Is it still Tuesday afternoon?

Time slipped away from me this week. I’ll chalk it up to being in mourning over the death of Bart Allen. Maimed, stripped of his personality, absorbed into the Speed Force, aged, depowered and then killed — all within four years. The poor kid can’t catch a break.

Anyway, where was I? Oh, right: It’s time for Chris Maunter and me to sift through the titles shipping this week to a comics store near you.

It’s a fairly quiet week, release-wise, so we’ll just dive into our picks.

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

FEB070077 ART OF BONE HC $39.95

Kevin: To try to get my book-buying addiction under control, I set a $29.95 spending limit. So far I’ve kept to that, and haven’t bought any books exceeding that price. But after looking at the preview for The Art of Bone, I feel my resolve weakening.

MAR070019 BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER OMNIBUS VOL 1 TP $24.95

Kevin: While the current “Season 8″ series continues where the TV show left off, this brick of a book — 320 pages! — serves as the prequel, starting with an adaptation of Joss Whedon’s original movie screenplay. (Dark Horse’s description emphasizes that it’s a faithful adaptation, so that must be important.) Of all the collected stories in this volume, I’m most interested in “All’s Fair,” which features Spike and Drusilla at the 1933 World’s Fair. I think I’ll call this my pick of the week.

APR070263 CROSSING MIDNIGHT #8 (MR) $2.99
MAR070267 CROSSING MIDNIGHT VOL 1 TP (MR) $9.99

Kevin: For reasons unknown, I passed on this series when it initially was solicited. Vertigo teased it as “Miyazaki’s Spirited Away meets Asian horror,” and writer Mike Carey talked up the elements of Japanese folklore and Western fairy tales. Yet I still didn’t order it. Thankfully, I came to my senses in time to order the first trade paperback.

APR070195 GREEN LANTERN SINESTRO CORPS SPECIAL #1 $4.99

Kevin: Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver reunite for this 64-page special that’s sure to please Green Lantern/Geoff Johns/superhero fans. There are several obstacles to me buying this, not the least of which is Sinestro’s uncanny resemblance to Gale Gordon. Unless your name’s Lucy Carmichael, there’s nothing remotely menacing about Gale Gordon.

APR071867 FRANK FRAZETTAS DEATH DEALER #3 (OF 6) (MR) $3.99

Chris: You know, it must be nice to have your own personal Death Dealer. I wouldn’t mind having one of my own; I could introduce him at parties: “Have you seen my new Death Dealer?” How does one go about getting such a thing? Are there forms you have to fill out?

APR072365 ANT MAN VOL 1 DIGEST TP $9.99

Kevin: Although Robert Kirkman’s humor in this just-canceled series wasn’t really my cup of tea, I’m a fan of Phil Hester’s art and layouts. It’s interesting that Marvel opted to collect the first six issues as a digest. I wonder, though, how the pages, which routinely contained nine or 10 panels, will look when they’re scaled down to fit the format.

APR072348 CRIMINAL #7 (MR) $2.99
APR072295 DAREDEVIL #98 $2.99

Kevin: Lest I look like I’m taking Ed Brubaker, Michael Lark and Sean Phillips for granted, I’ll mention how terrific these two titles are.

MAR072087 IMMORTAL IRON FIST #6 $2.99

Kevin: I single this out every month, don’t I? I can’t help it, this is one of the handful of comics I most look forward to reading … every month. It’s a dense read, crammed with action, clever dialogue, cameos, and, despite all the talk of the Iron Fist legacy, it doesn’t require you to be versed in three decades’ worth of continuity minutiae.

APR072368 ULTIMATES 2 VOL 2 GRAND THEFT AMERICA TP $19.99

Chris: In which the Ultimates ride around in a stolen car and keep switching radio stations.

APR072344 X-MEN 50/50 WRAPAROUND #200 $3.99
APR072343 X-MEN FINCH GATEFOLD VAR #200 $3.99

Kevin: Nothing says “200th issue” like a gatefold variant. It’s a gatefold and a variant! This also continues the wind-up to this fall’s big Endangered Species crossover. Variant covers. Gatefolds. Line-wide crossover. My ’90s-sense is tingling!

APR072345 X-MEN FIRST CLASS VOL 2 #1 $2.99

Kevin: Meanwhile, Jeff Parker and Roger Cruz quietly kick off the ongoing (yay!) series devoted to the early years of the original X-Men, Angel, Beast, Cyclops, Iceman and Marvel Girl. The miniseries was a lot of fun, so I’m happy to see Marvel is giving it another chance.

MAY073678 1-800 MICE #2 (MR) $3.95

Chris: The latest issue of Matthew Thurber’s ongoing series, courtesy of Picture Box. I perused it briefly at MoCCA. It looked like a nice, surreal book, though I confess I’m not too familiar with Thurber’s work. Had I had more cash on me, I probably would have picked it up.

APR073688 CASTLE WAITING VOL II #7 $3.95

Chris: Another new entry in Linda Medley’s ongoing fantasy series. Not much I can say here. You’re either charmed by it or not. Count me in among the charmed.

MAY073829 D GRAY MAN VOL 6 GN $7.99

Kevin: It’s as if Katsura Hoshino created D.Gray-man just for me: It’s a supernatural-horror-adventure set in a fictional version of Victorian England. That’s more than enough to draw me in. But throw in the bizarre, and wonderfully named, villain (the Millennium Earl) and a group of Vatican-connected exorcists, and I’m hooked. It gets a little weird and involved, like the Church of Scientology meets The Da Vinci Code, but it’s strangely addictive.

MAR073608 FOREVER NUTS THE EARLY YEARS OF MUTT & JEFF HC $24.95

Chris: I actually just got a review copy of this book today. It’s not exactly a “complete Mutt and Jeff” — it starts up well into the series and doesn’t have many of the “Jeff betting on the race track” strips that Bud Fisher used as his initial hook for the series (except for a few that are reproduced for the introduction). The book remains, however, a solid collection of early strips from 1909-1913, most of which hold up surprisingly well.

APR074013 FOX BUNNY FUNNY TP $10.00

Chris: Andy Hartzell explores societal roles and human cruelty using cute cartoon animals. From Top Shelf. Michael May reviewed it yesterday.

APR074040 MACEDONIA GN $17.95

Chris: From Villard comes Harvey Pekar’s latest, a collaboration with author Heather Robinson and artist Ed Piskor. It’s about, duh, the country of Macedonia, focusing specifically on how the country’s citizens have managed to settle various ethnic and cultural tensions over the years without ever resorting to violence. Pekar can be at his worst when he’s on a soapbox, but the book nevertheless sounds intriguing.

MAR073755 TEZUKAS APOLLOS SONG SC (MR) $19.95
APR074035 TO TERRA VOL 3 TP $13.95

Chris: Pick of the week. Well, the first one is anyway. Any Tezuka release is cause for joy, but Apollo’s Song, about a sociopathic young man who lives several different lifetimes and is denied his true love in all of them, promises to be even odder than Ode to Kirihito, and that’s saying something. It’s certainly supposed to be one of the master’s most erotic works.

The third volume of To Terra, meanwhile, wraps up Keiko Takemiya’s epic sci-fi manga. Most bloggers gave the first volume a pan based on it’s “gee whiz” premise and over the top earnestness (you can almost hear the prog rock soundtrack playing as you read). The book is a bit shallow at times, no doubt, but Takemiya’s sumptous art and gorgeous layouts glides over a lot of the rough spots.

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

DARK HORSE COMICS

FEB070077 ART OF BONE HC $39.95
APR060046 ARTIST WITHIN HC $39.95
MAR070019 BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER OMNIBUS VOL 1 TP $24.95
JAN070063 CONAN HALL O/T DEAD & OTHER STORIES VOL 4 TP $17.95
MAR070026 DWIGHT T ALBATROSS THE GOON NOIR TP $12.95
JAN070104 HELLBOY ANIMATED MINI BUST LIZ SHERMAN $39.99
APR070033 HELLBOY DARKNESS CALLS #3 (OF 6) $2.99
FEB070081 JACKSON 500 VOL 3 HC $14.95
MAY070066 JOURNAL TOKIDOKI SPIRAL BOUND $9.99

DC COMICS

APR070186 AMAZONS ATTACK #3 (OF 6) $2.99
APR070190 BLUE BEETLE #16 (CD) $2.99
APR070229 CARTOON NETWORK BLOCK PARTY #34 $2.25
APR070183 COUNTDOWN 44 $2.99
APR070263 CROSSING MIDNIGHT #8 (MR) $2.99
MAR070267 CROSSING MIDNIGHT VOL 1 TP (MR) $9.99
APR070264 DEADMAN #11 (MR) $2.99
APR070195 GREEN LANTERN SINESTRO CORPS SPECIAL #1 $4.99
APR070266 JACK OF FABLES #12 (MR) $2.99
APR070205 JSA CLASSIFIED #27 $2.99
JAN070377 NEIL GAIMAN AND CHARLES VESS STARDUST HC (RES) (MR) $39.99
APR070255 NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET #8 (MR) $2.99
APR070247 NINJA SCROLL #10 $2.99
MAR070219 SHOWCASE PRESENTS BATMAN VOL 2 TP $16.99
APR070216 SUPERGIRL AND THE LEGION OF SUPER HEROES #31 $2.99
APR070175 SUPERMAN BATMAN #37 $2.99
APR070176 SUPERMAN BATMAN VAR ED #37 $2.99
APR070217 TEEN TITANS #48 (AA) $2.99
APR070227 TEEN TITANS GO #44 $2.25
MAR070226 TRIALS OF SHAZAM VOL 1 TP $14.99
APR070253 WETWORKS #10 $2.99
APR070222 WONDER WOMAN #10 (AA) $2.99

IMAGE COMICS

APR071867 FRANK FRAZETTAS DEATH DEALER #3 (OF 6) (MR) $3.99
MAR071844 INVINCIBLE #43 $2.99
APR071914 KISS 4K #2 $2.99
FEB071910 NIGHTLY NEWS #6 (OF 6) $2.99
APR071876 SPAWN GODSLAYER #2 $2.99
FEB071919 WALKING DEAD #38 (MR) $2.99
JAN071953 WITCHBLADE #107 $2.99

MARVEL COMICS

APR072363 ANNIHILATION BOOK 3 HC $29.99
APR072365 ANT MAN VOL 1 DIGEST TP $9.99
MAR072077 BLACK PANTHER #28 CWI $2.99
APR072336 CABLE DEADPOOL #42 $2.99
APR072348 CRIMINAL #7 (MR) $2.99
APR072295 DAREDEVIL #98 $2.99
APR072297 FANTASTIC FOUR #547 CWI $2.99
MAR072087 IMMORTAL IRON FIST #6 $2.99
APR072317 LEGION OF MONSTERS SATANA $2.99
FEB072178 MAGICIAN APPRENTICE #8 (OF 12) $2.99
APR072314 MARVEL ADVENTURES AVENGERS #14 $2.99
APR072275 MARVEL ILLUSTRATED LAST OF THE MOHICANS #2 (OF 6) $2.99
APR072357 MARVEL MASTERWORKS SUB-MARINER VOL 2 HC VAR ED 79 $54.99
APR072356 MARVEL MASTERWORKS SUB-MARINER VOL 2 NEW ED HC $54.99
MAR072110 SHE-HULK 2 #19 $2.99
APR072330 SILENT WAR #6 (OF 6) $2.99
APR072331 SILVER SURFER REQUIEM #2 (OF 4) $3.99
APR072284 SPIDER-MAN FAIRY TALES #2 (OF 4) $2.99
APR072333 THUNDERBOLTS #115 CWI $2.99
APR072334 THUNDERBOLTS BIANCHI VAR #115 $2.99
APR072277 ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #43 $2.99
JAN072351 ULTIMATE VISION #4 (OF 5) $2.99
APR072279 ULTIMATE X-MEN #83 $2.99
APR072368 ULTIMATES 2 VOL 2 GRAND THEFT AMERICA TP $19.99
APR072372 WOLVERINE BLOOD & SORROW TP $13.99
APR072342 WOLVERINE ORIGINS #15 $2.99
APR072304 WORLD WAR HULK FRONT LINE #1 (OF 6) WWH $2.99
APR072305 WORLD WAR HULK X-MEN #1 (OF 3) $2.99
APR072339 X-FACTOR #20 $2.99
APR072382 X-MEN #200 B&W PANORAMA DOOR POSTER $15.99
APR072381 X-MEN #200 PANORAMA DOOR POSTER $15.99
APR072344 X-MEN 50/50 WRAPAROUND #200 $3.99
APR072343 X-MEN FINCH GATEFOLD VAR #200 $3.99
APR072345 X-MEN FIRST CLASS VOL 2 #1 $2.99

WIZARD ENTERTAINMENT

MAY073095 CAPTAIN AMERICA #25 NEW PTG EPTING CVR CGC 9.8 ED PI
MAY073099 CIVIL WAR #1 CAP GOES AWOL NEW PTG MCNIVEN SGN ED PI
MAY073096 CW CONFESSION DEATH OF CAPTAIN AMERICA CGC 9.8 ED PI
MAY073109 ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #100 BAGLEY SGN PI
MAY073108 WITCHBLADE MANGA #1 SILVESTRI FANT REALM EX CVR CGC 9.8 (NET PI
MAY073084 WIZARD MAGAZINE GREG HORN NEW AVENGERS CVR #190 $5.99
MAY073086 WIZARD MAGAZINE MIGNOLA HELLBOY CVR #190 $5.99
MAY073085 WIZARD MAGAZINE TRANSFORMERS MOVIE CVR #190 $5.99
MAY073106 WOLVERINE ORIGINS #5 QUESADA SGN PHX SAMURAI VAR SKETCH (NET PI
MAY073107 X-MEN #175 WWB SKETCH CVR LAROCCA SGN PI

OTHER PUBLISHERS

MAY073678 1-800 MICE #2 (MR) $3.95
MAR073670 2000 AD #1539 $4.10
APR073920 2000 AD #1540 $4.10
MAY073838 ABSOLUTE BOYFRIEND VOL 4 GN $8.99
MAR073463 AFTER SCHOOL NIGHTMARE VOL 4 GN (MR) $10.99
MAY073524 ANY WAY I WANT IT TP (JUL063206) (A) $19.95
APR073392 ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #180 $3.69
APR073489 BART SIMPSON COMICS #36 $2.99
MAR073311 BATTLESTAR GALACTICA #11 $2.99
APR073396 BETTY #166 $2.25
APR073373 BIZARRE NEW WORLD #2 (OF 3) $3.50
MAY073772 BLACK GHOST APPLE FACTORY $5.00
MAY073821 BLEACH VOL 20 TP $7.95
MAY073337 BOYS #8 (RES) (MR) $2.99
MAR073588 BREATHE #2 CVR C SGN ED $5.00
APR073851 BREATHE CVR A #3 (OF 4) $2.99
APR073852 BREATHE CVR B #3 (OF 4) $2.99
MAY073625 BUCKAROO BANZAI SCREWY 3 PACK $11.50
MAY073827 BUSO RENKIN VOL 7 TP $7.99
APR073688 CASTLE WAITING VOL II #7 $3.95
MAY073414 CHALLENGERS VOL 2 GN $12.99
MAY073415 CHALLENGERS VOL 3 GN $12.99
MAY073416 CHALLENGERS VOL 4 GN $12.99
MAR073406 CHINESE HERO VOL 2 TALES O/T BLOOD SWORD SC $19.95
MAY073828 CLAYMORE VOL 9 TP $7.99
APR073745 CODE #1 (O/A) $2.99
APR073850 COLLECTED TOUPYDOOPS TP (MR) $14.95
MAY073300 COYOTE RAGTIME SHOW VOL 1 GN (MR) $9.99
MAY073829 D GRAY MAN VOL 6 GN $7.99
OCT063735 DEAD AT 17 VOL 2 #4 (MR) $3.25
MAR073400 DISNEY JR VOL 4 PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN GN $3.99
MAY073822 DRAGON DRIVE VOL 3 TP $7.99
APR073589 DRAGON EYE VOL 1 GN $10.95
MAY073632 DUNGEON VOL 1 TP (O/A) (JUN042672) $14.95
MAY073255 ESCAPE O/T LIVING DEAD AIRBORNE SKETCH CVR #1 (OF 3) (MR) $29.99
APR073787 FALLEN ANGEL IDW #17 (MR) $3.99
APR073412 FATHOM KILLIANS VESSEL ODAGAWA CVR #1 $2.99
APR073413 FATHOM KILLIANS VESSEL TURNER CVR #1 $2.99
MAR073608 FOREVER NUTS THE EARLY YEARS OF MUTT & JEFF HC $24.95
APR073617 FORGOTTEN REALMS STREAMS SILVER SEELEY CVR A #3 $5.50
APR073618 FORGOTTEN REALMS STREAMS SILVER WALPOLE CVR B #3 $9.50
APR074013 FOX BUNNY FUNNY TP $10.00
APR074044 GAMEKEEPER EXTENDED COLL EDITION #1 (MR) $2.99
MAR073190 GARTH ENNIS STREETS OF GLORY PREVIEW (MR) $1.99
APR073746 GENESIS FIVE #1 (O/A) $2.99
APR073591 GHOST HUNT VOL 8 GN $10.95
DEC063513 GI JOE AMERICAS ELITE VOL 3 TP (NOTE PRICE) $18.99
JAN073566 GI JOE SPECIAL MISSIONS VOL 1 TP $18.99
MAY073840 GODCHILD VOL 6 TP $8.99
DEC063601 GOOSEBUMPS GRAPHIX VOL 2 TERROR TRIPS HC $16.99
DEC063600 GOOSEBUMPS GRAPHIX VOL 2 TERROR TRIPS SC $8.99
MAR073851 GRIMM FAIRY TALES #15 (RES) (MR) $2.99
APR074093 GRIMM FAIRY TALES RETURN TO WONDERLAND #1 (OF 7) (MR) $2.99
DEC063253 HAUNTED MANSION #6 $2.95
MAR073407 HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS VOL 8 TP (MR) $9.95
MAY073823 HIKARU NO GO VOL 10 TP $7.95
MAY073824 HOSHIN ENGI VOL 2 TP $7.99
APR073747 JOE & MAX #1 (O/A) $2.99
MAY073831 JOJOS BIZARRE ADVENTURE VOL 8 TP $7.99
MAR073671 JUDGE DREDD MEGAZINE #259 $7.50
JAN073824 JUDGE DREDD ORIGINS GN $25.99
APR073402 JUGHEAD #182 $2.25
APR073593 KAGETORA VOL 6 GN $10.95
MAY073841 KAZE HIKARU VOL 6 GN $8.99
APR073835 KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE #128 $4.99
APR073381 KONI WAVES VOL 1 FIRST WAVE TP $9.95
APR073596 KUROGANE VOL 5 GN $10.95
MAY073256 LADY DEATH DARK HORIZONS ARABIAN NIGHT CVR $5.99
MAY073257 LADY DEATH SACRILEGE SEXY BEAST CVR #0 $5.99
MAY073326 LADY DEATH SHI JUNGLE BOOGIE CVR #0 (OF 2) $5.99
MAY073258 LADY DEATH SHI MOMENTS REST CVR #0 (OF 2) $5.99
MAY073259 LADY DEATH SHI PRISM FOIL CVR #0 (OF 2) $12.99
MAY073260 LADY DEATH SHI ROYAL BLUE CVR #1 (OF 2) $75.00
MAY073261 LADY DEATH WARRIOR TEMPTRESS QUICK DRAW CVR $5.99
APR073598 LE CHEVALIER DEON VOL 1 GN (MR) $10.95
MAY073607 LIVING STATUES (MR) $3.50
FEB073339 LONE RANGER VOL 1 PX CVR TP $19.99
FEB073338 LONE RANGER VOL 1 REG CVR TP $19.99
APR073483 LOST RAVEN GN (RES) $11.99
APR074040 MACEDONIA GN $17.95
MAR073639 MAINTENANCE VOL 1 ITS A DIRTY JOB TP (MR) $9.95
MAY073468 MEGAMANGA VOL 23 SEX WARRIOR ISANE XXX TP (A) $24.95
MAR073464 NIGHT OF THE BEASTS VOL 4 GN (MR) $10.99
MAR073132 NINJA HIGH SCHOOL SIGNED ED #150 $4.95
MAR073133 NINJA HIGH SCHOOL SKETCH ED #150 PI
MAY073825 ONE PIECE VOL 15 TP $7.95
APR073834 ONLY WORDS GN (A) $12.95
APR073833 PAINTINGS OF YOU GN (MR) $12.95
APR073599 PASTEL VOL 7 GN (MR) $10.95
APR073865 PHANTOM CVR A #17 $3.50
APR073866 PHANTOM CVR B #17 $4.50
MAY073357 REANIMATOR #0 FOIL ED $10.00
MAR073333 RED SONJA #23 $2.99
APR073801 RICHARD MATHESONS I AM LEGEND TP $19.99
APR073682 ROBERT KURTZMANS BENEATH THE VALLEY O/T RAGE #1 (OF 4) (MR) $3.99
MAR073146 SHADOWFLAME #4 (OF 4) $3.95
APR073605 SHEENA #1 (OF 5) $3.50
APR074054 SHONEN JUMP AUG 07 #56 $4.99
APR074045 SNAKEWOMAN VOL 2 TALE OF THE SNAKE CHARMER #1 (MR) $2.99
APR073409 SONIC X #21 $2.25
MAR073589 STARSHIP TROOPERS ONGOING CVR A #2 $3.50
MAR073590 STARSHIP TROOPERS ONGOING CVR B #2 $3.50
MAY073115 STEWART THE RAT #1 (O/A) (MR) $3.95
MAR073139 SUBCULTURE #1 (OF 4) (MR) $3.50
APR073864 TALES OF TMNT COLL BOOKS VOL 3 TP $12.00
MAR073282 TAROT WITCH OF THE BLACK ROSE DLX ED #44 (MR) $19.99
MAR073755 TEZUKAS APOLLOS SONG SC (MR) $19.95
APR074035 TO TERRA VOL 3 TP $13.95
MAY073588 TRAILER PARK OF TERROR COLOR SP #6 (RES) (MR) $3.99
MAR073465 TRAIN PLUS TRAIN VOL 3 GN $10.99
APR073771 TRANSFORMERS MOVIE ADAPTATION #4 (OF 4) $3.99
APR073356 VAMPIRELLA INTIMATE VISIONS AMANDA CONNER SET $9.95
APR073357 VAMPIRELLA INTIMATE VISIONS JOE JUSKO SET $9.95
APR073353 VAMPIRELLA QUARTERLY SPR 07 VIRGIN SIENKIEWICZ CVR $19.95
MAR073584 VENGEANCE OF THE VAPOR CVR A #1 $3.50
MAR073585 VENGEANCE OF THE VAPOR CVR B #1 $4.95
APR073603 WALLFLOWER VOL 12 GN (MR) $10.95
MAY073236 WARREN ELLIS BLACK GAS VOL 1 SET (MR) $11.99
APR073375 WHITE PICKET FENCES #2 (OF 3) $3.50
APR073470 WITCHBLADE TAKERU VOL 1 GN $9.99
MAY073826 YU GI OH DUELIST VOL 22 TP $7.95

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 26th, 2007 at 4:40 pm and is filed under Can't Wait for Wednesday, Comic Books, DC Comics, Dark Horse, Graphic Novels, Image, Independent, Industry, Manga, Marvel, Retailers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.