New This Week: January 18, 2006

Based on the NCRL list for this week's comics shipping from Diamond, here are a few things to look for at the local comic shop tomorrow:


The Pick of the Week is Morrison & Quitely's All Star Superman #2, because the first issue was pretty darn cool, wasn't it? I think I've read it three times already--and considering all the unread comics vying for my attention, that's saying something. Everything you could ever want in a super-hero comic.


In other comics:

Abstract Studios have the latest issue of Strangers in Paradise (#79).

Antarctic Press have a new issue of Gold Digger (#71).

Avatar have the trade collection of Warren Ellis' Apparat--four good one-shots under a single cover.

Dark Horse have the eigth volume of Samurai Executioner.

DC have a big ol' Showcase Presents Green Arrow; the debut issue of Joe Kubert's Sgt. Rock: The Prophecy mini; and new issues of Action Comics (#835), Birds of Prey (#90), Ex Machina (#17), Hellblazer (#216), Infinite Crisis (#4), Legion of Super-Heroes (#13), The Losers (#31), Lucifer (#70), Manhunter (#18), Planetary (#24), Seven Soldiers: Mister Miracle (#3), and Testament (#2).

Fantagraphics have a new issue of The Comics Journal (#273).

IDW have the second new issue of Maze Agency.

Image have new issues of Noble Causes (#16) and The Walking Dead (#25).

Marvel have a trade collection of the Paul Smith-drawn X-Men: Kitty Pride--Shadow & Flame; the debut of X-Statix Presents: Dead Girl; and new issue of Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (#4) and Runaways (#12).



That does it for this week. I hope there's something here that you like!

YACB Bulletins

ITEM! Over at The Absorbascon, Scipio continues his fascination with the Detroit-era JLA in The Real World: Detroit.

ITEM! According to an analysis by John Jackson Miller, the Diamond-serviced direct market in 2005 saw a 7.3% overall sales increase compared to 2004; which, despite all the nay-saying about what's wrong with the industry, strikes me as a rather healthy increase. Most of that increase came from GN sales, although comic floppies also showed a slight growth. Of course, it remains to be seen if the current practices by Diamond and the big-time publishers can sustain this level, and what effect these practices will have on smaller publishers.

ITEM! The new PW Comics Week has an article about Fanfare/Ponent Mon's literary manga line: "Nouvelle Manga Comes to the U.S.". I read Jiro Taniguchi's Walking Man this weekend and thought it was fantastic--just the sort of thing I want to see more of in my manga.

ITEM! I finally got the new update to my parents' lighthouse site loaded: a trip to Bois Blanc Island and Straits of Mackinac that they took back in August.

Hal Jordan: Badass

Let's face it: considering that he wears on his finger the Most Powerful Weapon in the Universe, Hal Jordan is way too often depicted as an ineffectual boob, like when he gets knocked unconscious by sticks of wood.

But sometimes the editors remember that Hal is wielding that cool ring and depict him on covers as the badass he should most righteously be:



No blonde-haired Robert Redford wannabe in a rejected Robin costume is going to take Hal's job--even if he was there first!




Take that, you blonde goateed hippy! (Hal doesn't like guys with blonde hair...)




That's two--count 'em--two badass power rings!




Back to just one ring, but he's leading the charge with a bunch of badass orc-wannabe Anti-Green Lanterns!




Hal's too much of a badass to care what his woman wants!




Beware my Power, b*tch!




Hal's not taking any crap from a bunch of short blue guys!




That's right--a whole planetoid made of Kryptonite. Hal could kick Kal's ass anytime he wants just by thinking about it!




Hal's not going to take any smack from smack--and he's not going to let his friends forget it!




Hey kid--Hal used to fly those things when you were in diapers. Punk!




Still not taking any crap from the blue guys!




He's a frickin' Shogun Warrior!




Strong and silent--lets his blonde haired hippy friend do all the talking!


So there you go. Hal Jordan, being a badass. Although it seems that in so many of those he's being mind controlled...