Just some random thoughts that keep circling in my mind… While last week’s rant concerned money, and the importance of it, I received what was probably my most personally expensive order ever. Due in large part to the Wolverine Adamantium Edition of which I have to admit that, even though it’s a teeny tiny bit smaller than the Artist’s Editions, the monstrosity of it is much more impressive in front of you than it is in any picture I’ve seen… I also attended a funeral recently for the father of a friend I haven’t seen in years. It was important to me to be there and as I thought about it after the fact, I reminisced that this same friend was responsible for giving me my first handful of comics, and the original source of my very first comic, via my brother. That wasn’t even a consideration when I thought I had to be there, just a fond memory from after the fact. I’m glad I went, though, as we’ll be catching up again soon, under better circumstances… I have way too much to read but am feeling pretty good about what I am accomplishing… At the urging of a friend and customer, now that I’m mostly caught up with miscellaneous work, I’m getting ready to make another push for more business. We’re very close to the next discount step for DC Comics and I’d like to hit that mark. We’d all like to hit that mark as I share discounts with my subscribers… Recently I made a presentation to my son’s middle school class. The subject was jobs/hobbies so I talked about everything. Jon’s teacher was vaguely familiar with comics but as an Archie fan from childhood she was extremely impressed with the diversity of them. I brought a sampling to show them how there’s something for everyone, that it’s not just about capes and hammers. As it is, she’s now reading Maus and Herobear, and is planning on using Herobear in some way with a class reading project... Another teacher came and joined us and he writes and illustrates his own web comic, and that has to be exciting when a teacher’s personally involved in comics because he or she will then hopefully be a good influence on the next generation of readers/collectors… Planning on making two day trips to NY, back to back and both are comic related and I’m looking forward to them very much for different reasons. Without the kids or the dogs I could’ve just gotten a room and made a daycation out of it… Like I said, nothing that needs to be expounded on, just a number of thoughts.
Now what I think about this week starts with Zero Year, the DC Comics New 52 origin that begins in Batman #21, $3.99, by the fan-favorite creative team behind Court of Owls and Death of the Family, Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo with James Tynion IV and Jonathan Glapion…
Talking about fan-favorite, Scott Snyder teams with Jim Lee on the new series Superman Unchained #1, $4.99. Thirteen satellites fall to Earth in one day and the prime suspect is Lex Luthor, even though he’s still in jail. The bigger question though, who caught the one satellite that Superman didn’t? There’s a decades old secret waiting for the Man of Steel. (Note that this book comes in 11 different versions for Superman’s 75th anniversary…)
Thor God of Thunder #9, $3.99, from Marvel Comics, Jason Aaron, and Esad Ribic features “God Bomb” part three of five and three Thors are side by side at last. Unfortunately, as Gorr, the God Butcher’s powers have grown beyond comprehension and as his plans near completion three Thors may not be enough. The first arc in this series, “The God Butcher”, was so terrifyingly crafted it’s insane to me that this book isn’t selling more copies than it is…
Valiant Entertainment’s Harbinger Wars #3, $3.99, written by Joshua D. M. Dysart and Duane Swierczynski with art by Clayton Henry may be Valiant’s first inter-character crossover but it’s very good and Unity is still coming. H.A.R.D. Corps, Project Rising Spirit’s deep-black weapons development project, is brought back online to deal with the out of control crisis in Las Vegas between The Renegades, Bloodshot, and the Harbinger Foundation…
…And there are plenty more that are not listed. For a more complete list, feel free to visit your local comic store or favorite site. If you’re interested in more of what I think, follow me on Twitter at Mycomicstore001 or like my Facebook page.
Michael R. Murray is a full time Letter Carrier for the United States Postal Service who looks forward to the day that the comics become a full time job.