Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Comics, Magazines and Books from Diamond Distributors for August 19, 2015

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

JUN150933     8 BIT ZOMBIE FULL BYTE TP     $12.99
JUN151154     ADVENTURE TIME FIONNA & CAKE CARD WARS #2     $3.99
JUN151155     ADVENTURE TIME FIONNA & CAKE CARD WARS #2 SUBSCRIPTION     $3.99
MAY151115     ADVENTURE TIME FIONNA & CAKE ENCHIRIDION ED HC     $59.99
MAR151086     ADVENTURE TIME MATHEMATICAL ED HC VOL 03 ECCC EXC     $49.99
JUN151220     ALICE COOPER HC VOL 01 WELCOME TO MY NIGHTMARE     $24.99
MAY151515     ALICE IN COUNTRY HEARTS WHITE RABBIT AFTERNOON TEA GN VOL 01     $13.99
JUN151667     ANI IMO GN VOL 04 (MR)     $13.00
MAY151444     ANNIHILATOR HC VOL 01     $24.99
JUN150946     ARCHIE #2 FIONA STAPLES REG CVR     $3.99
JUN151516     AROUND THE WORLD 80 DAYS STONE ARCH GN     $6.95
JUN151668     BARAKAMON GN VOL 06     $15.00
MAY151525     BIZARRE ADV OF GILBERT & SULLIVAN GN     $9.99
JUN151552     BLACKLIST #2 REG LOBEL     $3.99
JUN151553     BLACKLIST #2 SUBSCRIPTION PHOTO     $3.99
MAY151516     BODACIOUS SPACE PIRATES ABYSS OF HYPERSPACE GN VOL 01     $12.99
JUN158249     BOOK OF DEATH #1 2ND PTG     $3.99
JUN151591     BOOK OF DEATH #2 CVR A NORD     $3.99
JUN151592     BOOK OF DEATH #2 CVR B CRAIN     $3.99
JUN151593     BOOK OF DEATH #2 CVR C KANO     $3.99
MAY151116     BRAVEST WARRIORS TP VOL 05     $14.99
JUN151669     BTOOOM GN VOL 11 (MR)     $14.00
JUN151134     BURNING FIELDS #7     $3.99
JUN151404     CAGE OF EDEN GN VOL 18     $10.99
JUN151517     CHRISTMAS CAROL STONE ARCH GN     $6.95
APR151729     DEFINITIVE BETTY BOOP TP VOL 01     $39.95
JUN151670     DEVIL IS PART TIMER HIGH SCHOOL GN VOL 01     $13.00
JUL151307     DF AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1 RAMOS DELGADO SGN     $89.99
JUL151308     DF AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1 RAMOS DELGADO SILVER SGN     $149.99
MAR141149     DF LEGENDERRY A STEAMPUNK ADV #2 FAT JACKS B&W CVR     $29.99
MAR141148     DF LEGENDERRY A STEAMPUNK ADV #2 FAT JACKS LTD CVR     $10.00
JUL151304     DF SECRET WARS #1 SUPER HERO STUFF KOI PHAM RARE     $29.99
JUL151318     DF STAR WARS #1 AOD COLLECTABLES B&W EXC KEOWN     $49.99
JUL151316     DF STAR WARS #1 DF EXC CASSADAY B&W ED GOLD SGN     $99.99
MAY151061     DISCIPLES #3 (MR)     $3.99
FEB158331     DISNEY BIG HERO 6 CINESTORY     $14.99
APR151496     DISNEY ROSA DUCK LIBRARY HC VOL 03 TREASURE UNDER GLASS     $29.99
JUN151526     DOCTOR WHO 2015 FOUR DOCTORS #2 REG EDWARDS     $3.99
JUN151527     DOCTOR WHO 2015 FOUR DOCTORS #2 SUBSCRIPTION PHOTO     $3.99
JUN151666     DOROHEDORO GN VOL 16 (MR)     $12.99
JUN151671     EMMA HC GN VOL 02     $35.00
JUN151131     ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK #9 MAIN CVRS     $3.99
JUN151226     EX-CON TP VOL 01 FADING LIGHTS (MR)     $19.99
JUN150989     FATHOM BLUE #3 DIRECT MARKET CVR A     $3.99
JUN150990     FATHOM BLUE #3 DIRECT MARKET CVR B     $3.99
JUN150897     FEDOR ONE SHOT (MR)     $8.00
JUN151121     FICTION #3     $3.99
JUN151687     GFT VAN HELSING VS DRACULA #1 A CVR ORTIZ (MR)     $3.99
JUN151688     GFT VAN HELSING VS DRACULA #1 B CVR WIMBERLY (MR)     $3.99
JUN151689     GFT VAN HELSING VS DRACULA #1 C CVR TUCCI (MR)     $3.99
JUN151690     GFT VAN HELSING VS DRACULA #1 D CVR PANTALENA (MR)     $3.99
JUN151145     GIANT DAYS #6     $3.99
JUN151017     GOD IS DEAD #41 (MR)     $3.99
JUN151019     GOD IS DEAD #41 CARNAGE WRAP CVR (MR)     $3.99
JUN151021     GOD IS DEAD #41 ENCHANTING CVR (MR)     $3.99
JUN151020     GOD IS DEAD #41 END OF DAYS CVR (MR)     $3.99
JUN151018     GOD IS DEAD #41 ICONIC CVR (MR)     $3.99
APR151222     GUNNERKRIGG COURT HC VOL 05 REFINE     $26.99
JUN151456     HELLBREAK #6 (MR)     $3.99
MAY151132     HEXED #12     $3.99
JUN151673     HIGH SCHOOL DXD GN VOL 06 (MR)     $13.00
JUN151310     HIP HOP FAMILY TREE #1     $3.99
MAY151109     HIT PEN & INK #2     $14.99
MAY158095     INVADER ZIM #1 2ND PTG     $3.99
JUN151442     INVADER ZIM #2     $3.99
JUN151674     IS IT WRONG TRY PICK UP GIRLS IN DUNGEON GN VOL 02     $13.00
JUN151308     JASON IF YOU STEAL HC     $29.99
MAY151523     LUCIFER AND THE BISCUIT HAMMER TP VOL 04 (MR)     $18.99
MAY151387     MAGIC WIND GN VOL 07 WINDIGO     $12.99
JUN150961     MEGA MAN #52 T REX REG CVR     $3.99
APR151413     MERCY SPARX #9 CVR B WYZGALA (MR)     $3.99
JUN151500     MIGHTY TITAN TP     $14.99
JUN151368     MISTRY PI #2     $2.99
MAY151360     MOX NOX HC     $14.99
APR151389     NEW VAMPIRELLA #13 CVR A MAYHEW MAIN     $4.99
JUN151410     NORAGAMI STRAY GOD GN VOL 06     $10.99
JUN151127     OH KILLSTRIKE #4     $3.99
JUN151199     OXYMORON LOVELIEST NIGHTMARE #1 (MR)     $3.99
JUN151518     PETER PAN STONE ARCH GN     $6.95
MAY151450     POET ANDERSON DREAM WALKER #3 (MR)     $3.99
JUN151139     POWER UP #2     $3.99
JUN150866     PRINCELESS RAVEN PIRATE PRINCESS #2 MAIN CVR     $3.99
APR151628     PRINCESS UGG TP VOL 02     $15.99
JUN151677     PUELLA MAGI HOMURA TAMURA GN VOL 01     $17.00
JUN151606     RAI #9 CVR A CRAIN (NEW ARC)     $3.99
JUN151607     RAI #9 CVR B SOOK (NEW ARC)     $3.99
JUN151608     RAI #9 CVR C ROSSMO (NEW ARC)     $3.99
JUN151609     RAI #9 CVR D LEE (NEW ARC)     $3.99
JUN151262     RED SONJA CONAN #1 RARE ROSS VIRGIN ED     $50.00
JUN151444     RICK & MORTY #5     $3.99
JUN151558     RIVERS OF LONDON #2 (MR)     $3.99
JUN151519     ROBINSON CRUSOE STONE ARCH GN     $6.95
JUN151718     ROBYN HOOD ONGOING TP VOL 02 MONSTERS IN THE DARK     $15.99
JUN150923     ROD ESPINOSAS STEAMPUNK SNOW QUEEN #3     $3.99
JUN151678     RUST BLASTER GN     $13.00
MAY151267     SHADOW MIDNIGHT IN MOSCOW TP     $19.99
JUN151067     SIMPSONS COMICS #223     $2.99
APR151747     STREET FIGHTER LEGENDS CHUN LI HC     $34.95
JUN151266     SWORDS OF SORROW THORIS ADLER #3 VIRGIN     PI
JUN151219     SWORDS OF SORROW VAMPIRELLA JENNIFER BLOOD #4     $3.99
MAY151191     TAROT WITCH OF THE BLACK ROSE #93 DLX ED (MR)     $19.99
APR151225     THE LAST BROADCAST HC     $29.99
JUN151640     TOKYO GHOUL GN VOL 02     $12.99
JUN151423     TOWER CHRONICLES DREADSTALKER TP VOL 02     $14.99
MAY151064     TRANSFERENCE #2 (MR)     $3.99
JUN151679     TRINITY SEVEN GN VOL 02 (MR)     $13.00
JUN151638     ULTRAMAN GN VOL 01     $12.99
MAY151272     VAMPIRELLA FEARY TALES TP     $19.99
JUN151070     WELCOME BACK #1 MAIN CVRS     $3.99
JUN151636     WITCHCRAFT WORKS GN VOL 06     $12.95
JUN150898     YANKEE #1 (MR)     $7.95
MAR151023     YOUNG TERRORISTS #1 (MR)     $6.99
MAY151388     ZAGOR TERROR FROM THE SEA GN     $15.99

MAGAZINES
JUN151775     COMIC SHOP NEWS #1470     PI
MAY151822     DC BATMAN AUTO FIG MAG #65 ADV OF BATMAN ANIMATED SERIES     $21.00
MAY151824     DC SUPERHERO CHESS FIG COLL MAG #88 WONDER WOMAN DIVINE ARMO     $16.00
MAY151825     DC SUPERHERO CHESS FIG COLL MAG #89 LARFLEEZE BLACK ROOK     $16.00
MAY151826     DC SUPERHERO CHESS FIG COLL MAG #90 SWAMP THING WHITE PAWN     $16.00
JUL151919     DOCTOR WHO ESSENTIAL GUIDE #5 MONSTERS     $19.99
JUN151791     LOCUS #655     $7.50
MAY151830     MARVEL CHESS FIG COLL MAG #39 MAGNETO BLACK KING     $17.00
APR152022     MARVEL FACT FILES SPECIAL #7 ULTRON     $32.95
MAR151803     MEGAMI JUN 2015     $18.00
JUN151557     MONSTER HIGH MAGAZINE #15     $4.99
MAR151804     NEWTYPE JUN 2015     $18.00
FEB151870     SKETCH MAGAZINE #46     $6.95
JUN151779     ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN MAGAZINE #5     $4.99

BOOKS
JUN151680     A CERTAIN MAGICAL INDEX LIGHT NOVEL SC VOL 04     $14.00
JUL151813     AGES OF IRON MAN SC     $40.00
JUN151728     BATMAN YOU CHOOSE YR STORIES SUPER VILLAIN SMACKDOWN     $6.95
JUN151729     BATMAN YOU CHOOSE YR STORIES TERRIBLE TRIO     $6.95
JUN151681     BLACK BULLET LIGHT NOVEL SC VOL 01     $14.00
JUL151815     CLASS PLEASE OPEN YOUR COMICS ESSAYS ON TEACHING SC     $40.00
JUN151730     DC SUPER HEROES BATMAN YR TP ATTACK OF MAN-BAT     $5.95
JUN151732     DC SUPER HEROES SUPERMAN YR TP DARK SIDE OF APOKOLIPS     $5.95
JUN151659     GOTH SC NOVEL     $14.99
JUN151672     GOU DERE SORA NAGIHARA GN VOL 04 (MR)     $15.00
JUN151683     IS IT WRONG TRY PICK UP GIRLS IN DUNGEON NOVEL VOL 03     $14.00
JUN151685     SWORD ART ONLINE NOVEL VOL 05     $13.00
MAY152737     WARHAMMER 40K PRIMARCHS SC     $9.99
MAY152738     WARHAMMER 40K SABBAT CRUSADE HC     $28.00

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Review: LOVE AND ROCKETS: New Stories #7

LOVE AND ROCKETS: NEW STORIES #7
FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS – @fantagraphics

[This review first appeared on Patreon.]

WRITERS: Gilbert Hernandez, Jaime Hernandez – @BetomessGilbert @xaimeh
ARTISTS: Gilbert Hernandez, Jaime Hernandez
EDITOR: Eric Reynolds – @earinc
COVER: Jaime Hernandez
ISBN: 978-1-60699-679-9; paperback (January 2015)
100pp, B&W, $14.99 U.S.

We last saw a new volume of the annual Love and Rockets: New Stories (#6) in the fall of 2013.  Since then, creators and brothers, Gilbert Hernandez and Jaime Hernandez (a.k.a. Los Bros.), each finally won his first Eisner Award (Will Eisner Comics Industry Awards).

Love and Rockets: New Stories #7 was published in March, I think (although the publishing date inside the book is listed as January 2015).  The latest volume contains 14 stories, 6 six by Gilbert and 8 by Jaime.  Among Gilbert's (Beto) offerings is a story that runs slightly longer than a single-issue comic book.  Entitled “The Magic Voyage of Aladdin,” it pits Morgan Le Fey (as played by Fritz) and Aladdin against two evil bitches, Circe and Jasmin, who are trying to obtain Aladdin's magic lamp.  “Daughters and Mothers and Daughters” is a flashback story about Maria, the mother of Luba (one of Beto's central L&R characters).  “Killer in Palomar” finds Dora “Killer” Rivera in Palomar, and Fritz and Fritz-wannabes compete in a few shorter stories.

Jaime (Xaime) puts the focus squarely on his signature characters, Maggie and Hopey.  The life-long friends and former lovers take a road trip to Huerta for a “punk rock reunion.”  However, their proximity to each other reveals that their humdrum domestic lives have not quite tamed the passion nor has it severed the romantic connection between them.  Plus, the comic book-length “Princess Animus!” plays out the classic bad movie that Maggie and Hopey watch at the old “Vogue Theater” while in Huerta.  In  “if it ain't fixed, don't break it!”a tawdry true-crime television show brings up the nutty and perhaps murderous secrets of Tonta Agajanian's nutty family.

I am not one of those Love and Rockets admirers who have bought into the idea of high and low periods in the quality of Los Bros.' output.  For me, all their comics have been at least great comics or hugely intriguing, with the best of it being high-comics art.  Since I first discovered their work 30 years ago, I have been fascinated by everything that the brothers have done in L&R.

Still, even L&R fanboy that I have am, I must admit that Love and Rockets: New Stories has seen Los Bros. soar to new heights of comics art excellence, beginning with New Stories #3, in particular.  In New Stories #7, both brothers revisit old haunts and familiar characters.

“Daughters and Mothers and Daughters,” Gilbert uses Maria to reveal how the ugly secrets of the past continue to affect a family long past the origin of the secrets.  The fanciful derring-do of “The Magic Voyage of Aladdin” recalls Beto's wild and wholly early comics, with their mixture of B-movie plots, weird fiction, and lowbrow comic book sci-fi.  While Jaime has found fresh potting soil for his stories in Tonta, he has kept his eyes on the magnetic attraction between Maggie and Hopey.  Time is neutral, and the notion of “what is past” is an illusion, especially when it comes to these two classic comix characters.  Recalling the best of the brothers' BEM stories (big-eyed monsters), “Princess Animus!” is a joy to read at 18 pages, and I could have read another 18 pages of it.

So with the final panel of Fritz, we have to wait another year for “the most important and enduring alternative comics series in the history of the medium.”  Hopefully, some graphic novel collections (God and Science and The Love Bunglers) will hold me until then.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.



Friday, August 14, 2015

Review: BLACK CANARY #1

BLACK CANARY (2015) #1
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Brenden Fletcher
ART: Annie Wu
COLORS: Lee Loughridge
LETTERS: Steve Wands
COVER: Annie Wu
VARIANT COVERS: Tula Lotay
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (August 2015)

Rated “T” for “Teen”

“The Most Dangerous Band in America”

DC Comics' superhero, Black Canary, first appeared in what is known as the “Golden Age” of comic books.  She was created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Carmine Infantino and debuted in Flash Comics #86 (cover date:  August 1947).  Black Canary was one of DC Comics' earliest female superheroes.

Her alter-ego was Dinah Drake, and she was a member of and appeared in both the Justice Society of America and Justice League of America comic books.  Eventually, Dinah Drake gave way to a younger version of the character, Dinah Laurel Lance (who was at one time depicted as the daughter of Dinah Drake).  Dinah Lance's super-power is the “Canary Cry,” a high-pitched sonic scream that can shatter objects and incapacitate enemies, and she is also a world-class martial artist.

As part of DC Comics' new publishing initiative, “DC You,” Lance is the star of a new comic book entitled Black Canary.  It is written by Brenden Fletcher, drawn by Annie Wu, colored by Lee Loughridge, and lettered by Steve Wands.

When Black Canary #1 (“The Most Dangerous Band in America”) opens, Dinah is the lead singer of a four-piece band called “Black Canary.”  On keys is Paloma TerrificLord Byron pounds the drum kit.  The “silent wunderkind,” Ditto, is the guitarist.  Talk about kick out the jams, mutha...., Black Canary is literally tearing up the venues in which her band plays.  She is a trouble magnet, but what she discovers about her band will change all their lives.

The snarky part of me thinks that this Black Canary comic book won't last more than 12 issues; actually, I don't think that it will go past eight issues.  This is not a bad comic book, but, at this point, its uniqueness may not save it.  Black Canary is a like a shallow Vertigo Comics spin on Eisner Award winner Jaime Hernandez's classic “Lucas” comics in the long-running alt-comix title, Love and Rockets.  Hernandez was able to convey the heady noise-making of punk rock in both the static images and graphical language of comic books.  Black Canary doesn't bring the noise.

Black Canary has potential, but sometimes, quirky and interesting isn't enough.  Black Canary needs a great second issue to suggest a long run.  Hell, a third and fourth great issue wouldn't hurt.

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact the author for reprint and syndication rights and fees.


Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Review:: E IS FOR EXTINCTION #1

E IS FOR EXTINCTION #1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review originally appeared on Patreon.]

WRITER: Chris Burnham
ARTIST: Ramon Villalobos
COLORS: Ian Herring
LETTERS: VC's Clayton Cowles
COVER: Ian Bertram with Dave Stewart
VARIANT COVER: James Harren
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (August 2015)

“Relax and Be Replaced

Rated T+

When the Chris Claremont-John Byrne run on The Uncanny X-Men came to an end with the epilogue that was issue #143 (cover date:  March 1981), it was if the series were waiting for the next great thing to happen to it... at least, I can see that in hindsight.  But nothing great, at least in any sustained way, happened... until two decades later.

Grant Morrison began his tenure as an X-Men writer on New X-Men #114 (cover date:  July 2001) with the three-part story, “E is for Extinction.”  It took 20 years, but I think that this was the next great step for the X-Men after landmark run produced by Byrne-Claremont.  With his partner, artist Frank Quitely, changing the graphical storytelling language of the X-Men, Morrison tore down the X-Men and allowed them to make the next big evolutionary leap for which the series had been straining to make in the aftermath of “The Dark Phoenix Saga.”

Alas, it was not to be, even Morrison could not recreate that spark-as-big-bang that was “E is for Extinction.”  It did not help that Quitely was (and still is) not the kind of artist that can produce art for a monthly publishing schedule past three issues.  And truthfully, Quitely was Morrison's equal in taking the X-Men to new places.  After New X-Men #114-116, the series was quirky and different, but hardly revolutionary or evolutionary, for that matter.  The New X-Men never fully reached the promise offered by “E is for Extinction.”

2015:  Marvel Comics is revamping or relaunching its publishing line.  But first, they are going to make lots of money with the multiverse destroying event miniseries, Secret Wars, and a veritable fleet of tie-in and spin-off comic book series.  Each series is set in a part of “Battleworld,” which is all that is left of the multiverse.  I am ignoring those comics for the most part but...

I could not ignore the cover for a comic book entitled E is for Extinction.  This “Secret Wars Battleworld” comic book takes Morrison and Quitely's classic story and takes it to new places, much as the original once did for the X-Men comic book.   E is for Extinction is drawn by Ramon Villalobos, who is copying Quitely's style in the best way.  Ian Herring provides colors, and Clayton Cowles is the letterer.  Best of all, the writer of E is for Extinction is Chris Burnham.  He is the artist and co-creator with Grant Morrison of the comic book, Nameless (published by Image Comics).  Like Quitely, Burnham is brilliant at taking the craziness of Morrison's writing and translating it into comic book art that does more than just tell a story.  Burnham creates new worlds of new times and new essences.

It is Burnham who takes the possibilities of  “E is for Extinction” the story arc and delivers on that potential with E is for Extinction the comic book.  E is for Extinction #1 (“Relax and Be Replaced”) opens with the event that give Magneto victory over Charles Xavier – Professor X.  “X years later,” Magneto guides the New X-Men from “The Xavier Memorial Educational Nexus” a.k.a. “The Atom Institute.”  He has a new attitude about the future of homo superior and normal humans, and he's got something growing in the basement to serve his cause.

When he isn't at home in District X, the Beast is at “Mutopia Medical Center,” where he can tell normal human men how many of their sperm carry the “X-gene.”  Meanwhile, at the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, Cyclops and Emma Frost are living as X-Men-past, as their powers dim.  They have a plan to get their mojo back, but it means they need to get the band back together...

Ramon Villalobos brings Chris Burnham's story to life as the kind of comic book storytelling that refuses to be ordinary.  Villalobos makes Quitely's style practical and also visually striking and bracing.  I am flabbergasted.  I wanted to read this E is for Extinction comic book, but I did not expect to get this fantastic comic book that keeps me flipping through it pages.

I have more praise for it, but I better save it for issue #2.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact the author for syndication rights and fees.