IDW from Diamond Distributors for May 18 2011

IDW PUBLISHING

MAR110478 DOCTOR WHO FAIRYTALE LIFE #2 (OF 4) $3.99

MAR110428 GI JOE A REAL AMERICAN HERO #166 $3.99

MAR118248 GODZILLA KINGDOM OF MONSTERS #2 2ND PTG $3.99

MAR110442 ROCKETEER #1 100 PENNY PRESS $1.00

MAR110416 ROCKETEER ADVENTURES #1 (OF 4) $3.99

MAR110424 SNAKE EYES ONGOING (IDW) #1 $3.99

MAR110435 TRANSFORMERS 3 MOVIE PREQUEL FOUNDATION #4 (OF 4) $3.99

MAR110440 TRANSFORMERS FOUNDATION TP $17.99

FEB110309 TRANSFORMERS MOVIE SLIPCASE COLL VOL 01 $39.99

FEB110310 TRANSFORMERS MOVIE SLIPCASE COLL VOL 02 $39.99

MAR110432 TRANSFORMERS ONGOING #19 $3.99

MAR110441 TRANSFORMERS RISING STORM TP $17.99

MAR110464 ZOMBIES VS ROBOTS UNDERCITY #2 (OF 4) $3.99

Dark Horse from Diamond Distributors for May 18 2011

DARK HORSE COMICS

DEC100075 ADV OF DR MCNINJA TP VOL 01 NIGHT POWERS $19.99

JAN110131 BRIDE OF THE WATER GOD TP VOL 08 $9.99

JAN110133 GANTZ TP VOL 17 (MR) $12.99

JAN110157 HELLBOY W/ SKELETON WOMENS T/S XL $24.99

NOV100059 JOURNAL DOMO ROCKS $9.99

JAN110109 STAR WARS BLOOD TIES TP VOL 01 TALE OF JANGO & BOBA FETT $14.99

MAR110013 STAR WARS JEDI DARK SIDE #1 ASRAR CVR $2.99

JAN110111 STAR WARS OLD REPUBLIC TP VOL 02 THREAT OF PEACE $15.99

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for May 18 2011

IMAGE COMICS

MAR118186 68 (SIXTY EIGHT) #1 (OF 4) VAR CVR 2ND PTG $3.99

SEP100533 DARKNESS FOUR HORSEMEN #4 (OF 4) $3.99

MAR110519 DRUMS #1 (OF 4) $2.99

MAR118166 IMAGE FIRSTS JACK STAFF #1 (PP #967) $1.00

MAR118165 IMAGE FIRSTS MAGDALENA #1 (PP #967) $1.00

FEB118156 IMAGE FIRSTS ORC STAIN #1 (MR) (PP #966) $1.00

MAR110522 LAST MORTAL #1 (OF 4) $3.99

MAR110588 LIL DEPRESSED BOY #4 $2.99

DEC100444 SCIENCE DOG SPECIAL #2 $3.50

MAR118187 SUPER DINOSAUR #1 VAR CVR 2ND PTG $2.99

MAR110518 SUPER DINOSAUR ORIGIN SPECIAL #1 $2.99

FEB110407 WALKING DEAD T/S RICK LG $24.99

FEB110406 WALKING DEAD T/S RICK MED $24.99

FEB110405 WALKING DEAD T/S RICK SM $24.99

FEB110408 WALKING DEAD T/S RICK XL $24.99

FEB110409 WALKING DEAD T/S RICK XXL $27.99

MAR110607 WALKING DEAD WEEKLY #20 (MR) $2.99

OCT100521 WITCHBLADE #144 CVR A STJEPAN SEJIC $4.99

OCT100522 WITCHBLADE #144 CVR B ROSSBACH $4.99

FEB110425 ZERO JM KEN NIIMURA ILLUSTRATION TP (MR) $12.99

Comics and Magazines from Diamond Distributors for May 18 2011

COMICS

MAR110955 28 DAYS LATER #23 $3.99

MAR110867 ARCHIE & FRIENDS #155 $2.99

MAR110868 B & V FRIENDS DOUBLE DIGEST #214 $3.99

MAR111188 BAREFOOT GEN TP VOL 01 (O/A) $14.95

MAR110949 BART SIMPSON PRINCE OF PRANKS TP $15.99

FEB111202 BIOMEGA GN VOL 06 (OF 6) (MR) $12.99

JAN111317 CLINT #7 (MR) $6.99

MAR111215 COURTNEY CRUMRIN TALES #2 LEAGUE ORDINARY GENTLEMEN $5.99

SEP101046 DARK SHADOWS COMP SERIES HC VOL 02 $49.99

MAR110994 DARKWING DUCK #12 $3.99

SEP101005 DF AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #648 STAN LEE SGN ED $299.99

JAN111058 DISNEY TREASURY DONALD DUCK TP VOL 01 $14.99

FEB110884 DON QUIXOTE CAMPFIRE GN VOL 01 $9.99

FEB111136 DPD DOKTORMENTOR JAIL BABE SURGEON #1 (OF 3) (MR) $9.95

JAN111196 EYE O/T MAJESTIC CREATURE GN (MR) $18.99

MAR111062 GREEN HORNET AFTERMATH #2 $3.99

MAR111222 IF N OOF GN $29.95

FEB111211 ILL GIVE IT MY ALL TOMORROW TP VOL 03 $12.99

FEB110727 JACK AND ZOMBIE BOX GN $5.95

FEB111204 JORMUNGAND GN VOL 07 (MR) $12.99

MAR110870 JUGHEAD #207 $2.99

MAR110872 JUGHEADS DOUBLE DIGEST #170 $3.99

FEB111071 KODT BLACK HANDS 2011 ONE SHOT $3.99

FEB111212 KUROZAKURO GN VOL 04 $9.99

MAR111004 LADY DEATH (ONGOING) #5 $3.99

MAR111005 LADY DEATH (ONGOING) #5 WRAP CVR $3.99

FEB111167 LIARS KISS HC $14.95

MAR110981 MALIGNANT MAN #2 (OF 4) $3.99

JAN111376 MARCH STORY TP VOL 02 (MR) $12.99

MAR111000 MICKEY MOUSE #308 $3.99

FEB110787 NIGHT O/T LIVING DEAD DEATH VALLEY #2 (OF 5) (MR) $3.99

FEB110788 NIGHT O/T LIVING DEAD DEATH VALLEY #2 (OF 5) GORE CVR (MR) $3.99

FEB110789 NIGHT O/T LIVING DEAD DEATH VALLEY #2 (OF 5) WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99

MAR111105 PAYING FOR IT HC $24.95

APR110902 PEANUTS HAPPINESS IS A WARM BLANKET CHARLIE BROWN HC $19.99

JAN111242 PINOCCHIO HC $29.95

FEB110806 PINPOINT #2 (OF 3) (MR) $3.99

MAR110938 POLITICAL POWER RONALD REAGAN FOIL ED $19.99

NOV100792 POWER O/T VALKYRIE FATE OF GODS & MEN TP $14.99

FEB110977 RED SONJA REVENGE O/T GODS #3 (OF 5) $3.99

JAN110901 SHADOWEYES GN VOL 02 SHADOWEYES IN LOVE $12.95

FEB110920 SHERLOCK HOLMES YEAR ONE #4 $3.99

MAR110947 SIMPSONS COMICS #178 $2.99

MAR110879 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG ARCHIVES TP VOL 15 $7.95

MAR110878 SONIC UNIVERSE #28 $2.99

MAR110984 STAN LEE SOLDIER ZERO #8 $3.99

MAR110986 STAN LEE SOLDIER ZERO TP VOL 01 ONE SMALL STEP FOR MAN $9.99

JAN111014 STYX & STONE #4 (MR) $3.99

FEB111150 TANK GIRL BAD WIND RISING #4 (OF 4) $3.99

FEB110889 THREE MUSKETEERS CAMPFIRE GN $12.99

APR111088 TINTIN YOUNG READERS ED GN RED RACKHAMS TREASURE $8.99

JAN118106 TINTIN YOUNG READERS ED GN RED RACKHAMS TREASURE $8.99

MAR111021 VAMPIRELLA SCARLET LEGION #1 $3.99

MAGAZINES
JAN111460 007 MAGAZINE ARCHIVE LIVE AND LET DIE #1 $17.00
JAN111419 CLASSIC MARVEL FIG COLL MAG #146 QUASAR $12.00
FEB111255 CLASSIC MARVEL FIG COLL MAG #147 PROWLER $14.00
JAN111430 DC BLACKEST NIGHT FIG COLL MAG #5 CAROL FERRIS $14.00
JAN111431 DC BLACKEST NIGHT FIG COLL MAG #6 PARALLAX $14.00
FEB111266 DC BLACKEST NIGHT FIG COLL MAG #7 INDIGO 1 $14.00
JAN111434 DC SUPERHERO FIG COLL MAG #80 MR TERRIFIC $14.00
FEB111269 DC SUPERHERO FIG COLL MAG #81 BATWOMAN $14.00
FEB118145 DISNEY PRESENTS PIRATES O/T CARIBBEAN STRANGER TIDES $4.99
MAR111406 DR WHO INSIDER MAGAZINE #2 $6.99
FEB111317 GIRASOL PULP DOUBLES THE SPIDER VOL 19 $14.95
DEC101129 ILLUSTRATION MAGAZINE #33 $15.00
MAR111379 JUXTAPOZ #125 JUNE 2011 $5.99
FEB111837 KOBOLD QUARTERLY MAGAZINE #17 $7.99
DEC101177 MEGAMI MAR 2011 PI
DEC101178 NEWTYPE MAR 2011 $16.00
FEB111293 SCI FI & FANTASY MODELLER VOL 21 $26.95
FEB111306 SFX #208 $9.99
MAR111457 STAR TREK MAGAZINE #34 NEWSSTAND ED $6.99
MAR111458 STAR TREK MAGAZINE #34 PX ED $6.99
DEC101200 STAR WARS VEHICLES COLL MAG #65 FEDERATION MTT $18.00
DEC101201 STAR WARS VEHICLES COLL MAG #66 HYPERSPACE RING $18.00
JAN111479 STAR WARS VEHICLES COLL MAG #67 TIE DEFENDER $18.00

Leroy Douresseaux on JEW GANGSTER

JEW GANGSTER
DC COMICS

CARTOONIST: Joe Kubert
LETTERS: Pete Carlsson
ISBN: 978-1-4012-3179-8; paperback
144pp, B&W, $14.99 U.S., $16.99 CAN

Best known for his work on such DC Comics characters as Sgt. Rock and Hawkman, Joe Kubert has been drawing comics since 1938, before he was even a teenager. With his wife, Muriel, Kubert also founded the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art (now known as The Kubert School), a technical school that teaches the craft of creating comic books, among others aspects of narrative art.

Jew Gangster: A Father’s Admonition was a hardcover graphic novel written and drawn by Joe Kubert and published by IBooks in 2005. As part of “The Joe Kubert Library,” DC Comics has republished the gook as Jew Gangster in a paperback edition (with French flaps!).

Jew Gangster is a hybrid, coming-of-age story that is also crime fiction and is set in Depression-era New York City. The story’s protagonist is Reuben “Ruby” Kaplan, a handsome young man growing up in Brooklyn, specifically “the East New York section.” Ruby is from a poor immigrant family (Polish). His father, Isaac, works as a dress cutter, and his mother runs a kosher restaurant (by herself) in the front rooms of the building where the family lives. Ruby also has a younger sister, Rifke.

Ruby is, quite frankly, tired of being poor. He’d been occasionally running errands and making special deliveries for a local mobster named Monk Greenberg. Eager to help support his hardworking parents, Ruby starts skipping school to do more work for Monk. Ruby does make more money, consequently falling deeper into the organized crime world, but also angering his father. Ruby becomes Monk’s right hand man, participating in brutal, terrible criminal acts, but betrayal and suspicion not only put Ruby’s life on the line, but also his family’s lives.

Jew Gangster is similar to the Depression-era, Jewish, and historical melodramas and biographical comics that Will Eisner produced as graphic novels the last 30 years of his career and life. On the surface of Jew Gangster, it may appear that Joe Kubert is employing every gangster cliché and poor immigrant family trope found in popular storytelling, from the heartbroken papa and diplomatic mama to the criminal mentor and martyred pal. One might even compare this graphic novel to one of those cinematically-influenced comic books trying to look like a Film-Noir crime flick.

Jew Gangster, at its heart, is a coming-of-age story depicting two fronts: that of Ruby Kaplan and that of the Jewish people, specifically those in the section of Brooklyn where Ruby lives. Kubert’s story hinges on Kaplan’s realization of what it will take to do more than merely survive, and that could be said to be true of the Jewish community of which Ruby is part. Jew Gangster seems to say that no matter where one lives – at the top, middle or bottom of society – life is a struggle. Ruby, like his Jewish contemporaries, must pick his fights and battles and win them and perhaps, get more out of life, but any kind of victory is not without some kind of cost.

To relegate Jew Gangster to a particular genre is to deny the universal nature of this story about a wayward boy who just talks about taking care of his family and becomes a man who really takes care of his family. His struggle in his chosen profession by which he will care for his loved ones could take place in many other professional setting. When you look past the violence and grimy Brooklyn setting, this could be a biographical tale of boy entering the adult world of comic book publishing. This same story could focus on a boy on the verge of becoming a man as he navigates his way through the complicated, political worlds of government, law enforcement, business, finance, etc.

Yes, Jew Gangster is what it is, dressed in the rags of crime fiction and playing out on the mean streets of Depression-era Jewish Brooklyn. Behind all that, however, is the common tale of a boy in tough times, in a tough neighborhood, making tough choices so that he can make his way in the world. Jew Gangster is a terrific story in that way.

A-

VIZKIDS Offers Pokemon Travel Activity Kit

NEW POKÉMON TRAVEL ACTIVITY KIT FROM VIZ MEDIA GIVES KIDS HOURS OF FUN THIS SUMMER

Just in time for summer, VIZ Media delivers hours of Pokémon fun with the POKÉMON TRAVEL ACTIVITY KIT! Featuring Snivy, Tepig, Oshawott and other new Pokémon from the Unova region, the POKÉMON TRAVEL ACTIVITY KIT includes an activity pad, poster, stickers and six chunky crayons, all packaged in a suitcase-style case! Recommended for ages 5 and up, the POKÉMON TRAVEL ACTIVITY KIT also makes a wonderful gift.

The POKÉMON TRAVEL ACTIVITY KIT will be available on May 31st from the VIZKIDS imprint for the suggested retail price of $11.99 U.S. / $13.99 CAN, and includes:

• One 64-page POKÉMON activity pad (featuring word finds, mazes and other puzzle activities)
• Two full-color POKÉMON sticker sheets
• One double-sided poster for POKÉMON sticker play
• Six POKÉMON crayons
• Don’t forget to pull out the divider for bonus Legendary Reshiram and Zekrom standees!

The POKÉMON TRAVEL ACTIVITY KIT is one of several Pokémon releases from the VIZKIDS imprint. Look for POKÉMON BLACK & WHITE, the manga series inspired by the most recent POKÉMON video game releases, Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version for the Nintendo DS™ family of systems. Meet all-new Pokémon from the fastest-selling Pokémon video games in history. VIZ Media will launch the POKÉMON BLACK & WHITE series in July 2011.

For more information on VIZ Media’s POKÉMON manga and anime titles, please visit www.VIZ.com/Pokemon/.

Gente the Final Volume

I read Gente, Vol. 3: The People of Ristorante Paradiso

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