Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for April 17 2013

DARK HORSE COMICS

DEC120054 ALIENS HC INHUMAN CONDITION $10.99

DEC120068 ANGEL & FAITH TP VOL 03 FAMILY REUNION $17.99

JAN130097 BLACK BEETLE #3 NO WAY OUT $3.99

FEB130013 BPRD HELL ON EARTH #106 COLD DAY IN HELL #2 $3.50

FEB130051 CONAN THE BARBARIAN #15 $3.50

DEC120055 DRAGON AGE WORLD OF THEDAS HC VOL 01 $39.99

DEC120108 GARY BASEMAN JOURNAL $9.99

FEB130008 HOUSE OF GOLD & BONES #1 ALEXANDER CVR $3.99

FEB138161 STAR WARS #1 (4TH PTG) $2.99

NOV120014 STAR WARS DARTH VADER & GHOST PRISON HC $24.99

FEB130041 STAR WARS DARTH VADER & NINTH ASSASSIN #1 $3.50

DEC120051 STAR WARS KNIGHT ERRANT TP VOL 03 ESCAPE $18.99

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for April 17 2013

IMAGE COMICS

JAN130576 CHEW #33 (MR) [DIG] $2.99

NOV120552 CYBER FORCE #4 [DIG] PI

JUL120493 DANGER CLUB #5 [DIG] $2.99

FEB130414 DARKNESS REBIRTH TP VOL 02 (RES) (MR) $17.99

FEB138330 FIVE GHOSTS HAUNTING OF FABIAN GRAY #1 2ND PTG $3.50

FEB130443 FIVE GHOSTS HAUNTING OF FABIAN GRAY #2 [DIG] $2.99

FEB130415 HACK SLASH TP VOL 12 [DIG] $18.99

FEB130420 HAPPY TP (MR) [DIG] $12.99

FEB130421 HARVEST HC (MR) [DIG] $19.99

FEB130447 HOAX HUNTERS #9 [DIG] $2.99

FEB130450 IT GIRL & THE ATOMICS #9 [DIG] $2.99

JUN120559 LIL DEPRESSED BOY #16 [DIG] $3.99

JAN130500 MANHATTAN PROJECTS TP VOL 02 $14.99

JAN130599 MARA #4 (MR) [DIG] $2.99

FEB130395 MINIATURE JESUS #1 (MR) [DIG] $3.99

FEB138250 PETER PANZERFAUST #10 2ND PTG $3.50

FEB130460 REVIVAL #9 [DIG] $2.99

DEC120589 THIEF OF THIEVES #13 (MR) [DIG] $2.99

FEB130471 TODD THE UGLIEST KID ON EARTH #4 [DIG] $2.99

FEB130410 WITCHBLADE DAY O/T OUTLAW ONE SHOT [DIG] $3.99

Comics, Magazines and Books from Diamond Distributors for April 17 2013

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY
JAN130056 FCBD 2013 COMM ARTIST JIM CHEUNG BLK T/S LG $14.99

JAN130055 FCBD 2013 COMM ARTIST JIM CHEUNG BLK T/S MED $14.99

JAN130054 FCBD 2013 COMM ARTIST JIM CHEUNG BLK T/S SM $14.99

JAN130057 FCBD 2013 COMM ARTIST JIM CHEUNG BLK T/S XL $14.99

JAN130058 FCBD 2013 COMM ARTIST JIM CHEUNG BLK T/S XXL $17.99

JAN130066 FCBD 2013 COMM ARTIST JIM CHEUNG SILVER T/S LG $14.99

JAN130065 FCBD 2013 COMM ARTIST JIM CHEUNG SILVER T/S MED $14.99

JAN130064 FCBD 2013 COMM ARTIST JIM CHEUNG SILVER T/S SM $14.99

JAN130067 FCBD 2013 COMM ARTIST JIM CHEUNG SILVER T/S XL $14.99

JAN130061 FCBD 2013 COMM ARTIST JIM CHEUNG WHITE T/S LG $14.99

JAN130060 FCBD 2013 COMM ARTIST JIM CHEUNG WHITE T/S MED $14.99

JAN130059 FCBD 2013 COMM ARTIST JIM CHEUNG WHITE T/S SM $14.99

JAN130062 FCBD 2013 COMM ARTIST JIM CHEUNG WHITE T/S XL $14.99

JAN130063 FCBD 2013 COMM ARTIST JIM CHEUNG WHITE T/S XXL $17.99

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

FEB130842 ADVENTURE TIME #1 NEW PTG CONNECTING CVRS $3.99

FEB130836 ADVENTURE TIME #15 MAIN CVRS [DIG] $3.99

FEB130843 ADVENTURE TIME #2 NEW PTG CONNECTING CVRS $3.99

FEB130844 ADVENTURE TIME #3 NEW PTG CONNECTING CVRS $3.99

FEB130845 ADVENTURE TIME #4 NEW PTG CONNECTING CVRS $3.99

FEB130846 ADVENTURE TIME #5 NEW PTG CONNECTING CVRS $3.99

FEB130847 ADVENTURE TIME #6 NEW PTG CONNECTING CVRS $3.99

JAN131256 ATOMIC ROBO REAL SCIENCE ADV #7 $2.75

FEB131118 ATOMIC ROBO REAL SCIENCE ADV #8 $2.75

FEB130724 B & V FRIENDS DOUBLE DIGEST #233 [DIG/P+] $3.99

FEB130819 BART SIMPSON BIG SHOT TP $15.99

FEB131145 BATTLE OF BLOOD & INK FABLE OF FLYING CITY TP $14.99

FEB130725 BETTY & VERONICA #265 REG CVR [DIG/P+] $2.99

FEB130934 BIONIC MAN VS BIONIC WOMAN #4 $3.99

JAN131008 BLAKE & MORTIMER GN VOL 10 SARCOPHAGI OF 6TH CONTINENT PT 2 $15.95

FEB131160 BLOODSHOT (VU) #10 HARBINGER WARS (3 OF 3) PULLBOX HENRY $3.99

FEB131159 BLOODSHOT (VU) #10 HARBINGER WARS REG SUAYAN $3.99

FEB131119 BODIE TROLL #1 $2.99

JAN131336 BOKURANO OURS GN VOL 08 $12.99

FEB130773 CROSSED BADLANDS #27 (MR) $3.99

FEB130775 CROSSED BADLANDS #27 TORTURE CVR (MR) $3.99

FEB130774 CROSSED BADLANDS #27 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99

FEB130950 DARK SHADOWS YEAR ONE #1 $3.99

FEB130959 DEJAH THORIS & GREEN MEN OF MARS #3 (MR) $3.99

FEB130960 DEJAH THORIS & GREEN MEN OF MARS #3 ANACLETO SUBSCRIP $3.99

SEP121066 DF ALL NEW X-MEN #1 CGC 9.8 $79.99

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DEC121070 DF AVENGERS #1 MIDTOWN ED $29.99

FEB130991 DF MARVEL NOW MIDTOWN EXC 3 BOOK SET $85.00

FEB130998 DF MISS FURY #1 VIRGIN EXC CVR $19.99

FEB130993 DF MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC #5 EXC CVR $10.00

JAN131119 DF MY LITTLE PONY MICRO SERIES #2 EXC CVR PI

MAY121120 DF SPIDER-MEN #1 ROMITA SR SGN $69.99

JAN131127 DF STAR WARS #1 CGC GRADED 9.8 $99.99

JAN131135 DF SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #1 ROMITA SR SGN ED $69.99

DEC121071 DF UNCANNY AVENGERS #1 MIDTOWN ED $29.99

JAN131337 DOROHEDORO GN VOL 09 (MR) $12.99

DEC121001 EVIL ERNIE #5 $3.99

FEB130850 FANBOYS VS ZOMBIES #13 [DIG] $3.99

FEB131216 GFT GRIMM FAIRY TALES #84 A CVR REYES (MR) $2.99

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NOV120889 IDOLIZED #5 CVR A QUALANO [DIG] $3.99

NOV120890 IDOLIZED #5 CVR B PHOTO $3.99

OCT120999 JENNIFER BLOOD FIRST BLOOD #4 (MR) $3.99

FEB130747 JIRNI #1 ASPEN RESERVED CVR $1.00

FEB130746 JIRNI #1 DIRECT MARKET CVR $1.00

JAN131265 KANOKON GN COLL ED VOL 01 $18.99

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NOV121050 LOOKOUTS RIDDLE VOL 01 #5 $3.99

JAN131010 LUCKY LUKE TP VOL 25 STAGECOACH $11.95

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JAN131218 MONSTER HC BOX SET VOL 1-4 $39.99

JAN130807 MUZZ GN $14.95

FEB131755 MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO GN VOL 01 (SEP043007) $9.99

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JAN130918 NIGHT O/T LIVING DEAD AFTERMATH #6 (MR) $3.99

JAN130920 NIGHT O/T LIVING DEAD AFTERMATH #6 GORE CVR (MR) $3.99

JAN130919 NIGHT O/T LIVING DEAD AFTERMATH #6 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99

JAN130808 PARIS COLLECTION TP $10.95

DEC121042 PATHFINDER #6 $3.99

JAN131018 PLUME #3 $3.99

SEP121040 RED SONJA #74 $3.99

DEC121056 ROBERT JORDAN WHEEL OF TIME EYE O/T WORLD #34 $3.99

JAN131025 SHADOW YEAR ONE #2 CVR A WAGNER $3.99

JAN131026 SHADOW YEAR ONE #2 CVR B ROSS $3.99

JAN131027 SHADOW YEAR ONE #2 CVR C SAMNEE $3.99

JAN131028 SHADOW YEAR ONE #2 CVR D CHAYKIN $3.99

FEB130822 SIMPSONS COMICS #201 $2.99

FEB131090 SIXTH GUN #30 $3.99

FEB131088 SIXTH GUN SONS O/T GUN #3 $3.99

JAN130810 SLOW NEWS DAY TP $12.95

JAN131219 SMURFS GN BOX SET VOL 10-12 $17.99

FEB130739 SONIC UNIVERSE #51 REG CVR [P+] $2.99

FEB130797 STITCHED #13 (MR) $3.99

FEB130799 STITCHED #13 GORE CVR (MR) $3.99

FEB130798 STITCHED #13 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99

DEC120778 THE LODGER GN (MR) $19.95

DEC120783 UBU BUBU TP VOL 01 FILTH (MR) $12.95

JAN130820 VICTORIAN SECRET AGENTS #1 IRONWORK ISLE [DIG] $3.95

FEB130732 WORLD OF ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #28 [DIG/P+] $3.99

JAN131013 XIII CINEBOOK ED GN VOL 14 RELEASE HOUNDS $11.95

FEB138333 X-O MANOWAR (VU) #10 2ND PTG $3.99

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MAGAZINES
NOV121488 BRICKJOURNAL #23 $8.95

JAN131388 CLASSIC MARVEL FIG COLL MAG #197 SPIDER-MAN 2099 $14.00

JAN131390 CLASSIC MARVEL FIG COLL MAG SPECIAL SKURGE $32.00

FEB131244 COMIC SHOP NEWS #1348 PI

DEC121343 DC SUPERHERO CHESS FIG COLL MAG #28 BLACK BAT WHITE PAWN $16.00

DEC121344 DC SUPERHERO CHESS FIG COLL MAG #29 VENTRILOQUIST BLACK PAWN $16.00

FEB130586 DISNEY GIRLS PRESENTS #13 $4.99

FEB130584 DISNEY JUNIOR MAGAZINE #13 $4.99

JAN131421 FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND #256 TRANSFORMERS COVER $9.99

FEB131304 GEEK MAGAZINE #6 $6.99

FEB131305 LOCUS #627 $7.50

DEC121374 RUE MORGUE MAGAZINE #132 $9.95

BOOKS
FEB131232 DAVE NESTLER BAD GIRL CLUB SC (MR) $14.95

FEB131275 JOE GOLEM & DROWNING CITY ILL NOVEL SC $17.99

FEB131312 STAR WARS BOOK OF SITH SECRETS FROM DARK SIDE HC $19.95

JAN131987 WARHAMMER 40K BETRAYER TP $16.00

Review: SLEDGEHAMMER 44 #2

SLEDGEHAMMER 44 #2 (of 2)
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

CREATOR: Mike Mignola
STORY: Mike Mignola and John Arcudi
ART: Jason Latour
COLORS: Dave Stewart
LETTERS: Clem Robins
EDITOR: Scott Allie
COVER: Mike Mignola with Dave Stewart
28pp, Color, $3.50 U.S. (April 2013)

Part 2 of 2

Mike Mignola and John Arcudi’s two-issue micro-series, Sledgehammer 44, comes to an end.

Sledgehammer is a superhero character created by Mike Mignola, sort of his spin on Iron Man. The character appears in the two-issue Sledgehammer 44, written by Mignola and John Arcudi, drawn by Jason Latour, colored by Dave Stewart, and lettered by Clem Robins, with covers by Mignola.

Sledgehammer 44 opens in August 1944 in D’ebene Chiot, France, as an American military patrol attempts to destroy a German armory there. The Americans, however, are really just support troops, as the military launches “Project Epimetheus,” also known as Sledgehammer, the man in a suit of iron armor.

Sledgehammer 44 #2 opens with four Americans taking on small German advance patrol. The prize for the victorious side is Sledgehammer. Americans Dale Glesham and Patrick Redding lead the charge for the American side, with their American comrades, Bunkers and Muralla dragged along.

One of the American’s is grievously wounded, and Glesham has to make a decision about a possible last stand. Meanwhile, another American faces his fate after he is confronted by the truth about Sledgehammer.

Call it the Hellboy-verse or the Mignola-verse, but by any name, Dark Horse Comics’ line of Mike Mignola-produced comic books is simply wonderful. Sledgehammer 44 is a fine slice of that universe of most-excellent dark fantasy and monster comics.

The first issue of Sledgehammer 44 was basically Mignola and Arcudi’s entry into the genre of war comics, but with a sci-fi twist and some high-action. Sledgehammer 44 #2 is also in the venerable tradition of war comic books, but with something extra. Even with the fantastic elements, this comic book manages to be surprisingly human. If Mignola and Arcudi can write more stories like this, hopefully, they will give us more Sledgehammer.

What if Jason Latour cannot draw more Sledgehammer? Perhaps, Mignola and Dark Horse Comics can also find another artist whose composition and graphics can convey both the natural and the supernatural in war comics.

Fans of Mike Mignola will want to try Sledgehammer 44.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

Yaoi Review: PUNCH UP! Volume 4

PUNCH UP!, VOL. 4
SUBLIME – @SuBLimeManga

CARTOONIST: Shiuko Kano
TRANSLATION: Adrienne Beck
LETTERING: NRP Studios
COVER: Shiuko Kano with Shawn Carrico
ISBN: 978-1-4215-4355-0; paperback (April 2013); Rated “M” for “Mature”
194pp, B&W, $12.99 U.S., $14.99 CAN, £8.99 UK

The final Punch Up! lands in your face!

Punch Up!, the yaoi manga series from creator, Shiuko Kano (the creator of Play Boy Blues), comes to an end. The series focuses on Maki Motoharu, an unpredictable architect, and his boyfriend, Kouta Ohki, a 19-year-old, foul-mouthed, young ironworker who has fashion model looks. Yaoi manga is a subset of boys’ love manga (BL) and features explicit depictions of sex between male characters.

At the beginning of Punch Up! Volume 4 (Acts 10 to 12), a coworker finds Motoharu sleeping on a couch in his office. Why is Motoharu sleeping in his office rather than in his own bedroom?

Kouta is currently suffering amnesia because of a construction accident, and now, he has somehow regressed mentally to the person he was as a 15-year-old. Kouta moves in with Motoharu again, and, after some difficult going, the two grow closer. Motoharu avoids sleeping at home, lest he have sex with Kouta. Does Kouta even want to be intimate with Motoharu? The (former?) lovers will have to learn to understand each other again before they can have some hot sex, again.

If Brian Michael Bendis wrote yaoi manga, perhaps, he could write more dialogue – from introspective soliloquies to elongated conversations – than Shiuko Kano does in the three chapters that make up this final volume of the Punch Up! yaoi manga series. Bendis wouldn’t pass Kano by much, though.

However, this isn’t empty talk. After little more than 150 pages, it leads to a happy ending, but does so in the most interestingly round-about way. Honestly, I could read another volume of these laser-focused conversations between two characters. Don’t worry, there are sex scenes. Three short, bonus stories are not only explicit, but they are also pure, scatological humor. Some of it might make even veteran yaoi readers blush.

A-

www.SuBLimeManga.com

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

Toriko: Zebra!!

I read Toriko, Vol. 15

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin.

Joshua Dysart Now Exclusive to Valiant Entertainment

Writer JOSHUA DYSART Joins VALIANT as Exclusive Creator

Valiant is proud to announce that New York Times best-selling writer and Eisner Award nominee Joshua Dysart has signed on as the publisher’s next exclusive creator. Dysart is currently scripting and co-plotting the Harbinger Wars crossover and mini-series for Valiant, in addition to his writing duties on the ongoing Harbinger series.

"Comics is a business, but it's also a community and a family. From the moment I met the ragtag skeleton crew that work tirelessly to hoist the Valiant flag, I felt like I'd found my next comic book family," said Dysart. "When I first met Dinesh, the CEO of Valiant, he was carrying a box of comics along with his marketing crew, like he was just another boy in the band. That's what I like. I like it rugged and I like it scrappy.

"I believe Valiant can change things for the better in superhero comics. I believe small is good. I believe in every single member of this team, from management to marketing. And most of all, I believe in and trust my editor, Warren Simons. These guys took a huge chance on me. They saw 'Unknown Soldier' and they said, 'That dude should write superhero comics.' They gave me the freedom to create challenging characters and build new worlds.

"So that's it, I'm in this. This is my next thing. I want to write Harbinger for a long time and I'm super excited to be developing my next big top secret project for the Valiant Universe. So if family, creativity, innovation and loyalty aren't reasons to commit to a business venture like this, then I don't know what is."

From 2008 to 2010, Dysart authored a two-year run on Vertigo's Unknown Soldier with artist Alberto Ponticelli, garnering an Eisner Award nomination for Best New Series and widespread critical recognition in the process. Dysart has also contributed to some of the most acclaimed series and projects of the past decade, including B.P.R.D., Swamp Thing and Neil Young's Greendale.

"Joshua has a singular voice in the world of comics, and he brings an extraordinarily poignant and rarified point of view to the page," said Valiant Executive Editor Warren Simons. "His phenomenal work on Harbinger over the course of the past year and the tremendous reaction to last week's release of Harbinger Wars #1 speak for themselves. Everyone at Valiant is look forward to more great stories from Joshua and we couldn't be more excited about his plans for Harbinger coming out of Harbinger Wars."

Dysart's first Valiant work, Harbinger #1, was released in June 2012 as the second title of the Valiant relaunch. His work on the series has drawn near-universal accolades from fans and critics, cementing Harbinger as one of Valiant's best-selling titles.

Dysart has also played a key creative role in co-architecting the Harbinger Wars crossover event, going so far as to co-create two dozen new super-powered heroes with Harbinger artist Khari Evans. This team of characters, collectively known as Generation Zero, can next be seen in the pages of Harbinger Wars #2 (of 4), in stores May 1st. They also feature prominently in the upcoming Harbinger Wars: Battle for Las Vegas 8-bit mobile game, the first level of which will be released for free on iOS and Android devices on May 2nd.

Dysart joins Eisner Award-winning artist Cary Nord (X-O Manowar, Conan) as the next addition to Valiant's roster of exclusive talent.