New Library Comics: Week of November 19, 2007

Here's a list of the comics we added to our library collection last week:


Cohen, Michael, 1950- Strange attractors / Bellingham, Wash. : RetroGrafix, 1993-1997. no. 8

Moore, Terry. Strangers in paradise / Houston, TX : Abstract Studio, c1994- nos. 5, 8

Oakley, Mark, 1970- Thieves & kings / Toronto : I Box Pub., 1994- nos. 1, 3, 4, 7, 9, 10

Smith, Jeff, 1960 Feb. 27- Bone / Worthington, Ohio : Cartoon Books, 1992 nos. 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 19

Smith, Jeff, 1960 Feb. 27- Bone holiday special / [Lombard, IL : Warrior Publications], c1993.

Smith, Jeff, 1960 Feb. 27- Bone sourcebook. / Anaheim, CA : Image Comics, 1995-


This listing is now available as an RSS Feed!

New This Week: November 21, 2007

While last week saw the release of some great OGNs, this week is the Week of the Floppy at your local comics store.


Topping the list is the first issue of Angel: After the Fall, the officially blessed Angel Season 6 comic. If this sees even half the sales of Dark Horse's Buffy continuation, it will probably be IDW's best-selling comic ever.

Pulling in at a close second is the latest issue of my favorite romantic comedy super-hero comic, Thom Zahler's Love & Capes (#6).

Matt Wagner returns to his most famous creation, Grendel, in the first issue of Grendel: Behold the Devil.

Also in new issues are the librarian sci-fi/fantasy/action/humor comic Rex Libris (#9); The first issue of the ongoing Hawaiian Dick; Groo: Hell on Earth (#2); Ex Machina #32; Castle Waiting II (#9); Gødland (#20); Captain America (#32); and Powers (#27).


So go grab yourself some comic books, and spend the four-day weekend reading your favorite stories!

YAFQ: Do You De-Bone Your Comics?

Last week when I ranted about Marvel's extra ad pages I mentioned without explaining a process that I call de-boning. So what exactly is de-boning?

You know how your magazines usually come with one or two (or more) cardstock inserts (usually subscription cards) that bridge the saddle? I find it very hard to read with that cardstock flopping up, so I tear them out.

I do the same thing to my comics, and not just the occasional cardstock insert. I take out those bound-in eight-page advertainment comic-like things too.

When DC adds extra ad pages, it's usually in the form of an extra four-page signature that's bound in; it quite often is of a slightly different paper quality, and you can tell by the fact that each of the four pages has an ad. I rip those out too. I can slim a DC comic down to its natural 32-page size.

One of the reason why I hate it when Marvel adds extra ad pages is that hey do it in such a way that you can't be-done the comic without tearing out story pages; a sheet will have three ad pages and one story page on it. Boo.

I know that some people would be shocked and horrified at this, as the comic is no longer near-mint or whatever. I decided that I don't really care; I buy comics for reading, not collecting, and it's easier to read without extra ads in the way.

So, after that long explanation, my Yet Another Friday Question to you is this:

Do you de-bone your comics?

Empty Graphic Novel Shelves

The comics & graphic novels shelves are empty, because Google has come to take them away for scanning. (They'll be back in a week or so.) Not sure how much useful they'll be having been scanned; they cannot be presented online because they're under copyright, and I imagine that the OCR for searching on the hand lettering in most comics will be hit-or-miss.







(For info on the Google Scanning and the Michigan Digitization Project, see http://www.lib.umich.edu/mdp/)

New This Week: November 14, 2007: Best Week Ever!

We have a new Best New Comics Week Ever!

I previously declared March 29, 2006 as the Best New Comics Week ever, but I think that this week supercedes it.

At the very top of the list is Zombies Calling, the debut graphic novel from Faith Erin Hicks. Back in May I declared my enthusiasm for this comic based on the preview pages I'd seen, and now it's finally here! You may think you're burned out on zombie comics, but ZC looks to be a fun take on an old trope.

Many have expressed great enthusiasm for Brian Lee O'Malley's Scott Pilgrim, so if you're one of those people I suspect you'll be awfully excited that the fourth volume, Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together, is out this week from Oni.

Oni also have the new Courtney Crumrin and the Fire Thief's Tale from Ted Naifeh. Naifeh's Courtney Crumrin is one of the best comics starring a kid ever, and can be enjoyed fully by readers of all stripes.

Also also from Oni is the eigth (and for the time being final) volume in Greg Rucka's Queen and Country series, Operation Red Panda.

Also hitting stores (at least in the U.S.) is The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Black Dossier, the long awaited OGN from Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neil. Despite all the drama involved in this comic's production, it's sure to be a good read.

Are you looking for a comic with plenty of smashing? The finale of World War Hulk (#5) finally arrives. And if you want your super-hero action a bit less angsty, Marvel obliges with the fourth Marvel Adventures The Avengers digest, collecting Jeff Parker's final issues.

You want even more great comics? There's a new issue of Morrison & Quitely's All Star Superman (#9), which is always worth the wait. Also from DC is a collection of Morrison's JLA: Ultramarines, as well as new collections of Ex Machina (vol. 6) and Jonah Hex: Origins; plus a Showcase Presents volume for Sgt. Rock!



There's plenty of other good stuff as well, including large batches of manga from TokyoPop and Viz. So rush out to your friendly local comic store and be prepared to part with some cash in exchange for some fine entertainment!

New Library Comics: Week of November 5, 2007

Here's a list of the comics we added to our library collection last week:


DeMatteis, J. M. Seekers into the mystery / New York : DC Comics, 1996-1997. nos. 3-5

Grist, Paul. Kane / England : Dancing Elephant Press, c1993- nos. 3-8

Pope, Paul. THB / Columbus, Ohio : Horse Press, c1994- nos. 1-5

Pulgarcito. Barcelona : Editorial Bruguera. nos. 154-155

Shrigley, David. Let's wrestle / San Francisco, CA : Chronicle Books, 2007.

The Starjongleur collection. Portland, Or. : Trylvertrell Press, 1986- nos. 1-2

TBO (Barcelona, Spain) TBO : almanaque humorístico. Barcelona : Ediciones TBO, nos. 1966, 1969, 1972, 1980


This listing is now available as an RSS Feed!

Veterans Day

Cover by Joe Kubert from Our Army at War #297.

(Veterans Day was technically yesterday, but we're honoring it on Monday, just like the post office and the banks.)