It may simply be a post-Comic-Con malaise, but this seems like a pretty low-key week for comics.

Oh, sure, there are some notable comings and goings: Marvel wraps up its successful Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born miniseries — with three covers and a sketchbook, no less! — while kicking off another installment of Shanna the She-Devil. Dark Horse ends another Conan miniseries. And DC takes another stab at the Metal Men, while welcoming an 89 percent less slutty-looking Supergirl (thanks to a new creative team).

But overall, it feels like we’re well into the middle of things as we trudge toward autumn: another issue of Word War Hulk, another issue of Countdown, and countless trade paperback collections.

For a rundown of the titles Chris Mautner and I think are worth special mention, just click “more.”

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

JUN070208 METAL MEN #1 ( OF 8 ) $2.99

Kevin: After the angsty and dismembered take on the Metal Men in Justice League of America, I’m incredibly happy to see the (apparent) return of the whimsy that makes Doc Magnus’ creations what they are. Without that pinch of Robert Kanigher silliness, the Metal Men are just another in a long line of comic-book robots. If the preview is any indication, the cartoonish art of Duncan Rouleau, who’s drawing and writing this miniseries, is a great fit: His Metal Men are fluid and expressive, essential to pulling off that endearing Silver Age-inspired goofiness. Plus, I like his take on the pipe-smoking Will Magnus. I’m going to call this my pick of the week.

JUN070159 OUTSIDERS FIVE OF A KIND WEEK 1 NIGHTWING BOOMERANG $2.99

Kevin: Any sense of suspense this miniseries might’ve generated — Who, oh, who, will Batman choose for his new Outsiders lineup? — is ruined by the cover to Batman and The Outsiders #1. Ah, well, I’m just holding out for Week 4, which features lovely — and increasingly rare — art by Joshua Middleton.

MAY070243 SCALPED VOL 1 INDIAN COUNTRY TP (MR) $9.99

Kevin: Jason Aaron and R.M. Guera’s dark drama about organized crime on a reservation gets its first collection this week. Fans of the genre take note; it’s gritty and engaging stuff.

MAY071862 GODLAND CELESTIAL ED HC $34.99

Chris: A snazzy, 360-page hardcover that collects the first 12 issues of the star-spanning, tongue-in-cheek series from Joe Casey and Tom Scioli, complete with Grant Morrison introduction and other special “extras.” If you’ve been holding out for a super-deluxe collection before trying the series, or if you’re a hardcore fan who wants something a bit more sturdy on their shelves, consider this your moment in the sun.

JUN072115 DARK TOWER GUNSLINGER BORN #7 (OF 7) $3.99

Chris: And with that, the first of the Dark Tower miniseries wraps up. Kudos to Marvel and the creative team for making a book that actually kept King fans coming back to the store.

JUN072183 SHANNA SHE-DEVIL SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST #1 (OF 4) $2.99

Kevin: At the risk of being labeled as one of those people who goes searching for “offensive” covers, I’ll ask what the deal is with the creepy dinosaur tongues on the covers of this miniseries. Is there such a thing as a dinosaur-tongue fetish?

JUN072132 SPIDER-MAN RED SONJA #1 (OF 5) $2.99

Kevin: Because no one Kulan Gath demanded it!

JUN072228 WISDOM RUDIMENTS OF WISDOM TP $21.99

Kevin: I can’t figure out why this carries a whopping $21.99 price tag. It’s a 144-page trade paperback. Compare this to, say, the Ultimate X-Men Ultimate Collection Book 2, which clocks in at 336 pages for just $3 more, or the 136-page X-Factor, Vol. 2, which is priced at $14.99. Am I missing some important detail here?

JUN072156 WORLD WAR HULK #3 (OF 5) WWH $3.99

Chris: Wow. That was fast. It looks like this summer’s Big Marvel Event differs from Civil War in more ways than one (i.e. it’s on time and is actually a good read).

MAY073362 ALIVE VOL 1 GN (MR) $10.95

Kevin: I’ve been looking forward to this one for a while now. In Tadashi Kawashima and Adachitoka’s horror series, a group of Tokyo teens tries to figure out why they survived a mysterious virus that triggered mass suicides around the globe. Sold! As I posted earlier, New York magazine’s Vulture blog has a 10-page preview of the book.

MAY073189 CLOCKWORK GIRL #0 $0.25

Kevin: I didn’t care for what I read of co-writer Sean O’Reilly’s Kade, but I like artist Grant Bond’s work on Revere. And there’s something undeniably cute and charming about the Romeo & Juliet-style premise of a mutant boy and a robotic girl. Plus, it’s just 25 cents.

JUN073730 GOODNIGHT IRENE GN (RES) (MR) $14.95

Chris: From Last Gasp comes this complete collection of Carol Lay’s Irene strips — parodies of classic romance comics starring a girl with a plate in her lip. It’s some of Lay’s earliest work, and her style is much different than the more cartoony stuff she does now, but I vaguely remember these strips being rather funny.

JUN073549 JOHNNY RYANS XXX SCUMBAG PARTY TP (MR) $18.95

Chris: Loady McGee fans take note. Issues 6-10 of Ryan’s Angry Youth Comics are trussed up like a Xmas ham in this volume with the oh-so-pleasing title. I’m sure there’s something to offend everyone lurking within these pages.

MAY073319 LUCKY LUKE BARBED WIRE ON THE PRAIRIE TP $9.99

Chris: I don’t think 9th Cinebook gets nearly enough notice for their attempts to get classic, kid-friendly European comics into the hands of U.S. whippersnappers. Their regular release of Lucky Luke volumes, for example, like this latest one, is something that people should be sitting up and taking notice of, at least if you’ve got kids who like comics.

APR073384 OKKO CYCLE OF WATER #4 (OF 4) (MR) $3.95

Kevin: I jumped onboard Archaia Studios Press’ Okko run a little late, so I’m struggling to catch up. But what little I’ve read so far is entertaining, and absolutely gorgeous. I’ve ordered this issue, as well as the upcoming hardcover collection, and I can’t wait to crack them open.

MAY073370 SUGAR SUGAR RUNE VOL 6 GN $10.95

Chris: Moyoco Anno’s name is one that keeps popping up again and again whenever I bandy about the Net in search of manga-ka I should become better acquainted with. The one volume of this kids’ series I read left me somewhat cold, but having read Shaenon Garrity’s critique of it, I wonder if I wasn’t a bit hasty in my judgement. It might be time to take a second look.

MAY073466 UPTIGHT #2 (RES) $2.50

Chris: The first issue of Jordan Crane’s new ongoing series hit me like a truck; his work is published so infrequently, it’s easy to forget how agile and accomplished a storyteller he can be. It’s for that central reason that I’m making this issue my pick of the week.

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

DARK HORSE COMICS

MAR070030 CONAN & THE MIDNIGHT GOD #5 (OF 5) $2.99
APR070049 EDEN VOL 8 ITS AN ENDLESS WORLD TP (MR) $12.95
JUN070062 JOURNAL SANJAY PATEL $9.99
APR070050 OLD BOY VOL 7 TP (MR) $12.95
APR070018 PREDATOR OMNIBUS VOL 1 TP $24.95
JUN070061 STATIONERY SET SANJAY PATEL GODDESSES $4.99

DC COMICS

JUN070147 ACTION COMICS #853 (CD) $2.99
JUN070149 ALL NEW ATOM #14 (CD) $2.99
MAY070231 AMERICAN VIRGIN #17 (MR) $2.99
MAY070153 BIRDS OF PREY BLOOD AND CIRCUITS TP $17.99
JUN070193 BLACK CANARY #3 (OF 4) $2.99
JUN070141 COUNTDOWN 39 $2.99
JUN070165 DETECTIVE COMICS #835 $2.99
JUN070269 EXTERMINATORS #20 (MR) $2.99
JUN070266 FAKER #2 (OF 6) (MR) $2.99
MAY078334 GREEN LANTERN SINESTRO CORPS SPECIAL 3RD PTG #1 $4.99
APR070192 GREEN LANTERN WANTED HAL JORDAN HC $19.99
JAN070384 JLA COVER TO COVER STATUE THE FLASH $59.99
JUN070207 JONAH HEX #22 $2.99
JUN070225 JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED #36 $2.25
JUN070202 JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #8 $2.99
JUN070203 JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA VAR ED #8 $2.99
MAY070200 KING OF CARDS VOL 1 $9.99
JUN070229 LOONEY TUNES #153 $2.25
JUN070208 METAL MEN #1 ( OF 8 ) $2.99
JUN070243 MIDNIGHTER #10 $2.99
JUN070167 NIGHTWING #135 $2.99
MAY070205 OMUKAE DESU VOL 5 $9.99
JUN070159 OUTSIDERS FIVE OF A KIND WEEK 1 NIGHTWING BOOMERANG $2.99
JUN070276 SCALPED #8 (MR) $2.99
MAY070243 SCALPED VOL 1 INDIAN COUNTRY TP (MR) $9.99
JAN070404 STARDUST NOTECARD SET $17.99
JUN070153 SUPERGIRL #20 (AA) $2.99
JUN070253 SUPERNATURAL ORIGINS #4 $2.99
JUN070247 WELCOME TO TRANQUILITY #9 $2.99

IMAGE COMICS

JAN071927 ELEPHANTMEN VOL 1 WOUNDED ANIMALS HC $24.99
MAY071891 FIRST BORN SEJIC CVR B #1 (OF 3) $2.99
MAY071890 FIRST BORN SILVESTRI CVR A #1 (OF 3) $2.99
MAY071862 GODLAND CELESTIAL ED HC $34.99
MAY078270 GUTSVILLE (NEW PTG) #1 (OF 6) (MR) $2.99
MAY071881 SPAWN GODSLAYER #3 $2.99

MARVEL COMICS

JUN072145 DAREDEVIL BATTLIN JACK MURDOCK #3 (OF 4) $3.99
JUN072115 DARK TOWER GUNSLINGER BORN #7 (OF 7) $3.99
JUN072116 DARK TOWER GUNSLINGER BORN COIPEL VAR #7 (OF 7) $3.99
JUN072117 DARK TOWER GUNSLINGER BORN JAE LEE SKETCH VAR #7 (OF 7) $3.99
MAY072117 FANTASTIC FOUR #548 CWI $2.99
JUN072149 FANTASTIC FOUR AND POWER PACK #2 (OF 4) $2.99
JUN072153 IRREDEEMABLE ANT-MAN #11 $2.99
JUN072167 MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN #30 $2.99
MAY072091 MARVEL ILLUSTRATED LAST OF THE MOHICANS #3 (OF 6) $2.99
MAY072131 MARVEL SPOTLIGHT WORLD WAR HULK $2.99
MAY072142 MARVEL TAROT $3.99
JUN072169 MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE #2 $4.99
JUN072172 MS MARVEL #18 $2.99
MAY072145 NEW AVENGERS ILLUMINATI #4 (OF 5) $2.99
JUN072224 NEW AVENGERS VOL 5 CIVIL WAR TP $14.99
JUN072176 NEW WARRIORS #3 CWI $2.99
JUN072201 PUNISHER #50 (MR) $3.99
JUN072183 SHANNA SHE-DEVIL SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST #1 (OF 4) $2.99
APR072329 SHE-HULK 2 #20 $2.99
MAY072098 SPIDER-MAN FANTASTIC FOUR #4 (OF 4) $2.99
JUN072132 SPIDER-MAN RED SONJA #1 (OF 5) $2.99
JUN072186 THOR #2 $2.99
JUN072230 THUNDERBOLTS PRESENTS ZEMO BORN BETTER TP $10.99
JUN072221 ULTIMATE X-MEN ULTIMATE COLLECTION VOL 2 TP $24.99
JUN072188 UNCANNY X-MEN #489 $2.99
JUN072228 WISDOM RUDIMENTS OF WISDOM TP $21.99
JUN072156 WORLD WAR HULK #3 (OF 5) WWH $3.99
JUN072157 WORLD WAR HULK ROMITA JR VAR #3 (OF 5) $3.99
MAY072190 X-FACTOR VOL 2 LIFE AND DEATH MATTERS TP $14.99

WIZARD ENTERTAINMENT

JUN073148 BLACK PANTHER #25 ASPEN COMICS EXC TURNER CGC 9.8 CVR PI
MAY073094 CAPTAIN AMERICA #26 CGC 9.8 ED PI
JUN073156 CIVIL WAR #5 MCNIVEN CVR SGN CGC 9.8 PI
JUN073145 INQUEST GAMER WOW FIRE OF OUTLAND CVR #149 $1.99
MAY073091 TWISTED TOYFARE 10TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION TP $29.99
JUN073160 ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #100 BAGLEY SGN CGC 9.8 PI

OTHER PUBLISHERS

MAY073685 2000 AD #1545 $4.10
MAY073686 2000 AD #1546 $4.10
MAY073400 ABIGAIL & ROX IN THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT $3.99
MAY073361 AIR GEAR VOL 5 GN (MR) $10.95
MAY073362 ALIVE VOL 1 GN (MR) $10.95
JUN073321 ARCHITECT GN (MR) $9.95
MAY073816 ARKADIAN NO WITNESS ONE SHOT (MR) $2.99
MAY073216 ASPEN SPLASH 2007 SWIMSUIT SPECTACULAR $2.99
JUN073242 AWAKENING #1 (OF 10) (MR) $3.50
MAY073200 BETTY & VERONICA #229 $2.25
MAY073307 CARNAL COMICS 15TH ANN MULTIPACK (A) $9.95
MAY073308 CARNAL COMICS XXX HUMOR MULTIPACK (A) $9.95
FEB073509 CHAMPIONS #38 $2.99
JUN073854 CHARLEYS WAR VOL 2 AUG OCT 1916 HC (O/A) $19.95
JUN073855 CHARLEYS WAR VOL 3 OCT 1916 FEB 1917 HC (O/A) $19.95
APR073420 CHESTACLESE SKETCHBOOK VOL 1 $6.95
APR073616 CHUCKY PHOTO CVR B #3 (OF 5) (MR) $3.50
APR073615 CHUCKY RODRIGUEZ CVR A #3 (OF 5) (MR) $3.50
FEB073582 CLIVE BARKERS THIEF OF ALWAYS S&N HC $50.00
MAY073189 CLOCKWORK GIRL #0 $0.25
APR073858 DARK MISTS COLL ED TP (MR) $14.95
MAY073294 DELIVERY CUPID VOL 1 GN (A) $11.99
APR073942 DEVILS PANTIES COLL ED VOL 1 TP #1 $19.95
MAR073420 DF COUNTDOWN 51 $19.99
APR073676 DF WORLD WAR HULK X-MEN #1 CHRISTOS GAGE SGN $19.99
APR073677 DF X-MEN #200 CHRIS BACHALO SGN $39.99
MAR073680 FOR LIFE ONE SHOT $3.95
MAY073133 FOXWOOD FALCONS #1 (OF 3) $3.50
JUN073177 FULL METAL PANIC MANGA VOL 2 TP (O/A) (STAR20332) $9.99
APR073427 GARTH ENNIS CHRONICLES OF WORMWOOD #6 (OF 6) (MR) $3.99
APR073428 GARTH ENNIS CHRONICLES OF WORMWOOD WRAP CVR #6 (OF 6) (MR) $3.99
JUN073291 GEORGE A ROMERO NOTLD HUNGER (MR) $2.99
JUN073292 GEORGE A ROMERO NOTLD HUNGER GORE CVR (MR) $2.99
JUN073293 GEORGE A ROMERO NOTLD HUNGER PAINTED CVR (MR) $2.99
JUN073294 GEORGE A ROMERO NOTLD HUNGER ROTTING CVR (MR) $2.99
JUN073765 GLACIAL PERIOD GN (O/A) (MR) $14.95
JUN073730 GOODNIGHT IRENE GN (RES) (MR) $14.95
APR074096 GRIMM FAIRY TALES #16 (RES) (MR) $2.99
MAY073863 GRIMM FAIRY TALES RETURN TO WONDERLAND #2 (OF 7) (MR) $2.99
MAY073363 GUNDAM SEED DESTINY VOL 4 GN $10.95
MAY073364 GURU GURU PON CHAN VOL 9 GN (MR) $10.95
JUN073797 HARDY BOYS BOXED SET #1 (O/A) $29.95
MAY073817 HERC BROWN #0 $0.99
MAY073445 HEWOES #1 $2.99
APR073584 HIGHLANDER #9 $2.99
JUN073244 INANNAS TEARS #1 (OF 5) (MR) $3.95
JUN073322 INTERGALACTIC #2 $2.99
JUN073269 IRON & THE MAIDEN #1 $3.99
JUN073549 JOHNNY RYANS XXX SCUMBAG PARTY TP (MR) $18.95
MAY073203 JUGHEAD AND FRIENDS DIGEST #22 $2.49
JUN073365 KAMUI GN #8 $9.99
JUN073243 KILLING PICKMAN #1 (OF 6) (MR) $3.50
MAR074036 KISS COMIX #179 (A) $7.99
APR074401 KISS COMIX #180 (A) $7.99
MAY073365 KITCHEN PRINCESS VOL 3 GN $10.95
JUN073536 LADY AND THE VAMPIRE GN (NEW PRINTING) (O/A) (A) $10.95
MAY073505 LIVING WITH ZOMBIES VOL 1 TP (RES) (MR) $14.95
JUN073428 LOBSTER GIRL ONE SHOT (MR) $2.99
MAY073319 LUCKY LUKE BARBED WIRE ON THE PRAIRIE TP $9.99
APR073859 MIDNIGHT KISS COLL ED TP (MR) $16.95
JUN073625 MIKI FALLS VOL 2 SUMMER GN $7.99
FEB073364 MUSHISHI VOL 2 GN (MR) $12.95
JUN073444 MY FRIEND DAHMER #1 (O/A) (MR) $2.95
APR073867 NAKED ARTIST..AND OTHER COMIC BOOK LEGENDS GN (NOV068416) $11.95
JUN073795 NANCY DREW BOXED SET #1 (O/A) $29.95
APR073369 NINJA HIGH SCHOOL #151 $2.99
MAY073367 NODAME CANTABILE VOL 10 GN (MR) $10.95
APR073384 OKKO CYCLE OF WATER #4 (OF 4) (MR) $3.95
MAY073303 OZ WONDERLAND CHRONICLES JUSKO CVR A #2 (OF 4) $3.50
MAY073304 OZ WONDERLAND CHRONICLES VALLEJO CVR B #2 (OF 4) $3.50
MAY073204 PALS N GALS DOUBLE DIGEST #114 $3.69
MAY073369 PICHI PICHI PITCH VOL 6 GN $10.95
MAY073194 RED STAR SWORD OF LIES #2 (RES) $4.50
JUN073174 RIDE HOME GN $8.95
JUN073537 RIVIERA MOON GODDESS GN (O/A) (MR) (A) $10.95
MAY073657 ROADKILL ZOO #4 (OF 6) (MR) $2.50
MAY073545 SCARFACE SCARRED FOR LIFE TP $19.99
MAY073806 SNAKEWOMAN VOL 2 TALE OF THE SNAKE CHARMER #2 (MR) $2.99
MAY073206 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #178 $2.25
MAY073548 STAR TREK KLINGONS BLOOD WILL TELL #4 $3.99
JUN073313 STARGATE SG1 2007 SPECIAL TEALC CVR $5.99
APR073383 STARKWEATHER IMMORTAL #0 (OF 4) (MR) $4.95
APR073860 STARSHIP TROOPERS DEAD MANS HAND TP (RES) (MR) $14.95
APR073928 STRONTIUM DOG SEARCH DESTROY AGENCY FILES 02 GN $28.99
MAY073370 SUGAR SUGAR RUNE VOL 6 GN $10.95
JUN073540 SUPERNATURAL LAW WOLFF & BYRD THE MOVIE (RES) $3.50
MAR073949 TEACH ME XXX GN (A) $12.95
MAR073505 TRANSFORMERS BEST OF DON FIGUEROA HC $50.00
MAY073371 TSUBASA VOL 14 GN $10.95
MAY073466 UPTIGHT #2 (RES) $2.50
MAY073205 VERONICA #182 $2.25
JAN073662 WITCHGIRLS INC CVR A #5 (NOTE PRICE) $2.99
JAN073664 WITCHGIRLS INC PX CVR B #5 (NOTE PRICE) $2.99

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