By Phantom Troublemaker
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 are typically about three months away. Most of
this month’s offerings are scheduled to ship in March.
Now it’s time to discuss a few of the weird and/or
wonderful items offered in this month’s edition!
Before I get into the contents, I want to acknowledge the changes to Previews’ exterior. There’s a new flat finish on the cover that I like a lot. I also dig the lower profile month/date/website in the top left corner. The book looks classier.
American
Gods – Dark Horse (Front Cover, 56-59)
I don’t know a thing about Neil Gaiman’s American Gods other than it is soon to
be a TV show. I know plenty of people love the book and that the creative team
on this comic is a blockbuster team. This will be a huge hit for Dark Horse,
I’m sure. I guess I need to read the book.
Okay, publishers – if you absolutely have to release new number one issues all the time, this is the way
to do it. Just keep putting out miniseries that go however many issues they
need to.
I’ve loved the ongoing Hellboy 195_ books and will keep
buying them regardless of numbering.
This is essentially a He-Man encyclopedia. Basically, if
you’re not fortunate enough to have Mister Beau Brown at your disposal, this is
all of the Masters information you might ever need to know. Heck, I can shoot
Beau a question pretty much any time I want and I’ll still be ordering this!
Dark Horse has done a fantastic job with these special
release Masters of the Universe books and I can’t wait to see how thorough and
beautiful this one is.
I can’t help but be excited
for a new Kate Kane book with James Tynion IV involved. I’ve enjoyed most of
what I’ve read for Marguerite Bennett as long as she stays on track. It’s a
shame when a writer lets an agenda interfere with their narrative. Here’s
hoping DC will be a good environment for Bennett.
Teen
Titans was one of the Rebirth books I wanted to put on my list,
but just couldn’t justify. Now that they’re bringing Kaldur into the book I
think I’m going to have to add it. I absolutely loved his character on Young Justice, and while there’s no
guarantee that this version will do the animated Aqualad justice, I want to
check it out. With a third season of the excellent series on the way (someday),
I’m hoping they’ll take good care of my favorite Aqualad.
Recommended. Scott Snyder is telling a fascinating story
and is using a lot of older characters in interesting ways. “Batman and
Two-Face on a road trip” doesn’t quite sum up what this book is. I’ve been very
pleasantly surprised. If you skipped it, this collection is worth your money.
Or at least the trade paperback when it hits.
Tom King has totally won me over as the new Bat writer. I
am thoroughly enjoying his take on the Dark Knight and the stories he is
telling. Something about King’s vision of Batman and Gotham feels very much
like home to me, like the comics I grew up reading.
This is it. The first DC Collectibles Animated releases
to be out from under the “Batman” banner. This paves the way for the rest of
the DC Animated Universe to be immortalized in articulated, plastic form. Even
as I gaze at Superman’s ugly hip joints, I am excited.
Delightful! If I was collecting the Icons line, I would
absolutely be ordering this set. They look amazing and are even different
heights – Booster is 6.38” and Blue Beetle is 6.25”. They even use distinctly
different bodies, unlike the DC Universe Classics versions I have. Granted,
those cost half as much…
The “Deviations” titles I picked up last year were pretty
entertaining, so I’m happy to see IDW continuing the concept. I’ll pick up the Star Trek and Judge Dredd. I hope they’re planning more.
Speaking of last year’s “Deviations” titles, this is
them. I think Ghostbusters is the one
I didn’t; particularly care for, but this collection is worth your dollars.
Until recently I adored The Wicked + The Divine (the
artist shuffle last year and the magazine style issue turned me off). Have any
of you guys read this? I know how great Gillen and McKelvie can be, but I also
know I’m not always on board with what they do. I’d like to have an idea of
where Phonogram lies on the
entertainment/masturbation front before I order.
Man, this art is garbage. It appears to be credited to
Ardian Syaf, whose name I know but can’t place. Regardless, I can’t believe
this is the image that Marvel chose to put their best mutant foot forward for a
new X-Men initiative.
Putting my own personal opinion about that cover art aside,
Marvel has made such a mess of the mutants that I don’t know if I will ever
care or be compelled to come back. It will take a lot of trusted word of mouth
to get me to spend my hard-earned dollars on a modern Marvel X book.
Correction – there is a poster of this
cover being offered in the back of Marvel’s Previews
and it is credited to Ken Lashley. That name I do not know.
Obviously Iron fist gets a new book, what with the show
hitting Netflix on March, but I want to know what happened to Kaare Andrews’
story. His Iron Fist book was awesome
and I was hoping to see a follow-up with Danny and the little Kung-Fu girl and
her dragon. I’m not begrudging anyone the opportunity to tell their Iron Fist
story, but I want more of that one.
I have caught back up with Spider-Woman – my pick for best ongoing comic book of 2016 – and I
still give it my highest recommendation. Just thought I’d mention that here.
Marvel has always published these MCU cash grabs
tie-ins, but I don’t think I’ve ever read one. But I really want more of this
particular Spider-Man. Especially since my preferred version of the wall
crawler – the one in Spidey has been
cancelled (GRRRRRR). Are these ever relevant or, more importantly, any good?
Phantom needs to know.
Agenda or no, this was an excellent book that I was sorry
to see concluded. But, as I often say, better to go out strong that to stick
around long enough to become tiresome. Buy this or wait for the inevitable
omnibus of the full run.
Oh, look – it’s that thing I mentioned earlier!
Buy this. I love Kaare Andrews’ work and his Iron Fist
story is fantastic. This belongs on your shelf. Even though I still have the
single issues, I might buy this just to have the collection handy.
Somehow I missed the first volume of this book. I’m going
to have to track it down and this is definitely going on my pull list.
Look at this art!
Look at this art!
This is the kind of merchandise that I really dig.
In-universe stuff is the coolest kind of geek wear that gets made, and it’s so
nice when it isn’t adorned with company logos or copyright BS. These are both
great-looking shirts with simple, believable designs.
These are awesome. I don’t normally make too much of a
fuss over Disney’s villains, but these are just cool as heck. I hope my wife
wants them, because I want to buy them.
Look at these! These are adorable! The “PI” (please
inquire) price point is not a great sign, but these are nifty, well-done
dragons. I love the variety of forms and colors. I want to see these in person.
They’re listed as miniatures with no size reference. More information is
needed, Safari, Ltd.
These Table Museum figures came to my attention recently.
I’m pretty sure I laughed about the penis on DaVinci’s anatomy guy last month.
The ones that got me were this one and the Thinker. I really want them in my
collection. Just thinking about all of the fun things I can do with a The
Scream figure is exciting. I just hate to have to wait until June to have it.
I LOVE the look of these.
They’re superdeformed, very expensive, and small for the
price, but they look great. I won’t buy any – not even Boba Fett – but I have
to admire the design and craftsmanship of these figures. If they were plastic and
twenty bucks apiece, I might start a new collection.
Speaking of Marvel Covers, someone by the name of
Elizabeth Torque is doing some and they are fantastic. I am not familiar with
this lady, but her work is awesome.
Justice
League Action! made its debut on December 16th.
It took us a while to get around to watching the hour-long premiere and I don’t
know how I feel about it. I don’t love the animation or the tone. But I
historically haven’t loved many of the DC cartoons at first, so it may just
take some adjusting on my part.
Let me know what you’re looking forward to in the
comments, or join the discussion in the Needless Things Podcast Facebook Group!
*****
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!
If you enjoy comics, toy collecting, or Needless Things, you might enjoy SupportPhantom.com.
If you enjoy comics, toy collecting, or Needless Things, you might enjoy SupportPhantom.com.
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