Winter Covers - December 31

Sabrina and the gang have a snowball fight on the cover of Sabrina the Teenage Witch #63 (2005) by Tania Del Rio & Jim Amash.

We've hope you've enjoyed our month-long celebration of comic book covers!

(2010: Jughead with Archie Digest #97)
(2009: Batman: The Long Halloween #4)

DCnU Capsule Reviews, Week 16

This is it, my final set of capsule reviews for the DCnU titles!


All Star Western #4: Hex just can't seem to get out of Gotham; I hope he does soon and we can go back to the one-off westerns that used to be prevalent in his solo title. Moritat does some nice layouts in the underground sequences. Rating: 3 (of 5).

Aquaman #4: I would've hoped for something a bit more interesting for the final confrontation than Big Fight™. The Lovecraftian monster designs by Reis continue to be interesting. Rating: 3 (of 5).

Batman: The Dark Knight #4: This title is just moving along too slowly. And why exactly is Deathstroke here anyway? Rating: 2 (of 5).

Blackhawks #4: I have to admit I'm a bit interested to see where the plto goes next, but not so interested that I'll bother seeking it out. Rating: 2 (of 5).

The Flash #4: Second only to Batwoman in the interesting art area of the New 52. And I like how they kept the suspense of last issue's cliffhanger going well into the issue by focusing on the backstory of the villains. Rating: 3.5 (of 5).

The Fury of Firestorm, the Nuclear Men #4: Totally flailing to find a direction. This title needs to straighten up right quick. Rating: 2.5 (of 5).

Green Lantern: New Guardians #4: The big two-page cliffhanger is the most interesting thing to happen in this title so far. But it doesn't make up for the preceding seventy-eight pages. Rating: 2.5 (of 5).

I, Vampire #4: Was this mostly a flashback? It's hard to tell. Despite that, the art by Sorrentino continues to be nice to look at, and Fialkov does a good job with guest star John Contantine. Rating: 3 (of 5).

Justice League Dark #4: Kind of a mess as it jumps around. And yeah, we could do without the beheading (this is a 'T' title?) Rating: 2.5 (of 5).

Legion: Secret Origin #3: Still unnecessary, but a good read. And at least Levitz isn't completely just retreading old stories. Rating: 3 (of 5).

The Savage Hawkman #4: What the @#$%! is going on in this book. A complete failure. Of all of the DCnU titles so far, this may be the worst. Rating: 1 (of 5).

Superman #4: Wow, that new Superman outfit just does not work. Bring back the denim! Rating: 3 (of 5).

Teen Titans #4: Booth's art is very detailed, even if his figures are a bit funny and his angles are weird (and he can't seem to follow script directions... Actually it appears to be a sneaky cameo of one of my all-time favorite characters!) I like the repartee between Red Robin and Kid Flash. Rating: 3 (of 5).

Voodoo #4: Tries to explain a few things. But that scene with the computer jockey? Lazy and stupid. Rating: 2 (of 5).


Ratings compared to the third issues: 3 improved; 8 stayed the same; 3 were worse. 

And that's it! I'll have a New 52 wrap-up sometime in the next week or so.

Winter Covers - December 30

Scamp is on thin ice on the cover of Scamp #2 (2010) by Al Hubbard.

Christmas may be over, but we're filling out December with winter-themed comics covers!

(2010: The Flash #2)
(2009: The Simpsons Winter Wing Ding #1)

Amazon Top 50

Here are the Top 50 Graphic Novels on Amazon this morning. All the previous caveats apply.


1 (-). Cabin Fever (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 6)
2 (+10). Dork Diaries 1 (Kindle)
3 (+29). Dork Diaries 3 (Kindle)
4 (+16). Big Nate Out Loud (Kindle)
5 (-). The Walking Dead Volume 15
6 (N). Big Nate and Friends (Kindle)
7 (-5). Dilbert: 2012 Day-to-Day Calendar
8 (+35). Dork Diaries 2 (Kindle)
9 (+32). Big Nate: From the Top (Kindle)
10 (-4). The Adventures of Tintin: Tintin in America / Cigars of the Pharaoh / The Blue Lotus
11 (-7). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 1
12 (R). Dork Diaries 3 ½ (Kindle)
13 (-10). The Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book (revised and expanded edition)
14 (-6). Habibi
15 (-). Batman: The Black Mirror
16 (-). Fables Vol. 16: Super Team
17 (-7). Batman: Noel
18 (-4). The Adventures of Tintin, Vol. 2: The Broken Ear / The Black Island / King Ottokar's Sceptre
19 (-6). The Ugly Truth (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 5)
20 (+4). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
21 (+10). The Walking Dead, Book 7
22 (-5). The Adventures of Tintin, Vol. 3: The Crab with the Golden Claws / The Shooting Star / The Secret of the Unicorn
23 (N). Batman: The Complete Hush (Kindle)
24 (R). 5 Very Good Reasons to Punch a Dolphin in the Mouth (Kindle)
25 (-4). Dog Days (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 4)
26 (-19). Diary of a Wimpy Kid Box of Books (1-5)
27 (-18). Hark! A Vagrant
28 (-1). The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
29 (-7). Batman: Year One
30 (-7). V for Vendetta
31 (+3). Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
32 (-2). Batman: The Killing Joke
33 (+17). The Adventures of Tintin, Vol. 4: Red Rackham's Treasure / The Seven Crystal Balls / Prisoners of the Sun
34 (N). Superman Earth One (Kindle)
35 (N). Watchmen (Kindle)
36 (+4). Batman: Arkham Asylum (15th Anniversary Edition)
37 (N). Batman: Year One (Kindle)
38 (+7). Red Rackham's Treasure (The Adventures of Tintin)
39 (-28). The Walking Dead, Book 1
40 (+4). Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
41 (R). Batman: Hush
42 (R). The Walking Dead, Book 5
43 (-17). Tintin in Tibet
44 (+5). The Walking Dead Volume 14: No Way Out
45 (R). The Walking Dead, Vol. 9: Here We Remain
46 (R). The Walking Dead, Book 6
47 (R). Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art
48 (-15). Twilight: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 2
49 (R). The Walking Dead, Vol. 10: What We Become
50 (R). The Walking Dead, Book 2


Items with asterisks (*) are pre-order items.

N = New listing appearing on list for first time
R = Item returning to the list after having been off for 1 or more weeks


Commentary:

* The Wimpy Kid's Cabin Fever slides down to #9 on the overall list. But that's still good enough to ward off the onslaught of post-holiday Kindle book buying and remain at the top of the comics chart.

* The Comics list is overwhelmed by Kindle books this week, as people unwrapped their Kindles on Christmas morning and immediately started buying their favorite graphic novels to read on its undersized screen. This week also shows the first appearance of DC's controversial Kindle Fire exclusives on the top 50.

* Dead Watch: Despite being available only in print form, The Walking Dead manage to still place nine collections in the top fifty this week.

* Tintin Watch: Six Tintin collections remain on the list post-holiday and post-movie release, which is pretty good, especially in the face of the Kindle wave.

* That's the final Amazon Top 50 chart for 2011. Look for a year-end wrap up sometime in the next week or so.

Winter Covers - December 29

She will not be hurt by him again, as per the cover of Girls' Love Stories #61 (1959).

Christmas may be over, but we're filling out December with winter-themed comics covers!

(2010: New Kids on the Block Digest #5)
(2009: Tommy og Tigern #13)

Winter Covers - December 28

Brandy takes a tumble while ice skating on the cover of Liberty Meadows #30 (2003) by Frank Cho.

Christmas may be over, but we're filling out December with winter-themed comics covers!

(2010: Daffy #12)
(2009: DC Universe Holiday Special '09)

Winter Covers - December 27

Spooky is so terrifying that he can scare the snow away, as on the cover of Spooky Spooktown #62 (1975).

Christmas may be over, but we're filling out December with winter-themed comics covers!

(2010: Spooky #78)
(2009: P.S. Magazine: The Preventive Maintenance Monthly #11)

Winter Covers - December 26

Matt Murdock is making snow angels on the cover of Daredevil #7 (2011) by Paolo Rivera.

Christmas may be over, but we're filling out December with winter-themed comics covers!

Thanks to long-time pal Eric for recommending today's Winter Cover!

(2010: Alleen op de wereld #6)
(2009: Liberty Meadows #7)

Christmas Covers - December 25

This year's comic book nativity scene comes from the cover of The International Children's Bible: The Gospel of Matthew (2006).

We hope you've enjoyed twenty-five days of Christmas-themed covers this year. Stay tuned as we finish out December with more appropriately-themed comics covers...

(2010: The First Christmas)
(2009: Topix vol. 9 #12)
(2008: Junior Partners #5)
(2007: Treasure Chest of Fun and Fact #194)
(2006: Treasure Chest of Fun and Fact #35)
(2005: Dell Four Color #1274)
(2004: Treasure Chest vol. 2 #9)

(Polite Dissent's 2011 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar)
(Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Duckburg Christmas)
(Brendan McKillip's Comic Advent Calendar 2011)
(Graeme McMillan's The Blog@ Advent Calendar)

Christmas Covers - December 24

Santa takes a spill on Sergio's roof on the cover of Sergio Aragonés Funnies #6 (2011).

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 1 more 'get-up' until Santa!

(2010: Ole Brumm Julehefte 1993)
(2009: Ninja High School #156)
(2008: Tommy og Tigern Julehefte 2007)
(2007: Action Comics #105)
(2006: Dell Four Color #666)
(2005: Dell Four Color #1274)
(2004: Captain Marvel Adventures #19)

(Polite Dissent's 2011 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar)
(Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Duckburg Christmas)
(Brendan McKillip's Comic Advent Calendar 2011)
(Graeme McMillan's The Blog@ Advent Calendar)  

DCnU Capsule Reviews, Week 15

This will be my final month reviewing all of the DCnU titles, and here are this week's books:


Batman #4: After the explosive opening there are a lot of talky info-dump bits, and Capullo makes all of it interesting to look at. Rating: 3.5 (of 5).

Birds of Prey #4: Fails on a basic story-telling level, impossible to follow what is going on. A big mess, below the level of competency that should be expected from a mainstream publisher. Rating: 1.5 (of 5).

Blue Beetle #4: A gun-toting robot gorillas on the cover can cover for a lot of sins, but these graphic shock last-page endings are getting really old and at this point are not as shocking as DC wants them to be. If fact, the only surprising thing is that they are still doing them. Still: robot gorilla. Rating: 2.5 (of 5).

Captain Atom #4: Doesn't fail on the level of Birds of Prey, but it's not very well told either. We're done here. Rating: 2 (of 5).

Catwoman #4: So far, every even issue has been somewhat palatable, while every odd issue has bordered on crap. So while this was okay, I won't bother sticking around for issue five. Rating: 2.5 (of 5).

DC Universe Presents #4: Existentialism light for the super-hero set, but the amusement park setting livens up what could have been twenty pages of boring talky bits. Rating: 3 (of 5).

Green Lantern Corps #4: Really? Another character getting his head graphically blown up? Is there some kind of weekly quota for this crap in the DCnU? Rating: 2 (of 5).

Justice League #4: Plot moving slowly, while Jim Lee's art seems rushed. And really, I want better from my Justice League than to have them sniping at each other like teenagers with chips on their shoulders. Rating: 2.5 (of 5).

Legion of Super-Heroes #4: It looks like Levitz is finally settling into his a-b-c plot formula, which was so successful back in the 80s. Rating: 3 (of 5).

Nightwing #4: Okay, I know the book is called "Night"wing, but maybe someone could turn on a light every once in a while so that we can get scenes lit in colors other that dark blue and black? Rating: 2.5 (of 5).

Red Hood and the Outlaws #4: Guess what? Someone gets shot in the head, which then explodes. Stop me if you've seen this before. Rating: 2 (of 5).

Supergirl #4: A little too dark for my tastes for a Supergirl comic. Let's lighten things up a bit, okay? (And I mean story as well as the art/coloring). Rating: 2.5 (of 5).

Wonder Woman #4: I'd like for Wonder Woman to do a bit more wonderful stuff, and a bit less of the Gods moping around. Rating: 3 (of 5).


Ratings compared to the third issues: 1 improved; 5 stayed the same; 7 were worse.

Amazon Top 50

Here are the Top 50 Graphic Novels on Amazon this morning. All the previous caveats apply.


1 (-). Cabin Fever (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 6)
2 (+1). Dilbert: 2012 Day-to-Day Calendar
3 (-1). The Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book (revised and expanded edition)
4 (+1). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 1
5 (+3). The Walking Dead Volume 15 *
6 (+7). The Adventures of Tintin: Tintin in America / Cigars of the Pharaoh / The Blue Lotus
7 (-3). Diary of a Wimpy Kid Box of Books (1-5)
8 (+10). Habibi
9 (-). Hark! A Vagrant
10 (+1). Batman: Noel
11 (+11). The Walking Dead, Book 1
12 (R). Dork Diaries 1 (Kindle)
13 (-7). The Ugly Truth (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 5)
14 (+15). The Adventures of Tintin, Vol. 2: The Broken Ear / The Black Island / King Ottokar's Sceptre
15 (+4). Batman: The Black Mirror
16 (+25). Fables Vol. 16: Super Team
17 (+15). The Adventures of Tintin, Vol. 3: The Crab with the Golden Claws / The Shooting Star / The Secret of the Unicorn
18 (+19). Pogo: The Complete Daily & Sunday Comic Strips, Vol. 1: Through the Wild Blue Wonder
19 (-4). The Complete Calvin and Hobbes
20 (R). Big Nate Out Loud (Kindle)
21 (-14). Dog Days (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 4)
22 (-2). Batman: Year One
23 (+12). V for Vendetta
24 (-1). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
25 (-15). Dork Diaries 3 ½: How to Dork Your Diary
26 (N). Tintin in Tibet
27 (+17). The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
28 (-7). The Walking Dead, Book 2
29 (-15). Dork Diaries Box Set
30 (-3). Batman: The Killing Joke
31 (-9). The Walking Dead, Book 7
32 (R). Dork Diaries 3 (Kindle)
33 (-16). Twilight: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 2
34 (R). Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
35 (-4). Scott Pilgrims Precious Little Boxset
36 (-20). Dork Diaries 3: Tales from a Not-So-Talented Pop Star
37 (-12). 5 Very Good Reasons to Punch a Dolphin in the Mouth
38 (-14). The Walking Dead, Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye
39 (N). Artsy-Fartsy (The Aldo Zelnick Comic Novel Series) (Kindle)
40 (-4). Batman: Arkham Asylum (15th Anniversary Edition)
41 (R). Big Nate: From the Top (Kindle)
42 (R). Watchmen
43 (R). Dork Diaries 2 (Kindle)
44 (R). Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
45 (N). Red Rackham's Treasure (The Adventures of Tintin)
46 (N). Tintin in the Land of the Soviets
47 (R). The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes
48 (N). The Adventures of Tintin, Vol. 5: Land of Black Gold / Destination Moon / Explorers on the Moon
49 (-19). The Walking Dead Volume 14: No Way Out
50 (N). The Adventures of Tintin, Vol. 4: Red Rackham's Treasure / The Seven Crystal Balls / Prisoners of the Sun


Items with asterisks (*) are pre-order items.

N = New listing appearing on list for first time
R = Item returning to the list after having been off for 1 or more weeks


Commentary:

* The sixth Wimpy Kid books slips another scosh to #3 on the overall chart (now behind Steve Jobs & The Hunger Games), but I suspect it will top the comics chart for many weeks to come. (Though the Dilbert desk calendar comes in at a very respectable #66 on the overall chart, its attraction is seasonal.)

* A lot of volatility in the final week before Christmas. Oddly, there were no Kindle books on last week's chart, but now there are several once again. I suspect some sort of glitch last week, but who knows?

* Dead Watch: Just seven Walking Dead books on the chart this week, though two of those are in the top ten (and three in the top eleven).

* Tintin Watch: Nine Tintin volumes on the list this week, including one in the top ten. Thanks to the movie, these are likely the best sales that Tintin has seen in the States ever.

Christmas Covers - December 23

Tintin and his pals go caroling on Herge's cover to Journal de Tintin #424 (1956).

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)

Just 2 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2010: Katy Keene #57)
(2009: Marvelman #71)
(2008: The Original Black Cat #8)
(2007: Dennis the Menace Pocket Full of Fun #22)
(2006: Girls Bravo vol. 6)
(2005: All-New Collectors' Edition #C-53)
(2004: Impulse #34)

(Polite Dissent's 2011 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar)
(Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Duckburg Christmas)
(Brendan McKillip's Comic Advent Calendar 2011)
(Graeme McMillan's The Blog@ Advent Calendar)   

Christmas Covers - December 22

Have a little romance for Christmas, courtesy of Vinnie Colletta's cover to Romantic Secrets #20 (1958).

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 3 more 'get-ups' until Santa!


(2010: I Classici Disney #241)
(2009: Archie Giant Series Magazine #501)
(2008: Harvey Hits Comics #3)
(2007: Marge's Little Lulu #90)
(2006: Dell Giant #26)
(2005: Man-Thing #3)
(2004: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer #9)

(Polite Dissent's 2011 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar)
(Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Duckburg Christmas)
(Brendan McKillip's Comic Advent Calendar 2011)
(Graeme McMillan's The Blog@ Advent Calendar)   

Christmas Covers - December 21

Jerry & Tuffy play golf with the Christmas ornaments, much to Tom's chagrin, on the cover of Tom & Jerry Comics #149 (1956).

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 4 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2010: Superman #166)
(2009: Hulk #9)
(2008: Teen Beam #2)
(2007: Bugs Bunny #46)
(2006: Wacky Squirrel #2)
(2005: Archie Giant Series Magazine #15)
(2004: DC Comics Presents #67)

(Polite Dissent's 2011 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar)
(Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Duckburg Christmas)
(Brendan McKillip's Comic Advent Calendar 2011)
(Graeme McMillan's The Blog@ Advent Calendar)   

DCnU Capsule Reviews, Week 14

This will be my final month reviewing all of the DCnU titles, and here are last week's books:


Batgirl #4: Batgirl faces off against Mirror at Christmas. I really don't see the necessity for all of the blood during the fight scenes. I like the relationship that is developing between Barbara and her new roommate (which means we probably shouldn't get too attached to her...) Rating: 3 (of 5).

Batman and Robin #4: Gleason continues to get more daring with his storytelling choices, which is helping to keep my interest in this title. Rating: 3 (of 5).

Batwoman #4: Continues to operate on a completely different level from the rest of the DCnU. To echo Mr. Bones in the last panel, there's no way I'm missing what comes next. (And bonus kudos for presenting the story uninterrupted by ads!) Rating: 4.5 (of 5).

Deathstroke #4: For as much as I've derided this book so far, I kind of wanted a longer scene of Slade in the prison. This wasn't quite the nadir of the past couple of issues, but I still won't miss it. Rating: 2 (of 5).

Demon Knights #4: I suppose I should be a bit miffed that they took time out of the already slow-moving opening tale to give us a story that is mostly Shining Knight backstory, but it was quite well done and a perfect example of how to make effective use out of the need for a fill-in artist. Rating: 3 (of 5).

Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #4: Pretty much more of the same good stuff that we've been getting thus far from Lemire and Ponticelli. Rating: 3.5 (of 5).

Green Lantern #4: Hal Jordan & Sinestro continue their bromance as prisoners on Korugar, as a thousand fan-fics are born. Rating: 3 (of 5).

Grifter #4: I can't believe I didn't make the Daemonites / Demon Knights connection until it was mentioned here. But I'm obtuse that way sometimes, just as the showdown between Cole & Green Lantern is here. Rating: 2 (of 5).

Legion Lost #4: The Story continues to be okay, and is wrapped around some pretty art from Pete Woods. Rating: 2.5 (of 5).

Mister Terrific #4: This is exactly the kind of crazy-ass sci-fi stuff I want from a Mister Terrific comic. After a slow start in the first couple of issues, this comic is finally finding its groove. Rating: 3 (of 5).

The Ray #1: I was really liking this, until the last page. Minus half a point for yet another person in a DC comic suffering from a graphic fatal head injury. Rating: 2.5 (of 5).

Resurrection Man #4: Issues with pacing plague this title, such as the seven-page firefight with the Body Doubles that opens this issue with nary a Resurrection Man in sight. Rating: 2.5 (of 5).

The Shade #3: For everyone who was wondering when the James Robinson who wrote Starman would show up again, here you are. Plus another great showing from Cully Hamner. Rating: 3.5 (of 5).

Suicide Squad #4: Continues to improve slightly, but for me at this point it is too little too late. Someone let me know if it ever gets better. Rating: 2.5 (of 5).

Superboy #4: Another story set at Christmas. I didn't care much for the villains, but the art was nice to look at and had a certain amount of energy during the fight scenes even if at other times it was a bit stiff. I'm looking forward to the story progressing. Rating: 3 (of 5).


Ratings compared to the third issues: 2 improved; 12 stayed the same; none were worse; 1 was new.

Christmas Covers - December 20

Archie and the Riverdale gang pull out all the stops for Santa on the cover of Laugh #5 (1986) by Dan DeCarlo.

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 5 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2010: Sleivdal Julehefte 2002)
(2009: Bamses Julehefte 1998)
(2008: Larry Marder's Beanworld Holiday Special)
(2007: Archie Giant Series Magazine #218)
(2006: 52 week 33)
(2005: Strangers in Paradise #70)
(2004: The Amazing Spider-Man #314)

(Polite Dissent's 2011 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar)
(Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Duckburg Christmas)
(Brendan McKillip's Comic Advent Calendar 2011)
(Graeme McMillan's The Blog@ Advent Calendar)  

Christmas Covers - December 19

Santa argues about sled maintenance with his elves on the cover of P.S. Magazine The Preventive Maintenance Monthly #134 (1963) by Will Eisner.

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.


Just 6 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2010: Ghostbusters #3)
(2009: Magnus Robot Fighter #34)
(2008: DCU Holiday Special 2008)
(2007: Walter Lantz New Funnies #167)
(2006: Omaha the Cat Dancer vol. 2 #1)
(2005: Marvel Comics Super Special #39)
(2004: The Spirit #12)

(Polite Dissent's 2011 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar)
(Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Duckburg Christmas)
(Brendan McKillip's Comic Advent Calendar 2011)
(Graeme McMillan's The Blog@ Advent Calendar)  

Christmas Monkey Covers - December 18

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover.

Also, Sunday is Monkey Covers day here at YACB. Because there's nothing better than a comic with a monkey on the cover!

So today we combine the two as Tivoli the monkey helps Santa deliver toys on the cover to Tivoli med vänner #11 (2010).

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 7 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2010: Looney Tunes #97)
(2009: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer #4)
(2008: Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #364)
(2007: Guy Garder: Warrior #39)
(2006: Impulse #45)
(2005: Adventures of Superman #487)
(2004: Mutt & Jeff #32)

(Polite Dissent's 2011 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar)
(Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Duckburg Christmas)
(Brendan McKillip's Comic Advent Calendar 2011)
(Graeme McMillan's The Blog@ Advent Calendar)    

Christmas Covers - December 17

Captain Picard has to save Christmas from an alien menace on the cover of Star Trek: The Next Generation #2 (1988) by Pablo Marcos & Carlos Garzon.

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 8 more 'get-ups' until Santa!


(2010: Heathcliff #6)
(2009: Gold Digger X-Mas Special #2)
(2008: Little Dot #29)
(2007: Classics Illustrated #53)
(2006: Patrick The Wolf Boy Christmas Special)
(2005: A Patty Cake Christmas)
(2004: Superman #165)

(Polite Dissent's 2010 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar)
(2010 Comics Should Be Good Advent Calendar)
(Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's Riverdale Christmas)
(The Comics Cube's Christmas Countdown)  
(Brendan McKillip's Comic Advent Calendar 2010)  

Amazon Top 50

Here are the Top 50 Graphic Novels on Amazon this afternoon. All the previous caveats apply.


1 (-). Cabin Fever (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 6)
2 (-). The Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book (revised and expanded edition)
3 (-). Dilbert: 2012 Day-to-Day Calendar
4 (+1). Diary of a Wimpy Kid Box of Books (1-5)
5 (-1). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 1
6 (-). The Ugly Truth (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 5)
7 (-). Dog Days (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 4)
8 (+10). The Walking Dead Volume 15 *
9 (R). Hark! A Vagrant
10 (-1). Dork Diaries 3 ½: How to Dork Your Diary
11 (+3). Batman: Noel
12 (-1). The Walking Dead, Book 1
13 (-). The Adventures of Tintin: Tintin in America / Cigars of the Pharaoh / The Blue Lotus
14 (R). Dork Diaries Box Set
15 (-). The Complete Calvin and Hobbes
16 (-8). Dork Diaries 3: Tales from a Not-So-Talented Pop Star
17 (-). Twilight: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 2
18 (+3). Habibi
19 (+3). Batman: The Black Mirror
20 (+10). Batman: Year One
21 (+2). The Walking Dead, Book 2
22 (+3). The Walking Dead, Book 7
23 (+6). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
24 (R). The Walking Dead, Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye
25 (+1). 5 Very Good Reasons to Punch a Dolphin in the Mouth
26 (+1). Big Nate and Friends
27 (+13). Batman: The Killing Joke
28 (+16). Big Nate Boredom Buster
29 (+7). The Adventures of Tintin, Vol. 2: The Broken Ear / The Black Island / King Ottokar's Sceptre
30 (+7). The Walking Dead Volume 14: No Way Out
31 (R). Scott Pilgrims Precious Little Boxset
32 (+11). The Adventures of Tintin, Vol. 3: The Crab with the Golden Claws / The Shooting Star / The Secret of the Unicorn
33 (+9). The Walking Dead, Book 3
34 (R). Attack of the Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons
35 (-1). V for Vendetta
36 (R). Batman: Arkham Asylum (15th Anniversary Edition)
37 (-6). Pogo: The Complete Daily & Sunday Comic Strips, Vol. 1: Through the Wild Blue Wonder
38 (R). Batman: Hush
39 (R). The Indispensable Calvin and Hobbes
40 (-7). Twilight: The Graphic Novel, Volume 1
41 (N). Fables Vol. 16: Super Team *
42 (-1). Walt Disney's Donald Duck: "Lost in the Andes"
43 (+7). Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Vol. 2
44 (N). The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
45 (+1). The Walking Dead Volume 2: Miles Behind Us
46 (R). Big Nate Out Loud
47 (R). The Walking Dead Volume 3: Safety Behind Bars
48 (-10). Maximum Ride: The Manga, Vol. 5
49 (-2). The Walking Dead, Vol. 9: Here We Remain
50 (R). The Walking Dead, Book 5


Items with asterisks (*) are pre-order items.

N = New listing appearing on list for first time
R = Item returning to the list after having been off for 1 or more weeks


Commentary:

* The Wimpy Kid vol. 6 slips to #2 on the overall chart (behind the Steve Jobs biography), but it's still #1 in our hearts and on the comics & graphic novels chart.

* Hark! A Vagrant continues its roller coaster ride on the charts, apeparing at #9 this week when last week it was off the chart entirely.

* Dead Watch: Back up to eleven Walking Dead collections on the chart this week.

* Tintin Watch: There are four Tintin volumes on the chart this week; will the release of the movie enhance desire for Tintin comics, or soften it?

* The highest debut this week belongs to the latest Fables collection, though it is all the way down at #41.

Christmas Covers - December 16

The Doctor faces off against a batch of robot Santas on Mark Buckingham & Charlie Kirchoff's cover to Doctor Who #12 (2011).

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 9 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2010: Swan vol. 15)
(2009: The Transformers #250)
(2008: Tantalizing Stories #2)
(2007: Funny Pages vol. 2 #43)
(2006: Katy Keene #33)
(2005: Bone Holiday Special)
(2004: Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #76)

(Polite Dissent's 2011 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar)
(Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Duckburg Christmas)
(Brendan McKillip's Comic Advent Calendar 2011)
(Graeme McMillan's The Blog@ Advent Calendar)  

Christmas Covers - December 15

NASA aren't the first people to try to go to Mars; apparently Santa went there back in the 50s, as per the cover to Santa Takes a Trip to Mars (1950).

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 10 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2010: Christmas with the Super-Heroes #1 )
(2009: Kollektivet Julealbum 2007)
(2008: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer #7)
(2007: Donald Duck & Co. #49/1964)
(2006: 2000 A.D. #763)
(2005: Incredible Hulk #378)
(2004: Batman #45)

(Polite Dissent's 2011 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar)
(Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Duckburg Christmas)
(Brendan McKillip's Comic Advent Calendar 2011)
(Graeme McMillan's The Blog@ Advent Calendar)    

Christmas Covers - December 14

Bugs Bunny brings his long Christmas list to Santa on the cover of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies Comics #87 (1948).

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.


Just 11 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2010: Sal y Pimienta #151)
(2009: Sugar & Spike #50)
(2008: Tom-Tom, The Jungle Boy #3)
(2007: Sugar & Spike #68)
(2006: Sugar & Spike #38)
(2005: Sugar & Spike #26)
(2004: Sugar & Spike #32)

(Polite Dissent's 2011 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar)
(Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Duckburg Christmas)
(Brendan McKillip's Comic Advent Calendar 2011)
(Graeme McMillan's The Blog@ Advent Calendar)   

Christmas Covers - December 13

Batman plays Santa on the cover of Batman #239. (1971) by Neal Adams & Dick Giordano.

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 12 more 'get-ups' until Santa!


(2010: Pelle Svanslös Jul-album 1960)
(2009: Robbedoes #2436)
(2008: Sugar and Spike #44)
(2007: Love Hina vol. 6)
(2006: Green Lantern: Mosaic #9)
(2005: Jonah Hex #34)
(2004: Starman #27)

(Polite Dissent's 2011 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar)
(Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Duckburg Christmas)
(Brendan McKillip's Comic Advent Calendar 2011)
(Graeme McMillan's The Blog@ Advent Calendar)  

Christmas Covers - December 12

Two sidewalk Santas get into an argument over the sentiment of the season on Don Martin's cover to Mad #68 (1961).

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 13 more 'get-ups' until Santa!


(2010: Sugar Buzz #4)
(2009: Clerks Holiday Special)
(2008: Eternal Romance #3)
(2007: Liberty Meadows #24)
(2006: Veronica #6)
(2005: Dell Movie Classic #725)
(2004: Treasure Chest vol. 23 #8)

(Polite Dissent's 2011 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar)
(Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Duckburg Christmas)
(Brendan McKillip's Comic Advent Calendar 2011)
(Graeme McMillan's The Blog@ Advent Calendar)    

DCnU Capsule Reviews, Week 13

This will be my final month reviewing all of the DCnU titles, so let's get cracking:

Action Comics #4: Things were going well until 'this fight continued in the back-up feature' (weird, but whatever), then 'this story continued in issue #7' (huh?!). That's some sloppy editorial management there. Rating: 3 (of 5).

Animal Man #4: The stuff with Buddy and Maxine in The Red is moving a bit too slowly, but there's a nice two-page center spread by Foreman, and Socks is awesome. Rating: 3 (of 5).

Batwing #4: The Guest art by ChrisCross makes for a clearer story experience; as for that matter does the flashback to Batwing's days as a child soldier. Rating: 2.5 (of 5).

Detective Comics #4: So is Bruce Wayne going to have a different girlfriend in every Batman comic? (I actually kind of like the idea...) Batman's confrontation with The Dollmaker isn't terribly special. Rating: 2.5 (of 5).

Green Arrow #4: Even with the change in writers, this continues to be quite generic. Rating: 2 (of 5).

Hawk & Dove #4: A five page story crammed into twenty pages. Rating: 2 (of 5).

Justice League International #4: The old-school super-hero team action continues. The color palate is a shade too dark for a Justice League comic, but not distractingly so. Rating: 3 (of 5).

Men of War #4: When your big last page reveal/cliffhanger leaves the reader going 'huh?', that's not a good sign. Rating: 1.5 (of 5).

O.M.A.C. #4: I continue to enjoy the heck out of this loud, kinda-dumb comic (which I think is a bit smarter than it appears). A continued shout-out to the colors from Hi-Fi, which help the art's Giffen/Kirby blend pop off the page. Rating: 3 (of 5).

Red Lanterns #4: The brief two-page origin flashback of Ratchet offers a frustrating glimpse at how this could be a good comic, if the rest of it wasn't full of dumb posturing and shouting and not much happening. Rating: 2 (of 5).

Static Shock #4: Every so often a glimpse of Rozum's writing style shows through, but mostly this is starting to test my affection for the character. Rating: 2.5 (of 5).

Stormwatch #4: A big, explosive Stormwatch-stye confrontation with the Creature from The Moon. Rating: 3 (of 5).

Swamp Thing #4: Fill-in artist Marco Rudy doesn't miss a beat, and turns in a few really stellar pages; particularly page sixteen, with Abby and Alec lying next to each other on the bisected page. Also, it's interesting that the views of The Rot offered here and in Animal Man don't exactly match-up, no doubt due to the different viewpoint of the messengers. Rating: 3.5 (of 5).

Ratings compared to the third issues: 3 improved; 9 stayed the same; 1 was worse.

Christmas Monkey Covers - December 11

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover.

Also, Sunday is Monkey Covers day here at YACB. Because there's nothing better than a comic with a monkey on the cover!

So today we combine the two as Homer looks forward to the Christmas Ape Holiday Special on television while the rest of the family is caroling on the cover to The Simpsons Winter Wingding #6 (2011).

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 14 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2010: Marvel Super Hero Squad #12 )

(2009: P.S. Magazine: The Preventive Maintenance Monthly #157)
(2008: More Fun Comics #39)
(2007: The Tick: Big Red-N-Green Christmas Spectacle #1)
(2006: The Best of DC #58)
(2005: Batman #27)
(2004: The Brave and the Bold #148)

(Polite Dissent's 2011 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar)
(Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Duckburg Christmas)
(Brendan McKillip's Comic Advent Calendar 2011)
(Graeme McMillan's The Blog@ Advent Calendar)   

Christmas with the 1% - A Holiday Five of a Kind

What does a Poor Little Rich Boy do for the holidays?

 

Richie Rich #8
Richie Rich #42
Richie Rich Dollars and Cents #17
Richie Rich Holiday Digest Magazine #4
Richie Rich Millions #16

Christmas Covers - December 10

Spider-Man tries to stop The Green Goblin from kidnapping Santa Claus on the cover of Spider-Man Kids julehefte 2009.

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.


Just 15 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2010: Richie Rich Holiday Digest Magazine #1)
(2009: Pondus - Julen 2003)
(2008: Battle Vixens vol. 9)
(2007: The Bakers Meet Jingle Belle)
(2006: A Distant Soil #26)
(2005: Classics Illustrated #15)
(2004: Action Comics #93)

(Polite Dissent's 2011 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar)
(Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Duckburg Christmas)
(Brendan McKillip's Comic Advent Calendar 2011)
(Graeme McMillan's The Blog@ Advent Calendar)     

WIPO's new manga

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) recently published a slim manga volume, Honmono, by Emiko Iwasaki. Its creation is the result of a competition in Japan:

During the summer of 2010, the WIPO Japan Office organized the Real Manga Competition. The competition was sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of Japan and the Japan Patent Office (JPO), and supported by Kadokawa Shoten Publishing.

The competition invited Japanese manga artists to create an original work highlighting the health and safety risks associated with purchasing counterfeit products. Entrants were required to submit original artwork, a storyline and characters to explain the health and safety risks related to counterfeit products.

We received a print copy at the library as it was included with the October 2011 issue of WIPO Magazine. But you can download a PDF version for free from WIPO: http://www.wipo.int/freepublications/en/.../wipo_publication_1028.pdf

(And yes, it's as didactic as you'd expect...)

Amazon Top 50

Here are the Top 50 Graphic Novels on Amazon this evening. All the previous caveats apply.


1 (-). Cabin Fever (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 6)
2 (-). The Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book (revised and expanded edition)
3 (+2). Dilbert: 2012 Day-to-Day Calendar
4 (-1). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 1
5 (-1). Diary of a Wimpy Kid Box of Books (1-5)
6 (-). The Ugly Truth (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 5)
7 (+1). Dog Days (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 4)
8 (+1). Dork Diaries 3: Tales from a Not-So-Talented Pop Star
9 (-2). Dork Diaries 3 ½: How to Dork Your Diary
10 (R). Big Nate Out Loud (Kindle edition)
11 (-1). The Walking Dead, Book 1
12 (+16). 5 Very Good Reasons to Punch a Dolphin in the Mouth (Kindle)
13 (+7). The Adventures of Tintin: Tintin in America / Cigars of the Pharaoh / The Blue Lotus
14 (-3). Batman: Noel
15 (-1). The Complete Calvin and Hobbes
16 (R). Dork Diaries 1 (Kindle edition)
17 (-4). Twilight: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 2
18 (+1). The Walking Dead Volume 15 *
19 (R). Dork Diaries 3 (Kindle edition)
20 (+2). Dork Diaries Box Set
21 (+25). Habibi
22 (-5). Batman: The Black Mirror
23 (-7). The Walking Dead, Book 2
24 (-6). The Walking Dead, Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye
25 (-4). The Walking Dead, Book 7
26 (+15). 5 Very Good Reasons to Punch a Dolphin in the Mouth
27 (+8). Big Nate and Friends
28 (+4). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
29 (-2). Batman: Year One
30 (-4). Pogo: The Complete Daily & Sunday Comic Strips, Vol. 1: Through the Wild Blue Wonder
31 (N). 1,000 Comic Books You Must Read (Kindle)
32 (+1). Twilight: The Graphic Novel, Volume 1
33 (+16). V for Vendetta
34 (+6). The Adventures of Tintin, Vol. 2: The Broken Ear / The Black Island / King Ottokar's Sceptre
35 (-5). The Walking Dead Volume 14: No Way Out
36 (-21). Maximum Ride: The Manga, Vol. 5 *
37 (R). Big Nate: From the Top (Kindle)
38 (-2). Batman: The Killing Joke
39 (-1). Walt Disney's Donald Duck: "Lost in the Andes"
40 (-16). The Walking Dead, Book 3
41 (N). The Adventures of Tintin, Vol. 3: The Crab with the Golden Claws / The Shooting Star / The Secret of the Unicorn
42 (-3). Big Nate Boredom Buster
43 (R). Dork Diaries 2 (Kindle edition)
44 (-19). The Walking Dead Volume 2: Miles Behind Us
45 (-8). The Walking Dead, Vol. 9: Here We Remain
46 (R). Ninjago Graphic Novels #1: The Challenge of Samukai
45 (R). Dork Diaries 3 ½ (Kindle edition)
48 (+2). Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Vol. 2


Items with asterisks (*) are pre-order items.

N = New listing appearing on list for first time
R = Item returning to the list after having been off for 1 or more weeks


Commentary:

* Wimpy Kid book six is still #1 on the overall chart, and thus remains #1 here as well.

* There's a huge surge of Kindle titles onto the list this week for some reason. But none of them are the DC titles that cause such a kerfuffle earlier.

* The top debut is a Kindle item, Tony Isabella's 1,000 Comic Books You Must Read.

* The only other debut this week is the third Tintin omnibus, bringing the total to three Tintin omnibi on the list in advance of the movie which is still a couple of weeks and change away from release.

* Dead Watch: Just ten Walking Dead collections on the list this week.

Christmas Covers - December 9

Goofy tries to fit down the chimney on the cover of The Disney Afternoon #3 (1995) by Rick Stasi & Michael James.

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.


Just 16 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2010: The Tick's Big Yule Log Special 2000)
(2009: Funny Stuff #30)
(2008: March of Comics #77)
(2007: Spaceman Discovers Christmas)
(2006: All-American Comics #10)
(2005: Roy Rogers Comics #49)
(2004: Pogo Possum #11)

(Polite Dissent's 2011 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar)
(Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Duckburg Christmas)
(Brendan McKillip's Comic Advent Calendar 2011)
(Graeme McMillan's The Blog@ Advent Calendar)    

Christmas Covers - December 8

It's a Merry Manga Christmas on Rumiko Takahashi's cover to Ranma ½ part seven #5 (1998).

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.


Just 17 more 'get-ups' until Santa!



(2010: Furrlough #179)
(2009: The Joy of a Peanuts Christmas)
(2008: Fables #56)
(2007: Dell Giant #26)
(2006: X-Men #108)
(2005: Liberty Meadows #29)
(2004: Top Ten #6)

(Polite Dissent's 2011 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar)
(Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Duckburg Christmas)
(Brendan McKillip's Comic Advent Calendar 2011)
(Graeme McMillan's The Blog@ Advent Calendar) 

Christmas Covers - December 7

Archie Andrews is caught in a holiday time warp on the cover of Archie #615 (2010) by Dan Parent.

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.


Just 18 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2010: Anderssonskans Kalle Julalbum 1986)
(2009: Archie Giant Series Magazine #169)
(2008: Jingle Belle's All-Star Holiday Hullabaloo)
(2007: Batman: The Long Halloween #3)
(2006: Sgt. Rock #21)
(2005: Pinky and the Brain #19)
(2004: Alf Holiday Special #1)

(Polite Dissent's 2011 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar)
(Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Duckburg Christmas)
(Brendan McKillip's Comic Advent Calendar 2011)
(Graeme McMillan's The Blog@ Advent Calendar)   

Christmas Covers - December 6

Hiding out in a toy store at Christmas time proves to be a bad idea on the cover of The Pink Panther #5 (1993).

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.


Just 19 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2010: Archie Giant Series Magazine #169 )
(2009: Marvel Apes #0)
(2008: Gustaf #7)
(2007: The Adventures of Superboy #12)
(2006: The Maze Agency #11)
(2005: Spider-Man's Tangled Web #21)
(2004: Ambush Bug Stocking Stuffer)

(Polite Dissent's 2011 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar)
(Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Duckburg Christmas)
(Brendan McKillip's Comic Advent Calendar 2011) 
(Graeme McMillan's The Blog@ Advent Calendar)  

Christmas Covers - December 5

It's Li'l Santa vs. an evil giant mechanoid on Thierry Robin's cover for Petit Père Noël – contre le docteur Méchant (2002).

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.



Just 20 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2010: Funny Picture Stories vol. 2 #4 )
(2009: Betty and Veronica #213)
(2008: Marvel Holiday Special 2005)
(2007: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer #1)
(2006: Animaniacs: A Christmas Special #1)
(2005: Shanda the Panda #14)
(2004: Famous Funnies #125)


(Polite Dissent's 2011 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar)
(Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Duckburg Christmas)
(Brendan McKillip's Comic Advent Calendar 2011)  
(Graeme McMillan's The Blog@ Advent Calendar)