Previews #331 (vol. XXVI #4) previews publications

SC, 6x9, 192pgs, B&W $13.00

(W) Ryukishi07 (A/CA) Soichiro

The battle between Club Primavera and the Caleb family — with the pride of the Japanese people at stake — finally barrels toward a conclusion. Which group will win the right to rule during the coming era? (STL005152) (C: 1-1-0) NOTE: Available only in the United States, Canada, and U.S. Territories.

SC, 192pgs, B&W $13.00

(W/A/CA) Karino Takatsu

Romance is afoot and comedic misunderstandings abound in this professional (?) civil service office! Can Hasebe manage to successfully woo Lucy? Will Ichimiya and Chihaya come clean about their relationship (?) to Ichimiya's little sister? And what is up with the bunny rabbit office manager...? Seriously, that guy's just... wrong. It's the final volume, so it's all coming together somehow! Right...? (STL005153) (C: 0-1-0)

SC, 6x9, 320pgs, B&W $20.00

(W) Masafumi Harada (A/CA) Sung-Woo Park

From the mind of Shinichiro Watanabe, the man behind one of the most popular manga and anime franchises of all time, Cowboy Bebop, comes Space Dandy! Lean, mean, and always on the preen, Dandy is a slick space explorer looking to make a buck on the next unidentified alien species that has the misfortune of crossing his path! That is, provided he doesn't get eaten by monsters, shot down by the baddies on his tail, or distracted by a sweet rack at his favorite bar, BooBies, first! Sail into intergalactic adventure with Space Dandy, a dandy guy in space! (STL005134) (C: 0-1-0)

SC, 192pgs, B&W $13.00

(W) Reki Kawahara (A/CA) Tsubasa Haduki

Asuna joins forces with the Sleeping Knights guild in their quest to defeat a major boss, but inwardly, she struggles with her ongoing attachment to the VRMMO game. When the time for battle arrives, will she be ready? And when Yuuki's secret is revealed, what will the consequences be? (STL005169) (C: 1-1-0) NOTE: Available only in the United States, U.S. Territories, Canada, and the U.K.

SC, 160pgs, B&W $13.00

(W/A/CA) Kiyohiko Azuma

Fresh off the excitement of her camping trip, Yotsuba initiates a very productive session of sandbox play in which she instructs Fuuka how to properly run a bakery. But even more exciting is a visit from Grandma! Yotsuba learns how to value and enjoy cleaning, how not to be rude when hoping for souvenirs, and most important, how to cope when Grandma leaves. But don't worry, she'll be back someday! (STL004658) (C: 1-1-0) NOTE: Available only in the United States, U.S. Territories, Canada, and the U.K.

SC, 224pgs, B&W $13.00

(W) Takahiro (A/CA) Tetsuya Tashiro

Red is the new black in this bloody, action-packed series about a group of righteous assassins! Teenage country bumpkin Tatsumi dreams of earning enough money for his impoverished village by working in the Capital, but his short-lived plans go awry when he's robbed by a buxom beauty upon arrival! Penniless, Tatsumi is taken in by the lovely Lady Aria, but just when his Capital dreams seem in reach yet again, Lady Aria's mansion is besieged by Night Raid, a team of ruthless assassins who targets high-ranking members of the upper class! As Tatsumi is quick to learn, appearances can be deceiving in the Capital, and this team of assassins just might be the good guys! (STK659029) (NOV141746) (C: 1-0-0) NOTE: Available only in the United States, U.S. Territories, Canada, and the U.K.

SC, 5x7, 240pgs, B&W $13.00

(W/A/CA) Yana Toboso

Just a stone's throw from London stands the manor house of the illustrious Phantomhive earldom. Earl Phantomhive is a giant in the world of commerce, Queen Victoria's faithful servant... and a 12-year-old boy! Fortunately, his loyal butler Sebastian stands at his side, ready to carry out the young master's wishes. Whether Sebastian is called upon to save a dinner party gone awry, or probe the dark secrets of London's underbelly, there is practically nothing Sebastian cannot do. One might even say Sebastian is too good to be true, or at least, too good to be human! (STK631455) (SEP138279)

SC, 5x7, 192pgs, B&W $13.00

(W) Sherrilyn Kenyon (A/CA) JiYoung Ahn

Street-smart and smooth talking, Nick Gautier is confident he has nothing to fear on the mean streets of New Orleans. But he couldn't be more wrong. When his friends turn on him, the mysterious Kyrian of Thrace who introduces Nick to a frightening supernatural world — the realm of the Dark-Hunters — saves Nick. He quickly learns that life is not quite so normal as it seemed: the football teams' captain is a werewolf; his crush spends her evenings hunting the undead, and his classmates are being turned into zombies. It's a lot for a guy to take in, but even more troubling are the dark whispers about Nick's future. (STK684628)

SC, 5x7, 240pgs, B&W $13.00

(W/A/CA) Tsuyoshi Watanabe

After being diagnosed with a disease that makes sexual arousal fatal and undergoing ten years of self-control training, Rintaro's about to face his ultimate test — an all-girls school. Rintaro's got a problem: Sexual arousal can be deadly for him. This is terribly inconvenient when he's admitted to a former girls' academy where 99 percent of the student body is female! And worse, school supremacy is constantly being fought over in a conflict centering around three powerful girls — the Dragons! (STK684662) (SEP151744)

MATURE THEMES

SC, 5x7, 192pgs, B&W $13.00
FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 VOLUME 1 GN

(W) Tetsuya Nomura, Hiroki Chiba (A/CA) Takatoshi Shiozawa

The youthful soldiers of Class 0 throw themselves into a war revolving around the control of powerful crystals. But what runs through the minds and hearts of these young men and women, and what horrors do their eyes — wise beyond their years — behold on the battlefields of Orience? In this manga adaptation of the Final Fantasy Type-0 game, the newest installment in the Final Fantasy line, one of the bestselling role-playing video game series of all time, the curtain rises on Class 0's untold stories, which lie beyond the ferocious action and adventure of the game itself! (STK680950) (JUL151754)

SC, 5x7, 192pgs, B&W $13.00

Heir to an aristocratic family, Oz Bezarius is a carefree teen. That is until his fifteenth birthday. His entire world changes at his coming of age ceremony when dark forces rise to punish Oz for the sins of a past life, only to have his sanity saved by a black rabbit called Alice. As Oz plunges deeper down the proverbial rabbit hole, he must unravel the mysteries surrounding him before falling into the clutches of the she shadowy cabal called Pandora! (STK634580)

SC, 5x7, 192pgs, B&W $13.00
PRISON SCHOOL VOLUME 1 GN

(W/A/CA) Akira Hiramoto

On the outskirts of Tokyo stands Hachimitsu Private Academy, a storied all-girls boarding school for elite young women full of potential and good breeding. But as the new school year rolls around, one tradition is going out the window: For the first time in the school's long history, boys are being allowed to enroll. But on the first day of school, only five boys make the cut. Kiyoshi Fujino, one of the lucky few, is thrilled by this discovery, his heart leaping with joy at the thought of being surrounded by all those girls, day in and day out. But little does he know of the shocking fate that awaits him! (STK675008) (MAY151692)

MATURE THEMES

SC, 6x9, 400pgs $20.00
SOUL EATER VOLUME 1 TP (NEW PRINTING)

Maka is a weapon meister, determined to turn her partner, a living scythe named "Soul Eater", into a powerful death scythe — the ultimate weapon of Death himself! Charged with the task of collecting and devouring the tainted souls of ninety-nine humans and one witch, Maka and her fellow meisters strive to master their weapons as they face off against the bizarre and dangerous minions of the underworld. But the meisters' own personal quirks may prove a bigger obstacle than any sultry enchantress! (STK636448) (NOV138138) NOTE: Available only in the United States, U.S. Territories, Canada, and the U.K.

SC, 5x7, 208pgs, B&W $13.00
SWORD ART ONLINE VOLUME 1: AINCRAD GN

(W/A/CA) Reki Kawahara

In the year 2022, gamers rejoice as Sword Art Online, a VRMMORPG (Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) like no other, opens its virtual doors, allowing players to take full advantage of the ultimate in gaming technology: NerveGear, a system that allows users to completely immerse themselves in the game world by manipulating their brain waves to create a wholly realistic gaming experience. But when the game goes live, the elation of the players quickly turns to horror as they discover that, for all its amazing features, SAO is missing one of the most basic functions of any MMORPG — a log-out button. Now trapped in the virtual world of Aincrad, their bodies held captive by NerveGear in the real world, users are issued a chilling ultimatum: conquer all one hundred floors of Aincrad to regain your freedom. But in the warped world of SAO, "game over" means certain death — both virtual and real! (STK632041) (JAN141425)

SC, 384pgs, B&W $20.00

Hello! This is Koiwai Yotsuba, Yotsuba Koiwai...um, YOTSUBA! Yotsuba moved with Daddy to a new house from our old house waaaaaaay over there! And moving's fun 'cos people wave! (Ohhhh!) And Yotsuba met these nice people next door and made friends to play with (one of 'em acted like one of those bad strangers Daddy told Yotsuba not to go with, but it was okay in the end). I hope we get to play a lot. And eat ice cream! And-and-and...oh yeah! You should come play with Yotsuba, too! (STK664289)

SC, 5x7, 208pgs, B&W $13.00
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YEN ON
MY YOUTH ROMANTIC COMEDY IS WRONG AS I EXPECTED NOVEL

(W) Wataru Watari (A/CA) Ponkan 8

One of the best-selling light novel franchises in Japan brings high school cynicism face-to-face with youthful enthusiasm in this bittersweet comedy of errors! Hachiman Hikigaya is a cynic. "Youth" is a crock, he believes, a sucker's game, an illusion woven from failure and hypocrisy. But when he turns in an essay for a school assignment espousing this view, he's sentenced to work in the Service Club, an organization dedicated to helping students with problems in their lives! How will Hachiman the Cynic cope with a job that requires — gasp! — optimism? (STL005179) (C: 1-1-0) NOTE: Available only in the United States, U.S. Territories, Canada, and the U.K.

SC, 6x9, 192pgs, B&W $14.00

(W) Mizuki Mizushiro

Love bites... and might also kill in this raucous comedy of horrors when Kyosuke Kamiya is sent to Purgatorium Rehabilitation Academy, a place filled with beautiful, but deadly, ladies! Accused of a crime he didn't commit, Kyosuke Kamiya is sent to Purgatorium Rehabilitation Academy. Suddenly, he's surrounded by a variety of fetching lasses, each one a murderer! Worse, he's famous for being the "Dozen Demon," a killer responsible for twelve deaths! When the busty, gas mask-wearing beauty Renko Hikawa approaches him, the difference between death and desire becomes very narrow indeed. How is Kyosuke gonna graduate alive? (STL005184) (C: 0-1-0)

SC, 6x9, 224pgs, B&W $14.00

(W/A/CA) Jarrett Williams

Saturday detention sucks but it might be just what Dean Masters needs to reflect on his current life as leader of Hyper Force Neo. Also, a new Hyper Force Neo Mech proves to be a lot "cooler" than any revealed so far. (STL006398)

32pgs, FC $3.99

(W) Michael Moreci (A/CA) Matt Battaglia

How do you kill an idea? Across the dusty plains of America's southwest, a deadly storm is brewing. A string of murders portend the sinister designs of an infamous terrorist to bring about the end times. Two FBI agents have heeded the signs, and only their rogue actions, aided by a potentially untrustworthy expatriate with deep ties to the terrorist, can push this darkness back. Indoctrination explores America's terrifying underbelly-of death cults and sleeper cells, serial killers and apocalyptic nightmares. (STL006400)

32pgs, FC $3.99

(W) Samuel Sattin (A/CA) Chris Kohler

Will Legend, the newly appointed leader of the Dog Tribe, form an uneasy alliance with Bagheera, the Cat Tribe's arrogant and secretive leader? Legend is an incredible odyssey that will leave you breathless. With its gorgeous art and sharp dialogue, this post-apocalyptic fable is compelling and mesmerizing. (STL006399)

32pgs, FC $3.99

(W) Miss Lasko-Gross (A/CA) Kevin Colden

The Sweetness by wife and husband duo Miss Lasko Gross and Kevin Golden follows two badass female intergalactic smugglers of a mysterious controlled substance who cater to the unique tastes of alien drug addicts. (STL006401)

32pgs, FC $3.99

(W) Joe Brusha

Kicking off a new chapter in the life of New York’s most badass archer.

She’s back! On her own for the first time in years, Robyn goes back to doing what she does best: taking cases that no one else wants, even if they make her life a living hell! New villains and new adventures await in this can’t-miss new series that will bring you Robyn as you’ve never seen her before!

32 pages • fc • $3.99 • mini-series
GRIMM FAIRY TALES #123

(W) Pat Shand (A) Chris Johnson

"Eighteen Forever, Part Two." When an old foe returns offering friendship, the survivors of the assault on Arcane Acre search for a night of peace on the eve of their final conflict with Bloody Bones. With their lives on the line and nothing left to lose, the kids put everything on the table and offer their final goodbyes. Also, Bloody Bones unleashes the Kraken. No, really.

32 pages • fc • $3.99 • ongoing series

(W) Erica J. Heflin (A) Giorgia Sposito

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum take Violet and Calie captive! Ravaged by the Tweedles’ madness, they are given the choice to starve to death or eat the ones they love. Calie and Violet put everything on the line to escape and save the victims, but are these cannibals already beyond redemption?

32 pages • fc • $3.99 • ongoing series

(W) Joe Brusha & Ralph Tedesco

"The Bogeyman." The legend of the Bogeyman has been passed down for generations . Parents tell the tale of an evil entity who comes for children who are naughty, using the myth to scare children into behaving. But what if the Bogeyman exists? And what if he wants something else from his victims?

32 pages • fc • $3.99 • ongoing series

(W) Ralph Tedesco & Joe Brusha, Lou Iovino

For Sela Mathers, the struggles with her inner demons aren’t metaphorical. Hers are real! In order to free Belinda and protect the realms from a powerful new foe, Sela must engage in a battle like she’s never before seen and face off against a dark reflection of herself. When the fight ends, who will Sela see when she looks in the mirror? Don't miss the epic conclusion of Snow White vs. Snow White.

40 pages • fc • $5.99 • mini-series

(W) Joe Brusha (A) Marc Rosete

Brought back from the brink of death, officer Rick Murphy is a changed man. His humanity is gone…replaced by an incredible power that has taken him over completely. Now virtually unstoppable as Death Force, he uses this dark power to seek revenge on the men who killed the woman he loved…and nothing in heaven or hell can help anyone who stands in his way.

32 pages • fc • $3.99 • mini-series

(W) Pat Shand (A) Vincenzo Riccardi

Angelica finally has Hades to herself, and she has a millennia of aggression to work out. As she returns the pain her wayward father has given her, Hades offers her a reprieve. Meanwhile, Helsing and Marian find themselves trapped in a subway car with some unsavory passengers of the fanged variety.

32 pages • fc • $3.99 • mini-series

(W) Joe Tyler (A) Carlos Granda

Monster Island is about to go extinct. As if the monsters weren’t enough to deal with, the military has moved up its time table for wiping the island off the face of the Earth. What’s left of the team must complete their mission and find a way off the island before a nuclear strike destroys all life, both monster and human. But first, they must keep the Elf Queen from escaping as well because the destruction of one little island is nothing compared to her deadly plan for vengeance.

32 pages • fc • $3.99 • mini-series

(W) Joe Brusha (A) Allan Otero

The forces of evil have corrupted Satan’s Hollow and the portal to hell will soon be open. Just one sacrifice remains to complete the ritual and as Sandra Ward races to stop it she discovers a betrayal that threatens to destroy her and possibly the world. Her husband has found a new love that he worships completely…and she just happens to be the bride of Satan himself.

32 pages • fc • $3.99 • mini-series

(W) Ralph Tedesco and Joe Brusha, Lou Iovino (A) Diego Galindo

Mission Impossible meets Grimm Fairy Tales in this new intense spy mini-series from Zenescope! Britney Waters aka, Red Riding Hood, is recruited by a secret government agency to help take down a rogue organization that is determined to take out any and all Highborn threats across the globe. Using the codename Red Agent, Britney must infiltrate the mysterious organization and ultimately confront a seemingly unstoppable weapon called “The Knight” - a sadistic laboratory-enhanced warrior whose sole purpose is to seek and destroy. Collects Red Agent #1-5

156 PAGES • FC • $15.99 • PAPERBACK

(W) Peter Driben

"Girls, Gags & Giggles,” ran publisher Robert Harrison’s recipe for dishing up Pin-up to the American male. While other magazines delivered the girl next door, Harrison’s publications banked on bad girls in satin and leather, fishnet stockings, and six-inch heels performing slapstick stunts straight from the burlesque stage. Harrison lured his readers in with vibrantly painted covers by top Pin-up artists Earl Moran, Billy DeVorss and, most famously, Peter Driben. This Bibliotheca Universalis edition celebrates this eye-catching candy with every single cover from Beauty Parade, Wink, Titter, Eyeful, Flirt, and Whisper from 1942 to 1955, as well as interior spreads, featuring, among others, a budding Bettie Page. (STL005873) (C: 0-1-0) NOTE: This item may be available through other retail outlets before shipping to comic book specialty shops.

MATURE THEMES

HC, 6x8, 544pgs, FC $19.99
OFFERED AGAIN
O/A DIRTY WORKS: THE ART OF LORENZO SPERLONGA SC (EURO EDITION)

(W/A/CA) Lorenzo Sperlonga

The visions of illustrator Lorenzo Sperlonga are enjoyed the world over, and this massive collection shows why. In this German "Euro-Edition" of Dirty Works, a completely uncensored and eye-opening presentation is made, which includes his finest paintings and intricate step-by-step tutorials. Text is in both German and English, and the production and printing is spectacular. Oversized format. (STK635072) NOTE: No countries actually denied.

MATURE THEMES

SC, 9x12, 104pgs, FC $19.95
O/A THE PIN-UP ART OF ARCHIE DICKENS SC

(W) Various (A/CA) Archie Dickens

A contemporary of such cheesecake gods as Gil Elvgren and Alberto Vargas, Archie Dickens has had a variety of British euphemisms describe his works. The words used frequently are "cheeky," "saucy," and "randy." Angelic faces with devilish designs has always been the hallmark of this renowned illustrator, whose fondness for lovely young innocents in not-so-innocent situations has delighted pin-up enthusiasts throughout the world for several generations. (STK215462) (C: 1-0-0) NOTE: Not available in Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

MATURE THEMES

SC, 8x11, 48pgs, FC $14.95
O/A THE PIN-UP ART OF ARCHIE DICKENS VOLUME 2 SC

The spry and devilishly creative pin-up elder-statesman Archie Dickens is back with a new compendium of cuties to delight an appreciative public. A contemporary of such artistic greats as Elvgren and Vargas, Mr. Dickens is still kicking, still making naughty portraits of young ladies in various states of undress — all with a sly smile and an innocent demeanor. Each illustration features a delightful damsel doing something perfectly ordinary, but in such an extraordinary way! (STK254012) (C: 1-0-0) NOTE: Not available in Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

MATURE THEMES

SC, 8x11, 48pgs, FC $14.95

Born in the Brazilian countryside, and nearly six feet tall by the age of 14, Gisele Bündchen grew from humble roots into the most successful supermodel in the world. This book celebrates her 20-year milestone in the industry with a unique and spectacular collection of jaw-dropping glamour and intimate, personal insights. Gisele was just 18 when she made her breakthrough in the S/S 1998 ready-to-wear “Rain” show of Alexander McQueen, who chose “The Body” thanks to her ability to walk in towering heels on a slippery runway. With more than 300 photographs, this book is curated and art directed by Giovanni Bianco. From Gisele’s legendary nude portrait by Irving Penn to iconic shots, it is a unique artistic presentation of the most famous Brazilian export together with Pelé and Senna and the highest-earning model in the world. (STL006283) (C: 0-1-0)

MATURE THEMES

HC, 10x13, 536pgs $69.99

(W/A/CA) Richard Kern

New York Girls, first released in 1995, and published by TASCHEN Books in 1996, defined a time, a place, and the raw esthetic of the artist Richard Kern. After kicking his heroin habit, Kern turned to still photography, shooting girls in his downtown, punk-inflected New York social circle. They were naked, bold, tattooed, pierced, and casually posed in minimal sets, mostly just Richard's ratty slum apartment. They were young, but not innocent, fully complicit in the bondage, gunplay, and infamous candle insertions. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Kern's best-known work, TASCHEN is releasing an updated edition with never-published outtakes from the original photo sets, as well as photos rejected as too explicit for the first book and stills from his 25 films. (STL006285) (C: 1-1-0) NOTE: This item may be available through other retail outlets before shipping to comic book specialty shops. NOTE: Not available in Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

MATURE THEMES

HC, 9x12, 312pgs, FC $39.99
COMICS
THE CAPED CRUSADE: BATMAN AND THE RISE OF NERD CULTURE

(W) Glen Weldon

Since his creation, Batman has been many things: a two-fisted detective; a planet-hopping gadabout; a campy Pop-art sensation; a pointy-eared master spy; and a grim and gritty ninja of the urban night. How we perceive Batman's character, whether he's delivering dire threats in a raspy Christian Bale growl or trading blithely homoerotic double-entendres with partner Robin on the comics page, speaks to who we are and how we wish to be seen by the world. It's this endlessly mutable quality that has made him so enduring. And it's Batman's fundamental nerdiness — his gadgets, his obsession, his oath, even his lack of superpowers — that uniquely resonates with his fans who feel a fiercely protective love for the character. (STL004643) (C: 0-1-0)