9.05.12 Releases

It’s a really atypical week for me; none of the books from my regular pull are coming out. Nevertheless, there are a few notable items I’d point you to. This title has been getting a lot of buzz, and I enjoyed the first issue, but it’s one of those situations where excess buzz might be running the risk of killing my enthusiasm. However, I’ll probably still check out Think Tank #2 (Image). I’m less likely to purchase Archer & Armstrong #2 (Valiant). While I think it’s been the best of the Valiant line so far, that’s sort of like being the valedictorian of summer school since I haven’t been really impressed with any of the derivative expository offerings so far. But, I’ll give it a flip. I’m more interested in Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt #1 (Dynamite), marketed as a sort of “Before Before Watchmen.” From what I gathered, the original creator set up the rights to revert back to his family upon his death, so Dynamite was then able to acquire the ability to publish, sneaking it out from under the DC acquisition of the old Charlton Comics library. It’s got Alex Ross, Jae Lee, and a few others in various capacities. The real action this week is on the GN front though. The Heartless HC (Conundrum Press) from Nina Bunjevac looks interesting. Gary Panter’s Dal Tokyo (Fantagraphics) is surely a must-buy in some circles, with its post-pop futurism and social commentary. I mean, all you really need to know is “Gary Panter.” Last, I can wholeheartedly recommend Aya: Life in Yop City (Drawn & Quarterly) by Marguerite Abouet and Clement Oubrerie. This series of graphic novels is noteworthy for presenting a look at a specific African culture seldom seen in Western Media, in a bustling middle class metropolis on the Ivory Coast, with startling ink washes that continually capture dramatic moments in time involving a large cast of gossiping, scheming, dramatic family and friends. Apparently, this D&Q edition collects the first three volumes of the series (previously printed) as Book One. D&Q will then translate volumes four through six of the original French series and publish it here as Book Two. It’s fantastic.