As I was delivering mail I came upon a customer with the air conditioner on and a huge puddle of pooled condensation which is not unexpected considering the past week, but the windows and doors were open. I thanked the customer for cooling my route for me and was told it was too cold inside. I suggested the temperature might be set a little higher and was told it was “too hot”. Some people just can’t be saved from their own stupidity.
When I make a suggestion as to what might be worth buying any particular week, I’m not implying that anyone who reads this is stupid in any way or that you’re unable to form your own opinions. Every week there’s a paragraph down at the bottom that doesn’t change, that says ‘visit your favorite shop to get a more complete list’. There are many books that I don’t ever mention and some of those may be your favorites. One thing I do mention fairly regularly is the need to explore, to try something new, and I found myself thinking of that very subject last weekend when my family went to Maine for the weekend. Sure, the beaches are something we don’t have here locally, but I found myself a little depressed that the landscape hadn’t really changed. I’m not talking about the trees, shrubs, and rock walls, but BJ’s, Applebee’s, and a VCA animal hospital. When we go to Maine, I purposefully make a stop at Flo’s, on Route 1, to get hot dogs. 3 regulars. That would be mayonnaise and hot sauce and it’s not at all what you’re thinking. I know this because for years my mother tried to get me to have some of these hot dogs and I always passed, relying on the trusty ketchup and mustard. The hot sauce is of a homemade variety and one of my absolutely favorite delicacies (If only I’d explored earlier). To be fair, there are local stores to be found but the redundancy of the familiar was draining.
Now I know I’ve talked about visiting comic book stores when I vacation and this time was no exception. I visited Shellback Artworks in Wells, Maine and I thought it was fantastic! It’s really not much of a comic book store as there’s no new comics and a small selection of recent comics, but what I really liked is that the owner is Steve Lavigne, of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fame, and that not only is his store a comic book store, but works as a gallery of comic book artwork and as a studio for art classes. That’s how you expand upon a single business idea! I can also forgive his lack of new comics knowing Diamond Comic Distributors as I do and that he’s smack dab in the middle of ‘vacationland’. I imagine September to April is non-existent for him. If I lived locally, I’d go for the art classes, because just walking in the one day, I managed to spend an hour and a half engaging him and one other customer in conversation. It was a blast! I loved that experience and the stories I took away from there and look forward to seeing him again. However, here’s a bit of what I’m looking forward to this week…
Jeff Lemire impressed the hell out of me with his Essex County, I just didn’t dig his Animal Man, which is too bad because I’ve got a fondness for Buddy Baker, but what he’s accomplishing with Green Arrow #22, $2.99, for DC Comics is very exciting! It all brought me back to Mike Grell’s “Long Bow Hunters”. In this issue Ollie thinks he’s finally figured out his family history but a new piece of the puzzle falls into his lap at the same time that Count Vertigo makes his New 52 debut. Written by Lemire with art by Andrea Sorrentino…
Marvel Comics has had me waiting anxiously for the Daredevil hardcover End of Days, $39.99, collecting Daredevil: End of Days #1 – 8. Brian Michael Bendis and David Mack have scripted the end of Daredevil as illustrated by Klaus Janson and Alex Maleev. Daredevil and the Kingpin have both been murdered and Ben Urich is hunted by a mysterious new Daredevil while he himself hunts for the truth of Matt’s death. Now I’ve not been shy about my displeasure with Marvel Comics lately and this book no matter how good it is won’t help my opinion. It’s $39.99 for the hardcover, but if I bought the eight individual issues it would cost me $31.92, and there’s no incentive for the format that I enjoy collecting…
In my first shout out for Bridge City Comics, Big Plans graphic novel, $18.00, by Aaron Nels Steinke looks like it has a lot of promise. Laugh-out-loud funny, chilling, and meditative these are incredibly readable stories that are hard to put down, ranging from fear of terrorism, alcoholism, and a shooting at the mall, to behind the curtains look at the Academy Awards, Big Plans is hailed as one of the best of the new ‘Do-it-yourself’ comics…
The always reliable Valiant Entertainment’s got Shadowman #8, $3.99, by Justin Jordan, Neil Edwards, and Roberto De La Torre. When Jack takes the fight to Master Darque’s brethren, he’s not fully prepared for them, and the people he cares about are left to pay the price…
…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 still hasn’t seen Man of Steel, despite actually going to the theater twice, and frankly is getting to the point where just doesn’t care anymore.