Coming Soon: Amazon Combined Charts for 2010

As I did last year, I've compiled statistics for the combined Amazon Top 50 charts that I've been posting throughout 2010.

Soon I'll be posting the results, but to whet your appetite, here are some questions to ponder:

Which of the following was the top graphic novel on the Amazon Top 50 Charts for 2010:

• Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
• The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days
• Kick-Ass
• Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
• Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
• Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life
• Twilight: The Graphic Novel, vol. 1
• The Walking Dead Compendium, vol. 1
• Watchmen

Which of the following was the top graphic novel franchise on the Amazon Top 50 Charts for 2010:

• Batman
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid
• Green Lantern (incl. Blackest Night)
• Scott Pilgrim
• The Walking Dead

Which of the following was the top DC graphic novel on the Amazon Top 50 Charts for 2010:

• Batman: Arkham Asylum
• Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
• Blackest Night
• Cover Run: The DC Comics Art of Adam Hughes
• Fables Vol. 13: The Great Fables Crossover
• Green Lantern: Blackest Night
• Superman: Earth One
• The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes
• V for Vendetta
• Watchmen
• Wednesday Comics

Which of the following was the top Marvel Universe Super-Hero graphic novel on the Amazon Top 50 Charts for 2010:

• Captain America: Reborn
• Marvel Encyclopedia
• Siege
• Thor Vol. 3
• Wolverine: Old Man Logan
• X-Men: Second Coming

Which of the following was the top Dark Horse graphic novel on the Amazon Top 50 Charts for 2010:

• Buffy Season 8, vol. 6: Retreat
• Buffy Season 8, vol. 7: Twilight
• Hellboy Vol. 9: The Wild Hunt
• Serenity: The Shepherd's Tale
• Serenity Vol. 2: Better Days
• Troublemaker Book 1: Alex Barnaby Series 3

Which of the following was the top manga on the Amazon Top 50 Charts for 2010:

• Black Bird Vol. 3
• Bleach Vol. 30
• Hetalia Axis Powers Vol. 1
• Naruto Vol. 47
• Negima! Vol. 26
• Vampire Knight Vol. 9
• Yotsuba&! Vol. 8

Which of the following was the top comic strip collection on the Amazon Top 50 Charts for 2010:

• 40: A Doonesbury Retrospective
• 50,000,000 Pearls Fans Can't Be Wrong
• Bloom County: The Complete Library, vol. 2: 1982-1984
• The Complete Calvin & Hobbes
• The Complete Peanuts Boxed Set 1975-1978
• Dilbert 2011 Day-to-Day Calendar
• The Splendid Magic of Penny Arcade: The 11 1/2 Anniversary Edition

Which of the following graphic novels typically assigned as reading in college courses was most popular on the Amazon Top 50 Charts for 2010:

• American Born Chinese
• Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
• The Complete Persepolis
• Fun Home
• Maus I
• Maus II
• Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
• Understanding Comics
• Watchmen

Which of the following was the top Stephen King-related graphic novel on the Amazon Top 50 Charts for 2010:

• American Vampire Vol. 1
• Dark Tower: The Fall of Gilead
• Dark Tower: The Battle of Jericho Hill
• Stephen King's N.
• Stephen King's The Stand Vol. 1: Captain Trips
• Stephen King's The Stand Vol. 2: American Nightmares

Which of the following was the top Joss Whedon-related graphic novel on the Amazon Top 50 Charts for 2010:

• Angel Vol. 6: Last Angel in Hell
• Buffy Season 8 Vol. 6: Retreat
• Buffy Season 8 Vol. 7: Twilight
• Serenity Vol. 2: Better Days
• Serenity: The Shepherd's Tale

(The answers may surprise you!)


Make your guesses in the comments section of this blog post; I'll pick some respondents at random to receive prizes (e.g. comics!) Let's set the deadline to be Wednesday (Jan 5) at Noon EST. (Please leave some way for me to get in touch with you, like your email or your Website/blog/etc.)

BTW, while the top item is included in the lists for each category, don't assume that the rest of the pick represent all of the top choices. E.g., don't assume because a DC graphic novel isn't listed in the choices for top graphic novel that it isn't the top DC graphic novel. (Did that make sense? I hope so...)

The Sixth Annual YACB Free Comic Book Month!

May is rapidly approaching, so it's time for the Sixth Annual Free Comic Book Month!

May 1 is Free Comic Book Day, but here at YACB one day isn't good enough. For the sixth straight year, we'll be giving away free comics every day of May!

That's right, free comics! Each day of May I'll pick someone to receive a free comic, taken from my personal collection: duplicates, things I have in trades, and other stuff. My goal is to match up people with a comic that they haven't read but that they may like. My tastes are wide and varied, so chances are I have a comic for you.

And by free I mean free. Really. No cost, no shipping & handling, all free.

Here's what you need to do to enter:

By email (superman@umich.edu), send me the following:

* Your name
* Your postal address
* Titles of five comics that you like
* One other thing that you like (a book, a movie, an activity, etc.)
* Please include 'FCBM' in the subject line

That's it! For every day of May I'll choose at least one entry and try to match up that person with a comic, then I'll mail the comic to him or her. It's easy, and it's free!

(Note that once again this year I'm adding one more piece of entry data: something other than a comic that you like. I hope that this will make things a bit more interesting and help me better in fitting you with a comic.)

Last year I gave away 76 comics to 31 different people!

Of course, there are a few restrictions:

* You must be 18 or older (by entering you assert this to be true)
* You must live in the United States
* You may enter at any point during May, but only one entry per person.

And a little bit of fine print:

* Persons receiving comics are chosen by me, based on whether I feel I can provide a comic to you
* Even if you've entered in previous years, you're welcome to enter again
* I'll try my best, but there's no guarantee you'll actually like the comic I send
* All winners will be announced here on Yet Another Comics Blog (please let me know if you don't want your real name used)
* At least one winner will be selected each day, but it may take me a few days to get to the post office, so please be patient
* I will not use your address to spam you, nor sell or give your information to others

But wait, there's more!

Each person who has a free comic chosen for him/her will also receive a copy of the 2009 Halloween ashcan edition of either Popeye or Casper/Little Lulu or Star Wars. (Let me know if you have a preference, though no guarantees; and if I go overboard again his year and run out I may substitute something else.)

That's right, two free comics! How could you ask for anything more?

So what are you waiting for? Send in your entry today!

Undiscovered Gems 2 Contest Results

Using an advanced random selection process (there were six entries, so I rolled a die...) the winner of the Undiscovered Gems 2 Contest has been chosen.

The recipient of a copy of The Best American Comics 2006 is: Paul Abbamondi.

And as runners-up prizes, everyone else who entered will receive a copy of a comic from Boom! Studios.

I'll have the prizes in the mail sometime next week. Thanks to everyone who participated!

Undiscovered Gems 2 Day 5

One final entry for the Undiscovered Gems 2 Contest:

From Iris Acosta:

Recommendation: Devi by Siddharth Kotain

Devi was a celestial warrior goddess created by the gods to fight the renegade god Bala in the second century of man. When Bala rose again to threaten the universe, Devi was reborn within the body of a young woman named Tara Mehta.

Thanks to Iris for her recommendation; she's been entered into the drawing for The Best American Comics 2006. I'll be announcing the winner tomorrow.

Undiscovered Gems 2 Due Today!

Entries in the Undiscovered Gems 2 Contest are due today by 6pm EDT! Don't miss out on your chance to win a copy of The Best American Comics 2006.

Edit: Submissions are now closed. Thanks to everyone who participated. I'll be announcing the winner tomorrow.

Undiscovered Gems 2 Day 4

Another entry for the Undiscovered Gems 2 Contest:

Paul Abbamondi writes:

Actually, I don't read that many comics, and so I'm not too sure of what is technically discovered or undiscovered, but my recommendation has to go to Grease Monkey by Tim Eldred. The story revolves around Robin Plotnik, a young assistant mechanic who has just arrived on the Fist of Earth for duty. In this era, over half the human population has been killed. To fill the void, a race of aliens offer intelligence first to the dolphins (they turn them down, bunch of bottle-nosed snobs!) and then next to gorillas (who gleefully accept). Robin quickly learns that he'll be working under Mac, a sentient gorilla. Action isn't the name of the game here, with the focus being more on the budding relationship between Robin and Mac, human and accelerated animals, and together these two will share some sometimes silly adventures and some sometimes downright serious ones. Regardless, I found both the writing and artwork to be top-notch. The hint of war never really blossoms into anything other than background drama, but with Mac looking for love and Robin yearning to find his place a battle in space is the last thing on their minds. A really fun read, one that I always tell people should check out. The entire series of comics has been published by Tor Books as a graphic novel.

Thanks to Paul for his recommendation; he's been entered into the drawing for The Best American Comics 2006, which will be awarded next Wednesday. There's still time for you to enter!

Undiscovered Gems 2 Day 3

Two more entries in the Undiscovered Gems 2 Contest:

The Dane writes to tell us:

Clan Apis is a wonderful book for two reasons. In the first place it fulfills all the typical demands of storytelling. It's funny, exciting, interesting, and emotive. You'll laugh. You'll cry. Et cetera. In the second place, Clan Apis does something amazing. It actually comes off as a work of non-fiction, explicating and illustrating the secret lives of bees. And doesn't bore the reader into giving up partway through. I had read the back cover on several visits to my local seller and put the book back on the shelf several times. It just didn't sound interesting. At last and after a great many months later, I decided to purchase it as I had already gone through most of the books my seller stocked. After that, it sat on my to-read pile for another month or two. Then I finally read it and was...surprised. I was engrossed. Jay Hosler had created something amazing and no one had told me. I've since read it multiple times and given it to my wife's students to enjoy as well. Good stuff!

And Joe Szilvagyi writes:

My recommendation for the undiscovered gems list is The Surrogates written by Rob Venditti with art by Brett Weldele published by Top Shelf. The writing paints an incredibly credible view of the future where people choose to experience life through surrogate androids that transmit all sensory information to the user. It manages to run through a crime story that explores the benefits and drawbacks of this technology without coming across as preachy or too technical. Best of all, the art is quite solid with well thought out colour schemes and dynamic compositions.

Thanks to Joe and The Dane for their recommendations; they've been entered into the drawing for The Best American Comics 2006, which will be awarded next Wednesday. There's still time for you to enter!

Undiscovered Gems 2 Day 2

I received one further entry in the Undiscovered Gems 2 Contest:

Bill Burns writes:

Hey Mister, by Pete Sickman-Garner

A series of bizarre comedies focusing around a family unit of three unrelated characters: the dissipated loser Mister, the weird-looking child Young Tim, and Aunt Mary, the toughest woman in comics. Sickman-Garner (the best-named writer in comics) intersperses an occasional tale of his own creative process, one of which features Chris Staros demanding "I want wall to wall women and I want them greased up, strapped on, spread out and going down or you've drawn your last comic for Top Shelf." Hey Mister's humor is surrealistic and outrageous, but Sickman-Garner's affection for his characters makes them more than caricatures. The comics have been collected in three volumes from Top Shelf: Afterschool Special, Celebrity Roast, and The Fall Collection.

Thanks to Bill for his recommendation; he's been entered into the drawing for The Best American Comics 2006, which will be awarded next Wednesday. There's still time for you to enter!

Undiscovered Gems 2 Day 1

Only one entry received so far in the Undiscovered Gems 2 Contest:

Redhead Fangirl writes:

UMBRA
Image Comics
Art: Mike Hawthorne
Written by: Steve Murphy
A female forensics investigator in Iceland, with situational anxiety disorder discovers a mysterious skeleton in a cave… if this plot does convince you it’s not the average comic storyline, maybe the two Harvey nominations will. Absolutely deserves a wider audience (and I said so at the Vertigo panel).

Thanks to RHFG for her recommendation; she's been entered into the drawing for The Best American Comics 2006, which will be awarded next Wednesday. There's still time for you to enter!

Undiscovered Gems 2 Contest

In honor of my 3rd blogiversary next Wednesday (August 15), I'm having another contest!

The Undiscovered Gems 2 Contest will operate a lot like last year's anniversary contest. This year the grand prize is a hardcover copy of The Best American Comics 2006, edited by Harvey Pekar. It includes works by a number of luminaries in the comics field, including Kim Deitch, Alison Bechdel, Joe Sacco, Chris Ware, Rebecca Dart, Jamie Hernandez, Alex Robinson, Jessica Abel, Rick Geary, Tom Hart, Linda Barry, Robert Crumb, and many others.

There will probably also be some runners-up prizes, though I'm not sure yet how many or what they will be.

So how do you enter? I'm glad you asked!

Simply email me your recommendation of a comic that you think is worthwhile, but that you don't think that very many people have read. What I'd like to do through this contest is give you all the opportunity to share an undiscovered gem with the rest of the comics Intraweb. Thoughout the next week until the end of the contest on the 15th I'll be posting here on YACB the picks that you send me.

Your entry should include:

• Your name (tell me if you wish your name to be used when I post your pick)
  
• Your address (I won't share your address or your email with anyone!)
  
• Your pick, with a sentence or brief paragraph describing why you recommend it.
  
• The phrase 'Undiscovered Gems 2' in the subject line
  

On the evening of August 15th the winners of the Undiscovered Gems 2 Contest plus the runners-up prizes will be selected at random, and announced here on this blog.

The fine print:

• You must be 18 or older and reside in the United States to enter. (If you are outside the U.S. you can still send your recommendation pick, but you will not be elligible to win a prize.)
  
• Only one entry per person
  
• Deadline for entry is 6pm EDT on Wednesday, August 15, 2007.
  

So go ahead and enter today! (Or tomorrow, or anytime before next Wednesday.)

(You may receive an auto-reply saying that I am out of the office. Be assured that I have received your entry; there is no need to send it again to any other email.)

(Last year's undiscovered Gems: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6.)

Batman vs. Ultimates Contest Winners

Way back in March I ran a contest where I asked you to choose which long-delayed comic would come out first: All-Star Batman and Robin, the Boy Wonder #5 or Ultimates 2 #13.

Wouldn't you know it, they both came out on the same day!

So I'm picking one one winner for each choice (chosen randomly via coin flips):

The winner for All-Star Batman is Bill "madpuppy" Lamonica. Bill's prize package is: Batman Confidential #1, Superman/Batman #1, and Gotham Central #34.

The winner for Ultimates 2 is Scott of Polite Dissent. Scott's prize package is: New Avengers #1, The Mighty Avengers #1, and The New Avengers Illuminati: Secret History #1.


Gentlemen, just send me your postal address via email and I'll drop your comics off in the post to you forthwith.


Thanks to everyone who entered. And don't forget, anyone can enter for a chance to win free comics in our current Free Comic Book Month promotion!

Ultimates 2 vs. All-Star Batman & Robin Contest

Current shipping date for Ultimates 2 #13: 02 May 2007 (issue #12 came out 27 Sep 2006)

Current shipping date for All-Star Batman & Robin, the Boy Wonder #5: 16 May 2007 (issue #4 came out 17 May 2006)

Which will come out first?

Place your guess in the comments section (include your name or uniquely identifyable pseudonym).

Those who pick correctly will be placed in a drawing for cool prizes! (Must live in the U.S. and be 18 or older.)

(Contest open until I cut off comments.)

100 Comics Contest Results

It's time to announce the winners in the 100 Comics Giveaway Contest.

First, let me thank everyone who entered and shared their picks for an Undiscovered Gem. This part was a lot of fun. I hope that everyone reading learned about a new-to-them comic that they'll seek out.

Now on to the winners:

All winners were chosen randomly; I printed out the names on little slips of paper and had people in my tv group draw them out of a cup last night.

I received 22 eligible entries, so that means there are two runners-up prizes of five comics each.

The first runner-up is Martin M. The five comics he will be getting are:

All the Wrong Places #1
Childhood's End #1
Elk's Run #1
Lenore #11
The Norm #1

The second runner-up in TangognaT. The five comics she will be getting are:

Aquarium #1
Emma Davenport #1
Feather #1
Leave it to Chance #1
Mermaid's Dream #1

And now what you've all been waiting for, the winner of the Grand Prize 100 Comics Prize Package. The winner is... Jeff G.! Jeff will be receiving the following 100 Comics:

Advent Rising #1
American Century #1
American Century #2
The American Way #1
Amy Racecar Color Special #2
Aphrodiye IX #1
Apollo Smile #1
Athena Voltaire #1
Babyhead #1
Batgirl #1
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #88
Battlestar Galactica #0
Bio-Booster Armor Guyver #1
Boneyard #10
Cartoon Network Action Pack #2
Cartoon Network featuring Cow & Chicken
Creed: Utopia #1
The Creeper #1
Cursed #1
Cyber 7 #1
Cyberfrog #1
Deal with the Devil #1
Dear Julia #1
The Devil's Keeper #1
Dirtboy #1
Donald Duck Halloween Ashcan
The Exec #1
First World #1
Flare #1
The Flying Friar
Ghost Rider #1
The Ghouly Boys #1
Hack/Slash: Trailers
Happydale: Devils in the Desert #1
The Hoon #1
Imperial Dragons #1
The Invisibles v. 3 #7
Ion #1
Jack & Jack #1
John Carpenter's Snake Plissken Chronicles #1
Jubilee #1
Just Imagine Stan Lee with John Byrne creating Robin
Just Imagine Stan Lee with Scvott McDaniel creating Aquaman
Justice League Adventures #7
Kamikaze 1946 #3
Killer Stunts, Inc. #1
Lethal Instinct #1
Lost Stories #3
Lunar Donut #4
Magneto Rex #3
Marvel Nemesis: The Imperfects #1
Melby Comics #1
Mobile Police Patlabor #1
The New Avengers Annual #1
The New Invaders #0
The Next #1
Nick Fury's Howling Commandos #1
Nick Landime #1
Occult Crimes Taskforce #1
OMAC #1
Pantheon #8
Paper & Binding #1
Planetary Brigade #2
Raven #1
The Remarkable Worlds of Professor Phineas B. Fuddle #1
Robyn of Sherwood #2
RQW #1
Rune #1
Sabretooth Classics #10
Saffire #1
Sam and Twitch #14
Satyr #1
Scion #7
Shonen Jump #0
The Silent Invasion #5
Sixgun Samurai #1
Sol Bianca #1
Spirit & Image #1
Spirit of the Amazon #1
Star Wars: Legacy #0
Star Wars: Republic #80
Stardust Kid #4
Stark Raven #1
Steampunk #1
Superboy #64
Supergirl #40
Superman: The Man of Steel #94
Superman: The Man of Tomorrow #14
Superosity #7
Tron #1
Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk #1
Ultimate X-Men #1 (FCBD edition)
The Warlord #1
The Warlord #2
The Warlord #3
Way of the Rat #1
What Were They Thinking: Some People Never Learn #1
Wilderemere #1
Wizard in Training #0
Xenon #1

With all that variety, I figure that there must be something in there that Jeff will like!

(I should have the prize packages mailed off by the end of the week.)

Thanks again to everyone who participated. If you didn't win this time, be sure to check back to this blog regularly as I often run contests for free comics, including my big Free Comic Book Month in May.

Undiscovered Gems Day 6

Here is today's batch of recommendations/entries for the 100 Comics Giveaway Contest; undiscovered gems of which you may not have been aware:


From Joshua G.:

My pick is Talent, a miniseries from Boom that is currently on its second issue... I think. The premise is that a man is on a airplane that crashes into New York harbor, he wakes up with the memories and skills (Talents) of everyone who was on the plane. He is now wanted in connection with the crash, with people thinking he is a terrorist. Additionally, some sort of mysterious and powerful organization wants him eliminated for reasons unknown. The art is bold (I don't really explain art well) and the storytelling has been great so far. I got this recomended by the guy at my local shop and it is not getting nearly enough support. I am hoping that if we can get enough backing, they may agree to expand it, rather than finish it in the 4(6?)-book arc they currently have planned. You should be able to find the minis at most stores at this point. My friend on the West Coast just recently had issue #1 released there, so I think it varies regionally.

From Gordon D.:

I don't know why more people aren't reading Rocketo - it's one of those genre-mixing books that doesn't feel cliche. Strong art and unusual coloring that pulls you into a far-future world that you have never seen; twists and turns that occur naturally; and just a very unique premise. This is one of those books that, once I got started, I now can't stop reading...and it's all thanks to Yet Another Comics Blog

From TangognaT:

My undiscovered gem is Chikyu Misaki by Iwahara Yuji - Misaki moves to her grandfather's house in a remote town near lake Hohoro. Life quickly becomes complicated when she discovers a legendary lake monster and deals with her repressed childhood memories. The sleepy town quickly fills with intrigue due to a kidnapped heiress, missing gold, and an airplane crash. The characters lives intersect in interesting ways, and the art is very cute.

From Matthew R.:

I'm a bit of a comics newbie, so this may not be as "undiscovered" as I think it is, but I'll go with Daisy Kutter. This was a four-part series from 2004, written by Kazu Kibuishi. I think it's available in a trade paperback, but I recently picked up the four issues from the back issue boxes at the comics shop I frequent. It's a western, but there are robots (which may be enough recommendation already). The main character is a woman who has retired from robbing trains. She's getting bored in her new role as a small town shopkeeper when she receives an offer to do one last job. The plot keeps things moving along, and the characterization and the pacing are great. It's just plain fun, with some nice character moments, some humor, and a few surprises. Plus, there are killer robots in the wild west-- what else do you need? (And, if it's okay to plug the place I shop at-- many thanks to Paula at Spy Comics in Federal Way, WA, for the recommendation.)

From The Dane:

There are so many great books out there that just simply have never found an audience that it's difficult to choose what should be chosen. I've thought quite a bit about it and have narrowed my recommendations to two books (both published, incidentally, by SLG): Sparks by Lawrence Marvit; Mister Blank by Christopher Hicks. Both books accomplish their goals marvelously in my view. Sparks offers a unique and touching narrative through a very common and cliched framework. The art isn't grand or particularly special, but it serves the story - and if Sparks is about anything, it's the story. Mister Blank on the other hand, offers wonderfully playful illustrations with the kind of bold lines that can really make a black-and-white book sing. Hicks is an amazing visual storyteller and the tale he tells here is some of the most fun I've ever had reading a book. If you haven't read either of these, I highly recommend taking the time to enjoy them for what they are: good comics.

Thanks to everyone above for your recommendations; you have all been entered into the drawing for the 100 Comics Grand Prize. There's still time for you to enter, but be sure to do so before Tuesday at 6pm EDT!

Undiscovered Gems Day 5

Here is today's batch of recommendations/entries for the 100 Comics Giveaway Contest; undiscovered gems of which you may not have been aware:


From Zoe H.:

My pick is Cromartie High School. I don't read any manga, so I was a little wary and unsure when a friend sent me a volume of this series, but I'm really glad they did. It's a completely strange book, about Japanese school boys trying to becoming "badasses" and win fights with other schools, but it's more about making everything ridiculous and out of the ordinary. It's just really, really bizarre. For example, one of the classmates is a robot, who then gets turned into a motorcycle. Another is Freddie Mercury. Yeah, that Freddie Mercury. It's a wonderful and funny series that's includes many things near and dear to my heart, like surreal humor and savage mockery of teenaged boys. Plus there's a gorilla.

From Wheeler Joseph Hall:

I recommend Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind Parts 1-5 (1988; 27 issues) by Hayao Miyazaki. Miyazaki's fantasy is groundbreaking and revolutionary. It was first published in 1982 in Japan and is even more relevant 24 years later. Honestly, could there be a topic more appropriate theme for today's world than a story about the attempt to create peace between kingdoms torn apart by war, battling over the last of the world's precious natural resources? A story that is at the same time haunting and heartwarming, disturbing and gentle deserves our attention once again.

From Martin Moretti:

My pick is the clever and classy autobiographical comic And Then One Day... by Rockin' Ryan Claytor (www.elephanteater.com). Ryan bares his soul for the reader with his frank and honest chronicling of his day-to-day life, and he manages to do it with a quirky sense of humor that endears him to the reader. His cute and cartoony art manages to convey his joy in creating the comics you are reading. Ryan is as interested in the production side of creating a comic, and puts a great deal of effort into designing an attractive package for his stories. His latest work, a daily sketchbook diary, is terrific but is sadly his only book currently in print, so hopefully we'll see a collection of his back-catalog in the future. And I am NOT just saying all this because Ryan is a good friend of mine and I occasionally appear in the books.

From Joshua R.:

Chynna Clugston and Ian Shaughnessy's Strangetown. It's basically Twin Peaks done in Rumiko Takahashi style, and the characters are fun and well realized in one issue (which, unfortunately, is all they've put out so far). So people should read it, and hope for more.

From Kate M.:

I'm going with Amanda and Gunn (by Jimmie Robinson), published via Image. This is in the same 'universe' as CyberZone, and involves a semi-distopic techno-future. I, meanwhile, have never read CyberZone, and liked Amanda & Gunn because it was funny at one moment and emotionally affecting the next. It had solid art, solid characterization, and surprised me in ways many comics don't. The fact that the protagonist is an African-American lesbian is just icing on the cake.

From Jeff G.:

My recommendation is the 2004 Veitch/Edwards Question mini series. It's a really interesting revamp of the character, making him a TV reporter with shamanistic powers who interacts with Superman and Lois Lane - I'm pretty disappointed that it's all being retconned by 52, but what are you gonna do.

Thanks to everyone for your recommendations; you have all been entered into the drawing for the 100 Comics Grand Prize. There's still time for you to enter, but be sure to do so before Tuesday at 6pm EDT!

Undiscovered Gems Day 4

I only received one recommendation/entry today for the 100 Comics Giveaway Contest; an undiscovered gem of which you may not have been aware:

From Stephen Frug:

My pick is Paul Auster's City of Glass, adapted (from Auster's novel) by Paul Karasik and David Mazzucchielli, and superbly drawn by Mazzucchielli. It's an old graphic novel, but it's been reprinted, and I don't think it gets anything like the attention it deserves. It's neo-noir, but I think the best term for it would be "postmodern mystery". It's a bizarre, gripping story, with mysteries that lead into mysteries. The art is superb, not only in execution but conceptually, with all sorts of interesting and marvelous choices. I just gave a copy to my non-comics-reading father, and he loved it, but obviously current comics readers would like it too. It's a simply wonderful book; check it out.

Hey, wouldn't you like a chance to win 100 Comics? Then send me your pick for an undiscovered gem no later than Tuesday; details here.

And while I'm at it, let me thank the following blogs for their linkage to this contest: Precocious Curmudgeon; Redhead Fangirl; Crocodile Caucus; Comics Worth Reading; TangognaT. (Were there more? The link referer in Blogger seems to be spotty...)

Undiscovered Gems Day 3

Here is the next batch of recommendations/entries for the 100 Comics Giveaway Contest; undiscovered gems of which you may not have been aware:

From Christopher Coffey:

I nominate Corto Maltese in Siberia. This comic by the late European Comics great Hugo Pratt follows the adventures of his seafaring protagonist Corto Maltese as he searches for treasure and ends up getting involved in some of the conflicts shaking up Russia and China following World War I. Pratt exhaustively researched his historical facts and it shows as there is a mixture of real life and fictional characters that feels entirely plausible. It highlights a part of history that we ignore here in a America all to often choosing instead to focus on World War II. This was a very important time in history when the old colonial powers were breaking down and the new players on the world stage were coming into being. Smack dab in the middle is Corto Maltese, Everyone needs to read some more Hugo Pratt.

From Andrew Wales:

Gødland by Joe Casey and Tom Scioli (Image). Remember the days when a lot happened in a single comic issue? In this day of "decompressed" story telling one may marvel at the stunning artwork while waiting for something substantial to happend for several issues. You don't find that in Gødland. In this Kirbyesque tribute to the cosmic tales of the 70's, characters are introduced one right after another. World shaking events occur like wildfire. While nostalgic, it is more than pastiche. One finds humor and social commentary while enjoying an old-school comic style. If you haven't read it, what are you waiting for? 'Nuff said!

And from Daniel Taylor:

Girls, by The Luna Brothers. Because, jaded as I am from decades of reading comics, this one takes my breath away at least once in every issue. They're fifteen issues into the series (if it's limited, I haven't heard how many issues it's expected to run) and I still have no idea where this story's going. But it's full of characters I can't help but care about.

Thanks to Christopher, Andrew, and Daniel for their recommendations; all three have been entered into the drawing for the 100 Comics Grand Prize. For those of you keeping track, that makes 10 entires, which means there will be at least one runner-up prize as well. There's still time for you to enter!

Undiscovered Gems Day 2

Here are the latest recommendations/entries for the 100 Comics Giveaway Contest; undiscovered gems of which you may not have been aware:

From José Filipe:

The Push Man and Other Stories, by Yoshihiro Tatsumi. Set in post-war Japan, this book contains sixteen short-stories that deal with sex, death and loneliness in the private lifes of everyday people. Their anxieties, fears and dreams are analised through Tatsumi's careful eye. These characters are simple, common people who just can't seem to fit in. Alternative manga at its best.

From Michael Denton:

Strugglers (Poison Press) by Tim Fish, or any of Tim Fish's works (Cavalcade of Boys or the recently released Something Fishy This Way Comes). Strugglers is about people trying to make it after graduating from College - trying to find something meaningful in life and discovering themselves as people. It all takes place in the indie music scene in St. Louis, Missouri, where two women roommates are actively involved in bands. They take on a guy, out trying to find his place in the world and slowly discovering his sexual identity, as their roommate. I actually like Cavalcade better, but I think Strugglers will have broader appeal (Tighe actually continues on into Cavalcade). Fish has a fun, pleasing art style a little on the cartoony side (to put it in context of a realistic-to-symbolic/iconic continuum), reminiscent of Walt Simonson

From Robert Loy:

After much thought my choice for undiscovered gem goes to Supernatural Law. This may seem like an odd choice, because as a comic book it's been around since 1994, and actually as a comic strip in The National Law Journal it's been around since the early 80's. But it constantly amazes me how many fans have never heard of this book. And they are missing out on a lot of fun. Alana Wolff and Jeff Byrd are "counselors of the macabre" i.e. lawyers who specialize in defending witches, werewolves, vampires and other beasts that go bump in the night. Writer-artist Batton Lash draws maximum humor from having creatures in the courtroom, but he somehow manages to make it thought-provoking at the same time. He is a master satirist, poking fun at many elements of pop culture, and there is nobody who can pun better than he can. Check it out at http://www.exhibitapress.com/

And from Bill Burns:

Super Hero Happy Hour/Hero Happy Hour, Dan Taylor and Chris Faison. A "realistic" take on super-heroes that isn't grim and gritty. This black-and-white story of a bar where super-types hang out features some of the best dialogue around as well as appealing characters and conflicts (and occasional punching.)

Thanks to José, Michael, Robert and Bill for their recommendations. Michael, Robert & Bill have been entered into the Grand Prize drawing (José is from Portugal and thus is not elligible, but I thank him for sending his recoomendation to be shared). There's still time for you to enter!

Undiscovered Gems Day 1

Here are the recommendations I received as entries for the 100 Comics Giveaway Contest; undiscovered gems of which you may not have been aware:

Iris sends the following:

A comic that I would reccomend is a manga (Japanese styled comic, written in english) comic called Crimson Hero its about a 15 year year old girl named Nobara Sumiyoshi who is passionate about volleyball yet her family wants her to inheirt the role of "young mistess" serving rich patrons at her familys old- fashioned Japanese restaurant, instead she tranfers to Crimson Feild High School known for its top notch volley ball team..but her mother is willing to stoop to dirty tricks to keep her off court. Why I reccomend this book among others( which I will email you about) that they are mangas, its a very good book full of struggles, conflicts, and family drama.

Chris Laffoon's choice is:

My choice for a relative unknown but great comic would be, Adventure Comics' Rust #1. True, the comic follows a few cliches. The guy falls into a solution that covers him in metal and he can now control metal. What makes this one different is the fact that he tries to peel the metal off and it HURTS. The metal isn't all shiny and pretty, it's rusted and bent and turns him into more of a monster than say... Colossus or even the Thing made of rock. Also, it's not set in a city like New York or L.A. or Chicago or even some faux city like Gotham (which is just New York with a different name). Rust is set in Kansas City...who in the world would think to set a comic in KC. With all the rail yards and steel mills and pharmaceutical companies it really made sense. I could also be partial because I live in KC... but it's still a great comic.

From Kelly B. we get:

My favorite, underappreciated comic is Finder by Carla Speed McNeil. It's a beautiful piece of work on so many levels. Ms. McNeil has created an amazing, lush environment for her characters to live in and have their stories interlace. She is truly talented in her ability to draw, ink, write and self-publish such an epic series of books. Finder is an examination of modern life mingled with science-fiction and fantasy. I highly recommend it.

And from John Judge:

My pick is out of print, but I checked on eBay and there are stores listing individual issues and the collections of Wandering Star by Teri S. Wood. A black-and-white, self-published sci-fi series with memorable characters and lovely art, Teri completed her series where lesser talents gave up. She also offered excellent retailer support, but she seems to have gotten pushed out in the declining market before her second series, Darklight, really got on a roll. Definitely, she's a talented writer/artist whose work should have received a larger audience.

Thanks to Iris, Chris, Kelly and John for their recommendations; all four have them have been entered into the drawing for the 100 Comics Giveaway, which will be announced next Tuesday. There's still time for you to enter!

100 Comics Giveaway Contest

It's here! In honor of my 2nd blogiversary next Tuesday (August 15), I'm having the biggest comic giveaway contest in the history of the comics blog-o-sphere! (I believe it is anyway...)

The Grand Prize, as you might expect from the name of the contest, is a selection of 100 Comics. No, I won't tell you what those 100 comics are--that's part of the fun--but trust me when I say that there will be some good stuff in there.

In addition, I'll have additional runners-up prizes of five comics each; for every ten entries I receive, I'll add one runner-up prize package (e.g. if I receive 70 entries, there will be seven runners-up prizes).

So how do you enter? I'm glad you asked!

Simply email me your recommendation of a comic that you think is worthwhile, but that you don't think that very many people have read. What I'd like to do through this contest is give you all the opportunity to share an undiscovered gem with the rest of the comics Intraweb. Thoughout the next week until the end of the contest on the 15th I'll be posting here on YACB the picks that you send me.

Your entry should include:

• Your name (tell me if you wish your name to be used when I post your pick)
  
• Your address (I won't share your address or your email with anyone!)
  
• Your pick, with a sentence or brief paragraph describing why you recommend it.
  
• The phrase '100 Comics' in the subject line
  

On the evening of August 15th the winners of the Grand Prize of 100 Comics plus the runners-up prizes will be selected at random, and announced here on this blog.

The fine print:

• You must be 18 or older and reside in the United States to enter. (If you are outside the U.S. you can still send your recommendation pick, but you will not be elligible to win a prize.)
  
• Only one entry per person
  
• Deadline for entry is 6pm EDT on Tuesday, August 15, 2006.
  

So go ahead and enter today! (Or tomorrow, or anytime before next Tuesday.)

(You may receive an auto-reply saying that I am out of the office. Be assured that I have received your entry; there is no need to send it again to any other email.)