NEW! DC Comics for Tuesday, July 27, 2021
Category: Around the Shop
Best of 2020: Ash Ave Comics Staff Picks
And here we are, 2020 is finally coming to a close. It was as strange a year for comics as it was for the rest of the world, but the industry showed its resiliency and managed to survive nine months of a pandemic. Our little shop survived too. I read a lot of comics this year, many from years past, but there was plenty read this year as well, and a lot of what I read were some really good comics. A few of the titles in my best of list really deserve a second (or first) look if you didn’t see them in the shop. One of my favorites was Garth Ennis and PJ Holden’s The Stringbags, a World War II graphic novel that is as good of a comics war story as I have ever read, and really stands up as testament to Ennis’ place as comics’ greatest living war writer. I also want to shout out Alan Moore and Richard Corben for providing me with so many amazing comics from the past that I have either dived into for the first time, or am rediscovering.
While we can’t read everything, here’s what we read and loved that was published in 2020. Happy New Year, see you in 2021!
Drew’s best comics of 2020
Department of Truth (Image)
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Cartoonist (Drawn & Quarterly)
The Stringbags (Dead Reckoning)
Strange Adventures (DC)
DCeased (DC)
Pulp (Image)
Jack Kirby: The Epic Life of the King of Comics (Ten Speed Press)
One Million Tiny Fires (Silver Sprocket)
Reckless (Image)
What We Mean by Yesterday (Instagram)
Rorschach (DC)
Sports is Hell (Koyama)
Paying the Land (Metropolitan Books)
Best reprints of the year
Biologic Show (Hollow Press)
Complete Noir: Manchette and Tardi (Fantagraphics)
Yoshiharu Tsuge: The Swamp (Drawn & Quarterly)
Angela’s picks
Aggretsuko (Oni Press)
Eat and Love Yourself (Boom)
Something is Killing the Children (Boom)
Lois Lane (DC)
BL Metamorphosis (Seven Seas Entertainment)
Heartstopper (Scholastic)
Venus in the Blind Spot (Viz)
Sierra’s selections~
Tartarus (Image)
Dying is Easy (IDW)
Crossover (Image)
Scumbag (Image)
TMNT The Last Ronin (IDW)
Mercy (Image)
Locke and Key/Sandman (IDW)
Die!namite (Dynamite)
Mid May Update: Reopening, Comic Book Club, and New Comics
Hey everyone, hope you and the people around you are doing ok. We’ve reached the halfway point through May, and we’re still plugging away to get comics mailed, delivered, and available for pick up here at the shop. We really appreciate all of the genorosity from our customers, whether it was making sure to pick up comics on hold, buying a gift certificate, or placing an order, all of this has helped us keep the doors open and the lights on since the end of March. We will continue to need support in the coming weeks and months as well, so please consider placing any book, comic book, or graphic novels orders through the shop.
Below are some updates to the shop and what’s been happening with us in relation to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
REOPENING?
You may have noticed we have not reopened yet. I am waiting to see what the numbers from COVID-19 tests will look like in early June, roughly two weeks after the partial reopening of businesses in Arizona. I am doing this out of an obvious abundance of caution for my employees, customers, and my own health and wellness. If the numbers do not show a massive spike in tests, or a jump in deaths, I am considering reopening by appointment only. This would mean one customer in the shop during a time they reserve before coming to the shop. This would also require myself and any customer entering the shop to wear a mask while they are shopping, and to continue a social distance practice of six or more feet from each other. If we do open for appointments with customers, I will also continue to offer contact free curbside pickup, as well as delivery and mail order. We will continue keep the business hours of Tuesday through Saturday 11AM-5PM for now
COMIC BOOK CLUB CARRIES ON!
Our Ash Ave Comic Book Club will resume virtually in June, we will be meeting to discuss Saladin Ahmed and Christian Ward’s Black Bolt series on Wednesday, June 17. We’ve got Harley Quinn Breaking Glass by Mariko Tamaki and Steve Pugh on deck for July’s discussion. Drop us a line at drew@ashavecomics.com if you need to order a copy and would like to participate in the chat.
NEW COMICS!
Yes, there are new comics out right now, and even more to come. As you may have seen in my posts on social media, we have been receiving new weekly DC Comics for all of May, and beginning next week on May 20 we will have new titles from all of the major publishers with the exception of Marvel (Marvel new releases return on May 27). Check out the list below for what will be available on Wednesday May 20 at the shop. I will post a list of the May 27 releases on the website and Facebook page next week.
ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN BY GEORGE PEREZ HC
AMERICAN JESUS TP VOL 02 NEW MESSIAH (MR)
BANG #1 (OF 5) 3RD PTG
BATMAN #89 3RD PTG
BATMAN GIANT #4
BATMAN SUPERMAN HC VOL 01 WHO ARE THE SECRET SIX HC
BIRTHRIGHT #43
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #14 CVR A MAIN
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #14 CVR B SAUVAGE
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #14 CVR C TAYLOR ROF
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #14 FOC SLAYER VAR
CHECK PLEASE HOCKEY GN VOL 02 STICKS & SCONES DC FIRST ISSUE SPECIAL HC
DCEASED UNKILLABLES #3 (OF 3)
DCEASED UNKILLABLES #3 (OF 3) CARD STOCK DCEASED UNKILLABLES #3 (OF 3) CARD STOCK
DEADLY CLASS #44 CVR A CRAIG
DEADLY CLASS #44 CVR B GALLOWAY
DOLLHOUSE FAMILY #6 (OF 6)
DOLLHOUSE FAMILY #6 (OF 6) JAY ANACLETO VAR ED DRYAD #1 CVR A OLEKSAK
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS INFERNAL TIDES #3 (OF 5)
EX MACHINA COMPENDIUM TP VOL 01
FAMOUS FIRST EDITION NEW FUN #1 HC
FIVE YEARS #9
FREEDOM FIGHTERS RISE OF A NATION TP
GHOSTED IN LA #10 (OF 12) CVR A KEENAN
GHOSTED IN LA #10 (OF 12) CVR B GRACE VAR
GOON #10 DARMINI CARDSTOCK VAR CVR
GREEN LANTERN BY GEOFF JOHNS TP BOOK 03
JIM HENSON STORYTELLER GHOSTS #2 (OF 4) CVR A
JIM HENSON STORYTELLER GHOSTS #2 (OF 4) CVR B
JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK TP VOL 03 THE WITCHING WAR
KILL WHITEY DONOVAN #5 (OF 5) CVR A PEARSON
KILL WHITEY DONOVAN #5 (OF 5) CVR B BARAHONA
KYRRA ALIEN JUNGLE GIRL #1 NONSTOP ED
LOST CARNIVAL A DICK GRAYSON GRAPHIC NOVEL TP
LUDOCRATS #1 (OF 5) CVR A STOKELY
LUDOCRATS #1 (OF 5) CVR B MCKELVIE
LUDOCRATS #1 (OF 5) CVR C APRIL FOOLS VAR
MARVEL ACTION AVENGERS #10 SOMMARIVA
MIRKA ANDOLFOS UNSACRED #5 CVR A MIRKA
MIRKA ANDOLFOS UNSACRED #5 CVR D ANDOLFO CAT
MY VIDEO GAME ATE MY HOMEWORK TP
NIGHTWING #70 2ND PTG
OMEGA MEN BY TOM KING DLX ED HC
OUTCAST BY KIRKMAN & AZACETA #45
PLUNGE #3 (OF 6)
PLUNGE #3 (OF 6) GARY FRANK VAR ED
PORTRAIT OF A DRUNK HC SCHRAUWEN
RADLANDS SC PINUPS BY EL SUB
RED HOOD OUTLAW #45
RED HOOD OUTLAW #45 PHILIP TAN VAR ED
RED SONJA #15 CVR A LEE
RED SONJA #15 CVR B LINSNER
RED SONJA #15 CVR C BOB Q
RED SONJA #15 CVR D LAMING
SAVAGE DRAGON #248
SNOTGIRL TP VOL 03 IS THIS REAL LIFE
STAR WARS ADVENTURES CLONE WARS #1 (OF 5)
SUPERMAN SMASHES THE KLAN TP
SUPERMAN THE GOLDEN AGE TP VOL 05
SUPERMAN UP IN THE SKY HC
SUPERMANS PAL JIMMY OLSEN #10 (OF 12)
SUPERMANS PAL JIMMY OLSEN #10 (OF 12) BEN OLIVER VAR
SWAMP THING BY NANCY A COLLINS OMNIBUS HC
TEEN TITANS TP VOL 03 SEEK AND DESTROY
TRANSMETROPOLITAN TP BOOK 03
WEIRD WESTERN TALES JONAH HEX HC VOL 01
WICKED THINGS #1 FOC VAR
WONDER WOMAN & JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK WITCHING WORLDS FINEST GUARDIANS OF THE EARTH HC
YEAR ZERO #1 CVR A ANDREWS
YEAR ZERO #1 CVR B DEODATO JR
YOUNG JUSTICE TP VOL 01 GEMWORLD
Ash Ave Comics May 1st Update
Hey everyone, happy May Day, spring has sprung! Over a month of shut down and I’m still here selling funny books and having a (mostly) good time.
Thank you so much for all of the support over the last month that has allowed for us to keep our bills paid and even bring some new stock into the shop. I hope all of you and those close to you are managing to stay safe and healthy. I have some updates to share as to how we’re coping with changes in our industry and how we plan to keep selling comics to you.
First up, there’s going to be a change in our subscription service for the time being, and that is going to be the suspension of subscriber discount for the time being. It probably isn’t a huge surprise that we’ve lost a large chunk of our sales which were walk in customers, and that we are having to rely on our subscription numbers for future orders for the next few months since it is unclear when it will be safe to return to a shop that can allow for walk in and casual browsing. I can’t sustain running a comic shop in which I’m pretty much solely selling a discounted product. If this is something you can’t work with us on, I understand, please contact me and let me know. Otherwise, thank you for your support and for sticking with us through these difficult times.
Second, we will have new DC Comics beginning on Tuesday, May 5th from Lunar Distribution, and will have comics from most major publishers arriving from Diamond Comics Distribution on Tuesday, May 19th. I haven’t quite figured out how I’ll manage all of this, but it’s going to work out, and the best part will be getting you some new comics.
Finally, I have been doing the majority of our reordering through Ingram Content Group, a distributor of books primarily, but they also distribute a lot of graphic novels. This includes titles that are still in Diamond warehouses or never even made it there, in addition to nearly every non-comic book in publication. If you are sick of ordering your paperbacks through Am-z-n, drop us a line and place an order, the turnaround is usually really fast. I have regularly been posting new product updates on our Instagram, specifically new TPBs from Marvel that have yet to be released by Diamond.
I am in the shop from 11 AM – 5 PM Tuesday through Saturday, please call me or contact me through email or any of our social media platforms to place an order.
Thank you.
Drew
Supporting Ash Ave Comics
Photo by Jake Oliveira (@jko.pictures)
Moving forward
Arizona has yet to declare in a “stay-in-place” order, or ordered the shut down of non-essential business, as long as this remains we will do our best to keep our doors open from 11 AM to 5 PM daily with some modifications for employee and customer safety. As announced today by Diamond Comics Distributors, there will be no new shipments of weekly comics after this week’s shipment, meaning the last weekly shipment of new comic books go on sale this Tuesday, March 24. We will do our best to remain open after April 1, however we may have to close our doors for the time being if there are not enough sales to justify staying open. It’s the toughest times yet for the comics industry, and we at Ash Ave Comics could really use your support.
Store Pickup
The first, and probably most frustrating change, is that we are no longer allowing customers beyond the door. This means no browsing, however we are willing to pull any items off of the shelf for customers looking for something to read but maybe without a specific idea about what they want. If there is something specific you are looking for, let us know and one of our staff will check to see if we have it in stock.
Curbside Pickup
If you are not comfortable walking up to the shop door, and would prefer to have comics/graphic novels/toys picked up curbside in your vehicle, we are doing that too. Give us a call or drop us a line through our email, shop social media (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter), or call us to arrange payment and pickup time. When you are arriving at the shop, give us a call (480-858-9447) and we’ll meet you outside with your purchase.
Delivery
We have offered delivery for the last week and it has been great to see customers make use of this service. Here’s how it works, there’s a $15 minimum order, and in turn we will deliver comics to your doorstep, no human contact required. There is an exception to the fee for our subscription customers who will have the fee waived, but will not have their subscribers discount applied to their purchase. We are willing to deliver same day within 10 miles of the shop, and once again these orders can be placed by phone, email, or through social media.
Subscription Pull List
Subscribers, we have new comics arriving this week for you, please help us out during this time by purchasing your comics we have pulled along with any other items we may have on hold for you. We desperately want to weather this storm and having our pull list holds cleared out will really help us keep our head above water for the time being.
Gift Cards
We have gift cards available, these can be paid for over the phone, by PayPal, through Venmo, or at the shop. We can mail gift cards to any address provided, and they can also be picked up at the shop or delivered.
We are humbly grateful if you can help us keep our doors open, please reach out to us for follow up through the channels listed above.
Thank you,
Drew