Heritage Auctions

Heritage Auctions just started their big comic auction today, and that Detective #27 is part of that collection. I'm looking at the catalog right now and it's 284 pages long. Lots of good stuff in this offering. Quite impressive, but that Detective #27 was the cream of the crop.

Other amazing stuff up for auction through Feb. 27th in Dallas Texas? Now some of these auctions might already be over, I have no idea, but here are a few books that they are offering that jumped out to me as more WOWs. Here's a sample of some of the great Golden Age books they have up for auction:

Adventure Comics #40 7.0
"This book is the scarcest of the DC keys, and one of the ten most valuable comic book issues in the hobby! CGC has certified just 11 unrestored copies of the book as of this writing. For comparison's sake 25 unrestored Action #1's have been certified."

All-Flash #1 9.4
"Sensational copy of one of Overstreet's Top One Hundred Golden Age Books. Only the Denver copy has matched this one's 9.4 grade."

Batman #1 9.0 Restored Denver Pedigree
"This is a beautiful copy of one of the most desirable comic books in the hobby! The case has been made that Batman #1 should be ranked ahead of Superman #1 in value and behind only Action #1 and Detective #27. The argument used to buttress this case are that Batman #1 has almost all original material and it's got the first appearances of both The Joker and Catwoman." This will be one to watch. Note: The only restoration of this copy is cleaning.

Marvel Comics #1 9.0 Pay Copy
"One of the most famous single comics in the hobby, this is tied with one other at the top of the CGC's census, yet equaled by none in terms of significance. "

Sensation Comics #1 9.4
"Just three copies of this historic issue have CGC certifications nicer than 8.5 and no other as high as this."

Wonder Woman #1 8.5

Amazing Spider-Man #1 8.0
"Nice copy of an issue currently ranked by Overstreet as the third most valuable Silver Age comic."

The catalog is HUGE and has so many note-worthy books that are part of this auction, I can't even touch on the whole list, it's an absolutely amazing collection of high-end books. There is literally something for everyone in this auction: tons of key Golden Age books, key Silver Age books, and more. Including: Playboy #1 7.5, Zap Comix #1 8.5, Green Lantern #1 (Silver Age) 9.4, Giant Size X-Men #1 9.8, More Fun Comics #52 9.2, Startling Comics #49 9.4, Amazing Fantasy #15 9.2 Restored, Cerebus #1 9.4 (Sim File), Incredible Hulk #181 9.8, Richie Rich #1 9.4, X-Men #1 9.0 (Silver Age), and so, so, so many more....

I wish I was independently wealthy right now. I would be bidding on that Sensation Comics #1 and that Wonder Woman #1 if I could.

Go here to view the video overview of this auction and to participate in live online bidding, or just look at all the pretty pictures, lots of great original comic art too, including great examples of Kirby and Wrightson work.
http://comics.ha.com/common/auction/catalog.php?SaleNo=7017

That Didn't Take Long...

Rich over at Bleeding Cool has the scoop. A 8.0 copy of Detective #27 (first Batman) has topped the Action #1 8.0 price of just a few days ago.

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2010/02/25/exclusive-detective-comics-27-breaks-one-million-dollars-new-most-expensive-comic-book-ever/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BleedingCool+(Bleeding+Cool+Comic+News+%26+Rumors)

I knew it was going to happen, but holy shit, really? That frickin fast? The real question is, is it the same buyer as the Action #1? If so, how much money does this guy have, and how can I get him to shop at my store? (Yes, yes, I know, if I had a stack of 8.0 key Golden Age books, he would be camping out on my doorstop I'm sure).

There is a recession, but I guess people with piles of cash still have piles of cash, just a few less piles, but still plenty of piles to make purchases like this possible.

Wow. This is just nuts. What will happen come next week? How much more money can be spent on single, slabbed, comic books? You can't even read these babies, or even think about reading these books. I can't conceive of spending this much money on something big, like a house, but one book? We have entered a whole new arena here, and something tells me it's just going to get crazier.

White Lantern Ring Announced!

We all knew it was coming.

http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2010/02/dc-comics-adds-white-lantern-ring-to-brightest-day-promotion/


Yeah, my set will now be complete! Until the Drab Lantern Set is announced:
Beige, Taupe, Mauve, Brown, and Gray.

Beige=Boredom
Taupe=Apathy
Mauve=Ennui
Brown=Listlessness
Gray=Sloth

(Don't like my color assignments? Give me your own ideas for the Drab Lanterns!)

Action #1 Sells for ONE MILLION BUCKS!

Everyone has reported on this major sale that occurred yesterday. The above copy of Action #1 sold for $1,000,000. Unprecedented. Unbelievable. The start of a trend I'm sure. More key issues in high grades will follow the lead, it's just a matter of time. Detective #27 will be the next to hit that mark or close to that mark, I'm thinking, along with Superman #1. This Action #1 is one of two known to exist in this grade of 8.0. Could you imagine what would happen if a 9.0 surfaced? Geez, just speculating about teh possiblity is mind-blowing.

This is both exciting and a little sad at the same time. It's now at the point, that many of the key early appearances will be priced way out of the fan's pocketbook. It's been like this for some time, especially in the Golden Age market, but given enough time we might see some more significant jumps in the Silver Age market. The Silver Age key appearances will never go for the dollar amounts of the key GA books because the GA books are older of course and less of the GA books are known to exist. Don't forget the paper drives during WWII laid claim to many of the GA books.

Quick personal story. My mom owned a copy of Sensation Comics #1 (first full Wonder Woman story in her own book, her 2nd appearance overall) and my uncle owned a copy of Action #1 way back in the day. Both of those books ended up in a paper drive. It was the patriotic thing to do, everything was being recycled that could be during WWII. This was such a common practice, I'm amazed that we have as many copies of these old GA books that we do. According to sources, there are 800 copies of Action #1 known to exist, in varying grades. Remember this is out of the original 200,000 copies that were printed.

Granted, if everyone that had owned a copy of Action #1 or Sensation Comics #1 or Detective #27 had actually saved them, they would be worth less, most likely never hitting the $1,000,000 mark. The real question is what if anything does this mean for the industry as a whole? Not a whole heck of a lot. It's nice to see comics making the news, almost on a daily basis now, but will this help or hurt in the long run? Maybe this will encourage folks to go digging through grandma or grandpas boxes of misc. ephemera a little more thoroughly. This kind of story also causes folks to start thinking that THEIR comics must ALSO be worth millions of dollars because the news says so! Not really understanding that it is only a few books that have such a high value. And to add to the confusion, Action #1 has been reprinted quite a few times, and of course, some folks will only half paid attention to the news report and then immediately jump to the conclusion that Superman #1 is worth a million. Do you have any idea how many version of Superman #1 are out there? I'm not just talking about Superman #1 from 1939, I'm talking about the sheer volume of Annual #1's, Special #1's, and the bazillion mini series featuring Superman with a number one of the cover. Crack open a copy of the current Overstreet to see what I'm talking about. There are pages of these things listed, pages.

If only my mom had saved her Sensation Comics #1, that would have been something. Would I have encouraged her to sell it or would I have encouraged her to keep it? Personally, if we had had that in the family, I would have begged her to let me read it as a kid, so I'm sure it would have only been in a 6.0 or less, but still, just to have that baby in the family would have been exciting. Any family lucky enough to have an Action #1, or other key Golden Age book in the vault, rejoice! It looks like it's going to pay off big time! My advice to those who own any of these books, get them CGC graded and send them off to Heritage Auctions. Their newest catalog is full of great books, and now after this Action #1 sale, their next batch of auctions will be even more impressive. Everyone will be trying to sell their big GA boys. Will the market be able to support all these high-ticket items hitting the market at the same time? Things are definitely going to get interesting.

New Publisher Named at DC!

Jim Lee and Dan DiDio Named Co-Publishers DC Comics

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Geoff Johns to Serve as Chief Creative Officer*******************************John Rood Named EVP, Sales, Marketing and Business DevelopmentPatrick Caldon Named EVP, Finance and Administration

(February 18, 2010 – New York, NY and Burbank, CA) DC Entertainment, founded in September 2009 to unleash the power of the DC Comics library of characters across all media platforms, has named its executive management team, including new co-publishers of DC Comics and a Chief Creative Officer, as well as heads of Sales/Marketing/Business Development and Finance/Administration. Diane Nelson, President, DC Entertainment, made the announcement today.

The new senior executive team includes Jim Lee and Dan DiDio, who have been named Co-Publishers of DC Comics, and Geoff Johns, who will serve as Chief Creative Officer of DC Entertainment. Additionally, John Rood has been named Executive Vice President, Sales, Marketing and Business Development, and Patrick Caldon will serve as Executive Vice President, Finance and Administration. Each of these executives will report directly to Nelson.

“DC Entertainment’s new executive team is a creative ‘dream team,’ with accomplishments and talent unrivaled in the business,” said Nelson. “This announcement continues and underscores DC’s legacy as the ultimate destination for creators. We’ll benefit enormously from the deep experience this team represents, while re-energizing the direction and focus of the company. I’m excited and honored to have each of them with me at the helm of DC Entertainment.”

“With this new leadership team, Diane will be able to fully and respectfully integrate DC’s brand and characters, not only as key content drivers in the film division, but across all of the businesses of Warner Bros. and Time Warner,” said Jeff Robinov, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Group. “I am very proud and excited about the accomplished executives who are charged with expanding this powerful library. They each have a diverse and complementary skill-set and are deeply committed to contributing to the DC Comics legacy.”

Prior to his current post, Lee served as Editorial Director, where he oversaw WildStorm Studios and was also the artist for many of DC Comics’ bestselling comic books and graphic novels, including “All Star Batman and Robin, The Boy Wonder,” “Batman: Hush” and “Superman: For Tomorrow.” He also serves as the Executive Creative Director for the upcoming DC Universe Online massively multiplayer action game from Sony Online Entertainment.

Lee is an award-winning comic book illustrator/creator/publisher who started his professional career at Marvel Comics where his work on the X-Men continues to hold the all-time sales record for single issue sales at eight million copies sold in one month. At Marvel, he also drew the Punisher and co-created many characters, the most popular being Gambit, featured in 2009’s “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” feature film. In 1992, he started his own production company, WildStorm Productions, and co-founded Image Comics, an independent comics company which quickly grew to become the number-three North American comics publisher. His most notable creations, “WildCats” and “Gen 13,” saw life beyond comic books as a CBS Saturday morning cartoon and as a direct-to-video animated movie distributed by Disney, respectively. In 1998, he left Image Comics and sold WildStorm to DC Comics.

DiDio most recently served as Senior Vice President and Executive Editor, DC Universe, overseeing the editorial department for the DC Universe imprint, including the ongoing adventures of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and scores of heroes and villains. He also worked to develop new titles with the industry’s premier writers and artists. At DC Comics, DiDio has spearheaded such bestselling projects as “All Star Batman and Robin, The Boy Wonder,” “Identity Crisis,” Green Lantern, Teen Titans and The Outsiders.

Before joining DC in 2002, DiDio was with Mainframe Entertainment, where he most recently served as Senior Vice President, Creative Affairs, overseeing the development, distribution, marketing and promotion of all Mainframe’s television properties. Prior to that, he served as Executive Director of Children’s Programming for ABC, where he was also a publicity manager, having started his television career at CBS, working in a variety of positions.

Johns builds on his current role at DC from being one of today’s most prolific, popular and award-winning contemporary comic book writers with this new executive role. He is a New York Times bestselling author who has written highly acclaimed stories revitalizing Green Lantern, Superman, the Flash, Teen Titans, and the Justice Society of America for DC Comics.

Johns began his comics career creating and writing “Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E.” for DC Comics while at the same time working with film director Richard Donner. After acclaimed runs on Flash, Teen Titans and the bestselling “Infinite Crisis” mini-series, Johns co-wrote a run on Action Comics with his mentor, Donner. Johns has also written and produced for various other media, including the acclaimed “Legion” and “Absolute Justice” episodes of Warner Bros. Television’s “Smallville” and Adult Swim’s “Robot Chicken” and “Titan Maximum.” He also wrote the story of the DC Universe Online massively multiplayer action game from Sony Online Entertainment.

Rood returns to Warner Bros. after 10 years with the Disney ABC Television Group, where he most recently was Senior Vice President of Marketing, ABC Family. While at ABC, he also consulted for ABC News during the recent transitions at “Good Morning America” and “ABC World News with Diane Sawyer.”

Prior to Disney, Rood worked for six years at Warner Bros. Consumer Products, negotiating promotional deals with national advertisers using Warner Bros.’ properties, including the DC Comics characters. He has also worked in promotions for Equity Marketing on the Burger King account and in advertising for Leo Burnett on the McDonald’s and Miller Brewing accounts.

Caldon most recently served as Executive Vice President, Finance and Operations of DC Comics and MAD Magazine. Before that, he served as Senior Vice President, Finance and Operations, and his other posts at DC include Vice President, Finance and Operations, and Controller, the position in which he joined the company in 1985. Prior to joining DC Comics, Caldon spent a decade at Warner Communications in corporate accounting and as Senior Vice President and CFO of the Cosmos soccer team (owned by Warner Communications at the time).

DC Entertainment, a division of Warner Bros. Entertainment, is charged with strategically integrating the DC Comics business, brand and characters deeply into Warner Bros. and all its content and distribution businesses. DC Entertainment utilizes the expertise the Studio has in building and sustaining franchises to prioritize the DC properties as key titles and growth drivers across all of the Studio, including feature films, television, interactive entertainment, direct-to-consumer platforms and consumer products. The DC Comics publishing business is the cornerstone of DC Entertainment, releasing approximately 90 comic books through its various imprints and 30 graphic novels a month as well as continuing to build on its creative leadership in the comic book industry.

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W0w! Big announcement day at DC! Some pretty interesting choices here. I think between Didio and Lee we should see some very positive changes over at DC as a whole. I wonder what this means for Wildstorm? Is it just going to be folded into DC proper or will it still be a separate imprint like it is now? Jim Lee and even Geoff Johns are both in California, as is the Wildstorm office. What will this mean? Industry folks have been speculating for a while now that part of DC would be moving to the west coast, and with those two so heavily involved now, I don't see how that is in anyway avoidable. Johns is heavily involved in Hollywood so this should bode well for the future of DC properties as films opportunities. Bringing Lee and Johns higher up the ladder is an excellent move, but what about Didio? Some folks in the industry have had mixed feelings about Didio in the past, what will happen now? Will there be much rejoicing or much bitching? I'm guessing a lot of both, we are talking about the comic book industry after all. It will be fun to witness the crazy internet chatter that is presently unfolding, and will continue do so for many days or even weeks to come.

Well good luck and congrats to all involved!

Stan the Man Announces Yet Another Project

Stan The Man Lee has partnered with Archie Comics for a new project. Read all about it here on Comic Book Resources:

http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2010/02/stan-lee-partners-with-archie-a-squared-for-super-seven/

While I love The Man, do we really need another new Stan Lee project? He hasn't had the best track record as of late, don't get me wrong, he struck comic book gold back in the day with Spidey, FF, the X-Men and more. He seems to have a hand in just about everything these days. Kudos to Lee for not retiring quietly, he's been out there making deals and making money ever since he left Marvel. No rest for the wicked. I wonder if Archie comics will be disappointed in the sales figures for this new line of comics? Or am I wrong, and they will sell crazy-well? I for one can't wait for Stan The Man to show up again in MORE comics, lol. He's quite the celebrity these days isn't he? I still laugh when I think about the last time I saw him at the SD show a couple of years back. There we were busy working at the Moonstone booth, when Stan walks by. It was incredible. There was a guy in front with a megaphone announcing "Make way for Stan the Man Lee" as he went through the hall. People would stop and clap as he walked by, and he had a whole entourage with him, just like the rest of the Hollywood-types walking through the hall on any given day. I've seen a lot of stars in the hall, such as Sarah Michelle Geller, Gene Simmons, Dominic Monaghan, and others whose names I can't remember at this moment. They all usually walk around the hall with huge groups of people/bodyguards around them. Crazy shit I tell you. I stopped what I was doing, of course, and clapped with the rest of the masses, because he IS Stan the Man Lee, how can you not?

What do you think, should Stan keep trying new things in the entertainment world, or should he just BE Stan Lee and that should be enough? I guess we can't begrudge the man from trying to make more money, he's very good at it. People WANT to believe in the magic that is Stan Lee, but will it pay off for Archie Comics?

Go go Stan! We love you, not only because you wrote many of our favorite Marvel characters back in the day, but because you are such an entertaining character in your own right. And wasn't it mentioned somewhere recently that Stan will be making a BIG announcement at some upcoming Wizard show or something? What else can the man be working on? He sure is a busy guy!

February Fantastic Four-Day-Sale!

All four Amazing Fantasy Locations will be hosting a very cool sale!

February Fantastic Four-Day-Sale!

Tuesday, Feb. 16th 11am-8pm
Sunday, Feb. 21st 11am-5pm
Tuesday, Feb. 23rd 11am-5pm
Sunday, Feb. 28th 11am-5pm

Four special days to save at your local A/F!
All four stores are hosting sales, but each one will be slightly different.

The specials listed below are valid for the above dates and times ONLY!
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Amazing Fantasy
20523 S. La Grange Rd.
Frankfort, IL
815-469-5092

Special Pricing on: Statues, Mini-Busts, T-shirts, and Hoodies!
Awesome Deals on Select Independent Graphic Novels!

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Amazing Fantasy
582 Torrence Ave.
Calumet City, IL
708-891-2260

Special Pricing on: Toys
Awesome Deals on Select Independent Graphic Novels!
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Amazing Fantasy
15948 S. Harlem
Tinley Park, IL
708-633-0837

Special Pricing on: Toys and T-Shirts!
Awesome Deals on: Select RPG's!
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Amazing Fantasy
1128 S. State St.
Lockport, IL
815-834-1658

Special Pricing on: Action Figures and T-Shirts!
Awesome Deals on: Select Independent Graphic Novels!

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Some restriction apply.
Discounts and Specials can not be combined with any other discount, offer, coupon,
or punch card.

And NO this sale is NOT only on Fantastic Four related-merchandise, we just thought it would be fun to make the name of the sale comic book related, so do not get confused .
It's a FANTASTIC sale that will be happening for FOUR days, get it?

Marvel GN's for Under $10?

Alright, all of you that have been reading this blog, know that I've been highlighting various GN for under $10 a pop. DC/Vertigo/Wildstorm, and Image have quite a nice selection. I didn't even list all of them, there are THAT many from both of those publishers.

This SO isn't the case with Marvel. Honest to god, I went looking around the shop today for Marvel GN for under $10 that I could recommend, and you know how many I came up with? Two, yep, thats right TWO. And one of them doesn't count because it's out of print!

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First up, Runaways digest-sized GN's, 9 volumes total, each volume is $7.99-$9.99, written by some top-notch talent: Brian K. Vaughn, Joss Whedon, and Terry Moore.

The write-up for Volume one of this acclaimed series:

Written by BRIAN K. VAUGHAN
Cover & pencils by ADRIAN ALPHONA
All young people believe their parents are evil ... but what if they really are? Meet Alex, Karolina, Gert, Chase, Molly and Nico - whose lives are about to take an unexpected turn. When these six young friends discover their parents are all secretly super-powered villains, the shocked teens find strength in one another. Together, they run away from home and straight into the adventure of their lives - vowing to turn the tables on their evil legacy.
Collects the critically acclaimed RUNWAWAYS #1-6 in the affordable, full color 5"x8" Digest format!
144 PGS./5"x8"/ MARVEL AGE (12+) $7.99

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Mini Marvels

Volume One: Rock, Paper, Scissors, and Volume Two: Secret Invasion are both out of print. They retailed at $9.99 each. These books are loads of fun for fans of all ages. The great thing about the Chris Giarrusso strips collected in these volumes is many times the action/story is based loosely on events happening in the Marvel U at the time of publication. Very funny stuff for fans in the know, and kids enjoy these books too because the characters are so cute and silly. Highly recommended reading. I have literally sold the piss out of both of these, mostly due to Mike's passion for the Mini Marvels strips, but we weren't the only stores that did well with these, Marvel went back to press twice for Volume One. The sad thing is now you can only purchase the Ultimate Collection, and not only does it cost $19.99, it doesn't include all of the strips that were in the original Chris G. Volumes One and Two, it includes SOME of those strips, along with strips by Sean McKeever, Paul Tobin, Audry Loeb, and others. While the Ultimate Collection is nice with it's assortment of strips, I would like to have the original two volumes put back into print for the original retail of $9.99 each.

Here is the write-up for the Mini Marvels Ultimate Collection:

Written by SEAN MCKEEVER, MARC SUMERAK, PAUL TOBIN, AUDREY LOEB & CHRIS GIARRUSSO
Penciled by CHRIS GIARRUSSO
Cover by CHRIS GIARRUSSO
All-ages fun featuring the wild and crazy kid counterparts to Marvel's greatest heroes! Featuring Spidey, Wolverine, Iron Man, Hulk and more Marvel favorites - reimagined for an all-ages audience! ALL your favorite Mini Marvels adventures collected in one hilarious and action-packed collection! Be there when Spidey gets the Paperboy Blues, Wolverine goes on a Cereal Quest, Hulk goes on a date and the Fantastic Four are impersonated by Skrulls. Plus: Spidey gets in over his head when he babysits Power Pack, but he gets by with a little help from his AMAZING FRIENDS Iceman and Firestar!
216 PGS./All Ages ...$19.99

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So I literally spent the last hour wandering around the store trying to find Marvel GN's for under $9.99, ANY GN for under $9.99. The ONLY ones I could find were the original kids-friendly digest sized GN's, which includes an assortment of Marvel Adventures GN's and other all-ages fare. While many of these books are fun little reads, I would like to see Marvel publish a few key Volume Ones for $9.99. They could print them on newsprint for god's sake, who cares, but something would be better than nothing. They could focus on introductory volumes, such as Ultimate Spider-man Volume One for $9.99, or they could focus on low-selling titles that could use the boost, you know the ones I'm referring to, the critical darlings that fall short of Marvel's ideal profit plateau, such as Agents of Atlas. (You might recall I already mentioned this option in a previous post, but it bears repeating). Or how about NextWave Volume One for $9.99? I could recommend a list of great choices for Marvel to reprint for $9.99. Hell, they could reprint them in the small digest size for all I care, just make them affordable, that's all I'm asking here.

To illustrate just how much Marvel is SO not behind this idea, the three all-ages graphic novels that were released this week ranged in price from $14.99-$19.99. Not only are we talking a higher price-point we are talking about Marvel's new size format for these all-ages books. The traditional all-ages GN's, such as the Runaways and original Mini Marvels GN, were released in the digest size: 7 3/4" x 5 1/8". The new size that Marvel has been publishing is 8 3/4" x 5 3/4".

Let's look at the three all-ages GN from this week, just for fun!

Iron Man: Tales of the Golden Avenger
$14.99
This volume collects various issues of the now-defunct all-ages Marvel Adventures: Iron Man title and issues #3-#4 of Iron Man and Power Pack. Why only the last two issues of the IM/PP mini? I have no clue.

Iron Man: Armor Wars
$14.99
This volume collects the recent 4-issue Armor Wars mini-series, plus the random Iron Man #225, from the original Iron Wars saga from back in the day. Pfft, whatever.

Star Comics: All Star Collection Volume Two
$19.99
What the hell is this, one might ask, well back in the 80's Marvel had an imprint called Star that published all of their kids titles. This particular volumes collects, ok you might want to sit down for this exciting selection of titles collected in this volume: Planet Terry #3-#4, Top Dog #4-#6, Wally the Wizard #3-#4, and the long awaiting Royal Roy #3-#4. You get ALL of this for the low, low price of $19.99. WOW, what an amazing collection of crap!
In case you were wondering Volume One of Star Comics All Stars contains the earlier issues of these titles. So, if you want to catch up on any or all of these stellar kids titles of yesteryear, be sure to pick up Volume One first or you will be completely lost!
Ok, I understand Marvel wanting to reprint some of their old kids titles, I get it, but in collections for $19.99 EACH? Wow, you can find all of these issues at any given convention in quarter boxes, I gurantee it. Why didn't they collect each series in one volume for a LOWER price point? If they had published Planet Terry #1-#4 in a little digest sized book for $7.99 or less, there would be a chance, however slight, that I would be able to sell that book. Instead, if for some unknown reason you DID want to relive your childhood with your favorite Wally the Wizard comics, you would have to spend $40.00 American Dollars to read the entire run of FOUR issues. That equals out to $10.00 AN ISSUE! Did I order Volume One and Two of Star Comics All Stars for the shop? Well, yes, I like to have ALL of the releases from any major publisher in the store. We are the ultimate destination for Graphic Novels afterall, so I HAD to order it, but I still am allowed to bitch.

If anyone out there can think of anything that Mavel has published for under $10.00 that is note-worthy, feel free to comment.

NO F-ing WAY, NO NO NO!!!!

Rich Johnston, over at Bleeding Cool, posted about a possible Watchmen Prequel or Sequel in the works at DC now that Levitz has stepped down as publisher. We all heard about this possibility back in the day when Watchmen (the comic) originally came out, but Moore and Gibbons were not interested. According to Johnston, this is a pet project of Mr. Dan Didio. Christ, this better not happen. Read all about it here:

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2010/02/03/get-ready-for-watchmen-2/

Would there be creators that would actually touch this piece-of-shit idea? I mean really? Yes, would a new Watchmen series sell in huge numbers? Unforatunately yes, but this is just another example of "just because you CAN doesn't mean you SHOULD." And yes, if we see more Watchmen comics in the future, you know that another Watchmen movie will be right around the corner. Shit....

I really don't want this to happen. Moore and Gibbons get right of first refusal, and you KNOW that neither one of them is going to touch this idea with a ten foot pole. Maybe DC can convince Gibbons to do some covers, but that is all I forsee.

I know DC would get tons of press for this project, but the backlash in the industry would be huge.

More Great Books for under $10.00!

Oops, I meant to post this on Monday, but I got distracted by something shiny.

Anyone who knows me or my taste in comics, I am quite the Vertigo pimp. Always have been, always will be. I can't help it, Vertigo has consistently put out quality comics for something like 15 years now, maybe longer, I can't remember exactly. (I am getting to be an old fangirl at this point).

Vertigo (aka DC) was I believe the first publisher to offer Volume Ones of various series for $9.99, since 2006 if I'm not mistaken. Not every Volume One from the Vertigo imprint is $9.99, but there are many to choose from. I may sound like a broken record mentioning some of these, which is why I will not take up much time or space with the following: 100 Bullets Volume One, DMZ Vol 1, Exterminators Vol 1, Fables Vol 1, and Unwritten Vol 1. Just know that I do recommend all of these, but I wanted to spend some time and space on some of the lesser known Vertigo/Wildstorm $9.99 GN's.

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Air Volume One
This book is not nearly as popular as it SHOULD be, imo. I read volume 1 & 2 and was thoroughly entertained. If you are a fan of Lost or Flash Forward, you should give this book a try.

Written by G. Willow Wilson
Art and cover by M.K. Perker
Collecting the story that started it all, from AIR #1-5! Blythe knew there was no time like the present more dangerous to be an airline stewardess, but the skies might be much more dangerous than anyone imagines. She's just learned of the Etesian Front - vigilantes dedicated to take the skies back from terrorism - and they're after Zayn, a man she's just met. Whether he's an average frequent flier or a terrorist, finding out will lead Blythe to discover the weird science of hyperaxis and the mysterious artifact that will change the way we see technology forever.
From the comics imprint known for innovation, G. Willow Wilson and M. K. Perker introduce a new way of looking at the magic of flight.
$9.99
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Ex Machina Volume One

This is a great book, by the man behind Y, Brian K. Vaughn. So why not, try it already? I'm pretty sure this series has been picked up to be a movie (at this point, what hasn't?), but honestly I can see this book as great inspiration for a TV show.

Written by Brian K. Vaughan; Art by Tony Harris & Tom Feister; Cover by Harris

From Wizard Magazine's Top Ten writer Brian K. Vaughan (Y: THE LAST MAN) and Eisner Award-winning artist Tony Harris (STARMAN) comes a collection of one of the most critically acclaimed new series of the year, featuring a gorgeous new cover by Harris! THE FIRST HUNDRED DAYS collects the first five issues of this stellar ongoing political thriller, including the extra-sized origin of the super-heroic Great Machine, as well as the 4-part "State of Emergency."

Set in our modern-day world, EX MACHINA tells the story of civil engineer Mitchell Hundred, who becomes America's first living, breathing super-hero after a strange accident gives him amazing powers. Eventually Mitchell tires of risking his life merely to maintain the status quo, retires from masked crimefighting and runs for mayor of New York City, winning by a landslide. But Mayor Hundred has to worry about more than just budget problems and an antagonistic governor, especially when a mysterious hooded figure begins assassinating plow drivers during the worst snowstorm in the city's history!
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Greek Street Volume One (Note: this GN ships to LCS on March 10th!)

This book is not for everyone, but anyone that has a love of Ancient Greece should really check it out. I love me some Peter Milligan, and this book fills that role nicely. This is a pretty violent, gritty series.

MATURE READERS
Written by Peter Milligan

Art by Davide Gianfelice

Cover by KAKO
"A reminder that some stories are too true and too dangerous to ever die...crackles with Promethean fire." - Grant Morrison
Boasting a "Greek Chorus" of sexy strippers, vengeful gangsters, a murderous youth and a disturbed clairvoyant teenaged girl, GREEK STREET is Peter Milligan's reimagining of the brutal and visceral tragedies of Ancient Greece played out on the mean streets of modern-day London. This first paperback collects issues #1-5 of the provocative new series.

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House of Mystery Volume One

Looking for something, anything to replace the gaping hole that Sandman left after it ended all those years ago? This is the book you've been waiting for, it takes place within the universe that Gaiman brought to life back in the day. Want some Cain and Able? Look no further!

Written by Matthew Sturges and Bill Willingham
Art by Luca Rossi, Ross Campbell, Sean Murphy, Zachary Baldus, Steve Rolston and Jill Thompson
Cover by Sam Weber
"This is the next Vertigo pillar to watch!" - Wizard
Welcome to the House of Mystery! Filled with peculiar, otherworldly characters from all walks of life, this series from Matthew Sturges (JACK OF FABLES) and Bill Willingham (FABLES) focuses on five people trapped in the reality-warping House of Mystery, a supernatural bar where tales are the legal tender and only the finest storytellers are patrons! But how - and why - they're stuck inside is all just a little piece of the puzzle in this first volume, which collects issues #1-5 of the all-new acclaimed series and special bonus material.
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Northlanders Volume One

Liek DMZ? Good, get Brian Wood's OTHER Vertigo genre-reaching series. Vertigo done right with a Viking twist! Collects EIGHT issues for $9.99, what an incredible deal!

Written by Brian Wood
Art by Davide Gianfelice
Cover by Massimo Carnevale

In this first volume collecting NORTHLANDERS #1-8, DMZ writer Brian Wood stabs Viking lore in the face with a fresh take on what it means to be a warrior. Meet Sven, an exiled Viking prince who must return to the desolate lands of his birth to reclaim his vast inheritance upon the death of his father. See why Entertainment Weekly calls it "a well-reserched, richly realized world that illuminates politics and culture without getting bogged down in history-book stuff."
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Unknown Soldier Volume One

Want to read a book with some edge? Check this series out, writer Dysart is pretty hard-core with his grim portrayal of the horrors of war, with the usual Vertigo twist.

Written by Joshua Dysart
Art by Alberto Ponticelli
Cover by Igor Kordey

"UNKNOWN SOLDIER could be a new Vertigo classic." - The Onion
"A story with teeth, unafraid to confront some horrific truths about the world we live in, Joshua Dysart's UNKNOWN SOLDIER is a comic that genuinely matters." - Garth Ennis

"This is an immensely brave, intelligent and ruthless piece of work. You need to read it." - Warren Ellis

Welcome to Northern Uganda. In 2002, it's a place where tourists are hacked to death with machetes, 12-year-olds with AK-47s wage war, and celebrities futilely try to get people to care. Moses Lwanga is a pacifist doctor caught at the center of this. But when his life is threatened, Moses suddenly realizes he knows how to kill all too well. What is this voice telling him the only way to fix what's wrong with the country is by slaughtering those responsible? And what is Moses' connection to past bandage-wrapped warrior?

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Next time you are fixin for something new to read, try any of these great Vertigo Volume Ones. Something here is bound to please. And as usual, all four Amazing Fantasy locations carry all of these books, along with every other Vertigo/Wildstorm/DC graphic novel you could possibly want.

Man it would be SO cool if I could add some Marvel books to the list of "Great Reads for under Ten Bucks!" There are some great digest-sized Marvel graphic novels I can discuss. I will highlight those for next time, but what I really want to see is Marvel jumping on the $10 band wagon, NOW please. Come on, if Agents of Atlas Volume One was $10, instead of the $20 for volume one, or $25 for the mini-series collected, I could convince a bunch of people to give it a shot. All I'm saying is Marvel certainly hasn't done everything possible to gather interest in the lesser known titles. Come on Marvel, take a cue from your friends at DC and Image and do this already!