Waiting for Wednesday, Issue 25

Today's a nerdy day of celebration for us here at Exfanding. Nathaniel and I both have the day (well, most of it, anyway) off, and we plan to spend it like any two good dorks should. We're driving over an hour away to go to a comics shop that we haven't been to in several months.

First we'll be sure to hit up our LCS to get this week's newest books, but then we're off to a not-so-local shop, to...spend more money. Which is fine, since we're both filthy rich bloggers.

Seriously, you should see the revenue that this blog generates each day. It's staggering.

Anyway, before we head out, here's a list of some of the best offerings this week has to offer. Now, there are some big books that hit this week, such as Daredevil, issue 500 from Marvel, and Blackest Night: Superman, issue one, which will both be big sellers. And darn good reads.

But, I'm all about the lesser known books, and I have two must-read comics for fans of horror and mystery.

First up is a hardcover graphic novel from Vertigo, featuring John Constantine, called Dark Entries. Now, this graphic novel is not a collection of previously published issues, but an all new story, released much like last year's smash hit Joker (by Azzarello and Bermejo--if you haven't yet read this gritty, violent take on the Clown Prince of Crime, then go buy this ASAP!) was.

Back to Dark Entries, though.

Written by crime novelist Ian Rankin, this is a book that Vertigo's been pushing for a while now. I'm a big Hellblazer/John Constantine fan, and I have to say, this plot seems very interesting.

Here's the blurb from Vertigo:

Occult detective John Constantine has seen his share of strange things in his career, but nothing could prepare him for the horrors of...reality television.

"Haunted Mansion" is currently the hottest show on TV, but when the macabre house actually starts attacking the contestants, Constantine is hired to be the ultimate mole. Locked inside with a cast of wannabe-celebrities, his every move being monitored by a deadly figure from his past, Constantine must figure out who (or what) is pulling the strings before he gets cancelled--permanently.

DARK ENTRIES is a classic locked-room mystery starring HELLBLAZER's John Constantine from Ian Rankin, the #1 international best-selling crime writer best known for his "Inspector Rebus" novels.

Rankin has won numerous awards, including the Edgar Award in 2004 and is joined in this graphic novel by Italian artist Werther Dell'Edera, the illustrator of a number of American comics--most notably Vertigo's LOVELESS.

Like I said, interesting premise. I haven't read any of Rankin's prose, so this is one of those near-blind recommendations, so I'll proceed with the following caveat. The book is a hardcover graphic novel, and the price is $19.99.

A bit steep for a previously-unpublished-in-comics author, but Vertigo must think that Rankin's celebrity will bring the people out. Expect this to be a bookstore seller, so if you wanna give it a go, consider buying from your LCS to show your support.

Next up we have a great (GREAT!) horror/mystery book from BOOM! Studios, called, simply, Poe. This is issue two, and after reading issue one, this new series is at the top of my pull list. A great, dark story, moody art, and an outstanding and unique premise make this title a keeper, in my opinion.

In case you missed issue one, here's the blurb from BOOM!

Everyone knows that Poe created the detective genre, but did you know he was a detective himself? Finally the secret can be revealed for the first time! Enter the world of POE and follow the famous author of darkness as he tracks the killer of his brother’s friend. Supernatural adventure for fans of books like HELLBOY!

The book is written by J. Barton Mitchell, and features art by Dean Kotz. It's one of those books that likely flew under the radar of many retailers, so you might have to ask your shop to re-order either (or both) issues. I'm glad I decided to pick up issue one, though, and I am looking forward to seeing how the series plays out.

So, on a week filled with Dark Reign and Blackest Night tie-ins, we give you two alternatives to the mainstream-y tights and capes (not that there's anything wrong with the mainstream, of course). If you decide to pick up either book, I hope you enjoy the suggestions, and I'd love to hear your thoughts.

That's all I've got time for this morning. Like I said, the comics shop is a-calling! All that's left is to ask, what are you Waiting for?