COMICS-RELATED
Aquaman: King of Atlantis (Thursday, Oct. 21)
"Chapter Two: Primordeous"
It's Aquaman’s first day on the job as King of Atlantis and he’s got a LOT of catching up to do. Luckily, he has his two royal advisors to back him up — Vulko, the scholar, and Mera, the water controlling warrior-princess. Between dealing with unscrupulous surface dwellers, elder evils from beyond time and his own half-brother who wants to overthrow him, Aquaman is going to have to rise to the challenge and prove to his subjects, and to himself, that he’s the right man for the throne!
Injustice (Tuesday, Oct. 19)
An unthinkable tragedy propels Superman into a dangerous new mindset, ultimately pitting Justice League members against each other in Injustice, an all-new DC Animated Movie. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, DC and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, the feature-length animated film is set for release on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack ($39.99 U.S./$44.98 Canada), Blu-ray ($29.98 U.S./$39.99 Canada) and Digital.
THE TOP FIVE
Catwoman: Lonely City #1 (of 4)
DC Comics | 48 pages | Prestige Plus format | Black Label |
Story/Art/Covers: Cliff Chiang | 1:25 variant: Jock
Ten years ago, the massacre known as Fools’ Night claimed the lives of Batman, The Joker, Nightwing, and Commissioner Gordon … and sent Selina Kyle, the Catwoman, to prison. A decade later, Gotham has grown up — it’s put away costumed heroism and villainy as childish things. The new Gotham is cleaner, safer … and a lot less free, under the watchful eye of Mayor Harvey Dent and his Batcops. It’s into this new city that Selina Kyle returns, a changed woman … with her mind on that one last big score: the secrets hidden inside the Batcave! She doesn’t need the money — she just needs to know … who is “Orpheus?”
CC sez: I think Catwoman: When in Rome, Catwoman: Selina's Big Score and a clutch of recent YA graphic novels prove Catwoman can and should be a strong solo lead, independent of the Bat. This series will be a test of that thesis, as it features a middle-aged Cat with Batman long dead and gone. Fingers crossed it will sell.
THE COMPLETE AMERICAN GODS HC
Dark Horse | Mature | $124.99
Story: Neil Gaiman, P. Craig Russell, Mark Buckingham | Art: P. Craig Russell, Scott Hampton, Colleen Doran, Galen Showman, Walter Simonson, Glenn Fabry, Mark Buckingham, Galen Showman | Colors: Scott Hampton, Lovern Kindzierski, Laura Martin, Colleen Doran, Adam Brown, Jennifer T. Lange | Cover: David Mack, Glenn Fabry
Shadow Moon, fresh out of jail, finds his wife dead, his life in shambles, and nowhere to turn. But a chance meeting with the mysterious Mr. Wednesday thrusts him into the center of a conflict between new and old gods, where the future of human and divine life is at stake.
Adapted by P. Craig Russell from the award-winning novel by Neil Gaiman, this deluxe, oversized hardcover edition of American Gods comes with a slipcase illustrated by David Mack and a bookmark ribbon with a gold pattern. It collects American Gods: Shadows #1-9, American Gods: My Ainsel #1-9 and American Gods: The Moment of the Storm #1-9.
Praise for American Gods:
"The Holy Grail of Gaiman comics.” — SyFy Wire
"An atmospheric, beautifully illustrated take on Gaiman's story." — AV Club
“It should come as no surprise that American Gods is a quirky, involving story that mixes the best qualities of a fairy tale with the most compelling aspects of a classic road novel.” — Tasha Robinson, The Onion (Focus section)
“It’s a rich, lyrical homage to the repository of narrative bequeathed to us by the mythology and folklore of all cultures, and a generous gift from an inveterate romantic and mythmaker who manifestly loves nothing so much as the simple art of storytelling.” — Bruce Allen, Boston Globe
“Gaiman — who is best known as the creator of the respected DC Comics Sandman series — has a deft hand with the mythologies he tinkers with here; even better, he's a fine, droll storyteller.” — The New York Times
“There's something raw about American Gods, too. It's a polished piece of writing, no doubt about that, but it has that simultaneous urgency and sprawl of a writer finding their feet.” — The Guardian
“Gaiman exhibits his usual deft characterization and keen ear for dialogue and wordplay, but the book represents a step forward for his prose. … American Gods is assured and ambitious, resembling nothing except Gaiman’s Sandman stories.” — Tasha Robinson, The Onion (Focus section)
CC sez: This is the second time this week that waiting for the format I wanted paid off. (The other is Marvel Masterworks: Tomb of Dracula, below. But believe me, I've made enough wrong moves in collecting that I'm not crowing about the couple of times I got it right.) Anyway, yes: This is exactly the format I wanted for this series, and now it's here. Whee!
THE JODOROWSKY LIBRARY VOL 1 HC
Humanoids | Mature | $39.99
AStory: Alejandro Jodorowsky | Art: Georges Bess
The first in a library of deluxe matching volumes collecting the iconic works of the legendary Alejandro Jodorowsky.
Included in this volume are the bawdy secret agent tale ANIBAL 5 (illustrated by Georges Bess) and the sci-fi epic MEGALEX (illustrated by Fred Beltran), along with a selection of stories from SCREAMING PLANET with artwork by Adi Granov, Axel Medellin, and other comics art legends.
Includes previously unseen bonus materials and extras, including rare pages from Jodorowsky's never-reprinted comics debut in 1966!
CC sez: I often joke about how incomprehensible Jodorowsky's work can be, but that's because ... well, it often is.
At least to this reader. But I've always harbored a secret suspicion that this is not the case for a lot of European readers. That is to say, Jodorowsky's work might resonate at a conscious or subconscious level with those who learned a European curriculum in school; with those who read European comics, novels and magazines growing up; and for whom European history, folklore and mythology are part of the pattern of their life.
Now, I can't go back in time and be born in Jodorowsky's interwar Spain, but I bet I can get a better understanding by simply reading Jodorowsky in chronological order. And here comes a library to help me do just that.
I mean, I do enjoy Jodorowsky's work. Even when I don't understand it.
NITA HAWES' NIGHTMARE BLOG #1
Image | $3.99
Story: Rodney Barnes | Art: Jason Shawn Alexander | Covers: Well-Bee, Jason Shawn Alexander, Francesco Mattina, Patric Reynolds
Critically acclaimed writer Rodney Barnes and fan-favorite Spawn artist Jason Shawn Alexander will expand their Eisner-nominated Killadelphia universe with the terrifying new tie-in Nita Hawes’ Nightmare Blog.
“Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is pure horror in the classical sense of the word," Barnes said on CBR. "Its roots are in the tradition of the classic horror films and novels I’ve loved throughout my life. I’m incredibly excited to see how fans take to the story.”
Jimmy Sangster might have left Maryland for the vampire-infested city of “Killadelphia,” but there is still untold evil lurking the streets of Baltimore. The demon Corson has surfaced from the underworld to possess a once-wronged man, and his vengeance will come at the cost of humanity’s despair! But Jimmy’s former lover Nita Hawes — a woman with demons of her own — has begun a quest to root the evil out of her city. Guided by the ghost of her dead brother, she must come to terms with her own past, lest she join her brother in a state worse than death!
Alexander added: “Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is the perfect conduit for us to explore all matter of things that go bump or scream in the night. This is kick ass horror with crazy amazing talent behind it.”
CC sez: Wow, another awesome-looking Image series. I've haven't read Killadelphia regularly, but I might have to start.
PAPER GIRLS: THE COMPLETE STORY TPB
Image | $49.99
Story: Brian K. Vaughan | Art: Matt Wilson | Art/Cover: Cliff Chiang
Image Comics is pleased to announce that the Eisner Award-winning series Paper Girls by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang with colors by Matt Wilson will be collected in its entirety into a trade paperback compendium. Paper Girls: The Complete Story will feature new cover art by Chiang and will hit shelves this Fall from Image Comics.
“I’m so proud of this story," said Vaughan. "And I think our young heroes’ complex journey through time reads particularly well in one epic binge-read, so this gorgeous new collection is the perfect way to enjoy the entire series, currently being adapted as an amazing television show for Amazon Prime!”
According to an exclusive with DEADLINE, "Always Be My Maybe star and Baby Cobra comedian Ali Wong will join Amazon’s Paper Girls series, based on Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang’s graphic novel, from Amazon Studios, Legendary TV and Plan B. She will join series leads Sofia Rosinksy, Camryn Jones, Riley Lai Nelet and Fina Strazza. Stephany Folsom and Christopher C. Rogers will co-showrun. Vaughan, Chiang, Plan B, Christopher Cantwell and the showrunners will serve as executive producers for the series, which is set to film in Chicago this year."
Paper Girls follows four 12-year-old newspaper delivery girls from the year 1988 who uncover the most important story of all time. Suburban drama and otherworldly mysteries collide in this critically acclaimed series about nostalgia, first jobs, and the last days of childhood.
Chiang added: "We had so much fun filling these thirty issues with mystery, friendship, and giant robots, and I'm thrilled to present this hefty volume for anyone who wants to dive into the whole story."
The mind-bending storytelling of Lost meets the ’80s nostalgia of Stand by Me in this addictive, award winning bestseller.
Paper Girls: The Complete Story trade paperback will collect the complete series, issues #1-30.
Select praise for Paper Girls:
“The book remains gorgeous throughout every issue, every volume. Chiang and Wilson create big moments of weirdness — invisible mecha, unraveling time machines, kaiju tardigrades, card-catalog golems — that strike exactly the right balance between recognizable and utterly inexplicable to create a sense of the uncanny in both the girls and the reader. But they really shine in the quiet emotional moments of contemplation and realization. ... It’s glorious and moving, and also awkward and funny.” — Tor.com
“Paper Girls’ vivid color palette and Chiang’s unique drawing style beautifully complement Vaughan’s creative time-bending storyline.” — KORE Magazine
“Amazing” — 99.9 KISW Radio
“A brilliant series.” — The Plain Dealer
“Its tone is harder, flintier, funnier, more pragmatic, and far less concerned with idealizing the ‘lost innocence’ of childhood [than Stranger Things and Super 8].” —NPR
“Paper Girls is a reminder of how fresh and accessible even the most familiar stories and tropes can feel when people who have been consigned to the sidelines of popular entertainment take center stage.” —SLATE
“A total blast, a mass-cultural mash-it-up that evokes everything from B-movie creature-feature thrills to vintage YA angst to the pop-plundering album covers of Hipgnosis. I've re-read the series three times now — sometimes to get re-unstuck in Vaughan's time-bending story; sometimes to study Cliff Chiang's vibrant, spacious illustrations; sometimes to take in Matt Wilson's neon, period-perfect coloring. ... Chances are you'll get sucked into it, too — especially if Stranger Things ... has whet your appetite for more Reagan-era intrigue.” — WIRED
“The story opens with an earnest, Spielberg-esque vibe that sends you soaring before abruptly plunging you down into the creepy and bizarre, ultimately leaving you with the most WTF cliffhanger ... of the year.” — Vox.com
“You all should be reading Brian K. Vaughan's [and Cliff Chiang’s’] Paper Girls comic series now.” — The Los Angeles Times
“Every volume of Paper Girls has been marked by outstanding dialog, incredible, likable characters, and art worthy of the magnificent Fiona Staples, whose work on Saga has revived a kind of Jack Kirby/Canteen on Mos Eisley comic surrealism that Chiang is definitely dabbling in here.” — Boing Boing
“His plotting on Paper Girls is second to none, and lays subplot trails with an artistry that would be earning him all kinds of mainstream accolades if this were a Netflix series and not a comic book. But the look of Paper Girls is utterly gorgeous as well.” — The Guardian UK
CC sez: Wow, that is a lot of words! Well, I haven't read Paper Girls, but almost everybody on this board who has is wildly enthusiastic. I've been waiting for a hardcover, but maybe I might have to bite the bullet and get this TPB. All that enthusiasm is infectious.
OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST
ANT #1
Image | $3.99
Story/Art/Covers: Erik Larsen
"ANT: WHO SHE IS AND HOW SHE CAME TO BE!"
Erik Larsen takes on a whole new wall-crawler! ANT's epic adventure kicks off with this all-new origin issue! A new ongoing title by ERIK LARSEN!
Image Comics co-founder Erik Larsen takes on a whole new wall-crawler! After wrapping up the volume one conclusion of Mario Gully’s Ant, Larsen will kick off an all-new Ant series filled to the brim with epic adventure. The series will launch with Ant #1 and share a new origin story with fans when it hits shelves this August from Image Comics.
In this upcoming Ant series, Larsen will breathe new life into the character and expand upon her place and identity in the Image Universe.
“I’ve been invested in Ant ever since Mario Gully initially pitched the book at Image back when I was the publisher. Mario and I threw a lot of ideas back and forth about how to make the character work at Image and the more I thought about the possibilities — the more I liked the character. I even plotted and laid out a final Ant chapter for Mario’s run on the book, which I ended up completing myself as the finale to her initial series,” said Larsen.
When Gully decided to sell his character, he approached Larsen to purchase her. “Buying characters from other people is not something I typically do. In fact, it’s not something I do at all. But Ant intrigued me. I’d put so much thought into the character and her series that I couldn’t help myself. Mario named his price and I paid it."
Larsen reintroduced Ant when he was writing and drawing Spawn with Todd McFarlane. Ant was part of a four-part crossover with Larsen’s book Savage Dragon. “I thought Ant was a natural fit in the Spawn/Savage Dragon Universe,” continued Larsen. “And now that I’ve moved on from Spawn, I can at last devote my full attention to Ant’s adventures."
"Not since the debut of Savage Dragon have I started a series with more preparation and more plans. This one has been percolating in the back of my brain for more than a decade,” asserted Larsen. “Mario’s book was all over the place. there were five writers over 11 issues, all pushing and pulling in different directions, there were numerous flashbacks and glimpses into her past and it never quite gelled in any coherent way. This new book is essentially a clean slate. It’s far more linear and straightforward. I tell her origin in the first issue and we follow her adventures from that point on. It touches on events from her original series and makes sense of it all. It’s the book I had hoped the Ant book would be. It’s a chance to realize her potential at long last.”
CC sez: This book is emblematic of the things I didn't like about Image Comics when it debuted in the 1990s: Swipes; grotesque, unrealistic portrayals of women (bowling-ball breasts, brokeback poses); too much hype (without Stan Lee's charm); and lateness.
Ant, unfortunately, reminds me of all these things. Her poses and powers are way too Spider-Man for me. I find her depiction both unattractive and insulting to women. I cut some hype from this press release, but there's still plenty to be found. And as for lateness, the PR arrived in July, for a book originally scheduled for Aug. 25, that eventually got here on Oct. 20.
Now, I'll be the first to say that as Image grew it changed, and now can be counted on for some of the best creator-owned books in the industry. Very few are superhero-y, and most avoid the above faults.
But, boy, did the arrival of Ant trigger some bad, old memories. And with Todd McFarlane trying his best to copy the Marvel Cinematic Universe in print (presumably so he can sell it all to Hollywood as the second coming of the MCU, like Mark Millar did), and Rob Liefeld popping up to argue trivialities all over the Internet (but still not meeting his deadlines), I'm having very uncomfortable '90s flashbacks.
Which is not to pass judgment on Ant #1, which I have not read. Feel free to give it a try. I won't, because I'll be lying in a dark room with a warm cloth over my eyes.
DESTROY ALL MONSTERS HC
Image | $24.99
Story: Ed Brubaker | Art: Jacob Phillips | Art/Cover: Sean Phillips
The next book in the red-hot RECKLESS series is here!
Bestselling crime noir masters ED BRUBAKER and SEAN PHILLIPS bring us a new original graphic novel starring troublemaker-for-hire Ethan Reckless.
It's 1988, and Ethan has been hired for his strangest case yet: finding the secrets of a Los Angeles real estate mogul. How hard could that be, right? But what starts as a deep dive into the life of a stranger will soon take a deadly turn, and Ethan will risk everything that still matters to him.
Another smash hit from the award-winning creators of RECKLESS, PULP, MY HEROES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN JUNKIES, CRIMINAL and KILL OR BE KILLED-and a must-have for all BRUBAKER and PHILLIPS fans!
CC sez: Here's an example of where my wait-and-see approach to collecting collections hasn't worked out so well. I generally wait for Brubaker/Phillips releases to be collected in omnibuses (or deluxe editions, as they seem to be called), and that worked out great for Criminal. I've got three deluxe editions, which I think collect all the Criminal ever made.
But here's, from the looks of it, a second series by the same team: Reckless. By waiting, I've remained ignorant of what it's about. I don't know how many stories there have been. And I don't know what collection options are available (aside from individual story collections, called "books"), or will be in the future.
Reckless being by Brubaker/Phillips, I definitely want to read it. I just hope Image releases it in the format I want (complete collections) before it becomes ancient history.
ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO COMIC BOOK LETTERING TPB
Image | $16.99
Story: Nate Piekos
Ringo and Eagle award-winning letterer and founder of Blambot.com — Nate Piekos — provides readers with the most in-depth tips and techniques ever published on the subject of digital comic book lettering in this exhaustive guide. He covers everything from creating lettering templates, emotive dialogue and dynamic sound effects to developing design skills and building a lettering career in the comic industry.
"For years I've posted lettering tips and design theory on social media, and one of the most frequently asked follow-up questions I receive is, 'Have you ever thought about writing a book about this?' " said Piekos. "Since well-executed lettering is an often overlooked part of the comics reading experience, very few people realize just how much graphic design skill is required to do the job well. I felt like it was past time to write an exhaustive guide on the art of digital comic book lettering for all those who are interested. It's a 'deep dive' on the subject that aspiring letterers have been craving."
Piekos has provided lettering and design for virtually every major publisher: Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Image Comics, Oni Press and more. His fonts also appear in video games, movies, advertising and product packaging. Microsoft, Six Flags Amusement Parks, Charles Schulz & Associates, New Yorker Magazine, The Gap, Penguin Random House, and Sony, are just a few mega-corporations that have licensed designs from Blambot.com.
Featuring a foreword by famed X-Men letterer TOM ORZECHOWSKI.
CC sez: The Li'l Capn had dreams of being a comic book artist, and he could ape some artists pretty well. But one aspect of comic book art he never had any idea how to do was lettering, and he had to fake it (badly). Today's budding artists have this to guide to aid them instead. Who knows? Maybe if this was available to the 8-year-old Captain, he'd be drawing Spider-Man now.
But probably not.
GUN HONEY #2 (OF 4)
Titan Comics | Mature | $3.99
Story: Charles Ardai | Art: Ang Hor Kheng | Covers: Kendrick Lim, Robert McGinnis, Ang Hor Kheng, photo
DEBUT SERIES FROM AWARD WINNING WRITER AND CO-FOUNDER OF HARD CASE CRIME PUBLISHING CHARLES ARDAI.
When a gun smuggled into a high-security prison leads to the death of dozens and the escape of a brutal criminal, notorious weapons smuggler Joanna Tan is enlisted by the U.S. government: find the man she set loose and bring him down!
"Charles Ardai is very smart and very cool fellow." — Stephen King
CC sez: I knew this book would lean heavily on sex appeal, but I didn't expect full frontal nudity and a cunnilingus splash page. (Get the jokes out of your system now, please.) The sex isn't entirely gratuitous, as it is necessitated by the plot. But there's definitely some fan service going on. ("Some" as in "a lot.") You'll have to decide for yourself if that's a bridge too far.
GUNSLINGER SPAWN #1
Image | 48 pages | Teen+ | $5.99
Story: Todd McFarlane & Aleš Kot (backup story) | Art: Brett Booth & Philip Tan, Kevin Keane, Thomas Nachlik | Colors: FCO, Andrew Dalhouse, others | Covers: Brett Booth, Todd McFarlane, John Romita Jr., Greg Capullo, Robert Kirkman, TonTon Revolver, Brett Booth (Interconnecting variant), Greg Capullo (1:50 copy incentive, raw pencils), Todd McFarlane (1:250 copy signed incentive)
The new comic title features Gunslinger Spawn, a man out of time who is unwillingly thrust 200 years in the future to the 21st century. Not only does he have to navigate a new world, but he’ll have to deal with the demons of his past. No one is safe from his vengeance as he heads into battle with guns blazing as he tries to find his way back home.
"Gunslinger Spawn returns with a vengeance, and he will make Spawn look like a Boy Scout," said McFarlane, Spawn creator and President at Image Comics. "Finally, fans will get a glimpse into his history as we dig deeper into his past and explore his future.”
CC sez: You wouldn't believe how much exaggerated, self-congratulatory hype I deleted from this press release. Or maybe you would.
HELLCOP #1
Image Comics | $3.99
Story/Art: Brian Haberlin | Covers: Brian Haberlin, Geirrod Van Dyke
"If you look through my dozens and dozens of sketch books over the years you’ll see one of my characters continually pop up more than all of the others … Virgil Hilts: Hellcop. This is a story and character itch I’ve desperately needed to scratch for … well decades," said Haberlin. "Think of the story as a modern day Bladerunner meets the conspiracy of China Town. Virgil stumbles upon a shadowy cabal/vast cover up that he must expose in order to survive. We’re having a lot of fun building the world of Hell, which isn’t so different from our own. So keep an eye out for some old style comic ads in the books with a straight out of Hell flavor. We even have one of my favorite Hellions, Spawn, as an incentive cover of issue 1. It’s going to be one hell of a ride."
When mankind first broke through the walls between dimensions, nothing could have prepared them for what they would find in Known Reality Plane 1301-A: it was Hell. Literally. A covert security force was quickly assembled to patrol the Hellplane and ensure that none of the nastier denizens made their way Earthside. They were dubbed the Pan-Dimensional Security Corps. The Hellcops.
Van Dyke added: "Brian’s designs for this are crazy fun, crazy creatures, monobikes, a lot of steampunk stuff. It’s really interesting to think of Hell as just another world, with doctors, lawyers, etc., that sometimes its natives would crossover to our world through “soft spots” and that’s why the things from this world fit our legends of Hell, because that is where we got the idea from in the first place. It’s the ultimate to get to reinterpret and modernize myths."
CC sez: Looks interesting. But not as interesting as Nora Dawes' Nightmare Blog.
EXO: LEGEND OF WALE WILLIAMS VOL 1 TPB
Dark Horse | $24.99
Story: Roye Okupe | Art: Sunkanmi Akinboye | Cover: Godwin Akpan
The oldest son of a world-renowned scientist, Wale Williams — a.k.a. tech-savvy superhero EXO — tries to save Lagoon City from a deadly group of emerging extremists. But before this "pending" superhero can do any good for his city, there is one person he must save first-himself! An Afrofuturist superhero story about redemption set in the bustling metropolis that is Lagos, Nigeria-with a creative team that's also from Lagos!
Praise for YouNeek Studios
“Wale Williams — and his setting of 'Lagoon City' — is to Lagos what Gotham City is to New York.” — Forbes
“’Bout time!” — Jamie Foxx
“E.X.O.: The Legend of Wale Williams is the fast-paced, afro-futuristic graphic novel from Roye Okupe.” — CNN
“The designs are very slick and futuristic, and ignore some of the design stereotypes which frequently turn up in many ‘African set’ productions created by less intimate creators. At an initial glance, it has all of the fast-paced action and hi-tech superhero antics that you would expect of most animated action series on Cartoon Network or NickToons, only it is featuring a brand-new hero for a brand-new era.” — The Examiner
CC sez: I'm all for the Afrofuturist genre, but let's hope this book distances itself from Iron Man and X-O Manowar. Quickly.
JUST BEYOND: MONSTROSITY OGN
BOOM! | $10.99
Story: R. L. Stine | Art: Irene Flores | Cover: Julian Totino Todesco
There's no business like horror business, it's a real nightmare! Ruthie and Ezra's dreams come true when their family buys an old Hollywood studio, but it soon turns into a nightmare as they discover the secret and forgotten horrors are more than just makeup and special effects.
Monstrosity Studios was the biggest name in horror movies until it closed down years ago. As the Dillon family starts production back up, strange "accidents" start to happen on set and things get truly scary! Will they survive the very real terrors of a haunted movie lot, or will they find themselves on the cutting room floor?
The fourth installment of the first original graphic novel series from award-winning, bestselling author R.L. Stine (Goosebumps, Fear Street) with artist Irene Flores (Mark of the Succubus) and featuring a terrifying cover by Julian Todesco (Life of Captain Marvel), soon to be a television series on Disney+!
CC sez: The "soon" in the last sentence above was actually last week. Just Beyond dropped its first full season on Disney+ Oct. 13.
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: TOMB OF DRACULA VOL 1
Marvel | 280 pages | Teen+ | $75.00
Story: Marv Wolfman, more | Art: Gene Colan, more | Cover: Neal Adams
The Marvel Masterworks cracks open the TOMB OF DRACULA! If there was one title that ushered in the Marvel Age of Horror in the early 1970s, it was TOMB OF DRACULA, the longest running of those seminal monster classics. TOMB was the title Gene Colan was born to draw, and he and writer Marv Wolfman crafted a legacy of undead action that has become an evergreen of Marvel storytelling. The hunt is on to slay Count Dracula, and the descendants of the Van Helsings are still around to make the kill — or die trying. But a new vampire hunter is on the scene, and his name is Blade! These classics have been newly restored to look better than ever! Collecting TOMB OF DRACULA (1972) #1-11 and material from DRACULA LIVES #1-2.
CC sez: Marvel issued an omnibus covering the first half of this series years ago ... and never followed up. Now they're switching gears, starting over in the Masterworks format.
I'm glad to see it. I've long wanted to get this series in hardcover, but held off on the omnibus until I was sure they'd finish the series. In retrospect, a prescient move. I'm more confident in Masterworks to collect the whole enchilada, as they usually march forward in a slow but deliberate manner.
And I hope they include pertinent Dracula Lives! stories. I have all those, but I haven't read them since I bought them, almost 50 years ago for some of them. I'd like to read 'em again in a less fragile format than my originals.
MY LITTLE PONY: GENERATIONS #1 (of 5)
IDW | $3.99
Story: Casey Gilly | Art: Michela Cacciatore | Cover: Amy Mebberson
A brand-new Pony adventure begins here, encompassing generations both old and new when G1 and Friendship is Magic collide! A long time ago, an evil witch named Hydia sought to destroy pony-kind. Now her granddaughters, Grackle and Dyre, are back to finish the job! With the School of Friendship overloaded with students, Starlight Glimmer and the Mane Six reach out for help. Enter: Violet Shiver, Shadow Storm and Black Belle! But these ponies aren't quite what they seem; in fact, they're working for Grackle and Dyre! With their sights set on revenge and a brand-new Smooze on hand, the young witches and their dastardly creations are ready to cause some mayhem.
“I am so grateful to IDW and Hasbro for allowing me to tell this fun, spirited story that brings part of my childhood into the present day,” says Gilly. “As much as I loved writing it, the best part has been seeing Michela’s incredible art breathe life into it — every single page is so vibrant, so charming, and just exploding with talent. I hope all My Little Pony fans can reconnect with characters from their past, enjoy the Mane 6 on another wild adventure, and fall in love with a couple of sassy, powerful, teenage witches the way that I have.”
“It's exciting to work with the characters that I grew up with, and to have the chance to create new characters ... especially the bad guys. Everyone loves the bad guys!” says Cacciatore.
CC sez: Well, they weren't gone long, were they?
THE ORVILLE ARTIFACTS #1 (OF 2)
Dark Horse | $3.99
Story: David Goodman | Art/Cover: David Cabeza
When Ed bumps into his old astro- archaeology teacher, the professor asks for assistance in his pursuit of the lost fleet of the Zankon, whose systems-spanning empire rose and fell millions of years ago, according to legend. However, doing so means taking the Orville into a system so hazardous no ship has ever successfully navigated it.
CC sez: I've made my feeling clear about this franchise: I think it moved from "spoof" to "intellectual property theft" a long time ago. But many of you don't share my delicate fee-fees and enjoy The Orville, so heads up on this new series. (Which is actually the third issue of "Season 3.")
Phoenix Song: Echo #1 (of 5)
Story: Rebecca Roanhorse | Art: Luca Maresca | Covers: Cory Smith, Leinil Francis Yu
The Phoenix Force has chosen a new host! Spinning directly out of Jason Aaron’s Avengers storyline “Enter the Phoenix” comes PHOENIX SONG: ECHO #1, a brand-new series from best-selling Hugo Award-winning novelist Rebecca Roanhorse and rising star artist Luca Maresca (Avengers). Roanhorse previously wrote the Cheyenne hero in last year’s Marvel’s Voices: Indigenous Voices #1 and now returns to the saga of Maya Lopez as she deals with her biggest transformation yet. The exhilarating story will be packed with revelations about both Echo’s ancestry and the Phoenix Force mythos as well as the debut of new heroes and the shocking return of an iconic X-Men villain …
Echo is now the host of one of the most powerful entities in the Marvel Universe, and she has burning questions that demand answers. Still learning her new cosmic abilities — and struggling with the Phoenix’s overwhelming personality — Echo strikes out to return to her roots. But the reservation has even fewer answers. And where power goes, evil follows. Someone wants Echo to fail — and unleash a power only the greatest heroes in history have been able to control.
"I am excited to return to Echo in her first solo series and follow this thrilling new direction Jason Aaron has taken her,” said Roanhorse. “Readers will see some old favorites reimagined and some entirely new characters as Echo comes to terms with the incredible and dangerous powers of the Phoenix."
CC sez: Echo never did anything for me, and I didn't read the series where she got the Phoenix Force. As you might guess, I'm not motivated to read this series, either. Am I missing something good, Legionnaires?
PURGATORI #1
Dynamite | Teen+ n| 32 pages | $3.99
Story: Ray Fawkes | Art: Alvaro Sarraseca | Covers: Antonio Fuso, Carlo Pagulayan, Russell Fox, Nerdy Nereid Cosplay
DEBUT ISSUE!
From the team that brought you the seismic VAMPIRELLA VS. PURGATORI series comes the solo follow-up for the demon of dark humor!
Purgatori’s really living the vampire demon life. She’s got Lilith’s nasty mind worm eating her willpower. She’s going bug-nuts crazy. And now, there are a bunch of witches targeting her with their weird body-snatching schemes. Clearly, it’s time for some quiet introspection and careful planning, right? Get ready for bloody mayhem instead!
CC sez: Dynamite bought the Chaos Comics characters some time ago, but other than an initial, splashy crossover, haven't done much with them that I know about. I'm glad they're starting here, as Purgatori is probably the strongest, conceptually, of the bunch.
REFRIGERATOR FULL OF HEADS #1 (OF 6)
DC Comics | Ages 17+ | $3.99
Story: Rio Youers | Art: Tom Fowler | Cover: Sam Wolfe Connelly
Hill House Comics is back and heads are going to roll for making readers wait! The new wave of titles begins with a rancid return trip to bloody Brody Island. For a year now, the mysterious axe that unleashed pandemonium during the hurricane of ’83 has waited at the bottom of the bay but nothing that powerful stays buried. Brody Island has new visitors, and a new sheriff in town, too—not to mention a dangerous great white shark spotted in its waters — and when vacationing couple Calvin Beringer and Arlene Fields find themselves on the wrong side of Brody’s unsavory elements, their beachcombing will turn up something a lot sharper than sea glass. … Crime novelist Rio Youers joins forces with artist Tom Fowler to unleash a gonzo grindhouse expansion on the lore of the original Basketful of Heads!
CC sez: I really enjoyed Basketful of Heads, but that's no guarantee I'll like this one — the feisty lead of the first book isn't in this one, which seems to have an entirely different setting. But it's by the same team, which is encouraging.
EVENTS/CROSSOVERS
FEAR STATE
BATMAN #115
DC Comics | $4.99
Story: James Tynion IV, Becky Cloonan, Michael W. Conrad | Art: Jorge Jimenez, Bengal, Jorge Corona | Covers: Jorge Jimenez, Jorge Molina,
Batman and Miracle Molly are all that stands between Gotham City and absolute insanity! But an unhinged Simon Saint brings all the resources of the Magistrate to bear on the Dark Knight … is victory at hand for the Scarecrow? Back-Up: Batgirls Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown have each other’s backs no matter what — even if it means punching some Magistrate soldier butt, and putting an even bigger target on their backs. Meanwhile, a mysterious Anti-Oracle character finally makes contact directly with Babs and has a few things to say about the unethical nature of Oracle’s powers, and what they think should be done about it.
CC sez:
dif • fuse (verb): Spread or cause to spread over a wide area or among a large number of people.
de • fuse (verb): Remove the fuse from an explosive device in order to prevent it from exploding.
You'd think Batman would know the difference. (See cover.)
BATMAN SECRET FILES: PEACKKEEPER 01 #1 ONE-SHOT
DC Comics | $4.99
Story: James Tynion IV, Ed Brisson | Art: Joshua Nixson | Covers: Rafael Sarmento, Tyler Kirkham
Picking up after the events of Fear State: Alpha, follow Sean Mahoney, a.k.a. Peacekeeper-01, in the wake of his exposure to highly potent Fear Toxin at the hands of the Scarecrow! Now, dosed with terror and facing a lifetime of fear and insecurity, Mahoney has found himself frantically reflecting on his past as a GCPD officer, and then as a prison guard at Arkham Asylum — all while desperately attempting to keep his mind from fracturing. Will Peacekeeper-01 give into fear … or become terror incarnate?
CATWOMAN #36
DC Comics | $3.99
Story: Ram V. | Art: Nina Vakueva | Covers: Yanick Paquette, Jenny Frison
The Gotham City Sirens reunion no one saw coming! As Ivy senses Queen Ivy’s presence and her behavior becomes increasingly erratic, Catwoman decides that she is too vulnerable to keep in Alleytown and a plan is hatched to get her out of Gotham. But to do it, she’s going to need the help of The Riddler — but even after Selina saved him from certain doom, can he be trusted? Meanwhile, the flickering assassin known as the Wight Witch, flanked by Magistrate soldiers, has arrived to return Ivy to Simon Saint! Harley Quinn and The Gardener join the fight against Wight Witch and the Magistrate! Also featuring … Ghost-Maker!
DEATH OF DOCTOR STRANGE
DEATH OF DOCTOR STRANGE #2 (OF 5)
Marvel Comics | Teen+ | $3.99
Story: Jed Mackay | Art: Lee Garbett | Covers: Kaare Andrews, Joe Jusko (Marvel Masterpieces), Todd Nauck (Head Shot), R.B. Silva
REST IN PEACE STEPHEN STRANGE!
With the Sorcerer Supreme gone, so too are Earth's magical defenses! Now the rest of Earth's heroes have their hands full with multiple invasions from other dimensions. Some are familiar ... but some are new ... and frightening! Meet the Three Mothers!
CC sez: Death of Doctor Strange is going to expand from the core book into several one-shots (beginning next week). That vaults it from "miniseries" to "event" in my primitive lexicon.
UNITED STATES OF CAPTAIN AMERICA
THE UNITED STATES OF CAPTAIN AMERICA #5 (OF 5)
Story: Christopher Cantwell | Art: Dale Eaglesham | Covers: Gerald Pareil, Leinil Francis Yu
After the shield thieves free a deadly villain, Bucky Barnes teams up with an air force intelligence officer who might know how to recapture the villain, while John, Sam and Steve give pursuit. When his allies run into trouble, Bucky is forced to face his complicated feelings about taking up the Captain America mantle again. The Captains Network bands together in one last epic battle to keep the shield from being used for nefarious purposes. Don't miss the pulse-pounding finale of this groundbreaking miniseries!
“By getting to work with all of the other creators, the perspective of the book increased tenfold,” Cantwell explained to Marvel.com. “Moreover, though, these creators didn’t just bring one aspect of their identities or lives to this. Again, we weren’t just checking boxes. These were all writers and artists who brought humor, depth, taut action, and every other kind of primo comic storytelling to their work. In a way, this book was the most similar to a TV writers room that I’ve experienced so far. No one had labels or titles. It was people working together on something good that we believed in. Kind of like the Captains Network that way.”
CC sez: The fifth local Cap is introduced. It'll be interesting to see which members of the "Cap Network" have legs, and which fade into justly deserved limbo.
WONDER WOMAN 80TH ANNIVERSARY
NUBIA AND THE AMAZONS #1 (OF 6)
DC Comics | $3.99
Story: Vita Ayala, Stephanie Williams | Art: Alitha Martinez | Covers: Alitha Martinez, Maika Sozo, Joshua Sway Swaby
After the thrilling events of Infinite Frontier, Nubia becomes queen of Themyscira, but the new title also brings challenges. With the unexpected arrival of new Amazons, our hero is forced to reckon with her past and forge a new path forward for her sisters. Little does she know, a great evil grows beneath the island and it’s up to this former guardian of Doom’s Doorway to unite her tribe before paradise is lost forever!
CC sez: I hope this succeeds well enough for a regular series — or at least Nubia filling the Wonder Woman niche in Justice League for a while.
The Wonder Woman 80th Anniversary celebration includes Wonder Woman Day (Thursday, Oct. 21). On that day these books will be available for free:
DIANA: PRINCESS OF THE AMAZONS — WONDER WOMAN DAY SPECIAL EDITION #1 ONE-SHOT
DC Comics | Free
Story: Shannon Hale, Dean Hale | Art/Cover: Victoria Ying
From The New York Times bestselling authors Shannon and Dean Hale comes a story about making mistakes, learning the hard way, and becoming a hero. Eleven-year-old Diana is the only child on the island of Themyscira. Wanting someone her own age to talk to, she takes matters into her own hands and creates a playmate out of clay. But things quickly get out of control and Diana must decide whether she’s made a new friend …or a monster! This special edition features an extended sample from the full-length graphic novel with art from Victoria Ying.
CC sez: Read the full graphic novel. It's cute.
WONDER WOMAN #1 — WONDER WOMAN DAY SPECIAL EDITION #1 ONE-SHOT
DC Comics | Free
Story: Greg Rucka | Art/Cover: Liam Sharp
Celebrate 80 years of the Amazon Warrior with this special edition of the first issue of the acclaimed series by DC superstars Greg Rucka and Liam Sharp, kicking off the epic storyline, “The Lies.” Why has the lasso of truth stopped working? Start down the rabbit hole as dark secrets from Wonder Woman's past unravel her present!
CC sez: This is a reprint of the first issue of the 2016 series.
WONDER WOMAN: TEMPEST TOSSED — WONDER WOMAN DAY SPECIAL EDITION #1 ONE-SHOT
DC Comics | Free
Story: Laurie Halse Anderson | Art/Cover: Leila Del Duca
The New York Times bestselling author Laurie Halse Anderson reimagines Wonder Woman’s origin in this timely story about the refugee experience, teenage activism and finding the love and strength to create change. This special edition features an extended sample from the full-length graphic novel, with art by Leila Del Duca.
CC sez: I've read all of the recent YA Wonder Woman books; this was my least favorite.
ADVENTURES INTO THE UNKNOWN
CREEPY CAT VOL 1 GN
Seven Seas | $14.95
Story/Art/Cover: Cotton Valent (A) Cotton Valent
A full-color young adult graphic novel series that originated as a webcomic about a beloved ghostly cat! Flora moves into a mysterious mansion and finds it inhabited by a strange creature -- Creepy Cat! Thus begins her strange and sometimes dangerous life with a feline roommate. This Gothic comedy brings the chuckles ... and the chills!
CC sez: That really is a creepy cat. Person. Whatever.
CZARFACE: A CZAR IS BORN GN
Z2 Comics | $19.99
Story: MC Esoteric | Art/Cover: Ariel Olivetti
Hero to some, villain to others, Czarface's true origins have remained a mystery ... until now! Who are the Zarta Ku? And why has their desperate mission brought them to planet Earth? Meanwhile, Zach and his dog were just a washed-up wrestling tag team making ends meet on the comic-con circuit when they crossed paths with a woman who will change both their lives forever. Written by Czarface's own Esoteric (Merry X-Men Holiday Special) with art by veteran illustrator Ariel Olivetti, this landmark original graphic novel is a must-have for Wednesday warriors, wrestling marks and hip-hop heads — or fans of all three combined!
CC sez: Genre-blenders like this always lose me at "wrestling." But there are wrestling fans on this board, so maybe they'll read this and tell me what I'm missing.
HOWLING SNOW KUNG FU FABLE ONE-SHOT
Comics Experience | $4.99
Story: David Ramirez | Art: Ensoul | Covers: Ensoul, Queenie Ng
For 100 years, Fox roamed the land in human form! Once a formidable swordsman and a master of the mystic arts, now he is a disenchanted soul, in constant search of pleasure and distraction. But all that changes when Fox encounters a demon wolf, fueled by an intense rage that threatens to shatter Fox's fragile peace. Now Fox must reawaken his slumbering fighting spirit and find balance between the animal, human and supernatural realms, in this beguiling and gorgeous one-shot comic! Also features a variant cover by artist Queenie Ng!
CC sez: Foxes seem to have a lot of roles in Asian, especially Japanese, mythology, from trickster to demon. What would be the Western equivalent? Coyote? Big Bad Wolf? Bugs Bunny?
KIRURU KILL ME VOL 1 GN
Seven Seas $12.99
Story/Art: Yasuhiro Kano
From the creator of the Shonen Jump manga Pretty Face and Mx0 comes a dark and wacky action comedy where one man falls head over heels for a hired killer - and orders a hit on himself, just to spend more time with her! Aoi Nemo is a big-ticket businessman whose face has appeared on all the magazines, and there's a price on his head. Coming to collect is Akaumi Kiruru, an assassin as deadly as she is beautiful. But the person who requested the hit was Aoi himself! From the moment he laid eyes on her, Aoi fell for this femme fatale, and he'll do whatever it takes to spend more time with her: even if it means risking his own life!
CC sez: Geez, man, just ask her out on a date.
MONSTER GUILD: DARK LORD'S NO GOOD COMEBACK VOL 1 GN
Seven Seas | $12.99
Story/Art/Cover: Tourou
A comedic and (anti)heroic fantasy in which a defeated villain builds a motley crew for his monstrous comeback! It's hard to defeat a mighty hero when he keeps coming back to life. In fact, it's impossible. The Dark Lord, stuck in a loop of battling a good guy who won't stay dead, finally loses the fight and meets his own end ... or so it would seem. The Dark Lord saved himself by putting his soul into an empty vessel, and now he's about to stage his own comeback. He may be weak now, but along with his newly formed fellowship of misfits-a slime, an orc, an ifrit, and a dark elf - he's convinced he can rebuild his evil empire, one bumbling step at a time.
CC sez: I always wonder why villains don't ever take a step back and think, "Wait, I lose every single time I fight Captain Phlegm. Maybe I should change the way I do things. Like maybe move to another city." Here's a story where a bad guy is forced to change his M.O. because he simply can't win in the traditional sense (i.e., by killing the hero).
NATHAN HALE'S HAZARDOUS TALES: COLD WAR CORRESPONDENT HC
Amulet Books | $14.99
Story/Art: Nathan Hale
In 1950, Marguerite Higgins (1920-1966) was made bureau chief of the Far East Asia desk for the New York Herald Tribune. Tensions were high on the Korean peninsula, where a border drawn after WWII split the country into North and South. When the North Korean army crossed the border with Soviet tanks, it was war. Marguerite was there when the Communists captured Seoul. Her eyewitness account of the invasion was a newspaper smash hit. She risked her life in one dangerous situation after another, all for the sake of good story.
CC sez: I have a master's degree in journalism. How come this is the first I am hearing of this woman?
VAMPIRE DORMITORY VOL 1 GN
Kodansha | $10.99
Story/Art/Cover: Ema Toyama
Mito, who has no family to rely on, lives on the streets, disguised as a boy. Ruka, an otaku vampire who's only interested in 2-D girls, saves her from a perilous situation and makes her an offer: become his subservient thrall from which he can feed whenever he wants, and she can live with him - in the boys' dorm. Because her very existence depends on her secret not being found out, every day is a new danger - to say nothing of that vampire! Meanwhile, Ruka, not knowing Mito's a girl, dotes on her night and day in an attempt to ripen her "disgusting male blood," but when real feelings develop ... this dangerous romance between a crossdressing girl and an obsessive vampire begins!
CC sez: This is such a convoluted, gender-bending, genre-blending mish-mash that It almost deserves the "What the--?" award for the week. Despite that, or maybe because of it, it looks like fun.
VEROTIKA REVENGE #1
Verotik | $4.99
Pumkyl is summoned by the White Witch for a most grisly task by Glenn Danzig and Simon Bisley. Verotik's Devil-Girl Akuma-She makes her shocking return to the Verotik pantheon by Glenn Danzig and Rafa Garres. All wrapped in an Incredible painted cover by Simon Bisley!
CC sez: Wait, isn't Verotika porn? I always thought it was porn. (Maybe this is porn.)
VIDEO GAME COMICS
This week, video game-based first issues and collected material happen to be thick on the ground. Here's a list of the major ones:
- ART OF FAR CRY 6 HC
- CRITICAL ROLE: TALES OF EXANDRIA #1 (OF 4)
- CYBERPUNK 2077: WHERE'S JOHNNY? HC
- DELVER TPB
- DRAGON AGE: DARK FORTRESS HC
- DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: MINDBREAKER #1 (OF 5)
- ELEGANT SPIRITS: AMANO’S TALE OF GENJI & FAIRIES HC
- KINGDOM HEARTS CHARACTER FILES HC
- RUNESCAPE: THE FIRST 20 YEARS — AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY HC
MORE FIRST ISSUES & GRAPHIC NOVELS
- GRIMM SPOTLIGHT: CINDERELLA VS. ZOMBIES ONE-SHOT
- MANU GN
- MARSHMALLOW & JORDAN GN
- MS. MARVEL: STRETCHED THIN GN
- NO GUNS LIFE VOL 1 GN
- PORN BASKET HC
- SHORT ORDER CROOKS TPB
- SMALL WORLD HC
- TALES OF TERROR QUARTERLY 2021 HALLOWEEN SPECIAL
- WHY IS EVERYBODY YELLING? GROWING UP IN MY IMMIGRANT FAMILY GN
Replies
Catwoman: Lonely City #1 (of 4) - I dunno how I missed this one. I'm a huge fan of Cliff Chiang's art. I am not that familiar with his writing. It looks pretty cool though.
NITA HAWES' NIGHTMARE BLOG #1 - CC sez: Wow, another awesome-looking Image series. I've haven't read Killadelphia regularly, but I might have to start. - I think Killadelphia is great, but for some reason this "blog" gives me zero interest.
DESTROY ALL MONSTERS HC - Kurt Busiek gave this book a blind recommendation. I am right there with him.
GUNSLINGER SPAWN #1 - I don't give a rip about Spawn, but I was interested in this series.
HELLCOP #1 - I remember some spare series from the late 90s with the same title. I dunno what if anything this has to do with that, but I don't care to find out. Some of us have a long memory.
PAPER GIRLS: "I haven't read Paper Girls, but almost everybody on this board who has is wildly enthusiastic."
Yep, that would be me, for one.
ANT: "Swipes; grotesque, unrealistic portrayals of women (bowling-ball breasts, brokeback poses); too much hype (without Stan Lee's charm); and lateness."
I agree with you 100%. But sometimes I get in the mood to read something with no redeemable social value at all. Usually an issue of Savage Dragon would turn the trick, but ever since my LCS started stocking it for P&H customers only that option was taken away from me. I did (and still do) plan to buy this (the first issue, anyway), but there was some sort of shortage with this and four other titles, and Diamond asked retailers not to stock the issues they did receive until next week. That's all right; I can wait. I don't know whether the shortage was regional or national, nor did I ask about the other four titles affected.
MMW TOMB OF DRACULA: Years ago I waited and waited and waited for this series to be released in "Essential" format. then it was solicited, but before it shipped it was cancelled. I replied to an add in CBG from some guy who was selling the entire series, but before I got the chance to read it, the "Essential" was resolicited. I read it that way so decided to skip the omnibus. Later I decided I wanted color after all, and decided the pick up the series in tpb. The first volume was out of print, though, so I'll be buying MMW ToD v1. It didn't ship to my LCS today, though, so next week.
THE ORVILLE: "But many of you don't share my delicate fee-fees and enjoy The Orville."
That would be me. You dropped the show when it was little more than... "Star Trek with dick jokes" is I believe how you put it. I assure you the show did get better, but I dropped it myself when it moved from broadcast TV to wherever it is now. I have no interest in the comic book, though.
REFRIGERATOR FULL OF HEADS: I liked the original, too, but I'll be tradewaiting this.
Read Ant #1, on a whim. It's a paint-by-numbers re-hash of a sort of story that we've seen a million times before.
I can hardly wait.
"I don't give a rip about Spawn, but I was interested in this series."
If any sort of interest in the explosion of Spawn titles begins to bubble up in me, I just remind myself that the reason for all these titles isn't a creative eureka moment, but is instead McFarlane trying to create his own MCU. (Those are his words, not mine — you'd think he'd be embarrassed to admit that he's trying to gouge his own fans to make money copying someone else's achievement, but no.) That reminds me of one of the Captain Comics Rules, which is that "when a bunch of characters are created at the same time, most of them are lame." Then the bubbling subsides.
"Some of us have a long memory."
Amen. Young writers take note.
"There was some sort of shortage with this [Ant #1] and four other titles, and Diamond asked retailers not to stock the issues they did receive until next week. That's all right; I can wait. I don't know whether the shortage was regional or national, nor did I ask about the other four titles affected."
There are three major problems affecting comics distribution at the moment. One is Marvel (and some others) switching to PRH for distribution, and DC (and some others) switching to Lunar. A second one is a nationwide crimp in the supply chain, with a notable log jam at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles (hitting Chinese imports particularly hard — like books). A third is a nationwide paper shortage (due to a major increase in online shopping, thereby using more boxes, which are made of paper), resulting in a number of comics not getting their print runs when scheduled, or only part of the print runs getting done. In the latter case, most publishers ask that retailers hold all versions of the book until they have the whole shipment in hand, but not all do that. (Mine did, for example, when some cover variants of Darkhold: Alpha #1 arrived on time, but the main shipment didn't arrive until the next week. But I bet more than a few retailers didn't hold them.) And when partial shipments go out, not all retailers get even those.
What made Ant a week late? Any or all of the above. But I note for the record that even if it had shipped on the week scheduled, it would have already been three months late. And that isn't a distribution problem.
I note that Ant is an Image title. The manager of my LCS told me his Image titles were all running late. He said he thought it was supply chain issues. Paper shortages may be a/the cause, but he said they were shipped from Canada. I told him that sounds like a shortage of trucks/truck drivers.
Yeah, the supply chain issues aren't limited to California ports. It's all over. Some have immediate graspable causes, like a Japan semiconductor plant shutting down due to COVID, which deprived auto manufacturers all over the world of a particular kind of computer chip, because only that Japanese plant made them. But there are larger, more amorphous issues that just rose up because of "just in time" inventory and other practices that exacerbated problems once COVID put a kink in the hose somewhere. And yes, there is a shortage of trucks and drivers as well. It's a huge problem with lots of causes.
I remember news reports that said that so many people stuck at home led chip manufacturers to increase production of chips for home computers and decrease production of chips for cars, since it didn't seem people would be buying cars for a long time. The time wasn't as long as they expected..