Best to Worst of Last Week and News

This was a decent week of books. Of course if I’m paying any attention to what I’m buying almost every week should be a decent week, but some weeks are especially disappointing and some weeks have book after book that knock your socks off – or at least have a nice unexpected surprise or two. This week is more like a solid double off the left field wall.

Green Arrow Year One #1 (of 6) – Diggle and Jock hit a home run with this update of GA’s origin. That are remaining true to the source material and making it better. Great start.
Superman #664 – This conclude the Arion storyline for right now, but they have set him up as great nemesis for Superman and the whole Squad “K” and other stuff was well done. Busiek and Pacheco do a great job on this book.
Left on Mission #3 (of 5) – A great interlude chapter building on the background of the main two characters. Chip Mosher has many talents – see the announcement below.
Alien Pig Farm #4 (of 4) – I’m so buying the trade on this series. The last chapter was good, but not as good as the first three chapters. Still a wonderful and fun series that made me smile and laugh out loud while reading many times.
Nova #4 – Wow – did they just kill their lead character in issue #4. I hope not, but still a great read.
Fables #63 – Flat out a great series.
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Green Lantern #21 – Johns has made this book a must read lately.
30 Days of Night Eben & Stella #3 (of 4) – This has been an excellent 30 Days series.
Superman Confidential #5 – Love the overall feel and quality that this book has, it is so timeless, yet modern at the same time to me.
Batman Confidential #7– Good beginning to a new story arc. Green and Cowan are doing their take on the Joker before he was the Joker.
Stormwatch PHD #9 – Another good issue. Christos Gage should be given an exclusive by DC.
Justice Society of America #7 – Another good issue. The new “Steel” was introduced, personally I could have done without another Steel, but I guess all we need is Vibe to complete the Detroit JLA.
JLA Classified #40 – The Kid Amazo arc has been well done and looking forward to the conclusion.
Sub Mariner #2 (of 6) – Good issue until Wolverine showed up on the last page.
X-Factor #21 – Still a good series, but no great issues lately.
Tag Cursed #5 (of 5) – A very good macabre ending, that allows the series to continue.
Fantastic Five #1 (of 5) – Thought I would try it out and this book feels more like a FF book then the regular series or the Ultimate series.
Deadpool/GLI Summer Fun Spectacular – The whole Squirrel Girl and Penance stuff made this book a lot of fun to read.
Gen13 #10 – Simone is slowly winning me over with this book.
Annihilation Conquest: The Wraith #1 (of 4) – Not a bad start.
Shadowpact #15 – Always a fun read with solid stories.
Anita Blake Vampire Hunter First Death #1 (of 2 ) – My favorite issue to date of the Vampire Hunter material. I get this book for my daughter, but read it before mailing it and this issue actually gave me more about Anita.
Grifter/Midnighter #5 (of 6) – Solid art, solid action story by Chuck Dixon.
Countdown #42 – My love for this book is ebbing. Needs to pick up the pace.
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Nexus #99 Space Opera Act 1 (of 4) – Nexus was always hit or miss for me. I give it a little time, but this may be a book I will pass on eventually.
Omega Flight #4 (of 5) – Nice artwork by Kolins.
New Avengers #32 – Only good elements are some interesting underlying story ideas.

Countdown came close to being below the line and Green Arrow was my number one. I think Diggle has been on a roll with Hellblazer and I loved Diggle and Jock on Losers, so I was very glad to see them together again.

Nexus just started, but being below the line first time out is never good, Omega Flight is almost over in one more issue and you can count me out if they launch an ongoing. New Avengers is almost a must buy to follow the Marvel Universe, but nothing should be that bad.

THE NEWS

Chip Mosher has added his comments on this blog and been a friend to this site. Plus he is writing one of my favorite mini-series this year in addition Chip now has a new job at Boom Studios. The official press release:

BOOM! Studios Announces Chip Mosher as Marketing and Sales DirectorMosher Inaugurates "Humble, But Loud" Era at Explosive Publisher

July 16th, 2007

Los Angeles - BOOM! Studios has appointed Chip Mosher as Marketing and Sales Director, where he will be in charge of all marketing and sales initiatives with the direct, library, and mass market. Mosher began his relationship with BOOM! Studios this past May when he made his comics debut creating and writing the espionage thriller LEFT ON MISSION.
"Chip's mix of comic book industry experience and fresh business vision is unparalleled in comics," said BOOM! Studios Chief Executive Officer and co-founder Ross Richie. "He's got the attitude and heart of a warrior, and deeply loves the comic book publishing medium. But what makes him truly dangerous is that his new ideas are compelling and practical. The sparks are really going to start to fly now at BOOM!."
"Chip's exactly what this company needs and the kind leader that will take us to the next level," said BOOM! Studios Chief Creative Officer and co-founder Andrew Cosby.

"BOOM! is the most exciting publisher in the business right now - and the things coming up will only expand and increase their profile in the balance of 2007 and next year," Mosher said. "When I was approached by Ross, I nearly leaped across the table. Their new distribution deal with Perseus positions the company very competitively in the mass market graphic novel trade, while Hollywood is beating down their door and direct market retailers are sitting up and taking notice. They're the epicenter of big things coming down the pike, and that's a place where I want to be."
By the end of this summer, BOOM! will be offering a line of trade paperback graphic novels collecting their popular series, including TALENT, HERO SQUARED, TAG, DEATH VALLEY, and X ISLE. Mosher will be working hand-in-hand with BOOM!'s book distributor, Perseus Books, to ensure the line's success in the mass and library market place, as well as increasing BOOM!'s profile in the direct market.

"It's humbling to have so much great material to work with, but now we have be loud about it!" Mosher says explaining his "humble, but loud" strategy.
BOOM! announced recently at the 2007 Book Expo on New York its new mass market book distribution deal via Perseus, a unique relationship for a comic book publisher that positions BOOM! with one of the market leaders to book retailers. Perseus just recently acquired Publisher's Group West out of bankruptcy and continues to grow and expand its market reach.
In the last 12 months, BOOM! has sold three of its comic book series to Hollywood: THE FOUNDATION was just bought in a preemptive pre-publication bid by Paramount Pictures, while Universal Studios bought TALENT and TAG last year.
Last December's launch of WARHAMMER 40,000: DAMNATION CRUSADE initiated a new, successful series of comic books and graphic novels followed up by the summer's launch of WARHAMMER: FORGE OF WAR. BOOM! enjoys the unique position of being one of only four licensors of Games Workshop material, and will continue to grow and expand its line of WARHAMMER 40,000 and WARHAMMER series.
Following on the heels of its success with these comics, BOOM! announced a comic book and graphic novels license with Epic Games' mega-selling GEARS OF WAR video game. This fall will see a huge launch for this exciting new property.
The 2007 San Diego Comic-Con promises a series of announcements that will expand the company's publishing line and surprise the direct market with some new licensing acquisitions and creator relationships.
Mosher was most recently a Business Consultant at one of Apple Inc.'s flagship stores - the fastest growing retailer in history - where he dealt directly with high-end business customers. Previous to that, Mosher had a varied and diverse background in the comic industry, from having been a principal at Oni Entertainment from 1999 to 2005 to working in sales and marketing at the well known and loved licensing concern, Graphitti Designs. Mosher started his working career at his local comic book store and during college worked summers with such companies as Capital City Distributors, Adhesive Comics, and did freelance work for Marvel Comics.
In his spare time, he works on various writing projects and has one film script optioned and his debut comic book, LEFT ON MISSION, published by BOOM! Studios.
On learning that he will now be working with two loud expatriate Texans, Ross and Chip, Publishing Coordinator Cody DeMatteis said, "Oh, lord!"
ABOUT BOOM! STUDIOS
Winner of Wizard Magazine's "Best New Publisher," BOOM! Studios is a unique new publishing house specializing in high profile projects from some of the industry's biggest talents. Founded by the creator of the TV show EUREKA, Andrew Cosby, and his partner Ross Richie, BOOM! Studios continues to be on the leading edge of comic and graphic novel publishing.
BOOM! Studios co-founder Andrew Cosby's television series, EUREKA, just started its second season at the Sci-Fi Channel on July 10th, launching to impressive ratings and winning several key demographics on basic cable. EUREKA is the highest-rated series in the network's history.

Congratulations to Chip and we look for lots of great trades from Boom Studios.