Tradewaiting – January 31st, 2018 Releases: U.S. Avengers, Love Machines, & More
by Noah Sharma
A lot of comics come out every week. It’s easy to get lost in the sea of #1s and dramatic new status quos as they crash. That’s why I’m here. Whether you said you’d revisit checking that series out when it was collected in trade, or you simply never noticed the announcement of that awesome OGN, whether you’re just waiting for that hardcover to be published as a trade, or have been longing for a collection of your favorite stories since childhood, Tradewaiting is here for you, with the complete Diamond list of graphic novels and collections as well as some recommendations to scoop up.
So, without further ado, here’s what’s coming to the bookshelves of your LCS this fine week of January 31st, 2018.
HIGHLIGHTS
U.S.Avengers vol. 2: Cannonball Run
A.I.M used to be one of the most dangerous terrorist groups on earth until Bobby da Costa bought it and turned it into one of the most dangerous vigilante groups on earth, which it remained until da Costa made a deal with the U.S government and it was folded into S.H.I.E.L.D., the United State’s most capable security and anti-terrorism agency…or at least it was until it, and the United States government, were corrupted and overtaken by H.Y.D.R.A.
Simple, no?
Well, the thing is, despite opening with that premise, U.S.Avengers vol. 2 is all about telling solid, simple stories. With everything that Sunspot has built crumbling and perverted by the Secret Empire event, Squirrel Girl and Enigma flee to Europe, only to be drafted into the resistance by the Champions of Europe! Meanwhile the rest of the team fights to survive H.Y.D.R.A. captivity and rekindle hope for America. And even as all of this plays out, Cannonball is captured and taken deep into space to…Glendale, U.S.A.!
These three plots are handled deftly by Al Ewing, who jumps at the chance to tell some crazy, old-fashioned, nazi-punching adventures at the House of Ideas. Ewing’s trademark creativity and seemingly four-dimensional knowledge of the Marvel universe weave fantastic ideas back and forth across the page. Characters like Faiza Hussain and Outlaw get a turn in the spotlight, Toni Ho finally gets to reckon with her father’s legacy, Sunspot gets one last chance to escape from politics, and Cannonball gets drafted into a war for the soul of…well, it’s Riverdale effectively, the classic version, not the sexy one (though, in a way, I guess that’s kind of the point).
I have a real soft spot for series like this, weird titles that should be the hidden corners of the Marvel universe but insist on telling their stories like they’re the most essential book in the line. This is where the future of shared universe books is born, where future writers and future fans discover the character that no one else knows about but definitely should. Even under the shadow of “Secret Empire”, U.S.Avengers remained fun, incisive, and real to the very end, and now you can own it in trade for $17.99.
Love Machines
An anthology of curious tales, Love Machines peers in on seemingly normal lives throughout history as they collide with progress in one way or another. Though the title and description ties the theme to technology, the directions that takes can be as traditional as a failed romance between two supercomputers or odd as the real life story of a soap mannequin caught between two coasts. Not every story is exactly a romance, but they all examine how the objects in our lives and the flow of time touch the relationships between people.
The book has a peaceful, magical quality about it. Writer Josh Trujillo isn’t afraid to use a light touch and the result is a collection that can echo in silence. You don’t go into a story about a girl falling in love with an animatronic model of Karl Marx expecting it to be energizing, contemplative, and poignant, but that’s just what this anthology is about!
Gathering ten stories by ten artists into a compact package, Love Machines is one of the more unique comics anthologies I’ve had the pleasure to discover and now it finally comes to comic shops. If you’re a fan of strange, imperfect romances or honest, historical slices of life you won’t regret spending $19.99 here.
*****
The Big Two have collections from all through their publishing histories this week and fans of manga will find all sorts to satisfy their appetites. Here’s Diamond’s complete listing of collections and graphic novels for this week.
DARK HORSE COMICS
BRIGGS LAND TP VOL 02 LONE WOLVES $19.99
MAGES OF MYSTRALIA TP $10.99
MATT WAGNER GRENDEL TALES OMNIBUS TP VOL 02 $24.99
MICHAEL CHABON ESCAPIST AMAZING ADV TP $24.99
DC COMICS
BLACK LIGHTNING TP VOL 02 $19.99
DC SUPER HERO GIRLS DATE WITH DISASTER TP $9.99
NEW TEEN TITANS THE JUDAS CONTRACT DLX ED HC $29.99
SHADE THE CHANGING GIRL TP VOL 02 LITTLE RUNAWAY (MR) $16.99
SUPERMAN THE COMING OF THE SUPERMEN TP $16.99
VIGILANTE SOUTHLAND TP $16.99
IDW PUBLISHING
RICHARD STARKS PARKER SLAYGROUND TP $14.99
SAUCER STATE TP $19.99
STEVE CANYON HC VOL 08 1961-1962 $49.99
IMAGE COMICS
KILL THE MINOTAUR TP (MR) $19.99
VIOLENT LOVE TP VOL 02 HEARTS ON FIRE (MR) $16.99
WAYWARD TP VOL 05 TETHERED SOULS (MR) $17.99
MARVEL COMICS
BEN REILLY SCARLET SPIDER TP VOL 02 DEATHS STING $15.99
INHUMANS VS X-MEN TP $34.99
LEGION SON OF X TP VOL 01 PRODIGAL $15.99
MYSTERY MEN TP GOLDEN AGE $19.99
ROYALS TP VOL 02 JUDGEMENT DAY $19.99
US AVENGERS TP VOL 02 STARS AND GARTERS $17.99
VENOM TP LETHAL PROTECTOR NEW PTG $16.99
VENOM TP VOL 03 LETHAL PROTECTOR BLOOD IN THE WATER $15.99
WEREWOLF BY NIGHT COMPLETE COLLECTION TP VOL 02 $39.99
ZOMBIES ASSEMBLE MANGA TP VOL 02 $14.99
COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS
9/11 GN (MR) $9.99
BATTLE OF CHURUBUSCO GN US REBELS MEXICAN-AMERICAN WAR $22.99
BEST OF ENEMIES HIST OF US MIDDLE EAST RELATIONS HC VOL 03 1 $24.99
BLACK AF AMERICAS SWEETHEART GN $9.99
BLACK CLOVER GN VOL 10 $9.99
CLANDESTINO COMP COLL TP (MR) $14.99
COMPLETE CREPAX HC BOX SET VOL 01-02 DRACULA & TIME EATER (MR) $150.00
COMPLETE CREPAX HC EVIL SPELLS (MR) $75.00
COMPLETE PEANUTS BOX SET 1963-1966 $39.99
DIVINITY COMP TRILOGY DLX ED HC $59.99
DOCTOR WHO 11TH SAPLING TP VOL 01 GROWTH $16.99
DRACULA SUICIDE CLUB GN $14.99
ETERNAL OGN (MR) $7.99
FOOD WARS SHOKUGEKI NO SOMA GN VOL 22 $9.99
GODSHAPER TP $19.99
GUNNERKRIGG COURT HC VOL 06 $26.99
H G WELLS WAR OF THE WORLDS GN $24.99
HAIKYU GN VOL 20 $9.99
HAYATE COMBAT BUTLER GN VOL 31 $9.99
IMMORTAL HOUNDS GN VOL 06 $12.95
IS THIS GUY FOR REAL GN $19.99
JOJOS BIZARRE ADV 3 STARDUST CRUSADERS HC VOL 06 $19.99
JOSIE & THE PUSSYCATS TP VOL 02 $12.99
KITARO GN VOL 05 VAMPIRE SLAYER $12.95
KUROKO BASKETBALL 2IN1 TP VOL 10 $16.99
LOVE MACHINES HC (MR) $19.99
MAGI GN VOL 28 $9.99
MERCENARY DEFINITIVE ED HC VOL 02 $17.99
MERLIN LEGEND BEGINS GN $16.99
MY HERO ACADEMIA GN VOL 11 $9.99
ORESAMA TEACHER GN VOL 23 $9.99
OZ GN VOL 01 GATHERING OF HEROES $16.99
PRINCE VALIANT HC VOL 16 1967-1968 $34.99
REDLINE TP VOL 01 $19.99
REGAL ACADEMY GN VOL 01 SCHOOL FOR FAIRY TALES $9.99
REGAL ACADEMY GN VOL 02 HAPPILY EVER AFTER $9.99
REGAL ACADEMY HC VOL 01 SCHOOL FOR FAIRY TALES $14.99
REGAL ACADEMY HC VOL 02 HAPPILY EVER AFTER $14.99
REGULAR SHOW TP VOL 10 $14.99
SP BABY GN VOL 02 (MR) $9.99
SPEAK GN 2ND ED $19.99
TAKANE & HANA GN VOL 01 $9.99
TORIKO GN VOL 41 $9.99
TROMA CHILLERS GN VOL 02 (MR) $14.99
VAMPIRELLA DYNAMITE YEARS OMNIBUS TP VOL 02 $39.99
VOLTRON LEGENDARY DEFENDER TP VOL 02 PILGRIMAGE $14.99
WELCOME TO BALLROOM GN VOL 09 $12.99
YU GI OH 3IN1 TP VOL 13 $14.99
