Friday 19 May 2017

Diamond Preview Picks: May 2017

Travis Pelkie returns with his regular monthly selection for Cerebus fans of comics and books featured in the latest Diamond Previews catalog. Travis is co-founder of the Atomic Junk Shop, a site about comics and other fun pop culture. To see your comics featured here or at the Atomic Junk Shop feel free to send an email to Travis at: atomicjunkshoptravis [at] outlook [dot] com.


War Of The Independents #4
by Don Simpson & Others
Red Anvil Inc, $3.99
In stores: 26 July 2017
Diamond Order Code: MAY171763

The publisher says:
Joined by a team of The Tick, Gumby & Pokey, Bone, Flaming Carrot, Felix the Cat, Milk & Cheese, Rat Bastard, Reid Fleming, Usagi Yojimbo, Mr. Spook, Zippy the Pinhead, Toxie, Protoplasman and Too Much Coffee Man, our hero Cerebus looks for his helmet, only to find it in the hands of Public Enemy!

Travis says:
Oh. My. Goodness.  I did not expect to ever see this series again.  A must have for Cerebus fans, as the little grey guy plays a key role in the series, as well as any fan of indie comics from the '80s, '90s, and '00s.  For some reason, I didn't get issue 2, so I have to find that, but the third issue was out about 5 or 6 years ago.  Talk about a long wait!


Groo: Play Of The Gods #1
by Sergio Aragones & Mark Evanier
Dark Horse Comics, $3.99
In stores: 12 July 2017
Diamond Order Code: MAY170050

The publisher says:
Shakespeare wrote, "The play's the thing." Or was that Nathan Lane? Either way, the play matters, whether you be man or god... or even Groo. In this, the first installment in the newest Groo miniseries (which is continued from the last Groo miniseries), the stupidest hero in the comic book shop finds himself in a new village... a village where you pray to the proper god or you pray for your life. And even the other gods know that they are all players. It's from the award-winning team of Sergio Aragonés and Mark Evanier, with lettering by Stan Sakai, coloring by Tom Luth, and a running commentary by the gods above.

Travis says:
One of the series in the running to match or surpass Cerebus in number of issues, Groo is also a funny barbarian parody (and the characters met on the cover of an Amazing Heroes Annual -- I think).  More Groo is always good.


Hard Boiled (HC)
by Frank Miller & Jeof Darrow
Dark Horse Comics, $19.99
In stores: 13 September 2017
Diamond Order Code: MAY170012

The publisher says:
Carl Seltz is a suburban insurance investigator, a loving husband, and a devoted father. Nixon is a berserk, homicidal tax collector racking up mind-boggling body counts in a diseased urban slaughterhouse. Unit Four is the ultimate robot killing machine-and the last hope of the future's enslaved mechanical servants. And they're all the same psychotic entity.

Travis says:
One of the early things Frank Miller did after leaving the Marvel and DC treadmills.  This is a newly recolored version and people suggest to me that I should get it.


Mr X: The Modern Age
by Dean Motter
Dark Horse Comics, $29.99
In stores: 20 September 2017
Diamond Order Code: MAY170040

The publisher says:
In the retrofuturistic metropolis of Radiant City, its mysterious creator, Mister X, must protect the city and its residents from the architecture of the city itself, which poses a danger to all those within it! Collecting every Mister X comic published by Dark Horse Comics, this trade includes Condemned, Excavations, and Razed, along with never-before-seen behind-the-scenes material! All of Dark Horse's Mister X material collected in an affordable paperback!

Travis says:
Originally from Canada's own Vortex Comics, Mister X was revived in recent years at Dark Horse, and this is a collection of the stuff they have published of the character.


TMNT Usagi Yojimbo
by Stan Sakai
IDW, $7.99
In stores: 12 July 2017
Diamond Order Code: MAY170382

The publisher says:
The TMNT are teleported to a world of talking animals-the world of Usagi Yojimbo! When the samarai rabbit embarks on a quest to save Japan and the deadly Jei blocks his path, a Turtle team-up may be the only chance for survival!

Travis says:
Two other long running indie cartoon animals here, with Usagi Yojimbo meeting up with the more recent versions of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  Should be fun, and there's also a HC version with extras offered.


Mage: The Hero Denied #0
by Matt Wagner
Image Comics, $1.99
In stores: 12 July 2017
Diamond Order Code: MAY170639

The publisher says:
Matt Wagner returns with the third and final volume of his epic fantasy trilogy. This long-awaited conclusion follows the adventures of the reluctant everyman hero Kevin Matchstick, who, after encountering a shaggy and beguiling wizard, discovers he is the reincarnation of the legendary Pendragon and able to wield the power of the mystical weapon, Excalibur. The story picks up several years after the fateful climax of The Hero Defined and finds Kevin beginning to once again doubt the virtue of his actions and the course of his destiny.  This introductory, half-sized issue #0 continues Mage's tradition of an "Interlude" short-adventure, bridging the gap between this series and the previous storyline.

Travis says:
Matt Wagner's roman a superhero clef is finally beginning its final phase with The Hero Denied, and The Hero Discovered reprints (I believe) the Comico series.  Presumably the middle series (Defined) will be published soon, and you can see the Dave Sim and Gerhard stand-ins then.


Street Angel Gang
by Brian Maruca & Jim Rugg
Image Comics, $19.99
In stores: 26 July 2017
Diamond Order Code: MAY170648

The publisher says:
What if Kal El had been found by the Warriors instead of the Kents? The deadliest girl alive accidentally joins a super violent street gang. Are the Bleeders the family Jesse never had, or is Jesse the child they never wanted? What? Free snacks at the gang tryout party! Also, SCANDAL-one of the Bleeders is a spy!

Travis says:
I believe Jim Rugg and Brian Maruca were influenced at least a certain degree by Dave Sim (some of the lettering in the SLG run had a Cerebus feel to it, to me).  This is the second new book of the character, whose adventures are damn fine funnybooks.


Kirby 100
edited by John Morrow & Jon B. Cooke
TwoMorrows Publishing, $34.95
In stores: 16 August 2017
Diamond Order Code: MAY171932

The publisher says:
The party starts here! TwoMorrows and the Jack Kirby Collector magazine celebrate Jack Kirby's 100th birthday in style with the release of KIRBY100, a full-color visual holiday for the King of comics! It features an all-star line-up of 100 comics pros who critique key images from Kirby's 50-year career, admiring his page layouts, dramatics, and storytelling skills, and lovingly reminiscing about their favorite characters and stories. Featured are Bruce Timm, Alex Ross, Walter Simonson, John Byrne, Alan Davis, Joe Sinnott, Steve Rude, Adam Hughes, Wendy Pini, John Romita Sr., Dave Gibbons, P. Craig Russell, and dozens more of the top names in comics. Their essays serve to honor Jack's place in comics history, and prove (as if there's any doubt) that Kirby is King!

Travis says:
A big book celebrating the centennial of the King.  Cool.


Bernie Wrightson:
Art & Design For Gang Of Seven Animation Studio
by Bernie Wrightson
Hermes Press, $60.00
In stores: 23 August 2017
Diamond Order Code: MAY172114

The publisher says:
Bernie Wrightson, comic book artist and illustrator extraordinaire has worked creating comic books, illustration, and conceptual design for film. Wrightson's extensive design work for the Gang of Seven Animation Studio, while known, has never been documented until now with the creation of this new in-depth monograph that utilizes the archives of the studio. Marvel at concept drawings, model sheets, and hundreds of designs for projects including Biker Mice From Mars, The Juice, and Freak Show. All of the artwork in this book has been scanned directly from the original artwork so fans can savior Wrighton's genius up close and personal. Also included in this monograph is an introductory essay, an in-depth interview, and photographs taken during his tenure as an associate partner of the studio.

Travis says:
A Bernie Wrightson art book! Should be pretty to look at!


Sh*t My President Says
by Shannon Wheeler
IDW, $14.99
In stores: 16 August 2017
Diamond Order Code: MAY170525

The publisher says:
Some people are saying, I don't know, you tell me, but a lot of people are saying this is the greatest book of the year. This guy, Shannon Wheeler, he draws these cartoons for the New Yorker, MAD, the Onion-he's very, very, good, okay? Now he's illustrated the most incredible tweets. Wow! You won't believe what he does with these tweets. I mean, these tweets changed the world, folks. It's true! It's very true. EVERYONE is going to want this book - even the haters and losers (Sad!).

Travis says:
Too Much Coffee Man's Shannon Wheeler goes for low hanging fruit with this book of illustrated tweets of the US president.


More Diamond Previews picks at Atomic Junk Shop's regular Flippin' Through Previews column.

8 comments:

A Moment Of Cerebus said...

Hey AMOC Readers!

I'm curious. What comics are you reading (besides Cerebus) nowadays? The last three comics I read were:

- Ganges #6 by Kevin Huizenga (self-published)
- Crickets #6 by Sammy Harkham (self-published)
- Berlin #20 by Jason Lutes (D&Q)

What's on your list?

Tim

Glen said...

I'm currently reading the graphic novel "Rolling Blackouts" by Sarah Glidden

Tony Dunlop said...

Apart from my ongoing "Reread All the Comics I Own" project, now in its (I think) 3rd year - I'm currently towards the end of Glamourpuss, as it happens - not much. I did recently read Jules Feiffer's "Kill Your Mother," a loving homage to 40s film noir. Still unread on my bookshelf, after all these years: Joe Sacco's "Safe Area Gorajde" and Pekar and Brabner's "Our Cancer Year." Oh, and I recently bought some 70s Charlton comics with Steve Ditko stories in them.

Robbie Foggo said...

On the indie comic front I'm reading-
- Michel Fiffe's Copra and signed up to his new one through Patreon
- Chuck Forsman's Slasher is great and I've picked up the Revenger collections
- Gillen and McKelvie's The Wicked & the Divine
- Gillen's Uber
- Rucka and Lark's Lazarus
- Remender and Craig's Deadly Class
- Layton and Keith's Eleanor & the Egret
- the Fantagraphics All Time comics
- the Hernandez brothers new Love & Rockets
- some online/ digital comics stuff such as Oh Joy Sex Toy, Lees and Cormack's Sink, Ganzeer's the Solar Grid

From DC the new Batman and Wonder Woman are good fun.

Robbie Foggo said...

I forgot to add anything by Simon Roy and anything by my friend Paul Jon Milne (PJM illustration on Etsy).

Dominick Grace said...

I almost never read floppies any more, though I did pick up the first issue of the American Gods adaptation. Currently, I am reading a Tintin book (Land of BLack Gold), The Essential Killraven (because I like P. Craig Russell art--he worked on American Gods too), and Scorchy Smith and the Art of Noel Sickles. Recently, I read volume two of Kirkman's collected Outcasts, and I do read The Walking Dead in its collected form, but I am two or three hardcover volumes behind at this point. Also recently read Gilbert Shelton's Best of Wonder Wart-Hog and volume one of the collected The First Kingdom, by Jack Katz.

Barry Deutsch said...

I just finished "Usagi Yojimbo: Two Hundred Jizo," volume 29 (!) in the Usagi series. I really enjoyed it; one story, which went into detail about the process for creating soy sauce in medieval Japan, was especially good.

Before that, I read "Gast" by Carol Swain, which was amazing. And I read a superhero comic - the recent 12-issue "The Vision" series - which was excellent. And I'm in the middle of a French graphic novel series called "Blast."

Tony again said...

Update: I bought a trade paperback of Eddie Campbell strips a couple months ago (in the bargain bin, I'm afraid), just out of curiosity, that I've just gotten around to reading. Man, I know I'm late to the party, but his stuff is a prime example of why I love comics. I wish I'd discovered him earlier, but now I have a LOT of catching up to do!!!