Here are my #comics recommendations for the December 2019 issue of Previews Catalog. For certain, if you have not already started working with a local #comics shop to pre-order books, and you want to still have a local #comics shop in a few years, you should start a pull-list immediately. ‘Nuff Said.’ If you are interested, the Campus Comics Cast will be discussing the Previews catalog on our podcast in the next few days. Consider adding us to your favorite podcast app. We have been going for over a year now and put out at least 2 podcasts each month.
I would also love to hear from you suggestions for additional books each month I should be considering. Leave those suggestions in the comments.
DC
1 - New imprints again from DC this month, DC Zoom and DC Ink. DC Zoom is for readers aged 8 to 12 and DC Ink is for readers 13 and up. Kicking of the new imprints are 2 new books, Mera: Tidebreaker (Page 2, DC Ink), and Super Sons (Page 3, DC Zoom). Both appear to be self-contained stories. I do question the price point on these books if they are trying to entice new readers.
5 – Flash and Batman have a 4-issue cross-over that ties in to the Heroes in Crisis Event. I have not read pas the first issue of Heroes in Crisis, but if you are buying it weekly, you might want to pick these up, along with the Flash annual solicited last month.
6 – Female Furies issue 1 of a 6-part mini-series. Big Barda fans will want to pick this up.
7 – Heroes in Crisis 6. We have an issue here with Arsenal on the cover. I vaguely remember him being one of the “confirmed” in issue 1, so what is up with that?
9 – Wonder Twins 1, The 3rd book from Bendis’ Wonder Comics line. And it appears Gleek will be involved as well.
24 – Deathstroke 40. It looks like Deathstroke may be making his break from Arkham, with the help of his son Jericho.
25 – Detective 998 and 999. Next month, issue 1000!
42 – Naomi issue 2. This is the 2nd issue of the new book. I really think they should have put all the Wonder Comics together in the catalog. It would be easy for someone who wants to pick them all up to miss one.
53 – Teen Titans 27. It looks like we are getting the Original Sin story in Teen Titans.
64 – Batman Volume 9. Batman and the Penguin as Tom King continues his almost flawless run on the Dark Knight.
65 – Batman vs Deathstroke. Who is Damian’s real father?
68 – Detective Comics gets the Deluxe Edition treatment. At least with this Detective book, we will not be as confused about what the final product will be. I do love this quote from the description, “original layouts for the Batman tale from Detective Comics #200, as illustrated by Lew Sayre Schwartz and signed Bob Kane.”
77 – Deluxe Action Figure Bases for those who like to open their toys. 😊
86 – A new Batman cowl. I don’t understand what they mean by approximately 2 units per carton?
MARVEL
2 – Not that Marvels was not an outstanding story, but for the Marvel catalog to lead with it this month seems odd. Seems like something that was not a reprint would be a stronger lead.
4 – Marvel brings back Savage Sword of Conan. It really feels like it should be a magazine. There are several variants for the cover. The George Perez variant is surprisingly uninspired. I do like the look of the Kevin Eastman variant.
12 – Avengers: No Road Home. A new weekly 10 issue series. Is anyone buying the weekly series?
18 – A new Daredevil 1 with no information. Written by Chip Zdarsky. I assume we will get the story after the 5-part Man Without Fear and we can also assume Daredevil returns to Hell’s Kitchen.
22 – Dazzler 1 facsimile edition. WHY?
24 to 26 – More books one-shots from Marvel to maintain some trademark or copyright.
27 – Wolverine: Infinity Watch 1. Wolverine, the Infinity Gems, and the Infinity Gauntlet. Hmm….
28 – Because we need another Old Man story, Old Man Quill, and why is he wearing the Punisher’s costume?
41 to 43 – Some reprint books worth reprinting. Ms. Marvel 1, Marvel Super-Heroes 12 (1st Captain Mar-Vell), Uncanny X-Men 164(1st Binary), Ms. Marvel 20 *1st blue costume), and Avengers Annual 10 (1st Rogue, and Michael Golden art)
44 to 45 – Teasers for the next Marvel Event, War of the Realms is coming. Vampires return to the Marvel Universe. On page 45, is that man-Thing in Body armor?
65 – Shuri 5. The two baddest gauntlet-wielders in the Marvel Universe? Aren’t they forgetting someone?
104 – The first trade of the return of the Fantastic Four will be available.
SIDE ONE
26 – Get your own copy of Previews so you can play along at home.
28 – The ads for Free Comic Book Day 2019 have already started. Saturday May 4, 2019. Let’s see, FCBD, Infinity War 2, and May the 4th Star Wars Day all at the same time.
43 – Dead Rabbit TPB volume 1. Nope. Issues 3 and 4 were cancelled over a trademark dispute and Image recalled issues 1 and 2. If you have any, sell them now before the excitement ends. The same probably holds true for the merchandise on page 79.
82 – Hellboy reaches its 25th anniversary. Check with your local #comicsshop and see if they will be participating in Hellboy Day on March 23, 2019.
93 – William Gibson’s Alien 3 issue 4. I thought this was supposed to be a 3-issue series, but here is issue 4.
198 – Firefly 4. For all the Serenity fans out there.
223 – the Kamandi Omnibus. I think I totally missed this back in September when it was solicited. This is one of the Kirby DC projects I have not read much of.
224 – Strangers in Paradise XXV 10. I just got around to reading the 2017 Strangers in paradise FCBD story. Sorry, my to read pile has gotten a little deep. I previously had zero interest in reading the original Strangers in paradise although I love Rachel Rising, Motor Girl, and enjoyed Echo by Terry Moore. However, I may be hooked. I think I am going to give SIP a shot.
224 – Motor Girl Omnibus is resolicited in both softcover and hardcover.
224 – Rachel Rising Omnibus resolicited as a softcover.
244 – I totally missed out on Wrong Earth and so did a lot of other people. Here is the last issue of the series. Hopefully the trade will be out soon.
286 – Dynamic Forces has the Batman Who Laughs 1 Midtown Exclusive Variant by Bill Sienkiewicz available for pre-order.
341 to 342 – Stone Arch Books has some illustrated books about some of the DC Super Villains including Bizarro, Catwoman, Lex Luthor, and Joker intended for younger readers.
343 – Some new printings from Taschen on some large #comics history books including the marvel Age of Comics: 1961 -1978, the Golden Age of DC Comics, the Silver Age of DC Comics, and the Bronze Age of DC Comics.
346 – Doctor Who: The 13th Doctor issue 5 starts a new story arc. So far, the TV series has been fine. I am hopeful they will get back to telling solid stories, and not feel the need to constantly make social commentary.
361 – Valiant joins the $1 reprint books with Eternal Warrior.
409 – So the apparel for the catalog this month is here but should be on Side Two. If you decide to put all the print items on one side, you should at least make for sure whomever does the proofs understands that.
412 – One of the downsides of the 13th Doctor being female, is that many of the shirts are Ladies fit. We get a nice 13th Doctor with the Tardis and the stripes of the current Doctor for guys.
SIDE TWO
144 – The Sonic Screwdriver for the 13th Doctor makes its debut in Previews
149 – The General Mills Vac-tastic Plastic Masks for Count Chocula, Frankenberry, and Boo-Berry. These are some of my fondest childhood memories.
153 – I don’t remember ever seeing bags and boards solicited in Previews. Maybe I just missed it.
153 – And for the hardcore #comics archiver, plastic bags to go around your backing boards to prevent your backing board from touching the comic. Now, what protects the bag from the comic?
BLANK COVERS
Blank covers for this month include:
Flash 64
Doctor Who: 13th Doctor 5
Incursion 1
Forgotten Queen 1
Zombie Tramp 57
Robyn Hood Outlaw 1
Zodiac 1
Zorro: Swords of Hell 1