Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for September 7 2011

DARK HORSE COMICS

APR118066 CONAN TP VOL 05 ROGUES IN THE HOUSE $17.99

JUN110020 KULT #2 (OF 4) $3.50

MAY110047 LITTLE LULU GIANT SIZE TP VOL 04 $24.99

APR110041 OH MY GODDESS RTL TP VOL 39 $10.99

MAY110029 SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN TP VOL 10 $19.99

APR110048 SNOOPY 8 INCH VINYL FIG BLUE $29.99

APR110054 SNOOPY 8 INCH VINYL FIG BROWN $29.99

APR110047 SNOOPY 8 INCH VINYL FIG CLASSIC WHITE $29.99

APR110049 SNOOPY 8 INCH VINYL FIG GREEN $29.99

APR110050 SNOOPY 8 INCH VINYL FIG ORANGE $29.99

APR110051 SNOOPY 8 INCH VINYL FIG PINK $29.99

APR110052 SNOOPY 8 INCH VINYL FIG VIOLET $29.99

APR110053 SNOOPY 8 INCH VINYL FIG YELLOW $29.99

JUN110023 STAR WARS DARK TIMES OUT O/T WILDERNESS #2 (OF 5) $2.99

JUN110033 USAGI YOJIMBO #140 $3.50

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for September 7 2011

IMAGE COMICS

JUL110509 50 GIRLS 50 #4 (OF 4) $2.99

DEC100523 ARTIFACTS #1 (OF 13) SDCC SGN CVR $19.99

JUL110449 BIG LIE #1 $3.99

JUN110538 DRUMS #4 (OF 4) $2.99

JUN110543 HACK SLASH #7 CVR A LEISTER & ROSENBERG (MR) $3.50

JUN110544 HACK SLASH #7 CVR B STONE (MR) $3.50

JUN118041 INFINITE #1 VAR CVR K 2ND PTG $2.99

MAY110521 MORNING GLORIES #12 (MR) $2.99

JUL110451 PILOT SEASON DECLASSIFIED 2011 ONE SHOT $1.00

JUL110540 REED GUNTHER #4 $2.99

JUL110543 SCREAMLAND ONGOING #4 $2.99

JUL110547 SPAWN #211 $2.99

JAN110662 TWILIGHT GUARDIAN #1 (OF 4) SGN ED $14.99

JUL110550 WALKING DEAD WEEKLY #36 (MR) $2.99

Comics and Magazines from Diamond Distributors for September 7 2011

COMICS

JUL111109 AMERICUS GN $14.99

JUN111169 ANIMAL LAND GN VOL 01 $10.99

JUL111207 ANNE STEELYARD GARDEN OF EMPTINESS GN VOL 03 (OF 3) $14.95

JUN118043 ASTERIX TP VOL 24 ASTERIX IN BELGIUM NEW PTG $10.95

JUN111232 ATOMIC ROBO GHOST OF STATION X #1 (OF 6) $3.50

JUL110826 AWAKENING OMNIBUS SC (MR) $24.95

JUL111110 BAKE SALE GN $16.99

JUL111041 BATTLESTAR GALACTICA SEASON ZERO OMNIBUS TP $24.99

JUL111139 BIG CITY OTTO GN $7.95

MAY111047 BIG QUESTIONS TP (MR) $44.95

JUL111140 BINKY GN VOL 03 UNDER PRESSURE $8.95

JUN111274 BLACK BIRD GN VOL 10 $9.99

JUN111266 BLEACH TP VOL 36 $9.99

JUN111170 BLOODY MONDAY GN VOL 01 $10.99

JUL111011 BOYS #58 (MR) $3.99

JUN111275 BUTTERFLIES FLOWERS GN VOL 08 (MR) $9.99

JUN111171 CAGE OF EDEN GN VOL 01 $10.99

JUL110904 CANTERBURY TALES GN $20.00

APR110769 CAVEWOMAN SNOW #3 $3.75

JUN111322 CHARMED #13 A CVR SEIDMAN (MR) $3.50

JUN111323 CHARMED #13 B CVR PHOTO (MR) $3.50

APR111270 CHARMED TP VOL 02 (MR) $17.99

JUN110906 COMICS LUCILLE BALL (ONE SHOT) $3.99

JUN110983 CONQUERING EVEREST CAMPFIRE GN $12.99

JUN110904 CRITTER #2 (OF 4) $3.50

JUL110899 CROSSED PSYCHOPATH #1 (OF 7) WONDERCON CVR (MR) $5.99

APR110963 DANGER GIRL ARMY OF DARKNESS #3 $3.99

JUN111272 DEATH NOTE BLACK ED TP VOL 05 $14.99

JUN111277 DENGEKI DAISY GN VOL 06 $9.99

MAY110945 DISNEY FOUR COLOR ADVENTURES TP VOL 01 $14.99

JUN111409 DOMO IN THE WORLD BOARD BOOK $12.95

JUN110984 DON QUIXOTE CAMPFIRE GN VOL 02 $9.99

MAY110782 ELF #4 (OF 6) $3.99

JUL110936 ELRIC THE BALANCE LOST #3 $3.99

JUL110872 EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT IRIS VOL 2 #3 CVR A FRANCISCO $3.50

JUL110873 EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT IRIS VOL 2 #3 CVR B BENITEZ $3.50

JUL111111 FEYNMAN GN $29.99

JUL110985 FINDING FRANK AND HIS FRIEND GN $39.95

APR118175 FINDING FRANK AND HIS FRIEND GN $39.95

DEC100753 FLASH GORDON INVASION O/T RED SWORD #4 $3.99

JAN110966 FLASH GORDON MERCY WARS #3 COLOR VAR $3.99

MAY110783 FRACTURE #1 $3.99

MAR111037 GARTH ENNIS JENNIFER BLOOD #4 (MR) $3.99

MAY111307 GFT MYTHS & LEGENDS TP VOL 01 (MR) $15.99

MAY110781 GOLDEN AGE GREATS SPOTLIGHT VOL 06 STAR SPANGLED AVENGERS $29.95

JUN111172 GON GN KODANSHA ED VOL 01 $10.99

JUN111276 GRAND GUIGNOL ORCHESTRA TP VOL 04 $9.99

FEB110968 GREEN HORNET STRIKES #9 $3.99

APR110805 GRIM GHOST #4 $2.99

JUN111305 GRIMM FAIRY TALES #64 $2.99

JUN111306 GRIMM FAIRY TALES #64 $2.99

MAY111302 GRIMM FAIRY TALES THE LIBRARY #1 A CVR CACAU $2.99

MAY111303 GRIMM FAIRY TALES THE LIBRARY #1 B CVR PEKAR $2.99

JUN111309 GRIMM FAIRY TALES TP VOL 10 $15.99

MAY111081 HIDDEN HC (RES) $19.99

JUN111227 HONDO CITY LAW GN $18.99

JUN111255 ICE #2 (OF 4) $3.99

JUL110908 INFAMOUS LINDSAY LOHAN (ONE SHOT) $3.99

APR110872 INSURRECTION V3.6 #4 $3.99

JUN110783 INTERACTIVES GN $17.99

MAY111188 INTREPID ESCAPEGOAT #1 (OF 3) CURSE O/T BUDDHAS TOOTH $3.99

JUL110939 IRREDEEMABLE #29 $3.99

APR111131 JUDGE DREDD TOUR OF DUTY MEGA CITY JUSTICE GN $32.99

JAN111140 KATO #12 $3.99

JUN111285 KEKKAISHI 3-IN-1 ED VOL 03 $14.99

JUN111278 KIMI NI TODOKE GN VOL 10 FROM ME TO YOU $9.99

JUN110998 KIRBY GENESIS #3 $3.99

JUL111125 KISS & TELL ROMANTIC RESUME AGES 0 - 22 GN $15.99

JUN111273 LA CORDA DORO TP VOL 14 $9.99

JUL110970 LADY DEATH (ONGOING) #9 (MR) $3.99

JUL110971 LADY DEATH (ONGOING) #9 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99

JUN111280 LIBRARY WARS LOVE & WAR VOL 06 $9.99

MAY111079 LIKE A SNIPER LINING UP HIS SHOT HC $18.99

JUL111230 LITTLE NEMO IN SLUMBERLAND SO MANY SPLENDID SUNDAYS NEW PTG $125.00

JUN111173 MARDOCK SCRAMBLE GN VOL 01 $10.99

JUN110848 MEGA MAN #5 HORN CVR $2.99

JUN110849 MEGA MAN #5 SPAZ VILLAIN VAR CVR $2.99

JUL110846 MEGA MAN TP VOL 01 $11.95

JUN111228 MISSIONARY MAN BAD MOON RISING GN $25.99

APR111036 MOME GN VOL 22 SPRING 2011 (NOTE PRICE) $19.99

JUN111267 NARUTO 3-IN-1 ED VOL 03 $14.99

JUN111269 NARUTO TP VOL 52 $9.99

MAY110883 NINJAS VS ZOMBIES #3 $3.99

MAY110963 OLIVER TWIST CAMPFIRE GN $11.99

JUL110917 ORBIT STAN LEE (ONE SHOT) $3.99

JUN111281 ORESAMA TEACHER GN VOL 04 $9.99

APR110990 PATRICIA BRIGGS MERCY THOMPSON MOON CALLED #8 $3.99

JUN110903 PENNY FOR YOUR SOUL FALSE PROPHET #1 (OF 7) (MR) $3.50

JUN111175 PHOENIX WRIGHT GN VOL 02 $10.99

JUN111288 POKEMON BLACK & WHITE GN VOL 03 $4.99

JUL110913 POLITICAL POWER JOE BIDEN FOIL ED $19.99

APR110885 POTTERS FIELD TP $14.99

JUL111189 POWER WITHIN ONE SHOT $4.99

JUN111270 SHONEN JUMP OCTOBER NOVEMBER 2011 $4.99

JUN111230 SLAINE THE WANDERER GN $28.99

JUL110850 SONIC UNIVERSE TP VOL 01 $11.95

JAN111256 SPIDER NEW SERIES #2 $3.99

MAY110961 TAROT WITCH OF THE BLACK ROSE #69 DLX ED (MR) $19.99

JUN111029 TERMINATOR ROBOCOP KILL HUMAN #2 $3.99

JUN111198 TICK BARGAIN SUMMER SPECIALS TP $12.95

JUN111268 TORIKO GN VOL 06 $9.99

MAY111129 UNTIL THE FULL MOON GN VOL 01 (MR) $10.99

MAR111291 VANGUARD FRAZETTA CLASSICS DLX HC VOL 01 JOHNNY COMET $69.95

APR111204 VANGUARD FRAZETTA CLASSICS DLX HC VOL 02 WHITE INDIAN $69.95

JUN111294 VELVETEEN & MANDALA GN $16.95

JUL110916 WALTER KOENIG THINGS TO COME #1 $3.99

JUN111011 WARLORD OF MARS DEJAH THORIS #6 $3.99

MAY111306 WONDERLAND HOUSE OF LIDDLE TP VOL 01 (MR) $15.99

JUN110852 WORLD OF ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #10 $3.99

MAGAZINES
JUN111349 ALTER EGO #104 $7.95
APR111281 COMIC HEROES MAGAZINE #7 $18.99
JUL111421 DOC SAVAGE DOUBLE NOVEL #50 $14.95
MAY111338 DR WHO INSIDER #5 $6.99
APR111297 DR WHO MAGAZINE #436 $9.99
MAY111173 JUDGE DREDD MEGAZINE #313 $11.99
FEB111288 SCREAM MAGAZINE #3 $8.99
MAR111423 SCREAM MAGAZINE #4 $8.99
APR111325 SCREAM MAGAZINE #5 $8.99
MAY111370 SFX #212 $9.99
JUL111422 SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL #52 $14.95
JUN111405 SUPERNATURAL MAGAZINE #27 NEWSSTAND ED $6.99
JUN111406 SUPERNATURAL MAGAZINE #27 PX ED $6.99

Bleach: Turn Back the Pendulum

I read Bleach, Vol. 36

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

The New 52 Review: JUSTICE LEAGUE #1

JUSTICE LEAGUE #1
DC COMICS

WRITER: Geoff Johns
PENCILS: Jim Lee
INKS: Scott Williams
COLORS: Alex Sinclair
LETTERS: Patrick Brosseau
COVER: Jim Lee, Scott Williams, and Alex Sinclair
VARIANT COVER: David Finch, Richard Friend, and Peter Steigerwald
40pp, Color, $3.99

DC Comics’ premiere superhero team, the Justice League of America, first appeared in The Brave and the Bold #28 (cover dated February/March 1960). The League’s original lineup of superheroes was Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash (Barry Allen), Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), Aquaman, and the Martian Manhunter. The League got its own title, Justice League of America in 1960. Over time, that series was re-launched as Justice League (1987), JLA (1996-cover dated 1997), and Justice League of America (Vol. 2, 2006), among various other miniseries, specials, alternate versions, etc.

Now, DC Comics is re-launching its superhero comic book line with 52 #1 issues – “The New 52,” and the first new #1 is Justice League, written by Geoff Johns, penciled by Jim Lee, and inked by Scott Williams. This new League has a starting lineup: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash (Barry Allen), Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), Aquaman, and Cyborg (originally of The New Teen Titans). Additional members will include The Atom, Hawkman, and Deadman, among others.

Justice League #1 opens five years prior to whatever is the current time in the DC Universe. Batman is caught between a vicious alien creature that he is chasing across the rooftops of Gotham City and helicopter-borne members of the Gotham City Police Department that want to put a cap in his ass. Just when it seems that Batman is in trouble, Green Lantern arrives. Now, Batman has an unwanted partner as he tries to unravel a mystery that seems to originate from outer space.

I didn’t expect much of Justice League #1, but I’m pleasantly surprised. It’s not great, but it is a very good read. The art by Jim Lee and his longtime collaborator, Scott Williams, features some impressive compositions and designs… of course, though Lee’s figure drawing is below his recent work. Between the coated paper stock used to print this book and Alex Sinclair’s succulent and gleaming coloring, there was a glare off this comic that tried to blind me.

Seriously though, I like this. Batman is Batman. With Green Lantern, Geoff Johns seems to be channeling Robert Downey, Jr.’s Tony Stark and Kanye West. I haven’t read a Justice League comic book in the last five or six years, and this is a great issue to welcome me back.

B+


FLASHPOINT #5: http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/flashpoint-5.html

Ultimo: The House of Awakening

I read Ultimo, vol. 6

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

I Reads You Review: FLASHPOINT #5

FLASHPOINT #5 (OF 5)
DC COMICS

WRITER: Geoff Johns
PENCILS: Andy Kubert
INKS: Sandra Hope and Jesse Delperdang
COLORS: Alex Sinclair
LETTERS: Rick J. Napolitano
COVER: Andy Kubert, Sandra Hope, and Alex Sinclair
VARIANT COVER: Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez and Rod Reis
40pp, Color, $3.99

In the beginning, I enjoyed DC Comics’ crossover events and would read the entire core limited series and as many of the tie-in titles as I could. I read Crisis on Infinite Earth (1985-86) and most of the tie-in comic books. I read Legends (1986-87) and many of the tie-in issues. I read some of Millennium (1988) and a few of the tie-ins. By the time of Invasion (1988-89), I only felt like spending a little money on the whole event, so I only passively sampled it. Armageddon 2001 (1991) interested me for a few weeks. Since reading a few issues of DC One Million, I have entirely avoided DC’s comic book crossover story arcs, including just about anything that smacked of being an event.

Well, this is a big year for DC Comics, and I find myself coming in on the end of Flashpoint, the biggest comic book crossover event of 2011. For the past few decades, many crossover events have promised to change either Marvel or DC’s fictional universes forever, but Flashpoint seems to be the real deal. When Flashpoint ends, the DC Universe will reboot (DC’s bosses call it a re-launch), and from August 31 to September 28 2011, DC Comics will publish 52 number one issues – the first issues of 52 new comic book series. It’s known as “The New 52.”

Flashpoint, the core miniseries in a massive publishing event, is a five-issue series written by Geoff Johns and penciled by Andy Kubert. As I understand it: Barry Allen/Flash is among a handful of characters who realize that they have awakened in an altered timeline, vastly different from the regular one in which they live. This timeline is called Flashpoint.

As Flashpoint #5 begins, Reverse Flash/Eobard Thawne is triumphant, as everything Flash/Barry Allen tries seems to come up short. Batman/Thomas Wayne comes to the rescue, with Grifter and the Resistance close behind. But only Flash can fix the mess he made – with millions of lives hanging in the balance.

As crossover events go, Flashpoint offers the usual superhero/super-villain spectacle – skirmishes and big cast-of-thousands battles. There’s plenty of exposition in the form of recaps, explanations, back story, exclamations of triumph, premature ejaculation, etc. I think this is the first Geoff Johns scripted comic book that I have ever read… I think.

After reading this, I can understand why Johns’ comics might not be on my must-recall list. Still, the second half of this comic book has a few poignant scenes. Perhaps, these moments of character tenderness and bonding are what make Johns’ reputation with comic book fans.

The art is a mixed bag. I don’t think this kind of event comic, in which action scenes and characters are packed like sardines into small panels are Andy Kubert’s strength. Covers, double-page spreads, splash pages, and pages with big panels are where he thrives, and that is no more evident than here in Flashpoint #5. Kubert’s gorgeous pencil art for the cover shows that almost 20 years later, Jim Lee is still influencing Kubert.

Do you need to read Flashpoint before you start reading “The New 52?” No, you do not.

B-