It’s still Tuesday, right? Then welcome to a special late edition of “Can’t Wait for Wednesday,” brought to you by an unexpected Wordpress update!

So, what does this New Comics Day hold for you? How about the long-awaited Hellboy: The Companion which, with Hellboy, Vol. 8: Darkness Calls, hits at the right time to take advantage of any movie interest. Not to be outdone, Marvel continues its Incredible Hulk rollout with a John Byrne Visionaries and a hefty omnibus.

Also Dash Shaw’s much-anticipated Bottomless Belly Button debuts while Brian Azzarello and Marcelo Frusin’s Vertigo Western Loveless bows out.

To see what other titles Chris Mautner and I think are worth mentioning, just keep reading. As always, let us know your choices in the comments below.

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It’s a good week for vampires — or at least fans of vampire comics.

Two big vampire-themed releases come from First Second: the all-ages Little Vampire, by Joann Sfar, and the decidedly more mature Life Sucks, by Jessica Abel, Gabe Soria and Warren Pleece. But this week also sees the second collection of Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Season 8, the second volume of Blood +, the debut issues of Lost Boys: Reign of Frogs and BloodRayne: Tokyo Rogue, the penultimate issue of Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter: Guilty Pleasures, the eighth volume of Chibi Vampire … and probably a few other titles that I’ve missed.

But it’s not all vampires. Wednesday also marks the beginning of the much-anticipated “Batman R.I.P.” storyline, the conclusion of the second volume of Casanova, and the first release in Marvel’s partnership with French publisher Soleil.

To see what other titles Chris Mautner and I think are worth mentioning, just keep reading. As always, let us know your choices in the comments below.

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Television has its May Sweeps, and comic books has … well, whatever this is — a week when Marvel and DC pull out the stops with several new, and notable, releases.

DC’s Vertigo imprint slaps a new coat of paint on the House of Mystery, while the central “universe” kicks off a special issue and three miniseries that may or may not be tied into the big Final Crisis summer extravaganza.

Marvel, meanwhile, welcomes the much-touted return of Alex Ross with Avengers/Invaders, and hopes to take advantage of interest generated by the Iron Man movie with a new ongoing series by Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca, and a miniseries by film director Jon Favreau and Adi Granov. (The first issue of Fraction and Larroca’s Invincible Iron Man has six covers!) Plus, there’s the second issue of Secret Invasion.

Elsewhere, Dark Horse gives us another issue of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Paul Grist delivers another issue of the not-quite-monthly Jack Staff, and First Second releases two anticipated graphic novels, Kaput & Zosky and Three Shadows.

To see what other titles Chris Mautner and I think are worth mentioning, just keep reading. As always, let us know your choices in the comments below.

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Technical issues aside — curse you, Wordpress! — it looks to be a pretty good week.

DC Comics ramps up for this summer’s big Final Crisis with DC Universe: Zero while Marvel paves the way for Alex Ross’ Avengers/Invaders miniseries with a greatest hits-style compilation of the teams’ previous meetings (while bidding farewell to another super-team title, The Order).

Elsewhere, Vertical unleashes the first volume of Tezuka’s Dororo, Dark Horse rolls out new volumes of B.P.R.D. and the Buffy omnibuses, and IDW Publishing releases the fourth installment of Chester Gould’s Dick Tracy.

To see what other titles Chris Mautner and I think are worth mentioning, just keep reading. As always, let us know your choices in the comments below.

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I’m not going to lie: The shelves of your local comic shop won’t be bustling with exciting titles tomorrow. It’s kind of an off week.

DC’s Countdown to Final Crisis and Death of the New Gods wrap, freeing us up for the DC Universe: Zero one-shot and, what we’re all waiting for, Final Crisis. (Admit it, you thought Countdown would never end.)

And speaking of event comics, Mighty Avengers #12 and Ms. Marvel #26 feed the insatiable beast that is Secret Invasion.

Elsewhere, IDW Publishing brings out its third Terry and The Pirates collection, while Oni Press uncovers the second Queen & Country Definitive Edition.

To see what other titles Chris Mautner and I think are worth mentioning, just keep reading. As always, let us know your choices in the comments below.

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If I didn’t know any better, I’d say we’re fast approaching summer movie season. “Iron Man” appears in the title of no fewer than a half-dozen items this week, from the Invincible Iron Man Omnibus to the Iron Man: Legacy of Doom miniseries to Andy Mangel’s comprehensive guide to the Golden Avenger.

Dark Horse and Digital Manga Publishing ease into the pool with the first Hellboy Library Edition and the Speed Racer: Mach Go Go Go! box set, respectively.

Beyond that, this Wednesday is a little slow. So if your wallet’s still full you could always throw $80 at that signed limited-edition American Flagg! hardcover.

To see what other titles Chris Mautner and I think are worth mentioning, just keep reading. As always, let us know your choices in the comments below.

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Despite the just-launched Secret Invasion and the looming Final Crisis, all is relatively quiet this week on the superhero front.

Luckily, other publishers step in with a healthy selection from other genres. On the all-ages and YA adventure front, there’s Chickenhare, Vol. 2, and Aqua Leung, Vol. 1. Classic comic strips are well represented by Willie & Joe: The WWII Years and The Complete Peanuts, 1967-1968.

And Jughead, well, he tries out a “Dynamic New Look.”

To see what other titles Chris Mautner and I think are worth mentioning, just keep reading. As always, let us know your choices in the comments below.

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I initially considered writing a lengthy introduction presenting oh, I don’t know, Archie #583 as this week’s big release. But I hate April Fool’s Day, so let’s forget that lame idea and just get down to business.

As most every superhero-comic fan realizes, tomorrow sees the release of Secret Invasion #1, which kicks off Marvel’s much-publicized summer event. Many of you will run to your local comic store to discover who’s a Skrull and, more importantly, whether marvel b0y was yanking everybody’s chain. Get those score cards ready so you can compare his — or her – “spoilers” to those of the anonymous commenter. Who do you trust?

To see what other titles Chris Mautner and I think are worth mentioning, just keep reading. As always, let us know your choices in the comments below.

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March goes out with a bang as the last Wednesday of the month delivers a veritable treasure trove of quality releases.

Yes, I said “veritable treasure trove.”

New issues of Gilbert Hernandez’s Speak of the Devil, Jason Lutes’ Berlin and Kevin Huizenga’s Ganges all hit this week. Kid-friendly fare comes in the form of Flight Explorer, Power Pack: Day One, The Clouds Above and Wolverine: First Class. Geoff Johns retells the origin of Hal Jordan in the pages of Green Lantern. And David Hajdu revisits the anti-comics crusades of the 1950s in The Ten-Cent Scare.

To see what other titles Chris Mautner and I think are worth mentioning, just keep reading. As always, let us know your choices in the comments below.

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Two weeks ago, there was an avalanche of notable releases. Last week, there wasn’t much to talk about.

So, what’s this week like? Eh, somewhere in the middle.

DC marks the 20th anniversary of Batman: The Killing Joke with a recolored hardcover edition, and introduces a new kid-friendly — and toy-friendly — title, Super Friends. At Marvel, Garth Ennis and Howard Chaykin reintroduce a character from the late ’60s in War Is Hell, while The Order sees its penultimate issue.

Elsewhere, NBM Publishing releases the first volume of Dungeon Monstres, by Sfar, Trondheim, Mazan and Menu, and Andi Watson brings his Princess at Midnight to Image.

To see what other titles Chris Mautner and I think are worth mentioning, just keep reading. As always, let us know your choices in the comments below.

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After the onslaught of big releases last Wednesday — Dark Tower, Echo, The New Frontier, Honey and Clover – this week feels a little … light.

Our wallets could use a break, I guess.

But before you put your money away, note that tomorrow sees the long-awaited 19th issue of Palookaville, another collection of Adam Warren’s Empowered, the last issue (for now) of Atomic Robo, the debut of Joe Casey’s The Last Defenders, and the sure-to-be-essential-reading How to Make Webcomics.

To see what other titles Chris Mautner and I think are worth mentioning, just keep reading. As always, let us know your choices in the comments below.

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Ah, it’s nearly springtime, when a publisher’s thoughts turn to launching new series.

Marvel returns to Stephen King’s Dark Tower universe with The Long Road Home, takes another crack at a Cable ongoing, and hands Wolverine over to Brian K. Vaughan and Eduardo Risso for the three-issue Logan.

At DC, Darwyn Cooke, J. Bone and Dave Bullock revisit The New Frontier, David Lapham kicks off his new Vertigo monthly Young Liar, while Wildstorm dips its toe into the superhero pool again with The New Dynamix.

Elsewhere, the Action Philosophers team of Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey tackle the lives of legendary creators with Comic Book Comics, Terry Moore introduces Echo, Antony Johnston and Ben Templesmith visit Dead Space, Chica Umino’s Honey & Clover jumps from the pages of Shojo Beat, and The EC Archives: Weird Science gets a pricey leather-bound volume.

Plus, Mark Evanier’s Jack Kirby biography finally hits the shelves.

To see what other titles Chris Mautner and I think are worth mentioning, just keep reading. As always, let us know your choices in the comments below.

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It looks like a good week for No. 1 issues. Heck, maybe even a great week.

At Marvel’s Icon imprint, there’s the debut of Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.’s Kick-Ass, and the return of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’ Criminal (with a new volume and new numbering).

IDW Publishing generates a new Doctor Who series, starring the Tenth Doctor and Martha, while at Dynamite, Alex Ross and Jim Krueger follow up a 0 Issue with Project Superpowers #1.

And then there’s Jeff Smith, who debuts his much-anticipated RASL tomorrow.

See? It’s good to be No. 1.

To see what other titles Chris Mautner and I think are worth mentioning, just keep reading. As always, let us know your choices in the comments below.

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It’s difficult to single out this week’s “big” release. Is it the final issue of Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba’s frenetic initial Umbrella Academy miniseries? Or the debut of Sergio Aragones, Mark Evanier and Mike Ploog on The Spirit?

Maybe it’s the premiere of the Red Hulk in Hulk #2, or the delayed release of Runaways #29 (Joss Whedon’s penultimate issue). Then how about Tony Millionaire’s Maakies with the Wrinkled Knees, or The Sinestro Corps War hardcover?

U-decide!

To see what titles Chris Mautner and I think are worth mentioning, just keep reading. As always, let us know your choices in the comments below.

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It’s a week for big beginnings as Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch start their tenure on Fantastic Four, Jason Aaron and Roland Boschi kick off their run on Ghost Rider, Art Baltazar and Franco launch Tiny Titans, and Kean Soo brings the webcomic Jellaby to print.

But there’s also one notable ending, as Steven T. Seagle and Becky Cloonan’s Vertigo series American Virgin comes to a close.

To see what other titles Chris Mautner and I think are worth mentioning, just keep reading. As always, let us know your choices in the comments below.

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The first Wednesday in February feels a little light on the superhero front. We get another installment of the weekly Countdown to Final Crisis (now in the home stretch) and the almost-weekly Amazing Spider-Man, the return of Alan Davis’ ClanDestine, and the second issue of the enjoyable Teen Titans: Year One, but otherwise there’s not much of note happening on the capes-and-tights front.

That’s okay, though, there’s plenty going on elsewhere: Brian Selznick’s award-winning The Invention of Hugo Cabret finally arrives in the direct market, serious 30 Days of Night fans get a hardcover omnibus edition, SLG Publishing rolls out two new titles, The Boys starts a new storyline, and, in Ral Ω Grad, a teen boy fights monsters and squeezes boobies.

To see what other titles Chris Mautner and I think are worth mentioning, just keep reading. As always, let us know your choices in the comments below.

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There’s little denying the week’s big releases are Captain America #34, which sees the debut of the new Sentinel of Liberty, and Y: The Last Man #60, which marks the end of Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra’s critically acclaimed Vertigo series.

But tomorrow also brings the much-anticipated first volume of Kazu Kibuishi’s new graphic novel series, Amulet, collections of two dearly missed recent superhero comics, Manhunter and Young Avengers, the debut of Jamie Delano’s sci-fi series, and the first trade paperback of Matt Fraction and Gabriel Ba’s trippy Casanova.

To see what other titles Chris Mautner and I think are worth mentioning, just keep reading. As always, let us know your choices in the comments below.

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Maybe it’s the winter doldrums, but this feels like a so-so Wednesday for comics.

This week, Joss Whedon and John Cassaday sort of complete their popular run on Astonishing X-Men – they wrap things up next month with Giant-Size Astonishing X-Men #1 — while Mike Carey and Jock finish up their Vertigo miniseries Faker.

Also, Darwyn Cooke and Tim Sale finally complete their Superman Confidential arc, and two Image miniseries come to an end: After the Capes II and Frank Frazetta’s Death Dealer.

Tomorrow also sees new volumes of The Complete Terry & the Pirates, Gon and Madman, and the Left on Mission trade paperback.

To see what other titles Chris Mautner and I think are worth mentioning, just keep reading. As always, let us know your choices in the comments below.

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It’s a pretty good week for comics, with the penultimate issue of The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite at Dark Horse, the debut of ‘76 and Cemetery Blues at Image and New Exiles at Marvel, and the latest volume of Mome from Fantagraphics.

Let’s see, what else? The thrice-monthly schedule for The Amazing Spider-Man chugs on with the second installment of “Brand New Day.” Warren Ellis and Ben Templesmith finally return with another issue of Fell. Gemstone dusts off another edition of The E.C. Archives. And Viz Media debuts its VizBig imprint with a three-in-one volume of Rurouni Kenshin.

Not bad for a cold Wednesday in mid-January.

To see what other titles Chris Mautner and I think are worth mentioning, just keep reading. As always, let us know your choices in the comments below.

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