If
you don’t know, Previews
is the catalogue 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.
The
Sandman Overture – DC/Vertigo (Front Cover, 142, 143)
I
haven’t commented publicly on Neil Gaiman’s return to the worlds
of Morpheus and his kin, and that’s an egregious oversight on my
part. I feel like it has been a fantastic work that is on par with
the existing Sandman
stories. It’s a little more wacky and out there, but J.H. Williams’
artwork is (obviously) phenomenal and compliments Gaiman’s
storytelling perfectly. I’ve been excited for every issue and have
been perfectly fine with the extended gaps between them. It’s one
of those books that is worth the wait for the quality.
I’ve
often said that I’m willing to wait for books that can maintain a
high level of narrative and artistic quality, and it remains true. If
a comic is good, I say you give the artists the time they need to get
it done right. I’m just as much against replacement artists as I am
recasting.
Or
half-page ads.
This
month’s Previews
offers the sixth and final issue of Overture,
as well as the hardcover collection. If you didn’t pick up the
individual issues, I highly recommend the collection. Especially if
you’re a Sandman fan that was waiting to see if this was any good.
It is.
Invincible
Iron Man #1 – Marvel (Back Cover)
I
tend to like Bendis’ work on solo books. The first 160 issues of
Ultimate
Spider-Man
comprised my favorite comic book ever until Saga
came
along, and still stands as the longest run of consistently excellent
issues I’ve ever read. Because of that I’m tempted to give this
new Iron Man book a shot.
On
the other hand, I’m currently buying way too many titles (as is
always the case) and think I might be suffering from reboot fatigue.
While I like the idea of doing ongoing miniseries that allow for
different arcs and artists rather than trying to sustain an ongoing
series that will inevitably decline over time, this whole business of
resetting everything every year is tiring. The cycle of wondering if
I’m still going to give a shit about my favorite characters in
twelve or sixteen months (or if they’ll even still be around or
recognizable) is making me want to just go back and check out the
massive quantities of older stories that I’ve never read.
Halloween
ComicFest – (25-33)
Our
pal, Mike Gordon,
gives out comics instead of candy on Halloween and I think that’s a
fine idea. This year on Halloween, comic shops are being invited to
participate in a sort of mini-Free Comic Book Day where kids can come
in and get free comics. There are a ton of fun titles in here, though
you might want to keep Vampblade
Featuring Zombie Tramp
on the higher shelves.
I
have to give DC props for putting out a kids book and a teen book. I
feel like all-ages titles (though not necessarily “kids” books)
are very important to keeping the industry alive. If we don’t have
books appropriate for our kids, how are we supposed to ensure there’s
a next generation to buy comics?
Frankenstein
Underground TPB – Dark Horse (42)
Do
I even need to sell this to you? It’s Mignola writing
Frankenstein’s monster as he was first depicted in Hellboy:
House of the Living Dead
(where Hellboy teams up with luchadors). This is the continuation of
the monster’s story and it is awesome.
Archie
Vs. Predator HC – Dark Horse (69)
I
couldn’t get into this miniseries, but contributor R.T.Ewell
dug it. He’s probably right because, as I mentioned above, I am in
super-selective “I’m buying way too many comics” mode right
now.
Batman
#44 – DC (110)
I
didn’t enjoy “Zero Year”, so I stopped buying Batman
when “Endgame” started. Then Mike Gordon told me that “Endgame”
was really good, so I read it and he was right. Now I’m buying the
book again, and as much as I don’t care for the look of the mech
suit, issue #40 was really
good and I am very much into the story of Jim Gordon as Batman. I
don’t like it as much as I liked Dick Grayson as Batman, but it’s
a welcome change.
Batman
’66 #27 – DC (114)
Oh,
hell,
it’s Bane ’66! And he’s an actual luchador in Mexico!
DC
Comics Cover Girls Black Canary Statue – DC Collectibles (151)
This
is a great
statue. The sculpt is beautiful, the pose is awesome, Canary’s face
has a classic look, and the blown-up megaphone is a nice touch. I’d
prefer it if her costume was, you know, black
rather than blue. I might have even ordered one.
Batman:
Mask of the Phantasm Action Figure 2-Pack – DC Collectibles (153)
Ever
since the shoddy Man-Bat
figure
I’m starting to run a little cold on these. I hate to say that, but
when quality issues keep coming I just can’t get excited. I will,
however, continue to give the line a chance for the time being. I
certainly don’t want to stop before this set comes out. Batman:
Mask of the Phantasm
is the best theatrical Batman movie that has been released and the
old Kenner Phantasm is still one of my favorite action figures.
Unfortunately, this update does not appear to have the removable mask
that reveals ***SPOILER
ALERT***
Andrea Beaumont as Phantasm.
Side
Note: Andrea Beaumont was voiced by Dana Delaney, who went on to
voice Wonder Woman on the Justice League animated series. Stacy Keach
provided the voice of her father, Carl, as well as voicing the
Phantasm.
I
love this classic Batman. As much as I preferred the New
Adventures
Batman back in the day, this classic look is now my favorite.
The
Wicked + The Divine Pantheon Circle T-Shirt – Image (216)
The
Wicked + The Divine
is a smart, rewarding comic book that is near the top of my stack
every month. I’m digging this in the same way I dug Sandman
back when I first discovered that title. So this t-shirt is a
must-have.
Captain
America: White – Marvel (M2-3)
Wasn’t
this supposed to come out around a decade ago? I’m not sure. The
Long Halloween
and Dark
Victory
are some of my favorite Batman stories, but for some odd reason I’ve
never checked out Loeb and Sale’s Marvel stuff. I think part of it
is that I’ve read a good bit of Loeb’s work that just hasn’t
gotten me in the way that those Bat-books did. The thought of this
duo creating a Cap story is exciting, though, and I think I’m going
to have to check it out.
There’s
a hacky joke to be made about the book featuring Steve Rogers and
being called White,
but I’m sure other sites have already made it.
Heck,
they probably dedicated a whole post to it.
Secret
Wars – Marvel
I’m
not reading all of the books, but I have enjoyed all of the ones I’ve
read. The only one I’m on the cusp about is 2099
because it isn’t as relevant to me as I thought it would be. Or as
tied in to Peter David’s All-New
X-Factor. And
it’s pretty grim. I mean, obviously there’s going to be a certain
amount of heaviness to all of the books – this is a universe where
Doctor Doom is god,
for… Doom’s sake. But 2099
just seems a little darker.
Star
Wars: Shattered Empire – Marvel (M40-41)
Take
a deep breath, Phantomaniacs – this is it. Not only is this the
first step on the road to The
Force Awakens,
it is also the first book that will overtly and directly contradict
the Expanded Universe that we all know and love. I’m certainly
excited to see new stories about old times, but I’m also nervous
that they can’t possibly live up to Timothy Zahn’s incredible
work. Other stories from the EU aren’t as beloved, but Timothy Zahn
crafted something that was true to the spirit of the Original Trilogy
and breathed new life into what could have been a dying franchise. In
September, Disney completely jettisons all of that in favor of
whatever Greg Rucka and Marco Checchetto have in store.
This
is a big deal.
Figment
2 #1 – Marvel (M52)
I
still haven’t read the first Figment
series. It’s in a massive stack of books waiting for my attention.
I read the first issue and thought it was a bit wordy, so I decided
to wait until they were all out and take them in all at once when I
was in the mood for wordy.
I
picked the series up because Journey
Into Imagination
was my favorite thing in Walt Disney World when I was a kid. That
being the case, I want this action figure set to happen something
terrible. Funko produced Tomorrowland
figures (not that that probably worked out so well for them), so I’m
thinking these could be a possibility someday.
All
of John Tyler Christopher’s action figure covers are driving me
crazy.
Broken
Moon – American Gothic Press (260)
I’ve
been waiting for Famous Monsters of Filmland’s comic book imprint
to produce something I couldn’t resist, and this is it. I love
Steve Niles (as everyone should) and the concept of a ruined Earth
where old-school monsters have taken over appeals to me. I do hope
it’s more than just vampires and werewolves, though, because that
concept is a little tired right now. Either way I’m sure Niles will
have a worthwhile take on it.
Spongebob
Comics #48 – Bongo (286)
Being
that I am not a seven-year-old or a stoner, I do not have a lot of
tolerance for the moronic Spongebob or his intolerable friends. But I
have to admit two things:
1
– My son got the first issue of Spongebob
Comics
and it was actually very well done and interesting. Lots of variety
with the art and stories, all of it quality.
2
– Those themed Garys are pretty darn cute.
Peanuts:
A Tribute to Charles M. Schultz – BOOM! (296)
I
grew up with Sunday funnies. While I’m sure my parents would want
me to say that my favorite part of every Sunday morning was going to
church, the truth is that rifling through the newspaper to get to the
comics section was the best. It was something I looked forward to all
week. And the strip that hooked me was Peanuts.
Like
anyone my age, I didn’t first discover Snoopy, Charlie Brown, and
all the rest on the comics page – it was A
Charlie Brown Christmas,
It’s
the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,
and the various animated features that were released. My personal
favorite is still Race
for Your Life, Charlie Brown.
I
could write a whole post about how Peanuts
influenced me, and maybe I will, but for now I’m just delighted to
see this collection of incredible artists paying tribute to Charles
M. Schultz. I can’t wait to get my hands on this book.
Big
Trouble in Little China #16 – BOOM! (302)
Big
Trouble in Little China
is my favorite movie of all time. But I could not bring myself to
stick with the comic. I gave it a few issues to settle in, but it was
too silly and I could not tolerate the art. I feel like they went
pretty far afield of what works for Jack Burton’s world.
I
would buy a poster of that Jay Shaw cover in a second, though. That
is fantastic.
Public
Relations #1 – Devil’s Due/1First (334)
Devil’s
Due will always be a sentimental favorite of mine for giving the
world my preferred GI Joe continuity and Hack/Slash.
I hope this partnership or whatever it is works out for them.
Public
Relations’
preview pages caught my eye because the art is nice and they look
like fun. That’s all I got. I’m not familiar with the creators
(though Matthew Sturges rings a bell), but you show me dragons with
airplanes strapped to their backs on the same page as an extremely
dirty joke and I’m going to at least give you one issue to hook me.
Amazing
Fantastic Incredible: A Marvelous Memoir – Touchstone (414)
There’s
no way I’m not buying Stan Lee’s autobiography.
Cthulu:
The Ancient One Tribute Box – From Beyond the Mountains of Madness
(455)
Gary’s
Pick of the Month (that he doesn’t know about)!
A
tiny Elder God statue for you to worship, along with a book
discussing the Ancient One’s role in pop culture! Whee!
Star
Wars: Journey to The Force Awakens Trading Cards – Topps (475)
It’s
been a very long time since I’ve bought any trading cards.
Actually
that’s not true. I bought a full set of Masters of the Universe
trading cards at a flea market a year or so ago. And I buy Garbage
Pail Kids from time to time when I see them at Target and am feeling
sufficiently nostalgic.
Let’s
just say that I’m not into trading cards in the way that I was in
the late 80s/early 90s. But I am sorely tempted to just buy a box of
these. I know for a fact that I am going to get sucked into the Star
Wars hype big time when Disney pulls the trigger on marketing in
September. And these look like great cards – a mix of old-school
stuff and newer styles.
WWE
Trading Cards - Topps (475)
These
look nice, but they don’t make me want these
wrestling trading cards. They make me want to track down some old WWF
cards. My local comic shop gave me a box of WCW trading cards from
1992, but WCW mostly sucked in 1992, so those were fun to open but
overall not very satisfying. The biggest satisfaction I got from them
was knowing for a fact that I own more Z-Man trading cards than
anyone else on the planet.
Previews
Exclusive Spider-Gwen Hoodie (478)
Smart
move, Marvel. Well done. And it looks nice.
Batman:
TAS Femme Fatales Harley Quinn PVC Statue – DST (493)
The
thing that I love most about Diamond Select Toys is how much effort
they put into producing high quality items and figuring out how to
keep the prices reasonable. Their bust banks are the best example of
this, as any of those will look absolutely fantastic on your shelf
and most people wouldn’t even realize from looking at them that
they’re just PVC. This Harley statue is another beautiful piece at
a great price - $45 for a 9” statue that looks this good is
tremendous.
Back
to the Future Glass Tumblers – DST (495)
These
glasses are almost perfect. The concept and the designs make them
look like the Back
to the Future
Burger King glasses that we never had. But it looks like DST decided
to make them a little nicer than those classic fast food premiums, so
each glass comes in at $9.99. I’d buy three lower quality glasses
for that (or probably even five bucks more), but I don’t need these
to be fancy-pants glasses like you’d find at retail. The cheap,
thin glass of the originals would be fine. Better, even, because once
you get the heaviness of these in your hand it’s going to spoil the
nostalgia.
Muppets
Minimates – DST (496-497)
I
love the Muppets and I have a great deal of respect for Minimates and
the breadth and versatility of that line, but these just do not work
for me. Out of all of the licenses that have been adapted to the
Minimates form, the Muppets do not look right. Their heads are weird
and it’s just too much for me to see all of them the same height.
That Miss Piggy is particularly atrocious.
Star
Wars Madness – Various Vendors (506-516)
And
here it is – the marketing/merchandising blitz that I spoke of
earlier. Ten pages of Star Wars items from Hasbro, Underground Toys,
and more. Here are the items I liked the most:
Funko
Fabrikations
– If you haven’t seen these in person, then you just don’t
know. They are the cutest products ever created by mankind. Look at
Yoda’s shifty eyes! What’s that all about? I don’t know, but I
love it.
Imperial
Officer Caps
– I long for the day that this style of cap becomes the norm –
folks just walking around, wearing bizarrely cut hats with
impractical visors. Have you seen them on Rebels?
How do those guys even see?
Chewbacca
Messenger Bag
– This has been around for a while, but it’s worth mentioning. I
love the concept, but I’m not calling it a “replica” like they
do. Chewie’s bag didn’t have an adjustable strap and screen
printed cartridges (or whatever those things on the strap are). It
looks cool, but $90 is way steep.
Darth
Vader Silicone Oven Gloves
– These are fantastic. I’m not paying thirty-five bucks for a
glorified pair of oven mitts, but I applaud anyone who does.
Slave
Leia Predator Plus Guitar
– I can’t play guitar, but if I could I would buy this. This is
one of the coolest-looking guitars I have ever seen. I don’t know
how much guitars cost, but the other models are $329.99 and $340.00.
This one is “PI”, which usually, but not always, means “you
don’t even want to know”.
Serenity
Mini-Plush – ? (517)
Somehow
being converted into bulgy, plush form makes Captain Reynolds
Firefly-class ship look even more phallic.
Garbage
Pail Kids Mystery Minis – Funko (518)
It’s
funny how there have been recurring themes in this month’s edition.
I mention GPKs above, and here are some figures of them. I would love
to have all of these, but I doubt I’ll be able to talk the comic
shop into ordering a case.
Harley
Quinn Glow-in-the-Dark Head Bank – ? (593)
I
don’t like that Previews doesn’t always list the manufacturer for
their products. In this case I’m simply curious as to whether or
not DST made this (I don’t think they did), but oftentimes I’m
left wondering if certain items might be from a vendor that I don’t
care for or have purchased shoddy products from in the past. I’d
like to know beforehand who is making what so the comic shop doesn’t
get stuck having to handle a return.
As
far as this bank goes, I like Harley and I love glow-in-the-dark
stuff, but this thing is just damned creepy. If I woke up in the
middle of the night with that sinister face glowing at me, I’d
probably dive out the window.
The
Fappening DVD (621)
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
I
have only recently discovered this word “fap” and what it means
because I am old and “jacking off” and the hundreds of other
euphemisms for masturbation always seemed sufficient to me.
I’m
guessing “fap” has some internet-related meaning that the kids
are aware of. I don’t know and I don’t care because just like
text speak I will never use the term.
Unaffiliated
Thoughts
*I
am very excited about Ant-Man.
I don’t get people who are eager for it to fail. I applaud Marvel
for continuing with smaller scale movies. Everything can’t be age
of Ultron,
and if it was the MCU would get very boring very quickly. These
single character flicks are where we get to really explore characters
and motivations on a whole other level. If the first several Marvel
movies hadn’t been so successful at this, we wouldn’t be
expecting Scott Lang’s adventures on the big screen in two weeks.
*I
am also very excited for Terminator:
Genisys,
but in a completely different way. I love Terminator
and The
Sarah Conner Chronicles.
I loved Terminator
2 back
in the day, but I feel like it does not hold up. There are parts of
it that are simply painful to watch and Edward Furlong’s
performance is terrible. I feel bad saying that because he was “just
a kid” at the time, but go watch Iron
Man 3
or any of Hayley Joel Osment’s early films and get back to me on
what “just a kid” should allow a performer to get away with. Even
little Jake Lloyd was better.
Side
Note: I have a big problem with the internet habit of abbreviating
things without precedent. I saw Sarah
Conner Chronicles
referred to as SCC without prior mention of it the other day and it
took me forever to figure out what the fuck they were talking about
because there was no context presented, either.
I
also liked Terminator
3 the
first time I saw it. I watched it again the other day and I must have
been high as giraffe pussy to have liked it because that movie is
almost unwatchable, despite the presence of two of the most gorgeous
women humanity has ever produced.
As
a movie unto itself I liked Terminator:
Salvation
a lot. It didn’t really work as part of the already insanely
convoluted Skynetverse (or whatever), but I dug it.
This
new one looks like a hot mess. Like everyone else I love Emilia
Clarke, unrecognizable though she is without her blonde hair. Matt
Smith is in it, so that’s good, too. The guy that played Storm
Shadow – one of the indisputable best parts of the GI Joe movies –
is in it and he should be in everything. And there are definitely
some cool things in the trailers. But the posters have been
hilariously awful. And there’s an air of “let’s just try
everything” about it that makes me nervous.
Having
said all of that, I want to see it as soon as possible so I can
develop my own, untainted opinion about it.
*My
sister just referred to Shia LaBeouf as a “twatwaffle” on
Facebook, which I think is hilarious. She's met him, so I guess she
would know.
*****
That’s
all I’ve got for this month. Start putting your pennies in your
Diamond Select figural bank and remember to drop your order form off
at your Local Comic Book Shop!
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