Wednesday, September 14, 2005

Current Comics Report for 9/15

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.

Last week's guest commentary was fun, so I decided to do it again, only this time, with blogmate Brad Curran!

Certain sections of the Current Report on the 9/14 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...

NOTE: B=Brad, everything else is me.

Shipping This Week: September 14, 2005

DARK HORSE

JUL050051 BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL #105 (MR) $2.99

B - Do people still buy manga in this format?

NOV040023 BMW FILMS THE HIRE #3 (OF 6) $2.99
MAY050093 KOTOBUKIYA STAR WARS DARTH VADER #2 MODEL KIT $99.99
JUL050104 SIN CITY PLAYING CARDS $4.99

B - Now all we need is a 300 Spartan Helmet Salsa Bowl, and it'll be a party! Come on, Dark Horse, you can do it! But really, I was just thinking, my Thursday night poker games would be much cooler if the cards had images of Frank Miller's favorite sociopaths on them. And as soon as they do a DKR card set, that fantasy will become a reality!

APR050063 STAR WARS EMPIRE #34 $2.99

Last issue had a nice ending, Thomas!

JUN050044 SUPER MANGA BLAST #55 (MR) $5.99

B - Or this format? I mean, a serialized manga anthology for American audience? Who would pay for that? Oh wait...

DC COMICS

JUL050296 100 BULLETS #64 (MR) $2.75
MAY050191 ABSOLUTE BATMAN HUSH OVERSIZED HC $49.99

B - I really think that DC could get great sales and critical acclaim with this book to a mass market. If they marketed it as a self defense object! All your crappy oversized comic is good for is hitting burglars in the head, Lee and Loeb! I hope this makes you guys cry in to your piles of money.

JUL050211 ACTION COMICS #831 $2.50

I'm putting my faith in this issue. I really like the creative team. PLEASE be good!

JUL050189 ALL STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN THE BOY WONDER #2 $2.99

B- Yes, but where are the All-Star Vickie Vale in lingiere playing cards, DC? WHERE?!?

JUL050193 BATMAN LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #195 $2.50
JUL050259 BATMAN STRIKES #13 $2.25

Last issue of Batman Strikes was actually pretty decent.

JUL050219 BREACH #9 $2.50
JUL050282 DESOLATION JONES #3 (MR) $2.99

I bet this will be a very nice issue.

JUL050300 FABLES #41 (MR) $2.75

I don't get how they can wrap this story up. It just seems so HUGE.

JUL050225 FIRESTORM #17 $2.50

B - I never got the cult around Firestorm that was slightly less creepy and zealous about his return than the HEAT guys were about Hal Jordan. Of course, if Darwyn Cooke ever did a mini-series about how cool Ronnie Raymond was, I might change my mind.

Naw.

Sure would be pretty though!

JUL050229 GREEN ARROW #54 $2.50

It had to happen. The female Doctor Light gets her medicine.

Any bets as to how they screw her over?

Anyone?

JUL050230 HAWKMAN #44 $2.50

B - Tim O'Neil said, in of his remix things of Identity Crisis, that Hawkman was a lame superhero because his power was S&M. I don't think there's a credible way to argue that.

JUL050301 HELLBLAZER BLACK FLOWERS TP (MR) $14.99

B - This is a typical darkening of a long standing character. Why can't they let Constantine be light hearted and fun? Why Black Flowers instead of Pleasent Dandelions, damn it?

JUL050234 JLA #118 $2.50

B - Has Batman beaten the entire JLA all by himself because he has a ridiculously prescient contingency plan yet?

JUL050238 JSA #77 $2.50
JUL050287 MAJESTIC #9 $2.99
JUL050288 MATADOR #5 (OF 6) $2.99

B - A comic about an actual matador would be pretty cool. Especially from the bull's perspective.

JUL050305 MNEMOVORE #6 (OF 6) (MR) $2.99
JUL050201 NIGHTWING #112 $2.50
JUL050315 PREACHER VOL 5 DIXIE FRIED TP NEW EDITION (MR) $14.99
JUL050247 RANN THANAGAR WAR #5 (OF 6) $2.50

The comic where things are described, rather than actually happen!

JUL050197 ROBIN BATGIRL FRESH BLOOD TP $12.99
JUL050268 SCOOBY DOO #100 $2.25
JUL058029 SUPERMAN BATMAN VOL 2 SUPERGIRL TP $12.99

B - Now, all of you who said "I'd love to read a story about Supergirl that makes my eyes bleed, but I prefer the inexpensive Softcover format" will be served!

JUL050276 WILDCATS NEMESIS #1 (OF 9) $2.99

B - Morrison's first issue of Wildcats! Okay, it's Robbie Morrison, not the foreign guy for whom your love of his writing could win you Jack Staff comics. It would have been great if this was drawn by Pat Lee, just so they could put Morrison and Lee on the cover and really screw with the inattentive.

JUL050292 WINTER MEN #2 (OF 8) (MR) $2.99

This comic will be better than we deserve.

IMAGE

JUL051645 ANT #2 $2.99

B - I know what to buy Ed Cunard for Christmas!

If I want him to hate me.

More than he does already, that is.

JUL051647 BONE REST #3 (MR) $2.99
JUL051704 DARKNESS #23 $2.99
JUL051706 DARKNESS & TOMB RAIDER B&W CVR #1 $2.99

B - So, what's the thinking here? Two properties that were only really popular in the mid-90s are better than one?

JUL051652 FERRO CITY #2 $2.99
JUL051623 RONIN HOOD OF THE 47 SAMURAI GN $9.99

B - My friend snagged the preview of this at Free Comics Day. Which is saying something. Me, I take every comic that isn't tied down on Free Comics Day. Really. I have a copy of the Betty and Veronica freebie around here. (It's for my niece! After I read it!)

Anyway, maybe I can convince him to pay cover price for the full story now that it's out.

Before he kicks me out of his house.

JUL051709 WITCHBLADE & TOMB RAIDER B&W CVR #1 $2.99

B - So, what's the thinking here? Two character that were only popular in the mid '90s because of their huge breasts are better than one?

MARVEL

JUL051871 DAREDEVIL VS PUNISHER #4 (OF 6) $2.99

B - This is supposed to be a good comic and all, but really, the fact that it's also supposed to be like a Miller/Janson issue of Daredevil just makes me want to talk about those damn Sin City playing cards some more. Wouldn't you love to play a game of Sin City go fish? "You got a Gail?" "Who's Gail?" "The ninja hooker." "The one who doesn't talk?" "That's Miho." "Which one's Nancy?" "The cowgirl stripper." "Okay, I got one of those." "Well, I don't want one of those. I want a Gail." "Which one's Gail?" "She's what Eartha Kitt would have looked like on Batman if her wardrobe had been designed by time travelling Maxim staff members on crack." "Oh, no, I don't have one of her. Go fish." I'd love to see these cards used on one of those damn poker shows, too. Think of the drama as the player who desperately needed a Marv on the flop gets a Jackie Boy instead.

Brian - It IS a good comic, jerk!!

JUL051878 FANTASTIC FOUR PRESENTS FRANKLIN RICHARDS SON OF A GENIUS $2.99

These are a lot of fun. Think Franklin Richards and HERBIE as Calvin and Hobbes.

JUL051932 GAMBIT HATH NO FURY TP $14.99
JUL051889 GRAVITY #4 (OF 5) $2.99
JUL051872 MARVEL KNIGHTS 4 #22 $2.99

Robert Aguirre-Sacasa is awesome. Read this book. Please?

JUL051867 MARVEL KNIGHTS SPIDER-MAN #18 $2.99
JUN052056 MARVEL MASTERWORKS DOCTOR STRANGE VOL 2 HC VARIANT ED $54.99
JUN052055 MARVEL MASTERWORKS DOCTOR STRANGE VOL 2 NEW ED HC $49.99

B - Did Quesada claim that DC made him do variants for the Masterworks, too? That said, reading through the Lee-Ditko run in the Essential format is really making me want to see the artwork in color.

JUL051896 MARVEL NEMESIS IMPERFECTS #5 (OF 6) $2.99

B - I played a demo of the video game this is tied in to. I thought it wasn't very good, but I may be missing all of the nuances that Pak was trying to add to the experience in this series.

JUN052049 MARVEL TALES FLIP MAGAZINE #3 $3.99
JUL051897 MEGA MORPHS #3 (OF 4) $2.99

B - I bought one of these action figures, and I didn't think it was very good, but maybe I was missing some of the nuances that McKeever... I can't finish this sentence.

Mainly because even I'm not enough of a dick to bust on a guy for doing a toy tie-in mini-series.

I am enough of a dick to suggest to Scott Allie that Dark Horse publish a Book of Minotaurs!

JUL051851 MUTOPIA X #3 (OF 5) $2.99
JUL051885 NEW THUNDERBOLTS #12 $2.99

I really, truly, am waiting for Nicieza to reveal that it isn't Andreas Strucker, just to screw with me.

JUL051890 PULSE #11 $2.99

Wait until you see some of the costumes that Wasp designs for Luke Cage in this comic.

JUL051923 PUNISHER MAX VOL 1 HC (MR) $29.99

B - I love these damn hardcovers. The format, the number of issues, the extras. This could convince me to finally give Ennis's Max take on the character a shot.

JUL051866 SPIDER-MAN UNLIMITED #11 $2.99
JUL051882 THOR BLOOD OATH #1 (OF 6) $2.99

I heard that if Marvel did not publish at least 6 issues of Thor a year, they have to give the rights back to Norway.

JUL051863 TOXIN #6 (OF 6) $2.99

This will be good. Even though (one last time) it is a comic starring the spawn of the spawn of Venom!!

JUL051859 ULTIMATE X-MEN #63 $2.50
JUL051903 WEAPON X DAYS OF FUTURE NOW #3 (OF 5) $2.99

I really, really, truly love that there is a comic out there devoted just to hearing how Frank Tieri characters are going to cause the downfall of the X-Men. It is like a metaphor or something.

JUL051930 WOLVERINE CLASSIC VOL 2 TP $12.99
JUL051902 X-MEN #175 $2.50

The issue that will drive haters of Hudlin's Black Panther mad! "I hate his Black Panther...but it is crossing over with the X-Men...the CONTINUITY!!! THE STORY!!! WHAT DO I DO?!!?? DO I JUST BUY THE X-MEN ISSUES AND RISK LOSING OUT ON STORIES INVOLVING THE X-MEN?!!? WILL HUDLIN RUIN MY CONTINIUTY?!?!?! THE HORROR!! THE HORROR!!"


WIZARD

JUL052518 TOYFARE HOT BABES TOY CVR #99 $4.99

B - Man, that talk about the Punisher HC was way too positive. How will I regain my cynicism and loathing of the current comic industry?

Yeah, that'll do it.

JUL052525 ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN ACE EDITION #1 (O/A) PI

COMICS

JUN052764 100 GIRLS #6 $2.95
MAY052362 AMERICAS GREATEST COMICS #12 $6.95
JUN052956 ANGRY YOUTH COMIX #9 (MR) $3.50

B - The word comix makes my teeth grind. It's an involuntary response. Which makes reading Time's annual best in comics review a painful experience, for one thing. That's one reason I've never tried this series

JUN052770 ARCHIE #560 $2.25
JUN052773 ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #164 $3.59
JUL052722 BART SIMPSONS TREEHOUSE OF HORROR #10 (O/A) $4.99

There is some HEAVY DUTY talent on this comic. Well worth a look see!

JUL052720 BART SIMPSONS TREEHOUSE OF HORROR #8 (O/A) $3.50
JUL052721 BART SIMPSONS TREEHOUSE OF HORROR #9 (O/A) $4.99
JUN053110 BLACKPOOL #2 $2.95
MAR058097 CARDCAPTOR SAKURA VOL 1-4 MASTER OF THE CLOW SET (PP #670) $19.99
JUN053216 CINDERELLA CINEMANGA GN $7.99
MAY052727 DF JSA CLASSIFIED #1 TEAM SGN $49.99

B - I bet #2 will fetch an even higher price, considering it contains..."THE ORIGIN OF THE BOOB WINDOW!"

JUN052765 EL ARSENAL #2 (OF 3) (MR) $2.95
JUN052669 ELECTRIC GIRL VOL 3 TP $13.95
JUL052733 ELRIC OF MELNIBONE GN (O/A) PI
JUN052879 ELVIRA #148 $2.50
JUN052668 FULL MOON FEVER GN $12.95
JUN053325 HOWLS MOVING CASTLE FILM COMICS VOL 2 TP $9.99

B - I don't get these multi volume Cinemanga things. You can buy still pictures of the movie.

In installments.

At $9.99 a pop.

Is this for people who really like the premise of the film, but are afraid of moving pictures?

People who want a bunch of really glossy flip books?

Miyazaki completists?

Is there some secondary market to the people who buy manga who only buy cinemanga?

Don't I have better things to do than all these questions?

No.

JUN053154 HUNGER #4 (MR) $2.99
JUL052734 INDIAN LOVER TP (O/A) PI
JUL052735 LOST CAUSE JOHN WESLEY HARDIN SC (O/A) PI

Oooooh...Dylan reference. Well, not really, but I made it one.

JUL053061 OF BITTER SOULS #2 $2.99
JUL052737 OZ WONDERLAND CHRONICLES #0 $2.99
JUN052659 SALAMANDER DREAM GN $15.00
JUN052864 SCHOOL BITES VOL 2 GN DLX ED $19.99
JUL052659 SOULFIRE DYING OF THE LIGHT #2 $2.99

See, this is what they need to do. Rather than new series, just release new "minis" every month.

Soulfire: Dying of the Light #1

Then next month

Soulfire: Rockets Red Glare #1

then

Soulfire: The Bombs Bursting In Air #1

and so on.

MAY052768 SPUNKY KNIGHT XXX #3 (A) $3.95

B - I bet this is the character Grant Morrison really wanted to revamp in 7 Soldiers. His continuity is a mess, after all. I mean, after 30 Spunky Knights, it's time for a reboot.

JUN052922 STRONGHOLD #1 (OF 3) $4.95
JUL053011 YOU AINT NO DANCER VOL 1 GN (MR) $5.95

B - They got me there. A whole GN telling me this, though... bit of over kill.

MAY052628 ZACHERLEYS MIDNITE TERRORS #1 & #2 PACK $7.95
JUN053088 ZORRO #4 $0.99

Well, that's it for me this week!

Thanks to my guest, Brad Curran!

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

Read More

8 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think we'll all remember day as The Day Shayera Thal Died.

Because you know it's coming.

We all know it's coming.

She's a girl, she's assertive, she's not part of a dippy romance like the one between Hawkman and Hawkgirl, she has a loyal fanbase but is not vital to the Hawk franchise.

Prove me wrong, DC. Prove me wrong.

9/14/2005 09:40:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yeah, Shayera Thal rocks, but I definitely think she's in trouble....

9/14/2005 10:27:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Just back from the comic shop.

I may be 27 years old. I may know superheroes are by and large, very stupid but not something I should get terribly upset about liking. I know it doesn't matter, the DC corporate engine will roll on, the books will sell, the fans will be happy, it will all change in five years or so.

I know, in my head, that It just doesn't matter.

But Rann/Thanagar War #5 made me so angry I can barely see.

9/14/2005 01:37:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Then you will want to seek out Volume 1, mostly. Volume 2, which reprints Strange Tales #142-168, only includes 1 issue of classic Lee/Ditko goodness. There are 4 other Ditko-drawn stories, but they are scripted by Roy Thomas and Denny O'Neil."

I was considering that this summer, when I could have afforded volume 1 on Amazon. But I got a good deal on both Essential trades, and at the time decided I wanted the whole Ditko run and the Colan and Engleheart issues later rather than color. I'm starting to doubt myself. I would feel obligated to get vol. 2 of the Masterworks for those last Ditko stories. Shit, I have completist tendencies. Thanks for the info, at any rate.

9/14/2005 03:38:00 PM  
Blogger Bill Reed said...

Your matador idea is cool. What would be *better* is if, instead of just a bull, it was a minotaur. Of course, I now lay claim to this idea. Haw haw.

I heard that if Marvel did not publish at least 6 issues of Thor a year, they have to give the rights back to Norway.

Hah!

At least Angry Youth looks good...
http://www.midtowncomics.com/images/PRODUCT/FUL/36282_ful.jpg

9/14/2005 05:14:00 PM  
Blogger T. said...

Man, I HATE Angry Youth Comix, so much of it is just dumb shock value.

Anyone see any good blog reactions to All-Star Batman yet, I thought it was pretty over the top. Want to see what others thought.

9/14/2005 06:23:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dan,
Dang, that did pretty much suck, didn't it?

*SPOILERS* for Rann-Thanagar War #5 here:





At least they did let Shayera go out a hero (when reading the title, "Betrayal," I had the sinking feeling they were going to make her the traitor.) But her funeral happens off-panel, and she'll probably never be mentioned again....

9/15/2005 11:17:00 AM  
Blogger JG said...

Female Dr. Light will be raped by the male Dr. Light causing her to get pregnant and the baby to suffer the pressures of having two doctors as parents. He/she will be will succumb to the weight of academics and end up becoming a cashier at Wal-mart.

9/16/2005 02:19:00 PM  

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