Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for October 15, 2014

IMAGE COMICS

AUG140582     CLONE TP VOL 04     $12.99
AUG140546     CUTTER #3 (MR)     $3.99
AUG140642     DEADLY CLASS #8 (MR)     $3.50
JUL140489     FIELD TP (MR)     $14.99
AUG140661     MANIFEST DESTINY #11     $2.99
JUL140559     MICE TEMPLAR IV LEGEND #14 CVR A OEMING     $5.99
JUL140560     MICE TEMPLAR IV LEGEND #14 CVR B SANTOS & FREE     $5.99
JUN140515     SATELLITE SAM TP VOL 02 SATELLITE SAM & KINESCOPE SNUFF (MR)     $14.99
AUG140685     SUPREME BLUE ROSE #4 (MR)     $2.99
AUG140687     TREES #6 (MR)     $2.99
AUG140561     WITCHBLADE CASE FILES #1     $3.99

Comics, Magazines and Books from Diamond Distributors for October 15, 2014

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

AUG140958     A CITY OF WHISKEY & FIRE ONE SHOT (MR)     $4.99
JUL141387     ABC WARRIORS MEK FILES HC VOL 02 (MR)     $42.00
AUG141745     AJIN GN VOL 01 DEMI-HUMAN     $12.95
AUG141331     ALICE COOPER #2     $3.99
JUN140989     AMAZING WORLD OF GUMBALL #3 MAIN CVRS     $3.99
AUG141134     ANNE BONNIE #3     $3.99
AUG141733     ARCHER & ARMSTRONG #1 ONE DOLLAR DEBUT ED NEW PTG     $1.00
JUL140824     ARCHIE FUNHOUSE COMICS DIGEST #9     $4.99
JUL140825     ARCHIE JUMBO COMICS DIGEST #255 (NOTE PRICE)     $6.99
JUL140827     ARCHIES FAVORITE CHRISTMAS COMICS TP     $9.99
JUL141115     ARMY OF DARKNESS HITCHED #3 MAIN LEE     $3.99
JUL140785     BIG NATE CROWD GOES WILD TP     $9.99
MAY141593     BLACK DRAGON HC     $19.99
AUG141657     BLUE MORNING GN VOL 05 (MR)     $12.99
AUG148121     BOBS BURGERS #1 3RD PTG     $3.99
AUG148122     BOBS BURGERS #1 BALTIMORE EQUESTRANAUTS B&W ED     $50.00
AUG148123     BOBS BURGERS #1 BALTIMORE EQUESTRANAUTS REG ED     $15.00
AUG148124     BOBS BURGERS #1 BALTIMORE EQUESTRANAUTS VIRGIN ED     $50.00
JUL141216     BUMF GN VOL 01 I BUGGERED THE KAISER (MR)     $14.99
AUG141094     CALIBAN #7 DARK MATTER CVR (MR)     $9.99
JUN140969     COLLECTOR HC (MR)     $34.99
MAY141595     COMPLETE JOHNNY NEMO HC     $22.99
AUG148125     DAWN VAMPIRELLA #1 BALTIMORE BLOOD RED ED     $25.00
AUG141764     DEADMAN WONDERLAND GN VOL 05     $9.99
JUN141194     DF AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #2 DYNAMIC MIDTOWN EXC COLOR     $29.99
JUN141195     DF AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #2 DYNAMIC MIDTOWN EXC SKETCH     $39.99
AUG141458     DF BLOOD QUEEN #1 MIDTOWN EXC RUFFINO B&W (MR)     $19.69
AUG141459     DF NEW VAMPIRELLA #1 MIDTOWN EXC RUFFINO B&W     $19.69
AUG141454     DF ROCKET RACCOON #1 MIDTOWN EXC CAMPBELL B&W     $39.99
JUL141175     DMC GN #1     $19.99
JUL141440     DOCTOR WHO 12TH #1 BLANK SKETCH CVR     $3.99
JUL141438     DOCTOR WHO 12TH #1 REG ZHANG     $3.99
JUL141439     DOCTOR WHO 12TH #1 SUBSCRIPTION PHOTO     $3.99
JUL141319     DOOMBOY HC VOL 01     $24.99
JUN148135     ENORMOUS #1 2ND PTG     $3.99
JUL141460     ENORMOUS #4 CVR A CHEGGOUR     $3.99
JUL141461     ENORMOUS #4 CVR B OEMING     $3.99
JUN140952     EVIL EMPIRE #6 (MR)     $3.99
MAY141605     EVIL WITHIN #1     $3.99
JUL148467     FACE VALUE #1 2ND PTG     $3.99
JUL141129     FLASH GORDON #6     $3.99
JUL141131     FLASH GORDON #6 80TH ANNIVERSARY CASTRO CVR     $3.99
AUG141746     FLOWERS OF EVIL GN VOL 11 (MR)     $10.95
AUG141839     GFT GODDESS INC #3 A CVR KROME (MR)     $3.99
AUG141840     GFT GODDESS INC #3 B CVR CAFARO (MR)     $3.99
AUG141841     GFT GODDESS INC #3 C CVR CUCCA (MR)     $3.99
AUG141829     GFT WONDERLAND #28 A CVR MYCHAELS (MR)     $3.99
AUG141830     GFT WONDERLAND #28 B CVR LEISTER (MR)     $3.99
AUG141831     GFT WONDERLAND #28 C CVR FRANCHESCO (MR)     $3.99
MAY140991     GOLD DIGGER #214     $3.99
AUG141759     HAPPY MARRIAGE GN VOL 08 (MR)     $9.99
AUG141734     HARBINGER #1 ONE DOLLAR DEBUT ED NEW PTG     $1.00
AUG141159     HELLRAISER BESTIARY #3 (MR)     $3.99
JUN141153     HOW TO BE A COMIC BOOK ARTIST     $4.99
SEP141476     HUGH HOWEYS WOOL GN     $14.95
AUG141499     IN REAL LIFE GN     $17.99
AUG141182     JIM HENSONS STORYTELLER WITCHES #2     $3.99
JUL141423     JOHN CARPENTERS ASYLUM #8 (MR)     $3.99
AUG141184     LAST BROADCAST #6 (MR)     $3.99
AUG141578     LIFE AFTER #4 CVR A PITARRA (MR)     $3.99
AUG141579     LIFE AFTER #4 CVR B GABO (MR)     $3.99
AUG141187     LUMBERJANES #7     $3.99
AUG141775     MAGI GN VOL 08     $9.99
JUL141410     MAGICAL GIRL APOCALYPSE GN VOL 01 (MR)     $12.99
JUL141091     MAGNUS ROBOT FIGHTER #7     $3.99
JUN141331     METEOR MEN GN VOL 01     $19.99
JUL140763     MISHKA AND THE SEA DEVIL HC     $24.99
AUG141760     MY LOVE STORY GN VOL 02     $9.99
AUG141769     NATSUMES BOOK OF FRIENDS GN VOL 17     $9.99
AUG141641     NEOZOIC TP VOL 02 TRADERS GAMBIT     $9.95
AUG141500     OLYMPIANS BOXED SET     $59.99
AUG141771     ORESAMA TEACHER GN VOL 17     $9.99
OCT128172     OURAN HS HOST CLUB GN VOL 03     $9.99
AUG141207     PEANUTS TP VOL 04     $13.99
AUG141211     PEANUTS VOL 2 #22     $3.99
AUG141708     Q2 RTN QUANTUM & WOODY #1 BLANK CVR     $3.99
AUG141704     Q2 RTN QUANTUM & WOODY #1 REG CVR BRIGHT     $3.99
AUG141735     QUANTUM & WOODY #1 ONE DOLLAR DEBUT ED     $1.00
AUG141736     RAI #1 ONE DOLLAR DEBUT ED     $1.00
AUG148046     RAI #4 2ND PTG     $3.99
AUG141740     RAI TP VOL 01 WELCOME TO NEW JAPAN     $9.99
AUG148127     RED SONJA BLACK TOWER #1 BALTIMORE RAZEK B&W ED     $25.00
AUG141329     RED SONJA BLACK TOWER #2     $3.99
AUG141547     SAY I LOVE YOU GN VOL 04     $10.99
AUG141135     SIMPSONS COMICS #215     $2.99
AUG141581     SIXTH GUN DAYS OF THE DEAD #3     $3.99
AUG141139     SLEEPY HOLLOW #1     $3.99
AUG141171     SONS OF ANARCHY #14 (MR)     $3.99
AUG141929     STAR WARS ART POSTERS HC     $40.00
AUG141199     STEVEN UNIVERSE #3 MAIN CVRS     $3.99
JUL141260     STRATFORD ZOO MIDNIGHT REVUE PRESENTS MACBETH GN     $12.99
JUL141412     STRIKE WITCHES TP VOL 02 1937 FUSO SEA INCIDENT     $12.99
AUG141310     THE DEVILERS #4     $2.99
JUL141099     TUROK DINOSAUR HUNTER #8     $3.99
AUG141384     TWILIGHT ZONE LOST TALES ONE SHOT     $7.99
AUG141189     UNCLE GRANDPA #1 MAIN CVRS     $3.99
AUG141717     UNITY #0 REG CVR ALLEN     $3.99
AUG141737     UNITY #1 ONE DOLLAR DEBUT ED     $1.00
AUG141751     VAMPIRE KNIGHT GN VOL 19     $9.99
AUG141750     VAMPIRE KNIGHT GN VOL 19 LTD ED ART HC BUNDLE     $15.99
AUG141739     VU HANDBOOK 2014 ONE DOLLAR DEBUT ED     $1.00
JUL141222     WALT DISNEY UNCLE SCROOGE HC VOL 02 SEVEN CITIES GOLD     $29.99
AUG141587     WASTELAND #58 (MR)     $3.99
MAR141345     WAYWARD SONS TP VOL 04     $19.95
AUG141142     WILDS END #2     $3.99
JUL141371     WWE SUPERSTARS ONGOING #9 MAIN CVR     $3.99
AUG141738     X-O MANOWAR #1 ONE DOLLAR DEBUT ED NEW PTG     $1.00

MAGAZINES
AUG141957     COMIC SHOP NEWS #1426     PI
MAY141867     DIABOLIQUE #22 NEWSSTAND ED     $9.98
MAY141868     DIABOLIQUE #22 PX ED     $9.98
JUL141725     DOCTOR WHO MAGAZINE #478     $9.99
JUL141386     JUDGE DREDD MEGAZINE #352     PI
AUG141953     JUXTAPOZ #166 NOV 2014     $5.99
JUL141735     SF&F MODELLER PRESENTS HORROR & MONSTER MODELLER VOL 06     $33.00

BOOKS
AUG141911     ADVENTURE TIME ART OF OOO HC     $35.00
AUG141879     ANDREW LOOMIS ID LOVE TO DRAW HC     $39.95
AUG141702     ART OF 5TH CELL SC     $39.99
APR141535     ART OF PIN UP HC (MR)     $200.00
JUL141663     DOCTOR WHO MAD LIBS     $3.99
AUG141920     POTA EVOLUTION OF LEGEND CELEBRATION MOVIES TV & MERCH HC     $39.95
JUL141291     UNCANNY X-MEN 100 PROJECT TP     $12.99
AUG141936     WALKING DEAD NOVEL HC VOL 05 DESCENT     $25.99
JUL141656     WALT BEFORE MICKEY DISNEY EARLY YEARS SC     $25.00
JUL142583     WARHAMMER DOOM OF DRAGONBACK SC     $14.00
APR141545     WINGS OF ANGELS TRIBUTE ART OF WW II PINUP HC VOL 01 (MR)     $39.99
APR141546     WINGS OF ANGELS TRIBUTE ART OF WW II PINUP HC VOL 02 (MR)     $39.99

Food Wars: The Ice Queen and the Spring Storm

I read Food Wars!, Vol. 2: Shokugeki no Soma

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin, which is seeking donations.  Follow me on Twitter.

I Reads You Review: THE MULTIVERSITY #1

THE MULTIVERSITY #1
DC COMICS – @DCComics

WRITER: Grant Morrison
PENCILS: Ivan Reis
INKS: Joe Prado
COLORS: Nei Ruffino
LETTERS: Todd Klein
COVER: Ivan Reis and Joe Prado with Nei Ruffino
VARIANT COVERS: Chris Burnham with Nathan Fairbairn (after Joe Shuster); Bryan Hitch with Alex Sinclair; Grant Morrison
48pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (October 2014)

Rated “T” for “Teen”

“House of Heroes”

The Multiversity is the latest comic book event series from DC Comics.  It is also a long-awaited event series, as this project was first announced several years ago.  The Multiversity is a limited series consisting of interrelated one-shot comic books set in the “DC Multiverse.”  Specifically, this is the Multiverse as it exists after The New 52, the re-launch of the DC Comics Universe that occurred in 2011.

If I understand correctly, the series will be comprised of eight comics.  Grant Morrison will write all eight, but each comic book will be drawn by a different artist.  The first issue, The Multiversity #1, is written by Morrison, drawn by Ivan Reis and Joe Prado, colored by Nei Ruffino, and lettered by the great Todd Klein.

The Multiversity #1 (“Hall of Heroes”) opens in a college dorm room, where a young African-American man is trying to understand what may be a haunted comic book.  The story moves to Earth-7, where Nix Uotan, the Superjudge and last of the Multiversal Monitors, saves a superhero, Thunderer, from certain doom at the hands of five demonic invaders:  Dame Merciless, Hellmachine, Lord Broken, Demogorounn, and Intellectron.

Meanwhile, Superman of Earth-23 finds himself spirited away to the Monitor Watchstation, also known as Valla-hal the “House of Heroes.”  Here, the greatest heroes of Fifty-Two worlds have been summoned to protect the Multiverse.  None of them have any idea of what they face.

If I had to guess (and I have to since I'm trying to communicate with you, dear readers, through this review), I would guess that The Multiversity is influenced by DC Comics' now-legendary comic book crossover event, Crisis on Infinite Earths.  I think the JLA/JSA crossover events that occurred in the original Justice League of America comic book series, every year from 1963 to 1985, also inspires The Multiversity.  In fact, I have read a few of those annual crossover stories, and The Multiversity #1, in terms of storytelling and in Ivan Reis' art, reminds me of them.

Basically,  The Multiversity #1 is old-school DC Comics (pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths) mixed with Grant Morrison's penchant for weirdness and mythology, and his... taste... for Alan Moore and Michael Moorcock.  It's a fun read.  I don't know if this event is meant to be world(s)-shattering, but it sure doesn't seem like it.  It's more goofy fun than anything else.

I won't lie to you.  This is far from a great comic book, but it is, for the most part, good.  You know, there are enough Black and African-American superheroes in The Multiversity #1 to make a Tarzan movie or at least, a Milestone Media comic book, so I can't help but like it.  I am going to follow this series in its entirety because of this first issue, although I had planned on not reading past the first issue.

B

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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

Review: MY LOVE STORY!! Volume 2

MY LOVE STORY!!, VOL. 2
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

STORY: Kazune Kawahara
ART: Aruko
TRANSLATION: JN Productions
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane
LETTERS: Mark McMurray
ISBN: 978-1-4215-7145-4; paperback (October 2014); Rated “T” for “Teen”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Kazune Kawahara is a manga creator best known for her romantic comedy shojo manga, High School Debut.  She also writes the high school, romantic comedy manga, Ore Monogatari, which is drawn by Aruko.  VIZ Media recently began publishing Ore Monogatari in North America as My Love Story!!

The series focuses on high school student, Takeo Goda.  He is a gentle giant, but he isn't the most attractive fellow.  He also has a giant heart, but girls won't have anything to do with him.  Then he meets Rinko Yamato, after saving her from a harasser on the train.  Yamato falls in love with Takeo and his life changes.

As My Love Story!!, Vol. 2 (Chapters 4 to 7) opens, Takeo is enjoying life with a girlfriend.  Now, that Takeo has a girlfriend, his friends also want to meet girls, so Yamato plans a mixer.  Everything is going well when some of the friends decide to start saying bad things.  Also, Takeo agrees to help out the Shuei High judo team, but that means time away from Yamato.  Will this relationship, which is still in its “honeymoon stage,” survive gossipy friends and sports tournaments?

[This volume contains an interview with series creators, Kazune Kawahara and Aruko.]

The My Love Story!! manga is a sweet high school shojo love story.  Reading it tickles my imagination; it's dessert for my brain.  That's all I can say about it for now.  I have to admit that I cannot help but love a volume of manga that includes four recipes for Japanese treats, sweet and savory.  Manga plus foodie culture – that's nice.

B

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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

Review: TONOHARU: Part One

TONOHARU: PART ONE
PLIANT PRESS/TOP SHELF PRODUCTIONS – @topshelfcomix

CARTOONIST: Lars Martinson – @larsmartinson
ISBN:  978-0-9801023-6-9; paperback (October 7, 2014)
128pp, 2-color, $14.95 U.S.

On and off since 2003, cartoonist Lars Martinson has been living and working in Japan.  Those experiences inspired his comic book project, Tonoharu.

Tonoharu: Part One is an original graphic novel written and drawn by Martinson and originally published in 2008 by Pliant Press (and distributed by Top Shelf Productions) as a hardcover book.  Although Tonoharu is a planned four-volume series, only Tonoharu: Part Two (2010) has been released since the first volume.  A softcover edition of Tonoharu: Part One was just recently published.

Tonoharu is the story of Daniel “Dan” Wells, a young American working in rural Japan.  The story focuses on Well's daily life and routine, which is largely dull and unimaginative, because Wells has not embraced his new home, nor has he even mastered the Japanese language.

A recent college graduate, Dan moves to rural Japan to work as an assistant English teacher.  There are other “foreigners” in the village of Tōnoharu, where Dan lives and works at the local school, but he has a difficult time connecting with them.  He eventually meets Constance, a young American woman he likes very much, but she teaches in another town and seems to already have a boyfriend.

The visual structure that Martinson creates merges style, rhythm, form, and design.  It is both visually appealing and revealing of plot, setting, and mood.  This allows Martinson to portray the story of Dan as one of a young man boxed in or perhaps boxing himself in after he moves to an alien environment.

Tonoharu is a tale of a stranger in a strange land, and Martinson lets the reader into that new world.  That is how we understand Dan’s dilemma.  He is lost and alone, imprisoned and isolated, mostly of his own doing.  Martinson presents a very open narrative which allows the reader to share Dan’s experience, which, in turn, allows me to interpret Dan's story in my own way.

Allowing the readers to grapple with Dan Wells on their own terms is what makes Tonoharu: Part One both interesting and appealing.  I hope this series continues.  This paperback release of Tonoharu: Part One includes an “Afterword,” written by Martinson in Spring 2014, in which he says that he is still a “couple of years” from finishing Tonoharu.

A-

larsmartinson.com
topshelfcomix.com

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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

Review: HONEY BLOOD Volume 1

HONEY BLOOD, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

CARTOONIST: Miko Mitsuki
TRANSLATION: pinkie-chan
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane
LETTERS: Joanna Estep
ISBN: 978-1-4215-7337-3; paperback (October 2014); Rated “T” for “Teen”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

There is a new vampire shojo manga from VIZ Media.  Entitled Honey Blood, it is created by Miko Mitsuki.  The series follows a high school girl and the mysterious writer of vampire romance novels who might also have a taste for blood.

Honey Blood, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 5) opens as a female high school student becomes the latest victim in a string of attacks.  In fact, all the victims are young women, and all have suffered massive blood loss, although none of the attacks, as of yet, have been fatal.  The victim is from the same school as  Hinata Sorazono, and everyone is on edge.

Everyone seems to think that the attacker is a vampire, but Hinata refuses to believe that vampires exist.  She even refuses to read the popular vampire romance novel, Until the Ends of the Earth, that is so popular with her best friend and with fellow students.  However, she discovers that her new neighbor is the novel's author, Junya Tokinaga.  She reluctantly becomes interested in this author with an old-world air about him, but as the attacks on young women continue, Hinata begins to wonder if Junya is somehow involved.

The Honey Blood manga is no Vampire Knight.  Honey Blood has some novel ideas about vampires, but it is as much about innuendo and heavy panting and sighing as it is about vampires – if not more.  Vampire Knight is edgy, dark, brutal, and tragic.  Honey Blood is about a high school girl getting mixed up with an older man, who is conflicted about being chivalrous.

This is not supernatural puppy love, but Honey Blood is closer to Twilight than to any other vampire manga recently released in North America (such as the dark, morbid, and weird Black Rose Alice).  Right now, I am not really impressed with it, but I suspect that once adversarial characters are introduced (such as a rival vampire and a rival love interest), Honey Blood will be like hotter blood.

B

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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