Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for April 9 2014

DARK HORSE COMICS

FEB140077 CREEPY COMICS #16 $3.99
OCT130081 GAME OF THRONES MAP & MARKER SET $199.99
DEC130140 MEGATOKYO OMNIBUS TP $19.99
FEB140061 STAR WARS #16 2013 ONGOING $2.99
FEB140021 X #12 (MR) $2.99

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for April 9 2014

IMAGE COMICS

JAN140585 EAST OF WEST #11 $3.50
DEC130494 EAST OF WEST TP VOL 02 WE ARE ALL ONE $14.99
JAN140592 GREAT PACIFIC #14 CVR A MORAZZO (MR) $2.99
JAN140593 GREAT PACIFIC #14 CVR B POLLINA (MR) $2.99
FEB140545 IMAGE I T/S LTD ED GOLD LG MEN $19.99
FEB140544 IMAGE I T/S LTD ED GOLD MED MEN $19.99
FEB140549 IMAGE I T/S LTD ED GOLD MED WOMEN $19.99
FEB140543 IMAGE I T/S LTD ED GOLD SM MEN $19.99
FEB140548 IMAGE I T/S LTD ED GOLD SM WOMEN $19.99
FEB140546 IMAGE I T/S LTD ED GOLD XL MEN $19.99
FEB140547 IMAGE I T/S LTD ED GOLD XXL MEN $22.99
JAN140594 INVINCIBLE #110 $2.99
JAN148384 MANIFEST DESTINY #5 2ND PTG $2.99
FEB140609 MANIFEST DESTINY #6 $2.99
JAN140608 PETER PANZERFAUST #18 $3.50
SEP130636 SAVAGE DRAGON #194 (MR) $3.99
FEB140516 SHOTGUN WEDDING #2 (MR) $3.99
FEB140488 SHUTTER #1 CVR A DEL DUCA (MR) $3.50
FEB140489 SHUTTER #1 CVR B WEAVER (MR) $3.50
FEB140490 SHUTTER #1 CVR C GRAHAM (MR) $3.50
FEB140491 SHUTTER #1 CVR D RIOS (MR) $3.50
FEB140631 SPAWN #242 $2.99
FEB140534 THREE TP (MR) $14.99
FEB140644 WALKING DEAD #125 (MR) $2.99
JAN140563 WALKING DEAD ABRAHAMS ARMY T/S LG MEN $19.99

Comics, Magazines and Books from Diamond Distributors for April 9 2014

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

JAN141294 ACG CLASSICS COLL PACK FORBIDDEN WORLDS SGN SLIPCASE ED $169.99
JAN148416 AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE #4 2ND PTG $2.99
JAN141308 ALICE I/T COUNTRY CLOVER NIGHTMARE GN (MR) $13.99
FEB141377 ANNOYING ORANGE GN VOL 05 TRANSFARMERS $7.99
NOV130775 ARCHIE COMIC SUPER SPECIAL #5 $9.99
JAN140869 ARCHIE DOUBLE DOUBLE DIGEST #250 $5.99
JAN148308 BAD ASS #2 HAESER MUTIE HOMAGE CVR (MR) $3.99
FEB141163 BATTLESTAR GALACTICA ANNUAL 2014 $4.99
JAN140844 BIG NATE GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE TP $9.99
FEB141477 BLOODSHOT & HARD CORPS #21 PULLBOX MOLINA $3.99
FEB141476 BLOODSHOT & HARD CORPS #21 REG LAROSA $3.99
FEB140965 CALIBAN #1 DARK MATTER CVR (MR) $9.99
FEB141519 CASE CLOSED GN VOL 50 $9.99
OCT131006 CLIVE BARKER NEXT TESTAMENT #8 (MR) $3.99
FEB141278 COSPLAYERS #1 $4.99
JAN140959 CRITTER TP VOL 04 $14.99
FEB141522 DAWN OF THE ARCANA GN VOL 12 $9.99
FEB141528 DEADMAN WONDERLAND GN VOL 02 $9.99
JAN140998 DECEIVERS #4 $3.99
FEB141252 DF CRYPTOZOIC MAN #4 DYNAMIC JET PACK LTD ED CVR $14.99
AUG131288 DF MIGHTY AVENGERS #1 GREG LAND SIGN ED $29.99
DEC131140 DF SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #27 NOW #1 ROMITA SR SGN PI
FEB141383 DISNEY FAIRIES GN VOL 14 TINKER BELL & BLAZE $7.99
FEB141384 DISNEY FAIRIES HC VOL 14 TINKER BELL & BLAZE $11.99
DEC138479 DREDD UNDERBELLY MOVIE SEQUEL ONE SHOT 2ND PTG (MR) $3.99
JAN148324 EVIL EMPIRE #1 (2ND PTG) (MR) $3.99
FEB141154 FLASH GORDON #1 80TH ANNIVERSARY CVR $3.99
FEB141155 FLASH GORDON #1 BLANK AUTHENTIX CVR $3.99
FEB141149 FLASH GORDON #1 CVR A HARDMAN $3.99
FEB141150 FLASH GORDON #1 CVR B CASE $3.99
FEB141151 FLASH GORDON #1 CVR C SHALVEY $3.99
FEB141152 FLASH GORDON #1 CVR D LAMING $3.99
FEB141385 GARFIELD SHOW GN VOL 03 LONG LOST LYMAN $7.99
FEB141386 GARFIELD SHOW HC VOL 03 LONG LOST LYMAN $11.99
FEB141576 GFT ASCENSION #3 A CVR ORTIZ $3.99
FEB141577 GFT ASCENSION #3 B CVR ERIC J $3.99
FEB141578 GFT ASCENSION #3 C CVR CAFARO $3.99
FEB141579 GFT ROBYN HOOD LEGEND #2 A CVR LAISO $2.99
FEB141580 GFT ROBYN HOOD LEGEND #2 B CVR SEJIC $2.99
FEB141581 GFT ROBYN HOOD LEGEND #2 C CVR NUNES $2.99
FEB141103 GRAPHIC LIBRARY GN JACKIE ROBINSON $7.95
FEB141104 GRAPHIC LIBRARY GN MARTIN LUTHER KING JR $7.95
FEB141105 GRAPHIC LIBRARY GN ROSA PARKS MONTGOMERY BUS BOYCOTT $7.95
JAN141297 HARVEY HORRORS COLL PACK WITCHES TALES SGN SLIPCASE ED $279.99
FEB141520 ITSUWARIBITO GN VOL 11 $9.99
NOV131234 JOHN CARPENTERS ASYLUM #5 (MR) $3.99
NOV130995 KINGS WATCH #5 $3.99
FEB141494 KNIGHTS OF SIDONIA GN VOL 08 $12.95
DEC130948 LEGEND OF OZ THE WICKED WEST ONGOING #17 $3.50
DEC130949 LEGEND OF OZ WICKED WEST TP VOL 04 $17.99
JAN140975 LIBERATOR TP (MR) $14.99
FEB140885 LILITH DARK & THE BEASTIE TREE GN $14.99
FEB140951 LOLA XOXO #1 DIRECT MARKET CVR A $3.99
FEB140952 LOLA XOXO #1 DIRECT MARKET CVR B $3.99
FEB141071 LUMBERJANES #1 $3.99
FEB140893 LUNITA #2 (MR) $3.99
FEB141521 MAGI GN VOL 05 $9.99
FEB141143 MAGNUS ROBOT FIGHTER #2 $3.99
FEB142550 MINECRAFT OFFICIAL MOJANG REDSTONE HANDBOOK $7.99
FEB141101 NELSON MANDELA CAMPFIRE ED $12.99
AUG131431 NEOZOIC TRADERS GAMBIT #3 $3.50
FEB141075 REGULAR SHOW SKIPS #6 MAIN CVRS $3.99
FEB141045 RETURNING #2 $3.99
JAN141276 RIO GN VOL 01 SNAKES ALIVE $7.99
JAN141277 RIO HC VOL 01 SNAKES ALIVE $11.99
FEB140892 ROGUES #1 COLD SHIP (MR) $3.99
JAN141299 ROY THOMAS PRESENTS COLL PACK HEAP $89.99
JAN141300 ROY THOMAS PRESENTS COLL PACK HEAP SGN SLIPCASE ED $216.99
NOV130791 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG SELECT TP VOL 09 GAMES $11.99
FEB141057 SONS OF ANARCHY #8 (MR) $3.99
FEB141034 SPONGEBOB COMICS #31 $2.99
DEC131189 STONE COLLECTOR GN VOL 02 $14.95
FEB141374 THANIEL #1 (MR) $3.99
NOV131029 THE LONE RANGER #23 $3.99
FEB141192 TWILIGHT ZONE #4 $3.99
FEB141464 UNITY #6 ORDERALL ALLEN $3.99
FEB141463 UNITY #6 REG CRAIN $3.99
DEC131274 WAYWARD SONS TP VOL 03 $19.95
FEB141495 WHAT DID YOU EAT YESTERDAY GN VOL 01 (MR) $12.95
FEB141472 X-O MANOWAR TP VOL 05 AT WAR WITH UNITY $14.99

MAGAZINES
FEB142097 COLOR INK DIY ART PERIODICAL VOL 21 $10.00
FEB141653 COMIC SHOP NEWS #1399 PI
FEB141663 FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND #273 $9.99
SEP131554 NEWTYPE DEC 2013 $16.00

BOOKS
FEB141588 ANIME EXPLOSION WHAT WHY WOW JAPANESE ANIMATION REVISED SC $45.00
FEB141596 ART OF BRIAN ROOD TP (MR) $14.95
FEB141497 ART OF WIND RISES HC $34.99
DEC131430 CAP FURY DOUBLE NOVEL VOL 01 $14.95
JAN141514 DAYS OF DESTRUCTION DAYS OF REVOLT SC $16.99
FEB141590 DIRTY WORKS ART OF LORENZO SPERLONGA SC EURO ED (MR) $19.95
FEB141616 GO KIDDS GUIDE TO GRAPHIC DESIGN HC $17.95
FEB141507 HAYAO MIYAZAKI STARTING POINT 1979-1996 SC $16.99
FEB141506 HAYAO MIYAZAKI TURNING POINT 1997-2008 HC $29.99
JAN141501 HELLO KITTY COLLABORATIONS HC $65.00
FEB141601 KOMIKS COMIC ART IN RUSSIA SC $30.00
FEB141625 SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOL 83 CRIME OVER BOSTON $14.95
JAN141470 SKETCHBOOK EL GUNTO (MR) $30.00
JAN141471 SKETCHBOOK HAWTHORNE (MR) $30.00
JAN141472 SKETCHBOOK MALY SIRI (MR) $30.00
DEC131404 SKETCHBOOK MARA (MR) $30.00
JAN141473 SKETCHBOOK VALP (MR) $30.00
FEB141623 SOAP INSIDE STORY OF THE SITCOM $29.95
JAN141481 SPIDER-MAN CHARACTER ENCYCLOPEDIA HC $16.99
JAN142327 WARHAMMER 40K PATH OF THE ARCHON MMPB $9.99
FEB141603 WIDE AWAKE IN SLUMBERLAND HC $60.00

Happy Marriage?!: Daddy's Bills Bills Bills

I read Happy Marriage?!, Vol. 5

I posted a review at ComicBookBin (which has free smart phone apps and comics):

"Time Spanners" Needs You

I Reads You Review: CRISIS ON MULTIPLE EARTHS Volume 2

CRISIS ON MULTIPLE EARTHS VOLUME 2
DC COMICS – @DCComics

WRITERS: Gardner Fox, Dennis O’Neil
PENCILS: Mike Sekowsky, Dick Dillin
INKS: Sid Greene, Joe Giella
LETTERS: Gaspar Saladino, Joe Letterese, Milton Snapinn, Ira Schnapp
ORIGINAL COVER ARTISTS:  Mike Sekowsky and Murphy Anderson; Mike Sekowsky and Joe Giella; Carmine Infantino and Murphy Anderson; Dick Dillin and George Roussos; Joe Kubert; Neal Adams
COVER: Jerry Ordway
208pp, Color, $14.95 U.S., $22.95 CAN (2003)

Several years ago, I was one of the winners of a raffle at a local comic book shop (well, at least my version of a local comic shop).  The prizes had mostly been picked through by the time I visited the store again, but I ended up being lucky anyway.  Sitting on the prize table, almost alone, was a copy of Crisis on Multiple Earths Volume 2.

I am a fan of DC Comics’ Silver and Bronze Ages, and here was a book full of Justice League of America reprints from the late Silver Age and at the precipice of the Bronze Age.  As far as I was concerned, I won the raffle.

Crisis on Multiple Earths Volume 2 reprints the following Justice League of America issues with August to September cover dates:  #55-56 (1967), 64-65 (1968), 73-74 (1969), and 82-83 (1970).  The book also reprints three pin-ups that were originally published in Justice League #76 (cover dated: October 1969) and Limited Collector’s Edition C-46 (cover dated: August-September 1976).  Why did DC Comics pair two issues of Justice League of America?

Well, it starts with Flash #123 (cover dated: September 1961).  In a story entitled, “The Flash of Two Worlds,” the Silver Age Flash (Barry Allen) meets his Golden Age counterpart, Jay Garrick.  It turns out Garrick, along with the rest of the original Justice Society of America of the Golden Age of comics, inhabit an alternate universe.  This meeting of the Flash characters from two different comic book eras turned out to be a historic meeting.  Apparently fans liked it, and there were more such issues of Flash.

This set the stage for the first crossover between the Silver Age Justice League of America and the Golden Age Justice Society of America:  “Crisis on Earth-One” (Justice League of America #21, cover dated: August 1963) and “Crisis on Earth-Two” (Justice League of America #22, September 1963).  In this two-part tale, the Justice Society teams up with the Justice League to combat a team of villains from both worlds.  These evil-doers travel between the worlds using vibratory devices made by the Fiddler (a Flash villain).  After kidnapping both Flashes, they plan on committing crimes, and then, each villain will spend the money on the version of Earth where nobody knows him.

From that point on in 1967 until 1985, the JLA/JSA crossover became an annual event in Justice League of America comic book series.  I know that these JLA/JSA team-ups are essential stories that led the way to DC Comics’ universe-changing event series, Crisis on Infinite Earths.  However, I’m reading them because they are a kind of comic book that I like the most.  If you, dear reader, do need some historical perspective, Martin Pasko’s introduction to this trade paperback, “Crisis Behind the Scenes,” is excellent.

The stories in this book also reflect the changes going on in the comic book industry in the late 1960s.  Golden Age Justice Society of America and longtime Justice League of America writer, Gardner Fox (who had written 65 consecutive issues of the JLA series), gave way to then emerging new talent Dennis O’Neil.  Artist Dick Dillin became Justice League of America’s penciller.  He replaced regular JLA artist Mike Sekowsky, who began his comic book career when the industry was in its infancy (in 1941 with Timely Comics).  Even Sekowsky’s inker, Murphy Anderson (who also began working in the 1940s), gave way to Sid Greene and Joe Giella as Dillin’s inkers.

As I am largely unfamiliar with that era of comics, I didn’t notice much of a change in the creative staff, except in the kind of stories Gardner Fox and Dennis O’Neil wrote.  Fox’s JLA-JSA stories are fanciful, like children’s fantasy stories (Alice in Wonderland or The Wizard of Oz).  O’Neil’s stories are more cosmic, and the threats to the heroes are more immediate and dangerous.  Change and death are prominent themes, especially in the 1969 crossover.

I enjoyed reading this trade paperback, and I would recommend it to JLA fans.  Crisis on Multiple Earths Volume 2 makes me look forward to finding the other volumes in the Crisis on Multiple Earths trade paperback series, although I do wonder how many are currently out of print.

B+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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

Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan - Kusozu

I read Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 20

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin.