We have two new releases scheduled to find their way to comic shops this week. You can check out extensive previews for each book at their respective links below so you can be an informed consumer before taking your money down to your local shop. As usual, we'll let the blogosphere do our plugging for us:
Catalog No. 439: Burlesque Paraphernalia and Side Degree Specialties and Costumes
Introduction by Charles Schneider; essay by William D. Moore; appreciation by David Copperfield
240-page black & white/color 6.5" x 9.75" softcover • $22.99
ISBN: 978-1-60699-367-5
"…[A] mail-order tome of electrical cages, creepy costumes, and other casual torture devices. DeMoulin [Bros.] marketed these gadgets to men's social clubs, who were all too happy to subject new recruits to shocking see-saws and detonating flower pots." – io9
"I think Midtown’s fucking with me? Or, Fantagraphics is releasing a 240-page reproduction of a 1930 catalog from De Moulin Bros. & Co., specializing in dangerous-looking props to use in lodge initiations and such. Featuring a new appreciation by David Copperfield, in his first Fantagraphics appearance since retiring the Anton Drek pseudonym." [Ha ha ha! – Ed.] – Joe McCulloch, Comics Comics
"I can't tell if this is really cool-sounding or if that title reads like an unfortunate google translation." – Tom Spurgeon, The Comics Reporter
Mome Vol. 19 – Summer 2010
by various artists; edited by Eric Reynolds
128-page color/b&w 7" x 9" softcover • $14.99
ISBN: 978-1-60699-349-1
"A new Gilbert Hernandez story is set for this latest edition of Fantagraphics’ house anthology, along with the start of a 'satiric psychedelic epic' from writer Shaun Partridge and artist Josh Simmons. Also: Olivier Schrauwen, Tim Lane, T. Edward Bak, more." – Joe McCulloch, Comics Comics
"The 'short pieces by regular contributors' paradigm for Fantagraphics' anthology series seems to have mostly gone out the window; instead, this volume involves Josh Simmons pushing some buttons, Olivier Schrauen doing a piece that looks like a Paper Rad/Winsor McCay mash-up, Gilbert Hernandez with one of his weird-ass Roy stories, and so on." – Douglas Wolk, Comics Alliance
"I'm a regular reader of this square-bound anthology series, but even if I wasn't I'd be picking this up for the debut of a new story by Gilbert Hernandez featuring the always awesome Roy, as well as a new 'satiric psychedelic epic' by Josh Simmons and a guy who for some strange reason wants to call himself The Partridge in the Pear Tree." – Chris Mautner, Robot 6
"This is a really good issue, leaning more towards Eric Reynolds' 'I edited Dirty Stories and my own comics can be terribly frightening' side than his art comics side. Some very potent, troubling short stories and some unorthodox yet beautiful-looking comics art." – Tom Spurgeon, The Comics Reporter