After previous mentions in this space — see previous posts for additional blogger-blurbs — and possible early appearances at some comic shops, the following titles are on the official Diamond Comics Distributors shipping list for this week. Please check with your local shop to confirm availability. (Ordering in advance is always a good idea, too.) Previews and more info about each book, as always, at the links below:
21: The Story of Roberto Clemente
by Wilfred Santiago
200-page two-color 6.25" x 8" hardcover • $22.99
ISBN: 978-1-56097-892-3
"Wilfred Santiago's beautiful, intricately-told biography of the Pittsburgh Pirates icon manages to come out just in time for major league baseball's opening day. I think this is a work that people can return to a few times, meaning that if it's a novelty gift for someone — something you buy for a baseball fan in your life that may not read a lot of comics, say — it represents an enormous amount of value for that kind of book." – Tom Spurgeon, The Comics Reporter
"All I know about baseball is that there are some bases and a ball, but from this PDF preview it looks like one of those books that fools you into thinking you like a sport when you clearly don’t, just because it’s presented so beautifully… Wilfred Santiago’s… art is amazingly expressive. Looks like a good’un." – Gosh! Comics
"Then there’s 21, the new biography of baseball player Roberto Clemente by Wilfred Santiago, which looks pretty fantastic…" – Chris Mautner, Robot 6
"Just in time for opening day, it's Wilfred Santiago's beautiful biography of baseball legend, Roberto Clemente." – Benn Ray (Atomic Books), Largehearted Boy
"21 is an @meltdowncomics Pick of The Week!" — photo
The Complete Peanuts 1979-1980 (Vol. 15)
by Charles M. Schulz
Introduction by Al Roker; designed by Seth
344-page black & white 8.5" x 7" hardcover • $28.99
ISBN: 978-1-60699-438-2
"One thing that may be lost as we pore over this volume and the next few looking for a shift in tone or approach is that these books are deeply pleasurable and Schulz became in the golden afternoon of his career a highly confident and supremely reliable cartoonist." – Tom Spurgeon, The Comics Reporter
"…that Complete Peanuts Vol. 15 looks pretty spiffy as well…" – Chris Mautner, Robot 6
R.I.P.: Best of 1985-2004
by Thomas Ott
192-page black & white 6.25" x 10" hardcover • $28.99
ISBN: 978-1-60699-417-7
"This is one strong week for compelling comics visual makers! Bart Beaty reviewed the L'Association version of this book here." – Tom Spurgeon, The Comics Reporter
"If you like murder, terror, mutilation, crime, nuclear annihilation, and the idea of a suicidal clown sticking a gun in his mouth, this is the very fellow for you." – Gosh! Comics
"…RIP collects the best stories by German horror artist Thomas Ott…" – Chris Mautner, Robot 6
Mome Vol. 21 – Winter 2011
by various artists; edited by Eric Reynolds
"It's been a while since the book was previewed, but I remember the Sara Edward-Corbett cover-featured work being particularly strong, and I'm a fiend for what Josh Simmons is doing right now." – Tom Spurgeon, The Comics Reporter
"… I’d have to make some tough decisions this week. Do I spend my initial $15 on the latest volume of Mome or on [other titles]…?" – Chris Mautner, Robot 6
And as usual, Joe McCulloch at TCJ.com:
"CONFLICT OF INTEREST RESERVOIR: Okay, a lot of this might have shown up in earlier weeks, but Diamond says it’s now. R.I.P.: Best of 1985-2004 collects works by Thomas Ott, reviewed by Sean T. Collins at this site here; $28.99. 21: The Story of Roberto Clemente is a new sporting biography by Wilfred Santiago; $22.99. The Complete Peanuts Vol. 15: 1979-1980 is a collection of superhero comics by Todd McFarlane, introduction by Al Roker; $28.99. And MOME Vol. 21 complies artists summarized by the link, although I’d be particular interested in new stand-alone Josh Simmons and a piece by Sergio Ponchione; $14.99."