Beyond giving out our yearly awards, the CCBCAA promotes the work of Canadians in the industry, so here we go:

Retailers must have their Diamond orders uploaded by 11:59pm, Tuesday, March 2.

Prices in the Diamond catalogue are listed in US$. Every store has their own currency exchange policy, expect the price to vary.

Please note: Don’t expect this list to be complete, instead this is a selection of books that I find interesting. It would be great if retailers took note and ordered some of these great books by Canuck talent. For the most part, I only denote book content in the capacity of writer/artist as listed in Previews. Cover-only work is typically ignored, unless I decide to include a cover I consider noteworthy.

.

Page 66 – DC – The Flash #1
art by Francis Manapul
40 pgs – Colour – $3.99

A widely advertised relaunch of the Flash costume. This book is a great opportunity for Francis and his career path, but I have to wonder, who is this book for? It’s been 23 years since Barry Allen’s death in Crisis #8. That was a real gotcha moment for this newly minted comic reader, but we’ve had Wally West as the Flash ever since. Is this book meant to resonate with people who started reading comics post-1987, or is this meant to reward DC’s aging fanbase with THEIR childhood Flash?

.

Page 118 – DC/Vertigo – Sweet Tooth vol 1
art and story by Jeff Lemire
128 pgs – Colour – $9.99

Collects the first 5 issue arc of this series by Jeff.

Also on this page:
Sweet Tooth #8
art and story by Jeff Lemire
32 pgs – Colour – $2.99

The Nobody Softcover
art and story by Jeff Lemire
144 pgs – 2 Colour – $14.99

It’s been a great run for Jeff Lemire, the past 3 years. He is a wonderful talent with a unique style and voice.

.

Page 148 – Image Comics – Haunt #7
art by Todd McFarlane
32 pgs – Colour – $2.99

Page 149 – Image Comics – Image United #4
some art by Todd McFarlane
32 pgs – Colour – $3.99

Page 150 – Image Comics – Spawn #202
art by Todd McFarlane
32 pgs – Colour – $2.99

McFarlane has been doing digital inks on Haunt and Spawn and the conceit of Image United is that each artist draws the characters of their creation, resulting in each panel being a mash-up of styles and looks, but McFarlane is working on 3 books a month right now!?

.

Page 174 – Top Cow Productions – Pilot Season: Hardcore #1
art by Bernard Chang
32 pgs – Colour – $2.99

Another Kirkman book, this could be a great career move for Chang.

.

Page 176 – Top Cow Productions – The Darkness/Pitt vol 1 TPB
art by Dale Keown
144 pgs – Colour – $14.99

Collecting the 3 issue mini-series. Keown returns to his Pitt character, his creator owned title released in the early days of Image that paid off huge.

.

Page 224 – BOOM! Studios – The Incredibles #6
art by Marcio Takara.
32 pgs – Colour – $2.99

There are also a couple of collections listed: Incredibles vol 1 & 3, both with art by Marcio Takara. These are kid friendly entries from BOOM! Studios.

.

Page 263 – IDW Publishing – Kill Shakespeare #1
art by Andy Belanger
32 pgs – Colour – $3.99

Andy B has been doing a lot of web-based comics with his Raising Hell and Bottle of Awesome series, but is now working on a series that takes all of William Shakespeare’s characters, makes them real, and in the same ‘universe’. MacBeth vs Hamlet! (I don’t know if that is a real thing, but imagine those two squaring off.)

.

Page 266 – IDW Publishing – Star Trek: McCoy #1
story and art by John Byrne
32 pgs – Colour – $3.99

IDW has done really well with these Star Trek comics, and John Byrne has been getting steady work from IDW working on various Star Trek comics.

.

Page 274 – IDW Publishing – Digger & Friends
story by Jack Brigio
104 pgs – Colour – $11.99

A collection of age appropriate stories targeting young readers. Apparently, Digger is the mascot of NASCAR.

.

Page 274 – IDW Publishing – Sword of my Mouth – Collection
story by Jim Munroe
art by Shannon Gerard
132 pgs – B&W – $14.99

The continuation of Therefore Repent! is here. Sword in my Mouth was originally distributed digitally, with the intention of releasing a finished paperback version.

.

Page 279 – Oni Press – Ghost Projekt #2
art by Steve Rolston.
32 pgs – Colour – $3.99

.

Page 298 – UDON Entertainment – Street Fighter Legends: Ibuki #2
story by Jim Zubkavich
art by Omar Dogan.
32 pgs – Colour – $3.95

Also listed on page 298 is The Mega Man Megamix Vol 2.

.

Page 306 – Vanguard Productions – Hal Foster: Prince of Illustrators
art by Hal Foster.
200 pgs – Colour – $34.95

This biography covers the 70-year career of a master illustrator.

.

Page 307 – Yen Press – Nightschool volume 3
story and art by Svetlana Chmakova.
192 pgs – B&W – $10.99

This is the third volume in Svetlana’s newest series. Vampires & Witches and all the problems of highschool.

.

Page M16 – Marvel – Girl Comics #2
some story by Kathryn Immonen
some art by Faith Erin Hicks
48 pgs – Colour – $4.99

.

Page M33 – Marvel – Amazing Spider-Man #630
art by Chris Bachalo
32 pgs – Colour – $2.99

.

Page M45 – Marvel – Fantastic Four #578
art by Dale Eaglesham
32 pgs – Colour – $2.99

.

Page M77 – Marvel – X-men: Pixie Strikes Back #3
story by Kathryn Immonen
32 pgs – Colour – $3.99

.

Page M79 – Marvel – X-men Forever #21 & #22
art by Tom Grummett
32 pgs – Colour – $3.99

What can I say, I dig this book. Even I don’t entirely know why, but I will say that even with it’s own thick continuity issues, X-men Forever just seems a lot easier to follow than the current X Universe. And for all you retailers looking for all-ages superhero comics that were just like the ones you grew up reading: this is probably the only one that exists.

.

Non-Canuck notables that are in the Previews, books/series that and I want to point out).

Page 249 – Drawns & Quarterly – Wilson Hardcover
80 pgs – Colour – $21.95
A much anticipated release by Daniel Clowes and a book that D+Q has made a big splash with, bringing him along as the headline guest at their TCAF event.

.

Page 257- Fantagraphics – Pussey
64 pgs – B&W – $9.95
Fanta puts out a new printing of the Dan Clowes book, to ride on the coat tails of Wilson. Smart.

.

Page 280- Oni Press – Spell Checkers vol 1
144 pgs – B&W – $11.95
I look forward to another book from Jamie S. Rich and Joelle Jones.

.

Page 283- Pantheon Books – Bodyworld Hard Cover
384 pgs – Colour – $27.95
A new book by Dash Shaw. This darling of the art comix world steps into genre fiction with his new sci-fi story.

What am I ordering this month?

• The Guild #2
• Star Wars Omnibus vol 1 –  reprinting 1-20 of the Marvel run
• Batman and Robin #11 – Morrison
• Batwoman: Elegy deluxe HC – J.H.Williams III doesn’t reinvent, but he certainly tweaks superhero panel layouts.
• Tiny Titans #27 – DC’s best book, hands down
• DV8 vol 2 #1 – Brian Wood
• Ex Machina vol 9 – nearly finished.
• American Vampire #2 – I’m a sucker for vampire comics
• Daytripper #5
• Joe the Barbarian #4 – Morrison
• Stuck Rubber Baby – new edition, could never finish the set of Paradox books
• Haunt #7
• Spawn #202
• Echo #21 + Echo vol 4
• Fraggle Rock #1
• Crossed TPB
• RASL vol 2
• Wilson – Clowes
• Prime Baby – Gene Luen Yang
• Kill Shakespeare #1
• Sword of My Mouth TPB
• Spell Checkers vol 1
• Biomega vol 2 (manga)
• I’ll Give It My All…Tomorrow vol 1 (manga)
• Nightschool vol 3 (manga)
• Iron Man Legacy #1
• Invincible Iron Man #25
• Iron Man 1.5 #2 & #3
• X-Men Forever #12, #22 & Annual 1
• Nemisis #2

Man, that’s a huge list.  That’s just ridiculous.