Cover preview, part 3

If you look back far enough, you'll find cover previews parts 1 and 2...posted December 12th and 13th of last year. This one is a bit overdue, but once the whole thing is seen, I think it'll be worth the wait.

Wednesday of this week is the deadline to send solicitation information and cover images to Diamond for inclusion in the December Previews catalogue, and as such, I thought it'd be a nice time to show a little preview of the cover to Teddy and the Yeti issue #2.

Issues #1 and 3 will have covers drawn by Phil Hester and Tom Scioli, respectively, but this cover is all Duane's, and I have to say that he's done a knockout job. The detail, the action, the...ninjas...it's all a sight to behold.

Colors on this cover are once again by Karin Rindevall. You'll be able to see the whole cover, logos and all, pretty soon.

(Very) Strange Tales

I think that Marvel's new indy-style anthology, Strange Tales (this has got to be at least the fourth time they've used the title) is something the bigger companies should emulate more often - lesser-known but nonetheless talented creators working on out-of-continuity stories featuring big-name characters. While it does seem like Marvel threw this compilation together from stories they just had lying around the office (The Incorrigible Hulk feature was supposed to see print in, I think, 2003), I still applaud the effort, which can produce such gems as Jacob Chabot's entry, "Lookin' Good, Mr. Grimm!"

Chabot is probably best known for his creator-owned The Mighty Skullboy Army, which I'm a huge fan of - Dark Horse published a digest sized collection after it appeared in their Strip Search publication (which, ahem, I was also a part of), though right now he's providing the artwork for Marvel's X-Babies miniseries. Yeah...X-Babies. I never quite got the point behind the concept, but I'll vouch for the artwork, at least.

In any case, one panel of the Fantastic Four send up caught my attention. As everyone knows, because I am so tremendously famous and wealthy as a result of it, I have an online webseries called Franks and Beans that is so hilarious you just might die after watching it. Or something. Anyway, one of the earlier episodes is titled "Mustache", which features me growing a mustache and saying the phrase "Hey, mustache buddy!" That's...basically the joke for the episode. It's also close to the phrase in this Strange Tales issue, but you can tell that they are quite distinctive as Chabot spells his phrase "moustache". Which, now that I think about it, might be even funnier.

It's amazing - sometimes I write things other than comics.

Sometimes, in fact, I write a blog about comics. And sometimes, just sometimes, I write (in traditional bloggish fashion) about food on my friend Lauren's themed website. The site is called "The Grouchy Gastronome", and the author pretty much exclusively blogs about food that she hates or makes her mad in some form or another. It's like a therapy session with Denny's as the mediator.

In any case, my friend was kind enough to write a blurb promoting Teddy and the Yeti, so I'm returning the favor by advertising her site to my millions and millions of readers. I've got a blog up there right now about Dairy Queen ice cream or some such noise, which is reason enough to check it out, though the other entries are okay, too...I guess.

The website is www.thegrouchygastronome.com, and it's definitely worth a few minutes of your time. SO DO IT!

the mailer.

Because you can never do enough advertising (or spend enough money on it...), a few days ago I put together a mailer that I'm sending out to a bunch of shops - some of the ones that didn't get the preview books in the mail. I included the previous advertisement that worked its way into the Previews catalogue as well as a pandering letter to comic book shop owners everywhere.

Will this work? Who knows. But the post office is very happy with me lately, I'll say that.

The Human Torch is kind of a wimp.

Fanboy Comics, the local comic shop down my way, is currently having an "alphabet sale" - every week, titles that begin with certain letters of the alphabet are 50% off. Since I am a sucker, I've spent quite a few dollars at the shop filling holes in my collection - one which, I'm sure, will never be complete (that's the nature of it, I guess).

Last week was the week for letters Q, R, S and T, and I picked up four old issues of Strange Tales. I'm trying to pick up issues 101 through 134, which feature the Human Torch and eventually the Thing (following through on my Fantastic Four obsession).

These are early issues - early 1960s - which means two things: they can get a little expensive, and they can get a little silly. Case in point, issue #113, which has the Human Torch versus the forgettable villain the Plant Man (who, I believe, is still around in current issues).

Now, it's just a fact that a super hero's powers tend to vary depending on the challenge he or she faces - Superman will be juggling planets in one issue and struggling to defeat the Prankster in the next - and the Human Torch is a great example of this. He goes from burning his flame at "nova" strength - as hot as a star, I guess - to getting doused by a wayward fire hydrant.

Nowhere more is this evident than on the cover to Strange Tales #113, where we see the mighty Human Torch kept at bay by...dew. Come on, Johnny Storm. Come on.

The List.

As mentioned earlier, I've sent a lot of preview books this weekend to comic shops around the country (and one...to Vancouver). Below is that list...because I feel like posting it. If you see a shop around you, well, perhaps you can pick up one of the preview books (for free unless the owner is a jerk!). The preview book is still online if you wanna check it out, so don't get too broken up if you don't get one.

Maybe the shop you go to is on the list! WOULDN'T THAT BE SOMETHING?!

ASTROBRAIN COMICS

1934 OLD HIGHWAY 31 S

SUITE 340

PELHAM AL 35224

KINGDOM COMICS SUITE

#119 1425 MONTGOMERY HWY.

VESTAVIA HILLS, AL 35216

BOSCO'S 1

2606 SPENARD ROAD

ANCHORAGE, AK 99503

THE COMIC BOOK STORE

9307 TREASURE HILL ROAD

LITTLE ROCK, AR 72227

ALL ABOUT BOOKS & COMICS

5060 N. CENTRAL AVENUE

PHOENIX, AZ 85012

ATOMIC COMICS

4537 E. CACTUS RD

PHOENIX AZ 85032

SPAZDOG COMICS

21610 NORTH 35TH AVENUE SUITE 162

GLENDALE AZ 85308

COMIC ODYSSEY

SUITE 106 3400 E 8TH ST

NATIONAL CITY CA 91950

COMIC ODYSSEY

SUITE 106

3400 E 8TH ST

NATIONAL CITY CA 91950

COMICS FACTORY

1298 E. COLORADO BLVD

PASADENA CA 91106

EARTH- 2 COMICS

15017 VENTURA BLVD

SHERMAN OAKS CA 91403

GOLDEN APPLE

7018 MELROSE AVE

LOS ANGELES CA 90038

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COMICS

8280 CLAIREMONT MESA BLVD #124

SAN DIEGO CA 92111

COMIX EXPERIENCE

305 DIVISADERO ST.

SAN FRANCISCO CA 94117

ALL IN A DREAM

2901 EAST COLFAX

DENVER CO 80206

ALTERNATE UNIVERSE

1181 CHAPEL STREET

NEW HAVEN CT 06511

THE BOOKIE

155 BURNSIDE AVENUE

EAST HARTFORD CT 06108

FANTOM COMICS

UNION STATION

50 MASS AVE. NE

WASHINGTON DC 20002

CAPTAIN BLUE HEN COMICS & ENT

280 E MAIN STREET SUITE 101

NEWARK DE 19711

BAD APPLE COMICS - UCF

12225 UNIVERSITY BLVD

ORLANDO FL 32817

SUPERHEROES UNLIMITED #2

1788 NE 163RD STREET

N.MIAMI BEACH FL 33162

YANCY STREET COMICS

9409 US HIGHWAY 19

UNIT 709A

PORT RICHEY FL 34668

DAVES COMICS & COLLECTIBLES

107 RAINBOW WAY

FAYETTEVILLE GA 30214

GECKO BOOKS & COMICS

1151 12TH AVE

HONOLULU HI 96816

LIMITED EDITION COMICS

2225 COLLEGE ST

CEDAR FALLS IA 50613

CAPTAIN COMICS, INC

710 VISTA

BOISE ID 83705

FIRST AID COMICS

1459 E 53RD ST SECOND FLOOR

CHICAGO IL 60615

GRAHAM CRACKERS COMICS OF DOWNERS GROVE

1550 OGDEN AVE

DOWNERS GROVE IL 60515

GRAHAM CRACKERS COMICS OF LINCOLN PARK

2562 NORTH CLARK ST.

CHICAGO IL 60614

METROPOLIS COMICS

821 FIRST STREET

LA SALLE IL 61301

BOOKS COMICS & THINGS

2212 MAPLECREST ROAD

FT. WAYNE IN 46815

DOWNTOWN COMICS

11 EAST MARKET ST

INDIANAPOLIS IN 46204

PRAIRIE DOG COMICS

4800 WEST MAPLE SUITE 122

WICHITA KS 67209

COMIC BOOK WORLD

6905 SHEPHERDSVILLE ROAD

LOUISVILLE KY 40219

LOUISIANA DOUBLE PLAY

2834 SOUTH SHERWOOD FOREST BLVD SUITE C-5

BATON ROUGE LA 70816

LARRY’S WONDERFUL WORLD OF COMICS

66 LAKEVIEW AVE

LOWELL MA 01850

NEW ENGLAND COMICS

95 PLEASANT ST.

MALDEN MA 02148

NEWBURY COMICS

FANEUIL HALL MARKETPLACE NORTH MARKET BUILDING

BOSTON MA 02115

CHUCK'S COMICS

530 EASTERN BLVD.

BALTIMORE MD 21221

THIRD EYE COMICS

15 OLD SOLOMONS ISLAND RD SUITE 102

ANNAPOLIS MD 21401

CASABLANCA COMICS

151 MIDDLE STREET

PORTLAND ME 04101

VAULT OF MIDNIGHT

219 S MAIN

ANN ARBOR MI 48104

COMIC BOOK COLLEGE

3151 HENNEPIN AVENUE

MINNEAPOLIS MN 55408

ALL AMERICAN COLLECTIBLES/MO'S COMICS

6510 CHIPPEWA ST

ST. LOUIS MO 63109

FANBOY COMICS AND CARDS

3901 A WRIGHTSVILLE AVENUE

WILMINGTON NC 28403

HEROES AREN'T HARD TO FIND INC.

1957 EAST 7TH STREET

CHARLOTTE NC 28204

THE SPLASH PAGE

2545 CENTRAL AVENUE

SUITE C

BILLINGS, MT 59102

PARADOX COMICS-N-CARDS

26 ROBERTS STREET

FARGO NC 58102

GROUND ZERO HOBBY

794 FT. CROOK ROAD SOUTH

BELLEVUE NE 68005

CHRIS'S CARDS & COMICS

341 SOUTH BROADWAY ROUTE 28

SALEM NH 03079

THE FALLOUT SHELTER

27 BAYARD ST

NEW BRUNSWICK NJ 08901

TRADERS OF BABYLON

265 FIRST STREET

HOBOKEN NJ 07030

COMIC OASIS

3121 N RAINBOW BLVD

LAS VEGAS NV 89108

ALL HEROES

4410 LAKE AVENUE

ROCHESTER NY 14612

CHAMELEON COMICS & CARDS

3 MAIDEN LANE

NEW YORK NY 10038

FORBIDDEN PLANET

840 BROADWAY

NEW YORK NY 10003

JIM HANLEY'S UNIVERSE

4 WEST 33RD STREET

NEW YORK NY 10001

MIDTOWN COMICS

200 W 40TH STREET

NEW YORK NY 10018

ALL AMERICAN COMICS AND CARDS

1295 BORDMAN CANFIELD ROAD

BOARDMAN OH 44512

CAROL & JOHN'S COMIC BOOK SHOP

17448 LORAIN AVE KAMMS PLAZA

CLEVELAND OH 44111

THE LAUGHING OGRE

4258 NORTH HIGH STREET

COLUMBUS OH 43214

SPECTRUM COMICS

4328 MARKET ST.

YOUNGSTOWN OH 44512

MAMMOTH COMICS

4616 E 11TH STREET

TULSA OK 74112

COSMIC MONKEY COMICS

5335 NE SANDY BLVD

PORTLAND OR 97213

BRAVE NEW WORLDS

45 N. SECOND STREET

PHILADELPHIA PA 19106

DREAMSCAPE COMICS

302 WEST BROAD STREET

BETHLEHEM PA 18018

EIDE'S ENTERTAINMENT

1121 PENN AVENUE

PITTSBURGH PA 15222

IMPOSSIBLE DREAMS COMICS

523 WASHINGTON AVENUE

BRIDGEVILLE PA 15017

NEW DIMENSION COMICS

516 LAWRENCE AVE

ELLWOOD CITY PA 16117

NEW DIMENSION COMICS 2

3075 CLAIRTON RD #940

CENTURY III MALL 3RD FLOOR

WEST MIFFLIN PA 15123

NEW DIMENSION COMICS- MCMURRAY

113 E. MCMURRAY ROAD

MCMURRAY PA 15317

PHANTOM OF THE ATTIC

PARKWAY CENTER MALL

1165 MCKINNEY LANE

PITTSBURGH PA 15220

YUKON CARDS AND COMICS

1722 WEST MARKET STREET

LEWISBURG PA 17837

CAPTAIN'S COMICS & TOYS

1209-D SAM RITTENBURG BLVD.

CHARLESTON, SC

PLANET COMICS

2704 N MAIN ST

ANDERSON SC 29621

COMICS & COLLECTIBLES

4730 POPLAR STREET #2

MEMPHIS TN 38117

RICKS COMIC CITY

2710 OLD LEBANON RD SUITE 3

NASHVILLE TN 37214

AUSTIN BOOKS & COMICS

5001 NORTH LAMAR

AUSTIN TX 78751

AWESOME CARDS & COMICS

8420 ABRAMS RD STE 202

DALLAS TX 75243

BEDROCK CITY COMIC CO

6517 WESTHEIMER

HOUSTON TX 77057

LONE STAR COMICS

6465 E. MOCKINGBIRD LANE SUITE 362

DALLAS TX 75214

LONE STAR COMICS

1215 S. COOPER ST.

ARLINGTON TX 76010

UTAH

BLACK CAT COMICS INC

2261 SOUTH HIGHLAND SRIVE STE A

SALT LAKE UT 84106

DAVE'S COMICS

7019-F THREE CHOPT ROAD

RICHMOND VA 23226

DANGER ROOM COMICS

201 4TH AVENUE W.

OLYMPIA WA 98501

OLYMPIC CARDS & COMICS

4230 PACIFIC AVE

LACEY WA 98503

LOST WORLD OF WONDERS

6913 W. OKLAHOMA AVENUE

MILWAUKEE WI 53219

THE GREAT ESCAPE MARK’S COMICS AND GAMES

340 N MILITARY AVE

GREEN BAY WI 54303

COMIC BOY

3462 FAIRMONT ROAD

MORGANTOWN WV 26501

GOLDEN AGE COLLECTIBLES

852 GRANVILLE STREET

VANCOUVER BC V6Z1K3

CANADA

Teddy and the Yeti in Previews!

I will admit it - I was slightly terrified that, despite assurances to the contrary, I'd pick up a copy of the October Previews catalogue and find that Teddy and the Yeti #1 wasn't listed anywhere. Thankfully, as you can see to the right, that's not the case. The first issue of Teddy and the Yeti is listed to order RIGHT NOW, which means that you should rush to the comic shop and order a copy IMMEDIATELY!

Well, you have a few weeks, probably even longer if you order from an online store. But why take that chance?!

I'm happy with the layout and how everything looks, from the ad to the solicitation. All of this is located on page 306 of Previews. The Diamond code retailers use to order the book is OCT091167; though you shouldn't necessarily need any info other than the title of the book and perhaps the publishing name (Wagon Wheel Comics, of course) for the comic shop retailer to order...they can look stuff up just as easily, I'm sure.

In any case, now comes the time when I need to push this book on anyone who will listen; and by "push this book", I mean "try to force people into buying it whether they want to or not." So if I cold call (or e-mail) you in the next few days with the only purpose that of selling this book, I apologize in advance for how gauche that might be. What can I say? I have a big stake in this.

So if you're reading this and you say to yourself, "hey, that sounds like something I'd like to purchase, but have been too frightened to walk in to a comic book store before so I have no idea where to go" (I understand, I do), you can just go to http://www.comicshoplocator.com/ and type in your zip code to find a store near you. There's even a link for shops outside the US! How fun.

I hope that a few of you will give it a try...a lot of me went in to this. And I don't just mean metaphorically; when my hair falls out I save it in an envelope with plans to either A) construct a toupee or B) toss some in to every issue!

Neither of those options is the least bit creepy.