Well it’s a good thing my wife, Ann, doesn’t read these columns. She does a lot of my edits for the website but this weekly column is all mine. I live payday to payday and learned a hard lesson about Christmas years ago when the children were little and the car broke down in the beginning of December. Thankfully, my kids have the same interests as me so gifts tend to come out of Previews and I start shopping early (now). How I live is important to this thought because my wife just started her Doctorate program at a much too expensive school, I don’t do monthly payments and my homeowners insurance is due (whine, whine, whine…). The business is tight, as well, with some very large orders placed and money I had spent and hoped to turn around quickly at the Boston Comic Con is still sitting and waiting for the new rescheduled date. So while I’m feeling my blood pressure rise and struggling to not have it all spiral out of control I bought myself a Christmas gift. Oh, I thanked Ann and told her she got me something very nice but didn’t tell her what or how much I paid for it. I got myself a card for my Denver Broncos collection. Six autographs. I paid way too much. I stuck my head completely up my backside right to the shoulders and missed that point at which I say something’s not worth it, and there are many instances of not worth it. I sometimes sell books for prices I wouldn’t, I couldn’t, ever fathom paying. I immediately had buyer’s remorse. Then I smiled anyhow. I’ve got to believe there’s a reason I work so hard (other than to pay for my wife to have a specialized education that will allow her a job that pays her way more than I make). Woe is the life of a passionate collector!
All right, let’s take a look at some of the items that might be worth collecting this week starting with DC Comics. For anyone with truly fond memories of the Batman television series Batman ’66 #1, $3.99, by Jeff Parker and Jonathan Case reimagines the classic series exactly as fans saw it in comics for the first time ever. In this first issue The Riddler is out to vex the Gotham City Police, and Batman and Robin, until Catwoman provides some unexpected help…
Geoff Johns and Jeff Lemire write Justice League of America #6, $3.99, illustrated by Doug Mahnke and Christian Alamy. DC promises that this is going to be a tight story, so if you’re reading Justice League, you don’t want to miss chapter two of the Trinity War…
Marvel Comics is shipping out All New X-Men #14, $3.99, by Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen. Marvel Girl vs. Mastermind; Will history repeat itself?...
Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic are responsible for God Bomb part four of five in Thor: God of Thunder #10, $3.99, and lightning really has struck in this fabulous effort. This is not only one of the best books Marvel has right now, but one of the best books, period!...
Archaia Press has got the Eisner Award nominated Killer omnibus trade paperback volume one, $19.99, written by Matz with art by Luc Jacamon. First published in France, this edition collects volumes one and two of a professional man on the verge of cracking…
Valiant Entertainment’s Archer & Armstrong #11, $3.99, by Fred Van Lente and Pere Perez have them trapped in the hollow world called the Faraway where they find everyone and everything that’s gone missing in history…
Harbinger Wars #4, $3.99, comes to a close. It may have started a little slow but it ended up being so damn good and this issue by Joshua Dysart, Dwayne Swierczynski, and Clayton Henry’s climax features H.A.R.D. Corps vs. Bloodshot vs. Toyo Harada vs. Peter and the Renegades…
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 has long since been ready to brag that he has the coolest Denver Broncos card collection in the world. Now where can he test that exclamaition?