I Reads You

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for February 12 2014

DC COMICS

DEC130339 ASTRO CITY #9 $3.99
DEC130259 BATGIRL #28 $2.99
DEC130250 BATMAN #28 $3.99
DEC130252 BATMAN #28 COMBO PACK (ZERO YEAR) $4.99
NOV130237 BATMAN DARK VICTORY TP NEW ED $24.99
DEC130324 BATMAN LIL GOTHAM #11 $2.99
DEC130335 COFFIN HILL #5 (MR) $2.99
DEC130215 CONSTANTINE #11 (EVIL) $2.99
NOV130227 CONSTANTINE TP VOL 01 SPARK AND THE FLAME (N52) $14.99
OCT130243 FLASH HC VOL 03 GORILLA WARFARE (N52) $24.99
DEC130212 FOREVER EVIL ROGUES REBELLION #5 $2.99
DEC130274 GREEN LANTERN CORPS #28 $2.99
DEC138009 HARLEY QUINN #1 2ND PTG $2.99
DEC130293 INJUSTICE YEAR TWO #2 $2.99
OCT130287 INVISIBLES HC BOOK 01 DELUXE EDITION (MR) $29.99
DEC130226 JUSTICE LEAGUE 3000 #3 $2.99
DEC130205 JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #12 (EVIL) $3.99
DEC130207 JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #12 COMBO PACK (EVIL) $4.99
NOV130243 LEGION OF SUPERHEROES GREAT DARKNESS SAGA TP NEW ED $24.99
NOV130232 LEGION OF SUPERHEROES TP VOL 03 FATAL FIVE (N52) $16.99
DEC130267 NIGHTWING #28 $2.99
NOV130247 POWER GIRL POWER TRIP TP $29.99
DEC130328 ROYALS MASTERS OF WAR #1 (MR) $2.99
DEC130289 SMALLVILLE SEASON 11 ALIEN #3 $3.99
NOV130269 SPACEMAN TP (MR) $19.99
DEC130219 SUICIDE SQUAD #28 (EVIL) $2.99
DEC130247 SUPERBOY #28 $2.99
NOV130235 SUPERGIRL TP VOL 03 SANCTUARY (N52) $16.99
DEC130235 SUPERMAN WONDER WOMAN #5 $3.99
DEC130237 SUPERMAN WONDER WOMAN #5 COMBO PACK $4.99
OCT130235 VILLAINS MONTH 3D MOTION COMPLETE SET $199.99

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for February 12 2014

MARVEL COMICS

DEC130697 ALL NEW X-FACTOR #3 ANMN $3.99
DEC130692 ALL NEW X-MEN #23 ANMN $3.99
DEC130737 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN MOVIE ADAPTATION #2 $2.99
DEC130794 AVENGERS #25 BY ROSS 75TH ANNIV POSTER $8.99
DEC130690 AVENGERS #26 ANMN $3.99
DEC138033 AVENGERS AI #8.NOW 2ND PTG MARQUEZ VAR ANMN $2.99
NOV130721 AVENGERS TP VOL 01 AVENGERS WORLD $19.99
NOV130719 CAPTAIN AMERICA TP VOL 01 CASTAWAY DIMENSION Z BOOK 1 $19.99
SEP130791 DAREDEVIL BY MARK WAID HC VOL 02 $34.99
DEC130751 DEADPOOL #23 $2.99
DEC130795 FANTASTIC FOUR #1 BY ROSS POSTER $8.99
NOV130720 FEARLESS DEFENDERS TP VOL 02 MOST FAB FIGHTING TEAM OF ALL $17.99
NOV130718 IRON MAN TP VOL 01 BELIEVE $19.99
SEP130775 KICK-ASS 3 #6 (MR) $4.99
DEC130729 MARVEL KNIGHTS X-MEN #4 $3.99
DEC130743 MARVEL UNIVERSE AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #5 SYU $2.99
SEP130789 MMW DEFENDERS HC VOL 04 $69.99
DEC130715 REVOLUTIONARY WAR DEATHS HEAD II #1 $3.99
DEC138034 SAVAGE WOLVERINE #14.NOW 2ND PTG ISANOVE VAR ANMN $3.99
NOV130727 SCARLET SPIDER TP VOL 04 INTO GRAVE $15.99
DEC130724 SECRET AVENGERS #15 $3.99
DEC130634 SHE-HULK #1 ANMN $2.99
DEC130797 SHE-HULK #1 BY PULIDO POSTER $8.99
NOV130725 SHE-HULK BY SLOTT TP VOL 01 COMPLETE COLLECTION $34.99
DEC130648 SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #27.NOW ANMN $3.99
DEC130667 THOR GOD OF THUNDER #19.NOW ANMN $3.99
OCT130774 ULTIMATES 3 TP WHO KILLED SCARLET WITCH NEW PTG $19.99
DEC130640 WINTER SOLDIER BITTER MARCH #1 ANMN $3.99
DEC130796 WOLVERINE #1 BY STEGMAN POSTER $8.99
DEC130748 WOLVERINE AND X-MEN #41 $3.99
DEC130676 X-FORCE #1 ANMN $3.99
DEC130753 X-MEN LEGACY #24 $2.99

IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for February 12 2014

Digital Comics: Digital new releases available from your local comic book shop are marked below. [DIG] = Digital version available. [DIG/P+] = Print-Plus digital/print combo pack available. For more information, go to www.digitalcomicsreader.com.

IDW PUBLISHING

DEC130471 CITY THE MIND IN THE MACHINE #1 [DIG] $3.99
NOV130379 DUNGEONS & DRAGONS FELLS FIVE HC $49.99
DEC130415 GI JOE TP VOL 02 THREAT MATRIX $19.99
DEC130398 MARS ATTACKS JUDGE DREDD TP [DIG] $17.99
DEC130384 MAXX MAXXIMIZED #4 [DIG/P+] $3.99
DEC130461 MEMORY COLLECTORS #3 [DIG/P+] $3.99
DEC130437 MLP FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC 100 PENNY PRESS #1 $1.00
SEP130371 POPEYE CLASSICS HC VOL 03 [DIG] $29.99
DEC130478 RED PANDA MASK O/T RED PANDA TP $17.99
DEC130425 TMNT ONGOING TP VOL 07 CITY FALL PT 2 [DIG] $17.99
DEC130404 TRANSFORMERS ROBOTS IN DISGUISE #26 DARK CYBERTRON PART 9 [DIG/P+] $3.99
DEC130465 TRUE BLOOD TP VOL 03 THE FRENCH QUARTER $14.99
NOV130304 X-FILES CLASSICS HC VOL 03 $29.99
DEC130378 X-FILES SEASON 10 #9 [DIG/P+] $3.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for February 12 2014

DARK HORSE COMICS

DEC130111 ABE SAPIEN #10 $3.50
OCT130051 ALABASTER SC NOVEL PALE $14.99
OCT138331 BERSERK TP $14.99
DEC130117 CLOWN FATALE #4 (MR) $3.99
DEC130121 CREEPY COMICS #15 $3.99
OCT130061 LOBSTER JOHNSON TP VOL 03 SATAN SMELLS A RAT $18.99
DEC130070 STAR WARS #14 2013 ONGOING $2.99
DEC130095 X #10 (MR) $2.99

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for February 12 2014

Comics, Magazines and Books from Diamond Distributors for February 12 2014

Digital Comics: Digital new releases available from your local comic book shop are marked below. [DIG] = Digital version available. [DIG/P+] = Print-Plus digital/print combo pack available. For more information, go to www.digitalcomicsreader.com.

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS
OCT130855 7 HOLES FOR AIR GN $19.95
DEC130957 ACCELERATORS #5 (MR) $3.99
NOV131206 ACG COLL WORKS OUT OF THE NIGHT SLIPCASE ED VOL 02 $64.99
DEC130995 ADVENTURE TIME TP VOL 04 $14.99
NOV130793 ALL NEW SOULFIRE #3 ASPEN RESERVED CVR $3.99
NOV130792 ALL NEW SOULFIRE #3 DIRECT MARKET CVR [DIG] $3.99
NOV130778 ARCHIE 1000 PG COMICS PALOOZA TP $14.99
NOV130777 ARCHIE FUNHOUSE DOUBLE DIGEST #2 [DIG/P+] $3.99
DEC131204 BATTLE ANGEL ALITA LAST ORDER OMNIBUS VOL 03 $19.99
OCT131072 BATTLESTAR GALACTICA #8 $3.99
DEC131122 BEAUTIFUL DARKNESS HC (MR) $22.95
DEC131294 BOJEFFRIES SAGA GN (MR) $14.95
DEC131009 BRAVEST WARRIORS TP VOL 02 $14.99
DEC131233 BUNKER #1 $3.99
NOV130752 CAVEWOMAN DEADLY VENOM DURHAM SP ED PI
NOV130751 CAVEWOMAN DEADLY VENOM ONE SHOT $3.75
DEC130824 CAVEWOMAN DEADLY VENOM ROOT SP ED PI
DEC130916 CROSSED BADLANDS #47 (MR) $3.99
DEC130918 CROSSED BADLANDS #47 TORTURE CVR (MR) $3.99
DEC130917 CROSSED BADLANDS #47 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99
OCT131320 DEATH SENTENCE #5 $3.99
OCT130878 DEVILS HOPYARD #1 (MR) $3.99
SEP131166 DF FANTOMEX MAX #1 CRYSTAL SGN ED (MR) $14.99
NOV131059 DF SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #19 & 20 ROMITA SR SGN $189.99
MAY131108 DF TEN GRAND #1 LEE EXC JMS SGN ED $29.99
MAR131135 DF UNCANNY X-MEN #1 BACHALO SGN PI
MAR131137 DF UNCANNY X-MEN #2 BACHALO SGN PI
DEC131332 ETERNAL WARRIOR #6 REG LAROSA $3.99
OCT130899 EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT ASSASSINS #18 CVR A GUNDERSON [DIG] $3.99
OCT130900 EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT ASSASSINS #18 CVR B ANDOLFO $3.99
OCT130901 EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT ASSASSINS #18 CVR C TORQUE PI
OCT130801 FUBAR GUTS AND GLORY ONE SHOT $3.99
NOV131357 GFT NO TOMORROW TP $15.99
DEC131366 GFT ROBYN HOOD AGE OF DARKNESS A CVR LASHLEY (AOFD) $5.99
DEC131367 GFT ROBYN HOOD AGE OF DARKNESS B CVR KROME (AOFD) $5.99
DEC131368 GFT ROBYN HOOD AGE OF DARKNESS C CVR VALENTINO (AOFD) $5.99
DEC131369 GFT ROBYN HOOD AGE OF DARKNESS D CVR QUALANO (AOFD) $5.99
DEC131387 GFT WONDERLAND #20 A CVR EHNOT (MR) $3.99
DEC131388 GFT WONDERLAND #20 B CVR FEDERICI (MR) $3.99
DEC131389 GFT WONDERLAND #20 C CVR CAFARO (MR) $3.99
DEC131380 GFT WONDERLAND CLASH OF QUEENS #1 A CVR SPAY (AOFD) $3.99
DEC131381 GFT WONDERLAND CLASH OF QUEENS #1 B CVR REYES (AOFD) $3.99
DEC131382 GFT WONDERLAND CLASH OF QUEENS #1 C CVR CHEN (AOFD) $3.99
DEC131383 GFT WONDERLAND CLASH OF QUEENS #1 D CVR ORTIZ (AOFD) $3.99
DEC130905 GOD IS DEAD #2 ENHANCED CONNECTING CVR (MR) $3.99
OCT130819 GOLD DIGGER #207 [DIG] $3.99
DEC130909 GRAVEL COMBAT MAGICIAN #1 (MR) $3.99
DEC130911 GRAVEL COMBAT MAGICIAN #1 HORROR CVR (MR) $3.99
DEC130910 GRAVEL COMBAT MAGICIAN #1 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99
DEC131103 GRIMM #10 $3.99
DEC131330 HARBINGER #21 ORDERALL MONTOYA $3.99
DEC131329 HARBINGER #21 REG HENRY $3.99
OCT131284 HARVEY HORRORS BLACK CAT MYSTERY SLIPCASE ED VOL 03 $119.99
NOV131208 HARVEY HORRORS TOMB OF TERROR SLIPCASE ED VOL 03 $119.99
NOV130889 HAWKEN MELEE #5 [DIG] $3.99
DEC131165 INSECT BATH #1 $3.99
SEP131306 JOHN CARPENTERS ASYLUM #4 (MR) $3.99
DEC131313 KNIGHTS OF SIDONIA GN VOL 07 $12.95
DEC131039 LEGENDERRY A STEAMPUNK ADV #2 $3.99
NOV131168 LETTER 44 #4 $3.99
DEC131094 MOCKING DEAD TP VOL 01 $17.99
OCT131146 MOOMIN & GOLDEN TAIL GN $9.95
OCT131145 MOOMIN DESERT ISLAND GN $9.95
OCT130797 NFL RUSH ZONE SUPER BOWL SPECIAL TP $19.95
DEC130982 PROTOCOL ORPHANS #4 [DIG] $3.99
NOV130733 RACHEL RISING #23 $3.99
DEC131054 RED SONJA BERSERKER ONE SHOT $4.99
DEC131053 RED SONJA DOLLAR BOOK #1 $1.00
DEC131006 REGULAR SHOW SKIPS #4 MAIN CVRS [DIG] $3.99
DEC130974 ROBOCOP TO LIVE AND DIE IN DETROIT ONE SHOT [DIG] $3.99
JUN131248 ROY THOMAS PRESENTS VOL 03 PLANET COMICS HC $49.99
DEC131208 SANKAREA GN VOL 05 $10.99
NOV130854 SHAHRAZAD #3 $3.50
DEC131111 SHERLOCK HOLMES MORIARTY LIVES #2 $3.99
DEC131236 SIXTH GUN #38 $3.99
NOV130785 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #257 REG CVR [P+] $2.99
DEC130980 SONS OF ANARCHY #6 (MR) [DIG] $3.99
DEC130963 SPONGEBOB COMICS #29 $2.99
OCT130853 STEAM ENGINES OF OZ VOL 2 #3 GEARED LEVIATHAN [DIG/P+] $3.99
NOV130830 STITCHED #19 (MR) $3.99
NOV130832 STITCHED #19 GORE CVR (MR) $3.99
NOV130831 STITCHED #19 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99
APR138188 SUPURBIA TP VOL 01 CURR PTG $14.99
DEC130986 SUPURBIA TP VOL 03 $14.99
FEB131049 TERRY & PIRATES GEORGE WUNDER YEARS HC VOL 01 1946-1948 $60.00
DEC131347 TIGER & BUNNY GN VOL 04 $9.99
DEC131292 TIPPY & NIGHT PARADE TOON BOOKS YR HC GN $12.95
SEP131100 UNCANNY #6 $3.99
DEC131258 US JUDGE DREDD COMP CASE FILES TP VOL 07 $19.99
NOV131262 USNA UNITED STATES OF NORTH AMERICA GN $14.95
OCT131112 VAMPIRELLA SOUTHERN GOTHIC #5 $3.99

MAGAZINES
DEC131456 COMIC SHOP NEWS #1391 PI
OCT131532 DIABOLIQUE #19 $9.98
DEC131461 FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND #272 $9.99

BOOKS
DEC131409 ART OF JON HUL TP (MR) $24.95
SEP131507 AVENGER DOUBLE NOVEL VOL 12 $14.95
DEC131410 JON HUL SKETCHBOOK TP VOL 01 (MR) $9.95
AUG131472 LEGEND OF HEROES SC VOL 01 CHARACTERS $49.99
AUG131473 LEGEND OF HEROES SC VOL 02 ILLUSTRATIONS $49.99
AUG131587 MAD GREATEST ARTISTS DAVE BERG HC $30.00
AUG138470 MINIFIGURE CUSTOMIZATION SC VOL 01 NEW PTG $10.95
OCT131328 MODERN MASTERS SC VOL 29 CLIFF CHIANG $15.95
DEC131431 SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOL 81 $14.95
NOV132512 WARHAMMER WOLF OF SIGMAR SC $14.00

Monday, February 10, 2014

I Reads You Review: "Foul Play!"

FOUL PLAY! THE ART AND ARTISTS OF THE NOTORIOUS 1950S E.C. COMICS!
HARPER COLLINS/Harper Design

WRITER: Grant Geissman
COVER: Johnny Craig (Back cover by Graham Ingels)
ISBN: 978-0060746988; paperback (April 2005)
272pp, Color, $29.95 U.S.

Foul Play! The Art and Artists of the Notorious 1950s E.C. Comics is a 2005 non-fiction book. Written by Grant Geissman, the book profiles the careers of the artists who drew for E.C. Comics in the early 1950s, focusing on the 14 artists most associated with the publisher. This book also includes 14 E.C. stories drawn by these artists.

What was E.C. Comics? Entertaining Comics was a comic book publisher that was first known as Educational Comics when it was founded in 1944 by Max Gaines. Of course, Entertaining Comics is best known by its common name “E.C. Comics.” Max Gaines died in a boating accident in 1947, and his son, William “Bill” Gaines, took over the company. In 1949 and 1950, Bill Gaines began publishing a line of new titles that featured crime, horror, military, science fiction, and suspense comics.

Under the editorship of Al Feldstein and Harvey Kurtzman, this line featured the work of prominent and talented freelance illustrators like Jack Davis, Will Elder, Bernard Krigstein, and Wally Wood (to name a few). Titles like Tales from the Crypt, Frontline Combat, Shock SuspenStories, Weird Science, and Weird Fantasy (to name a few) presented a fresh approach to comic book storytelling. This line of comic books became a hit with readers. Eventually, however, controversy and political backlash effectively ended E.C. Comics in 1954.

Originally published in April 2005, Foul Play! The Art and Artists of the Notorious 1950s E.C. Comics is a paperback book (8.5” x 11”) that profiles these artists who drew for E.C. Comics. The book’s author, Grant Geissman, is an Emmy-nominated composer of music for television programs. Geissman is also an expert on E.C. Comics and MAD Magazine (also originally published by Bill Gaines).

Foul Play! (which is out-of-print as of this writing) is practically a who’s who of mid-20th century popular illustration. The book features such E.C. artists as Al Feldstein, Harvey Kurtzman, Johnny Craig, Jack Davis, (Ghastly) Graham Ingels, Jack Kamen, Wallace “Wally” Wood, Joe Orlando, Will Elder, John Severin, George Evans, Al Williamson, Reed Crandall, and Bernie Krigstein, among others. Geissman offers biographical details about the artists, describes how they came to work for Bill Gaines, and how their careers evolved after E.C. Comics.

Foul Play! also reprints 14 stories from various E.C. comics publications, each one showcasing the work of a particular artist. Plus, the book includes, as a special bonus, a lost E.C. Comics story, entitled, “Wanted for Murder!” Drawn by Al Williamson (with an uncredited assist from Angelo Torres), this was originally intended to be published in 1956 in Crime Illustrated, part of the E.C. Picto-Fiction magazine line. The magazine was never published, and the story was forgotten and unseen until published in this book.

Over the years, I have had occasion to read reprint editions of various EC Comics. I even have one of those Russ Cochran boxed sets (the four-volume Weird Science). I had not heard of Foul Play! and discovered it on a wire book shelf in a comic book shop I was visiting.

I was actually at the shop to pick up some comic books that I was going to review for the Comic Book Bin. But Foul Play! caught my attention the same way a nude photograph of Halle Berry or Charlize Theron probably would. That was about nine years ago. In that time, I have read this book a few times, read portions of it numerous times, and thumbed through it countless times (especially when I’m on the toilet).

Foul Play! The Art and Artists of the Notorious 1950s E.C. Comics is an evergreen book. It is always going to be relevant because I think that comic book scholars and aficionados will never forget E.C. Comics. They were a high-water mark in the history of comic books, especially American comic books; perhaps, they were the first high-water mark of American comic books. Anyone who ever read them never forgot them, and for some, they were an inspiration. Because some of the people this line of comics influenced went on to contribute to American culture (high, low, and pop), E.C. Comics may have ceased publication, but it never died. So Foul Play! may be out of print, but it is still in play.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.