Thursday, October 24, 2019

The Importance of Preorders at your LCBS: Advice From a Former Employee

https://thatcomicgirl.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-importance-of-preorders-at-your.html

Comics, there's a lot of them. There are literally hundreds of comics that drop each month from over a dozen publishers. These range from full-blown graphic novels, anniversary issues variant covers and of course your monthly issues. Now if you've ever been to your local comic shop I'm sure you've had someone ask if you'd like something on your pull or even if you want that special cover preordered for you. Now typically these preorders don't require any sort of deposit but instead just a commitment to pick up said book(s) upon release. To some, it may come off as abrasive or even pushy but I can assure that is not the case.  As a former employee at my local shop, there are so many reasons why we ask this of you.

Did you know that comic shops have to order their books for each week an entire month in advance? Sometimes, even more, when it comes to those fancy prestige formats from DC Black Label. Let's start off with a little comic shop terminology. FOC. Comic retailers order via one distributor and their FOC each and every week. So what is FOC? FOC stands for Final Order Cutoff. What that means is once FOC comes by those numbers are locked in. Some shops can get away with ordering a few extra issues if they're still in stock but you're probably not guaranteed those issues upon release day, but rather a few weeks after. Shops do their best to rely on the numbers from their subscribers but what about that gorgeous Artgerm variant or that new first issue everyone keeps talking about that you might pick up outside of your weekly pull. Well, you're probably not the only one thinking that and with this mindset that can lead to shops running low on a particular issue and missing out on those much-needed sales. I hate saying this but from first-hand experience, comics are a huge gamble and put small and newer shops at such a risk. It feels like more and more shops are ordering fewer copies to help curb the risk of being left with unwanted issues years later. Not everyone can be Midtown Comics and order a ton of stock.

Speaking of limited stock and the importance of preordering your comics is that you're pretty much guaranteed a particular issue or variant once you've preordered (aside from maybe some of those wild incentive variants). This means you'll no longer have to worry about rushing to your local shop first thing Wednesday morning, picking up your books at your convenience and can avoid eBay scalpers later on.  It also means you won't have to worry about missing out on a first printing of a new series or even a key issue. From a former retailer perspective, it honestly feels like Diamond (the sole distributor for comics) isn't stocking comics the way it might have used to. This means more and more comics are seeing second and even third printings. Preordering your comics helps you avoid later printings unless of course, you're into that sort of thing. Please don't feel obligated to subscribing to an entire series either especially if you don't know what you're getting into. Even if you just preorder the first issue of a new series and decide to subscribe later on it's a huge help to publishers and retailers alike.



Something I personally didn't realize until recently is that series can actually get the ax due to low orders on FOC.  Recently, Spell on Wheels 2 from Kate Leth, Megan Levens, Marissa Louise and published by Dark Horse had its single issues canceled due to low preorders and will luckily be published in an original graphic novel format instead. Publishers use the preorder numbers entered from retailers via FOC to determine how many copies of a title to publish, if at all. That being said it makes me wonder how many other smaller series and even smaller publishers were left vulnerable, and instead were just straight-up canceled. That being said these numbers affect your favorite ongoing series too! So if you love a series make sure to subscribe to keep the title going.

 So what happens when you preorder a comic. Well lots of things actually, it's kind of a domino effect. You get the books you want, and in turn not only are you supporting the demand of a particular title but you're also helping to keep a small business afloat. Don't know what's coming out? Well, let's fix that. Previewsworld.com is a great and free digital resource available to you that lists everything releasing within the next three months. Previews also has descriptions, additional variant covers as well as preview pages for selected series. It also includes fun and quirky comic-related merchandise including apparel and collectibles, all available through your local comic shop. Alternatively, comic shops typically have a physical version of the Previews Catalogue available for purchase and also usually have a store copy of the catalog which is available for you to browse while you shop. Personally, this is my preferred method of viewing just because there is so much to see.

What are you waiting for? Make sure you call, email, or even head out to your local comic shop and tell them all about the fantastic books you want to preorder! 

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Hawkeye, More Like Hawkguy: A Hawkeye Reading List


https://thatcomicgirl.blogspot.com/2019/10/hawkeye-more-like-hawkguy-hawkeye.html

Hawkeye is quite possibly my favorite Marvel superhero. Now that being said if you had told me that three years ago I would have quite literally laughed in your face. See young Mars was dumb and madly in love with a very similar DC character named Green Arrow and therefore believed she could never love Hawkeye let alone remotely tolerate, but here we are.

Now in my eyes there are two versions of Clint Barton There’s Hawkeye, he’s a little dull, bland and often times forgettable. This is probably the version of Hawkeye you’re most familiar with thanks to the recent MCU. Then we have Hawkguy. Typically if you’re reading any comic featuring the character that was written post 2012 it’s usually this version. Unlike Hawkeye, Hawkguy is an absolute trash mess, and I say that in the most loving way. Hawkguy is hilarious, bold and yet lovingly down to Earth despite all his flaws. It’s this version of the character that I think everyone should get their hands on at least once and hence the reason why I’ve compiled this handy list so you know exactly where to start along with some additional fun reads once you’ve fallen in love residential trash man Clint Barton.



Hawkeye - Matt Fraction & David Aja - This is it where it all began. This is the origin of the Hawkguy. I was told for years to read this book and I refused because I am a literal idiot and now it’s probably in my top five favorite comics of all time so that’s saying something. Fraction and Aja’s 22 issue take on the character is just perfect in each and every way, because yes while it is considered a cape comic it doesn't feel as such. Instead here Hawkeye feels like something from an indie publisher and the overall story is composed mostly of small vignette slice of life stories. Also, THERE’S A DOG. Pretty sure that right there is enough for you to read it. There’s a lot of things this run brings to the table including the partnership of Hawkeye (Clint Barton) and Hawkeye (Kate Bishop), another one of my favorite characters from Marvel comics. All throughout this book there’s such a wonderful dynamic between the two. Despite Clint’s “advantage” in age and experience it’s usually Kate who’s deemed the responsible one and generally holds the team together especially when Clint mucks it up. She’s also not afraid to take any of his shit and tell him exactly when his poor life choices have gone too far.Fraction and Aja’s run on Hawkeye also illuminate and represent Clint’s disability. Although they tweak it’s origin, Clint Barton is once again deaf in canon continuity and in the final stretches of their 22 issue run we get to watch as the hero adjusts and copes with this new challenge, thanks to the help of his brother Barny. His disability is not only represented but it’s embraced and honestly paved the way for how creators would perceive the characters going forward. From Christmas with Tony Stark, to Russian mobsters this book is just a literal joy from start to finish. Aja’s simplistic and subtle style combined with Fraction’s wit and humor is honestly a match made in heaven. I could literally talk about this book for days and still not have praised it enough so it looks like you’re just going to read it. [Comixology]

 All New Hawkeye - Jeff Lemire & Ramon Perez - Don't let the name fool you, despite the "All New" title it's still the same ole Clint Barton. Jeff Lemire's small little stint on Hawkeye is honestly just great. Lemire is another one of those writers that I love and with so many wonderful indie titles under his belt it's awesome to know that he can write top tier superheroes just as well. While Lemire's run on Hawkeye wasn't nearly as long as Fraction, with only a mere 11 issues, I would say it's equally important when it comes to the character. In the story's first arc we get to see the return of Hawkeye's brother, Barny as well as a little more insight into their childhood together as the story transitions between past and present. The second arc is a lot different, and frankly gets a little weird, but weird is good. You've heard of Old Man Logan now meet Old Man Hawkeye. Unlike the first arc, we spend a lot of focus switching between the present and a near distant future. Now usually I don't like time jumps, but the creative team honestly nails it with creating a future that is so different from the current timeline, without being something that is unbelievable. We also get to see "Old Woman Kate????" She's badass and that's all that matters. (This is so much better than the actual Old Man Hawkeye comic btw.) Honestly if you love Fraction's run on Hawkeye you'll love Lemire's. Despite the two having very different styles when it comes to storytelling they both tend to focus on the things that make Hawkeye great! There's the solid teamup between Kate and Clint, and again a larger focus and representation on Clint's deafness, something that for me is always appreciated. [Comixology]


Tales of Suspense: Hawkeye & Winter Soldier - Matthew Roseberg & Travel Foreman - Tales of Suspense is a witty buddy cop story with a love triangle romance thrown in for that extra razzle dazzle. That's enough to grab you, right? The five issue mini-series follows Hawkeye and Winter Soldier after the death of Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow. Despite the two sharing mutual romantic feelings for the same woman, they don’t exactly share the same views following her death. Clint Barton, the reckless & hopeful, still holds out that she may be alive, while the stoic Bucky Barnes would rather leave the past behind him. Despite their contrasting feelings the two come together when someone starts killing all of Black Widow's enemies. I love Tales & Suspense because its short and sweet, while still leaving a long lasting impact. As the story itself is only five issues it makes for a light and easy read. Even better about it is that you really don’t need that much backstory; unlike a lot of cape comics. Despite Tales of Suspense rocking a classic title monequer and revolving around three major players any history the reader might need to know is right there on the pages. It also probably helps that thanks to the MCU these three characters are now household names, but hey let’s give credit where it’s due. Matt Rosenberg is one of my favorite writers out there (this is my shameless plug for you to read We Can Never Go Home & 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank) and he honestly carries it home with the love for all these characters. There are some seriously classic moments, like Clint calling Bucky a greasy weasel and Clint definitely stealing some Lo Mein from someone's fridge while he interrogates them. It also has one of my favorite moments in comics involving chocolate milk so enough said. [Comixology]

Hawkeye Vs. Deadpool - Gerry Duggan & Matteo Lolli - I'm just gonna put it out there, I don't like Deadpool, like at all. That being said I really really loved Hawkeye vs Deadpool a lot more than I should. Despite the title this is anything but Hawkeye vs Deadpool, in fact its a superpowered, super comical teamup between the two. Much like Tales of Suspense, Hawkeye Vs Deadpool feels like another buddy cop story and Clint Barton just thrives in these sort of stories. It's Halloween in Brooklyn and our characters are bought together by espionge mystery that pits them against the clock. Another light and fun read,this title is filled with all sorts of fun humor and quips from the characters. This book is absolutely hilarious and will make you laugh out loud. But dont let all the humor fool you, while Hawkeye Vs. Deadpool is a comedy at it's core it also manages to sneak in a couple punches here and there, giving some amazing personal development to it's characters. Now I'll admit toward the end some of the action and motives from the villains can get a little convaluted but you're honestly not reading this book for a life changing plot. HvD thrives on it's characters, it's humor along with their interactions with one another, and all of that is done phenomenally well. Also there's more Kate Bishop, and any book with more Kate Bishop is a good book. [Comixology]



West Coast Avengers - Kelly Thompson & Stefano Caselli  - WEST COAST AVENGERS IS SO MUCH FUN AND IM SO UPSET IT GOT CANCELLED. Now that that’s out of the way definitely read West Coast Avengers. We've got Hawkeye, we've got Hawkeye, we've got Gwenpool, and we've got Jeff the Land Shark. You heard me correctly, JEFF the LAND SHARK! This zany teamup has a fantastic cast of characters and manages to introduce and familirize you with characters you may not have even heard of. (I can definitely tell you I never knew of Kid Omega prior to WCA). That being said there's also an interesting selection of villains including Marvel's favorite big boy M.O.D.O.K. Kelly Thompson tries something new by setting this series up almost like a reality tv show following the West Coast Avengers. That leads to some pretty hilarious moments during our heroes "confessionals" with the crew. Also Clint acts as the team's residential babysitter, which is pretty great. If you enjoyed series like Young Avengers or even Runaways you'll really like this one. This is another one of those books where I really enjoyed the character interactions even if at times the plot was lackluster. Now I'll admit for the most part Clint Barton takes a backseat, letting Kate Bishop take the reigns but there's still some really great moments for the archer. Also the way Stefano Caselli draws Hawkeye...he's just so dreamy. [Comixology]

I honestly managed to fall in love with "Hawkguy" in the span of a year. Like head over heels in love and I'm always craving new content for my favorite purple archer.

What are some of your favorite Hawkeye stories, and what characters would you like me to tackle next for a reccomended reading?

As always HAPPY READING!

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Most Anticipated Series For the Remainder of 2019

https://thatcomicgirl.blogspot.com/2019/10/comics-thats-it-thats-entire-post.html


COMICS! That's it, that's the entire post. Go home.

But in all seriousness comics are fantastic and I feel like they just keep getting better and better, especially as new series and creators keep pushing the boundaries of what exactly this medium can accomplish. That being said, I know it's been a hot minute, but I'm back, and more importantly, it looks like the new series of comics for 2019 are gonna go out with a bang and I'm here to tell you about some of the fantastic new titles dropping soon in your local comic shop.


 Money Shot - Tim Seely, Sarah Beatie & Rebekah Issacs - Vault 

Money Shot. It's got sex, it's got aliens, it's got sex with aliens in SPACE. Now that I have your attention Money Shot is seriously going to be one of the best series Vault has ever published, and that's saying something because it seems like every single series Vault has put out lately has been an absolute banger. (This is my shameless plug for you to read Sera & The Royal Stars, Heathen, Submerged and These Savage Shores btw.) In a near-distant future, the government has basically cut funding to nonessential sciences (this is sounding a little too familiar here). So a small group of scientists decide to band together and kickstart and fund their own projects by literally going into space, filming sexual encounters with any new species they come across, and beaming said encounters back to Earth.  Because what better way to fund your projects and make money than interstellar PORN.  I've had the pleasure of reading the first two issues of Money Shot and I can ensure you this is going to be one of the best titles of the year. It's smart, it's funny, surprisingly heartwarming and it's sexy without being gross, which I honestly really appreciate. We've a had a lot of books in 2019 attempt to be sexy but I don't think any accomplished what Money Shot has. There's definitely a lot of heart to this series, which shows on every page, and with a cast of fun characters and gorgeous art to boot, you're gonna want to make sure Money Shot is on your pull list! Money Shot is available on October 23rd! 


Family Tree  - Jeff Lemire & Phil Hester - Image Comics

I LOVE Phil Hester, and I also LOVE Jeff Lemire, so seeing these two team up on a project together feels like an absolute dream I never realized I wanted. When a young girl literally begins to slowly transform into a tree it's up to her dysfunctional family to venture out and find a cure before the transformation is complete and the girl is lost forever. It's got cults, it's got body horror, what more could you want from a book like this? I'm actually really excited about this one for a bunch of reasons. First off it's Phil Hester guys. I love Phil's linework and how it really doesn't feel like anything else in comics. If you haven't read his long-lasting run of Green Arrow please do so immediately because it's so goooooood! I'm excited to see Phil take on a horror project and a body horror project at that. I already know the art is going to be fantastic so there's that to look forward too. Then we have Jeff Lemire. Lemire has so many series under his belt that I'm passionate about, Sweet Tooth, Black Hammer, Plutona and it feels like Family Tree will be added to the list. He always seems to thrive in crafting these really weird and out there series you couldn't even think to imagine while also having these very relateable characters to help ground the story. Either way, I'll never say no to a creative team like this and can't wait for Family Tree to release on November 13th.



Folklords - Matt Kindt & Matt Smith - Boom Comics

Folklords just sounds like someone's really wild Dungeons and Dragons campaign and I'm all for it. In a blend between worlds, while Ansel knows only of the fairytale life he's lived in, he's plagued with visions and images from our world. Strange technology and even stranger tailored suits set Ansel on his quest to figure out just what exactly he's been dreaming of. I'm really excited to see how this book plays out as it could honestly be one of two ways. It could be a fun lighthearted all-ages title, a trend Boom is very familiar with, or it could be a dark and comedic more adult-oriented series. Given the creative team, I'm leaning more toward the latter, but I'd honestly be very happy with either. Although we've only seen a few covers I'm already digging the art from Matt Smith, it feels bright, colorful and fun and I honestly can't wait to see more of it. Die from Image Comics is currently one of my favorite series out there right now and it feels like Folklords could almost be the other side to the same coin. Doesn't matter because this girl is pumped either way when Folklords drops on November 13th. 


 Crone -Denis Culver & Justin Greenwood - Dark Horse Comics

I LOVE BADASS OLDER WOMEN IN COMICS.  Okay so let's be real I love any warrior woman who could probably kick my ass but an older woman doing it just as a soft spot in my heart. I mean her name is literally Bloody Bliss and she is literally the SWORD SAVIOR AND CHAMPION OF MEN. I love her so much already and I can't believe someone wrote an entire dang comic about my D&D character. But in all seriousness I love the entire aesthetic of this book so much, and a lot of it is reminiscent of other sword and sorcery series like Red Sonja and of course Sword Daughter, another series from Darkhorse Comics that I am just absolutely loving! Looking forward to the solicitation for Crone #2 it looks like our hero is queer which is enough of a reason for me to read this book. (But seriously who decided to write a book about my Dungeons and Dragons character) I'm really not familiar with the creative team, but honestly, they already have me sold on this mini-series.  Give me Crone and give me her now! Crone will be injected directly into my brain on November 6th. 


Low Low Woods - Carmen Maria Machado & Dani - DC Comics

More horror? Yes, please? Despite horror being such a wide cast net, it doesn't feel like there's that many comics for the genre, at least not good ones. Low Low Woods is yet another title in DC Comics stunning new lineup of original horror stories, joining the likes of Basket Full of Heads and Dollhouse Family.  Based in the very real still burning mine towns of Pennsylvania, the woods surrounding them are populated by their own fantastical horrors. When two young girls wake up without the recollection of the previous few hours of their lives they'll be forced to explore and discover a horrific truth about their own home. Now I personally love Carmen Maria Machado. Her previous prose horror work on Her Body and Other Parties is just completely unreal in regards to creativity. It's seriously one of the best works of horror I've ever read and I'm just really excited how her mind will translate in comic form. If you happened to snag a copy of Something is Killing Children, then picking up Low Low Woods almost seems like a no brainer. While the two are completely different, in comparison they both seem to have that same beautifully horrific tone. And that Jenny Frison variant is literally to die for.  Low Low Woods drops December 18th, so make sure it's on your list because I have a sneaking suspicion this one is going to be selling out quick in shops.


 Olympia - Curt Pires, Tony Pires, Alex Diotto & Dee Cunniffee - Image

 Olympia from Image Comics just looks like such a treat. A young boy Elon, spends his days reading comics (sounds familiar) but everything will change when his prized and favorite superhero suddenly bursts from the page and into reality. This book isn't even out but I've never related to a premise more in my entire life. Elon is literally everyone who loves and reads comics. I too wish my favorite superhero would burst from the page and spice up my boring life. It's not even out yet but I can already tell that Olympia is going to be a love letter to comics. Much like Black Hammer, I get the impression that this series will be a superhero comic without feeling like a cape comic, something that's desperately needed in in this medium.  I can't wait to see all the heart and soul into this new series and so can you when Olympia jumps into comics shops on November 20th

As always preordering the books you're excited for at your local comic shop is a huge clutch, even if it's just the first issue. So if any of these series interested you or if there's other series you're looking forward too remember to let your shop know ASAP so they can guarunatee it for you! Are you excited for any of these series? Are there any I missed that YOU'RE excited for? Make sure to let me know in the comments below!