GRAPHIC NOVEL Round-Up : Bendis’ UNCANNY X-MEN

ALL NEW X-MEN VOL 2 HERE TO STAY – Collecting issues 6 to 10 of the series this is an interesting and fun premise for a miniseries, namely have the X-men of the past interact with the present. However for a series, it is a gimmick, an in-joke, that runs the risk of staying around too long, and outliving its sell by date. For the moment Marquez and Immonen art keeps it interesting, but already the premise is getting to feel belabored.

UNCANNY X-MEN VOL 1 REVOLUTION – Collecting issues 1 to 5 of the series the pluses are a strong, witty and fun script by Brian Michael Bendis, and some gorgeous art by Chris Bacchalo. The weaknesses are the layouts can be lost under muddy finishing/coloring, and a tendency, unsatisfying tendency, to end the very slight collections on a cliffhanger. It is a weakness that both volumes share.

Add to that the outrageous price of $24.99 for only 5 issues ($5 an issue!!!), a hundred thirty plus pages of story and the absence of a complete, standalone story becomes even more insulting.

It is a very petty and miserly and obscene ‘bleed your audience’ policy that Marvel has undertaken here, that does not deserve to be rewarded by purchasing these overpriced volumes. That said, I do feel the writing in these volumes is fun and entertaining and action-packed and worthy of a read if not a buy.

Just be aware that the cliffhanger ending, appropriate for a $3 monthly serialized comic, is wholly inappropriate for an overpriced $25 collected edition ; that you should be able to enjoy on its own without waiting months for the next volume.

GRADE : B-. Until the ending I was enjoying both volumes, but without an ending the volumes are very much like a great parallel bar routine where the athlete fails to stick the landing. Pretty, but ultimately disappointing and forgettable.

And add that exorbitant price point of $25 for 5 issues of material (and yes I realize the trade can be had for a little bit cheaper, but that is still overpriced as well) and it becomes a case of look, do not buy.

Borrow or rent these puppies for a quick read, then move onto something else, that you would not have any problems paying retail for; something you would not mind proudly adding to your bookshelf such as BATWOMAN VOL 1 HYDROLOGY. A book that I have also recently read.

DC publishing (the other big comic book company besides Marvel) has their own problems, however producing satisfying collections is generally not one of them.

DC hardcover collections, offer an issue more and two dollars less retail, and offer a contained story, something that Marvel’s new publishing initiative MARVEL NOW may want to take note of.

Marvel writers generally are currently doing good work (far better than their esteemed competition that with few exceptions is self-destructing due to editorial hubris), so to have that sabotaged by ghetto collections… possibly not the route Marvel wants to go.

To try the books and decide for yourself or to hunt them down for less than retail use the below links and this blog earns a couple pennies. If I’ve helped turn you on to something you would have otherwise missed (BATWOMAN HYDROLOGY is a must have for any art lover’s collection. It is exquisite), then please use the links below. Thanks:

All-New X-Men, Vol. 2: Here to Stay

Uncanny X-Men, Vol. 1: Revolution

Batwoman Vol. 1: Hydrology (The New 52)

Batwoman: Elegy

The return of UNDER THE RADAR Vol2 Iss 2! Pt 2 of 2!

Here’s the remainder of recommended pre-order items that will arrive in stores in January (Along with links to buy current issues):

IMAGE COMICS

$3.50 INFINITE VACATION #1

story NICK SPENCER art & Cover CHRISTIAN WARD JANUARY 12 32 PAGES / FC $3.50 WELCOME TO THE INFINITE VACATION, WHERE CHANGING YOUR LIFE IS ALWAYS JUST A CLICK AWAY! Mark lives in a world where alternate realities are up for sale, and buying and trading your way through unlimited variations of yourself is as commonplace as checking your email or updating your status. But when other “hims” start dying suddenly and he meets a mysterious girl who wants nothing to do with “life-changing,” he’ll learn the truth about the universe he stumbles through, and what happens when your vacation turns on you.

I’m hearing good things about this Nick Spencer, I’m pretty sure this is the 3rd of 4 books I’m picking up by him. Hoping the story and writer… impress.

$2.99 INVINCIBLE #80

story ROBERT KIRKMAN art & cover RYAN OTTLEY & FCO PLASCENCIA JANUARY 19 32 PAGES / FC $2.99 DINOSAURUS returns! Hellbent on righting what he sees as wrong in the world he comes face-to-face with Invincible and the result is devastating.

$3.50 MORNING GLORIES #6

story NICK SPENCER art JOE EISMA cover RODIN ESQUELJO JANUARY 19 32 PAGES / FC $3.50 Mutually Assured Destruction. “Nick Spencer gives each of our six teens a distinct voice, whereas Joe Eisma gives them each a distinct look. I think this is a case where one is not better than the other, they expertly mesh into a fairly flawless book.” -Newsarama Best Shots “Verdict is that anyone that loved the Runaways needs to check this out. It’s a strong story with awesome artwork. This will be a book I will watch very closely!” -Eric Ratcliff, Comic Related

I was late to the game with the Luna Brothers’ THE SWORD , which was a great series that recently ended. I’m getting the same vibe from MORNING GLORIES. You can pick up the previous issues here.

$3.99 PROOF ENDANGERED #2

story ALEX GRECIAN art & cover RILEY ROSSMO JANUARY 12 32 PAGES / FC $3.99 “ENDANGERED,” Part Two–Proof’s deadliest enemy is going to kill the people Proof cares about. And he’s willing to destroy all of Chinatown to get at them. Elvis and Ginger are in for the fight of their lives and there’s no way they can win unless Proof surrenders himself.

I missed out on the first series of PROOF, so happy to get on board with this new series.

$99.99 SWORD COMPLETE COLL DLX HC #1

If you can afford it, I highly recommend the Luna Brothers’ THE SWORD. I own the original issues and I’m still tempted to get this oversized collected edition. It’s odd about the art of the Luna Brothers, the cover artwork I don’t typically find impressive, it can look very stilted, but their interiors I find excellent. They are very good storytellers. Try preordering this book to get it for at least 30% off.

$100.00 WALKING DEAD OMNIBUS HC VOL 03 (MR) #3

story ROBERT KIRKMAN art & cover CHARLIE ADLARD & CLIFF RATHBURN JANUARY 5 560 PAGES / B&W $100.00 S&N LTD ED $150.00 This deluxe hardcover features the next 24 issues of the hit series along with the covers for the issues all in one massive, oversized slip-cased volume. Perfect for long time fans, new readers and anyone needing a heavy object with which to fend off the walking dead. Strictly limited to a print run of 3000. Collects THE WALKING DEAD #49-72 WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES

I had owned the previous two omnibuses, but sold them both for multiples of what I paid for them, and now I’m kicking myself, because it would be nice to have them back. So I’m definitely buying this one. The quality goes up and down, but I’m generally now convinced of writer Kirkman’s skill, and am along for the ride. And I don’t even like ghoul/zombie movies or books!

$3.50 WEIRD WORLD OF JACK STAFF #9

story PAUL GRIST art / cover PAUL GRIST & BILL CRABTREE JANUARY 26 32 PAGES / FC $3.50 Sgt. States is the embodiment of the American Dream–a symbol of hope in a time of despair. He’s also a bloodsucking vampire killer, but everyone has their dark side. But what could make Sgt. States seek out the help of his former teammate, Jack Staff, and the woman he killed, Becky Burdock?

$2.99 MURDERLAND #5

story STEPHEN SCOTT art DAVID HAHN & GUILLEM MARI JANUARY 19 32 PAGES / FC $2.99 “LOOSE ENDS & FRIENDS”–Before The Arabber renews his pledge of non-violence, he has a pair of loose ends to tie up: The Fairy Bombs. But to any roller derby squad, there are more than just two players. It may be hard to kill the Arabber, but it isn’t impossible. WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES

DARK HORSE COMICS

$24.99 FINDER LIBRARY TP VOL 1

Carla Speed McNeil (W/A) On sale Mar 16 b&w, 616 pages $24.99 TPB, 6″ x 9″ Lose yourself in a world beyond your wildest dreams… Since 1996, Finder has set the bar for science-fiction storytelling, with a lush, intricate world and compelling characters. Now, Dark Horse is proud to present the first four story arcs of Carla Speed McNeil’s groundbreaking series in a single, affordably priced volume! Follow enigmatic hero Jaeger through a “glorious, catholic pileup of high-tech SF, fannish fantasy, and street-level culture clash” (Village Voice), and discover the lush world and compelling characters that have carved Finder a permanent place in the pantheon of independent comics. * This first of two Finder Library volumes collects the multiple Eisner Award-nominated story arcs Sin Eater, King of Cats, and fan-favorite Talisman. * Introduction by Douglas Wolk (Reading Comics).

IDW

$39.99 AMAZING 3D COMICS HC

(W/A) Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Bob Powell, Al Jaffee, Russ Heath, Milt Stein, Alex Toth, and more (C) Various Before there were 3-D movies, there were 3-D comics! In the mid-fifties, comic-book great Joe Kubert hit upon the idea of doing comics in 3-D, which resulted in some of the best-selling comics of all time–print runs in the millions! Eisner Award-winner Craig Yoe collects the best of these stories and samples by artists like Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Bob Powell, Al Jaffee, Russ Heath, Milt Stein, Alex Toth, and many more. Carefully re-mastered and reproduced in large format so that every dynamic, eye-popping effect can be looked at in astonishment. The comics cover every genre: superhero, jungle adventures, horror comics, science fiction, funny animals, satire, western and romance! The fascinating behind the scenes introduction is by the mastermind behind 3-D comics himself, Mr. Joe Kubert! Rare art and ephemera as only Yoe Books does it. And, yes, of course, this book comes with special FREE 3-D GLASSES! BUT WAIT! There’s more! This must-have hardback book has a special lenticular 3-D cover that puts the amazing in Amazing 3-D Comics! Expected in-store date: 1/19/11 HC, 9×11, 176pgs, FC $39.99

AARDVARK VANAHEIM

$3.00 GLAMOURPUSS #17

(W/A) Dave Sim glamourpuss “tees off” on “honor killings” by certain unnamed South Asian and Middle Eastern religions while Dave Sim provides the cover feature, “The Wit and Wisdom of JFK.” In the History of Photorealism in Comics section, the events of September 6, 1956 continue to unfold. 24pgs, B&W $3.00

I’m not a fan of Dave Sim’s views, but I find his artwork/history rumination in the pages of this mag, extremely compelling. Pick up current and previous issues
here.

ANTARCTIC PRESS

$3.99 SARAH PALIN VS WORLD ONE-SHOT

Fred Perry (A) Ben Dunn Sarah Palin — politician, author, commentator… maverick. She’s on the way to meet her dream job. But to get it, she’s got to defeat some of the nastiest opponents in the country. From career politicos to “gotcha” media men to secret service agents, they all want some control of her dream. Has she got what it takes to beat the world? You betcha! 32pgs, B&W $3.99

Not a Palin fan. But to be fair I don’t like most people, but still this looks idiotic enough to give me a chuckle or two.

$3.99 TIME LINCOLN CUBA COMMANDER ONE-SHOT

(W/A) Fred Perry Time Lincoln his Travelers Team journey to the Bay of Pigs on April 1st, 1961 to face Cuba Commander and his Chronocommunists! The villains plan to have their own monstrous agents replace key CIA operatives who are running a secret mission in Cuba, turning the whole country into a massive atomic “time bomb” factory. Things turn sour for both Time Lincoln and Void Stalin when Cuba Commander double-crosses his leader and traps everyone within a paradoxical vortex. Now Stalin’s only hope for escape is the Travelers Team, and Lincoln’s salvation lies with the Chronocommunist cabal! 32pgs, FC $3.99

Wow! What an insane description. Have no idea what it means, but I’m interested.

$3.99 SOCORRO #2 (OF 2)

Steven Grant (A) Tony O’ Donnell, Adam Sutherland Socorro is a CIA-trained former soldier of a brutal Latin American dictatorship. When he finds that he cannot stomach the atrocities of his superiors, he escapes to Los Angeles and begins a one-man crusade to bring justice to the poor, the disenfranchised, and those with nowhere else to turn. Created and written by comic legend Steven Grant (Punisher, 2 Guns)! 32pgs, FC $3.99

APE ENTERTAINMENT

FREAKSHOW #1 (OF 3)
David Server, Jackson Lanzing (A) Joe Suitor Ape Entertainment’s long-awaited dark superhero epic launches with a giant-sized debut issue! When five refugee survivors develop monstrous mutations from a devastating chemical explosion that leaves their city in ruins, they band together to seek revenge. But do these terrifying new abilities make them monsters — or heroes? 48pgs, FC (1 of 3) $3.95

$6.95 TEDDY SCARES RASPUTINS REVENGE GN

Jim Hankins (A) Various The Teddy Scares are back for vengeance in the second season premiere! Artist Rob Guillory and Rolando Mallada head up a twisted group of artists in this latest installment, which features a revelation about Rita’s past and a fight for the dump with the terrifying Rasputin! (C: 0-0-1) 6×9, 52pgs, FC $6.95

ARCHAIA ENTERTAINMENT LLC

$14.95 TUMOR HC W/ DUST JACKET

Joshua Hale Fialkov (A) Noel Tuazon Frank Armstrong has an inoperable brain tumor that’s killing him. In his final days, with his body, senses, and mind failing him, he’s going to do the one thing that he’s never been able to do before — save the girl. After debuting on the Amazon Kindle and holding the #1 spot on the Kindle Graphic Novel Bestseller list for over two months, Archaia is pleased to bring this acclaimed graphic novel to print! (NOV090604) (C: 0-1-2) MATURE THEMES HC, 6×9, 224pgs, FC $14.95

$3.95 FREAKSHOW #1 (OF 3)

David Server, Jackson Lanzing (A) Joe Suitor Ape Entertainment’s long-awaited dark superhero epic launches with a giant-sized debut issue! When five refugee survivors develop monstrous mutations from a devastating chemical explosion that leaves their city in ruins, they band together to seek revenge. But do these terrifying new abilities make them monsters — or heroes? 48pgs, FC (1 of 3) $3.95

ASPEN MLT INC

$2.99 LADY MECHANIKA #2 CVR A BENITEZ

(W/A) Joe Benitez THERE’S A NEW LADY IN TOWN! From the imaginative mind of Joe Benitez with colors by the incomparable Peter Steigerwald, comes this all-new supernatural action-adventure series! The tabloids dubbed her “LADY MECHANIKA”, the sole survivor of a psychotic serial killer’s three-year rampage through London. Found locked in an abandoned laboratory amidst countless corpses and body parts, with her own limbs amputated and replaced with mechanical components, her life began anew. With no memory of her captivity or her former life, LADY MECHANIKA eventually built a new life for herself as a private detective, using her unique abilities to solve cases the police couldn’t or wouldn’t handle. But, she has never stopped searching for answers… Now, disturbed by haunting memories from her past, LADY MECHANIKA is consumed by a need for answers and focuses all her efforts on investigating the mystery of the Mechanical Girl. The trail leads her to a traveling show run by a band of gypsies, where help might not come as easily as anticipated. But even with the aid of the Gypsy Queen, can LADY MECHANIKA discover who created the Mechanical Girl and why? And will the answers bring her one step closer to uncovering the truth about herself? LADY MECHANIKA#2 is in stores January 12th, 2011! FC, 32pgs $2.99

BONGO COMICS

FUTURAMA COMICS #53
Rogers (A) Kazaleh, Pepoy A volatile cargo, a damaged ship, no food or water or means of communication to the outside world, and a renegade group of cannibalistic robots are all part of the Planet Express crew’s latest mission. And this time it looks like Professor Farnsworth will be paying his employees in wages of fear! 32pgs, FC $2.99

$2.80 SIMPSONS CLASSICS #27
(W/A) Matt Groening When Moe’s gall bladder goes on the fritz, Homer, Carl, Lenny, and Barney are forced to face the prospect of life without beer — unless Moe’s Bar’s best barflies bound from their barstools becoming bartenders to save their buddy’s bread and butter. Then, Homer drives a tank to work, escalating tensions and hurl Springfield toward the brink of destruction! Magazine, SC, 64pgs, FC $3.99

$2.10 SIMPSONS COMICS #174
Boothby (A) Ortiz, DeCarlo While Lisa’s best humanitarian instincts lead her to restore an injured owl to health, Homer’s base behavior towards his fellow man intrigues Mr. Burns, who takes advantage of those qualities in a “get rich quick” real estate scheme. SC, 32pgs, FC $2.99

BOOM! STUDIOS

$3.00 (save $0.99) 28 DAYS LATER #19
Michael Alan Nelson (A) Ale Aragon Britain is destroyed. The U.S. Military is trying to re-build the island. Someone in their ranks has their sights on Selena. Can Clint and Selena survive the Infected while also being hunted down by a rogue agent? You’ll know by the end of this senses-shattering issue of the horror series that continues to shock fans everywhere! Cover by Sean Phillips. SC, 32pgs, FC $3.99

I was not a fan of the movies, but I’m hearing good things about this series. Pick up previous issues or the trade
here.

$3.00 (save $0.99) WALT DISNEYS COMICS & STORIES #715
(W/A) Daan Jippes, Carl Barks, Don Rosa Classics are back at BOOM! Celebrating 70 years of Walt Disney’s comics, this oversized anniversary issue proudly presents some of the greatest Disney stories ever told! Join Donald, Mickey and the gang for the unforgettable adventure “70th Heaven!” by Daan Jippes in its American publishing debut. Check out the previously untitled Li’l Bad Wolf/Donald Duck tale by Gill Turner in its first appearance since 1950! See Ruud Straatman & Don Rosa’s Daisy Duck story “Forget Me Not” from 1989, and the 1969 Carl Barks written “Life Savers” story, redrawn by Jippes in the Barks style and staring those Junior Woodchucks — published for the first time in the U.S.! (C: 1-0-0) 40pgs, FC $3.99 (preview artwork is available)

BROADSWORD COMICS

$2.95 TAROT WITCH OF THE BLACK ROSE #66

(W/A) Jim Balent “The Trickster God,” Part 1: “Loki.” A thunder god falls to earth. A trickster god demands that Raven Hex be his mistress. Salem is cut off from the rest of the world. Tarot and her mother are imprisoned. A lone Graveyard Guardian with a legendary hammer in his hands sets off on a fatal quest to take on a God. MATURE THEMES SC, 32pgs, FC $2.95

KING HELL

$16.95 SHINY BEASTS GN

(W/A) Veitch Alan Moore (A) S.R. Bissette Another showcase of Rick Veitch’s innovative Epic Magazine stories that seared the minds of a generation of Marvelites. These nine fully-painted fantasy shorts create unimagined worlds that entertain, enlighten, shock, and horrify. Completely remastered from the original art, this volume includes “Love Doesn’t Last Forever” (written by Alan Moore) and “Monkey See” (with S.R. Bissette). (FEB073614) MATURE THEMES SC, 10×8, 84pgs, FC $16.95

MOONSTONE

$2.99 SPIDER #1

Martin Powell, Gary Phillips (A) Pablo Marcos, Roberto Castro For the first time ever, since his beginnings in 1933, The Spider now has his own ongoing straight-up comic book series! The most relentless destroyer of the guilty the world has ever seen is back in all of his “bloody pulp” action! There was no escape for Nita Van Sloan, abducted by a horde of inhuman monstrosities, doomed to become the victim of a diabolical experiment. The Spider, Master of Men, strikes back with a vengeance, fighting alone against the brutally brilliant creator of the Frankenstein Legion, in a desperate race against time to save the only woman who shares his darkest secrets! Covers by Dan Brereton and Doug Pagacz. (C: 0-1-0) 32pgs, FC $2.99

$7.99 SPIDER BURNING LEAD FOR THE WALKING DEAD GN

(W/A) Mark Wheatley Eisner Award-winner Mark Wheatley brings us a plague of blood crazed zombies that are spreading across the city. Only the swift cold justice of The Spider stands between the remnants of humanity and the hoards of the Cannibal Queen. Will even The Spider have enough burning lead for the walking dead? 7×10, 64pgs, B&W $7.99

NBM

$20.00 FRACTURE OF THE UNIVERSAL BOY GN

(W/A) Michael Zulli The acclaimed Sandman illustrator retreated for years to produce this semi-autobiographical tale that takes readers into the most treacherous recesses of the human experience. Nearly two decades in the making, Fracture is less a graphic novel and more a self-exorcism onto the printed page, evidence of how emotionally explosive graphic novels can be. MATURE THEMES SC, 208pgs, B&W $20.00

ONI

$3.99 SIXTH GUN #8

Cullen Bunn (A/C) Brian Hurtt In a decaying mansion in the blackest heart of the Louisiana bog, Drake uncovers more secrets of the Six… and angers a spirit that wants to ensure the gunslinger never leaves the swamp alive! It’s man versus some of the meanest man-eaters to ever crawl out of the marsh! FC, 32pgs $3.99

REBELLION

$19.99 COMPLETE BAD COMPANY TP

Peter Milligan (A) Brett Ewins, Steve Dillon Danny Franks knew that the war against the Krool would be hell. They kill without compassion, taking prisoners for torture and experimentation; their armies are infinite; their weapons are horrifying. But Danny had no idea that the real horrors would be his comrades — he’s in Bad Company! (C: 0-0-1) SC, 320pgs, PC $19.99

$22.50 GREYSUIT PROJECT MONARCH TP

Pat Mills (A) John Higgins The covert operatives known as Greysuits enforce the British Government’s interests in the world’s most dangerous places. Specially conditioned to have heightened strength and reflexes, Greysuits are the most deadly secret agents alive. (C: 0-0-1) SC, 128pgs, FC $22.50

TITAN

$75.00 SUCKER PUNCH VISIONS O/T FILM LTD SGN ED HC

Zack Snyder (A) Various From Zack Snyder, the director of 300, Dawn of the Dead, and Watchmen, comes Sucker Punch, an epic action fantasy that takes us into the vivid imagination of a young girl whose dream world provides the ultimate escape from her darker reality. In this official book, Snyder guides you through the many amazing worlds and characters of the film, with eye-popping production art and stunning photographs by Clay Enos (Watchmen: Portraits). This gorgeous limited variant comes in a slipcase exclusive to this edition, in a print run limited to 750 numbered copies, each signed on a special bound-in sheet by Zack Snyder himself! (C: 0-1-2) HC, 11×8.5, 256pgs, FC $75.00

VANGUARD PRODUCTIONS

$39.95 ART OF NEAL ADAMS HC

(W/A) Neal Adams From his Ben Casey newspaper strip to Creepy magazine work to his groundbreaking work in comic books, Neal Adams’ work serves as an inspiration for every illustrator who works in the field. Included in this collection are classic and rare works spanning the artist’s noted career and a unique selection of Neal’s seldom-seen paintings. Fully annotated by the artist, this is the one we have all waited for. This Deluxe Signed Slipcased Edition, which comes with 16 additional pages of vintage Adams artwork is a Previews Exclusive edition. A standard hardcover is also available. DELUXE SIGNED EDITION (MAY101154)–HC, 9×12, 152pgs, FC $59.95 REGULAR HARDCOVER (MAY101155)–HC, 9×12, 136pgs, FC $39.95

There are quite a few sites you can do online preorders from. DCB Service is a popular one among comic book pod-casters. However, I don’t use DCB Service because their site requires javascript for functionality. And I don’t support javascript… ever. So that and Flash required sites are probably the two easiest online ways to stop me from giving you my attention or my money.

So some other alternatives are Westfield, Mile High Comics, G-Mart and Lone Star Comics.

That’s all for this installment, quick and to the point. 🙂 .

The return of UNDER THE RADAR Vol2 Iss 1! Pt 1 of 2! Previews Preorders for Comic Books Shipping in December!

UNDER THE RADAR was an experiment I started a while ago that I was quite proud of. Basically a very cool PDF I launched out to comic book retailers and fans to highlight titles you would otherwise miss, or get lost in the deluge from bigger publishers flooding the market.

It was fun, and very intensive, and very time consuming, so when time became an issue it fell by the wayside.

But I notice my old UNDER THE RADAR posts get a lot of hits, and even though a lot of people are doing preview podcasts, those can be quite time consuming, when what most people are looking for are a quickly viewed list of recommended items they might otherwise miss.

So with that in mind, UNDER THE RADAR is back, but in a FAR simpler format. No PDF, no long diatribes. just a monthly listing of new titles to preorder or be on the lookout for. Okay without further ado, this is a list of a/titles you can purchase now, at the time of this writing Oct 2010, and b/titles you can preorder this month through your local retailer for December 2010 arrival.

Okay Section 1. Comics I recommend purchasing for Oct 2010:[See tomorrow’s post for this info]
(The links will take you to My comic Shop.com where you can view and if you choose, purchase the titles in question. All purchases done through the links help this blog with a few pennies to continue. So get great books, and support this blog in one fell swoop.)

Section 2: Comics to pre-order (by November 1st) for December 2010 arrival:

Marvel

No letters pages, no back matter, ads breaking up the story.

All these odd decisions from Marvel give no incentive to buy marvel issues monthly. Seemingly, they don’t care enough to give you a something beyond what you would get in the trade paperback, a real sense of a Stan Lee dialog, or sense of a monthly behind the scenes look at the creative process, so generally I say eff em. I’m talking about the publishing policies and policy makers of Marvel, not generally the creators, (as marvel has some great creators, but perhaps in service of not the greatest decision makers) but rather the lackluster way the creations are fed to you.

There are two types of companies these days, in my opinion. Companies that value you as a monthly reader (and provide the extras and the pricing to show that support) and that type of company you should support the individual issues with your dollars, and on the other side of the coin there are those companies that pretty much insult their monthly reader-base, and that’s a company you should really relegate to picking up at the library, or borrowing from a friend, or browsing the trade at a bookstore.

Marvel is the latter type of company.

So generally if there is a storyline you’re hearing decent things about, avoid the overpriced, and featureless single issues and wait for the trade, or pick up the books in the quarter bin, but don’t pay $4 for what I see as Marvel’s pretty evident air of disrespect to their potential readership. So all that said are of the 100s of products Marvel is releasing for December arrival, what are the ones that meet my criteria of giving you back-matter (letters pages, columns, articles, etc) and sufficient bang for your buck? Well I’m glad you asked 🙂 They are:

$2.99 SHIELD #5

Written by JONATHAN HICKMAN Penciled by DUSTIN WEAVER Cover by GERALD PAREL Historical Variant by DUSTIN WEAVER “The Forgotten Machines of XXXXXX XXXXX” The story that has taken the comic book world by storm marches on with an issue so secretive that we can’t even reveal the full title! WHO IS THE NIGHT MACHINE?! Find your answer here from Jonathan Hickman (FANTASTIC FOUR) and Dustin Weaver (X-MEN). Every issue has sold out and gone into multiple printings. IT’S GOOD! WE PROMISE! Don’t miss the sleeper hit of 2010! 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99

I’ve heard nothing but good things about this so far self-contained series by Jonathan Hickman of NIGHTLY NEWS fame. It also offers that backmatter I was alluding to, and the price point as $2.99 is right.

You can find issues 1-4 of SHIELD here:

$81.25 (save $43.75) THOR BY WALTER SIMONSON OMNIBUS HC
Written by WALTER SIMONSON Penciled by WALTER SIMONSON with SAL BUSCEMA Covers by WALTER SIMONSON Considered by many to be the greatest run on Thor ever, Walt Simonson’s classic tales of the God of Thunder are collected here–completely remastered from the original artwork and newly colored by Steve Oliff! And there are too many timeless tales to count: The Casket of Ancient Winters! The death of Odin! The origins of Asgard! The sacrifice of the Executioner! Thor as a frog! The Mutant Massacre! The curse of Hela! The debut of Thor’s body armor! Guest-starring Beta Ray Bill, Nick Fury and the Avengers! Featuring the threats of Fafnir the dragon, Loki, Lorelei, Malekith the Dark Elf, Surtur, Hela, the Titanium Man, Kurse, Zaniac, the Marauders, the Absorbing Man, Fin Fang Foom, the Destroyer and the Midgard Serpent! Collecting THOR #337-355, #357-369 & #371-382 and BALDER THE BRAVE #1-4. 1192 PGS./Rated A …$125.00

This is really, really expensive. But you are getting around 50 issues worth of comics, and Simonson’s run, unlike many of the omnibuses, is really deserving of such a format. And were you to buy the original issues, you might be able to come in a little cheaper (plus you would get the letters-pages, which I don’t think the omnibus will include, if you can’t tell I’m a huge fan of conversational type extras), but the hassle of doing that compared to just having one large book with everything in it to put on your shelf… it’s an individual call. For me, I know these issues, and with the pre-order discount, I’m in.

$2.99 THUNDERBOLTS #151

Written by JEFF PARKER Penciled by KEV WALKER Cover by GREG LAND Come sit by the fire and prepare to be frightened…we’re going to tell you a “Ghost Story! The Thunderbolts own psychologist, Moonstone, peels back the layers and delves into the mind and past of the brilliant and mysterious paranoid known only to the world as Ghost! How did his war on the corporate system begin and what made him leave his humanity behind? Even his hardened criminal teammates will be forced to admit that some things are better left unknown. Learn more than you ever wanted to about Iron Man’s fearsome foe in the latest issue of the series that has IGN.com raving: “I can’t recommend this book enough–you need to be reading THUNDERBOLTS.” 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99 (changed from $3.99)

I’ve never bought an issue of THUNDERBOLTS. But I’m aware of them. The fact that they dropped the price on this series, and it sounds like a done in one story, and Jeff Parker is writing, has me intrigued enough to plunk down my money. But it better have some extras/letterspage if they want to keep my money coming.

uhh– yeah that’s all for Marvel. There glut of product actually works against them. If there was one X-men book, or one spiderman book, or even one Thor book, I would be interested in reading it, but I’m not going to try and sort through 20 different takes on one character to find the ‘great’ one, the pure singular vision. So because of Editorial’s diarrea of production 🙂 I buy none of those books.

Well to end on a positive, come back tomorrow as I get into the really good stuff with Image, Boom, Dark Horse, Radical, DC and other great companies.