Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 22 2011

IMAGE COMICS

APR110398 ALL NIGHTER #1 (OF 5) $2.99

JAN110665 DARKNESS ORIGINS TP VOL 03 $19.99

APR110419 DREAMS OF DARKCHYLDE TP VOL 01 (MR) $16.99

APR110505 HACK SLASH #5 CVR A FRISON (MR) $3.50

APR110506 HACK SLASH #5 CVR B ESQUEJO (MR) $3.50

FEB110495 MAGDALENA ORIGINS TP VOL 02 (OF 2) (NOTE PRICE) $16.99

APR110513 MISSION #5 $2.99

APR110460 WALKING DEAD T/S MICHONNE LG $24.99

APR110459 WALKING DEAD T/S MICHONNE MED $24.99

APR110458 WALKING DEAD T/S MICHONNE SM $24.99

APR110461 WALKING DEAD T/S MICHONNE XL $24.99

APR110462 WALKING DEAD T/S MICHONNE XXL $27.99

APR110528 WALKING DEAD WEEKLY #25 (MR) $2.99

Comics and Magazines from Diamond Distributors for June 22 2011

COMICS


MAR111312 AFTERSCHOOL CHARISMA TP VOL 03 $12.99

OCT100758 ANYWHERE TP (MR) $19.95

MAR111313 ARATA THE LEGEND TP VOL 06 $9.99

APR110784 ARCHIE #622 $2.99

APR110788 ARCHIE BABIES OGN $9.95

MAR111376 AWFUL RESILIENT ART OF ALEX PARDEE HC $29.95

APR110792 B & V FRIENDS DOUBLE DIGEST #215 $3.99

APR110856 BART SIMPSON COMICS #60 $2.99

MAR111229 BENDATTI VENDETTA TP $22.99

APR110991 BLACKBEARD LEGEND OF THE PYRATE KING TP $19.99

JAN111194 CAPTAIN EASY HC VOL 02 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE (RES) $39.99

DEC101128 CARLOS DIEZ SKETCHBOOK DEVIL IN DETAILS SC (MR) $9.95

FEB111232 CHARMED #11 A CVR CHARMED ONES $3.50

FEB111233 CHARMED #11 B CVR PHOEBE $3.50

APR110895 CHIP N DALE RESCUE RANGERS TP WORLDWIDE RESCUE $14.99

FEB111147 CLINT #8 NEWSSTAND ED (MR) $6.99

FEB111148 CLINT #8 PX ED (MR) $6.99

MAR111310 DETROIT METAL CITY GN VOL 09 (MR) $12.99

MAR111101 DEVILS PANTIES GN VOL 05 (MR) $20.00

MAR111126 DF FANTASTIC FOUR #587 CGC GRADED ED $89.99

FEB111022 DF TRUE BLOOD TAINTED #3 EXC CVR 2 PK $16.99

APR110868 DRACULA COMPANY OF MONSTERS #11 $3.99

APR110900 DUCKTALES #2 $3.99

FEB110703 ELF #3 (OF 6) $3.99

AUG100788 EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT IRIS TP VOL 01 $18.99

APR110847 FEMALE FORCE HILLARY CLINTON FOIL ED $19.99

MAR111305 FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST VOL 25 $9.99

MAR118185 GIRL GENIUS HC VOL 10 AGATHA H & GUARDIAN MUSE $48.95

APR110750 GIRL GENIUS TP VOL 10 AGATHA H & GUARDIAN MUSE $22.95

FEB111068 HOUNDS OF HELL GN (MR) $19.95

APR110925 IN DEFENSE OF THE REALM CAMPFIRE GN $12.99

MAR110970 INSURRECTION V3.6 #3 $3.99

MAR111277 JESUS HATES ZOMBIES JURASSIC KINDA LIFE GN VOL 01 (MR) $4.99

APR110794 JUGHEADS DOUBLE DIGEST #171 $2.99

JAN110934 KADE PRODIGAL SUN GN $14.95

MAR111320 KEKKAISHI GN VOL 26 $9.99

MAR111230 KINGDOM THE PROMISED LAND S&S ED TP VOL 01 $18.99

APR118064 KIRBY GENESIS #1 HERBERT REORDER CVR $3.99

DEC100879 LAST PHANTOM #7 $3.99

FEB110720 LAST ZOMBIE INFERNO $3.99

APR111147 LENORE VOLUME II #2 VAR SKETCH CVR $3.99

MAR110936 LOGANS RUN AFTERMATH #2 (RES) $3.99

MAR111231 LOW LIFE PARANOIA TP $17.99

OCT100754 MEGAMIND #2 $3.95

FEB111069 METAL HURLANT COLLECTION HC VOL 01 (MR) $29.95

MAR111322 NAOKI URASAWA 20TH CENTURY BOYS GN VOL 15 (NOTE PRICE) $12.99

APR111082 NEGIMA OMNIBUS GN VOL 01 (MR) $19.99

OCT100761 OPERA MANGA GN $14.95

MAR110937 PAPARAZZI #3 (OF 4) $3.99

AUG100754 PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR #4 (OF 4) $3.95

MAR111102 PHINEAS & FERB EARLY COMIC READER #5 QUANTUM BOOGALOO $4.99

APR111080 PHOENIX WRIGHT GN VOL 01 $10.99

APR110883 PLANET OF THE APES #3 $3.99

APR111091 PRINCE VALIANT AN AMERICAN EPIC VOL 02 1938 (O/A) $150.00

APR111092 PRINCE VALIANT AN AMERICAN EPIC VOL 03 1939 (O/A) $150.00

MAR111076 RED SONJA REVENGE O/T GODS #4 (OF 5) $3.99

OCT101046 ROY ROGERS COLL DAILY & SUNDAY NEWSPAPER STRIPS HC $49.99

JAN110929 SCRATCH 9 TP VOL 01 PET PROJECT $9.95

APR110890 STAN LEE TRAVELER #8 $3.99

MAR111309 TENJO TENGE GN VOL 01 (MR) $17.99

MAR110814 TERRY MOORES ECHO TP VOL 06 LAST DAY $15.95

MAR110996 UNCLE SCROOGE MYSTERIOUS STONE RAY & CASH FLOW $6.99

MAR111025 VAMPIRELLA #7 $3.99

MAR110942 VINCENT PRICE PRESENTS #30 (MR) $3.99

MAR110943 VINCENT PRICE PRESENTS BIOGRAPHY ONE SHOT (MR) $3.99

APR110909 WALT DISNEYS COMICS & STORIES #720 $3.99

MAR110945 WRATH OF THE TITANS REVENGE OF MEDUSA #2 $3.99

MAGAZINES
APR111343 CINEFEX #126 MAY 2011 $12.50
FEB111258 COMIC HEROES MAGAZINE #6 $18.99
APR111289 COMICS REVUE PRESENTS JUNE 2011 $19.95
MAR111436 FILMFAX #127 $9.95
APR111321 FREAKY MONSTERS MAGAZINE #2 $9.95
APR111272 JUXTAPOZ #126 $5.99
NOV101115 LEES TOY REVIEW #218 FEB 2011 $6.95
APR111351 LOCUS #605 $6.95
FEB111307 SFX #209 $9.99
APR111357 STAR WARS INSIDER #126 SPECIAL NEWSSTAND ED $6.99
APR111358 STAR WARS INSIDER #126 SPECIAL PX ED $6.99
MAR111983 WHITE DWARF #377 PI

Leroy Douresseaux on STAR WARS: JEDI - THE DARK SIDE #2

STAR WARS: JEDI – THE DARK SIDE #2
DARK HORSE BOOKS

[Visit the "Star Wars Central" review page here.]

SCRIPT: Scott Allie
ARTIST: Mahmud Asrar
COLORS: Paul Mounts
LETTERS: Michael Heisler
COVER: Stéphane Roux
32pp, Color, $2.99

Star Wars: Jedi – The Dark Side is a new Star Wars comic book recently launched by Dark Horse Comics. It is written by Scott Allie, who previously wrote Star Wars: Empire—Betrayal. The artist is Mahmud Asrar, who has worked on Brightest Day: The Atom Special and Avengers: The Initiative.

Star Wars: Jedi – The Dark Side is set during “The Rise of the Empire” era. This period takes place during the 1000 years before the Battle of Yavin (the climax of the original Star Wars film when Luke Skywalker destroys the Death Star). This particular story takes place approximately 53 years before the Battle of Yavin.

The lead character of this first story arc of Star Wars: Jedi – The Dark Side is Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn (ostensibly the lead in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace). The Jedi Council dispatches Qui-Gon, his headstrong Padawan Xanatos, the beautiful Jedi Master Tahl, and the Padawan Orykan Tamarik, whose master is deceased, to the planet Telos IV. Their assignment is to quell the unrest caused by the mysterious death and possible assassination of High Priestess Liora.

Star Wars: Jedi – The Dark Side #2 opens in the aftermath of the attack on their ship that occurred as the Jedi arrived on Telos IV. Matters are further complicated by the fact that this planet is Xanatos’ home world, and his father, Lord Crion, is its ruler. Father and son have a difficult relationship, made even more difficult by Crion’s pride and Xanatos’ stubborn ways. Meanwhile, Qui-Gon and Orykan make a shocking discovery – the presence of some kind of Jedi at the murder scene. Meanwhile, Tahl finds herself in the fight of her life.

Qui-Gon Jinn is my favorite character from The Phantom Menace, so I’m excited by this original comic book story featuring the Jedi Master who came to an untimely end. Star Wars: Jedi – The Dark Side doesn’t disappoint, but it is more than just another Star Wars comic book. It is a murder mystery with elements of palace intrigue and political conspiracy. There are themes of family discord, professional jealousy, personal dissatisfaction, and nationalism (or the planetary equivalent of it).

Writer Scott Allie presents this story as a detective tale – dropping suspects and motives all over the place. In fact, it seems as if everyone here is guilty of something, and Allie adds an air of suspense and intrigue to the story by giving every character something to hide or something with which to struggle. It makes for a great summer potboiler. Artist Mahmud Asrar brings Allie’s script to life in comics form – a gripping graphic novel read. Asrar’s clean style and dramatic chops guarantee that this will be both a good comic book and a good Star Wars tale.

A-

---------------------------

Tenge Tenjo: Enter Todo High

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

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

I Reads You Review: STATIC SHOCK SPECIAL 1

STATIC SHOCK SPECIAL 1
DC COMICS

WRITERS: Felicia D. Henderson; Matt Wayne
PENCILS: Denys Cowan; John Paul Leon
INKS: Rodney Ramos, Prentis Rollins, and John Stanisci; John Paul Leon
COLORIST: Lee Loughridge; Noelle Giddings
LETTERS: Dave Sharpe
PIN-UPS: Keron Grant, Jamal Igle with Guy Major, Eric Battle with John Kalisz, John Rozum, and Derec Donovan
TEXT: Michael Davis, Derek T. Dingle
COVER: J.H. Williams, III
44pp, Color, $2.99 U.S.

Released to comic book shops about two weeks ago, Static Shock Special 1 (cover dated August 2011) is more than just another comic book featuring the most popular Milestone Comics character, Static. Static Shock Special (hopefully the first of many Milestone specials) is also a memorial to Dwayne McDuffie.

McDuffie, a longtime comic book writer for DC Comics and Marvel Comics (where he was also an editor), died earlier this year in February. McDuffie’s death seems like a blow to diversity in comic books – meaning more African-American characters and creators, particularly writers. It was a heartrending loss to me, as I’d always hoped to one day work with McDuffie.

McDuffie, along with artist Denys Cowan, writers Michael Davis, and Derek T. Dingle, created Milestone Media and the Dakota Universe, a comics universe that included characters like Static, Hardware, Icon, and Blood Syndicate, among others. Milestone Media also created the Milestone comics imprint, which was published through DC Comics. Despite producing some good and, in some cases, brilliant comics, Milestone found the direct sales comics market hostile to it (for various reasons). Within four years, Milestone was no longer producing comic books. You can’t keep a great thing down, and Milestone Comics lives on with the Dakota Universe characters folded into the DC Universe proper.

Death and remembrance and legacy and legend are the prominent themes and ideas in Static Shock Special 1. The opening story is by Felicia D. Henderson (story) and Denys Cowan (pencil art). The issue begins with Virgil Ovid Hawkins AKA Static, waiting by the gates of River Green State Penitentiary. Virgil’s uncle, Teshomé Gabriel Hawkins (his father’s older brother), is being freed after spending a decade in prison for several murders that he did not commit.

As Teshomé tells his nephew, “A Black man’s never free,” so Static takes on an old prison rival who wants to kill Teshomé. His name is Blinder, a “bang baby” (someone who gained superpowers during the Big Bang event that gave Virgil his powers). It’s Static to the rescue, but even his powers can’t stop a tragic turn of events.

Also, Static and the young heroine, Rocket, join Dwayne McDuffie in a defiant memorial from writer Matt Wayne and artist John Paul Leon. It’s the best two-page comic I’ve read in a long time.

Felicia D. Henderson’s Static tale captures everything that made Static unique, fun to read, and socially relevant – from the social commentary (Teshomé’s plight and fate) to Static’s matchless superhero style. Denys Cowan remains a brilliant visual stylist and skillful comics storyteller. Here, Cowan captures the Kirbyesque energy of super-powered fights, the cool but simmering defiance of the hero, and the cold-bloodied injustice of the just-ice… I mean justice system. Henderson and Cowan left me wanting more.

You may find Michael Davis and Derek T. Dingle’s text pieces informative, and they are. They suggest, however, that the best parts of the stories of Milestone Media and Dwayne McDuffie are yet to be told.

A

[This comic book contains a bonus comic insert, a tie-in with the movie Super 8. It is written by Peter Tomasi, drawn and colored by Tommy Lee Edwards, and lettered by John Workman, with a cover by Alex Ross.]

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

Dark Horse to Give Away Buffy and More at ALA in New Orleans

DARK HORSE TO GIVE AWAY A COMPLETE BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER GRAPHIC-NOVEL LIBRARY AT NEXT WEEK’S ALA CONFERENCE

JUNE 17, MILWAUKIE, OR—This past April at the Texas Library Association event in Austin, Texas, Dark Horse partnered with Graphic Novel Reporter and Brodart to give away a selection of titles to the Weslaco Public Library, facilitated by Diamond Book Distributors. In total, the library received over seven hundred hand-selected titles from fifteen different publishers.

Dark Horse is proud to again take part in a similar giveaway at the American Library Association conference in New Orleans next week. This special giveaway, open to all attending public and school librarians, will include every Buffy the Vampire Slayer graphic novel from Dark Horse’s successful line. The winning library will receive over seven hundred hand-selected graphic novels in total, as well as fixtures and furniture. The prizes, including shelving, spinner racks, and more, will be displayed in the Great Graphic Novel Library Giveaway booth, #1760. The sign-up period will be during ALA exhibit hours on Friday, June 24, through Sunday, June 26.

The entire display, worth over $20,000, will be awarded to the winning library with a drawing that will take place at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, June 27, in booth #1760. The contest is open to public, school, and academic librarians within the continental United States. ALA attendees must register in person at the Great Graphic Novel Library booth during the show. One hundred semifinalists will be notified on Sunday evening and the winner must be present to accept the prize.

All attending librarians are also encouraged to visit Dark Horse in booth #1740, part of the Diamond Book Distributors display, for an exciting look at our fall titles!

M.J. Butler and Mark Wheatley Present "Skultar"

DARK HORSE PRESENTS GETS BARBARIC WITH M. J. BUTLER AND MARK WHEATLEY’S SKULTAR!

JUNE 16, MILWAUKIE, OR —Sometimes the finest works in art and literature are those of parody. Such is the case with Skultar, a new comic from M. J. Butler and Eisner Award–winning artist Mark Wheatley (Black Hood, Lone Justice, Mars).

In an age before recorded history, in a brutal world ruled by myth, magic, and monsters, a hero rises to fight for the oppressed. His name is Skultar. Unfortunately, he dies shortly after our story begins . . .

In his place, another rises up to be mistaken for Skultar, to claim the riches and reputation his legend brings. Similar to Skultar in strength, and nothing else, he nevertheless must stumble his way through his adventures, aided by Skultar’s right-hand man. If Skultar’s enemies ever find out he’s an impostor, nothing would stop them from imposing their dark rule over all the lands.

Born into slavery, trained as a warrior, it is his destiny to rule a kingdom by his own hand.

It’s just a stolen destiny.

Now, this forlorn hero comes to the celebrated Dark Horse anthology in its seventh issue.

Mark Wheatley takes his parody seriously. “I think the best humor grows out of a true love for the source material—and I’ve been a fan of Robert E. Howard, Fritz Leiber, C. L. Moore, and sword-and-sorcery stories for half an epoch! That doesn’t mean I can’t see where it gets silly! And trust me, Skultar is where it gets silly!”

Look for Skultar: The Unconquered in Dark Horse Presents #7, on sale this December!