Believe
it or not, I’m back with the second installment of a hopefully
ongoing series!
If
you don’t know, Previews
is the catalog that Diamond Comic Distributors use to offer the
products they distribute to comic book stores around the country.
This is where you can view and order (through your favorite Local
Comic Book Shop) comic books, trade paperback collections, t-shirts,
books, media, and toys and other collectibles from hundreds of
different vendors that deal in geek-oriented merchandise. The genius
part is that you actually have to pay for your copy of Previews
for the privilege of ordering other things to pay for. It’s like
the Ren Fest except without the horse poo smell.
So
every month a new edition of Previews
is sent out to comic book stores. Contained in the pages within are
products that might be currently available or could be released
anytime in the next year; but typically about two months away. Or
sometimes never. I’ve ordered lots
of things that have just never come in. Without getting into the
specific politics of Diamond, let me just say that they aren’t
quite
a monopoly and also aren’t quite
the worst distributor anybody has ever dealt with in the history of
the universe.
But
I’m not here to discuss that. I’m here to discuss a few of the
weird and/or wonderful items offered in this month’s edition.
Big
Trouble In Little China – BOOM! Studios
I
don’t care if this is an ongoing series, a mini, an adaptation of
the movie, or Eric Powell scribbling on a napkin. I’m getting it. I
realize there will probably be more details further back in Previews,
but this splash page is so beautiful I had to go ahead and comment on
it.
FREE
COMIC BOOK DAY!
I’m
not going to run down all of the titles being offered this year, just
be sure to show up at your Local Comic Book Shop on Saturday, May 3rd
to partake in the fun. Many stores have parties, signings, and other
events to draw attention not only to the best visual medium in the
world but also the importance of the independently-owned stores that
work so hard to bring all of the comic-related goodness to your
neighborhood.
I
will be hosting the Fan-Tiki-Tastic Tiki Zombie Party featuring
Monstrosity Championship Wrestling at Odin’s Comics in Lilburn,
Georgia. We’ll be recording a LIVE ESO Podcast and the squared
circle will be set up outside the store to contain the madness of
whatever monsters might show up. More details to come, but don’t be
surprised if a certain Tiki fella and maybe even the Allfather
himself show up to GET IT ON!
JUST
CONFIRMED! Joining the fun at Odin’s will be:
Check
comicshoplocator.com to find your shop, then give ‘em a call and
see what they have planned!
New
Doctor Who Ongoing Series – Titan Comics
(Not
to be confused with excellent Local Comic Book Shop, Titan Games &
Comics)
Two
of ‘em, as a matter of fact. What’s surprising is that neither of
them features the Twelfth Doctor. Er, Thirteenth Doctor. Or whatever.
Peter Capaldi’s Doctor.
I
guess he is officially the Twelfth Doctor given that the references
here are to the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors. I don’t know how I feel
about that. Not excited, certainly. I mean, it really doesn’t
matter which Doctor is in the book, as the quality will be determined
by the people writing and drawing, not the characters within the
pages. But I have to admit that launching a Tennant book feels like a
cash grab to me. The Smith one I sort of understand, as we haven’t
seen any of Capaldi yet and it would be unreasonable to expect a new
comic to be featuring stories before the show.
If
I were the guy in charge (and I never am) I would have launched the
Smith book with the intention of turning it into a Capaldi book in
2016 and just keep that as an ongoing title. The secondary book would
be a classic book that would feature a different Doctor with each
story arc – more of an anthology title. As a matter of fact, I
might even just do a series of miniseries rather than trying to
maintain a single title. They would inhabit the same order slot in
Previews and fall under the “Classic Doctor Who” banner, but
would be renumbered with each new arc. The same way that the current
Danger Girl books are.
Anyway,
I’m not planning on picking these up. I’m just not interested in
further Ten/Eleven stories right now and I’m not familiar with
anybody on the creative teams. That might be more my fault than
Titan’s, but that’s just how it is. Those covers do look great,
though.
Oh
– I just noticed the “15 Issues A Year” burst. Is that good?
I’m not sure I see the benefit of three more issues. Unless there’s
some kind of page count trickery and they’re dividing the same
number of pages up amongst fifteen issues so they can make a little
more money off of the thing.
Superman
#32 – DC Comics
I’m
not a Superman guy, but I can appreciate good Superman stories. And I
think it’s entirely possible that Geoff Johns has some good
Superman stories in him. Regardless of how I feel about any of Johns’
work in the past few years (or his reign as one of the DC PTB), the
fact remains that he had a definitive run on The Flash and that I
still love what he did on Green Lantern pre-New 52. I’ll be
checking this out.
Oh,
and the fact that the legendary John Romita, Jr. – one of the
artists I grew up idolizing – is doing the art with Klaus Janson
might have had a little bit to do with that decision. It never
occurred to me before, but Romita’s style is perfect for the Man of
Steel.
Batman
#32 – DC Comics
That’s
just an awesome cover. I’ll talk a little bit more about “Zero
Year” in this month’s Comic Book Wednesday.
Batman
& Ra’s al Ghul #32 – DC Comics
“NO,
DETECTIVE! You can’t have my Limited Edition Devil Mummy
snowboard!”
Harley
Quinn #0 Director’s Cut – DC Comics
I
don’t usually go for stuff like this, but I’m enjoying the Harley
comic so much. I’m curious to see the little extras that went into
making this important Zero issue that set the tone for the series. I
don’t think I’d buy a Director’s Cut of all of the Harley
books, but this one sounds worthwhile.
Batman
& Joker 75
Years
Books – DC Comics
Ten
years ago these would have been no-brainers for me, but there’s a
very good chance I’ve already read the stories in here. I’m not a
guy that memorizes… well, anything,
but if these are the greatest stories ever told, I’m willing to bet
a lot of them are in the Greatest Stories Ever Told collections,
which I have for both of these characters. And anything that might
have come out after those collections is probably something I’ve
read or part of the New 52.
But
these might be great books for the newcomer. I’m not poo-pooing
them, they’re just not for me. Also, I find it odd that they’re
referred to as “Retrosolicits”. I have no idea what that means. I
can’t remember seeing them offered before. Did DC decide at the
last second to release these and they’re technically coming out
sooner than they should? I have no idea.
The
Sandman: Overture Statue – DC Collectibles
I
just think that’s a tremendously ugly likeness of Morpheus. The
color on the Patina one looks awesome, though. But - $299.95! Yikes!
Batman
Lil’ Gotham Figures – DC Collectibles
I
already talked about these in my Toy Fair coverage, but I wanted to
point out that they’re 4” scale and only $12.95 apiece. Now, I
know that is not a price point that I usually endorse for this scale,
but these are some fancy figures. They’re so weird and cute. And
that Harley Quinn might be my favorite version of the character. I
can’t decide if I want these for me or for Lil’ Troublemaker.
Probably for him.
GI
Joe: Silent Interlude 30th
Anniversary Edition - IDW
What
kind of chump-ass sucker would pay $19.99 for a reprint of a single
issue of a comic book?
Me.
I can’t help it. I love Larry Hama and I love GI Joe. And while I
think this issue might
be just a tad overhyped and overexposed at this point, I love getting
looks at Hama’s process. I can’t help myself – I have to have
this.
The
Wicked + The Divine #1 – Image Comics
“Story:
Kieron Gillen” is enough to get me to buy almost anything. But then
when I read the synopsis I got even more excited. The deal is that
twelve gods take human shape for two years once a century. That
sounds awesome to me, and with somebody as amazing as Gillen behind
it I have no doubt this book will end up being nearly as must-have as
Saga.
I
hate to say “nearly”, but Saga
is pretty much beyond compare.
Original
Sin - Marvel
The
more I see about this event, the more I want to read it. This is such
a cool page. Is that Uatu’s eyeball? I dunno, but those four
matching images are just awesome.
I
have to use two images for this one, because I just cannot believe
that Marvel has once again allowed a major typo to make its way out
to public viewing:
“Digital
Addition”? Seriously, you guys? While I’m pretty sure each of
those should read “Digital Edition”, I am going to give the House
of Ideas the benefit of the doubt and say that maybe they’re
considering the digital editions to be additions. Maybe. But probably
not. I’ll have to look at my calender.
(pic)
Savage
Hulk #1 - Marvel
I’m
honestly not sure that I’ve ever read anything by Alan Davis, but I
certainly love his art. I would’ve gotten this anyway, but like The
Wicked + The Divine,
the synopsis got me even more excited. Apparently the story is Hulk
versus the X-Men. This sounds so
80s.
I’m in.
Figment
#1 - Marvel
Epcot’s
Journey Into Imagination was my favorite ride the first time I went
to Walt Disney World. I think I went on it four or five times. My dad
would give each of us a certain amount of money every day. IT was
enough, but not so much that we didn’t have to seriously consider
what we would spend it on. I think this was one of the few times in
my young life that I actually learned a good lesson about finances.
I
spent a portion of my dollars on a small Figment stuffed toy. I
considered saving up over the course of a couple of days to buy a
larger Figment, but I think my mom talked me out of it. I have no
idea what happened to that little guy.
Last
time we went to Walt Disney World the Journey Into Imagination was
closed. I can’t remember if it was permanent or if it was being
renovated.
As
you can see, I have far too much attachment to not buy this comic.
And now I really want a stuffed Figment.
Wolverine:
Origin II HC - Marvel
For
whatever reason I just wanted to wait for this to be collected. It’s
Kieron Gillen and Adam Kubert. Of course it’s going to be
fantastic. Sometimes I really just want to have nice collections of
things.
Lola
XOXO - Aspen
I
have no clue what this is and I’ve never noticed it in Previews
before, but I love this art. I’m not familiar with Siya Oum, but I
like the way… uh… they
draw this blonde chick. Neat style.
Naughty
and Nice: The Good Girl Art of Bruce Timm – Flesk Publications
This
collection gets my highest recommendation. If you want to see Bruce
Timm’s talent on display at its best, check this out. This is a new
printing of the book, but the content should all be the same. Just
buy it. You’ll thank me.
Princess
Ugg – Oni Press
Once
again, this artwork just caught my eye. I know the name Ted Naifeh,
but I’m not sure from where. Might be ComicTwart. Anyway, I think
this looks really neat and am going to be giving it a try despite the
fact that it sounds super-girly.
Alien:
The Illustrated Story – Titan Books
I
didn’t know there was such a thing. This is a graphic adaptation of
Ridley Scott’s movie, written by Archie Goodwin and illustrated by
Walt Simonson. It sounds fantastic, but I’m a little concerned
about the fact that I’ve never heard of it. It could be one of
those things that sounds like an undiscovered gem but turns out to
have been a bad idea. I’ll find out. It’s interesting that it’s
only 64 pages. That’s definitely the mark of something done decades
ago. A modern adaptation would be at
least
six issues. 64 pages translates to slightly less than three. Oh,
seventies, how I miss you.
There’s
also a signed artists’ edition available, but I’m not going to be
getting that one. It’s $75 versus the regular edition’s $14.95
price tag.
Castle
Season 3 & 4 Trading Cards
What?
This is one of those things that just baffles me. I can’t picture
the person that’s buying these, let alone enough people to warrant
their production and existence. Don’t get me wrong – if this is
your thing, go for it. I just don’t get it.
Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles Vinyl Bust Banks – Diamond Select Toys
As
I mentioned last time, all of DST’s banks look fantastic and are an
affordable alternative to actual busts. These are no exception. They
look absolutely amazing. If they decide to do the old Eastman &
Laird Turtles I’m not going to be able to resist.
Greetings
From Asgard T-Shirt – Mad Engine
I
definitely don’t need any more t-shirts, but if I did I’d buy
this one. This is awesome. Not just the concept, but the art is
really nice as well.
Doctor
Who Neckties
Sold.
Silly
Baseball Caps
I
am simply not going to be able to handle it if I see a grown-up
wearing any of the caps on this page. These just look so silly. I
guess the ones that are just mutant faces aren’t quite as bad, but
in the presence of the ones that look like they should be in the
little kids’ section at Target they absorb some proximal silliness.
Creature
From the Black Lagoon Version 2 – Diamond Select Toys
DST
first showed this at Toy Fair 2013. Despite the fact that I have two
different versions of the last Gill-man they released (and the
Sideshow figure that they very
closely resemble) I knew I’d be buying this one as well. This one
has sixteen points of articulation, and while that’s hardly
super-articulated, it’s pretty darn good compared to any other
Universal Monsters that have come out. Well, except for the ones
(company) released a few years ago. Those were fantastic.
Zombie
Magneto – Diamond Select Toys
Curse
you, DST! I have the last set of Marvel Zombies from however many
years ago, so this Magneto is a must-have. This is one of the few
collections where I would probably have to be a completist, so I sure
hope DST doesn’t start cranking these out like crazy.
As
an aside, I stopped reading the Marvel Zombies books after the third
series, so I still love them. And you can’t deny the awesomeness of
Arthur Suydam’s artwork.
Game
of Thrones: Westeros 4D Cityscape Puzzle
I
WANT THIS SO BAD. If this thing weren’t sixty bucks I’d have it
already. It has three layers – the first is a regular puzzle
depicting a map of Westeros, the second is 3D terrain, the third is
all of the various landmarks. I want this thing crazy bad. My
birthday is May 10th
– send me this. Or all of the ReAction figures. Whichever. Or both.
The
first waves of ReAction figures - Funko
Escape
From New York,
Firefly,
The
Rocketeer,
and Terminator
are all included in these waves. I want them all, obviously, but I
just cannot spend the money on them.
Masters
of the Universe Snake Mountain Statue – Icon Heroes
This
thing is magnificent. It’s 16” tall, 18” wide, and 13” deep.
It basically combines the different versions of Skeletor’s home
base into one beautiful sculpture. I would love to own this. I might.
I don’t know. I’d have to have a really
good eBay selling run to make this happen. It’s a “PI” item and
that’s never a good sign. It means “Please Inquire”, which
usually means “so expensive you can’t afford it, loser”.
Also
of Note
This
month I did something I have never done before – I filled up the
Previews order form. Actually, I went over by one line. There was
just a bunch of cool stuff, plus I added a few titles to my pull. And
dropped a few, but I’ll talk about that on Comic Book Wednesday.
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