TOP 10 PUBLISHERS
NO. 1: MARVEL COMICS
GODZILLA: INFINITY ROAR #1 (OF 5), $5.99: I still have the last Marvel vs. Godzilla series of one-shots on my to-read pile. I think the novelty has worn off.
NOVA CENTURION #4, $3.99: I read the first three issues of Nova, the first two issues of Planet She-Hulk and the first issue of Black Panther: Intergalactic. All of these post-Imperial books were on probation, and now it's official: I'm dropping them all. I love She-Hulk, Nova and Black Panther as characters; I just don't care for them in this milieu.
For example, I only tolerated Sakaar for its utility in launching "Planet Hulk," and was relieved when the story moved to Earth. (And wasn't it blown up?) I wanted no more of Sakaar, a plot device more than a location, and an unpleasant one at that. But Marvel keeps wanting to make it a thing, and the more they do, the more I despise it. I don't care about the complicated politics of Sakaar. I don't care about the people of Sakaar. I don't care about Sakaar one itty-bitty, tiny bit. Stop teaching me about it! I love She-Hulk, but I don't love her on Sakaar.
Needless to say, your mileage may vary.
SHADOWS OF TOMORROW
MAGIK AND COLOSSUS #1 (OF 5), $4.99: Back from "Age of Revelation" and into "Shadows of Tomorrow." I've always liked Magik, but Tom Brevoort has publicly acknowledged that he never has. He has said, also publicly, that now that he's in charge of the X-Men line he'll turn Magik into a character he likes. What do you want to bet that means shaving off all her rough edges, and turning her into a character I don't like any more? If you want to know what I like about Illyana Rasputin, watch Anya Taylor-Joy's performance in New Mutants. She was the highlight of the movie, pulled off a great Russian accent, and was the only part worth watching.
I haven't said anything about Colossus, because he's boring. Sorry, Colossus fans. But at least he's not a mind-controlled traitor any more. That was a bummer.
STORM: EARTH'S MIGHTIEST MUTANT #1 (OF 5), $4.99: Under the current writer, this character is basically fanfic. Pass.
UNCANNY X-MEN #23, $4.99
ULTIMATE
ULTIMATE ENDGAME #2 (OF 5), $4.99
ULTIMATE WOLVERINE #14, $4.99: Two issues left. But now I hear the Ultimate Universe is going to continue, sorta, with the "origin boxes" in the 616.
MORE MARVEL COMICS
ALL-NEW SPIDER-GWEN THE GHOST-SPIDER #7, $3.99
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #21, $4.99
AVENGERS #35, $3.99
FANTASTIC FOUR EPIC COLLECTION VOLUME 13 BACK TO THE BASICS TP, $54.99
FANTASTIC FOUR FANFARE TP, $17.99: I enjoyed this almost because it wasn't tied to any continuity. It was like finding old issues I'd never read before.
LOGAN: BLACK, WHITE AND BLOOD #2 (OF 4), $5.99
MARVEL FANFARE OMNIBUS VOLUME 2 HC, $100.00
NEW CHAMPIONS CHANGE IS COMING TP, $24.99
PLANET OF THE APES VS. FANTASTIC FOUR #1 (OF 4), $4.99
SENTRY OMNIBUS HC, $125.00
SPIRITS OF VIOLENCE #5 (OF 5), $3.99
WOLVERINE #15, $4.99: For some reason, NOT part of "Shadows of Tomorrow."
NO. 2: DC COMICS
DC FINEST: WONDER WOMAN — ENTER THE CHEETAH TP, $39.99
(W) William Moulton Marston, Alice Marble (A) Harry G. Peter, Various (CA) Harry G. Peter
THE MIGHTY AMAZON MEETS HER MATCH IN THE DEADLY CHEETAH! When millionairess Priscilla Rich is outshone by Wonder Woman in a public demonstration of strength, it causes the socialite to develop a vengeful split personality. Driven by spite and jealousy, Priscilla dons the guise of a treacherous and relentless predator, the Cheetah, and launches an all-out campaign to outwit and ultimately kill Wonder Woman and her allies! This DC Finest volume contains the first appearance of the original Golden Age Cheetah and more tales from the early 1940s, including the never-before-reprinted Wonder Women of History backup features written by Alice Marble. Collects SENSATION COMICS #19-34, COMIC CAVALCADE #3-7, and WONDER WOMAN #5-9.
This follows directly on the heels of DC Finest: Wonder Woman — Introducing Wonder Woman, which collected the Amazing Amazon's first adventures. Not that it matters. You could probably read the first 10-15 years of Wonder Woman stories in any order. But points to DC for being comprehensive.
DC X AEW #1 (OF 2), $4.99
W) Steve Orlando (A) Travis Mercer (CA) Lucas Meyer
THE SUPERSTARS OF ALL ELITE WRESTLING EXPLODE OUT OF THE RING AND INTO THE DC UNIVERSE! The Intergalactic Title is far more than a championship belt! This Big Galactic Belt is made of pure Element X—the most powerful metal in the universe! Ruptured in a post-match beatdown, the belt scatters across the DC Universe—but every single shard is a weapon that can rewrite reality itself. With the world at stake, the Justice League teams with AEW’s roster to crisscross the globe and recover the shards of the belt before DC’s worst villains use them to turn our world into their deadly playground. It’s the Justice League Elite as you’ve never seen them before—with Excalibur and Booster Gold calling the action!
I'm no wrestling fan, but I know some folks who are!
JSA #16, $3.99
(W) Jeff Lemire (A) Gavin Guidry (CA) Dave Johnson
TRUTHS REVEALED! As our heroes converge on Starco in Gotham City, the villain pulling all the strings is finally revealed!
The more research I do on the JSA, and the more contradictory retcons I find, the more I think it's necessary to have an origin story that will stand the test of time — and force the Alan Scott: The Green Lanterns of the future to adhere to a general continuity.
Instead of ignoring 80 years of stories, and just making everything up as it goes along. That was a problem with all three recent JSA miniseries, in which each had their own version of the JSA timeline ... and none of them were that great.
Of course, if a new, "permanent" timeline is established, editors will have to keep their more maverick writers in line. Which would be easier with a solid foundation. Lemire might just be the guy to do this, and "Year One" might just be the place.
Especially if the Big Bad turns out to be Ultra-Humanite, as I expect. That would make this the moral equivalent of the New 52 Justice League origin, where they acknowledge that the Appelax thing happened, but establish that before that the team came together over the world's worst: Darkseid. In 1940, the worst DC probably had to offer was Ultra.
SUPERMAN: CHAINS OF LOVE SPECIAL #1 (ONE-SHOT), $5.99
(W) Leah Williams, Dan Slott (A) Ig Guara, Rosi Kampe (CA) Yasmine Putri
LIVEWIRE AND THE CREEPER FORGE A DEADLY NEW VILLAINOUS ALLIANCE! AND THEY MAKE OUT! GROSS! Love is in the air--also death--in Superman: Chains of Love Special! Step aside Daily Planet--a new news force is taking the city of Metropolis by storm! When the former felon Livewire is released from prison, an unholy alliance and (frankly, wholesome) romance with the Creeper is forged in the fires of a super-villain battle! But with two of Metropolis’s most notorious shock-jock media personalities getting together comes the debut of a new outlet to rival even that of the Daily Planet. Witness the rise of the Wiretap and some shocking surprises in the Superman: Chains of Love Special!
Not your daddy's Valentine's Day special.
ABSOLUTE
ABSOLUTE GREEN LANTERN #11, $4.99
ABSOLUTE MARTIAN MANHUNTER #8, $5.99
ABSOLUTE SUPERMAN #16, $4.99
DC K.O.
DC K.O.: BOSS BATTLE #1 (ONE-SHOT), $4.99
(W) Jeremy Adams, Joshua Williamson (A) Various (CA) Jamal Campbell
TO SAVE OUR WORLD, THEY MUST BATTLE THE CHAMPIONS OF OTHER WORLDS! Unexpected fighters from beyond the DC Comics enter the arena! Wait... What? WHO?! As the remaining champions in the K.O. tournament prepare for the final rounds, they discover that there isn’t enough Omega energy left to crown the winner a King Omega. To have any hope of stopping Darkseid, they’ll need to engage in combat with the champions of other worlds beyond our own including Annabelle, Homelander, Sub-Zero, and more! This shocking, star-studded crossover sets the stage for the final chapters of the epic DC K.O. event and features matchups you never imagined possible. The ultimate battle is only beginning!
I'd love to have been a fly on the wall when DC negotiated using Vampirella, Sabrina, Red Sonja, Homelander and the rest.
DC K.O. KNIGHTFIGHT #4 (OF 4), $3.99
(W) Joshua Williamson (A/CA) Dan Mora
FOR BATMAN TO WIN, DOES DAMIAN HAVE TO LOSE? Bruce Wayne became Batman to strike terror into the hearts of criminals, but he never imagined a world where Gotham City would be so safe it no longer needs its Caped Crusader. But when he arrives in a Gotham where Damian achieved that very peace, will Bruce destroy everything his son has built to overcome the Heart of Apokolips’s test and re-enter the K.O. tournament?
This one is actually beginning to sound interesting ... and is a clever way to use Batman without him dominating the main story.
MORE DC COMICS
ABSOLUTE BATMAN VOLUME 2 ABOMINATION HC, $29.99
ABSOLUTE BATMAN VOLUME 2 ABOMINATION TP, $19.99
ABSOLUTE POWER TP, $19.99
ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN BOOK OF EL #6 (OF 12), $3.99
BATGIRL #16, $3.99
BATMAN #6, $4.99
BATMAN/STATIC BEYOND #3 (OF 6)(, $4.99
BATMAN: WHITE KNIGHT TP (DC COMPACT COMICS EDITION), $9.99
DC AND MARVEL PRESENT SUPERMAN AND SPIDER-MAN (MARVEL TREASURY EDITION #28) #1 (FACSIMILE EDITION), $17.99
FBP: FEDERAL BUREAU OF PHYSICS VOLUME 1: THE PARADIGM SHIFT TP (2026 EDITION), $17.99
IMMORTAL LEGEND BATMAN #6 (OF 6), $4.99
KID FLASH: GOING ROGUE TP, $12.99
NICE HOUSE BY THE SEA #7 (OF 12), $3.99
POISON IVY #41, $3.99
SUPERGIRL'S ZOO-PER HEROES: KRYPTO'S BIG BREAK HC, $12.99
SUPERMAN: NEW KRYPTON SAGA OMNIBUS VOLUME 1 HC, $125.00
TEEN TITANS GO #12, $2.99
TEEN TITANS GO: BIG OR GO HOME TP, $12.99
NO. 3: IMAGE COMICS
D’ORC #1, $3.99
(W) Brett Bean (A) Brett Bean, Jean Francois Beaulieu (CA) Jorge Corona
"You had me at magic talking eyeball shield. Brett Bean creates a fantasy world like no other! Don't be a dork, buy D'orc!" —Robert Kirkman
Armed with nothing but a magical yet ambitiously violent shield, a lonely orphan stumbles headfirst into Sunderaine’s never-ending war between the Light and Dark. Elves vs. Orcs. Wizards vs. Common Sense. Dragons vs. Literally Everyone. And caught dead-center? D'ORC.
With a wholly inconvenient doomsday prophecy, the half dwarf, half orc—all D'ORC—is fated to end the world. Soon, every human, elf, goblin, dwarf, Snargletooth, Necroid, Ice Giant, Trauma Llama, and at least three other unpronounceable magical creatures, will know his name and want him dead. There will also be a chicken.
Join fan-favorite artist BRETT BEAN (I HATE FAIRYLAND, DUNGEON CRAWLER CARL THE CROCODILE), colorist JEAN-FRANÇOIS BEAULIEU (I HATE FAIRYLAND), and letterer NATE PIEKOS (MINOR THREATS) for a hilarious high-fantasy romp perfect for fans of CONAN, LORD OF THE RINGS, and of course, GERT's deadpan humor.
Sounds funny, but I've already got Babs.
MORE IMAGE COMICS
DARWYN COOKE'S THE COMPLETE SPIRIT CONNOISSEUR EDITION HC, $100.00
DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH #35, $4.99
INFERNO GIRL RED BOOK TWO #3 (OF 3), $4.99
LEGO NINJAGO STRIKE OF THE SERPENTINE GN, $16.99
SAM AND TWITCH CASE FILES #21 (COVER A VON RANDAL), $3.99
SCORCHED #48 (COVER A VON RANDAL), $3.99
SPAWN #372 (COVER A BRETT BOOTH), $3.99
WALKING DEAD DELUXE #130 (COVER A DAVID FINCH & DAVE MCCAIG), $3.99 (FIND ON EBAY)
NO. 4: IDW PUBLISHING
TWILIGHT ZONE #4, $4.99
Authors: Nate Powell
Cover Art: Nate Powell
Illustrators: Nate Powell
$4.99 USD | 36 pages | 6-5/8 x 10-3/16 | Comic Book | 82771403461500411
This all-new Twilight Zone anthology series continues with standalone stories by some of the best creators in comics today! Each issue is a fresh tale in the vein of the iconic original television series that’s captivated audiences for over 60 years. And like the show, these stories will be revealed in terrifying black and white!
THIS ISSUE: The scene is set. A beautiful lake in summer, a houseboat for the weekend. When Laura takes her abrasive brother, Chet, on a birthday vacation, their relationship is already wobbling on its last leg. A loving sister and her devoted boyfriend will try—desperately and one final time—to salvage a relationship with a once-loving little brother now grown to be a hateful young man. But when all three are plunged into worlds of their deepest desires, will they even want to find each other once again?
National Book Award–winning cartoonist Nate Powell (the March trilogy, Swallow Me Whole) serves as your guide into the Twilight Zone in this can’t-miss issue!
Jeff and I (mainly Jeff) discuss this series HERE.
MORE IDW
BLOOD HONEY GN, $9.99
EVENT HORIZON DARK DESCENT #5, $4.99
GODZILLA #7 (KAI-SEI ERA), $4.99
MARCH OMNIBUS EDITION THE COMPLETE TRILOGY IN ONE VOLUME HC, $39.99
MARCH OMNIBUS EDITION THE COMPLETE TRILOGY IN ONE VOLUME TP, $22.99
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #84, $4.99
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES BATTLE NEXUS #4, $4.99
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES MUTANT NATION VOLUME 2 TP, $21.99
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES X GODZILLA #3, $4.99
NO. 5: DARK HORSE
KNIGHT CITY #1 (OF 3), $4.99
A brand-new action-adventure series by BRZRKR’s Matt Kindt and Stray Bullets’ David Lapham that’s Fight Club meets Superman.
A legendary hero is caught between two worlds. By day, he soars as a symbol of hope, but the moment he falls asleep, he enters a universe devoid of heroes and he leads a mundane life. As the pressure of his dual universes mount, his heroic self begins to crack, pushing him toward a mental breakdown.
In a world that measures the loss of human life that occurs when he takes one night off, the weight of his responsibilities becomes too much. Ultimately, he’s left with a choice: embrace his extraordinary abilities or seek solace in the ordinary.
Will he stand tall in a world that needs him, or find peace in a simpler existence?
Three-issue series.
Writer: Matt Kindt
Artist: David Lapham
Letterer: Joshua Reed
Cover artist: David Lapham
This has a pretty high-powered creative team, although Lapham's work looks cruder than what I remember. It looks more like Jeff Lemire, so maybe he's trying a new style.
SYNTHETICS VOLUME 1 #4 (OF 4), $4.99
In this riveting sci-fi series, the Earth is dying, and humanity has less than twenty years left! Dr. Hernando Montoya, owner of the labs at Vita Nova, is trying to avoid extinction and save Earth by creating the world’s first synthetic human life. “We are now crossing the Rubicon in the quest to create synthetic humans ... and officially felons in the eyes of the law,” Montoya admits. Will he be able to save life on this planet?
• Series finale!
Creators
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Artist: Tony Parker
Colorist: Carrie Strachen
Letterer: Steve Dutro
Cover artist: Tony Parker
I'm all for synthetic bodies if it means a full head of hair and perfect teeth. Yeah, being younger would be nice, too, but the hair and the teeth are non-negotiable.
MORE DARK HORSE
CREEPY PRESENTS BERNIE WRIGHTSON TP, $24.99
EERIE ARCHIVES VOLUME 13 TP, $34.99
AVATAR: THE GAP YEAR — TIPPING POINT #4 (OF 6), $4.99
SPACE SCOUTS #3 (OF 4), $7.99
NO. 6: BOOM! STUDIOS
MARIAN HERETIC #4, $4.99
UNCANNY VALLEY VOLUME 2 TP, $17.99
WYND: THE POWER OF THE BLOOD #7, $5.99
NO. 7: DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT
ARCHIE X ARMY OF DARKNESS #1, $4.99
(W) Erik Burnham (A) Bill Galvan (CA) Robert Hack
IT’S A TEENAGE NIGHTMARE! There’s a certain man — name’s Ash, you may have heard of him — who is doomed to battle against the forces of evil, over and over again, whether he likes it or not. No matter where he goes, the cycle of violence always repeats itself — until the day that he arrives in the picturesque town of Riverdale.
This supernaturally wholesome community seems to break the curse that has plagued Ash ever since he first encountered its otherworldly evil all those years ago. Or rather, the curse was broken — until an over-curious teenager named Archie finds a copy of the Necronomicon Ex Mortis and reads a portion of it aloud, summoning the horrifying Deadites once again!
Now Ash and the good townsfolk of Riverdale must hold back the undead hordes long enough for Archie to undo what he’s unwittingly done. Otherwise, an Army of Darkness will roll over Riverdale and destroy everything and everyone in its path — and that’s just not going to happen on Ashley J. Williams’s watch!
Fresh-faced author ERIC BURNHAM (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ghost Busters) joins wide-eyed artist BILL GALVAN (Archie, Guardians of the Galaxy) for a long night’s journey into mayhem with Archie X Army of Darkness #1! Featuring clean-cut covers from GALVAN, ROBERT HACK, LAURA BRAGA, CRAIG CERMAK, and STUART SAYGER, this premier issue also boasts a special PREMIUM MYSTERY BLIND BAG that contains three limited editions of the issue selected randomly from a range of variant covers exclusive to this offering — including two original covers by GALVAN and FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA, as well as multiple line art variants and colored blanks.
PREMIUM MYSTERY BLIND BAG that contains three limited editions of the issue selected randomly from a range of variant covers exclusive to this offering — including two original covers by GALVAN and FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA, as well as multiple line art variants and colored blanks.
Seeing Archie characters die, turn into zombies, get dismembered or otherwise become irrevocably altered was shocking the first time I saw it, in Afterlife with Archie. It's been some years, and the shock value is long since gone. These crossovers need to be good enough to justify their existence now, and not just rely on novelty. I don't know if this one is or isn't, but that's my attitude going in.
THUNDARR THE BARBARIAN #1, $4.99
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Kewber Baal
"ARIEL! OOKLA! RIDE!!!
When a runaway planet hurtled between the Earth and the Moon, cosmic destruction was unleashed - and mankind's proud civilizations were cast into ruin! Two millennia later, the planet is nearly unrecognizable - a harsh and savage realm where sorcery and super-science both reign over the powerless masses.
Now, rising up from their ranks, one man is breaking the bonds that restrained him. With the help of his faithful companions, Ariel and Ookla the Mok, he has dedicated his life - and the power of his mystical blade, the Sunsword - to liberating his world from the forces of evil. He is Thundarr, the Barbarian, and his story begins here!
Visionary comics author JASON AARON (Thor, Avengers, Conan) and acclaimed artist KEWBER BAAL (Vampirella, James Bond) return to the halcyon days of Saturday morning TV in the Dynamite debut of Thundarr the Barbarian, bringing with them all-new tales of the origins of the heroic trio and their ongoing battles against the corrupt forces that dominate their strange new world!
Featuring apocalyptically appealing covers from MICHAEL CHO, FRANCESCO MATTINA, BJORN BARENDS, and JOSEPH MICHAEL LINSNER, and ROB LIEFELD, this premier issue also features a special MYSTERY BLIND BAG VARIANT!
The Blind Bag contains one limited edition of this historic first issue selected randomly from a range of variant covers exclusive to this offering. Included in that range are a new original cover by DAN PANOSIAN, line art and line art virgin variants, foil variants, and colored blanks. Please Note: The number of Blind Bags is limited, and allocations may occur.
MORE DYNAMITE
GARGOYLES/DARKWING DUCK #1, $4.99
SUPERNATURAL VALENTINE'S DAY SPECIAL 2026 #1 (ONE-SHOT), $5.99
DISNEY VILLAINS: MALEFICENT #4, $4.99
PIERCE BROWN'S RED RISING SONS OF ARES OMNIBUS HC, $59.99
PIERCE BROWN'S RED RISING SONS OF ARES OMNIBUS TP, $49.99
TIM BURTON'S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS THE SHIVER OF CHRISTMAS TOWN #2, $4.99
VAMPIRELLA VOLUME 7 #10, $4.99
NO. 8: VIZ MEDIA
BORUTO: TWO BLUE VORTEX, VOL. 4
COLETTE DECIDES TO DIE, VOL. 6
THE BUGLE CALL: SONG OF WAR, VOL. 5
YOU AND I ARE POLAR OPPOSITES, VOL. 8
NO. 9: ONI PRESS
AUTUMN KINGDOM: THE WRAITHBOUND QUEEN #1 (OF 4), $4.99: Dark fantasy by Cullen Bunn and Christopher Mitten. Oni doesn't do much PR, even on their own site. But they have lots of words and pictures on this one.
EC CRUEL UNIVERSE 2 #7 (OF 12), $4.99
(W) Anthony Mauro, Greg Pak, Amy Roy (A) Kano, David Lapham, Malachi Ward (CA) Mike Huddleston
Warm flesh! Cold technology! As an astronaut, you have collided both together in an unwieldy alliance to survive the harsh vacuum of space. Now, as you wait to see whether all of your precious airlocks and heat shields will keep you from getting freeze-dried by the very cosmos you yearn to explore, never fear—there's an all-new issue of CRUEL UNIVERSE to help you keep calm! In the next installment of EC Comics' Eisner- and Ringo Award–nominated sensation: Stargazing writers Anthony Mauro (Salvation), Greg Pak (Planet Hulk), and Amy Roy (EC's Epitaphs from the Abyss) are transmitting live from the scene of an interstellar disaster, as coldly calculating artists Kano (Action Comics), David Lapham (Stray Bullets), and Malachi Ward (Black Hammer Reborn) record the distant pinpricks of light from their exploding space ships as they reach Earth hundreds of years later. Who said SCIENCE can't be entertaining?!
Jeff and I (mainly Jeff) discuss this series HERE.
MORE ONI PRESS
HIGH STRANGENESS #4 (OF 5), $7.99
RICK AND MORTY: THE END #3 (OF 6), $4.99
NO. 10 TITAN COMICS
SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #12, $6.99
(W) Chris Ryall, Fabian Nicieza, Patrick Zircher
(A) Gabriel Rodriguez, Mirko Colak
COVER A: ADRIAN SMITH
COVER B: GEOF ISHERWOOD
COVER C: ADRIAN SMITH FOIL TRADE ($16.99)
COVER D: ADRIAN SMITH VIRGIN
Featuring a cataclysmic CONAN story from writer Chris Ryall and artist Gabriel Rodriguez, a twisting BRAN MAK MORN prose tale from writer Fabian Nicieza, the return of EL BORAK from writer Patrick Zircher and artist Mirko Colak, captivating covers from Adrian Smith and Geof Isherwood, plus art pin-ups and more, SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN Issue #12 closes out its second year in sword-swinging style!
MORE PUBLISHERS
DIAL PRESS
SONGBIRD OF THE SORROWS HC (MYTHS OF THE EMPYRIEOS), $30.00: Romanatic fantasy.
DRAWN AND QUARTERLY
WOODCHIPPER GN, $25.00: By Joe Ollmann. "A suite of comic short stories focused on his trademark nervous wreck characters caught in a series of escalating personal disasters. Everybody’s doing their best. Everybody’s just trying to get through the day."
FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS
CRICKETS #9, $14.00: The Comics Journal has a story.
HERMES PRESS
Woot! It looks like Hermes has signed on to be distributed by Lunar! That means Hermes books will be more readily available in comic shops, but more importantly, it may mean we can get advance information. I will investigate.
Meanwhile, I'll post all of Hermes' releases this week, which were "previously listed with another distributor." (That would be DIamond, as if you didn't know.)
ART OF GEORGE WILSON HC , $75.00
(W) Anthony Taylor (A/CA) George Wilson
What made many of the great adventure comics of the 1960s so attractive were their fantastic painted covers by artist George Wilson. Wilson also turned in hundreds of painted covers for paperback books that range from The Phantom and Flash Gordon to romance, adventure and war titles, all illustrated in the extensive survey of his work. Unlike the majority of comic book covers of the era, Wilson's covers harkened back to the era of pulp magazines and were spectacularly eye-catching. He turned in efforts for literally hundreds of comics titles ? this important monograph on the artist provides examples of every genre he worked in. Presented are cover paintings scanned from the original artwork from Classics Illustrated, The Twilight Zone, Ripley's Believe It or Not, Doctor Solar, Magnus Robot Fighter, Turok, Son of Stone, Star Trek, Korak, Son of Tarzan, Mighty Samson, Brothers of the Spear, Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery, Space Family Robinson, Dark Shadows, and The Occult Files of Doctor Spektor to name but a few. This new art book focuses on over 300 examples of his cover art accompanied by an introduction by famed artist Joe Jusko, an exhaustive essay by Anthony Taylor and the only interview Wilson ever gave. This is the ultimate, definitive art book about one of the most important cover artists of the Silver and Bronze ages.
CURSE OF DARK SHADOWS GN , $19.99
(W) Craig Hurd-McKenney (A) Jok & Gervasio (CA) Nathan Ooten
Hermes Press presents an original graphic novel adding a new chapter to the classic vampire/gothic romance universe of Dark Shadows ? The Curse of Dark Shadows with a spell-binding script by Craig Hurd-McKenney and artwork by Jok. This 176 page color graphic novel presents a tale of drama and suspense: Carolyn Stoddard-Hawkes made a deathbed promise to her mother. But, in order for Carolyn to complete that promise, she must rely on the one person in the world she doesn’t want to see: vampire Barnabas Collins. His return home after an extended period away sets in motion a chain of events that will change the Collins family forever. Can Carolyn and her cousin David survive the newly-awakened Curse of Dark Shadows, or will Barnabas be the end of the family line? Also included are documentary content with art and supplemental materials. ?John Logan, Playwright Screenwriter and Creator of PENNY DREADFUL after reading this new chapter in the Dark Shadows saga observed: “If you, like me, long for more adventures at Collinwood and with your Dark Shadows friends, look no further. CURSE OF DARK SHADOWS is modern, sexy, scary and, most of all, thoroughly Dark Shadows.”
DARK SHADOWS PAPER DOLL BOOK SC, $24.99
(W) Jim Pierson (A/CA) Samantha Lomuscio
"Hot on the heels of Hermes Press' retro best selling Dark Shadows coloring book comes a full color book featuring all of Collinwood's cast of the classic television show in paper doll form with plenty of different costumes to cut out to adorn these characters; all of them appear in the modern timeline at Collinwood alive or undead… This book contains all of the classic characters?33 in all; printed on cardstock to cut out and adorn with dozens of costumes based on the television show; 96 pages with 48 full color pieces of artwork. Indeed, there are over 120 costumes and props to cut out and dress up the paper dolls. Also included are costumes from each flashback for the time traveling characters such as 1795, 1840 and 1897. The Dark Shadows Paper Doll Book is the only authorized edition of its kind. Developed with Curtis Holdings."
DETHANY AND THE PHANTOM OF THE SWIM TEAM GN, $19.99
(W) Bill Holbrook, H. H. Glynn (A/CA) Terrence & Isabel Marks
When Dethany Dendrobia, the cheerful 12-year-old Goth, joins the neighborhood swim team, she assumes she is just helping out friends who need an extra person to qualify for meets. Outdoor sports are definitely beyond her comfort zone, but Dethany relishes the opportunity to spend the summer with her best buds before they move up to 8th grade--and before her family is transferred to a new town. However, not long after her first meet, mysterious incidents begin happening at the pool, and Dethany is the prime suspect. As she and her friends fight to clear her name, they uncover evidence that leads to stakes more important than a simple relay race. This coming-of-age graphic novel features the normal milestones of puberty set against a dastardly plot of local intrigue. Dive in!
THE PHANTOM: THE COMPLETE NEWSPAPER DAILIES VOLUME 34 1989-1991 HC, $65.00
(W) Lee Falk (A/CA) Sy Barry
Referred to by comic strip historian Maurice Horn as the “granddaddy of all costumed superheroes,” The Phantom was created in 1936 by Lee Falk. The strip hit the funny pages of newspapers well before the Dark Knight or Superman made their first appearances and has been acknowledged as an influence on every “masked man of mystery” since. The Phantom set the standard for action, adventure, intrigue, and romance in adventure comic strips and comic books ? it has frequently been copied but never equaled. This exciting 34th volume continues the SY BARRY YEARS! Reprinted in all its black and white glory, journey with Hermes Press as we bring you five complete continuities drawn by Sy himself which continue the adventures of The Phantom, Diana, and his two children: “The Death Threat,”The Master of Eden,” “Attack of the Witchmen,” “The Valley of the Elephants,” and “Zima the Rogue Elephant” Also included is a comprehensive essay and documentary materials.
KEENSPOT ENTERTAINMENT
SKYCLAD #1, $5.99: Most Keenspot books are aimed at kids or YA. This one is not.
PART-TIME COMIX, $5.99
(W) Jon Westhoff (A) Dan Dougherty (CA) Maria Wolf
GIANT SIZED FIRST ISSUE!When Black Sabbath (not the Beatles) became the world’s most famous band, the universe was changed, musically and otherwise. Lost arts, like Alchemy, were made common, schools taught about transfiguration and alternate science, Demons were summoned and some stuck around.Lana LOVES music. She has played in bands all through high school and now, in college, she still plays in her ex’s fledgling metal band. Secretly, she stays so she can play her own music after her ex leaves band practice. At her age, she is starting to think pursuing music might not be the path destined for an independent songwriter. With the Billboard music charts being dominated by the Heaviest of metal, Lana is content practicing her songs with her band mate, Jimmie. Bands like hers are doomed to the local scene. She’s not even brave enough to find a full band. The two-piece are finishing up their best practice yet when they are drawn into a spiritual battle to keep metal on the top of the charts.
I don't actually expect this to be very good, but I do think it's a clever thought experiment about The Beatles.
Replies
In 1940, the worst DC probably had to offer was Ultra.
Unless they "retcon" Darkseid (which wouldn't surprise me).
DARWYN COOKE'S THE COMPLETE SPIRIT CONNOISSEUR EDITION HC
I'm sorry, but true "connoisseurs" already have the Spirit Archives by Will Eisner.
KNIGHT CITY: Lapham's work looks cruder than what I remember.
I don't know... his work on Image's current Good as Dead looks like one might expect. I like Dave Lapham but I'll probably give this a pass.
SYNTHETICS VOLUME 1: Dr. Hernando Montoya...
"My name is Dr. Hernando Montoya. You killed my..." Oh, nevermind.
Woot! It looks like Hermes has signed on to be distributed by Lunar!
Good news! I'll ask at my LCS retailer his thoughts. (He has already contacted me that all of my Hermes Press backorders have shipped.)