Comics and More

Here is the book you should be paying attention to, in comic shops this Wednesday... No Straight Lines: Four Decades of Queer Comics HC - From Fantagraphics Books, and edited by Justin Hall, comes this definitive collection of queer comics, featuring comics from over the past four decades from the likes of Alison Bechdel, Howard Cruse, Ralf Koenig and more. Other Noteworthy Releases Archie Archives (Volume 6) HC Beasts of Burden: Neighborhood Watch One-Shot Dinocorps GN First X-Men #1 Hawkeye #1 Iron Man: Revenge of the Mandarin HC Judge Dredd: Inferno GN Monster Dinosaur HC RASL #15 Superboy (Volume 1): Incubation TP Superman: Action Comics (Volume 1): Superman and the Men of Steel HC Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Ultimate Collection (Volume 3) HC

On this month's Comics-and-More Podcast , Patrick Markfort and I discuss the first two volumes of Dark Horse's archival reprint project of Italian creator Milo Manara's work. Reviewed: The Milo Manara Library (Volume 1): Indian Summer and Other Stories HC Milo Manara & Hugo Pratt The Milo Manara Library (Volume 2): El Gaucho and Other Stories HC Milo Manara & Hugo Pratt For further reading: X-Women #1 Chris Claremont & Milo Manara Manara Erotica (Volume 1) HC Milo Manara The Manara Library (Volume 3): Trip To Tulum and Other Stories HC Milo Manara, Federico Fellini & Silverio Pisu Check out these new solo videos from Patrick Markfort: New Comics 6/13 ( Spider-Men, Ultimate Comics: X-Men, Batman, etc) Godzilla movie review New Comics 6/20 ( Daredevil #14, Punisher #12 ) New Comics ( Supreme #65, Angel & Faith #11, Savage Dragon #180 ) More New Comics ( Fatima: The Blood Spinners #1, Prophet #26, etc)

Here is the book you should be paying attention to, in comic shops tomorrow... The Underwater Welder GN - From Top Shelf comes this new graphic novel from Jeff Lemire, whose work I've been really enjoying lately on DC Comics titles like  Animal Man  and Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. Other Noteworthy Releases Artifacts Deluxe HC Batula HC DC Comics Presents" Wonder Woman Adventures #1 Debris #1 Elephantmen (Volume 5): Devilish Functions HC Everybody Loves Tank Girl #1 Fictionauts GN Green Arrow (Volume 1): Into the Woods TP Grifter (Volume 1): Most Wanted TP The Monolith HC National Comics: Eternity #1 Sakuran GN Secret Avengers by Rick Remender (Volume 1) HC Sergio Aragone's Groo the Wanderer: Artist's Edition HC X-Treme X-Men #1

Moyoco Anno Sakuran is a historical manga that follows a brothel in red-light district Yoshiwara, specifically one girl who rises to the top of her house, Kiyoha.  Kiyoha was sold into her service at a young age, and while we know from the get-go that she ends up as one of the most sought-after working girls around, we delve into her past for much of this manga, watching her rise to become the desirable woman we see at the beginning.  Starting out as a maid for the brothel, Kiyoha eventually learns the ropes under the care of the oiran of the house.  But Kiyoha is not happy with Tamakiku house.  She hates the restrictions, never being able to leave, being disciplined for her sharp tongue by being tied to a tree and splashed with cold water, and eventually, having to satisfy the men who come through while remaining detached.  She learns how to make love by watching it happen between adults, and by the advice the other girls give, and while she comes t...

Here is the book you should be paying attention to, in comic shops Wednesday... Captain Marvel #1 - I loved the last ongoing series featuring Ms. Marvel, so I'm excited to see Carol Danvers getting a new series as she steps into her new role.  This one's brought to readers by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Dexter Soy. Other Noteworthy Releases Adventures of Venus HC American Elf: Sketchbook Diaries of James Kolchalka (Volume 4): 2008-2011 TP Angel Para Bellum (Volume 1) Ghost Rider: The Complete Series by Rob Williams TP Herc: The Complete Series by Pak and Lente TP Men of War (Volume 1): Uneasy Company TP Not the Israel My Parents Promised Me GN Ooku: The Inner Chambers (Volume 7) Showcase Presents: Rip Hunter, Time Master (Volume 1) TP Smurfs (Volume 12): Smurfs Versus Smurfs HC/SC The Stuff of Legend Omnibus (Volume 1) HC Wandering Son (Volume 3) HC

Here are the books that caught my eye in Previews Catalogue , for books shipping to comic shops in August... Barbara SC - Another Osamu Tezuka work sees print, thanks to DMP !  This one's a 400+ page thriller. The Love and Rockets Companion: 30 Years (and Counting) SC - Interviews, unpublished art, posters and plenty more can be found in this companion to the ground-breaking series from The Hernandez Brothers. Also available this month, Love and Rockets: New Stories #5 . Hawkeye #1 - Hot off of the Avengers movie, Hawkeye gets his own ongoing solo series courtesy of Matt Fraction and David Aja. Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Spike #1 (of 5) - Following up his appearances in Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Nine , fan-favorite character Spike gets a solo adventure. Essential Warlock (Volume 1) TP - Hard to believe that there are still more of these out there that need to be collected, but here's proof of that. Skippy: Complete Dailies (Volume 1): 1925-1927 HC ...

Here is the book you should be paying attention to, due in comic shops tomorrow... Walt Disney's Uncle Scrooge (Volume 1): "Only a Poor Old Man" HC - More classic Disney!!  Carl Barks' classic Uncle Scrooge begins being collected here, courtesy of Fantagraphics. Other Noteworthy Releases Ant-Man: Season One HC Batgirl (Volume 1): The Darkest Reflection HC Big John Buscema Comics & Drawings HC Blacksad: Silent Hell HC Creepy Presents Richard Corben HC The Crow #1 Demon Knights (Volume 1): Seven Against the Dark TP Eerie Comics #1 Fantastic Four by Jonathan Hickman (Volume 5) HC Hellboy Library Edition (Volume 5) HC Hoax Hunters #1 Neil Gaiman's Midnight Days HC The Phantom Complete Sundays (Volume 1): 1939-1942 HC Punk Rock Jesus #1 Richard Stark's Parker: The Score HC Space Punisher #1 The Summit of the Gods (Volume 3) The Walking Dead #100

5 Centimeters Per Second Makoto Shinkai & Seike Yukiko The manga of 5 Centimeters Per Second is adapted from a 2007 animated film from Makoto Shinkai, by artist Seike Yukiko.  I've never seen the film, but this manga definitely feels very cinematic, and is really quite beautifully illustrated, with special attention given to detail, particularly when it comes to the environments the characters live in.  It's a very emotional story about a young boy, Takaki Tono, who falls in love with a girl in elementary school.  Unfortunately, his family moves around a lot and while they attempt to stay in touch, writing letters to one another over the years, and even taking a long train ride to see each other during a snowstorm, they eventually fall out of touch, words of unrequited love left unspoken between them.  Takaki's relationship with the girl, Akari Shinohara, shapes the rest of his youth and early adulthood, where he finds himself uncertain whe...

Happy 4th!  Here is the book you should be paying attention to, in comic shops today!! Punisher by Rick Remender Omnibus HC - Rick Remender's work on Marvel's The Punisher is all collected together in one hardcover volume for $99.99, a run that many people seem to like a lot.  Included here are Punisher #1-16 , Franken-Punisher #17-21 , an annual, a Dark Reign one-shot, a couple issues of Dark Wolverine , and the five-issue mini Punisher: In the Blood . Other Noteworthy Releases 5 Centimeters Per Second GN Batman: Earth One HC Batman & Robin (Volume 1): Born To Kill HC Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #1 Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Nine (Volume 1): Freefall TP Crime Does Not Pay Archives (Volume 2) HC Dreadstar Omnibus TP Fables (Volume 17): Inherit the Wind TP Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors (Volume 1) TP He-Man and the Masters of the Universe #1 Hero Worship #1 Infernal Man-Thing #1 (of 3) Jiu Jiu (Volume 1) Peanuts (Volume 1) TP Secret W...

Attack on Titan (Volume 1) Hajime Isayama This Kodansha Manga Award-winning book takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where the remaining humans live behind a series of walls for their safety.  Earth has been overrun by giants that look like warped humans, and behave like savages, and seem to have a taste for human beings.  It's been a hundred years since the three walls were built to house the survivors, and while some of the remaining people explore the world beyond the walls to try to learn about the giants and fight them in their own territory (The Scouting Legion), it's mostly a taboo subject to speak of leaving their sanctuary.  Aside from The Scouting Legion, there are two other branches of the military in this world: Stationary troops, who protect the town and reinforce the walls, and The Military Police, who maintain public order.  Eren Jaeger wishes to join The Scouting Legion, despite the protests of his family, and once a titanic...

Here are the books that caught my eye in Previews Catalogue , for books shipping to comic shops in July... Captain Marvel #1 - I looooved the last ongoing series featuring Ms. Marvel, so I'm excited to see Carol Danvers getting a new series as she steps into her new role. Cursed Pirate Girl HC - My favorite graphic novel of last year gets the hardcover treatment with extra goodies, courtesy of Archaia.  This is a gorgeous book and stunning fantasy - comes with my highest recommendation! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures (Volume 1) - The Archie comics series begins to be collected by IDW in this series of books (following the recent 100-page spectacular) featuring the beloved stories based around the animated series. Space Punisher #1 (of 4) - This has got to be fun, right? National Comics: Eternity #1 - This stand-alone issue sees Jeff Lemire, who's doing awesome things at DC currently, take a stab at writing Kid Eternity. American Elf (Volume 4): The...

Sorry that this one is later than usual, but I will be getting back to posting more regularly now.  Here is the book you should be paying attention to, in comic shops today! The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen III #3: Century 2009 - Lots of good stuff comes out this week from the likes of Gilbert Hernandez, Kevin Huizenga and Eddie Campbell, among others, but I'm most excited about the latest League of Extraordinary Gentlemen .  Why spend your money on the questionable taste of Before Watchmen , when you can have the real thing, by Alan Moore himself?  Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill bring the League into current time, featuring a character very similar to one very popular boy wizard. Other Noteworthy Releases Archie Americana (Volume 4): Best of the 70's HC Attack on Titan (Volume 1) Before Watchmen: Nite Owl #1 (of 4) David Mazzucchell's Daredevil: Born Again: Artist's Edition HC Defenders by Matt Fraction (Volume 1) TP Dinosaurs vs. Aliens HC Fat...

This is the book you should be paying attention to, in comic shops on Wednesday... Angel & Faith (Volume 1): Live Through This TP - This was one of my favorite books of 2011, and, I think, the best thing to come out of Buffy the Vampire Slayer 's continuation in comic book form so far. Other Noteworthy Releases Before Watchmen: Comedian #1 (of 6) Challengers of the Unknown by Jack Kirby Omnibus HC The Complete Flash Gordon Library (Volume 1): On the Planet Mongo HC Dark Horse Presents #13 Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. (Volume 1): War Monsters TP Incredible Hulk by Jason Aaron (Volume 1) HC Invincible Iron Man (Volume 9): Demon HC Lost Dogs GN Mars Attacks #1 Mars Attacks Classics (Volume 1) TP Mort Meskin: Out of the Shadows TP New York Mon Amour HC Spider-Man: Trouble On the Horizon HC Static Shock (Volume 1): Supercharged TP Team Cul de Sac HC Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse (Vol. 3): High Noon at Inferno Gulch HC X-Men: X-Club TP

On this week's Comics-and-More Podcast , Patrick Markfort and I discuss the first part of the Avengers vs. X-Men crossover, as well as various titles tied into the event. Reviewed: Avengers vs. X-Men #1-5 John Romita Jr, Brian Michael Bendis, Jason Aaron, Ed Brubaker, Jonathan Hickman & Matt Fraction Wolverine & the X-Men #2-11 Jason Aaron, Chris Bachalo & Nick Bradshaw Secret Avengers #21.1-27 Rick Remender, Gabriel Hardman, Renato Guedes & Patrick Zircher Uncanny X-Men #9-13 Kieron Gillen, Carlos Pacheco, Greg Land & Billy Tan For further reading: AvX: VS #1-3 Various Avengers Academy #29-31 Christos Gage & Tom Grummett New Avengers #24-26 Brian Michael Bendis, Mike Deodato & Will Conrad Avengers #25-27 Brian Michael Bendis & Walter Simonson Check out this new solo video from Patrick Markfort: New Comics 6/6 ( Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #11, Popeye #2 & Trio #2 )

Here is the book you should be paying attention to, in comic shops tomorrow... Spider-Men #1 (of 5) -  Peter Parker from the Marvel Universe and Miles Morales from the Ultimate Universe meet in this mini from Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli.  Also available this week, Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man by Bendis (Volume 2) HC and Ultimate Spider-Man Omnibus (Volume 1) HC Other Noteworthy Releases American Vampire: Lord of Vampires #1 (of 5) Batwoman (Volume 1): Hydrology HC Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre #1 (of 4) Cloak and DAgger: Crime and Punishment HC Daredevil by Mark Waid (Volume 2) HC Deathlok: The Living Nightmare of Michael Collins HC Kiss #1 Kitchen Princess Omnibus (Volume 1) Mister Terrific (Volume 1): Mind Games TP Prince Valiant (Volume 5): 1945-1946 HC Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Micro-Series (Volume 1) TP

Here is the book you should be paying attention to, in comic shops today! The Walking Dead (Volume 16): A Larger World TP - The latest volume of the super-popular  The Walking Dead hits stands today, as well as the paperback edition of The Walking Dead prose novel, Rise of the Governor , and The Walking Dead and Philosophy SC. Other Noteworthy Releases Avengers West Coast: Along Came a Spider-Woman TP Batman: Detective Comics (Volume 1): Face of Death HC Before Watchmen: Minutemen #1 (of 6) The Complete Little Orphan Annie (Volume 8) HC Creator Owned Heroes #1 Creepy Archives (Volume 13) HC Ed the Happy Clown HC Green Lantern Corps: Revolt of the Alpha Lanterns TP Infestation 2 (Volume 1) TP Koma GN Paris GN Red Lanterns (Volume 1): Blood and Rage TP Uncanny X-Men by Kieron Gillen (Volume 2) HC

Howard Mackie & Ian Churchill The Ravagers is a new title from DC Comics, part of the New 52, spinning out from Teen Titans .  In fact, this title's story directly follows up events from Teen Titans #9 , where a ragtag group of superhumans have escaped N.O.W.H.E.R.E. and their prison lab with the aid of a N.O.W.H.E.R.E. doctor, none other than Fairchild, who was previously part of the Wildstorm universe.  If that sounds complicated, especially for a first issue, it kind of is, given that all of these events happened before this issue and it's pretty much the entire plot, told to us through Fairchild's thoughts and dialogue.  The remainder of the issue is of the team trying to get their bearings in some Arctic landscape as they try to escape their pursuers.  And really, that's all you need to know.  There's a good mixture of characters here, some abandoning others to try to save themselves over the team as a whole, and others bickering over ...

On the latest Comics-and-More Podcast , Patrick Markfort and I discuss Scott Snyder's Batman , from DC's New 52. Reviewed: Batman (Volume 1): The Court of Owls HC Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo For further reading: American Vampire (Volume 1) TP  Scott Snyder, Stephen King & Rafael Albuquerque Batman: Gates of Gotham TP Scott Snyder, Kyle Higgins & Trevor McCarthy Batman: The Black Mirror HC Scott Snyder, Jock & Francesco Francavilla Check out these new solo videos from Patrick Markfort: Alan Moore's Supreme Supreme & Popeye New Comics 5/23 ( Godzilla, Youngblood, Grifter, Savage Hawkman , etc) Wandering Son (Volume 2) New Comics 5/30 ( Angel & Faith, FF, Batman Annual, Next Men , etc)

This is the book you should be paying attention to, in comic shops tomorrow... Wonder Woman (Volume 1): Blood HC - One of the best things to come out of DC's New 52 is this fantastic run on Wonder Woman , who has rarely been written well in the past.  Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang find the perfect balance of superheroic action and bloody mythology for Diana in this first collection of their run. Other Noteworthy Releases Baltimore (Volume 2): The Curse Bells HC Batman: Death By Design HC Channel Zero: The Complete Collection TP Cow Boy: A Boy and His Horse HC Empowered (Volume 7) TP Fables Deluxe Edition (Volume 5) HC The Graphic Cannon (Volume 1): From the Epic of Gilgamesh to Shakespeare to Dangerous Liaisons TP Green Arrow (Volume 1): The Midas Touch TP Grim Leaper #1 (of 4) Kick-Ass 2 HC Monsieur Jean: The Singles Theory HC The Moon Moth GN Peyo: The Life & Work of a Marvellous Storyteller SC Ravagers #1 Starman Omnibus (Volume 1) TP ...

For this week's Manga Monday , I wanted to point you toward a youtube video of Patrick Markfort talking about 20th Century Boys , and creator Naoki Urasawa in general.  Patrick Markfort is the co-host of the Comics-and-More Podcast , and he has begun posting his own videos pretty frequently.  It's good stuff, so check it out !