New issue arrives in comic shops April 28 and features products on sale beginning July 2010
In the 1990s, Valiant Comics’ Jim Shooter put his mark on several beloved characters originally brought to comics by Gold Key Comics. Among them was Doctor Solar. Now Shooter reintroduces the hero with DOCTOR SOLAR, MAN OF THE ATOM #1, the start of an all-new, ongoing series from Dark Horse that’s spotlighted with the front cover of May’s PREVIEWS, the comic shops’ catalog.
On May 1, Dark Horse’s Free Comic Book Day title Doctor Solar/Magnus will give readers just a taste of this new series from Shooter, which re-establishes the origin of Doctor Solar – a man able to control energy after being affected by a thermonuclear catastrophe. However, while his powers are incredible, this hero will be challenged by an equally astounding villain with the power to create life.
May PREVIEWS’ back cover is just as eye-catching and features DC Comics’ BATMAN: ODYSSEY #1, the first chapter of a six-part mini-series from legendary creator Neal Adams. Along with writer Dennis O’Neil, Adams added many layers to Batman for DC during the Silver Age of comics, and his fans have long waited for him to the world of the Caped Crusader. Adams gives fans their wish by serving as Odyssey’s writer and artist, telling a story that sees the Dark Knight Detective face a series of seemingly unrelated challenges. But is there a greater threat behind them all?
May PREVIEWS editorial features:
Featured Theme
“Summer Movie Mania!” – Summer is known as a time when it seems like each new weekend comes with a new box office blockbuster. In recent years, some of the biggest summer films have been based upon comic books, or that likewise inspire new comic series. That trend continues in 2010 with the release of movies like Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, The Losers, Iron Man 2, The A-Team, Jonah Hex, Toy Story 3, and more.
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Jim Shooter – This month’s creator feature spotlights Jim Shooter, the previously mentioned creator behind Dark Horse’s new Doctor Solar series and the former Editor-in-Chief of both Marvel Comics and Valiant Comics. In the feature, Shooter shares his current comic reading list with PREVIEWS fans.
Sneak Peeks
In May, comic fans are given a 12-page preview of Image Comics’ Fractured Fables graphic novel as well as previews of the publisher’s Lady Robotika #1, Sweets #1, Officer Downe, Dawn: Not to Touch the Earth, and Hell City. Additionally, DC/Vertigo is also giving readers a glimpse of the Cuba: My Revolution graphic novel.
Jim Lee Interview
Titan Books’ May-solicited Icons: The DC and WildStorm Art of Jim Lee profiles the illustrious career of this comic book great, and in this interview, Lee discusses his creative process, this new title, his work on the highly anticipated DC Universe Online video game, and much more. The interview begins in PREVIEWS and will be posted in full on PREVIEWSworld.com.
Plus: Staff Picks, our Top 100 Comics and Bestseller Charts, and much more!
May PREVIEWS’ Hottest Items
May PREVIEWS’ Gems of the Month
The Gems of the Month from March’s catalog include: Dark Horse Comics’ Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom #1 and Star Wars: Old Republic #1, DC Comics’ Batman: Odyssey #1 and DC/WildStorm’s Ex Machina #50, IDW’s True Blood #1, Image Comics’ Fractured Fables hardcover and Lady Robotika #1, Marvel Comics’ Amazing Spider-Man #638, and Wizard Entertainment’s Wizard #228.
May’s PREVIEWS Exclusives
This month, we’re offering a new batch of PREVIEWS Exclusives (PX), items you can only order through PREVIEWS, including: Changes’ Halo Legends: Master Chief Sketch Olive T-Shirt; Diamond Select Toys’ Halo
PREVIEWS Next: May Issue’s Covers & Features (Cont’d)
Minimates Boxed Set #1 & Warthog Vehicle; Mad Engine’s Captain America: Rendered Shield Black T-Shirt, Ghostbusters: Ghost Logo Glow-in-the-Dark Charcoal T-Shirt, Magneto: Outsight Black T-Shirt, Spider-Man: Peeping Spidey Red T-Shirt, Star Wars: Galactic Boba Gold T-Shirt, and Star Wars: Glow-in-the-Dark Black T-Shirt; Titan Books’ Icons: The DC and WildStorm Art of Jim Lee; and Vanguard Productions’ The Art of Neal Adams Deluxe Signed Edition Hardcover with Slipcase.
All this and more is waiting in the May issue of PREVIEWS, which hits your local comic shop on Wednesday, April 28th at a cover price of $4.50. Ask your comic shop retailer on how you can qualify for a free issue. Pre-orders are due to your comic shop by May 15th for merchandise in this issue.
For a sneak peek at this issue’s Gems, Featured Items, and more head over to www.PREVIEWSworld.com.
To find a comic shop near you, visit www.comicshoplocator.com.
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ABOUT DIAMOND COMIC DISTRIBUTORS—the world's largest distributor of English-language comic books and pop-culture related merchandise, Diamond is based in Baltimore, MD, and services more than 4,000 specialty retailers worldwide. For more information, visit Diamond on the web at www.diamondcomics.com.
ABOUT PREVIEWS: PREVIEWS is a monthly “mag-a-log” (catalog and magazine) used by comic shop retailers and over 50,000 comic shop customers to pre-order comics, graphic novels, and other pop-culture merchandise. Items solicited in each catalog are schedule two months in advance. For more information, visit PREVIEWSworld.com.
© 2008 Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. All rights reserved. Diamond, the Diamond logo, and PREVIEWS are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Diamond Comic Distributors in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective copyright owners.
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DC Comics' Blackest Night Concluded Its Run With March's Best-Selling Comic Book
Blackest Night #8, the concluding issue of DC Comics' cosmic crossover event, joined its seven preceding issues as the number one comic book atop the sales charts in its month of release, giving the publisher the best-selling comic book in March 2010, based upon total unit sales to comic book specialty shops, according to Diamond Comic Distributors.
Coming in second for the month was Marvel Comics' Siege #3, the latest chapter of their Avengers crossover and the culmination of long-running story arcs, which helped Marvel Comics take the top publisher spot in March with the company leading in both the Unit Market and Dollar Shares categories, for a 47.12% Unit Market Share and a 41.94% Dollar Share for the month.
Kick-Ass, the creator-owned book from Marvel Comics' Icon imprint by creators Mark Millar and John Romita, Jr., and soon to be a motion picture from Lionsgate and director Matthew Vaughn (Stardust), was the best-selling graphic novel to comic book specialty shops in March.
Medicom's line of figures based on Tim Burton's new film gave the manufacturer the best-selling Toy product to comics specialty retailers with the Alice In Wonderland: Mad Hatter RAH (Real Action Hero) Figure, featuring a design based on Johnny Depp's performance from the film. The latest expansion of Pokémon USA's long-running card game, Pokémon TCG: Heartgold and Soulsilver Booster Packs, gave the publisher the best-selling game product to specialty retailers for the month.
How does Diamond calculate the charts? It all starts at the comic book shop.
Data for Diamond’s sales charts — which include the monthly market shares and all top product charts — are compiled by Diamond Comic Distributors from a universe of over 3,500 comic book specialty shops located in North America and around the world. The account base includes brick-and-mortar comic book specialty shops, Internet merchants, and other specialty stores.
Unit and dollars sales are calculated based upon orders invoiced and shipped to Diamond accounts during any given month, which comprises initial pre-orders, advance reorders, and reorders, minus any copies that are received back from a title marked as returnable.
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ABOUT DIAMOND COMIC DISTRIBUTORS—the world's largest distributor of English-language comic books and pop-culture related merchandise, Diamond is based in Baltimore, MD, and services more than 3,500 specialty retailers worldwide. For more information, visit Diamond on the web at www.diamondcomics.com.
© 2010 Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. All rights reserved. Diamond, the Diamond logo, Diamond Books logo, and PREVIEWS are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Diamond Comic Distributors in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective copyright owners.
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The new issue arrives in comic shops March 31, spotlights products on sale beginning June 2010, and will be the first PREVIEWS in which IDW appears in the Premier Comics section of the catalog.
As announced today by Diamond Comic Distributors, IDW Publishing has become the first publisher to advance to “premier” status since the classification was implemented in 1996. The comic book home of best-selling properties G.I. JOE, TRANSFORMERS, Angel, Locke & Key, and more, IDW will now appear in the Premier Comics section of PREVIEWS, the comic shops’ catalog, with Dark Horse Comics, DC Comics, Image Comics, and Marvel Comics.
With the April PREVIEWS, IDW marks its new status with redesigned solicit pages, debuts its very first – and currently classified – Gem of the Month, and provides new details about James Patterson’s The Murder of King Tut #1, a series based on the writer’s best-selling novel that’s already received mainstream media attention.
Another New York Times best-selling author, Janet Evanovich will present her fans of her Barnaby novels the next story in the series with Dark Horse’s TROUBLEMAKER BOOK 1 graphic novel, featured on April PREVIEWS’ back cover. Written by Janet and Alex Evanovich and illustrated by Joëlle Jones, Troublemaker reunites race car mechanic Alex Barnaby and driver Sam Hooker for a new adventure. A free preview can be found on PREVIEWSworld.com at http://www.previewsworld.com/public/default.asp?t=1&m=1&c=6&s=784&ai=92230.
April PREVIEWS Editorial Features:
FLIPside Feature
“Comics from Another World” – More and more, mainstream fiction writers are putting their mark on graphic novels as well. Authors Janet Evanovich, James Patterson, Stephen King, Jane Yolen, and Charlaine Harris are (More)
PREVIEWS Next: April Issue’s Features
just a few that are helping publishers reach new audiences and introduce them to fascinating worlds. The April catalog highlights the many contributions these mainstream authors have made and continue to make to graphic literature.
Featured Theme
“Summer Escape” – Throughout this edition of PREVIEWS, a special Sci-Fi/Fantasy icon designates some outstanding comics and graphic novels from the two genres that should appeal to those looking for a read that can help them escape from the norm this summer.
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David Peterson – This month’s creator feature spotlights David Peterson, the creator, writer, and artist behind Archaia Studio Press’ Mouse Guard. Peterson shares his current comic reading list with PREVIEWS fans.
Sneak Peeks
In March, comic fans are given a glimpse of DC Comics/Vertigo’s Dark Rain: A New Orleans Story graphic novel as well as Image Comics’ The Bulletproof Coffin #1, Dynamo 5: Sins of the Father #1, and Dust Wars #1, and Meta 4 #1.
Plus: Staff Picks, our Top 100 Comics and Bestseller Charts, and much more!
April PREVIEWS’ Gems of the Month
The Gems of the Month from April’s catalog include: Dark Horse Comics’ Predators #1 and Buzzard #1, DC’s Superman #700, a classified book from IDW, Image’s The Bulletproof Coffin #1, Marvel’s Amazing Spider-Man #634, and Wizard Entertainment’s Wizard #226.
All this and more is waiting in the April issue of PREVIEWS, which hits your local comic shop on Wednesday, March 31st at a cover price of $4.50. Ask your comic shop retailer on how you can qualify for a free issue. Pre-orders are due to your comic shop by April 10th for merchandise in this issue.
For a sneak peek at this issue’s Gems, Featured Items, and more head on over to www.PREVIEWSworld.com.
ABOUT DIAMOND COMIC DISTRIBUTORS—the world's largest distributor of English-language comic books and pop-culture related merchandise, Diamond is based in Baltimore, MD, and services more than 4,000 specialty retailers worldwide. For more information, visit Diamond on the web at www.diamondcomics.com.
ABOUT PREVIEWS: PREVIEWS is a monthly “mag-a-log” (catalog and magazine) used by comic shop retailers and over 50,000 comic shop customers to pre-order comics, graphic novels, and other pop-culture merchandise. Items solicited in each catalog are schedule two months in advance. For more information, visit PREVIEWSworld.com.
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Diamond announced today plans to launch a new website and comic shop locator aimed at directing kids and parents to kid-friendly comic shops across the United States and Canada.
The new site at kidscomics.com will debut in March and feature a variety of news, info, and fun activities on comics and graphic novels geared directly to kids aged 4 to 11—and older fans who are kids at heart!
“The long-term success of the comic book industry lies with getting kids excited about the medium of comics and making it a contemporary choice alongside video games, online activities, movies, and books, said Dan Manser, Diamond’s Director of Marketing. “Our hope is that kidscomics.com can help promote the comics medium to kids and help them and their parents find a comic shop that caters to their needs.”
Kidscomics.com builds upon Diamond’s successful comicshoplocator.com website and phone service, which since 1996 has directed over three million-plus customers searching for comics and other merchandise to direct market comic book shops. The new kid-friendly site will be a web portal to get the most up-to-date news and information on kid’s comics and graphic novels, with current plans calling for the comic shop locator, a new release schedule highlighting the latest kid-friendly comic books, a backlist of kid-friendly graphic novels, sneak peeks at upcoming titles, character and creator interviews, and more.
Already, DC Entertainment has signed on to support and promote the new kidscomics.com shop locator through its DCbeyond.com website, which is available through the Warner Bros. web portal at KidsWB.com. DC will be adding comic book content to the DCBeyond.com website, which is loaded with games, videos and other interactive features.
The shop locator for kidscomics.com will initially launch with over 800 qualified kid-friendly retailers taken from current shops who participate in Diamonds’ comicshoplocator.com service. Each retailer must show a minimum ordering support for kid-friendly comic books and graphic novels.
ABOUT DIAMOND COMIC DISTRIBUTORS—the world's largest distributor of English-language comic books and pop-culture related merchandise—Diamond is based in Baltimore, MD, and services more than 3,500 specialty retailers worldwide. For more information, visit Diamond on the web at www.diamondcomics.com.
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DC Comics Reached The Top of February's Comics Sales Chart As Blackest Night Nears Its Conclusion
The uniting of heroes and villains into Lantern Corps to defeat Nekron helped send Blackest Night #7, the latest chapter of the cosmic crossover event by writer Geoff Johns and artist Ivan Reis, to the top of the sales charts, giving DC Comics the best-selling comic book in February 2010, based upon total unit sales to comic book specialty shops, according to Diamond Comic Distributors.
Battling Blackest Night for the #2 spot on the chart was Siege #2, the second issue of Marvel Comics' Avengers crossover, which helped Marvel Comics take the top publisher spot in February with the company leading in both the Unit Market and Dollar Shares categories, for a 45.42% Unit Market Share and a 41.66% Dollar Share for the month.
Bill Willingham’s take on the creatures of myth and fairy tales, Fables, has been a strong seller for DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint and was optioned for a pilot by ABC. The latest collected volume of the series, Fables Volume 13: The Great Fables Crossover, collecting a nine-part storyline that ran between Fables and Jack of Fables, provided DC/Vertigo with the best-selling graphic novel to comic book specialty shops in February.
DC Direct brought the heroes and villains of their best-selling comic book mini-series Blackest Night to life, and the Blackest Night Series 3 Action Figures gave DC Comics the best-selling Toy product to comics specialty retailers in February. Wizards of the Coast’s latest expansion for the Magic the Gathering trading card game, Worldwake, gave the publisher the best-selling game product to specialty retailers for the month.
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How does Diamond calculate the charts? It all starts at the comic book shop.
Data for Diamond’s sales charts — which include the monthly market shares and all top product charts — are compiled by Diamond Comic Distributors from a universe of over 3,500 comic book specialty shops located in North America and around the world. The account base includes brick-and-mortar comic book specialty shops, Internet merchants, and other specialty stores.
Unit and dollars sales are calculated based upon orders invoiced and shipped to Diamond accounts during any given month, which comprises initial pre-orders, advance reorders, and reorders, minus any copies that are received back from a title marked as returnable.
###
ABOUT DIAMOND COMIC DISTRIBUTORS—the world's largest distributor of English-language comic books and pop-culture related merchandise, Diamond is based in Baltimore, MD, and services more than 3,500 specialty retailers worldwide. For more information, visit Diamond on the web at www.diamondcomics.com.
© 2010 Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. All rights reserved. Diamond, the Diamond logo, Diamond Books logo, and PREVIEWS are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Diamond Comic Distributors in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective copyright owners.
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Playmates Toys has named Diamond Comic Distributors – the leading U.S. distributor of pop-culture merchandise -- as its exclusive distributor to service the specialty market nationwide.
“We are gratified by the trust Playmates has placed in us,” said Diamond Vice President of Purchasing Bill Schanes. “We look forward to helping grow and distribute Playmates' diverse and successful lines to our U.S. account base."
"With powerful entertainment brands iCarly and Shrek, "gotta have" pop icon Michael Jackson, the irresistible Rainbow Brite and urban vinyl-influenced gaming media brand Hero:108, we think the Diamond alliance is a perfect match to achieve our objective of strong placement at influential trend and entertainment venues," said Lou Novak, President Playmates Toys.
"Playmates furthers our goal of providing superior service through broad product offerings” added Roger Fletcher, Diamond’s Vice President of Sales & Marketing. “This agreement will help us deliver diversified retailer merchandising options that drives consumer traffic and sales."
ABOUT DIAMOND COMIC DISTRIBUTORS—the world's largest distributor of English-language comic books and pop-culture related merchandise—Diamond is based in Baltimore, MD, and services more than 3,500 specialty retailers worldwide. For more information, visit Diamond on the web at www.diamondcomics.com.
ABOUT PLAYMATES TOYS— For over 40 years, Playmates Toys is among the most well respected and innovative marketing and distribution companies in the global toy industry with a proven history in the creation of innovative and imaginative products as well as the development and management of profitable, long-term brand franchises. Key brands include TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, STAR TREK, SIMPSONS, KING KONG, TOMB RAIDERS, DICK TRACY, EXOSQUAD, NANO PALS, iCARLY, DISNEY PRINCESS, DISNEY FAIRIES, BABY SO BEAUTIFUL, WATERBABIES and the AMAZING family of intelligent dolls. From its offices in Hong Kong and California, Playmates designs, develops, markets and distributes its products in over 60 countries worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.playmatestoys.com Playmates Toys Inc. (HKSE: 0869)
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New issue arrives in comic shops Feb. 24 and features products on sale beginning May 2010
Spawn creator Todd McFarlane is joined by writer Will Carlton and artist Szymon Kudranski for Image Comics’ SPAWN #203, an issue that not only marks the new creative team’s debut, but one that’s featured on the front cover of the March PREVIEWS, the comic shops’ catalog.
Image has designated March “Spawn Month,” and with this new team picking up the reigns of the ongoing title, it’s easy to see why. Carlton, Kudranski, and McFarlane start off strong, as Spawn learns of a lineage connection between himself, Clown, and Bludd, the vampire clan leader.
March PREVIEWS’ back cover demands just as much attention with a feature on DC Comics’ BRIGHTEST DAY #1, which begins the 26-issue, bi-weekly series that follows the conclusion of Blackest Night. Following the story of Blackest Night as crafted by Green Lantern’s Geoff Johns and Green Lantern Corps writer Peter Tomasi, those same scribes team once again to tell this new story impacting the entire DC Universe. A select group of DC heroes will uncover a secret that binds them, and no DC fan will want to miss finding out what it is.
March PREVIEWS editorial features:
Featured Theme
“Manga Month” – is back! Manga Month comes around every March, when PREVIEWS highlights products from publishers and creators that fuel readers’ enthusiasm for the Asian-influenced art form. Featuring a mix of material imported from overseas and created by American artists inspired by manga, the products offered during Manga Month represent some of the best on the market, and are certain to find favor with established manga-maniacs and new converts alike.
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PREVIEWS Next: March Issue’s Covers & Features
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Matt Wagner – This month’s creator feature spotlights Matt Wagner, the creator of Grendel who is also set to re-establish the origins of a classic hero for Dynamite Entertainment with Green Hornet: Year One. In the feature, Wagner shares his current comic reading list with PREVIEWS fans.
Sneak Peeks
In March, comic fans are given a glimpse of Dark Horse Comics’ Janet Evanovich’s Troublemaker Hardcover Book One, DC Comics/WildStorm’s A God Somewhere Trade Paperback, DC/Vertigo Crime’s Revolver Hardcover, and Image Comics’ Sam & Twitch: The Writer #1, Shadowhawk #1, and What Happened to Baron Von Shock? #1.
Bob Overstreet Interview
Overstreet Price Guide Celebrates 40th Edition—The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide has provided comic book fans, collectors, and dealers with prices, grading information, articles, and resource material for 40 years. In celebration of the milestone, Bob Overstreet, creator of The Guide, looks back on his career and the resource’s rich history for PREVIEWS readers.
Plus: Staff Picks, our Top 100 Comics and Bestseller Charts, and much more!
March PREVIEWS’ Gems of the Month
The Gems of the Month from March’s catalog include: Dark Horse Comics’ Janet Evanovich’s Troublemaker Hardcover Book One and Cardcaptor Sakura Dark Horse Omnibus Edition Volume 1, DC Comics’ Brightest Day #1 and Batman: Return of Bruce Wayne #1, Image Comics’ Sam & Twitch: The Writer #1 and Shadowhawk #1, Marvel Comics’ Astonishing Spider-Man/Wolverine #1, and Wizard Entertainment’s Wizard #225.
All this and more is waiting in the March issue of PREVIEWS, which hits your local comic shop on Wednesday, February 24th at a cover price of $4.50. Ask your comic shop retailer on how you can qualify for a free issue. Pre-orders are due to your comic shop by March 13th for merchandise in this issue.
For a sneak peek at this issue’s Gems, Featured Items, and more head on over to www.PREVIEWSworld.com.
To find a comic shop near you, visit www.comicshoplocator.com.
ABOUT DIAMOND COMIC DISTRIBUTORS—the world's largest distributor of English-language comic books and pop-culture related merchandise, Diamond is based in Baltimore, MD, and services more than 4,000 specialty retailers worldwide. For more information, visit Diamond on the web at www.diamondcomics.com.
ABOUT PREVIEWS: PREVIEWS is a monthly “mag-a-log” (catalog and magazine) used by comic shop retailers and over 50,000 comic shop customers to pre-order comics, graphic novels, and other pop-culture merchandise. Items solicited in each catalog are schedule two months in advance. For more information, visit PREVIEWSworld.com.
© 2008 Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. All rights reserved. Diamond, the Diamond logo, and PREVIEWS are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Diamond Comic Distributors in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective copyright owners.
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