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March 17, 2010
Atomic Books Comics Preview - March 17, 2010
In the Atomic Books Comics Preview, Benn Ray highlights several new comics and graphic novels released this week.
Benn Ray is the owner of Atomic Books, an independent bookstore in Baltimore. The Mobtown Shank is his blog.
Last week I was having some technical difficulties and was late getting my picks together. So this week I've doubled up to list picks from the past 2 weeks.
American Vampire #1
by Scott Snyder / Stephen King / Rafael Albuquerque
The king of horror, Stephen King, brings this ongoing historical vampire tale to Vertigo Comics with help from Scott Snyder and Rafael Alburquerque. With stories set in different eras, the Wild West and the Roaring 20s, we see the rise of a new type of undead creature - the American Vampire.
Bronx Kill
by Peter Milligan / James Romberger
This original crime graphic novel tells the story of what happens when one man turns his back on his family's legacy of being cops to become a writer only to have his wife disappear. Does the past ever not come back to haunt us? It's pure noir in comic form - sort of a double pulp flavor.
Danzig Lyric Book
by Glenn Danzig / Simon Bisley
For those who long to ponder over the profundities of Danzig's lyrics to songs like "Mother" or "Where Eagles Dare", this book is your chance. For the first time ever in print, the Danzig Lyric Book collects Danzig's lyrics from Danzig, Samhain, and The Misfits. And they are appropriately accompanied by illustrations from Simon Bisley.
Krazy And Ignatz: Tiger Tea
by George Herriman
George Herriman's Krazy Kat strips from the early part of the 20th century are still beloved by many today. In fact, there's even a prestigious comics award named after Krazy Kat's foil, Ignatz. “Tiger Tea” is his only complete, full-length story, and it's a weird one as things get psychedelic after Krazy Kat ingests a hallucinogenic substance. Trippy!
Papercutter #12
by Rachel Bormann / Nate Powell / Joey Alison Sayers / Mark Campos / Dalton Webb
Papercutter is one of the best anthology comics series (if not THE best) running. Each installment of this mini usually features 2 or 3 short comics stories by a different group of artists. It's the perfect combination of content and format, and each issue really highlights the strengths of the selected artists. #12 has a great story about a father and daughter attending a Santana concert by Rachel Bormann and Nate Powell plus additional stories by Joey Alison Sayers and Mark Campos with Dalton Webb.
The Boys Volume 6: Self-Preservation Society
by Garth Ennis / Darick Robertson
All I can theorize about Garth Ennis is that someone who hates superheroes this much must surely love them. I know, it's a conundrum. But not really. Darick Robertson's art, mixed with Ennis' usually ultra-violent, consistently disturbing, and impossibly entertaining deconstruction (sometimes in the literal sense) of superheroes is manages to capture that exquisite feeling of "I shouldn't be reading this, but I can't stop!"
The Complete Milt Gross: Comic Books And Life Story
by Milt Gross / Craig Yoe (editor)
This beautiful archival book features impeccably restored, funny and previously hard to find 1940s comics from genius Milt Gross. Widely considered to be the first person to create a graphic novel, Gross has been championed by the likes of artists like Art Spiegelman. Oh yeah, and he used to co-write films with Charlie Chaplin.
Greek Street Volume 1: Blood Calls For Blood
by Peter Milligan / Davide Gianfelice
This trade paperback collects the beginning of the new Vertigo Comics series. If you like your tragedies Greek but your crime modern, be sure to check out Greek Street. I don't think this warrants a spoiler alert, but let's just say things start off Oedipal and get crazy from there.
Hellboy Volume 9: The Wild Hunt
by Mike Mignola / Duncan Fegredo
Were you disappointed in that last Hellboy movie? Well, forget all about it and pick up the graphic novels. Hellboy creator Mignola reunites with artist Duncan Fegredo to create this monster tale that has Hellboy joining a band of monster hunters who are tracking down the newly awakened ancient giants.
Snake Oil #05: Wolf
by Chuck Forsman
Snake Oil is one of my most favorite, oddball comics series. This issue is a stand alone story about Wolf, set back in the '80s. Wolf works at Sears, smokes dope, might float, enjoys porn and spends way too much time at the mall. These comics are handmade too.
Questions, concerns, comments or gripes – e-mail benn@atomicbooks.com. If there’s a comic I should know about, send it my way at Atomic, c/o Atomic Books 3620 Falls Rd., Baltimore, MD 21211.
Atomic Books & Benn Ray links:
Atomic Books website
Atomic Books blog
Atomic Books on Twitter
Atomic Books on Facebook
Benn Ray's blog (The Mobtown Shank)
also at Largehearted Boy:
other Atomic Books Comics Preview lists (weekly new comics & graphic novel highlights)
52 Books, 52 Weeks
Antiheroines (interviews with up and coming female comics artists)
Book Notes (authors create music playlists for their book)
guest book reviews
Largehearted Word (weekly new book highlights)
musician/author interviews
Note Books (musicians discuss literature)
