Current Comics Report for 8/17

This is a report about what I think about the comics of this week, based upon Diamond's Shipping This Week list, as reprinted below, with my (sometimes quite snarky, so be forewarned) comments.

Certain sections of the Current Report on the 8/17 Comic Book Week contain forward-looking statements that are based on my expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions. Words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “believe,” “estimate” and variations of these words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, which include but are not limited to projections of books being good, writing performance, character flaws, artistic coolness and continued title stability.

Forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Prognasticators Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties, which are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual future results and trends may differ materially from what is forecast in forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including, without limitation:

• A book being better than I thought it would be;

• A different creative team on a book;

• A different type of story than I thought it was;

• Differences in anticipated and actual performance by the writer and/or artist

All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this report or, in the case of any document incorporated by reference, the date of that document.All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to me are qualified by the cautionary statements in this section...

Shipping This Week: August 17, 2005

DARK HORSE

JUN050042 BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL #104 (MR) $2.99
JUN050063 DARK HORSE LOGO BASEBALL SHIRT MED $24.99
JUN050062 DARK HORSE LOGO BASEBALL SHIRT SM $24.99
JUN050065 DARK HORSE LOGO BASEBALL SHIRT XL $24.99
JUN050066 DARK HORSE LOGO BASEBALL SHIRT XXL $25.99

Now you, too, can fool people into think that you are a member of the Dark Horse baseball team!!

JAN050085 HIPIRA THE LITTLE VAMPIRE HC $13.95
MAY050018 INCREDIBLES TP $9.95

This, I have to say, is pretty weak.

To do a movie adaptation as a four issue series, I thought, was bad enough.

But to wait this long to collect the darn thing?

Not good.

Not good at all.

JUN050017 MAN WITH THE SCREAMING BRAIN #4 (OF 4) $2.99
APR050064 STAR WARS GENERAL GRIEVOUS #4 (OF 4) $2.99

Now if they were a bit late with Incredibles, how about this book? Does anyone REALLY care what happens at the end of THIS series?

Are we really going to gain any great insight into any character?

And if we DO, is it going to be Grievous, a marginal character from one of the Star Wars movies?

DEC040033 USAGI YOJIMBO VOL 19 FATHERS AND SONS LTD ED HC $59.95

DC COMICS

JUN050421 AUTHORITY REVOLUTION #11 (OF 12) (MR) $2.99
JUN050330 BATGIRL #67 $2.50

I predict that Gabrych will do well by guest stars Bronze Tiger and Birds of Prey.

FEB050365 BATMAN BLACK WHITE SERIES MINI STATUE TIM SALE $45.00

Wow, a statue of Tim Sale!

Just what I always wanted!

I heard they were going to make a Jeph Loeb one, but then he signed with Marvel.

JUN050325 BATMAN JOURNEY INTO KNIGHT #1 (OF 12) $2.50

So it's come to this.

Batman Year One...and a Half.

JUN050392 BATMAN STRIKES #12 $2.25

Whose bright idea was it for Batman Strikes?

What a sorry, sorry concept this is.

When can the Ty Templeton Batman cartoon-style comic return?

JUN050356 BIRDS OF PREY #85 $2.50

I estimate that Babs will have a bit of a problem explaining this surgery to her father.

"Why is Superman here, Dad? Oh...uhmmm....I once helped him fix his computer."

JUN050439 BOOKS OF MAGICK LIFE DURING WARTIME #13 (MR) $2.75
JUN050328 DETECTIVE COMICS #810 $2.99

It is a "War Crime" that they couldn't just let this storyline take place over bi-weekly issues of Batman rather than interrupt David Lapham's storyline in the middle.

JAN050395 FOSTERS STATUE BLOO MAC AND EDUARDO $89.99

A ninety dollar statue of characters from a children's cartoon show?

That's all kinds of wrong.

MAY050232 GREEN LANTERN #3 $2.99

Enjoy it, because Pachecho won't be back for a couple of months.

JUN050368 HUMAN RACE #6 (OF 7) $2.99
JUN058143 JSA CLASSIFIED #1 SECOND PTG $2.50

I cannot believe they went with the Hughes' cover.

Okay, I can totally believe it.

Still...annoying.

JUN050376 JSA VOL 9 LOST TP $19.99

TV tie-ins now, DC?

MAY050218 LEX LUTHOR MAN OF STEEL #5 (OF 5) $2.99

Click here for a neat Comic Foundry interview with Lee Bermejo.

JUN050443 LUCIFER #65 (MR) $2.75
JUN050379 MANHUNTER #13 $2.50

I estimate that something will happen in this comic that will irritate me.

After I said that, I saw the cover.

And now I KNOW that something in this comic will irritate me, as I forgot that the cover had one of those stupid OMAC things on the cover!

MAN, do I hate those stupid OMAC things or what?

JUN050427 MAXX BOOK FIVE TP (MR) $19.99
JUN050410 MUSASHI #9 VOL 4 $9.99

I think it would be cool if this was the fourth volume of #9. You know, it went along, #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #9 Vol. 2, #9 Vol. 3 and then voila!

But that is just me.

My cool-o-meter has been on the fritz since Marvel dropped them from the middle of their comics 13 years ago.

JUN050397 POWERPUFF GIRLS #65 $2.25
JUN050384 SEVEN SOLDIERS KLARION THE WITCH BOY #3 (OF 4) $2.99

I predict that we will see some trippy things in this issue.

MAY050217 SUPERMAN FOR TOMORROW VOL 2 HC $24.99

New winner of the "striking while the iron is extremely cold" award!

JUN050449 SWAMP THING BOOK 2 LOVE IN VAIN TP (MR) $14.99
JUN050433 TERRA OBSCURA VOL 2 TP $14.99
JUN050437 TOP TEN BEYOND THE FARTHEST PRECINCT #1 (OF 5) $2.99

I estimate that this has one of the coolest opening few pages that I have seen in awhile.

Tell me if you disagree.

IMAGE

JUN051773 BONE REST #2 (MR) $2.95
JUN051781 GIRLS #4 (MR) $2.95

Please.

PLEASE.

PLEASE.

PLEASE make the characters more likable.

MAY051559 GODLAND #2 $2.99

More Jack Kirby fun! I liked #1 well enough, and I expect good things from #2!

MAY051532 GUNCANDY SGN #1 (OF 2) (MR) $19.99
MAY051566 NOBLE CAUSES VOL 4 BLOOD & WATER TP $14.95

I believe that a problem with collecting Noble Causes is that the storylines do not exactly cut off evenly. Therefore, collecting #1-6 is BASICALLY fine, but it is almost like Marvel had to crop out the subplots from Byrne's Galactus trade. If you are gonna have subplots, it will make collecting a pain.

MAY051573 SMALL GODS #10 $2.99

I estimate that this will be an enjoyable new arc for this title. An empath working for the CIA...where DO they come up with these ideas?

MAY051575 SPAWN #148 $2.50

Does anyone know what Angel Medina is doing after he is done with Spawn (and by the by, 50 issues is NOTHING to sneeze at).

MAY051592 WITCHBLADE #88 $2.99

I really enjoyed the fill-in issue by Bachalo last month. I hope to see some more good stuff this issue.

MARVEL

MAY051757 ARANA HEART OF THE SPIDER #7 $2.99

I estimate that Francis Portela is not going to be as good as the last artist.

JUN052041 CABLE DEADPOOL #18 $2.99

I believe that this storyline has taken just ONE issue too many to tell the story.

JUN052057 DAREDEVIL VOL 4 HC $29.99

Why do they not do a really oversized Daredevil HC?

JUN052020 DEFENDERS #2 (OF 5) $2.99

I believe that there will be more Silver Surfer/surfers humor in this issue.

I think that will be a good thing.

YMMV.

MAY051781 LIVEWIRES #6 (OF 6) $2.99
JUN052028 MARVEL ADVENTURES FANTASTIC FOUR #3 $2.50

I don't get it. Why isn't Carlo Pagulayan being used on any of the REGULAR Fantastic Four comics?

This guy could easily be a commercially popular artist.

EASILY.

I dig that Jeff Parker is getting some writing assignments from Marvel, by the by.

JUN052006 MARVEL KNIGHTS 4 #21 $2.99

I estimate that an "almost-affair" between Sue and Black Panther is kinda weird, but I also estimate that if anyone CAN pull it off, it is Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa - my new hero.

JUN052040 MARVEL MILESTONES CAPTAIN BRITAIN PSYLOCKE GOLDEN AGE SUB $3.99

These comics are neat. They are almost random compilings of stories.

Like, "First Appearance of Ant-Man and Iron Man and the second appearance of Iron Man."

What do THOSE things have in common?!?

MAY051797 MARVEL TALES FLIP MAGAZINE #2 $3.99
JUN051983 MUTOPIA X #2 (OF 5) $2.99

Come read this comic, folks, where we see that Izzy's life is crap even in an altered universe!

JUN051980 NEW THUNDERBOLTS #11 $2.99

I predict that Nicieza will supply a good one-shot story...which will not be as good as the in continuity story that WOULD have been in this issue if it were not for House of M.

JUN052032 NEW X-MEN HELLIONS #4 (OF 4) $2.99

Appreciate this comic, people, because I'd say that at least half the characters in it will not be around for much longer.

JUN052060 POWER PACK DIGEST TP $6.99
JUN051986 SPIDER-MAN HOUSE OF M #3 (OF 5) $2.99

I estimate that this series and the House of M mini-series really will not jibe well together.

JUN052067 STORMBREAKER SAGA OF BETA RAY BILL TP $16.99
JUN051989 ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #1 $3.99

The first Ultimate Spider-Man comic (Team-Up doesn't count) NOT to feature artwork by Mark Bagley!!

JUN051993 ULTIMATE X-MEN #62 $2.50
JUN052031 WEAPON X DAYS OF FUTURE NOW #2 (OF 5) $2.99

Any comic whose conceit is that the dude from the Weapon X project will destroy the X-Men well, has a weak conceit.

JUN052061 WOLVERINE SOULTAKER TP $13.99

I believe that they should just have released this story as a graphic novel. It really reads like a graphic novel. And this style of comic (fast-paced and slight) does not translate well to serialization, but rather, to reading all at once.

COMICS

MAY052800 A G SUPER EROTIC ANTHOLOGY #17 (A) $4.99

I am confused.

Is this erotic superhero stuff, or is it just super erotic stuff?

Inquiring minds, and all that.

JUN052732 AP HOW TO DRAW MANGA NEXT GENERATION #8 $4.95
JUN053180 ARCANA VOL 2 GN (OF 4) $9.99
APR053082 ATOMIKA #4 $2.99

It is good to see them having success with this title.

JUN052652 BALLAST ONE SHOT $4.00
JUN053207 BATTLE ROYALE VOL 6 (OF 10) GN (MR) (O/A) $9.99
JUN053208 BATTLE ROYALE VOL 7 (OF 11) GN (MAR042789) (MR) $9.99
MAY052363 BEST OF THE WEST #52 $6.95

Best of the West is a cooool comic book.

JUN052775 BETTY & VERONICA DIGEST #159 $2.39
JUN052774 BETTY & VERONICA SPECTACULAR #71 $2.25
JUN053488 BLACKSAD VOL 1 SPANISH ED $22.95
JUN053489 BLACKSAD VOL 2 SPANISH ED $24.95
JUN053181 BLADE OF HEAVEN VOL 4 GN (OF 15) $9.99

Kyung-Il Yang draws some pretty cool looking fights.

JUN053182 BLAZIN BARRELS VOL 2 GN (OF 18) $9.99
JUN053183 BOYS BE VOL 6 GN (OF 20) (MR) $9.99
MAY052548 BRIAN PULIDOS MEDIEVAL LADY DEATH #6 $3.99
MAY052551 BRIAN PULIDOS MEDIEVAL LADY DEATH FOIL INC #6 PI

Please Inquire?

Does this mean we have to call Brian Pulido up to ask him how much the comic costs?

MAY052550 BRIAN PULIDOS MEDIEVAL LADY DEATH PREMIUM CVR #6 $9.99

While we are inquiring, can we ask why this cover is so darned expensive?

MAY052549 BRIAN PULIDOS MEDIEVAL LADY DEATH WRAPAROUND #6 $3.99
JUN053490 BUDDY & THE BRADLEYS VOL 1 SPANISH ED $10.95
JUN053491 BUDDY & THE BRADLEYS VOL 2 SPANISH ED $10.95
MAY052827 COMPLETE WYNONNA EARP TP $24.99
JUN053184 CRAZY LOVE STORY VOL 4 GN (OF 5) (RES) $9.99
APR052617 DARK MISTS #2 (OF 4) (MR) $3.50
JUN053492 DAVID BORING SPANISH ED $14.95

Estaba muy contento con el David Boring, y me pregunto cuánto, si lo hay, del contexto de la serie son perdidas en una traducción española.

JUN053059 DAWN THREE TIERS #5 S&N LTD ED (MR) $12.00
JUN053185 DEAD END VOL 3 GN (OF 4) (MR) $9.99
MAY052403 DEAL WITH THE DEVIL #4 (OF 5) $2.99
JUN053024 DEVILS REJECTS #1 $3.99

Is a movie adaptation?

APR052853 DF SPIDER-MAN HOUSE OF M #1 SGN $19.99
APR052865 DF YEAR ONE BATMAN RAS AL GHUL #1 SGN $29.99

Ya see, I just don't buy that. I do not think that either the writer OR the artist of Batman Ras Al Ghul could fetch a higher price than either the writer OR the artist of Spider-Man House of M.

Unless....maybe both the writer AND the artist signed it!

Ooooh...that would make sense.

Never mind then.

JUN052987 DONALD DUCK AND FRIENDS #331 $2.95
APR053002 DONT TREAD ON MY ROSARIES $14.00
JUN052921 DRAGONLANCE CHRONICLES #1 (OF 8) $2.95

When was the last time Dragonlance had a comic book? 10 years? 15?

MAY052636 ELVIRA #147 $2.50
JUN053186 ETERNITY VOL 5 GN (OF 5) (RES) $9.99
JUN053187 FAERIES LANDING VOL 10 GN (OF 15) $9.99
MAY052770 GENIE #2 $2.95
JUN053493 GHOST WORLD SPANISH ED $14.95

el "mundo del fantasma" es otro libro que me pregunto si las referencias culturales traducen.

MAY052680 GI JOE AMERICAS ELITE SIGNED ED #1 $14.95
JUN052917 GI JOE SNAKE-EYES DECLASSIFIED #1 $2.95

Devil's Due will learn retailers!

"It rubs the lotion on it's skin - Or else it gets the hose again"

"It orders more copies of Snake-Eyes Declassified #1, or else it won't have enough copies for customers, because there isn't going to be any reorders."

MAY052605 GI SPY JACK IS BACK CVR #1 (OF 3) $3.99
MAY052604 GI SPY SAVING LADY LIBERTY CVR #1 (OF 3) $3.99
APR052619 GLOOM #2 (OF 6) $3.50

I will give them credit, the Gloom seems to be an ambitious variation on the whole Shadow theme.

MAY052712 HANIDORI GIRL VOL 1 TP $9.95
JUN052850 HEROES ANONYMOUS #1 (OF 6) (O/A) (MR) $2.99
JUN052851 HEROES ANONYMOUS #2 (OF 6) (O/A) (MR) $2.99
JUN052852 HEROES ANONYMOUS #3 (OF 6) (O/A) (MR) $2.99
APR052832 HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS VOL 4 TP (RES) $9.95

I think it would be better if RES, instead of standing for Resolicited, stood for Restricted, and certain people were not allowed to get books about teenage girls.

MAY052373 HIP FLASK ELEPHANTMEN #1 (O/A) $3.50
MAY052372 HIP FLASK UNNATURAL SELECTION (O/A) $2.99
MAY052427 HUMOR CAN BE FUNNY TP (RES) (MR) $11.95

GREAT title.

And seeing as how this is a collection of older Sam Henderson works, it is also quite accurate.

MAY052939 HUNGER #3 (MR) $2.99
JUN053188 HYPER POLICE VOL 4 GN (OF 9) (MR) $9.99
JUN053189 ID ENTITY VOL 3 GN (OF 13) $9.99
JUN052965 ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY TP $19.95
JUN053190 JING KING OF BANDITS TWILIGHT TALES VOL 5 GN (OF 6) $9.99
MAY052407 JUDO GIRL #4 (OF 4) $2.99
JUN052778 JUGHEADS DOUBLE DIGEST #115 $3.59

Is THIS the one that they're bringing back Bingo Wilkens?

JUN053191 KARE KANO VOL 17 GN (OF 20) $9.99
JUN052797 LADY DEATH WICKED #1/2 $2.99
JUN052800 LADY DEATH WICKED #1/2 PREMIUM CVR $9.99
JUN052798 LADY DEATH WICKED #1/2 RYP CVR $2.99
JUN052799 LADY DEATH WICKED #1/2 WRAPAROUND CVR $2.99

I do this every month, but every month I feel proud that I have helped people avoid bogus comics.

DO NOT BUY THESE! THEY DO NOT SAY BRIAN PULIDO'S ON THEM, AND THEREFORE, MUST BE FAKE!!!

JUN053176 LAGOON ENGINE VOL 3 GN (OF 3) $9.99
JUN052694 LITTLE GLOOMYS SUPER SCARY MONSTER SHOW #1 $2.95

I am not a big Eric Jones fan, but Landry Walker's stories are really neat.

MAY052791 LORNA DART-AN-GOR BY AZPIRI HC $14.95
JUN053026 METAL GEAR SOLID #12 $3.99

I did not know that this series had this many issues. Where was I?!!?

JUN052989 MICKEY MOUSE AND FRIENDS #280 $2.95
MAY052444 NEXT EXIT #5 $2.95
MAY052471 NHS PKT MANGA VOL 6 TP $9.99
JUN053156 OF BITTER SOULS #1 $2.99

NORM BREYFOGLE ALERT!

I forget who it was, but SOMEone was recently lamenting the lack of Breyfogle projects.

Well, here it is!

JUN053174 OFF BEAT VOL 1 GN (OF 3) $9.99
JUN052710 PIRATE CLUB #7 $2.95
APR052718 PURGE BLACK RED & DEADLY #2 (OF 4) (MR) $3.50

Gotta love Western comics that are for mature readers!!

It reminds me of the Wild Bunch.

Which is a good thing.

JUN053002 QUEEN BEE HC $16.99
JUN053001 QUEEN BEE SC $8.99

This is a cool move by Chynna Clugston, releasing both of them on the same day. I don't know if it is wise business move, but a cool move, nonetheless.

JUN053109 RABBIS CAT GN $21.95
JUN052711 REX LIBRIS #1 $2.95

This project has a great hook (a librarian who fights against the forces of ignorance and darkness), but I am not thrilled by the art.

JUN053157 ROCKETO #1 $2.99

Now THIS project, by Frank Espinoza, looks totally amazing. I do not know if it will have a good story, but the art is dynamite.

JUN053133 RUNNERS BAD GOODS TP $14.95
JUN052779 SABRINA VOL 2 #69 $2.25

I estimate that I am pissed that the Archie "What to watch" box in the comics spoiled this issue weeks in advance!!!!

JUN053285 SATANIKA TALES #2 ESV VARIANT CVR #2 (MR) $5.00

I probably don't want to know this, but what is an ESV variant?

JUN053214 SESAME STREET CINEMANGA VOL 1 ELMO & ZOE FLY A KITE GN $3.99

Gotta admire the price point.

MAR053103 SILVER COMICS #4 $2.95

This could be worth a shot.

They DO put a lot of stories into each volume.

And a Frank Brunner cover (sadly not one of those erotic Frank Brunner drawings that were solicited awhile ago...hehe)!

MAY053342 SIN CITY VOL 1 DURO ADIOS HARD GOODBYE SPANISH ED $17.00
MAY052425 SIXGUN SAMURAI #1 (NOTE PRICE) $0.75

Isn't this a bit...well...late?

JUN052846 TALES OF BLOODY MARY #3 (OF 8) $2.95

Seriously....explain to me how Bloody Mary differs from Lady Death.

JUN052888 TOMB RAIDER GALLERY PLATINUM (O/A) $15.95
OCT042549 TORI KORO VOL 1 TP $9.95
JUN053286 VALKYRIE GOLDEN AGE COLLECTION VOL 1 TP (O/A) $14.95
JUN053323 ZATCH BELL VOL 1 GN (RES) $9.99
JUN053324 ZATCH BELL VOL 2 GN $9.99

So wait, Zatch Bell is about a teen who gets a little boy as a PRESENT?

Sounds just twisted enough to be cool.

Well, that's it for me!

Feel free to check back later to tell me how off my predictions were!

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