Comics, Magazines and Books from Diamond Distributors for April 30 2014

PREVIEWS PUBLICATIONS

ITEM CODE DESCRIPTION PRICE
MAR140001 PREVIEWS #308 MAY 2014 $4.50
MAR140004 PREVIEWS #308 MAY 2014 CUSTOMER ORDER FORM PI

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

DEC130984 28 DAYS LATER OMNIBUS TP VOL 01 $39.99
FEB141005 ABSOLUTION TP VOL 02 RUBICON (MR) $19.99
FEB141087 ADVENTURE TIME 2014 ANNUAL #1 $4.99
FEB141378 ANNOYING ORANGE HC VOL 05 TRANSFARMERS $11.99
MAR141342 ATOMIC ROBO KNIGHTS O/T GOLDEN CIRCLE #1 $3.50
DEC131266 ATOMIC ROBO TP VOL 08 SAVAGE SWORD OF DR DINOSAUR $18.95
FEB141327 ATTACK ON TITAN GN VOL 12 $10.99
FEB148100 BAD ASS #3 HAESER MUTIE HOMAGE CVR (MR) $3.99
FEB141419 BAD DREAMS #1 $3.50
DEC131106 BATTLESTAR GALACTICA #10 $3.99
FEB141160 BATTLESTAR GALACTICA SIX #1 BLANK AUTHENTIX CVR $3.99
FEB141158 BATTLESTAR GALACTICA SIX #1 BOLSON CVR $3.99
FEB141157 BATTLESTAR GALACTICA SIX #1 FRISON CVR $3.99
FEB140931 BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #223 $5.99
FEB141423 BOXER TRUE STORY OF HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR HARRY HAFT GN $22.95
JAN141201 BUDDY BUYS A DUMP GN $19.99
FEB141491 CARDFIGHT VANGUARD GN VOL 01 $10.95
FEB141492 CARDFIGHT VANGUARD GN VOL 01 SPECIAL ED BOXED SET $19.95
JAN140845 CAVEWOMAN JOURNEY #1 CVR A DURHAM $3.75
JAN140846 CAVEWOMAN JOURNEY #1 CVR B DURHAM SP ED PI
FEB140896 CAVEWOMAN JOURNEY #1 CVR D BUDD ROOT PI
JAN140863 CHAMBERS GN (MR) $19.95
FEB141424 CIGAR THAT FELL IN LOVE WITH PIPE GN $22.95
FEB141308 CLEOPATRA IN SPACE GN VOL 01 $12.99
FEB141309 CLEOPATRA IN SPACE HC GN VOL 01 $22.99
FEB140873 CRYPT OF HORROR #21 $29.95
FEB141064 DARKLIGHT HC $24.99
JAN141182 DF AVENGERS UNDERCOVER #1 DENNIS HOPELESS SGN $29.99
DEC131142 DF PUNISHER #1 NATHAN EDMONDSON SGN PI
FEB141194 DOC SAVAGE #5 $3.99
FEB141195 DOC SAVAGE #5 CASSADAY VIP CVR $3.99
JAN141329 DRAGONS RIDERS OF BERK GN VOL 01 $6.99
JAN141305 DROW TALES TP VOL 01 MOONLESS AGE (MR) $12.95
JAN148166 EC COMICS FOUR HC SLIPCASE VOL 01 $94.99
FEB141095 GARFIELD PET FORCE 2014 SPECIAL $4.99
FEB141586 GFT QUEST TP $15.99
FEB141561 GFT WONDERLAND ASYLUM #4 A CVR NAKAYAMA $3.99
FEB141562 GFT WONDERLAND ASYLUM #4 B CVR COTE $3.99
FEB141563 GFT WONDERLAND ASYLUM #4 C CVR EHNOT $3.99
FEB141564 GFT WONDERLAND ASYLUM #4 D CVR EL TABANAS $3.99
FEB141557 GFT WONDERLAND CLASH OF QUEENS #3 A CVR CUCCA (AOFD) $3.99
FEB141558 GFT WONDERLAND CLASH OF QUEENS #3 B CVR CHATZOUDIS (AOFD) $3.99
FEB141559 GFT WONDERLAND CLASH OF QUEENS #3 C CVR DOONEY (AOFD) $3.99
FEB141560 GFT WONDERLAND CLASH OF QUEENS #3 D CVR ORTIZ (AOFD) $3.99
FEB141215 GRIMM #12 (NOTE PRICE) $4.99
FEB141420 HAUNTED #1 $3.50
MAR141221 HEDGE KNIGHT JET CITY ED TP VOL 02 SWORN SWORD $14.95
FEB141535 HIGURASHI WHEN THEY CRY GN VOL 25 FESTIVAL ACCOMPANYING ARC $18.99
FEB141319 HUMAN #2 $5.99
FEB141617 JEFFREY BROWN KIDS ARE WEIRD OBSERVATIONS FROM PARENTHOOD HC $14.95
JAN140873 JUGHEAD & ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #1 $3.99
DEC130833 LAST ZOMBIE ZOMNIBUS TP $49.99
FEB141061 LOKI RAGNAROK & ROLL #3 $3.99
FEB141277 LOVE BUNGLERS HC $19.99
FEB140939 MEGA MAN #36 REG CVR $2.99
NOV131038 MERCY SPARX #5 (MR) $3.99
JAN141064 MERCY SPARX TP VOL 02 (MR) $17.99
FEB140886 MOSTLY WORDLESS HC $18.95
DEC131118 PLUME TP $17.99
FEB141191 QUEEN SONJA TP VOL 06 HEAVY IS THE CROWN $29.99
FEB140871 RACHEL RISING #25 $3.99
MAR141386 RAI #1 CVR A CRAIN $3.99
MAR141387 RAI #1 CVR B HITCH $3.99
MAR141388 RAI #1 CVR C SEGOVIA $3.99
MAR141389 RAI #1 CVR D ALLEN $3.99
MAR141391 RAI #1 PLUS EDITION $4.99
FEB141450 ROBERT JORDAN EYE OF THE WORLD TP VOL 02 $16.99
FEB141052 RUSH CLOCKWORK ANGELS #2 $3.99
FEB141225 SANITARIUM #1 (MR) $3.99
FEB141331 SANKAREA GN VOL 06 $10.99
FEB141332 SAY I LOVE YOU GN VOL 01 $10.99
FEB141461 SHADOWMAN END TIMES #1 PULLBOX DEKAL $3.99
FEB141460 SHADOWMAN END TIMES #1 REG CAMUNCOLI $3.99
FEB142102 SILLY FUN ADVENTURES OF MIKO & COLA GN $10.00
FEB148092 SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN SEASON 6 #1 2ND PTG $3.99
FEB140987 UBER #12 (MR) $3.99
FEB140989 UBER #12 PROPAGANDA POSTER CVR (MR) $3.99
FEB140988 UBER #12 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99
FEB141279 UNLOVABLE HC VOL 03 $29.99
FEB141217 VAMPIRELLA TP VOL 05 MOTHERS SONS & HOLY GHOST $17.99
FEB141333 VINLAND SAGA GN VOL 03 $19.99
FEB141174 WARLORD OF MARS DEJAH THORIS TP VOL 05 $19.99
FEB141334 XXXHOLIC REI GN VOL 01 $10.99

MAGAZINES
ITEM CODE DESCRIPTION PRICE
FEB141656 COMIC SHOP NEWS #1402 PI
FEB141658 COMICS REVUE PRESENTS APR 2014 $19.95
OCT131534 FANGORIA #332 $10.99
FEB141310 HEAVY METAL #268 (MR) $7.95
JAN141553 HOBBY JAPAN APR 2014 $16.60
NOV131450 RUE MORGUE MAGAZINE #143 $9.95
MAR141616 SCARY MONSTERS MAGAZINE #92 $8.95

BOOKS
MAR141542 ART OF BARBARA JENSEN SC VOL 01 CLOTHING OPTIONAL (MR) $14.95
MAR141548 ART OF OSAMU TEZUKA GOD OF MANGA HC $40.00
JAN141345 DARKSTALKERS OFF COMP WORKS SC $39.99
MAR141431 EDGE OF TOMORROW NOVEL MOVIE TIE IN ED (MR) $7.99
JAN141508 HOW TO DRAW & PAINT FANTASY COMBAT SC $21.99
MAR141559 MAGIC CITY RECENT SPELLS $16.95
MAR141549 MANGA COMPLETE GUIDE SC $19.95
JAN141344 NI0 ART WORKS NISHI ALLURING FIGURES HC (MR) $44.99
FEB141455 RAGE OF BAHAMUT OFF ART WORKS SC $39.99
FEB141614 SPACE OPERA $19.95

#IReadsYou Review: SUNNY Volume 3

 

SUNNY, VOL. 3
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

CARTOONIST: Taiyo Matsumoto
TRANSLATION: Michael Arias
LETTERS: Deron Bennett
ISBN: 978-1-4215-5969-8; hardcover (April 2014); Rated “T” for “Teen”
215pp, B&W, $22.99 US, $26.99 CAN

Sunny is a Japanese slice of life manga series written and illustrated by Taiyo Matsumoto.  It was serialized in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine, Monthly Ikki, from December 2010 to September 2014 and in Monthly Big Comic Spirits from January to July 2015.  VIZ Media published an English-language edition of the manga as a full-color, hardcover, graphic novel series under its VIZ Signature imprint from May 2013 to November 2016.  Sunny is set at the orphanage, Star Kids Home, where there is a car called “Sunny,” a place where the children find solace.

Sunny, Vol. 3 (Chapters 13 to 18) opens with a visit from Nishita, a former resident of Star Kids Home.  Now, an adult, he wants to apologize for a terrible incident he started years ago that brought harm to Granpa, who heads the orphanage.

Next, Megumu decides to attend a party with a group of friends from school who live with their parents.  Her Star Kids “siblings” are not crazy about that, and Megumu feels conflicted.  Also, a TV station news crew visits Star Kids Home, and two brothers recall a visit to see their sick mother.

THE LOWDOWN:  The Sunny manga reads like an honest account of children adapting to life away from their parents and in an orphanage.  I often find myself racing through shonen manga in order to keep up with the action.  I also find myself fighting the urge to jump ahead when I read Sunny.  It is a character drama that is vivid and alive, and creator Taiyo Matsumoto makes me chase his narrative, as if it were shonen.

Sunny is heartbreaking and poignant, but it is even more upbeat and positive.  Matsumoto depicts the children of Star Kids as being imaginative and open to new possibilities.  Some may want their lives before Star Kids to come back, but that does not mean they won’t make the best of their new lives.  It’s a lesson we could all learn.

I READS YOU REVIEW:  Fans of the manga of Taiyo Matsumoto will want Sunny.

A-
7.5 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You and Revised:  Thursday, September 17, 2020


The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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

I Reads You Da News - Sunday, April 27, 2014

From Comic Book Movie (via the Wall Street Journal):

...a Justice League movie is definitely in the pipeline and it will follow Zack Snyder's still untitled Batman vs. Superman movie. “It will be a further expansion of this universe,” he said. “’Superman vs Batman’ will lead into ‘Justice League.’” ...

I Reads You Review: DANGER GIRL: Mayday #1

DANGER GIRL: MAYDAY #1
IDW PUBLISHING – @IDWPublishing

WRITER:  Andy Hartnell
PENCILS: John Royle
INKS: Jose Marzan, Jr.
COLORS: Romulo Fajardo
LETTERS: Neil Uyetake
EDITOR: Scott Dunbier
COVER: John Royle and Jose Marzan, Jr. with Romulo Fajardo
VARIANT COVERS: John Royle and Jose Marzan, Jr. with Romulo Fajardo (subscription cover); Jamie Tyndall with Ula Mos (Yesteryear Comics exclusive cover); Jamie Tyndall (Yesteryear Comics exclusive cover); “No art” (Yesteryear Comics exclusive cover)
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (April 2014)

I was not a fan of fan-favorite comic book artist, J. Scott Campbell (who once went by the name Jeffrey Scott), early in his career.  I thought his art was a poor imitation of Art Adams’ style and an even worse impersonation of Jim Lee’s art.  However, I became a fan of Campbell’s work over the course of his run on Image and Wildstorm Production’s Gen13 comic book series.

So when it was first announced all those years ago, I was thrilled by the news of Campbell’s first creator-owned series, Danger Girl, as part of the launch of Cliffhanger, a sort of “young guns” imprint from Wildstorm.  After the release of a preview comic, Danger Girl #1 (March 1998) introduced a group of female secret agents whose adventures were a mixture of Indiana Jones and James Bond.  In fact, Danger Girl’s young female stars were like Bond Girls, except that the girls were the ones getting to be James Bond in action.

I liked Danger Girl.  It was a comic book version of a big-budget, Hollywood action comedy – Lethal Weapon meets Charlie’s Angels.  However, I grew frustrated that Campbell, along with writer Andy Hartnell and inker Alex Garner, only produced seven issues of Danger Girl over a four-year period.  [If you want to give them credit for 10 issues because two of the seven issues were double-sized and because of the preview comic book, you can certainly do that.].

Scott Dunbier, the Wildstorm editor of the original series, has guided Danger Girl back to life in recent years through a series of miniseries.  I was visiting a “local” comic book shop when I spotted the first issue of the latest mini, Danger Girl: Mayday.  I would have ignored it, as I have been ignoring Danger Girl comic books for a decade, but that spectacular first-issue cover by John Royle (pencils), Jose Marzan, Jr. (inks), and Romulo Fajardo (colors) caught my eye.

If there is such a thing as classic Danger Girl art, Danger Girl: Mayday #1 has it.  Royle and Marzan recall the original Danger Girl art team of J. Scott Campbell (pencils) and Alex Garner (inks).  In fact, I think Royle and Marzan are doing better J. Scott Campbell than Campbell himself.  Royle has certainly mastered the Campbell good-girl art thing:  curvy hips, shapely breateses; and booty that recalls Vivica Fox’s stripper pole ass in Independence Day.  Gimme more.  Royle and Marzan, however, are not merely copying; the drawing and storytelling is polished, professional, and some of the year’s best art.

Oh, the story, you ask.  It involves Danger Girl traitor-ho, Natalia Kassle, if I’m correct.  But I’ll figure that out later, maybe by the second issue.  For now, I want to enjoy the art of Danger Girl: Mayday.

A-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

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

"Halloween Man" Scares comiXology

After thirteen strong years as a cult-favorite webcomic, "Halloween Man" is rolling into comiXology and Monsterverse with a new ongoing series. After a decade of smashing the troupes of Gothic Horror and Weird Science, our half-dead hero is taking on High Fantasy! Sailing through outer space in a Viking warship and arriving on ape-back, the dwarf king has come to burn Solar City to the ground. It's the undead vs. the under-sized as Earth's Weirdest Superhero rushes to save the day.

This offbeat, action-packed story is brought to you by series writer/creator Drew Edward, artist/graphic designer Sergio Calvet (Magic of Myths, The Dark of the Forest), and editor Russell Hillman (Fast & Frightening -- A Comic About Roller Derby).

Featuring back-up comics pulled from Halloween Man's long webcomic run and packing more thrills than a big budget blockbuster, this is your must read digital comic this week.  All for the low-price of $2.99! Brought to you by Monsterverse!

Check MONSTERVERSE: http://monsterverse.com/ and find HALLOWEEN MAN on Comixology https://www.comixology.com/Monsterverse/comics-publisher/388-0

Afterschool Charisma: Doctor History X

I read Afterschool Charisma, Vol. 9

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin, and you can follow me on Twitter and visit my Indiegogo campaign.

I Reads You Review: THE SANDMAN PRESENTS: Deadboy Detectives #1

THE SANDMAN PRESENTS: DEADBOY DETECTIVES #1 (OF 4)
DC COMICS – @DCComics

STORY: Ed Brubaker
PENCILS: Bryan Talbot
INKS: Steve Leialoha
COLORS: Daniel Vozzo
LETTERS: Willie Schubert
EDITOR: Will Dennis
COVER: Dave McKean
32pp, Color, $2.50 U.S., $4.25 CAN (August 2001)

Suggested for mature readers

“The Secret of Immortality” “Part One”

The Sandman created by Neil Gaiman, Sam Keith, and Mike Dringenberg

Dead Boy Detectives created by Neil Gaiman and artists Matt Wagner and Malcolm Jones III

Edwin Paine and Charles Rowland are “The Dead Boy Detectives.”  They are two DC Comics fictional characters that first appeared in The Sandman #25 (cover dated: April, 1991) and were created by writer Neil Gaiman and artists Matt Wagner and Malcolm Jones III.

Since that debut, the Dead Boy Detectives have appeared in a number of comic books published under DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint.  In fact, the Dead Boy Detectives recently received their own eponymous, ongoing comic book series from Vertigo.  News of that new series re-ignited my desire to read the 2001 four-issue comic book miniseries, The Sandman Presents: The Deadboy Detectives.  It was written by Ed Brubaker and drawn by Bryan Talbot (pencils) and Steve Leialoha (inks), with colors by Daniel Vozzo.

Paine and Rowland are not your average boy detectives (like the Hardy Boys).  Edwin Paine was murdered at his British boarding school in 1916, and spent 75 years in Hell.  He escaped in 1991 and met Charles Rowland at his old boarding school, during the events of The Sandman story arc, Seasons of Mist.  Rowland died during this time, but refused to accompany Death (one of “The Endless”), preferring the prospect of future adventures with Paine.  The two ghosts spent a decade haunting places, preparing to become “first-rate detectives.”

The Sandman Presents: The Deadboy Detectives #1 opens with the boys settling into their new office – a tree house.  Now, the Rowland and Paine Detective Agency needs a client, and they get one.  Marcia, a young runaway, tells our intrepid duo that many of her fellow street urchin friends have been disappearing and then turning up dead.  These are not ordinary deaths, however, as the corpses appear to have been quite aged and withered.  Marcia claims that the police are not willing to put much effort into investigating crimes against runaways and the homeless.

Ultimately, Marcia decides not to hire Paine and Rowland, as she does not take them seriously.  They decide to investigate anyway, but their hunt will force them to meet people who may be dangerous even to ghosts.

If the rest of The Sandman Presents: The Deadboy Detectives is junk, then, the series would have to have taken a steep fall, because it really is good.  Ed Brubaker takes the boy detective genre (as best exemplified by the aforementioned Hardy Boys) and made it more imaginative and maybe even a little smarter.  I prefer the bookish Rowland, but Brubaker makes the alpha-male Paine not only the perfect foil for his partner, but also the tough guy that a mystery-solving duo needs.  I like how Brubaker sends his young heroes to interesting places that seem as real as they are imaginative.

Talbot and Leialoha’s art fills the spaces of the pages, which also gives the story a sense of verisimilitude.  Vozzo’s colors permeate the graphical storytelling with a sense of magic.  We have pretty pictures and good fantasy storytelling.  I’m ready for more of The Sandman Presents: The Deadboy Detectives, and I am also prepared to move onto the new series.

A-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

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