP #1 HAESER SGN RMRK $71.00

FEB221433 DF DC COMICS APRIL SHOWERS 2022 TRIFECTA $33.33

SEP211510 DF HARLEY QUINN #1 HAESER RMRK SGN $79.99

MAR211260 DF HEROES REBORN HAESER SKETCH $89.99

OCT201344 DF JUSTICE LEAGUE ENDLESS WINTER #1 MARZ SGN $29.99

FEB221434 DF MARVEL COMICS APRIL SHOWERS 2022 TRIFECTA $33.33

FEB221435 DF MULTI PUBLISHER APRIL SHOWERS 2022 TRIFECTA $33.33

JUL211625 DF SPACE PIRATE CAPTAIN HARLOCK #1 HAESER SGN RMRK $77.00

NOV212015 DOUBLE GN VOL 02 $12.99

JAN221913 DUNGEON DIVE AIM FOR DEEPEST LEVEL GN VOL 03 $12.99

NOV211893 EMINENCE IN SHADOW GN VOL 03 $13.00

JAN221199 FLOWER GARDEN GN $12.99

JAN221246 FOURTH MAN #3 (OF 4) (MR) $3.99

NOV211194 FRANKENROCKER AND THE JAILBAIT PUNKS #1 (OF 4) CVR A KOWALCZ $4.99

NOV211195 FRANKENROCKER AND THE JAILBAIT PUNKS #1 (OF 4) CVR B CHURILL $4.99

DEC211426 FREAK SNOW REVENGE IS A DRUG VOL 01 (MR) $14.99

JAN221566 GERONIMO STILTON REPORTER HC VOL 10 BLACKRATS TREASURE $9.99

FEB221332 GYPSY SULTRY BAG SET (5CT) (MR) $19.99

FEB221331 HELLINA SACRILEGE BAG SET (4CT) (MR) $19.99

FEB221970 HIGEHIRO AFTER BEING REJECTED GN VOL 03 $12.95

JAN221248 HOTELL VOL 2 #4 (OF 5) $3.99

DEC211616 HYPERTHICK #3 (OF 3) (MR) $5.99

JAN221869 INFINITE DENDROGRAM OMNIBUS GN VOL 04 $19.99

JAN221660 JOHN CARPENTERS TALES OF SCIENCE FICTION HELL TP $24.99

FEB221335 JUNGLE FANTASY VIXENS IVORY LUSCIOUS SET BAG SET A (5CT) (MR $19.99

FEB221336 JUNGLE FANTASY VIXENS IVORY LUSCIOUS SET BAG SET B (5CT) (MR $19.99

FEB221327 LADY DEATH ART NOUVEAU BAG SET (5CT) (MR) $19.99

FEB221326 LADY DEATH CRACKLING BAG SET (5CT) (MR) $19.99

FEB221325 LADY DEATH SEDUCTIVE BAG SET (5CT) (MR) $19.99

FEB221328 LADY DEATH WICKED QUEEN PRISM BAG SET (3CT) (MR) $19.99

JAN221127 LION & EAGLE #2 CVR A BRADSTREET $7.99

JAN221826 LUST GEASS GN VOL 05 (MR) $13.00

JAN221480 MAKHNO UKRAINIAN FREEDOM FIGHTER (MR) $22.99

SEP211812 MAN WHO SHOT CHRIS KYLE AN AMERICAN LEGEND HC VOL 01 (MR) (C $29.99

JAN221129 MANIAC OF NEW YORK BRONX BURNING #4 CVR A ANDREA MUTTI $4.99

JAN221130 MANIAC OF NEW YORK BRONX BURNING #4 CVR B FRANCAVILLA VAR $4.99

JAN221870 MARGINAL OPERATION GN VOL 09 $14.99

FEB221330 MEDIEVAL LADY DEATH WARRIOR BAG SET (8CT) (MR) $19.99

JAN221862 MIGHT AS WELL CHEAT GN VOL 02 (MR) $13.99

JAN221814 MINAMI NANAMI WANTS TO SHINE GN VOL 01 $13.00

NOV211875 MINT CHOCOLATE GN VOL 05 $13.00

JAN221818 MONSTER WRESTLING INTERSPECIES COMBAT GIRLS GN VOL 04 (MR) ( $13.00

FEB221971 MULTI MIND MAYHEM GN VOL 03 ISEKAI TENSEI SOUDOUKI (MR) $13.95

JAN221156 MY BAD #5 (MR) $3.99

DEC211593 MY BADLY DRAWN LIFE HC $22.99

JAN221932 MY LOVEY DOVEY WIFE IS A STONE COLD KILLER GN VOL 02 (MR) (C $12.99

FEB221972 NEW GATE MANGA GN VOL 09 $11.95

FEB221255 NIGHT LIVING DEAD AFTERMATH WRAP 1-6 BAG SET (6CT) (MR) $19.99

FEB221256 NIGHT LIVING DEAD AFTERMATH WRAP 7-12 BAG SET (6CT) (MR) $19.99

FEB221252 NIGHT LIVING DEAD DEATH VALLEY WRAP 1-5 BAG SET (5CT) (MR) ( $16.99

JAN221282 NINE STONES #8 CVR A SPANO (MR) $3.99

JAN221283 NINE STONES #8 CVR B SPANO (MR) $3.99

DEC211816 NORTH BEND SEASON 2 #3 $3.99

JAN221425 NOW #11 NEW COMICS ANTHOLOGY $12.99

JAN221863 PARALLEL PARADISE GN VOL 09 (MR) $13.99

JAN221628 PENTAGRAM OF HORROR #1 CVR A FONTANILI $5.99

FEB221257 PLAGUE LIVING DEAD ROTTING SET (7CT) (MR) $19.99

OCT211895 RISE OF THE DJINN #3 (OF 3) CVR A PANTALENA $5.99

OCT211896 RISE OF THE DJINN #3 (OF 3) CVR B RIVEIRO $5.99

JAN221654 ROARIN 20S WORLDS FAIR 2ND PTG (MR) $3.99

JAN221815 RUN ON YOUR NEW LEGS GN VOL 01 $15.00

JAN221887 SAINT YOUNG MEN HC GN VOL 08 (MR) $23.99

JAN221648 SECOND PLACE #4 (OF 4) $3.99

DEC211440 SHI NO KAGE #7 (OF 6) CVR A $3.99

DEC212027 SMOKIN PARADE GN VOL 09 (RES) (MR) $13.00

JAN221534 SPEED REPUBLIC #2 CVR A PARASCANDOLO & MONTE $3.99

JAN221535 SPEED REPUBLIC #2 CVR B FABIAN LELAY $3.99

JAN221819 SPLENDID WORK OF MONSTER MAID GN VOL 02 (MR) $15.00

NOV211696 SUICIDE JOCKEYS SEASON 1 (MR) $14.99

JAN221474 SWAMP GOD #4 (OF 6) (RES) (MR) $2.99

JAN221823 SWORD ART ONLINE PROJECT ALICIZATION GN VOL 04 $13.00

NOV211700 TOUCHING EVIL #20 (MR) $3.99

JAN221647 TRASH & CAN IT DISPOSABLE HEROES #3 (OF 4) $3.99

DEC211851 TWIZTID HAUNTED HIGH ONS CURSE OF GREEN BOOK #4 (OF 4) CVR A $3.99

DEC211852 TWIZTID HAUNTED HIGH ONS CURSE OF GREEN BOOK #4 (OF 4) CVR B $3.99

FEB221333 UNHOLY FEMME FATALE 1-5 BAG SET (5CT) (MR) $19.99

DEC211427 UNTIL MY KNUCKLES BLEED #2 CVR A SANTOS (MR) $3.99

DEC211428 UNTIL MY KNUCKLES BLEED #2 CVR B SANTOS (MR) $3.99

DEC211429 UNTIL MY KNUCKLES BLEED #2 CVR C SANTOS (MR) $3.99

DEC211430 UNTIL MY KNUCKLES BLEED #2 CVR D SANTOS 5 COPY INCV (MR) $3.99

DEC211431 UNTIL MY KNUCKLES BLEED #2 CVR E SANTOS 10 COPY INCV (MR) $3.99

JAN221276 UNTIL MY KNUCKLES BLEED #3 CVR A SANTOS (MR) $3.99

JAN221277 UNTIL MY KNUCKLES BLEED #3 CVR B SANTOS (MR) $3.99

JAN221278 UNTIL MY KNUCKLES BLEED #3 CVR C SANTOS (MR) $3.99

JUL211353 VAMPIRE MACABRE HALLOWEEN SP ONE SHOT CVR A FELL (MR) $3.99

JUL211354 VAMPIRE MACABRE HALLOWEEN SP ONE SHOT CVR B CHOW (MR) $3.99

JUL211355 VAMPIRE MACABRE HALLOWEEN SP ONE SHOT CVR C SKETCH (MR) $3.99

DEC211434 WATCH DOGS LEGION #4 (OF 4) CVR A MASSAGGIA (MR) $3.99

DEC211435 WATCH DOGS LEGION #4 (OF 4) CVR B MASSAGGIA (MR) $3.99

FEB221334 WEBWITCH WRAP 1-5 BAG SET (5CT) (MR) $19.99

NOV211495 WIZARDS OF MICKEY GN VOL 07 $16.00

FEB221254 WOLFSKIN HUNDREDTH DREAM WRAP 1-6 BAG SET (6CT) (MR) $19.99

FEB221253 WOLFSKIN VISCOUS SET (5CT) (MR) $16.99

JAN221536 WOLVENHEART #12 CVR A GIRALDO $3.99

JAN221537 WOLVENHEART #12 CVR B GIRALDO $3.99

NOV211894 WOOF WOOF STORY GN VOL 03 PAMPERED POOCH NOT FENRIR $13.00

NOV211897 WORLDS FINEST ASSASSIN REINCARNATED ANOTHER WORLD GN VOL 02 $13.00

JAN221651 YUKI VS PANDA #8 (MR) $3.99

MAGAZINES

JAN221359 COMIC SHOP NEWS (90CT BUNDLE) #1805 $PI

NOV211437 FILMFAX #161 $9.95

JAN221470 HEAVY METAL #315 CVR A JUNG GI (MR) $13.99

JAN221471 HEAVY METAL #315 CVR B JUNG GI (MR) $13.99

FEB221532 NIB FOOD $14.95

SEP218488 TOY-VENTURES MAGAZINE #6 $10.99

BOOKS

JAN221838 DURARARA SH LIGHT NOVEL SC VOL 03 $15.00

SEP211853 JOHN SEVERIN TWO-FISTED COMIC BOOK ARTIST HC $39.95

JAN221366 MAX AND THE MIDKNIGHTS ILLUS YA NOVEL HC TOWER OF TIME $13.99

JAN221873 MY FRIENDS LITTLE SISTER HAS IT IN FOR ME LN VOL 03 $14.99

AUG212088 STAR WARS CLONE WARS OFFICIAL COLL ED HC $24.99

JAN221841 STRIKE THE BLOOD LIGHT NOVEL SC VOL 20 $15.00

JAN221875 TEARMOON EMPIRE LIGHT NOVEL VOL 04 $14.99

JAN221829 WOLF & PARCHMENT LIGHT NOVEL SC VOL 06 NEW THEORY $14.00

JAN221839 WORLD STRONGEST REARGUARD LABYRINTH NOVICE NOVEL SC VOL 06 ( $15.00

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#IReadsYou Review: BLAZING COMBAT

BLAZING COMBAT
FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS

WRITERS: Archie Goodwin, Michael Catron
ARTISTS: Various
LETTERS: Ben Oda, Various
COVER: John Severin
ISBN: 978-1-60699-366-8; paperback (February 2010)
212pp, B&W with some color, $19.99 U.S.

Comic book history tells us that Warren Publishing was an independent magazine publisher owned by maverick, James Warren.  By 1965, Warren was best known for publishing Famous Monsters of Filmland, its flagship title, and Creepy, a horror comics anthology that would go on to become a legend.  James Warren had even published Harvey Kurtzman’s black-and-white comic book series, Help!

Inspired by Harvey Kurtzman’s Two-Fisted Tales and Frontline Combat, two famous war titles from EC Comics, Warren launched his on war comic book, entitled Blazing Combat.  The stories were largely written by Archie Goodwin and drawn by an absolute murderers’ row of comic book and illustration luminaries, including Wallace “Wally” Wood, Gene Colan, Frank Frazetta (cover artist), Joe Orlando, John Severin, Alex Toth, and Al Williamson, among others.

Blazing Combat looked like it would be a hit, but in 1965, the United States was escalating its involvement in Vietnam.  Apparently, Blazing Combat’s realistic depiction of soldiers in combat, of the death, violence, and destruction of war, and even of the affects of war on civilians angered some.  Blazing Combat was banned from sale on military bases, and the American Legion’s objections to the title led some magazine wholesalers to stop carrying it.  In 1966, after only four issues, James Warren cancelled Blazing Combat.

The reader can learn all this in Michael Catron’s excellent introduction to a book entitled Blazing Combat.  Published last year by Fantagraphics Books, the hardcover Blazing Combat collected all four issues of the original Blazing Combat and also included two interviews Catron conducted with James Warren and Archie Goodwin.  Fantagraphics recently released a less expensive softcover edition of this 2010 Eisner Award nominated book (Best Archival Collection/Project-Comic Books).

So what you might ask?  Who cares about a reprint of an old comic book published by James Warren over 40 years ago?

Well, Blazing Combat is probably the best war comic book ever published in the United States.  Speaking in terms of anthology books, the art in Blazing Combat is every bit as good as the art found in EC Comics’ titles – the gold standard in anthology comics and arguably the best line of comic books ever published in the U.S.

As for the stories, Blazing Combat was probably the best writing of Archie Goodwin’s long and distinguished career as a writer and beloved editor.  Screenwriters and directors have received Oscar nominations and wins for directing and writing some excellent war movies, such as The Hurt Locker recently.  Goodwin’s work in Blazing Combat is every bit as powerful and high-quality.

In such stories as “Holding Action,” about a scared boy in Korea, “The Trench,” set in the trenches of World War I (both drawn by the incomparable John Severin), and “Face to Face” (drawn by Joe Orlando) set during the Spanish American war, Goodwin delivers poignant and powerful work about the damage of war on the mind and the spirit.  The physical degradation of war on the land and on a people is revealed in the sublime “Landscape” (drawn by Joe Orlando), about a Vietnamese farmer.

For all the controversy his stories apparently generated, Goodwin gives love to the veteran combatant in the lovely “The Edge.”  Drawn by Alex Toth, the story is more proof of why Toth is the master when it comes to drawing aerial combat in comic books.  However, Wally Wood does show his own chops in two stories of aerial combat, “The Battle for Britain!” which he wrote and “ME-262!”

Blazing Combat, in spite of its short run, could be called special because of the list of luminaries that drew the comic book art – the visual storytelling.  At a time, however, when comic book publishers were turning themselves solely into superhero comic book publishers, James Warren, Archie Goodwin, and their collaborators were tackling bigger ideas and substantive subject matter by taking on war and the military culture.  And they did great work, to boot.  Now, thanks to this collection, Blazing Combat leaves the memory hole and at long last takes its place of prominence in American comic book history.

A+
10 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


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The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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