Try Something Different: 8/31/05

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A look at select comic books being released today, 8/31/05. Full shipping list available at ComicList. (Not all of these titles will actually arrive in all stores. If your LCBS offers a pre-ordering service, be sure to take advantage of it. If not, find another one, or try Khepri.com or MidtownComics.com)

AIT/PLANETLAR
Smoke & Guns GN, $12.95

The preview in Black Diamond On-Ramp did nothing for me, and Tim O'Neil confirms that feeling.

DARK HORSE COMICS
Revelations #1 (Of 6), $2.99

Paul Jenkins and Humberto Ramos are one of my favorite creative duos from their run on Spectacular Spider-Man, so this mini-series is intriguing, despite its The Da Vinci Code-ish plot.

DC COMICS
Astro City The Dark Age #3 (Of 16), $2.99
Batman Gotham Knights #68, $2.50
Catwoman #46, $2.50
Ex Machina #14, $2.99
Losers #27, $2.99
Silent Dragon #2 (Of 6), $2.99

I'm glad DC has its imprints since I am so not interested in the lead-up to Infinite Crisis that has infected almost all of their core titles. Killed whatever interest I had in the new Catwoman team, and Gotham Knights has gone from its entertaining spin on Hush to a complete muddleheaded mess, seemingly driven by the rumor that Dick Grayson will replace Bruce Wayne as Batman. Bleh.

DEAD DOG COMICS & ENT

No idea what these guys publish, but that's one of the more interesting company names I've seen in comics.

DEVILS DUE PUBLISHING
Forgotten Realms Dark Elf Homeland Cvr A #3 (Of 3), $4.95
GI Joe Americas Elite #3, $2.95

They may both be licenses, but these have been two of the better titles I've been reading recently.

IMAGE COMICS
Death Jr #3 (Of 3), $4.99
Expatriate #3, $2.99
NYC Mech Beta Love #3, $2.99
Shadowhawk #4, $2.99

I think I might actually be buying as many Image titles these days as I am Marvel or mainstream DC.

JETPACK PRESS
Johnny Raygun Quarterly #6, $2.95

This was one of the many surprises I discovered via Free Comic Book Day 2005.

MARVEL COMICS
Astonishing X-Men #12, $2.99
Captain America #9, $2.99
New Avengers #9, $2.50
Powers Bendis Cover #12, $3.95
Runaways #7, $2.99
Young Avengers #6, $2.99

Finally picked up and read the first Astonishing X-Men trade and thought it was pretty good. Not nearly the "best thing ever" some have proclaimed it to be, and definitely a bit too self-aware for my tastes, but a lot better than I expected it to be. Cassaday's artwork left me a bit cold, though. Meanwhile, Runaways gets the axe as Vaughan's schtick there just wasn't working for me. Young Avengers, on the other hand, ranks as one of my biggest surprises of the year, as I fully expected to hate it, but actually enjoyed the hell out of the first 5 issues.

MOONSTONE
Khan #1, $2.95

What ever happened to Arcana's Khan?

PANTHEON BOOKS
Persepolis 2 Story Of A Return SC, $11.95

Still have the first one on my Amazon Wish List. Someone want to buy it for me? Or click on some of these Amazon ads on the blog so I can buy it myself?

RENAISSANCE PRESS
Amelia Rules #14 (resolicited), $2.95

Another Free Comic Book Day 2005 discovery.

SPEAKEASY COMICS
Grimoire #5, $2.99

A genuinely fun fantasy comic.

TOKYOPOP
Girl Got Game Vol 1 (Of 10) GN, $9.99

I have no idea what this is about, but the odd juxtaposition of Spike Lee and manga has me curious. UPDATE: Looked for this, thanks to the comment below, but surprisingly, Midtown didn't have it in stock.

WIZARD ENTERTAINMENT
Wizard Comics Magazine Greatest Cartoons Cvr #168, $5.99

God help me, but I'm breaking my rule this month, purely for the Moon Knight preview! And I'm purposefully buying the non-fanboy cover. UPDATE: What a ripoff! One picture, albeit a pretty good one, and a brief interview that covers stuff that's been covered already in the various online interviews. (Like, say, mine, which Huston singled out as his favorite!)

Magazines
Official Xbox Magazine With CD Oct 2005, $9.99

I preferred Xbox Nation to this, but alas, it's no more, and I've got a serious Xbox itch after picking up The Bard's Tale and Demon Stone last week. UPDATE: After seeing the cover and a bunch of games highlighted that I had no interest in, I decided to save some money and click over to IGN.com instead.

What are YOU looking forward to?