Tradewaiting – May 2nd, 2018 Releases: Fallen Heroes Rise

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 May 2nd, 2018.

HIGHLIGHTS

Fullmetal Alchemist: Fullmetal Edition vol. 1

To be wholly honest, I have not kept up with anime and manga the way they deserve nor the way my teenage self would no doubt have expected. But, having been a manga fan at a very particular time, I can say this with confidence: Hiromu Arakawa‘s Fullmetal Alchemist is a masterpiece.

I’m sure that’s not a terribly new opinion, it was a seismic success and remains a staple of the shonen genre. However, for all the charm and quality of series like BLEACH or Dragon Ball, in my opinion, there is something deeper and more potent about FMA. Fullmetal Alchemist is not just a fantastic shonen manga, or even just a fantastic manga; it’s one of the best comics I’ve had the pleasure to follow, period.

In the nation of Amestris, alchemy is not merely a legend, nor a form of chemistry, but an arcane science that allows for instantaneous transmutation of elements. However, for all its power, there are limits on alchemy. For anything to be gained, something equal must be offered and alchemy involving human bodies or souls is strictly forbidden. The consequences for breaking these rules are severe and only the legendary Philosopher’s Stone can overcome them or repair the damage that disrespect for them brings.
Following brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric as they navigate the political, alchemical, and literal landscape of Amestris in order to make eachother whole again, Fullmetal Alchemist is bursting at the seams with lovable characters, shocking twists, clever action, and thoughtful plots.
With two anime adaptations and a live-action movie released last year in Japan, it’s likely that most people who might want to read Fullmetal Alchemist are aware of it, but, if you’ve let it pass you by or never really known what it was, I so sincerely recommend giving it a look. Luckily, that’s just become even easier.
The Fullmetal Edition hardcover remasters the 2001 manga with brand new lettering, an updated translation, design sketches, new insert art, and color version of selected pages, all on high-quality paper. At $20.00, it’s a fairly affordable approach to this higher quality reprinting of the series. Slightly larger than the traditional release and given a hardcover binding, the first Fullmetal Edition collects “one and a half” of the original volumes. That means that it’s probably not a perfect choice to patch holes in a collection, but, whether you’re giving it a look for the first time or coming back for the collector’s edition treatment the Fullmetal Edition promises, it sounds like a wonderful way to experience this acclaimed series from the beginning.

Green Arrow (Rebirth) vol. 5: Hard-Traveling Hero

One of the greatest successes of DC’s Rebirth was making Green Arrow an A-list book again. Barring Jeff Lemire’s run and Oliver Queen’s success on television, it’s possible that Green Arrow hasn’t had success like this since the early 90s. What’s more, I don’t know that Oliver Queen has ever been as likable or as intentionally flawed as he was here. Accomplishing all this while crafting a serial novel is the impressive accomplishment of Benjamin Percy, and some of his best writing of his thirty-nine issues with the character is found here.

Having lost, but survived an unprecedented attack on his city, Oliver Queen takes his trick arrow act on the road to ensure that this sick corporate experiment can never be replicated and, in doing so, is forced to confront some of the people he’s ticked off the most: the Justice League.
Teaming Ollie with the five most famous Leaguers, Percy demonstrates why they’re the greatest heroes on Earth while deftly writing some pitch perfect Green Arrow adventures. The arc’s single issue tales call back to the globetrotting adventure of yesteryear while building a sum greater than its parts. Green Arrow’s run-ins with Wonder Woman and Superman are among the best issues of Percy’s tenure and all of it comes courtesy of a slew of the most talented artists and colorists in DC’s stable, including Juan Ferreyra, Otto Schmidt, and Jamal Campbell.
Hard-Traveling Hero holds the line at DC’s familiar $16.99 price point and offers a serious dose of fun and originality into Percy’s wonderful, but often dark, run on the series.
Scarlett’s Strike Force

This one comes with a bit of history. In late 2016 Aubrey Sitterson launched a new volume of G.I. Joe for IDW. Response was mixed and some took issue with Sitterson for making G.I. Joe an international organization and trying to distance the story from realistic military conflict in favor of something more in line with the classic Sunbow cartoon. Other readers were upset that Sitterson was highlighting women in his stories and rewritten characters to increase diversity among the book’s cast. The whole thing came to a head when Sitterson tweeted about the way that some Americans use and misuse the memory of 9/11 in September of last year. That was excuse enough to present the case against Sitterson with a shroud of legitimacy and YoJoe.com announced that it would be boycotting all coverage of IDW’s comics until Sitterson was removed from the franchise.

In short, the tactic worked. G.I. Joe was relaunched as Scarlett’s Strike Force following the “First Strike” event, with art by Nelson Daniel, however IDW canceled it before the first issue went to print, citing “low sales.” This excuse was particularly weak because Scarlett’s Strike Force’s pre-order deadline was still a week off. In order to ensure that this account was technically accurate, IDW did nothing to promote the book, even failing to upload cover art for the series to Diamond, and barred Sitterson from advertizing the series at all.
The series follows Scarlett’s team of Joes, including classics like Roadblock and Lady Jaye and even the Transformer Skywarp, as they team up with M.A.S.K. to defeat an allied Cobra and V.E.N.O.M., all under the control of the new Cobra Commander, the former Baroness! The book is even wilder than its predecessor, leaning deep into “the weird sci-fi/fantasy aspects of G.I. Joe“.
Whether you’re a longtime fan, bummed that the series was canceled; discovered it through the controversy; or just wonder what could have been, you can pick up Scarlett’s Strike Force today for $17.99.
The Ghost, The Owl

This is one that I hadn’t heard anything about until I peeked ahead at the Diamond list, but if you’re looking for something for a younger reader or a real art lover who’s interested in comics, may I suggest The Ghost, The Owl.

When a ghostly figure appears over the swamp with no memories of her life, only the owl is willing to help her. What secrets does the young spirit hold and what does it mean for the forest at large? It’s a simple concept that suits this short, middle grade graphic novel, but the pedigree is what really brought it to my attention.
Franco has made a name for himself as a premier creator of all-ages comics, ensuring that this middle-grade mystery will be both fun and appropriate for children and adults alike, but it’s Sara Richard who made this one to look out for. Richard is an artist I’ve followed for a long time and her work is stunning and only continues to advance. She’s a master of drawing anything that sets your imagination soaring, from Ponies to dinosaurs, and, if you’ve caught her at any of her many conventions, you’ve no doubt seen her recent trend towards owls. Richard’s watercolor art is flowing and curious, drifting through pages with an ethereal faerieland quality about it. Eschewing traditional gutters, The Ghost, The Owl is an evocative book. And, especially for only $9.99, it’s one that deserves some more eyes on it, even if we have to swivel our heads.
Nightwing: The New Order

Nightwing has always been a lynchpin of the DC superhero community, combining Batman’s skills and organization with Superman’s charm and clout. He’s always been destined to step up and lead, whether literally or by his example. After writing him in Nightwing and Batman Beyond 2.0, it’s clear that Kyle Higgins has a real talent and affection for writing Dick Grayson, but I don’t think any of us expected this. 

In a world where superpowers have grown dangerously prevalent and uncontrolled, Dick Grayson finally gets that call to step up. Fast Forward and now Dick works publically, America’s head cop, ensuring that metahumans are contained and controlled for the sake of all. Those who resist the cure are hunted and brought into compliance, those who cannot be cured are held on ice until they can be.
But this isn’t a story about how we need a hero to lock up all those people who are different and it’s not a polemic about how superheroes are fundamentally fascist. It’s a story about the compromises that can make a good man, some would say the best, into a monster without fundamentally altering who he is and it’s a story about how new heroes emerge when our old ones fail us.
This book is stylishly illustrated by Trevor McCarthy and Dean White and chock full of great ideas, like a state sanctioned Mr. Freeze and Lois Lane, Blue Lantern. And don’t even get me started on all the tantalizing ideas in play for Starfire. Higgins understands that the native genre of the modern Batman franchise is a family drama and delivers one of the most unique examples in years. Especially if you’re longing for a solid Elseworlds story, The New Order is more than worth a look and, for $16.99 you can take that glimpse into the future.
*****
That was our biggest Tradewaiting yet, but there’s still plenty more that we haven’t even touched on! If you’re still looking for something to satisfy your comic appetite, here’s Diamond’s complete listing of collections and graphic novels for this week to peruse at your leisure.

IMAGE COMICS

EXTREMITY TP VOL 02 WARRIOR $16.99

GRAVEDIGGERS UNION TP VOL 01 (MR) $16.99

REBORN TP (MR) $16.99

SPREAD TP VOL 05 (MR) $16.99

STRAY BULLETS SUNSHINE & ROSES TP VOL 01 (MR) $19.99

STREET ANGEL GOES TO JUVIE HC $19.99

 

DARK HORSE COMICS

MILK & CHEESE DAIRY PRODUCTS GONE BAD TP $19.99

OCCULTIST OMNIBUS TP $24.99

 

IDW PUBLISHING

MY LITTLE PONY LEGENDS OF MAGIC TP VOL 02 $19.99

POWERPUFF GIRLS BUREAU OF BAD HC $12.99

SAMURAI JACK TP QUANTUM JACK $17.99

SCARLETTS STRIKE FORCE TP VOL 01 $17.99

STAR TREK BOLDLY GO TP VOL 03 $19.99

TALES OF TMNT OMNIBUS TP VOL 01 $29.99

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES TP VOL 03 $29.99

 

DC COMICS

FUTURE QUEST PRESENTS TP VOL 01 (RES) $16.99

GREEN ARROW TP VOL 05 HARD TRAVELING HERO REBIRTH $16.99

GREEN LANTERN KYLE RAYNER TP VOL 02 $29.99

HARLEY QUINN TP VOL 05 VOTE HARLEY REBIRTH $16.99

LOEG THE BLACK DOSSIER TP NEW ED $19.99

NIGHTWING THE NEW ORDER TP $16.99

SUICIDE SQUAD REBIRTH DLX COLL HC BOOK 02 $34.99

ZERO HOUR CRISIS IN TIME HC $24.99

 

MARVEL COMICS

AGENTS OF ATLAS TP COMPLETE COLLECTION VOL 01 $39.99

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE GAME ON DIGEST TP $9.99

COLOR YOUR OWN DEADPOOL AGAIN TP $9.99

COLOR YOUR OWN STAR WARS HAN SOLO TP $9.99

DEADPOOL CLASSIC COMPANION TP VOL 02 $34.99

PUNISHER MAX BY GARTH ENNIS OMNIBUS HC VOL 01 (MR) $100.00

SHE-HULK TP VOL 03 JEN WALTERS MUST DIE $15.99

SPIDER-MAN FREE FALLING DIGEST TP $9.99

STAR WARS HAN SOLO HC $24.99

STAR WARS TAG & BINK WERE HERE #1 $7.99

WEAPON X HC THE RETURN OMNIBUS $125.00

WOLVERINE GOES TO HELL OMNIBUS HC $100.00

 

BOOM! STUDIOS

ADVENTURE TIME REGULAR SHOW TP $19.99

 

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

ALL SUMMER LONG GN $12.99

ALL SUMMER LONG HC GN $21.99

ALONE GN VOL 08 ARENA $13.95

AMAZING AGE TP $9.95

ANIMUS GN VOL 01 $16.99

ANONYMOUS NOISE GN VOL 08 $9.99

ARCHIE TP VOL 05 $17.99

BEARS TOOTH GN VOL 01 MAX $13.95

BLACK CLOVER GN VOL 11 $9.99

BLEACH 3IN1 TP VOL 23 $14.99

BRIDE WAS A BOY GN (MR) $13.99

CARNET DE VOYAGE HC (MR) $21.95

CASEY RUGGLES HC VOL 01 $59.95

CHASMA KNIGHTS GN VOL 01 $17.99

CHI SWEET ADVENTURES GN VOL 01 $11.95

CHILDREN OF WHALES GN VOL 04 $12.99

CRISIS GIRLS GN VOL 01 $12.99

DANGEROUS JOURNEY HC (MR) $16.95

DAYGLOAYHOLE QUARTERLY #1 (OF 4) (MR) $6.00

DOROHEDORO GN VOL 22 $12.99

EVERYONES GETTING MARRIED GN VOL 08 (MR) $9.99

FALLSTREAK TP (MR) $14.99

FOUR POINTS SC GN VOL 02 KNIFES EDGE $12.99

FUBAR ALL STAR TP (MR) $14.95

FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST FULLMETAL ED HC VOL 01 $19.99

GANGSTA CURSED GN VOL 04 EP MARCO ADRIANO (MR) $12.99

GOOD NEWS BIBLE DEADLINE STRIPS SHAKY KANE GN $34.99

HAIKYU GN VOL 23 $9.99

HOOKAH GIRL & OTHER TRUE STORIES GN $6.95

HUNGRY FOR YOU ENDO YASUKO STALKS NIGHT GN VOL 01 (MR) $12.99

IS WRONG PICK UP GIRLS DUNGEON SWORD ORATORIA GN VOL 03 $13.00

JAMES JOYCE PORTRAIT OF DUBLINER GRAPHIC BIOGRAPHY $16.99

JOJOS BIZARRE ADV 3 STARDUST CRUSADERS HC VOL 07 $19.99

JUANA & DRAGONEWTS SEVEN KINGDOMS GN VOL 02 $12.99

JUDGE DREDD COMP CASE FILES TP VOL 31 $25.99

KAGUYA SAMA LOVE IS WAR GN VOL 02 $9.99

KAKEGURUI COMPULSIVE GAMBLER GN VOL 05 $15.00

KIMI NI TODOKE GN VOL 29 $9.99

LADY MECHANIKA OVERSIZED HC VOL 02 $28.99

LAST TEMPLAR GN VOL 05 DEVILS HANDIWORK $11.95

LOVE THAT BUNCH HC (MR) $29.95

LUCKY LUKE TP VOL 67 BELLE STARR $11.95

MAGICAL GIRL SITE GN VOL 06 (MR) $12.99

MANFRIED MAN GN (MR) $14.99

MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM THUNDERBOLT GN VOL 07 $14.99

NARUTO CHIBI SASUKE SHARINGAN LEGEND GN VOL 03 $9.99

NEW WORLD COMICS FROM MAURETANIA HC GN $34.95

NIGHTMARE WORLD OMNIBUS HC $69.99

ONE PIECE GN VOL 86 $9.99

ONLY LIVING BOY HC VOL 05 TO SAVE A SHATTERED WORLD $13.99

OOTHAR THE BLUE HC $16.99

ORESAMA TEACHER GN VOL 24 $9.99

OZ GN VOL 02 CLASH OF TITANS $16.99

POKEMON SUN & MOON GN VOL 01 $4.99

POSITIVELY IZZY GN $10.99

POSITIVELY IZZY HC GN $22.99

PRE CODE CLASSICS DARK MYSTERIES HC VOL 01 $49.99

PRE CODE CLASSICS DARK MYSTERIES SLIPCASE ED VOL 01 $54.99

PRE CODE CLASSICS MYSTERIOUS ADV SLIPCASE ED VOL 01 $54.99

PRE CODE CLASSICS MYSTERIOUS ADVENTURES HC VOL 01 $49.99

RED PRINCE (INSIDERS) GN $13.95

REQUIEM OF THE ROSE KING GN VOL 08 $9.99

RISE OF SUPERHEROES GREATEST SILVER AGE COMIC BOOKS HC $24.99

SAINT GERMAINE SHADOWS FALL GN $14.99

SEVEN DEADLY SINS GN VOL 26 $10.99

SHERLOCK HOLMES ADVENTURES OF THE OPERA GHOST TP $8.99

SHOWTIME GN $22.50

SILVER TP VOL 03 $16.99

STRANGE & MYSTIFYING STORY GN VOL 03 (MR) $12.99

THE GHOST THE OWL HC $9.99

THORGAL GN VOL 19 THE BARBARIAN $11.95

TORIKO GN VOL 42 $9.99

TRENT GN VOL 02 THE KID $11.95

TWIN STAR EXORCISTS ONMYOJI GN VOL 12 $9.99

ULTRAMAN GN VOL 10 $12.99

VALERIAN GN VOL 22 MEMORIES FROM FUTURES $13.95

WARHAMMER 40000 TP VOL 03 THE FALLEN $16.99

YOUNG FRANCES HC VOL 01 POPE HATS $19.95

YOUNG TERRORISTS TP (MR) $13.99

YUUNA & HAUNTED HOT SPRINGS GN VOL 01 (MR) $12.99