All it takes is one American holiday to throw comics fandom off-kilter. We’re a fragile bunch.

Still, Chris Mautner and I soldier on, taking another look at the comics scheduled to appear this week at a comics store near you. Only a day later.

This week, Papercutz reoffers a bevy of Nancy Drew graphic novels, just in time for the Nancy Drew movie, while Marvel rolls out Silver Surfer Requiem #1 and the Ultimate Galactus Trilogy hardcover … just in time for the Fantastic Four movie. Ah, synergy.

At DC, 52 gets its first trade paperback, while at Dynamite, Wildstorm refugee The Boys settles into its new home with Issue 7 and a collection of the first six.

As always, let us know your choices in the comments below.

For our rundown, and the list of books set to appear this week in finer stores everywhere, just click “more.”

MAR070025 HELLBOY DARKNESS CALLS #2 (OF 6) $2.99

Kevin: I think I’ve been taking the Hellboy universe for granted. When Hellboy and BPRD comics were few and far between, the release of each issue was an event, one cause for celebration. But as BPRD miniseries — by Mike Mignola, John Arcudi, Guy Davis and Dave Stewart — began to appear like clockwork, I became spoiled. So, when Hellboy: Darkness Calls was solicited, I dutifully ordered it, but I didn’t get excited. Heck, when it arrived in stores early this month, I barely mentioned it. It’s a new Hellboy miniseries! By Mike Mignola and Duncan Fegredo! With witches! It’s cause for celebration! You can see a preview of Issue 2 here.

JAN070099 JOURNAL TARA MCPHERSON LOVE BLOWS $9.99

Chris: McPherson’s art was one of the best things about the recent Fables hardcover short story collection, so I’d at least peruse this book if I saw it sitting on the store shelf.

FEB070084 PENNY ARCADE VOL 4 BIRDS ARE WEIRD TP $12.95

Chris: The fourth volume in Dark Horse’s ongoing collections of what must easily be the most popular webcomic evar. The books have increased considerably in quality and humor with each passing volume, and I see no reason why this latest volume wouldn’t continue the trend.

FEB070245 52 VOL 1 TP $19.99

Kevin: The same month that the year-long 52 winds down, DC releases the first trade paperback, which collects Weeks 1-13. It’ll be interesting to see how well the trades perform, considering that part of the appeal of the series was the sense of urgency in the weekly installments.

MAR070186 AMAZONS ATTACK #2 (OF 6) $2.99

Kevin: I confess that I’m not the closest follower of DC’s core titles. I couldn’t tell you what’s going on in the Superman books if there were money at stake, and I only have a broad understanding of the events of 52 (something about heads getting ripped off, and kids being eaten). But I read Amazons Attack #1, by Will Pfeifer and Pete Woods, anyway. I enjoy the work of both creators, and I thought the issue was decent enough, but I don’t really get the purpose of the miniseries: Queen Hippolyta, who apparently was dead, is now back, and at the head on a mighty Amazon army that’s, well, attacking. That provides plenty of opportunities for fantastic visuals by Woods, as the Amazons trash Washington, DC, and kill innocent bystanders with abandon. But it all feels like so much filler — as if Amazons Attack is a placeholder for something bigger.

FEB070321 SWAN VOL 10 $9.99

Chris: Another excellent manga series I’m way behind on. You don’t have to appreciate ballet to enjoy Kyoko Ariyoshi’s stunning page designs.

MAR070227 TEEN TITANS #47 $2.99

Kevin: “A Titan dies!” Is the corpse’s identity supposed to be a secret, or does everyone pretty well know this is the character who bit the dust in the first issue of Countdown?

MAR072071 SPIDER-MAN FAIRY TALES #1 $2.99

Kevin: Part of me wishes Marvel would do away with the Spider-Man pretense and just publish a series of fairy tale-inspired stories. But the other part of me just wants to look at Ricardo Tercio’s gorgeous art.

MAR073136 BLACK COAT OR GIVE ME DEATH #1 (OF 4) $3.50

Kevin: When it comes to historical fiction, I’m a pretty easy mark. Throw in a dose of the supernatural, and it’s all over. The Black Coat is a Colonial pulp adventure that reminds me a little of Dr. Syn, although that’s probably as much for the era as for the actual story. Last year’s A Call to Arms miniseries found the Black Coat — a spy for the Continental Congress — battling occult agents of the British. Or Give Me Death picks up where the last series’ cliffhanger left off, with the Black Coat apparently in a watery grave. As there’s three issues after this one, I’m guessing he’s not actually dead.

APR073554 BOYS #7 (RES) (MR) $2.99
APR073555 BOYS VOL 1 TP (RES) (MR) $14.99

Chris: I’ll avoid the usual round of “DC won’t publish this but has no problem having Black Adam rip folks in half” jokes and instead note that the Garth Ennis series makes its official Dynamite debut this week. Which will also mark the first time I’ve ever bought a Dynamite book.

APR073529 ELVIS ROAD HC (MR) $24.95

Chris: Some folks will no doubt question my pick of the week, as it’s more of a fold-out illustration than an actual comic. Man, but what a fold-out illustration. Measured at 24 feet long, Elvis Road is a hallucinatory, bleak, comical, hopelessly overdetailed nightmare landscape. Publisher Alvin Buenaventura showed me an early version of this at SPX two years ago and I was floored. Don’t just take my word for it though. You can read Jog’s review of the book here.

FEB073490 EC ARCHIVES SHOCK SUSPENSTORIES VOL 2 HC $49.95

Chris: OK, that’s it. I officially give up. There’s no way I’m going to be able to keep up with these collections now.

JAN073616 JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT IT COULDNT GET WORSE SC $18.95

Chris: Fantagraphics unleashes three noteworthy books this week, starting with this impressive compendium, collecting the comic strips and various illustrations of the master caricaturist Edward Sorel. If Elvis Road weren’t coming out, this would have been my pick of the week.

MAR073366 MY HEAVENLY HOCKEY CLUB VOL 1 GN $10.95

Kevin: I have virtually no interest in sports, yet I’m fascinated by sports manga. Maybe that’s because the stories often focus more on friendships, romance and rivalries than on the actual sports. Or perhaps it’s because American comics never really did much with the genre (I have a ratty issue of DC’s short-lived Champion Sports around here somewhere). Whatever the case, I’m intrigued by Ai Morinaga’s My Heavenly Hockey Club, which puts young Hana Suzuki — who’s only interested in food and sleeping — on the otherwise all-male school hockey team. That’s bound to be fun.

APR073900 NANCY DREW VOL 6 MR CHEETERS IS MISSING GN (O/A) $7.95

Chris: Oh, no! Not Mr. Cheeters!

MAR073367 NEGIMA VOL 14 GN (MR) $10.95

Chris: Still more unsavory fanservice and Harry Potter rip-offs involving a 10-year-old boy and lots of nubile teen-age girls. Ick.

FEB073463 OUR GANG VOL 2 SC $12.95

Chris: I don’t know how large the market for these books is. I can’t imagine there’s a huge Our Gang fan base, never mind Walt Kelly. Still, I’m glad these are out there, as they hold up surprisingly well. Warm, funny tales of byegone youth without any of the ugly racism that plague the films.

APR073700 PERCY GLOOM HC $18.95

Chris: The director of The Wild Thornberrys movie makes her graphic novel debut with this fairy tale-styled story of a meek man who strikes out on his own. Tom Spurgeon liked it a lot.

FEB073146 TEDDY SCARES VOL 1 $6.95

Chris: See, it’s like “Teddy Bears,” only the … oh never mind.

MAR073140 WHITE PICKET FENCES #1 (OF 3) $3.50

Kevin: Unfortunately, this charming-looking science fiction story, by Matt Anderson, Eric Hutchins and Micah Farritor, escaped my notice when it was solicited, and I worry it may have been overlooked by a lot of people. Farritor’s art is quirky and lovely — it’s reminiscent of Teddy Kristiansen’s work — and, if the Issue 1 preview and the Free Comic Book Day short are any indication, Anderson and Hutchins’ clever story is a good match. I’m going to call this my pick of the week, because I think White Picket Fences deserves a second look. You can read the first 10 pages of Issue 1, as well as the FCBD offering, at the book’s ComicSpace page.

Here’s the full list of comics shipping this week:

DARK HORSE COMICS

JAN070062 CONAN HALL O/T DEAD & OTHER STORIES VOL 4 HC $24.95
JAN070079 FEAR AGENT VOL 2 MY WAR TP $14.95
JAN070086 GUNSMITH CATS OMNIBUS VOL 2 TP $16.95
MAR070025 HELLBOY DARKNESS CALLS #2 (OF 6) $2.99
JAN070099 JOURNAL TARA MCPHERSON LOVE BLOWS $9.99
DEC060019 MARY SCARY HC $9.95
FEB070084 PENNY ARCADE VOL 4 BIRDS ARE WEIRD TP $12.95
JAN070089 SHAMAN WARRIOR VOL 3 TP $12.95
FEB070089 STAR WARS 30TH ANNIV COLL HC VOL 4 JANGO FETT ZAM WESELL $19.95
MAR070081 STAR WARS KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC #17 $2.99
JAN070094 STAR WARS PANEL TO PANEL VOL 2 TP $19.95
JAN070083 TANPENSHU VOL 2 TP $12.95
MAR070047 USAGI YOJIMBO #103 $2.99

DC COMICS

FEB070245 52 VOL 1 TP $19.99
MAR070182 ACTION COMICS #850 (NOTE PRICE) $3.99
MAR070186 AMAZONS ATTACK #2 (OF 6) $2.99
MAR070196 BLUE BEETLE #15 $2.99
MAR070190 COUNTDOWN 48 $2.99
MAR070191 COUNTDOWN POSTER $7.99
MAR070266 CROSSING MIDNIGHT #7 (MR) $2.99
MAR070269 DEADMAN #10 (MR) $2.99
MAR070248 DEATHBLOW #5 $2.99
MAR070203 GREEN LANTERN #20 $2.99
MAR070213 HAWKGIRL #64 $2.99
MAR070208 JSA CLASSIFIED #26 $2.99
MAR070206 JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #6 $2.99
MAR070207 JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA VAR ED #6 $2.99
OCT060314 MARTIAN MANHUNTER 13 INCH DELUXE FIGURE $69.99
FEB070321 SWAN VOL 10 $9.99
MAR070227 TEEN TITANS #47 $2.99
MAR070232 TEEN TITANS GO #43 $2.25

IMAGE COMICS

NOV061895 DARKNESS LEVEL 2 LTD ED LITHO $19.99
MAR071819 DRAWING FROM LIFE #1 (MR) $3.50
JAN071968 FRESHMEN VOL 2 SCOTT BENEFIEL CVR A #4 $2.99
MAR071831 GIRLS VOL 4 TP (MR) $14.99
MAR071880 KISS 4K #1 $3.99
OCT061896 MARC SILVESTRI 10TH ANNIV DARKNESS LTD ED LITHO $19.99
JAN071937 NEGATIVE BURN #11 (MR) $5.99
APR071851 RIDE DIE VALKYRIE #1 (OF 3) $2.99
MAR071818 SPAWN GODSLAYER #1 $2.99
DEC061908 WITCHBLADE ADRIANA MELO CVR B #106 $2.99
DEC061907 WITCHBLADE CHRIS BACHALO CVR A #106 $2.99
NOV061890 WITCHBLADE STEJEPAN SEJIC LTD ED LITHO $19.99

MARVEL COMICS

FEB072174 ANITA BLAKE VAMPIRE HUNTER GUILTY PLEASURES HANDBOOK $3.99
MAR072152 AVENGERS NEXT REBIRTH TP $13.99
MAR072147 CIVIL WAR COMPANION TP $13.99
MAR072078 DAREDEVIL #97 $2.99
MAR072139 FANTASTIC FOUR THE END PREMIERE HC $19.99
MAR078308 INCREDIBLE HULK 2ND PTG FRANK VAR #106 WWH $2.99
JAN072418 MAGICIAN APPRENTICE #7 (OF 12) $2.99
MAR072103 NEW AVENGERS ILLUMINATI #3 (OF 5) $2.99
MAR072118 NEW EXCALIBUR #20 $2.99
MAR072159 NEW X-MEN CHILDHOODS END VOL 4 TP $10.99
MAR072142 PUNISHER MAX VOL 3 HC $29.99
MAR072129 PUNISHER PRESENTS BARRACUDA MAX #4 (OF 5) (MR) $3.99
MAR072111 SILENT WAR #5 (OF 6) $2.99
MAR072109 SILVER SURFER REQUIEM #1 (OF 4) $3.99
MAR072071 SPIDER-MAN FAIRY TALES #1 $2.99
MAR072063 ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #42 $2.99
MAR072141 ULTIMATE GALACTUS TRILOGY HC $34.99
MAR072122 WOLVERINE #54 $2.99
MAR072123 WOLVERINE BLACK AND WHITE VAR #54 $2.99
MAR078309 WORLD WAR HULK PROLOGUE WORLD BREAKER 2ND PTG RIO VAR WWH $3.99
MAR072119 X-23 TARGET X #6 (OF 6) $2.99

WIZARD ENTERTAINMENT

MAR073042 BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #1 CGC 9.8 PI
MAR073041 CIVIL WAR THE INITIATIVE #1 CGC 9.8 PI
MAR073040 FANTASTIC FOUR #544 TURNER CVR CGC 9.8 PI
MAR073043 MARVEL ZOMBIES AOD #1 CGC 9.8 PI
MAR073039 MIGHTY AVENGERS #1 CGC 9.8 PI
APR073253 WIZARD MAGAZINE FANTASTIC FOUR 2 MOVIE CVR #189 $5.99
APR073254 WIZARD MAGAZINE TOP COW FIRST BORN CVR #189 $5.99
APR073252 WIZARD MAGAZINE WORLD WAR HULK CVR #189 $5.99

OTHER PUBLISHERS

NOV063968 1 WORLD MANGA VOL 6 TP $3.99
JAN073292 ADRENALINE #4 ( OF 8 ) $2.99
MAR073798 BACKSTAGE PRINCE VOL 2 TP $8.99
MAR073362 BASILISK VOL 5 GN (MR) $13.95
MAR073799 BEAUTY POP VOL 4 TP $8.99
MAR073157 BETTY #165 $2.25
MAR073136 BLACK COAT OR GIVE ME DEATH #1 (OF 4) $3.50
MAR073778 BLEACH VOL 19 TP $7.95
APR073554 BOYS #7 (RES) (MR) $2.99
APR073555 BOYS VOL 1 TP (RES) (MR) $14.99
DEC063551 BRAVE & BOLD PEREZ S/N ED #1 $19.99
MAR073792 BUSO RENKIN VOL 6 TP $7.99
MAR073800 CAIN SAGA VOL 4 PART 2 TP (MR) $8.99
MAR073376 CHUCKY MEDORS CVR A #2 (OF 5) (MR) $3.50
MAR073377 CHUCKY PHOTO CVR B #2 (OF 5) (MR) $3.50
MAR073793 CLAYMORE VOL 8 TP $7.99
APR073580 DARK XENA #2 $3.50
MAR073386 DEMONWARS THE DEMON AWAKENS SEELEY CVR A #3 (OF 3) $5.50
MAR073387 DEMONWARS THE DEMON AWAKENS WALPOLE CVR B #3 (OF 3) $9.50
MAR073785 DRAGON DRIVE VOL 2 TP $7.99
APR073649 DVD VOL 1 GN $11.99
APR073650 DVD VOL 2 GN $11.99
FEB073490 EC ARCHIVES SHOCK SUSPENSTORIES VOL 2 HC $49.95
APR073913 ELLE HUMOR HC (MR) $40.00
APR073529 ELVIS ROAD HC (MR) $24.95
MAR073794 EYESHIELD 21 VOL 14 TP $7.99
MAR073520 FALLEN ANGEL IDW #16 (MR) $3.99
MAR073574 FAMILY BONES #4 (OF 10) (MR) $3.50
APR073875 FLESH AND METAL VOL 2 GN (O/A) (A) $9.95
APR073757 FUN HOME TP $13.95
MAR073806 GENTLEMENS ALLIANCE VOL 2 TP $8.99
MAR073786 HOSHIN ENGI VOL 1 TP $7.99
MAR073248 INTERGALACTIC #1 $2.95
MAR073163 JUGHEAD AND FRIENDS DIGEST #20 $2.49
JAN073616 JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT IT COULDNT GET WORSE SC $18.95
MAR073787 KNIGHTS OF THE ZODIAC VOL 20 TP $7.95
MAR073365 MAMOTTE LOLLIPOP VOL 2 GN $10.95
APR073313 MISCELLANEOUS ADVENTURES OF STYKMAN #2 $2.95
MAR073366 MY HEAVENLY HOCKEY CLUB VOL 1 GN $10.95
MAR073807 NANA VOL 6 TP $8.99
APR073897 NANCY DREW BOXED SET (O/A) $29.95
APR073898 NANCY DREW VOL 5 THE FAKE HEIR GN (O/A) $7.95
APR073899 NANCY DREW VOL 5 THE FAKE HEIR HC (O/A) $12.95
APR073900 NANCY DREW VOL 6 MR CHEETERS IS MISSING GN (O/A) $7.95
APR073901 NANCY DREW VOL 6 MR CHEETERS IS MISSING HC (O/A) $12.95
APR073903 NANCY DREW VOL 7 CHARMED BRACELET HC (O/A) $12.95
APR073905 NANCY DREW VOL 8 GLOBAL WARNING HC (O/A) $12.95
MAR073367 NEGIMA VOL 14 GN (MR) $10.95
FEB073463 OUR GANG VOL 2 SC $12.95
MAR073165 PALS N GALS DOUBLE DIGEST #112 $3.69
APR073700 PERCY GLOOM HC $18.95
FEB073153 PHILLY #1 $3.95
MAR073251 RAY HARRYHAUSEN PRESENTS WRATH OF THE TITANS #1 (OF 4) $3.50
APR073705 REAR ENTRY #16 (A) $3.95
APR073568 RED SONJA JIM BALENT VAR CVR #18 (O/A) $2.99
MAR074741 RIFTS LONE STAR MACHINATIONS OF DOOM GN $18.95
MAR073286 SHAOLIN COWBOY DARROW CVR A #7 (RES) $3.50
MAR073288 SHAOLIN COWBOY SEVERIN CVR B #7 (RES) $3.50
MAR073173 SONIC X #20 $2.25
JUL062899 SOULFIRE DYING OF THE LIGHT TP $14.99
MAR073607 SPECIAL EDUCATION #3 (OF 4) (RES) $2.95
MAR073517 STAR TREK NEXT GENERATION THE SPACE BETWEEN #5 (OF 6) $3.99
MAR073369 SUZUKA VOL 4 GN (MR) $13.95
MAR073810 TAIL OF THE MOON VOL 5 TP $8.99
MAR073281 TAROT WITCH OF THE BLACK ROSE #44 (MR) $2.95
FEB073146 TEDDY SCARES VOL 1 $6.95
MAR073507 TRANSFORMERS ARK COMPENDIUM TRANSFORMERS MODELS $19.99
APR074260 TRANSFORMERS MIX & MATCH BOARD BOOK $14.99
APR074259 TRANSFORMERS SLIDERS PRIME TIME HC $14.99
MAR073121 VAMPI VS XIN LTD ED SET $19.95
MAR073118 VAMPIRELLA QUARTERLY SPR 07 VIRGIN FLEMING CVR #1 $19.95
MAR073250 VSS NEMESIS RISING #1 (OF 5) $3.50
MAR073448 WALT DISNEYS COMICS & STORIES #681 $7.50
APR073706 WHEELA (A) $3.95
MAR073140 WHITE PICKET FENCES #1 (OF 3) $3.50
MAR073790 YU GI OH DUELIST VOL 21 TP $7.95
MAR073809 YURARA VOL 1 TP $8.99
MAR073791 ZOMBIE POWDER VOL 4 TP $7.99

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