On The Shelves: 5/3/06

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My weekly look at select comic books being released Wednesday, 5/3/06. The full shipping is list available at ComicList.

[NOTE: 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]

PICK OF THE WEEK

Mouse Guard #2

ACC STUDIOS
Liberality For All #1 (Of 8)(AA), $2.99

Why are they reoffering this, and why isn't it noted as a reprint? I mean, with all the mainstream press they got, you're telling me they didn't sell out of their initial print run?

ARCHAIA STUDIOS PRESS
Mouse Guard #2, $3.50
Robotika #3, $3.95

ASP is publishing some really good comics right now, yes? And doing it the right way, with a small slate that they're putting some promotional muscle behind. Kudos to them!

CLAYPOOL COMICS
Soulsearchers #77, $2.50

So Claypool outlasted Speakeasy. Who'da thunk it?

DARK HORSE COMICS
Archenemies #2 (Of 4), $2.99

Hero and villian are, unbeknownst to each other, Odd Couple-style roommates. The first issue was entertaining enough that I'll check out the second.

DC COMICS
Detective Comics #819, $2.99
Gotham Central Vol 3 Unresolved Targets TPB, $14.99
Infinite Crisis #7 (Of 7), $3.99
Teen Titans #35, $2.50

I'm really liking OYL Batman and Detective, featuring some solid character development and a resetting of the Gotham City landscape that's just fine with me. Harvey Dent as the Punisher is a potentially fun concept, too, though I'm curious to see how the Question's 52 storyline fits into the bigger picture. Not enough to actually buy 52, mind you, but I'll be following the reviews of it closely. *** Finally, a third TPB for Gotham Central! If they'd turned these things around a little bit quicker, maybe the series could have built a bigger audience. *** Having reread the original Crisis a couple of weeks ago and finding that it mostly holds up 20 years later, my expectations for the end of Infinite Crisis delivering the goods are now that much lower. *** OYL Teen Titans got off to a good start, and other than Robin's idiotic secret project that will hopefully be derailed by legal wrangling over you-know-who's copyright, I'm looking forward to seeing if Johns can get his groove back.

DEVILS DUE PUBLISHING
Dragonlance Chronicles Vol 1 Dragons Of Autumn Twilight TPB, $17.95
Elsinore #5 (Of 9)(resolicited), $3.25
GI Joe Americas Elite The Hunt For Cobra Commander, $0.25
GI Joe Sigma 6 #1 (AA), $2.95

I didn't buy the Dragonlance floppies because I've never played in that setting nor read any of its novels, but I'll pick up the TPB out of curiousity because I love a good D&D story. *** Considering the themes Elsinore delves into, I'm actually surprised Alias ever agreed to publish it, but I'm glad it's with Devil's Due now because they need a few strong non-licensed properties in their stable. *** G.I. Joe owns my wallet!

IMAGE COMICS
Season Of The Witch #4 (Of 4), $3.50
Strange Girl #8, $2.99

Two of the better titles Image is publishing right now, both featuring well-written female leads.

MARVEL COMICS
Civil War #1 (Of 7), $3.99
Hulk Visionaries Peter David Vol 3 TPB, $19.99

Ugh. I really want to skip Civil War, as I'm not a Millar fan and I've had my fill of plot-hammered mega-events, but at the same time, I feel obligated to check it out. I hate myself! *** "Planet Hulk" has me interested in the green galoot for the first time, and I understand David's run is highly regarded, so I might pick up Vol.1 one of these days.

MERCURY COMICS
Atomika #7 (Of 12), $2.99

Still buying this, but it's in the DIY trade category now. I'll read it once all of the issues are out.

MR COMICS
Revolution On The Planet Of The Apes #4 (Of 6), $3.95

Still enjoying this, and it's got some of the best extras of any comic being published. Meaty stuff that fleshes out the larger storyline, no fluff, justifying the higher cover price. IDW should take note.

VIPER COMICS
Middleman Vol 2 #3 Sino-Mexican Revelation, $2.95

Silly fun, Viper's another indie who's doing things the right way.