On the first issue front, Wildstorm kicks off a new Sherlock Holmes mini called Victorian Undead, while Marvel has an Inhumans mini tying into their Realm of Kings event. Red 5 has Drone (which I think came out last week, didn't it? At least at my local shop), BOOM! has a Farscape ongoing and a mini called Nola, and IDW has a tie-in for the upcoming Legion movie ... which isn't about Saturn Girl, but about angels. There's also a Dr. Horrible one-shot from Dark Horse, a new creative team on Thunderbolts and, I believe, the last of the List books from Marvel ... this one featuring Spider-Man. Oh, and country star Trace Adkins gets his own comic. Hey, if it worked for Tori Amos and Gerard Way, why not?

Looking at the stuff with a spine, Dark Horse brings Alien Legion back into print, DC's Battle for the Cowl and Marvel's Destroyer get collected, and AdHouse releases what's already being named one of the year's best books.

And there's much, much more ... click on the link below to see what Chris, Kevin and I have to say about this week's releases.

*****

The 'Nam

Chris Mautner's pick of the week: The 'Nam TPB Vol. 1

Well here's another potential "Collect This Now" column I can scratch off my "to do" list. Back in the 1980s, when Marvel was drunk with money, they took the chance of publishing this rather realistic and occasionally gritty comic about the Vietnam War. Written by Doug Murray with art by Michael Golden, this series managed to rather accurately portray the war from the foot soldier's point of view surprisingly well, especially since it avoided any explicit violence or language. Until Marvel ruined everything after about the 12th issue, that is. It looks like this trade collects the "magazine" edition, which were just black and white reprints of the original run. I'd prefer to see a "colorized" version that matches my original impressions of the book, but I suppose I'll have to just be happy this is coming out. (Marvel)

Kevin Melrose's pick of the week: Rip Kirby, Vol 1 hardcover

Rip Kirby

IDW Publishing expands its impressive comic-strip archive with this series devoted to Alex Raymond's famous investigator -- "the first modern detective" -- Remington "Rip" Kirby. Best known for creating Flash Gordon in 1934, Raymond followed the now-legendary space adventure with Jungle Jim (with Don Moore) and Secret Agent X-9 (with Dashiell Hammett). But in 1944, Raymond joined the Marines and served in the Pacific Ocean theater. When he returned two years later, he set to work not on his established strips but on the adventures of a bespectacled, pipe-smoking Marine turned private detective.

Raymond (with co-writer Ward Greene, the King Features editor who suggested the strip) broke with the hardboiled tradition, creating a cultured, sophisticated detective who would rather sip brandy than brandish a weapon. His sidekick wasn't the typical hired muscle, either; just the opposite, actually. And the string of female clients/love interests? Forget about them. Rip Kirby was a one-woman man; granted Honey Dorian was a fashion model. (So perhaps you can see why "the first modern detective" appears on the cover of the collection.) Raymond worked on the strip, which in 1949 received a Reuben Award from the National Cartoonists Society, until his death in a car accident in 1956.

This 320-page hardcover, which collects the strips from 1946 to 1948, includes an essay by cartoonist and cartooning scholar Brian Walker, and an introduction by Raymond biographer Tom Roberts. (IDW Publishing)

Driven by Lemons

JK Parkin's pick of the week: Driven By Lemons

Joshua Cotter's amazing Skyscrapers of the Midwest comic was collected by AdHouse last year and ended up on many "best of" lists for 2008. Although it was first self-published by Cotter a few year back, I didn't read it and fall in love with it until getting the hardcover last year.

And now AdHouse brings us Cotter's next work, Driven By Lemons, which is also popping up on "best of" lists for 2009. And according to our own Sean T. Collins, was the "book of the show" at SPX this year, while Chris called it "stunning" and "powerful stuff."

So what is it, exactly? Well, it's a replica of a sketchbook Joshua did of "recent multimedia explorations in intuitive narrative." I have no idea what that means, to be honest, but after reading the rave reviews and seeing the short preview on the AdHouse site, I'm really looking forward to learning. Hell, he had me at the Lefty Lemon reference in the preview. (AdHouse Books)

Alien Legion

Alien Legion Omnibus Volume 1

JK: Dark Horse brings the classic Epic series back into print. Absolutely loved this when it first came out, especially those first dozen or so issues. USA Today has preview pages. (Dark Horse)

MAD Magazine #502

JK: This is the annual "20 Dumbest People, Events and Things of the Year" issue; if you're curious to see who tops the list, Comics Alliance has the spoiler. (DC Comics)

Victorian Undead

Victorian Undead #1

JK: Ian Edgington and Davide Fabbri pit Sherlock Holmes against a zombie plague. Although I'm sure many will dismiss this as being a bit behind the zombie curve, I like to think they're getting a jump on the Sherlock Holmes hoopla the new film starring Robert Downey Jr. might usher in. (DC/Wildstorm)

Vigilante #12

Kevin: Bring out your dead! (DC Comics)

Black Knight

The Black Knight #1

Kevin: This collects the origin of Black Knight/Dane Whitman -- a character seen most prominently in the canceled Captain Britain and MI13 -- that previously had been serialized online at the Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited hub. (Marvel)

Kookaburra K #1

Kevin: Easily the title on this week's shipping list that's the most fun to say, this space opera by Crisse Hicks and Humberto Ramos is part of Marvel's deal with French publisher Soleil, which released the first volume ("Big Bang Baby") in 2006. (Marvel)

Powers Encyclopedia

Powers Encyclopedia, Vol. 1

Kevin: I drifted away from the Brian Michael Bendis/Michael Avon Oeming superhero-crime series quite some time ago, but I'm intrigued by what's being billed as "the definitive Powers handbook." Granted, I've always been a sucker for guides like Who's Who in the DC Universe and the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe. Still, this 64-page encyclopedia seems like a smart way to reintroduce lapsed readers to the Powers universe. (Marvel)

Thunderbolts #138

JK: Jeff Parker picks up where Andy Diggle left off, as he tells the story of Norman Osborn's team of 'bolts, as well as the originals, who are none too happy with the current team. (Marvel)

24 Omnibus, Vol. 1

Kevin: On the heels of its CSI Omnibus, IDW Publishing releases a hefty collection of its comics based on the mayhem-and-torture television drama 24. (IDW Publishing)

Jesus Hates Zombies featuring Lincoln Hates Werewolves

Jesus Hates Zombies featuring Lincoln Hates Werewolves

Chris: James Buchanan and Pontius Pilate, meanwhile, hate gimmicky comic book titles. But who cares what they think? (Alterna Comics)

Luke McBain #1

JK: I know what you're thinking ... it's another celebrity-inspired comic. On the plus side, however, it's written by David Tischman with art by Kody Chamberlain, so it could end up rising above its pedigree. (12 Gauge Comics)

Miss Don't Touch Me

Chris: Offered again for your reading pleasure, Hubert & Kerascoet's tale of sex and murder set in a high-class bordello with an S&M-inclined prude as the heroine who must solve her sister's slaying. I gotta review of the thing here. (NBM)

Oishinbo Vol 06 Joy Of Rice

Chris: I haven't been following this cooking manga series at all yet but I understand it's pretty good and I look forward to eventually checking it out. This latest volume collects assorted stories about that essential staple, rice. (VIZ)

Pluto Vol. 6

Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka, Vol. 6

Chris: The next volume of Naoki Urasawa's Astro Boy riff arrives. I think it's pretty close to nearing the end at this point, with one, maybe two, more volumes to go. I heavily expect this to be a front-runner in the "best manga of 09" contest. (VIZ)

RASL starter pack #1-5 with tattoos

Chris: Fallen behind on Jeff Smith's new noir/sci-fi series? Here's your chance to get caught up and get some (I'm assuming) washable tattoos to boot. Man, wouldn't it be great if a real tattoo was included with the comics? Like, there was a greasy biker guy waiting by the cash register to put a little Phone Bone on your shoulder? Well, I think it would be kind of cool anyway. (Cartoon Books)

The Talisman: The Road of Trials #1

The Talisman: The Road of Trials #1

Kevin: Del Rey adapts the bestselling 1984 fantasy-horror novel by Stephen King and Peter Straub. I've read just one King book (The Stand), and no Straub novels, so I don't know much about The Talisman, which I guess somehow ties into King's Dark Tower epic. Which I also haven't read, obviously. (Del Rey)

Tezuka's Black Jack TPB Vol 08

Chris: Oh what medical wonders will the mighty surgeon Black Jack perform this time? More great scenes of high melodrama, slapstick comedy and detailed shots of people's innards from the mighty Tezuka no doubt. (Vertical)

Treasury 20th Century Murder softcover Vol 02: Famous Players

Chris: Here's the paperback edition of Rick Geary's latest tale of murder most foul, this time taking place in the silent era of Hollywood. It's a pretty solid entry in the series, though, honestly, not quite as stellar as The Bloody Benders or the recent Lindbergh book. I interviewed Geary about the book and other stuff here. (NBM)

Wasteland, Vol. 5: Tales of the Uninvited

Kevin: Antony Johnston and Christopher Mitten's post-apocalyptic Western epic gets a fifth trade paperback. That's an impressive achievement, particularly considering that it's a monthly sci-fi series released by a smaller publisher. This collection features guest art by Carla Speed McNeil, chuck BB and Joe Infurnari. (Oni Press)

Take a look at Diamond's shipping list and let us know what you're getting this week.

Marvel alone has six new series kicking off this week: PunisherMAX, Dark X-Men, S.W.O.R.D., Strange, Sky Doll: Doll Factory and Realm of Kings: Imperial Guard. DC, meanwhile, launches a whole new world with the Batman/Doc Savage Special, catches folks up on the Authority's "lost year" with the Authority Lost Year Reader and brings the Modern Warfare video game franchise to comics. There's also Tracker from Top Cow, a new Casper series from Ardden Entertainment, Ghoul and a new Locke & Key series from IDW, a new WALL-E series from BOOM! (which is technically a "zero" issue) and Supergod from Avatar.

And if you're looking for something a bit longer and more self-contained, there's Beast from Image, an Absolute Justice collection from DC, the Luna Park OGN from Vertigo, the Steve Ditko Archives from Fantagraphics and many, many others ... it's a pretty big week at your local comic shop.

To see what Chris, Kevin and I have to say about this week's comics, keep reading ...

*****

Pim & Francie In Golden Days

Chris Mautner's pick of the week: Pim & Francie In Golden Days hardcover

Hopefully you've all been reading Sean's and my posts on Al Columbia, so I don't have to go into great detail as to who Columbia is or why I'm making this my pick of the week. Suffice it to say he's one of the most talented and sporadic people working in comics today, and has mined the horror vein to great effect. This isn't a collection of his work up till now, however, but more a collection of what "might have been" -- it's uncompleted stories and art featuring Columbia's two naif-child characters, forever hurtling into one dangerous situation after another but never reaching any conclusion. It's probably worth noting that a good deal of the pages are torn or pasted back together, the victims, no doubt, of Columbia's perfectionism. It's the sort of thing that will frustrate some, but it does offer an elliptical, sideways path into Columbia's world, which perhaps makes the journey all that more frightening. (Fantagraphics)

Luna Park

Kevin Melrose's pick of the week: Luna Park hardcover

I'm a little perplexed as to why Vertigo didn't package this graphic novel with its recently launched crime "sub-imprint." After all, it's a crime story, written by bestselling author Kevin Baker (Dreamland, Paradise Alley), illustrated by acclaimed artist Danijel Zezelj (Desolation Jones, Loveless) and colored by the masterful Dave Stewart. Luna Park would seem like an ideal shelf mate for Brian Azzarello and Victor Santos' Filthy Rich and Ian Rankin and Werther Dell'Edera's Dark Entries. But what do I know?

Well, I know that, like Baker's Dreamland, Luna Park is set in Coney Island, where a Russian soldier-turned-Brooklyn mob enforcer hatches a desperate plot with his prostitute/fortune teller girlfriend in hopes of escaping their miserable lives. Baker, who's celebrated for his well-researched historical fiction, brings that knack to Luna Park, which apparently moves from modern-day Brooklyn to late-'90s Russia to early-20th century New York. That, combined with the creative team, is more than enough to make Luna Park my pick of the week. (DC/Vertigo)

S.W.O.R.D.

JK Parkin's pick of the week: S.W.O.R.D. #1

The Marvel universe's Sentient World Observation and Response Department, a.k.a. S.W.O.R.D., gets its own title this week courtesy of writer Kieron Gillen and artist Steven Sanders. The book stars Agent Brand, the green-haired secret agent who debuted in Astonishing X-Men and was featured prominently in Secret Invasion, along with her boyfriend, The Beast, former pet sidekick Lockheed the dragon and longtime thorn-in-the-Avengers-side Henry Gyrich. Gillen says this book "exists absolutely at the boundary between Earth and Space," as the crew deals with extraterrestrials living on Earth and those who decide to visit.

The draw here for me isn't so much the characters -- although the tenuous relationship Gyrich and the Beast shared back in the day should offer some fun moments -- it's the creative team. Gillen has delighted with his take on Beta Ray Bill and of course with his creator-owned Phonogram, while Sanders drew the awesome Five Fists of Science written by Matt Fraction a few years back. This looks and sounds like fun.

Insomnia Cafe

Insomnia Cafe

JK: Air artist M. K. Perker makes his American feature-length writer-artist debut in this original graphic novel from Dark Horse, about a rare books auctioneer who discovers a library of unwritten volumes. (Dark Horse)

Authority The Lost Year Reader

JK: Once upon a time, Grant Morrison and Gene Ha were set to take the Authority into a bold, new direction ... but the comic fizzled out and didn't make it past issue #2. Now Wildstorm is reprinting those two issues for $3, just in time for Keith Giffen and a variety of artists to complete Morrison and Ha's story. (DC/Wildstorm)

Batman/Doc Savage Special

Batman/Doc Savage Special

JK: Doc Savage returns to comics in a one-shot that kicks off DC's pulp-influenced universe, which will be populated by unpowered folks like Savage, The Spirit, the Blackhawks, Rima the Jungle Girl, Batman and more. Here's a preview. (DC Comics)

Batman & Robin #6

JK: CBR ran a preview of this one yesterday, featuring the debut of a new villain called The Flamingo. He looks a lot scarier in the preview than he initially sounded. (DC Comics)

Superman: Red Son Deluxe Edition hardcover

Kevin: The well-regarded 2003 Elseworlds miniseries, by Mark Millar, Dave Johnson and Killian Plunkett, is at last collected in a hardcover format. (DC Comics)

Beast

Beast graphic novel

JK: Marian Churchland, who drew a recent arc of Richard Starkings' Elephantman comic and a Conan story for Dark Horse Presents, shows off both her writing and artistic chops with this original graphic novel about a sculptor working a project for a mysterious shadowy figure named Beast. I actually own a copy of this, having bought it from Churchland at APE, but a friend took it home with them shortly after that and I haven't gotten to read it yet. They speak highly of it, and I'm guessing they aren't giving it back easily. (Image)

Dark X-Men #1 (of 5)

JK: Spinning out of the Utopia event that saw Norman Osborn create his own version of the X-Men comes this miniseries by the Captain Britain and MI13 team of Paul Cornell and Leonard Kirk ... which is all I need to know. (Marvel)

Punisher MAX #1

PunisherMAX #1

Kevin: The mature-readers series relaunches, with a short title and a new creative team in the form of Jason Aaron (Scalped, Ghost Rider) and Steve Dillon (The Punisher, Preacher). The new monthly kicks off with a story -- "the biggest story in MAX history," we're told -- that introduces Wilson Fisk into the imprint's universe. (Marvel)

Strange #1 (of 4)

Kevin: Poor Stephen Strange. With rare exception -- the 2006-2007 miniseries The Oath, for example -- he's been woefully mistreated for several years now. If he wasn't being depicted as a convenient deus ex machina and explainer of convoluted plots, then he was shown as detached and uncaring (or worse, inept). As if all of that weren't bad enough, he surrendered the title, and responsibilities, of Sorcerer Supreme. That brings him, and us, to Strange, a four-issue miniseries by Mark Waid and Emma Rios.

Strange #1

No longer burdened by his weighty cosmic responsibilities, Strange, in Waid's words, has been on "a mystical walkabout," allowing time for reflection. Now he's back, with a stubborn young mentor in tow, even if he's no longer Sorcerer Supreme. With his powers, and access to tools of the trade, limited, a more "human" Strange will have to rely more on his wits and less on elaborate incantations (and grand pronouncements) to protect himself and his feisty sidekick. It may be a nice change for Doctor Strange, and his fans. Comic Book Resources has a preview. (Marvel)

Casper and the Spectrals #1

Kevin: I nearly wrote off this stab at updating Casper, Wendy and Hot Stuff -- "an all-new take on the world's most famous ghost and his two friends" -- but it's written by Todd Dezago of Tellos and Perhapanauts fame. And the interior art, by Pedro Delgado, is decent. I'm not big on the new designs for Wendy and Hot Stuff, though. You can see a preview here. (Ardden Entertainment)

Comic Book Comics #4

Chris: I've been enjoying Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey's ongoing history of the industry. This latest issue covers the turbulent 60s, with a focus on the Marvel era and the undergrounds. (Evil Twin Comics)

The EC Archives: Shock Suspenstories Volume 1 and 2

Chris:I can't imagine any EC fan desperate enough to fork over $300 for leather-bound editions of Shock SuspenStories, but I suppose such a person must exist. I would like to imagine that person writing a blank check to me on a frequent basis. (Gemstone Publishing)

Female Force: Stephenie Meyer

Female Force #9: Stephenie Meyer

Kevin: Bluewater Productions cashes in on the Twilight craze with a biography of the series' author. It's a comic that likely will only appeal to the die-hard fans, which should be more than enough to ensure brisk sales. (Bluewater Productions)

The Ghoul #1

Kevin: Steve Niles and Bernie Wrightson reteam for this story about a Los Angeles police detective who, while investigating an unusual Hollywood mystery, receive a monstrous hand from The Ghoul, an investigator of weird crimes. This issue also includes a prose story by Niles. Comic Book Resources has a preview. (IDW Publishing)

Hot Potatoe

Hot Potatoe hardcover

Chris:The ever-eccentric Marc Bell offers an attractively packaged collection of comics, art and other stuff made over the past ten years. Bell is easily one of the most idiosyncratic artists working in comics today and his style can take a bit of work to ease into (you have to have an appreciation for oddball whimsy for one thing) but it's an effort worth making. (Drawn and Quarterly)

Locke & Key: Crown of Shadows #1

Kevin: Bestselling author Joe Hill and artist Gabriel Rodriguez return for a third installment in their critically acclaimed horror series. You can see a preview here. (IDW Publishing)

Nylon Road: A Graphic Memoir of Coming of Age in Iran

Nylon Road: A Graphic Memoir of Coming of Age in Iran

Chris:I know nothing about this book -- it certainly wins the "out of left field" award for the week -- but the subject matter, plus the striking cover, certainly make me curious. I can't imagine it's as good as Persepolis -- indeed a bit of coattail riding may be involved -- but I'd certainly be willing to give it look-see. (St. Martin's Griffin)

Peanuts 60th Anniversary Book

Chris: Egad, has it been that many years already? In honor of the upcoming anniversary, here's a big, fat treasury of Peanuts comics from Andrews McMeel, complete with commentary by Schulz, memorabilia and more. Perfect for the Peanuts fan who doesn't want to buy the Complete series. You cheapskate you. (Andrews McMeel)

Selfish Mr. Mermaid Vol. 2

Chris: Those are the worst kinds of mermaids. (Yaoi)

Strange Suspense: The Steve Ditko Archives (Vol. 1)

Strange Suspense: The Steve Ditko Archives (Vol. 1)

Chris: Some of Steve Ditko's earliest, pre-code work, mostly done for Charlton is collected in this chunky volume, edited by Blake Bell, who wrote the Ditko biography/analysis Strange and Stranger. Gruesome stuff for the most part, but you can see the artist trying to forge his way through. Definitely a must for anyone who calls themselves a Ditko fan. (Fantagraphics)

Supergod #1 (of 5)

Kevin: Warren Ellis describes this miniseries as the third part of a thematic trilogy that began with Black Summer and No Hero. Supergod continues his examination of superheroes, this time from the perspective of a superhuman who's no longer ... human. With artist Garrie Gaston, Ellis envisions a super-powered arms race in which one of the weapons gets loose. Mad science, destruction, not-so-heroic superheroes -- it all sounds very Ellis. (Avatar Press)

WALL-E #0

WALL-E #0

JK: The little robot who could returns for more Earth-cleaning adventures set before the 2008 movie, written by J. Torres. He talks about the book here. (BOOM! Studios)

The Year of Loving Dangerously

Chris: Editorial cartoonist and gadfly Ted Rall talks about his early years of bitter struggle with Pablo Callejo providing the art. If you tend to like Rall's text pieces but can't stand his art, then this might fit your bill. If you can't stand Rall, regardless of prose or comics, then this isn't going to help matters any. (NBM)

To see everything on Diamond's weekly shipping list, click here, then let us know what you're getting tomorrow in the comments field below.

Rock stars, meanwhile, are kind of like super spies, only with guitars and groupies instead of guns and Bond girls. And this week sees several rockers releasing books, as Anthrax's Scott Ian tackles a new Lobo miniseries, Zak Sally of the band Low does Like a Dog and the second issue of Kill Audio by Claudio Sanchez of the band Coheed and Cambria hits shelves.

Several new series kick off this week; in addition to what I listed above, there's also a new Age of Reptiles series, a Great Ten miniseries, Charlie Huston's Deathlok, another Oz series from Marvel, Psylocke and Iceman minis, and the long-awaited Stumptown. And wrapping up this week are Marvel's Strange Tales anthology, Dark Horse's End League and Witchfinder, Tyrese Gibson's Mayhem, Iron Man Armor Wars and Boys Herogasm.

These only scratch the surface of what you'll find in stores this week. To see what Kevin, Chris and I are keeping an eye out for, read on ...

Stumptown #1

JK Parkin's pick of the week: Stumptown #1

Greg Rucka returns to the world of creator-owned comics this week with the release of Stumptown #1 by Oni Press. Joined by artist Matthew Southworth, Rucka introduces us to Dex, a private investigator with a gambling problem attempting to work off her extremely high debt to her friendly neighborhood casino.

I checked out a PDF of the first issue yesterday, and it's got everything you could ask for in a Rucka story -- a likable female protagonist, gritty realism and enough of a hook that simply makes you want more at the end of the issue. Check out a preview here. (Oni)

Cinderella: From Fabletown With Love #1

Kevin Melrose's pick of the week: Cinderella: From Fabletown With Love #1 (of 6)

Despite my repeated attempts, I've never been able to get into Fables, the quaint concept-turned Vertigo flagship-turned successful franchise (it's already spawned a pair of graphic novels, the spinoff Jack of Fables, a crossover, a prose novel and, possibly, a network-television drama). It's just never clicked with me, for some reason. However, I am fond of certain characters -- among them, Boy Blue, Goldilocks and Cinderella, the last of whom is the ideal candidate for the spotlight. In Bill Willingham's world of Fables, Cindy runs a shoe store while secretly operating as a spy for Fabletown's sheriff. She's a femme fatale, an envoy, an interrogator, a killer and, now, the star of her own miniseries, by Chris Roberson and artist Shawn McManus (with beautiful covers by Chrissie Zullo).

In the six-issue tale, Cinderella travels the globe, James Bond-style, to discover who's been smuggling magical artifacts out of the Homelands and into the mundane world. If that weren't enough, the mystery apparently has a connection to her long-lost Fairy Godmother. Plus, there's a subplot involving at attempt by Cinderella's assistant to take control her boutique. I'm intrigued enough to give the world of Fables another try. (DC Comics/Vertigo)

Like a Dog

Chris Mautner's pick of the week: Like a Dog hardcover

If you follow the indie music scene at all you might have heard of Zak Sally, as he spent a number of years playing bass for the band Low. He's also a cartoonist, and a thumpin' good one at that, as this collection of just about everything he's ever done short of his Ignatz series Sammy the Mouse proves. Sally's one of those artists who can convey a sense of dread or horror out of seeming thing air, and he's really been on the periphery for far too long now. Hopefully this book will thrust him into the limelight. (Fantagraphics)

Witchfinder: In the Service of Angels #5 (of 5)

Kevin: Mike Mignola and Ben Stenbeck wrap up the miniseries about an Victorian occult investigator, and strengthen its ties to the Hellboy Universe by having Sir Edward Grey meet up with a young Memnan Saa, later enemy of Lobster Johnson and the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense. (Dark Horse)

Usagi Yojimbo: Yokai

Usagi Yojimbo: Yokai hardcover

JK: Stan Sakai does a stand-alone, watercolored graphic novel featuring his signature rabbit ronin. Usagi is one of the most consistently entertaining comics out there, and I imagine this will be something special. (Dark Horse)

Lobo: Highway to Hell #1 (of 2)

JK: Scott Ian of the metal band Anthrax pits the Main Man against the forces of hell and the devil himself. Hence the title. Check out CBR's interview with Ian from earlier today for more info. (DC Comics)

Assault on New Olympus prologue

Assault on New Olympus prologue

JK: Marvel kicks off a mini-event of sorts that'll run for the next few months in the pages of Incredible Hercules. In it, the title character leads an all-star cast of allies against his step-mom, Hera. More details can be found here.(Marvel)

Black Widow: Deadly Origin #1 (of 4)

Kevin: I like the idea of Black Widow, the Cold War super-spy-turned-superhero, even if her portrayals more often than not fall well short of the concept. She's typically relegated to the role of femme fatale/love interest and guest star. But with this miniseries, and a second launching next month, Marvel aims to raise the character's profile -- and have a couple of new-reader friendly collections in bookstores -- in time for her big-screen debut in the Iron Man movie sequel (in which she'll be portrayed by Scarlett Johansson). Black Widow: Deadly Origin, by Paul Cornell and Tom Raney, looks to be pretty much what the title suggests: a flashback-dotted look at Natalia Romanova's life and loves as a present-day mission endangers old flames. In interviews, Cornell (Captain Britain and MI13) has called the miniseries a "high-powered techno-thriller," and referenced James Bond, so there's a good chance the Black Widow will get her due. (Marvel)

Criminal: The Deluxe Edition

Criminal Deluxe Edition

Chris: Perhaps you've heard about the highly acclaimed crime series Criminal and thought, "Hmmm. I like Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. And I tend to like crime stories. And that series has won a bunch of awards. I should probably check it out some day." Well, your some day is officially here. This spiffy $50 omnibus collects the first three story arcs of the series (Coward, Lawless and The Dead and the Dying) and also includes a number of extras like a never-before-printed, five-page "trailer" to announce the series online. This will make a very nice Christmas present for somebody. (Marvel/Icon)

Deathlok

Deathlok #1 (of 7)

JK: Crime novelist/Moon Knight writer reboots cult favorite Deathlok in a new Marvel Knights mini-series, with art by Lan Medina. (Marvel)

Immortal Weapons #4 (of 5)

Kevin: When I saw this title on the shipping list I thought, "Didn't that end a while back?" I guess the absence of an issue in October just made it seem that way. Anyway, here's another spotlight on one of the five Immortal Weapons -- this time it's Tiger's Beautiful Daughter -- introduced last year in The Immortal Iron Fist #13. The issue's by Duane Swierczynski and Khari Evans, the creative team for Iron Fist before that series was put on "hiatus" ... and replaced by this miniseries. Has there been an announcement yet about the return of the monthly title? (Marvel)

The Marvelous Land of Oz #1

The Marvelous Land of Oz #1 (of 8 )

Kevin: Eric Shanower and Skottie Young follow their well-received adaptation of The Wonderful World of Oz with this take on L. Frank Baum's sequel, which stars a boy named Tip (who's actually ... someone else) and Jack Pumpkinhead, features a few old friends, and introduces new enemies. (Marvel)

X-Men Origins: Iceman

Kevin: I haven't been following the X-titles for a while, so maybe I've missed out on the rise to prominence of Iceman and the demand for a retelling of his origin. I don't know, it just seems really random. On the plus side, this one-shot is by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Phil Noto, so odds are that it'll be pretty decent. (Marvel)

Strange Tales #3

Strange Tales #3 (of 3)

Chris: The last issue of Marvel's indie mash-up/humor series arrives. Twas fun while it lasted. (Marvel)

Best of Wizard of ID

Chris: Back in the latter half of the 20th century, when newspapers were still important means of conveying information about the outside world and not bloated dinosaurs, the Wizard of Id was actually seen as one of the fresher, hipper comic strips around. That seems an odd thing to say given the cliched, worn, fossilized thing it's become, but perhaps this new collection, from Titan Books, will bring about a re-appreciation of sorts. Or not. (Titan Books)

The Boys #36
Boys Vol. 1 hardcover: Name of the Game

Chris: If you've been wanting to check out Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson's superhero decadence comedy/satire/withering critique of the abuses of power but fell behind, Dynamite is offering a hardcover version of the first story arc (though it's not like that was difficult to find in stores). If you are all caught up, here's the latest issue as well, continuing the secret origin of "Mother's Milk," which will no doubt be sure to be emotionally devastating and disgusting all at once. (Dynamite)

Boys: Herogasm #6 (of 6)

JK: And if that's not enough Boys for you, the last issue of the spin-off "event" miniseries, Herogasm, also hits stores this week. I like the fact that they did this as a separate series versus a storyline in the regular Boys book, considering it's The Boys universe's twisted take on "event" comics and everyone knows big event comics demand spin-offs. Plus, it's been a really good story. (Dynamite)

BP Comics Revival Previews Exclusive 3-Pak #1

BP Comics Revival Previews Exclusive 3-Pak #1

Chris: I thought Buenaventura Press' plan -- to release three titles packaged together at a low price -- was a great way to try to combat Diamond's recent minimum order changes. And the comics themselves aren't too shabby either. $12 nets you the latest issue of Ted May's hilarious Injury, up and comer Lisa Hanawalt's newest comic, I Want You, and a new series from Eric Haven, The Aviatrix. It's really a great way to get work that might otherwise have a tough time getting in stores make it's way onto shelves. Here's hoping my LCS took a chance with this one. (Buenaventura Press)

Camilla d'Errico's Burn

Kevin: Camilla d'Errico's (Nightmares & Fairy Tales, Make 5 Wishes) first creator-owned series, originally published in 2008 by Arcana Comics, gets a collected edition courtesy of Simon & Schuster's YA imprint Simon Pulse. It's the story of a 13-year-old boy (Burn of the title) who lives in a world where humans and mecha co-exist -- at least until the machines declare war on their creators. When one mechanical monster, Shoftiel, rips through Burn's home, the two emerge from the rubble and carnage to find they've merged, becoming something that's neither completely human nor machine. (Simon Pulse)

James Bond Omnibus, Vol. 1

James Bond Omnibus, Vol. 1

Kevin: Before Ian Fleming's legendary spy made the leap from prose page to silver screen he appeared in a long-running newspaper strip that adapted the novels and short stories at the excrutiatingly slow pace of two to four panels a day. Action! Adventure! Cobwebs! They were beautifully illustrated, though, first by John McLusky and then by Yaroslav Horak. It's the first four years or so of the McLusky era, from 1958 to 1962, that are represented in this bumper volume, with adaptations of Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, Moonraker, Diamonds are Forever, From Russia With Love, Dr. No, Goldfinger, Risico, From a View to a Kill, For Your Eyes Only and Thunderball. (Titan Books)

SKRWL: Triptych Journal Collection

Chris: Show your love for all things James Jean-related with this handsome collection of mini-journals designed by the former Fables cover artist. (Chronicle Books)

Take a look at Diamond's complete list of comics arriving in shops this week, and let us know what you're getting in the comments below.

Also hitting stores this week are several first issues -- DC has a new World's Finest miniseries, Red Sonja gets promoted to Queen Sonja by Dynamite, Dark Horse gives us more Groo and Ares fights his way into his own mini. This week also sees some endings, several minis wrap up, including Last Days of Animal Man, Killapalooza, Marvel Divas and Ambush Bug.

To see what Chris, Kevin and I have to say about this week's releases, read on ...

*****

Red Snow

Chris Mautner's pick of the week: Red Snow HC

Attention Gekiga fans! Drawn and Quarterly knows how to slake your thirst for mature, literary manga with the release of this collection of short stories by Susumu Katsumata. Set in a pre-modern, rural Japan, the stories focus on the relationships between men and women, both young and old, in an agrarian culture where gender roles are strictly enforced. And if I've now made this book sound like a snoozefest, let me add that Katsumata is a natural-born cartoonist, with a charming round-headed style and never once comes off as didactic or forced, but instead is graceful and funny as well as touching. I'm not the only one who feels this way. This won the 2006 Japanese Cartoonists Association's Grand Prize Award. And they're no dummies. (Drawn and Quarterly)

Unknown Soldier 13

JK Parkin's pick of the week: Unknown Soldier #13

Joshua Dysart and Alberto Ponticelli's Unknown Soldier series has really been working for me. There's a danger in something that focuses on or is set against real life issues becoming the comic equivalent of those Very Special Episodes we used to get from Different Strokes or Family Ties. Y'know, the ones where Dudley gets touched by the guy from WKRP in Cincinnati or Alex P. Keaton becomes addicted to uppers, and nobody acts like they would in every other episode because it fit the message the suits wanted to send.

Luckily for us, Dysart is as invested in the characters as he is in the cause, which makes Unknown Soldier compelling reading that has thus far stayed out of that territory. With this issue, Ponticelli steps away for a couple of issues and Patrice Masioni Makamba, originally from the Congo, steps in for a two-parter. And yeah, this could be seen as the equivalent of stunt casting, but as we've seen, Masioni's got the goods. I'm looking forward to checking his art out on the full issue. (DC/Vertigo)

Pinocchio, Vampire Slayer

Kevin Melrose's pick of the week: Pinocchio, Vampire Slayer

As I mentioned in April when this SLG Publishing graphic novel was announced, there's something so perfect, yet so delightfully ridiculous, about the concept behind Pinocchio, Vampire Slayer. I mean, the title tells you all you need to know: The little wooden boy whose growing nose provides an ever-present stake and ... well, he kills the creatures of the night.

If you require a little more than the high-concept pitch, there's this: In the tale by Dustin Higgins and Van Jensen, Pinocchio witnesses the death of Geppetto at the hands of vampires, and swears revenge. He's a little liar on a mission to save humanity from the fanged menace!

Still need more? Then check out the previews at the publisher's website and at Comic Book Resources, and this interview with Jensen here at Robot 6.

Abe Sapien: The Haunted Boy

Abe Sapien: The Haunted Boy

Kevin: Part of Dark Horse's "One-Shot Wonders" initiative, this standalone story teams frequent collaborators Mike Mignola and John Arcudi with artist Patric Reynolds, who worked previously with Hellboy creator on a short for MySpace Dark Horse Presents. In his early days as an agent of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense, the amphibious Abe Sapien is sent to investigate the seemingly accidental death of a young boy and subsequent haunting. (Dark Horse)

Groo: Hogs of Horder #1

JK: Groo wanders back into comic shops this week with a brand-new miniseries about a force more destructive than Groo himself. If such a thing is possible. Check out a preview here. (Dark Horse)

Ambush Bug #7

Ambush Bug Year None #7 (of 6)

JK: Yes, you're reading that right ... after weeks? months? years? decades? centuries? (ok, enough!) of waiting, DC is finally wrapping up the Ambush Bug mini-series with a seventh issue, completely skipping over issue six. If you've ever read Ambush Bug, well, this probably isn't surprising. (DC Comics)

Detective Comics #858

Chris: I wasn't too crazy about that surprise twist ending in the last issue, but man, I'd pay $4 to see JH Williams draw a board of supervisors meeting, you know what I'm saying? (DC Comics)

The Sandman: The Dream Hunters hardcover

Kevin: This collects P. Craig Russell's four-issue adaptation of the award-winning 1999 novella by Neil Gaiman and Yoshitaka Amano. In the 144-page tale, a shape-shifting fox falls in love with a Buddhist monk -- she'd initially set out to drive him from his temple, but that's neither here nor there -- and discovers a plot against the holy man by a wealthy onmyoji and a group of demons. So she turns to Morpheus, appearing here as an enormous black fox, for help. (DC/Vertigo)

World's Finest #1

JK: This four-issue mini-series written by Sterling Gates sees the writer teaming up with different artists each issue to showcase team ups between various members of the Superman and Batman families. This issue features Red Robin and the Kryptonian Nightwing. (DC Comics)

Eternal Conflicts of the Cosmic Warrior one-shot

Eternal Conflicts of the Cosmic Warrior one-shot

JK: Paul Grist started this story on Facebook earlier this year; in fact, I think you can still check it out over there. It's also undergone a name change, from The Timeless Adventures of the Eternal Warrior to what you see above, no doubt to differentiate it from the old Valiant comic of the same name. (Image Comics)

Marvel Holiday Spectacular

Kevin: It's a $10 holiday crap shoot, I guess, as the publisher doesn't provide much information about the content or creative teams contained within this 104-page one-shot. (Marvel)

Spider-Man Newspaper Strips hardcover

Kevin: This oversized hardcover collects the first three years of The Amazing Spider-Man newspaper strip, by Stan Lee and John Romita Sr. Maybe that was back when it was good, or at least tolerable. (Marvel)

Spider-Man: The Short Halloween Premiere Hardcover

Spider-Man: The Short Halloween Premiere Hardcover

Kevin: Just in time for Halloween, Marvel rolls out a hardcover packaging that recent one-shot by Saturday Night Live cast members Bill Hader and Seth Meyers and artist Kevin Maguire with issues 4-6 of Amazing Spider-Man Family. (Marvel)

Wolverine: Old Man Logan hardcover

Kevin: Billed as "the most important Wolverine story of the 21st century," the eight-issue arc by Civil War collaborators Mark Millar and Steve McNiven lost much of its momentum due to publishing delays and a weird scheduling shuffle. So maybe a collection will make it easier to determine whether this near-future, Dark Knight Returns-inspired story is all that Marvel assures us it is. (Marvel)

X-Factor #50

X-Factor #50

Kevin: And so here we are, at the final issue of X-Factor ... under the current numbering system, in any case. After a one-month break, the series returns in November with Issue 200, a new artist (Bing Cansino) and a new direction. (Marvel)

X Necrosha

JK: Marvel kicks off a mini-event in some of their X-titles with this one-shot this week, as the old Hellfire Club member Selene starts bringing some familiar-looking X-characters back to life to cause havoc in upcoming issues of X-Force, New Mutants and X-Men Legacy. I'm mentioning it here for two reasons: one, because I really dig the Lost Boys movie poster homage ad that Marvel's been running in some of their comics, and two, to prove I can make it through this write-up without mentioning DC's big "let's bring everyone back to life as villains" crossover, Bla ...whoops, almost had me there. (Marvel)

Boys #1 Dynamite Edition

JK: As a way to hook new readers, Dynamite is releasing a $1 version of the first issue of Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson's The Boys -- a comic they didn't have the opportunity to publish the first time around, since the book started out at Wildstorm. If you've ever been curious about the book, here's a chance to check it out on the cheap. (Dynamite)

Bob Dylan Revisited Illustrated

Bob Dylan Revisited Illustrated

Chris: Here's an intriguing oddity. A bunch of Eurocomic artists translate the lyrics to some of Dylan's most classic songs to comics. Lorenzo Mattotti and Dave McKean are the only names that jump out at me, but perhaps you'll see one or two you recognize. Get it for the Dylan fan in your house. (W.W. Norton)

Che Graphic Biography

Chris: Having thoroughly covered 9/11 and its aftermath, Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon look at the live of revolutionary Che Guevera. (Hill & Wang)

Fat Freddy's Cat Omnibus

Fat Freddy's Cat Omnibus

Chris: I just finished reading this over the weekend. Like the title suggests, it's a thick-volumed collection of every strip Gilbert Shelton did featuring the striped orange tabby that lives in the Furry Freak Bros. apartment. Since a lot of these strips ran as one or half-page fillers, the quality varies, but it's an entertaining enough collection, especially if you like cats. I'll try to have a more thoughtful review up sometime soon. (Knockabout)

Map of my Heart

Chris: Zine comics king John Porcellino celebrates his 20th anniversary of making comics with this hefty volume of material taken from his King-Cat series. Porcellino's works are about as minimalist as they come, yet they're always imbued with deep emotion and intelligence. This would probably be as good a place as any for newcomers to discover his work. (Drawn and Quarterly)

Secret Science Alliance

Chris: Boy howdy, did I like this book a whole lot. It's about a trio of kid scientists and how they learn that the local grown-up scientist is attempting a robbery and try to foil his plot. Author Eleanor Davis fills the pages with detail and flowcharts and diagrams. It's honestly one of the most fun reads I've had this year and I quickly passed it onto my daughter who was captivated just as quickly. I hope it sells a million copies. (Bloomsbury USA)

Tribute: Michael Jackson King of Pop

Chris: I'm sure the fact that this is coming out the exact same day the big event Michael Jackson movie is being released is just mere coincidence and was not the result of crafty planning on anyone's part. I also believe in unicorns. (Bluewater)

Key Moments from the History of Comics

Key Moments from the History of Comics

Chris: This looks to be an amusing little chapbook from French cartoonist Francoise Ayroles, and published by The Beguiling (along with D&Q) of all things. It's basically a series of one-page gag panels featuring various famous cartoonists like Charles Schulz and Jack Kirby. You can get a sampling over at Chris Butcher's site. (Beguilling Books)

Check out Diamond's complete list of releases this week, then tell us what you plan to get in the comments below.

Other notable floppy releases include DC's Justice League #38, the first issue by James Robinson and Mark Bagley, and Oni's Resurrection #4, where a former president joins the cast. Hey, at least they didn't try to jump on the already overloaded Obama bandwagon. There's also a handful of second issues I'm personally looking forward to -- Beasts of Burden, Underground and Spider Woman.

And trade waiters have a lot to look forward to this week as well: Legion of Three Worlds, Garth Ennis's series of Battlefield miniseries, the Vertigo Uncle Sam series, Wolverine Noir and Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers get the hardcover treatment, while softcovers of recent issues of Jonah Hex, Superman, Thunderbolts, Echo and War Machine arrive. And comic strip fans can scratch their Family Circus itch with the first of IDW's mammoth collections of the series.

To see what Chris, Kevin and I have to say about this week's loot, read on.

What a Wonderful World Vol. 1

Chris Mautner's pick of the week: What a Wonderful World Vol. 1 & 2

Chris: I wasn't crazy about Asano Inio's Solanin, but it certainly showed enough life and skill to make me interested in this big two-volume collection of interconnected short stories. The scantillation crowd, especially Dirk Deppey, had real positive things to say about this series, which blends the everyday with the fantastic.

I suppose some of the faults that tripped up Solanin could show up here, but considering that was an early work, I'm willing to be persuaded that Wonderful World carries the game a couple of rungs up the ladder. (VIZ)

JK Parkin's pick of the week: Underground #2

Underground #2

JK: If you had told me I'd be recommending a book about park rangers trying to save a cave from corrupt businessmen in this week's Can't Wait for Wednesday, I probably would have said, "Hey, is Jeff Parker writing it? Because I'm all over that."

Parker and his artistic partner, Steve Lieber, really pulled me in with the first issue of their new creator-owned series from Image, where two park rangers try to protect a cave that the local town wants to turn into a tourist attraction. What I like about it is that it's not such a black and white issue; the town is really struggling, and they make a good case for how it could help the local economy. And what could have been a boring, after school special on Why Caves Are Important is actually a great comic filled with engaging characters, sexual tension and even an explosion or two. (Image Comics)

Noir, Vol. 1

Kevin Melrose's pick of the week: Noir, Vol. 1

Kevin: This anthology would be difficult to pass up even if I weren't a fan of the crime genre. I mean, look at the creative lineup: Brian Azzarello, Gabriel Ba, Eduardo Barreto, Ed Brubaker, Rick Geary, Paul Grist, David Lapham, Jeff Lemire, Fabio Moon, Dean Motter, Sean Phillips ...

Seriously. How can that not be my pick of the week? (Dark Horse)

Beasts of Burden #2

Kevin: Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson's ragtag pack of dogs (and a cat) -- the "spook squad" -- follow the trail of some missing pups and end up uncovering a bigger, and more horrific, mystery. I still haven't read the first issue, so don't tell me what happens! (Dark Horse)

Sugarshock One-Shot

JK: Dark Horse is releasing several stand-alone one-shots over the next few months as a way to introduce readers to their various properties, starting with last week's Star Wars: Invasion #0. Like that one, Sugarshock doesn't sound like it actually has a new story in it, though -- based on the solicitation, it sounds like it collects the material that was presented online on MySpace, along with 14 pages of sketches and other bonus material. But it's a good story that's worth checking out if you missed it the first time around. (Dark Horse)

DCU Halloween Special

Kevin: The 80-page themed issue features more than a dozen new stories by Billy Tucci, Rags Morales, Joe Prado and others. DC hasn't released many details, but the holiday specials are generally pretty decent. (DC Comics)

Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds

JK: I'm still not sure exactly what this had to do with Final Crisis, other than the fact that it came out around the same time, but this collects the Geoff Johns/George Perez miniseries that pits the Legion --actually, three different Legions -- against an army of super villains led by the evil Superboy from our dimension. I really dug it. (DC Comics)

Justice League #38

Justice League of America #38

JK: James Robinson and Mark Bagley come aboard as the book's new creative team, kicking off "a new era," according to the solicitation text. The new team isn't introduced until issue #41, though, so this is likely a "bridge the gap" issue between what came before and what Robinson and Bagley ultimately wnat to do with the book. In any event, the headline here is that the guy behind Starman and Cry for Justice is writing, and the guy who drew Ultimate Spider-Man and Trinity is on art. If I can just ignore certain elements of Cry for Justice, I'm optimistic about this. (DC Comics)

Showcase Presents: The House of Secrets, Vol. 2

Kevin: Nearly 500 pages of horror from the 1970s, featuring the talents of John Albano, Jim Aparo, Sergio Aragones, Michael Kaluta, Sheldon Mayer, Tom Palmer, George Tuska, Bernie Wrightson and others. (DC Comics)

Cowboy Ninja Viking #1

Cowboy Ninja Viking #1

Kevin: A.J. Lieberman (Batman: Gotham Knights) and Riley Rossmo (Proof) team up for this series about a "rogue psychotherapist/covert op/DJ" who uses patients with multiple personality disorder to create a counter-intelligence unit known as the Triplets. (Sure, why not.) Things go awry, of course, and the titular character is called in to rein in the other agents. You can check out a preview here. (Image Comics)

The Five Fists of Science (new printing)

Kevin: Before Matt Fraction made a name for himself with titles like Casanova, The Immortal Iron Fist and Invincible Iron Man, he created this steampunk adventure with Steven Sanders starring Nikola Tesla, Mark Twain and Bertha von Suttner. They battle the likes of Thomas Edison, J.P. Morgan and Andrew Carnegie. Yes, it's glorious. (Image Comics)

Dark Avengers #10

JK: Kicking off a new storyline that features "on an Avengers style mission, with all the twists and turns that entails." Plus, the Molecule Man. Cool. (Marvel)

The List: Hulk

Dark Reign The List: Hulk One-Shot

JK: So far I've been enjoying the various one-shots that Marvel has been putting out that have Norman Osborn trying to knock a few "to do" items off his wish list. It's helped that the creative teams have been strong. In this issue, Greg Pak and Ben Oliver pit Osborn and friends against Bruce Banner and his boy, Skaar. (Marvel)

Invincible Iron Man #19

JK: Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca wrap up their long-running and quite good "World's Most Wanted" story arc. (Marvel)

Marvel Masterworks: The Inhumans, Vol. 1 hardcover

Kevin: I like The Inhumans as much as the next guy -- okay, probably not -- but I have to wonder how much of a demand there is for a $55 collection like this. Sure, that money gets you classic tales by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Neal Adams, Roy Thomas, Gerry Conway, Gene Colan and others, but ... The Inhumans? Eh. (Marvel)

Comic Diorama

Comic Diorama One-Shot

Chris: From Top Shelf comes this collection of short, surreal stories by Grant Reynolds involving mermaids, alcoholics and the planet Pluto. There's a preview here. (Top Shelf)

Robotika: For a Frew Rubles More Double-Sized #3 & #4
Robotika, Vol. 1 hardcover with dust jacket

Kevin: Alex Sheikman's "steampunk sushi samurai Western" is one of those instances where I feel I missed the boat. That whole "steampunk sushi samurai Western" thing? I should've been all over that. But was I? Nope. Here's my chance to make up for that oversight with the collection of the original 2006 series and the latest double-sized issue of the current volume. (Archaia)

Angel vs. Frankenstein

Angel vs. Frankenstein

Chris: John Byrne offers a one-shot story about the TV vampire and his 18th-century battle against Frankenstein's Monster. IDW sent me a preview copy of this and, you know, I don't know a blessed thing about Angel. I've never watched the show, nor any episode of Buffy. And yet? I had absolutely no problem following this story. It wasn't necessarily my kettle of fish, but I certainly appreciated the clarity and grace of its storytelling. Considering the quality some of the comic book spin-offs that end up in my mailbox, I'm supremely grateful for those aspects alone. (IDW)

Diary Of A Wimpy Kid HC Vol. 04

Chris:While all the big boys at the comics table brag about how many hundreds or tens of thousands of copies their pamphlets sold this little sorta-comics/sorta-not kids book will rocket to the top of the best-seller charts and sell a couple of million copies before the year is even out. Just wanted to provide a little bit of perspective there. (Abrams)

Family Circus Library Vol. 1

Chris: These days the Family Circus is synonymous with all things safe and saccharine on the comics page, but surely back in the day it must have been worthy of praise, right? I dunno. We'll have to buy this $40 collection of the first two years of Bill Keane's strip to find out. (IDW)

Garth Ennis’ Battlefields Volume 1

Garth Ennis’ Battlefields Volume 1

JK: This collects all of the recent Garth Ennis Battlefields comics into one gigantic hardcover, including The Night Witches, Dear Billy and The Tankies. (Dynamite)

Resurrection #4

JK: This issue of Marc Guggenheim's post-alien invasion series adds a new and notable cast member -- former President Bill Clinton. According to the good folks at Oni, "This is not a publicity stunt, this is not a one-off, this is the 42nd President of the United State as a full time cast member." Check out a preview here. (Oni)

Talisman Road Of Trials #0

Talisman Road Of Trials #0

Chris: Peter Straub and Stephen King adapt their fantasy novel to comics. OK, not really. Actually it's Robin Furth, Tony Shasteen and Massimo Carnevale who provide this $1 preview of the upcoming series. A quick flip-through didn't do much for me, but if you're a fan of the book you'll probably want to check this out. (Del Ray)

The Book About Moomin, Mymble and Little My

Chris: This is an adorable picture book, the first in Drawn and Quarterly's Enfant line, featuring Tove Jansson's Moomin characters and using die-cuts to move the story along. It's not really a comic per se, but if you've been enjoying D & Q's collection of Moomin strips, or if you're looking for a nice picture book for your kids, then you really should pick this up tomorrow. (Drawn and Quarterly)

The Waiting Place

The Waiting Place

Kevin: The well-regarded 1997-2002 series that established Sean McKeever's credentials as a writer of teen drama gets an omnibus edition courtesy of IDW Publishing. The collected volumes feature art by Brendan Fraim, Brian Fraim, Mike Norton and David Yurkovich. (IDW Publishing)

Talking Lines hardcover

Chris: I really like the work of R.O. Blechman, as I've said before numerous times on this blog. So I'm very please to see Drawn and Quarterly make an effort to start reprinting his work. This is a rather nice collection of short stories Blechman has done for various publications, including Humbug, The Nation and the New York Times. Blechman's line is about as simple as it gets, and his stories trade heavily on satire and metaphor, but they're a delight to read nevertheless and I strongly recommend checking this out. (Drawn and Quarterly)

Dread & Superficiality

Dread & Superficiality: Woody Allen as Comic Strip hardcover

Chris: Between 1976 and 1984 a cartoonist by the name of Stuart Hample produced a daily newspaper strip about Woody Allen. Abrams collects the best of the run in this largish book. You can read my review of it here. (Abrams)

To see everything that's arriving in comic shops this week, check out the Diamond Comics website. And let us know what you're getting in our comments field.

This week Vertigo offers up a Halloween special featuring several of their character, including the first look you'll get at the Mike Allred-drawn I, Zombie series. They've also finally collecting the vampire mini Blood and Water. Image has The Perhapanauts Halloween Spooktacular and a one-shot featuring supernatural hero Hector Plasm. IDW has a new Clive Barker book, Seduth 3-D, as well as the collection of the "little grey men" series Groom Lake. And Marvel collects the Mephisto Vs. miniseries, which features the Avengers, X-Men, Fantastic Four and X-Factor going toe-to-toe with Marvel's version of the devil.

And there's a lot of non-horror stuff this week, too -- everything from the return of Magneto to the first issue of The Anchor to the American debut of Kodansha.

To see what Chris, Kevin and I are looking forward to conjuring up on Wednesday, read on ...

Blood & Water

Kevin Melrose's pick of the week: Blood & Water trade paperback

When it comes to Judd Winick comics, people fall primarily into one of two camps: Those who who love The Adventures of Barry Ween, Boy Genius and those who loathe his superhero output. I can't speak to the quality of either, really -- I haven't read Barry Ween, and I've only picked up a couple of his capes-and-tights titles -- but I thoroughly enjoyed this five-issue Vertigo miniseries.

Released in 2003, Blood & Water takes a somewhat-fresh approach to vampirism as a young man (Adam Heller) dying from Hepatitis A is granted immortality by his friends, one of whom later is fatally attacked by a mysterious assailant. Adam meets with other members of the vampire community, learns he's not exactly what he thought and -- well, that's where things get a little old hat. The strength of Blood & Water is in Winick's characterizations, the little tweaks of lore -- for example, vampires have to be cremated after death or else they return as emotionless zombies -- and Tomm Coker's art. (Vertigo)

Anchor #1

JK Parkin's pick of the week: Anchor #1

Phil Hester and Brian Churilla team up to tell the story of an immortal warrior monk who stands at the gates of Hell to protect the Earth from the onslaught of monsters and demons. After being duped into falling asleep for centuries, the Anchor wakes up to take on all the monsters that have slipped through while he was out.

I've been anticipating the story of "God's own leg breaker" since it was announced in San Diego. This should be a lot of fun. (BOOM! Studios)

Chris Mautner's pick of the week: The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga

The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga

One of my basic rules of thumb regarding Can't Wait for Wednesday is if it involves Tezuka, it's probably going to be my pick of the week. And here we have a generous coffee-table book all about the seminal manga-ka, written by Helen McCarthy, who's penned a number of books about anime and manga, most notably perhaps The Anime Encyclopedia. Abrams usually does a decent job with layout and design, so I'll be keeping those aspects in mind when I check this out at my local store. (Ilex)

The Absolute Death hardcover

Kevin: This $100 oversized slipcased edition collects stories starring the second most-popular -- okay, most popular -- character from Neil Gaiman's long-running Sandman series. The 360-page hardcover features the Death: The High Cost of Living and Death: The Time of Your Life miniseries, plus the Death Talks About Life AIDS pamphlet, numerous shorts, The Sandman #8 and #20 and more. There's also an introduction by Amanda Palmer. (Vertigo)

House of Mystery Halloween Annual

House of Mystery Halloween Annual #1

JK: Vertigo offers up an interesting mix of previews of several of its titles like Madame Xanadu, Hellblazer and the upcoming I, Zombie along with a new Merv Pumpkinhead tale and a framing sequence involving the characters from House of Mystery. It should be a good introduction for anyone not reading those titles who might be interested in checking them out. (Vertigo)

Secret Six #14

JK: I've mentioned before that this is my favorite monthly comic from DC proper. This issue wraps up the big "Depths" storyline featuring Wonder Woman and her Amazonian sisters. (DC Comics)

Godland #29

Godland #29

Chris: It's been awhile since we've seen an issue of this, hasn't it? Never mind, since the wacky space opera series will be coming to a close in a few issues, I'm willing to wait longer in order to savor the coming conclusion. (Image Comics)

Hector Plasm: Totentatz (one-shot)

Kevin: That's supposed to be Totentanz -- German for the Dance of Death -- despite what Diamond and Image may say. This is the latest story starring Benito Cereno and Nate Bellegarde's supernatural hero who protects the living from the dead. (Image Comics)

Perhapanauts: Halloween Spooktacular (one-shot)

Kevin: Todd Dezago and Craig Rousseau's quirky team of supernatural investigators return in three Halloween-themed stories. (Image Comics)

Deadpool #900

Deadpool #900

JK: The big anniversary issue! Kinda sorta. OK, not really. This one features a whole bunch of stories by folks like Rob Liefeld, Joe Kelly, Fred Van Lente, Kyle Baker, Jason Aaron and Duane Swierczynski, among others. It's over 100 pages for $5. I'm not even a huge Deadpool fan, and this sounds like crazy fun to me. (Marvel)

The Punisher: Frank Castle MAX #75

Kevin: The awkwardly titled series ends with this double-sized issue, making room for the relaunched Punisher MAX, by Jason Aaron and Steve Dillon. This swan song features stories by Charlie Huston and Ken Lashley, Peter Milligan and Tomm Coker, Gregg Hurwitz and Das Pastoras, and Thomas Piccirilli and Laurence Campbell. (Marvel)

Uncanny X-Men #516

Uncanny X-Men #516

JK: Spoiler's warning: Magneto is back.

ACT-I-VATE Primer

JK: The webcomics collective ACT-I-VATE moves from screen to print with a collection of all-new stories by the creators involved with the site. Check out a preview here. (IDW)

Akira, Vol. 1 (Kodansha Edition)
Ghost in the Shell, Vol. 1 (Kodansha Edition)

Kevin: Japan's largest publisher launches its U.S. division with two of the best-known titles from its substantial catalog. Akira is Katsuhiro Otomo's influential, and complicated, cyberpunk epic set in post-apocalyptic Neo-Tokyo and filled with action, violence and mammoth machinery. Ghost in the Shell, meanwhile, is Masamune Shirow's science fiction-thriller about the hunt for a cyber-criminal who takes control of people's minds. Both were previously licensed in North America by Dark Horse. (Kodansha)

A Very Ninja Christmas (Amelia Rules)

A Very Ninja Christmas (Amelia Rules)

Chris: I'm very curious as to what creator Jimmy Gownley's new deal with Simon and Schuster will do for his book sales. I have to imagine it can only be positive. Anyway, here's what I believe is the third volume of Amelia adventures in a new package. (Atheneum)

14 Years of Loyal Service in a Fabric-Covered Box: A Dilbert Book

Chris: Oh Catbert, you never fail to amuse. (Andrews McMeel Publishing)

How Obelix Fell Into the Magic Potion When He Was a Little Boy

Chris: It was the men on the grassy knoll. They pushed him in. (Orion)

The Fixer and Other Stories

The Fixer and Other Stories

Chris: A paperback collection of Joe Sacco's short stories involving the Bosnian War. Really excellent stuff. If you haven't picked this up yet, now's your chance. (Drawn and Quarterly)

Joe & Azat

Chris: Jesse Lonergan tells a fictional story of life in the Peace Corps. I had a friend who got fired from the Peace Corps once. My understanding is that's really tough to do. (ComicsLit)

Mome GN Vol. 16 Summer '09

Chris: I'm pretty sure this is the fall, not summer, edition of Mome, but never mind. Lots of good stuff here, including bits by new contributors Ted Stearn and Renee French. Also: Dash Shaw, Lilli Carre, Ben Jones and Frank Santoro, and Laura Park. (Fantagraphics)

Weird Fishes

Weird Fishes

JK: So this isn't actually on the Diamond list for this week, and I don't think it was on there last week, either. But I know it's out at least in my part of the country so I thought I'd mention it. This is a collection of the webcomic of the same name by Jamaica Dyer, which you can check out to see if it's something you're interested in. The art is gorgeous. (SLG Publishing)

You Are There

Chris: And here's the number two in the one-two Jacque Tardi punch that Fantagraphics is releasing this fall in the hopes of the author getting a wider notice in the U.S. It's a quite different book from the first release, West Coast Blues. It's more surreal and offbeat, with a goofy sense of humor. Still very French though. (Fantagraphics)

Head over to the Diamond site for a complete list of comics hitting shops this week.

It's another "big" comics week, and by that I mean we see a lot of big releases pretty much across the board. Image brings us the first issue of Haunt, the new series by Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley, Greg Capullo and some guy named Todd McFarlane who I think makes action figures or something. Oh, and he also created Spawn and Venom.

This week also sees a lot of other returns: Doug Moench and Kelley Jones return to Batman, Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips return to their Criminal series, Bloom County returns to print, the Star Comics characters return with the X-Babies, and last but certainly not least, Planetary finally returns to comic shops for its long-awaited final issue.

To see what Kevin, Chris and I have to say about this week's releases, read on ... and don't forget to tell us what you're getting in the comments field.

Bloom County: The Complete Library, Vol. 1 hardcover

Kevin Melrose's pick of the week: Bloom County: The Complete Library, Vol. 1 hardcover

As a kid I dutifully, and perhaps obsessively, clipped Bloom County from the local newspaper each morning before school, carefully placing each strip in a red photo album whose cover was decorated with a full-color Sunday installment (covered in Scotch tape, naturally, so as to protect it from tearing). I was an odd child, one for whom the collected editions would be a revelation still another two or three years away. Yes, I was a devoted fan of Berkeley Breathed's slice of eclectic Americana ... and Antarcticana, I suppose. Opus, Milo Bloom, Steve Dallas, Bill the Cat and the rest. Even when I didn't quite grasp some of the political or social commentary, I was totally enthralled with fictional Bloom County (to the point that I shamelessly ripped it off in a strip that I wrote and drew, quite poorly, for a couple of months). Ah, memories.

I suppose I, or the slightly less-obsessed fan, am the audience for whom IDW Publishing is releasing the hardcover Bloom County: The Complete Library. Considering that I have no idea where my red photo album is, and can locate just one of my collections (Toons For Our Times), I thank them. This first of five volumes collects every Bloom County from Dec. 8, 1980, to Sept. 26, 1982. (IDW)

Planetary #27

JK Parkin's pick of the week: Planetary #27

What a long, strange trip it's been. The eagerly and long-awaited finale to Warren Ellis and John Cassaday's trek through the secret history of the Wildstorm universe -- or, more accurately, the history of the superhero genre and maybe even stories in general -- finally hits stores this Wednesday. I'd say I was gonna miss it, but we've been missing it for a few years now ... so this is like finding that one last bottle of wine, or beer, or Dr Pepper made with pure sugar cane, in the back of the pantry when you thought they were all gone some time before.

In any event, this is one of those books I feel I can't not make my pick of the week. Ellis shares his thoughts on the end of the series here. (Wildstorm)

Chris Mautner's pick of the week: The Cartoon History of the Modern World, Part 2: From the Bastille to Baghdad

For nearly 20 years now, Larry Gonick has chronicled the entirety of human history, from the caveman days onward in his "cartoon guide" series of books. Now he finally completes his saga with this latest and final volume which runs the slave trade and imperialism to modern times, including the 9-11 attacks. In between we learn about colonialism, Napoleon, the westernization of Japan, the birth of the modern era and so much more. Gonick is a natural and lively storyteller. I hate to use the hackneyed phrase "makes history come alive," but in his case it's entirely true. His perspective and sense of humor are always worth investigating. (HarperCollins)

Grandville

Grandville

Chris: Hey, new Bryan Talbot comics! That's always good news. This one's a funny animal-styled spy/detective story, so I wouldn't go in expecting any of the high-level pontificating that graced his previous book, Alice in Sunderland. Still, this should be a lot of fun, and will almost certainly be beautiful to look at. (Dark Horse)

Batman and Robin #5

Chris: Man, Philip Tan didn't make any friends with that last issue, did he? Of course, he was following Frank Quitely, which is a bit of a hard act to follow. Let's hope he manages to create at least a little bit of goodwill with this latest issue. (DC Comics)

Batman Annual #27

JK: This kicks off a two-part story that ends in this year's Detective annual that sets the stage for the new Azrael series by Fabian Nicieza. (DC Comics)

Batman: The Unseen #1

Batman: The Unseen #1

Kevin: It's a dicey proposition for creators to return to a character or title to which they were once closely associated. There's always the risk that new work isn't as good as the old -- or isn't as good as we remember -- or that it feels incredibly dated, as if we've been hurled kicking and screaming back in time a decade or two. With this five-issue miniseries, DC Comics reunites Doug Moench and Kelley Jones, whose names are virtually synonymous with 1990s Batman, from the "vampire trilogy" of Elseworlds books to the monthly series. The Unseen finds Gotham City plagued by a series unexplained murders whose witnesses describe seeing a skinless "meat-man." I have no idea what that means -- I don't want to think too long about it -- but it sounds like prime Moench-Jones territory. Expect more weirdness along those lines, plus ever-growing Bat-ears and Bat-cape. (DC Comics)

Peter & Max: A Fables Novel

JK: Vertigo's first prose novel features a brand-new Fables story by Bill Wilingham with spot illustrations by Steve Leialoha. I thought this was an excellent outing for Willingham and the Fables characters into the world of prose, and I recommend it for anyone who is a fan of the comic or just likes new twists on old fairy tales.(Vertigo)

haunt #1

Haunt #1

JK: A challenge from Robert Kirkman to Todd McFarlane in, I believe, 2006 leads to new comic work by McFarlane ... he helped create the book and inks Ryan Ottley's pencils. I have to agree with Chad Nevett that this is one of those books where fans probably already know if they're going to get it or not based on the creators involved, reviewers and bloggers be damned! (Image)

I Sell the Dead (one-shot)

Kevin: I really want to see this movie -- I have an unhealthy fascination with 19th-century grave-robbing -- but I'm not big on comic-book adaptations. On the plus side, though, the art is by Brahm Revel of Guerillas fame.

King City #2

JK: The second issue of Image's reprinting of the popular and well done Tokyopop book created by Brandon Graham. Even though I already own the Tokyopop version, I'm buying these anyway just to see them in the bigger format. And yes, typically I'd feel stupid for buying something twice, but in this case, I feel no remorse at all. (Image)

Astonishing X-Men #31

Astonishing X-Men #31

Kevin: Artist Phil Jimenez joins writer Warren Ellis for this second arc, which kicks off with S.W.O.R.D. Director Abigail Brand hurtling toward Earth in a damaged spaceship -- and in desperate need of the X-Men. (Marvel)

Criminal Sinners #1

Chris: Having wrapped up Incognito, Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips return to their flagship title, and to one of their more endearing (and I use that term somewhat ironically) characters, Tracy Lawless. As happy as I was to see the two stretch themselves on Incog, I'm really, really happy to see this back on the rack again. (Marvel/Icon)

Doctor Voodoo: Avenger of the Supernatural #1

Doctor Voodoo: Avenger of the Supernatural #1

JK: If you told me 20 years ago that one day the hero formerly known as Brother Voodoo would star in his own comic, I would have said, "Oh, does that mean El Aguila and Captain Ultra will have their own series, too?" One can only hope both are in Marvel's unannounced plans. (Marvel)

Daredevil #501

Kevin: Andy Diggle and Roberto De La Torre kick off their run on the title. I typically enjoy Diggle's writing, so it'll be interesting to see where he takes Daredevil, post-Brubaker. (Marvel)

Spider-Man: 1602 #1

Spider-Man: 1602 #1

Kevin: As I've noted before, I gave up on Marvel 1602 about halfway through the 2003-2004 miniseries, and I didn't bother to pick up the sequels 1602: New World and Marvel 1602: Fantastick Four. That said, I'm looking forward to this miniseries which, as the title suggests, focuses on young Peter Parquagh, who's forced by the machinations of Norman Osbourne to return to Europe. I have a lot of faith in the writing of Jeff Parker, and I've been impressed by the art of Ramon Rosanas. So who knows? This may be the title that hooks me on the alternate-history concept and pushes me to buy the previous collections. (Marvel)

X-Babies #1

JK: Marvel's cuttest lil' mutie gang returns in a four-issue mini-series that finds them going head-to-head with characters from Marvel's Star line. No doubt we'll finally find out who would win, a miniature version of Wolverine or Top Dog. (Marvel)

The Boys #35

The Boys #35

Chris: The other pamphlet must-buy of the week for me. Having wrapped up the last storyline, we now delve into some of the characters' secret histories, starting with Mother's Milk. Judging by the cover, it's not too hard to figure out how he got that nickname. (Dynamite)

A Distant Neighborhood Vol. 1
Summit of Gods Vol. 1

Chris: It's Jiro Taniguchi week, apparently, as Fanfare/Ponent Mon drops two books by the prolific manga-ka. Neighborhood is the story of a middle class guy who gets to live his childhood all over again. Think "18 again," but more wistful and contemplative. Summit, meanwhile, is another mountain climbing book, in this spirit of Ice Wanderer and The Quest for the Missing Girl. This one's about Everest though.

Don't let my drab description of these titles keep you away from them though. Taniguchi's a fantastic draftsman, and his art is always worth a flip-through, if not an actual purchase. (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)

EC Archives Frontline Combat Vol. 1

EC Archives Frontline Combat Vol. 1

Chris: I had thought that economic troubles had forced Gemstone to stop putting these pricy EC collections out. I'm glad to see they're still keeping on, even though it may be a while before I'll be able to set aside $50 this book. (Gemstone)

Masterpiece Comics

Chris: R. Sikoryak mashes up classic comics with classic prose and makes you wonder why, for instance, Charles Schulz never thought of adapting Kalfka in his lifetime. It's a really fun collection, one I heartily recommend, and was one of the more popular books at SPX this year. (Drawn and Quarterly)

30 Days of Night Collectors Set

30 Days of Night Collectors Set

Kevin: It's called a "Collectors Set," but I imagine most devotees of the vampire-world that Niles and Templesmith built already have copies of the first three volumes in the series: 30 Days of Night, Dark Days and Return to Barrow. Still, the slipcase looks nice. (IDW)

The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks

Kevin: This graphic novel by bestselling author Max Brooks (The Zombie Survival Guide, World War Z) and artist Ibraim Roberson apparently chronicles major zombie attacks throughout history, detailing how previous eras have grappled with, and survived, encounters with the walking dead. You can see a preview here. (Random House)

Check out the full list of this week's releases at the Diamond site.

This week brings Robert Crumb's illustrated Book of Genesis, the third Hellboy Library Edition, a deluxe edition of the first two Fables storylines, Absolute Promethea, an Ultimatum premiere hardcover, a hardcover Avengers Invaders collection and the annual Best American Comics collection, among others. On the softer side, there's the first High Moon collection, a new printing of Superman/Batman: Public Enemies to tie into the DVD that came out today and a reprinting of Howard Chaykin's Power & Glory mini-series, among many others.

That's not to say that regular ol' comics are being left out in the cooler autumn weather ... both Dark Reign and Blackest Night are well represented in this week's releases, and we've got new Astro City, a giant issue of Justice League, an anniversary issue of Teen Titans, a new Bomb Queen mini, Die Hard, Spider-Clones and the big wrap-up of Andy Diggle's Thunderbolts run.

To see what Kevin, Chris and I are looking forward to buying tomorrow, read on ... and don't forget to let us know what's on your buy list this week in the comments section.

*****

High Moon, Vol. 1

Kevin Melrose's pick of the week: High Moon, Vol. 1

I'd name this collection my pick of the week even if the writer weren't guest-blogging with us this week. I swear. I've been a fan of the David Gallaher-Steve Ellis webcomic since it debuted in the Zuda Comics competition two years ago. And while I've already followed the series online for three "seasons," I can't wait to get my hands on the print edition.

High Moon is a suspenseful, well-paced and beautifully illustrated supernatural western filled with werewolves, secret hoodoo, a little Jewish folklore, blood feuds, hybrid monsters and steampunk, and marked by unexpected turns. (Switch protagonists? Sure, why not!) This 192-page softcover will get new readers up to date in time for the fourth season to debut in a few days. (Zuda)

Thunderbolts #136

JK Parkin's pick of the week: Thunderbolts #136

Honestly I wasn't real excited about Andy Diggle's Thunderbolts line-up when it debuted -- Paladin? Ghost? Headsman? -- but not only has this line-up grown on me, but the big reveal with the Black Widow really shook things up, and the reappearance of the old Thunderbolts has been a great bonus.

This issue marks Diggle's last issue on the title, and no doubt it will be a doozy. And there's even more good news on the horizon, as Jeff Parker takes over as a regular writer in a few months. (Marvel)

Book of Genesis Illustrated

Chris Mautner's pick of the week: Book of Genesis Illustrated by Robert Crumb

Here's the one you've all been waiting for, folks. The King of Cartoons hisself, Robert Crumb, adapts the first book of the Bible in all its violent, sexy glory. Dunno if it will be the book of the year, but there's little doubt the folks will be discussing it heatedly in the months to come. I'm certainly looking forward to cracking it open at some point.

Anyone want to take any bets on whether it generates controversy outside the comics community? Will the evangelists get up in arms over it? Put your money down now. (W.W. Norton & Co.)

Hellboy Library Edition, Vol. 3: Conqueror Worm and Strange Places hardcover

Kevin: If I were a wealthy man, I'd give away all of my Hellboy trade paperbacks and replace them with this series of Library Edition oversized hardcovers. This volume collects the 2001 miniseries Conqueror Worm -- the first appearance of Lobster Johnson -- 2002's The Third Wish and 2005's The Island, plus more than 30 pages of sketchbook material. (Dark Horse)

Hellboy: The Ice Wolves

Hellboy: The Ice Wolves

Kevin: This isn't a comic but a novel by Mark Chadbourn (The Age of Misrule) that finds Hellboy in a race to stop a wave of worldwide lupine savagery. (Dark Horse)

Astro City: Astra Special #1

JK: Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson move out of the Dark Age and return to the present, as the Furst family's little baby girl graduates high school. They grow up so fast, don't they? And have I mentioned how happy I am that Astro City's returning to a regular schedule? Oh yeah, I have. (Wildstorm)

Batman: The Black Glove trade paperback

Kevin: Sometimes I pull the hardcover off the shelf just to gaze at the J.H. Williams pages. Not so much the other ones, though. (DC Comics)

Fables Deluxe Edition Hardcover, Vol. 1

Fables Deluxe Edition Hardcover, Vol. 1

Kevin: This strikes me as a pretty smart approach -- one that I hope Vertigo will continue with some of its other titles. This 264-page hardcover collects the issues 1-10 of the popular series, encompassing the the "Legends in Exile" and "Animal Farm" storylines. This seems like a perfect fit for libraries. (Vertigo)

Icon A Hero's Welcome trade paperback

JK: DC Comics brings the first eight issues of Milestone's flagship title back into print. If you've never been exposed to the Milestone line and want to see what it's all about, there's probably no better place to start than here. (DC Comics)

Trick 'r Treat trade paperback

Kevin: This is an adaptation of some horror movie, I guess? I don't know anything about that -- I haven't even seen any TV commercials -- but I do like the work of some of the creators involved in this trade paperback: writer Marc Andreyko, and artists Grant Bond, Christopher Gugliotti, Mike Huddleston and Fiona Staples. (Wildstorm)

The Sky Pirates of Neo Terra #1 (of 5)

The Sky Pirates of Neo Terra #1 (of 5)

Kevin: There's art by Camilla D'Errico (Burn, Nightmares and Fairy Tales) and a character named Billy Boom Boom. What more do you need to know? Oh, all right, it's based on a video game and involves the aforementioned young glide-wing pilot's attempts to stop the menacing Pirate King. You can see a preview here. (Image)

New Mutants #5

JK: Fresh from his universe-saving appearance in Annihilation: Conquest, Warlock returns to Earth and the New Mutants. (Marvel)

Runaways 3 #14

Kevin: And so another volume of Runaways comes to a close until someone can figure out what to do with the property. (Marvel)

Aya: The Secrets Come Out

Chris: Oh, but I love the Aya series, a delightfully comic, slice-of-life soap opera set in the Ivory Coast during the 1970s. It's got real heart and wit courtesy of writer Marguerite Abouet, plus a lovely, fluid art style by Clement Oubrerie. I've been anxiously awaiting the latest volume to find out how the various trysts and revelations resolve themselves. It's really an uplifting, fun comic that I heartily recommend to any and all comic fans looking for something genuinely sweet, but not syrupy. (Drawn and Quarterly)

Ball Peen Hammer

Ball Peen Hammer

Chris: George O'Connor works off of a play by Adam Rapp set in a post-apocalyptic, plague filled world where a hermit survives by joining a cult that engages in human sacrifice. Heavy on the dialogue and character interaction, this one is. Tucker Stone liked it quite a lot. (First Second)

The Best American Comics 2009

Chris: Charles Burns is the guest editor for this latest look at some very good comics that actually came out in 2008. Michael Kupperman handles the cover chores. Chris Ware, Kaz, Dan Clowes and Gary Panter are among the folks featured inside. Lots more information can be found here. (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

Die Hard: Year One incentive cover

Die Hard Year One #1

JK: BOOM!'s license deal with Fox brings a look at John McClane's early years, written by the legendary Howard Chaykin. (BOOM!)

Glamourpuss #9

Chris: Glamourpuss' boyfriend shows up in this latest issue, which should make for interesting reading. This might actually have more fashion parody stuff than treatise on soap opera comic strips of the 1950s. I'm not sure that's a good thing. (Aardvark-Vanaheim)

Mickey Mouse & Friends #296

Kevin: The long-running series makes its BOOM! Kids debut with a tale of a magic featuring Mickey, Donald and Goofy against Peg Leg Pete. (BOOM!)

Prison Pit Book 01

Prison Pit Book 01

Chris: Man, if that Crumb book weren't coming out this would easily be my main pick for the week. Johnny Ryan does straight on fantasy/action, with no tongue in cheek, but without forsaking a single ounce of blood or guts. In fact, this may be even more gory and gruesome than his humor stuff. Understandably, a number of folks would prefer to avoid such material, but those with strong stomachs will thrill to Ryan's grotesque and truly imaginative fight fest. (Fantagraphics)

Refresh Refresh GN

Chris: A group of teen-age boys whose dads have gone off to fight in the Iraq War vent their frustration on each other and their small hometown in this graphic novel from Danica Novgorodoff. (First Second)

Spicy But Sweet GN

Chris: Hey look, someone made a comic about me! (Aurora Publishing)

Trotsky: A Graphic Biography

Trotsky: A Graphic Biography

Chris: Rick Geary tells the life story of the co-founder of the U.S.S.R. in this brief but fascination biocomic, courtesy of Hill and Wang. Look for an interview with Geary to show up here on Robot 6 in the next few weeks, or whenever my life stops being insane. Whichever comes first. (Hill and Wang)

The full list of this week's releases can be found here.

And it also looks like a good week in terms of quality as well. Several new series launch this week, not the least of which is Geoff Johns and Gary Frank's Superman: Secret Origin, which redefines DC's franchise player. Marvel's long-delayed Spider Woman series launches as well, the "no iTunes required" version, while Jeff Parker and Steve Lieber's Underground #1 hits shops as well. DC continues their relaunch of the Archie Heroes titles with The Web #1, while BOOM! rolls out another Muppets mini-series, Muppets Peter Pan.

But as new series begin, others come to an end; Madman Atomic Comics wraps up its run, Mark Millar and Steve McNiven wrap up their "Old Man Logan" story with a giant sized special, and the last Wednesday Comics hits shops. Hopefully that means we'll have news about a collection soon.

To see what Chris, Kevin and I are looking forward to this week, just click below ...

Dungeon

Chris Mautner's pick of the week: Dungeon The Early Years Vol. 2

I'm always very wary of the fantasy genre, be it prose or comics, since it tends to devolve into a lot of dull exposition that no one except the author and his truly devout fans care about. Not so with Joann Sfar and Lewis Trondheim's excellent Dungeon series though. What started as a witty parody of classic fantasy tropes has become a richly embroidered story that hasn't managed to lose an ounce of its humor and strong characterizations yet. This new book goes back in time to follow the adventures of the Dungeon's founder and owner, when he was a starry-eyed lad. Art is by Christophe Blain which means it's going to look fabulous as well. (NBM)

Treehouse of Horror #15

JK's pick of the week: Bart Simpson's Treehouse of Horrors #15

I had a tough time choosing my pick of the week this time around, as there were at least three other books that were contenders. But it was hard to come up with a reason not to make this my pick of the week.

Edited by Kramers Ergot's Sammy Harkham, this features Halloween-themed Simpsons comics by Jeffrey Brown, Kevin Huizenga, Matthew Thurber, Jordan Crane, C.F., Will Sweeney, Tim Hensley, John Kerschbaum, Ted May, Ben Jones, Jon Vermilyea and Harkham himself. And like all good Treehouse of Horrors stories, they'll feature odes to and inspiration from horror classics, such as Lovecraft, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, C.H.U.D. and even Bad Ronald. I can't wait. (Bongo)

Salt Water Taffy

Kevin Melrose's pick of the week: Salt Water Taffy, Vol. 3: The Truth About Dr. True

In this third volume of Matthew Loux's all-ages adventure series, brothers Jack and Benny end up releasing the ghost of Union Army medic and elixir salesman Dr. Gershom True, who decides to haunt Chowder Bay because of the town's admiration for Civil War hero Captain Hollister. If the promise of ghosts and a kid-friendly yarn aren't enough to sell you on this book, check out Tim O'Shea and Shaun Manning's interviews with Loux, and read the 25-page preview at Comic Book Resources. (Oni Press)

The Umbrella Academy, Vol. 2: Dallas (deluxe limited-edition hardcover)

Kevin: Priced at $80, this collection of the second Umbrella Academy probably will only appeal to the most devoted fans of pop star-turned-comics writer Gerard Way. I love the work of artist Gabriel Ba, and I enjoyed Dallas -- it's far less manic than the first miniseries -- but I'm not sure I could convince myself to shell out that kind of cash for the oversized hardcover, even with the expanded sketchbook. I think I'll wait until the trade paperback comes out next month. (Dark Horse)

Batman: A Death in the Family

DC Comics Classics Library: Batman -- A Death in the Family

Chris: Forty bucks gets you the Joker beating the second Robin that no one cared about to death with a crowbar.

Kevin: I read the original four-issue arc when it was released in 1988-1989 -- lord, I'm old -- and, well, it wasn't very good. (The death of the incredibly unpopular Jason Todd, 1-900 call-in voting, blah, blah.) Those Mike Mignola covers were nice, though. This 272-page hardcover collects "A Death in the Family" from Batman #426-429, plus Batman #440-442 and The New Titans #60-61 (the "A Lonely Place of Dying" crossover). (DC Comics)

The Flash Chronicles, Vol. 1

Kevin: Ah, excellent. Early -- as in the first -- Barry Allen-Flash stories from the 1950s, featuring the work of Robert Kanigher, John Broome, Carmine Infantino, Joe Kubert, Frank Giacoia and Joe Giella. (DC Comics)

Justice League #37

Justice League of America #37

Kevin: And so ends the Len Wein-Tom Derenick arc, making way for the stint of James Robinson and Mark Bagley -- which, perhaps depending on your opinion of the Cry for Justice miniseries is either the best thing to happen to the title in years or the worst thing since, oh, the Detroit Era League. (DC Comics)

Wednesday Comics #12 (OF 12)

Chris: And so the great experiment comes to a close. In the end, I'd have to say I was a bit disappointed in how inconsequential and uneventful many of the stories were (that Catwoman/Demon piece never really went anywhere, did it?) Still, there was enough good stuff and genuine surprises (if 12 weeks ago you had said the Flash segment would be my favorite piece, I would have laughed at you) for me to be glad DC took a chance on something this ambitious. (DC Comics)

Superman: Secret Origin #1

JK: Following in the footsteps of everyone from Siegel and Shuster to John Byrne and Mark Waid, Geoff Johns and Gary Franks redefine the origin of Superman in this mini-series. (DC Comics)

Madman

Madman Atomic Comics #17

JK: Sadly, this wraps up the current Madman series, but keep your chin up -- we've been promised there will be more Madman in the future. (Image)

Underground #1

JK: This was one of the other books I considered as my pick of the week, as Agents of Atlas writer Jeff Parker teams with Whiteout artist Steve Lieber for a five-issue mini-series about a park ranger trying to save a delicate crystal formation in a nearby cave. You can read the first issue for free over at the comic's official website, and hear more from the creative team on the book in this interview with Tim O'Shea. (Image)

Astonishing X-Men by Joss Whedon & John Cassaday Omnibus hardcover

Kevin: It's another somewhat-pricey hardcover, but it's awfully tempting. This one, as the title makes quite obvious, collects the entire award-winning run by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday (Astonishing X-Men #1-24 and Giant-Size Astonishing X-Men #1), plus 40 pages of extras, including character designs and script pages. It's $75, but still ... (Marvel)

Fantastic Four 571

Fantastic Four #571

JK: I thought Jonathan Hickman and Dale Eaglesham's first issue of their FF run started a little rough, but I loved the ending. This should be a fun Reed-centric arc. (Marvel)

Golden Age Marvel Comics Omnibus hardcover Vol. 1

Chris: 832 pages of pre-1960s material for a whopping $125. Still, for the curious collector, this is a great place to delve into the worlds folks like Bill Everett and Carl Burgos created. This is somebody's Christmas present for sure. (Marvel)

Immortal Weapons #3 (of 5)

Kevin: The main story in this issue, by Rick Spears and Timothy Green II, centers on Dog Brother #1. (Marvel)

Marvel Zombies Return #4

Kevin: Seth Grahame-Smith, co-author of the bestselling Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, joins artist Richard Elson for this issue that features The Hulk fighting zombie-Inhumans (I guess?) on the moon. (Marvel)

Pet Avengers Classics

Pet Avengers Classics trade paperback

Kevin: I'll concede that Marvel may be pushing the limits of the themed collections with this one. However, it's tough to resist a bunch of stories by such creators Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Gil Kane, Louise Simonson, June Brigman and Paul Smith featuring animal sidekicks. (Marvel)

Spider-Woman #1

Kevin: I don't know whether readers are half as enthralled with Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman as writer Brian Michael Bendis is, but I guess this new series will be the test. Alex Maleev provides the art. (Marvel)

Wolverine: Old Man Logan Giant-Size #1

JK: Mark Millar and Steve McNiven wrap up their What if?-style future take on the Marvel Universe in a giant-sized special, as Wolverine does what he does best to those ornery Hulk Gang bastards. (Marvel)

Detroit Metal City

Detroit Metal City, Vol. 2

Chris: More tongue-in-cheek heavy metal madness, from the land of the rising sun. (Viz)

Labor Days Vol. 2

JK: Philip Gelatt and Rick Lacy bring Bags and the gang back for another round of adventure and shenanigans, as they go globetrotting to find the Face of History. (Oni Press)

Outlaw: The Legend of Robin Hood

Chris: This is a hardcover children's (or rather, young adult) graphic novel about the famed outlaw. It's a bit revisionist and the characters all talk in a modernist flair that takes a bit getting used to, but if you're a Robin Hood junkie, you should at least give it a flip-through. (Candlewick)

Sulk Vol. 3

Sulk (Vol 3): The Kind of Strength That Comes From Madness

Chris: The latest volume in Jeffrey Brown's ongoing, multi-purpose anthology series. I really like these little chapbooks and think Brown's doing some of his best and liveliest work in these pages. (Top Shelf)

Black Jack, Vol. 7

Chris: More Black Jack is always a good thing, I have a thing for two-fisted, scarred surgeons with a five-year-old sidekick that's actually the amniotic twin encased in the shell of a plastic robot. That's good stuff, that is. (Vertical)

Now take a look at Diamond's complete shipping list and let us know what you're getting this week.

And what a week we've got. Dark Horse has two projects I've really been looking forward to this week: Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson's animals-turned-supernatural-investigators book Beasts of Burden miniseries and Matt Kindt's follow-up to Super-Spy, 3 Story: The Secret History of the Giant Man. DC, meanwhile, has some notable creative team changes this week, as JMS begins his run on The Brave and the Bold, while Philip Tan takes over the art chores on Batman & Robin. And Marvel's Dark Reign moves into humorous territory with a M.O.D.O.K. tie-in, but Moon Knight and Dark Reign The List: Daredevil make sure that's only a brief side trip.

To see what Kevin, Chris and I have to say about this week's releases, read on, and let us know what you're picking up in the comments section.

Beasts of Burden #1

Kevin Melrose's pick of the litter week: Beasts of Burden #1 (of 4)

From that moment in 2003 when I finished reading "Stray" in The Dark Horse Book of Hauntings -- the first of four annual horror anthologies -- I'd hoped Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson one day would present their occult-fighting dogs, and cat, in a longer format. Graphic novel, miniseries -- I didn't care. Well, six years, and three additional short stories, later it's here: a four-issue miniseries called Beasts of Burden (a nod to Burden Hill, the not-so-tranquil community in which the pets live, and battle supernatural forces).

As enamored with Dorkin's writing and Thompson's lush watercolors, and the fascinating belief system the two have created for the animals -- burial rites, superstitions, etc. -- I've resisted learning too much about the miniseries. I want to be surprised, much as I was when I first read "Stray." I know this story's called "The Gathering Storm," and that there's a "bizarre disturbance," apparently involving frogs falling from the sky. Other than that, I'm blissfully unaware of what to expect. (Dark Horse)

3 Story: The Secret History of the Giant Man

JK Parkin's pick of the week: 3 Story: The Secret History of the Giant Man

Matt Kindt killed it a couple of years ago with Super Spy, his collection of interwoven short stories about the lives of spies during World War II. It was fun not only because of the plot, but also the storytelling techniques Kindt used to tie all the stories together.

Kindt returns with his follow-up, which details the "secret history" of Craig Pressgang, who kept growing when the rest of the world stopped. I like that the idea behind this one is that it is an "unauthorized" account of his life as told by three different women, versus the fictional "official" CIA biography, "Giant Man: Pillar of America," that plays a role in the story. Kindt's a very creative guy who we'll be seeing more from in the coming months, and I personally can't wait. (Dark Horse)

Pluto Urasawa X Tezuka Vol. 5

Chris Mautner's pick of the week: Pluto Urasawa X Tezuka Vol. 5

Kevin has been citing Naoki Urasawa's remix of Osamu Tezuka's Astro Boy every month or so, and with good reason. While it's not my current favorite Urasawa series (that would be 20th Century Boys) it's a smart, thrilling manga that harkens back to the original work without overly reverential or unable to stand on its own feet. Even if you don't read manga, you should be reading this. (Viz)

Will Eisner's Spirit Archives hardcover, Vol. 1

Chris: Huh. I'm a little surprised DC isn't publishing this, but I guess Dark Horse snapped this up quickly at the Kitchen Sink fire sale. Anyway, it collects a number of Spirit stories published during the late 90s by well regarded folk whose names are not Will Eisner. They include: Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons, Neil Gaiman, Eddie Campbell, Paul Chadwick and so forth and so on. I remember this being pretty decent, if a little too slavishly faithful to the original. (Dark Horse)

Batman and Robin #4

Batman and Robin #4

JK: This issue begins an arc drawn by Phillip Tan, as a new dynamic duo, Red Hood and his sidekick Scarlet, set their sights on B & R. (DC)

The Brave and the Bold #27

JK: J. Michael Straczynski's run on the book finally kicks off, teaming Batman with Dial H For Hero's Robby Reed. (DC)

Showcase Presents: The Warlord, Vol. 1

Kevin: Mike Grell's Edgar Rice Burroughs pastiche about an Air Force pilot-turned-scantily clad protector of an underground world gets a phone book-thick collection. If you're a fan of Grell, or mid-'70s sword and sorcery, this trade paperback's for you. (DC)

The Alcoholic

The Alcoholic softcover

Chris: Johnathan Ames tells of his besotted, drug and alcohol addicted adolescence and adulthood, with Dean Haspiel handling the art chores. Now in softcover. (DC/Vertigo)

Captain America: The Man With No Face trade paperback

Kevin: The release of this trade paperback, collecting Issues 43-48, serves as a reminder that I've fallen behind on this stellar series by Ed Brubaker, Steve Epting and Co. (Marvel)

Marvel Zombies Return #3

Kevin: Horror novelist and sometimes-comics writer Jonathan Maberry (Patient Zero) takes his turn on the third one-shot in this miniseries. He's joined by artist Jason Shawn Alexander for a story focusing on Wolverine and some kind of underground fight club. People still write stories about underground fight clubs? Huh. (Marvel)

MODOK

M.O.D.O.K.: Reign Delay #1

JK: Ryan Dunlavey's humorous take on M.O.D.O.K., which ran on Marvel's Digital Comics Unlimited service, gets collected into print this week. Check out my interview with Dunlavey here. (Marvel)

Thor Annual #1

Kevin: This is another placeholder designed to keep the title on the shelf while everyone waits for the next issue by J. Michael Straczynski and Marko Djurdjevic. Of course in this case, the next issue -- the awkwardly named Thor: Defining Moments Giant Size #1 -- is also those creators' last. This annual, by Peter Milligan, Tom Grindberg and Mico Suayan, pits Thor against the Egyptian pantheon, and tosses in a reprint of Journey Into Mystery #83 for good measure. (Marvel)

Ultimate Comics Armor Wars #1

Ultimate Comics Armor Wars #1 (of 4)

Kevin: Speaking of cumbersome names, I'm already tired of typing "Ultimate Comics." Anyway, this new miniseries, by Warren Ellis and Steve Kurth, has Tony Stark trying to save his company and stop the theft of his Iron Man arsenal. He really should look into a LoJack or something. (Marvel)

Vengeance of Moon Knight #1

JK: The not-so-dark knight returns to New York City to -- as the title might imply -- lay out the vengeance on somebody, in this case Norman Osborn. (Marvel)

Johnny Boo Book 3: Happy Apples

Chris: James Kochalka provides another oh-so adorable kids' story about a little ghost. I honestly haven't read any of these yet. Are they any good? Do kids like them? I'm not trying to be snide here, I'm honestly curious. (Top Shelf)

Locke & Key: Head Games, Vol. 1 hardcover

Kevin: IDW Publishing releases the second hardcover collection of the horror series -- or, rather, series of miniseries -- by bestselling author Joe Hill and artist Gabriel Rodriguez. (IDW)

Nancy: Volume One (John Stanley Library)

Chris: I know, you're saying "But I thought Ernie Bushmiller created Nancy. And that this collection was coming out next year." Relax. This is a collection of Nancy comic bookk tales done by the great Mr. Stanley and collected here for your amusement. A sure buy for me. (Drawn and Quarterly)

Oishinbo Vol. 5 Vegetables

Chris: More frenetic cooking manga, this time about ... well, look at the title. I believe this series isn't doing too well, which is a shame, cause we could always use more cooking manga. Or at least I could. (Viz)

Vietnam War

Vietnam War hardcover

Chris: A graphic novel style history of the war with Dwight Jon Zimmerman handling the words and Wayne Vansant handling the pictures. It's not really very good, although it does provide a good overview of the various events. A good studying aide perhaps. Not much else. (Hill and Wang)

The full list of items arriving in stores this week can be found here.