Category Archives: 2010 Releases

Strange Tales 2 #3 – So Many Canucks!

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Strange Tales has been a great series issued by Marvel the past couple of years. The concept is Altcomix creators working on Marvel characters. It’s a great idea for Marvel, as it serves to draw back comic readers to the Marvel brand, perhaps sparking an interest in one of their titles, while providing exposure a whole group of excellent creators.

The third and final issue of Strange Tales 2, which arrives in comic shops December 8th, and will feature stories by James Stokoe, Michael DeForge, Ty Templeton, and Kate Beaton.

James Stokoe. You really should click this to get a look at it full size!

Kate Beaton

Ty Templeton

Michael Deforge.

November 17th, 2010 Releases featuring Canadian Creators

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Spider-Girl #1 Variant Cover by Mike Del Mundo

If I have missed any works by Canadian Comic Book Creators, please leave a comment, or send me an email at jason@joeshusterawards.com

Agents Of Atlas Versus X-Men & Avengers Trade Paperback
Marvel US$19.99
Artwork by Takeshi Miyazawa and Leonard Kirk.

Artifacts #3
Image/Top Cow US$3.99
Cover by Kalman Andrasofszky.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Batman Incorporated #1
DC US$3.99
Artwork and Cover by Yanick Paquette. Inks by Michel Lacombe. Colours by Nathan Fairbairn.

Batman Incorporated #1 Cover by Yanick Paquette, Michel Lacombe and Nathan Fairbairn

Batman: The Brave And The Bold: Fearsome Fang Strikes Again Trade Paperback
DC US$12.99
Written by J. Torres.

Batman: The Return #1
DC US$4.99
Artwork and Cover by David Finch.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Brightest Day #14
DC US$2.99
Cover by David Finch.

Brightest Day #14 Cover by David Finch

Chaos War: Chaos King #1
Marvel US$3.99
Colours by Jim Charalampidis.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Chaos War: Dead Avengers #1
Marvel US$3.99
Artwork and Cover by Tom Grummett.
Preview at Newsarama

Cowboy Ninja Viking #10
Image US$3.99
Artwork, Colours and Cover by Riley Rossmo.
Preview at Comic Book Resources.

Cowboy Ninja Viking #10 Cover by Riley Rossmo

Elephantmen #28
Image US$3.50
Cover by Steve Skroce.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Fantastic Four By Jonathan Hickman Vol. 2 Trade Paperback
Marvel US$15.99
Artwork by Dale Eaglesham.

The Flash #6
DC US$2.99
Artwork and Cover by Francis Manapul.

The Flash #6 Cover by Francis Manapul

Ghost Projekt #5
Oni Press US$3.99
Artwork and Cover by Steve Rolston.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

G.I. Joe: Cobra Vol. 2 Trade Paperback
IDW US$19.99
Colours by Lovern Kindzierski.

Green Hornet: Blood Ties #2
Dynamite Entertainment US$3.99
Artwork and Cover by Johnny Desjardins.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Green Hornet: Blood Ties #2 Cover by Johnny Desjardins

Hack/Slash: Trailers Part 2
Image US$6.99
Written by J. Torres.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Haunt #11
Image US$2.99
Inks by Todd McFarlane.
Preview at Newsarama

Kill Shakespeare #7
IDW US$3.99
Written by Conor McCreery and Anthony Del Col. Artwork by Andy Belanger. Colours by Ian Herring. Cover by Kagan McLeod.

Kill Shakespeare #7 Cover by Kagan McLeod

Mirror, Mirror Trade Paperback
Kickstart Comics US$14.99
Cover by Darwyn Cooke.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Mouse Guard: Legends Of The Guard #4
Archaia Studios Press US$3.50
Written, Artwork and Colours by Karl Kerschl.

Mouse Guard: Legends Of The Guard Hardcover
Archaia Studios Press US$19.95
Written, Artwork and Colours by Karl Kerschl.

Artifacts #3 Cover by Kalman Andrasofszky

Northlanders #34
DC/Vertigo US$2.99
Colours by Dave McCaig.

Realm Of Kings Trade Paperback
Marvel US$34.99
Inks by Terry Pallot. Colours by Nathan Fairbairn.

Scott Pilgrim’s: Precious Little Box Set
Oni Press US$72.00
Written, Artwork and Cover by Bryan Lee O’Malley.

Chaos War: Dead Avengers #1 Cover by Tom Grummett

The Secret History Book 12
Archaia Studios Press
Artwork by Igor Kordey. Colours by Chris Chuckry.

Shockrockets Hardcover
IDW US$24.99
Artwork by Stuart Immonen.

Mirror, Mirror Cover by Darwyn Cooke

Siege: X-Men Trade Paperback
Marvel US$15.99
Artwork and Colours by Niko Henrichon.

Spider-Girl #1
Marvel US$3.99
Variant Cover by Mike Del Mundo.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Elephantmen #28 Cover by Steve Skroce

Star Wars: Dark Times Vol. 4: Blue Harvest Trade Paperback
Dark Horse US$17.99
Artwork and Cover by Doug Wheatley. Colours by Dave McCaig and Chris Chuckry.

Supergirl #58
DC US$2.99
Colours by Blond.
Preview at Newsarama

Ghost Projekt #5 Cover by Steve Rolston

Superman #705
DC US$2.99
Variant Cover by Yanick Paquette. Variant Cover Inks by Michel Lacombe. Variant Cover Colours by Nathan Fairbairn.

Superman: The Last Stand Of New Krypton Vol. 1 Hardcover
DC US$24.99
Colours by Blond.

Superman #705 Variant Cover by Yanick Paquette, Michel Lacombe and Nathan Fairbairn

Warlord Of Mars #2
Dynamite Entertainment US$3.99
Artwork by Stephen Sadowski.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

X-Factor #211
Marvel US$2.99
Inks by Pat Davidson.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Batman: The Return #1 Cover by David Finch

Remembrance Day – Two Generals

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Two Generals — Scott Chantler’s excellent graphic novel translation of his grandfather’s war journal (published by McClelland & Stewart), is definitely one of the better books to come out this year by a Canadian cartoonist, and now that it is widely available in bookstores and comic book specialty stores, today would be a perfect day to reflect on the the book and it’s topic – remembering the Canadian veterans that fought in the first Two World Wars. Two Generals is a WW2 book – looking at the actions of Scott’s grandfather and infantry leading up to and following the allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944. It is not a political book, but a translation of one man’s personal experiences.

Canada at War: Remembrance Day, by the books is the Toronto Star’s selection of Remembrance Day reading picks – and there’s a positive review of the book, which the Star selects as their top pick:

We were a wee bit apprehensive about what Guelph’s Scott Chantler would do with his attempt to present World War II and his own family history through a graphic treatment. A comic book as a lens for such a sombre, sensitive subject? As evidenced by his previous Northwest Passage, a serious multi-volume history set in colonial Canada, we should have known better. Chantler’s Two Generals (McClelland & Stewart, 144 pages, $27.99) is our top pick this Remembrance Day, not for its novel mix of format and subject but for its stunning success in bringing home the real foot soldier’s experience of those awful days.

(To read the full review follow the link above)

Additionally, The Beguiling’s Chris Butcher submitted a generally positive special review of the book to the National Post which ran last Friday.

Finally, the website iFanboy gives a very positive review of the book.

Upcoming appearances by Chantler have been posted earlier on this website — he’ll be at Guelph’s the Dragon this Saturday, November 13 for a signing and a children’s art class, and he’ll be at the upcoming Toronto ComiCON at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on Sunday, November 21.

Reminder: Level Up and bring Scott Pilgrim vs. the World home today

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Today sees the release of SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD on DVD and Blu-Ray. I’m heading over to get my copy of the Blu-Ray (which includes a dvd copy AND a digital copy I can download onto my iPod and laptop) later this afternoon. Blu-Ray should cost about $30 not including taxes.

Last Friday night I went down to the Bloor Cinema for the free fan screening of the film, followed by a Q&A with director Edgar Wright, Bryan Lee O’Malley and others. The lines of people attempting to get in were astounding – there’s certainly huge support for the movie in Toronto (where it is set — the rest of Canada, please don’t hold that against the film!). Thanks to the Beguiling for hooking Debbie, Jason and I up with passes.

It was amazing how well the film plays with an eager audience, and Wright’s suggestion that we cheer whenever Canadian money appears on screen was perfect – as looneys and twoonies appear during a lot of the movie’s key dramatic moments. Quite a few people were saying it reminded them of what public showings of the cult film the Rocky Horror Picture Show are like, with audience participation – people yelling at the screen, dressing up as their favourite characters and what not. Hopefully the Bloor and other indie theatres will consider booking and promoting further public screenings.

Yes, the movie was a big disappointment at the box office, despite the overwhelmingly positive reviews. It’s just too hard to categorize just what Scott Pilgrim is other than it is a fun film by a visionary director based on a great series of graphic novels. I have no doubts about the success this film will see on home video, as it’s already a cult classic. The movie inspired a tremendous boost to the graphic novel series, which is being repackaged as a boxed set this week in bookshops and comic stores. With over a million copies in print, SP the graphic novel series had a huge impact on graphic novel sales this year and is inspiring an entire generation of young cartoonists.

Listening to them talk and watching the making of documentary (which is on the dvd/br) O’Malley’s involvement in the movie was a lot more than we expected, as he and Wright explained the collaborative interaction they and the rest of the movie production team had during the entire pre-through-post production process. His involvement definitely makes me feel a lot better about being able to hype the film here on the JSA site.

Scott Pilgrim Vol. 6: Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour is eligible for consideration in the Cartoonist category for the 2011 Joe Shuster Awards, which will be presented in Calgary, AB on Saturday, June 18th. We’ll see if SP6 earns O’Malley his 6th nomination. He won the category in 2006 for Volume 2.

Von Allen’s Stargazer Volume 1

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Stargazer is in the November Previews with an order code of NOV101057.  ISBN of 978-0-9781237-2-7, suggested retail price is $14.95 US/$15.95 CDN. 122 pages.  Black & White. There’s also a dedicated website for the book at http://stargazer.vonallan.com

“Stargazer Volume One is a black-and-white graphic novel following three girls stranded on a faraway alien world. Young Marni has recently lost her grandmother, with whom she was very close. Her grandmother had also bequeathed a mysterious “Artifact” upon her – and it is this object that transports Marni and her friends, Sophie and Elora, far away from any home they have ever known. The three girls must pool their courage and resources to learn more about this unreal new world, and the strange things within it – a robot, a faraway tower, and an unknown monster hidden in shadows. Stargazer is a story of wonder, exploration, determination, and inward as well as outward challenge, and is highly recommended for readers of all ages.”  (http://www.midwestbookreview.com/ibw/jul_10.htm#Comix/GraphicNovel)

November 10th, 2010 Releases featuring Canadian Creators

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Assassin's Creed: The Fall #1 Cover by Karl Kerschl and Cameron Stewart

If I have missed any works by Canadian Comic Book Creators, please leave a comment, or send me an email at jason@joeshusterawards.com

American Vampire #8
DC/Vertigo US$3.99
Colours by Dave McCaig.

Assassin’s Creed: The Fall #1
DC/Wildstorm US$3.99
Written, Artwork and Cover by Karl Kerschl and Cameron Stewart. Colours by Nadine Thomas.

Atomic Robo And The Deadly Art Of Science #1.
Red 5 Comics US$3.50
Colours by Ronda Pattison.

Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes #1
Marvel US$3.99
Colours by Jean-Francois Beaulieu.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Birds of Prey #6 Cover by Alina Urusov

Birds Of Prey #6
DC US$2.99
Artwork by Alvin Lee. Cover by Alina Urusov.

Comic Book Guy: The Comic Book: The Collector’s Edition #5
Bongo Comics US$2.99
Written by Ian Boothby.

DC Comics Presents: Brightest Day #2
DC US$7.99
Artwork by Dale Eaglesham.

T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #1 Variant Cover by Darwyn Cooke

Dungeons & Dragons #1
IDW US$3.99
Written by John Rogers.

G.I. Joe: Hearts And Minds Trade Paperback
IDW US$24.99
Colours by Lovern Kindzierski.

Glamourpuss #16
Aardvark-Vanaheim US$3.00
Written, Artwork and Cover by Dave Sim.

Knight & Squire #2 Cover by Yanick Paquette, Michel Lacombe and Nathan Fairbairn

Knight & Squire #2
DC US$2.99
Cover by Yanick Paquette. Cover Inks by Michel Lacombe. Cover Colours by Nathan Fairbairn.

New Avengers #6
Marvel US$3.99
Artwork and Cover by Stuart Immonen.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

North 40 Trade Paperback
DC/Wildstorm US$17.99
Artwork, Colours and Cover by Fiona Staples.

New Avengers #6 Cover by Stuart Immonen

R.E.B.E.L.S. #22
DC US$2.99
Artwork by Claude St. Aubin.

Red Robin #17
DC US$2.99
Artwork and Cover by Marcus To.

Skullkickers #2 (2nd Printing)
Image US$2.99
Written by Jim Zubkavich.

Red Robin #17 Cover by Marcus To

Spawn Origins Collection Vol. 8 Trade Paperback
Image US$14.99
Written and Artwork by Todd McFarlane.

Star Wars: The Old Republic #5
Dark Horse US$2.99
Artwork by Dave Ross.
Preview at Dark Horse Comics

T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #1
DC US$3.99
Variant Cover by Darwyn Cooke.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Glamourpuss #16 Cover by Dave Sim

Ultimatum Hardcover
Marvel US$34.99
Artwork by David Finch.

The Unwritten #19
DC/Vertigo US$2.99
Colours by Chris Chuckry.

X-Men Forever 2 #11
Marvel US$3.99
Cover by Tom Grummett.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

X-Men Forever 2 #11 Cover by Tom Grummett

Diamond best sellers by Canadians – October 2010

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Diamond has released a bunch of information for the October 2010 product sales and market shares. The information is not specific on the units sold to the direct market, but based on the lists, here’s how graphic novels primarily by Canadian artists, writers and cartoonists performed in October’s top 100 among all of the Walking Dead trade paperbacks and hardcovers:

GRAPHIC NOVELS

Richard Stark's Parker: The Outfit Cover by Darwyn Cooke

#3 for units sold / #2 for dollars earned – Richard Stark’s Parker – The Outfit by Darwyn Cooke (IDW)

#17 for units sold / #10 for dollars earned – Y the Last Man Deluxe Volume 4 featuring art by Pia Guerra (DC/Vertigo)

#46 for units sold / #59 for dollars earned – The Saga of Rex by Michel Gagne (Image Comics)

#56 for units sold / #89 for dollars earned – Jonah Hex: Counting Corpses featuring art and cover by Darwyn Cooke (DC)

#94 for units sold / #124 for dollars earned – Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life aka Scott Pilgrim Vol. 1 by Bryan Lee O’Malley (Oni Press)

#96 for units sold / #58 for dollars earned – Palooka-Ville 20 by Seth (Drawn & Quarterly)

November 3rd, 2010 Releases featuring Canadian Creators

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Ozma of Oz #1 Variant Cover by Adrian Alphona

If I have missed any works by Canadian Comic Book Creators, please leave a comment, or send me an email at jason@joeshusterawards.com

Adventure Comics #520
DC US$3.99
Back-Story Written by Jeff Lemire. Colours by Blond.
Preview at Newsarama

Amazing Spider-Man #647
Marvel US$4.99
Artwork and Colours by Mike Del Mundo.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Arcana Team-Up Trade Paperback
Arcana Studios US$19.95
Written by Sean O’Reilly.

Mystery Society #4 Cover by Fiona Staples

Avengers/X-Men: Maximum Security Trade Paperback
Marvel US$39.99
Artwork by Yanick Paquette.

Batman And Robin #16
DC US$3.99
Artwork by Cameron Stewart.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Batman And Robin Deluxe Edition Vol. 2: Batman vs. Robin Hardcover
DC US$24.99
Artwork by Cameron Stewart.

Brightest Day #13
DC US$2.99
Cover by David Finch.
Preview at DC Universe: The Source

Two Generals Cover by Scott Chantler

DV8: Gods & Monsters #8
DC/Wildstorm US$2.99
Cover by Fiona Staples.
Preview at Wildstorm: The Bleed

Generation Hope #1
Marvel US$3.99
Colours by Jim Charalampidis.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Ghostbusters: Haunted Holidays Trade Paperback
IDW US$17.99
Artwork by Salgood Sam. Colours by Bernie Mireault.

Kevin Smith's Kato #5 Variant Cover by Johnny Desjardins

Hawkeye & Mockingbird #6
Marvel US$2.99
Colours by Nathan Fairbairn.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Heroic Age Trade Paperback
Marvel US$24.99
Artwork by Dale Eaglesham and Stuart Immonen. Inks by Terry Pallot. Colours by Nathan Fairbairn and Dave McCaig.

Kevin Smith’s Kato #5
Dynamite Entertainment US$3.99
Cover by Johnny Desjardins.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Sweet Tooth #15 Cover by Jeff Lemire

Kill Shakespeare Vol. 1 Trade Paperback
IDW US$19.99
Written by Conor McCreery and Anthony Del Col. Artwork and Cover by Andy Belanger. Colours by Ian Herring.

Mystery Society #4
IDW US$3.99
Artwork, Colours and Cover by Fiona Staples.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Ozma Of Oz #1
Marvel US$3.99
Colours by Jean-Francois Beaulieu. Variant Cover by Adrian Alphona.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Brightest Day #13 Cover by David Finch

Silent Hill: Past Life #1
IDW US$3.99
Artwork by Riley Rossmo.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Superboy #1
DC/Vertigo US$2.99
Written by Jeff Lemire.
Preview at DC Universe: The Source

Sweet Tooth #15
DC/Vertigo US$2.99
Written, Artwork and Cover by Jeff Lemire.

Taskmaster #3
Marvel US$3.99
Colours by Jean-Francois Beaulieu.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

DV8: Gods & Monsters #8 Cover by Fiona Staples

Two Generals Hardcover
McClelland & Stewart US24.95
Written, Artwork, Colours and Cover by Scott Chantler.

Women Of Marvel #1
Marvel US$3.99
Colours by Brad Anderson.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

X-Men: To Serve And Protect #1
Marvel US$3.99
Cover by Nick Bradshaw. Cover Colours by Jim Charalampidis.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Young Allies #6
Marvel US$2.99
Cover by Takeshi Miyazawa.

X-Men: To Serve and Protect #1 Cover by Nick Bradshaw and Jim Charalampidis

Scott Chantler: Two Generals news.

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Last night we went to the J.A. McIntosh Armoury in Cambridge, Ontario (the headquarters of the former Highland Light Infantry of Canada) for the release party for Scott Chantler’s new book TWO GENERALS, published by McClelland & Stewart. The book is impressive in design and the Armoury setting gave the release an historical context which has me eager to start reading the book later today. Two Generals is available from McClelland & Stewart NOW, and is on the shipping list for Wednesday, November 3rd.

To celebrate the release of Two Generals, Scott has begun posting research-related content over at the book’s own site, Two-Generals.com.

In other Scott Chantler news, Scott is currently featured on the cover of the current (November) issue of Canadian literary magazine Quill & Quire. The issue also includes a nice two-page profile of Scott. He’s also put up a great post on the cover creation process over at ScottChantler.com

October 27th, 2010 Releases featuring Canadian Creators

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Action Comics #894 Cover by David Finch

If I have missed any works by Canadian Comic Book Creators, please leave a comment, or send me an email at jason@joeshusterawards.com

Action Comics #894
DC US$3.99
Colours by Brad Anderson and Dave McCaig. Cover by David Finch.
Preview at DC Universe: The Source

Artifacts #2 (2nd Printing)
Image/Top Cow US$3.99
Artwork by Dale Keown.

Avengers And The Infinity Gauntlet #3
Marvel US$2.99
Inks by Terry Pallot. Cover by Tom Grummett.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Incorruptible #11 Cover by Marcio Takara

Batman: The Brave And The Bold #22
DC/Johnny US$2.99
Writtn by J. Torres.

Black Widow #7
Marvel US$2.99
Colours by Jim Charalampidis.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Deadpool Team-Up #888
Marvel US$2.99
Artwork by Tom Fowler. Colours by Nathan Fairbairn.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Green Hornet: Blood Ties #1 Cover by Johnny Desjardins

Disney/Pixar’s The Incredibles #15
BOOM Studios US$2.99
Artwork and Cover by Marcio Takara.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep #16
BOOM Studios US$3.99
Colours by Blond.

Doomwar Hardcover
Marvel US$24.99
Colours by Jean-Francois Beaulieu.

Avengers & The Infinity Gauntlet #3 Cover by Tom Grummett

Green Hornet: Blood Ties #1
Dynamite Entertainment US$3.99
Artwork and Cover by Johnny Desjardins.

Incorruptible #11
BOOM Studios US$3.99
Artwork and Cover by Marcio Takara.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Jonah Hex Vol. 9: Counting Corpses Trade Paperback
DC US$14.99
Artwork and Cover by Darwyn Cooke.

Kill Shakespeare #6 Cover by Kagan McLeod

Kill Shakespeare #6
IDW US$3.99
Written by Anthony Del Col and Conor McCreery. Artwork by Andy Belanger. Colours by Ian Herring. Cover by Kagan McLeod.

Klaws Of The Panther #2
Marvel US$3.99
Cover by Mike Del Mundo.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Madame Xanadu #28
DC/Vertigo US$2.99
Artwork by Marian Churchland.

X-Men: Curse of the Mutants: X-Men vs. Vampires #2 Cover by Nick Bradshaw & Jim Charalampidis

Northlanders Vol. 4: The Plague Widow Trade Paperback
DC/Vertigo US$16.99
Colours by Dave McCaig.

Prince Of Persia: Before The Sandstorm #4
Dynamite Entertainment US$3.99
Artwork by Cameron Stewart.

Skullkickers #1 (3rd Printing)
Image US$2.99
Written by Jim Zubkavich.

Klaws of the Panther #2 Cover by Mike Del Mundo

Torchwood #4
Titan Comics US$3.99
Artwork by Pia Guerra.

Widow Warriors #4
Dynamite Entertainment US$3.99
Inks by Craig Yeung.

X-Factor Forever Trade Paperback
Marvel US$19.99
Colours by Jim Charalampidis.

X-Men Forever 2 #10 Cover by Tom Grummett

X-Men: Curse Of The Mutants: X-Men vs Vampires #2
Marvel US$3.99
Cover by Nick Bradshaw. Cover Colours by Jim Charalampidis.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

X-Men Forever 2 #10
Marvel US$3.99
Cover by Tom Grummett.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

X-Men: Nation X Trade Paperback
Marvel US$29.99
Artwork and Colours by Niko Henrichon.

Disney/Pixar's The Incredibles #15 Cover by Marcio Takara

Comic sales Q3 2010: downward trends continue

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The retailer focused ICV2 website has posted the sales data for September 2010 and the numbers aren’t pretty as detailed in their overview report.

I would have to agree with the following:

Pricing may be part of the problem, but the real issue is a dearth of major hits.  Like all entertainment businesses, the comics category rises and falls on the strength of its strongest titles, and the strongest titles just aren’t that hot right now, especially in the core superhero lines of the Big Two.  Marvel took a break from major events this year and hasn’t had any big PR successes for a while, and DC has seemed like it was moving through molasses for much of the year as its New York staff waited for the other shoe to drop in the company’s ongoing reorganization.

That’s a bitter pill to swallow. DC and Marvel seem to be having a tougher time relying on old favourites to continually generate new sales… it just ends up being one rehash of the same concepts after another, that’s a huge problem with the mainstream companies… not a new one mind you, as most critics would be quick to point out.

So what’s going on? Why are comics fans dropping books?

A) It could be the economy, I get the impression that Americans have been harder hit than Canadians, so it’s unfortunate we can’t see a breakdown of Diamond’s sales to Canada and the UK to base comparisons on. With companies already reacting to the perceived negative impact that the inflated pricing they introduced a year ago by dropping prices in January 2010 we’ll see if the drop in prices brings buyers back. Somehow I don’t there will be much impact…

B) It could be the increased presence of digital comics and bootleg scan sites. Perhaps comics have been lucky so far and we are now seeing the impact that music and movie sales have had to deal with for over a decade, not to mention the effect on other print media like newspapers and magazines… file sharing, availability and digital piracy = lower sales. Lord knows every week the comics news sites are running preview after preview of upcoming comics — is that working for or against new comics sales? I would argue that the previews might be having a negative impact on sales – curbing interest instead of culling it.

C) Could it be that the genie is out of the bottle on the entertainment value of serialized comics? Is the only way to increase sales to rely on #1 issues and variants (it’s worked in the past I suppose) but they hit that well too many times every month and there’s no real excitement about variants and new issues as there once was. With the top selling comic book in September being another Wolverine #1 (and the only comic book to sell over 100,000 copies) and with another Wolverine #1 on the way soon are we now to expect that Marvel will introduce a new Wolverine #1 every other month in order to boost sales on their titles? (Well, Wolverine is Canadian and therefore dependable but there are rational limits…!)

D) I’d also hasten to point out there’s too much material coming out from Marvel and DC and that they continue to water down their successes. A third Green Lantern book, with readers expected to be following the GL themed weekly Brightest Day comic dilutes enthusiasm and budgets. With a zillion Batman books due this month and next (even though at least half of them expected to be very good) forces budget conscious fans to throw their hands up in despair and make forced cuts/decisions.

E) The quick dumping of modern books by retailers also hurts buyer enthusiasm. I might be a Flash fan, but do I want to pay $3-4 the week it comes out or would I rather wait a month or two until the copies the retailers didn’t sell end up in sale bins at a marked down price of $1-2? I see a lot more people expressing their interest in following that model and a lot more retailers despairing that it is the only way for them to move their backstock. As a person that also buys Blu-Ray movies I face the same dilemma — do I buy the week the new release arrives in stores for $30-40 or do I wait a couple of months until HMV or Futureshop or Best Buy mark it down to $10-20? It all depends on how badly I want to see the release. I think people are doing the same thing with new comics…. that is, those who buy new comics and don’t just wait for the collected editions… which is the next concern.

F) I generally prefer to wait for the collected editions of modern super-hero comics that interest me, and I’m certainly not alone. It’s becoming much more of the standard for readers to wait and order the book once a story arc is done and read it in graphic novel format. With so many books being collected so quickly, I personally end up with anywhere from 3-10 books arriving each week, so essentially I moved my comic purchasing budget away from periodicals towards graphic novels and in the long run I probably order more comics than I did when I was buying single issues.

So take your pick – one specific reason or a combination of factors. Here are the links to the lists:

‘Wolverine’ Tops September Charts (With Low Numbers)

Top 300 Comics Actual–September 2010 (Sales Estimates for September Based on Diamond Indexes and Publisher Title Data)

Looking over the list for sales featuring the work of Canadian creators, let’s take a look at the top seven:

#7 – New Avengers #4 at 77,479 featuring art by Stuart Immonen
#14 – Flash #5 at 62,063 featuring art by Francis Manapul
#37 – Birds of Prey #5 at 40,146 featuring art by Alvin Lee, cover by Alina Urusov
#40 – Astonishing X-Men: Xenogenesis #3 at 38,951 featuring art by Kaare Andrews
#47 – Steve Rogers: Super Soldier #3 at 35,817 featuring art by Dale Eaglesham
#52 – Red Robin #16 at 33,753 featuring art by Marcus To
#59 – New Mutants #17 at 31,684 featuring art by Leonard Kirk

Finally, the Top 300 Graphic Novels Actual–September 2010 (Sales Estimates for September Based on Diamond Indexes and Publisher Title Data)

Well, the Scott Pilgrim movie may have gone nowhere but SP reorders from August spill over into September’s sales of graphic novels making Bryan Lee O’Malley the Canadian star of the top graphic novels list:

#5 Scott Pilgrim 1 – 5,285 (reorder)
#11 Scott Pilgrim 2 – 3,513 (reorder)
#23 Scott Pilgrim 3 – 2,616 (reorder)
#29 Scott Pilgrim 6 – 2,315 (reorder)
#42 Siege: New Avengers HC – 1,988 art by Stuart Immonen
#57 JSA: Black Adam and Isis TP – 1,733 some art by Dale Eaglesham (previously available in HC)

October 20th, 2010 Releases featuring Canadian Creators

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The Saga of Rex Cover by Michel Gagné

If I have missed any works by Canadian Comic Book Creators, please leave a comment, or send me an email at jason@joeshusterawards.com

Brightest Day #12
DC US$2.99
Cover by David Finch.

Conan The Cimmerian #24
Dark Horse US$2.99
Cover by Cary Nord.

DV8: Gods & Monsters #7
DC/Wildstorm US$2.99
Cover by Fiona Staples.

Haunt #10
Image US$2.99
Inks by Todd McFarlane.

DV8: Gods & Monsters #7 Cover by Fiona Staples

Hulk Vol. 6: World War Hulks Hardcover
Marvel US$19.99
Artwork by Dale Keown. Colours by Brad Anderson and Dave McCaig.

James Patterson’s The Murder Of King Tut #5
IDW US$3.99
Cover by Darwyn Cooke.

Loki #1
Marvel US$3.99
Inks by Michel Lacombe.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

New Mutants #18
Marvel US$2.99
Artwork by Leonard Kirk.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Conan the Cimmerian #24 Cover by Cary Nord

Nipper 1963-1964 Trade Paperback
Drawn And Quarterly US$16.95
Written, Artwork and Cover by Doug Wright.

Nightschool: The Weirn Books Vol. 4 Graphic Novel
Yen Press US$12.99
Written, Artwork and Cover by Svetlana Chmakova.

Official Handbook Of The Marvel Universe A To Z Update #4
Marvel US$3.99
Cover by Kalman Andrasofszky.

The Saga Of Rex Trade Paperback
Image US$17.99
Written, Artwork, Colours and Cover by Michel Gagné.
Preview at Michel Gagné’s Website

Soulfire #8 Cover by Marcus To

Skullkickers #2
Image US$2.99
Written by Jim Zubkavich. Cover Colours by Saejin Oh.
Preview at MTV Geek

Soulfire #8
Aspen Comics MLT US$2.99
Artwork and Cover by Marcus To. Inks by Richard Zajac.
Preview at MTV Geek

Spawn Origins Deluxe Edition Vol. 2 Hardcover
Image US$29.99
Written and Artwork by Todd McFarlane.

Steve Rogers: Super-Soldier #4
Marvel US$3.99
Artwork by Dale Eaglesham.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Update #4 Cover by Kalman Andrasofszky

Supergirl #57
DC US$2.99
Artwork by Bernard Chang.
Preview at DC Universe: The Source

Transformers: Drift #4
IDW Publishing US$3.99
Artwork and Cover by Alex Milne.

Ultimate Comics New Ultimates #4
Marvel US$3.99
Colours by Brad Anderson.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

William Shatner Presents Tek War Chronicles #8
Bluewater Productions US$3.99
Written by William Shatner.

Brightest Day #12 Cover by David Finch

X-Factor #210
Marvel US$2.99
Artwork by Valentine De Landro.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

X-Factor Vol. 9: Invisible Woman Has Vanished Trade Paperback
Marvel US$14.99
Artwork by Valentine De Landro. Inks by Pat Davidson.

X-Men Forever Vol. 5: Once More Into The Breach Trade Paperback
Marvel US$16.99
Artwork and Cover by Tom Grummett.

Y: The Last Man Deluxe Edition Book 4 Hardcover
DC/Vertigo US$29.99
Artwork by Pia Guerra.

Transformers: Drift #4 Cover by Alex Milne

October 13th, 2010 Releases featuring Canadian Creators

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New Avengers #5 Regular (Left) and Variant (Right) Covers by Stuart Immonen

If I have missed any works by Canadian Comic Book Creators, please leave a comment, or send me an email at jason@joeshusterawards.com

Adventure Comics #519
DC US$3.99
Back Story Written by Jeff Lemire. Colours by Blond.
Preview at Newsarama

Angel vs. Frankenstein II (One-Shot)
IDW US$3.99
Colours by Ronda Pattison.

Celadore Vol. 1 Trade Paperback
DC/Zuda US$14.99
Written, Artwork, Colours and Cover by Caanan Grall.

Comic Book Guy: The Comic Book – The Collector’s Edition #4
Bongo Comics US$2.99
Written by Ian Boothby.

Ender In Exile #5
Marvel US$3.99
Colours by Jim Charalampidis.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

I Am An Avenger #2
Marvel US$3.99
Colours by Nathan Fairbairn.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Iron Man By Design
Marvel US$3.99
Artwork by Mike Del Mundo.

Knight & Squire #1 Cover by Yanick Paquette & Michel Lacombe

Knight & Squire #1
DC US$2.99
Cover by Yanick Paquette. Cover Inks by Michel Lacombe. Cover Colours by Nathan Fairbairn.
Preview at DC Universe: The Source

New Avengers #5
Marvel US$3.99
Artwork and Covers by Stuart Immonen.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Northlanders #33
DC US$2.99
Colours by Dave McCaig.
Preview at Vertigo: Graphic Content

Pilot Season: Forever #1
Image/Top Cow US$3.99
Colours by Nathan Fairbairn.

Sandman Vol. 2: The Doll’s House Trade Paperback (New Edition)
DC US$19.99
Artwork by Chris Bachalo

Skullkickers #1 (2nd Printing)
Image US$2.99
Written by Jim Zubkavich.

Star Wars: Knight Errant #1
Dark Horse US$2.99
Variant Cover by Dave Ross.

Star Wars: Knight Errant #1 Variant Cover by Dave Ross

Strange Tales II #1
Marvel US$4.99
Stories Written and Artwork by Jillian Tamaki, Kate Beaton, and Jeff Lemire. Colours by Jillian Tamaki and Jeff Lemire.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Superior #1
Marvel US$2.99
Colours by Dave McCaig.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Thor #616
Marvel US$3.99
Cover Colours by Jim Charalampidis.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Tomb Of Terror (One-Shot)
Marvel US$3.99
Cover Colours by Nathan Fairbairn.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Top Cow Bible Addendum #1
Image US$5.00
Contains Artwork by Dale Keown.

Celadore Cover by Caanan Grall

The Unwritten #18
DC US$2.99
Colours by Chris Chuckry.
Preview at Vertigo: Graphic Content

Warlord Of Mars #1
Dynamite Entertainment US$1.00
Artwork by Stephen Sadowski.
Preview at Newsarama

Wonder Woman: Contagion Trade Paperback
DC US$14.99
Colours by Brad Anderson.

X-Men Forever 2 #9
Marvel US$3.99
Cover by Tom Grummett.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

X-Men: Second Coming – Revelations Hardcover
Marvel US$24.99
Artwork by Valentine De Landro. Inks by Pat Davidson. Cover by David Finch.

X-Men Forever 2 #9 Cover by Tom Grummett

Tangles: A story about Alzheimer’s, My Mother, and Me

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Tangles: A story about Alzheimer’s, my mother, and me
by Sarah Leavitt

What do you do when your outspoken, passionate, and quick-witted mother starts fading into a forgetful, fearful woman? In this powerful graphic memoir, Sarah Leavitt reveals how Alzheimer’s disease transformed her mother Midge—and her family—forever.

In spare black and white drawings and clear, candid prose, Sarah shares her family’s journey through a harrowing range of emotions—shock, denial, hope, anger, frustration—all the while learning to cope, and managing to find moments of happiness. Midge, a Harvard-educated intellectual, struggles to comprehend the simplest words; Sarah’s father Rob slowly adapts to his new role as full-time caretaker, but still finds time for word-play and poetry with his wife; Sarah and her sister Hannah argue, laugh, and grieve together as they join forces to help Midge get to sleep, rage about family friends who have disappeared, or collapse in tears at the end of a heartbreaking day.

Tangles confronts the complexity of Alzheimer’s disease, and gradually opens a knot of moments, memories, and dreams to reveal a bond between a mother and a daughter that will never come apart.

Sarah Leavitt writes both prose and comics. Her writing has appeared in Geist, The Globe and Mail, Vancouver Review, The Georgia Straight, and Xtra West. Leavitt has written short documentaries for Definitely Not the Opera on CBC Radio, and her non-fiction has appeared in a number of anthologies, including Nobody’s Mother (Heritage 2006) and Beyond Forgetting: Poetry and Prose about Alzheimer’s Disease (Kent State University Press 2009). She has an MFA in Creative Writing from UBC. Tangles is her first book.

PRAISE FOR TANGLES
“Sarah Leavitt uses the medium of comics to tell her story with more economy and power than either words or pictures could muster by themselves. She brings a good eye for the telling detail—the small observations that reveal larger truths—to her memoir of a family in crisis. Tangles is the work of a perceptive, creative, and honest storyteller.”
—Brian Fies, author of Mom’s Cancer

“Brimming with humility and insight, Leavitt proves herself a skilled and unflinching memoirist. Her spare, evocative illustrations and the tender restraint of her prose will leave you breathless, heartbroken and profoundly grateful.”
—Nancy Lee, author of Dead Girls

“An extraordinarily moving and vivid account, in text and cartoon-style pictures, of the life and death of an Alzheimer’s patient.”
—John Bayley, author of Elegy for Iris

PUBLICATION DATE: SEPT 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-55111-117-9
C$23.95
9 x 10, paper
128 pages
Graphic memoir
Published by Freehand Books
an imprint of Broadview Press

Happenings: Guelph + Cambridge, Oct 30th

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On October 30th the Quad-Cities will be hopping with comic happenings.

To celebrate their 12th Anniversary, The Dragon will be having their 2nd annual mini-con.

The guest list for the in-store event is pretty great (it’s like a mini comic-con; see what I did there?).

Who: Dale Keown, Richard Pace, Jeff Lemire, Ross Campbell, Ray Fawkes, Anthony Del Col, Conor McCreery & Andy Belanger
What: 12th Anniversary Event and Mini-Con
Where: The Dragon – The Old Quebec Street Mall, 55 Wyndham Street North, Unit T12, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 7T8
When: October 30th, 12pm – 5pm

On Saturday October 30th from 12pm -5 pm will be the spoooooky Halloween signing! Special guests are Ray Fawkes (creator of the spooky Possessions), Ross Campbell (creator of the spooky Wet Moon and Shadow Eyes and Abandoned), Jeff Lemire (creator of the spooky Sweet Tooth and Nobody), the Kill Shakespeare creative team of Anthony Del Col, Conor McCreery & Andy Belanger (Andy also creates the spooky Raising Hell webcomic), Richard Pace, and Dale Keown (these guys worked on the sometimes spooky/superheroey Pitt; Dale also worked on that Marvel book The Incredible Hulk).

There will be Halloween treats, and the stores annual Anniversary Sale. Parents are greatly encouraged to bring along some costumed little ones. For more details on the event visit the website or check them out on twitter @dragonguelph.

All that, plus the book launch for Scott Chantler‘s Two Generals.

Who: Scott Chantler
What: The book launch for Two Generals (McClelland & Stewart)
Where: The J.A. McIntosh Armoury, 1 Valour Place, Cambridge, Ontario.
When: October 30th, starting at 7pm. Open House from 10am to 5pm.

(from Scott’s blog)
It’s been a long, long road, but the release of Two Generals is finally just around the corner. And it’s getting a big kick-off with a book release party on October 30th at the J.A. McIntosh Armoury in Cambridge, Ontario, the headquarters of the former Highland Light Infantry of Canada (which is the regiment depicted in the book).

(man, what a good looking book!)

The Armoury will be holding an open house from 10am to 5pm that day, during which time the book will be on sale and I’ll be there to sign them. This would be a great time for anyone interested in military history to come see the displays, take a look in the regimental museum and, of course, pick up a copy of Two Generals.

Then, starting at 7pm, the book release party begins upstairs in the Officers Mess. The Armoury is a historic building and the Officers Mess really hasn’t changed since the First World War. It’s very much where the story begins, so it’s appropriate that the book will start its journey there, too. Books (and original art!) will be on sale throughout the evening, and lots of friends, family, and industry people will be on hand.

This event is free, and open to the public, so take a step backward in time and come help me celebrate the book’s release by touring the regimental museum (which will still be open in the evening) and drinking in the same room that the officers of the HLI of C did. It’s going to be a grand time!

Scott Chantler will also be having a Remembrance Day book launch for Two Generals at The Dragon, in conjunction with a Comics For Kids drawing workshop, all happening from 12 pm – 3pm on Saturday, November 13, 2010.

October 6th, 2010 Releases featuring Canadian Creators

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Richard Stark's Parker: The Outfit Cover by Darwyn Cooke

If I have missed any works by Canadian Comic Book Creators, please leave a comment, or send me an email at jason@joeshusterawards.com

American Vampire #7
DC/Vertigo US$3.99
Colours by Dave McCaig.
Preview at Vertigo: Graphic Content

Bear Nuts Vol. 1: The Book Of Prozac Trade Paperback
DMF Comics US$18.99
Written, Artwork, Colours, and Cover by Alison Acton.

Best American Comics 2010 Hardcover
Houghton Mifflin Company US$23.00
Stories Written and Artwork by Dave Lapp and Bryan Lee O’Malley. Cover by Michael Cho.

Brightest Day #11
DC US$2.99
Cover by David Finch.
Preview at DC Universe: The Source

Brightest Day #11 Cover by David Finch

Chaos War #1
Marvel US$3.99
Inks by Terry Pallot.

Civil War: Fantastic Four Hardcover
Marvel US$39.99
Artwork by Marcus To and Kaare Andrews. Colours by Kaare Andrews.

DC Comics Presents: Green Lantern #1
DC US$7.99
Artwork by Dale Eaglesham.

Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep Vol. 3 Hardcover
BOOM Studios US$24.99
Colours by Blond.

Doctor Who Vol. 2: Tessaract Trade Paperback
IDW US$19.99
Colours by Lovern Kindzierski.

Best American Comics 2010 Cover by Michael Cho

Ghost Rider By Jason Aaron: Omnibus Hardcover
Marvel US$49.99
Colours by Dave McCaig.

Hawkeye & Mockingbird #5
Marvel US$2.99
Colours by Nathan Fairbairn.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Hopeless Savages: Greatest Hits Trade Paperback
Oni Press US$19.99
Artwork by Bryan Lee O’Malley.

Klaws of the Panther #1 Cover by Mike Del Mundo

Image Firsts: Haunt #1
Image US$1.00
Inks and Cover by Todd McFarlane.

Klaws Of The Panther #1
Marvel US$3.99
Cover by Mike Del Mundo.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Orc Stain #5
Image US$2.99
Written, Artwork, Colours and Cover by James Stokoe.
Preview at Newsarama

Palookaville Volume 20 Cover by Seth

Palookaville Volume 20
Drawn and Quarterly US$13.95
Written, Artwork, Colours and Cover by Seth.
Preview at Drawn and Quarterly

R.E.B.E.L.S. #21
DC US$2.99
Artwork by Claude St. Aubin.
Preview at Newsarama

Richard Stark’s Parker: The Outfit Hardcover
IDW US$24.99
Adaptation Written, Artwork, Colours and Cover by Darwyn Cooke.

Transformers: Drift #3 Cover by Alex Milne

Starman: Omnibus Vol. 5 Hardcover
DC US$49.99
Artwork by Stephen Sadowski.

Star Wars: The Old Republic #4
Dark Horse US$2.99
Artwork by Dave Ross.

Superman: Nightwing And Flamebird Vol. 2 Hardcover
DC US$24.99
Artwork by Bernard Chang. Colours by Blond.

Sweet Tooth #14 Cover by Jeff Lemire

Sweet Tooth #14
DC/Vertigo US$2.99
Written, Artwork and Cover by Jeff Lemire.

Taskmaster #2
Marvel US$3.99
Colours by Jean-Francois Beaulieu.
Preview at Comic Book Resources

Transformers: Drift #3
IDW US$3.99
Artwork and Cover by Alex Milne.

Orc Stain #5 Cover by James Stokoe

SkullKickers #1 to get a 3rd Printing

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Betsy Gomez
510-644-4980 x 26
betsygomez@imagecomics.com

A HEAD PUNTING KICK-OFF TO A HIT NEW IMAGE SERIES!
Second Printing of SKULLKICKERS #1 blazes through inventory before release, Third Printing on its way

Berkeley, CA – 4 October 2010 – After an early distribution-level sell out of the first printing of SKULLKICKERS #1, additional orders for the second printing have built far quicker than expected and Image Comics has authorized a rush third printing of the hit first issue to meet reorder demand!

SKULLKICKERS #1, written and drawn by newcomers Jim Zubkavich and Edwin Huang respectively, has whipped up excitement among readers of all stripes. The third printing of SKULLKICKERS, with a brand new cover by Chris Stevens and Saejin Oh, will arrive in stores October 27.

“Edwin, Misty and I are all unbelievably thrilled that retailers, readers and reviewers are responding so strongly to the first issue,” says Zubkavich “When you launch something new like this, you hope it will connect with an audience. We wanted to make a fun action romp and, from what we’re seeing, that’s what the market was ready for. Thank you, everyone!”

In SKULLKICKERS, two mercenaries are entangled in a high-class assassination plot, and nothing — not werewolves, skeletons or black magic — will stop them from getting paid. If you love fantasy, action-comedy, a touch of black-hearted violence and movies like ARMY OF DARKNESS then SKULLKICKERS is the book for you!

SKULLKICKERS #1 Third Printing (AUG108191), a 32-page full-color comic book for $2.99, will be in stores October 27, 2010. SKULLKICKERS #2 (AUG100490) arrives in stores one week earlier, on October 20. Follow the Skullkickers blog at www.skullkickers.com for sneak peeks and more. You can download a free preview of SKULLKICKERS using the Image Comics app from comiXology.

Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

Darwyn Cooke’s The Outfit and Seth’s Palookaville 20 due in stores 10/6/10

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Jason has informed me that the full list of new releases for October 6, 2010 featuring the work of Canadian creators will be posted later today.

However, I took a quick look at the shipping list and it looks like an all-star week for Canadian comics as both Richard Stark’s Parker – The Outfit by Darwyn Cooke and Palookaville 20 and (the first hardcover book edition) by Seth are on the Diamond Dist. shipping schedule! These are two very high profile releases that will, based on the track record of their respective creators, be strongly considered in the Outstanding Cartoonist category for the 7th Annual Joe Shuster Awards.

"The Outfit" is the second Parker book that Darwyn has adapted for IDW, although a truncated version of the book "The Man with the Getway Face" was released earlier this year and will also be included in The Outfit. "The Hunter" was on many 'Best of' lists for 2009 and Cooke won Will Eisner, Harvey Kurtzmann and Joe Shuster Awards as well.

Seth's first issue of Palookaville in the new hardcover format for publisher Drawn and Quarterly. Last year's hardcover release "George Sprott" was also on many 'Best of' lists and earned Seth a Doug Wright Award. Palookaville 20 will feature a follow-up to his 'Clyde Fans, Book One', as well as some other short stories and features.