DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 6 2012

DC COMICS

APR120181 ACTION COMICS #10 $3.99

APR120184 ACTION COMICS #10 COMBO PACK $4.99

APR120220 ANIMAL MAN #10 $2.99

FEB120245 BATMAN DETECTIVE COMICS HC VOL 01 FACES OF DEATH $22.99

NOV110249 BATMAN PATINA MINI STATUE (RES) $95.00

APR120205 BATWING #10 $2.99

APR120137 BEFORE WATCHMEN MINUTEMEN #1 (OF 6) (MR) $3.99

APR120140 BEFORE WATCHMEN MINUTEMEN #1 (OF 6) COMBO PACK (MR) $4.99

APR120197 DETECTIVE COMICS #10 $3.99

APR120199 DETECTIVE COMICS #10 COMBO PACK $4.99

APR120218 DIAL H #2 $2.99

MAR120276 DMZ TP VOL 12 THE FIVE NATIONS OF NEW YORK (MR) $14.99

APR120166 EARTH 2 #2 $2.99

APR120280 FAIREST #4 (MR) $2.99

APR120226 GI COMBAT #2 $3.99

APR120179 GREEN ARROW #10 $2.99

MAR120252 GREEN LANTERN CORPS REVOLT OF ALPHA LANTERNS TP $14.99

APR120287 IZOMBIE #26 (MR) $2.99

MAR128285 JUSTICE LEAGUE #1 8TH PTG $3.99

APR120165 JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #10 $2.99

APR120269 LOONEY TUNES #207 $2.99

APR120242 NIGHT FORCE #4 (OF 7) $2.99

APR120217 RED LANTERNS #10 $2.99

MAR120243 RED LANTERNS TP VOL 01 BLOOD AND RAGE $14.99

APR120270 SCOOBY DOO WHERE ARE YOU #22 $2.99

APR120239 SMALLVILLE SEASON 11 #2 $3.99

APR120227 STORMWATCH #10 $2.99

APR120221 SWAMP THING #10 $2.99

APR120292 SWEET TOOTH #34 (MR) $2.99

NOV110247 WONDER WOMAN VS SUPERMAN MINI STATUE (RES) $95.00

APR120168 WORLDS FINEST #2 $2.99

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 6 2012

MARVEL COMICS

APR120663 AGE OF APOCALYPSE #4 $2.99

APR120613 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN MOVIE #1 $2.99

MAR120668 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 02 VULTURE READERS NOVEL $6.99

APR120582 AVENGERS ACADEMY #31 AVX $2.99

APR120596 AVENGERS BLACK WIDOW STRIKES #3 (OF 3) $2.99

APR120569 AVENGERS VS X-MEN #5 (OF 12) AVX $3.99

MAR120648 AVENGERS WEST COAST TP ALONG CAME A SPIDER-WOMAN $39.99

MAR120657 CIVIL WAR PROSE NOVEL HC $24.99

APR120597 DARK AVENGERS #175 $2.99

MAR120686 DEADPOOL TP VOL 09 INSTITUTIONALIZED $15.99

APR120648 DEFENDERS #7 $3.99

APR120679 FURY MAX #3 (MR) $3.99

APR120637 HULK #53 $2.99

APR120646 INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #518 $3.99

APR120634 JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #639 $2.99

APR120629 MIGHTY THOR ANNUAL #1 $4.99

MAR120673 MOON KNIGHT BY BENDIS AND MALEEV TP VOL 01 $19.99

MAR120678 SPIDER-MAN BIG TIME ULTIMATE COLLECTION TP $39.99

APR120662 TOY STORY #4 (OF 4) $2.99

APR120600 ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN #11 $3.99

APR120588 UNCANNY X-MEN #13 AVX $3.99

MAR120667 UNCANNY X-MEN BY KIERON GILLEN PREM HC VOL 02 $24.99

APR120626 WINTER SOLDIER #6 $2.99

APR120672 X-FACTOR #237 $2.99

IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for June 6 2012

IDW PUBLISHING

APR120387 30 DAYS OF NIGHT ONGOING #8 $3.99

MAR120399 COMPLETE LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE HC VOL 08 $49.99

APR120342 DANGER GIRL REVOLVER TP $17.99

APR120347 DOCTOR WHO CLASSICS SERIES IV #5 (OF 6) $3.99

APR120348 DOCTOR WHO ONGOING 2 TP VOL 04 AS TIME GOES BY $17.99

APR120383 DUNGEONS & DRAGONS TP VOL 01 SHADOWPLAGUE $19.99

APR120338 GI JOE A REAL AMERICAN HERO #179 $3.99

APR120341 GI JOE V2 COBRA COMMAND TP VOL 01 $17.99

APR120332 GI JOE VOL 2 ONGOING #14 $3.99

APR120343 INFESTATION 2 TP VOL 01 $17.99

APR120385 POPEYE #2 (OF 4) $3.99

APR120373 TRIO #2 $3.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 6 2012

DARK HORSE COMICS

FEB128076 BPRD TP VOL 03 PLAGUE OF FROGS (NEW PTG) $17.99
FEB120043 CREEPY ARCHIVES HC VOL 13 $49.99
FEB120015 STAR WARS OMNIBUS DROIDS AND EWOKS TP $24.99

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 6 2012

IMAGE COMICS

APR120431 ACTIVITY TP VOL 01 $12.99

MAR120473 ARTIFACTS #14 IMAGE EXPO VAR CVR $20.00

MAR120472 ARTIFACTS #18 $3.99

APR120420 CREATOR OWNED HEROES #1 REG CVR (MR) $3.99

MAR120481 DARKNESS #100 IMAGE EXPO VAR CVR (MR) $20.00

APR120535 EPIC KILL #2 $2.99

MAR120484 HACK SLASH #16 CVR A BROWNE (MR) $3.50

MAR120485 HACK SLASH #16 CVR B HOANG & ZUB (MR) $3.50

MAR128275 HELL YEAH #3 2ND PTG $2.99

JAN120594 MORNING GLORIES #19 (MR) $2.99

JAN120595 MUDMAN #4 $3.50

MAR120502 SECRET #2 $3.50

APR120409 SPAWN #220 CVR A MCFARLANE (NOTE PRICE) $3.99

APR120418 SPAWN 20TH ANNIVERSARY COLL SPECIAL #1 $4.99

FEB120524 SUPER DINOSAUR #11 $2.99

MAR128276 SUPREME #64 2ND PTG $2.99

APR120561 THIEF OF THIEVES #5 $2.99

APR120487 WALKING DEAD TP VOL 16 A LARGER WORLD (MR) $14.99

FEB120468 WITCHBLADE REBIRTH TP VOL 01 $9.99

Comics and Magazines from Diamond Distributors for June 6 2012

COMICS

JAN121236 2000 AD #1776 (NOTE PRICE) $5.25

FEB121134 2000 AD #1777 $5.25

MAR121181 ALICE I/T COUNTRY CLOVER TWINS GN (MR) $13.99

JAN121107 ANGELMAN HC FALLEN ANGEL $18.99

MAR121014 BACK ALLEYS AND URBAN LANDSCAPES GN $19.95

MAR121269 BAMBOO BLADE TP VOL 13 $11.99

MAR120836 BART SIMPSON OUT TO LUNCH TP $15.99

MAR121239 BLEACH TP VOL 40 $9.99

MAR121240 BLEACH TP VOL 41 $9.99

SEP110727 CASPERS SCARE SCHOOL #2 (OF 4) $3.99

APR121099 CASTLE WAITING HC VOL 01 (NEW PTG) (O/A) $29.95

APR120838 CROSSED BADLANDS #7 (MR) $3.99

APR120840 CROSSED BADLANDS #7 TORTURE CVR (MR) $3.99

APR120839 CROSSED BADLANDS #7 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99

FEB120705 CRYPT OF HORROR #14 $29.95

APR120850 DAN THE UNHARMABLE #2 (MR) $3.99

APR120851 DAN THE UNHARMABLE #2 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99

MAR121270 DANIEL X MANGA GN VOL 03 $12.99

FEB121017 DF AVENGERS VS X-MEN #1 ROMITA SR SGN ED $69.99

MAR121031 DF DEJAH THORIS & WHITE APES #2 RISQUE RED CVR $14.99

MAR120710 DOUBLE JUMPERS #1 (MR) $3.99

MAR121015 ED THE HAPPY CLOWN HC (MR) $24.95

APR120887 EXTERMINATION #1 MAIN CVRS $1.00

APR120898 FANBOYS VS ZOMBIES #3 MAIN CVRS $3.99

APR120954 GARFIELD #2 $3.99

APR121106 GIRL FROM HOPPERS LOCAS TP VOL 02 (NEW PTG) (O/A) $14.95

FEB120718 GOLD DIGGER #139 $3.99

MAR121231 GTO 14 DAYS IN SHONAN GN VOL 03 $10.95

APR121253 HARBINGER (ONGOING) #1 PULLBOX SUAYAN CVR $3.99

APR121252 HARBINGER (ONGOING) #1 REG LOZZI CVR $3.99

MAR128272 HIGHER EARTH #1 (2ND PTG) (PP #1022) $1.00

FEB121004 IDYLL GN (MR) $19.95

MAR121170 JUDGE DREDD COMPLETE CASE FILES TP VOL 19 $34.99

FEB121069 KOMA GN (MR) $29.95

OCT110787 KUNG FU PANDA #5 (OF 6) $3.99

APR120966 LADY DEATH (ONGOING) #18 (MR) $3.99

APR120967 LADY DEATH (ONGOING) #18 SULTRY CVR (MR) $3.99

APR120968 LADY DEATH (ONGOING) #18 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99

FEB120805 LEGEND OF OZ THE WICKED WEST #4 $3.50

MAR120765 LIFE WITH ARCHIE #20 $3.99

APR121105 MAGGIE THE MECHANIC LOCAS TP VOL 01 (NEW PTG) (O/A) $14.95

MAR120736 MECHA-NATION ANDROIDOLOGY #2 (OF 3) (RES) $3.99

MAR120737 MECHA-NATION ANDROIDOLOGY #3 (OF 3) (RES) $3.99

FEB121140 MEGA CITY UNDERCOVER VOL 02 $23.99

MAR121119 METRO GRAPHIC NOVEL $20.00

FEB120769 MINX TP (RES) $19.99

MAR121249 OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB TP VOL 18 (OF 18) $9.99

MAR121098 PARIS GN $23.99

MAR120823 PENNY FOR YOUR SOUL FALSE PROPHET #5 (OF 7) (MR) $3.50

MAR121259 POKEMON ADVENTURES PLATINUM GN VOL 05 $7.99

APR120993 PROPHECY #1 $3.99

MAR120738 RAMIEL WRATH OF GOD #2 (MR) $3.99

APR121061 ROBERT JORDAN WHEEL OF TIME EYE O/T WORLD #26 $3.99

JAN121112 SQUA TRONT #13 $9.99

FEB120719 STEAMCRAFT #1 $3.99

MAR121277 SUMOMOMO MOMOMO TP VOL 12 (MR) $11.99

APR120937 SUPURBIA #4 (OF 4) $3.99

FEB120720 SWIMSUIT STEAMPUNK #1 $3.99

MAR121211 TROMA CHILLERS GN $12.99

JAN121310 UNFORGIVING #4 $3.99

MAR121183 VAMPIRE CHEERLEADERS MYSTERY SQUAD COLL TP (MR) $15.99

APR121183 WASTELAND #38 (MR) $3.99

MAR121184 WITCH HUNTER COLL TP VOL 01 BOOK 1-2 (MR) $16.99

MAR120770 WORLD OF ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #18 $3.99

APR121257 X-O MANOWAR (ONGOING) #2 REG KEVIC CVR $3.99

MAGAZINES
APR120869 BLEEDING COOL MAGAZINE #0 (MR) $1.49
MAR121389 CINEMA RETRO #23 $11.99
APR121718 COLOR INK DIY ART PERIODICAL VOL 14 $10.00
MAR121335 COMICS BUYERS GUIDE #1691 JUL 2012 $5.99
APR121434 DOC SAVAGE DOUBLE NOVEL VOL 59 $14.95
FEB128083 DOCTOR WHO SPECIAL #31 $12.99
MAR121370 FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND #251 BELA LUGOSI CVR $12.99
MAR121369 FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND #251 PREDATOR CVR $12.99
JAN121397 FREAKY MONSTERS MAGAZINE #10 $9.95
JAN121237 JUDGE DREDD MEGAZINE #322 (NOTE PRICE) $12.25
MAR121376 RUE MORGUE MAGAZINE #123 $9.95
APR121404 SCREEM #24 NEWSSTAND ED $7.95
JAN121424 SFX SPECIAL #55 $17.99
APR121435 SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOL 61 $14.95

I Reads You Review: ROCKETEER ADVENTURES VOL. 2 #2

ROCKETEER ADVENTURES VOL. 2 #2
IDW PUBLISHING

WRITERS: Tom Taylor, Paul Dini, Walter Simonson
ARTISTS: Colin Wilson, Bill Morrison, John Paul Leon
COLORS: Dave Stewart, Serban Cristescu
LETTERS: Robbie Robbins, Chris Mowry, Shawn Lee
PIN-UP: J. Scott Campbell with John Rauch
EDITOR: Scott Dunbier
COVERS: Darwyn Cooke (A, C), Dave Stevens (B)
28pp, Color, $3.50 U.S.

Inspired by the Saturday matinee movie heroes of the 1930s and 40s, The Rocketeer is Cliff Secord, a stunt pilot who discovers a mysterious jet pack that allows him to fly. The Rocketeer’s adventures are set mainly in Los Angeles in and after the year 1938. The character was created by artist and illustrator, Dave Stevens, who died in March of 2008.

After a long absence from comics, The Rocketeer returned in 2011 in Rocketeer Adventures. Edited by Scott Dunbier and published by IDW Publishing, this four-issue, anthology comic book was a tribute to Stevens and featured Rocketeer short stories (about 7 to 8 pages in length) from some of the premiere creators in American comic books. The tributes continue in Rocketeer Adventures Vol. 2.

Rocketeer Adventures Vol. 2 #2 opens with “Work to Do,” story by Tom Taylor and art by Colin Wilson, which places The Rocketeer on a European battlefield with a job to do. In “Betty’s Big Break,” writer Paul Dini and artist Bill Morrison take our hero to the set of a B-movie where he becomes a “Rocket Rustler,” much to Betty’s chagrin. Writer Walter Simonson and artist John Paul Leon send The Rocketeer flying like a flying monkey to save a special young lady in “Autograph.”

I found the first issue of Rocketeer Adventures Vol. 2 to be a tad bit over the top as a tribute to a respected, deceased artist. Why? While honoring Dave Stevens’ memory, the slam bang action that is The Rocketeer lost its pop and became like something preserved in amber and golden hues. Rocketeer Adventures Vol. 2 #2 is different. These three Rocketeer stories read like real Rocketeer stories and not tributes meant to be placed in the burial chamber of some great figure’s tomb.

“Work to Do” is a gritty battlefield fantasia with heart and pop. As for the second story: I’ve long been perplexed with the popularity of Paul Dini’s comic book work. I’m sure that he has an entire wing devoted to him at the Academy of the Overrated. I have found enjoyment in a few of his comic book stories; “Betty’s Big Break” is one of them. I think it would make an excellent graphic novel if expanded. I don’t know if Walter Simonson has ever disappointed me; if he has, it was not by much. “Autograph” moves like an action movie, and its references to the late 1930s are wonderful.

I don’t think that I have to say anything about the artists who drew these stories. They are all consummate professionals and their graphic storytelling and art are sparkling. On the other hand, that J. Scott Campbell pin-up is rather ordinary. It’s like something Campbell would knock off while sitting at a convention table. Of course, he would over-charge for it, though it’s worth no more than 25 bucks.

A-