Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for February 7, 2018

DARK HORSE COMICS

OCT170041    BTVS SEASON 11 TP VOL 02 ONE GIRL IN ALL WORLD    $19.99
OCT170056    GROO PLAY OF THE GODS TP    $17.99
OCT170095    HALO RISE OF ATRIOX #5 (OF 5)    $3.99
OCT170018    INCOGNEGRO A GRAPHIC MYSTERY HC    $19.99
DEC170048    INCOGNEGRO RENAISSANCE #1    $3.99
DEC170100    KOSHCHEI THE DEATHLESS #2 (OF 6)    $3.99
OCT170050    MOEBIUS LIBRARY INSIDE MOEBIUS HC VOL 01    $39.99
SEP170071    NIOURK HC    $29.99
DEC170101    RASPUTIN VOICE OF DRAGON #4 (OF 5)    $3.99
DEC170102    RASPUTIN VOICE OF DRAGON #4 (OF 5) DEL RAY VAR    $3.99
NOV170043    TOMB RAIDER SURVIVORS CRUSADE #3 (OF 4)    $3.99

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for February 7, 2018

IMAGE COMICS

DEC170683    COYOTES #4 (MR)    $3.99
DEC170693    EXTREMITY #11    $3.99
NOV170679    GET NAKED OGN (MR)    $24.99
DEC170705    GRAVEDIGGERS UNION #4 (MR)    $3.99
DEC170630    I HATE FAIRYLAND #16 CVR A YOUNG (MR)    $3.99
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NOV170765    IMAGE GIANT SIZED ARTIST PROOF SEVEN TO ETERNITY #2 (MR)    $24.99
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DEC170716    KINGSMAN RED DIAMOND #6 (OF 6) CVR B B&W PARLOV (MR)    $3.99
DEC170730    NO 1 WITH A BULLET #4    $3.99
DEC170732    PAPER GIRLS #20    $2.99
DEC170749    ROCK CANDY MOUNTAIN #8 (OF 8) (MR)    $3.99
DEC170750    ROSE #8 CVR A GUARA    $3.99
DEC170751    ROSE #8 CVR B LOOPYDAVE    $3.99
DEC170752    ROSE #8 CVR C GUARA    $3.99
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DEC170758    SCALES & SCOUNDRELS #6    $3.99
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NOV170834    SNOTGIRL #9    $2.99
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DEC170585    VS #1 CVR A RIBIC (MR)    $3.99
DEC170586    VS #1 CVR B RIBIC & MULLER (MR)    $3.99
DEC170770    WALKING DEAD #176 CVR A ADLARD & STEWART (MR)    $3.99
OCT178652    WALKING DEAD #176 CVR B SIENKIEWICZ (MR)    $3.99
DEC170620    WICKED & DIVINE 1923 CVR A MCKELVIE & WILSON (ONE-SHOT) (MR)    $4.99
DEC170621    WICKED & DIVINE 1923 CVR B KOCH (ONE-SHOT) (MR)    $4.99
DEC170772    WITCHBLADE #3 (MR)    $3.99

Comics, Magazines and Books from Diamond Distributors for February 7, 2018

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

DEC172081    ACTION PRESIDENTS HC BOOK 01 GEORGE WASHINGTON    $9.99
DEC172082    ACTION PRESIDENTS HC BOOK 02 ABRAHAM LINCOLN    $9.99
DEC171251    ADVENTURE TIME #73    $3.99
DEC171252    ADVENTURE TIME #73 SUBSCRIPTION MCCORMICK VAR    $3.99
DEC171133    ARCHIE JUMBO COMICS DIGEST #286    $6.99
DEC171924    ARMSTRONG & THE VAULT OF SPIRITS #1 CVR A ANDRASOFSZKY (ONE    $3.99
DEC171925    ARMSTRONG & THE VAULT OF SPIRITS #1 CVR B RYP (ONE SHOT)    $3.99
OCT171150    ARYA #3    $3.99
DEC171941    ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM GN VOL 20    $9.99
DEC171206    BACKSTAGERS 2018 VALENTINES INTERMISSION #1    $7.99
OCT171289    BACKSTAGERS TP VOL 02    $14.99
DEC171967    BEHIND THE SCENES GN VOL 05    $9.99
DEC171682    BLACK COMIX RETURNS HC    $29.99
DEC171968    BLEACH 3IN1 TP VOL 22    $14.99
DEC171642    CARTHAGO GN (MR)    $24.95
DEC171690    CATALYST PRIME NOBLE #9    $3.99
NOV171120    CONSULTANT #2 (OF 4) (MR)    $3.99
DEC171129    COSMO #2 CVR A YARDLEY    $3.99
DEC171130    COSMO #2 CVR B PEPPERS    $3.99
DEC171131    COSMO #2 CVR C STANLEY    $3.99
OCT171033    CRYPT OF HORROR #35    $29.95
DEC171722    DAMNED #8 (MR)    $3.99
NOV171121    DANGER DOLL SQUAD TP VOL 01 (MR)    $14.99
NOV171963    DEATH TO THE TSAR (STATIX) HC    $24.99
DEC171373    DEJAH THORIS #1 BLANK AUTHENTIX ED    $10.00
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DEC171363    DEJAH THORIS #1 CVR B CHO    $3.99
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AUG172005    DOCTOR WHO LOST DIMENSION HC VOL 01    $24.99
NOV171122    DOLLFACE TP VOL 03    $14.99
NOV171548    DYNAMITE 2017 CONVENTION COSPLAY SPECIAL    $10.00
OCT171241    EXPANSE ORIGINAL GN    $14.99
DEC171806    FINDER DELUXE ED GN VOL 05 NAKED TRUTH (MR) (NOTE PRICE)    $14.99
DEC170985    FORCE TP VOL 01 WRIGHT TIME    $9.99
NOV171549    GAME OF THRONES CLASH OF KINGS #8 CVR A MILLER (MR)    $3.99
NOV171550    GAME OF THRONES CLASH OF KINGS #8 CVR B RUBI (MR)    $3.99
DEC171240    GIANT DAYS #35    $3.99
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NOV171130    HARCOURT LEGACY #3 (OF 3) CVR B BARTEL    $3.99
SEP171865    HEAVENLY BLUES #5    $3.99
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DEC171600    IN REAL LIFE GN SQUARE FISH ED    $12.99
OCT171538    IT DONT COME EASY GN    $22.95
DEC171683    JAZZ MAYNARD VOL 2 #1 (MR)    $3.99
JUL171654    JOHN WICK #1 PAK SGN ED    $49.99
DEC171531    KILLING & DYING GN TOMINE (MR)    $19.95
NOV171739    KISS ME AT STROKE OF MIDNIGHT GN VOL 03    $12.99
DEC171417    LEGENDERRY RED SONJA #1 (OF 5) BLANK AUTHENTIX    $10.00
DEC171413    LEGENDERRY RED SONJA #1 (OF 5) CVR A BENITEZ    $3.99
DEC171234    MECH CADET YU #6    $3.99
DEC171235    MECH CADET YU #6 SUBSCRIPTION TO VAR    $3.99
DEC171037    MONSTRO MECHANICA #3    $3.99
DEC171345    MOON GIRL #4 REPLICA EDITION (RES)    $14.99
SEP172048    NINJAK COMPLETE CLASSIC OMNIBUS HC    $99.99
DEC171680    PACIFIC RIM AFTERMATH #2 (OF 6)    $3.99
NOV171890    PLEASE DESTROY THE INTERNET GN    $10.00
SEP171570    PLUME #1 NEW PTG    $3.99
DEC171139    PORTAL BOUND #0 (OF 5) CVR A ARIZMENDI    $1.50
DEC171140    PORTAL BOUND #0 (OF 5) CVR B ARCHER    $1.50
SEP171844    PRE CODE CLASSICS GHOSTLY WEIRD STORIES HC VOL 01    $44.99
DEC171602    PRINCE & DRESSMAKER GN    $16.99
DEC171603    PRINCE & DRESSMAKER HC GN    $24.99
DEC170994    PRINCELESS RAVEN PIRATE PRINCESS TP VOL 04 TWO SHIPS IN NIGH    $14.99
NOV171110    PRINCELESS RAVEN YEAR 2 #4 LOVE AND REVENGE CVR A PAMFIL    $3.99
OCT178076    PRINCELESS RAVEN YEAR 2 #4 LOVE AND REVENGE CVR B FLASH    $3.99
DEC171945    PROMISED NEVERLAND GN VOL 02    $9.99
NOV171945    QUARRYS WAR #3 CVR A RONALD    $3.99
NOV171946    QUARRYS WAR #3 CVR B DRUMMOND    $3.99
NOV171613    RED WINTER GN (MR)    $21.95
SEP171940    ROBOTECH TP VOL 01    $16.99
DEC171928    SECRET WEAPONS HC DLX ED    $24.99
DEC171496    SHADOW BATMAN #5 (OF 6) CVR A PETERSON    $3.99
DEC171497    SHADOW BATMAN #5 (OF 6) CVR B TAN    $3.99
DEC171498    SHADOW BATMAN #5 (OF 6) CVR C CHARM    $3.99
DEC171499    SHADOW BATMAN #5 (OF 6) CVR D CAREY    $3.99
DEC171500    SHADOW BATMAN #5 (OF 6) CVR E EXC SUBSCRIPTION VAR    $3.99
OCT171196    SHRUGGED VOL 2 #6 (OF 6) CVR A MARKS (RES)    $3.99
OCT171197    SHRUGGED VOL 2 #6 (OF 6) CVR B GUNNELL (RES)    $3.99
OCT171752    SILVER AGE CLASSICS OUT OF THIS WORLD HC VOL 03    $49.99
JUL172065    SILVER AGE CLASSICS OUT THIS WORLD SLIPCASE ED VOL 01    $54.99
AUG171915    SILVER AGE CLASSICS OUT THIS WORLD SLIPCASE ED VOL 02    $54.99
OCT171753    SILVER AGE CLASSICS OUT THIS WORLD SLIPCASE ED VOL 03    $54.99
OCT171775    SMOKETOWN #6    $3.99
NOV172045    SONGS FOR THE DEAD #1 (OF 4) CVR A FOWLER    $3.99
NOV172046    SONGS FOR THE DEAD #1 (OF 4) CVR B ROBLES    $3.99
OCT171768    THEORY OF MAGIC TP    $19.99
OCT171133    THREE STOOGES SHEMPTASTIC SHEMPTACULAR SPECIAL 3 COPY INCV B    $PI
OCT171132    THREE STOOGES SHEMPTASTIC SHEMPTACULAR SPECIAL COLOR PHOTO C    $3.99
OCT171131    THREE STOOGES SHEMPTASTIC SHEMPTACULAR SPECIAL FRONT AND CEN    $3.99
OCT171130    THREE STOOGES SHEMPTASTIC SHEMPTACULAR SPECIAL LAROCQUE MAIN    $3.99
NOV171113    TOYETICA #5    $3.99
OCT171152    UNBOY GN    $14.99
NOV171133    VAMPBLADE SEASON TWO #11 CVR A WINSTON YOUNG (MR)    $4.99
NOV171134    VAMPBLADE SEASON TWO #11 CVR B WINSTON YOUNG RISQUE (MR)    $4.99
NOV171135    VAMPBLADE SEASON TWO #11 CVR C FEDERHENN (MR)    $4.99
NOV171136    VAMPBLADE SEASON TWO #11 CVR D FEDERHENN RISQUE (MR)    $4.99
NOV171137    VAMPBLADE SEASON TWO #11 CVR E 90S VAR (MR)    $4.99
NOV171138    VAMPBLADE SEASON TWO #11 CVR F 90S RISQUE VAR (MR)    $4.99
DEC172027    VAN HELSING VS ROBYN HOOD #2 (OF 4) CVR A WHITE    $3.99
DEC172028    VAN HELSING VS ROBYN HOOD #2 (OF 4) CVR B TOLIBAO    $3.99
DEC172029    VAN HELSING VS ROBYN HOOD #2 (OF 4) CVR C SANTACRUZ    $3.99
DEC172030    VAN HELSING VS ROBYN HOOD #2 (OF 4) CVR D ORTIZ    $3.99
OCT171110    WILLOWS #2 (MR)    $4.99
OCT171852    WONDERFUL WORLD OF TANK GIRL #3 CVR A PARSON    $3.99
OCT171853    WONDERFUL WORLD OF TANK GIRL #3 CVR B WAHL    $3.99
OCT171854    WONDERFUL WORLD OF TANK GIRL #3 CVR C BOOKSHELF VAR    $3.99
NOV171748    YAMADA KUN & SEVEN WITCHES GN VOL 15 (RES)    $10.99
DEC171964    YONA OF THE DAWN GN VOL 10    $9.99
JUL172289    ZOJAQAN #3    $3.99
NOV171139    ZOMBIE TRAMP ONGOING #43 CVR A CELOR (MR)    $4.99
NOV171140    ZOMBIE TRAMP ONGOING #43 CVR B CELOR RISQUE (MR)    $4.99
NOV171141    ZOMBIE TRAMP ONGOING #43 CVR C FEDERHENN (MR)    $4.99
NOV171142    ZOMBIE TRAMP ONGOING #43 CVR D FEDERHENN RISQUE (MR)    $4.99
NOV171143    ZOMBIE TRAMP ONGOING #43 CVR E MENDOZA (MR)    $4.99
NOV171144    ZOMBIE TRAMP ONGOING #43 CVR F MENDOZA RISQUE (MR)    $4.99

MAGAZINES
NOV172242    CINEMA RETRO #40 (MR)    $11.99
NOV172226    NON SPORT UPDATE VOL 29 #1    $5.99

BOOKS
DEC171031    ANIMOSITY COLORING BOOK TP    $14.99
DEC172079    DOC SAVAGE WILD ADV SC FORGOTTEN REALM    $24.95
OCT172079    DOCTOR WHO COMP HIST HC VOL 61 1ST DOCTOR STORIES    $18.99
DEC172066    DR FIFTH    $5.99
DEC172067    DR SIXTH    $5.99
DEC172068    DR TENTH    $5.99
DEC172065    DR THIRD    $5.99
DEC172083    GRACE FOR GUS HC    $17.99
NOV171663    LIFE & LEGEND WALLACE WOOD HC VOL 02    $39.99
DEC172058    NEON VISIONS COMICS OF HOWARD CHAYKIN SC    $29.95
DEC171939    POKEMON SEEK & FIND HC KANTO    $9.99
DEC171940    POKEMON SEEK & FIND HC PIKACHU    $9.99
NOV172218    SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOL 126 SCENT OF DEATH & CHINESE PRIMROS    $14.95
OCT172100    STAR WARS LAST JEDI CHEWIE AND THE PORGS HC    $17.99
NOV172200    WORLD OF READING BLACK PANTHER THIS IS BLACK PANTHER LEVEL 1    $4.99

Review: THE KAMANDI CHALLENGE #1

THE KAMANDI CHALLENGE No. 1 (OF 12)
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Dan Didio; Dan Abnett
PENCILS: Keith Giffen; Dale Eaglesham
INKS: Scott Koblish; Dale Eaglesham
COLORS: Hi-Fi
LETTERS: Clem Robins
COVER: Bruce Timm
VARIANT COVER: Keith Giffen with Hi-Fi; Dale Eaglesham with Jason Wright
40pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (March 2017)

Rated “T” for Teen

Kamandi created by Jack Kirby

“The Rules” and “K -- is for 'Kill'!”

Kamandi, The Last Boy on Earth was a comic book created by writer-artist Jack Kirby and published by DC Comics. The series, which ran from 1972 to 1978, starred Kamandi, a teenaged boy in a post-apocalyptic future, in which humans have been reduced back to savagery in a world ruled by intelligent, highly evolved animals.

Kamandi, The Last Boy on Earth #1 (cover dated: October 1972) opens some time after a huge event called “The Great Disaster,” which wiped out human civilization.  In “Earth A.D.” (After Disaster), many animals have become humanoid, bipedal, and sentient, and also possess the power of speech. These newly intelligent animal species have equipped themselves with weapons and technology salvaged from the ruins of human civilization and are constantly at war in a struggle for territory.

The world of Kamandi returns in the new DC Comics miniseries, The Kamandi Challenge, bringing together 14 teams of writers and artists.  Each issue will end with an cliffhanger.  The next creative team will resolve that cliffhanger before creating their own, which the next creative team after them will have to resolve... and so on.

The Kamandi Challenge #1 opens with “The Rules” by the team of writer Dan DiDio and artists Keith Giffen and Scott Koblish.  In a pastoral borough, a teenage boy awakens, late for the school bus.  Rushing to school, everything seems normal until the sky cracks opens and giant talking rats attack, revealing that nothing is what he thought it was.

“K -- is for 'Kill'!” is by the second creative team of writer Dan Abnett and artist Dale Eaglesham.  The story places the boy, Kamandi, in a world full of animals that walk and talk like humans.  Specifically in “Tiger City,” our young hero is thrown into the arena of blood sport and he must survive the giant man-ape, “Tiny”

I don't follow the part of the comic book Internet that breaks news about new comic book projects, not like I used to do.  I think I need to start again because I only recently heard about The Kamandi Challenge, and after reading The Kamandi Challenge #1, I know it would have been sad to have missed this fantastic first issue.

Telling a complete story in a single comic book might seem like a lost art in these last three decades of multi-issue story arcs produced in order to be collected into trade paperbacks – sometimes called graphic novels – for the bookstore market.  However, the two creative teams in The Kamandi Challenge #1 prove that they can tell a story that seems complete – even with a cliffhanger ending – in a single issue.

DiDio-Giffen-Koblish's 12-page introduction works as a standalone story and is a nice homage to Jack Kirby's visual and graphical art style.  I also wonder if the borough, burg, town depicted in the opening chapter is an homage to the early 20th century New York City in which Jack Kirby grew up.

The Abnett-Eaglesham team ably picks up the DiDio-Giffen-Koblish cliffhanger from “The Rules” and delivers a gem in “K -- is for 'Kill'!”  Dan Abnett turns his story into a flight of fancy set in world that is part old-school, EBR-style, pulp science fiction and part Planet of the Apes.  Using powerful, muscular compositions, Dale Eaglesham delivers art and storytelling that conveys both the bizarre nature of a world ruled by humaoid animals and the threat of weapons of mass destruction in a post-apocalyptic world that does not understand these lethal relics of war from the distant past.

It's obvious, isn't it?  I really enjoyed reading The Kamandi Challenge #1.  I can't wait for the second issue and I recommend this one.  It is the fun-to-read comic book for “all-ages” that many comic book readers keep saying they want.

A

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


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

Review: CURSE WORDS #1

CURSE WORDS No. 1
IMAGE COMICS – @ImageComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Charles Soule
ART: Ryan Browne
COLORS: Ryan Browne, Jordan Boyd, and Michael Parkinson
LETTERS: Chris Crank, Ryan Browne, and Shawn DePasquale
COVER: Ryan Browne
VARIANT COVERS: Skottie Young; Ryan Browne; Simon
36pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (January 2017)

Rated M / Mature

Curse Words is a new ongoing fantasy comic book series from Image Comics.  It is the creation of bestselling comic book writer Charles Soule, known for his work on Daredevil and Death of Wolverine (both from Marvel Comics), and artist Ryan Browne, known for his comic book, God Hates Astronauts (also published by Image Comics).

Curse Words #1 introduces a world in which a wizard appears one day in New York City, specifically Central Park.  Of course, the first people to encounter him end up in an unfortunate situation.

His name is Wizord and he claims that he has come to Earth to protect the planet from dark magical forces that are bent on the world's destruction.  Well, that world falls in love with Wizord and his slick personality and eye-popping magic.  However, what the people of Earth don't know is Wizord's extremely dark past, and that evil is about to come calling.

Visually and graphically, the art of Ryan Browne makes Curse Words stand out.  I think the best choice that writer Charles Soule made is having Browne as his storytelling partner because his striking art makes this fantasy series truly different from anything else.  No one will look at Curse Words and say, “Eww, not another Vertigo dark fantasy comic book.”  Also, because the coloring is so cranked up, Curse Words looks as if it is taking place in a world riffing on a magical mind-altering substance.

It would be easy to say that Curse Words has potential, but the story has already met the potential promised by Browne's eye-catching cover composition.  I think this series could be a standout.  We shall see...

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


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication and reprint rights and fees.

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

Review: JUSTICE LEAGUE VS. SUICIDE SQUAD #1

JUSTICE LEAGUE VS. SUICIDE SQUAD No. 1 (OF 6)
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Joshua Williamson
ART: Jason Fabok
COLORS: Alex Sinclair
LETTERS: Rob Leigh
COVER: Joshua Fabok with Alex Sinclair
VARIANT COVERS: Amanda Conner with Laura Martin; Gary Frank with Brad Anderson
40pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (February 2017)

Rated “T” for “Teen”

The Justice League is the greatest superhero team in the world (at least, in the DC Comics universe).  The Suicide Squad is the deadliest team of super-powered individuals on the planet.  Now, these two teams clash in DC Comics' event, crossover miniseries, Justice League vs. Suicide Squad.  Published weekly, this series is written by Joshua Williamson; drawn by Jason Fabok; colored by Alex Sinclair; and Rob Leigh.

Justice League vs. Suicide Squad #1 opens in Death Valley, California for some deadly doings at The Catacombs, the most top secret prison in the world.  But the main action is in the nation of Badhnisia.  That is where we find Deadshot, Captain Bommerang, El Diablo, Enchantress, Killer Croc, Killer Frost, and Harley Quinn.  They are Amanda Waller's “Task Force X,” also known as “Suicide Squad,” and they are there to stop a super-powered zealot from destroying the nation as part of some kind of vague, but ominous religious rite.

The execution of said mission draws the attention of the Justice League:  Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg, Flash, and Green Lantern-Simon Baz and Green Lantern-Jessica Cruz.  They are ready to shut Task Force X down for good.  Let's get ready to rumble!  Wait!  Another bad-ass group wants to join the fun.

I could be cynical about Justice League vs. Suicide Squad, but to be honest, I wanted to read this as soon as I heard about it.  So how is Justice League vs. Suicide Squad#1.  It's good with some nice slow boiling and building of tension, but it only teases the climax.  This first issue suggests that the entire six-issue series won't be padded with extraneous scenes in order to get to six issues – at least it seems that way.

It's OK to like this even if you aren't the biggest superhero comic book fan or reader.  C'mon, you know you want it.  The Justice League and the Suicide Squad were bound to tangle; it's only natural.  Also, series artist Jason Fabok is proving that he can handle drawing and storytelling in big superhero comics with big characters and even bigger stories, and I like looking at his art.  Hey, gotta run.  I have a few more issues of this series to read.

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


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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

I Reads You Juniors January 2018 - Update #80

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From KyodoNews:  Manga artist Kazuo Umezu has won the "Heritage Award" at the 45th Angouleme International Comics Festival.

From ComicBook:  Disney has assigned Dark Horse the rights to publish a "Frozen" comic book miniseries, the first of new deal for DHC to publish Disney comic books.

From BleedingCool:  Netflix Comics may publish through Dark Horse Comics... initially.

From ComicBookBin:  New Johnny Bullet episode #152 in English.
From ComicBookBin:  New Johnny Bullet episode #152 in French.

From BleedingCool:  Valiant Entertainment has been bought 100% by an investors group.

From ComicBookBin:  New Johnny Bullet episode #151 in English.
From ComicBookBin:  New Johnny Bullet episode #151 in French.

From WashingtonInformer:  Author Jesse J. Holland talks about updating the Black Panther in a new novel.

From ComicBook:  The manga, "Black Clover" (published by VIZ Media in North America), has announced a spinoff, " Asta-kun's Road to Wizard King."

From WhatNext:  15 obscure comic books that were turned into movies.

From Newsarama:  Writer Matt Hawkins talks about the upcoming "Cyberforce" reboot, entitled "Cyber Force."

From BleedingCool:  Thomas Taylor drew the cover art for the first edition of the first Harry Potter novel, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" (1997).  He has written and illustrated a number of books.  He now moves into comic books with the graphic novel, "Scarlett Hart, Monster Hunter," to be published in April 2018.

MEMORIAM - From StamfordAdvocate:  Cartoonist Mort Walker has died at the age of 94, Saturday, January 27, 2018.  Born Addison Morton Walker, Mort is best known as the creator of "Beetle Bailey," a comic strip about the world's laziest U.S. Army private.  Walker had worked on the strip continuously since its debut in 1950, getting help in recent years because of his health.  Prolific, Walker has created the still-running domestic gag comic strip, "Hi and Lois."

From BleedingCool:  Scott Snyder will take over "Justice League" for the "Justice League: No Justice" weekly publishing event.

From BleedingCool:  Fantagraphics Books solicitations for April 2018.

From BleedingCool:  9 hot rumors about Marvel Comics in 2018.

From BleedingCool:  Batman's logo and chest emblem - the yellow oval - is coming back.  It was originally used from 1964 to 1995.

From ComicBookBin:  Johnny Bullet episode #150 in English.
From ComicBookBin:  Johnny Bullet episode #150 in French.

From ICv2:  Richard Corben has been awarded the prestigious Grand Prix d’ Angouleme lifetime achievement award.

From BleedingCool:  WTF?  As a boy Marv Wolfman saved the original art to an unpublished Superman comics story by the character's creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.  It will finally be published in the hardcover edition of Action Comics #1000.

From Vulture:  Last year's hit X-Men franchise film, "Logan" has received an Oscar nomination in the category, "Writing (Adapted Screenplay)" for the 90th Academy Awards.  It is the first film based on a superhero comic book to receive a screenwriting Oscar nomination, but is not the first film based on comics to receive a screenwriting Oscar nom (Ghost World in 2002?).  The "Vulture" articles says that this nomination is a "significant breakthrough."

From ComicBook:  This article takes a look back on Dan Slott's time as writer on Marvel Comics' "The Amazing Spider-Man."

From BleedingCool:  The site has a preview of "The Blue Baron" and information about its publisher, Sitcomics.

From Soundcloud:  The Happy Haven podcasts interviews Marvel Comics artist Jon Malin, in which two relatively young guys talk about the good old days.  Malin is apparently really bothered about "indie comics artists" who get jobs drawing superheroes for Marvel and DC.

From ComicBookBin:  Johnny Bullet episode #149 in English
From ComicBookBin:  Johnny Bullet episode #149 in French

From ComicBook:  The artist Bob Wakelin died Saturday, January 20, 2018.  Wakelin is a legend for his cover art for video game boxes, and he also produced cover art for publisher, Marvel UK.

From FlickeringMyth:  "Robocop" is returning to comics in April via BOOM! Studios.

From BleedingCool:  It seems that DC Comics is not informing that artists that co-created the America's Best Comics line with writer Alan Moore that ABC characters are about to start appearing in mainstream DC Comics titles.  The ABC characters are not creator-owned, but are "creator-participant."

From ComicBook:  The films "Logan" and "Wonder Woman" earned nominations for the 30th annual USC Libraries Scripter Award.  The Scripter Award honors both the writer of the screenplay and the authors of books adapted to film.

From Newsarama:  Superman's classic uniform returns, that would be the one with the red trunks, in Action Comics #1000.

From ICv2:  DC Entertainment promotes its new comics line, "The New Age of DC Heroes" with television ads on cable networks.  There are also ads on certain websites and through The CW app.

From TCR:  GLAAD has named its 2018 Media Award nominees, and there is a comic book category.

From BleedingCool:  "Hunt for Wolverine" is a four-part series due in April, written by Charles Soule and artist David Marquez.

From LaughingPlace:  In April, Marvel is launching a new all-ages comic book, Marvel Super Hero Adventures.  The series will run for five issues and is will be written by Jim McCann and drawn by Dario Brizuela.

From BleedingCool:  Kwanza Osajyefo and Tim Smith 3, the creators of the hit miniseries, "BLACK" (Black Mask Studio), has announced two new titles, the graphic novel, "BLACK [AF]: America's Sweetheart," and the new miniseries, "BLACK [AF]: Widows and Orphans."

From Manga.Tokyo:  List of anime movies due to be released in 2018.

From BleedingCool:  French publisher Glenat to publish "Conan" graphic novels in Europe.  Robert E. Howard's Conan the Cimmerian/Barbarian is in the public domain in Europe.

From BleedingCool:  The "companion" comic book to Frank Miller's "300" will finally appear in April 2018.  It is entitled "Xerxes: The Fall of the House of Darius and the Rise of Alexander."

From BleedingCool:  David Baldeon will be the artist on the "Domino" comic book written by Gail Simone.

From BleedingCool:  Jackie Ormes and Carol Kalish have been automatically inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Awards Hall of Fame for 2018.  Kalish was a pioneer in the development of the Direct Market and moved Marvel into new distribution outlets.  Ormes was the first black women newspaper cartoonist and, for a long time, the only one.

From ComicBook:  Former Wildstorm and Warner Bros. executive, John Nee, is the new publisher of Marvel Comics.  Current publisher, Dan Buckley, is now President of Marvel Entertainment.

From ComicBook:  It is the 50th anniversary of Go Nagai as a manga creator.  What better way to celebrate than with the release of a "Devilman" branded scotch?

From CBR:  What is the future of Miles Morales, the Ultimate Spider-Man, the Spider-Man of color.

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics trademarks the name "Multiple Man."

From ChristianPost:  "Shaman King" manga returns in this spring.

From Crunchyroll:  Masakuza Katsura, the original creator of the manga "Video Girl" has drawn a new one-shot "Video Girl" manga, the first since the series ended in 1992.

From Newsarama:  It's official:  2017 is a down year in Direct Market comic book sales.

From BleedingCool:  Tom King announces "Sanctuary," a DC Comics title about a place superheroes go to deal with the trauma from the violence they experience...

From ComicBook:  As of December, the "Attack on Titan" manga has sold 71 million volumes of its various tankobon (graphic novel) collections in Japan.

From BleedingCool:  See Ed Piskor's covers for the second printings of "X-Men: Grand Design #1-2."

From BleedingCool:  John Ridley ("12 Years a Slave") is rewriting (or adding to) DC Comics' history in "The Other History of the DC Universe."

From BleedingCool:  The "Conan the Barbarian" property is returning to Marvel Comics, where it was from 1970 to 2000.  Dark Horse published Conan comic books from 2003 to 2017.  The first new Marvel Conan comic book is apparently scheduled for a 2019 release.

From Syfy:  Brian Michael Bendis says that there will be new issues of his creator-owned series, "Scarlet," with Alex Maleev.  Apparently, there is also a TV series in development.

From BleedingCool:  The first Brian Michael Bendis Superman story will appear in Action Comics #1000 and it will be drawn by Jim Lee.

From TCJ:  An interview with Terry Nantier, the founder of NBM, and the company's four decades of publishing European and American graphic novels.

From BleedingCool:  Mat Johnson talks "Incognegro."

From BleedingCool:  A sort of Brian Michael Bendis DC Comics debut.

From CBR:   10 comics books unfinished and missing in action: Miracleman, SHIELD and More

From JapanTimes:  In the Japan's national legislature, the Diet, a bill has been proposed to build of a national media arts center to collect and store original editions of manga and anime cels to prevent them from being taken out of the country.

From TheBeat:  Bendis revealed that his last issue of Defenders will be #10, last issue of Spider-Man will be #240, last issue of Iron Man will be #600, and last issue of Jessica Jones is #18.

From BleedingCool:  Shannon Wheeler, author of the book of cartoons, "Sh*t My President Says: The Illustrated Tweets of Donald J. Trump," will exhibit his cartoons in an exhibition named after the book - in Palm Beach not far from Trump's resort, Mar-a-Lago.

From PGA:  "Wonder Woman" among the nominees in the "best theatrical production" category for the 2018 Producers Guild Awards.  "Deadpool" was among the nominees in the same category at the 2017 Producers Guild Awards.

From BleedingCool:  The version of Valkyrie that appeared in the recent hit film, "Thor: Ragnarok," as played by actress Tessa Thompson will appear in Marvel Comics, beginning with "Exiles #1."

From TheBrownsvilleHerald:  The California-based Latino Comics Expo will hold a sister event in Brownsville, Texas in early February 2018.

From ComicBook:  "One Piece" creator, Eiichiro Oda, pens coming-of-age message to adolescent fans.

OBIT: From BleedingCool:  American Cinamon Hadley inspired artist Mike Dringinberg when he designed the iconic Sandman character, "Death of the Endless," co-created by Neil Gaiman for "The Sandman."  Hadley died Saturday, January 6, 2018 after a battle with cancer.

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics is overseas looking for new talent.  [Hopefully, they will find new talent in marketing, as well.]

From TheGazette:  An article about two books:  “Slugfest: Inside the Epic 50-Year Battle Between Marvel and DC”  Reed Tucker (Da Capo Press) and “Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel” by Bob Batchelor (Rowman & Littlefield), that talk about the rise of Marvel and DC Comics and the clash between them.

From BleedingCool:  See the "pop-up" comic book shop that DC Comics will open in Washington D.C. for the "Martin Luther King Jr."

From BleedingCool:  Here is the Christmas card Alan Moore drew and sent to friends and family.

From BleedingCool:   Hot (and overrated) writer Donny Cates wants to write a "Deadpool" that Rob Liefeld, the creator of the character, would draw.

From BleedingCool:  Marvel is giving stores free bundles of "Black Panther Starts Here" to stores to help introduce new readers to the character.

From AVClub:  The site lists is "10 most anticipated comics of 2018."

From Tennessean:  Cartoonist Guy Gilchrist is darting the venerable comic strip, Nancy, after producing it for 23 years.  Here are "five, funny reflections" as he departs in February 2018.

From ComicBook:  Brian Michael Bendis officially started at DC Comics Jan. 2nd, 2018.

From TCR:  Tom Spurgeon re-posts a 2010 interview that he conducted with Jaime Hernandez, the co-creator of "Love & Rockets" and North America's best comic book artist.

From BleedingCool:  "The Top 5 Marvel Screw-Ups of 2017" by Jude Terror.

From BleedingCool:  "The Top 5 DC [Comics] Screw-Ups of 2017" by Rich Johnston.

From ComicBook:  Robert Venditti and Tony S. Daniel talks about "Damage," the new comic book that is part of DC Comics' "New Age of Heroes" banner.

From TheDailyDot:  10 fascinating facts about the manga/anime, "One-Punch Man."

From ComicBook:  Hiro Mashima is the creator of the recently ended manga, "Fairy Tail."  He posted a sketch of his upcoming, still-unnamed new manga.

From ComicBook:  Eiichiro Oda shows off a sketch of "One Piece" character, Nami.

From BleedingCool:  Apparently, Mile Morales will no longer be called "Spider-Man," but what the new name is...

From Previews:  Warren Pleece talks about the "Incognegro: Renaissance," the sequel to the graphic novel, "Incognegro."

From ComicBook:  Sana Amanat, the creator of Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan, talks diversity in comics.

From VICE:  The site pissed off some comic book industry people with this not-quite Top 10 comics of 2017 list.